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Hooray for Love
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The renowned & versatile singer/
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classic jazz as only he can do.
The highly anticipated recording
from the first female instrumentalist,
and first South American, to ever
win the prestigious Thelonious
Monk Int’l Jazz Sax Competition.
Tues. June 17th @ 8 pm Highline Ballroom
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HARVEY MASON
MINDI ABAIR
DIANNE REEVES
HELEN SUNG
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Beautiful Life
Anthem for a New Day
The legendary drummer &
Fourplay member draws upon
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1970s and recasts some of
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The powerhouse saxophonist/
vocalist’s latest features guest
artists Gregg Allman, Joe Perry,
Booker T., Keb’ Mo’, Trombone
Shorty & many more.
The multi-GRAMMY®-winning
vocalist melds R&B, Latin and
pop with 21st-century
jazz with her first album
in five years.
The famed pianist/composer
presents a stunning new
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Paquito D’Rivera.
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BILLY PORTER
KRIS BOWERS
Billy’s Back on Broadway
Heroes + Misfits
The GRAMMY® & Tony®
winner (Kinky Boots) presents
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on Broadway, featuring 10
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Great White Way…plus special
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Kris Bowers and his ambitious
debut defy categorization. He
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from José James to Aretha
Franklin to Wynton Marsalis
to Marcus Miller to Jay-Z
to Kanye West.
GORDON GOODWIN’S
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Life in the Bubble
The preeminent big band leader
returns with another dose of big
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“On Green Dolphin Street”
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2013 GRAMMY NOMINATED ARTIST
MANUEL VALERA
SELF PORTRAIT
SOLO PIANO
ACCLAIMED CUBAN PIANIST-COMPOSER
MANUEL VALERA RELEASES FIRST
SOLO PIANO ALBUM SELF-PORTRAIT
ON MAVO RECORDS JUNE 10
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“Valera’s formidable range of musical
influences, his uncanny sense of swing
in any meter and the emotional depth
of his compositions combine to make
Self Portrait full of a sense of wonder
that listeners who enjoy any form of
advanced music will find irresistible.”
MANUEL VALERA
SELF PORTRAIT
SPRING TOUR
Jun 6-7 New Cuban Express + Sofia Rei @ Jazz Gallery, NYC
Performance of CMA Commissioned Work: Martí en Nueva York*
Jun 14
Manuel Valera Duo @ Private Fundraiser for PS75, NYC
Jun 20-21 Manuel Valera Trio @ The Rex Toronto, Canada
SELF PORTAIT SOLO PIANO TOUR
Jun 22
Gallery 345 Toronto, Canada
Jun 23PianoForte Chicago, IL
Jun 24 Merrian Playhouse South Bend, IN
Jun 25
Kerrytown Concert House Ann Arbor, MI
Rochester Jazz Festival Rochester, NY
Jun 26
* Martí en Nueva York by Manuel Valera and New Cuban Express
has been made possible with support from Chamber Music
America’s 2013 New Jazz Works: Commissioning and Ensemble
Development program funded through the generosity of the Doris
Duke Charitable Foundation.
www.manuelvalera.com
publicity
Jun 28 Jul 18 Jul 24 New Cuban Express @ Harlem Arts Festival, NYC
New Cuban Express @ Hartford Jazz Festival, CT
Manuel Valera / Samuel Torres Duo @ Soundwaves, Westport, NY
Aug 1 Self Portrait CD Release Party Party @ Rubin Museum of Art, NYC
Chris DiGirolamo
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joanne@thebridgeagency.us
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Feature
Interview By Eric Nemeyer
Photo by Ken Weiss
Visit Dizzy Reece online at
Facebook.com/DizzyReeceTrumpet
JI: You mentioned in our previous conversations
that one of the things that you were concerned
about is that you have an understanding that
you’ve been misrepresented in the media and in
books and so forth.
DR: Yes. Well, overall, during my career I’ve
had good criticisms, good reviews. I’ve had
some of the best critics, even from days in London. Criticisms of me have been very good overall. Most of the information that is out there is
2
JINY-02-04
page 2
even in biography form. There’s a biography of
Dizzy Reece and so forth, but there are a few
erroneous things. At Rutgers University there’s a
discography of mine - about 50 recordings that
I’ve done. Most people are hip to the Blue Note
recordings, and they seem to have lost my trail
since then. But there’s quite a bit that we can fit
in between 1962 to date.
JI: In 1962, you recorded an album for Prestige
called Asia Minor with Cecil Payne and Joe
Farrell, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Charlie Persip. That was after you left Blue Note. How did
that opportunity arise?
DR: Well to be fair there was a very nice gentleman, his name was Jules Colomby. I don’t know
if you’ve ever heard of him. He has a brother,
Robert [Bobby] who recorded with Colombia
[Blood, Sweat and Tears] He was very nice and
he knew my work and he liked the trumpet and
was producing. The first thing I heard him produce was with Cecil Payne. He took a fancy to
my work and he contracted that date with Prestige New Jazz for that recording. He’s forgotten
mostly and ended up in a wheel chair. He was a
very charming, very nice cat, and quite hip. His
other brother, used to be a manager for Thelonious Monk. I think he ended up in Hollywood.
June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 4)
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Dizzy Reece
(Continued from page 2)
JI: Did you do most of the organization for that
recording?
DR: Yes, most everything. Well, Jules produced
the album and I did most of the orchestration and
so forth. I chose most of the musicians that were
there. I think that was Joe Farrell’s first recording. I introduced Joe and Ron Carter. I had a
good relationship with Joe. He was very talented
years. That was Ron’s first recording. I think he
had just come to New York.
JI: With that recording, was there some touring
involved with that?
DR: I went up to Canada and took the group
playing that repertoire from Asia Minor. I think
Pepper Adams, Charlie Persip—the original he
was on it. I think John Hicks. That was John’s
first job when he came to New York. I took him
to Canada. I think we did that repertoire in Canada for the TV. That’s about the only touring I
did with that.
JI: After that recording, were you still pursuing
getting recording contracts with labels?
DR: Well, I didn’t pursue. Most of the business,
as you know, takes a publicist for one, and it
takes management, good management. I did a lot
of work in New York on the freelance
scene. Maybe I worked with a thousand, two
thousand musicians during my career personally
and been involved with their bands and so forth,
internationally - some of the best, especially in
Europe. But I work mostly as a leader.
JI: You mentioned there was a book that’s been
written about you and there were some inaccuracies in the book.
DR: To be fair, I haven’t read the book. It’s on
Amazon. I saw it. With the articles we have on
my Facebook page—facebook.com/
DizzyReeceTrumpet—I tried to be transparent. I
was trying to clear up a few erroneous
things. Sometimes I get a little shocked – misinformation and so forth. Overall, the story has
been the same story so far, from my start, my
date of birth, to the Blue Note recordings and so
forth. But there is a new phase. I consider it as
the second discography in my career. It’s been
mentioned that I’ve been under the radar for
some time. But while under the radar, I’ve been
quite active. I’ve always been quite active. As I
mentioned before, it’s not well known about the
New York City Jazz Festival that I founded in
1979 - and recorded a catalogue of music at
those events. That’s historical. I had a lot of
cooperation from a lot of young players that
weren’t being recorded at the time by the industry. Today, I have that as proof of a lot of activity. I did a lot of gigs.
JI: What’s the name of the book because I was
looking on Amazon, I couldn’t find it.
DR: I don’t know. I forgot. I should have really
taken it down. I think it was about $50. But it
was about Dizzy Reece. I’ve been in New York
since 1959 and I don’t know what information
they could have had personally from me to have
a biography. That’s why I ended up doing my
current autobiography to set a lot of things
straight. It’s the real deal. I’ve been grateful for
critics over the years. Critics have their place in
the art. A lot of people have put critics down, but
they’re a natural force. You must have critics.
JI: Could you talk about your roots?
DR: I was born in Jamaica as everyone knows
that. Jamaica had a very good jazz heritage until
this so called Reggae appeared and all
that. Jamaica and most of the West Indies was
mostly jazz. A lot of people don’t know
that. The Caribbean influence, for one, in jazz is
very strong. If you study the history of the music, jazz, it’s got a lot of Caribbean influence
with players—I mean hip jazz from most of the
countries—Barbados. If you study most of the
stuff coming out of Harlem, the real jazz started
when cats like Sonny Rollins, Bud Powell and
Kenny Drew, Max Roach … their Caribbean
background. That’s when Harlem was really the
“spiritual capital of America” – in quotes. That
started the real jazz. Forget about the Midwest
(Continued on page 7)
(Continued on page 7)
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page 4
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Dizzy Reece
(Continued from page 4)
and the southwest. The real modern jazz started
right here in Harlem where I’m almost residing
still. That had a lot of influence on the music you
hear today—modern jazz with Bud Powell, from
the Harlem scene for one. So the Caribbean influence is very strong, even in American politics,
the economics scene. I point this out because a
lot of people don’t know—and even today, it’s
very strong. That population from Harlem is
mostly Caribbean. 90% of the jazz in America is
indebted to that influence. In Jamaica, when I
was growing up, there were good
bands. Everything was really jazz per se. So
finally I left, and in 1948 and travelled to London.
JI: Why did you go to London instead of New
York?
DR: New York was a big influence in American
culturalism. It was very big especially in Jamaica
and the West Indies, the movies, Hollywood, and
the music scene for one. But I suppose it was
destiny that I went to London. I wanted always
to come to New York, of course, because I was
aware that that was the epicentre of what was
going on in the modern movement, and I was
still young. But destiny—I ended up in London
which I appreciated. In hindsight, I did appreciate that because I really got myself together in
London. I had a chance to play with the best. But
then I was still in touch with New York via records and so forth. That’s when my development
started and of course I did my first recording
there.
JI: Obviously London was a great place for you
to polish your skills and prepare to go to New
York. What was the driving factor at the time
that you made the decision to go? Was there
something that said okay, I’m ready now?
DR: Well that happens automatically. A lot of
people don’t know before I got to New York, I
had a series of recordings. There’s a five-disc
compilation of my work, The Complete Recordings of Dizzy Reece. I did my first recording
I think it was 1955. All of those records I did
were distributed all over the world—including
remote villages in Africa, Asia. In that period, I
developed to be one of the first, especially in
Europe and so forth, as the first ambassador of
modern jazz. It’s quite a thing about when modern jazz came to Europe and how I saw the entire
scene, how it spread and its influences in Europe
and so forth—France, Germany, Sweden and the
different places.
JI: When you came to New York, among the
first people, first musicians who became impressed with your playing was Miles
Davis. Maybe you can talk a little bit about him.
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(Continued on page 8)
June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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Tuesday, June 03, 2014 02:06
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Dizzy Reece
(Continued from page 7)
DR: Well, Miles was impressed before I
came. That’s one of the reasons why I did my
first recording for Blue Note Records in Europe
in London—because Miles championed my
work. He had heard my early recordings. They
were issued on Savoy Records, Contemporary
and some other labels. I think Miles’ first trip to
London around the fifties was when he heard me
play. He visited a club I used to play in regularly, The Flamingo. A lot of other people like
Sonny Rollins, heard my work. Dizzy Gillespie
is quoted … and there was a very good player one of the best I think England has produced Victor Feldman.
JI: Right. Yes, he came to the USA and initially
recorded for Contemporary. That was the album
The Arrival Of Victor Feldman—and it features a
humorous picture of him on the cover with Scott
LaFaro and Stan Levey, with a row boat, as if
they had manned that to arrive on the shores of
America.
DR: Yes, exactly but he went to Hollywood. He
did very good. He worked with Woody Herman.
There are a number of recordings we did in England before Victor left, and when he used to
DR: Not many. I didn’t even recognize Miles
was present at my performance until after he had
left the club. I remember talking to a reporter
some years later. He said that he was in that club
and saw Miles get up and that after I played
Miles was shaking his head in disbelief, before
he left the club. A lot of musicians used to come
through in Europe. They always asked, “Where
is Dizzy Reece?” Dizzy Reece was the liaison
between the modern jazz scene which was the
happening. There were a lot of cats stationed in
Frankfurt, Germany, in the Army—cats like
Cedar Walton and Frank Gant. A few of them
used to come through to London, especially to
hear jazz. The scene was a bit dark. Modern jazz
was just taking off. The first concert I really
witnessed that was in Paris with Miles Davis,
Tadd Dameron, James Moody, Kenny
Clarke. Those recordings I think are classic. This
was 1959. We came through a hard time trying
to establish this music for what it was. Jazz in
the movies was just starting. I think one of the
first recordings of Miles Davis in France was
recording for movies. There was still a resistance
in Europe to modern jazz—which today still
exists. Everybody that was playing jazz to me
were specialists then. My favorite trumpet player
was Fats Navarro. Of course, Dizzy Gillespie. I
developed the name Dizzy during my school
days in Jamaica—long before having anything to
do with Dizzy Gillespie. Although I later started
to listen to Dizzy. I’ve been through all the modern players from Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge
“They always say music is the healing force of
the universe. The human body, the spirit and the
mind—it heals itself. The body is a musical instrument. It’s just like a string instrument—the
emotions and so forth. Nature plays upon the
strings and we react through our character and
personalities. The healing that takes place in the
body naturally comes from the natural forces
that plays the music upon the human body.”
come back from America to revisit. Victor was a
genius. He used to tout me even before when he
was in the States. He used to mention my work
or introduce me to a lot of musicians on the West
Coast and my work became more appreciated. Alfred Lion, the producer with Blue Note
Records came to visit me in London before I did
that first recording, Blues in Trinity. That’s when
I signed a contract even before I immigrated in
1959 to New York.
JI: Do you remember any conversations you
may have had with Miles Davis?
8
Jazz Inside-2014-06_007-...
page 2
and so forth, right up to the modern era—and of
course, I was influenced by them you could
say. Fats was an incredible player—and that was
before Brownie, Clifford Brown. I remember
Fats saying that Clifford played better than he
did. Clifford was something else. Dizzy Gillespie was a genius. He set the standard. Miles had
his own style. So these were my influences. I
used to listen to everything.
JI: What was your association like with Sonny
Rollins?
DR: I met Sonny after I came to the states. I
used to hang with him. He used to practice on
the Brooklyn Bridge. I’ve spoken to Sonny over
the telephone a few times and things like that,
and he knows my work. He has a great respect
for my work as I do for his. I’ve never had really
any intimate relationship with Sonny musically
but I’ve always listened. I’ve known most of his
work and he was quite an inspiration.
JI: You’ve played with so many players and
recorded and performed. Why don’t you just
chat a little bit about a few of your favorites?
DR: As I said, if you went back to London, you
had cats like Ronny Scott, Tubby Hayes. These
were the players of the time in the modern
field. Once I came to the United States, I was on
the scene. As I told you, there was information
that I just read that I lived in Brooklyn. I’ve
never slept a night in Brooklyn. I was always a
New Yorker. I was a Londoner. I always lived
downtown where the scene is. I was always into
the thick of things as far as jazz. I was never a
suburbanite per se. New York was and still is
perhaps the epicenter of everything that was
going on. In the 60s when I arrived, I was in the
middle of things. There were a lot of recordings. It’s quite a different scene now. The
musicians you’ll see in New York as it is now,
just as in Harlem, have no idea whatsoever what
it was like. It was the most inspirational scene in
the world for modern jazz. I always call it modern jazz. Today we hear the word bebop and so
forth. I never called myself a bebopper. But now
I might as well use the word bebop because it’s
one of the most challenging [styles of] music to
date. It’s classic. It’s a musical language that is
very challenging. The new scene, avant-garde
scene, they shied away from the bebop movement because it’s so challenging. We could go
into that for quite a bit. But everything works out
as it should. In the 50s, Max Roach and Miles
Davis were really challenging the word jazz.
They didn’t want to use the word jazz in their
music—because of the connotations. So even
then, they didn’t want the word jazz. Today,
after all the championing of jazz that I do, sometimes I’ve said I don’t want to use the word jazz
either. I’m an improvising musician. But I use
the word jazz because jazz is still a heavy
word. It’s still a diplomatic word. You can use it
in any part of the world and it connects. If you
get rid of the word jazz, I think it’s more detrimental. The word is alright for me. There’s nothing wrong. I love the word jazz. But today truly
it’s a different connotation. A lot of the music
that’s being labeled jazz really isn’t the jazz we
know. But that’s the world as it turns.
JI: Sonny Rollins was also one of your big endorsers when you came to the United States.
JI: One of your perspectives is that the trumpet
has only three keys but has all of the power of
the piano that has 88 keys. You mention that the
trumpet is not big enough for you to hide behind
so you’re fully exposed.
DR: Exactly. Well, Sonny heard my recordings
from London.
(Continued on page 10)
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Dizzy Reece
(Continued from page 8)
DR: Yes, that’s from my work Dizzy Reece
Plays A Cappella. That’s from the series of recordings I have where I play alone. It’s explainable if it’s being read, I hope. It’s not just Dizzy
Reece playing backstage. It’s very heavy – and it
brings it up to date with the trumpet. The trumpet is an instrument of enunciation and proclamation. It has a special place. Most instrumentalists—I don’t care what instrument they play—
are inspired by the trumpet … even you as a
vibraphone player. That’s why Earl (Fatha)
Hines worked with Louis Armstrong on his recordings. He started that single line playing melodically on the piano. His father was a trumpet
player and he heard that. Bud Powell, the next
modernist after Earl Hines took it up. Sonny
Rollins and most of the saxophonists hear the
trumpet really …. Singers …. I don’t care who
it is …. bazooka players. The trumpet is the
inspiring instrument. It’s a creative instrument. They said it created the world with
Gabriel. I really couldn’t hear a saxophone doing
the creation of the world. The trumpet is also one
of the most difficult. Every instrument is difficult of course. That’s why I always give Dizzy
Gillespie the edge over Charlie Parker. Charlie
Parker was the epitome of it. But the stuff that
Dizzy Gillespie played with three valves comparable to what Bird did with his saxophone and
Bud Powell with 88 keys, is some achievement. Kenny Dorham was another of my favorites. He used to play saxophone too. Fats
Navarro used to play saxophone. Louis Armstrong started that lyrical flow and style that you
get on the saxophone, on the trumpet.
JI: One of your essays involves the idea that
music and sound have colors, and that there are
certain resonances that coordinate with the periodic table. Zinc, for example, or gold or different
elements have different atomic weights, and
resonate at different frequencies—in or outside
your body. Everybody’s going to have different
ratios of the various molecules and elements in
their body, and will probably resonate differently
with different types of music. Maybe that’s one
of the drivers for the way people experience
music, or are attracted to certain music and repelled by other the music.
DR: That’s an article—and it asks, “Does music
have a healing force?” That’s what we’re trying
to establish. Is it a healing force? Of
course. Well the human body is a musical instrument per se. I’m deep into you’d call it astrology, I call it astro analysis. That means everything affects everything—and music. They always say music is the healing force of the universe. The human body, the spirit and the
mind—it heals itself. The body is a musical instrument. It’s just like a string instrument—the
emotions and so forth. Nature plays upon the
strings and we react through our character and
personalities. The healing that takes place in the
body naturally comes from the natural forces
10
Jazz Inside-2014-06_007-...
page 4
that plays the music upon the human body. But
of course that comes with intent. Let’s say can
you or I heal someone with our music. I think
my music has got most of the cats and most of
the music from the classical literature. You have
some devils playing music too. You have the
good side and the bad side. That comes with
intent. So if you have good intent and your philosophy is playing and about life and character,
perhaps you can. I think I’ve healed myself by
being a musician over the years. I’m still in good
health, so far. Playing music is amazing to create. Out of nowhere you create all of this stuff.
Mathematical and emotionally, it’s all tied together. It’s a miraculous deed just playing music
period—especially as an improviser. I think
that’s our purpose in life—musicians—to heal
…. and I mean in the right sense about healing
really. Even the medical profession is musical. It’s all one. We call it The One. I call it The
Beat. That’s the beat. This is where modern jazz
and the swing come together—with that beat.
Through my writings, I try to explain exactly
what it is. Of course, life is for the individual and
so forth, his philosophy. When you play music,
you have to be a philosopher regardless how
good or bad you play. You’ll have a philosophy,
that’s what you try to express within the language of the music you play. I remember when
“modern jazz” started. Most of the world, and
the musicians, were put off. They used to say “it
sounds like Chinese,” “it sounds like Greek.”
Now it’s partially accepted because the language, the development of the geniuses that
established the modern language …. are accepted within the world system of music. If Chopin was living today, he’d be playing like Bud
Powell. All of the masters were improvising
musicians. The difference is just that now we
have swing – that four-four beat, that swing. It
must have that swing.
Newport Jazz Festival came to New York. When
I came to New York there was a movement going with Charlie Mingus and Max Roach and
some other cats—who were trying to start kind
of a challenge to the Newport Festival. That was
another story. I always had this idea of being an
entrepreneur—even before I even left Jamaica as
a young fledgling. I actually organized the first
modern jazz concert before I left and went to
London, where I started two modern jazz
clubs. So I always had that [idea]. I used to put
people together. I had that leadership quality of
pulling things together and making it happen. Like you, with what you have done with
your magazine, I had that entrepreneurial spirit.
It’s a leadership mode. It’s quite complementary. I had the festival going for six years. Most
of the recordings that I’m trying to distribute
now are from that period. I had events take place
at Citicorp. I brought a lot of musicians together
for a lot of work. I recorded a lot of the music
because, as I said, during that period, record
companies, especially independents, were not
recording that music extensively. I’ve got a catalog of about 50 to 60 albums. Those recordings
capture what the music sounded like during that
period of the 70s and the 80s—that style of
music, modern jazz. That’s an historical piece.
JI: What’s your perspective as to why the swing
groove is so essential?
JI: People want this music but it is often plagued
by a lack of support. There was a club in Philadelphia for example, where the club owner
hosted weekly jam sessions on a weekday night.
Loads of players would come out to play, to get
up on that stage to get some notoriety and make
connections. As is inevitably the case, some
players were great and some were not ready for
prime time—which as I read in a marketing book
years ago, “don’t be in too much of a hurry to
promote until you get good, otherwise it will
speed of the process by which people find out
that you’re no good.” Anyway, the club owner
would often lament that here were all these musicians showing up—because the stage was valuable to them as a venue to get heard. Yet, as he
said, most of those who showed up wouldn’t
even spend two dollar for a Coke or a beer.
Many of the musicians didn’t connect the dots—
that if they supported the club in the most minimal way, it would be there to support them.
Needless to say, the club eventually closed.
DR: Well, I don’t know. It’s a natural thing that
happens in nature. You can see where the line
was drawn between the old-school of classical
music. All the intellect and the intelligence was
already there and the music became classic. But
we missed that swing, the four-four swing. But
everything has a certain swing—that goes for
athletics, writing, works of art, cuisine, cooking. It’s got a swing. When you read a novel you
can tell the difference between writers and you
can tell if their writing swings. Even if you write
a letter, you can see if it just swings. I don’t
know how it developed but it came through our
generation.
JI: You created a jazz festival in New York in
the 1980s.
DR: Well, I started the festival. Some people
have said, “Dizzy, that was a gift to New York.”
It was the annual New York City Jazz Festival. If you go on YouTube and type in Dizzy
Reece, New York City, you’ll see exactly what it
is. I’ve been trying to resuscitate it. I started it in
1979. Our first engagement was at Damrosch
Park. New York City didn’t have a festival. The
JI: What were the challenges that you were facing when you first put the festival together?
DR: I did as much as I could, and I got all those
musicians together. The only challenge is I didn’t get enough support financially.
JI: Well that’s been the Achilles heel of jazz
music—its clubs, its record labels, its festivals,
its publications—going back to its beginnings.
DR: Exactly. Exactly.
DR: Well of course. We could go deeply into
that and the reasons why. I’ve got a lot of writings. I’ve been writing about this stuff. I have an
encyclopedia.
JI: What do you think some of the reasons are?
June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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DR: Well it goes back to racism. It’s deep. it goes back to the culture. Jazz
has been labeled as America’s only national and original art form.
JI: Are you saying that it’s about racism rather than being about cheapskates or short-sighted people who simply don’t support the very thing, the
very music that they want to flourish?
DR: Yes, but don’t let me get started with blacks because I write about
that. I’ve always given compliment to the whites. If you’ll notice, they
have been the supporters of jazz. They have actually saved it. The blacks
have turned their backs on jazz. That’s another story. When we started out,
going back to Harlem as I mentioned, 90% of the jazz supporters were
black.
JI: But why would black people, as you just stated, turn their backs on
music that richly represents their heritage?
DR: Exactly, exactly. I explain that in my biography and work. It’s deep.
It goes deep. That’s a whole thing for psychiatrists and philosophers. I
know all about why. Even when I started… I know about the therapy of
jazz, exactly. And I know where it goes back … with improvisation, even
the classics. I know all the musicians from Beethoven, Haydn—that’s my
thing. I know all the composers and they had the same trouble as improvisers 200 years ago. Bach and all of them were improvisers. You had the
audience. It takes intellect—otherwise that music wouldn’t have survived—and especially if it didn’t have sponsorships. The sponsors were
mostly the affluent, the rich people. Today you have the National Endowment for the Arts. Most of the guys that owned plantations used to hire
musicians and their bands. But it was hard. Then when it came to the people, the people always wanted the more superficial aspect. Music has got
levels of intelligence and not everybody gravitates towards its intelligence. Today, music has been taken out of the educational system. You’ve
known that for years. That’s another story. So the do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-tido—that one is still there in the schools, but that’s just basic. As Charlie
Parker said, he never saw color. It’s beyond color. It’s beyond white. It’s
beyond black. Some people say it’s on another spiritual level—
improvisation. It has no color. It has nothing to do with it. Although I recognize the black innovations and so forth, it’s beyond that—and it was
always beyond that. You have some blacks, intellectuals—they don’t like
jazz. But, it’s beyond all that. Modern jazz is the greatest thing that ever
happened on the planet besides the technology, the gadgetries and the
high-tech. It’s an art form representing the human character. It’s the hippest thing that has ever happened—that four-four. That’s why I compare
cats like Al Haig and other pianists and so forth—they play like Beethoven. If Beethoven or Chopin were here today, you would have a modern
rhythm section. There music would be another dimension. But they’ve
swung. A bunch of us have gotten frustrated because the music has not
been recognized and it never will be per se. We have people in high places,
low places—they don’t give a damn about that. That’s why you have to
compliment the musicians that have really stuck with the music—and the
ones who invented it when it wasn’t easy. Today, musicians they’ve got it
easy. Rock and rollers have got money. They’ve got financing from the
electronics industry. Many years ago, whether it was played by black or
white, it was a struggle. It still is a struggle. They didn’t have the accomplishments, the luxury of traveling by cars, limousines and buses and
planes. Those cats used to travel by car to play a gig. I’ve been through it
all. Today, many cats don’t know the history of the music. That’s quite
important because what you play is the history of what has been. Today,
every little cat that now comes up playing—they can play and play …. but
play what? The content is what matters—and the content comes with the
history. It comes with experience. Everybody can play and everybody is a
musical prodigy and so forth. But what is the content? That’s why you
have the high end and the low end in everything. When you want a good
suit, you buy the best. If you want a good car you buy a Rolls Royce. You
buy the best—a Lexus or BMW. The best is what you strive for. I’ve
known the best musicians that have played this music and some that have
continued to play. I hardly listen to what’s happening now with the music
because as they say, after you’ve seen the face of God, what is there to
(Continued on page 60)
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Jazz Inside Magazine
ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) • ISSN 2150-3427 (online)
June 2014 – Volume 5, Number 11
Cover Design by Shelly Rhodes
Cover photo of Dizzy Reece by Ken Weiss
Photo of Dizzy Reece (right) - Courtesy of Dizzy Reece
Publisher: Eric Nemeyer
Associate Publisher: Nora McCarthy
Editor: John R. Barrett, Jr.
Advertising Sales & Marketing: Eric Nemeyer
Circulation: Susan Brodsky
Photo Editor: Joe Patitucci
Layout and Design: Gail Gentry
Contributing Artists: Shelly Rhodes
Contributing Photographers: Eric Nemeyer, Ken Weiss
Contributing Writers: John Alexander, John R. Barrett, Curtis
Davenport; Eric Harabadian; Alex Henderson; Rick Helzer; Nora
McCarthy; Joe Patitucci; Ken Weiss, Scott Yanow.
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CONTENTS
CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS
Calendar of Events, Concerts, Festivals
and Club Performances
Clubs & Venue Listings
Your Marketing Blueprint-The First Step
How To Connect With Jazz Inside
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Jazz Inside™ (published monthly). To order a subscription, call 215-887-8880 or
visit Jazz Inside on the Internet at www.jazzinsidemagazine.com. Subscription
rate is $49.95 per year, USA. Please allow up to 8 weeks for processing
subscriptions & changes of address.
SUBMITTING PRODUCTS FOR REVIEW
Companies or individuals seeking reviews of their recordings, books, videos,
software and other products: Send TWO COPIES of each CD or product to the
attention of the Editorial Dept. All materials sent become the property of Jazz
Inside, and may or may not be reviewed, at any time.
EDITORIAL POLICIES
Jazz Inside does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Persons wishing to
submit a manuscript or transcription are asked to request specific permission
from Jazz Inside prior to submission. All materials sent become the property of
Jazz Inside unless otherwise agreed to in writing. Opinions expressed in Jazz
Inside by contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily express the
opinions of Jazz Inside, Eric Nemeyer Corporation or its affiliates.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright © 2014 by Eric Nemeyer Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of
this publication may be copied or duplicated in any form, by any means without
prior written consent. Copying of this publication is in violation of the United
States Federal Copyright Law (17 USC 101 et seq.). Violators may be subject to
criminal penalties and liability for substantial monetary damages, including
statutory damages up to $50,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys fees.
FEATURES
2 Dizzy Reece
3 Jazz Forum 35th Anniversary — Mark
Morganelli & David Amram — Reflections
INTERVIEWS
34 William Parker
40 John Clayton
46
49
51
53
55
Manuel Valera
Bill Ware
Tom Chang
JC Sanford (Part 2)
Elio Villafranca
REVIEWS OF RECORDINGS
61 Clarice Assad; Francy Boland; David M.
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June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
Bromberg; Tom Chang; Jo-Yu Chen;
Greg Cohen; Michael Feinberg; Satoko
Fujii Orchestra New York; Florencia
Gonzalez; Hammond Eggs; Holly Hofmann; Konitz/TepferJanisch/ Williams;
John La Barbera Big Band; Ingrid
Laubrock & Tom Rainey; Brad Melhdau &
Mark Guiliana; Pat Metheny; Duke Pearson Big Band; Phishbacher Trio; Sonny
Rollins; Sara Serpa & André Matos;
Manuel Valera.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
“Be more
concerned with your
character than your
reputation, because your
character is what you really
are, while your reputation
is merely what others
think you are.”
How to Get Your Gigs and Events Listed in Jazz Inside Magazine
Submit your listings via e-mail to info@jazzinsidemagazine.com. Include date, times, location,
phone, tickets/reservations. Deadline: 15th of the month preceding publication (Jun. 15 for July)
(We cannot guarantee the publication of all calendar submissions.
ADVERTISING: Reserve your ads to promote your events and get the marketing
advantage of controlling your own message — size, content, image, identity, photos and more. Contact the advertising department:
215-887-8880 | Advertising@JazzInsideMagazine.com
Sunday, June 1
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Joe Carozza 3 at The Falcon, 10AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
Vivian Sessions at Blue Note, 11:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Mayu Saeki 3 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Lauren Hooker at Hibiscus, 12PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ.
Steve Dalachinsky/Rocco John Iacovone at The Firehouse
Space, 3:00 PM. 246 Frost St., Bklyn.
Marco Cappelli at Barbes, 5PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Jazz Vespers at St. Peter's, 5PM. Artists TBA 619 Lexington Ave.
Vicki Burns/Ratzo Harris at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Nichlas Letman-Burtinovic 3 at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM.
13 Monroe St.
Terry Waldo Band at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St.
David Harewood at I Beam, 6PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Nick Finzer at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Rob Edwards 4 at Garage, 6:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Pascal Niggenkemper, Downtown Music Gallery, 7PM. 13
Monroe
Joanne Tatham: Music from Movies Made in Manhattan at
Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Jocelyn Shannon 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
 Thom Penn 9 at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
 Ali Jackson 5 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
 Jacky Terrasson, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Chris Flory 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Joe Lovano at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Jill McCarron at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Percy Jones & MJ4 at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl.,
Bklyn.
 Shrine Big Band at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave.
 Flux 4: Tomorrow's New Voices at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
 QED at Van Gogh's Ear, 8PM. 1017 Stuyvesant Ave., Union NJ.
 Fat Cat Big Band at Fat Cat, 8:30 PM. 75 Christopher St.
 Jeff “Tain” Watts at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 John Lander 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St.
 Kuba Wiecek at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Flux 4: Music of Barbara Monk Feldman at The Stone, 10PM.
Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Mauricio DeSouza 3 at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Brandon Lewis at Fat Cat, 1:00 AM. 75 Christopher St.
— John Wooden
Monday, June 2
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Tom Shad at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Paul Jones 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Sean Wayland at 55 Bar, 7PM. 55 Christopher St.
Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Meeting: International Women in Jazz at St. Peter's, 7PM. 619
Lexington Ave.
Juilliard School Ensemble at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Mingus Orchestra, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Greg Ryan Group at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Albare at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Bryan Carter 3 at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Jack DeJohnette 3 feat. Ravi Coltrane at Shapeshifter Lab,
8:00 and 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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 Tom Russo 3 at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Michael Eaton 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 3rd floor, 212 E. 52nd
St.
