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Jazz Inside Magazine

ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) ISSN 2150-3427 (online) December 2014 Volume 5, Number 6
Cover Design by Shelly Rhodes Cover photo of Lucian Ban (courtesy of artist) Publisher: Eric Nemeyer Associate Publisher: Nora McCarthy Editor: John R. Barrett, Jr. 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; Gary Heimbauer; Alex Henderson; Rick Helzer; Nora McCarthy; Joe Patitucci; Ken Weiss, Scott Yanow.
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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. 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.
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CONTENTS CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS 15 Calendar of Events, Concerts, Festivals and Club Performances 28 Clubs & Venue Listings FEATURES 4 Lucian Ban - An American Romanian Jazz Musician by Nora McCarthy
30 34 36 38 41 43 46 51
INTERVIEWS Mike Vax Sergio Galvao Kris Bowers Sharel Cassity Nicky Schrire Nate Wooley Jon Irabagon Chris Lightcap
53 Darcy James Argue 54 John Kelly, Five Towns Guitar Program PERFORMANCE REVIEW & PREVIEW 47 Jazz & Gospel, Jazz At Lincoln Center 25 David Krakauer The Big Picture REVIEWS OF RECORDINGS 55 Sheryl Bailey, Lucian Ban, Jane Ira Bloom, Izzy Chait, Matt Criscuolo,
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January 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
Srgio Galvo - sax Amanda Ruzza - bass Leni Stern - guitar Alex Nolan - guitar Mauricio Zottarelli - drums A remarkably gifted saxophonist-composer and in-demand session player, who performed and recorded with many of Brazils biggest stars such as Rosa Passos, Guinga and Simone, Srgio Galvo is a talent worthy of wider recognition beyond his home base in Rio de Janeiro. His debut record, Phantom Fish, released in 2013, is a showcase for Galvos engaging tunes and potent playing on tenor and soprano saxes. His current group features New York musicians who manage to depict the spirit of the city: a fusion of Brazilian grooves and harmonies with American jazz. For More Information, Bio and Tour Dates go to:
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TOUR DATES
Jan 20 @ Shrine - New York, NY Jan 23 @ Bass Bash, J.T. Schmidts - Anaheim, CA Jan 26 @ Duende - Oakland, CA Feb 11 @ Cornelia St. Caf (CD Release Show) - New York, NY Mar 7 @ Blue Notes Late Night Groove Series - New York, NY Mar 19 @ Silvanas - New York, NY
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Feature
Lucian Ban is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader. By Nora McCarthy Jazz Inside: Lucian, it is so wonderful to speak to you and have you share your personal story and musical insights to the readers of Jazz Inside and our latest additionJazz Outside, because you truly cover both those elements of jazz as well as the many components that comprise your particular sound with its overtones of
Visit Lucan Ban on the web at www.lucianban.com
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classical, folk, world and chamber music. You are an extremely gifted artist who truly has his own expressive voice. Since your arrival to New York in 1999 from your native Romania, you and your various groups are steadily rising up the ranks and are being heard and recognized as being at the forefront of contemporary modern jazz. Since this is not an easy business by any stretch, please tell me what has the journey thus far been like for you including some of the most important first impressions you had of the city, what it was like breaking onto the New York City scene, some of the artists that helped you and the lessons you have learned about the business itself?
Lucian Ban: Its a pleasure to talk to you and to talk to the readership of the magazine. I really appreciate your comprehensive introduction of who I am and I think you described it quite well. I moved from Romania to New York City in 1999 to follow my career. I wanted bigger challenges and as everybody knows being from the states or from wherever in the world, if you really like this music, you have to pass through New York in some way. You dont have to stay here necessarily forever but you have to pass through the Big Apple in order to experience the extraordinary richness of the scene. Now, there has been a lot of stuffits been almost fifteen
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January 2014
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Lucian Ban
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years now since Ive been hereIve been fortunate and honored to work with some of the amazing musicians who have been an influence and of tremendous help to me. I will have to mention first the one that introduced me into the scene actually and that I ended up working with and recording with, the great baritone saxophone player from Detroit, Alex Harding. He was one of the first ones that I started working with professionally in the city and then we went on and did my debut recording in the states with him as a duet, followed immediately by a quintet album. But, he was the one who introduced me into the scene and Im deeply indebted to him and also for the lessons that I got from him because Alex comes from a long tradition in this music, so that was a wonderful opportunity for me to get into this music. Even though I came to the New School and sort of transferred from the conservatory in Bucharest to New York New School and did close to two years, still the experience that you get by playing with the real cats that do this music, its unparalleled and cannot be replaced by any school experiencenot to diminish the good stuff that you get in school. After that, I followed up with different bands: quintet and then trios and then sextets. JI: Was it easy for you to do this or were you making the scene like the rest of us do? What did you think when you got here, this is a big mountain to climb to make your way? Where
seeing them first. But then I started working and of course it wasnt easy. And, not even now, after recording and releasing so many albums for independent and major labels, like ECM Records, its still hard work and its still, you know. JI: Did you fall in love when you came to this city? Did you go, Wow, I love it here? LB: I loved the city. I had been here before I moved to New York to study. I had been here two or three times visiting. I love the city but its also a jungle. I just came from a tour in California and it was very illuminating for me. One of the mornings I went out, we were in San Diego, I went out and people were so relaxed, walking their dogs on the beach, and I remembered how intense New York is compared to that. So yes, New York is a very intense and unmerciful city in a way. But at the same time you also have the intense creativity in all directions of this music, this is a big reward. But most of it is the amazing pool of people playing amazing music in New York. Which means you can interact with them and work with them. Ive worked with many musicians that I knew from records that influenced me, so thats a treat that you can only get in New York. I started a band with Bob Stewart because I always loved the examples that Arthur Blythe had with Bob Stewart. So to be able to work with Bob Stewart was incredible and we still have a band togetherits like a connection to the whole tradition. It is a very learning, humbling experience and its not easy but Im glad Im able to do it.
ber I had some really good times there because by that time, I think I released my debut CD for CIMP Records which was very well received the duet with Alex Harding. Then, I had a quintet with Alex, Damian Reid, Chris Dahlgren and Erik Torrente and we had different bands. We worked under the moniker of Lumination Ensemble where me and Alex would run the band, but would invite different people in and thats when we started working with Barry Altschul on drums, Josh Roseman, Jorge Sylvester, Sam Newsomethats how I got to meet all these wonderful people and in 2003. One of the shows at Kavehaz with Barry Altschul got named one of the best shows in the city along with Cecil Taylor and Joe Lovano concerts. That was our first recognition in the city. And then, I started working all around with all kinds of people and doing different projects and just kept at it, as they say. JI: Going back a bit to your earliest beginnings in the music, talk a bit about your family, your musical training and when you were first inspired to play jazz. LB: I grew up in a city in the middle of Transylvania. My parents are not in the music but my father was in the music, he went to the music school and studied bassoon but he gave that up due to the times in Romania late fifties into the sixties, communism was in full swing there, so there was no time for jazz or music in general. So his parents steered him into a different direction but I guess I got my musical genes from him. We always had good music around the house. My father loved Motown all of the great music of the sixties. I would say the only jazz that he had around, because he was not into jazz, he was mostly into the great rock, R&B and soul stuff of the sixties. He didnt have too much jazz. Obviously he had Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, some Mahalia Jackson and this kind of stuff. This was my early connection with this music, but no jazz per se. But later on I got drawn into the piano somehow. I remember skipping school to just go play piano. We didnt have a piano at home, but I would go places where they had pianos, and just sneak into the rehearsal rooms the conservatory in our city and everywhere and played the piano and just improvised. Then I got a professor and I started studying more formally and then I heard a pianist who was my first influence and is still one of my big influences, a pianist from South Africa. His name is Abdullah Ibrahim. He is also known under the name Dollar Brand. He was my first introduction into proper jazz if I can put it this way. Then somebody told me that if I liked this guy I should get in touch with someone in our city who knew about jazz, a pianist who could help me. I met this guy who was of Hungarian decent, Gyorgy Joldt, and it was a blessing because he was sort of a mentor for me. He had over 2,000 LPs which behind the iron curtain, that was like a bonanza and he knew seriously about this music. He steered me slowly from Abdullah Ibrahim into Monk, Bud Powell and then everybody else. He was very
I always compose for the people I work with ... I write for their individual voices. This is the lesson of Duke Ellington ... I dont write for tenor saxophone, I write for Abraham [Burton] or for Tony Malaby which is very different even though they play the same instrument.
was the first club where you said, let me just go into this club and see if I can meet somebody? Did you introduce yourself? Is that how you did it or what? LB: Well my first shock was actually very early on, one of the first days I went to New School. I just got to the school and I was hanging around and I saw some people playing in one of the rehearsal roomsand they were playing their asses off. Little did I know at that point, they were my colleagues in the same class Robert Glasper, the Strickland brothers, and they were already working professionally but they were there to get their degrees and to study. But, this was the first sort of shock, I said, OK, if this is the level then its going to be really an actual thing for me. It turned out that they were the best of our class. I really had just the bad luck of
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JI: Where was your first gig? LB: My first gig was at a place that Id play every other week throughout the year called Gaslight on the corner of 14th St. and 9th Avenue. Now its a hip place, but when I started playing there they still had the real meat business going on in that area, and all the crazy stuff going on around there. That whole area has changed now its all fashion boutiques, you know. I was working with Damian Reid on drums, Erik Torrente on alto, Alexand it was a very good thing because it was regular. I was able to try out stuff on a consistent basis and to expose myself. That was my first gig. Then I remember the next one. I sent a CD with some of the recordings I had to a club in Soho called Kavehaz. I didnt hear back from them for eight months. Then I started playing there. I rememJazz Inside Magazine
January 2014
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Lucian Ban
opening and the first jazz program at the University of Bucharest and I moved there, and I started putting my first bands together. It was a lot of energy and intensity. JI: How old were you? LB: Twenty-four. I was a young buck as they say. I did my first album there for a label in Bucharest, Green Records, which was a strange mix of Art Blakey and Sun Ra. I was working with some African percussion players who were stranded in Bucharest and those were good times but I wanted more. So this is my Romanian background. I also studied classical once I got into the jazz program at the Bucharest Academy of Music, I got the great luck to be able to study classical composition with Anatol Vieru, he was a student of Tchaikovsky and one of Romanias biggest contemporary classical composers. He lectured a lot in the states, he was one of the Post Serialist, contemporary classical composermodal-type of things. He was very involved with mathematics and music. From him I learned the great tradition. I wrote string quartet sonatas and fugues. I learned Bach and all that sort of stuff. He gave me a serious foundation in learning in terms of what we call now European Classical Music. From him, I acquired more and developed more my love for writing music. Initially I never told him I was into jazz. I thought he would be ... well you know, because he was very old when I started studying with him, in his seventies. So he was part of a different generation and I wasnt sure if he
passionate about it and I remember we had two meetings every week and we would just listen to records. Id play piano with him and I had to pay for this. It was symbolic because he would give me the albums and I would copy them onto cassette. You have to understand this guy had very rare stuff. He was in connection with people like Paul Bley. He showed me some albums that he had with Paul Bley and Ornette Colemanthat later on he had to take them off the market because I think Don Cherry sued him or something, but he was signed by these people. I learned tremendously from him and not only the major names but also the secondary ones people like Jimmy Rowles, the pianist. Aside from the big ones, this mentor of mine, would introduce me to the whole range of what this music meant, all the secondary ones, Joe Albany, Dodo Marmarosa. These are very forgotten cats and one of my favorite piano albums is a duet of Jimmy Rowles with Ray Brown, very unknown. They did two LPs. It was on a CD that was reissued sometime later but it is one of my all time favorite piano and bass albums. By the time I moved to the states, I sort of already knew the history of this music, I did my homeworkin a waynot all of it. This is my background in Romania. Then I started playing in Romania and then I started putting my first trio, the quartet and quintet together and after the fall of the communist regime in 1989. There was a big
would be open to me being so in love with jazz, so I never told him for the three years that I studied with him and he always said, Lucian you will be a composer, you need to graduate and you need to focus on composition because you have real talent for this. In the end I had to tell him that what I really wanted to do was jazz and I wanted to move to New York. To my surprise he said, Why didnt you say something? I love jazz, its just that I dont know much about it. So this guy, were talking about a composer that knows serious stuff about European classical music and he was still humble enough to say that he does not know about jazz, but he loves it. JI: This is where the marriage took place with you between the jazz and the classical, right there. You were on both sides of the coin, the opposite ends of the spectrum, I think. The way Im hearing your story, it seems like the music chose you Lucian, the way you found your way to it, but it was shining on you and it was directing you and then it was pouring into you all these various elements, thats why I find this kind of question so interesting, how did you form? LB: I guess you are right, exactly. I didnt form myself as the past generation of jazz musicians formed themselves, working with the past masters then to the bandstand and being part of the community in America. I got some of that later when I moved to New York but my formation as a musician and as a jazz musician was not
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January 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Lucian Ban
part of this. It was one of the reasons I wanted to come to America but it was not part of this. Im also very upfront about this. I did not study and never had, unfortunately, the chance to hear Art Blakey, you know. But Im coming from a slightly different angle. But as Lee Konitz said, and I always loved this saying, Nobody owns form and variations. JI: Thats right. Another thing I look at it like thisMother Jazz, when she started, knew she had to sustain herself and continue. You cant continue and not allow the rest of the universe to pour into you. So what she started to do was to spread herself out over the entire globe so that the next levels of musicians that would follow would be adding more and more in order for her to continue to blossom and grow, because I believe that is her very nature she started off with this very rich seed and continued to expand and develop herself. LB: Im living proof of that. What does jazz have to do with a guy from Transylvania ending up in New York? Its because jazz has become this universal music, and Im not the only one. Everybody that loves jazz from all over the world, they come to New York. JI: It could not have survived in a vacuum nothing canbecause the very nature of it is to explore and to discover and move on, it has to keep goingself perpetuating. You grew up in Cluj, Transylvania, Romania. I find the country you came from so romantic and mysterious sort of like many of your compositions. What is it like there? What was it like growing up there in terms of the jazz music sceneis it a very rural or cosmopolitan city? And compared to when you grew up there, what is it like now with regard to jazz and how has your success influenced others to take up the jazz torch or has it? LB: I was born in Cluj, I grew up in a village about sixty miles from Cluj with my grandparents. It was in the country till I was seven and then I came back to my parents into the city, which is the biggest city in Transylvania. The city of Cluj itself is very close to the village where Bartok was born and did a lot of his collection work. So Constanta was part of the Austrian/Hungarian empire. This is the geographical positioning of the whole thing. Now Im touring like once or twice a year, I get to go to Romania to play. I play three to five concerts and its always a pleasure. Its gotten much better now. It was obviously after the fall of Communism. We had the forces of free market coming. So, yes it was open to jazz but the survival game also moved in so we lost all of the state support that we used to have before that. But now it is getting a little better and Im happy to say that there is growing interest from young people for this music. There are several festivals, not as many as in the western European countries but
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there are about six festivals throughout the year and there is a very small but healthy scene. Theres young musicians that I know and actually Im going to go on a tour to promote the Transylvanian Concert ECM album with Mat Maneri and Im going to also do a workshop and a lecture for the jazz department at the Bucharest Music Academy talking about the world scene and how can you articulate to become what you want to become as a jazz musician, both in terms of technical aspects improvisation and approaches to this music and in terms of how to navigate and find your own voice. Im happy to say that I can share my experience with all the other musicians. JI: Are you the Jazz Ambassador of Romania? How do you see yourself? In what ways have you been honored and supported by your country and how many groups and artists have you introduced to the people back home? Are there many jazz enthusiasts in Romania? LB: I see myself as a New Yorker, an American musician of Romania origin. I live in New York and my life is in New York. Im also an American citizen now but my origin is from Eastern Europe, one can never escape those things. Even though at some point I wanted to, it came back to haunt me. I was fortunate enough to be able to present a lot of my projects in Romania. I do European tours and always, when possible, try to get to Romania. I was there with Elevation. I was there with the duet with Mat Maneri. I was there obviously with Enesco Re-Imagined, which was a commission of the huge Enesco Festival. I was there with Sam Newsome in various incarnations. I was there with Alex Harding and the Tuba Project and so I was fortunate enough to be able to present these amazing and very known musicians to the Romanian audiences. Jazz Inside: Id like to talk about your work and your current projects. Currently you lead three groups and co-lead four am I right? What are they? LB: I have three or four groups that are constantly alive and working. I have the duet with Mat Maneri which we just did the ECM album and its doing very well; it is very unique. Then I have Elevation Quartet with Abraham Burton and John Hebert or Drew Gress on bass and Eric McPherson or Nasheet Waits on drums. Then there is Enesco Re-Imagined which is a larger ensemble dedicated to the musical genius George Enesco which features Tony Malaby, Ralph Alessi, Mat Maneri, Joyce Hammann, Gerald Cleaver, Badal Roy and John Hebert. There is Asymmetry with Jorge Sylvester, and various amazing rhythm sections including Brad Jones, Gene Jackson, and Derrek Phillips. The Tuba Project is with Bob Steward, Bruce Williams, Alex Harding and various drummers over the yearsDerrek Phillips, Willard Dyson and some other people. These are some of the projects that I mostly work now and there is some new stuff coming in.
JI: You have an ever growing discography, lets talk about your body of work, First, your duo project with violist, Mat Maneri and the new CD Transylvanian Concert CD on ECM Records which has garnered amazing press feedback so far on both sides of the Atlantic from the major press like NY Times, LA Times, The Guardian etc. How did your collaboration with Mat come about and whats it like working with him then talk briefly about the compositions on the albumI find this CD absolutely stunning. LB: I knew about Mat since the mid 2000s but I first heard him live at the Vanguard with the Paul Motian Band. So, I knew of him from the scene. He was recommended to me when I was putting together the ensemble with John Hebert that would become Enesco Re-Imagined and initially I wanted to have a cello player and Eric Friedlander was in my mind. I talked to him but he could not do it. Then Nasheet Waits recommended Mat Maneri to me saying that he would be amazing for this project and he was right because Mat was an amazing voice in an ensemble of stunning musicians. Enesco Re-Imagined featured Ralph Alessi on trumpet; Tony Malaby on tenor; a violinist from Germany, Albrecht Maurer; Gerald Cleaver on drums; John Hebert on bass and orchestrations; and, Badal Roy on tabla. These are all amazing musicians with strong personalities, but Mat had something special and made that ensemble sound even better. The way we started working as a duet was very simple. When I did Enesco ReImagined we didnt have too much time for rehearsal. Some of the scores are reorchestrations of classical works by George Enesco and on one of them, a sonata, I said, Piano and viola open intro improv. We never got to rehearse this obviously so when we got to premier this at the Enesco Festival in Bucharest in 2009, it was the first time I played in duet with Mat and it ended up on the album. The chemistry was amazing. We never had the chance to rehearse or play as a duet at all before but from the first note [the introduction was about three minutes], it was amazing because right after the concert Mat and I said, we need to work more as a duet. Then Enesco Re-Imagined came out and got amazing press and we got to tour and thats how out of these tunes I got to work with Mat as a duet because wed stay over in Europe a little longer and do stuff. Then we did other projects. In 2011, I was touring with Mat with a more slightly stranger project with video and electronics working on the films of Andrei Tarkovsky the great Russian film director. A friend from a city in Transylvania called me and wanted to present me in Trgu Mures. We had some days off so Mat and I went there and I had never known about the amazing venue that they had, The Opera, an opera house built at the beginning of the twentieth century in Trgu Mures, a little city in the midst of Transylvania. It has about 1,000 seats, typical Viennese Austrian type opera, amazing hall, amazing acoustics and amazing piano because the Philharmonic is there. We did a concert and we knew it was good because we had a good feeling after it
January 2014
New Album
The thrilling and striking New Yorkbased Japanese songstress TAEKO FUKAOs 3rd and best record to date in electrifying collaboration with jazz geniuses such as legendary DOUG CARN who released excellent series of albums from Black Jazz Label in 1970s and veteran drummer Victor Jones whos best-known for his work with Chaka Khan, Phyllis Hyman, and Dizzy Gillespie, evincing her mastery of musical vocabulary with powerful and creative renditions of American Jazz and Pop classics and Japanese folk song. is available at CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon & more
songbirdtaeko.com
flatninerecords.com Facebook.com/JazzSingerTAEKO TwItter.com/songbirdTAEKO TAEKO FUKAO Booking Contact: info@songbirdtaeko.com
Tracks: 1. Old Devil Moon 2. The Wind Beneath My Wings 3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
4.
If You Could See Me Now 5. Naima 6. Foolin Myself 7. Alice in Wonderland 8. Lullaby of Takeda - I Wanna Go Home 9. I Think About Lovin You 10. Blue In Green 11. What A Wonderful World
Taeko Fukao - vocals | Doug Carn - piano | Lonnie Plaxico - bass | Victor Jones - drums Guests: Giacomo Gates - vocal | Stacy Dillard - sax | Kevin McNeal - guitar Produced by Mark Ruffin and Taeko Fukao
Even Ella would call you if she was still alive. Your Wonderland creations are truly wonderful! Lamon Fenner, WHCR-FM, The Voice of Harlem Taeko is one of the top performers in Jazz in the US and the world. Gino Moratti, Artistic Director, Jazz at Kitano New York Taeko can really swing and although she has her own style, she reminds me of Betty Carter on her uptempo tunes Doug Carn, Pianist/Composer
and a good reaction from the audience. Somebody had came before the show and asked if they could record it for the radio to be played there and I agreed but said I wanted a copy. When the guy sent us the copy, both Mat and I went Whoa, this is very nice interesting stuff; we should do something with it. Mat sent it out to some people that we had worked with in the past. ECM was immediately interested and also the first to get back to us which was a treat because ECM is such an amazing label for more than five decades. I also think that the music fits their aesthetic. I thought that Manfred Eicher would just book a studio when he came to New York and wed do an album for them. But he actually got back to me and said that he wanted this recording, the original source, he said, We love this and wed like to put it out. It was Manfred who actually gave the title to the album, Transylvanian Concert. I had originally called it, Deco Heart, because we have a tune with that title, and subtitled it Transylvanian Concert. The pieces that we worked on were very unique. I wrote them for Mat and Mat wrote something and theres a solo rendition by Mat of, Nobody Knows the Trouble Ive Seen. The pieces we wrote for the duet its hard for me to describe them, because they are like a melting pot. There are so many things going on. Of course, Mat is an amazing violionist and violist in modern jazz. Hes one of the great improvisers, who has always been connected with avant-garde even though he doesnt think of himself as an avant-garde player. He is
the son of Joe Maneri who was very seriously involved with micro-tonal music. There is a broad range of stuff that is going on in that album, but the pieces themselves, in a way are rather simple with quirks. What makes this work is the musical and human chemistry that we have. Its basically that we complement each other musically extremely well. We had a great venue, a great audience and a great pianoand you know, great things happened. This is the genesis of the album. Im really happy about it and that it got great press and reviews from the audience. Im happy to work with ECM Records because it is such an amazing label and also to be on the same label with all of the great musicians from Art Ensemble of Chicago to Lester Bowie to Keith Jarrett, Paul Bley, you name it. Its an honor. JI: Every creative artist covets the honor of being on ECM thats for sure. Let me ask you this now, your group Elevation Quartet consists of Abraham Burton, tenor saxophone, John Hbert, bass and Eric McPherson, drums. Ive heard this group and it fantastic. Abraham Burton is a knockout powerhouse of a player, incredibly fluent on his instrument, Eric McPherson is one of my favorite New York drummers, who has a lot of chops and high energy as well as the ability to be sensitive, and John Hbert and yourself are what I regard as the enigmatic glue of the group that holds it together and gives it its nuance. The new album Mystery was just released. It is a live performance captured January 29, 2010 at the Cornelia Street Caf in New York City. You composed all the music but share compositional credits with Burton and McPherson on one piece. Talk about this group, where are you playing next, how the group came about. LB: My first collaboration with Abraham Burton came via the great drummer Bruce Cox. I think we did some stuff back in the day at Kavehaz with Bruce. I loved Abrahams sound and concept from the very first moment. Abraham comes from strong tradition. He studied under Jackie McLean and his sound is amazing but what I like most about him is not that he knows the great hard bop and bop traditions so well its the melodic sense. This may surprise some people who know Abraham and look at him maybe in a different way, I think Abraham has an impeccable sense of melody and its all very sincere. When we started working together, he loved playing on the stuff that I was bringing to the bandstand, like new material, which by the way, I always compose for the people I work with. From the very first album with Alex, through all of the stuff that I did I write for their individual voices. This is the lesson of Duke Ellington. I dont write for baritone saxophone, I write for Alex Harding. I dont write for tenor saxophone, I write for Abraham or for Tony Malaby which is very different even though they play the same instrument. We had a very good vibe when we were playing together and Abraham played my music with so much intensity and sincerity that obviously we had to pur(Continued on page 48)
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January 2014
JAZZ TUESDAYS
at the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium in the NYC Bahai 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

JANUARY Jorge Sylvester and the ACE Collective: Jan 7 Guitarist Nick Moran Group: Jan 14 Dave Chamberlain and Band of Bones: Jan 21 Eyal Vilner Big Band: Jan 28 FEBRUARY Mike Longo Trio Jazz Piano Celebration: Feb 4 French Hornist John Clark Group: Feb 11 Jay Damico Trio: Feb 18
The NYC Bahai Center 53 E. 11th Street (btw. University Place & Broadway) Shows: 8:00 and 9:30 PM General Admission: $15 Students: $10
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Wednesday, January 1
Michika Fukumori 3 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Joey Morant: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong at Lucilles, B.B. King Blues Club, 1:30 PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Nick Biello 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Tadataka Unno 3 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St. New Years Jam Session at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Henry Butler w/Steven Bernsteins Hot 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Chris Botti at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Valery Ponamarev Big Band at Zinc Bar, 8PM. Concert at 8PM; Jam Session to follow. 82 W. 3rd St. Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th The Bad Plus at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Dena DeRose & Gerry Smulyan at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th
Thursday, January 2
Chase Baird 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Kate Cosco 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway. Nicki Parrott, Shanghai Jazz, 7PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
Kenny Werner 5 w/Randy Brecker at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Henry Butler w/Steven Bernsteins Hot 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Chris Botti at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Living Colour at Brooklyn Bowl, 8PM. 61 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn. Buster Williams at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Carl Bartlett Jr. 4 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Stevie Holland at St. Peters, 8PM. 619 Lexington Thurston Moore, Nate Wooley, Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Dominic Duval at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Samuel Blazer, Ravi Coltrane, Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Jacam Manricks, Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Dan Weiss/Miles Okazaki at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. The Bad Plus at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Marques/Stinson/OFarrill 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St. Wilson Chembo Corneil, Nuyorican Poets, 236 E. 3rd St. Yongmun Lee 5 at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Gregorio Uribe Big Band at Zinc Bar, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
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Dena DeRose Group feat. Jeremy Pelt at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Saul Rubins ZEBTET at Fat Cat, 10PM. 75 Christopher St. Thurston Moore 5 w/Nate Wooley & Ryan Sawyer, The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C John Marshall 4 w/Tardo Hammer at Little Branch, 10:30 PM. 20 7th Ave. S. Carlos Abadie 5 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. After Hours Session at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher St.
Friday, January 3
Kevin Hildebrandt at Maggies Tiki Bar, 5:30 PM. 145 Country Club Dr., Lakewood NJ. Jimmy Alexander 4 at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St. Al Marino 5 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Yoshiki Miura at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Hot Jazz Gang at Lucilles, B.B. King Blues Club, 7:00 & 9PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Miles Okazaki 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Kenny Werner 5 w/Randy Brecker at Dizzys Club, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Henry Butler w/Steven Bernsteins Hot 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Paulette McWilliams at Joes Pub, 7:30 PM. 425 Lafayette St. Richie Vitale 5 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Bombay Rickey at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Chris Botti at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Masami Ishikawa 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Chloe Perrier at FADA, 8PM. 530 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn. Johnny Winter at Infinity Music Hall, 8PM. 20 Greenwoods Rd. W., Norfolk CT. Buster Williams Something More at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Icons of Funk feat. Bernie Worrell & Fred Wesley at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Harry Allen 4 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Stevie Holland in Love, Linda at Saint Peters Church, 8PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Michael Veal & Aqua Life at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Bronx Horns at SOBs, 8:00 and 10PM. 204 Varick St. Thurston Moore/Steve Shelley at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Shai Maestro 3 at Shapeshifter Lab, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th The Bad Plus at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Dan Weiss/Samarth Nagarkar at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St. Broadway Brassy at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th St. Rosie 151 & The Red Hook Ramblers at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th St. Devin Bing & The Secret Service at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Fabian Almazan Group at Shapeshifter Lab, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Ron Sunshine & His Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Ray Gallon 2 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Thurston Moore/Okkyung Lee/Steve Shelley at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Jared Gold/Dave Gibson Band at Fat Cat, 10:30 PM. 75 Christopher St. Peter Valera & The Jump Blues Band at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. John Marshall 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Festejation at Terraza 7, 10:30 PM. 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Pat Van Dyke at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Anthony Wonsey 3 at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. After Hours Session at Fat Cat, 1:30 AM. 75 Christopher St.
Saturday, January 4
Larry Newcomb 4 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Dende & Band at Rubin Pavilion, Brooklyn Museum, 5:00 PM. 200 Eastern Pkwy., Brooklyn. Billy Harper at Bethany Baptist Church, 6PM. 275 W. Market St., Newark NJ. Virginia Mayhew 4 at Garage, 6:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Malletech: Worlds Greatest Vibes at Dauphin Grille, Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel, 7PM. 1401 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park NJ. Kyoko Oyobe 5 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St. Dylan Doyle, Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Seong Min at Shrine, 7PM. 2271 7th Ave. Bobby Katz/Brian Aronov at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Jorge Sylvester 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Kenny Werner 5 w/Randy Brecker at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Henry Butler w/Steven Bernsteins Hot 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Dan Block Group at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Misha Piatagorsky 3 at Zinc Bar, 7:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Punkinhead at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Chris Botti at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Kayo Hiraki 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Myles Mancuso Band at Club Groove, 8PM. 125 MacDougal St. Buster Williams at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Clay Jenkins/Gene Bertoncini, Kitano, 66 Park Ave. Stevie Holland in Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter at Saint Peters Church, 8PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Zack Glass at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Thurston Moore at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Sean Chambers Band at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th B. D. Lenz 3 at Small World Coffee, 8:30 PM. 14 Witherspoon St., Princeton NJ. 16 January 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
The Bad Plus at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Dan Weiss, Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St. Rome Neals Banana Puddin Jazz at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9PM. 236 E. 3rd St. Kristina Koller Band at Shrine, 9PM. 2271 7th Ave. Olivia Foschi 4 at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Swingadelic at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Ray Gallon 2 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Raphael DLugoff 5 at Fat Cat, 10PM. 75 Christopher St. Thurston Moore at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C John Marshall 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Cole Williams & Friends at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Philip Harper at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. After Hours Session at Fat Cat, 1:30 PM. 75 Christopher St.
Tuesday, January 7
Janice Wiggins at Hibiscus, 6PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ. Olli Hirvonen 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Bob Smith 3 at Amici Milano, 7PM. 600 Chestnut, Trenton NJ. Irene Walsh at Caffe Vivaldi, 7PM. 32 Jones St. Saul Rubins ZEBTET at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St. Adam Rongo 3 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Wessel Anderson 6 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Nate Smith + Kinfolk at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd Janis Siegel at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Johnny Winter at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Bobby Prevites TERMINALS feat. John Medeski & Nels Cline + Helado Negro at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 8PM. 158 Bleecker St. Yurie & Charlie at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Stone, 8:00 and 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C
Jeff Richardi 4 at Tomi Jazz, 8PM. 239 E. 53rd St. Vincent Troyani, Tumultys, 361 George St., New Brunswick NJ. Jack Jeffers & NY Classics at Zinc Bar, 8PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Craig Yaremko, Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Lauren Kinhan at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Ahern/Coleman Band w/Jon Irabagon at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Christian McBride, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Blue Opal Jazz at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th St. Russ Lossing, Adam Kolker, Korzo, 667 5th Ave., Brooklyn. Sifter feat. Kirk Knuffke & Mary Halvorson at Korzo, 10:30 PM. 667 5th Ave., Brooklyn. Greg Glassman at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher St.
Sunday, January 5
Joonsam Lee 3 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S. Afro Latin Jazz Cats at Fat Cat, 12:00 PM. 75 Christopher St. Bossa Nova Brunch: Nanny Assis at SOBs, 12:00, 12:30, 2:00, & 2:30 PM. 204 Varick St. Stevie Holland in Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter at Saint Peters Church, 2:30 and 7PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Jazz Conversations with Frank Deligio: Lady and the Prez Part One at Greenburgh Public Library, 3:00 PM. 300 Tarrytown Rd., Elmsford NY. Connor Koch, Deer Head, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Ike Sturm & Evergreen at Saint Peters Church, 5:00 PM. 619 Lexington Ave. John Engle/Gary Poulson at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM. 13 Monroe St. Terry Waldo at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St. David Coss 4 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Arthur Kell 4 at Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn. Mika Samba 3 at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Interplay Jazz Orchestra at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Kenny Werner 5 w/Randy Brecker at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Henry Butler w/Steven Bernsteins Hot 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Lezlie Harrison at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Chris Botti at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Buster Williams at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Toney at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Thurston Moore/Tom Surgal at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Michal Attias 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Fat Cat Big Band at Fat Cat, 8:30 PM. 75 Christopher St. Vanessa Trouble at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. The Bad Plus at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 9:00 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Shrine Big Band at Shrine, 9PM. 2271 7th Ave. Benji Kaplan, Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Thurston Moore at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Bruce Harris 5 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. After Hours Session at Fat Cat, 1:00 AM. 75 Christopher St.
Daryl Sherman at Saint Peters Church, 1:00 PM. 619 Lexington Jazz Clinic at Flushing Town Hall, 5:00 PM. Open to high school students and older. 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens.
Monday, January 6
Aleksi Glick 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Osso String Quartet at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St. Tribute to Oscar Peterson at Birdland, 7PM. 315 W. 44th Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Meeting: International Women in Jazz at Saint Peters Church, 7PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Yoham Ortiz at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Tony Hewitt at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Wessel Anderson 6 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Joechen Rueckert at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Deborah Davis, Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Pedrito Martinez, Bklyn Bowl, 8PM. 61 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn. Chris Norton at Le Cirque Cafe, 8PM. 151 E. 58th St. Joel Beaver at Radegast Hall, 8PM. 113 N. 3rd St., Brooklyn. Seung-Hee 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. David Amram, Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Ned Goold 5 at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher St. Tony Scherr 3 w/Anton Fier at Stage One, Rockwood Music Hall, 9PM. 196 Allen St. Carol Sudhalter 4 at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Jay Rodriguez/Victor Jones, Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Jim Campilongo 3 at Stage One, Rockwood Music Hall, 10PM. 196 Allen St. Ben Eunson Group at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Billy Kaye at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher St. January 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com

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Kevin Wang 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Travis Moser, 54 Below, 7PM. Lower level, 254 W. 54th St. Irene Walsh at Caffe Vivaldi, 7PM. 32 Jones St. Raphael DLugoff at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St. Jam Session at Flushing Town Hall, 5:00 PM. 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens. Yvonnick Prene at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Jessica Jones 5 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Kurt Rosenwinkel 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Mary Halvorson/Michal Attias at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd Janis Siegel at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Leo Genovese 3 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Julian Lage w/Nels Cline at Stage Three, Rockwood Music Hall, 8PM. 196 Allen St. Kris Davis at Roulette, 8PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn. Mino Cinelu at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Rudresh Mahanthappas Bird Project at The Stone, 8:00 and 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Sumie Michel 3 at Tomi Jazz, 8PM. 239 E. 53rd St. Blue Note Records 75th Anniversary Concert at Town Hall, 8PM. Artists include Robert Glasper, Jason Moran, Ravi Coltrane, Eric Harland, and others. 123 W. 43rd St. Beegie Adair, Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Jesse Elder at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Terry Silverlight, Maxfields, 8:30 PM. 713 Main St., Boonton NJ. Christian McBride Big Band at Village Vanguard, 8:30 & 10:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Harold Mabern 3 at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher St. Chloe Perrier at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th St. Liam Sillery at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Billy Drummond 4 at Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Duane Eubanks Group at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Francisco Mora-Catlett, Zinc Bar, 10:30 PM, 82 W. 3rd St. Wayne Tucker, Cyrille Aimee, Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. Ned Goold at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher St.
Friday, January 10
Ben Solomon 4 at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St. John Chin 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Melissa Aldana, (Le) Poisson Rouge, 6PM. 158 Bleecker St. Joo Martins 4 at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Sharel Cassity 5 at Club Groove, 6:30 PM. 125 MacDougal St. Antoine Roney 3 feat. Kojo at Zinc Bar, 6:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Ben Wendel 4 at NYU Lounge, 6:45 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Bill Goodwin, Deer Head, 7PM. 5 Main, Delaware Water Gap PA. Blind Boys of Alabama w/Allen Toussaint, Ruthie Foster & Paul Thorn at B.B. King Blues Club, 7PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Masa Orpana, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Keren Ann at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 7:15 PM. 158 Bleecker St. Paul Bollenback 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30. 129 MacDougal St. Matt Ulerys Loom at The Bitter End, 7:30 PM. 147 Bleecker St. The Cookers feat. George Cables, Eddie Henderson & Billy Hart at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Kurt Rosenwinkel 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Nat Baldwin/Otto Hauser at Judson Church, 7:30 PM. 55 Washington Sq. S. Ray Gallon 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Evan Truesdales Gil Evans Project at SubCulture, 7:30 and 10PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St. Gary Bartz 4 at Club Groove, 7:45 PM. 125 MacDougal St. Zee Avi at Zinc Bar, 7:45 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8PM, 10:30 PM, & 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Aki Yamamoto 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. David Hazeltine 3 w/Louis Hayes at Flushing Town Hall, 8PM. 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens. Dirty Dozen Brass Band + Red Baraat at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Mike DiRubbo 5 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Ches Smith 3 at NYU Lounge, 8PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Aurora + Zon del Barrio at SOBs, 8:00 and 10PM. 204 Varick St. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Stone, 8:00 and 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Sami Sippola, Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Kurt Elling at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Dawn of Midi at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 8:30 PM. 158 Bleecker St. Christian McBride Big Band at Village Vanguard, 8:30 & 10:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Leela Gilday at Drom, 8:40 PM. 85 Avenue A. Jon Irabagon 3 at The Bitter End, 8:45 PM. 147 Bleecker St. Takuya Kurada at Club Groove, 9PM. 125 MacDougal St. John Hollenbeck, Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St. Gilad Hekselman at Jazz Gallery, 9:00PM. 1160 Broadway. Emily Wolf Project at Pianos, 9PM. 158 Ludlow St. Rene Marie at Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Nate Wooley at NYU Lounge, 9:15 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Smith & 9th Ward at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th Mikko Innanen/Andrew Cyrille at Shapeshifter Lab, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. JoAnne Brackeen/Cecil McBee at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Lionel Loueke/Jeff Tain Watts at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 9:45 PM. 158 Bleecker St. Jazz Passengers at The Bitter End, 10PM. 147 Bleecker St. Mary Halvorson 7 at Judson Church, 10PM. 55 Washington Sq. Otis Brown III at Club Groove, 10:15 PM. 125 MacDougal St. Gregoire Maret w/Terri Lyne Carrington at Zinc Bar, 10:15 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Ed Cherry 4 at Fat Cat, 10:30 PM. 75 Christopher St. Hot House at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Chris Lightcap, NYU Lounge, 10:30 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Montez Coleman Group at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Roy Hargrove 5 at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 11PM. 158 Bleecker St. Burnt Sugar Arkestra w/Melvin Van Peebles & Vernon Reid at The Bitter End, 11:15 PM. 147 Bleecker St. Peter Brtzmann, Hamid Drake, Jason Adasiewicz at Judson Church, 11:15 PM. 55 Washington Sq. S. Kris Bowers Group at Club Groove, 11:30 PM. 125 MacDougal Fredericks Brown w/Deva Mahal at Joes Pub, 11:30 PM. 425 Lafayette St. 3rd Eye 4tet at Zinc Bar, 11:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Ben Goldberg at NYU Lounge, 11:45 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Ben Holmes 4 at The Bitter End, 12:30 AM. 147 Bleecker St. Improvised Round Robin Duets; artists TBA at Judson Church, 12:30 AM. 55 Washington Sq. S. Casey Benjamin at Club Groove, 12:45 AM. 125 MacDougal St. Roman Diaz & Midnight Rumba at Zinc Bar, 12:45 AM. 82 W. 3rd Aruan Ortiz 4 at NYU Lounge, 1:00 AM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Josh Evans at Fat Cat, 1:30 AM. 75 Christopher St. To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Visit www.JazzNewswire.com Thursday, January 9

