Professional Documents
Culture Documents
50
DOWNBEAT.COM
March 2016
VOLUME 83 / NUMBER 3
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CONTRIBUTORS
Senior Contributors:
Michael Bourne, Aaron Cohen, Howard Mandel, John McDonough
Atlanta: Jon Ross; Austin: Kevin Whitehead; Boston: Fred Bouchard, Frank-
John Hadley; Chicago: John Corbett, Alain Drouot, Michael Jackson, Peter
Margasak, Bill Meyer, Mitch Myers, Paul Natkin, Howard Reich; Denver: Norman
Provizer; Indiana: Mark Sheldon; Iowa: Will Smith; Los Angeles: Earl Gibson,
Todd Jenkins, Kirk Silsbee, Chris Walker, Joe Woodard; Michigan: John Ephland;
Minneapolis: Robin James; Nashville: Bob Doerschuk; New Orleans: Erika
Goldring, David Kunian, Jennifer Odell; New York: Alan Bergman, Herb Boyd,
Bill Douthart, Ira Gitler, Eugene Gologursky, Norm Harris, D.D. Jackson, Jimmy
Katz, Jim Macnie, Ken Micallef, Dan Ouellette, Ted Panken, Richard Seidel, Tom
Staudter, Jack Vartoogian, Michael Weintrob; North Carolina: Robin Tolleson;
Philadelphia: David Adler, Shaun Brady, Eric Fine; San Francisco: Mars Breslow,
Forrest Bryant, Clayton Call, Yoshi Kato; Seattle: Paul de Barros; Tampa Bay:
Philip Booth; Washington, D.C.: Willard Jenkins, John Murph, Michael
Wilderman; Belgium: Jos Knaepen; Canada: Greg Buium, James Hale, Diane
Moon; Denmark: Jan Persson; France: Jean Szlamowicz; Germany: Detlev
Schilke, Hyou Vielz; Great Britain: Brian Priestley; Japan: Kiyoshi Koyama;
Portugal: Antonio Rubio; Romania: Virgil Mihaiu; Russia: Cyril Moshkow; South
Africa: Don Albert.
4 DOWNBEAT MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
ON THE COVER
24 Stan Getz
'You Can Hear
the Warmth'
BY JAMES HALE
JACK VARTOOGIAN/FRONTROWPHOTOS
live recordings highlight two
key elements of his career.
30
Recorded at San Franciscos
Keystone Korner in May 1976,
they document his brief reunion
with Brazilian guitarist/singer
Joo Gilberto and illustrate how
he continued to stay current
by leading bands consisting of
Stanley Clarke at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City on Nov. 4, 2015
forward-looking musicians.
Cover photo of Stan Getz (at a concert in Copenhagen in November 1974) by Jan Persson
FEATURES w
vie
Re +
tar +
5-S ++
30 Stanley Clarke +
Acoustic Renaissance
BY PHILLIP LUTZ
34 Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Communing with the Spirits
BY TED PANKEN
54 Lucian Ban Elevation 61 Charles Lloyd 65 Omar Sosa 68 Mavis Staples
& The Marvels
38 Ralph Moore
'Shoot for the End DEPARTMENTS
of the Phrase'
BY CLAIRE DALY
8 First Take 51 Reviews 114 Toolshed
42 Indie Life 10 Chords & Discords 108 Master Class 118 Jazz On
Albert Rivera BY JON GORDON Campus
Colin Trusedell 13 The Beat
ILK Music
110 Pro Session 122 Blindfold Test
20 Players BY MICHAEL GALLANT Jon Irabagon
Oran Etkin
David Gilmore 112 Transcription
SPECIAL SECTION Kim Nalley Ambrose Akinmusire
71 2016 International Galactic Cowboy Trumpet Solo
DOWNBEAT ARCHIVES
Student Music Awards in 1978,
which has developed into a pre-
mier opportunity for student
musicians. He often noted that
Charles "Chuck" Suber
the SMAs (or deebees, as they
MENTORSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT in jazz. are known) were one of his proudest pro-
We talk about it on the artistic side all the fessional achievements.
time. Two recent examples include the re- Just as significantly, Suber loved the
lationship between the great trumpeter written word. He encouraged young ed-
Clark Terry and pianist Justin Kauflin, as de- itors to seek out the best writers and to
picted in the beautiful documentary Keep dig into the topics that meant the most to
On Keepin On, or the mentorship of trum- working musicians.
peter Wynton Marsalis to the young pianist His approach made perfect sense:
Joey Alexander, highlighted by a segment Reach musicians when theyre young, and
on 60 Minutes in January. they will remember your brand for the rest
Mentorship has played an important of their lives. Cover jazz artists with depth
role in jazz journalism, too. Here at Down- and respect, and theyll call the magazine
Beat, we stand on the shoulders of nine their own. Its a credo that we continue to
decades (and counting) of great writers, live by today.
editors, publishers and presidents. Each, Long after he left the magazine, Suber
in their own way, has influenced the direc- served as a cheerleader when he liked an
tion of this magazine and helped it grow. issue, and a sharp critic when we needed
And, to me, one of the most influential of a good kick in the butt. He was smart and
this group was Charles Chuck Suber, the thoughtful and honest.
longtime publisher of DownBeat, a man I A compliment from Chuck would make
proudly call my mentor. my day, week and month. His counsel was
Unfortunately, time catches up with all a gift.
of us, and Suber passed away on Dec. 29 at In my 26 years here, I have joked that
the age of 95. Im simply living Chuck Subers profes-
Chuck served two stints as publisher, sional lifejust three decades later. He
the first from 195262, and the second left us a remarkable blueprint on how to
from 196882. If you asked him about his cover jazz and run a magazine.
time at DownBeat, he'd chuckle that he With his mixture of passion and profes-
was fired twice. But the late Jack Maher, sionalism, Chuck set an example for gener-
the longtime owner and president of this ations to follow. Today, we do our best to
company, would insist that Suber quit build upon the legacy that he and so many
both times. As grown men, both well past others created. Like them, we simply try to
retirement age, they were still disagree- do right by this music we love. DB
DOWNBEAT ARCHIVES
kraw, during which he played
piano and organ, I can find no
report that he was on that occa-
sion imbibing to excess.
However, on pages 98102
of my 1994 book Swing Era New
York: The Jazz Photographs of to memory and the evening barely escaped
Charles Peterson, there is a brief account of collapsing into a shambles.
W. ROYAL STOKES
(and several photographs shot at) the Jan. 14, ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA
1942, Waller concert at Carnegie Hall. Perhaps
it is this event that Doerschuk was thinking of. Editors Note: Contributor Bob Doerschuk re-
For several hours before curtain time, runs sponds: Stokes is correct. Pianist Dick Hyman
my caption, a dozen or so well-wishing friends shared his recollections with me years ago
hung out in Fats dressing roomthe Toscanini about being in the audience on the night of
Suiteand partied with him. Consequently, the Wallers 1942 recital. I apparently conflated
great pianist, severely inebriated and quaking Dicks account with the earlier Carnegie ap-
with nervousness, took to the stage confused pearance by Waller, not stopping to do the
as to the program that he had earlier committed math. My apologies.
The
Inside
14 / Israeli Jazz Fest
15 / Oscar Peterson
Tribute
16 / European Scene
17 / Paul Bley
ADAM MCCULLOUGH
Colin Stranahan (left), Linda Oh and Oded Tzur perform
Otis Clay RIP: Chicago-based soul at Cornelia Street Caf as part of the Israeli Jazz Festival.
and r&b vocalist Otis Clay died Jan. 8
of cardiac arrest. He was 73. Born in
Waxhaw, Mississippi, and influenced
by gospel music, Clay made his re-
cording debut in 1965 with the ballad
Voices Unite for Israeli Jazz Fest
IN THE DECADE SINCE THE ISRAELI JAZZ Greenwich Village eaterys basement band-
Flame In Your Heart and scored a movement reached a tipping point in the stand. A protg of classical saxophone mas-
Top 40 r&b hit with Trying To Live U.S., the music, which is both progressive ter Gersh Geller, Tzur spent 10 years learning to
My Life Without You in 1973. Clay and steeped in Middle Eastern traditions, has play Indian music on the sax.
was inducted into the Blues Hall of become like a rich stew, one that gets better His fluid ability to change pitch between
Fame in 2013. Working with Otis was with every new ingredient added to the mix. notes was on display in the opening
a dream come true, said bassist Bob Case in point: the Jan. 10 performances by the piece, Warrior Elephants Flying In The
Trenchard, who produced a number of bands of tenor saxophonist Oded Tzur and pia- Moonlight, a duet with bassist Linda Oh.
albums for Clay, including 2015s Soul nist Eden Ladin, who kicked off the Israeli Jazz With Oded, youre hearing the saxophone
Brother (Catfood Records) featuring Festival at New Yorks Cornelia Street Caf. played with a delicacy thats not what you think
guitarist Johnny Rawls. Otis was one Although a set by Tzurs quartet was as medita- of when you think of Adolphe Sax, said Robin
of the nicest people I've ever met tive as Ladins was vigorous, the diversity of these Hirsch, the cafs owner, referencing the inven-
humble, gracious, even made his bed and other acts in the festival lineup suggested that tor of the saxophone. The great thing about
every morning. this sub-genre of jazz has acquired a composition- jazz is it doesnt have to be about form, about
al balance that was missing when the first wave of structure. It can be with form and with a sud-
Band Competition: DC JazzFest has
Israeli musicians came to New York years ago. den delicacy that one doesnt naturally think of
announced DCJazzPrix, a national
With each new cohort of young artists, when you say jazz.
jazz band competition that aims to
Americas ever-evolving indigenous music In contrast to Tzurs quartet, Ladins group
identify and showcase emerging
is further enhancedbringing refreshing offered a far more aggressive sound. A distin-
and exceptional jazz band talent.
change to a U.S. jazz landscape that has become guishing aspect of the performance was how
The winning band will receive a cash
increasingly homogenized since the days when Ladins mellifluous, classically influenced
award of $15,000 as well as business
regional styles defined jazz in places such as piano rose above the cacophony, adding to the
support, publicity, career services and
New Orleans, Kansas City and Chicago. impressionistic experience.
a paid gig on the main stage at the
The three-day festival partly sponsored by the While the set opener, The Way We Used
2017 DC JazzFest in Washington, D.C.
Israeli consulate and curated by guitarist Gilad To Laugh, had the quality of a Middle Eastern
The competition finals will take place
Hekselman also featured a Jan. 11 duet by folk song, the classical flavor of Ladins piano
during this years DC JazzFest on June
Hekselman and fellow guitarist Yotam Silberstein and tenorman Dayna Stephens round tone
18. Deadline for entires in March 4.
and a performance by pianist Gadi Lehavi and his broadened the tunes scope. Flamboyant drum-
More info: dcjazzprix.org
band. The trios of guitarist Dida and drummer mer Daniel Dor was a catalyst for the number.
Boom Tic Boom CD: Drummer/ Ziv Ravitz closed out the festival Jan. 12. The band cranked up the angularity of its
composer Allison Miller and her band There was a phase where Israeli jazz was set in the following number, The Eel, which
Boom Tic Boom will release their third trying to define itself, Hekselman said in an featured muscular driving polyrhythms that
full-length studio album, Otis Was A interview. And there was what you called showcased the groups power and high-preci-
Polar Bear (The Royal Potato Family) the Falafel Jazz movement, where every song sion performance skills.
on April 8. Boom Tic Boom features was like a big party. But I think now its final- For some observers, the festival was a vote of
Miller alongside Jenny Scheinman ly balancing itself out. There could be [Middle confidence in Israeli jazz. You cannot discuss
(violin), Kirk Knuffke (cornet), Ben Gold- Eastern] influences but its not shouting it in the the jazz scene without including the Israeli art-
berg (clarinet), Todd Sickafoose (bass) audiences ear. It has become more subtle. ists, said Renee Schreiber, director of performing
and Myra Melford (piano). Tzurs devotion to Indian classical music arts and music for the Israeli consulate, which has
More info: royalpotatofamily.com was evident in the four pieces that progressed been collaborating with city clubs on Israeli jazz
in a grand, unhurried fashion across the festivals since 2012. Michael Barris
AL GILBERT
previously unrecorded, as performed by 14
world-class pianists on the masters own per-
sonal piano. The recording, which honors Oscar Peterson (19252007)
DOWNBEAT ARCHIVES
Rollins 1963 LP Sonny Meets Hawk! (RCA).
If someone wanted to really get a firsthand experience of what Paul
had to offer, you cant do better than Sonny Meets Hawk!, where he plays
Paul Bley (19322016)
on All The Things You Are, Peacock said. What he was able to do
there, effortlessly actually, was to deny and also at the same time include
Remembering Natalie Cole
NATALIE COLE, A GIFTED VOCALIST AND GRAMMY WINNER, DIED For the remainder of the 1970s and throughout the 80s, Cole focused
on Dec. 31 at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles from recurring health on smooth soul and r&b material.
problems. She was 65. In 1991, she released her most famous and successful album,
Throughout her career, Cole remained linked to her iconic father, Unforgettable With Love, a collection of jazz standards. The album
Nat King Cole, and she found her greatest success by interpreting songs was devoted to songs that her father had recorded, such as Mona Lisa,
that he had helped popularize. Nature Boy and Route 66. It famously included a duet version of
Natalie Maria Cole was born on Feb. 6, 1950, in Los Angeles. At age Unforgettable in which her vocals were merged with a vintage per-
6, she recorded a duet with her father, and by age 11 she had performed formance by her father. The song earned her Grammy awards in the
on his TV show. (He died categories Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Performance.
Natalie Cole
from lung cancer when she Unforgettable With Love won the Grammy for Album of the Year
was 15.) and made Natalie Cole a household name.
Blessed with a strong Cole would continue to win accolades during the latter part of her
voice, sterling articulation career, which found her frequently turning to the Great American
and a charismatic stage pres- Songbook.
ence, she found success early. Her final albumNatalie Cole En Espaol (Verve), released in 2013
Her debut album, Inseparable, was another tribute to her father. The program focused on songs that he
was released in 1975. It yield- had recorded, including Bsame Mucho, Quizs, Quizs, Quizs
ed the chart-topping hit This and Acrcate Ms, which she presented as a duet featuring her fathers
Will Be (An Everlasting vintage vocals.
Love), which earned her a Cole battled hepatitis C and had a kidney transplant in 2009. She
Grammy in the category Best wrote two booksAngel On My Shoulder: An Autobiography and Love
R&B Vocal Performance, Brought Me Back: A Journey of Loss and Gain. The latter book documents
DOWNBEAT ARCHIVES
ORAN ETKIN
JOHN ABBOTT
Starting Points
T
he origin story of Oran Etkins 2015 the Jewish roots of jazz, from Irving Berlin and voice, and I started reconnecting with the qual-
album, Whats New?: Reimagining George Gershwin to Artie Shaw and Benny ities in Armstrong that fascinated me as a child.
Benny Goodman (Motma), dates to Goodman, Etkin said. I realized the sounds Krakauer helped me understand klezmer and
1988 in Brookline, Massachusetts, when his in the Benny Goodman Quartet could go any- cantorial singing as an art form and a lineage,
parents, new owners of a CD player, bought where, and decided to explore that. and how to incorporate it in my own playing.
discs by Mozart and Louis Armstrong. Then In the process, Etkina double major in These flavors emerge throughout
a 9-year-old saxophone aspirant, Etkin was classical clarinet and economics at Brandeis Reimagining Benny Goodman. Etkin recruit-
instantly drawn to Armstrongs lyricism, Universityaccessed a melting pot of refracted ed pianist Sullivan Fortner, vibraphonist Steve
phrasing and directness. influences, including the 90s recordings of Don Nelson and drummer Matt Wilson to interpret
I tried to listen to everything he did, and Byron and Steve Lacy as well as hands-on men- his reharmonizations or flat-out deconstruc-
explored all the New Orleans players and toring from George Garzone, Yusef Lateef and tions of Goodman-associated repertoire like
Count Basie, Etkin recalled. His parents, sci- Danilo Prez. Etkin joined a Malian band that Sing, Sing, Sing, Lady Be Good, Running
entists who had emigrated from Israel in 1983, connected him to singer Abdoulaye Diabat and Wild, Dinah, King Porter Stomp and two
sealed the deal with several trips to New Super Rail Band guitarist Djelimady Tounkara signifying originals. Singer Charene Wade is
Orleans, where Anthony Tuba Fats Lacen and consequently led him to spend quality time fresh and soulfully idiomatic on After Youve
(19502004) invited Oran to sit in at Little in Mali after graduating in 2000. In 2002, Etkin Gone and the Peggy Lee vehicle Why Dont
Peoples Place in Treme. matriculated at Manhattan School of Music, You Do Right. All are sufficiently intimate
Soon thereafter, Etkin started adding clari- where his teachers included saxophonist Dave with the older language to navigate it with a cre-
net to his arsenal, and encountered Goodmans Liebman and clarinetist David Krakauer. ative, no-preconceptions spirit.
recordings. I realized the clarinet could The African stuff became part of me musi- Oran explained that he wanted to cover a
assume Armstrongs melodic approach, he cally, Etkin said. The griot sang huge, wide wide spectrum, Fortner said. Hes very stud-
said. In his quartet with Lionel Hampton, lines like Louis Armstrong. Trying to play clar- ied, very proactive, very honest. He wanted us to
Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa, Goodman inet like kora and balafon moved my play- use the voices of the Benny Goodman Quartet
was Louis Armstrong, playing lead, soaring ing in different directions that come out even and take them further, to express ourselves on
above everything, while the vibes and the when I play a standard. Then I entered MSM what they did. It was very open. It was free.
piano right hand were Johnny Dodds, danc- with this post-Coltrane sax concept Id gleaned There are people who play like Benny
ing around him. since I was 14 from Garzonewho has a clar- Goodman, Etkin said. I think thats fun, but
That instrumentation resonated two years ity and gutsiness in his playingthat feels not fulfilling. I put as minimal amount of infor-
ago when Jazz at Lincoln Center asked Etkin to like Armstrong and Goodman. Sitting in jazz mation in the charts as possible to get a certain
present a project for the Newish Jewish Festival band with everyone playing that post-Col- approach, but Im really interested in creating
at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola. I thought about trane style triggered a need to find a different starting points for conversation. Ted Panken
DAVID GILMORE
Unexplored Territory
I
n the press materials for David Gilmores hear and play certain things, especially when it
latest album, Energies Of Change comes to rhythm.
(Evolutionary Music), the guitarist Employing saxophonist Marcus Strickland,
explains, in somewhat mysterious terms, the pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Ben Williams and
larger vision that he and his quintet explored drummer Antonio Sanchez, as well as percus-
during the project: sionist Kofo Wanda (who plays on one track),
Energies Of Change refers to that move- Gilmore envisioned Energies Of Change as
ment, on both a personal and universal level both an outlet for his flowing, cyclical compo-
(which in essence is inseparable and one and sitions and as an homage to masters past and
the same), toward being more conscious and present. Shorters Over Shadow Hill Way
aware of ones own true nature. There is a sub- and Kenny Kirklands Revelations are trans-
strate to all of what we perceive as the materi- formed by Gilmores approach. No matter how
al world, and an awareness that permeates all dense the arrangement or challenging the per-
existence, yet its true nature appears to be hid- formance, Gilmores songs provide an easy
den from many; perhaps most of us. entrance, an admirable feat when metric mod-
That sounds as if Gilmorean in-demand ulation and odd-meter trickery support scurry-
guitarist who was once a member of Steve ing melodies.
Colemans M-Base Collective and the fusion Dave has an amazing ear and rhythmic
band Lost Tribe, and who has played and record- sense when it comes to polyrhythms, hemio-
ed with Wayne Shorter, Dave Douglas, Trilok las and odd times, Sanchez said. Those ele-
Gurtu, Don Byron and Rudresh Mahanthappa, ments are hard to make sound fluid and relaxed
in addition to leading his own acclaimed because of their challenging nature, but Daves
projectsis an expert on Egyptian Mystery music is never gratuitously complicated. Theres
Schools, astrology and numerology combined. a lot of great melodic and rhythmic substance as
He is. And he isnt. Regarding his music, which well as nuance and logic to his compositions.
draws on complex rhythms and unusual har- And what about the esoteric messages
monies, Gilmore is more forthcoming. seemingly buried in Gilmores music?
