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www.jazzINSIDEMaGazINE.coM
SEPTEMBER 2009
ISSN: 2150-3419 (print)
ISSN: 2150-3427 (online)
The Ultimate Directory of NY Area Jazz Club, Concert & Event Listings
jazz education
Sourcebook & PTAWRTo
Program Guide
WhAT’S ReAlly
GoinG on in jAzz
educATion?
Rondi
Charleston
Authenticity & Staying on The Path
james Moody
new cd on iPo
Sept. 3-6 at iridium
Fall Preview: Performing Arts centers
& jazz concert Series
E
E
Michael Mossman • Mark Rapp • Mike Rodriguez
duke ellington—
Randall Keith horton
Black, Brown and Beige
Big Band, Symphony
orchestra
Rose Theater—
Sun, oct. 4, 2009
R
luis Bonilla • Maurice Brown • jami dauber
BRASS orbert davis • nathan eklund • duane eubanks
LOVERS
ISSUE Freddie hendrix • Fred jacobs • joe Magnarelli
Randall Keith horton
F
Plenty of cd Reviews
ira Gitler’s Apple chorus
WHERE THE LEGENDS HAVE PL
AYED AND THE TRADITION CONT
INUES
Ernie Adams
John Allred
Karrin Allyson Quartet
Joe Ascione
Pete Barbutti
Shelly Berg
Anne Hampton Callaway
Gilbert Castellanos
Bill Charlap Trio
James Chirrillo
Freddy Cole Quartet
Dee Daniels Trio
Bill Easley
John Fedchock
Four Freshmen
Jon Gordon
Wycliffe Gordon
Jeff Hamilton Trio
Eddie Higgins
Red Holloway
Henr y Johnson Quartet
Tom Kennedy
Kristin Korb
Johnny Mandel
Bill Mays Trio
Andy Martin
Butch Miles
Bob Millikan
Johnny O’Neal Trio
Ken Peplowski
Houston Person Quartet
Claudio Roditi Quintet
Anita Rosamond
et
Tom Scott QutteintMc
Williams
ule
Pa
ng
turi
fea
Lynn Seaton
Marlena Shaw with Trio
Gary Smulyan
Grant Stewart
Helen Sung Trio
Terrell Stafford
James Stuckey
Denise Thimes
Warren Vache
Scott Whitfield
Rickey Woodard
9
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ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) • ISSN 2150-3427 (online)
September 2009 –Volume 1, Number 2
Cover Design by Lori Dawson
Cover photo of John Patitucci by Eric Nemeyer
Publisher: Eric Nemeyer
Editor: Gary Heimbauer
Advertising Sales & Marketing: Eric Nemeyer, John Alexander
Circulation: Robin Friedman, Susan Brodsky
Photo Editor: Joe Patitucci
Layout and Design: Karry Thomas
Contributing Artists: Shelly Rhodes
Contributing Photographers: Eric Nemeyer, Joe Patitucci, Ken Weiss.
Contributing Writers: Dan Bilawsky; Al Bunshaft; John Cizik;
Curtis Davenport; Bill Donaldson; Dimitry Ekshtut; Robert Gish; Ira Gitler;
Gary Heimbauer; Rick Helzer; Jan Klincewicz; Joe Lang; Ronald Lyles,
Matthew Marshall; Dave Miele; Nick Mondello; Patricia Nicholson;
Joe Patitucci; Michael Steinman Ariel Teitel; Ken Weiss.
Advertising Sales
212-887-8880, 347-637-0054
CONTENTS
CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS
37 Calendar of Events
46Announcements — Upcoming Events;
On The Cover: Rondi Charleston
Feature begins on page 6
Editorial Policies
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Inside by contributing writers are their own & do not necessarily express the
opinions of Jazz Inside, Eric Nemeyer Corporation or its affiliates.
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Copyright © 2009 by Eric Nemeyer Corporation. All rights reserved. No part
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products, motivational, philosophical, articles, and for those readers who make music, a bonus 150-page
e-book on the enhanced CD with lead sheets, transcriptions, analyses and more.
2
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside NY
™
•
www.jazzinsidemagazine.com
Regular Engagements; Additional Club
and Venue Schedules
51 Directory of Clubs, Venues, Music and
Record Stores, Schools & Universities,
and more
65 Noteworthy Performances
68 Around Town
COLUMNS
4 Apple Chorus by Ira Gitler
CD REVIEWS
25 20 Hot New CDs
INTERVIEWS & SKETCHES
6 Rondi Charleston
BRASS LOVER’S CELEBRATION
10
12
14
16
18
19
20
22
24
66
70
72
74
75
76
77
78
99
Jami Dauber
Orbert Davis
Nathan Eklund
Duane Eubanks
Freddie Hendrix
Luis Bonilla
Michael Mossman
Mark Rapp
Michael Rodriguez
Fall Preview
Michael Lazaroff –Jazz Cruises LLC
Nicole Pasternak
Randall Keith Horton
James Moody
OSPAC Jazz Festival - Kate Baker
Bob Gluck
Eldar Djangirov
Jazz Education Sourcebook
LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
63 Jazz In July; Tierney Sutton
To Advertise CALL: 215.887.8880
Apple Chorus
Ralph Lalama, John Marshall,
92Y Roundup
by Ira Gitler
For Apple Chorus I enjoy a carte blanche to write
about where my ears take me but when I attended
three concerts at Jazz in July at the 92nd Street “Y”
I saw and spoke with Jazz Inside NY colleague, Joe
Lang, and figured out that he was on assignment.
He made me aware that he had already taken in
the first two night of the series—Sondheim & Styne
and A Helluva Town:New York Jazz—so in order not
to step on Lang’s lines for the three musical experiences we had in common I got a pre-publication copy
of his review that you will no doubt read, further inside Jazz Inside NY.
I think we basically agree that the repertoire was
top shelf and the musicianship on a lofty level. For Piano Jazz, subtitled With Respect to Oscar (Peterson,
that is), the pianists were many and varied with many
new combinations. No one tried to emulate him
but producer Bill Charlap took off on an unaccompanied excursion of parallel runs ala Oscar at
one point.
Some Highlights: Charlap, with Peter and
Kenny Washington, opened with a “Slow Boat to
China” that was anything but slow but decelerated
somewhat by docking time; a two-piano meeting
between Mulgrew Miller and Eric Reed on “Just
Friends” in which Mulgrew accompanied Eric for a
stretch with some Teddy Wilson-like, gentle stride;
Reed’s delivery on Peterson’s arrangement of Leonard
Bernstein’s “The Jets’ Song”; later on, Eric’s passion
practically turning his piano into a B-3 on Oscar’s
“Hymn to Freedom”; Miller and Renee Rosnes collaborating on an airborne “Everything I Love” that
led to an extended tag; Nicholas Payton and Rosnes
in a moving “Ballad to the East.”
The Gerry Mulligan Songbook also had some
piano pyrotechnics when Charlap and Ted Rosenthal, both former sidemen with Mulligan, shared
the piano bench on “Walking Shoes” for three and
four-handed forays fueled by tightly-choreographed
switching of sides. Gary Smulyan and Jeremy Pelt
filled the Mulligan and Chet Baker roles on “Line
For Lyons.” I do feel that Gary, who normally sports
one of the harder baritone sax sounds, coming out
of Pepper Adams, softened his approach somewhat
without trying be Gerry, and Jeremy was not channeling Chet. However, the counterpoint was there
for all to hear.
As noted by Joe Lang, some of the most successful numbers were Mulligan’s romantic ruminations:
“Noblesse,” “Lonesome Boulevard” and “A Ballad.”
Saxophone Summit wound up this year’s program in a blaze of talent. I’ll second Lang’s praise and
give Bill Charlap full marks for his overall presentation, production and playing. This was his fifth year
at the helm and it keeps getting better and better.
Those of you who have read this column over
the past couple of years are aware of trumpeter John
Marshall, who from 1992 has lived in Cologne, Germany where he teaches, is a stalwart in the trumpet
section of the West Deutscher Rundfunk big band
and tours in Europe with his small group. Twice a
year (August and December) he comes back to New
York and plays two nights at Smalls. I make sure to
catch at least one night each time. His regulars were
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4
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
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John Fedchock New York Big Band
all there in mid-August: Grant Stewart, tenor sax;
Tardo Hammer, piano; Neil Miner, bass; and Jimmy
Wormworth, drums. The repertoire on this evening included Clifford Jordan’s Bearcat” and Jimmy
Heath’s “Bro’ Slim.” On John’s “Tailwind” where the
rhythm section lived up to the title and the soloists
responded in kind, I was captivated by the sound of
Jimmy’s cymbal behind Tardo’s solo but everyone
had the pots on. John’s one vocal this time was a
lesser-known Jay Livingston song, “I Was a Little Bit
Lonely” and he sang it in his unpretentious musician
style with Grant contributing a beautiful solo. They
finished with Bud Powell’s “Wail,” living up to the
title and then some. I didn’t have to ask myself if I
was having a good time.
In fact, the entire evening was a good time beginning with a set by tenor saxophonist (and John’s
former colleague in the Metropolitan Bopera House)
Ralph Lalama. From note one Ralph, backed by bassist Murray Wall and drummer Clifford Barbaro, hit
you with that gigantic sound and relentless attack
on his own “Lalama’s Dilemma.” On “Namely You,”
melody by Gene DePaul for the Broadway production of Li’ l Abner (circa 1957) he was melodically
expansive and Wall minimalistly perfect in solo.
Barbaro was an integral part of the dynamic. Wayne
Shorter’s “Lester Left Town” was followed by a tender but tough “Portrait of Jenny” before Ralph dialed
it up again with “Take the Coltrane.”
Later in August I went to the Bemelmans Bar
at the Carlyle where pianist Bob
Albanese was leading a trio with
Ugonna Okegwo, bass; and David
Meade, drums. Some of you may
be aware of him because of his recent Zoho CD of One Way Detour
with guest artist Ira Sullivan that
has been garnering many positive
1650 Broadway
reviews. It was during the release
at 51st St, NYC
party at Smalls that a Carlyle ex212-582-2121
ecutive heard him and offered him
the Sunday night gig at Bemel8pm-10pm
mans for the month of August.
I’m hoping that he’s held over into
September so that you can hear
him in trio mode playing such
“super-kinetic big band jazz”
songs as “This Heart of Mine,”
- HOT HOUSE
“Just in Time,” “Alone Together,”
with a vigorous mambo section,
and his original “Merciful Percival.”
Sitting in at times were guitarist Paul Myers,
“Deep within man dwell
trumpeter Chris Payson, a mate of Bob’s in a Buddy
those slumbering powers; powers that
Rich band of yore; and vocalists Karryn Allison and
would astonish him, that he never dreamed
Loretta Ables Sayre, the latter currently appearing
of possessing; forces that would
on Broadway as Bloody Mary in the revival of South
Pacific.
revolutionize his life if aroused
By the second set it became a big party. Judgand put into action.”
ing by the enthusiasm of the audience, with one more
Sunday to go, perhaps you’ll be able to hear and see it
—Orison Swett Marden
for yourself in September.
September 2009
LIVE!!
Tuesday, Sept. 8
Iridium
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
5
Feature
Rondi Charleston
By Eric Nemeyer
Chicago native Rondi Charleston started her
musical journey with piano lessons, playing Bach
by ear, while also exploring her love of theater. At
16, she entered the Juilliard drama department,
but went on to earn a BM and MM in vocal performance. She quickly rose to the professional level in
the world of opera. Eventually, her interest in journalism took her to pursue a degree at New York University. Proving that she can be great at anything she
puts her mind to, she eventually landed a position as
an investigative reporter working with Diane Sawyer on network television. Moving away from that
life, Rondi has now come full circle and devotes herself to creative pursuits in a life of composing, writing lyrics, recording and performing. The world of
jazz has embraced her with open arms.
JI: You’ve gotten heavily involved in writing lyrics. I
know you carry a notebook around. So you’ve made a
transition from working in network television, which
was a corporate and less creative opportunity as I understand. Talk about a little bit about the transition.
RC: Well, I’d have to say that I’ve really come full
circle and back into music. I started out really as a
musician as a child, and I got into Julliard at a very
young age. My mother was a professional singer and
my father was an English professor. So I really have
extremely creative juice in my family. And it’s almost
as if the journalism was a side trip - albeit a very interest and productive side trip. It was nonetheless, you
know it was a part of the process that led me back
into music. I learned how to tell a story working with
Diane Sawyer - whether it be a journalism story or a
story through a song. Everything that I learned up until now in my life has all fed into being a songwriter.
Even the music that I’m doing now is, is really, it’s sort
of the culmination of many years of experience.
JI: When you were at Julliard, you were focused
more on the musical end of the song than on the
lyric-writing end of it.
RC: Correct, yes. I was really in; I was a classical
trained musician as are a lot of jazz musicians. My
brother Eric plays with the New York Philharmonic
and he also plays a lot of jazz though. And if fact, he
and I grew up sort of fighting over who got to practice
piano after school. It was sometimes a real race home
just to see who got first dibs on practicing. So we’re
both deeply into the music. I used to play Brubeck
and Miles Davis, and my dad played Miles Davis for
me when I was in utero, he tells me. So, I had to come
back to music. It’s always been my destiny. Now I’m
getting the chance to thank God and fully explore
whatever gifts I may have. It’s surprising even to me
how the songs that I’ve written have turned out to be
kind of the audience favorites on the road and on the
“Every thought or subconscious thought that I have is what I
will become. Again it goes back to authenticity. It goes back to
having the guts to walk the walk not just talk the talk. I realized
that every thought I have will manifest in the world.”
6
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
radio. “Telescope” has become like one of the hits.
Like if I don’t sing it, if I don’t sing it I get in trouble.
JI: Now, what was the inspiration for “Telescope”?
RC: “Telescope” was inspired by a trip that I took
with then eight-year-old daughter to the Hayden Planetarium in Manhattan. She did not want to go in. She
was terrified of dark, of the bigness of it all. I had to
persuade her. Once she was finally inside, she had one
of those moments that kids have - that’s an epiphany.
She started to connect to herself and the Universe and
started to ask these really intelligent, really sophistiTo Advertise CALL: 215.887.8880
JI: Talk about your composition “Ancient Steps.”
RC: “Ancient Steps” started with another trip with
my daughter to see the March of the Penguins, the
www.rondicharleston.com
documentary. The very mystery and power of it really touched me. There was the sense of wonder, the
capacity for love and caring - in this harsh, harsh
environment. I thought there was something there.
I thought there was a nugget that could be brought
into the world. The songs that I write, I try to make
both personal and universal so that you know it has
to have a huge resonance for me, but generally it turns
out that it’s something that everybody can relate to
as well. Again, I wrote the lyrics and the melody and
then brought them into Bruce Barth. We would just
sit at the piano together and play with harmony underneath the melody and see what works. We’d be
like “oh yeah, that’s good, that’s good, let’s do that,” or
“no, that’s not quite right, that’s not the way we want
to go.” But it was very much a collaboration on-thespot, together. I’m also writing now with Lynne Arriale and that’s really exciting. Unfortunately she lives
down in Florida, so I can’t go and sit next to her on
the piano bench and write together. But “Song for the
Ages” … I had a seed of an idea. I was born and raised
in Hyde Park in Chicago, which is Obama’s town.
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts presents
THE DUKE
JAZZ SERIES
Beginning in Fall 2008, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts hosts eight live jazz performances, featuring a
selection of Chamber Music America award-winning artists and
their innovative jazz ensembles.
“A knife-blade
articulation
on his horn.”
—Nate Chinen,
The New York Times
Photo: Nick Ruechel
cated questions that I had no answers for - questions
like “what are black holes?” What is a cosmic collision?
What are galaxies? How did I end up in the Universe
and feeling like a very little small piece of dust, a piece
of sand. Then amidst all this, the hugeness – I was
completely like unprepared for this moment. I had to
come home and write - I just came home and started
writing. I started writing like a dialogue, or the dialogue down between the two of us that occurred on
that day. I got to then end of the song and I wrote,
you can see, the whole idea of seeing out into the universe with a telescope and she said to me at one point,
“can I see my future?” I had been reading the book The
Litle Prince to her, and I said, “you can see with your
heart.” What I wanted to impart to her is that even if
you couldn’t understand the magnitude of the Universe that you know this is really what matters. She
was happy with that answer. In Minneapolis I had a
mother bring her three daughters into the Dakota
to hear my performance. She had heard “Telescope”
on the radio, and she resonated, and she wanted her
daughters to come and hear it live. The way that the
song, this song was born was that I brought the words
really fully-formed into Bruce Barth. I told him that I
wanted to create layers and layers of sound to illustrate
the layers and layers of complexity in the Universe. So,
on the top we have this very floating child like melody,
very simple. [sings]: “Tell me how the dance began between the stars and moon and sun” … very simple, yet
very profound floating melody and then underneath
it I said I wanted something that is like the churning pulsating chaos of the universe. Give me sounds
that are, that sound like cosmic collisions and that
sound like the rings and strings, as she said the rings
and strings of Jupiter, you know that magical element
that happens when you look up into the sky. I said I
need all of these sounds in layers and he was able to
do this string arrangement - pulsing rhythmic string
arrangement that you hear underneath the melody
… then we have this rhythm thing going and then he
adds this sort of counterpoint and syncopated string
line, then we have the melody and then I began and
ended this song with this very simple African chant
that Emma [my daughter] actually sings along with
on the recording and on the DVD at Live at Dizzy’s.
I brought her on stage a couple of years in a row now.
So it goes from being very simple and pure to sort of
layering, layering, layering, more and more complexities, and then back at the end to being very simple and
pure with the thought of being able to see with your
heart and the pure voice of the child at the very end
as well, bookends. On the tour, the originals are getting the response. The standards are great as well. I’m
passionate about the standards as well. I love, and I’ve
been getting great response to “Shall We Dance” and
“I’m Old Fashioned.”
BRIAn LyncH &
SpHERES of InfLUEncE
September 23, 2009
Doors open at 7pm; concert at 7:30pm / Bruno Walter Auditorium
111 Amsterdam Ave @ 65th Street / The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts Dorothy and Lewis Cullman Center/ Free Admission / 212.870.1793
Upcoming in the Duke Jazz Series:
pETER ApfELBAUM / THE nEW yoRK HIERoGLypHIcS
November 13, 2009
Funding for this
series was provided
by The Doris
Duke Charitable
Foundation.
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
7
And I wanted to write something after the Grant Park
acceptance speech in Grant Park that would convey
the hope and sustain the feeling of unity you know
into the future. I told Lynne that this was the gist of
what I wanted, and she came up with this. I basically
wrote the lyrics phrase by phrase on that one. She sent
me a phrase of a melody in an MP3 file over the internet. She would send me one phrase and I would write
to that one phrase. Then I would send it back to her
with the words and she’d be like “oh yeah, yeah, that’s
good, that’s good, that’s good. Okay, let me see now.
Where is it going to go from here?” Then she would
write the next phrase so, and then I would get it and
then I was like “okay, yep that works.” Then I would
write the words and send them back to her. We just
did that back and forth, and back and forth until we
had the whole song. It was really organic because you
know it was like building brick upon brick upon brick.
People literally got on their feet when they heard the
song. Now of course part of it was political that they
were happy about Obama, but part of it was just the
power of the song, the power of the music. So Lynne
and I are definitely continuing to write together and
we have one, two, three, four, like five more originals
that are going to be on my next album that are complete and ready to go and we are going into the recording studio next month to put them down.
“…the physical act of yoga is really a preparation for deep
meditation and self-inquiry. The physical part of it is great and
I do it everyday. But the deeper rewards are the opening
of creativity, the opening into your mind.”
we just have this trust that is growing and growing
and growing over the years. He played for me on my
last album. He brings such a big heart and has generous spirit and to say nothing of brilliant chops and
really probing mind. He’s always, always fresh and
creative and you know just a giant, giant spirit. He
inspires me to sing.
physics … there is an explanation for these things.
Some people don’t believe it but its there. Like the
molecules with the water move and response to
sound. I wanted to talk a little bit about sound healing and music therapy because it’s another area that
fascinates me. Have you read Oliver Sacks’ book Musicophilia – Tales of Music and The Brain?
JI: Why don’t you talk a little bit about what drives
your creativity?
JI: No.
RC: It talks about, he talks about the power of music
RC: We played yesterday at the Hole in Wall Gang and how it can lift us out of depression when nothCamp for terminally ill children, the camp that Paul ing else can. It can, it can animate people with ParNewman founded 20 years ago. We were playing for kinson’s Disease who couldn’t otherwise move. You
60 kids who are seriously very, seriously sick, bone can- know it can give words to the stroke patients who
cer and all kinds of stuff. We got to a place in the per- can’t speak. The power of music, the power of sound
formance where some of the kids I knew were riveted. … it’s fascinating to me. Music occupies more areas
They were riveted by the music and by the words and of our brain than language does. I have in front of
by the vibe. I got feedback afterward you put out this me right now, I have a series of tuning forks, because
incredibly careful and yet peaceful vibe. And at one I’ve been exploring the sound, sound healing and the
point I don’t remember what happened but I think I power, I don’t know if you’ve heard of this, this group
JI: Talk about the kinds of dialogues and dynamics got down on my knees and I sang “Over the Rainbow.” called Tama-do, they’re actually out in California.
that evolved in the studio to bring it to life from pa- I had Dave Stryker and Jay Leonhart and Alvester You place them on different areas of the body and
per to sound – for the album In My Life.
Garnett. Regina Carter, his wife was in the audience for example, the heart area, it’s almost like a chakra
thing. I’m no expert on this. I think knowing about
as well and Regina and Susie came up to me afterwards
RC: I’m passionate about standards on this album. with tears in their eyes and commented that was the it can help with composing and with getting our mu“Shall We Dance,” I’ve always wondered what it most amazing gift that you just gave to these chil- sic in the right place. Certain forks correspond to the
would, I played the part of Anna in the King and dren. So it was a mind, body experience for all of us. heart, the spleen, the stomach, the lung, you know.
I when I was in high school and I always wondered I thought it was going to be so difficult. I was kind of Everything has a sound relation. That it’s fascinating.
Certain notes correspond, resonate with the heart.
what it would be like if in the movie, if Yul Brynner terrified to sing in front of these kids and because it’s
Hello, you know?
had like a couple of glasses of wine… I love to do that a big responsibility. What I thought was going to be a
with standards and it turned out there was a lot of scary experience turned out to be a wonderful experiJI: And it has a certain frequency too.
juice there underneath the surface. And so the way ence and I find myself today craving to do it again.
that Bruce and I did it was, it turned into a very kind
RC: Frequency. Frequency. Exactly.
of a sexy sultry kind of a thing, which was great fun. JI: It’s all perspectives, you were scared. We make our
Then we took “I’m Old Fashioned,” which I adore, own meaning. The mind is a powerful thing.
JI: You were talking a minute ago about, about the,
adore, adore, by Johnny Mercer. “I’m Old Fashioned”
about what you manifest. One quote that I resonate
moves at 100 miles per hour, very modern, very mod- RC: It’s such a powerful thing and every thought I’ve with is “Be careful what you think because your
ern sounding version … the words suddenly don’t been reading a lot lately about the power of thought thoughts become word. Be careful of your words,
sound corny at all. They sound completely relevant and how every thought that you have forms, forms your words become actions. Be careful of your acand modern. I won’t do something unless I have a re- your existence and forms your reality.
tions, your actions become habits. Be careful of your
ally strong point of view. “Bewitched” - same thing.
habits, your habits become your character. Be careIt’s different and yet still authentic and true - because JI: Everything is energy. Recently, I was listening to ful of your character, your character becomes your
authenticity is everything to me. It’s got to be. I can’t Bob Proctor, personal development speaker and au- destiny.”
fake. I’m not capable of faking it. I paired it down to thor. He was talking about how we know in the physthe most intimate form that I could.
ical world that the gestation time for a baby is nine RC: It’s so funny because Aristotle got that sound
months or 280 days. He commented that in the spiri- and music could contribute to qualities of character.
JI: Were there ample rehearsals for the recording?
tual world there are also gestation period although
we may not know exactly what they are because we JI: Could you talk a little bit about some of the words
RC: Oh you know, it’s like one of those things where can’t visually measure things the same way. But of- of wisdom that you’ve heard from a mentor that has
we have one or two rehearsals with the guys and go ten make pretty good guesses. So when we have a inspired you or that has made a significant impact on
in. You want to work things out so you know which thought in our minds about creating something new, your creativity?
direction you want things to go. That’s why I try to if we can visualize it, believe it … what you what you
work with musicians who are really generous, respon- can see in your mind you can have in your hands.
RC: Well you know I have to go, I’d have to go to
sive, warm nonjudgmental collaborators like Joel
Wayne Dyer. I’d have to go to the power of thought.
Frahm. You know sometimes musicians just click. RC: Exactly, exactly. Have you ever, did you ever see Every thought or subconscious thought that I have
Sometimes people just click for whatever reason and the movie What the Bleep? I love it. The whole meta- is what I will become. Again it goes back to authen8
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
ticity. It goes back to having the guts to walk the walk not just talk the talk. I
realized that every thought I have will manifest in the world. I actually figured
that out before I started writing songs and so I know now that the songs that are
now pouring out of me, and it’s really kind of scary how they’re pouring out. It’s
not scary bad, scary good. It’s wonderful, it’s exhilarating. It is important to pay
attention to each, each thought that I have to be sure that it’s not self-destructive
- that’s it’s going in a positive direction, that it’s a thought that will impact people
in a positive way, that it’s a genuine loving thought. If you have genuine loving
thoughts, your music will reflect that. I’ve gotten sort of out of my head and into
my heart I suppose you could say. Shining a light on those negative thoughts, kind
of makes them go away …if you’re just being aware of them. Just so you know, my
thoughts were usually of self-doubt and feelings of unworthiness and that kind
of thing. I never had any darker thoughts than that.
JI: One of the fragments of wisdom I’ve come across often is that if only we knew
how powerful we are, it would scare us. What do you do to, to recharge your batteries and decompress from all the stress in contemporary society?
RC: I’m deeply into yoga. It is a means of union - union of body, mind, and spirit.
The more you learn about it the more you realize that the physical act of yoga is
really a preparation for deep meditation and self-inquiry. The physical part of it
is great and I do it everyday. But the deeper rewards are the opening of creativity,
the opening into your mind.
JI: Well, the greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance it’s the illusion of
knowledge, as Dan Boorstin, past Librarian of Congress put it. So how have you
experienced or dealt with this in your life?
RC: The illusion of knowledge, I love that. Recently I read an article in the New
Yorker by Malcolm Gladwell about people who are overly confident and how
dangerous. He was talking about Bush and Cheney. The more I feel that I have
everything to learn and I have insatiable curiosity and wanting to really get it
right, to get things out in my own way, the better off I am. The more that I rely on
other people’s analysis and the more that I don’t question …
JI: … therefore you’ve stopped learning.
RC: Then I think the ego gets engaged, and once the ego gets engaged, it’s over.
It’s the kiss of death for art. I think even Miles Davis said once, approach music as
if you were in kindergarten. Approach it as if you just learning it for the first time
and you’ll see so many more possibilities from that perspective. If you approached
it from a perspective of thinking you know it all already, it’s over.
JI: What kind of musical things are you practicing? Do you work on things at
the piano?
RC: I have playing the Bach Inventions by ear at age six. My parents sent me to
piano lessons immediately. I had piano my whole childhood - but it was a classical
foundation. I had no concept of the language of jazz. So a few years ago, I took it
upon myself to learn it as a child would learn it basically from kindergarten you
know. I studied with Garry Dial for awhile at Manhattan School of Music. I’ve
been working recently a lot with Kate McGarry who’s such a brilliant, a brilliant
musician and she’s helping me really incorporate the elements of jazz into my
music. Only now, after ten years of real study do I feel like I’m getting a handle on
it where I can start to improvise and play with the rhythm and play with melody
and be spontaneous and in the moment. It’s so thrilling. But if I had had any ego
involved, I wouldn’t have been able to go back and study. You can’t fake it. You
can’t fake it. You have to go back and learn it. So I did.
JI: I’m constantly searching as well and I share Mark Twain’s perspective about it.
I love to learn. I just don’t want to be taught.
RC: It’s painful. It was hard, hard, hard work. I put in a lot, a lot, a lot of hard
work to learn this language of jazz but I’m so glad that I did. I’m having so much
Continued on Page 43
September 2009
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•
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA
CYAN
661828-TBD_V01_01_01_01.pgs 08.03.2009 17:37
9
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celebration
Jami Dauber
By Gary Heimbauer
JI: Many great players have attended North Texas
University. Can you talk about your experience there?
JD: Attending the University of North Texas was really life-changing for me, actually. I had just graduated from the University of Florida in the fall of 1990
with a Music Education degree, and I moved back to
Dallas, lived with my dad and commuted to Den-
of St. Rose in Albany with Johnny Mandel—we’ll be
playing his charts, which will be a blast! I also play in
the Ellington Legacy Band with Norman Simmons
and Virginia Mayhew, which I really enjoy. That
music is right up my alley. Edward Ellington is the
leader and is one of the most amazing people I have
ever met! And I occasionally play with Carl Thompson, a master bass maker and player, who has a regu-
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celebration
“Believe it or not, the band has NO ‘divas’
in the strict sense of the word. Everyone is very cool!
I’ve actually seen more ‘diva behavior’
in males than females!”
ton. Initially I wanted to get a Masters in classical
trumpet, but I decided to audition for one of the lab
bands, and I was shocked when Mike Steinel called
me at home to tell me I had made the Three O’Clock
and “did I want to be in it?” Of course! I finally realized that playing jazz always put me in a much better
mood than playing other styles. So, later that semester I changed my major to Jazz Studies. I eventually
moved up to the One O’Clock Lab Band, formed my
own small group and got up enough courage to book
a few gigs around Dallas. There were a lot of performance opportunities and hundreds of amazing players—most of the learning happened at jam sessions
at friends’ apartments. When I first moved to New
York, it was my friends from UNT who helped me
out—it’s a like a big family here.
lar gig on Sunday nights in Brooklyn at a restaurant/
bar called Downtown Atlantic. Virginia Mayhew,
Lisa Parrott, Jamie Fox and Cook Broadnax are the
regulars, and it’s a really fun, swinging band. Carl
calls tunes that aren’t your typical standards, like
“Carioca,” “Humpty Dumpty Heart,” “Afternoon in
Paris.” It’s a great gig with an owner and staff that
treat the musicians exceptionally well!
sponsibility is in our society? Is what you do something only for you and the musicians you are sharing
the stage with, or are you trying to achieve something
outside of that microcosm?
JD: I’m “one of those” who believes that we are entertainers as well as musicians. I have learned over
the years that as a musician—being on stage—it is
extremely important to connect with the audience
JI: What was it that initially inspired you to play this whether it is on a musical level or on a personal level
or hopefully, and ultimately, both. I’m not a big fan
music? How did it all start?
of musicians who stand up there and play and do not
JD: I started playing piano when I was three, and acknowledge applause from anyone in the audience.
both of my parents are big music lovers, so music was Taking a bow or giving a nod or a smile is a way for us
always playing in the house—from classical to folk as musicians to say “thank you for listening.” There is
to jazz to big band. When I was old enough to be in a reason that there is an audience and I want to make
the school band, I chose the trumpet, probably be- sure they feel appreciated. Once the audience is gone,
JI: What is it like being the manager of The DIVA cause of all of the Maynard Ferguson, Blood, Sweat so are the gigs.
Jazz Orchestra? That sounds impossible because a & Tears, Count Basie and Buddy Rich records I’d
JI: What is the greatest compliment that you can rediva is someone who won’t be managed!
heard at such a young age!
ceive as a musician?
JD: Believe it or not, the band has NO “divas” in the JI: What are your top five desert island trumpet
strict sense of the word. Everyone is very cool! I’ve records that you couldn’t possibly live without, and JD: I think the greatest compliment is when someone
says that my playing touched his or her heart. The
actually seen more “diva behavior” in males than fe- please state why?
best advice I ever got was from Marcus Printup. We
males! I sort of naturally progressed into becoming
manager several years ago after having been the per- JD: Hmm…this is a really tough one. Definitely Clif- worked together at Disney World in the late 80’s, and
sonnel and office manager. In the beginning, it was ford Brown and Max Roach Live at Basin Street. That when I began venturing into the world of improvisaawkward, because I’d been in the band for so long was the first “small group” recording I’d ever owned, tion, he told me to “always play from your heart”—
and was friends with everyone. It turns out that that thanks to my dear friend Marcus Printup. The first five simple words that I’ve always remembered and
actually was a positive aspect. I think the band mem- time I heard Clifford play his solo on “What is This hope to live and play by for the rest of my life.
bers feel like I’m looking out for their best interests Thing Called Love,” I was in shock. I couldn’t believe
since I am also in the band. And I would not be able that the trumpet could be played that way! And
to do this job without the guidance of Stanley Kay along those same lines, I’d say MF Horn 1 by May(founder/former manager) and help from Sherrie.
“Keep away from
nard Ferguson, Miles Davis Steamin’, Ella Fitzgerald
JI: What events current or upcoming are you excited
about in your musical life?
and Louis Armstrong’s Porgy & Bess—you gotta have
Louis and Ella on the island! Fifth would be The Best
of Lee Morgan – The Blue Note Years.
JD: DIVA will be performing September 16-20 at
JI: As a musician, what do you feel your role or reDizzy’s with Marlena Shaw. I love working with her.
She is such a great lady (and she swings her ass off).
www.divajazz.com
We also have a concert September 26 at the College
10 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that, but the
really great make you feel that you,
too, can become great.”
—Mark Twain
Randall Keith Horton conducts
TWO CONCERTS
Sunday, October 4, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Three NYC premieres*
The Duke Ellington-Randall Keith Horton
full-length orchestral tone poem,
*BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE
for big band, symphony orchestra,
steel drums, African drums,
soprano and baritone soloists
in 1973
Duke Ellington
chose
to succeed
Billy Strayhorn
Carman Moore’s
*GOSPEL FUSE
for soprano soloist, soprano/
alto vocal ensemble,
Gospel–music quartet and
symphony orchestra
Kirke Mechem’s
*SONGS OF
THE SLAVE
(the suite from
Mechem’s opera,
John Brown)
for soprano,
bass-baritone,
chorus and
symphony
orchestra
Rose Theater,
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Broadway at 60th St., NYC
www.jazzatlincolncenter.org
Sunday, October 18, 2009, 4:00 p.m.
Taped for PBS Television
THE SACRED MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON
The Riverside Choir, The Riverside Inspirational Choir, Horton’s big band:
the Randall Keith Horton Gospel Orchestra, the Dance Theatre of Harlem
Ensemble, tap dancer Floyd Williams, sopranos Diana Solomon-Glover
and Tamara Mesic, bass-baritone Tyrone Aiken presented by Music at
Riverside in cooperation with Rakeiho Musical Offerings, Inc.
The historic Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Dr., NYC
www.theriversidechurchny.org
www.randallkeithhorton.com
concerts produced by Rakeiho Musical Offerings, Inc, a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) corporation, Chrysler Bldg., 405 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY
Ellington photo © Howard University, the Founders Library, Channing Pollock Theatre Collection, www.founders.howard.edu; other photos: Horton, © Bruce Shippee; Moore, © C. Moore; Mechem, © G.Schirmer, Inc.
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celebration
Credit: Kenneth Mohammad
Orbert Davis
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: After reading your biography, it seems like Chicago is as fertile as New York when it comes to jazz.
You have stayed busy, prolific and in the limelight
as a jazz musician without having to move. Can you
talk about the scene there, and how it may compare
to jazz in other parts of the country or world?
OD: I believe that Chicago is as fertile as New York
phony Center that featured Grover Washington Jr.
OD: Chicago Jazz Philharmonic! You can check it
out at www.chijazzphil.org. I get to flex and challenge all my compositional, musical and conducting
BRASS
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celebration
“Improvisation is life. In it we find many skills found in life
itself—high levels of communication - listening and responding
- democracy, decision making, problem solving, language,
leadership, flexibility, teamwork, and even memory.”
when it comes to jazz! So the question becomes, muscles in one event! CJP is the culmination of my
“what makes a healthy jazz scene?” For me it’s Chi- career. Add to that the fact that I strive to present
cago’s performing opportunities (concert and clubs), a new genre based on combining all the amazing
audience, community, fiscal support and education. qualities of jazz and classical music. When fused,
Chicago received a huge ‘stimulus package’ with the result is something new—something that satisthe formation of the Jazz Partnership in 2005. This fies the audience regardless of preconceived notions.
coalition of corporations and foundations provided Gunther Schuller called me recently and told me that
over two million dollars in efforts to build the Chi- CJP is the only orchestra of its kind in the US. We are
cago jazz audience by focusing on Chicago jazz. My planning a 2010 season of three full orchestra and six
56-piece symphonic jazz orchestra, Chicago Jazz chamber orchestra concerts, and new recordings as
Philharmonic, has performed twice on the “Made in well as a few road performances.
Chicago” series performing for over 22,000. What
a huge risk! The jazz education scene is also healthy. JI: What is it about musical improvisation that you
Area students are realizing that they don’t have to find so valuable? What does it offer to you, your
leave the city to get a quality jazz education and can band-mates, and the listeners? What motivates you
be part of a supportive, creative network that sup- and drives you forward?
ports their career. That’s exactly how my career has
developed. I was also fortunate to find consistent OD: Improvisation is life. In it we find many skills
work in the recording studios, on the stage, in the found in life itself—high levels of communication
clubs and in education. Students from all corners of – listening and responding – democracy, decision
the United States are also choosing schools like the making, problem solving, language, leadership, flexUniversity of Illinois at Chicago, where I am an asso- ibility, teamwork, and even memory. When performciate professor as their destination for jazz education. ing with my small group I often plan complete sets
Jazz is also finding its way back into the schools. My only to change my mind as I count off the first tune.
plan is to get it into the general classroom.
Then sometimes I just start playing without communicating by word to the guys—just go! An hour can
JI: You have played with a huge list of notable people. fly by so quickly!
Can you talk about the highlights for you and how
they impacted your musicianship and career?
JI: What was it that initially inspired you to play this
OD: I was very fortunate to hang out and perform
at a club near DePaul University, where I received
my undergraduate degree, every Monday night. The
band was made up of guys (and a few gals) who dominated the recording studios in Chicago. That’s how I
learned to play jazz. Every week – I only missed one
week in three years – I ‘studied’ with great jazz musicians such as Art Hoyle, Bobby Lewis, Roger Pemberton, Ronnie Colber, Ralph Craig, Ed Peterson,
Sonny Seals, Mike Smith and John Whitfield. They
were my heroes. Through the years I have had the
privilege to record and perform with Ramsey Lewis,
including an amazing performance at Chicago’s Sym12 music? How did it all start?
OD: The fifth grade band in Momence, IL and Louis
Armstrong on the Ed Sullivan Show around 1970.
Once I got going, I was hooked on Rafael Mendez
and loved to practice—still do!
JI: What are your top five desert island trumpet records that you couldn’t possibly live without?
OD: Only five? You’re killing me! Let’s see: Miles
www.orbertdavis.com
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Davis – Sketches of Spain and Kind of Blue; Clifford Brown with Strings; Chet Baker – The Touch of
Your Lips; Dexter Gordon – Homecoming, featuring
Woody Shaw).
JI: When you first embarked on the sophisticated
journey of becoming an improvising musician, or
a jazz musician who plays over changes, what were
some methods that you found extremely useful to
achieving your goals?
OD: Learning the theory and forgetting about it!
Once I developed as a composer, I’ve learned that
the creative thought process of writing for orchestra
and improvising is exactly the same, except one has
a larger template and the other is spontaneous. I developed a method that combines creative free improvisation, transcribing solos, understanding the blues
and the writing of jazz motifs in the development of
improvisation. It takes a lifetime of practicing!
JI: As an artist, your state of mind and ability to dig
deep is important. Outside of playing, what do you
do to re-center and find peace of mind?
OD: I find peace in prayer and my faith as a Christian. Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
puts everything in perspective and provides strength
to deal with reality and to be creative. Also, I work
just as hard as CEO of a creative education program,
DMDL, where we teach reading and math to children deemed ‘at-risk’ through music. You can learn
about it at www.discovermusicdiscoverlife.com. It’s a
full-time job in itself! CJP also has its own innovative
education programs as well. Every day is different. So
when it’s time to finally play, I get to play from my
exhausted soul! I find tremendous balance with it all.
Did I mention that I’m a husband and father as well?
Being at home is the time when I am not a musician.
JI: As a musician, what do you feel your role or responsibility is in our society? Is what you do someContinued on Page 43
PERFORMANCE Spotlight • PERFORMANCE SpotlighT
Scot JazzImprov Ad-SEPT-09.qx7:Layout 2
8/21
Upcoming performances with Jazz Guitarist
Sheryl Bailey
To advertise your
performances in
Jazz Inside™ NY Magazine’s
PERFORMANCE SPOTLIGHT
section, contact Eric Nemeyer
at 215-887-8880 or
[email protected]
September 10 and October 14
Early Show @ the 55 Bar w. The Sheryl Bailey 3
No Cover! • 55 Christopher Street NYC • www.55bar.com
September 24 and October 18
Late Show @ the 55 Bar w. Jazz Guitars Meet
Hendrix featuring Sheryl Bailey and Vic Juris
$10 Cover • 55 Christopher Street NYC • www.55bar.com
Saturday, October 17
Late Show @ The Bar Next Door w.
The Sheryl Bailey 3
129 MacDougal Street • www.lalanternacaffe.com
www.sherylbailey.com
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September 4 & 5
80th Birthday CeleBration
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September 10
lennox lounge
[email protected]
973-865-2491
BRASS
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celebration
Nathan Eklund
By Gary Heimbauer
JI: Can you talk about your new album Trip to the
Casbah?
NE: Trip to the Casbah is all original music, most of
which was written within about six months of the recording. I love playing standards, but I find that one
way to continue to develop my own voice in the world
of jazz is through composing. What I find interesting about small group jazz is how much personality
improviser is creating something different than what
I’ve done in the past. That’s a huge part of my motivation for practicing and building vocabulary.
NE: As a young child I was definitely familiar with
music from the big band era, being the music of
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celebration
“My goal is always to be as far from being a jazz
musician playing over changes as possible. By that I
mean that my primary goal is to create music.”
each member of the group brings to the music. Since
I knew who the band would be as I wrote the music,
their styles of play were in my brain through the composition process. The band is Donny McCaslin on
tenor sax, John Hart on guitar, Bill Moring on bass,
and Tim Horner on drums. It was a great experience
being in the studio with these guys, because they
have spent so much more time there than I have. They
were all really relaxed but ready for what we were going to do, or if not they had me seriously fooled.
my grandparent’s generation. But the first jazz I really spent consistent time “listening” to, were Louis
Armstrong records. It wasn’t a conscious realization
at the time, but my guess now is that I was drawn
to the character and energy that exuded from his
music. I loved the tracks where Louis would sing
because I could really hear how much fun he had as
a performer. After hearing him sing, you can hear
the same energy in his playing. Although practicing
wasn’t always fun, I always loved the idea of playing
music and had a lot of fun with it.
NE: I’m playing in a dektet project organized by Ron
Horton and Tim Horner that focuses on the music
of Andrew Hill. I’ve checked out a couple of Hill’s re- some methods that you found extremely useful to
cords from the 60’s, Point of Departure and Andrew!, achieving your goals?
but don’t know his music very well. Hill’s compositional style is very unique and Ron’s arrangements NE: I don’t think anything that I’ve done over my life
of the material has its own vibe as well. The group is I’ve truly developed on my own, but instead gathered
almost a middle ground between a small group and a from all the different people I’ve studied with over
big band, as there is plenty of arranging, but also lots the years. My goal is always to be as far from being
a jazz musician playing over changes as possible. By
of room for blowing too.
that I mean that my primary goal is to create music.
JI: What is it about musical improvisation that you The playing of chord changes is a part of the process,
find so valuable? What does it offer to you, your but isn’t the end-all result. This is something that I’m
band-mates, and the listeners? What motivates you still constantly working on. My goal is to truly gain
and drives you forward?
all of this musical knowledge and understanding so I
can forget about it and just play. I don’t feel like I’m
NE: For me, improvisation is an opportunity to cre- even remotely close to where I want to be in that reate my own voice through music. It exhibits many gard, and I hope I’ll feel that way for the rest of my
major characteristics of any language-building vocab- life. The foundation of my improvisational practice
ulary, understanding structure and inflection, and es- is transcribing. I feel that everything I could ever
tablishing a mood or attitude. So playing improvised
want to play is on a recording somewhere and learnmusic becomes a conversation between myself and my
ing through the process of transcribing really open
band-mates, and also often the audience as well. I’m
up my ears. Not only does it get me into the brain
very thankful that most of the gigs I play on feel like
of another great performer, but I find that it exposes
a collaborative effort as opposed to a competition. I
believe that my playing is stronger because of those
www.nathaneklund.com
musicians around me. The driving factor for me as an
14 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
weaknesses in my playing or thinking process. Freddie Hubbard’s playing is very logical to my brain, but
his technical execution is really hard to match. Thad
Jones, on the other hand, has such a unique approach
that I often can’t predict where he’s going or what he’s
going to do. When I studied with Joe Magnarelli,
getting my master’s degree at New Jersey City University, we used to sit and transcribe together in our
lessons. That was great because I got his perspective
on the music and how he heard some portions of the
music was really different than how I did.
do to re-center and find peace of mind? What do you
do to break through all of the surface stress in our
contemporary world? Or perhaps, you feel that angst
is good for music?
NE: I think angst can be good for music, but I don’t
have a hard time finding that energy when I need it.
I spend a great deal of my day focusing on music or
music related issues, so simple things like walking
my dog or playing tennis are great escapes from the
stress of the everyday world. In those moments I’m
typically able to forget what else is going on in my life
and just enjoy the present.
JI: What is the most rewarding facet of your life as
an artist?
NE: The most rewarding facet of being an artist for
me is the pursuit of a completely elusive dream. I’m
sure that sounds a bit strange, but the idea that I can
continue to learn and grow musically over the course
of my entire life, never coming close to attaining
what is potentially available, is really inspiring to me.
That being said, there are many goals I set that I will
attain or at least I hope to. But the primary goal of
learning and understanding all the options that exist
in the world of music will never be met.
Peter Mazza New York City Jazz Guitarist
Debut CD on Late Set Records • “Through My Eyes” features 8 originals and 2 standards
Willie
Mar tinez
REAL NEW YORK STYLE LATIN JAZZ
@
played by Will Vinson- Alto Saxophone, Matt Penman- Acoustic Bass , Bill Campbell on Drums
and Peter Mazza on Acoustic Guitar and Electric Guitars
“switching between acoustic (with a variety of standard and odd tunings)
and a beautiful L5 and was playing fingerstyle and with a pick - amazing
on all permutations. But most impressive of all is his sense of harmony
and voice leading. At times, I thought I was listening to the entire Pat
Metheny group and it was only him playing solo” —Dan Adler
See Adler’s full CD review in this issue!
The CD is Available on Amazon and iTunes....
236 East 3rd St.
between Aves B & C
Thurs. September 24th
...................
2 Shows starting @ 9:30 PM
www.nuyorican.org
www.williemartinez.com
www.myspace.com/lafamiliasextet
Mazza is the musical curator of the Bar
Next Door at La Lanterna, and plays there
Sunday nights from 8-11:30pm
www.lalanternacaffe.com
Sunday September 13th - Selections from
“Through My Eyes” in a super-trio, Donny
McCaslin and Hans Glawischnig on Bass
For More info on this performance
and other upcoming Mazza gigs, see
www.myspace.com/petermazza
www.petermazza.com
BRASS
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celebration
Credit: Eric Nemeyer
Duane Eubanks
By Gary Heimbauer
JI: You work in many different idioms, including hip
hop. Many people say that hip hop is a modern equivalent to bebop, in terms of self-expression, improvisation, developing your own sound, social significance.
How do you perceive this link, and how do you bring
these different elements together while still remaining true to your own sound?
DE: I got into hip hop early on. Its impact on the
music industry and popular culture was immediately
JI: What was it like growing up with your brothers,
your mom Vera and your Uncle Ray Bryant? Was
music something that you took for granted as just an
everyday skill?
DE: Having music in my family is an advantage that
I couldn’t ask for. It was a blessing. From the time
that I can remember, I can hear my mother practicing and playing the hardest piano concertos and
etudes I have ever heard. She is really a great pianist.
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
“Usually trumpet players try to outplay each other
losing the subtleties like sound and phrasing that
makes trumpet playing individualized.”
felt. People changed the way they dressed, talked,
danced, and interpreted music. My twin brother,
Shane, Cousin Barry, and I had a DJ group that
wrote raps, scratched, and mixed on turntables in the
80’s. We did neighborhood parties and made mixing tapes to listen back. It was definitely the popular music of that time and today just as bebop was in
the 60’s. That’s one of a number of similarities that
I see between the two. I pondered the connection
between rap and bebop on a number of occasions
and could write a thesis about the subject. I’ll try to
keep my answer somewhat concise. The communal
aspect also relates to them both. In the 60’s, musicians would get together to learn, grow, and eventually form musical groups and relationships. The jam
session was the ideal place to flex your chops and test
what you worked on. In the hip hop world, battles are
quite common when trying to outdo another rap artist. I think the two allow for the freedom of expression to rhythm. I think the rappers today are lacking a sense of tradition and that is hurting the quality
being put out. Those that flourish have a strong feel
for the ideas and concepts that preceded them. This
holds true for both idioms. I think jazz musicians
have a broader understanding of this concept. Just as
I listen for a jazz artist to tell his story musically, rap
artists have that ability as well. It’s not always about
how high and loud you can blow, just as in hip hop
it’s not all about rapping about guns, hatred, and
doing bodily harm. I am trying to incorporate some
hip hop concepts in my own music. I’m looking for a
rapper named Gabriel Nox AKA The Dark Knight.
I heard him on a tape and was intrigued by his lyrical
flow and the relevance of his lyrics. You can tell by listening to him that he has natural ability and things
come to him quite easily. I am in the process of putting together music that will cross genres and see him
as a piece to the puzzle. My love is playing traditional
jazz and I am starting to use rhythms similar to rap
artists in my improvised lines to make my playing a
little more personal, interesting, and challenging. It’s
going to take some time to effectively get it across to
those listening but eventually it will happen. My grandmother was the root of it all. She got my
mother and Uncle Ray deeply into music. It was a real
help to know that the tradition of the music that you
love – jazz - and the ability to learn and get tips about
music were right at my fingertips. My uncle, the great
bassist Tommy Bryant, used to come by and give me
an earful about music when I was very young. I also
have another Uncle, Leonard Bryant, who is an incredible singer and drummer. He recently released a
CD putting lyrics to some of Ray Bryant’s most well
known tunes. My mother shares stories of my uncles
sneaking out of the back window with bed sheets lowering down the upright bass at night to play gigs when
they were teenagers. Although my uncles were, my
grandparents were not fans of the nightlife and everything that came with it. One thing that came with
it was great nights of music with some of the giants of
this music that we all hold in high esteem like Sonny
Stitt, Miles Davis, Betty Carter, Lester Young—the
list goes on and on. This and the many other stories
shared by my family about my uncles’ musical exploits
peaked my interest in jazz music. I am forever indebted to my uncles and my parents for allowing myself and my brothers to see musical dreams that were
attainable. I also forgot to mention: My mother gave
me piano lessons when I was still young. That gave me
a foundation when I started my trumpet lessons. My
mother was Kenny Barron’s first piano teacher and I
listened to her give a number of piano lessons every
Saturday morning to a number of students. She was
making a name for herself on the gospel scene and
was an incredible teacher. Seeing people so close to
you doing what they loved on such a high level, it gave
me a sense of achievability—is that a word?
16 September 2009
JI: What would you consider to be your desert island
top 5 trumpet albums, that you couldn’t live without?
DE: Wow, only five? Hmm—let’s see. One for sure
is Lee Morgan—my trumpet idol. He has an album
www.myspace.com/duaneeubanks
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
he recorded when he was 19, a young kid, called The
Cooker. Whenever I run into Jeremy Pelt, we talk
about this album. The maturity and precision he was
playing at such a tender age really blew my mind.
He has a sound that captures the streets to me. It’s a
sound that people can relate to. Another one I need is
Art Blakey, Free For All. From beginning to end, Art
is the driving force on this recording. I don’t remember hearing him play that much drums on any other
recording. Also, the great Freddie Hubbard is playing
at a level that no one can touch. Check out his solo
on “Children Of The Night.” I got to have Clifford
Brown With Strings. The man’s sound is enormous,
round, and lyrical. I checked this out to learn how to
interpret ballads. I gotta have some Woody to keep
me reaching for the stars—Dexter Gordon, Live At
The Village Vanguard. Woody’s technical facility on
this recording is just ridiculous. Give me Miles Davis
too. I can’t remember the name of the recording. It’s
the album with “Airegin,” “Half Nelson,” and “TuneUp” with Trane, Red Garland, Philly Joe, and Paul
Chambers. This recording swings so hard and really
is a staple for a band sound and concept. I always look
and listen to Miles because he really knew how to
run a bandstand. That’s something they don’t teach
in school. I have a couple of non-trumpet recordings.
But the one I most definitely must have is Herbie
Hancock’s Inventions & Dimensions. It’s really a concept album that was basically discussed more so than
reading charts. I love the idea of allowing music to
just happen instinctively. Back to trumpet players—
I love Ryan Kisor’s Usual Suspects—surprise! You
weren’t expecting that were you? I dig this because he
basically just plays his ass off. He very wisely selected
and wrote tunes that play to his musical strengths—
very smart and very killin’. Also Nicholas Payton,
Payton’s Place. Nick was very on top of his game on
this one. You can just tell that he was practicing,
gigging all over the world, and basically playing his
horn a lot. Donald Byrd did a recording with Johnny
Coles—two of my heroes. They play a tune together
that I played with Roy Hargrove trying to capture
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WWW.OSPAC.ORG|OSKAR SCHINDLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
4 BOLAND DRIVE|WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY|(973) 669-7385
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12th 12:30-6 PM
12:30 ENRICO GRANAFEI
1:00 PAM PURVIS & Bob Ackerman Quartet
2:00 STEVE LOVELL Vocalist & Friends
3:00 DAVE STRYKER & West Orange All-stars W/ Billy Hart / Steve Slagle
4:00 NAT ADDERLEY, JR. TRIO
5:00 CECIL BROOKS III & Hot D.O.G., Featuring: Matt Chertkoff
6:00 DIZZY GILLESPIE All-stars Featuring: John Lee & Special Guests
7:00 MAYRA CASALES Latin Band W/ Cuban Drummer Francois Zayas
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th 12-6 PM
12:15 JANE STUART QUARTET
1:00 BOB DEVOS ORGAN TRIO Featuring: Vocalist Kevin Burke
2:00 OSCAR PEREZ* Nuevo Comienzo w/ Emiliano Valerio & Charenee Wade
3:00 VIC JURIS QUINTET w/ Nilson Matta / Cafe / Kate Baker & Steve Wilson
4:00 ALI JACKSON TRIO Featuring: Aaron Goldberg & Carlos Henriquez
5:00 NEW YORK VOICES (Grammy Award Wining vocal group)
OSPAC's Seventh Annual Jazz Festival is sponsored by:
This event is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors. Children are free. Admission is taken at the entrance.
The amphitheater is located atCrystal Lake, 4 Boland Drive in West Orange N.J. Audience members
are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to enjoy the relaxed outdoor setting.
All performance scheduling and musicians are subject to change.
Directions: www.ospac.org
TWO DAYS
OF GREAT JAZZ
BRING YOUR
FAMILY, FRIENDS
LAWN CHAIR
& GOOD SPIRITS
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
Freddie Hendrix
By Eric Nemeyer
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
JI: What kind of words of wisdom have you received, or absorbed by osmosis, by playing with cats
like George Benson, Michael Brecker, Lou Donaldson, Jon Faddis, Slide Hampton, Wynton Marsalis,
Rufus Reid, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Byron Stripling,
Marcus Belgrave, Joe Williams, James Spaulding,
Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine, John Blake,
Sr., Melvin Davis, Bob Mover, Mulgrew Miller?
tries with the pop star/actress Alicia Keys, which
was great! And from November of last year through
April of this year I subbed for Sean Jones in Wynton
Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra which also
was great! Both gigs were major achievements for me.
I had a wonderful performance last month with the
great tenor saxophonist Billy Harper and his quartet
at the MOMA (Museum Of Modern Art) for their
outdoor concert summer garden series. And now
FH: Well George Benson says, “Be able to play all
that I’m back home in the mix of things, I’m looking
styles of music baby. It will make you a more versatile player.” I performed with Michael Brecker two forward to three great performances with Roy Hartimes—both in collegiate settings. Just before I grove’s Big Band next week—a performance on Aug
started my graduate studies, I was hired as a “ringer” 26 at the Hollywood Bowl in LA, a live broadcast
in the NJCU Jazz Ensemble that featured Michael. for 88.3 WBGO in Newark, NJ on the 28, and a live
At the end of sound check, I walked up to him to performance at J&R Music in NYC on the 29th.
introduce myself and show gratitude. He said, “You
don’t go to school here do you? You sound too good
“Stress is no good for anyone but daily struggles are good for a
to be a student at this school. Give me your telephone
number.” Jon Faddis said, “If you want to be a great player because it helps develop character. That character will then
improviser, you have to practice improvising. If you
begin to develop maturity. Maturity will give you something to
want to be a great sight reader, you have to practice
sight reading, etc.” Slide Hampton said, “Your playtalk about. Then you can tell a story when you play.”
ing reminds me of a young Miles Davis. The best
thing that you could be doing right now as a young
JI: What is it about musical improvisation that you and to Jazz music, I placed this record on and started
African American is playing this music (Jazz).” Lontrying to imitate his singing and playing. And that
nie Smith and I recorded together on a George Ben- find so valuable? What does it offer to you, your
turned me into the player that I am today.
band-mates,
and
the
listeners?
son record that was never released. At the session he
said, “Your tone reminds me of the way Lee Morgan
JI: If you had to choose five of your favorite desert isplayed the melody on the song ‘Flamingo’ from that FH: The most valuable part about musical improland trumpet records to bring with you, which would
Jimmy Smith recording ‘The Sermon’. I’m gonna tell visation is that it grants you and your band mates
they be?
Lou Donaldson about you.” I said, “I’m not ready to the freedom of expression. Musical improvisation
play with Lou Donaldson yet.” He replied, “When I or music in general evokes emotions, feelings, good
say that you’re ready, then you’re ready.” Prof. Rufus vibrations, and spiritual enlightenment if executed FH: I don’t have any desert island records in my
repertoire because there are too many great artists
Reid, my mentor says, “Listen my young friend, you’re
efficiently and effectively. It gives each band mate a and albums to choose from to be considered the
working because you can play and it shows when people see and here you. There is great music and great chance for individual achievement through a group epitome of desert island records. But I’ll give you
musicians everywhere and you are willing to be a part collaboration as one. What motivates me and drives a list of trumpeters as leaders of the dates based on
of what they ask and throw down hard! When you me forward is playing a great solo and continuously what I think is either some of their best playing or it
just represents the best characteristics of their playget a gig, make it hard for the person that’s trying to trying to repeat the process.
ing style. I’m omitting Armstrong and Roy Eldridge
get in your spot or the person that you’re filling in
for. Leave your stamp.” Mulgrew Miller said, “You’re JI: What was it that initially inspired you to play this because that’s too hard to choose. Dizzy Gillespie’s
Diz and Bird in Concert Roost 2234; Clark Terry’s
on the right path. Keep your ears wide open and music? How did it all start?
