PDF - Jazz Inside Magazine

Transcription

www.jazzINSIDEMAGAZINE.com
October/november 2015
Interviews
& Features
Expanded CD Review Section!
Jay Beckenstein
Spyro Gyra at
Ridgefield Playhouse
October 22
Romain Collin
Oscar Perez
Noah Preminger
New CD: Silver
Celebrating Their 25 Anniversary
Comprehensive
Directory of
NY Club Concert &
Event Listings
Harvey Mason | Chuck Loeb | Bob James | Nathan East
The Jazz Music Dashboard — Smart Listening Experiences
Count Basie Orchestra
Like Us
Chick Corea & Bela Fleck
facebook.com/JazzInsideMedia
Follow Us
Fourplay
twitter.com/JazzInsideMag
David Benoit
Watch Us
John Pizzarelli
youtube.com/JazzInsideMedia
Go To www.EricNemeyerGetsYouCustomers.com
FREE Brand Optimization Consultation — Includes Extensive Market Research & Competition Analysis Report
Go To www.EricNemeyerOnline.com
FREE Comprehensive SEO & Online Visibility Report Shows You How To Increase Traffic Fast
Your Business Not Getting Enough Sales?
Feature
By Eric Nemeyer
Fourplay
The Group
Longevity among jazz groups is a surprisingly rare commodity. With relatively few exceptions, a run of a few years, at most, is standard; for a collective of jazz musicians to stick
together for a decade or more is almost unheard
of. That puts Fourplay, who celebrates their
25th anniversary this year, in a league of their
own. Since 1990, bassist Nathan East, keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Chuck Loeb (who
joined five years ago) and drummer Harvey
Mason have continued to explore together, their
efforts resulting in what All Music Guide called
one of “the most intuitive, forward-thinking and
focused groups in modern jazz.”
2
Jazz Inside-2015-10_001-...
page 2
On Silver, set for release November 20,
2015 on Heads Up, a division of Concord Music Group, Fourplay celebrates that unprecedented bond with their most wide-ranging and
gratifying recording to date. Following the
theme of the occasion, most of the 10 new original compositions comprising Silver play off of
the anniversary, bearing titles such as
“Sterling,” “Precious Metal” and “A Silver
Lining.” Just like its namesake, Silver shines,
each track a brilliant example of what has made
this formidable ensemble—each of whom also
has a highly successful career outside of the
band—one of the most respected in the jazz
world.
Bob James
JI: Could you talk about your group Fourplay,
which includes Harvey Mason, Nathan East and
how the group has evolved?
BJ: Again it was an accident the way so many
things seem to be, they just happen and take
own a life of their own. It was a very casual
conversation that I was having in the studio
when I was working on my album Grand Piano
Canyon. I intended to go to Los Angeles to
work for a change, because all my records up to
the time had been done in New York. I knew I
wanted to use Harvey Mason because he and I
had a long history already by that time - usually
with me having him come to New York. But, I
had done a guest appearance with Lee Ritenour
on one of his records, and so I was getting
something from him to have him play on my
record. Both Lee and Harvey lived in Los Angeles and I asked who they would recommend for
October 2015 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 4)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Tuesday, October 06, 2015 03:48
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Cyan
a bass player and they both recommend Nathan East. I had not met him
and I had only seen his name on record labels, so this one particular session we all seemed to be having the same feeling - a very unusual simpatico feeling that we all had and that lead us to talk about how sometimes
a particular group can take on an identity of it’s own - just by the virtue
of the way they interact with each other. I was asking them if any of them
had ever been in a group, or a member of a group, which I had not been. I
think one of them had been for a short time early on their careers, but,
eventually I kind of said, “Gee, I wonder what it would be like to form a
group from scratch?” Coincidentally I had an A&R job with Warner
Brothers at the time and I was able to take the idea immediately into the
record company and see if I could convince them to let us make a record
and the record company was positive about it. Very shortly - it was less
than six months after we had that first conversation - we were in the studio doing what we thought could be just a one-off album project. But,
from the very beginning, the whole idea of it was the intrigue of forming
a group identity and we knew that couldn’t really do that in one record.
So here we are about thirteen, fourteen years in to it. We certainly have
established that we did find a group identity far beyond what any of us
would have envisioned at the time.
JI: One of my favorite quotes is “the greatest obstacle of discover is not
ignorance, it’s the illusion of knowledge” that was Dan Boorstin, former
Librarian of Congress, maybe you could comment on how you experience or dealt with this in your creative life and the development you experienced over many years?
BJ: Well, that’s a very powerful statement. It really does relate to what
we were already talking about - about how sometimes things that are
preconceived ideas can get in the way of allowing the new thing to happen … which is what should be the most exciting thing for any of us and
maybe in jazz more than most other areas of arts. The reason is because
jazz depends on spontaneity and being able to be open to be creative in
that moment. Every time you play in a jazz situation, in a live performance, it’s something new that has not existed before. You will either be
stuck in your past habits or in the expectations of what other people want
from you …. or you can open up. That’s sometimes very hard to do. In
my opinion that’s when the best things happen - when there’s the least
obstacle to that, and when you can stay open to what ever that new thing
is going to turn out to be.
Harvey Mason
JI: Could you discuss your work with Fourplay - working with Bob
James and Nathan East?
HM: Initially, Bob and I were friends for a long time. We met on a lot of
the CTI [record label] dates and travelled on the road with CTI. He
wanted to come to Los Angeles and make a record using L.A. guys. I put
together a couple of bands. One band was Nathan East and Lee
[Ritenour] and that was his preference. We started recording and it feeling so good that Bob said “Would you guys ever consider being a band?”
To his surprise, everyone said, “Yes.” So he went back and sold Mo Austin, and a few days later they offered us a wonderful deal as a band. It
was a democratic band - all equal partnership. We started looking for
names, and we decided everyone was going to write. It’s been 25 years
now of bliss. Of course, we’ve changed guitar players twice. We had Lee
Ritenour, we had Larry Carlton, and now we have Chuck Loeb. The
band’s music has really transitioned quite a bit with Chuck. It’s a lot of
fun. The guys are, again, great, great people.
JI: With the wide array of experiences you’ve had with different genres
of music from pop to jazz – could you talk a bit about the dichotomy?
HM: Well [pop music] is not an improvisation based situation totally,
but to some extent it still is because you’re improvising within a framework. That’s what being versatile is about. You have to be creative
within a framework of the music you’re playing with. And even if it’s
R&B or pop, you’ve still got to be creative within that genre. And the
4
Jazz Inside-2015-10_001-...
page 4
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Cyan
“The Sound”
as requested by you.
You asked for the playability and
sound of the early Otto Links.
We listened.
With structural changes both
inside and out, “the sound”
of yesteryear has been
recaptured.
Otto Link Vintage
for tenor sax.
www.jjbabbitt.com
jjbJazzTimesfull2.indd 1
Mouthpieces for clarinets and saxophones
11/18/09 1:27 PM
NILSON MATTA’S Brazilian Voyage
at
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
October 16-18
Sets 7:30pm & 9:30pm
Featuring:
Craig Handy sax & flute
Helen Sung piano
Fabiana Masili vocal
Mauricio Zottarelli drums
Nilson Matta bass
“A modern master of contemporary
Brazilian music, bassist/composer
Nilson Matta…”
—Downbeat (June 2015)
Playing music from EastSideRioDrive and more!
Directed by
NILSON MATTA
Geared to
Hobbyists • Educators
College Students • Pros
Join us in...
Brazil!
Feb. 17-22, 2016
Optional Trip Extensions
VOCAL & INSTRUMENTAL
Rio de Janerio - Winter
Weeklong immersion in Brazilian Music & Jazz!
Culminating in Rio Jazz Club Performance!
Ensembles | Clinics | Jams | Jazz Improv
Brazilian Phrasing | Brazilian Percussion
AND HERE IN NEW YORK!
OCTOBER through DECEMBER 2015
New York - Fall/Spring
Ensembles - Rhythm Section/Vocal/Instrumental Coaching - Jams
SMJ WORKSHOPS OPEN HOUSE & JAM!
Tuesday, November 10 @ The Kitano (7:30 – 11:00pm)
Facutly Concert includes: Harry Allen, Fernando Saci, Matt King, Nilson Matta
Bar Harbor - Summer
[email protected]
SambaMeetsJazz.com | 917.620.8872
Fourplay
(Continued from page 4)
key is to understand how to be creative within
that genre and not step outside that genre. You
can maybe push the boundaries a little bit, but
you have to stay within that - and that’s just a
matter of understanding genres, listening to music, loving music and respecting all kinds of
music. Music to me comes first, before drums.
The drums are mainly a vehicle to express the
music and make the music. That’s just my vehicle. But it’s about the music. That’s why, to me,
going from one genre to another is not that big of
a deal - because I understand the instrument’s
function in all those genres, because I’ve listened
to that music and I appreciate all the music and I
listen to. Therein lies the key to being a chameleon as far as different types of music go.
JI: When you had arranged “Watermelon Man”
for the album Chameleon by Herbie Hancock
and the Headhunters in 1974, had you been
studying arranging?
HM: Well, I went to Berklee for a year and a
half and I had a lot of arranging. I think I tested
out of the first year because at my high school, I
had arranging and composition there too. So
when I’d come out here to Berklee I was in
pretty good shape. It was fun. You’d write an
arrangement, take it into your class, take it down
to the band room and hear it played because
there were bands playing arrangements all the
time. The school also has a tremendous library
and scores. You could go there and listen to
music and check out the scores. From Berklee I
went to New England Conservatory and I had
the same situation. I could take out a score. I
could go hear the Boston Symphony play it, or I
might have played it in the [school] orchestra,
check out the score and see what was going on at
the same time. I had a wealth of ideas and I
started writing and arranging and writing songs
when I was in high school. By the time I became
a professional, I continued that trend and was
always interested. Whatever came into my head,
I was always trying to decipher it and get it out.
While working on that project, I was very excited, and introduced the idea to Herbie that that
tune was a great tune—and it could be reworked.
So I just kind of worked it out in my head and
took it into them. Bill Summers added that African chant thing in the beginning which I also
revisited on my new Concord album, Chameleon
As I redid the Chameleon, I had Bill just come
up with a chant. What was used at the end of it
was from this African tribe whistle, and he came
up with an intro and an outro which we used on
that record. So that ties this Chameleon in with
the old [Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters]
Chameleon as well. So there are a few ties there.
JI: Could you share a bit of your background?
HM: I grew up in Atlantic City, and I was
very fortunate to be involved with, and experience, a lot of different music, playing shows,
strip shows, big cabaret shows, and all kinds
Jazz Inside-2015-10_007-...
page 7
of R&B music. I played at the 500 Club, The
Vista, Club Harlem, and the Steel Pier. And
so I really had a lot of experience playing lots
of music. And I think that by my senior year, I
had really decided that I wanted to be a studio
musician. So I pursued that, and I was in Boston, at Berklee for a year, and I felt that that
was a pretty limited education. It was just
geared towards jazz, and I wanted a degree to
back me up that would be worth a little bit
more than that. I was invited to attend New
England [Conservatory], so I went there, but
opportunities arose while I was there to freelance, and I worked in all the jazz clubs with
different people that came into town. And one
night, I was sitting home, and I received a call
to go to the Boston Globe Jazz Festival. And
it wasn’t far, I threw on a black suit and ran
down there and I didn’t even really know who
I was playing with. And I got there and I discovered it was Duke Ellington. A guy in Boston recommended me. And Sam Woodyard
was indisposed. And so I went in, there was
no music. The band was dressed all in white,
and I had a black suit (laughs). They were just
starting their first song, and so I go out to
raucous applause, and I played the concert.
And I was pretty young at the time, but it was
an amazing experience. That was the end of
my association with Duke. It looked like I was
on the road with him, but I was in school, and
I didn’t even consider going on the road, because I really wanted to complete my education. But it was fun, it was great to do, and it
was an amazing experience. Those were all
songs, for the most part, that I had heard. My
library of music was pretty deep. That was a
wonderful experience, but also during that
time, I did some work with Charles Thompson, Buck Clayton, Milt Hinton, Wild Bill
Davis, and on and on. And by my senior year
I got called on to work with Erroll Garner, and
he invited me to join his band, which I did.
We went to Europe, and he paid me $700 a
week, which was an amazing amount of
money then. And when I came back, we were
off, and that’s when I moved to LA to start
studio work, and I was offered a job with
George Shearing. And it was based in LA, so
I took that job. But my association with Erroll
Garner was really meaningful because I
thought I’d developed taste, but with him I
really developed taste and swing, and learned
what swing really is, and staying out of the
way. He never called a set, never wrote a set
down, and he just played the instrument in his
abstract form. So he would start, and then you
would have to join in and be right on fire,
right away. So that was a great training
ground to learn how to really swing, and hit it
right away. If the band just wasn’t hitting it,
he would have us “stroll”. And then he’d start
again and we would come back in. All the
guys in the band had been with him for a
while, and I was the new face. I think I replaced Jimmy Smith. Those associations definitely shaped my musical ideas at first, being
able to assimilate into any person playing and
any style.
JI: What paved the way for you to become a
studio musician?
HM: Well, I was really prepared, after graduating from the Conservatory, and I moved out
to LA, and working with George [Benson],
people heard me. I think a composer came in
and heard me playing with George at a hotel,
and when we spoke, he realized that I had
been educated and could play percussion. So
he invited me to do a Lucille Ball show. It
kind of exploded from there. A contractor
heard me and started calling me. But for the
first few years of my career in Los Angeles, I
very rarely played drums. It was almost all
percussion. It was a good thing that I did expand my horizons and studied percussion in
high school.
Nathan East
As one of the founding members of Fourplay, 25 years ago, Nathan East has an immense amount of experience as a studio musician and bassist on innumerable landmark
recordings in the pop and jazz worlds. He
discussed some of his influences and his background that contribute to his rich musical
experiences and capabilities.
Nathan: In our house, we all took piano lessons. We had a little piano in the house so we all
marched not far from our house and took lessons. I don’t think that was going to do anything
except get us into the field. But then I took cello
in junior high school and then played that in the
orchestra for a few years. It really helped develop my ear. And then as soon as I heard the
bass, that was it, I just had to have it. I heard Joe
Pass and Ray Brown at a little club here in
L.A. I joined the stage band in high school, and
then I remember we did one of those festivals,
and Mel Lewis and Thad Jones’ band was
there. And it was just like that was it. Jon Faddis
was playing and it was like there was nothing
higher than that. He’s got that lip, you
know. That was back in the day and it was like
those guys were just completely bringing it at
the highest level. So when you’re a student,
that’s your barometer for what to shoot for.
Better than anything. I remember hearing Elvin
Jones close enough to get spit on by him. You
could hear him just humming, and it was like
almost a religious experience. McCoy Tyner –
there were just things that blew me away. And
I’m thinking to myself, I was in high
school. But it just seems different now. But this
was like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and
they’re still going strong. The musical relationship and the friendship that Bob James and I
have developed over the last quarter of a century
includes Fourplay, duet projects and more.
7
Composite
Fourplay
JI: Talk about the repertoire of the Silver Anniversary album.
Chuck Loeb
JI: Could you talk about the new album—the
25th Anniversary album—by Fourplay, as well
as the recording session and camaraderie during
those days?
Chuck: Well, we were hearkening back to the
roots of the band. Before I was in the band obviously, they first recorded their first CD at Sunset
Sound in Hollywood. So we actually went back
to the same studio, and the same engineer recorded it, Don Murray, and some of it was recorded by our engineer from now. But mostly, it
was Don. So we had that in mind as we were
getting it together, and had a certain excitement
in the air of, “we’re doing this on our 25 years of
making music together.” And it was in the air. It
really felt like it.
JI: How did your association with Bob, Nathan
and Harvey evolve into your membership into
the group?
Chuck: Well, as usual, there’s about we’ll say
two to three cuts per band member. It usually
works out to be equitable that way. And then
there’ll be some co-writes, and sometimes
there’s a cover on it. This particular album,
there’s no cover song. But we did have the addition of Larry Carlton on one song, and Lee Rittenour on another. So they contributed some
music as well which made up the other tracks. I
ended up writing two songs, and then I co-wrote
one with Larry. Then I co-wrote another one
with Nathan, so I kind of hit the jackpot on this
one.
JI: How does the schedule with Fourplay impact
your own activities right now?
Chuck: It’s funny, you write the music, you
come into the studio and you have these great
musicians playing your songs, and it’s got a
certain chemistry because of the personalities
that make up the group. Then the music sort of
evolves into probably quite a different entity
than the way it started out. And then once the
recordings are done, and you go out and start
playing the same music live, it even morphs a
little bit more in another direction, and it takes
on another life of its own. And that’s what happened. We just did a three week tour in Asia.
“...you come into the studio and you have these
great musicians playing your songs ... it's got a
certain chemistry because of the personalities
that make up the group. Then the music sort of
evolves into quite a different entity than the way
it started out … you go out and start playing the
same music live, it even morphs a little bit more
… and it takes on another life of its own.”
Chuck: Well, actually, it turns out musically I
had more of a relationship with Bob, and we
were neighbors in the New York area, and we
used to play on each other’s, and produce each
other’s projects. And we were involved musically on a regular basis. So I think that had a lot
to do with it because we had a running musical
relationship. And you would think that meant he
was the guy I knew the longest, but it actually
turns out I knew Nathan from way back in the
early eighties where we played on some records
together. And that’s just sort of history. But I
think all those guys sort of knew my work, and I
knew Bob pretty well, and they brought up the
idea and eventually they asked me to join the
band and it took me about a nanosecond to say
yes. We just jumped into it and it’s been just a
bunch of fun since then.
8
Jazz Inside-2015-10_007-...
page 8
Sometimes, at the end of the night we say, jeez,
maybe we should go back and re-cut one or two
of those tracks now that we’ve played it so
much. But that’s the way music is. It’s an ever
evolving entity.
JI: Perhaps you could talk a little about your
background and some of the more interesting,
unusual discussions you’ve had with influential
players you’ve played with over the years
Chuck: I could definitely give you an example
of that. For example, right now I’m out with a
group that I play with called Jazz Funk Soul
which is with Jeff Lorber and Everette Harp and
myself. It’s funny because it’s similar in a way
to Fourplay—because the personalities that
make up the group very much impact and reflect
on the music in a way that just creates a unique
and new amalgam somehow. And what’s funny
is that if you’re talking to Bob James for example, he might take a song, listen to it, and say,
“Oh wait a second. I’ve got to do something
different with this. And there was one song, it
wasn’t on this CD, it was on a previous CD
where I wrote a song, a brought it in and we
started playing it, and he kind of disappeared.
The three of us, Harvey and Nathan, were recording the song, and Bob just disappeared. And
then we saw him coming back and forth to the
piano with his headphones on and his keyboard,
and he had a printer and he was printing out
music. And he had come up with this fugue that
he wrote, like a counterpoint to the melody I had
written ... and it was just incredible, just kind of
spontaneous combustion there. When he brought
that part of it back into the song, it just completely lifted it up three notches right away.
JI: Could you talk about experiences playing
with Stan Getz and how that made an impact on
development?
Chuck: Oh, yeah. Well, musically it was very
impactful because Stan was such a strong voice
as a musician. He had such an incredible sound
and sort of perspective, let’s call it. He could
program a set of music and captivate the audience like in one note with his sound, so lush and
big. And then, the way he would pace his set, the
way he would have people play, it was very
impactful on me. I learned a lot just standing
next to him and playing with him. And he was
very generous. He played a lot of my songs in
the set, and let me blow a lot. And for a young
musician—I was only 22 when I joined the
band—it was a pretty heady experience to be
standing up there getting that kind of recognition
on the world stage. Then, of course, me personally, while I was out with him in Spain, I met my
wife, and now we’ve been married 35 years. So
that wouldn’t have happened either. So it was
very impactful, let’s put it that way, on my entire
life, musically and otherwise.
JI: With Fourplay, you have different people
who are bringing in different compositions, so
there’s all sorts of inspiration and different
sources of motivation and direction coming at
you to ignite your creative juices at any given
time. Aside from that, what do you do to keep
your creativity fresh and keep moving in directions that ensure that you’re not repeating yourself or not becoming complacent?
Chuck: Well, it’s an interesting thing. I just had
a discussion with my wife about this because she
felt that—I won’t say what song because I don’t
want to get into the specifics of it—but she felt
that one of the pieces that I contributed to the
new Fourplay CD reminded her of one of my
older songs. And nothing defensive, but looking
at it from my perspective, as a composer, it’s
kind of natural to sometimes be imitative of
yourself because you have a certain musical
DNA, and at the starting point, I song might
have a similar shape or it might have a certain
style that is in effect you. And my reference
Composite
Jazz Tuesdays
at the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium in the NYC Baha’i Center
Home base for Legendary
Pianist/Composer
Mike Longo
and his 17 piece big band
The NY State of the Art
Jazz Ensemble
World Class Jazz At Affordable Prices
All Shows on Tuesdays
at 8:00 PM
October
6th Golda Solomon and Poetry and Jazz
13th Annual Dizzy Gillespie Birthday Concert
with Mike Longo’s 17 Piece NY State of the Art
Jazz Ensemble with Ira Hawkins and special
guests Jimmy Owens and Annie Ross.
One show at 8:00 PM followed by FREE
film showing of Dizzy in concert.
27th Santi Debriano and Group
November
10th Janice Friedman Trio
17th The Mike Longo Trio celebrates
The Great American Songbook
The NYC Baha’i Center
53 E. 11th Street
(btw. University Place & Broadway)
Shows: 8:00 and 9:30 PM
General Admission: $15
Students: $10
www.jazzbeat.com
212-222-5159
Fourplay
be true to yourself too as a composer on your
own musical palette and whatever that is.
when I was speaking to her about it was, well, if
you put on five or six different pieces by Johann
Sebastian Bach, there’s going to be similarity in
style or even in melodic shape or in harmonic
content and rhythmic approach because it’s him.
So I think that's okay for me if it harkens back to
another piece that you wrote and it’s similar, as
long as it’s a new fresh piece of music. Now,
that being said, I think that Fourplay really inspires all of us…It’s kind of funny, we want to
impress the other three members because you're
talking about bringing a piece of your music into
such a high level of musicianship, both in terms
of the way they’re going to listen to it or the way
they’re going to play it. So that spurring on, like
I was talking about playing with Michael
Brecker or Stan Getz, is very much the case with
Fourplay too because you want to come in with
something that the guys are going to say, “Oh
wow, yeah I want to did my teeth into this.” And
then what they do is, inevitably, everybody has
suggestions, say well what if it’s a bridge, you
know, we did this or that ... and then maybe we
can go back to it a different way when we rephrase the melody, etc., etc. Because you have
respect with the other players, you can see it
transforming in a positive way. It’s just like you
try to be original and not be complacent, and yet
JI: What do you see developing with Fourplay
over the next year or two? Any specific ideas
you want to see implemented of your own in the
group or directions that are occurring?
would like to see or how I influence the band, I
would have to say that the guys in the group are
very supportive of whatever ideas I bring in.
And in this presentation of this new music, I’ve
been pretty vocal about how I want to do it and
how I want to present it. Of course, it’s a very
democratic band. We talk about it, we each give
“as a composer, it’s kind of natural to
sometimes be imitative of yourself because
you have a certain musical DNA, and at the
starting point, I song might have a similar
shape or it might have a certain style
that is in effect you.”
Chuck: I do think right now the focus without a
doubt is promoting this new CD. So we’re going
to be going out and playing. In a few weeks,
we're going to Europe. We're going to tour of all
the way through Europe, and then we’re going to
come back and do some gigs in the states including finishing up the year with a week at the Blue
Note in New York. That’s going to be sort of
opening the gates to the next year where the
album will be promoted. And then we’re going
to travel around and play. In terms of what I
our own ideas, and then we take it the direction
that seems the most natural. And it varies all the
way from doing a very strict representation of
the music as it is on the CD to completely reinventing in on the spot. And that’s the good thing
about this band, it's pretty well-rounded let’s say.
Everybody gets a voice, and because of that, it
ends up being probably the best possible solution
through each representation of the music.
Photo by Sonny Abelardo. Courtesy Concord Records
Fourplay (l to r) Bob James, Nathan East, Chuck Loeb, Harvey Mason
10
Jazz Inside-2015-10_007-...
page 10
Composite
Get 5,500+ Pages of Jazz, 22 Beautifully Printed Volumes, 10 E-Books and 22 CDs
Featuring Over 300 Tracks by Leading & Emerging Artists - Only $177 Plus Shipping
A Lifetime of Jazz Enjoyment & Music-Making — For Jazz Fans, Musicians, Educators, Students
WATCH THE VIDEO: http://jazzmusicdeals.com/jazz-music-collection-complete-contents
Limited quantities remain — $177 + USA Shipping
CALL TO ORDER: 215-887-8808
Order at JazzMusicDeals.com
BACK-ISSUE-SETS-$177-Buy...
page 1
Thursday, July 02, 2015 01:17
Composite
Jazz Inside Magazine
ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) • ISSN 2150-3427 (online)
October / November 2015 – Volume 7, Number 3
Cover Design by Shelly Rhodes
Cover Photo of Fourplay by John Robert Williams, Toshio Sakurai
Photo of Fourplay (right) by Sonny Abelardo
Publisher: Eric Nemeyer
Associate Publisher: Nora McCarthy
Editor: John R. Barrett, Jr.
Marketing Director: Cheryl Powers
Advertising Sales & Marketing: Eric Nemeyer
Circulation: Susan Brodsky
Photo Editor: Joe Patitucci
Layout and Design: Gail Gentry
Contributing Artists: Shelly Rhodes
Contributing Photographers: Eric Nemeyer, Ken Weiss
Contributing Writers: John Alexander, John R. Barrett, Curtis
Davenport; Eric Harabadian; Alex Henderson; Rick Helzer; Nora
McCarthy; Joe Patitucci; Ken Weiss, Scott Yanow.
ADVERTISING SALES
215-887-8880
Eric Nemeyer – [email protected]
ADVERTISING in Jazz Inside™ Magazine (print and online)
Jazz Inside™ Magazine provides its advertisers with a unique opportunity to
reach a highly specialized and committed jazz readership. Call our Advertising
Sales Department at 215-887-8880 for media kit, rates and information.
Jazz Inside™ Magazine | Eric Nemeyer Corporation
MAIL: P.O. Box 30284, Elkins Park, PA 19027
OFFICE: 107-A Glenside Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
Telephone: 215-887-8880
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.jazzinsidemagazine.com
CONTENTS
CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS
13 Calendar of Events, Concerts, Festivals and Club Performances
22 Clubs & Venue Listings
33 How To Connect With Jazz Inside
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Jazz Inside™ (published monthly). To order a subscription, call 215-887-8880 or
visit Jazz Inside on the Internet at www.jazzinsidemagazine.com. Subscription
rate is $49.95 per year, USA. Please allow up to 8 weeks for processing
subscriptions & changes of address.
SUBMITTING PRODUCTS FOR REVIEW
Companies or individuals seeking reviews of their recordings, books, videos,
software and other products: Send TWO COPIES of each CD or product to the
attention of the Editorial Dept. All materials sent become the property of Jazz
Inside, and may or may not be reviewed, at any time.
EDITORIAL POLICIES
Jazz Inside does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Persons wishing to
submit a manuscript or transcription are asked to request specific permission
from Jazz Inside prior to submission. All materials sent become the property of
Jazz Inside unless otherwise agreed to in writing. Opinions expressed in Jazz
Inside by contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily express the
opinions of Jazz Inside, Eric Nemeyer Corporation or its affiliates.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright © 2015 by Eric Nemeyer Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of
this publication may be copied or duplicated in any form, by any means without
prior written consent. Copying of this publication is in violation of the United
States Federal Copyright Law (17 USC 101 et seq.). Violators may be subject to
criminal penalties and liability for substantial monetary damages, including
statutory damages up to $50,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys fees.
FEATURES
2 Fourplay - Hatvey Mason, Chuck
Loeb, Bob James, Nathan East
INTERVIEWS
24 Jay Beckenstein, Spyro Gyra
28 Romain Collin
30 Oscar Perez
32 Noah Preminger
REVIEWS OF RECORDINGS
34 Randy Brecker; Orin Etkin; Carlos
STRAIGHT-UP PROFESSIONALS Delivering Breakthrough
Internet Marketing, Advertising & Publicity Solutions That Get Results
Comprehensive Online & Offline Media & Marketing Campaigns
CD Releases Events National Campaigns Consultations
MUSIC MARKETERS 107A E. Glenside Ave Glenside, PA 19038
CALL TODAY! Accelerate Your Results: 215-887-8880
Jazz Inside-2015-10_012-...
page 2
McLorin Salvant; Noah Preminger;
Albert Rivera; Rotem Sivan; Sun Ra
Arkestra
Henriquez: Mike Holober; Yoron
ARE YOU BUYING RESULTS OR JUST
MARKETING & PROMOTIONAL SERVICES?
12
Israel; Dave Liebman; Cecile
LIKE US
www.facebook.com/
JazzInsideMedia
FOLLOW US
www.twitter.com/
JazzInsideMag
WATCH US
www.youtube.com/
JazzInsideMedia
Composite
CALENDAR OF EVENTS





