winning spins by George Kanzler
Incorporating elements of other, popular musics into jazz is a
venerable strategy, and one that helps to broaden and expand the
audience for the music, especially in this new century when jazz is
further from the mainstream of dominant musical culture than ever. Two
leaders, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and bassist Ben Allison,
who have been widening their musical aesthetic by expanding their
palettes with other pop influences, provide our present Winning Spins.
Harris' quintet, Blackout, uses shades of R&B, pop, hip-hop and funk;
while Allison's quintet appropriates rocking grooves that lean toward
folk-rock. Both bands sometimes employ intricate arrangements and
sonic landscapes that owe something to the programmatic aspects of
film scores.
Harris' Urbanus (Concord) features elements of funk and fusion like
pianist Marc Cary's doubling on Fender Rhodes and synth keyboards and
alto saxophonist Casey Benjamin's use of the vocorder. The opener,
"Gone," adds a woodwind quintet and echoes the Gil Evans/Miles Davis
version on their classic Porgy and Bess album - but here employing a
go-go rhythm from Washington, D.C. The woodwinds are also present on
Stevie Wonder's "They Won't Go (When I Go)," Benjamin singing the
lyrics on vocorder in a shifting arrangement that echoes and expands
on Motown; on Benjamin's "For You," with added violin and another
vocorder vocal (with words hard to distinguish); and on the closing
"Langston's Lullabye," a flowing, primarily ensemble piece with solos
floating in and out of the mix.
There's a cinematic richness to the unfurling lyricism of Buster
Williams' "Christina," wordless vocorder weaving through vibes solos
from Harris. Drummer Terreon Gully's "Tanktified" rides a complicated
line over cross-rhythms into shifting action under solos (alto sax,
vibes, Fender Rhodes) that alternate and combine into an ensemble
roundup. The twinned "Shake It for Me" and "Minor March" merge into a
surprisingly episode rich six-plus minutes of scintillating hard-bop
with charged interactive solos and charging rhythms. And don't miss
the 2:15-minute Harris original, "Blues for Denial," a swinging
acoustic quartet piece that conjures fine memories of the MJQ.
On Think Free (Palmetto), Ben Allison follows in the tradition of
bassist-composer leaders like Charles Mingus and Dave Holland. Like
them, he is attuned to his personnel, tailoring works to fit the band
of the moment. Here, the quintet has a unique configuration: trumpeter
Shane Endsley, violinist Jenny Scheinman, guitarist Steve Cardenas and
drummer Rudy Royston. Some tunes, like the CD opener "Fred" and the
closer "Green Al," have the loping, lilting sound and straightforward
melodic and rhythmic feel of folk- or country-rock. Others are more
expansive or exploratory, although almost all are propelled by
rocking, groove-friendly rhythms, even the 7/4 "Platypus," a sweeping
theme dedicated to Charles Darwin and featuring a rising, dramatic
sequence of solos culminating in a guitar-led climax invoking film
scores.
Among new Allison compositions is the gentle, captivating "Broke,"
melding muted trumpet and violin in the theme, a guitar solo over a
two-tiered pulse (slow bass, fast drumsticks), and a muted trumpet-led
ensemble coda. Hear, too, the soundtrack-ready "Kramer vs. Kramer vs.
Godzilla," with pulsing chords, thumping backbeat vamps, rock-like
violin bowing and a long, incrementally expanding finale. Allison
revisits earlier compositions recorded with different bands - most
notably "Peace Pipe," with the African kora part taken over by the
three string players and Scheinman plucking a solo before bowing under
muted trumpet, all propelled by a bright, steady rock-like beat. Bass
patterns and chattering drums mesh in charming fashion on "Sleeping
Giants," a reworking of "R&B Fantasy" marked by a cohesive ensemble
approach with short, integrated solos peeking out.
Stefon Harris & Blackout headline at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola on October
22-25. Meanwhile, Ben Allison introduces music from Think Free at the
Jazz Standard on October 16-18. (He'll also perform at William
Patterson University at 4:00 PM on October 11.)
SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL BLAIR AND GEORGE KANzler
STEVE TURRE
SMOKE OCTOBER 23 AND 24
A trombonist who embraces many styles and who, thanks to his tenure
with TV's "Saturday Night Live" band, enjoys a higher profile than
most jazzmen, Steve Turre is an innovator who builds on the twin
traditions of jazz and Afro-Latin music. He's as adept at bebop and
post-bop as he is playing a wah-wah solo with a plunger mute. His
bands have ranged from the Shell Choir (featuring brass players
doubling on his own second instrument, conch shells) to pairings with
saxophonists to revivals of the two-trombone frontline pioneered by
J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding. For this gig he'll have a quintet TBA.