18 Yaala Ballin Group at Smalls, 6PM. 183 W. 10th St. Andrew Van Tassel, Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal Masami Ishikawa, Cleopatras Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway. David Schnitter 4 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St. Marc Devine 3 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Joel Zelnik 3: Tribute to Bill Evans at Manville Public Library, 7PM. 100 S. 10th Ave., Manville NJ. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Tivon Pennicott, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn. Persons of Interest at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd The Cookers feat. George Cables, Eddie Henderson & Billy Hart at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Rebirth Brass Band at Blue Note, 8:00, 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Frank Kimbrough, Greenwich House, 8PM. 46 Barrow St. Ben Paterson 3 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Billy Test 4 at Makeda, 8PM. 338 George St., New Brunswick NJ. Revive Big Band feat. Dr. Lonnie Smith + Wallace Roney Orchestra at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 8PM. 158 Bleecker St. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Stone, 8:00 and 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Bill OConnells Latin Jazz, at Zinc Bar, 8PM. 82 W. 3rd St. John Raymond, Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn. Matt Panayides 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Sara Gazarek at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th John Hollenbeck at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. T. K. Blue at Ginnys Supper Club, 8:30 PM. 310 Lenox Ave. Christian McBride Big Band at Village Vanguard, 8:30 & 10:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Amina Figarova, Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Kenia feat. Marty Ashby at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd St. Sun Ra: A Play by Sylvan Oswald with live music by Burnt Sugar Arkestra at Joes Pub, 9:30 PM. 425 Lafayette St. Ryan Keberle, Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Marianne Solivan 4 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Mino Cilenu at Zinc Bar, 9:45 and 11PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Greg Glassman 5 at Fat Cat, 10PM. 75 Christopher St. Nick Hempton Band at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. Mike King at Fat Cat, 12:30 AM. 75 Christopher St.
January 2014
All Shows on Tuesdays at 8PM January 7: Jorge Sylvester and ACE Collectibe January 14: Guitarist Nick Moran group January 21: Dave Chamberlain and Band of Bones January 28: Eyal Vilner Big Band
Lawrence Leathers at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St. Thiefs at The Bitter End, 1:45 AM. 147 Bleecker St. Big Yuki at Club Groove, 2:00 AM. 125 MacDougal St.
Saturday, January 11
Daniela Schaechter 3 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Bad Buka at Radegast Hall, 3:00 PM. 113 N. 3rd St., Brooklyn. Bob Smith, Candlelight Lounge, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic St., Trenton NJ. Bob Bennett 5 at Somethin Jazz, 5:00 PM. 3rd floor, 212 E. 52nd Alex Hoffman 4 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Gretchen Parlato at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 6PM. 158 Bleecker St. Darcy James Argues Secret Society at SubCulture, 6PM. Lower level 45 Bleecker St. Michele Rosewoman, Bitter End, 6:15 PM. 147 Bleecker St. Cyrille Aimee at Birdland, 6:30 PM. 315 W. 44th James Brandon Lewis, Club Groove, 125 MacDougal St. Ted Poor 4 at Zinc Bar, 6:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Miles Okazaki 4 at NYU Lounge, 6:45 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Lauren Sevian 4 at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Leni Stern at Shrine, 7PM. 2271 7th Ave. Rudy Royston, (Le) Poisson Rouge, 7:15 PM. 158 Bleecker St. Ralph Alessi, SubCulture, 7:15 PM. Lower level 45 Bleecker St. Jerome Sabbagh, Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Howard Johnson, The Bitter End, 7:30 PM. 147 Bleecker St. The Cookers feat. George Cables, Eddie Henderson & Billy Hart at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Kurt Rosenwinkel 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Chris Byars 6 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Theo Croker at Club Groove, 7:40 PM. 125 MacDougal St.. Morgan James at Zinc Bar, 7:45 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. John Pizzarelli 4 w/Jane Monheit at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Satchmo Mannan, Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Matt Lavelle, Firehouse Space, 246 Frost St., Brooklyn. Henry Threadgills Ensemble Double-Up: In Remembrance of Lawrence Butch Morris at Judson Church, 8:00 and 10PM. 55 Washington Sq. S. Ted Nash, Frank Kimbrough at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave. Endangered Blood at NYU Lounge, 8PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Emanuele Tozzi at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Stone, 8:00 and 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Caroline Davis 3 at Tomi Jazz, 8PM. 239 E. 53rd St. Mike Harry at Caffe Vivaldi, 8:15 PM. 32 Jones St. Kurt Elling at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Mother Falcon, (Le) Poisson Rouge, 8:30 PM. 158 Bleecker St. Mark Helias, SubCulture, 8:30 PM. Lower level 45 Bleecker St. Christian McBride Big Band at Village Vanguard, 8:30 & 10:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Jeff Ballard 3 at Club Groove, 8:50 PM. 125 MacDougal St. Billy Martin, Steven Bernstein, Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery. John Hollenbeck, Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St. Broadway Brassy at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th St. Super OFarrill Brothers at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 1160 Broadway. Philip Harper at Sistas Place, 9PM. 456 Nostrand Ave., Bklyn. Elizabeth Shepherd at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Don Byron 6 at Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Mostly Other People Do the Killing at NYU Lounge, 9:15 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Crescent City Maulers at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. JoAnne Brackeen/Cecil McBee at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Gretchen Parlato, (Le) Poisson Rouge, 9:45 PM. 158 Bleecker Tim Berne, SubCulture, 9:45 PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St. Smokeys Secret Family at Barbes, 10PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Raul Midon at The Bitter End, 10PM. 147 Bleecker St. Nir Felder at Club Groove, 10PM. 125 MacDougal St. Duane Eubanks 5 at Fat Cat, 10PM. 75 Christopher St. No BS! Brass at Bowery Electric, 10:15 PM. 327 Bowery. Feedel Band at Drom, 10:15 PM. 85 Avenue A. Trio Feral at Zinc Bar, 10:15 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Akiko Tsuruga 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Jim Black at NYU Lounge, 10:30 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Montez Coleman Group at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Paulo Stagnaro, Terraza 7, 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Miguel Zenon 4 at Jazz Gallery, 11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Big Chief Donald Harrison & Congo Square Nation at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 11PM. 158 Bleecker St. Nicholas Biellos NB4tet at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Tony Malaby, SubCulture, 11PM. Lower level 45 Bleecker St. Somi at Club Groove, 11:10 PM. 125 MacDougal St. To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Meklit at The Bitter End, 11:15 PM. 147 Bleecker St. Lakecia Benjamin at Zinc Bar, 11:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St. La Sabrosa Saborsura at Drom, 11:45 PM. 85 Avenue A. Marc Ribots Ceramic Dog w/Mary Halvorson at Judson Church, 11:45 PM. 55 Washington Sq. S. Elliott Sharp, NYU Lounge, 11:45 PM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Jacob Fred, (Le) Poisson Rouge, 12:15 AM. 158 Bleecker St. Erik Friedlander, SubCulture, 12:15 AM. Lower level 45 Bleecker Craig Handy at Club Groove, 12:20 AM. 125 MacDougal St. Jamie Baum 7+ at The Bitter End, 12:30 AM. 147 Bleecker St. Next Collective at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Marc Cary 3 at Zinc Bar, 12:45 AM. 82 W. 3rd St. Matthew Shipp, Judson Church, 1AM. 55 Washington Sq. S. Chris Morrissey,t NYU Lounge, 1:00 AM. 40 Washington Sq. S. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 1:30 AM. 158 Bleecker St. Eric Wyatt 4 at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St. ABRAXAS: Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz at SubCulture, 1:30 AM. Lower level 45 Bleecker St. Trees in Tongues at The Bitter End, 1:45 AM. 147 Bleecker St. Now Vs. Now at Blue Note, 1:45 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Visit www.JazzNewswire.com
Matt Wilson/Ted Nash 3 at Zinc Bar, 2:00 AM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Sunday, January 12
Tony Jefferson, Falcon, 10:00 AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Grace Kelly 5 at Blue Note, 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd Lou Caputo 4 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S. Joel Zelnik 3: Tribute to Bill Evans at Greenburgh Public Library, 2:00 PM. 300 Tarrytown Rd., Elmsford NY. Don Byron, Saint Peters Church, 5:00 PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Pascalito Neostalgia, Somethin Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd St. Westchester Swing Band at 12 Grapes, 5:30 PM. 12 N. Division St., Peekskill NY. Tatsuya Nakatani/Assaf Tsahari at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM. 13 Monroe St. Terry Waldo at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St. Tony Malaby, Greenwich House Music School, 6PM. 46 Barrow Sean Jones at Birdland, 6:30 PM. 315 W. 44th Ben Sidran at Barbes, 7PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Jeffrey Broussard & The Creole Cowboys at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. David Coss 4 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Igor Butman Moscow Jazz Orchestra w/Allan Harris at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 7PM. 158 Bleecker St. Leland Baker 5 at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Greg Bufford: A Tribute to Philly Joe Jones at South Orange Performing Arts Center, 7PM. 1 SOPAC Way, South Orange NJ. Thom Penn 9 at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Regina Carter at Birdland, 7:30 PM. 315 W. 44th The Cookers feat. George Cables, Eddie Henderson & Billy Hart at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Kurt Rosenwinkel 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Ehud Asherie 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. John Pizzarelli 4 w/Jane Monheit at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at City Winery, 8PM. 155 Varick St. Stanley Clarke 3 w/Harlem String Quartet & Betty LaVette at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Stone, 8:00 and 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Najib Shaheen, Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Tomas Fujiwara at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Ray Abrams Big Band at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Christian McBride, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Simona Premazzi 4 at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher St. Nicole Zuraitis at Stage One, Rockwood Music, 9PM. 196 Allen Costas Baltazanis at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Joey Arias: Billie Holiday Centennial Concert at Joes Pub, 9:30 PM. 425 Lafayette St. Kenny Warren & Nashaz at Shapeshifter Lab, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Joe Magnarelli 4 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St. Brandon Lewis at Fat Cat, 1:00 AM. 75 Christopher St.
Monday, January 13
Tom Finn 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Diane Schuur at Birdland, 7PM. 315 W. 44th

19
Eyal Vilner Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Michael Eaton 4 at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Michelle Walker at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Ladies Sing the Blues: Catherine Russell, Charanee Wade & Brianna Thomas at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Monty Alexander w/John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, & Caterina Zapponi at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Molly Ryan at Le Cirque Cafe, 8PM. 151 E. 58th St. Cassandra Wilson at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Will Calhoun at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. NYC South American Music Festival at Zinc Bar, 8PM. Artists include Juancho Herrera, Pedro Giraudo Expressions Big Band, awi, Rebol, and Alejo Garca. 82 W. 3rd St. Kiran Ahluwalia 5 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:15 and 9:15 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Mika Hary 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Tony Scherr 3 w/Anton Fier at Stage One, Rockwood Music Hall, 9PM. 196 Allen St. Kammerer/Mel/Woodard 3 at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Torben Waldorf, Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn. Jim Campilongo, Rockwood Music Hall, 10PM. 196 Allen St. Matt Munisteri 2 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Willerm Delisfort 6 at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursday, January 16
Tuesday, January 14
Benno Marmur at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Fatum Brothers 3 at Antibes Bistro, 7PM. 112 Suffolk St. Ray Blue 3 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Amanda Brecker at Stage One, Rockwood Music Hall, 7PM. 196 Allen St. Liz Wagener at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd The Song Continues: Marilyn Horne Master Class at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 7:30 PM. Corner of 57th St. & 7th Ave. Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Compulsion: The Music of Andrew Hill feat. Jaleel Shaw, Greg Osby, Donny McCaslin, Jeremy Pelt, Matt Wilson, and others at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Joris Teepe 5 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Craig Handy, Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Steve Lehman 8 w/Jonathan Finlayson & Chris Dingman at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Diane Schuur at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Kris Davis at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Christian McBride 3 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. John OGallagher 4 at Korzo, 9PM. 667 5th Ave., Brooklyn. Alex & Nora at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd George Schuller, Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Juancho Herrera at Terraza 7, 9:30 PM. 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Shawn Baltazor 4 w/Seamus Blake at Korzo, 10:30 PM. 667 5th Ave., Brooklyn. Lucas Pino No Net Nonet at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Nicholas Brust 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Marianne Solivan at Birdland, 7PM. 315 W. 44th Richard Clements 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 7PM. 2485 Bdway. Kristina Koller, The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Rick Stone 3 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Alicia Olatuja at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 7PM. 515 Lenox Ave. Isaiah Barr at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Marilyn Horne Song Celebration at Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, 7:30 PM. Artists include Barbara Cook, Warren Jones, and others. Corner of 57th St. & 7th Ave. Herlin Riley at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Christian Scott at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Lisa Hilton, Weill Recital Hall, 8PM. 57th St. and 7th Ave. Bucky Pizzarelli, Falcon, 8PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Jeremy Davis & Fabulous Equinox Orchestra at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Michael Blake 4 w/Frank Kimbrough at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Steve Lehman at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Tarrytown Music Hall, 8PM. 13 Main St., Tarrytown NY. Latinology at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. John Fumasoli, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. 3 Guitars: Jane Getter/Alex Skolnick/Bruce Arnold at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Diane Schuur at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Christian McBride, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Elena Pinderhughes, Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Bdway. Tina Lama Jazz Funk 6 at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Rachel Friedman, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Kevin Hays 4 feat. Chris Potter at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th Vctor Prieto, Terraza 7, 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Andy Statman at Barbes, 10PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Carlos Abadie 5 at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Friday, January 17
Masami Ishikawa 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Smooth Operator at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Chris Gekker 3: Works by Ellington, Shorter, McPartland, and others at Barge Music, 7PM. Fulton Ferry Landing, Old Fulton St., Brooklyn. Karen Stachel, Deer Head, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Matuto at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Linda Presgrave at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Marko Djordjevic, Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Michael Mwenso/Evan Sherman: A Tribute to Cedar Walton at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Jerry Weldon at Grassos, 7:30 PM. 134 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Tardo Hammer 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Perfect Alibi 5 + Mike Kaplan 5 at Old Franklin Schoolhouse, 7:30 PM. 491 Middlesex Ave., Metuchen NJ. Christian Scott at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Yaacov Mayman 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Michael McNeil, Firehouse Space, 8PM. 246 Frost St., Brooklyn. Roy Hargrove at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Nicky Schrire, Gerald Clayton, Kitano, 8 & 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Sissy Castrogiovanni at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Steve Lehman 8 w/Jonathan Finlayson & Chris Dingman at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Miles Okazaki 3 at SubCulture, 8PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker Diane Schuur at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Christian McBride, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. The Hot at Nights at Drom, 9PM. 85 Avenue A. Darius Jones, Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Emily Wolf Project at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Liberty Ellman 3 at SubCulture, 9PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker David Gilmore, SubCulture, 9:30 PM. 45 Bleecker St. Paul West/Richard Wyands at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Peter Valera at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Art Lillard Big Band at St. Peters Church, 1PM. 619 Lexington Gunther Schuller Discusses Charles Mingus Epitaph at Cornelia St. Cafe, 6PM. 29 Cornelia St. As and Js Jazz Band at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Tobias Meinhart, Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Rene Hart at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Anderson Brothers at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Herlin Riley at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Darrell Grant: The Territory feat. Steve Wilson, Joe Locke, & Terrell Stafford at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th Craig Handy at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Tammy Scheffer 6 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Vanessa Perea at New Brunswick Hyatt, 8PM. 2 Albany St., New Brunswick NJ. Steve Lehman at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Diane Schuur at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Christian McBride 3 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Andrew Pereira, Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Lew Soloff/Anne Drummond 5 at Zinc Bar, 9PM, 10:30 PM, and 12:00 AM. 82 W. 3rd St. Chris Kelsey & What I Say: The Electric Miles Project at Shapeshifter Lab, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Kevin Hays 4 feat. Chris Potter at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th 20

FrIDAY, JANUArY 10 @ 8 PM
tHUrSDAY, JANUArY 16 @ 7:30 PM
Phil Vassar
Special Guest Jennifer Grace Country Music Hitmaker... As a singer/songwriter, Phil Vassar has Charted 13 Top 20 Singles including three Number Ones and three Top Fives!
Petey Hop
Guitarist extraordinaire Pete Hopkinson and his band perform rockin, roots, blues and old school country music with a modern touch. He is a unique artist, which a catalog of eclectic original material.
SAtUrDAY, JANUArY 18 @ 8 PM
Martin Sexton
Special Guest Brothers McCann Martin is a down- home virtuoso with a voice that can groan like an alternative rocker, slide like a soul man or leap up to a pearly falsetto.
Taylor Dayne
Dance Pop Diva, MultiPlatinum recording artist and world-class performer, Dayne has sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide, garnering three Grammy Award nominations.
SUNDAY, JANUArY 26 @ 8 PM
Former Lead Singer of BOSTON with Anton Cosmo Former Member of BOSTON with Special Guests Doug Wahlberg & Rick Tedesco Singing all of Bostons hits.
Arrival from Sweden:

The Music of ABBA Calling all Dancing Queens: Arrival, direct from Sweden, is the closest that fans will ever get to see ABBA.
Fran Cosmo
80 East Ridge, Ridgeeld, CT
203.438.5795 www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org
It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.
- Mark Twain

Ian Hendrickson-Smith Group at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th Joao Martins 4 at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Chris Turner at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Jeremy Manasia 3 at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Larry Newcomb 4 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Enrico Granafei at Salt Creek Grille, 7PM. 1 Rockingham Rd., Princeton NJ. Craig Hartley 3 at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Ethan Mann, Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Michael Mwenso/Evan Sherman: A Tribute to Cedar Walton at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. David Schnitter 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Dave Tronzo 3 at SubCulture, 7:30 and 10PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St. Doug White 5 at Sugar Bar, 8PM. 254 W. 72nd St. Christian Scott at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Justin Lees 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Kyoko Oyobe at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at The Paramount, 8PM. 370 New York Ave., Huntington NY. Uri Gurvich, Puffin Cultural Forum, 8PM. 20 Puffin Way, Tea-
neck NJ. Florencia Gonzalez Candombe Project at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Steve Lehman 8 w/Jonathan Finlayson & Chris Dingman at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Burning Gums feat. Ron Jackson & Yaacov Malman at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Fred Frith/ Nels Cline at SubCulture, 8:15 and 9:30 PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St. Diane Schuur at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Brasil Live at SOBs, 8:30 and 10:45 PM. 204 Varick St. Christian McBride, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Michael Bates Acrobat at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. The Following Suits at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th St. Jure Pukl at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Charles Bradley, Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9PM. 66 N. 6th St., Brooklyn. Carl Bartlett Jr.: A Tribute to Dr. King at Sistas Place, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 456 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn. Brust/Horowitz 5 at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Trio Cachimbo at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th St. Zion80 at Joes Pub, 9:30 PM. 425 Lafayette St. Double Down Rat Pack Swing at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Paul West, Richard Wyands at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Virginia Mayhew 4 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Ian Hendrickson-Smith, Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Brett Sandler 3 at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Ronnie Burrage Band feat. David Gilmore at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Stacy Dillard 3 at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Long Island Blues Society, Treme, 2PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Jazz Conversation: Lady and the Prez Part Two at Greenburgh Public Library, 3:00 PM. 300 Tarrytown Rd., Elmsford NY. Fabian Almazan/Camila Meza & Choir at Saint Peters Church, 5:00 PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Marc Schwartz 5 at Somethin Jazz, 5:00 PM. 212 E. 52nd Aimee Norwich, Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM. 13 Monroe St. Rob Edwards 4 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Tim Hagans 5 w/Ravi Coltrane & Dave Stryker at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Christian Scott at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Alexis P. Suter Band at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Steve Lehman, The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Alternative Guitar Summit: Music of Paul Motian at SubCulture, 8PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St. Vanessa Trouble w/Red Hot Swing at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Christian McBride, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Monday, January 20
Paul Jones 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Arlee Leonard at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Jeremy Wilms Diamond People at Drom, 7:15 PM. 85 Ave A. Milton Suggs More Than a Dream: A Celebration of Dr. King at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Peter Bernstein at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. The Persuasions at SubCulture, 7:30 PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St. Ben Williams & Sound Effect at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Matt Baker 3 at Le Cirque Cafe, 8PM. 151 E. 58th St. Remembering Thomas Chapin: Film Fundraiser w/live performances from John Zorn, Joe Lovano, Marty Ehrlich, Ned Rothenberg, Rudresh Mahanthappa, and others at City Winery, 8PM. 155 Varick St. Amanda Ruzza at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Lainie Cook 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Namaskar w/Sameer Gupta at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Brian Krock & Life Size at Shapeshifter Lab, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Rad Trads at Bowery Electric, 10PM. 327 Bowery.
Sunday, January 19
Joe Carozza, Falcon, 10 AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Steve Turre 5 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. 1 Center St., Newark NJ. Mayu Saeki 3 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S. Bill Saxton at Jacobs, 2:00 PM. Corner of 8th Ave. & W. 142nd St.
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Tuesday, January 21
Lauren Hooker, Hibiscus, 6PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ. Tom Csatari 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Silver Arrow Band at Drom, 6:30 PM. 85 Avenue A. Bob Smith, Amici Milano, 7PM. 600 Chestnut Ave., Trenton NJ. Irene Walsh at Caffe Vivaldi, 7PM. 32 Jones St. Rob Edwards 4 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Vincent Gardner 6 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Freddie Bryant: Dreamscape at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Monty Alexander w/John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, & Caterina Zapponi at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Bobby Watson w/Juilliard Jazz Orchestra at Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Juilliard School, 8PM. 155 W. 65th St. Dave Chamberlains Band of Bones feat. Steve Turre & Robin Eubanks: J. J. Johnson Birthday Celebration at NYC Bahai Center, 8:00 and 9:30 PM. 53 E. 11th St. Gershwin: Uri Caine 8, The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Gusten Rudolph, Tumultys, 361 George St., New Brunswick NJ. Misha Piatigorsky 5 at Zinc Bar, 8:00 and 10PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Tyler Blanton, Rudy Royston, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal Nicholas Payton at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Falu Shah 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Guillermo Klein at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Dorian Wallace at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Jeremy Pelt, Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Goldberg Variations: Uri Caine 7 w/Ralph Alessi at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Jeff Lederer 3 at Korzo, 10:30 PM. 667 5th Ave., Brooklyn.
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22
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How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.
Jam Session at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Nicholas Payton at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Jon Irabagon 3 w/Barry Altschul at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Guillermo Klein y Los Gauchos at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Al McDowells Just Ornette Quartet at Zinc Bar, 9PM, 10:30 PM, and 12:00 AM. 82 W. 3rd St. Harold Mabern 3 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Victor Prieto 3 at Terraza 7, 9:30 PM. 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Okafim (A Tribute to Luciano Berio): Uri Caine w/Ralph Alessi & Jim Black at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Jared Gold 3 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Benjamin Franklin

Chloe Perrier, McKittrick Hotel, 11PM. 530 W. 27th St.
Visit www.JazzNewswire.com Thursday, January 23

Robert Silverman 4 at Birdland, 6PM. 315 W. 44th Alex Sugerman 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Ray Parker 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway. Marsha Heydt & Project of Love at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Bucky Pizzarelli at Shanghai Jazz, 7PM. 24 Main, Madison NJ. Vincent Gardner 6 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Jeff Tain Watts Family Reunion Band feat. Robin Eubanks, Ravi Coltrane, Don Byron, Frank Lacy & others at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Carrie Jackson, Prospect Wine Bar, 16 Prospect, Westfield NJ. Monty Alexander w/John Clayton & Jeff Hamilton at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Carlo Costa, Firehouse Space, 8PM. 246 Frost St., Brooklyn. Marty Ehrlich 3 at Greenwich House, 8PM. 46 Barrow St. Tommy Campbell 3 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Joe Magnarelli, Makeda, 8PM. 338 George, New Brunswick NJ. Uri Caine/John Zorn at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Ken Talve 3 at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Chiemi Nakai 3 at Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn. Neu 3 Trio at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Nicholas Payton at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th John Irabagon at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Guillermo Klein, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Chris Tordini 6 at Jazz Gallery, 9PM, 1160 Broadway. 39th St. Blues Band at Shrine, 9PM. 2271 7th Ave. Eliane Amherd at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Matt Holman, Shapeshifter, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Ben Perowsky 4 at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St. Dichterliebe: Uri Caine 4 w/David Gilmore & Shulamith Wechter Caine at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Emmet Cohen 3 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sutton Foster at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Jon Irabagon 3 w/Mary Halvorson at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Miho Hazama, Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Swing Brosse System at Shrine, 9PM. 2271 7th Ave. Doug White 5 at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Matt Savage: Jazz Is Young at Shapeshifter Lab, 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. African Jazz: Francis Mbappe & FM Groove at Zinc Bar, 9:30 PM, 10:30 PM, and 12:00 AM. 82 W. 3rd St. Junior Mance 3 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Uri Caine 3 at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Kevin Dorn & The BIG 72 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Winard Harper Group at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. E. J. Strickland at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Lawrence Leathers at Smalls, 1:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Alex Layne 3 at Garage, 12:00 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Dende & Band at El Museo del Barrio, 3:00 PM. 1230 5th Ave. Rad Trads at Radegast Hall, 3:00 PM. 113 N. 3rd St., Brooklyn. Brian Kastan 4 at Somethin Jazz, 5:00 PM. 212 E. 52nd Ras Moshe, Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM. 13 Monroe St. Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Royal Noise at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Sharel Cassity at Deer Head Inn, 7PM. 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Rachel Loshak at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Chris Clark 4 at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Joe Giglio 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Benny Golson 4 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Alto Summit feat. Lummie Spann, Bruce Williams, & Justin Robinson at Ginnys Supper Club, 310 Lenox Ave. Jeff Tain Watts Family Reunion Band feat. Ravi Coltrane, Don Byron, Frank Lacy & others at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Juini Booth Group at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Karl Densons Tiny Universe at Brooklyn Bowl, 8PM. 61 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn. Monty Alexander w/Ernest Ranglin & Chronixx at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Gipsy Kings at City Winery, 8PM. 155 Varick St. Alan Rosenthal 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Jim Campilongo 3 at The Falcon, 8PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro Dances of the World Chamber Orchestra at The Firehouse Space, 8PM. 246 Frost St., Brooklyn. Kevin Hildebrandt at Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley, Orange NJ. Mark Sherman/Kenny Barron at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Sandy Sasso 4 at The Mill, 8PM. 101 Old Mill Rd., Spring Lake Heights NJ. Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding/Terri Lyne Carrington + Christian McBrides Philadelphia Experiment at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 8PM. 1 Center St., Newark NJ. Joshua Breakstone 4 at Puffin Cultural Forum, 8PM. 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck NJ. Mademoiselle Fleur at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Chamber Music: Sirius String Quartet at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Nicholas Payton/Affirmative Action at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Guillermo Klein at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Lili Ael at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St. Broadway Brassy at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th St. TC III (Theodore Carney) at Sistas Place, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 456 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn. Noshir Mody at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Kerry Kearney at Treme, 9PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Emanuele Tozzi 3 at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd Swingadelic at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Junior Mance 3 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Joyce Hammann, The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Winard Harper Group at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Rivas Ramsay Collective at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Karen Bernod at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St. Philip Harper at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Laurel Masse/Tex Arnold at Saint Peters Church, 1:00 PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Pablo Delgado at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Alex Levine 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Kyoko Oyobe 3 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Rosemary Loar: When Harry Met the Duke at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Sandy Taylor Band at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Vincent Gardner 6 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Tim Ries & East Gipsy Band at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Monty Alexander w/John Clayton & Jeff Hamilton at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Mehliana feat. Brad Mehldau & Mark Giuliana at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Hollis Donaldson at New Brunswick Hyatt, 8PM. 2 Albany St., New Brunswick NJ. Swingadelic, Pilsener Haus, 8PM. 1422 Grand St., Hoboken NJ. Never Matter at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Uri Caine/Tim Berne at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C
Friday, January 24
24 Fukushi Tainaka 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Artur Akhmetov Jazz Band at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Vic Juris, Deer Head Inn, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. David Amram at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Betty Liste/Bill Robinson at Hibiscus, 7PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ. Jonathan Saraga, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Beat Kaestli at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd John Raymond 3 at Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St. Benny Golson 4 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Jeff Tain Watts Family Reunion Band feat. Robin Eubanks, Ravi Coltrane, Don Byron, Frank Lacy & others at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Kevin Hildebrandt at Roberts Steakhouse, Trump Taj Mahal, 7:30 PM. 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City NJ. Ralph Lalama & Bop Juice at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Monty Alexander w/John Clayton & Jeff Hamilton at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Rudi Mwongozi 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Alex Blake 4 at Flushing Town Hall, 8PM. 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens. Ted Hefko, Hemisphere, 8PM. 9 S. Park Ave., Bay Shore, LI. Martha Reeves at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Mark Sherman/Kenny Barron at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Sirius String Quartet at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Jeanette Harris at Sugar Bar, 8PM. 254 W. 72nd St. Nicholas Payton at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th
Sunday, January 26
Vic Juris 2 at The Falcon, 10AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. 12th Night Klezmer at City Winery, 11:00 AM. 155 Varick St. Iris Ornig 4 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.

Preview
Clarinet Virtuoso David KrakauerThe Big Picture
CD Release & Month-long Engagement at Museum of Jewish Heritage
An artist of great renown, clarinetist and cultural visionary David Krakauer presents his new project, The Big Picture, paying homage to both Krakauers personal discovery of his cultural heritage and, in the broader sense, to the journeys we all take to find meaning and connection in our lives. The album was produced by Joseph Baldassare and recorded by Roy Hendrickson. The Big Picture album features Krakauers sextet, a new constellation of musicians, meticulously chosen to display their virtuosity and poetry with these stimulating new arrangements and interpretations of familiar movie soundtracks by classic film music composersamong them, Marvin Hamlisch, Wojciech Kilar, Vangelis, Sergei Prokofiev, Ralph Burns, Jerry Bock, John Kander & Fred Ebb. Movies include such diverse gems as Sophies Choice, The Pianist, Cabaret, Radio Days and Funny Girl. Each movie has a special Jewish connection whether emphasizing the director, actors, composer, or Jewish tradition, from topics of war and persecution to sophisticated satire and farce. (Sophies Choice, Life is Beautiful, Lenny, The Producers, Fiddler on the Roof.) For the music part, says Krakauer, Ive taken themes from iconic films with Jewish content and re-imagined them with a band of worldclass musicians. The album has become more special than Id ever imagined. It brought me to a new emotional level, reminding me of the incredible resiliency of my great-grandparents, arriving from Eastern Europe with virtually nothing, and how they were able to overcome incredible poverty and anti-Semitism to succeed. Ive never been prouder to be Jewish. But at the same time I think this project really speaks about how people across the ages have found ways to survive in the face of adversity. Thats not just the Jewish experience. Its everyones struggle. Born and raised in New York City, his early exposure to diverse cultural influences provides a powerful towline for his music. Krakauer earned his reputation as a Klezmer specialist, then showcased his formidable talents in other musical arenas, such as classical music, electronica and jazz. He has shared stages as a group member and soloist with a wide array of artists, string quartets and classical aggregates - among them, the Klezmatics, John Zorn, Fred Wesley, Itzhak Perlman, Osvaldo Golijov, Eiko and Koma, Leonard Slatkin, Iva Bitova, Kronos, Tokyo, the Emerson, the Orchestre de Lyon, the Orquestra Sinfonica de Madrid, the Phoenix Symphony, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Dresdener Philharmonie and the Detroit Symphony. CD Tracks are Willkommen (Cabaret), La bella e vita (Life is Beautiful), Si tu vois ma mere (Midnight In Paris), Body and Soul (Radio Days), The March (Love and
Death), Moving To The Ghetto (The Pianist), The Family (Avalon), Honeycomb (Lenny), Love Theme (Sophies Choice), Keep It Gay (The Producers), People (Funny Girl), Tradition (Fiddler On The Roof) The Big PictureA Cinematic Concert Music Performed by Krakauer At The Museum of Jewish Heritage in Downtown Manhattan will premiere on Wednesday January 29, 2014 with performances on Wednesdays & Sundays February 2-23, 2014
visual element as a creative starting point, Krakauers music serves as the catalytic agent. The visuals embrace Krakauers adventurous and individual spirit of self-discovery. The Museum itself serves as a compelling location for this residency. It overlooks the New York Harbor, a reminder of the Jewish and nonJewish immigrants landing on Ellis Island bringing their hopes, stories and vast cultural heritage to this new promised land. Krakauer, whose own ancestors immigrated from Eastern Europe, became one of the most important innovators in Klezmer music, contextualizing the ancestral sounds of his heritage into a distinctive, personal voice. The Big Picture is a special kind of project," says Krakauer. "Its a tour through Jewish history, and an exploration of how the movies show us the universality of our individual quests. I want this experience to serve as an opportunity for all. I am privileged to be the tour guide for
Performance Lineup David Krakauer clarinet; Rob Schwimmer piano, keys, theremin; Sara Caswell violin; Mark Helias double bass; Sheryl Bailey guitar; John Hadfield drums, percussion. The Big Picture is a new multi-media production at Edmond J. Safra Hall in the Museum of Jewish Heritage A Living Memorial to the Holocaust downtown. It tells Krakauers story in an artful marriage of music and the moving image. This project may be Krakauers most adventurous to date and will run for a period of four weeks - a first for the venue. To lend creative intrigue, New York graphics giants Light of Day and Cutting Room Films have created original films for the production. Instead of using the
this incredible voyage. The Museums exhibitions educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the rich tapestry of Jewish life over the past centurybefore, during, and after the Holocaust. Edmond J. Safra Hall, the 375-seat state-of-the-art theater offers unobstructed views with great acoustics from every seat in the house. http://www.mjhnyc.org/ bigpicture/ Information & Tickets Edmond J. Safra Hall, 36 Battery Place New York, NY 10280 Phone: 646-437-4202
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Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.
Uri Caine/Tyshawn Sorey at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Emily Wolf Project at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Ray Abrams Big Band at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Guillermo Klein at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Renegade Sufi at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Son de Madre at Gonzalez y Gonzalez, 9:30 and 11:30 PM. 192 Mercer St. Mahler: Uri Caine 6 w/Chris Speed & Ralph Alessi at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C
Monday, January 27
Benjamin Bryden 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal Kyle Athayde Dance Party at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Ashley Gonzalez Daneman at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Deer Head Inn Orchestra at Deer Head Inn, 7:30 PM. 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Simona Premazzi: The Lucid Dreamer at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Mingus Orchestra at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Shai Maestro 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Greg Diamond Band + Maria Mendes at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Joe Alterman at Le Cirque Cafe, 8PM. 151 E. 58th St. Nate Wooley 5 at Douglass St. Music Collective, 8PM. 295 Douglass St., Brooklyn. Jim Heath (of Rev. Horton Heat) w/Les Paul 3 & Anton Fig at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Michelle Walker 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal Dandy Wellington & His Band at Bathtub Gin, 9PM. 132 9th Ave. Billy White Group at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Felix Pastorius: Social Experiment at Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd Lina Allemano 4 at Douglass St. Music Collective, 9:30 PM. 295 Douglass St., Brooklyn.
W. Clement Stone