 Ari Hoenig 4 at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Joe Pino 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Canyons at Spectrum, 9:30 PM. 121 Ludlow St.
 Fatum Brothers at Manderley Bar, 10PM. 530 W. 27th St.
 Joe Morris 3 feat. Jeremiah Cymerman at The Stone, 10PM.
Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Tom Tallitsch 4 at Whynot Jazz Room, 10PM. 14 Christopher St.
 Austin Walker 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Aaron Johnson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Tuesday, June 3
Wednesday, June 4
 Cole Porter: A Lecture with Musical Examples by Harvey
Granat at 92nd St. Y, 12PM. Corner of 92nd St. and Lexington Ave.
 Isaac Darche at Freddy's Bar, 6PM. 627 5th Ave., Bklyn.
 Sharif Zaben 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Rio Clemente at Hibiscus, 6PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ.
 Film Screening: Harlem Renaissance Orchestra at Macon
Library, 6PM. 361 Lewis Ave., Bklyn.
 Casey Berman 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Silver Arrow Band at Drom, 6:30 PM. 85 Avenue A.
 Chuck Braman Jazz Band at Pier 45, Hudson River Park, 7PM.
W. 10th St.
 Meshell Ndegeocello, (Le) Poisson Rouge, 7PM. 158 Bleecker
 Alexis Cudrado Group: A Lorca Soundscape at Dizzy's Club
Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Jon Burr 3 at Doma Na Rohu, 7:30 and 8:45 PM. 27 Morton St.
 Emilio Solla 9 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Jack Walrath at Minton's, 7:30 PM. 296 W. 118th St.
 Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience feat. Machito Jr. at
Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Bryan Carter 3 at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Mike Longo & NY State of the Art Ensemble w/Dee Daniels at
NYC Baha'i Center, 8:00 and 9:30 PM. 11 E. 53rd St.
 Trio Subtonic at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Joe Morris 5 at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Jack Jeffers & NY Classics, Zinc Bar, 8PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
 Shai Maestro 3 at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Jeff McLaughlin 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal
 Peter Evans 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Joonsam Lee 3 at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Miss Ida Blue at St. Mazie, 9PM. 345 Grand St., Bklyn.
 Nitzan Gavrieli 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Jeremy DeJesus & Astridd at Drom, 9:30 PM. 85 Avenue A.
 Jazz Clinic feat. Kenny Brawner at Flushing Town Hall, 5PM.
137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens.
 Jeff Barone 3 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Rob Duguay 3 at Strand Bistro, 6PM. 33 W. 37th St.
 Yvonnick Prene 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Ricardo Grilli 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Jam Session feat. Kenny Brawner at Flushing Town Hall, 7PM.
137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens.
 Marissa Mulder at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 John Ludlow/Richard Thai, Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 International Society of Improvised Music at Spectrum, 7PM.
121 Ludlow St.
 Sarah Elizabeth Charles at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30
PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Zach Brock 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Newark Academy Big Band at Morris Museum, 7:30 PM. 6
Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown NJ.
 GO: Organic Guitar Orchestra, Nels Cline, David Gilmore,
Shapeshifter Lab, 7:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience feat. Machito Jr. at
Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Fabrizio Sotti at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
 Mary Foster Conklin at Kitano, 66 Park Ave.
 Bryan Carter 3 at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Joe Morris 4 feat. Daniel Pencer at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Scott Kreitzer 4 at Tomi Jazz, 8PM. Lower level, 239 E. 53rd St.
 Valery Ponomarev Big Band, Zinc Bar, 8PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
 Acoustic Frontiers: Free Improvisation at Spectrum, 8:15 PM.
121 Ludlow St.
 Russ Johnson 5 Plays Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch at Cornelia
St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Peter Brendler 3 at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
(Continued from page 15)
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Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Megan Hilty at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Deborah Latz at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Ari Hoenig, Terraza 7, 9PM. 40-19 Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens.
Joe Alterman 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 9:30 PM. 32 Jones St.
A Tribute to Etta James at Drom, 9:30 PM. 85 Avenue A.
David Bryant 4 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Ian Hendriksen-Smith 5 feat. Joe Cohn at Clipper City Tall
Ship, 9:45 PM. Gangway 1, Battery Park.
Joe Morris at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Peter Valera at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Aaron Johnson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Roxy Coss Group at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursday, June 5
 Kevin Hays' New Day Trio at St. Peter's Plaza, 12:30 PM.
Corner of 54th St. & Lexington Ave.
 Chris Bakriges/Gary Whitehead, New School, 4PM. 55 W. 13th
 Tsuyoshi Yamamoto at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
 Jon Gordon 3 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Dwayne Clemons 5 at Smalls, 6PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 George Weldon 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Andrew Van Tassel, Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal
 Amy Cervini feat. Janis Siegel, 55 Bar, 7PM. 55 Christopher St.
 Libby Richman 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Marissa Mulder at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Karl Berger, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Elijah Balbed at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Sarah Elizabeth Charles at Dizzy's Club, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
 Eyvind Opsik's Overseas + Mike Bagetta 4 at Greenwich
House, 7:30 PM. 46 Barrow St.
 Jeff Ballard 3, Lionel Loueke at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM.
111 E. 27th St.
 Kate Baker/Vic Juris, Trumpets, 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
 Gene Bertoncini/Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub at Turning Point,
7:30 PM. 468 Piermont Ave., Piermont NY.
 Beka & DJ Logic feat. Victor Bailey & Friends at Blue Note,
8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Chris Ziemba 4 at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
 Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra w/Wynton Marsalis: Modern
Ellington, Rose Theater, 8PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
 Oscar Perez, Makeda, 8PM. 338 George St., New Brunswick NJ.
 Bryan Carter 3 at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Soprano Summit for Steve Lacy w/Dave Liebman, Sam
Newsome, Heath Watts, Michiko Studios, 8PM. 149 W. 46th St.
 Nick Videen at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Joe Morris 4 feat. Miriam Felix at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd
St. and Avenue C.
 Alex Wintz 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Ben Kono Group at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 The Puppeteers, Ginny's, 8:30 PM. 310 Lenox Ave.
 Pete Davenport at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Megan Hilty at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Andrew Beals' Saxtet at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Liz Childs, Symphony Space, 9PM. 2537 Broadway.
 Tsuyoshi Niwa, Tomi Jazz, 9PM. Lower level, 239 E. 53rd St.
 Gregorio Uribe Big Band at Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
 Wilson “Chembo” Corneil at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9:30 PM.
236 E. 3rd St.
 Ben Wendel Group at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Joe Morris 4 feat. Nate Wooley at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Annie Chen 4 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Aaron Johnson at Dizzy's After Hours, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus
Cir. #10.
 Carlos Abadie 5 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
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Joey Morant 3 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Aaron Johnson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Spiritchild & Mental Notes, Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
John Webber 3 at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Saturday, June 7
 Larry Newcomb 4 at Garage, 12PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Shoko & Friends at Somethin' Jazz, 1:00 PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Vince Ector at Candlelight Lounge, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic St.,
Trenton NJ.
 Bob Gluck/Ken Filiano: Revisiting the Music of Carla Bley at
New School, 5PM. 66 W. 12th St.
 Regina Carter at Bethany Baptist Church, 6PM. 275 W. Market
St., Newark NJ.
 Paul Geremia, Turning Point, 6PM. 468 Piermont, Piermont NY.
 Jesse Simpson at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Bill Frisell: The Electric Guitar in America at Appel Room,
Lincoln Center, 7:00 and 9:30 PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
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Jim Black at Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
David Rogers at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Rootless 3, Williamsburg Music Ctr, 7PM. 367 Bedford, Bklyn.
Pietros Klampanis, Bar Next Door, 7PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Dion Parson, Dizzy's Club, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Jeff Ballard 3 feat. Lionel Loueke at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30,
& 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Tom Dempsey/Tim Ferguson, Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Cory Henry 3 at Zinc Bar, 7:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Andre Previn/Christian McBride at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30
PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Ray Blue 4 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Scrubboard Serenaders at Doma Na Rohu, 8:00 and 9:15 PM.
27 Morton St.
James Maddock, The Falcon, 8PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
Sergio Mendes at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Ran Blake/Sara Serpa at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra w/Wynton Marsalis: Modern
Ellington at Rose Theater, Lincoln Center, 8PM. Corner of
Broadway & 60th St.
Friday, June 6
 Swingadelic, River Vale Libr, 1PM. 412 Rivervale, River Vale NJ.
 Gianni Mimmo/Alison Blunt at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM.
13 Monroe St.
 Elad Cohen at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
 Fukushi Tainaka at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Dave Liebman, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
 B. D. Lenz, Deer Head, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA.
 Bill Frisell: The Electric Guitar in America at Appel Room,
Lincoln Center, 7:00 and 9:30 PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
 Garden State Jazz Orchestra + Manville HS Jazz Band at
Manville High School, 7PM. 1100 Brooks Blvd., Manville NJ.
 Ayako Shirasaki 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Bria Skonberg 4 at Alvin & Friends, 7:30 PM. 14 Memorial Hwy.,
New Rochelle NY.
 Steve Bloom 3 at Bar Next Door, 7PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Dion Parson, Dizzy's Club, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Jeff Ballard 3 feat. Lionel Loueke at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30,
& 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Marianne Solivan 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Gianni Gaglardi 5 feat. Gilad Hekselman at All Things Project,
8PM. 261 Bleecker St.
 Pedro Giraudo 6 at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
 Andre Previn/Christian McBride, Blue Note, 8PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Masami Ishikawa 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Bdway.
 Richard Boukas & others: Latin Guitar Fest at Lucille's, B.B.
King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
 Ran Blake/Sara Serpa at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
 Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra w/Wynton Marsalis: Modern
Ellington at Rose Theater, 8PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
 Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 TriBeCaStan at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Carolyn Leonhart at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Joe Morris/John Zorn/Nat Wooley at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Neo Bass Ensemble feat. Lisle Atkinson, Leonard Nimoy
Thalia, Symphony Space, 8PM. 2537 Broadway.
 Ron Jackson at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
 Rio Clemente/Warren Chiasson at Watchung Arts Center,
8PM. 18 Stirling Rd., Watchung NJ.
 TC III at Jazz 966, 8:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
 Gutbucket at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
 Bobby Lynn at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Brad Linde/Wadada Leo Smith at Seeds, 8:30 PM. 617 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn.
 Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Megan Hilty at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Michael Bates, Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Manuel Valera & New Cuban Express at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and
11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
 Andrew Pereira at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Ursel Schlicht, Firehouse Space, 9:30 PM. 246 Frost St., Bklyn.
 Ron Sunshine Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
 Diane Johnston, Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl.
 Joe Morris 5 feat. Nate Wooley at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Nikita White at Jazz 966, 10:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
 Ken Peplowski 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 18)
17
JUNE 2014
JAZZ VESPERS
Sundays at 5:00 P.M.
All are welcome! - Free
8
Ike Sturm & Evergreen
15 Keisha St. Joan feat. Bertha Hope
22 Adam Larson 5
29 Alex Brown
JAZZ ON THE PLAZA
Thursdays at 12:30 P.M.
Outdoor Concerts
5
 Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Mauricio DeSouza & Bossa Brasil at The Mill, 8PM. 101 Old Mill
Rd., Spring Lake Heights NJ.
 John Abercrombie, Rosendale Cafe, 434 Main, Rosendale NY.
 Joe Morris 3 at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Becca Stevens, Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Fabien Sevilla at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
 Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Tom Chang at Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Manuel Valera & New Cuban Express at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and
11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
 Mark Stone 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Irini Red & The Jazz Mix at Sugar Bar, 9PM. 254 W. 72nd St.
 Rome Neal's Banana Puddin' Jazz 11th Anniversary Fundraiser at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9:30 PM. Patience Higgins,
George Gray, Mustafa Khaliq Ahmed, Johnny O'Neal, Eric
Frazier, Eve Cornelious, and many others. 236 E. 3rd St.
 Diane Johnston, Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl.
 Joe Morris, The Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Denbaya at Way Station, 10PM. 683 Washington Ave., Bklyn.
 Ken Peplowski 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Akiko Tsuruga 3 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Aaron Johnson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Bigyuki at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Philip Harper at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sunday, June 8
 Eric Alexander/Harold Mabern, Blue Note, 11:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd
 Lou Caputo 4 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Red Hook Jazz Festival at Urban Meadow, 1PM. Joe Morris,
Ralph Alessi 3, others. President and Van Brunt Streets, Bklyn.
 Eyal Vilner Group at Smalls, 4:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Ike Sturm & Evergreen at St. Peter's, 5PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
 Golden Ratio Project at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Dave Fabris/Ran Blake at Spectrum, 5PM. 121 Ludlow St.
 Timo Vollbrecht Group at Pianos, 5:30 PM. 158 Ludlow St.
 Michael Lytle 3 at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM. 13 Monroe St
 Jerry Vezza, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
 Andy Bianco 5 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Morten Poulson/Kirsten Carey at Downtown Music Gallery,
7PM. 13 Monroe St.
 Marieanne Meringolo, Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Leni Stern at Stage 1, Rockwood Music Hall, 7PM. 196 Allen St.
 Ensemble Nomade, Seeds, 7PM. 617 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn.
 Take Off Collective, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
 Nick Dunston 6 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Bob Lepley Bebop Band at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
 Dion Parson, Dizzy's Club, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Jeff Ballard 3 feat. Lionel Loueke at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30
PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Sasha Dobson at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 John Hart & Friends at Turning Point, 7:30 PM. 468 Piermont
Ave., Piermont NY.
 Andre Previn/Christian McBride at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30
PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Global Noize feat. Jason Miles & Cyro Baptista at Highline
Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
 Marco DiGennaro at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Joe Morris, The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Trio Django, Van Gogh's Ear, 8PM. 1017 Stuyvesant, Union NJ.
 Jane Ira Bloom, Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Brian Charette at 55 Bar, 9:30 PM. 55 Christopher St.
 Enrico Granafei at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Joe Morris at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Abe Ovadia 3 at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Paul Wells at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Kevin Hays' New Day Trio
12 Bill O'Connell
19 Cecilia Coleman Big Band
26 Charenee Wade
June 2014
All Shows on Tuesdays at 8PM
Monday, June 9
3rd: Mike Longo-NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble
10th: Bob Arthur Group
17th: Lou Volpe Group
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18
Alex Sugerman 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Dave Heckendorn 10 at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Organic Orch, Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Lisa DeSpain 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Kalena Nash at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Chris Norton at Le Cirque Cafe, 7:30 PM. 151 E. 58th St.
Dion Parson, Dizzy's Club, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Dee Dee Bridgewater w/Jonathan Batiste at Kaye Playhouse,
Hunter College, 7:30 PM. 695 Park Ave.
Mike Moreno at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Jeff Lorber at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Hot Club France at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Laura Brunner 3 w/Camila Meza at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM.
129 MacDougal St.
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Tom Russo 3 at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Dan Bolton 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 3rd floor, 212 E. 52nd St.
Samuel Blais at Spectrum, 9PM. 121 Ludlow St.
Jean-MIchel Pilc, Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Norihito Kikuta, Tomi Jazz, 9:30 PM. Lower level, 239 E. 53rd St.
Francisco Mela Group at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Adam Larson 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tuesday, June 10
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Pablo Masis 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Nick Grinder 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Jake Sherman 3 at Blue Note, 6:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Irene Walsh w/Freddie Bryant at Caffe Vivaldi, 7PM. 32 Jones
Peggy King at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Julius Rodriguez 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 3rd floor, 212 E. 52nd
Joel Forrester/Phillip Johnston at Spectrum, 7PM. 121 Ludlow
Eddie Daniels/Roger Kellaway at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Adam Rogers 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Lou Donaldson 4 feat. Dr. Lonnie Smith at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Diane Schuur, B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Hot Club of France at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Alan Ferber Big Band, Shapeshifter, 8PM. 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
Stachel Quartet at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Briggan Kraus at The Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Craig Yaremko 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Rhys Tivey 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Joonsam Lee 3 at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Michael Bates' Northern Spy at Korzo, 9PM. 667 5th Ave., Bklyn.
Maria Manousaki 4 at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9PM. 236 E. 3rd St.
Stevens Siegel & Ferguson at Somethin' Jazz, 212 E. 52nd.
Briggan Kraus, The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Chris Beck 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Adam Larson at Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Wednesday, June 11
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Anderson Brothers at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Eric Plaks 3 at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Ben Charnley at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Bill Wurtzel/Mike Gari at Strand Bistro, 6PM. 33 W. 37th St.
Adam O'Farrill 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Michael Feinstein: Legends of the Jazz Age at Appel Room,
Lincoln Center, 7PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
Misha Piatigorsky, Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
B.D. Lenz, Mara's Cafe, 7PM. 250 South Ave., Fanwood NJ.
Eric Comstock/Barbara Fasano, Metropolitan Rm, 34 W. 22nd
Charles Gayle 3 at Roulette, 7PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Charles Altura 4 at Shapeshifter, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Ms. Blu 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Mamiko Watanabe at Zinc Bar, 7:00 and 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Eddie Daniels/Roger Kellaway at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Adam Rogers 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Fabian Sevilla at Seeds, 7:30 PM. 617 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn.
Lou Donaldson 4 feat. Dr. Lonnie Smith at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Dorian Devins w/Ethan Mann at Flute East, 8PM. 303 E. 53rd St.
Andrea Wood 4 at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Hot Club France w/Michael Valenu Band at Measure, 8PM. 400
5th Ave.
Peter Bernstein/Rale Micic, Whynot, 8PM. 14 Christopher St.
Al McDowell's Just Ornette Quartet at Shapeshifter Lab, 8:15
PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Andrew Rathbun 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia
Lana Is 4 at Seeds, 7PM. 617 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn.
Peter Brendler 3 at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Renee Manning 5 at Milk River, 9PM. 960 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Audrey Silver 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Emilio Solla 4 at Terraza 7, 9PM. 40-19 Gleane St., Queens.
Ed Cherry 3 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
SK Orchestra at Spectrum, 9:30 PM. 121 Ludlow St.
Charles Gayle at Roulette, 9:45 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
High East at Shrine, 10PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Carlos Tomati/Ben Sher 4 at Silvana, 10PM. 330 W. 116th St.
H-Alpha at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Will Terrell 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Choro Dragao at Silvana, 11PM. 330 W. 116th St.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
 Elad Cohen, Way Station, 11PM. 683 Washington Ave., Bklyn.
 Adam Larson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Alex LoRe 4 at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursday, June 12
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Bill O'Connell, St. Peter's Plaza, 12:30 PM. 54th St. & Lexington
Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Mike Fahn +2 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Alex Hoffman Group at Smalls, 6PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Nick Brust 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Film Screening: Chile/New York/AfghanIRAQ at Roulette, 6:30
PM. William Parker/Roy Campbell. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Joe Alterman/James Cammack at Blue Note, 6:30 PM. 131 W.
3rd St.
Yoshiko Iwata 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
Mad Satta at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
Nick Finzer, Liberty House, 76 Audrey Zapp Dr., Jersey City NJ.
Michael Feinstein: Legends of the Jazz Age at Appel Room,
Lincoln Center, 7:00 and 9PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
Tony Corrao at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Steve Dalachinsky at Roulette, 7PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Asher Stein 3 at Shanghai Jazz, 7PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
Terry Cade 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
M. Wimberley, Antoine Roney, Roulette, 509 Atlantic, Bklyn.
Sammy Miller at Ginny's Supper Club, 7:30 PM. 310 Lenox Ave.
Yovsany Terry at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Pookestra at Shapeshifter Lab, 7:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
New Music for Saxophones: Greg Osby, Dave Liebman at
Symphony Space, 7:30 PM. 2537 Broadway.
Enrico Granafei at Trumpets, 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Jose James at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
Monty Alexander at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Baylor Project at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Mark Gross, Makeda, 8PM. 338 George St., New Brunswick NJ.
Hot Club France w/Michael Valenu Band at Measure, 8PM. 400
5th Ave.
Microtitans at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Mary Halvorson, Roulette, 8:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Nobuki Takamen, Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Michael Formanek, Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Bizingas at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band, Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Craig Yaremko, Maxfield's, 8:30 PM. 713 Main St., Boonton NJ.
Harlem Renaissance Orch, Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Marques/Stinson/O'Farrill at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St.
RIVA at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and 11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Ned Rothenberg at Roulette, 9:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Kirk Knuffke 4 at I Beam, 9:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Microscopic Septet at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Briggan Kraus & Curtis Hasselbring, Stone, 2nd St. and Ave C.
Peter Brötzmann/Hamid Drake/William Parker at Roulette,
10:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Underground System at Drom, 10:30 PM. 85 Avenue A.
Avi Rothbard 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Adam Larson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Friday, June 13
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Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Briggan Kraus, The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Radam Schwartz 4 at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Jeremy Noller at Whynot Jazz Room, 8PM. 14 Christopher St.
Vic Washington w/Bill Robinson's Classic Soul Ensemble at
Jazz 966, 8:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Pete Davenport at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Judi Silvano 4 at Nublu, 8:30 PM. 62 Avenue C.
Bobby McFerrin & Questlove: A Musical Dialogue at Town
Hall, 8:30 PM. 123 W. 43rd St.
Michael Louis Band at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
Bizingas at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Mike Stern/Bill Evans at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Michael Formanek, Tim Berne, Cornelia Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
Michele Rosewoman 4 feat. Liberty Ellman at Jazz Gallery,
9:00 and 11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Mitch Marcus 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Groove Square feat. Manuel Valera at Terraza 7, 9PM. 40-19
Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens.
Jemeel Moondoc, Roulette, 9:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Emily Wolf Project at Caffe Vivaldi, 9:30 PM. 32 Jones St.
New Wonders at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th St.
Jonathan Goldberger at I Beam, 9:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Tatsuya Nakatani/Steven Leffue at Jack, 9:30 PM. 505 Waverly
Ave., Bklyn.
Peter Zak 2 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl.
Chris Bergson Band at 55 Bar, 10PM. 55 Christopher St.
Briggan Kraus, The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Black Rose 4 at Jazz 966, 10:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
James “Blood” Ulmer, Roulette, 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Mike DiRubbo 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Peter Valera at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Adam Larson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Soul Understated at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Greg Murphy 4 at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Visit www.JazzNewswire.com
Saturday, June 14
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Al Marino 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Rob Paparozzi at Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
Matt Marantz, Deer Head, 7PM. 5 Main, Delaware Water Gap PA.
Nanny Assis Band at Lucille's, B.B. King Blues Club, 7:00 and
9PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Btrenda Earle Stokes 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Whit Dickey 4 at Roulette, 7:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Nat Adderley Jr., Don Braden, Alvin & Friends, 14 Memorial
Hwy., New Rochelle NY.
Yovsany Terry & Afro-Cuban Roots at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Elio Villafranca at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Dan Furman 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Cory Henry 3 at The Falcon, 8PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
Queens & Bklyn Jazz Party at Flushing Town Hall, 8PM. Artists
include Queens Jazz Overground and Bklyn Jazz Overground.
137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens.
Yemen Blues at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
Joyce Breach, Warren Vache at Kitano, 66 Park Ave.
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
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Marc Devine at Garage, 12PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Web T, Candlelight Lounge, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic, Trenton NJ.
Erik Satie 4 at Barbes, 4:00 PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Anders Nilsson 4 at Barbes, 6PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Jody Quine at Caffe Vivaldi, 6PM. 32 Jones St.
Brooks Hartell 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Leslie Pintchik at Alvin & Friends, 7PM. 14 Memorial Hwy., New
Rochelle NY.
Carrie Jackson, Deer Head, 5 Main, Delaware Water Gap PA.
Ron Dabney at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Satoko Fujii 4 at Roulette, 7PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Hiroko Kanna at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Rotem Sivan, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St.
Yovsany Terry & Afro-Cuban Roots at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Elio Villafranca at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Alex Layne 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Myles Mancuso Band at Club Groove, 8PM. 125 MacDougal St.
Ben Perowsky at Doma Na Rohu, 8PM. 27 Morton St.
Greg Abate at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Briggan Kraus, The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Lula Valdivia at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Matthew Shipp 3 at Roulette, 8:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Bizingas at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Mike Stern/Bill Evans at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Hiromi Suda at Whynot Jazz Room, 8:30 PM. 14 Christopher St.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Michael Formanek 6 w/Loren Stillman at Cornelia St. Cafe,
9:00 and 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Jerome Sabbagh 4 at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and 11PM. 5th floor,
1160 Broadway.
Brust/Horowitz 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Nasheet Waits & Tarbaby at Roulette, 9:15 PM. 509 Atlantic
Ave., Bklyn.
Roger Davidson at Caffe Vivaldi, 9:30 PM. 32 Jones St.
Marek & The Boss Chops at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228
W. 47th St.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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(Continued from page 19)
 Ches Smith/Devin Hoff at I Beam, 9:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
 Brazilian Carnival Party feat. Brasil Live at Lucille's, B.B. King
Blues Club, 9:30 PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
 Joan Minor at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Crescent City Maulers at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
 Peter Zak 2 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl.
 300 feat. Briggan Kraus & Elliot Sharp at The Stone, 10PM.
Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Sonic Projections: The Secret Escapades of Fred Anderson at
Roulette, 10:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
 Mike DiRubbo 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Paulo Stagnaro Group at Terraza 7, 10:30 PM. 40-19 Gleane St.,
Elmhurst, Queens.
 Daylight Blues Band at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Adam Larson at Dizzy's After Hours, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus
Cir. #10.
 Lakecia Benjamin at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Sunday, June 15
 Bob Stump & The Roadside Attraction at The Falcon, 10AM.
1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
 Klezmer Brunch: Isle of Klezbos at City Winery, 11:00 AM. 155
Varick St.
 Allan Harris at Blue Note, 11:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Kyoko Oyobe 3 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Tracy George at Hibiscus, 12PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ.
 Jazz Age Lawn Party: Michael Arenella & His Dreamland
Orchestra at Governors Island, 12:30, 2:15, & 3:50 PM. Period
dress encouraged. Governors Island.
 Marianne Solivan at North Square Lounge, 12:30 PM. 103
Waverly Pl.
 Joey Morant & Catfish Stew: Tribute to Louis Armstrong at
Lucille's, B.B. King Blues Club, 1:00 PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
 Red Hook Jazz Festival at Urban Meadow, 1:00 PM. Artists
include Welf Dorr Unit, Tim Berne's Decay, George Coleman &
The Rivington Project, and others. Corner of President and Van
Brunt Streets, Bklyn.
 Jazz Age Lawn Party: Peter Mintun at Governors Island, 1:15
and 3:00 PM. Period dress encouraged. Governors Island.
 Jazz Age Lawn Party: Gelber & Manning at Governors Island,
1:25 and 3:10 PM. Period dress encouraged. Governors Island.
 Giacomo Gates at Perez Presents, 2:00 PM. 71 Ocean Pkwy. J,
Bklyn.
 Adam Wade at Trumpets, 3:00 PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
 Joanie Samra at Deer Head Inn, 5PM. 5 Main St., Delaware
Water Gap PA.
 Signal Problems at Pianos, 5PM. 158 Ludlow St.
 Angelica Sanchez/Omar Tamez at Roulette, 5PM. 509 Atlantic
Ave., Bklyn.
 Keisha St. Joan feat. Bertha Hope at St. Peter's, 5PM. 619
Lexington Ave.
 Lee Feldman & His Problems at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E.
52nd.
 Westchester Swing Band at 12 Grapes, 5:30 PM. 12 N. Division
St., Peekskill NY.
 Bill McCrossen/Joe Carter at Grasso's, 6PM. 134 Main St., Cold
Spring Harbor NY.
 Fay Victor/Tyshawn Sorey at Roulette, 6PM. 509 Atlantic Ave.,
Bklyn.
 Ray Anderson at 55 Bar, 6:15 PM. 55 Christopher St.
 DogCat Ensemble at Barbes, 7PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
 Project TH3M feat. Mark Sherman & Adam Nussbaum at The
Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
 Kidd Jordan/Dave Burrell 4 at Roulette, 7PM. 509 Atlantic Ave.,
Bklyn.
 Tim Hegarty Band at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Slang at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
 Jorge Luis Pacheco at Drom, 7:15 PM. 85 Avenue A.
 Curtis Salgado at Infinity Music Hall, 7:30 PM. 20 Greenwoods
Rd. W., Norfolk CT.
 Yovsany Terry & Afro-Cuban Roots at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Elio Villafranca at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
 Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 John Lander 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 8PM. 32 Jones St.
 Eric Gales 3 at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
 Marco DiGennaro at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Poetry by David Henderson at Roulette, 8PM. 509 Atlantic Ave.,
Bklyn.
 Jacques Schwartz-Bart, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
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Briggan Kraus/Kenny Wollesen, Stone, 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Connie Crothers/Henry Grimes, Roulette, 509 Atlantic, Bklyn.
Rogerio Bocato 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Annie Chen 6 at Drom, 9:30 PM. 85 Avenue A.
Janine Gilbert-Carter at Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St.
Roy Campbell Tribute, Roulette, 9PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Musical Minds Orchestra at Nublu, 10PM. 62 Avenue C.
Briggan Kraus, Wayne Horvitz, Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. & Ave C.
Tsutomu Naki 3 at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Spike Wilner at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Monday, June 16
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Tom Finn 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Int’l Women in Jazz at St. Peter's, 7PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
Michael Sachs at Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Izzo/Rosenbaum 2 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Rose Ellis at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Danny Bacher at Le Cirque Cafe, 7:30 PM. 151 E. 58th St.
Melissa Aldana/Crash Trio at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Andy Bey at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Josh Deutsch at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Elektra Kurtis, Symphony Space, 8PM. 2537 Broadway.
Alma Micic 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Nels Cline w/Les Paul 3 at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Tammy Scheffer, Shapeshifter Lab, 9PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Trombeatz at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 3rd floor, 212 E. 52nd St.
Ari Hoenig 4 at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Afro Mantra at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tuesday, June 17
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Quentin Angus 4 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Navad Pelled 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Silver Arrow Band at Drom, 6:30 PM. 85 Avenue A.
Bob Smith 4 feat. Richie Cole at Amici Milano, 7PM. 600
Chestnut Ave., Trenton NJ.
Jaleel Shaw/Elena Pinderhughes at Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18
Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Dheepa Chari 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Jason Marsalis 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th
Melvis Santa at Minton's, 7:30 PM. 296 W. 118th St.
Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Tavitjan Brothers w/ Rosanna Vitro at Weill Recital Hall,
Carnegie Hall, 8PM. Corner of 57th St. and 7th Ave.
Curtis Stigers at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Lou Volpe, NYC Baha'i Center, 8:00 and 9:30 PM. 11 E. 53rd St.
Ric Molina Group at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Isaiah Barr 5 at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Anthony Cheung/Steve Lehman, Stone, 8PM. 2nd St. & Ave C.
Craig Yaremko, Vic Juris, Tomi Jazz, 239 E. 53rd St.
Bill McHenry at Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Eduardo Belo 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Tom Beckham/Brad Shepik, Cornelia Cafe, 8PM. 29 Cornelia
Chris Bergson at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Cam Wharram 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Matt Moran 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Anthony Cheung, Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Joonsam Lee 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Joe McDonough, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Wednesday, June 18
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Dylan Meek 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Kevin Wang 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Tish Rabe at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
B.D. Lenz at Mara's Cafe, 7PM. 250 South Ave., Fanwood NJ.
Jason Lindner, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Luis Camacho at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Fatum Brothers at Antibes Bistro, 7:30 PM. 112 Suffolk St.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
(Continued on page 22)
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June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
friday, June 6 @ 8 pm
friday, june 13 @ 8 pm
Jonny Lang
Cash is King:
Special Guest Matt Andersen
The Grammy Award winning
sensation is back and he’s
sounding better than ever!
His new album, “Fight For
My Soul,” defies categorization by a single genre.
Johnny Cash Tribute
With period costumes, cover
versions of Cash classics and
between song banter that
mirrors the personality of the
man and his band, they capture
the Johnny Cash experience.
Thursday, June 19 @ 8 pm
saturday, june 28 @ 8 PM
Dana Carvey
Jim Breuer
Emmy Award winning
comedian, American Comedy
Award recipient and Saturday
Night Live alumn, he has
maintained a tremendous
career. Don’t miss this
amazing night of stand up!
One of Comedy Central’s
100 Greatest Stand-Ups of
All Time, he is one of the
most recognizable comedians,
known for charismatic stage
antics, dead-on impressions,
and family friendly stand-up.
sunday, June 29 @ 8 PM
Grand Funk Railroad
With Special Guest Petey Hop
“You cannot talk about rock in the 1970s without talking about Grand
Funk Railroad!” -David Fricke, Rolling Stone Magazine
Having formed in 1969, this year marks the 45th anniversary of the band,
and after their sold out show in 2012, the Playhouse is very excited to
bring back the platinum selling band, who has sold more than 25 million
records over the course of their career.
80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT
203.438.5795 • www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org
(Continued from page 20)
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Columbus Cir. #10.
Jason Marsalis 4 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th .
Judy Carmichael, SubCulture, 7:30 PM. 45 Bleecker St.
Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Willie Nile at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
Antonio Adolfo/Hendrik Meurkens 4 at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Av
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Diane Moser at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Alon Nechustan, Donny McCaslin, Duane Eubanks at Cornelia
St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Anastasia Rene at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Jeremy Viner 4 at Seeds, 8:30 PM. 617 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn.
Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Sheryl Bailey 4 at Fat Cat, 9PM. 75 Christopher St.
Leni Stern at Silvana, 9PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Eivind Opsvik 4 at Spectrum, 9PM. 121 Ludlow St.
 Houston Person/Barbara Levy Daniels at Metropolitan Room,
9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Candombe Uruguayo, Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Jozef du Moulin at Spectrum, 10PM. 121 Ludlow St.
 Ray Parker 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Joe McDonough at Dizzy's After Hours, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus
Cir. #10.
 Jeb Patton 3 at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursday, June 19
 Cecilia Coleman Big Band at St. Peter's Plaza, 12:30 PM.
Corner of 54th St. & Lexington Ave.
 Rick Stone 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Matt McDonals/Max Siegal 5 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
 Dwayne Clemons 5 at Smalls, 6PM. 183 W. 10th St.
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Mike Irwin 3 at Strand Bistro, 6PM. 33 W. 37th St.
Rafal Sarnecki 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
New School Jazz, Pier 45, Hudson River Park, 6PM. W. 10th St.
Larry Newcomb 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
Kari Ikonen/Bob Moses, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Jeff Barone 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Nick Finzer 5 at Stone House, 7PM. 50 Stirling Rd., Warren NJ.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Fabien Sevilla at I Beam, 7:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Warren Wolf's Wolfpack at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111
E. 27th St.
Duke Ellington Society, St. Peter's, 7:30 PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
Lou Caputo 4, Trumpets, 7:30, 9PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Andy Statman at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Andy Statman at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic, Greenwich House, 8PM. 46 Barrow
Nancy Reed, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Tommy Campbell 4 at Makeda, 8PM. 338 George St., New
Brunswick NJ.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Florencia Gonzalez at Way Station, 8PM. 683 Washington Ave.,
Bklyn.
Sten Hostfalt, Shapeshifter Lab, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Lage Lund 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Rob Garcia, Dan Tepfer, Cornelia Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Harlem Renaissance Orch, Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Scot Albertson/Ron Jackson at Tomi Jazz, 9PM. Lower level,
239 E. 53rd St.
Hector Martignon at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9:30 PM. 236 E. 3rd
Ameen Saleem Group at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Gato Loco at Barbes, 10PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Chris Carroll 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Vincent Brown Project at Somethin' Jazz, 11PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Joe McDonough, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Carlos Abadie 5 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Friday, June 20
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Yoav Shlomov Band at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Masami Ishikawa 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Javon Jackson, Shanghai Jazz, 6:30 PM. 24 Main, Madison NJ.
Max Gallico at Pier 45, Hudson River Park, 7PM. W. 10th St.
Manny Moreira/Julie E: Tribute to Tom Jobim at Lucille's, B.B.
King Blues Club, 7:00 and 9PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Melba Moore at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Film Screening: Un Passo Avanti (A Step Ahead) with live
performance & jam session by Roberta Garrison 4 at
Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Rhonda Denet at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Christian McBride at Alvin & Friends, 7:30 PM. 14 Memorial
Hwy., New Rochelle NY.
Quentin Angus, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Warren Wolf's Wolfpack at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30
PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Matt Baker 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Nilson Matta, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Hendrik Meurkens at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Eric Frazier at Jazz 966, 8:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Bobby Lynn at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Benedikt Jahnel 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
Godwin Louis at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Ron Jackson 3 at Teddy's Bar, 9PM. 96 Berry St.
Mike Bardash 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Ron Sunshine Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
Matthew Gold, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Vinnie Knight 3 at Jazz 966, 10:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
George Colligan 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Kevin Dorn and the BIG 72 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Joe McDonough at Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Vladimir Cetkar at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
(Continued on page 24)
22
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Alan Broadbent
June 23
Dizzy’s Club
Photo by Eric Nemeyer
Saturday, June 21
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Daniela Schaechter 3 at Garage, 12PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Fascinators, Armstrong House, 12PM. 34-56 197th St., Queens.
Cynthia Holiday, Harlem Cares, 12PM. 127th St. and 7th Ave.
Leni Stern at Big Road, 2:00 PM. 235 W. 23rd St.
Jovan Johnson at Green Oasis, 2:00 PM. 8th St. and Avenue C.
Sarah Jane Cion, NYPL Riverdale, 2PM. 5540 Mosholu, Bronx.
Kat Gang, Armstrong House, 2:30 PM. 34-56 197th St., Queens.
Alon Nechushtan, National Jazz Museum, 2PM. 104 E. 126th St.
Orrin Evans, Candlelight Lounge, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic St.,
Trenton NJ.
Leni Stern at Le Paris Dakar, 4:00 PM. 518 Nostrand Ave., Bklyn.
Benno Marmur 3 at Pianos, 4:00 PM. 158 Ludlow St.
Jennifer Beckles 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Daryl Stewart at Harlem Tavern, 5:30 PM. 2153 8th Ave.
Jay & Carolyn Leonhart at Il Porto, 6PM. 37 Washington, Bklyn.
Mark Marino 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Javon Jackson, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
Bob Dorough, Deer Head, 5 Main., Delaware Water Gap PA.
Ed Palermo Big Band, Falcon, 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
Nils Weinhold 3 at Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Warren Wolf's Wolfpack at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30
PM. 111 E. 27th St.
David Schnitter 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Frank Lacy, Tammany Hall, 7:30 PM. 152 Orchard St.
Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Ken Simon 4 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Dave Bromberg Big Band at Count Basie Theatre, 8PM. 99
Monmouth St., Red Bank NJ.
Ben Perowsky, Doma Na Rohu, 8PM. 27 Morton St.
Nilson Matta, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Martin Wind 4 at Puffin Cultural Forum, 8PM. 20 Puffin Way,
Teaneck NJ.
Todd Wolfe Band at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
Curtis Hasselbring at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Oscar Peñas at Whynot Jazz Room, 8:30 PM. 14 Christopher St.
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Loren Stillman, Cornelia Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Godwin Louis at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Brett Sandler at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Vince Scuderi's Out of the Box Big Band at Metropolitan
Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Swingadelic at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
Jesse Harris/Julian Lage at Stage 3, Rockwood Music Hall,
10PM. 196 Allen St.
Jazzique, Williamsburg Music Ctr, 10PM. 367 Bedford, Bklyn.
George Colligan 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
James Stewart 3 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Joe McDonough, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Marcus Strickland at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Philip Harper at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Sunday, June 22
 Fabian Almazan 3 feat. Camila Meza at Blue Note, 11:30 AM.
131 W. 3rd St.
 Iris Ornig 4 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Joe Alterman 3 at Lucille's, B.B. King Blues Club, 1:00 PM. 237
W. 42nd St.
 Eileen Howard, West End Lounge, 3:30 PM. 955 West End Ave.
 Loren Daniels: Jazz in the Spirit at St. Paul's Luthern Church,
4:30 PM. 61 Church St., Teaneck NJ.
 Anderson Brothers 8 at Smalls, 4:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Bill Charlap, Deer Head, 5PM. 5 Main, Delaware Water Gap PA.
 Adam Larson 5 at St. Peter's, 5PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
 Wilson “Chembo” Corneil w/Elio Villafranca at Drom, 5:30 and
8PM. 85 Avenue A.
 Daryl Sherman, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
 Jeremy DeJesus at Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Moira Lo Bianco at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Michel Petrucciani Project feat. Dominic Duval at Treme, 7PM.
553 Main St., Islip NY.
 Michael Treni Big Band at Trumpets, 7PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
 Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
 Warren Wolf's Wolfpack at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111
E. 27th St.
 Champian Fulton at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Avishai Cohen 3 at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St.
 Jill McCarron at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Astrid & Strings at Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Defne Sahin 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 John Lander 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St.
 Mario Castro, Shapeshifter Lab, 9PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
 Nathan Lee Graham at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd
 Dave Kain Group at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Monday, June 23
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Nick Finzer 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Lou Caputo's Not So Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
New West Guitar Group at SubCulture, 7PM. 45 Bleecker St.
Vanessa Perea at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Matt Baker 3 at Le Cirque Cafe, 7:30 PM. 151 E. 58th St.
Alan Broadbent 3 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Michel Camilo at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Special Ambient Chaos at Spectrum, 8PM. Artists include
Jazzfakers, Max Alper, Rick Parker, and others. 121 Ludlow St.
Garth Knox at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Marianne Solivan, Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Garth Knox, Stone, 9PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
David Berkman 4 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Garth Knox, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Adam Moezinia 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tuesday, June 24
 Candace DeBartolo 4 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Nick Lancaster 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Cecile McLorin Salvant at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center,
6:30 PM. Dance lessons at 6:30; music at 7:30 PM. Corner of
Amsterdam Ave. and W. 62nd St.
(Continued on page 26)
24
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Michel Camilo
June 23-24
Blue Note
Photo by Eric Nemeyer
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“Good intentions
will always be pleaded
for every assumption of authority.
It is hardly too strong to say that the
Constitution was made to guard the
people against the dangers of good
intentions. There are men in all ages who
mean to govern well, but they mean to
govern. They promise to be good
masters . . . . . but they mean
to be masters.”
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Wednesday, June 25
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— Noah Webster
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26
Emilie Weibel at Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Chris Bergson at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Jaleel Shaw, Seeds, 8:30 PM. 617 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn.
Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Alexa Ray Joel at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Ben Goldberg/Kirk Knuffke 4 at Korzo, 9PM. 667 5th Ave., Bklyn.
Ralph Lalama 5 w/Nicole Pasternak at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM.
212 E. 52nd.
Ben Kono, Shapeshifter Lab, 9:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Rachel Brotman 4 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 10PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Tom Rainey's Obligatto feat. Ingrid Laubrock at The Stone,
10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Paul Francis 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tony Malaby at Korzo, 10:30 PM. 667 5th Ave., Bklyn.
Steven Feifke 7 & Big Band at Dizzy's After Hours, 11:30 PM.
10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Irene Walsh at Caffe Vivaldi, 7PM. 32 Jones St.
Barbara McCarthy at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Gene Segal 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Jonathan Gee 3 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Bruce Barth 4 feat. Steve Nelson at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30
PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Melvis Santa at Minton's, 7:30 PM. 296 W. 118th St.
Michel Camilo at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
J.C. Sanford at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Carbon Mirage at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Ralph Alessi, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Florencia Gonzalez at Tomi Jazz, 8PM. 239 E. 53rd St.
Matt Davis 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
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Dre Barnes Project at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Nick Biello 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Steve Lehman, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Yuka Mito 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
The Partisans at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Camila Meza 4 feat. Fabian Almazan at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Erik Lawrence at Turning Point, 7:30 PM. 468 Piermont Ave.,
Piermont NY.
Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Ingrid Laubrock, Greenwich House, 8PM. 46 Barrow St.
Ginger Baker w/Pee Wee Ellis & Alec Dankworth at B.B. King
Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Peter Bernstein, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Geoff Gallante 5 feat. Harry Allen at Morris Museum, 8PM. 6
Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown NJ.
Vanessa Perea Group at New Brunswick Hyatt, 8PM. 2 Albany
St., New Brunswick NJ.
Kermit Driscoll, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Norma Winstone, SubCulture, 8PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St.
Sara Serpa/Andre Matos, Cornelia Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
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Anastasia Rene at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Alexa Ray Joel at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Alexis Parsons at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Teruo Nakamura at Zinc Bar, 9PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Kris Davis at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Benjamin Drazen 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Steven Feifke 7 & Big Band at Dizzy's After Hours, 11:30 PM.
10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Jared Gold 3 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursday, June 26
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Charenee Wade, St. Peter's Plaza, 12PM. 54th St. & Lexington Av
Native Soul at Birdland, 6PM. 315 W. 44th St.
Marsha Heydt, Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Leonor Falcon at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Carl Maraghi Group at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Yehonatan Cohen, Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Will Terrell 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway.
Kelsey Jillette at Liberty House, 7PM. 76 Audrey Zapp Dr.,
Jersey City NJ.
Dave Kardas Band at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Azar Lawrence at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Marcus Miller at Highline Ballroom, 7:30 PM. 431 W. 16th St.
Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th S
Pete McGuinness, Trumpets, 7PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Carrie Jackson, 16 Prospect, 8PM. 16 Prospect, Westfield NJ.
Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Ginger Baker w/Pee Wee Ellis & Alec Dankworth at B.B. King
Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Tony Middleton 5 at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Jerry Weldon 4, Makeda, 8PM. 338 George, New Brunswick NJ.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Nate Wooley at Roulette, 8PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Ingrid Laubrock, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Andy Milne at SubCulture, 8PM. Lower level, 45 Bleecker St.
Fabian Almazan, Shapeshifter, 8:15 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Howard Alden/Warren Vache, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal
Haggai Cohen-Milo 4 at Cornelia Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Paquito D’Rivera
June 17-22
Dizzy’s Club
Photo by Eric Nemeyer
Your Marketing Blueprint:
The First Step
Dear Artists, Industry Professionals and Business Owners,
In order to help you be more successful, here is how to effectively
reach us at Jazz Inside Magazine — to buy advertising space, marketing & promotional services, get your CD reviewed, and for any and all
editorial and feature considerations.
Please send a letter of interest with complete information and all of
your contact data (phone, e-mail, street or P.O. Box mailing address) in
an email to Eric Nemeyer at eric@jazzinsidemagazine.com
For immediate attention put “Business Inquiry” in the SUBJECT field,
followed by one or all of the following: “AD”, “CD”, “Marketing/
Promotion.”
For example: Business Inquiry – Marketing/Promotion.
Thank you for your interest in Jazz Inside Magazine, I am looking forward to helping you with your business needs.
In Music, and Continued Success to Your Goals.
Eric
Eric Nemeyer
How Would You Like To Make Headers Like These Instantly?
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Stanley Jordan at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Alexa Ray Joel at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Marques/Stinson/O'Farrill at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St.
Gabriel Guerrero 4 feat. Dan Blake at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and
11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Willie Martinez 6 at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 9:30 PM. 236 E. 3rd
Ingrid Laubrock, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Adam Rongo 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Steven Feifke Big Band w/Michael Mwenso at Dizzy's After
Hours, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Nick Hempton Band at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Friday, June 27
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Shoshana Bush at Cornelia St. Cafe, 6PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Tom Tallitsch 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Champian Fulton, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main, Madison NJ.
J. Bennington, Blaise Siwula, Shapeshifter, 18 Whitwell, Bklyn.
Tom Goerhring, Deer Head, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA.
Chuck Braman, Pier 45, Hudson River Park, 7PM. W. 10th St.
Joe Pino 3 at Pianos, 7PM. 158 Ludlow St.
Takeshi Asai 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Carol Saboya 4 at Zinc Bar, 7:00 and 8:30 PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
George Coleman at Alvin & Friends, 7:30 PM. 14 Memorial
Hwy., New Rochelle NY.
Sheryl Bailey 3 at Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St.
Azar Lawrence at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111
E. 27th St.
Ralph Lalama & Bop Juice at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Denton Darien 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Ted Rosenthal at Kitano, 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Spyro Gyra at Newton Theatre, 8PM. 234 Spring St., Newton NJ.
Emily Wolf Project at Pianos, 8PM. 158 Ludlow St.
Choco Orta at SOB's, 8PM. 204 Varick St.
Ben Goldberg, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Cole Porter Revue, Town Hall, 8PM. Tom Wopat, Catherine
Russell, Vince Giordano. 123 W. 43rd St.
Oscar Perez 4 at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Marie Toussaint, Jazz 966, 8PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Stanley Jordan at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Pete Davenport at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Alexa Ray Joel at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Adam Kolker, Billy Hart, Cornelia Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Ben van Gelder at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
J.P. Jofre at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Felix Cabrera, Turning Point, 9PM. 468 Piermont, Piermont NY.
Sean Smith/David Hazeltine, Knickerbocker, 33 University Pl.
Peter Valera at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Steven Feifke 7 & Big Band at Dizzy's After Hours, 11:30 PM.
10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Rebirth Brass Band at Drom, 12:00 AM. 85 Avenue A.
Jeremiah Hosea at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Saturday, June 28
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28
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Alex Layne 3 at Garage, 12PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Bob DeVos, Candlelight, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic St., Trenton NJ.
Lara Bello, Cornelia St. Cafe, 6PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Houston Person w/Carrie Jackson & Dave Baham 3 at Memorial West Presbyterian Church, 6PM. 286 S. 7th St., Newark NJ.
Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Kaoru Watanabe at Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl.,
Bklyn.
Isaiah Barr 6 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
James Silberstein 3 feat. Harvie S at Bar Next Door, 7:30, 9:30,
& 11:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Azar Lawrence at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111
E. 27th St.
Don Friedman 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Mike Latimore 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Simona Premazzi, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Frank Vignola/Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub at Rosendale Cafe,
8PM. 434 Main St., Rosendale NY.
Ruben Gonzalez at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Anders Hagberg at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl.,
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
(Continued from page 28)
Bklyn.
 Ingrid Laubrock, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Kathryn Allyn/Frank Ponzio at Tomi Jazz, 239 E. 53rd St.
 Diane Marino, Harry Allen, Trumpets, 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
 Ben Goldberg, Donny McCaslin, I Beam, 8PM. 168 7th, Bklyn.
 Stanley Jordan at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
 Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Alexa Ray Joel at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Matt Pavolka, Cornelia Cafe, 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
 Ben van Gelder at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
 Bob Gluck/Andrew Sterman at Spectrum, 9PM. 121 Ludlow St.
 Sean Smith/David Hazeltine, Knickerbocker, 33 University Pl.
 Virginia Mayhew 4 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Mark de Clive-Lowe's Church at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W.
3rd St.
Sunday, June 29
 Erik Lawrence, Falcon, 10AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
 Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage at Blue Note, 11:30 AM. 131 W.
3rd St.
 Pam Purvis/Bob Ackerman at Hibiscus, 12PM. 270 South St.,
Morristown NJ.
 Joonsam Lee 3 at Jules Bistro, 12PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Jason “Malletman” Taylor, B.B. King’s, 1PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
 Elan Trotman, Emmanuel Baptist, 3PM. 279 Lafayette, Bklyn.
 Alex Brown 4 at St. Peter's, 5PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
 Aida Brandes 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Marlene Verplanck, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main, Madison NJ.
 Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th
 Ron Aprea Big Band w/Angela DeNiro at Trumpets, 7:30 and
9PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
 Harmolodic Monk at Whynot Jazz Room, 7:30 PM. 14 Christopher St.
 Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Jill McCarron at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Mary Halvorson, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Dave Ambrosio, Loren Stillman, Cornelia Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
 Shades of Jazz: Keith Jarrett's Music at Iridium, 8:30 PM. Dan
Tepfer, Greg Osby, James Weidman. 1650 Broadway.
 Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Inspiracy Duo at Whynot Jazz Room, 9PM. 14 Christopher St.
 Kris Davis, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
 Sarah Slonim 3 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Monday, June 30
 Ben Bryden 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Jenny Scheinman w/Brian Blade at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 6:30
PM. 158 Bleecker St.
 Cecilia Coleman Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Peggy Duquesnel 2 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
 Kay Matsukawa at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
 Avalon Jazz Band at Le Cirque Cafe, 7:30 PM. 151 E. 58th St.
 Deer Head Inn Jazz Orchestra at Deer Head Inn, 7:30 PM. 5
Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA.
 Jazz at Lincoln Center Faculty Band at Dizzy's Club Coca
Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
 Mingus Orchestra at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th
 Eden Ladin 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Gato Barbieri at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
 Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
 Jocelyn Medina 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal .
 Chris Bergson at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Lauren Lee at Metropolitan Room, 9PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Danny Jonokuchi 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
 Juni Booth at Nublu, 11PM. 62 Avenue C.
REGULAR GIGS
Mondays (6/2, 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30)
 Hayes Greenfield 3 (except 6/16) at Pearl's Social & Billy Club,
5PM. 40 St. Nicholas Ave., Bklyn.
 Earl Rose at Bemelmans', 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Rick Bogart 3 at Broadway Thai, 6PM. 241 W. 51st St.
 Kat Gang/Joe Young at Arcane Bistro, 7:00. 111 Avenue C.
 Akiko Tsuruga 3 at Kotobuki, 7PM. 56 3rd Ave.
 Mingus Big Band (except 6/2 and 6/30) at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
 Jon Weiss 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Vince Giordano Nighthawks at Iguana, 8PM. 240 W. 54th .
 Iris Ornig Jam Session at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
 Cotton Club All Stars at Cotton Club, 8:30 PM. 656 W. 125th St.
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
29
(Continued from page 29)
 Swingadelic at Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
 Vanguard Jazz Orch, Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
 Woody Allen & Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band (except
6/23 and 6/30) at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Earl Rose 3 at Bemelmans', 9PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Terry Waldo, Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th St.
 Jam Session at Cleopatra's Needle, 10PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Jim Campilongo, Rockwood Music Hall, 10PM. 196 Allen St.
 Oz Noy 3 at The Bitter End, 10:30 PM. 147 Bleecker St.
 Spencer Murphy at Smalls, 12:30 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Tuesdays (6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24)
 Gotham Jazzmen at NY Public Library for Performing Arts,
12PM. 40 Lincoln Ctr. Plz. (Please use Amsterdam Ave. entrance.)
 NY Jazz Workshop, Mixing Rm, Lexington Hotel, 6PM. 511
Lexington Ave.
 Saul Rubin's ZEBTET at Fat Cat, 7PM. 75 Christopher St.
 Spike Wilner 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Marc Devine 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Vince Giordano at Iguana, 8PM. 240 W. 54th St.
 Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave.
 Loston Harris 3 at Bemelmans', 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Annie Ross at Metropolitan Room, 9:30 PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
 Trad & Gypsy Jazz Jam Session at Mominette, 10:30 PM. 221
Knickerbocker Ave., Bklyn.
Wednesdays (6/4, 6/11, 6/18, 6/25)
 Midtown Jazz @ Midday at St. Peter's, 1:00 PM. Artists TBA.
619 Lexington Ave.
 Bill Crow, Red Hat Bistro, 1 Bridge St., Irvington-on-Hudson NY.
 Joel Forrester at Manhattan Inn, 632 Manhattan Ave., Bklyn.
 Courtney Graf at Millesime, 7PM. 92 Madison Ave.
 Cleve Douglass at Moscow 57, 7PM. 168 ½ Delancey St.
 Stan Rubin Orchestra at Swing 46, 7PM. 349 W. 46th St.
 Jason Marshall, American Legion Post #398, 248 W. 132nd St.
 Les Kurtz 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
 Jonathan Kreisberg, Bar Next Door, 8PM. 129 MacDougal St.
 Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave.
 Kat Gang, Rose Club, Plaza Hotel, 9PM. 5th Av & Central Pk W.
30
 Loston Harris 3 at Bemelmans', 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Joe Cohn (except 6/4) at Clipper City Tall Ship, 9:45 PM. Gangway 1, Battery Park.
 Joonsam Lee at Cleopatra's Needle, 11:30 PM. 2485 Broadway.
Thursdays (6/5, 6/12, 6/19, 6/26)
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Chris Gillespie at Bemelmans', 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Laura Foulke at Moscow 57, 7PM. 168 ½ Delancey St.
Terry Waldo, Manhattan Inn, 7PM. 632 Manhattan Ave., Bklyn.
Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave.
Ed Cherry (except 6/5) at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Lauren Henderson 3 at Millesime, 8PM. 92 Madison Ave.
Lapis Luna, Plaza Hotel, 8PM. 5th Ave. and Central Park W.
Michael Arenella 4 at Red Room, 8:30 PM. 3rd floor, 85 E. 4th St.
Loston Harris 3 at Bemelmans', 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Jam w/Kazu 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 11:30 PM. 2485 Broadway.
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Jam Session at Smalls, 4:00 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Minton's Players at Minton's, 6PM. 296 W. 118th St.
Brian Newman at General Jazz Room, 7PM. 199 Bowery.
Charlie Apicella, Il Porto, 7PM. 37 Washington Ave., Bklyn.
Lauren Henderson 3 at Millesime, 8PM. 92 Madison Ave.
Bill Saxton All Stars at Bill's Place, 9PM. 148 W. 132nd St.
Mac Gollehon Latin All Stars feat. Glenda del E at Cotton Club,
9PM. 656 W. 125th St.
Jam Session, Williamsburg Music, 9PM. 367 Bedford, Bklyn.
Loston Harris 3 at Bemelmans', 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Sweet Georgia Brown, Arthur's Tavern, 10PM. 57 Grove St.
Joanna Sternberg, Cleopatra's Needle, 12AM. 2485 Broadway.
Fridays (6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27)
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Saturdays (6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28)
 Joonsam Lee 2 at Jules Bistro, 12PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 NY Jazz Academy Big Band Workshop & Vocal Jazz Workshop at St. Peter's, 12PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
 Jam Session at Smalls, 4:00 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
 Chris Gillespie at Bemelmans', 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
 Rick Bogart 3 at Broadway Thai, 8PM. 241 W. 51st St.
 Eric Lemon, Brownstone Jazz, 8PM. 107 Macon St., Bklyn.
 Avalon Jazz Band at Matisse, 8PM. 924 2nd Ave.
 Bob Demeo & Friends at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
 Bill Saxton All Stars at Bill's Place, 9PM. 148 W. 132nd St.
 Loston Harris 3 at Bemelmans', 9:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Sundays (6/1, 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29)
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Tony Middleton, Kitano, 11AM . 66 Park Ave.
Baby Soda Jazz Band at Tribeca Grand Hotel, 11AM. 2 6th Ave.
Afro-Latin Jazz Cats at Fat Cat, 12PM. 75 Christopher St.
David Acker 3 (except 6/22 and 6/29) at Jules Bistro, 12PM. 65
St. Mark's Pl.
Bossa Nova Brunch: Nanny Assis, SOB's, 12PM. 204 Varick St.
Bob Kindred 3 at Cafe Loup, 12:30 PM. 105 W. 13th St.
Keith Ingham 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 4:00 PM. 2485 Broadway.
Earl Rose at Bemelmans', 5PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Rick Bogart 3 at Broadway Thai, 6PM. 241 W. 51st St.
Junior Mance 3 at Cafe Loup, 6:30 PM. 105 W. 13th St.
David Coss 4 (except 6/1 and 6/29) at Garage, 6:30 PM. 99 7th
Ave. S.
J.C. Hopkins Biggish Band w/Queen Esther at Minton's, 7PM.
296 W. 118th St.
Ellen Kaye & Friends at Moscow 57, 7PM. 168 ½ Delancey St.
Carl Thompson at Pane e Vino, 9PM. 174 Smith St., Bklyn.
Peter Mazza 3 at Bar Next Door, 8PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Renaud Penant at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Felix and the Cats (except 6/8 and 6/29) at Swing 46, 8:30 PM.
349 W. 46th St.
Stephane Wremble at Barbes, 9PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Billy Stritch/Jim Caruso at Bemelmans', 9PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Michika Fukumori, Cleopatra's Needle, 9PM. 2485 Broadway.
John Benitez Jam Session at Terraza 7, 9:30 PM. 40-19 Gleane
St., Elmhurst, Queens.
Stew Cutler & Friends at Arthur's Tavern, 10PM. 57 Grove St.
Johnny O'Neal at Smalls, 10PM. 183 W. 10th St.
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH
 Thru Aug. 3: Satchmo at the Waldorf: A Play by Terry Teachout
Starring John Douglas Thompson as Louis Armstrong at
Westside Theatre Upstairs. 107 W. 43rd St.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Clubs, Venues & Jazz Resources
55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. 212-929-9883, www.55bar.com
92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128,
212.415.5500, www.92ndsty.org
Aaron Davis Hall, City College of NY, Convent Ave., 212-6506900, www.aarondavishall.org
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Broadway & 65th St., 212875-5050, www.lincolncenter.org/default.asp
Allen Room, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Broadway
and 60th, 5th floor, 212-258-9800, www.lincolncenter.org/
default.asp
American Museum of Natural History, 81st St. & Central
Park W., 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org
Arthur’s Tavern, 57 Grove St., 212-675-6879 or 917-3018759, www.arthurstavernnyc.com
Arts Maplewood, P.O. Box 383, Maplewood, NJ 07040; 973378-2133, www.artsmaplewood.org
Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. & 65th St.,
212-875-5030, www.lincolncenter.org
BAM Café, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-636-4100,
www.bam.org
Barbes, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.), Park Slope, Brooklyn,
718-965-9177, www.barbesbrooklyn.com
Barge Music, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn, 718-624-2083,
www.bargemusic.org
B.B. King’s Blues Bar, 237 W. 42nd St., 212-997-4144,
www.bbkingblues.com
Beacon Theatre, 74th St. & Broadway, 212-496-7070
Bickford Theatre, on Columbia Turnpike @ Normandy Heights
Road, east of downtown Morristown. 973-744-2600
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St., 212-581-3080
Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St., 212-475-8592, bluenotejazz.com
Bourbon St Bar and Grille, 346 W. 46th St, NY, 10036,
212-245-2030, contact@bourbonny.com
Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (at Bleecker), 212-614-0505,
www.bowerypoetry.com
BRIC House, 647 Fulton St. Brooklyn, NY 11217, 718-6835600, http://bricartsmedia.org
Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, NY, 718-230-2100, www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org
Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center, 605
Main St., Middletown, CT. 860-347-4957, buttonwood.org.
Café Carlyle, 35 E. 76th St., 212-570-7189,
www.thecarlyle.com
Café Loup, 105 W. 13th St. (West Village) , between Sixth and
Seventh Aves., 212-255-4746
Café St. Bart’s, 109 E. 50th St, 212-888-2664, cafestbarts.com
Caffe Vivaldi, 32 Jones St, NYC; www.caffevivaldi.com
Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St, Trenton. 609-695-9612.
Carnegie Hall, 7th Av & 57th, 212-247-7800,
www.carnegiehall.org
Chico’s House Of Jazz, In Shoppes at the Arcade, 631 Lake
Ave., Asbury Park, 732-774-5299
City Winery, 155 Varick St. Bet. Vandam & Spring St., 212608-0555. www.citywinery.com
Cleopatra’s Needle, 2485 Broadway (betw 92nd & 93rd), 212769-6969, www.cleopatrasneedleny.com
Copeland’s, 547 W. 145th St. (at Bdwy), 212-234-2356
Cornelia St Café, 29 Cornelia St., 212-989-9319,
www.corneliaStcafe.com
Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, New Jersey
07701, 732-842-9000, www.countbasietheatre.org
Crossroads at Garwood, 78 North Ave., Garwood, NJ 07027,
908-232-5666
Cutting Room, 19 W. 24th St, www.thecuttingroomnyc.com,
212-691-1900
“A government
which lays taxes on
the people, not required by urgent
public necessity and sound public
policy, is not a protector of liberty,
but an instrument of tyranny. It
condemns the citizen
to servitude.”
- Calvin Coolidge, 30th U.S. President
32
Destino, 891 First Ave. & 50th St., 212-751-0700
Division St Grill, 26 North Division St, Peekskill, NY, 914-7396380, www.divisionStgrill.com
Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor, 212258-9595, www.jalc.com
DROM, 85 Avenue A, New York, 212-777-1157, dromnyc.com
The Ear Inn, 326 Spring St., NY, 212-226-9060,
www.earinn.com
El Museo Del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave (at 104th St.), Tel: 212831-7272, Fax: 212-831-7927, www.elmuseo.org
The Falcon, 1348 Rt. 9W, Marlboro, NY., 845) 236-7970,
Fat Cat, 75 Christopher St., 212-675-7369, fatcatjazz.com
Five Spot, 459 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 718-852-0202,
www.fivespotsoulfood.com
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY,
718-463-7700 x222, www.flushingtownhall.org
For My Sweet, 1103 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY 718-857-1427
Frank’s Cocktail Lounge, 660 Fulton St. (at Lafayette), Brooklyn, NY, 718-625-9339, www.frankscocktaillounge.com
Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-782-5188,
www.galapagosartspace.com
Garage Restaurant and Café, 99 Seventh Ave. (betw 4th and
Bleecker), 212-645-0600, www.garagerest.com
Garden Café, 4961 Broadway, by 207th St., New York, 10034,
212-544-9480
Ginny’s Supper Club, 310 Malcolm X Boulevard Manhattan,
NY 10027, 212-792-9001, http://redroosterharlem.com/ginnys/
Glen Rock Inn, 222 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ, (201) 4452362, www.glenrockinn.com
Greenwich Village Bistro, 13 Carmine St., 212-206-9777,
www.greenwichvillagebistro.com
Harlem Tea Room, 1793A Madison Ave., 212-348-3471,
www.harlemtearoom.com
Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley St, Orange. 862-252-9147.
www.hatcitykitchen.com
Havana Central West End, 2911 Broadway/114th St), NYC,
212-662-8830, www.havanacentral.com
Hibiscus Restaurant, 270 S. St, Morristown, NJ, 973-359-0200,
www.hibiscusrestaurantnj.com
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th St (between 9th & 10th Ave.
www.highlineballroom.com, 212-414-4314.