GK
JOE COHN
TRIBECA PAC/NOVEMBER 12
He's a solid, no-fuss/no-flash guitarist who's often co-led groups
around town with Harry Allen and has quietly developed into one of the
most compelling soloists and rhythm players on today's scene. Shared
Contemplations, his 2009 Criss Cross CD, on which he interacts with
three talents based in Holland, can only enhance his reputation with
its combination of beautifully voiced standards plus two fine tunes
penned by Joe's late father, the masterful tenorist Al. At this
Highlights in Jazz concert, he'll join bassist Jay Leonhart and
drummer Ed Metz Jr. in backing clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, one of two
senior stars being feted that evening. (Bucky Pizzarelli is the
other.) PB
VINCE GIORDANO
SYMPHONY SPACE/OCTOBER 7
Vocation and avocation are one with Giordano, who's not only a genuine
scholar of the music he favors (vintage 20s and early-30s swing,
primarily) but also one of its most enthusiastic boosters. It's hard
to imagine a musician more joyous in his approach than Vince, who can
deftly switch from aluminum upright bass to tuba and then to bass
saxophone within a single chorus and who chooses to make peppy
between-tune announcements through a megaphone. His principle
instrument, though, is his Nighthawks Orchestra, for which he's
principal arranger and sparkplug. Any chance to catch this ensemble
live in full stride simply must be taken. PB
JACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY
LE POISSON ROUGE/OCTOBER 9
They say that the days when jazz bands could undertake lengthy and
successful cross-country tours are long gone. Yet this oddly named
piano/guitar/bass/drums quartet, with its origins in Tulsa years ago,
is pulling off a minor miracle, since this stop in Greenwich Village
comes midway through a two-month nationwide tour that has them playing
38 concerts and selling out many halls enroute. Their eclectic
approach jumbles musical genres in a most convivial fashion. Their
brand new CD, One Day In Brooklyn (Kinnara Records), will doubtless be
available at the gig. They've even condensed and refashioned two
Beethoven symphonies for public performance. Now this we've got to
hear. PB
SERGIO SALVATORE
WEILL RECITAL HALL/OCTOBER 30
Piano and vibraphone dueting, with no additional rhythm backup. It
worked beautifully when Chick Corea and Gary Burton met on records.
And so it does again whenever Salvatore encounters NYC vibist Christos
Rafalides in the long-running hookup they call Dark Sand. For proof,
type "Suite Together" into YouTube's site to view a performance of a
tune by that title which also appears on their recent Travelers Road
Music CD. The interplay can be intimate and lacy at times, yet there's
a real sense of swing implied in just about every bar. Note that the
pianist will also back singer Rachael Price at Ramapo College on Oct.
20. PB
CYRUS CHESTNUT
MILLER THEATER/OCTOBER 9
Whenever he turns his attention to the gospel tradition, pianist
Chestnut - a child of the church since his youth back home in
Baltimore - excels. He's not locked into that genre, to be sure. On
earlier albums, he reworked material associated with Ellington,
Charlie Brown and yes, even Elvis. Meanwhile, his slinky 2001 Atlantic
CD Soul Food is crammed with tasty funk. But Cyrus' latest (Spirit, on
the Jazz Legacy label) is filled with enough sanctified feeling on
numbers like "Life Every Voice and Sing," "Oh, How I Love Jesus,"
"Wade In The Water" and "Come Sunday" to surely move even the most
heathen among us. PB
EDDIE DANIELS
IRIDIUM/OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1
As a saxophonist, Eddie Daniels was a founding member of the Thad
Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. As a clarinetist, he's performed in
symphony halls and on Broadway, even as he cemented his reputation as
a topflight jazz player. He's also made some memorable duet recordings
on clarinet (an early one with Bucky Pizzarelli is well worth seeking
out), including the recent, exquisite A Duet of One with pianist Roger
Kellaway. For this engagement Daniels will lead a band featuring
keyboardist Bob James. He'll probably also be hefting his tenor as
well as his clarinet, all to good effect. GK
Niño Josele
VILLAGE VANGUARD/OCTOBER 20-25
Using the techniques and emotion traditional to flamenco, this
Spaniard has somehow managed to translate Bill Evans to the acoustic
guitar. Under his hands, Evans compositions like "Turn Out The Stars,"
"Waltz For Debby" and "Peace Piece" take on a new freshness, as do
standards such as "My Foolish Heart" that Bill favored. There's not a
great deal of actual traditional of-the-moment improvising going. But
spells are definitely being cast, which is why Josele's 2006 CD Paz
(Sony International) has won so many hearts. Backing him during this
six-night run will be John Benitez on bass and Horazio "El Negro"
Hernandez as percussionist. PB
JIM SNIDERO
KITANO/OCTOBER 30 AND 31
If a Jim Snidero tee-shirt came onto the market, we'd eagerly snap one
up, having long admired his alto work and compositional efforts on a