Serenade To A Bus Seat, Joe Newman’s Joe Newman
don’t be afraid to explore your own ideas—and stay
with Woodwinds; Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue, Red
beautiful.” Kenny Burrell says, “You have to learn to
FH: When I heard a big band for the first time, that’s Rodney’s Red Alert; Chet Baker’s She Was Too Good
combine your ears with your theoretical knowledge.
But don’t ever completely throw your ears out of what struck my interest in this music. I first heard To Me; Art Farmer’s Gentle Eyes; Fats Navarro’s The
the window. When in doubt, your ears will always a large ensemble in junior high school. I wanted to Fabulous Fats Navarro vol. 2; Clifford Brown’s Study
get you out of trouble.” And Wynton Marsalis says, know what that sound was and what I needed to do In Brown, Donald Byrd’s Byrd In Hand, Kenny Dor“There’s a certain sincerity in your sound. Sometimes to get next to that sound like getting next to a fine ham’s Quiet Kenny; Nat Adderley’s Radio Nights;
you go into playing something that Freddie Hubbard female (which was one of my focuses in those days). I Lee Morgan is a two-way tie between The Gigolo and
or Woody Shaw would play and that’s not your stron- auditioned for jazz band and didn’t get in. I couldn’t Delightfulee; Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay, Woody
gest attribute. You need to focus more on your sound read. I was still struggling, and I mean struggling, Shaw’s Stepping Stones, Tom Harrell’s Sail Away; Eddie Henderson’s Dark Shadows, Wynton Marsalis’
and your own ideas. We should shed together.”
with the instrument. I completed school for that
Standard Time Vol.1 or Vol.5 and Midnight Blues.
year, 7th grade, and went home that summer deJI: What events current or upcoming are you excited
pressed. One day, I began digging through the family JI: When you first embarked on the sophisticated
record collection and came across a Louis Armstrong journey of becoming an improvising musician, or
FH: Well, most of my excitement already came. I did record called “Louis and The Angels”. Unknowing of a jazz musician who plays over changes, what were
a year long tour in 2008 of 103 shows in 30 coun- the significance of Louis Armstrong to the trumpet
18 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
Luis Bonilla
By Gary Heimbauer
JI: Education, as both a student and a teacher, has been
a big part of your life. You got your bachelors from Cal
Arts, Masters from Manhattan School of Music, and
now you teach there, as well as Temple. How has education from both sides had an impact on you? What
insights have you gleaned about what we need more of
and what we need less of in music education?
LB: Education has been one of the biggest gifts and
life enhancing endeavors I could have ever asked for.
LB: I’m very proud of this recording and of all the
people that helped make it happen. The musicians are
virtuosic as well as musically muscular. They are not
afraid to take risks or hand over complete control to
me or to each other. The whole process reflects our
attitude and approach to the music and to the jazz
industry in general. Several years ago I formed the
Now Jazz Consortium [NJC]. The idea behind it was
to create a place where several entities - both musical
and non musical — could come together in order cre-
“I personally don’t believe I have to suffer to create a
more profound type of art. I’ve always been more effective
and efficient being a happy and positive individual.”
JI: What is currently happening in your musical
life and what’s on the horizon that you are excited
about?
LB: (1) The Great Carl Fontana, (2) Frank Rosolino:
Frankly Speaking & Turn Me Loose”, (3) “JJ Johnson:
JJ in Person, (4) Toshiko Akiyoshi: Road Time (for
Bill Richenbach)” and (5) Bill Berry LA Big Band:
Hello Rev (for Jimmy Cleveland)”
a jazz musician, what were some methods that you
found extremely useful to achieving your goals? (Perhaps something that you developed on your own, or
your favorite instructional resource)
LB: I had a great start at Eagle Rock High School
under John Rinaldo’s direction. He was a wonderful
trumpeter and had a great ear, which is how he played.
He was very expressive and encouraged each of his stuJI: What is it about musical improvisation that you dents to play with that kind of approach and with a big
find so valuable?
sound. After graduation, I continued my studies at Cal
State University at Los Angeles with Roy Main. There,
LB: I’ve always been curious and impatient by nature. LB: I enjoy the challenge of having to compose and
I was also never very interested in becoming a mem- interact spontaneously my band members and the I was taught the importance of the fundamentals:
ber of just one group or playing just one musical style. audience. Creating and controlling the flow of the scales, arpeggios and execution of the instrument. This made me available - time-wise and musically - room, if even for a moment, is one of the most ex- and exposed me to a host of different musical person- hilarating experiences any performer could ever ex- JI: Some say that stress and angst make for good art,
and others say you need to find serenity to really exalities and musical worlds. As a result, I am not tied perience.
press yourself. Have you found that your life outside
down to any one musician or any one musical style. I
have learned valuable musical lessons from a host of JI: What was it that initially inspired you to play of music, or your state of mind in general have a direct correlation to your playing? If so, what activities
musical masters and played a lot of great music. In trombone? How did it all start? do you do outside of music to better prepare you for
these types of situations it’s easy and natural to give
100%. When you give that way, you receive that way LB: Signing up for “Beginning Brass” in 7th grade playing/practicing success?? too. It all becomes part of your musical vocabulary
(Eagle Rock J.H./HIGH SCHOOL) wasn’t what I
LB: The art in what I do is in the ability to express
thought it’d be. I thought it was a shop class and I’d
and communicate ideas clearly. I try to create “snapJI: Your latest album, I talking now, mixes so many be making lamps and ashtrays.
shot” at every opportunity I get to play. Making a real
elements together-Latin, jazz, funk, blues--and it
effort to “be in touch” with myself greatly improves
seems like everyone on the album has the same diwww.trombonilla.com
verse style. Can you talk about the record a little bit?
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
19
celebration
LB: I’ve just celebrated my 10 year anniversary with
the (Grammy Winning) Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
and spent this past Summer touring with them as
well as with Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy. Perhaps
the most recent and most exciting event is the release
of my fourth CD as a leader - I Talking Now! - Planet
Arts/NJC). It features Arturo O’Farrill, John Riley,
Andy McKee and Ivan Renta on all original compositions and it’s been well received. We’re beginning to
play and tour and already starting to make plans for
our follow-up recording .
JI: What are your top five desert island trombone
records that you couldn’t possibly live without, and
please state why? The leader doesn’t have to play
trombone, but please choose albums based on the
role of the trombone.
L overs ’
JI: Although you are still youthful in age, you’ve
played with such a diversity of legendary players,
such as McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie,
Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Astrud Gilberto,
Willie Colon, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Billy Childs, Gerry
Mulligan, Tony Bennett, Marc Anthony, La India,
Paquito d’Rivera, Mary J. Blige, the Vanguard Jazz
Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band and the Jazz at
Lincoln Center Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra. How
has this diversity of experience impacted your playing? Do you have any anecdotes, or ah hah! moments
that you can share with us, that you experienced with
some of these players or groups?
ate a successful musical venture. The venture, in this
case, is I Talking Now. The players/partners involved
include not only the musicians, but Thomas Bellino
of Planet Arts, Mariah Wilkins Artist Management,
Two For The Show Media, and Ed Reed of Lighthouse Productions.
BRASS
My students are a source of inspiration and keep me
more excited then ever about music and its infinite
possibilities. The wonderful relationships I’ve formed
with my students over the years have also allowed me
to have an impact on how we, as young artists, should
look at Jazz and the marketplace that surrounds it.
Specifically, how we can make the music more accessible to a larger audience. The students act as a sounding board for my ideas and concepts about what
it takes to be a successful musician in today’s often
challenging musical climate. BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
Michael Mossman
By Gary Heimbauer
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
JI: You are known for your work in Latin jazz idioms. To really be cutting edge, one has to live and
breathe Latin jazz. How did you go from a straight
ahead classic player to Afro-Cuban and Brazilian?
How did this develop?
MM: Many brass players start out in big cities playing in Latin bands. The Latino community, at least
when I first moved to Chicago, and then to New
York, supported live music like no other I’ve seen.
So I learned the style and loved the music. While in
grad school, I heard the Machito Orchestra and was
really knocked out by the charts and the stylistic performance. After the concert, I marched on up to the
stage and told Mario Grillo (Machito’s son and then
percussionist) that I wanted to play in that band. A
couple weeks later they called me and my first gig
was in Queens. Little did I know that playing in that
band was kind of like being inducted into a musical
family. Soon I met the godfather of Latin trumpet,
Victor Paz. He brought me into Mario Bauza’s band,
where I met Chico O’Farrill, Ray Santos, Patato Valdez and many other formative figures in the music.
Mario wound up, to my surprise “appointing” me his
new arranger. I had no experience arranging in the
style but had many teachers, especially Bobby Sanabria who was very generous with his knowledge.
Mario Bauza is the reason I have any career in Latin
Jazz today – he was, and remains my hero. After recording a few charts with Mario, Tito Puente and
then Ray Barretto and Slide Hampton (my idol since
I was 3 years old) began to call as well and things just
took off. Now my association with Hal Leonard has
allowed me share some of the lessons I learned with
students, so it has come full circle.
As a player, I have to credit Michel Camilo
for getting me up to New York speed on trumpet.
I learned as much playing in his quintet as I did in
years of school. Of course there were other associations that were, and are great – playing lead trumpet
for Eddie Palmieri, The Lincoln Center Afro Latin
Jazz Orchestra and others. But Michel really trains
musicians, many of them, for many years.
Date with Destiny, was at his home in Fiji – expensive – but worth every penny as I have transformed
my life. Corny as it sounds - and it is corny - I multiplied my income several times over, left a poisonous
relationship and got out of deep debt, married the
woman of my dreams (Spanish dancer, choreographer Mayte Vicens) and now travel all over the world
with my family. A remarkable person, Tony Robbins,
absolutely committed to helping people seek their
dreams. With Tony, I learned, first and foremost, to
be proactive; not wait for things to happen. I learned
to make a science of modeling successful people’s behavior. I learned to persistently seek the benefits of
any situation, no matter how negative it might seem. I
learned a lot about time management and responding
in a loving way to people who are not handling them-
“I learned to make a science of modeling successful people’s
behavior. I learned to persistently seek the benefits of any
situation, no matter how negative it might seem. I learned a
lot about time management and responding in a loving way to
people who are not handling themselves well at the moment. I also
learned it was OK to think big and expect things to turn out well.”
MM: Anthony Robbins is just a brilliant teacher, no
question. He does not lay claim to have innovated
much of the material he presents, but he has a unique
and powerful way of cutting to the essentials of mastering one’s mind, emotions, physical body, relationships and basic orientation toward the world. I was
really struggling as an artist and as an adult before I
attended his seminars, read his books, which are very
valuable for performers, and listened to his tapes. He
looks to be a real geek on infomercials, but believe me,
this guy is the real deal. The last seminar I did, called
MM: Composing, for me, starts with songwriting – a
vastly underrated part of jazz education. Some of my
heroes are great jazz songwriters, like Jimmy Heath,
Freddie Hubbard, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Joe Henderson, Clare Fischer and Thad Jones.
Melody says more than anything and also provides
lots of material for the development that follows. A
good melody is inexhaustible as far as ideas. I loved
the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, started by Jon Faddis
and George Wein. The arrangers, like Slide Hampton, Frank Foster, Manny Albam and Jim McNeely
JI: You received degrees in Anthropology/Sociology used standards to create new, innovative arrangeas well as Jazz Composition. Have your studies in ments. But what made the task easier for us was the
other areas affected your musicianship? Do you con- quality of the songs we worked with. Composition is,
tinue to research these topics?
to me, one of the great mysteries of abundance. How
a person can create a new work of art that can susMM: Sociology is the study of people in groups – tain human life both spiritually (Barber Adagio for
pretty applicable to the music business! I could see strings) and economically? (How many Nutcracker
that early on after college. Anyway, I find people fas- Suites have sustained how many musicians over how
cinating and see music as an innately human activity.
many decades?) A composition is like the gift that just
I try to keep my music relevant to people, especially
keeps on giving. After the melody comes the fun part,
the ones playing it! That is a constant study, solicitdevelopment. It’s like inventing characters in a story
ing comments from players, engineers, directors and
and watching them do their thing. Of course studythe listening public. There are always insights to be
ing music composition is essential. I was lucky to have
gained from people, if one is open to them.
studied with Wendell Logan at Oberlin Conservatory. He taught me to have reasons behind the notes I
JI: Can you talk about the process of composing for
wrote and to keep those reasons relevant to human beyou? How do you approach this task?
ings. I think that just knowing someone was actually
listening made all the difference to me as a student.
http://qcpages.qc.edu/music/index.
Composing is also a great experiment in seeing how
php?L=1&M=162
20 September 2009
JI: We here at Jazz Inside are very much interested
in self-development and motivational speakers, etc.
Can you talk about your experience with Anthony
Robbin’s Mastery University, and some things you
may have learned?
selves well at the moment. I also learned it was OK to
think big and expect things to turn out well. I also
learned leadership skills and marketing concepts, key
to being successful as a musician. I created a Music
Business program at Queens College that starts out
with many of the basics I learned in Mastery University. Not a year goes by that I don’t hear from a former student who transformed their career by putting
some simple principles, especially that of “constant
and never-ending improvement” into practice.
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
RONDI CHARLESTON
“HERS IS AN IMMENSE GIFT...She handles everything with unfailing taste
and intelligence...The greatest highlight is the original Telescope. She is the jazz
equivalent of a gin & tonic; cool, clear & effervescent!” -JazzTimes
“SHE WORKS HER WAY INTO HER LISTENERS’ HEARTS,
and her emotional range is wide. She is in tune with herself
and her material and is a joy to hear.” -The New York Times
“CHARLESTON CAPTURES OUR ATTENTION
COMPLETELY through her heartfelt approach.” - Jazz.com
“SHE POSSESSES NOT ONLY SPARKLING, SEASONED
VOCAL CHOPS, but impeccable taste, as well.” - JAZZIZ
AVAILABLE NOW FOR THE FIRST TIMEThe complete CD/DVD “In My Life,” with never before
released material, including the original hit “Telescope.”
ON SALE AT BORDERS NATIONALLY AND ONLINE.
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Bonus DVD features Rondi LIVE at
Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola™
For news, info, updates, downloads, bookings and more,
visit the ALL NEW www.rondicharleston.com
Be sure to tune in to RadioIO.com’s Real Jazz channel,
where Rondi is featured as September’s Artist of the Month.
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
Mark Rapp
By Gary Heimbauer
JI: Can you talk about meeting Wynton Marsalis
and the effect it had on your path in your formative
years?
MR: When I first met Wynton Marsalis, I was a student at Winthrop University studying trumpet under
- very much a happy, joyous party vibe. Late nights,
later mornings, hot sun, rehearsals surrounded by a
BBQ with girlfriends and friends hanging out and
so on. Solos are played with abandon and no matter
what you play, just do it with 110% soul and vibe and
it’s all good. New York is intense, high-energy, fast
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
“Improvisation is the embodiment of freedom and peace.
It is, in essence, what we all strive to achieve through
governments, laws, religions, diets, fads and the like. All great
artists in some form or another present those ideals of freedom
and peace – in paintings, poetry, music, sculpture and more.”
Dr. Ian Pearson. The day Wynton arrived, I was sure
to be involved in the caravan picking him up at the
airport and I was sure to wear my best suit. Wynton
later gave a quote to the local paper saying, “Rapp’s a
sharp young man. He plays with soul, has style and
he’s clean too.” - a reference to my always wearing a
suit around him. At any rate, when I saw him, I just
stood still, eyes wide open, jaw dropped and probably looked like a dumb-struck deer in headlights.
Wynton embraced me and said something welcoming that, for a star-struck kid, catapulted me to the
heavens. At the concert, he dedicated a solo trumpet piece to me - it was his composition on Buddy
Bolden. All and all, my first meeting with Wynton
could not have been better. Although, we did do a
quick jam together, it wasn’t anything specific to the
trumpet or music that really made an impression on
me, but it was his overall vibe in regards to discipline,
seriousness, determination, follow-through, honor,
integrity and finding your own sound that had the
main and most meaningful impact on me. It was
also how he talked about New Orleans, the heritage
of the trumpet, being on the road, seeing the world,
meeting thousands of people and so on. And the idea
of doing your own thing with dedication and soulfulness. It was all of those things that helped solidify
my path in my formative years.
and very business-centric. Most people in New York
are there to work, work, work and get things done at
the highest level of quality and efficiency - late nights
and very early mornings, no resting because if you
rest, someone else is getting ahead of you. Jam sessions are filled with difficult tunes often played in
anything but the original key and everyone is burning it up and then some. The competition is fierce.
Practice and rehearsals are serious business and often
require a financial investment. Solos are well-crafted
with intricate lines played very precisely often incorporating advanced harmonic approaches and razor
sharp rhythmic accuracy. I’ve met so many musicians
who would benefit from chilling at a BBQ and dig
into some Dr. John or the Meters - just open up and
relax man! … and many musicians who would benefit
from more technical exercises and being a little more
serious with their craft. Like I said, both worlds are
indispensable. In terms of getting work and being a
working musician, any city anywhere in the world is
difficult. No differences there. Hustling for a gig is
hustling for a gig. But to wrap this up, the musicians
I most enjoy are able to incorporate and present the
best of both of those worlds - those worlds being the
soul and the mind of the artist. When intellect meets
passion, when raw emotion is focused through technique, that’s brilliant and powerful.
JI: What are the differences in the New Orleans jazz
scene and New York?
JI: You are influenced by many different styles. How
do you try to manage putting it all together without
watering things down too much?
MR: First, let me clearly say, that there are simply differences and that doesn’t mean one is better than the
other or one is more valid than the other. Different is
simply different and having lived and played in both
scenes, I have found they create a perfect Yin and
Yang. New Orleans is Yin to New York’s Yang and
vice versa. New Orleans is down home, relaxed, extremely soulful through and through, from the food,
to the people, to the venues, to the lifestyle, etc. The
sound is fat, rich, full, heavy with groove and funk
22 MR: Bill Evans is quoted as saying, “Jazz is a mental
attitude rather than a style.” I really, really like that. I
don’t over think styles - I allow my music - compositionally and in performance - to happen organically.
I’m coming from the mindset of good music is good
music. And music that stirs emotion or stimulates
www.markrapp.com
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
the mind is what makes music so beautiful and essential to the human experience regardless of genre
or style. It doesn’t matter to me whether a song by
Bjork, Ron Miles or some obscure singer/songwriter
inspired me to write a tune or whether a tune came
out of studying a Charlie Parker lick - all of which is
the case for the tunes on Token Tales. I hear what I
hear and I play what I play. If it comes out as groove
or smooth jazz - fine. If it comes out like a soundtrack
for a scene in a movie - cool. If it comes out as modern jazz - great. What really matters is if it is honest, real, presented with sincerity and if it engages
those involved - listener to performer. Additionally,
I’m very fortunate to be supported by some of the
best musicians around. Artists like Jamie Reynolds
and Rene Hart who are extremely thorough in the
study of their instrument, harmony and rhythm and
who are very open to all music around the world. I
think it is the combination of having solid, skilled
supporting musicians and being clear on your intentions. That way, the music is uniform, singular and
not convoluted.
MR: There are so many wonderful things happening. We just released a killer iPhone Application that
is free through the iTunes App Store and is a very
cool way for me to distribute music, photos, videos,
Twitter feeds and more. Paved Earth music, the label
I’m on, is a very forward thinking label. They were
releasing music digitally long before that was the
thing to do and offering download cards way before
that was fashionable. They teamed up with theConspiracy, LLC who has a client roster that includes
everyone from Remy Martin to Korn and is building
social media and mobile applications for EMI, Blue
Note, Depeche Mode and Def Jam. Not bad associations to have! Derek Lee Bronston, my guitarist, and
I have developed an imaginative recording collaboraContinued on Page 54
Saxophonist Alex Terrier
and Barking Cat Records announce
the release of his sophomore album
with Roy Assaf, François Moutin, Steve Davis and guests
Roundtrip
“Alex is a very gifted and expressive saxophonist. He’s shown in
performance a very strong developing conception as a composer
and a soloist” —Joe Lovano
ReleASe CelebRATionS
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october 8, 8pm @ Cafe iguana
www.iguananyc.com • 240 W 54th St, NYC
october 10, 7-10pm @ Drom
www.dromnyc.com • 85 Avenue A, NYC
october 22, 9pm @ Parkside lounge
www.parksidelounge.net • 317 E Houston St, NYC
www.alexterriermusic.com
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BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
Michael Rodriguez
By Gary Heimbauer
BRASS
L overs ’
celebration
JI: You’re a native New Yorker who went to Miami
to study music for a couple of years. What drove you
to go down there? The weather? The women? To get a
break from this crazy city? You eventually came back
and got your degree at the New School. What were
the highlights of your college experience?
MR: I was born in Queens, NY. My family moved
down to Miami in ‘87 when I was about 9 years old. So,
I started playing guitar and later picked up the trumpet. I was a guitar major at the New World School of
the Arts and also played trumpet in the ensembles. I
then went on to the University of Miami and focused
on the trumpet. After completing two years, I decided
to move to New York to attend the New School University where I got my B. A. The Highlights of my college years were when I got to play with the guest artists that came through in Miami – Maria Schneider,
Bob Mintzer, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Heath, Manny
Album. Years later after being in NY, I worked professionally with some of those artists such as Bob Mintzer and Maria Schneider.
JI: You’ve played with some amazing cats like Joe Lovano, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Charlie Haden and many
more. How have these experiences impacted your
musicianship?
MR: Having the opportunity and honor to work
with artists like Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Charlie
Haden is a dream come true. For me, in any musical
situation that I am involved in, I always take something away from the experience be it with a big name
jazz artist or with one of my peers’ projects. Working
with artists such as Charlie Haden, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Bob Mintzer, I take away not only musical
ideas but also life lessons. It’s an apprenticeship if you
will. That level of professionalism is what I strive for.
my heroes play on recordings, I get a certain feeling
in my soul and I want to make other people feel the
same thing. I love playing with other musicians who
listen and share that same passion.
MR: My father is a musician. He was always playing
recordings in the house and had musical instruments
around for my brother and I to play with. I would
say my first inspiration was my father. When I got to
middle school, I wanted to be in the band program
so I choose the trumpet. I was watching TV with my
father one day and Dizzy came on playing so that led
“What improvisation offers me is another avenue for
expressing my inner self. Whenever I listen to my heroes play
on recordings, I get a certain feeling in my soul and I want to
make other people feel the same thing. I love playing with other
musicians who listen and share that same passion.”
me to want to play the trumpet.
JI: If you were stranded on a desert island and could
only have 5 trumpet records, with you, what would
they be?
MR: What improvisation offers me is another avenue for expressing my inner self. Whenever I listen to
MR: My ‘top 5 desert island trumpet recordings’ is a
tough one to answer but I’ll give it a shot. Miles Davis’ My Funny Valentine/Four and More double CD
would be on that list. I love the sound of the recording. Everything is clear and precise. The playing on
this recording is breathtaking. I can listen to Miles’
sound and phrasing on this recording for the rest of
my life and never get tired of it. It swings so hard and
is one of the most musical live performances I’ve ever
heard. Another record is Clifford Brown with Strings.
Again, Clifford’s Sound and what he plays over those
songs is the reason why I love this instrument – such
a high level of expression. Freddie Hubbard’s Ready
for Freddie is on that list too. It’s tough to choose just
one Freddie record but I love his birdlike solo on it so
much that I had to choose it. Every time I listen to it
I hear something new. The whole album still sounds
fresh to my ears. The Freddie Hubbard-Woody Shaw
Sessions is a must have and will definitely go to the island with me. Every trumpet player should own this
recording – two of my trumpet heroes exchanging
musical ideas back and forth. In my opinion, both
Woody and Freddie defined the modern jazz trumpet. Last but definitely not least, I would take the
Chapotin y su Conjunto recordings with me. Chapotin’s sound and phrasing is mind-blowing. He floats
over the rhythm section’s groove so elegantly.
24 September 2009
JI: What are some things currently happening, or on
the horizon, that you are excited about?
MR: Right now in my musical world, I am doing a
lot of exciting sideman gigs that are pushing me to
become a better player. My brother Robert, a pianist
and composer, and I have the Rodriguez Brothers
project happening and we are continuing to travel,
perform and grow musically from it. I’ve also started
my own quartet project which I’m excited about.
Robert has also been playing with his trio project.
We both love playing and will continue with the Rodriguez Brothers group but we also want to venture
out on solo projects.
JI: What does musical improvisation offer to you,
your band-mates, and the listeners?
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
achieving your goals? Maybe there is something you
discovered on your own?
MR: In my development as an improviser I’ve discovered a lot of things on my own. I have had great
help along the way and still now at times. But I think
everyone gets to a point where they start to figure
things out on their own. I think sitting down at the
piano is very important. I’ll sit down at the piano and
play some chords and hold down the sustain pedal
and pick up my trumpet and start to improvise. A
lot of my development has been in this way. Listening to recordings and transcribing has helped a great
deal for me. That helps get the sound and phrasing
of this music in ones ear. It’s a language so one must
approach it as they would any other language. Learn
the grammar and vocabulary then come up with your
own sentences to express what yourself.
is good for music?
MR: I heard Herbie Hancock say once that being a
musician is part of who we are. We are not always musicians through out the day. We are also a brother or
CD Spotlight • CD Spotlight • CD SpotlighT
CORINA BARTRA
SON ZUMBON–Blue Spiral Productions. www.
bluespiralmusic.com. No Valentin; El Dorado; Alcatrachu; Latino Blues; Una Larga Noche; Aguacero;
Green Dolphin Street; Bailin rodas Las Razas; Osiris.
PERSONNEL: Corina Bartra, Clare Cooper, vocals; Tino Derado, piano; Vince Cherico, drums; Peter Brainin, sax and flute; Oscar Stagnoro bass; Fred
Berrihill, percussion; Perico Diaz, Peruvian cajon;
Andres Prado, guitar.
Man in the World of Ideas (spoken word by Dr. Cornel
West); Him or Me; Choices; Hugs (Historically Under-
represented Groups); Winding Roads; When Will You
Call; A New Note (spoken word by Dr. Cornel West);
A New World (Created Insides the Walls of Imagination); Touched by an Angel; Robin’s Choice.
PERSONNEL: Terence Blanchard, trumpet,
synthesizers; Walter Smith III, saxophone; Lionel
Loueke, guitar; Fabian Almazan, piano; Derrick
Hodge, acoustic and electric bass; Kendrick Scott,
drums and percussion; Dr. Cornel West, spoken
word; Bilal, vocals and effects.
By Bob Gish
Here’s a wonderful ristra of Latin tunes sung
by an experienced cantadora in conjunto with a fine
assembly of instrumental jugadores and musical jesters. The only standard in this waggish assembly from
the familiar jazz repertoire is “Green Dolphin Street”
which in some ways is the least satisfying rendering of
the bunch in that Bartra’s forte is singing in Spanish.
One can only wish this tune, hardly the proponent of a witty lyric, had not been included or perhaps sung in translation. When she scats the tune
comes more alive, and yet does not arrive at the level
of energy as the rest of the songs found here. The tune
is, as it were, an exception not the rule.
It’s difficult for a salsa singer especially to stand
out as a soloist, given all the repetitions and responses
formed in the genre. Bartra, however, brings it off as
a convincing soloist who knows not only salsa forms
but more Afro-Cuban and here Afro-Peruvian traditions. The whole enterprise is a fusion of world beats
and rhythms blended with American jazz in a cornucopia of melodies not unlike the exotic head ornamentations of the late Carmen Miranda. Ballads and
boleros seem, understandably, to be lacking; however, there’s a compensatory high hat of tasty fruits
and condiments to savor.
The musicians in large part make the production the stand out it is and in this respect it’s natural to think of Bartra as one of the conjunto. Again,
the Spanish as language stands out as its own kind
of musica del alma. Bartra’s is not the most soothing
of voices, not the kind to appeal to the more popular
airwaves of jazz. Her unique almost nasal stridency
has its own siren appeal even so.
Fans of Latin jazz will not want to miss this one
to test their critical ear, cultural affinities, and comprehension of Spanish music, both for its melodies
and lyrics.
TERENCE BLANCHARD
CHOICES – Concord Jazz CJA-31736-02. www.
concordmusicgroup.com. Introduction by Dr. Cornel West; Byus; Beethoven (spoken word by Dr. Cornel West); D’s Choice; Journey; Hacia del Aire; Jazz
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
25
By Matt Marshall
Perhaps inspired by his work as a composer for
films – most notably with Spike Lee – and certainly
inspired by philosopher and civil rights activist Dr.
Cornel West, trumpeter Terence Blanchard appears
with Choices to be screening a documentary without
pictures: one on music’s power to work as philosophy,
criticism and a source of redemption. It’s an interesting idea that doesn’t quite fulfill its promise. Several
tracks feature West musing as in an interview on
subjects from Beethoven to imitation to moral choice
“God Made It Beautiful” is a short tune that
takes things back to funk territory and Williams (who
is credited on piano but doesn’t seem to play acoustic
piano on anything) ably accompanies Catalano’s furious flurrying flights. “Damn Right” keeps things moving in the same direction and by this point anybody
reading this review probably realizes that stylistic variety isn’t what Catalano is going for here. Fortunately,
the reasonable length of the tracks (average length-less
than five minutes per track) and the album (clocking
in around forty-five minutes) keep your attention. In
addition, Catalano’s intensity and drive can’t help but
keep your ears perked up and your adrenaline flowing as you listen to these funk-filled delights! “Funky
Dunky,” the longest track on the album, digs deep and
Daron Nelson’s drums and Adam Whitson’s bass are
in the pocket providing the perfect rhythmic base for
Catalano to burn over. Williams gets more room than
usual to solo here and he stirs the musical stew for a
while before handing it back to Catalano, who quickly
gives the reins to Daron Nelson. He provides a drum
BANG! – Savoy Jazz SVY 17734. www.catalanomu- solo that manages to maintain the groove of the piece
sic.com. Bang!; Soul Burner; Shakin’; My One And while presenting some exciting ideas. Catalano is back
Only Love; God Made It Beautiful; Damn Right; in the saddle for the remainder of the track. A gentler,
more seductive sound takes hold when Catalano moves
Funky Dunky; Night Moves; Later; Footprints.
PERSONNEL: Frank Catalano, tenor saxophone/ to alto flute for “Night Moves.” Williams gets a chance
alto flute/programming; Scott Williams, piano; Adam to be the more aggressive soloist here as he contributes
Whitson, bass; Daron Nelson, drums; Chris Paquette, his best solo on the record and Catalano is the calming influence on this track. The presence of an angry
percussion; Jen Faletto, angry chick overdub.
girl speaking over the music at the start of “Later” is
a bit distracting but this tune is more of a transitional
By Dan Bilawsky
piece than a full fledged song so this minor flaw is easily overlooked. The programmed beat and straightThe cover of Frank Catalano’s Bang! is both
ahead rock/dance groove on “Footprints” is the most
mysterious and intriguing. Catalano holds his coforiginal spin I’ve heard on this track since I first came
fee mug up to his mouth as he gives a menacing stare,
upon the wondrous, reggae-fied version from the Jazz
as if ready to grab his saxophone and attack at any
Jamaica All Stars. Catalano’s bold, expressive playing
moment, while an unknown woman stands in the
on this program built largely from originals is sure to
doorway ready to shoot the unsuspecting reed man. get the blood flowing and the body moving whenever
While the imagery might make you think you’re get- you listen to Bang!.
ting some noir-ish jazz or something that resides on
the fringes of jazz, you actually get something else.
The title track opens in mid-tempo, funky-jazz territory, with Catalano tearing it up on tenor saxophone. Daron Nelson provides the back beat while
bassist Adam Whitson locks in with him. While
pianist Scott Williams gets a bit of solo space, this is
largely a feature for Catalano and his scorching saxophone sound. “Soul Burner” begins with Catalano’s
saxophone alone, establishing the mid-tempo groove.
While the pace and feel of this piece doesn’t stray far
from the album opener, Catalano takes it down a VIRTUE – Sony www.sonymasterworks.com Exnotch in terms of intensity at first. After Williams position; Insensitive; Blues Sketch in Clave; Iris; The
solos, Catalano gets a bit more raucous while the Exorcist; Lullaby Fantazia; Blackjack; Long Passage;
rhythm section holds down the fort. “Shakin’” picks Estate; Daily Living; Vanilla Sky.
up the pace a bit and the Catalano-Williams part- PERSONNEL: Eldar Djangirov, piano, electric
nership in soloing remains intact. Catalano, while keyboards; Armando Gola, bass; Ludwig Afonso,
smoothing out his sound a bit, largely retains his drums; Nicholas Payton, trumpet; Joshua Redman,
edgy sound on “My One and Only Love.” Anybody saxophone; Felipe Lamoglia, saxophone.
looking for a velvety smooth tenor saxophone sound
on a ballad won’t be in love with this track (which is By Matt Marshall
taken a bit faster than usual), but those who prefer
The young pianist savant is back with a followtheir tenor players with a bit of grease and grit will
love it (and everything else here). The cadenza at the up to his 2007 Grammy-nominated album re-imagiend of this track is brash and boisterous. Catalano nation. He augments his classically tinged, dexterous
should be commended for moving in a direction that acoustic piano work with a futuristic warping from
many players wouldn’t take with this song.
an electric keyboard to fashion, along with bass-
and spiritual exploration, all ostensibly linked to the
art of creating jazz. Elsewhere he waxes more poetic
beneath, on top of or intermixed with the music. That
music is economical, heartfelt, cinematic Blanchard
fare occasionally bent to R&B to support the soul
singing of Bilal. It’s accomplished, well-crafted music, but nothing we haven’t heard before. And the inclusion of West’s comments not only comes to sound
like a gimmick, but challenges the very thrust of his
words: “that music is deeper than philosophy.”
Frank Catalano
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Roch Lockyer
“Nondirectional is notable not only for
Lockyer’s thoughtful solos and original
voice on the guitar but for his intriguing
compositions…improvisations develop
logically...a surprising amount of variety...
versatility in his playing....excellent modern
jazz set...” —Scott Yanow
Booking:
Roch Lockyer
408-483-4858
www.rochlockyer.com
26 ELDAR
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Faith Gibson
Big Moon
Tony Hughes Trio
Newly released CD
“I Remember You”
masterful chord-melody guitar
“Faith has done her homework and is a savvy vocal
stylist. Big Moon is one of 2009’s best surprises!”
—Mike Reisz, WDPS Dayton, OH
Tony Hughes
performance & instruction
in southeastern PA
“Ms. Gibson interprets these tunes in an ultra-cool
but totally unpretentious manner.”
—George Fendel, Jazzscene Magazine
[email protected]
www.tonesnhues.com
“Though Faith Gibson has plenty of chops, it’s her attitude that drew me in. There’s a sincerity in her voice that
puts the ears at ease. She’s the ‘jazz singer next door.”
—Mark Saleski, www.jazz.com
“Every cut is a treasure, and the album is a joy!”
—John Segers, Music Director WUCF-FM 89.9
Big Moon
is available
online at
Amazon,
iTunes and
CD Baby
www.faithgibson.com
Sherrie Maricle &
the
the
Jazz Orchestra
DIVA JAzz TrIo
Jazz Quintet
Debut release by the newest
group in the DIVA family
September 12 - Sherrie & DIVA at the COTA Festival, Delaware Water Gap, 7:00pm
September 16-20 - Sherrie & DIVA with the great Marlena Shaw at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
September 26 - Sherrie & DIVA playing the music of Johnny Mandel at The College of St. Rose
DIVA, Five Play, and DIVA Jazz Trio recordings available at divajazz.com, CDBaby, iTunes, & Amazon
Currently booking concerts and educational programs through 2010
www.divajazz.com
[email protected]
ist Armando Gola and drummer Ludwig Afonso, a
heady explosion of sound.
Eldar’s playing often recalls that of Brad Mehldau, especially on the ballads “Insensitive,” “Iris” and
“Lullaby Fantazia.” Its tone is deep and full, massed
into atomic groupings of colliding pianistic flurries. He plays with time and, like Mehldau, strikes
the count in such a way as to stretch it, unleashing
several handfuls of notes without rushing the music
but, rather, winding it down. His compositions, of
which most of the album is made, lace intricate, classically written passages with equally complex, if more
open, improvised choruses. It is intense music from
the start. The ballads provide a necessary chance for
the listener to catch his or her breath after the rush
of such injections as “Exposition,” “Blues Sketch in
Clave” and “Blackjack,” none of which can be held to
terra firma, but finally blasts into orbit on the streak
of Eldar’s electric keyboard.
Gola’s electric bass occasionally supplies some
funky gasps of air, as in the breaks on “Blues,” but he
also proves himself the equal of the leader’s intensity,
motoring the music, along with the never-ceasing,
bone-kicking drum attack from Afonso, into more
powerful gears – into faster, reckless, thrillingly
dangerous modes of operation. The occasional addition of sax or trumpet might serve as jet fuel or, as in
“Exposition,” run an especially hot piece through a
cooling, reedy wash till it’s able to be safely touched
again by Eldar. Nicholas Payton’s searing trumpet
solo halfway through “Blackjack” sounds the other
metal extreme. “The Exorcist” thumps hard, driven
by Gola’s bass, and mixes some appropriately creepy
electronica with bright, happy-feet dance rhythms
and melodies that both laugh at and welcome any
careless demons who might think they’re a match for
this music.
Already (in his early twenties) a major player on
the jazz scene, Eldar thrusts himself with Virtue into
the first class of those creating modern music.
28 September 2009
KEN FOWSER/
BEHN GILLECE
FULL VIEW–Posi-Tone Records. P.O. Box2848,
Venice, CA 90292. www.posi-tone.com. Bittersweet;
The Hutch; Act of Disguise; Soul Eyes; Two Pail; Just
in Time; Crisis Averted.
PERSONNEL: Ken Fowser, Tenor Saxophone;
Behn Gillece, vibraphone; David Hazeltine, piano;
Adam Cote, bass; Paul Francis, drums.
STEFON HARRIS &
BLACKOUT
URBANUS – Concord Jazz CJA-31286-02. www.
concordmusicgroup.com. Gone; Christina; Tanktified; Shake It for Me; Minor March; They Won’t Go
(When I Go); The Afterthought; For You; Blues for
Denial; Langston’s Lullaby.
PERSONNEL: Stefon Harris, vibraphone, marimba; Marc Cary, piano, Fender Rhodes; Ben Williams, bass; Terreon Gully, drums; Casey Benjamin,
alto sax, vocoder.
By Matt Marshall
Moving to the Concord label from Blue Note
for his seventh release as a leader, vibraphonist Stefon Harris reteams with the Blackout ensemble from
his 2004 release Evolution for another hard-hitting
session. In fact, this outing finds Harris & Blackout
shifting noticeably into a new gear: the rhythms bite
By Bob Gish
deeper, the melodies (occasionally with vocoder “vocals”) warp into the future.
Tenor sax and vibraphone have always been kinRecording the album just a few days before
dred spirits and so are Ken Fowser and Behn Gillece President Obama was sworn into office gave the seswho prove the point again here, forcefully and confi- sion special inspiration, Harris has said, creating “a
dently, in a grouping of seven tunes, six of them origi- great feeling of audacity and some fantastic energy.”
nal compositions by the featured duo of musical pals. And the record certainly has a quality of pushing the
“Bittersweet” leads the play list, a tune by Sam limits, of taking from the past and pounding, bendJones with all the tart and sweet contrasts any one ing it into something new.
could want in a tune–and in solos, contrasting with
Of the covers here, the group transforms George
lots of unison playing of the head. Adam Cote plays Gershwin’s “Gone, Gone, Gone” from Porgy & Bess
his part too with interpretive soloing.
into a go-go funk groove that features an explosive
“Soul Eyes,” by Mal Waldron is a longer cut at
Fender Rhodes solo from Marc Cary. Stevie Wonseven minutes but comes in about average in running
der’s “They Won’t Go (When I Go)” is sung through
time with Fowser’s “Two Pair” taking the marathon
Casey Benjamin’s vocoder, rendering the lyrics more
honors at over eight minutes. But “Soul Eyes,” is a
or less unintelligible, at least in a verbal sense – the
gem of a tune, showcasing all the dreamy, romantic
emphasis is switched to melody and stretched, fucapabilities of the tenor sax when played by someone
of Fowser’s talent and ability. You get those special turistic sound. Buster Williams’ ballad “Christina”
overtones all set in an obbligato context of soulful is likewise transformed with vocoder effects, while
Jackie McLean’s “Minor March” retains its oldvibes. It’s this reviewer’s favorite among favorites.
“Just in Time” is a third tune not composed school hardbop force fueled by postbop verve, most
by the principals. This familiar Betty Camden tune notably in Harris’ springy vibes solo.
Another departure from Blackout’s first record
takes on an up-tempo, let’s burn, dressing here, led
by the speedy mallets of Gillece who hits everything is found in the original compositions. Whereas Harris carried those honors exclusively on Evolution,
right on in clear-eyed, heart-felt precision.
Gillece has three of his original tunes here: here Cary, drummer Terreon Gully and Benjamin
“Crisis Averted,” “The Hutch,” and “Act of Disguise” join in, composing “Afterthought,” “Tanktified” and
Fowser, as mentioned, shows his composition abili- “For You,” respectively (the last – a progressive, morties with “Two Pair” (an obvious commentary not phological standout – co-written by Sameer Gupta).
just on poker but on duo playing), and, like Gillece, Harris chimes in with “Blues for Denial” and “Langston’s Lullaby” (co-written by Benjamin). It’s a group
Fowser’s creative juices are in full flow.
You can’t beat the instrumentation, arrange- effort that carries over into the playing. All are on
ments, and musical abilities demonstrated here. So, equal footing here, free to experiment and take the
kudos to two kindred spirits of Misters Ken and music where they see fit. Yet the tightness of a seaBehn who are deep in the “zone” and thankfully soned band remains, making forays into electronica,
straight-ahead jazz, folk and city beats mesh as one.
share that state of grace with us.
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Some may argue that humanity’s move to an
urban landscape from its nomadic past was not really an advancement. But surely the urban and its
collective push reign supreme over suburban sprawl
and its individualistic greed. And on Urbanus, Stefon Harris & Blackout can be heard to have pushed
beyond Evolution into an even more rewarding field
of improvised collectivity.
HEATH BROTHERS
ENDURANCE – Jazz Legacy Productions JLP
0901004. www.jazzlegacyproductions.com. Changes;
Wall to Wall; You or Me; Ballad From Leadership
Suite; Dusk in the City; Two Tees; Autumn in New
York; From a Lonely Bass; The Rio Dawn.
PERSONNEL: Jimmy Heath, tenor and soprano
saxophone; Jeb Patton, piano; David Wong, bass; Albert “Tootie” Heath, drums.
By Matt Marshall
The Heath Brothers, saxophonist Jimmy and
drummer Albert “Tootie,” pay tribute to their own
lasting legacy and physical stamina with Endurance,
while nurturing the next generation of great players
in pianist Jeb Patton and bassist David Wong. The
first album since the death of their brother, bassist Percy, this outing finds the Heaths plowing the
nutrient-rich dirt of the family’s jazz acreage. Which
is to say it’s a straight-ahead bop quartet work that
doesn’t stretch for theatrics or go in for pyrotechnics,
but relies on the distinct musical characters of its individuals to swing melodies their own way and add a
spark or unique funk that can’t be faked.
It’s a risky business, one that demands supreme
confidence from each man. Yet it’s one that works
throughout here. Jimmy, who composed seven of the
record’s tunes, has a full, sparkling sound that drives
many of the tracks with the power of an entire sax
section, most notably on “Two Tees,” a number dedicated to Tootie. On “Autumn in New York,” Jimmy
opens fully into a deep Coleman Hawkins sax blanket, the sound enveloping the listener in rich autumnal hues with a thick, brisk bite. On “Ballad From
Leadership Suite,” he adopts a thinner, smoky tone in
the vein of Lester Young, his lines slicing painlessly
through the skin to directly attack the heart.
Tootie prefers to sit mainly in the supporting
– which, is to say, the leading – roll. His drumming
rarely surges to the fore, but provides the comfortable moving carpet for the others to work upon. The
midsection of the aforementioned “Ballad” is an excellent example of this, wherein Patton constructs
an intricate structure around Wong’s girders, both
meshed and held at their bass by Tootie’s brushes. An
exception is his solo, appropriately, on “Two Tees.”
Here’s a man with all the flare and polyrhythmic
ability any drummer could wish for, but who also
exudes an element in his playing that is unteachable:
a stream of human tenderness to sponge the blow of
all-out thundering joy, which on its own can burn
through power quickly.
Patton’s playing is consistently a joy throughout
the record. There’s an immediate kick every time he
enters with a solo. He utilizes expert technical control to manipulate time in such a way as to make it
tactical and full. His attack of the keys is crisp and
bright. Wong, who is also part of Jimmy’s fellow
NEA Jazz Master Roy Haynes’ band Fountain of
Youth, employs clean, buoyant lines throughout and
bows a mournful yet celebratory bass on the tribute
to Percy Heath, “From a Lonely Bass.”
The Heath Brothers are still rolling solid. Long
may they endure!
Laurence Hobgood
WHEN THE HEART DANCES – Naim Jazz
NAIMCD112. www.laurencehobgood.com. Que
Sera Sera; When The Heart Dances; First Song;
Sanctuary; Chickoree; Stairway To The Stars; New
Orleans; Why Did I Choose You?; Leatherwood; Daydream; The Cost Of Living.
PERSONNEL: Laurence Hobgood, piano; Charlie
Haden, bass; Kurt Elling, vocals.
By Dan Bilawsky
dards, this track is more of an art song within a jazz
framework. As Elling sings of the first song he heard
and the first song that was, hints of darkness, sadness
and melancholia seem to move over the music. Fortunately, things brighten up on “Sanctuary.” Hobgood
is flying solo on this song and a comforting, positive
spirit seems to leap forth from the music. He works
in little riffs, like occasional sweeping runs or a brief
set of sextuplets and triplets here and there, and never
gets too predictable as he works his way through this
performance. Haden returns for “Chickoree” which
he co-wrote with Hobgood. Haden seems to play the
straight man on this track and Hobgood moves around
him with toying licks. Haden gets some solo space here
and then Hobgood returns. The pianist seems to want
to play a musical game of cat and mouse but Haden
doesn’t bite and keeps moving along, setting the direction and holding it all together.
“Stairway To The Stars” is the first of three consecutive tracks that are five star performances. Elling
returns and his voice gives off a good deal of warmth
here. Hobgood’s masterful accompaniment helps to
heighten the vocal performance and the shared history between pianist and singer takes this music to
the next level. Hobgood keys in on the lyrics too, and
when “climb to heaven with you” comes out of Elling’s mouth he’s right there with some floating upper
register piano tinkling to match the sentiment in the
words. Hoagy Carmichael’s “New Orleans” has seen
an increase in popularity over the last few years and
this performance is one of the best I’ve heard. After a
brief piano introduction, Haden joins Hobgood and
they settle into a comfortable, strolling tempo that
perfectly reflects the weather and vibe of the Crescent
City. Haden is supportive to a fault when Hobgood
is in charge. When the bassist takes his turn in the
spotlight he delivers his most moving solo on the album. A fine marriage between Haden’s bass and Hobgood’s piano is found on “Why Did I Choose You?”
While I’ve mentioned that Haden is often supportive
of Hobgood, this track seems to have both men on an
equal playing field, which is a difficult feat to achieve
with a piano and bass duo. “Leatherwood,” another
solo piano performance, is a showcase for Hobgood’s
spirited playing, technical prowess and sharp compositional skills. Elling makes one last appearance on a
terrifically grooving, soulful version of the Ellington/
Strayhorn classic, “Daydream.” The album ends with
“The Cost Of Living,” which seduces the listener from
the very beginning. The hushed sense of beauty and
genuine charm in this performance is just one of many
special moments on When The Heart Dances.
Laurence Hobgood’s name might not ring a bell
for some people but if you’ve heard any of Kurt Elling’s albums, or seen him perform live, you’ve heard
Hobgood’s piano playing before. While the pianist
has been backing Elling for well over a decade, his own
music hasn’t always received the attention it deserves.
He has recorded several terrific trio albums, and a
solo piano record, for the Naim Jazz Label. He creates
some absorbing, beautiful music paired with Charlie
Haden on his latest album. This album begins with a
pretty rendition of “Que Sera Sera.” Both men allow
the music to simply flow without musical excess or
unnecessary technical displays getting in the way of
a gorgeous performance. After Hobgood takes a trip
through the melody, Haden takes the first solo. Hobgood’s solo adds a few fancier touches to the piece but
things remain uncluttered from start to finish. While
the core sentiment of the song remains, this intimate
musical portrait is a far cry from the famous Doris Day
rendition. The title track, the first of three Hobgood
compositions, begins with a solo piano introduction.
Hobgood develops descending melodic motifs during
the opening of the song and, once Haden joins in, a
bouncy feel is established. Haden’s lone composition
on the album, “First Song,” features Kurt Elling as UNDER MY SKIN – Challenge Records CR73283.
guest vocalist. While the other two Elling appear- www.challengerecords.com. I Love Paris; I’ve Got
ances on the album are on performances of stan- You Under My Skin; In The Wee Small Hours Of The
Mark Lambert
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
29
Morning; Sunshine Of Your Love; Tenderly; But Not
For Me (Intro); But Not For Me; This Nearly Was
Mine; Without A Song; Tight.
PERSONNEL: Mark Lambert, vocals/guitar/percussion; Vana Gierig, piano; Matthew Parrish, bass;
Alvester Garnett, drums; Vinicius Barros, percussion; The Avenue C Orchestra.
double shot of Cole Porter kicks off the program.
The arrangement of “I Love Paris” begins with some
Spanish-tinged guitar work over, what seems to be
representative of, sounds of the city. Bits of conversation, subway noise and little percussive hints create a
wonderful sound stew as Lambert’s voice takes to the
air. Lambert’s vocals on the opening track resemble
a hushed Michael Bublé, with ever so slight hints of
John Pizzarelli and the charm and sophistication is
By Dan Bilawsky
his delivery is apparent from the very first words. The
While Mark Lambert’s Under My Skin is a song moves back and forth from a Middle Eastern
standards-based album with lots of familiar material, inspired section to a bluesy swing feel. Pianist Vana
the arrangements on this record, the excitement and Gierig is captivating during his solo and Lambert’s
guitar solo, almost sitar-like at times, is terrific as he
class in the performances and Lambert’s obvious enworks over the Moroccan-influenced section of muthusiasm for music making will make some of these
sic at the end of this piece. Lambert’s repetitive guitar
songs sound as fresh as if they were written today. A
lick on “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” helps to set
the mood for this performance. While this piece has
a Bossa Nova-like Latin feel to it, it isn’t your typical
paint-by-numbers Bossa. The piano and guitar work,
in addition to the subtle orchestrations behind it all,
make it unique and Lambert’s guitar takes on a harplike quality during his solo here. Gierig’s solo fits into
the Brazilian stylistic mold and Lambert’s relaxed
vocals are terrific. A simple, repetitious rhythmic
pattern sets things up on “In The Wee Small Hours
Of The Morning” and Gierig’s single note lines during his solo are the highlight on this one.
“Sunshine Of Your Love,” the Cream classic,
receives its most unique and jazzy interpretation to
date here. Brazilian music is, again, part of the package here and the chorus moves into a slow, raunchy
swing feel. Matthew Parrish delivers a hip bass solo
over the straight section here and Lambert works
well over the swing feel on guitar. “Tenderly” begins
with an 8th note pattern on piano that sounds like
it could have come from a music box or a carousel.
Soothing strings move beneath it and guitar climbs
over it all. Lambert begins his gentle vocals over an
empty sonic landscape, with Parrish’s bass being
the only other sounds holding things together, and
Garnett makes a subtle entrance and sets up the light
swing feel. Gierig and Lambert both get some solo
space and the music that started it all returns at the
end. A minute-long guitar solo track, with classical
allusions and Mediterranean hints within, serves as
the introduction for the Gershwin classic, “But Not
For Me.” Gierig gets some more solo space here and
Lambert speaks the song’s sentiments as the music
vanishes. “This Nearly Was Mine” begins with slowly
stirred brushes over the snare drum as Lambert nonchalantly croons over the music. The music moves
from a slow four into a waltz feel, briefly, before
moving back to the original feel. When the drums
dropout and the strings join with Gierig’s piano, the
emotional content is briefly heightened before the
original feel returns. Gierig’s solo, over the strings at
the end of the track, oozes with class. A hip, Devil
may care attitude comes through on “Without A
ENSEMBLES · PRIVATE LESSONS · GROUP CLASSES
Song.” This arrangement wouldn’t seem out of place
Guitar · Voice · Piano · Winds · Percussion · Brass
on a Jamie Cullum album and Parrish contributes
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! an enjoyable solo over some gentle chordal accompaniment from Lambert and some faint piano in the
background. Lambert delivers a swinging solo here
LUCY MOSES SCHOOL · 129 W. 67th St.
and briefly trades fours with Garnett. Betty Carter’s
212 501 3360 · lucymosesschool.org
“Tight” finishes off the album and Lambert seems to
30 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside NY
™
•
pick up small traces of Sting and Kurt Elling, in addition to those listed earlier, and the punchy rhythmic
moments on this track are terrific. While I wasn’t familiar with the name Mark Lambert before, I guarantee I won’t forget him, or the finely crafted music
he creates, any time soon!
Gordon Lee
ROUGH JAZZ LIVE AT JIMMY MAK’S – Diatic
Records. Web: www.diaticrecords.com. Loss Is Freedom; Piano Cadenza; Istanbul; Yi Mang Shan; Suitcase Odysseus; Tobacco Monkey; Closure; Land Whales
PERSONNEL: Gordon Lee, piano; John Gross;
tenor saxophone; Dan Schulte, bass; Alan Jones,
drums
By John Thomas
Diatic Records of Portland, Oregon continues
to put out top quality music from artists such as the
Paxselin Quartet, Chris Mosley and Dusty York.
They seem to only sign very unique players who compose their own compositions and Gordon Lee is one
of them. Lee, a one time successful New York player,
left the rat-race for Portland and has been a fixture on
the scene there since. This release is in fact a DVD, and
it features Gordon and his band working through his
very striking original tunes. Lee has some incredible
chord voicings, amazing technique and an ability to
create some often dark, but always beautiful soundscapes – he paints some wonderful pictures with his
tunes. He also explores some odd meters such as in
‘Loss is Freedom’, one of the highlights of the set.
Joining him are saxophonist John Gross, bassist Dan
Schulte and drummer Alan Jones.
Peter Mazza
THROUGH MY EYES – LateSet Records www.
latesetrecords.com. www.petermazza.com. Burned,
Close To My Heart, Testa Rossa, Goodbye, Alphabet
City, My Funny Valentine, On Green Dolphin Street,
Shangri-la, Dreaming of Open Spaces, Alone With
You.
PERSONNEL: Peter Mazza (guitar); Will Vinson (alto & soprano sax), Matt Penman (bass), Bill
Campbell (drums).
By Dan Adler
“Faye Miravite has created a world of jazz
that has Italian, Philippine and even Brazilian
roots. The overall sound is very rich due in
big part to the many players on the record. You
hear piano, drums, vocals, guitar, soprano
& tenor sax along with contrabass. The entire
album encompasses a feeling of worldly
value; a quality that seemed to be very
well-polished throughout. The overall
listen is worldly, easy listening jazz that
offers energy, romanticism, sophistication
and one great group of musicians. Feel the
calm & cool breeze for yourself!”
—Skope Magazine
MattCrisCuolo
New CD:
tell Me a Bedtime story
orderline: 203-856-4040
or send $15 to:
58 W. Meadow road
Wilton, Ct 06897
Now oN sale!
www.fayemiravite.com
MAURICIO ZOTTARELLI
NEW CD “7 LIVES”
Gustavo Assis Brasil • Itaiguara Brandão
Milene Corso • Brandi Disterheft • Dom Salvador
Oriente Lopez • Esperanza Spalding
Cidinho Teixeira • Rodrigo Ursaia
“…Featuring Zottarelli’s many different rhythmic
and compositional skills, this album is high-quality
Brazilian jazz”. —H.Sugita, Swing Journal, Japan
“Mauricio Zottarelli is a hot new talent to watch
out for!” —J.Stevenson, www.ejazznews.com
CD/Downloads Available at
iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, Digstation
www.mzdrums.com
Thursday October 8, 2009
CD Release Show at ZINC BAR
82 West 3rd St, Greenwich Village, NYC
212-477-9462 • www.zincbar.com
sets at 9:30pm – 11pm – 1am
www.mattcriscuolo.com
To advertise your CD in
Jazz Inside™ NY Magazine’s
CD SPOTLIGHT section,
contact Eric Nemeyer
at 215-887-8880 or
[email protected]
Although this is his first release as a leader, Peter
Mazza is by no means a newcomer to the jazz scene.
Born and raised in a musical family in New York City,
Mazza obtained his Bachelor’s degree from in the
Manhattan School of Music and a Master’s from Juilliard on a full scholarship. He was a regular performer
at Augie’s (now “Smoke”), where he played with Brad
Mehldau, Joel Frahm, Chris Potter and many others,
and went on to lead the jam sessions there. Mazza has
performed as a leader and sideman at most NY clubs
including Dizzy’s, Birdland, The Knitting Factory
and the Cornelia Street Café. His current Sunday
evening residency at the Bar Next Door at La Lanterna Di Vittorio, now in its eighth year.
The album opens in high gear with one of Mazza’s eight originals: “Burned”. As Mazza explained
to the audience in one of his live performances, the
song is a tribute to the fiery musicians of New York
who you’ll find on any night playing into the wee
hours. The opening vamp is full of jazz-rock breaks
and builds up the musical tension to a peak before
settling into a catchy melody over an altered minor
blues form. Vinson takes his time on the first solo,
simmering lightly before getting into “burn” mode.
Penman and Campbell are seamlessly supportive
throughout, keeping the balance between the implied jazz-rock feel and the light up-tempo swing. As
Mazza launches into his solo, you are immediately
struck by his beautiful clean tone, endless stream of
musical ideas and super-accurate execution. Just as
his solo reaches the climax, the band comes back in
to take the tune out.
“Close To My Heart” is centered on a hauntingly beautiful melody, rendered in unison, and has
a bit of an early Pat Metheny “Watercolors” vibe to it.