Hopewell Valley Bistro, 15 East Broad St, Hopewell, NJ 08525,
609-466-9889, www.hopewellvalleybistro.com
Hyatt New Brunswick, 2 Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ
IBeam Music Studio, 168 7th St., Brooklyn, ibeambrooklyn.com
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 212-582-2121, iridiumjazzclub.com
Jazz 966, 966 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-6910
Jazz at Lincoln Center, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800,
www.jalc.org
 Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor
 Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Reservations: 212-258-9595
 Rose Theater, Tickets: 212-721-6500, The Allen Room,
Tickets: 212-721-6500
Jazz Gallery, 1160 Broadway, New York, NY 10001, (212)
242-1063, www.jazzgallery.org
The Jazz Spot, 375 Kosciuszko St. (enter at 179 Marcus Garvey
Blvd.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-453-7825, www.thejazz.8m.com
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., 212-576-2232,
www.jazzstandard.net
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St & Astor Pl.,
212-539-8778, www.joespub.com
John Birks Gillespie Auditorium (see Baha’i Center)
Jules Bistro, 65 St. Marks Place, Tel: 212-477-5560, Fax: 212420-0998, www.julesbistro.com
Kasser Theater, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair State College,
Montclair, 973-655-4000, www.montclair.edu/arts/
performancefacilities/alexanderkasser.html
Key Club, 58 Park Place, Newark, NJ, (973) 799-0306,
www.keyclubnj.com
Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave., 212-885-7119. www.kitano.com
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Pl., 212-228-8490,
www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com
The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., Tel: 212-219-3132,
www.knittingfactory.com
La Famiglia Sorrento, 631 Central Ave, Westfield, NJ, 07090,
908-232-2642, www.lafamigliasorrento.com
Langham Place — Measure, Fifth Avenue, 400 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018, 212-613-8738, langhamplacehotels.com
La Lanterna (Bar Next Door at La Lanterna), 129 MacDougal
St, New York, 212-529-5945, www.lalanternarcaffe.com
Le Madeleine, 403 W. 43rd St. (betw 9th & 10th Ave.), New
York, New York, 212-246-2993, www.lemadeleine.com
Les Gallery Clemente Soto Velez, 107 Suffolk St. (at Rivington St.), 212-260-4080
Live @ The Falcon, 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro, NY 12542,
Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. (betw Rivington & Stanton), 212533-7235, www.livingroomny.com
The Local 269, 269 E. Houston St. (corner of Suffolk St.), NYC
Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (at Columbus Ave.), 212-601-1000,
makor.org
Lounge Zen, 254 DeGraw Ave, Teaneck, NJ, (201) 692-8585,
www.lounge-zen.com
Makeda, George St., New Brunswick. NJ, www.nbjp.org
Maxwell’s, 1039 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ, 201-653-1703,
www.maxwellsnj.com
McCarter Theater, 91 University Pl., Princeton, 609-258-2787,
www.mccarter.org
Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St. (betw
Broadway & Amsterdam), 212-501-3330, www.ekcc.org/
merkin.htm
Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St NY, NY 10012, 212206-0440
Mirelle’s, 170 Post Ave., Westbury, NY, 516-338-4933
Mixed Notes Café, 333 Elmont Rd., Elmont, NY (Queens area),
516-328-2233, www.mixednotescafe.com
Montauk Club, 25 Eighth Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-0800,
www.montaukclub.com
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (between
103rd & 104th St.), 212-534-1672, www.mcny.org
Musicians’ Local 802, 332 W. 48th St., 718-468-7376 or
860-231-0663
Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark, New Jersey
07102-3176, 973-596-6550, www.newarkmuseum.org
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark,
NJ, 07102, 973-642-8989, www.njpac.org
New School Performance Space, 55 W. 13th St., 5th Floor
(betw 5th & 6th Ave.), 212-229-5896, www.newschool.edu.
New School University-Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St.,
1st Floor, Room 106, 212-229-5488, www.newschool.edu
New York City Baha’i Center, 53 E. 11th St. (betw Broadway
& University), 212-222-5159, www.bahainyc.org
Night of the Cookers, 767 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, Tel: 718797-1197, Fax: 718-797-0975
North Square Lounge, 103 Waverly Pl. (at MacDougal St.),
212-254-1200, www.northsquarejazz.com
Novita Bistro & Lounge, 25 New St, Metuchen.
Nublu, 62 Ave. C (betw 4th & 5th St.), 212-979-9925
Nuyorican Poet’s Café, 236 E. 3rd St. (betw Ave. B & C), 212505-8183, www.nuyorican.org
Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. (betw 5th
and 6th Ave.), 212-840-6800, www.thealgonquin.net
Oceana Restaurant, 120 West 49th St, New York, NY 10020
212-759-5941, www.oceanarestaurant.com
Opia, 130 East 57th St, New York, NY 10022, 212-688-3939
www.opiarestaurant.com
Orchid, 765 Sixth Ave. (betw 25th & 26th St.), 212-206-9928
Palazzo Restaurant, 11 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair.
973-746-6778. www.palazzonj.com
Pigalle, 790 8th Ave. 212-489-2233. www.pigallenyc.com
Priory Restaurant & Jazz Club: 223 W Market St., Newark,
NJ 07103, 973-639-7885
Private Place, 29 S. Center St, South Orange, NJ, 973-675-6620
www.privateplacelounge.com
Proper Café, 217-01 Linden Blvd., Queens, 718-341-2233
Prospect Park Bandshell, 9th St. & Prospect Park W., Brooklyn, NY, 718-768-0855
Prospect Wine Bar & Bistro, 16 Prospect St. Westfield, NJ,
908-232-7320, www.16prospect.com, www.cjayrecords.com
Red Eye Grill, 890 Seventh Ave. (at 56th St.), 212-541-9000,
www.redeyegrill.com
Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main St.,
Ridgefield, CT; ridgefieldplayhouse.org, 203-438-5795
Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St, New York, NY 10002
212-477-4155
Rose Center (American Museum of Natural History), 81st St.
(Central Park W. & Columbus), 212-769-5100, amnh.org/rose
Rose Hall, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, www.jalc.org
Rosendale Café, 434 Main St., PO Box 436, Rosendale, NY
12472, 845-658-9048, www.rosendalecafe.com
Rubin Museum of Art - “Harlem in the Himalayas”, 150 W.
17th St. 212-620-5000. www.rmanyc.org
Rustik, 471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 347-406-9700, www.
rustikrestaurant.com
Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl, Brooklyn, 646-820-9452.
www.shapeshifterlab.com
St. Mark’s Church, 131 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.), 212-674-6377
St. Nick’s Pub, 773 St. Nicholas Av (at 149th), 212-283-9728
St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington (at 54th), 212-935-2200,
www.saintpeters.org
Salon at Rue 57, 60 W. 57th St, 212-307-5656, www.rue57.com
Sasa’s Lounge, 924 Columbus Ave, Between 105th & 106th St.
NY, NY 10025, 212-865-5159, sasasloungenyc.yolasite.com
Savoy Grill, 60 Park Place, Newark, NJ 07102, 973-286-1700
Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., 212-491-2200,
www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html
Session Bistro. 245 Maywood Avenue, Maywood. 201-8807810.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison, NJ, 973-822-2899,
www.shanghaijazz.com
ShapeShifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.shapeshifterlab.com
Showman’s, 375 W. 125th St., 212-864-8941
Sidewalk Café, 94 Ave. A, 212-473-7373
Silver Spoon, 124 Main St., Cold Spring, NY 10516, 845-2652525, www.silverspooncoldpspring.com
Sista’s Place, 456 Nostrand Ave. (at Jefferson Ave.), Brooklyn,
NY, 718-398-1766, www.sistasplace.org
Skippers Plane St Pub, 304 University Ave. Newark NJ, 973733-9300, www.skippersplaneStpub.com
Smalls Jazz Club, 183 W. 10th St. (at 7th Ave.), 212-929-7565,
www.SmallsJazzClub.com
Smith’s Bar, 701 8th Ave, New York, 212-246-3268
Sofia’s Restaurant - Club Cache’ [downstairs], Edison Hotel,
221 W. 46th St. (between Broadway & 8th Ave), 212-719-5799
Somethin’ Jazz Club, 212 E. 52nd St., NY, 212-371-7657
Sophie’s Bistro, 700 Hamilton St., Somerset. www.nbjp.org
South Gate Restaurant & Bar, 154 Central Park South, 212484-5120, www.154southgate.com
South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC
Way, South Orange, NJ 07079, sopacnow.org, 973-313-2787
South St Seaport, 207 Front St., 212-748-8600,
www.southstseaport.org.
Spoken Words Café, 266 4th Av, Brooklyn, 718-596-3923
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, 165 W. 65th St., 10th Floor,
212-721-6500, www.lincolncenter.org
The Stone, Ave. C & 2nd St., www.thestonenyc.com
Sugar Bar, 254 W. 72nd St, 212-579-0222, sugarbarnyc.com
Swing 46, 349 W. 46th St.(betw 8th & 9th Ave.),
212-262-9554, www.swing46.com
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Tel: 212-864-1414, Fax:
212- 932-3228, www.symphonyspace.org
Tea Lounge, 837 Union St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave), Park Slope,
Broooklyn, 718-789-2762, www.tealoungeNY.com
Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St. (betw Thompson & LaGuardia),
212-777-7776, www.terrablues.com
Thea tre Row , 4 10 W. 42 nd , 212 -71 4-2 442,
www.theatrerow.org
Tito Puente’s Restaurant and Cabaret, 64 City Island Avenue,
City Island, Bronx, 718-885-3200, titopuentesrestaurant.com
Tomi Jazz, 239 E. 53rd St., lower level. 646-497-1254,
www.tomijazz.com
Tonic, 107 Norfolk St. (betw Delancey & Rivington), Tel: 212358-7501, Fax: 212-358-1237, tonicnyc.com
Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St., 212-997-1003
Trash Bar, 256 Grand St. 718-599-1000. www.thetrashbar.com
Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. (betw Broadway & Columbus
Ave.), 212-362-2590, www.triadnyc.com
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St, 10007,
info@tribecapac.org, www.tribecapac.org
Trumpets, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ, 973-744-2600, www.
trumpetsjazz.com
Tumulty’s Pub, 361 George St., New Brunswick
Turning Point Cafe, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, N.Y. 10968
(845) 359-1089, http://www.turningpointcafe.com/
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S., 212-255-4037,
www.villagevanguard.net
Vision Festival, 212-696-6681, info@visionfestival.org,
www.visionfestival.org
Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Rd, Watchung, NJ 07069,
908-753-0190, www.watchungarts.org
Watercolor Café, 2094 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY
10538, 914-834-2213, www.watercolorcafe.net
Weill Receital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th & 7th Ave,
212-247-7800
Williamsburg Music Center, 367 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn,
NY 11211, (718) 384-1654 www.wmcjazz.org
Zankel Hall, 881 7th Ave, New York, 212-247-7800
Zebulon, 258 Wythe St., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, 718-218-6934,
www.zebuloncafeconcert.com
Zinc Bar, 82 West 3rd St.
RECORD STORES
Academy Records, 12 W. 18th St., New York, NY 10011, 212242-3000, http://www.academy-records.com
Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe St, New York, NY
10002, (212) 473-0043, www.downtownmusicgallery.com
Jazz Record Center, 236 W. 26th St., Room 804,
212-675-4480, www.jazzrecordcenter.com
Princeton Record Exchange, 20 South Tulane St, Princeton,
NJ 08542, 609-921-0881, www.prex.com
Scotti’s Records, 351 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ, 07901,
908-277-3893, www.scotticd.com
MUSIC STORES
Drummers World, Inc., 151 W. 46th St., NY, NY 10036, 212840-3057, 212-391-1185, www.drummersworld.com
Roberto’s Woodwind & Brass, 149 West 46th St. NY, NY
10036, 646-366-0240, Repair Shop: 212-391-1315; 212-8407224, www.robertoswoodwind.com
Rod Baltimore Intl Woodwind & Brass, 168 W. 48 St. New
York, NY 10036, 212-302-5893
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Sam Ash, 333 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 719-2299 www.samash.com
Sadowsky Guitars Ltd, 2107 41st Avenue 4th Floor, Long
Island City, NY 11101, 718-433-1990. www.sadowsky.com
Steve Maxwell Vintage Drums, 723 7th Ave, 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10019, 212-730-8138, www.maxwelldrums.com
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CONSERVATORIES
92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
212.415.5500; www.92ndsty.org
Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, 42-76 Main St.,
Flushing, NY, Tel: 718-461-8910, Fax: 718-886-2450
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn,
NY, 718-622-3300, www.brooklynconservatory.com
City College of NY-Jazz Program, 212-650-5411,
Columbia University, 2960 Broadway, 10027
Drummers Collective, 541 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011,
212-741-0091, www.thecoll.com
Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Rd., 516-424-7000,
ext.163, Dix Hills, NY
Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow St., Tel: 212-2424770, Fax: 212-366-9621, www.greenwichhouse.org
Juilliard School of Music, 60 Lincoln Ctr, 212-799-5000
LaGuardia Community College/CUNI, 31-10 Thomson Ave.,
Long Island City, 718-482-5151
Lincoln Center — Jazz At Lincoln Center, 140 W. 65th St.,
10023, 212-258-9816, 212-258-9900
Long Island University — Brooklyn Campus, Dept. of Music,
University Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-488-1051, 718-488-1372
Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave., 10027,
212-749-2805, 2802, 212-749-3025
New Jersey City University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City,
NJ 07305, 888-441-6528
New School, 55 W. 13th St., 212-229-5896, 212-229-8936
New York University-Jazz/Contemporary Music Studies, 35
West 4th St. Room#777, 212-998-5446, 212-995-4043
NY Jazz Academy, 718-426-0633 NYJazzAcademy.com
Princeton University-Dept. of Music, Woolworth Center Musical Studies, Princeton, NJ, 609-258-4241, 609-258-6793
Queens College — Copland School of Music, City University
of NY, Flushing, 718-997-3800
Rutgers Univ. at New Brunswick, Jazz Studies, Douglass
Campus, PO Box 270, New Brunswick, NJ, 908-932-9302
Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, 185 University
Avenue, Newark NJ 07102, 973-353-5595
newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/index1.html
SUNY Purchase, 735 Anderson Hill, Purchase, 914-251-6300
Swing University (see Jazz At Lincoln Center, under Venues)
William Paterson University Jazz Studies Program, 300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ, 973-720-2320
RADIO
WBGO 88.3 FM, 54 Park Pl, Newark, NJ 07102, Tel: 973-6248880, Fax: 973-824-8888, www.wbgo.org
WCWP, LIU/C.W. Post Campus
WFDU, http://alpha.fdu.edu/wfdu/wfdufm/index2.html
WKCR 89.9, Columbia University, 2920 Broadway
Mailcode 2612, New York, NY 10027, Listener Line: (212) 8549920, www.columbia.edu/cu/wkcr, jazz@wkcr.org
One Great Song, Hosted by Jay Harris, www.wmnr.org (at 6 on
Saturdays, and at www.tribecaradio.net at 11AM Sundays and
again on Monday and Thursday nights at 11PM.)
Lenore Raphael’s JazzSpot, www.purejazzradio.com.
PERFORMING GROUPS
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, 490 Riverside Drive, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10027, 212-896-1700, www.orpheusnyc.com
Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Emily Tabin, Director, PO Box
506, Chappaqua, NY 10514, 914-861-9100,
www.westjazzorch.org
ADDITIONAL JAZZ RESOURCES
Big Apple Jazz, www.bigapplejazz.com, 718-606-8442,
gordon@bigapplejazz.com
Louis Armstrong House, 34-56 107th St, Corona, NY 11368,
718-997-3670, www.satchmo.net
Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, RutgersUniv, 185 University Av, Newark, NJ, 07102, 973-353-5595
Jazzmobile, Inc., www.jazzmobile.org
Jazz Museum in Harlem, 104 E. 126th St., 212-348-8300,
www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org
Jazz Foundation of America, 322 W. 48th St. 10036,
212-245-3999, www.jazzfoundation.org
New Jersey Jazz Society, 1-800-303-NJJS, www.njjs.org
New York Blues & Jazz Society, www.NYBluesandJazz.org
Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St, New York, NY,
212-620-5000 ex 344, www.rmanyc.org.
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June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
33
Interview
William Parker
Going to the Root, Rather than the Fruit
Interview by Ken Weiss
York’s annual Vision Festival, the world’s premier presentation of creative jazz and the arts.
This interview took place in the tranquil setting
of his Tompkins Square Park-based apartment’s
backyard garden on June 16, 2013.
Visit William Parker online at
www.WilliamParker.net
Hear William Parker at the
Vision Vestival, June 11-15
It’s hard to believe that bassist William Parker is
only 61-years-old (born 1/10/52 in the Bronx,
NY), he’s been such a pivotal figure on the creative music scene for so long, not just as a player
but as a composer, visionist, poet, and scene
organizer. It’s astonishing that one man has
meant so much but it’s difficult to imagine the
New York free jazz scene without him. Parker
has shown the uncanny ability to be a leader of
men (and women) and has been described by
pianist Matthew Shipp as “A ‘spiritual beacon’
for musicians.” It’s not just that he’s remained
true to himself throughout his career, and the
undeniable skill with which he plays, it’s also his
vision of how to live and play music to enlighten
those around him. He believes that music can
uplift people and make this world a better place.
Jazz Inside Magazine: Congratulations on your
very recent 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist
Award. Have you thought about how you’ll use
the award funding?
William Parker: I am the first person in my
school of music to receive such an award. That is
if we say “Afro-American Creative Music Concepts.” I’m in the process of thinking about that
now. Outside of some personal things I need to
do with my family, I would like to investigate
ways to organize all of my archives and see if
there are strategic ways to address some of the
needs of the music community. Of course, these
are lofty dreams that have to be carefully thought
about.
JI: You’re viewed as the leader of New York’s
“...we met with other musicians to talk
about making the transition from the
‘give me a gig’ mentality to creating
our own work until people actually
got interested and were offering gigs.”
After studying with master bassists such as
Jimmy Garrison, Richard Davis, Milt Hinton
and Wilbur Ware, Parker toured extensively with
Cecil Taylor and later David S. Ware, along
with most of the world’s top creative jazz musicians. Although best known for his work in the
avant-garde arena, Parker has wide-reaching
interests – leading orchestras along with projects covering the music of Curtis Mayfield and
Duke Ellington, as well as a clarinet trio, a violin trio, an organ quartet dealing soul jazz, and
a recording with Merengue musicians. He’s also
recorded with hip-hop groups and rock groups
such as The Roots, Yo La Tengo and Akron/
Family and been an important force behind New
34
creative jazz music scene, the glue that holds it
together and a mentor to many. The New York
Times labeled you the “father to the followers of
free jazz” and the Village Voice has proclaimed
you to be “the most consistently brilliant free
jazz bassist of all time.” You’re quiet and unassuming by nature, how did you come to be considered the leader of the scene?
WP: I don’t know about all of that but I will say
that I’ve been very fortunate, I came on the
scene in ‘71-’72, when the original ESP Records
was in transition and I was on one of their last
recordings – Black Beings. It was done at Ornette Coleman’s Artist House at 131 Prince
Street with Frank Lowe, Joseph Jarman, Raymond Lee Cheng and Rashid Sinan. Also at that
time, I was able to meet many of the first line
Afro-American creative music musicians such as
Rashied Ali, Sunny Murray, Charles Tyler,
Charles Brackeen and Ronnie Boykins. I played
with Don Cherry, Daniel Carter, Hassan
Dawkins, Billy Bang, Butch Morris and Wayne
Horvitz. At the same time, I was playing with
Maxine Sullivan and Billy Higgins in different
situations and I knew Marzette Watts, poets
George Edward Tait and Gylan Kain, so I was
always crossing lines as far as schools or crops
of musicians and I played with anyone and everyone I could play with around that time. Along
with Billy Bang, we began to organize our own
music festivals as early as 1974 and we had a
very special group at that time called The Music
Ensemble which consisted of Earl Freeman and
myself on bass, Billy Bang on violin, drummer
Roger Baird, trumpeters Dewey Johnson and
Malik Baraka and Daniel Carter on saxophones.
We played for two years before we made a public performance – we’d meet every Friday at
Roger’s house and play for three to four hours.
In those days, you’d make a flyer, get a space,
and spend many hours walking the streets, putting up the flyers in order to do a concert. There
were no gigs offered, you had to create your own
gigs. When Rashied Ali opened up Ali’s Alley,
his was the first place we could play for a week.
Doing these sorts of things, you met a lot of
people and you developed a profile for organizing, for helping people, and for being at the hub
of activity. I was very lucky to always be in the
middle of things and that just followed suit. In
1980, I met bass player Peter Kowald on 11th
Street and Avenue B, just walking down the
street, and then we played together and I went to
Europe [through him] many times and got involved with the Free Music Productions there
and then in December of 1980, I began playing
bass on a regular basis with Cecil Taylor from
1980-1991. So I was always involved with many
layers of things. At the same time, I met Billy
Higgins at the Firehouse and was going out to
his house three times a week to play in his basement with him and that’s where I met Clifford
Jordan and Wilbur Ware. In 1984, Peter Kowald,
myself and Patricia Nicholson Parker organized
the festival Sound Unity, which was named by
Daniel Carter’s wife, the painter Marilyn Sontag.
The idea of that was to have a festival where
everyone would get paid 100 dollars and there
would be no leaders. There’d be heads of groups
but no leader’s fee. As a precursor to the festival,
I called meetings in New York and Bill Dixon
came all the way down from Bennington on a
Saturday morning and we met with other musicians to talk about making the transition from the
‘give me a gig’ mentality to creating our own
work until people actually got interested and
were offering gigs. So we did the festival and it
was very successful and a movie was made out
of it. In ‘88, we did another Sound Unity Festival, which was structured a little differently. I
rented the Knitting Factory for one thousand
dollars for the whole week and included Dewey
Redman, Peter Brotzmann, Sonny Sharrock,
Milford Graves, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell,
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 36)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
William Parker
June 11-15, Vision Festival
William Parker
David S. Ware and Cassandra Wilson. Michael
Dorf (Knitting Factory owner) saw how this
festival filled his place and then the next summer, he began his own Knitting Factory festival.
So he was inspired by seeing how many people
came. Up until that time, the Knitting Factory
never had any people in there, not until the two
consecutive weeks he booked Sun Ra first and
then Cecil Taylor, and that’s when it began to be
the Knitting Factory and really bloom with people. So I guess some people looked at me and
they saw me in the middle of all these places,
and that’s how I got that label. That’s the opinion of some New York writers but the musicians
may have their own opinions.
JI: Have your organizational efforts changed
through the years?
WP: After 1988 I wasn’t interested in organizing things anymore but Patricia Nicholson
Parker (Parker’s wife] was and she organized the
Improvisers Collective—a weekly gathering of
musicians, dancers and poets creating and playing each other’s music. This eventually morphed
into [the organization] Arts for Art which developed into what we have now—the Vision Festival. For years, people have been thanking me for
the festival and I’ve had to say, ‘I’m not the
organizer of the Vision Festival, Patricia Nicholson is.’ The truth be told, I was going in another
is. I don’t acknowledge the term. I think when
they speak about Downtown music they’re not
talking about me. They are talking about something virtual. Music cannot be pinned into a
geographic location and if they are talking about
the music of Elliott Sharp and Anthony Coleman
[as Downtown], their music is much broader
than a label can contain. From my perspective, I
never got the feeling that they were talking about
me because I’ve always felt I was part of the
black music scene as pronounced and inspired
by Milford Graves, Cecil Taylor, Bill Dixon and
Archie Shepp. I think each musician should define their own music in terms of the words or
symbols that they like and not have it defined by
outsiders who are not musicians. Downtown and
underground are words that confine the idea of
music and they are also inaccurate. I would like
to embrace the term Afro-American Creative
Music Improvisation.
JI: So if we take what you and the people you
work with do, what’s different about that compared to what the rest are doing? What’s unique
about your musical environment?
WP: The music and the circle of musicians I
have played with throughout the years – Milford
Graves, Charles Gayle, Edward “Kidd” Jordan –
all heard Coltrane play the imprint of the music
that came out of the civil rights movement. This
music is not academic, it’s steeped in the tradition of trance (transformation) and the Freedom
to take the music to its limits. To play as hard
and as fast, as melodic or rhythmic as one would
“I think each musician should define
their own music in terms of the words or
symbols that they like and not have it
defined by outsiders who are not
musicians. Downtown and underground
are words that confine the idea of music
and they are also inaccurate.”
direction and I didn’t want to do it anymore. Not
that I ever did that much of it, I did it when it
was needed to be done. It’s a lot of work to organize it, to raise money, do the booking, and the
publicity. The Vision Festival was all Patricia’s
idea and it’s been a labor of love. It’s a constant
struggle to get the money to keep it going.
JI: The term Downtown music is often used to
define New York City’s creative music scene. I
don’t know how you feel about that label but
how is Downtown music unique in comparison
to other avant-garde jazz music around the
globe?
WP: I don’t really know what Downtown Music
36
like to play, to play until the sick are healed and
the sleepers awake. Dealing with the concept of
pure improvisation, breaking the rules of logic
and tapping into the source of all sound and
going past barriers, reconnecting and starting
with a people’s revolution. Yes, this is what
we’re working on now, to have the concept that,
and I don’t know if everybody agrees with this,
but we’re talking about the idea of Vision Artists—people who are connected with the Vision
Festival and have a certain esthetic and that esthetic is that we are root music. Most of these
people are in their ‘60s and ‘70s and it’s not
many people. That’s a different generation than
Matthew Shipp because he’s ten years younger
than we are and I’m ten years younger than Mil-
ford Graves, so you’re talking about three generations. The tradition is to be part of the whole
while maintaining your individuality. One of the
properties of what we are dealing with is trying
to be musical by way of being human. There’s a
rawness about the music but it’s refined at the
same time. It’s misunderstood because people
have no idea what we’re doing because no one
bothers to ask us to explain it. It’s mainly a personal sound that has to do with a very high vision that surrounds the music and everybody that
I know, from Sabir Mateen to Roy Campbell,
has been dealing in things of the spirit for years.
We’re here and the music is passing through us
and we believe in The Creator, and we believe
that we are here to play music sent from The
Creator through us to give people of Earth some
form of enlightenment. We’re here to move people in subtle ways. The greatest revolutionary is
in fact a flower. The younger people are a little
bit more into science and physics but definitely,
the older school people are dealing with energy,
spirit and improvisation, and that equals intellectualism for us. Music is also physics. There is
nothing more intellectual than hope, than kindness, than becoming one with the universe and
nature—going to the root, rather than the fruit.
The root is where the music comes from and
that’s what we’re trying to do. A lot of these
musicians are black and there’s a separation
between black and white musicians in esthetic
and what we do but we play together. There’s
also a difference between black and black musicians, but the fact that it seems that as black
musicians, playing the music we play, since we
live in America and America is like a river of
racism, that we’re trying to heal and mend, but
it’s still there and it’s the way things are still run.
It’s become a way of life. Someone told me that
at one point [one of the jazz magazines] had a
rule that they couldn’t have black musicians on
the cover.
JI: What do you tell your students about music?
WP: I tell them that they can save the world
through music. You can bring about any change
you want through music because you are dealing
with the soul and if you change people’s soul…I
know it changed my life and I know it can
change others. If you consciously work on that
and say, “I want my music to change people’s
lives,” not just make sounds, it really becomes a
reality. If it becomes your purpose, it can happen, and you don’t have to believe that but it
really gives you focus and there are people who
really have a gift. There are special people who,
when they play, people like Kidd Jordan,
Charles Gayle, and the bassist Sirone was like
that. It’s not just what they play, they are just
different. They are people with what I call
“Illuminated Sounds.” They have a glow. Wadada Leo Smith, when he plays the trumpet,
there’s just something extra. He’s not trying to
play something extra, he’s just developed what
he does and is able to make sound vibrate in a
particular way. Of course, there are exercises
and things you can do to help you do that, but
you have to have faith and the belief that you
play a sound and something happens to sprout
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 37)
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William Parker
wings on that sound so that it can fly, and I think
that’s the key to really getting to the essence of
the music. Anybody can get to that unless it’s
taught out of you through music school. You
have to not be afraid to be yourself.
JI: How do you keep your bass playing fresh?
How do you avoid playing the same lines over
and over?
WP: I did a recording last night in Brooklyn
with Matthew Shipp, Sabir Mateen and Gerald
Cleaver and the music kept flowing. I kept thinking – ‘I never played that before, I never played
that before.’ The thing is, sometimes, I’ll be
trying to play things I played before but other
things come up. I’ll tell you the truth, as much as
you’d like to stay centered, sometimes you run
out of stuff to play so you play your vocabulary.
You have prewritten sentences that you can use
but when you use these things that are prewritten
until they are played when they come out and are
transformed to new beings. It keeps happening
and happening, at least to me. It’s hard to do the
same thing, even when you think you’re doing
the same thing, you’re not doing the same thing
because everything is changing around us. The
music is always a step ahead of us and once you
realize that, you follow it. You practice to sort of
follow the music, not practice to lead the music.
It’s like the image of I’m sitting here and it’s
raining and I’m getting wet, but if I become the
rain, I’m not getting wet. If you become the
sunshine, you don’t get hot. You’re becoming
one with the music. No one ever told me this,
this is something you figure out for yourself.
JI: Does spiritual enrichment come from all
forms of music? Does it come from hip-hop and
heavy metal? Can all music elevate the soul?
WP: Yes, it doesn’t have anything to do with
style, it has to do with the intent of the people
doing it. You have to look at music like a child,
a child is its own being and eventually [each
child can prosper even in difficult environments]. Even the most corny pop singer, one day
he’s going to be doing his show and something’s
gonna’ happen. He won’t even know where it’s
coming from, but he’s gonna’ get the spirit and
start singing and it’s gonna’ elevate. Music just
wants to do that, it needs to do that and, of
course, people that develop that and have that as
their life’s focus, it becomes something they can
do at will. Jimmy Lyons was like that, he went
right to the center of the music immediately.
Charles Gayle was able to accept the mystery of
his gift. You have to study with the people who
know about these things to bring it out in you. It
can happen in any music. It could be a harmonica in a 90-piece philharmonic, playing all this
stuff, and what this guy’s playing could be just
as effective as anything. We’re all special, it’s
just that we don’t develop what’s special about
us. We don’t know we’re special and we have
these gifts and we can do special things. Creativity doesn’t stop with Duke Ellington. Of course
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
you can’t top Duke Ellington being Duke Ellington, it’s about being who you are. Creativity is
endless. If you’re going to say that everything’s
been done then why start playing music? Don’t
even pick up the horn with that defeatist attitude.
We haven’t even gotten close to all that can be
done. On the other hand, pop music isn’t really
designed for enlightenment, it’s for entertainment. You hire a band for your wedding to entertain you, you wouldn’t call a shaman to your
wedding, but a shaman uses sound to heal and
that’s the direction I’m moving towards. I’m
moving towards healing rather than trying to
resolve a phrase or make a solo meet itself. It’s
about getting into a trance and jumping into the
music and letting it go, getting it to lift up. I’ve
had people come up to me and say, “I heard you
play ten years ago and you changed my life.”
When I was playing with David S. Ware, a guy
came and said, “I had cancer and I started listening to your music and it really helped me.” This
music is a form of radiation, a positive light
radiating through people. You know you are
helping them, enlightening them.
JI: How many listeners in your audience are you
reaching?
WP: At a concert, it might be one person in the
audience and I call this the “Destiny Line.”
There’s one person there for you that night and
you’re meant to be playing on that particular day
“You can only respect
yourself to the degree
you respect other people.”
Larry Mullins, The MetaValues Breakthrough
band named William Parker and there’s another
band that records my music all the time. That’s
good but you have to keep going and stay focused and keep the ego down.
JI: You’ve learned to visualize each string of the
bass as a band of light and the bow as a prism so
when you play it causes each sound to emit a
different color. How does this impact upon your
work and on others?
WP: When I first started studying the bass, a
wealth of information was coming through me. I
was inspired by filmmaker Stan Brakhage who
made a film called The Text of Light where he
filmed light going through an ashtray for eight
hours. I saw that film and I didn’t know what it
was until maybe ten years after because all you
saw was light. I found in my bass practicing that
there was a full sound and there was a harmonic
sound and I had written this piece called
“...might be one person in the audience and I
call this the ‘Destiny Line.’ There’s one person
there for you that night and you’re meant to be
playing on that particular day for that one
person. It’s like having an appointment to meet
that one person but you don’t know about it.”
for that one person. It’s like having an appointment to meet that one person but you don’t know
about it. Sometimes that’s how it is. You might
have played only one good solo in your life but
maybe that was your assignment. That’s what
I’m thinking about now and why things are the
way they are. If six people come to the concert,
you [have to] play like there are 60,000 people.
You play the same way because one of those
people could be there for you and you’re supposed to be there for them. It’s a belief system
that keeps you going to do what you do. You
have to believe in your music and believe in
what you’re doing to keep going. Somehow,
ends will meet, the money will come, and you’ll
survive because you’re supposed to be here doing this.
JI: How does it make you feel when someone
comes up and tells you that you changed them?