series of his own albums, as well as in support of projects under
Conrad Herwig and Brian Lynch. Toshiko Akiyoshi, Eddie Palmieri and
Jack McDuff have also wisely made use of his services in the past. For
Jim's latest CD, Crossfire (Savant), he recruited guitarist Paul
Bollenback, bassist Paul Gill and drummer Billy Drummond - the same
three who'll back him at Kitano. Although he's occasionally arranged
for somewhat larger ensembles, the quartet format brings his post-bop
improvising skills into sharpest focus. PB
WESSELL ANDERSON
ROSE HALL/OCTOBER 22-24
Unlike many musicians in Wynton Marsalis' orbit, Wessell "Warmdaddy"
Anderson is a native New Yorker, with strong roots in Big Apple bebop
and hard bop as well as in Marsalis' bluesy New Orleans, where the
trumpeter encouraged him to study. Anderson enjoyed a long tenure with
Wynton's sextet and septet, and has been a frequent member of the Jazz
at Lincoln Center Orchestra as well. He returns for a
Soul-Jazz-of-the-Sixties show saluting the music of Art Blakey,
Cannonball Adderley and Horace Silver. The all-star bill also includes
drummers Louis Hayes and Kenny Washington, trumpeters Terell Stafford
and Nicholas Payton, and singer Nnenna Freelon. GK
JAZZ IN JERSEY BY SHEILA ANDERSON
JAMES MOODY
NEW JERSEY CITY UNIV/OCTOBER 19
For over six decades, saxophone and flute master James Moody has
serenaded lovers with his signature song "Moody's Mood for Love." He's
never one to tire or even to sound tired. His new recording, Moody 4A,
is a testament to the force of Jazz. Born in Savannah in1925, then
raised in Newark, Moody took up the alto at the age of sixteen. After
hearing Buddy Tate and Don Byas perform, he took mastered tenor
saxophone. Somewhere along the way, he also became one of the very
best flute players around. Moody has a healthy respect for tradition,
yet takes great delight in discovering new musical paths, making him
one of the most enduring and consistently expressive and figures on
the scene today.
MULGREW MILLER
WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY/OCTOBER 4
Born and raised in the Mississippi delta town of Greenwood, Miller has
earned great respect from his peers as vital part of the jazz piano
pantheon. A much sought-after sideman and accompanist who possesses
originality and genuine ease in a variety of styles, he's also a
masterful improvisor whose talents come to the fore whenever he leads
trios like those heard on his MaxJazz Live at Yoshi's and Live At The
Kewnnedy Center CDs. A distinguished educator as well, he’s taken over
the position formerly held by his friend, the late James Williams, as
Director of Jazz Studies at WPU. During this 4:00 PM concert, he'll
duet with alto sax man veteran Gary Bartz. Expect superior chamber
music from two pros!
LUIS BONILLA
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY/OCTOBER 20
This Californian-Costa Rican trombonist, composer and arranger has now
become a force on the international jazz and Latin scenes. Arriving at
the trombone almost by chance Bonilla reminisces, "Making lamps and
ashtrays in junior high school was what I thought 'Beginning Brass'
was all about!" Among his musical influences, avant-garde trumpet icon
Lester Bowie's proved to be one of his strongest after Luis joined
Lester's Brass Fantasy group in 1991. Sideman to such musical greats
as Gerald Wilson, McCoy Tyner, Astrud Gilberto, and Willie Colon, Luis
is currently a member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Lincoln
Center Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. At this South Orange appearance,
he'll be featuring his quintet to mark the release of his fourth CD,
the hard-hitting, diverse and highly personal I Talking Now.
MILES GRIFFITH w/TONY PANCELLA
TRUMPETS/OCTOBER 2
Vocalist Griffith's fearless approach has helped him emerge as a
serious contender on the modern jazz scene. Adept in any context, his
organic style is adventurous, whimsical, fiery, heartfelt and always
on the cutting edge. To see him is almost as compelling as to hear him
because he somehow transforms his body into a percussion instrument.
Always non-traditional, his uncanny harmonic sense brings real
excitement to the bandstand. He's been a member of T.S. Monk's septet,
James Williams' ICU and Jack Walrath's Masters of Suspense group.
Since 1999, Miles and Tony Pancella's trio have performed in concerts
and festivals around the world, mixing originals composed by the two
co-leaders with jazz standards and gospel music.
POINT MAN BILLY DRUMMOND by
Paul Blair
You've probably witnessed it many times already. Arriving at a gig,
the drummer strides onto the bandstand, sits behind his or her kit and
then begins a series of minute but crucial adjustments. Removes
cymbals from a large leather envelope and slides them onto their
holders. Adjusts the relative locations of snare and tom-toms. Gives
the bass drum pedal several trial kicks. Works for a few seconds with
a tuning key. Repositions the stool just so. And then, apparently
satisfied, joins bandmates gathered somewhere near the bar.
