October 2013 - The New York City Jazz Record

Transcription

OCTOBER 2013 - ISSUE 138
NYCJAZZRECORD.COM
YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE NYC JAZZ SCENE
IN
M MME
CP A M
19 AR RI OR
18 T AN IA
-2 LA
01 N M
3 D
SUN
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Space
In
Time
GINGER
BAKER
•
BILL
• MARCUS • BETHLEHEM • EVENT
MCHENRY
BELGRAVE
RECORDS
CALENDAR
“BEST JAZZ CLUBS OF THE YEAR 2012”
SMOKE JAZZ & SUPPER CLUB • HARLEM, NEW YORK
FEATURED ARTISTS / 7:00, 9:00 & 10:30pm
SPECIAL EVENTS / 7:00, 9:00 & 10:30pm
RESIDENCIES / 7:00, 9:00 & 10:30pm
Fri & Sat, Oct 4 & 5
MIKE LEDONNE’S GROOVER QUARTET
MEETS THE GUITARISTS
Sundays, Oct 6 & 13
JIMMY GREENE QUARTET
CD Release Preview
Jimmy Greene (tenor saxophone) ● Renee Rosnes (piano)
Ben Wolfe (bass, fri) ● John Patitucci (bass, sat)
Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums)
MONK BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
featuring Orrin Evans
Eddie Henderson (trumpet) ● Tim Warfield (tenor saxophone)
Orrin Evans (piano) ● Ben Wolfe (bass) ● Donald Edwards (drums)
MYRON WALDEN MOMENTUM
Darren Barrett (trumpet) ● Myron Walden (tenor saxophone)
Eden Ladin (piano) ● Yasushi Nakamura (bass) ● Mark Whitfield, Jr. (drums)
“EDDIE WHO?” SEAMUS BLAKE
QUARTET PLAYS EDDIE HARRIS
Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone) ● Brian Charette (keyboards)
Gerald Cannon (bass) ● Joe Farnsworth (drums)
JAZZ BRUNCH / 11:30am, 1:00 & 2:30pm
Sundays
Vocal Jazz Brunch
Annette St. John and Trio
SaRon Crenshaw Band
Tue, Oct 1
Sundays, Oct 20 & 27
Tue, Oct 8
Mondays, Oct 7 & 21
Tue, Oct 15
Mondays, Oct 14 & 28
Tue, Oct 22
Thursdays, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31
Bob Devos w/Eric Alexander & Carl Allen
Dave Stryker w/Vincent Herring & Joe Farnsworth
Paul Bollenback w/Eric Alexander & Joe Farnsworth
Ed Cherry w/Eric Alexander & Joe Farnsworth
Tue, Oct 29
Peter Bernstein w/Eric Alexander & Joe Farnsworth
Vivian Sessoms
Jason Marshall Big Band
Captain Black Big Band
Gregory Generet
LATE NIGHT RESIDENCIES / 11:30 Mon
The Smoke Jam Session
Tue
Milton Suggs Quartet
Wed
Brianna Thomas Quartet
Noah Jackson & Full Circle
Thr
Nickel and Dime OPS
Wed, Oct 16
Fri
Patience Higgins Quartet
Sat
Johnny O’Neal & Friends
Sun
Roxy Coss Quartet
ONE NIGHT ONLY / 7:00, 9:00 & 10:30pm
Wed, Oct 2
Lauren Sevian’s “LSQ” Quartet
Wed, Oct 9
Fleurine
Wed, Oct 23
The Baylor Project
Wed, Oct 30
Tommy Campbell’s Vocal-Eyes
212-864-6662 • 2751 Broadway NYC (Between 105th & 106th streets) • www.smokejazz.com
SMOKE
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New York@Night
Interview: Ginger Baker
by Anders Griffen
Artist Feature: Bill McHenry
by Sam Spokony
On The Cover: Sun Ra
by Russ Musto
Encore: Marcus Belgrave
by Terrell Holmes
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12
Lest We Forget:
Julius Watkins
by Ken Waxman
MegaphoneVOXNews
by Warren I. Smith
by Katie Bull
Label Spotlight:
Bethlehem Records
Listen Up!:
Peter Brendler & Hashem Assadullahi
by George Kanzler
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Festival Reports: A L’ARME! • Detroit • Guelph
In Memoriam: Marian McPartland (1918-2013)
J azz is generally accepted as being born in some elemental form in New Orleans,
bubbling up from the ethnic and cultural stew that was that city in the late 1800s
and beyond. But clearly jazz didn’t stay still, either in its development or its
location. It proliferated all over the world...and even beyond. Sun Ra (On The
Cover) showed that the influence of the music spread all the way through the
galaxy to his home planet of Saturn (Birmingham, Alabama for the more prosaic).
Next year would have been the pianist/composer/bandleader ’s 100th birthday
and Jazz at Lincoln Center is starting the party early with an evening featuring
Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Arkestra this month.
A little more earthbound, drummer Ginger Baker (Interview) was an
accomplished jazz drummer in his native London, England before ‘detouring’ into
rock during the ‘60s. He revisits his first love at Iridium this month with his Jazz
Confusion Band. Saxophonist Bill McHenry (Artist Feature) got his jazz grounding
in the blueberry state of Maine but has been a key member of the NYC scene for
the past two decades. He brings his quartet to the Village Vanguard for a week this
month. And England is again represented by an In Memorial Spread on the late
pianist/NPR radio host Marian McPartland, who died in late August. We have
two spokesmen for the Detroit jazz realm in trumpeter Marcus Belgrave (Encore),
who receives the award of recognition from the Festival of New Trumpet Music
(FONT) and performs for two nights at Jazz Standard, and the late French horn
player Julius Watkins (Lest We Forget), born 92 years ago this month. And to demonstrate the current state of local and international jazz, we have
festival reports from the US (Detroit Jazz Festival), Germany (A L’ARME!) and
Canada (Guelph Jazz Festival) and our CD Reviews encompass the traditions of
Cuba, Russia, Spain, Brazil, Iceland, Morocco, Czech Republic, the UK, Denmark,
Belgium and dozens of other countries.
It’s a big world and we’ll see you out there...
Laurence Donohue-Greene, Managing Editor
Andrey Henkin, Editorial Director
CD Reviews: The Claudia Quintet, Kenny Barron, Joe Fiedler,
Gregory Porter, John Coltrane, Mike McGinnis, Tim Berne and more
On The cover: Sun Ra - One World Family, Berkeley-11-1974 (Michael Wilderman/
wildermanphoto.com)
Event Calendar
Corrections: In last month’s Festival Reports, technically it is the 59th anniversary of
the first Newport Jazz Festival rather than the 59th edition; no festivals were held in
1961 or 1972-80. In last month’s CD Reviews, Laszlo Gardony was the arranger of
“You Are The Sunshine of My Life” on Yoron Israel’s album.
Club Directory
Miscellany: In Memoriam • Birthdays • On This Day
Submit Letters to the Editor by emailing [email protected]
US Subscription rates: 12 issues, $30 (International: 12 issues, $40)
For subscription assistance, send check, cash or money order to the
address below or email [email protected].
The New York City Jazz Record
www.nycjazzrecord.com / twitter: @nycjazzrecord
Managing Editor: Laurence Donohue-Greene
Editorial Director & Production Manager: Andrey Henkin
Staff Writers
David R. Adler, Clifford Allen, Fred Bouchard, Stuart Broomer, Katie Bull,
Tom Conrad, Ken Dryden, Donald Elfman, Brad Farberman, Sean Fitzell, Kurt Gottschalk,
Tom Greenland, Alex Henderson, Marcia Hillman, Terrell Holmes, Robert Iannapollo,
Wilbur MacKenzie, Marc Medwin, Sharon Mizrahi, Russ Musto, Sean J. O’Connell,
Joel Roberts, John Sharpe, Elliott Simon, Jeff Stockton, Andrew Vélez, Ken Waxman
Contributing Writers
Adam Everett, Anders Griffen, George Kanzler, Suzanne Lorge,
Robert Milburn, JD Parran & Warren Smith, Philip Smith, Sam Spokony
Contributing Photographers
Jim Anness, Scott Friedlander, Peter Gannushkin, Sasa Huzjak
Marek Lazarski, Susan O’Connor, Jack Vartoogian, Michael Wilderman
To Contact:
The New York City Jazz Record
116 Pinehurst Avenue, Ste. J41
New York, NY 10033
United States
Laurence Donohue-Greene: [email protected]
Andrey Henkin: [email protected]
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Advertising: [email protected]
Editorial: [email protected]
Calendar: [email protected]
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | October 2013
3
NEW YO R K @ N I G H T
Seven-string
Sex Mob closed a three-night run at ShapeShifter Lab
(Sep. 14th) by inviting the enigmatic singer Shilpa Ray
to open, singing heart-wrenching songs lost somewhere
in the smoke between Billie Holiday and Deborah
Harry and accompanying herself on harmonium. Sex
Mob played a fired up and unscripted set starting with
“You Only Live Twice”, Bernstein sticking almost
exclusively to the slide trumpet throughout the set,
with Briggan Krauss pinching, squeaking and
bellowing along on alto and baritone saxophones.
They touched repeatedly on “Won’t Get Fooled Again”,
Tony Scherr covering the guitar part on upright bass
and reducing the familiar power chords to a snail’s
pace as Bernstein occupied Kenny Wollesen’s gongs.
They cycled further and further from The Who rock
anthem, enough so that it might not have been there
anymore, abetted for a spell by Peter Apfelbaum on
tenor saxophone. Bernstein was clearly there to have
fun, calling tunes in mid-air and reveling in his band
finding their way from A to B. The whole thing seemed
a joyful, hour-long intro to Sly Stone’s “Stand” once
that theme blared through in triumphant unison. They
reverted back to Nancy Sinatra and then again to The
Who, then some quick jazzy fills like they couldn’t
help themselves. It was a spirited round of riffs, themes
and tropes, after which a spent and wobbly Bernstein
explained there was “No Fellini and nothing we played
the last two days. That’s all I know. I just went for it.” - Kurt Gottschalk
Photo by Scott Friedlander
© 2013 Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
guitarist Charlie Hunter has been
jamming with drummer Scott Amendola since the
heyday of the Bay Area’s acid jazz scene, so their recent
duo gig (Sep. 5th) at The Cutting Room was just the
continuation
of
a
two-decade-long
musical
conversation. After running down a couple of the
trickier heads during soundcheck, they opened the
show with a slow shuffling blues, chuckling together,
growing quiet, then bringing it on with a preaching
solo by Hunter, ending loud and proud to whooping
applause. This set the tone for the session, a sequence
of earthy grooves grounded in Amendola’s nuanced
pocket-playing and Hunter ’s muffled thumb-bass,
overlaid with soulful Curtis Mayfield-style chordal
passages and vibrant leads. The repertoire featured
many originals from Amendola’s upcoming release
Pucker, including “Leave On” (for Levon Helm) and
“Scott’s Tune” (written by Amendola’s grandfather),
along with John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy”, the Stylistics’
“People Make the World Go Round”, gospel standard
“You Gotta Move” and Billy Strayhorn’s “Rain Check”.
The pair was refreshingly casual onstage, obviously
having a good time and calling tunes on the fly.
Brainstorming for a third song to play, Hunter rejected
Amendola’s first suggestion: “It’s gotta be a different
key than the one we just did!” As seasoned jamsters,
they paced themselves well, lowering the dynamic
level mid-set, then ramping the energy back up for a
rousing finale.
- Tom Greenland
Sex Mob with guest Peter Apfelbaum @ ShapeShifter Lab
Scott Amendola & Charlie Hunter @ The Cutting Room
2013 Festival of New Trumpet Music had an
esteemed opening at Roulette (Sep. 10th) with
commissioned works by Christian Wolff and Roy
Campbell. Wolff’s “Octet for Brass With a Violin”
traded phrases between trumpet, trombone and violin,
building quickly to a fanfare then reducing to muted
solo lines, sometimes overlaid and with surprising
speed hitting a full swell with dissonant edges. That
was complemented by “Duo 6 for Violin and Trumpet”,
with luxurious lines from the violin seeming to pull
semi-tones toward its favor, and the 1968 composition
“Edges” played again by the nonet; scored but with the
feel of a Euro-style free improv with slow progressions,
it was ironically more cohesive as a result. Campbell’s
Akhenaten was a highlight of the 2007 Vision Festival
and one of his strongest records in years and, as the
FONT concert demonstrated, the Egyptian inspiration is
still close to his heart. His septet opened with the
25-minute “Walking to the Pyramids” in three parts,
beginning in a spiritual vibe with Campbell on flute and
moving into tribal drumming with powerful vibraphone
work by Bryan Carrott before a prolonged hardbop
section. They followed that with a section from
Campbell’s Armana suite, a bluesy piece building into a
majestic theme stated by the horns and violin. “Camel
Caravan” was more of a blazer, featuring Campbell and
Josh Evans swapping trumpet lines. The set ended with
a song, “Thanks to the Creator”, underscoring the
ancient mysticism of Campbell’s Egyptian dream. (KG)
In its ten-year history, six under the late Suzanne Fiol,
Issue Project Room has ‘squatted’ in three low-profile
residences, now occupying a more permanent and
visible home in downtown Brooklyn. A triple-bill (Sep.
12th) , the fourth event of a two-month festival, opened
with Irish acoustic guitarist Cian Nugent’s fingerpicked pieces recalling the country blues of Mississippi
John Hurt or Merle Travis, but rendered with halfbends and chromatic sequences suggesting a more
outré orientation. Alto saxophonist Matana Roberts
began on bended knee, offering a musical prayer to
Fiol’s lingering spirit, then a more aggressive
exploration punctuated with foot stomps and
exaltations: “Ten Years Alive!!” She had the mostly
white audience sing a drone on F# (“That’s your
note!”), conducting us through “Bid ‘Em In”, a slave
auction song that graphically lists the attributes of a
young defenseless black girl, appended by Roberts’
own lyric, “Let’s dedicate this moment to you and me.”
“I’m here on my birthday,” she revealed in closing,
“doing what I was born to do.” Guitarist Marc Ribot,
long affiliated with the venue, delivered a sensational
set, continuing the Delta blues theme in his cover of “A
Ghost of a Chance”, followed by freer deconstructions
of Albert Ayler ’s “Holy, Holy”, “April in Paris”, “I’ve
Grown Accustomed to Your Face” and the encore,
“Another You”, capped by a second encore with
Roberts, a hard-rocking future-blues in the key of - you
(TG)
guessed it - F#.
The
4 October 2013 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD
P erhaps no club in the city upholds the jazz tradition The
Jazz Gallery Residency Commission program
continues to support emerging artists in creating new
works, allowing young composers to stretch out
beyond traditional artistic boundaries free of typical
economic constraints. Fabian Almazan premiered a
collection of new pieces at the venerable not-for-profit
institution’s newish midtown space (Sep. 13th),
unveiling his first explorations into the world of vocal
music and lyric writing. The Cuban-born pianist, best
known for his work with trumpeter Terence Blanchard,
delivered an affecting set of duets with Chilean
vocalist/guitarist Camila Meza, who sang the Spanish
language lyrics with stirring emotion. Almazan’s
compositions merged the jazz, European classical and
popular music traditions into a distinctively original
hybrid while his words probed various subjects of
topical substance. His opening “Ella”, an unsentimental
waltz with Gershwin-esque qualities that had Meza
airily intoning the lyric buoyed by her ethereal guitar,
spoke to women’s rights while “Esos Dias” and
“Espejos” dealt with the environment and politics, as
the pair entwined their instrumental sounds with the
words’ compelling rhythms. Lower register piano
chords and high soprano voice united on “Juala”, a
Nelson Mandela-inspired paean to political prisoners.
Finally the melancholic “Sol del Mar” and ascendant
“Explicacion” were followed by a 16-voice choir
singing the powerful tribute to courage “Caracol
- Russ Musto
Corriendo”. better than Smalls. But in doing so, they have also
forged a new tradition through the younger generations
of musicians who play there. With that in mind, the
booking of bassist Eric Revis’ quartet (Sep. 4th-5th)
was not as surprising as perceived initially. Yes, Revis
may be Branford Marsalis or Kurt Rosenwinkel’s
bassist but he also works with Andrew Cyrille and
Peter Brötzmann, subverters of the tradition to be sure.
His own quartet was filled with equally strong
personalities: saxophonists Darius Jones and Bill
McHenry, with drummer Chad Taylor alongside the
leader in the rhythm section. And tradition is a funny
thing. To close the first set of the second night, nearly
an hour of music that included Revis originals from the
group’s forthcoming album and a tune by free jazz
legend Sunny Murray, the quartet played “The Shadow
World” by Sun Ra, followed by Johnny Hodges’
“Wiggle Awhile”, two sides of ‘60s large ensemble jazz.
And in assembling his frontline, Revis couldn’t find
two more complementary and respectful-of-thetradition players than Jones and McHenry, who
navigated the tense arrangements with impassioned
focus, never battling each other but fusing into a
covalent voice. During the Sun Ra, Jones began bleating
with such fury, he sounded like a sheep being
electrocuted, followed by McHenry’s foghorn tenor
solo. Anyone who came in during the finger-snappin’
closer had no idea what they missed. - Andrey Henkin
WHAT’S NEWS
The winners of the 2013 Thelonious Monk
International Jazz Saxophone Competition have
been announced. Melissa Aldana of Chile was the
first-place winner. Runners up were Tivon Pennicott
of Georgia and Godwin Louis of Harlem. It should be
noted and celebrated that Aldana is the first female
instrumentalist to win the competition since it began
in 1987. For more information, visit monkinstitute.org.
Richard Parsons, former chairman of Citigroup and
the former Chairman and CEO of Time Warner and
current Chairman of the Jazz Foundation of America
has announced the reopening of Minton’s this month
in its original location but “redesigned as a
contemporary jazz supper club.” A house band will be
led by pianist Danny Mixon. For more information,
visit MintonsHarlem.com.
Trumpeter and Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director
Wynton Marsalis has partnered with fashion
designers Isabel and Ruben Toledo on the Broadway
Musical After Midnight, celebrating Duke Ellington’s
tenure at the Cotton Club and including the poetry of
Langston Hughes set to Marsalis’ arrangements of
Ellington’s music. Previews begin at the Brooks
Atkinson Theatre Oct. 18th. For more information,
visit aftermidnightbroadway.com.
Photo by Jim Anness
Peter Gannushkin/DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET
The first annual benefit for the John Coltrane home
in Dix Hills, NJ will take place at En Brasserie Oct. 6th
as organized by Friends of the Coltrane Home,
whose mission is “the preservation of the home and
the creation of a museum and cultural center.” The
event, hosted by Carlos Santana, will include musical
guests like Ravi Coltrane and guest speakers
including Dr. Cornel West and Ashley Kahn. For more
information, visit thecoltranehome.org.
Eric Revis Quartet @ The Stone
Fabian Almazan @ The Jazz Gallery
In a week at The Stone that functioned as a semicomprehensive overview of his work, trumpeter Peter
Evans presented a remarkably wide range of offerings:
a trio with Robert Dick and David Taylor; his working
trios Pulverize the Sound and Zebulon Trio; a firsttime meeting with Joe McPhee (piccolo-pocket trumpet
duets!), his quintet alone and expanded to octet and
allstar group Rocket Science. But as sometimes happens
with a roll of film, where the first picture is the keeper,
it was the opening set of Evans’ residency that was the
most compelling and informed all that followed. The
young trumpeter made a name for himself among the
international improvising community with a pair of
solo albums on Evan Parker ’s psi label and it is still the
best way to see him. All of his musical intellect is on
display, married to truly staggering technique and
stamina. He can produce such an array of sounds in
such quick succession that every minute he plays feels
like ten, the musical equivalent of binary code. But
unlike some other improvisers, Evans, who has a
classical background and extensive jazz knowledge,
brings logical syntax to his pieces, no mean feat across
creations cresting the 20-minute mark. During that
initial set, the first piece relied on Evans manipulating
his piccolo trumpet through a microphone, at one point
sounding like a broken air-conditioner invaded by
angry bees. The second featured his ‘regular ’ trumpet
impersonating a growling animal then an echoey alien
(AH)
message received from another galaxy. 76 Moments of Joseph Jarman, a celebration of the
birthday of the esteemed Art Ensemble of Chicago
multi-instrumentalist at ShapeShifter Lab (Sep. 15th),
began with a most welcome surprise. Unannounced
and unexpected, fellow AACM luminary Muhal
Richard Abrams strolled to the piano and played two
short improvisations, then queried, “We gonna make
some music?” The pianist was then joined onstage by
members of guitarist John Ehlis’ ensemble - Olivia
Foschi (voice), Sana Nagano (violin), Tony White (tenor
sax), Yasuno Katsuki (euphonium), Max Johnson (bass)
and Glen Fittin (percussion). Taking his seat center
stage, flanked by the guitarist, Jarman picked up his
alto sax and blew short sinuous lines in response to
Abrams’ melodic statements. Dressed conservatively
in muted colors, the saxophonist hardly resembled the
fierce warrior-painted Art Ensemble magic man of
yore, but his distinctive tone clearly identified him as
such. As the other players joined in the spontaneous
group improvisation, a cohesive musical statement of
majestic beauty formed, then abruptly ended. The rest
of the set featured Jarman the poet on his pieces “Hail
We Now Sing Joy”, “What’s To Say Is Nothing” and
“Lonely Child”, his words and cadences revealing the
influence of his background as a Shinshu Buddhist
priest. Drummer/AACM veteran Thurman Barker
fêted his friend with a solo piece, then was joined by
the ensemble and Jarman, reciting his classic work “As
(RM)
If It Were The Seasons”. Among the latest in the United States Postal Service
Music Icons Forever® Stamp series, pianist/vocalist
Ray Charles was honored with his own stamp last
month on what would have been his 83rd birthday. In
addition, Concord Records has released the
commemorative CD/DVD package Ray Charles
Forever. For more information, visit usps.com and
concordmusicgroup.com.
The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance and the Harlem School
of the Arts will present Pueblo Harlem Oct. 5th, an
all-day celebration with exhibitions, musical
demonstrations, master classes, dance lessons and
performances by Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin
Jazz Orchestra. For more information, visit
afrolatinjazz.org.
Vocalist Rhiannon will be presenting a number of
educational activities at ShapeShifter Lab Oct.
18th-19th, including an open circle sing, talk about
her new book Vocal River, master class and concert.
For more information, visit rhiannonmusic.com.
Drummer Kresten Osgood has received the 2012
Ken Gudman Award, “given to a Danish musician
who has made special contribution to the Danish
music scene.”
A social media site, FindJazzers.com, has been
launched, with the mission of helping “jazz players
and singers find each other for gigging, jamming, or
just talking jazz.” The service is free. For more
information, visit findjazzers.com.
Submit news to [email protected]
5
INT E R V I E W
© Sasa Huzjak / Courtesy of Ina Dittke
Ginger
Baker
by Anders Griffen
Ginger Baker is a drummer from South London, England
who became famous for his work with two short-lived but
hugely successful groups of the mid to late ‘60s, Cream and
Blind Faith, each featuring guitarist Eric Clapton. Before
that, in the ‘50s and early ‘60s, he had been strictly a jazz
musician until playing blues with Alexis Korner’s Blues
Incorporated and R&B with the Graham Bond Organization.
In the early ‘70s, already well acquainted personally with
Afrobeat sensation Fela Kuti, Baker traveled to Africa,
adventuring across the Sahara and absorbing more of that
continent’s music in Ghana and Nigeria, eventually setting
up a recording studio in Lagos. From 1970 onward, Baker
released dozens of albums and has had numerous musical
projects with the likes of Kuti, Paul McCartney, Steve
Winwood, Jack Bruce, Adrian Gurvitz, Johnny Rotten, Jah
Wobble, Sonny Sharrock, Peter Brötzmann, Nicky
Skopelitis, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worell, Foday Musa Suso,
Nana Vasconcelos and many others. In the ‘90s he did some
of his best jazz work with the Ginger Baker Trio, with
Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell, and the DJQ20 with Ron
Miles, Artie Moore and others. There are a lot of wild stories about Ginger Baker out
there. He was once called the least likely person to survive
the ‘60s and is regularly described as quite surly and likely
to express himself with his fists. He is the subject of a recent
documentary film, Beware of Mr. Baker, which preserves
these notions. Maybe this public image serves his career.
Then again maybe it’s all true. However, when we spoke he
was quiet and reserved. Music seems to be what he really
cares about. He speaks and he performs with purpose. At
first his responses were little more than one word, but he
opened up a bit and was quite good-humored and affable.
The New York City Jazz Record: I’ve read that you
don’t play the drum set except at gigs and that you
didn’t even practice much over the years when you
were very busy. There must have been a time, or times,
when you practiced quite a lot.
Ginger Baker: No. Only in the ‘50s and very early ‘60s.
I don’t really practice anymore at all. Once you can
play what you want to play, what’s the point of
practicing?
TNYCJR: Did [British jazz drummer] Phil Seamen
[1926-1972] have a direct influence on practice?
GB: He had a very big influence, yeah - not on
practicing, on time in general.
TNYCJR: So you’d already practiced quite a bit and
you guys were just about music?
GB: Yeah.
TNYCJR: It sounds like you were kindred spirits.
GB: Yeah, he was my drum Dad. He told people I was
the son he never had.
TNYCJR: I’ve heard that he was the greatest of the jazz
drummers over in Britain in his day.
GB: Without a doubt.
TNYCJR: I even heard that Johnny Griffin said he
sounded like Philly Joe Jones.
GB: Well, he never sounded like Philly Joe Jones, he
sounded like Phil Seamen.
TNYCJR: You’ve been prolific for decades now. Did
you have to motivate yourself to keep going or was it
quite natural, with always something more to do?
GB: I just played.
TNYCJR: Wayne Shorter recently turned 80 years old
and I saw him in an interview where he said, “to me,
the word “jazz” means: “I dare you.” Is that a sentiment
that resonates with you?
GB: I dare you? I don’t know.
TNYCJR: Many years ago you sought out some of the
great jazz drummers and performed side by side with
the likes of Art Blakey and Elvin Jones.
GB: I didn’t search them out, it just happened. The
Munich Jazz Festival had Blakey and I on the same
stage on the same night and we just did a drum thing
together. It started off as a drum duel and ended up as
a drum duet. It was really cool.
TNYCJR: And there was another time with Elvin Jones,
correct?
GB: Yeah, Elvin became a very close friend of mine. He
was a really great guy, you know.
TNYCJR: Who are some of the other drummers you
played with?
GB: Max [Roach].
TNYCJR: You’ve been performing with Ginger Baker ’s
Jazz Confusion for a couple years now. Is there special
significance to the name Confusion?
GB: No. No significance whatsoever.
TNYCJR: You’ve just completed several dates and
you’ll have some more before traveling to the States.
How has it been going?
GB: Everything’s been going extremely well. All of
them.
TNYCJR: It’s great for the fans that you’re out on the
road. May I ask how your back is fairing?
GB: The spine’s all right. It’s before and after.
TNYCJR: Is there a Jazz Confusion recording available
or forthcoming?
GB: No, we haven’t done a record at all.
TNYCJR: Is that in your plans?
GB: Well, it depends on record companies, I guess.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 40)
SCOTT
NEUMANN’S
NEU3 TRIO
PRESENTS
“Blessed”
“With Blessed, Neumann’s trio makes a
worthy pilgrimage to the jazz holy land.”
-AllAboutJazz.com
Featuring
Michael Blake
and Mark Helias
CD Release Show
Smalls Jazz Club
Saturday, October 5th
7:30 & 9pm
Available in stores & online
on ORIGIN RECORDS
SCOTTNEUMANNMUSIC.COM
ARTIS T F E A T U R E
Bill
McHenry
Evans, Jazz at Kitano Oct. 10th with Judi Silvano and Korzo
Oct. 29th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:
• Chris Lightcap Quartet - Lay-Up
(Fresh Sound-New Talent, 1999)
• Ben Monder/Bill McHenry - Bloom
(Sunnyside, 2000)
• Bill McHenry Quartet - Featuring Paul Motian
(Fresh Sound-New Talent, 2002)
• John McNeil/Bill McHenry Chill Morn He Climb Jenny (Sunnyside, 2009)
• Rebecca Martin - When I Was Long Ago (Sunnyside, 2010)
• Bill McHenry - La Peur Du Vide (Sunnyside, 2012)
by Sam Spokony
W ith two decades of living in New York now behind
him, tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry continues each
day to cement his place as one of this jazz generation’s
grand marshals and as an artist whose soul remains
deeply rooted within both traditional and keenly
progressive strains of the music.
“The past 20 years have, in many ways, been about
exposing myself to all kinds of different sounds and
understanding how rich it can all be,” said McHenry,
40, as he sipped coffee on the roof of his Fort Greene
apartment, his gaze fixed on the Manhattan skyline.
“It’s not just about going against something, or trying
to break free of something...it’s more about gaining a
greater understanding of how things resonate.”
That quest for knowledge has played a major role
in the saxophonist’s latest work with his current
quartet of pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and
drummer Andrew Cyrille. A year after the release of
their first album, La Peur Du Vide, which consisted of
six tracks taken from live recordings during a stint at
the Village Vanguard in March 2012, the quartet will
now return to the Vanguard for another run this month.
McHenry explained that audiences will hear new tunes
that blur some of the most basic lines of harmonic
structure. “For a long time, I’ve felt intuitively that
12-tone music and diatonic music are the same thing,”
said McHenry. “I don’t personally hear a difference in
the significance of the pitches, regardless of what kind
of names people assign to them. I think they have an
absolute value. That’s all. And it’s pretty simple theory,
right?” To which this reporter could only nod.
“So then, more recently, to test out that theory, I
started writing 12-tone rows, but purposefully voicing
them diatonically, with only conventional triads,”
McHenry continued, rapt with it all. “Major, minor,
diminished, augmented. No seventh chords, no slash
chords. And I loved the results that came out of it.”
The saxophonist further explained that his current
group of sidemen - each of whom have strong
experience as leaders in their own right - were
particularly adept at taking on the challenges of that
new music. “It’s been such a luxury, because I know
they’re always going to search for beauty and they’re
going to be very tough and very smart and they’re
going to have an incredibly wide emotional range,” he
said. “All I have to do is put the music on the paper,
play my part and let them be...and I know they’re
going to come up with great answers to each sound.”
McHenry added that he’d previously learned the
benefits of employing that laissez-faire approach while
leading his last quartet, with guitarist Ben Monder,
bassist Reid Anderson and the late, great drummer
Paul Motian. That collaboration led to a particularly
fruitful recording session in 2006, which yielded two
albums: Roses, released in 2007 and Ghosts of the Sun,
released on Nov. 22nd, 2011, the day Motian died.
(Both albums, as well as La Peur Du Vide, were put out
by the Sunnyside label.) Aside from the more
experimental aspects of his quartet’s new repertoire,
McHenry mentioned a tune called “Lina” that he wrote
for his girlfriend, as an ode to her “really long Spanish
name.” He laughingly explained that he never intended
it to become a real piece and that the idea was born
while he was living with her in Spain last December,
after he’d sat down at her piano one day and began
playing a different note to go with each syllable. “And
then one day I played it for the quartet, after a rehearsal,
and the guys were like, ‘Man, we have to play that,’”
the saxophonist recalled. “We ended up starting off a
set with it [at the Vanguard last April] and I actually
thought it was the best thing we did that night.”
McHenry also said that the Vanguard audience
will hear his reworking of the standard “Spring Can
Really Hang You Up the Most”, which resulted from
his love of the tune’s chord changes and his dislike of
its unhappy lyrical tone. “I just didn’t want to hear
myself playing it, because I think spring is great - so I
wrote a new melody over the changes and I called it
‘Spring Is Great’,” he explained, with another smile.
When asked whether or not Sunnyside is planning
to record the upcoming Vanguard run for another
album, McHenry said that it hasn’t been discussed yet.
He did state, however, that the quartet has discussed
the more likely possibility of heading into the studio
sometime within the near future, in order to pursue
another of McHenry’s ambitious goals: recording free
improvisations by layering individual tracks one at a
time, rather than through the typical ‘live’ approach to
free playing, in which the group performs together.
“For example, Andrew would go in and play
something free while everyone else is sitting there
watching and listening to him set that part in stone,”
he explained, “and then each of us would go in and
stack something free on top of that, track by track.”
McHenry also recently collaborated as a sideman
in the quartet led by Revis (which also includes alto
saxophonist Darius Jones and drummer Chad Taylor),
calling the experience “an honor and a pleasure.” That
quartet already spent two days in the studio recording
an album, which will likely be released next February.
After leaving the studio, the group played last month
at Smalls [see review on pg. 5].
But even though he keeps busy with work as a
sideman, McHenry said it’s his development as a
leader that has remained central to his personal
explorations into music. “I guess the biggest growth
factor for me has been to give myself the same
permission that I give to the other members of the
band [to interpret tunes freely],” said McHenry. “And I
kind of do that now. But there’s a difference between
kind of giving it to yourself and totally giving it to
yourself. That’s a point I’m always trying to reach...to
remember that it’s okay to just be naked, musically.
Nothing bad will ever happen.” v
For more information, visit billmchenry.com. McHenry’s
Quartet is at Village Vanguard Oct. 22nd-26th. He is also
at Smalls Oct. 7th with Joe Martin and Oct. 8th with Josh
JSnycjr1013
9/16/13
2:24 PM
Page 1
“Best Jazz Venue of the Year” NYC JAZZ RECORD“Best Jazz Club” NY MAGAZINE+CITYSEARCH
TUE-WED OCT 1-2HFESTIVAL OF NEW TRUMPET MUSIC
MARCUS
BELGRAVE QUARTET
FEATURING GERI ALLEN - MARION HAYDEN - KASSA OVERALL
THU-SUN OCT 3-6
CELEBRATING BLAKEY
BRIAN LYNCH - DONALD HARRISON - BILLY PIERCE - DONALD BROWN - REGGIE WORKMAN - RALPH PETERSON
TUE OCT 8
NEW DIMENSIONS IN LATIN JAZZ:
“A CUBAN DRUM SERIES” WITH
EMILIO VALDÉS
SPECIAL GUEST MARK WHITFIELD - JOHN ROGGIE - BYRON MOORE
WED OCT 9
MATT
SAVAGE QUARTET
DONNY MCCASLIN - HOO KIM - PETER RETZLAFF
THU-SUN OCT 10-13H11:30PM SET ON SAT ONLY
“AFTER BLUE”
TIERNEYPETER
SUTTON
THE JONI MITCHELL PROJECT
ERSKINE - MITCH FORMAN - JANEK GWIZDALA
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
TUE OCT 15
TRAVIS SULLIVAN’S BJÖRKESTRA
WED OCT 16
TIM
BERNE’S
SNAKEOIL
OSCAR NORIEGA - MATT MITCHELL - CHES SMITH
THU-SUN OCT 17-20
CHARLES
McPHERSON QUINTET
BRIAN LYNCH - JEB PATTON - KIYOSHI KITAGAWA - JOHNATHAN BLAKE
TUE OCT 22
EMANUELE
CISI NY3
JOSEPH LEPORE - LUCA SANTANIELLO
WED OCT 23
BEN MONDER & THEO BLECKMANN DUO
THU-FRI OCT 24-25
DAFNIS
PRIETO
SI O SI QUARTET
PETER APFELBAUM - MANUEL VALERA - JOHANNES WEIDENMUELLER
SAT-SUN OCT 26-27
DAFNIS PRIETO SEXTET
MIKE RODRIGUEZ - FELIPE LAMOGLIA - PETER APFELBAUM - MANUEL VALERA - JOHANNES WEIDENMUELLER
TUE-WED OCT 29-30
RUDRESH
MAHANTHAPPA’S GAMAK
DAVE FIUCZYNSKI - FRANÇOIS MOUTIN - DAN WEISS
THU-SUN OCT 31-NOV 3
VIJAY
IYER TRIO
HARISH RAGHAVAN - MARCUS GILMORE
HHHMINGUS MONDAYSHMINGUS MONDAYSHHH
MON OCT 7
MON OCT 14
MON OCT 21 & 28
MINGUS DYNASTY MINGUS BIG BAND MINGUS ORCHESTRA
JAZZ FOR KIDS WITH THE JAZZ STANDARD YOUTH ORCHESTRA BACK IN FULL SWING SUN OCT 20 AT 2PM - DIRECTED BY DAVID O’ROURKE
7
Michael Wilderman/wildermanphoto.com
ON T H E C O V E R
SUN RA
Space In Time
by Russ Musto
It’s not surprising that the music of a man who
proclaimed that he was from another planet is still
being heard all over the world nearly a century after
his ‘arrival’. Sun Ra was born (came to Earth, in his
words) as Herman Blount in Birmingham, Alabama
May 22nd, 1914. Sonny - as he was known from an
early age - was playing the family piano by the time he
was 11, claiming to be able to read and write music
almost from the start. At Industrial High School he
studied with celebrated music educator John T. “Fess”
Whatley, who gave the young Blount some of his first
professional experience. After graduation the pianist
went on to attend A&M University as a music education
major.
He traveled throughout the region as far north as
Chicago, where he would eventually settle. There he
performed with well-known artists Wynonie Harris,
Lil Green, Stuff Smith, Joe Williams and, most
importantly, Fletcher Henderson, whose music would
be part of his repertoire for the rest of his life. His work
with Henderson at the famed Club De Lisa was
followed by his own tenure in the room, working the
breakfast set where visiting musicians would sit in and
play until morning. In Chicago Herman Blount became
Le Sun Ra and the Sonny Blount Band came to be
known as Le Sun-Ra and His Arkistra. Later Arkistra
became Arkestra and then the Astro Infinity Arkestra,
Myth Science Arkestra or Solar Myth Science Arkestra.
The group at various times included some of the
city’s finest musicians, including two - tenor saxophonist
John Gilmore and baritone saxophonist Pat Patrick who would become mainstays with the band. Others
would remain with the ensemble for shorter periods,
such as trombonist Julian Priester and alto saxophonist/
flutist James Spaulding. The latter remembers meeting
Gilmore and Patrick at a jam session. “They invited me
to rehearse with their band and introduced me to the
leader, Sun Ra. We performed mostly in black venues
where he had a small but curious fanbase. Sonny had a
very unique approach to how his music should be
played. He sketched melodies and harmonies on
manuscript paper and had the whole band play the
entire theme together once. He would then point his
finger and designate single soloists, instructing that
they try not to repeat the same ideas twice.”
Soon to join the sax section was Marshall Allen.
Allen played clarinet and alto saxophone in a military
band overseas, before returning to the US, settling in
Chicago. “I had a day job and around the corner there
was a record store. I went in one day and the guy there
said, ‘Man, I got a nice record, with some good stuff.’
So he gave me the record with Sun Ra on it. I took it
home and listened to it and said, ‘Oh, that band sounds
good!’ So I went back to the record store and said ‘Man,
I like that Sun Ra band.’ He told me, ‘Oh, they live
right up there by you, on the South Side. He’s always
looking for new musicians.’
“So I went there and Sun Ra was sitting there
writing music and the band was rehearsin’. That’s
when I first met Sun Ra. I sat with him for the rest of
the evening, when they got through. Then we went
over to the club to see Gene Ammons and by the time I
got through with Sun Ra that night it was four o’clock
in the morning. He said, ‘You got a flute?’ And I said
no.’ He said, ‘Go get a flute.’ So I got me a new horn
and a new flute, new saxophone. I’m ready now!
“The band was full of saxophones, so I didn’t have
no seat, when I went to the first rehearsal. ...Everything
I played was sentimental and sweet with a nice tone.
He’d say, ‘That’s good, but that’s not what I want at
this time.’ ...Well, I’m playing all these licks and he
didn’t want to hear that. He said ‘No, that’s not it. You
got to play by the spirit.’ One day I got so mad and
frustrated, so I just played anything, some squeaks and
squawks and everything and he said, ‘Yeah! Good!’”
Allen made his recording debut with the Arkestra
in 1959 on Jazz In Silhouette (released on Ra’s own El
Saturn label). He traveled with the band to Canada and
on the way home Ra decided to stop off in New York.
Allen remembers, “When we got to New York, a cab hit
our car. Now we’re stranded for a minute, so we stayed
around New York and began to work there.” The band
was soon an important part of the burgeoning avant
garde scene, participating in the 1964 October
Revolution In Jazz concert series, leading to a series of
recordings for the ESP-Disk’ label. Later Impulse
Records licensed several El Saturn masters.
They eventually settled on E. Third Street, living
communally in a rented row house that was around the
corner from Slug’s, where the band landed a regular
Monday night gig. The group’s ranks swelled, adding
vocalist dancer June Tyson, sound infinity drummer
James Jacson and alto saxophonist Danny Davis (who
would engage in mock battles with Allen), all
contributing to the shows’ increasing theatrics,
influenced by exposure to the surrounding bohemian
multiculturalism, including the performances of
drummer Babatunde Olatunji, who often employed
Gilmore, Allen and Patrick. It was at Olatunji’s African
Culture Center that saxophonist Danny Thompson, a
future member of the Arkestra, first encountered Sun
Ra. “Coltrane had a concert as part of the show. So I
went there and I saw these guys in the corner...I was
scared to go over there. I don’t know why, but they had
a different vibe from everybody in the room. When I
went over there it was altogether different. Sun Ra told
me to come down to Slug’s to see the show. I went
down and they were playing from 9 to 4. Nonstop.”
Thompson eventually replaced an increasingly
busy Patrick. “[Ra] was very down to earth, a very nice
person. He’d have his books and music. He was
disciplined so there were certain things you couldn’t
do in the house. It was just music. Music, music, music!
He was something else.” When the building on Third
Street was sold Ra and company moved to Philadelphia,
into a house owned by Marshall Allen’s father that
remains the Arkestra’s headquarters to this day.
In Philadelphia Ra continued to enlist some of the
area’s finest musicians including trumpeter Michael
Ray and trombonists Tyrone Hill and Robin Eubanks.
Eubanks recalls meetings with Ra. “He would hold
court sometimes, in the chair in the living room and
everybody would be on the floor around him. One
time he was on the phone talking to the Canadian
customs and he was getting increasingly frustrated. He
finally said, ‘Those are the rules you have for earthlings.
What are your rules for omnipotent beings?’ Then he
said, ‘Of all the planets I’ve been to, this is the worst
one.’ And he slammed the phone down.”
Ra’s fame extended well beyond the jazz world
and he enjoyed a cult-like following that reveled in the
spectacle of the band’s marathon performances, which
might include a fire eater, acrobats or a light show, in
addition to the usual troupe of costumed musicians,
singers and dancers. Musically the ensemble was as
powerful as ever with the addition of trombonist Craig
Harris, trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah and French horn
player Vincent Chancey to its increasingly powerful
brass section. Throughout the ‘70s-80s the group
rehearsed exhaustively, traveled extensively and
recorded regularly.
The septuagenarian Ra more than kept up with his
younger charges, setting the band’s grueling pace until
a series of strokes beginning in 1990 sapped him of his
cosmic energy and he handed the controls of the
Arkestra over to John Gilmore. He eventually returned
to Birmingham, giving up his earthly life May 30th,
1993. Allen took over leadership of the band after
Gilmore’s passing in 1995. Thompson notes, “Sun Ra’s
spirit rules over the band. We play Marshall’s music
and we play Sun Ra songs and he knows the phrasing
because he was there.”
Sun Ra’s music is now an accepted component of
the jazz repertory, played not only in clubs and concert
halls, but even in academia. Abdullah has taught a
class at the New School since 2002 where students
study the life of Sun Ra using John Szwed’s book Space
is the Place, as they learn and perform Ra’s music and
lyrics.
This month the music of Sun Ra will be heard in
the august confines of jazz’ most auspicious institution,
when the Arkestra performs at Jazz at Lincoln Center ’s
Allen Room. Jason Olaine, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Director of Programming, notes, “We wanted to shine
a light on the music and legacy of Sun Ra, as we
approach what would have been his 100th birthday.
When we called up Marshall Allen to propose the idea
he thought it would be perfect, saying. “Sun Ra always
said his music was for the 21st Century!” v
For more information, visit elrarecords.com. Sun Ra Turns
100 is at Allen Room Oct. 5th with Marshall Allen and the
Sun Ra Arkestra. See Calendar.
• Sun Ra - Jazz by Sun Ra (Sun Song) (Delmark, 1956)
• Sun Ra - Jazz in Silhouette (Images and Forecasts
of Tomorrow) (Saturn-Evidence, 1959)
• Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra
(Volumes One, Two, Three) (ESP-Disk’, 1965)
• Sun Ra - Space is the Place (Blue Thumb-Impulse, 1972)
• Sun Ra - Live at Montreux (Saturn-Inner City, 1976)
• Sun Ra - Blue Delight (A&M, 1988)
9
ENCORE
Marcus Belgrave
by Terrell Holmes
When Marcus Belgrave
announced that he was
retiring a few years ago, it
was
wonderfully
laughable. He has been
designated as Detroit’s
Jazz Master Laureate
and this past Labor Day played at the Detroit Jazz
Festival. Among his current recording projects is a new
album, Lottie the Body’s Mood, slated to be released on
Blue Note later this year.
This month, Belgrave will receive the Award of
Recognition at the Festival of New Trumpet Music
(FONT), which he will celebrate with two nights at Jazz
Standard. These activities, along with his teaching and
mentoring, leave this timeless and energetic trumpeter
no time to retire. “Well, you know, the thing about
music, especially jazz - you don’t retire,” Belgrave said
during a recent phone interview from Detroit. “You
never stop. If you stop, you’re through.”
Belgrave, 77, a native of Chester, Pennsylvania, has
been present at various creations during his almost
60-year career. He is an original member of the Ray
Charles’ band and, as a staff trumpeter at Motown, he
played a role in the formation of the “Motown Sound”,
appearing on some of the label’s most memorable hits.
But he’s known primarily as a jazz musician and has
played on many jazz albums as a sideman with Ella
Fitzgerald, Charles Mingus, Horace Tapscott, David
Murray and Tony Bennett, among others. His
discography as a leader began in the early ‘70s with
Gemini II (a nonet session waxed for Tribe Records).
Belgrave’s father gave him a bugle when he was
three years old. Later while sitting in his father’s car
parked outside a club, Belgrave heard Tadd Dameron’s
band, which featured Belgrave’s cousin Cecil Payne and
trumpeters Johnny Coles, John Lynch and Clifford
Brown. From there it was only a few half-steps to the
trumpet. “Johnny Coles was a legend. [He] had such a
beautiful tone. Besides Clifford he was the second one
that made me cry just listening to his phras[ing].” When Belgrave plays one can hear his influences:
Louis Armstrong’s operatic high notes; the joyful
staccato of Dizzy Gillespie and Clifford Brown’s warmth
and sophistication. He has used their inspiration to
formulate his own approach to melody and harmony,
playing with a sure-handed, frequently dazzling
technique, rich tonality and a heart-melting lyricism in
his phrasing.