WP: It gives you confirmation that you’re on the
right track but I don’t harp on it. I’ve had people
say they named a kid after me. There’s a rock
“Cathedral of Light,” that’s why I went to see
Text of Light, to see what was going on. When I
looked at the two works, I saw that “Cathedral of
Light” was harmonics and the harmonics are like
the colors. The string is a band of light, the bow
is a prism, and I was sure that that’s where the
nutrients of the sound were in the harmonics and
when you really listened to music, somehow
that’s what went into our soul. Sound went into
our ears, the colors went into our souls. That’s
new, I’ve never said that before, by the way. The
colors somehow do things to us and give us
nourishment. That was the theory behind it and
that was gonna’ be, no matter what I did, if I
could tap into that, it would go beyond what they
heard, it would go inside them and vibrate and
that’s where the healing would take place. That
was early on, when I was nineteen to twenty
years old studying the bass, that I got these
ideas. If I couldn’t do anything else, every concert I could play just harmonics. Later on, I
heard the idea of harmonics in Cecil McBee
during his solo on “Love” which is on Pharoah
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 57)
37
PRESS RELEASE
Jazz Forum - Celebrating 35 Years
Mark Morganelli Hosts A Star-Studded Performance At NYU Skirball
Center To Celebrate The 35th Anniversary of His Founding The Jazz Forum
Jazz Forum Arts Founder & Executive
Director Mark Morganelli invites jazz fans to join him,
along with more than two dozen Jazz luminaries for
Jazz Forum @ 35! This featured event of the Blue
Note Jazz Festival celebrates the Thirty-Fifth Anniversary of trumpeter/flugelhornist Morganelli’s Jazz Forum lofts, where some of the greatest jazz artists in
Sonny Fortune
Photo © Eric Nemeyer
the world performed between 1979 and 1983. TwentyFive of those artists will reconvene in Greenwich
Village, where it all began, for one special evening
beginning at 8pm on Saturday, June 28, 2014 at the
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square, New York, NY. Jazz
artists performing that night will be Lee Konitz, Kenny
Barron, Larry Willis, Michele Rosewoman, Vic Juris,
Dave Stryker, Jon Burr, Cameron Brown, Sonny Fortune, Billy Hart, Marion Cowings, Jon Hendricks,
Charli Persip, T.S. Monk, Candido, David Amram,
Bobby Sanabria, Harvie S, Wallace Roney, Steve
Turre, Ronnie Cuber, Michael Carvin, Valery Ponomarev, Bob Mover, and Ray Drummond, plus more
to be announced.
Mark Morganelli, then a 24-year-old trumpeter, established the Jazz Forum at 50 Cooper
Square in New York City’s East Village in June of
1979 to provide opportunities for emerging and established artists and their groups to perform in a relaxed
loft-setting. Just out of Bucknell University, he emphasized jazz education by renting his loft to Detroit piano
icon Barry Harris, whose legendary classes grew from
25 to 150 students every Monday night for three
years. From Morganelli’s own rehearsal big band
grew steady, weekly large ensemble presentations of
Chuck Israels’ National Jazz Ensemble, Jaki Byard’s
Apollo Stompers, and Charli Persip’s Superband.
There were also weekly jam sessions led by drummer
Jo Jones, Jr. During the period when the second Jazz
Forum operated at 648 Broadway at Bleecker Street,
from 1981 to 1983, the loft played host to many benefits for ailing musicians, several National Public Radio
broadcasts, a few celebrated recordings, and the
award-winning film Music In Monk Time, featuring
Dizzy Gillespie, Carmen McRae, Milt Jackson, and
Jon Hendricks.
When the Jazz Forum closed in April 1983,
after four short years, Morganelli had presented 1500
concerts, including memorable shows by Art Blakey,
Philly Joe Jones, Tommy Flanagan and Barry Harris,
Sphere, Roy Haynes, Pepper Adams, Al Haig, Lee
Konitz, Bill Hardman, Junior Cook, Cedar Walton, Bob
Berg and Tom Harrell, and many other great artists.
In 1985, Morganelli established Jazz Forum Arts, a not-for-profit arts presenting organization,
and launched the Riverside Park Arts Festival, which
concluded in 1997. He has produced almost 60 compact discs, most for Candid Records. Twenty-two
years ago, he inaugurated the Jazz at the Music Hall
series in Tarrytown. He has produced numerous jazz
festivals and concerts, including a piano series at
Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Dizzy Gillespie 75th Birthday Concert at Carnegie Hall, and more.
Tickets for JAZZ FORUM @ 35! presented
by Jazz Forum Arts, on Saturday, June 28, 2014 at
8pm at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at
NYU are $35, $55 and $75 and can be purchased at
the NYU Skirball Center. Or call 888-99-BEBOP, or
visit www.jazzforumarts.org.
See the upcoming July issue of Jazz Inside
Magazine for interviews with
Mark Morganelli and David Amram.
38
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Mark Morganelli, Jazz Forum Founder & David Amram
35th Anniversary Performance, June 28, Skirball Center
Woody Shaw
w/ Art Blakey
Philly Joe Jones Quartet at Jazz Forum (1980s)
Walter Davis (far left), Larry Ridley (second from right), Philly Joe Jones (right)
Interview
John Clayton
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
Visit John Clayton online at
www.JohnClaytonJazz.com
Hear the new CD by the
Clayton-Hamilton Big Band
on Capri Records.
JI: One of the great big bands with a hyphenated
name was the Thad Jones and Mel Lewis Jazz
Orchestra in the 1960s and 70s. Why don’t you
talk a little bit about the origins of the ClaytonHamilton orchestra?
JC: Sure. That’s an interesting point you make
about the hyphenation because there have been
other really great combinations, SauterFinnegan, Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland. But
ours started when Jeff and I were studying at
Indiana University. We became really great
friends and eventually went on the road with
Monty Alexander and the Trio. Kind of all
along, we were listening to all kinds of music.
But we both love big band and our first road gig
together was a summer for me, longer for him,
touring together with the Tommy Dorsey big
band. We just loved the sound, loved the music.
So however many years down the line after I had
gone to Holland and lived there, and eventually
moved back to the States, we had been in touch
about the big band experiences we were both
having. He was with Woody Herman, Lionel
Hampton. I was with Basie. When I finally
moved to L.A., it was sort of like, “Hey, we can
finally realize this thing that we were sort of
talking about once upon a time. Wouldn’t it be
fun if...?” And we did. So my brother had lived
in L.A. the whole time, and he was the logical
one to help us with personnel because he knew
the best players in L.A., who were friends, what
would create the kind of vibe that we were looking for. So my brother handled calling the guys,
putting the band together. We followed his suggestion. And I did the music. It was my job to
make sure that I could
tailor-make music so that
they’d want to keep coming back to the rehearsal.
Jeff Hamilton at the time
was responsible for the
finances which means he
didn’t have a hell of a lot
to do because we were
not working. We were a
brand new band.
JI: You said you moved
to Holland. Was there
some overseas work that
you were doing for while
over there? What was the
inspiration as a side track
to this that prompted you
to move to Holland?
JC: Well, like a lot of
musicians, like a lot of
people, I went to Holland
to follow a girl, and that
girl became a wife. I left
Basie’s band. Actually, I
played two years with Monty Alexander and
Duke Hamilton before that. And when I joined
Basie’s band, I asked him if it would be okay if I
stayed in the band for two years and then I’d
hoped to move to Holland to be with my then
girlfriend and pursue music there. Because I
knew there was not only a healthy jazz scene in
Europe, but in Holland at the time there were
fourteen or sixteen government subsidized orchestras, not to mention the amateur orchestras. I
loved that music too and had studied it but never
really played it in a full-fledge orchestra. And I
had hoped to kind of do some solo work with
orchestras if possible and check it out. It turned
out a German friend of mine told me there was a
solo position open in the Amsterdam Philharmonic. That meant, of course translates to, a
principled position, and I wasn’t talking about
Principal. I was talking about standing in front of
the orchestra playing solo. But I took the information and I had entered a classical competition
at that time and I was in the finals. So I was
practicing a lot. So I just added that to what I
was practicing and took the audition and got the
position. I stayed there for five years.
JI: Most of your activity then in Holland by
virtue of getting that position was heavily classically oriented.
JC: It turned out to be almost 50/50 because
there was so much jazz going on that I was playing a lot of jazz on the side. I was writing a
whole lot. They had a big band called the Sky
They broadcasted live from a jazz club in Holland—and at the end of
every hour of program, they would bring on guests … Freddie
Hubbard … Hank Jones, James Moody, George Coleman …. They
needed new music every Monday. I got to not only play with the
orchestra … I was also writing for that band …. you’d write it on
Wednesday and Thursday, and you’d hear it on the radio on Monday.”
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40
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Masters which was a Monday night big band.
They broadcasted live from a jazz club in Holland—and at the end of every hour of program,
they would bring on guests. So it would be
Freddie Hubbard, Mark Murphy, Hank Jones,
James Moody, George Coleman, Curtis Fuller.
All these people would come in and play a few
tunes. They needed new music every Monday. I
got to not only play with the orchestra and gig
and stuff, but I was also writing for that band off
and on. And the cool thing was you’d write it on
Wednesday and Thursday, and you’d hear it on
the radio on Monday.
JI: That had to be a big motivator.
JC: Yes, it was great. That was a great opportunity. I used to do that for years along with the
other things that happened. I started a youth
orchestra, a youth jazz band there called The
Tribute big band. That was young people that
they had to be studying with somebody at college conservatory level because I didn’t want to
teach them how to play their instruments—and
they had to be serious enough. They actually
would transcribe solos from at the time it was
Basie-focused but then it expanded beyond that.
They had to transcribe solos that would feature
their instrument. Then I would transcribe the
arrangement and they would play. That was the
beginnings of it. Eventually, it got to the point
where they really understood how to learn this
music orally and by transcribing. Because the
other band members would have to learn their
parts by playing along with the record before
we’d get together and rehearse. So they got a lot
of really cool good basic things, and it was an
excellent band, I have to say. There was a lot of
stuff going on in my life at that time.
JI: What kind of challenges did you experience
when you got over to Holland? It sounds like
from a musical standpoint everything immediately began to click for you and you were
“singing” … as the Zen saying goes, “The impeded stream is the one that sings.” What if any
impediments did you face.
JC: Well, I don’t know. I’d also say that “The
unimpeded stream is the one that flows.” Not to
undo your Zen – that’s just another kind of Zen.
But the challenges were things like the language.
I went through a depression in the beginning
because everybody was speaking Dutch and I
wasn’t. And then after a couple of weeks of being down, I just said “Okay, I’ve got to learn
how to do this.” So I got serious about learning
the language and got busy. That really helped.
Also, discovering the scene, the world, the community in any place you live, in the beginning
it’s all brand new. Then you start to discover
people that you have some kind of connection
with and develop friends and all that sort of
thing. So that was something different too because when I go to Europe on tour, I was always
under the impression that jazz was big and thriving in Europe. You’d play in Cologne, Germany
one night, and the place would be packed—
people waiting around the corner to get in, and
you’d have to do three encores. From there,
you’d go to Paris and the same thing – a couple
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of nights there are packed. Then you go do a
couple of nights to Amsterdam—same thing,
packed. When you’re done with a tour like that,
as a jazz musician that lives in the States, you
go, “Damn. Europe, they’ve got a lot going on
for jazz, and the people love it, and they really
support it,” blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Then you
live there and you realize that that club that you
played at in whatever, Cologne or Munich or
whatever, only has the quality jazz, the level of
jazz that you are used to and want maybe two or
three times a month or once a week or something
like that. There were no clubs at the time. I don’t
know if it’s changed now. But there were no
clubs at the time that could host an Art Blakey
for a week or a you name it—all of our favorite
JC: So much of my life ... your life too ... our
lives revolves around two words: the music.
That’s really it. It’s the music. The music is the
reason that we’re talking. The music is the thing
that initially got us going to create the ClaytonHamilton Jazz Orchestra. It wasn’t just putting
nineteen guys in a room and drinking coffee and
tea. It was the music. So when we started putting
it together, we obviously didn’t even have to
consciously think about that because we were so
driven by the music and another ensemble vehicle for making the music. That that was the focus. It was like I said — it was up to me to make
sure that the music was something that whoever
we invited would want to come back and be a
part of. That continues to be the thing. We laugh
“I was always under the impression that jazz
was big and thriving in Europe. You’d play in Cologne, Germany one night, and the place would
be packed …. you’d go to Paris and the same
thing …. Amsterdam—same thing, packed ...
Then you live there and you realize that that club
that you played at … only has the quality jazz,
the level of jazz that you are used to and want
maybe two or three times a month.”
players. They didn’t have it, except for maybe
the Montmartre in Denmark. That was the only
one I could think of, or Ronnie Scott’s in London. Every place else couldn’t afford it, didn’t
have the support. So when finally an American
group or a group from abroad would come, you
would see a lot of support for it. When you live
there, it’s often a different situation. Then you’d
see that same club might have some interesting
groups but they would only be half full or a third
full or etc., etc. We know that there is so much
music in New York. But how many jazz musicians can live in New York and make a living
just playing local gigs only in New York? It’s
highly unlikely. I sincerely hope that there are
some people that are doing that but I personally
don’t know them. And I think the whole world is
like that. You just don’t realize it until you go to
a place that is foreign to you and realize, “Oh,
this is kind of like the way it is in a lot of
places.” But there are still amazing things going
on and amazing support for the music. The government subsidy for jazz in Europe, that’s akin
to nowhere.
JI: Creating new music for the ClaytonHamilton Orchestra would never be a problem—
since you’re always writing. But what were the
kinds of things that you needed to do to maintain
the band in concert with your long term vision—
and to maintain the attraction for the sidemen to
continue to want to be part of it as well?
because in the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra,
we don’t fire people. They either quit on their
own or they die. That’s what happens. We’ve
lost some members who have just passed on, and
other guys say “Hey, I love you guys. It’s been
fun. I want to focus on something else in my life
right now.” And that’s cool. That’s the way we
roll.
JI: Talk a little bit about the development from
concept to completed recording of your current
CD that you did for Capri Records.
JC: Yes, okay. How that came to be was we had
a rehearsal with the band, and I called Ernie
Andrews, great singer. We’ve worked with him
off and on through the years and I said, “You
know I’ve written something for you that we
never have had a chance to run through. Would
you like to check it out? We’re going to rehearse
it next week.” He said, “Sure.” So he came by,
and one of the things I’ve been telling students is
that we need to agree – No more practicing. No
more rehearsing. From now on, only perform
even if you’re working it out, figuring it out,
every note. It’s going to automatically change
the level of your music and how you approach it.
So we had this rehearsal. There’s no microphone. Ernie Andrews doesn’t know the arrangement obviously. And I said to him, “There’s an
intro. I’ll point you in,” and off we go. So as the
band is playing intro, I noticed Ernie, his chin
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41
John Clayton
(Continued from page 41)
goes up, his chest goes out, his hands are at his
side and his palms are open and it’s like, whoa.
This is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell the
students. This guy only knows how to perform.
Then we had another rehearsal later on with
Barbara Morrison, and she was wheelchair
bound at that time. I said, “Hey, wonderful to see
you. What do you want to do?” So we count off
on the tune that I’d written for her, and the same
thing—she sang like there were 5,000 people.
She was singing and I thought man, here it is
again. So a couple of more experiences like that
and I just said you know, I’ve got to document
this. Because Ernie Andrews is in his 80s, Barbara ... none of us are getting any younger. Who
knows what their voices are going to sound like?
We need to do something. I didn’t have the
money for such a project so I just turned it over
to the jazz community. I said, “I’ve got an idea.
I’d love to do this, record live with these people.
They’re going to be most comfortable in a live
situation versus studio. So would you like to
support this?” It was amazing. The whole community came in and chipped in at whatever levels they could. There was a basic thousand dollar
level. A couple of people said man, I don’t have
a thousand bucks but me and my friend would
like to come in together and we can each do
$500. Somebody else came in at higher amount.
Next thing we knew, we had enough money to
actually do the concert, pay the musicians, pay
for the recording, and talk to Capri Records.
They loved the idea so they chipped in whatever
they could do to make it happen and voila. It
really was about a community, a jazz community
coming together to support an idea that we had.
the point where they’re only interested in the
money aspect of it, or they want to rub elbows
with celebrities, or whatever the purity of purpose about the music that is missing and driving
their behavior. My guess is Tom probably would
have taken the project under any circumstances
because of his commitment to this music.
JC: Yes. You know what, he probably would
have because he’s done it that way for us in the
past. But the cool thing about doing it this way
was not only did it make it more financially
feasible for him and all concerned, but it brought
together the local jazz community around a specific project that they were all passionate about.
It was so touching more than anything.
JI: I really like what you said a few minutes ago.
That was always in the back of my mind but I
never thought of it that way ... that here you are,
when you’re coming along and you’re playing in
all these clubs …. and you’d better have it together because if you don’t you’ll hear about it
pretty soon and feel it from whoever is on stage
with you. Then here, you’ve framed it in a perfect way—that Ernie Andrews and Barbara Morrison are always performing. That perspective—
that you are always performing rather than practicing—creates a whole different mindset and
attitude. So you’re not just showing up and that
you’ll worry about the details about getting it
together later—like “Oh well, Gee. I’ll get my
horn in tune next time around.” No. You have to
be present in this moment — and summon all of
your accumulated knowledge, know-how, experience, focus and ability. You framed a very
powerful understanding. What was it like for you
when the actual recording was being done? Were
there any glitches or any things that you felt you
needed to do again or that didn’t meet your expectations initially? Any funny or unusual things
that happened during that experience?
“We know that there is so much music in
New York. But how many jazz musicians
can live in New York and make a living just
playing local gigs only in New York? It’s
highly unlikely. I sincerely hope that there
are some people that are doing that but I
personally don’t know them.”
JI: It sounds like when you’re working with
Tom [Burns at Capri] he’s really amenable to
ideas. He has a foundational appreciation of the
music. I know in my discussions with him, developing the camaraderie that we have and the
understanding, you don’t get that necessarily
with everyone in this business. Maybe it’s because certain people have either been beaten
down over the years or maybe they’ve gotten to
42
JC: Well, we did kind of plan it so that we
would have as close to positive some of the positive aspects of recording in a studio as we could.
For instance, we did two shows and that way it
wasn’t just a one shot deal. We actually did the
whole program twice — so we kind of had two
takes to choose from. Actually, that’s not completely true. Some of the songs we only did one
time the whole evening. The unfortunate thing
that happened was that Ernie Andrews contracted laryngitis on the night of. So we performed his pieces with him but his voice was so
hoarse that we ended up doing them later so that
he could do it with a stronger voice. That’s the
only exception. But everything else went according to plan. There really weren’t any glitches.
The recording room was cool. To record live is
always great, and this engineer did such an
amazing job of letting us play the way we are
comfortably playing yet getting a really good
sound.
JI: You mentioned that Ernie Andrews had laryngitis at the time of the recording. Still one of
my favorite big band albums, and maybe you
enjoyed it too, from back in the 70s, was Maynard Ferguson’s Live at Jimmy’s.” It was a double album. My friend Joe was the road manager,
and he was telling me that apparently Maynard
wasn’t able to record live with the band and
came back after they did the recording to overdub all of his solos in the studio.
JC: Wow, very cool. I didn’t know that.
JI: Yes. I still really like that album. Maybe
you’ve had similar experiences with those recordings that initially inspired you when you
started listening to jazz …. and you realize that
they are as fresh and inspiring today as when
you first heard them …. only now, with accumulated musical skills and more developed listening
skills, you hearing more of what is on the recording, more of the subtleties. For me, some of
those albums included Miles at the Black Hawk,
Friday and Saturday Night which ultimately
prompted me to transcribe the solos—Hank
Mobley’s, Wynton Kelly’s … and another one
was Cannonball and the Bossa Rio Sextet, Herbie Mann Live at Newport 1963 with Davie Pike
and Don Friedman … Stardust by John Coltrane.
And now many years later, I find myself still
listening to those on and off and they’re just as
fresh today as they were back then, only you
hear more things that you didn’t hear before.
JC: Funny you’re saying that because only kind
of recently have I come out of denial and embraced the fact that the stuff that I heard when I
was younger that really drew me in—I still love.
Because part of me was going, you know, Clayton you need to move on. There’s so much new
music out there and really cool stuff going on,
and you owe it to yourself as a creative musician
to stay current and dah, dah-dah, dah-dah. Even
though that may be true, man, when I put on
certain Count Basie records or certain Oscar
Peterson records or Ahmad Jamal records or
Miles records, something happens to me inside
that I’m no longer trying to kind of push away
from. I’m like, “You know what, I can love it
all.” I can love all that stuff that really inspired
me in the beginning more than 40 years ago. I
can still love that stuff and be into whatever is
that is current and whatever I’m doing now as
well.
JI: When you mentioned Oscar Peterson, one of
the recordings that is in that early group for
me—when I didn’t know what I was looking for
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John Clayton
back then and just got lucky to stumble over the
right recordings when I’d go to Sam Goody’s or
some other record store was a reel-to-reel tape of
two of Oscar Peterson’s albums—The Trio and
the Sounds of the Trio with Ray Brown and Ed
Thigpen live in Chicago, 1961.
JC: I know every note on there. It’s the sister to
that that was the first record featuring Ray
Brown that I ever heard—and which changed
my life, called The Trio. It’s the one with “I’ve
Never Been in Love Before.”
JI: Yes, that’s the first track on the album. Fabulous playing. And then “Chicago” is on there,
“Whisper Not.”
JC: There are two albums from that; one is The
Trio and the other is The Sounds of the Trio.
JI: There is actually a five or six CD set that
includes all of the tracks from that week that the
Oscar Peterson Trio played at the London House
in Chicago in 1961.
JC: What’s it called?
JI: Let’s see… what did they call this? “Live at
the London House.” It’s on the European Verve
label. It was never released in the USA. I bought
it from an online outlet about ten years ago.
JC: Okay, I’ll check that out for sure.
JI: Yes. Now you studied with Ray Brown early
on. Talk about those experiences and the kinds
of wisdom that he imparted to you in addition to
the musical instruction. I’ll bet there were some
ideas that helped you gain clarity about the
world and human nature.
JC: Well Ray was like a second father to me. He
probably is more like my first musical father
because I took a class that he taught at UCLA
when I was 16 years old. It was an extension
course, and an evening thing that met every
other week. In that course, he taught the basics
to me and the other students. You had to learn all
your scales, all your chords, arpeggios, repertoire. When the course ended, I was so in love
with the guy and that was a discovery—because
I didn’t even know who Ray Brown was. He had
to be famous because he was on a record. But I
had no idea about his background and playing
with Dizzy [Gillespie] and Bird [Charlie Parker],
and being married to Ella [Fitzgerald] and all
that stuff. I didn’t know about that—so I learned
about him as time went on. He was the guy who
really pushed me. He kept telling me the importance of studying classically with a classical
teacher—so he hooked me up with a classical
teacher. I was playing electric bass at the time as
well. He got me lessons with Carol Kaye, a studio [electric] bass player. She, as well as my
classical teacher, knew that I came from a family
that was poor and couldn’t afford lessons. So
Carol Kaye charged me five dollars a lesson. My
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classical teacher let me just create a bill that I
could pay off at some point in the future. Then
Ray Brown started teaching me about life
stuff—small things, how do you act here, how
do you handle business ... and it just kept going
on, not only when I was a teenager but through
my college years. I finished school at Indiana
University, and all along during that time I
would stay in touch with him. But when I needed
to hook up with Monty Alexander, it was
through Ray Brown. He introduced us. It was
through Ray Brown that I was able to talk to
Count Basie who happened to need a bass player
two weeks from then. It was through Ray Brown
that I met Milt Jackson and just so many musicians. Then he taught me about so many aspects
of being a musician. I remember him saying
record label, you name it. Ray Brown showed
me how to do it.
JI: Well, that was really handy that he reached
around at that point and kept you clean. Peer
pressure can be very detrimental to your behavior — especially if it is guiding you in the wrong
direction when you’re developing. Some people
got into it maybe to escape, or to feel good, or to
be liked or trusted by their peers or associates, or
because they wanted to be perceived as being
cool. Ultimately, as we’ve all seen those kinds of
behavior over the long term have deleterious
effects on the human body. I always thought that
those kinds of behaviors—which some acquaintances used to try to get me to do—would adversely impact and otherwise impede the driving
“… one of the things I’ve been telling
students is that we need to agree—
‘No more practicing. No more rehearsing. From now on, only perform even
if you’re working it out, figuring it out,
every note.’ It’s going to automatically
change the level of your music and
how you approach it.”
“Okay, when you get ready to fly with your bass,
you’ll have a bass trunk. When you go to the
airport, don’t even go inside the terminal. Find a
skycap, tip him five dollars.” That shows you
how long ago that was! “Tip him five dollars and
he will take care of everything ... he will put you
on the plane.” I remember I went to hear him
play some place at some point and it was during
that period that musicians were doing a lot of
drugs. There was a lot of coke flying around. I
went to hear him play and was hanging out backstage with him and the other musicians. We were
all talking. It was a bit of a semi-circle that
seemed to just happen naturally, and the musicians were kind of circled around talking, laughing and all this stuff. Somebody started passing
around some coke and a lot of the musicians—
most of the musicians there—would do a line of
coke. When the plate came around to me, Ray
Brown reached around me and grabbed the plate
and he said “No, he doesn’t do that,” and passed
it on to the next person. So he was always at
every step of the way looking out for me and
guiding me and teaching me. I remember so
many conversations beginning with “Here’s
what you’ve got to do.” That was his line to me.
“Here’s what you’ve got to do” — and then he’d
give me some instruction. So everything from
band leading to being paid to how to deal with a
energy and interest I had in and for this music—
creating, practicing, learning, performing, composing and arranging.
JC: Yep, and I agree. If you’ve got that kind of
upbringing and that kind of environment, it sure
makes it easier for you to understand other ways
that you can approach life—other choices that
you can make and still feel comfortable in your
own skin.
JI: With Basie’s band you had to be able to pull
up those charts pretty quickly. Maybe you were
also a little bit nervous as you entered the
band—because you, we all want to make a good
impression in performance situations. Could you
talk about your entree into the Basie band, and
your initial experiences?
JC: Well, that too was like a school. From day
one, my seat on the bus was in the back of the
bus. Right across the aisle from me, exactly
across the aisle, was Freddie Green’s seat. He
was a really, really quiet man. But as time went
on he opened up. I remember the first day. You
didn’t have an audition in Basie’s band. The gig
was the audition. So I was on the bus in New
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43
John Clayton
(Continued from page 43)
York waiting for all the guys to congregate and
ride to the first gig I was going to do.
JI: Do you remember where you met that first
day to get on the bus?
JC: Yes, 48th street, right in front of the President Hotel. I’ll never forget it. The band bus was
always there so the guys that lived in the New
York area would get to the bus, get to the President Hotel—and then we would leave from
there. Or you’d fly in from wherever you lived
and stay at the hotel and get the bus there. First,
Freddie Green walked on. I said “Hello, Mr.
Green. Pleasure to meet you.” He didn’t really
say much, sort of nodded and sat down. Basie
came to the back of the bus to say hello to me
very briefly and then he started talking to
Freddie Green. I remember listening to them
talk. They talked in parables. They didn’t have a
conversation often like you and I are having a
conversation—and I’ve heard other jazz musicians kind of do that too. They have a sort of
short hand. Herbie and Wayne talk like that. You
hear them talk. It won’t always be complete
sentences but you totally understand what
they’re talking about. I remember Basie was
talking to Freddie and Basie said, “Hey, do you
remember what happened to so and so who
played saxophone?” Freddie Green said, “Oh,
yes. I saw him not too long ago. He’s still play-
I initially thought, “Yeah, sure. But as I’ve lived,
I tend to understand more and more what he was
talking about. There’s an aura that you give off.
There’s a body language that you have. There’s
an attitude. Even though personalities are quite
varied and different, there’s still something that
gives you a little hint to a person’s art ... things
like being able to play in the band. I didn’t know
anything about big band arranging. I’d never
taken any courses at the school or anything like
that. I knew how to transpose for instruments but
that was it. The first score that I did for the Basie
band, it bombed. It was terrible. It sucked big.
But the guys in the band were really encouraging
and said “Keep it up.” That inspired me to get
busy doing some research and homework and
transcribing some Basie stuff. The next thing I
did was a song called “Blues for Stephanie”
which the band played quite often, almost every
night. They recorded it and the album that it’s on
got a Grammy and all this stuff. So really cool
things happened, but the whole time, the band
was helping me. If I wanted to know how sixteen
bars sounded, I could write that sixteen bars for
the saxophone and all of the five saxophone
members would cram into my hotel room and
read through that sixteen bars. This was the
Basie band. This was a family. They also
showed me about the sort of jazz familial love
that goes on. If I had wanted to write 8 bars for
the brass to play, before the gig I’d have eight
brass players there to play the eight bars that I
had. So it was a pretty incredible time and it kind
of showed me how I needed to be as a band
leader. There were thing like how could Basie
know that during a concert the inebriated man
stumbling on stage toward Basie was harmless.
“Basie … started talking to Freddie Green.
They talked in parables. They didn’t have a
conversation often like you and I are having
a conversation—and I’ve heard other jazz
musicians kind of do that too. They have a
sort of short hand. Herbie and Wayne talk
like that. You hear them talk. It won’t always
be complete sentences but you totally
understand what they’re talking about.”
ing saxophone. He’s playing a lot of notes.” And
Basie just kind of looked up at the ceiling and
said, “Yep, dogs shit fast, don’t shit long.” That
was my first “Oh my God” moment in the Basie
band—to hear these words of wisdom coming
from these guys. There were other things that
kept happening in the band. Some of them were
just lessons that I’d learned — like once hearing
Basie say to me, “Yeah, I can look at somebody
and tell if they can play or not.” When I heard it,
44
At that moment, Basie would wave off the security guy that was coming from the wings. How
could Basie have known that that guy meant him
no harm? The guy stumbled on while we’re
playing a tune in the middle of a performance.
The song is going on and this guy leans on
Basie’s piano with one elbow and extends his
right hand and shakes Basie’s hand and Basie
gives him a big smile. Then the guy just stands
up and wobbles off stage. Witnessing how Basie
handled all of these situations was something.
I’d written so many pieces for the Basie band
that I thought it would be really cool if I could
do an album of arrangements that I would do for
the band. So I asked Basie and he acted like he
didn’t hear me, just kind of ignored me. I
slumped away. But after years had gone by and I
had left the band, I listened to a few cassettes
that I had of some of my writing at that time.
Basie knew that I wasn’t ready. They were playing my music all the time—practicing it, performing it. But I wasn’t at that level that I really
needed to be to do an entire album for the Basie
band. He knew it and I am sure that he knew that
I would discover that.
JI: Your intuition develops over the years so that
you can pick out things that other people wouldn’t discover when they’re younger. Years ago, I
was reading this article about “Mastery.” It was
about 25 pages long. Most of the examples were
examples using sports to make their points. But a
couple of really important points that have always stuck with me was that when you first start
out on the path of mastery, you never realize the
level of subtlety that you’ll eventually reach far
down the road, if you just keep putting one foot
in front of the other. One of the concepts in the
article is that you’ll spend most of your time on
plateaus. You’ll make some progress, then suddenly you’ll be on a plateau. As we know from
spending hours and hours and hours practicing
some song, or technique, and performing—just
when you’re really frustrated that you’re not
making any progress, that’s when you jump up
to the next level. But you don’t stay at that level.
You actually recede to a level that’s slightly
below the level to which you made the jump up,
but which is still significantly above the one
where you were. That is the process that happens
repeatedly throughout your progress along the
path of mastery. Some suggest that if you are a
master, or self-perceived master, then there’s
nothing more to learn and you might stagnate.
JC: Yes, right, which also I think is an untruth
obviously. Masters are masters partially because
they are constantly learning.
JI: Right. I guess when you’re at that level, I
think that you develop a certain level of humility
because you realize how much you’ve come
through and how much more to learn and develop remains in front of you. I think there’s an
inverse proportion that is often present—that the
more proficient and masterful you become at
what you do, and you recognize that deep inside,
you realize that your work and accomplishments
and your whole persona speak for themselves …
and consequently, the less protective you feel
you have to be about your talent, ability, knowledge or who you really are ... and the less need
you have for validation from others to feel complete …. and the there is less need for posturing.
That goes to what you were saying about Basie
recognizing somebody coming on stage or approaching him … and Basie’s aptitude to recognize that someone could or couldn’t play just by
observing him. The truth bubbles up. People
who have some modicum of intuition can read
between the lines—and understand those signs
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John Clayton
that are not readily obvious. Telltale sings are
palpable—and it’s a really good idea to follow
your intuition.
JC: Yes. That’s right. That’s right.
JI: So I’m sorry. I interrupted you with my comments there.
JC: No, not at all. I’m in total agreement. You
bring up some interesting points too as far as the
whole mastery thing. I like that.
JI: Actually they converted that article into a
book. By the way, you had commented before
about your reticence about going back too heavily to listen to music that initially inspired you—
because of all the new music that constantly begs
for our attention. Whenever I hear some critic or
musician remark that some music is old or
“middle of the road” or not “cutting edge” — I
realize that those comments are often predicated
on the frame of reference of the observer in that
moment—a frame of reference which may be
limited, biased and not any kind of accurate
representation of some universal truth. Maybe
chronologically that particular music in question
is not “modern” or “cutting edge.” But does that
diminish its value as art? When I interviewed Pat
Metheny, he made a really cogent comment
about this very subject. He said most of the people who would be listening to his music in the
future have not even been born yet and to those
people, his music will be brand new. That of
course goes for your music, Charlie Parker’s
music, John Coltrane’s music, or any music any
of us might compose, arrange or perform. 50 or
100 or 200 years from now, to those people who
are alive then, the music that they have never
previously heard will be brand new—and perhaps wildly exciting and inspiring for them as
well.