Percussionist Billy Drummond has made that important little detour on
thousands of evenings over the years. "Most New York clubs now have
drumsets of their own," he says, "and most of those are fairly decent.
Ideally, I'd always work with my own set. But the wear and tear of
lugging them around town has really gotten to me over the years. So
now I just bring in my cymbals and maybe my snare drum. Whenever I
travel to Europe, I take just sticks and cymbals, which are a crucial
part of any drummer's sound. I used to tote my cymbal bag into the
plane's cabin on my shoulder when I was a younger man. But now I
simply check 'em. I've learned that the airports where they're most
likely to be misplaced along the way are Milan and Charles De Gaulle.
Usually, you're reunited with them sooner or later. But Al Foster lost
his favorite cymbal once for about four months until it was
mysteriously returned to him."
It was Foster who convinced Drummond to move from his tidewater
Virginia home to New York in 1986. After his arrival, Drummond quickly
settled into the local scene and soon began receiving calls from
prominent bandleaders eager to utilize his talents. That list includes
Horace Silver, Joe Henderson, Charles Tolliver, James Moody, J.J.
Johnson, Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Jones,
Lee Konitz, Buster Williams and a host of others. Along the way, he
formed several fruitful musical relationships that persist to this day
- for instance, with pianists Steve Kuhn and Larry Willis, trumpeter
Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Javon Jackson and vocalist Sheila Jordan.
Along the way, he also took part in a 1989 recording by Out Of The
Blue, a supergroup established by Blue Note Records to enhance the
reputations of promising younger musicians.
These days, Drummond teaches percussion at both Juilliard and NYU.
"It's time-consuming, he notes, "but very rewarding. It's really nice
to have relative youngsters absorb a bit of what you're showing them
and then turn it into a musical product. One of my former students,
Marion Felder, is now part of the Basie band. Another, Ulysses Owens,
has backed both Mulgrew Miller and Kurt Elling. It's tough to balance
teaching responsibilities with my touring schedule and my
playing-around-town schedule. Then there's another big commitment,
parenting. I have a son to take care of, too."
Drummond guesses that he's now been heard on at least 200 recordings -
but nearly all issued on other leaders' names. The covers of only a
few have rendered his name in the largest type. Three done for the
Criss Cross label in the mid-90s (Native Colors, Gift and Dubai) still
sound particularly fresh. These days, he's often heading up a trio
called Freedom Of Ideas that includes guitarist Tom Guarna.
Drummond's September concluded with two nights at Birdland with Joe
Lovano's group for a Coltrane tribute. His October begins with two
nights at Cornelia Street Café with saxist Tony Malaby. Next, he
brings a quartet with saxophonist Tim Ries, pianist Xavier Davis and
bassist Francois Moutin into Smalls for two evenings.
"We're four guys who've never before played as a unit. But I admire
each of them as individuals and have worked with each in other
contexts. Everyone's super-strong and pretty much egoless in terms of
being supportive of one another. Lots of times, someone puts together
X, Y and Z with absolutely no preparation, confident that it's going
to work musically. Sometime it does, sometimes not. But I don't think
I'm taking any chances. Naturally, we'll have at least a couple of
sessions together beforehand, playing some familiar material plus a
few originals that the guys bring in."
For nearly two weeks in the middle of this month, Drummond will guest
with the Norrbetten Big Band, currently under the leadership of
trumpeter Tim Hagens, at a series of concerts across Sweden. "Gee,
I've known Tim for about twenty years," recalls Drummond. "Recently, I
ran into him in the transit lounge in some airport somewhere and the
idea of bringing Carla Bley, Steve Swallow and me to play with
Norrbetten came up. So that's what's happening. We'll be playing
Carla's arrangements."
Still later this month, briefly back in New York again, Drummond will
contribute to the interplay of alto saxophonist Jim Snidero's quartet
for a pair of nights at Kitano. Then during November, he'll spend more
time in a dozen European nations nudging and propelling Bley's
arrangements as a member of her Lost Chords ensemble.
Billy Drummond's group appears at Smalls on October 9-10, with sets
each evening beginning at 10:30 PM. He'll also play with Tony Malaby
at Cornelia Street Café on October 2 and with Jim Snidero's quartet at
Kitano on October 30-31.
INTO THE FADDIS-SPHERE by
Ken Dryden
Jon Faddis, raised in Oakland, has been a standout on the world jazz
scene for so long that it may surprise some listeners to learn that he
only recently turned 56. But the veteran trumpeter had loads of early
exposure to music. "My maternal grandfather sang," he says. "My mother
played guitar and piano and was a member of the church choir. One
sister also sang and another played piano. There were always jazz
records in the house, too. I started trumpet lessons at seven. At ten,
Bill Catalano, who'd played with Kenton, became my teacher and really
got me into jazz, specifically Dizzy Gillespie. I practiced a lot, was
part of school ensembles and, by fourteen, was playing in local garage
bands. We'd rehearse on Saturdays, then work in clubs. But there was
rarely any money involved because the guy who was supposed to pay us
never seemed to be around."