The lush background on this tune, and others on the
album, is woven by Mazza’s judicious use of multiple
acoustic guitar tracks in a variety of alternate tunings. I’ve seen him use a loop pedal live to create the
same effect, and it’s quite a sight to behold. He lays
down loops on different guitars but always switches
back in perfect timing. Mazza’s melodic solo on this
tune stays within the vibe, while adding some bluesy
elements before a brief double time segment that
shows off his great technique and the clarity of his
musical ideas at any tempo.
“Testa Rossa” opens with a super groovin’ riff on
an acoustic guitar in a non-standard tuning. The drum
and bass feel on this tune are reminiscent of “Weather
Report”, and in keeping with that style, Vinson takes
a powerful, emotionally charged solo on soprano before giving way to an exciting Mazza guitar solo, this
time in full metal jacket, with distortion cranked up,
and just as he builds it up to a string-bending climax,
he suddenly shifts back to his beautiful clean tone,
and within a split second we are transported from the
world of rock back to the world of jazz. Mazza doesn’t
seem too worried about labeling the music as jazz, progressive, pop or rock. He freely mixes elements from
all the styles available on his palette, and lets the openminded listener sort it out.
“Goodbye” is a song poem by Mazza that has a
melancholy feel, especially during Vinson’s beautifully emotive rendering of the opening melody. The
bridge features an ascending repetitive melodic figure and an arpeggiated chord sequence that takes on
different hues with changing bass notes being played
underneath them. By the time Mazza’s solo starts, the
mood is already on fire. Mazza’s solo is another masterpiece of construction, with melodic and rhythmically varied phrases chasing one another to build the
excitement before returning to the melody. At the end
of the song, it’s Mazza’s pensive chords, and Penman
and Campbell’s ensemble work, over a repeating melodic cry, that brings the tune to a height and a close . “Alphabet City” is a mixture of styles and cultures, referring to the NY neighborhood of the same
name. Vinson plays the head with expression and
dark lyricism while Penman and Campbell keep the
grooves tasty and fresh. Mazza lays down some funky
chord comping and his solo has a hint of distortion,
as he shifts back and forth between a fusion feel and
a more straight-ahead approach.
The two standards that Mazza chose for the album are “My Funny Valentine” and “On Green Dolphin Street”. Both were transposed to the key of D
to allow him to make full use of open strings on his
acoustic guitars and both are performed as duets with
Will Vinson. “Valentine” starts in the lyrical mood
you would expect, but immediately takes some harmonic detours. Mazza is clearly a member of the harmonic elite club of arrangers that can reharmonize a
tune in a way that reshapes its character, yet preserves
its essence. In the middle of his solo, Mazza gets into
some energetic strumming that further transforms
the tune’s character. Vinson immediately responds
September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
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in kind, and they continue to magically go back and
forth between the moods. The interaction between
Mazza and Vinson is further developed on “Green
Dolphin Street” where Mazza sets the mood with an
alternate tuning influenced by Pierre Bensusan. His
rhythmically powerful strumming is at times reminiscent of Metheny, Towner, Gismonti and even Coryell
and Mclaughlin. Vinson’s performance on soprano is
lyrical and precise, yet burning throughout.
“Shangri-la” starts in a duet again. The intro features a Satie-like chord motif with an angular melody.
It flows into an ethereal main melody played over
earthy and low tuned chords invoking Joni Mitchell’s
guitar. When Penman and Campbell join in, it starts
to propel into higher intensity. A pre-chorus conjures
up echoes of indie rock and a chorus resolves to an ambient progression with a repeating melody that quotes
Coltrane’s “a love supreme”. Another characteristically
high-energy solo by Mazza is followed by almost two
minutes of building ensemble playing on a Vinson solo
into the song’s final explosive crescendo.
“Dreaming of Open Spaces” is another memorable Mazza melody in the key of D, based on an
alternate tuning that Mazza learned from his friend
and mentor, a singer/songwriter named Matt Smith.
Mazza and Vinson trade some exciting choruses
feeding off each other’s ideas.
A melancholy “Alone With You” rounds off
the album with Mazza’s beautiful upper-register guitar doubled and layered on top of a lush fingerstyle
background. The acoustic guitar solo is particularly
poignant and emotional as Mazza effortlessly creates
beautiful melodies over the complex chord changes.
With this debut album, Peter Mazza emerges
as one of the more lyrical and harmonically sophisticated guitar players and composers on the New
York scene today. Every night, in his role as musical
director at the Bar Next Door, Mazza introduces and
listens to some of the most significant players shaping
the direction of jazz in New York City. Many of these
players are pushing the envelope in terms of tonal
and rhythmic sophistication. And yet, Mazza has
found his own way to sound fresh and modern, while
at the same time conveying a strong sense of melodic
and harmonic beauty, groove, excitement and a deep
emotional intensity. After you check out this CD, go
hear Peter Mazza live on Sunday evenings at the Bar
Next Door. A fun evening is guaranteed!
DONNY McCASLIN
DECLARATION – Sunnyside SSC 1218.
www,donnymccaslin.com. M; Fat Cat; Declaration;
Uppercut; Rock Me; Jeanina; 2nd Hour; Late Night
Gospel.
PERSONNEL: Donny McCaslin, tenor saxophone,
alto flute; Edward Simon, acoustic piano, organ; Ben
Monder, guitar; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez,
32
drums; Pernell Saturnino, percussion; Alex “Sasha”
Sipiagin, trumpet, flugelhorn; Chris Komer, French
horn; Marshall Gilkes, trombone; Marcus Rojas,
tuba, bass trombone; Tatum Greenblatt, trumpet.
proaches each project with conviction, a very specific
concept, and with a clear set of parameters of how he
wants to stretch the harmony, melody and rhythmic
elements of the music during the improvisations.
The concept in this new album is a string quarBy Matt Marshall
tet, which immediately gives the music more of contemporary-classical-music sonority than a traditional
On this his eighth recording as a leader, saxo- jazz quartet sound. The concept grew out of Minasi’s
phonist Donny McCaslin continues to impress not 2006 album, “The Vampire’s Revenge”, which inonly with his instrumental virtuosity and ability cluded a 15-piece chamber music orchestra, and is
to morph his tone naturally into the surrounding considered by many to be one the most ambitious and
musical environment – be it bop, harried experi- best free jazz outings in recent years. The music on the
mentation, big band, rock or perspiring blues – but new CD is all composed by Minasi and the musicians
also, and most notably, with his ceaselessly inventive alternate between reading complex written parts and
compositional chops: this man is a major composer free improvisational roles in each piece.
of modern music, there’s just no other way to say it.
This is music that demands and requires the
In fact, it’s hard to bring to mind the name of a com- listener’s full attention. You cannot play this music
poser working today who could rightly claim to be as background to another activity as the extreme dishis better, who could craft an album so exquisitely sonance will quickly either capture your attention or
rich, varied and ever-evolving. This is a declaration distract you.
and then some. Take note.
The role of the guitar in this new CD is especially interesting. Minasi sometimes functions as
a soloist, but for the most part, it sounds to me like
he is more concerned with the overall sound texture
and how the instruments blend with each other. The
first piece “The Pasadena Two Step” (which is actually in ¾ meter) is a microcosm of the entire album. It
alternates between sections that feature guitar, cello
and violin in turn, but at each stage, if you pay attention to the other instruments, you can hear that they
are playing a pivotal role in painting a sound texture
rather than playing a traditional accompaniment role.
Dissonance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder – ReThe musicians, all of whom have worked with Minasi
construkt. The Pasadena Two Step, The Dark Side,
on previous projects, react to each other as jazz muGreen! Green! They’re Green!, Dissonance Makes the
sicians, echoing ideas and supporting each other’s
Heart Grow Fonder, Slow Dance in the Bottomless
ideas, to the point where it’s hard to know which
Pit, Tumorology, Zing Zang Zoom!
sections are written and which ones improvised. The
PERSONNEL: Dom Minasi (guitar); Jason Kao
quality of the sound recording also plays a great role
Hwang (violin); Tomas Ulrich (cello); Ken Filiano
in capturing the balance between the acoustic string
(bass).
instruments and Minasi’s electric guitar.
The mood on all the pieces stays consistently
By Dan Adler
dark with many dramatic climaxes, and as the CD
The only thing you can expect from a new al- title suggests, Minasi is constantly looking for ways
bum by Dom Minasi (http://domminasi.com) is the to make the dissonance touch the listener and elicit
unexpected. A professional musician for over 40 years an emotional response. There is no other way to listen
who has paid his dues with many jazz heavyweights, to this music than with your heart. Since you cannot
Minasi has spent the last 20 years delving deep into follow the harmony or sing any of the melodies, your
the world of sound textures and free jazz. Influenced mind cannot be occupied with anticipating what will
by musicians like Eric Dolphy, Cecil Taylor, Late-pe- come next, and you have to be willing to let go and alriod Coltrane and fellow guitarist Sonny Sharrock, low the music to lead your attention and focus. And,
Minasi has recorded 10 previous albums as a leader, hopefully, your heart will grow fonder of the music as
each exploring different boundaries of the world of you listen repeatedly. In case you are wondering about
jazz improvisation. On “Takin’ The Duke Out” you the names of the compositions, they are explained in
can hear his interpretations of Ellington classics de- the excellent liner notes and some of the dark themes
constructed in ways you will surely find surprising. in the names are clearly carried over to the music.
Dom Minasi continues to be a Maverick in toOn “Goin’ Out Again”, you can hear some beautiful traditional jazz guitar trio sounds (especially on day’s jazz scene. As one of the few artists entirely de“Trane’s Lament” and “Autumn Leaves”) with vary- voted to developing the nearly extinct “free” branch
ing degrees of dissonance, and on his “Quick Re- of jazz, it is possible that full impact of Minasi’s musisponse” CD you can hear some swinging and burning cal contributions will only be understood with some
inside and outside playing in the context of an organ historical perspective. The crossover in into the neoquartet. When you sample his body of work, there classical domain has opened up a whole new world of
can be no question that Minasi is a highly schooled possibilities for mixing composed and freely impromusician and a virtuoso guitarist with astounding vised music, and increasing the composer’s trust in
guitar technique and a wild imagination. He ap- the musicians performing the work to become part
Dom Minasi
September 2009
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Jazz Inside NY
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of the creative process. This doesn’t make it any easier
for Minasi to sell CD’s or book gigs, but luckily there
are enough open-minded people in NYC to sustain
and develop his artistic pursuit. Check out this CD
and see if it makes your heart grow fonder.
SEAN NOWELL
THE SEEKER – Posi-Tone Records PR8049. www.
posi-tone.com. New York Vibe; You Don’t Know
What Love Is; Oy Matze Matze; Dunavski Park;
Jamie’s Decision; For All Intensive Purposes; I Will;
I Remember You.
PERSONNEL: Sean Nowell, saxophone, clarinet,
flute; Art Hirahara, piano; Thomson Kneeland,
bass; Joe Abbatantuono, drums; Dave Eggar, cello;
Nir Felder, guitar.
By Matt Marshall
Multi-instrumentalist Sean Nowell establishes
a no-nonsense, street-smart sound right from the get
go on this his sophomore release. The opener, “New
York Vibe,” hums with all the energy of America’s
grand city and its music scene, which Nowell has been
actively involved with for more than a decade. His
sax tone is full, eager and versatile, equally at home
attacking the streets of New York, Tel Aviv (“Oy
Matze Matze”) or Liverpool (“I Will”). And while
boasting a strong melodic line, his playing doesn’t shy
from trilling into more jagged, experimental terrain
– all the more jarring for being unexpected. Credit
also the powerful, multidimensional support he receives from drummer Joe Abbatantuono, who keeps
the music rumbling along.
JOHN PATITUCCI TRIO
REMEMBRANCE – Concord Jazz CJA-31018-02.
www.concordmusicgroup.com. Monk/Trane; Messaien’s Gumbo; Sonny Side; Meditations; Mali; Scenes
from an Opera; Blues for Freddie; Safari; Joe Hen;
Play Ball; Remembrance.
PERSONNEL: John Patitucci, acoustic bass,
6-string electric bass, 6-string electric piccolo bass;
Joe Lovano, tenor saxophone, alto clarinet; Brian
Blade, drums; Sachi Patitucci, cello, Rogerio Boccato, percussion.
By Matt Marshall
33
Leading a dream trio of saxophonist Joe Lovano
and drummer Brian Blade, bassist John Patitucci pays
tribute to jazz greats here and gone over the course of
11 original numbers, giving all involved ample space
to explore the voices of those we have lost while feeding in their own timbre, rhythm and grace.
Lovano is well-equipped to bridge the gap in
“Monk/Trane,” fluttering through clipped statements of scatological Monkian progression while also
finding space to dip into open pools of deep metal
sound and the airier screeches Coltrane might favor.
It’s a technique and sound Lovano revisits throughout the album, most notably again on “Mali,” where
his blips, chirps and squawks highlight an upbeat,
richly textured Patitucci composition.
“Messaien’s Gumbo” finds Patitucci on 6-string
electric bass, which he’ll use again on three other
pieces here. “Gumbo” maintains a comfortable funk
groove spurred by Blade’s emphatic, diverse drumming and additional percussion from Rogerio Boccato. Patitucci trills through some nice passages,
while Lovano blows restrained street swagger. “Meditations,” the second piece that employs 6-string electric bass, recalls Coltrane in both name and spirit.
While never streaking into the frightening chaos
that drives much of the saxophonist’s like-named album, Putitucci’s composition, with the aid of Blade’s
thundering mallets and Lovano’s contemplative spirals, forwards a similar mode of searching, full of awe
and turbulence before existence, yet culminating
with a kind of acceptance and peace. The aforementioned “Mali” goes back to funk but, with Blade and
Boccato hard at work, also adopts a strong African
flavor, with Lovano threading the steel and glass to
heat and sand. The final 6-string electric bass piece,
“Remembrance,” also serves as the album’s closer.
It’s a brief yet haunting meditation realized through
overdubbed 6-string electric bass and 6-string electric piccolo bass.
Lovano opens up a bit on “Sonny Side” – which,
no doubt, is meant to pay tribute to both Sonny Stitt
and Sonny Rollins – spreading his sound into quick
yet easy curls of blue smoke. Patitucci’s acoustic bass
emerges from Lovano’s gait without missing a step, as
if a skeleton escaping its flesh. Lovano returns later
to trade with Blade and see the piece out on stray-cat
strut.
Patitucci accompanies himself on “Scenes from
an Opera” by constructing through recording wizardry an arco bass quartet. His wife Sachi also joins
in on cello, Lovano moves to alto clarinet and Blade
pounds away again with the mallets. It has the Eric
Dolphy character of rain and regret when the arco
quartet’s strings aren’t rising to bend the piece cinematic: a Terrance Blanchard score with an edge of
Shostakovich.
“Blues for Freddie” is the most joyous of the tunes
here, projecting a street carnival sound. On it’s heels
come the somber “Safari” and the brash “Joe Hen,”
which features wild braying from Lovano and a quick,
dimensioned solo from Patitucci. And on “Play Ball,”
a humid, bluesy breeze of a number, the bassist takes a
good minute and a half to soloistically explore the dark
plodding undercurrents of rhythmic thought.
34 JACKIE RYAN
DOOZY – OpenArt Productions OA 07262. www.
openartproductions.com. CD1: Doozy; You’ ll See;
Caminhos Cruzados; Do Something; With the Wind
and the Rain in Your Hair; Speak Low; I Must Have
That Man; Dat Dere; Beautiful Moons Ago; My How
the Time Goes By. CD2: Opportunity Please Knock;
I Haven’t Got Anything Better To Do; Brigas Nunca
Mais / A Felicidade; Spring Can Really Hang You
Up the Most; Solamente una Vez; Summer Serenade;
Get Rid of Monday; Midnight Sun; Tell Me More and
More and Then Some; Some Other Time.
PERSONNEL: Jackie Ryan, vocals; Cyrus Chestnut, piano; Eric Alexander, sax; Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, flugelhorn; Carl Allen, drums; Ray Drummond,
bass; Neal Smith, drums; Dezron Douglas, bass;
Romero Lubambo, guitar.
dering Nat King Cole’s “Beautiful Moons Ago” and
Billie Holiday’s “Tell Me More and More and Then
Some” with her own brand of smoldering sass, the
latter tune stoked by Jeremy Pelt’s trumpet. And
Pelt’s flugelhorn introduces “Speak Low,” perhaps
the track most representative – in terms of sonic flavor, rhythm and Ryan’s vocal range and ability – of
the album as a whole. Ryan enters after Pelt with classically clear vocals lines underwritten by Chestnut’s
piano, then skips into a bright, but humid, island
beat driven by Carl Allen’s drums. It’s a progression
from solitude into self-determined, upbeat involvement with life. As the singer will tell us on the tune
that follows: “I Must Have That Man.” So the album
goes, rolling the coaster of existence.
Double albums sometimes stretch too far, serving as convenient platforms for musicians to unload
trunks of unused material so they might start afresh
on the next project. Doozy isn’t such an exercise. It’s
a powerful, minimalist exploration of the human
heart from a singer confident, capable and complete
enough to undertake the extended journey with but
the sparest, if choicest, accompaniment.
By Matt Marshall
Doozy is right! With this, her fifth release,
singer Jackie Ryan follows up on her 2007 chart-topping album You and the Night and the Music with a
2-CD set of mostly ballads, seared with the effortless
molten flow of her vocals and expert backing from
the likes of pianist Cyrus Chestnut and guitarist
Romero Lubambo.
Ryan kicks off the set with the Benny Carter
jumper “Doozy,” for which the singer supplies vocalese lyrics. The snap of her vocal gymnastics are
on full display here, vaulting, flipping, twisting and
soaring through bar after bar a la Sarah Vaughan –
that is, seemingly as an exercise of her natural movement: a warm up. Which, in a way, is apt, as most
(though, not all) of the 19 songs that follow are of a
cooler nature. In that respect, the doozy of an opener
serves as a swinging attention grabber not unlike the
title track of Frank Sinatra’s Nice ‘n’ Easy.
“You’ll See,” with accompaniment from Chestnut finds Ryan in a dimmer setting, perhaps rehearsing a letter or phone call to a vacant lover in the dark:
“You want no part of love, think you’re too smart for
love” she sings pleadingly and not without sweetness.
“Though I know someday soon, you’re gonna change
you’re tune – you’ll see.”
With aid from Lubambo she then lilts into
breezier fare, switching effortlessly, emotively into
Portuguese for “Caminhos Cruzados,” the first of
three Jobim numbers on the album. The next two,
“Brigas Nunca Mais” and “A Felicidade,” are strung
into a simple, celebratory medley on the second disc,
which also features a clear yet heartsick reading of
the Aguirre Agustín Lara bolero “Solamente una
Vez,” accompanied, appropriately, by Lubambo’s solo
Spanish guitar.
Elsewhere, Ryan shows herself unafraid of attacking compositions from other great singers, renSeptember 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
JORIS TEEPE BIG BAND
WE TAKE NO PRISONERS – Challenge Records
CR73284. www.challengerecords.com. Flight 643;
We Take No Prisoners; Peace on Earth; Almost Lucky;
It is Peculiar; The Princess and the Monster.
PERSONNEL: Michael P. Mossman, John Eckert,
Vitaly Golovnev, Josh Evans, trumpets; Noah Bless,
Dion Tucker, Stafford Hunter, trombones; Earl
McIntyre, bass trombone; Mark Gross, Craig Bailey, Don Braden, Peter Brainin, Adam Kolker, Jason
Marshall, reeds; Jon Davis, piano; Bruce Arnold, guitar; Joris Teepe, bass; Gene Jackson, drums; Rashied
Ali, drums.
By Matt Marshall
When you’re standing cloaked in black on your
CD cover, peering out at your listeners from behind
shades with a no-nonsense grimace chiseled into your
lips, the title proclaiming you “take no prisoners,”
you better be able to back the boast up musically.
Fear not listener, bassist Joris Teepe has the musical and compositional chops – plus the band – to cement his shorn-head, square-jaw Enforcer look. Not
only is there the expected force of a big band brass
attack, but a diversity of style, dynamics and management to show that far from imprisoning and trying
to contain the work of fellow composers (in the liner
notes Teepe cites Beethoven, Duke Ellington, Stevie
Wonder and Price as inspirations) Teepe rather embodies what they have done, allows it to germinate
within him and then leak into and inform his own
dynamic work.
The opening track, “Flight 643,” takes off with a
Basie exuberance that leads into a soaring yet turbulent solo from trumpeter Josh Evans who passes off
to saxophonist Mark Gross for an equally wild ride
on the crash of Gene Jackson’s drums and Bruce Arnold’s tasty guitar comps. The group as a whole rises
in a storm, then clears a patch for pianist Jon Davis
to tap out some slightly abstract figures, later to be
countered by some emphatic drumming by Jackson.
The title track starts quickly yet non-threatening with Davis and Jackson leading with a technically resplendent, foot-tappin’ bop duet. But a minute
in the horns blow, rising and falling over scales that
increasingly become more forceful. Baritone saxophonist Jason Marshall takes it from there, twisting
the piece into hard-driving, reedy corkscrew attacks.
Bass trombonist Earl McIntyre covers the flank,
his muted squeaks and growls propelled through
the brush by Teepe’s steady insistence. Saxophonist
Adam Kolker favors a more straight-ahead approach
in his solo that is likewise picked up by trumpeter
Vitaly Golovnev to lead the solo forays back into a
glorious, counterpunctual charge from the various
sections of the band.
“Peace on Earth” opens with a brass chorus that
is by turns harrowing and calming, like something
out of Charlie Haden’s book. But that orchestrated
gravitas dissolves into a bright, electric funk groove.
Trumpeter Michael Mossman fires through a brash,
high-end solo and saxophonist Peter Brainin bends,
swirls and squawks in whipping the affair into a
forceful whirlpool. Arnold returns to funk in his
effects-leaden guitar solo that echoes with a thick
thwack and wha-wha far removed from anything
Freddie Green – or any other guitarist – was doing
with big bands in their heyday.
Drummer Rashied Ali joins the group for “Almost Lucky,” a haunting – at times, ominous – Ellingtonian drift over the repeated majesty of a group
_______ progression, this augmented by Arnold’s
sharp guitar work. Teepe turns in his first solo of the
set, a spine-rattling exercise backed mostly by Ali’s
halting, polyrhythmic drumming. But the emphasis
remains with the horns.
“It is Peculiar,” is an old-school big band jumping dance number with swooping horns and reeds,
the sections confronting and playing off one another
to delicious effect. Saxophonist Don Braden excites
with his all-cylinders-firing solo and Jackson and
Teepe cool matters down a bit half way through. It’s
a steady climb back up to full force where the piece
ends with an echoing trumpet buzz.
The album concludes with the 13-and-a-halfminute musical story “The Princess and the Monster.” Teepe opens plucking the “come gather ‘round
friends” lines that lead the listener into a dense woods
of competing brass and reed orchestration. Further
bass, sax, piano and drum solos serve to segment the
piece into chapters – one a nice piece of piano and
drum cubanismo – while maintaining the narrative
drive. The extended piece puts a vibrant stamp on
a fine, complex, intricate work of modern big band
composition and performance.
TALES FROM THE EARTH – Otá Records
OTA 1020. www.melodia.com. Sunrise; Invocation; Walking Song; Tea Break; Forest Journey; River
Crossing; Children at Play; Men’s Talk; Flirtation;
Praise; Spirit Messenger; Celebration; Elders Speak;
Gratitude.
PERSONNEL: Mark Weinstein, concert, alto and
bass flutes; Omar Sosa, vibraphone, marimba, piano,
percussion; Aly Keita, balafon; Jean Paul Bourelly,
guitar; Stanislou Michalak, bass; Marque Gilmore, UNTIL IT’S TIME – www. jackwilkins.com.
drums; Aho Luc Nicaise, lead vocals, percussion; Theme, Show Me, Blossom, Walk Don’t Run, These
Mathias Agbokou, vocals, percussion.
Foolish Things, Lauro’s Waltz, Two For The Road, Fur
Elise, Tico Tico, Airegin, Until It’s Time For You To
Go, Blossom (Extended Version).
By Matt Marshall
PERSONNEL: Jack Wilkins, guitar; Jon Cowherd,
The “earth” music explored here is almost ex- piano, organ; Steve LaSpina, bass; Mark Ferber,
clusively of the Afro-Caribbean variety. As such, drums; Jeff Barone, producer, guitar; Samuel Torres,
it could be argued that flutist Mark Weinstein and percussion.
vibraphonist/pianist Omar Sosa leave much land
uncovered. Yet when roots are traced back to their By Dan Adler
origins, we can say that all things human begin in
Guitarist Jack Wilkins s built up an impressive
Africa. By tapping into that historical and folkloric
discography
over four decades. His flawless techdirt, Weinstein, Omar and group invite us all to return to the beginning, immerse ourselves in it and nique and imaginative chordal approach have inthen, perhaps, imagine (or reimagine) the spread of spired collaborations with Charles Mingus, Michael
its influence. At the dawn of the 21st century, what and Randy Brecker, Stan Getz, Phil Woods, Chet
Baker, Jimmy Raney, Bob Brookmeyer, Buddy Rich,
can this earth music teach us?
The group doesn’t leave us wandering the sa- and some of the greatest singers like Sarah Vaughan,
vannah to find out. While the traditional players are Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Manhattan
here in force – marimba, balafon, singing, drums and Transfer, and others. In the liner notes of his 1978
album The Bob Brookmeyer Small Band: Live at Sanother various forms of percussion – Weinstein’s flutes
dy’s, Brookmeyer calls Wilkins “the most imaginaand Sosa’s vibraphone and piano thrust the music
tive guitarist to have emerged since Jim Hall”.
into the modern, blending with the often funky bass
Before this new CD, Wilkins’ last recording
of Stanislou Michalak and Marque Gilmore’s jazz
with a group was back in 2000, and was a reunion of
drumming to fashion a music that spans the ages. It
the stellar group that played on his 1977 release You
sounds neither dated nor forced, rather inevitable.
Can’t Live Without It featuring Michael and Randy
Ringing metal shoots from the crowd of gourds to Brecker. Those of us, who have been marveling at his
flash like a skyscraper, while tribal voices holler and playing every Tuesday night at his duo gig at the Bella
rejoice.
Luna restaurant on the upper-west-side of ManhatThis is a progressive music that at once em- tan, know that Wilkins is at the peak of his techbraces and challenges progress. Take “Men’s Talk.” It nique and creativity, and we hope we will not have to
launches from a percussive stew, a tribal drum circle. wait nine years “Until It’s Time” for another CD.
Soon Sosa’s vibraphone rings out single-noted sparks
The first thing you will notice about Until It’s
of metal. Weinstein’s flute moans low and Gilmore’s Time is that it is fun to listen to. For this album,
drumming adopts a more modern groove. All of this Wilkins, with the help of producer Jeff Barone, dug
is a conversation even before the human male voice of deep into his vast repertoire and chose to present us
Aho Luc Nicaise enters the fray, chanting, imploring, with an eclectic variety of standards, pop and show
celebrating life. Jean Paul Bourelly’s guitar then joins tunes and even classical excerpts, all freshly arranged
with Sosa’s rather stringy piano (the instrument’s and masterfully recorded and mixed.
wires seem to slacken and retighten with each note)
Bacharach’s “Arthur’s Theme” (from the Dudin a willful plow toward a new direction. Gilmore ley Moore film) opens with some surprising breaks
and Michalak soon pick it up and immediately, before settling into a happy samba feel with Torres’
though naturally, switch the tune toward Western percussion adding a nice touch to the dream-team
September 2009
MARK WEINSTEIN
& OMAR SOSA
balladry – of the Stevie Wonder, not Francis James
Child, variety.
The album does, at times, drift into a sameness: aside from the acutely Western “Praise” with
its electric guitar and popish melody, the music sticks
mostly to flute, bass, folkloric vocals and percussion
that can seem repetitive if these rhythms aren’t you’re
favorite cup of tea. But as a whole the album is a vibrant mix of old and new, beat and song. The very
stuff of the earth.
Jack Wilkins
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
35
rhythm section, as Wilkins states the theme and
launches into the first of many great solos. Wilkins’
legendary guitar sound is warm and inviting, with
a hint of acoustic in the mix. His solo is melodic
and full of emotional intensity which is sometimes
conveyed through beautifully crafted melodies, and
sometimes through his signature fast flurries of notes
which always come across as authentic and heartfelt.
Jon Cowherd, whose musical collaborations
include the Brian Blade Fellowship, the Vanguard
orchestra, John Patitucci among others, adds a wonderful touch throughout the album. His comping behind Wilkins is supportive and attentive and his solos
range from beautiful melodic statements on “Arthur’s
Theme” to hard-swinging Tyner-influenced bluesy
lines on “Walk Don’t Run”. Bassist Steve LaSpina
has appeared on dozens of first-rate CD’s, including
Wilkins’ own “Trio Art”, and graces this session with
his perfectly timed and tasty bass lines and inspired
solos. Drummer Mark Ferber, whose credits include
Lee Konitz, Norah Jones, Larry Goldings and others,
adds spice to the session with his light touch, sensitivity and hard driving swing.
“Show Me”, from the musical “My Fair Lady” is
not usually considered a jazz standard, but Wilkins’
brilliant arrangement brings forth the beauty of the
song and sets up one of his most exciting and exhilarating solos on the album.
James Taylor’s song “Blossom” from his 1970
“Sweet Baby James” album, stays with a light-pop feel
throughout and provides a showcase for Wilkins’
bluesier side. His solo (especially the outro on the
extended version) conveys so much power and emotion, more typical of rock and blues guitar than traditional jazz guitar, yet he keeps the beautiful clean
tone throughout.
Johnny Smith has always been one of Wilkins’
stated influences, so it’s natural to see “Walk Don’t
Run” included on the CD. The clever arrangement is
different from Smith’s version on his “Kaleidoscope”
album. Wilkins takes Smith’s interlude line, which is
itself borrowed from a Bach invention, and extends it
to fit over the bridge. The feel for the solos is a hardbop swing feel and Wilkins’ solo reminds us how hard
he can swing and how modern and innovative his
playing is. There is also a brief solo guitar interlude after the bass solo which is a masterpiece in itself. Sonny
Rollins’ “Airegin” is another hard-swinger taken at a
similar tempo with more great post-bop statements
by Wilkins and Cowherd, and some exciting trading
fours with drummer Mark Ferber.
Two beautiful ballads “These Foolish Things”
and “Two For The Road” give us an opportunity to
enjoy some of Wilkins’ intimate harmonic magic
and how much beauty he can extract from his guitar.
“Until It’s Time” is a pop ballad by Buffy Sainte-Marie, not exactly standard jazz material, but it proves
to be an inspired choice. Cowherd adds a 70’s touch
with his organ sound while Wilkins erupts into an
acoustic solo that will leave you breathless.
“Tico Tico” has made its way into the jazz repertoire when it was recorded by Charlie Parker on
“South of the Border”, but Wilkins favors more of a
samba feel and, unfazed by the fast tempo, offers the
listener an endless variety of perfectly conceived musical lines in his imaginative solo.
“Fur Elise”, Beethoven’s timeless melody that
inexplicably attracts every new piano student to
strive to master it, works perfectly as a duet between Wilkins and Cowherd before they settle into
some stormy improvising over the “bridge” section.
“Lauro’s Waltz” is another classical excerpt by Antonio Lauro, a Venezuelan composer considered to be
one of foremost South American composers for the
guitar of the 20th century. The exciting way in which
the melody leads and anticipates the chord changes
inspires Wilkins to a supremely melodic and memorable solo.
“Until It’s Time” is one of the most enjoyable albums I’ve heard in a long time, with broad appeal well
beyond the traditional jazz audience. I hope to see it
get some radio airplay and move Wilkins’ career into
a new phase of increased recognition as one of the true
innovators in the world of jazz guitar. And, if there are
any guitar fans out there who are still not familiar with
Jack Wilkins’ musical genius and stunning technique,
this CD is the perfect introduction.
36 September 2009
Brian Woodruff
THE TARRIER – Crows’ Kin Records. www.brianwoodruffmusic.com. The Tarrier; Dijon Dance; Be
Still (While I Remove The Wart); Trolley Museum; A
Wreath Of Cloud; Into The Fire; Chorale; Trafalgar
Square.
PERSONNEL: Brian Woodruff, drums; Lisa Parrott, alto saxophone/soprano saxophone; Jacob Varmus, trumpet/cornet; Alan Ferber, trombone; Nate
Radley, guitar; Matt Clohesy, bass.
By Dan Bilawsky
The Tarrier, Brian Woodruff’s debut CD as a
leader, is a showcase for one of the most up-and-coming drummer/composers on the scene today. The title
track opens with a bass solo from Matt Clohesy and the
rest of the band soon joins in for this fun and friendly
blues. Clohesy delivers a walking bass line and Woodruff lays down a nice shuffling groove as a parade of
soloists make their way through the song. Trumpeter
Jacob Varmus comes first, trombonist Alan Ferber
turns up the heat a little bit with his solo and he turns
things over to saxophonist Lisa Parrott. Parrott dials
up the intensity a little bit more. The three horn frontline returns and trades off with Woodruff who provides some fine soloing himself. Nate Radley’s guitar
playing immediately creates a different mood, at the
outset of “Dijon Dance,” that contrasts nicely with the
more straightforward sound of the opening track. This
piece takes its inspiration from Jackie McLean’s “Demon Dance” and is dedicated to Jack DeJohnette who
played on that recording. Woodruff, in attempting to
emulate certain stylistic parameters within McLean’s
music, was going for a sound somewhere between “50’s
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
hard bop and the modal, and freer styles, popularized
by Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane in the 60’s.”
He clearly met his compositional goal here. The horn
players run through the same solo order as on the
opening track and Woodruff shows off his more assertive side when he turns up the heat while trading solos
with Parrott. “Be Still (While I Remove The Wart)”
features a swampy New Orleans inspired groove that
seems to really light a fire under the soloists. Woodruff and Clohesy move well together throughout the
song and Radley provides a subtle harmonic presence
that fills in the sonic layer between the soloists and the
rhythm duo. Ferber solos first and contributes his most
enjoyable solo on the record here. Varmus starts off hot
but cools down a little bit during his solo stint and Parrott’s solo simply oozes with soul and emotion. Radley
comes out for the final solo before the full ensemble
returns. “Trolley Museum” is a waltzing tune that
begins with the focus on Parrott’s saxophone and features some beautifully harmonized horn lines. Radley
takes the first solo and Ferber comes next. As Ferber’s
solo nears its end, horn lines move over his trombone
and then Clohesy takes control as the next soloist. The
horns briefly return and help to transition things for
the leader to take over with the last solo here.
“A Wreath Of Cloud” is an achingly sad, though
beautiful, ballad and Parrott’s singing saxophone quality sets the tone for the song. Clohesy takes his time
fleshing things out during his solo while Woodruff
supports things from beneath with his brushwork.
Radley provides the gentlest of guitar accompaniment. Parrott takes control again and dances with
Varmus before allowing the trumpeter to take over
and both musicians help to thicken the sound when
Ferber takes charge. Eventually, all three horns create
a heartwarming blend that seems lighter than air. This
composition and countless other moments on the album show Woodruff to be a first-rate composer. His
ability to blend the voices in the front-line and create
intriguing harmonies put him in a class by himself.
Wayne Shorter’s “Angola” provided the inspiration
for “Into The Fire.” Woodruff’s fondness for using
the alto saxophone as the focal point comes out again
here and Parrott doesn’t disappoint as she reels off an
impressive, adventurous solo while the rhythm section
drives things from below. While other band members
get a chance to solo here (i.e. Varmus and Radley),
this one really belongs to Parrott and she is in charge
again at the end of the track. “Chorale,” as hinted at by
the title, is rather classical in nature and begins with
a beautiful solo trumpet line from Varmus. Clohesy’s
bass line, the only accompanying voice at the outset,
anchors this piece. The other horns arrive later with
some harmonies that help to add a subtle thickness to
the piece, while still allowing Varmus to retain ownership of the melody. Woodruff’s entrance and Radley’s
solo help to shift the focus of the piece without altering the mood and things shift back to Varmus as the
song moves toward its conclusion. Ferber’s trombone
is front and center on the closing track, “Trafalgar
Square.” Varmus takes over near the three-minute
mark and continues to keep things light and cheery, a
mood which Ferber established from the get-go. Radley’s soloing provides a slightly larger dose of energy
to the music and the harmonized horn lines continue
this trend as this engaging album draws to a close.
Calendar of Events
How to Get Your Gigs and Events Listed in Jazz Inside™ NY
Submit your listings via e-mail to [email protected]. Include date, times, location,
phone number for additional information and or tickets/reservations. Deadline: 14th of the month
preceding publication (e.g. May 14 for June issue). Listings placed on a first come basis.
New York City
• Tues 9/1: Ken Hatfield with Gene Torres & Butch
Campbell at Fetch. 7:00pm. No cover. 1649 Third Ave.
(Bet. 92nd & 93rd St.) 212-289-2700. www.kenhatfield.com.
• Tues 9/1, 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29: Annie Ross at Metropolitan
Room. 9:30pm. 34 W 22nd St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-2060440. www.metropolitanroom.com.
• Tue 9/1: Evolution Series-Jazz, Bridging The Gap, 9PM –
midnight, Igmar Thomas, Luques Curtis, Obed Calvaire,
Corey Bernhard; Creole, 2167 3rd Ave (118th Street), New
York, NY 10035, 212-876-8838 www.creolenyc.com.
• Tues 9/1: Jazz for Curious Listeners at National Jazz
Museum in Harlem. 7:00pm. Free. “Dave Brubeck.”
104 E. 126th St., Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.
jazzmuseuminharlem.org
• Tues 9/1, 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29: Jonathan Kreisberg Trio
at La Lanterna Caffe. 8:00pm-11:30pm. $10 cover. 129
MacDougal St. 212-529-5945. www.lalanternacaffe.com.
• Wed 9/2: Eric Hoffman with Ken Hatfield & Gene Torres
at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Church. 6:00pm.
Free. Outdoors in garden, weather permitting. 602 E. 9th St.
@ Ave. B (Charlie Parker Pl.) www.kenhatfield.com
• Wed 9/2: Tine Bruhn with Daniela Schachter, Nori
Naraoka & Dan Aran at Zinc Bar. 7:00pm. $7. 82 W. 3rd St.
212-477-ZINC. www.tinebruhn.com
rESErvAtionS
212-258-9595/9795
jalc.org/dccc
Artist Sets: $20-35
7:30 pm & 9:30 pm
w/11:30 pm set Fri & Sat
After Hours Sets: $10-20
Student rates available
• Wed 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30: A Band Called Stuff, Gordon
Edwards & Stuff, 9PM – midnight, Creole, 2167 3rd Ave
(118th Street), New York, NY 10035; 212-876-8838 www.
creolenyc.com.
• Wed 9/2: Local 269. Morcilla with Matt Lavelle & Andre
Martinez @ 8:00pm. Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord
with Jon Irabagon, Moppa Elliot, Danny Fischer & Bryan
Murray @ 9:00pm. Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter, Dave
Sewelson, Joe Morris & Dee Pop @ 10:00pm. Bobby
Radcliff & guests @ 11:00pm. $10. Dee-Pop’s Avant
Series. 269 E. Houston St. @ Suffolk.
• Wed 9/2: 55 Bar. Amy Cervini with Michael Cabe, Mark
Lau & Ernesto Cervini @ 7:00pm. Michael Blake with
Dred Scott, Ben Rubin & Tony Mason @ 10:00pm. 55
Christopher St. 212-929-9883. www.55bar.com. www.
amycervini.com
• Thu 9/3: Antoinette Montague, Bill Wurtzel and the Jazz
Icons, American Museum of Folk Art
• Celebrating the Jazz Quilt, 6-7:30pm; After Celebration at
O’Neals Red Bar, 50 West 65th St, 212-787-4663, 8:30
–11:30pm
• Thurs 9/3: Wayne Krantz with Tim LeFebvre & Cliff
Almond at 55 Bar. 10:00pm. 55 Christopher St. 212-9299883. www.55bar.com.
• Fri 9/4: Soul Cycle at Blue Note. Late Night Groove Series.
12:30am.131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592. bluenotejazz.com
SEP 14
SEP 1–6
MuSic of Antonio
cArloS JobiM
& StAn GEtz
w/Trio Da Paz, Joe Locke, Harry Allen &
Maucha Adnet
After Hours: The Anderson Twins Quintet
SEP 7–oct 5
fifth AnnuAl
DiEt cokE WoMEn in
JAzz fEStivAl
ElAnA JAMES &
thE hot club of
coWtoWn
w/Jake Irwin & Whit Smith
SEP 23–27
cArMEn lunDy QuintEt
w/Special Guest Bobby Watson,
Geri Allen, Kenny Davis,
Steve Williams & Mayra Casales
After Hours: Roberta Piket Trio
w/Billy Mintz
SEP 15
MAriAn McPArtlAnD &
friEnDS
After Hours: Helen Sung Trio
SEP 28
Evi SiAMAnDA SinGS
MiMiS PlESSAS
w/Christos Rafalides & Mimis Plessas
SEP 16–20
MArlEnA ShAW
w/ShErriE MAriclE &
thE DivA JAzz
orchEStrA
SEP 7 UPSTARTS!
AMinA fiGArovA
QuintEt
w/Bart Platteau, Ernie Hammes,
Marc Mommaas, Jeroen Vierdag &
Chris Strik
SEP 29–oct 4
kArrin AllySon
w/Peter Washington,
Lewis Nash & Rod Fleeman
After Hours: Lisa Parrott & Friends
After Hours: Rose Rutledge Quintet
SEP 21–22
SEP 8–13
rEnEE roSnES QuArtEt
w/Lewis Nash, Peter Washington &
Steve Nelson
After Hours: Sarah Manning Quartet
(Sep 8) & Helen Sung Trio (Sep 10–12)
vAlEriE cAPErS
QuintEt
w/John Robinson, Earl Williams,
Alan Givenson & Mark Marino
After Hours: Roberta Piket Trio
w/Billy Mintz
(Sep 9, Both Sets Sold Out; No After Hours)
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
37
• Fri 9/4: Jacám Manricks with Barney McAll, Chris Tordini
& Tommy Crane at Nublu. 9:00pm. $10 cover. 62 Ave. C.
212-375-1500. www.nublu.net. www.jacammanricks.com
• Fri 9/4: Grasella Oliphant 80th Birthday Celebration, Cecil’s
Restaurant & Jazz Club, 364 Valley Rd., West Orange, NJ
07052, 973-736-4800, www.cecilsjazzclub.com
• Fri 9/4: Robert Mwamba at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar
Bar. 7:00pm. $10 cover. 254 W. 72nd St. 212-579-0222.
www.sugarbarnyc.com. www.myspace.com/mwamba920
• Sat 9/5: Dave Schnitter at Fat Cat. 7:00pm. 75 Christopher
St. 212-675-6056. www.fatcatmusic.org
• Sat 9/5: Theo Hill with Zaid Shukri, Emanuel Harrold &
Rome Neal at Nuyorican Poets Café. 9:00pm. $15; $10
for jammin’ musicians. Following by jazz jam and open mic.
Complimentary banana puddin’. 236 E. 3rd St. (Bet. B & C
Ave.) 212-465-3167. www.nuyorican.org
• Sat 9/5: Nicole Henry at Metropolitan Room. 9:45pm. $25
+ 2-drink min. 34 W 22nd St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-2060440. www.metropolitanroom.com.
• Sat 9/5: Lakecia Benjamin & Soulsquad at Blue Note.
Late Night Groove Series. 12:30am.131 W. 3rd St. 212-4758592. www.bluenotejazz.com
• Sun 9/6: Jean-Michel Pilc & The NYU Jazz Faculty
Quartet at Blue Note. 12:30pm & 2:30pm. $24.50 includes
brunch, show & 1 drink. 131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592. www.
bluenote.net
• Sun 9/6: The Marianne Solivan Trio at North Square.
12:30pm & 2:00pm. No cover or min. Brunch menu served.
103 Waverly Pl @ Macdougal. 212-254-1200. www.
northsquarejazz.com
• Sun 9/6: Asuka Kakitani Jazz Orchestra at St. Peter’s
Church. Jazz Vespers. 5:00pm. 53rd & Lexington. 212-935JSsep09
8/17/09 11:59
AM Page 1
2200. www.saintpeters.org/jazz.
www.asukakakitani.com
• Sun 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27: Peter Mazza at La Lanterna
Caffe. 8:00pm-11:30pm. $10 cover. 129 MacDougal St.
212-529-5945. www.lalanternacaffe.com.
• Sun 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27: Junior Mance & Hide Tanaka at
Café Loup. 6:30pm. No cover. 105 W. 13th St. @ 6th Ave.
212-255-4746. www.juniormance.com
• Sun 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27: Bob Kindred with John Hart &
Steve LaSpina at Café Loup. 12:30pm. Sunday brunch
from $8.50-$16.50. $5 bar min. 105 W. 13th St. @ 6th Ave.
212-255-4746.
• Mon 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28: Jazz Foundation of America
Jam at Local 802 Musician’s Union Building. 7:00pm.
Bring your instrument & join New York’s jazz legends. 322
W. 48th St. (Bet. 8th & 9th Ave.) http://jazzfoundation.org
• Mon 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28: Vince Giordano & His
Nighthawks Orchestra at Sofia’s Restaurant, Edison
Hotel. 3 sets, 8:00pm – 11:00pm. $15 cover, $15 min.
“Dancing to the Music of the 1920’s and 1930’s.” 221
W. 46th St. (Bet. Broadway & 8th). 212-719-5799. www.
myspace.com/VinceGiordanotheNighthawks
• Mon 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28: Joel Frahm Trio at La Lanterna
Caffe. 8:00pm-11:30pm. $10 cover. 129 MacDougal St.
212-529-5945. www.lalanternacaffe.com.
• Tues 9/8: Ken Hatfield with Harvie S & Steve Kroon at
Fetch. 7:00pm. No cover. 1649 Third Ave. (Bet. 92nd & 93rd
St.) 212-289-2700. www.kenhatfield.com.
• Tues 9/8: Dave Allen with Dave Liebman & Chris
Lightcap at 55 Bar. 10:00pm. 55 Christopher St. 212-9299883. www.55bar.com.
• Tues 9/8: Jazz for Curious Listeners at National
Jazz Museum in Harlem. 7:00pm. Free. “Cecil Taylor.”
104 E. 126th St., Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.
• Tue 9/9: Ted Kooshian Southpaw, 8:30PM, Brooklyn,
NY, 718-230-0236 opening for Ed Palermo Big Band w/
Napoleon Murphy Brock. www.kooshmania.com
• Wed 9/9: Local 269. Adam Caine, Nick Lyon, Lornzo
Sanguedolce, Adam Lane & Lou Grassi @ 8:00pm. Josh
Roseman, Mark Giuliana & Todd Sickafoose @ 9:00pm.
Persiflage with Matt Steckler, Todd Nuefeld & Jeff Davis
@ 10:00pm. Bobby Radcliff & guests @ 11:00pm. $10.
Dee-Pop’s Avant Series. 269 E. Houston St. @ Suffolk.
• Wed 9/9: Scot Albertson with Daryl Kojak, Cameron
Brown, Tony Jefferson, Sue Terry, Laurie Beechman
Dinner Theatre 407 W. 42nd St, $15, 212-695-6909, www.
scotalbertson.com
• Wed 9/9: Eric Hoffman with Ken Hatfield & Gene Torres
at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Church. 6:00pm.
Free. Outdoors in garden, weather permitting. 602 E. 9th St.
@ Ave. B (Charlie Parker Pl.) www.kenhatfield.com
• Sat 9/10: Grasella Oliphant, Lenox Lounge, 288 Lenox
Ave, New York, 288 Lenox Avenue
• (above 124th St.), 212-427-0253, www.lenoxlounge.com
• Thu 9/10: Sheryl Bailey, Early Show @ the 55 Bar w. The
Sheryl Bailey 3, No Cover, 55 Christopher St, www.55bar.
com
• Thurs 9/10: Jesse Elder at Mercantile Exchange, World
Financial Center. 5:00pm. For Monica Shulman’s art show.
One North End Ave. www.myspace.com/jesseelder
• Thurs 9/10: Barbara Carroll & Paula West at Tribeca
Performing Arts Center, Borough of Manhattan
Community College. 8:00pm. $35; $32.50 for students.
Jack Kleinsinger’s “Highlights in Jazz” series. 199 Chambers
St. 212-220-1460. www.tribecapac.org.
• Thurs 9/10: Jake Saslow with Matt Clohesy & Tommy
TUE SEP 15
AYELET ROSE GOTTLIEB
SEXTET
LOREN STILLMAN - AVISHAI COHEN - ANAT FORT - GARY WANG - ROLAND SCHNEIDER
WED SEP 16
“Jazz Venue of the Year” - ALL ABOUT JAZZ • “Best Jazz Club” - NEW YORK MAGAZINE & CITYSEARCH
BENNY REID
TUE-THU SEP 1-3
JOEL FRAHM
+
BRUCE KATZ:
RICHARD PADRON - PABLO VERGARA - DAN LOOMIS - KENNY GROHOWSKI
THU-SUN SEP 17-20
RICHARD BONA GROUP
PROJECT A
JAY COLLINS - REGGIE PITTMAN - CHRIS VITARELLO - MARTY BALLOU
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE MAILLARD - ETIENNE STADWIJK - OBED CALVAIRE
MON SEP 21
�MINGUS�
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DA
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MINGUS DYNASTY
MATT WILSON QUARTET
JERRY JEMMOTT - LORNE ENTRESS - RALPH ROSEN
FRI-SUN SEP 4-6
DR. LONNIE SMITH TRIO
TUE & WED SEP 22 & 23
DAVE STRYKER - BILL STEWART
ANDREW D’ANGELO - JEFF LEDERER - CHRIS LIGHTCAP
MON SEP 7 CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
THU-SUN SEP 24-27
TUE SEP 8
BARRY HARRIS TRIO
YARON HERMAN TRIO
RAY DRUMMOND - LEROY WILLIAMS
MATT BREWER - GERALD CLEAVER
WED SEP 9
JOHN ESCREET PROJECT
�MINGUS�
�MONDAYS�
DAVE BINNEY - AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE - ZACK LOBER - NASHEET WAITS
ELDAR DJANGIROV TRIO
JOSE ARMANDO GOLA - LUDWIG AFONSO
38 MON SEP 14
MINGUS BIG BAND
�MINGUS�
�MONDAYS�
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
MON SEP 28
MINGUS BIG BAND
“TRANSCEND”
THE CECIL McBEE
BAND
�MINGUS�
�MONDAYS�
TUE & WED SEP 29 & 30
THU-SUN SEP 10-13
�MINGUS�
�MONDAYS�
�MINGUS�
�MONDAYS�
NOAH PREMINGER - GEORGE CABLES - VICTOR LEWIS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crane at Bar Next Door. 8:00pm & 10:00pm. $12 cover.
129 MacDougal St. 212-529-5945.
Thurs 9/10: Sharon L. West, Ron Austin & Gia Williams
at Culturarte. 7:00pm. $12. 178th & Audubon.
Thu 9/10: Sharon L. West, vocals; Yoshiki Miura, Lou
Vega, Masahiro Sakuma, Ian J. Baggette, Ron Austin,
www.mightydreamerangels.com or www.culturarteny.
com, Anacaona Dominican Theater 178th Street and
Audubon Ave, one block east of St. Nicholas Avenue inside
Culturarte, NY
Thurs 9/10: Clem DeRosa at National Jazz Museum in
Harlem. 6:30pm. Free. “Harlem Speaks.” 104 E. 126th St.,
Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org
Fri 9/11: Fred Hersch at the Rubin Museum of Art. 7:00pm.
$18 in advance; $20 at door. “Harlem in the Himalayas.”
150 W. 17th St. 212-620-5000. www.rmanyc.org
Fri 9/11: Matt Geraghty at Blue Note. Late Night Groove
Series. 12:30am.131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592. www.
bluenotejazz.com
Fri 9/11-Sat9/12: Sonny Fortune with David Williams,
Steve Johns & Michael Cochrane at Sweet Rhythm. 88
Seventh Ave. S. 212-255-3626.
Fri 9/11: The Hearts of Jazz Concert at Ashford &
Simpson’s Sugar Bar. 4:00pm-8:00pm. No cover. More
than 40 of NYC’s top jazz artists gather to commemorate
9/11, including Dom Minasi, Ratzo B. Harris, Antoinette
Montaguek, Gene Perla, Barbara Sfraga, Sean Smith,
Rick Stone, Roni Ben-Hur & E.J. Decker.. 254 W.
72nd St. 212-579-0222. www.sugarbarnyc.com. www.
septemberconcert.org
Fri 9/11: Sex Mob with Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss,
Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen at 55 Bar. 10:00pm. 55
Christopher St. 212-929-9883. www.55bar.com.
Sat 9/12: Latin Giants Orchestra, 8:00PM, $20.00 Adults
/ $10.00 Students & Seniors, York College Performing Arts
Center, 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Blvd, 718-262-2840 or online
at theatermania.com
Wed: 9/12 - Sun 920: Sherrie & DIVA with the great
Marlena Shaw at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz At Lincoln
Center, 60th & Vroadway.
Sat 9/12: Jesse Elder with Bill Godwin’s The Ink Spots
and Tony Middleton at St. Peter’s Church. 6:00pm. $25
donation. “Jazz Meets Popular Music.” 53rd & Lexington.
212-935-2200. www.saintpeters.org/jazz. www.myspace.
com/jesseelder
Sat 9/12-Sat 11/14: Vocal Jazz Performance Workshop
at The Singers Center, instructor Grace Testani. 1:003:00PM. $450; no registration fee. PO Box 229, Cathedral
Station. 212-222-6632. www.singerscenter.com. www.
gracetestani.com
Sat 9/12: OSPAC Jazz Festival, Enrico Granafei; Pam
Purvis, Bob Ackerman; Steve Lovell; Dave Stryker; Nat
Adderley Jr; Cecil Brook III; Dizzy Gillespie All Stars, Mayra
Casales; Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center, 4 Boland
Dr, West Orange, NJ; 973- 669-7385.
Sat 9/12: Melvin Spaks at Blue Note. Late Night Groove
bluenotejazz.com
Sun 9/13: Peter Mazza, Selections from “Through My Eyes”
in a super-trio, Donny McCaslin and Hans Glawischnig
on Bass, Bar Next Door at La Lanterna. Peter also plays
there Sunday nights from 8-11:30pm, lalanternaaffe.com
Sun 9/13: Sarah James Trio at North Square. 12:30pm &
2:00pm. No cover or min. Brunch menu served. 103 Waverly
Pl @ Macdougal. 212-254-1200. northsquarejazz.com
Sun 9/13: OSPAC Jazz Festival, Jane Stuart; Bob Devos;
Oscar Perez; Vic Juris; Kate Baker; Ali Jackson; New York
Voices; Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center, 4 Boland
Dr, West Orange, NJ; 973- 669-7385.
Sun 9/13: Gene Ess Quartet with Rodney Jones at Blue
•
•
•
•
Note. 12:30pm & 2:30pm. $24.50 includes brunch, show &
1 drink. 131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592. www.bluenote.net
Mon 9/14: Jazz for Curious Readers with Ted Panken
at National Jazz Museum in Harlem. 7:00pm. Free.
104 E. 126th St., Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.
Mon 9/14: VandoJam at The Iguana. 8:00pm. No cover or
min. 240 W. 54th St. 212-399-9457.
Tues 9/15: Jazz for Curious Listeners at National Jazz
Museum in Harlem. 7:00pm. Free. “Rahsaan Roland
Kirk.” 104 E. 126th St., Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.
Tues 9/15: Ken Hatfield with Hans Glawischnig & Valery
sept 1
Ponomarev at Fetch. 7:00pm. No cover. 1649 Third Ave.
(Bet. 92nd & 93rd St.) 212-289-2700. www.kenhatfield.com.
• Tues 9/15: Sean Wayland with Ronny Cooter, Virna
Sanzone, Sean Wayland, Brian Charette, Aki Ishiguro,
Luca Benedetti, Jeff Hanley & Henry Cole at 55 Bar.
7:00pm. 55 Christopher St. 212-929-9883. 55bar.com.
• Wed 9/16: Local 269. Dom Minasi with Ken Filiano &
Jackson Krall @ 8:00pm. Limbic Trio with Percy Jones
@ 9:00pm. Radio I-Ching @ 10:00pm. Bobby Radcliff &
guests @ 11:00pm. $10. Dee-Pop’s Avant Series. 269 E.
Houston St. @ Suffolk.
• Wed: 9/16: Benny Reid CD Release Party, Jazz Standard
116 E. 27th St. CD Release, 212-576-2232
GreGorio Uribe biG band
sept 3-6
James moody
sept 8
John Fedchock new york biG band
sept 10-13
nicholas payton band
sept 15
sharp 9
sept 16-20
christian mcbride biG band
sept 22
Valery ponomareV ‘oUr Father who art blakey’
sept 23
bob albanese
sept 24-27
l’imaGe- mike mainieri, steVe Gadd,
tony leVin, warren bernhardt, daVid spinoZZa
sept 29
karen oberlin & the tedd Firth septet
celebrate doris day, the JaZZ sinGer, at 85
sept 30
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
sUsie meissner with special GUest brian lynch
•
39
• Wed 9/16: Melissa Stylianou at 55 Bar. 7:00pm. 55
Christopher St. 212-929-9883. www.55bar.com. www.
melissastylianou.com
• Fri 9/18: East West Quintet at Blue Note. Late Night
Groove Series. 12:30am.131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592.
www.bluenotejazz.com
• Fri 9/18 - Sat 9/19: Latin Jazz Legacy Series of East Harlem,
Steven Kroon, Igor Atalita, Ariel De La Portella, Bryan
Carrott, Craig Rivers, Diego Lopez, Sets: 8PM & 10PM,
$15.00, Creole, 2167 3rd Ave (118th Street), New York, NY
10035; 212-876-8838 www.creolenyc.com.
• Fri 9/18-Sat 9/19: Steve Kroon at Creole Restaurant.
8:00pm & 10:00pm. 2167 Third Ave. @ 118th St. 212-8768838. www.creolenyc.com
• Fri 9/18-Sat 9/19: Pete Zimmer Quartet featuring George
Garzone at Fat Cat. 10:00pm. 75 Christopher St. 212-6756056. www.fatcatmusic.org.
• Sat 9/19: Richie Goods at Blue Note. Late Night Groove
bluenotejazz.com
• Sun 9/20: Roz Corral with Gilad Hekselman & Joe Martin
at North Square. 12:30pm & 2:00pm. No cover or min.
Brunch menu served. 103 Waverly Pl @ Macdougal. 212254-1200. www.northsquarejazz.com
• Sun 9/20: Chico Hamilton with Paul Ramsey, Evan
Schwam, Jeremy Carlstedt & Nick Demopoulus at (le)
poisson rouge. 9:30pm. $15 advance; $20 day of show.
158 Bleecker St. 212-505-FISH. www.lprnyc.com. www.
myspace.com/chicohamilton
• Sun 9/20: Juilliard Jazz Brunch: The Sounds of Detroit
at Blue Note. 12:30pm & 2:30pm. $24.50 includes brunch,
show & 1 drink. 131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592. bluenote.net
• Tues 9/22: Ken Hatfield with Hans Glawischnig & Jim
Clouse at Fetch. 7:00pm. No cover. 1649 Third Ave. (Bet.