Talib Kweli at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Big Beat at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Ken Kobayashi 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Billy Kaye at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher.
Jonathan Michel at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
How to Get Your Gigs and Events Listed in Jazz Inside Magazine
Submit your listings via e-mail to [email protected]. Include date, times, location,
phone, tickets/reservations. Deadline: 15th of the month preceding publication (Sep 15 for Oct)
(We cannot guarantee the publication of all calendar submissions.)
ADVERTISING: Reserve your ads to promote your events and get the marketing advantage of
controlling your own message — size, content, image, identity, photos and more. Contact the
advertising department:
215-887-8880 | [email protected]
Tuesday, October 6
 Noriko Tomikawa 2 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
 Saul Rubin Zebtet at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
 Antonio Sanchez & Migration at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Adam Nussbaum's Leadbelly Project at Jazz Gallery, 7:30 and
9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Amina Figarova 6 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Barbara Rosene/Ehud Asherie at Mezzrow, 7PM. 163 W. 10th
 Lee Ritenour at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 John Zorn/Jon Rose + special guests at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd
Thursday, October 1
 Gregory Generet at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM.
10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 George Coleman 5 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E.
27th.
 Oliver Lake 4 feat. Jason Moran at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30
PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Ravi Coltrane 4 at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
 Joseph Boga at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 11:15 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Friday, October 2
 George Wein at 90 feat. Randy Brecker, Jay Leonhart & others
at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir.
#10.
 George Coleman 5 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8PM, 10:30 PM, & 12:30 AM.
131 W. 3rd St.
Saturday, October 3
 Joe Termperley 5 feat. Wycliffe Gordon at Dizzy's Club Coca
Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 E.J. Strickland Transient Beings at Ginny's, 7:30 and 9:30 PM.
310 Lenox.
 Theo Bleckmann Band feat. Ben Monder at Jazz Gallery, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8PM, 10:30 PM, & 12:30 AM.
131 W. 3rd St.
 Greg Glassman at Fat Cat, 1:30 AM. 75 Christopher.
 Stacy Dillard at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sunday, October 4
 Rebirth Brass Band, Blue Note, 11AM and 1:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd
 Josh Rubin 4 Plays John Zorn's Bagatelles at The Stone, 3:00
PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Donny McCaslin 3 at St. Peter's, 5:00 PM. 619 Lexington.
 Jazz4All Workshop at St. Peter's, 6:30 PM. 619 Lexington.
 Damian Allegretti 3 at Shapeshifter, 7PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Joe Temperley 5 feat. Wycliffe Gordon at Dizzy's Club Coca
Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8:00, 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Monday, October 5
 Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Meeting: International Women in Jazz at St. Peter's, 7PM. 619
Lexington.
 Yves Léveillé 4 w/Adam Kolker at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
October 2015  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
13
St. @ Avenue C.
Cidinho Teixeira 3 at Zinc Bar, 8:00 and 9PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
Caleb Curtis 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Tom Harrell 9 at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
Theo Hill 5 feat. Myron Walden at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th
St.
 Kyle Poole at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 11:15 PM. 10 Columbus
Cir. #10.




Wednesday, October 7


 Yvonnick Prene 4 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Chase Baird 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Film Screening: Trumpeter from Russia (Valery Ponomarev
Documentary) at Zinc Bar, 6:30 PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
 Leni Stern at Club Bonafide, 7:30 and 10PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Antonio Sanchez & Migration at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
 Amina Figarova 6 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Jimmy Greene: Compositions of Jackie McLean at Miller
Recital Hall, Manhattan School of Music, 7:30 PM. 120 Claremont.
 Matthew Shipp, Ben Stapp and others at Roulette, 8PM. 509
Atlantic, Bklyn.
 Ken Simon Project at Whynot Jazz Room, 8PM. 14 Christopher.
 Valery Ponomarev Big Band at Zinc Bar, 8PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
 Karrin Allyson at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Tom Harrell 9 at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
 Jamie Reynolds 2 at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Chuck Bettis/Jon Rose, The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Easterly Trio at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Davis Whitfield 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Cir. #10.
 Valery Ponomarev Jam at Zinc Bar, 12:00 AM. 62 W. 3rd St.
Thursday, October 8






















Peter Eldridge/ Laila Biali at Birdland, 6:00 PM. 315 W. 44th.
Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Laurin Talese at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
Bob Stewart Double Quartet at Shrine, 6:00 PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Tobias Meinhart 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Javier Moreno Sanchez 3 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
Larry Newcomb 2 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
Sheryl Bailey 4 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
Dirk Quinn at Club Bonafide, 7:30 PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Turtle Island String Quartet w/Cyrus Chestnut at Dizzy's Club
Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Tony Tixier 3 at Jazz Gallery, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
Yosvany Terry/ Baptiste Trotignon 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
Mike Bono at Whynot Jazz Room, 7:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
Lee Ritenour at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Shelley Hirsch 4 feat. Jon Rose at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
Kevin McNeil 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Karrin Allyson at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
Kathy Jenkins/ Nick Levinovsky Swing Band at Swing 46, 8:30
PM. 349 W. 46th.
Buster Poindexter at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
Eyal Maoz at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Luke Hendon 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
J.C. Stylles Birthday Bash at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Kyle Poole at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 11:15 PM. 10 Columbus
Cir. #10.
Friday, October 9




Tuomo Uusitalo Jam Session at Smalls, 4PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Bruce Williams at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
Joel Perry 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Jerry Vezza/Grover Kemble 4 at Shanghai Jazz, 6:30 PM. 24
Main St., Madison NJ.
 Howard Paul 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Leny Andrade/Roni Ben-Hur at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
 John Ellis 5 feat. Jason Marsalis at Jazz Gallery, 7:30 and 9:30
PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Yosvany Terry/ Baptiste Trotignon 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Charles Ruggiero 6 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Walter Williams 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Hans Tammen 3 feat. Jon Rose at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
 Adam Caine 4 at Whynot Jazz Room, 8PM. 14 Christopher.
 Karrin Allyson at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Sam Bardfeld 3 at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 169 7th St., Bklyn.
 John Colianni 2 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9PM. 33 University Pl.
 Jeremy Pelt 3 feat. Richard Wyands at Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St.
 Ed Cherry Group at Fat Cat, 10:30 PM. 75 Christopher.
 Sam Newsome 5 feat. Luis Perdomo at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183
W. 10th St.
Cir. #10.
 Joe Farnsworth, David Hazeltine at Smalls, 1AM. 183 W. 10th
Saturday, October 10



























Daryl Sherman at Cafe Noctambulo, 12PM, 2:00 PM. 178 2nd Av
Emy Tseng at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Joel Ross at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
Brooks Hartell 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Nat Adderley Jr. at Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
Jeff McLaughlin 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Leny Andrade/Roni Ben-Hur at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
John Ellis 5 feat. Jason Marsalis at Jazz Gallery, 7:30 and 9:30
PM. 1160 Broadway.
Yosvany Terry/ Baptiste Trotignon 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
David Schnitter 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Lee Ritenour at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Satchmo Mannan 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 2485 Broadway.
Amanda Brecker at Greenwich House, 8PM. 46 Barrow.
Jack DeJOhnette 3 feat. Ravi Coltrane at Shapeshifter, 8:00
and 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
Elliott Sharp/Jon Rose at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Karrin Allyson at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
John Colianni at Knickerbocker Bar, 9PM. 33 University Pl.
Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band at 54 Below, 254 W. 54th.
Jeremy Pelt 3 feat. Richard Wyands at Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St.
Swingadelic at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th.
Annie Gosfield/Jon Rose at The Stone, 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Sam Newsome 5 feat. Luis Perdomo at Smalls, 183 W. 10th St.
Virginia Mayhew 4 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Fidel Cuellar & Audiograph at Whynot, 11PM. 14 Christopher.
Kyle Poole at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 11:15 PM. 10 Columbus
Cir. #10.
Philip Harper at Smalls, 1:15 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sunday, October 11
 Brad Shepik's NYU Ensemble at Blue Note, 11:30 AM and 1:30
PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Lou Caputo 4 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Kris Davis 4 feat. Mary Halvorson Plays John Zorn's Bagatelles at The Stone, 3:00 PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Johnathan Blake 4 feat. Chris Potter at St. Peter's, 5:00 PM.
619 Lexington.
 Ben Goldberg at Downtown Music Gallery, 6:00 PM 13 Monroe.
 Matt Savage 3 at Silvana, 6:00 PM. 300 W. 116th.
 Josh Sinton at Downtown Music Gallery, 7PM 13 Monroe.
 Leny Andradr/Roni Ben-Hur at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
 Yosvany Terry/ Baptiste Trotignon 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Kenny Wessel/Edith Lettner at Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Sylvie Courvoisier/Jon Rose at The Stone, 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Jane Ira Bloom 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Grant Stewart 3 at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Arcoiris Sandoval's Sonic Asylum feat. Steve Wilson at
Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Ikue Mori/John Medeski/Jon Rose at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St.
@ Avenue C.
 Behn Gillece 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Monday, October 12
14
JSjim1015
9/29/15
12:40 PM
Page 1
“100 GREAT JAZZ CLUBS WORLDWIDE”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“TOP 10 VENUES IMPACTING NY
MUSIC SCENE TODAY” [2015]
NEW YORK MAGAZINE
SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
CALL CLUB OR VISIT US AT WWW.JAZZSTANDARD.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.
“Connect with us!”
october
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS ONLINE! A PORTION OF ALL ONLINE TICKET
PROCEEDS BENEFITS THE JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
THU-SUN OCT 1-4
TUE OCT 20
“TENOR MADNESS”
GEORGE COLLIGAN
TRIO
THE GEORGE
COLEMAN
QUINTET
BORIS KOZLOV - EJ STRICKLAND
WED OCT 21
ANTONIO HART
ORGAN QUARTET
WITH ERIC ALEXANDER
HAROLD MABERN - JON WEBBER - GEORGE COLEMAN JR.
TUE-WED OCT 6-7
GARY VERSACE - YOTAM SILBERSTEIN - STEVE WILLIAMS
THU-SUN OCT 22-25
CHARLES
McPHERSON
QUINTET
AMINA FIGAROVA
SEXTET
BART PLATTEAU - ALEX ‘POPE’ NORRIS - MARC MOMMAAS - LUQUES CURTIS - JASON BROWN
THU-SUN OCT 8-11
YOSVANY TERRY/
BAPTISTE
TROTIGNON
QUARTET
“ANCESTRAL MEMORIES”
YUNIOR TERRY - JEFF “TAIN” WATTS (8/8 -10) - LUDWIG AFONSO (8/11]
TUE OCT 13
BRIAN CHARETTE TRIO
PETER BERNSTEIN - ARI HOENIG
WED OCT 14
KENNY WERNER TRIO
JOHANNES WEIDENMUELLER - ARI HOENIG
THU-SUN OCT 15-18
DONALD
HARRISON QUINTET
BRIAN LYNCH - JEB PATTON - RAY DRUMMOND - BILLY DRUMMOND
TUE-WED OCT 27-28
PETER
BERNSTEIN
QUARTET
STEVE NELSON - PETER WASHINGTON - BILLY DRUMMOND
THU-SUN OCT 29-NOV 1
BUTLER,
BERNSTEIN
&
THE HOT 9
HENRY BUTLER - STEVEN BERNSTEIN - CURTIS FOWLKES - CHARLIE BURNHAM - DOUG WIESELMAN
PETER APFELBAUM - ERIK LAWRENCE - MATT MUNISTERI - LUQUES CURTIS - DONALD EDWARDS
HHHMINGUS MONDAYSHMINGUS MONDAYSHHH
PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS CLAUDIO
RODITI (10/15 -16 ) - TERELL STAFFORD (10/17-18)
DETROIT BROOKS - ZACCAI CURTIS - MAX MORAN - JOE DYSON
HHHHHHHH
UPCOMING
HHHHHHHH
NOV 5-8
NOV 5-8
MON OCT 5, 12 19 & 26
MINGUS
BIG BAND
NOV 19-22
NOV 24-29
MARIA
HUGH MASEKELA DANILO PEREZ, JOHN PATITUCCI DAVE
& BRIAN BLADE:
& LARRY WILLIS:
DOUGLAS SCHNEIDER
CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT
FRIENDS
QUINTET ORCHESTRA
 Miya Masaoka 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 6:00 PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Casey Berman 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Alan Bergman w/Mike Renzi & David Finck: Songs of Alan &
Marilyn Bergman at Birdland, 7PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Eyal Vilner Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Alain Bédard Auguste 5 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and
9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Kenn Salters 6 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Romain Collin at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Dorian Devins 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Jeremy Manasia 2 at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Tuesday, October 13





















Rob Edwards 4 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tommy Holladay 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Masami Ishikawa 3 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
Saul Rubin Zebtet at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
Jamie Ousley 3 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM.
Brian Charette 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E.
27th.
Ehud Asherie 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Barney McAll 2 at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Luciana Menezes 3 at Whynot Jazz Room, 7:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
John Scofield/ Joe Lovano 4 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM.
131 W. 3rd St.
Miya Masaoka 3 feat. James Ilgenfritz at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd
St. @ Avenue C.
Pat Carroll 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Kurt Elling at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
Smalls Legacy Band at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Melis Aker 3 at Whynot Jazz Room, 9:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
Steve Swell 4 feat. James Ilgenfritz at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St.
@ Avenue C.
Claude Diallo 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Mat Maneri 3 at Korzo, 10:30 PM. 667 5th Ave., Bklyn.
Yoshi Waki at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher.
Kyle Poole & Friends at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.














October 2015
 6th — Golda Solomon and Poetry and Jazz
 13th — Annual Dizzy Gillespie Birthday Concert
with Mike Longo’s 17 Piece NY State of the Art
Jazz Ensemble with Ira Hawkins and special
guests Jimmy Owens, Annie Ross. 8:00 PM plus
FREE film showing of Dizzy in concert.
 27th Santi Debriano and Group






Thursday, October 15








16
Anderson Brothers at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Jun Miyake 2 at Shrine, 6:00 PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Raphael D'Lugoff 3 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
Joe Alterman at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
Gregorio Uribe Big Band at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and
Kenny Werner 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E.
27th.
Noah Preminger 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Mr. Wau-Wa: Songs of Bertolt Brecht at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th
St., Bklyn.
John Scofield/ Joe Lovano 4 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM.
131 W. 3rd St.
John Raymond 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8PM. 29 Cornelia.
Ricardo Grilli 5 feat. Mark Turner at Iridium, 8PM. 1650 Broadway.
War at B.B. King's, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd.
Anagram Ensemble Plays James Ilgenfritz' The Ticket That
Exploded at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Mary Halvorson Out Louds at Seeds, 8:30 PM. 617 Vanderbilt,
Bklyn.
Kurt Elling at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
Harold Mabern 3 at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher.
Pablo Masis 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
Craig Brann 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Aaron Burnett 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Rick Stone 3 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Dave Juarez at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Tyler Blanton 5 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
Meeting: The Duke Ellington Society at St. Peter's, 7PM. 619
Lexington.
Todd Collins 3 at Shanghai Jazz, 7PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
Tine Bruhn 4 at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
David Chesky at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Andrew d'Angelo 4 feat. Andrew Cyrille at Jazz Gallery, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Donald Harrison 5 feat. Claudio Roditi at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Michael Cochrane 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 David Meder 3 feat. Ari Hoenig at Whynot Jazz Room, 7:30 PM.
14 Christopher.
 John Scofield/ Joe Lovano 4 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM.
131 W. 3rd St.
 Kate Cosco 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Elliott Sharp 3 feat. James Ilgenfritz at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St.
@ Avenue C.
 Vinnie Sperrazza Group at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29
Cornelia.
 Glenn Crytzer Savoy 7 at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th.
 Kurt Elling at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
 Bill Zeffiro/Marissa Mulder: Jerome Kern Tribute at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 32 W. 22nd.
 Joel Forrester 2 at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Yoosun Nam 5 at Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Bhob Rainey 3 feat. James Ilgenfritz at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd
St. @ Avenue C.
 Ray Parker 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Craig Wuepper at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Friday, October 16
 Abiah at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
 Tony DeSare 3 at Shanghai Jazz, 6:30 PM. 24 Main St., Madison
NJ.
 Chiara Izzi 3 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
 Diane Marino 4 at Cafe Noctambulo, 7:00 and 9PM. 178 2nd Ave.
 Perry Smith 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola,
7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Roman Filiu 6 at Jazz Gallery, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Donald Harrison 5 feat. Claudio Roditi at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Tardo Hammer 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
131 W. 3rd St.
 C. J. Everett 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Kurt Elling at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
 Lage Lund 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Alan Broadbent/Putter Smith at Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St.
 John Fedchock 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Solomon Hicks 3 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Todd Herbert at Fat Cat, 1:30 AM. 75 Christopher.
 Eric Wyatt at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Art Lillard 3 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Staten Island Jazz Festival at Snug Harbor Music Hall, 2:00
PM. Artists include Hamiet Bluiett, Winard Harper Ensemble,
Kiane Zawadi, Rudi Mwongozi, and others. 1000 Richmond
Tce., Staten Island.
 Josh Lawrence at Candlelight Lounge, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic St.,
Trenton NJ.
 Steve Kroon at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
 Mark Marino 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Melanie Marod 3 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
 Marcus Persiani Band at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
 Yosi Levy 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Shane Endsley 5 feat. Uri Caine at Jazz Gallery, 7:30 and 9:30
PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Donald Harrison 5 feat. Terell Stafford at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Kevin Harris 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Voyages feat. Yacouba Sissoko at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St.,
Bklyn.
131 W. 3rd St.
 Justin Lees 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Alma Micic at Club Bonafide, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Julian Lage 3 at Zankel Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, 8:30 PM.
57th @ 7th Ave.
 Nick Fraser 3 at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 169 7th St., Bklyn.
 Brooklyn Backbeat Triplebill at Shapeshifter, 8:30 PM. 18
Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Kurt Elling at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 and 10:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
 Tony Malaby's Tubacello feat. Bob Stewart at Cornelia St.
Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Nicky Parrott/Rossano Sportiello at Knickerbocker Bar, 9PM.
33 University Pl.
 Zamba 2 Samba at Silvana, 9PM. 300 W. 116th.
 Jarrett Cherner 3 at Whynot Jazz Room, 9PM. 14 Christopher.
 Lina Allemano 4 at I Beam, 9:30 PM. 169 7th St., Bklyn.
 Alan Broadbent/Putter Smith at Mezzrow, 9PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Chris McBride 5 at Fat Cat, 10PM. 75 Christopher.
 Jonah Rosenberg, Firehouse Space, 10PM. 246 Frost, Bklyn.
 Hypercolor feat. Eyal Maoz & James Ilgenfritz at The Stone,
10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Smith & 9th Ward, Way Station, 683 Washington Ave., Bklyn.
 John Fedchock 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Daylight Blues Band at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Marie Claire 4 feat. Marco DiGennaro at Whynot Jazz Room,
11PM. 14 Christopher.
Sunday, October 18
 Michika Fukumori 3 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Marianne Solivan, North Square, 12PM, 2:15 PM. 103 Waverly
 Marty Ehrlich 2 Plays John Zorn's Bagatelles at The Stone,
3:00 PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 David Oei at Mezzrow, 4:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Eyal Vilner Big Band at Smalls, 4:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Lauren Sevian/ Sharel Cassity 5 at St. Peter's, 5:00 PM. 619
Lexington.
 Cheryl Pyle 6 feat. Bern Nix at Downtown Music Gallery, 6:00
PM 13 Monroe.
 C. Anthony Bryant at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
 Marlene VerPlanck at Shanghai Jazz, 6:00 PM. 24 Main St.,
Madison NJ.
 Kurt Ralske 3 at Downtown Music Gallery, 7PM 13 Monroe.
 Frankmusic at Shapeshifter, 7PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Donald Harrison 5 feat. Terell Stafford at Jazz Standard, 7:30
and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Johnny O'Neal 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
131 W. 3rd St.
 Twin Tapes at Shapeshifter, 8PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Anagram Ensemble Plays Works by Anthony Braxton, Pauline
Oliveros & others at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Tony Malaby's Apparitions at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29
Cornelia.
 Gerry Gibbs Group at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher.
 Nicky Parrott/ Rossano Sportiello at Knickerbocker Bar, 9PM.
33 University Pl.
 Alan Broadbent/Putter Smith at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th
St.
 James Ilgenfritz at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Charles Owens 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Afro Mantra at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Brandon Lewis at Fat Cat, 1:00 AM. 75 Christopher.
Monday, October 19