Belgrave is an integral part of the cultural fabric of
Detroit, particularly in his capacity of teacher and
mentor, passing his experience and wisdom on to young
musicians. “The main thing is, learn how to listen,”
Belgrave said, “and how to phrase. Phrasing is a very
important thing. And I think that’s what Ray Charles
liked about me. That was one of the things I learned
from being with my father, the relationship between the
instruments. Those are some of my greatest attributes,
learning how to phrase with other instruments.” He
also emphasizes to students development as composers,
bandstand presence and conduct and knowledge of
history. “The thing that I thought they didn’t get is that
the future comes from the past,” Belgrave explained,
“so you’ve got to be able to incorporate into your
learning what has gone down before you in order to
maintain that quality of musicianship.”
The long roster of jazz musicians Belgrave has
taught includes stars like alto saxophonist Kenny
Garrett; violinist Regina Carter and her cousin,
saxophonist James Carter, and bassist Bob Hurst. For his
upcoming Jazz Standard gig his bandmates are bassist
Marion Hayden, drummer Kassa Overall and pianist
Geri Allen, all former students. So his generosity of
spirit has been a self-perpetuating gift. Belgrave has
also passed on his knowledge and love of music to his
15-year-old son Kasan, a multi-instrumentalist who
specializes on saxophone and clarinet. “Everybody’s
talking about him already,” Belgrave said proudly. “I
just gotta keep him focused because he’s also into sports.
I love working with him but he’ll take you around the
mulberry bush and back.”
Even in his eighth decade, Belgrave’s commitment
to jazz ensures that the music will remain relevant and
vibrant. “A couple of years ago I woke up in the
morning, looked in the mirror, [and said] ‘Damn! How’d
I get to…75? How did I get to this point? I mean, I’ve
been that busy... I couldn’t believe that I’m still here.
About 20 years ago I said [to Geri Allen] ‘Geri, I’ve got
to stop playin’.’ She said ‘Mr. Belgrave, you ain’t never
gonna stop!’” v
World Symphony or most prominently as soloist or
ensemble member on an impressive number of
outstanding small group and big band dates. These
include such classics as Thelonious Monk & Sonny
Rollins and Monk (Prestige); Miles Davis’ Porgy & Bess
and Miles Ahead (Columbia); Gil Evans’ New Bottle Old
Wine (Pacific Jazz); John Coltrane’s Africa/Brass
(Impulse); Charles Mingus’ Let My Children Hear Music
(Columbia); Quincy Jones’ Birth of a Band (Mercury)
and even Pharoah Sanders’ Karma (Impulse). Watkins’
skill on the instrument, which encompassed the bright
facility of a trumpet and the dark sonority of a
trombone, is why he was in such demand.
From 1956-59 Watkins also co-led the Les Jazz
Modes quintet with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse.
An anomaly among hardbop bands, Les Jazz Modes’
sound was evocative and intricate with straightahead
playing from Rouse, Watkins and the rhythm section,
often mixed with wordless soprano vocals from Eileen
Gilbert. Besides expected material, the band also
recorded music from the Broadway show The Most
Happy Fella. Interestingly enough when the quintet
broke up, Rouse subsequently became a fixture in the
bands of Watkins’ old friend and employer Monk.
Besides his skills as a studio player in many other
sessions involving everyone from Oliver Nelson and
Phil Woods to the Jazz Composers Orchestra, Watkins
was also a renowned teacher. Two of his students are
among the most accomplished of contemporary French
horn players: Vincent Chancey, who has worked in the
Sun Ra Arkestra and Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy; and
Tom Varner, who, after playing with everyone from
Steve Lacy to John Zorn, now teaches at Seattle’s
Cornish College of the Arts.
Although Watkins died in Short Hills, NJ on Apr.
4th, 1977, his influence lives on. From 1994-98, an
annual Julius Watkins Jazz Horn Festival took place in
New York and in September 2012 the seventh edition
was organized at Richmond’s Virginia Commonwealth
University where academics, plus classical and jazz
French hornists gathered to perform and discuss
Watkins’ lasting legacy. v
For more information, visit marcusbelgrave.net. Belgrave is
at Jazz Standard Oct. 1st-2nd as part of Festival of New
Trumpet Music (FONT). See Calendar.
• David “Fathead” Newman - Fathead: Ray Charles
Presents David Newman (Atlantic-Rhino, 1958)
• Marcus Belgrave - Gemini II
(Tribe - Soul Jazz/Universal Sound, 1974)
• Kirk Lightsey - Kirk ‘n’ Marcus (Criss Cross, 1986)
• Geri Allen - The Nurturer (Blue Note, 1990)
• Horace Tapscott - aiee! The Phantom
(Arabesque, 1995)
• Robert Hurst - BOB: A Palindrome (Bebob Music, 2001)
LEST W E F O R G E T
Julius Watkins (1921-77)
by Ken Waxman
A stylist whose innovative work in the ‘50s-60s
putting the French horn into a jazz context is analogous
to what Coleman Hawkins did for the tenor saxophone
and Louis Armstrong the trumpet 30 years earlier,
Julius Watkins almost single-handedly created a viable
role for the horn during the bop and postbop eras.
Born in Detroit on Oct. 10th, 1921, Watkins began
playing the French horn at nine in his school band and
continued his studies at that city’s famous Cass
Technical High School. Although he also played
trumpet during a three-year stint in Ernie Fields’
territory band in the mid ‘40s, by the end of the decade
he had already recorded on his chosen instrument for
sides with drummer Kenny Clarke and vocalist Babs
Gonzales and toured with pianist Milt Buckner ’s band.
After studying at the Manhattan School of Music in
1952, he spent the next quarter-century in NYC. Within
a few years he had recorded a couple of 10-inch LPs for
Blue Note, featuring heavyweights such as tenor
saxophonists Frank Foster or Hank Mobley, drummers
Kenny Clarke or Art Blakey and bassist Oscar Pettiford.
From that point on Watkins was the “go-to” French
horn player on the East Coast, whether it was for
Broadway pit orchestra work, with the classical New
• Oscar Pettiford - The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet
(Debut-OJC, 1953)
• Julius Watkins - Julius Watkins Sextet, Vols. 1-2
(Blue Note, 1955)
• Charlie Rouse/Julius Watkins Les Jazz Modes The Rare Dawn Sessions: Jazzville ‘56/Les Jazz Modes/
Mood in Scarlet (Dawn-Biograph, 1956)
• Jimmy Heath - The Quota (Riverside-OJC, 1961)
• Charles Mingus - Music Written For Monterey, 1965:
Not Heard…at UCLA 1965 (Sue Mingus MusicSunnyside, 1965)
• Warren Smith Composers Workshop Ensemble Composers Workshop Ensemble
(Strata East-Claves Jazz, 1968-69)
MEG A P H O N E
Episodes
by Warren I. Smith
Studio WIS, located at 151 West 21st Street, was the
second location of my rehearsal studio. The first
location was 509 West 59th Street. That building no
longer exists. I procured the loft on 21st Street from
Peter Berry, a friend and fellow percussionist I met
through Patti Bown during the ‘60s. I took over his
lease in 1967 and began operation of the legendary
music loft that summer. Anton Reid, who came to me
through Mike Henderson, soon joined me. A former
student at Sands Jr. H.S., Anton took over the operation
of the studio, which Mike had provided and soon we
were functioning full time. At first we rehearsed the
Composers Workshop Ensemble weekly. Then other
members of the ensemble, like Jack Jeffers and Howard
Johnson, began rehearsing their own musical projects.
Gradually others began to use the space and soon it
became quite popular among musicians.
During the early ‘70s, other musicians were
operating music lofts in Greenwich Village and the
Lower East Side particularly. Anton started to produce
musical presentations as did many of the others, like
James Duboise at Studio We, Joe Lee Wilson at the
Ladies Fort, Sam Rivers at Studio Rivbea, Mark
Morganelli at the Jazz Forum and George Braith, to
name a few. We soon began interacting and formed
several alliances:
Among the more successful of these were the
Producers Alliance of Strata East Records, led by
Stanley Cowell and Charles Tolliver. This effort gave
birth to a catalogue of 39 releases by independent
artists. Also the Collective Black Artists began, started
actually by Heiner Stadler, who later founded Tomato
Records. Heiner was quickly moved aside as the
majority of African-American artists decided we
should control our own destiny. Continuing on the
30-odd years, artists like Muhal Richard Abrams,
Coleridge Taylor Perkinson, Max Roach, to name a few,
used Studio WIS to compose and rehearse.
Composers Workshop Ensemble. The name was
coined by Talib Rasul Hakim (1940-88, né Steven A.
Chambers). Talib was an accomplished composer and
the older brother of Joe Chambers. I started the band
and in the beginning, everyone brought in music. Soon
my compositions became the focus of our performances,
along with at least one concert of Talib’s work. The
atmosphere, however, was open to the ideas,
suggestions and music of the other participants.
There were times when I wrote technically less
difficult music for what I presumed to be the players’
capabilities at the time. I’m also sure it caused me to
expand my orchestration to include artists who could
provide the sound and expression I heard in conjunction
with the notated idea. So I added percussion, more
reed voices, more brass until an octet grew into a
flexible undetermined ensemble that functioned
organically to fit the situation.
Alternative Music Fest at Studio WIS took place
Jun. 30th-Jul. 10th, 1972. There were hundreds of
participating musicians, especially the usually ignored
- like those of us who played ‘avant garde’ free
improvisation. The concerts were not limited to
presentation at Studio WIS. They took place uptown,
downtown and all around the town. We drew a lot of
the foreign tourist/jazz fans. By the second year
George Wein’s organization co-opted a few of us: the
Sam Rivers Big Band, Gil Evans’ orchestra and a few
others. The third year was biz as usual: We were
ignored and never were able to capitalize on the
success of that first year.
By 1985, most of the jazz lofts were a thing of the
past. Studio WIS, however, managed to maintain its
operation until 1996, when we lost our lease to an
aggressive landlord and the wave of gentrification that
swept through Chelsea and the rest of lower Manhattan.
During that last ten years or so, Anton and I produced
a remarkable number of concerts and mini-festivals
every year. The studio became a very popular rehearsal
place for many renowned artists to develop their
projects and showcase their talent. The studio became
a meeting place and reference center for employers,
seeking hard-to-find individuals to fill out their rosters.
Record producers, Broadway contractors and
bandleaders regularly rang the familiar phone number,
seeking hard-to-find personalities. Some artists,
coming from out of town or overseas, were
accommodated “in residency” for brief periods of time,
sometimes as much as six months or a year.
Finally, I lost the lease to the space. We moved to
Tribeca, sharing a space called “Thoughtforms” with a
group of young visual artists and musicians. This
situation lasted until early 2001 when they also lost
their lease. Finally, Studio WIS ceased to operate. This
brings us to the place we are now, trying to re-establish
the studio. The need for such a place is still evident. v
Mingus, Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy. Sliding
from low moans to witchy wails on impulse, La Rose’s
vocal range resembles Lederer’s contrasting tenor and
clarinet. Also at Shapeshifter Lab (Oct. 3rd), hear the
wonderful sonic wrestling of the entrained duo
Iconoclast: Julie Joslyn (alto, live electronics, violin and
vocals) and Leo Ciesa (percussion, keyboards and
vocals). Or, catch the John Tchicai Memorial Concert
Tribute featuring former Poet Laureate Amiri Baraka
and the post-Beat Generation spoken word poets Steve
Dalachinsky and Golda Solomon (Oct. 18th). For three
nights, you could also go on a quest at Shapeshifter
with the one and only Rhiannon, a deeply respected
jazz vocalist and sage educator (Oct. 18th-20th).
Rhiannon’s recently self-published book combines
moving personal parables with practice structures,
underpinning her approach to vocal improvisation.
Titled Vocal River, the book may as well be a manifesto
for the current movement of vocal nonconformists who
flow down the ‘river’ of the present.
At Roulette, veteran vocal movers and shakers
include Shelley Hirsch, a master inventor of her own
post-scat style. She is one of many guests celebrating
Billy Martin’s 50th Birthday (Oct. 25th). Kyoko
Kitamura vocalizes in nearly every register, scats in
multiple tongues (and invents new ones) and surprises
as she wanders freely from one coloring to another. Her
voice is featured on multi-reed player Mike McGinnis’
CD Ängsudden Song Cycle, celebrating its release at
Roulette (Oct. 13th). Kitamura will also appear at
Spectrum with Michael Lytle (Oct. 2nd) and in duo
with percussionist Andrew Drury, accompanying the
storytelling process of the Mark Lamb Dance Company
in their Saturday Salon Series at the Metro Baptist
Church (Oct. 12th).
Nora McCarthy plunges bravely down the vocal
rabbit hole in more than one venue this month.
McCarthy is a wholly evolved risk-taking artist. Hear
her strong, clear and warm voice at Bar Next Door (Oct.
28th) and also at Cornelia Street Café (Oct. 26th) to
celebrate her A Small Dream in Red’s In the Language of
Dreams (Red Zen), a testimony to the unity she shares
with her longtime collaborator and partner, alto
saxophone player Jorge Sylvester. McCarthy and
Sylvester’s other recently released collaboration is
Spirit Driven (foUR), a cohesively driving CD featuring
Sylvester’s ACE Collective.
Norwegian Karin Krog is one of Europe’s most
well respected singers. She unites with her accompanist
of 40 years, pianist Steve Kuhn, to perform a benefit for
(and at) the Norwegian Seamen’s Church (Oct. 29th).
Able to sing experimentally but also considered a
consummate interpreter of jazz standards, Krog will
embody all her influences to offer a night that defies
labels. She will most certainly carry the spirit of music
and life forward. As Mary Maria Parks once sang,
“Music brings about a state of wholeness and purifies.
O, let it come in. O, let it come in.” v
Smith’s Composers Workshop Orchestra is at NYC Baha’i
Center Oct. 29th and a concert in his honor by the Me We &
Them Orchestra is at Roulette Oct. 26th. See Calendar.
Warren Smith is an American jazz percussionist, composer
and bandleader, an original member of Max Roach’s M’Boom
ensemble and leader of the Composers Workshop Ensemble.
He graduated from the University of Illinois and took a
Master’s in percussion at the Manhattan School of Music.
Some of his earliest recordings were with Miles Davis and
John Cage. Some early commercial credits include Aretha
Franklin, Nina Simone, Lloyd Price and Nat King Cole. His
loft, Studio WIS, acted as a performing and recording space
for many jazz musicians such as Wadada Leo Smith, James
Jabbo Ware, Jimmy Owens and Oliver Lake. During several
decades Smith played with Andrew White, Julius Hemphill,
Muhal Richard Abrams, Nancy Wilson, Quincy Jones,
Count Basie, Sam Rivers, Tony Williams, Anthony Braxton,
Charles Mingus, Henry Threadgill, Joe Zawinul and Carmen
McRae. Other credits include extensive work with rock and
pop musicians such as Van Morrison and Janis Joplin. He
continued to work on Broadway into the ‘90s and has
performed with a number of classical ensembles.
Smith taught in the New York City public school
system, at Third Street Settlement, at Adelphi University,
SUNY-Old Westbury and others.
While his recordings as a leader and/or main collaborator
appear on various labels, of special note is his DVD release,
WIS on Monk - Warren Smith Solo Percussion (Freedom
Art Records, Miff Music Production). Here he performs on
his extensive percussion arsenal that was partly destroyed by
Hurricane Sandy.
VO X N E W S
Non-conformist Spirit
by Katie Bull
Groundbreaking saxophonist Albert Ayler’s Live on the
Riviera (ESP-Disk’) has been remastered for a 50th
Anniversary CD release, capturing his stunning 1970
performance at a French festival. Ayler’s raw and
entranced saxophone energy morphs into his gutsy
vocalizing in moments and merges with the beautiful
intensity of his life partner, singer Mary Maria Parks.
In an invocation, Parks’ spoken word is as relevant
today as it was in the last century. Parks sing-talks with
an urgent call for us to connect with music and
therefore, life - to release from over-thinking and hate
and to balance our minds and hearts. This month, let’s
celebrate free-spirited vocalists who are breaking out of
pre-existing forms - not for the sake of novelty, but to
service the spirit of authentic in-the-moment
communication.
In the tradition of the Ayler-Parks connection,
irreverent vocalist Mary La Rose and husband/
saxophonist Jeff Lederer (who credits Ayler as a primary
influence) will celebrate their new CD, Reincarnation
(Little i), at ShapeShifter Lab (Oct. 9th). La Rose’s
original
lyrics
and
Lederer’s
arrangements,
incorporating the Brooklyn Rider String Quartet, are
what La Rose calls “reinterpretations” of Ayler, Charles
11
LABEL S P O T L I G H T
Bethlehem Records
by George Kanzler
Most LPs issued in the mid ‘50s featured a glossy
paper cover pasted on a cardboard sleeve. My original
Ellington at Newport, a Columbia 12” LP from 1956 is
tattered and frayed, the cardboard falling apart. But
Historically Speaking: The Duke, a Bethlehem 12” LP also
from 1956, is still shiny, clean and sturdy, the glossy
paper laminated to the pressboard sleeve. The striking
cover art - a black and white high contrast close-up of
Ellington from eyebrows down to lower lip - is
dominated by two space-engulfing capital Ds creating
three colors over most of the photo, a dominant red
from overlapping magenta and orange.
Gus Wildi, the founder of Bethlehem, in 2010 told
Tyler Alpern, whose website (tyleralpern.com) features
a history of the label: “We recognized from our first
10-inch album release on, that the importance of the
quality of the cover was underrated by other
companies. I believe then that Bethlehem was the first
company to create covers with some artistic merit as
opposed to use them akin to soap or soup
advertisements. The covers were heavily laminated,
wrapped around and minimal type was used, giving
off a feeling of quality and substance.”
Responsible for those covers was one artist,
graphic artist and photographer: Burt Goldblatt. In
late August, Bethlehem was relaunched by the Verse
Music Group and Naxos, issuing six titles from the ‘50s
Modern Quintet
Oscar Pettiford
on both vinyl and CD, as well as 20 titles through the
Bethlehem Records iTunes store. The LPs recreate the
original packaging and the CD covers are facsimiles of
the originals. “We thought Burt Goldblatt’s original
artwork was not just outstanding but unique and to a
certain extent groundbreaking,” says Michael Stack,
Verse president. “You’ll be seeing more of it on
merchandise in the next few months. We have a
merchandise deal in place to have those images on
T-shirts, tote-bags and other items.”
The initial releases, all recorded during the period
1953-58, when Wildi owned the label, are: Modern
Quintet, Oscar Pettiford; Sings Lullabys For Lovers,
Chris Connor (both 10” LPs) and (all 12” LPs) Daddy
Plays The Horn, Dexter Gordon; The Jazz Experiments,
Charles Mingus; Little Girl Blue, Nina Simone and The
Book Cooks, Booker Ervin. More 2013 releases will
feature 12” LP/CDs from Zoot Sims, who also appears
in Ervin’s sextet, and the quintet of Donald Byrd and
Pepper Adams, as well as a 10” LP/CD from singer
Bobby Troup.
As those early rereleases suggest, Bethlehem was
an eclectic label during its heyday; Wildi sold a half
interest to King Records in 1958 and King let the label
lapse by 1963. Wildi, who had arrived from Switzerland
in 1950, had begun the label with pop music in mind
but, after a handful of failed pop records, turned to
jazz, enlisting Red Clyde as his West Coast A&R man
and a young Creed Taylor as a producer in New York.
When asked if Bethlehem had a particular philosophy
or style Wildi says candidly: “The plain truth is NO! I
saw myself mostly as facilitator. Bethlehem gave its
Daddy Plays The Horn
Dexter Gordon
Sings Lullabys For Lovers
Chris Connor
artists total artistic freedom. There were, of course,
certain necessary but quite liberal financial limits.”
Wildi claims it took him years to recover,
financially, from Bethlehem Records. Yet the label
produced well over 200 LPs during its decade of
existence, many of them invaluable recordings by
artists who were not well-represented on other labels
of the era, many of them West Coast musicians as well
as East Coast postboppers. And his statement that
“Bethlehem gave its artists total artistic freedom” is
born out by comments from some of the artists
themselves, as well as by the fact that the label
championed such iconoclasts as bassist-leaders
Mingus, Pettiford (who was also allowed to feature his
cello) and Vinnie Burke (whose quartet accompanies
singer Connor).
Of her Little Girl Blue album, Nina Simone said: “I
went into the studio and recorded my songs exactly as
I always played them, so when you listen to that album
you’re hearing the songs played as they were at the
Midtown Bar. The only difference is that you don’t get
the improvisations that I wove around those numbers
in my live set.”
Mel Tormé, who recorded seven albums for
Bethlehem, said that “Red Clyde signed me for the jazz
aspect of my singing”, thus launching Tormé’s career
as full-fledged jazz singer, working with arrangers like
Marty Paich, after his earlier pop career as the Velvet
Fog. “Unfortunately, after a couple of years, I didn’t
leave Bethlehem - they left me! They left the world, in
fact. The label just folded.”
Little Girl Blue
Nina Simone
The Jazz Experiments of
Charles Mingus
LISTEN UP!
Bassist PETER BRENDLER has been an active part of
the NYC jazz scene for over a decade. He has worked
with a diverse array of artists including John
Abercrombie, Rich Perry and Jon Irabagon. In addition
to his work as a sideman, Brendler has also become an
accomplished bandleader. His quartet will record an
album for Posi-Tone Records at the end of this month.
The bassist’s most recent release, The Angle Below, is a
duo recording with guitarist John Abercrombie on
SteepleChase Records.
Dream Band: I actually dream about my band
sometimes.
Teachers: Rob Rose, Bill Snodgrass, Steve Owen, Rich
Perry.
Did you know? I’m obsessed with surfing. If anybody
has a cushy hotel lounge gig in Hawaii, please call me.
Influences: Joe Henderson, Cannonball Adderley, Rich
Perry, Bill Frisell, Ron Miles, Tim Berne, Wayne Shorter,
Matt Wilson, Justin Morell, TV and movie theme songs.
For more information, visit peterbrendler.com. Brendler’s
quartet is at Douglass Street Music Collective Oct. 11th
and Somethin’ Jazz Club Oct. 25th. See Calendar.
Teachers: Whit Browne, Jay Anderson, Drew Gress.
By Day: I teach and LOVE IT!
Influences: Gary Peacock, Anders Jormin, Sam Jones,
Wilbur Ware, Drew Gress, Pino Palladino, Bach,
Brahms, Elliot Smith, David Foster Wallace...
Current Projects: My quartet (with Rich Perry, tenor
sax; Peter Evans, trumpet; Vinnie Sperrazza, drums) is
really inspiring me right now. All those guys have so
much energy and are such distinctive voices on their
respective instruments. I also love playing duo with
one of my all-time idols, John Abercrombie.
By Day: Practice, write, read, exercise, tutor SATs.
I knew I wanted to be a musician when... I was dying
to play electric bass in 8th grade and my parents
wouldn’t get me a bass because my grades were really
bad. So, I spent a year building my first electric bass in
shop class. After that, there was no turning back.
Current Projects: Hashem Assadullahi Sextet with Ron
Miles; Safety Buffalo with Alan Ferber; V.A.T. Trio;
Organ Trio with Gary Versace, Mark Ferber; Douglas
Detrick’s Anywhen Ensemble.
Peter Brendler
Hashem Assadullahi
Since moving to NYC by way of Texas and Oregon in
2010 saxophonist HASHEM ASSADULLAHI has led
groups featuring some the world’s greatest talents in
jazz, including Alan Ferber, Ben Monder, Mark Ferber,
Matt Wilson and Rich Perry. In addition to his own
acclaimed releases with his sextet featuring Ron Miles,
Strange Neighbor & Pieces, he has recorded with several
ensembles and is a charter member of Douglas Detrick’s
Anywhen Ensemble. Assadullahi frequently serves as a
clinician and adjudicator across the US and abroad.
I knew I wanted to be a musician when... I was singing
along with the radio from my carseat (Van Halen’s
“Jump” was a favorite). But in the 9th grade, when I
first heard Cannonball’s solo on “Fun” from Mercy,
Mercy, Mercy, my fate was sealed.
Dream Band: Every chance to play is a dream come
true but if I had a magic lamp, anything with Bill
Frisell.
Did you know? I “won” a make-believe rodeo as an
imaginary bull-rider in kindergarten. The class celebrated
by listening to Marty Robbins and eating popcorn.
For more information, visit hashemjazz.com. Assadullahi is
at SingleCut Beersmiths Oct. 19th as part of the Queens Jazz
OverGround Festival and Tomi Jazz Oct. 29th. See Calendar.
FESTIV A L R E P O R T
Guelph Jazz Festival
by Philip Smith
by Andrey Henkin
by Ken Waxman
Photo by Marek Lazarski
(c) Susan O’Connor - www.jazzword.com/
Detroit Jazz Festival
A L’ARME! Festival
Louis Rastig/Peter Evans/Johannes Bauer/Paal Nilssen-Love
Ahmad Jamal
KAZE
As opening statements go, this was pretty explicit:
Belgian percussionist Els Vandeweyer smashed her
way through the five pulsating minutes of “Rebonds
B” by Iannis Xenakis before returning to her drums to
hammer out a 30-second encore, screaming an
impulsive accompaniment for good measure. Welcome
to A L’ARME! Festival, Berlin’s celebration of arresting
avant garde music and experimental jazz (Aug.
8th-10th).
Now in its second year, the 2013 edition certainly
lived up to the name (capital letters and exclamation
mark included), with an international lineup of
improvisers old and new bringing the sonically
shocking to the fore. Noise rock bassist Massimo
Pupillo certainly got the brief and his dark descending
ostinati met with the unsettling sonics of FM Einheit in
one of the most visually engaging performances of the
festival (the latter resembled a man in the midst of
DIY-rage as he smashed bricks with a hammer and
swirled the debris round an amplified metallic
workbench). A different but equally exhilarating
universe was created by Peter Brötzmann’s UK trio
with John Edwards (bass) and Steve Noble (drums),
joined by guest vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz from
Chicago. The German saxophonist’s reed explorations
drove a concert of relentless fire and melody, which
culminated in an achingly beautiful almost-cadence.
Fast forward to the closing act of the festival and
Michiyo Yagi’s idiosyncratic approach to the koto (in
her hands transformed from delicate parlor instrument
to 12-stringed rhythmic powerhouse) was backed up
by the urgency of her Japanese cohorts, saxophonist
Akira Sakata and Tamaya Honda on drums, who
moved from folksong tranquility to abrasive sheets of
sound.
Housed within the three rooms of Radialsystem V,
a former pumping station turned creative space in the
city center, the festival’s serious musical intent was
balanced by the relaxed interval atmosphere of
musicians and audience sharing refreshments and
thoughts in the bar and by the river. And the passing
boats on the Spree provided the backdrop for the more
intimate music offered in the venue’s top floor studio
space. Here, Conlon Nancarrow’s unruly Studies for
Player Piano were contrasted with improvised responses
from a variety of electro-acoustic ensembles.
UK-Austrian unit Barcode Quartet stood out, with
their subtle, patiently-evolving chamber textures
enlivened by percussionist Josef Klammer, who had
seemingly adopted a Nintendo Wii to trigger cartoonish
samples with his body movements. And though
performing in a different room, something Nancarrowian seemed to inform the final evening’s solo set from
Belgian pianist Fred Van Hove, whose keyboard
G iven all the negative press of late, one might be
excused for wondering if the headliner of the 2013
Detroit Jazz Festival (DJF) might be Nero and his
fiddle. Yes, the midwestern city is in serious trouble
but what it may lack in economic stability it makes up
for in sincere pride; throughout the 34th edition (Aug.
30th-Sep. 2nd), the rich musical history of the city and
enthusiasm of its citizenry was invoked both on and
off all four of the festival’s stages.
The DJF is a traditional jazz festival, meaning it
inhabits the realm between, say, the heady avant garde
of the Vision Festival and the barely-jazz-programming
of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest. But within
the adjective “traditional” is remarkable breadth, no
surprise given the astonishing number and variety of
musicians that have come out of the Motor City over
the decades (no room to list all of them...just know that
labels like Blue Note owe Cass Technical High
School a great debt). So over Labor Day weekend - and
all for free, by the way, making DJF the largest and
longest-running festival of its kind in the world thousands of listeners made their way around Hart
Plaza and up Woodward Avenue, past Joe Louis’
massive fist, to enjoy just how new and exciting
“traditional” can be.
Under the umbrella of classic jazz, there was the
Mack Avenue Super Band at the Carhartt Amphitheater
Stage (CAS), an allstar agglomeration put together by
Detroit’s premier jazz imprint. A set of blowing
vehicles, the group was a showcase for the muscular,
sax-like playing of young vibraphone star Warren
Wolf. Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis led an octet at the
Mack Avenue Waterfront Stage (MAWS), playing the
not-often-heard Ellington suite Such Sweet Thunder,
perfect for a warm afternoon sitting by the Detroit
River and staring at Canada (the music was actually
written for a Shakespeare festival in Canada). David
Berger ’s Jazz Orchestra is a NYC staple; at CAS, its
deep swing was a lovely cushion for the precocious
singing of Cécile McLorin Salvant, a superstar in the
making. Also at CAS, local son Pepper Adams was
celebrated by The Three Baris, a triumvirate of his
varied musical heirs: Howard Johnson, Gary Smulyan
and Frank Basile (who even looks like a young Adams).
Pianist Ahmad Jamal might hail from another industrial
city (Pittsburgh) but he entranced the mobbed CAS,
remarkable in his ability to create an intimate club
environment with his sensitive touch; nothing like
hearing “Poinciana” by the guy who defined it. And
another pair of octogenarians also plied their fine
wares: pianist/vocalist Freddy Cole in an afternoon set
at MAWS and, right after, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz
at Absopure Pyramid Stage (APS) leading a younger
quartet in a spontaneous set of standards.
N ew
combinations and new conceptions, sprinkled
with touches of exotica, characterized the 20th
anniversary edition of the Guelph Jazz Festival (GJF,
Sep. 4th-8th). The GJF, located in a small university
city, fewer than 100 kilometers west of Toronto, has,
from its beginning, stretched the definition of “jazz”
while avoiding populist pandering. The approach
obviously works, with the GJF gradually expanding.
On Saturday, afternoon and evening free outdoor
concerts now take place in front of city hall while the
free dusk-to-dawn Nuit Blanche offers intimate
performances in non-traditional downtown spaces. Confirming the festival’s international orientation
was the Canadian debut of Japanese pianist Satoko
Fujii’s KAZE quartet of trumpeter Natsuki Tamura
plus two French musicians: drummer Peter Orins and
trumpeter Christian Pruvost. Presented in the softseated Cooperators Hall of the River Run Centre
(RRC), the performance was a marvel of timing and
color, with pauses used as judiciously as kineticism.
Fujii’s keyboard command led by example as she
modulated from delicate Chopin-esque plinking to an
eventual climax blending a swing base with dynamic
chording. Despite playing the same instrument, the
trumpeters avoided repetition or competition. Instead
one lifted the program with flowing open-horn tones
while the other extended the rhythmic impetus by, in
Tamura’s case, cranking, rattling or blowing into noise
makers, or, in Pruvost’s attaching plastic tubing
between the mouthpiece and horn’s body tube.
Smacking the bass drum for emphasis to intensify
excitement during the set’s final minutes, Orins
animated the performance throughout.
An equally inventive percussionist is Chicago’s
Hamid Drake. A long-time GJF visitor, as is bassist
William Parker, the pair joined Québécoise pianist
Marianne Trudel for a first-time meeting in the same
venue. Someone who usually navigates the shoals
between notated and improvised music with refined
resourcefulness, Trudel highlighted unanticipated
muscularity in her improvisations. As the performance
rushed forward, eventually locking into a torrent of
rolling thunder, she maintained the pace with stabbing
runs, high-pitched key chiming plus sudden
unexpected romantic sequences. Accomplished rhythm
partners, Drake’s nearly effortless leaning into the beat
fused with Parker ’s power plucks not so much to
accompany as urge. Eventually the three parallel parts
merged into a jazzy lope.
Another Québécois who produces inimitable
textures is guitarist Bernard Falaise. His solo program
of crunching runs, repetitive loops and bansheescreaming string distortions alienated or mesmerized a
floor-seated audience at the Sukha Yoga Centre.
13
IN M E M O R I A M
Photograph © Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos.
Words cannot adequately express what Marian
McPartland meant to South Carolina ETV Radio,
NPR and especially for me. Marian was, of course,
the brilliant artist and beloved icon of Public Radio.
You will hear that from many more illustrious people
than me regarding this aspect of her. For me, she was
a constant colleague of over 35 years, a mentor, a
collaborator, but more, she was, is and always will be
family. She allowed me the great privilege of working
with someone I both admired as a legend and at the
same time I could collaborate with as a friend. She
provided me a direction I could have never imagined
when I started in this business, not just in jazz and in
radio, but in life. I was able to work closely with one
of the strongest, most successful, vital, creative
women of her time, someone who overcame every
obstacle and who pushed through every glass ceiling.
I am deeply saddened at her passing and at the same
time profoundly joyful she let me into her life.
MARIAN
MCPARTLAND
1918-2013
- SHARI HUTCHINSON, PRODUCER
I knew Marian for most of her American career,
which mostly matched mine chronologically. I
remember going to hear her at the Hickory House. I
don’t know when we first actually played together,
but in 1974 she and I recorded a nice four-piano
album in quadraphonic sound for RCA Victor along
with Roland Hanna and Hank Jones.
When she began her Piano Jazz radio
program, she invited me to be her guest early on and
then again later and finally once more toward the
end. She also appeared on the 92nd Street Y shows I
used to present and for a couple of seasons we had a
concert attraction, along with Ruth Laredo, the great
classical pianist, called “Keyboard Cross-over”.
I very much admired her playing and her
stage presence and, in addition to being compatible
artistically, we were friends who might call each
other up for advice. Toward the end, she mailed me
her autobiography and it is a great regret for me that
I hadn’t finished it and told her how much I
appreciated it before she passed on.
- DICK HYMAN, PIANIST
Marian was a dear friend, who gave me my first
steady job in New York in 1954 at the Hickory House
on 52nd Street. Joe Morello was the drummer and
Marian and Joe and I became old friends immediately.
I spent several years at the Hickory House with
Marian’s trio, learning and laughing and listening.
After I left that job to join Gerry Mulligan, I
stayed in touch with Marian and sometimes returned
to play with her when she needed a bass player for a
night. And in 1966, when she heard that my wife and
I were buying a small house in Rockland County, she
stopped by the place, introduced herself to the owner
and examined the premises to make sure we were
doing the right thing. We were surprised, but glad to
have her approval.
When Marian began her NPR radio program
Piano Jazz, everyone was delighted. She had a sure
touch with guest performers, making them
comfortable, evoking their best playing, and in duets
with them, matching them perfectly, no matter what
their style. I was pleased when, in the ‘90s, Marian
asked Joe Morello and me to rejoin her for a reprise of
the Hickory House Trio. We did a Piano Jazz segment,
a weekend at Birdland and a recording for Concord.
The last time I saw Marian was at a screening
of In Good Time, a film biography of Marian, that was
shown in a library near her home on Long Island.
She was in a wheelchair, but still bright and sassy
and wonderful. I’m glad she had such a long, rich,
rewarding life and I’ll miss her forever.
- BILL CROW, BASSIST
Marian McPartland has done more for jazz pianists
than anyone in the entire world. Being a guest on her
Piano Jazz program was a great thrill for me and she
treated me with a kindness and love that I can never
forget. I first met Marian in 1950 and she appeared at
Storyville and my festivals many times over the
years. She was always a delight to work with and
knowing her has added a lot to my life.
- GEORGE WEIN, PRODUCER
I first met Marian while I was living in Chicago, 36
years ago. A few months after that, she hired me to
do some gigs in the Midwest. This experience helped
to convince me to make the move to New York.
Marian got wind of my plans and on New Year’s Eve
1978, she called me in Chicago and offered me the
bass chair in her trio. Our first gig was three weeks at
Michael’s Pub. I worked with Marian for about the
next six years and my time with her was a rich period
of learning. Marian’s show on NPR had just started
being aired when we worked at Michael’s Pub. I
remember she asked me to attend the press event. As
a young musician, it was thrilling to meet so many
people in the jazz community. At the time, I don’t
think she had any idea how successful her show
would be. In retrospect, we all know now what a
great showcase it was for Marian’s talents.
I know my experience working with Marian
had a profound effect on my career. She was one of a
kind. She always extended her hand to help others
and she was always smiling. She never settled
musically and she brought joy with her success. She
will be dearly missed.
- STEVE LASPINA, BASSIST
Marian McPartland is one of a dozen or so jazz
musicians whose name is familiar to a good swathe of
the American public. And if people don’t know her
name, they most certainly know that voice, broadcast
for 34 years over more than 200 stations, with its
diction-perfect English and genteel, inquisitive
interviews. Called by none other than Dave Brubeck
himself “one of the top three pianists in jazz”,
McPartland has been honored with a Grammy Award
for Lifetime Achievement and entertained two
presidents and nine justices of the Supreme Court.
How a timid young girl learning classical piano in a
London suburb in the 1920s wound up being the
most important spokesperson for American jazz
seemed like a story that ought to be told.
- PAUL DE BARROS, AUTHOR
Marian McPartland was one of a kind, a true original!
She not only played great piano in solo, trio and
quartet (etc.) formats, but also played piano concertos
with orchestras! Her perfect pitch, harmonious
vibrations and command of so many concepts of jazz
enabled her to play musically and successfully with
any musician (which, of course, she did for such a
long time in her famous NPR Piano Jazz series). She
was also a composer of depth. Marian was always
vitally interested in so many other musicians, the
way they played, composed, thought, felt and
expressed music and was constantly helping them
expand their careers. I was one of the recipients of all
these gifts she gave to so many! We played duet
concerts together, did three of the Piano Jazz shows
and also hung out listening to jazz in NYC. Her sense
of humor was endless - we were always laughing.
And I bet even now she remembers the time she
insisted we wear huge, colorful, long flowing balloon
headbands as we played an outdoor duo piano
concert in Atlanta, Georgia! She is absolutely
unforgettable!
- JOANNE BRACKEEN, PIANIST
Marian McPartland was a grand lady. I have met few
individuals with such a combination of charm, class
and swing. Her wonderful spirit was a joy to behold
and I count myself very lucky to have been her bass
player and friend. Along with her husband Jimmy,
we had many wonderful times together. They both
lived life to its fullest and that made a lasting impact
on me. Her Piano Jazz NPR radio show will go down
as one of the great achievements in jazz. I hope her
legacy will carry on in others who care for the music
as much as Marian did.
I miss her, but I have so many beautiful
memories that I cannot be sad, only grateful.
- BRIAN TORFF, BASSIST
I met Marian when I first came to New York. She was
a marvelous musician and she contributed immensely
to the jazz scene through her radio show Piano Jazz.
She was extraordinary in her way of interviewing
people and playing double piano, which is very
difficult to do. But she did it so gracefully and so
musically. I was always a great admirer of her talent.
She was generous and she had a wicked sense of
humor, sometimes raunchy but I told her never to
hold back because everything sounded so better in
her English accent. I will miss her so much as will all
the members of the music world.
- BARBARA CARROLL, PIANIST
Marian and I met in the ‘50s, in Chicago and our
friendship continued to grow stronger through the
years. I was a single mom and Jimmy (McPartland)
and Marian kind of adopted me and my young son
Alan Merrill. Jimmy cooked for all the holidays and
we had a family.
I loved singing with Marian - keys were no
problem for her at all and her sensitivity was one of
the many ways she revealed her warmth and love of
people. Her nickname was Ma Perkins, after a radio
character who always led a troubled life and the show
was dedicated to her constant fixing of other people’s
problems. Marian always cared for her friends and I
was honored to be amongst them.
In the last two weeks of her life, she asked her
assistant to ask me to come to her home. I always
agreed to go. Every two days her assistant would call
to say, “Can you make it in two more days, she is not
too well today.” I will always wonder what it was she
wanted to say to me. I would have just liked to hold
her hand. ‘Til we meet again...
I am so grateful to have been a witness and participant
in a collective standing ovation for Marian McPartland
as she entered the set being carefully photographed
by Judy Chaikin, to replicate the first iconic
photograph of A Great Day in Harlem. As you may
recall, Marian McPartland and Mary Lou Williams
stood together chatting in the original.
Her iconic pianism, generous spirit, elegant
wit and commitment to sharing improvised ideals
fearlessly linked musicians from diverse creative
perspectives into a community of collaboration.
I am privileged to have played two pianos
with her on a number of very special occasions and I
witnessed her playful audience challenge to attempt
to call any song she did not know. They did not win
the challenge of course.
I’d like to thank Ms. McPartland for her
important body of work and for a lifetime of
contributing inspiration to the community of jazz and
its musicians.
- HELEN MERRILL, VOCALIST
- GERI ALLEN, PIANIST
With the passing of Marian McPartland the world of
music has lost an irreplaceable artist and human
being. Her legacy is beyond measure. She opened
doors for many musicians and expanded the scope of
jazz on an international level. Marian was a true
improviser. She might play a song in any key or
tempo and was always willing to take chances.
Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz is an
indelible contribution to the history of this music.
She was a perfect host, completely open to other
musicians’ conceptions and she approached her
guests with curiosity and humility. She was sharp
and witty and had the gift of creating an environment
where people felt comfortable being themselves.
We’re grateful to have known Marian and to have
been a part of her world. We will miss her very much.
- BILL CHARLAP & RENEE ROSNES, PIANISTS
I first met Marian around 1963-64 and she had heard
my name floating around New York as a young
promising bassist. We seemed to hit it off pretty
quickly and had really good chemistry. I was a young
guy looking to learn and she was on the scene and
had all this experience. She was very generous, very
supportive, very kind - she was a wonderful lady
plus being a terrific player. She had this steady club
thing going on at a place called Strollers Theatre Club
on E. 54th Street. It was a theater presentation of a
British political satire called The Establishment, which
poked fun at the British. We played to this show and,
after it was over, part of the contract was to go into
the pub and play some sets. It was a very lively scene:
actors, politicians, musicians and all kinds of people
would come in - Dudley Moore, Pierre Salinger, Dizzy
Gillespie, Jimmy McPartland her husband. The trio
was with Dottie Dodgion, so I was the male in front of
this female vortex. Marian and I even played a little
bit after that and we still stayed in touch. Once I
started working with Bill Evans two years later, we
would talk over the phone and I fondly remember
doing her radio show Piano Jazz a couple of times too.
In 1964 I was also playing with Giuseppi
Logan. I don’t like playing any one kind of music; I
think of it as acting - playing different roles and being
good in those different roles. I do what I do and
Marian was like that, too and she never questioned
what my allegiances were. She was always very
gracious. I have a very fond memory of Marian.
- EDDIE GOMEZ, BASSIST
Marian McPartland was always the quintessential
listener. She turned millions of people into jazz
listeners - whether they knew that they were jazz
fans or not. With impeccable quality and patience,
every week, Marian attracted an eager audience for
the music that she loved. Selling jazz to anyone other
than the true believers can be a challenge, but Marian
always rose to the occasion - welcoming every
opportunity to masterfully present new spontaneous
orchestrations - filling every Piano Jazz program with
joy and excellence. She taught me to respect every
artist’s uniqueness - and how to seek common
ground and strength from fellow musicians. We’re
all in this together and, throughout her long life,
Marian tirelessly sought to lift every creative voice to
a new exalted place. From my very first conversation
with her at a Sweet Basil gig in 1985, I realized that
she would always be there for me - and she still is.
Her words and letters are brimming with enthusiasm,
praise and encouragement - and I reread them often
for inspiration. Hosting Piano Jazz, the brilliant
program that she created, is both humbling and
exhilarating. I am honored to continue her beautiful
concept beyond her lifetime.
- JON WEBER, PIANIST/HOST, PIANO JAZZ
15
CD R E V I E W S
New Yor-Uba: 30 Years A Musical Celebration of Cuba in America
Michele Rosewoman (Advance Dance Disques)
by Suzanne Lorge
F or the last three decades, pianist Michele Rosewoman
has been working elements of Nigerian Yoruba music
into her compositions. On this recent release,
Rosewoman revisits her music from these years with a
large ensemble: six horn players, a bassist and
drummer, four percussionists (three of whom
contribute vocals), a vocalist and Rosewoman herself.
What sets Rosewoman’s sound apart from that of
other Latin big bands is her use of the batás (African
talking drums) along with congas in a rhythm section
led by Pedrito Martinez, also Rosewoman’s lead singer.
While the rhythms fall out along these African or
Cuban lines, Rosewoman will improvise on piano in
modern jazz figures. The horn section might follow
suit, the players taking turns on bebop solos on one
tune, falling into a Latin swing groove on another. In
contrast, the vocals mostly are folksy chants sung in
the simplest of harmonies, even when the band is
toying with complicated dissonance. Throughout (for
example, on “Where Water Meets Sky”) Rosewoman
places vocal simplicity on par with instrumental
complexity without sacrificing either. We’re left with
an intriguing idea: all musical traditions can be valued
equally. Her work seems to suggest this interpretation,
but only to the extent that we agree with another of her
concepts - that music isn’t just the sounds we produce
but the spaces left untouched in between them.
In Rosewoman’s musical world, those spaces
belong to the Orishas, the ancient Yoruban deities. In
the liner notes she also honors her mentor Orlando
“Puntilla” Ríos, the Cuban percussionist who brought
batá playing to New York in the early ‘80s. These two
traditions, however, are only the starting point for
Rosewoman, whose fresh compositions send them
hurtling into the future. With New Yor-Uba, Rosewoman
moves AfroCuban music another step forward.
For more information, visit michelerosewoman.com. This
project is at Dizzy’s Club Sep. 30th-Oct. 1st. See Calendar.
Links
Luis Perdomo (Criss Cross)
by George Kanzler
Pianist
Luis Perdomo’s last CD, The Infancia Project,
was a heavily AfroLatin-tinged project drawing from
the Venezuelan musician’s geo-cultural heritage. Links
explores his jazz heritage, with contributions (one
each) from his quartet mates - alto saxophonist Miguel
Zenón, bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Rodney
Green - as well as pieces by three of his mentor/
teachers. Also included are favorites by Woody Shaw
and Elvin Jones, a pair of Perdomo originals and one
from his wife Mimi Jones. Although the quartet
includes a Venezuelan and a Puerto Rican (Zenón), the
emphasis is on straightahead modern jazz.
The album kicks off with Green’s “Percy’s
Delight”, an uptempo romp with a coasting theme and
ends with Jones’ “Elena”, a ballad with a folksy lullaby
feel and some of Zenón’s most sweetly luxuriant alto
crooning. In between the program is well varied,
Perdomo seemingly judicious in his sequencing in
order to emphasize the breadth of the tunes as well as
the musicians’ range. The rapport between Perdomo
and Zenón (longtime colleagues in the latter ’s band)
verges on uncanny, nowhere more so than on Perdomo’s
“Crossmind Dreams”, a multi-faceted piece with fugal
and contrapuntal sections as well as rubato sections of
sustained improvised dialogue - all leading into
choruses of swinging resolution.