Pam Purvis at Hibiscus, 12:00 PM. 270 South, Morristown NJ. Fatum Brothers 4 at Pilsener Haus, 2:00 PM. 1422 Grand St., Hoboken NJ. John Merrill 3 at Smalls, 4:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Deanna Witkowski 3 at Saint Peters Church, 5:00 PM. 619 Lexington Ave. David Sanborn 3 at Bergen Performing Arts Center, 7PM. 30 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood NJ. Anderson Brothers at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Matt/Dave Experiment at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd New Millennium Jazz Band at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main, Islip NY. Benny Golson 4 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Jeff Tain Watts Family Reunion Band feat. Ravi Coltrane, Don Byron, Frank Lacy & others at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Brianna Thomas at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Monty Alexander w/Ernest Ranglin & Chronixx at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Soundpainting Orch, Firehouse Space, 246 Frost St., Brooklyn. Calefax Reed 5 Plays Stockhausen at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 8PM. 158 Bleecker St. John Daversa Big Band, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn.
Champian Fulton 4 Benny Golson 4 at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Donny McCaslin 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Maceo Parker at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Steve Turre at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Marc Ribot Plays from John Zorns Book of Heads & John Cages Some of the Harmony of Maine at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Manuel Valera 4 at Zinc Bar, 8:00 and 10PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Darren Lyons, Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Geoff Vidal 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Joey DeFrancesco at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Mark Turner 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Hyo-Jeong Lee Group at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Kevin Hays at Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Josh Evans Big Band at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St. Francis-Marie Uitti/Marc Ribot, Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C
Cecil Brooks III at Gateway Center Plaza 2, 12:00 PM. 283 Market St., Newark NJ. Aaron Weinstein/Matt Baker at Saint Peters Church, 1:00 PM. 619 Lexington Ave. Marvin Dolly 3 at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave. Ben Patterson 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Nick Finzer 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Yehonaton Cohen & YDY at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Amina Claudine Meyers at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Donny McCaslin 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Maceo Parker at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Brent Watkins 3 at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 8PM. Corner of 57th St. & 7th Ave. Steve Turre at Iridium, 8:00 and 10PM. 1650 Broadway. Erika Matsuo 5 w/Helio Alves at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Nat Adderley Jr. at New Brunswick Hyatt, 8PM. 2 Albany St., New Brunswick NJ. Jason Moran/Marc Ribot at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Joey DeFrancesco at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Mauricio Zotarelli 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia Mark Turner 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Rubens Salles at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Burning Gums at Zinc Bar, 9PM, 82 W. 3rd St. Albert Tootie Heath 3 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Ari Hoenig at Terraza 7, 9:30 PM. 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Vitor Gonalves 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10PM. 29 Cornelia St. Francis-Marie Uitti/Marc Ribot at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Noah Jackson at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Tuesday, January 28
Rio Clemente at Hibiscus, 6PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ. Nick Lancaster 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Gabe Valle 4 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Thursday, January 30
26 Jonathan Rangonese, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St. Will Terrell 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway. Dre Barnes Project at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Dave Kardas Band at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Matt Wilson 4 w/John Medeski at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. John Abercrombie 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Carrie Jackson w/Bob Smith 3 at 16 Prospect Wine Bar, 8PM. 16 Prospect St., Westfield NJ. Maceo Parker at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Tomoko Omura 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 8PM. 32 Jones St. Nathaniel Center, Firehouse Space, 8PM. 246 Frost St., Bklyn. Gary Abrtz on Jackie McLean at Hamilton Stage, 8PM. 103 W. Main St., Rahway NJ. Adam Rongo 4 w/Orrin Evans at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Mario Castro, Makeda, 8PM. 338 George St., New Brunswick NJ. Devin Bing & The Secret Service at Metropolitan Room, 8PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Matthew Shipp: Piano Sutras Project at Roulette, 8PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn. Gene Lake 3 w/Kim Lake at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn. Marc Ribots Surprise at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Mind Open at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Lage Lund 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Joey DeFrancesco at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
- John Quincy Adams Carlos Henrique Pereira 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Mark Turner 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Marques/Stinson/OFarrill 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St. Victor Gould at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Willie Martinez y La Familia 6 at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9PM. 236 E. 3rd St. Piotr Pawlak Little Band at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Emily Asher at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th St. Albert Tootie Heath 3 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Sergio Krakowski 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10PM. 29 Cornelia St. Roy Nathanson/Marc Ribot at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Mike Wilkins 4 at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Carlos Abadie 5 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Iris Ornig Jam Session at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave. Gelber and Manning at Circa Tabac, 8:30 PM. 32 Watts St. Vanguard Jazz Orch, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Swingadelic at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Woody Allen & the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band (except 1/6) at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Earl Rose 3 at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. Jam Session at Cleopatras Needle, 9PM. 2485 Broadway. Chica Libre at Barbes, 9:30 PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Terry Waldo & His Rum House Jass Band at Edison Rum House, 10PM. 228 W. 47th St. Ari Hoenig 5 (except 1/13) at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Ron Affif 3 (except 1/6) at Zinc Bar, 11PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Spencer Murphy at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Tuesdays (1/7, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28)
Chris Gillespie at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Yuichi Hirakawa House Band at Arthurs Tavern, 7PM. 57 Grove St. Jo Shornikow at Manhattan Inn, 632 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn. Spike Wilner 3 (except 1/14) at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Marc Devine 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks at Iguana, 8PM. 240 W. 54th Chris Ziemba at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave. Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave. Loston Harris 3 at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. Annie Ross at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Smalls Legacy Band at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Orrin Evans Jam Session at Zinc Bar, 11PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
It is difficult for men in high office to avoid the malady of self-delusion. They are always surrounded by worshipers. They are constantly, and for the most part sincerely, assured of their greatness. They live in an artificial atmosphere of adulation and exaltation which sooner or later impairs their judgment. They are in grave danger of becoming careless and arrogant.
Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of The United States
Saturdays (1/4, 1/11, 1/18, 1/25)

NY Jazz Acad Workshop, St Peters, 12:00 PM. 619 Lexington NY Jazz Academy Big Band, Somethin Jazz, 212 E. 52nd Jam Session at Smalls, 4:00 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Chris Gillespie at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Brandon Terzic, Pyeng Threadgill, Barbes, 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Jay Leonhart 2 (except 1/11) at Birdland, 6PM. 315 W. 44th Eri Yamamoto 3 at Arthurs Tavern, 7PM. 57 Grove St. Loston Harris 3 at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. Marianni, Zinc Bar, 9:30 PM, 11PM, and 12:30 AM. 82 W. 3rd St. Jesse Simpson at Cleopatras Needle, 12:30 AM. 2485 Bdway.
Friday, January 31
Guy Mintus 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Koran Agan at Radegast Hall, 6PM. 113 N. 3rd St., Brooklyn. Jay & Carolyn Leonhart at Deer Head Inn, 7PM. 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Stephen Fuller/Lee Tamboulian at Hibiscus, 7PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ. Emily Miele at Somethin Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd Masha Campagne at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St. Paul Meyers 3 at Bar Next Door, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Matt Wilson 4 w/John Medeski at Dizzys Club Coca Cola, 7:30 and 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #5. Michal Attias & Renku at Greenwich House Music School, 7:30 and 9PM. 46 Barrow St. John Abercrombie 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 116 E. 27th St. Maceo Parker at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Dona Carter 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Young Joo Song 4 at Flushing Town Hall, 8PM. 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens. Noah Haidu 5 at Kitano, 8:00 and 10PM. 66 Park Ave. Dan White 6 at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Marc Ribot: Songs at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St & Ave C Martini Garden at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY. Joey DeFrancesco at Birdland, 8:30 and 11PM. 315 W. 44th Mark Turner 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Alex Kautz/Brazilian Collective Trio at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St. David Virelles at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Somethin Vocal at Somethin Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd Ron Sunshine Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Daryl Sherman, Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl. Marc Ribot 4 w/Henry Grimes & Mary Halvorson at The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St & Ave C Helio Alves 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Peter Valera at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Danny Grisset 3 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Ark Ovrutski 4 at Somethin Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd Emefe at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Wednesdays (1/1, 1/8, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29)

Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Birdland, 5:30 PM. 315 W. 44th Chris Gillespie at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Bill Crow, Red Hat Bistro, 6PM. 1 Bridge St., Irvington NY. Les Kurtz 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway. Joel Forrester, Manhattan Inn, 632 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn. Avalon Jazz Band at Apotheke, 8PM. 9 Doyers St. Mike Lee Jam, Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley St., Orange NJ. Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave. Courtney Graf at Millesime, 7PM. 92 Madison Ave. Jonathan Kreisberg, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St. Loston Harris 3 at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. Jam w/Joonsam Lee 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 11:30 PM. 2485 Broadway.
Sundays (1/5, 1/12, 1/19, 1/26)

Tony Middleton, Kitano, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. 66 Park Ave. Avalon Jazz Band at The Lambs Club, 11PM. 132 W. 44th St. JoAnne Brackeen & Guests (except 1/12) at Blue Note, 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Emily Wolf at Millesime, 12:00 PM. 92 Madison Ave. Bob Kindred 3 at Cafe Loup, 12:30 PM. 105 W. 13th St. Keith Ingham 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 4:00 PM. 2485 Broadway. Earl Rose at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Birdland Jazz Party at Birdland, 6PM. 315 W. 44th Junior Mance 3 at Cafe Loup, 6:30 PM. 105 W. 13th St. Creole Cooking Jazz Band at Arthurs Tavern, 7PM. 57 Grove Carl Thompson, Pane e Vino, 7PM. 174 Smith St., Brooklyn. Peter Mazza 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:00 and 10PM. 129 MacDougal Forroteria at Millesime, 8PM. 92 Madison Ave. Arturo OFarrill Jazz Orch, Birdland, 9PM. 315 W. 44th Billy Stritch/Jim Caruso at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. John Lander, Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM, 32 Jones St. Michika Fukumori, Cleopatras Needle, 9PM. 2485 Broadway. John Benitez, Terraza 7, 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens. Stew Cutler & Friends at Arthurs Tavern, 10PM. 57 Grove St. Johnny ONeal at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursdays (1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30)

Chris Gillespie at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Open Vocal Set & Jam Session at Zinc Bar, 6:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd Eri Yamamoto 3 at Arthurs Tavern, 7PM. 57 Grove St. Terry Waldo at Manhattan Inn, 7:30 PM. 632 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn. Curtis Lundy Jam Session at Phoebes Place, 7:30 PM. 445 Cedar Ln., Teaneck NJ. Bill Goodwin & Friends at Deer Head Inn, 8PM. 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Lauren Henderson 3 at Millesime, 7PM. 92 Madison Ave. Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave. Adam Tully 3 at Pane e Vino, 8:30 PM. 174 Smith St., Brooklyn. Felix and the Cats at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Jam, Deer Head Inn, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA. Loston Harris 3 at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. Sweet Georgia Brown w/Off the Hook at Arthurs Tavern, 10PM. 57 Grove St. Jam w/Kazu 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 11:30 PM. 2485 Broadway.
Friday (1/3, 1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31)

Jam Session at Smalls, 4:00 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Crooked 3 at Barbes, 5:00 PM. 376 9th St., Brooklyn. Birdland Big Band at Birdland, 5:00 PM. 315 W. 44th Chris Gillespie at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Eri Yamamoto at Arthurs Tavern, 7PM. 57 Grove St. Michael Garin at Monkey Bar, 8PM. 60 E. 54th St. Loston Harris 3 at Hotel Carlyle, 9PM. 35 E. 76th St. Otro Sentido at Cotton Club, 9PM. Dancing encouraged. 656 W. 125th St. Joanne Weaver (except 1/3) at Flatiron Room, 9PM. 37 W. 26th Sweet Georgia Brown w/Off the Hook at Arthurs Tavern, 10PM. 57 Grove St. Jam w/Joanna Sternberg at Cleopatras Needle, 12:30 AM. 2485 Broadway.
Mondays (1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27)

Earl Rose at Hotel Carlyle, 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Grove St. Stompers at Arthurs Tavern, 7PM. 57 Grove St. Cotton Club All Stars at Cotton Club, 8PM. Dancing encouraged. 656 W. 125th St. Jon Weiss 3 at Cleopatras Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks at Iguana, 8PM. 240 W. 54th .
REGULAR GIGS
Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.
Harry S. Truman
27
Clubs, Venues & Jazz Resources

55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. 212-929-9883, www.55bar.com 92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128, 212.415.5500, www.92ndsty.org Aaron Davis Hall, City College of NY, Convent Ave., 212-6506900, www.aarondavishall.org Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Broadway & 65th St., 212875-5050, www.lincolncenter.org/default.asp Allen Room, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Broadway and 60th, 5th floor, 212-258-9800, www.lincolncenter.org/ default.asp American Museum of Natural History, 81st St. & Central Park W., 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org Arthurs Tavern, 57 Grove St., 212-675-6879 or 917-3018759, www.arthurstavernnyc.com Arts Maplewood, P.O. Box 383, Maplewood, NJ 07040; 973378-2133, www.artsmaplewood.org Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. & 65th St., 212-875-5030, www.lincolncenter.org BAM Caf, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-636-4100, www.bam.org Barbes, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.), Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-965-9177, www.barbesbrooklyn.com Barge Music, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn, 718-624-2083, www.bargemusic.org B.B. Kings Blues Bar, 237 W. 42nd St., 212-997-4144, www.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, contact@bourbonny.com Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (at Bleecker), 212-614-0505, www.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, www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center, 605 Main St., Middletown, CT. 860-347-4957, buttonwood.org. Caf Carlyle , 35 E. 76th St., 212-570-7189, www.thecarlyle.com Caf Loup, 105 W. 13th St. (West Village) , between Sixth and Seventh Aves., 212-255-4746 Caf St. Barts, 109 E. 50th St. (at Park Ave.), 212-888-2664, www.cafestbarts.com Caffe Vivaldi, 32 Jones St, NYC; www.caffevivaldi.com Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St, Trenton. 609-695-9612. Carnegie Hall , 7th Av & 57th, 212-247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org Casa Dante, 737 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ, www.casadante.com Chicos 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. www.citywinery.com Cleopatras Needle, 2485 Broadway (betw 92nd & 93rd), 212769-6969, www.cleopatrasneedleny.com Copelands, 547 W. 145th St. (at Bdwy), 212-234-2356 Cornelia St Caf, 29 Cornelia St., 212-989-9319, www.corneliaStcafe.com Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, New Jersey 07701, 732-842-9000, www.countbasietheatre.org Crossroads at Garwood, 78 North Ave., Garwood, NJ 07027, 908-232-5666 Cutting Room, 19 W. 24th St, www.thecuttingroomnyc.com, 212-691-1900 Destino, 891 First Ave. & 50th St., 212-751-0700 Division St Grill, 26 North Division St, Peekskill, NY, 914-7396380, www.divisionStgrill.com Dizzys Club Coca Cola, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor, 212258-9595, www.jalc.com DROM, 85 Avenue A, New York, 212-777-1157, dromnyc.com The Ear Inn, 326 Spring St., NY, 212-226-9060, www.earinn.com El Museo Del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave (at 104th St.), Tel: 212831-7272, Fax: 212-831-7927, www.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, www.fivespotsoulfood.com Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY, 718-463-7700 x222, www.flushingtownhall.org For My Sweet, 1103 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY 718-857-1427 Franks Cocktail Lounge, 660 Fulton St. (at Lafayette), Brooklyn, NY, 718-625-9339, www.frankscocktaillounge.com Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-782-5188, www.galapagosartspace.com Garage Restaurant and Caf, 99 Seventh Ave. (betw 4th and Bleecker), 212-645-0600, www.garagerest.com Garden Caf, 4961 Broadway, by 207th St., New York, 10034, 212-544-9480 Ginnys 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, www.glenrockinn.com Greenwich Village Bistro, 13 Carmine St., 212-206-9777, www.greenwichvillagebistro.com Harlem Tea Room, 1793A Madison Ave., 212-348-3471, www.harlemtearoom.com Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley St, Orange. 862-252-9147. www.hatcitykitchen.com Havana Central West End, 2911 Broadway/114th St), NYC, 212-662-8830, www.havanacentral.com Hibiscus Restaurant, 270 S. St, Morristown, NJ, 973-359-0200, www.hibiscusrestaurantnj.com Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th St (between 9th & 10th Ave. www.highlineballroom.com, 212-414-4314. Hopewell Valley Bistro, 15 East Broad St, Hopewell, NJ 08525, 609-466-9889, www.hopewellvalleybistro.com Hyatt New Brunswick, 2 Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ IBeam Music Studio, 168 7th St., Brooklyn, ibeambrooklyn.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, www.jalc.org Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor Dizzys 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, www.jazzgallery.org The Jazz Spot, 375 Kosciuszko St. (enter at 179 Marcus Garvey Blvd.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-453-7825, www.thejazz.8m.com Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., 212-576-2232, www.jazzstandard.net Joes Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St & Astor Pl., 212-539-8778, www.joespub.com John Birks Gillespie Auditorium (see Bahai Center) Jules Bistro, 65 St. Marks Place, Tel: 212-477-5560, Fax: 212420-0998, www.julesbistro.com Kasser Theater, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair State College, Montclair, 973-655-4000, www.montclair.edu/arts/ performancefacilities/alexanderkasser.html Key Club, 58 Park Place, Newark, NJ, (973) 799-0306, www.keyclubnj.com Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave., 212-885-7119. www.kitano.com Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Pl., 212-228-8490, www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., Tel: 212-219-3132, www.knittingfactory.com La Famiglia Sorrento, 631 Central Ave, Westfield, NJ, 07090, 908-232-2642, www.lafamigliasorrento.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, www.lalanternarcaffe.com Le Madeleine, 403 W. 43rd St. (betw 9th & 10th Ave.), New York, New York, 212-246-2993, www.lemadeleine.com Les Gallery Clemente Soto Velez, 107 Suffolk St. (at Rivington St.), 212-260-4080 Live @ The Falcon, 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro, NY 12542, Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. (betw Rivington & Stanton), 212533-7235, www.livingroomny.com The Local 269, 269 E. Houston St. (corner of Suffolk St.), NYC Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (at Columbus Ave.), 212-601-1000, makor.org Lounge Zen, 254 DeGraw Ave, Teaneck, NJ, (201) 692-8585, www.lounge-zen.com Makeda, George St., New Brunswick. NJ, www.nbjp.org Maxwells, 1039 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ, 201-653-1703, www.maxwellsnj.com McCarter Theater, 91 University Pl., Princeton, 609-258-2787, www.mccarter.org Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St. (betw Broadway & Amsterdam), 212-501-3330, www.ekcc.org/ merkin.htm Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St NY, NY 10012, 212206-0440 Mirelles, 170 Post Ave., Westbury, NY, 516-338-4933 Mixed Notes Caf, 333 Elmont Rd., Elmont, NY (Queens area), 516-328-2233, www.mixednotescafe.com Montauk Club, 25 Eighth Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-0800, www.montaukclub.com Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (between 103rd & 104th St.), 212-534-1672, www.mcny.org Musicians Local 802, 332 W. 48th St., 718-468-7376 or 860-231-0663 Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark, New Jersey 07102-3176, 973-596-6550, www.newarkmuseum.org New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, NJ, 07102, 973-642-8989, www.njpac.org New School Performance Space, 55 W. 13th St., 5th Floor (betw 5th & 6th Ave.), 212-229-5896, www.newschool.edu. New School University-Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St., 1st Floor, Room 106, 212-229-5488, www.newschool.edu New York City Bahai Center, 53 E. 11th St. (betw Broadway & University), 212-222-5159, www.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, www.northsquarejazz.com Novita Bistro & Lounge, 25 New St, Metuchen. Nublu, 62 Ave. C (betw 4th & 5th St.), 212-979-9925 Nuyorican Poets Caf, 236 E. 3rd St. (betw Ave. B & C), 212505-8183, www.nuyorican.org Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. (betw 5th and 6th Ave.), 212-840-6800, www.thealgonquin.net Oceana Restaurant, 120 West 49th St, New York, NY 10020 212-759-5941, www.oceanarestaurant.com Opia, 130 East 57th St, New York, NY 10022, 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. www.palazzonj.com Pigalle, 790 8th Ave. 212-489-2233. www.pigallenyc.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 www.privateplacelounge.com Proper Caf, 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, www.16prospect.com, www.cjayrecords.com Red Eye Grill, 890 Seventh Ave. (at 56th St.), 212-541-9000, www.redeyegrill.com Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main St., Ridgefield, CT; ridgefieldplayhouse.org, 203-438-5795 Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St, New York, NY 10002 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, www.jalc.org Rosendale Caf, 434 Main St., PO Box 436, Rosendale, NY 12472, 845-658-9048, www.rosendalecafe.com Rubin Museum of Art - Harlem in the Himalayas, 150 W. 17th St. 212-620-5000. www.rmanyc.org Rustik, 471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 347-406-9700, www. rustikrestaurant.com Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl, Brooklyn, 646-820-9452. www.shapeshifterlab.com St. Marks Church, 131 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.), 212-674-6377 St. Nicks Pub, 773 St. Nicholas Av (at 149th), 212-283-9728 St. Peters Church, 619 Lexington (at 54th), 212-935-2200, www.saintpeters.org Salon at Rue 57, 60 W. 57th St, 212-307-5656, www.rue57.com Sasas 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, www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html Session Bistro. 245 Maywood Avenue, Maywood. 201-8807810. Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison, NJ, 973-822-2899, www.shanghaijazz.com ShapeShifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11215 www.shapeshifterlab.com Showmans, 375 W. 125th St., 212-864-8941 Sidewalk Caf, 94 Ave. A, 212-473-7373 Silver Spoon, 124 Main St., Cold Spring, NY 10516, 845-2652525, www.silverspooncoldpspring.com Sistas Place, 456 Nostrand Ave. (at Jefferson Ave.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-398-1766, www.sistasplace.org Skippers Plane St Pub, 304 University Ave. Newark NJ, 973733-9300, www.skippersplaneStpub.com Smalls Jazz Club, 183 W. 10th St. (at 7th Ave.), 212-929-7565, www.SmallsJazzClub.com Smiths Bar, 701 8th Ave, New York, 212-246-3268 Sofias Restaurant - Club Cache [downstairs], Edison Hotel, 221 W. 46th St. (between Broadway & 8th Ave), 212-719-5799 Somethin Jazz Club, 212 E. 52nd St., NY 10022, 212-3717657 Sophies Bistro, 700 Hamilton St., Somerset. www.nbjp.org South Gate Restaurant & Bar, 154 Central Park South, 212-
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484-5120, www.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, www.southstseaport.org. Spoken Words Caf, 266 4th Av, Brooklyn, 718-596-3923 Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, 165 W. 65th St., 10th Floor, 212-721-6500, www.lincolncenter.org The Stone, Ave. C & 2nd St., www.thestonenyc.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, www.swing46.com Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Tel: 212-864-1414, Fax: 212- 932-3228, www.symphonyspace.org Tea Lounge, 837 Union St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave), Park Slope, Broooklyn, 718-789-2762, www.tealoungeNY.com Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St. (betw Thompson & LaGuardia), 212-777-7776, www.terrablues.com Thea tre Row , 4 10 W. 42 nd , 212 -71 4-2 442, www.theatrerow.org Tito Puentes Restaurant and Cabaret, 64 City Island Avenue, City Island, Bronx, 718-885-3200, titopuentesrestaurant.com Tomi Jazz, 239 E. 53rd St., lower level. 646-497-1254, www.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. www.thetrashbar.com Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. (betw Broadway & Columbus Ave.), 212-362-2590, www.triadnyc.com Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St, 10007, info@tribecapac.org, www.tribecapac.org Trumpets, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ, 973-744-2600, www. trumpetsjazz.com Tumultys Pub, 361 George St., New Brunswick Turning Point Cafe, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, N.Y. 10968 (845) 359-1089, http://www.turningpointcafe.com/ Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S., 212-255-4037, www.villagevanguard.net Vision Festival, 212-696-6681, info@visionfestival.org, www.visionfestival.org Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Rd, Watchung, NJ 07069, 908-753-0190, www.watchungarts.org Watercolor Caf, 2094 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY 10538, 914-834-2213, www.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 www.wmcjazz.org Zankel Hall, 881 7th Ave, New York, 212-247-7800 Zebulon, 258 Wythe St., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, 718-218-6934, www.zebuloncafeconcert.com Zinc Bar, 82 West 3rd St. RECORD STORES Academy Records, 12 W. 18th St., New York, NY 10011, 212242-3000, http://www.academy-records.com Barnes & Noble, 1960 Broadway, at 67th St, 212-595-6859 Colony Music Center, 1619 Broadway. 212-265-2050, www.colonymusic.com Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe St, New York, NY 10002, (212) 473-0043, www.downtownmusicgallery.com J&R Music World, 13 Monroe St, 212-238-9000, www,jr.com Jazz Record Center, 236 W. 26th St., Room 804, 212-675-4480, www.jazzrecordcenter.com Normans Sound & Vision, 555 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11211 Princeton Record Exchange, 20 South Tulane St, Princeton, NJ 08542, 609-921-0881, www.prex.com Rainbow Music 2002 Ltd., 130 1st Ave (between 7th & St. Marks Pl.), 212-505-1774 Scottis Records, 351 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ, 07901, 908-277-3893, www.scotticd.com MUSIC STORES Drummers World, Inc., 151 W. 46th St., NY, NY 10036, 212840-3057, 212-391-1185, www.drummersworld.com Robertos Woodwind & Brass, 149 West 46th St. NY, NY 10036, 646-366-0240, Repair Shop: 212-391-1315; 212-8407224, www.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 www.samash.com Sadowsky Guitars Ltd, 2107 41st Avenue 4th Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101, 718-433-1990. www.sadowsky.com Steve Maxwell Vintage Drums, 723 7th Ave, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10019, 212-730-8138, www.maxwelldrums.com SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CONSERVATORIES 92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128 212.415.5500; www.92ndsty.org Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, 42-76 Main St., Flushing, NY, Tel: 718-461-8910, Fax: 718-886-2450
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-622-3300, www.brooklynconservatory.com City College of NY-Jazz Program, 212-650-5411, Columbia University, 2960 Broadway, 10027 Drummers Collective, 541 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011, 212-741-0091, www.thecoll.com Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Rd., 516-424-7000, ext.163, Dix Hills, NY Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow St., Tel: 212-2424770, Fax: 212-366-9621, www.greenwichhouse.org Juilliard School of Music, 60 Lincoln Ctr, 212-799-5000 LaGuardia Community College/CUNI, 31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City, 718-482-5151 Lincoln Center Jazz At Lincoln Center, 140 W. 65th St., 10023, 212-258-9816, 212-258-9900 Long Island University Brooklyn Campus, Dept. of Music, University Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-488-1051, 718-488-1372 Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave., 10027, 212-749-2805, 2802, 212-749-3025 New Jersey City University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305, 888-441-6528 New School, 55 W. 13th St., 212-229-5896, 212-229-8936 New York University-Jazz/Contemporary Music Studies, 35 West 4th St. Room#777, 212-998-5446, 212-995-4043 New York Jazz Academy, (718) 426-0633 www.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 newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/index1.html SUNY Purchase, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY 914-251-6300, 914-251-6314 Swing University (see Jazz At Lincoln Center, under Venues) William Paterson University Jazz Studies Program, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ, 973-720-2320
I am thankful for all of those who said no me. Its because of them Im doing it myself .
Albert Einstein
WKCR 89.9, Columbia University, 2920 Broadway Mailcode 2612, New York, NY 10027, Listener Line: (212) 8549920, www.columbia.edu/cu/wkcr, jazz@wkcr.org One Great Song, Hosted by Jay Harris, www.wmnr.org (at 6 on Saturdays, and at www.tribecaradio.net at 11AM Sundays and again on Monday and Thursday nights at 11PM.) Lenore Raphaels JazzSpot, www.purejazzradio.com. PERFORMING GROUPS Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, 490 Riverside Drive, 11th Floor New York, NY 10027, 212-896-1700, www.orpheusnyc.com Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Emily Tabin, Director, PO Box 506, Chappaqua, NY 10514, 914-861-9100, www.westjazzorch.org ADDITIONAL JAZZ RESOURCES Big Apple Jazz, www.bigapplejazz.com, 718-606-8442, gordon@bigapplejazz.com Louis Armstrong House, 34-56 107th St, Corona, NY 11368, 718-997-3670, www.satchmo.net Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, RutgersUniv, 185 University Av, Newark, NJ, 07102, 973-353-5595 Jazzmobile, Inc., 154 West 127th St, 10027, 212-866-4900, www.jazzmobile.org Jazz Museum in Harlem, 104 E. 126th St., 212-348-8300, www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org Jazz Foundation of America, 322 W. 48th St. 10036, 212-245-3999, www.jazzfoundation.org New Jersey Jazz Society, 1-800-303-NJJS, www.njjs.org New York Blues & Jazz Society, www.NYBluesandJazz.org Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St, New York, NY, 212-620-5000 ex 344, www.rmanyc.org.
RADIO WBGO 88.3 FM, 54 Park Pl, Newark, NJ 07102, Tel: 973-6248880, Fax: 973-824-8888, www.wbgo.org WCWP, LIU/C.W. Post Campus WFDU, http://alpha.fdu.edu/wfdu/wfdufm/index2.html
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Interview
Mike Vax
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
Visit Mike Vax and The Kenton Alumni Band online at www.mikevax.net | www.bigbandjazz.net
JI: How did your association with Stan Kenton begin? Mike Vax: I became a Kenton fan in about 1956, when I bought Kenton in Hi Fi. Not long after, I got Cuban Fire, and was completely hooked. I actually joined the Capitol Record Club so that I could order Stan Kenton and Four Freshmen albums. My first live experience was in January of 1960, when I saw the Road Show Tour of the Kenton Orchestra, June Christy, and the Four Freshmen. A bunch of us from my high school dance band took dates to that concert and sat way back in the balcony because that was all we could afford. When we went to get something to eat after the concert, I told my friends that I was going to play with that band someday. In May of that year, Don Jacoby came to our high school to do a clinic and concert. He took a liking to me and actually sponsored me to go the the 2nd Kenton Summer Camp at Indiana University that summer. My two trumpet teachers were Conte Candoli and Kansas Jimmy Maxwell. The Kenton Orchestra was off that summer and they had an all-star faculty from many years
answer was all I needed to hear. He said If you want to bad enough, you probably will! Of course what I heard was that Stan Kenton said I could play in his band. It became the guiding force in my life. JI: What were some of the essential understandings you gleaned from Stan Kenton about leadership and running a big band? MV Most musicians who worked for him agreed that he was the best of all the leaders to work for. He always traveled on the bus with the band, and really liked being a father figure to all of us. You could talk to him about problems you were having, whether musical or personal. He was a very caring individual and as long as you played your part well every night, he would be your best friend. I always felt that everyone in the band gave their all every night, because they knew that he truly cared about them. But he was also a taskmaster, in that he expected it right every night. The music was very difficult and demanding and we gave it our complete concentration. I have always tried to treat the musicians in the same way. I guess one big difference is that he truly was a star, and I sort of consider myself one of the guys. In a way, just another sideman, except that I have the responsibility of doing all the booking, travel arrangements, hotels, and most everything else that goes along with touring. I am very proud of the fact that so many marvelous musicians like touring with the Kenton Alumni Band and seem to like my style of leading the band. JI: Could you discuss the advice and suggestions that you might have picked up or been instructed by Stan Kenton during your tenure with the big band?
also talked a lot about his commitment to jazz education and the importance of bringing the music to young people. I think he did like the fact that I became a full time clinician after leaving his band, besides wanting to start my own band. JI: What were some of the challenges and highlights that the Stan Kenton Orchestra experienced while you were touring with his band? MV: First of all the individual challenges of touring in the old days, when you played pretty much seven nights a week, eleven and a half months a year, were keeping your chops straight and not overdoing it; keeping your head straight living on a bus all the time; eating somewhat properly; and keeping concentration up playing much of the same music night after night. The challenges for Stan were of course keeping the band booked well in advance and trying to make enough to pay the bills. Luckily back then there were booking agencies with staffs of people to work on that, and we were usually booked quite a few months in advance, but there were many nights of fill in dates that really didnt pay enough to make ends meet. Over the years there were many times when Stan lost money out of his own pocket keeping the band on the road. There were so many highlights, it is hard just to pick a few. First of all, just playing for Stan Kenton every night! Secondly, playing with such fantastic musicians. Some of the memorable concerts were: The 1971 Newport Jazz Festival, the 1972 Newport in New York Jazz Festival, Opera houses in Venice, Paris, and Budapest, and all the summer camps where we got to work with wonderful young musicians. JI: Were there ever any noteworthy jazz artists on different instruments that might have guest performed or showed up impromptu to play with the band? MV: Singers who appeared with is at different times, were June Christy, Chris Conner and the Four Freshmen. When Stan was sick in the hospital in 1971, Don Ellis came out to be a guest soloist with us for a while. We had a great time with him. He sounded wonderful every night and he obviously enjoyed playing with us. Charlie Barnett came out to front the band for a stint in Disneyland at that time as well. We did a two week stint at a Mafia restaurant outside Buffalo, NY called the Three Rivers Inn, with Brook Benton as our guest artist. It was a strange pairing, but worked out really well, and two weeks in one place was like a vacation. This was actually a fill in date for a European tour that got canceled. Earl Father Hines was one of Stans idols. He actually came to a gig we played at a hotel ballroom in Atlanta one night and Stan was in heaven. They did a couple of four handed piano things together that were simply amazing. JI: Could you share your observations on some of the key arrangements and compositions in the Kenton repertoire?
Stan [Kenton] was one of the fathers of the jazz education movement. He really understood that we need to bring the music to younger generations so that it will live on in the future. He was one of the very first to bring his band into schools on a regular basis to do afternoon clinics as well as evening concerts.
of Kenton Orchestras. They needed a 4th trumpet player for the faculty band and I was put into the band. So I played in my student band in the daytime and the Kenton faculty band directed by Stan in the evening. It literally changed my life. I had actually been planning on getting a degree in classical performance from the Conservatory at University of the Pacific, but after that experience (and my earlier desire after hearing the Kenton Orchestra live), I really did decide that the most important thing in my life was getting to play for Stan Kenton. At the end of that camp, I actually went up to Stan and said Mr. Kenton I am going to play in your band someday. His
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MV: Stan gave the record company a quote for my first big band album Evil Eyes that featured Art Pepper. It was recorded about nine months after I left the Kenton Orchestra. He said Mike Vaxs future is assured because of his driving desire to express himself and to lead. He knew me pretty well. He was a great one for talking to the musicians to see what their plans and aspirations were. He especially liked the idea of his band members going on to start their own bands. That, to him, was a great way to help keep the music alive. We did talk about his early years with his own band and what he had to go through to keep it together in the beginning. We
(Courtesy of artist)
Mike Vax
Mike Vax
MV: We had amazing arrangers writing for the band when I was on it, plus we had all those great charts from previous years. Bill Holman was still doing some things and our main writers were Hank Levy, Willie Maiden and Ken Hanna. Other arrangers whose music I loved to play were Lenny Niehaus, Johnny Richards, Bill Russo and Pete Rugolo. Probably my favorite chart in the whole Kenton repertoire is Bill Holmans arrangement of Stompin at the Savoy. Another favorite is Holmans arrangement of Yesterdays. When I was on the band, Stan really got into the odd time meter compositions of Hank Levy who was also writing for Don Ellis band. They were an important part of all of our concerts and recordings. Ken Hanna was writing really beautiful and exotic compositions and they were also very important as well. I think that the favorite composer/arranger during my time, for the guys in the band, was Willie Maiden. He had, of course, written a lot of Maynard Fergusons book before coming on the Kenton Orchestra. His charts really swung but in the Kenton vein. They really worked for the band and gave us a more light, swinging approach, while not sounding at all like Woody or Maynard or Basie. JI: Talk about some of the memorable recordings you did with Stan Kenton and His Orchestra - and some of the highlights, dramatic, funny or interesting?
in succession recorded live in universities. Stan loved recording the band live in concert. It really showed the band off in realistic surroundings. At the end of the first night of recording in front of the live audience at Redlands, my good friend Joe Marcinkiewicz (now well known as a mouthpiece and trumpet maker) was in the audience. I guess I should say that this was the first major recording session in my life, and I took over the lead book just one day before that session. Well, Joe came up afterwards and said that he just had one question. He wanted to know how I kept that straight sound used in the trumpet section with no vibrato, when he could see my knees shaking from the audience. To this day, that might have been the scariest night of my life! We also recorded live for London Records in England in 1972 and that was the only recording in the 70s that was not released on the Creative World label. That one also sold very well all over the world. It was called Stan Kenton Today. It was recorded at the end of a grueling European tour and we played in the afternoon for levels for the recording people, then did two back to back completely sold out concerts. To be honest, we were dead tired and thought we hadnt done very well, but Stan reassured us that everything was going to be fine, and it sure turned out that way. Even though the sound was a bit weird on the recording, that one might be my favorite of the recordings I was on. JI: What did you learn about arranging and composing as a performing member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra? MV: While I have done a little bit of arranging
I actually went up to Stan and said Mr. Kenton I am going to play in your band someday. His answer was all I needed to hear. He said If you want to bad enough, you probably will!
MV: I was very lucky to be on the band in the early 70s, as we did a lot of recording. I was on six double albums. With the advent of all the bootlegging going on today, I am on at least another fifteen albums that I obviously didnt get paid for. The first album I was on was one of the most important of Stans long career. It was Live at Redlands University and it was the very first release from his own new company. In the late 1960s, he left Capitol Records to start his own company, The Creative World of Stan Kenton. That was actually not a brand new name. Some of the later Capitol recordings said From the Creative World of Stan Kenton. Stan decided to keep that name, as it certainly described what he was doing. Creative World was a huge endeavor for him and he knew he had to make it work in order to keep the band on the road. Live at Redlands was the most successful of all the recordings that Creative World put out. There were many other great albums recorded by the band in the 1970s, but that very first one was the best seller of all. It was also the first of four albums
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MV: I think that the first thing that should be said is that Stan was one of the fathers of the jazz education movement. He really understood that we need to bring the music to younger generations so that it will live on in the future. He was one of the very first to bring his band into schools on a regular basis to do afternoon clinics as well as evening concerts. He was also there at the beginning of the proliferation of summer jazz camps. He made the music of his band available to any and all school bands for a very reasonable price, through Creative World Publications. He also gave young musicians a chance to perform in his band and make a name for themselves, while learning about the road and what it takes to play every night for enthusiastic audiences. By the 1970s most of the musicians in his band were unknown young players who got their first break on his band. An interesting side note is that many of these musicians had been students at his summer camps, and for many of them, Stan was a complete idol. They may not have had big names, or even been as good as some of the name players that played on the band many years before, but they played their hearts out for him and loved the music that they performed. As I stated, Stan was a great guiding force for arrangers that went through his band. His band was not meant to be a swing band in his mind. He led a concert jazz orchestra and the music was, for the most part, meant to be listened to, not danced to. He changed the sound and style of his band over the years more than any other band leader. A person listening to recordings of different eras of his band for the first time, might actually think that they were listening to different bands. He was always searching for new sounds and new forms of expression. JI: Could you talk about the inception of the Kenton Alumni band and how it has grown over the years? MV: The Alumni Band was started in 1991 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Kenton Orchestra. I was asked to put a tribute band together for the 10th anniversary of the De Anza College Herb Patnoe Jazz Festival that same year. Herb had been the administrator of the Kenton Summer Camps for quite a few years before he died at a very young age. Originally Dick Shearer my great friend and the former lead trombone and assistant conductor of the Kenton Orchestra, was supposed to be my coleader of the Alumni Band. He performed with us on that first date, but unfortunately he had health problems that didnt let him travel with the band at all, and he died very young at 57 years of age. He was like my older brother and I still miss him to this day. In the beginning, in keeping with Stans wishes in his will, we didnt use his name as part of the actual name of the band. He didnt want a ghost band traveling around under the name The Stan Kenton Orchestra, playing the hits of the 40s. He hated nostalgia. So right from the beginning, we decided that the band would not just play pieces from when he was alive. We have always played new charts arranged in the Kenton Style, in addition to some of the music that he performed. The
and have composed some jazz tunes, this has not been a big part of my musical life. I have been lucky enough to be in bands and also be the leader of bands that have had great writers, so I have let them do their thing. I think one of the great pleasures we have as band leaders is to be able to present music from writers who we admire. This was one of Stans great accomplishments. He spawned so many great writers, that it is amazing. Yes the original sound of the band came from his mind and his pen, but really by the late 40s and early 50s, he was giving great writers like Pete Rugolo, Bill Russo, Lennie Niehaus, Bill Holman, Gerry Mulligan, and others, a chance to make a name for themselves by writing for his band. Believe me when I say that much of what they wrote was guided by what he wanted his band to sound like. JI: Could you talk about Stan Kenton and his career briefly and why his composing, arranging and big band are important in the history of and contributions to this music?
Mike Vax
band in the beginning was named The Mike Vax Big Band Featuring Alumni of the Stan Kenton Orchestra. A pretty long and unwieldy name, but it described us without calling it the Kenton Orchestra. We started touring in 1995, but didnt do it every year until 1999. Since then we have only missed two years without any kind of a tour. Some have been shorter mini-tours and some have been two to three weeks in length. That is about the maximum we can do at any one time. The studio players cant be away any longer than that. We have toured in most areas of the country and have been in 25 states and Washington DC. We have played in Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Universities, and for jazz festivals, jazz societies, dances and cruises. JI: What if any association with and or endorsements by the Kenton family has the Kenton Alumni Band developed over the years? MV: I knew Audree Coke Kenton pretty well. She was Stans last manager and they lived together the last years of his life. She took good care of him in those last years, when his health got very bad. She was also the protector of his name and legacy after he passed away. She didnt let too many things happen with the use of his name. I think in some ways she went a bit overboard with that, and his name was starting to go away. Interestingly enough, she never bothered me about what we were doing, and actually told mutual friends that Stan would have approved of the way we were doing things. About five years ago, Stans last actual wife, JoAnn and his son Lance got together with me and also said that they thought that Stan would have loved the Alumni Band, and that we should start using his name. Well, again knowing Stans wishes, I would have never called the band the Stan Kenton Orchestra, so we came up with the Stan Kenton Alumni Band, which really describes who we are. Many people had already been calling us that anyway. JI: Could you talk about the motivation for and the process you went through in creating your non-profit Friends of Big Band Jazz Organization? MV: In the very beginning I had two reasons for starting Friends of Big Band Jazz. The first one was financial. On that very first tour we did with the Kenton Alumni Band, I lost $5000 out of my own pocket. Starting a non-profit would allow me to seek donations and sponsors for our tours to not only relieve my own loses, but also enable us to lower the cost of the band to all the schools that we book on the tours. The second reason was to be able to raise funds to donate to school music programs and to give scholarships to young musicians to attend summer jazz camps. We have also raised money to help musicians who have had medical problems. So far we have given out well over $60,000. My first job was to
put together a board of directors who loved big band music and wanted to help young people. We have a small board only 13 people, but they have worked hard and are all proud of what we have accomplished. We actually found a lawyer who was also a big band fan, who donated his fee to help us obtain our non-profit status with both the State of California and the Federal Government. Back then, my big band in the Bay Area in California was playing quite a few concerts every year, and the board members helped with all aspects of presenting those concerts as well. JI: What were the motivators that you experienced growing up in that led to your pursuing this musical path? MV: Way back in the 40s, I can remember sitting with my family when I was very young and listening to big band remotes on the radio. I think I loved the music from the first time I heard it. In elementary school, after doing the usual song flute class, I was put into the school orchestra a semester earlier than usual. I had gone through the whole song flute book on my own, so Mrs. Aldridge, the orchestra teacher decided to give me a beat up old cornet and get me started in music. I fell in love with that horn right away, and my mom used to have to make me quit practicing so that I could do my homework. My parents were completely supportive of my musical interest all through my school years. My mom was an artist and my dad was a photographer, so they understood my commitment to music. I had amazing music teachers all through school, both in my classes in school and with my private teachers. I took private lessons from the 4th grade all the way through my college years. My high school had a college prep music department, so besides all of the performing classes, we had music theory as well. I played in concert band, ROTC band, dance band, orchestra, and the theater orchestra that played for the drama department musicals. One of my most influential teachers was Norm Tompach, who is still a great friend and has produced all the recordings of the Kenton Alumni Band. Other very influential teachers were: Gordon Finlay, Don Jacoby, Carmine Caruso, and Roy Stevens. Besides Stan Kenton, the biggest mentor for me has been Clark Terry. I got to play lead trumpet in his Big Bad Band, and he has guided me for over 40 years. He was one of the reasons that I wanted to become a clinician. Times were very different back then and there was all kinds of work. I joined the musicians union my junior year in high school, as was playing in society dance bands plus my own combo. In my senior year in high school, I was also asked to be an extra trumpet for the Oakland Symphony for a few concerts. There were all sorts of opportunities to play outside of school. From the very beginning, I seemed to have a propensity for the business end of music. By my senior year in high school and then all through college, I was booking my own bands and putting musicians to work. Then after college, it just seemed that I fell into jobs doing business as well as playing. It kept going all the way through the Kenton Orchestra, where
I was road manager. Since leaving that band, I have always led my own bands, besides playing for others. JI: What does your endorsement by Getzen Trumpets involve and how are they associated with your efforts involving the Kenton Alumni Band? MV: In my 40 plus years of being a clinician, I have been associated with a few different companies and have been lucky enough to design four different trumpets, three of which have been on the market and have done very well. My Getzen model 3001MV is one of the best-selling pro horns that the company makes. I have been with the Getzen Company for eight years, and it has been a wonderful relationship. They have treated me really well, and are very supportive of my educational endeavors. They help sponsor many of my clinics and make donations every year to Friends of Big Band Jazz to help sponsor both the Kenton Alumni Tours and the Prescott Jazz Summit that I produce here in Arizona. The fact that they are a family owned company and that all of their instruments are Made in the USA is very important to me. JI: Based on your experiences performing at high schools and colleges around the USA with the Kenton Alumni band, what observations have you made about the tenor of those music programs? MV: This question could be the basis of a whole article in itself. I have mixed feelings about music education in our country today. We are turning out some truly wonderful young musicians, but what I see in general is that many music students in the band programs just dont seem to want to work as hard at becoming proficient as in past years. I blame some of this on TV and video games and computers. Many young people dont want to have to work hard over quite a few years to get good at playing their instruments. They are much more into the instant gratification that comes with the games. This really does affect their attention span. Another thing that worries me is that so many of the high school music programs have almost become extensions of the athletic department. The main reason for their existence is winning trophies and beating other schools. They work hard at the marching show, learning four or five tunes that they play all year in competitions. This has also spilled over into the jazz field, where I also see bands that rehearse the same five or six tunes over and over to take to contest. I wish that the students in these programs would learn to work that hard to play music for the sake of making beautiful sounds. The interesting thing is that the students who do end up taking music more seriously, eem to be better prepared and more adept then we were many years ago. Especially in the jazz idiom. I get blown away many times when judging festivals at the maturity that some of the jazz soloists show. My other concern is for these wonderful young musicians, because there are so few places these days for them to perform and perfect their craft. (Part Two Continued next issue)
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Interview
Srgio Galvo
Interview by Joe Patitucci
Visit Srgio Galvo online at www.SergioGalvaoSax.com
JI: Could you discuss the jazz recordings that you first heard that inspired you to take this path and pursue a career as a saxophonist? SG: My older brothers were musicians we used to listen to a variety of good music at home. Within all jazz recordings we heard back then one that hooked me was the Duke Ellington and John Coltrane album, that atmosphere is complete. JI: What were some of the challenges that you experienced in your pursuits in the jazz realm in Brazil? SG: Despite the high quality of Brazilian music the jazz market in Brazil is not that mature. There are just a few labels producing instrumental music and not a big variety of jazz venues or radios to perform. However we still producing lots of young talented musicians. Therefore the main challenge is to find space in this market where the offer is many times higher than demand. JI: Could you discuss your relationship with Victor Assis Brasil and his music - and how it
school, when I heard Coltrane for the first time I immediately desired to play jazz and saxophone. As I didnt have a saxophone I started playing his tunes in the clarinet and changed the whole course of my learning. JI: What do you do to balance your skills on both saxophone and clarinet.
and living with was Roberto Menescal. Among many teachings the one that marked me the most was his profound ability to suit to many different styles but always keeping his identity. This was a great lesson that I take to different life situations. JI: The music world, the jazz world are replete with temptations associated with varying desires for power, fame, fortune that can have the potential to compromise ones focus, ones integrity and character. What do you do to maintain your focus and to ensure that you minimize those kinds of influences and people? SG: My passion for music comes in the first place. Of course every person wants to be recognized by his work. But I never had the ambition to get rich or famous. Actually the reality of Brazilian musician is the main threat to the focus on my music. As I said the market here doesnt allow everyone to make a living from jazz music and we need to find alternatives and play other gigs. But in the end of the day we see that everything youre exposed to contributes for your art. JI: How would you characterize improvisation in the context of your approach to making music? SG: Improvisation for me is an exercise of creativity, its like instant composition. When you read a book you create your own universe for that environment. Your imagination creates the characters, the locations, the weather I believe that improvisation goes that way, you create a sound environment in which you give musical forms while improvises. JI: Is there anything youd like to promote or discuss that I havent prompted you about? SG: Music came to me through an epiphany, allowing me to believe that I could follow in my brothers` already-ventured footsteps. This fortunate discovery would help me to finally solve a puzzle that began a few decades ago. The art of listening became my way of life, and that gift enabled me to raise my children and acquire immense circle of friends. I do sincerely hope that those who will meet me through my songs, will be able to appreciate this musical expression of my life, which gratefully, includes a part of each of the people involved in Phantom Fish project. And would like to invite everyone to know my work at www.sergiogalvaosax.com
SG: It happens naturally, I believe a skill is developed by necessity. I had a good foundation in both instruments which helps a lot in these exchanges. JI: Could you discuss the development of your new recording from the initial concept to finished artwork - and the conversation you might have had or suggestions you might have received from Amanda Ruzza, who produced this album? SG: This album was designed with a lot of freedom. WeAmanda and meencouraged everyone to take part in the arrangements, and to put a lot from their selves in it. This was a premise since the beginning because I wanted to have a lot of this New York scene in the CD. Amanda was crucial because she was the bridge between these two worlds, and made an excellent job both playing and producing. Im very grateful to her. JI: What are your opinions about the benefits or shortcomings of the academic/university route versus performance and apprenticeship in the real world that had been the pathway to a performance career in the past? SG: In my opinion the most important thing for a musician is to practice. And for me it means studying at home alone, performing in a gig or,
...the key thing for me is to combine study and practical experience. One big challenge is to keep practicing even when youre performing a lot. Its easy to get into a comfort zone and then when you need to do something different that requires more from you, youre just rusty.
was as source of inspiration? SG: I have not had the opportunity to watch him live. In fact he passed away in the year I began studying saxophone and it impressed me, created in me a sense of carrying that flag. Victor is a hero of our music. He brought the fusion of Jazz and Brazilian elements and expanded my horizons. I used to listen to his albums over and over. Im definitely a huge fan. JI: Talk about how your interest in the music of John Coltrane developed, and how you began to study, transcribe and or assimilate what he created into your own music? SG: I began studying clarinet and the classical
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of course, going to college. You can be an outstanding student in college but a poor performer, and vice-versa. So the key thing for me is to combine study and practical experience. One big challenge is to keep practicing even when youre performing a lot. Its easy to get into a comfort zone when youre doing a lot a gigs and then when you need to do something different that requires more from you, youre just rusty. JI: What words of wisdom or encouragement from some of the influential artists with whom you have worked, have resonated with you in a way that has inspired your character and the way you lead your life? SG: A great master I had the honor of working
PERFORMANCES
PERSONNEL: Srgio Galvo - sax; Amanda Ruzza - bass; Leni Stern - guitar; Alex Nolan - guitar; Mauricio Zottarelli - drums
1/20/2014 with Amanda Ruzza at The Shrine 1/23/2014 with Amanda Ruzz Group at Bass Bash at J.T. SCHMIDTS in Anaheim, CA (NAMM SHOW 1/26/2014 Srgio Galvo Group at Duende, Oakland, CA http://duendeoakland.com 2/11/2014 Srgio Galvo Group s Special Guests CD Release show at Cornelia St. Caf, NYC
Srgio Galvo
Interview
Kris Bowers
lute best from myself. For example, in a lesson with Fred, Id play a song and afterwards hed ask, What did you think of that? Then, after I gave my impression hed say, Well, this, this and this could be better. So, in order to work on that, try these exercises. It was amazing. Not only did I learn to be incredibly honest with myself about my playing, I was able to figure out ways to strengthen the weaknesses. JI: You mentioned your interest in film music by such composers Howard Shore, John Williams, Danny Elfman, and others. In developing your skills as a composer and arranger, have you studied some of their scores? What other arrangers have you studied to develop your approach? KB: Definitely! Unfortunately, with film music, its pretty hard to find the actual sheet music scores, but, Ive listened to some of those recordings just as much as some of my favorite albums. Other than that, Ive studied classical pieces by composers like Brahms, Mahler, Beethoven, and Holst.
with that, Ill find a bass line, a counter melody, a melody for the bridge, and so on. This also becomes a great way to make sure a piece has continuity, and that you didnt slip something in there just because it was a cool idea. JI: What were the benefits and or challenges to your artistic pursuits that you experienced being in an academic environment during your college years at Juilliard? KB: First off, going to school in New York was a huge plus. With that, it was possible to go to a great show any night of the week, play sessions with some of my favorite musicians, and my name began to spread through different circles. Also, Juilliard sets up gigs around the city and tours around the world throughout the school year and summer, so there was a lot of real world experience we were getting. The challenges didnt come until later. As I started to gig more, it was hard to balance schoolwork and a growing touring schedule, and there was a limit to the amount of touring I was able to do each semester. By my last year there, I was definitely pushing that limit. Luckily, they were pretty lenient with letting me go from time to time. Its like what John Clayton says that by your last year of school, you should hate it and be incredibly frustrated, because it should be getting in the way of your blossoming career. JI: Could you discuss one or more of the essential stylists in this music - and how they might have significantly influenced your development, vocabulary and or perspectives as an improvising musician? KB: As far as pianists go, there are a handful that I spent a lot of time checking out. Id spend months only listening to pianists like Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly, Herbie Hancock, Mulgrew Miller, Keith Jarrett, Kenny Kirkland, Brad Mehldau, and Robert Glasper, one at a time. Other artists that had an impact on the way I approach music have a wide range including Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder. I love how Miles and Quincy kept pushing the music forward for instance. Or how Hendrix had so much of the blues in his music. I also believe that music is one of the most powerful tools in affecting social justice and change. Artists like Dylan, Marley, and Stevie are testaments to that fact. JI: What do you see as the challenges facing this music we know as jazz, and the prospects in the years to come? KB: The worst thing we can do for this music is continue to try and define it. What I dislike most about genre titles is that they do nothing to describe the actual music, and each persons definition of a genre only deals with their own personal experiences with the music. They also allow us to judge someones music before hearing it. If I say Im a jazz artist for example, whoever Im speaking to then has to decide what that means, and based on how they feel about
Visit Kris Bowers online at www.KrisBowersMusic.com