JC: That’s great. That’s true. That’s sort of a
progression of life and art. When we’re at a certain age or going through certain things, we want
what is current for us. It’s like what you and I
were talking about earlier — about albums that
we listened to when we were in our 20’s that
really had an impact on us. Well, even though
we’re loving that stuff even now, people, let’s
say ten or fifteen years younger than we are,
probably weren’t moved by those same Maynard
records the way you and I were, and the way a
lot of the people that we were hanging out with
when we were younger—and it should be that
way. In most cases, people are not in love with
their parent’s music. Even if you don’t mind it,
what you’re really, really into it, in most cases, is
the music that you are discovering with your
peers. That’s kind of a normal progression. As
you get older, then you have a broader understanding of all the music that’s out there, all the
art that’s out there. It’s not as narrow. So when
you’re younger, you’re going “Oh, man, that old
stuff, I don’t want to listen to that old stuff,
whatever. That’s what my dad used to listen to”
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or “That’s from my grandmother’s era. I’m not
into that.” You don’t rush out and buy albums of
your grandmother’s or your parent’s music when
you are fifteen years old. As time goes on, if you
stay in music and are involved in music the way
you and I are, then not only are we embracing
the music from our parent’s era, but we’re also
embracing the music from our grandparent’s era.
And because of the way you and I are, we’re
also embracing the music that people are creating now. We don’t love every tune. But damn,
it’s like—that’s really interesting how they
mixed this together with that, or that’s a cool
take on what Charlie Parker did, or whatever. I
think that’s what you’re talking about, what Pat
Metheny was describing. It’s also a part of just a
kind of normal social evolution as well as kind
of a human artistic evolution.
JI: Yes, I agree. Who were some of the people
in the Basie band when you were there?
JC: When I was there, we went through various
lead trumpet players while—Lin Biviano was in
the band …. Nolan Smith, because his last name
is Shaheed now, Nolan Shaheed ... a trumpet
player named Ray Brown, not the guy who lives
in Northern California but another guy. Eric
Dixon was on saxophone. Henry Coker—he was
in some of those 50’s and 60’s bands especially
like when they recorded the album Chairman of
the Board.
JI: I love that album.
JC: That’s Henry Coker on trombone. He joined
the band the same day I joined the band. They
had of course Freddie Green like I said. Butch
Miles played drums.
JI: Some of those tunes on that Chairman of the
Board album that Thad Jones and Frank Foster
arranged are amazing, “Speaking of Sounds” and
“Her Royal Highness.”
JC: Absolutely. That is an album that the band
was really proud of — because it was the first
album, definitely in many, many, many years, if
not the first album where all of the arrangements
were done by people in the band—Foster, Thad
Jones. Ernie Wilkins did some as well but they
loved him. He was sort of an accepted member
of the band who wasn’t playing with the band.
They loved him like a brother. So they were
really proud of that album. Then the other album
that they were really proud of didn’t get a lot of
notice and it was called Easin It. It was the only
album that someone from within the band did all
of the arrangements—Frank Foster. It’s a great
record. They were really proud of that record.
But anyway, I digressed.
Then I’d quickly pull up the chart while Basie
was playing the intro and Butch was playing
time on the high hat. It was fun. We got along
and he’s a real positive kind of guy. We actually
became even closer when we were out of the
band.
JI: When you left the band, what was next on
the agenda?
JC: I left the band and I kind of did like I had
hoped and planned to do. I moved to Holland
and spent the time with my girlfriend at the time
and I eventually got married after a couple of
years. Then both of our kids were born in Holland. Then we moved to L.A. after that. My son
is a piano player.
JI: Talk a little bit about some of the influential
jazz artists with whom you’ve played and share
some of the learning moments or moments of
inspiration you might have had with those.
JC: Quincy Jones — I met him when I was a
teenager because he and Ray Brown were close.
In fact they had a business together. I’ve been
really close to him for a while. He’s been an
inspiration that has shown me the good that can
come from being a positive force. He avoids
negativity like no one I’ve seen. He just doesn’t
want it around him. The cool thing about that is
that you get a lot more done and you feel good
while you’re doing it. Now he’s not airy fairy.
He’s not naïve obviously. And he is very serious
about music and about business and the whole
bit. But he’s the real deal. I’ve heard some people criticize that don’t really know Quincy, criticize his choices, that he’s not doing straightahead jazz anymore, he’s lost it or more influenced by the glitz and the money and all that
kind of thing. They don’t know. They don’t
know Quincy. When you talk to Quincy Jones,
when you look in his eyes, you understand. He’s
really been a huge influence also on my writing.
When I was in Basie’s band, we would play
some of his charts and I would wonder how do
you write that? How do you get that sound? So I
would go through the band because I didn’t have
any Quincy Jones scores or anybody’s scores,
and I would take a blank score page and when
the band was taking a break I would take out a
Quincy Jones chart and I would copy the first 4
bars of letter C from the first alto part, then the
same 4 bars from the second alto, and the same 4
bars… I used to go through the whole band like
that. I’d go back to my hotel room and I’d study
how he did what he did. Quincy Jones has influenced me not only in terms of his attitude and
approach to life and the music world, but also
musically, writing-wise.
JI: Talk about Milt Jackson.
JI: What kinds of suggestions or advice did
drummer Butch Miles offer when you joined the
band?
JC: He was like an uncle to me. He shows me
how to be chill when leading a band, handling a
band. He always had a huge smile on his face.
JC: Butch was straight-ahead. He was helpful.
When Basie would start playing an intro, if he
knew the number [of the chart] - since he’d
memorized everything by then—he would whisper it out over to me: “35,” “55” or whatever.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Part 2—Continued next issue)
45
Interview
Manuel Valera
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
JI: Let’s talk about your new solo piano project.
MV: Okay. My first solo piano record is called
Self Portrait. I wanted to do some homage to
some of the things that influenced me throughout
the years. So there’s a Bill Evans composition,
“Very Early,” there’s a Monk composition, “Ask
Me Now.” There’s also another one,
“Hallucination” by Bud Powell, which I consider
to be my three most influential. I also wanted to
showcase my compositional side because that’s a
big part of what I do. So I wrote six pieces for
the solo piano and I also wrote a series of three
“Impromptus” that I dedicate to the classical
composers that have also influenced me a
lot. One of them is Erik Satie. The other one is
for George Gershwin, who is both a classical
composer and a standards composer as well, and
also for Nicholas Slonimsky, the guy that wrote
the Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns. I
figure in a sense that would sort of round out
what would make me who I am musically speaking. So that’s why the record is called Self Portrait. The way it came about was that for the
longest time, I didn’t feel comfortable with the
idea of a solo piano record. I was afraid of the
idea of a solo piano record just because it’s so
demanding for the pianist. But a couple of years
ago a promoter really liked my playing and he
asked me to do a couple of solo piano concerts. I
performed at a couple. The first two were put
together for Monk’s birthday every year downtown. It then evolved into me really liking the
idea of doing this and feeling really comfortable
now. I found a new love for solo piano. Then I
booked some other shows like An de Musik in
Baltimore. Every time I got the chance, I would
propose a solo piano idea to promoters and
things like that. Now it’s evolved into something
good. I am doing a seven-city tour in June playing solo piano supporting the release of the record. I’m also doing a solo concert on August 31
at the Rubin Museum which will serve as the CD
release party for Self Portrait.
JI: So you’re really busy, yes.
MV: Yes. It’s good. I’m really busy with The
New Cuban Express as well.
JI: Talk about The New Cuban Express a little
bit and your concept for putting that together.
MV: The concept of putting The New Cuban
Express together—originally the idea was that it
would be more of a collective compositional
type of group. But then it sort of evolved into
just me writing the music, and me and my
band. That group is heavily influenced by Cuban
bands from the 70s and 80s like Irakere and also
46
has this Cuban pianist,
Emiliano Salvador. It’s not
really trying to sound like
from the 70s but it has an
essence of what those bands
had— which is the influence
of American popular music
in Cuban music. But what
we’ve tried to do now, with
the way American popular
music is now, is to adapt
some of those things to Cuban music, and fuse those
two things together. In my
opinion, I don’t think it’s
been done too much. There
are a lot of people that play
Latin jazz and there are a lot
of people that play Cuban
music. We are really melting those two things right
there, not only the pop music but also like jazz, mixing the contemporary
jazz with Latin jazz. It’s something that Yosvany
Terry, Daphnis Prieto and myself have been sort
of working on these kinds of things for a while. I
always wanted to have a Cuban kind of band
because before The New Cuban Express, my
things were trios and quartets — and they were
more within the jazz realm, not so much Cuban. The New Cuban Express was actually my
first venture into the whole Latin music thing as
a whole. There’s really not much straight-ahead
with that band. Once in a while, we could go
there. But it’s not really part of the repertoire.
JI: What does the writing entail for The New
Cuban Express? What kinds of things have you
been pursuing?
MV: I’ve been writing for the band for a while
now. We’ve done two records. I’m actually going to record a third one that will be released in
the fall with Criss Cross. The format of the band
is saxophone, guitar, piano, bass, drums and
percussion. I always have that I can use to accompany the piano. I also can play melodies
with the saxophone. The guitar also acts as a
rhythmic instrument, so you have that aspect as
well. At first it was a little tough writing for the
group. But I quickly adapted to it. I really like it
now because we have sort of a sound with the
saxophone on top of the guitar and there are
harmonies and stuff. Also, there’s quite a bit of
keyboards. I use my moog a lot in the band. So
that also adds a touch that’s a little bit different
than regular Latin jazz stuff. Last year, I was
awarded this grant from Chamber Music America to write a piece on The New Cuban Express.
We just premiered the piece at the Harlem Stage,
May 7. It’s an adaptation of Jose Marti’s Versos
Sencillos, to sound cycle that features the band
plus singer Sofia Rei. He’s a very famous Cuban
patriot, philosopher. He’s the equivalent of like
Abraham Lincoln and George Washington put
together in the States. He’s a very, very famous
inspirational character in Cuban history. He
helped the Cubans defeat the Spanish in the late
1800s. He was also a very prolific poet. He
wrote a lot of poetry but this series of poems that
he wrote called Versos Sencillos, he actually
wrote them while he was living in New York in
the late 1800s, and they were actually published
in New York as well. So I found a little bit of
parallel thing with me and with Cuban artists
living here in New York now — because he was
also forced into exile by the Spanish. He was
forced to leave Cuba because they found him
really threatening. That was the beginning of the
end of the Spanish colonization of Cuba. The
piece is a song cycle based on his poetry.
JI: How did you discover your interest and passion for jazz?
MV: Well, since a very early age in Cuba I was
exposed to jazz, straight-ahead jazz, via my father who’s a very well-known saxophonist in
Cuba. His name is also Manuel Valera. He
played with people like Gonzalo Rubalcalba and
with Chucho Valdés. So jazz was always around
the house. At a very early age I was introduced
to people like Chet Baker, Paul Desmond. He
liked a lot of the West Coast guys, but he also
liked Charlie Parker and Chick Corea and there
was some Michael Brecker stuff in the
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Manuel Valera
80s. When the fusion thing started going, he also
listened to a lot of the 80s stuff like Chick
Corea’s Three Quartets, Steps Ahead, stuff like
that. I always had an ear for it. In 1994, when I
moved to the United States, I started playing
with people and further discovering jazz. I got a
chance to get into the New School in Manhattan. That’s when it really opened my ears—
being in New York City and being able to play
with a lot of people and just thriving and all the
stuff that everybody does.
JI: When you came to the United States, you
went to New School and you already had a lot of
music together. What kinds of challenges did
you experience when you first arrived in the
United States?
MV: The first one was the language. I couldn’t
really speak English so that was a really hard
challenge for me — and I would imagine for
anybody that’s from a different country that
travels here. English, that’s a “ginormous” challenge. Fortunately for me, I really caught on
quite quickly to English, and I finished my last
couple of years of high school in Miami and then
I moved up here. There are many challenges
other than that by being in New York and being
in the states; it’s just a different culture than
Cuba. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have that
much of a hard time adapting to the new culture,
but a lot of Cubans do have a tough time adapting because the system is completely different. There’s never a lot of money involved in
Cuba of course. But if you’re a musician you
have work. There is no need to get a day job or
anything like that. Musicians are just musicians. Here, a lot of people feel that they have to
get a job and stuff like that. For me fortunately,
that was not the case. But it can be a very difficult switch for a Cuban to come to the States.
JI: Given your vast travels around the world and
your vastly different life here in the United
States compared to Cuba, what kinds of discoveries have you made about human nature?
MV: The most interesting discovery is that everybody likes good music. It could be jazz, it
could be whatever you want. Last year we went
to India which doesn’t have a huge jazz culture. But people seemed to have an appreciation
for I guess what they call intelligent music or
whatever — like jazz, classical music or something. I’ve found that those things are really
universal. You can connect with many people
even if they’ve never heard jazz. A lot of the
times, they find it interesting because of the
interplay. They somehow can sense that something is cool. There’s something there that’s
really open and it lets people in. I saw something
on the Discovery Channel some years ago where
this explorer brought Mozart to this tribe in Africa. They had never heard anything Western—
Mozart, Michael Jackson, nothing. He played
Mozart for them and they started crying. So
music has a stronger message that we think.
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JI: Well, music is a function of resonance and
vibration—whether the sound is coming from
the strings on the piano, or strings on the guitar,
or a bar on the vibes or marimba or whatever or
a vibrating reed on a saxophone. Different elements themselves possess different frequencies
and resonate—sympathetic resonance. So certain
matrixes of sounds are going to elicit more or
less resonance for certain music among people.
Perhaps Mozart’s music—and other music—
embodies a certain matrix of sounds that elicits a
more widespread and universal response than
other music and matrixes of sounds—that are
embodied by other music, by other combinations
of tones. Either way, we’re all made up of different atoms and molecules from the periodic table—and in different ratios of those elements…
and each of us is likely to resonate differently
from each other to the very same music—and in
turn like or dislike the particular music.
MV: Right. There’s definitely something like
that happening, I’m certain of it. Because some
of the places that we’ve gone to play, people
hardly have any idea of what we we’re doing on
any intellectual level like they do here. They just
hear stuff and they’re like “Oh, yes. We like
that.” Also it helps that my music is very rhythmic—and a lot of these places are very strong
rhythmic places. Like India, for example, is a
very strong rhythmic place. Between Africa and
India, I think they’re the two strongest rhythmic
places in the world probably. We got to connect
there. When I went to Nepal, the same thing
We did travel a lot all over the world. I learned a
lot about the music business from him. He’s a
great business man. He has a way of just staying
busy all the time. His concerts always have a
show element to them—really entertaining. He
can definitely play the trumpet. He has a way of
grabbing people’s attention via just being himself really. He played some piano, keyboards,
played the trumpet of course. There’s an element
of showmanship from Arturo that a lot of people
could learn from. I always found it really inspiring that Paquito always was moving forward
musically. He’s always writing. He’s always
composing. He’s always applying for grants.
He’s always doing something new, like developing a project with some South American cats or
some European people. He’s always moving
around. He’s never stagnant.
JI: What did you learn about leadership that you
incorporate with your own band?
MV: I’ve basically been fortunate that the people that are playing in my band are sort of the
ideal people that I want to play in my band. So
playing new music and teaching them new music
is super easy because I write the music for them
because I already know how they each play and
their sounds. In cases like this, when you’re
writing for people you know, the music takes
shape really quickly. You know in advance, you
really hear how they’re going to do it and you
hardly ever have to say anything. That part is
generally really painless for me—mainly for the
reason that I write the things specifically for
“You can connect with many people even if
they’ve never heard jazz. They somehow can
sense that something is cool. I saw something
on the Discovery Channel ... where this explorer
brought Mozart to this tribe in Africa. He played
Mozart for them and they started crying. So
music has a stronger message that we think.”
happened. Nepal is even more distanced from
India. It’s even further away from Western music than India is. So I guess that’s what it comes
down to; there’s a mystical power to music.
JI: Yes, for sure. Can you talk about your experiences working with Arturo Sandoval and
Paquito D’Rivera who also hail from Cuba?
MV: Yes. Working with both of them was very
interesting and I learned quite a bit. I never
really played in Paquito’s band but we’ve done a
lot of things together. I’ve done arrangements for
him. We’ve played duo concerts and a bunch of
projects like that together. Back in the day, he
was sort of like a mentor to me in some
ways. He’s also very good friends with my father from Cuba—so he’s almost like family. I
played with Arturo for four years in his band.
them. We’ve been very fortunate so far. I think
we’re doing between 40 and 50 gigs. That’s
actually much better than last year on my
own. I’m doing other things with Daphnis and
Yosvany and a bunch of people.
JI: Manuel, is there anything that I haven’t
prompted you about that you want to talk about
or promote?
MV: No. We’re going to be playing with the
Marti Commission piece with The New Cuban
Express July 6 and 7 at the Jazz Gallerie. So that
should be an interesting evening.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com

47
PRESS RELEASE
Made In New York 2013 Jazz Competition Gala
Fills House At Tribeca Performing Arts Center
Standing Ovations For Artists From 9 Countries
Jazz legends Lenny White and Randy Brecker.
Art Director of the competition Yaacov Mayman
linked up with the finalists and winners of the
Made In New York Jazz Competition for a noteworthy three hour performance.
About 1,000 jazz lovers in New York City
were treated to an international Jazz Gala as jazz
luminaries Jazz legends Lenny White and Randy
Brecker. Art Director of the competition Yaacov
Mayman and founder Misha Brovkin linked up
with the finalists and winners of the Made In
New York Jazz Competition to perform three
hours of unforgettable tunes at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
Among the performers to debut in Tribeca
were 2013 competition winner Anita Vitale from
Italy and the runner up, Evgeny Lebedev World
Trio, a group consisting of artists from three
Countries Evgeny Lebedev from Russia, Haggai
Cohen from Israel and Lee Fish from the USA.
The other contestants from last year’s competition are Pablo Elorza from Argentina, Ricardo
Baldacci from Brasil, Vladimir Maras’ Band
from Montenegro, Rozina Patkai and Matyas
Toth from Hungary, Nick and Leonid Vinstkevich from Russia, and Miqayel Voskanyan Band
from Armenia, rounded up a truly international
affair in the heart of New York City.
“Tonight’s gala concert is definitely a statement that jazz is a language that transcends all
boundaries,” said Misha Brovkin, founder of
Made in New York Jazz Competition and the
host of the Gala.
This gala concert is the highlight of the first
annual Made In New York Jazz Competition,
which was held entirely online. This unique
competition allowed new jazz talents from all
over the globe to be brought to the attention of a
worldwide audience. To be able to participate in
this amazing competition contestants just needed
to submit their video performances to the competition’s website. The finalists and winners
were chosen from contestants from thirty seven
countries by popular vote, Board Members,
which is comprised of highly regarded jazz musicians and a panel of legendary judges Lenny
White, Joe Lovano and Randy Brecker.
Glowing with pride, Misha beamed: “The
talent and dedication of these performers are
incredible. We met each other only 2 days earlier
and instantly connected with such a harmony
and cohesion.”
“We were practically rehearsing for those
entire days, even the minutes leading to the concert, but everyone was constantly in high spirits
and unwavering in their mission to make this
concert a success,” added Misha.
The logos of the sponsors including Kawai,
48
appeared as a backdrop on stage. Awards included the Kawai ES7 Portable Digital Piano
and the Kawai MP6 Professional Stage Piano to
the Competition’s second and third-place finishers. Additional sponsors included Brooklyn’s
famous Nargis Café—an acclaimed restaurant
featuring central Asian cuisine in New York,
along with Forte Piano Music Company.
Supporters who have helped the Artists to
travel to New York include The Ministry of
Culture and Ministry of Tourism of Montenegro,
Ministry of Culture of Armenia, Armenian Network of America, Armenian General Benevolent
Union (AGBU), Children of Armenia Fund
(COAF), Armenian Students Association,
Balassi Institute (Hungarian Cultural Center in
NY), Ministry of Culture of Kursk (Russia) and
many others!
As the 2014 edition of the ‘Made in New
York Jazz Competition’ kicks off, organizers
hope that this year’s contest will attract an even
wider pool talent from the edges of the world.
It’s an amazing experience and great honor
to work with such a talented musicians from all
over the world and I'm really happy that New
Yorkers came to see our unique show and to
support great musicians. Our competition is
meant to create extra exposure for musicians and
I think we are making successful steps toward
our mission“ said Misha Brovkin.
In just two years, the competition has
spawned a vibrant community of outstanding
performers and passionate fans from almost
every country in the world. It has definitely become the benchmark of jazz excellence, and
everyone is eagerly awaiting this year’s competition.
Videos and photographs of the gala concert
are available the website and Facebook page:
www.madeinnyjazz.com
https://www.facebook.com/madeinnyjazz

About the Made in New York Jazz Competition
With 18 thousands registered users and over 1.4
million video loads and participants from 41
Countries. The competition offers a great platform for musicians to achieve international exposure and gain visibility with jazz fans across
the globe. Madeinnyjazz.com has since become
an international jazz center for musicians and
record producers and the best place for discovering young talents.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
Lenny White
Photo by Ken Weiss
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Interview
Bill Ware
Interview by Joe Patitucci
Photo by Paulo Pacheco
Visit Bill Ware online at
www.BillWareVibes.com
Hear Bill Ware June 5, Ginny’s Supper Club
JI: Having composed music for several movies,
what kinds of challenges does that programmed
medium present versus composing music for
your jazz and creative performance endeavors?
BW: Composing music for films is a very programmed medium, and I find that it is completely different from composing for jazz because the music is in service to the movie, and
the emotional content that drives the music is the
story of the film. A thematic musical film score
is more like a classical composition where
you’re trying to represent certain aspects of the
story, say a character or actions that recur, with a
musical theme that will reoccur. Building that
kind of content is completely different from
composing music for jazz performance. I’m
working on a set of music right now that was a
score I arranged for the Jazz Passengers to perform live to a viewing of the feature film ‘The
Creature From The Black Lagoon’ a few years
ago. In that first arrangement I studied the
soundtrack, and Roy Nathanson and I and arranged the score to perform with the original
film, with the Jazz Passengers expanding expressively during the scenes in the film without dialogue. In this newest turn, I want to transform
the music into compositions that could be played
by a five piece jazz ensemble, (vibes, piano,
guitar, bass and drums). Doing this work now is
a reminder to me just how different film music
is. I wanted to take the original files from that
project and turn them into a set of new songs,
but I realized when I started digging into it that
they won’t work as stand alone songs - they are
little individual nuggets of music that are bound
to some dramatic action, which really needs to
be part of the music. Each piece of music ends
presenting something or leading up to a dramatic
event – they don’t end as a presentation, they
end presenting something. They end and then…
“tada!!...” and then something else has to happen
– and you can hear the conclusion in the music. Separated from the film, the action is all in
your head, and can be recreated as some different action with a different story, but still I realized there still has to be some story there. In this
instance I find myself looking for a new story to
set this music to, so now I am considering a
creative collaboration with a good friend, Japanese tap dancer Kazu Kumagai – whom I am
asking to choreograph a “tap-ballet” to tell a
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story that will go with this new iteration of the
music.
JI: Could you talk about the recently released
project by The Puppeteers and your contributions in bringing that to life?
BW: The Puppeteers is a culmination of four
artists amongst an entire group of musicians that
were privileged enough to assemble via Puppet’s
Jazz Bar, the Park Slope Brooklyn club founded
by drummer and professional skateboarder,
Jaime Affoumado. Arturo O’Farrill, Alex Blake
and I were each leading our own bands in performances at the club, and we occasionally performed together as an all star band, such as New
Year’s Eve, and it was very enjoyable, there was
so much energy in having these band leaders
playing in an ensemble together. After the club
closed in 2011 we started a record label called
Puppet’s Records to be a new means for Puppet’s artists to be heard, and the first release is a
recording that we did of this all star band which
we call The Puppeteers.
JI: What are some of the collaborative hopes
and understandings that you and members of the
Puppeteers share about music-making and your
future endeavors together?
BW: When the quartet first got together to record we really embraced the collaborative approach. We wanted to use all original material,
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 50)
49
Bill Ware
(Continued from page 49)
which we did except for Papo Vasquez’ ‘Not
Now, Right Now’, which is a great tune that
Arturo performed with his band and I got to join
on and we both really loved. Aside from that
tune, the idea was that everyone would come
with their compositional themes or material that
was our own, and we made sure that the other
voices in the quartet spoke with originality, not
just playing a part. It really fell together, and the
product from the studio performances were the
kind of performances you want to have in the
studio – where even with some bumps and tension along the way, which you can feel in the
music, everybody supported each other and
played fantastically, and it was beautiful. Our
hopes for the future start with finding a great
booking agent, because we really want to tour
off this first record. We are all busy with separate projects and bands, like Arturo with his
great new record “Offense of the Drum” with the
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and Alex is busy
touring with Randy Weston and we all have
other projects, but we really love playing together and want to keep the momentum going.
We are also getting together informally to play
and explore new material, and would love to get
also happened to have three bass players in the
orchestra who were seniors and were graduating
that year… But still, I learned bass and played in
an orchestra, I played drums and piano and loved
to sing as a kid, and I took lessons but I never
really enjoyed practicing that much. Then, as I
got better on the drums, and my dad told me, if
you want to grow up and be a serious musician
you have to go to school for music - and if you
want to be serious about music and get into a
good school you can’t just play the drums, you
have to learn percussion instruments. So eventually, I started studying the classical marimba. I
loved playing scales, and Bach and college edition music, and the flute music my sisters had in
the house, and I found that I really enjoyed playing this instrument more than any other. Then,
what really sealed the deal on the vibraphone
was when my dad arranged for me to take a
drum lesson with Freddie Waits. He listened to
my playing at the beginning of the lesson, and he
told me I was pretty good… Then he showed me
what he could play – 5 in one hand, 3 in the
other hand, 7 in one foot and 2 in the other foot,
and he could switch around with different beats
between his extremities… and it was just unfathomable to me, and became so discouraged I
quit the drums to focus exclusively on the vibes.
I also listened to and even met Milt Jackson, and
I watched other great vibraphone players like
Gary Burton, and I really just loved hearing the
“I began to look at the different roles
of the guitar, and emulate the strumming
technique guitars can use comping with
rhythmic patterns that go beyond what a
piano can do, and I set upon emulating
that on the vibes.”
back into the studio and put out another release.
JI: What are the kinds of physical challenges,
sonic challenges, expressive challenges that you
have found that the vibraphone presents in your
pursuits to express your ideas and get heard?
BW: I actually came upon the vibraphone almost by accident. As a kid, my parents were
very supportive and music was an important part
of our family life. When I was very young my
two older sisters already played instruments, and
I started playing piano by ear when I was seven,
but I always enjoyed playing different instruments. In my family we began formal music
instruction at age eight, and I decided I wanted
to play the drums, much to my parents’ dismay!
But still, they encouraged me and supported me.
My dad is a musician, a saxophone player, and
my mom tinkered on the piano and is an artist. I
also began playing bass at a young age (insert
age) because I was seduced by an ambitious
music director, who looked at my hands and told
me I had the hands of a great bass player. She
50
vibraphone, and decided that someday I could be
that good on the instrument and I was hooked. A
personal physical challenge I’ve adjusted to
stems from a tumor that developed in my spinal
chord in the mid 90s. The surgery and nerve
damage caused by the tumor forced me to learn
how to sit while I play instead of standing. I had
to change my approach to the instrument which
was a challenge, but it was also a blessing in
another way, because sitting is better on your
back. Standing vibraphone players stand on one
leg, use the pedal with the other leg, and the tall
guys bend forward to play the keys - which is
physically difficult and can lead to lifelong pain.
But when you play sitting, you can play for
hours on end, and it frees up your other foot.
This is when began to toy with electric pedal
effects. One of the sonic challenges of the vibraphone is that the timbre is always consistent,
with very little variation. This is limiting because
essentially you are confined to a small pallet
used in most modern jazz arrangements, where
the vibes are stuck with that little bell part, that’s
the way they look at you, the little bell boy, “ting
ting ting”, just add a little sprinkling of fairy dust
to the music and the band leader is happy. I didn’t want to be confined to that role, so I began to
look at other instruments and think about how I
could do more with the instrument. With the
vibraphone you really only have four voices,
with four mallet playing, which is not just a
sonic challenge but also limits expression in a
way. A piano has ten voices with those ten fingers – and you just can’t compete with that. The
guitar on the other hand has mostly four note
voicing, so I tried to craft my sound to be more
like the guitar. The guitar has a lot more expressive qualities because of the string, the way you
strike it changes the timbre, and you can bend
the pitch, the vibes not as much. I began to look
at the different roles of the guitar, and emulate
the strumming technique guitars can use comping with rhythmic patterns that go beyond what a
piano can do, and I set upon emulating that on
the vibes.
JI: Could you talk about your application of
electronic pedals to your performance on vibes and the back story about the kinds of ideas that
drove you to pursue that? How has it contributed
to your pallet of sounds?
BW: When I began exploring the use of electric
pedals I decided pretty early on that I didn’t
want to use midi effects. After all, why would I
want to use midi when I could just play a keyboard and trigger midi sound and get exactly the
same effects with ten voices instead of four?
And with better playing too, because fingers can
move faster than arms and hands. So instead I
looked to analog sounds, and wanted to use the
same effects that a guitar does, like digital delay,
distortion and wah wah. I play a converted Deagan Commander with K&K sound system pick
ups, with a Zoom G9.2tt (I have an endorsement
with Zoom http://www.zoom.co.jp/artists/bill),
which gives me a wide sound pallet. With my
Zoom pedal I can control vibrato speed and
depth, and I perform many different musical
functions, sounding like a wah wah guitar in a
funk band, or a screaming distortion solo blasting over the top of a rock band. The Zoom pedal
that I chose is a great expression pedal, not the
top of the line, but it is very sturdy and flexible.
With a pedal you can bring out harmonics, even
though there isn’t as much variance in tone as a
guitar, so really any standard distortion, wah
wah and digital delay will work, and you just
work out the EQs from there. What I love most
about the Zoom pedal is that it has another pedal
on top of it, so I can slide my foot for pitch bend
and be able to still control volume or the wah
wah at the same time. Really I have a double
pedal in the one pedal, which works well since I
only have one foot free, which gives the sustain
in the right foot and tonal quality control in the
left foot. I can expand the range of the instrument with octave divide which gives you quite a
pallet of different sonic capabilities. The pedal
also provides interesting sound effects, like
when I put the pitch bed on a two-octave drop
and create a Jimi Hendrix style bomb effect. As
a composer, the pedal frees me to think of the
vibraphone in many different roles. And as a
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 54)
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Interview
Tom Chang
Interview by Joe Patitucci
“the real payoff is just playing this music, to hopefully grow and
learn something about yourself through the playing of this music.”
ticularly Beck on Truth and Blow by Blow.
Also, the sheer sonic breadth and tone of their
sound just killed me. I still think the three most
important things in music are tone, tone and
tone!
Visit Tom Chang online at
facebook.com/tom.chang.921
Hear Tom Chang
Saturday, June 7 at Cornelia Street Cafe
JI: What were some of the key understandings
that made a significant impact on your playing,
that you picked up from guitarist Joe Pass, with
whom you studied at The Musicians Institute in
Los Angeles?
TC: Getting to hang with Joe and play in a
small room with him at such a young age was
magical—and equal parts terrifying. Holding
back was not a problem for him...tough love. I
don’t think any one element of his playing impacted me as much as his approach to playing
on standards and his overall fluency on the
instrument which was quite incredible.
JI: What were some of the aspects of the playing of Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix that have
been drivers and motivators in your musical
development?
TC: Wow, just about everything. I think the
singular aspect of both Beck and Hendrix that
motivated me at the time was to use the guitar
more as a voice to express ideas rather than
play clichés or licks. It really seemed to me that
they were speaking through the instrument parTo Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
JI: How did your experiences with pop star
Luther Vandross expand your understanding of
music and how you approached performance;
and what did you discover about the music
business from that?
TC: I was incredibly fortunate and lucky to
have been a part of a house band for a well
known weekly showcase in LA that would feature a star like Luther Vandross, Sandra Bernhard to host the night. This was my first
glimpse into a real professional scene from top
to bottom and it really impacted me to take
every aspect of my playing, reading and overall
musicianship to another level in order to hang
and develop. I think the thing that I learned
most from this experience professionally was to
always be ready and open to the possibility of
meeting anyone in the business at any time.
JI: What are your perspectives about the benefits and or shortcomings of taking the academic
route as you did at Berklee College of Music
versus pursuing the performance and apprenticeship route in the real world that had been the
pathway to a performance career in the past?
TC: First off, I don’t think there are any short
cuts to learning music. Period. I really didn’t
spend much time at Berklee, two semesters in
total before I bolted to New York City. But to
answer your question, I would have to say that
it would really depend on the individual and
where they were at. Some people might not feel
ready to jump into real playing situations and so
in that case it might be more beneficial to hang
in a school and meet other musicians, etc. I
think the downside of spending too much time
in the academic world is the lack of exposure to
real playing situations. There is nothing like
someone yelling at you on the bandstand to get
your shit together. I just don’t see how this sort
of pressure and type of learning is possible in
an academic setting. Ultimately though, I don’t
think there is any one way of getting there.
Your path is your path alone.
JI: How did guitarist Mick Goodrick influence
your approach to improvisation as a result of
your studies with him at Berklee?
TC: Mick was simply incredible and in my
mind the most complete modern jazz guitar
teacher out there. I actually took lessons in his
apartment outside of Berklee—as he was teaching at New England Conservatory at the time
and touring with Jack DeJohnette. I think the
lessons with Mick were more conceptual than
anything else, and really about how to approach
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 52)
51
Tom Chang
(Continued from page 51)
music, thinking about music more so than
scales, chords, etc. Ultimately though, we
would just plug into his four track and play
standards for a couple of hours. Then he would
hand me a tape of everything we played – ‘nuff
said
JI: Could you talk about some of your musical
associations and the words of wisdom or guidance you may have picked up from them - such
as Greg Osby, Jim Hall, Joey Calderazzo, others?