While the band does swing out with gusto and
drive on the likes of Elvin Jones’ “Three Card Molly”,
Shaw’s “Organ Grinder” and Perdomo’s crackling
“The ‘A’ List”, there are also tracks that display
delicacy and sinuous ease. “Profundo”, from the pen of
Gerry Weil, one of Perdomo’s first piano teachers in
Caracas, has a tom-tom laced, Ellingtonian tropical
feel, with slithery alto sax. Roland Hanna’s “Enigma”
is a sensuous ballad with hints of bossa, picked up on
by Burno in his solo. And the bassist’s “Melisma” is a
swirling ballad over a bass ostinato with hypnotic
appeal. Throughout Perdomo demonstrates an
exuberant command of his instrument.
For more information, visit crisscrossjazz.com. Perdomo is
at Smalls Oct. 2nd-3rd and Jazz at Kitano Oct. 18th. See
Calendar.
flexibility. On it, Nabatov slides from lovingly caressing
the piano keys to vibrating blues-based tremolos with
the same offhanded dexterity, as Wogram’s staccato
tongue flutters melt into mouthpiece bubbles without
ever breaking the narrative. Rainey backs each motion
to perfection with unvarnished rolls, ramps and ruffs.
For more information, visit leorecords.com. Rainey is at
Cornelia Street Café Oct. 2nd with Sean Conly; Ibeam
Brooklyn Oct. 3rd with Jesse Stacken; Greenwich House
Music School Oct. 4th; Cornelia Street Café Oct. 5th with
Jason Rigby; Ibeam Brooklyn Oct. 18th with Timucin Sahin
and Cornelia Street Café Oct. 19th leading his trio and 26th
as part of LARK. See Calendar.
AMANDA SEDGWICK QUINTET
NEW CD: “SHADOW AND ACT” (PB7 RECORDS)
DWAYNE CLEMONS - TRUMPET / AMANDA SEDGWICK - ALTO SAX
LEO LINDBERG - PIANO / KENJI RABSON - BASS
MOUSSA FADERA - DRUMS
AVAILABLE ON ITUNES
RECOMMENDED
NEW RELEASES
Nawora
Simon Nabatov/Nils Wogram/Tom Rainey (Leo)
by Ken Waxman
Recorded at the Loft performance space in Cologne,
Germany, Russian pianist Simon Nabatov’s adopted
home town, this CD’s sophisticated improvisations
easily stand on their own due to the congenial dealings
among Nabatov, hot-shot German trombonist Nils
Wogram and sensitive American drummer Tom Rainey,
Nabatov associates for either side of two decades.
With Rainey a specialist in suggesting rather than
forcing the beat, Wogram and Nabatov’s penchant for
stringing together brass smears and keyboard sprinkles
until they reach a critical point can unroll in a leisurely
fashion. But the seven tracks are anything but skeletal
tone-research. Most include a body of melody, color
and enough exciting multiphonics to add pulsating
flesh and blood to the ecosystem. For instance, the
final “Dust-Tongued Bell” may initially sound like a
test to see how many brass split tones can dissolve into
piano innards as Nabatov plucks the exposed strings.
But the tune quickly toughens rhythmically, as the
pianist’s subsequent clipped notes are matched by
Wogram’s growling pulsations. Rainey’s contribution?
A decisively final cymbal pop.
While brooding interludes are part and parcel of
the strategy here, wallowing in melancholy isn’t part
of the game plan. If anything, the hardened chord
clusters from Nabatov and the triple-tonguing plunger
blasts from Wogram displayed so prominently on
percussive tunes such as “Nail” - encompassing
uncharacteristic vibrating clanks from Rainey - are
most representative.
“Nonchalant Hint” may finally provide the secret
words to why Nawora is so pleasurable: unpretentious
• Ralph Alessi - Baida (ECM)
• Geri Allen - Grand River Crossings:
Motown & Motor City Inspirations (Motéma)
• Samuel Blaser Consort In Motion A Mirror to Machaut (Songlines)
• Linda Oh - Sun Pictures (Greenleaf)
• Mario Pavone - Arc Trio (Playscape)
• Leron Thomas - Whatever (s/r)
David Adler, New York@Night Columnist
• Sophie Agnel/John Edwards/Steve Noble Meteo (Clean Feed)
• Samuel Blaser Consort in Motion A Mirror to Machaut (Songlines)
• Peter Brötzmann/Steve Noble I Am Here Where Are You (Trost)
• The Claudia Quintet - September (Cuneiform)
• Ghost Train Orchestra - Book of Rhapsodies
(Accurate)
• Mario Pavone - Arc Trio (Playscape)
Laurence Donohue-Greene
Managing Editor, The New York City Jazz Record
• FPR - All At Once (Relative Pitch)
• Ghost Train Orchestra - Book of Rhapsodies
(Accurate)
• Dane TS Hawk & His Cop Jazz Festsemble - Hear We Go (Barefoot)
• S.O.S. - Looking For The Next One
(Cuneiform)
• Paul Stapleton/Simon Rose - Fauna
(pfMENTUM)
• Various Artists - The Road to Jajouka(Howe)
Andrey Henkin
Editorial Director, The New York City Jazz Record
September
The Claudia Quintet (Cuneiform)
by Sam Spokony
Drummer and composer John Hollenbeck, 45, likes to
think and play along lines of metaphor and simulacrum.
September faithfully follows and builds upon The
Claudia Quintet’s past explorations into minimalism,
freethinking improvisation, challenging rhythms and
deeply deliberate, intertextual musings. Hollenbeck
explains in the liner notes why he focused his
compositional gaze so squarely on that month. Like so
many Americans across the societal spectrum, he’s still
very much influenced by memories of the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001. Hollenbeck writes, “Last
September I came up with the idea to write music that
was somehow tied to other days in September in the
hope of trying to rework and transform the traumatic
residue through composition.”
The brief opener, “20th: Soterius Lakshmi”, is a
fitting start, with its pulsing, static rhythm and droning
repetition, which introduces the new addition of Red
Wierenga (accordion), who replaces Ted Reichman,
and Claudia mainstays Chris Speed (clarinet and tenor
saxophone), Matt Moran (vibraphone) and Drew Gress
(bass). But on the next track, the alternately
introspective and funky “9th: Wayne Phases” (named
for Wayne Shorter), we hear a different, but perhaps
equally effective voice on bass - that of Chris Tordini,
who performs on 4 of the album’s 10 tunes. Tordini’s
energy fills plenty of space in its own right, but he also
fits well behind agile and engaging solos by Wierenga,
Moran and Speed, who are strong throughout.
Two later highlights are “29th 1936: Me Warn
You”, which deftly incorporates a chopped and looped
recording of a speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt
decrying political partisanship, and “24th: Interval
Dig”, a head-nodding, postmodern swinger that leads
off with Gress’ full, rich tone and includes a typically
excellent solo by the bassist.
And then there is the culminating track, “12th:
Coping Song”, which finally seeks to unify and express
Hollenbeck’s personal memories of and feelings
associated with the September 11 attacks. It’s haunting,
moving and beautifully executed and, like most tunes
on this album, reminds us why The Claudia Quintet is
still one of the most exciting groups on the scene today.
For more information, visit cuneiformrecords.com. This
group is at Le Poisson Rouge Oct. 3rd. See Calendar.
The Sky Inside
Drew Gress (Pirouet)
by Sean Fitzell
It’s been six years since bassist Drew Gress’ last CD as
a leader. Considering the staggering number of projects
he and his quintet mates - trumpeter Ralph Alessi,
saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey and
pianist Craig Taborn - have undertaken over that
stretch, it’s impressive they were able to reconvene.
And The Sky Inside is worth the wait. The music draws
on the group’s collective chemistry and continues to
obscure the boundaries between the notated and free.
“No Saint” opens with a tense repeating piano
motif and spare drums, before the leader ’s insistent
line ushers in bright unison horns. The structure
recedes for a knotty Berne improv amid Taborn’s
colorful comps and Rainey’s fractured beat, with Gress
eventually rebuilding the theme. The leader steps out
with a lyrical solo during the poignant “In Streamline”,
Alessi’s breathy muted delivery adding a hushed
texture. In contrast, the title track opens with a wailing
horn duet that boasts atonality and resolves to a
piercing unison note. But the lengthy piece travels
other directions: its lean rhythm-trio section highlights
Rainey’s barehanded approach and Taborn’s
alternating fluid and percussive keys, before a groove
develops for the horns’ intense return.
Rainey’s loose swing propels the jaunty “Kernel”,
which the leader uses for rangy solos in the introduction
and middle of the piece. His thrumming cuts through
the opening of the hazily subdued “Dreampop” and
provides a sturdy platform for Alessi’s lilting turn and
Taborn’s cascading lines. “Zaftig Redux” percolates
with taut rhythms, inspiring a series of crisp solos from
Berne, Alessi and particularly Taborn, who rides them
to the conclusion. Dissonant horn strains return for
“Long Story Short”, a loosely structured piece affording
the quintet freedom to interpolate. Pristinely recorded,
the music flows with inspired performances, suggesting
the hiatus rejuvenated the already potent lineup.
For more information, visit pirouet.com. Gress is at Le
Poisson Rouge Oct. 3rd with The Claudia Quintet and The
Jazz Gallery Oct. 19th with Tony Malaby. See Calendar.
UNEARTHED GEM
Compatability
Lost Tapes: Baden-Baden
Zoot Sims
(June 23, 1958)
(Jump/Zim - Delmark)
Zoot Sims (Jazzhaus)
by Ken Waxman
Most overtly swinging of the post-War tenor
saxophonists influenced by Lester Young, Zoot Sims
(Oct. 29th, 1925-Mar. 23rd, 1985) kept one foot in big
band swing and the other in contemporary jazz, as
these dynamic CDs handily demonstrate. 1955’s
Compatability [sic], originally issued under trumpeter
Hall Daniels name, is West Coast jazz with guts
while Lost Tapes, a German broadcast, unites Sims
with top European jazzmen of the day.
Initially trumpeter Hall Daniels’ date,
Compatability was reissued in the ‘70s with additional
tracks and arrives on CD expanded with even more
new material. Now it features multiple versions of
the tunes, with none less than swinging. Daniels’
arranging skills are confirmed during the four
variants of “Nash-ville”, each of which has subtly
different backing chords. Besides trombonist Dick
Nash’s showcased tongue flutters, there’s room for
Sims’ drawling runs and vibrant Johnny Smith-like
picking from guitarist Tony Rizzi. Baritone
saxophonist Bob Gordon solos on the three variants
of the title track, each executed with gritty lightness.
This nimbleness is echoed in Daniels’ trumpet lines,
with Rolly Bundock’s four-square bass work here
and elsewhere balancing the program.
With the crucial backing of dynamic, ex-pat
drummer Kenny Clarke - Paris-based after quitting
the Modern Jazz Quartet - plus visiting American
trombonist Willie Dennis, Lost Tapes demonstrates
the sophistication of some Teutonic jazzmen. The
stand-outs are Austrian Hans Koller, who plays alto
and tenor saxophone and clarinet here as does Sims;
gutsy German baritone saxophonist Helmut Brandt
and Austrian pianist Hans Hammerschmid, later a
respected film and TV composer, who also
contributes three high-quality originals.
Part jam session, partly arranged, the CD gives
healthy solo space for all concerned, which in
Koller ’s case confirms his closeness to Sims but
highlights his sharper tone. Operating in a modified
swing bag, the addition of two flutists (Adi
Feuerstein
and
Gerd
Husemann)
on
Hammerschmid’s “Open Door” makes the band
resemble the Basie band of the day. Tellingly Clarke’s
breaks, heavy on bass drum bombs and ratamacues,
relate more to swing than bop. So does the pianist’s
“Minor Meeting for Two Clarinets”; Sims and Koller
play decidedly straightahead while the composer
intensifies the groove. Brandt is appropriately
slurpy and swift on “Open Door”, which could be a
recast “Jive at Five”; Dennis displays his big band
section smarts on “These Foolish Things” and the
CD wraps up with “Trottin”, a 1951 Sims original
that’s a “Four Brothers” cousin.
A standard of unpretentious excellence is
maintained on Lost Tapes. And both CDs confirm
Sims’ compatibility on any date.
For more information,
jazzhaus-label.com
visit
delmark.com
and
17
GLOBE UNITY: GREECE
Protoleia Mahlis-Panos Project (Greeksea)
Para-Ligo
Elena Kakaliagou/Ingrid Schmoliner/Thomas
Stemkowski (Creative Sources)
Songs for Kommeno Gunter “Baby” Sommer (Intakt)
by Kurt Gottschalk
O f all the folk forms adapted to the jazz language,
traditional Anatolian musics are among the least
common. Yannis Kyriakides has done some
remarkable work putting Greek and Turkish forms
into contemporary frames and a few recent releases
show he isn’t alone.
The Mahlis-Panos Project is the most overtly
Grecian of the titles under review here. Fronted by
Dimitris Mahlis’ oud and nylon string guitar with
Anastasios Panos’ light percussion, Protoleia sings
with old rembetika melodies, but the grounding of
Dan Lutz’ acoustic and electric basses lend it a
currency. The trio play with an easy freedom, allowing
themselves plenty of space to improvise while
adhering closely to the song formats. After a half
dozen of their own compositions, they take on Wayne
Shorter’s “Masqualero”, pushing a bit harder with
distant drums driving a firmly plucked guitar. They
close the album with a sweetly melancholic take on
the traditional tune “Thalassa” with the gentle ebb
and flow of the sea spirit for which it’s named.
The trio of Elena Kakaliagou, Ingrid Schmoliner
and Thomas Stempkowski is only one-third Greek
(in the part of French horn player Kakaliagou) with
the pianist and bassist coming from Austria, but
they maintain a low-key, Mediterranean perhaps,
energy nonetheless, especially with Kakaliagou’s
spoken parts for several tracks on Para-Ligo. They
play in a minimal improvisation vein although the
sparse sounds they produce are unusually loud and
bold for the form, almost as if magnified. There is a
sort of contrast between Kakaliagou the formalist
(more often found in composed than improvised
settings) and her playing partners, yet that contrast
doesn’t result in a tension across the seven abstract
tracks but rather an engaging sense of discovery
and resolution.
The most powerful of these three releases isn’t
by a Greek artist at all but an esteemed German
drummer. Günter Baby Sommer was in Kommeno
in 2008 to play a percussion festival when he learned
of the village’s World War II devastation. He set
about writing a suite for the devastated community
and returned a year later to perform it with a quartet
of Greek musicians including wonderful vocalist
Savina Yannatou and esteemed saxophonist Floros
Floridis (Evgenios Voulgaris on yayli, tanbur and
oud and bassist Spilios Kastanis fill out the group).
The resulting music is at times joyful and heartwrenching, giving nods to both Sommer ’s jazz
background and the styles local at Kommeno.
Presented in a small box with a 150-page book
concerning the history behind the music, it’s a
stunning and deeply felt package.
For more information, visit mahlispanosproject.com,
creativesourcesrec.com and intaktrec.ch
“G.W.”). This is exploratory, varied music, alive with
passion and dialogue. It’s also exuberant, whether
Sinton shouting through his baritone or Peck crafting
an unaccompanied introduction. While Wooley is as ‘at
home’ with free improvisation as any musician, the
forms here emphasize the expressiveness of his lines:
on the mournful “My Story, My Story” he combines
variations of pitch and inflection to achieve an
emotional depth equal to that of Miles Davis or Don
Cherry, rare terrain for any trumpeter.
From the Discrete to the Particular
Joe Morris/Agustí Fernández/Nate Wooley
(Relative Pitch)
Trumpets and Drums (Live in Ljubljana)
Nate Wooley/Peter Evans/Jim Black/Paul Lytton
(Clean Feed)
(Sit In) The Throne of Friendship
Nate Wooley Sextet (Clean Feed)
by Stuart Broomer
For more information, visit relativepitchrecords.com and
cleanfeed-records.com. Wooley is at Issue Project Room Oct.
4th. See Calendar.
N ate
Wooley is among a group of distinguished
younger trumpeters redefining the sonic possibilities
of the instrument. More than that though, he combines
both rare invention and rare taste across a stylistic
range that stretches from free improvisation to his own
version of postbop.
The trio of Wooley, guitarist Joe Morris and pianist
Agustí Fernández that appears on From the Discrete to
the Particular has its antecedents in Morris’ prior duos
with Wooley and Fernández. It’s free improvisation of
the first rank, with each of the seven pieces a developed
musical dialogue defining its own timbres and shape,
whether it’s the pointillist sputters of the opening
“Automatos”, the flurries of discrete sounds that first
mark “As Expected” or the oblique harmonic language
of “Bilocation” that flowers into an evanescent lyricism
created by all three musicians. “Membrane” suggests
an early John Cage prepared piano sonata extended to
a collective. The longest pieces, “Hieratic” and “Chums
of Chance”, are works of transformation, whether
Morris sounding like the interior of a piano on the
former and a bowed cello on the latter; Fernández
mounting a virtuosic keyboard assault or creating a
resonant soundscape or Wooley drawing out pained
multiphonics or assembling wild scratching sounds.
Trumpets and Drums (Live in Ljubljana) is a dialogue
between the two fundamental sonic components of the
title. If there’s a martial tradition to trumpet and drum
music there’s also a mystical one, as with Joshua and
the battle of Jericho, but stronger still in the Tibetan
Buddhist ritual music that combines long bass trumpets
with metal and skin percussion. The quartet is built on
several developed affinities: Wooley has long-running
duos with both fellow trumpeter Peter Evans and
drummer Paul Lytton; Evans has played with Lytton as
a guest with the Parker-Guy-Lytton trio and Jim Black
has played drums in Evans’ quartet. The performance
is divided into two long segments, entitled “Beginning”
and “End” and within those parameters there are
moments of near silence, whispered trumpet tones and
air through horns, gentle percussive rattlings, eerie
scrapes and rustlings that demand rapt attention.
Quavering electronics might arise from Wooley’s
amplifier or from Black’s expanded kit. Elsewhere there
are moments of incendiary power, elemental music
focused on mysteries of intensity and pitch.
The Nate Wooley Sextet is a variation on the
Quintet that recorded 2010’s (Put Your) Hands Together.
A forum for Wooley’s compositions, (Sit In) The Throne
of Friendship retains bass clarinetist/baritone
saxophonist Josh Sinton, vibraphonist Matt Moran and
drummer Harris Eisenstadt while bassist Eivind
Opsvik either alternates with newly arrived tuba
player Dan Peck or they appear together. The style
suggests the Blue Note ‘free’ school and the
simultaneous presence of vibraphone and bass clarinet
emphasizes the Eric Dolphy influence (“Make Your
Friend Feel Loved” seems to reference Dolphy’s
COIN COIN Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile
Matana Roberts (Constellation)
by Donald Elfman
P erhaps
the most stunning feature of saxophonist
Matana Roberts’ new work, the second installment of a
work-in-progress, is that the music seems constantly
reborn.
Improvisation,
composed
sections,
instrumental riffs and much more burst forth from an
uninterrupted panorama and describe a journey that
evokes a history rich with all matters of experience and
emotion. Though written for sextet, the sensation is of
something larger and the scope suggests a multitude of
performers playing, singing, chanting and declaiming.
Roberts has written a seamless, 18-part composition
that gives eloquent shape to, among other things, the
notions that music is a positive way to express the
vicissitudes of history. The sections are all short but the
way they evolve suggests a vast oratorio of sorts. And
the use of classic jazz riffs, poetry, opera and the
vernacular find unity in the intimate and the historic.
There are a number of striking and potent
examples where the past, present and future collide
and it is those kinds of moments that help give this
work its beautiful life. The work opens with colors
emerging from a swirling mist of prayer or praise. The
instruments talk amongst themselves, freely, but
stunningly directed. Suddenly, there’s a rich tenor
voice in the middle - it’s Jeremiah Abiah - and he’s
singing text written by Joseph D. Howard (1873-1952).
After the assembled elements soar together seeking
order out of ‘chaos’, up pops a riff from the horns, a
waltz that suggests some classic Blue Note tune.
Meetings like that abound and provide the shape
and color of this magnum opus. The players are all
well versed in the vocabulary of jazz in its current
manifestations as well as in its colorful past. On
“Responsory”, after more operatic text and some freeform exploration by the horns, we get a kind of ‘amen’
chorus from everyone, leading into a call-and-response
between the scatting of the leader and the very funky
trumpet of Jason Palmer. And “River Ruby Dues” is
Roberts’ modern arrangement of the African American
spiritual “Deep River”. Palmer, again, sputters and
plays with abandon and Roberts wails freely while
Shoko Nagai percussively and lyrically showcases her
piano talents and bassist Thomson Kneeland and
drummer Tomas Fujiwara drive the uplift. All of this
work, which Roberts dubs, “panoramic sound
quilting”, makes for a listening experience that is
thought-provoking and compelling.
For more information, visit cstrecords.com. This project is
at The Jazz Gallery Oct. 5th. See Calendar.
Eponymous
Nashaz (Ziryab)
by Elliott Simon
N ear
Eastern-flavored jazz projects have a long
history and it can be tricky to give both parts of the
equation their due. Too much jazz and it can become
campy; not enough and, well, then it isn’t jazz. The
oud though is a bit more of a jazz latecomer and its
first appearance as a central jazz instrument is thought
to be Ahmed Abdul-Malik’s seminal Jazz Sahara
(Riverside, 1958). Brian Prunka was a jazz guitarist
before he played oud and although his first instrument
is nowhere to be found here, Prunka makes good use of
both skills on this eponymous debut from his band
Nashaz.
Prunka has put together a quintet well-versed in
musical hybridization. Most notable is trumpet player
Kenny Warren (Slavic Soul Party, Sway Machinery),
whose beautiful tone and mastery of the MiddleEastern minor-keyed feel and microtonalities inherent
to this music blends impeccably with Prunka’s oud
runs. Warren is so good at flowing through and
infusing his music with Balkan, Middle Eastern,
Spanish and probably other influences that these tunes,
whose rhythms are hypnotic, take on singular
character. Likewise, Nathan Herrera, who at various
times plays alto saxophone, alto flute and bass clarinet,
adds welcomed diversity to the soundscape. His jazzy
tongue-slapping bass clarinet solos are stellar.
In addition to Prunka’s oud and the melodies, it is
the rhythm section that gives this music its exciting
exotica. Both bassist Apostolos Sideris and
percussionist George Mel are veterans of the NYC
world jazz scene and, along with riq player (Arabic
tambourine) Vin Scialla, they are up in the mix for a
trance-like surrounding. All these tunes were written
by Prunka and the comfort the band shows with them
is a testament to his grasp of both musics. His oud
improvisations are front and center, true to the melodic
structure but infused with bluesy jazz. The best world
jazz sessions marry existing world music with jazz to
create something new; Nashaz does that and more.
For more information, visit nashaz.bandcamp.com. This
band is at Downtown Music Gallery Oct. 6th. See Calendar.
Eponymous
Pedrito Martinez Group (Motéma Music)
by Adam Everett
Cuban-born singer/multi-instrumentalist Pedrito
Martinez presents a stunning debut for his eponymous
Latin jazz quartet, which is based in NYC and performs
regularly at Guantanamera Restaurant in Hell’s
Kitchen. Produced by drum legend Steve Gadd, the
album features guest turns by trumpeter Wynton
Marsalis and guitarist John Scofield, as well as Gadd
himself. All three lend a supporting hand in lifting up
the music.
The core group consists of Venezuelan bassist
Alvaro Benavides, Peruvian percussionist Jhair Sala,
Cuban keyboardist Araicne Trujillo and the leader,
who plays primarily congas; a variety of instruments
including cowbell, bongo, guiro, chekere, cajon and
timbales put percussion at the forefront of the group.
The piano is low in the mix and when exposed, the
energy drops considerably. But an enjoyable dramatic
effect is achieved when the rest of the band punches
back in with precise timing. Instrumental solos are
generally pithy while the real improvisation stretches
out during the spirited and colorful “coro-pregon”
sections (in traditional AfroCuban music, it is common
for the singer to improvise against a repeated chorus
from the band, a version of call-and-response).
The album breaks character with the Latin-rock
“Traveling Riverside Blues” and cover of The Jackson
5’s “I’ll Be There”. These are great for live performances,
but not very exciting on record. The album picks right
back up on the beautiful “Musica” with a playfully
simple melody, a suave breakdown with a Latin-meetsBoogie-Woogie piano pattern and more metric-bending
percussion breaks for the rhythmically hungry. What’s
most exciting is the band’s ability to ‘swing’, a term not
used when describing music that is primarily set in
straight eighth notes. In the context of Latin music, this
is done by conveying a considerable amount of feeling
and energy while working together to maintain a
unified sound. Martinez’ group navigates easily through
syncopated four-part vocal harmonies, maze-like
piano montunos and energetic breakdowns accented
by jaw-dropping percussion hits, all the while
maintaining that important sense of swing.
standard “Triste”. Claudio Roditi plays both flugelhorn
and muted trumpet on “Só por Amor” and his
contribution is so appealing one wishes he appeared
on more than one track. “Triste” starts out on an
AfroCuban-influenced note, perhaps a nod to Barron’s
tenure with Gillespie, before quickly switching over to
a Bossa Nova beat.
Clearly, Brazilian rhythms are something that
Barron has quite a passion for and his swinging but
lyrical pianism is right at home alongside the Brazilian
musicians who join him on this fine album.
For more information, visit sunnysiderecords.com. Barron
is at Dizzy’s Club Oct. 9th-13th. See Calendar.
For more information, visit motema.com. This group is at
City Winery Oct. 8th. See Calendar.
Y’All of New York, Inc.
Proudly Presents
THE TENTH ANNUAL FRIEND OF
THE FAMILY AWARDS CONCERT
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Kenny Barron & The Brazilian Knights
Kenny Barron (Sunnyside)
by Alex Henderson
V eteran
pianist Kenny Barron has played Brazilian
songs in the past, both on his own albums and with
Trio da Paz and Dizzy Gillespie. But Kenny Barron &
The Brazilian Knights is a rarity: a Barron album
recorded in Rio de Janeiro with Brazilian musicians, an
idea of producer Jacques Muyal.
The core of this June 2012 session is an acoustic
piano trio of Barron, bassist Sergio Barrozo and
drummer Rafael Barata (who work together regularly
as a rhythm section). Some guests are featured
extensively, including alto saxophonist Idriss
Boudrioua, acoustic guitarist Lula Galvão and
harmonica player Mauricio Einhorn. The latter is a
warm, expressive player with a strong Toots Thielemans
influence and appears on four pieces he composed (“Já
Era”, “Curta Metragem”, “Tristeza de Nós Dois” and
“São Conrado”) as well as Alberto Chimelli’s
“Chorinho Carioca” (based on the chord changes of the
Victor
Schertzinger-Johnny
Mercer
standard
“Tangerine”).
The late pianist Johnny Alf, whose ‘50s recordings
are widely regarded as a precursor to the Bossa Nova
movement, is also featured, via three of his classics
(“Rapaz de Bem”, “Ilusão á Toa” and “Nós”). Filling
out the program is the aforementioned “Chorinho
Carioca”, Barron’s mellifluous “Sonia Braga”, Baden
Powell’s “Só por Amor” and the Antonio Carlos Jobim
Saturday, October 26, 8:30 PM
Roulette
509 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
TICKETS: $25, $15 for seniors and student
with ID; free for children under 12
For reservations, call (917) 267 – 0363
http://yallofny.org/events
Me We & Them features:
James Jabbo Ware composer/conductor;
Eddie Allen, Cecil Bridgewater, Hector Colon
(trumpets); Clifton Anderson, Richard Harper,
Bill Lowe (trombones); Beavin Lawrence,
Paavo Carey, Patience Higgins, JD Parran (saxes);
David Bryant (piano), Bryce Sebastien (bass) and
Warren Smith (drums and percussion)
19
Where Do You Start
Brad Mehldau Trio (Nonesuch)
by Robert Milburn
P ianist Brad Mehldau has released two albums in the
last year. After recent forays into larger format chamber
music, the recordings offer a refreshing return to the
trio format and Mehldau’s sweet spot. Ode featured
original tributes to both real and fictional people.
Where Do You Start, conversely, is cover tunes
reinterpreted through Mehldau’s longstanding trio of
bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard.
The album opens with three tracks that serve as a
perfect introduction to the trio’s telepathic interplay
and wide-ranging evocations. On the first, “Got Me
Wrong”, Grenadier struts his muscular bass amid
Mehldau’s resonating denseness. The group settles
into a deep groove, wherein Mehldau rips loose chunky
injunctions while Ballard ratchets up the intensity, the
enormity of their sonic interplay melting into poised
coolness. Next, Mehldau starts the solemn “Holland”
unaccompanied. Grenadier layers highly-pitched
poignancy over the serious melody while Ballard
provides a spare march. Clifford Brown’s “Brownie
Speaks” seems wry by comparison, humorously spare
after the former ’s heaviness. Mehldau showcases a
unique and dexterous approach, the melody played
point and counterpoint between left and right hand.
Sonny Rollins’ “Airegin” begins dark and
foreboding, deeply toned bass feels devilish over a
lightly percolating ride. The song eventually erupts
into the blistering melody and boils when Mehldau’s
abstract, spidery lines fuel a flurry of toms and
splashing cymbals. The Jimi Hendrix tune “Hey Joe”,
meanwhile, feels loose and elastic yet maintains the
original’s inherent bluesy qualities. A lively rendition
of Toninho Horta’s “Aquelas Coisas Todas” bursts in
all its fizzy vivacity. Here Ballard is at his best,
providing a more than sufficient Latin bounce that
coasts in smoothness.
Perhaps the most elegant track, though, is the
refined treatment of “Where Do You Start”. Though it
never strays far from the deeply brooding melody, the
group’s delicate understatement is beautifully done
and is the perfect finish to an album so varied in scope.
For more information, visit nonesuch.com. Mehldau is at
Stern Auditorium Oct. 9th with Orpheus Chamber
Orchestra. See Calendar.
notion. Portend the End is their debut recording; it
features ten pieces evoking a tense balance between
lyric and noise, poem and declaration, unbridled
freedom and painstaking composition.
The opening “Effort” is a reflection of sparseness
but stamps itself out with an undeniably tough quality,
Moffett’s gently curled cadences supporting Slipp’s
brash lilt until they interweave and ping off one
another in a short improvised section. “Multiple”
follows, Slipp’s nuanced delivery lush, husky,
shrieking and flatly folksy in exacting reflection of the
control and delicate power exhibited by Moffett’s
trumpet. There are lyrics, but their import quickly falls
away as the piece concentrates on the two musicians’
framed inflection. “Bill and Nancy” curiously features
Moffett reciting his poetry (Moffett, in addition to
being a trumpeter, lectures on contemporary poetry),
bookended by loose, parlor filigree and aggressively
warped melodies. Solemn caresses pepper the elegiac
“I Will (Not Set an Emily Dickinson Poem to Music)”,
where Slipp recites two of Dickinson’s poems
unaccompanied and amid dusky duo refrains.
The penultimate piece, “Being That in America”,
is a hackle-raising study of melodic nuggets and
AACM-like vastness, with Slipp’s voice recalling
forebears like Irène Aebi, Brigitte Fontaine and even
Fontella Bass. There might be a tendency to focus one’s
listening on extended techniques and it’s true that
Slipp is a masterful vocalist who vaults and bends her
voice in ways that are both protracted and logical.
She’s well matched with Moffett’s subtle and conically
direct brass and Twins of El Dorado thus present a
tough and expansive approach to word and song.
For more information, visit promnightrecords.com. This
duo is at Spectrum Oct. 11th. See Calendar.
Just Not Cricket!
Three Days of British Improvised Music in Berlin
Tom Arthurs, Steve Beresford, Tony Bevan, Matthew Bourne,
Gail Brand, Lol Coxhill, Rhodri Davies, John Edwards,
Shabaka Hutchings, Dominic Lash, Phil Minton, Eddie Prévost,
Orphy Robinson, Mark Sanders, Alex Ward, Trevor Watts
Recorded at .HBC in Berlin from 6 to 8 October 2011
Portend the End
Twins of El Dorado (Prom Night)
by Clifford Allen
4xLP Box
limited to 1,000 copies on 180 gram virgin vinyl
The duo can be a tough concept to present, for it is
extensive 20-page booklet with exclusive liner notes
and interviews + original festival booklet
naturally a window into a conversation or dialogue. At
first blush, Twins of El Dorado, the duo of vocalist
Kristin Slipp and trumpeter Joe Moffett, might seem
like it is absent something - say, a rhythm section - but
the fullness of their concept quickly erases any such
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Yo
Roberto Fonseca (Concord)
by Marcia Hillman
Pianist Roberto Fonseca has chosen to explore his roots
and, to quote him, “show the diversity of my musical
universe.” He has brought together a group of musicians
that span two hemispheres and a blend of traditional
acoustic instruments with some electronic sounds.
Percussionist Baba Sissoko, bassist Etienne M’Bappe,
guitarist Munir Hossni and Sekou Kouyate on kora
make up the African contingent while the Cuban
collaborators are percussionist Joel Hierrezuelo,
drummer Ramses Rodriguez and double bassist Felipe
Cabrera. In addition, there are vocal contributions from
Faudel, Fatoumata Diawara, Assane Mboup and
spoken-word artist Mike Ladd. The material is all
original by Fonseca except for one (“Rachel”) by
Rodriguez.
Fonseca has mastered many piano styles - from jazz
to funk to hiphop on all of the keyboard instruments he
plays - and displays them all on this session. He also has
toured all over the world and been exposed to
multicultural influences he endeavors to combine with
his Cuban roots. The opening “80s” is strictly party time
in Cuba and explodes with high-energy percussion
work. According to notes, this infectious and eminently
Drummers: Just Out!
12
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danceable track portrays the scene in Cuba during the
‘80s when people danced “without giving much thought
to musical labels and categories.” The following “Bibisa”
has African elements combined with the rhythmic
pattern of the clave, a chantlike vocal by Diawara and a
conversation between piano and Sissoko and Kouyate’s
African strings. Later we encounter “Asi Es La Vida”,
almost bluesy in character, with a thoughtful
performance by Fonseca and the rhythm section. Also
notable is “Rachel”, a funky item mixing a driving
Hammond B3 organ solo with both Fender Rhodes and
Moog synthesizer.
This offering - a rich tapestry of acoustic and
electronic music and musical statements, full of raw
energy and excitement - will require more than one
listen to traverse its many layers.
For more information, visit concordmusicgroup.com. Fonseca
is at Rose Hall Oct. 11th-12th with Orquesta Buena Vista
Social Club. See Calendar.
Sackbut Stomp
Joe Fiedler Big Sackbut (Multiphonics)
by John Sharpe
Originally inspired by the World Saxophone Quartet
(WSQ), trombonist Joe Fiedler finally realized his
ambition to found a brass doppelganger a quartercentury later. Tuba player Marcus Rojas holds down the
bottom end, filling the anchor role split between Hamiet
Bluiett’s baritone saxophone or David Murray’s bass
clarinet while three trombones entwine in the space
above. Unlike their reed cousins, they don’t cover the
whole of the available spectrum, which Fiedler turns
into an opportunity to involve slide trumpeter Steven
Bernstein as a guest on three selections.
Now on their sophomore effort, his Big Sackbut
foursome (named after a baroque precursor of the
modern trombone) shimmer through Fiedler’s tight but
tuneful arrangements in a program that includes a trio
of covers among the nine cuts. As with the WSQ, the
latticework of interlocking riffs makes a rhythm section
dispensable. That initial influence pushes to front of the
listener’s mind on the jaunty title track, presaging a
collective dialogue underpinned by Rojas’ contrapuntal
ballast. But perhaps more unexpected is the lush
tenderness on display, most notably on the lovely
“Pittsburgh Morning”, featuring the leader’s smoothly
oblique delivery.
Helpfully, the sleeve details who solos when,
though there’s no mistaking Bernstein’s role on Roger
Miller’s “King of the Road”, where he hews close to the
vocal line in a performance playing up the comedy
inherent in a supposedly unwieldy brass agglomeration.
Each of the trombonists gets a chance to shine on
saxophonist Bennie Wallace’s earthy “Eight Page Bible”,
with Ryan Keberle boisterously spirited while both
Fiedler and Luis Bonilla get especially down and dirty.
A gently hip swaying “Tin Tin Deo” again finds Bonilla
garrulously fluent while Bernstein’s zigzagging
calisthenics are kept aloft by buoyant tuba.
Only on the unaccompanied introduction to “The
Attic” does Fiedler unveil his multiphonic chops in a set
that otherwise determinedly harnesses proficiency to
the aims of the music, whether to have a good time or
something more cerebral.
For more information, visit joefiedler.com. This project is at
The Jazz Gallery Oct. 12th. See Calendar.
21
I Go Humble
Travis Sullivan’s Björkestra (ZOHO)
by Fred Bouchard
W ho is Björk and why does she have a jazz big band
named after her and working her book? For Björkestra
leader Travis Sullivan, is she an ice goddess, visionary
diva or a “queen of provocation”? The saxophonist’s
second quest into the Björk saga finds him chipping
away at icy hooks and snappy grooves, piping up the
glacial ichor of her arctic mystery. His 15-piece band,
its lone non-trad instrument being Ian Cook’s laptop,
lays down skeletal charts with rip-roaring climaxes
and riffing behind soloists.
These eight tracks, averaging eight minutes,
caught at a lively Jazz Standard show, capture some of
the originals’ aura of twinkling vespers in a frozen
cathedral or indignant roars in the hall of a mountain
queen. Vocalist Becca Stevens captures much of Björk’s
quivering, hymnic intensity with smoky wisps rather
than the composer ’s icicle-shattering shrill, whether
yawning into the abyss on “Hyperballad”, crying
down the weak-willed in “Army of Me” or craving
forgiveness on the title track; all have sturdily marching
ensembles and strong sax solos by Sullivan and Sean
Nowell. Björk’s quirky riveting lyrics stand out as
funny on “Venus As A Boy”, played as straight big
band swing with Alan Ferber ’s zesty trombone.
“Hunter” opens innocuously with Yoshi Waki’s
bass solo, but slinky laptop and sneaky backbeat lead
to roughcut bone-and-reed flamenco stutters, which
conjure Gerald Wilson’s “Viva Tirado” with acidic
trumpet by arranger Kelly Pratt. Similar triadic
singsong lines make the title track sound like “Hunter”
with ascending two-bar licks and a badass band-unison
shout chorus. “Isobel” breaks the narrative as a quintet
instrumental, its echoey call-and-response tune
transformed by Art Hirahara’s haunting piano, solo
and with ensemble. Two ballads, pensive Stevens to
the fore, serve as holistic encores. Sullivan draws
material here from Björk’s mid ‘90s; since this griot’s
grip grows glacially, one wonders whether Sullivan’s
next gambit might be her intimate whisperings on
Selmasongs or cosmic bellowings on Biophilia?
For more information, visit zohomusic.com. This project is
at Jazz Standard Oct. 15th. See Calendar.
Claws & Wings
Erik Friedlander/Ikue Mori/Sylvie Courvoisier
(SkipStone)
by Wilbur MacKenzie
Cellist Erik Friedlander ’s new release documents his
emergence from a complex ordeal involving both a
hand injury and the passing of his wife of over two
decades. After six months of rehabilitation and
reflection, Friedlander was ready to return to his
practice. The music here is evocative of many stages of
human experience and is both a beautiful work of art
and an exquisite collection of music.
Friedlander assembled two longtime associates to
realize this music: pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and Ikue
Mori on laptop. There is a fluent dialogue between
abstraction and lyricism in this music, which is
something that has been a hallmark of Friedlander ’s
compositions and bands for years.
The recording opens with the two-part “Frail As A
Breeze”, which is disorienting, evocative, austere and
heroic. “Dreams of your leaving” is a feverish storm of
abstract expressionism giving way to the ruminative
“Dancer”, which alternates between cadenza-like
pizzicato virtuosity and a repetitive bassline over
which floats a ghost-like melody. On “Reaching Back”
Courvoisier plays both harpsichord and piano and the
mix with Friedlander ’s plucked melodies and Mori’s
spectral processing is sublime. “Swim With Me” starts
with an exposition that focuses on shimmering piano
trills, before alighting and forming a synergy with the
bowed cello melody. “Insomnia” follows, with restless
movements that always seem about to settle into a
resting point, only to stumble back into agitated
gesture. “Cheek to Cheek” closes the album, featuring
another of Friedlander ’s cinematic pizzicato melodies.
Friedlander ’s music has a special ability to mix
vivid imagery with an openness that enables the mind
to generate its own sense of time and place. His
compositions, here in particular, are both a breathtaking
display of craft and a powerful statement of devotion.
One hardly needs to have experienced deep loss to feel
the power in this music, but those who have will find
something quite profound with which to identify.
For more information, visit skipstonerecords.com. This
group is at The Stone Oct. 16th. See Calendar.
Liquid Spirit
Gregory Porter (Blue Note)
by Joel Roberts
G regory Porter ’s Blue Note debut follows on the heels
of two highly acclaimed albums that saw him hailed as
one of the most exciting and creative new jazz singers
to come along in years. That’s a lot to live up to, but
Liquid Spirit doesn’t disappoint. It’s a logical extension
of the sound of his first two releases, similar musically
and thematically, but still fresh and unpredictable.
Porter once again delights with his expressive
baritone voice and genre-bending style, which infuses
straightahead, hard-swinging jazz with touches of ‘70sera soul, blues, gospel and progressive R&B. But what
really sets the 42-year-old Californian-turnedBrooklynite apart from the crowd is his songwriting.
Arguably no jazz singer since Abbey Lincoln has shown
such promise as a composer and lyricist. (Fittingly, he
pays homage to Lincoln here with an exhilarating
rendition of her classic tune, “Lonesome Lover”.)
The 11 Porter originals include poignant,
emotionally raw piano-based tunes (“Hey Laura”,
“Brown Grass”, “Water Under Bridges”), which recall
expert pop craftsmen like Bill Withers or Carole King
in their simplicity and precision; socially conscious
songs (“Musical Genocide”, “Free”) in the spirit of Gil
Scott-Heron or Curtis Mayfield and high-spirited
groove numbers, like the irrepressible, hand-clapping,
going-to-church title track. Porter also performs
winning covers of Ramsey Lewis’ pop-jazz hit “The
‘In’ Crowd” and the ballad standard “I Fall in Love Too
Easily”.
For all the diverse directions his music takes,
Porter remains very much a jazzman, with a keen
knowledge of the tradition and his place in it. He’s
joined by the same core group of first-rate jazz
musicians that was featured on his previous discs
(pianist Chip Crawford, drummer Emanuel Harold,
bassist Aaron James and saxophonists Yosuke Sato and
Tivon Pennicott) and they work together splendidly.
Liquid Spirit is another superb effort from an artist
who, if he’s not a major star yet, will surely be one
soon.
For more information, visit bluenote.com. Porter is at Le Poisson
Rouge Oct. 24th and Littlefield Oct. 26th. See Calendar.
Afro Blue Impressions
John Coltrane (Pablo-Concord)
by Terrell Holmes
In 1977, ten years after Coltrane’s death, Pablo released
the double live album Afro Blue Impressions, which
captured the saxophonist’s quartet during a 1963
European tour. A CD version was released in 1993 and
now Concord has issued a two-CD set to mark the 50th
anniversary, with new liner notes and bonus tracks.
The ongoing debate over Coltrane’s music
sometimes has been as strident as any note he ever hit.
What’s undeniable, however, is that he could play the
blues and his gifts were on full display during this tour.
To hear his majestic phrasing and tonality on the theme
of “Lonnie’s Lament” and the brilliant, soaring
“Spiritual” gives one chills. This blues pedigree also
informs ballads like the lyrical “I Want to Talk About
You” and “Naima”, where Coltrane solos brilliantly.
While the exuberant dance of “Afro Blue” was usually
on the live program, the quartet plays a swinging
version of “Cousin Mary”, which wasn’t. Moreover,
Coltrane’s impassioned but compressed six-minute
version of “Chasin’ the Trane” has an obligatory feeling
to it, unlike the Joyce-ian stream of consciousness he
had unleashed at the Village Vanguard two years earlier.
There are no constraints on “My Favorite Things”, a
21-minute epic waltz filled with some of Coltrane’s
most blistering soprano. Pianist McCoy Tyner stretches
out brilliantly on “Impressions” instead of merely
comping and later he and bassist Jimmy Garrison lay
out, leaving Coltrane and Elvin Jones to engage in a
ferocious tenor/drums duet.
There are alternate versions of “Naima”, “I Want to
Talk About You” and “My Favorite Things” included
from the tour, which were likely excluded to avoid
redundancy. The tracks are great to hear but really don’t
provide any new perspectives on the original release.
The true allure comes from hearing more music by one
of the greatest jazz groups ever at its creative peak.
For more information, visit concordmusicgroup.com. A
Coltrane tribute is at Shrine Oct. 24th. See Calendar.
The Road to Jajouka
Various Artists (Howe)
by Kurt Gottschalk
The Master Musicians of Jajouka have a long and
storied history. William S. Burroughs once referred to
them as a “1,000 year old rock band” and while the
claim might be dubious both historically and
categorically, it hints at their roots and their fanbase.
The musical heritage stretched back centuries before it
was discovered by musicians Brian Jones and Bill
Laswell and writers Paul Bowles, Brion Gysin and
Robert Palmer. The ensemble’s ritual trance music has
proven as inspiring to Western minds as the North
African culture from which they hail.
With such diverse artists championing their work,
it’s clear that the tradition is not averse to
reinterpretation, which it receives to great lengths on
the The Road to Jajouka, a benefit album featuring a New
York-heavy roster of heavy interpreters. Most of the
nine tracks use the ethereal source music as a backdrop,
often putting heavy beats over it, so the album
generally feels more like remixes than collaborations,
but many of the mixes are alive and exciting.
One of the most exciting is “Boujeloudia Magick”,
a drum, flute and electric guitar wash by Lee Ranaldo
with waves of distortion running underneath the source
material. Ornette Coleman - who played with the
musicians on his 1977 album Dancing in Your Head matches bandleader Bachir Attar’s ghaita with his own
pinched and piercing alto. Bill Laswell does an
unsurprisingly great job integrating Billy Martin and
Aïyb Dieng’s drumming with a funk underpinning and
Marc Ribot and Shahzad Ismaily find R&B and Led
Zeppelin grooves within the music while John Zorn,
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Billy Martin lay
down a high-energy jam with vocalist Falu. This
journey of a record ends with Howard Shore leading
the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a cinematic mix
that brings to mind the ties he made between Morocco,
Burroughs and Ornette Coleman for the soundtrack to
the 1991 movie version of Naked Lunch.