92nd & 93rd St.) 212-289-2700. www.kenhatfield.com.
• Wed 9/23: Nicole Pasternak with Don Friedman, Ralph
Lalama, Bill Moring, Tom Melito, 8pm, 10pm, No Cover,
$15 minimum, The Kitano, 66 Park Ave at 38th St, 212-8857119
• Wed 9/23: Local 269. Counterpoint with Kevin Norton,
Jesse Stern & Garrett Brown @ 8:00pm. Tripolar with
Donny Davis & Kevin Norton @ 9:00pm. Jeff Davis
Group @ 10:00pm. Bobby Radcliff & guests @ 11:00pm.
$10. Dee-Pop’s Avant Series. 269 E. Houston St. @
Suffolk.
• Thurs 9/24: Kelsey Jillette with Tom Abbott, Hiro Honma,
Jason Lawrence & Brad Whiteley at 55 Bar. 7:00pm.
55 Christopher St. 212-929-9883. www.55bar.com. www.
kelseyjillette.com
• Thu 9/24: Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet, 236 E. 3rd
St., betw Aves B & C, Thurs., 2 Shows starting @ 9:30 PM,
www.nuyorican.org, NuYorican Poets Café.
• Thu 9/24: Sheryl Bailey, Early Show @ the 55 Bar w. Jazz
Guitars Meet Hendrix featuring Sheryl Bailey and Vic Juris,
$10 Cover, No Cover, 55 Christopher St, www.55bar.com
• Thurs 9/24: Jason Moran at National Jazz Museum in
Harlem. 6:30pm. Free. “”Harlem Speaks.” 104 E. 126th St.,
Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org
• Fri 9/25: Patrick Cornelius at Blue Note. Late Night
• Fri 9/25 – Sat 9/26: Latin Jazz Legacy Series of East Harlem,
Stringbeans Official CD Release Party, Annette A. Aguilar,
Rob Thomas, Nicki Denner, Benny Koonyvesky, Sofia
Rei Koutsovitis, Jennifer Vincent. Sets: 8PM & 10PM,
$15.00, Creole, 2167 3rd Ave (118th Street), New York, NY
10035; 212-876-8838 www.creolenyc.com.
• Fri 9/25: David Binney Quartet at the Rubin Museum of
Art. 7:00pm. $18 in advance; $20 at door. “Harlem in the
Himalayas.” 150 W. 17th St. 212-620-5000. rmanyc.org
• Sat 9/26: Brian Lynch & Spheres of Influence at The
New York Public Library. Free. The Duke Jazz Series.
Bruno Walter Auditorium, 111 Amsterdam Ave. @ 65th St.
212-270-1793. www.nypl.org
• Sat 9/26: Judi Silvano, 55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. 212-9299883. www.55bar.com
• Sat 9/26: Bobby Sanabria at National Jazz Museum in
Harlem. 11:00am. Free. Presenting a screening of new
PBC documentary, along with producer and director of
“Latin Music U.S.A.” 104 E. 126th St., Suite 2C. 212-3488300. www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org
• Sat 9/26: Rasul Siddik & Katy Roberts at 5C Café.
8:00pm. $10 cover. 68 Ave. C. 212-477-5993. www.5ccc.
com. www.myspace.com/rasulsiddiknowartet
• Sat 9/26: Rachel Pastarnack at Blue Note. Late Night
• Sun 9/27: Roz Corral/Eddie Monteiro Duo at North
Square. 12:30pm & 2:00pm. No cover or min. Brunch menu
served. 103 Waverly Pl @ Macdougal. 212-254-1200. www.
northsquarejazz.com
• Sun 9/27: Ricardo Gallo’s Tierra de Nadie at Blue Note.
12:30pm & 2:30pm. $24.50 includes brunch, show & 1
drink. 131 W. 3rd St. 212-475-8592. www.bluenote.net
• Mon 9/28: Barb Jungr at Metropolitan Room. 7:00pm.
$25 + 2-drink min. 34 W 22nd St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212206-0440. www.metropolitanroom.com.
• Tues 9/29: Jazz for Curious Listeners at National
Jazz Museum in Harlem. 7:00pm. “Art Tatum / Django
Reinhardt.” 104 E. 126th St., Suite 2C. 212-348-8300. www.
• Tues 9/29: Ken Hatfield with Hans Glawischnig & Eric
Hoffman at Fetch. 7:00pm. No cover. 1649 Third Ave. (Bet.
92nd & 93rd St.) 212-289-2700. www.kenhatfield.com.
• Tue 9/29: Clifton Anderson, Birdland, 8:30, 11PM, 315 W.
44th St, www.cliftonanderson.net
• Tue 9/29: Alex Terrier, CD Release, Puppets, 9pm, 481
5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY, www.Puppetsjazz.com, www.
alexterriermusic.com
• Tues 9/29: Benjamin Drazen with Jon Davis, Carlo
DeRosa & John Davis at 55 Bar. 10:00pm. 55 Christopher
St. 212-929-9883. www.55bar.com.
• Tues 9/29: Laurie Krauz & Daryl Kojak Octet with Sean
Conly, Gene Lewin, Jamie Fox, “Sweet” Sue Terry,
Emily Bindiger, Margaret Dorn & Kathryn Raio at BB
King’s. 8:00pm. “Tapestry Rewoven: Feel the Earth Move!”
A re-imagining of the Carole King classic. $25 cover; $10
min. 237 W. 42nd St. 212-997-4144. www.bbkingblues.com.
www.tapestryrewoven.com
• Wed 9/30: Local 269. Jahn X Bonfiglio @ 8:00pm.
Stephan Gauci, Mike Bisio, Jay Rosen, Kenny Wessel &
Jeremy Carlstedt @ 9:00pm. Ben Gerstein, Tony Malaby,
Dan Weiss & John Hebert @ 10:00pm. Bobby Radcliff &
guests @ 11:00pm. $10. Dee-Pop’s Avant Series. 269 E.
Houston St. @ Suffolk.
• Wed 9/30: Robert Mwamba at Flute Gramercy. 8:00pm.
No cover. 40 E. 20th St. www.flutebar.com. www.myspace.
com/mwamba920
• Wed 9/30: Barb Jungr at Metropolitan Room. 7:30pm.
$25 + 2-drink min. 34 W 22nd St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212206-0440. www.metropolitanroom.com.
• Sun 10/4: Randall Keith Horton, The Duke EllingtonRandall Keith Horton full-length orchestral tone poem,
BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE, for big band, symphony
orchestra, steel drums, African drums, soprano and baritone
soloists. Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at
60th St., NYC, www.jazzatlincolncenter.org
40 September 2009
Brooklyn
• Tues 9/1: Dan Weiss Ensemble at Le Grand Dakar.
8:30pm & 10:00pm. Free; donations accepted. 285 Grand
Ave. (Bet. Clifton & Lafayette)
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
• Wed 9/2: Jessica Lurie Group at Brooklyn Lyceum.
8:00pm & 9:30pm. 227 4th Ave. 866-gowanus. www.
brooklynlyceum.com
• Wed 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30: Phishbacher at Water
Street Restaurant. 7:00pm. No cover. 66 Water St. www.
waterstreetrestaurant.com. www.phishbacher.com
• Thurs 9/3: Ryan Blotnick with Jeff Williams, Joachim
Badenhorst & Perry Wortman at Le Grand Dakar.
• Sun 9/6: Jordan Young at Brooklyn Lyceum. 9:00pm
& 10:30pm. 227 4th Ave. 866-gowanus. www.
brooklynlyceum.com
• Tues 9/8: Ziv Ravitz with Shane Endsley & Garth
Stevenson at Le Grand Dakar. 8:30pm & 10:00pm.
$5 suggested donation. 285 Grand Ave. (Bet. Clifton &
Lafayette)
• Wed 9/9: Mike Baggetta Trio at Brooklyn Lyceum.
brooklynlyceum.com
• Thurs 9/10: James Ilgenfritz at Le Grand Dakar. 8:30pm &
10:00pm. Free; donations accepted. 285 Grand Ave. (Bet.
Clifton & Lafayette)
• Thurs 9/10: Michael Marcus with John Austria, Rashaan
Carter & Jay Rosen at Bargemusic. 8:00pm. $25; $20
senior; $15 student. Fulton Ferry Landing, at the foot of the
Brooklyn Bridge. 718-624-2083. www.bargemusic.org.
• Fri 9/11: Pete Robbins with Jesse Neuman, Mike Gamble,
Thomas Morgan, Eivind Opsvik & Tommy Crane at the
Tea Lounge. 9:00pm. $5 suggested donation. 837 Union
St., Park Slope. 718-789-2762. www.tealoungeny.com.
www.peterobbins.com
• Sun 9/13: Adam Kolker at Brooklyn Lyceum. 9:00pm
& 10:30pm. 227 4th Ave. 866-gowanus. www.
brooklynlyceum.com
• Tues 9/15: Justin Wood with Josh Sinton, James
Ilgenfritz & Vinnie Sperazza at Le Grand Dakar. 8:30pm
& 10:00pm. Free; donations accepted. 285 Grand Ave.
(Bet. Clifton & Lafayette)
• Wed 9/16: Grupo Los Santos at Brooklyn Lyceum.
brooklynlyceum.com
• Thurs 9/17: Rasul Siddik & the Now! Artet at Puppet’s
Jazz Bar. 9:00pm. 481 5th Ave. 718-499-2622. www.
puppetsjazz.com. www.myspace.com/rasulsiddiknowartet
• Thurs 9/17: Jorrit Dijkstra with Reuben Radding, Jen
Baker & Kier Neuringer at Le Grand Dakar. 8:30pm &
10:00pm. Free; donations accepted. 285 Grand Ave. (Bet.
Clifton & Lafayette)
• Sun 9/20: Dan Adler, 8pm, Puppets Jazz Bar, 481 5th Ave.
Park Slope, Brooklyn, www.puppetsjazz.com
• Sun 9/20: Quinson Nachoff at Brooklyn Lyceum.
brooklynlyceum.com
• Tues 9/22: Wollesonic with Kenny Wollesen, Jodocy,
Dalius Naujo & Jennifer Harris at Le Grand Dakar.
• Wed 9/23: Bottomless Cup Jazz Orchestra at Brooklyn
Lyceum. 8:00pm & 9:30pm. 227 4th Ave. 866-gowanus.
www.brooklynlyceum.com
• Thurs 9/24: Bill Lee’s Big Band at Bargemusic. 8:00pm.
Fulton Ferry Landing, at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.
718-624-2083. www.bargemusic.org.
• Thurs 9/24: Jesse Neumann Group at Le Grand Dakar.
• Sun 9/27: Matt McDonald at Brooklyn Lyceum.
brooklynlyceum.com
visitors center:
• Sun 9/27: Rob Garcia with Noah Preminger, Dan Tepfer
& Chris Lightcap; Daniel Kelly Trio; and Michel Gentile
& Tony Romano at Belarusian Church. 2:30pm-6:00pm.
$15; $10 students. 401 Atlantic Ave. @ Bond St. www.
connectionworks.org
• Tues 9/29: Julianne Carney with Ryan Mackstaller, Justin
Wood, James Ilgenfritz & John O’Brien at Le Grand
Dakar. 8:30pm & 10:00pm. Free; donations accepted. 285
Grand Ave. (Bet. Clifton & Lafayette)
• Wed 9/30: Chris Dingman Quartet at Brooklyn Lyceum.
brooklynlyceum.com
New Jersey
• Wed 9/2: Zan Stewart at Shanghai Jazz. 24 Main St.,
Madison. 973-822-2899. www.shanghaijazz.com.
• Thurs 9/3: Matt King Group at Shanghai Jazz. 24 Main
St., Madison. 973-822-2899. www.shanghaijazz.com.
• Fri 9/4: Herb Woodson Quartet at Shanghai Jazz. 24
Main St., Madison. 973-822-2899. www.shanghaijazz.com.
• Sat 9/5: Eddie Monteiro with Len Argese at Shanghai
Jazz. 24 Main St., Madison. 973-822-2899. www.
shanghaijazz.com.
• Thurs 9/10: Morris Nanton Trio at Shanghai Jazz. 24
• Fri 9/11: Living Colour at Mexicali Live. 9:00pm. $25.
1409 Queen Anne Rd., Teaneck. 201-833-0011.
• Fri 9/11: Sarah Partridge Trio at Shanghai Jazz. 24 Main
• Sat 9/12: Ralph Douglas Quartet at Shanghai Jazz. 24
• Sun 9/13: Oscar Perez with Stacy Dillard, Greg
Glassman, Anthony Perez, Jerome Jennings, Emiliano
Valerio & Charenee Wade at OSPAC Jazz Festival,
Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center. 3:00pm. $10. 4
Boland Dr., West Orange. 973-669-7385. www.ospac.org.
www.oscarperezmusic.com
• Sun 9/13: Laura Hill with Tomoko Ohno at Shanghai Jazz.
24 Main St., Madison. 973-822-2899. www.shanghaijazz.
com.
• Tues 9/15: Tom Roberts, Susanne Ortner & Charlie
Caranicas at Bickford Theatre. 8:00pm. $15 in advance;
$18 at door. On Columbia Turnpike @ Normandy Heights
Road, east of downtown Morristown. 973-971-3706. www.
njjs.org
• Tues 9/15: John Zweig with Steve Freeman at Shanghai
shanghaijazz.com.
• Fri 9/18: Jerry Vezza Trio at Shanghai Jazz. 24 Main St.,
• Sat 9/19: Rasul Saddik/Katy Roberts Quartet at the
Miller Branch Public Library. 8:00pm. No cover. 489
Bergen Ave., Jersey City. 201-547-4551. www.myspace.
w w w. j m i h . o r g
THE NATIoNAl JAzz MuSEuM IN HARlEM PRESENTS
Harlem Speaks
A SPECIAl SERIES HoNoRINg HARlEM HERoES
SEP. 10: CLEM DeROSA SEP. 24: Jason Moran
Photo courtesy Richard Conde
Long Island
• Fri 9/4: Living Colour at The Crazy Donkey. 1058 Rt. 110,
Farmingdale. www.thecrazydonkey.com
• Fri 9/11: Arnie Gruber & Halley Hiatt at Dix Hills
Performing Arts Center, Five Towns College. 7:30pm.
305 N. Service Rd., Dix Hills. 631-656-2148. www.DHPAC.
org
• Sat 9/12: Diane Hoffman Trio at Nick DiAngelo Italian
Bistro. 9:00pm. No cover. 152 Park Ave., Long Beach. 516889-3366. www.dianehoffman.com
• Sun 9/13: Diane Hoffman with Mike Barnett Trio at Long
Beach Jazz Festival. Noon. Long Beach Library, 111 Park
Ave., Long Beach. www.dianehoffman.com
• Sat 9/19: Diane Hoffman & Jeremy Bacon at Milk &
Sugar Café. 8:00pm. 149 W. Main St., Bay Shore. 631969-3655. www.dianehoffman.com
Open M-F 10 aM - 4 pM
104 E. 126th Street, #2C, New York, NY 10035
Drummer / Educator
Location: The NJMH Visitors Center, 104 E. 126th Street, #2C
$18 advance $20 at door
Pianist
t ime : 6:30 -- 8:30 pm
P rice : Free
September 11 Fred Hersch (solo piano)
September 25 David Binney Quartet
saturday panels
11AM – 4PM • free
including films,
panel discussions and
live music
Jazz for Curious Listeners
Free classes celebrating Harlem and its legacy
Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
The NJMIH Visitors Center, 104 E. 126th Street, #2C
Attend any individual class.
Jazz on Film
September 1: Dave Brubeck
September 8: Cecil Taylor
September 15: Steve lacy
September 22: Rahsaan Roland Kirk
September 29:
Art Tatum / Django Reinhardt
9/26: Latin music U.S.A.
Bobby sanabria hosts
a screening of the new
pBs documentary along
with the film's producer
and director.
nJMH Visitors Center, 104 e. 126th St., #2C
Jazz for Curious Readers
September 14:
Ted Panken
7:00 - 8:30 pm | FRee
The nJMH Visitors Center
104 e. 126th Street, #2C
the
Doctorow family
f o u n D at i o n
Danny & Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation
Funded in part by Council Member Inez e. Dickens, 9th C.D., Speaker Christine Quinn and the new York City Council
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
41
com/rasulsaddiknowartet
• Sat 9/19: John Carlini Trio at Shanghai Jazz. 24 Main St.,
• Wed 9/23: Jeff Barnhart & Anne Barnhart at Ocean
County Library. 8:00pm. $13 advance; $15 at door. 101
Washington St., Toms River. 732-255-0500. ocean.edu
• Fri 9/25 & Sat 9/26: Winard Harper Group at Shanghai
shanghaijazz.com.
• Mon 9/28: Swingadelic at Maxwell’s. 9:00pm. No cover.
1039 Washington St., Hoboken. 201-653-1703. www.
maxwellsnj.com
• Tues 9/29-Wed 9/30: John Pizzarelli Quartet with Bucky
Pizzarelli at Shanghai Jazz. Seatings @ 6:30pm &
8:30pm. $89 each incl. full-course dinner & show. 24 Main
…And Beyond
• Fri 9/4-Sun 9/6: Tanglewood Jazz Festival with Paquito
D’Rivera; John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey with
Bucky Pizzarelli, Aaron Weinstein, Kurt Elling & Harry
Allen; Regina Carter Quartet; Nnenna Freelon, Harolyn
Blackwell & Mike Garson; Kenny Barron & Mulgrew
Miller duet with Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Jon Faddis
Quartet with Wallace Roney & Sean Jones; Dave Holland
Octet with Chris Potter, Robin Eubanks, Antoinio Hart,
Alex Sipiagian, Gary Smulyan, Nate Smith & Steve
Nelson. $17-$75; one-day lawn pass $34. 297 West St.,
Lenox, MA. 888-266-1200. www.tanglewood.org
• Wed 9/9: Living Colour at the Fairfield Theatre Company.
7:30pm. $57-$67. 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, CT. 203-2591036. www.fairfieldtheatre.com
• Fri 9/11-Sun 9/13: Celebration the Arts Jazz Festival at
Delaware Water Gap, PA. With Phil Woods, Calliope,
42 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
•
•
•
•
•
Water Gap Players, Anita Bondi, Vicki Doney Trio,
Skip Wilkins Quintet, The Magic Touch, Bob Dorough
Ensemble, Alex Gordon Trio, Jaro, David Liebman
Group, DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Spencer Reed, Jazz Mass,
Chris Parker Quartet, Brian Lynch Project, Evan Gregor
Quintet, Bill Goodwin Band, Nellie McKay and Blue
Sparks from Hell. 570-424-2210. www.cotajazz.org
Fri 9/11: Medeski Martin & Wood at the Fairfield Theatre
Company. 8:00pm. $20-$35. 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, CT.
203-259-1036. www.fairfieldtheatre.com
Sat 9/12: Sherrie & DIVA at the COTA Festival, Delaware
Water Gap, 7:00pm
Sat 9/19-Sun 9/20: Lake George Jazz Weekend. Free.
Shepard Park, Canada St., Lake George, NY. Sept. 19: Bill
Mays Trio, 1:00; Ignacio Berroa Quartet, 2:45; Giacomo
Gates. 4:30. Sept. 20: Roland Vasquez Quintet, 1:00;
Steve Turre Quintet, 2:45; Diane Moser Band, 4:30pm.
Fri 9/25: Branford Marsalis at Ridgefield Playhouse.
8:00pm. $80. 203-438-5795. 80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT.
www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org
Sat 9/26: Ralph Peterson Trio, Zaccai Curtis, Dezron
Douglas, Jazz at the Turning Point Café, Piermont, NY.
25 minutes from NYC, NJ, CT, Westchester, 6pm-7:30pm,
468 Piermont Avenue, Piermont, NY 10968 845-359-1089,
Charleston Continued from Page 9
fun with it now and I wouldn’t change anything for
the world.
RC: God that’s a great question. I’m going to cry,
that’s so beautiful. First of all, I think you’re so right
that the very beginning, I think your DNA, your
cellular makeup is formed before the age of six. I’ve
JI: If we’re interested in mastery, it is not about mas- sort of sidetracked to the questionsin that I’ve been
tering but staying on the path, having long term vi- conscious of how I’ve raised my daughter Emma in
sion, and exercising patience – which, anyone who giving her, in giving her those building blocks and
has invested eight and ten hours a day practicing has those foundations of making sure she knows that she
has the stuff inside of her to do whatever she wants
developed to some degree.
to do as long as she puts the discipline and focus to
RC: It’s about nuances - whether it’s a nuance in it. It’s thought. I try to go into the recording studio
rhythm, melody or a nuance of words and poetry. filled with thoughts of love and support for my fellow
I’m a poetry freak. I simply can’t get enough of it. I’m musicians and respect. And I find that when I go in
just so happy to be able to write and get the words with an abundance of love and respect for them, I get
out that I want, get the meaning out that I intend. it back in spades.
You know getting my thoughts actually out into the
JI: People respond to authenticity and genuineness.
world. It’s exhilarating through these songs.
At some subconscious level I think we all can see
JI: Are there some things that you want to talk about through people façades – eventually! Could you,
could you just touch on what your views are image
that I haven’t prompted you for?
versus identity and that could be both in terms of the
music and in terms of people.
RC: You’re such a good journalist. You’re good.
You’ve got it all together. Actually you know what,
RC: Well, I’ll just say what I personally do in order
you have exceeded my expectations here. I’m trying to
to maintain my own core thing which is I try very
think if there’s anything we didn’t get to. We talked
hard not to read or watch any media that might
about writing. We talked about the music. We talked
kind of poison the purity of my work. I try not to
about sound, feeling. We talked about Musicophilia
get hooked …. there are some new television, slick,
and all the facts, the effect of music and thought on slick, slick shows and magazines and sounds … I try
Parkinson and Alzheimers and all that stuff, which is to avoid anything that’s slick in my life. I’ll turn off
so important. We talked about the future album. We the TV and go read a book. I’ll turn off the radio and
talked about Lynn. Yeah, I…
go read, and I’ll change the station, turn the dial to
RC: Oh, see that goes to the core of my self-doubt.
You know I guess again like that Eckhart Tolle thing
of shining a light on it. If I shine a light on my indecision, all of a sudden things become clearer for me. It’s
like a pin spot. You shine the spotlight on the exact
thing that needs work and all of a sudden it really becomes clearer. I have to have to make choices in lyrics.
Which direction is the song going to go? I could have
10 different ways that it could go but I focus the light
and I suddenly realize this is the only answer.
JI: Rondi, I would venture a wild guess that when
you were growing up your parents, who were both
creative, encouraged you to do whatever it is you
wanted to do. How do you use encouragement or
motivate others with whom you work?
RC: Take care of it. You have to take care of your
mind. I don’t watch violent movies. I don’t watch
violent TV shows. I can’t, I can’t even watch some of
the slicker pop singers. I find it corrupts me. It corrupts my soul.
JI: So in wrapping up, is there a phrase or a word of
wisdom that you’d like to share that, by which you
live your life?
RC: My belief is simple. Music has the power to give
us hope when nothing else can, and I want to spread
that hope in every way possible.
OD: That my music has made an impact on someone’s life. That my efforts have inspired someone to
OD: I’m living a dream. As a recording musician and
composer, I lived in both jazz and classical worlds.
Now I get to compose for, perform in and lead and
direct my own orchestra! I’m surrounded by creative
genius in my best friend and co-founder of all of our
initiatives, a fantastic executive director and staff, a
dedicated board, a loving-supportive family, and the
best musicians anywhere! Who could ask for anything more?
September 2009
JI: What is the greatest compliment that you can receive as a musician?
Shepard Park • Canada Street
Lake George • New York
rain site: Lake George High School Auditorium
JI: Well you have to feed your mind like you feed
your body.
set and achieve higher standards.
Davis Continued from Page 12
thing only for you and the musicians you are sharing
the stage with, or are you trying to achieve something JI: What is the most rewarding facet of your life as
an artist?
OD: To humbly give back! Education is the key! Jazz
is more than a musical genre. It is the soundtrack of
America and it provides lessons for us all!
September 19 & 20
1-6 pm • Free Admission
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Designed by Gruskin Group™, © 2009 www.gruskingroup.com
JI: How do you overcome indecision?
something that’s not going to poison you. You know
a strong word but…
2009 Lake George
Jazz Weekend
Saturday, September 19
Bill Mays Inventions Trio
Ignacio Berroa Quartet
Giacomo Gates
Sunday, September 20
Roland Vasquez Quintet
Steve Turre Quintet
Diane Moser’s
Composers Big Band
For info: 518.668.2616
www.lakegeorgearts.org
presented by
Also made possible
with generous support
from Kenneth and
Susan Gruskin
43
T I C K E T S
S T I L L
A V A I L A B L E !
The Ridgefield Playhouse
Great Family Entertainment!
203.438.5795
Part of The Danbury Audi Jazz Series
The Ridgefield Playhouse
Gala Event
Special Guest Alexis Babini
Boz Scaggs
Sunday, September 13th
Gala 5:30 pm Show 8:00 pm
An Evening
of Wine & Jazz
Join us in the lobby before
the show for a Wine
Tasting with Melange Fine
Wines & Spirits and hors
d’oeuvres from Ancona’s
from 7pm – 8pm.
3 time Grammy Winner
Branford Marsalis
Friday, September 25th at 8:00 pm Quartet
HerbAlpert
& LaniHall
Monday, November 2nd at 8:00 pm
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pre-show reception with possible MEET & GREET, VIP parking,
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80 East Ridge • Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877
203.438.5795
44 Eubanks Continued from Page 16
the two trumpet concept. Again I can’t remember
the name of the Donald Byrd recording, but they
compliment each other very well. Usually trumpet
players try to outplay each other losing the subtleties
like sound and phrasing that makes trumpet playing
individualized. Last is Roy Hargrove’s Of Kindred
Souls. It’s a live recording that really opened me up to
Roy’s playing. The tunes required him to play with a
lot of fire and I love the way he approaches ballads.
He developed at such a young age—sometimes it
doesn’t seem fair. And to be as young as he is and influence a whole generation of trumpet players is an
incredible salute to him.
my life, music. It wasn’t long before I was practicing
about 5-6 hrs a day instead of studying my accounting. I became totally obsessed. I practiced anytime,
everywhere and anywhere I could. I practiced in the
bathroom, and in the car on road trips. I transcribed
as much as possible to build a vocabulary. One day
I called home to check in, and my dad said that my
brother Kevin was presented with some jazz achievement award presented by Billy Taylor. My dad was
raving about how great Kevin sounded and how he
left everyone with their mouths open. I immediately
wanted to do the same and switch my major to music.
When I threw the idea at my dad, he said “Man, your
mother and I invested three years of college in you. I
think you ought to finish your degree.” My dad only
JI: Can you talk about your college experience, and had to say things once. I completed my requirements
how you solidified in your mind that music was your for my B.S. - Bachelor of Science … lets keep it clean
- degree in Business Administration. I minored in
path, and not business administration?
Accounting. I loved math and I think there is a corDE: I can remember distinctively being in college at relation between music and math. A year later I atUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore (U.M.E.S). tended Temple University as a music major trying to
I stopped playing my trumpet for about six years, pick up some more skills before moving to New York
doing the non-productive teenager thing. My twin on my musical quest. Now looking at things, I wish I
brother was in the band and he was a music major and majored in music from the beginning. That is interan outstanding trombone player. He encouraged me esting because lot of musicians say to me that they
to get in the band and back into what was missing in wished that they majored in Business.
Jazz Cruises LLC Continued from Page 71
going at the same time. On the Smooth Jazz Cruises,
we do it slightly differently. We divide people into
half. Half the people go to dinner at six, and then the
other half go to the main show and then it flips. But
then around 10:30, we have what we’re famous for
on that cruise, which is our cruising after dark format. We’ll have a jam session at one place, we’ll have
dancing, we’ll have a comedian, we’ll have this, we’ll
have that – lots of different activities. Pajama parties,
costume parties, for you to go do and you get to pick
what you want to do. But that’s after everyone’s had
their wonderful dinner and they have seen the main
show for the evening.
Not only was it packed, these people had the most
creative costumes. It was so much fun. Now we do
it every year. We have a different theme. I think last
year was come as your favorite song. This year is going
to be come as your favorite movie. Okay?
The really important things that I have learned
on these cruises are from the guests. When you look
out and you see people from all walks of life, all ethnic
backgrounds, 25-30 different countries, and they’re all
there because they love this particular kind of music.
It really pulls at your heart. You realize that the world,
there are ways to join the world up. There really are.
Music is the best way. There ain’t a question about it.
JI: What have you discovered about human nature,
JI: Talk a little bit about some of the inspiring or given all these various experiences?
funny or dramatic or whatever conversations that
you’ve had with some of the artists who’ve performed ML: Once in a while you run across a passenger who
you’re never going to please and you just have to do
on the cruises over the years.
the best you can. So much of it is about expectations,
ML: The greatest compliment that I ever got was meeting expectations. And for the most part, the
the first time that we had Herbie Hancock, and he overwhelming part, people want to have a good time.
was getting ready to leave because he was only on People want to enjoy themselves. They want to be
for a couple of days. He asked me to come into his good to other people. Once in a while somebody will
room and he stood up and he told me that he would become a little more self important than perhaps they
do any cruise that we would ever do. I can’t tell you need to be. Okay, that’s just part of the gig. But, genhow many guys we had to twist their arms, and now erally, people who like this kind of music, I like them.
They say that you can tell something about somebody
they’re regulars.
My mother will be 80 this year. We’re celebrat- based upon their friends. I think you can tell someing her 80th birthday on the ship and all of these peo- thing about people based upon their music taste. If
ple who have been sailing with her for years and years you like jazz, which is improvisational, which is free
and years and it is just astonishing to watch that. The flowing, which has very few rules, okay, has from
reason why they come back is because they know the get go been an ethnically and rationally diverse
that we’re going to give them great music. If we ever – then the odds are you’re going to be a pretty acceptscrew up, it would be because we have forgotten that ing kind of nice person. And that’s who we have on
that is the bulk of it. What’s been fun is throwing in the ships. We have people who, they just want to have
some really fun kind of non-music stuff. I talked my a good time. They want to listen to music and they
mother into including a costume party on the Jazz want to share it with their friends and they want to
Cruises. She was sure that nobody would show up.
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
J A C K K L E I N S I N G E R Presents
Jazz Cruises LLC Continued from Page 44
share it with other people. And that’s just great. It’s
just very exciting to see and if we can in a really small
way, up perpetuate that, that’d be great, you know?
Highlights In JAZZ
N e w Yo r k ' s L o n g e s t R u n n i n g J a z z C o n c e r t S e r i e s
***
ML: My favorite performers are David Sanborn,
Marcus Miller. I love big band on the Jazz Cruise. I
think they are just awesome, really awesome.
Thurs. Sept. 10, 2009 - 8 pm
Cabaret
Jazz
JI: What do you do besides cooking to recharge your
batteries?
ML: I workout almost everyday. I box, I play tennis,
I workout with a personal trainer, and I drink wine.
Not at the same time.
Djangirov Continued from Page 78
ED: Yes, absolutely. That’s a recording I’ve been
working on and that will be out sometime in 2010.
As of now though, for the rest of 2009, I’m concentrating on touring through a lot of different spots
and trying to spread the word and to play as much
music as possible.
JI: Where do you find the most receptive audience
to what you are doing? In NY, people may know the
most about jazz and it’s such a fertile place, but it can
also be cold for a performer.
ED: You know, it’s funny that you mention that.
You are right on with your thoughts. I just posted a
few things online. If you go to www.facebook.com/
eldar, there are a few videos that I jut posted and a
page I started where I put content and video and
multimedia things for me to post that I experience
from the road and there’s a video that I thought was
really good that was made in Vienna at the Vienna
Jazz Festival and one of the reasons besides the music that I enjoyed the gig so much was the people.
Because they knew about the music and they were
excited abut the music. They had a certain positive
energy that influenced the music on the stage on
that particular day and if it wasn’t for the people, the
music wouldn’t sound the same and I thought the
performance was very good so I posted a few little
things, but definitely, the people put so many things
into a performance and I don’t think a lot of people
have the power to realize that because they are busy
responding on an individual level, they are kind of in
their own world, but as a whole, people create a force
that’s so powerful.
JI: Yeah, collectively
ED: Oh my God, it’s a powerful force – together.
F i n a l Ye a r * * *
Four Great JAZZ Concerts
JI: What do you listen to?
Barbara
Carroll
Paula
West
Thurs. Nov. 12, 2009 - 8 pm
Living
Jazz Legends
Bucky
Buddy
DeFranco
Pizzarelli
with
with
Jay Leonhart John Pizzarelli
Joe Cohn Martin Pizzarelli
Mickey Roker
Ron Odrich
Ed Metz, Jr.
Thurs. Oct. 8, 2009 - 8 pm
Thurs. Dec.10, 2009 - 8 pm
From New Orleans...
Celebrating The
Swing Masters
Hot Jazz
Evan Christopher
Duke Heitger
...To Israel
Anat Cohen
Ehud Asherie
Terry
Ken
Peplowski
Recalls
Gibbs
Recalls
Lionel
Subscriptions are only $130
for all four Concerts
Tickets for individual concerts
may be ordered for:
$35.00/students $32.50
Recalls
Hampton Charlie
Goodman
Christian
Benny
with
George Masso - Jackie Williams
Johnny Varro - Joe Ascione
Freddie
Bryant
with
Derek Smith
Nicki Parrott • Alvin Atkinson
Produced in association with:
BMCC TRIBECA
Performing Arts Center
Borough of Manhattan
Community College
199 Chambers Street
Mail Order Form to:
Highlights in Jazz, 7 Peter Cooper Rd., New York, NY 10010
Checks payable to: Highlights in Jazz
(Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope)
 Please send ______ subscription(s) at $130.00 each for the
Fall 2009 Season of Highlights in Jazz.
JI: What club was that?
 Please send _____ ticket(s) ($35.00/students $32.50) for each of the following:
 Sept 10, Concert  Oct 8, Concert  Nov 12 Concert  Dec 10, Concert
ED: Porgy and Bess. It’s a wonderful club.
NAME
Visit our website and subscribe to our quarterly
publication to get the complete one hour interview.
Stay tuned to our “JazzInsideMagazine” YouTube
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ADDRESS
CITY
September 2009
STATE
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
ZIP
45
Calendar of Events
Sept 1
8:30PM SPEAKEASY: STORIES FROM THE BACKROOM
Sept 2
8:30PM TOM CHANG GROUP
Sept 3
8:30PM RICHARD ROLAND SINGS MARTY PAICH
Sept 4
9:00PM LUCIAN BAN’S DARK SKIES
AND MEL TORME
10:30PM
Sept 5
9:00PM SWALLOW - TALMOR - NUSSBAUM TRIO
10:30PM
Sept 6
8:30PM MICHAËL ATTIAS’ SPUN TREE QUARTET
Sept 7
8:30PM AMRAM & CO
Sept 8
8:30PM MORRISON MOTEL
Sept 9
8:30PM SARAH MANNING’S SHATTER THE GLASS/
Sept 10
8:30PM SACRED JAZZ--DEANNA WITKOWSKI &
Sept 11
9:00PM FUTURE QUEST: RE-IMAGINING THE MUSIC
SEAN NOWELL GROUP
BRENDA EARLE
10:30PM OF MEREDITH MONK
Sept 12
9:00PM STEPHAN CRUMP’S ROSETTA TRIO
Sept 13
8:30PM LUCA CIARLA’S FIDDLER IN THE LOOP
Sept 14
8:30PM SERIAL UNDERGROUND
Sept 15
8:30PM SPEAKEASY: STORIES FROM THE BACKROOM
Sept 16
6:00PM RED HEN PRESS
Sept 17
8:30PM PRANA TRIO FEATURING BEN MONDER
Sept 18
9:00PM THE RORY STUART QUARTET
10:30PM
Sept 19
9:00PM JOHN O’GALLAGHER TRIO:
10:30PM CD RELEASE FOR DIRTY HANDS
Sept 20
8:30PM ANDREW GREEN SEXTET:
Sept 21
8:30PM RYAN BLOTNICK:
Sept 22
6:00PM GRADUATE POETS SERIES
Sept 23
6:00PM FLASH FICTION
Sept 24
8:30PM MIKE & RUTHY
Sept 25
9:00PM JOHN HÉBERT GROUP:
Sept 26
9:00PM JOHN HÉBERT GROUP:
Sept 27
6:00PM LEAP
Sept 28
8:30PM 21ST SCHIZOID MUSIC
Sept 29
8:30PM ATTABOY
Sept 30
6:00PM POETRY SALAAM
CD RELEASE FOR NARROW MARGIN
CD RELEASE FOR EVERYTHING FORGETS
CD RELEASE FOR BYZANTINE MONKEY
CD RELEASE FOR BYZANTINE MONKEY
46 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn
[email protected]
(718) 624-2083
www.bargemusic.org
bargemusic
september jazz calendar: thursdays at 8pm
10
Michael Marcus QuintetLotus symphony!
michaeL marcus bb clarinet
John austria piano
rashaan carter bass
Jay rosen drums
plus a surprise guest!
24
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
BiLL Lee’s Big Band
47
September 2009 Jazz Schedule
Friday & Saturday
Sept 4 & 5: Benny Powell, TK Blue, Sayuri Goto,
Jerome Jennings, Corcoran Holt
Sept 11 & 12: Onajie Allen Gumbs,
Marcus McLaurine, Vince Ector, Roland Guerrere
Sept 18 & 19: Max Lucas’ & Friends
99th Birthday Celebration Weekend
Sept 25 & 26: Dave and Ed Jackson Quartet,
Dave Gibson
48 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
1st: Russ Kassoff orchestra
with Catherine Dupuis
15th: Tim Armacost Band
22nd: Hillary Gardner Quartet
29th: Ted Curson Quartet
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
49
Jazz at the
Turning Point Cafe
Piermont, NY
Only 25 minutes from
NYC, NJ, CT, Westchester, Orange
Food by great new mexican restaurant
New day and time
SeaSoN oPeNiNg
eveNT
Saturday September 26
6pm-7:30pm
Tri-angular:
The Ralph Peterson Trio
Ralph Peterson, drums
Zaccai Curtis, piano
Dezron Douglas, bass
468 Piermont Avenue
Piermont, NY 10968
(845) 359-1089
www.turningpointcafe.com
50 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Clubs and Venues
55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave.), 212-929-9883,
www.55bar.com
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
212.415.5500, www.92ndsty.org
ABC — No Rio, 156 Rivington St. (betw Clinton & Suffolk), 212254-3697, www.abcnorio.org
Aaron Davis Hall, City College of NY, Convent Ave., 212-6506900, www.aarondavishall.org
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Broadway & 65th St., 212-8755050, www.lincolncenter.org/default.asp
Allen Room, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Broadway and
60th, 5th floor, 212-258-9800, www.lincolncenter.org/default.asp
American Museum of Natural History (Starry Nights), 81st St. &
Central Park W., 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org
Anyway Café, 34 E. 2nd St., 212-533-3412 or 212-473-5021,
www.anywaycafe.com
Arthur’s Tavern, 57 Grove St., 212-675-6879 or 917-301-8759,
www.arthurstavernnyc.com
Arts Maplewood, P.O. Box 383, Maplewood, NJ 07040; 973-3782133, www.artsmaplewood.org
Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. & 65th St.,
212-875-5030, www.lincolncenter.org
Backroom at Freddie’s, 485 Dean St. (at 6th Ave.), Brooklyn, NY,
718-622-7035, www.freddysbackroom.com
BAM Café, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-636-4100,
www.bam.org
Bar4, 7 Ave and 15th, Brooklyn NY 11215, 718-832-9800,
www.Bar4.net
Barbes, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.), Park Slope, Brooklyn,
718-965-9177, www.barbesbrooklyn.com
Barge Music, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn, 718-624-2083,
www.bargemusic.org
B.B. King’s Blues Bar, 237 W. 42nd St., 212-997-4144,
www.bbkingblues.com
Beacon Theatre, 74th St. & Broadway, 212-496-7070
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St., 212-581-3080
Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St., 212-475-8592,
www.bluenotejazz.com/newyork
Bluestone Bar & Grill, 117 Columbia St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-4037450, www.bluestonebarngrill.com
Blue Water Grill, 31 Union Square West, 212-675-9500
Bodles Opera House, 39 Main St, Chester, NY 10918,
www.bodles.com
Bourbon Street Bar and Grille, 346 W. 46th St, NY, 10036,
212-245-2030, [email protected],
[email protected]
Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (at Bleecker), 212-614-0505,
www.bowerypoetry.com
BRIC Studio, 647 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, Tel: 718-855-7882
x53, Fax: 718-802-9095, www.bricstudio.org
Brooklyn Exposure, 1401 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216,
718-783-8220
Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, 2nd Fl, Brooklyn,
NY, 718-230-2100, www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org
Cachaça, 35 West 8th St (bet. 5th/6th Aves), 212-388-9099
www.cachacajazz.com
Café 111, 111 Court St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-858-2806,
www.cafe111online.com
Café Bar, 247 Eldridge (Houston, Stanton), 212-505-0955
Café Carlyle, 35 E. 76th St., 212-570-7189, www.thecarlyle.com
Café Loup, 105 W. 13th St. (West Village) , between Sixth and
Seventh Aves., 212-255-4746
Café St. Bart’s, 109 E. 50th St. (at Park Ave.), 212-888-2664,
www.cafestbarts.com
Café Steinhof, 422 Seventh Ave. (14th St., Park Slope S.), Brooklyn,
NY, 718-369-7776, www.cafesteinhof.com
Caffé Buon Gusto, 151 Montague St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-6243838, www.caffebuongustoonline.com
Cami Hall, 165 W. 57th, 212-978-3726, www.camihall.com
Carnegie Club, 156 W. 56th St., 212-957-9676,
www.hospitalityholdings.com
Carnegie Hall, 7th Av & 57th, 212-247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org
Cecil’s Jazz Club & Restaurant, 364 Valley Rd, West Orange, NJ,
Phone: 973-736-4800, www.cecilsjazzclub.com
Charley O’s, 713 Eighth Ave., 212-626-7300
The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills, NY,
718-268-6704, www.thechurchinthegardens.org
Cleopatra’s Needle, 2485 Broadway (betw 92nd & 93rd),
212-769-6969, www.cleopatrasneedleny.com
Cobi’s Place, 158 W. 48th (bet 5th & 6th Av.), 516-922-2010
Community Church of NY, 40 E. 35th St. (betw Park & Madison
Ave.), 212-683-4988, www.ccny.org
Copeland’s, 547 W. 145th St. (at Bdwy), 212-234-2356
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St., 212-989-9319, www.
corneliastreetcafe.com
Creole Café, 2167 Third Ave (at 118th), 212-876-8838.
Crossroads at Garwood, 78 North Ave., Garwood, NJ 07027,
908-232-5666
Cutting Room, 19 W. 24th St, Tel: 212-691-1900,
www.thecuttingroomnyc.com
Detour, 349 E. 13th St. (betw 1st & 2nd Ave.), 212-533-6212,
www.jazzatdetour.com
Division Street Grill, 26 North Division Street, Peekskill, NY,
914-739-6380, www.divisionstreetgrill.com
Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor, 212-2589595, www.jalc.com
Dorian’s, 226 W. 79th (betw Bdwy/Amst), 212-595-4350
The Ear Inn, 326 Spring St., NY, 212-226-9060, www.earinn.com
eighty-eights, 1467 Main Street, Rahway, NJ, 732-499-7100
El Museo Del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave (at 104th St.), Tel: 212-8317272, Fax: 212-831-7927, www.elmuseo.org
The Encore, 266 W. 47th St., 212-221-3960, www.theencorenyc.com
Enzo’s Jazz at The Jolly Hotel Madison Towers: 22 E 38th St. at
Madison Ave. (in the Whaler Bar located in the lobby)
Fat Cat, 75 Christopher St. (at &th Ave.), 212-675-7369,
www.fatcatjazz.com
Feinstein’s at Loew’s Regency, 540 Park Avenue (at 61st Street),
NY, 212-339-4095, feinsteinsattheregency.com
Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT, 203-785-0468, www.firehouse12.com
Five Spot, 459 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY, Tel: 718-852-0202, Fax:
718-858-8256, www.fivespotsoulfood.com
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY,
718-463-7700 x222, www.flushingtownhall.org
Frank’s Cocktail Lounge, 660 Fulton St. (at Lafayette), Brooklyn,
NY, 718-625-9339, www.frankscocktaillounge.com
Freddy’s Backroom, 485 Dean St., Brooklyn, NY 11217, 718-622-7035
Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-782-5188,
www.galapagosartspace.com
Garage Restaurant and Café, 99 Seventh Ave. (betw 4th and
Bleecker), 212-645-0600, www.garagerest.com
Gishen Café, 2150 Fifth Ave., 212-283-7699.
Glen Rock Inn, (Glen Rock, New Jersey) 222 Rock Road,
Glen Rock, NJ 07452, 800-400-2362
The Goat, 21 South Orange Ave. So. Orange, NJ
973-275-9000, www.thegoatcafe.typepad.com
Greenwich Village Bistro, 13 Carmine St., 212-206-9777,
www.greenwichvillagebistro.com
Harlem Tea Room, 1793A Madison Ave., 212-348-3471,
www.harlemtearoom.com
Helen’s, 169 Eighth Ave. (betw 18th & 19th St.), 212-206-0609,
www.helensnyc.com
Hopewell Valley Bistro, 15 East Broad St, Hopewell, NJ 08525,
609-466-9889, www.hopewellvalleybistro.com
Houston’s, 153 E 53rd St, New York, 10022, 212-888-3828
Il Campanello Ristorante, 136 W. 31st St. (betw 6th and 7th Ave.),
212-695-6111, www.ilcampanelloristorante.com
Iridium, 1650 Broadway (below 51st St.), 212-582-2121,
www.iridiumjazzclub.com
Jazz 966, 966 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-6910
Jazz at Lincoln Center, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, www.jalc.org
Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Reservations: 212-258-9595
Rose Theater, Tickets: 212-721-6500
THE ALLEN ROOM, Tickets: 212-721-6500
Jazz Gallery, 290 Hudson St., Tel: 212-242-1063, Fax: 212-2420491, www.jazzgallery.org
The Jazz Spot, 375 Kosciuszko St. (enter at 179 Marcus Garvey
Blvd.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-453-7825, www.thejazz.8m.com
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., 212-576-2232, www.jazzstandard.net
Jimmy’s, 43 East 7th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave),
212-982-3006
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St & Astor Pl.,
212-539-8778, www.joespub.com
John Birks Gillespie Auditorium (see Baha’i Center)
Jules Bistro, 65 St. Marks Place, Tel: 212-477-5560, Fax: 212-4200998, www.julesbistro.com
Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave., 212-885-7000 or 800-548-2666,
www.kitano.com
The Kitchen, 512 W. 19th St., 212-255-5793
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Pl., 212-228-8490,
www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com
The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., Tel: 212-219-3132,
www.knittingfactory.com
Kush, 191 Chrystie Street, New York , NY, 212-677-7328
L&M Loft, 170 Tillary St. #205, Brooklyn, 718-855-5952.
La Lanterna (Next Door at La Lanterna), 129 MacDougal Street,
New York, 212-529-5945, www.lalanternarcaffe.com
Laila Lounge, 113 N. 7th St. (betw Wythe & Berry), Brooklyn, NY,
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
718-486-6791, www.lailalounge.com
Le Grand Dakar Cafe, 285 Grand Ave, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn,
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/le-grand-dakar/
Le Madeleine, 403 W. 43rd St. (betw 9th & 10th Ave.), New York,
New York, 212-246-2993, www.lemadeleine.com
Le Figaro Café, 184 Bleecker (at MacDougal), 212-677-1100
Lenox Lounge, 288 Lenox Ave. (above 124th St.), 212-427-0253,
www.lenoxlounge.com
Les Gallery Clemente Soto Velez, 107 Suffolk St. (at Rivington
St.), 212-260-4080
Lima’s Taste, 122 Christopher St., 212-242-0010
Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. (betw Rivington & Stanton),
212-533-7235, www.livingroomny.com
Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (at Columbus Ave.), 212-601-1000,
www.makor.org
Marie’s Jazz Bar, 51 W. 46th, bet 5th-6th Av, 212-944-7005
Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St. (betw
Broadway & Amsterdam), 212-501-3330, www.ekcc.org/merkin.htm
Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street New York City, NY
10012, 212-206-0440, www.metropolitanroom.com
MetroTech Commons, Flatbush & Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn, NY,
718-488-8200 or 718-636-4100 (BAM)
Minton’s Playhouse, 210 W. 118th St, (at St. Nicholas Ave.), www.
uptownatmintons.com, 212-864-8346
Mirelle’s, 170 Post Ave., Westbury, NY, 516-338-4933
Mixed Notes Café, 333 Elmont Rd., Elmont, NY (Queens area),
516-328-2233, www.mixednotescafe.com
Mo-Bay Uptown, 17 W. 125th St., 212-876-9300,
www.mobayrestaurant.com
Mo Pitkins, 34 Avenue A, New York, NY, 212-777-5660
Montauk Club, 25 Eighth Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-0800,
www.montaukclub.com
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (between 103rd
& 104th St.), 212-534-1672, www.mcny.org
Musicians’ Local 802, 332 W. 48th St., 718-468-7376 or 860-2310663
NAMA, 107 W. 130th. (bet Lenox & 7th Av.), 212-234-2973
Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey
07102-3176, 973-596-6550, www.newarkmuseum.org
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, NJ,
07102, 973-642-8989, www.njpac.org
New School Performance Space, 55 W. 13th St., 5th Floor (betw
5th & 6th Ave.), 212-229-5896, www.newschool.edu.
New School University-Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St., 1st
Floor, Room 106, 212-229-5488, www.newschool.edu
New York City Baha’i Center, 53 E. 11th St. (betw Broadway &
University), 212-222-5159, www.bahainyc.org
Night & Day, 230 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, NY (at President St.), 718399-2161, www.nightanddayrestaurant.com
Night of the Cookers, 767 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, Tel: 718-7971197, Fax: 718-797-0975
North Square Lounge, 103 Waverly Pl. (at MacDougal St.),
212-254-1200, www.northsquarejazz.com
Nublu, 62 Ave. C (betw 4th & 5th St.), 212-979-9925, www.nublu.net
Nuyorican Poet’s Café, 236 E. 3rd St. (betw Ave. B & C), 212-5058183, www.nuyorican.org
Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. (betw 5th and
6th Ave.), 212-840-6800, www.thealgonquin.net
Orbit, 2257 First Ave. (at 116th St.), 212-348-7818,
www.orbiteastharlem.com
Orchid , 765 Sixth Ave. (betw 25th & 26th St.), 212-206-9928
Oro Blue, 333 Hudson St. (at Charlton St.), 212-645-8004
Pace Downtown Theatre, 3 Spruce St. (betw Park Row & Gold St.),
212-346-1715
Parlor Entertainment, 555 Edgecomb Ave., 3rd Floor (betw 159 &
160 St.), 212-781-6595, www.parlorentertainment.com
Parlor Jazz, 119 Vanderbilt Ave. (betw Myrtle & Park), Brooklyn,
NY, 718-855-1981, www.parlorjazz.com
Peddie School-Jazz Fridays Series, South Main St. Box A,
Hightstown, NJ 08520, 609-490-7500
www.peddie.org/community/Capps/concerts.asp
Perch Cafe, Brooklyn
Perk’s, 535 Manhattan Ave, New York NY 10027,
212-666-8500
Performance Space 122, 150 First Av., 212-477-5829, www.ps122.org
Porter’s, 216 Seventh Ave. (bet 22nd & 23rd), 212-229-2878
Priory Restaurant & Jazz Club: 223 W Market St., Newark, NJ
07103, 973-639-7885
Proper Café, 217-01 Linden Blvd., Queens, NY 11411, 718-3412233, jazz Wednesdays
Prospect Park Bandshell, 9th St. & Prospect Park W., Brooklyn,
NY, 718-768-0855
Pumpkins, 1448 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn, 718-284-9086,
www.pumpkinsjazz.com
51
Puppets Jazz Bar, 294 5th Ave. at 1st Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn,
NY, 718-499-2627, www.PuppetsJazz.com
Rare, 416 W. 14 St. (betw 9th Av & Washgtn), 212-675-2220
RARE Jazz at The Lexington Lounge, 303 Lexington Ave (at 38th
St.), 212-481-8439
Red Eye Grill, 890 Seventh Ave. (at 56th St.), 212-541-9000,
www.redeyegrill.com
Richie Cecere’s Restaurant and Supperclub, 2 Erie Street
Montclair, NJ 07042, 973.746.7811, www.RICHIECECERE.com
River Room, Riverbank State Park, Riverside Drive at 145th Street,
212-491-1500, www.theriverroomofharlem.com
Robin’s Nest Restaurant & Bar, 2075 1st Av, 212-316-6170
Rose Center (American Museum of Natural History), 81st St.
(Central Park West & Columbus), 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/rose
Rose Hall, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, www.jalc.org
Rosendale Café, 434 Main St., PO Box 436, Rosendale, NY 12472,
845-658-9048, www.rosendalecafe.com
Roth’s Westside Steakhouse, 680 Columbus Ave., Tel: 212-2804103, Fax: 212-280-7384, www.rothswestsidesteakhouse.com
Ruby Lounge, 186 E. 2nd St., 212-387-9400
Rustik, 471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 347-406-9700, www.
rustikrestaurant.com
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 115 Milton St. (betw Manhattan Ave.
& Franklin St.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-389-4012
St. Mark’s Church, 131 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.), 212-674-6377
St. Nick’s Pub, 773 St. Nicholas Av (at 149th), 212-283-9728
St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington (at 54th), 212-935-2200,
www.saintpeters.org
Sanctuary, 25 First Ave. (above 1st St), 212-780-9786
Savoy Grill, 60 Park Place, Newark, NJ 07102, 973-286-1700
Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., 212-491-2200,
www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html
Shades Bar, 720 Monroe St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, 888-374-2337,
www.shadesofhoboken.com
Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison, NJ, 973-822-2899,
www.shanghaijazz.com
Shelly’s, 104 W. 57th St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave.), 212-245-2422,
www.shellysnewyork.com
Showman’s, 375 W. 125th St., 212-864-8941
Shrimp Box on City Island, 64 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY, 718885-3200
Sidewalk Café, 94 Ave. A, 212-473-7373
Silvermine Tavern, 194 Perry Ave. Norwalk, CT 06850, 203-8474558, www.silverminetavern.com
Sista’s Place, 456 Nostrand Ave. (at Jefferson Ave.), Brooklyn, NY,
718-398-1766, www.sistasplace.org
Skippers Plane Street Pub Restaurant & Jazz Club, 304
University Ave. Newark NJ 07102 (Across from Essex County
College), 973-733-9300, www.skippersplanestreetpub
Slipper Room, 167 Orchard St. (at Stanton St.), 212-253-7246,
www.slipperroom.com
Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. (at 7th Ave.), 212-929-7565,
www.fatcatjazz.com
Smith’s Bar, 701 8th Ave, New York, 212-246-3268
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, 212-864-6662, www.smokejazz.com
Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terr., Staten
Island, NY, 718-448-2500, www.snug-harbor.org
Sofia’s Restaurant - Club Cache’ [downstairs], Edison Hotel,
221 W. 46th St. (between Broadway & 8th Ave), 212-719-5799
Solomon’s Porch, 307 Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn, NY,
718-919-8001
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), One SOPAC
Way, South Orange, NJ 07079, www.sopacnow.org, 973-313-2787
South Street Seaport, 207 Front St., 212-748-8600,
www.southstseaport.org.