JI: Could you discuss your upcoming performance at the Winter Festival in January and the repertoire, instrumentation and so on that audiences might experience? KB: For the show at Winter Jazz Fest, well essentially be presenting a snapshot of the album. Usually, the set times for these things are pretty short, and so we wont be able to go all out and do a full show for this one. Still, well play a handful of tracks from the album as well as a couple of special things just for that night. Im excited to be able to have Kenneth Whalum (sax), Brad Williams (guitar), Burniss Earl Travis (bass), Jamire Williams (drums), and special guest Julia Easterlin (vocals) with me for the show, so itll be a great night. JI: Could you discuss some of the words of wisdom or guidance that made a significant im-
The worst thing we can do for this music is to continue to try and define it. What I dislike most about genre titles is that they do nothing to describe the actual music ... They also allow us to judge someones music before hearing it.
pact on you during your studies with artists including Kenny Barron, Frank Kimbrough, Fred Hersch, Eric Reed? KB: I cant recall any specific quotes at the moment, but one thing they all insisted upon is that I have an incredible work ethic. If ever I came into a lesson underprepared, they didnt sugarcoat anything, and it was great! To be honest, I loved and thrived on that type of instruction. They also made sure that I demanded the absoJI: Could you talk about some of your inspirations as a composer and the process or processes that you go through - realizing that the germ of a composition can start with anything from a rhythm to a motivic melodic idea and so on? KB: Yeah, ideas can start from any little thing, and come from anywhere. For me, once I have one idea, whether it be a rhythm, a melody, or an interesting harmonic progression, I try to exhaust every possibility for that idea. I got that from Terence Blanchard. If I come up with a short melodic phrase for example, Ill write it in different keys, forwards, backwards, and a few other variations. When you do that, you find so much more material to work with. Sometimes
PERFORMANCES
1/10/14 Kris Bowers Group at Club Groove, 11:30 PM. 125 MacDougal, NYC
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Photo by Ken Weiss
Kris Bowers
Interview
Sharel Cassity
She expected no less than my best in anything. One year, I went to a music camp that I had gone to every year and was too shy to audition for the jazz band. Earlier that year I had been into learning a Charlie Parker solo. When I called her from the first day of camp she said you audition for that jazz band or Im not coming to get you! And she was serious - but I made the band! In some twist of fate, both of my first saxophone private teachers in Oklahoma had studied in Illinois with the renowned classical saxophonist Eugene Rousseau - who was a student of Marcel Mule, the founder of the French saxophone school. I was very fortunate to have been taught in that tradition since I began and developed solid fundamentals from an early age. Neither of them was forgiving, and neither of them treated me differently than any other student because I was a child or a girl. I loved it! I didnt know it then, but I was lucky to be surrounded in people that never told me that being a female saxophone player was different. I just started to notice it in other ways, like how I was treated by people who hadnt heard me. That still happens everywhere, and I cant do much about that except play.
Visit Sharel Cassity online at www.SharelCassity.com

JI: What were the motivators that you experienced growing up in Oklahoma City that led to your pursuing this musical path? SC: Moving around to various states in my early childhood, music was one of the only constants in life and I felt it was a connection to my family; I knew from eight years old that I wanted to be a musician. First I wanted to be a concert pianist and was well on my way winning concerto competitions. Then I was serious into classical saxophone. My father had an extensive jazz record collection, perfect pitch and a photogenic memory. I always thought it was cool that he could play any kind of music on the Hammond B-3, piano or trumpet and I loved hearing stories about Clifford, Bird, Mozart and all kinds of musicians. On visitation he would take me to his organ trio gig he played six night a week and I would sit on the bench with him through the gig, and loved hearing all the musician stories from that time. He was also a musical therapist while I
Mr. Heath would each other section from playing in saxophone sections together for so many years, and when I first started subbing in the band Moody dubbed me sectionette as a way of welcoming me into the section and because it was funny so the name stuck. Moody also inspired me on the road because he was always the first one you could hear practicing in the morning and throughout the day, even at his age and mastery. Mr. Heath inspires me in that way as well; to this day hes busy producing masterful compositions, arrangements and new ideas on the horn. Mr. Heath, Paquito DRivera & Roy Hargrove are all great leaders, and watching their approach to leadership has influenced me. They are brilliant musicians who are also great entertainers, and all from different generations. Its interesting to see the difference in generations but the same great leadership and musicianship as a constant. Diva was the first time I experienced playing in a big band of other women musicians on a professional level. It taught me a lot about myself and the camaraderie is priceless. I have a lot of love and respect for Sherrie Maricle and the members of that band. JI: What did you discover about the recording process and the business upon working on your first album as a leader? SC: My first album, Just for You was a project that came together in the studio very naturally and with musical ease with due credit to producer Michael Dease. It was then that I quickly realized I hadnt existed in the industry until the album was released. I remember thinking: all these years of struggling - and this is all I had to do?! The release of my first album was definitely an eye opener and a fast introduction to the business. To those who are more enterprising minds, that may seem obvious - but I didnt decide to be a jazz saxophonist for enterprising reasons. Ive always been more interested in striving to be a great saxophonist, improviser, composer and woodwind player with ambitions to contribute the music in a meaningful and lasting way. I had to realize that we need both business and skill, because being in obscurity helps no one. JI: What were some of the suggestions or guidance you received from one or more of the influential artists with whom youve worked, that has made significantly influenced your character and understanding of human nature? SC: James Moody taught me to always try to give out as much love as you can, thats what this music is about--that the more you give, the more comes back. The director of the Dizzy Band, John Lee has shown me complete acceptance, encouraged me to develop my voice over the years and has been a musical father to me. I couldnt ask for a better mentor than Jimmy Heath, and there isnt one thing I can say to him that he wont have great advice or an answer for. Listening to Mr. Heath talk for five minutes is a history and humanities lesson all in one; whatever I think is happening now, Im always reminded that its happened before. Cyrus Chest(Continued on page 40)
I quickly realized I hadnt existed in the industry until the album was released. I remember thinking: all these years of struggling - and this is all I had to do?! The release of my first album was definitely an eye opener and a fast introduction to the business.
was growing up and I saw firsthand how music could help people and believed that performing was another way of doing that. When I was nine I visited my dad for Christmas and he gave me my first alto. It seemed very similar to the piano to me - like a vertical keyboard - so I was playing songs on it the first day. He wrote out melodies to tunes and thats how I started playing. Also, my mom was proactive in driving me to lessons, teaching me how to practice and to always strive for more than I could already do. JI: What were the first few jazz recordings that made a significant impact on you? SC: Charlie Parker Massey Hall; Cannonball Adderley Live at the Lighthouse; Count Basie Montreaux 77; Branford Marsalis, Heard You Twice The First Time. JI: Could you talk about several of the big bands with whom you have performed, some important ideas youve learned and the difference in leadership and approach? Jimmy Heath Big Band, Diva, Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Big Band? SC: Ive been fortunate to play next to and observe Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Antonio Hart & Mark Gross in the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and Mr. Heaths Big Band. James Moody and
PERFORMANCES
1/10/14 Sharel Cassity 5 at Club Groove, 6:30 PM. 125 MacDougal St., New York City 1/25/14 Sharel Cassity at Deer Head Inn, 7PM. 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA.
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Photo by Eric Nemeyer
Sharel Cassity
Sharel Cassity
nut used to tell me to keep making sure the music is taken care of, and everything will fall into place. Antonio Hart and Mark Gross have also worked to spread Moodys philosophy and pass it on to me through their example. There are so many others who have been positive and supportive of my endeavorsI feel blessed to have these people around me. JI: How did your time as a student at Juilliard help or challenge your artistic pursuits and musical goals? SC: I was thrilled to be accepted into Juilliard Masters program; it allowed me the time and resources to get closer to where I wanted to be on the horn. Before I went to Juilliard I had been teaching beginning flute and clarinet classes at an inner city middle school, and before that I worked as a bartender and waitress to pay my way through the New School Jazz program. It was a welcome change to suddenly be surrounded with great musicians, Steinway pianos, practice rooms, master classes, great teachers and a resourceful environment. I learned a great deal while I was there. I know that everyone has a different opinion, and it wasnt easy by any stretch. Juilliard was a very demanding program that left no time for anything else. But for me it was positive in many ways. There isnt a perfect school out there. The trick is to appreciate where you are and use it to your full advantage. JI: With the challenges that it takes to maintain and increase proficiency on ones instrument, what do you to balance staying on the path of master for flute, alto flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet as well as soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones? SC: Although I love doubling, my focus has
shifted. Now Im concentrating on composing and developing a more distinct sound as a saxophonist and bandleader. Since I had played alto since I was nine, I was ahead of my peers in high school bandso my band director decided I should play a new woodwind each year in the concert bands. I accepted the challenge and kept playing seriously into my first three years of college on flute, clarinet and their corresponding families. Although I dont practice each one all the time these days, I do enough maintenance work through gigs and recording sessions to keep me current and oftentimes improving. I find there are more similarities than differences in the single reeds, and tend to generally pick up where I left off. Im not trying to downplay serious doubling. Thats just the level of commitment Im happy with at this time. JI: Talk about your upcoming performance in January at the Winter Festival. SC: This is definitely going to be a fun concert for us. Weve played as a band consistently now for about a year, and there are no restrictions as to where we could go. The music has a lot of energy, and weve reached a familiarity with all of the new compositions and arrangements that allows us to free up and have a great time. With Cyrus in the band there is always some major excitement and fresh ideas, and Greg Gisbert is an amazing trumpet player who also brings the music to new heights. Im always proud to share the stage with my contemporaries E.J. Strickland and Dezron Douglas; they are solid, intuitive & swinging. JI: The music world, the jazz world are replete with temptations associated with varying desires for power, fame, fortune that can have the potential to compromise ones focus, ones integrity and character. What do you do to maintain your focus and to ensure that you minimize those kinds of influences and people? SC: Daily practice and composing keeps me try to be generous and kind to everyone I meet until they give me reason not to be. JI: The music world, the jazz world are replete with temptations associated with varying desires for power, fame, fortune that can have the potential to compromise ones focus, ones integrity and character. What do you do to maintain your focus and to ensure that you minimize those kinds of influences and people? KB: Its funny. Although I basically just said the opposite, I can also be pretty cynical from time to time. If someone tells me how great they think I am, Im usually thinking that theyre either just being nice and say that to everyone, or they genuinely think that, and just have a different opinion from me on what that means. I just try to keep it real with myself. I think back to those private lessons and ask myself what could be better far more often than admiring how far Ive come. If youre climbing a mountain, you can stop for a moment to admire how much youve scaled so far, but if you stay there to bask in that
centered, humble and hungry. It leaves little time for negative thoughts and temptations. As Cyrus taught me, I have a strong belief that if the music is taken care of, everything else will fall in place. These days it would take a lot for me to compromise my vision. I strive to be happy with what I have and build on that. Anything else is irrelevant. JI: What do you do to decompress from your musical pursuits in the sometimes non-stressfree zone here on earth? SC: Im a fan of going to the gym and love people-watching, reading good books, rich dark chocolate and strong coffee. I also enjoy the camaraderie with other musicians and feel that its important to have a sense of community. Its great to get away from what Im working on and see what other musicians are doing; often Im inspired by it and refreshed when going back to my own work. JI: Is there anything youd like to promote or discuss that I havent prompted you about? SC: Well be at the Kennedy Center January 23rd and at Deer Head Inn January 25th. Im also preparing to record this group and am thinking about which labels might be a possibility. I have a lot of new music and ideas so there will be new projects coming out soon. For more info visit my website or join my newsletter at www.sharelcassity.com. Leadership is not magnetic personality. That can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not making friends and influencing people - that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a persons vision to higher sights, the raising of a persons performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.
- Peter F. Drucker
Kris Bowers
accomplishment, youll never get to the top. JI: What do you do to decompress from your business and musical pursuits? KB: I definitely take time to just hang with family and friends. Grab a drink, go shopping, watch a game, or see a movie. But you can bet that during that movie, Im checking out the score and how it fits with the film. Or while Im out with friends, Im thinking about that one part of a piece Im working on that isnt quite right yet. For us artists, it never really stops. JI: Is there anything youd like to promote or discuss that I havent prompted you about? KB: Im just very much looking forward to my album coming out this Spring! Its called Heroes + Misfits, and it will be out March 4th on Concord Records.
what they consider to be jazz, theyll determine if theyre going to like my music or not. Unfortunately, were stuck with these genre names for a bit longer, but I think my generation is doing better at meeting the music where its at. Thats why Id rather let other people dictate the genre of my music. If they want to call it jazz, great. If they dont, thats fine too. Just listen to it before you try to fit it in a box. JI: What have you discovered about human nature during your career? KB: Some people are incredibly generous, some mean well but dont follow through, and some are only concerned about themselves. You can usually get a pretty good idea of which category someone falls into after talking to them for a short while, but I can also be a bit of a softy. I
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Interview
Nicky Schrire
European musicians like Norma Winstone and Maria Pia De Vito. So my exposure and development was quite varied. Since moving to and studying in the US, Im aware of how precious it is to be in the same vicinity/community as those who inspire one. While still in Cape Town, I discovered musicians like Gretchen Parlato, Kate McGarry, Tierney Sutton, Dominique Eade and many more. But only upon visiting the US was I able to reach out to these people and to learn from them in person. South Africa can often feel very, very far away from the rest of the world and visitors only come to South Africa once or twice a year usually for the Cape Town Jazz Festival or Johannesburgs Joy of Jazz Festival. But nowadays overseas travel is more common so South Africa feels less out of the loop and visits from international musicians are more frequent. JI: Could you discuss your current recording, Space And Time, which features duets with pianists Fabian Almazan, Gerald Clayton and Gil Goldstein - and how it came to life from concept to completed artwork? NS: My debut album Freedom Flight was a quartet album, with guests on a couple of tracks. After recording a full-lenghth, large-ish ensemble album, I really wanted to scale back and document something in a more intimate way. Id started writing a lot of music specifically for voice and piano, so making a duo album felt like a natural way in which to downsize. I also became hyperaware of how living in a large, bustling city was effecting me and the music I wanted to write and sing. My reflex reaction was to become more subdued and to start honing in on the nuances in songs, lyrics and small ensemble collaboration. I felt better balanced psychologically after recording Space and Time! I knew Matt Pierson and loved many of the projects hed produced for artists like Taylor Eigsti, Becca Stevens and Brad Mehldau. And because I felt I was stepping out of my comfort zone, attempting a revered formatduo albums are common fodder for vocalistsand being ambitious in wanting to work with three pianists, I felt I needed guidance, and Matt was the perfect person for this project. We also share a love for
Visit Nicky Schrire online at www.nickyschrire.com