The Road to Jajouka is a fun ride. It’s unlikely that
any listener will love all of it and equally unlikely that
no one would find their own groove within it. Proceeds
from the album, which was produced by Billy Martin,
go to benefit the Jajouka Foundation.
For more information, visit howerecords.com. Billy Martin‘s
50th Birthday is at Roulette Oct. 25th. See Calendar.
rich chord substitutions and embellishments that bring
out the beauty of Strayhorn’s masterpiece; Ionata’s
spacious, emotional playing is the perfect complement.
A lush saxophone tone and thoughtful chords make
“Day Dream” comparable to the duo work of Stan Getz
and Kenny Barron. Ionata shifts to soprano sax for
Ellington’s
infrequently
interpreted
“Heaven”,
Moroni’s arrangement more breezy than reflective. The
majestic treatment of “Come Sunday” captures the
essence of Ellington’s spiritual side. This brilliant
salute will stand the test of time.
For more information, visit jandomusic.com. Moroni is at
Jazz at Kitano Oct. 26th. See Calendar.
LESLIE PINTCHIK TRIO
Thursday, October 24th 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM
Jazz at Kitano
66 Park Ave @ 38th St. NYC
(212) 885-7119 for reservations
“...enormous gifts as a composer, arranger and pianist.”
All Music Guide
Leslie Pintchik - piano
Scott Hardy - bass
Clarence Penn - drums
Latest CD
WE’RE HERE TO LISTEN
available now at
Amazon and iTunes
www.lesliepintchik.com
Two For Duke
Max Ionata/Dado Moroni (Jando Music)
by Ken Dryden
Tenor saxophonist Max Ionata and pianist Dado
Moroni are two outstanding Italian musicians. The
former has widely recorded in Europe as a leader and
sideman while his musical partner is better known
worldwide for his extensive recordings as a leader and
in the bands of Clark Terry, Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell,
George Robert and Bobby Watson, among others. This
recording chooses a variety of music from Duke
Ellington’s vast repertoire. Fortunately, even the most
familiar songs have fresh approaches, though Moroni
enjoys playfully inserting an occasional Ellingtonflavored run into his solos.
Billy Strayhorn’s “All Day Long” is a romping
opener with inventive solos and terrific interplay. The
duo weaves its way into Juan Tizol’s “Perdido” with a
roundabout improvisation, then settles on a brisk
reading while avoiding playing the theme outright
until near its conclusion. Their jaunty setting of
Strayhorn’s “The Intimacy of the Blues” gradually
builds intensity to a stimulating finale. There’s a bit of
a surprise added to Ellington’s “In My Solitude” as
Moroni overdubs a bassline and adds a friendly,
relaxed vocal while he substitutes bass for piano in
their swinging take of “Just Squeeze Me”, playing a
hip walking line for Ionata’s robust tenor. Their
energetic performance of Strayhorn’s “What Am I Here
For?” would bring any audience to its feet.
The pair have a special gift interpreting ballads.
Moroni opens “Lotus Blossom” with a somewhat
ominous introduction before revealing its theme, with
23
visitors center:
OPEN M-F 10 AM - 4 PM
104 E. 126th Street, #2C, New York, NY 10035
(Take the 2/3/4/5/6 train)
W W W. J M I H . O R G
THE NATIONAL JAZZ MUSEUM IN HARLEM PRESENTS
Harlem Speaks
Photo copyright Richard Conde.
A SPECIAL SERIES HONORING HARLEM HEROES
10/31 David Amram
Multi-instrumentalist/ composer/ author
T he N aTioNal J azz M useuM iN h arleM 104 e asT 126 Th s TreeT , s uiTe 2C D oNaTioN s uggesTeD 6:30 - 8:30 pM F or More iNForMaTioN : 212-348-8300
$18 ADVANCE $20 AT DOOR
October 4: FFEAR
TICKETS:
www.rmanyc.org/harleminthehimalayas
Parallax Conversation Series
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
10/10: Snehasish Mozumder
and Sylvain Leroux
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem
104 E. 126th St., #2C
Suggested Donation
For more information: 212-348-8300
Jazz for Curious Listeners
Free classes celebrating Harlem and its legacy
Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem,
104 E. 126th Street, #2C
The Evolution of the mandolin in Jazz
with Tim Porter
10/1: Once Upon a Time
10/8: The Mandolins are coming!
The roaring 20s to the Big War
10/15: “Two Step” Ragtime and Choro
10/22: “Triad and Trifecta” Swing, More
Blues and Bluegrass
10/29: “Fast Forward to Today’s Foremost”
Blues, Bebop and Beyond
T H E S A V O R Y C O N C E R T S
7:00 – 8:30pm
October 16: Unusual Instruments
in the Savory Collection
Ft. Scott Robinson
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 E 126th St. #2C
$20 suggested donation | For more information: 212-348-8300
SPECIAL EVENT
7:00 – 8:30pm
October 9: ImproviNation:
An Evening with OneBeat
on Freestyling Across the Globe and
Around the Block
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 E 126th St. #2C
Donation Suggested | For more information: 212-348-8300
Funded in part by Council Member Inez E. Dickens, 9th C.D., Speaker Christine Quinn and the New York City Council
Giant Steps
Unison
Tommy Flanagan
George Mraz/Zoe
(Enja)
Rahman (Cube-Metier)
by Andy Vélez
Recorded in 1959, Giant Steps became John Coltrane’s
first genuinely iconic album. Pianist Tommy Flanagan
was among the players on the recording, which was
notable stylistically for a movement away from chordal
jazz. This reissue of Flanagan’s 1982 Giant Steps is an
homage to Coltrane, repeating several of the tracks
while adding “Central Park West”. During the ‘80s,
Flanagan favored trios and frequently played with
Czech-born bassist George Mraz. Theirs was a felicitous
coming together as evident here and recalled fondly by
denizens of Bradley’s, a long-gone-but-not-forgotten
Village jazz spot where they appeared frequently.
Flanagan is notably more confident with what had
been a new idiom the first time around. That sureness
of technical facility is evident from the first note to the
last and the same is true for Mraz. By this time the
latter had become one of the most dependable of
rhythm men. Together they are as close as pages in a
book on a funky “Cousin Mary”.
The opener is “Mr. P.C.”, an opportunity for the
trio to cook the bluesy tune. Heating matters up even
further is Al Foster hitting those drums. On “Naima”,
a beautiful ballad and one of Coltrane’s best-loved
themes, Flanagan’s playing is gentle, a shimmering
cascade of mellifluous notes supported by tender
shadowing from Mraz. And with the added pleasure of
Foster ’s perfect time, especially notable on the title
tune, these are masters all in peak form saluting a giant
of jazz.
Mraz has worked with an imposingly starry list of
jazz greats including Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Jones
brothers Hank, Thad and Elvin and Ella Fitzgerald,
among many others. No less eminent a cohort, Oscar
Peterson said of him, “his balance and innate sensitivity
make him one of the finest jazz bassists around today.”
Unison brings together Mraz with a rising star, British
pianist Zoe Rahman. A May 2012 live recording, he and
Rahman had never met until the afternoon of the
concert. But their playing is as easy and relaxed as that
of longtime friends. It’s a set that puts Mraz more
directly in the spotlight than usual.
“Three Silver Hairs”, one of several Mraz tunes on
this disc, comfortably blends a whiff of Middle Eastern
flavors with hints of Debussy. Both he and Rahman
play dynamically here, each moving in and out of
center-stage seamlessly. Another Mraz gem is “Blues
for Sarka”, a lovely melody with extended passages, in
which Mraz demonstrates just how eloquent and
varied his playing expression can be. “April Sun” is a Rahman original. It goes from a
gossamer bit of piano magic to as suddenly thunderous
as a summer storm. Mraz occasionally emerges to
provide some thunder of his own.
Mraz also adapted two Moravian tunes, “Grey
Falcon” and “Little Apple”, but the best-known piece
in the set is Ennio Morricone’s “Cinema Paradiso”.
Mraz and Rahman wend a way through it as expressive
as it is delicately emotional. On a set mostly composed
of lesser-known melodies, their duets are expressions
of shared exploration.
For more information, visit enjarecords.com and
cube-metier.com. Mraz is at Jazz at Kitano Oct. 26th with
Dado Moroni. See Calendar.
In This Life
Jamie Baum Septet (Sunnyside)
by Suzanne Lorge
F lutist Jamie Baum spins complex musical ideas like
cotton candy. On In This Life, the latest release by her
septet of 14 years, she mixes shifting key signatures
with odd times, a traditional jazz horn section with
congas or tabla, craggy harmonies with florid flute
lines. It’s hard to grasp all of this musical activity in
one listen: if you’re paying attention to the deep,
watery tones of the bayan (lowest-tuned tabla) you
might just miss the skittering notes of the trumpet or
the soft ring of cymbals. Wherever you turn your ear,
though, something remarkable is happening.
Baum takes her inspiration from late Pakistani
singer/instrumentalist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The
compositions, though, derive from a variety of sources:
bebop, Latin, concert music and classical Indian music.
Baum is schooled in all of these traditions, but the
synthesis seems highly personal and not academic at
all. She breathes them in, she breathes them out.
The band, too, connects viscerally to Baum’s
compositions. The disc opens with “Nusrat”, on which
the leader, trumpeter Amir ElSaffar, French horn player
Chris Komer and guitarist Brad Shepik break out with
emotional, rapid-fire solos, leaving little doubt about
SANDY SASSO
“Sasso has garnered a widespread
reputation as a first rate vocalist.”
—NJ JAZZ SOCIETY
“Her greatest gift is the manner in
which she delivers a lyric. Smooth and
seductive. You’re not talking about
your average singer.”
—JAZZ INSIDE
“Sasso is a masterful chanteuse, with
an unerring sense of swing.
“Hands On” highlights her sultry
voice and relaxed groove.”
—HOT HOUSE
SANDYSASSO.COM
their virtuosity or commitment. Both are necessary:
most of Baum’s compositions are high-energy tunes
like “Nusrat”, with layers of riffs and rangy melodies.
The disc does contain a contemplative ballad or two,
balancing out the driving pace of most of the album
and showing off the players’ sensitivity. On “The
Meeting”, for instance, bassist Zachary Lober stretches
out in a soft, focused solo before falling into unison
with Baum; later, on the title track, trumpeter Taylor
Haskins’ sustained, gentle solo eases Baum and Shepik
into a similarly subdued musical conversation.
The rest of the group - Douglas Yates (alto sax and
clarinet), John Escreet (piano), Jeff Hirshfield (drums),
Samuel Torres (congas) and Dan Weiss (tabla) - move
up and back in the sonic mix as the mood demands.
These are responsive, precise players in service to
Baum’s far-reaching ideas; lesser players probably
couldn’t handle the force of Baum’s inspired writing.
Their hard work makes it easy for the listener - the
music melts in the ear like cotton candy on the tongue.
For more information, visit sunnysiderecords.com. Baum is
at Eats Restaurant Oct. 6th and Bar Next Door Oct. 17th.
See Calendar.
october–
november
oct 3–4 • 7pm
GEORGE WEIN:
THE LIFE OF A LEGEND
George Wein and his Newport AllStars featuring Lew Tabackin, Randy
Brecker, Anat Cohen, Howard Alden,
Peter Washington, and Lewis Nash
oct 5 • 7pm, 9:30pm
sun ra turns 100:
sun ra arkestra
Oscar Pettiford Modern Quintet
Oscar Pettiford (Bethlehem - Verse/Naxos)
by George Kanzler
In keeping with the format of the newly relaunched
Bethlehem Records, this CD reproduces, in a digital
remastering of the original mix, the music from a single
LP, in this case a 10-inch one with just 15 minutes and
31 seconds of music on six tracks, all less than three
minutes long. In that early era (c. 1955) of 33 1/3 rpm
recordings, tracks were often as short as when they
had to fit on a 78 rpm single.
There’s much to savor from this adventurously
groundbreaking quintet, which not only featured a
bassist/cellist as leader, but also boasted a unique
pairing of Julius Watkins’ French horn and Charlie
Rouse’s tenor sax. Rounding out the lineup are pianist
Duke Jordan and drummer Ron Jefferson. A notable
feature of the repertoire is one of the earliest recordings
of Pettiford’s “Tricotism”, when he was still calling it
“Trictatism”. Unlike some of his later larger ensemble
recordings of the piece, here Pettiford himself plays the
melody, on bass not cello, with horn backgrounds. The
blend of French horn and tenor sax, with cello
sometimes added as an ensemble third, is also notably
unique, as on Pettiford’s swinger, “Rides Again”, one
of the tracks where the leader overdubbed cello parts
and solos so that he could continue playing bass in the
rhythm section. Both overdubbed cello and echo
chamber French horn are employed on the rhythmically
exotic “Edge of Love”, a bit of a novelty that morphs
into straightahead swing during Pettiford’s (amplified)
cello solo, played in his trademark pizzicato style,
which references Charlie Christian’s guitar playing.
Gerry Mulligan’s “Sextette” is a sophisticated modern
swinger reminiscent of the composer ’s own sextet
sound while Quincy Jones’ “Golden Touch” sets the
solo cello against the two horns. Pettiford’s other
original, “Cable Car”, finds his bass sharing the
uptempo melody with the horns, Rouse, Watkins and
Jordan all contributing concise solos.
Alto saxophonist-woodwindist
Marshall Allen and the Sun
Ra Arkestra
oct 24–26 • 8pm
ABYSSINIAN: A
GOSPEL CELEBRATION
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
with Wynton Marsalis, Chorale Le
Chateau, and Reverend Dr. Calvin
O. Butts, III
nov 8–9 • 7pm, 9:30pm
LADIES SING
THE BLUES
Catherine Russell, Brianna
Thomas, and Charenee Wade
family concert
nov 9 • 1pm, 3pm
JAZZ MEETS GOSPEL
Jazz for Young People Series with
Damien Sneed and friends
jalc.org
jazz at lincoln center
Venue Frederick P. Rose Hall
Box Office Broadway at 60th, Ground Fl.
CenterCharge 212-721-6500
Preferred Card of
Jazz at Lincoln Center
mastercard, priceless and the mastercard
brand mark are registered trademarks of
mastercard international incorporated.
©2013 mastercard.
For more information, visit bethlehemrecords.com. A
Pettiford tribute is at The Stone Oct. 17th. See Calendar.
25
Blessed
Scott Neumann/NEU3 Trio (Origin)
by Ken Waxman
Drummer Scott Neumann has come up with an album
of unexpected excellence. He is one of the many
unjustly almost-unknown players who, with little
fanfare, create first-rate CDs, easily as good as anything
released by poll winners and media darlings.
Neumann has been a pro since he was 13, in a
career gigging with big bands, small groups and
singers and in Broadway pit bands. NEU3 is filled out
by soprano/tenor saxophonist Michael Blake, who has
known Neumann since 1987 when they met at the
Banff Centre, and bassist Mark Helias, a bandmate of
the drummer since 2009.
Helias’ power thumps set the pace for the disc as
early as the first track. Exhilaratingly underscored by
cymbal snaps and well-modulated rolls, “Blessed” also
showcases Blake’s blending of Stan Getz-ian
melodiousness and John Coltrane-esque intensity into
a wholly original package. Besides sometimes playing
both saxes simultaneously, Blake also tootles a mean
melodica, as on “Garbanzo”. A pseudo-tango, the
arrangement displays Helias’ guitar-like facility with
tremolo strums while Neumann’s syncopation is
terpsichorean without ever becoming clichéd.
Facility with the blues is a yardstick for highquality jazz and NEU3 easily measures up. On “Blues
for RQ”, a pleasant romp named for Neumann’s young
son, Helias’ slap bass strategy exhibits his technical
command, even as he maintains the thick beat, while
Blake’s solo is both lilting and intense. Elsewhere, the
saxophonist‘s kazoo-like strains and honks add
pressurized excitement to the jaunty, bluesy “Keep
Your Heart Right”. Appropriately, the Helias-composed
“Brothers” confirms the trio’s fraternal sophistication.
Distinguished by Blake’s ney-like buzzing, the tremolo
piece is feisty without ever losing its cheerful lyricism.
For more information, visit originarts.com. This project is
at Smalls Oct. 5th. See Calendar.
Speaks!
The Red Microphone (s/r)
by Sam Spokony
Anyone interested in buying this album should
understand that it seems to have been created, at least
in part, for the purpose of inspiring listeners to engage
in subversive activism in the name of some forthcoming
socialist revolution.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The Red Microphone’s Speaks! is a structurally
adventurous, socially conscious and quite serious
debut album from a piano-less quartet that owes much
to the urgent, fiery spirit of ‘60s-70s-era free jazz. The
group is led by the excellent vibraphonist John Pietaro,
who sets an intense, politically infused scene for the
record, with arrangements of two pieces by the
Austrian Marxist composer Hanns Eisler (“Song of the
United Front” and “And the Times are Dark and
Fearful”) as well as two different takes on the socialist
anthem “L’Internationale”. Pietaro’s agility and
expressiveness fit nicely alongside the frequently
interwoven saxophones of Ras Moshe (tenor and
soprano and flute) and Rocco John Iacovone (alto and
soprano). On bass, Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic serves
at times as the only person playing in the pocket and
others as a superstorm of percussive, shrieking bowing.
It all combines to form a pretty well-executed - if
not always focused - effort to test the boundaries of
spontaneous, acoustic improvisation, especially over
the more basic harmonic foundations of the modified
Eisler tunes. That out playing also reaches a particularly
fruitful peak in an entirely free improvisation entitled
“One for Robeson”, in honor of Paul Robeson.
The political elements of the record surface not
only in the aforementioned repertoire, but also two
interesting pieces that feature spoken word. First,
Moshe gives a stirring reading of the Langston Hughes
poem “God to the Hungry Child” - invoking images of
capitalist greed and its resulting societal ills - over
soberingly sparse instrumental accompaniment. Then,
in “The Proof Is Overwhelming”, Pietaro performs an
equally impassioned recitation of a defiant protest
speech given by John Howard Lawson, an American
writer and communist, to the infamous House
Un-American Activities Committee in 1947.
In addition, vocalist Nora McCarthy makes a
spirited appearance on the album’s second version of
“L’Internationale”, fitting in effortlessly with jumping,
jarring phrases and flights of improvisation.
For more information, visit cdbaby.com/cd/theredmicrophone.
This group is at The Firehouse Space Oct. 19th. See Calendar.
Work Your Magic
Endangered Blood (Skirl)
by Sean Fitzell
Casual neighborhood band or creative improvisation
allstars? Endangered Blood qualifies as both, a duality
that propels their coolly confident interplay. Of course it
helps that its members - clarinetist/tenor saxophonist
Chris Speed, bass clarinetist/alto saxophonist Oscar
Noriega, bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Jim Black
- have played together extensively in various
combinations throughout the years. Their empathy
permeates the group’s second CD, recorded after two
nights of concerts.
Opening with a dirge-like blast, “Kaffibarinn”
develops a repeating counterpoint between the reeds,
an ongoing interest of Speed’s, as Dunn elegantly
works the bow for a tender solo. But on “Ah-Le-Pa” his
arco and bowed cymbal create a haunting atmosphere
to cushion the swirling unison clarinets. Bass breaks
into a gallop matched by whirls around the drumkit
before they settle into an off-kilter patter behind the
clarinets’ slightly phased line and exchanged quips.
“Manzanita” percolates with Black’s skittering groove
as tenor and bass clarinet play complementary singlenote lines, forming a pleasingly dense lattice.
The tunes often reference tradition for an intriguing
juxtaposition. On “Blues in C Flat minor” the horns
blow in classic tones over a splintered odd-time beat
and trashy cymbal accents. “Argento” bounds with a
jaunty swinging feel, a springboard for a fluid tenor
run, later joined by bass clarinet in tight unison. A nod
to late drummer Paul Motian, “Nice Try” opens with a
Dunn spotlight, then develops a lilting dual-horn
melody reminiscent of those favored by the dedicatee,
Black vigorously free-styling underneath. Subdued
brushes on “LA#5” join the spare-in-number, but fullin-tone bass notes to buoy the romantic lolling theme,
setting up a swaggering tenor solo.
For more information, visit skirlrecords.com. Chris Speed is
at Le Poisson Rouge Oct. 3rd with The Claudia Quintet and
The Stone Oct. 18th with Chimera. Oscar Noriega is at Jazz
Standard Oct. 16th with Tim Berne. Trevor Dunn is at The
Stone Oct. 17th and 19th with Erik Friedlander and Roulette
Oct. 25th with Billy Martin. See Calendar.
Throughout (The Music of Bill Frisell)
JP Schlegelmilch (SteepleChase Lookout)
by Donald Elfman
The music of guitarist Bill Frisell has special
significance to Brooklyn-based pianist JP Schlegelmilch,
as it means freedom, energy, group interplay and,
COBI NARITA PRESENTS
above all, a unique approach to composition that is
complex yet eminently listenable. He has transposed
these qualities and his own personal sensibility for an
original tribute to Frisell. Schlegelmilch has revealed
the glorious sense of joy in the guitarist’s melodies and
given them new and different life.
The title track is sensitive and lovely, opening out
to a romantic vista that speaks of deep longing and
rich passion. Schlegelmilch has a classical artist’s sense
of shape and proportion and Frisell’s tune smartly
lends itself to invention springing from those
qualities. And speaking of classics, “Rag” sounds like a
cross between Mozart and Scott Joplin, again calling
for a player who can attend to the technical needs to
make the music sound organic and not gimmicky. It
works here and is quite lovely. It’s rooted somewhere
in the past but certainly looks to somewhere else. “This
Land” suggests a deep passion for something of the
earth but moves forward with a new sense of harmony
and color, gently yet urgently drawing in the careful
listener. It’s insistent and relaxed, heavy and light.
There’s a hint of atonality too in “Hangdog”, a
brooding bit of mischief in which the pianist digs into
the notes and his instrument and finds a different kind
of logic. That’s the kind of freedom towards which
Frisell always directs listeners. “Jimmy Carter (pt. 2)”
is a throbbing wave of motion with an organic sense of
development and “Deep Dead Blue” is a quietly
mournful ballad, the notes of which, in Schlegelmilch’s
reading, make their way to mature resolution. It’s a
gorgeous
performance
and,
like
the
other
interpretations here, intelligent and deeply satisfying.
For more information, visit steeplechase.dk. Schlegelmilch
is at Turtle Bay Music School Oct. 4th. See Calendar.
NEW FROM
EVERY FRIDAY
6:30 to 9:30 PM
OPEN MIC/JAM SESSION
Open Mic/Jam Session for Singers, Tap Dancers, Instrumentalists, Poets - hosted by Frank Owens,
one of the most gifted pianists you will ever hear! Our Open Mic is one of the best of the Open Mics
happening in New York & elsewhere, with the incomparable Frank Owens playing for you.
An unmatchable moment in your life! As a participant, or as an audience member, you will
always have an amazing time, one you will never forget! Don’t miss! Admission: $10.
ZEB’S, 223 W. 28 Street (between 7th & 8th Avenues), 2nd f lOOR walk-up
cobinarita.com / zebulonsoundandlight.com / Info & Res: (516) 922-2010
BROWNSTONEJAZZ SATURDAY NIGHTS
Up Close and Personal Living Room Concerts
In Collaboration with Cobi Narita, Jazz Center of New York presents
OCTOBER 12, 2013 @ 8PM $30
VOCALIST TULIVU-DONNA
CUMBERBATCH
WITH
ERIC LEMON’S BsJ ENSEMBLE
In The Brooklyn Bedford Stuyvesant
19th Century Sankofa Aban Bed and Breakfast
107 Macon Street (between Marcy and Nostrand Avenues)
RSVP: 917-70409237
Directions: A,C Train Nostrand Avevnue;
2,3,4,5, to Franklin Avenue; S Train to Fulton and Franklin Avenue
27
Just Not Cricket!:
Three Days of British Improvised Music in Berlin
Various Artists (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)
by Stuart Broomer
If 2013 is shaping up to be the year of the ultimate
boxed set of European improvisation - with a 52-CD
set of the Instant Composers Pool and a 50-CD set of
saxophonist Paul Dunmall - some special spot belongs
to Just Not Cricket! It’s not voluminous, but it might be
the most current and the most memorably designed.
Its four 180-gram LPs document three hours of a
three-day festival of British improvisers held in Berlin
in 2011. The festival was organized by filmmaker
Antoine Prum and saxophonist Tony Bevan, who met
while Prum was making Sunny’s Time Now, a
documentary about drummer Sunny Murray. Filmed
for Prum’s account of British improvisation (due at the
end of 2013), the festival gathered 15 musicians whose
births span the ‘30s (saxophonists Lol Coxhill and
Trevor Watts); ’40s (singer Phil Minton and drummer
Eddie Prévost); ’50s (Bevan and Steve Beresford, piano
and electronics); ’60s (drummer Mark Sanders, bassist
John Edwards and vibraphonist Orphy Robinson); ’70s
(harpist Rhodri Davies, trombonist Gail Brand,
clarinetist/guitarist Alex Ward and pianist Matthew
Bourne) and ’80s (trumpeter Tom Arthurs, bassist
Dominic Lash and saxophonist/clarinetist Shabaka
Hutchings, the latter born 52 years after Coxhill).
Despite that, there’s nothing here that necessarily
dates anyone. A duet by regular partners - the late
Coxhill and Ward - is the work of contemporaries no
matter what their ages.
The groupings heard here range from duo to
quintet and each of the 15 pieces is by a unique
ensemble. The emphasis is on the fresh encounter,
often matching musicians across generations. Also,
Watts, Prévost and Minton, as examples, aren’t working
in the regular partnerships that define much of their
work. The pieces, resisting even the after-thought of
titling, are named only by the size of the group.
The British branch of free improvisation has a
certain reputation for seriousness, but this music is as
varied as it is spontaneous. There’s work of great
abstraction and subtlety, like a trio of Arthurs, Bourne
and Beresford mingling piano strings, electronics and
eerie trumpet long tones, but there’s also Coxhill’s
innate lyricism or the titanic roar of Bevan’s bass
saxophone matched with the two string bassists.
While no two pieces here resemble one another
closely, they have key things in common. There is close
listening of the most intense sort, a sensitivity to the
nuance of one another ’s sound production at the same
time that everyone is involved in fabricating the work,
a coherent yet unpredictable compositional form. A
quartet of Arthurs, Brand, Lash and Ward is composed
whether it’s written or not, but it also explodes with
life. In another quartet, one-time trumpeter Minton’s
voice mingles with Arthurs’ trumpet.
There is also a certain double movement with
regard to the relationship between free improvisation
and free jazz. While many don’t directly reference jazz,
others do. Among the elders, it’s Watts, but put certain
people together and it’s inevitable. A quartet of Bevan
and Hutchings with the rhythm section of Edwards
and Sanders (yes, rhythm section - Britain’s fiercest
and most practiced) is a free jazz band of the first rank:
the plaintive opening references New Orleans jazz and
blues. If jazz is spontaneous, expressive, rhythmically
vital music, this is just about as much jazz as you might
want.
The set is as witty as it is monumental. The cover
art and the original concert program designed by Ben
Weaver are visually brilliant with an ideal metaphor for
the music. Each musician’s biographical note is coded
to a tool or construction material that resembles their
instrument. Combinations of these things then illustrate
the various sub-groups. There are also essays by Brian
Morton and Wolfgang Seidel and wide-ranging
discussions between the musicians and comedian
Stewart Lee, who once appeared on the British quiz
show Celebrity Mastermind with Derek Bailey as his area
of special knowledge. Both Morton and Lee explore
parallels and connections between the music and the
vaudeville traditions of the English music hall.
Everything contributes to a celebration of the
quality, breadth and spirit of current British
improvisation, but there’s something very special
about the musicians’ conversations with Lee. The
dialogue takes on the free-wheeling associative quality
of the music itself, whether it’s Coxhill and Beresford’s
overlapping construction of a critical moment, Prévost
recalling the formative stages of the music or
Hutchings’ remarkable comparison of absorbing
musical influences to property acquisition and
hoarding. At times it’s as stimulating as the music
itself and likely to influence the way one listens.
For more information, visit ni-vu-ni-connu.net
KAISEI
PAUL VAN KEMENADE | AKI TAKASE |
HAN BENNINK |
cd: (a.o. artists) Kaisei Nari
FUGARA
MARKUS STOCKHAUSEN | MARKKU
OUNASKARI | STEVKO BUSCH |
PAUL VAN KEMENADE
cd: Fugara
RAY ANDERSON | HAN BENNINK |
ERNST GLERUM |
PAUL VAN KEMENADE
cd: Who is in charge
THREE HORNS AND A BASS
MAHIEU | BOUDESTEIjN | VERPLOEGEN |
VAN KEMENADE
cd: (a.o. artists) Close enough
photo: Stef Mennens and Geert Maciejewski
STEVKO BUSCH |
PAUL VAN KEMENADE
cd: Contemplation
featuring Brad Mehldau
BOOKINGS
BOOKINGS
October 9, 2013 at 8PM | Tickets from $29
Stern Auditorium | Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
www.paulvankemenade.com
www.galleryoftones.com
212.247.7800 | www.orpheusnyc.org
Road*Trip
Ängsudden Song Cycle
Mike McGinnis + 9
Mike McGinnis
(RKM Music)
(482 Music)
by Elliott Simon
This
reviewer met clarinetist Mike McGinnis over a
decade ago and was immediately impressed. Here was
a young player with an appreciation of jazz’ multiple
guises, a wide-eyed enthusiasm for everything,
compositional acumen and great clarinet chops. His
first session as a leader, Tangents (RKM, 2003),
showcased an abundance of traditional and worldly
musical influences. During that time, McGinnis told
me that he likes to think of his music “...as going on a
trip with different people taking a turn at the steering
wheel.” With these two new releases, Road*Trip and the
Ängsudden Song Cycle, McGinnis has himself taken the
steering wheel as leader, arranger, producer and
composer.
For Road*Trip McGinnis has assembled an
additional nine musicians to give the Third Stream
nugget “Concerto for Clarinet and Combo” its due. A
full brass section of alto, tenor and baritone saxophones,
trumpet, trombone and French horn gives him a
fantastic sonic palette. Pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Dan
Fabricatore and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza combine
for a solid rhythmic underpinning.
In order to understand the concerto better,
McGinnis spent time with its octogenarian composer,
Bill Smith, learning its nuances. Beyond the music,
McGinnis uses Smith’s concerto to place the clarinet
artfully back at the epicenter of a large jazz ensemble,
a rare occurrence in today’s jazz. The swinging 1st and
3rd movements and bluesy 2nd movement have
McGinnis keying the band while using the clarinet’s
warmth to accentuate the brass voicings. His own
“Road*Trip for Clarinet & 9 Players”, written
specifically for this band, clearly borrows in form from
Smith’s concerto. It swings but has a more cerebral
postmodern feel that is less constraining. Still very
melodic, it allows the band to explore more creative
improvisational environs.
Ängsudden Song Cycle is a poetically driven artistic
statement. McGinnis uses poetry and paintings from
artist MuKha to inspire a clarinet-centered, stringbased song cycle, portraying nature through achingly
beautiful arrangements.
Guitarist Sean Moran, violist Jason Kao Hwang
and Khabu Doug Young on cavaquino are a rich blend
of strings that intermingle with McGinnis’ gorgeous
timbre. Fabricatore’s bass combines with Sara
Schoenbeck’s bassoon for an equally rich bottom. The
music and poetry meld into a cohesive structure as
vocalist Kyoko Kitamura’s phrasing, diction and
timbre could not be more perfectly suited to the
opulent surroundings. Harris Eisenstadt adds color
with percussion and vibraphone to these otherwise
umber tones, which range from the catchy jazz/pop of
“You are Morning” to the Spanish-infused tenderness
of “We ate the Wood” and mysticism of “You were with
me Inside the Wind”.
McGinnis is confidently behind the steering wheel
for these two very different releases, maturely
navigating through disparate climes on his way to
turning his music into art.
For more information, visit facebook.com/RKMMusic and
482music.com. Road*Trip is at Barbès Oct. 24th. Ängsudden
Song Cycle is at Roulette Oct. 13th. See Calendar.
Touching
Eric Alexander (HighNote)
by Alex Henderson
Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander has recorded plenty
of ballads over the years, but as part of albums that
also had their share of uptempo offerings. But High
Note Records President Joe Fields suggested that
Alexander record an album solely of ballads and the
result is Touching. This session reunites Alexander with
many of the people who joined him on 2009’s Revival of
the Fittest and 2010’s Don’t Follow the Crowd, including
pianist Harold Mabern (Alexander ’s mentor for many
years), drummer Joe Farnsworth and veteran engineer
Rudy Van Gelder (who was close to his 88th birthday
when Touching was recorded). The bassist, however, is
John Webber rather than Nat Reeves.
Ballad-oriented jazz albums, in many cases, play it
much too safe when it comes to choosing material, but
Alexander makes a point of finding worthwhile songs
not yet beaten to death. He does offer a warm, soulful
performance of Jimmy Dorsey’s very familiar “I’m
Glad There Is You”, but most of his other choices aren’t
nearly as obvious: Michel Legrand’s “The Way She
Makes Me Feel” (from the movie Yentl); Sammy CahnJimmy Van Heusen’s “The September of My Years” and
James Carr’s “Dinner for One, Please, James” (a song
Nat King Cole recorded in the mid ‘50s).
Alexander has always been a major R&B fan and
he tackles two songs that have a strong R&B connection
- “Gone Too Soon” (recorded by Michael Jackson and
before that, Dionne Warwick) and the Chi-Lites’ 1972
hit “Oh, Girl” - recalling gritty tenor players like Gene
Ammons and Stanley Turrentine. Another one of
Alexander ’s main influences is John Coltrane,
acknowledged with a take of “Central Park West”. But
while Coltrane played the soprano on his famous 1960
recording of that gem, Alexander pleasantly surprises
the listener by sticking to tenor on his version.
Touching, for all its novelty, still works well as a
turn-down-the-lights mood album. Fields’ suggestion
to Alexander was a prescient one and listeners can now
reap the rewards.
For more information, visit jazzdepot.com. Alexander is at
Smoke Oct. 1st, 15th, 22nd and 29th with Mike LeDonne.
See Regular Engagements.
Shadow Man
Tim Berne (ECM)
by Robert Milburn
Tim Berne’s ECM debut, Snakeoil, made many a critic’s
Best of 2012 list and its likely Shadow Man also makes
the grade this year. Although the alto saxophonist’s
lengthy, composition-heavy pieces can feel slippery, to
the point of being overwhelming and abrasive in their
serrated roughness, amid all the elusiveness visceral
qualities manifest to break the tension. Like Snakeoil,
the moments of free-form improvisation give
movement to the cryptic riffing, the songs evolving in
their malleable, at times explosive, rawness.
The longest track, “OC/DC”, clocking in at 20-plus
minutes, elucidates Berne’s unique, chamber-like
composition style. It begins with a splattering of
sound, as the knotty repeating lines intertwine.
Drummer Ches Smith is heard splashing around his kit
seamlessly, from crashing cymbals to rapping earnestly
on wood blocks. Pianist Matt Mitchell massages the
tune into foreboding intensity, densely splaying
between hammering bass keys and erupting in highlytoned shimmers. The tune really heats up during
Berne’s blaring alto, which rifles through the fiendish
deluge.
The remaining songs on the album continue on
this theme. The darkly-tinged “Socket” moves between
subdued smoothness and unabashed pounding. Oscar
Noriega is at his best and typifies the stratification, his
bass clarinet exceedingly tender before erupting into a
slew of shrill screeches. “Static” is a fleeting patchwork
of interweaving lines; Berne rips with abandon, soaring
into notes of stratospheric proportion while Mitchell
establishes a haunting creep, which builds powerfully
to a devilish march. Paul Motian’s “Psalm”, meanwhile,
sticks out as both the album’s only cover and a
necessary sonic reprieve in all the chaos. Berne hints at
the sweet melody with resounding and velvety
smoothness while Mitchell sprinkles notes sparely.
Both are so beautifully unassuming it’s hard not to
become enchanted by their delicacy.
Shadow Man unfolds organically, its main themes
cropping up and blurring the lines between
improvisation and composition. There’s something for
everyone. Longtime Berne fans will delight in the
group’s unrepentant fits and starts while Snakeoil
converts will relish the thoughtful compositions.
For more information, visit ecmrecords.com. This project is
at Jazz Standard Oct. 16th. See Calendar.
compositions by members of the ensemble and a
version of Fewell’s “Venus”. The lengthiest pieces are
two duets for vibes and tenor (there are three total)
recorded live at Berlin’s Jazzwerkstatt Café, in which
the fragility of Tchicai’s approach is perfectly matched
with Dell’s spiky, damped carpet and they interweave
in ways that seem beyond the specificity of melody or
rhythm. The poles of delicacy and robustness are
evident throughout, with the push of Lillinger ’s taut
percussion and Westergaard’s meaty lines giving the
quartet pieces an urgency that is in contrast to the
burnished, nearly halting patience of the Dell/Tchicai
duets. These improvisations are worth the price of
admission alone and the quartet’s muscular bounce is
icing on the cake.
Other Violets is chronologically the last of the three
discs reviewed here to have been recorded and was
waxed at Chicago’s Hungry Brain in May 2011. The
Engines are a burly Windy City quartet consisting of
alto/tenor saxophonist Dave Rempis, trombonist Jeb
Bishop, bassist Nate McBride and drummer Tim Daisy;
they released two discs as a quartet before the present
outing with Tchicai as a guest. It’s interesting to
contrast the saxophonists - Rempis’ alto is a frantic but
measured harrier reminiscent of forebears like Charles
Tyler and Mike Osborne on “Strafe” while the pathos
and haunting strength of Tchicai on “Gloxinia” draws
from Ayler ’s ghosts in a startlingly personal fashion.
Just over a year before his untimely passing, John
Tchicai was still among the most vital improvisers
active and these recent recordings are a powerful
testament to that fact.
For more information, visit nobusinessrecords.com,
jazzwerkstatt.eu and nottwo.com. A Tchicai tribute is at
ShapeShifter Lab Oct. 18th. See Calendar.
Tribal Ghost
John Tchicai/Charlie Kohlhase/Garrison Fewell/
Cecil McBee/Billy Hart (NoBusiness)
Featuring John Tchicai
Christopher Dell/Jonas Westergaard/Christian Lillinger
(Jazzwerkstatt)
Other Violets (w/ John Tchicai)
The Engines (Not Two)
by Clifford Allen
When Danish-born saxophonist John Tchicai died Oct.
8th, 2012 at 76, the improvising world lost one of its
most unique artists. Though what was often noted was
his ‘coolness’ in comparison to some of his New York
energy-music peers, Tchicai’s laconically inquisitive
phrasing and curdled tone were imbued with as much
of the ‘search’ as someone like Coltrane, who hired him
for 1965’s orchestral work Ascension (Impulse!). After
1966, Tchicai was mostly active in Europe, though from
the ‘90s he taught and performed in the States with
more regularity - including frequent collaborations
with players like bassist Adam Lane, guitarist Garrison
Fewell and saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase.
Fewell and Kohlhase are Tchicai’s frontline
partners for Tribal Ghost, recorded live in 2007 at New
York’s Birdland (of all places) with the rhythmic
support of bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy
Hart. NoBusiness has released this archival session as
a vinyl-only document; three of the four tunes are
Fewell’s, with Tchicai’s gorgeous arrangement of the
traditional “Llanto del Indio” closing the set. Noted
for his work on alto through the ‘80s, Tchicai then
switched to tenor and bass clarinet, lending a gruff and
steely quality to his mysteries and phrasal queries.
Here he’s offset by Kohlhase’s straighter arrows,
though both players owe a certain amount to the
saxophonists in Lennie Tristano’s orbit, heard
especially to advantage on the sinewy cadences of
“Llanto”.
Vibraphonist Christopher Dell, bassist Jonas
Westergaard and drummer Christian Lillinger got
together with Tchicai in early 2010 and the results can
be heard on this eponymous disc, which features 11
31
(eg, the title track and “Sun Song”). What strikes this
listener mostly about this album is the tightness of the
group and their constant interaction with each other;
carrying on conversations and punctuating each
other ’s musical ideas. This is markedly displayed on
the first track “Here With You” where Anning’s solo
easily blends into Sivan’s, Jayaweera injecting his own
drum commentary behind them.
This CD provides a good introduction to the
talents of Sivan and his trio, whose joy in making
music with each other is quite clear.
Enchanted Sun
Rotem Sivan (SteepleChase Lookout)
by Marcia Hillman
Enchanted Sun is the debut recording for Israeli-born
guitarist Rotem Sivan, recorded with a studio audience
to capture the energy of a live performance. The album
is a collection of originals by Sivan with two selections
from the Great American Songbook, played by a trio
with bassist Sam Anning and drummer Rajiv
Jayaweera.
Sivan has a delicate touch on his instrument,
preferring to play more single notes, which show off
his dexterity, than full-bodied chords. Most of his
compositions are melodic and in the tradition, such as
his 12-bar “Rodent Blues”, but the title track has a
Middle Eastern flavor and rhythm changes building
up to a very fast tempo and then a quiet ending. The
two standards fare well, with a tasty rendition of the
Rodgers-Hart classic “Isn’t It Romantic?” and the
Gershwins’ “How Long Has This Been Going On?”,
which features changing tempos and a fine Anning
solo. (Note: Odd that both these selections are
questions.)
Another feature of Sivan’s writing is his ability to
build dynamism into his compositions - arriving at a
peak in the solos and then settling into quiet endings
For more information, visit steeplechase.dk. Sivan is at Bar
Next Door Oct. 22nd. See Calendar.
Live at Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne
Sylvie Courvoisier/Mark Feldman (Intakt)
by John Sharpe
You
would never guess that Live at Théâtre VidyLausanne wasn’t a studio recording. It’s not only the
lack of audience noise or the superb sound, but the
intense focus and incisive interplay that suggests the
wherewithal to ensure that everything was just so. Of
course husband and wife teams have a head start in the
preternatural communication stakes and in that regard
violinist Mark Feldman and pianist Sylvie Courvoisier
rate alongside such illustrious pairings as pianist
Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and bassist
Barry Guy and violinist Maya Homburger.
They share another trait with the above-mentioned
couples, in that by now their music too is almost
entirely sui generis; it sounds like no one else in its
challenging and thrilling blend of classical and
improvised tropes. Drawn from three nights of
performance, the program comprises two lengthy
compositions from Feldman’s pen, one from
Courvoisier and four joint efforts. Such is the range of
textures and dynamic shifts brought to bear that it is
hard to credit that they are created by just two
participants who don’t even switch instruments. Of
course, part of the reason for the tonal variety rests
with Courvoisier ’s proficiency under the bonnet of her
piano as much as at the keys. Her manipulations and
preparations conjure a ghostly underpinning for
Feldman’s austere lyricism on “Five Senses of Keen”.
Feldman allies a vibrant tone with wonderful
technique, as evidenced when he bows two or more
simultaneous voices during the edge-of-seat drama of
“For Alice”. It is impossible to know whether the
multi-sectioned “Orpheus and Eurydice” intends to be
programmatic, but Feldman’s violin weaves a tangled
narrative arc as it sings, sighs, soars and weeps in a
dazzling rendition. Of the presumed improvisations,
“Pindar” creates a bracing timbral exchange of creaks
and crashes while “Calliope” provides a bravura finale
to the album, as the highest violin filigree pitch against
plucked piano wires, leading into a headlong sprint.
Enter their universe and be beguiled.
For more information, visit intaktrec.ch. Courvoisier is The
Stone Oct. 16th. Feldman is at Zürcher Studio Oct. 16th.
See Calendar.
“FREDDIE’S GROOVE”
Trombonist PHIL RANELIN
Celebrates
Live
FREDDIE HUBBARD’S
75th Memorial Birthday
A continuation of Ranelin’s
year-long celebration of
Hubbard’s actual
April 7, 1938 birthday
at Flushing Town Hall
Jason Kao Hwang’s
Burning Bridge
SUN, OCT 6, 4 PM
NEA Jazz Masters
OCTOBER 10, 2013
FEATURING THE
PHIL RANELIN
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
JAZZ CASSEROLE
with Jimmy Heath, Barry Harris,
Jimmy Owens, Tootie Heath,
Russell Malone & Christian McBride
FRI, OCT 11, 8 PM
Brian Woodruff’s
OKB Trio
FRI, OCT 25, 8 PM
MONTHLY JAZZ JAM WITH SPECIAL GUEST
JASON KAO HWANG Oct 2 at 7 PM
20%
O F F!
(mention the
code JR20)
TICKETS AND INFO:
www.flushingtownhall.org 718.463.7700 x222
These programs are supported by New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; Louis Armstrong
Educational Foundation; Chamber Music America; Farrell Fritz, P.C.; WAC Lighting Company, Co-founder Tai Wang; and FCCA Board Member Heather P.
Harrison. JASON KAO HWANG & BURNING BRIDGE is supported by Presenting Jazz, a program of Chamber Music America funded through the generosity
of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Promotional support in partnership with New York University’s Asian/Pacific/American Institute.
Photo by Craig Johnson
SHOWTIME 8:30 PM $20 COVER
CATALINA BAR & GRILL
6725 W. SUNSET BLVD., HOLLYWOOD CA 90028
(323)466-2210
www.catalinajazzclub.com www.elementsofjazz.com
Wild Beauty
Brussels Jazz Orchestra (featuring Joe Lovano)
(Half Note)
by Joel Roberts
J oe Lovano’s newly released collaboration with the
Brussels Jazz Orchestra is a career summation of sorts
for the celebrated 61-year-old tenor saxophonist. The
album was envisioned as a suite comprised of
expanded versions of eight previously recorded
Lovano compositions, arranged for the 17-piece big
band by veteran pianist/accordionist and longtime
Lovano associate Gil Goldstein. Lovano is featured as
the date’s primary soloist.
The tunes covered are drawn from Lovano albums
from the past 20 years or so and reflect the rich and
diverse musical road the endlessly prolific Clevelandborn-and-bred artist has been traveling. There are
songs inspired by his Italian heritage (“Streets of
Naples”, “Miss Etna”, “Viva Caruso”) and nods to his
jazz heroes (“Big Ben”, a dedication to Ben Webster;
“Our Daily Bread”, based on a spiritual tune by John
Coltrane). A few showcase his strong bebop roots, like
the rollicking “Powerhouse”, while others highlight
his more modernist, avant garde side, like the moody,
meditative title track.
None of the compositions covered here have been
recorded in a big band setting before and Goldstein
does a fine job opening them up and blending his
intricate orchestrations with Lovano’s soaring solos.
The band has a bright, bold sound and handles the
sometimes complex, darting arrangements with
finesse.
The album is a genuinely cooperative effort,
drawing equally on the talents of the composer,
arranger and the various members of the ensemble.
While Lovano has made a number of albums with large
groups before (all of them worthwhile), they’ve seldom
matched the passion and exuberance of this truly
exceptional project.
For more information, visit halfnote.net. Lovano is at
Village Vanguard Oct. 29th-Nov. 3rd. See Calendar.