52 Spoken Words Café, 266 4th Av, Brooklyn, 718-596-3923
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, 165 W. 65th St., 10th Floor,
212-721-6500, www.lincolncenter.org
Stella Adler Studio, 31 W. 27th St., 3rd Floor, 212-689-0087,
www.stellaadler.com
The Stone, Ave. C & 2nd St., www.thestonenyc.com
Stonewall Bistro, 113 Seventh Ave., 917-661-1335
Sugar Bar, 254 W. 72nd St., 212-579-0222
The Supper Club, 240 W. 47th St., 212-921-1940,
www.thesupperclub.com
Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Ave. S. (betw Grove & Bleecker),
212-255-3626, www.sweetrhythmny.com
Swing 46, 349 W. 46th St.(betw 8th & 9th Ave.),
212-262-9554, www.swing46.com
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Tel: 212-864-1414, Fax: 212932-3228, www.symphonyspace.org
Table XII, 109 E. 56th St., NY, NY, 212-750-5656
Tea Lounge, 837 Union St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave), Park Slope,
Broooklyn, 718-789-2762, www.tealoungeNY.com
Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St. (betw Thompson & LaGuardia),
212-777-7776, www.terrablues.com
Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd, 212-714-2442, www.theatrerow.org
Tito Puente’s Restaurant and Cabaret, 64 City Island Avenue,
City Island, Bronx, 718-885-3200, www.titopuentesrestaurant.com
Tonic, 107 Norfolk St. (betw Delancey & Rivington), Tel: 212-3587501, Fax: 212-358-1237, tonicnyc.com
Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St., 212-997-1003
Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. (betw Broadway & Columbus Ave.),
212-362-2590, www.triadnyc.com
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers Street, 10007,
[email protected], www.tribecapac.org
Trumpets, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ, 973-744-2600, www.
trumpetsjazz.com
the turning point cafe, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, N.Y. 10968
(845) 359-1089, http://www.turningpointcafe.com/
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Avenue South, 212-255-4037,
www.villagevanguard.net
Vision Festival, 212-696-6681, [email protected],
www.visionfestival.org
Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Rd, Watchung, NJ 07069,
908-753-0190, www.watchungarts.org
Watercolor Café, 2094 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY 10538,
914-834-2213, www.watercolorcafe.net
Weill Receital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th & 7th Ave, 212-2477800
Williamsburg Music Center, 367 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
11211, (718) 384-1654 www.wmcjazz.org
Zankel Hall, 881 7th Ave, New York, 212-247-7800
Zebulon, 258 Wythe St., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, 718-218-6934,
www.zebuloncafeconcert.com
Zinc Bar, 90 W Houston St., 212-477-8337, www.zincbar.com
Zuni, 598 9th Ave # 1, New York, NY 10036, 212-765-7626
RECORD STORES
Barnes & Noble, 1960 Broadway, at 67th St, 212-595-6859
Colony Music Center, 1619 Broadway. 212-265-2050,
www.colonymusic.com
Downtown Music Gallery, 342 Bowery (between 2nd & 3rd St),
212-473-0043
J&R Music World, 23 Park Row (across from City Hall Park),
212-238-9000, www,jr.com
Jazz Record Center, 236 W. 26th St., Room 804,
212-675-4480, www.jazzrecordcenter.com
Norman’s Sound & Vision, 67 Cooper Sq., 212-473-6599
Princeton Record Exchange, 20 South Tulane Street, Princeton,
NJ 08542, 609-921-0881, www.prex.com
Rainbow Music 2002 Ltd., 130 1st Ave (between 7th & St. Marks
Pl.), 212-505-1774
Scotti’s Records, 351 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ, 07901,
908-277-3893, www.scotticd.com
MUSIC STORES
Charles Colin Publications, 315 W. 53rd St., 212-581-1480
Jody Jazz, 35 White St., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10013,
212-219-4050, www.jodyjazz.com
Manny’s Music, 156 W. 48th St. (betw. 6th and 7th Ave),
212-819-0576, Fax: 212-391-9250, www.mannysmusic.com
Drummers World, Inc., 151 W. 46th St., NY, NY 10036, 212-8403057, 212-391-1185, www.drummersworld.com
Roberto’s Woodwind & Brass, 149 West 46th St. NY, NY 10036,
Tel: 646-366-0240, Fax: 646-366-0242, Repair Shop: 212-3911315; 212-840-7224, www.robertoswoodwind.com
Rod Baltimore Intl Woodwind & Brass, 168 W. 48 St. New York,
NY 10036, 212-302-5893
September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Sam Ash, 160 West 48th St, 212-719-2299, www.samash.com
Sadowsky Guitars, 20 Jay St. Brooklyn, NY, 718-422-1123,
www.sadowsky.com
Steve Maxwell Vintage Drums, 723 7th Ave, 3rd Floor, New York,
NY 10019, 212-730-8138, www.maxwelldrums.com
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CONSERVATORIES
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
212.415.5500; www.92ndsty.org
Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, 42-76 Main St.,
Flushing, NY, Tel: 718-461-8910, Fax: 718-886-2450
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, NY,
718-622-3300, www.brooklynconservatory.com
Charles Colin Studios, 315 W. 53rd St., 212-581-1480
City College of NY-Jazz Program, 212-650-5411,
Columbia University, 2960 Broadway, 10027
Drummers Collective, 541 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011,
212-741-0091, www.thecoll.com
Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Rd., 516-424-7000, ext.163,
Dix Hills, NY
Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow St., Tel: 212-2424770, Fax: 212-366-9621, www.greenwichhouse.org
Juilliard School of Music, 60 Lincoln Ctr, 212-799-5000
LaGuardia Community College/CUNI, 31-10 Thomson Ave.,
Long Island City, 718-482-5151
Lincoln Center — Jazz At Lincoln Center, 140 W. 65th St., 10023,
212-258-9816, 212-258-9900
Long Island University — Brooklyn Campus, Dept. of Music,
University Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-488-1051, 718-488-1372
Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave., 10027,
212-749-2805, 2802, 212-749-3025
New Jersey City University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ
07305, 888-441-6528
New School, 55 W. 13th St., 212-229-5896, 212-229-8936
New York University-Jazz/Contemporary Music Studies, 35
West 4th St. Room#777, 212-998-5446, 212-995-4043
Princeton University-Dept. of Music, Woolworth Center Musical
Studies, Princeton, NJ, 609-258-4241, 609-258-6793
Queens College — Copland School of Music, City University of
NY, Flushing, 718-997-3800
Rutgers Univ. at New Brunswick, Jazz Studies, Douglass Campus,
PO Box 270, New Brunswick, NJ, 908-932-9302
SUNY Purchase, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY
914-251-6300, 914-251-6314
Turtle Bay Music School, 244 E. 52nd St., New York, NY 10022,
212-753-8811, www.tbms.org
William Paterson University Jazz Studies Program, 300 Pompton
Rd, Wayne, NJ, 973-720-2320
RADIO
WBGO 88.3 FM, 54 Park Pl, Newark, NJ 07102, Tel: 973-6248880, Fax: 973-824-8888, www.wbgo.org
WCWP, LIU/C.W. Post Campus
WFDU, http://alpha.fdu.edu/wfdu/wfdufm/index2.html
WKCR 89.9, Columbia University, 2920 Broadway
Mailcode 2612, New York, NY 10027, Listener Line: (212) 8549920, www.columbia.edu/cu/wkcr, [email protected]
One Great Song, Hosted by Jay Harris, www.wmnr.org (at 6 on
Saturdays, and at www.tribecaradio.net at 11AM Sundays and again
on Monday and Thursday nights at 11PM.)
PERFORMING GROUPS
Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Emily Tabin, Exec. Director,
PO Box 506, Chappaqua, NY 10514, 914-861-9100,
www.westjazzorch.org
ADDITIONAL JAZZ RESOURCES
Big Apple Jazz, www.bigapplejazz.com, 718-606-8442, gordon@
bigapplejazz.com
Louis Armstrong House, 34-56 107th St, Corona, NY 11368,
718-997-3670, www.satchmo.net
Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, RutgersUniv, 185 University Av, Newark, NJ, 07102, 973-353-5595
Jazzmobile, Inc., 154 W. 126th St., 10027, 212-866-4900,
www.jazzmobile.org
Jazz Museum in Harlem, 104 E. 126th St., 212-348-8300,
www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org
Jazz Foundation of America, 322 W. 48th St. 10036,
212-245-3999, www.jazzfoundation.org
New Jersey Jazz Society, 1-800-303-NJJS, www.njjs.org
New York Blues & Jazz Society, www.NYBluesandJazz.org
Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St, New York, NY,
212-620-5000 ex 344, www.rmanyc.org.
Hendrix Continued from Page 18
FH: In order to become an improvising musician or
jazz soloist, there are a number of devices that one requires in order to achieve this goal—ear-training, in
depth theoretical harmonic knowledge of the piano,
numerous scales & chords in all twelve keys, riffs &
rhythmic motifs, and a proficient amount of technique, along with a great tone to support the usage of
these other devices. All of that will help you to develop
into a great soloist. The next thing that you must do is
find a list of players that you consider to be great improvisers. Listen to these artists repetitiously until you
can physically “sing” the passages that they play. Once
you’re able to sing what is being played, transfer that
information to your instrument. Then, once you can
play it, go back and write it down on manuscript paper.
Then the next part of your study should become mental practice/analyzing what’s being played. Check out
the 1st note or the 1st phrase that is played and phrases
preceding the 1st initial phrase. Check out the soloist’s
usage of “space” in between phrases. Check out how
the rhythm section is functioning and interacting behind the soloist. Check out articulations, eighth-note
patterns, double-time patterns, and intervallic leaps.
A great soloist is always listening and looking beyond
the “nine dots”. And he or she has to be a quick witted
thinker, not an analytical one. But singing what you
practice is the key. It will help you develop your ideas
as an improviser. JI: As an artist, your state of mind and ability to dig
is good for music?
FH: Outside of playing, in order for me to have peace
of mind everyday, sometimes I like to sit in silence.
Sometimes I go for a walk in the park, workout in the
gym, hang out with good friends, or just sit home and
watch movies. Stress is no good for anyone but daily
struggles are good for a player because it helps develop
character. That character will then begin to develop
maturity. Maturity will give you something to talk
about. Then you can tell a story when you play.
FH: As a musician, my role in society is to have an
open mind towards someone else’s pain, problems, or
struggles and try to uplift them spiritually through
my playing—try to reach them emotionally; try to
help them forget about a bad day or remind them of
the day getting better and better. We as musicians
have to try to make them want to come back to hear
more. We have to pass on the knowledge to people
that want to know more about what it is that we do.
That’s my responsibility and our responsibility as
musicians in our society.
JI: What’s the greatest compliment that you can receive as a musician?
FH: Someone asking you to play their funeral long
before they’re on their death bed. Or someone saying,
“You’re the baddest cat in the world.” JI: What’s the most rewarding facet of your life as
an artist?
JI: As a musician, what do you feel your role or responsibility is in our society? Is what you do something only for you and the musicians you are sharing
the stage with, or are you trying to achieve something
FH: The biggest reward in my life is that I can wake
up the next day to play music all over again. I can
jump on a new path or trail and see where it will take
me. Whether it’s long or short, easy or hard, I’m going to walk away with something.
Bonilla Continued from Page 19
my ability to achieve those goals. I’m also very fortunate to have a wonderful wife, daughter and close
friends, with whom I spend much time with. They
help keep me grounded and provide strength and
support for me to fearlessly look forward. I personally don’t believe I have to suffer to create a more profound type of art. I’ve always been more effective and
efficient being a happy and positive individual.
JI: What is the greatest compliment that you can receive as a musician?
LB: My compositions come from a variety of sources.
Sometimes, as in “Elis”, the song keeps coming back
to me and it’s a matter of dictation. Other times, it
comes from a methodical approach - whether it be via
new melody or reharmonization of an existing tune.
Sometimes it’s as simple as playing around at the
piano and catching a melody or harmonic progression. Regardless of how it ends up on paper, its roots
as well as the process are organic ones.
Mossman Continued from Page 20
powerful your ability is to make things happen, like
designing a building or starting a school. Wanting to
write a 90 minute piece, for example, is one thing, but
making it happen can be transformational in terms
of organizing your vision, musical skills, time management and leadership when it comes to getting the
piece rehearsed and performed well.
MM: Arranging, for me is kind of like preparing a
meal for a group of invited guests. I take into account
who they are and what is going to be satisfying for
that group, including, of course, myself! The process
starts with asking myself or my client what would
make a successful outcome - another Tony Robbins
technique, asking the right questions! - for everyone
involved. These questions include: Who is going to
perform this and what do they do best? Who is going to hear this and what do they expect - so I can
either satisfy or tease expectations? What do I want
to say? How do I want people to feel during the performance? Is this for instructional purposes, or do I
just kick butt and leave people wondering what hit
them? Is this for dancers? My wife Mayte taught me
many painful lessons about this. I did a clinic on this
called Arranging 123 for Hal Leonard at an IAJE
conference. There is a free handout that explains this
process in detail and I’ll share it with anyone who
writes me at my Queens College email – michael.
[email protected]. After all the questions have
answers, I usually am able to hear much of the music
in my head already. Then it is just a matter of transcribing what I hear. That’s why I teach my composition students to transcribe, or, in fact, learn to speak
the language of music – understanding what you
hear completely. Of course, much of what I “hear” is
based on things I have already heard, just as our bodies are made of things we ate. So it’s a good idea to
maintain a healthy diet of good music for lessons and
inspiration. But to understand and enjoy, not just tap
toes and remain outside looking in.
The rest is technique, which you can learn in
school, either studying or teaching others and explaining what you are doing, by transcribing, but mostly by
writing! I was lucky to have studied with Don Sebesky,
a real thinking person’s arranger. He could ask questions others would not even know about to ask.
September 2009
JI: Can you talk about the process of arranging for
you? How do you approach this task?
LB: “Hey, man. You sound like....YOU!”
JI: Can you talk about your process of composing?
Is it something you can do like clockwork, or do you
wait for inspiration to hit? Do you do a little at a
time, or have waves of clarity?
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
MM: I am most excited about the group I have with
my wife, called Timba Tango. It is a small group of
musicians and dancers, like a micro ballet with both
music and choreography mixing different musical styles with jazz. These include Latin jazz, tango,
modern dance, folkloric Afro-Cuban styles and
much more. It is a challenge to work with dancers
and improvising musicians at the same time! I am
currently finishing a movie score I am very excited
about for an animated film called “Chico y Rita” by
director Fernando Trueba (Calle 54, Too Much and
Belle Epoch, which won an Academy Award). The
animations are done by Estudios Mariscal and are incredible. The main theme is by Bebo Valdez, father of
Chucho and one of the greatest innovators in the history of Afro-Cuban Jazz. Working with such creative
and enthusiastic people is a real thrill.
JI: What is it about musical improvisation that you
find so valuable? What does it offer to you, your
band-mates, and the listeners? What motivates you
53
Mossman Continued from Page 53
MM: Improvisation is the mother of progress. You
find yourself in a situation and you manage to make
something good happen. Sometime you use things
you know, sometimes you find something new, and
sometimes you just mix things up to see where they
will lead. The best part, though, to me is that you can
do this with other people and that leads to some very
funny and sometimes deep conversations. For me, at
this point, playing the trumpet with a really great
band is just pure pleasure, more than anything else in
Rapp Continued from Page 22
tion called the The Song Project. Every month we arrange, record and give away a free song. The awesome
thing is we’re recording parts when we’re thousands
of miles apart and yet the tracks sound completely
organic as if we were recording in the same room.
The instrumentation is flugelhorn and guitar - it’s
very exposed and is simply gorgeous orchestration.
Plus, it gives us the opportunity to give back to our
fans and supporters. Another project I’m thoroughly
excited about is the upcoming “Braden-Rapp: The
Strayhorn Project.” A couple of months ago, Don
Braden, myself, Gerald Clayton and Sachal Vasandani - all artists under Gail Boyd Artist Management - along with bassist Rene Hart and drummer
Greg Gonzales, went into NOLA Recording Studios
in New York and created a record of contemporary
arrangements of the music of Billy Strayhorn. It was
produced by Billy Terrell, known for his work with
singer Tony DeSare. Man, these are some of the hippest arrangements of Strayhorn I’ve heard in a long
time! And the group had an immediate synergy.
Keep your eye out for Braden-Rapp - it’s one killer
record and an awesome cast of musicians forming an
incredible performing, working band.
Nicholas Payton, Irvin Mayfield, Christian Scott,
and so many others. I wasn’t even aware of Louis
Armstrong or jazz music at all until I was around 18
years old. I was a regular kid and grew up in a loving,
middle-class family in South Carolina, was raised
by my Mother and visited Dad on the weekends. I
got along with most everyone, got good grades, and
played basketball and Nintendo religiously. Speaking
of religion, I loved playing the descant parts in the
hymnbooks at church on Sundays. That is the “frilly”
part that weaves in and out and above the regular
melody being sung by the choir. Perhaps that was
my appetizer for improvisation and the catalyst to
exploring music in general. Also, I really liked seeing
people get happy and enjoy my efforts on the trumpet
on Sunday mornings. I do remember a very emotional
moment when I was a little kid. I’m not sure how old
I was, maybe eight or nine. My sister took piano lessons for a short time and she was practicing a piece,
I was later told, about a “choo-choo train” climbing
up a hill. There was this low, rumbling bass line to it
that seemed to repeat over and over again. I was sitting under the piano, right under all those rumbling
low notes. For whatever reason, it hit me and it hit
me hard. I was completely taken away by those notes.
I jumped out of there and ran to my room crying. I
remember my sister and Mom being confused and I
was too young to know why I was crying and I can
only guess why now. Something in those musical vibrations hit me and had a very real effect on me. Even
now as I think about it, I feel something move inside
me. Fast forward through a few times of quitting
music and just after high school to where my good
friend Jason Ridenhour, currently a great bassist in
Charleston, South Carolina, introduced me to the
sounds of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Enough
said. I was hooked.
Ellis on there too and a great recordings of some of
the songs we played while I was studying at the University of New Orlenas. Wynton’s tone is stunning
and his mastery of the trumpet is utterly inspiring.
(4)
Roy Hargrove - Parker’s Mood. Brilliant playing in a
trio setting. Superb example of hard-bop playing from
one of the most soulful trumpeters of our time. Roy’s
sense of melody and the blues is thoroughly enriching. (5) Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles. This was
one of the first jazz records I really dug into. Freddie
Hubbard’s playing is full of fire, aggressiveness and is
unabashed. Technically, the trumpet playing is out of
this world and the band has a killer, killer vibe.
find so valuable? What does it offer to you, your
band-mates, and the listeners? What motivates you
MR: Improvisation is the embodiment of freedom
and peace. It is, in essence, what we all strive to
achieve through governments, laws, religions, diets,
fads and the like. All great artists in some form or
another present those ideals of freedom and peace in paintings, poetry, music, sculpture and more. For
brief moments, a group of guys can come together in
total agreement and with passionate intensity create a
uniform experience through individual and original
contributions - diverse palettes forming a singular
and welcoming experience. It’s powerful and quite
frankly, fun. Improvisation also offers never-ending
journeys, unexpected and exciting twists and turns
on familiar tunes or original melodies. It also provides a fantastic outlet to express your feelings. What
about improvisation motivates me? It’s always new well, ideally, it’s always new. Every time you play you
have the occasion to loose yourself in the moment
and inspire yourself, your band, the audience or all of
the above. Creating inspiration is truly awesome and
improvisation allows that opportunity.
JI: What are your top five desert island TRUMPET records that you couldn’t possibly live without,
and please state why? The leader doesn’t have to be
a trumpeter, but please choose albums based on the
role of the trumpet.
MR: I did not grow out of a musical family or musical environment like most artists – the Marsalises,
MR: (1) Terence Blanchard - Any and all of his records. If I had to pick just one, it would be impossible. Terence is my favorite trumpeter,composer and
bandleaders. His tone, articulation, dynamic range,
expressiveness, vibe, command of the trumpet and so
much more is out of this world. He plays with passion, soul and intensity. (2)
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue. Sonically, I love the sound
of the record - the mix, the EQ - it’s warm and deep.
All of the solos are extremely melodic and it’s a brilliant example of leadership on the part of Miles. (3)
Wynton Marsalis - Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration. Again, with Wynton, pretty much any of his records, but with this one I get a little of Branford and
54 September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
music. Writing is great, but playing is just that – playing! It also keeps one humble, because you have to do
it on the spot and that means practicing.
MR: It has only been recently that I’ve started to find
interest in and have fun with specific jazz exercises
or patterns. I never wanted to sound like any of the
other students who were learning all the same licks.
There’s a wealth of books, videos, play-alongs and
more and so many musicians become extremely good
at learning and playing them. But as clean, fiery and
perfect as they may sound and initially might even
come off as impressive, it’s becoming increasingly
rare to hear an original voice. I’d so much rather hear
an original sound on one note than some cookie-cutter musician burning up memorized patterns, ideas,
licks, etc. I stuck to my thing and played and played
and played and figured out what I liked to hear on
chords, how I liked to make musical lines ascend and
descend or what tensions and releases naturally fell
into place for me. That approach can take much longer and can hinder you in the beginning, but when
your focus is on your own art and not someone else’s,
in the end, you’ll have found yourself. Nowadays, I’ll
randomly find a YouTube video of someone demonstrating a lick or I’ll come across a pattern I like and
practice it. But I’ll practice it more for understanding
the overall harmonic structure and feel rather than
intentionally learning a set lick to use in my own improvisations.
deep is important. What do you do to recharge your
batteries?
MR: Golf. I love golf. I’m completely addicted and
love it. But it may not be the best sport to find peace
of mind; it’s quite the opposite actually. But it does
provide a steady stream of angst, so I’m going to have
to say angst is definitely good. Raw emotion is fuel
Rapp Continued from Page 54
and can provide great excitement in a musical performance. I enjoy drinking a nice glass of wine or a fine
scotch and hanging with friends. Or just chilling and
losing myself in a good movie.
JI: As a musician, what do you feel your role or responsibility is in our society?
MR: I try to work with charities as much as possible.
I’m constantly reaching out to various organizations
from children in need to animal rights and offering my
Rodriguez Continued from Page 24
sister, a father or mother, etc. When I’m not practicing or trying to write some music, I love playing with
my little niece and nephew. They make me forget the
stress of the world when I make them laugh. I also
think that life experiences act as an important role
in the creative process. Without happiness, sadness,
heartbreaks, and the rest of it, we as artists would
have nothing to express.
JI: As a musician, what do you feel your role or re-
music and performances in an effort to help. There’s JI: What is the most rewarding facet of your life as
so much healing needed in our world and music and an artist?
entertainment play a vital role in it. As a musician, it
is essential that I do my best to reach out to as many MR: The rewards are many. To be able to write a
people as possible and do what I can to inspire in them composition and have a listener “get it” is divine. To
a greater sense of tolerance, gratitude, activism, peace, be able to play an instrument and move someone to
humility, intelligence, etc. To invigorate those more smile is incredible. To travel the world, meet thousoulful aspects in people is definitely my goal.
sands of different people and experience so many different cultures is awesome. To posses a talent that can
JI: What is the greatest compliment that you can re- be an added attraction to a charity and help save the
life of a once abused animal or to bring a moment of
joy to a family whose child is battling cancer is beMR: A commendation from a fellow musician.
yond words. The rewards are many.
sponsibility is in our society? Is what you do some- the process thus far.
thing only for you and the musicians you are sharing
the stage with, or are you trying to achieve something JI: What is the greatest compliment that you can reoutside of that microcosm?
MR: I love playing music. I believe people want to
come out and escape from their everyday lives to hear
some music. Every time I perform I try to give 100%
honesty and heart to the audience. I’m trying to be
the best that I can be in expressing my self to the fullest. This is a life long journey and I’ve been enjoying
MR: The greatest compliment for me was when
someone came up to me after a performance with
Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra and
said that they were moved to tears. That made me feel
really good because I think that’s what all artists try
to do – evoke emotion.
Gluck Continued from Page 77
the world more just and fair. Music has the ability noise, there’s a way that the numinous quality of mutask to return the many gifts we have been given by to help remind people of their own humanity. Thus, sic is a great relief. I try to take my ability to transmit
–ºothers, living and dead. Thus, it is our task to make playing is not just something we do, but something my experience in this way as a serious obligation.
we give to the world. But the world doesn’t need more
cookie cutter music, but only that which we can each
uniquely offer. Also, we live in a time when our society’s economy and social structure displays a surprisingly low concern about music and the arts. Our
livelihoods and the creative environments we require
depend upon our putting out our best thinking and
sometimes organizing to improve the nature of the
world we live in. I try to be influential through my
college teaching. I seek to contextualize the ideas and
skills I want to transmit within a broader context. I
also hope to convey the idea that self-reflection and
social concerns are central to being a responsible and
well-rounded creative artist. My goal is to translate
whatever it is that I care about most at any given moment into musical expression. Music is one of the ways
we have to translate our deepest concerns and best
thinking in a manner that is non-verbal. This presents a paradox – how can one convey ideas without
semantic content? How is it possible to communicate
through means that are mysterious and subtle? Living
in a world of constant information, much of it simply
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Education Sourcebook Continued from Page 96
Syracuse University Department of Music
Joe Riposo
200 Crouse College
Syracuse, NY 13244-1010
315-443-2191
[email protected]
www.vpa.syr.edu
Faculty: Joe Riposo
Temple University
Terell Stafford
Esther Boyer College of Music and Dance
2001 N 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 204-8036, [email protected]
www.temple.edu/music
Admissions: [email protected]
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Instrumental Performance, Jazz
Vocal Performance, Jazz Arranging and Composition, Music
Education with a Jazz Component, Music Therapy with a Jazz
Component
Faculty: Jeremy Barker, Bruce Barth, Luis Bonilla, Don Collins,
Alison Crockett, Louis DeLise, Craig Ebner, Steve Fidyk, Ed
Flanagan, Tom Giacabetti, Erik Johnson, Greg Kettinger, Tom
Lawton, Dan Monaghan, Carl Mottola, Mike Natale, Dick Oatts,
Madison Rast, Arcenia Rosal, Ben Schachter, Jaleel Shaw,
Terell Stafford
The College of Saint Rose
Paul Evoskevich
432 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
(518) 454-5195
[email protected]
www.strose.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.S. in Music Industry and Music
Education
Graduate Degrees: M.A. in Music Technology, M.S. in Ed. in
Music Education
Faculty: Paul Evoskevich, Robert Hansbrough, Joseph Eppink,
Yvonne Chavez Hansbrough, Susan Harwood, Dennis A.
Johnston, Young Kim, Michael Levi, Marry Anne Nelson, Bruce
Roter, Barbara Wild
Hartt School at University of Hartford
200 Bloomsfield Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06117-1599
www.hartford.edu/hartt
Bachelor Degrees: Instrumental Performance and Vocal
Performance
Master Degrees: Instrumental Performance and Vocal
Performance
Faculty: Nancy Anderson, Rogerio Boccato, Christopher
Casey, Steve Davis, Richard Goldstein, Jimmy Greene, Eddie
Henderson, Randolf B. Johnston, Jr., Andy LaVerne, René
McLean, Eric McPherson, Shawnn Monteiro, Nat Reeves,
Edward Rozie, Gabor Viragh, Peter Woodard
1295 Storrs Road, Unit 1012
Department of Music
Storrs, CT 6269
860-486-0670
[email protected]
www.jazz.uconn.edu
Admissions: Deb Trahan (860) 486-3731
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. Jazz Studies Emphasis
Faculty: Earl MacDonald, Kenny Davis, John Mastroianni, Bill
Reynolds
320 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 717-6342
[email protected], www.uarts.edu
Admissions: (215) 717-6030
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music in Jazz Studies, Master of
Arts in Teaching in Music
Faculty: Includes Marc Dicciani, Chris Farr, John Fedchock,
Rick Van Horn, Gerald Veasley, and many more
University of Maine
Richard Nelson
46 University Drive
Augusta, ME 04330-9410
207-621-3274
[email protected]
www.uma.maine.edu
Faculty: Russ Lombardi, William Moseley, Richard Nelson,
Chuck Winfield
Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall
881 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
University of Maryland
Chris Vadala
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
College Park, MD 20742
301-405-5519
[email protected]
www.music.umd.edu
Admissions: (301) 405-5031
Faculty: Tom Baldwin, Gerard Kunkel, Jon Ozment, Ben
Patterson, Leigh Pilzer, Chuck Redd, Chris Vadala
Univ. of Massachusetts—Amherst
Jeff Holmes
Department of Music—Jazz Studies
FAC 263
Amherst, MA 01003
413-545-6046
[email protected]
umass.edu/music/
Marilyn Kushick—Publicity: [email protected]
Bachelor Degrees: B.M and B.A. in Jazz Performance
plus Performance, Music Education, History, Theory, or
Composition
Graduate Degrees: Jazz Composition & Arranging plus History,
Composition, Music Education, Performance, Conducting, or Theory
Faculty: Jeffrey Holmes, David Sporny, T. Dennis Brown, Willie
Hill, Catherine Jensen-Hole, Robert Ferrier, Arturo O’Farrill,
Eugene Uman, Robert Gullotti, David Berkman
University of Rhode Island
Professor Joe Parillo
Music Department
105 Upper College Road
Kingston, RI 2881
(401) 874-2765, [email protected], www.uri.edu
Admissions: (401) 874-7100
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Joe Parillo, Eric Hofbauer, John Monllos, Eric Platz,
David Zinno
Towson University Music Department
Dave Ballou
8000 York Road
Towson, MD 21252-0001
(410) 704-2839
[email protected], www.towson.edu/music
Admissions: 410-704-2836 - Ad Sales: 410-704-3375
Faculty: Jeffrey Antoniuk, David Ballou, Michael Decker,
Steve Herberman, James McFalls, Timothy Murphy, Jeremy
Ragsdale, Jeff Reed
University of Southern Maine
Chris Oberholtzer
School of Music
37 College Avenue
Gorham, ME 4038
(207) 780-5126
[email protected]
www.usm.maine.edu/music
Admissions: (207) 780-5670
Faculty: Trent Ryan Austin, Les Harris, Jr., Chris Humphrey,
Chris Oberholtzer, Michelle Snow, Thomas Snow, Bill Street,
Bronek Suchanek, Gary Wittner
University of Connecticut
Earl MacDonald
University of the Arts
Marc Dicciani
56 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
West Chester University
Dr. John Vilella
School of Music
Swope Hall
West Chester, PA 19383
www.wcupa.edu/cvpa
Western Connecticut State University
Dr. Dan Goble
181 White Street
Department of Music, Western Connecticut State Univ
Danbury, CT 6810
203-837-8354, [email protected]
www.wcsu.edu/music
Admissions: (203) 837-9000
Faculty: Jamie Begian, Andrew Beals, Chris DeAngelis, Chris
Morrison, David Ruffels, Dave Scott, Jeff Siegel, Peter Tomlinson
Williams College
Andy Jaffe
Bernhard Music Center
54 Chapin Hall Drive
Williamstown, MA 1267
413-597-4049,
[email protected], music.williams.edu
Admissions: (413) 597-2211
Faculty: Freddie Bryant, Jeff Holmes, Andrew Jaffe, Erik
Lawrence, Conor Meehan, Teri Roiger
NATIONAL
Amarillo College
PO Box 447
Amarillo, TX 79178
www.actx.edu/~music
Faculty: Dr. James Raucher, Dr. Jim Laughlin
American Conservatory of Music
Dr. Mary Ellen Newsom
252 Wildwood Road
Hammond, IN 46324
(219) 931-6000, www.americanconservatory.edu
American River College
Dyne Eifertsen
4700 College Oak Drive
Sacramento, CA 95841
(916) 484-8261
[email protected]
www.arc.losrios.edu/~music
Bachelor Degrees: A.A. in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Dyne Eifertsen, Joe Gilman, Art LaPierre, Jacosa Limitau
Arizona State University
Michael Kocour
School of Music
PO Box 870405
Tempe, AZ 85287
480-965-5069
Auburn University
Music Department
101 Goodwin Hall
Auburn, AL 36830-5420
(334) 844-4165
[email protected]
http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/
Admissions: (334) 844-6425
Faculty: Ramon Vasquez
[email protected]
Augusta State University
Dr. Robert Foster
2500 Walton Way
Augusta, GA 30904
(706) 737-1453
[email protected]
www.aug.edu/music/
Admissions: (706) 737-1632
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. or B.M in Performance; B.M. in Music
Education
Faculty: Linda Banister, Richard Brasco, Robert Foster
Augustana College
Steve Grismore
639 38th Street
Rock Island, IL 61201
(309) 794-7233
[email protected]
www.augustana.edu
Faculty: Joseph Ott, Steve Grismore
Baker University
J.D. Parr
406 8th Street
Baldwin City, KS 66006
(785) 594-4507
www.bakeru.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.A., B.S., or B.M.ed.
Faculty: John Buehler, J.D. Parr
Bloom School of Jazz
David Bloom
218 S. Wabash Avenue #600
Chicago, IL 60604-2444
312-957-9300
[email protected]
www.bloomschoolofjazz.com
Bowling Green State University
Jeff Halsey
College of Musical Arts
Ridge and Willard Street
Bowling Green, OH 43403
(419) 372-8148
[email protected]
www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music
Bachelor Degrees: Music Education, Music Performance, Music
Composition, Jazz Studies, World Music, and Music History
Graduate Degrees: Guitar Performance, Jazz Studies
Faculty: Chris Buzzelli, Jeff Halsey
Brevard College
Steve Wilson
400 North Broad St.
Brevard, NC 28712
[email protected]
www.brevard.edu
Admissions: (828) 883-8292
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Jazz Studies, Performance, or
Composition
Faculty: Steve Wilson
Brubeck Institute, University of the Pacific
Steve Anderson
3601 Pacific Ave
Stockton, CA 95211
(209) 946-3970
[email protected]
www.brubeckinstitute.org
janice 946-2415,
University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music
Patrick Langham
3601 Pacific Ave
Stockton, CA 95211
(209) 946-3970
[email protected]
www.pacific.edu
Faculty: Patrick Langham (saxophone, director of jazz studies)
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies, B.M in
Music Education
California Institute of the Arts
David Roitstein
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355
www.calarts.edu
THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL
|
JOSEPH W. POLISI, President
Jazz Bassist,
alumnus, and
Juilliard Jazz Artistin-Residence
Christian McBride
performs with
student Eddie
Barbash, on
alto sax.
Photo: Hiroyuki Ito
www.music.asu.edu/jazz
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Performance
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Music Education (Jazz Emphasis)
Faculty: Michael Kocour, Dom Moio, Justin Brotman, Sam
Pilafian, Clarke Rigsby, Bryon Ruth, Mark Sunkett
Juilliard Jazz
Carl Allen
Artistic Director
Laurie A. Carter
Executive Director
Benny Golson
Artistic Consultant
Jazz Performance Education
Christian McBride
Artist in Residence
Bachelor of Music
Master of Music
Artist Diploma
Benny Green
Visiting Artist
Saxophone
Ron Blake
Joe Temperley
� Curriculum Tailored to Each Student’s Need
� Perform, Tour, Participate in Master Classes
� Extraordinary Faculty & Top Guest Artists
Trombone
Steve Turre
Trumpet
Eddie Henderson
Christian Jaudes
Joseph Wilder
Apply by December 1, 2009
Guitar
Rodney Jones
All applicants must meet Juilliard’s jazz audition requirements.
B.M. requires high school diploma or equivalent
Piano
Kenny Barron
Frank Kimbrough
M.M. requires bachelor of music
Artist Diploma (a post-graduate, tuition-free program)
requires college degree or extensive experience
Drums
Carl Allen
Billy Drummond
Kenny Washington
Auditions in New York, February 26 – March 5, 2010
Send Applications and Pre-Screen Recording to:
Juilliard Admissions, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
(212) 799-5000
Bass
Ron Carter
David Grossman
Ben Wolfe
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
www.juilliard.edu/jazz
•
57
Bachelor Degrees: B.FA in Jazz Studies,
Graduate Degrees: M.FA in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Charlie Haden, David Roitstein, Joe LaBarbera, Darek
Oles, Larry Koonse, Wadada Leo Smith, Vinny Golia, Paul
Novros, Miroslav Tadic, Aaron Serfaty, John Fumo
California State University, Northridge
Gary Pratt
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8314
(818) 677-2743, [email protected], www.csun.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Matt Harris, Gregg Bissonette, Matt Falker, Robert Hurst,
Alex Iles, Don Kasper, Rob Lockart, John Pisano, Bobby Shew
California State University at Bakersfield
Doug Davis
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93311
(661) 654-3093, [email protected],
www.csub.comAdmissions: (661) 664-3036
Faculty: Doug Davis, Jim Scully
California State University at Fullerton
Chuck Tumlinson
800 North State College
Fullerton, CA 92834
(714) 278-5523
[email protected]
www.fullerton.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz/Commercial Music Emphasis,
Instrumental
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Instrumental Performance, M.M.
in Composition
Faculty: Chuck Tumlinson, Bill Cunliffe, Laura Harrison, Jeff
Ellwood, Ron Escheté, Luther Hughes, Paul Kreibich, Andrew
Martin, Mark Massey, Charles Sharp
California State University East Bay
Dave Eshelman
Music Department
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd
Hayward, CA 94542
(510) 885-3735
class.csueastbay.edu/music
Faculty: Johannes Wallmann, Dann Zinn
California State University at Los Angeles
Dr. Jeffery Benedict
Department of Music
5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032
(323) 343-4060
[email protected]
www.calstatela.edu
Admissions: (323) 343-3901
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. or B.M.
Graduate Degrees: M.A. or M.M.
Faculty: Jeff Benedict, Paul De Castro, James Newton,
Deborah Holland
Sacramento, CA 95819-6015
(916) 278-5155
[email protected]
www.csus.edu/music
Admissions: (916) 278-6011
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Studies, Applied Performance,
Composition, or Music Education
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Performance, Conducting,
Composition, Music Education, or Music History and Literature
Faculty: Julia Dollison, Aaron Garner, Steve Homan, Rick Lotter,
Kerry Marsh, Mike McMullen, Gerry Pineda, Steve Roach, Matt
Robinson, Phil Tulga
Central Missouri State University
Dr. David Aaberg
Dept. of Music—HUD 118
PO Box 800
Warrensburg, MO 64093
(660) 543-4909
[email protected]
www.ucmo.edu/music
Faculty: David Aaberg
Chicago College of Performing Arts
at Roosevelt University
Heather McCowen
430 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 341-3789
[email protected]
ccpa.roosevelt.edu
Jerry Prophet / Jazz Studies - Dept.
Paul Wertico / Contact after June 1st. Fiscal Yr. End of July
Bachelor Degrees: B.M.
Faculty: Includes Jerry DiMuzio, Carey Deadman, Steve Berry,
Neal Alger, Rob Amster, Ruben Alvarez, Phil Gratteau, Jo Ann
Daugherty, Jackie Allen
Chicago Jazz Ensemble
Kat Ryan
Columbia College
600 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
312-344-6269
www.chijazz.com
[email protected]
Assistant Department Chair: Mary Blinn [email protected]
Faculty: Jon Faddis, Artistic Director; Scott Hall, Education
Director
College of the Mainland
Sparky Koerner
1200 Amburn Road
Texas City, TX 77591
(409) 938-1211
[email protected]
www.com.edu
Admissions: Kelly Musick, Registrar: (409) 938-1211 ext. 496
or [email protected]
Degrees: Associate of Arts
(206) 726-5031
[email protected]
www.cornish.edu
Admissions: [email protected] / Sarah Burgess - Admin.
#1 Beth Fleenor
Bachelor Degrees: B.M.
Faculty: Includes Kent Devereaux, Chuck Deardorf, Randy
Halberstadt, Jim Knapp, Jovino Santos Neto, Margie Pos,
Julian Priester
Cuyahoga Community College
Steve Enos
2900 Comm. College Avenue Cyrus
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 987-4256
[email protected]
www.tri-c.edu
Faculty: Steve Enos, Ernie Krivda, Joe Hunter, Lee Bush,
Bryan Thomas, Demetrius Steinmetz, Rob Ticherich, Ray
Porrello, Jackie Warren
DePaul University
Bob Lark
804 W. Belden Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 325-4397
[email protected]
http://music.depaul.edu
[email protected]
Bachelor Degrees: Jazz Studies, Performance, Composition,
Music Education
Graduate Degrees: Jazz Performance, Jazz Composition,
Music Education, Performance
Faculty: Timothy Coffman, Mark Colby, Kirk Garrison, Bob
Lark, Thomas Matta, Larry Novak, Bob Palmieri, Ron Perrillo,
Bob Rummage, Kelly Sill, Bradley Williams
Duke University
John V. Brown
105 Mary Duke Viddle Music Building
Durham, NC 27208
(919) 660-3385
[email protected]
www.duke.edu
Admissions: (919) 660-3300
Faculty: John V. Brown
[email protected]
919-660-3385
East Carolina University
Carroll V. Dashiell, Jr.
School of Music
Fletcher Music Center
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
(252) 328-6240
[email protected]
www.ecu.edu/music/jazz
Admissions: (252) 328-6851
Faculty: Jeffrey Bair, Carroll Dashiell, Ernest Turner
Columbia College of Chicago
Scott Hall
600 South Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 344-6322
[email protected], www.colum.edu/Academics/Music/about/
Jazz_Faculty.php
Faculty: Dan Anderson, Bill Boris, Frank Dawson, Diane Delin,
Richard Dunscomb, Jon Faddis, Scott Hall, Tom Hipskind,
Audrey Morrison, Duane Thamm, Peter Saxe, Barry Winograd
Elmhurst College
Doug Beach
Jazz Studies
190 Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
(630) 617-3518
[email protected]
B.M. in Jazz Studies, jazz studies minor, b music business,
music ed
http://public.elmhurst.edu/music/1299562.html
Faculty: Doug Beach,
California State University Sacramento
Steve Roach
6000 J. Street Sacramento
Cornish College of Arts
Chuck Deardorf
1000 Lenora Street
Seattle, WA 98121
Elon University
Jon Metzger
Music Department
Campus Box 2800
58 September 2009
California State University, Monterey Bay
Richard Bains
100 Campus Center, Bldg 30
Seaside, CA 93955
(831) 582-4085
[email protected]
http://music.csumb.edu/site/x3510.xml
Admissions: 831-582-5111
Paul Contos, Ray Drummond - PT Faculty
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Music
Faculty: Richard Bains, Paulette Gissendanner, Paul Contos,
James Ferguson
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Jazz Inside™ NY
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Elon, NC 27244
(336) 278-5683
[email protected]
www.elon.edu/jazz
Bachelor Degrees: Music Performance, Music Education, Music
Faculty: Jon Metzger, Dr. Stephen A. Futrell, Virginia NovineWhittaker, Dr. Thomas Erdmann, Dr. Matthew Buckmaster
Florida International University
Mike Orta
School of Music
11200 SW 8th Street, WPAC 12
Miami, FL 33199
(305) 348-1414, [email protected], www.music.fiu.edu Faculty:
Mike Orta, Sam Lussier, Gary Campbell, Errol Rackipov, Nicky
Orta, Arturo Sandoval
Florida State University
Leon Anderson, Jr.
College of Music
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1180
(850) 644-1048
[email protected]
www.music.fsu.edu
Music Admissions: [email protected] / 850.644.6102
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Leon Anderson, Jr., Brian Gaber, Rodney Jordan,
William Kennedy, Paul McKee, William Peterson, Marcus
Roberts, Scotty Barnhart
Fresno City College
Michael Dana
Jazz Studies
1101 E. University Avenue
Fresno, CA 93741
www.fresnocitycollege.edu
Faculty: Julie Dana, Michael Dana, Gary Deeter, Dale
Engstrom, Larry Honda, Olga Quercia
Indiana University
Dr. David Baker
School of Music
1201 E. 3rd St.
Bloomington, IN 47405
818-855-1583
[email protected]
www.music.indiana.edu
Pat Harbison; Admissions: [email protected]
Faculty: David Baker, Luke Gillespie, Patrick Harbison, Steve
Houghton, Brent Wallarab, Thomas Walsh
(812) 855-9846
Left message
Jackson State University
Dr. Russell Thomas
Music Dept, Box 17055
Jackson, MS 39217
www.jsums.edu/jsumusic
Admissions: (601) 979-2100 or [email protected]
Bach. Degrees: B.M.E. or B.M.; Grad Degr: M.M.E, M.M.
Faculty: Russell Thomas, Dowell Taylor, David Ware
University of Louisville School of Music
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program
Louisville, KY 40292
Mike Tracy
[email protected]
(502) 852-1623, www.louisville.edu/music/jazz
Admissions: Toni Robinson (502) 852-6032 or gomusic@
louisville.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. w/ Jazz Emphasis, B.M Jazz Perfromance,
M.M Jazz Performance, M.M Jazz Composition and arranging
Faculty: Ansyn Banks, Jim Connerley, Chris Fitzgerald, John
LaBarbera, Jason Tiemann, Jerry Tolson, Mike Tracy, Craig
Wagner, Tyrone Wheeler
JazzSchool
Susan Muscarella
2087 Addison St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-5373
[email protected]
www.jazzschool.com
Admissions: (510) 845-5373
Faculty: Laurie Antonioli, Bill Aron, Joe Bagale, Wil Blades,
Sheldon Brown, Andre Bush, Jeremy Cohen, Christy Dana,
Wayne Wallace,
Jazzschool.com
[email protected]
[email protected]
L.A. Music Academy
Joe Pocaro, Ralph Humphrey, Tierney Sutton, Jerry Watts,
Tariqh Akoni
370 S. Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 568-8850
[email protected]
www.lamusicacademy.edu
Faculty: Includes Ralph Humphrey, Joe Porcaro, Dave Beyer,
Tariqh Akoni, Tierney Sutton, Jerry Watts, Jr.
Loyola University
John Mahoney
Music Department
6363 St. Charles Avenue Box 8
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 865-2164
[email protected]
www.music.loyno.edu
Faculty: John Mahoney
McNally Smith College of Music
Dr. Mike Bogle
19 Exchange Street East
Saint Paul, MN 55101
www.mcnallysmith.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Performance
Michigan State University
Rodney Whitaker
Jazz Studies Program
102 Music Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1318
(517) 432-2194
[email protected]
www.music.msu.edu
Admissions: (517) 355-2140
Bachelor Degrees: Composition and Music Theory, Jazz
Studies, Performance, Music Therapy, Music Education, Music
Graduate Degrees: Performance, Musicology, Theory,
Composition, Conducting, or Education
Doctoral Degrees: Performance, Composition, Conducting, or
Education
Faculty: Wess Anderson, Derrick Gardner, Randy Gelispie,
Joe Gloss, Diego Rivera, Rick Roe, Rodney Whitaker, Sunny
Wilkinson
Middle Tennessee State University
Department of Music
Don Aliquo
2620 Dorset Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
615-904-8362
[email protected]
frank.mtsu.edu/~music
September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
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Master Degrees: M.A. in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Don Aliquo, Jamey Simmons, Tom Giampietro, Shawn
Purcell, Pat Coil, Jim Ferguson, Dr. David Loucky, Lalo Davila,
Rich Adams, Socrates Garcia
Millikin University
Randall Reyman
1184 W. Main Street
Decatur, IL 62522
(217) 424-6319
[email protected]
www.millikin.edu/music
Faculty: Andrew Burtschi, Brian Justison, Manley Mallard,
Randy Reyman, John Stafford II, Stephen Widenhofer
Morehead State University
Dr. Gordon Towell
120 Baird Music Hall
Morehead, KY 40351
www.moreheadstate.edu/music
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Performance; B.M.E.
Graduate Degrees: M.M., M.M.E.
Faculty: Glenn Ginn, Steven Snyder, Gordon Towell
Mount Hood Community College
Susie Jones
26000 S.E. Stark Street
Gresham, OR 97030
(503) 491-7158
[email protected]
www.mhcc.edu
Faculty: Susie Jones
Musician’s Institute
Steve Lunn
1655 McCadden Place
Hollywood, CA 90028
(800) 255-PLAY
[email protected]
www.mi.edu
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music
North Carolina Central University
Department of Music
Ira Wiggins
P.O. Box 19406
Durham, NC 27707
919-530-7214
[email protected]
www.nccu.edu/music
Admissions: Contact Jocelyn Foy at (919) 530-6218
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Performance, B.A. in Music
Education, Music Liberal Arts, Sacred Music, and Music Industry
Faculty: Ira Wiggins, Ed Paolantonio, Thomas Taylor, Robert
Trowers, Lenora Helm, Arnold George, Baron Tymas, LeRoy
Barley, Brian Horton, Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo
North Central College
Jack Mouse
30 N. Brainard Street
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 637-5984
[email protected]
www.noctrl.edu
Admissions: (630) 637-5800
Faculty: Philip A. Ewell, Eugene T. Mouse, Barbara S.
Vanderwall, Ramona M. Wis, Jeordano S. Martinez, Linda
Ogden Hagen, Lawrence G. Van Oyen
Northern Arizona University
Joel DiBartalo
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
(928) 523-3496
[email protected]
www.cal.nau.edu/music
Faculty: Joel DiBartalo
59
Northern Illinois University
Ron Carter
School of Music
Dekalb, IL 60178
(815) 753-0643
[email protected]
www.niu.edu/music
Faculty: Ronald Carter, Robert Chappell, Art Davis, Tom
Garling, Fareed Haque, Richard Holly, Willie Pickens, Kelly
Sill, Rodrigo Villanueva
Northwestern University
School of Music
711 Elgin Road
Evanston, IL 60208-1200
music.northwestern.edu
Faculty: Daniel J. Farris, Victor Goines, Paul Wertico
San Diego State University
Bill Yeager
School of Music and Dance
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 921182-7908
www.jazz.sdsu.edu
Faculty: Bill Yeager, Rick Helzer, Richard Thompson, Lori Bell,
Bob Ross, Gilbert Castellanos, Kevin Delgado, John Flood, Mike
Holguin, Scott Kyle, Bob Magnusson, John Rekevics, John Wilds
San Francisco State University
School of Music and Dance
Dee Spencer
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 338-1431
[email protected]
http://musicdance.sfsu.edu/
Undergrad Admissions: (415) 338-2037
San Jose State University
Aaron Lington
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0095
www.music.sjsu.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Jazz Studies, Studio Arts, and
General Studies; B.M. in Music in Composition, Performance,
and Music Education
Virginia Groce-Roberts, Joe Hodge, Jeff Lewis, Aaron Lington,
John Shifflett, Frank Sumares, Rick Vandivier, Wayne Wallace
Shenandoah Conservatory
1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
http://www.su.edu/conservatory/index.cfm
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Studies, Commercial Music,
Music Therapy, Music Education, and Performance; B.S. in
Arts Management
Faculty: C. Brian Kidd
Sonoma State University
Mel Graves
1801 East Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
(707) 664-2134
[email protected]
www.sonoma.edu
Admissions: Mary Rogers (707) 664-2324
Alan Kleinschmidt: [email protected]
Faculty: Mel Graves, Bob Afifi
Carbondale, IL 62901
(618) 453-5812
[email protected]
www.siu.edu/~music/ensembles/fac_jazztet.html
Admissions Contact: Karen Clayton (618) 453-7316;
Department of Music: (618) 536-8742
Faculty: Robert Allison, Philip Brown, Ron Coulter, Richard
Kelley, Timothy Pitchford
Southern Illinois University
at Edwardsville
Brett Stamps
Department of Music
Box 1771 SUIE
Edwardsville, IL 62026-3705
(618) 650-2026
[email protected]
www.siue.edu/music
Faculty: Brett Stamps, Reggie Thomas
Stanford Jazz Workshop & Festival
PO Box 20454
Stanford, CA 94309
(650) 856-4155
[email protected]
Jim Nadel, Director
www.stanfordjazz.org
Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Dr. Paul Hageman
Music Department, MSC 174
Kingsville, TX 78363
www.tamuk.edu/music
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. with Teacher Certification, B.M. in
Music Performance
Master Degrees: M.M. in Music Education
Faculty: Dr. Paul Hageman, James Warth
Texas Christian University
Curt Wilson
TCU Box 297500
Fort Worth, TX 76129
www.music.tcu.edu
Faculty: Curt Wilson, Thomas Burchill, Joey Carter, Joseph
Eckert, Paul Rennick, Paul Unger, Brian West
Texas State University—San Marcos
Freddie Mendoza
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
www.txstate.edu/jazzstudies
Bachelor Degrees: Performance Degree in Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: Performance Degree in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Dr. Keith Winking, Freddie Mendoza, Hank Hehmsoth,
Butch Miles, David Dawson, Morris Nelms
Texas Tech University
Paul English
School of Music Box 42033
Lubbock, TX 79409-2033
www.depts.ttu.edu/music
Admissions: (806) 742-2270
Faculty: Jason Berg, Paul English, Ian Rollins
Southern Illinois University
at Carbondale
Philip Brown
SIU School of Music
Mail Code 4302
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
at Oberlin College
Wendell Logan
39 W. College Street
Oberlin, OH 44074-1576
www.oberlin.edu/con
Bachelor Degrees: Majors in Jazz Performance and Jazz
Composition
60 September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
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Faculty: Gary Bartz, Marcus Belgrave, Peter Dominguez, Robin
Eubanks, Bob Ferrazza, Billy Hart, Wendell Logan, Dan Wall.
Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
Loyola University New Orleans
6363 St. Charles Avenue
Phone: (504) 865-2100
FAX: (504) 865-2500
Email: [email protected]
University of Akron
Jack Schantz
School of Music
Gozzetta Hall
Akron, OH 44325-1002
www.uakron.edu/music
Admissions: (330) 972-7100
Faculty: Joe Augustine, Robert Fraser, Dean Newton, Bob
McKee, Jack Schantz, Rich Shanklin, Tim Powell
University of Alabama—School of Music
Chris Kozak
P.O. Box 870366
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
205-348-6333
[email protected], www.jazz.ua.edu
Admissions Contact: Tonia Hicks (205) 348-7112 or thicks@
music.ua.edu
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Arranging
Faculty: Chris Kozak, Jonathan Noffsinger, Mark Lanter, Tom Wolfe
University of Arizona
Jeff Haskell
School of Music
UA College of Fine Arts
Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-1341
[email protected]
http://web.cfa.arizona.edu/music
University of Central Oklahoma
Brian Gorrell
School of Music
100 North University Drive
Edmond, OK 73034
405-359-7989
[email protected]
www.ucojazzlab.com
Grad Admissions: Brian Gorrell
Faculty: Lee Rucker, Brian Gorrell, Danny Vaughan, Kent
Kidwell, Jeff Kidwell, David Hardman, Clint Rohr, James Klages
University of Cincinnati
Rick VanMatre
College-Conservatory of Music
Cincinnati, OH 45221
(513) 556-9447
[email protected]
www.ccm.uc.edu/jazz
Conservatory Admissions: (513) 556-5463;
[email protected]
Faculty: Chris Berg, Philip DeGreg, Marc Fields, Art Gore,
Bill Gwynne, Kim Pensyl, Paul Piller, James E. Smith, Rick
VanMatre, John Von Ohlen
University of Colorado at Boulder
Dr. John Davis, College of Music
Campus Box 301
Boulder, CO 80309-0301
303-492-8810
[email protected]
www.colorado.edu/music
Admissions: (303) 492-6352
Bachelor Degrees: Certificate in Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz Performance and Pedagogy,
D.M.A. in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Dave Corbus, John Davis, Paul Erhard, Brad Goode, John
Gunther, Allen Hermann, Jeff Jenkins, Tom Myer, Paul Romaine,
Terry Sawchuk, Mark Simon, Douglas Walter, Keith Waters
University of Denver
Malcolm Lynn Baker
Lamont School of Music
2344 East Iliff Avenue
Denver, CO 80208
(303) 871-6997
[email protected]
www.du.edu/lamont
Admissions: Jerrod Price (303) 871-6973
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Studies – Performance, Jazz
Studies – Composition and Arranging, Commercial Music –
Performance, Commercial Music – Composition and Arranging,
Commercial Music – Technology
Graduate Degrees: M.M in Performance – Jazz Emphasis and
Composition – Jazz Emphasis
Faculty: Malcolm Lynn Baker, Arthur Bouton, Eric Gunnison,
David Hanson, Alan Hood, Alan Joseph, Tom Ball, Mike
Marlier, Marc Sabatella, Ken Walker, Donna Wickham
University of Houston
Noe Marmolejo
Moores School of Music
Houston, TX 77204-4893
(713) 743-3191
[email protected]
www.music.uh.edu
Faculty: Joel Fulgham, David Klingensmith, Noe Marmolejo,
Woody Witt, Mike Wheeler
University of Idaho
Paul Wertico
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Box 444015
Moscow, ID 83844-4015
[email protected]
www.class.uidaho.edu/music
Music Admissions: [email protected]
Faculty: Alan Gemberling, Vern Sielert, Ian Sinclair, Daniel
Bukvich, Vanessa Sielert
University of Illinois
Chip McNeil
College of Fine and Applied Arts
2136 Music Building
1114 W. Nevada Street
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-9703, [email protected], www.music.uiuc.edu
Bachelor Degrees: Jazz and Improvisational Music
Performance, Composing/Arranging
Graduate Degrees: Masters in Jazz and Improvisational Music
Performance
Faculty: Ron S. Bridgewater, Tito Carrillo, Lawrence Gray,
Dana Hall, Joan B. Hickey, Charles McNeill, James Pugh,
John Stephens, Glenn Wilson
University of Illinois at Chicago
Orbert Davis
Department of Performing Art/MC/255
1040 W. Harrison
Chicago, IL 60607-7130
(312) 996-2977, www.uic.edu
Admissions: (312) 996-2977
Faculty: Ernie Adams, Ari Brown, Orbert Davis, Nicole Mitchell,
Stewart Miller, Zvonmir Tot,
University of Kansas
Dan Gailey
Department of Music & Dance
452 Murphy Hall
Lawrence, KS 66047
(785) 864-3436, [email protected], www.ku.edu
Admissions: (785) 864-3911
Faculty: Dan Gailey
University of Kentucky
Miles Osland
School of Music
105 Fine Arts Building
Lexington, KY 40506-0022
(859) 257-8173
[email protected]
www.uky.edu/finearts/music
Admissions: (859) 257-1808
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music
Graduate Degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Music
Faculty: Raleigh Dailey, Miles Osland, Lisa Osland
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
(502) 852-6032
Mike Tracy
School of Music
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program
[email protected]
www.louisville.edu/music/jazz
Admissions: (502) 852-1623
Faculty: Ansyn Banks, Jim Connerley, Chris Fitzgerald, John
LaBarbera, Jason Tiemann, Jerry Tolson, Mike Tracy, Craig
Wagner, Tyrone Wheeler
University of Memphis
Dr. Jack Cooper
Jazz & Studio Music Department
129 Music Building
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-2541
[email protected]
music.memphis.edu
Admissions: (901) 678-3766
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Composition, Jazz & Studio
Performance, Jazz & Studio Composition/Arranging, Music
Business, Music Education, Music History, Performance, and
Recording Technology
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music, Composition, Conducting,
Jazz & Studio Music, Music Education, Musicology, OrffSchulwerk, Pedagogy, Piano, Strings, Suzuki Strings,
Performance, Applied, and Collaborative Piano
Faculty: Joyce Cobb, Jack Cooper, Tim Goodwin, Chip
Henderson, Chris Parker, Gerald Stephens
University of Miami
Frost School of Music
Whitney Sidener
P.O. Box 248165
Coral Gables, FL 33124-7610
305-284-5813
[email protected], www.music.miami.edu
Director of Admissions: Catherine J. Tanner
Faculty: Rainier Davies, Randall Dollahon, Christopher
Whiteman, Jason Furman, Stephen Rucker, John Yarling,
Douglas Bickel, Whitney Sidener, Gary Keller, Gregory Gisbert,
Alexander Norris, Dante Luciani, Timothy Brent, Rachel Lebon,
Lisanne Lyons, Juan Secada, Nicole Yarling
4949 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64110-2229
www.umkc.edu/conservatory
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz & Studio Music; B.A. with Jazz
Concentration
Graduate Degrees: M.A. with Jazz Concentration
Faculty: Doug Auwarter, Rod Fleeman, Stan Kessler, Michael
Pagan, Al Pearson, Gerald Spaits, Dan Thomas, Bobby
Watson, Bram Wijnands, Roger Wilder
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Dave Loeb
Department of Music
4505 Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-5025
music.unlv.edu
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music with a Concentration in
Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music with a Jazz Studies
emphasis
Faculty: David Loeb, Bruce Paulson, Tom Warrington, Jobelle
Yonely
University of New Orleans
Edward Petersen
Jazz Studies, Music Department
Lakefront Campus
504-280-6381
[email protected]
music.uno.edu
Admissions: (504) 280-1124
Faculty: Victor Atkins, Steve Masakowski, Ed Petersen, Brian
Seeger, Leah Chase-Kamata, Evan Christopher, Thomas
Fisher, Roland Guerin, Henry Mackie, Irvin Mayfield, Brent
Rose, Matt Rhody, Cindy Scott
University of North Carolina - Greensboro
Chad Eby
P.O. Box 26167
Greensboro, NC 27402-6167
336-334-3237
[email protected], www.uncg.edu/mus
Admissions: (336) 334-5243
Faculty: Chad Eby, Wycliffe Gordon, Steve Haines, Mark
Mazzatenta, John Salmon, Tom Taylor
University of North Carolina - Charlotte
Will Campbell
Department of Music
9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28223
(704) 687-4469
[email protected]
music.uncc.edu
Admissions: (704) 687-2213
Faculty: Will Campbell, Noel Freidline
University of Michigan
School of Music
Ed Sarath
1100 Baits Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2085
www.music.umich.edu, [email protected]
Faculty: Geri Allen, Andrew Bishop, Michael Gould, Marion
Hayden, Robert Hurst, Mark Kirschenmann, Edwin Levy,
William Lucas, Ellen Rowe, Edward W. Sarath, Richard
Stoelzel, Martha Travers, Dennis Wilson
University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Frank Bongiorno
601 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403-3297
(910) 962-3390
[email protected]
http://www.uncwil.edu/music
Admissions: (910) 962-3243
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Performance (Jazz,
Instrumental)
Faculty: Steve Bailey, Frank Bongiorno, Joe Chambers, Robert
A. Russell, Jerald Shynett, Andy Whittington
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Prof. Bobby Watson
Conservatory of Music and Dance
University of North Florida
J.B. Scott
4567 St. John’s Bluff Road South
September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
61
Jacksonville, FL 32224-2645
904-646-2960
[email protected]
www.unf.edu/coas/music
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Performance/Arranging and
Music; B.A. in Music
Faculty: Bunky Green, Lynne Arriale, Marc Dickman, Danny
Gottlieb, Dennis Marks, J.B. Scott
University of North Texas
Darla Mayes
PO Box 305040
Denton, TX 76203
940-565-3743
[email protected]
www.music.unt.edu/jazz
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music
Faculty: Neil Slater, Tony Baker, Rosana Eckert, Dan Haerle,
Fred Hamilton, Stefan Karlsson, Brad Leali, John Murphy,
James Riggs, Paris Rutherford, Jay Saunders, Lynn Seaton,
Ed Soph, Mike Steinel, Steve Wiest
University of Northern Colorado
Dave Stamps
501 20th Street Box 28
Greeley, CO 80639
(970) 351-2577
[email protected]
www.uncjazz.com
Bachelor of Music – Jazz Instrumental Emphasis
Master of Music – Jazz Instrumental Emphasis; Secondary
Emphasis in Jazz Pedagogy at the Doctorate Level
Faculty: Dana Landry, Dave Stamps, Kevin Whalen, Erik
Applegate, Gray Barrier, Robert Murray, James Vaughn
University of Northern Iowa
Chris Merz
School of Music
110 Russell Hall
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0246
(319) 273-3077
[email protected]
www.uni.edu/jazzstudies
Admissions: Alan Schmitz (319) 273-7180 or schmidt@uni.
edu
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music
Graduate Degrees: Master of Arts in Music and Master in
Music
Faculty: Chris Merz, Robert Washut, Bob Dunn, David Dunn
University of South Carolina
Bert Ligon
Office of Music Studies
Columbia. SC 29208
www.music.sc.edu
Dean’s Office: (803) 777-4336
Faculty: Sonia Jacobsen, Kevin Jones, Bert Ligon
University of South Florida - School of Music
Prof. Jack Wilkins
School of Music, FAH 110
4202 E. Fowler Avenue
Tampa, FL 33620
music.arts.usf.edu/jazz/
Admissions: (813) 974-2311
B.M. in Jazz Composition and Jazz Performance
M.M. in Jazz Composition and Jazz Performance
Faculty: Chuck Owen, Jack Wilkins, Tom Brantley, Jay
Coble, Per Danielsson Steve Davis, Valerie Gillespie, Mark
Neuenschwander, LaRue Nickelson, David Stamps
840 West 34th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0851
(213) 740-3119
[email protected]
www.usc.edu
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts
in Performance
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts,
and Graduate Certificate
Faculty: Includes David Arnay, Gilbert Castellanos, Ndugu
Chancler, John Clayton, Peter Erskine, Anne Farnsworth,
Russell Ferrante, Angel Figueroa, Bruce Forman, Jason
Goldman, Kathleen Grace, Alphonso Johnson, Kristin Korb,
Thom David Mason, Ron McCurdy, Roy McCurdy, and many
more
Wayne State University
Christopher Collins
Department of Music
4841 Cass Avenue
Suite 1321
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 577-1780
[email protected]
music.wayne.edu
Admissions: (313) 577-1800
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz Performance
Faculty: Steve Carryer, Christopher Collins, Ronald Kischuk,
Russell Miller, Clifford Monear, Robert Pipho, Daniel Pliskow,
Ernest Rogers, James Ryan, David Taylor
University of Texas at Austin
Jeff Hellmer
Department of Music
Austin, TX 78712
512-471-0744
[email protected], www.music.utexas.edu
B.M. in Jazz Performance and Jazz Composition
D.M.A. with Jazz Emphasis in Jazz Performance, Comp
Faculty: Dennis Dotson, John Fremgen, Jeff Hellmer, John
Mills, David Neubert, Glenn Richter, Mark Sarisky, Brannen
Temple, Mitch Watkins, Ronald Westray
Webster University
Paul DeMarinis
470 East Lockwood Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63119
www.webster.edu
Admissions: Niel DeVasto 314-968-6989
B.M. in Jazz Performance, Jazz/Music Technology,
Composition, Performance (Voice, Keyboard, Guitar,
Instrumental), and Music Education; B.A. in Music; Certificate
in Music Entrepreneurship
M.M. in Jazz Studies (Performance or Composition
Emphasis), Orchestral Performance, Voice, Keyboard,
Guitar, Composition, Music Education, and Church Music;
M.A. in Music with Emphasis in Pedagogy, Conducting,
Music History, and Theory
University of Toledo
Gunnar Mossblad
Department of Music
MS605
Toledo, OH 43606
(419) 530-4738
[email protected]
www.utoledo.edu
Admissions: (419) 530-8700
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Jazz; Bachelor of
Arts with a Jazz Emphasis; Jazz Minor
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music in Performance – Jazz
Track
Faculty: Mark Byerley, Norman Damschroder, Bradley
Felt, Jon Hendricks, Gunnar Mossblad, Jay Weik, Timothy
Whalen
University of the Pacific
Patrick Langham
Pacific Conservatory of Music
3601 Pacific Avenue
Stockton, CA 95211
www.pacific.edu/conservatory
Admissions: (209) 946-2211
Faculty: Patrick Langham, Michael Zisman
University of Tennessee
Mark Boling
School of Music, Room 211
1741 Volunteer Boulevard
Knoxville, TN 37996-2600
(865) 974-3241, [email protected], www.music.utk.edu/jazz
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz & Studio Music
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz & Studio Music
Faculty: Mark Boling, Donald Brown, Keith Brown, Harold
Holloway, Vance Thompson
University of Southern California
Ron McCurdy
Thornton School of Music
Washburn University
Craig Treinen
1700 SW College
Topeka, KS 66621
www.washburn.edu/cas/music
Bachelor Degrees: Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor
of Music Performance
Graduate Degrees: Master of Arts
Faculty: Craig Treinen
62 September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Western Carolina University
Pavel Wlosok
Music Department
253 Coulter Building
Cullowhee, NC 28723
music.wcu.edu
Western Michigan University
Tom Knific
1903 W. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
www.wmich.edu/jazzstudies
Faculty: Tom Knific, John Campos, Scott Cowan, Keith Hall,
Trent Kynaston, Robert Ricci, Diana Spradling, Stephen
Zegree
Youngstown State University
Kent Engelhardt
1 University Plaza
Youngstown, OH 44555
(330) 941-3636, [email protected], www.ysu.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Performance with a Jazz
Emphasis or Recording Emphasis, Performance, Education,
Theory/Composition, and Music History
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz Studies, Performance,
Theory, Education, and Music History
Faculty: Kent Engelhardt, David Morgan, Daniel Murphy,
Glenn Schaft
“To be nobody but yourself
in a world which is doing its best, night
and day, to make you everybody else, means
to fight the hardest battle which any
human being can fight; And never
stop fighting.”