JI: What were the initial recordings you heard growing up in South Africa that inspired your interest in jazz? Nicky Schrire: My interest in jazz began with the Verve box set of Ella Fitzgerald - Best of the Songbooks. It was a gift from my mum and I listened to the triple-album collection so much that, to this day, I can sing the instrumental fills from the arrangements. After a rather traditional intro into jazz, I became less traditional and skipped ahead to Stacy Kent and Jane Monheit. Later on Tierney Sutton and Kate McGarrys beautiful recordings joined the fray. I think I was drawn to vocalists whose voices were in a similar register to mine, or voices that shared lighter timbral tendencies. I only delved into Betty Carter and Carmen McRae later down the line, while an undergaduate student at the University of Cape Town. My interest in jazz was further fed when I started learning the tenor saxophone at the age of eleven-the instrument was a gateway into learning to read jazz notated musicswing rhythms, chords, etc.playing in a big band, and listening to more instrumental music-mostly Coleman Hawkins and Stan Getz. JI: What were the benefits and challenges you experienced in and as a function of growing up in South Africa while pursuing your interest in jazz and developing your skills? NS: I was fortunate to study at the University of Cape Towns South African College of Music, which has the best jazz program in the country. So I benefitted from a wonderful faculty, many of whom studied at international institutions like University of North Texas, Berklee, and the University of Graz but returned to SA to share the information theyd gathered. Growing up and studying in South Africa also allowed me to develop in a rather free way in that my initial foray into jazz was through the discovery of American artistsElla, Sarah, Dexter, etc.but I wasnt stuck in a purely American-centric jazz syllabus or school. I was exposed to South African artists like Winston Mankunku and Bheki Mseleku, while discovering Brazilian artists like Maucha Adnet and Joo Gilberto, and exploring
interpreting contemporary, popular repertoire in the jazz idiom, so I knew his ear was a wellrounded and experienced one. Before the recording, I had met Gil Goldstein and Gerald Clayton socially and knew their records and collaborative work, and Id recorded a single with Fabian Almazan previous to this album. It was important to work with people I liked and who would bring different traits to the project. Gil, Gerald and Fabian are all beautiful, sensitive accompanists but have very different qualities as pianists, interpreters and improvisers. The album was recorded over three sessions at Sear Sound in New York City in November/December 2012. It was a wonderful experience and thrill getting to delve into four songs with each pianist and getting to collaborate in a very intense, focused context. JI: What kinds of guidance or suggestions did you receive from the label during the recording of this album? NS: The album was released through a distribution deal with Magenta Label Group who distribute through eOne Distribution. So they only came on board after the album was recorded, mixed and mastered. Magenta has been lovely to work with and theyve allowed me complete control over the artistic content and the manufacturing of the product. JI: Could you share some of the essential advice and understandings you may have picked up from some of your teachers - either in conversations or through observation - that you have assimilated into your own artistic and or life perspectives? NS: Ive been fortunate to learn with some
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PERFORMANCES
1/17/14 Nicky Schrire, Gerald Clayton, Kitano, 8
& 10PM. 66 Park Ave, NYC
Nicky Schrire
amazing teachers over the course of many years. I learnt with Peter Eldridge for two precious years at the Manhattan School of Music and his influence is weaved into the way I write and interpret music. Hes also a brilliant technical teacher and he helped me to develop the facility to have freedom when I sing. Kate McGarry taught me about taking time, both musically and personally. Shes such a warm, wise person and even the way in which she communicates is thoughtful and without frills. Theres an emotional succinctness to her singing which is linked to her thought process regarding music and being creative. I only had one lesson with Norma Winstone. It was more of an extended chat over tea! But that experience will stay with me forever. Hearing about her musical journey really reiterated how specific each persons path is. The arts are filled with competition and comparative discussions, but one has to march to the beat of ones own drum. This is a lesson Im still trying to absorb fully. JI: What kinds of challenges did you experience when you moved to New York City? NS: Being born in London, I had some city experience, but New York City is its own beast, compounded by the fact that music is a very volatile field. So although being in a school environment provided some structure, it was challenging figuring out my identity as a musician its an ongoing challengeand being away from my family meant I had to deal with academic, artistic doubt without the comfort of a support net.
a myriad of directions. I needed to be yanked out of my comfort zone and being in an academic environment, surrounded by immensely talented players made me work and think that much harder. I never felt bogged down by the academia because I knew that once Id finished my degree I would go through the process of sloughing off any restraints, and then I could enjoy creating freely knowing I had a tool box filled to the brim with musical wrenches and gadgets should I need them. Studying at MSM also marked the beginning of my moving to New York City, which has been invaluable my musical adventure. JI: What kinds of activities and practice do you do on the endless path of mastery of creating music and the pursuit of ongoing growth? NS: Im very goal oriented so I tend to practice more in the run-up to a performance or as a deadline approaches. But I believe in daily vocal exercise in some form, and listening to music ad nauseam. Sometimes I find myself listening actively and learning snippets of a tune or a solo, but even having music on in the background positively affects my aural skills and my desire to write new music. JI: What have you discovered about the music business and human nature as a result of your experiences with record labels, club operators, and so forth? NS: Ive discovered that music is as tough an industry as people claim it to be! Ive also learnt that, as much as I hate to admit it, luck plays a role at some point in the journey. Or at least one hopes to be struck by luck and to reach the next wrung of the ladder. I think its incredibly im-
ones favour when it comes to getting lucky. JI: What words of wisdom or encouragement from some of the influential artists with whom you have worked, have resonated with you in a way that has inspired your character and the way you lead your life? NS: Whats stuck with me most about almost everyone Ive been fortunate to work with is that theyre incredibly lovely, decent people. Theres no substitute for good people. Thats something theyve taught me by example. JI: The music world, the jazz world are replete with temptations associated with varying desires for power, fame, fortune that can have the potential to compromise ones focus, ones integrity and character. What do you do to maintain your focus and to ensure that you minimize those kinds of influences and people? NS: Its important that ones desire to be a musician is, first and foremost, about making music and having that music emotionally impact someone. If you can make sure that your focus is on that goal, then any superficial byproducts of the industry fall away. You may become famous, which may result in fortune and power, but at the end of the day being creative has to be so ingrained in you that you almost cant imagine doing anything else. To not compose or play music would feel unnatural. JI: What kinds of interests do you have outside of music that give you an opportunity to relax as well as provide different experiences to refresh your perspectives? NS: I love film and use going to the movies as an escape and a way to turn off my brain and relax while still feeling emotionally engaged. Visiting Cape Town is probably the most effective way for me to take a step back and take stock of everything. When Im back in South Africa I spend more time outside, on mountains, by the sea and with family and friends. Its such a beautiful country and theres space there to quiet my thoughts and reflect. Visiting Cape Town keeps me sane. JI: Is there anything youd like to promote or discuss that I havent prompted you about? NS: Ill be releasing a trio EP featuring Fabian Almazan on piano and Desmond White on double bass in February 2014. The project is special to me in that its the first time Ive documented all original music and it came about very organically. I had a playing session with Fabian and Des, after which we decided to go into the studio and record six tunes in five hours. The tracks were mixed and mastered and will be self released. Its a personal project and a new direction so Im excited to have people hear it. Ill also be rounding out Space and Time celebrations with two concerts with Gerald ClaytonJanuary 14th at Scullers in Boston, and January 17th at the Kitano in NYC.
...luck plays a role at some point in the journey. Or at least one hopes to be struck by luck and to reach the next wrung of the ladder. I think its incredibly important to be honest with oneself and I remind myself constantly that some people are the rule and others the exception when it comes to artistic endeavors Strategizing and honing business sense is very important for those of us who are the rule and not the exception.
JI: How did your time as a student at Manhattan School of Music help or challenge your artistic pursuits and musical goals? NS: Studying at Manhattan School of Music was invaluable in my development and education. The courseworkparticularly Dave Liebmans chromatic harmony syllabuswas very challenging and really stretched my aural capabilities. But I loved feeling stretched and pushed in
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portant to be honest with oneself and I remind myself constantly that some people are the rule and others the exception when it comes to artistic endeavors. If you can effectively, constructively self criticize, then you can better ascertain what you need to accomplish and how to go about achieving it. Strategizing and honing business sense is very important for those of us who are the rule and not the exception. Sure, luck plays a part. But one can accelerate the process or make sure the odds are in
Interview
that far. JI: What were the challenges that you experienced when you first moved to New York from Oregon?
Nate Wooley
Visit Nate Wooley online at www.NateWooley.com
JI: Talk about the mentoring that you experienced and some of the invaluable guidance you received from your father, who is a saxophonist. Nate Wooley: It wasnt just my dad, per se, but the fact that he put me in a position to be surrounded by musicians from a very early age. They werent sexy musicians, like you tend to hear about in those situations, but amateur musicians or the kind of faceless hard working journeyman jazz guys. Guys that played dance jobs and would laugh their ass off if I told them I played a 30 minute set last night. Every gig they played was four one-hour sets and they
NW: I had a period in Denver between Oregon and New York and thats really where I worked through a lot of things. I had a lot more challenges there then I did when I moved, somehow. I needed to do a lot of growing as a trumpet player and as a thinking and feeling human being, not that I still dont have a lot more to do. JI: Could you discuss your associations with John Zorn and Anthony Braxton, and how those developed? NW: Well, Im really just an extremely peripheral part of their worlds, of course, but I have gotten to play with them both off and on for the past five years. I was introduced to Braxton through Taylor Ho Bynum, who has always gone out of my way to include me in things, especially earlier on when I was working in a restaurant and just trying to play as much as I could. I started playing Anthonys orchestral and brass music and have slowly gotten to do more and
themselves in certain situations and see how that might affect the way Im living my life and playing music. Their situation is so different from mine, based on their history and what they do and who they are, so the advice they give me about specific things, musically or professionally, might not fit for me. The best I can do it listen and then think about how I can use that information in a way that makes the most sense in my own life. JI: On your website, your bio mentioned that your solo playing has often been cited as being a part of an international revolution in improvised trumpet? That has garnered accolades from journalists. How do you find that this exploratory approach helps or challenges the audience to connect with you and your music? NW: I think that we allmusicians and nonmusicianshave specific voices. If were honest with that voice than people connect with it. What you choose to say may not be everyones cup of tea, but people can tell when youre being honest. I dont think that whatever attention has been paid to the way that the trumpet is being played nowadays has to do completely with the way its being technically deconstructed. The reason that there has been interest in it is because of a confluence of people doing new things on an instrument because they hear those new things, and choose to act on them outside of the historical context of that instrument. The trumpet is so tied to that historical idea from Buddy Bolden onward that it seems radical to break from it, especially post 1980s when things got a little reactionary. But, Peter Evans plays the way he does because hes Peter. Axel Doerner is playing Axel. Thats not radical at all. The most radical thing thats happening is that people are receiving attention, not for changing the poesy of a language, but by creating a new syntax and adding to its vocabulary. Its not that the syntax and vocabulary are radical; thats always happened. But, for some reason now, its being taken seriously by people outside of the musical community, which is the interesting development. And, maybe that has to do with the power of personality of someone like Peter or Axel or Greg Kelley. You cant help but relate yourself to something that is so obviously sincere and personal. Its a relief to be able to get straight to music without so much bluster. JI: Could you talk about the Database of Recorded American Music and your role as curator? NW: DRAM (www.dramonline.org) is an online database that features, primarily American, contemporary classical and experimental music from the late 20th century until now. Its mostly known as a research engine that is used by music students at the university level, although with the advent of its online journal component, Sound American (www.soundamerican.org), were trying to broaden its scope to gently proselytize for an audience outside of an academic setting. I started working for them as data entry and, through a series of mistakes on my part, ended
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There is absolutely nothing magic about improvisation. I know thats counter to a lot of peoples ideas about it, but to me I think its about action and work. Weve built such a culture of sainthood around jazz figures and I think it does a disservice to them to equate their work with magic or some higher ability. That isnt meant to take away from these figures as artists or to say that their music isnt valuable, but it is the product of the initiative to practice and think
taught me things like how to blend with a section, how to make a statement in eight bars that made you personal but didnt stand out too much, how to be yourself within a style and history. By watching my dad I learned how to be professional and work and play every note like you can change the world with it. Hes in his 70s and still plays and I think its that attitude that keeps him interested and energetic. I hope that living with that attitude will carry me through more, culminating in playing in his nonet this year, which Im really excited about. Zorn has consistently been one of the most supportive persons Ive experienced in New York. I dont know what else to say about it. Ive gotten to play duo with him a couple of times and its one of those things where I am on the train home trying to figure out what happened and how I can do better next time. JI: What kinds of advice or guidance did you pickup from these two artists? NW: Its hard to say. I think people expect a Socratic situation with acolytes sitting at the feet of the masters, but thats not very true to fact. In my experience the best thing to do has been to just watch how people act and how they carry
PERFORMANCES
1/10/14 Nate Wooley at NYU Lounge, 9:15 PM. 40 Washington Sq. South, NYC 1/27/14 Nate Wooley 5 at Douglass St. Music Collective, 8PM. 295 Douglass St., Brooklyn, NY.
Nate Wooley
up doing more and more until I had a say in what was being added to the database itself. Im not sure that curation is the best term for what I actually do at this point, but basically my job consists of arranging the material, making sure that weve responsibly licensed everything and that everyone is getting the information and compensation they should be getting and trying to place the music in a context that allows the listener/ reader to gain insight or interest in this music. JI: What were the first jazz recordings that you heard that inspired your interest in jazz? NW: Im a little bit of an anomaly because I grew up with jazz, so I never really got that epiphanic record that made me want to be a musician. That being said, the first record I bought with my own money were on a trip to New York with my aunt and uncle and was Monk and Miles at Newport and that is still a record I own and know by heart. The density of the Miles side of that LP just freaked me out. It was so close to spinning out of control, to me at the time anyway, it just captured my attention. JI: What artists and recordings began to motivate you to pursue a more experimental perspective after your earlier exposure to jazz? NW: I think I have a weird personality that seems to sidestep the choices that most people are making. I was never big into Clifford Brown or Freddie Hubbard. I appreciated but never really was super deep into Lester Bowie, etc. Its just a weird personality glitch. Ron Miles was big for me. There was one early record of Rons, called Witness, that still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The way he moves in and out of the sound based playing killed me. Again, it was totally personal and his music is so specific to who he is as a man. It wasnt about articulating an aesthetic, but about speaking his language. Sticking with trumpet, Greg Kelley was absolutely monumental for me in the same way. Through all that time, there have been tons of other things that have made little pushes this way and that, a lot of contemporary classical and electro-acoustic music, noise, etc. JI: Talk about your music business experience and how that led you to develop Pleasure of the Text Recordings. NW: I think Im like most musicians. Im not really interested in business, but just am trying to figure out how to get music out there to people so I can make more music for more people. Its not about being a businessperson as much as its about being an addict. At a certain point, I had put out a few recordings of music I felt very proud of and attached to but didnt sell much for the label. I was trying to sell them on the next project and realized that I was selling...that I was engaged in business and in a way I didnt particularly like. I was working my nuts off at a
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day job and playing gigs and thought at least maybe I could use some of the benefits of that work to take on a certain responsibility for some of my projects that I knew were a gamble for a regular label. This way I could save other projects that I love but maybe are more mutually beneficial i.e. they sell betterfor a label and take the full risk of some of the other projects. If you can do this, then I think you enter into a relationship that is about both the musician and the label doing what they want to which, in most cases, is the same thing...make more music for more people. The label allowed me to release some projects of my own and also do some limited releases of records I want to hear, like an upcoming disc of Paul Lyttons solo electronic music. JI: What words of wisdom or encouragement from some of the influential artists with whom you have worked, have resonated with you in a way that has inspired your character and the way you lead your life? NW: Well, again, its not so much words but actions. Im still heavily influenced by the way Ron Miles carries himself. Ive lifted things from watching Zorn, Joe Morris, Paul Lytton, Evan Parker, and Braxton. I always get worried about hero worship, but you cant deny that there is something special about some people and that maybe you should pay attention. I will say that recently Tim Berne complimented me on a performance and that encouragement drove especially deep for some reason. I guess I dont take him for a bullshitter so the compliment meant something. I saw Blood Count as one third of a three person audience in Eugene, Oregon in 1992 and it opened my eyes to a lot of things I had been missing, and since then his music has always held a lot of weight for me and that meant a lot. JI: The music world, the jazz world are replete with temptations associated with varying desires for power, fame, fortune that can have the potential to compromise ones focus, ones integrity and character. What do you do to maintain your focus and to ensure that you minimize those kinds of influences and people? NW: Well, Im pretty realistic about the smallness and insular nature of this music. Its a dot on a dot on a dot on a dot on a dot of New York culture, let alone American or world culture. For me to think of gaining anything like power, fame, or fortune within it is so ridiculous that it just has to make me laugh. That being said, Ive had daydreams of being the most famous trumpet player or whatever and Im susceptible to compliments. They make me feel nice. I want to be loved, just like anyone else! But, ultimately, I look at my priorities and what I really want to be doing, and it comes down to being able to maintain my health, maintain my relationships, feel good about the way Im engaging in society, and make the music I want to make. Everything else is kind of pointless, so I just pour my energy into that and the focus follows. JI: What kinds of exploration and studies did
you undertake to develop that interest and your pursuits in developing the aptitude for being an articulate improviser? NW: Nothing that specific really. Im interested in cultural theory and philosophy and went through a comparative religion period, and those things provided certain insights, maybe? Im a fairly shy person and so spend a lot of time with my own thoughts and so maybe thats where the ability to articulate comes from. Im happiest humming in the corner and in my own head. JI: What do you say to fans who are curious about improvisation and what the process and structure is about - and the aptitudes and work that is required for development? NW: Its not mystical. There is absolutely nothing magic about improvisation. I know thats counter to a lot of peoples ideas about it, but to me I think its about action and work. Weve built such a culture of sainthood around jazz figures and I think it does a disservice to them to equate their work with magic or some higher ability. That isnt meant to take away from these figures as artists or to say that their music isnt valuable, but it is the product of a human being who has taken the initiative to practice and think about something they have an interest in. They did it really well and so they should be celebrated for that work, and not be thought of as magicians or deities. Thats kind of a sideways answer so if I was answering the question you asked more specifically, I would say that improvisation is about the process of finding an idea, thinking about it, exploring it, throwing it away, seeing what sticks, taking that information and using it to build a new idea which begins the process again. We all do it in rational thought. Improvising musicians just use different filters and languages to express the end result. JI: What do you do to decompress from the stresses of contemporary life? NW: Man, nothing very successful, unfortunately. I may not look like it, but Im an avid runner. That helps a lot, running early morning in Jersey City and watching the sun rise on the Hudson is as close as anything I have to being a reset button. I also love reading and cooking, and I have a big grey cat, which I suggest to anyone and everyone. JI: If there is one for you, whats the connection between music and spirituality? NW: I have no real, articulated connection to a spiritual life or practice and so to include it in my music would be disingenuous. I use language from spiritual tracts in some of my work, but it stems more from years of an intellectual need to understand how religions work than any desire to set myself in relation to a great beyond.
Photo by Ken Weiss
Nate Wooley
Interview
recordings that initially inspired you and to this day remain significant for you?
Jon Irabagon
Jon Irabagon: There are countless recordings that have played a serious role in helping my Interview by Joe Patitucci Photo by Ken Weiss development as a musician, composer and improviser, but the ones coming to my head currently are: Visit Jon Irabagon online at Kenny WheelerMusic for Large www.JonIrabagon.com and Small Ensembles; John Zorn The Classic Guide to Strategy; Tim BerneScience Friction; Myron Jazz Inside: Could you share some of the essen- WaldenLike a Flower Seeking the tial advice and understandings you may have Sun; Peter BrotzmannMachine picked up from some of your teacherseither in Gun; Kurt RosenwinkelThe Next conversations or through observation - that you Step; John ColtraneThe Complete have assimilated into your own artistic and or 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings; life perspectives - from Dave Liebman, Wynton Charlie ParkerBird and Diz; Evan ParkerConic Sections; Pharaoh Marsalis, Dick Oatts, and or others? SandersKarma; Roscoe Jon Irabagon: Of course there have been nu- MitchellNoonah; Dave Holland merous specific things that my teachers have Conference of the Birds; Gene Amshown me over the years, especially some great monsGentle Jug; any of the Sonny sound concepts from Oatts, technique things Rollins with Don Cherry stuff; John from Victor Goines, and a solid bedrock of the- Butcher13 Friendly Numbers; ory during high school with Greg Fishman, but Duke EllingtonBlack, Brown and the most valuable lesson all of my teachers have Beige; any Von Freeman I can find, shown me is that dedication to the music and and numerous others. taking the time for personal reflection is necessary to grow as a musician and as a person. Each Jazz Inside: What were the motivators that you mentor, while their music can be seen as com- experienced growing up in that led to your purpletely different from one anothers, has put in suing this musical path? the time to figure out who they are and what they want to say. For me, thats the most important Jon Irabagon: Ive been surrounded by music part. since I was a child, and though I was hesitant at first to make a career out of it, Ive come to figJazz Inside: How did your performances with ure out that it is essential to making me happy Billy Joel, Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, and what I would like to pursue throughout my Kenny Barron, and or others make a significant life. Ive been lucky to meet many musicians impact on you and your foundational under- some famous but most that really just keep playstandings? ing because they love doing itwho have shown me that a life in music is possible as long as you Jon Irabagon: Each musician that is serious are serious about it and you work hard at it. about what they do brings something personal to Many musicians I have met are happy in life and their performances, so to have been able to play have a sense of purpose, both of which I strive with so many great musicians has been a great for. Being surrounded by hard-working, honest honor for me. Getting to play with personal he- musicians has helped me pursue my own version roes has been a great blessing, and I try to both of music. contribute to the music fully and also step back and enjoy the moment. You can hear the weight Jazz Inside: How was your development in of an entire lifetimes worth of music when you Chicago beneficial to your future pursuits? perform with master musicians, and those experiences find a way into your own music. The Jon Irabagon: Chicago is an amazing city. hope is that you can pass that kind of learning to There are plenty of places to play and back in the other musicians you play with. late 90s and early 2000s when I lived there, opportunity to perform in many different types Jazz Inside: Could you cite a handful of key of situations. I paid a lot of dues there and played in a myriad of situationsbig bands, experimental duos, trios and quartets, Brazilian PERFORMANCES ensembles, R&B cover bands, wedding bands, straight ahead jazz groups, traditional jazz en 1/10/14 Jon Irabagon 3 at The Bitter End, 8:45 PM. 147 Bleecker St., NYC sembles, free improvised large sessions, etc. 1/22/14 Jon Irabagon 3 w/Barry Altschul at CorExperiencing all of these different types of munelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St., NYC sic and playing them with high level musicians 1/24/14 Jon Irabagon 3 w/Mary Halvorson at has really helped to shape my idea of what music Cornelia St. Cafe, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Id like to make. The idea of an all-inclusive
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music that draws from the positive, uplifting spirit of each different genre and style is very appealing to me, and I think I owe it to the large variety of music that you can find in Chicago. Jazz Inside: What kinds of challenges did you experience when you relocated to New York City? Jon Irabagon: I didnt know anyone when I moved to New York and I really didnt plan very well before I moved there. It took years to seek out, find and start playing with a network of musicians that I could relate to and create music with. That being said, there are great musicians everywhere you look in New York, and that has really helped bring up my level of playing. A great teacher I had reminded me that it takes many years to become a known commodity in any art field, so patience and hard work is a necessity. Jazz Inside: How did your time as a student at College help or challenge your artistic pursuits and musical goals? Jon Irabagon: When I finished at Manhattan School of Music, I went to Juilliard and received an Artist Diploma there. It was really interesting to get those two degrees back to back, as the schools philosophies and ideals were pretty different. As I said earlier, I had played a lot of gigs in Chicago before moving to New York, so I was able to take what was appealing to me from both schools and add it to my music without getting overwhelmed from pressures of each school. As I look back, my music depends on aspects that I learned from both schools, so I am
Performance Review
Jazz at Lincoln Center Family Concert: Jazz Meets Gospel
Damien LeChateau Sneed Piano, Host Saturday, November 9, 2013 By Nora McCarthy Oh, the VOICES, the SINGERS. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! A fine mix of gospel and state-of-the-art jazz was served up Saturday, November 9th in the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center as part of the Jazz For Young People Series. A very integral aspect of keeping jazz at the forefront of American culture and perpetuating interest as well as future jazz artists is education. I have attended many JALC events, from performances to panel discussions, to award ceremonies to the national high school jazz band competitions but this was by far one of the best concerts Ive attended anywhere to date. The flawlessly produced concert lasted a little over an hour and consisted of an intermingling of well known jazz standards, gospel hymns and key informationthe educational aspect was at its core and conveyed through an exceptional musical performance that was easily digested by the younger audience members and appealing on all levels to the adults in attendance demonstrating the power of this music. Elements intrinsic to jazz were highlighted throughout: the blues, call and response, scat, calypso, swing, and improvisation. Thomas Dorsey, the father of Black gospel music, as well as the great Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, the Clark Sisters were introduced through their contributions and compositions to jazz and gospel. At the epicenter, the vastly gifted Damien Sneed, conducted the choir, played and sang. Sneed is a highly acclaimed, Grammy nominated artist who has served as music director for a slew of gospel legends and has worked with an eclectic range of huge talents from Stevie Wonder to Jessye Norman. He also performs regularly with Wynton Marsalis. He drew from the jazz standard and the Gospel of Pearls Hymn Book in addition to manight rather than following a script of some kind, so as a bandleader myself, I look for similar things. Jazz Inside: 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, etc. Jon Irabagon: You definitely meet all kinds of people in the music business, both good and bad. Real life is stranger than fiction in many cases. Different people are looking at music with a
terial from Duke Ellingtons Sacred Concerts, Wynton Marsalis Abyssian Mass and his own original material to complete the presentation. The concert kicked off joyously accompanied by the audience clapping the rhythm behind, Better Get Hip In Your Soul that featured the dynamic rhythm section of bassists John Clark, and Noah Garabedianelectric and acoustic respectively, and drummer Quinn Brown, who laid the foundation tastefully supporting the myriad nuances of each performer throughout the steadily flowing production. Organist, Jammal Grahams righteous solo immediately set the gospel tone; tenor saxophonist, Kenneth Whalums soulful r&b influenced sound and well phrased solos supplied just the right jazz feel. All in all, every musician on the stage brought with him a high level of artistry and experience both academic and professional. It was the singing however that raised the spiritual consciousness of everyone in the room. When Briana Thomas sang Precious Lord Take My Hand, I was moved to tears. With a voice as sweet and silken as a honey laden whisper and as deep, raw and edgy as a cavernous river, her
Jon Irabagon
thankful I went to both places. Jazz Inside: Give all the accolades and attention you garnered upon winning the Thelonious Monk competition, how have you managed to avoid the tyranny of the ego? Jon Irabagon: Getting to make personalized music with great musicians is really an honor and a privilege. No matter what accolades or recognition comes your way, it still really comes down to the musicare you being honest with it and how much more there is to do. Its chasing an ideal, which really helps in other aspects of life. Jazz Inside: What were some of the essential understandings you gathered from your performances with various leading artists, that you have incorporated in your own approach to leadership? Jon Irabagon: Different bandleaders lead in different ways. It has been a valuable experience to see how each different bandleader leads and what they expect from their sidemen. What one bandleader deems necessary from their sidemen might be strictly off the table from another bandleader. Playing in dozens of bands, you start to get a feel for what makes you comfortable and what you would ask of people if they were playing your music. Luckily, I have been in many bands where the leader expects you to go out on a limb and take chances. Many leaders Ive played for are looking for a searching vibe rather than a perfect finished product, which I like. Ive had more fun and felt more rewarded in bands that are looking for something new night after
Jazz Inside: What do you do to decompress from your business and musical pursuits? Jon Irabagon: Swim, read, watch old movies, hang out with friends. Jazz Inside: Is there anything youd like to promote or discuss that I havent prompted you about? Jon Irabagon: I have a new record coming out in January called It Takes All Kinds, featuring my own compositions played by myself, Mark Helias on bass and Barry Altschul on drums. Its
No matter what accolades or recognition comes your way, it still really comes down to the music are you being honest with it and how much more there is to do. Its chasing an ideal, which really helps in other aspects of life.
different lens. Club owners are more worried about a lot of people coming through their doors, festival presenters are looking for musicians that fulfill their vision for what they want of their festival, publicists are looking for a good story to help promote your music, record labels for the most part want the highest amount of sales possible, etc. Its been an interesting ride meeting all these people and looking at music and the business of music through these different lenses. I think overall, knowing about all these aspects of the music business is very important, as the more you know, the more confident you can be about the direcion youve chosen for your own music. a collaboration between my record label, Irabbagast Records, and Jazzwerkstatt, and was recorded live in June at the Peitz Festival in Germany. Im really proud of how this new-ish ensemble has been playing and growing together, and we have a European tour in the fall of 2014, where well be debuting new music before we record it. Im also starting to write for different groups, including a sax/accordion duo and a woodwind quintet. I also have plans for a follow-up record to my Concord CD The Observer, as well as a solo sopranino sax record later this year.
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pursue it. We just did a duet gig this past Friday at Michiko Studios and it was a treat, we said, We have to do this again. We actually plan to do the duet and eventually record an album and have done a few concerts in Europe as a duet but not as much as the quartet. So the quartet featured in the beginning, Bruce Cox and Carlo De Rosa on bass and then with various personnel moving around. Eventually because I was working with John Herbert in Enesco, I invited him to do this and Eric McPherson, Abraham recommended him because they work so much together. They grew up together actually and that was the band. Obviously, Eric McPherson and John Hebert are one of the greatest contemporary rhythm sections. They work with Andrew Hill, they were Fred Hirschs rhythm section for yearsamazing things happen when they are together. Everybody in that band is actually amazing and badder than me, I have to say it out loud. (laughter) I know what I bring changes the music and probably makes it because I dont bring the usual stuff that Abraham might play for example. So, this is what makes the quartet I would like to think, makes it more individual in terms of sound. Some of the people who have worked with this quartet Nasheet Waits, sometimes does it when Eric cannot do it. Brad Jones or Drew Gress, they do it when John Hebert cannot do itand these are all amazing first rate musicians and they are all good friends actually. I look at Elevation more like its modeled off of the classical quartet in jazz, saxophone, piano, bass and drum.
JI: Its an interesting name Elevation for what it represents. Its a lifting up. LB: Exactly. Ill tell you how I came up with this name. Its a tune, its not on the album. Its because whenever we played it in the beginning when we used to play, 2006-2007, I would write those tunes and get to play them every other week at Kavehaz and these musicians would elevate what I would write. They would bring so much more. Actually, in this music in jazz, its not whats on paper; its what you bring to the material, period. Its beyond style. It doesnt matter if its bebop, free, whatever you want to name it, its what you bring to the material is what matters. The name of the band cameI remember very vividly about thisI would write those tunes, but these guys would make it sound so amazing the music would elevate itself and thats how it was and then I wrote a tune called Elevation. You know this thing lately where every band has to have a name, so, I had to go with the trend but the name of the band actually comes out of a very sincere experience, its a pleasure to work with this band. Weve toured quite extensively in Europe. We are going to Europe again in the spring just promoting the album. Im super happy because the original quartet is actually going to be able to do it. Id like to mention that the album was recorded by
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Jimmy Katz who did an amazing job in a very small space, the Cornelia Street, and he got a sound that is quality and conveys the feel of a live club. Sunnyside came on board because two years ago I released with them, Enesco ReImagined, and that did very well. It won a lot of awards and best of lists and we toured all over the world. JI: Your recent project that the Village Voice referred to as third stream extravaganza was the re-imagining of music of your fellow countryman, 20th century classical genius Romanian composer George Enesco, with a modern ensemble featuring saxophonist Tony Malaby, tabla player Badal Roy, and trumpeter Ralph Alessi aptly titled, Enesco Re-Imagined. This group toured all over the world and got amazing press and awards. This sounds like a fascinating project that Im looking forward to hearing. How did you approach the music of Enesco, marry it into jazz, in other words, where did you find the connection between the two and then like any great director, what was the process you used in choosing the musicians to carry out your vision for this project? LB: This was a commission of the Enesco Festival in Romania starting in 1956 with seed money from George Enesco himself, he was living in France at that time. The festival is a huge one-month event featuring the best in classical music nowadays and the biggest orchestras and of course George Enesco is Romanias most important classical composer and most renown. So the festival commissioned me one year to do a re-interpretation of his works from a jazz perspective. I called John Hebert and asked him if he wanted to do it because I am always of the idea that its best to bring different voices in an ensemble together because its just going to make everything richer. I like to bring a different vision, not just mine, its a good challenge. John jumped on the project immediately and we started talking about who we wanted to get to be a part of it after I sent him Enescos music and we were on the same page. We both wanted the same catspeople who were able to play the tradition but they were also very invested in the creative scene. What better names than Ralph Alessi, who has worked with Uri Caine and his rendition of the classics, Mahler, Beethoven.all of these projects that Uri Caine did feature Ralph Alessi as a leading voice in the ensembles. Then came Tony Malaby. I always loved his playing and thought that hes somewhere between contemporary jazz and contemporary classical. I knew I wanted some strings, I just told you how I got Mat Maneri, and we also had a violinist from Germany, who is very much into the contemporary improvised scene. When we toured the states, the violin chair was held by Joyce Hammann, who is also the violinist in Uri Caines ensemble. Then we called Gerald Cleaver who we both worked with and we all know that Gerald is one of the main creative forces in terms of drumming nowadays. Then I had the idea to sort of temper this classical contemporary creative out sound that you would get with these guys. I wanted to bring some earthiness to it. Thats when I thought about Badal
Roy and it was a very good call because Badal grounded the whole ensemble. So instead of sounding like something very contemporary and deepyou get a classical guy who writes like Bartok, you get guys like Ralph, Tony, and everybody who play this modern music. Its very easy to get something very heavy and modern. So Badal was such a good presence in the band, because he just brought the groove and such earthiness to the whole thing, and it was a very good call. The approach was very simple. We took some of the lesser known works of Enesco but not only lesser known, also the symphonies, orchestra suites, his famous piano sonata in Romania folk character for violin and piano and a cello sonata that we re-orchestrated. John Hebert arranged about half of them and I rearranged half of them. This was not supposed to be a jazzification of classical music. I wanted to bring our own voices to the music. But Enescos music also lends itself to improvisation, this was my great discovery. People who know Enescos music know what Im talking about. One of the reviews we got in All Music Guide by their classical reviewer actually noticed the same thing. What is most exciting is how much the original music of Enesco lends itself from a jazz perspective. I noticed this from when I started working on the project but to have a classical critic make this observation put me right. Enesco is an underrated genius. Hes on the same par with Bartok. But because he was a famous violinist, one of the greatest twentieth century violinists and his renditions of Bach are still considered milestones in the way to play Bach. He changed the whole tradition of playing Bach in the twentieth century. He pushed back against the vibrato, which is a legacy of the Romantic Era of classical interpretation in Europe and Bach was not like that. So Enesco sort of pushed back and is considered now the standard bearer in that Bach needs to be played with no vibrato. Enesco is mostly known as the professor and mentor of Yehudi Menuhin, who moved to Romania to study with Enesco. They recorded together the Bach concertos for two violins in around 1936. Enesco was truly a genius. Ravel said this about him because they knew each other, If for some unseen and unfortunate reasons we would lose Bach violin and string music, no need to worry, Enesco can write them from his memory, all of them. And this is coming from Ravel. Pablo Casals said Enesco was the greatest musician since Mozart and there is a story that I know from my Romanian connection. Bartok came to Bucharest, I think in 1941 to have some of his works performed in Bucharest. Enesco was a prodigy. He was the greatest violinist of the twentieth century, he was an amazing pianist that Rubenstein said, Oh, I would love to sound like Enesco. He was a conductor, a cello player, and he was a prodigy. He was conducting these works by Barok and as the story goes, Enesco picks up Bartok at a train station and while they are in the carriage going to the hotel, asks him for the score for his work for percussion and orchestra, when they get closer to the hotel Enesco gives Bartok back the score and says, OK its fine, I see what you want. And Bartok said, and this is actually from his memoir, Good luck with it, understanding and being able to
conduct on such notice this work I wrote. And, it turns out that Enesco actually memorized it on the way from the train station and he conducted it from memory. This is in Bartoks memory. So Enesco was an amazing composer and he gets most of his accolades from his compositions, he was renown as a conductor and violinist, touring all over the world, since 1920s to the later 1940s. But he was actually mostly appreciated as a composer in America. He said some very interesting things. He said, I felt that America appreciates more my compositions and not only my violin playing because its a new world and they are more open to new visions. A lot of Enescos works were premiered in New York by the New York Philharmonic under Mahler and Enesco was in the cards to become the head of the New York Philharmonic but in the end he didnt because he was considered too bold. So he had a pretty amazing life and career and I was just happy that I was able to delve into his music and personality. I basically discovered him truly while working on this project in Brooklyn and Im glad I did. The ensemble got to tour through the major circuits from London to Barcelona, we worked at Merkin Hall and we went to Toronto, all over. JI: Your groups and music are an absolute cultural exchange. Id like to talk with you about your concepts, especially as they pertain to improvisation. How is improvisation used within your compositional structures? LB: I can tell you something very simple about how I perceive improvisation. First of all its a very loaded word and its a very loaded thing in the history of music and actually in the history of jazz. I look at jazz music and improvisation like infant composing. The great players in jazz erase the line between improvisation and composition meaning what they play in the spur of the moment sounds as if composed and the other way around. Structure can be learned, but freedom is more instinct. You can learn about formal stuff, language and the structure. You can learn sonata form or 32-bar form that we have so common in jazz. That can be learned, but the freedom to improvise over these and make a meaningful statementbe it Lee Konitz or Coltrane or Cecil Taylorthats very hard to learn. Thats something that each of these individuals developed and thats why they are so brilliant. This is my take on improvisation. I dont think theres essentially a big difference between improvisation and composition its just that in jazz music we do it on the spot and the good ones, as I said, erase the line. JI: I have heard you play many times over the years, I believe we met somewhere around 2001, and we have performed together in my and Jorge Sylvesters 20 piece, ConceptualMotion Orchestra. You are deep into the space of the composition and unlike any other musician that I have heard, you employ patience and silence into your improvisation. You neither blare nor do you ever step on or in front of the composition or the other players. This takes absolute concentration and self effacement. No ego showboating for you unlike so many players out there that fill
every space with something, relevant or irrelevant, you let the music breathe. That is the sign of a true artiste. You are humble and frugile in your artful design. You have been compared to greats from Duke Ellington to Herbie Hancock to McCoy Tyner; I hear many things when you play and influences but never do you directly rip off anyone elses shit, as it should be. Now that I have put you on the spot, can you describe for me, what is your approach to your playing and improvisation what would you tell a young musician or a musician from another culture about improvisation and who is Lucian Ban when he is on stage with his cats.
concept of space keeps in mind those things, you dont have to always solo. Music is not always about soloing, its about everything else you do when you play. A great accompanist knows this and can create an amazing piece of work if hes great, so I strive for that. JI: A lot of the free cats play at the same time it would seem to those who do not know how to listen to this music. But Ive been listening a lot to Albert Aylers stuff and then of course Coltrane is Coltrane and he played constantly ... and then Cecil Taylors work and even Ornette and at times they are playing all at the same time without bumping into one another . and there
Silence makes the non-silence sound better. If theres silence, then what comes after silence gets illuminated better. Its like someone who talks all the time, its the same with music, if there are too many notes all the time, it doesnt get across to me. The story is not told.
LB: That is a hard question to answer to talk about me this way. I can tell you this, I value silence immensely. This is one of the reasons I like Paul Bley as a pianist. I think it is better to shut up than to over speak i.e. overplay. Thats why I am actually more of a Monk fan than an Art Tatum fan. Not that I dont appreciate the genius of Art Tatum but I value silence a lot and I think that it got into my playing as an improviser. JI: What is it about the silence that you are fascinated with that you think is an important element to respect. LB: Silence makes the non-silence sound better. If theres silence, then what comes after silence gets illuminated better. Its like someone who talks all the time, its the same with music, if there are too many notes all the time, it doesnt get across to me. The story is not told. I like silence and space, in general. When I play with the quartet, a lot of the time I let the trio go on. I like how Abdullah Ibrahim comps behind his soloists. There are many tunes in which he never takes a solo. This is not about taking solos, this music, at least that is how I look at it. Its not mainly about soloing. It is about getting the story that you want out using sounds and a specific language. You dont have to solo all the time in an ensemble. You dont have to comp and somebody has to solo. This can be a real dialogue. There is no clear demarcation that says now the saxophonist is soloing and the piano is comping. Next the piano is going to be taking a solo and then we are going to play the head again. It doesnt have to be the same way all the time. So my are musicians who are out there now playing at the same time in a solid sheet of sound and everybody hopefully is listening to the overall composition. But, like you said, the predictable aspect of this guy plays and I comp behind him and this one and this one is not happening in these situations. However, youre interesting to me in that I never know when Lucian is going to say something, when Ive come out to hear you sometimes you come in with just a little something and then youll disappear again. LB: Yes, thats me baby! JI: Youve composed music for sound tracks, scores, plays, theater, film, and ballet productions. Do you see yourself going more in this direction at some point in the future and how do you compare it to your passion for playing in your jazz groups? How is it similar? How is it different? LB: I feel I am most a jazz musician and a jazz composer but I also love writing for theater and film and for dancers. I would like to do it more, but Im doing it constantly, but not on the same level as my jazz thing. I see myself mainly as a jazz performer, musician and composer who also likes to do many things. JI: Its a different approach right? LB: Yes, its a different approach and I was lucky to work with some of the great theater directors here. I worked with Richard Schechner on several productions and hes one of the peo(Continued on page 50)
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ple who changed theater in the 60s. He did Dionysus in 1969 which was groundbreaking back then and a film by Brian De Palma and he did several other things that were very groundbreaking. I was lucky enough to work with him. We also did a play based on a Paul Auster novel, Timbuktu. I was also lucky to work with people in theater and dance and I did some independent films and that was a great learning experience because I love theater so its always a pleasure to be able to create music that enhances the process in other arts. I love doing it. JI: I would think that also your having those experiences, especially with dance and also with theater, because theater incorporates every aspect of creativity, that you can also use those influences in the way you compose and the way you play, because you see all the elements are there. LB: Definitely. JI: Of course I must ask this question. Who are some of your favorite singers, past and present and what are the challenges and differences of working with singers as opposed to other instrumentalists? What do you look for in a singer and any future plans on collaborating with the voice, or have you any projects that youve done with the voice? And, yes, I would be more than delighted if it were me [laughter] since I have written lyrics for one of your wonderful compositions, Night On Earth. LB: I have not worked with singers so much, it is something that I would like to do more of, but I have not worked with too many singers throughout the years. I dont know why, it just happened. Ive worked with you, and I loved it, and I worked here and there with a few other singers. I love great singers, actually. Of course I love Billie, I love Carmen McRae, I love Andy Beyhes an amazing singer. One of my all time favorite singers is Jeanne Lee. I love Joni Mitchell, who is not a jazz singer per se although she moved into the jazz. Shes a master any way you want to put it. I love Shirley Horn. The way she sings is amazing. My personal experience with singers is limited and its something that I would like to pursue more. I like great singers, they influence me in the way they phrase. The great ones are always able to communicate pure emotion, so thats something that affects me deeply. All that I know is that I have no projects that involve singing something that as I said, I would like to pursue further. There have been discussions with the Enesco Festival to redo the only opera that Enesco composed dipe, this is the only thing that even resembles something that is more of a project, but this is where I stand in terms of working with singers. JI: What havent you done that youd like to accomplish in the next five-ten years? LB: I would like to do a solo and a trio album.
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Its that simple. These are very big challenges for a pianist, because the trio is such a celebrated format in the history of jazz as is solo and each one has its own challenges in and of itself. Id like to do something and be happy about it. JI: Who would you like to perform with that you havent yet? LB: Im not sure Ornette will call me soon. I would have loved to have worked with somebody like Billy Higgins, Max Roach. Here is the never ending story. I would have to say that Im very honored and happy to be able to work with so many people that are around, the people that I already work with. I value them immensely the musical relationships that I have had throughout the years from Alex Harding to Jorge Sylvester to Mat Maneri to Tony Malaby to Nasheet Waits to Abraham Burton. These are invaluable people and they make up who I am as an artist. JI: Well, well see who the universe sends your way next. LB: Im waiting. Put my number in here for Ornette. JI: You are sometimes referred to as the Count, like the other famous Count as in Mr. Basie, first of all are you aware of this high honor and perhaps comparison, or has your title another meaning and what could that be? Perhaps it is a reflection on your mysterious way of suddenly appearing when you are brought up in conversation? LB: We have to clarify that my connection with the Count is different than the great Basie. So in no way can I compare myself with how we look at Count Basie. Its obviously that they call me Count because I come from Transylvania. Some musicians that I work with keep laughing that I have this way of appearing behind them or something that has to do with Count Dracula. This is actually a funny story that even I cannot explain. We were driving to Boston to play Regattabar, with Sam Newsome and the Romanian/ American Jazz Suite Group. It was Abraham, John Hebert, Nasheet and Sam and we were in the van. We stopped to take some rest. For some reason one of them closed the door of the car but my hand was still outside holding it. It caught my hand in the doorI yelled Ouch. Everybody freaked out that the door slammed on my hand but when they opened it, my hand was fine. Absolutely nothing happened to my hand. Even I was surprised. And the guys said, F*@! Lucian, this is some Transylvanian Dracula sh*t! Actually, you know how you hold your hand when you put your hand on the roof of the car outside, you stay inside and you hold the ceiling of the car? Well it was John who slammed shut the door and said, Its time to go, and, my hand was still out, my fingers basically but nothing happened, Im telling you, its a blessing that nothing happened because I make my living with my hand, you know? They were a little freaked. So, I said, What can I do, I am from Transylvania!
When you choose your friends, dont be short-changed by choosing personality over character.
- W. Somerset Maugham
JI: Do you teach and if so, where? LB: I only teach on a private basis, I used to teach more about five or six years ago but now I teach on a private basis or workshops when I do tours and stuff, so I dont teach in a position in a particular school. JI: If somebody wanted to study with you where would they find you? LB: They could find me on FacebookI have no band page and I dont even intend to do one. JI: Do you have an agent? LB: With the duet with Mat I work with Company of Heaven, and I know people here and there in Europe but I dont have a constant agent that I work with. JI: Would you like one? LB: Of course, who wouldnt like one? It would be nice to find someone who believes in me and who can help me so that I can concentrate on music, instead of me having to make a million phone calls, booking tickets and stuff somebody that works for me. JI: Lucian, it was my honor to interview you and I thank you for your time and your candid responses. My last question is what keeps you grounded in life and in your career and what if any spiritual modalities do you practice or employ in your day-to-day dealings in the unpredictable and imbalanced world of jazz? LB: What holds me grounded is actually not that much different from other people, its what I do and my personal relationships. Music holds me together because I want to make the most out of it. You have to work at it, instead of not working at it, because of the challenges or giving up because of all the difficulties in jazz. Its making music and the striving to make the most of it, the best of it and to just make good music. Its also the personal relationships I have with the musicians I work with. I am friends with all of them as well. This is very important to me and very grounding.
Upcoming Concerts
Saturday, January 25, 2014 - 8:00pm, Lucian Ban /