Harold O'Neal at Fat Cat, 6:00 PM. 75 Christopher.
Paul Jones 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Ryo Sasaki 3 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
Rob Edwards Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Meeting: International Women in Jazz at St. Peter's, 7PM. 619
Lexington.
Vicki Burns at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
Juilliard Jazz Ensembles at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and
James Johnson III at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Gato Barbieri at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Chris Washburne & Syotos at Subrosa, 8:00 and 10PM. 63
Gansevoort.
Candice Hoyes 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
George Braith 5 at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher.
Peter Bernstein at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Richard Bomzer 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tuesday, October 20
 Carl Bartlett 3 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Village Jazz Alive: Lonnie Smith 3 at Metropolitan Room, 7PM.
32 W. 22nd.
 Sammy Figueroa at Club Bonafide, 7:30 and 10PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Kirk MacDonald 4 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM.
 George Colligan 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E.
27th.
 James Pearson/Ray Drummond at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W.
10th St.
 Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131
W. 3rd St.
 Fred Hersch 3 at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
 Lucas Pino No Net Nonet at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Uta Habbig 5 at Whynot Jazz Room, 9:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
 Guy Mintus 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Double Double feat. Patrick Breiner at Korzo, 10:30 PM. 667 5th
Ave., Bklyn.
 Marc Devine 3 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Rodrigo Recbarren 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Joel Forrester at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
 Raphael D'Lugoff 3 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
 Michael Feinstein/ Marilyn Maye: Music of Johnny Mercer at
Zankel Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, 7:30 PM. 57th @ 7th Ave.
 Ignacio Berroa Celebrates Dizzy Gillespie feat. Jon Faddis at
Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir.
#10.
 Antonio Hart 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Julian Shore 5 feat. Noah Preminger at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183
W. 10th St.
W. 3rd St.
 Jeremy Powell 5 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Megan Schubert & others Perform Nate Wooley's Psalms from
Hell Cycle (World Premiere) at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
 Kyle Nasser 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Nate Wooley at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Paul Jubong Lee 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Dave Baron 6 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Ned Goold at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher.
 George Weldon 3 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Ai Murakami 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Star-Rained Reverie: Hye-Jeung Group at Shapeshifter, 7PM.
18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Brad Mehldau at Zankel Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, 7:30 PM.
57th @ 7th Ave.
 Martina & The Ladybugs: Tribute to Disney Films at Dizzy's
Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Evan Sherman Group at Fat Cat, 7:30 PM. 75 Christopher.
 Mario Castro 5 + Strings (Live Video Recordings) at Jazz
Gallery, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Charles McPherson 5 feat. Ray & Billy Drummond at Jazz
Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Matt Wilson at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Hajime Yoshida 4 at Whynot, 7:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
W. 3rd St.
 Duane Eubanks, Hyatt Reg, 8PM. 2 Albany, New Brunswick NJ.
 Nate Wooley 3 at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Benny Benack 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Owen Howard 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Harlem Renaissance Orchestra at Swing 46, 8PM. 349 W. 46th.
 Benno Marmur 4 at Whynot, 9:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
 The Flail at Fat Cat, 10PM. 75 Christopher.
 Nate Wooley/Joe McPhee, Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Nick Hempton Band at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Avi Rothbard at Fat Cat, 1:30 AM. 75 Christopher.
Friday, October 23






Tuomo Uusitalo Jam Session at Smalls, 4PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Ray Gallon 3 at Fat Cat, 6:00 PM. 75 Christopher.
Masami Ishikawa 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Rob Paparozzi at Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main., Madison NJ.
Craig Pomranz at Cafe Noctambulo, 7:00 and 9PM. 178 2nd Ave.
Tim Hagans 4: Music of Jimmy Garrison at Shapeshifter, 7PM.
18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Will Sellenraad 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 John Handy 5 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10
17
Columbus Cir. #10.
 David Virelles 2 at Jazz Gallery, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 1160 Broadway.
 Emma Larsson 5 feat. Stafford Hunter at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183
W. 10th St.
 Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Plays Monk at Town Hall, 7:30
PM. 123 W. 43rd.
 Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars at Blue Note, 8, 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd
 Matt Baker 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Nate Wooley/Matthew Shipp at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
 Keigo Hirakawa 3 + Jason Yeager 3 at Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM.
18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Pietros Klampanis 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Yoav Shlomov 5 at Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Ron Sunshine Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th.
 Misha Piatigorsky Orchestra feat. Rudy Royston at Zinc Bar,
9:30 PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
 Nate Wooley/Gerald Cleaver at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
 Organ Monk at Fat Cat, 10:30 PM. 75 Christopher.
 Duane Eubanks 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Peter Valera Jump Blues Band at Garage, 10PM. 99 7th Ave. S.









Marsha Heydt at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Bobby Broom Organ-isation at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
Marco Chelo 6 at Shrine, 6:00 PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Keigo Hirakawa 3 at Whynot Jazz Room, 6:00 PM. 14 Christopher.
Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
David Schnitter Band at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher.
Pietros Klampanis 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
John Handy 5 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
David Virelles at Jazz Gallery, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 1160 Broad-
way.
 Joey 'G-Clef' Cavaseno 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Plays Monk at Town Hall, 7:30
PM. 123 W. 43rd.
W. 3rd St.
 Mike Lattimore 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Nate Wooley 4 feat. Joe Morris at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
 Loren Stillman 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Rich Bomzer Projects at Whynot Jazz Room, 9PM. 14 Christopher.
 Swingadelic at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th.
 Duane Eubanks 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Virginia Mayhew 4 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Shu Odamura at Whynot Jazz Room, 11PM. 14 Christopher.
 Philip Harper at Smalls, 1:15 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sunday, October 25
 Svetlana Shmulyian & Delancey 5 at Blue Note, 11:30 AM and
1:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Iris Ornig 4 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Peter Evans 4 Plays John Zorn's Bagatelles at The Stone, 3:00
PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Godwin Louis 5 at St. Peter's, 5:00 PM. 619 Lexington.
 Birdland Jazz Party at Birdland, 6:00 PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Thomas Helton/ William Parker at Downtown Music Gallery,
6:00 PM 13 Monroe.
 Ehud Asherie at Fat Cat, 6:00 PM. 75 Christopher.
 C. Anthony Bryant at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
 John Handy 5 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
 Pasquale Grasso at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
W. 3rd St.
 John Zorn at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
YOU REALLY COULD BE GETTING A
LOT MORE PRINT, DIGITAL AND
BROADCAST MEDIA PLACEMENTS
Wanna Get Your Next
Press Release and Video Press Release
Onto Page One Searches
In 27 Minutes?




Fred Hersch 3 at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
Vic Juris at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Nate Wooley 5 at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Tim Hagans/Joe Hertenstein + Thomas Helton at Whynot Jazz
Room, 10PM. 14 Christopher.
 Mauricio DeSouza 3 at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Monday, October 26









Rafal Sarnecki 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Cecilia Coleman Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Rebecca Zola 5 at Shapeshifter, 7PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
Ben Williams & Sound Effect at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
Jonathan Saraga 6 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Alfredo Rodriguez 3 + Harold Lopez Nussa 3 at Blue Note, 8:00
and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Oscar Perez 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
David Hazeltine 2 at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Kenny Shanker 4 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tuesday, October 27
 Kristin Callahan 3 at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Alicyn Yaffee 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
 Peter Bernstein at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Nicki Parrott/Rossano Sportiello at Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St.
 Alfredo Rodriguez 3 + Harold Lopez Nussa 3 at Blue Note, 8:00
and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Stanley Jordan at Club Bonafide, 8:00 and 10PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Ron Anderson/Ava Mendoza at The Stone, 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Ron Carter 9 at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Cameron Mizell 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Billy Martin/ Brian Drye at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 169 7th St., Bklyn.
 Heath Brothers at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
 Josh Evans Big Band at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Nadia Washington 4 at Whynot Jazz Room, 14 Christopher.
 Michael Eaton 5 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10PM. 29 Cornelia.
 Ron Anderson 4 at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Tony Rosales 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Dre Barnes Project at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Gianni Gagliardi 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 Yotam Silberstein at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM.
 Lip Service at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
 Peter Bernstein 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Nicki Parrott/Rossano Sportiello at Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St.
 Jonathan Kreisberg 4 feat. Dave Kikoski at Smalls, 7:30 PM.
183 W. 10th St.
 Alfredo Rodriguez 3 + Harold Lopez Nussa 3 at Blue Note, 8:00
and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Nettwork Trio feat. Stanley Jordan at Club Bonafide, 8:00 and
10PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Al DiMeola at B.B. King's, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd.
 Ron Anderson/Chris Cochrane, The Stone, 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Andrea Brachfield at Zeb's, 8PM. 223 W. 28th.
 Eddie Allen Aggregation Big Band at Zinc Bar, 62 W. 3rd St.
 David Gibson's Boom at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.







VideoPressReleaser.com  215-887-8880
18
Sean Harkness 2 at Birdland, 6:00 PM. 315 W. 44th.
Ali Belo at Garage, 6:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Bobby Katz 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Haruna Fukazawa 3 at Antique Garage, 7PM. 41 Mercer.
Ray Parker 2 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
The Flowdown at Shapeshifter, 7PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
Gadi Lehavi 3 + Ravi Coltrane at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30
 Maria Grand 4 at Jazz Gallery, 1160 Broadway.
 Henry Butler/ Steven Bernstein 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and
9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Jonathan Kreisberg 4 feat. Dave Kikoski at Smalls, 7:30 PM.
183 W. 10th St.
Great Shows For Fall
& The Holidays!
Tickets on sale now! (203)438-5795
ridgefieldplayhouse.org
80 East Ridge • Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877
thur, oct 22 @ 8pm
sun, Nov 8 @ 8pm
Spyro Gyra
Spyro Gyra is a jazz juggernaut who
released their 30th album of new
material The Rhinebeck Sessions
in 2013, which Jazztimes called
“inspired.”
sat, nov 14 @ 8pm
Buddy Guy
“By far without a doubt the best
guitar player alive.” That’s Eric
Clapton’s’ take on Buddy, a titan
of the blues who will grace the
Playhouse stage for the 7th time!
sat, Nov 21 @ 8pm
The Stampede:
Donna The Buffalo w/Peter Rowan
Donna The Buffalo is a mix of country,
zydeco-tinged rock with a twist of
Americana roots music! They are
joined by Grammy-award winner
Peter Rowan.
Karla Bonoff &
Jimmy Webb
Two celebrated Grammy winning
songwriters will share their most
famous compositions in a rare
double-bill appearance!
wed, dec 2 @ 8pm
tue, dec 8 @ 8pm
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Featuring Bo Bice
Best known for “Spinning Wheel,”
“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever
Know,” “You’ve Made Me So Very
Happy”.
thur, dec 17 @ 7:30pm
Tiempo Libre’s
Holiday Show
Three-time Grammy-nominated
Cuban music group Tiempo Libre
is one of the hottest young bands
today! Don’t miss this show!
Kenny G
Holiday Show
Grammy Award-winning saxophonist
Kenny G has grafted elements of R&B,
pop, and Latin to a jazz foundation
solidifying his reputation as the
premiere artist in contemporary jazz.
®
wed, feb 3 @ 8pm
Sérgio Mendes &
Brasil 2016
Producer, composer, keyboardist and
vocalist, Sergio Mendes’ influence
on the music industry has spanned
five decades and continues to evolve
through new collaborations.
Memberships and sponsorship opportunities available! • The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit 501 (c) (3)
















Haruna Fukazawa at Whynot Jazz Room, 7PM. 14 Christopher.
Kenny G at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Stanley Jordan at Club Bonafide, 8:00 and 10PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Ron Anderson 6 at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Tom Beckham 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
Ron Carter 9 at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
Shai Maestro/Jorge Roeder at Cornelia Cafe, 29 Cornelia.
Doug Acosta Band at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th.
Heath Brothers at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
NY Jazz Guitar Festival: Jam Session w/surprise guests at
Zeb's, 8:30 PM. 223 W. 28th.
Shota 12 Big Band at Terraza 7, 9PM. 40-19 Gleane, Queens.
Camila Meza at Mezzrow, 9:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
James Hall at Whynot Jazz Room, 9:30 PM. 14 Christopher.
Ron Anderson 4 feat. Elliott Sharp at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St.
@ Avenue C.
Kira Daglio's Fine Quartet at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Dmitry Baevsky's Paris Reunion Band at Smalls, 10:30 PM.
183 W. 10th St.
Friday, October 30
 Mayu Saeki 4 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Etienne Charles: A Calypso Masquerade Ball at Dizzy's Club
Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Justin Brown & Nyeusi at Jazz Gallery, 1160 Broadway.
9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Kenny G at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Julia Martina 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 PAK or Not feat. Ron Anderson at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @
Avenue C.
 Barre Phillips 3 at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 169 7th St., Bklyn.
 Luis Bonilla at Knickerbocker Bar, 9PM. 33 University Pl.
 Swing Dance Party: Svetlana Shmulyian w/Seth Weaver's Big
Band at Zinc Bar, 10PM. 62 W. 3rd St.
 Stacy Dillard at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sunday, November 1
 Victor Provost at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
 Carol Sudhalter 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Oran Etkin 4 feat. Steve Nelson: Reimagining Benny Goodman
at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir.
 Justin Brown & Nyeusi at Jazz Gallery, 7:30PM 1160 Broadway.
9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
 Mel Martin at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Art Lillard 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Ron Anderson 5 feat. Shelley Hirsch & Anthony Coleman at
The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Luis Bonilla at Knickerbocker Bar, 9PM. 33 University Pl.
 Bite Trio feat. David Kuhn at Whynot Jazz Room, 11PM. 14
Christopher.
 Dave Pietro's NYU Ensemble at Blue Note, 11:30 AM and 1:30
PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 NYJGF: Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub at Zeb's, 2PM. 223 W. 28th.
 Mary Halvorson at The Stone, 3:00 PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
 Birdland Jazz Party feat. Carole Bufford at Birdland, 6:00 PM.
315 W. 44th.
 Ben Goldberg at Downtown Music Gallery, 6:00 PM 13 Monroe.
 Alyson Williams at Minton's, 6:00 PM. 206 W. 116th.
9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
Monday, November 2
Tuesday, November 3




Stanley Clarke at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Benny Green 3 at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
John Zorn at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
Steve Swell 4 at Korzo, 9PM. 667 5th Ave., Bklyn.






Stanley Clarke at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Ben Monder/Andrew Cyrille, Greenwich House, 46 Barrow.
Peter Evans at Roulette, 8PM. 509 Atlantic, Bklyn.
Nick Didkovsky at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. @ Avenue C.
Benny Green 3 at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
John Zorn at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
Wednesday, November 4
Thursday, November 5
 MSM Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra at Borden Auditorium,
Manhattan School of Music, 7:30 PM. 120 Claremont.
 Stanley Clarke at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Benny Green 3 at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th.
 John Zorn at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
REGULAR GIGS
Mondays (10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26)






Earl Rose at Bemelmans, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th.
Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th.
John Merrill & Guests at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Swingadelic at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th.
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. S.
Woody Allen & The Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band at
Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th.
 Ari Hoenig at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Sacha Perry at Mezzrow, 12:00 AM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Eric Person Meta-Four, Blue Note, 8PM 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd
 Supermambo: Vibes Tribute to Tito Puente at Subrosa, 8:00
and 9:30 PM. 63 Gansevoort.
Tuesdays (10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27)






Chris Gillespie at Bemelmans, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th.
Michael Arenella 4 at Algonquin Hotel, 7PM. 59 W. 44th.
Spike Wilner 3 (except 10/13) at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
David Budway 3 at Bemelmans, 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th.
Jam Session at Cleopatra's Needle, 9:30 PM. 2485 Broadway.
Annie Ross (except 10/20) at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 32
W. 22nd.
Wed (10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28)
 Midday Jazz Midtown at St. Peter's, 1:00 PM. Artists TBA. 619
Lexington.
 Louis Armstrong Eternity Band at Birdland, 5PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Roger Davidson (except 10/28) at Caffe Vivaldi, 7:15 PM. (8:15
PM on 10/21.) 32 Jones.
 Stan Rubin Orchestra at Swing 46, 7:15 PM. 349 W. 46th.
 Jonathan Kreisberg at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal.
 David Budway 3 at Bemelmans, 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th.
 Sarah Slonim (except 10/21) at Mezzrow, 12AM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Sanah Kadoura Jam at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thur (10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29)
 Charles Turner III (except 10/8 and 10/15) at Minton's, 6:00 PM.
206 W. 116th.
 Spike Wilner at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
 Marc Cary 3 at Gin Fizz, 10PM. 308 Lenox.
Fri (10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30)
 Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 5:15 PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Jam Session at Cleopatra's Needle, 12:30 AM. 2485 Broadway.
Sat (10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31)
 Barbara Carroll at Birdland, 6:00 PM. 315 W. 44th.
 Spike Wilner & Guest at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Sundays (10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25)





David Coss 4 at Garage, 6:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Saul Rubin at Mezzrow, 7:30 PM. 163 W. 10th St.
Peter Mazza 3 at Bar Next Door, 8PM. 129 MacDougal.
Arturo O'Farrill's Jazz Orch at Birdland, 9PM. 315 W. 44th.
3 or 4 Shades of Mingus at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher.



20
ception to finished artwork, and what’s different
about that album?
Jay Beckenstein
your audience and more able to hear yourself
than on a giant stage, and a lot of good things.
But that’s when the stories start— because
that’s when you start working in Indonesia with
a promoter that doesn’t know what he’s doing,
or in Thailand with the electrical company that
doesn’t know what they’re doing because we’re
not the biggest thing but we’re going to these
places. So we’ve had shows in Mozambique
where the audience waited for 17 hours for us to
come on. As we’re taking the stage, the beer
bottles are raining in on us. And by the second
song, they’re cheering. We have so many wacky
stories. We blew out the entire power grid in
Andorra. We played on a beach in Bali where
the idiots who set up the stage didn’t account for
the tides, and in the middle of the show, the tide
came in on us and we found ourselves on an
island. And the Australian audience started rioting and kind of body surfing and all this crazy
stuff. Then suddenly trucks full of Indonesian
policemen with giant bamboo canes arrive and
start whacking the Australians’ back, right in
front of us. This was a ridiculous comic crazy
scene. We had a 3:00 PM show, but it’s going to
be a 7:00 PM show, but there weren’t lights. So
we’re going on in pitch black on this stage,
playing the best we can. I look over and I see
my guitarist Julio Fernandez, he’s got a halo.
And I was like, wow, what a weird thing to see.
So I walk over and I realize there’s an Indonesian guy holding a bathroom fixture over his
head. And each one of us had three Indonesian
guys, with the fixtures they ripped out of the
bathroom, following us around the stage. So if
that’s not enough, 15 minutes into this, we’ve
got people screaming and yelling for us to stop
like something terrible is happening. And then
total quiet and you hear Muslim prayers on the
wind, and the entire audience faces mecca, and
then it stops and we go right into like a James
Brown groove. I have so many memories and
stories of these odd cultural encounters.
JI: Who were some of the artists who made a
major impact on you after you had the opportunity to get close to them?
Jay: Well, certainly people that were a little bit
more my contemporaries. I consider Michael
Brecker to be a musical inspiration and a personal inspiration. The man was kind and humble
and generous, and at the same time a god of the
instrument. Michael was always nice to me and
I felt close to. Of course, I have incredible respect for what he was able to do on that act.
Another guy that I must say I’ve had nice encounters with is Herbie Hancock. I remember
losing my luggage at an airport somewhere, and
everybody left and I was all alone. And Herbie
waited with me an hour so he could give me a
ride to Manhattan. That’s the sort of stuff you
remember.
JI: Could you speak about your relatively new
album. How did that develop from initial conTo Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Jay: It was quite different. I think it was our
32nd album, 31st album, something along those
lines. And so, when you’ve done 30 prior albums, it’s really pretty hard to find new ground
to plow. And our methodology of making records had settled into a formula, and not a bad
one. Essentially, it was that each individual guy
would write songs and husband them through
the process. But with The Rhinebeck Sessions, it
was an intentional effort to just completely
shake that up, make it impossible to reformulated. And that was done by having no material
when we went into the studio, co-writing on the
spot, but co-writing fast, co-writing more like
co-improvising than sitting down with pencil
and paper, and designing where the hits are
going to be or where this and that. Much more
discovering it as we played, and just throwing
everybody into this improvisational stew of
making up songs as you go. And some of them
were exactly that. A couple of the things on
there were actually from us setting up the instruments the night before and the guy who just ran
tape because he wanted to hear what it was going to sound like. And we used two of those
things, and those were completely free improvs.
Then we got into a little bit more composing,
when a tune had some potential. Of course players in the band would have ideas about it and
we’d compose and redo. But still, in three days,
we came up with a whole album of group material. It featured us letting loose, being loose, not
being concerned with perfection, and trying to
do something that was unique to us. When we
went into it, my manager and I had these conversations about the direction of the record, and
I basically said, look, the best thing we have to
offer is this 40 years of improvisational experience, this incredible Harlem Globetrotters group
of musicians that just can work with each other
flawlessly, the way we do. Let’s try to do that
on a record because it’s what makes us unique.
Anything else we did would be an attempt at
being something else real good, but it wouldn’t
be uniquely us. So that was the thinking behind
it.
JI: What were some of the high points of those
days that you were recording?
Jay: When we did it, we all lived together. So
some of the high points were meals, not just the
music. My band is a great bunch of people. We
really get along great, and have for a very long
time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t think of trying
something like that … if there’s too much egos
and people start to own ideas … and owning
ideas too strongly is not the best way to make a
record like that.
came the idea that a real band, where the players
wrote the music. Weather Report as a template
at the time, although Joe was hardly just one of
the guys. I looked up to Weather Report and
Jaco was writing a great tune and Joe wrote a
great tune and Wayne wrote a great tune. I
wanted that kind of team conception. So right
from the beginning, I never played it up as
Spyro Gyro featuring Jay Beckenstein, even
though the business model was me. I lock, stock
and barrel owned it if I wanted to. But creatively, I had too much talent around me to be
closed-minded. Now in the early days when we
had all this big money in the production, yeah, I
was a little bit more tyrannical because it was
my money, and we were spending a lot of it.
And I was trying to learn who I was at the time.
Am I a great producer? I don’t know. I’m finding out. And so, there’s a naivete at that time in
your career that might lead to an overabundance
of ego, especially if you get really lucky. But
this initial concept of it being a shared creative
thing has always been the foundation of the
band. And so, it’s led me more and more and
more to share everything I could with the players. Then I discovered, as the band’s success
went down from being a million selling act,
playing sheds, to a hundred thousand selling act,
playing theatres, that you couldn’t pay musicians as much. That’s the way of it. And the
way you can reward musicians in that sense ...
in that place where you have to ask them to
maybe take a little less money and deal with a
little bit more difficult travel …. is to open up
more opportunities for them as writers and producers, and make sure that they feel that the
band is their band, and whatever glory is attributed to the band is their glory. And that’s a great
tool for me to share that, not to have the ego
thing of it’s my glory. And then the thing you
said is so true. I’m almost 65 years old. What
the hell is glory? Who needs glory? I’m well
over it, thank you very much. I want contentedness and love.
JI: Jay, are there any things that you want to
promote that you want to talk about?
Jay: I will only say this. It sounds like just some
sort of cliché, but my band really is a fine vintage wine. You’re been playing for 30 years,
with people you like, and talented people you
like. We have become so comfortable and at
ease with each other and the music that I truly
think we are the best we’ve ever been. And what
a thrill for me, at my age, to say I’m currently
the best I’ve ever been and what I’m doing is
the best I’ve ever done it. It may not be as
unique as my early years, because that was all
fresh stuff, but our ability to make really beautiful improvised music together, with real good
clarity, is amazing.
JI: How did you develop your humility?
Jay: I think my parents have humility, and to
me that’s a virtue. But that said, Spyro Gyra,
from its inception, was not a band with a star
and backup players. It was always conceived as
a real band, and with that conception, for me,