Catalano proved to be a catalyst to Faddis' career. "He took me to big
band rehearsals in San Francisco, where they occasionally they let me
sit in the trumpet section and even encouraged me to play a phrase
here and there. Little by little, I became more familiar with how the
music went. In high school, I had a fantastic band director, Bob Soder,
who also wrote for us. By the time I graduated, I was ready to go on
the road. I met Clark Terry and Lew Soloff, both of whom said I ought
to head for to New York. Bill Catalano ran into Lionel Hampton in a
San Francisco coffee shop and recommended me. I joined Hampton's band
at 17, and when I got to New York City, I worked with the Thad
Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Chuck Mangione
and Dizzy."
Faddis has long been generous in his praise of Gillespie. "Working
with Dizzy was a dream come true. Since Bill Catalano said he was the
greatest trumpeter, I decided that was the way I wanted to sound. When
I was fifteen, I got the opportunity to sit in with him. I was so
nervous that the stage seemed to be spinning. Over time, I learned a
lot from observing Dizzy. He also showed me chord progressions on the
piano. He knew how to play a crowd and how to have fun. He'd act like
a little kid until somebody messed up. Dizzy also was always a
stickler for being on time. Once, I was late because a recording
session ran overtime. Even though I was only sitting in, he gave me a
look for arriving mid-set. I told him, 'Hey, Diz, I gotta make a
living!'"
The trumpeter is also grateful for Clark Terry's help. "I met Clark
during a clinic at the University of the Pacific around 1971. Others
were singing my praises to him and he told me to call him when I got
to New York. When I arrived at his Times Square office, he invited me
to accompany him to his "Tonight Show" gig, where I met Doc Severinson
and Snooky Young. Clark was enthusiastic about my ability, even though
he hadn't even heard me play. Mingus had written a piece for Roy
Eldridge for the bassist's all-star return concert [documented on the
album Charles Mingus & Friends in Concert] but Roy got sick. Snooky
would've replaced him but he already had a gig, so Snooky recommended
me, though he hadn't heard my playing, either. Because of Mingus'
reputation, I was really scared. But he was very nice to me. That was
sort of my coming-out party in New York City. Dizzy, Lee Morgan, Jimmy
Owens, Donald Byrd and a lot of other trumpet players showed up that
concert."
While Faddis is active as a touring musician and jazz educator at two
colleges, he also finds time for composing. "I sit at the piano with
manuscript paper, working out melodies and harmonizing them, trying to
figure out rhythms I've found that's the best process for me. One
time, I had a dream with music going through my head. I woke up, went
over to the piano and wrote this stuff down. When I got up the next
morning, I was excited and ran to the piano but saw nothing but
gibberish written on the score paper."
In recent years, Faddis has recorded extensively, leading small groups
and several different big bands. "I have the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, a
big band in residence at Columbia College. We played a concert just
two days ago in celebration of the Benny Goodman centennial with Buddy
DeFranco, who sounded great, as guest soloist. We also premiered a
commissioned suite by Victor Goines called 'Benny: Then, Now &
Forever.'"
In recent years, Faddis has fronted the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni
All-Star Big Band on two outstanding CDs. In addition, he formerly led
the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, which received a great deal of critical
acclaim. But when the ensemble was disbanded, he didn't give up. "I
thought that band was too good to go by the wayside, so it's now the
Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York. We've played Newport, the
Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and Purchase College, where I teach. But
this'll be our first appearance at the Blue Note. It includes Lew
Soloff playing lead trumpet, plus Michael Philip Mossman, Terell
Stafford, Max Darche and me. The trombonists are John Fedchock, Luis
Bonilla, Doug Purviance and Steve Turre, providing Steve can make it.
He has his regular "Saturday Night Live" gig, too. The saxophonists
are Gary Smulyan, Andrew Gold, Xavier Perez and and Ralph Lalama, with
Mark Vinci on lead alto. It's Ted Rosenthal, Todd Coolman and Dana
Hall in the rhythm section. My wife just reminded me that we'll be
doing an audio/video recording on the Thursday and the Sunday for a
possible future DVD."
The Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York appears at the Blue Note
October 15-18, with sets at 8:00 and 10:30 PM nightly.
JAZZWOMEN! BY ELZY KOLB
Setting the standard
"I love jazz standards, it's what I started out with and I still
love them," says singer/composer/educator Fay Victor. "But at a
certain point I wanted to sing my own words and original music to go
with them." Referring to her recently released CD The FreeSong Suite
(Greene Avenue), "The nice thing about this approach is that when we
do the suite, we won't sound the same, we'll improvise and open up.