Mat Maneri Duo, Transylvanian Concert, Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA. Sunday, January 26, 2014, 7:00pm, Lucian Ban & Matt Maneri Duo. Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW Washngton, DC.
Interview
Chris Lightcap
JI: Could you talk about playing with the Cecil Taylor Big Band on a regular basis in the 1990s and some of the key lessons and understandings you learned? CL: It was around 1995 or so. I had been living in New York for about 2 years and had been going to sessions and concerts at the Improvisors Collective which was run by Patricia and William Parker and eventually started playing a lot with Rob Brown, Susie Ibarra and others in and around that scene. One day I got a phone call that Cecil was holding open auditions for a big band at the Knitting Factory, which by that time had moved from Houston Street to Leonard Street in Tribeca. When I got there, there were about 30 musicians including about 5 bass players and 5 drummers. I was a huge fan of Cecils music and had seen him play about 4 or 5 times including an amazing solo concert he put on at Alice Tully Hall. So I was very excited to meet and play with him. He was working from a bunch of scores that he dictated to us verbally. Hed say things like, The saxophones play F# up to A down to D up to E up to B up to C and then sing it how he wanted it phrased and then wed do these 4 or 5 hour rehearsals in which half the time hed be directing and the other half hed sit back and let the band try to figure out what was going on as a group. It seemed almost like a kind of social experiment. Various players Bille Holiday and Charlie Parker. Just fantastic. JI: What kind of advice or guidance did you pick up from some of the noteworthy artists with whom you performed - such as Archie Shepp, George Garzone. CL: George is a force of nature musically and otherwise. I know its a cliche, but more than any other musician hes taught me the importance of being yourself. Hes such a genuine, authentic personality with unbelievable energy. I played with him a lot in a trio in the late 90s and this year we played again for the very first time since then. And he was exactly the same, and still playing at such a high level it was overwhelming. He propped the entire band up with power of one note. I aspire to be like that. Unfortunately my experience with Archie was all too brief and a bit of a blur. I played with him at a televised outdoor concert in Paris back in 1996 with Sunny Murray. I do remember him being very gracious and a total gentleman. JI: What did you discover about the business side of the music from your initial forays recording as a leader for Fresh Sound New Talent around 2000?
Because to really play music with other people you have to be present in the moment, listening, and concentrating, regardless of what youre playing.
would assert themselves as de-facto music directorsit started to seem a little like Lord of the Flies. We started doing weekly gigs at the Knit. Sometimes the music was exquisitely beautiful and sublime and other times it was, as you can imagine, ear splitting madness. But just for the experience of playing next to his piano, hearing that sound, those rhythms, those harmonies, was incredible. Plus he told amazing stories about CL: Like many other musicians Ive never really had a keen desire to focus on the business side of the music, but I think it taught the value of strong, meaningful professional relationships, and to not be afraid to reach out to people when you need help or advice. I put my first band together essentially as an experiment; i never really thought it could be a viable thing that would produce records or play festivals or anything like that. I was playing with about 20 different bands at the time and I thought it might be rewarding to have a situation that I could always turn to for some consistency in my musical life. After our first few gigs I discovered that I really enjoyed playing with and writing for the group. And my bandmates seemed to enjoy it too, so I
kept writing and playing more. Then about a year into it, I was very fortunate that my friend Ben Waltzer told the head of Fresh Sound about me, which set me up with a deal to record my first record. And they offered me an actual budget so I didnt have to go in debt to make the recording. I didnt feel 100% ready to make my own record but it seemed foolish to pass on that. I had played on enough CDs at that point that i had some I idea of how to produce a record, but of course there was a lot of trial and error. Once I had the record in the can, I thought, now what? Having put all the energy into the recording I wanted people to hear it and or at least find out about it. And that meant getting it promoted. So I called up people like Joe Morris and Matt Wilson whose bands I was playing in. They have a real D.I.Y. approach to the business end of their careers. And I also called Steven Joerg, the head of AUM fidelity who was a pioneer in promoting independent jazz on college radio. Having access to people like that has been invaluable. JI: Could you discuss what you learned about leadership and human nature from your associations with artists for whom you worked? Dianne Reeves? Tom Harrell? Regina Carter? CL: The first thing I recognized about Regina is that shes a very down-to-earth, approachable person with a warm personality. As a bandleader she rarely tells anyone how to play or what to do but rather gives herself over to the collective aspect of the music to see what everyone comes up with. Its also what I try to do as with my own groups but its surprising how often bandleaders try to control everything rather than letting everyones strengths come out to make the whole that much better. If Regina ever has an issue to work out shell usually do it through playing. For example, I remember one time when the band was playing a little too loud for her to be heard. But instead of telling us to play more quietly, SHE started playing softer, to the point that the rest of us had to really focus and come to her. And then it was great. The band just
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PERFORMANCES
1/10/14 Chris Lightcap, NYU Lounge, 10:30 PM.
40 Washington Sq. South, NYC.
Visit Chris Lightcap online at www.ChrisLightcap.com

Chris Lightcap
came together around her sound. It was such an elegant way of dealing with the issue instead of just vibing people. JI: With your eclectic array of musical pursuits and stylistic flexibility, how do you balance your time between jazz and Chamber music.... practicing and performing and so on? What kind of self-discipline is essential? CL: Im a father with two kids. I have a lot of things, musical and otherwise, competing for my attention - so life is a giant balancing act already. Doing each thing gives me perspective on everything else. When I was in my 20s and wasnt that busy I would sometimes have six to eight hours to practice a day. Then I would get to a gig and feel like I couldnt play anything - because I was focusing so much on the technical aspects of my playing and not on what I was saying musically. But now I have a very clear idea of what I have to practice because Im playing music with so many different people or Im writing music for a new project or Im away from my instrument living my life with my wife and kids or whatever and experiencing a much richer life. So theres more depth and clarity to what Im doing and when I practice I accomplish more in 1 hour than I did in 4 when I was younger. The same goes for writing music. The more I play, the easier it is to come up with ideas and develop them. I used to worry that if I did too many different things they would take away from each other but now I think that the more I do in life, the better everything gets. JI: Talk about your upcoming performance in January at the Winter Festival. CL: Im playing with my main band, Bigmouth, which features the same lineup Ive had for about ten years: Craig Taborn on Wurlitzer and Piano, Chris Cheek and Tony Malaby on tenor
saxophones, and Gerald Cleaver on drums. Well be playing music I wrote and recorded with a grant from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Foundation thats a reflection on my experience and impressions of New York City having lived here for 20 years. Getting us all together at the same time is nearly impossible, so Im very fortunate we were able to find a day and time we could all do! JI: What words of wisdom or encouragement from some of the influential artists with whom youve worked, teachers, friends or family that have resonated with you in a way that has inspired your character and the way you lead your life? CL: The most influential musician Ive had the privilege of encountering is the master drummer Ed Blackwell. I studied and played with him during my Junior year in college right before he died after a long battle with kidney failure. He was gravely ill and so physically frail but his playing was in top form, and he obviously lived for playing music. It taught me a lot about humility and gratitude and just how fortunate we all are to be on this planet, whether were playing music or not. JI: How would you characterize improvisation in the context of your approach to making music? CL: Everybody improvises. You improvise when you talk, drive a car, cook, etc. So when I improvise I try to make it feel like an extension and reflection of the rest of my life. I try not to really think of it as improvising, but just as playing music. That whether Im coming up with something or Im playing a part someone wrote, its all the same thing and its all connected. Because to really play music with other people you have to be present in the moment, listening, and concentrating, regardless of what youre playing. JI: What do you do to relax when youre not making music? Sneed knows and understand exactly how to blend the various textures of the voices in his choir he calls The Levites and most importantly what song to assign a particular singer. The sound of the choir is truly celestial. Its members include: Chenee Campbell, Lynette McNeil, Djore Nance, Tiffany Stevenson, and Matia Washington. Their performance of Marsalis Abyssian Mass was breathtaking. They just kept brining it from start to finish. Some highlights were Djore Nance with his warming well rounded deeply delicious tonality, huge range and sonorous expression, for me is one of the best male voices Ive heard in quite some time. He has an amazing ear, great commandan absolute understanding of harmonics and jazz technique which makes him an outstanding improviserhe hears it all and is truly a joy to listen to. Comparisons to George Benson, Andy Bey, even Marvin Gaye, come to mind, but that said, he is truly his own voice and an important force in the world of creative, soul-
CL: I love hanging with my family and try to be present for them as much as possible. My boys are four and eight and Im trying to enjoy these years as much as possible. All my friends with kids who are older all tell me the same thing: dont blink! JI: Is there anything youd like to promote or discuss that I havent prompted you about? CL: The new Bigmouth recording is scheduled to come out in the spring of 2014 on Clean Feed. Its the first since Deluxe which came out in 2010. We recorded it at my favorite studio, Brooklyn Recording and Im really happy with how the music came together, thanks in no small part to the fact that we had a chance to play it a lot live. I also play in the Matt Wilson Quartet which has a new CD coming out on Palmetto with John Medeski as a special guest. Its a seriously swinging but open thing and John is incredible as always. Were touring a lot with that group in the New Year, and luckily John can make a lot of the shows. I also play on Reginas new CD called Southern Comfort. Its an Americana themed record and I contributed arrangements on two of my favorite country songs: Hickory Wind by Gram Parsons and Honky Tonkin by Hank Williams. Ill be doing a lot of touring with that project and will be playing a CD release week with Regina at Birdland in April. I also have a new rock-based electric band I put together called Superette and it features Curtis Hasselbring and Jonathan Goldberger on guitars, Dan Rieser on drums and me on bass guitar. We did our first shows in 2013 and I hope to book more gigs with that band. Finally, Ive been playing again with Joe Morris for the first time since the early 2000swe have a new CD coming out on Rare Noise with a project called Plymouth: Joe, Jamie Saft, Mary Halvorson, Gerald and me on electric bass. Plus Joe just recorded a new Quartet thing with me, Mat Maneri and Gerald. I feel very fortunate to work with so many great musicians.
Jazz Meets Gospel

rendition of this timeless gospel hymn was beyond moving and inspired a flood of emotion from the audience as well a standing ovation. Every singer was supremely talented and loaded with chops starting with Damien Sneed. His personal version of Billie Holidays God Bless the Child demonstrated his broad range which includes a soaring upper register was as thrilling as it was poignant. His original, a fusion of gospel and soulful jazz, A Place Called There with its lush harmonies and uplifting message was a special treat amidst the old and the new. Tekesha Russell sang her original composition, Hallelujah Says It All and quickly had everyone in the palm of her hand with her rich mellifluous vocal prowess, and dazzling stage presence.
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ful, jazz singers and is a prime example of all of the elements that make up jazz. Duke Ellingtons beautifully atonal and expansively melodic Almighty God Has Those Angels was superbly executed by Tiffany Stevenson, Dr. Iona Clark took us there, embodying the absolute essence of Gospel with her dynamic preaching vocal style. Lynette McNeil is simply an incredible singer whose pipes rival that of a church organ and Matia Washington, is a total powerhouse; Chenee Campbell captivated with her pure horn like fluid tone and emotion. Jazz Meets Gospel was a spiritually uplifting, unforgettable performancea glorious jubilee that transformed the Rose Theater into a place of worship. For this singer, it was like going to vocal heaven but most importantly, I walked away with more than I came in with, feeling more fortified and definitely sanctified but above all grateful for the music and the blessing.
Interview
Darcy James Argue

Visit Darcy James Argue online at www.SecretSocietyMusic.org
JI: Could you talk about your upcoming performance in January in New York? DJA: Right. Were actually kicking things off for the second day of this Winter Jazz Fest Marathon. It has become such an event in New York and its really exciting. Its two full days that are completely packed with music from 6:00 PM to 4:00 AM in seven different venuesall downtown. You get a pass and you can hop around from one venue to the anotherand just completely gorge yourself on really incredible music over a couple of days. Its exciting because there are so many people that come out for this thing. Obviously its not quite on the scale of something like South by Southwest in Austin, but it has a real similar kind of energy. All the venues are packed, standing room only. Theres just like a really great spirit in the room. Ive talked to people in the audience at these things. The last time I went I was talking to a couple of girls at the bar. I asked, Are you guys jazz fans? They werent. What do you do? How did
Photo by Ken Weiss

lot of it is sort of a mix of established artists and up and coming artists and people presenting, premiering new projects before their record comes out. Theres just like this electricity in the air that you kind of wish was there at every gig. But were kicking things off on the second day at this new venue, Subculture, at 45 Bleecker Street. Its a really beautiful space. Ive seen a couple of things there so far and theyve just done a tremendous job with the venue. Well be performing some of the music from our new CD Brooklyn Babylon and then a couple of more recent things including a tribute to someone who was very important to me and a lot of players in the band, [trumpeter] Lori Frink who passed away this summer. Ive got a tribute to Lori that well be performing. Its just always so much fun. Theres always in addition to a big crowd, a lot of people kind of make the pilgrimage to New York every year to make this happen. But in addition to that theres always a lot of musiciansbecause youve got the Artists Pass - so people will play their set and then hang out for the rest of the night. Its just a great
JI: So do you think that theyre thinking of big bands in terms of Artie Shaw? DJA: No because I dont think theyve got any exposure to that. But I think they are thinking about it maybe in terms of like what the college big band played at whatever school they went to. And that repertoire tends to be stuff that is kind of about itself. It tends to be kind of selfreferential, and kind of insider-ey in a way that the stuff that I love has never been. Like the great thing about Duke Ellingtons music is its the opposite of thatand it was never just about a nice chart on this particular tune. There was something deeper going on, and there were bigger ideas communicating in a broader way. You could take someone who never heard jazz before but is a sophisticated listener of classical music and put them down with an Ellington recording and theyll instantly respond. And then you could take someone else whos only ever listened to hip hop and get them with an Ellington recording and theyre also going to flip out. Theres something about the way that I feel that Duke and Strayhorn, Mingus, Monk, George Russell and Gill Evans ... the way those guys approached writing for larger forces ... and just approached music in general. It was very generous and had a kind of intent to communicate that I feel like its not there enough in what were doing as jazz musicians right now. And nothing is worse than going to a show and hearing a bunch of great musicians play for an audience the way they would play in a rehearsal. Thats not what music is about. Its about communication and its about the urgency of communication. I feel like the artists that I just mentioned have something that they urgently need to communicate to people regardless of where those people are at in their background and in their musical lives. Thats the model that Ive always tried to embrace.
(Continued in the next issue of Jazz Inside)
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Duke and Strayhorn, Mingus, Monk, George Russell and Gill Evans ... the way those guys approached writing for larger forces ... . It was very generous and had a kind of intent to communicate that I feel like its not there enough in what were doing as jazz musicians right now.
you hear about this? They sort of read a piece in the Times and they said, Hey we live in New York. This seems like it might be fun and its a good deal. You get to see all these different bands, why dont we go and check out the scene? JI: What age range were you talking about in that particular case? DJA: Probably like just out of college. So obviously there are a lot of young people going out. It takes a certain amount of energy to stay up until 4:00 AM in the morning and do all of this, and take full advantage of all this great music. A hang. Its a chance to get caught up with people. Were all so busy with our own individual hustle just trying to keep the wolf from the door. So its often pretty difficult to get out and hear other players and hear other writers and get a sense of whats really going on out there. So this is a great opportunity for me at least to do that. JI: How do you find that your exploratory approach, including unusual instrumentation, helps or challenges the audience to connect with you and your music? DJA: Well, Ive heard from a lot of people that tell me that theyre not really fans of big band music but they really like what I do. That always feels a little bit like a double-edged complimentbut I understand where theyre coming from. There is a certain tradition I guess of big band writing.
PERFORMANCES
1/11/14 Darcy James Argues Secret Society at
SubCulture, 6PM. Lower level 45 Bleecker St., NYC
Interview
John Kelly
Guitar at Five Towns College
Visit Five Towns College online At www.FTC.edu
JI: Could you talk about your responsibilities and activities at Five Towns College? John Kelly: My focus has been helping students fill in the gaps in their playing that they may have missed with their other teachers. They walk away from me knowing all of their arpeggios, and scales. We read Bach violin Sonatas and Partitas as duets on guitar, Kreutzer violin works, the Van Epps method, a lot of reading, writing and learning songs from the Great American Songbookand those are things I practice as well. My practice also includes music I have to learn for workcontemporary music or a hot guitar solo from the 80s ala Van Halen. JI: When I was in school we would also read through quite a bit of the classical repertoire but instead of guitars, with two or four mallet instruments, marimbas and vibraphonesand specifically playing Mazas violin duets, Bach, Mozart string quartets. JK: Theres nothing better that you can do for your technique, concept and music in general than to play Bach. Theres nothing more difficult and nothing that will help you weave in and out of chord changes betterin my opinion of course. JI: How did you go from developing player to faculty member at Five Towns? JK: Early on I didnt know what chords were and couldn't read a note of music. Then I started studying guitar with Joe Carbone and Peter Rogine and studied and practiced for years. Today, at Five Towns I do private instruction and I run the advanced guitar ensemble. Thats where I take the best students, the quickest readers and we have our hands on the four guitar charts by Tony Mottola. They are extremely difficult and beautiful pieces. The thing I like about them is that they are very guitaristic. Some guitar literature sounds like it is for guys who want to be horn players. These arrangements by Tommy Mottola though sound like guitar music. There are open strings. Some guys get on the treble pickups. Sonically, we can do many, many different things. Its a beautiful thing and what Im most proud of. JI: What is the repertoire that comprises these guitar ensemble arrangements? Standards?
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JK: There are jazz standards arranged for four guitars. There is popular music Country music, some original compositions by Tony Mottola and music from th Great American Songbook.
JI: Are the arrangements written like those for Supersax, which overwhelmingly focused on orchestrating the solos of Charlie Parker? JK: Those are beautiful works. But these arrangements for the guitar ensemble are differentthere is more counterpoint. These were meant to be playing by guitar players. The original guitar ensemble included Tony Mottola, Don Arnone, Vinnie Bell. JI: Are you also writing new arrangements at Five Towns for guitar ensemble? JK: Weve been going through albums and transcribing the songs and solos. Many of those are with Tony Mottola. He created a tremendous body of workrecording over 200 albums. So there is so much to pull from. Its all fun as well as being difficult. We also have the students who can pull it off. We have a couple of students every year who really work hard and go above and beyond. In fact, when we perform, it doesn't sound like three students and a professional. It sounds like four studio musicians. We rehearse every Friday between four and six hours. You have to have tremendous mental stamina just to sit there for that longto play music at that level. They are really brilliant kidsand we have a good thing going there. JI: Talk a bit more about your background. JK: Ive been playing since I was ten years oldIm 39 now. My strong suit is that I can play all different styles and sound authenticas a jazz player, a pop or rock player. I play mandolin wellmaybe not like a Nashville player, but well enough to read shows. Ive got about four hours of Italian music togetherwhich has been a very good thing for me. I just started doing that maybe seven years ago and have gotten very proficient at it. JI: One of the noteworthy aspects of the music program at Five Towns College is the positive attitude I pick up from every faculty member including you. Whats the secret ingredient? JK: When I show up to work, Im happy to be there. Im always happy to be there. I could be somewhere else doing something that I dont like. Im happy because when I show up I get to have a guitar in my lap. Ninety percent of the time that Im there, Im in a supportive role playing rhythm guitar. So Im usually helping out somebody else. Just recently I did a Fox and
Friends Christmas Special and a Fox and Friends Live backing up an actor named Robert Davi. JI: He recently released an album full of big band performances in the style of Frank Sinatra. I think it was a tribute. JK: Thats right. I was fortunate enough to get that call. It was with some of the best studio players in New York. Some relatives saw me on TV and said, You didnt look too busy. [laughs] I had to explain that I was there as an accompanistin a supportive role to make him sound great. Its a great pleasure for me to get together with great players and play music in a supportive role. JI: Talk about some your mentors and some of the guidance youve gotten. JK: I studied with Peter Rogineand he continues to help me with my teaching career. If I ever need information about how to help a student with music or something technical, if theyre having trouble with their handshe knows the answer. Ive been very fortunate to play rhythm guitar for Joe Carbone for the past ten to fifteen years. Hes a great jazz player, a mentor, and I was fortunate to marry his daughter. We have a family now. Were very, very close. Joe helped me out quite a bit in my development as a professional musician. JI: So did your kids begin playing guitar at birth? JK: [laughs] Actually, his first three words were ma-ma, da-da and his third word at about five months was guitar. He gets upset when I put the guitars away. JI: What do you do to relax JK: Its funny. When I graduated college, my father said to me, Now youre going to have to get a hobby. I think he meant fishing or hunting or something like that. I said I already have a hobbyits called Country guitar like Chet Atkins ideas . things you dont usually play hear or play around here in New York.
(Continued in the next issue of Jazz Inside)
CD REVIEWS
directions. The former piece offers a number of harrowing changes to navigate and maneuver, with the ensemble handling those duties very well. The latter tune is kind of humorous in the way Bailey uses sound effects from the guitar to imitate the sputtering noises that arise from a cantankerous automobile engine. The title track A Meeting of Minds is not only a sweet and easy going melody, but it also defines the working relationship between band members. As you experience it you get the sense that these are folks that really know and understand each other. And that bond is certainly reflected in the remaining tunes that run the gamut from smooth sambas to vamp-ish straight ahead jazz. Pure and simple, Sheryl Bailey is a musician that is complete as a composer as well as guitarist. Her tunes have a classic quality that stand on their own. Hence, A Meeting of Minds is not just some academic jamming exercise but a total and satisfying package for established fan and first-timer alike.
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By Eric Harabadian Lucian Ban and his quartet were recorded live in 2010 at the Cornelia Street Caf in New York City. It is one of those stream of consciousness kind of performances where it seems like everything is up for grabs and anything could happen. Thats the feeling you get when you experience Ban and his ensemble. As the leader states in the liner notes: Energy and intensity and the quality of these two are what make jazz music so powerful. It has less to do with loud or soft, fast or slow or even the particular style, but more with the chemistry and inner drive that musicians share in that moment. And that is exactly what is reflected here; a moment in time, a one of a kind performance. These are well written and constructed compositions but more
Sheryl Bailey
A MEETING OF MINDS - Cellar Live Records CL070113. All Talk; Good News; One for VJ; Unity; Cactus; An Unexpected Turn; 5-1; Cheap Jersey Gas; A Meeting of Minds; Broken Glass; The Lioness; Last Night. PERSONNEL: Sheryl Bailey, guitar; Ron Oswanski, Hammond B-3 organ; Ian Froman, drums. By Eric Harabadian The striking vintage typeset and album jacket format give it away; its kind of a takeoff on the classic Blue Note packaging designs of the 60s. It is most apropos as the music within is a distinct reflection of an earlier place and time. The leader Sheryl Bailey is a musician steeped in the esteemed traditions of post modern bebop. Her guitar acumen is culled from the greats like Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, George Benson and the like. Ron Oswanskis legato-tinged keyboard solos and Ian Fromans impeccable balance of swing and dynamics constitute the ultimate contemporary organ trio. As The Sheryl Bailey 3; this formidable group lays down a tasty palette of soulful blues, thoughtful ballads and wrap it up in an overall feel good vibe. One reason all the tracks here groove so well and sound so natural is the fact that theyve been road tested via rigorous band analysis and interplay. Bailey is a fine composer and the majority of material presented here comes from a real homegrown perspective. From the outset, all the tracks seem to flow together seamlessly, with an ease reserved for an intimate club or mid-size venue. There is an arc to the manner in which the tunes build and take the listener on a personal and well traversed musical journey. A mild cacophony of voices open lead track All Talk. Here the group displays their wares right from the start, with some good natured swing. Bailey keeps it somewhat close to the vest but establishes herself and the crew as masters of the melodic groove. Good News keeps things on an upbeat level shifting into a moderately brisk tempo. The interaction of the band is exceptionally strong where lyricism and the beat merge effortlessly. Unity is a track that stands out for its reflective feel and intricately cerebral approach. Bailey shows a nice balance of reserve and tact here. An Unexpected Turn and Cheap Jersey Gas take things in somewhat unorthodox and interesting
Lucian Ban
ELEVATION - Sunnyside SSC 1345. Mystery Prelude; Freeflow; Obsolete; Serenade (for Andrew Hill); Of Things to Come; Silence (Almost); Rank & File; Outro (Of Things That Flow). PERSONNEL: Lucian Ban, piano; Abraham Burton, tenor saxophone; John Hebert, bass; Eric McPherson, drums.
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CONTACT us and discover the many ways we can help! Eric Nemeyer, 215-887-8880, Eric@JazzInsideMagazine.com (Continued on page 56) Nora McCarthy, 215-887-8880, Nora@JazzInsideMgazine.com
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based on pure improvisation and feeding off each others energy and ideas. The set begins with an essential duet between saxophonist Abraham Burton and drummer Eric McPherson. It is a rubato and very open ended piece that is subtle and somewhat subdued. They set the mood for the explosion that is the appropriately named Freeflow. It is a piece that is based on pure modal expression. With Coltrane-esque daring and abandon Burton takes center stage blowing like theres no tomorrow. The band rallies around him until they reach a fever pitch. About mid-point the piece tends to subside and the leader Ban takes the reins and seems to shift the energy to something of a more pastoral nature. This leads to the somewhat basscentric piece Obsolete. Serenade (for Andrew Hill) follows and is a fitting tribute by Ban to the pianistic, avant-garde innovator. It contains a spiraling roller coaster of a head, filled with challenging intervals and angular harmonies. There is also some significant interplay and accenting from the rhythm section. Of Things to Come is another fine piece; moody and relaxed, with Burtons robust tones offset by Bans elegant and sophisticated chordal comps. All in all, Elevation is an enlightened state of mind and this music is certain to take you there if you keep your mind open.
Jane Ira Bloom