Spirit of Sound
Charnett Moffett (Motéma Music)
by Terrell Holmes
N estled
at the heart of bassist Charnett Moffett’s
Spirit of Sound, a vibrant amalgam of jazz, world music
and voice, is the concept of family, an organizing
principle that drives the pulse of the album.
The Moffett factor appears when the leader ’s wife
and son, Angela and Max, join him on “Seeker of
Truth”. As Charnett sprints on electric bass like Usain
Bolt, Max lays down a fiery drum groove and Angela
recites the e.e. cummings poem over her soulful
tamboura. This element expands with daughter
Amareia’s vocals on “Opera”. Another kind of familial
link involves performances by other musicians on the
Motéma label. Babatunde Lea’s percussion and Oran
Etkin’s fluttering clarinet complement Angela’s soulful
reading of Emily Dickinson’s “Hope”, moving the
poem from Amherst to the Nuyorican Poets Café. Label
founder Jana Herzen adds dreamy vocalizing to the
light-fingered “Swing Raga”, as does Tessa Souter on
“Natural Heritage”. On the latter, as well as the cool as
ice “Blues Walk Groove”, Moffett’s overdubbing on
electric, acoustic and piccolo basses adds a riot of color.
The family feeling was underscored during a CD
release show at Jazz Standard in late August. Angela
intoned, “If music be the sound, play on.” Charnett,
dressed sharply in a white bandana and black sequined
vest, launched into the title track, tapping out a
rhythmic Morse code on the acoustic bass with his
trademark blend of pizzicato, arco and spiccato.
Charnett was partly named for Ornette Coleman,
so his inclusion of the classic “Lonely Woman” was
fitting. He led the group through a fierce uptempo
reading, with Angela and Max scampering on drums
and tamboura and Charnett enhancing his dazzling
electric bass with psychedelic wah-wah and scratching
effects. A blistering version of “Overpass” featured
Etkin doubling on clarinet and tenor; “For Those Who
Know” followed, which featured dynamite interplay
between Charnett and pianist Marc Cary, stellar even
when they clashed somewhat in the name of finding
common ground. The set concluded with the solo
acoustic bass tour de force “Bassland”. Moffett played
as if his life depended on every note, inserting flamenco
styling, raga imprints and a few bars of “Frère Jacques”
for good measure. The sophistication and humor in
this profound musicianship encapsulates his spirit.
The last three songs are Heath’s arrangements of
jazz classics. He adds a funky backbeat to Billy
Strayhorn’s “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” while
Dizzy Gillespie’s “Fiesta Mojo” proves infectious,
highlighted by the performances of Michael Mossman
on muted trumpet, Jeff Nelson’s fluid bass trombone
and Frank Basile’s hard-blowing baritone sax. Heath
throws a curve by adding a deliberate, lush introduction
to his rousing, extended treatment of Charlie Parker ’s
“Yardbird Suite”, leaving both the Blue Note audience
and buyers of this enjoyable CD wanting more.
For more information, visit jazzlegacyproductions.com.
This project is at Blue Note Oct. 28th-31st. See Calendar.
For more information, visit motema.com
Togetherness: Live at the Blue Note
Jimmy Heath (Jazz Legacy Productions)
by Ken Dryden
Saxophonist Jimmy Heath is one of the elder statesmen
of jazz, still going strong well into his 80s. This live
recording was made during the week of his 85th
birthday celebration at the Blue Note in 2011, featuring
big band interpretations of his arrangements and
originals.
Opening the set is “A Sound For Sore Ears”, a
peppy bop vehicle full of rich harmonies and its share
of twists. Featured soloists include alto saxophonist
Antonio Hart, Heath on tenor saxophone, trumpeter
Roy Hargrove and trombonist Steve Davis. The
boisterous, engaging title track is another breezy bop
feature, with trumpeter Greg Gisbert, alto saxophonist
Mark Gross, tenor saxophonist Charles Davis and
drummer Lewis Nash all soloing with gusto. “A Time
and A Place” is a hip, funky work with a Latin
undercurrent dating back several decades to when
Heath was working with Art Farmer. Roy Hargrove’s
expressive solo captures its mood perfectly, followed
by the leader ’s soulful tenor.
“Lover Man” is one of the standards recorded so
frequently it would seem overexposed, yet Heath’s
creative scoring makes it fair game for further
exploration; Heath and Jeb Patton, long-time pianist in
the Heath Brothers Band, are the featured soloists. The
original “A Sassy Samba” is dedicated to Sarah
Vaughan and it is easy to imagine what she might have
done with it, especially if backed by Heath’s swinging
big band.
33
Duke at the Roadhouse
With Eddie Daniels
Eddie Daniels/
Steve Williams &
Roger Kellaway (IPO)
Jazz Nation (OA2)
by George Kanzler
Judi Silvano
leads three ensembles
celebrating the music
of the late, great
THELONIOUS MONK
in his birthday month
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Jazz at Kitano
in the Kitano Hotel
66 Park Avenue
(at 38th Street)
featuring:
Frank Kimbrough, piano
Bill McHenry, sax
Ratzo B. Harris, bass
Steve Williams, drums
Reservations: 212-885-7119
Sets 8 PM & 10 PM
Plus 2 dates in the Mid-Hudson Valley
at 2 great venues!
Thursday, October 17
THE FALCON,
1348 Route 9W, Marlboro, NY
8 PM concert featuring:
Judi Silvano & Teri Roiger, voices
James Weidman, piano
Claire Daly, Bari Sax
John Menegon, bass
Steve Williams, Drums
And
Sunday, October 20
THE BEARSVILLE THEATER,
291 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY
5 – 8 PM featuring:
Judi Silvano & Teri Roiger, voices
Joe Vincent Tranchina, piano
John Menegon, bass
Tani Tabbal, Drums
For reservations call 845-679-4406 or go to
www.bearsvilletheater.com
$15 or $5 students
judisilvano.com
Clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Eddie Daniels is
represented at both ends of the ensemble spectrum on
these CDs: in duo with pianist Roger Kellaway on Duke
at the Roadhouse and as a guest with the big band Jazz
Nation led by Steve Williams, a role recalling Daniels’
tenure in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.
Duke at the Roadhouse is an adventurous chamber
jazz recital recorded at the Lensic Theater in Santa Fe.
Eight pieces of Ellingtonia are expanded by one
original from each principal. The Ellingtonia may all
be very familiar, but the interpretations are invariably
fresh and sometimes very idiosyncratic, none more so
than the closing track: “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It
Ain’t Got That Swing)”, clarinet and piano approaching
it in a faux classical manner in a prolonged prelude
before Daniels launches into the refrain at a fast swing
clip, leading to racing solos. Throughout the recital
Daniels maintains a burnished woody glow in his
clarinet tone, whether piping in the higher registers or
plumbing the crimson chalumeau tones of the
instrument. He slowly announces the melody on the
opener, “I’m Beginning to See the Light”, before
Kellaway joins him, tempo picking up for a series of
rollicking solo and duo improvisations. Cellist James
Holland joins the pair on four tracks - plus just part of
the riffy melody of Kellaway’s “Duke in Ojai” contributing solos written out by Kellaway as well as
ensemble parts. He adds a low counterpoint to
“Perdido” and tonal weight to a short, atmospheric
“Mood Indigo”. “In a Mellow Tone” recalls the original
Ellington recordings (1939-40) right down to a cello
solo referencing Lawrence Brown’s solo choruses and
Daniels echoing original tenor soloist Ben Webster.
Clarinet and cello take the lead on a tango-infused “In
A Sentimental Mood” while Daniels’ other foray on
tenor is a duo rendition of “Sophisticated Lady”,
sandwiched by Sonny Rollins-like cadenzas.
The Jazz Nation album features a muscular, harddriving big band firmly in the mid-20th Century
tradition of Count Basie, Woody Herman and the
various incarnations of the Vanguard Orchestra.
Leader-arranger and reed section lead alto Steve
Williams creates charts that build up, often from
rhythm section or trombones, with admirable narrative
momentum and accruing dynamics, and has a real gift
- shades of Jones (both Thad and Quincy) - for
spotlighting solo instruments and then reinforcing
them with ensemble backgrounds. Daniels appears as
a soloist on two of the three compositions he
contributed, the third the ballad “Thad’s Lament”.
“Inner Lines” is a swinger in a samba groove with
Daniels and Luis Hernandez locked in a classic big
band tenor sax duel. Trombones open “Hook or Crook”,
featuring Daniels with a forceful big band clarinet
sound, soloing over cheerleading from ensemble
sections. The balance of the big band tracks are all
engrossing, from the ambitious, waltz-inflected swing
of “Entre’ Nous” and funky “Where’s Marty?” to an
expansive tenor ballad for Hernandez and the closer,
“Cathel Brugha Blues”, a midtempo flagwaver.
For more information, visit iporecords.com and
originarts.com. Daniels is at Saint Peter’s Oct. 28th as part
of the Sir Richard Rodney Bennett Memorial. See Calendar.
In The Language Of Dreams
Spirit Driven
A Small Dream in Red
Jorge Sylvester ACE
(Red Zen)
Collective (foUR)
by Sam Spokony
The musical relationship between alto saxophonist
Jorge Sylvester and vocalist Nora McCarthy dates back
12 years to their first performance as the duo A Small
Dream in Red (which takes its name from the 1925
masterpiece by Russian abstract painter Wassily
Kandinsky). Each is a complete and freethinking
performer in their own right, but it’s hard to deny that
together they have developed a particularly powerful
sense of interplay. This year, Sylvester and McCarthy
are back as A Small Dream in Red, with a new record
called In The Language Of Dreams, which they dedicate
to both Kandinsky and Ornette Coleman, as “leaders
of the avant garde movement”. The 12-track, 70-minute
album covers plenty of ground, including several
diverse duo originals, two of Coleman’s tunes (with
poetry by McCarthy) and a decidedly trippy take on
“April in Paris”.
The album opener, an original called “Dizzy Bird”,
is a perfectly paced starting point, as Sylvester bounces
nimbly through bop-tinged riffs and McCarthy pays
lyrical homage to Coleman and the historical context
of his innovations. Both performers are really in their
element on Coleman’s “The Blessing” and “The
Sphynx”, stretching out into abstract territory and
channeling their spiritual perception of the alto
saxophonist’s forward-thinking messages while also
maintaining their own confidently probing voices.
Another original worth highlighting is the
unsurprisingly loosely structured “Composition VII”,
an especially minimalist free improvisation in which
the pair beautifully explore longer held notes and more
deliberately jarring choices in tonality.
McCarthy returns as a compositional collaborator
and performing member of Sylvester ’s AfroCaribbean
Experimental (ACE) Collective, for that group’s hefty
two-disc, nine-track, 87-minute album Spirit Driven.
The sextet - with includes trumpeter Waldron
Mahdi Ricks, pianist Pablo Vergara, electric bassist
Donald Nicks and drummer Kenny Grohowski - skips
ably across the spectrum between ethereal free improv
and tight, funky beats while often sticking with the
typically dense harmonies of Sylvester and McCarthy’s
writing, as well as pursuing unexpected paths within
the rhythmic terrain of AfroCaribbean traditions. Nicks
and Grohowski form a particularly strong backbone on
“Construction No. 2” and “Construction No. 1”, which
open the first and second discs, respectively. Both tunes
are refreshingly accessible from an improvisational
standpoint, beginning with relatively straightahead
grooves that gradually morph and reach farther outside
the changes, with spontaneous yet swinging solos and
McCarthy’s strong vocal presence. Sylvester’s somber
tune “Paulina’s Prayer” is a great addition, featuring
sensitive ensemble playing and a moving solo by the
leader, as well as some good mute work from Ricks.
And the creative duo of Sylvester and McCarthy come
to the forefront once more on “Remember Haiti”, a
jointly written and extremely inspired tune, which
begins with chaos and coalesces into a unique verbal
and aural documentation of the societal troubles faced
by that nation.
For more information, visit unseen-rain.com. Sylvester and
McCarthy are at Cornelia Street Café Oct. 26th. See Calendar.
Eponymous
Sifter (Relative Pitch)
by Ken Waxman
Good-humored
and spirited, Sifter (the band) is a
stripped-down ensemble consisting of three of NYC’s
busiest musicians - guitarist Mary Halvorson, cornet
player Kirk Knuffke and drummer Matt Wilson - while
Sifter (the CD) sifts out 13 highly entertaining
compositions by the members into a well-paced
program.
Besides leading his own band(s), Wilson is the
go-to percussionist for both mainstream and avant
garde ensembles. Halvorson sometimes seems to be
working every day, if not with her own groups, then
with bands led by Anthony Braxton, among many
others. Meanwhile Knuffke plays in both the other
members’ groups and has recorded well-received duet
discs with pianist Jesse Stacken.
If Sifter has a defining track it’s the Wilson-penned
“Don Knotts”. Unlike its namesake, the fearful,
bumbling actor, this intrepid performance adroitly
unties musical knots and rocks as well as swings,
propelled by Wilson’s shuffles and clacks. Meanwhile
the theme is defined by Knuffke’s pirouetting smears
and slurs and Halvorson’s chiming fills, slightly
distorted with knob-twisting. This good-timey feeling is
pianist / composer
michel reis
HIDDEN MEANING
live at Shapeshifter Lab
Brooklyn, NY
Eddy Khaimovich - bass Peter Traunmueller - drums
Aaron Kruziki - reeds
Michel Reis - piano, comp.
Thurs, Oct 24, 2013
9pm
$10
HIDDEN MEANING
18 Whitwell Place
Brooklyn, NY 11215 (Betw 1st & Carroll St)
R Train to Union
www.michelreis.com
DoubleMoonRecords/Challenge
paramount throughout the CD, with the cohesive pulses
and harmonic unity synchronized via slack fingering or
chunky rhythm strums by Halvorson; skipping triplet
patterns or swallowed, then brayed, brassy tones from
Knuffke; plus raunchy backbeats or ambulating timekeeping from Wilson.
Knuffke’s “Proper Motion” is another stand-out
and one of the boppier tracks. Echoing Monk’s “Played
Twice”, the head does just that. Most of the piece then
becomes a Wilson showcase, using hammers on cymbals
and positioned bass drum rhythms to twist the beat
while maintaining the narrative, guitarist and cornet
player return to recap the head and take the tune out.
Significantly, while Halvorson only composed two
tunes compared to Knuffke’s six and Wilson’s five, hers
are the most contemplative. “Absent Across Skies” is a
mellow swinger whose tessitura follows the shape of
her near-microtonal slurred fingering. “Forever Runs
Slow in Cold Water”, a ballad, gives Knuffke a chance to
inject open-horn excitement into its center, succinctly
balancing the guitarist’s folksy, finger-style playing.
Exultant music with intellectual content, Sifter
should impress many.
saxophone improvisation. The delightful “Blue Over
Gold” featured an enlightening solo section in which
Stephens let out bursts of sonorous joy, Stevens provided
crisp bop potency, Royston was the powerhouse and Oh
supplied the bluesy supplements.
The subbing musicians seemed insatiably ferocious
next to the album’s crew. Either the obvious contextual
difference of live versus recorded provides sufficient
explanation or it was Royston’s imposing fieriness. The
contrast was stark but regardless merely a matter of
taste, not substance. In both regards, the playing and
compositions were extremely first-rate.
For more information, visit greenleafmusic.com
IN PRINT
For more information, visit relativepitchrecords.com
Vocal River: The Skill and Spirit of Improvisation
Rhiannon (s/r)
by Tom Greenland
V ocalist/teacher
Sun Pictures
Linda Oh (Greenleaf Music)
by Robert Milburn
Linda Oh is a bassist on the rise. Her sideman work
alone with Dave Douglas’ quintet and the trumpeter’s
Wayne Shorter tribute, Sound Prints, co-led by
saxophonist Joe Lovano, yields a resumé worth touting.
Yet, by no means should you overlook her consummate
releases as a leader.
Sun Pictures is the most recent. The bassist is joined
by fellow Australian James Muller (guitar), Ben Wendel
(tenor saxophone) and Ted Poor (drums). The album
features a vast soundscape of emotion, ranging from
delicate balladry to fiery explosiveness. This, of course,
showcases Oh’s deft hand at composition, all while
being remarkably judicious in the allocation of
improvisational input from her nimble bandmates.
Songs like “Yoda” and “Terminal 3” are perfect
expositions. The former is a slippery and rhythmically
cunning construction that is adventurous and hinting of
trepidation. Wendel and Muller drive the tune, trading
wildly free-wheeling lines while Oh agilely vibes to
Poor’s frantic elusiveness. The latter tune has a
descending melancholy that feigns hope. There is
something exciting about the trick though. Bass
maintains a commanding presence amid silvery guitar,
adding to the song’s culminating beauty. “Footfall”,
meanwhile, is somewhere in between, with Oh
providing the cool, bubbly foundation and Wendel’s
breathy saxophone balanced, effervescent yet poised.
The album release was held in late August at Jazz
Standard. The group was sans Muller, Wendel and Poor
and filling in was saxophonist Dayna Stephens and
drummer Rudy Royston, both from the group on Oh’s
Initial Here (Greenleaf Music, 2012), plus young guitarist
Matt Stevens. In the audience, was trumpeter Douglas,
also Greenleaf’s co-founder, his head bobbing
approvingly.
On the conceptually varied “10 Minutes Till
Closing”, Royston was delicate until a jagged subsection
loosed him into aggressive agitation. Oh’s soulfulness
was the harbinger of a well-paced and velvety
Rhiannon’s Vocal River: The Skill
and Spirit of Improvisation is part personal memoir,
part Aquarian testimonial and part how-to manual
espousing philosophical and practical approaches to
spontaneous music-making. The first section traces
the author ’s path from a Great Plains farm through
her immersion in jazz, theater, performance art,
a cappella, contact improvisation, dance and other
self-expressive disciplines; her collaborations with
the various groups and her work teaching privately
and leading workshops.
The second section outlines her holistic
approach to “connect[ing] the craft to the core”. It
discusses cultivating a Zen-like “beginner ’s mind”,
developing intuition, channeling, flow states, circle
singing, deep listening, accepting “the perfection of
the imperfection of the moment”, healing,
spirituality and other means to create music that is
an organic extension of one’s physical and emotional
cycles. “Surrender is at the core of good improvising,”
she notes; “Surrender to spirit…to the ensemble…to
the deep self [and] to the energy of the room.”
The final section is a ‘cookbook’ of 33 exercises
for developing improvisational skills, most designed
for a group of singers but easily adapted to other
contexts. Rather than specifying rhythms, scales or
harmonies, these skeleton sketches are open-ended,
meant to organize participation, foster spontaneity
and encourage interaction. “You don’t want to
bypass someone’s intuition by telling too much of
your own version,” the author cautions. Beginning
with movement, breathing and use of physical
space, the exercises soon get more detailed and
expansive. “Spirollution” is a type of musical ‘hot
potato’, passing ideas around in a circle; “Home”
challenges participants to keep “centering” the
music after they’ve taken it ‘out’; “Orchestra”
assigns participatory roles of motor, interlocking,
counterpoint and solo; “Shapeshifter” creates a
group of “witnesses” to the musical changes. Some
of the most interesting ideas involve “personal
language”, storytelling and the incorporation of
movement and performance art.
For more information, visit rhiannonmusic.com/vocalriver.
Rhiannon is at ShapeShifter Lab Oct. 18th-20th.
Eponymous
LARK (Skirl)
by Clifford Allen
In free music, one of the ways in which composition
occurs is through the choice of players - each
individual’s approach to their instrument will
necessarily focus and shape the collective voice. But it
is also true that groupings of similar players can
produce extraordinarily different results.
For example, three of the four principals that
comprise LARK - tenor/soprano saxophonist Ingrid
Laubrock, drummer Tom Rainey and pianist Kris Davis
- work together as part of Laubrock’s quintet AntiHouse. However, with the addition of trumpeter Ralph
Alessi, the music takes on a wildly different shape.
Alessi, a resourceful and in-demand player known for
his work with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and pianists
Uri Caine and Fred Hersch, doesn’t often appear in
‘free’ groups but his darting incision and witty
intelligence provide welcome levity and risk to what is
often a weighty sonic proposition. At times he plays
the reserved ‘straight man’ to Laubrock’s muted growls
and Davis’ string scrapes and left-handed roiling (one
might compare Alessi to Kenny Wheeler in drummer
Tony Oxley’s ensembles).
But it would be too simple to ascribe all of LARK’s
special qualities to adding and subtracting personnel,
because the quartet is a single, stand-alone group with
its own modus operandi. In terms of a group language,
it hinges on the very simple (but not often accuratelyapplied) tools of space and fullness. For example, the
‘absence’ during Alessi’s unaccompanied kisses on
“Nobody’s Human” are a textural shock, made ever
more so when placed next to a pummeling charge from
toms, mallets and piano. On the lengthy “NitSplitting”, Davis’ ping-ponging minimal jabs are a
focal point, expanding their shape to become a rolling
morass underneath the horns’ condensed skitters and
hoarse entreaties.
“DDP 9963 (for Mat Maneri)” is a fine place to
hear Laubrock’s soprano at work, sculpting gobs and
narrow swoops in conversation with Alessi’s dappled
gleam. Gradually the horn players’ phrases become
representational shapes, as Rainey and Davis build a
delicately accented and breathy motion. The form may
look outwardly like a ballad, but in true homage to the
Maneris, it’s a panoply of contrasting, suspended
objects something like an Alexander Calder mobile.
While each participant in LARK may be a known
quantity, it is the togetherness on this particular disc
that should make one take notice - indeed, the modus
operandi is presence. As a disc, LARK is also brilliantly
recorded, allowing one to get a very spatial view of the
music, as the quartet’s improvisations are robust and
muscular while being incredibly supple and that can
be felt as well as heard.
For more information, visit skirlrecords.com. This project is
at Cornelia Street Café Oct. 26th. See Calendar.
Chakra
Ted Nash Big Band (Plastic Sax)
by Ken Dryden
October 1st
Dave Chamberlain’s Band of Bones
October 8th
Santi Debriano Group
October 22nd
Annual Dizzy Gillespie Birthday concert
with Mike Longo’s 18-piece NY State
of the Art Jazz Ensemble with
Ira Hawkins and special guests
Jimmy Owens and Annie Ross.
1 show at 8:00 PM followed by FREE film
showing of Gillespie in concert.
October 29th
Warren Smith and the
Composer’s Workshop Orchestra
New York Baha’i Center
53 E. 11th Street
(between University Place and Broadway)
Shows: 8:00 & 9:30 PM
Gen Adm: $15 Students $10
212-222-5159
bahainyc.org/nyc-bahai-center/jazz-night
A modern composer who finds new avenues while
remaining accessible, saxophonist Ted Nash was
commissioned to compose the suite Chakra by a
seriously ill record producer who opted for a Chinese
chakra healer after traditional Western medicine failed
him. Regardless of the listener ’s familiarity with
chakra - elements in the human body that are the
centers of life force, according to Hindu philosophy Nash’s long form piece, written for his big band,
proves to be a compelling work.
Nash’s exotic, wide-ranging pieces cast a variety
of moods, though each movement stands on its own.
“Earth” serves as the introduction, beginning as a
majestic promenade and evolving into a free-spirited
Nash alto flute solo draped with colorful background
voicings. There’s a dramatic shift with “Water”, which
opens with a tense air then gives way to a turbulent
solo by alto saxophonist Charles Pillow, followed by
Tim Hagans’ fiery trumpet. “Fire” is introduced with a
dissonant riff suggestive of Stravinsky’s early 20th
century writing, though its rhythmic personality
quickly takes over, with potent solos by trombonist
Alan Ferber, clarinetist Anat Cohen, bassist Martin
Wind and drummer Ulysses Owens representing the
four dancers of this movement. “Air” opens with a
strong rhythmic pulse designed to simulate a heartbeat
as conveyed by the trombones and bass, then Hagans’
abstract solo floats over the rhythm section, with the
brass and reeds inserting sporadic background color.
“Ether” is a bit more straightahead, a robust, brisk
postbop cooker featuring Alphonso Horne’s gritty
muted trumpet and pianist Christopher Ziemba’s
engaging solo. “Light” has a playful air with Nash’s
bop-filled alto sax, Horne’s sizzling trumpet and Paul
Bendzela’s baritone sax.
The suite’s final movement is “Cosmos”, which
initially has a choppy, free-spirited vibe focusing on a
dialogue between Nash and trombonist Mark
Patterson, before settling into a subdued, rich ballad
setting, then segueing into a rambunctious avant garde
mood with darting solos and backing lines, as well as a
sudden, unexpected conclusion.
For more information, visit tednash.com. This project is at
Dizzy’s Club Oct. 31st-Nov. 3rd. See Calendar.
ON DVD
Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read
Atticus Brady (First Run Films)
by George Kanzler
O ne of the best-selling jazz albums of the LP era
was pianist Erroll Garner ’s Concert by the Sea
(Columbia), often cited in lists of the best jazz
albums of all time. During that decade and for most
of the ‘60s, Garner (1928-77) remained one of the top
concert attractions in jazz, playing worldwide and
booked into Carnegie Hall by classical music
impresario Sol Hurok. According to testimony in
this film biography, Garner was also - along with
Louis Armstrong - one of the two most frequently
seen jazz personalities on television in the ‘50s-60s.
Yet for a major jazz figure of the mid 20th Century,
Garner is poorly remembered and rarely heard
today.
“My hope with this film,” says Atticus Brady,
“is to bring Erroll Garner ’s music back to the world’s
attention.”
Garner ’s music suffuses this hour-long film,
but often in tantalizing bits and pieces, heard behind
or stringing together a kaleidoscope of talking head
and performance images, the latter culled mostly
from TV and concert film footage worldwide.
Hearing Concert by the Sea before or after viewing
this DVD greatly enhances its impact.
Garner ’s early life growing up in Pittsburgh
and prodigal gifts are nicely documented, courtesy
largely of his sister Ruth Garner Moore and
biographer James Doran. The film’s title refers to the
fact that Garner did not read music, but could play
and improvise on a melody after only hearing it
once. Steve Allen, one of the most perceptive talking
heads, says that the history of jazz piano is mostly a
“logical progression, but Garner was not part of it.”
So, paradoxically, “he was the greatest, but not
influential.” His style is best described by Allen and
pianist Dick Hyman, the former describing Garner ’s
left hand as guitar-like, the latter calling his right
hand “a miniature orchestra”. Garner bassist Ernest
McCarty tells about how every night with Garner
was an adventure, for he never seemed to play a
piece the same way and often even changed its key.
Garner ’s harmonic inventiveness, playfulness and
sense of humor are also frequently attested. Garner
himself sums up his playing in one word: Happiness.
For more information, visit firstrunfeatures.com
37
BOXED SET
Paul Motian (Boxed Set)
Paul Motian (ECM)
by Robert Iannapollo
After establishing himself during the ‘60s as
drummer for three of the most important pianists of
modern jazz (Bill Evans, Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett),
Paul Motian had yet to make his own statement. In
steps ECM head Manfred Eicher, offering to produce
a session. In 1973, Conception Vessel was issued,
heralding Motian as composer and group leader.
Perhaps surprisingly, Motian de-emphasized the
piano (although Jarrett was in there), focusing instead
on a trio with guitarist Sam Brown and bassist Charlie
Haden. The tunes, all by Motian, had strong brooding
melodies and they gave his cohorts plenty with which
to work. Adding the violin of Leroy Jenkins on the
final track, “Inspiration From A Vietnamese Lullaby”,
was a masterstroke. The followup, 1974’s Tribute, was
similar in tone with even more focus on Brown (plus
the addition of a second guitarist Paul Metzke). Alto
saxophonist Carlos Ward adds his distinctive tone to
two of Motian’s themes. The album, not quite as
unique as the first, still holds its own.
By 1977, things had changed. Motian was
working on a new group project, a trio with
saxophonist Charles Brackeen and another Ornette
Coleman bass alumnus, David Izenzon. Dance was
the first result. Motian’s distinctive compositions
were to the fore and he had fun with the titles:
“Kalypso” sounds like a march and “Asia” doesn’t
sound particularly Eastern. Izenzon’s function is
providing a sturdy bottom (beautifully recorded in
ECM fashion) though one could wish for more of his
unique arco work. Motian’s drums and percussion
direct the music with both drive and discretion.
Brackeen is in many ways the focus of this disc but
there’s one disappointment: he’s featured on soprano
on five of the six tracks. He has an attractive reedy
sound but tenor is his more commanding instrument.
The one tenor feature “Prelude” is the high point of
the disc. It’s a rousing track and seems to place all
three players in a maelstrom of free improvisation
and serves notice that they could tear it up, if they
wanted.
That soprano problem is rectified on 1979’s Le
Voyage, where Brackeen is featured on tenor on three
tracks. This has the tendency to push the music a
little more compared to the introverted character of
Dance. Bassist Jean Francois Jenny-Clark replaces
Izenzon (who died later in 1979) and he fits right into
the group, his big sound and impressive facility
upfront on “Abacus”, a track that also features a
lengthy unaccompanied tenor solo. Le Voyage is a
consolidation of the approach that started on Dance
and shows a more developed group. A third album
by this trio could have been a breakthrough but that
was not to be.
O C T 1 coca-cola generations in jazz festival
O C T 1 5 –1 6
michele rosewoman’s
new yor-uba
deep blue organ trio
juilliard jazz ensemble
OCT 17
freddie redd: shades of redd
O C T 1 8 –2 0
wilson, rosnes, washington trio
her. (in honor of)
OCT 21
O C T 4 – 6 coca-cola generations in jazz festival
orrin evans and the
captain black big band
conversation with
christian mcbride
O C T 2 2 –2 7
christian mcbride trio
the whitfield family band
OCT 28
trumpet summit
judy carmichael quartet:
I love being here with you
O C T 9 –1 3
OCT 29–30
kenny barron platinum band
antonio sanchez & migration
OCT 14
O C T 3 1 – N OV 3
antonio ciacca sextet
ted nash big band:
chakra suite
swing by tonight
set times
pm
jalc.org / dizzys
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall Broadway at 60th Street, 5th Floor, nyc
The new decade was ushered in by a new quintet
of younger players on 1982’s Psalm. The guitar is back
in the fold, this time in the unique personage of Bill
Frisell. A double sax lineup (Billy Drewes and Joe
Lovano) and Ed Schuller (bass) rounded out the
group. The compositions were also changing, with an
emphasis on conciseness. The band played with a
more raucous energy; they actually rock out on
“White Magic”. But a little something is lost here as
well. Some of the individuality that Motian had in his
earlier groups is missing. Psalm isn’t bad by any
means, more of a transitional album presaging the
style Motian would perfect the rest of the decade. There was better to come. It Should’ve Happened
A Long Time Ago was it. This 1984 release deleted
Drewes and Schuller for an album of succinct trio
interplay. Motian-Frisell-Lovano seemed to have a
psychic link that made this trio a perfect aggregation.
Admittedly, the use of Frisell’s guitar synthesizer on
“Fiasco” gives the music a dated quality but what’s
good here is as good as anything Motian had done.
And it points in the direction Motian would head in
the subsequent two decades.
considering
ECM’s
artistic
Surprisingly,
standards, the packaging is underwhelming (the
cover reproduces the cover art of Conception Vessel).
However, the individual albums themselves are in
white cardboard sleeves with black lettering of just
the title. One would wish that the original artwork
could have been attached to each album. But
musically, this boxed set excellently sums up where
Motian was in his first dozen years of leadership.
For more information, visit ecmrecords.com. A Motian
tribute is at Le Poisson Rouge Oct. 27th. See Calendar.
warren wolf
wolfgang
“Vibraphonist Warren Wolf has both feet planted on a bedrock of midcentury modern jazz,
meaning its postwar peak of popular refinement. However you feel about young musicians
reaching for an older sound, it’s heartening to know that an album like Wolfgang can still be
made with such stalwart conviction. Hard-swinging and articulate, it spotlights Mr. Wolf’s
firecracker assurance…” – Nate Chinen, New York Times
“Vibraphonist Warren Wolf displays the combination of virtuosity and collaborative
openness that fueled his rise to prominence as a member of Christian McBride’s
ensemble Inside Straight.” – Bobby Reed, DownBeat
A founding member of Christian McBride’s Inside Straight band, frequent collaborator
of pianist Aaron Diehl and one of the most in-demand multi-instrumentalists (vibes, drums,
bass, organ) on the scene, Warren’s newest is not to be missed. If you care about
jazz music and where it’s headed, this is a young man to watch and hear!
mackavenue.com • warrenwolfmusic.com
available wherever you like to buy music
(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)
TNYCJR: 42 years.
TNYCJR: Is making another great record, or maybe
even your best yet, a driving force?
GB: Yeah. So I have to have a special waiver, if ever I go
to the States. So when I arrive, they press all the buttons
and I usually get carted off for an interview before
they’ll let me in. That’s the way it is, I’m afraid. v
GB: No. I haven’t been asked to do a record with this
band but someone should record it live because it’s
fantastic.
TNYCJR: You’ve got an engagement at Iridium coming
up. Will that be your first time at that club?
GB: No. I was there in 1997 with my Denver jazz group.
It was very successful and led to our making the record
Coward of the County. It was a very good gig.
Wed Oct 2
SEAN CONLY: TRUE NORTH 8:30PM
Kris Davis, Tom Rainey
Thu, Oct 3
MATT MUNISTERI 8:30PM
Matt Ray, Danton Boller
Fri, Oct 4
RIBS & BRISKET REVUE 9PM & 10:30PM
Cilla Owens, Glenn Turner, Paul Shapiro,
Jerry Korman, Booker King, Tony Lewis
Sat, Oct 5
JASON RIGBY QUARTET 9PM & 10:30PM
Russ Lossing, Cameron Brown, Tom Rainey
Sun, Oct 6
TYSHAWN SOREY QUARTET 8:30PM
Angelica Sanchez, Jeremy Viner, Ben Gerstein; Dan Weiss, host
GB: “Ah-bass Dough-doo”. Abass and I have been
working together for over five years now. We just get
on, you know? We just play off each other all the time.
I did the same thing with Abass’ uncle, JC Commodore.
I worked with him in the ‘80s, another Ghana master
drummer. I get on with all those guys really well.
Thu, Oct 10
DANA LYN: CD RELEASE: AQUALUDE 8:30PM
Mike McGinnis, Clara Kennedy,
Jonathan Goldberger, Vinnie Sperrazza
TNYCJR: So you’ve known Abass since he was a young
man?
Fri, Oct 11
AMANDA BAISINGER 9PM & 10:30PM
Ben Monder, Pete Rende, Adam Chilenski, Dan Rieser
Sat Oct. 12
REZ ABBASI QUARTET 9PM & 10:30PM
Mark Shim, Brad Jones, Gene Lake
Mon, Oct 14
HERMENEUTIC STOMP: CD RELEASE PARTY 8:30PM
Jake Marmer, Frank London, Greg Wall, Uri Sharlin
Wed, Oct 16 JULIAN WATERFALL POLLACK TRIO +1 8:30PM
Nir Felder, Noah Garabedian, Evan Hughes
Fri, Oct 18
BEN ALLISON BAND 9PM & 10:30PM
Steve Cardenas, Brandon Seabrook, Allison Miller
Sat, Oct 19
TOM RAINEY TRIO 9PM & 10:30PM Mary Halvorson, Ingrid Laubrock
Sun, Oct 20
NEW BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVES:
THE NOVOSEL-BOUKAS DUO 8:30PM
Filip Novosel, Richard Boukas
NEW BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVES:
GABRIEL GROSSI QUARTET 10PM
Vitor Goncalves, Eduardo Belo
Tue, Oct 22
10TH ANNIVERSARY JAZZ DRAMA
PROGRAM BENEFIT CONCERT 6PM
Bob Stewart, John Kamitsuka, Sara Caswell,
Tom Dempsey, Eli Yamin, Shantaysha Peprah,
hosted by WQXR’s Terrance McKnight
ELI YAMIN BLUES BAND 8:30PM
Charenee Wade, Bob Stewart, LaFrae Sci
Wed, Oct 23 ANGELICA SANCHEZ 8:30PM
Thu, Oct 24
BOBBY AVEY QUARTET 8:30PM
Dan Weiss, Thomson Kneeland, Special Guest Horn
Sat, Oct 26
PETROS KLAMPANIS’ CONTEXTUAL 9PM & 10:30PM
Gilad Hekselman, Jean-Michel Pilc, John Hadfield
Sat, Oct 26
LARK 9PM & 10:30PM
Kris Davis, Ralph Alessi, Ingrid Laubrock, Tom Rainey
Mon, Oct 28
ORAN ETKIN QUARTET 8:30PM
Lionel Loueke, Chris Lightcap, Tyshawn Sorey
Tue, Oct 29
VOXIFY: SOFIA RIBEIRO 8:30PM
Juan Andrés Ospina, Petros Klampanis,
Marcelo Woloski, Magda Giannikou
VOXIFY: MAGOS HERRERA 10PM
Mike Moreno, Hans Glawishnig, Alex Kautz
Nicky Schrire, host
Wed, Oct 30 MUSETTE EXPLOSION 8:30PM
Will Holshouser, Matt Munisteri, Marcus Rojas
TNYCJR: So, this time around your group includes Pee
Wee Ellis, Alec Dankworth and, pardon me, I’m not
sure how to pronounce Abass Dodoo.
GB: No, I never knew him until I met him. It was on
the Zildjian Awards gig and then he tells me his uncle
was JC Commodore and I was very impressed. And he
plays like JC. There’s a whole family in Ghana, the
Tettey Addy family, they’re all drummers and they’re
all amazing drummers.
Alec is a really incredible bass player too and he
works with us naturally. It all clicks together really
well. Pee Wee’s got an incredible sense of humor,
musically, and we all do, in fact! We’re always making
each other laugh by what we play.
We’ve been getting an incredible reception,
everywhere, which is very rewarding. It makes it
worthwhile, it’s really nice.
TNYCJR: I know you’re doing tunes by Monk and
Wayne Shorter. How much of the music is original?
GB: Most of it. Most of the stuff is written by me, Pee
Wee. We do some of the Ron Miles stuff, but mostly
originals. But we don’t play “Footprints” like anybody,
or “St. Thomas”. It’s our own thing. The lineup is
unusual. It’s all a lot of fun.
TNYCJR: Freedom is the best place to be when you’re
performing.
GB: Obviously. We never play the same thing the same
way. Everything changes every night. It’s different
every night. Even the arrangements come out different
every night. Let’s just hope the United States
government will let me come.
TNYCJR: I understand you’ve met with the Embassy
to secure a visa for your scheduled trip to the States. Is
everything squared away?
GB: Well, I still don’t know. It looks promising at the
moment, but you never know.
TNYCJR: Is it the same reason you had trouble when
you left Colorado?
GB: I always have problems with the Immigration
Department because I got busted in 1970 and 1971 [for
drugs] and it doesn’t go away in the States. I have no
record in the UK at all because it was so long ago. I
mean, we’re talking about how long ago?
For more information, visit gingerbaker.com. Baker is at
Iridium Oct. 9th-13th. See Calendar.
• Graham Bond Organization - Wade in the Water:
Classics, Origins & Oddities (Repertoire, 1963-66)
• Cream - Those Were The Days
(Polydor-Polygram, 1966-68)
• Fela Kuti - Live! (with Ginger Baker & Africa ‘70)
(Signpost-Atlantic, 1971)
• Ginger Baker/Sonny Sharrock/Nicky Skopelitis/
Peter Brötzmann/Jan Kazda - No Material
(Ginger Baker Live Munich, Germany 1987)
(ITM/Voiceprint, 1987)
• Ginger Baker Trio - Going Back Home (Atlantic, 1994)
• Ginger Baker and the DJQ20 (with James Carter) Coward of the County (Atlantic, 1998)
(LABEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)
One of the at-the-time critically and commercially
unsuccessful projects of the label and perhaps the only
one where producers ruled over artists, was a multidisc recording of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess,
featuring Tormé and Frances Faye in the titular roles
and an allstar musical cast including Duke Ellington’s
Orchestra. It is slated to be reissued early next year by
Verse. Faye, along with Simone and Connor (who both
debuted as leaders on the label), were among a number
of important singers featured on Bethlehem, including
Johnny Hartman, Troup, Bobby Scott, Bob Dorough,
Peggy Connelly and the now obscure but well-worthremembering Helen Carr.
Dan Morgenstern, the now retired long-time
director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers,
fondly remembered some of the other albums from
Bethlehem, including “[alto saxophonist] Pete Brown’s
last good one, with lovely [trumpeter] Joe Wilder
partnering him; a couple of Oscar Pettiford’s, one also
with Joe, [trumpeter] Clark Terry and [clarinetist/
saxophonist] Jimmy Hamilton, the other with
[trumpeter] Donald Byrd and [alto saxophonist] Gigi
Gryce. There was one of my favorite [trumpeter] Jonah
Jones; that unique Mingus with Bill Evans: East
Coasting and [pianist] Herbie Nichols’ Love, Gloom,
Cash, Love.”
A schedule of rereleases is posted already through
July of next year, including 16 albums from such
diverse artists as Mal Waldron, Booker Little, Roland
Kirk, John Coltrane, an Art Blakey Big Band as well as
that forgotten Helen Carr gem, Down in the Depths of
the 90th Floor, and the aforementioned Porgy and Bess.
According to Stark, the plan is to release the
albums as they originally appeared, remastered but
not remixed, without extra tracks or the combining of
LPs on one CD: “We like the idea of releasing them
exactly how they were originally. There are over 200 in
the catalogue and some of the original tapes are
unfortunately not in good condition. I would
optimistically say that 75 percent of them will see the
light of day though.”
So fans of ‘50s jazz, as well as those who remember
those sturdy, laminated Bethlehem LPs with the vivid
cover art, have a lot to look forward to in the next
couple of years. v
For more information, visit bethlehemrecords.com. Artists
performing this month include George Wein at Allen Room
Oct. 3rd-4th.
JAZZ LEGENDS PERFORM NIGHTLY 8 – 11 PM
October 6-12
SIMONA PREMAZZI
Italian pianist, composer and
bandleader Simona Premazzi
has developed an impressive
body of work as a composer and
manager, leading her own
groups, and supporting
alternative musical projects.
October 20 & 27
JOHN DI MARTINO
John di Martino is a Grammy
nominated composer, and
pianist is based in New York
City. John Di Martino is the
favorite amongst of some of the
world’s finest singers, musicians
and producers
.
October 22-26
LUCIO FERRARA
One of the best jazz guitarists of
the Belpaese will delight the
audience with his swinging
soulful playing.
ITALIAN JAZZ DAYS
October 12, RICHIE VITALE-RALPH
LALAMA QUINTET FEATURING
GIOVANNI SCOTTA
October 13, SIMONA PREMAZZI
October 14, GIOVANNI SCOTTA TRIO
October 15-16, JEREMY MANASIA TRIO
October 17-18, EHUD ASHERIE TRIO
October 19, RICHIE VITALE
FRANK BASILE QUINTET
October 20, JOHN DI MARTINO
October 21, JOHN DI MARTINO TRIO
400 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 - 212.695.4005
Years ago, they pioneered the art of jazz /
But many signed unfair contracts and got taken
for everything they were worth / They are our
elderly jazz musicians / Today, many of them live
in shelters or are homeless because they can’t afford
to pay rent / We help these talented people find
affordable housing, and work to help pay for it /
But we need you to help us do it / After all they’ve
Photography donated by Brian Wilder. Musician photos: © photography by Bradley Smith.