Rhythm is still largely unexplored territo- There are so many words that point to this
ry in jazz, he said. It began with Coltrane knowing of something that is greater than our-
exploring Indian rhythms on Afro Blue selves, replied Gilmore. Religion gives it dif-
Impressions and Dizzy Gillespie, who exper- ferent names: consciousness, spirit, aware-
imented with Caribbean beats. Now you have ness. Spiritual teachers say that ultimately were
African Americans as well as Indian Americans energy, apart from our mind/body structure.
bringing their own aesthetic to jazz. When I Essentially, its knowing that whatever happens,
hire musicians, I make sure they know how to youre at peace with it. Ken Micallef
KIM NALLEY
Speaking Her Mind
L
ike any universal narrative, Kim Nalleys Even in todays environment of overshar-
album Blues People tackles a broad scope ing, Trombone Song and The Chair Song
of lifes themes. can elicit plenty of blushes, thanks to the dou-
Lust is addressed, notably on the salty ble entendres. Combined with Nalleys charis-
Trombone Song (Big Long Sliding Thing) and matic tone and knowing delivery, the two songs
The Chair Song (If I Cant Sell It). So, too, is even make her take on Bessie Smiths Sugar In
true love, on A Sunday Kind Of Love. Other My Bowl seem chaste.
prominent themes include personal triumph My husband, who often sells my CDs at my
(Movin On Up), social inequity (Nalleys shows, said that every time I did these songs [in
own Big Hooded Black Man and Ferguson concert], people would come up to him and ask
Blues) and redemption (Amazing Grace). what album theyre on, she recalled. So he told
Nalley has enjoyed a rich, diverse profes- me that I just had to put them on the new album.
sional life that mirrors her broad vocal range: Audiences, including one in November at
She has sung with the jump blues/swing band the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz,
Johnny Nocturne, acted in stage productions California, have been reacting enthusiastical-
and owned the North Beach club Jazz at Pearls ly to Movin On Up, a.k.a. the theme song to
from 2003 to 2008. The longtime Bay Area res- the TV series The Jeffersons. Its done with such
ident is currently a doctoral candidate in the conviction that one momentarily wonders if it
University of CaliforniaBerkeleys History was originally sourced from an Alan Lomax
department, researching African American field recording.
musicians in post-World War II Germany. People are really funny about jazz singers
Named after the 1963 book on African deviating from Tin Pan Alley, she said. We
American music by the late Amiri Baraka (n can maybe get to the 1960s ... In the meantime,
LeRoi Jones), Blues People presents life viewed instrumentalists can pretty much do whatever
through a wide historical lens. This album is they want.
not a blues album, really, Nalley said during a As for her topical protest songs about
phone interview on New Years Eve. Its blues, Trayvon Martins death in 2012 (Big Hooded
yes. But its also jazz, and gospel, and r&b. Black Man) and Michael Browns fatal shoot-
The program unfolds with many changes in ing two years later (Ferguson Blues), Nalley
mood, opening with a powerful yet instrumen- says presenting them live can be difficult.
tally sparse duo reading of Summertime in Both of those tunes are very emotional,
which Nalley is accompanied by Tammy Hall, and when I perform them I sometimes get a lit-
her longtime pianist. It closes with a dynamic tle taste of what it might have been like for Nina
version of Bob Dylans I Shall Be Released. Simone and others, she said. People get real-
I definitely agonized over [the albums ly defensive and offended. Ive even seen people
track sequence] for quite a bit, she said. When get up and walk out. Its eye-opening to remem-
I go see shows, I always write down songs. I like ber with the classic protest songs we now accept
to look at the arc of a show, so thats pretty much that when they were done in their time, they
what I did. were very controversial. Yoshi Kato
GALACTIC COWBOY
ORCHESTRA
Achieving Liftoff
W
hen people ask Galactic Cowboy To Johns surprise, Neale knew even more
Orchestra vocalist/violinist Lisi about mainstream jazz than he did. And Lisi,
Wright what kind of music the while knowing little about jazz, had the con-
band plays, she replies, art-rock. servatory training to handle any chord chang-
Her husband, bassist John Wright, es tossed her way. Like most musicians try-
explained that he started the Minneapolis- ing to make a living without a record contract,
based quartet in 2008 out of desire to combine these players had to be flexible enough to han-
the loud riffs and pop hooks of rock with the dle whatever paying gig came their way.
open-ended improvisation of jazz. There are With drummer Mark ODay in tow, the
examples of all the above on the groups sixth four Greazy Biscuits became the Galactic
album, Earth Lift, released in October. Cowboy Orchestra. When ODay got tired of
Theres a piece on the new album called the road, he was replaced by Billy Thommes,
Swara Kakali, based on an Indian raga, John who plays on six of the 11 tracks on Earth Lift.
said, and on stage the solo sections can go as When Thommes left, he was succeeded by Alec
long as we want them to. But the new record Tackmann, who completed the final four tracks
also has You Do That, which is a rock song on the album.
with a definite form, Lisis vocal and no solos. For all the jazz knowledge that Neale and
I like it all; its all valid. Its OK to have a con- Tackmannwho studied with Terri Lyne
cise statement that goes from Point A to Point Carrington at Berklee College of Musicbring
B; thats the excitement of rock. And its also OK to the band, the Wrights insist that traditional
to have something that goes for 15 minutes, as rock n roll songcraft is just as important.
long as its going somewhere. I love the idea of We want to create melodies that will stick
starting a song and not knowing whats going to with you just like you can remember Beethovens
happen. Thats the lifeblood of jazz. Fifth or Deep Purples Smoke On The Water,
John was playing in a country-rock band John said. The idea is not just get that part of
called Greazy Biscuits when he felt an urge to song over with so we can get to the solo. The head
return to the jazz-rock fusion of his past. He should be just as important as the improvisation.
had no reason at that point to believe that his The melody should be the reason for the
bandmatesthe classically trained Lisi and the solo, Lisi added. We should like the riff or tune
virtuoso Americana picker Don Nealewould so much that were moved to add an improvisa-
have any interest in such a project. tion to it. Geoffrey Himes
S
tan Getz once said that if his mother had not career. Recorded at San Franciscos Keystone Korner
been visiting family in Philadelphia one week- in May 1976when Getz was 49they illustrate how
end in the winter of 1943, he might have he continued to stay current by leading bands com-
wound up having a career as a mediocre sym- prising forward-looking musicians like pianist Joanne
phonic player instead of as an iconic jazz saxophon- Brackeen and drummer Jack DeJohnette, and his
ist. Without his mothers overriding guidance, the symbiotic relationship with Brazilian guitarist/singer
16-year-old Getz left high school to take a job with Joo Gilberto. Moments In Time presents eight pieces
trombonist Jack Teagarden instead of pursuing the by Getzs quartet with Brackeen, drummer Billy Hart
promise of a scholarship at The Juilliard School. and bassist Clint Houston, while Getz/Gilberto 76 cap-
Throughout his 49-year path as a professional tures a rare reunion between the pair who had changed
musician, timing was everything. the sound of jazz a dozen years earlier.
He hit the scene while big bands were still in vogue, Both recordings come from tapes made by Todd
yet developed his mature sound when saxophone Barkan, who operated Keystone Korner in San Franciscos
soloists were king. He bounced through the turbulent North Beach neighborhood from 1972 to 1983.
1950s as a mercurial gunslinger-for-hire and survived Stan loved the club, and he played there a dozen
self-imposed exile to record two disparate master- times in the 11 years we were open, said Barkan. He
pieces: Focus (Verve, 1961), arguably the best com- really helped us survive, because he sold out 99 percent
bination of jazz improvisation and classically influ- of the times he appeared. He had fans who followed
enced string music, arranged by Eddie Sauter; and him around like the jazz equivalent of Deadheads.
Getz/Gilberto (Verve, 1964), the first jazz album to win Barkan recalls that Getz contacted him with the
the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, which helped idea of booking his quartet and Gilberto at Keystone
ignite a widespread bossa nova craze. From the mid-60s Korner for a week, to promote the release of Columbia
until his death in 1991, he appeared in a variety of set- Records The Best Of Two Worlds, which brought the
tings, showcasing a singular sound that jazz writer Gary saxophonist and guitarist together in the studio for
Giddins memorably called a paradoxical blend of light the first time since their epochal March 1963 sessions.
and heavy a breezy tone backed by heroic force. It was a gig that Barkan said he had first pitched to
Although Getz passed away nearly 25 years ago, a the shy, elusive Brazilian at a late-night meeting on
pair of previously unheard live recordings issued by New Years Day 1974, at Shadowbrook, Getzs estate in
Resonance Records highlight two key elements of his Irvington, New York.
Revisiting 2 Icons in 76 Getz at the Keystone Korner, leading his band with Billy Hart
(left), Joo Gilberto, Clint Houston and Joanne Brackeen
R
esonance Records producer Zev Feldman
unabashedly refers to the tapes of Stan Getzs
quartet and Brazilian guitarist/singer Joo
Gilberto at Keystone Korner in May 1976 as the
crown jewels. They are now available as two albums,
Moments In Time (by Getzs quartet with pianist
Joanne Brackeen, drummer Billy Hart and bassist
Clint Houston) and Getz/Gilberto 76, featuring the
same personnel, plus the legendary guitarist.
When [Resonance founder] George Klabin and I
learned about these tapes, we realized how
important they were," Feldman said. "And when I
TOM COPI
RENAISSANCE
BY PHILLIP LUTZ I PHOTO BY ERIKA GOLDRING
S
tanley Clarke was restless. Hunched over a Four decades after redefining the role of the
desk and flanked by two flickering electric bass with the seminal fusion group Return to
computer screens, the tall, long-limbed Forever, Clarke, 64, has embraced the role of musical
bassist seemed barely contained by the man for all seasonsscoring films, mentoring young
small, airless room in which he found himself, mired musicians and, most of all, digging ever deeper into
in the minutia of a score he was churning out for his first love, the acoustic bass.
actor Ice Cubes popular Barbershop film series. Clarkes explorations of the acoustic bass have lately
Clarke had already scored nearly 70 films and TV taken him from the most solitary of pursuitshis
shows, including earlier Barbershop movies for which adaptation of Bachs cello suites is an impressive work in
he garnered favorable notices. But, he acknowledged, progressto the renewal of longstanding friendships,
the artistic rewards of film-scoring were hardly what most notably one with another icon of the 1970s,
was keeping him tied to his desk on this crisp, clear Jean-Luc Ponty, whose impact on violinists paralleled
November night in New York. Clarkes on bassists.
It definitely pays the bills, he said, laughing as he Like Clarke, Ponty fashioned a sound for his
kicked back during a break. instrument that matched the sensibility of a turbulent
Barely a week earlier, Clarke had been in another eraelectrifying the scene, literally and figuratively,
mode altogether. Deep into a two-week residency at by fusing the erudition of jazz with the rebelliousness
the Blue Note, he was slapping, tapping and otherwise of rock as a member of the Mothers of Invention and
applying electric-bass techniques to the acoustic bass the Mahavishnu Orchestra. And like Clarke, Ponty has
with dazzling expressivity, in the process seeming over the years returned to the acoustic instrument.
momentarily to render the electric instrument The vehicle for their renewed relationship is the
superfluous. The irony was not lost on him. album D-Stringz (Impulse!), an all-acoustic collection
Even though I got extremely famous playing the of originals and standards for which the two musicians,
electric bass, and I thank everyone who ever looks at joined by the veteran French guitarist Birli Lagrne,
me as a gun-slinging electric bass player, he said, Im have fully shed the trappings of rock n roll and
really an acoustic bass player. embraced their swinging selves.
COURTESY IMPULSE!
Clarke (left), Jean-Luc Ponty and Birli Lagrne
recorded the acoustic album D-Stringz (Impulse!).
The project grew out of a collaboration in concert organizer, and Jean-Philippe Allard, Dizzy Gillespie created a language, and learning
2012 at the Thtre du Chtelet in Paris, where jazz director of Universal Music France and that language is being part of the history of jazz.
Ponty was being feted for his 50 years in the general manager for Impulse! Records, they laid If I had any regrets about jazz-rock fusion, I wish
music business. For the occasion, Clarke flew down the nine tracks that became D-Stringz. there was more of that in there.
in from the United States, while Lagrne, with Clarke said he was drawn to the project in Clarkes affinity for the language of modern
whom Ponty had shared a bill but not a stage at part by the challenge of a drummer-less jazz had its roots in his musical upbringing in
a festival in Switzerland five years before, was group. The traditional function of the bass Philadelphia, where, he said, he learned its var-
invited to be the third leg of a trio. player in a band is to bring the rhythm and ious dialects offstage with the renowned teach-
The collaboration was expected to be a one- the melody and the harmony together, he er Dennis Sandole and onstage with such local
time affair, filling out a program in which Ponty said, but when you dont have any drum- luminaries as French expatriate pianist Bernard
performed with a symphony orchestra and ming there, its heavy on the rhythm. Its true Peiffer, a veteran of Django Reinhardts groups.
later reunited with organist Eddy Louiss (1941 for everybody, but particularly on the bass. And he honed the language of bebop after coming
2015) and drummer Daniel Humair, com- You really have to hold it down. to New York, where he played with giants such as
patriots from his pre-electric days in the 60s, Clarke holds it down throughout, striking- Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon and Joe Henderson.
when, fresh out of the Conservatoire National ly so on his original Paradigm Shift. With its Hooking up with Chick Corea, he worked
Suprieur de Musique de Paris, he made his changes strategically placed over urgently ren- his way through Latin-tinged repertory in the
name at local haunts like the Chameleon Club. dered ostinatos, the tune recalls the elliptical earliest iterations of Return to Forever, per-
The set, an all-acoustic program that sensibility of pianist Ahmad Jamal. Propelling forming Spain, Light As A Feather and
included Clarkes Song To John, Pontys the piece in the absence of Whitewhose pres- 500 Miles High behind saxophonist-flutist
Renaissance, a blues by Thelonious Monk and ence hovers over the original recordingis no Joe Farrell and singer Flora Purim before the
a popular standard, was over in 20 minutes. But small feat. group went electric with Hymn Of The Seventh
the response was long-lasting. Everybody was Bit Of Burd, the other Clarke original on Galaxy in 1973. Clarke was the only member of
blown away, Ponty said. It was the highlight the album, puts no less of a premium on the group to survive the changeover.
of the evening, following which Stanley said, Clarkes propulsive capabilities but adds a Ponty, 73, also recalled the pre-electric days
Wouldnt it be nice to do it again? knottier harmonic element. A bebop-inflect- to which D-Stringz is a throwback. It is the
That the trio did, meeting again for a brief ed exercise over the changes of Charlie Parkers first truly jazz album I have recorded since the
rehearsal and concert at a small festival in Confirmationthe tunes title, Clarke said, 1960s, he said, recounting his bebop debut
Capbreton, off the southwest coast of France. is a mashup of Bird (Parkers nickname) and in 1964 with Louiss and Humair, Jazz Long
We wanted to get to know each other better as Bud (as in Powell)it offers an opportunity Playing. In 1967 he joined the Modern Jazz
artists, Ponty explained. to exercise a set of chops that were often dor- Quartet onstage at the Monterey Jazz Festival,
When in 2014 a window opened up in the mant during fusions heyday. which led to a U.S. recording contract with the
three musicians schedules, they gathered for Musicians who play bebop wear it like a badge World Pacific label that ultimately ushered in
four days in the ICP Studios in Brussels. There, of honor, he said. To improvise on those kinds his electric innovations.
under the auspices of Franois Lacharme, the of changes takes some doing. Charlie Parker and The nearest antecedent to the new CD is an
BADGE OF HONOR.
er layer for us. ally, he said. You
The evidence is can play chords, spell
in the ease with out tunes, really tell
which the group stories.
negotiates two tunes associated with John I go again. But in the end we figured, Why not? Clarke makes full
Coltranethe original Blue Train and Jimmy Lagrne said he was happy to forgo his use of that range, wielding the acoustic bass
McHugh and Harold Adamsons Too Old To gypsy leanings and enter the world of two with singular abandon. While he has hard-
Go Steady, which Coltrane rendered mem- musicians whose reputations preceded them ly avoided the electric bassThe Stanley
orably on his 1963 album Balladsas well as and were so intertwined. Ponty recalled that he Clarke Band: Up (Mack Avenue), from 2014,
Django Reinhardts Nuages and Joe Zawinuls and Clarke first played together in 1972, when makes ample use of the instrumenthe said
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. drummer Tony Williams invited the bassist on he never really studied it. Rather, he said,
Clarke said that the instrumentation helped a European tour. he regards the electric bass as a fun instru-
determine the tone and texture of the proj- Most recently, the two joined forces in a ment, having reserved his formal study
ect: When you have violin, acoustic guitar and 2011 revival of Return to Forever. The expe- he graduated from the Philadelphia Musical
acoustic bass, it frames pretty much what music rience, for Ponty, was a positive one. The Academy, now part of the University of the
youre going to play. There arent a lot of options group, he said, was open to using his composi- Artsfor its acoustic counterpart.
with that sound. The violin handles most of the tionsRenaissance was on the set list along- The results are heard to full effect in Clarkes
melodies, maybe with the guitar doubling and side Clarkes mid-70s anthem School Days. arco work on his adaptation of Bachs Cello
playing chords. The bass plays the rhythm, keep- From the start, Clarke said, Return to Suite No. 1, which is posted online; he said
ing it all together. Even if you play Mary Had A Forever had been conceived as a composers he hopes to have No. 2 in shape by his birth-
Little Lamb, its going to have that sound. band. That did not change when the ensem- day in March. Despiteor because ofthe rel-
The selection of tunes, which also includes ble adopted the full panoply of electric instru- ative sparseness of solo repertoire for bass, he
originals by Ponty (the plaintive Childhood ments, which only gave them a wider palette to is writing a multi-movement piece for small
Memories and To And Fro, a snappy bit work with straight through to their sixth and group. And he is considering making time for
of contrapuntal funk) and Lagrne (the ani- final studio album and biggest seller, 1976s
solo engagements with symphony orchestras.
mated album opener Stretch), was agreed Romantic Warrior.
I have a good hours worth of music, he said.
on by musicians and producers alike. The one The group, he explained, disbanded not
When that might happen is up in the air. It
exception: Nuages, Allards choice, against over Scientology, as has been reportedboth
seemed far away on that November night as he
which Ponty initially rebelled because of the he and Corea have at one time or another been
leaned into his computer screens and, affecting
tunes strong association with the gypsy jazz of involved with the practicebut over artistic
a squint, put music to scenes from Barbershop:
Reinhardt and Grappelli. differences between Di Meola, on the one hand,
He said that since this project was conceived and Corea and him, on the other. The Next Cut. Scoring the film, he said, he
in France, he wanted something French that peo- Al comes from more of a progressive rock sometimes found it difficult to keep it as simple
ple knew, Ponty explained, referring to Allard. I background and we come from a real tradition- as the producers allowed.
said, No way. Its a masterpiece by Django and al jazz background, he said. We wanted to do But he wasnt complaining; far from it. This
Grappelli. The style and the sound of Grappelli more standards, to bring more jazz into our man for all seasons is, by all indications, con-
is so linked to that title that I said I cant do that repertoire. Al wanted to do more of the older tent with the turns his life has taken. When
because Im not going to play like Grappelli. tunes and keep it pretty much guitar-oriented, I came out of college, right when I met Chick,
After a couple of weeks, however, Ponty jazz-rock fusion stuff, which was cool. We just my thing was I wanted to join the Philadelphia
reconsidered. Thats when I came up with the wanted to add some other stuff, and he wasnt Orchestra and play in the bass section, he said.
idea of doing a kind of samba rhythmic feel, too interested in that. And that was that. I dont know if it was Chick who talked me
which would allow me to play with my style. The disbanding of the group, he said, did out of it, but the idea came to me that, You are
And so I asked Birli, because he is from the not constitute a permanent breakup. Starting in going to have much more fun doing this other
gypsy music tradition, Do you think its valid? 2008, he, Corea and White toured with Di Meola thing. And they were right." DB
WITH THE
SPIRITS
BY TED PANKEN I PHOTO BY LORENZO DUASO
S
ome bands make musical orchestral conception, executing
brilliance look easy. A case in harmonically erudite, percolating lines
point is Volcnthe quartet and phantasmagoric shapes on piano
of pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Korg keyboard, sometimes at levels
drummer Horacio El Negro Hernandez of propulsion and metric complexity that
and percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo, all 52, transformed him into the ensembles third
and electric bassist Jose Armando Gola, 37. drummer, sometimes at levels of dynamic
To conclude the bands freewheeling, nuance that evoked conductor Simon
90-minute soundcheck/rehearsal on Nov. Rattles encomium that he is the worlds
24, the drummers launched the dark, most gifted pianist.
elemental rumba beats that bedrock Gonzalo makes even something very
Rubalcabas Sin Punto, documented on complicated very easy, Hernandez had
Volcns eponymous 2013 album released remarked the previous evening. He writes
by 5Passion. Hernandez flowed through transparently, logically, super-precise,
endless clave permutations; Hidalgo, putting on paper exactly what he hears in
unable to hand-strike his six-conga set his head.
because of an infected finger, deployed Hernandez observed that, whereas
sticks in a way that made them sound like three decades ago in the trailblazing,
a new instrument; Rubalcaba goosed the Havana-based ensemble Grupo Proyecto
dance with darting lines, stacking and that they co-founded in 1984, Rubalcaba
signifying upon the rhythms. sometimes experimented with a chord
We travel through time, Hidalgo said or a rhythm at a certain point, now
shortly thereafter in the dressing room. theres nothing to change. Then, Gonzalo
Every night, we jump from 1910 to the was the centerpiece of everythingthe
present, differently every night. Its one of arrangement, the improvisation. Now he
the most avant-garde groups ever. shares more. He lets the others help.