21
Clubs, Venues & Jazz Resources
55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. 212-929-9883, 55bar.com
92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128,
212.415.5500, 92ndsty.org
Aaron Davis Hall, City College of NY, Convent Ave., 212-6506900, aarondavishall.org
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Broadway & 65th St., 212875-5050, lincolncenter.org/default.asp
Allen Room, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Broadway
and 60th, 5th floor, 212-258-9800, lincolncenter.org
Alor Cafe, 2110 Richmond Rd., Staten Island. 718-351-1101.
alorcafe.com
American Museum of Natural History, 81st St. & Central
Park W., 212-769-5100, amnh.org
Arthur’s Tavern, 57 Grove St., 212-675-6879 or 917-3018759, arthurstavernnyc.com
Arts Maplewood, P.O. Box 383, Maplewood, NJ 07040; 973378-2133, artsmaplewood.org
Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. & 65th St.,
212-875-5030, lincolncenter.org
BAM Café, 30 Lafayette Av, Brooklyn, 718-636-4100, bam.org
Bar Chord, 1008 Cortelyou Rd., Brooklyn, barchordnyc.com
Bar Urbo, 42nd St. @ 8th Ave. (212) 842-8950.
www.thesalon.biz/gothamjazz/index.htm
Barbes, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.), Park Slope, Brooklyn,
718-965-9177, barbesbrooklyn.com
Barge Music, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn, 718-624-2083,
bargemusic.org
B.B. King’s Blues Bar, 237 W. 42nd St., 212-997-4144,
bbkingblues.com
Beacon Theatre, 74th St. & Broadway, 212-496-7070
Bickford Theatre, on Columbia Turnpike @ Normandy Heights
Road, east of downtown Morristown. 973-744-2600
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St., 212-581-3080
Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St., 212-475-8592, bluenotejazz.com
Bourbon St Bar and Grille, 346 W. 46th St, NY, 10036,
212-245-2030, [email protected]
Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (at Bleecker), 212-614-0505,
bowerypoetry.com
BRIC House, 647 Fulton St. Brooklyn, NY 11217, 718-6835600, http://bricartsmedia.org
Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, NY, 718-230-2100, brooklynpubliclibrary.org
Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center, 605
Main St., Middletown, CT. 860-347-4957, buttonwood.org.
Café Carlyle, 35 E. 76th St., 212-570-7189, thecarlyle.com
Café Loup, 105 W. 13th St. (West Village) , between Sixth and
Seventh Aves., 212-255-4746
Café St. Bart’s, 109 E. 50th St, 212-888-2664, cafestbarts.com
Cafe Noctambulo, 178 2nd Ave. 212-995-0900. cafenoctambulo.com
Caffe Vivaldi, 32 Jones St, NYC; caffevivaldi.com
Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St, Trenton. 609-695-9612.
Carnegie Hall, 7th Av & 57th, 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org
Chico’s House Of Jazz, In Shoppes at the Arcade, 631 Lake
Ave., Asbury Park, 732-774-5299
City Winery, 155 Varick St. Bet. Vandam & Spring St., 212608-0555. citywinery.com
Cleopatra’s Needle, 2485 Broadway (betw 92nd & 93rd), 212769-6969, cleopatrasneedleny.com
Club Bonafide, 212 W. 52nd St. 646-918-6189.
www.clubbonafide.com
Copeland’s, 547 W. 145th St. (at Bdwy), 212-234-2356
Cornelia St Café, 29 Cornelia, 212-989-9319
Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, New Jersey
“A system of morality
which is based on relative
emotional values is a mere
illusion, a thoroughly vulgar
conception which has nothing
sound in it and nothing true.”
— Anton Chekhov22
07701, 732-842-9000, countbasietheatre.org
Crossroads at Garwood, 78 North Ave., Garwood, NJ 07027,
908-232-5666
Cutting Room, 19 W. 24th St, 212-691-1900
Dirck the Norseman, 7 N. 15th St., Brooklyn. 718-389-2940.
www.dirckthenorseman.com
Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor, 212258-9595, jalc.com
DROM, 85 Avenue A, New York, 212-777-1157, dromnyc.com
The Ear Inn, 326 Spring St., NY, 212-226-9060, earinn.com
El Museo Del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave (at 104th St.), Tel: 212831-7272, Fax: 212-831-7927, elmuseo.org
The Falcon, 1348 Rt. 9W, Marlboro, NY., 845) 236-7970,
Fat Cat, 75 Christopher St., 212-675-7369, fatcatjazz.com
Five Spot, 459 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 718-852-0202,
fivespotsoulfood.com
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY,
718-463-7700 x222, flushingtownhall.org
For My Sweet, 1103 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY 718-857-1427
Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-782-5188, galapagosartspace.com
Garage Restaurant and Café, 99 Seventh Ave. (betw 4th and
Bleecker), 212-645-0600, garagerest.com
Garden Café, 4961 Broadway, by 207th St., New York, 10034,
212-544-9480
Gin Fizz, 308 Lenox Ave, 2nd floor. (212) 289-2220.
www.ginfizzharlem.com
Ginny’s Supper Club, 310 Malcolm X Boulevard Manhattan,
NY 10027, 212-792-9001, http://redroosterharlem.com/ginnys/
Glen Rock Inn, 222 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ, (201) 4452362, glenrockinn.com
Green Growler, 368 S, Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson NY.
914-862-0961. www.thegreengrowler.com
Greenwich Village Bistro, 13 Carmine St., 212-206-9777,
greenwichvillagebistro.com
Harlem Tea Room, 1793A Madison Ave., 212-348-3471,
harlemtearoom.com
Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley St, Orange. 862-252-9147. hatcitykitchen.com
Havana Central West End, 2911 Broadway/114th St), NYC,
212-662-8830, havanacentral.com
Hibiscus Restaurant, 270 S. St, Morristown, NJ, 973-359-0200,
hibiscusrestaurantnj.com
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th St (between 9th & 10th Ave.
highlineballroom.com, 212-414-4314.
Hopewell Valley Bistro, 15 East Broad St, Hopewell, NJ 08525,
609-466-9889, hopewellvalleybistro.com
Hyatt New Brunswick, 2 Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ
IBeam Music Studio, 168 7th St., Brooklyn, ibeambrooklyn.com
Indian Road Cafe, 600 W. 218th St. #3, 212-942-7451.
www.indianroadcafe.com
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 212-582-2121, iridiumjazzclub.com
Jazz 966, 966 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-6910
Jazz at Lincoln Center, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, jalc.org
 Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor
 Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Reservations: 212-258-9595
 Rose Theater, Tickets: 212-721-6500, The Allen Room,
Tickets: 212-721-6500
Jazz Gallery, 1160 Broadway, New York, NY 10001, (212)
242-1063, jazzgallery.org
The Jazz Spot, 375 Kosciuszko St. (enter at 179 Marcus Garvey
Blvd.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-453-7825, thejazz.8m.com
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., 212-576-2232, jazzstandard.net
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St & Astor Pl.,
212-539-8778, joespub.com
John Birks Gillespie Auditorium (see Baha’i Center)
Jules Bistro, 65 St. Marks Place, Tel: 212-477-5560, Fax: 212420-0998, julesbistro.com
Kasser Theater, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair State College,
Montclair, 973-655-4000, montclair.edu/arts/
performancefacilities/alexanderkasser.html
Key Club, 58 Park Pl, Newark, NJ, 973-799-0306, keyclubnj.com
Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave., 212-885-7119. kitano.com
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Pl., 212-228-8490,
knickerbockerbarandgrill.com
Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St, 212-219-3132, knittingfactory.com
Langham Place — Measure, Fifth Avenue, 400 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018, 212-613-8738, langhamplacehotels.com
La Lanterna (Bar Next Door at La Lanterna), 129 MacDougal
St, New York, 212-529-5945, lalanternarcaffe.com
Le Cirque Cafe, 151 E. 58th St., lecirque.com
Le Madeleine, 403 W. 43rd St. (betw 9th & 10th Ave.), New
York, New York, 212-246-2993, lemadeleine.com
Les Gallery Clemente Soto Velez, 107 Suffolk St. (at Rivington St.), 212-260-4080
Lexington Hotel, 511 Lexington Ave. (212) 755-4400.
www.lexinghotelnyc.com
Live @ The Falcon, 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro, NY 12542,
Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. 212-533-7235, livingroomny.com
The Local 269, 269 E. Houston St. (corner of Suffolk St.), NYC
Makor, 35 W. 67th St., 212-601-1000, makor.org
Lounge Zen, 254 DeGraw Ave, Teaneck, NJ, (201) 692-8585,
lounge-zen.com
Maxwell’s, 1039 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ, 201-653-1703
McCarter Theater, 91 University Pl., Princeton, 609-258-2787,
mccarter.org
Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St., 212501-3330, ekcc.org/merkin.htm
Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St NY, NY 10012, 212206-0440
Mezzrow, 163 West 10th Street, Basement, New York, NY
10014. 646-476-4346. www.mezzrow.com
Minton’s, 206 W 118th St., 212-243-2222, mintonsharlem.com
Mirelle’s, 170 Post Ave., Westbury, NY, 516-338-4933
MIST Harlem, 46 W. 116th St., myimagestudios.com
Mixed Notes Café, 333 Elmont Rd., Elmont, NY (Queens area),
516-328-2233, mixednotescafe.com
Montauk Club, 25 8th Ave., Brooklyn, 718-638-0800,
montaukclub.com
Moscow 57, 168½ Delancey. 212-260-5775. moscow57.com
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (between
103rd & 104th St.), 212-534-1672, mcny.org
Musicians’ Local 802, 332 W. 48th, 718-468-7376
Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark, New Jersey
07102-3176, 973-596-6550, newarkmuseum.org
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark,
NJ, 07102, 973-642-8989, njpac.org
New Leaf Restaurant, 1 Margaret Corbin Dr., Ft. Tryon Park.
212-568-5323. newleafrestaurant.com
New School Performance Space, 55 W. 13th St., 5th Floor
(betw 5th & 6th Ave.), 212-229-5896, newschool.edu.
New School University-Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St.,
1st Floor, Room 106, 212-229-5488, newschool.edu
New York City Baha’i Center, 53 E. 11th St. (betw Broadway
& University), 212-222-5159, bahainyc.org
Night of the Cookers, 767 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, Tel: 718797-1197, Fax: 718-797-0975
North Square Lounge, 103 Waverly Pl. (at MacDougal St.),
212-254-1200, northsquarejazz.com
Novita Bistro & Lounge, 25 New St, Metuchen.
Nublu, 62 Ave. C (betw 4th & 5th St.), 212-979-9925
Nuyorican Poet’s Café, 236 E. 3rd St. (betw Ave. B & C), 212505-8183, nuyorican.org
Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. (betw 5th
and 6th Ave.), 212-840-6800, thealgonquin.net
Oceana Restaurant, 120 West 49th St, New York, NY 10020
212-759-5941, oceanarestaurant.com
Opia, 130 E. 57th St. 212-688-3939. www.opiarestaurant.com
Orchid, 765 Sixth Ave. (betw 25th & 26th St.), 212-206-9928
Palazzo Restaurant, 11 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair.
973-746-6778. palazzonj.com
Priory Restaurant & Jazz Club: 223 W Market St., Newark,
NJ 07103, 973-639-7885
Private Place, 29 S. Center St, South Orange, NJ, 973-675-6620
privateplacelounge.com
Proper Café, 217-01 Linden Blvd., Queens, 718-341-2233
Prospect Park Bandshell, 9th St. & Prospect Park W., Brooklyn, NY, 718-768-0855
Prospect Wine Bar & Bistro, 16 Prospect St. Westfield, NJ,
908-232-7320, 16prospect.com, cjayrecords.com
Red Eye Grill, 890 Seventh Ave. (at 56th St.), 212-541-9000,
redeyegrill.com
Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main St.,
Ridgefield, CT; ridgefieldplayhouse.org, 203-438-5795
Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St, 212-477-4155
Rose Center (American Museum of Natural History), 81st St.
(Central Park W. & Columbus), 212-769-5100, amnh.org/rose
Rose Hall, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, jalc.org
Rosendale Café, 434 Main St., PO Box 436, Rosendale, NY
12472, 845-658-9048, rosendalecafe.com
Rubin Museum of Art - “Harlem in the Himalayas”, 150 W.
17th St. 212-620-5000. rmanyc.org
Rustik, 471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 347-406-9700,
rustikrestaurant.com
St. Mark’s Church, 131 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.), 212-674-6377
St. Nick’s Pub, 773 St. Nicholas Av (at 149th), 212-283-9728
St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington (at 54th), 212-935-2200,
saintpeters.org
Salon at Rue 57, 60 W. 57th St, 212-307-5656, rue57.com
Sasa’s Lounge, 924 Columbus Ave, Between 105th & 106th St.
NY, NY 10025, 212-865-5159, sasasloungenyc.yolasite.com
Savoy Grill, 60 Park Place, Newark, NJ 07102, 973-286-1700
Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., 212-491-2200,
nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html
Session Bistro. 245 Maywood Ave, Maywood. 201-880-7810.
Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison, NJ, 973-822-2899,
shanghaijazz.com
ShapeShifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11215
shapeshifterlab.com
Showman’s, 375 W. 125th St., 212-864-8941
Sidewalk Café, 94 Ave. A, 212-473-7373
Silver Spoon, 124 Main St., Cold Spring, NY 10516, 845-2652525, silverspooncoldpspring.com
Sista’s Place, 456 Nostrand Ave. (at Jefferson Ave.), Brooklyn,
NY, 718-398-1766, sistasplace.org
Skippers Plane St Pub, 304 University Ave. Newark NJ, 973733-9300, skippersplaneStpub.com
Smalls Jazz Club, 183 W. 10th St. (at 7th Ave.), 212-929-7565,
SmallsJazzClub.com
Smith’s Bar, 701 8th Ave, New York, 212-246-3268
Sofia’s Restaurant - Club Cache’ [downstairs], Edison Hotel,
221 W. 46th St. (between Broadway & 8th Ave), 212-719-5799
Somethin’ Jazz Club, 212 E. 52nd, NY, 212-371-7657
Sophie’s Bistro, 700 Hamilton St., Somerset. nbjp.org
South Gate Restaurant & Bar, 154 Central Park South, 212484-5120, 154southgate.com
South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC
Way, South Orange, NJ 07079, sopacnow.org, 973-313-2787
South St Seaport, 207 Front St., 212-748-8600
Spectrum, 2nd floor, 121 Ludlow St.
Spoken Words Café, 266 4th Av, Brooklyn, 718-596-3923
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, 165 W. 65th St., 10th Floor,
212-721-6500, lincolncenter.org
The Stone, Ave. C & 2nd St., thestonenyc.com
Strand Bistro, 33 W. 37th St. 212-584-4000
SubCulture, 45 Bleecker St., subculturenewyork.com
Sugar Bar, 254 W. 72nd St, 212-579-0222, sugarbarnyc.com
Swing 46, 349 W. 46th St.(betw 8th & 9th Ave.),
212-262-9554, swing46.com
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Tel: 212-864-1414, Fax:
212- 932-3228, symphonyspace.org
Tea Lounge, 837 Union St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave), Park Slope,
Broooklyn, 718-789-2762, tealoungeNY.com
Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St. (betw Thompson & LaGuardia),
212-777-7776, terrablues.com
Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd, 212-714-2442, theatrerow.org
Tito Puente’s Restaurant and Cabaret, 64 City Island Avenue,
City Island, Bronx, 718-885-3200, titopuentesrestaurant.com
Tomi Jazz, 239 E. 53rd St., 646-497-1254, tomijazz.com
Tonic, 107 Norfolk St. (betw Delancey & Rivington), Tel: 212358-7501, Fax: 212-358-1237, tonicnyc.com
Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St., 212-997-1003
Trash Bar, 256 Grand St. 718-599-1000. thetrashbar.com
Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. (betw Broadway & Columbus
Ave.), 212-362-2590, triadnyc.com
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St, 10007,
[email protected], tribecapac.org
Trumpets, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ, 973-744-2600,
trumpetsjazz.com
Tumulty’s Pub, 361 George St., New Brunswick
Turning Point Cafe, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, N.Y. 10968
(845) 359-1089, http://turningpointcafe.com/
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S., 212-255-4037,
villagevanguard.net
Vision Festival, 212-696-6681, [email protected],
visionfestival.org
Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Rd, Watchung, NJ 07069,
908-753-0190, watchungarts.org
Watercolor Café, 2094 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY
10538, 914-834-2213, watercolorcafe.net
Weill Receital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th & 7th Ave,
212-247-7800
Williamsburg Music Center, 367 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn,
NY 11211, (718) 384-1654 wmcjazz.org
Zankel Hall, 881 7th Ave, New York, 212-247-7800
Zebulon, 258 Wythe St., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, 718-218-6934,
zebuloncafeconcert.com
Zinc Bar, 82 West 3rd St.
RECORD STORES
Academy Records, 12 W. 18th St., New York, NY 10011, 212242-3000, http://academy-records.com
Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe St, New York, NY
10002, (212) 473-0043, downtownmusicgallery.com
Jazz Record Center, 236 W. 26th St., Room 804,
212-675-4480, jazzrecordcenter.com
Princeton Record Exchange, 20 South Tulane St, Princeton,
NJ 08542, 609-921-0881, prex.com
Scotti’s Records, 351 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ, 07901,
908-277-3893, scotticd.com
“It is curious that physical courage
should be so common in the world
and moral courage so rare.”
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CONSERVATORIES
92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
212.415.5500; 92ndsty.org
Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, 42-76 Main St.,
Flushing, NY, Tel: 718-461-8910, Fax: 718-886-2450
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn,
NY, 718-622-3300, brooklynconservatory.com
City College of NY-Jazz Program, 212-650-5411,
Columbia University, 2960 Broadway, 10027
Drummers Collective, 541 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011,
212-741-0091, thecoll.com
Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Rd., 516-424-7000,
ext.163, Dix Hills, NY
Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow St., Tel: 212-2424770, Fax: 212-366-9621, greenwichhouse.org
Juilliard School of Music, 60 Lincoln Ctr, 212-799-5000
LaGuardia Community College/CUNI, 31-10 Thomson Ave.,
Long Island City, 718-482-5151
Lincoln Center — Jazz At Lincoln Center, 140 W. 65th St.,
10023, 212-258-9816, 212-258-9900
Long Island University — Brooklyn Campus, Dept. of Music,
University Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-488-1051, 718-488-1372
Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave., 10027,
212-749-2805, 2802, 212-749-3025
New Jersey City University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City,
NJ 07305, 888-441-6528
New School, 55 W. 13th St., 212-229-5896, 212-229-8936
New York University-Jazz/Contemporary Music Studies, 35
West 4th St. Room#777, 212-998-5446, 212-995-4043
NY Jazz Academy, 718-426-0633 NYJazzAcademy.com
Princeton University-Dept. of Music, Woolworth Center Musical Studies, Princeton, NJ, 609-258-4241, 609-258-6793
Queens College — Copland School of Music, City University
of NY, Flushing, 718-997-3800
Rutgers Univ. at New Brunswick, Jazz Studies, Douglass
Campus, PO Box 270, New Brunswick, NJ, 908-932-9302
Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, 185 University
Avenue, Newark NJ 07102, 973-353-5595
— Mark Twain
newarkrutgers.edu/IJS/index1.html
SUNY Purchase, 735 Anderson Hill, Purchase, 914-251-6300
Swing University (see Jazz At Lincoln Center, under Venues)
William Paterson University Jazz Studies Program, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ, 973-720-2320
RADIO
WBGO 88.3 FM, 54 Park Pl, Newark, NJ 07102, Tel: 973-6248880, Fax: 973-824-8888, wbgo.org
WCWP, LIU/C.W. Post Campus
WFDU, http://alpha.fdu.edu/wfdu/wfdufm/index2.html
WKCR 89.9, Columbia University, 2920 Broadway
Mailcode 2612, New York, NY 10027, Listener Line: (212) 8549920, columbia.edu/cu/wkcr, [email protected]
ADDITIONAL JAZZ RESOURCES
Big Apple Jazz, bigapplejazz.com, 718-606-8442,
[email protected]
Louis Armstrong House, 34-56 107th St, Corona, NY 11368,
718-997-3670, satchmo.net
Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, RutgersUniv, 185 University Av, Newark, NJ, 07102, 973-353-5595
Jazzmobile, Inc., jazzmobile.org
Jazz Museum in Harlem, 104 E. 126th St., 212-348-8300,
jazzmuseuminharlem.org
Jazz Foundation of America, 322 W. 48th St. 10036,
212-245-3999, jazzfoundation.org
New Jersey Jazz Society, 1-800-303-NJJS, njjs.org
New York Blues & Jazz Society, NYBluesandJazz.org
Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St, New York, NY,
212-620-5000 ex 344, rmanyc.org.
ARE YOU BUYING RESULTS OR JUST
MARKETING & PROMOTIONAL SERVICES?
Straight-Up Professionals Delivering Breakthrough
Internet Marketing, Advertising & Publicity Solutions
Comprehensive Online & Offline Media & Marketing Campaigns & Reporting
For CD Releases  Events  National Campaigns  Consultations
Web  Social  Mobile  Video  Press Releases  eMail  SEO  List Building
MUSIC STORES
Drummers World, Inc., 151 W. 46th St., NY, NY 10036, 212840-3057, 212-391-1185, drummersworld.com
Roberto’s Woodwind & Brass, 149 West 46th St. NY, NY
10036, 646-366-0240, Repair Shop: 212-391-1315; 212-8407224, robertoswoodwind.com
Rod Baltimore Intl Woodwind & Brass, 168 W. 48 St. New
York, NY 10036, 212-302-5893
Sam Ash, 333 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 719-2299 samash.com
Sadowsky Guitars Ltd, 2107 41st Avenue 4th Floor, Long
Island City, NY 11101, 718-433-1990. sadowsky.com
Steve Maxwell Vintage Drums, 723 7th Ave, 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10019, 212-730-8138, maxwelldrums.com
215-887-8880
23
Interview
That was really the first real band I played in
where somebody paid me to play.
JI: Were they playing jazz?
Jay Beckenstein
“Who needs glory? I’m well over it, thank you very
much. I want contentedness and love.”
Hear Jay Beckenstein with Spyro Gyra
at the Ridgefield Playhouse
Thursday, October 22, 2015
www.SpyroGyra.com
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: You started really getting into music when
your family moved to Farmingdale, New York
when you were a teenager. How did that nurture
your motivation and inspiration to pursue this as
a career?
Jay: I’ll go back to Brooklyn first. Brooklyn in
the fifties was kind of a remarkable place of
mixed ethnicity and all sorts of blue collar energy and stuff. My father was a Jewish man and
he kind of thought of himself as a hipster. But
incredibly enough, as I grew up as a four and
five-year-old in Brooklyn, the two heroes that
my father presented to me were Jackie Robinson
Jay: He did. Indeed. And my mother on the
other hand was an opera singer. So at the same
time, I got a nice dose of classical music. So it
was a good household to be a five-year-old in.
And then, as you said, I moved to Farmingdale,
and Farmingdale was kind of “every house
looking the same” sort of suburban community.
It had no trees at all because it was built on potato fields. In fact, I remember my second year
there playing in the sand, I broke out in amazing
amounts of welts and things. And the doctors
said, oh, that’s just the pesticides they left in the
soil, and my development was built on that. But
in Farmingdale, I had the benefit of school music. In second grade, they handed me a clarinet.
I went home with it. My father looked at it and
said, “No clarinets. You get a saxophone.” I
went back and got a saxophone, and that was the
start of it. Mr. Dickinson, in second grade, inspired me to play.
JI: So you were in the band and taking lessons
“Spyro Gyra, from its inception, was
not a band with a star and backup
players. It was always conceived as a
real band, and with that conception,
for me, came the idea that a real band,
where the players wrote the music.”
and Charlie Parker. And I was brought up by my
father with amazing amounts of great jazz because my father really related to jazz as a music,
and actually related to the political struggle it
represented as well, the cultural struggle it represented as well. He was a progressive before
his time. So growing up in Brooklyn at that
time, somehow it affected my father, my father
affected me. Somehow, early on, people like
Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis and a
whole panoply of great African-American players were presented to me by my father as examples of greatness.
JI: He certainly gave you a fabulous entre into
culture and music.
24
for a number of years. I know you started your
own band. I wasn’t clear about when that was.
Was that in high school?
Jay: No, really, my last year in high school, my
parents and my brothers and I moved to Germany. And my father was working for a German corporation, but I was spending an awful
lot of time on the army base where I went to
school. As a senior in high school there, I met
three sergeants that did all sorts of club gigs and
were playing songs like “Sitting on the Dock of
the Bay” and what not. They heard me playing
piano, and I ended up playing with them and
getting snuck into the military club under age.
Jay: No, no, no, totally R&B, R&B and blues.
JI: How long did you stay over there?
Jay: A couple of years. The transition was far
more difficult going over to Germany because I
left my friends and what was becoming my
girlfriend and all of that, and I was moving to a
place and into a neighborhood where nobody
spoke English. It presented all sorts of challenges. Little did I know, I’d totally fall in love
with Europe. I’m so grateful that my dad made
me live a couple of years there. It was terrific.
We went on an ocean liner, so I had like eight
days to ruminate over my losses. But then the
trip back, coming back from that experience, I
spoke decent German—and at the age of 20, I
felt so cosmopolitan. I was so much hipper than
my friends when I got back, so it was a lot of
fun coming back.
JI: When you came back, what kinds of things
were you doing that would lead you down the
path towards playing a lot more jazz? Was that
entering into the purview of your artistic pursuits?
Jay: I’d say what was going on at that period of
time, the year before I went to Germany, I met
Jeremy Wall, who became a creative partner in
the early Sypro Gyra days. Jeremy had a lot of
nice musical ideas, and we played a lot. It wasn’t necessarily professional, but we played a lot.
And when I came back from Europe, we picked
that up again during summers when we had
come back from college. That was a period
where we really were doing musical experimentation that showed up on our first record, maybe
seven years later. Jeremy went to college in
California at California Institute of the Arts, and
I went up to Buffalo. Buffalo was the facet
where I went from amateur to professional, and
where I met really great musicians and really
great teachers and really great mentors. And in
so many ways, Buffalo is where everything I am
musically, came together—all the influences
that my father gave me, all those great influences of listening to New York jazz and New
York salsa, and being overseas and hearing that
scene, and living with all sorts of interesting
people. But it was Buffalo, the music scene in
Buffalo that crystallized it for me.
JI: I lived in Rochester when I was going to
school and it still felt like it was the fifties, and
bebop was still king there.
Jay: Oh, yeah. Well, this takes me to another
story. After I got out of college, this would have
been 1973-74 ... and it was only 1968-69 when
there were huge riots in Buffalo and in Detroit,
and Dr. King lost his life … all that stuff that
happened in the late sixties, there was still a lot
of bad energy in the cities between races. And
Jay Beckenstein
of Spyro Gyra
Photo by Brian Friedberg
27
JI: I think it was Ashley Montague who said
that kids are born as geniuses. Over time, it’s
their parents and adults who de-genius them. He
said that it is better to grow older in your childlike qualities than your adult qualities.
Jay Beckenstein
when I graduated from school, I had met a guy
that I consider one of my mentors, an Italian
tenor player, Phil— and Phil came out of this a
little bit the Rochester scene too. It was Don
Menza and Sammy Noto and Pat La Barbera, all
these Italian guys who played bebop and ended
up in Vegas eventually. But Phil had a vision
that the best way he could bring the city together was through music. The two music
scenes in Buffalo—even the jazz scene a little
bit although less so—were very racially divided.
There was a great Italian jazz scene, and then
there was a great African American jazz scene
on the other side of town with people like Benson and Jimmy Smith coming through. And it
was a little bit of mixing, but not nearly enough.
So my buddy Phil gets hold of the government
and says he wants to form a thing called the
Buffalo Jazz Ensemble. It’s going to be 50%
African-American, 50% European or whatever,
and we are going to paint a picture of unity on
that stage, and it really worked. I made friends
in that ensemble and I came to understand
things in that ensemble that I never would’ve
had the opportunity at the age of 20, 22, 23 to
have. I got to understand what black musicians
went through. I got to actually connect because
of what he provided there. And I think a lot of
people still do. And when Spyro goes out now,
people from that ensemble show up to say hello
Jay: [laughs] Well, I do totally agree that children at certain ages are inputting data at a rate
we cannot fathom as adults, and that data stream
is the very, very rich. But if the grownup gets its
hand in front of it too much, it becomes sullied.
What can I say? You know, you even might get
me to go down a long path that I’m not going to
go about intellectually, about religion—which I
kind of think a lot is what you teach your kids,
and the kids grow up with it. And it is definitely
something that you pass down for better or for
worse
JI: When you started Spyro Gyra, you pressed a
small number of albums independently so you
could control your business back in the early
seventies. One of your hits was “Morning
Dance” Could you talk a little bit about how
some of those early tunes that became very successful for you had developed?
Jay: Well, when I look back on that period of
time, the first album and the second album, I
was coming out of a lot of other bands, different
blues bands, different jazz bands playing around
town. And this idea of starting to write our own
music was just starting to percolate. And as I
look back on it, it’s almost as if I just had this
incredibly lucky timing of learning what it is I
had to do—a week before I had to do it, and that
“We had a platinum album. That’s
ridiculous for a band like us. It
opened so many doors … all around
the world … It also provided us with
budgets where we could sort of make
records without constraint …
Suddenly we were resource rich—
and that was a big difference.”
to me. It goes back a long way but it’s still
there, the unity that we found in that ensemble
at the time that was just ripe with anger. There
are so many reasons that people get divided, and
a lot of it is that every generation is brainwashed
a little bit as children, and everybody has got to
get over their parents’ lack of whatever and
grow themselves. Children are always somewhat a mirror of their parents, and that’s why so
much gets passed along.
26
happened over and over and over again. I didn’t
have much of a writing background. That stuff
just sort of came out spontaneously at the time. I
look back and I say, “Boy, I was lucky I pulled
that together because I sure had great opportunities to put it out.” “Morning Dance” was like
many of those tunes — “Shaker Song,”
“Catching The Sun” — written on the piano, not
on the saxophone. They were often things I
would improv in the morning. “Morning Dance”
in particular. I had a girlfriend that did ballet
exercises of a sort in the morning, and I was
playing piano to it and that song popped out or
parts of that song—hence Morning Dance. But
it was a growth at the moment thing. Just when I
needed to know how to write for horn section, I
sort of pulled it together to write for horn section. Just when I needed to know how to put a
record together in a studio and how to make
things sound good, I learned it on the fly, and I
was just lucky that my development coincided
with the need.
JI: So then as things took off for Spyro Gyra,
you moved from being the seller to became the
buyer in terms of opportunities.
Jay: Well, certainly we had enormous opportunities in the early eighties. We had a platinum
album. That’s ridiculous for a band like us. It
opened so many doors, not just in this country,
but all around the world—doors which are still
open for us thank goodness. If we hadn’t had
those huge albums in the early eighties—as
good as our music has been since then—we
wouldn’t be going to Thailand and Korea and
South Africa and all these places we get to go
to. So that was an enormous door opener. It also
provided us with budgets where we could sort of
make records without constraint. We want a
string section, we get a string section. We want
Latin percussionists, we can hire Latin percussionists. We want to do it at CBS New York, we
can do it at CBS New York. Suddenly we were
resource rich—and that was a big difference. So
we became, it was like kids in a playground, in a
sand pit. It was like holy mackerel, is this really
happening to us? And we can do whatever we
want in the studio for as long as we want and
afford it, and we’re getting to go out on the road
and we’re playing. We’re going to play Red
Rocks, are you kidding me? It was such an
amazing roller-coaster ride, but all good. We
were too naive to know how at risk the whole
thing was or whatever. We were just running
with it, and it was so much fun. At the same
time, what I said earlier about my development
fortunately coinciding with the need, well, the
live show had to do that too. We went from a
Buffalo bar band to playing the Jones Beach
Amphitheater. When you do that, you’ve got to
do a lot more types of projection than just the
music, and it’s not that difficult. We don’t have
pyrotechnics or anything, but basically we had
to learn how to be big stage performers—and
that was on the fly as well, and learn that as we
went. We are still learning it. So, yeah, it was an
amazing time.
JI: What were some of the key learning experiences that showed you how or what kind of
presence you needed to develop for the stage?
Jay: Well, the thing was hitting fast. So suddenly, the very first thing, we had opportunities
to do warm-ups for big acts. I remember, for
example, we played a really nice show somewhere, really good. The music was really nice.
The audience responded with spirit—and we
came off the stage feeling really good, and sat
Jay Beckenstein
by the stage and waited for Earth Wind & Fire
to go on. Their stage act included “the Mothership,” and oh my God, it was such a vast entertainment machine. Of course, the songs were
awesome, and they’re great musicians, and it’s
Earth Wind & Fire. But here we are in our little
hippy outfits kind of, and these guys are wearing silver costumes. A number of our early experience warming up for people hipped us to the
fact that we, at the very least, had to be very
dynamic on stage and communicate with an
audience. I had to learn how to talk to people. I
had to learn to look out at that audience and see
them as my friends who I can converse with
casually. That took some doing.
JI: Were you just improvising the conversations
or did you have some set things that you had in
mind to tell the audience each time.
Jay: No. The way that works for me …. I don’t
know how it works for other people …. is I’ll
have a number of simple things. When we first
go out, I’d say this is where I’ll introduce the
band and I’ll say this about this song in some
way, not specific but about my guitarist coming
from Havana and the sounds like that and all
that stuff. But what happens is if I can remain
casual when I go up there and talk and just look
out at the folks, I’m able to improvise my pattern. I can speak just off the top of my head. But
when I come across something through the improvisation that gets a big audience reaction,
I’m not stupid—I’ll repeat it at another show.
I’ll start building those things, and then by the
end of the summer, I almost have a little something to say for every song. I don’t write it down
before the show starts. It sort of develops as the
year goes on, as I figure out cool things to say
about the songs.
JI: Could you talk a little bit about what you
learned about the music business as opportunities opened up in a bigger way for you?
Jay: Well, the first half of the eighties, and
that’s when we were knee deep in big record
companies and where I’d meet Irving Azoff and
other big, big record guys—because we were
selling a lot of records, so it was taken seriously.
When you worked for those companies, especially back then, an awful lot of resources went
your way. Those companies at that time had real
publicity machines, real radio publicity machines, and they could do well for you. On the
other hand, looking back at that time, that industry was as corrupt as an industry could be, right
from the records falling off the back of their
truck on New Jersey highways, to the radio
people getting all sorts of drugs and cash rewards to falsely report that your single is being
played 40 times in the middle of the night. It
was such an awful corrupt thing. So many of the
artists I know from back then were utterly
ripped off. Yes, some people got very wealthy.
But the big houses that those record execs
bought, they bought them on the backs of the
artists. I’ve met some great record execs too, I
have. And a lot of people in the industry were
truly music enthusiasts and all of that. But I just
know that the big picture, the eighties was a
corrupt time in music.
JI: Did record labels offer direction, or were
you able to move in your own direction for recordings?
Jay: Not until the 90s did anybody ever give us
suggestions. That’s mostly because what we
were was such a strange fish that nobody at
be something on the album you can use.” We’d
always hand them something that was sort of
half way to what they needed. Eventually I just
said, “Stop even trying to think about which cut
on the record might be fitting for this. We
started forgetting about it. So I guess the record
company started to suggest. But it never really
worked. All for the best.
JI: Were there some experiences backstage that
you might share?
Jay: Oh my, I’m in the middle of the book.
Yeah, there are hundreds and hundreds and
“Not until the 90s did anybody ever give us
suggestions. That’s mostly because what we
were was such a strange fish that nobody at
these record companies had any experience
with. They didn’t get it. And in not getting it,
they were basically afraid to say anything
about the music because it was selling,
and they didn’t get it.”
these record companies had any experience
with— platinum selling instrumental music ...
other than maybe Herb Alpert. I don’t even
know what they would have compared it to. So
none of them had an idea of what to do with it, I
swear. And they threw stuff at it often ... We’ll
do music videos if you insist. But frankly, the
music videos never got played because they
didn’t have vocals. But the execs said, “Well,
you’re a platinum selling act, we do music videos.” So tens of thousands of dollars were spent
on music videos. They didn’t get it. And in not
getting it, they were basically afraid to say anything about the music because it was selling,
and they didn’t get it.
JI: So they didn’t know how to duplicate it, like
they do with pop stuff.
Jay: It really wasn’t until Kenny G came along
around 1986-87 that the record execs finally
saw a formula that they could repeat. That became the smooth jazz scene which is essentially
the pleasant, funky, moody, jazzy versions in
instrumental form of R&B hits. That’s what it
was, and that’s the formula that the execs found
because Kenny sold … eight million records,
some incredible thing. So that became the template. So starting in ‘87, ‘88, they’d go, “Why
can’t they [SPyro Gyra] just give us one song
like that Kenny guy?” In the early 90’s, when
we went over to GRP Records, there was kind
of a feeling of disappointment at GRP in us. We
weren’t one of their babies because we weren’t
doing that— and kind of really resisted doing
that. We’d always tell them, “Listen, there will
hundreds of them. It’s amazing how much of
this world we’ve seen. Yeah, I have so many
stories. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. In
the early days, we had the good fortune of getting onto the jazz scene and getting into the jazz
festival scene early enough to meet some of our
idols. I remember having breakfast with Count
Basie. I remember we were Miles Davis’ warmup act for three months. A great Miles thing for
us is that Miles was very private. He wasn’t
feeling great at that stage in his life. And there
are many, many stories about what a difficult
person he was, to put it mildly. But for us, being
his warm-up act, we worshipped him like the
Pope. Every night we played with him, we sent
a bouquet of flowers to his dressing room,
thanking him for letting us play with him. By
the fifth show, we still hadn’t met him. He has
his own way of going to the stage. We knew
where all the musicians were hanging out. We
were hanging out with the musicians in his
band, but not Miles. On the fifth night, Miles
just peeks his head around the corner of our
dressing room and goes, “Spyro Gyra. Okay.”
Then he walked away. Ah, the Pope, the Pope
blessed us. I met so many great jazz artists back
then—most of which are not with us anymore.
But then there’s this second phase to Spyro
Gyra’s career where we’re not a huge pop band.
We’re not riding a wave of media interest.
We’re playing thousand-seaters and twothousand-seaters, and occasionally clubs and
things, and it’s a much more kind of like tilling
the earth form of touring, but much more real—
in some ways a little more visceral and closer to
27
Interview
improvisation and your pursuit of this career
path?
Romain Collin
“Music is the soundtrack of life. It doesn’t just exist in a vacuum.”
I composed seemed to play itself more effortlessly. I really tried to rid myself of any inhibitions and pre-conceived ideas of what a “jazz
trio” sounds like. It’s still a work in progress.
Hear Romain Collin at Blue Note,
October 12, 2015 8:00 and 10:30 PM.
131 W. 3rd St.
www.RomainCollin.com
By Joe Patitucci
JI: Among the press quotes is one from NPR
calling you “a visionary composer.” It is a wonderful pick-me-up to receive such compliments.
How is that descriptor in concert with your own
perception of your music and artistry?
RC: That accolade was generously given by Jon
Weber during our interview for NPR’s Piano
Jazz show. It was very humbling, and made me
feel that I was doing my job in staying honest
and true to what genuinely made sense to me as
a musician, and as a person. “Visionary” can be
interpreted as something different, or unique.
But more importantly, it conveys the notion of
following one’s inmost personal path, in an uncompromised way. If we do that as musicians, it
will always lead to a singular form of artistic
expression, because every single person is fundamentally unique.
JI: What were some of the highlights of your
touring India and Vietnam with Wayne Shorter
and Herbie Hancock as part of the band from the
Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz?
RC: We were particularly lucky in this class,
2007, in that we got to tour with Herbie and
Wayne for weeks at a time. That meant plenty of
opportunities to get to know these icons as people, and not just as artists. Learning on the bandstand was an incredibly formative experience,
but going sight-seeing with Wayne and Herbie
gave us plenty of time to ask them questions
about both music and life. Wayne would sometimes share seemingly random stories, or reminisce about his Weather Report days. But there
is always an angle to Wayne’s approach - in his
stories like in his music. The highlight with Herbie was most definitely playing four hands and
trading solos in sold out theaters.... That, and
drinking a shot out of a bottle with a dead snake
in it. Not sure which one was more scary.
JI: Could you talk about the inspiration behind
your new recording Press Enter, and some of the
highlights in your development of this project
from conception to finished recording?
JI: Talk about some of the understandings of
human nature and culture that you discovered
during that world travel experience.
RC: Press Enter is really a follow up to The
RC: I have had the incredible privilege to travel
“ ‘Visionary’ can be interpreted as something
different, or unique. But more importantly, it
conveys the notion of following one’s inmost
personal path, in an uncompromised way.”
Calling, which came out a couple of years ago.
The project features the same band, in Luques
Curtis on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums.
When we recorded The Calling, I frankly had no
idea how the music would turn out. There was a
lot of experimenting in the studio, to get to the
sound I was trying to sculpt. It was a new musical frontier to me, and I had no exact idea of how
the record would end up sounding. I liked how it
came out, and it gave a starting point for our
next effort. Press Enter allowed me to dig further into sound designing and the textural use of
strings. I also pushed further the idea of a more
seamless integration of melodic themes with
group improvisations and soloing. The band
worked more intuitively together, and the music
28
and live in many different places since I left
France. I was 16 when I left home, and having
just finished high school, my mind was wide
open and extremely receptive to experiencing
new cultures. Yet what strikes me the most is
more what makes us all fundamentally human,
rather than the differences that we exhibit
through our individual cultural heritage. There
are fundamentals in human nature that remain
across all borders, cultures, ages and social
classes. That’s ultimately what I learned. Each
and everyone of us is unique. Yet, that’s the
common thread that binds us all.
JI: How did growing up in France inspire, support and or challenge your interest in jazz and
RC: I pretty much had to start with classical
studies. As a kid, I didn’t appreciate Classical
music nearly as much as I do now. I was already
fascinated by the art of improvising, by the
magic of freely making up rhythms and melodies. Unfortunately, there were no such things as
jazz combos in school, so all I could do was pick
up some records, and slowly try to make out
what was going on by ear.
JI: What have you learned about the music business through your association with ACT Music
that is releasing your new recording?
RC: I’ve always been a fan of ACT’s and had
been in touch with the label for a few years.
They had expressed strong interest in my work,
and things finally came together when I recorded Press Enter. The whole team is
really enthusiastic about the project, and ACT is
one of the very few remaining labels that understands how to foster and push an artist’s career.
Siggi Loch has such a strong vision for the art he
wants to promote and produce through his label.
Soon after my signing with ACT, I started working with SGENT Nation, a booking agency
based in the US who is now booking me worldwide. With a team of passionate people sharing a
common vision for my art and career, I knew
that I was at the right place. Everyday is a learning experience, and there is no simple recipe to
success. But things have been great so far, and I
feel very fortunate.
JI: Could you talk about some of the highlights
during your time as a student at Berklee College
of Music?
RC: I went to Berklee when I first moved to the
US, which was the perfect opportunity to meet a
ton of people- teachers, as well as students. I
spent a lot of time playing, and hanging, with
some of my peers: Tony Grey, Ziv Ravitz, Hiromi, Luques Curtis, Jordan Perlson, the list goes
on… I also majored in Music Synthesis, which
helped me hone my craft on the sound designing,
and production side of things. As far as performance goes, studying with Joe Lovano, Joanne
Brackeen, Dave Liebman or Hal Crook all were
very formative experiences. I spent many, many
hours in the shed.
JI: Talk about your interest in composing for
film - and how that developed.
RC: There seems to be a cinematic quality to the
music I instinctually compose. I never meant for
that to be the case, and I suppose it is the result
of how I always associate music with images,
and vice versa. Music is the soundtrack of life. It
doesn’t just exist in a vacuum. Film scoring
started when a director asked me to compose
music for his short, after hearing me play a trio
gig. I wrote a score for piano and cello, which
went well. I soon after got called to score more
short movies, as well as a couple of feature
documentaries, which allowed me to experiment
Romain Collin
composer: Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bon Iver,
Sting, Thom Yorke, Bjork, Neil Young...
and big talks but no action. After a pause he
said: “Press Enter!”
with a variety of orchestrations, from string
quartet to percussion ensemble and full orchestra. I am currently working on an exciting new
project that is still in progress…
JI: If there were some words of wisdom, or conversations that you have had with some of the
following artists that have made an impact on
your life or artistry - whether interesting, dramatic, humorous, unusual and so forth - could
you share one or more of those briefly.
JI: What were some of the jazz recordings or
performances that you initially heard growing up
that motivated you to get serious about playing
and playing piano in particular?
JI: What composers and arrangers have played a
significant role, and how have they done so, in
your development as a composer in general and
film in particular?
RC: I don’t necessarily distinguish between my
writing as a composer, and as a film scorer. For
instance, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith and
Alexandre Desplat are amazing film scorers, but
some of their work greatly influenced the way I
write for my trio. Classical composers have had
an enormous impact on my compositional concepts: Bach, Chopin and Rachmaninov are paramount for structure and thematic writing. Minimalist American composers such as Steve Reich
and John Adams have been central to my understanding of symphonic textures. Ravel’s harmony, as well as his orchestration techniques,
are also extremely important. The list never
ends, and lately I have been discovering works
from Mahler, Saint-Saens, Dutilleux, Jacob
Druckman and Michael Daugherty. As far as
jazz composers go, I love the elegance and depth
of Wayne Shorter’s writing. It is so economical,
yet incredibly powerful. Pat Metheny is a master
composer who knows how to get the biggest
possible sound out of a limited instrumentation,
which is something I thrive to achieve with my
trio. Last but not least, singer/songwriters certainly have been central to my development as a
RC: There are lots of stories, some hilarious,
some more profound in nature. Here are just a
few... Terence Blanchard always taught us to be
fully alert, to question everything and to be
ready for change at any given time - hence the
art of true improvisation. Herbie once told us:
“In life or in music, if things are not happening,
take charge and make something happen!” Herbie is a force, in so many ways. Jimmy Heath is
one of the most light hearted and hilarious human beings I have ever met! During that week of
teaching at the Monk Institute, he talked for
hours about his days hanging with Coltrane,
Miles [Davis] … Incredible stories. The first day
he came to teach, he somehow decided to call
me “Simon” (see-mon) with the most unshakable
confidence. So we let it go, and that was my
name from there on. To this day, Walter Smith,
Joe Sanders or Ambrose still call me Simon. Ron
Carter once had me play “trio”, only I wasn’t
allowed to play a note. So all I could do was
listen to the bass and drums. After a few choruses, he explained that I should be able to have
that focused hearing experience at all times, even
when I’m playing. That single-handedly changed
my musical life. Wayne Shorter shared some
wisdom that gave birth to the title of my new
album. He explained that throughout his life, he
had been surrounded by friends with grand plans
RC: Growing up, my mother would play records
of Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz and
Michel Petrucciani. That’s what really got me
started and inspired as a kid. I also grew up right
next to Jazz a Juan, a great festival in the south
of France that has seen all the jazz giants.
JI: What were some of the challenges that you
experienced when moved to New York?
RC: No big surprises here: the cold winters, the
long walks to the subway, finding the right living situation, staying out night after night until
5:00 AM. It’s all good memories, and slowly,
life got a little easier with some adjustment. I
have a ton of great friends, a great place in the
heart of Park Slope, and I usually get to leave
town in the winter.
JI: What do you do to relax when you’re not
making music?
RC: I love the ocean. I grew up on the southeast coast in France, so it’s in my blood. I try to
go out and surf or bodyboard as much as possible. I actually have a project called The
North, co-led by Sean Conley, a great friend and
incredible bass player. Sean is from Hawaii, so
the past few years we’ve been able to combine
artistic growth with some great surfing on Oahu.