TC: The person that most impacted me was Jim
Hall. On my first trip to New York City I raced
down to the Village, and ultimately found my
way to the Vanguard where Jim Hall was playing quartet with Frisell, Joey Barron and Steve
Laspina. Man, talk about a life altering experience hearing these cats. It was beautiful, lyrical.
It was everything I imagined music could be at
that time and was happening right there before
me. What was equally amazing was talking to
Jim during the break. He was so encouraging,
open and completely humble. Many years later
I got to hang in Jim’s master class at the New
School. I’ll never forget this one class where
Jim was trying to discuss his approach to playing on “Stella By Starlight” when one of the
kids interrupted, “Jim, man I don’t really want
Dizzy Reece
(Continued from page 60)
into joy. It’s like the blues. People think the
blues is always a dirge. You have happy blues—
you know that. There are different colors in the
blues. You’ve got joy, you’ve got blue colors,
red colors, all the colors. Most people when they
say the blues, they think it’s one dark emotional
mode. Charlie Parker said man, you can never
play enough of the blues. It is true. The blues is
still it. A lot of people are trying to get around
it. I’m still a champion of the American song
book and that’s where it’s at. All the emotions
are there in the songbooks and the
blues. Everything is there. In a lot of the free
form and so forth, they try to get around the
American song book. The songbook is where
you’re coming from—the richness. Those cats
are chefs. All those musicians are great
chefs. They took all that music and put it together and came up with a language. I hope people get my music—but not because of the finance. You play for the people—to interact, and
you hope they get your soul and your philosophy. If you don’t get to hear Charlie Parker or
Bud Powell or other greats, you have not gotten
to hear the best. Have you lost? No, you haven’t
lost—because you can’t lose what you’ve never
have. I remember we had jam sessions and cats
52
to be still playing Stella By Starlight when I get
old.” Jim just chuckled and said “what makes
you think you’ve ever played ‘Stella by Starlight?’” He then went on to say that, all kidding
aside, you never know when or if you’ll ever be
able to make a living playing improvised music—and that the real payoff is just playing this
music, to hopefully grow and learn something
about yourself through the playing of this music. Needless to say, those words really resonated in my soul and have stayed with me to
this day.
JI: Talk about your newly release CD - Tongue
and Groove - and your concepts in developing
the repertoire, and selecting the personnel—
which include Greg Ward on alto saxophone,
Jason Rigby on tenor saxophone, Chris Lightcap on bass.
TC: Tongues and Groove is the culmination of
many years of studying different forms of music—jazz, southern Indian carnatic and contemporary classical to name a few. Some of the
tunes are really old and were written fifteen
years ago—so I was somewhat ambivalent
about even releasing the CD. But I thought it
necessary to close this chapter of my musical
life and development and then move on. It was
recorded over two years ago, so as a player it’s
really hard for me to go back and listen to myself. But overall I think it’s a very honest documentation of my music. Conceptually I was
really just tying to let the music take me wherever it needed to go, repertoire-wise—which is
would play 24 hours around the clock, jam sessions in Brooklyn, in New York, everywhere. All of that, that was a different period. Everybody gave so much. Nobody was
looking per se for fame. You expected to make a
living out of it. It’s a business world and it’s a
product. We’re still products. I’m a product,
that’s all I am. A product. I hated the word entertainer, but we do entertain each other. You have
bad entertainment and you have the higher end. I
hoped to be a higher end entertainer and not
some bad old cat. Even now, I was always shy
even for the stage and playing in clubs and so
forth. I wanted to give, but that was another
thing with the modern music. People use to see
you, “Oh, those modern players, they’re not
entertainers.” We all entertain, animals entertain
you, birds sing, dogs bark, everything. We entertain each other. But there’s a higher end to
it. You know that. There’s some indication. In
theater and the films, whatsoever, there’s always
that sophistication. It’s all entertainment but you
have levels of entertainment. So I suppose that’s
why you could say I never progressed financially. Jazz—the name is a hell of a product. They’ve got perfumes, they’ve got costumes, and people sell the word jazz. It’s still
big. But that’s when it became profane anyway. We should bypass that. If it’s jazz, it’s
jazz. The content is what matters. It never used
to be a big thing for thousands of people. It used
to be more intimate. Going back in history, most
of the clubs were little rooms. It can have 5,000
kind of vague but on a certain level mostly the
way I work … which is primarily intuitive.
Mostly, I wanted the CD to reflect all my influences both past and current at the time of recording. As far as personnel goes, I first and
foremost wanted a grooving, cohesive rhythm
section that could convey the time without hitting you over the head. So it was really easy
picking Chris and Gerald as they have played
together for many years and sound amazing
together. I chose Greg Ward and Jason Rigby
because I felt they both had a unique voice on
their respective instruments as well as being
esthetically aligned with my music.
JI: What are your perspectives on balancing a
purity of purpose about creating music that you
hear and want to see come to life, with the simultaneous attractor and consideration of trying
to connect with and or please your current and
potential audiences?
TC: Wow, that’s a good question! Ultimately
you have to follow and trust your own musical
instincts and judgment in creating music. If I
don’t like what I’m playing or writing I certainly can’t expect anyone else to dig it. I really
don’t think too much about whether or not what
I’m doing is going to please an audience but at
the same time I definitely think there are people
that want to be challenged by whatever art form
be it music, dance, cinema, literature. To that
end I’m always striving to create what I feel is
unique and interesting.

people now but I don’t care. It’s alright financially for the cash register. But it became like
that. It became another product. Chopin used to
like to play in salons, little rooms. He said his
music wasn’t for the masses per se. But you can
have a big place too. Carnegie Hall is good
too. It’s still intimate—a few thousand people.
It’s all right. The more people that we get to hear
the music, the better.
JI: Is there anything that you’d like to address or
promote?
DR: Try to get some of Dizzy Reece’s music. I’m one of the last cats around—icons they
call me. Some people say I’m a genius. I used to
be—from London in my early days—a genius. I
didn’t even know what that word genius was. As
I grow older and into it more, I appreciate perhaps what the meaning is. I’m one of a kind and
I’m always looking for one of a kinds in everything—the art world, in everything. The masters—they’re one of a kind. I’ve studied all the
schools of painting—Flemish painters, everybody. That’s what they look for—individualism,
one of a kind in any thing you do. I don’t know
if people are still interested in me or whatsoever. I would like them to be—because I’ve
worked hard getting that trumpet up to this stage
as an improviser. Check out my work—Dizzy
Reece Plays A Cappella—and all my recordings
and see what I’ve done with the trumpet per se.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
  
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Interview
J.C. Sanford
Composer, Arranger, Trombonist
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
Visit J.C. Sanford online at
www.JCSanford.com
(Continued from Part 1 in the May 2014 issue of
Jazz Inside Magazine)
JI: Talk about the Size Matters” large ensemble
series at the Tea Lounge in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
JC: Well, that came to being mainly because
several of us big band composers (originally my
friends Andrew Rathbun and Frank Carlberg)
were just trying to find a decent and hopefully
regular place to play. Under the urging of my
wife-to-be, another fellow big band composer
Asuka Kakitani looking for a place to play, I
managed to convince Tea Lounge to give it a
shot, and my own band (still a 18-piece big band
at that time, though already a little unusual since
I had a violinist in the group) premiered the series on March 1 of 2010. Over the past 4 years+,
I’ve managed to get close to 60 different bands
in there. They all have been 12 or more players
and pretty much all featured original compositions and/or arrangements. Hard to believe that
that many bandleaders would play a tip jar gig in
Grammy-nominated Alan Ferber come to mind). In general,
I’m very proud of it and the fact
it’s managed to stay afloat this
long. And I believe after it
ends, which I hope is no time
soon, people will think back on
it and realize how unique and
special of a thing it was.
JI: What are some of the most
interesting, dramatic or unusual
experiences you’ve had as a big
band leader?
JC: Hmm, well, once there was
this trombone player who was
going to play our upcoming gig. I didn’t know
him, but I had heard him once before and had
heard even more great things about him, and one
of our trombone players sent him as a sub. During our one rehearsal he was actually very weird.
He kept giggling and left his sunglasses on the
whole time, and when he would take a solo it
would sound like nonsense. I couldn’t believe
this was the same guy I had heard before. I was
feeling very uncomfortable about having this
guy on the gig the next night already, when he
“...labels aren’t in as much control of the musician’s
product as they used to be, aside from a select few.
This gives the leader so much more leeway to really
stretch and reach for their vision without some
producer breathing down their neck about
how well that track will play on radio.”
order to present their music, but they’ve been
really thankful for the opportunity over all. And
the players generally dig it, too. Many come
from New Jersey or Rockland County for the
chance to play this creative original music.
We’ve had quite the variety of groups, too, including relatively mainstream swinging bands
like Noriko Ueda and Bill Mobley; mixed chamber-like ensemble like Michael Webster’s Leading Lines and Joseph C. Phillips, Jr.’s Numinous; totally rocking-out bands like Nathan
Parker Smith and Kyle Saulnier; and more
avant-garde groups like Shrine Big Band and
Ben Stapp’s Zozimos. Some groups really got
started as a result of the series. Folks that had
advanced professional careers but were ready to
start their own big band (Scott Reeves and
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
came up to me during the break and told me he
wasn’t going to be able to make the gig the next
night. My jaw just dropped. How could anybody
play most of a rehearsal and then tell the bandleader he couldn’t make the gig the next day?
But all the same, if he was going to act the way
he was in rehearsal that day, maybe it was better
if he wasn’t on the gig anyway. So I thought we
were screwed, but this being New York City, we
were able to find a stellar trombonist—Pete
McGuinness—who sight-read the gig and
sounded great. I heard later that that particular
week that trombonist had gone off his medication and didn’t even remember anything that
happened to him that week.
experience as a professional on the changing
landscape of the music business - characterized
both by areas of growth and contraction?
JC: As I see it, the availability of our original
music is both a blessing and a curse. Doing the
DIY thing is easier than ever, if you can find a
way to pay for it. And labels aren’t in as much
control of the musician’s product as they used to
be, aside from a select few. This gives the leader
so much more leeway to really stretch and reach
for their vision without some producer breathing
down their neck about how well that track will
play on radio. Darcy James Argue revolutionized
the idea of bringing one’s own music to a wide
audience via the internet, and he impressively
did it with a very creative big band, to boot. To
me, he made it seem possible that a large ensemble could actually do something in this modern
market. Of course at the same time, the easy
access of the internet is also killing any chance
of us being able to make money off our own
work. I recently watched Maria Schneider testify
to the House of Representative’s Judiciary Committee about copyright infringement on the internet. She says that she spends a majority of her
time taking down her work that has been illegally uploaded to various sites, and that often
immediately after she gets one taken down, the
same song will be uploaded again. The lawyer
from Google who was also on the panel, didn’t
seem to moved by Maria’s plight and kept pointing to examples of bands that wanted their material to be free. One of the Congressmen asked
her—only partly joking, I believe—that since
she’s a Grammy winner people would assume
that she’s driving around in limousines all the
time and that a poor college student shouldn’t
have to pay for her music. It’s unfortunate that
today’s culture is so addicted to getting some-
JI: What are the ongoing challenges that you
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 54)
53
JC Sanford
(Continued from page 53)
thing immediately and often for free, that they
don’t really consider what went into making that
product they love so much—but not enough to
pay for it. The streaming sites that pay the musicians fractions of fractions of pennies are taking
advantage of this culture and totally decimating
the artists chance to earn any money on this
great music they created. I liken it to climate
change: it’s very a short-sighted view to make
money now, but you may eventually totally destroy the very industry you’re profiting from.
JI: How did you initially discover our passion
for jazz?
sic, country, Broadway musicals, classical, and
also jazz. But I didn’t really start to develop a
particular taste for it until I joined the jazz band
at my junior high school. We were playing an
arrangement of “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” and
when I told him about it, he put on the Cannonball Adderley recording of it. Then the Buddy
Rich version. It got me more interested in the
music, although it was just another genre mixed
in with all the other more popular stuff I was
listening to at the time—Billy Joel, Chicago,
Styx. In high school I started listening to Mel
Tormé and some Miles Davis because my good
friend was into it. It just went from there as I
really began to study the theory of improvisation
and started to actually listen to what could be
done on the trombone by J.J. Johnson, and
Bennie Green, and later Frank Rosolino and
Jimmy Knepper.
JC: My father was very a musical and creative
person. When I was a kid, he worked for a record store chain called Musicland, and he would
regularly bring home all different types of music.
I grew up listening to 70s rock, disco, folk mu-
JI: How has your work as an educator challenged or benefited your development as a performer and improviser and or provided clarity
about your own music and creative pathways?
Bill Ware
in New Jersey and I also played jazz on the
street. This was my early career, until I was
playing one time in a wedding band that my high
school friend Greg Ribot put together for his
wedding, and his brother Marc was there. Marc
sat in on guitar for Coltrane’s ‘Moment’s Notice’ and I was ripping it up. Marc liked my
playing and recommended me to his friend Roy
Nathanson who was just putting together musicians for a new band he would call the Jazz Passengers. When I first got in the band I had been
playing salsa, merengue, straight ahead jazz,
ECM style, fusion jazz and bebop. Those things
were very solidly in my mind as the types of
music you could play out for audiences. When I
joined the Jazz Passengers, I went to the first
rehearsal - and well I’m young – 27 years old,
kicking around the scene in New Jersey for a
while and pretty average, I didn’t know a lot of
tunes, so I did a lot of salsa gigs because I could
read well, so for me joining this NYC band was
a big break. When I got to that first rehearsal and
heard these guys I just couldn’t figure out what
the hell they were doing. I thought this is the
weirdest music. These guys are never going to
make it! This stuff is even less popular than the
music I am playing now!! Working with the Jazz
Passengers all these years has truly expanded my
understanding of all music. The Passengers use
elements of straight ahead, with a whole lot of
humor, as Roy and Curt had worked together in
the Big Apple Circus band, and so the sound of
the band is littered with chaotic and quirky elements. But despite the chaos, the Jazz Passengers arrangements are structurally planned out to
present each idea to its maximum. Each section
of music has a certain idea behind it to propel the
music emotionally, and depending on which
project, there are elements from other influences,
like the Africanoid beat we used in the Egypt
project. Learning to play with the Passengers
was like learning another language. There were
standard things we always did to build a Jazz
Passengers arrangement. Each song is like mel-
(Continued from page 50)
studio musician, if I am asked to play on a track,
I can perform many functions of a guitar player,
which gives the producer a lot more options than
just having a vibe solo or standard vibraphone
bell parts.
JI: Could you touch upon some of the specifics
of your other performance experiences - such as
with The Jazz Passengers, The Groove Collective, Steely Dan, and others—and what key understandings you may have discovered from
those that have made a lasting impact on your
music, business and or life perspectives?
BW: When I was a kid, the house we moved
into in Maplewood, NJ had a record collection
left behind from the previous owners, stocked
with their teenage daughter’s rock n roll collection (Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Jan and Dean),
and the parents’ 78s with lots of older jazz music. Also, my uncle Ron Warwell had an amazing jazz record collection. He had every record
ever made by Miles, Coltrane, Clifford Brown,
Sun Ra, Art Blakey – you name it, he had it. So I
had a rich foundation of many kinds of music
that I listened to as a young person. My musical
journey started with listening to those rock-n-roll
45s, then I got into jazz rock, then straight ahead
jazz, then jazz fusion, then bebop, then big band
music, and classical music as well, all while
taking music lessons and performing in community music theater, school bands and my own
bands with my friends. Each time I found a different kind of music I analyzed it and explored
it. Maybe its because as a young kid I wanted to
be an architect and build things, but that desire to
understand how something is constructed and to
build things has carried into my art form. As I
grew up and began to play music for money I
quickly found my way playing with Latin bands
54
JC: Teaching has been an integral part of my
development as a performer. When I first started
really teaching improvisation, I was always sure
to make sure I had my basics down so that the
students had a good example to follow—to show
if I was really willing to put in the time to get all
of these sometimes-monotonous skills together
in order to prepare me to do something creative
and spontaneous, then they could, too. Also,
teaching different subjects has really deepened
my understanding of topics I mostly blew
through in school. Lately I’ve been teaching
classical Western theory at Long Island University in Brooklyn, and to get deep into these contrapuntal principles of 18th Century composition
has been really exciting for me. And when I get
excited about stuff like that, I get very enthusiastic in sharing that with my students. And when
the light goes on for them when they understand
how the way it looks and the way it sounds are
related, it’s really rewarding because I can identify with that feeling. It’s a very similar feeling I
get when I’m sharing my music in performance
with an engaged audience.

ody and lyrics are a jewel, and the question becomes, what kind of setting are we going to put
this jewel in? This technique has become like an
important compositional tool for me, after many
years of playing with the Jazz Passengers we
have all these different settings and now I often
use them like compositional methods, putting
multi meter, or raggae drum beats with a straight
ahead bass part, by breaking through the conceptual barriers that merely emulating other music
genres can’t do. Thanks to the encouragement of
my latin music buddy Jay Rodriguez, I moved
from New Jersey to New York City in 1989 and
a while after that the pieces for Groove Collective also came together. Groove Collective
started a whole kind different thing with the acid
jazz scene, I became exposed to DJs. The flow
of DJ music is different from live musicians, and
when you blend live music and DJ beats it becomes something even more different. Blending
those things and at the same time sampling was
becoming popular, and writing with computer
and using midi and musicians together for either
live or studio work, so Groove Collective was a
great chance to use some of my own tracks from
my studio. I also had some of my own projects
come out of that, like ‘Groove Thing’ on the
Eightball Records label and several other projects that are in my archives but haven’t been
released yet. It was through Groove Collective
that I was introduced to Gary Katz, who was also
throwing his hat in the ring to find top-notch
musicians for Steely Dan’s Alive in America
tour, and he knew they were looking for a percussionist. Gary recommended me because he
wanted to hear something other than guitar and
saxophone solos. So they hired me, and I played
with Steely Dan for an amazing two years. Playing with Steely Dan was an incredible thrill and
taught me a lot about music, getting to work with
phenomenal talents, and also meeting fascinating
people and living a rock-n-roll lifestyle for a
couple of years.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Part 2 — Continued next issue)
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Interview
Elio Villafranca
Interview by Joe Patitucci
Photo by Jerry Lacay
Visit Elio Villafranca online at
eliovillafranca.com
Hear Elio Villafranca & the Jass Messengers
June 13-15 at Dizzy’s Club, CD Release event
June 23, Millennium Swing Award from JALC
JI: Could you talk the music that you’ve identified as The Caribbean Tinge and the qualities
you understand to make it unique?
EV: What I identify as the Caribbean Tinge, is
not different from what Jelly Roll Morton identified in the early 1900s as the Spanish
Tinge. The Tinge lays in the tradition of the
drums, and is then reflected in other instruments,
so any music that reflects a strong influence and
presence of the Afro Caribbean drums, has the
Tinge in it. This was evident and crucial in the
development of early forms of jazz, and as Jelly
Roll pointed out, you need to have the Tinge in
your music in order to have the right ingredients
for jazz! At the time, the term Spanish Tinge, as
used by Jelly Roll, was referring to the Havana
style of Cuban Contradanza, also known as Habanera, and its syncopated bass lines and form
of tresillo that derived from Afro-Caribbean
music. This new form of tresillo, which he used
Duke’s Serenaders of 1917 was
his very first ensemble and “The
Colored Syncopators”— as this
band was also
sometimes
called—really
was an example
of Duke’s highly
syncopated approach to his
music. Later, the
Tinge appeared in
1936, in the collaboration between Ellington and Puerto Rican
trombonist and composer, Juan Tizol’s. This is
the ensemble that produced the iconic jazz tune
“Caravan.” A decade later, in 1947, these same
syncopated influences were found within the
masterworks that Dizzy Gillespie created with
the Cuban percussionist and composer,Chano
Pozo. However, the Caribbean Tinge is more
than the influence of the syncopated bass patterns of the Habaneras. Syncopation is a huge
part of the entire Caribbean culture. It is easy to
hear it in the different patterns played by Afro
“The Tinge lays in the tradition of the drums,
and is then reflected in other instruments,
so any music that reflects a strong influence
and presence of the Afro Caribbean drums,
has the Tinge in it. This was evident and
crucial in the development of early forms of
jazz, and as Jelly Roll pointed out, you need
to have the Tinge in your music in order
to have the right ingredients for jazz!”
on his left hand, became the basis for some of
his compositions. He called it Spanish Tinge, but
the Habanera actually came directly from Cuba,
and was introduced to New Orleans by the Spanish composer Sebastian Yradier. Perhaps that
was what led Jelly Roll to call it
the “Spanish” Tinge. Ever since this happened,
the Tinge has been present in jazz, influencing
musicians such as Duke Ellington: e.g. The
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Caribbean drums or tam bores, but it is also present in every aspect of Afro Caribbean music: in
the piano, in the bass, in the melodic lines played
by the guitar, the horns etc. Syncopation is also
experienced in the way we walk, the way we
talk, and in our gestures. You can witness this if
you go to a Hispanic neighborhood in New York
City, and stand still on a street corner, or in front
of a bodega. In Cuba, where I’m originally from,
it’s found everywhere you go!! I was born in
Cuba within the tradition of Tambor Yuka of
San Luis, Pinar del Rio. This is all to say that I
was introduced to this Congolese drumming
tradition at a very early age. I grew up seeing the
drummers tuning their drums with fire before
performing in the streets of San Luis and at the
Casa de Cultura located next to my home. The
Tinge was a basic component of the musical
tradition all around me. This album and the music I composed—that I identify as “Caribbean
Tinge”—demonstrates the Caribbean’s different
styles of drumming and traditions, specifically
from the islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Santo
Domingo—and their influence on jazz. One of
the things that makes this unique is the fact that
all of the traditions used in this album—
Yubá, Sicá, and Belén styles of Puerto Rican
Bomba, Salve style of Palo from Santo Domingo, and Mambo from Cuba and variations of
syncopated patterns—these were all derived
from the rich Congolese drumming traditions.
JI: What were some of the highlights in the
process of your creation of your new recording
Caribbean Tinge released by Motema Music and
featuring your group The Jass Syncopators.
EV: The creation of this project started back in
2006 with my second album The Source in Between. Leaving Cuba to come to America was a
hard decision to make, but it was the right one if
I wanted to learn jazz and emerge as part of this
fascinating art form. After few years of living in
Philadelphia—learning and playing jazz with
local musicians—I became frustrated at the way
people would only see me as a Salsa player once
they knew I was from Cuba. I always understood
that jazz was much bigger than just salsa, and
had an even bigger foundation in Caribbean
music. It was around that time that I visited New
Orleans for the first time, and it was like being in
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 56)
55
Elio Villafranca
(Continued from page 55)
Havana. The people were similar—their way of
walking, their humor, and their strong African
rooted culture was so familiar to me. That visit
lead me to realize that jazz was not just an
American thing, as many still believe, but it is
also a Caribbean thing. Preparing the music for
The Source in Between, I decided to compose
music that reflected both my roots in Latin music, as well as my love for jazz, which was the
main reason why I had moved to the USA in the
first place. But this project was mainly in a jazz
quartet format. To achieve a true blend of Latin
and jazz I used a combination of two American
jazz musicians—saxophonist Eric Alexander and
bassist Jeff Carney—and two Cubans—drummer
Dafnis Prieto, and myself on piano. This allowed
the music to breathe both cultures evenly at the
same time. A few years ago, and inspired by this
approach, I created The Jass Syncopators. This
group consists of a full jazz ensemble with three
horns, bass, drums, and piano, plus two percussionists and a dancer, which is the perfect ensemble to achieve my goal of true integration
and representation of Caribbean music and jazz.
I wanted the music to sound real in both styles,
so I created a true blend of American jazz and
Caribbean musicians. This band features drummer Lewis Nash, alto saxist Vincent Herring,
and trumpeter Terell Stafford, and bassists
creative process very special, as well as the
product. I hope others will agree.
JI: What are some of the essential elements of
Duke Ellington’s approach to music of the
1940’s that are significant influences in your
own writing and playing?
EV: What I always find influential in Ellington’s
music is his strong sense of rhythm. His music is
full of these sudden syncopated accents that
happen almost as a surprise, and which are often
emphasized on the piano with the left hand.
Those accented rhythms are like he is playing
the drums for me. His approach to playing the
piano is very lyrical, but essentially rhythmic,
and this approach resonated with me coming
from Cuba and all, since everything there is
about the syncopation. I also admire the fact that
he was also a true visionary. His ideas of freedom and independence resonate in his music,
and it was seeking for that freedom which made
my move easier to come to America. When I
listen to his music I clearly hear the foundations
of jazz that are so present. However,
he displaced those foundations in a very elegant
way, through beautiful melodic compositions
and thick chordal sounds, played in both the high
and the low register of the piano. These almost
cloister-type chord sounds give me the sensation
of hearing a drum accompanying the music,
even when there may be only piano. He uses the
same concept when he is writing for his orchestra, and especially the brass section. This made
his orchestrations very unique and gave his or-
“… coming from Cuba, I have struggled
with the question of whether I am being
accepted for who I really am in the jazz
community. So receiving this award
reaffirms my belief that jazz is the
most open, inclusive, and universal
musical form there is.”
Gregg August or Carlos Henriquez, with a strong
heritage in Caribbean and Latin music and myself on piano. In addition, I included two percussionists who were both masters in the tradition of
Afro Puerto Rican Bomba and Afro Dominican
Palo: Nelson Mateo Gonzales, and Jonathan
Troncoso. But, I was still missing an important
element of Caribbean culture, which is “the
dance”; so I invited Julia Loiza Gutierrez-Rivera
to perform. Julia is also a percussionist and master of the dance tradition of Bomba, Palo, and
other forms of Afro Caribbean dance. The highlight of the process of creating this album was
actually writing the music for it. Often we
write and then later adapt the composition to
a specific format— like a trio, quartet, etc. This
time, I composed music for this particular ensemble, considering each of the member’s talent
and abilities while I was writing. This made the
56
chestra a very distinct sound.
JI: Could you talk about the first-ever Jazz at
Lincoln Center Millennium Swing Award which
you will receive in June?
EV: The Millennium Swing! is an Award that
Jazz at Lincoln Center is giving for the first time
this year to three artists of their choosing, of
which I’m truly honored to be one. This
year’s honorees include also vocalist Cécile
McLorin Salvant and pianist Jonathan Batiste.
Receiving this award from JALC means a lot to
me. As I stated earlier in this interview, coming
from Cuba, I have struggled with the question of
whether I am being accepted for who I really am
in the jazz community. So receiving this award
reaffirms my belief that jazz is the most open,
inclusive, and universal musical form there is.
I’m truly excited that Jazz At Lincoln Center, the
leading organization in jazz, recognizes the importance and contribution of Latin and Caribbean music in jazz by honoring me with this
award. I’m also excited to be receiving this
award next to two of my favorite musicians and
jazz artists: Cécile McLorin Salvant and Jonathan Batiste. I understand that this award will be
an annual gala event, and will be open to
the public — a forum where Jazz At Lincoln
Center will honor those younger artists who are
making great contributions to jazz. This gala will
be celebrated in the Appel Room of the Frederick P. Rose Hall, 5th floor, Monday June 23,
from 6:30 to 9pm. I believe there will be music,
cocktails, and lots of celebrities including Swing! Honoraries chairs Spike and Tanya
Lee. Tickets will be available at JALC website www.jalc.org for anybody who would like to
attend.
JI: What were the highlights of the recent weekend you spent with Chick Corea as an invitee to
his webinar? What did you learn?
EV: Chick Corea was and continues to be one of
my biggest inspirations in jazz, since my early
days at the Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana,
Cuba. I’m humbled to be his friend, and to have
been invited by him last year to participate at his
Chick Corea Jazz Festival, curated at Jazz at
Lincoln Center. A few months ago, he also invited me to spend a weekend with him at a studio in Tampa, FL during his online Music Workshop—a webinar. That was a dream come true
— as it would have been for the many musicians
who signed in online to see Chick compose and
decompose his music through their computer
screens. I was watching him live, just two feet
away from me, talking about music, harmonies,
improvisation, different approaches of playing,
composing, and playing the same music I couldn’t even listen to freely at the music conservatory in Havana, when I was forced hide from my
classical teachers in a classroom—to listen
Chick’s, Herbie’s, Wynton’s, Weather Report’s
music—so I didn’t get reported to the director of
the school!. The workshop was an intense and
interactive format, consisting of two days with
two and a half hours of teaching/demonstration
in the morning, and then in the afternoon, Chick
answered questions from hundreds of viewers
and from the few of us who were attending the
workshop live. The highlight of the workshop
was that I got the opportunity to play with him
for the second time. I first accompanied him on
Miles Davis’s “So What” while he played the
drums. Then we played a four-hands free piano
improvisation, that transformed into his iconic
tune “Spain”. When his wife Gayle joined us,
Chick and I traded fours in our solos. That was
so much fun, and in addition, his rhythm section
included two dear friend of mine, Carlitos del
Puerto and Richie Barshay, with whom I got the
opportunity to hang out after the workshop
ended. The learning experience was limitless—
and just being there and being able to see a master of this tradition playing and sharing his musical experience in such an open way— it was for
me a transforming experience.

June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
William Parker
(Continued from page 37)
Sanders’ album Thembi.
JI: Your arco work is especially strong and you
utilize it more often than most players.
WP: There were several inspirations for my arco
playing, and by inspiration I mean I love the way
they play arco. It wasn’t so much me trying to
play what they did, they just inspired me that
arco playing was great. There was Ronnie
Boykins, Cecil McBee, Alan Silva and Henry
Grimes, who had a real thick sound in the early
days. I liked David Izenzon, but to me, I could
see that he wasn’t a jazz player, but I liked his
playing with Ornette Coleman. Richard Davis
had nice arco and I listened early on to Barre
Phillips because he put out the first solo bass
album I heard. I also liked John Lamb a lot, he
played with Duke Ellington, and Rafael Garrett
and Malachi Favors. For pizzicato work it was
Reggie Workman, Bob Cranshaw, Milt Hinton,
Malachi Favors, Jimmy Garrison, Wilbur Ware,
Charlie Haden, Paul Chambers, and for allaround versatility and musicianship, it was Ron
Carter. I listened to and liked them all. The truth
is there are so many wonderful bass players it’s
hard to mention them all in one sitting. I remember meeting Charlie Haden and telling him I was
going to be studying bass soon and he said,
“Well, play along with records, that’s how I
learned how to play,” and I would play with
records but after a while, I realized that there
were certain things I was not going to play. For
example, I tried to listen to Paul Chambers and
play what he played and it was very enlightening
that this was not gonna’ happen in this lifetime.
[Laughs] So that’s when I began to get the inkling that instead of playing what they would
play, let me play what I would play. So I’d put
on a record and I would play. I got a lot of confirmation from that idea when I was studying
with Wilbur Ware because Wilbur would play a
figure and then I would try to play the figure,
and if I played the figure like he played it, he
would say, “No, that’s wrong,” but when I
played the figure the way I wanted to play it,
he’d say, “That’s it!” He gave confirmation that
my music was worth something.
JI: You’re one of the few jazz bassists who
regularly plays arco. Why is bowing so rare
these days?
WP: Arco playing is usually associated with
classical music. For me, the bow is the heart of
the sound, the launching pad for tone and development of the left hand. Bowing is essential to
playing the bass.
JI: For Percy Heath is a recording you made in
2006 (Victo). There are so many other bassists
that seem to have a closer connection to your
playing than Percy Heath did, why single him
out?
WP: When I met Percy Heath he gave me the
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nickname “Iron Fingers.” I was doing a concert
with Cecil Taylor and Percy was backstage and
we played for a long time and I got off the stand
and Percy gave me a hug and he said, “You Iron
Fingers, yeah, you Iron Fingers! Man, how you
do that?” After that, whenever I’d see Percy,
he’d say, “You play your music, your music.” I
did a record dedicated to Percy Heath and people
said, “Well, we don’t see what the record had to
do with Percy Heath? Well, what it had to do
with Percy Heath was that he was the one who
was always telling me to play my music. He was
saying not to play like him because it wasn’t
going to happen. It’s not because you can’t try to
do that, it’s because you’re not supposed to play
like Percy Heath. I’m William, he’s Percy, and I
think as soon as music students understand that,
they can go ahead and do what they have to do.
If you go ahead and actually play like Paul
Chambers, I think you’re missing out on finding
your own voice on the instrument.
JI: What makes this music new?
in the air. Music and rhythms are all over and
anyone can play it. Also every culture has its
own versions of instruments that are similar, it
just depends on what woods and strings they
have available.
JI: When you were learning music you played
all day long in different settings. It’s a very different world today.
WP: The music students nowadays don’t play
all day long. One of the things that would help at
music school would be to have a 24-hour music
room where you could go, no matter what time
of day, and there would always be somebody in
there playing. It would be a room open to the
students to jam in all the time. There should also
be a vacuum room where you could go to listen
to silence. You’d be surprised at the things that
come into your head when you close your eyes
and just listen to nothing. I think there needs to
be more jam sessions for them, especially ones
where they’re not playing any tunes, they’re just
“There should also be a vacuum room
where you could go to listen to silence.
You’d be surprised at the things that
come into your head when you close
your eyes and just listen to nothing.”