This was a spot-on description of the In 1992, Rubalcaba moved from Cuba
ensuing concert at Barcelona to the Dominican Republic; in 1996
Conservatorys LAuditori, during which he moved to Miami. Concurrently,
the ensemble synchronously navigated Hernandez migrated to Italy, then settled
seven Rubalcaba charts with kinetic grace in New York. They next made music
and freewheeling discipline, switching on together in 2012, when guitarist Stefan
a dime between ideas suggested by the Glass called Rubalcaba, Hernandez,
codes of danzon, son, mambo, guaguanc, Hidalgo and GolaRubalcabas frequent
rumba, songo and timba. partner since 2001for a Miami
Rubalcaba himself improvised with an recording session.
On the second day, Hidalgo approached been saving money and contemplating get- the number of his saint, Oshn, is 5.
Rubalcabathey first met in 1980, when the ting into some other business. A long-stand- Rubalcaba launched 5Passion with F
conguero came to Havana with the Puerto ing fan of Rubalcaba and a self-described frus- (Faith), a solo meditation on the classical and
Rican group Batacumbelewith a proposition: trated musician, hed purchased 20 tickets to folkloric canons of Cuba and the points at
We need to do a quartet, and its name is going the Homestead concert for his employees. One, which they intersect with jazz. He followed it
to be The Fourth Volcano. who had known Rubalcaba in Cuba, asked the with XXI Century, a double CD with Brewer
That was it, Hernandez confirmed. We pianist to receive his boss backstage. Galimidi and Gilmore, joined on various selections by
didnt have to say it twice. recalls that he shook Rubalcabas hand guitarist Lionel Loueke, conguero Pedrito
My response was, Of course we should do and received an autographed piano key; in Rodriguez and drummer Ignacio Berroa, who
that, Rubalcaba said. He immediately began Rubalcabas version, they didnt meet. Whatever played on all of Rubalcabas trio and quar-
to coalesce repertoire. The idea is to propose the case, the employee called Rubalcaba on the tet albums between 1998 (Inner Voyage) and
a new musicto play orig- 2006 (Paseo). On last years
inal pieces but also ver- Suite Caminos, Rubalcaba
sions of important com-
positions in the history of WE CREATED AN unleashes the full measure of
his powers on an eight-sec-
Latin music, whether Cuban,
Brazilian, North American ENVIRONMENT FOR CHARLIES tion recitative scored for alto
saxophone (Will Vinson),
or Mexican, that contain
both the past and the way SPIRIT TO BE THERE, tenor saxophone (Seamus
Blake), trumpet (Alex
J
azz fans of a certain age (bass), Benny Green (piano) and Billy Higgins (drums).
remember Ralph Moore Then in 1995 Moore seemed to disappear. But he was
as a tremendously actually hiding in plain sight: He moved to Los Angeles
talented, in-demand for a gig in bandleader Kevin Eubanks Tonight Show
saxophonist on the New York band, performing for millions of TV viewers night after
jazz scene of the 80s and early 90s. night. Moores plan was to do the show for a few years,
He arrived in the Big Apple in 1981, save some money and return to his life in New York.
following studies at Berklee College of As fate would have it, Moore kept the gig for 15 years
Music in Boston. The versatile Moore and stayed on the West Coast for a few more, occasionally
worked as a sideman for numerous playing local gigs. But now the London native has
legends, including Dizzy Gillespie, returned to New York and embarked on a flurry of
Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, activity. During the past couple of years, Moore has
Ray Brown, Roy Haynes, J.J. Johnson, worked with trumpeter Brian Lynch as well as pianists
Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, Eddie Palmieri, Bill Charlap and Rob Schneiderman. He
McCoy Tyner, Roy Hargrove, Oscar also participated in a collaboration involving trumpeter
Peterson and Kenny Baron. Tom Harrells quintet and dancer Michele Wiles troupe
Moore also generated critical acclaim as a BalletNext. Harrell, who has known Moore for decades,
leader on albums such as 1988s Rejuvenate!, also recruited pianist David Virelles, drummer Adam
recorded with trombonist Steve Turre, pianist Cruz and bassist Ugonna Okegwo for the project.
Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington Moore, 59, is in a transitional period of his career. He
and drummer Marvin Smitty Smith. The sat down with baritone saxophonist Claire Dalya
saxophonists 1993 album Who It Is You Are was colleague and one-time Berklee classmateto talk
another all-star affair, recorded with Washington about his musical development and plans for the future.
38 DOWNBEAT MARCH 2016
JACK VARTOOGIAN/FRONTROWPHOTOS
JACK VARTOOGIAN/FRONTROWPHOTOS
Freddie Hubbard.
Freddie Hubbard was a tremendous influ-
ence on me. Id go play with him, and my jaw
would be on the floor at the amount of energy
the man could create.
Benny Maupin told me, Ralph, one thing
about playing tenor with Freddie, you just have
Moore is once again an in-demand to get used to the fact that nobody sounds good
player on the New York jazz scene.
with him. That was so true. What he could do
was unbelievable and you just had to get used to
Tell us about the start of your still regret thatand I took a few clothes.
being a sidekick. I ate, drank, slept and breathed
musical life, as a kid growing Within the first week I was working in a bak-
Freddie Hubbard. I got to stand there night
up in London. ery. Now Ive got a place to stay and a job, so the
after night playing those lines with him.
I started on trumpet. My mom was clean- second week I go to the Village Voice looking
for a jam session.
ing the house and playing records, listening to
Jo Jones Jr. was running a session at the Jazz
What was it like working
Louis Armstrong. I was stopped dead in my
Forum. So I get on the list and go up with trum- with J.J. Johnson?
tracks. It was like Louis said with his horn, I began to get a sense of what I was worth as
Hey, you. You need to do this. I started pes- peter Barry Reese and drummer Harold White.
Both of these guys worked with Horace [Silver] a sideman. One thing in this business is nobody
tering my mom for a horn. She took me to the tells you what youre worth. I said, Im going to
pawnshop. I picked out a used trumpet and she at the time. Harold says to me, Horace is look-
ing for a tenor player. I want to give him your figure this out. We finished a series of gigs and
said, I dont have a lot of money, so if you get
nameI like the way you play. J.J. says, Great run, see you guys in two weeks,
this horn, youre going to practice it, right?
and I said, J.J., Im really sorry, but regretfully
That was the beginning.
Who else did you work with? I cant go to Japan with you. By now Ive made
I played it for about two years. My teacher
I went from Horace to a month in Europe myself indispensable, because thats the thing
also played tenor saxophone, and I fell in
with the Mingus Dynasty. Randy Brecker, to do. He said, Oh, why? I knew a few times
love with the tenor on sight. The following
Jimmy Knepper, John Handy and me. Brutal in the past, if I couldnt make it, he didnt want
Christmas we went back to the pawnshop and
got an old tenor. tour, but I was beginning to get invaluable to do the gig. I knew he wanted me there and I
experience. The following year I got a call to do said, J.J., I just cant go to Japan for the money
your management is offering me, and they say
What was your experience Dizzys big band. There was lots of time I was
there is no more. Im so sorry, J.J., I just cant
like at Berklee? running around New York, making sessions at
do it. And he says, Well, its up to me if theres
I studied with Andy McGee the first year. I Dudes Lounge and Visiones.
Roy Haynes taught me how to swing. Kevin more money or not. And I said, I thought so,
practiced all the time. Then I heard about Jerry
Eubanks pulled me in on Roy Haynes band. but theyve made it clear. He says, Hold on. A
Bergonzi. I took five or six lessons with him
over the course of a year. He would give you so Roy would give me about a chorus before hed few days later I get a call from his manager, who
much informationIm still working on it. It get frustrated and start bashing right over me. was furious, but I got the money because J.J. is
was like he took a can opener and opened my After about six months, I suddenly realized not going to go without me. I had leverage and I
head up to a different way of approaching this what he was doing with the time. used it. Youve got to speak up.
music. Ive never been the same. This was 1976. My analogy is like this: You watch a football
I was 19 at the time. After I left Jerry, I never game, and the [receiver] is running. Youve got What do you want to do
took another saxophone lesson. There was no to throw the ball in front of him. Dont throw next?
need to. it to him, because hes moving. Throw it ahead At this point, Im willing to wait and see
of where the guys going to be. Thats kind of what the future brings. I was always the type of
How did your move to New like the time, the swing. When you start your person that had my eye on things. One day Im
York City come about? phrase, youve got to throw it to the end of the going to move to New York. Id like to get that
In the winter of 1980, Kevin Eubanks phrase. As soon as I figured out that Ive got gig, etc. I no longer see what lies ahead for me.
brother Robin had found a place in Brooklyn. to follow through and shoot for the end of the Ive always been a goal-oriented type of person,
Were moving to New York. What are you phrase to make the time feel right, to make it but I dont know whats next. Im trying to get
doing? That was Monday night. Wednesday swing, it was like a lightbulb went on, and from comfortable with not knowing. In a way, I think
night they swung by with the van. I took my that moment on, Roy was smiling. It wasnt said spiritually thats a good place to be. Youre more
suitcase and my horn. I left all my recordsI with words. After he taught me how to swing, open to what does happen. DB
ALBERT RIVERA
Enterprising Energy
By Ken Micallef
I
Albert Rivera
t can be difficult for a jazz musician to get a leg up in a world of
shrinking budgets and expanding costs. For some, only the music
matters. These individuals follow the same rules that lead to the
same, often less-than-rewarding results. But in 2014, while ponder-
ing his next album, Back At It, saxophonist Albert Rivera devised a
shrewd, innovative marketing strategy.
Spotify, Pandora and iTunes affect the longevity of a musicians
career, Rivera mused. Many older musicians say we have to fight
them. But jazz constitutes such a small percentage of all the music
listened to in this country. Rather than boycotting the services, we
should use them to our advantage. These services are a means to get
more fansfans that I may or may not reach since Im not on a major
label with budgets for marketing and promotion. The way we build
longevity is gaining fanseven if its one fan at a time.
Realizing the massive potential of streaming services and social
media, Rivera kicked off a GoFundMe campaign to cover mixing,
mastering and manufacturing costs. He used Facebook, websites,
blogs and free downloads to spread the word. Once Rivera had cash
in hand and CDs to ship, he gave away the fruits of his labors.
Riveras logic: If you give one fan a CD, you appease that fan. But
give that same fan 10 CDs, and all his friends will become fans as well.
Rivera doesnt have solid numbers as to how many copies of Back At It
(Truth Revolution Records) have sold or been given away for free, but
his fan base is secure and growing.
The competition between musicians is tough, Rivera acknowl-
edged. You have to stand out. My main focus was to get the music
out there, not to make income from CDs. I wanted the album to be
easy to find, cheap and accessible. I want everyone to have access to
my music, not just the select few who are willing to buy the album. I
wish more people could buy an album for $15 a pop like it used to be.
But the reality with streaming services makes that hard. Why would
people buy it when they can stream it for free?
Currently the director of operations for Litchfield Performing
Arts annual Litchfield Jazz Camp and the music director for
Litchfields Project Poetry Live! (both based in Milford, Connecticut),
Rivera is an accomplished performer, composer and instructor. Like
most artists, he wants to reach as many people as possible.
JAMES KORN
INDIE LIFE
COLIN TRUSEDELL
High-Altitude Hustle
By Bob Doerschuk
I
ts never easy to segue from the sheltering palms of academia into the all of which are setting the stage for his civilian career. There arent
wasteland of professional music. Diploma in one hand, your axe in many options out there where you can make a steady salary and have
the other, you try to figure out how to get your career underway as benefits, he said. As a staff sergeant, I make about $50,000 a yearI
efficiently as possible. have a wife and a kid and another kid on the wayand that bankrolls the
For bassist Colin Trusedell, the plan was simple: Join the U.S. Air whole thing. Then all the gigs I do on the outside bring in more money to
Force. And then, what the heck: Host your own radio show, run your dump back into the businesses that I own.
own booking agency and earn a masters degree in music education Its a plus that unlike many day jobs held down by musicians,
online from Boston University. Now based in Colorado, hes a professor Trusedells is all about music. As musical director and tour manager for
of bass at the University of ColoradoPueblo. Plus, he puts in two hours Blue Steel, the U.S. Air Force Academys Top 40 ensemble, he books the
of practice every day. shows, leads rehearsals, writes arrangements and otherwise hones essen-
On his new album, a trio project aptly titled Its All About The Hustle, tial skills. He also tours with the Academy Band, performing at mid-
he displays strong chops, steady swing, a lustrous tone, expressive vibra- dle schools and high schools and on local TV to kindle interest among
to and melodic inventiveness. He wrote all the material. And its avail- potential enlistees.
able on MyShowsLive Records, which Trusedell launched and somehow Trusedell already had military musical experience prior to signing
finds the time to oversee. up with the Air Force. Fresh out of high school in Indiana, he auditioned
Why does he load his plate with so many responsibilities? I dont for and was welcomed into the U.S. Navy Band. Along with boot camp,
want to be one of those guys whos identified only as an Air Force musi- he was assigned to the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek,
cian, Trusedell said during a phone interview in mid-December. I want Virginia. There, he recalled, You get two years of undergrad music
people to think, Hey, that guy is really on it. school crammed into six months. I had to log 25 hours of practice time
Yet Trusedells military service makes his other activities possible each weekon top of going to school eight hours a day. If I didnt come
INDIE LIFE
ILK MUSIC
Artists in Charge
By Josef Woodard
A
rtist-run labels, long part of the jazz legacy, have experienced a Concerning the diverse group of ILKs and other colleagues, Toxvaerd
dramatic upsurge in the digital music era, a time of easier access noted: I see a good amount of musicians in Copenhagen who are very
to indie business models. But while taking charge of your own concerned about developing their own expression and not necessarily
creative work can be liberating, it is also a fragile and fleeting business. following a certain tradition. Also, there are a number of musicians put-
One continuing success story and possible paradigm in the artist-run ting a great deal of work in underground venues and inviting interna-
label universe comes out of Copenhagen, Denmark, in the form of ILK tional colleagues to participate in concerts. It is important to cherish a
Music, which was founded in 2003. personal voice, and to believe that even in a relatively small community
The number of artists involved in ILKaka the ILKshas swelled like Copenhagen, people can build something strong.
to more than 20. They include some of the better-known players Toxvaerds debut, Laura Toxvaerd No. 1, was an imaginative concept
of the Danish jazz scene, including Kresten Osgood, Lotte Anker, project in which every sound was produced, acoustically or with electron-
Mark Solborg, Laura Toxvaerd, Nils Davidsen and Ibrahim Electric. ic manipulation, on her alto saxophone. Released in 2007, the album gener-
Stylistically, the ILK roster is a varied one that often leans toward the ated international critical respect while emboldening her continuing sense
avant-garde, experimental and eclectic. The common bond has less to do of adventure. I discovered that ILKwas very fruitful when it came to com-
with idiomatic dogma than a will to thrive and survive in a way powered municating the album to the world, she said. That was a wonderful expe-
by the ideal of self-determination, and a desire to collaborate both with- rience that inspired me to continue my artistic work with the release of the
in and beyond the Danish jazz landscape. Global jazz names involved Charlie Parker-punk rock tribute Do Drugs in 2010 and the graphic score-
with the label include Craig Taborn, Fred Frith, Han Bennink, Andrew based Phone Book in 2012. Her unique graphic scores, inspired by British
Cyrille, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Axel Drner and Gerald Cleaver. left-end jazz luminary Barry Guy, have also been published.
Guitarist Solborg has been interwoven into the ILK story from its I am very proud that ILK artists cooperate, despite our diversity,
inception. With time, ILK has achieved much more than we had ever Toxvaerd added. And I use thatattitude more and more in my musical
hoped for when Jacob Anderskov, Stefan Pasborg, Jeppe Skovbakke and voice. I collaborate with musicians [who have] different aesthetics than
myself initially formed ILK and invited a selection of our Copenhagen- my own. It creates a beautiful ambiguity in the artistic expression. An
based friends and colleagues to join in, he said. We have global distri- example could bemy upcoming release Pladeshop, with Simon Toldam
butionphysical and digitaland our releases receive much attention and Marilyn Mazur.
and are praised all over. Guitarist-composer Solborg is one of many artists on the label who
The rare thing about ILK is that we, as a collective entity, contin- could pursue the conventional path of seeking deals with existing labels,
ue to inspire and ignite each other. We have succeeded in holding on but the ILK creed and commitment runs deep.
to the [idea] that each of us represents the entire collective and has an As he pointed out, I have rarely found that other labels could do
obligation to maintain a high level of integrity and artistic quality. things better than ILK, especially if you want independence, complete
Solborg said he especially appreciates the prejudice-less approach to artistic freedom and to maintain royalty ownership. With ILK, the art-
our musical heritage. Its all music. Lets not be genre-judgmental. ists have taken charge. The ILKs take part in all major decisions and
Reed player Toxvaerd, whose fourth album will be out this spring, is have a label manager and an artist-based executive committee to exe-
an adventurous, gifted conceptualist who has definitely found a good cute things professionally, on a daily basis. All ILKs have complete artis-
home at ILK. Her affinities go back to the labels earliest rumblings. tic freedomand the responsibility that comes with it. DB
Bill Stewart
KONSTANTIN KERN
diately palpable. Hes comfortable on brush- Peninsula of Michigan, is deft at subtly chang- Ordering info: pirouet.com
Critics Comments
Stewart, Blake and Carrothers, heard together on Blue Note 20 years back, reunite for a romp
of mostly Stewart originals. The music has a settled confidence and comfort. Blakes Warne
Marsh-esque cool sets the tone and temperature for this swinging set. John McDonough
The drummer's squad blends inquisitive playing with an authoritative stance. There are some
wan moments, but in the large their probing is substantiated by some very inspired interplay.
Jim Macnie
Stewart turns in a refreshingly subdued, even somber album of succinct statements, many con-
structed from a single interval. From the stately sadness of Septemberism to the Coltrane-ish
intensity on the title cut, its a mysterious mix that keeps listeners at a distance. Paul de Barros
Who better to honor Irakere than its co-founder? Valds remains a dazzling pianist and infuses
the crackle with a dense jazz artistry. For folks who like to move. John McDonough
From bat to Latin fusion, Valds covers all levels of the Afro-Cuban experience. The raw and
slick intermingle to produce a uninhibitedly sensual package. John Corbett
A case could be made that their signature kick is fiercer than ever. Because this is a live show,
theres a bit more formula involved, but measure for measure, quite a hoot. Jim Macnie
A nervous and jumpy dialog grows out of small splatters of sound, like dabs of paint splashed
in bold starbursts, jagged arcs, pointillistic pricks and trickling dribbles. Smith whines, scampers,
and growls with a pinched, sawtooth sound. Lindberg is a soft foil. John McDonough
This is such a perfectly suited twosome, a partnership so attuned and steeped in mutuality that
it offers a beautiful window on both of them individually, as well as being something all its own.
John Corbett
It may surprise skeptics that Smith and Lindbergs passionate sound exchanges are not all sput-
tering, multiphonic excursions. They're mostly gorgeous, legato melodies. Their pure, quick-wit-
ted conversations are writ large against a terrain of haunting silence. Paul de Barros
Hipper than scads of hipsters, Smith's got a cool reserve that sets him apart he knows how to
hold back as well as let go. "My Favorite Things" might not be my favorite, but dig that funky
version of Monk's "Straight No Chaser." John Corbett
What Im looking for on albums by the good doctor is punch. This ones got it. Plus scope,
playfulness and more than its fair share of intrigue. Who knew hed be stretching out in his 70s?
Jim Macnie
Dr. Smith catapults the soul-jazz formula into new territory with surprise dynamics, orchestral
textures and big-picture arrangements. For Heavens Sake and Straight, No Chaser are high
points, but the jungle sounds of the long African Suite are a bit too literal. Paul de Barros
traditional wedding song, plays without arti-
fice, whether they are mining Transylvanian
folklore or paying tribute to Sun Ra.
The band has a superb foundation in the
soulful and lithe hands of bassist John Hbert
and drummer Eric McPherson, who previous-
ly provided exceptional support to Andrew
Hill and Fred Hersch. The duo adds gravitas
to Farewell, under Abraham Burtons moody
tenor, and Spiritual, which finds Ban remem-
bering pianist Hank Jones powerful con-
nection to bassist Charlie Haden. The deep-
ly felt solo piano etude Teaca, A Song From
Afar and a meditative solo-piano homage
to Abdullah Ibrahim tip the balance toward
solemnity, but there is a strong life-force that
Lucian Ban Elevation seems to flow through this music. Renee Rosnes
Songs From Afar Like fellow pianist John Stetch, who fre- Written In The Rocks
SUNNYSIDE 1387 quently mines his Ukrainian heritage, Ban has SMOKE SESSIONS 1601
+++++ tapped an essential source with the addition of ++++
Tarmures stately vocals. Hberts arrangement
There is an alluring timelessness to the music When confronted with a new album whose
of Transylvanian Wedding Song, which pairs
created by pianist Lucian Bans Elevation quar- liner notes announce it as a conceptual cre-
the singer with Maneris micro-tonal viola, is
tet on Songs From Afarthe groups third ation, two options are available: Read the notes
especially powerful in a program that reveals
album for Sunnyside. Perhaps thats the effect as the music plays, so the narrative becomes
new high points with each listen. James Hale
of mixing traditional Romanian folk songs part of the listening experience. Or dont.
two of them sung with authenticity by Gavril Songs From Afar: Transylvanian Sorrow Song; Farewell; Travlin
With Ra; Solo For A Brother With Perfect Timing; Transylvanian If you prefer blindfold listening, then skip
Tarmurewith a band that can sound like its Wedding Song I; Chakra, The Island; Spiritual (For HJ); Transylva- this paragraph. First, the title is a little confus-
nian Wedding Song II; Southern Dawn; Teaca, A Song From Afar.
channeling John Coltranes quartet. It might (56:48) ing. The album is called Written In The Rocks,
also be the fact that the group, which expands Personnel: Lucian Ban, piano; Abraham Burton, tenor saxo-
phone; Mat Maneri, viola (2, 3, 5, 6, 9); John Hbert, bass; Eric yet its nine tracks are unified as The Galapagos
to a sextet with the addition of Tarmure and McPherson, drums; Gavril Tarmure, vocals (1, 5, 8). Suite. Regardless, its inspiration is nothing less
violist Mat Maneri on one of two versions of a Ordering info: sunnysidezone.com
than the arabesque history of life forms on the
planet. So writes David Hajdu, whose liners
clarify which events from that sprawling con-
Jaimeo Brown text inspire each of the works presented here.