The tunes are still developing." Fay believes, "It's good to try to
figure out what each of us has to say and try to say it-be you, no
matter how different it is and how other people feel about it." She is
curating a weekly vocal series at Local 269, "showcasing singers with
distinct styles and voices that can take unique avenues without
necessarily being avant-garde." The series is "something I've wanted
to do for a very long time. There's a misjudgment that vocalists can
only do a certain thing. I choose singers who figure out music that
suits who they are: It's about the approach, not about the choice of
music. I don't want to segregate by genre." Fay celebrates the release
of The FreeSong Suite at Roulette on Oct. 1; the Local 269 series
continues on Tuesdays through the end of the year.
A tale of two venues
A while back, singer/composer/pianist Anne Phillips
mentioned to a friend that she wanted to write an opera about people
on an airplane. Her friend handed over one of her personal journals,
describing a meeting that became the basis for "Tempo Fuori del
Tempo," premiering at Weill Hall on Oct. 1. Though it took Anne a
couple of months to write the 10-minute opera, the experience was "not
as different as I thought it might be," she says. "If you think about
it, the Jazz Nativity that we do every year at Christmas was my first
opera, that's all sung." Anne's also doing a Great American Songbook
sing-along, "Sing, Sing, Sing," at the Triad on Oct. 21. "People are
yearning to hear songs with melody and lyrics and to get in there and
sing," she says. "A lot of young Broadway singers come in. One of them
told me: 'I don't know these songs but they sing themselves!' It's
loose and fun."
Personal best
While recording Dream for One Bright World (Ttocs),
singer/composer Cynthia Scott "just did songs I'd written over
the years. Then I realized, wow, they're all personal." Many of the
original tunes are autobiographical, depicting her years of singing
with Ray Charles, conversations she had with her mother after she was
stricken with Alzheimer's, and Cynthia's feelings about the great
vocalists who have gone before her. Other tunes confront social issues
such as homelessness and the urge people feel to do good in this
world. The recording is getting national airplay, and listeners are
telling her "it's a life-saving CD for them." Regardless of the topic,
Cynthia tells the story her way. "Jazz could use some funk and some
soul," she says. "I'm writing what I'm feeling and thinking. I'm not a
fiction person. I don't like fiction books and I don't write fiction
songs." Cynthia celebrates her Dream for One Bright World at the Lenox
Lounge on Oct. 30-31.
Gigs, etc.
You're sure to hear a lot of your favorites at the Playing Our
Parts benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America at Dizzy's on Oct. 6
… Catch clarinetist Anat Cohen at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center
on Oct. 8, playing Hot Jazz, from New Orleans to Israel, part of the
long-running Highlights in Jazz series … Vocalist Somi has a CD
release party for If the Rains Come First (ObliqSound) at Le Poisson
Rouge on Oct. 13 … Violinist Jenny Scheinman appears with Ben Allison
at the Jazz Standard on Oct. 16-18, feting the release of Think Free
(Palmetto) ... Guitarist Amanda Monaco and her band Deathblow
celebrate her birthday and the release of I Think I'll Keep You (LateSet)
at Cornelia Street Café on Oct. 27; don't forget to support Amanda in
her upcoming NY Marathon run to raise funds for MS research:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Run/NYNGeneralEvents?px=5989028&pg=
personal&fr_id=11570 … Vocalist Pamela Luss celebrates the release of
Sweet and Saxy (Savant) at the Jazz Standard on Oct. 28 … Singer
Lenora Zenzalai Helm raises funds for families in crisis with her CD
Chronicles of a Butterfly (TZG), dedicated to the memory of Andrew
Hill.
More live ones
Lil Phillips sings at Minton's every Friday this month … If you
happen to be in Boston, check out singer Patricia Adams at Ryles on
the first Sunday of every month … Baritone saxophonist Lisa Parrott is
at Dizzy's through Oct. 3 … Vocalist Barb Junger plays the
Metropolitan Room through Oct. 3 … Connie Crothers plays piano at
Roulette on Oct. 2 … Vocalist Deborah Latz sings at Pane E Vino in
Brooklyn on Oct. 6 and Oct. 20, and at Kitano on Oct. 14 … Carrie
Jackson sings at St. Peter's Church on Oct. 7, at Skipper's in Newark
on Oct. 8, and at the Hibiscus in Morristown on Oct. 16 …
Percussionist Suzie Ibarra appears at the Stone with Evan Parker on
Oct. 9 … Bassist Mimi Jones plays the Zinc Bar on Oct. 14 … Pyeng
Threadgill sings at the Jazz Standard on Oct. 14 ... Vocalist Carol
Fredette plays Iridium on Oct. 14 … Catch guitarist Sheryl Bailey at
the 55 Bar on Oct. 14 and 18, and at Bar Next Door on Oct. 17 …
Pianist Helen Sung appears at the Jazz Standard on Oct. 15 ... Sayuri
Goto plays piano at Kitano on Oct. 15 … Catch vocalist Judi Silvano at
the 55 Bar on Oct. 17 … Vocalist Melissa Stylianou plays the 55 Bar on
Oct. 21 … Amy Cervini sings at the Cornelia Street Café on Oct. 22 …
Nnenna Freelon sings Soul Jazz of the '60s at the Rose Theater on Oct.