SIXTEEN SUNSETSOutline Records 141. www.Janeirabloom.com. For All We Know; What She Wanted; Gershwins Skyline/I Loves You Porgy; Darn That Dream; Good Morning, Heartache; Out of This World; Ice Dancing (For Torvill & Dean); Left Alone; The Way You Look Tonight; But Not For Me; Primary Colors; My Ship; Too Many Reasons; Bird Experiencing Light PERSONNEL: Jane Ira Bloom, soprano saxophone; Dominic Fallacaro, acoustic piano; Cameron Brown, acoustic bass; Mat Wilson, drums By Alex Henderson Even the most fearless and experimental artists in jazz can have a romantic side. Alto saxophonist Charlie Bird Parker showed his romantic side with his lush Bird with Strings sessions of the late 1940s and early 1950s, which inspired numerous bop, cool jazz and post-bop artists to record albums with string orchestras. John Coltrane, easily the most influential jazz saxophonist of the 1960s, showed his romantic side when he recorded Ballads in late 1961 and 1962 and teamed up with baritone crooner Johnny Hartman for the classic John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman session of 1963. So bearing all that in mind, it makes perfect sense that a soprano saxophonist as daring as Jane Ira
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Bloomwho hasnt been afraid to take chances over the yearswould record an introspective mood album like Sixteen Sunsets, which is dominated by well-known standards. Mood album isnt exactly a term that one frequently hears in connection with Bloom, an improviser known for doing adventurous things like using live electronics and writing songs for race car drivers and space explorers. It is no coincidence that Bloom identifies with people who dont play it safe when it comes to their careers: her music has never been about comfort zones for the sake of comfort zones. But Sixteen Sunsets isnt an especially daring or envelopepushing album by Blooms standards; it isnt meant to be. Sixteen Sunsets is, however, a satisfying effort in much the same way that Ballads was satisfying for Coltranes followers half a century ago. Bloom maintains that introspective, contemplative mood for no less than 77 minutes. Not everything on Sixteen Sunsets is a standard. Six of the 14 selections are Bloom originals: What She Wanted, Ice Dancing (For Torvill and Dean), Gershwins Skyline (which is part of a medley that also includes George & Ira Gershwins I Loves You, Porgy), Too Many Reasons, Primary Colors and Bird Experiencing Light. But all of those tracks are as introspective as the rest of the album; none of them do anything to disrupt that pensive mood. Bloom is as expressive on her own compositions as she is on post-bop performances of Tin Pan Alley standards that include Jimmy Van Heusens Darn That Dream, Jerome Kern & Dorothy Fields The Way You Look Tonight, George & Ira Gershwins But Not For Me and J. Fred Coots & Sam Lewis For All We Know. Leading a quartet that employs Dominic Fallacaro on acoustic piano, Cameron Brown on upright bass and Matt Wilson on drums, Bloom keeps things sounding personal whether she is playing standards or her own material. Bloom also turns her attention to two songs associated with singer Billie Holiday: Good Morning, Heartache (which was written by Irene Higginbotham, Dan Fisher and Erwin Drake and first recorded by Lady Day in 1946) and Left Alone, which Holiday co-wrote with acoustic pianist Mal Waldron in the 1950s but never recorded (Waldron, without Holiday, recorded Left Alone for the first time in 1959, the year in which she died). The fact that Good Morning, Heartache and Left Alone both have a Holiday connection is no coincidence: Bloom is obviously a fan of her work. But while Holiday made her mark in the jazz vocal realm, Blooms performances of Good Morning, Heartache and Left Alone are strictly instrumental (as are all of the other songs on the album). Bloom uses instrumental post-bop to acknowledge Holidays contributions, and the soprano sax continues to serve her well after all these years. The minute she picks up her horn, she is identifiable as Jane Ira Bloom. That is not to say that Bloom doesnt have her inspirations. Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and Steve Lacy are still among her major influences, but Bloom never sounds like she is actually emulating any of them. Bloom, rather, has long since incorporated elements of Coltrane, Shorter and
Lacy into her own recognizable sound. No less than 31 years have passed since 1982s Mighty Lights, Blooms first album as a leaderand on Sixteen Sunsets, it is evident that she is still on top of her game and hasnt lost anything as a soloist and an improviser.
Izzy Chait
HOLIDAY NIGHTS: AN EVENING OF LIVE CELEBRATION Hitchcock Media Records 9609. Web: Izzychait.com. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow; Mercy, Mercy, Mercy; O Holy Night; Moon River; Winter Wonderland; Ill Be Your Baby Tonight/Lay, Lady, Lay; The Christmas Song; Santa Claus Is Coming to Town; Takin It to the Streets; Please Come Home for Christmas; Nights in White Satin; Im Saved PERSONNEL: Izzy Chait, vocals; Jerry Vivino, saxophone; Bill Keis, electric keyboards; Ric Fierabracci, electric bass; Tom Walsh, drums By Alex Henderson Izzy Chaits Holiday Nights: An Evening of Live Celebration is the type of release that could be described as a semi-Christmas album: about half of the songs on this live CD (which documents an appearance at the Culver City Jazz Club in Los Angeles) are Christmas-related, and about half of them are not. But the fact that Holiday Nights fluctuates between Christmas songs and non-Christmas songs is only one of the things that makes the disc unpredictable. The Germany-born, Los Angeles-based Chait has never been easy to categorize; vocal jazz, souljazz, traditional pop and soft rock are all part of the picture on Holiday Nights, and Chait lives up to his reputation for musical diversity. Within the Christmas realm alone, Chaits Culver City Jazz Club appearance offers a fair amount of diversity. Christmas music has never been monolithic: the standards one typically hears around the holidays range from European carols like God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman and Silent Night, a.k.a. Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht, to 20th Century Christmas pop songs such as Frosty the Snowman and Jingle Bells. The latter are essentially secular songs, whereas the European carols (many of which go back to the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries) are specifically based on Christian beliefs. And most of the Christmas songs that Chair performs on Holiday Nights are secular Christmas pop songs of the 20th Century, including Sammy Cahn & Jule Stynes Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Felix Bernard & Richard Smiths Winter Wonderland, J. Fred Coots & Haven Gilespies Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Mel Torm and Robert Wells The Christmas Song (which Nat King Cole made famous in
1946). But Chait also turns his attention to O Holy Night, a European carol that came out of the 19th Century and is clearly religious in nature. So even though the secular American Christmas pop tradition has a greater musical influence on Holiday Nights than the European carol tradition, Chait doesnt ignore the latter. As for the non-Christmas songs, Chait is all over the placeand that is a good thing. Performing everything from Henry Mancinis Moon River (which was made famous in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffanys, starring the late Audrey Hepburn) to Joe Zawinuls Mercy, Mercy, Mercy to a Bob Dylan medley (Ill Be Your Baby Tonight and Lay, Lady, Lay), Chait reminds us that he has eclectic tastes. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is a perfect choice for Chait given his connection to both jazz and R&B: written during Zawinuls pre-Weather Report days as the pianist for alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderleys group, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is the quintessential soul-jazz standard. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is one of those songs that appeals to Jimmy Smith, Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Hank Crawford fans as much as it appeals to Sam & Dave and Wilson Picket fans, and Chaits performance of Zawinuls song reminds us of the influence that both jazz and R&B have had on Chaits musical outlook. Chaits interpretation of the Moody Blues Nights in White Satin (or as it is known in the Latin pop world, Noches en Seda Blanca) is both jazz-influenced and reggae-influenced. In contrast to the epic approach that the Moody Blues favored when they recorded that British Invasion classic in 1967, Chaits version is contemplative and understated. Another highlight of this CD is Chaits soul-jazz version of the Doobie Brothers Takin It to the Streets, which was a major hit in 1976. Although the Doobie Brothers were mainly pop-rock, they had soul influencesand that fact wasnt lost on R&B singers ranging from Deniece Williams (who liked to perform Takin It to the Streets when she was on tour with the Ohio Players and KC & the Sunshine Band in 1976) to Aretha Franklin (who recorded a hit cover of the Doobies What a Fool Believes in 1980). Chait acknowledges the funkiness in Takin It to the Streets and does so in a way that is both soul-minded and jazz-minded. Holiday Nights is not for jazz purists or bop snobs. Chait, rather, tends to appeal to people who realize that jazz, R&B and rock are all valid forms of artistic expression, and those who feel that way will find this to be an enjoyable listen.
Matt Criscuolo
BLIPPITY BLAT - Jazzeria MATT 2013. Shuckin the Cob; Blippity Blat; Somethin Like That; Generally Not; Inventiscovered; Ronnies Tune; The Rock; Dance Cadaverous; The Larry Willis I Know; My Ship. PERSONNEL: Matt Criscuolo, alto saxophone; Larry Willis, piano; John Clark, French horn; Gerald Cannon, bass; Billy Williams, drums. By Eric Harabadian
This is Matt Criscuolos fourth release as a leader and is one of his most challenging to date. Its a number of fine modern jazz selections written by Criscuolo, save for covers by Wayne Shorter, Larry Willis and Kurt Weill. Perhaps what is s striking about this album overall is the uniqueness of the lineup. Everyone in the ensemble has extensive experience in all capacities as session/side man or leader. But, in particular, the inclusion of John Clark on French horn adds an interesting and somewhat unusual sonority to the groups sonic stew. There is a rich and haunting simpatico that occurs when you mix the instruments together and it makes for an exciting and amusing recording session. Shuckin the Cob is kind of funky in the way it comes in so strong rhythmically. Extensive solos all around are supported by Billy Williams well placed syncopation. Title track Blippity Blat swings in an almost continuous loop; ominous, intrepid and relentless in its execution. Criscuolos leads flow gracefully over Larry Williss ascending and descending changes. Somethin Like That is a real treat! This thing swings with a bravado and unbridled energy that is smooth, yet raw at the same time. There is an urgency there proffered by the leader and Williss Tyner-like force. Kudos go to bassist Gerald Cannon for his uncanny blend of solos and supportive lines. Another smooth track that swings in a classic mid-tempo vein is a piece called Generally Not. Here Clark and Criscuolo step out alternating solos loaded with empathy and plenty of juice. The ensemble is literally hitting their stride on this piece. And then theres always time to take a breather and introduce a ballad into the lot. Inventiscovered is the oddly named choice here. It is curious and seemingly melancholy; much in the shadow of something Thelonious Monk would do. In fact, Williss approach to the keyboard seems to mimic the style of said master. The leader plays one of his more inspired and lyrical solos here as well. Ronnies Tune is explorative and modal; exciting and moody, with a groove that is steady and really feeds off of Williams great cymbal work as well as Williss fine comping. The Rock is a fiery modern bebop gem. The head is angular and dances all over the map. It takes off like a shot and brings out the best in everyone on the front line. Shorters Dance Cadaverous is another lilting ballad that is atmospheric and all encompassing; drawing you in with that eerie blend of sax and French horn once again. This is another piece that really showcases the true strength of the entire ensemble as a unified entity. Based somewhat rhythmically on Ahmad Jamals Poinciana, The Larry Willis I Know has a strong pulse courtesy of bassist Cannon, with a wonderful melody that lingers breezily
above the fray. It sets a tranquil mood and will cause one to drift away. Great solos abound from all, with Clark and Criscuolo providing well measured performances. The final piece My Ship concludes things on a relaxed and contemplative note. The Weill/Gershwin classic gets a real nice treatment here and fits naturally with the, mostly, original program for the date. This album is a great straight ahead modern jazz affair; traditional and immediate, yet contemporary and somewhat cutting edge.
Barry Danielian
METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING Tariquah 002 www.BarryDanielian.com. Turning Inside Out; Paradigm Shift; In The Land Of The Blind; Shine Your Light; Metaphorically Speaking; Blue Caller; Angles Of Attack; Unseen; The Longing; Maghreb; Ancient Impulse; RumiNation PERSONNEL: Barry Danielian, trumpet, keyboards; Charles Pillow, flutes; bass clarinet; Bob Franceschini, Bob Malach, Andy Snitzer, tenor; David Mann, alto, tenor, flute, soprano; Lawrence Feldman, flutes; Michael Davis, Ozzie Melendez, trombone; Mike Ciro, Ed Hamilton, Mike Dino Campbell, Sherrod Barnes, guitar; Henry Hey, piano, Andy Ezrin, Michael Bearden, keyboards; Hubert Eaves IV, Tim LeFebvre, David Finck, bass; Clint DeGanon, Shawn Pelton, Ralph Rolle, Buddy Williams, drums; Bashiri Johnson, Brahim Fribgane, percussion; By Scott Yanow Trumpeter Barry Danielian may not be a household name in the jazz world but he has worked with quite a few famous names through the years. He was originally a straight ahead jazz player and in his career he has appeared with such notables as Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Benny Golson, Paquito DRivera and Branford Marsalis. He became part of the New York City music scene in 1984 and had opportunities to work with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin and such r&b acts as the Temptations, the OJays, The Four Tops and The Spinners. During 1985-95, Danielian toured extensively with Blood, Sweat and Tears, Southside Jonny and the Asbury Jukes, Queen Latifah, Jon Bon Jovi, and Emmanuel, working during 199598 with Tower Of Power. In addition, he became very busy as a session, soundtrack and jingles musician, recording constantly and working with Broadway shows. He has not slowed down since, teaching at three universities in the New York City area. In more recent times he has performed with Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, James
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Taylor, Elton John, Tony Bennett, Sting, Public Enemy, Paul Simon, and Bono. Since 2012 he has been a regular member of Bruce Springsteens E-Street Band. Surprisingly with all of this activity and experience, Metaphorically Speaking is only Barry Danielians second CD as a leader, following his earlier Common Ground by nine years. As Danielian states in his liner notes, this CD is not a strictly jazz record, and instead is a mixture of different styles that reflect his musical lives. Most of the performances utilize five-toseven musicians with the personnel and instrumentation changing from track-to-track. This is primarily groove music that mixes together funk, R&B and World Music rhythms with some jazz and R&B soloing. While Danielian takes some fine if mostly brief trumpet solos, the emphasis is on the catchy light funk rhythms, the riffs from the ensembles, and the overall musical experience rather than individual heroics. The CD opens with Turning Inside Out, a menacing strut that is worthy of early 1970s Miles Davis. This ensemble piece has the funky rhythm from the bass being the basis of the song. The avant-funk Paradigm Shift is notable for Bob Franceschini high-energy tenor solo which combines a bit of Gato Barbieris tone with the passion of David Sanborn. In The Land Of The Blind is a danceable light funk piece with an attractive groove while Shine Your Light has some wailing tenor from David Mann. Metaphorically Speaking features a nice catchy rhythmic melody that Danielian plays over during the pieces conclusion while Blue Caller, which has a groove worthy of Marcus Miller, features some soulful tenor playing by Bob Malach. Of the other selections, Angles Of Attack is a bit rockish, Donelian plays all of the instruments on the atmospheric Unseen, and The Longing starts off quietly before launching the leaders best trumpet solo of the project, while soprano-saxophonist Aaron Heick on Maghreb and tenor-saxophonist Andy Snitzer on Ancient Impulse prove to be strong assets. The concluding RumiNation has hot interplay by Donalian and David Mann on soprano over an electronic background that includes several voices. With the release of this CD, Barry Danielian should start gaining more recognition in the general public for his trumpeter playing and arranging talents.
Harris Eisenstadt swings on drums behind the two horns, most of the time they are part of a musical democracy in which the instruments take turns leading (during solos) or interacting as equals. Golden State needs to be listened to several times in order to fully digest the fascinating and continually surprising music. An inventive drummer who sounds unlike anyone else, Harris Eisenstadt is probably most significant as a composer who has been involved with some of the most stimulating music of the past decade. Born in Toronto, he began playing drums when he was ten, inspired by modern jazz, avant-garde and rock drummers. After moving to New York, he studied with Barry Alstchul and worked regularly at the Knitting Factory. A period in Los Angeles studying at Cal Arts included collaborations with Sam Rivers and Adam Rudolph. He has since worked with Yusef Lateef, Vinny Golia, James Newton, Wayne Horvitz, Nels Cline, Marty Ehrlich, Wadada Leo Smith, Francoise Houle, Jessica Pavone, the AMH Trio, the Ahisma Orchestra, Nate Wooley, and the Convergence Quartet among many others. In addition, Eisenstadts wide-ranging career has included work with West African dance troupes, poets, opera companies, theater groups, contemporary classical musicians and on soundtracks. Musically he is open to nearly any type of creative music. Eisenstadt has won many commissions through the years and appeared on more than 50 recordings since 2000 including 15 CDs of his own. The music on Golden State is particularly intriguing. While being quite original, his seven compositions and arrangements sometimes recall the music of Henry Threadgill a little in that they utilize unusual harmonies and tone colors, with the songs not including any definite beginnings and purposely having inconclusive endings. The compositions become arrangements and the arrangements logically become improvisations. Since there is no obvious line between the sections, and the soloing is such a logical part of the arrangements and vice versa, there are many times when it is difficult to know where the writing ends and the improvising begins. The group Golden State was born in 2012 at Cal Arts when Eisenstadt and his wife bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck played with flutist Nicole Mitchell. Schoenbeck and Mitchell had previously worked together on Anthony Braxtons 2006 recording Nine Compositions while bassist Mark Dresser and Eisenstadt have had a longtime musical association. This CD is the first recording by the quartet. Due to the attractive group sound, with flute and bassoon often being in the forefront, the music on Golden State is more accessible than one might expect from such titles as Dogmatic In Any Case, Especially Preposterous Assertions and Flabbergasted By The Unconventional. Actually the titles mean little, and an exact play-by-play of the music would be both tedious and fairly impossible. One learns much more by simply listening and experiencing the ensembles and the writing. The performances are essentially a continuous musical conversation. While there are sections where Mark Dresser walks his bass and
Enrico Granafei
ALONE TOGETHER Consolidated Artists Productions CAP 1036 jazzbeat.com Christina; Destiny; I Love You; Body And Soul; Yardbird Suite; Lana; Alone Together; Estate; Gentle Rain; Round Midnight; The Peacocks; Medley: Stable Mates, Giant Steps, Cherokee; I Wish You Love PERSONNEL: Enrico Granafei, harmonica, guitar, vocals, shaker; Amina Figarova, piano; Rick Crane, bass; Billy Hart, drums; Vitali Imereli, violin on Yardbird Suite and Lana; Vic Juris, guitar and Gordon Lane, drums on Aone Together Dave Stryker, guitar and Diego Lopez, tamburim on Gentle Rain; Wallace Roney, trumpet on Round Midnight; By Scott Yanow Very few jazz instrumentalists have dominated their instrument as long as Toots Thielemans has the chromatic (as opposed to the blues) harmonica. Because half of the notes on the chromatic harmonica are achieved by inhaling rather than exhaling, the instrument is much more difficult to master than those who think of it as a toy probably realize. Before Thielemans became prominent in the mid-1950s, the only major harmonica player of note was Larry Adler, a virtuoso who not only played some jazz but dance music, pop tunes and classical music. Since Thielemans rose to fame, the number of significant jazz harmonica players are around three: Howard Levy (who actually plays a blues harp but has figured out how to make it sound like a chromatic harmonica), Gregoire Maret and Enrico Granafei. With Toots Thielemans now being 91, it is long overdue for him to have an eventual successor. Enrico Granafei might be the heir apparent although he is not exactly a youngster. Like Thielemans, he started out on guitar, earning a degree in classical guitar from the Conservatory of lAquila in Italy in 1976. He began playing harmonica in the early 1980s and soon was playing in a similar boppish style as Thielemans. Originally based in Italy where he was a member of the Pippo Caruso Orchestra, he moved to New York in the 1990s. If his name sounds a bit familiar to those who go out to see jazz on the East Coast, it might be because he has owned the Trumpets jazz club since 1999. Granafei has appeared at many European jazz festivals and at
Harris Eisenstadt
GOLDEN STATE Songlines SGL 1602 www.Songlines.com. What Is A Straw Horse, Anyways; It Is Never Safe To Be; Dogmatic In Any Case; Unless All The Evidence Is In; Sandy; Especially Preposterous Assertions; Flabbergasted By The Unconventional PERSONNEL: Nicole Mitchell, flute; Sara Schoenbeck, bassoon; Mark Dresser, bass; Harris Eisenstadt, drums By Scott Yanow
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clubs but fame has still largely eluded him. Hopefully the release of Alone Together will change that. Granafei is heard in two different settings on this CD. The first six selections feature him playing harmonica with a standard piano-bassdrums rhythm section that is augmented by violinist Vitali Imereli on two numbers. Granafei shows off his fluency and melodic jazz style on Christina (probably Buster Williams best original), Amina Figarovas medium-tempo Destiny, a cooking version of I Love You and a tasteful Body And Soul. Figarovas piano playing interacts very well with the harmonica. Yardbird Suite and Granafeis swinging original Lana both feature an unusual blend between harmonica and violin, with Imereli taking some very passionate solos. The other selections have Granafei being a potential one-man band. He utilizes a specially developed Hands-Free Chromatic Harmonica at the same time that he is playing a DB guitar invented by Nico Di Barttista. The latter is a combination of guitar and bass which apparently makes it easy for Granafei to play bass lines at the same time that he is playing guitar chords or single-note lines. For variety and for the fun of it, Enrico Granafei welcomes some guests to a few of the songs. On Alone Together he plays harmonica and the DB guitar while joined by guitarist Vic Juris and drummer Gordon Lane. Granafei sings Estate quite effectively while accompanying himself. Gentle Rain is taken surprisingly uptempo and has close interaction with guitarist Dave Stryker while Diego Lopez hits rhythms on the tamburim. Round Midnight features Granafei and trumpeter Wallace Roney sharing both the melody and the solos, with each building their statement from where the other musician had left off. The next piece, a medley of Stablemates, Giant Steps and Cherokee has some remarkable playing by Granafei, who whips through the chord changes both on harmonica and guitar, making it all sound easy. He concludes this excellent recording with his vocal on I Wish You Love. Alone Together is Enrico Granafeis definitive recording so far. Finally, Toots Thielemans has a challenger.
1950s, 1960s and 1970s, many jazz critics dismissed organist Jimmy Smith and his countless disciples as lounge lizards who were watering jazz down in order to appeal to popular culture. But the fact is that much of the organ jazz of that era was not only accessible and groovemindedit was also soulful, gutsy and passionate and swung like hell. And these days, many jazz reviewers, historians and musicians alike cherish the Hammond B-3 and describe Smith, Richard Groove Holmes, Brother Jack McDuff and others in glowing terms. Musicians who arent organists themselves will record an organ album with great enthusiasm, and saxophonist Ian Hendrickson-Smiths enthusiasm is evident throughout Tonight Is Now. Recorded in a Queens studio in April 2013, this is an organ jazz album that recalls the organ jazz albums of 40 and 50 years ago. Tonight Is Now finds Hendrickson-Smith leading a quintet consisting of the leader on four instruments (alto sax, flute, baritone sax and tenor sax), Adam Scone on Hammond B-3 organ, Loston Harris on electric piano, Philip Harper (of Harper Brothers fame on trumpet) and Charles Ruggiero on drums. Scones B-3 does a lot to help Hendrickson-Smith achieve a 1960s/1970s-like vibe, as
does Harris electric piano. There have been many different kinds of electric keyboards available over the years, but the electric piano is an instrument that reached the height of its popularity in the late 1960s and 1970s (when it was prominently used in jazz-rock fusion as well as in everything from soul and funk to progressive rock and psychedelic rock). The sound of the electric piano is one that immediately conjures up thoughts of that era, and if some people complain that Harris electric piano sounds dated, so be it. Dated can be a huge plus if one holds a particular era in high regard, and its clearly a plus on Tonight Is Now (one mans dated is another mans classic). Harris, it should be noted, is also a skillful acoustic pianist and vocalist, although he doesnt do any singing or play any acoustic piano on this 48-minute CD. Hard bop, soul-jazz and post-bop are all part of the equation on Tonight Is Now, and Hendrickson-Smith maintains that old-school organ group sound whether he is playing three original pieces (Up in Perks, All That Glitters and The Sorry for Laughing Blues) or interpreting Eddie Harris Brother Ed, Dave Brubecks The Duke and the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song This Guys in Love with You. Hendrickson-Smith leans toward hard bop on The Duke (in contrast to the Cool School approach that Brubeck favored) and The Sorry for Laughing Blues, makes post-bop moves on Brother Ed and Up in Perks and goes for maximum soul-jazz appeal on This Guys in Love with You. And through it all, Hendrickson-Smith and his sidemen are unapologetically
Ian Hendrickson-Smith
TONIGHT IS NOWCellar Live Records 50113. Web: cellarlive.com, ianhendricksonsmith.com. The Duke; Brother Ed; The Sorry For Laughing Blues; This Guys in Love with You; All That Glitters; Up in Perks. PERSONNEL: Ian Hendrickson-Smith, alto saxophone, flute, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone; Philip Harper, trumpet; Adam Scone, organ; Loston Harris, electric keyboards; Charles Ruggiero, drums By Alex Henderson The history books have been much kinder to organ combos and organ jazz than many of the jazz critics of the past were. Back in the late
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hard-swinging. The Bacharach/David songbook is one that pseudo-intellectuals tend to look down upon, and whenever a soul-jazz musician or organ combo would play Walk on By or Wives and Lovers back in the 1960s and 1970s, pseudointellectuals would babble on about how jazz improvisers shouldnt lower their dignity by playing simplistic pop songs. But the fact is that throughout its long history, jazz musicians have been taking good but simple pop songs and using them as vehicles for improvisation. And a lot of jazz instrumentalists really soared with Wives and Lovers back in the day, including Jimmy Smith, tenor saxophonist Red Holloway and guitarist Grant Green (who recorded a great modal version with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Elvin Jones in 1965). So bearing that in mind, it makes perfect sense for HendricksonSmith to take This Guys in Love with You and use it for an organ jazz workout. Hendrickson-Smiths alto works perfectly well alongside Scones B-3, but the leader is also expressive when he picks up the flute. And while the alto is his main sax on this album, his use of the baritone and tenor as secondary instruments is a plus. Jazz has room for both radical experimentation and recordings that celebrate the past (not that the two are mutually exclusive). And on Tonight Is Now, Hendrickson-Smith celebrates the past with pleasing results.
Lauren Kinhan
CIRCLE IN A SQUARE Privately released www.laurakinhan.com. Circle In A Square; My Painted Lady Butterfly; Another Hill To Climb; Chasing The Sun; Im Looking For That Number; To Live Or Die; Pocketful Of Harlem; Were Not Going Anywhere Today; Chaussures Complex; Bear Walk; Vanitys Paramour; The Deep Within PERSONNEL: Lauren Kinhan, vocals; Andy Ezrin, piano, keyboards; David Finck or Will Lee, bass; Ben Wittman, drums; Randy Brecker, trumpet, flugelhorn; Donny McCaslin, Joel Frahm, saxophones; Gary Versace, organ; Romero Lubambo, Chuck Loeb, guitar; Peter Eldridge, vocals By Scott Yanow Lauren Kinhan is best known as a regular member of the New York Voices with whom she has performed and recorded very frequently since 1992. She grew up around music because her father worked with a big band. Originally she was interested in becoming a singer/ songwriter like Carole King or Joni Mitchell but she took a left turn, discovering jazz while at60
tending Berklee. She began her career as a solo singer who also wrote songs for other artists and composed jingles for commercials. Kinhan became a friend of Ornette Coleman who encouraged her. She recorded with Coleman (Sound Museum, Three Women) and toured with him. In 1991 she signed with the N2K Encoded label and the following year joined New York Voices which had formed three years earlier. Since then she has frequently traveled the world with the New York Voices. She has also worked with Moss (alongside Luciana Souza, Kate McGarry, Theo Bleckmann and Peter Eldridge) and JaLaLa (which also features Janis Siegel and Laurel Masse). Up to this point, Lauren Kinhan has led three albums: 2000s Hardly Blinking, Avalon (from 2010) and now Circle In A Square. While her earlier recordings have displayed the influence of the singer/songwriters who she enjoyed while growing up, Circle In A Square has her performing a jazz-oriented set of her originals (four of the songs are collaborations with other musicians) that nevertheless sometimes include some pop and r&b elements. She performs with a core trio (pianist Andy Ezin, bassist David Finck and drummer Ben Wittman) while also welcoming several guests to various selections. Randy Brecker, on trumpet and flugelhorn is a particularly strong asset to Circle In A Square (a song whose lyrics sometimes slightly hint at Antonio Carlos Jobims Waters Of March) and the relatively straight ahead Bear Walk. Throughout this CD, Lauren Kinhan displays a strong, flexible and versatile voice. Her improvising over the closing vamp of Circle In A Square reveals her to be a superior jazz singer. She is quite passionate on My Painted Lady Butterfly and on Another Hill To Climb, a ballad that sounds like it could have been written in the 1940s. Her singing (especially during the wordless sections) is modern, soulful and powerful. Chasing The Sun is built off of a riff that Kinhan sings, and her overdubbed voices on this number are particularly effective. She puts plenty of emotion into the r&b original Im Looking For That Number. Around the middle of the CD, Lauren Kinhan really hits her stride, giving To Love Or Die one of her most memorable performances of the project, riffing in catchy fashion on the high-powered Pocketful Of Harlem, and showing on Were Not Going Anywhere Today that she is also a very expressive ballad singer. Her long tones on Were Not Going Anywhere Today are full of longing as she expresses optimism for the future. Her scatting on the latter song and Chauusures Complex will excite jazz listeners as will her close interplay with the tenor-saxophone on Vanitys Paramour. She definitely knows how to use her voice as an instrument. Circle In A Square concludes with the ballad The Deep Within. Lauren Kinhans Circle In A Square is her finest recording to date.
David Krakauer
THE BIG PICTURE Table Pounding TPR002 www.Invasiongroup.com. Willkommen; La Vita E Bella (Life Is Beautiful); Si Tu Vois Ma Mere (If You See My Mother); Body And Soul; The March (From The Love For Three Oranges); Moving To The Ghetto; The Family; Honeycomb; Love Theme From Sophies Choice; Keep It Gay; People; Tradition PERSONNEL: David Krakauer, clarinet, bass clarinet; Jenny Scheinman, violin; Adam Rogers, guitar; Rob Burger, piano, celeste, organ, accordion, vibes; Greg Cohen, bass; Jim Black, drums, percussion; On Si Tu Vois Ma Mere: Sheryl Bailey, guitar, Nicki Parrott, bass; Keepalive, loops By Scott Yanow David Krakauer is both an innovator and a link to the past. During an era when most upand-coming reed players looked towards post bop jazz, fusion, funk or the avant-garde, Krakauer became one of the most significant of all Klezmer clarinetists. He was a major part of the movement to update and modernize Klezmer, holding on to its core traditions and its distinctive sound while applying the idiom to many different settings and situations. Klezmer, the music of Eastern European Jews, had a brief period of popularity in the 1920s and survived in the shadows through the decades until it began to have a revival in the 1970s. Krakauer, who had extensive experience in classical music and jazz, found what he was looking for in Klezmer. He did not have to hold back on expressing his emotions on the clarinet and, while very familiar with the traditional repertoire, he did not feel compelled to limit himself to traditional pieces. As a member of the Klezmatics (starting in 1988) and his own Klezmer Madness (which he formed in 1996), he not only had his music open to the influence of jazz but sometimes also utilized hip hop rhythms, funk and rock. Krakauer has performed his unusual music around the world including with many symphony orchestras, string quartets, John Zorn, pianist Uri Caine and other jazz artists. The Big Picture is one of David Krakauers most adventurous projects. He plays his interpretations of a dozen songs that appeared in motion pictures. He utilizes a very open-minded and flexible sextet and is the lead voice throughout much of the music. Willkommen, a German cabaret-type number from Cabaret, introduces Krakauers wide vibrato and huge sound on a piece that is a bit frantic, humorous and dark. The childlike and somewhat melancholy La Vita E Bella is from the unlikely hit Life Is Beautiful, a sad comedy about a concentration camp.
Sidney Bechets Si Tu Vois Ma Mere (If You See My Mother) was a major part of Woody Allens Midnight In Paris. It is given a particularly eccentric treatment that has its melody stretched out and uses a drum machine yet manages to retain its trad feel. Krakauer wails on clarinet over a vamp for a bit in its middle before the melody returns. Body And Soul did not make its debut as part of a film but, since Woody Allen used it in the soundtrack for Radio Days, it was eligible for this project. Krakauer plays the famous melody his own way and has an unusual solo chorus that leads back to the theme. The March from Woody Allens Love And Death adds even more variety to this set. Moving To The Ghetto from the Pianist is very much in Krakauers Klezmer style. It is a dirge that is not lacking in humor. After a surprisingly sweet version of Randy Newmans The Family (from Avalon), the musicians get to jam over rhythm changes on Ralph Burns Honeycomb (from Lenny). The Big Picture concludes with the dramatic Love Theme From Sophies Choice, the old time show business piece Keep It Gay (from The Producers), a fairly straightforward ballad treatment of People, and Tradition from Fiddler On The Roof. Due to its familiar melodies, The Big Picture is an excellent introduction to the 21st century Klezmer music of David Krakauer.
Joachim Khn
VOODOO SENSEACT Music 9555. Web: ActMusic.com. Kulu S Mama; Gbalele; Leternal Voyage; Voodoo Sense; Crossing the Mirror; Firehorse PERSONNEL: Joachim Khn, acoustic piano; Majid Bekkas, guembri, vocals, kalimba, balafon; Ramn Lopez, drums, percussion; Archie Shepp, tenor saxophone; Kouassi Bessan Joseph, talking drums, congas, vocals; Gouria Danielle, percussion, vocals; Daily Jean Eric, calabash; Gilles Ahadji, djembe; Abdessadek Bounhar, karkabou. By Alex Henderson In jazz, the survivors not only come from the United Statesmany come from different parts of Europe as well. And one of Europes many jazz survivors is veteran acoustic pianist/ electric keyboardist Joachim Khn, who will be turning 70 on March 15, 2014. The German improviser has been playing jazz professionally since the early 1960s, and he isnt shy about jumping into a variety of musical situations. Over the years, Khn has made his mark in everything from post-bop to avant-garde jazz to fusion. He has appeared in both acoustic and
electric settings, but on Voodoo Sense, Khn sticks to the acoustic piano and doesnt play any electric keyboards at all. The inside/outside performances are mostly post-bop, sometimes venturing into mildly avant-garde territoryand throughout the CD, Khn and his sidemen are heavily influenced by world music. For well over half a century, post-bop has had a world music influence. Modal jazz, which started in the late 1950s with John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef, always showed an awareness of world musicespecially the music of the Middle East, India and North Africa. Modal/scalar improvisation has been a part of Arabic, Indian, Jewish, Armenian and Turkish music for centuries, and the modal jazz that came about in the late 1950s and 1960s was clearly indebted to the time-tested modal traditions in world music. Khn is obviously wellaware of that. So on Voodoo Sense, which was recorded in Morocco in 2011 and 2012 and in Paris in 2012, he really plays up the world music factorand he does so not only with the melodies and harmonies, but also, by having his sidemen and guests play a variety of traditional Arabic or African instruments such as the djembe, the sentir (also known as the guembri), the kalimba and African talking drums. Khn reminds us of the diversity of the African continent, combining post-bop jazz with the influence of traditional music from Arabic North Africa or the Maghreb countries (Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia) as well as Sub-Saharan Africa or Black Africa. The world jazz outlook prevails on four pieces that Khn wrote or co-wrote (Crossing the Mirror, Firehouse, Leternal Voyage and the title track) and two pieces he didnt write: Kouassi Bessan Josephs Gbalele and New Orleans musician Juno Lewis Kulu S Mama. Coltrane, in fact, recorded Kulu S Mama in 1965 and employed Lewis on vocals and percussion on that recording as well as on his song Selflessness. Coltranes 1965 recording of Kulu S Mama lasted 18 minutes, and Khns version is about a minute longer. Many improvisers who want to acknowledge Coltrane (who died in 1967) do so by performing his most well-known standardsGiant Steps, Impressions, Naima, Central Park West, Moments Notice, Cousin Mary and Equinox are frequent choicesand the fact that Khn is willing to dig deeper and perform Kulu S Mama (which is hardly a standard) speaks well of him. The lineup on Voodoo Sense consists of a core trio (Khn on acoustic piano, Moroccan musician Majid Bekkas on guembri, vocals, kalimba and balafon, Ramn Lopez on drums and percussion) and various guests, who include Archie Shepp on tenor sax, Kouassi Bessan Joseph on African talking drums, congas and vocals, Gilles Ahadji on djembe and Gouria Danielle on percussion and vocals. It is no exaggeration to describe Shepp as a national treasure: the Fort Lauderdale-born saxman, who grew up in Philadelphia and is now 76, has been a vital contributor to both post-bop and avant-garde jazz since the early 1960sand the fact that he can play both inside and outside makes him a perfect guest for Voodoo Sense. Khn doesnt
feature Shepp throughout the album, but he does feature him on three of the six selections: Leternal Voyage, Kulu S Mama and the title track. True to form, Shepp is passionate and expressive. Jazz was always indebted to world music, going back to New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden in the 1890s and 1900s. But post-bop, modal jazz and the avant-garde certainly did their part to make world jazz even more prominentand Khns awareness of that relationship between jazz and world music yields exciting results on Voodoo Sense.
Mike Longo
LIVE FROM NEW YORK - Consolidated Artists Productions CAP 1041. Whisper Not; Afro Desia; Yoko Mama; Over the Rainbow; Im Old Fashioned; Muddy Water; Inner City Hues; Wee. PERSONNEL: Mike Longo, piano; Tom Hubbard, bass; Mike Campenni, drums; Ira Hawkins, vocals; Chris Rogers, trumpet; John Replogle, trumpet; Brian Davis, trumpet; Waldron Ricks, trumpet; Sam Burtis, trombone; Nick Finzer, trombone; Nick Grinder, trombone; Earl McIntyre, trombone; Bob Magnuson, saxophone; Frank Perowsky, saxophone; Lee Greene, saxophone; Mike Migliore, saxophone; Matt Snyder, saxophone. By Eric Harabadian The date was July 23rd, 2013 at the Gillespie Auditorium in New York City. Arranger and leader Mike Longo was in his element directing the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble through a scintillating and intense program of standards and originally written material. This is the document of that occasion wonderfully captured and produced by saxophonist Bob Magnuson. The direct-to-digital recording is incredibly pristine and displays all the fire and nuance of this night in bold relief. Longo has worked in all types of musical situations; from small combos to full orchestral groups. His skills as an arranger for large ensembles really comes into play here. His arrangements are not overbearing and leave a lot of space to breathe. Soloists, indeed, stand out but everything here works more as a unit or mighty wall of sound. Benny Golsons Whisper Not opens the performance, with an easy and bluesy swing. The lineup of solos are effective in their brevity; concise but well conceived and empathic. Longos Afro Desia is next and swings in more of a mid tempo rock and funk vein. Waldron Ricks plays a masterful and cool solo on trumpet. Another Longo composition Yoko Mama features a tight and succinct melodic head that serves as a launching pad for great
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solos from the triumvirate of Chris Rogers, Earl McIntyre and Lee Greene. For the next three pieces vocalist Ira Hawkins comes in and ups the ante of an, already, brilliant concert. Over the Rainbow gets a reverent introduction by the singer that really accentuates his sharp baritone. But after a few bars of the slower ballad version the band picks up the tempo into brisk swing. It is a pleasant and unexpected turn. Hawkins also jumps in on the Kern/Mercer nugget Im Old Fashioned that swings elegantly and recalls Billy Eckstein or Jon Hendricks in their heyday. Muddy Water is pure blues and spotlights Hawkins letting it all hang out. Bobby Blue Bland or Big Joe Turner come to mind with his exciting and edgy performance. Longos Inner City Hues recalls an urban landscape much like one found in classic film noir or 50s/60s television. The mood is sultry blues-based swing, with a hint of romance and intrigue. The accents from the rhythm section are visceral and really touch your soul. Denzel Bests Wee is a lot of fun, with burning solos from Rogers burning trumpet and Frank Perowskys lively tenor sax. This is modern big band bebop at its finest!
PERSONNEL: Harold Lpez-Nussa, acoustic piano, electric keyboards; Gastn Joya, acoustic bass, Ruy Adrin Lpez-Nussa, drums, percussion; Mayquel Gonzlez, trumpet By Alex Henderson Jazz came out of African-American culture in New Orleans, but it has been incorporating an Afro-Cuban influence for many years. Pianist Jelly Roll Morton, one of the most important bandleaders and composers of the 1920s, sometimes incorporated Afro-Cuban elements and referred to the Latin influence in his music as the Spanish tinge. And subsequently, a long list of musicians made their mark in Afro-Cuban jazz: Mario Bauza, Machito, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, Ray Barretto, and Henry Pucho Brown, among many others. These dayswith so many of the Afro-Cuban jazz greats of the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s having passed awaypercussionist Poncho Sanchez (who is now 62) is widely regarded as the standard bearer for Afro-Cuban jazz. But there is always room for younger artists in Afro-Cuban jazz, and New Day points to the fact that acoustic pianist/
Harold Lpez-Nussa
NEW DAYJazz Village 570021. Web: Jazzvillagemusic.com, haroldlopeznussa.com. A Degello; Cimarrn; Paseo; Fantasmas en Caravana; Orto Viaje; New Day; Corriendo pr los Portales; Eso Fue Hace 20; Buenos Modales; Enero
electric keyboardist Harold Lpez-Nussa is one of the young Afro-Cuban improvisers to watch. Lpez-Nussas instrumental music is postbop with a strong Afro-Cuban influence, drawing on direct or indirect influences that range from McCoy Tyner, Kenny Barron, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett to Chucho Valds (of Irakere fame). Musicians who make their mark in Afro-Cuban jazz often record a lot of standards: Sanchez, for example, is known for recording many bop standards and giving them an Afro-Cuban rhythm such as cha-cha, mambo, son or guaguanc. But Lpez-Nussa plays original material exclusively on New Day, and he tends to favors songs that give him a chance to acknowledge both the post-bop pianism of Tyner, Barron, Hancock and Jarrett and the Afro-Cuban piano tradition. The acoustic piano, certainly, has been an important instrument in salsa and Afro-Cuban jazz, and Lpez-Nussa demonstrates that he is well aware of that fact on lively originals such as Corriendo por los Portales (Running for the Portals), Cimarrn, A Degello and Fantasmas en Caravana (Ghosts in Caravan). But that is not to say that Lpez-Nussa feels obligated to play the acoustic piano exclusively on this album. He plays his share of electric keyboards as well, and he is as expressive on keyboards as he is on acoustic piano. Some myopic jazz purists will no doubt have a problem with the fact that Lpez-Nussa plays keyboards as often as he does on New Day; the same people who think that Chick Corea should be exclusively acoustic will claim that Lpez-Nussa shouldnt be playing any electric keyboards on Fantasmas en Caravana and other selections. Plus, the fact that Lpez-Nussa makes some fusion-ish moves on Fantasmas en Caravana wont sit well with purists. But there is no reason why Lpez-Nussa should limit himself creatively. He isnt obligated to play the acoustic piano exclusively, and if he wants to add some rock muscle to Fantasmas en Caravana, there is no reason why he shouldnt (although New Day on the whole is more post-bop than fusion). Paseo is an interesting track. That selection has the Afro-Cuban element, yet its haunting theme also brings to mind the music of Arabic Northern Africa or the Magreb counties (such as Egypt, Morocco and Algeria). New Day is mostly a trio album, uniting Lpez-Nussas piano and keyboards with Gastn Joya on acoustic bass and Ruy Adrin LpezNussa on drums and percussion. Harold LpezNussa favors the trio format on Cimarrn and A Degello as well as the funky title track and Otro Viaje (which means Another Journey in Spanish and hints at Paul Desmonds Take Five at times). But trumpeter Mayquel Gonzlez is added on Buenos Modales, Enero (January) and Eso Fue Hace 20). Lpez-Nussa tends to be a passionate, hard-swinging type of player, but Enero and Eso Fue Hace 20 are examples of his more contemplative side asserting itself. New Day is a noteworthy debut from pianist/keyboardist, composer, Harold Lpez-Nussa.
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A Reality Check offered up by an ensemble of the highest order led by the tremendous trumpeter GregHopkins, featuring premiere sax-man BillyPierce, rare appearances by guitar guru MickGoodrick and drum icon GaryChaffee with the masterful pianist TimRay and the powerful bassist DaveZinno performing the unparalleled compositions and arrangements of the great GregHopkins ten original tracks plus a new take on the Rodgers and Hart Spring is Here. Hear the humility and generosity of these master musicians performing these brilliant compositions, a musical dialogue born of a long-working band that has paid its dues, Reality Check Photograph Mark Chester is the real deal. REALITY CHECK on Un-Gyve Records. In stores and on-line noW
Frank Macchia
GREASE MECHANIX - Cacophony, Inc. FMC 524 www.FrankMacchia.net. Buckin Bronco; Zombies Ate My Grandma; Chicken Neck; Shhhh; Bad Juju; Fat Cat; Squiggles; Im So Damn Mad; Bucket o Tears; Atonal Dance Party; Sweet Patootie Waltz; Bulldog; Fatback Bubblebath PERSONNEL: Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero, Walt Fowler, trumpet, flugelhorn; Alex Iles, Kevin Porter, trombone; Craig Gosnell, bass trombone; Eric Marienthal, alto, flute; Brandon Fields, alto, tenor, flute, piccolo; Bob Sheppard, tenor, clarinet, bass clarinet; Frank Macchia, tenor, baritone, piccolo, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, vocals; Sal Lozano, baritone, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet; Jay Mason, bass sax, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet; Ken Rosser, guitar, banjo; Bill Reichenbach, tuba; Peter Erskine, drums; Brad Dutz, percussion; Tracy London, vocals By Scott Yanow Sometimes I wonder if there are two Frank
Macchias. One is a very busy arranger-composer who has written for over 300 films and television shows, becoming a major fixture in the studios of Los Angeles. The other one is a bit crazier. In his solo career, Frank Macchia has had a bewildering assortment of projects. Animals and its follow-up (naturally called Mo Animals) gave him a chance to musically depict a variety of creatures. Other solo projects included leading ensembles called The Gleets, Desperate Character and The Frankie Maximum Band, collaborating with actress Tracy London on five spokenword productions called Little Evil Things (a tribute to the style of 1950s horror comic books), and recording Emotions (a project in which each piece is based on a human emotion), and Saxolollapalooza (with a group consisting of six saxophones and drums). During 2010-11 he recorded Folk Songs For Jazzers and Son Of Folk Songs For Jazzers with a large ensemble that had some of the saxophonists playing as many as ten instruments, and the three trombonists all doubling on tuba. His electric six-piece party band Swamp Thang made two albums during 2012-13 (Swamp Thang and Fried Zombie Stew). And yet, even with all of those colorful bands, Grease Mechanix may be the most flamboyant and nutty of all of Frank Macchias projects. The 16-piece big band seems conventional except for having a bass saxophone and a tuba (the latter taking the place of the string bass), but there is nothing conventional about Macchias originals or his vocals). This extravaganza begins with Buckin
Bronco, a piece in 7/4 that is inspired by Sing, Sing, Sing and Gene Krupas drumming. The raging brass-heavy ensembles give way now and then for trombone (Alex Iles and Kevin Porter), saxophone (Brandon Fields and Bob Sheppard) and trumpet (Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero and Walt Fowler) battles. The next song, the purposely demented Zombies Ate My Grandma, could become a hit someday. It has the first of four Frank Macchia vocals, raspy outbursts worthy of Dr. John. Chicken Neck has a funky chicken rhythm with inventive solos by Alex Iles and Eric Marienthal. The relatively brief Shhhh seems conventional by comparison while Bad Juju has Macchia singing about bad luck and superstitions. The funky Fat Cat could get listeners dancing despite its odd accents; check out Ken Rosseers wild guitar solo. Bob Sheppards tenor is featured on Squiggles (which has prominent Macchia on contrabass clarinet in the ensembles) and Bucket o Tears. Im So Damn Mad has Macchia ranting about modern technology. Atonal Dance Party finds Walt Fowler and Eric Marienthal making sense over the rockish avant-groove. The bottom of the band, bass saxophonist Jay Mason and Bill Reichenbach on tuba are in the spotlight on Sweet Patootie Waltz, Wayne Bergeron, a great lead trumpeter, gets to stretch out over the funk of Bulldog. The concluding Fatback Bubblebath (about preparing ones pet pig to be eaten) brings this CD to its end. Listeners who feel that jazz should have a strong sense of humor will enjoy this crazy but very musical CD.
Ren Marie
I WANNA BE EVIL (With Love to Eartha Kitt) Motma Records MTM-129 www.Motema.com. Id Rather Be Burned As a Witch; Cest Si Bon; Oh, John; Lets Do It; Peel Me a Grape; My Heart Belongs to Daddy; I Wanna Be Evil; Come On-a My House; Santa Baby; Weekend PERSONNEL: Ren Marie, vocals; Wycliffe Gordon, trombone; Adrian Cunningham, tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Etienne Charles, trumpet, percussion; Kevin Bales, piano; Elias Bailey, bass; Quentin Baxter, drums, percussion, washboard By Curtis Davenport Leave it to Ren Marie to wreck my plans. At this point in the year, I felt fairly comfortable with my personal list of the best jazz albums that Id heard in 2013. Now along comes Ms. Marie with I Wanna Be Evil, a tribute the immortal Eartha Kitt.
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January 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
A NEW RELEASE BY MATT CRISCUOLO featuring Larry Willis, John Clark, Billy Williams, Gerald Cannon and Matt Criscuolo
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Most serious jazz fans are by now familiar with much of Ren Maries back story. The Virginia native did not sing professionally until age 42 after raising her sons who encouraged their mother to finally pursue her dream. Singing represented freedom for Ms. Marie in many ways. She married young and spent many years feeling oppressed in her marriage and by the strict conservatism of the religion that she practiced during those years. Ive watched Ms. Marie since she first came on the scene and it has been fascinating to watch her artistic growth, from the tentative joy of her debut album, How Can I Keep From Singing to the unexpected brilliance of Vertigo; to her arresting comeback after some controversy, with Voice of My Beautiful Country, to this new album where she demonstrates that any of her past shackles have been cast aside as she revels in her hard-earned personal and artistic independence. Ms. Marie had sworn to never do a tribute album but the lure of Ms. Kitt, who not coincidentally also courted a bit of controversy in her day, was too great to resist. To her credit, Marie has avoided impersonations of the legendary diva but instead has taken a fresh look at some of the tunes associated with her. She is aided by stellar work from her musicians, especially the horn section of reedman Adrian Cunningham, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and trumpeter/ arranger Etienne Charles, whose charts are consistently on the money. Id Rather be Burned As a Witch sets the table perfectly as the lyric practically gives Ms. Maries rationale for everything that follows it on the album, with a hard
swinging vocal, a horn arrangement where three do the work of a big band, punctuated by a growling statement by Mr. Gordon. Lets Do It after a sedate reading of the rarely heard verse, turns on the bass riff from Horace Silvers Seor Blues set by Elias Bailey and a driving beat from Quentin Baxter. Marie then mines this usually sly and sedate Porter tune for all the soul that its worth as she sings with grittiness that she has rarely displayed on record. She is pushed there by Gordon who makes his bone talk like a preacher telling the truth on Sunday morning. The other Porter chestnut, My Heart Belongs to Daddy gets perhaps the most Kitt-like reading as Marie slinks through the lyric, raising temperatures during the coda as she repeats increasingly intense variations on the phrase cause daddy treats it so well. The title track is tongue in cheek fun where Marie has a ball with the lyric and the musicians drop some great solo turns (Mr. Charles gifts as a horn arranger are a revelation). Marie and company even tackle that most indelible of Kitt songs, Santa Baby. They slow it down to a sensual crawl, with just Bales, Bailey and Charles trumpet accompanying the vocalists breathy smolder. If Im Santa, I would answer this request first. The set concludes with the albums only original composition, Weekend a compelling piece by Ms. Marie that touches on some very adult issues. It is made more interesting by the fact that it does not pass judgment on any of its characters nor does it offer a definitive conclusion. Marie tells the story and then leaves it to the listener to answer the questions, which
makes the track all the more memorable. I Wanna Be Evil may have come late to the 2013 party but it was worth the wait. Its easily one of the best albums of the year and perhaps the best of Ren Maries relatively short but consistently impressive career.
Earl McIntyre
BRASS CARNIVAL & TRIBUTE! Legend Factorywww.LegendFactoryLive.com. Witchs Samba; *Please Remain On The Positive Side Of the Solar Panel; Heres To Highlife; *Come Sunday; Rivals; All I Have To Give; *Shapeshifter; Second Line Soca/Brudda Singh; Youre Hot (& I Like It A Lot); Pericles & The Lion; *JJs Whology; *We Shall Rest With The Lord PERSONNEL: Brass Carnival: Seneca Black, James Cage III, Stanton Davis, Lew Soloff, trumpets; Jim Seeley, flugelhorn; Earl McIntyre, Danny Hall, Andy Hunter, trombones; Vincent Chancey, John Clark, Mark Taylor, French horns; Howard Johnson, Bob Stewart, tuba; Vince Cherico, drums; Joe Gonzalez, Roland Guerrero, Victor See Juen, percussion; *Tribute: Earl McIntyre, tuba, bass trombone; Kenny Rampton, trumpet; Sam Burtis, trombone; Vincent Chancey, French horn; Warren Smith, vibraphone and tambourine; Vinnie Johnson, drums By Scott Yanow Earl McIntyre has spent his enire musical life surrounded by other brass instruments. It all started with his family, which included a father who played cornet and alto horn (he gave Earl his first trombone lessons), a mother who played euphonium, and a brother who was a cornetist, not to mention various brass-playing relatives. In his career McIntyre was part of three of the most important modern jazz brass bands: Howard Johnsons Gravity (which was comprised mostly of tuba players), Lester Bowies Brass Fantasy and Slide Hamptons World Of Trombones. He also played in many different trombone sections of big bands including those of the Thad JonesMel Lewis Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, and the George Gruntz Concert Band. So it is not surprising that, in leading his own record, McIntyre is heard at the head of not one but two separate brass bands. Obviously he believes in the power of brass! Brass Carnival is a 17-piece orchestra that does not bother with a saxophone section or any reeds at all, much less piano and string bass. Instead it is comprised of five trumpets and flugelhorns, three trombones, three French horns, and two tubas plus drums and three percussionists. Seven of the 12 songs on this CD feature this group.
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January 2014
The latest CD Release,
Why Stop Now Ubuntu