—e.e. cummings
Live Performance Reviews
Jazz in July has become a landmark event in the
jazz life of New York City. Bill Charlap, who assumed
the role of Artistic Director from Dick Hyman five
years ago, once again planned an eclectic program of
mainstream jazz for the six concert program.
Things got off to a somewhat mixed start with
the July 21 concert, Sondheim & Styne, a celebration
of the music of two great composers for the Broadway stage, Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne. The
sextet of Bill Charlap, Brian Lynch, Jon Gordon,
Jimmy Greene, Peter Washington and Kenny Washington got things off in a winning way digging into
the Renee Rosnes arrangement of Sondheim’s “Old
Friends,” with Kurt Elling eventually lending some
vocal support. The Sondheim and Elling combination continued as he assayed “You Must Meet My
Wife,” “Another Hundred People” and “Not While
I’m Around” with various combinations of instrumental accompaniment. The music of Styne finally
arrived with Charlap and the two Washingtons exploring “Some People,” words by Sondheim, with Elling. Another selection from Gypsy, “Small World”
ended Elling’s contributions to the opening set.
Charlap quoted Styne as saying that he strives
to produce songs that are “melodically simple and
harmonically attractive.” To illustrate this, Charlap
sat down at the piano and played an elegant version
of “Just in Time.” The sextet with Rosnes in the piano
chair closed the first half of the program playing “On
the Dot,” a boppish tune based on “Just in Time,”
composed and arranged by Lynch. This proved to be
the vehicle that really opened things up for the soloists, and suddenly brought the concert to life.
A peppy take by the trio, with Charlap at the
keyboard, of “Uptown, Downtown” from Sondheim’s
Follies gave promise of a more exciting second set.
Gordon’s soprano sax, however, took all of the beauty
out of the lovely “Night Waltz” from A Little Night
Music. The sextet gave a spirited reading of “It’s You or
No One,” before Elling reemerged. He sang “Dance
Only with Me,” with sole backing from Charlap, before he finally seemed to really connect with the material on “Sorry-Grateful,” capturing the ambivalence
of this haunting song from Company. All hands were
on stage for the closer, “Make Someone Happy.”
This evening never took off, and for me it was
mostly due to the vocalizing of Elling. He did not seem
comfortable with the songs assigned to him, remaining
too remote from the emotional content of some excellent lyrics. When he sang “Make Someone Happy,” he
did not sound happy, and that was indicative of where
things seemed to go awry on this occasion.
The next evening proved to be the antithesis
of the prior one. A Helluva Town: New York Jazz
brought attention to songs about New York City and
the strong presence that jazz has had in this town.
Charlap and the rhythm section of Bucky Pizza-
relli, Jay Leonhart and Lewis Nash got things off to
a rollicking start with an effervescent take on “New
York, New York” from On the Town. Vocalist Sandy
Stewart and Ken Peplowski were added for two songs
about famous New York streets, “42nd Street” and
“Lullaby of Broadway.” Stewart is a wonderful reader
of lyrics, and gave each of the songs a special glow.
Thelonious Monk was a New Yorker for most of
his life, and was an important presence on the city’s
jazz scene. He spent some time playing on one of the
legendary streets in jazz history, one that he memorialized with his bop classic “52nd Street Theme,” and
it was wonderfully played by Byron Stripling, Wess
Anderson and the trio. Another jazz portrait of the
city was up next with John Coltrane’s “Central Park
West.” Charlap’s solo version of Scott Joplin’s “Wall
Street Rag” was followed by the closer, “Drop Me
Off in Harlem,” rendered by the sextet with Stripling
handling the vocal chores.
Ken Peplowski brought on his tenor sax to join
Barbara Carroll and the rhythm section for “How
About You,” with an effective vocal from Carroll,
to open the second half. Carroll and Leonhart then
gave a haunting performance of another song from
On the Town, “Lonely Town,” giving Leonhart an
opportunity to demonstrate his impressive arco bass
skills. Carroll finished her segment with Dave Frishberg’s wonderful paean to the Big Apple, “Do You
Miss New York?”
Many tunes that came to prominence during
the Bebop Era, a jazz movement that emerged from
New York City, were based on the chord changes of
“I Got Rhythm,” composed by a true New Yorker,
George Gershwin. It was a fitting selection for this
evening’s program, and was played by the septet. Leonhart is not only a superb bassist, but also a hip and
wry creator of original songs that suit his unique vocal talents. His “Move the Car” humorously depicts
one of the concerns of a resident of Manhattan who
owns an automobile.
As the evening approached its climax, Stewart
returned for a languid reading of “Autumn in New
York.” All hands were on deck for the ostensible
closer, “Broadway.” As this selection motored briskly
on, a surprise guest emerged from the wings in the
person of Tony Bennett, who added the lyrics to this
swinger, one that he recorded with the Count Basie
Orchestra. With Bennett on the scene, an encore was
just about obligatory, and it took the form of Bennett,
Charlap and the rhythm section giving out with the
quintessential New York City song “Manhattan.”
This was an evening of good spirits and wonderful music that truly captured the flavor of Manhattan in music.
Pianos were the focus of the following concert.
Piano Jam: With Respect to Oscar was ostensibly
a tribute to the legendary pianist Oscar Peterson.
What took place was a concert featuring four superb
jazz pianists, Bill Charlap, Mulgrew Miller, Eric Scott
Reed and Renee Rosnes floating on and off of the
stage, playing in various settings with the assistance
of trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist
Grant Stewart, guitarist Randy Napoleon, bassist Pe-
September 2009
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Jazz In July
Kaufman Concert Hall
92nd Street Y, New York City
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
ter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington.
The connection to Peterson rested in the players mostly playing in formats that Peterson used, and
playing songs written by or associated with him. The
musicians were all first rate, and the playing was at a
consistently high level from all involved. The problem
for me is that it was a bit like watching a series of one
act plays. When watching most jazz performances, it
is usually apparent that as the evening progresses, the
players seem to become looser, and more spontaneous
in their playing. They know that there are likely to be
points in their performance when they reach artistic
and creative peaks, and they let that happen during
the natural flow of the sets. In this format, you often
get the feeling that just as the players are getting into
a comfort zone, they are gone, and somebody else is
taking their place. There seems to be pressure on each
of them, most likely internally created, to grab their
moments in the spotlight, and play everything that
they know in one or two selections. It gives the audience the opportunity to see a lot of talent in one
concert, but it rarely gives the performers and the audience sufficient opportunities to really connect.
The concert on Monday July 27 was The Gerry
Mulligan Songbook.
Charlap elected to have a four horn front line
of Gary Smulyan, Jerry Dodgion, Harry Allen and
Jeremy Pelt, enabling him to present the Mulligan
material in several settings, several of which replicated formats that Mulligan used during his eclectic
career. He also chose to share the piano chair with
another Mulligan alumnus, Ted Rosenthal. Also on
the band were Peter Washington on bass and Kenny
Washington on drums.
The concert opened with all players except
Rosenthal on stage for a swinging Harry Allen arrangement of “Five Brothers” one that gave all of the
horns and Charlap opportunities to hip the crowd
to their solo chops. The recreation of the pianoless
Mulligan quartet with Smulyan and Pelt taking on
the roles of Mulligan and Chet Baker was quite tentative, and failed to capture either the uniqueness of
that group’s sound, nor the quality of the wonderful
“Line for Lyons.”
The moments when the piano was the center
of attention proved to be highlights of the concert.
Charlap played a later Mulligan composition “Curtains” in a trio format, and took the piece through
a multi-mood exploration that was masterful. He
also gave a solo look at Mulligan’s “Noblesse,” a piece
inspired by the compositions of Ray Noble. Charlap
and Rosenthal teamed up for a playful excursion
with “Walkin’ Shoes.”
Smulyan was a curious choice to play baritone
sax on a Mulligan-themed evening. He is one of the
premier baritone players on the current scene, but his
tone has a much harder edge than Mulligan’s, and his
musical attack is more aggressive and less swinging
than was the case with Mulligan. Once one adjusted
to this difference, and accepted Smulyan on his own
terms, his presence in this context became easier
to understand. His “Lonesome Boulevard,” with
Rosenthal and the Washingtons, was full of emo63
tion. When he joined Allen on the front line with the
Charlap rhythm section for “A Ballad,” a tune that
was recorded on a date done by Mulligan and Stan
Getz, Smulyan went in his own direction, while Allen captured much of the Getz flavor in his playing.
The selections with the full front line,” Bark
for Barksdale,” “Red Door,” Festive Minor,” and
“Rocker,” the last of which served as the closer, provided lots of sparks and compelling solos.
Some of the reservations that I felt during the
piano concert were also present during this concert.
The fact of its being a concert dedicated strictly to
compositions penned by Gerry Mulligan helped to
make the program feel more coherent than the piano event. The commentary of Charlap, who was a
member of Mulligan’s quartet for several years, was
incisive, providing insight that also proved to be a
unifying element.
On Tuesday July 28, a schedule conflict precluded my being able to attend It’s Jazz Charlie
Brown: The Music of Vince Guaraldi.
The most consistently exciting concert of the series was the final one, Saxophone Summit. It brought
together two veteran giants, Phil Woods on alto sax
and Jimmy Heath on tenor sax with three wonderful younger players, Harry Allen and Jimmy Greene
on tenor sax, and Steve Wilson on flute, alto and soprano saxes. Charlap, bassist Ray Drummond and
drummer Lewis Nash provided the rhythm.
To open the concert, the whole cast roared
through Allen’s arrangement of “I Never Knew” as
if they had already been on stage for several numbers. This was one of three numbers on which all
participated, the others being the closers for each
set, Charlie Parker’s “Ornithology” and Sonny Stitt’s
The Eternal Triangle.” Each of these numbers proved
to be exciting, as these cats seemed to really dig each
other’s playing.
It is always a thrill to hear Woods and Heath.
These gentlemen are Hall of Famers. When Woods
joined the rhythm section for Benny Carter’s “Summer Serenade,” he showed that he is a masterful
ballad player. Heath, who became known as “Little
Bird” when he first came on the scene, also showed
off his ballad chops on “Green Dolphin Street.” The
two joined forces for a rousing “Hot House.”
The one number that joined Heath and Greene
on the front line was a Renee Rosnes original titled
“Jimmy Up and Jimmy Down,” a kind of Monkish
reflection on the realities of the difference in stature
between the diminutive Heath, and Greene, one tall
cat. Another fine pairing was the alto of Wilson and
the tenor of Allen on “The Opener,” a Bill Potts tune
that has been wonderfully recorded by Al Cohn.
Each of these players had a great solo turn. Wilson
picked up his flute to join Charlap for a hauntingly
ethereal take on Ellington’s “Warm Valley.” Allen
showed why he is recognized as one of the ballad
masters as he was backed by the trio on a lovely reading of “Someone to Watch Over Me.”
This concert, while it did have constantly revolving personnel, took off immediately, and maintained a
high level throughout. It was a most satisfying conclusion to a series that continues to draw large and enthusiastic audiences.
Over the past several years, I have seen The Tierney Sutton Band several times, and never cease to be
amazed at their cohesion and creativity. Now in their
fifteenth year of collaboration, vocalist Tierney Sutton, pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Kevin Axt and
drummer Ray Brinker are a lot more than a vocalist
with a backing trio. They have an organic feeling that
you usually find only in instrumental groups. Yes,
Sutton is out front as the nominal center of attention,
and as the spokesperson, but at the end of an evening
of listening to them, you cannot isolate her vocalizing
from the intricate complimentary work of the three
fabulous musicians who are part of the this team
without shortchanging what they have achieved.
For their five days at The Iridium, Sutton assured
the audience that they would be changing the set list
throughout the engagement, giving repeat attendees
a fresh show each time. On Thursday evening August
20, each of their two sets was completely different,
and equally stimulating to the ears of those present.
They drew the selections for this evening from five
of their eight albums, plus one from a guest appearance that Sutton made on an album under the leadership of Jacob. Since most of the albums have had a
theme, this gave the programs for the two sets a lot
of diversity. They leaned most heavily on songs from
their last three albums, I’m with the Band, recorded
at Birdland, On the Other Side, the highly acclaimed
collection that explored the theme of happiness from
many angles, and their current release, Desire, an exploration of the romantic and material aspects of relationships, and the effects that these have on desire.
They also visited more briefly, Dancing in the Dark,
inspired by the vocal artistry of Frank Sinatra, Something Cool, their third album, and Styne & Mine Jacob’s salute to composer Jule Styne.
One constant in the arrangements throughout
their book, is the unique way in which they reconceive
songs. With few exceptions, you are hearing songs that
are familiar to you, but in ways that you have never
heard them by any other artists. According to Sutton, each arrangement is a group effort, with one of
them kicking things off with the idea for a song, and a
concept that becomes refined by a lot of give and take
among the members of the band. Even though they finally arrive at a set arrangement, their performances
have a spontaneity that results from the subtle evolution that takes place with the continued playing of each
selection. This factor plus the commitment of each of
the musicians to the music makes each song sound
fresh, no matter how many times you have heard them
performed by the band on previous occasions.
Sutton has a flexible voice that often goes to
surprising places. At times it has lovely purity, and
at others it jolts you with a harsher and sometimes
more nasal sound, but whatever the sound, it always
feels appropriate to the moment. She includes a lot of
64 September 2009
Tierney Sutton
The Iridium, New York, NY
August 19-23, 2009
By Joe Lang
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
wordless vocalizing, but she does not scat, rather adds
vocal colors in the way that an instrumentalist does.
While there is a lot of musical adventurism taking
place in her singing, she still maintains contact with
the essence of the lyrics. When she sings a ballad like
“I Fall in Love Too Easily” or “If I Loved You,” with
directness, she infuses the lyrics with deep emotion
and understanding. Her physical beauty, gestures
and facial expressions add a dimension to her in live
performances that is missing on her recordings, and
this is not meant to slight her fine recorded output.
The cats playing the other instruments are important elements in making The Tierney Sutton
Band so special. Jacob has an imagination and facility
that places him in the front rank of jazz pianists. Like
most outstanding jazz musicians, he seems to hear
things a bit differently than most others, and is able to
translate his unique conceptions into a series of moments of musical magic. Axt and Brinker often create a tension in the arrangements that is exhilarating
for the listener. Axt is extremely facile, and provides
a pulse to each number that keeps you constantly engaged. Brinker is a painter of sonic canvases, explosive
at times, and delicate at others, that provide the backdrop for the creativity of his partners.
Then there are the songs. Both sets contained
eleven selections, with a three song medley included
in each. Early in the first set, they played three selections from My Fair Lady, “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,”
“I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face” and “Show
Me,” with a clever wordless interpolation of the hip
tune “Better Than Anything” finding its way into
the mix. The second set ended with an Irving Berlin medley consisting of “Let’s Face the Music and
Dance,” “Cheek to Cheek” and “Blue Skies,” each of
which received a reading that made you see them in
a new light.
Their take on “Reflections,” a lovely composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Marjorie
Houseman and Milt Raskin was memorable. The
juxtaposition of an intense “Sometimes I’m Happy,”
where Jacob sat out while Axt and Brinker joined
Sutton to create the kind of musical tension alluded
to earlier, with the following straight ahead version
of “If I Loved You” by Sutton and Jacob perfectly
demonstrated the eclecticism of the band.
As might be expected from a band with a recent
release, they included six of the eleven selections from
Desire during the evening’s proceedings. During
the first set they performed two highly contrasting
songs, the delicate Dave Frishberg/Alan Broadbent
song “Heart’s Desire,” with the sole accompaniment
of Jacob, and the sultry “Whatever Lola Wants.”
They broke up these selections with a breakneck “’S
Wonderful,” performed by Sutton, Axt and Brinker
as they did it on their live Birdland disc. This set concluded with a passionate “It’s All Right With Me,”
and a somewhat mystical reading of “It’s Only a Paper
Moon” that was prefaced by a reading from a Bahá’i
prayer. “Love Me or Leave Me” and “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” were performed in the second set.
The Tierney Sutton Band demands a lot from
the imagination and intelligence of their audiences.
In return, they provide a scintillating evening of
song, nicely enhanced by Sutton’s often witty and
always engaging commentary.
Noteworthy Performances
Les Paul
1915–2009
Iridium Honors Les Paul www.lespaulonline.com
w/John Colianni, Lou Pallo, Nicki Parrott & Special Guests
Iridium Jazz Club: Mon 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28
The Overtone Quartet: www.daveholland.com
Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Jason Moran, Eric Harland
The Blue Note: Tues 9/8 – Sun 9/13
Legendary guitar virtuoso, recording artist and studio pioneer
Les Paul died on August 13 at the age of 94. He has been
playing Monday nights at Iridium for years, and they will be
paying tribute to him every Monday of the month. His regular
trio band-mates will host the tribute along with guitarist Lou
Pallo and an array of special guests to be announced.
Donations can be made to the Les Paul Foundation: 236
West 30th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10001.
Bass master Dave Holland, once a sideman to Thelonious
Monk and Miles Davis, has a knack for swooping up the
greatest players of the younger generation and making
them his bandmates. This latest group of his, The Overtone
Quartet, features tenor lion Chris Potter, piano icon Jason
Moran, and the incredible Eric Harland on drums. Make your
reservations quick because many of these sets will surely
sell out.
Michael Marcus Quintet: www.michaelmarcusjazz.com
Lotus Symphony
Barge Music: Thurs 9/10
Grassella Oliphant Trio
After a long hiatus from being a professional musician, that
If you’ve never been aboard this floating venue, now is the
time. Recently, this superb boat/concert hall, highly regarded
for its classical concerts, has begun featuring jazz. Clarinetist
Michael Marcus will be joined by pianist John Austria, bassist
Rahsaan Carter, Jay Rosen on drums and a surprise guest!
Marcus has been an active member of the NYC Jazz Scene
for over 25 years who has played with artists ranging from
blues god Albert King the drum master Billy Higgins.
lasted almost four decades, during which Grasella Oliphant
raised his family, he is now back on the scene, playing with
the same fire that he had in his youth. Oliphant released two
albums for Atlantic records in the 60’s, entitled The Grass
Roots, and The Grass is Greener. Both have recently been
re-released.
Eldar Djangirov Trio
www.eldarjazz.com
Jazz Standard: Thurs 9/10 – Sun 9/13
Harlem in the Himalayas: Fred Hersch
Rubin Museum of Art: Fri 9/11
www.marianmcpartland.com
www.fredhersch.com
The Harlem in the Himalayas series at the Rubin Museum of
Art requires that the performer look through the museum and
find a work of art that inspires them, and then to compose
something with that work of art acting as their muse.
Performers are not allowed to use any amplification is the
beautiful all wood performance space. Sitting in there, you
feel like you are inside a giant guitar. It is a multi-disciplinary
affair as you will also here from art experts about the piece
that Fred chose.
Credit: RJ Capak
Eldar will be celebrating the release of his fourth Sony
Masterworks album, Virtue—a CD that shows a prodigious
talent continuing to grow into his seemingly limitless
abilities. The 22 year-old’s new release features exciting
and modern compositions with lots of odd meter work and
plenty of groove, in large part due to the work of bassist
Armando Gola, who plays electric throughout the record.
Eldar was on the Marian McPartland Show by 11, and a
Grammy Nominee by 20.
Marian McPartland & Friends
Dizzy’s Club: Tues 9/15
Double Feature: Ryan Blotnick / w
ww.ryanblotnick.com
Ben Monder & Bill McHenry Duo www.benmonder.com
Cornelia Street Café: Mon 9/21
At 8:30PM catch contemporary jazz guitarist Ryan Blotnick’s
CD release party for “Everything Forgets.” He will be joined
by Ben Monder and Bill McHenry, who will then do a duo set
at 10PM. Blotnick and Monder are two of the most acclaimed
NYC guitarists performing today, and McHenry’s is known
for his very distinctive voice on the tenor saxophone. This
is their first duo performance since they recorded “Bloom”
ten years ago.
McPartland is a legendary English jazz pianist, composer,
writer and the host of Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz on
National Public Radio. Her “friends,” or guests that she
invites onto her famous radio show are some of the most
iconic players on the scene, so chances are you will be
seeing some incredible people join her for this one night
only performance.
Matt Wilson Quartet
www.mattwilsonjazz.com
Jazz Standard: Tues 9/22 – Wed 9/23
Nicole Pasternak Quintet
The Kitano: Wed 9/23
You will be sure to see Jazz Inside Staff at this one. Matt
Wilson and Co. have just released “That’s Gonna Leave
a Mark,” the MWQ’s first CD since 2003, and it is off the
hook! Wilson, sax players Andrew D’Angelo (who just beat a
battle with cancer), Jeff Lederer, and bassist Chris Lightcap
present a mixture of originals and not so standard covers
like “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” with their very unique
delivery that can be described as ecstatically fun and funky,
yet primitive and profound.
For this engagement at the cozy and comfortable Kitano
hotel jazz bar, acclaimed jazz singer Nicole Pasternak
will be joined by Ralph LaLama on tenor, Don Friedman
on piano, Bill Moring on bass and Tom Melito on drums.
“Pasternak has developed an enthusiastic audience with
her honest, straight-ahead style, and equal energy for swing
songs, bebop, ballads and Latin jazz. She also kicks in
writing music and lyrics.”
www.lenoxlounge.com
Lenox Lounge: Thurs 9/10
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
www.nicolepasternak.com
65
Fall Preview
Performing Arts Centers and Jazz Concert Series
By Joe Lang
saxophonists Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, trumpeter
Joe Newman, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, bassist Dr.
Lyn Christie and drummer Bobby Rosengarden. As
would become a tradition in the ensuing Highlights
in Jazz series, Kleinsinger had a few special guests
Jack Kleinsinger’s
added to the roster of players, guitarist Gene BertonHighlights In Jazz
cini and clarinetist Phil Bodner. A rave review from
Back in 1973, Jack Kleinsinger was a lawyer by day,
John S. Wilson of The New York Times put Kleinsand an avid jazz fan at night. He was one of those
inger on the map, and he launched what was to becats who spent a lot of time in the cornucopia of jazz
come the longest running series of jazz concerts in
clubs that were present on the New York City jazz
New York City.
scene. Like most of those who frequented the clubs,
This year Highlights in Jazz (www.highlighthe became friendly with many of the musicians who
sinjazz.org)
is celebrating its 37th, and, unfortuplayed in them. One evening, he went to see Zoot
nately,
final
season.
The slowdown in the economy
Sims and Bucky Pizzarelli, and was encouraged by
has
caught
up
with
Kleinsinger,
and he has decided
them to do something productive with his enthusithat
it
is
time
to
end
what
has
been
a bedrock of the
asm for the music like buying into a club or putting
New
York
City
mainstream
jazz
scene.
He is going
on some concerts.
out
with
a
big
bang,
as
the
fall
series
indicates.
There
The seed was planted, and Kleinsinger apare
four
monthly
concerts
scheduled
for
the
second
proached the Theater de Lys about producing a jazz
concert on a Monday night when their regularly Thursday of each month at TRIBECA Performing
scheduled dramatic offerings were dark. They agreed, Arts Center.
Opening the series on September 10 will be
and he booked the theatre for two nights. On the first
evening, he presented a program that included tenor a program titled Cabaret Jazz that will feature
As we enter the autumn of 2009, there are ample opportunities for those in the New York/New
Jersey area to feast on a lot of terrific jazz at a variety
of venues.
PAMELA LUSS with HOUSTON PERSON
SWEET and SAXY, NEW ALBUM AND CD RELEASE EVENT
Sweet and Saxy, produced by and featuring Houston Person, to be released on
September 29, 2009 by Savant/HighNote Records.
Pre-orders are available now at online-stores. For more information, visit
www.pamelaluss.com.
On her fourth album for Savant/HighNote Records,
Pamela joins forces with the veteran
sax man and producer, for a fast moving set of
ballads, blues, and scintillating swingers.
Houston Person (tenor saxophone),
John di Martino (piano), James Chirillo
(guitar), Ray Drummond (bass),
& Willie Jones III (drums)
The CD RELEASE EVENT will
be at THE JAZZ STANDARD
(116 East 27th, between
Lexington and Park Ave) on
Wednesday, Oct 28th
(7:30pm & 9:30pm) Reservations
Required- 212-576-2232.
“...Luss’s vocal instrument is
beautiful, cooing and intense, with
a kind of steely tenderness.”
—Cadence magazine
66 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
pianist/vocalist Barbara Carroll and vocalist Paula
West with their bands. Hot Jazz from New Orleans
to Israel will be the theme of the October 8 concert.
Among the featured performers will be clarinetists
Evan Christopher and Anat Cohen, trumpeter Duke
Heitger, trombonist George Masso, pianists Ehud
Asherie and Johnny Varro, and drummers Jackie
Williams and Joe Ascione. Living Jazz Legends will
be the focus on November 12, with clarinetist Buddy
DeFranco fronting a group that includes fellow
clarinetist Ron Odrich, guitarist Joe Cohn, bassist
Jay Leonhart and drummer Ed Metz Jr., and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli headlining with support from
his sons, guitarist/vocalist John and bassist Martin,
plus drummer Mickey Roker. This will mark the 30th
appearances at Highlights in Jazz by Pizzarelli and
Leonhart, more than any other musicians who have
participated in the series. Concluding the fall series
will be a program called Celebrating the Swing Masters. Clarinetist Ken Peplowski, vibraphonist terry
Gibbs and guitarist Freddie Bryant will lead groups
paying tribute to Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton
and Charlie Christian respectively. Following the
tradition mentioned earlier, there will be surprise
guests joining in at each of these events.
Kleinsinger will be continuing his final year
with an additional four concerts in the spring. If this
is to be the final season, a certainty unless some unexpected sponsor suddenly comes forward, it sounds
like Highlights in Jazz and Jack Kleinsinger will be
ending things with a lot of great music.
Tribeca Performing Arts Center
The TRIBECA Performing Arts Center (www.
tribecapac.org) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College will present a three concert series,
Monk in Motion, on December 5, 12 and 19 featuring the top three finishers in the Thelonious Monk
International Jazz Competition. The 2009 competition will focus on bass players.
Jazz At Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center (jalc.org) has an exciting
lineup of concerts scheduled in both the Rose Theater and the Allen Room. Among the programs in
the Rose Theater are Ornette Coleman on September
26, The Ladies of Duke Ellington on October 1517, Soul Jazz of the ‘60s on October 22-24, Wynton
Marsalis on October 29-31, Mary Lou Williams
Centennial on November 13-15, and Red Hot Holiday Stomp on December 10-12. The Allen Room will
feature Monty Alexander: Harlem-Kingston Express
on October 2-3, Dianne reeves on October 30-31,
Maceo Parker on November 13-14, and Kim Burrell
on December 11-12. Of course, there is always great
jazz every night at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, the other
venue at JALC.
Carnegie Hall
There will be two ongoing jazz series at Carnegie Hall
(www.carnegiehall.org), Shape of Jazz and Just Jazz:
The Joyce Wien Series. The first concert in the former
series, Terrence Blanchard will be given in Zankel Hall
on October 28, with the others in this series taking
place in the spring. Just Jazz will present two fall concerts, Esperanza Spaulding on October 28, and Hiromi, Kenny Barron and Roger Kellaway on December
3. Both performances will take place in Zankel Hall.
Miller Theatre
org). Their fall schedule includes several attractive
jazz offerings. Paquito D’Rivera appears on October 31, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and the Tito
Puente, Jr. Orchestra are there on November 1, the
all star trio of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack
DeJohnette bring their music to NJPAC on November 20, and on December 5, the Branford Marsalis
Quartet and the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra will
share the stage.
SOPAC – South Orange Performing
Arts Center
The Miller Theatre Jazz Series (www.millertheatre.
com) at Columbia University is presenting five concerts, with the Cyrus Chestnut Trio on October 9, the
Marty Ehrlich Rites Quartet on October 24, and A
Christmas Journey with Eric Reed on December 11.
There will be two additional concerts in February,
The Carla Cook Quintet on the 12th, and the Damien
Sneed Gospel Express on the 26th. Reduced price tickets are available in subscription packages.
The South Orange Performing Arts center (www.
sopacnow.org) will present The Manhattan Transfer
for two concerts on December 6, and Dianne Reeves
for a holiday concert on December 20.
September 2009
Bickford Theatre
Jazz at the Bickford Theatre is a popular series at the
Morris Museum (www.morrismuseum.org/static/
bickford), celebrating its 10th Anniversary this season. The Fall schedule includes pianist Tom Roberts
Dix Hills Performing Arts Center,
on September 15, String of Pearls on October 5, tromLong Island
bonist Dan Barrett on October 19, the Midiri-BarnOn Long Island, The Dix Hills Performing Arts hart Trio on November 2, Fete Manouche, a DjangoCenter (www.dhpac.org) at the Five Towns College style group with Dan Levinson, on November 16,
will be presenting several jazz concerts. They include and pianist Rossano Sportiello on December 7.
Arnie Gruber: Tribute to Neal Sedaka & Marvin
A sister series takes place at the Ocean County
Hamlish on September 11, Tribute to Latin Jazz Library in Toms River (732-255-0500). There are
with the Steve Kroon Sextet on October 16, Tribute
four concerts scheduled with Ivory and Gold (Jeff
to Bill Evans with pianist Gerard D’Angelo on Octoand Anne Barnhart) on September 23, Dan Barrett
ber 30, Jazz for Kids Workshop with Cat da Silva on
and Friends on October 14, Kevin Dorn’s Traditional
November 15, An Evening of Jazz with the FTC Jazz
Jazz Collective on November 18, and the Warren VaOrchestra and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and Guiché Trio on December 16.
tar Extravaganza: Salute to Guitar Legends Johnny
Ramapo College (www.ramapo.edu/berriecenSmith, Al Viola and Tal Farlow on December 11.
ter) is the site of the Jazz at the Berrie Center series.
They will present A Night of Salsa! With Larry Harlow
New Jersey
and the Latin Legends Band on October 10, Swingin’
Cape May Jazz Festival
the Great American Songbook with the Rachel Price
Twice each year, the Cape May Jazz Festival (www. Quartet on October 24, and It’s Christmas Time!
capemayjazz.com) attracts thousands of attendees to with the John Pizzarelli Quartet on December 10.
this charming village at the southern end of the JerThere is an active college jazz scene in New Jersey Shore. On November 6-8, the 32nd event in this
sey with jazz studies programs at Rutgers University
series will be A Tribute to Count Basie. Performances
in New Brunswick (www.rutgers.edu), William Pattake place at a variety of venues. Among the featured
erson University in Wayne (www.wpunj.edu), New
performers during this three-day jazz celebration are
Jersey City University in Jersey City (www.njcu.
Houston person, Richie Cole, Ravi Coltrane, Denise
edu), Rowan University in Glassboro (www.rowan.
Thimes, Barbara King and Teddy Royal.
edu), and Princeton University in Princeton (www.
Another staple in the world of New Jersey jazz
princeton.edu). William Paterson University has a
is the annual Giants of Jazz concert in South Orange
Jazz Room Series with Mulgrew Miller and Friends
(www.southorange.org/TheBairdArts). Each year,
on October 4, Ben Allison on October 11, The Carl
the Friends of the Arts in South Orange salute a jazz
Allen-Rodney
Whitaker Project on October 18, Paul
master at this concert. This is the tenth year for the
event, and the honoree will be pianist Barry Harris. Meyer’s World on a String Quintet on October 25, voAmong the parade of jazz greats who will be hon- calist Carrie Jackson on November 1, and Frank Wess
oring Harris will be Dr. Billy Taylor, Hank Jones, on November 8. On Monday, October 8, New Jersey
Benny Powell, Frank Wess, and many, many more. City University will host a concert featuring saxoThe South Orange Middle School auditorium is al- phone legend James Moody. There is a lot of other
ways packed to overflowing for this popular concert. concert activity at each of these schools.
With all of these concerts coming along, there
are a variety of styles and venues available to please
New Jersey Performing
the tastes of all jazz enthusiasts in the New York MetArts Center
One of the gems on the Newark cultural scene is the ropolitan area. In addition, there is plenty of music to
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (www.njpac. enjoy nightly at the many jazz clubs around town.
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
67
Around Town
Two Hot Days of Cool
Quintessential Jazz 7th
Annual Jazz Festival
Oskar Schindler
Performing Arts Center
Saturday and Sunday,
September 12 and 13
The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center
(OSPAC) announces that the Seventh Annual Jazz
Festival will be held on September 12 & 13 at the
spectacular OSPAC Amphitheater at Crystal Lake,
4 Boland Drive, West Orange. This event is $10 for
adults and $5 for seniors. Children are free. Admission is taken at the entrance.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Oskar
Schindler Performing Arts Center will present an
entire weekend of world-class jazz entertainment
emceed by WBGO’s Gary Walker, in an open-air
setting, complete with international food vendors,
artisans and crafts, health spa center, and entertainment and activities for children. This weekend will
also include “Paint the Music” led by Nitza Horner,
teaching artist and freelance educator affiliated with
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where patrons
will paint what they hear.
“The OSPAC Jazz Festival has grown in seven
years to be the most talked about jazz event in the
area,” said internationally renowned jazz singer and
OSPAC’s Executive Director, Kate Baker. “And this
year’s event will be more spectacular than ever. Our
lineup of artists is an international mix of quintessential jazz stylists and modern and cultural jazz interpreters.”
“What makes this venue special is not only the
beautiful surroundings where you can stroll around
the lake, but the superb sound that you can hear from
every location,” said guitarist Vic Juris.
Dave Stryker
68 Rene Rosnes
This year’s stellar lineup includes: GRAMMY®
Award-winning New York Voices, Dizzy Gillespie
All-Stars featuring John Lee and special guests; A
Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim with Vic Juris, Kate
Baker, Nilson Matta, Mauricio Zottarelli, Café, and
Steve Wilson; Dave Stryker and the West Orange AllStars featuring Billy Hart and Steve Slagle, OSPAC
Jazz Workshop Big Band, Cecil Brooks III and Hot
D.O.G. featuring Matt Chertkoff, Ali Jackson Trio
with Aaron Goldberg and Carlos Henriquez, Nat
Adderley, Jr. Trio, Mayra Casales Latin Band with
Cuban drummer Francois Zayas, Enrico Granafei,
Pam Purvis and the Bob Ackerman Quartet, vocalist
Steve Lovell, Bob Devos Organ Trio featuring vocalist Kevin Burke, and Oscar Perez Nuevo Comienzo.
Latin Giants Orchestra
brings Tito Puente’s All Star
Orchestra back together
again – September 12 at
CUNY York
The Latin Jazz Giants will appear at the CUNY
York Perforing Arts Center on September 12, 2009
at 8PM and 10PM., 94 - 20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd, Jamaica, NY. The LJG are led by John ‘Dandy’ Rodriguez, directed by Jose Madera with Mitch Frohman
each of whom have spent over 25 years working beside Tito Puente. The focus of the band driven by the
dedication to keeping the sound of the 40’s and 50’s
Palladium era music thriving and moving forward.
The orchestra has successfully kept the sound of the
Big 3 (Machito, Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente)
alive and well, while allowing for its progression by
working with new musical concepts.
Formerly the Tito Puente Orchestra, this incredible ensemble under their new name Latin Giants Orchestra, is comprised of an array of creative,
experienced musicians. Transcending boundaries,
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
the passion of this ensemble’s big band sound and hot
Latin rhythms beckons all to the dance floor.
Sep 12, 2009, from 08:00 PM to 10:00 PM,
CUNY York Perfoming Arts Center, 718-262-3750,
www.york.cuny.edu, $20.00 Adults $10.00 Students
& Seniors.
5th Annual Diet Coke
Women In Jazz Festival
Diet Coke and Jazz at Lincoln Center, the notfor-profit arts organization dedicated to inspiring
and growing audiences for jazz hosts the 5th Annual
Diet Coke Women in Jazz Festival at Dizzy’s Club
Coca-Cola. The festival, spanning nearly a month,
celebrates the great contributions women performers have made to jazz music. The festival will feature
nightly performances by some of the most influential
women in jazz today as well as up-and-coming artists
September 7 through October 5, 2009. The festival is
held at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola located in the home
of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Frederick P. Rose Hall,
Broadway at 60th St, 5th floor.
The schedule includes: Monday, September 7
– UPSTARTS!, Amina Figarova Quintet; TuesdaySunday, September 8-13: Rene Rosnes Quartet w/
Lewis Nash, Peter Washington & Special Guest;
Monday, September 14 – Special Presentation, Elana
James & The Hot Club of Cowtown; Tuesday, September 15: Marian McPartland & Friends; Wednesday-Sunday, September 16-20: Marlena Shaw w/
Sherrie Maricle & The DIVA Jazz Orchestra; Monday-Tuesday, September 21-22 – Special Presentation: Valerie Capers Quintet; Wednesday-Sunday,
September 23-27: Carmen Lundy Quintet w/ Special Guest Bobby Watson – 7:30pm & 9:30pm only;
Monday, September 18 – Special Presentation: Evi
Siamanda Sings Mimis Plessas; Wednesday-Sunday,
September 29-October 4: Karrin Allyson & Nancy
King – 7:30pm & 9:30pm only; Monday, October 5 around the time of his debut album Findings, which
the saxophonist cites as a highly creative period for
– Special Presentation: Nikki Yanofsky
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, 5th floor, Frederick P. him. “Half the songs on Escaping Shadows were writRose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, on Broad- ten before the first record came out,” he says. “For
way at 60th Street, New York City. Cover charge for example, I had hopes that the tune “Escaping Shadweekly headliners is $30 Tuesday-Thursday and Sun- ows” would make it on to Findings, but there wasn’t
day; $35 Friday and Saturday; $20 Monday; $10 After enough time in the studio to record it. It turned out
Hours. Student rates are: $15 headliners, $10 Monday for the best because I restructured it, building in new
elements and making it stronger.”
and $5 After Hours. The food and beverage minimum
Reid recorded Escaping Shadows with his own
is in effect for all sets: $10 at the tables, $5 at the bar.
group to build upon the rapport the members develCall (212) 258-9595 or visit www.jalc.org.
oped while working on the road together for the past
two years. “We are a family. We’ve developed a way to
work on my compositions and grooves.” Members of
Benny Reid CD on Concord the group include guitarist Richard Padrón, word- Release at Jazz Standard, less vocalist Jeff Taylor and percussionist Ryan Fitch,
all of whom also played on Reid’s debut album. In adSeptember 16
dition, Reid recruited pianist Pablo Vergara, bassist
Daniel Loomis and drummer Kenny Grohowski.
Concord Jazz releases Escaping Shadows, the
Yet Reid’s alto takes the melodic lead on the
sophomore album from alto saxophonist and band- tunes. He says, “I want to create the most beautiful
leader Benny Reid – who will be appearing at the melodies I possibly can.” That’s especially the case on
Jazz Standard for a release party on September 16. the sublime tune, “The Most Beautiful Girl I Ever
On his new release, 28-year-old Reid reveals the next Knew,” which is dedicated to his sister who passed
vital step in his maturation as an adventurous artist away when Reid was 13. “She inspired me,” he says. “I
and an ambitious composer. The album features nine wrote this in college in a practice room. It was a very
originals and one cover song.
emotional experience for me. I escaped into the muProduced by Reid and Chris Dunn, Escaping sic after her death, knowing that I would honor her
Shadows spotlights Reid and his band as embark- with it someday.” He also adds, “I’ve always found my
ing on a passionate, largely upbeat and lyrical jour- musical voice the truest way to express my feelings;
ney. The album includes pieces that were written it’s easier for me to pick up the saxophone and express
Stay posted for the
New Release of:
Behind the
Smile
Mulgrew Miller, Bill Easley,
Kenny Washington, Peter
Washington. With original
music by Antoinette
Montague & songs by Sam
Jones, William “Smokey”
Robinson, Duke Ellington,
Big Bill Broonzy.
myself creatively through my horn, than it is through
my speaking voice. I feel that I can find the heart of
my soul when I play. I try to create the most moving
melodies possible that represent my influences. My
sister is my most dominant influence, and I strive to
achieve some sort of musical comparison to her with
every song I write.”
A graduate of the prestigious music program at
Indiana University, Reid grew up in a musical household where he was exposed to a variety of styles. From
his New Jersey home, he would often go to New York
to catch such musicians as Sonny Rollins and Phil
Woods and even participate in jams at the Blue Note
and Smalls. An early mentor was Buddy Rich’s alto
saxophonist Andy Fusco, and Reid began writing
music when he was 14. While his musical interests
ran the gamut from the brass-infused pop band Chicago to the King of Pop Michael Jackson, guitarist
Pat Metheny was his biggest influence. “I remember
as a child being in my father’s arms while he danced
around the house to Metheny music,” Reid says. “He
was Pat’s biggest fan. So I soaked that influence and
it hit me hard as I started to compose.”
Escaping Shadows ends with the title track,
which opens with a slow and extended introduction
before buoying with highly textured energy. Reid
says the tune represents growth. “I’m trying to come
into my own,” he says. “So I am escaping the shadows
of my influences and finding myself. I’m still evolving as a player and a composer. That’s what Escaping
Shadows is all about. I’m on the way.”
Thu. September 3rd
AmericAn muSeum of folk Art
w/Bill Wurtzel and the Jazz Icons
Featuring Antoinette Montague
Celebrating the Jazz Quilt • 6 –7:30pm
After Celebration at:
o’neAlS red bAr
50 West 65th St, NYC • 212-787-4663
8:30 –11:30pm
Thu. november 5tH
tHe kitAno
66 Park Avenue at 38tth Street, NYC
212-885-7119
Check website for updates
Sat. november 7tH
JAzz veSperS
at St. Albans Congregational Church
St Albans, Queens • 6 –7:30 pm
Montague
Antoinette
For Bookings: Call 203-820-8819 or E-mail: [email protected]
www.antoinettemontague.com
Ad design: Danita Albert • Photo: Andrew Lepley
September 2009
*Also Check out
our new website!
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
69
Interview
Michael Lazaroff – Jazz Cruises LLC
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: How did your fascination with jazz and how that
developed first of all.
ML: My father was a really top notch amateur saxophone player, played all the time at home. He used
to play those Music Minus One albums, remember
those?
JI: Sure.
ML: I was a drummer so I might play a little bit. I
wound up more in the concert band than in a jazz
band, but really loved music.
JI: That was out in St. Louis?
ML: Yes. What was interesting was that my mother
was in the travel business, and her second husband
also really liked jazz and that’s when she got involved
with jazz cruises. This was almost 30 years ago. She
became the largest seller of cabins to the point where
they really became to rely upon her. So in 1999, when
they dropped the program, mom at age 70, decided
that she was going to be the first person ever to charter a full ship to do this thing. I started helping her
with that and it was an instant success, and then we
started with the Smooth Jazz Cruises and then the
Playboy Jazz Cruise and things like that, North Sea
Jazz Cruise, and it has just been a format that has
worked for us and it really fits the cruising. You know
what a Venn diagram is?
JI: No.
ML: Okay, a Venn diagram – it’s like concentric
circles. If you take a circle and that is the population of everybody who loves jazz, and then you take
a circle of everybody who is a likely cruiser, that little
intersection, there’s going to be a little intersection,
and that’s our market. And, there is a market. Jazz
tends to be a little more high end, a little bit older,
a little more whatever, and it really fits the cruise
concepts and that’s how we’ve really tailored all of
our programming and all of our marketing. It’s an
adult cruise. We get rid of all of the crazy cruise stuff
and you can clean that up. We get rid of all of the
standard, lowest common denominator cruise activities. When a regular cruise does activities, they don’t
know who’s going to come on board. We know who’s
going to come on board. We’re going to have 2,000
music lovers who love jazz and so we change the music, which is in the public areas. We change all the
events. Everything is around the music, okay? And
the highest level of performers and the highest levels
of performances. We’re very careful to make sure that
the sound and the rooms and everything work perfectly for our guests. We want the greatest experience
because all the other stuff is there. We have a beautiful ship, great food, great service, tremendous in70 teraction between the guests and the artists. I mean,
they get to see these people for a week. They get to see
them in ways that they don’t see them otherwise. The
other thing, which is cool, is the artist themselves.
Typically, if you go to a concert or an event, the artists have to worry about where they’re going to be the
next day and the plane, and this, and then that, and
the guests have to worry about where they park their
car, and if there’s a babysitter, and what they’ll have
to do. Well, on a ship, none of that’s true. One of my
favorite lines is all you have to do at the end of the
night is find your way back to a cabin – doesn’t even
have to be your cabin, just a cabin. It really creates a
very relaxed atmosphere. And because these guys are
on the ship for the whole week, they mix and match
in ways that could never happen. You couldn’t afford
to have a concert the way we have these cruises with
all these artists and the way they mix and match. I
remember that on one of our Smooth Jazz Cruises,
at one point in time, on the stage was David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Koz …
I forgot who else. But those guys have never played
together before, and they will never play together
again. It was an amazing event. Those are the kinds
of things that happen on the cruise environment because the artists get paid well. But there’s also a little
bit of vacation element to it. They bring their spouses
and their spouses love it because the spouses don’t get
to go on the road with them. The other thing that
the artists have found is that it’s a great hookup situation for them with other artists. I can’t tell you how
many projects have come out of these guys being on
the ship together. They hook-up for tours. Probably
the most interesting line ever was Kirk Whalum
www.jazzcruisesllc.com
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
told me, “You get the best performances that we do
all year.” I said, “Why?” He said, “Because we never
perform in front of our colleagues and nobody wants
to be the weak link.” So there is that element going
on too. But it’s all about the guests. From the time
we started, we cherish our guests. We want them to
come back and back, and they do. 60% of all of our
guests are people that have cruised with us before
and we want them to have the greatest vacation, the
greatest experience. We want them to walk off that
ship just thinking they had the best time ever. They
usually do because again, they vote with their check
books. They vote with their feet. They come back. I
am greatly appreciative and I take very seriously of
the trust that these people give us because they now
book our cruise because it’s us and every single cruise,
I have a meeting with all the artists before the ship
sails, and I tell them the same thing, same thing every
time. There’s 1,800, 1,900, 2,000, whatever the right
number of people on this ship who have taken a week
out of their lives and a bunch of money out of their
bank account to have a good time and because we are
promising them a great vacation and we’re going to
provide that for them. There is no stone unturned.
We believe in the highest quality of everything that
we do. We believe in service, we take care of people.
We want this to be special and it is special. The other
thing is, it’s a whole lot of fun and that’s the best part.
You know, somebody said the other day that if you
love what you do but then you never work a day in
your life. Well, for the past five, six, seven, eight years,
that’s how my life has been. It has been wonderful.
JI: So how often is the shuffle board court used on
your cruises?
ML: [laughs] For shuffle board? Never. But for dancing, quite often. Those are the kinds of things that we
get rid of. We don’t have any of that nonsense.
JI: Is the personnel and the cuisine the same as on
the non-jazz cruises?
ML: Yes and no. We’re able to massage it. We go on
a cruise the week before to get the cruise ship ready.
I can tell you that the wine lists are better. We have
certain events, food events that are different. We
definitely kick it up a notch.
JI: The last time we spoke you were talking about
your interest in cooking, and becoming a chef. Was
this something that began as an outgrowth of your
experience on the cruises?
ML: No, that began when I was a kid. I used to watch
cooking shows long before there was the Food Network. On public television they have the The Galloping Gourmet and that guy from Seattle, the Frugal
Gourmet. I used to watch Julia Child and I used to
cook as a kid.
“They say that you can tell something about somebody
based upon their friends. I think you can tell something
about people based upon their music taste. If you like jazz,
which is improvisational, which is free flowing, which has
very few rules, okay, has from the get go been an ethnically
and rationally diverse - then the odds are you’re going
to be a pretty accepting kind of nice person.”
ML: People don’t realize how many elements have to
come into play to make the cruise work. None of it is
brain surgery, but it is like a mosaic. It’s a whole bunch
of little things that have to be there in order for there
to be a picture. Getting artists signed, getting them to
the ship, rehearsing, getting all of the programs ready,
getting all of our equipment on board, getting ready
for the shows, working out the performance schedules
– just all of that. Then doing the same thing for 1,800,
1,900 guests. For 7 days, we serve 3 meals a day and do
how many shows for 7 days, for 1,800 people. It’s a lot
JI: You were talking about the week that you spent then you do what feels right. What feels right? What and it’s all about details. You’re at sea, you’re on a ship.
developing your skills as a chef with Italian cuisine. I tastes right? Marcus Miller once told me the most You’ve got limited resources and you have limited cawould just love to hear you talk a little bit about your important thing is – do you have something to say? pability. That’s why we go on the ship the week bepasta experience and how you made fresh pasta again. Do you have something worthy to say when you play fore to get everything ready. I don’t understand how
your instrument? Cooking is the same way. In other anybody does any kind of charter by walking on the
ML: Well I went to the Culinary Institute of Amer- words, if you have something here is this something ship at the same time as they do with their passengers.
ica for a week and it was Italian cooking boot camp. I that has layers of flavors and texture and is right, or That is just astonishing to me. It’s just a tremendous
learned how to make homemade pasta and all kinds are you just making something to eat? There really amount of detail and we spend lots of time creating
of sauces and things like that. Every other week on is a real difference between cooking and just mak- lots of charts and lots of schedules because we choSaturday morning, I go up to the Italian section of ing something to eat. But just like jazz, it is fun to reograph that cruise from the time the guests walk on
St. Louis called the Hill, and I buy all my provisions. be surprised. It is fun to hear something new, to do that ship, until they walk off that ship.
I will make sauce every other Saturday and make something new. It’s fun to share. Jazz is a real sharing
thing, the way the artists share and that’s what food
a big pot, freeze them in bags, and use them. Then
JI: How many events are going on simultaneously?
is. You share with people and kind of work together.
on Sunday’s I make pasta. I happen to really like my
It’s all about living a good quality life.
sauce. At this time of the year, it is particularly fun
ML: It really depends upon the cruise. On the Jazz
because you can really use really good fresh tomatoes
JI: What have been some of the challenges that Cruise, which is our straight ahead Jazz Cruise, that
and they’re in season here in the Midwest and it re- you’ve experienced in developing the jazz cruises, or is done festival style. We will have five and seven sets
ally makes it special, really special. I love cooking. I actually on any particular cruise?
cook all the time and I cook for other people and my
kids. That’s just when I’m done working and when
I’m done working out. I’ll go home and I’ll open up a
Northern Manhattan has gotten
bottle of wine, pour myself a glass and I’ll cook somejazzed up!! Every other Thursday
thing, listen to some good music and all life is good.
In Association with
MightyDreamer Angel
JI: It sounds like it. You mentioned that there may be
an outlet for you to express your culinary expertise
on ship.
Presents: MightyDreamer Angel Jazz Series
ML: Oh, I’m going to do a cooking exhibition on the
ship. There ain’t a question about that. I don’t know
what it will be. I haven’t decided yet. You’re limited
because of the presentation areas. I might do a scalloped dish with bacon and raisins and dried cherries
and nuts and stuff. It has a little flare to it. You kind
of flambé the pans. So I can set the ship on fire – always a good thing to do.
on vocals, keys and percussion
on guitar
on bass
on drums
Nori Naraoka
Jensi Florentino
on bass
on percussion
Also appearing
on vocals
Ron Austin and
Gia Williams
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JI: Now, the essence of jazz is about improvisation
and preparing a meal can embody some of those
same kinds of elements. Do you have some comments
about that?
ML: Well, absolutely. I mean, my daughter is going
to La Cordon Bleu to be a pastry chef okay – and
that’s more chemistry. Decorating, there’s a lot of
things there, but you have to follow the recipe. Cooking is like jazz. There are some basics. There are the
standards and there are some basic elements to it, but
Sharon L. West
Yoshiki Miura
Ian J. Baggette
Masahiro Sakuma
11 powerhouse bi-weekly Thursday performances continue
JI: And enough space in the lifeboats until they get
the flames put down?
ML: Exactly right, exactly right.