22-24 … Stevie Holland sings the music of Cole Porter at the Triad on
Oct. 28 and 31.
For the record
Check out Entry from bassist Linda Oh … Guitarist Mary Halvorson
and violist Jessica Pavone sing on their new CD, Thin Air (Thirsty
Ear); Jessica has just released Songs of Synastry and Solitude, with
the Toomai String Quartet (Tzadik) … Check out QSF Plays Brubeck (ViolinJazz)
from Quartet San Francisco, which includes Alisa Rose on violin and
Michelle Djokic on cello … Watch What Happens (CTMusic) when singer
Charito meets composer/pianist Michel Legrand … Pianist Geri Allen and
singers Nnenna Freelon and Janis Siegel are among the special guests
Swinging, Singing, Playing (Mack Avenue) with the Count Basie
Orchestra … Vocalist Pamela Rose salutes the Wild Women of Song (Three
Handed) … Patrice Rushen plays piano on Babatunde Lea's Umbo Wete: A
Tribute to Leon Thomas (Motema) … Dominique Eade sings on First Day
with guitarist Massimo Sammi … Alto player Tia Fuller and singer
Latanya Hall appear on Groove's Mood (DBCD) from the Aggregation,
under the direction of Eddie Allen … Vocalist Amanda Carr and the
Kenny Hadley big band share a Common Thread (OMS) … Singer Charmaine
Clamor guests on Coming Home (FreeHam) from percussionist Mon David.
HOT FLASHES BY PAUL BLAIR
HEADLINING THIS MONTH
John Bunch, Frank Vignola and Jay Leonhart together as "Manhattan
Swing" at Smalls (Oct. 6), then more or less regrouping, with Bucky
Pizzarelli replacing Frank, at Saint Peter's (Oct. 21)…vocalist Beat
Kaestli at Zinc Bar (Oct. 5)…Chick Corea at the 92nd St. Y (Oct.
6)…Italian pianist Giovanni Allevi at Zankel Hall (Oct. 9)…pianist
John Escreet's quintet, with David Binney and Ambrose Akinmusire
featured, at the Jazz Gallery (Oct. 10)…Loren Schoenberg leading a big
band tribute to the legacy of Benny Carter at the Jewish Community
Center in South Sherman CT (Oct. 10)…pianist Steve Elmer teaming up
with jazz poet Kirpal Gordon for what sounds like a knockout evening
at Cornelia Street Café (Oct. 11)…Mark Taylor, just about the most
soulful jazz French hornist we've ever heard, at the Community Church
of New York (Oct. 16)…Cuban pianist-composer Omar Sosa's Afreecanos
Quartet at the Highline Ballroom (Oct. 18)…guitarist Julian Lage at
the Jazz Standard (Oct. 20)…Phil Woods fronting a quintet at Birdland
(Oct 20-24)…Roy Hargrove bringing a big band into the Jazz Gallery
(Oct. 26)….and a Pat Martino quartet including tenor Eric Alexander,
organist Tony Monaco and drummer Tain Watts doing Birdland (Oct.
27-31).
HERALDING NEW CDS
John Abercrombie, Mark Feldman, Thomas Morgan and Joey Baron at
Birdland (Sept. 30-Oct. 3) to feature material from John's latest ECM
disc, Wait Till You See Her...pianist Jerome Weidman at Sista's Place
in Bed-Stuy (Oct. 3); Three Worlds, his new project for Inner Circle,
also highlighting the talents of Marty Ehrlich, Ray Anderson and Jay
Hoggard…bassist Linda Oh, heard on an intriguing new trio release
called Numero Uno (Entry), playing at the Jazz Gallery (Oct.
8)…percussionist Dafnis Prieto leading his "Si O Si" quartet at the
Jazz Standard (Oct. 10-11) to herald the debut of a new album recorded
there by the same four guys this past March…bassist Joe Martin heading
up an illustrious foursome with Mark Turner, Brad Mehldau and Marcus
Gilmore at the Standard (Oct. 7-8); they're heard together on a new
Anzic disc called Not By Chance…Brazilian-born drummer Mauricio
Zottarelli, who's just released 7 Lives, with a sterling band at Zinc
Bar (Oct. 8)…flautist Anne Drummond doing material from her Like Water
disc (Obliqsound) at the Beacon Theater (Oct. 13, sharing a bill with
Ian Anderson)…trombonist Steve Davis, who shines on a new JLP disc
appropriately called Eloquence, bringing a quintet into Smalls (Oct.