29
Interview
High School, all the kids around me were really
putting it together in so many different genres
and disciplines. It was a huge inspiration.
JI: What led you to study music at the University of North Florida and how did that experience benefit your artistic and career pursuits?
Oscar Perez
“’Always be thinking!’”
Hear Oscar Perez at Trumpets, Montclair, NJ
October 8, 2015, 7:30 PM – 9PM. CD Release
www.OscarPerezMusic.com
By Joe Patitucci
JI: Could you talk about the development of
and inspiration for your new album Prepare A
Place For Me, with Thomson Kneeland,
Alvester Garnett and alto saxophonist Bruce
Williams?
OP: When I put the music together for my first
two albums, I approached it from a composer’s
point of view. This record happened very organically over the last few years. I had been
playing with these gentlemen in different
groups. Also the tunes are a mixture of older
and newer compositions and arrangements. In
many ways, it’s a “playing” record. The tunes
serve as vehicles for these incredible musicians.
Also I wanted to collect music that was very
practical in the studio and live.
idea of always searching for the next stage of
my development. Not always in terms of career
but of artistic statement. Everything we take on
affects our music. For me, teaching, family,
community involvement has as great an impact
on my artistic statement as the work itself.
JI: What were two or three of the jazz recordings you heard that inspired you pursue this
path for your career?
OP: Wow! Thinking back I’d have to say that
Danilo Perez’s Panamonk really inspired me to
investigate the connection between my Latin
American roots and my love for the great jazz
luminaries such as Thelonious Monk. Another
important record was Miles Davis’s Four n
More/My Funny Valentine. Besides the groundbreaking music of that quintet, the group interplay was an unforgettable example of how to
push the limits.
JI: How did growing up in Queens, New York
support or challenge your musical development
“Strive to be the artist you
envision. Align yourself with
people who appreciate what you
do and see value. If they don’t,
move on. Don’t waste precious time
trying to convince people that your
work matters. It’s not up to them.”
JI: What are some of the ideas and understandings, musically and otherwise, that you have
learned or embraced from your leading mentors
and influences - Danilo Perez and Sir Roland
Hanna - that made a significant impact.
OP: Both Danilo and Roland, as well as great
musicians like Wycliffe Gordon, Michael
Mossman and Christian McBride taught me the
30
and motivation?
OP: Oh it was a total support. There was great
music all around me. Through my early lessons,
school and church, I had many people encourage me and give positive reinforcement. Although I wasn’t playing jazz, the lessons I
learned from playing in rock and Latin outfits
helped me later on. When I started at LaGuardia
OP: Quite honestly, I didn’t really start getting
into jazz until my senior year of high school. I
had started composing music with jazz influenced harmonies but hadn’t really gotten into
the history and language of the music. My parents had moved to south Florida and I wanted
to be near them but still have the college experience. UNF ended up being the perfect place.
They saw something in me and within a few
years I was gigging. I immersed myself into
jazz 100%. Professors like Bunky Green, Bill
Prince and Kevin Bales were true artists and
dedicated time to teach as well. I looked up to
them and still do. That’s why I love teaching
and playing.
JI: What were some of the conversations you
had or words of wisdom you picked up from
some of your mentors and heroes such as Roland Hanna, Danilo Perez, Bunky Green,
George Russell, Curtis Fuller, George Garzone,
others?
OP: Roland Hanna told me “Always be thinking!” He was talking in terms of playing solo
piano but I try to remember those words whenever I’m involved in the creation of something.
I never want to “just react” in a playing situation. I want to contribute and help my band
members sound as good as they can. I remember I had a combo with George Garzone when I
was at NEC. It started at 9am - not jazz time at
all. But we ran difficult and intense music as if
it was Saturday night at the Village Vanguard.
He would say, “You have to be ready to play
whenever.”
JI: On the pop side, you’ve performed with
Phoebe Snow at leading venues. Talk about
some of those experiences and perhaps one or
more of the interesting, dramatic, humorous and
or unique moments or learning moments you
might have had?
OP: My early days of playing with different
bands really came in handy when I went on the
road with Phoebe. What a great voice and person. The most unique things were the places we
played and the people we met. Playing at Madison Square Garden alongside Janis Ian, Paula
Cole and Jewel was a blast. And I remember
thinking that people don’t get to do this everyday. Meeting Bill Clinton and playing some of
his fundraisers was also a once in a lifetime
experience.
JI: How does your work as an educator at New
Jersey’s Montclair State University and Jazz
House Kids contribute to your artistic development?
sires for power, fame, fortune that can have the
potential to compromise one’s focus, one’s
integrity and character. What do you do to
maintain your focus and to ensure that you
minimize those kinds of influences and people?
Oscar Perez
OP: Well I learn as much from my students as
they learn from me. Most of them are well on
their way to having careers. My job is to keep
them on that path and get them as ready as they
can be. Depending on the student I find myself
relearning certain things and those things usually become part of my next endeavor. It could
be a tune, an arrangement or a musical concept.
JI: What have you discovered about the music
business and human nature as a result of your
dealings with jazz club operators, festival decision-makers, record labels, promoters, publicists and so forth?
OP: My take on it this: Strive to be the artist
you envision. Align yourself with people who
appreciate what you do and see value. If they
don’t, move on. Don’t waste precious time
trying to convince people that your work matters. It’s not up to them. It’s up to you. So just
work hard and be nice. Devote time to the business but devote more time to your development
and the people you care about.
JI: The music world, the jazz world are replete
with temptations associated with varying de-
OP: Great question. Luckily, I don’t have time
to become compromised. I fill up my life with
my family, my teaching, my friends and learning as much as I can about things that impact
me. Gig preparation as a leader and sideman,
composing all have their place as well. Basically, I have a very healthy life outside of music
that I rely on. It helps my perspective and my
art.
Here’s What
You Missed!
Scan the QR Code below
with your mobile device
JI: What do you do to decompress from your
business and musical pursuits?
OP: I love watching movies, baseball, running
and biking. I’m trying to read more.
JI: Is there anything you’d like to discuss for
which I haven’t prompted you?
OP: Yes! Check out my website: oscarperezmusic.com and say hello!
A Lifetime Of
Jazz Listening,
Enjoyment & Discovery
Limited Availability