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September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Lead Vocalist
Sharon L. West
71
Interview
Nicole Pasternak
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: Can you talk about some of the things that are
currently happening in your career that you are excited about?
a so-called battleground state. At first it was kind of
unnerving, knocking on peoples’ doors, but I ended
up feeling really grateful that I stuck my neck out,
introducing myself to perfect strangers and doing my
NP: I have always loved to travel, airlines notwith- part to put a positive face on positive change. Also, I
standing, and luckily more and more I’ve been in- have done volunteer work for “Songs of Love,” an orvited to perform in other areas of the country. I love ganization where we write and record personalized,
getting out there and meeting new people and trying one-of-a-kind songs for children facing life-threatnew situations. I also really love getting the chance to ening illnesses. That puts music in a most powerful
tour a bit with my husband [tenor saxophonist Ralph place, for me. Beyond that, spending time with famLalama]. I’m sure you understand how lucky and ily and friends keeps life in balance, along with the
special an experience that is, to share life as a “jazz pursuit of my spiritual life.
couple.” Last fall we had an awesome time in Tennessee. This summer we are heading out to Michigan to JI: Who are some of the influential artists with
tour. I love this country and during these tough times whom you have performed that have created deespecially it’s meaningful to reach out and connect mands and challenges for you, therefore influencing
with people in such a personal way, through jazz.
JI: In addition to your involvement in music, what
other activities help provide balance and fulfillment
in your life?
“You can immediately tell when someone is just saying
something to say something, versus saying something
because they feel honestly moved to do so.”
NP: I am an avid current events and world events
follower; this helps me keep perspective on my life – your development, perspective, life understandings,
staying aware of what’s going on around the world. I and personal growth? How have they done so?
also volunteer. I worked for the Obama campaign, in
NP: Two people and experiences come to mind. First,
Ralph Lalama. I had the opportunity to perform at
Jazz at Lincoln Center – Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,
for the Women in Jazz festival last September. Ralph
encouraged me to do it with his chord-less trio, “Bop
Juice”: Ralph on tenor, Pat O’Leary on bass and Clifford Barbaro on drums. Most people associate a vocalist with a piano or guitar, so not only was I stepping
out of my comfort zone I was concerned about the listeners, too, whether it would be too stark a sound for
them, not vis-à-vis the musicians but as a context for
a singer. Anyway, we worked out some arrangements
that included some not-so-easy parts for me to learn,
for example Hank Mobley’s solo on “Remember” and
Kenny Dorham’s “Short Story”, where I had to learn
the trumpet part. There’s this one harmonic interval
in the coda that I had to study for days before I finally
got it in my ear, thanks also to Ralph’s encouragement.
We had five nights in a row – I’d never worked anywhere for five nights straight. I felt like I journeyed a
thousand miles between the first night and the last,
and that really grew me as a singer. It was daunting,
but in the end I’m grateful that Ralph pushed me to
do it. He’s had the greatest influence on me. Second,
John Harbison. Late last summer I received a last
minute call from my friend, trombonist Tom Artin,
to step in for another singer at his friends’ chamber
music festival in Token Creek, Wisconsin. This was to
be with the world-renowned, Pulitzer Prize-winning
American classical composer, John Harbison and his
wife, Rosemary Harbison, a concert violinist. Later I
learned that this is their old family farm where they
go annually to hold their festival and where in recent
years they’ve added a jazz component. The next morning I was on a plane and straight to rehearsals with a
quintet that included Harbison himself at the piano.
72 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
We would do three concerts in two days. I had to be
fairly specific with my parts and stick to the pre-set
program, while still stretching it out a bit. Everything
worked out, fortunately, and the musicians and the
people could not have been nicer. It was something, to
be suddenly immersed in their musical world. At one
point during my stay I was invited to a rehearsal of a
work by Harbison for classical voice and piano, a work
that was obviously challenging. As I sat cross-legged
on the floor near the composer, following the score
and observing as he perfected the minutia of it – I witnessed the astounding ability of these two young artists and Harbison’s level of composition. I felt dwarfed
by the enormity of such music and a composer of such
magnitude – yet so down-to-earth – with whom I was
singing jazz just the night before and would again, that
evening. Stepping outside the rehearsal barn into the
sunlight on their Wisconsin farm, I was physically
moved to tears. It was like an energy field; a humbling,
life-changing experience.
JI: What are your top five desert island vocal albums,
and please state why.
NP: You said vocal albums; many of my favorite vocal albums are the ones where a voice is paired with an
instrumentalist. I love that sound. Think Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al
Hibbler, Houston Person & Etta Jones, even Chet
Baker and his own horn! Well, if I have to narrow it
down to just five: (1) Astrud Gilberto & Stanley Turrentine, Gilberto with Turrentine. Classic CTI sound,
circa 1971. I wore through two LPs of this record; just
love their sound together and apart. Memorized the
whole thing and cannot imagine being tired of hearing it, ever. Arranged by Eumir Deodato – it’s stellar.
I love the Brazilian sound combined with that fat,
funky, Pittsburgh sound. (2) Billie Holiday & Lester
Young, “Complete Recordings.” I’ll never stop learning
“No, America, no jazz”.
from Billie Holiday. I’d want her sound near me, forever too. And again, the sax and the voice so perfectly
combine in pure jazz feeling, I’d like to sing and strive
for that sound ideal, on my desert island. (3) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. A perfect mirroring of
horn and voice, thought and feeling. Totally moving.
Hartman’s voice is like an angel and Coltrane’s voice is
god-like. (4) Jody Sandhaus, A Fine Spring Morning.
Jody is one of my nearest, dearest friends and I would
always want to be able to hear her voice; I’m in awe of
it, and it always touches my heart. (5) James Brown,
“Greatest Hits,” especially the stuff with Maceo Parker.
I love the energy and physicality of his voice and music, and I imagine I’d be sharing this desert island with
someone who would dig it, too, if you know what I
mean! I got to have James Brown!!
JI: Self consciousness can be the enemy of creativity,
and it takes the most strength for a singer to diffuse
it. If you’ve experienced that kind of performance
anxiety or nervousness in your career, what helped
you and how did/do you overcome it?
NP: If you’re talking about live performance creativity, i.e., phrasing, improvising, etc., I try to overcome
that by focusing my ears on what’s going on with the
music in the moment because my instincts take over
if I’m really listening, instead of thinking ahead of
something I know will “work.” Another thing that
helps me is to focus my attention on individuals in
the audience. That helps me connect and get over
the jitters. If I can’t see the audience, I just try to tell
myself to not take myself seriously – the music is
what matters, not me. If it’s recording in the studio,
I haven’t figured a way out of that one yet. I thrive on
live performance, but recording wigs me out. I just
don’t do it often enough to have mastered it.
JI: What were some of your early influences and
turning points that solidified your desire to follow
this life path as an artist?
NP: Music was always in our house, thanks to my
mom, dad and others. I came from seven children; I
don’t recall anybody telling us what we should be when
we grew up. I think having older brothers involved in
music made me feel like it was just as normal to be a
musician as anything else and I looked up to them. I
admired that they could write their own songs and
wondered what it would be like to write something of
my own. I loved all kinds of music and absorbed it like
a sponge; and I loved people. So once I did get going in
music it just felt good to do it. I would say that’s what
solidified my desire, that it just felt good to do it. Later
on, the encouragement of others sustained me. It was
a turning point when I finally began writing my own
music and lyrics, because I felt a different and higher
sense of purpose, to actually contribute something
original. Other turning points have been moments
when I felt down about myself but that often precedes
a growing/learning phase, and over time you realize
that that’s just part of the process.
NP: My folks made sure we had a piano in the house.
I didn’t get lessons but my older siblings must have
rubbed off on me because I do remember playing
piano and reading sheet music as a kid. Then in third
grade I was given a scholarship to study classical violin.
I pursued that for years but had to give it up after an accident that affected my hand. I played and sang in high
school jazz band and other bands outside school; some
guitar, mandolin, keyboard, but mostly singing. Had I
known I would be involved in music professionally as a
singer, I might have pursued an education. In my twenties I did study voice for a brief while. But ultimately,
I received my training on the bandstand. That’s where
I developed my skills – thanks to all those musicians.
The steps I took to get to where I am now were to just
take all the gigs I could, listen to all the music I could –
especially live music – and learn tons of songs.
JI: What advice do you have for young singers who
are looking to develop their own voice and the ability
to do this professionally?
NP: I say it’s okay to imitate your favorites, early on.
This gets you singing and gives you a foothold and
a repertoire. Learn as many melodies and lyrics as
you can stuff into your brain – make lists and check
them off, one by one. In terms of developing your
own voice, I was given some wise advice when I was
young. A great teacher, Charlotte Anthony, listened
to me sing several times without comment. Then one
day she instructed me carefully to, “Say the line first,
and then sing it.” I don’t remember what tune it was,
but that simple step really helped me connect with
my very own voice. When I said the words first and
sang them next, I remember I hit this one note and
burst into tears. That was the spot to aim for, she said.
“Even people who are tone deaf can tell when you are
faking it.” So my advice is to strive for emotional
honesty, and people will hear it and be drawn to you.
Lastly, if you want to do this professionally, learn to
ignore the critics and respect the musicians.
JI: What is it about jazz that draws you to it? There
are so many styles of singing – why jazz?
NP: It’s just the most comfortable way for me. You
can never grow tired of it. You never grow too old for
it. There’s always a new day and a new way.
JI: What is the most rewarding facet of your life as
an artist?
NP: Being embraced by musicians and people, being
welcomed into their lives because of what I am able to
bring as an individual to the music.
JI: What is the greatest compliment that a listener
can give you?
JI: Could you talk about your musical background?
What steps did you take to get where you are now?
What were your studies like? How did you develop
your skills?
NP: A compliment that comes from the heart, which
is truly sincere and gives a feeling beyond words. It
usually happens because something emotional is
sparked between us through the music. You can immediately tell when someone is just saying something
to say something, versus saying something because
they feel honestly moved to do so.
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
— Art Blakey
FOREIGN MUSICIANS IN
AMERICA: THE ARTISTS VISA
Victoria M. Ingber
Art Blakey would not be an example of a jazz
Musician with the minimal level of success
necessary to be eligible for an Artist Visa.
For any foreigner interested in working in
the US, certain strategies dictated by the US
Immigration Service will result in an Artist
Visa. The requirements for this type of visa,
also known as the O-1 Visa are as follows:
Foreign Musician will need at least 3 of the
following:
• CDS and demos;
• Performances at prestigious venues;
• Letters of recommendation written by
experts in the field;
• Performances as lead in groups;
• Published announcements of gigs;
• Material published about foreign musician
in magazines, newspapers, internet, etc;
• Membership
in
exclusive
music
organizations;
• Articles written by the foreign musician-in
books, magazines, and newspapers, etc;
• Awards, certificates, honors, prizes; and / or
• High yearly income.
US Orchestra, Symphony, Music Group,
Representative, Agent or Manager will be
needed to:
• Sign all forms and petitions;
• Provide Tax ID Number or Social Security #;
• Provide basic information, such as address,
email, phone numbers, etc. Beside those
who are entering due to their excellence
in the music field, there are musicians
entitled to enter the US to work if they can
be considered “culturally unique”, such as
Yoruban jazz musicians from West Africa.
Bear in mind that many books and articles on
the subject are very long and written in crazy
legalese. Immigration law can be understood
best by a musician when tailored to the needs
of the musician. When done correctly, the
results are amazing.
Victoria Ingber is an immigration attorney
specializing in the arts for over 25 years. In
addition to being an expert in the field of
the transfer of foreign talent to the US, Mrs.
Ingber is a voting member of NewYork Artists
Equity Association, Inc. and the recipient
of the 2003 National Leadership Award
presented by the Presidential Committee
for Women in Business. For questions:
212-686-3838; [email protected].
73
Interview
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: Could you discuss your association with Duke Ellington and how that evolved?
RKH: The association began with a calling. What led
up to that calling was simply my family’s great appreciation for Mr. Ellington’s cultural importance and
genius. That was deeply embedded in Boston community where I was born and raised, and in the entire
country in the ‘40s and 50s. The calling came in the
spring of 1964. It was in the form of a light, somewhat
like a laser beam, that came from above, went deep
into me, and told me, “Go to San Francisco and study
music”. I was in the audience at Grace Cathedral a
year later when he premiered his first Sacred Concert.
Whenever he visited the Bay Area after that, we communicated, in some way, right up until he invited me
to compose and conduct music for his orchestra at an
outdoor concert at Disneyland, in 1973. He put me
on his “team” shortly thereafter. He passed away the
next year. It was his sister, Ruth, who guided me for
many years in the evolution of that calling.
JI: Tell us about how you developed your composing
and arranging skills and some of your background.
RKH: Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, I
studied privately with Wynn Westover, in Sausalito.
He had his own method of teaching inner hearing,
music theory through sight singing, and, especially,
music dictation and notation. Singing in Boston’s
best doo wop vocal groups had helped my ear form
early on. I had been taught basic jazz comping by the
late Weldon Irvine at Hampton Institute, but after
Westover, and through the help of conductor Paul
Freeman, orchestral conducting and efforts to write
for R&B groups were my first experiences as a developing arranger. Conducting was my greater strength
through the years, especially in church music.
which we will present on October 18th at the historic
Riverside Church. Mercer was the straw boss in his
father’s orchestra when I was in it, briefly, after the
Disneyland experience. He assigned me to create the
full-length concerto grosso orchestration of Duke’s
Black, Brown and Beige, which will receive its New
York City premiere on October 4, at Rose Theater at
Jazz at Lincoln Center. We will also premiere Carman Moore’s Gospel Fuse, and Kirke Mechem’s
Songs of the Slave, which is the suite from his opera,
John Brown.
JI: Talk about some of the words of wisdom you’ve
JI: Could you talk about the upcoming perfor- received or conversations that you’ve had with menmances you are leading at Jazz at Lincoln Center and tors or artists in your life who have made a significant
at Riverside Church?
impact on your perspectives about life, art etc.
Slave, in its New York Premiere. Selfless, Agape Love
is what creates wisdom in our lives and relationships.
JI: What have you discovered about human nature
in your artistic and business pursuits?
RKH: We all have the same needs.
JI: Because you are in a position of leadership as a
conductor, composer, how do you use encouragement or otherwise motivate musicians with whom
you work or hire?
RKH: I receive great rewards from helping others to
reach their full potential. That’s why I teach media at
Brooklyn College. It gets me away from music; helps
me to help young adults who are starting out in life.
RKH: Simply put, these concerts represent the RKH: Eric, I can only say that my life in Christ is all As regards music, it can become a trap if you let it. My
two sides of the Ellington family with whom I have of the wisdom that I know and need. He is my Lord greatest recent sadness is the death of Michael Jackworked: Ruth Ellington was my mentor for two and savior. It’s really the pastors, the nuns, priests and son, with whom I worked in 1974. He and his family
decades. We shared very similar religious beliefs, rabbis, and especially the Pentecostal family through were wonderful to know. Because I am a minister at
through which she helped me to understand what whom I came to know the Lord, that any wisdom I am heart, I’d have to say that it is the love of God that I
really had happened when Duke chose me as his blessed with has informed my life. My mentor, Kirke try to bring to all of my relationships, including to
composing and conducting assistant in 1973. She Mechem, has been the greatest influence on my life as musicians. Worship and service are my core motivaappointed me to lead her brother’s Sacred Music, a musician. That is why we are presenting Songs of the tions.
Whenever [Duke] visited the Bay Area after that, we
communicated, in some way, right up until he invited me to
compose and conduct music for his orchestra at an outdoor concert
at Disneyland, in 1973. He put me on his ‘team’ shortly thereafter.”
74 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
JI: How do you stay balanced—as an artist, as an
individual in contemporary society in the face the
stress and sensory overload that surrounds us?
RKH: His name is Jesus. Her name is Andrea. Having a peaceful home is of infinite worth.
Interview
James Moody
By Bill Donaldson
“The point of it wasn’t getting recognition.
I don’t feel like, ‘Oh, it’s about time and all of
that stuff.’ I mean, I appreciate receiving it, period. I
know a lot of musicians who should receive
it too. You know what? I do what I do.
Whoever likes my music, likes it.”
he had Cecil Payne and Ernie
Henry. It was a wonderful
band. Being young and dumb,
I didn’t know the enormity of
what was going on – which was
good. If I had known, I probably would have fainted.
JI: Didn’t you go to Europe
with Dizzy?
JI: You’ve said that not a day goes by that you don’t
think about Dizzy Gillespie. You first heard him in
Greensboro, North Carolina?
JM: Dizzy was there with his big band, and I was in
the Air Corps. We went to hear his band. Dizzy said
that when he got back to New York, he was going to
disband and start a new band. Dave Burns and I told
him that we were going to be discharged. So he said,
“Come and try out for the band.” I didn’t make his
band the first time I tried out for it because Walter
Fuller said I didn’t play loud enough.
JI: How did you finally get into his band?
JM: I went back to Newark, which is only nine miles
from New York, and I had a little gig playing there
on the weekends. When I came home one day, my
mother pointed under the sheet she was ironing, and
I saw a telegram there. It said, “You start with us tonight. Dave Burns.” I started at the Spotlight on 52nd
Street. When I joined Dizzy’s band, Monk was the
piano player, Kenny Clarke was the drummer, Ray
Brown played bass, Milt Jackson was on vibes, and
told Jon Faddis, “You mark my words. Ten years from
now, people will be saying that there were twenty-five
people in the hospital when he passed.” The funny
thing about it was that I had a gig at Pace University
the next night after Dizzy had passed. And the name
of Dizzy’s nurse was Donna Pace. My next gig was at
the jazz club in Washington D.C., Blues Alley. What
happened was, I played that night, got up early the
next morning and caught a plane to New York for the
funeral service. Then I returned to D.C. in time to
play the next night. I don’t know I did it. Jon Faddis
had to go to Texas for a gig. He didn’t want to go, but
I told him that he had to go because Diz would have
wanted him to do it, you know.
JM: I went to Europe with
Dizzy’s quintet. The first time
that I went anywhere in Europe, other than Paris, was
with him.
JI: You received the Jazz Master Award several years
ago.
JI: And you replaced Leo
Wright in Dizzy’s band after JM: The point of it wasn’t getting recognition. I don’t
your organ trio with Mickey feel like, “Oh, it’s about time and all of that stuff.” I
Tucker and Eddie Gladden mean, I appreciate receiving it, period. I know a lot of
disbanded.
musicians who should receive it too. You know what?
I do what I do. Whoever likes my music, likes it. I
JM: Yes. I stayed with the just do the best I can. I appreciate anything that is
quintet for eight years. I went bestowed upon me.
all over the world with him. We did a tour of Africa
just before I was married. We went to Morocco, Zaire
and the Congo. Then I went to Johannesburg on my
own. The only countries I haven’t seen are mainland
China and India.
JI: And you married Linda in 1989.
JM: Yeah, man. That was really nice. Dizzy was my
best man.
JI: So you continued to perform with Dizzy until he
passed away.
JM: Oh, yes. No matter what came up, Diz always
said, “Get Moody. Get Moody.” And I was with Dizzy
when he passed. It was me, Jon Faddis, John Motley,
Jacques Muyal and his son. Five of us were there when
he passed in the hospital in Englewood, New Jersey. I
www.JamesMoody.com
Hear Moody at The Iridium, September 3-6, 2009
New CD: 4A - on IPO records
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
75
Interview
OSPAC Jazz Festival – Kate Baker, Producer
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: Could you tell us about the origin of the OSPAC
Jazz Festival - the ideas, people and collaborations
that brought it to life?
JI: Can you share some of the most memorable
moments you’ve experienced at the festival during
its seven years of performances? there have been so
many. Ok
OSPAC: I was inspired to do the Jazz Festival after
coming back from a tour in Italy and the vibe was so
very special. l thought wouldn’t that be great to get
the same feel here in our backyard. So we had great
people who wanted to give back to the community
Renee Rosnes, Vic Juris, Jon Faddis, Cecil Brooks,
Dave Stryker, and others. The mayor of West Orange
Mayor John McKeon has also been very supportive
to make this happen. The volunteer end is also real
important. We have had Chris Drucker from day one
and he is the stage manager.
OSPAC: Sheila Jordan for me was one. She has so
much grace and is so free when she sings that she just
touches your soul. The OSPAC big band led by Don
Braden, watching kids of all ethnic backgrounds,
economic backgrounds and actual musical ability
come together to perform with such heart. That just
does it for me and they also sound great. The music is
the common denominator that keeps it all together
and it goes so far beyond the music. Don’s inspiration
and great arrangements, well you can’t beat that also.
the climate for it, the NJSCA Grant which we usu- Eliane Elias, Paquito d’ Rivera, when Romero and
JI: What have been your criteria for assembling the ally get, got cut. Thank God we still have TD Bank. Vic Juris played together, Joe Lovano and Dave Lieblineups - given many of the artists on the lineup over So we are hanging in there. Next year, I am optimis- man, Cecil Brooks band, Dave Stryker with the West
tic will be better financially.
the years reside in the general area of the festival?
Orange All Stars...... Allen Harris, Kevin Mahogany,
Renee Rosnes and Jon Faddis .... I could go on and
OSPAC: It is not only a festival but it is also com- JI: What are the challenges that you have experi- on and I am sure I have missed out on some great
munity minded. There are so many great musicians enced and overcome over the years in developing and ones. They all are so very special everyone in my eyes
right in our own backyard because of the proximity building the festival?
is a headliner! The other special moments happened
to New York. So we did not have to go very far to
with Paint the Music, we had adults coming over and
get amazing world class talent. As far as criteria, it is OSPAC: Well we have a good team in place and are thanking us for the first time they felt free to paint.
basically people that we love what they do. Each band blessed with people that are really talented in all ar- There were no rules or judgment just pure creativity,
brings its own uniqueness to the festival and that is eas and that want to see it succeed. Leah Grammatica a positive environment and freedom to express your
what makes it special. We only do jazz. Sometimes - getting her involved was the best thing we ever did. self! Magic than happens!
festivals say jazz and frankly there is a lot of pop. We She has so much experience not only in PR but in Jazz
and Latin jazz, and her passion just makes me want JI: Talk about some of the words of wisdom you’ve
stay with jazz and Brazilian and Latin jazz.
to work really hard. And frankly having publications received or conversations that you’ve had with some
JI: Talk about what it’s like for you to create and or- like yours come to the event, write about it, and love of the artists - whether they have appeared at the fesganize the festival - plans, timelines, call, contracts, it makes us better. You know the festival is kind of tival or not - who have made an impact on your own
and other activities -- and all in between your own like a child that starts to grow up. You don’t know music, life and career.
where the turns are going to be, but at least you know
pursuits as a jazz vocalist.
that there are going to be those, and it’s all in the re- OSPAC: Norman Simons: I’d say he has made one
OSPAC: OK, the question even makes me over- covery – kind of like jazz. You learn to improvise.
of the biggest influences as an artist. He showed me
whelmed! [laughs]. I can produce. I was trained achow to really listen to the music and tell the story.
tually when I was in my 20’s and I lost my voice and JI: Could you talk about the setting and layout for His insight through his experiences and his way of
worked for the Amnesty International World tour the festival and how it is unique?
getting to the heart of the music have really effected
- the first ever to go around the world. We would prome. Vic Juris: Playing with Vic for all these years. His
duce concerts in each country. I worked under Bill OSPAC: This is where we are really blessed. The site harmony is so advanced that you always are listening
Graham and learned how to work under pressure and over looks the lake and you can hear the music no and it forces you to stay in the moment. I don’t know
not to stop until the task is complete. It is kind of matter where you sit. From the hill gives a beautiful if he remembers this but one time I was in music
like singing - the audience doesn’t care how you got breeze where there is a September 11th memorial and school getting everyone’s opinion under the planet
there, just that you do. But you better be able to de- you can see everything. The amphitheatre itself is a and we were doing a gig and he turned to me when I
liver, they get that. Well, after working on that tour wonderful building. One of our big improvements is was trying out what I had learned and said “just sing
any other producing is a cake walk. I am a Gemini so the sound. It is really great. The festival is surrounded like your self ”. Those simple words have stayed with
I am used to wearing two different hats! It’s all in the also by vendors and crafters. We also have some- me. For me, I have learned to be inspired through my
“timing” as they say. It is hard sometimes, like I am thing very unique called “Paint the Music” by Nitza infuences, but keep my own authenticity and whatstill trying to get up my website!!!! But I try not to let Horner. It is a great program where the audience gets ever that is it’s OK. I have been really blessed to work
to participate and paint what they hear or sculpt to with great players.
the music suffer as that is always my first love!
the music. It is different experience than other festiJI: What kinds of responsibilities do you have and vals because of this kind of interaction. In between JI: Anything I haven’t prompted you about that you’d
activities do you undertake to generate sponsorships acts we bring the art on stage and the performers get like to share about OSPAC or your own activities?
to see what their work looks like. Then we hang it all
and get grants to fund the festival?
around the facility and it is quite beautiful. We also OSPAC: My first CD will be coming out in SeptemOSPAC: This year was really really hard due to the have a health section where you could get a massage ber with the Richie Cole and Alto Madness Orcheseconomy. So normally we do a Gala but this was not or reiki or buy some beautiful jewelry.
tra.
76 September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Interview
Bob Gluck
By Gary Heimbauer
JI: Can you talk about some of your professional
highlights at the current time, what you are up to,
and what is coming in the future that you are excited
about?
BG: I have two current projects, one brand new. The
first is my acoustic piano trio with bassist Michael
Bisio and drummer Dean Sharp, a fabulous and dynamic rhythm section. We began playing together
two years ago, with the goal of performing music by
Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett’s 1970s American Quartet. It has morphed into a highly improvisatory, exploratory band mostly playing my own recent compositions. The second project is an electric
and electronic band with guitarist John Myers and,
from a distance, sound designer and synthesizer
player Patrick Gleeson. I met Pat while working on
a book I’m writing about Herbie Hancock’s early
1970s “Mwandishi” band, of which he was a member. Since Pat has been unable to travel to gigs on the
East Coast, where John and I live, he’s been performing live on his own studio and recording it. I’ve been
bringing into our live performances, programmed in
a manner that is usually unpredictable and sparking
adaptive improvisational responses on our end. The
plan is for him to solo again over edited recordings of
the performances. So far, it’s been a really wonderful
and exciting experience and I look forward to a time
when we can all play together in the same place at the
same time!
JI: What steps have you taken to get from the beginning to the present, as an improvising pianist? What
would you recommend someone looking to take the
same path do to assure success?
BG: I grew up as a pianist, but stopped playing for
many years. I’m now in my fifth year of my second life
as a pianist. What’s different now is that I’m more relaxed and confident and I’ve learned that while I can
spend intense periods of time practicing and rehearsing, sometimes the most useful way for my playing to
develop is to go for a walk in the woods or take a couple days away from the piano. I have never attempted
to overtly copy anybody else’s approach of playing and
thus my own approach is quite eclectic. Nor have I
developed my jazz playing in a particularly systematic
manner, although I have had years of formal training
in other musical worlds. I have been involved with
electronic music for much of my life, which leads me
to pay close attention to sonority and tone color. This
background also encourages me to take a broad view
of musical structure, viewing it in terms of gestures
and shapes, and I tend to experiment a lot, often not
repeating something I’ve already done.
JI: When and why did you begin playing music?
BG: I began playing the recorder at age six and
gravitated to the piano because there was one in
my parent’s apartment. I immediately began to play
what now would be called free improvisation and
composed music to accompany the family dramas
around me. After a few months, my parents set me up
with a piano teacher who, at the end of my first year,
thought it best for me to attend a conservatory. I attended the Julliard Preparatory Division - now called
Pre-College - for most of my childhood, until I left
at the end of tenth grade, having heard Jimi Hendrix
and Frank Zappa, feeding my urge to break out and
return to my roots playing more freely.
JI: What are your top five desert island PIANO recordings, and please state why.
BG: Those recordings would include Herbie Hancock’s 1972 ‘Crossings’, music that has become part
of my repertoire. I would certainly include one recording each by Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, and
Bill Evans. And if I have to limit the number to five,
the last would probably be either a recording of piano
music by the late Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu,
Charles Ives’ Concord Sonata, Debussy Images, or
one of Keith Jarrett’s 1970s recordings on Impulse.
“Improvising requires attentive listening to one’s fellow musicians,
to one’s intuition, and to what’s around. These are important
skills to develop as a human being. The worlds within ourselves
and around us, are constantly changing, and learning to respond
flexibly and creatively is an act of improvisation.”
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
JI: What do you do to neutralize the stress of contemporary life?
BG: I am not the most relaxed person but I find that
stress does not enhance my playing. I think, though,
that my playing benefits the most by living a full life,
being engaged in the world, its politics and social
concerns, the people around me, and listening very
broadly to music. Most recently, I have found that
meditating and chanting have helped my music grow
and develop.
find so valuable? What does it offer to you, your bandmates, and the listeners? What about improvisational
music motivates you and drives you forward?
BG: While I trained as a classical pianist, my first
memories of playing are of freely improvising. I sometimes describe having attended conservatory as a reeducation camp for free improvisers. Improvisation
was not valued in any way. That experience – and I
am grateful for the technical resources it helped me
develop - has most definitely pointed to me the importance of improvisation. Every musician should be
able to improvise, and not just in an idiomatic way. I
am inherently an improvisational person in all ways
and I find that my playing is influenced by everything
in my environment. Improvising requires attentive
listening to one’s fellow musicians, to one’s intuition,
and to what’s around. These are important skills to develop as a human being. The worlds within ourselves
and around us, are constantly changing, and learning
to respond flexibly and creatively is an act of improvisation. Improvising as a musician only mirrors those
processes and I find that it gives me life and connects
me with all things – not the least my band mates!
JI: As a musician, what do you feel your role or responsibility is in our society?
BG: I believe strongly that we should consider it our
77
Interview
Eldar Djangirov
By Gary Heimbauer
At only 22 years old, Kyrgyzstan born prodigy
pianist Eldar Djangirov has already released four
albums on Sony Records – his latest, “Virtue,” came
out in late August. Fresh off a tour, Eldar spoke with
us over the phone from his NYC home. After talking
about his itinerary for the tour, we began the conversation with the topic of travel. Eldar will be performing
at the Jazz Standard Thursday 9/10 through Sunday
9/13.This is a short segment of our one hour interview.
The rest will be published in an upcoming issue of Jazz
Inside Magazine – our quarterly publication available
in book stores nationwide and by subscription.
mando Gola on bass and Ludwig Afonso on drums.
We’ve been touring together for quite a while right
now and we started first playing this music – even
before we went into the studio we started to implement a lot of these tunes through rehearsals and live
playing, letting them take a certain shape and evolution before we hit the studio and I think that was an
especially smart move on our part to play this music because we got to a certain point where we were
so comfortable with the music. There was a certain
healthy state of evolution – it wasn’t like, here, we’ll
learn the tune and now we’re gonna play it like this,
“There are certain guidelines that exist to bridge a certain vision that all the musicians
have and all these musicians, depending on the priorities that you have, it is a very
strict way of making music. Then you have all this freedom within this certain
vision that you’re doing which I think makes it distinctive…”
JI: Since you began your career as a teenager, you’ve
probably travelled the world a few times already.
When did you start travelling as a musician and how
has it affected you?
because six months later, the tune will sound completely different and better than the record. So we
avoided that and we went and explored the tunes
before we recorded and I still feel like the way we
play them today has definitely evolved even from the
ED: I started travelling as a musician when I was 18 recording. So it just keeps evolving and we keep lookor 19 – somewhere around there. To be travelling and ing for different things to say through the tune as we
playing to as many people who are willing to listen to explore the tune. But I’m definitely happy with what
the music, that’s a good feeling. When it’s a good gig we captured on the record.
and a good crowd, it’s one of those things that feels
like an amazing experience every time. One of the JI: Yeah, right. I listen to a lot of albums that have so
things that I’m very excited about right now that is many great names on them and I’ll be so excited to
happening in my life is the release of this new record, throw it in my CD player, and then I realized that it’s
Virtue, which is going to be released on August 25. just an all star band playing material that they never
I’m particularly excited about this because I feel like played together before so it comes off kind of stiff
this record is something that I’ve been building for even though the musicians are amazing as individuand searching for and trying to achieve for a few years als. So it’s great that you did that.
now and I think it carefully represents a certain version of the music and a certain version of the vision ED: Well, the group chemistry is so amazing because
that I’m the most proud of, and that particular vision aside from the music, just the friendship that I have
is almost like a culmination of the many things I’ve with Armando is so great. He lives like two blocks
been exposed to and a culmination of the things I’ve away from me and we play music and we‘re always
been reaching for to express myself through which thinking about music in a similar way, so the prikind of opens up and blossoms on this record.
orities of the musicians, especially in this music, jazz,
when there’s so much music made in the moment,
JI: Yeah, I listened to it twice this morning and it there are certain guidelines that exist to bridge a cerblew my mind to be honest with you.
tain vision that all the musicians have and all these
musicians, depending on the priorities that you have,
ED: Thank you very much.
it is a very strict way of making music. Then you have
all this freedom within this certain vision that you’re
JI: There was so much rhythmic excitement in it – so doing which I think makes it distinctive, you know?
many different turns and bends rhythmically. “The
Exorcist” was one of my favorites. I had to listen to JI: I love the funky electric bass throughout the alit twice to figure out what was happening. It came bum. Does he play acoustic at all on this material?
off all very organic as complex as it is. I think it goes Maybe on some of the ballads like “Estate”?
from 10/4 to 11/4, is that right?
ED: Yeah, on the road he switches between both.
ED: Yeah, you got it – 21. There’s that whole phrase When we play swing tunes, he plays acoustic and
in 21 but that’s the A section. It all works very well when we play more of my music, he switches to elecwith this particular band I’m working with – Ar- tric, so he uses all kinds of different colors.
78 September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
•
JI: How does Virtue compare to some of your previous recordings?
ED: Well I think one of the most important things
to me is, especially with the music – so much of the
music and the personal development, especially for
someone my age. I’m a young guy and there are so
many things that I want to explore and a lot of the
things for example on this record, I wouldn’t be afraid
to say it, it’s been a learning curve of many things that
I learned in the past and things that I learned that
were intrinsically attracted to me and things that
weren’t intrinsically attracted to me. And the more
I could differentiate between those things, the more
I could pinpoint something where I feel like when I
listen to this record, this is a record that I feel carefully represents me and that’s kind of where I think
I started kind of describing this record. It marks a
certain development where it’s relevant to the time
that we live in and we are living in 2009 and it’s a very
strange and interesting world and a strange time in
this interesting world so there’s a lot of things within
the music – a certain social element, of the things
that I experience because at the end of the day, music
is supposed to be a direct experience of the musician.
JI: Sure – a reflection.
ED: Exactly – yeah, so it’s a reflection of not only myself but the things that I’ve matured to and I’ve been
exposed to and the things that I realize in the world,
and many of these things are unspoken and many of
those things are expressed clearly in the music.
JI: What are your plans for the remainder of 2009?
I remember I got an invitation from Don Lucoff to a
live taping of a solo recording at Hammerstein Ballroom?
Jazz Education Sourcebook
HOW TO SUBMIT SCHOOL PROGRAM LISTINGS:
Jazz Inside’s Jazz Education Sourcebook and Program Guide includes schools, programs and contact
information and more. This section is designed to provide information for career-oriented students,
hobbyists, musicians, fans and anyone wanting to continue and expand their education about improvisation,
composing, arranging, performing, the history of jazz, the artists, recordings and more.
Schools may contact : [email protected] to submit listings.
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September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
79
City College of New York – Scott Reeves, Director
C.W. Post – T.K. Blue, Director
Five Towns College – Peter Rogine, Director
Juilliard – Carl Allen, Director
Manhattan School of Music – Justin DiCioccio, Director
New Jersey City State University – Ed Joffe, Director
Purchase College – Todd Coolman, Director
City College of New York
Queens College – Michael Mossman, Director
Rutgers University – Conrad Herwig
San Diego State University – Rick Helzer, Director
University of Louisville – Mike Tracy
USC Thornton School of Music – Bob Mintzer
Western Michigan State Univ – Tom Knific
William Paterson University – Dr. David Demsey
their careers, including a thorough grounding in the
common practice vocabulary of bebop and exposure
to more modern styles, as well as Brazilian and AfroCuban music.
CCNY: Developing technical ability is fairly straight
forward, but the inspired musician knows how to go
beyond their technique and ‘say something.’ This is
the true importance of music. It is not about becoming famous, but creating a message that can inspire
JI: What are some of the distinguishing characterisJI: How do you enlighten students about bridging and help heal this troubled world. While we do not
tics of your jazz program?
the gap between the academic environment and the advocate any religion (although members of our
CCNY: We have a great full-time faculty—John real world where competition, earning a living and faculty are Christian, Buddhist, Jewish and secular
Patitucci, Dan Carillo, Mike Holober, Suzanne other things impact artistic pursuits?
humanists), students should look within to discover
Pittson, Ray Gallon and myself. We have low tuition
a spiritual or universal truth in their music. Books
($2300 for in-state, $4980 for out-of-state, full-time CCNY: Many of our courses, such as Repertoire & such as the “Inner Game of Music” and Kenny Wersemester tuition). Students study privately on their Performance Practices class and diverse ensembles, ner’s “Effortless Mastery” address such topics.
instruments from among a long list of great New are geared towards providing them with the tools
they will need to be successful, including developing JI: What are some of the challenges that students are
York City pros.
We have a friendly, supportive atmosphere sight-reading abilities, a knowledge of tunes, a strong facing and how does your program help them overwithout cut-throat competition. Our student body sense of “groove” and ensemble playing. All of our come and grow from these?
is older (many returning professionals) and a diverse jazz faculty are working professionals and we share
international mixture (European, South American, our experiences (both good and bad) with our stu- CCNY: There seems to be less and less work and
Israeli, Japanese, Korean, African). We are right in dents to elevate their understanding about the ’gig- more and more musicians in New York. The city is
Manhattan in a revitalized area of Hamilton Heights ging’ world. Many of our students network and find a great place to learn how to play (perhaps the best
gigs around New York and beyond. Sometimes the
on 140th St., with subway access to all the great jazz
faculty will hire our better students to play in their in the world), but is not an easy place to live or earn
clubs. We have a caring faculty and a high faculty/
own bands. We also encourage students to pursue money. Only those who really want to play this music
student ratio and we have an historic, beautiful camteaching, and our education courses and Masters because of their love and commitment should make
pus with practice rooms open 24/7.
Program prepare them for both public school and this sacrifice. At City College of New York, we help
them grow both as musicians and human beings and
university teaching positions.
JI: What qualities must students have to succeed in
there is a student community of support that often
your program, and eventually in their careers?
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, au- continues throughout their career.
thors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or muCCNY: Willingness to practice and study hard, an
sic - would you suggest students learn and embrace JI: If there is one idea that sums up the concept and
ability to go beyond their own ego and open themto broaden themselves and build character, integrity, benefits of your program, could you share that with
selves up to the experiences of their professors and ethics. (These are concepts that might be periph- us?
the high level of musicianship inherent in New York eral to making music but if one’s life comes out in
City.
one’s music, than these underlying traits might play CCNY: You can get a quality jazz education in Manhattan for a fraction of the cost of similar schools.
a role.)
JI: What is your foundational concept for motivating and inspiring students?
Scott Reeves, Associate Professor,
BFA Supervisor
CCNY: Most of our students come to us hungry to
learn how to be great performers and writers. Many
have left successful careers and family in their own
countries and sacrificed much to come to New York.
We feel a great responsibility to these students to give
them the practical tools they need to be successful in
80 “Developing technical ability is fairly straight forward, but the
inspired musician knows how to go beyond their technique and
‘say something.’ This is the true importance of music. It is not
about becoming famous, but creating a message that can inspire
and help heal this troubled world.” – Scott Reeves
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Manhattan School of Music Jazz Arts
Robert Sirota,
President
msm Jazz oN
Jazzheads
New releases
Justin DiCioccio, Conductor
Dave Liebman, Soloist
PORGY & BESS
make
your
mark
LIVE
Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra
www.jazzheads.com
JH1165
Justin DiCioccio,
Assistant Dean / Chair
Jazz Arts Program
www.Jazzheads.com
Manhattan School of Music does
not discriminate on the basis of
sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, color or national or ethnic
origin, parental or marital status,
and age or disability in the recruitment or admission of its students,
and in the administration of its
educational programs, financial
assistance programs, and student
activities. It is an Equal Opportunity
Employer.
Brian Hatton
INFormaTIoN
Remy LeBoeuf on alto saxophone
and Jonathan Barnes on trumpet
Office of Admission
and Financial Aid
Manhattan School of Music
120 Claremont Avenue
New York, New York 10027
212 749 2802 ext 2
[email protected]
www.msmNyc.edu
C.W. Post
T.K. Blue, Director of Jazz Studies
JI: What are some of the
distinguishing
characteristics of your jazz program?
C.W POST: I have been
the Director of Jazz Studies at C.W Post since September of 2007. I think
some of the distinguishing
characteristics of our program is the opportunity to perform at the world-class
Tilles Performing Arts Center located on campus.
We also perform in some of the top places in NYC
(Iridium, Sunday Dec. 20, 2009 at 6pm) as well as
tour internationally with a jazz tour planned for July
of 2010 on the Cote d’Azur in Southern France. We
also have top notch artists doing clinics with our students such as James Moody and Bobby McFerrin.
can Presence In Europe.” Also “2,000 Seasons” and
“The Healers” by Ayi Kwei Armah, “Ancient Future”
by Wayne Chandler, “12 Years A Slave” by Solomon
Northup, “Daughters Of Africa” edited by Margaret
Busby, and “Music Is My Mistress” by Duke Ellington. The messages contained in these books embrace
the human spirit and its need to create beautiful visions of life.
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, authors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or music - would you suggest students learn and embrace
to broaden themselves and build character, integrity,
ethics. (These are concepts that might be peripheral to
making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s music, than these underlying traits might play a role.)
FTC: I always suggest a healthy life style which includes health foods, supplements (yes- wheat grass,
etc.), meditation, stretching, yoga and some cardiovascular work. Books I like to suggest to serious
students are The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, My Life
C.W POST: Many of the challenges that your stu- in Art by Stanislavski, The Spiritual in Art by Kanddents face today are probably related to finances. You insky, The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh and Chomsky
have to be very creative to find the funds necessary on Mis-Education by Noam Chomsky. To my mature
for you to continue on your educational endeavors. male students I highly recommend The Rag and Bone
Sometime grant funding can be a huge help. I would Shop (a poetry anthology examining the many facets
also recommend learning a new foreign language. of a man’s life, edited by Robert Bly). The World is
Learning a new language opens up exciting doors of Sound by Joachim-Ernst Berendt should open a mupossibilities. I lived in Paris, France for much of the sician’s ears to modern and eclectic music as would
1980’s and learning French helped me tremendously. Music of the Whole Earth by Dr. David Reck.
JI: What are some of the challenges that students are
facing and how does your program help them overcome and grow from these?
Five Towns College
Peter Rogine, Professor
C.W POST: Students should demonstrate a very
strong work ethic and practice regimen. The whole
can only be as strong as the sum of its parts! They also
have to be open to learn other styles outside of jazz.
distinguishing
FTC: Some of the challenges our students face are
driven by economic factors. Trying to work too many
hours- even carrying a private student load takes
away from intensive study time blocks. Gigging with
a group that conducts intensive and long rehearsals
interferes with what is necessary to have a clear mind
to study and practice consistently.
FTC: All the D.M.A. programs at Five Towns College include instrumental
C.W POST: I try to play with my bands as much as
performance, big band arpossible and I don’t hold back. Every free minute I
ranging, composition and Juilliard
have is spent in my office practicing. Students see this
conducting research and Carl Allen, Artistic Director of Jazz Studies
first hand and it is definitely inspiring to them. Plus
scholarship on jazz and related topics, as well as study
they are able to come and check me out performing
of the newest developments in the world of electronic
in NYC. I see their growth as well so we inspire each
distinguishing
characmusic programs.
other.
teristics of your jazz program?
JI: How do you enlighten students about bridging
the gap between the academic environment and the
JUILLIARD: Some of
real world where competition, earning a living and
the things that make The
FTC: A successful music student needs consistent
other things impact artistic pursuits?
Juilliard Jazz program
discipline, time-management skills, excellent instand out is that it is destruction,
a
clear
mind
and
good
stamina.
C.W POST: Obviously, a great way to bridge this gap
signed to address not only
is to first arrange to stay at home or with a loved one.
jazz music from a historiTry to keep your over-head down. Plus, keep diversified JI: What is your foundational concept for motivat- cal and conceptual perspective but it also addresses
and always your paper ready when needed. Sometimes ing and inspiring students?
where the music and the musicians are now from a
you may have to work at something else while pursu- FTC: I believe that music itself is inspiring, especially fundamentally sound platform. This is represented
listening
to
live
professional
performances.
Nurturing
ing a dream. It’s all good. Never give up the dream!
in our programming from concerts and tours to the
students and having an understanding of the many
guest artists that we bring in addition to our faculty
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, au- difficulties college students encounter is something all who are all very experienced and well traveled musithors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or music the professors at Five Towns College demonstrate con- cians.
- would you suggest students learn and embrace to sistently in their interactions with the student body.
broaden themselves and build character, integrity, All the professors at our school are full time profes- JI: What qualities must students have to succeed in
ethics. (These are concepts that might be peripheral to sional musicians. Many tell true stories of what really your program, and eventually in their careers?
making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s music, goes on in the field—”the good, the bad and the ugly.”
We often speak with students about the “blue collar JUILLIARD: We work very hard to help develop
than these underlying traits might play a role.)
musician” doing all types of gigs and the rewards and our students to not only be great, productive students
C.W POST: Anything by Dr. Ivan Van Sertima problems of doing that versus only performing in the but productive and responsible professional musiwho recently passed away—especially “Early Afri- most optimum artistic situations.
cians. What is required of our students is also to be
82 September 2009
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conscience of the fact that we are a team and everyone has a role to play. With a
program the size of ours everyone must know how important he or she is and the
role that they play in the overall success of what we do. This manifests itself in the
students’ preparation for rehearsals, lessons and performances as well as other
factors that would make one successful as a professional musician.
JUILLIARD: One of the principles that we teach is that “success is when preparation meets opportunity”. We show them the results of consistent hard work.
When a student sees that not only are their peers working hard, but also the faculty, to become better musicians while practicing what we are teaching them,
they are inspired to do well.
JI: How do you enlighten students about bridging the gap between the academic
environment and the real world where competition, earning a living and other
things impact artistic pursuits?
JUILLIARD: We invite a number of guest artists to work with our students
from music contractors, producers, managers, booking agents, publicists and
others to interact with our students and give them a real world perspective on
what is relative now to the aspiring artist. As the business continues to change we
have to constantly meet the student where they are with the pertinent information to help them in their individual endeavors.
JI: What are some of the challenges that students are facing and how does your
program help them overcome and grow from these?
JUILLIARD: I think one of the major challenges that most artist face is how
to become employable. As a student you’re always juggling the balance between
being a student and an aspiring musician on the scene. In the preparation process
we work on music that we feel is relevant for the musician to perform in a variety
of musical settings in a jazz context. Sometimes the challenge is getting the student to understand the value of the idioms that we concentrate on but as a musician you never know what you’ll be asked to do. That’s why we have this principle
that “success is when preparation meets opportunity.” I’m a firm believer that if
one does what they are supposed to consistently and works hard the opportunities will come. The issue then is being prepared.
JI: If there is one idea that sums up the concept and benefits of your program,
could you share that with us?
JUILLIARD: The best way to sum up what we are about is that we strive to prepare our students to be the best musicians that they can be by being as prepared as
possible. I think that there are numerous benefits to our program but one major
factor is how involved our faculty is in the development of the students. We also
create opportunities for our students who have interaction with many of today’s
greatest jazz musicians by way of master classes, workshops and performances.
Our mantra is “moving forward with a sense of tradition”.
“One of the principles that we teach is that
‘success is when preparation meets opportunity’.
We show them the results of consistent hard
work. When a student sees that not only are
their peers working hard, but also the faculty,
to become better musicians while practicing
what we are teaching them, they are
inspired to do well.” – Carl Allen
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83
Manhattan school of music
the downside, that there is no record industry as it
used to be. We have to look at the new opportunities
that the technology is bringing forth. It’s really up to
your own imagination and creativity – to use these
MANHATTAN:
We technologies to enhance what you are trying to do. I
are trying to develop the think the two most important areas we need to deal
complete artist-musician with are (1) audience development and (2) the job
– as a performer, writer, market. What can we do to build an audience? Jazz
and pedagogue. All of our is not the popular music of the day so it is not tuneful
students are educated in in the sense of the tunes people dance and party to. It
that three-fold manner. is fine art music now. And, it’s not going to go away or
These are the three areas change. We can’t say “if people were dancing to our
that we as jazz musicians music, we’d be fine.” That’s not the way it is anymore,
are involved in – and the it has gone a different direction whether you like it or
program or concept is de- not. It’ll never go back to what it was. So you have to
signed to prepare students for that – to become the figure out ways to bring this music to people so that
complete artist. There is so much talk about the job they can deal with it.
market. We’re graduating the highest level of students
JI: Agreed. There is ample supply, but without dewho have ever played this music. Meanwhile, we seem
mand that corresponds to, or what would be even
to have the lowest numbers of job opportunities –
better, exceeds the available supply.
whether it is performance, writing or teaching – that
ever has been. The way our program is different is that
MANHATTAN: We need to figure out what we
we take this three-fold approach. The playing is where
can do to create a larger audience so that there are
we learn about the art. But we all do some kind of
more jobs. Education is number one – educating the
writing, and we all do some kind of teaching. Writing
audience and outreach programs. But it hasn’t been
could be anything from writing tunes, arrangements, working that well. So maybe what we’re doing is not
orchestrations, or possibly writing for journals, maga- quite the right direction.
zines, websites or whatever. We all do some kind of
writing or combine those writing elements. We all do JI: There is no shortage of creativity, and no shortage
some teaching. Some of us teach privately. Some of us of artists and musicians constantly creating or trying
teach at institutions. We’re all doing those three things to be creative. There’s no shortage of players. We need
at all times. That makes you the complete musician – more people to appreciate what’s there.
each of the areas reinforces the others, and you’re able
to make a living. When I’m asked, “Can you make MANHATTAN: That’s what has to be addressed.
a living in music? Can you make a living in jazz?” I How do you do that? It’s not fair to present to the
say, “Yes.” I don’t hesitate at all. I know that people novice jazz audience, music that is complex and sowho are successful – that’s what they do. There are phisticated. They just can’t deal with it, or undertimes when you’re playing more and writing or teach- stand it. A lot of this goes back to the lack of music
ing less. There are times like now, where playing has education in the schools. And, the media is run by
kind of dried up – and you might be teaching more, people who have never had music education. The
or writing. I’m not saying that these three areas are bulk of the people controlling the media don’t know
broken down neatly into one-third for performance, about fine art music. All they know about is popuone-third for teaching and one-third for writing. By lar music – the music they grew up with on the radoing all three, we are able to become artists without dio. That is their motto. It goes back to music in the
bastardizing principles and still make a living. That’s schools, the absence of music education there. We’ve
our philosophy at the Manhattan School of Music for done outreach programs in schools – but I’m not sure
our undergraduate program, graduate program and how well it is working. The concept over many years
has been that with the big bands and school proDMA, Doctorate of Music program.
grams, and students exposed to the music, that there
JI: What qualities do you believe students need to would be an audience for the music, even though the
succeed in the school’s program and eventually in majority of them will not become professional musicians. That hasn’t happened though. They’re not
their careers?
listening to jazz. I brought this up at the final [now
MANHATTAN: Obviously, you have to be the best defunct] IAJE [International Association of Jazz
Justin DiCioccio, Assistant Dean,
Jazz Division
musician you possibly can be. But, you still have to
have a grasp of the business aspects, of how to network, the internet, how you present yourself. You have
to know how to carry yourself. You have to know how
to market yourself. You need to know the importance
of having a good website. You need to know how to
talk to managers and bookers and club owners, and
record executives, if they exist anymore. What is happening with the latest technology and how does it enhance what I’m doing – instead of looking at it from
84 Education] conference for two hours – talking about
stuff that didn’t mean anything. I said, “We’re graduating the highest level of playing, the largest numbers
from conservatories, universities and jazz programs
throughout the United States and the world. But
there are no jobs, and there’s no audience. What are
we doing about that?” They were more worried about
how many people were joining the IAJE [organization], and how many discounted rates they could get
by bringing 50 people into the fold. I think we should
be worried about the direction of the music.
MANHATTAN: The business. The audience. The
bigger, more global issues impacting jazz and its future.
JI: What is your perspective about motivating students?
MANHATTAN: It’s spirit. If what they’re doing is
fun, then they want to be a part of it. If it feels good
you want to be a part – whether it’s playing the music, participating in the music doing a workshop with
students who know nothing about the music, but
you’re getting them involved … outreach programs.
They don’t have to know anything about the music.
But if people are having a good time, and have a smile
on their face, and its fun, they want to be a part of
it, and that’s how they remember it. I think that so
much of the time, we turn them off. We get so serious about what we’re doing – treating them like they
don’t know anything – as opposed to turning it into
some kind of fun. Then it becomes something people
want to be part of.
JI: Could you sum up the unique benefits of Manhattan School of Music’s program?
MANHATTAN: Our students come out prepared
as the finest musicians coming out of schools, and
prepared to face the world, have a career and life in
music. We educate them to have a life and career in
music. It is through the best education we can give
them. It’s not just about being the best player. Being the best player that you could possibly be doesn’t
guarantee anything. It is the total concept – the complete artist-musician.
JI: Anything else you want to add?
MANHATTAN: Today’s culture rejects complexity, nuance and detail! Simplification, ignorance,
lack of awareness and accepting standards of the lowest common denominator has become the weight of
the majority! Don’t be a follower!
“…we take this three-fold approach … playing … writing …
teaching... We’re all doing those three things at all times. That
makes you the complete musician – each of the areas reinforces
the others, and you’re able to make a living …. Obviously, you
have to be the best musician you possibly can be. But, you still
have to have a grasp of the business aspects…” – Justin DiCioccio
September 2009
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Jazz Inside™ NY
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New Jersey City State University
Ed Joffe, Director
things that you have done
to build the jazz program
during your tenure?
EJ: Our program has been
successful because of the
excellence of the adjunct
teaching faculty and the
quality of our jazz majors.
Our instructors are all
active, vibrant musicians who are committed educators. For them, it’s not just another gig that puts food
on the table, but a way of life that is deeply connected
to the music. Most of the jazz faculty has taught at
NJCU for over ten years and several from the moment, eighteen years ago, when I was asked to reconstruct the program. In addition, I bring numerous,
well-established guest artists every year to perform
with and for the students in concerts and masterclass formats; run a High School Jazz Festival; have
all of the big bands and combos perform in jazz clubs
each semester; perform in local schools and on radio;
and record CD’s which include student compositions
and arrangements.
“Simply, we tell them the truth! We make it quite
clear that this is an industry that is consolidating and
downsizing and that the opportunities for any musician these
days are less than a decade or several decades ago. Therefore,
it is essential that they succeed in every discipline they study –
English writing, business, sociology, foreign languages, history,
mathematics, education courses, etc.” – Ed Joffe
as they pursue their studies. These characteristics are
required to succeed in any career and need to be emphasized as soon as a student enters the university.
EJ: We try to convey to them a sense of excellence by
exposing them to the great artists through recordings,
live performances, and relevant periodical writings.
Exposing talented and motivated individuals to great
music, from the musical worlds of jazz, classical, Latin,
rock, pop, and world music, results in an increased
awareness of the levels of expertise expected in the music industry. While not everyone has the same innate
talent for music-making, every student has the ability
to work hard and discover his or her potential.
tion;, teach privately or in a school system; and play
stylistically correct in multiple musical environments.
Most importantly, they must be able to write in a coherent and intelligent manner since grant writing may
be the means for their survival.
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, authors, speakers–outside of and beyond jazz or music–would you suggest students learn and embrace
ethics?
EJ: The finest musicians I have met in my career are
learned individuals. They are interested in many disciplines beyond music and the arts, particularly politics. Until this past presidential election, students
have been somewhat apathetic in recent decades with
regard to the political and social machinations of our
JI: What are some of the distinguishing characterisJI: How does your jazz program motivate and inspire elected officials. I hope that Barack Obama’s ability
tics of your program?
to connect with young people is the beginning of a
students?
movement where students are more actively involved
EJ: We try to present to the students a well-rounded
EJ: In addition to the numerous guest artists we bring in the decision making process that affects our sorepertoire of musical offerings each semester in their
to the university every year to play with and for our ciety, regardless of anyone’s political affiliations. To
various performing ensembles. The music they perstudents, we have faculty recitals every semester and that end, reading political commentary in the paper
form mirrors the diverse styles they in encounter in
our faculty frequently performs with our students in and in books while tuning into radio and television
jazz history, jazz compositional styles, and jazz arclub performances, on-campus performances, and on discussions is essential. Also, I encourage them to inranging courses. In addition to working on big band
their recitals. Our faculty also accompanies our stu- vestigate all cultural aspects available to them since
music by Ellington, Thad Jones, Bob Mintzer, Ma- dents on their final exam juries. This type of hands– they are so close to New York City. This includes goria Schneider, Frank Foster, Gordon Goodwin, etc., on approach is something we have stressed from the ing to museums, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall
they will also be expected to perform the music of inception of the program eighteen years ago, and events, musical theater and plays, and restaurants
Fletcher Henderson/Benny Goodman, Jimmy Lunc- it works!
serving foods of diverse nationalities. Finally, I use
eford, Benny Moten, Artie Shaw, Eddie Sauter, Clare
analogies to sports heroes in order to emphasize the
Fischer, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, and Frank Sina- JI: How do you enlighten students about bridging need to constantly work at refining one’s craft. As a
tra, among many others. This is certainly not typical the gap between the academic environment and the society, we are constantly made aware of every aspect
of the majority of jazz programs today and I feel that rest of the world where competition, earning a living, of an athlete’s training regimen that leads to success
students are missing a vital part of the jazz experience and other things impact artistic pursuits?
in an athletic endeavor. We accept this process rouby not being exposed to these other dynamic voices.
tinely when it is applied to sports. However, our stuOur combos are equally diverse in that each group EJ: Simply, we tell them the truth! We make it quite dents are not as aware of the extreme dedication that
has a specific focus. Each small group is devoted to clear that this is an industry that is consolidating and is required of musicians if one wants to achieve at
exploring either a particular style - Bop, Swing, Dix- downsizing and that the opportunities for any musi- the highest level. One quote I like to employ is from
ieland, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban – or a composer. This cian these days are less than a decade or several decades former New Jersey Senator and basketball great Bill
semester they are Thelonious Monk, The Brecker ago. Therefore, it is essential that they succeed in ev- Bradley who recalled in his book, The Value Of The
Brothers, Clare Fischer, etc. Every jazz major will ery discipline they study—English writing, business, Game, that as a youngster he was given the following
play in both a large and small ensemble each semester sociology, foreign languages, history, mathematics, words of advice: “If you’re not practicing, someone,
and those groups perform at a jazz club and an on- education courses, etc. I require our undergraduate somewhere is. When the two of you meet [compete
campus concert each semester.
jazz majors to take Computer Music and Survey of for the same job], that person will win.”
Music Business courses as part of their degree curricuJI: What qualities must students have to succeed in lum and encourage them to enroll in business courses. JI: What are some of the challenges that students are
It is apparent that the jazz musician of today and the facing and how does your program help them overfuture is one who will be able to compose and arrange come and grow from these?