October 1-5, 7-11, 28-31
ANTONIO CIACCA
Antonio Ciacca continues his
exciting residency with Measure
Lounge at Langham Place, Fifth
Avenue. We have
a tremendous line-up of artists
booked every night.
given us, it’s time to give them something back:
their dignity / To learn more or to make a donation,
call 1-800-JFA-JAMS or visit www.jazzfoundation.org
CALENDAR
Tuesday, October 1
êFestival of New Trumpet Music (FONT): Marcus Belgrave Quartet with Geri Allen,
Marion Hayden, Kassa Overall Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20
êMichele Rosewoman New Yor-Uba 30th Anniversary with Antonio Hart, Billy Harper,
Freddie Hendrix, Vincent Gardner, Howard Johnson, Gregg August, Adam Cruz,
Abi Holliday, Roman Diaz, Abraham Rodriguez
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35
êOliver Lake String Ensemble with guest Vijay Iyer
Roulette 8 pm $20
êLou Donaldson Quartet with Akiko Tsuruga, Randy Johnston, Fukushi Tainaka
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30
êPeter Bernstein Trio with Doug Weiss, Bill Stewart
Iridium 8, 10 pm $25
• Ravi Coltrane Quartet with David Virelles, Dezron Douglas, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8:30, 10:30 pm $25
• Regina Carter’s Reverse Thread Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• Henry Grimes/Andrew Cyrille Zürcher Studio 7 pm $15
• Mare Undarum: Elliott Sharp and Sirius Quartet: Fung Chern Hwei, Gregor Huebner,
Ron Lawrence, Jeremy Harman; Elliott Sharp solo
The Stone 8, 10 pm $20
• Celebrating Cedar Walton: David Williams, Willie Jones III, Javon Jackson and guests
54 Below 7 Pm $25-35
• Jack Jeffers and the New York Classics
Zinc Bar 8, 10 pm
• David Chamberlain’s Band of Bones with guest Hendrik Meurkens
NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15
• Loren Stillman Trio with Gary Versace, Jared Schonig
Bar Next Door 8:30, 10:30 pm $12
• Noah Preminger with Ben Monder, Ed Howard, Rob Garcia
La Villette 8 pm
• Spike Wilner Trio with Paul Gill, Yotam Silberstein; Smalls Legacy Band: Frank Lacy,
Stacy Dillard, Josh Evans, Theo Hill, Rashaan Carter, Kush Abadey;
Kyle Poole and Friends
Smalls 7:30, 10 pm 12:30 am $20
• Steve Ash Trio; CocoMama Salsa Y Son; Greg Glassman Jam
Fat Cat 7, 9 pm 12:30 am
• Scot Albertson Quartet with Billy Test, Sean Conly, Vince Cherico;
Scot Albertson Quintet with Billy Test, Vince Cherico, Ron Jackson, Mayu Saeiki
Symphony Space Leonard Nimoy Thalia 8 pm $23
• ELEW
SubCulture 7:30 pm $20-25
• Leni Stern with Mamadou Ba, Yacouba Sissoko, Makan Kouyate
Barbès 7 pm $10
• The Zodiac Ensemble: Aaron Kruziki, Mike Bjella, Glenn Zaleski, Karl Mccomas-Reichl,
Colin Stranahan
Korzo 9 pm
• Steven Weintraub with the Jake Shulman-Ment Band
Stephen Wise Free Synagogue 7:30 pm $15
• Benjamin Scheuer; Alan Schmuckler
Cornelia Street Café 8:30, 10 pm $10
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
• Haruka Yabuno solo
Jazz at Kitano 8 pm
• Yoo Sun Nam Group with Jeff Dingler, Mareike Wiening, Keisuke Matuno;
Jocelyn Shannon Band with Mark Cohn, Greg Zwiebel, Freddie Macarone
Somethin’ Jazz Club 7, 9 pm $12
• Jake Kenowitz
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Yvonnick Prene Quartet; Dmitri Baevsky Trio
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Audubon Experimental Lab Jazz; Alex Hoffman Group
Silvana 6, 8 pm
• Steve Coleman Workshop
SEEDS 1 pm
Wednesday, October 2
êA Tribute to Mulgrew Miller: Donald Brown, Steve Nelson, Steve Wilson and the
Juilliard Jazz Artist Diploma Ensemble
Paul Hall 8 pm
• Freddie Redd Shades of Redd with Brad Linde, Stacy Dillard, Alex Claffy, Uri Zelig
• Jenny Lin plays Elliott Sharp; Nels Cline/Elliott Sharp
êSean Conly’s True North with Kris Davis, Tom Rainey
Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10
êLuis Perdomo Group with Mark Shim, Boris Kozlov, Ignacio Berroa;
Wayne Tucker Group with Cyrille Aimee, Roy Assaf, Tamir Shmerling, Kenneth Salters
Smalls 9:30 pm 12 am $20
êLauren Sevian Quartet with Helen Sung, Marcos Varela, Cory Cox
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• Michael Lytle, Denman Maroney, Robert Dick, Kyoko Kitamura
Spectrum 8, 9:30 pm
• Ben van Gelder Quartet with Ambrose Akinmusire, Joe Sanders, Craig Weinrib
ShapeShifter Lab 7, 8:15 pm
• Vivian Saunders Quartet with Oscar Perez, Michael Blanco, Billy Kilson
Jazz at Kitano 8 pm $10
• Queens Jazz OverGround Jazz Jam with guests Jason Kao Hwang, Ken Filiano,
Andrew Drury
Flushing Town Hall 7 pm $10
• Cynthia Soriano Quartet with Johnny O’Neal, Gerald Cannon, Charles Goold An Beal Bocht Café 8, 9:30 pm $15
• Jacque Demierre/Andrea Parkins; Dan Blake, Mary Halvorson, Sam Pluta
SEEDS 8:30, 10 pm
• The Hot Sardines
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $15
• Groover Trio; Ned Goold Jam Fat Cat 9 pm 12:30 am
• Perpendicular Parallel: Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic, Jeremy Viner, Alex Ritz,
Travis Reuter
Bar Chord 9 pm
• Robert Silverman with Doc Halliday, Andy Bassford, Scott Hamilton
Sugar Bar 8 pm
• Lisa DeSpain Quartet with Tom Dempsey, Mary Ann McSweeny, Scott Neumann;
Tim Lancaster Group
• Shu Odamura
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Marc Devine Trio; Jason Ennis TrioThe Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Antonello Parisi Group
Silvana 8 pm
êFestival of New Trumpet Music (FONT): Marcus Belgrave Quartet with Geri Allen,
Marion Hayden, Kassa Overall Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
• Sunfree
Shrine 6 pm
• Charles Cochran/Saadi Zain
Saint Peter’s 1 pm $10
Thursday, October 3
êGeorge Wein - The Life of a Legend with Howard Alden, Randy Brecker, Anat Cohen,
Lewis Nash, Lew Tabackin, Peter Washington
Allen Room 7 pm $65
êCelebrating Blakey: Brian Lynch, Donald Harrison, Billy Pierce, Donald Brown,
Reggie Workman, Ralph PetersonJazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êThe Claudia Quintet: John Hollenbeck, Chris Speed, Matt Moran, Red Wierenga,
Drew Gress; Slavic Soul Party Le Poisson Rouge 7 pm $15
• Theo Bleckmann with Rob Schwimmer, JACK Quartet
Neue Galerie 9 pm $110
êAdam Rudolph’s Go: Organic Orchestra with Sylvain Leroux, Michel Gentile,
Zé Luis Oliveira, Kaoru Watanabe, Batya Sobel, Sara Schoenbeck, Ned Rothenberg,
Avram Fefer, Ivan Barenboim, Sean Sonderegger, Stephen Haynes, Graham Haynes,
Peter Zummo, Jason Kao Hwang, Elektra Kurtis, Midori Yamamoto, Sana Nagano,
Julianne Carney, Rosemarie Hertlein, Curtis Stewart, Skye Steele, Mark Chung,
Gwen Laster, Alva Anderson, Marika Hughes, Emma Albaster, Brahim Fribgane,
James Hurt, Matt Kilmer, Tim Kieper, Keita Ogawa, Joe Hertenstein, Alex Marcelo,
Kenny Wessel, Marco Cappelli, Jerome Harris, Damon Banks
Roulette 8 pm $20
• HER (In Honor Of): Kim Thompson, Mimi Jones, Sarah Elizabeth Charles,
Brandee Younger, Courtney BryanDizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êIssue Project Room 10th Anniversary: Oren Ambarchi; Okkyung Lee/Michelle Boulé
Issue Project Room 8 pm $20
êMichaël Attias
The Firehouse Space 8 pm $10
• Mike Rood Trio with Rick Rosato, Rogério Boccato
• David Schnitter Quartet; Saul Rubin Zebtet
Fat Cat 7, 10 pm
• Bootstrappers: Melvin Gibbs, Anton Fier, Elliott Sharp; All-Guitar SyndaKit:
Angela Babin, Cristian Amigo, Debra Devi, James Ilgenfritz, Zach Layton, Ben Tyree,
Marco Cappelli, Zachary Pruitt, David Grubbs, On Ka’a Davis, Marc Sloan
êJesse Stacken Quartet with Tony Malaby, Sean Conly, Tom Rainey;
40Twenty: Vinnie Sperrazza, Jacob Sacks, Jacob Garchik, Dave Ambrosio
Ibeam Brooklyn 8:30, 10 pm $10
• Matt Munisteri with Matt Ray, Danton Boller
• Bobby Avey with Ben Monder, Thomson Kneeland, Jordan Perlson
The Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15
êMelissa Aldana Quartet with Glenn Zaleski, Pablo Menares, Francisco Mela
• Gregorio Uribe Big Band; Roman Diaz Ensemble
Zinc Bar 9:30, 11 pm 12 am
• Gingerbread: Carol Morgan, Brad Linde, Corin Stiggall
Ibeam Brooklyn 8:30 pm $10
• Jean Chardavoine Sextet Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch 7 pm
• Alex Weiss Fighter Planes and Praying Mantis with Rick Parker, Eyal Maoz,
Dmitry Ishenko, Yoni Halevy; ICONOCLAST: Julie Joslyn/Leo Ciesa;
William Hooker Ensemble with Larry Roland, Bruce Eisenbiel, Andrew Lamb;
Daniel Koren solo
ShapeShifter Lab 7, 8:15, 9:30, 10:30 pm $10
• Amy Cervini and Jazz Country with Jesse Lewis, Matt Aronoff
55Bar 7 pm
• Sean Clapis Band with Nick Roseboro, Tim Norton, Jay Sawyer; Satsuki Iida and
Takana Miyamoto Trio with Marco Panascia, Alvin Atkinson
Somethin’ Jazz Club 7, 9 pm $10-15
• Bonchi Asamu Band
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Kuni Mikami Trio
Cleopatra’s Needle 7 pm
• Champian Fulton Quartet; Nobuki Takamen Trio
• Patricia Wichmann Quartet
Shrine 7 pm
êLuis Perdomo Quartet with Mark Shim, Boris Kozlov, Ignacio Berroa
Smalls 9:30 pm $20
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
Friday, October 4
êMcCoy Tyner Quintet with Gary Bartz, John Blake Jr., Gerald Cannon, Francisco Mela
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
êZorn@60: John Zorn/Ryuichi Sakamoto
Japan Society 7:30, 9:30 pm $36
êIssue Project Room 10th Anniversary: Ken Vandermark/Nate Wooley;
Jacques Demierre/Vincent Barras Issue Project Room 8 pm $15
• Ceramic Dog: Marc Ribot, Shahzad Ismaily, Ches Smith
Union Pool 9 pm $12
êOrrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band with Josh Lawrence, Thomas Marriott,
Tanya Darby, Stafford Hunter, David Gibson, Brent Hunter, Todd Bashore, Tim Green,
Troy Roberts, Marcus Strickland, Mark Allen, Luques Curtis, Nasheet Waits
êJimmy Greene Quartet with Renee Rosnes, John Patitucci, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
êTony Malaby, Angelica Sanchez, Tom Rainey
Greenwich House Music School 8 pm $15
êGiacomo Gates and Trio with John di Martino, Ed Howard, Tommy Campbell
• Lonnie Youngblood Quartet
Jazz 966 8:15, 10:15 pm $20
• Mike Moreno
• NYJazz 9: John Eckert, David Smith, Jeff Brillinger, Yasushi Nakamura, Bobby Porcelli, Joe McDonough, Terry Goss, Tim Harrison, Noah Bless; Behn Gillece Quartet with
David Hazeltine, Gerald Cannon, Willie Jones III
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
êFFEAR: Ole Mathisen, Chris Washburne, Michael Bates, Tony Moreno
Rubin Museum 7 pm $20
• Adam Larson Quintet with Nils Weinhold, Fabian Almazan, Desmond White,
Mark Whitfield, Jr.; Colin Stranahan, Glenn Zaleski, Rick Rosato; Rob Garcia 4 with
Noah Preminger, Dan Tepfer, Joe Martin
ShapeShifter Lab 7, 8:15, 9:30 pm $10
• Manuel Valera New Cuban Express with Tom Guarna, John Benitez, Will Vinson,
Ludwig Afonso, Mauricio Herrera Flushing Town Hall 7:30 pm
• JACK QUARTET plays Elliott Sharp; Aggregat Trio: Brad Jones, Don McKenzie,
Elliott Sharp
• Richard Boukas Trio with Gustavo Amarante, Mauricio Zottarelli Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Dida Pelled Quartet; Jared Gold/Dave Gibson
Fat Cat 6, 10:30 pm
• Jeff Newell Quartet with Randy Ingram, Peter Brendler, Brian Woodruff
St. Mary’s Church 8:30 pm $25
• Cinema Varitek: Matthew Silberman, JP Schlegelmilch, Danny Fox, Eivind Opsvik,
Bill Campbell
Turtle Bay Music School 7 pm
• Janusz Prusinowski Trio
Drom 7:15 pm $20
• Ronny Whyte
Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5
• Perry Beekman with Peter Tomlinson, Lou Pappas
Metropolitan Room 9:30 pm $20
• Bob Arthurs; Terry Vakirtzoglou Trio with Glafkos Kontemeniotis, George Kostopoulos;
Martin Terens Group with Leo Sherman, Goh Izawa
Somethin’ Jazz Club 7, 9, 11 pm $12
• Nagi Okamoto Trio
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Masami Ishikawa Trio
• Guy Mintus Trio; Jason Prover Sneak Thievery Orchestra
The Garage 6:15, 10:45 pm
êGeorge Wein - The Life of a Legend with Howard Alden, Randy Brecker, Anat Cohen,
Lewis Nash, Lew Tabackin, Peter Washington
Allen Room 7 pm $65
Reggie Workman, Ralph PetersonJazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
AN OCTOBER JAZZ
REVOLUTION:
John Pietaro / Ras Moshe /
Rocco John Iacovone /
Nicolas Letman Burtinovic
Jorge Sylvester / Nora McCarthy
SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 6PM
CORNELIA STREET CAFÉ
KARIN
KROG
KARIN KROG
&
MORTEN
GUNNAR LARSEN
KARIN KROG
STEVE KUHN
STEVE SWALLOW
JON CHRISTENSEN
IN A RAG BAG
(MEANTIME
RECORDS)
WE COULD BE FLYING
(MEANTIME
RECORDS)
“A great partnership between
singer and pianist… Karin’s
singing embraces almost every
style of jazz and popular song from
the days of Irving Berlin to
today’s avant garde”
(from liner notes)
Krog is on sparkling form
throughout this classic
production and is accompanied here
by an energetic and creative rhythm
section which sounds as contemporary today as it did
in the mid-’70s.
AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY, AMAZON.COM,
MUSIKKOPERATORENE.NO
KARINKROG.NO
Saturday, October 5
êSun Ra Turns 100: Sun Ra Arkestra led by Marshall Allen with Knoel Scott,
James Stuart, Danny Ray Thompson, Fred Adams, Cecil Brooks, Dave Davis,
Farid Barron, Dave Hotep, Tyler Mitchell, Craig Haynes, Elson Nascimento,
Tara Middleton
Allen Room 7, 9:30 pm $45-75
• Orchestra Carbon: Danny Tunick, Jenny Lin, Kevin Ray, Reuben Radding,
Judith Insell, Rachel Golub, Darius Jones, Jessica Pavone, Curtis Fowlkes,
Terry Greene
êMatana Roberts COIN COIN Chapter 2 with Shoko Nagai, Jason Palmer,
Thomson Kneeland, Jeremiah Abiah and guest Mike Pride
êValerie Capers Trio with John Robinson, Doug Richardson
• Willie Williams
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $20
êJason Rigby Quartet with Russ Lossing, Cameron Brown, Tom Rainey
Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $15
• Herb Robertson, Ben Gerstein, Gibran Andrade
êFrank Carlberg Quintet with John O’Gallagher, Christine Correa, John Hébert,
Michael Sarin
• Ben Wolfe Quartet with Josh Evans, Stacy Dillard, Donald Edwards
• Steve Blum Trio; Raphael D’lugoff Quintet
Fat Cat 7, 10 pm
• Sean Smith Trio with Nate Radley, Russell Meissner
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Swingadelic
Swing 46 8:30 pm
• Fima Chupakhin Trio with Spencer Brown, Theo Lebeaux; John Allen Watts Trio with
Eduardo Belo, Luiz Ebert; Hiroko Kanna Quartet with Nori Ochiai, David Williams;
Brett Sandler Trio with Peter Longofono, Adam Pin
Somethin’ Jazz Club 5, 7, 9, 11 pm $10-12
• Allegra Levy
Tomi Jazz 8 pm $10
• Marco Di Gennaro Trio Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
êJimmy Greene Quartet with Renee Rosnes, John Patitucci, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
êScott Neumann Trio with Michael Blake, Mark Helias; Behn Gillece Quartet with
David Hazeltine, Gerald Cannon, Willie Jones III
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
• Ronny Whyte
Reggie Workman, Ralph PetersonJazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
• Yougmun Lee
Shrine 6 pm
• Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band with Yeissonn Villamar, Ole Mathisen,
Cristian Rivera, Vince Cherico, Leo Traversa, John Walsh, Chris Washburne,
Herman Olivera
Brooklyn Museum of Art 5 pm
• Pueblo Harlem: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Harlem School of the Arts 12 pm
• Daniela Schaechter Trio; JC Styles; Peter Valera Jump Blues Band
The Garage 12, 6:15, 10:45 pm
Sunday, October 6
êElliott Sharp solo
êTyshawn Sorey Quartet with Angelica Sanchez, Jeremy Viner, Ben Gerstein
• Abigail Riccards/Michael Kanan The Drawing Room 7 pm $20
• The Norville Trio Music of Red Norvo: Tom Beckham, John Merrill, Sean Cronin;
Vanessa Perea/Emmet Cohen; Johnny O’Neal; Ned Goold Trio
Smalls 4:30, 7:30, 10 pm 12 am $20
• Ehud Asherie; Fat Cat Big Band; Brandon Lewis/Renee Cruz Jam
Fat Cat 6, 8:30 pm 12:30 am
• Tim Miller Trio with Joshua Davis, Marko Djordjevic; Joshua Davis Love Salad with
Thana Alexa, Nicole Zuraitis, Tammy Scheffer Ronen Itzik;
The Coastal Suite: Alan Blackman, Donny McCaslin, Rogério Boccato, Max Murray,
Frank Russo
êJamie Baum/Sheryl Bailey
Eats Restaurant 7 pm
• Eleonor Sadresky/Kevin Norton Spectrum 7 pm
êPeter Leitch/Harvie S
Walker’s 8 pm
• Stanley Zappa/Steven Leffue
JACK 8 pm $10
• Cheryl Pyle/Claire de Brunner; Dan Lehner’s Memory Field with Nathan Hook,
Sammy Weissberg, Dan Kurfirst ABC No-Rio 7 pm $5
• Broc Hempel, Sam Trapchak, Christian Coleman with guest Dave Scott
Dominie’s Astoria 9 pm
• Simona Premazzi
Measure 8 pm
• Swingadelic
Swing 46 8:30 pm
• Lyric Fury with Cynthia Hilts, Jack Walrath, Lily White, Lisa Parrott, Deborah Weisz,
Ratzo Harris, Scott Neumann; Yongseok Lee Group with Myungwon Kim, Inyoung Kim,
SeongKu Lee
• Shrine Big Band
Shrine 8 pm
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Reggie Workman, Ralph PetersonJazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
• Brian Prunka’s Nashaz with Kenny Warren, Nathan Herrara, Vin Scalia;
Trismegistus: Joe Moffett, Ben Gerstein, Sean Ali, Devin Gray
Downtown Music Gallery 6, 7 pm
• C. Spencer Yeh solo
61 Local 6 pm $10
• Elise Wood/Larry Corban
Silvana 6 pm
• Ike Sturm and Evergreen
Saint Peter’s 5 pm
• Ben Monder solo
Barbès 5 pm $10
• Brandon Sanders Quintet with Jeremy Pelt
Abyssinian Baptist Church 4 pm $20
êJason Hwang and Burning Bridge Ensemble with Andrew Drury, Ken Filiano,
Stephen Haynes, Wang Guowei, Sun Li, Steve Swell, Joe Daley
• David Krakauer’s Acoustic Klezmer Quartet with Will Holshouser, Nicki Parrott,
Michael Sarin
John Jay College 3 pm
• Allen Toussaint
Joe’s Pub 12 pm $30
• Combo Nuvo: David Schroeder, Rich Shemaria, Lenny Pickett, Brad Shepik,
Mike Richmond, John Hafield
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $29.50
êHill Greene solo; Pascal Niggenkemper/Tatsuya Nakatani; Shayna Dulberger,
Ras Moshe, Bill Cole
6BC Garden 2 pm
• Marilyn Kleinberg Quartet with Pasquale Grasso, George Delancey
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Dave Kain Group; David Coss Quartet; Afro Mantra
The Garage 11:30 am 6:30, 11 pm
Monday, October 7
• Hugh McCracken Memorial
Saint Peter’s 7:30 pm
• The Whitfield Family Band: Mark Whitfield Sr., Mark Whitfield Jr., Davis Whitfield,
James Genus
êMingus Dynasty
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
êPeter Bernstein solo; Joe Martin Quartet with Bill McHenry, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits;
Spencer Murphy
Smalls 7:30, 9:30 pm 12 am $20
• Marti Mabin Quintet; Billy Kaye Jam
Fat Cat 9 pm 12:30 am
• Kavita Shah’s Visions with Yacouba Sissoko, Stephen Cellucci, Guy Mintus,
Michael Valeanu, Sam Anning, Guilhem Flouzat; Oded Tzur Quartet with Shai Maestro,
Petros Klampanis, Ziv Ravitz
ShapeShifter Lab 8:15, 9:30 pm $10-12
• Brian Questa Trio with Tony Malaby, Mary Halvorson
Spectrum 9 pm
• Marianne Solivan Trio with Steve Wilson, Gene Bertoncini
• Tuija Komi; Jay Rodriguez/Victor Jones In The Spirit of Gil
Zinc Bar 7, 9, 11 pm
• Tom Dempsey
• Simona Premazzi; Antonio CiaccaMeasure 8 pm
• Nate Hook’s Mobiustrip with Travis Reuter, Billy Test, Carlo De Rosa, Paolo Cantarella;
Composers and Free Improvisation Jam Workshop with AmmoCake: Dorian Wallace,
Carl Limbacher, Max Maple
• CialtronTrio
Le Cirque Café 8 pm
• Kristen Lee Sergeant
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra; Michika Fukumori Trio
• Johnny Butler Duo
Shrine 9 pm
• Daniel Bagutti Band; Walter Harris Quintet
Silvana 6, 10 pm
Tuesday, October 8
êTom Harrell Quintet with Wayne Escoffery, Danny Grissett, Ugonna Okegwo,
Justin Brown
êBen Allison/Steve Cardenas Duo Baruch Performing Arts Center 7 pm $12-25
• Pedrito Martinez Group and guests
City Winery 8 pm $18-22
• Refugee Songs: William Parker, Roy Campbell, Kris Davis;
Painters Autumn: William Parker, Daniel Carter, Cooper-Moore, Hamid Drake
• Stanley Clarke and the Harlem Quartet with Ilmar Gavilán, Melissa White,
Juan-Miguel Hernandez
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
• Karrin Allyson
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• Trumpet Summit: Greg Gisbert, Brandon Lee, Bruce Harris, Michael Weiss, Russell Hall,
Peter Van Nostrand
• New Dimensions in Latin Jazz: Emilio Valdes with John Roggie, Byron Moore and
guest Mark Whitfield
• Santi Debriano Group
• Sharel Cassity with Cyrus Chestnut, Dezron Douglas, Freddie Hendrix, EJ Strickland
54 Below 7 pm $25-35
êRobin Verheyen Trio with Todd Neufeld, Flin Van Hemmen; Ches Smith Trio with
Jonathan Finlayson, Stephan Crump
Korzo 9, 10:30 pm
• Chris Corsano; Michael Foster, Kid Millions, Steve Swell
JACK 8 pm $10
• Noah Preminger with Nir Felder, Joe Martin, Rob Garcia
La Villette 8 pm
• Stan Killian Quartet with Chris Dingman, Bryan Copeland, Colin Stranahan
55Bar 7 pm
• Jacam Manricks Trio with Gianluca Rienzi, Ross Pederson
• Spike Wilner Trio with Yotam Silberstein, Paul Gill; Josh Evans Big Band with
Lauren Sevian, Frank Lacy, David Gibson, Max Seigel, Stafford Hunter, Theo Hill,
Eric Wheeler, Carlos Abadie, Seneca Black, Duane Eubanks, Vitaly Golovnev,
Yunie Mojica, Bruce Williams, Bill McHenry, Stacy Dillard; Kyle Poole and Friends
Smalls 7:30, 10 pm 12:30 am $20
• Saul Rubin; Peter Brainin Latin Jazz Workshop; Greg Glassman Jam
• Juilliard Jazz Orchestra plays Thad Jones
Juilliard School Peter Jay Sharp Theater 8 pm
• Matt Garrison
ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm $10
• Jason Vieaux/Julien Labro
• Ezekiel’s Wheels
Jazz at Kitano 8 pm
• Liz Wagener; MCL Quartet: Christian Moran, Andrew Halchak, Yoshiki Yamada
• Julio Botti
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Rob Edwards Quartet; Adam Larson Trio
• Wayne Tucker Quartet
Silvana 8 pm
• Noah Jackson and Full Circle with Jason Marshall, Robert Stringer, Josh Evans,
Willerm Delisfort, Kyle Poole
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• Gibran Andrade with Jonathan Moritz, Kris Davis, Ben Gerstein
Barbès 8 pm $10
• Perpendicular Triangle: Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic, Travis Reuter, Danny Sher
Bar Chord 9 pm
• Scot Albertson/Daryl Kojak
Klavierhaus 8 pm
• The Stachel Quintet: Karen Stachel, Norbert Stachel, Bob Quaranta,
Francesco Beccaro, Daniel Gonzalez; IN: Tim Armacost, Harvie S, Christian Finger
• Pier Luigi Salami
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Stafford Hunter Quartet; Mayu Saeki Trio
• Victor Baker Band
Silvana 9 pm
Justin Brown
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
• Karrin Allyson
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• Kuni Mikami and Hamp’s Boogie Band with Michael Hashim, Clarence Banks,
Christian Fabian, David F. Gibson Saint Peter’s 1 pm $10
Billy Lester
is accepting new jazz piano students,
offering an original approach to jazz
creativity, technique, theory and ear
training to students of all levels.
Re: Storytime - Billy’s solo piano CD:
“Connoisseur jazz...at an ever higher level
of daring and mastery.”
-Howard Mandel, President,
Jazz Journalists Association
“You won’t get any better than this.”
-Rotcod Zzaj, rotcodzzaj.com
“Solo jazz piano at its best”
- Scott Albin, Jazz Times
www.billylester.com
studio in Yonkers, NY
êGinger Baker’s Jazz Confusion with Pee Wee Ellis, Alec Dankworth, Abass Dodoo
Iridium 8, 10 pm $50-60
êKenny Barron Platinum Band with Marcus Strickland, Miles Okazaki, Kiyoshi Kitagawa,
Lee Pearson
• Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with guest Brad Mehldau
Stern Auditorium 8 pm $29-110
êEthan Iverson, Oliver Lake, Sam Newsome, Andrew Cyrille; Ed Cherry Trio with
Corcoran Holt, Chris Beck
• Raphael D’lugoff; Harold Mabern Trio; Ned Goold Jam
êTheatre of Lanterns: Rob Brown, Greg Ward, Lewis Barnes, Steve Swell,
Cooper-Moore, William Parker, Hamid Drake; William Parker solo
êValery Ponomarev Our Father Who Art Blakey Big Band
Zinc Bar 8 pm
• Matt Savage Quartet with Donny McCaslin, Hoo Kim, Peter Retzlaff
• Mary LaRose Reincarnation with Jeff Lederer, Chris Lightcap, Matt Wilson;
Swing n’ Dix: Jeff Lederer, Bob Stewart, Curtis Hasselbring, Matt Wilson;
Jamie Reynolds Trio + 2 with Billy Drewes, Shane Endsley, Gary Wang, Mark Ferber
• Gesine Heinrich/Cameron Brown Jazz at Kitano 8 pm $10
43
Queens Jazz
Overground
&
SingleCut Beersmiths
Fall Jazz Festival
Friday, October 18th
7PM Amanda Monaco’s Kiss the Leslie
Amanda Monaco, guitar
Brian Charette, Organ
George Schuller, drums
8:30PM The OKB Trio
Oscar Perez, piano
Kuriko Tsugawa, bass
Brian Woodruff, drums
10PM Mostly Other People Do the Killing
Ron Stabinsky, piano
Moppa Elliott, bass
Kevin Shea, drums
Saturday, October 19th
3:30PM Mark Wade Trio
Tim Harrison, piano
Mark Wade, bass,
Scott Neumann, drums
5PM Dom’s Trio
Broc Hempel, piano
Sam Trapchak, bass
Christian Coleman, drums
6:30PM Josh Deutsch Quintet
Josh Deutsch, trumpet
Dylan Heaney, tenor saxophone
Danny Fox, piano
Peter Brendler, bass
Shawn Baltazor, drums
8PM Hashem Assadullahi’s Safety Buffalo
Hashem Assadullahi, alto sax
Alan Ferber, trombone
Leonard Thompson, piano
Justin Morell, guitar
Peter Brendler, bass
Caleb Dolister, drums
SingleCut Beersmiths
19-33 37th St, Astoria, NY 11105
Phone: (718) 606-0788
queensjazz.org
singlecutbeer.com
êIn Order to Survive: Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes, Cooper-Moore, William Parker,
Hamid Drake; Raining on the Moon: William Parker, Leena Conquest, Rob Brown,
Lewis Barnes, Eri Yamamoto, Hamid Drake
êJudi Silvano Quintet Tribute to Thelonious Monk with Bill McHenry, Frank Kimbrough,
Ratzo Harris, Steve Williams
• Tierney Sutton’s The Joni Mitchell Project with Mitch Forman, Kevin Ax, Peter Erskine
• Jason Lindner Quartet; Greg Glassman Quintet
Fat Cat 7, 10 pm
êIssue Project Room 10th Anniversary: Yasunao Tone; Talibam!: Matt Mottel/Kevin Shea
Issue Project Room 8 pm $15
• Karl Berger Improvisers Orchestra; Uri Gurvich and BabEl with Leo Genovese,
Peter Slavov, Ronen Itzik; Tammy Scheffer Sextet with John O’Gallagher, Dan Pratt,
Chris Ziemba, Daniel Foose, Ronen Itzik
ShapeShifter Lab 8, 9, 10 pm $10
• Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra The Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $20
• Dana Lyn’s Aqualude with Mike McGinnis, Clara Kennedy, Jonathan Goldberger,
Vinnie Sperrazza
• Sharel Cassity Trio with Russell Hall, EJ Strickland
• Orion Lion Chile Jazz Quartet with Alekos Vuskovic, Orlando Araya,
Guillermo Nojechowicz
Somethin’ Jazz Club 9 pm $12
• Senri Oe
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Steve Elmer Trio
• Joe Pino Quartet; Adam Rongo Trio
• Sunfree; The Red Sahara Collective
Shrine 6, 8 pm
Iridium 8, 10 pm $50-60
Lee Pearson
êEthan Iverson, Oliver Lake, Sam Newsome, Andrew Cyrille
Smalls 9:30 pm $20
Justin Brown
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
• Karrin Allyson
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
êMonk at 96: Mala Waldron; Helen Sung; Benito Gonzalez
Winter Garden 12 pm
Friday, October 11
êNEA Jazz Masters Jazz Casserole: Jimmy Heath, Barry Harris, Jimmy Owens,
Christian McBride, Russell Malone, Albert “Tootie” Heath
êThe Sweet Science Suite - A Scientific Soul Music Honoring of Muhammad Ali:
Fred Ho Green Monster Big Band BAM Harvey Theater 7:30 pm $20
• Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club: Omara Portuondo, Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal,
Barbarito Torres, Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, Carlos Calunga, Rolando Luna; Roberto Fonseca
Rose Hall 8 pm $30-120
êThelonious Monk Birthday Celebration: Orrin Evans Quintet with Eddie Henderson,
Tim Warfield, Ben Wolfe, Donald Edwards
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
êO’Neal’s Porch Quartet: William Parker, Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes, Hamid Drake
• Steve Ash Trio with Chris Haney, Peter Van Nostrand; Mark Gross Quintet with
Freddie Hendrix, Benito Gonzalez, John Lee, Tommy Campbell
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
• Katie Cosco Quartet; Cecil Brooks III
Fat Cat 6, 10:30 pm
• JC Sanford 4 with Mike Baggetta, Kermit Driscoll, George Schuller;
Sonar: Stephan Thelen, Bernhard Wagner, Christian Kuntner, Manuel Pasquinelli;
Zevious: Mike Eber, Johnny Deblase, Jeff Eber
ShapeShifter Lab 7, 8:15, 9:30 pm $8-10
• Michael Wolff Trio
• Amanda Baisinger with Ben Monder, Pete Rende, Adam Chilenski, Dan Rieser
• ANOMONOUS: Josh Sinton, Denman Maroney, Ben Miller
• Peter Brendler/Jorge Roeder Duo; Peter Brendler Quartet with Rich Perry, Dave Smith,
Vinnie Sperrazza
Douglass Street Music Collective 8 pm $10
êJonah Parzen-Johnson solo; Twins of El Dorado: Kristin Slipp/Joe Moffett;
Girls and God
Spectrum 7 pm
• Joyce Breach Quartet with Mike Renzi, Warren Vaché, Neal Miner
• Steve Cromity Quartet; Vinnie Knight and Quartet
Jazz 966 8:15, 10:15 pm $20
• Tom Dempsey’s Saucy with Ron Oswanski, Alvin Atkinson
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Emi Maka Band with Victor Goncalves, Wallace Stelzer, Diego Maldonado
• Gisle Torvik Trio; Somethin’ Vocal with Matt Baker Trio
• Yukari Watanabe Duo
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Jun Miyake Quartet
• Doug McDonald Trio; Hot House The Garage 6:15, 10:45 pm
• Reza Khan and Painted Diaries Shrine 8 pm
• Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra The Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $20
Iridium 8, 10 pm $50-60
Lee Pearson
Justin Brown
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
• Camila Meza
Blue Note 12:30 am $10
• Karrin Allyson
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
Saturday, October 12
êHamiet Bluiett
Ginny’s Supper Club 7:30 pm $15
• Jon Batiste and Stay Human with Eddie Barbash, Ibanda Ruhumbika, Joe Saylor,
Barry Stephenson, Jamison RossZankel Hall 9 pm $43-50
êJoe Fiedler’s Big Sackbut with Ryan Keberle, Luis Bonilla, Marcus Rojas
• William Parker Quartet with Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes, Hamid Drake and guest
David Budbill; In Remembrance of Kathleen Wilkins: William Parker, Patricia Nicholson,
Hamid Drake
êMark Helias/Mike Formanek
êRez Abbasi Quartet with Mark Shim, Brad Jones, Gene Lake
• Anat Cohen Quartet with Jason Lindner, Joe Martin, Daniel Freedman
Miller Theater 8 pm $25-35
• Italian Jazz Days: Richie Vitale-Ralph Lalama Quintet with Giovanni Scotta;
Simona Premazzi
Measure 8 pm
• Organ Monk with guest Rome Neal
• Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch with Eric Lemon BSJ Ensemble
Sankofa Aban Bed & Breakfast 8 pm $30
• Vanderlei Pereira’s Blindfold Test; Duane Eubanks Quintet
Fat Cat 7, 10 pm
• Peter and Will Anderson Quintet with Ehud Asherie, Dave Barron, Luc Decker
• Kenny Wessel/Andrea Veneziani Silvana 8 pm
• Carlo Costa Quartet with Jonathan Moritz, Steve Swell, Sean Ali
• Yosi Levy Trio with Itai Kriss, Gilad Dobrecky
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Samantha Carlson
• Jake Fryer/Rodney Mendoza; Hiromi Kasuga Quartet;
Nick Brust/Adam Horowitz Quintet with Matthew Sheens, James Quinlan, Dani Danor;
Orion Lion/Andre Valenzuela
• Kathryn Allen
Tomi Jazz 7 pm $10
• Darrell Smith Trio
êThe Sweet Science Suite - A Scientific Soul Music Honoring of Muhammad Ali:
Fred Ho Green Monster Big Band BAM Harvey Theater 7:30 pm $20
• Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club: Omara Portuondo, Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal,
Barbarito Torres, Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, Carlos Calunga, Rolando Luna;
Roberto Fonseca
êThelonious Monk Birthday Celebration: Orrin Evans Quintet with Eddie Henderson,
Tim Warfield, Ben Wolfe, Donald Edwards
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
• Zaid Nasser with Chris Byars, Ari Roland, Keith Balla; Mark Gross Quintet with
Ravi Best, Benito Gonzalez, John Lee, Tommy Campbell
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
Iridium 8, 10 pm $50-60
Lee Pearson
Justin Brown
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
• Robert Mwamba
• Karrin Allyson
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• ZenBeatz: Jane Grenier B/Albey Balgochian; Ellen Christi/William Parker;
Fay Victor’s Poetry & Strings with Anders Nilsson, Marika Hughes, Michael Bisio
6BC Garden 2 pm
• Larry Newcomb Quartet; Brooks Hartell Trio
Sunday, October 13
êAll Nite Soul Honoring Barry Harris and Sheila Jordan: Gene Bertoncini,
Alan Broadbent, Alex Brown, Cameron Brown, Valerie Capers, Connie Crothers,
Charles Davis, Billy Drummond, Ray Drummond, Peter Eldridge, John Ellis,
Carol Fredette, Ray Gallon, Barry Harris and his Jazz Ensemble Choir,
Howard Johnson, Sheila Jordan, Paul Knopf, Lee Konitz, Sarah McLawler, Jeff Newell,
Ben Riley, Harvie S, Kendra ShankSaint Peter’s 7 pm $25
• Gene Lake Project with David Gilmore, Nick Rolfe, Steve Jenkins; The Outlaw Collective
• Andrea Parkins, Chris Cochrane, Brian Chase
• Peter and Will Anderson Octet with Joe Magnarelli, Joe McDonough, Frank Basile,
Jeb Patton, Clovis Nicolas, Phil Stewart; Dennis Jeter and the Italian-American All Star
Band with Antonio Ciacca, Luca Santaniello; Johnny O’Neal; Rick Germanson Trio with
Gerald Cannon, Lawrence Leathers
Smalls 4:30, 7:30, 10 pm 12 am $20
• Ehud Asherie; Jon Davis Trio; Brandon Lewis/Renee Cruz Jam
Fat Cat 6, 8:30 pm 12:30 am
êPeter Leitch/Charles Davis
Walker’s 8 pm
• Richard Bonnet, Jake Henry, Gibran Andrade; Flandrew Fleisenberg, Joo Won Park,
Bonnie Kane
ABC No-Rio 7 pm $5
• Italian Jazz Days: Simona Premazzi
Measure 8 pm
• Jason Yeager
• Jeff Shurdut/Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic
Ze Couch 7 pm
• Suzanne Pittson; Human Equivalent: Leah Gough-Cooper, Andrew Baird,
Sean McCluskey, Bryan Percivall, Bob Edinger; Yongmun Lee Quintet with Daan Kleijin,
Josh Bailey
Somethin’ Jazz Club 5, 7, 9 pm $10-12
• Nagi Okamoto
Silvana 8 pm
Iridium 8, 10 pm $50-60
Lee Pearson
Justin Brown
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
êMike McGinnis’ Two Views of the Ängsudden Song Cycle with Kyoko Kitamura,
Sara Schoenbeck, Jason Kao Hwang, Khabu Doug Young, Sean Moran,
Dan Fabricatore, Harris EisenstadtRoulette 6 pm $20
• Dissipated Face
Downtown Music Gallery 6 pm
• Sarah McLawler and Les Jazz Femmes
• Ben Monder solo
Barbès 5 pm $10
• Yotam Silberstein
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $29.50
• Veronica Nunn Trio with Travis Shook, Sean Conly
• Mayu Saeki Trio; Guy Mintus Trio; Kyoko Oyobe Trio
Monday, October 14
êSidney Bechet Society: Evan Christopher’s Clarinet Road with Eli Yamin,
Marty Napoleon and guests
Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharp Theatre 7:15 pm $35
êMingus Big Band
• Italian Jazz Days: Antonio Ciacca Sextet with Jerry Weldon, Joe Magnarelli,
Joe McDonough, Paul Gill, Peter Van Nostrand
• Vanessa Perea; Eddie Allen Aggregation Big Band
Zinc Bar 7, 9 pm
• Mark Rapp/Derek Lee Bronston’s The Song Project with James Genus
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $10-15
• Hermeneutic Stomp: Jake Marmer, Frank London, Greg Wall, Uri Sharlin
• Italian Jazz Days: Giovanni Scotta Trio
Measure 8 pm
• Glenn and Mark Zaleski; Adam Birnbaum Quartet with Dayna Stephens, David Wong,
Billy Drummond; Spencer MurphySmalls 7:30, 9:30 pm 12 am $20
• Ned Goold Quartet; Billy Kaye Jam
Fat Cat 9 pm 12:30 am
• Joy on Fire: Anna Meadors, John Paul Carillo, Christopher Olsen;
Audiograph: Luiz Ebert/Fidel Cuéllar and guests; Jon Lundbom and Big Five Chord
with Jon Irabagon, Bryan Murray, Moppa Elliott, Dan Monaghan, Matt Kanelos
• Scott Reeves Orchestra
Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5
• Mika Harry Trio with Camila Meza, Jorge Roeder
• Greg Diamond
• Drew Williams Trio with Jeff McLaughlin, Steve Picataggio; Paul Carlon Latin Strayhorn
Tribute
• Chris Norton
• Eyal Vilner Big Band; Sammy Miller Trio
• Daniel Bagutti Band
Silvana 6 pm
Tuesday, October 15
êBlock Ice & Propane: Erik Friedlander solo; Volac: Erik Friedlander solo
êPhil Woods
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
êTom Harrell’s Trip with Mark Turner, Ugonna Okegwo, Adam Cruz
êBenny Green Trio with David Wong, Kenny Washington
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
êJoy Of Sax: Houston Person/Ken Peplowski Quintet with Ehud Asherie, Joel Forbes,
Willie Jones III
54 Below 7 pm $25-35
• Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
Americas Society 7 pm
• Jaap Blonk solo
Roulette 8 pm $20
• Deep Blue Organ Trio: Chris Foreman, Greg Rockingham, Bobby Broom
• Travis Sullivan’s Björkestra with Becca Stevens, Kevin Bryan, Eli Asher, Sean Nowell,
Lauren Sevian, Alan Ferber, Ryan Keberle, Ian Cook, Art Hirahara, Yoshi Waki,
Joe Abbatantuono
• Noah Preminger with Steve Cardenas, Sean Conly, Colin Stranahan
La Villette 8 pm
Academy Records
& CDs
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We buy and sell all
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For large collections,
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• Aural Dystopia: Andrew Hock/Jeremiah Cymerman; Chuck Bettis; Sarah Bernstein;
Mick Barr, Stuart Popejoy, Kid Millions
JACK 8 pm $10
• Italian Jazz Days: Jeremy Manasia Trio
Measure 8 pm
• Tom Talitsch Trio with Art Hirahara, Mark Ferber
Smalls 7:30, 10 pm 12:30 am $20
• Saul Rubin; Greg Glassman Jam Fat Cat 7 pm 12:30 am
• Ben Holmes Quartet with Curtis Hasselbring, Matt Pavolka, Vinnie Sperrazza
Barbès 7 pm $10
• Superette: Chris Lightcap, Jonathan Goldberger, Curtis Hasselbring, Dan Rieser;
Aidan Carroll Quartet with John Ellis, Sullivan Fortner, Joe Dyson
Korzo 9, 10:30 pm
• Matthew Garrison
• Mike Cohen Band
• Barry Levitt
Metropolitan Room 7 pm $20
Jazz at Kitano 8 pm
• Mr Gone: Neil Alexander, Peter Furlan, Kermit Driscoll, Terry Silverlight;
Dorian Wallace Big Band
• Sorien Trio
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Bossa Brasil: Maurício de Souza, Ben Winkelman, Joonsam Lee and guest
Sharel Cassity; Paul Francis Trio The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Audubon Experimental Lab
Silvana 6 pm
êClaws & Wings: Sylvie Courvoisier, Ikue Mori, Erik Friedlander;
Mass Cello: Erik Friedlander, Jeffrey Ziegler, Greg Heffernen and guests
êTim Berne’s Snakeoil with Oscar Noriega, Matt Mitchell, Ches Smith
êMark Feldman/Ned Rothenberg Zürcher Studio 7 pm $15
êRuss Lossing’s Three Part Invention with Ralph Alessi, Mark Helias
Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $10
êDanny Grissett Trio with Ben Williams; Adam Larson with Gabe Medd, Can Olgun,
Desmond White
• Raphael D’lugoff; Don Hahn; Ned Goold Jam
• Fleurine
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• Suzi Stern Trio with Peggy Stern, Havie S
• Julian Waterfall Pollack Trio +1 with Nir Felder, Noah Garabedian, Evan Hughes
• Ted Reichman Trio with Fausto Sierakowski, Jun Young Song
Barbès 8 pm $10
• Scot Albertson/Dan Furman
Klavierhaus 8 pm
• Melissa Stylianou Quartet with Jamie Reynolds, Gary Wang, Mark Ferber
55Bar 7, 8:15 pm
• Kuni Mikami
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
êPhil Woods
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• Deep Blue Organ Trio: Chris Foreman, Greg Rockingham, Bobby Broom
• Italian Jazz Days: Jeremy Manasia Trio
Measure 8 pm
• Julio Botti Tango Nostalgias Project with Eduardo Withrinton, Jason Ennis,
Michael O’brien, Franco Pinna; Pier Luigi Salami Trio with Martin D Fowler,
Alex Raderman
• The Anderson Brothers; Adam Moezinia Trio
• Yoo Sun Nam
Shrine 6 pm
• Joe Alterman, James Cammack, Peter Traunmueller
êAACM Presents: Henry Threadgill’s Zooid with Jose Davila, Liberty Ellman, Elliot Kavee,
Christopher Hoffman
Community Church of New York 8 pm $25
êQueens Jazz OverGround Festival: Amanda Monaco’s Kiss the Leslie with
Brian Charette, George Schuller; OKB Trio: Oscar Perez, Kuriko Tsugawa,
Brian Woodruff; Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Ron Stabinsky, Moppa Elliott,
Kevin Shea
SingleCut Beersmiths 7 pm $5
• Steve Wilson, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington
êChimera: Erik Friedlander, Chris Speed, Andrew D’Angelo and guest;
Topaz: Andy Laster, Erik Friedlander, Satoshi Takeishi, Stomu Takeishi
• Pucho and His Latin Soul BrothersJazz 966 8:15, 10:15 pm $20
êBen Allison Band with Steve Cardenas, Brandon Seabrook, Allison Miller
• Aaron Parks solo
êLuis Perdomo Quartet with Mark Shim, Carlo De Rosa, Eric McPherson and guests
• Alon Nechushtan Quartet
• Bob DeVos Quartet with Ralph Bowen, Dan Kostelnik, Steve Johns;
Harry Allen Quartet with Rossano Sportiello, Joel Forbes, Kevin Kanner
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
• Johnathan Blake/Lionel Loueke Michiko Studios 7 pm $15
• Claudia Acuña BAMCafé 9 pm
• Myron Walden Momentum with Darren Barrett, Eden Ladin, Yasushi Nakamura,
Mark Whitfield, Jr. Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
• Manhattan School of Music Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra with guest Tim Hagans
Borden Auditorium 7:30 pm $12
• Sacha Boutros/John di Martino Metropolitan Room 7 pm $20
• Dan Wilson Trio with Jared Gold, Silvia Cuenca
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• The Music of Louis Armstrong: “Hot Lips” Joey Morant and Catfish Stew
Lucille’s at BB King’s Blues Bar 8 pm $25
• Timucin Sahin with Kris Davis, Tom Rainey
• Sara Serpa/Emilie Weibel
• Ladies Day: MJ Territo, Linda Presgrave, Iris Ornig; Kevin Hildebrandt Trio with
Radam Schwartz, G. Earl Grice; Jowee Omicil Quartet with Mawuena Kodjovi,
James Quinlan, Steve Belvius Somethin’ Jazz Club 7, 9, 11 pm $10-12
• Marc Devine Duo
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Ken Simon Trio
• Whitney Marchelle and The Sugar Hill Quartet with Frank Lacy, Patience Higgins
Shell’s Bistro 8 pm $10
• Fukushi Tainaka Trio; Kevin Dorn and the BIG 72
êAndy Biskin’s Goldberg’s Variations with Mike McGinnis, Dave Ballou, Brian Drye,
Dave Phillips, John Hollenbeck BAM Fisher Theater 7:30 pm $20
êCharles McPherson Quintet with Brian Lynch, Jeb Patton, Kiyoshi Kitagawa,
Johnathan Blake
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Kenny G
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-75
• Matt Geraghty
• Italian Jazz Days: Ehud Asherie Trio
Measure 8 pm
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
Johnathan Blake
êBroken Arm Trio: Michael Sarin, Trevor Dunn, Erik Friedlander;
Oscar Pettiford Project: Erik Friedlander, Michael Sarin, Trevor Dunn, Michael Blake
• Interpretations: Gene Coleman’s Ensemble N_JP with Naoko Kikuchi, Ko Ishikawa
Yoko Reikano Kimura, Naomi Sato, Gene Coleman, Nick Millevoi, Teddy Rankin-Parker, Alex Waterman, Adam Vidiksis, Toshimaru Nakamura and guest Thomas Buckner; Momenta Quartet
Roulette 8 pm $15
• Kenny G
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-75
• Juilliard Jazz Ensemble
• Italian Jazz Days: Ehud Asherie Trio
Measure 8 pm
• Disfunctional Dorchesters; Marko Djordjevic and Sveti; The Kung Fu Masters
• Yuka Mito Quartet with Allen Farnham, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner
• Jamie Baum Trio with Sheryl Bailey, Gary Wang
• Point of Departure
Fat Cat 10 pm
êGato Loco De Bajo: Stefan Zeniuk, Ari Folman-Cohen, Joe Exley, Clifton Hyde,
Greg Stare
Barbès 10 pm $10
• Marta Sanchez Quintet with Roman Filiu, Jerome Sabbagh, Desmond White,
Devin Gray
• Livio Almeida Quartet with Vitor Goncalves, Eduardo Belo, Adriano Santos;
Antonio Quintino Group with Gianni Gagliardi, Andre Matos, Rodney Green
• Akihiro Yamamoto
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Rudi Mwongozi Trio
• Rick Stone Trio; Chris Beck Trio The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Christian Harmon
Silvana 8 pm
• Danny Grissett Quartet with Jaleel Shaw, Ben Williams
Smalls 9:30 pm $20
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
Friday, October 18
êCelestial Ascension Unending...Celebrating John Tchicai: Amiri Baraka,
Alexander Weiss, Ben Young, Dmitry Ishenko, Garrison Fewell, Lou Grassi, Ches Smith,
Alan Roth, John Ehlis, Charlie Kohlhase, Adam Lane, Peter Apfelbaum, Steve Swell,
Warren Smith, Steve Dalachinsky, Diane Moser Charles Gayle, Charlie Hunter,
Adam Rudolph, Reggie Nicholson, Golda Solomon Michael TA Thompson,
Will Connell, Larry Roland, Phylisha Villanueva E.J. Antonio, Rosi Hertlein
45
New
Jersey
Performing
Arts
Center
November 4-10
Christian McBride, Jazz Advisor
Jazz Meets Samba
Sérgio Mendes, Eliane Elias,
Lee Ritenour, Marivaldo Dos Santos
and special guest Joe Lovano
Friday, November 8 at 8pm
Dianne Reeves
Sing, Swing, Sing!