http://bit.ly/JvSML0
31
Interview
tended improvisation? For musicians and students reading this, could you describe an example of chordal pivoting?
Noah Preminger
“Respect. That is one of the best things I have
picked up from …some of the older musicians.”
Hear Noah Preminger at Smalls
October 14, 2015, 7:30 PM.
183 W. 10th St.
www.NoahPreminger.com
By Eric Nemeyer
JI: Could you discuss your new CD release,
Pivot: Live at the 55 Bar, your fourth, and
provide a brief sketch of its development from
conception to finished artwork:
NP: From the downbeat on the first gig I
played with this group of musical personalities, I immediately realized that I wanted to
document the project. I had not felt the clarity
of a “unit” as much as I do with these particular voices and it was very exciting for me.
Jason Palmer, Kim Cass and Ian Froman all
have an incredible sense of freedom within
melody, harmony and rhythm, to the point
that I don’t need to say much at all in regards
to musical instruction. Over the past five or
six years I’ve stopped listening to any music,
with the exception of blues from the Delta
Mississippi region. It feels claustrophobic and
overwhelming to fill my head with even more
ing to tell our individual stories after interpreting Bukka’s melody. Jimmy Katz – one of the
most influential photographers and sound
engineers in the world – is a dear friend of
mine and after speaking about the project, we
decided to work together in producing the
album. He was able to capture the sound of
the band at the 55 Bar in Greenwich Village,
New York City, on three different occasions.
The venue is similar to where I imagine
Bukka White or any other Delta musician
performing, and Jimmy did an amazing job
encapsulating the much-too-loud band for the
room … exactly what I intended for. We
picked two of the songs from the three nights,
totally over 60 minutes in length, pressed it
and have it set to release on October 6, 2015.
JI: Could you provide some additional understanding about your “desire for a more fluid,
intense way of playing jazz” that is mentioned
in the press descriptor of your direction with
the release of your new album?
NP: People clearly enjoy different levels of
intensity; some like to live with lower intensity, some higher, some with steep ups and
“living many different life
experiences greatly adds
to creating a unique voice
on the instrument, not sitting
at home and practicing.”
music, but the Delta cats speak to me in a
different way than any other type of sound.
There is humility and a strong sense of honesty that is so beautiful, as well as phrasing
that comes off as incredibly pure. Certain
things speak to us loud and clear – this just
happens to be one that does it for me. We
recorded two songs by one of my favorite
voices, Bukka White, and extended the blow32
downs, and so on. I think my music on this
record may reflect how I perceive intensity,
which is at a constant high level with very few
peaks and valleys. I would hope this comes
across to the listener, as well.
JI: Could talk about chordal pivoting that you
mentioned that you have incorporated to transcend repetition in extended pieces and ex-
NP: In an attempt to not sound like I’m rambling while improvising, I suppose in some
cases it’s necessary to explain a concept that
one may refer to as “chordal pivoting” that is
used here. The first song we play, “Parchman
Farm Blues,” is in the key of D7. By taking
the chord tones, you get “D”, “F#”, “A” and
“C” the root, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and these become
your jumping-off, pivot points. If we pick the
“A” to begin with, what are other scales where
“A” is a chord tone? You could pivot to a
scale in A, F major, B minor, B half diminished, Bb major, Eb diminished, etc. In essence, this is creating an extended “tension”,
but eventually when you want to resolve back
to D7 then you are creating the “release”. This
can be drawn out as long as you’d like, depending on how many scales you pivot to. For
example, one could go from D7, take “A,” the
5th and move to B minor, the 7th, take “D,”
the 3rd, and move to Bb major, the 3rd, take
Bb, the root, and move to Gb major, then take
the root and resolve back to D7, the 3rd.
JI: What was the theoretical inspiration you
received from Joe Morris for “finding a way
as an improviser to tell your story however
long you need to, while swinging intensely”?
How is that concept in concert with the understanding that as one evolves and matures, the
idea and sonic expression of less is more,
might be embraced?
NP: Joe and I were hanging one day and he
mentioned some things about my playing that
he enjoys. As we were chatting more I realized I should highlight some of these things,
primarily the way I can freely move around in
various ways while swinging and improvising.
JI: Understandably, critics / journalists might
use colorful language to make for an interesting read. Could you share your perspective
about how you “[design] a different kind of
sound for each note, an individual destiny and
story,” that was written by one writer, and
cited in your bio?
NP: I believe Ben Ratliff wrote that in the
New York Times about the playing on my first
record. I’m from the school that living many
different life experiences greatly adds to creating a unique voice on the instrument, not sitting at home and practicing. We are telling
stories as an improviser, so opening our eyes
to the world allows for more storytelling!
JI: What were some of the noteworthy discussions you had, or ideas that you picked up
from Dave Liebman, with whom you studied,
and that have made a significant impact on
you and your artistry?
Noah Preminger
NP: Dave taught me that “if you drive like a
_____, you’re gonna play like a ____”.
JI: What are some of the key understandings
or words of wisdom that you may have picked
up from some of the influential artists with
whom you have performed or recorded that
have influenced you in a big way? Dave Holland? George Cables? Billy Hart? Others?
NP: Respect. That is one of the best things I
have picked up from being in the same room
as some of the older musicians. If you’re a
respectful musician, then you’re a cool musician. Everyone likes the cool guy.
JI: What were some of the jazz recordings or
performances that you initially heard growing
up that motivated you to get serious about
playing and playing sax in particular?
NP: John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Sonny
Rollins. Growing up I enjoyed listening to
other styles of music, mostly rock from the
70’s and 90’s. My folks listened to everything
so, in return, I was surrounded by many different things from Weather Report to Coltrane
to Bonnie Raitt.
JI: What were some of the challenges that
you experienced when you first moved to
New York?
NP: Finding cheap rent.
JI: Given the nature of the niche that jazz is,
the current reality of this being a contracting
market, the challenges of selling prerecorded
music, because of illegal downloading, copyright infringement and so on – what kind of
vision do you have for yourself about experiencing some of your hopes and goals in the
next five or even ten years?
NP: There isn’t much of a record “business”
any more. So for me, it’s only a way to document my work – not to make money. Regardless of being able to profit directly from CD
sales, I’d like to release a new album every six
months from here on out. CDs, tapes and vinyl are such a small market, so clearly
downloads are the way to go.
JI: What are your perspectives on balancing a
purity of purpose about creating music that
you hear and want to see come to life, with the
simultaneous attractor and consideration of
trying to connect with and or please your current and potential audiences?
NP: This is important for musicians to understand about themselves! First and foremost, I
need to create music that satisfies me. But, of
course, I want there to be an audience that
enjoys it! I want my music to heal! On the
other hand, one can’t think too much about
making music for others, or you will never
find self-satisfaction!
JI: What do you do when you’re not playing
music?
NP: Right now? I’m writing and arranging for
the next project(s), teaching a number of days
a week, getting another degree to expand my
knowledge in various musical topics, hiking,
boxing - my days of fighting are over! …
beating up other musicians on the golf
course…