Transcendence You cant come up with a more ambitious
Work Songs concept than that, which is one reason why
MOTMA 108 Written In The Rocks may better be judged as
++++ music on its own merits. By that measure, its
an exceptional achievement. Performances are
Jaimeo Brown avoids the sophomore slump confident and clear, individually and interac-
with Work Songs, the superb follow-up to tively. Drummer Bill Stewarts contribution is
Transcendence, which was one of the most especially valuable: He animates written pas-
ambitious and scintillating jazz debuts of 2013. sages with empathetic spontaneity.
Instead of overhauling his artistic direction, the Those written parts are central to this proj-
drummer builds upon the concept of the for- ect. Written In The Rocks establishesor rein-
mer disc on which he ingeniously enveloped forcesthat Rosnes is a virtuoso jazz com-
sampled material from Gees Bend Quilters poser. She more than meets the challenge of
singers in Alabama inside electronica-en- orchestration for small ensemble. Bass and
hanced sonic soundscapes. soprano sax pull from opposite spectra to create
This time around, Brown turns his atten- Sholar, affording Work Songs a nice continui- a rich sonic texture in stating one of the themes
tion to works songs. While theres an emphasis ty from its predecessor. But its the new recruit- in The KT Boundary behind an arpeggiat-
on the black American experiencespecifical- ment of keyboardists Big Yuki and James ed backdrop on piano. Later in the same piece,
ly, the somber Lazarus and the bittersweet Be Francies that sharpens Browns vision by saxophonist Steve Wilson solos on soprano
So Gladthe discs concept expands globally. strengthening the cinematic flow. over a more intricate ostinato played by vibes,
Such is the case with the spectral Safflower, Work Songs is confirmation of Browns piano and bass. Advanced yet accessible, com-
on which Brown underscores a microtonal potential of becoming one of the great jazz con- plex but never ostentatious, this is as good as
Japanese vocal melody with hip-hop rhythms ceptualists of his generation. John Murph writing can get in this setting.Bob Doerschuk
to convey a sense of innocence lost and resil-
Work Songs: Hidden Angel; Mississippi; Lazarus; Safflower; Be Written In The Rocks: The KT Boundary; Galapagos; So Simple
ience after the countrys 2011 earthquake and So Glad; Happy Serving; 2113; Moment Of Rest; For Mama Lucy; A Beginning; Lucy From Afar; Written In The Rocks; Deep In The
Stonemason; Paterson; The Valley. (55:16) Blue (Tiktaalik); Cambrian Explosion; From Here To A Star; Goodbye
tsunami disaster. Personnel: Jaimeo Brown, drums; Chris Sholar, guitars; JD Allen, Mumbai. (58:48)
Holdovers from Transcendence include the tenor saxophone; Jaleel Shaw, alto saxophone; Gees Bend Quilters Personnel: Renee Rosnes, piano; Steve Nelson, vibraphone; Steve
Singers, vocals; Big Yuki, keyboards; James Francies, keyboards; Wilson, flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone; Peter Washing-
Gees Bend Quilters singers, tenor saxophon- Lester Chambers, vocals. ton, bass; Bill Stewart, drums.
ist JD Allen and guitarist/co-producer Chris Ordering info: motema.com Ordering info: smokesessionsrecords.com
Toddlin Town
Jazz in the Windy City is carried out the
Chicago Way: veterans pave the way for
innovators; experimentalists and main-
streamers form supportive communities;
and everyone values practicality, origi-
nality and integrity. The scenes breadth
and depth continue to impress. Here
are five new releases by Chicagoans of
all sorts. Some are natives who moved
away. Others are transplants that have Various Artists
made the city home. All embody the Chi- Detroit Jazz City
cago spirit. Caroline Davis
BLUE NOTE 002405002
Larry Novak, at age 82, is current ++++
dean of Chicagos pianists. Invita- soprano saxes, his brother Kirk playing
piano, Taalib-Din Ziyad on flute, Harri- Detroit has long had one of North Americas
tion (Delmark 5022; 68:30 ++++)
son Bankhead on bass and Avreeayl most vibrant, if often under-the-radar, jazz
is his second album as a leader after
Amen Ra on drums. scenes. So Detroit Jazz City feels like a natural
50 years of steady presence at major
phrase to anyone who lives there. This com-
clubs. With frequent sidemen bassist Ordering info: artburton.com
Conversely, Doors: Chicago Sto- pilation, a benefit for local non-profit Focus:
Eric Hochberg (the albums producer)
rylines (ears & eyes 15-039; 64:12 HOPEan educational and community orga-
and drummer Rusty Jones (who died
nization dedicated to fighting racism and eco-
in December 2015), Novak interprets +++ ) by saxophonist Caroline Da-
nomic inequalityfeatures a strong assem-
not-quite-standards with elegant touch, vis and her quartet is all about nar-
blage of some of the citys finest players.
deft technique and self-effacing swing. rative. Small group instrumental epi-
The disc seamlessly mixes vintage tracks
Ordering info: delmark.com sodes are interspersed with snippets
and new performances and primarily traffics in
Some 30 years Novaks junior, Lau- of musicians sharing memories of the
a hard-bop/post-bop sound that never seems to
rence Hobgood in Honor Thy Fathers music scene in the mid-80s. In effect,
grow old. Late greats Donald Byrd, Elvin Jones,
(Self Release; 60:53 ++++) updates Davis has created a podcast-and-suite
Kenny Cox and Joe Henderson all check in with
the trio format with understated treat- hybrid, without directly copying the
excellent tunes from their 60s heydays, and the
ments of would-be-pop anthems structure or pace of either form. Lin-
other five songs, all produced by Don Was, cap-
(Sanctuary), intimations of classicism coln Land, Rounds: For The Horses,
ture a similar spirit.
(Tryptich") and hymn-like airs (The Fields and Doors prove that Davis, a
James Carters soprano sax rips on Many
Road Home) that suggest Keith Jarrett graceful soloist with a silvery tone, has
Blessings, and the rhythm section of bass-
is a touchstone. Ultra-responsive bass- a full album even without the talk and
ist Marion Hayden, drummer Sean Dobbins
ist John Patitucci and drummer Kend- sound effects.
and pianist Mike Jellick that underpins sever-
rick Scott work with him on five original Ordering info: earsandeyesrecords.com
al songs has a groove that converses easily with
compositions, plus a New Orleans-syn- Tenor saxophonist Roy McGraths
the older material. The late Marcus Belgrave
copated Straighten Up And Fly Right quartet favors straightforward presen-
shines on his own composition Lottie The
and Stevie Wonders If Its Magic. tation over high concept on Martha
Bodys Mood.
Ordering info: laurencehobgood.com (JL Music; 64:52 +++ ) comprising
The only knock against the set is that it clos-
Conga drummer Art Turk Bur- six of the leaders compositions, a Latin
es with Sheila Jordan, now in her 80s, singing
ton and Congo Squares Spirits: version of Cole Porters and Daniel Iver-
her own autobiography in loopy, straightfor-
Then & Now (TNTCD 101; 74:50 ++ ) sons Spirit Of The Living God. Born
ward prose, which is fun but doesnt quite fit
arrives in conjunction with the 50th and raised in Puerto Rico, McGrath
with the other pieces. Joe Tangari
Anniversary of Chicagos AACM (As- studied at Northwestern University
Detroit Jazz City: The Uncrowned King; You; Many Blessings;
sociation for the Advancement of Cre- under Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Mode For Joe; Lottie The Bodys Mood; Reza; Ghost Dancers; French
ative Musicians) last year. That loose- reedist Victor Goines. McGrath attains Spice; Sheilas Blues. (69:24)
Personnel: Marion Hayden, bass (1, 3, 5, 7, 9); Mike Jellick, piano
knit cooperative on principle rejects a sound capable of Dexter Gordon-like (1, 3, 9); Sean Dobbins, drums (1, 3, 7, 9); Rayse Biggs, trumpet (1);
Vincent Bowens, tenor saxophone (1), flute (5); Cassius Richmond,
repertoire staples for unconstrained languor and Stan Getz gleam. Pianist alto saxophone (1); Kenny Cox, piano (2); Charles Moore, trumpet
yet rigorous new music. Here, two Joaquin Garcia performs creatively, (2); Leon Henderson, tenor saxophone (2); Ron Brooks, bass (2);
Danny Spencer, drums (2); James Carter, soprano saxophone (3);
pieces from a 1983 live radio broadcast attunedas are bassist Kitt Lyles and Joe Henderson, tenor saxophone (4); Lee Morgan, trumpet (4); Cur-
tis Fuller, trombone (4); Bobby Hutcherson, vibraphone (4); Cedar
and six studio tracks from 2015 strive drummer Gustavo Cortiasto Mc- Walton, piano (4); Ron Carter, bass (4); Joe Chambers, drums (4);
to meet the AACM standard. Cuba: A Graths subdued moods. The four have Marcus Belgrave, trumpet (5); Gayelynn McKinney, drums (5); Bill
Meyer, piano (5); Joe Farrell, tenor saxophone (6); Jimmy Garrison,
Tribute To Chucho and When Sunny the talent and chops to add positivity bass (6); Elvin Jones, drums (6); A. Spencer Barefield, guitar (7);
Donald Byrd, trumpet (8); Wayne Shorter, tenor saxophone (8);
Gets Blue are the old bits. The recent to Chicagos soundscape. DB Herbie Hancock, piano (8); Butch Warren, bass (8); Billy Higgins,
tracks feature Ari Brown on tenor and Ordering info: roymcgrath.com drums (8); Sheila Jordan, vocals (9).
Ordering info: bluenote.com
Marcus Printup
Young Bloods
STEEPLECHASE 31804
+++
Stanley Cowell
Reminiscent
STEEPLECHASE 31809
++++
These two fine SteepleChase releases affirm the
mainstream values of that stalwart Danish jazz
label: swing, open forms, interplay and room for
individual solo freedom. Piloted by trumpeter
Marcus Printup and pianist Stanley Cowell, the
albums pull the curtain on the ongoing work of
a journeyman and an underappreciated master,
respectively.
No longer a young lion, Printup heads a
sextet of, well, young bloods. The music is
largely a refined extension of the more lyrical
moments from the Jazz Messengers and Horace
Silver. The frontline blend on In Your Own
Sweet Way shows a tight, well-rehearsed unit.
Charlie Parkers Au Privave reconstruction is
anchored by a rhythm section (bassist Dezron
Douglas holds it all together) thats minimal in
a daring way. This outfit has potential.
Printup is solemn and moving on How
Great Thou Artsupported by the gospel-sav-
vy pianist Allyn Johnsonand the trumpet-
er is downright nasty on his blues Greasy,
which contrasts nicely with the smooth trom-
bonist Coleman Hughs. Maybe its not a major
statement, but Printups album gives a solid
accounting of himself and a forum for a band
of promise.
The Cowell album portrays a fascinating
piano stylist with many ingredients under his
fingers. The programming, like Cowells lines
and contrary motion, flows beautifullyaided
in no small part by the understated strength
and flexibility of bassist Jay Anderson and
drummer Billy Drummond.
Cowell never hurries, even on bright tem-
pos, as with his own Re-Confirmed, with its
brief parallel hands. He also makes Brahms
Ernie Krivda Carol Welsman
Requiem For A Alone Together
Jazz Lady WELCAR MUSIC 368
CAPRI RECORDS 74140 ++++
++++ Do you have to be a great scat singer
Few saxophonists on the scene today to be a great jazz singer? Neither
play the horn like Clevelander Ernie Frank Sinatra nor Billie Holiday
Krivda. Just ask fellow Ohioan Joe scatted much, but both are among
Lovano, who maintains that Krivda is a the greatest jazz singers of all time.
strong influence. Still, brilliant vocal improvisa-
While Lovano has gone the post- tion sure doesnt hurt, as the
bop route and beyond, Krivda, now 70, is a modernist, but his tone evokes Canadian-born singer/pianist Carol Welsman proves on several tracks of
Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins, as well as other tenor titans of years her new album, Alone Together. Welsman, a six-time Juno nominee with
past. This could be because Krivdas focus is on a full-bodied saxophone an international following, scats in a way that discloses a keen harmon-
sound, which in his case is rich, brawny and colorful. ic sense and complements her highly proficient piano playing. She com-
Here, Krivda contributes six originals and one standard, the ballad Ill Close bines the two in her uptempo, hard-bop treatment of the Sinatra stan-
My Eyes, which he plays romantically. His quartet members include bassist dard Day By Day, scatting along with a soaring, rewarding piano solo.
Marion Haydon, pianist Lafayette Carthon and drummer Renell Gonsalves. And her a cappella scat introduction to the title tune is a knockout.
Krivda wails on the opener, The Remarkable Mr. Black. His tonal vari- Great scatting is just one of the tools in Welsmans arsenal on this, her
ations and melodies are marvelous. Were reminded of Horace Silvers clas- 11th album. Backed by a stellar bandbassist Rufus Reid, drummer
sic Seor Blues on the Latinish Great Lakes Gumbo, and just when you Lewis Nash, trumpeter Wallace Roney and guitarist Jay Azzolinashe
think youve heard Krivdas saxophone at its most prodigious, he gives you displays unerring taste with her choice of material, bringing a spot-on
more fresh sounds on Emerald. Ending with the title tune, dedicated to his reading of Eddie Jeffersons Disappointed (a vocalese version of Charlie
hometown, Krivda gets such a plaintive sound that some Clevelanders (and Parkers solo on Lady, Be Good) and an exquisite version of Killing
perhaps others) could shed a tear or two. Bob Protzman Time by Jule Styne and Carolyn Leigh. Allen Morrison
Requiem For A Jazz Lady: The Remarkable Mr. Black; Ill Close My Eyes; Questions; Emerald; Great Alone Together: Day By Day; It Might As Well Be Spring; Sand In My Shoes; My Ship; Alone Togeth-
Lakes Gumbo; Little Face; Requiem For A Jazz Lady. (50:47) er; Disappointed; If The Moon Turns Green; You Taught My Heart To Sing; The Blues Are Out Of Town; I
Personnel: Ernie Krivda, tenor saxophone; Lafayette Carthon, piano; Marion Hayden, bass; Renell Didnt Know About You; Killing Time. (49:39)
Gonsalves, drums. Personnel: Carol Welsman, piano, vocals; Rufus Reid, bass; Lewis Nash, drums; Wallace Roney,
trumpet; Jay Azzolina, guitar (3, 6, 8, 10); Steven Kroon, percussion (3).
Ordering info: caprirecords.com
Ordering info: carolwelsman.com
Steve Swells
Kende Dreams
Hommage Bartk
SILKHEART 160
++++
Steve Swell
The Loneliness Of The Long
Distance Improviser
SWELL RECORDS 001
+++
Early stints with Buddy Rich and Lionel
Hampton helped trombonist Steve Swell build
a foundation, but it is as a contributor to the
New York Downtown scene that he found and
pursued his own path. In 2015, he celebrated
his 61st birthday with a series of recordings,
including a new quintet, Kende Dreams, and
his first ever solo recording.
Swedish label owner and producer Lars-
Olof Gustafsson came up with the concept
for Hommage Bartk. In many ways, the
music is typical Swell: the catchy melody line
used as a springboard for unfettered impro-
visation or the intensity of group interplay.
However, he had a eureka moment in inviting
pianist Connie Crothers to join an already stel-
lar group of long time collaborators (alto sax-
ophonist Rob Brown, bassist William Parker,
and drummer Chad Taylor). Her simple com-
ping on Bartk Screams has the power to
transform the composition, and Swell credits
her for being the Bartkian element. She can
also assume different roles, an asset that frees
up the other musicians and allows them to let
their creative juices flow.
Full of improvisational highlights,
Hommage Bartk is a mature work that ranks
high in the trombonists discography.
The Loneliness Of The Long Distance
Improviser takes the listener on a separate jour-
ney. Swell had toyed with the idea of a solo
recording for a while, and reaching his sixth
decade convinced him to make the jump.
While none of the pieces goes over the
Blues / BY FRANK-JOHN HADLEY
Heather Crosse
Rippin It Up
James Cotton, Mighty Long Time
(New West 2501; 68:04 ++++) is part
of New Wests remastered reissue cam-
paign to revive albums originally appear-
ing on the Austin-based Antones label.
The 1988 CD finds the harmonica king-
pin revisiting material first tackled early
in his career, like Straighten Up Baby."
His voice is as coarse as a steel file, but its
still mighty expressive, and so are his hot-
to-the-touch harmonica declarations. Food
Ordering info: newwestrecords.com This Is Not A Miracle
Mitch Woods, Jammin On The ECM 2417 4739039
High Cs (Club 88 Records 8815; +++
68:47 +++ ) Good times is the name Food is the brainchild of Iain Ballamy, a saxo-
of the game when pianist Mitch Woods phonist and electronics wizard, and Thomas
resides over a ships lounge on the an- Strnen, a specialist in old-school Fender
nual Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Rhodes and Moog synthesizer who also plays
AUSTIN BRITT
Racha Fora
Racha SMiles: Racha Foras
Tribute To Miles
JAZZ TOKYO 1001
HHH1/2
Racha Fora is an intriguing fusion jazz quartet
made up of two Japanese and two Brazilian
musicians. They met in Boston and started
playing together as a band in 2010. Flutist and
EWI player Hiroaki Honshuku leads the group
with violinist Rika Ikeda joining him on the
front line. Nylon guitarist Mauricio Andrade
and bass guitarist/vocalist Rafael Russi consti-
tute the rhythm section.
Multi-percussionist Benhur Oliveira joins
them in the studio for Racha SMiles, the groups Ikedas emotive solos on the Honshuku-penned
Miles Davis-inspired sophomore album. Davis Chicken Don and Door 8 are a highlight.
band alumnus Dave Liebman contributes Two other standout tracks are a spirited
soprano sax on three pieces. take on Seven Steps To Heaven, with Russis
Half of the tracks are Davis compositions wordless singing again sharing the lead, and
with two others by Wayne Shorter and the Shorters Footprints, which is interpreted as a
remaining four by Honshuku. The album funky closing number with hints of hedonism.
opens with a joyful version of Milestones that Yoshi Kato
features Liebman gliding effortlessly. A heavi-
er take on Shorters E.S.P. doesnt land quite Racha SMiles: Milestones; E.S.P.; Blue in Green; Feather Roux;
Chicken Don; Door 8; Solar; All Blues; Circle; Seven Steps To Heaven;
as well, though Russis wordless vocals and del- Wood Row; Footprints. (51:37)
icate soloing on Blue In Green quickly elevate Personnel: Hiroaki Honshuku, flute, alto flute, piccolo, EWI (2,
10, 11), voice (7); Rika Ikeda, violin; Mauricio Andrade, nylon guitar;
the proceedings. Rafael Russi, bass, voice (1, 3, 4, 10); Benhur Oliveira, pandeiro,
cajon, tamborim, ocean drum, voice (10); Dave Liebman, soprano
Unsurprisingly, Racha Fora excels most saxophone (1, 7, 11).
when performing Honshukus pieces, and Ordering info: rachafora.com
String Bound
The globe spins to the sound of strings
bowed, plucked, strummed, tapped,
struck or otherwise manipulated. Every
region has its own indigenous instru-
ments, and virtuosic musicians and mere
mortals alike choose to stick with tradi-
tion or follow their own music-making
instincts and far-ranging influences.