16)…a Chris Byars group at Joe's Pub (Oct. 20) playing the same Gigi
Gryce tunes heard on Chris' splendid Blue Lights tribute CD for the
Steeplechase label…the aforementioned multi-reedist Ehrlich's quartet
with James Zollar, Erik Friedlander and Pheeroan akLaff performing at
Columbia University's Miller Theater (Oct. 24), likely doing
compositions from Marty's spicy new Things Have Got To Change CD…and
keyboardist David Berkman bringing the same band (Antonio Hart, Ed
Howard and Ted Poor) heard on his new Challenge CD entitled Live At
Smoke into that very club on Oct. 30-31.
COMMEMORATING THE GREAT JAMES P.
James P. Johnson (1894-1955), indisputably the father of Harlem
stride piano, lies in an unmarked grave out in Queens. To honor his
contributions (and raise funds for the purchase of a suitable
monument), a bunch of keyboard worthies will assemble at Smalls on
Oct. 4 beginning at 1:00 PM for a symposium, followed by a series of
solo performances by Dick Hyman, Mike Lipskin, Terry Waldo, Ethan
Iverson, Ted Rosenthal, Ehud Asherie, Conal Fowlkes, Spike Wilner,
Aaron Diehl and perhaps others. Best arrive early for what sounds like
a memorable event. The suggested tax-deductable donation will be a
measly twenty bucks for hours and hours of great music.
RESIDENCIES
Pianist Dred Scott heads up four Tuesdays of music at Rockwood
Music Hall while fronting four highly variegated ensembles - all to
mark the fourth anniversary of his midnight gigs there. The dates are
Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27…Meanwhile, saxophone innovator Evan Parker plays
no fewer than twenty-eight sets over the course of sixteen nights
(Oct. 1-16) at The Stone, often in the company of distinguished
guests. For a precise rundown, consult thestonenyc.com.
A DOWNTOWN PIANOTHON
The second annual installment of the Monk Pianothon (Oct. 9 at the
World Financial Center) offers keyboard performances by Randy Weston,
Junior Mance, Geri Allen, Armen Donelian, Gerald Clayton, Emilio Solla,
Osmany Peredes, Clarice Assad, Elio Villafranca, Christian Sands,
Harold O'Neal, Zim Ngkwana, Emmet Cohen, Aaron Diehl, and Armand
Hirsch - all part of a deliciously slow build toward Monk's centennial
year in 2017.
ALSO
Trumpeter Joe Wilder will be honored during this year's All-Night
Soul event on Oct. 11 at Saint Peter's Church; loads of Joe's admirers
will also play…A fresh edition of FONT - the Festival of New Trumpet
Music - at the Jazz Standard on Oct. 3-4 spotlights Bobby Bradford, a
West Coaster with a solid reputation, in a variety of contexts in the
company of David Murray, Ambrose Akinmusire, Baikida Carroll, Eddie
Henderson and others…An Aum Fidelity Showcase at Abrons Arts Center
(Oct. 15) presents three of that label's most prominent leaders:
bassist William Parker, tenor saxophonist David S. Ware and altoist
Darius Jones…William Paterson University's Sunday concert sked
features Mulgrew Miller and Gary Bartz (Oct. 4), Ben Allison (Oct.
11), Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker (Oct. 18) and Paul Myers, Donny
McCaslin and Helio Alves (Oct. 25). In each case, music begins at 4:00
PM, but also there's a meet-the-artist hour preceding each…Guitarist
Peter Leitch's Sunday evening duo partners at Walker's this month are
all bassists: Harvie S (Oct. 4), Sean Smith (Oct. 11), Ugonna Okegwo
(Oct. 18) and Dwayne Burno (Oct. 25)...You might be familiar with the
jam session held by Vandoren the 2nd Monday of each month at the
Iguana. Here is another opportunity for this reeds specialist to
showcase three up-and-coming saxophonists in an admission-free event
on Oct. 8; among them are Alex Terrier, whose new Roundtrip (Barking
Cat) is full of originals that linger in the mind; Sharel Cassity (her
new one for the Jazz Legacy imprint is called Relentless); and
Frenchman Jacques Schwarz-Bart (now being heard on a Universal As disc
entitled Abyss).
THE NEW YORK JAZZ ACADEMY
They offer music instruction for students as young as four. But
this new Queens-based instructional program takes a somewhat different
approach to proficiency by offering group sessions as well as
individual lessons, all based on a certainty that students of any age
learn best by also being involved in rehearsals, seminars, ensembles
and informal jams with their peers. And their emphasis is firmly on
jazz. It's difficult to summarize the benefits of their philosophy and
their systematic approach in one short paragraph, but if you're
intrigued, visit nyjazzacademy.com or phone them at 718-426-0633 for
more on NYJA programs.