“Over the past five or six years I’ve stopped listening to any music,
with the exception of blues from the Delta Mississippi region. It feels
claustrophobic and overwhelming to fill my head with even more music…”
33
CD REVIEWS
Randy Brecker
RANDY POP! Piloo Records PR009. New
Frontier; Let Me Just Follow Behind; I Can’t
Quit Her; Hello It’s Me; Ghost Writer; Think!;
I’ve Got a Bag of My Own; Meeting Across the
River; Late in the Evening.
PERSONNEL: Randy Brecker, trumpet w/
effects & voice; Kenny Werner, keyboards, piano & arrangements; David Sanchez, tenor saxophone; Adam Rogers, guitar; Amanda Brecker,
vocals; John Patitucci, bass; Nate Smith, drums.
By Eric Harabadian
According to the liner notes, this was the
very last set of a sold out week at the Blue Note
in NYC. The concept for the album was inspired
by the leader Randy Brecker’s wife Ada Rovatti.
It all centers on Brecker’s salad days as a “studio
cat” backing many of the artists that wrote or
popularized the existing track list here. As
Brecker puts it, his good friend Kenny Werner
arranged, or more accurately, “de-ranged” the
pop tracks within. And, simply put, you haven’t
heard these songs performed in such an unorthodox, yet engaging manner. Oh yes, Brecker and
his cohorts were completely on their game,
which is amazing considering they all received
Werner’s completed charts the day before the
performance.
The gig begins with a Donald Fagen classic
from his debut solo album “The Nightfly” called
“New Frontier.” Brecker’s daughter Amanda
leads the tight ensemble through a fairly by rote
rhythmic structure. However, although faithful
to the Fagen original, Brecker and crew spice it
up with interesting harmonies and subtle
phrases. Superb solos abound from Randy
Brecker, on what sounds like an electronically
enhanced trumpet, and guitarist Adam Rogers.
That’s followed by a Mark “Moogy” Klingman
composition that was popularized by Bette Midler called “Let Me Follow Behind.” This is, simply, a beautiful song. And the band’s about face
from the opening track to this slow ballad displays the grace and range of Amanda Brecker.
Filling in the shoes of someone like Bette Midler
is no mean feat. But she pulls it off incredibly
well. In particular, the acoustic piano solo by
Werner brings everything down to a whisper and
is dynamically very powerful and rich. Prominent solos by saxophonist David Sanchez and
Randy are bop-influenced and silky smooth.
Another song that Randy Brecker played on
GetYourCDToPressAndRadio.com
34
back in the day was one popularized by Al
Kooper and Blood, Sweat & Tears called “I
Can’t Quit Her.” It was one of the group’s first
hits in the ‘60s totally given the Kenny Werner
“de-rangement” treatment here. It features an
interesting somewhat off-kilter asymmetry to the
time signature. It morphs from the odd metered
groove to more of a straight ahead jazz feel as
the tune progresses. The bass and drums really
build behind the piano and horns. There is a nice
use of dynamics where it gets somewhat quiet
before they return atempo into more of the R&B
feel of the original song for the coda. “Hello It’s
Me” by Todd Rundgren is another hit that the
ubiquitous Randy Brecker played on. Here it is
done as a romantic ballad. The horns are very
lyrical Werner plays variations on a theme during his solo, with a smooth Herbie Hancock/Bill
Evans-like approach. Toward the end of the tune
things start to percolate and resolve in a mildly
funky sonic stew. Singer-songwriter Garland
Jeffry’s “Ghost Writer” follows and is a nice
change of pace. The band lays down a reggaetype groove as the horns swerve and blend into a
sweet and dreamy lilt. The bass and drums sound
huge and Randy utilizes some interesting electronic sounds on his horn. They careen nicely
with spacey synthesizer and guitar from Werner
and Rogers respectively. And just when you
think you had Brecker’s group all figured out
they throw you a curve with back to back James
Brown covers. But, mind you, they are not like
any JB covers you’ve heard before. For the tune
“Think!” Randy puts on his beatnik cap as he
takes the audience on a verbal journey. He delivers Brown’s plaintive and pleading lyrics to his
woman in an ironic and slightly bemused state.
It’s done with a bit of humor and abstract hipness as the band does their best Zappa/Mothers/
Sun Ra freak out behind him. They follow that
with another JB tune that Randy originally
How to Submit CDs
& Products For Review in
Jazz Inside Magazine
Record labels or individual artists who are
seeking reviews of their CD or DVD recordings or books may submit CDs for review consideration by following these guidelines.
Send TWO COPIES of each CD or product
to: Editorial Dept., Jazz Inside, P.O. Box
30284, Elkins Park, PA 19027. All materials sent become the property of Jazz Inside,
and may or may not be reviewed, at any
time.
played on called “ I’ve Got a Bag of My Own.”
Simply put, a slightly warped horn chart blended
with a kicking rhythm section makes for a very
unique and one-of-a-kind listening experience.
Perhaps, one of the sweetest and most memorable performances here has to be Bruce Springsteen’s “Meeting Across the River.” Randy
played trumpet on the original 1975 version.
Here his daughter Amanda has the honors of
filling Springsteen’s shoes and singing with her
father. This is one of Amanda’s best vocals on
the album; the mood here captures the desperation and very cinematic story telling of the original and delivered in a clear and literate manner.
The leader’s muted trumpet work fully complements the lyrics to a tee. They conclude the evening appropriately with Paul Simon’s “Late in
the Evening.” Again, you have Amanda interpreting another master story teller in Simon and
COMPANIES: Advertise Your Products in Jazz Inside
MUSICIANS: Advertise Your Music, Your Gigs & Yourself
Jazz Inside Magazine — Print & Digital
Put yourself, your music and products front and center of the jazz community in New
York, across the USA and around the world.
Reach the buyers and jazz consumers you need to influence — the very decisionmakers who want to buy your music and help you build your name, brand and results.
Take advantage of our wide array of PRINT and DIGITAL marketing options —SOCIAL
MEDIA, VIDEO, E-MAIL, DIRECT-MAIL, TARGETED LISTS, PRESS RELEASES and
more to influence the maximum universe of probable purchasers.
Our mission is to make sure that everyone with whom we do
business experiences value that far exceeds their investment.
CONTACT us and discover the many ways we can help!
Eric Nemeyer, 215-887-8880, [email protected]
just does an amazing job. Everything is in place;
the horn arrangement cooks, the rhythm section
is funky and the joy and jubilation of the track
totally shines through. This has a real “70s/’80s
feel in vibe and execution, which makes sense
considering, not only when these tunes were
originally recorded, but the players that are revisiting them.
Randy Pop! Is an interesting and fun project
that really has legs and could easily become a
touring stage show of sorts. The leader Randy
Brecker played on so many famous sessions with
his brother, the late saxophonist Michael. This
was a great idea and a really nice tribute to
Brecker’s legacy, his brother and the artists they
helped along the way. But from what this reviewer hears, there is plenty of gas left in the
tank and hope to hear more projects like this
from the amazing and affable Randy Brecker.
Orin Etkin
WHAT’S NEW: REIMAGINING BENNY
GOODMAN – Motema MTA-181 –
www.motema.com Prelude; Dinah; Why Don’t
You Do Right; Running Wild; When Every Voice
Shall Sing; What’s New; Brink; King Porter
Stomp; After You’ve Gone; Be Good Lady;
Where Or When; Sing, Sing, Sing
PERSONNEL: Oran Etkin, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor; Sullivan Fortner, piano; Steve Nelson,
vibes; Matt Wilson, drums; Charenee Wade,
vocals
By Scott Yanow
On What’s New, clarinetist Orin Etkin not
only reimagines Benny Goodman but to a large
extent reinvents him, paying tribute to the King
of Swing with post-bop explorations rather than
in a conventionally swinging manner. Swing
purists beware for this is not your great grandfather’s Benny Goodman Quartet!
Orin Etkin was born in Israel, and, even
though he moved to the United States with his
family when he was four, his Israeli culture is
one of many influences on his music. He started
with piano lessons when he was five and violin
at eight, shifting his focus to saxophone at eight
and clarinet at 13. Among his teachers were
George Garzone (starting when he was 14) and
Yusef Lateef. Etkin earned a bachelor’s degree
in classical clarinet and composition from
Brandeis University, studied Arabic music in
Jerusalem for a year, and earned a master’s degree from the Manhattan School Of Music. He
also studied and played Malian music in Mali.
He has since developed a new method of teaching music that he calls Timbalooloo. Among his
projects have been live performances and CDs
geared specifically towards children and he has
been successful at introducing a wide variety of
music to youngsters.
Orin Etkin’s career displays his openminded approach. He has worked with Mike
Stern, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and rapper Wyclef
Jean, and been open to the influences of not only
modern jazz but music from Israel, Africa and
Mali.
What’s New lives up to its subtitle of Reimagining Benny Goodman. Utilizing the instrumentation of the Benny Goodman Trio (with
pianist Sullivan Fortner and drummer Matt Wilson) and, on a few tracks, the Benny Goodman
Quartet (adding vibraphonist Steve Nelson),
Etkin plays songs from Goodman’s repertoire
but in his own way. Some pieces swing hard but
others are much more abstract than anything that
BG was interested in playing. It makes for an
eclectic and unpredictable program.
The opening “Prelude” could have been
titled “Fantasy On Sing Sing Sing.” Etkin quotes
some of that swing anthem’s melodies in a
dreamy duet with pianist Fortner. “Dinah” is
played mostly for laughs with Etkin on bass
clarinet in a rollicking performance with the trio
that largely ignores the piece’s chord structure.
“Why Don’t You Do Right,” one of two
pieces with guest singer Charenee Wade, at first
has her sounding hauntingly close to Peggy Lee.
Her interaction with the assertive clarinetist gets
a bit heated, as if they are arguing, and she holds
her own, sounding pretty impressive. Also quite
worthy is a version of “Running Wild” in which
Etkin decided to mostly swing with the quartet,
engaging in a fun tradeoff with vibraphonist
Nelson. The result is a bit ragged but fun.
“When Every Voice Shall Sing” is a departure, an original inspired by both “Lift Every
Voice And Sing” and Goodman’s pioneering use
of black players in his integrated groups. It is
mostly a somber ballad played on bass clarinet.
“What’s New” is also taken at a ballad pace
while “Brink” is an original minor-toned blues
played a bit lowdown and in rambunctious fashion. “King Porter Stomp” is a highlight with
Etkin starting out on bass clarinet. It hints
strongly at the 1924 King Oliver-Jelly Roll Morton duet version and features Fortner doing a
good job of emulating Morton. All of the themes
are covered, Matt Wilson gets a three-chorus
solo, and Etkin also stretches out on clarinet.
“After You’ve Gone” has Charenee Wade making a welcome return. She should record a full
album of swing standards someday.
What’s New” concludes with “Be Good
Lady” (an odd piece that mixes together klezmer
and avant-garde), a dream sequence version of
“Where Or When” with Etkin on tenor, and a
relatively brief “Sing Sing Sing.” But actually it
concludes with a five-minute “hidden track”
with Etkin on bass clarinet that near its conclusion hints at “Moonglow.”
This is definitely an intriguing program,
recommended to those who do not mind hearing
swing stretched in unusual ways.
Carlos Henriquez
THE BRONX PYRAMID – Blue Engine BE
0002 – www.blueenginerecords.org – The Bronx
Pyramid; Cuchifrito; Descarga Entre Amigos;
Joshua’s Dream; Guarajazz; Promesas; 9
O’Clock Bomba; Al Fin Te Vi; Nilda; Brook
Ave.
PERSONNEL: Carlos Henriquez, bass; Michael Rodriguez, trumpet; Felipe Lamoglia,
tenor; Robert Rodriguez, piano; Ali Jackson,
drums; Bobby Allende congas; Pedrito Martinez,
batas on “The Bronx Pyramid”; On “Descarga
Entre Amigos” Ruben Blades, Renzo Padilla,
Kike Gonzalez, vocals
By Scott Yanow
Bassist Carlos Henriquez’s The Bronx
Pyramid is a passionate hard bop-oriented set,
much of which would have fit in perfectly on the
Blue Note label in the mid-1960s. While Henriquez plays quite well throughout, this CD is
most notable for showcasing his abilities as a
composer and a bandleader.
Henriquez, who is 36, originally played
guitar in junior high school. A few years later he
switched to string bass, attending Julliard’s Music Advancement Program. He certainly advanced quickly. At 14 he had opportunities to
play with Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri and Celia
Cruz. In high school, he was part of the LaGuardia Concert Jazz Ensemble that in 1996 won the
first Lincoln Center Essentially Ellington High
School Jazz Band Competition. Two years later
when he was 19, Henriquez became a member of
both the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Jazz At
Lincoln Center Orchestra. Talk about starting on
top!
Enriquez has since appeared on more than
25 albums, not only with Marsalis but with Chucho Valdes, Tito Puente, Stevie Wonder and Bob
Dylan among others. He has taught at Northwestern University School of Music for seven
years and has sometimes been the musical director for Jazz at Lincoln Center including for their
2010 tour of Cuba. Henriquez is equally skilled
in both straight ahead jazz and Afro-Cuban music.
The Bronx Pyramid consists of nine Henriquez originals plus Ernesto Lecuona’s “Al Fin
Te Vi.” While the bassist has many fine solos
along the way, his periods in the spotlight are
fairly brief. In fact all of the solos, which are
primarily taken by trumpeter Michael Rodriguez,
tenor-saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia and pianist
Robert Rodriguez, are concise and logical outgrowths of the melodies and the ensembles. The
music is primarily hard bop that often includes a
Latin tinge. Pedrito Martinez sits in on batas for
the title cut while “Descarga Entre Amigos” has
salsa vocals by a three-voice coro led by Ruben
Blades.
This set is filled with strong melodies. One
could imagine “The Bronx Pyramid, which has a
catchy Africa rhythm and warm melodic trumpet
35
playing by Michael Rodriguez, being played by
Duke Ellington’s orchestra in the 1960s.
“Chuchifrito, despite its Spanish name, is a classic hard bop piece, a medium-tempo blues that
inspires fine solos. “Descarga Entre Amigos” is
a change of pace that, in addition to the vocals,
has a spot for Henriquez along with some spirited ensembles.
“Joshua’s Dream,” the first ballad of the
set, sounds like a traditional Cuban piece and costars Henriquez’s bowed bass and Lamoglia’s
Coltrane-inspired tenor. The medium-tempo
“Guarajazz” has Lamoglia displaying more of a
Joe Henderson influence while Rodriguez’s fiery
trumpet playing is worthy of Lee Morgan.
“Promesas” and “9 O’Clock Bomba” are more
modal-oriented, inspiring brief but meaningful
improvisations from the musicians. Lecuona’s
“Al Fin Te Vi” (which has a rich melody) is
particularly memorable, focusing on Rodriguez’s
trumpet and Henrique’z percussive bowed bass
which will make some recall the great Cachao.
This easily enjoyable set concludes with the
brooding ballad “Nilda” and the hot Latin piece
“Brook Ave.”
The Bronx Pyramid is filled with Carlos
Henriquez compositions that can potentially
enrich the jazz repertoire of the next decade.
Mike Holober
BALANCING ACT—Palmetto Records 22058.
Web: mikeholober.com. Book of Sighs; Idris;
Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel; Grace at Sea;
Piece of My Heart; Canyon; Sighs Matter; When
There Were Trains
PERSONNEL: Mike Holober, acoustic piano;
Kate McGarry, vocals; Marvin Stamm, trumpet,
flugelhorn; Mark Patterson, trombone; Jason
Rigby, tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet;
Dick Oatts, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone,
flute; John Hebert, acoustic bass; Brian Blade,
drums
By Alex Henderson
There was a time when many jazz instrumentalists went out of their way to feature singers. That was certainly true with the swingoriented big bands of the 1930s, 1940s and
1950s. Duke Ellington had Ivie Anderson and Al
Hibbler. Artie Shaw had Helen Forrest. Count
Basie had Jimmy Rushing and later, Joe Williams. Harry James featured Forrest, Kitty
Kallen, Marion Morgan and others. But these
days, the vast majority of hard bop, post-bop,
avant-garde and fusion instrumentalists are not
known for featuring singers on their albums—
and even if they do, it is usually on just one or
two songs. Mike Holober’s Balancing Act, however, is a definite exception to that rule. Holober
is an acoustic pianist/composer with a post-bop
36
orientation, and on Balancing Act, the pianist
makes a point of featuring singer Kate McGarry
prominently. McGarry, in fact, appears on every
selection on this eight-track CD, whether she is
performing Holober’s lyrics on “When There
Were Trains,” “Grace at Sea,” “Canyon” and
“Book of Sighs” or providing wordless scat vocals on “Sighs Matter” and reedman Jason
Rigby’s “Idris.” McGarry is not a belter or an
aggressive type of singer. She favors a sweet,
delicate vocal style that is perfect for the introspective, contemplative feeling that characterizes
the post-bop songs Holober wrote for this 2014
recording.
The fact that McGarry’s expressive vocals
are such a high priority on this album does not
mean that Holober and his horn players don’t
have room to stretch out and offer some memorable solos. And Holober leads a cohesive group
that also includes Rigby on tenor saxophone,
clarinet and bass clarinet, Dick Oatts on alto
saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute, Marvin
Stamm on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mark Patterson on trombone, John Hebert on acoustic bass
and Brian Blade on drums.
Post-bop improvisers have a long history of
putting a jazz spin on popular songs, going back
to John Coltrane’s classic modal interpretation of
“My Favorite Things” (from The Sound of Music) in 1960. And Holober includes two popular
songs on Balancing Act, although they aren’t
songs from Tin Pan Alley or Broadway, but
rather, are pop-rock songs: Billy Joel’s “Lullaby
(Goodnight, My Angel)” and Jerry Ragavoy and
Bert Burns’ “Piece of My Heart,” which was
originally recorded by the late Erma Franklin
(Aretha Franklin’s sister) in 1967 and became a
major hit for Big Brother & the Holding Company (with the late Janis Joplin on lead vocals)
in 1968. McGarry’s performance of “Piece of
My Heart” is quite different from Joplin’s: while
Joplin was a tough, forceful, gutsy rocker with a
strong soul influence—she directly or indirectly
influenced everyone from Pretenders’ Chrissie
Hynde to Patti Smith to Melissa Etheridge—
McGarry thrives on subtlety. In contrast to
Joplin’s edgy performance with Big Brother &
the Holding Company, McGarry is gently introspective. And with Holober’s help, she has no
problem transforming “Piece of My Heart” into
acoustic post-bop. Holober and McGarry offer
an unlikely interpretation of the song, but it
works well for them. It’s good to see them finding the acoustic post-bop possibilities in “Piece
of My Heart” and a Billy Joel song rather than
clinging to the tired myth that rock and R&B
songs cannot work in a jazz context—a myth
that everyone from singers Claire Martin and
Cassandra Wilson to the Bad Plus to the late
Philadelphia organist Charles Earland have torn
to shreds. Besides, Joel has jazz, cabaret and
Broadway influences. So why shouldn’t jazz
artists embrace “Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel),” “New York State of Mind,” “Uptown
Girl” and other material from the Joel songbook?
Ignoring singers, unfortunately, will likely
continue to be the norm for many jazz instrumentalists. But on Balancing Act, Holober successfully demonstrates that positive things can
happen when post-bop instrumentalists bring
singers into their world.
Yoron Israel
THIS MOMENT – Ronja Music Company
Y104 – www.yoronisrael.com Introduction;
Where Were You When I Needed You Last Winter; Here Today, Gone Tomorrow; Her All;
Creepin’; Glory; Passionate Raindrops; Contusion; The Eleventh Hour
PERSONNEL: Yoron Israel, drums; Lance
Bryant, tenor, soprano; Laszlo Gardony, piano;
Henry Lugo, bass
By Scott Yanow
Although it does not say it anywhere on his
CD, Yoron Israel’s This Moment is mostly an
exploration of the music of Stevie Wonder. Four
of the eight songs are Wonder’s, Israel contributed three pieces (including a drum solo) and
there is also a fine Mulgrew Miller composition.
Yoron Israel has been a valuable drummer
for quite some time and he has also developed as
a composer. He earned a Bachelor of Music
degree from Roosevelt University back in 1986
and a Masters of Music degree from Rutgers
University in 1997. Israel was on the faculty at
Rutgers University, William Paterson University
and Mannes College and remains a busy educator, working as the Professor of Percussion at
Berklee.
But it is as a drummer that Yoron Israel has
really made his mark. His credits as a sideman
are rather impressive and he has contributed to
over 100 significant recordings not counting his
own. Among those artists whose music he has
uplifted through the years are Horace Silver,
Ahmad Jamal, Cedar Walton, James Williams,
Cyrus Chestnut, Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson,
Joe Henderson, Jimmy Heath, Pharoah Sanders,
David “Fathead” Newman, Red Holloway, Joe
Lovano, Joshua Redman, Grover Washington
Jr,, Clark Terry, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard,
Tom Harrell, Roy Hargrove, Curtis Fuller,
Kenny Burrell, Larry Coryell, Bobby Hutcherson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Abbey Lincoln, Joe Williams, Vanessa Rubin and Kevin Mahogany
among many others. Based in Boston, he has
been a first call drummer for years, working with
both top local artists and such visiting greats as
Frank Morgan, Jane Ira Bloom, Greg Osby,
Joanne Brackeen, Eliane Elias, Larry Goldings,
Joey DeFrancesco, Eddie Gomez and Ann
Hampton Callaway.
One would think that with all of that activity, Yoron Israel would not have time for his
own projects but he has headed five albums of
his own and currently leads his quartet High
Standards. His previous album, Visions – The
Music Of Stevie Wonder, featured the same
quartet as is heard on This Moment (along with
two guests). The difference is that This Moment
has a few departures from the Wonder repertoire
and it was recorded live at Berklee Performance
Center in 2013.
The opening number, “Where Were You
When I Needed You Last Winter,” is a scalar
piece with a simple and singable melody. Lance
Bryant on tenor, pianist Laszlo Gardony and
Israel all make fairly brief statements. Here, as
on the other Wonder songs, the melody is treated
with great affection and often allowed to speak
for itself.
Israel’s “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” has
a pattern played by bass and drums throughout
and an excellent tenor solo that even at its most
stormy is always soulful. The drummer’s “Hey
All” is a moody but fairly mellow mediumtempo modern ballad that has a good spot for
bassist Henry Lugo. Next, Wonder’s likable and
accessible melody of “Creepin’” is kept in mind
during both the tenor and piano solos. Israel
follows with a three-minute improvisation on
“Glory.” “Passionate Raindrops” has a theme
that is thoroughly caressed by Lane Bryant.
The final two performances of This Moment
contain the most adventurous playing. Bryant
switches to soprano for Wonder’s “Contusions,”
a 12-minute performance that includes a particularly rewarding solo by Gardony. The last selection, Mulgrew Miller’s “The Eleventh Hour,”
has both Gardony and Bryant (back on tenor)
competing for individual honors as they really
dig into the piece.
This spirited and melodic set is easy to
enjoy.
Dave Liebman
THE PUZZLE—Whaling City Sound 075.
Web: whalingcitysound.com. Hat Trick; For
J.A.; Vendetta; Good Bait; Sailing; The Puzzle;
Off Flow; Continues to Ignore; Off and Off; The
Thing That Wouldn’t Leave; Danse de la Fureur
PERSONNEL: Dave Liebman, soprano saxophone; Matt Vashlishan, clarinet, flute, alto
saxophone, EWI; Bobby Avey, acoustic piano,
electric keyboards; Tony Marino, acoustic bass,
electric bass; Alex Ritz, drums, frame drum
By Alex Henderson
Over the years, Dave Liebman has been the
consummate inside/outside improviser. The
Brooklyn-born soprano and tenor saxophonist is
as relevant to post-bop as he is to avant-garde
jazz, and he has repeatedly demonstrated that he
is as comfortable with outside improvisation as
he is with melody, form and structure. When it
comes to saxophonists, Liebman is clearly more
left-of-center than post-bop icons such as Wayne
Shorter and George Coleman but isn’t nearly as
extreme as a free jazz firebrand like Charles
Gayle—and his love affair with both the inside
and the outside continues on his 2015 recording
The Puzzle.
This CD finds Liebman leading a cohesive
quintet that employs the leader on soprano saxophone (Liebman doesn’t play any tenor this
time), Matt Vashlishan on clarinet, flute, alto
flute and the EWI, Bobby Avey on acoustic
piano and electric keyboards, Tony Marino on
acoustic and electric bass and Alex Ritz on
drums. Despite the use of EWI, electric keyboards and electric bass at times, The Puzzle
never ventures into either jazz-rock fusion or
free funk. The music on the whole is advanced
post-bop with a fair amount of outside improvisation as well as an emphasis on melody and
harmony. Most of the selections were written by
members of the quintet, including Avey’s angular “Continues to Ignore,” Vashlishan’s contemplative “Sailing” (not to be confused with the
adult contemporary song that was a major hit for
singer Christopher Cross in 1980) and Marino’s
abstract “The Thing That Wouldn’t Leave.”
Liebman himself contributed four songs:
“Vendetta,” “Off Flow,” the quirky “Off and
Off” and the title track.
One of the CD’s most interesting surprises
comes on “Good Bait,” a standard that pianist
Tadd Dameron unveiled in the 1940s. “Good
Bait” has been recorded by countless improvisers over the years, from John Coltrane (one of
Liebman’s strongest influences) to Dizzy Gillespie to Miles Davis to guitarist Joe Pass—and
most of the time, it has been played as straightahead bop. But Liebman’s quintet takes “Good
Bait” in a different direction, transforming it into
a blend of post-bop and avant-garde jazz. Liebman’s take on “Good Bait” is certainly unorthodox, and yet, the very fact that he chose to include the Dameron standard on this CD says a
lot about his musical outlook. Throughout his
long career, Liebman has maintained a connection to what jazz musicians call “the tradition” (meaning bop, swing, Dixieland, cool jazz
and very straight-ahead post-bop rather than
avant-garde jazz or fusion). Some artists in the
avant-garde realm have divorced themselves
from “the tradition,” opted for nonstop atonality
and favored an “all outside all the time” philosophy. But Liebman, for all his experimentation
along the way, has insisted on keeping one foot
in the inside and the other in the outside. That is
why, after all these years, he continues to include
standards in his repertoire—although, as his
version of “Good Bait” reminds us, Liebman
isn’t the least bit shy about taking major liberties
with them.
Liebman turned 69 on September 4. Thankfully, he continues to perform and record extensively, and The Puzzle demonstrates that he is
still very much on top of his game as both a
soloist and a composer.
Cecile McLorin Salvant
FOR ONE TO LOVE – Mack Avenue 1095 –
www.mackavenuerecords.com Fog; Growlin’
Dan; Stepsisters’ Lament; Look At Me; Wives
And Lovers; Left Over; The Trolley Song; Monday; What’s The Matter Now; Le Mal De Vivre;
Something’s Coming; Underling
PERSONNEL: Cecile McLorin Salvant, vocals;
Aaron Diehl, piano; Paul Sikivie, bass; Lawrence Leathers, drums
By Scott Yanow
It would not be an exaggeration to say that
Cecile McLorin Salvant’s new CD (her second
American release and third overall) is among the
most eagerly awaited recordings of the year. Her
previous album Woman/Child was rightfully
acclaimed and Salvant was voted the top female
vocalist one in a jazz critics’ poll, seeming to
come out of nowhere to defeat such veterans as
Dee Dee Bridgewater, Karrin Allyson and Dianne Reeves.
Cecile McLorin Salvant was born to a father from Haiti and a mother who is part French
and part Guadeloupean. She grew up in Miami,
began classical piano lessons when she was five,
and sang in the Miami Choral Society at the age
of eight. She studied classical voice extensively.
.
In 2007 Salvant moved to Aix-en-Provence,