Cross-cultural enthusiasts Ballak
Sissoko, a Malian kora player, and Vin-
cent Sgal, a French cellist, do justice Fred Hersch
to the title of their second collaborative Sarabande
album, Musique De Nuit (Six De- SUNNYSIDE RECORDS 1432
grees 657036; 42:35 ++++) The two ++++
CLAUDE GASSIN
meld affecting expressions of melodic
In his notes to this album, Fred Hersch recalls
sereneness and rhythmic anxiety with
the two days that he, Charlie Haden and Joey
the deft touch of liberated masters in Ballak Sissoko and Vincent Sgal Baron devoted to laying these tracks down
complete empathic accordance.
more than 30 years ago. Then he adds a wistful
Ordering info: sixdegreesrecords.com prattle, come off as unneeded.
reflection: Thoughunfortunatelythis trio
On 22 Strings/Cordes (ARC 2585; Ordering info: vahagni.com
never played a live gig after the recording, I felt
50:26 ++++), Seckou Keitaa sci- Superior Iraqi oudist Rahim AlHaj
like the three of us danced through the music
on of an ancient Malian rulermakes joins forces with similarly brilliant In-
together in a very special way.
his extra-stringed kora emit notes that dian classical sarod player Amjad Ali
Perhaps a stronger word than unfortu-
sparkle like the sunbeams reflected in Khan on Infinite Hope (UR Music
nately would be more appropriatesome-
the Senegal River. Here he establish- 007; 67:54 ++++). The duo conveys
thing along the lines of tragically. Haden, of
es tunes as melodic narratives that disciplined passion and lyricism with a
course, is no longer with us. But in the peculiar
set moods appropriate to, among 10 natural authority while accompanied
world of recorded music, he will likely pop up
songs, an emotional quest to locate by Ayaan and Amaan Ali KhanAm-
again for some time to come, as he does here, to
his long-absentee father and a dream jads two sarod-playing sonsand by
remind us of what a titanic talent he possessed.
about his wise grandfather. several percussionists. Not inclined to
Haden was uniquea more pastoral
Ordering info: arcmusic.co.uk showcase masterly technique, AlHaj
Minguswith an intensity tempered by
A million musical miles from Africa, and Khan make a sanctity of melody
his insight into the eloquence of silence. On
Torontos string quintet Ozere puts as they weave together segments of
Rodgers & Hammersteins I Have Dreamed,
Finding Anyplace (Self Release; ragas, maqams and traditional music.
he conjures rather than locks down his groove.
45:27 ++) in a niche more on the side Ordering info: rahimalhaj.com
There isnt a moment of walking bass on this
of international folk than the staid clas- The Aliya Cycon Projects We Will
track; instead, when Hersch stretches out a
sical music that bandleader-violinist Be Light (Self Release; 28:22 +++)
couple of verses, Haden stays on the dominant
Jessica Deutsch grew up on in western finds Berklee-schooled Cycon doing an
tone, plucking it just enough to keep the perfor-
Canada. The string players, contribut- alluring, shimmering dance between
mance from floating away. Baron, meanwhile,
ing to so-so original material, are skilled world-pop and traditional Arabic mu-
shows how to stay busy and unobtrusive at the
but predisposed to preciousness. sic. Her Arabic lute sometimes projects
same time, scattering taps around his kit, turn-
Ordering info: ozere.ca a palpable effervescence, other times
ing up the heat and then again backing away,
Based in Los Angeles, guitarist Va- an incisive ambiguity. leaving the spell unbroken.
hagni metes out his influencesthe Ordering info: aliyacycon.com
The only questionable moment happens as
folk music of his homeland Armenia, Nashville-based Alison Browns they begin the closing number, Cadences.
as well as flamenco, modern sound de- strong suit is her ability to share the Hersch describes this one as a humorous take
sign, Western classical music and jazz warmth and affability of the banjo on the II-V-I progression, but even after what
in his highly personalized third album, with listeners who want more than sounds like a fantastically misconceived slap-
Imagined Frequencies (Self Re- bluegrass. The Song Of The Banjo stick intro, the trio finds a way to make the
lease; 42:38 +++). He is an outstand- (Compass 7 4658; 56:58 +++) qual- magic work. When they return to the goofball
ing proponent of happy-sad flamenco ifies as an attractive, easygoing al- theme, it feels perfectly right. Bob Doerschuk
guitar music, having lived and studied bum with Brown shining thanks to her
Sarabande: I Have Dreamed; Enfant; The Peacocks; What Is This
in Andalusia. But the audio processing, skilled playing, imagination and purity Thing Called Love?; Sarabande; This Heart Of Mine; Childs Song;
including stretches reminiscent of Frip- of heart. DB Blue In Green; Cadences. (49:36)
Personnel: Fred Hersch, piano; Charlie Haden, bass; Joey Baron,
pertronics and a bit of Salvador Dali Ordering info: compassrecords.com drums.
Ordering info: sunnysidezone.com
Omar Sosa
JOG
OT RECORDS
++++
Pianist Omar Sosa introduces a new
trio on JOG. Aside from him-
self on assorted acoustic and elec-
tric keyboards, the group also fea-
tures German trumpeter, vocalist
and flugelhorn player Joo Kraus
and Venezuelan drummer Gustavo
Ovalles, who contributes a battery of hand percussion including quitiplas
(bamboo stalks) and culoe puya (small Venezuelan congas).
Echo Bay lives up to its title with trumpet notes from Kraus that are
awash in reverberating dub reggae effects. The musical setting here is
dark, blue and dreamy. Conversely, Down The Alley is a bright, play-
ful tune that recalls the Latin infused r&b of the 1960s. Wha-wha effects
on keys and trumpet dance around a syncopated synth bass line and
Ovalles jumpy percussion work, while Krauss rap delivers a poetic
warning of pending ecological disaster. Muevete En D, from Sosas Live
Fip album, gets a jaunty reinvention, with Sosas Bach-like right hand
trills and Krauss mixed down asides on trumpet playing off of the subtle
maraca rhythms of Ovalles. It's a reminder of Sosas ability to fuse jazz,
classical and Afro-Cuban impulses. j. poet
JOG: Moforibale; Enchanted Breeze; Echo Bay; Muevete En D; Wood Soul; Recaredo; Down The Alley;
Light In The Sky; Iyawo; JOG Mode; Peace River. (53:09)
Personnel: Omar Sosa, piano, Motif ES8, Fender Rhodes, samplers, EFX, vocals, synthesizers; Joo
Kraus, trumpet, vocals, flugelhorn; Gustavo Ovalles, quitiplas, culoe puya, maracas, percussion.
Ordering info: melodia.com
Guitar Redux
The First Quartet (ECM 473 2437,
39:36/45:41/45:55 ++++) is a com-
pilation of three albums released by gui-
tarist John Abercrombie and his quartet
between 1978 and 1980. Part of ECMs
Old & New Masters series, the collection
compiles the albums Arcade (1978), Ab-
ercrombie Quartet (1979) and M (1980), Grace Kelly
all of which feature Abercrombie joined
by pianist Richie Beirach, bassist George Trying To Figure It Out
Mraz and drummer Peter Donald. The PAZZ 23-16
collection has a collaborative vibe that ++
recalls earlier Abercrombie sessions with
two guitarists of note: Ralph Towner (on Who can fault a young, charismatic, immense-
the introspective 1976 ECM release Sar- ly talented woman like Grace Kelly for want-
JOHNNIE MILES
gasso Sea) and John Scofield (on the ing more than merely jazz? After all, it must be
1982 Quicksilver album Solar). frustrating to have all the chops in the world
Abercrombie found superb kin- John Abercrombie while youre still a teenager and watch as young
dred spirits with this band, his first as women with a fraction of your talent rule the
a leader. As is made evident through With What Are The Rules and Flash- world as pop stars. On Trying To Figure It Out,
these three albums, the group man- back, we hear the most fiery spirits the 23-year-old Kelly sets out to put that right,
ages to sound like one voice: a delicate conjured up by this group. The remain- with blatant pop confections like a cover of
but firm mix of swing with Latin forms, ing three pieces recall a more tranquil, Coldplays Magicall girly vocals, electronic
pop, chamber music, free-jazz and earlier period. Its a strange contrast, as percussion and an infectious bass lineand an
even funk. Beginning with Abercrom- if the many facets of Abercrombie were alternate club remix of the song she composed
bies title track to Arcade, we hear a dovetailing together. for the TV detective show Bosch, engineered by
band template, with Abercrombie stat- Ordering info: ecmrecords.com Mocean Worker. For those craving something
ing the theme and Beirach and Mraz The reissue of Sonny Sharrocks a little closer to traditional pop, theres a trea-
providing alternate support. The music 1991 album Ask The Ages (M.O.D. cly version of Charlie Chaplins Smile, fea-
has a gentle feel to it. Its playful and Technologies 0016; 44:38 ++++) turing pianist Henry Heybest known for his
within a delicate marching cadence, a presents the late guitar avatar with an recent work with David Bowieand an annoy-
soft reflection of the fusion world Ab- outburst of swinging free-jazz energy. ing vocal shiver from Kelly.
ercrombie so recently inhabited with- The last album he recorded before his Everything about the programming of
out any of the attitude. The music on death in 1994, Ask The Ages delivers Trying To Figure It Out is bigfrom the num-
Arcade is tuneful, representing a smart as a composite of jazz and rock un- ber of bit players called in to fill specific roles to
late-70s alternative to a jazz that had like any other. Corralling the forces of the gallery of fashion-forward photos of Kelly.
become less composerly, and produc- saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, bassist Pop music has never been about subtlety, but
er Manfred Eichers consistent touches Charnett Moffett and drummer Elvin rarely does an artist make such an obvious play
enhance that airy, chamber feel. Jones, this co-production by Sharrock at gaining a larger audience. If Kelly is trying to
A year late, and after much gigging, and Bill Laswell feels like a natural link- figure anything out, it seems to be how to trans-
came Abercrombie Quartet. Abercrom- age between two idioms. Who Does late her ambition into something much bigger
bies Blue Wolf starts things off with a She Hope To Be? has an emphasis than what she already has. James Hale
similar vibe, the bands medium-tempo on elocution, Little Rock dials in on
gait firmly in place. Again, its a place edgy, uptempo swing. John Coltranes
Trying To Figure It Out: Blues For Harry Bosch; He Shot A
to hear Abercrombies ease with impro- latter-day spirit is realized with As We Man; By The Grave; Ballad For MC; Trying To Figure It Out; Smile;
Somewhere Over The Rainbow; Heys Connection; Magic; The Oth-
vising. The disc reaffirms the message Used To Sing, a fitting culmination to er One; Blues For Harry Bosch (Mocean Worker Remix); Amazing
the disc, with Sharrock creating shards Grace; Lemons Make Lemonade (53:32)
of Arcade, meaning it is full of swing,
Personnel: Grace Kelly, flute (1, 11), soprano saxophone (11, 13),
but gently so. of sound, Sanders making haunting alto saxophone (15, 7, 913), keyboards (3), vocals (3, 5, 6, 9, 10,
The seven tracks of M lead us out melodies and Jones banging away 13), percussion (1, 11); Henry Hey, piano (2, 3, 58, 12, 13), keyboards
(8, 9, 12), organ (2, 5, 10, 12, 13); Jeff Babko, Fender Rhodes (1, 11),
on a high note, starting with Aber- with an insistent gait. And Once Upon piano (4); Mocean Worker, keyboards, electric bass (11); Jon Batiste,
harmonaboard, vocals (13); Mike Abraham (1, 11), Pete McCann
crombies mesmerizing Boat Song, A Time bypasses rhythm and instead (2), Daniel Rojas (8, 9), David Poe (10), guitar; Nolan Shaheed (11),
the guitarists untethered twang a wel- lets everyone stretch out. Raw and di- Jason Palmer (2, 12, 13), trumpet; Sam Crittendon, trombone (2, 12,
13); Dan Lutz (1, 4, 11), Mike League (2, 9), Tim Lefebvre (3, 5, 7, 10,
come indulgence of sound. The tune rect, the tune somehow remains me- 12, 13), bass, electric bass; Steve Hass (1, 4, 11), Ross Pederson (2),
Lemar Carter (3, 7, 10, 12, 13), drums; Jamey Haddad, percussion
M points toward Solars spirit and is lodic to its core. DB (13); Shayna Steele (2), Louis Cato (13), vocals; Stephen Lukach,
programming (9).
the packages most swinging number. Ordering info: mod-technologies.com
Ordering info: gracekellymusic.com
Zappa Swings
In his meticulously researched book
Zappa And Jazz: Did It Really Smell
Funny, Frank? (Matador), British au-
thor Geoff Wills, a former profession-
al musician and clinical psychologist,
refutes the notion, proffered by Zappa
himself in misleading interviews, that
the enigmatic guitarist-composer-satirist
disliked jazz.
Given that Zappa was the classic
outsider, Wills theorizes that it was the
Mavis Staples
jazz establishment that the irascible Livin On A High Note
ANTI- 86993
genius didnt care for, just as he disliked
all establishments, be they school, pol- ++++
itics, religion or other orthodoxies of After recording two highly acclaimed albums
society. As he writes, His scathing with Wilcos Jeff Tweedy and a 2015 EP with
opinions often acted as smoke screens budding soul-blues star Son Little, Mavis
and defense mechanisms, so while he Staples again ventures outside of the soul-gos-
was saying one thing, he was doing pel realm for Livin On A High Note. This time
another. Any Onya, underscored by Art Tripps its folk-Americana hero M. Ward (She & Him,
The evidence that he offers to sup- swinging drum pulse, the buoyant jazz Monsters of Folk) at the controls, and the
port his thesis includes the numerous waltz Toads Of The Short Forest with results are just as satisfying as with the Tweedy-
jazz musicians that Zappa collaborated its dissonant, skronkimg 5/4 free-jazz produced You Are Not Alone (2010) and One
with throughout his career, including interlude (both from Weasels Ripped True Vine (2013).
former Cannonball Adderley key- My Flesh) and the mellow It Must Be The 76-year-old Staples husky, world-wea-
boardist George Duke (a key member A Camel (from Hot Rats). Eric Dolphy ry contralto has lent itself to some of the most
of the fusion-informed edition of Zap- Memorial Barbecue from Weasels iconic soul-gospel tunes ever recorded, includ-
pas Mothers of Invention from 1970 to would also indicate that Zappa was ing Ill Take You There, Respect Yourself
1971 and again from 1973 to 1975), the taking at least a few cues from Dol- and Lets Do It Again, both as a member of
Brecker Brothers and baritone sax ace phys 1964 Blue Note album Out To the Chicago-based family band the Staple
Ronnie Cuber (who appeared on 1978s Lunch! And then theres the matter of Singers and as a solo act.
Zappa In New York), reedman and Su- Zappa thanking Rashaan Roland Kirk, Her latest album is designed as a showcase
persax founding member Jay Migliori Charles Mingus, Dolphy, Cecil Taylor for prominent songwriters who contribute
(who was on the 1972 Hot Rats/Grand and Bill Evans on the back of Freak Out! original material for her. This might have led
Wazoo tour), ex-Woody Herman and Wills goes into some behind-the- to a disastrous mishmash of musical styles, but
Buddy Rich trumpeter Sal Marquez scenes detail on Zappas jazziest al- Ward wisely turned to like-minded blues-rock
(1972s Waka/Jawaka and The Grand bums like King Kong, which he com- and folk-rock writers such as Benjamin Booker
Wazoo, 1973s Over-Nite Sensation, posed as a showcase for French jazz (Take Us Back), Nick Cave (Jesus, Lay Down
1974s Apostrophe), trumpeter-compos- violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and which also Beside Me), Valerie June (High Note), Ben
er-bandleader Don Ellis (who played featured Duke on piano, The Crusad- Harper (Love And Trust) and Neko Case
on Brown Shoes Dont Make It from ers Wilton Felder on bass, saxophonist (History, Now).
1967s Absolutely Free) and former Joe Ernie Watts and free-jazz bassist Buell The standout, though, is Wards own Dont
Henderson bassist Patrick OHearn Neidlinger, and he sheds new light on Cry, with a sound so classic and retro that it
(Zappa In New York, 1979s Sleep Dirt). the early 70s tours behind The Grand could have come fresh off one of those Numero
Another key early collaborator of Zap- Wazoo and Waka/Jawaka albums (doc- Group compilations of eccentric soul gems.
pas, alto saxophonist/keyboardist Ian umented on the brilliant 2008 two-CD Nathaniel Walcotts horn arrangement punctu-
Underwood, plays with frenzied avant set Zappa/Wazoo). ates the raw, crisp sound. Jeff Johnson
garde-inspired intensity on 1969s Un- It is a fact that Zappa did make the
cle Meat and on Eric Dolphy Memorial statement on his 1974 album Roxy & Livin On A High Note: Take Us Back; Love And Trust; If Its A
Barbecue from 1970s Weasels Ripped Elsewhere: Jazz is not dead ... it just Light; Action; High Note; Don't Cry; Tomorrow; Dedicated; History;
Now; One Love; Jesus Lay Down Beside Me; MLK Song. (38:41)
My Flesh. smells funny. But detective Wills has Personnel: Mavis Staples, vocals; M. Ward, guitar, organ, syn-
rooted out plenty of evidence in his thesizer, backing vocals; Rick Holmstrom, guitar; Stephen Hodges,
More evidence of Zappas jazzy drums; Jeff Turmes, bass; Donny Gerrard, Vicki Randle, backing
leanings include his rhythmically com- insightful tome to suggest that Frank vocals; Sean Billings, trumpet; Nathaniel Walcott, trumpet, clavinet,
organ; Alex Budman, tenor saxophone, flute; David Moyer, bari-
plex Inca Roads (from 1975s One Size liked the smell of jazz just fine. DB tone saxophone; Humberto Ruiz Jr., Trombone Shorty, trombone;
Tucker Martine, tambourine.
Fits All), the free-blowing Didja Get Ordering info: troubador.co.uk
Ordering info: anti.com
All Female Jazz Residency Boston, Massachusetts 140 school-age campers finish- member. Singers will develop
Montclair, New Jersey JuneAugust ing grades 311. vocal and dramatic skills and
Participants study with re- Faculty: Kevin Norton, Jerome gain performance experience as
July (see website)
The New Jersey Performing nowned faculty who are the Smith, Noah Berman, they prepare for the summers
Arts Center (NJPAC) and jazz best at what they do. These pro- Paul Jones, Will Caviness. culminating musical theater
artist Geri Allen present a grams provide a taste of what Cost: First session, $4,900; production. Instrumental majors
one-of-a-kind opportunity for Berklee, Boston and college second session, $4,400; will participate in various large
young women from across the life are all about. Participants full season, $8,000; and small ensembles, which
country. Students participating can come from middle school, "staccato session for may include orchestra, string
in this one-week all-female jazz high school, college or beyond. first-timers (July 1024), ensemble, woodwind ensemble,
residency will receive a blend There are a total of 20 summer $3,450. percussion ensemble, jazz band,
programs to consider, includ- Contact: (207) 647-3947; Latin jazz band, clarinet choir,
of instruction and mentorship
as they are taught in the areas ing a five-week performance encore-coda.com flute choir, four-hand piano and
of improvisation, musicianship, program. an array of chamber groups.
jazz theory and more by some of Faculty: See website. Instrumental majors will have a
the most respected female jazz Cost: Varies per program. Camp MSM at Manhattan private lesson each week with
musicians in the industry. The Contact: berklee.edu/summer School of Music a camp faculty member. All
students will live on a college New York, New York campers will receive theory and/
campus in a residence hall at July 10Aug. 6 (voice or ear-training classes. Campers
Montclair State University. Stu- Camp Encore-Coda majors); July 17Aug. 6 can also choose to take musical
dents will experience a live jazz Sweden, Maine (instrumental majors) and non-musical elective classes
performance in New York City June 29July 24, Set on the Manhattan School including composition, improvi-
and participate in a culminating July 24August 14 of Music campus in the heart sation, acting, art, songwriting
performance. This camp offers private lessons, of New York City, Camp MSM and conducting.
Faculty: Geri Allen and others. combos, jazz bands, classes in provides intensive musical in- Faculty: Many are Manhattan
Cost: See website. performance, history, theory, struction in musical theater and School of Music alumni.
Contact: njpac.org/arts- ear training and composition, as instrumental music for students Last years camp faculty
education-1/overview-4 well as a full slate of traditional who have completed grades included Rachelle Betan
camp recreational activities. 611 (ages 1117). All voice court, Rafael Betancourt,
Berklee College of Music Located on Stearns Pond, the majors will have a private lesson Daniela Bracchi, Mark
Summer Programs program typically serves about each week with a camp faculty Broschinksy, Elad Kabilio,
Eastman@Keuka
Keuka Park, New York
July 1022
Students currently in grades 69 will learn,
perform, grow musically, experience the
beauty and recreation of the Finger Lakes
and form enduring friendships with stu-
dents from near and far. Students choose
one of five programs: brass, classical guitar,
jazz, strings or voice. Each program includes
master classes, ensembles and private
instruction.
Faculty: Gaelen McCormick (director), faculty
members from the Eastman School
of Music, the Eastman Community
Music School and the Rochester
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Cost: $1,495 ($2,160 housing and meals).
Contact: summer.esm.rochester.edu
Rutgers Summer
Jazz Institute
Rutgers University, New Brunswick,
New Jersey
July 1222
Students will learn and perform the music
of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charlie
Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Miles
Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock,
Wayne Shorter and many more in a compre-
hensive workshop environment on campus
of Rutgers University. The RSJJ is ideal
for young musicians, ages 1318, who are
interested in improving their jazz impro-
visation, small group and large ensemble
skills. Students will work intensively in daily
rehearsals with the jazz faculty of Rutgers
Mason Gross School of the Arts. All applica-
tions from students new to the RSJJ require
a YouTube audition video.