Al Jarreau
Sérgio Mendes
Christian McBride
An Evening with the Jimmy Heath Quartet
at Bethany Baptist Church
with Dianne Reeves, Al Jarreau,
Jeffrey Osborne, Gerald Albright,
Christian McBride Big Band
featuring Melissa Walker,
and 2012 Sarah Vaughan
International Jazz Vocal Competition
winner Cyrille Aimée
Saturday, November 9 at 8pm
Portrait of Duke
featuring Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Monday, November 4 at 7pm • FREE
Saturday, November 9 at 2pm
A Celebration of Amiri Baraka’s
“Blues People” at 50
at Newark Museum
Dorthaan’s Place:
The Paquito D’Rivera Quartet
Sunday, November 10 at 11am & 1pm
Tuesday, November 5 at 7pm • FREE
The David Stryker Organ Trio
at Gateway Center
Wednesday, November 6 at 12pm • FREE
A Good Place:
Celebrating Lorraine Gordon
and The Village Vanguard
Sarah Vaughan
International Jazz Vocal Competition
The Sassy Award
with special guest judges
Al Jarreau, Janis Siegel, Larry Rosen
and WBGO’s Gary Walker
Sunday, November 10 at 3pm
featuring The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra,
Barry Harris, Rhoda Scott and Christian McBride,
plus the Anat Cohen Quartet
Thursday, November 7 at 7:30pm
Sponsored by
Presenting Sponsor
Co-presented by
Innovation Sponsor
For tickets and full 2013
TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival
schedule visit njpac.org or call 1-888-GO-NJPAC
NYC Jazz Record_6.25x12_oct_moodynjpac.indd 1
Presented in association with
One Center Street, Newark, NJ
9/16/13 11:43 AM
êBonebridge: Erik Friedlander, Doug Wamble, Trevor Dunn, Michael Sarin
êYumiko Tanaka with Ned Rothenberg, Min Xiao-Fen, Satoshi Takeishi, Shoko Nagai
Roulette 8 pm $15
êTony Malaby Reading Band with Ralph Alessi, Drew Gress, Billy Drummond
êRhiannon with Allison Miller Band; Brad Shepik solo; Gordon Grdina, Mark Helias,
Kenton Loewen; Michael Blake Band with Ryan Blotnick, Landon Knoblock,
Michael Bates, Greg Ritchie
êTom Rainey Trio with Ingrid Laubrock, Mary Halvorson
• David Lopato Trio with Ratzo Harris, Harvey Sorgen
• Italian Jazz Days: Richie Vitale/Frank Basile Quintet
Measure 8 pm
• Ursel Schlicht Project with Catherine Sikora, Jen Baker, Josh Sinton, Andrew Drury
• Harmonic Monk: Matt Lavelle/John Pietaro; The Red Microphone: John Pietaro,
Ras Moshe, Rocco John Iacovone, Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic
The Firehouse Space 8, 9 pm $10
• Vanessa Rubin and Trio
• Shirley Crabbe Group with Donald Vega, Jon Burr, David Glasser; Tony Rosales
Metropolitan Room 9:30, 11:30 pm $20
• Joe Giglio Trio with Ratzo Harris, Eric Peters
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Loop 2.4.3/TommyTom’s Time Machine; Alex Vittum; Sub-verse
êDavid Schnitter Quartet with Spike Wilner, Ugonna Okegwo, Anthony Pinciotti;
Harry Allen Quartet with Rossano Sportiello, Joel Forbes, Kevin Kanner
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
• Todd Herbert Quartet; Sylvia Cuenca
Fat Cat 7, 10 pm
• Myron Walden Momentum with Darren Barrett, Eden Ladin, Yasushi Nakamura,
Mark Whitfield, Jr. Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
• David Aaron’s Short Memory with Marty Bound, Spencer Katzman, Jon Frederick,
Dan Kurfirst; Bob Bennett Quartet with Erica Seguine, Jesse Breheney,
Gusten Rudolph; Thelonious4: Iman Spaargaren, Guillermo Celano, Andreas Metzler
and guest Tony Miceli; Jowee Omicil Quartet with Mawuena Kodjovi, James Quinlan,
Steve Belvius
• Chieko Honda
Tomi Jazz 8 pm $10
• Ray Blue Quartet
Johnathan Blake
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Kenny G
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-75
• Howard Britz with John Ellis, Bill Moring, Eric Halvorson
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
êQueens Jazz OverGround Festival: Mark Wade Trio with Tim Harrison, Scott Neumann;
Dom’s Trio: Broc Hempel, Sam Trapchak, Christian Coleman; Josh Deutsch Quintet
with Dylan Heaney, Danny Fox, Peter Brendler, Shawn Baltazor; Hashem Assadullahi’s
Safety Buffalo with Alan Ferber, Leonard Thompson, Justin Morell, Peter Brendler,
Caleb Dolister
SingleCut Beersmiths 3:30 pm $5
• Eugene Marlow’s Heritage Ensemble
Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn Heights Branch 2 pm
• Alex Layne Trio; Mark Marino Trio; Peter Valera Jump Blues Band
The Garage 12, 6:15, 10:45 pm
Sunday, October 20
• Chico Hamilton’s Euphoria with Nick Demopoulos, Paul Ramsey, Evan Schwam,
Mayu Saeki, Jeremy Carlstedt Drom 7:15 pm $15
êNothing On Earth: Shoko Nagai, Satoshi Takeishi, Erik Friedlander;
No Compass: Scott Solter/Erik Friedlander
• New Brazilian Perspectives: Filip Novosel/Richard Boukas; Gabriel Grossi Quartet with
Vitor Goncalves, Eduardo Belo Cornelia Street Café 8:30, 10 pm $10
êMax Johnson’s Silver Trio with Kris Davis, Mike Pride
Barbès 7 pm $10
êJohn di Martino solo
Measure 8 pm
• The Norville Trio Music of Red Norvo: Tom Beckham, John Merrill, Sean Cronin;
Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub; Johnny O’Neal; Bruce Harris Quintet
Smalls 4, 7:30, 10 pm 12 am $20
• Gamelan Dharma Swara; Terry Waldo’s Gotham City Band;
Brandon Lewis/Renee Cruz Jam Fat Cat 7, 9:30 pm 12:30 am
• Frederika Krier and Molecular Vibrations with Yayoi Ikawa, Jim Cammack,
Malik Washington; John Daversa Big Band; Zeke Martin and The Oracle
ShapeShifter Lab 7, 8:15, 9:30 pm $8-15
• Broc Hempel, Sam Trapchak, Christian Coleman with guest Sam Sadigursky
Dominie’s Astoria 9 pm
• Sam Pluta; Radical 2: Levy Lorenzo/Dennis Sullivan; Patrick Amelung
The Firehouse Space 8, 9, 10 pm $10
• Roni Ben-Hur
• Laila and Smitty: Kenny Warren, Jeremiah Lockwood, Myk Freedman,
Noah Garabedian, Carlo Costa Rockwood Music Hall 11 pm
• Mem Nahadr ABC No-Rio 7 pm $5
• Matt Malanowski Trio with Jonathan Toscano, David Jimenez;
Acoustic Quartet: Costas Baltazanis, Manu Koch, Panayiotis Andreou,
Engin Kaan Gunaydin
Johnathan Blake
• Kenny G
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-75
êDaniel Levin solo; Jesse Dulman, Ras Moshe, Will Connell
• Dario Boente Trio
• Juilliard Jazz Brunch - West Coast Sound: Jordan Pettay, Riley Mulherkar,
Joseph Doubleday, Adam Moezinia, Luke Sellick, Sammy Miller
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $29.50
• Roz Corral Trio with Gene Bertoncini, Paul Gill
• Lou Caputo Quartet; David Coss Quartet; Abe Ovadia Trio
• Elise Wood/Larry Corban
Silvana 6 pm
Monday, October 21
• Dizzy Gillespie 96th Birthday Celebration with Guests
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
• Christian McBride and guests Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35
• Stanley Jordan
êMingus Orchestra
êJaleel Shaw/Ben Williams
Michiko Studios 7 pm $15
• Sean Jones Quartet
The Schomburg Center 7 pm
• Sean Wayland Trio with Matt Clohesy, Jochen Rueckert; Ari Hoenig Trio with
Gilad Hekselman, Orlando Le Fleming; Spencer Murphy
Smalls 7:30, 9:30 pm 12 am $20
• George Braith; Billy Kaye Jam Fat Cat 9 pm 12:30 am
• Dayna Stephens Quartet with Aaron Parks, Ben Street, Kendrick Scott
ShapeShifter Lab 8:15 pm $12
• Italian Jazz Days: John di Martino Trio
Measure 8 pm
• Melissa Stylianou Trio with Orlando Le Fleming, Mark Ferber
• Emily Braden
Zinc Bar 7 pm
• Tom Dempsey
• Michael Eaton Quartet with Enrique Haneine, Scott Colberg, Shareef Taher;
Ben Eunson Group
• Benjamin Servenay
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Danny Bacher
• Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra; Kenny Shanker Quartet
Silvana 6 pm
Tuesday, October 22
êBill McHenry Quartet with Orrin Evans, Eric Revis, Andrew Cyrille
êDiaspora Special Edition: Steven Bernstein, Peter Apfelbaum, Arturo O’Farrill,
Brad Jones, Billy Martin
• Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
êChristian McBride Trio with Christian Sands, Ulysses Owens, Jr.
• Jane Monheit/Peter Eldridge
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• Italian Jazz Days: Emanuele Cisi NY3 with Joseph Lepore, Luca Santaniello
• Dizzy Gillespie Birthday Concert with Mike Longo’s NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble
with guests Ira Hawkins, Jimmy Owens, Annie Ross
NYC Baha’i Center 8 pm $15
• Ian Shaw and Friends
54 Below 7 pm $25-35
• Rotem Sivan Trio with Haggai Cohen Milo, Colin Stranahan
• Spike Wilner Trio with Yotam Silberstein, Paul Gill; Lucas Pino No Net Nonet with
Matthew Jodrell, Alex LoRe, Nick Finzer, Andrew Gutauskas, Rafael Sarnecki,
Glenn Zaleski, Desmond White, Colin Stranahan; Kyle Poole and Friends
Smalls 7:30, 10 pm 12:30 am $20
• Saul Rubin; Veronica Nunes Brazilian Sextet; Greg Glassman Jam
• Jean Rohe with Liam Robinson, Ilusha Tsinadze, Christopher Tordini, Skye Steele,
Richie Barshay, Rogério Boccato, James Shipp
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $15
• The Jazz Drama Program 10th Anniversary Benefit Honoring Bob Stewart with
John Kamitsuka, Sara Caswell, Tom Dempsey, Eli Yamin, Shantaysha Peprah
Cornelia Street Café 6 pm $125
• Eli Yamin Blues Band with Charenee Wade, Bob Stewart, LaFrae Sci
êScott Robinson with Lage Lund, Matt Clohesy, Rob Garcia
La Villette 8 pm
• Roger Davidson/Frank London Stephen Wise Free Synagogue 7:30 pm $15
• Barry Levitt
• On The Way Out: Will Mason/David Bird; Mike Pride solo
The Backroom 8:30, 10 pm $10
• Ryan Meagher with Noah Preminger, Sam Minaie, Mark Ferber;
Vinnie Sperrazza Quartet with Joel Frahm, Ben Monder, Peter Brendler
Korzo 9, 10:30 pm
• Matt Garrison
• Lucio Ferrara
Measure 8 pm
Jazz at Kitano 8 pm
• Robbyn Tongue Band; Craig Hartley Trio with Elio Coppola
• Hiroko Kanna
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Randy Johnston Trio; Carol Sudhalter Quartet
• Joao Martins Quartet
Silvana 8 pm
êSexmob plays Sexotica and Nino Rota: Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Tony Scherr,
Kenny Wollesen
• Wallace Roney Quintet with Ben Solomon, Victor Gould, Russell Hall, Kush Abadey;
John Raymond Group with Gilad Hekselman, Aidan Carroll, Austin Walker
• Angelica Sanchez
• Raphael D’lugoff; Greg Murphy Quintet; Ned Goold Jam
• The Baylor Project with Jean and Marcus Baylor Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• MiND GAMeS: Denman Maroney, James Ilgenfritz, Angelika Niescier, Andrew Drury Roulette 8 pm $15
• Matt Pavolka Horn Band with Kirk Knuffke, Loren Stillman, Jacob Garchik, Mark Ferber
SEEDS 9 pm
• Ben Monder/Theo Bleckmann Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20
• Melissa Hamilton Quartet with Michael Kanan, Neal Miner, Peter Runnells
• Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra conducted by Bobby Sanabria
Borden Auditorium 7:30 pm
• York College Big Band with guest Bernard “Pretty” Purdie
The Local 802 7 pm
• Uri Sharlin’s Dogcat Ensemble with Kyle Sanna, Jordan Scannella, Rich Stein and
guest Avi Avital
Barbès 10 pm $10
• Little King: Andrew Halchak, Michael Sachs, Tomas Cruz, Richard Saunders,
Tim Norton; Rafal Sarnecki Sextet with Lucas Pino, Bogna Kicinska, Glenn Zaleski,
Rick Rosato, Colin Stranahan; Tomoko Omura Roots Quintet with Jeff Miles,
Glenn Zaleski, Noah Garabedian, Ross Pederson
• Alex Weiss Fighter Planes and Praying Mantis with Rick Parker, Eyal Maoz,
Dmitry Ishenko, Yoni Halevy
The Paper Box 8 pm $10
• Lucca Fadd
Barbès 8 pm $10
• Barbara Levy Daniels
• Jimmy O’Connell 5tet with Tim Basom, Christian Nourijanian, Leon Boykins,
Dustin Kaufman; Mingus Tribute Band: Adam O’Farrill, Gianni Gagliardi, Dave Juarez,
Zack O’Farrill; Rafael Rosa Group with Joel Mateo, Dan Martinez, Carlos Homs,
Milton Barreto
• Akemi Yamada
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Nick Moran Trio; Austin Walker TrioThe Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Esteban Castro
Blue Note 6:30 pm
• Jane Monheit/Peter Eldridge
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
• Lucio Ferrara
Measure 8 pm
• Kat Gang, Matthew Fries, Phil Palombi, Tim Bulkley, Nate Mayland
• Abyssinian - A Gospel Celebration: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with
Chorale Le Chateau
êGregory Porter
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $30
êDafnis Prieto Si o Si Quartet with Peter Apfelbaum, Manuel Valera,
Johannes Weidenmueller
• Kurt Elling
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
êMillennial Territory Orchestra: Charlie Burnham, Curtis Fowlkes, Doug Wieselman,
Michael Blake, Erik Lawrence, Will Bernard, Ben Allison, Ben Perowsky
and guest Eric Mingus
êMichael McGinnis Road*Trip
Barbès 8 pm $10
êLeslie Pintchik Trio with Scott Hardy, Clarence Penn
• Jason Kao Hwang/Ayman FanousThe Firehouse Space 8 pm $10
• Bobby Avey Quartet with Dan Weiss, Thomson Kneeland and guest
• Albert Marques, Walter Stinson, Zack O’Farrill
• Gato Loco; Michel Reis with Eddy Khaimovich, Aaron Kruzicki, Peter Traunmueller;
Jason Yeager
• Nat Janoff Trio with Teymur Phell, Andrew Atkinson
• Fabio Morgera’s NY Cats
Fat Cat 10 pm
• Eugene Marlow Heritage EnsembleNuyorican Poets Café 9 pm $15
• Kate Bass
• Deborah Latz; Negroni’s Trio
• Scot Albertson/Dan Furman
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Mamiko Watanabe Trio
• George Weldon; Ryan Meagher The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Wallace Roney Quintet with Ben Solomon, Victor Gould, Russell Hall, Kush Abadey
SEEDS 9 pm
• Lucio Ferrara
Measure 8 pm
• Tribute to John Coltrane
Shrine 6 pm
• Negroni’s Trio; Bruce Williams Fat Cat 7, 10 pm
• The Westerlies
ShapeShifter Lab 8:15, 9:30 pm $10
• Adriano Santos Trio with Eduardo Belo, Richard Padron
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Arnan Raz Band with Daniel Meron, Nadav Lachish, Dani Danor and guest Eyal Hai
• Charanams: Sam Shivraj, Marcus Cummins, Jason Goldstein, Nivedita ShivRaj,
Narendra Bhudhkar; Dawn Oberg; Cristian Mendoza Quartet with Edward Perez,
Francisco Lelo De Larrea, Alex Kautz; Piotr Pawlak UStet with Jure Pukl, Michael King,
Jimmy O’Connell, Tamir ShmerlingSomethin’ Jazz Club 5, 7, 9, 11 pm $10-12
• Daniel Bennett
Tomi Jazz 8 pm $10
• Alan Rosenthal Trio
• Sarpay Ozcagatay
Silvana 8 pm
êHonoring and Remembering “El Commandante” Mario Rivera: Arturo O’Farrill and the
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharp Theatre 8 pm $20
êThe Music of Eddie Harris: Seamus Blake Quartet with Brian Charette, Gerald Cannon,
Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
• Joel Press Group with Michael Kanan, Sean Smith, Steve Little; Tim Green Quintet
Tribute to Wayne Shorter with Marcus Strickland, Alex Brown, Matt Clohesy,
EJ Strickland
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
Chorale Le Chateau
• Kurt Elling
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
SEEDS 9 pm
• Reggie Washington and Rainbow Shadow Tribute to Jef Lee Johnson
• Lucio Ferrara
Measure 8 pm
• Sandy Sasso Quartet
55Bar 6 pm
• Moth To Flame
Shrine 6 pm
• An October Jazz Revolution: Ras Moshe, Rocco John Iacovone,
Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic, Nora McCarthy, Jorge Sylvester Cornelia Street Café 6 pm
ê39th Annual Duke Ellington 52nd Street Jazz Festival: Joe Daley’s Ebony Brass Quintet;
Ben Stapp and the Zozimos; Velvet Brown Trio; David Grego and Tubaczar;
Bob Stewart New First Line Band Duke Ellington Boulevard 12 pm
• Marsha Heydt and the Project of Love; Champian Fulton Quartet; Akiko Tsuruga Trio
The Garage 12, 6:15, 10:45 pm
Sunday, October 27
Friday, October 25
êBilly Martin Birthday Celebration with Samm Bennett, Anthony Coleman, Trevor Dunn,
Falu, Fang Percussion, Shelley Hirsch, Daniel Jodocy, John Medeski, Min Xiao-Fen,
Marcus Rojas, Ned Rothenberg, Sirius Quartet, Doug Wieselman
Roulette 8 pm $20
êHonoring and Remembering “El Commandante” Mario Rivera: Arturo O’Farrill and the
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharp Theatre 8 pm $20
êMillennial Territory Orchestra: Charlie Burnham, Curtis Fowlkes, Doug Wieselman,
Michael Blake, Erik Lawrence, Will Bernard, Ben Allison, Ben Perowsky
êThe Music of Eddie Harris: Seamus Blake Quartet with Brian Charette, Gerald Cannon,
Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $38
• Joel Harrison 19 with Ole Mathisen, Rob Scheps, Lisa Parrot, Ben Kono,
Ned Rothenberg, Michel Gentile, Jacob Garchik, Matt McDonald, Brian Drye, Ben Staap,
Sam Hoyt, Taylor Haskins, Dave Smith, Justin Mullens, Mick Rossi, James Shipp,
Kermit Driscoll, Jordan Perlson; Lucio Ferrera with Joe Magnarelli, Reuben Rogers,
Greg Hutchinson
• Ben van Gelder
• Petros Klampanis’ Contextual with Gilad Hekselman, Jean-Michel Pilc, John Hadfield
• Jerome Sabbagh Trio with Doug Weiss, Billy Drummond
Bar Next Door 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $12
• Tardo Hammer Trio with Lee Hudson, Jimmy Wormworth; Tim Green Quintet Tribute to
Wayne Shorter with Marcus Strickland, Alex Brown, Matt Clohesy, EJ Strickland
Smalls 7:30, 10:30 pm $20
• George Burton Quintet
Fat Cat 10:30 pm
• Cyrille Aimée Quartet with Michael Valeanu, Shawn Conley, Jochen Rueckert
• Harlem Speakeasy Orchestra Lucille’s at BB King’s Blues Bar 8, 10:30 pm $15
• Brian Woodruff’s OKB Trio with Oscar Perez, Kuriko Tsugawa
• Sa Ron Crenshaw Quartet
Jazz 966 8:15, 10:15 pm $15
• Tamm E Hunt and Trio with Hilliard Greene, Sharp Radway, Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax;
Doug White Quintet with Pat Casey, Chris Casey, Steve Porter, Tido Holtkamp;
Peter Brendler Quartet with Peter Evans, Rich Perry, Vinnie Sperrazza
• Takeshi Asai Duo
Tomi Jazz 9 pm $10
• Ruslan Khain Trio
• John David Simon Trio; Kevin Dorn and the BIG 72
• Sinan Bakir Trio
Silvana 8 pm
Chorale Le Chateau
êDafnis Prieto Si o Si Quartet with Peter Apfelbaum, Manuel Valera,
Johannes Weidenmueller
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Kurt Elling
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
SEEDS 9 pm
• Simona Premazzi with Greg Osby, Melissa Aldana, Desmond White, Francisco Mela
• Lucio Ferrara
Measure 8 pm
êHonoring Warren Smith: James Jabbo Ware and the Me We & Them Orchestra
Roulette 8:30 pm $25
êSexmob plays Ellington: Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Tony Scherr,
Kenny Wollesen
êDado Moroni Trio with George Mraz, Matt Wilson
êGregory Porter
Littlefield 8 pm $22-25
êBrian Carpenter’s Ghost Train Orchestra
êDafnis Prieto Sextet with Mike Rodriguez, Felipe Lamoglia, Peter Apfelbaum,
Manuel Valera, Johannes Weidenmueller
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
êLARK: Ingrid Laubrock, Ralph Alessi, Tom Rainey, Kris Davis
• Kenyatta Beasley Group
• Persiflage: Matt Steckler, Curtis Hasselbring, Todd Neufeld, Dave Ambrosio,
Satoshi Takeishi; Senhor Vargas: Dan Blake, Greg Ward, Brian Settles, Josh Sinton;
Josh Berman, Jason Roebke, Matt Schneider, Carlo Costa
• Ferenc Nemeth Group with Javier Vercher
• Armenian Jazz Dedicated to Paul Motian: Arto Tunçboyaciyan and Friends with
Noah Garabedian, Michael Sarian, Tatev and Lucy Yeghiazaryan
Le Poisson Rouge 7 pm $25
êCantorial Brass: Steven Bernstein, Frank London, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen
êMyra Melford solo
• Dave Stryker/Steve Slagle
• Evan Gallagher Ensemble; Julianne Carney solo
ABC No-Rio 7 pm $5
êJohn di Martino
Measure 8 pm
• Chris Flory/Joe Cohn; Johnny O’Neal; Ehud Asherie Trio
Smalls 7:30, 10 pm 12 am $20
• Terry Waldo’s Gotham City; Luca Santaniello Trio; Brandon Lewis/Renee Cruz Jam
• Collectif Koa: Alfred Vilayleck, Jérôme Dufour, Samuel Mastorakis, Ari Hoenig
• Kristin Slipp, Joanna Mattrey, Lucia Stavros
Spectrum 8, 9:30 pm
• Swingadelic
Swing 46 8:30 pm
• Dances of the World Chamber Orchestra: Barry Seroff, Adam Matthes, Dara Hankins,
Bert Hill, Spencer Hale, Diana Wayburn, Andy O’Neill; Leland Baker Quartet with
Sam Parker, Alex Tremblay, Anthony Fung; Anthony Fung Trio with Dave Drake,
Myles Slonike
êDafnis Prieto Sextet with Mike Rodriguez, Felipe Lamoglia, Peter Apfelbaum,
Manuel Valera, Johannes Weidenmueller
• Eli Zeszler solo
61 Local 6 pm $10
• Eris 136199: Nick Didkovsky, Han-Earl Park, Catherine Sikora; Samm Bennett
• Elise Wood Duo
Silvana 6 pm
• Pete McCann Quartet
• Ben Monder solo
Barbès 5 pm $10
êJimmy Greene Quartet with Anthony Wonsey, Dezron Douglas, Otis Brown III
Emmanuel Baptist Church 3 pm
• Jazz Kids! with Amy Cervini
55Bar 2 pm $5
• Tsuyoshi Niwa
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $29.50
• Roz Corral Trio with Dave Stryker, Chris Berger
• Iris Ornig Quartet; David Coss Quartet; Tsutomu Naki Trio
Monday, October 28
êJimmy Heath Big Band
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
• Sir Richard Rodney Bennett Memorial
Saint Peter’s 7:30 pm
• Judy Carmichael and Quartet with Harry Allen, Mike Renzi, Jay Leonhart, Chris Flory
êMingus Orchestra
• The Inventions Trio: Alisa Horn, Bill Mays, Marvin Stamm
êVCDC: Frode Gjerstad, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Ståle Liavik Solberg, Stine Janvin Motland; Michaël Attias, Pascal Niggenkemper, Mike Pride, Fred Lonberg-Holm
Muchmore’s 8:30- pm $10
• Oran Etkin Quartet with Lionel Loueke, Chris Lightcap, Tyshawn Sorey
• Marco Panascia Trio with Dado Maroni, Bill Goodwin; Ari Hoenig Trio with
Gilad Hekselman, Orlando Le Fleming; Spencer Murphy
Smalls 7:30, 9:30 pm 12 am $20
• Peter Mazza/Jacam Manricks Eats Restaurant 7 pm
• Yuhan Su Group with Matt Holman, Kenji Herbert, Petros Klampanis
• Nora McCarthy Heart Strings Trio with Andrew Green, Donald Nicks
• Maya Nova; David Chamberlain’s Band of Bones
Zinc Bar 7, 9 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
• Isaiah Barr Quintet with Leo Hardman, Zen Groom, Jack Guleilmetti, Austin Williamson;
Torque: Koeniverse Schalkwijk, Thomas Pol, Mark Painters
• Takenori Nishiuchi
Tomi Jazz 8 pm
• Matt Baker
• Kyle Athayde Big Band; Adam Larson Trio
Silvana 6 pm
47
Tuesday, October 29
êKarin Krog/Steve Kuhn
Norwegian Seaman’s Church 7 pm $20
êThe Cookers: Billy Harper, Gary Bartz, Terell Stafford, David Weiss, George Cables,
Cecil McBee, Billy Hart
54 Below 7 pm $25-35
êJoe Lovano Us Five with James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III, Francisco Mela
• Ron Carter Nonet
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
êRudresh Mahanthappa’s Gamak with Dave Fiuczynski, Francois Moutin, Dan Weiss
• Antonio Sanchez and Migration with David Binney, John Escreet, Matt Brewer
êWarren Smith and the Composer’s Workshop Orchestra with Craig Rivers,
Douglas Yates, James Stewart, Patience Higgins, Howard Johnson, Jon Carlson,
Stanton Davis, Vincent Chancey, Joe Daley, Jack Jeffers, Ratzo Harris,
Yoham Chiqui Ortiz, Lloyd Haber, Malik Washington
• Eugene Chadbourne solo
• John Pizzarelli/Jessica Molaskey Café Carlyle 8:45 pm $55-150
êBria Skonberg
êJames Carney, Mark Helias, Chad Taylor; Andrew D’Angelo, Bill McHenry,
Josh Roseman
Korzo 9, 10:30 pm
• Noah Preminger with Matt Clohesy, Rob Garcia
La Villette 8 pm
• Ed MacEachen Trio with Mike McGuirk, Eliot Zigmund
Smalls 7:30, 10 pm 12:30 am $20
• Saul Rubin; Itai Kriss Salsa All-Stars; Greg Glassman Jam
• Rabbi Greg Wall’s Birthday Bash with Jordan Hirsch, Zev Zions, Brian Glassman,
Aaron Alexander
• VOXIFY: Sofia Ribeiro with Juan Andrés Ospina, Petros Klampanis, Marcelo Woloski,
Magda Giannikou; Magos Herrera with Mike Moreno, Hans Glawischnig, Alex Kautz
• Matthew Garrison
Jazz at Kitano 8 pm
• Mladen and Ana Delin NY Project; Verve Jazz Ensemble: Jon Blanck, Tatum Greenblatt,
Matt Oestreicher, Chris DeAngelis, Josh Feldstein
• Hashem Assadullahi Organ Trio with Gary Versace, Mark Ferber
Tomi Jazz 8 pm $10
• Ray Blue Trio; Tomas Janzon Trio The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Audubon Experimental Lab; Patricia Wichman Duo
Silvana 6, 8 pm
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
êPat Martino Organ Trio with Pat Bianchi, Carmen Intorre, Jr.
Iridium 8, 10 pm $32.50
• Music of Merle Haggard: Eugene Chadbourne, Bryan Haggard, Aaron Irwin,
Jon Lundborn, Moppa Elliot, Jason Tiemann
êAnthony Coleman
Barbès 8 pm $10
• Yuichiro Oda
The Cutting Room 8 pm $25
• Manhattan School of Music Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra with guest Dave Liebman
Borden Auditorium 7:30 pm $12
• Kevin Hays New Day Trio with Rob Jost, Greg Joseph; Ryan Berg Quartet with
Stacy Dillard, Craig Magnano, Jeremy “Bean” Clemons
• Musette Explosion: Will Holshouser, Matt Munisteri, Marcus Rojas
• Raphael D’lugoff; Ned Goold Jam Fat Cat 7 pm 12:30 am
• Jussi Reijonen: un with Utar Artun, Bruno Råberg, Tareq Rantisi;
Collectif Koa: Alfred Vilayleck, Jérôme Dufour, Samuel Mastorakis, Ari Hoenig;
Kills to Kisses: Lisa Maree Dowling with guest Equiano ‘Mekka Dangerfield’ Mosieri
• Charles Turner Quartet with Takeshi Ohbayashi, Russell Hall, Cory Cox
• Alexis Cuadrado BCN X-Press with Gianni Gagliardi, Dave Juárez, Albert Marquès,
Zack O’Farrill, Alexis Cuadrado; Carlo Costa 4tet with Jonathan Moritz, Steve Swell,
Sean Ali
SEEDS 8:30, 10 pm
• Hui Cox/Nioka Workman Project with John Bollinger; Aleman Sisters: Robin Aleman,
Allyson Kabak, Laurel Carpenter, Darren Deicide
• Dre Barnes Project; Al Marino Quintet
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
êRudresh Mahanthappa’s Gamak with Dave Fiuczynski, Francois Moutin, Dan Weiss
• Antonio Sanchez and Migration with David Binney, John Escreet, Matt Brewer
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
• Tom Blatt Project
Shrine 6 pm
• Bill Mays
êTed Nash Big Band with Ben Kono, Charles Pillow, Dan Willis, Anat Cohen,
Paul Nedzela, Kenny Rampton, Alphonso Horne, Ron Horton, Tim Hagans, Alan Ferber,
Mark Patterson, Charley Gordon, Jack Schatz, Christopher Ziemba, Martin Wind,
Ulysses Owens
êVijay Iyer Trio with Harish Raghavan, Marcus Gilmore
êTommy Campbell and Vocal-EyesSmoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• Phil Palombi Quartet with Don Friedman, Tim Armacost, Shinnosuke Takahashi
• The Doc Chad All Dead Jazz and Pop All Stars: Eugene Chadbourne, Evan Gallagher,
Thomas Heberer, Tatsuya Nakatani, Louie Pearlman, Barry Mitterhof and guests
• Point of Departure
Fat Cat 10 pm
• Glenn Zaleski Halloween Trio with Ari Hoenig
• Ken Slavin
• Hyuna Park; Florencia Gonzalez Duo; Joao Martins Quartet with Yongmun Lee,
Ekah Kim
• Clifford Barbaro Trio
êPat Martino Organ Trio with Pat Bianchi, Carmen Intorre, Jr.
Iridium 8, 10 pm $32.50
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $35-45
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-35
• Antonio Ciacca
Measure 8 pm
• Harlem Speaks: David Amram Jazz Museum in Harlem 6:30 pm
R E G U L A R
E N G A G E M E N T S
MONDAYS
• Ray Abrams Big Band
Swing 46 8:30 pm
Zinc Bar 9, 11pm, 12:30, 2 am
• Ron Affif Trio
• Woody Allen/Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band Café Carlyle 8:45 pm $145
• Big Band Night; John Farnsworth Quintet Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• Michael Brecker Tribute with Dan Barman The Counting Room 8 pm
• Sedric Choukroun and The Brasilieros Chez Lola 7:30 pm
• Pete Davenport/Ed Schuller Jam Session Frank’s Cocktail Lounge 9 pm
• Emerging Artists Series Bar Next Door 6:30 pm (ALSO TUE-THU)
• Joel Forrester solo
Brandy Library 8 pm
• George Gee Swing Orchestra Gospel Uptown 8 pm
• Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks Iguana 8 pm (ALSO TUE)
• Grove Street Stompers Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• JFA Jazz Jam
Local 802 7 pm
• Jam Session with Jim Pryor Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm
• Ian Rapien’s Spectral Awakenings Jazz Groove Session Ave D 9 pm
• Stan Rubin All-Stars
Charley O’s 8:30 pm
• Vanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
• Diego Voglino Jam Session The Village Lantern 9:30 pm
• Jordan Young Group
Bflat 8 pm (ALSO WED 8:30 pm)
TUESDAYS
• Daisuke Abe Trio
Sprig 6 pm (ALSO WED-THU)
• Rick Bogart Trio with Louisa Poster L’ybane 9 pm (ALSO FRI)
• Orrin Evans Evolution Series Jam Session Zinc Bar 11 pm
• Irving Fields
Nino’s Tuscany 7 pm (ALSO WED-SUN)
• George Gee Swing Orchestra Swing 46 8:30 pm $12
• Loston Harris
Café Carlyle 9:30 pm $20 (ALSO WED-SAT)
• Art Hirahara Trio
Arturo’s 8 pm
• Yuichi Hirakawa Trio
Arthur’s Tavern 7, 8:30 pm
• Sandy Jordan and Larry Luger Trio Notaro 8 pm
• Mike LeDonne Quartet; Milton Suggs Quartet Smoke 7, 9, 10:30, 11:30 pm
• Ilya Lushtak Quartet
Shell’s Bistro 7:30 pm
• Mona’s Hot Four Jam Session Mona’s 11 pm
• Russ Nolan Jazz Organ Trio Cassa Hotel and Residences 6 pm
• PJ Rasmussen Sextet with guests The Four Seasons Restaurant 7 pm
• Annie Ross
The Metropolitan Room 9:30 pm $25
Barbès 9 pm $10
• Slavic Soul Party
• Diego Voglino Jam Session The Fifth Estate 10 pm
WEDNESDAYS
• Astoria Jazz Composers Workshop Waltz-Astoria 6 pm
• Sedric Choukroun and the Eccentrics Chez Oskar 7 pm
• Walter Fischbacher Trio Water Street Restaurant 8 pm
• Jeanne Gies with Howard Alden and Friends Joe G’s 6:30 pm
• Les Kurtz Trio; Joonsam Lee Trio Cleopatra’s Needle 7, 11:30 pm
• Jonathan Kreisberg Trio Bar Next Door 8:30, 10:30 pm $12
• Guillaume Laurent Trio Bar Tabac 7 pm
• Jake K. Leckie Trio
Kif Bistro 8 pm
Vino di Vino Wine Bar 7:30 pm (ALSO FRI)
• Jed Levy and Friends
• Greg Lewis Organ Monk with Reggie Woods Sapphire NYC 8 pm
• Ron McClure solo piano McDonald’s 12 pm (ALSO SAT)
• John McNeil/Mike Fahie Tea and Jam Tea Lounge 9 pm
• Jacob Melchior
Philip Marie 7 pm (ALSO SUN 12 PM)
• Alex Obert’s Hollow BonesVia Della Pace 10 pm
• David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Centennial Band Birdland 5:30 pm $20
• Saul Rubin Vocalist SeriesZeb’s 8 pm $10
• Stan Rubin Orchestra
Swing 46 8:30 pm
Antibes Bistro 7:30 pm
• Alex Terrier Trio
• Brianna Thomas Quartet Smoke 11:30 pm
• Bill Wurtzel/Mike Gari
American Folk Art Museum Lincoln Square 2 pm
THURSDAYS
• Michael Blake Bizarre Jazz and Blues Band Bizarre 9 pm
• Jason Campbell Trio
Perk’s 8 pm
• Sedric Choukroun
Brasserie Jullien 7:30 pm (ALSO FRI, SAT)
• Eric DiVito
The Flatiron Room 8 pm
• Gregory Generet Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm
• Craig Harris and the Harlem Night Songs Big Band MIST 9, 10:30 pm $15
• Jazz Jam Session
American Legion Post 7:30 pm
• Lapis Luna Quintet
The Plaza Hotel Rose Club 9 pm
• Curtis Lundy Jam SessionShell’s Bistro 9 pm
• Metro Room Jazz Jam with guests Metropolitan Room 11 pm $10
• Eri Yamamoto Trio
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm (ALSO FRI-SAT)
FRIDAYS
• Scot Albertson
Parnell’s 8 pm (ALSO SAT)
• The Crooked Trio: Oscar Noriega, Brian Drye, Ari Folman-Cohen Barbès 5 pm
• Day One Trio Prime and Beyond Restaurant 9 pm (ALSO SAT)
• Lisa DeSpain solo
Machiavelli’s 8 pm
• Charles Downs’ CentipedeThe Complete Music Studio 7 pm
• Gerry Eastman’s Quartet Williamsburg Music Center 10 pm
• Finkel/Kasuga/Tanaka/Solow San Martin Restaurant 12 pm $10
• Patience Higgins & The Sugar Hill Quartet Smoke 11:45 pm
• Tommy Igoe Birdland Big Band Birdland 5:15 pm $25
• Sandy Jordan and FriendsABC Chinese Restaurant 8 pm
• Kengo Nakamura Trio
Club A Steakhouse 11 pm
• Brian Newman Quartet
Duane Park 10:30 pm
• Frank Owens Open Mic Zeb’s 6:30 pm $10
• Albert Rivera Organ Trio B Smith’s 8:30 pm (ALSO SAT)
• Richard Russo Quartet Capital Grille 6:30 pm
• Brandon Sanders Trio
Londel’s 8, 9, 10 pm (ALSO SAT)
• Bill Saxton and the Harlem Bebop Band Bill’s Place 9, 11 pm $15 (ALSO SAT)
• UOTS Jam Session
University of the Streets 11:30 pm $5 (ALSO SAT)
• Rakiem Walker Project
Shrine 6 pm
SATURDAYS
• Avalon Jazz Quartet
Matisse 8 pm
• Candy Shop Boys
Duane Park 8, 10:30 pm
• Barbara Carroll/Jay Leonhart Birdland 6 pm $35
• Jesse Elder/Greg RuggieroRothmann’s 6 pm
• Guillaume Laurent/Luke Franco Casaville 1 pm
• Curtis Lundy Trio with guests Shell’s Bistro 9 pm
• Johnny O’Neal Smoke 11:45 pm
• Skye Jazz Trio
Jack 8:30 pm
• Michelle Walker/Nick Russo Anyway Café 9 pm
• Bill Wurtzel Duo
Henry’s 12 pm
SUNDAYS
• Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Birdland 9, 11 pm $30
• Avalon Jazz Quartet
The Lambs Club 11 am
• Birdland Jazz Party with Cyrille Aimée Birdland 6 pm $25
• Marc Devine Trio
TGIFriday’s 6 pm
• Ear Regulars with Jon-Erik Kellso The Ear Inn 8 pm
• Marjorie Eliot/Rudell Drears/Sedric Choukroun Parlor Entertainment 4 pm
• Sean Fitzpatrick and Friends Ra Café 1 pm
• Ken Foley/Nick Hempton Quintet Smithfield 8:30 pm
• Joel Forrester solo
Grace Gospel Church 11 am
• Nancy Goudinaki’s Trio Kellari Taverna 12 pm
• Enrico Granafei solo
Sora Lella 7 pm
• Broc Hempel/Sam Trapchak/Christian Coleman Trio Dominie’s Astoria 9 pm
• Annette St. John; Roxy Coss Smoke 11:30 am 11:30 pm
• Bob Kindred Group; Junior Mance Trio Café Loup 12:30, 6:30 pm
• Ras Chemash Lamed Vocal Jam Session University of the Streets 6:45 pm $10
• Peter Leitch Duo
Walker’s 8 pm
• Alexander McCabe Trio CJ Cullens Tavern 5 pm
• Peter Mazza Trio
Bar Next Door 8, 10 pm $12
• Lu Reid Jam Session
Shrine 4 pm
• Sara Serpa/André Matos Pão Restaurant 2 pm
• Gabrielle Stravelli Trio
The Village Trattoria 12:30 pm
• Jazz Jam hosted by Michael Vitali Comix Lounge 8 pm
• Brian Woodruff Jam
Blackbird’s 9 pm
JA Z Z
at
K I TA N O
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$ 25 F R I . / S AT. + $ 15 M i n i m u m / S e t
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TONY MIDDLETON TRIO
11 AM - 2 PM • GREAT BUFFET - $35
OPEN JAM SESSION MONDAY NIGHTS
8:00 PM - 11:30 PM • HOSTED BY IRIS ORNIG
SOLO PIANO EVERY TUESDAY IN JULY • 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
OCTOBER 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 - HARUKA YABUNO
$15 MINIMUM
WED. OCTOBER 2
VIVIAN SAUNDERS QUARTET
VIVIAN SAUNDERS, OSCAR PEREZ
MICHAEL BLANCO, BILLY KILSON
$10 COVER + $15 MINIMUM
THURS. OCTOBER 3
MELISSA ALDANA QUARTET
MELISSA ALDANA, GLENN ZALESKI
PABLO MENARES, FRANCISCO MELA
FRI. OCTOBER 4
GIACOMO GATES & TRIO
GIACOMO GATES, JOHN DI MARTINO
ED HOWARD, TOMMY CAMPBELL
SAT. OCTOBER 5
VALERIE CAPERS TRIO
VALERIE CAPERS, JOHN ROBINSON, DOUG RICHARDSON
WED. OCTOBER 9
GESINE HEINRICH
& CAMERON BROWN
THURS. OCTOBER 10
JUDI
SILVANO QUINTET
TRIBUTE TO THELONIOUS MONK
JUDI SILVANO, BILL MCHENRY
FRANK KIMBROUGH, RATZO HARRIS, STEVE WILLIAMS
FRI. OCTOBER 11
JOYCE BREACH QUARTET
JOYCE BREACH, MIKE RENZI, WARREN VACHÉ, NEAL MINER
SAT. OCTOBER 12
PETER & WILL ANDERSON QUINTET
PETER ANDERSON, WILL ANDERSON
EHUD ASHERIE, DAVE BARRON, LUC DECKER
WED. OCTOBER 16
SUZI STERN TRIO
SUZI STERN, PEGGY STERN, HARVIE S
THURS. OCTOBER 17
YUKA
MITO QUARTET
YUKA MITO, ALLEN FARNHAM
DEAN JOHNSON, TIM HORNER
FRI. OCTOBER 18
LUIS PERDOMO/CARLO DEROSA QUARTET
PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS
LUIS PERDOMO, MARK SHIM
CARLO DEROSA, ERIC MCPHERSON
SAT. OCTOBER 19
DAVID LOPATO TRIO
DAVID LOPATO, RATZO HARRIS, HARVEY SORGEN
WED. OCTOBER 23
MELISSA HAMILTON QUARTET
MELISSA HAMILTON, MICHAEL KANAN
NEAL MINER, PETER RUNNELLS
THURS. OCTOBER 24
LESLIE PINTCHIK TRIO
LESLIE PINTCHIK, SCOTT HARDY, CLARENCE PENN
FRI. OCTOBER 25
CYRILLE AIMÉE QUARTET
CYRILLE AIMÉE, MICHAEL VALEANU
SHAWN CONLEY, JOCHEN RUECKERT
SAT. OCTOBER 26
DADO MORONI TRIO
DADO MORONI, GEORGE MRAZ, MATT WILSON
WED. OCTOBER 30
CHARLES TURNER QUARTET
CHARLES TURNER, TAKESHI OHBAYASHI
RUSSELL HALL, CORY COX
THURS. OCTOBER 31
PHIL“CELEBRATES
PALOMBI
QUARTET
HALLOWEEN”
PHIL PALOMBI, DON FRIEDMAN
TIM ARMACOST, SHINNOSUKE TAKAHASHI
RESERVATIONS - 212-885-7119
VISIT OUR TWEETS AT: http://twitter.com/kitanonewyork
www.kitano.com • email: [email protected] ò 66 Park Avenue @ 38th St.