France to study law in addition to classical voice
at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory. Ironically it
was while she was overseas that she discovered
jazz. The great New Orleans clarinetist JeanFrançois Bonnel, who became her teacher, introduced her to early jazz and improvisation. Soon
she was leading her own eclectic jazz group. In
2009 she made her recording debut, leading her
first album Cecile (a collector’s item) which
teamed her with Bonnel’s Paris Quintet.
Back in the United States, in 2010 Cecile
McLorin Salvant won the Thelonious Monk
Vocal Competition which gave the singer her
first bit of fame in the U.S. She gained a strong
reputation performing in New York including
playing with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and with her own groups. Singing at times in
French and Spanish in addition to English, she
has revived early jazz, blues and pop standards,
written some of her own songs, and come up
with startlingly fresh renditions of more familiar
material. Salvant has a wide range, both in notes
and in the emotions that she expresses, and her
variety of wordless sounds is both humorous and
effective. On Man/Child, the two most memorable songs were her revivals of Bert Williams’
“Nobody” (his hit of 1905) and “What A Little
Moonlight Can Do.” While the latter is usually
performed uptempo, Salvant drastically slowed
down the Billie Holiday-associated song and
made it spooky, showing what a little moonlight
could possibly do.
So, does For One To Love live up to its
very high expectations? Yes and no. Yes in that
it has its share of surprises, and No if one expects this to be a hard-swinging set of creative
jazz. Joined by her regular rhythm section, Cecile McLorin Salvant’s performances of most of
the dozen songs are quite brief. Four of the tunes
37
How To Connect With Jazz Inside The First Step
Dear Artists, Industry Professionals and Business Owners,
In order to help you be more successful, here is how to effectively
reach us at Jazz Inside Magazine — to buy advertising space, marketing & promotional services, get your CD reviewed, and for any and all
editorial and feature considerations.
Please send a letter of interest with complete information and all of
your contact data (phone, e-mail, street or P.O. Box mailing address)
in an email to Eric Nemeyer at [email protected]
For immediate attention put “Business Inquiry” in the SUBJECT
field, followed by one or all of the following: “AD”, “CD”,
“Marketing/Promotion.”
For example: Business Inquiry – Marketing/Promotion.
Thank you for your interest in Jazz Inside Magazine, I am looking forward to helping you with your business needs.
are under three minutes and all but three do not
reach the five minute mark. Only Leonard Bernstein’s “Something’s Coming” gives the rhythm
section much time to stretch out and it is practically the only swinger of the set.
Salvant introduces five originals which deal
with yearning (“Fog”), unrequited love (“Look
At Me”), an offbeat look at jealously (“Left
Over”), dreaming about someone else
(“Monday”) and a surprisingly cheerful look at
disastrous love affairs (“Underling”). Other
songs include a lesser-known show tune by Rodgers and Hammerstein (“Stepsisters’ Lament”),
brief revivals of “Wives and Lovers” and “The
Trolley Song” (which she sings at much greater
length in concert), a French art song (“Le mal de
vivre”), Blanche Calloway’s obscurity about a
no-good man who she loves despite it all
(“Growlin’ Dan”), Clarence Williams’ bluish
“What’s The Matter Now” from the 1920s, and
the aforementioned “Something’s Coming.” The
performances are often dramatic, a bit theatrical,
emphasize slower tempos with a few mediumtempo exceptions, and pass by all-too-quickly.
While I prefer Man/Child or, best yet, Cecile McLorin Salvant’s live performances, For
One To Love has its moments.
In Music, and Continued Success to Your Goals.
Eric
Eric Nemeyer
Don't risk investing in even one more promotional
campaign without this critical information!
This FREE Music Business Tool
Will NOT Help You Get More
Media Coverage Overnight.
But It Will Help You To Hire A
Music Publicist, E-Mail Blaster,
Or Airplay Promoter — And Help
You Keep Them Honest So You Can
Get Exactly What You Pay For!
Musical Artists: Call 215-887-8880 To Get Your FREE
Music Business Promotion & Protection Tool Kit
Get The Information That Service Providers
Hope You Never Ask For Or Find Out About.
Noah Preminger
PIVOT: LIVE AT THE 55 BAR—Selfreleased. Web: noahpreminger.com. Parchman
Farm Blues; Fixin’ to Die Blues
PERSONNEL: Noah Preminger, tenor saxophone; Jason Palmer, trumpet; Kim Cass, acoustic bass; Ian Froman, drums
By Alex Henderson
Bukka White is not a name that one ordinarily associates with avant-garde jazz. Born in
Mississippi in 1909, White (who died in 1977)
was a master of acoustic Mississippi Delta country blues and is typically compared to bluesman
like Son House, Charley Patton and Robert Johnson (who wrote “Love in Vain,” a song that was
famously covered by the Rolling Stones in their
heyday). Stylistically, no one is going to compare White to Cecil Taylor, Anthony Braxton,
Roscoe Mitchell or the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Yet on Pivot: Live at the 55 Bar, avantgarde tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger pays
tribute to White—and the results are both unorthodox and intriguing.
Recorded at New York City’s 55 Bar, this
CD finds Preminger leading a pianoless quartet
that employs Jason Palmer on trumpet, Kim Cass
on acoustic bass and Ian Froman on drums. Together, Preminger and his sidemen tackle two
White songs: “Parchman Farm Blues” and
“Fixin’ to Die Blues,” and they certainly don’t
38
Go To www.EricNemeyerGetsYouCustomers.com
FREE Brand Optimization Consultation — Includes Extensive Market Research & Competition Analysis Report
Go To www.EricNemeyerOnline.com
FREE Comprehensive SEO & Online Visibility Report Shows You How To Increase Traffic Fast
Your Business Not Getting Enough Sales?
(CD Reviews—Continued from page 38)
play them the way White played them. Both
songs are approached as avant-garde jazz instrumentals, drawing on influences that include
Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and post-1964
John Coltrane. White’s original versions, both
recorded in 1940, were short: he emerged during the blues’ pre-World War II era, when 78s
were the format of choice and LPs had yet to
make their debut. But Preminger stretches
“Parchman Farm Blues” out to 31 minutes and
“Fixin’ to Die Blues” out to 32 minutes. Obviously, it isn’t every day that one hears these
songs performed as abstract, dissonant free
jazz, but the performances are a creative success—and Preminger plays with a lot of blues
feeling even though he is taking huge liberties
with White’s songs. Palmer is an asset as well,
bringing a strong sense of the blues to his outside trumpet playing.
Because Preminger omits the lyrics, one
should know what “Parchman Farm Blues”
was about: back in 1940, the song described
the brutal conditions at the notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary, a.k.a. Parchman Farm,
during the Great Depression. White himself
was once incarcerated there, and when he recorded “Parchman Farm Blues” 75 years ago,
he had first-hand knowledge of the subject
matter.
Although “Fixin’ to Die Blues” has not
received a great deal of attention from the jazz
world, it has been revered in folk-rock circles.
Bob Dylan recorded a famous version in 1961,
and Buffy Saint-Marie later recorded it on her
Many a Mile album in 1965. When British
blues-rockers like Cream, Jeff Beck, the Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin and Ten Years After were
being influenced by electric Chicago blues
during the 1960s, folk-rockers were having a
love affair with acoustic Mississippi Delta
country blues—and White was considered
essential listening along with Robert Johnson,
Son House and Charley Patton. There were
other forms of southern acoustic blues that
emerged before World War II, including the
Piedmont blues in Georgia, the Memphis blues
and Louisiana blues. But White represented the
Mississippi Delta school, and he was one of the
first artists that 1960s folk-rockers listened to
when they were in the mood for that style of
blues.
This CD does not pretend to be a traditional blues recording and is not recommended
to blues enthusiasts who don’t have a taste for
avant-garde jazz. But for listeners who are
eclectic enough to appreciate both Mississippi
Delta country blues and free jazz, Pivot: Live
at the 55 Bar is certainly an interesting listen.
Albert Rivera
BACK AT IT—Truth Is Revolution Records
032. Web: albertriverajazz.com. He Said, She
Said; Back at It; Misunderstood; One More
Once, Interlude; Distance of Your Smile; Remember When; Disappearing Footsteps; Forty
40
Jazz Inside-2015-10_039-...
page 2
Two Point 195; You Did What?; The Injustice
of Justice
PERSONNEL: Albert Rivera, alto saxophone,
tenor saxophone; Andrew Hadro, baritone
saxophone; Nick Roseboro, trumpet; Zaccai
Curtis, acoustic piano; Beck Burger, organ,
electric keyboards; Andrew Lipow, electric
guitar; Luques Curtis, acoustic bass; Jonathan
Michel, electric bass; Ian Carroll, drums
By Alex Henderson
From modal post-bop to free jazz to souljazz to fusion, the 1960s and 1970s were exciting times for jazz. The Jazz Wars and all the
factionalism and sectarianism that went with
them were not helpful: instead of savoring
jazz’ diversity, too many tribalists went around
insisting that their method of playing jazz was
“the correct way” and that anyone who didn’t
take a similar path was wrong. But a lot of
great jazz came out of those decades, and many
of today’s younger improvisers look back on
them with fondness—which is what alto saxophonist Albert Rivera does on Back at It. This
CD does not fit neatly into one particular category, but what Rivera does is essentially a
1960s/1970s-minded mixture of soul-jazz,
fusion and post-bop. And in terms of his writing, Rivera (who wrote all of the material on
Back at It) draws on influences that range from
the Crusaders to Miles Davis to Blue Note
artists of that era such as pianist Horace Silver
and Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers.
The musicians who join Rivera on Back at
It include Nick Roseboro on trumpet, Andrew
Hadro on baritone saxophone, Zaccai Curtis on
acoustic piano, Beck Burger on organ and electric keyboards, Andrew Lipow on guitar, Jonathan Michel on electric bass, Luques Curtis on
acoustic bass and Ian Carroll on drums. And
the performances never sound random: Rivera
and his sidemen always sound focused whether
they are leaning more toward fusion, soul-jazz
or post-bop.
The nine-minute opener “He Said, She
Said” is an infectious jazz-funk smoker that
isn’t unlike something the Crusaders would
have recorded in the 1970s. But the eerie
“Disappearing Footsteps” is a totally different
tune, recalling the trailblazing fusion that Davis
recorded during that decade. And even though
“He Said, She Said” and “Disappearing Footsteps” don’t sound anything alike melodically,
the thing they have in common is how focused
and assured the musicians sound. The same
goes for “Misunderstood” and the title track,
both of which have a strong 1960s-era Blue
Note appeal.
The ballad “Distance of Your Smile”
gives Rivera a chance to show listeners his
more introspective side. And “You Did What?”
is a bluesy, laid-back soul-jazz offering that
would not have been out of place on one of the
albums that Eddie Harris or David “Fathead”
Newman recorded in the late 1960s or early
1970s. But on “The Injustice of Justice,”
Rivera offers a melody that recalls modal John
Coltrane in the early 1960s.
Most of the time, Rivera sticks to the alto
saxophone on this CD. But he switches to the
tenor on “Misunderstood.” And his hardswinging personality comes through whether
he is on the alto or the tenor. There is no shortage of grit in Rivera’s playing on either instrument. Actually, the whole band is gritty. Back
at It called for sidemen who aren’t afraid to
swing hard, and Rivera has that in Roseboro,
Hadro and other soloists he features on this
album.
Back at It is not a groundbreaking album,
but it’s an enjoyable album. And Rivera handles himself well as a composer, soloist and
bandleader.
Rotem Sivan
A NEW DANCE—Fresh Sound New Talent
480. rotemsivan.com. A New Dance; Sun and
Stars; Angel Eyes; One for Aba; Yam; I Wish
You Were Here; In Walked Bud; Almond Tree;
Fingerprints; I Fall in Love Too Easily
PERSONNEL: Rotem Sivan, electric guitar;
Haggai Cohen-Milo; bass; Colin Stranahan,
drums; Daniel Wright, vocals; Oded Tzur,
tenor saxophone
By Alex Henderson
The classic guitar trio format—guitar,
bass and drums—has been serving jazz well for
generations. The early jazz guitar trios were
strictly acoustic, uniting acoustic guitar with
acoustic bass and drums. But after Charlie
Christian brought the electric guitar into the
jazz realm in the 1930s, many of his admirers
saw the wisdom of combining electric guitar
with acoustic bass and drums—a combination
that subsequently worked well for everyone
from Barney Kessel to Wes Montgomery to
George Benson to Grant Green to Kenny
Burrell. Then, with fusion, one began to hear
jazz-rock power trios consisting of electric
guitar, electric bass and drums. So if a guitarist
is going for a guitar/bass/drums format, there
are a wide variety of options (from swing to
bop to cool jazz to fusion). And Rotem Sivan’s
guitar trio, for the most part, favors a post-bop
option on A New Dance.
This self-produced CD finds Israeli electric guitarist Sivan forming a cohesive trio with
bassist Haggai Cohen-Milo and drummer Colin
Stranahan. Sivan’s direct or indirect influences
range from Pat Martino and Jim Hall to John
Scofield, Pat Metheny and John Abercrombie.
His playing shows some rock muscle on a
bluesy performance of the Matt Dennis stan-
Monday, October 05, 2015 12:33
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Cyan
n
ilto
m
a
-H
n tar lineup ohf e big band
o
t
y
a
Cl ith an all-s usicians, t se from
w
m
spon
ther
sed
Toge geles-ba siastic re
An
nthu
Los
an e
.
d
e
v
i
fans
rece
s and
r
e
w
revie
one
s
r
e
cPh zz scen
M force on thse. His playinngs
s
e
l
r
r
le
er
patte
pow
, viab
ha
ja
C
e
ion.
trong ght of his
ricat
h int
visat
sas
i
t
i
n
o
e
i
r
h
w
a
p
g
m
he
of im
eelin
He re He is at t
ate f
n
.
o
y
i
a
s
s
tod
s pa
bine
com
d d well definded
r
o
f
f
Sta essive an nd aroun e
ll tionally expor dance in acessors whil
e
r
e
T ord’s excep llows him t f his prede
Staff l talent a radition o
tt
ica
mpe roads.
mus
h tru
c
i
r
n
w in
the
his o
g
n
i
k
ma
onaebly
t
s
k
rea impecc r,
B cookers arete improvise al
a
u
h
Jos up-tempo f a first-ra ds is the fin e.
on
rk o
azin
alla
mag
lines g the ma reaker b
r
g
e
n
y
i
a
rin
rtb
ow
r Pl
His fl fiery, bea k on hea
Guita
r
—
o
d
.
n
w
e
a
al
ess
clean is chord
n fin
h
ord i
e
l
w
i
h
w
ki working
s
w
C
o
Pepl with his NY piano, .
ited
al on n drums
reun Rosenth
o
s
i
Ken
i
k
ilson
ws
Ted
eplo
att W
des
P
M
lu
Ken
and
t inc
bass
p tha
u
n
o
o
r
g
ind
in W
Mart
/
n
a
h
na
Stra/ Rosatqouite
i hip is workinilging yet.
k
s
e
l
ce
ers
s
Zathat the partnn’t even hit itsElse Review
s
ing
ad
show lihood h
meth
o
s
s
S
e
,
l
e
t
n
o
lik
Limi
r Aar
in all
and
Victo
l
.
l
S
e
–
w
www.CapriRecords.com
dard “Angel Eyes,” which is arguably the closest A New Dance gets to fusion. For the most
part, however, Sivan’s guitar playing is more
post-bop than anything—and his improvisations are generally subtle and understated. That
is true on Sivan originals that include
“Fingerprints” and “I Wish You Were Here” as
well as “Sun and Stars,” “Yam,” “One for
Aba” and the title track. Even on the Thelonious Monk standard “In Walked Bud,” Sivan
goes for restraint and understatement.
“In Walked Bud,” which Monk first recorded for Blue Note Records in 1947, has
often become an exercise in hard, passionate,
aggressive swinging. Monk swung hard on his
original Blue Note version as well as on versions he subsequently recorded in the 1950s
and 1960s, and many of the artists who have
performed “In Walked Bud” over the years
(which is a long list) were no less exuberant.
But Sivan clearly isn’t going for exuberance on
his version of “In Walked Bud.” Contemplative
introspection is the name of the game on
Sivan’s interpretation, and it works.
Although most of the selections on this
early 2015 recording are instrumental trio performances, there are two exceptions to that rule
on A New Dance: “Almond Tree” and the Jule
Styne standard “I Fall in Love Too Easily” (which goes back to the mid-1940s). Featuring Daniel Wright on vocals, “Almond
Tree” is the CD’s only non-instrumental—and
on “I Fall in Love Too Easily,” the Sivan/
Cohen-Milo/Stranahan trio is joined by tenor
saxophonist Oded Tzur. Wright and Tzur both
fit right in: Wright’s singing is understated, and
Tzur’s tenor solo is quite lyrical. Employing
Wright and Tzur as guests does not disrupt the
album’s overall mood of subtlety and introspection. Between Sivan’s successful use of the
guitar trio format and his appealing lyricism, A
New Dance paints an attractive picture of the
Israeli guitarist.
Sun Ra Arkestra
BABYLON LIVE—In + Out Records 77122.
inandout-records.com. Astro Black; RA #2;
Saturn; Discipilne 27B; Stardust; Care Free
#2; Dancing Shadows; Satellites Are Spinning;
Astro Black; RA #2; Saturn; Discipilne 27B;
Sometimes I’m Happy; Care Free #2; Stardust;
Unmask the Batman; Boma; Dancing Shadows; Satellites Are Spinning
PERSONNEL: Marshall Allen, alto saxophone, vocals; Tara Middelton, vocals, violin,
Cecil Brooks, trumpet; Vincent Chancey, flugelhorn; Dave Davis, trombone; Knoel Scott,
alto saxophone, vocals; James Stuart, tenor
saxophone, Danny Ray Thompson, baritone
42
Jazz Inside-2015-10_039-...
page 4
saxophone; Farid Barron, acoustic piano; Dave
Hotep, electric guitar; Tyler Mitchell, bass;
Stanley Morgan, congas, percussion; Elson
Nascimento, percussion; Wayne Anthony
Smith, Jr., drums
By Alex Henderson
Ghost orchestras serve a valuable function
in the jazz world: they keep the sprit of a band
alive long after a famous bandleader has passed
away. Duke Ellington, for example, died in
1974, but 41 years later, the Ellington ghost
band still performs the classic Ellington repertoire of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and
1960s. Ghost orchestras have their critics and
detractors, who argue that jazz needs to keep
forging ahead instead of dwelling so much on
the past. But there is room for both traditionalism and innovation in jazz, and it’s important
to study history and learn from it—which is
something that ghost bands help listeners to do.
Ghost bands have come in many different
flavors, from Glenn Miller ghost bands to
Charles Mingus ghost bands. And on the twodisc set Babylon Live (which contains a 77minute audio CD and a DVD), the Sun Ra
ghost band celebrates the accomplishments of
Sun Ra (who died in 1993) and his risk-taking
Arkestra. Alto saxophonist Marshall Allen is
the musical director on Babylon Live, which
documents a May 21, 2014 appearance at the
Babylon Music Club in Istanbul, Turkey—and
Allen is perfect for the job given that he spent
many years performing alongside Ra in the
Arkestra. Other participants on Babylon Live
include Tara Middelton on vocals and violin,
Cecil Brooks on trumpet, Dave Davis on trombone, Knoel Scott on alto saxophone and vocals, James Stuart on tenor saxophone, Danny
Ray Thompson on baritone saxophone, Farid
Barron on acoustic piano, Dave Hotep on guitar, Tyler Mitchell on bass, Stanley Morgan
and Elson Nascimento on percussion and
Wayne Anthony Smith, Jr. on drums. And this
2014 edition of the Arkestra is quite faithful to
the spirit of Ra’s work, embracing “Saturn,”
“RA #2,” “Discipilne 27B,” “Dancing Shadows,” “Unmask the Batman” and other Ra
compositions.
Ra’s influences ranged from Charles Mingus to Duke Ellington to Thelonious Monk,
and all of those influences assert themselves on
Babylon Live. Ra was revered in jazz’ avantgarde, yet his work had an inside/outside perspective and was not an exercise in atonal
chaos. Ra could be angular, quirky and abstract, but he also thrived on melody and structure. In his own eccentric way, Ra was highly
musical—and under Allen’s leadership, the Ra
ghost band acknowledges that musicality on
his compositions as well as performances of
Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” and the standard “Sometimes, I’m Happy.”
Babylon Live is dedicated to the memory
of the late Turkish jazz promoter Mehmet
Ulug, who—along with his brother Ahmet
Ulug—brought Ra and his Arkestra to Turkey
when, in 1990, they hired them to perform at a
jazz festival they organized in Istanbul. The
Ulug brothers went on to found the Babylon
Music Club and their company Pozitif Productions. Sadly, Mehmet Ulug (who this journalist
met through Turkish saxophonist Ilhan Ersahin
in the East Village one night in 1997) died in
2013.
On Babylon Live, most of the performances heard on the audio CD can also be found
on the DVD. However, the DVD is the more
generous of the two and contains three performances that aren’t on the CD: “Sometimes,
I’m Happy,” “Unmask the Batman” and
“Boma.”
Thankfully, Ra recorded frequently when
he was alive and left behind a huge catalogue.
He was undeniably original, and Babylon Live
is an enjoyable celebration of his work.
Chris Washburne
LOW RIDIN’—ChrisWashburne.com. Feelin’
Alright; Low Rider; Get Up, Stand Up; Stairway To Heaven/Heaven; Manic Depression;
Ohio; Walk On The Wild Side; Break On
Through (To The Other Side); Kashmir; Sugar
Mountain; Syotomon.
PERSONNEL:Chris Washburne, trombone,
tuba; John Walsh, trumpet, flugelhorn; Ole
Mathison, saxophones; Yeissonn Villamar,
piano, keyboards; Leo Traversa, bass; Vince
Cherico, drums, percussion; Oreste Abrantes,
Roberto Quintero, Isa Washburne, percussion;
August Washburne, guitar
By Scott Yanow
Jazz musicians have always taken songs
from the pop music world, altered them, and
turned them into viable devices for solos. From
the 1920s through the early ‘60s, that task was
fairly easy for there was a steady stream of
superior songs being written for the pop music
world, Broadway shows and Hollywood films.
But with the dominance of rock starting in the
mid-1960s, the task became much more difficult. There were many attempts during the
second half of the 1960s to get the reflected
glory of rock tunes. Does anyone remember
Joe Pass’ full-length if half-hearted album of
Rolling Stone tunes or Ella trying to swing the
Beatles (including “Can’t Buy Me Love”)? The
Columbia label tried without success to talk
Miles Davis into recording songs from the film
Doctor Doolittle and even attempted to get
Thelonious Monk to record an album of
Beatles tunes.
The reason that most of these ideas did not
work is that the jazz musicians were not familiar with the rock songs or style, having not
grown up with them, so it was like trying to
suddenly speak a foreign language. However,
with the rise of fusion in the late 1960s,
younger jazz artists used aspects of rock (such
as the instrumentation, the sound of the rock
guitar and the volume) in their own original
music with better results.
Monday, October 05, 2015 12:33
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Cyan
Your Video As The Background
Opt-in Form
Collect Leads Access and Contact Them In Real Time
Music Business
LEAD GENERATION
Website System
Just Like This One! CUSTOMIZABLE For You To
Build Your List & Promote Your Recordings,
Performances & More! (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)
1 of 4 Customizable Photo Areas
1 of 8 Customizable Text Areas
Get Yours Now! MusiciansLeadGenerationSystem.com
“If the American
people ever allow private
banks to control the issue of
their currency, first by inflation, then
by deflation, the banks…will deprive the
people of all property until their children
wake-up homeless on the continent
their fathers conquered …. Paper
is poverty. It is the ghost of money
and not money itself.”
- Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President
Many decades have passed since then.
Now when jazz musicians record their versions
of rock tunes, few in the audience cry out “sell
out” because most of the jazz artists (and much
of their audience) grew up hearing the pop,
rock and r&b songs of their youth. Not only are
they comfortable with the songs (unlike Count
Basie’s band in the 1960s playing the hits of
the Beatles), but they are able to transform
them into creative jazz.
Trombonist Chris Washburne has led the
Syotos Band for 23 years. On Low Ridin, their
sixth recording, the Latin jazz group plays a
44
Jazz Inside-2015-10_039-...
page 6
rather diverse repertoire. The songs on this CD
were popularized by Joe Cocker, War, Bob
Marley, Led Zeppelin (their “Stairway To
Heaven” is combined with Duke Ellington’s
“Heaven”), Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Lou
Reed (“Walk On The Wild Side”) and the
Doors. The closing “Syotomon” is by saxophonist Ole Mathison and fits in well with the
other songs. A jazz album of this sort was unthinkable 40 years ago but times do change and
the music has evolved quite a bit since then.
At no time during Low Ridin’ does it
sound as if the musicians are lowering their
standards in hopes of gaining a larger audience.
Some of the arrangements and harmonies actually sound a little like something Charles Mingus might have come up with if he were born
25 years later in Spanish Harlem. While the
rock and pop melodies are generally intact, the
groove is Afro-Cuban jazz and there are many
fine solos from the boisterous Washburne
trombone, trumpeter John Walsh and Ole
Mathison on various saxophones. The rhythm
section keeps the music boiling even during the
quieter moments and the ensembles are full of
spirit and enthusiasm. Listening to the performances on Low Ridin’, one can easily forget
the original sources and simply enjoy the music. Chris Washburne and the Syotos Band
have successfully created a fine set of modern
jazz out of the songs that they heard while
growing up, reinventing their roots.
Here’s What
You Missed!
Scan the QR Code below
with your mobile device
A Lifetime Of
Jazz Listening,
Enjoyment & Discovery
Limited Availability
http://bit.ly/JvSML0
Magenta
Yellow
Black
Cyan
He’s available now! Call Steve’s cell at 630-865-6849.
Good Things Come in 3’s
Introducing Maxwell
3- PLY SNARES
Handmade in the USA
Serving the
Community of
Professional
Drummers and
www.maxwelldrums.com
Midtown Manhattan 723 Seventh Avenue, 3rd / 4th Floor
New York, NY 10019 Ph: 212-730-8138 Hours: 11–7 M–F; 11–6 Sat
Chicagoland Iroquois Center, 1163 E. Ogden Avenue, #709
Naperville, IL 60563 Ph: 630-778-8060 Hours: 11–6 Fri; 10–5 Sat
Drum Lovers
JAZZINSIDE_full-page_3-PLYSNARES.indd 1
Additional hours by appointment.
•
uality maple and poplar are the
Q
core of this new instrument. Willie
Martinez builds each snare by hand
in our New York store.
•
5 degree bearing edges
4
and classic 3-ply shells give these
drums a true vintage sound.
•
uild-out: choose between a
B
“vintage style” build with classic
lugs and double flanged rims, or a
“modern build” with streamlined
lugs and stick saver rims. Finish
choices include satin maple,
various wraps, curly maple and
birdseye maple.
7/27/15 9:26 AM
W W W. B LU E N OT E JA Z Z . CO M
OCTOBER
2015
REBIRTH BRASS BAND
LEE RITENOUR
OCTOBER 2 - 4
OCTOBER 6 - 11
THE JOHN SCOFIELD
& JOE LOVANO QUARTET
DIZZY GILLESPIE™
ALL-STARS
OCTOBER 13 - 18
OCTOBER 20 - 25
DOUBLE FEATURE:
ALFREDO RODRÍGUEZ TRIO
+ HAROLD LÓPEZ NUSSA TRIO
OCTOBER 26 - 28
KENNY G
OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 1
TALIB KWELI WITH LIVE BAND OCTOBER 5 • ROMAIN COLLIN - CD RELEASE SHOW OCTOBER 12
GATO BARBIERI OCTOBER 19
SUNDAY BRUNCH
REBIRTH BRASS BAND OCTOBER 4 • BRAD SHEPIK’S NYU ENSEMBLE OCTOBER 11 • ALEXIS COLE OCTOBER 18
SVETLANA SHMULYIAN & DELANCEY FIVE FT TAP DANCER MICHELA MARINO LERMAN OCTOBER 25
l3l WEST 3RD STREET NEW YORK CITY • 2l2.475.8592 • WWW.BLUENOTEJAZZ.COM
TWO SHOWS NIGHTLY 8PM & l0:30PM • FRIDAY & SATURDAY LATE NIGHTS: l2:30AM
SUNDAY BRUNCH, ll:30AM & l:30PM, $35 INCLUDES BRUNCH MUSIC AND DRINK
bluenotenyc
@bluenotenyc
@bluenotenyc
TELECHARGE.COM
TERMS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY

PDF - Jazz Inside Magazine

Transcription

Similar documents

I Just Did Say Something press release

Rock Bass

Newsletter of the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society

Feb. 2015 - Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society

2016 SPRING CONCERT SERIES - Central PA Friends of Jazz

File

File

Potter County Sales - Potter

- Downbeat

Music Guide and Directory - Saye Taryor/ Official Site

- Downbeat

No.2 January 14, 2015 - The Current Newspapers

May 2014 - The New York City Jazz Record

December CALENDAR OF EVENTS

to see the interview in PDF format, which includes

Ethnic Food Market Tour brochure - Somerville

issue #38 - Disposable Underground

PLMS Spring Vocal Concert - Perry

Reading Passages