Faculty: Conrad Herwig, Marc Stasio, Dave
Miller, Ralph Bowen, Bill OConnell,
Victor Juris, Kenny Davis, Robby
Ameen, Victor Lewis, Champian
Fulton, Tim Hagans.
Cost: $950 (residential rate);
$725 (commuter rate).
Contact: (732) 932-8618; summer
camp@masongross.
rutgers.edu; mged
summerjazz.wordpress.com
Samba Meets
Jazz Vocal & Summer Jazz Camp @
Instrumental Week Moravian College
Beverly, Massachusetts Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
July 30August 5 July 1115
Adult hobbyists, working The camp offers jam sessions,
musicians, educators will have jazz history, master classes,
a unique opportunity to study, workshops, classes in recording
hang, play and sing with mas- techniques, plus a recording
ters of jazz and Brazilian jazz, on session. Two tracks are offered:
Endicott Colleges oceanfront beginner/intermediate and
campus. Vocal camp includes: advanced (by audition). Student
group/1:1 coaching, interpre- musicians entering grades 812
tation, phrasing, technique, or college are encouraged to
scatting, Portuguese pronunci- enroll. High school juniors and
ation (optional), percussion ac- older have the option to earn
companiment, charting, theory. college credit.
Instrumental camp includes: Faculty: Tony Gairo, Alan Gaumer,
ensembles, harmony/improve, Gary Rissmiller, Paul
arranging, Brazilian rhthms/ Rostock, David Roth, Neil
styles/phrasing. Wetzel
Faculty: Nilson Matta (artistic/ Cost: $400475.
music Director) and other Contact:(610) 861-1650; music@
faculty. moravian.edu; summer
Cost: See website. jazz.moravian.edu
Contact: Alice Schiller, (917) 620-
8872; alice@sambameets
jazz.com; sambameets Summer Jazz
jazz.com Studies at Eastman
School of Music
Skidmore Jazz
Rochester, New York
Institute
July 315
Saratoga Springs, New York This program is for students cur-
June 27July 11 rently in grades 912 who are
The Institute provides musicians seriously considering a career in
ages 14 and up the opportunity music. The highly individualized
to mingle with and learn from program emphasizes solo per-
gifted educators and world-class formance or composition. This
performers in an intimate, sup- program is for mature students
portive environment. Approxi- at advance performance levels
who can work well in a focused collegiate The program includes master classes, group
environment. clinics, jazz theory and improvisation train-
Faculty: Harold Danko, Jeff Campbell, direc ing, ensemble coaching, jam sessions and
tors; Doug Stone, saxophone; Bill style explorations. Students perform before
Tiberio, saxophone; Clay Jenkins, a live audience in community settings. For
trumpet; Mike Kaupa, trumpet; Mark participants age 15 and up.
Kellogg, trombone; Bob Sneider, gui Faculty: Jeff Holmes, Sheila Jordan, Steve
tar; Harold Danko, piano; Dariusz Davis, Avery Sharpe, Earl MacDonald,
Terefenko, piano; Paul Hofmann, Steve Johns, Felipe Salles, Winard
piano; John Nyerges, piano; Jeff Harper, Barry Reis.
Campbell, bass; Rich Thompson, Cost: Commuting Students: One week,
drums; Howard Potter, vibes; Dave $625; two weeks $1,250; Residential
Rivello, composition. Students (with room and board) one
Cost: $1,290 ($2,190 with week: $949; two weeks: $2,039.
housing & meals). Contact: (413) 545-3530; jazzinjuly@acad.
Contact: summer.esm.rochester.edu umass.edu; jazzinjuly.com
Contact: Bob DeRosa, (585) 377-2222; Matt Manhire, Juan Parada, Erik Sabo.
bob@tritonejazz.com. tritonejazz.com Cost: See website.
Contact: (215) 717-6430; uarts.edu/academics/
pre-college-programs/summer-
UMass Fine Arts institute-music-business-entrepre
Center Jazz in July neurship-technology
Amherst, Massachusetts
July 1122
University of the Arts
Jazz in July is a concentrated two-week
Pre-College Summer
program in which jazz vocalists and instru- Institute Music Program
mentalists study improvisation with some of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
the nations best jazz artists and educators. July 1123
FRANK STEWART
Participants perform, study and collaborate with musicians with a
goal of taking their sound to the next level. Participants work with
a faculty of regularly touring and recording musicians. Lessons,
ensembles performances and workshops make up the curriculum
of this program.
Faculty: Marc Diccaini, Micah Jones, Chris Farr.
Cost: See website.
Contact: (215) 717-6430; uarts.edu/academics/pre-college-programs/
summer-institute-music
MARIA MCCOLL
Skidmore Summer Jazz Institute offers private and semi-private
lessons, small group combo rehearsals and master classes.
ENCOUNTERS
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) wel-
comes a wide array of musicians and dancers
to its stage. SPAC also hosts Freihofers Saratoga
WITH ELITE
Jazz Festival, which will be presenting its 39th
edition on June 2829.
SJI offers private and semi-private lessons,
PLAYERS
small group combo rehearsals and master class-
es. coaching in performance skills and ProTools
recording classes. It has established strong ties
with some of the countrys top performing arts
By Thomas Staudter high school programs, regularly hosting the
F
best and brightest students from New Orleans
Center for Creative Arts, Houston High School
or 65 or so select individuals each ported health benefits of its abundant mineral for the Performing and Visual Arts and Fiorello
year, the Skidmore Summer Jazz water springs. H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and
Institute (SJI) stands as the non- The jazz aspirants of the Skidmore program Performing Arts.
pareil destination for attentive and join a large annual influx of visitors to Saratoga Attendees (past participants include pres-
engaged instruction in the impro- Springs, which becomes a veritable sum- ent-day stalwarts like Kendrick Scott, Jonathan
visers art. The two-week program, which is mer playground of endless activity, thanks to Batiste, Myron Walden, Christian Scott,
celebrating its 29th year in 2016 and features its thoroughbred horse racing season (estab- Sullivan Fortner and Troy Trombone Shorty
a faculty of top jazz practitioners, is held on lished in the 1860s) and a full schedule of arts Andrews) arrive in time to catch the two full
the campus of Skidmore College in Saratoga and entertainment events. The Philadelphia days of music at the Freihofers festivala fit-
Springs, New York, a charming burg just north Orchestra and New York City Ballet each take ting introductory jolt of inspiration and one of
of Albany initially made famous by the pur- residence for several weeks in the city, and the the aspects of the program that sets it apart.
MIDWEST
University of Wisconsin-Madison Summer
Music Clinic
Tom Garling, Kirk creative writing, dance, film and Cost: Tuition starts at $595. 3911; janiceborla@gmail.com;
visual arts. Contact: (812) 944-8141; summer janiceborlavocaljazzcamp.org;
Garrison, Ken Haebich,
Mike Pinto, Frank Faculty: Bill Sears, Jeremy Allen, jazzworkshops.com finearts.northcentralcollege.edu
Portolese, Bob Rummage, David Onderdonk, Frank
Mark Streder. Portolese, David Hard
Cost: $350 man, Luke Gillespie, Leon Janice Borla Vocal Kansas City Jazz Camp
Contact: jazzcamp@elmhurst.edu ard Foy, Robbie Malcolm
Smith.
Jazz Camp at North Kansas City, Kansas
Cost: $1,000$10,000. Central College June 610
Contact: admission@interlochen. Naperville, Illinois Held at Kansas City Kansas
Fernado Jones org; camp.interlochen.org Community College, this is a jazz
Blues Camp July 2227 combo camp with an all-star big
Founded in 1989, this camp band. The camp offers programs
Chicago, Illinois provides a unique educational in jazz theory, master classes
July 1115 Jamey Aebersolds experience for aspiring jazz and listening from 9 a.m. to 3
Fernando Jones international Summer Jazz vocalists in an intensified, one- p.m. daily withfaculty lunch
Blues Camps will be held in the week course of study and skills
United States, England, Italy and
Workshops development. The curriculum
concerts.
Faculty: Jim Mair, Doug Talley,
Japan. Thisweeklong experience Louisville, Kentucky is designed specifically for the Steve Molloy, Mike Pagan,
is designedforintermediate and July 38, July 1015 solo jazz vocalist. Daily activi- James Albright, Ray
advanced students from ages 12 One of the nations most popu- ties include workshops in jazz DeMarchi, Rod Fleeman.
to 18 who want to experience this lar jazz camps features 50 facul- improvisation, performance Cost: $200 (includes lunch).
cultural enrichment opportunity ty members, 25 concerts and 40 styles and techniques and solo Contact: kansascityjazz.org
withlike-minded kids. hours of rehearsals, classes and performance preparation as
Faculty: Fernando Jones and lectures. Ages range from 11 to well as master classes, vocal
other professional 85, and participants come from jazz history and music theory.
educators. all over the world. All instru- There are also nightly faculty Keith Hall Summer Drum
Cost: Free. ments are welcome, including artist concerts, jam sessions and Intensive at Western
Contact: blueskids.com; strings and voice. The camp a final concert featuring each
fernandojones.com participant performing with the
Michigan University
welcomes players of all levels,
including middle/high school staff rhythm section. The camp Kalamazoo, Michigan
students, college students, is for age 14 and up. Profession- June 1318, June 2025
Illinois Summer hobbyists, professional adults, al musicians on staff include Art Students learn jazz drum
and those who are retired and Davis, Dan Haerle, Bob Bowman set concepts and new tunes
Youth Music ready to jam. and Jack Mouse. during rehearsals with various
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Faculty:Jamey Aebersold, Eric Faculty: Janice Borla, Jay Clayton, professional rhythm sections,
Cost: Early Bird registration (postmarked more. Non-traditional jazz instruments are jazz and electronic bass players is open to
June 1 or earlier): $545; also welcome. bass students, ages 1321, of all musical
Regular registration (postmarked Faculty: Regina Carter (artist-in-residence), levels. Participants attend a week of master
June 2 or later): $605. Miles Brown, Sean Dobbins, Scott classes, studio sessions and music lessons
Contact: (815) 753-1450; niu.edu/extprograms/ Gwinnell, Mark Stone. led by some of the finest teachers and per-
summer-camps/jazz.shtml. Cost: See website. formers in the country. The session meets
Contact: Deneen Stapleton, stapleto@oak in the Bertram and Judith Kohl building at
land.edu; oakland.edu/mtd/workshops Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
Oakland University Jazz Faculty: See website.
Workshop with Regina Carter Oberlin College Cost: $1,025.
Rochester, Michigan Contact: oberlin.edu/con/summer/
Conservatory of Music, hinton/hinton
June 45 Milt Hinton Institute
Oakland Universitys jazz faculty, jazz
violinist Regina Carter and the OU Jazz
for Studio Bass
Quartet lead musicians ages 14 to adult Oberlin, Ohio Roberto Ocasio Foundation
through a weekend of combo rehearsals, June 1219 Latin Jazz Music Camp
listening classes, steel drum sessions and This dynamic biennial program for classical, Cleveland, Ohio
July 38
This is a resident camp specializing in the
Latin side of the jazz continuum for grades
812. It offers eight to 10 hours per day of
instruction/interaction with renowned Latin
jazz artist, educator, and Grammy nominee
Bobby Sanabria. The camp includes lessons
on technical aspects of performance, com-
position, improvisation in various styles of
Latin jazz, and analysis of Latin American
rhythms. Plus, there are rehearsals, jam
sessions, presentations, Latin dance, field
trips and a public concert. Participants
study Latin-jazz culture and history and
their relationship to all forms of American
popular music.
Faculty: Bobby Sanabria (artistic director/
artist-in-residence), Paul Ferguson,
Jackie Warren, Peter Dominguez,
Dave Kasper, Scott McKee.
Cost: $650.
Contact: (440) 572-2048; trof@roberto
ocasiofoundation.org; robertoocasio
foundation.org
Attendees participate daily in The MPulse Jazz Institute is heyden, Scott Whitfield, Contact:Gunnar Mossblad
combos, master classes, improvi- open to students in grades 911 Brett Stamps, John (director), (419) 530-4555
sation and theory sessions, jazz during the academic year. All Harner, Dave Scott, Mike Gunnar.Mossblad@
history presentations, big band instruments are welcome. Class Vax, Gary Hobbs, Rod utoledo.edu; SummerJazz.
reading sessions and evening offerings include improvisation Fleeman, Ken Kehner. utoledo.edu.
jam sessions in a fun, relaxed skills, listening skills, jazz history, Cost: See website.
environment. The camp is open applied instrument training, Contact: Jennifer Clemente, (314)
to instrumentalists age 14 and theory/musicianship classes, 516-5994, clementej@ UWMadison Summer
up. The $300 tuition includes a creative collaboration with umsl.edu; http://umsl.edu/ Music Clinic
camp T-shirt and two meals. other MPulse sessions and small summer/events; or Jim Madison, Wisconsin
Faculty: Brian Gorrell, Lee Rucker, group (combo) performance. Widner (314) 516-4235; June 1925, June 26July 1
Jeff Kidwell, Clint Rohr, Faculty: Andrew Bishop. widnerjl@umsl.edu Campers participate in
Kent Kidwell, Michael Cost: See website. skill-building rehearsals in band,
Geib, Danny Vaughan, Contact: (734) 936-2660; orchestra, choir, musical theater
Dennis Borycki, David
University of Toledo
mpulse@umich.edu; and jazz ensemble. The Junior
Hardman, Ryan Sharp, Summer Jazz Institute Session (June 1925) is for stu-
music.umich.edu/mpulse
Zac Lee. Toledo, Ohio dents in grades 68, while the
Cost: $300. Convenient June 1218 Senior Session (June 26July
University of MissouriSt. 1) is for grades 912. Dynamic
on-campus housing is The curriculum is designed to
available with rates
Louis Big Band Jazz Camp provide fundamental, intermediate courses allow campers to polish
starting at $35 per night, St. Louis, Missouri and advanced jazz experiences for their performance poise and in-
June (see website) interested students of all levels. crease their musical knowledge.
double occupancy. Evening concerts and student
Students have daily instruction The institute provides a positive
Contact: Brian Gorrell, Director of performances round out the
with members of the Jim Widner and fun learning environment
Jazz Studies, (405) 359- Big Band in big band rehearsals, through lectures, master classes, experience. Campers stay on
7989; briangorrell@uco sectionals, master classes on jam sessions, performances and a the UW-Madison campus, with
jazzlab.com; ucojazzlab.com. their instrument, improvisation recording experience. Participants a commuter option available for
and ear training. One of the immerse themselves in improvisa- middle school participants.
highlights of the camp are daily tion, performance, arranging and Cost: Junior Session$620/resi
University of concerts by the Jim Widner pedagogy with established profes- dential, $400 commuter;
Michigan MPulse Big Band. Students in middle sional jazz musicians/educators. Senior Session$672/resi
Summer Performing school, high school, college and Faculty: Jay Rinsen Weik, Norm dential.
adults are welcome. Damschroder, Gunnar Contact: Anne Aley, (608) 263-
Arts Jazz Institute Mossblad, Tad Weed, Dr. 2242; anne.aley@wisc.
Faculty: Last years faculty
Ann Arbor, Michigan included Kim Richmond, Olman E. Piedra. edu; continuingstudies.
July 1723 Chip McNeill, Joel Vander Cost: $500. wisc.edu/smc
ED BERGER
Jamey Aebersold (center) with veteran jazz educators who have taught at
his camp, including JB Dyas (left), David Baker, Rufus Reid and Dan Haerle.
AEBERSOLD:
creative and fluent ideas, and his own unique
voice. He knows his way around piano, bass
and tenor banjo as well.
A JAZZ ICONS
This years Summer Jazz Workshops will be
held at the University of Louisville July 38 and
July 1015, with separate bass, drums and gui-
JOURNEY
tar primers July 23 and July 910. Aebersold
also will present his annual two-day seminar,
Anyone Can Improvise, July 23.
We caught up with Aebersold to find out
By JB Dyas, Ph.D. what makes this multitalented musician, edu-
J
cator and NEA Jazz Master tick.
amey Aebersold is an enigma. A jazz musi- sands of students of all ages worldwide, trans-
cian and educator of the first orderhav- forming the way Americas indigenous art form What is it about basketball that stirs
ing produced 133 play-along recordings is taught and learned. His highly respected and such a passion in you? Even in your
while overseeing the preeminent sum- widely imitated Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz
mid-70s, you are still able to hit 53
mer jazz camp for decadeshe still consecutive free throws and 26
Workshops (SJW) originally grew out of the
runs havoc on the basketball court. He is also three-pointers in a row.
Stan Kenton Band Clinicsunder the aus-
a staunch political activist, especially regarding Its similar to playing jazz in that theres that
pices of the National Stage Band Campof
challenge every time you shoot the ball and every
the issues of smoking and gun control. And hes the 1960s and 70s. Fully appreciating that the
time you play your instrument. You want it to res-
funny, in The Far Side kind of way. Kenton camps were mainly focused on big onate and fill the expectation you have in your
Moreover, Aebersold is a true philanthro- band ensemble playing with only a few students mind. A missed note or articulation can equal a
pist, having donated myriad jazz education improvising, Aebersold began his combo camps missed basket. A poor solo can equal a bad bas-
materials to needy schools around the world. in the early 1970s, in which all students learned ketball game in general.
He has sponsored scholarships for deserving to improvise. Since then his world-renowned
music students, and made a sizable contribu- mantra, Anyone Can Improvise, has been the How did your life in jazz education
tion to the University of Louisville, home to the bedrock of his teaching philosophy. get its start?
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program. Aebersold is also one of jazzs most under- While in college [at Indiana University in
Over the past 50 years, this passionate jazz rated players. He is a superlative alto saxophon- Bloomington, Indiana], I was quick to tell any-
education icon has reached hundreds of thou- ist with a beautiful sound, virtuosic technique, one who would listen that I wasnt going to be an
may be three faculty members in a combo room You are also well known for publish- and ears proved to be a big stepping-stone for
all helping different students while they play a ing jazz play-along books/record- jazz education. I also began printing out pages
song. They may stay for 20 minutes or for the ings. How did that begin? and pages of basic information and giving it
entire combo rehearsal. I found that the basis for jazz is scales and to the students at the camps. This eventually
I always suggest combo faculty assign a chords. Those two elements are the founda- ended up being my red Jazz Handbook, which
song or two for the next rehearsal. It helps to tion to music and to the music we sing in our is used all over the world.
be able to look at a new tune before playing mind. We add articulation, rhythms, dynam- At my Summer Jazz Workshop [evening
it. Even silently fingering through the melody ics, phrasing and more, but it becomes individ- faculty concerts], I instituted putting the songs
and chord/scales can be helpful. ualized as we express ourselves musically. My on an overhead projector with the screen on the
Also, at the beginning of the week, you Play-a-Long series of books and CDs offer the side of the stage so the students in the audience
may limit the number of choruses per person could see the melody and harmony to the songs
opportunity to practice the fundamentals and
or the song could go on forever. After the first that the faculty was playing. We still do this.
to learn to improvise at home with a profession-
several rehearsals I encourage lengthening
al rhythm section.
each persons solo and remind them they are
I published my first jazz play-along in 1967, Some artists criticize jazz education,
taking the listeners ears on a musical jour-
and the [accompanying] booklet included con- saying that jazz cannot be taught.
ney. So, be in control of your solos and dont
cert [key] chords for each track. Subsequent
What is your response to that?
just let your fingers go flying and not be con- My first thought is they just havent been
nected to your mind. printings added transposed chord symbols [for
teaching jazz and dont understand human
B-flat and E-flat instruments] and, eventually, I
potential. The teacher is the guide. They take
The SJW is mostly focused on be- added the needed transposed scales and chords
whats there and try to mold it into something
bop language and swinging in the for each track. This was part of the evolution of
original, on the spot, that hasnt been played
improvisation classes and combos. jazz educationcoupling the eye with the ear.
before. And the on the spotness can be at a
Why is this? Some felt this wasnt the way to do it. They felt
very elemental level. We dont all move at the
If you can play bebop well, youll most likely I was giving the student too much and was too
same speed. Who dares to say someone isnt
be able to play in various jazz environments. eye-oriented instead of letting the student use
talented when they cant see 20 years down the
Bebop is the foundation. In the more advanced their ear. I got tired of hearing so many poor students row? DB
combos at my camps, they may work on more solos where the students were searching with
contemporary songs and arrangements. Overall, their ear to find right notes and phrases. By my
Dr. JB Dyas has been a member of the bass faculty of the
our goal is getting students to swing, play the giving them the needed scales, they could see Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops for the past three
the sound that was being played in the rhythm decades. He currently serves as Vice President for Education
changes, keep their place and play what they hear and Curriculum Development at the Thelonious Monk Institute
in their head. And have fun in a group experience. section on the CD or in their combo. Using eyes of Jazz.
88 Creative Keys 812. Students have the oppor- sions and perform in concert. older. Participants receive
tunity to perform in one of five Faculty: Stefon Harris, Edward daily coaching in a small group
Denver, Colorado
jazz ensembles.Instruction also Simon, Joe Gilman. setting from world-class faculty.