CLUB DIRECTORY
• 54 Below 254 West 54th Street
(646-476-3551) Subway: N, Q, R to 57th Street; B, D, E to Seventh Avenue
www.54below.com
• 55Bar 55 Christopher Street (212-929-9883)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.55bar.com
• 6BC Garden 6th Street and Avenue B
Subway: F to Second Avenue www.6bgarden.org
• 61 Local 61 Bergen Street
(347-763-6624) Subway: F, G to Bergen Street www.61local.com
• ABC Chinese Restaurant 34 Pell Street
(212-346-9890) Subway: J to Chambers Street
• ABC No-Rio 156 Rivington Street (212-254-3697)
Subway: J,M,Z to Delancey Street www.abcnorio.org
• Abyssinian Baptist Church 132 Odell Clark Place/W. 138th Street
(212-862-5959) Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Street www.abyssinian.org
• Allen Room Broadway at 60th Street, 5th floor (212-258-9800)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle www.jalc.org
• American Folk Art Museum 45 W 53rd Street (212-265-1040)
Subway: E to 53rd Street www.folkartmuseum.org
• American Legion Post 248 West 132nd Street
(212-283-9701) Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Street www.legion.org
• Americas Society 680 Park Avenue
(212-628-3200) Subway: 6 to 68th Street www.as-coa.org
• An Beal Bocht Café 445 W. 238th Street
Subway: 1 to 238th Street www.LindasJazzNights.com
• Antibes Bistro 112 Suffolk Street (212-533-6088)
Subway: J, Z to Essex Street www.antibesbistro.com
• Anyway Café 34 E. 2nd Street (212-533-3412)
Subway: F to Second Avenue
• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Street (212-675-6879)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.arthurstavernnyc.com
• Arturo’s 106 W. Houston Street (at Thompson Street)
(212-677-3820) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th Street
• Ave D 673 Flatbush Avenue Subway: B, Q to Parkside Avenue
• BAMCafé 30 Lafayette Ave at Ashland Place
(718-636-4139) Subway: M, N, R, W to Pacific Street;
Q, 1, 2, 4, 5 to Atlantic Avenue www.bam.org
• BAM Fisher Theater 321 Ashland Place
(718-636-4100) Subway: M, N, R, W to Pacific Street;
Q, 1, 2, 4, 5 to Atlantic Avenue www.bam.org
• BAM Harvey Theater 651 Fulton Street
(718-636-4100) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Nevins Street www.bam.org
• Baruch Performing Arts Center 17 Lexington Avenue at 23rd Street
(646-312-3924) Subway: 6 to 23rd Street www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac
• BB King’s Blues Bar 237 W. 42nd Street (212-997-2144)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 7 to 42nd Street/Times Square www.bbkingblues.com
• Bflat 277 Church Street (between Franklin and White Streets)
Subway: 1, 2 to Franklin Streets
• The Backroom 627 5th Avenue (718-768-0131)
Subway: D, N, R to Prospect Avenue www.freddysbar.com
• Bar Chord 1008 Cortelyou Road
(347-240-6033) Subway: Q to Cortelyou Road www.barchordnyc.com
• Bar Next Door 129 MacDougal Street (212-529-5945)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th Street www.lalanternacaffe.com
• Barbès 376 9th Street at 6th Avenue, Brooklyn (718-965-9177)
Subway: F to 7th Avenue www.barbesbrooklyn.com
• Bill’s Place 148 W. 133rd Street (between Lenox and 7th Avenues)
(212-281-0777) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Street
• Birdland 315 W. 44th Street (212-581-3080)
Subway: A, C, E, to 42nd Street www.birdlandjazz.com
• Bizarre 12 Jefferson Street Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Avenue
www.facebook.com/bizarrebushwick
• Blackbird’s 41-19 30th Avenue (718-943-6898)
Subway: R to Steinway Street www.blackbirdsbar.com
• Blue Note 131 W. 3rd Street at 6th Avenue (212-475-8592)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th Street www.bluenotejazz.com
• Borden Auditorium Broadway and 122nd Street
(212-749-2802 ext. 4428) Subway: 1 to 116th Street www.msmnyc.edu
• Brandy Library 25 N. Moore Street
(212-226-5545) Subway: 1 to Franklin Street
• Brooklyn Museum of Art 200 Eastern Parkway (718-638-5000)
Subway: 2, 3 to Eastern Parkway www.brooklynmuseum.org
• Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn Heights Branch 280 Cadman Plaza
West at Tillary Street (718-623-7000) Subway: N, R to Court Street; 2, 3 to
Clark Street www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org
• Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch
Subway: 2, 3 to Grand Army Plaza; Q to 7th Avenue
• CJ Cullens Tavern 4340 White Plains Road, Bronx
Subway: 2 to Nereid Avenue/238th Street
• Café Carlyle 35 E. 76th Street (212-744-1600)
Subway: 6 to 77th Street www.thecarlyle.com
• Café Loup 105 W. 13th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
(212-255-4746) Subway: F to 14th Street www.cafeloupnyc.com
• Capital Grille 120 Broadway
(212-374-1811) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Wall Street www.thecapitalgrille.com
• Casaville 633 Second Avenue
(212-685-8558) Subway: 6 to 33rd Street www.casavillenyc.com
• Cassa Hotel and Residences 70 W. 45th Street, 10th Floor Terrace
(212-302-87000 Subway: B, D, F, 7 to Fifth Avenue www.cassahotelny.com
• Charley O’s 1611 Broadway at 49th Street
(212-246-1960) Subway: N, R, W to 49th Street
• Chez Lola 387 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
(718-858-1484) Subway: C to Clinton-Washington Avenues
www.bistrolola.com
• Chez Oskar 211 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn (718-852-6250)
Subway: C to Lafayette Avenue www.chezoskar.com
• City Winery 155 Varick Street
(212-608-0555) Subway: 1 to Houston Street www.citywinery.com
• Cleopatra’s Needle 2485 Broadway (212-769-6969)
Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 96th Street www.cleopatrasneedleny.com
• Club A Steakhouse 240 E. 58th Street (212-618-4190)
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 59th Street www.clubasteak.com
• Comix Lounge 353 W. 14th Street Subway: L to 8th Avenue
• Community Church of New York 40 E. 35th Street
(212-594-7149) Subway: 6 to 33rd Street
• The Complete Music Studio 227 Saint Marks Avenue, Brooklyn
(718-857-3175) Subway: B, Q to Seventh Avenue www.completemusic.com
• Cornelia Street Café 29 Cornelia Street
www.corneliastreetcafé.com
• The Counting Room 44 Berry Street (718-599-1860)
Subway: L to Bedford Avenue www.thecountingroombk.com
• The Cutting Room 44 E. 32nd Street
(212-691-1900) Subway: 6 to 33rd Street www.thecuttingroomnyc.com
• Dizzy’s Club Broadway at 60th Street, 5th Floor (212-258-9800)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle www.jalc.org
• Dominie’s Astoria 34-07 30th Avenue Subway: N, Q to 30th Avenue
• Douglass Street Music Collective 295 Douglass Street
Subway: R to Union Street www.295douglass.org
• Downtown Music Gallery 13 Monroe Street
(212-473-0043) Subway: F to East Broadway
www.downtownmusicgallery.com
• The Drawing Room 56 Willoughby Street #3 www.drawingroommusic.com
Subway: N, R to Jay Street/Metrotech
• Drom 85 Avenue A (212-777-1157)
Subway: F to Second Avenue www.dromnyc.com
• Duane Park 157 Duane Street (212-732-5555)
Subway: 1, 2, 3 to Chambers Street www.duaneparknyc.com
• Duke Ellington Boulevard W. 106th Street between Columbus Avenue and
Central Park West Subway: B to 103rd Street
• The Ear Inn 326 Spring Street at Greenwich Street (212-246-5074)
Subway: C, E to Spring Street www.earinn.com
• Eats Restaurant 1055 Lexington Avenue
(212-396-3287) Subway: 6 to 77th Street www.eatsonlex.com
• Emmanuel Baptist Church 279 Lafayette Avenue
(718-622-1107) Subway: G to Classon Avenue www.ebcconnects.com
• Fat Cat 75 Christopher Street at 7th Avenue (212-675-6056)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street/Sheridan Square www.fatcatmusic.org
• The Fifth Estate 506 5th Avenue, Brooklyn
(718-840-0089) Subway: F to 4th Avenue www.fifthestatebar.com
• The Firehouse Space 246 Frost Street
Subway: L to Graham Avenue www.thefirehousespace.org
• The Flatiron Room 37 West 26th Street
(212-725-3860) Subway: N, R to 28th Street www.theflatironroom.com
• Flushing Town Hall 137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing
(718-463-7700) Subway: 7 to Main Street www.flushingtownhall.org
• The Four Seasons Restaurant 99 East 52nd Street
(212-754-9494) Subway: 6 to 51st Street; E, M to Lexington Avenue
www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com
• Frank’s Cocktail Lounge 660 Fulton St. at Lafayette, Brooklyn
(718-625-9339) Subway: G to Fulton Street
• The Garage 99 Seventh Avenue South (212-645-0600)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.garagerest.com
• Ginny’s Supper Club at Red Rooster Harlem 310 Malcolm X Boulevard
(212-792-9001) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Street www.ginnyssupperclub.com
• Goodbye Blue Monday 1087 Broadway, Brooklyn
(718-453-6343) Subway: J, M train to Myrtle Avenue
www.goodbye-blue-monday.com
• Gospel Uptown 2110 Adam Clayton Powell Junior Boulevard
(212-280-2110) Subway: A, B, C, D to 125th Street www.gospeluptown.com
• Grace Gospel Church 589 E. 164th Street
(718-328-0166) Subway: 2, 5 to Prospect Avenue
• Greenwich House Music School 46 Barrow Street
(212-242-4770) Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.greenwichhouse.org
• Harlem School of the Arts 645 St. Nicholas Avenue at 145th Street
(212-926-4100) Subway: D to 145th Street www.harlemschoolofthearts.org
• Henry’s 2745 Broadway (212-866-060) 1 to 103rd Street
• Ibeam Brooklyn 168 7th Street between Second and Third Avenues
Subway: F to 4th Avenue www.ibeambrooklyn.com
• Iguana 240 West 54th Street
(212-765-5454) Subway: B, D, E, N, Q, R to Seventh Avenue
www.iguananyc.com
• Iridium 1650 Broadway at 51st Street (212-582-2121)
Subway: 1,2 to 50th Street www.theiridium.com
• Issue Project Room 22 Boerum Place (718-330-0313)
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall www.issueprojectroom.org
• Jack 80 University Place Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to 14th Street
• JACK 505 Waverly Avenue
(718-388-2251) Subway: C to Clinton-Washington Avenue www.jackny.org
• Japan Society 333 East 47th Street
(212-832-1155) Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 42nd Street www.japansociety.org
• Jazz 966 966 Fulton Street
(718-638-6910) Subway: C to Clinton Street www.jazz966.com
• Jazz at Kitano 66 Park Avenue at 38th Street (212-885-7000)
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to Grand Central www.kitano.com
• The Jazz Gallery 1160 Broadway, 5th floor (212-242-1063)
Subway: N, R to 28th Street www.jazzgallery.org
• Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 E.126th Street (212-348-8300)
Subway: 6 to 125th Street www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org
• Jazz Standard 116 E. 27th between Park and Lexington Avenue
(212-576-2232) Subway: 6 to 28th Street www.jazzstandard.net
• Joe G’s 244 W. 56th Street (212-765-3160)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
• Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Street (212-539-8770)
Subway: N, R to 8th Street-NYU; 6 to Astor Place www.joespub.com
• John Jay College 899 10th Avenue
(212-237-8000) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
• Juilliard School Peter Jay Sharp Theater 155 W. 65th Street
(212-769-7406) Subway: 1 to 66th Street www.juilliard.edu
• Kellari Taverna 19 W. 44th Street (212-221-0144)
Subway: B, D, F, M, 7 to 42nd Street-Bryant Park www.kellari.us
• Klavierhaus 211 West 58th Street (212-245-4535)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle www.klavierhaus.com
• Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 33 University Place at 9th Street
(212-228-8490) Subway: N, R to 8th Street-NYU
www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com
• Korzo 667 5th Avenue, Brooklyn (718-285-9425)
Subway: R to Prospect Avenue www.korzorestaurant.com
• La Villette 10 Downing Street
(212-255-0300) Subway: 1 to Houston Street www.lavillettenyc.com
• The Lambs Club 132 W. 44th Street
212-997-5262 Subway: A, C, E, to 42nd Street www.thelambsclub.com
• Le Cirque Café One Beacon Court, 151 East 58th Street (212-644-0202)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle www.lecirque.com
• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Street
(212-228-4854) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street
www.lepoissonrouge.com
• Littlefield 622 Degraw Street
(718-855-3388) Subway: M, R to Union Street www.littlefieldnyc.com
• The Local 802 322 W. 48th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues
(212-245-4802) Subway: C to 50th Street www.jazzfoundation.org
• Londel’s 2620 Frederick Douglas Boulevard (212-234-6114)
Subway: 1 to 145th Street www.londelsrestaurant.com
• L’ybane 709 8th Avenue (212-582-2012)
Subway: A, C, E to 42nd Street-Port Authority www.lybane.com
• McDonald’s 160 Broadway between Maiden Lane and Liberty Street
(212-385-2063) Subway: 4, 5 to Fulton Street www.mcdonalds.com
• Machiavelli’s 519 Columbus Avenue
(212-724-2658) Subway: B, C to 86th Street www.machiavellinyc.com
• Matisse 924 Second Avenue
(212-546-9300) Subway: 6 to 51st Street www.matissenyc.com
• Measure 400 Fifth Avenue
(212-695-4005) Subway: B, D, F, M to 34th Street
www.langhamplacehotels.com
• Metropolitan Room 34 W. 22nd Street (212-206-0440)
Subway: N, R to 23rd Street www.metropolitanroom.com
• Michiko Studios 149 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor
(212-302-4011) Subway: B, D, F, M to 47-50 Streets
www.michikostudios.com
• Miller Theater 2960 Broadway and 116th Street
(212-854-7799) Subway: 1 to 116th Street-Columbia University
www.millertheater.com
• Minton’s Playhouse 206 West 118th Street (between St. Nicholas Avenue
and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd) (212-243-2222)
Subway: B, C to 116th Street www.mintonsharlem.com
• MIST - My Image Studios 40 West 116th Street
Subway: 2, 3 to 116th Street
• Mona’s 224 Avenue B Subway: L to First Avenue
• Muchmore’s 2 Havemeyer Street (718-576-3222)
Subway: L to Bedford Avenue
• NYC Baha’i Center 53 E. 11th Street (212-222-5159)
Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to 14th Street-Union Square www.bahainyc.org
• Neue Galerie 1048 5th Avenue
(212-628-6200) Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 86th www.neuegalerie.org
• Nino’s Tuscany 117 W. 58th Street (212-757-8630)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle www.ninostuscany.com
• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Place (212-254-1200)
Subway: A, B, C, E, F to West 4th Street www.northsquareny.com
• Norwegian Seaman’s Church 317 East 52nd Street (between First and
Second Avenues) (212-319-0370) Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 51st Street
• Notaro Second Avenue between 34th & 35th Streets (212-686-3400)
Subway: 6 to 33rd Street
• Nuyorican Poets Café 236 E. 3rd Street between Avenues B and C
(212-505-8183) Subway: F, V to Second Avenue www.nuyorican.org
• Pão Restaurant 322 Spring Street
(212-334-5464) Subway: C, E to Spring Street www.paonewyork.com
• The Paper Box 17 Meadow Street
(718-383-3815) Subway: L to Grand Street www.paperboxnyc.com
• Parlor Entertainment 555 Edgecombe Ave. #3F between 159th and
160th Streets (212-781-6595) Subway: C to 155th Street www.parlorentertainment.com
• Parnell’s 350 East 53rd Street #1(212-753-1761)
Subway: E, M to Lexington Avenue/53 Street www.parnellsny.com
• Paul Hall 155 W. 65th Street
(212-769-7406) Subway: 1 to 66th Street www.juilliard.edu
• The Plaza Hotel Rose Club Fifth Avenue at Central Park South
(212-759-3000) Subway: N, Q, R to Fifth Avenue www.fairmont.com
• Prime and Beyond Restaurant 90 East 10th Street
(212-505-0033) Subway: 6 to Astor Place www.primeandbeyond.com
• Rockwood Music Hall 196 Allen Street (212-477-4155)
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue www.rockwoodmusichall.com
• Rose Hall Broadway at 60th Street, 5th floor (212-258-9800)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle www.jalc.org
• Roulette 509 Atlantic Avenue
(212-219-8242) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Atlantic Avenue www.roulette.org
• Rubin Museum 150 W. 17th Street (212-620-5000)
Subway: A, C, E to 14th Street www.rmanyc.org
• St. Mary’s Church Johnson Hall 230 Classon Avenue
Subway: G to Classon Avenue
• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street
(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Street www.saintpeters.org
• San Martin Restaurant 143 E. 49 Street between Lexington and Park
Avenues (212-832-0888) Subway: 6 to 51st Street
• Sankofa Aban Bed & Breakfast 107 Macon Street
(917-704-9237) Subway: A, C to Nostrand Avenue www.sankofaaban.com
• Sapphire NYC 333 E. 60th Street (212-421-3600)
Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R to 59th Street www.nysapphire.com
• The Schomburg Center 515 Macolm X Boulevard (212-491-2200)
Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Street www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html
• SEEDS 617 Vanderbilt Avenue Subway: 2, 3, 4 to Grand Army Plaza www.seedsbrooklyn.org
• ShapeShifter Lab 18 Whitwell Place
(646-820-9452) Subway: R to Union Street www.shapeshifterlab.com
• Shell’s Bistro 2150 5th Avenue
(212) 234-5600 Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Street www.shellsbistro.com
• Showman’s 375 W. 125th Street at Morningside) (212-864-8941)
Subway: A, B, C, D to 125th Street www.showmansjazz.webs.com
• Shrine 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (212-690-7807)
Subway: B, 2, 3 to 135th Street www.shrinenyc.com
• Silvana 300 West 116th Street
(646-692-4935) Subway: B, C, to 116th Street
• SingleCut Beersmiths 19-33 37th Street, Astoria (718-606-0788)
Subway: N, Q to Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard www.singlecutbeer.com
• Sistas’ Place 456 Nostrand Avenue at Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn
(718-398-1766) Subway: A to Nostrand Avenue www.sistasplace.org
• Smalls 183 W 10th Street at Seventh Avenue (212-252-5091)
Subway: 1,2,3,9 to 14th Street www.smallsjazzclub.com
• Smithfield 215 West 28th Street
(212-564-2172) Subway: 1 to 28th Street www.smithfieldnyc.com
• Smoke 2751 Broadway between 105th and 106th Streets
(212-864-6662) Subway: 1 to 103rd Street www.smokejazz.com
• Somethin’ Jazz Club 212 E. 52nd Street, 3rd floor (212-371-7657)
Subway: 6 to 51st Street; E to Lexington Avenue-53rd Street
www.somethinjazz.com/ny
• Sora Lella 300 Spring Street (212-366-4749)
Subway: C, E to Spring Street www.soralellanyc.com
• Spectrum 121 Ludlow Street, 2nd floor Subway: F to Delancey Street
www.spectrumnyc.com
• Stephen Wise Free Synagogue 30 W. 68th Street
(212-877-4050) Subway: 1 to 66th Street www.swfs.org
• Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 881 Seventh Avenue (212-247-7800)
Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th- Seventh Avenue www.carnegiehall.org
• The Stone Avenue C and 2nd Street
Subway: F to Second Avenue www.thestonenyc.com
• SubCulture 45 Bleecker Street (212-533-5470)
Subway: 6 to Bleecker Street www.subculturenewyork.com
• Sugar Bar 254 W. 72 Street between Broadway and West End Avenue
(212-579-0222) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 72nd Street www.sugarbarnyc.com
• Swing 46 349 W. 46th Street (646-322-4051)
Subway: A, C, E to 42nd Street www.swing46.com
• Symphony Space Leonard Nimoy Thalia, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre
& Bar Thalia 2537 Broadway at 95th Street (212-864-5400)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9 to 96th Street www.symphonyspace.org
• Tagine 537 9th Ave. between 39th and 40th Streets
(212-564-7292) Subway: A, C, E, 1, 2, N, R, 7 to 42nd Street
• Tea Lounge 837 Union Street, Brooklyn (718-789-2762)
Subway: N, R to Union Street www.tealoungeNY.com
• Tomi Jazz 239 E. 53rd Street
(646-497-1254) Subway: 6 to 51st Street www.tomijazz.com
• Turtle Bay Music School 244 East 52nd Street Subway: 6 to 51st Street
• Union Pool 484 Union Avenue at Meeker
(718-609-0484) Subway: L to Lorimer Street
• University of the Streets 130 E. 7th Street
(212-254-9300) Subway: 6 to Astor Place www.universityofthestreets.org
• Via Della Pace 48 E. 7th Street and Second Avenue
(212-253-5803) Subway: 6 to Astor Place
• The Village Lantern 167 Bleecker Street
• The Village Trattoria 135 W. 3rd Street (212-598-0011)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th Street www.thevillagetrattoria.com
• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Avenue South at 11th Street
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street www.villagevanguard.com
• Vino di Vino Wine Bar 29-21 Ditmars Boulevard, Queens
(718-721-3010) Subway: N to Ditmars Blvd-Astoria
• Walker’s 16 North Moore Street (212-941-0142)
Subway: A, C, E to Canal Street
• Waltz-Astoria 23-14 Ditmars Boulevard (718-95-MUSIC)
Subway: N, R to Ditmars Blvd-Astoria www.Waltz-Astoria.com
• Water Street Restaurant 66 Water Street (718-625-9352)
Subway: F to York Street, A, C to High Street
• Williamsburg Music Center 367 Bedford Avenue
(718-384-1654) Subway: L to Bedford Avenue
• Winter Garden Battery Park City Subway: E to World Trade Center www.worldfinancialcenter.com
• Zankel Hall 881 Seventh Avenue at 57th Street
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th Street www.carnegiehall.org
• Ze Couch 27 Arion Place #426 Subway: J, M to Myrtle Avenue
• Zeb’s 223 W. 28th Street
212-695-8081 Subway: 1 to 28th Street www.zebulonsoundandlight.com
• Zinc Bar 82 W. 3rd Street (212-477-8337)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th Street www.zincbar.com
• Zürcher Studio 33 Bleecker Street
(212-777-0790) Subway: 6 to Bleeker Street; B, D, F to Broadway-Lafayette
www.galeriezurcher.com
49
(A L’ARME CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13)
spanning energy and love of rich clusters recalled the
compositions of the American visionary.
New York connections, past and present, were
featured throughout. The Falling River Music of
Anthony Braxton - who gave graphic scores and
conducted instructions to his quintet - brought the
subtle conversation of trumpets, saxophones and
guitar face to face with the nightmarish and distorted
sounds of their own selves electronically reprocessed
(the familiar New York lineup of Taylor Ho Bynum,
Mary Halvorson and Ingrid Laubrock was here
augmented by US trumpeter Liz Allbee, now based in
Berlin). ‘80s NYC post-punk pioneer Thurston Moore
teamed up with Mats Gustafsson (a visitor last year
with The Thing) for an abrasive set that made the main
hall tremble at its climactic peaks: from gentle bowedguitar drones and saxophone sparks they built to
shattering sub-bass electronics and feedback screams.
With a nod to his rock roots, Moore dutifully slammed
his instrument to the floor to end proceedings.
A L’ARME!’s shared affinities with the Vision
Festival were strengthened by the presence of bassist
William Parker who, though troubled by a muddy
sound mix (sadly something of an issue for several
string players during the festival), nonetheless locked
in beautifully with Hamid Drake’s restless drum flow
and the boppish lines of veteran free trombonist Conny
Bauer, playing his home town. One of the most joyous
improvised encounters came on the final evening,
centered around the dialogue of trumpet virtuoso
Peter Evans - in playful rather than sound-pulverizing
form - and trombonist Johannes Bauer (brother to
Conny and a stalwart of Berlin’s free jazz scene). Their
swinging interplay, Ellingtonian growls and wild
cadenzas combined with the energetic piano of festivalfounder Louis Rastig and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love
to provide truly exciting music that brought whoops
and cheers from the crowd gathered in the Saal. And in
the same room, the duo performance of drummer Chris
Corsano and bassist Clayton Thomas possessed a
similarly irreverent approach; while the former proved
himself adept at circular-breathing, blowing long,
ghostly tones into his toms, the latter employed vehicle
registration plates in the search for new bass timbres.
Clearly not lacking in adventurous intent or
generous funding, the festival was at times in danger
of cramming too much in and several acts might have
reached higher places had their sets been longer. But
on the strength of its alumni so far and the ambitious
spirit of its organizers, it’d be well worth setting your
alarms now for next year ’s edition. v
Gary Bartz, David Weiss, Eddie Henderson, George
Cables, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart - on the same stage
vied for the festival championship belt with a series of
stunning knockouts. And to close the Homecoming
Series, all the participants, led by Geri Allen, gave a
sampler-type performance at JPM, adding and
subtracting into different subgroups and demonstrating
that Detroit jazz is a sundry genre unto itself; former
Was Not Was saxophonist David McMurray was a
squawking revelation.
And those with perhaps a more progressive
yearning didn’t leave disappointed. Saxophonist
David Murray led his excellent big band at JPM,
highlighted by baritone saxophonist Alex Harding.
Pop vocalist Macy Gray joined the group for most of its
set and while fairly well integrated, the band on its
own was better. Bassist Robert Hurst (another
Homecomer) brought the funk on both upright and
electric instruments for his set at JPM. Saxophonist
Charles Lloyd followed - don’t miss a chance to see
this amazing performer, rich in tone, richer in concept.
But guitarist Bill Frisell was merely a pleasant harmonic
addition to Lloyd’s deep trio. Drummer Francisco
Mora-Catlett, another Detroiter, led his percussionheavy AfroHorn at JPM, featuring the twin saxophone
threat of Harding and soprano Sam Newsome (of note,
these two joined with tenor Wayne Escoffery at the
late-night hotel jam session for a transcendent
“Cantaloupe Island”). Saxophonist Dave Liebman
appeared with old friend/pianist Richie Beirach for an
exploratory, questing duo set at APS and then the pair
joined up with Ron McClure and Billy Hart for the
actual Quest, as intense a group now as they were
when starting out over 30 years ago. And closing the
festival was a strange and wonderful fusion blowout:
Miles Smiles with Wallace Roney, Larry Coryell, Rick
Margitza, Ralphe Armstrong, and Alphonse Mouzon.
The group only played “Footprints” from the titular
album, spending the rest of the set with later periods of
Miles Davis music. But to paraphrase Christopher
Walken: “More Coryell”. While Roney and Margitza
were functional, it was the veteran fusion trio of
Coryell, Armstrong (“bass pimp” his t-shirt declared)
and Mouzon that really ran the voodoo down.
Who knows how, when and if Detroit will ever
regain its mid-20th century glory? Certainly selling of
the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts is not the
answer. But for all the city’s woes, its music, inhabitants
and fine jazz festival are not among them. v
For more information, visit detroitjazzfest.com
(GUELPH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13)
For more information, visit alarmefestival.de
(DETROIT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13)
Younger and older players alike represented a
more ‘modern’ vein. DJF Artist-in-Residence pianist
Danilo Pérez led an ensemble featuring violinist Alex
Hargreaves in a slightly uneven reading of his new
Panama 500 suite at JP Morgan Chase Main Stage (JPM)
and then joined Motor City daughter Geri Allen in a set
of piano duets at CAS, which began tentatively but
opened up after the feeling-out stage. Another
Detroiter, saxophonist JD Allen (the DJF celebrates the
city’s history with a series of “Homecoming” concerts),
performed an incendiary trio set at APS, recalling in
form and fortitude Sonny Rollins. Another homecoming
was trombonist George Bohanon, co-leading a quintet
with West Coast flamethrowing saxophonist Azar
Lawrence at MAWS; the gentle trombone/piano duet
(Theo Saunders) of “But Beautiful” was a festival
highlight. Organist Tony Monaco almost launched
himself skyward during his remarkable, down-anddirty trio set at APS while The Cookers - Billy Harper,
Astringent, oscillating and propelled by an e-bow,
violin-bow, foot pedals and preparations, the results at
points suggested a jam between Buck Owens and
Stockhausen and fittingly he replicated a rooster ’s
crowing near the end of this 2 am performance.
Falaise is also a member of Ensemble
SuperMusique, which played one afternoon in the
light-filled Guelph Youth Music Centre. A dozen
stalwarts of Montreal’s improv scene - including
inventive clarinetist Lori Freedman and sturdy bassist
Nicolas Caloïa, who as a duo created a quick-witted set
of chamber-improv at the yoga center - the ensemble
interpreted
unique
compositions,
including
saxophonist/vocalist Joane Hétu’s “Pour ne pas
désespérer seul”, dedicated to the anti-globalization
movement. Paramountly group music, the parameters
of that composition were wide enough to involve all
the players in propelling the aggressive march tempo
instrumentally and vocally. Saxophonist/flautist Jean
Derome’s “Plate-Forme” was similarly rousing,
underlined by crashing metallic friction sourced from
David Lafrance’s turntables and interpolating snatches
of so-called ethnic tunes. Solos included the composer ’s
bass flute lowing, exciting string-stropping from
fiddler Josh Zubot, distorted rock-hero licks from
Falaise and a dollop of big band swing.
As carefully orchestrated, but with only four
participants, was the Golden Quartet’s version of
trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith’s Ten Freedom Summers
on the concert stage of the RRC. Smith, pianist Anthony
Davis, bassist John Lindberg and drummer Anthony
Brown performed the kaleidoscopic composition with
the backdrop a large screen on which were projected
stage shots, choppy neo-abstract graphics and images
of Civil Rights figures like Thurgood Marshall. In no
way programmatic, the direction of the tonic, bluesbased suite depended on hand signals from Smith. The
most economical of soloists, the trumpeter allowed the
program to flow organically, stepping forward as
infrequently to conduct as he showcased commanding
open horn interludes or succinct muted slurs.
Unhurried in his spots Brown confirmed with clanking
intensity
his
rhythmic
command;
Lindberg
substantiated his familiarity with every bass trope
while cementing the thick pulse and Davis skillfully
introduced ragtime, blues and swing suggestions to a
modern style.
Sadly the other half of this bill, Pharoah Sanders
and The Underground never achieved cohesion. In
theory, linking the venerable tenor saxophonist, who
introduced Africanized motifs to free jazz in the late
‘60s, with the band of cornetist Rob Mazurek, who
conceived similar mixtures with improvised music and
Brazilian rhythms, should have worked. However, as
Sanders shuffled from center stage to output barely
heard trills then returned to his chair beside drummer
Chad Taylor ’s kit, the saxophonist appeared out of his
element. Meanwhile electric bassist Matthew Lux plus
members of the São Paulo Underground - Guilherme
Granado on keyboards and samplers plus Mauricio
Takara playing percussion and cavaquinho - propelled
myriad polyrhythms and undulating textures. Sharp
and focused, Mazurek snapped out perfectly-incontext brassy tones and Taylor ’s rolls preserved jazz
rhythms among the Brazilian blitz. By the final third of
the concert, Sanders roused himself enough to launch
some honking cries, reminiscent of his earlier style, but
the moment had passed and he ended up looking like
a guest at his own (musical) party.
Another musician whose playing was reminiscent
of ‘60s ecstatic jazz was guitarist Tisziji Muñoz,
featured one afternoon at the Macdonald Stewart Art
Centre, backed up by a trio of first-call Toronto jazzers.
Ranging from the sacred to the syrupy, Muñoz’ pieces
included folksy echoes that upset the band’s intensity.
Also problematic was Montreal’s Bometa: clarinetist
Guillaume Bourque, percussionist Patrick Graham and
bassist Jean Félix Mailloux create short effervescent
melodies that inhabit the space between Middle
Eastern airs and North American jazz. The pieces are
pleasant, but a whole program of them starts to sound
indistinguishable.
Then there’s Dawn of Midi. Bassist Aakaash Israni,
pianist Amino Belyamani and percussionist Qasim
Naqvi almost literally hypnotized the rapt audience in
Cooperators Hall. Treating all instruments as
percussion sources, the set-long composition
supposedly reflects the member ’s collective Indian,
Pakistani and Moroccan roots. With Naqvi’s backbeat,
Israni maintaining an ostinato throughout and
Belyamani stopping the strings and hammering on
low-pitched keys to produce a juddering rhythm, the
effect suggests Third World trance musics, which
reveal novel textures as they evolve. Still the music is
100% through-composed. Its inclusion at a jazz festival
dedicated to improvisation raises a thorny question.
Considering how well the GJF is adapting to its
adulthood, it’s likely this and other questions of focus
and content will be resolved as it continues to evolve. v
For more information, visit guelphjazzfestival.com
IN MEMORIAM
by Andrey Henkin
SATHIMA BEA BENJAMIN - The South African
vocalist was the former spouse of pianist Abdullah
Ibrahim and a respected artist in her own right since
the mid ‘60s as well as a committed political activist.
Benjamin died Aug. 20th at 76.
GARY LEFEBVRE - The West Coast saxophonist
worked with Terry Gibbs, the Lighthouse All Stars
and backed up numerous vocalists as part of the
house band at Coconut Grove in Los Angeles.
LeFebvre died Aug. 7th at 74.
GEORGE DUKE - The keyboardist delved into
traditional realms with his own early groups and the
Adderley Brothers, played jazz-rock with Jean-Luc
Ponty and Frank Zappa, embraced fusion alongside
Billy Cobham and Stanley Clarke and released many
albums under his own name, including the recent
DreamWeaver (Heads Up). Duke died Aug. 5th at 67.
MARIAN MCPARTLAND - The Grand Dame of
the piano, McPartland’s NPR program Piano Jazz,
first broadcast in 1978 (McPartland retired from the
show in 2011), featured hundreds of pianists in
conversation and performance with its host, who
was married to cornet player Jimmy McPartland,
led the resident trio at New York’s Hickory House in
the ‘50s, was one of the last survivors of the “A Great
Day in Harlem” photo shoot and released 20+
albums as a leader since 1951. McPartland died Aug.
20th at 95.
JANE HARVEY - The singer worked with the big
band of Benny Goodman in 1944, recorded with
Duke Ellington, was married to producer Bob Thiele
and restarted her career in earnest recently after a
long layoff. Harvey died Aug. 15th at 88.
LARRY KARUSH - The pianist/composer worked
with John Abercrombie, Jane Ira Bloom, Jay Clayton,
Bennie Wallace and Oregon and co-led the
improvisational trio Mokave with Glens Moore and
Velez. Karush died Aug. 27th at 66.
JACK MAHEU - The committed Dixieland player
co-founded the Salt City Five in the ‘50s, played
with the Dukes of Dixieland in the late ‘50s, worked
with Muggsy Spanier, Jimmy McPartland, Pee Wee
Russell, Vic Dickenson, Bud Freeman and others
and was part of the house band at Condon’s in New
York in the ‘80s. Maheu died Aug. 27th at 83.
ALBERT MURRAY - The essayist was a major
figure in the burgeoning Black Equality movement
during the ‘40s and onwards. His prose style was
influenced by jazz creativity and he was integral to
the founding of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Murray died
Aug. 18th at 97.
GEORGE VUKAN - The Hungarian pianist was
classically trained before moving into jazz and
working with figures like Philly Joe Jones, Clifford
Jordan, Frank Foster, Clark Terry, Kenny Wheeler
and his own Creative Art Trio. Vukan died Aug. 12th
at 71.
CEDAR WALTON - The pianist, and composer of
the jazz standard “Bolivia”, worked with many
luminaries of jazz starting in the late ‘50s, including
Lucky Thompson, Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter,
Donald Byrd, Houston Person, Clifford Jordan, Art
Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (stints in 1961-64, 1973
and 1982) and many others, and regularly released
albums as a leader since 1969 on labels like Prestige,
Timeless, RED, Criss Cross, Evidence and, in the
new century, HighNote/Savant. Walton died Aug.
19th at 79.
BIRTHDAYS
October 1
Andre Paquinet b.1926
Dave Holland b.1946
Mark Helias b.1950
Tony Dumas b.1955
Fred Lonberg-Holm b.1962
October 2
†Wally Rose 1913-97
†Phil Urso 1925-2008
†Howard Roberts 1929-92
†Ronnie Ross 1933-91
Peter A. Schmid b.1959
Django Bates b.1960
October 3
†Edgar Battle 1907-77
†Buddy Banks 1909-91
†Von Freeman 1922-2012
George Wein b.1925
Rashid Bakr b.1943
Mike Clark b.1946
Michael Bowie b.1961
Carsten Dahl b.1967
October 4
†Noel Chiboust 1909-94
†Marvin Ash 1914-74
†Walter Bishop 1927-98
†Leon Thomas 1937-99
Mark Levine b.1938
Steve Swallow b.1940
Eddie Gomez b.1944
Robert Hurst b.1964
Mat Maneri b.1969
October 5
†Jimmy Blanton 1918-42
†Bill Dixon 1925-2010
†Donald Ayler 1942-2007
Clifton Anderson b.1957
Tord Gustavsen b.1970
October 6
Norman Simmons b.1929
Steve Elmer b.1941
Masahiko Satoh b.1941
Mark Whitfield b.1966
October 7
†Papa Jo Jones 1911-85
†Alvin Stoller 1925-92
†Larry Young 1940-78
Aaron Parks b.1983
October 8
†JC Heard 1917-88
†Pepper Adams 1930-86
John Betsch b.1945
Steven Bernstein b.1961
Ted Kooshian b.1961
October 9
†Elmer Snowden 1900-73
†Bebo Valdes 1918-2013
Yusef Lateef b.1920
Abdullah Ibrahim b.1934
Chucho Valdes b.1941
Satoko Fujii b.1958
Kenny Garrett b.1960
Jeff Albert b.1970
Amy Cervini b.1977
October 10
†Harry “Sweets” Edison
1915-99
†Thelonious Monk 1917-82
†Monk Montgomery 1921-82
†Julius Watkins 1921-77
†Oscar Brown Jr. 1926-2005
Junior Mance b.1928
†Ed Blackwell 1929-92
Cecil Bridgewater b.1942
Scott Reeves b.1950
Pam Fleming b.1957
October 11
†Curtis Amy 1919-2002
†Art Blakey 1919-90
†Billy Higgins 1936-2001
†Lester Bowie 1941-99
†Fred Hopkins 1947-99
Federico Ughi b.1972
October 12
†Mel Rhyne 1936-2013
Ed Cherry b.1957
Michael Mossman b.1959
Harry Allen b.1966
October 13
†Art Tatum 1909-56
Terry Gibbs b.1924
†Ray Brown 1926-2002
Tommy Whittle b.1926
Lee Konitz b.1927
†Johnny Lytle 1932-95
Pharoah Sanders b.1940
Joachim Badenhorst b.1981
October 14
Dusko Goykovich b.1931
†Fritz Pauer 1943-2012
Garrison Fewell b.1953
Kazumi Watanabe b.1953
October 15
Freddy Cole b.1931
†Joe Roccisano 1939-97
Palle Danielsson b.1946
Bo Stief b.1946
Bill Charlap b.1966
Reid Anderson b.1970
October 16
Ray Anderson b.1952
Tim Berne b.1954
Roy Hargrove b.1969
October 17
†Cozy Cole 1906-81
†Barney Kessel 1923-2004
†Sathima Bea Benjamin
1936-2013
Joseph Bowie b.1953
Howard Alden b.1958
Manuel Valera b.1980
October 18
†Anita O’Day 1919-2006
†Bent Jaedig 1935-2004
†JC Moses 1936-77
Wynton Marsalis b.1961
Bill Stewart b.1966
Myron Walden b.1972
Esperanza Spalding b.1984
October 19
†Red Richards 1912-98
Eddie Daniels b.1941
Ronnie Burrage b.1959
Tim Garland b.1966
October 20
†Jelly Roll Morton 1890-41
†Johnny Best 1913-2003
†Ray Linn 1920-96
†Willie Jones 1929-1991
†Eddie Harris 1934-96
Dado Moroni b.1962
Mark O’Leary b.1969
October 21
†Don Byas 1912-72
†Dizzy Gillespie 1917-93
†Don Elliott 1926-84
Bobby Few b.1935
Jerry Bergonzi b.1947
Marc Johnson b.1953
Fred Hersch b.1955
David Weiss b.1964
October 22
Giorgio Gaslini b.1929
†Tyrone Hill 1948-2007
Jane Bunnett b.1955
Hans Glawischnig b.1970
October 23
†Sonny Criss 1927-77
†Fats Sadi 1927-2009
†Gary McFarland 1933-71
Ernie Watts b.1945
Tristan Honsinger b.1949
Dianne Reeves b.1956
October 24
†Louis Barbarin 1902-97
†Jimmie Powell b.1914
Odean Pope b.1938
Jay Anderson b.1955
Rick Margitza b.1961
October 25
†Eddie Lang 1902-33
†Don Banks 1923-80
Jimmy Heath b.1926
Terumasa Hino b.1942
Robin Eubanks b.1955
October 26
†Charlie Barnet 1913-91
†Warne Marsh 1927-87
Eddie Henderson b.1940
October 27
†Sonny Dallas 1931-2007
Barre Phillips b.1934
Philip Catherine b.1942
Arild Andersen b.1945
Nick Stephens b.1946
Ken Filiano b.1952
David Hazeltine b.1958
Amanda Monaco b.1973
October 28
†Chico O’Farrill 1921-2001
Cleo Laine b.1927
Andy Bey b.1939
Jay Clayton b.1941
Glen Moore b.1941
†Elton Dean 1945-2006
Michel Pilz b.1945
Richard Bona b.1967
Kurt Rosenwinkel b.1970
October 29
†Hadda Brooks 1916-2002
†Neil Hefti 1922-2008
†Zoot Sims 1925-85
†Pim Jacobs 1934-96
Siggy Busch b.1943
Emilio Solla b.1962
Mats Gustafsson b.1964
Josh Sinton b.1971
October 30
†Teo Macero 1925-2008
†Bobby Jones 1928-80
†Clifford Brown 1930-56
Trilok Gurtu b.1951
October 31
Toshiyuki Miyama b.1921
†Illinois Jacquet 1922-2004
†Ted Nash 1922-2011
†Bob Graettinger 1923-57
†Ray Crane 1930-94
†Booker Ervin 1930-70
Les Tomkins b.1930
Johnny Williams b.1936
†John Guerin 1939-2004
Reimer Von Essen b.1940
†Sherman Ferguson 1944-2006
David Parlato b.1945
Bob Belden b.1956
Vincent Gardner b.1972
GLEN MOORE
October 28th, 1941
The bassist was born in
Portland, Oregon and Moore
would go on to honor his
home state by naming, along
with guitarist Ralph Towner,
reedplayer Paul McCandless
and percussionist Colin
Walcott, a band after it.
Oregon
has
been
in
continuous operation since
1970, releasing almost 30
albums, but that commitment
has not stopped Moore from
compelling
work
with
Annette Peacock, Nancy
King, Rabih Abou-Khalil and
other bassists like David
Friesen and Dave Holland as
well a number of albums as a
leader or co-leader, including
a pair with percussionist
Glen Velez and just-deceased
pianist Larry Karush under
the cooperative moniker
Mokave. Worthy of his own
TV show, Moore still resides
in the The City of Roses. -AH
ON THIS DAY
by Andrey Henkin
Most Likely...
Dick Johnson (Riverside)
October 30th, 1957
Bossa Nova Plus
Willis Jackson (Prestige)
October 30th, 1962
Girl from Martinique
Robin Kenyatta (ECM)
October 30th, 1970
clarinetist/alto saxophonist led
Artie Shaw’s reformed band from
1983-2010. But decades earlier, after a
two-year stint with Charlie Spivak’s
big band, Johnson started recording
as a leader with a trio of albums for
EmArcy, Riverside and Verve. This is
the middle child, a quartet date with
Dave McKenna (piano), Wilbur Ware
(bass, in between sessions for his first
leader date) and Philly Joe Jones
(drums). The tunes include several
Johnson originals but also standard
material from Cole Porter, Edward
Redding and Young-Washington.
After a decade doing session work for
The alto saxophonist may not have
been as well known as some of his
compatriots to ascend during the ‘60s
New Thing but did have a nice
discography, including sessions with
Bill Dixon, Roswell Rudd and Alan
Silva, in addition to several albums as
a leader, including one a year before
his 2004 death. This is his highestprofile disc, among the first 10 releases
on the then-new ECM label, a quartet
outing with keyboardist Wolfgang
Dauner, bassist Arild Andersen and
drummer Fred Braceful, playing four
Kenyatta originals.
The
R&B albums, tenor saxophonist Willis
“Gator” Jackson stepped to the front
of the studio in 1959. He released
almost 30 albums during the ‘60s,
with a couple of different bands,
usually quartets or quintets but this
session features an octet: Jackson plus
the rhythm section of Tommy
Flanagan, Kenny Burrell, Eddie
Calhoun and Roy Haynes plus Latin
percussionists
Juan
Amalbert,
Montego Joe and Jose Paulo. The
album has the alternate title Shuckin’,
the only Jackson original appearing.
Live at The Berlin Jazz Days 1980
Lee Konitz & Martial Solal (MPS)
October 30th, 1980
Alto
saxophonist Lee Konitz (1927 Chicago, IL) and pianist Martial Solal
(1927 - Algiers, Algeria) first recorded
together in 1968, again in 1974 and
then 1977, always in a quartet, before
waxing their first duo session in 1977.
That Horo album was done in the
studio but this disc was recorded live
at the 1980 Berlin Jazz Days. The
standards “Invitation”, “Star Eyes”
and “Noblesse Oblige” appear, as
does former Konitz mentor Lennie
Tristano’s “317 East 32nd Street”, plus
a pair of duo improvisations and
Konitz’ “Subconscious-Lee”.
9 By 3
Joshua Breakstone (Contemporary)
October 30th, 1990
Guitarist Joshua Breakstone debuted
on record in 1979 and led his first
session as a leader four years later. By
1986, Breakstone was a Contemporary
Records artist and 9 by 3 is the final of
four discs done for that imprint and
also his first trio session. Joining the
leader are bassist Dennis Irwin and
drummer
Kenny
Washington,
recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s
legendary Englewood Cliffs studio.
Breakstone composed two of the
songs, the rest standard material,
including a medley of Monk: “Monk’s
Mood/Pannonica”.
51

October 2013 - The New York City Jazz Record

Transcription

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