GroundBlue Records
As I began preparing my thoughts and writing the music for this CD, I wanted to fulfill the opportunity of bringing forth a message of unity.
"Five releases in the last six years, each recording showcasing exponential growth and a lyrical soul that is for the most part unmatched by contemporaries today finds Michael Pedicin at the very top of his game. . . The cover of the Coltrane tune "Tunji" may be the most authentic and well conceived rearms of a Coltrane piece on record. . . A dynamic release and celebration of life and of the gift of music." http://tinyurl.com/for-Michael-Pedicin-review "Whether you know it or not you've been digging Pedicin's sax for 45 years . . . With a jazz suite inspired by the happenings in Newtown, this soulful set shows an artist continuing to hit new high spots while at the top of his game." http://tinyurl.com/Michael-Pedicin-review
Then I Saw You from new release is featured on Jazz Inside Compilation CD
Ubuntu means human kindness, an African
philosophy that echoes Michaels constant hope for peace and connectedness in our world, a connection that is celebrated and proclaimed through his personal voice, the saxophone. From the very first notes of the surging title track that opens this album, through the beautifully inspired impromptu solo that takes it home, the listener is in for a powerful ride on a gracefully navigated harmonic steeplechase.
Tenor saxophonist Michael Pedicin responded with brawny-toned, aggressively virtuosic solos deeply influenced by John Coltrane Don Heckman, LA Times
PUBLICITY Terri Hinte hudba@sbcglobal.net 510 234 8781
IN THIS ISSUE!
WHY STOP NOW UBUNTU review:

http://curtjazz.com/2013/10/09/album-reviewmichael-pedicin-why-stop-now-ubuntu/
RADIO mcpro@earthlink.net 800 729 7450 REPRESENTATION Sherry Marcus Milano smarcusmilano@gmail.com 610 805 3640
WEBSITE: michaelpedicin.com
The opening Witchs Samba is a complex piece that serves as an excellent introduction to the infectious ensemble sound of Brass Carnival. Earl McIntyre takes a bass trombone solo, Jim Seeley is on flugelhorn and Bob Stewart has a spot on tuba. Heres To Highlife is a celebratory piece that would be perfect for any carnival. The high note trumpet blasts from Seneca Black are a highlight. Rivals is a medium-tempo blues which, after a spirited plunger solo from McIntyre on bass trombone, has solos and heated tradeoffs by trombonist Andy Hunter and Dave Bargeron on euphonium during an explosive double time section propelled and driven by the tuba player. Renee Manning takes contrasting vocals on the ballad All I Have Is Gone and the sassy Youre Hot (& I Like It A Lot). Second Line Soca/Brudda Singh is definitely a parade band number that has its wild spots including the high-note work of trumpeter Lew Soloff. Brass Carnival also fares well on the fairly complex Pericles & The Lion. Tribute is McIntyres other group, a unique sextet consisting of trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba/bass trombone, vibes and drums. There five numbers are tributes to Earl McIntyres father, mother, trombonists J.J. Johnson and Britt Woodman, and trumpeter Lester Bowie. Please Remain On The Positive Side Of The Solar Panel is a witty rearrangement of On The Sunny Side Of The Street. Vincent Chancey on French horn and trumpeter Kenny Rampton are in the solo spotlight although the vibes and tuba are also prominent. Come Sunday starts out reverential before Ramptons plunger work adds a joyous trad element to this version. Shapeshifter is relatively straight ahead and JJs Whology is boppish (with some nice Sam Burtis trombone). The brief We Shall Rest With The Lord concludes this cheerful celebration of brass, a highly recommended set.
Cava Menzies Nick Phillips

MOMENT TO MOMENT NPM-142101 CavaMenziesNickPhillips.com. The Peacocks; Mals Moon; For All We Know; You; You Dont Know What Love Is; Almost Blue; Phantoms; Speak Low PERSONNEL: Nick Phillips, trumpet; Cava Menzies, piano; Jeff Chambers, bass; Jaz Sawyer, drums By Scott Yanow Cava Menzies and Nick Phillips play so well during their quartet set with bassist Jeff
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Chambers and drummer Jaz Sawyer that it is surprising to realize that neither one is a fulltime musician. Menzies is the daughter of trumpeter Eddie Henderson. Her mother played classical flute. She graduated from Berklee in 2001 and earned a Masters from the University of Miami seven years later. Menzies sang quite a bit in her earlier years but decided to concentrate on the piano when she was in her mid-twenties. While she plays piano in the San Francisco Bay area, including in a bossa nova-oriented duo called Cavalisa and in her own quintet, her day jobs is as a teacher. She chairs the Vocal Music Department of the Oakland School for the Arts and was one of its founding faculty members. The pianist met trumpeter Nick Phillips in the summer of 2012 when he was used as a substitute at a job where the singer could not make it. She noticed Phillips abilities and their musical chemistry from the start, and was shocked when she heard that he had hardly played trumpet during the past few years. Phillips also had a day job, as the Vice President at the Concord Music Group where he has produced hundreds of albums during the past decade. I would wager that very few of the jazz fans who have purchased Concords CDs had any idea that Nick Phillips was also a skilled musician. Menzies helped persuade Phillips to play trumpet more often and they worked together on other occasions before recording this CD. Moment To Moment consists exclusively of ballads taken at slow tempos. Unlike on some ballad dates, the musicians do not engage in double-time runs or have the desire to fill up the space with lots of notes. Instead, Phillips and Menzies let the music breathe, contrasting every sound they make with silence, showing that they are both masters at self-restraint. And despite the lack of variation in tempos and moods (every selection is very thoughtful), the music never gets sleepy or dull. On Jimmy Rowles The Peacocks, Phillips muted trumpet is very effective in stating the eerie melody. Mals Moon, an original by the pianist, has her adding some soul to the tune, giving it a bluesy feel. Notice how Phillips leaves a lot of space for Menzies during the closing part of the performance. For All We Know is usually taken at a slow pace but this version is more quietly expressive than most. Phillips contributed one of his songs, You, which is a bit more rhythmic and heated than the other performances. But even here, he emphasizes long tones in his playing. Of the remaining tunes, Phillips playing on his muted trumpet during You Dont Know What Love Is is a highlight. Elvis Costellos Almost Blue, Kenny Burrells Phantoms and a very slow version of Speak Low reinforce the laidback and introspective mood. While Moment To Moment works very well as background music, if one listens closely, it can serve as the soundtrack for ones thoughts.
The Moon
GOOD AND EVIL577 Records 5784. Web: 577Records.com, adamcaine.com. Good and Evil; Underwater Electrics; Cardboard; Floyd; Primal Scene/Sister Flight; Guadalajara; Dwarf Star; Dawn at the Edge of the Universe PERSONNEL: Adam Caine, electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Federico Ughi, drums By Alex Henderson Free jazz started out in the acoustic realm. Alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman and his trailblazing quartet of the late 1950s and early 1960s (with Don Cherry on trumpet, Charlie Haden on upright bass and Billy Higgins on drums), pianist Cecil Taylor, tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler and drummer Rashied Ali were acoustic warriors, and they didnt need electric instruments and the influence of rock to be intense, forceful and blatantly in-your-face during the JFK and LBJ years. But it was only a matter of time until free jazz discovered electric instruments and used them to its creative advantage. If fusion explorers such as trumpeter Miles Davis, Chick Coreas Return to Forever, Weather Report, guitarist John McLaughlins Mahavishnu Orchestra, guitarist Larry Coryell, the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band, guitarist Al DiMeola, Herbie Hancocks Headhunters and Caldera could have rock and funk influence and use electric instruments extensively, why not Ornette Coleman & Prime Time, electric bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, guitarist James Blood Ulmer and the late drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson? And that electric free jazz aesthetic is very much at work on The Moons Good and Evil. The Moon are a Brooklyn-based duo consisting of Adam Caine on electric and acoustic guitar and Federico Ughi on drums. No horns are employed on Good and Evil, and bass is absent as well. But Caine and Ughi dont need a lot of different instruments surrounding them in order to get their emotional points across, and their blend of free jazz and rock muscle yields aggressive results on dissonant, stream-ofconsciousness offerings such as Underwater Electrics, Dwarf Star and the title track. A traditional chorus/verse/chorus format is nowhere to be found on Good and Evil; The Moon have a free-form approach and are totally unapologetic about it. But while Caine and Ughi make no bones about being avant-garde, they arent without nuance. Actually, there is plenty of nuance on Good and Evil, and there is variety as well. Some of the selections are quite abrasive, especially Dwarf Star, Underwater Electrics and the scorching Primal Scene/Sister Fight. But other times, Caine and Ughi are more reflective.
January 2014
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That is true on Cardboard, Guadalajara Star and Dawn at the Edge of the Universe, all of which find The Moon making extensive use of space and taking time to reflect. Sometimes, they favor brutal density, but other times, they lighten the load by going for a lot of space. And the fact that Caine plays as much acoustic guitar as he does on this 2011 recording lets us know that nuance is a priority for him. No one who gives Good and Evil a close listen could accuse either Caine or Ughi of being monolithic or delivering a one-dimensional album. One thing that Caine is very good at during his more intense moments is shredding. Granted, shredding is a word that one is more likely to hear in connection with hard rock guitarists like Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani and the late Jimi Hendrix than with jazz guitar (even if it is jazz guitar of the jazz-rock fusion variety). But when Caine pours on the distortion and the feedback on Dwarf Star and Primal Scene/Sister Fight, the word shredding definitely applies. Caine is not afraid to be metallic when he feels like it, and his ability to combine hard rock muscle with the dissonance and chaos of free jazz can be quite exhilaratingthat is, if one has a taste for free jazz. Certainly, albums as avant-garde as Good and Evil are an acquired taste. Free jazz musicians play for the select few, and its safe to say that when Caine and Ughi recorded this 54minute CD, they had no illusions of achieving mass acceptance or outselling Katy Perry. But for those who like their free jazz with a lot of
rock muscle, Good and Evil is well worth checking out.
Eric Reed
REFLECTIONS OF A GRATEFUL HEART WJ3 Records WJ31015 www.WillieJOnes3.com. I Love The Lord; In Case Youve Forgotten; Changed; Psalm 8; Tis So Sweet; Hymn; New Morning; This Day; God Cares; Prayer; Spiritual; I Love You Lord Today/We Praise You Lord PERSONNEL: Eric Reed, piano By Curtis Davenport Like many other fine jazz pianists before him, Eric Reed did not spring forth from the womb playing bop or swing. Though you clearly can hear Monk, Powell, Ellington, John Lewis and others in his style, his first piano idols were men such as Thomas Whitfield, James Cleveland, Richard Smallwood, Edwin Hawkins and others; artists whose names are virtually unknown in jazz but who are legends in the world of gospel music. This should come as no surprise
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January 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine
because Mr. Reed is the son of a minister, who started playing piano at the age of two and cut his musical teeth playing in his fathers storefront church. The jazz influences came later. So like his contemporary, Cyrus Chestnut and his predecessors like Bobby Timmons, Mr. Reeds sound is never too far from the church. His latest project Reflections of a Grateful Heart is as the title implies, a reverent appreciation, first of God and then of the music of the underappreciated masters of the music that has meant so much to him, spiritually and stylistically. This is not Reeds first All-Gospel recording; 2009s Stand! was a swinging trio date featuring original Reed compositions with titles that left no doubt as to their subject matter. Mercy and Grace from 2003 was like Reflections of a Grateful Heart, a solo piano album but it concentrated on traditional spirituals such as Jesus Loves Me and Wade in the Water. Reflections is an amalgam of its predecessors, a solo piano album that features compositions by some of the aforementioned influences and some Reed originals. But where the two prior albums were a church service, mixing the uptempo foot stompers with the slower pieces; Reflections is worship time. The song selections are obviously very personal and reverential. We the listeners are afforded the opportunity to listen in as Mr. Reed spends intimate time speaking to and thanking God for the great gifts that He has given him. Reed chose two compositions by Richard Smallwood a classically trained pianist, who writes some of todays most beautiful Gospel songs. The stately I Love the Lord opens the album with Reed taking his time, building the theme toward a hushed crescendo. A lesser pianist might have given in to the temptation to play with abandon. The fact that Mr. Reed doesnt, adds to the effectiveness of the performance. Psalm 8 is the other Smallwood piece. Here we hear a little more of Reed, the jazz pianist as he draws the blues chords in the melody to the fore. The opening words of the Psalm (O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth) permeate Reeds playing. Thomas Whitfield, another brilliant contemporary Gospel composer, who died far too young, is represented by In Case Youve Forgotten. Reed opens his version with a quote from John Lewis classic Django before moving into the rich melody. Mr. Reed also leaves some room for his own impressive non-secular compositions, including New Morning and Prayer, which had been performed on Stand! Stripped of any bass and drum adornments, these two beautiful works become even more personal. I dont know if lyrics have been composed for either of these pieces but they certainly cry out for them. The time of devotion closes with a medley of I Love You Lord Today, one of the more popular contemporary worship songs and Reeds own We Praise You Lord. The two pieces mesh together seamlessly, to leave instill a feeling of overwhelming peace and hope in those who have experienced this album. Eric Reeds Reflections of a Grateful Heart is an artistic statement of rare beauty. We often hear artists perform for us but how often do we get to hear an artist bare his soul? As someone
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who shares Mr. Reeds religious beliefs, I was as much moved by the worship experience as I was by Mr. Reeds stellar piano playing.
grino, guitar; Esperanza Spalding, bass; Sheila E., congas; Ingrid Jensen, trumpet; Camille Thurman, flute; Tineke Postma, soprano saxophone; Raul Midon, vocal trumpet; Leonardo Osuna, percussion; Gregoire Maret, harmonica. By Eric Harabadian What a voice! Seriously, Dianne Reeves has one of the most vibrant and personalitycharged voices in contemporary music! Notice I didnt simply relegate or limit her voice to the jazz realm. That, of course, would be honorable enough, but Reeves seems to cross all boundaries with this new release. In the liner notes she gives credit to album producer/arranger Terri Lynne Carrington for providing her with a fresh vision toward new music. Well, its not like youve never heard music like this before. It contains elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, pop, soul and world beat. But its just that Reeves delivers it all so eloquently and with a fresh kind of style. Step aside Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Nicky Minaj, et al. This is music deserving of a wider audience. This is music for grown folks! The collaborative team of Reeves and Carrington blend original material with hand-picked cover songs and their eclectic taste is impeccable. I Want You is a tune that has been popularized by everyone from Marvin Gaye to Gato Barbieri. It is a subtle and sexy tune that gets new life here by the leader. The track percolates and bumps with added energy from trumpet soloist Sean Jones. Reeves wrings every last nuance out of the songs raw emotion as well.
Dianne Reeves
BEAUTIFUL LIFE - Concord Records CRE34171-02. I Want You; Feels So Good (Lifted); Dreams; Satiated (Been Waiting); Waiting in Vain; 32 Flavors; Cold; Wild Rose; Stormy Weather; Tango; Unconditional Love (For You); Long Road Ahead. PERSONNEL: Dianne Reeves, lead vocals; Gerald Clayton, piano; George Duke, keyboards; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Dwight Sills, guitar; Reginald Veal, bass; Terreon Gully, drums; Munyungo Jackson, perc; Sean Jones, trumpet; Terri Lynne Carrington, programming, percussion, vocals; Nadia Washington, vocals & acoustic guitar; Bobby Sparks, keyboards; Christian St. Louis, bass; Robert Glasper, Cedric Hanriot, keyboards; James Genus, bass; Gregory Porter, vocals; Shedrick Mitchell, organ; Carl Burnett, guitar; Tia Fuller, alto saxophone; Lalah Hathaway, vocals; Peter Martin, piano; Romero Lubambo, acoustic guitar; Richard Bona, bass; Ray Angry, piano; Charles Overton, programming; Leo Genovese, keyboards; Leandro Pelle-
The Reeves, Nadia Washington and Carrington composition Feels So Good (Lifted) follows and continues the righteous and spirituallyinfused feeling. The song is upbeat and lyrically celebratory, with the added bonus of the late George Duke soaring on a brief but signature synthesizer solo. Another surprising, but well placed, cover is the use of Stevie Nicks Dreams. The Fleetwood Mac mega-hit gets a nice redux, with alternative harmonies and keyboard embellishments from Robert Glasper. Its a stunning and effective remake of very familiar material. Satiated (Been Waiting) is a lovely duet with the always effective and exciting Gregory Porter. This is a dynamite love ballad written by Carrington and is loaded with equal amounts passion and seduction. Reeves and Porter sound so rich together and the performance comes across so transparent and fun. Waiting in Vain is a tune written by Bob Marley and is another intriguing choice. The combination of island rhythms, Romero Lubambos acoustic guitar and eerie keyboard textures make this an odd but welcome addition to the track listing. Ani Difrancos 32 Flavors is a song about body image, personal empowerment and the overall human experience. Reeves gives it just the right amount of poignancy and truth that may bring a tear to the eye. The music is bubbling funk, with a terrific horn arrangement from producer Carrington and a great performance from trumpeter Tia Fuller. Some other tracks of note include Esperanza Spaldings beautiful Wild Rose. As a guest Spalding provides great backing vocals and bass, with Reeves instilling a classic Minnie Ripperton vibe to the proceed-
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ings. The inclusion of Harold Arlens perennial Stormy Weather is a nice selection and shows Reeves incredible range as an artist of both standards and further reaching works. A dozen tracks in all, Beautiful Life summarizes an artist in the prime of her career, able to walk that fine line and merge artistic vision with commercial intent.
Pete Robbins
PYRAMIDHate Laugh Music 003. Web: PeteRobbins.com. Sweet Child o Mine; Hallelujah; Vorp; Wichita Lineman; Intravenous; Lithium; Equpoise; Too High; Pyramid PERSONNEL: Pete Robbins, alto saxophone, clarinet; Vijay Iyer, acoustic piano; Eivind Opsvik, acoustic bass; Tyshawn Sorey, drums By Alex Henderson Performing jazz interpretations of rock and R&B songs is not a brand-new idea. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, there were organ combos that would put an instrumental jazz spin on the music of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Sly & the Family Stone, Marvin Gaye or the Doors. The late organist Charles Earland, for example, came up with some interesting arrangements of the 5th Dimensions Aquarius and the Spiral Staircases More Today Than Yesterday (which became his theme song) on his Black Talk album of 1969. But for many years, there were way too many jazz musicians (both singers and instrumentalists) who didnt see things Earlands way. They believed that worthwhile popular music ended with Tin Pan Alley and failed to recognize the jazz potential of rock and R&B material and although many smooth jazz artists wouldnt shy away from performing something by Earth, Wind & Fire or Rod Stewart, it was often meaningless because they would perform boring, robotic note-for-note covers that lacked soul, imagination and depth. Thankfully, the situation has improved in recent years: the number of jazz improvisers who see the improvisatory value of rock or R&B songs has been increasing with groups like the Bad Plus and the Philadelphiabased Modern Rock Quartet. And on Pyramid, post-bop alto saxophonist Pete Robbins is as improvisatory on songs by Nirvana, Guns N Roses, Leonard Cohen and Stevie Wonder as he is on his own compositions. Melodically, harmonically and rhythmically, Pyramid is very much a straight-ahead post-bop albumand Robbins leads a cohesive, acoustic-oriented quartet that employs Vijay Iyer on piano, Eivind Opsvik on bass and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. Pyramid is not fusion any more than it is jazz-funk; Pyramid is post-bop all the way. But Robbins and his three sidemen dont maintain that post-bop atmosphere with any of
the usual Cedar Walton, Wayne Shorter or McCoy Tyner standards. Instead, they do it with four Robbins originals (Vorp, Intravenous, Equipoise and the title track) and popular songs that include Guns N Roses Sweet Child o Mine (which finds Robbins switching to clarinet), Nirvanas Lithium, Stevie Wonders Too High, Leonard Cohens Hallelujah and Jimmy Webbs Wichita Lineman. Robbins sources are certainly diverse: Too High came out 1970s soul/funk, while Sweet Child o Mine was on Guns N Roses Appetite for Destruction album and epitomized 1980s Sunset Strip hard rock/heavy metaland Lithium (which appeared on Nirvanas seminal Nevermind album of 1991) was the essence of early 1990s grunge. Wichita Lineman, meanwhile, was a major hit for country-pop/soft rock star Glen Campbell in 1968. But the fact that Robbins is using soul/funk, metal/hard rock, grunge and country-pop as source material doesnt mean that he compromises his improvisatory outlook one bit. Pyramid thrives on improvisation. A lot of smooth jazz stars would have turned Wichita Lineman into pure mush, totally ignoring the songs nuance and emotional complexity. But Robbins isnt smooth jazz, and he approaches Wichita Lineman as a vehicle for serious post-bop introspection. There is nothing ironic about the way Robbins quartet approaches Wichita Lineman, Sweet Child o Mine, Too High, Hallelujah or Lithium; he realizes that there is lot of depth in these songs and acts accordingly. Too High, it should be noted, has been receiving jazz explorations for 40 years. Wonder included the song on his classic Innervisions album of 1973, and that same year, the late saxophonist Joe Farrell turned it into a 13-minute jazz-funk workout on his Penny Arcade album (which Creed Taylor produced for his CTI label and boasted Rudy Van Gelder as engineer). But Robbins approaches Too High on his own post-bop terms, and his version sounds totally personal. It would have been nice if Robbins had offered some liner notes with Pyramid. Liner notes are a valuable part of the jazz experience, and Pyramid could have used some liner notes that explained the importance of these songs and how nicely they fit into post-bop expression. Pyramid is too interesting an album to be without liner notes. Regardless, Pyramid is a consistently memorable effort from Robbins and his colleagues.
Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear.
Mahatma Gandhi
Granados, flutes; Mark Turner, tenor; John Ellis, bass clarinet; Jorge Glem, cuatro; Roberto Koch, bass; Adam Cruz, drums; Luis Quintero, percussion; Leonardo Granados, maracas; Edmar Castaneda, harp By Scott Yanow Most jazz musicians from countries other than the United States begin their careers playing standards and doing their best to emulate their idols. Usually years after they master the basics and learn the repertoire, they rediscover their roots and find a way to mix together the influence of their countrys musical heritage with modern jazz. Edward Simon, who was born and raised in Venezuela, was well aware of his musical roots from the beginning. He went to the United States when he was 15, studying both classical music and jazz. He gained important experience as a member of Bobby Watsons Horizon during 1989-94, worked with many notables (including Paquito DRivera, Herbie Mann, Bobby Hutcherson, Jerry Gonzalez, Arturo Sandoval and Don Byron), and spent a long period playing with Terence Blanchards quintet. However from the very first CD that he led (back in 1994), he has written music inspired by Venezuela for part of his repertoire. In 2003 he founded Ensemble Venezuela specifically as a way to find common ground between jazz and the music of Venezuela. In 2005 Chamber Music America awarded him a grant to composer the Venezuelan Suite. But while he and his group have performed the suite on numerous occasions, only recently was it finally recorded. Ensemble Venezuela is an intriguing and colorful ten-piece group consisting of flute, tenor sax, bass clarinet, Simons piano, bass, drums, percussion, maracas, harp and the cuatro (a small acoustic guitar). Tenor-saxophonist Mark Turner, John Ellis (who plays bass clarinet with the group) and drummer Adam Cruz are the best known of the sidemen to jazz listeners. Of the other musicians, Marco Granados is a brilliant flutist with a beautiful tone who has performed in jazz, classical and folk music settings. Jorge Glem from Venezuela gets an awful lot of music out of the cuatro and is very well known in his native land. Bassist Roberto Koch, who is also
Edward Simon
VENEZUELAN SUITE Sunnyside 1382 Venezuela Suite: Barinas, Caracas, Merida, Maracaibo; El Diablo Suelto PERSONNEL: Edward Simon, piano; Marco
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from Venezuela, is known for his versatility and has worked with many jazz artists, both in the U.S. and in Venezuela. Leonardo Granados, who plays maracas with the group, is also a singer of boleros and tangos. Harpist Edmar Castaneda, who adds to the color of the group, is from Columbia and has been part of the New York jazz scene since the late 1990s while percussionist Luis Quintero has been on a countless number of sessions. The four-part Venezuelan Suite finds Simon making liberal use of the wide variety of colors that are possible with this instrumentation. The jazz waltz Barinas has Granados flute in the lead for much of the time and includes inventive solos by Simon, and bassist Koch and a passionate improvisation by Glem on his cuatro. Caracas, which is in 5/4 time, build gradually with Ellis bass clarinet (playing over the stimulating rhythm section and very active bass playing by Koch) emerging as the star. Merida has a beautiful romantic theme with interplay by the flute and bass clarinet and some attractive colors from the horns during Simons piano solo. The suite concludes with Maracaibo which is more intense with spots for Mark Turners tenor and drummer Adam Cruz that bring the suite to its climax. Also on this CD is El Diablo Suelto, an episodic performance that has many short statements from the musicians with Glem and the fluent Granados taking honors. This is a delightful CD well worth savoring several times.
Camille Thurman
ORIGINS Hot Tone Music HTM 102 www.CamilleThurmanMusic.com. Forward Motion; A Change Of Mind; Indigo Moments; Origins; The Dreamweaverer; Annas Joy; In Duetime; Kindred Minds; Felixs Groove; Jitterbug Waltz; Pursuit With A Purpose; Please Be Kind; Revisiting The Past PERSONNEL: Camille Thurman, tenor, soprano, flute, vocals; Enoch Smith Jr,, Luis Perdomo, piano; Corcoran Holt, bass; Rudy Royston, drums; Shirazette Tinnin, drums, cajon; Brandee Younger, harp By Scott Yanow It is obvious,from just hearing the opening selection of Camille Thurmans Origins CD that the young saxophonist can play. Although many in the jazz world (myself included) had not really heard of her before, it is a sure bet that we will be hearing from her a great deal in the future. Camille Thurman sang from an early age, began playing the flute when she was 12, and
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took up the tenor at 14. While she studied music extensively, she actually earned a degree in Geology & Environmental Sciences from Binghamton University. Despite that, after graduation she began playing music regularly in New York. She started off playing with trumpeter Valery Ponomarev including in his big band and has since worked with Hamiet Bluiett, Gabriel Alegrias Afro-Peruvian Sextet, Benny Golson, George Coleman, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Terri Lyne Carrington, Russell Malone, Nicholas Payton, George Benson, Charli Persip, Lew Tabackin, and Dave Valentin plus quite a few names from the r&b world including Chaka Khan and India Arie. She also regularly leads her own quartet and has performed in a variety of countries including Israel. All in all, she has already accomplished a lot but is still just at the beginning of her career. On Origins, Camille Thurmans tone sometimes hints at Houston Person and Stanley Turrentine but she has a slightly more modern style. She proves to be quite fearless throughout, taking a few unusual chances while managing to always sound relaxed. And it should not be overlooked that she composed all but two of the 13 songs. The opening number, Forward Motion, is quite unusual in that the first solo after the melody is taken by drummer Rudy Royston. It is kind of refreshing to hear a drum solo on the first song rather than the final one! After the drum spot, Thurman plays unaccompanied tenor at first before gradually being joined by drums and bass. She displays a large tone and fluent technique, playing fairly free in spots but always with a purpose. A Change Of Mind introduces her likable voice with some scatting and impressive high notes. Indigo Moments is a feature for her soprano while Origins is an uptempo post bop original that has Thurman playing some highpowered yet relaxed tenor. The Dreamweaverer features the only appearance by harpist Brandee Younger who contributes a beautiful solo and accompaniment to Thurmans soprano. She deserves to be much better known. Annas Joy is a brief unaccompanied wordless vocal that displays Camille Thurmans scatting abilities. It leads logically into In Duetime which has a bit of flute and more scatting (she has quite a range) along with a fine piano solo by Luis Perdomo. Throughout this set, Camille Thurman avoids two of the common faults of younger jazz musicians: taking overly long solos and being unable to play ballads without constant doubletiming. On the ballad Kindred Minds, she lets the melody breathe. Felixs Groove is an unaccompanied tenor solo played with some multiphonics, but it is actually a brief interlude that leads into Fats Wallers Jitterbug Waltz. Thurman changes the accents and phrasing of the vintage melody and the solo section finds the song being played as a romp rather than a waltz. Pursuit With A Purpose, which is played as a jazz waltz, is one of her stronger melodies and it features a passionate tenor solo along with nice spots for pianist Enoch Smith Jr. and bassist Corcoran Holt (who plays powerfully throughout
the set). To conclude the set, Camille Thurman sings the standard Please Be Kind in tender fashion while being accompanied by both pianists, and vocalizes soulfully on the wordless Revisiting The Past. Origins is an impressive debut, an early first step for Camille Thurman.
Shirazette Tinnin
HUMILITY: PURITY OF MY SOULHot Tone Music 106. Web: HottoneMusic.com, ShirazetteTinnin.com. Her Powerful Locs; Passion Dance; Gods Lullaby; The Warmest Season; Jazzmine; Freedom Jazz Dance; Aunt Sissy; My Human Condition; Inner Frustration PERSONNEL: Shirazette Tinnin, drums; Amanda Ruzza, electric bass; Tom DiCarlo, acoustic bass; Mimi Jones, acoustic bass; Willerm Delisfort, acoustic piano; Rachel Eckroth, acoustic piano, electric keyboards; Camille Thurman, tenor saxophone, vocals; Tia Fuller, alto saxophone; Seth Johnson, electric guitar; Jhair Sala, percussion; Afrikkanitha, vocals By Alex Henderson
Album titles dont always give potential listeners an accurate idea of what an album sounds like, but in some cases, they doand Shirazette Tinnins Humility: Purity of My Soul is a good example. That is the sort of title one would expect from either a new age album or a spiritual post-bop jazz album of the John Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders/Yusef Lateef/McCoy Tyner variety, and while Humility has nothing to do with new age music, it definitely operates on the spiritual side of post-bop. As a composer, drummer Tinnin wears her appreciation of Coltrane, Tyner, Sanders and Rahsaan Roland Kirk like a badge of honor. Spiritual ideas have been asserting themselves in post-bop and modal jazz since the late 1950s, although it was during the 1960s that post-bop spirituality became more and more widespread. Lateef and Tyner were both converts to Islam, and the music of John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane and Sanders was full of Hindu ideas. Alice Coltrane, in fact, was a convert to Hinduism who called one of her albums Journey in Satchidananda and was an avid reader of the Bhagavad-Gita. Anyone who is familiar with the traditional spiritual music of the Middle East, North Africa and India knows how much world music influenced the post-bop of the 1960s and 1970s. And throughout this album, Tinnins creative debt to that era of post-bop spirituality is evident. Melodically, Tinnin originals such as Jazzmine, My Human Condition, Her Powerful Locs and Inner Frustration make it clear that much of her inspiration comes from classic Coltrane, classic Tyner, classic Sanders and
classic Kirk. There are a few non-originals on this CD, including lively performances of Tyners Passion Dance and the Eddie Harris standard Freedom Jazz Dance. But most of the songs are ones that Tinnin (a North Carolina native who now lives in New York City) either wrote or co-wrote. A long list of sidemen assist Tinnin on Humility, and the personnel varies from one track to the next. But Tinnin is the one in the drivers seat, shaping the album as a composer, leader, drummer, producer and arranger. Humility, although mostly instrumental, occasionally features vocalistsincluding Camille Thurman (who plays tenor sax on seven tracks) on Jazzmine (Thurmans only vocal performance on the disc) and Afrikkanitha on The Warmest Season. Both Thurmans performance and Afrikkanithas recall 1970s-era Abbey Lincoln, which is appropriate given the fact that Lincoln also had a very spiritual outlook on many of her recordings (not unlike the instrumentalists she often performed with). Post-bop, in the late 1950s, started out as acoustic-oriented musicand most of the postbop recordings of the 1960s were totally acoustic. But when fusion took off in the late 1960s and early 1970s and improvisers like Miles Davis and Chick Corea were incorporating rock and funk elements, some post-boppers started using electric instruments even though they didnt necessarily take up full-fledged fusion of the Davis/Weather Report/Return to Forever variety. And when Tinnin uses electric instruments on parts of this album, she does so in a similar fash-
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It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
- Thomas Jefferson
Bill Warfield
A WINDOW THAT SHOWS ME THE MOONPlanet Arts Network 301233. Your reputation is None of Your Business; Subconscious Lee; A Window That Shows Me the Moon; Triple Threat; The Revs; Aubade; The Bumpkin Grows a Pumpkin; Kill Flo. PERSONNEL: Bill Warfield, trumpet and flugelhorn and arrangements; Dave Riekenberg, alto and soprano saxophone; Don Braden, tenor saxophone; Sam Burtis, trombone; Kenny Werner, piano; Vic Juris, guitar; Gene Perla, bass; Scott Neumann, drums. By Eric Harabadian The leader Bill Warfield talks about growing up in Baltimore, Maryland and playing hard bop tunes in local bars, for dances and such. His recollections seem to recall a bygone era where that kind of music was plentiful to the general public and almost part of the landscape. This was the music that initially inspired him as a young man and set him on the path to what he is doing today. He also recalls one major benefit of
ionTinnin might use acoustic piano on one track and electric keyboards on the next or acoustic bass on one track and electric bass on the next, but she doesnt venture as far into the electric realm as, say, Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes. Back in the 1970s, Smith (a pianist/keyboardist and former Sanders sideman) favored a distinctive type of fusion that combined a strong Coltrane/Tyner/Sanders influence with funk and rock. That post-bop-influenced spirituality was evident on 1970s albums like Expansions, Renaissance and Visions of a New World, but Smith was hardly a jazz purist whereas Tinnin, despite her use of electric bass and electric keyboards at times, sticks closer to the post-bop basics. Humility never pretends to be groundbreaking or point post-bop in new directionsbut this album is satisfying from both the perspective of musicianship and groove.
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doing those seminal gigs and that is the aspect of jamming. Warfield occasionally got to sit in with legends like Sonny Rollins, Blue Mitchell, Sonny Stitt and James Moody. He absorbed that knowledge like a sponge and gave him an added appreciation for the improvisational art form. But, as he states in the liner notes, that romance is gone. In his estimation that version of the jazz scene is essentially gone. Today jazz has taken more of an academic stance rather than a street or club orientation to perpetuate itself. Warfields goal with this album was to bring some of that feel back and recreate the sound of early jazz groups when the music was new and anything was possible. He has certainly accomplished that here. The personnel list blossoms with seasoned veterans and Warfield leads the charge with intricate arrangements that refer to the classics but are fresh and challenging for modern ears. As one scans through the track listing here it is immediately apparent that the listener is on for an adventurous and imaginative ride. The leaders own amusingly titled Your Reputation is None of Your Business kicks things off and it features a melody and structure that is somewhat angular and left-of-center. It seems to venture into several different directions, with odd chord placements and a topsy-turvy sense of equilibrium. Each soloist here naturally has their own voice which is sent into overdrive maneuvering a mix of consonant and dissonant intervals. Lee Konitzs Subconscious Lee is another atypical tune, with an intrepid and complex head that sets up some inventive performances from the crew. The pieces driving swing brings out the best in everyone. The title track takes center stage and offers a smooth and tranquil respite for a moment. Its a delicate and well conceived tune featuring a sweet intro from pianist Kenny Werner. He lays the groundwork for Warfields deep and modally-based dedication to dreamers and childhood innocence. The rhythms percolate calmly here but eventually heat up to a relaxed simmer. Triple Threat is an Afro-Cuban piece in 12/8. Written by Rodgers Grant, it is a fairly easy tune for the average listener to groove to despite its asymmetrical nature. And the soloists seem to fall right in line in a comfortable fashion. The Revs by Milt Jackson brings kind of a traditional blues element to the proceedings. Its a fairly simple and direct melody that seems to effortlessly engage all the soloists here. Further evidence of Warfields inventiveness as a composer and arranger can be found in the tune Aubade. The structure is based on a four note motif by composer Francis Poulenc blended with chord changes taken from Wayne Shorters tune ESP. It is a tribute to two music greats that have provided continued inspiration to Warfield and all involved with this project. Two final compositions by the leader are The Bumpkin Grows a Pumpkin and Kill Flo. Both take a lighthearted route, with the former featuring whimsical piano runs and the latter expansive textures and McCoy Tyner-like harmonies.
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