July 613 includes jazz combos, improvi- Cost: $1,500 (scholarships are Master classes, theory and
At 88 Creative Keys workshops, sation, jazz history and master available). special topics classes, and per-
student pianists and teachers classes with professional musi- Contact: (209) 946-3196; brubeck formances by faculty and guest
learn to balance traditional cians. Nightly activities include institute.org performers are included. Audi-
reading skills with improvisation jam sessions. tion requirements are posted at
in an upbeat and supportive Faculty: See website. centrum.org.
atmosphere where everyone Cost: $675$795. California Brazil Camp Faculty: John Clayton, Benny
feels comfortable exploring new Contact: (209) 946-2416; music Cazadero, California Green, Jeff Hamilton,
concepts like basic and advanced camp@pacific.edu; go. August 2127, August Wycliffe Gordon, George
blues progressions. Immerse pacific.edu/musiccamp Cables, Dee Daniels, Matt
yourself in engaging presenta- 28September 3
This camp is a full immersion Wilson, Terell Stafford,
tions with advanced teaching Ren Marie, Joe LaBar
technology, hands-on instruction into Brazilian music and dance
on your own keyboard, large and
Brubeck Institute for professional performers, ed- bera, Gary Smulyan, Sean
Jones, Kendrick Scott,
small piano ensembles, fun off Summer Jazz Colony ucators and enthusiasts. Learn
George Colligan,
bench activities and optional samba, bossa nova, batucada,
Lake Tahoe, California Taylor Eigsti, Tamir Hen
private lessons. Brazilian jazz, choro and more
June 26July 1 in a beautiful redwood grove in delman, Christoph Luty,
Faculty: Bradley Sowash, Harish Raghavan, Jeff
The Summer Jazz Colony is a Northern California. There are
Leila Viss, Debra L. Perez. one-week intensive educational Clayton, Chuck Deardorf,
Cost: $450 (includes all more than 30 daily classes to
program in jazz performance for Randy Halberstadt,
materials, snacks and choose from.
a limited number of students. Clarence Acox, Dawn
lunch each day). Faculty: See website.
Students study with Brubeck Clement, Jon Hamar, John
Contact: 88creativekeys.com Cost: $88;, both sessions: $1,656. Hansen, Eric Verlinde,
Institute faculty, guest artists
Contact: info@calbrazilcamp.com;
and master teachers, in combo Julian MacDonough, Chris
rehearsals, master classes and calbrazilcamp.com Symer, Michael Glynn,
Brubeck Institute private instruction, classes in Kelby MacNayr, Jake
Jazz Camp jazz theory and advanced jazz Centrum Jazz Bergevin and more.
Stockton, California
improvisation, and seminars Port Townsend Cost: $825 tuition only; room
on the music of Dave Brubeck and board: $595 for dorm
June 1218 and other topics. Colonists have Port Townsend, Washington and all meals, or $510
The Brubeck Institute Jazz Camp extensive opportunities to visit July 2431 for dorm with lunch and
is for high school musicians who with the artists and clinicians, Open to instrumentalists and dinner only.
have just completed grades participate in numerous jam ses- vocalists high school-age and Contact: centrum.org
Great Basin Jazz Camp students in grades 812 and La Honda, California Big Band.
Caldwell, Idaho can only be taken as a two- June 18-25 Cost: $495.
week program. Courses include Jazz Camp West, a project of Contact: (510)845-5373;
July 1115 performance in big bands and girlscamp@cjc.edu; cjc.
This five-day camp with world Living Jazz, is an eight-day
combos, music theory, arrang- jazz immersion program for edu/girlscamp
famous faculty offers instruc- ing and improvisational tech-
tion in jazz theory, master instrumentalists, vocalists and
niques, working with vocalists dancers held at the YMCA
classes, private instruction, solo and master classes.
and improv skills. Attendees Camp Jones Gulch in Northern Jazzschool Guitar
Faculty: Jeffrey Tower. California. The camp offers a
will gain big band and combo Cost: $3,050 (includes tuition, Intensive
experience. combination of workshops,
meals and housing for personalized instruction, Berkeley, California
Faculty: Bruce Forman, Carl
two weeks). student performances, faculty August 812
Saunders, Scott Whitfield, Contact: (951) 659-2171 ext. 2365;
Marcus Wolfe. Special concerts and late-night jams. At An all-day, weeklong intensive for
summer@idyllwildarts. Jazz Camp, 48 all-star faculty aspiring professionals directed
guests and instructors for org; idyllwildarts.org
all instruments. members and 250 participants by jazz guitarist and educator
Cost: $475 to $525. of all ages (adults and teens 15 Mimi Fox. Fox has been named
Contact: (208) 505-4750; and up), backgrounds and levels in six consecutive DownBeat
director@greatbasinjazz Jam Camp West come together for a creative International Critics Polls. She has
camp.com; greatbasin experience. performed with Joey DeFrances-
Loma Mar, California co, Branford Marsalis and Diana
jazzcamp.com Faculty: Allison Miller, Josh
July 2329 Nelson, Leon Joyce Jr., Krall, among others.
Jam Camp West is a seven-day Randy Porter, John Faculty: Mimi Fox, guest instructors.
(six-night) music, dance and Santos, Patrick Wolff. Cost: $770.
Great Western Jazz Camp vocal program for students held Cost: $1,405$1,765 (depending Contact: Mimi Fox: (510) 845-5373;
Tucson, Arizona in Northern California. Designed on accommodation). mfox@cjc.edu; cjc.edu/
June 1317 exclusively for students age 10 Contact: info@livingjazz.org; guitarintensive
This intense five-day camp 15 of all skill levels, Jam Camp livingjazz.org
features big band and combos. exposes kids to contemporary
musical trends along with the
Classes are offered in jazz
cultural underpinnings of jazz.
Jazzschool High School
improvisation and theory, mas- Jazzschool Girls Jazz
ter classes, clinics and private Classes are taught by ear, offer- Jazz Intensive
instruction. ing hands-on group experiences & Blues Camp Berkeley, California
Faculty: Jason Carder, Rob Boone, and an array of classes and in- Berkeley, California July 2529
Chris Wabich, Andrew Gross. strumental ensembles featuring August 15 A five-day intensive for six to
Cost: $475 to $500. Includes vocals, dance, percussion, steel Produced by Jazzschool faculty eight advanced high school jazz
room and board and all drums, songwriting, beatbox, members Jean Fineberg and instrumentalists. Musicians are
materials. turntable, spoken word, theory Ellen Seeling (Asst. Dir. and Dir. selected to work closely with top
Contact: greatwesternjazzcamp. and more. of the Montclair Womens Big Bay Area jazz artists for a week
com Faculty: Marcus Shelby, Josiah of rehearsals, master classes
Band,) this instrumental and vo-
Woodson, the Dynamic cal camp provides a supportive and private lessons. Students
Ms. Faye Carol, Mark musical environment for girls. develop improvisation and
Rosenthal. Campers hone improvisational, arranging/composition skills in
Idyllwild Arts Cost: $945. technical and ensemble skills an intensive rehearsal format.
Summer Program Contact: stacey@livingjazz.org; and create music with other Openings for all rhythm section
Idyllwild, California livingjazz.org young musicians. instruments and horns.
July 316 Faculty: Jean Fineberg, Ellen Faculty: Michael Zilber
The Idyllwild Arts Summer Seeling and members (artistic director).
Programs Jazz Workshop is for Jazz Camp West of the Montclair Womens Cost: $795.
CRAIG LOVELL
June 1324 Shelley Burns, Ed Metz Jr.
Held at Stevenson School and Cost: $650.
open to instrumentalists and Contact: Bill Dendle (director),
vocalists age 1218, a typical (916) 927-5222; bdendle@ Monterey Jazz Festival Summer Jazz Camp
day includes instrument- and comcast.net, sacjazzcamp.org.
voice-specific master classes focus-
Students can attend our two- ning to very advanced. Classes
ing on technique, theory and jazz The Shed PSU week programs, the Giant Steps meet two days per week with the
language; small-group rehearsals
to develop your improvisational
Summer Jazz Camp Package, the Jazz Camp Package session culminating in a grand
Portland, Oregon or the Advanced Package, which finale concert on July 31.
skills and big band rehearsals
combine two weeks of jazz Faculty: Scott Black, Doug
tailored to your level. Camp-wide July (see website) immersion into a continuous pro-
clinics and performances feature Portland State Universitys Tidaback, Brice Winston.
gram. Adult jazz players will enjoy Cost: $495 for eight weeks.
2016 Artist-In-Residence Terri Lyne Summer Jazz Intensive Workshop the Jazz Institute. Jazz Camp and Contact: (520) 514-0935; tucson
Carrington. is open to high school, college Jazz Institute are integrated with jazzinstitute@gmail.com
Faculty: Peck Allmond, Mike and adult instrumentalists. The the Stanford Jazz Festival, which
Galisatus, Robynn Amy, Shed is based around a select participants attend nightly.
Gary Meek, Virginia repertoire of jazz tunes. It accepts Faculty: Approximately 80 faculty
Mayhew, Paul Contos, students of all levels and ages. members, including UC San Diego
Bruce Forman, Eddie Activities include jam sessions, Ambrose Akinmusire, Billy Jazz Camp
Mendenhall, Scott Steed, coached ensemble sessions, mas- Hart, Ethan Iverson,
Vince Lateano, Matt Falker. ter classes, lectures, group lessons La Jolla, California
Allison Miller, Linda Oh,
Cost: See website. and concerts. Past guest artists Julian Lage, Mark Turner, June 1925
Contact: Paul Contos (educa- have included Alex Norris, Jimmy UC San Diego Jazz Camp is
Taylor Eigsti, Dayna
tion director), (831) Greene and David Ephross. Stephens, others. a five-day summer program
373-8842; pcontos@ Faculty: George Colligan, Ryan Cost: $1,155$2,465 per week, designed for intermediate to
montereyjazzfestival. Meagher, Darrell Grant, depending on program advanced jazz musicians age 14
org; montereyjazzfestival. David Valdez, special and housing choices. adult. Enrollment is limited to 60
org/jazz-education/ guests. Contact: Janel Thysen, Registrar: students, who work directly with
summer-jazz-camp Cost: See website. (650) 736-0324; our faculty of international jazz
Contact: George Colligan, registrar@stanfordjazz. artists, exploring styles ranging
ghc@pdx.edu; pdx.edu org;stanfordjazz.org from classic bebop to contempo-
Sacramento Traditional rary open-form. Students receive
Jazz Society Adult one-on-one and small group
Tucson Jazz Institute
Jazz Camp Stanford Jazz Summer Jazz Camp
instruction, earning three units of
University of California continu-
Pollock Pines, California Workshop Tucson, Arizona ing education credit.
July 2429 Stanford, California June 6July 29 Faculty: David Borgo, Gilbert
The camp is focused on improvi- July 11August 5 The 8th annual summer jazz Castellanos, Anthony
sation, both solo and group en- SJW offers three jazz immersion camp will consist of big band, Davis, Michael Dessen,
sembles. It appeals to traditional opportunities for young players: combo and music technology Mark Dresser, Holly
jazz band instrumentation: trum- Giant Steps Day Camp for mid- classes for students from grades Hofmann, Willie Jones III,
pet/cornet, clarinet, saxophone, dle school students; Jazz Camp, a 412. Big band classes focus Geoffrey Keezer, Grace
trombone, piano, bass/tuba, residential program for students mainly on classic repertoire from Kelly, Larry Koonse,
drums, banjo/guitar and vocalists. age 1217; and Jazz Institute, the likes of Count Basie and Charles McPherson, Hugh
The camp program is in a beau- which puts advanced young Duke Ellington, while combo Ragin, Eric Reed, Peter
tiful, natural setting, conducive players together with some of classes work primarily on learn- Sprague, Rob Thorsen,
to the supportive and welcoming the greatest jazz musicians in the ing standard jazz songs and Joshua White, Matt Wil
culture of the program. world, focusing on improvisation developing improvisation skills. son, Mike Wofford.
Faculty: Rusty Stiers, Greg skills and combo performance. Classes range from very begin- Cost: $1,000 (commuter
University of ColoradoBoulder
Summer Jazz Academy
Boulder, Colorado
July 59
This program offers an opportunity for a se-
lect number of talented music students from
Colorado and around the country to receive
world-class jazz instruction in a one-week
summer session. The selected participants
will be placed into jazz combo settings, and
each student will also be divided up into one
of many improvisation classes in order to gain
invaluable educational experiences. Students
will also participate in instrumental master
classes and seminar sessions with the camps
nationally renowned guest artist and with the
CU Jazz Studies faculty.
Faculty: See website.
Cost: $650 residential; $400 commuter.
Contact: colorado.edu/music/k-12/cu-
summer-music-academy/
summer-jazz-academy
University of Northern
Colorado Jazz Camp
Greeley, Colorado
July 1015
Designed to be intensive, challenging and
inspiring, the UNC Jazz Camp is led by facul-
ty from the University of Northern Colorado
and special guests. Attendees will be a part
of student big bands, combos, vocal jazz
ensembles, jazz master classes, jazz theory
and listening classes, student jam sessions
and nightly faculty concerts.
Faculty: Dana Landry, Kerry Marsh,Erik Ap-
plegate, Jim White, Steve Kovalcheck, Julia
Dollison, Kenyon Brenner, David Caffey,
John Adler, Andy Dahlke, Nat Wickham,
Don Aliquo, Clay Jenkins, Paul McKee.
Cost: See website.
Contact:(970) 351.2394; amy.murphy@
unco.edu; arts.unco.edu/jazzcamp
A LEGACY
The daily Jazz Camp schedule includes
instrument-specific master classes; combo
rehearsals; private lessons and noontime facul-
O
ty concerts (both twice-weekly); optional early
ne way to gauge a jazz camps programs legacy and very excited about it evening jam sessions; and free admission to the
success is to track the jour- especially the older, serious students, said sax- concurrent Stanford Jazz Festival.
neys of its alumni. Founded ophonist Kristen Strom, who has been on the Another key aspect of the SJW is that stu-
in 1972, the Stanford Jazz SJW staff for 10 years and co-directs the SJW dents are evaluated every day and given new
Workshop (SJW) in Stanford, Giant Steps Day Camp for middle school stu- schedules the following morning with class
California, has educated scores of students who dents. Sometimes in class Ill ask, Do you have and group level adjustments. We spend a tre-
have become stars, including saxophonist Ravi any questions about anything? And someone mendous amount of energy putting students
Coltrane, violinist Jenny Scheinman, bassist will ask, Was Taylor really that good when he in the best possible situation to learn, Nadel
Larry Grenadier and guitarist Julian Lage. was a kid, like my age? said. So we make sure theyre in classes where
In 1997, one of the combos had [trumpet- Having high-profile alumni role models, theyre challenged but not overwhelmedand
er] Ambrose Akinmusire, [tenor saxophonist] including many who return to teach, is but one we tweak that during the week, based on their
Dayna Stephens, [pianist] Taylor Eigsti, [gui- of the camps draws. For 12- to 17-year-old stu- teachers feedback.
tarist] Charles Altura and [drummer] Thomas dents attending Jazz Camp or the Jazz Camp By having alumni such as Grenadier,
Pridgen, recalled Jim Nadel, SJW artistic and Vocal Program, SJW is six days and five nights Stephens, Eigsti and Lage return to teach, SJW
executive director. Many such SJW participants of intensive study, performance and camarade- has established a continuity that helps maintain
stay in touch over the years. rie among 200-plus likeminded peers. its legacy. Stephens described the camps style
Were open to playing with whoever, but From the faculty point of view, Stanford is as one that is very structured yet also empha-
we definitely stay connected here in New York, unique in that we get to reconnect with educa- sizes the human element.
said Stephens, an 18-year SJW veteran. I see tors from other parts of the country every sum- In a way, it makes you a better teacher
Taylor a lot, and Julian. [Alto saxophonist and mer, Strom said. While I get a thrill from because you know what the students are going
frequent SJW instructor] Yosvany Terry, too. hanging with these jazz greats like Jimmy through, he noted. We went through the same
Our students are definitely aware of the Heath, Charles McPherson and Junior Mance, thing on the exact same campus. Yoshi Kato
Dutch Impro Academy academy.com; the blues and perform a set at iesfrom performing with a big
The Hague, The Netherlands dutchimproacademy.nl one of the most famous music band to studying jazz theory,
studios in the U.K. performing in combos, attend-
August 2329
Faculty: Fernando Jones and ing jazz master classes and
Six top musicians from Doek
musicians collective and the
Fernado Jones other professional studying privately with one of
Instant Composers Pool will Blues Camp educators. IMCs artist-teachers. Students
London, England Cost: Free. perform in large ensembles,
come together to teach, work
Contact: blueskids.com; chamber groups, combos and
and play with attendees at 2016 (See website)
fernandojones.com take private lessons. A special
the Royal Conservatoire in the In 2016, Fernando Jones Blues
University Preparatory Program
Hague. To round off the week, Camp will be held in England, for advanced musicians allows
attendees will perform in the Italy, Japan and the Unit- high school students to spend
Hague at De Nieuwe Regentes ed States. Some of the best
International Music
Camp at International up to three weeks in an intense
and Amsterdams renowned blues tutors in the world are study of music history and
venue Bimhuis. coming to London to work with Peace Garden composition.
Faculty: The 2015 faculty included a specially chosen group of Dunseith, North Dakota Faculty: See website.
Han Bennink, Ernst young musicians at The Prem- June 19July 9 Cost: All full-week programs,
Glerum, Mary Oliver, Eric ises Recording and Rehearsal (various sessions) $395 (or $380 if paid
Boeren, Wilbert De Joode, Studios in Shoreditch. It will This resident camp located before May 1).
John Dikeman. be a weeklong event where on the border between North Contact: info@internationalmusic
Cost: See website. students will learn about the Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, camp.com; international
Contact: info@dutchimpro history, styles and rhythms of includes a full week of jazz stud- musiccamp.com
oped in a fun and friendly rehearsal setting. This musical exchange across cultures
MacEwan University The workshop is open to standard big band attracts instrumentalists and vocal-
Summer Jazz Workshop instrumentalists age 13 to adult. ists seeking to immerse themselves in
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Faculty: MacEwan University faculty members Brazilian music and jazz. In addition to
August 1519 and guest clinicians. participating in six hours of instruction
This workshop offers musicians the oppor- Cost: $425 (CAD) daily (ensembles, harmony and improvisa-
tunity to study and perform in both big Contact: (780) 633-3725; conservatory@ tion, percussion, vocal repertoire, Brazil-
band and combo formats. Improvisation, macewan.ca; macewan.ca/conservatory ian rhythms, styles, phrasing) and jam
technique and performance skills are devel- sessions, participants will visit Rios music
hotspotsfrom a samba school to venues
Ottawa JazzWorks featuring jazz and chorinho. The weeklong
Jazz Workshop and workshop culminates in a student perfor-
Composers Symposium mance in a Rio jazz club. Scholarships are
Harrington, Quebec, Canada available. Enrollment is limited to 2025
August 1618, August 18 21 participants.
This camp and symposium provide an Faculty: Past faculty has included Nilson
opportunity for singers and instrumen- Matta, Pascoal Meirelles, Clia Vaz,
talists to learn jazz theory and technique Gilson Peranzzetta, Alfredo Cardim
from innovative Canadian jazz musicians and special guests such as Ivan Lins,
and international guests. Its an intensive, Joo Bosco, Chico Pinheiro.
adult-focused learning experience where Cost: See website.
participants of all levels immerse them- Contact: alice@sambameetsjazz.com (English);
selves in combo rehearsals, master classes, luisa@sambameetsjazz.com
improvisation, jazz history, composition and (Portugese); sambameetsjazz.com
arranging, with nightly jam sessions and
concerts. The Composers Symposium runs
from August 1618, and the JazzWorks jazz University of Manitoba Jazz Camp
camp from August 1821. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Faculty: Past faculty members include Ted August 1420
Nash, Donny McCaslin, Don Braden, This camp strives to foster the growth of
John Geggie, Nick Fraser, Julie participants jazz skills. Enrollment is open
Michels, David Restivo, Christine to junior and senior high students, universi-
Duncan, Rob Frayne, Kevin Barrett. ty students, jazz musicians, music educators
Cost: $465.00 (room and board are an
and anyone hoping to further their perfor-
additional cost)
mance skills. The camp strives to keep an
Contact: (613) 523-0316; jazzworkscanada.com
instructor-to-student ratio of 1:10
Faculty: Steve Kirby, Derrick Gardner, Jon
Gordon, Quincy Davis, Will Bonness,
Anna Lisa Kirby.