EJ: They must be passionate about making and study- his or her own music; know about creating one’s own
ing music, all styles of music, not just jazz. They will website; be facile with computer notation programs; EJ: Given the uncertainty that exists in the current
need to exhibit seriousness, humility, and integrity know how to establish and run their own corpora- job market, our job is to help each student find that
86 September 2009
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talents that will enable them to be employable. While
one wants to encourage each student as much as possible, the reality is that the job market will only accept
so many Joe Lovano’s and Chris Potter’s. What about
the hundreds of very talented tenor saxophonists - or
for that matter, those talented players of every instrument - studying at fine university and college programs and hoping for an American-Idol like break?
What happens to them after graduation? That is why
it is crucial that every jazz/music educator be honest
with their students, try to find their unique abilities,
and help them connect in some way to the industry. If
a performing career doesn’t evolve, what’s wrong with
a fine jazz performer finding work as a teacher, a repair
technician, a recording engineer, an artist manager, a
radio DJ, etc? Isn’t it better to make use of one’s musical gifts to earn a living rather than to work outside of
the music industry? At NJCU, I believe we service the
individual student with this reality in mind.
Purchase College
Todd Coolman, Director of Jazz Studies
Queens College
Michael Mossman, Associate Professor
distinguishing
distinguishing
PURCHASE: There are
several
characteristics,
taken in aggregate, that
make the Purchase College Jazz Studies Program
somewhat unique and
worthy of consideration by anyone wishing to pursue
a career as a performing jazz artist. Below, I have listed
those that come to mind first, in no particular order.
Anyone reading this that may be interested or have
further questions is encouraged first to visit our Website at: www.purchase.edu/music/jazz and if quesJI: While creativity within jazz is as vibrant as ever, tions remain, email me directly at: todd.coolman@
there is a greater supply of artists and products than purchase.edu.
there is demand. What ideas do you have about turnSome of these characteristics are small class
ing this around to brighten the future on the busi- size and much individual attention and contact time
ness and career side for aspiring artists?
with faculty; a world-class faculty who are not only
prominent in the performance field, but also demonEJ: As stated above, the educator has a greater re- strate a strong commitment to teaching, to students,
sponsibility as a mentor to one’s students today given and to our Jazz Studies Program. All listed faculty
the state of the economy and the jazz job market in are on campus teaching with great regularity. We are
particular. Every jazz major should be involved in a less expensive than nearly all other similar programs
coop educational program where they work as interns nationally. All teaching, including private lessons,
in some aspect of the music industry in their junior takes place on campus during normally scheduled
year. In this way, they are exposed to the real world hours and the curriculum is faithfully delivered—no
while still students and might give them options for “smoke and mirrors.” We also have excellent facilithe future, especially as it concerns continued study ties including 65 practice rooms with grand pianos,
in graduate school. While making this a requirement several ensemble rehearsal suites, recording facilities,
in any degree program is difficult, given the abunand an adjacent world renowned Performing Arts
dance of credits mandated by certifying agencies and
Center that presents scores of world-class artists anthe universities proper, I have seen the benefits of this
nually. The music building is open to music students
approach with many of my students at NJCU.
from 7:00AM until 2:00AM (19 hours per day),
seven days a week—ample time and space for pracJI: What are the direct benefits that students entice and rehearsal. We are also located on a beautiful,
rolled in your program can expect to experience?
wooded campus, just 40 minutes from Manhattan
and we take full advantage of New York City withEJ: I believe that our students in the jazz degree proout being distracted by it. We have a safe, clean, and
grams at NJCU are fortunate to have instructors
peaceful environment in which to concentrate upon
who are more than just great players and educators,
but also concerned people who relish the role of men- your important work. We have conservatory level
toring their students. Since we are a relatively small training within a Liberal Arts College. The atmoprogram, every student knows every jazz teacher, sphere among our students is non-competitive, posiand visa versa. There is no disconnect and that, along tive, and nurturing. There are plenty of opportunities
with a reality-based curriculum, is a great benefit to to do paying gigs on and off campus, and opportunities to perform in famous New York City jazz venues
all involved.
such as Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Birdland, Smoke,
JI: If there is one idea that sums up the concept and and Smalls. Lastly, all core curriculum (classes) are
benefits of your program, could you share that with jazz related and structured to impart the real skills an
aspiring jazz performing artist must have.
us?
QUEENS: The Queens
College Jazz Program was
begun by some special
people—Jimmy Heath,
Donald Byrd and the late
Sir Roland Hanna, with
kudos to Howard Brofsky for his vision. The Queens
College music department has always been very
strong, but jazz was a tough sell 25 years ago. There
was never any excess hype in the program and it was
set up for professional musicians who are working.
Everyone teaching at the Aaron Copland School is
active and successful professionally. We are part of
the City University of New York, which means students come from all over the world to be in NYC
and to study at a very reasonable tuition cost. Many
distinguished pros have come here to study, including Conrad Herwig, David Berkman, Antonio Hart,
Arturo O’Farrill Jr., Jeb Patton, and George Colligan, both for a Masters degree and to work on composition and arranging, which are very popular here.
We also have an enduring connection with Louis
Armstrong as Queens College is the home of the
Armstrong House and Archive.
EJ: We hope our students leave us with a respect and
understanding for the accomplishments of the artists who have been responsible for creating the jazz
art form and have been given the necessary tools required to reach their potential and develop an individual voice.
QUEENS: Our most successful students are selfstarters. They come with a purpose and get all they
can from the experience. They don’t just attend
classes. They go out into the NY scene and play, start
bands, look for places to play and come to class loaded
with good questions.
QUEENS: We constantly remind students (and
ourselves) how fortunate we are to be making a living making the music we love. Also, students share
their music in class as we perform their charts and
assignments in class and ensembles. So what they do
get heard by their peers. Very motivating!
“The biggest challenge is to find their voices as musicians and as
artists. Once they figure out what they want to say, then they can
go after the tools they need to say it. Another challenge is to stay
in the game until things work out.” – Michael Mossman
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87
“Every student is treated as a creative individual
and is taught to identify and broaden this talent
in a non-linear way by seasoned professional
educator/performers. Styles are taught as a vehicle to
creativity and their unique qualities are identified,
emphasized, and nurtured.” – Conrad Herwig
QUEENS: We don’t really have a divide between
school and the “real world” as most of our students
are already playing and teaching. More than bridge
the gap, we try to help students steer a better course.
This involves business savvy, emphasis on refined
skills and professionalism. A mantra in our Music
Business class is that “making career decisions based
on immediate financial need rarely leads to good
artistic results.” So we teach students to plan their
careers based on their passions and abilities and to
learn to manage their finances.
Rutgers University
Conrad Herwig, Professor
distinguishing
face time between student and teacher. This intimate
setting combined with the incredible academic diversity of a large university keeps students motivated
and inspired in Jazz Studies and a multiplicity of
elective disciplines.
RUTGERS: Jazz studies students at Rutgers perform
both on campus and in major jazz clubs and venues in
the New York City area like the Blue Note, Cecil’s
Jazz Club, and Symphony Space. Many of these performances are with guest artists like Eddie Palmieri,
Frank Sinatra Jr., and Paquito D’Rivera, as well as
distinguished alumni like Terell Stafford, “Kuumba”
Frank Lacy, Michael Phillip Mossman, Sean Jones,
and the Jazz Faculty. Rutgers students perform in the
Greater New Jersey area at schools, community centers, alternative theaters, and public events in a variety of styles from big band to salsa. This empowers
them as performers and future educators.
RUTGERS: The Jazz Program at the Mason Gross
School of the Arts, Rutgers, the State University
of New Jersey, is unique.
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, auRutgers is a leading rethors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or musearch university (consistently ranked in the top 50 JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, ausic - would you suggest students learn and embrace
academically) within 45 minutes of New York City. thors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or muto broaden themselves and build character, integrity,
This proximity to the “Big Apple” has afforded access sic - would you suggest students learn and embrace
ethics. (These are concepts that might be peripheral to
to a world-class Jazz Faculty comprised of some of the
making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s mu- brightest and most accomplished jazz educators on to broaden themselves and build character, integrity,
ethics. (These are concepts that might be peripheral
sic, then these underlying traits might play a role.)
the scene today—Stanley Cowell (piano), Ralph Bo- to making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s
wen (sax), Conrad Herwig (trombone), Victor Lewis music, than these underlying traits might play a role)
QUEENS: You bet ethics play a role! Very few peo- (drums), Vic Juris (guitar), Mike Richmond (bass),
ple make it in this business without someone’s help. and Jim Rotondi (trumpet) who have all performed
RUTGERS: An incredible array of artists, musiSo being a quality person is essential, beyond just and recorded with an array of the greatest legends in
cians, writers, scientists, and public figures visit and
one’s musicianship. We do recommend many differ- jazz and popular music, like Miles Davis, Frank Silecture at Rutgers on a weekly basis. A short list of
ent extra-musical resources to students. These include natra, Joe Henderson, Max Roach, JJ Johnson, Tito these figures would be Amiri Baraka, Faith Ringself-help coaches (Anthony Robbins, Steven Covey, Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and a host of others.
gold, Oliver Sacks, and Hillary Clinton, among
Napoleon Hill, etc.) and personal counseling, when
many, many others.
requested. Our most powerful example, however, is JI: What qualities must students have to succeed in
for students to meet Jimmy Heath, a great musician, your program, and eventually in their careers?
but a towering human being!
facing and how does your program help them overRUTGERS: Students must be able to work within come and grow from these?
JI: What are some of the challenges that students are the structure of a university jazz program, while at
facing and how does your program help them over- the same time independently integrating the skills RUTGERS: The 21st century world is complex and
and materials presented. The creative process as pre- constantly evolving for young jazz musicians. The
come and grow from these?
sented at Rutgers consists of investigating and iden- ability to perform and improvise in different styles
QUEENS: The biggest challenge is to find their tifying role model jazz performers and composer/ar- is of critical importance. Jazz students at Rutgers
rangers. Through intensive listening, transcription, are exposed to large ensemble performance, small
voices as musicians and as artists. Once they figure
analysis, and practice, the role model styles are imi- ensemble performance, improvisation, applied jazz
out what they want to say, then they can go after the
tated and synthesized to form a unique musical per- lessons with master improvisers, jazz styles, jazz
tools they need to say it. Another challenge is to stay
spective for each student. This perspective informs keyboard, and jazz composition and arranging. This
in the game until things work out. This is where prothe student’s improvisation, writing, and group per- comprehensive program with master teachers who are
fessionalism and the ability to work are crucial. We
formances with guidance and supervision from the themselves performers and arrangers gives students
place benchmarks on certain essential skills so our Jazz Faculty.
a framework with which they can grow and learn
graduates can function as players, arrangers, teachers
throughout their entire musical lives. Rutgers alumni
and producers.
JI: What is your foundational concept for motivat- like Terell Stafford (dir. Jazz Studies Temple Univ.),
ing and inspiring students?
Terrence Blanchard (Trpt. Artist and film composer
w/ Spike Lee), Michael Phillip Mossman (dir, Jazz
RUTGERS: At Rutgers we believe that students Studies Queens College, CUNY), Sean Jones (trpt.
are motivated through example. Each of our faculty Lincoln Center Jazz Orch., Prof. Duquesne Univ.),
members is a highly skilled performer and educator Brad Leali (Saxophone Prof. University of North
QUEENS: We teach the skills we ourselves have on the New York and International scene. Enroll- Texas), and literally hundreds of others are performneeded to prosper professionally and we do it at the ment is limited to approximately 50 students so that ing and teaching all over the world, and their record
there is a large amount of individual attention and speaks for itself.
right price in the right place.
JI: If there is one idea that sums up the concept and
benefits of your program, could you share that with
us?
88 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
us?
“We are in a world that doesn’t often take the time to come out
and hear live music. Students have to be realistic and have clear
goals about their art form and how to make a life for themselves
and include this music. It is also about being a versatile musician
and person so one can work in any musical situation and be a
good reliable person to hire and work with.” – Terell Stafford
RUTGERS: Every student is treated as a creative individual and is taught to identify and broaden this talent
in a non-linear way by seasoned professional educator/
performers. Styles are taught as a vehicle to creativity
and their unique qualities are identified, emphasized,
and nurtured. Students are exposed to performance
opportunities, which season them to handle the pres- SDSU: One of the most important things I personsure of the New York and World Jazz stage.
ally try to ask most, if not all our students, is what
got them into jazz. Almost universally, they tell me
they fell in love with it because the first time they
San Diego State University
heard the music of a particular jazz artist, it literally
Rick Helzer, Associate Director
changed their lives. At SDSU we are committed to
of Jazz Studies
nurturing and advancing that passion for the music.
JI: What are some of the distinguishing characteristics of your jazz program?
Temple University
Terell Stafford, Director
SDSU: The diversity of professional experience, muJI: What are some of the
sic interests and educational backgrounds and phidistinguishing
characlosophies that the full time and studio faculty bring
teristics
of
your
jazz
proto the table represents one of the core strengths of the
gram?
jazz studies program at SDSU. Through the unified
vision of the faculty we provide for our students a
TEMPLE: We have an
wide range of educational opportunities in jazz perincredible faculty culmiformance, from Ellington to John Zorn and beyond.
nating from the PhiladelAdditionally we offer an intensive four-semester
phia and New York areas.
study of jazz theory and its creative application, along
There are a total of sevenwith two semesters of jazz arranging and compositeen ensembles of various
tion and two semesters of jazz history.
styles
and
sizes.
Primary
faculty
members teach all
private lessons and students can choose the teacher
your program and, eventually, in their careers?
they desire to study with.
SDSU: Passion, perseverance, sacrifice and striving
for excellence, along with a dedication to finding
an individual voice, are foremost for a student to
succeed in our program. Even though ours is a jazz
studies performance program, our educational philosophy has a clearly articulated expectation that our
students be literate. By definition, this is an inclusive
musical literacy, given the innumerable hybrids that
constitute contemporary and improvised music. It
has been my personal experience and observation
that jazz musicians are some of the most literate and
adaptable in the professional music world and this
most certainly includes graduates of our program.
TEMPLE: We are in a world that doesn’t often take
the time to come out and hear live music. Students
have to be realistic and have clear goals about their
art form and how to make a life for themselves and
include this music. It is also about being a versatile
musician and person so one can work in any musical
situation and be a good reliable person to hire and
work with.
us?
TEMPLE: Camaraderie!! Temple is a breeding
ground of teaching, learning, sharing and friendship.
Faculty and students share mutual respect and trust
for one another, which elevate the aforementioned
qualities.
University of Louisville
Mike Tracy, Director
JI: What are some of the distinguishing characteristics of your jazz program?
TEMPLE: Students must possess a strong desire to
learn and have an attitude of humility.
UofL: The Jazz Studies Program at the University of
Louisville is a young program which has accomplished
what other more established ones aspire to attain. BeJI: What is your foundational concept for motivating young, our degrees and course offerings are focused
toward the needs of today’s student. Named for master
educator and publisher Jamey Aebersold, UofL has
TEMPLE: We encourage all faculty members to
maintain an active performing career, which gives been the home of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz
the students an opportunity to see their teachers “in Workshop for more than thirty years. Our program
action.” Faculty members also bring back stories and was modeled on the concept of where all students are
experiences from the road/performances that are in- encouraged to grow as improvisers in all ensembles,
large and small, and in lessons and related jazz classes.
JI: What is your foundational concept for motivat- spiring and motivational.
Students not only study with a distinguished faculty
JI: How do you enlighten students about bridging but have worked closely and played alongside such
the gap between the academic environment and the jazz masters as Dave Brubeck, Elvin Jones, Michael
real world where competition, earning a living and Brecker, Ray Brown, Billy Taylor,
Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D’Rivera, Slide
Hampton, McCoy Tyner, and many more. Visit“Self-respect is the fruit of discipline;
TEMPLE: Different local clubs welcome the Temple ing in 2009/2010 will be Toots Theilmanns, Kenny
the sense of dignity grows with the
students and provide a professional atmosphere and Werner, and Houston Person to name a few. Interability to say no to oneself.”
experience for the students to get out and put their national relationships are also an integral part of the
acquired academic knowledge to work. Students also program with exchanges currently in places with
team together and attend professional venues in Phil- schools and institutions in Argentina, Australia,
—Abraham J. Heschel
adelphia and New York to hear many accomplished Brazil, England, Poland and Russia with initiatives
being developed in Ecuador. In addition, the IASJ
jazz musicians perform.
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
89
16th Annual Meeting was hosted by Jazz Studies
with more than one hundred jazz educators from
throughout the world attending on our campus.
UofL: Students must be willing to seek the best
within themselves, to work with others from within
and outside of the United States, interested in learning about music and themselves through improvisation, and to welcome diverse experiences.
UofL: Our goal is to offer all of our students, jazz
majors and others, opportunities that challenge
them to build upon what they know and to embrace
new experiences that will enable them to be better
musicians and people of the world. We seek students,
faculty, and guest artists/educators who can offer
different perspectives from which all will benefit.
Studying jazz composition with John La Barbera, an
improvisation master class with Jamey Aebersold, or
playing alongside Stanley Turrentine or Percy Heath
can be inspiring as well as visiting a foreign country
and playing with musicians from another culture.
Effortless Mastery, any book by Jerry Coker, Barry USC Thornton School
Green’s Inner Game of Music and the Last Lecture Bob Mintzer, Director
by Randy Pausch. These are some of my favorite sugJI: What are some of the
gestions that help encourage students to reflect on
distinguishing
characthemselves and their actions. There are of course
teristics of your jazz promany excellent books on the jazz masters and other
gram?
historical perspectives as well as books on other philosophies suited for the curious student.
USC: The jazz program at
UofL:The biggest challenge is obviously our current
economic climate. One could go on about the lack
of any number of things beginning with paying performance opportunities; however, this is nothing really new to a jazz musician whether in 1939, 1969, or
in 2009. The challenges are great and that is why we
encourage our students to be as diverse as possible.
We offer a BA with an Emphasis in Jazz which has a
component which requires the student to study other
disciplines. A music minor is currently being considered. Each of these options offers the student options
outside of the traditional music degree. I don’t think
any student enters a jazz program with the idea of being rich. I believe they are looking to be rich musically which can open doors to countless opportunities. Many of our jazz students are now working in
the sciences, as lawyers, in the music industry, or in
the medical community. Why? How? I believe it is
because of the discipline and flexibility learned when
one studies the craft of improvisation. It truly opens
ones mind like no other area of study. You study in
a singular setting but also work with others in an
ensemble. You are asked to be a leader when improvising yet also learn to play a supportive role when
accompanying or in an ensemble. Few if any degrees
offered in the typical university setting provide such
training or challenges. It is our goal to enable our students to meet these challenges and more through the
craft of improvisation and looking within.
UofL: In addition to John La Barbera’s music industry course, our Jazz-in-the-Schools program
regularly performs educational concerts in various
schools throughout the area while other students
take leadership roles in the classroom and in community outreach. Groups are encouraged to work within
the Louisville music community, many having regular music jobs in addition to one time engagements.
During our weekly jazz area master class, speakers
who are outstanding jazz musicians but who also have
traditional “day” jobs such as lawyers, public defenders, social workers, medical doctors as well as active
professionals from the worldwide jazz community
speak and share their experiences. Student groups JI: If there is one idea that sums up the concept and
also record frequently in various combinations, often benefits of your program, could you share that with
us?
with their counterparts from other countries.
ethics? (These are concepts that might be peripheral
to making music but if one’s life comes out in their
music, than these underlying traits might impact the
music.)
UofL: Answers to this question will depend upon
the individual and teacher/musical guide. For example, I recommend such books as Kenny Werner’s
UofL: I think our byline “Jamey Aebersold Jazz
Studies Program: Serious About America’s Music JAZZ!” aptly describes our program. For too long
jazz was considered by many to be inappropriate for
serious study. We all know that way of thinking is
folly. We are serious about using jazz to reach the
individual. To help them better understand themselves and to open doors to other forms of music.
To use our music, jazz, to bring people and cultures
together. Studying jazz and improvisation is exciting
and never ending.
90 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
the USC Thornton School
of Music consists of some
of the most creative and
world renowned faculty of
any jazz program—Peter
Erskine, Russell Ferrante, Alan Pasqua, Vince Mendoza, Bill Watrous, Ndugu Chancellor, Roy McCurdy, Bob Shepard, Alphonso Johnson and myself.
Aside from the fact that the program is based in Los
Angeles, and gives students access to the L.A. jazz
and arts scene, the school offers first rate access to
world-class academic courses, a renowned classical
music program, a comprehensive film scoring school,
and a faculty that is on the scene and working in the
arts. One can get a jazz education and also develop
skills outside of jazz that will help in the endeavor of
sustaining a career in the arts.
USC: Students are of course expected to be focused,
hard working, and able to contribute their own personal spin to the work we do at USC. We encourage
all students to be performers, composers, arrangers,
band members, team players, band leaders, and instigators. Composition as a vehicle for playing is an
integral part of the curriculum at USC. In terms of
what students will succeed in their careers, it will
generally be the ones who work harder than everybody else, are thorough in their studies, go after playing opportunities with a vengeance, have a positive
outlook, are team players, and use composition as a
tool to create playing situations.
USC: We try to provide inspiring information that
will give students the vocabulary and skills to be
performing artists. We hang and play with the students, cite important examples of jazz greatness in
our teaching, bring in visiting jazz artists, provide
all kinds of playing opportunities, and encourage
students to find pathways that express their own particular vision.
USC: USC is a fairly competitive school. You have to
have a good GPA and have compelling skills to get in.
Once enrolled in the program, students are expected to
Mike Mainieri
Mike Mainieri is available for master classes/clinics/workshops.
Mike’s career spans 6 decades
in the educational field with
as a performing artist, composer,
small ensembles & big bands.
arranger, bandleader, producer
and President of his own record
See Mike’s complete bio
label, NYC Records Inc.
and discography at
www.mikemainieri.com
As bandleader of Steps Ahead for
30 years, he is still active touring
PRIvAte leSSoNS
with the seminal group, which in
at Mike’s studio are also
itself has been a workshop in
available for intermediate
progress. At last count, more
and advanced students.
than 40 musicians have performed
with the Steps Ahead. He has held
BooKINGS:
master classes, clinics & lectures
email: [email protected]
worldwide and performed
Phone: 212-496-1625
Make Music Your Life!
We Offer Over 30 Degree Programs!
Become a performer, music teacher, artist manager,
musical director, audio engineer or producer.
Enrollment Week for New & Transfer Students
August 17 - 24 10 am - 4 pm
Classes start August 31
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We're located 35 miles from New York City
305 N. Service Road Dix Hills, New York 11746 www.ftc.edu
A U D I O R E C O R D I N G T E C H N O LO G Y • B R O A D C A S T I N G • B U S I N E S S • F I L M / V I D E O • J O U R N A L I S M • E L E M E N TA R Y T E A C H E R E D U C AT I O N
MUSIC TEACHER EDUCATION • MUSIC BUSINESS • MUSIC PERFORMANCE • MASS COMMUNICATION • THEATRE ARTS
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
91
perform at a high level and carry themselves in a professional manor (being on time, being prepared, being
on the team). The fact that literally every faculty member is a working musician on the scene gives students
access to information that is essential in knowing how
to sustain a career in music. If a student is working
hard and playing great the word will travel fast.
the students to deal with a publicist, management,
and all of those stage requirements that can’t be
taught in a class room. On the undergraduate level,
we have a European classical requirement. We feel
this develops essential skills, and makes the jazz
studies students some of the hardest working people
on campus. We have an enviable equity in vocal and
instrumental jazz. The singers are held at a really high
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, au- standard, whose results are very stimulating. The colthors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or music laborations between instrumentalists and singers, I
- would you suggest students learn and embrace to think, are remarkable. And finally, we truly try to
broaden themselves and build character, integrity, support students way beyond the norm—including
ethics? (These are concepts that might be peripheral grants for touring and recording, even for summer
to making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s study. The loyalty factor is quite high, and we tend to
music, than these underlying traits might play a role.) build life long relationships for that reason.
USC: USC boasts several award-winning composition teachers in the classical department, the opportunity to play in a symphony orchestra, chamber
group, play for student and sometimes professional
film scoring sessions, study music business, music
technology, popular music, and so many other subjects outside of jazz. It is all pertinent and, at the end
of the day, applicable to being a jazz musician and a
well-rounded human being.
92 September 2009
tours, recordings, where the student is truly in charge
of many or most aspects of successfully pulling off the
event—with guidance and some safety net of course.
We guide students towards appropriate grant applications, and professional connections. Although
previously happening on the graduate level, we are
instituting a series of entrepreneurial workshops for
all students, to assist in this. It will include guests
from the recording, internet, arts administration,
philanthropic foundation and pure business worlds.
Personally, I made my last CD, Lines of Influence entirely with students and alumni—it has been a tremendous experience. And I have also been including
students on professional tours when appropriate,
with much success—kind of putting my professional
money where my educational mouth is.
JI: What concepts, philosophies, quotes, books, authors, speakers - outside of and beyond jazz or music
WMU: Number one, they have to be hard working. - would you suggest students learn and embrace to
Because of the size and structure, it is impossible for broaden themselves and build character, integrity,
students to “hide,” or slip through the cracks. We ethics? (These are concepts that might be peripheral
work hard to make sure all students have a plethora to making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s
of opportunities and responsibilities. Teaching stu- music, than these underlying traits might play a role.)
dios are closely monitored for size, so everyone that
gets in, truly has to step up to the plate. Number WMU: Some of these will play out in the previous
two, they have to be good people. We make a big deal answer, in terms of the relationship of the arts and the
Western Michigan State University about that even as early as at auditions. It is not only community, arts and education, and the role of jazz
Tom Knific, professor
enough to be able to perform well enough at the gig in American culture. I like what Kurt Elling tells stu- what ever it is. Our students are—how shall I say dents in this regard—if you want to have something
JI: What are some of the this—strongly encouraged to learn how to make any to say, you have to build up an interior life. I strongly
distinguishing
charac- scene better by their behavior and attitude. They need encourage the liberal arts view of knowing what the
teristics of your jazz pro- to learn that there will always be somebody that per- human condition has produced on some scale and how
gram?
forms as well or better, somewhere. However, bring- things connect—writers, filmmakers, artists, people
ing a winning personality and presence to the situa- who have successfully created. And I strongly encourWMU: One has to tion, along with the musical goods, can go a long way age travel, international if at all possible. I suppose the
think back, about how to ensuring viability. One of our alumni, drummer trait of having a bigger view, an open view, not just of
a program started in Keith Hall, who is now on the faculty, reminds stu- the arts, but of society, societies, should encourage the
Kalamazoo, Michigan, dents that on tour, the stage time may be two hours most open making of art—seeing possibilities.
nearly twenty years ago, or less. How do you handle yourself the other 22?
attracted the talent and
produced the results to bring home well over 100 JI: What is your foundational concept for motivat- facing and how does your program help them overDown Beat Student Music Awards in that time. ing and inspiring students?
And like every other successful endeavor, it’s about
the people. What distinguishes the program is that WMU: Firstly, the vast and profound body of work WMU: Challenges recently have included the finanit is extremely hands on. It’s produced by a remark- and artists that have created our jazz legacy provides cial in a way I have not seen before. Fortunately, we
ably dedicated, professionally active faculty, who endless inspiration. Secondly, our faculty members have a favorable in-state rate which we strongly enseem to never run out of energy or ideas. Students get are all extremely busy in the profession, and bring courage students to take advantage of by establishing
that they will be treated as individuals, developed as their own inspiration, and professional aspirations residency. My colleagues and I are personally involved
individuals, nurtured and motivated as individuals. to the table—then add a continual flow of the right in raising scholarship funds for students. AcademiAs such, we produce a divergence of styles under the guests in the right context. For instance, Stefon cally, the balance of keeping up with and adding the
musical umbrella called jazz. And quality is always Harris just completed a four year residency through new, musically and technically, while figuring out
the first item on the agenda. We were one of the early Fontana Chamber Arts. It is hard to imagine more what can be made less of the focus, as there are so
programs to integrate essential touring artists into enthusiasm or positive spirit. Ultimately, if the un- many hours in a day is a challenge. I refer to the entire
our faculty. Billy Hart just celebrated 16 years as an conditional love for the music exists within the university curriculum. That is a work in progress but
artist in residence. At that time, academia seemed to teacher, it can’t help but inspire the student.
is aided by individually counseling students on course
have a hard time imagining the open ended schedselection and prioritization. The greatest challenge is
uling required to pull this kind of relationship off. JI: How do you enlighten students about bridging of course opportunities after graduation. My very genIt made a major impact in terms of early credibility, the gap between the academic environment and the eral rule which obviously does not fit all cases is to get
and creativity. The WMU Jazz Studies program has real world where competition, earning a living and the undergrads into the best grad school, and the grad
a world class jazz club partner, The Union Cabaret other things impact artistic pursuits?
students employed. I take this very seriously.
and Grill, which provides well over 100 nights of
contracted performances a year for students, faculty WMU: One approach is by narrowing the gap. The JI: If there is one idea that sums up the concept and
and alumni. This not only provides our university Union Jazz Club, mentioned earlier, is part of that benefits of your program, could you share that with
jazz community with valuable work, but it requires equation. We also try to support student projects, us?
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
“Later, there is a certain ‘deer in headlights’ effect when students
become seniors and realize they are about to experience reality.
That needs our assurance that: (1) they’ll never feel like they’re
completely ready; (2) what they’ve learned here is a lifelong
project; and (3) that they need to go back to the basics to focus
on qualities that will help them get work: being versatile, being
ready to play in varying musical situations, ready to say ‘yes’ to
anything and everything at first, and look forward to the luxury
of turning down gigs later.” – Dr. David Demsey
WMU: That the program attempts to develop the
whole student—building on their strengths, and
shoring up less developed areas, and artistically encouraging the student to develop a voice. I ask myself
everyday, “Is this where I would want to send my children to school?” And I act accordingly. Both of my
sons have attended WMU.
William Paterson University
Dr. David Demsey – Coordinator of Jazz
Studies, Curator, Living Jazz Archives,
Professor of Music
distinguishing
WILLIAM PATERSON
UNIVERSITY: Those
that set William Paterson
apart are: the intensity of
a New York jazz program,
based on a campus that is a
300-acre nature preserve, 18 miles from Manhattan;
veteran faculty that are top New York professionals;
24 small jazz groups as well as Jazz Orchestra, Latin
Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Vocal Workshop; plenty of
performance and writing opportunities; small classes
and lots of close contact with faculty.
WPU: As musicians, they need to have command on
their instruments or voice, including a strong sound,
some considerable harmonic vocabulary, and ability
to fit into a variety of musical styles. We’re also looking for students who are equally developed as people,
ready to personally fit into various diverse situations,
play with other musicians who play differently than
they do, to engage with one another and be open to
new ideas and concepts, both traditional and modern.
actually Jazz Styles and Analysis; ear-training classes
focus on transcription and harmonic/form recognition; improvisation classes require students to demonstrate studied concepts on their instruments; all ensembles have performance venues and a full schedule
that includes live gigs, critiques and studio sessions.
ethics. (These are concepts that might be peripheral
to making music but if one’s life comes out in one’s
music, than these underlying traits might play a role)
WPU: Because a lot of our scholarship money is
based on academic achievement, we recruit students
JI: How do you enlighten students about bridging who are bright as well as talented, who want to take
the gap between the academic environment and the challenging non-music courses. Many of our stureal world where competition, earning a living and dents are in the Honors Program, taking courses in
the Philosophy or World History area, making their
major relevant to other academic areas. Each student
WPU: We show students how the faculty is bridging finds their own path in terms of making these conthat gap between the campus and the realities of the nections, but the program encourages that along
Jazzand
Inside
1 8/6/2009
3:47with
PM thePage
1
performance
emphasis.
world
being a ad:Layout
musician in American
culture. Ca-
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Our campus, located in Albany, N.Y., has the personal feeling of a small town
neighborhood with the amenities of a vibrant cultural and economic center only
a few blocks away.
WPU: The foundation of the program is to focus everything on performing: the ‘jazz history’ classes are
reer advice and topics are a thread that runs through
most or all of the classes, showing students how jazz
musicians have built and maintained careers through
history including the pitfalls that have occurred;
and main concentration on the New York scene.
Our own alumni are involved in this, coming back
to campus as guests on our Midday series to meet
with students and let them know how our successful
grads are starting to build that career. If a student is
accepted into the jazz program, combined four-year
majors are available in Jazz/Music Education, Jazz/
Music Management, and Jazz/Audio Recording.
For more information: 1-800-637-8556
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
www.strose.edu/music
93
JI: What are some of the challenges that students are Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music—
facing and how does your program help them over- Queens Campus
Kenneth Murphy
WPU: Early challenges include adjustment to the
New York area, realizing that there are many others
who can do things they cannot, that they’re simply
not as good as they may have thought they were some call it ‘Paterson shock,’ but this is true I’m sure
with all New York City programs. Students’ ears
grow much faster than their technique, causing them
to realize more vividly than they ever have what they
cannot do. This takes constant faculty monitoring
and counseling as students become aware of this; faculty have to be there to help them find solutions to
the new issues. Later, there is a certain ‘deer in headlights’ effect when students become seniors and realize they are about to experience reality. That needs
our assurance that: (1) they’ll never feel like they’re
completely ready; (2) what they’ve learned here is a
lifelong project; and (3) that they need to go back to
the basics to focus on qualities that will help them get
work: being versatile, being ready to play in varying
musical situations, ready to say ‘yes’ to anything and
everything at first, and look forward to the luxury of
turning down gigs later.
us?
WPU: The main concept is ‘musical reality,’ teaching and learning based as closely as possible on the
realities and demands of the music and the music
world. This comes not only from the faculty, but is
also transmitted from older students, from alumni.
When the program is working, students learn as
much or more from one another than they do from
the faculty.
LOCAL
92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212.415.5500
Programs include Jazz Keyboard, Jazz Combos and Jazz
Workshops. The annual Jazz In July Summer Program includes
an array of performances by internationally renowned artists
ASCAP (American Society of Composers,
Authors, & Publishers)
Frances Richard
One Lincoln Plaza
New York, NY 10023
212-621-6327
[email protected]
www.ascap.com
42-76 Main Street
Flushing, NY 11355
718-461-8910
www.bqcm.org
Charles Colin Studios
315 West 53rd Street
New York NY 10019
212-581-1480
[email protected] www.charlescolin.com
Greenwich House Music School,
46 Barrow St., Tel: 212-242-4770, Fax: 212-366-9621, www.
greenwichhouse.org
City College of New York—Jazz Program
Scott Reeves
Music Department
138th St. & Covent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
[email protected]
www.ccny.cuny.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.FA in Jazz, Classical, Music Technology,
or Jazz Education; B.A. in Music or Music Education
Faculty: Includes Daniel Carillo, Alison Deane, David Del Tredici,
Ray Gallon, Barbara Hanning, Michael Holober, Stephen
Jablonsky, Chadwick Jenkins, Paul Kozel
Columbia University—Center for Jazz Studies
Professor George Lewis
2960 Broadway, MC 1812 - 621 Dodge Hall
New York, NY 10027
www.jazz.columbia.edu, Admissions: (212) 854-2522
Faculty: Ann Douglas, Brent Edwards, Farah Jasmine Griffin,
George Lewis, Robert O’Meally, John Szwed, Christopher
Washburne
CUNY York College
94-20 Guy R Brewer Blvd
Jamaica, NY 11451
Tom Zlabinger
Department of Music
http://york.cuny.edu
718-262-2000
C.W. Post University
T.K. Blue
Department of Music
720 Northern Boulevard
Brookville, NY 11548-1300
(516) 299-2930
[email protected]
www.liu.edu/~svpa/music
Faculty: T.K. Blue, Andy Fusco, Richard Iacona, Mark Marino,
John Ray, Ron Stanton, Earl Williams
Drummers Collective
541 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011,
212-741-0091, www.thecoll.com
Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music—
Brooklyn Campus
Earl McIntyre
58 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-622-3300
[email protected]
www.bqcm.org
Five Towns College
305 N. Service Road
Dix Hills, New York 11746
Admissions: 631-656-2110
Web Site: www.ftc.edu
E-Mail: [email protected]
Five Towns College music department offers one of the finest
Jazz/Commercial music programs in New York State. At the
graduate level, Five Towns College offers a program in Jazz/
Commerical Music leading to the Master of Music (M.M.) with
concentrations in performance, composition/arranging, music
history and music technology. In addition a Doctor of Musical
Arts (D.M.A.) degree is also offered. Concentrations offered at
94 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
the doctoral level include music education, performance, music
history, literature and composition/songwriting. The program
is designed to meet the needs of professional musicians,
audio recording engineers, music business executives,
multimedia specialists, and active professionals working in
the music industry, music education, or a music related field.
Graduate courses are scheduled for the late afternoon or early
evening for the convenience of working professionals. For
more information, contact an Admissions Representative at
631-656-3129. Financial aid and scholarships are available.
•
Hunter College of CUNY
Ryan Keberle
Department of Music
695 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
212-771-5020
[email protected]
www.hunter.cuny.edu/~music
Faculty: Ryan Keberle, Priscilla Owens
Jazz At Lincoln Center
60th & Broadway
New York, NY
http://jalc.org/jazzED/
Jazz At Lincoln Center produces 20 education programs
and resources that fall within four audience categories Students and Teachers, Kids and Families, Adults and Online
Learners. Jazz For Young People Concerts, Middle School
Jazz Academy, Essentially Ellington High School Jazz band
Program, Band Director Academy, Workshops, Clinics. JALC
Education programs reach over 50,000 participants each year
through direct instruction and another 30,000 indirectly with
curricula and print music library.
Jazzmobile
Robin Bell-Stevens, CEO
154 W. 127th Street, Second Floor
New York, NY 10027
212-866-4900
http://jazzmobile.org
Jazzmobile, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) art and culture
organization. The organization, founded by Billy Taylor, and now
celebrating its 45th Anniversary is a pioneering organization in
Jazz Education and mobile jazz concerts. For more information
about educational activities and performances, visit the website
- http://jazzmobile.org
Juilliard Institute for Jazz Studies
Carl Allen
60 Lincoln Center Plaza, Rm. 222
New York, NY 10023-6590
212-799-5000
[email protected]
www.juilliard.edu
Carl Allen’s Assistant - Artistic Director of Juilliard Jazz Studies
Bachelor Degrees: Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music, Jazz Studies, Artist
Diploma – pre-professional curriculum in the Juilliard Institute
for Jazz Studies (a collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center)
Faculty: Includes Carl Allen, Kenny Barron, Ron Blake, Kendall
Durelle Briggs, George Colligan, Xavier Davis, Richard
DeRosa, Billy Drummond, Ray Drummond, Mark Gould, David
Grossman, Eddie Henderson, Ted Nash, Ben Wolfe
LaGuardia Community College
CUN I, 31-10 Thomson Ave.,
Long Island City, 718-482-5151
Long Island University
Bob Aquino
Department of Music, 1 University Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.liu.edu/brooklyn/music
Admissions Contact: Bob Aquino
Bachelor Degrees: B.FA and B.A.
Faculty: Eddie Allen, Freddie Bryant, Jack Wilkins, Cliff
Korman, Dwayne Broadnax, Vince Cherico, Sam Newsome,
Carlo DeRosa, Gloria Cooper, Bob Aquino
Long Island University—Brooklyn Campus
Sam Newsome
Brooklyn Campus
1 University Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11201-5372
www.liu.edum www.samnewsome.com
Faculty: Eddie Allen, Freddie Bryant, Jack Wilkins, Cliff
Korman, Dwayne Broadnax, Vince Cherico, Sam Newsome,
Carlo DeRosa, Gloria Cooper, Bob Aquino
Lucy Moses School
129 West 67th Street
New York, NY 10023
Tel: 212-501-3360
Fax: 212-874-7865
[email protected]
www.kaufman-center.org/lucy-moses-school
Programs include lessons, classes, workshops and ensembles
for children and adults.
Justin DiCioccio
New York, NY 10027
www.msmnyc.edu
Faculty: Includes Jay Anderson, Michael Abene, Justin
DiCioccio, Bobby Sanabria, Jaime Baum, Rodney Jones, Samir
Chatterjee, Kenny Barron, David Liebman, Luis Bonilla, Cecil
Bridgewater, Jospeh Locke, John Blake, Theo Bleckmann
New Jersey City University
Ed Joffe
2039 Kennedy Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 7305
201-200-3091
[email protected]
www.njcu.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Performance (Jazz & Classical),
B.A. in Music, Music Education, or Music Business
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Performance (Jazz & Classical),
Multiple Woodwind Performance, or Music Education
Faculty: Ed Joffe, Bud Burridge, Andy Eulau, Anita Brown,
Allen Farnham, Earl Gardner, Tim Horner, Dr. Edward Joffe, Bill
Kirchner, Joe Magnarelli, Bob Malach, Pete McGuinness, Paul
Meyers, Joe Mosello, Pablo Rodriguez, Mark Sherman, Arnold
Jay Smith, Jim Snidero, Roseanna Vitro, Joel Weiskopf
New School Jazz & Contemporary Music Program
Martin Mueller
55 W. 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
212-229-5896
[email protected], www.jazz.newschool.edu
Teri Lucas is Ext. 4589
[email protected]
Faculty: Includes Ahmed Abdullah, Junko Arita, Daniel Beliavsky,
Jay Bianchi, Ben Bierman, Jane Ira Bloom, Richard Boukas,
Joanne Brackeen, Cecil Bridgewater, Brian Camelio, Steve
Cardenas, Jeff Carney, Joe Chambers, Haim Cotton, Alexis
Cuadrado, Andrew Cyrille, Gerard D’Angelo, Armen Donelian,
Mario Escalera, Ray Gallon, Hal Galper, George Garzone, Dave
Glasser, Dan Greenblatt, Chico Hamilton, and many more
Dr. David Schroeder
35 West 4th Street Room # 980 Suite # 777
New York, NY 10012
www.education.nyu.edu/music.jazz
Chair of Department of Music: Dr. Lawrence Ferrara
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Music Performance and Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: M.A. and Ph.D. in Music Performance and
Jazz Studies
Faculty: Includes Dr. Dave Schroeder, Bruce Arnold, Donald
Friedman, Memo Acevedo, George Garzone, Gabriel Alegria,
Robin Eubanks, Ron McClure, Stefon Harris, and many more
Purchase College—Jazz Institute
Purchase College, SUNY
Todd Coolman
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
914-251-6716
[email protected]
www.purchase.edu/music
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Performance—Jazz Studies
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Performance—Jazz Studies;
Performer Certificate; Artist’s Diploma
Faculty: Includes Eric Alexander, Jon Faddis, John Fedchock,
Doug Munro, Charles Blenzig, Todd Coolman, Richie Morales,
Ted Piltzecker, Wilson Corniel, Jr., Arturo O’Farrill
Queens College—Copland School of Music
Michael Mossman
Flushing, NY 11367
718-997-3823
[email protected]
www.qc.edu/music, Admissions: (718) 997-5200
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz Performance and Jazz
Composition
Faculty: David Berkman, Paul Bollenbeck, Vince Cherico, Gene
Jackson, Pablo Aslan, Ron Carter, Leon Dorsey, Antonio Hart,
Luis Bonilla, Steve Turre, Mark Feldman, Theo Bleckman,
Richard Harper Sheila Jordan, J. D. Walter, Michael Mossman.
Rutgers University at New Brunswick
Stanley Cowell
100 Clifton Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0270
www.musicweb.rutgers.edu
Master Degrees: Master of Music
Faculty: Ralph Bowen, Stanley Cowell, William Fielder, Conrad
Herwig, Vic Juris, Victor Lewis, Mike Richmond
Turtle Bay Music School
244 E. 52nd St.
New York, NY 10022,
212-753-8811
www.tbms.org
New York University
Jazz/Contemporary Music Studies
William Paterson University
David Demsey
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 7470
973-720-2268
[email protected], www.wpunj.edu
B.M. in Jazz Studies and Performance, Sound Engineering Arts/
Jazz Concentration, Music Management/Jazz Concentration
and Music Education/Jazz Concentration
M.M. in Jazz Studies, Concentrations in Perf, Arranging
Faculty: Includes David Demsey, Vincent Herring, Rich Perry,
Nancy Marano, Gene Bertoncini, Paul Meyers, Armen Donelian,
Harold Mabern, Mulgrew Miller, Janet Reeves, James Weidman,
Steve LaSpina, Marcus McLaurine, Horacee Arnold, Bill
Goodwin, Kevin Norton, Cecil Bridgewater, Richard DeRosa,
Jim McNeely, Clark Terry.
September 2009
•
Jazz Inside™ NY
•
Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall
881 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
212-903-9741
www.weillmusicinstitute.org
REGIONAL
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, New England and Mid-Atlantic
Berklee College of Music
Nick Balkin
1140 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 2215
(617) 747-2222
Bachelor Degrees: Music Education, Film Scoring, Songwriting,
Performance, Music Production & Engineering, Music
Synthesis, Music Business/Management, Music Therapy,
Contemporary Writing & Production, Composition, Professional
Music, Jazz Composition, dual major options
2009-1010 Jazz Concert Calendar
Highlights—Preview
Fall 2009
Friday, October 9
Focus: The Music of Eddie Sauter, with Joe Lovano,
soloist
Borden Hall, MSM Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, Justin
DiCioccio, Conductor
Eddie Sauter: Focus, Robert Graettinger/Stan Kenton:
City of Glass
Thursday, Oct. 22 BDN
The Music of Clare Fischer, Bill Potts: The Jazz Soul of
Porgy and Bess
MSM Concert Jazz Band, Justin DiCioccio, Conductor
Friday, Oct. 23 BDN
Ray Santos - A Life in Latin Music
A tribute to a living master, the definitive arranger of big
band Afro-Cuban music
MSM Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra
Bobby Sanabria, Director
Tuesday, November 3 BDN
Sketches of Spain
MSM Jazz Orchestra, Justin DiCioccio, Conductor,
Artist-in Residence Dave Liebman, soloist
Gil Evans: Sketches of Spain
Spring 2010
Friday, Feb. 12- Feb.14
Charles Mingus Festival & Second Annual High School
Band Competition
Master classes, workshops, concerts and jam sessions
culminating in the Second Annual Charles Mingus High
School Jazz Band Competition
Wed. March 24 BDN
MSM Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, Justin DiCioccio,
Conductor featuring vocalist Jane Monheit
Wed. April 21 ML
Chamber Jazz Ensemble: Michael Patterson & Friends
with Gene Bertoncini, guitar, and Sara Caswell, violin
New York, NY 10027-4698
www.msmnyc.edu
95
Faculty: Includes Bill Pierce and Walter Beasley, saxophone;,
JoAnne Brackeen, piano; Kenwood Dennard, drums; Kevin
Mahogany, voice; Mick Goodrick, guitar; Phil Wilson, trombone.
Paul Evoskevich
432 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
(518) 454-5195
[email protected]
www.strose.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.S. in Music Industry and Music
Education
Graduate Degrees: M.A. in Music Technology, M.S. in Ed. in
Music Education
Faculty: Paul Evoskevich, Robert Hansbrough, Joseph Eppink,
Yvonne Chavez Hansbrough, Susan Harwood, Dennis A.
Johnston, Young Kim, Michael Levi, Marry Anne Nelson, Bruce
Roter, Barbara Wild
Duquesne University
Michael Tomaro
Mary Pappert School of Music
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
[email protected]
www.duq.edu
Faculty: Ronald Bickel, Joe Dallas, Jim Guerra, Sean Jones,
Tony Mowod, Brian Stahurski, Michael Tomaro, John Wilson
East Stroudsburg University
Betsy Buzzelli-Clarke
Music Department
200 Prospect Street
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
www.esu.edu
Admissions: (570) 422-3211
Faculty: Robert Miller, Patrick Dorian, Terry Flatt, James
Maroney, Otis French, Elizabeth Buzzelli-Clarke
Eastman School of Music
Harold Danko
26 Gibbs Street
Rochester, NY 14604
585-274-1449
[email protected]
www.rochester.edu/eastman/jazz
Admissions: Dr. Adrian Daly, [email protected]
Department Secretary: Sheryle Charles
[email protected]; Ext. 1440
Bachelor Degrees: Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media
Graduate Degrees: M.M. in Jazz Studies and Contemporary
Media
Faculty: Jeff Campbell, Harold Danko, Bill Dobbins, Clay
Jenkins, Mark Kellogg, Ramon Ricker, Dave Rivello, Bob
Sneider, Dariusz Terefenko, Rich Thompson, Walt Weiskopf
Fairfield University
Brian Torff
1073 N. Benson Road
Fairfield, CT 06824
(203) 254-4000,
[email protected],
www.fairfield.edu
Undergraduate Adm. (203) 254-4100
Faculty: Orin Grossman, Laura Nash, Brian Torff
Hartford Conservatory
Walter Gwardyak
834 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 6105
(860) 246-2588
[email protected]
www.hartfordconservatory.org
Admissions: (860) 246-2588
Bachelor Degrees: Accredited Arts Diploma
Faculty: Dave Dana, Bob DePalma, Giacomo Gates, Jay Wood
Howard University Jazz Studies
College of Arts and Sciences, Jazz Studies
2400 6th St NW
Washington, DC 20059
(202) 806-7097
[email protected]
www.coas.howard.edu/music/index.html
Admissions: (202) 806-7082
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Studies, Music Business – Jazz,
Music Education, Composition, Music History, Music Therapy,
Music Business
Graduate Degrees: Master of Music, Master of Music Education
Ithaca College
James J. Whalen Center for Music
3322 Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY 14850-7240
607-274-3366
www.ithaca.edu/music
Music Admissions Director—Thomas Kline
[email protected]
Faculty: Lauri Robinson-Keegan, Michael Titlebaum, Louise /
mygatt
Lehigh University
Bill Warfield
Music Department, Zoellner Arts Center
420 East Packer Avenue
Bethlehem, PA
(610) 758-5192, [email protected],
www.lehigh.edu/~inmsc/
Admissions: (610) 758-3839
Faculty: Dave Riekenberg, Bill Warfield
Moravian College
Neil Wetzel
Moravian College Music Department
1200 Main Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018
610-861-1650, [email protected],
www.moravian.edu/music
Admissions: (610) 861-1300
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Performance (Jazz or Classical),
Music Education, Composition, or Sacred Music; B.A. in Music
or Elementary Education
Faculty: Dan DeChellis, Anthony Gairo, Alan Gaumer, Byron
Landham, Lou Lanza, Steven Mathiesen, Gary Rismiller, Pal
Rostock, David Roth, Dr. Neil Wetzel, Peter Smyser.
Fredonia College, SUNY
Bruce Johnstone
Mason Hall, School of Music
Fredonia, NY 14063
(716) 673-4640
[email protected]
www.fredonia.edu
Admissions: (716) 673-3251
Faculty: Bruce Johnstone, John Bacon, Harry Jacobson, Linda
Phillips
New England Conservatory
Ken Schaphorst
290 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 2115
(617) 585-1388
[email protected]
www.newenglandconservatory.edu
Bachelor Degree: B.M. or Undergraduate Diploma in Jazz
Performance, Jazz Composition, or Contemporary Improvisation
Graduate Degrees: M.M., Graduate Diploma, D.M.A., or Artist
Diploma in Jazz Performance, Jazz Composition, or Contemporary
Improvisation
Faculty: Includes Charlie Banacos, Jerry Bergonzi, Ran Blake,
Fred Buda, Frank Carlberg, Gary Chaffee, Anthony Coleman,
Sa Davis, Dominique Eade, Robin Eubanks, George Garzone,
96 September 2009
•
Jazz Inside NY
™
•
Billy Hart, Andre Hayward, Jon Hazilla, Jerry Leake, John
Lockwood, Cecil McBee
Orange County Community College
Chris Parker
115 South Street
Middletown, NY 12771
www.sunyorange.edu
Admissions: Vinny Cazzetta, 845-341-4726
Faculty: Chris Parker, Hilarie Clark-Moore, Stanley Curtis, Christa
Damaris, Peter Galipeau, Vivian Graziano, David Miele, Dana
Perna, Steve Raleigh, Levern Rollins-Haynes, Kevin Scott
Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University
Gary Thomas, Director of Jazz Studies
1 East Mt. Vernon Place
Baltimore, MD 21202-2397
www.peabody.jhu.edu
Bachelor Degrees: B.M. in Jazz Performance in Trumpet,
Percussion, Double Bass, Saxophone, Flute, Piano, Guitar, Voice
Faculty: Nasar Abadey, Paul Bollenback, Jay Clayton, Michael
Formanek, Donvonté McCoy, Timothy Murphy, Gary Thomas
Princeton University
Department of Music
Anthony Branker
Woolworth Center Musical Studies
Princeton, NJ 08544-1007
609-258-2219
[email protected]
www.princeton.edu/~puje
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Music; Certificate in Musical
Performance (Jazz)
Graduate Degrees: M.A. & Ph.D. in Composition and Musicology
Faculty: Anthony Branker, Ralph Bowen, Michael Cochrane,
Bruce Arnold, Brian Glassman, John Arrucci
Rowan University
Dennis DiBlasio
201 Mullica Road
Glassboro, NJ 08071
(856) 256-4651
[email protected]
www.rowan.edu/music
Faculty: Dennis DiBlasio, Douglas Mapp, George Genna,
Tom Giacabetti, Eddie Gomez, John Guida, Tony Miceli, Jim
Miller, Joe Morello, George Rabbai, Robert Rawlins, Anthony
Salicandro, Tom Traub, Ed Vezinho
SUNY Binghamton
Michael Carbone
Music Department
PO Box 6000
Binghamton, NY 13902
(607) 777-2627
[email protected]
www.music.binghamton.edu
Undergrad Admissions: (607) 777-2171
Faculty: Michael Carbone
SUNY Potsdam
Bret Zvacek
Crane School of Music
SUNY Potsdam
44 Pierrepont Avenue
Potsdam, NY 13676
(315) 267-2423
[email protected]
www.potsdam.edu/crane
Admissions: (315) 267-2775
Bachelor Degrees: B.A. in Music; Minor in Jazz Studies
Faculty: Bret Zvacek
410 S. Michigan Ave. Ste 802
Chicago, IL. 60605 • 312-360-9881
723 7th Ave. • 3rd Floor
New York, NY. 10019 • 212-730-8138
Steve’s cell: 630-865-6849
www.maxwelldrums.com
Our Manhattan shop is located at 723
7th Ave. 3rd floor. We’re right at the
corner of 7th avenue and 48th street,
which is known as “music row” in
Manhattan. Our NYC manager is Jess
Birch and he and Steve will both be at
the shop. Steve is in the Chicago store
on Saturdays.
intage and
ur v m
o
y
dru specia
om
li s
t
us
NEW: Effective April 1, Willie Martinez joins our
staff heading up our new repair department. Willie is
the best in the business and his name is known all over
Manhattan. Repair shop is open, so come on down and
let us help you with your gear.
Our new shOp includes:
craviOttO: World’s largest selection of Craviotto
one-ply snares and drum sets
vintage: Extensive inventory of high end vintage
snare drums, sets and cymbals
MuseuM: A showcase for some of the rarest and
historic sets and snares.
gretsch: USA Custom drums in bebop sizes made
famous by the 60s era jazz greats and including our
Gretsch Vintage Tribute kits available only through
us. True vintage build out with rail consolette and even
burgundy sparkle among other colors.
cyMbals: Istanbul, Bosphorus, Zildjian, Old As, Old
Ks, Dream and our own Turkish made Session cymbals
· All of the great sticks, heads, hardware, bags,
etc that we offer.
At our Manhattan store
(all items are available for sale):
· Gene Krupa’s late 30s radio King snare drum
· Rare Slingerland black beauty snare drum.
One of only 12 known.
· Rare Gretsch cadillac nitron green
50s era 3 ply kit
practice space: Our NY store has drum set
practice available for rent on an hourly basis. Call 212730-8138 for details!
teaching studiO: Ron Tierno has relocated
his long standing teaching studio to our shop. Call Ron
directly at 646-831-2083 for lesson information and visit
his site at www.nydrumlessons.com
new! We now have our brand new vintage style Rail
Consolette tom holder assembly in stock. Check it out on
the website and in our stores.
(chic): sat: 10–4
(nyc): Mon-sat: 11–7
stOre hOurs:
Other hours by appointment
sun: closed
Manager: Jess birch
ts
MANHATTAN
and CHICAGO
Our Manhattan location is only a short distance from
where Frank Ippolito had his great shop, which was where
Steve studied with Papa Jo Jones back in the early 70s and
where he got his first glimpse of the beauty of custom
drums from Al Duffy, who was truly the first custom
drum builder and a mainstay at Frank’s shop. We’re proud
to be in Manhattan and we hope to carry on the tradition
of the great shops like Frank’s.
c
Steve Maxwell vintage and CuStoM druMS
WORLD’S FINEST JAZZ CLUB & RESTAURANT
1 3 1 W. 3 R D S T N Y C 2 1 2 - 4 7 5 - 8 5 9 2 W W W. B L U E N O T E J A Z Z . C O M
KENNY WERNER QUINTET
THE OVERTONE QUARTET
SEPTEMBER 1 - 6
SEPTEMBER 8 - 13
MANHATTAN TRANSFER
PAQUITO D'RIVERA ENSEMBLE
FT. RANDY BRECKER, DAVID SANCHEZ
SCOTT COLLEY & ANTONIO SANCHEZ
SEPTEMBER 15 - 20
FT. DAVE HOLLAND, CHRIS POTTER
JASON MORAN & ERIC HARLAND
PLUS EDMAR CASTANEDA TRIO
SEPTEMBER 22 - 27
CONRAD HERWIG
FT. EDDIE PALMIERI & RANDY BRECKER
THE LATIN SIDE OF MILES DAVIS & JOHN COLTRANE
SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 4
L AT E N I G H T G R O OV E S E R I E S
S U N DAY J A Z Z B R U N C H
JEAN-MICHEL PILC
& THE NYUJAZZ FACULTY QT
SUN, SEPT 6
GENE ESS DOUBLE GUITAR QT
WITH RODNEY JONES
SUN, SEPT 13
SOUL CYCLE
FRI, SEPT 4
LAKECIA BENJAMIN & SOULSQUAD
SAT, SEPT 5
MATT GERAGHTY
FRI, SEPT 11
JUILLIARD JAZZ BRUNCH:
THE SOUND OF DETROIT
SUN, SEPT 20
MELVIN SPARKS
SAT, SEPT 12
RICARDO GALLO'S TIERRA DE NADIE
SUN, SEPT 27
EAST WEST QUINTET
FRI, SEPT 18
RICHIE GOODS
SAT, SEPT 19
RACHEL Z
MON, SEPT 7
PATRICK CORNELIUS
FRI, SEPT 25
MICHAEL KAESHAMMER
MON, SEPT 14
RACHEL PASTARNACK
SAT, SEPT 26
KENDRA ROSS
MON, SEPT 21
JUDITH OWEN
MON, SEPT 28
M O N DAYS AT T H E B L U E N O T E
®
AMERICANEXPRESS GOLD
CARDPREFERREDSEATING

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