Samba Meets Cost: $398 (CDN + GST)
Jazz Workshop Contact: Jennifer Riddell, 1-(888) 216-7011
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ext. 8019; jennifer.riddell@umanito
Winter 2017 (see website) ba.ca; umanitoba.ca/summer/jazz
develop a foundation as a player, and the start preludes, Joe Violas saxophone etudes,
of a personal concept. saxophone/oboe etudes by Franz
I have found that some students want to Wilhelm Ferling, the Hadyn trumpet
move quickly to a personal vision of music concerto, etc. (2030 minutes).
before theyve assimilated the basic elements Along with some basic tone exercis-
needed for a foundation. Unfortunately, theyre es or warmups, your practice sessions
rushing past the essential steps needed to even- should last somewhere between 90 min-
tually realize a personal concept. As a result, utes to 2 hours. If you do that and are
theyre often frustrated by not being able to play also listening to music actively, youll be
what they hear and feel stuck. What Im going off to a solid start.
to give you here in this article (and in a second
INTERVALS
installment to appear later this year) are some
Once youve memorized the major
fundamentals for that foundation.
and minor scales in all 12 keys, youre
SCALES going to write out and play them in every
Write out the major scale (two octaves) and interval: thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths
spell out the major triad (built from the first, and sevenths. (Figure 1 shows how to
begin each scale-interval exercise start-
third and fifth steps of the scale) at the end.
ing in the key of C.) This is something
Start with C, and then go up in half steps, writ-
that saxophonist Caesar Di Mauro
ing out the 12 major scales and triads.
taught me. It will not teach you taste,
On a separate page, write the 12 relative
feeling or creativity. For those unquan-
minor scales. To produce the relative minor
tifiable things you need to listen, tran-
scale, start on the sixth step of the major scale
scribe, hear music live and practice as
(for C major, that would be A) and use the same
much as possible. Once youve learned
notes from the major scale. This is also known
this process, youll be able to apply it to
as a natural minor scale. Write out the full two
other scales, and that adds up to a lot of
octaves, and add the three-note minor triad
creative possibilities.
after each scale. Work your way up in half steps.
After you finish writing out the
Then write out the harmonic minor scale in
major scale in all intervals and all 12
all 12 keys. For this, the only change from the nat- keys, go on to the harmonic and melodic enth (C), fifth (A), third (F), second (E) and first
ural minor scale is that youll raise the seventh minor scale intervals. Writing them takes time, (D) steps. This is a slightly different minor scale
step. That means, for A harmonic minor, you will but I have found it helps students remember from the ones I previously described.
need a G# rather than G natural. them. This may take several weeks or months The next sound is the half-diminished ii
chord, which is a Dm75 in the key of C. For
Then write out the melodic minor scale in to fully master. But this is something youll con-
all 12 keys. You will now need to raise the sixth, tinue to integrate into your playing over time. this scale, lower the fifth and sixth steps from
as well as the seventh, from the natural minor Your daily practicing should now look the previous D minorin this case the notes
would be A and B .
scale. So, for A melodic minor youll need an F# something like this:
as well as a G#. In classical harmony, the sixth Warmup/scales review (1020 minutes) The third sound is a diminished scale
and seventh steps are lowered when going back Intervals (2030 minutes) played over a V7 chord, which is a G7 in the key
down this type of scale. But in this case, leave Bird solos (2030 minutes) of C. Start the scale a half step above the root
the sixth and seventh steps raised going both School band/ensemble parts (2030 minutes) of the V7 chordin this case that note would
up and down. This is sometimes known as the Jazz or classical pieces/etudes (2030 minutes) be A (and would be considered a flat second or
jazz melodic minor. flat ninth in relation to the root of the chord;
Once everything is written out, I suggest THE FOUR SOUNDS this scale also includes tones that function as
practicing these scales 2030 minutes a day until This next exercise is called the Four Sounds.
Michael Gallant
LOGAN GRENDEL
Power in Parallel
THE ROLLICKING, JET-FUELED IMPROVISA- Eddie Vedders vocals, simultaneously crank- and the many flavors of grunge and hard rock
tions of McCoy Tyner may seem to have lit- ing up the electricity in the stadium with every cultivated in the 1990s and 2000s. Some of
tle in common with Pearl Jams fist-pumping repetition. my favorite driving music, for example, is the
anthem Alivebut listen past the melod- In both instances, the effects of parallel Broadway reimagining of Green Days 2004
ic complexity of the former, and the distortion intervals were instant, the impact palpable, the album American Idiot, a show that stuck out
and defiance of the latter, and an unexpected energy explosive. to me for its gorgeous extrapolations on the
nexus reveals itself. Whether through Steinway Those experiences made it clear to me why bands original, unadorned punk rock arrange-
strings or Marshall stacks, both channel great many guitarists relish power chordsthe open- ments and poignant perspective on coming of
energy, to great effect, via the tasteful applica- fifth chord voicings, often with an octave dou- age during the years following 9/11.
tion of parallel intervals. bling the root, that propel so many of the icon- But, much as I love that album, I need
The outermost layer of this is simple, and ic rock tracks of the last few decadesand why silence after hearing it through. The power
something I have witnessed personally. I first classical composers have been using open fifths chords become too much. The saturation of
saw Tyner play live during my teenage years to create sonic power for centuries. This sort of parallel fifths leaves me feeling like someone
growing up near Washington, D.C. Performing approach can alchemize a powerful, aggres- is bouncing a Wiffle Ball bat off of my head.
at Blues Alley with his trio of Aaron Scott and sive, ballsy sound, one that grabs attention and This is not an aftertaste you want people to
Avery Sharpe, Tyner would lean into blister- sends ripples of energy into the ears of the lis- experience when listening to your music.
ing octave passages with his right hand, seem- tener. But its also one that has to be applied To that end, harnessing the mojo of power
ing to ignite the air around him as he drummed with taste and wisdom. chords and other strong voicings that can be
parallel intervals out of the piano, making it all moved in parallel intervalsbut applying them
look so very easy. GREAT POWER, GREAT with taste and intelligencehas been a con-
I also saw Pearl Jam headline D.C.s itera- RESPONSIBILITY stant goal of mine, both as a composer and an
tion of the Tibetan Freedom Concert. Each Im a little older and wiser now than I was improviser. Apply too little, and the desired rip-
time the band turned the corner into the when I first witnessed the parallel intervals ples of energy dont emerge; lay it on too heavily,
momentous and memorable chorus of Alive, employed by my rock and jazz idols. But I still and the audience goes numb.
the songs cycling power chords would lift have a sweet tooth for both Passion Dance Through experimentation and road-testing
Ambrose Akinmusire
ADAM MCCULLOUGH
Ambrose Akinmusires
Trumpet Solo on With Love
WITH LOVE, FROM TRUMPETER AMBROSE extend over the bar line, such as the long
Akinmusires 2011 Blue Note album When The strings of eighth notes that appear through-
Heart Emerges Glistening, has a tricky struc- out his solo, or by accenting another part of
ture to improvise over. For one thing, its in 6/4, the measure as if its a downbeator both.
but divided as 2+2+2 rather than a symmetri- Measure 41 is a great example. After mak-
cal 3+3. For another, the chords often change ing beat 5 sound like the 1 of the previous
within the measure and not on the downbeat. bar, he lays out for the beginning of this bar,
With either the soloist or the rhythm sec- and then comes in with a pickup to beat 3.
tionor bothsometimes emphasizing other Combined with a chord change on this beat,
parts of the measure, it can create the sense that it makes this 3 sound like the beginning of
any given downbeat is somewhere that its actu- a bar. Bar 31 is another example, where he
ally not. Poignant examples are in bars 17 and ends his phrase on the pickup to the E /G
40. In both instances, everyone accents beat 5, chord, creating the sense that this is a new
making it sound like a 1. Having the Am chord bar, even though its the tail end of the cur-
sustain over the bar line into the next measure rent measure.
serves to further the illusion. For contrast, there are other places where
Akinmusire plays with this idea through- the downbeat is made clear. The start of his sec-
out this solo, either by playing lines that ond chorus (measure 25), where he plays a pick-
S
akae Rhythm, a third-generation Japanese drum company found- legs are horizontal to the floor. Plus, the flatbase hardware is lightweight
ed in 1925, has emerged from the world of high-end OEM man- and folds down to a small size, which makes carrying much easier com-
ufacturing in recent years to create an original brand and share pared to a lot of modern single- and double-braced hardware. A straight
its vision of how percussion should be on its own terms. It might have cymbal stand, hi-hat stand, and snare stand are all available in the flat-
seemed like a risky move, but Osaka, Japan-based Sakae Drums has cer- base hardware. The only issue I had with the hardware was the way the
tainly come out of the gate swinging and has been praised for its atten- hi-hat pedal was attached to the legs. Occasionally, it would get caught
tion to detailsonically and visually. when I was trying to pack up; other times, it came loose when I was inten-
I play-tested a four-piece kit from Sakaes Trilogy line along with a tionally bringing my foot off the pedal for louder passages, like creating
full complement of hardware. The idea behind the Trilogy line is to rec- a 2-and-4 splash effect with the hi-hats. While the action was nice with
reate the sounds of instruments made by the classic drum companies in the hi-hat stand, it was a little frustrating when the pedal issues occurred.
the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Trilogy drums are made with a thin, three-ply Another piece of hardware I tried was Sakaes X-Calibur single pedal,
maple/poplar/maple shell that uses plied maple reinforcements ring at which I liked a lot. Even though its not a solid footboard, the fulcrum
the top and bottom. And while in the original 50s/60s era there could be and action are set up in such a way that the rocking back-and-forth
slight variations (mahogany instead of poplar, solid reinforcement rings seemed effortless, especially in the heel-down position. It reminded me
instead of plies), these drums are assembled in such a way that gives you of the kind of action that I have felt with solid footboard kick pedals: very
that authentic feel but with the added benefit of modern processes. The smooth and responsive.
general idea behind the maple/poplar/maple blend is that its going to I like the fact that Sakae is positioning itself across several genres
give you a full, warm sound with a nice attack, and the thin shells pro- with various lines, from more modern wood types and heavy-duty hard-
vide maximum resonance. ware. The Trilogy kits will definitely appeal to drummers who prefer
I was sent a 20- by 14-inch kick, 12- by 8-inch tom, 14- by 14-inch straightahead jazz and early rock sounds. And, when utilized with thick-
floor tom and 14- by 5.5-inch snare, all in champagne sparkle finish. er drumheads, the Trilogys distinctive attack creates the punchy tones of
Sakae offers more than 10 different finishes on the Trilogy kits, rang- early r&b and 70s rock.
ing from the traditional sparkles and pearls to more visually explosive From solid construction to stylish badges, wraps and hardware,
patterns (the Trilogy kit shown here is in black oyster pearl). I did like Sakae Drums is on course to be a successful stand-alone company for
the wrap options, but would also like to see some of the natural stained some time to come. Matt Kern
options that are offered with Sakaes other drum set lines. Ordering info: sakaedrums.com
The sound of the Trilogy was
everything you would expect from
a maple/poplar/maple kit. It had a
warm, focused attack, and the shells
rang freely at their fundamental
pitch without any overbearing over-
tones obstructing the sound. It was
a very pure, rounded tone. And I
found from gig to gig the tuning of
the drums remained very consis-
tent. Some days I didnt really have
to tune much at all, as the drums
were still in the same range as when
I had left them the previous gig. Im
certain this was due to a very consis-
tent bearing edge around the entire
drum, which decreases or elimi-
nates any uneven tension around
the drumhead.
Sakae offers three versions of
hardware: double-braced, sin-
gle-braced and flatbase hardware.
Similar to the drums, the flatbase
hardware has elements of classic
designmainly, the tripod legs that
hug the floor when fully extended.
Positioning stands close to other
stands or hugging against your bass
drum can be much easier when the
K
awai has come out with yet another reasonably priced, outstand-
ing portable digital piano thats suitable for home or professional
use. The ES8 is a superb-sounding, authentic-feeling instrument
with high-tech features that connect players seeking a classic acoustic
grand piano experience with the modern digital age.
Like its predecessor, the ES7, the ES8 relies on Kawais Harmonic
Imaging XL Sound Technology with 88-note piano sampling to pro-
vide a selection of incredibly real-sounding high-end pianos. Its prima-
ry grand piano sounds are samples of the companys premium SK-EX
concert grand, EX concert grand and SK-5 chamber grand. The ES8s
upright, jazz and pop pianossome warm, some bright, some in-your-
faceall sound fantastic as well. An assortment of classic electric key-
boards and organs are enhanced by a nuanced amp simulator that puts
such sounds in their appropriate contexts, adding tweakable amounts of
tremolo, overdrive and Leslie-type effects.
When I play-tested the ES8, it not only sounded like the real thing
it felt like it, too. The instruments keyboard, which features Kawais ment styles. You can save up to 28 different settings of your own design in
RHIII graded-hammer action, is finely balanced and highly responsive. the ES8s registration section for quick and easy recall on the gig.
An Ivory Touch key surface adds a realistic, comfortable texture to the Connectivity on the ES8 is awesome. A USB to host port can link it
keyboard and even helps with the absorption and evaporation of mois- to a computer or mobile device for use with any type of music software,
ture. The playing experience was beyond believableto my fingers and and a USB to device connection lets you record and playback MP3
ears, it was downright convincing. Even the pedal surpassed expecta- and WAV files using a memory stick. It has full MIDI capability and an
tions with its ability to achieve half-damper effects, a feature uncommon onboard MIDI recorder as well.
among portables. The ES8 comes in black and white versions, and its compatible with
The ES8 is capable of incredible fine-tuning, thanks to various tone the optional HM4 furniture stand. The built-in speaker system creates a
and touch controls. An advanced virtual technician section gives you nice sound field and is loud enough to fill a small to medium-sized room.
the ability to tweak everything from string and damper resonance to With a suggested retail price of $2,499, its an outstanding choice for any-
temperament type to the noises made when a pianos keys fall back into one in need of a high-functioning portable digital piano for stage, studio
place. You can split and layer sounds to your hearts content, and you or home use. Ed Enright
might even enjoy playing along with some of the 100 built-in accompani- Ordering info: kawaius.com
2. Apollo Revived
SLM has revived the Apollo drum brand with the entry-level
AP522 five-piece kit. It features six-ply poplar construction, 10- and
12-inch mounted toms, a 16-inch floor tom, 22-inch bass drum
with foldable spurs, and a matching 5- by 14-inch wood
snare drum. The AP522 includes double-braced
hardware, a double-braced throne, chain-drive
bass drum pedal, 14-inch hi-hats and a 15-inch
crash/ride. It comes in black, red and gun metal
finishes. More info: stlouismusic.com
3. Dynamic Life
Fenders Acoustic SFX features smooth bent
plywood construction that is designed to enhance
the outward projection of the guitars tone. With its
Stereo Field Expansion technology, the SFX imparts
dynamic life to the onboard hall reverb, echo, delay,
chorus and Vibratone effects by moving them around
5
the listening area to create a multidimensional sound.
More info: fender.com
4. Subtle Gestures
The Seaboard RISE is a universally accessible music-
making device that features patented SEA Interface 1
technology, which remodels the keyboard as
a pressure-sensitive, continuous surface that
responds to subtle gestures. The Seaboard RISEs
keyboard-like surface lets players shape notes by
modulating the character of sound in real time with
simple finger movements. More info: roli.com
5. Versatile Delay
The Boss DD-500 is a versatile digital delay pedal
that features 12 distinctive delay modes along with
deep editing controls, a graphic display, patch
memories and MIDI. The Vintage Digital mode
offers Boss first emulations of classic sounds
from the 1980s, including the SDE-2000 and SDE-
3000 rack units from Roland and the Boss DD-2.
More info: bossus.com
6. Birthday Brush
On the Steve Gadd Wire Brush, Vic Firth has
refined the design with a new angle that lets
the wire glide more easily across the drumhead,
providing a smoother sweep and a velvety swish.
The retractable pull-rod includes a third crimp that 3
offers the player enhanced setting capability. The
brushes are labeled with the commemorative Gadd
70th birthday logo. More info: vicfirth.com
6
4
FRANK ALKYER
faculty of the Vail Jazz Workshop (Aug.
27Sept. 5) and other jazz camps in
Doc Severinsen (left) performs with Elmhurst College students 2016. For a complete list of this years
conducted by Director of Jazz Studies Doug Beach (right) on Nov. 19.
top jazz camps and workshops, see this
issues annual DownBeat International
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Jon Irabagon
W inner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk Jazz Saxophone Competition,
Jon Irabagon, 36, displayed his conceptual scope on last years
Behind The Sky, a post-boppish date with guest Tom Harrell, and Inaction
Is An Action, a solo sopranino sax recital. This was his first Blindfold Test.
Vincent Herring
The Gypsy (Night And Day, Smoke Sessions, 2015) Herring, alto saxophone; Mike Le-
Donne, piano; Brandi Disterheft, bass; Joe Farnsworth, drums.
The Gypsy. The alto players inflections are a lot like Sonny Stitts ver-
sion, but the sound has just as much Cannonball and Bird. Its a great
arrangement that stays true to the tune, with just enough arranged parts
of the chords and turnarounds to keep it interesting. At first I thought
Charles McPherson, but the lines arent as long and flowing. The vocabu-
lary and phrasing made me think of Vincent Herring, though the sound
doesnt cut through quite like his does. 3 stars.
Jorrit Dijkstra
Bucket (Music For Reeds And Electronics: Oakland, Driff, 2014) Frank Gratkowski, alto
saxophone solo; Dijkstra, Phillip Greenlief, Jon Raskin, saxophones, woodwinds, elec-
tronics; Kyle Bruckman, woodwinds, electronics.
Incredible. 4 stars. With all the multiphonics and blast-based language,
ANDREA CANTER
it was hard to tell how many players there were. The minimalism and
compositional repetition initially made me think of a Roscoe Mitchell
saxophone quartet, but it was a little too aggressive for too long to be
Roscoes group. The soloists facility was incredible, and I liked the idea of
expanding on the compositional repetition and adding their own triplets
on top of it, with flutter-tonguing and squealing. it wasnt him, either. I couldnt stop listening to the sounds. Im wonder-
ing if thats this persons continuous approach. If it is, I need to check him
out a lot. 5 stars for the saxophonist; 3 for the rest.
Donny McCaslin
Midnight Light (Fast Future, Greenleaf, 2015) McCaslin, tenor saxophone; Jason Lind-
ner, piano, keyboards; Tim Lefebvre, electric bass; Mark Giuliana, drums; David Binney, Steve Coleman
Nina Geiger, vocals. Celtic Cells (Synovial Joints, Pi, 2015) Coleman, alto saxophone; Tim Albright, trom-
The soundthe precise, clean articulationimmediately told me Donny bone solo; Jonathan Finlayson, trumpet; David Bryant, piano; Greg Chudzik, bass; Mar-
cus Gilmore, drums, Jen Shyu, vocals; Barry Crawford, flute, Rane Moore, clarinet; Jeff
McCaslin. Donny has done great things for jazz, especially recently with Missai, David Nelson, brass; Kristin Lee, Chris Otto, Jay Campbell, strings; Alex Lipowski,
his Greenleaf releases; the instrumentation and songs have attracted a lot mallet percussion; Nei Sacramento, hand percussion.
of younger musicians who see that a world-class saxophonist and impro- Within the first 10 seconds I thought of Steve Coleman because of the
viser can create music they can nod their heads to and enjoy with their sound and phrasing, but the melody didnt sound Steve-like, which
friends. Donny has found a perfect balance of being an artist and being threw me for a loop. When the solo began, I heard a certain quarter-tone
able to translate that to the maximum amount of people. 4 stars. or false-fingering thingdepending how you look at itthat Steve does
that signified it was him. Theres something complete and monumental
Johnathan Blake about his time feel. His rhythmic concept has been a revelation for almost
Cryin Blues (Gone, But Not Forgotten, Criss Cross, 2013) Blake, drums; Chris Potter, every musician I know who is willing to listen to his music. 4 stars.
Mark Turner, tenor saxophone; Ben Street, bass.
Chris Potter? Mark Turner? Both are very influential. It was interesting
Sonny Rollins
to hear Mark play off of Chris, and incorporate some Chris-isms; I wasnt More Than You Know (Road Shows, Vol. 1, Doxy, 2008) Rollins, tenor saxophone; Clif-
quite sure it was him, but enough shone through for me to guess Mark. ton Anderson, trombone; Bobby Broom, guitar; Bob Cranshaw, electric bass; Victor
Those two tenor players playing on a bluesthats a recipe for something Lewis, drums; Kimati Dinizulu, percussion.
great to happen. Is that Johnathan Blakes record? Great planning on his 6RQQ\5ROOLQV'HQLWLYHVRXQG'HQLWLYHUK\WKP'HQLWLYHSKLORVR-
part. 4 stars. SK\+HVRQHRIP\PXVLFDOKHURHV$WDFHUWDLQSRLQW5ROOLQVLVPRYLQJ
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Aaron Diehl $QGHUVRQSOD\+HVWKLQNLQJELJJHUSLFWXUHWKDQWULHGDQGWUXHOLQHDU
Flux Capacitator (Space Time Continuum, Mack Avenue, 2015) Diehl, piano; Stephen
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Riley, tenor saxophone; David Wong, bass; Quincy Davis, drums.
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I liked that the tenor saxophonists tone stayed relaxed even throughout
the feel changes, that he kept his cool vibe when it switched from swing
into the funk section. That level of cool makes me think of Loren Stillman, The Blindfold Test is a listening test that challenges the featured artist to discuss and identify
the music and musicians who performed on selected recordings. The artist is then asked to rate
but it wasnt him, and the unique lines made me think of Ned Goold, but each tune using a 5-star system. No information is given to the artist prior to the test.