WP: Take bebop and swing and change one
element, have the drummer change from just
keeping time and have him dialogue with the
other musicians. He can keep a little time but
have him exchange with the saxophone player,
that makes the music shift into another area.
That’s all that new music is. You’re doing something new, you’re changing the role of the musicians. Instead of playing 4/4 time, play 5/4, or go
from 4/4 to 3/4 to 2/4. Every bar, change the
time signature, or just solo through the whole
thing. Everyone can just solo after the head.
That’s the beginning of new music, you just
have to change the focus of things. You’re not
reinventing the wheel, you’re just changing the
idea of it, the material it’s made from, to get a
different effect. We New York musicians are
into energy—sound for 3 hours! But you can
also play something for a minute and then have a
minute of silence. You’re introducing silence
and that’s new. And then when you come back
in, instead of a blaring trumpet, you hit a gong or
a bell. That’s new, that’s stimulating. We can
listen to all the music from around the world and
use it. This isn’t really new music, it’s been
around, we’re just using it as new music. All the
hubbub about new, about old, it’s not so much
about that, it’s that you just have to widen your
scope, widen the lens, and then you can get a
panoramic vision. You can have little kids singing a song over here and then you see little kids
singing the same song in Africa and Scotland.
Did those kids listen to each other? No, music is
open and experimenting. Today, these kids are
making three CDs before they graduate. It’s a
different world now.
JI: What special techniques have you developed
on bass to manipulate sound?
WP: First let me say that I, as a bass player, I
never [pick up the unique stylings of other bassists]. It’s almost the same as clowns who have
this thing about their own unique makeup and
it’s copyrighted. There’s a thing that Mark
Dresser does [where he swoops down the bass].
He’s the first one I saw do that so I assume that’s
his signature, but I’ve seen many bass players do
that now and I never do that. Any technique that
I use is something that comes to me. That doesn’t mean that somebody else is not doing it, but I
did not see somebody do it. Peter Kowald did
certain things, and if he did it, I stayed away
from it. The things that I do to manipulate, like
spreading the strings to make them sing, I’m
doing what comes natural to me to make the bass
speak. It’s universal that you bend the string to
have the effect of speaking and having the sound
go from loud to soft. I also try to take away the
finger board. Usually you use the finger board to
press the string down but I try to pull the strings
to the side, rather than down. To get more sound,
I’ve used two bows, which I’ve seen one or two
other bass players do since I’ve done it, and I’ve
also used three bows in one hand, an extended
technique to get a different sound. I use other
extended techniques such as strumming the bass
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
57
don’t want to play jazz. But it’s not about jazz,
nobody knows what jazz is anyway, it’s about
the music, it’s about sound, rhythm, tone and
pulse.
William Parker
(Continued from page 57)
on top. Reggie Workman does that but he uses a
different technique. Because my strings are high,
I can almost get a new language by a tap technique. There’s also the idea of plucking and
bowing below the strings, bowing between the
top of the strings and the head. Things come to
you when you’re playing and sometimes you do
them once and can’t do it again or it becomes a
part of your vocabulary but I never do it just to
do it. The most important thing you want is to
have your tone. On the road you have different
basses and often you can’t get what you want out
of them so you do what it wants to do, and that
can be frustrating, but you have to be open. You
have to figure out where it sings the most, and
some of these basses, nothing’s happening so
you just have to chalk it up and do the best you
can.
JI: Earlier in your career you utilized some
props to alter sound such as a drum stick stuck
between your bass strings but you don’t do that
anymore. Why did you move away from that
JI: Last year you told me that you had never
asked for a gig in your life. You viewed that as a
virtue but it was surprising to hear you say that.
What’s wrong with seeking work and playing
more often?
WP: I don’t know if I was born under a certain
star but lack of work has never been my problem. The idea of never asking for work comes
from the Knitting Factory. When the Knitting
Factory began, they didn’t know who anybody
was. They’d call me up and go, “Who’s Clifford
Jordan? Should I give him a gig?” Or, “This guy,
Dewey Redman is here and I’m asking him for a
tape.” I didn’t want some young promoter, for a
gig that wasn’t paying anything, to be in a position to have them tell me if I could play there or
not. The secondary reason is that I never really
had to worry about working, I’ve always done
gigs and been asked to do projects. I was recently commissioned to write a piece for a chamber orchestra. I didn’t ask for that. The guy
called me up and asked if I would like to write
“I didn’t want some young promoter,
for a gig that wasn’t paying anything,
to be in a position to have them tell
me if I could play there or not.”
technique?
WP: A lot of people were doing that so I
stopped doing it. It’s like a gimmick and a lot of
European bass players do that kind of stuff now.
Charlie Haden uses some extended technique at
times but he basically just plays what he plays
and makes a beautiful sound, he’s like the Coleman Hawkins of the bass. Extended technique is
just technique.
JI: You seem very adaptable to playing a wide
range of music.
WP: You have to be able to navigate anything
that’s thrown at you. If it comes to my head,
even the corniest rhythm in the world, and we’re
playing some hip music, you have to be able to
turn it around so now it’s hip. There’s nothing
that I can think of that I can’t use. That’s free
music, you’re free to use anything you can think
of. They start playing a polka, ‘Oh man, here
comes a corny polka,’ but how can you make it
hip? You have to be adaptable to play with different people, you never know what will work to
keep the music going. What I notice about European players is that they don’t play any vamps,
everything is always disconnected. A lot of
European bass players have this thing that they
58
for his orchestra. I know guys who send their
stuff all around, trying to write for symphonies
and get turned down. I wouldn’t tell anyone not
to ask for gigs, I’m just lucky that way. There’s a
point where I might start asking for gigs because
with this Doris Duke grant they’re talking about
career development, and if I really want to develop my career, I should try. The thing is, we’re
ghettoized. We don’t often get to play on a major
festival. You see the same names on the major
festivals all the time. If we’re on the festival,
we’re never mentioned on the advertisement. If I
can help other people in this school of music by
playing larger festivals…The elders are not getting any younger and maybe the elders will
never get to play on the Vienne Jazz Festival,
which is cool, people’s lives are not based off of
playing at the Vienne Jazz Festival, it’s more
than that, but it would be nice if we were like
regular musicians and played regular festivals. If
you really listen to what we do, it can get over
anywhere. Once people hear us, they love it, we
just need the chance. The other thing is that
when we do get to play at a major festival, they
don’t treat us major. It’s like they’re doing you a
favor. I played at the Montreal Jazz Festival
years ago with David S. Ware and if you invite
someone to dinner, you should have them sit at
the table. Also, we were signed to Columbia
Records and they did absolutely nothing for us.
They didn’t put out any ads about the records,
they didn’t send out any copies to the radio stations, they didn’t help us get gigs or help us in
any way and then they said, “Well, the record
didn’t sell, would you like to do another one?”
We did two records. Branford Marsalis was the
producer, but they didn’t do anything to push it.
It’s like they wanted it to fail. I’d rather be invited to the smaller festivals where you are really
wanted—although the dream is always for the
larger festivals. Is what the other guy playing
really better than what we’re playing? Does he
love music more than us? I don’t think so.
JI: You also play tuba at times. What does that
add to the music that your bass doesn’t?
WP: I really like the tuba. I found a king sousaphone on the street one day on St. Marks Place.
Oh, you’d be surprised what people throw out
around here! So I got it repaired, and this was
like 1970, and I learned the fingering. I liked it
because I wanted to slow down because on the
bass, I’m always tending to GO and the tuba
slows you down. It’s like a meditation. You
should try it once, it’s really good for you. The
tuba is also a different kind of anchor, it’s a
foundation, but it’s really slow and goes deep
inside of you, giving a different kind of vibration
to the music. I really like the low sounds and I
plan to investigate it more as I get older.
JI: You’ve been introducing more and more
world instruments into your performances over
the years such as the shakuhachi, donson n’goni,
gimbre, dumbek, talking drum, kora and zinter.
Your bass playing is so skillful, why move away
from the bass? Does bass not allow you to fully
express yourself?
WP: That started in the ‘70s, through John Coltrane and my listening to Indian music early on,
especially the sarod. The first [world] instrument
I got was a shakuhachi and in ‘75, a kora from
Gambia. I began to really love these instruments.
It’s not so much moving away from the bass, I’m
just not as excited about the bass as I am about
these instruments because they’re new. All these
things are fascinating for me but what I’ve been
looking for, again, is the healing aspect, and
these instruments are more ancient and somehow, I hope to use them for healing in some kind
of way. I want to develop a concept of a healing
ceremony through sound. I played the doson
ngoni with a Moroccan master of the gimbre,
Mahmoud Guinia. I told him that I also played
the gimbre and he gave me confirmation on how
I was approaching these instruments. He said
that since I was from New York and not Morocco, I had to play New York style. I’ve also
been encouraged by musicians in other countries
to make music anyway that I can.
JI: “Visions” have shaped your music reportedly
from an early age. Would you talk about these
visions and how they manifest?
WP: Usually they just come and sometimes it’s
through poetry with a complete sentence or an
idea like sunlight through leaves in trees. It’s
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William Parker
(Continued from page 58)
looking up and seeing a whole universe of light
coming through leaves. It’s a clear image, and
that’s the beginning of writing a piece or getting
an idea of instruments playing and light coming
as air through horns, light coming as sound
through bows and strings. It’s just like when an
idea comes to you, you get a vision of what
could happen, a dream. That’s how I’ve always
been informed about things. When I was a kid, I
went to the library and just pulled out a book and
it was Kenneth Patchen. I didn’t know who he
was but I opened it up and it’s a Kenneth
Patchen poem and he’s talking about “Through
acceptance of the mystery peace. Only through
peace can we have acceptance of the mystery.”
The book was In Quest of Candlelighters so I
got hip to Kenneth Patchen and that’s how it’s
been. You can call it serendipitous or whatever,
but I accept that you run into certain people - the
people that you need to meet. Somehow we’re a
lost clan, a musical clan of people who think
similarly.
JI: In your liner notes to In Order to Survive
(Black Saint, 1993), you recalled the guidance
counselor addressing your 7th grade class in the
South Bronx regarding future careers and being
told that no one in the class would have a future.
You wrote – “The crime committed by our guidance counselor that day was one against the nascent hope that was stirring inside of us looking
for confirmation.” That day easily could have
ruined you but it seems to have given you
strength and shaped your career.
WP: That could have been very detrimental. It
was detrimental in a way, in the sense that for
people coming up in the projects, the expectations are so low. Instead of telling people that
you are all wonderful human beings and that you
can do anything , be anything, he was saying that
we’re not gonna’ go anywhere. We’re gonna’ be
messengers and pushing racks of clothing
through the garment district. Later on, I found
out that they didn’t want you to go to an academic school. They wanted you to go to a vocational school to learn trades, but he did it in a
severe way. He was saying you’re not gonna’ do
anything, you’re gonna’ go to jail. It was very
pessimistic but, again, I was very lucky. It’s a
blessing that I was spaced out and it didn’t really
hit me because I just continued my search. I got
out without being scared heavily.
JI: You studied bass with Richard Davis, Art
Davis, and Milt Hinton by way of Harlem’s
Jazzmobile and also took private lessons with
Jimmy Garrison and Wilbur Ware. What did
each of them stress to you
WP: I also studied with Paul West who was the
director of the Jazzmobile at the time. Everybody would bring in who they were and what
they did. Richard Davis was playing in a symphony orchestra, he was playing jazz and doing
record dates with pop and folk musicians, so his
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idea was that he wanted you to be an all-around
bass player, to play all kinds of music in all
kinds of styles and do a good job of it. I learned
from him that no matter what kind of gig you
did, it could be with the worst singer and band in
the world, but when the audience left the gig,
they should say, “That band was really terrible
but the bass player was really playin.’” He
taught me to always do my best—come to gigs
on time, come to rehearsals early—and the idea
of being a professional musician. Milt Hinton
was talking about the idea of how to construct a
bass line so he would have us play on only the
note of C and play as rhythmically as much as
you could play on just one note before you went
to the next note. Art Davis talked about using
more of a cello technique, using a third finger to
make notes, and also the blues changes and how
to construct walking basslines. He gave a
bassline but I didn’t copy it down because I didn’t want to sound like him. I went to Jimmy
Garrison’s house and we talked about the music
business, but a lot of the lessons were hanging
out with him. We’d go over to Beaver Harris’
and Elvin Jones’ houses and talk about things.
But he wasn’t interested in being an all-around,
not that he wasn’t, but he wasn’t interested in
playing classical. He was just interested in being
Jimmy Garrison. He got very depressed after
Coltrane died. He was trying to get back into the
pocket of things and then contracted lung cancer
and died at 42. Wilbur Ware was more like
Jimmy Garrison in a sense. I never knew if
Wilbur Ware knew anything about music. He
was a man of mystery. He never talked about
anything technical. We’d go to Studio Wee together and sometimes he’d call me up and I
would finish a gig for him. He was his own person and did what he did and everyone respected
him because nobody could touch him when he
was on. He taught me to be an individual and
just worry about the music, just do the music.
JI: Apparently, Wilbur Ware used to send you
on special missions?
WP: Yeah, when I got my lesson, he’d always
send me out to get his 6-pack of beer so he could
be nice and relaxed during the lessons.
JI: Your first recording as a leader Through
Acceptance of the Mystery Peace (Centering)
came in 1979 and then you didn’t record again
for 14 years. Why the long recording delay?
WP: Up until I got married in ‘75, it was piecemeal because I don’t think we ever made any
money playing music. I was still living in the
Bronx at home so I didn’t have to pay any rent
and everything was done on a low scale. When
you didn’t have it, you just bypassed it. You did
a lot of walking and you didn’t eat. You see how
skinny we are in those old photographs.
[Laughs] Later on, I had a day job for a while in
‘75, I was a gardener in the projects and I
worked in the boiling room until I did a gig with
Don Cherry at the Five Spot for a week and I
started making money and started working with
other people. You survived by hook or by crook.
There was public assistance, which a lot of musicians did, and food stamps. It wasn’t until the
‘80s, when I started going to Europe with Cecil
Taylor, although we didn’t work that much, that
I actually began to make money. I did better in
the’90s with In Order To Survive and when I
had my own quartet. In 1986 I began working
with David Ware on a regular basis, along with
Cecil. From 1986 on, I really began to pay my
rent as a musician.
JI: Poverty was such an issue in your early days
that when your father died in 1976, you didn’t
have the $1.50 to travel to the Bronx for his
funeral, you had to sell some records to raise the
cash. What was that day like?
WP: I should have been able to borrow the
money from somewhere because it was an emergency. I did what I had to do because I had made
the commitment to play music and that was what
I was gonna’ do, even if we were below the table
or underground, I was still gonna’ play music. I
did get little jobs for a day or two but I stuck to
the music. My father never heard me play but it
was his dream for me to play in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. You have to learn to accept things
that don’t happen and make due. You can’t get
sidetracked, you really have to have a long-haul
attitude.
JI: Do you consider yourself to be self-trained or
formally trained?
WP: Not formally trained, I never went to a
conservatory. I’m self-trained, and mostly
trained through playing music.
(Part 2 — Continued next issue)
WP: I had no offers to record. I had tried to
release something I did once with David Ware
and Denis Charles but it was rejected.
JI: NoBusiness Records released Centering
(Unreleased Early Recordings 1976-1987) in
2012, a beautifully prepared 6-CD box set. The
attached booklet details your life coming on the
jazz scene during the ‘70s historic loft era. A
typical day for you was spent from 10 AM – 1
PM practicing in Alan Glover’s band, 2 PM –
7PM playing with Juma Sultan’s Aboriginal
Music Society or with Cecil Taylor, and then the
rest of the night was spent at a loft such as Studio Rivbea until early in the morning. How were
you surviving financially in those days?
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
“Leadership is not
magnetic personality. That can
just as well be a glib tongue. It
is not ‘making friends and influencing
people’ - that is flattery. Leadership is
lifting a person’s vision to higher sights,
the raising of a person’s performance
to a higher standard, the building of
a personality beyond its
normal limitations.”
- Peter F. Drucker
59
Dizzy Reece
(Continued from page 11)
see? Those are my values. And that’s the value
that perhaps is lacking both from the younger
musicians and from the popular music, so to
speak. There’s always a prejudice about jazz
because creativity is really freedom. We have
our freedom marches and we have all this, and
being free and so forth. But freedom is within
creativity. You know that as a creative musician.
You have to transcend the color line and really
get along as an individual being. Hell, I’ve gotten a lot of flak too—like when I used Joe Farrell
on that recording date for Asia Minor. “Why did
you use a white guy?” I’ve been through that. It
has nothing to do with that. If you can play,
we’ll make music together. I understand, and I
understood. The racism was very thick—and it
was black and white, and that stuff was very
despicable.
JI: Do you think that it’s still going on today?
DR: Yes, nothing has changed in the world. It’s
a way. It’s natural. You’ve got tribes, you’ve got
clans. It goes both ways. That’s why I said it
comes back to individuality—and eventually you
create your own freedom as an individual creative artist. Your freedom is really freedom in
your creative spirit—and there’s a difference
between a creative spirit that can improvise and
one that can’t. That’s why being an improviser is
such a high level with anything—even technology. I never aspired for fame and fortune,
never. That wasn’t my outlook when I started.
Most of the musicians I know just wanted to
play better and better. I didn’t know what would
DR: When it came to business, a lot of people
backed off from that—even in running the festival. That’s human nature. Remember, the devil
plays music too, as well as the God force that
plays music. So it’s life. Talent is just incidental. What’s important is the character that you
have, innately, genetically, whatsoever, as a
being. I don’t know about karma, reincarnation
and so forth as you go along, but you develop. I
just deal with the mind. There’s a spiritual force.
It’s physical too. It’s not spiritual. It would mean
a high grade form of physicality. It’s still physical. It’s still tangible regardless if it’s spiritual
whatsoever. For me, it means a high level of
intellect. I’m a Buddhist. The word Buddha
comes from the word Bodhi. Bodhi means the
intellect in Sanskrit. Thousands of people that
practice Buddhism take it as a deity. That has
nothing to do with it. By the way, I mention this
because I don’t know if you’re hip to my album
Nirvana. I made that in 1967 before there was a
group called Nirvana, the pop group. Nirvana is
a reference to Buddhism. I’m familiar with all
the great religions. One of my things has always
been to read and I’ve read a lot. All of this goes
into your music and it comes out in bell of the
horn. You can’t play what you don’t know or
what you’re not. If you’ve got a rich background, that’s what you have to offer as a musician. There was always an axiom or a saying,
“You cannot cast pearls to swine.” The pearls
mean knowledge, and what you have to offer. As
soon as the music and art becomes profane, you
see what happens with it. That’s why you always
have a certain society of musicians. I remember
the days when people were complaining, “Man, I
can’t get into jazz. It’s too closed. It’s too closed
a shop.” Well yes, it was closed because the
players and the innovators they didn’t want to
make it profane as much as they wanted to establish it. But is has opened up. I think it’s oversatu-
“Modern jazz is the greatest thing that
ever happened on the planet besides
the technology, the gadgetries and the
high-tech. It's an art form representing
the human character.”
come. I expected to perhaps make a living from
it and so forth—which was denied in many instances. We’ve all been denied. Some guys play
to get the girls. The instrument looks pretty—it’s
a shiny instrument. It’s got different temperaments. But as far as musicianship ... the great
ones I know and myself never even thought
about fortune and fame. I just followed the trail
and it ended up where it is now. It goes beyond
politics. It goes beyond your philosophy.
JI: Talk about how you developed your business
acumen.
60
rated now, personally. The average cat playing
today doesn’t know the history, who’s who,
what is what. He knows his playing—but not the
history … the energy and the soul that went
down into it before you had any instrument in
your mouth or in your hands. And you have to
respect that and realize what that is. That’s what
you’re playing. I’ve gotten to the stage now
where it doesn’t matter. If you’ve got it you’ve
got it. If you don’t have it, that’s your problem. Anybody who can’t appreciate it, if they
don’t have the sophistication and intelligence,
that’s their lacking. We’re not all going to get it.
That’s why we respect the elders in music, arts
and everything because they had it and they
brought it. You got it from them and you moved
it on. To me, that’s the God source.
JI: The place where readers can find a lot of
your writings is at Facebook.com/
DizzyReeceTrumpet. You mention that you have
recorded 45 albums as a leader, and that you
have written an autobiography.
DR: Yes, it’s just about finished. I’ve done a lot
of work. I’ve got a trunk full of stuff. I do a lot
of art. I do a lot of painting too. I’m a painter.
JI: What kind of painting do you do?
DR: I’ve got some paintings in New York. I did
a lot of painting in Paris, big paintings. I still am
surrounded by paintings I have here. Painting is
like frozen music. It’s all related. Music is still
the hippest because it’s alive—where a painting
hangs on a wall. But it’s got its spirituality as
you would say—essence. All these different
things come together. They relate. I never separate one from the other, whether it’s cuisine,
cooking. I’m a gourmet cook. I’m a painter, I’m
a philosopher, I’m a great trumpet player. When
I say great I mean because I try to make it
great. If I write you a letter, it’s very artful. It’s
like a painting. Anything I do, I suppose I’m
fortunate. It’s in my genes, like perhaps in
yours. I’m a trumpeter and a musician. These are
the things. I’m not just another musician walking
around.
JI: I think that whatever you do—to do it well,
you have to be driven by emotion. Some people
think that money will make them happy, or that
power will make them happy. But I think the
foundational element that drives everything—the
one thing that you really want to have and discover—is enthusiasm. If you discover just what
it is for which you have enthusiasm, that’s going
to give you all the power and drive to get all
those other things going.
DR: Well that’s a creative force. It’s a creative
force, it’s what you call enthusiasm. That’s what
drives you is your creative force.
JI: I remember reading something about Sonny
Rollins liking to get himself angry before he
performs because he feels it gives him more
energy.
DR: That’s one way of putting it. That’s an old
thing for therapy and therapeutics and psychology and so forth. Of course angry, music is angry too, it can be angry. Of course, you have
storms, hurricanes in nature. Those are angry
moments in the natural order of things and human beings get angry. But if you can channel
that angry like Sonny Rollins said into a creative
mode, that’s what you do with it, and you use
that anger and it’s creative. Some people used to
rebel against modern. They said the music was
anti this and anti that, it’s too heavy. It still is
heavy. It’s got angriness. If you listen to the
classic symphonies—they’ve got anger. They’ve
got everything in them. But we are human beings so that’s what we do. But then it turns out
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(Continued on page 52)
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She utilizes in different combinations 23 instrumentalists, 28 singers and 9 spoken-word voiceovers in addition to her own voice and piano.
Each song seems to look towards a different
culture yet there is a unity to the music. While I
wish that I knew what the lyrics said (the singing
is in Portuguese), the joy of Assad’s voice definitely comes through.
The opener, “De Perna Pro Ar,” introduces
Clarice Assad’s high-powered singing, her writing for strings, some electronic programming,
and a bit of Miguel Malla’s tenor. “Passaros” has
an excellent vocal group along with an ensemble
that includes marimbas, violin, prepared piano
and bird calls. “Tempestade” is an exploration of
Indian music before it becomes more Brazilianoriented (with Carlos Malta’s alto flute) near its
conclusion. “Fantasia” looks towards Asia with
prominent playing from harp, violin and bowed
bass.
The eclectic nature of the music continues
with the hyper Brazilian piece “Da Imaginacao”
which features Romero Lumambo’s guitar and
some remarkably fast scatting from Assad.
“Perto Do Luar” is a melodic piece while
“Revolta Das Flores” has a powerful yet playful
vocal from Assad along with fine bassoon playing by Amy Duxbury. “A Morte Da Flor,” which
has an opera singer, and “Lachrimae” are classical-oriented. “Why” combines classical singing
with some unusual sounds. Imaginarium concludes with “Dedezinha De Maio,” a playful and
happy number that serves as a closing theme
song.
During this 38-minute CD, Clarice Assad
performs a very complete and unusual world of
music.
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Francy Boland
PLAYING WITH THE TRIO – Schema Records RW 148 – www.ishtar.it Nights In Warsaw; I’m All Smiles; Myriam Doll; Night Lady;
Gamal Sady’N’Em; Lonely Girl; Dierdres’s
Blues; The Girl And The Turk; Like Someone In
Love
PERSONNEL: Francy Boland, piano; Jimmy
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(Continued on page 62)
Nora McCarthy, 215-887-8880, Nora@JazzInsideMgazine.com
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61
Woode, bass; Kenny Clarke, drums; Fats Sadi,
bongos on “The Girl And The Turk
By Scott Yanow
Francy Boland became so well known for
his arranging and his co-leadership of his big
band with Kenny Clarke that it has often been
forgotten how inventive and original he was as a
pianist.
Boland was born in Belgium late in 1929.
He began playing piano when he was eight and
after World War II, he studied at a music conservatory. However by then he was attracted to
jazz. He played with the early European bop
band the Bop Shots, a group that included tenorsaxophonist Bobby Jaspar. In 1949 Boland made
his recording debut and he worked throughout
Europe during the next few years. Although he
also played a bit of trumpet and mellophone, he
eventually gave those up to concentrate on the
piano. Boland worked in Paris with Bobby Jaspar’s group and wrote for the bands of pianist
Henri Renaud and vibraphonist Sadi. Boland
was a member of the Chet Baker Quintet during
1955-56 when the trumpeter was spending time
in Europe. Baker was so impressed by Boland
that he used him back in the United States and
introduced him to Count Basie who used a few
of Boland’s arrangements.
During a few years in the United States,
Boland also wrote arrangements for Benny
Goodman, Woody Herman, Mary Lou Williams
and Dizzy Gillespie. Most importantly in the
long run, he met drummer Kenny Clarke with
whom he put together an octet. Boland returned
to Europe to become the main arranger for bandleader Kurt Edelhagen. Clarke also moved to
Europe and the two were part of groups led by
tenor-saxophonists Don Byas and Hans Koller.
In 1962, the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland
Big Band was formed. As pianist and the
group’s main arranger, Boland and the all-star
big band were quite busy for the next decade.
The hard-swinging orchestra featured both Europeans and Americans living in Europe, performing and recording prolifically, making over 30
albums during its eleven years. After the big
band ran its course, Boland remained active as a
composer, with his later work including work on
an unusual Sarah Vaughan project that found
him writing music to the poems of Pope John
Paul II. Boland passed away in 2005 at the age
of 75.
Playing With The Trio reissues a rare trio
album that showcases Boland’s piano playing.
He performs four originals, two songs by bassist
Jimmy Woode (best known for his earlier association with the Duke Ellington Orchestra), Neal
Hefti’s obscure “Lonely Girl,” “I’m All Smiles,”
and the standard “Like Someone In Love.”
Throughout this outing with Woode and
Kenny Clarke from 1967, Francy Boland is
mostly in the spotlight. While his chording during the medium-tempo jazz waltz ‘”Nights In
Warsaw” recalls Dave Brubeck a little, otherwise he sounds quite original. His voicings are
personal, he swings lightly, and on “Lonely
Girl” Boland sounds particularly boppish. There
are some brief solos along the way for Clarke
(who mostly uses brushes) and Woode (who is
62
prominent on the exotic “Gamal Sady’N’Em”)
but this is otherwise Boland’s showcase. Highlights include the superior show tune “I’m All
Smiles” (which should have become a standard),
the medium-up blues waltz “Night Lady” and a
melodic and tasteful rendition of “Like Someone
In Love.”
Playing With The Trio is one of Francy
Boland’s finest recordings as a pianist.
David M. Bromberg
FORTH & BACK—CAP 1031. Web: jazzbeat.com. Up Jazz; Top Chop; Gabby’s Here;
Salt; Exotica; Finally; Forth and Back; Big Azz
Bossa; The Operator
PERSONNEL: David M.Bromberg, drums; Bill
Vint, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass
clarinet, flute; Steve Hunt, acoustic piano, electric keyboards; Christian Fabian, acoustic bass
By Alex Henderson
Over the years, some people have
confused drummer David M. Bromberg with
singer David Bromberg. But they are definitely
two different people. The drummer was born in
Roswell, New Mexico in 1951 and grew up in
Tucson, Arizona but has lived in New York City
since 1977. By comparison, the singer was born
in Philadelphia in 1945 and was raised in Tarrytown, NY before attending Columbia University
in New York City during the 1960s. And while
the singer (who plays guitar, fiddle, dobro and
mandolin) is more of a folk/bluegrass/country/
roots type of artist, the drummer has concentrated on instrumental jazz. In fact, he is the
older brother of jazz bassist Brian Bromberg.
And instrumental jazz is what the drummer offers on Forth & Back, a post-bop album that
unites him with wind player Bill Vint (who is
heard on tenor and soprano sax as well as bass
clarinet and flute), bassist Christian Fabian and
pianist Steve Hunt.
Although Hunt plays some electric keyboards on this release, the material is essentially
post-bop—not fusion or jazz-funk—and Bromberg brings a heavy 1960s/1970s influence to the
performances. Quite often, albums that are so
greatly influenced by the post-bop of that era
include a lot of post-bop standards. One might
expect to hear, for example, Cedar Walton’s
“Bolivia” next to Wayne Shorter’s “Witch Hunt”
next to Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance”—in
other words, the type of favorites that make it
clear the artist is being mindful of classic postbop. Bromberg, however, plays original material
exclusively on this disc. But his writing, from
“Exotica” to “Up Jazz” to “The Operator,”
clearly reflects Bromberg’s appreciation of
1960s and 1970s post-bop. Listening to
“Finally,” “Salt” or “Top Chop,” one thinks of
the albums that pianist McCoy Tyner, tenor
saxophonist Joe Henderson or pianist Cedar
Walton recorded back in the day. And if there
were any trumpet playing on this 52-minute CD,
one might be tempted to make a Woody Shaw
comparison—even without any trumpet playing,
Forth & Back recalls the type of material Shaw
wrote for his albums during the 1970s.
“Big Azz Bossa” has a strong Brazilian
influence, but it isn’t bossa nova in the way that
the 1960s recordings of Stan Getz, João & Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Charlie
Byrd were bossa nova. Known for its soft, relaxed and understated approach, the bossa nova
as envisioned by João Gilberto, Getz and Jobim
was a mixture of Brazilian music and cool
jazz—Getz, who was heavily influenced by the
seminal Lester “The Pres” Young, was very
much a member of the Cool School. But Bromberg swings hard on “Big Azz Bossa,” playing
the samba rhythm in a way that is melodic yet
aggressive. And that track fits right in with the
album’s post-bop orientation. “Big Azz Bossa”
is Brazilian jazz the way that Tyner or Hubbard
would have played it on one of their albums 40
or 45 years ago.
Bromberg doesn’t pretend to break any new
stylistic ground on Forth & Back; regardless,
this is an enjoyable outing from the veteran
drummer.
Tom Chang
TONGUE & GROOVE—Raw Toast Records
1020. Web: tomchangmusic.com. Spinal Tap/
Goes to 11; Djangolongo; Variations for Piano,
Op. 27; Sleepwalker; Tongue & Groove; Scatterbrain; Bar Codes; The Logos; Entangoed
Heart; Spinal Tap, Take 2
PERSONNEL: Tom Chang, electric guitar;
Greg Ward, alto saxophone; Jason Rigby, tenor
saxophone; Chris Lightcap, electric bass; Gerald
Cleaver, drums; Subash Chandran, konnakol;
Akshay Anatapadmanabhan, kanjira, mridangam
By Alex Henderson
Avant-garde jazz was created in the acoustic realm, thriving with the free jazz that the
Ornette Coleman Quartet (with bassist Charlie
Haden, trumpeter Don Cherry and drummer
Billy Higgins), pianist Cecil Taylor, tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler and others offered during
the 1960s. But with the rise of the free funk
movement in the 1970s and 1980s, avant-garde
jazz liberally incorporated rock and funk elements—and electric explorers such as Ornette
Coleman & Prime Time, Ronald Shannon Jackson & Decoding Society, bassist Jamaaladeen
Tacuma and electric guitarist James “Blood”
Ulmer brought a great deal of amplification to
the world of outside jazz. In the 21st Century,
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avant-garde jazz continues to have its acoustic
side and its electric side; Tongue & Groove is
clearly an example of the latter.
Tom Chang brings a lot of rock muscle to
this 2012 recording, which unites the electric
guitarist with Greg Ward on alto saxophone,
Jason Rigby on tenor saxophone, Chris Lightcap
on electric bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. A
few additional musicians occasionally bring a
touch of world music appeal to the CD: Akshay
Anatapadmanabhan (heard on the kanjira and the
mridangam) and konnakol player Subash
Chandran. The title track, for example, has an
Indian classical influence—specially, the influence of the Carnatic or South Indian school of
Indian classical music (as opposed to the Hindustani tradition of North India). In fact, the kanjira, the mridangam and the konnakol are all
traditional Carnatic instruments.
But Tongue & Groove, on the whole, is
essentially electric free jazz rather than world
jazz, and Chang is every bit as rock-minded as
fusion guitarists like Al DiMeola, Scott Henderson, John McLaughlin, Stanley Jordan and Larry
Coryell—which is not to say that anyone will
mistake “Scatterbrain,” “The Logos,”
“Sleepwalker” or “Spinal Tap/Goes to 11” for
fusion. This is an album that clearly operates in
the avant-garde realm, and the performances are
quite free. Chang is not one to shy away from
dissonance.
However, Tongue & Groove isn’t strictly an
exercise in nonstop atonal chaos. In its own abstract, cerebral way, the material sounds focused
rather than haphazard—and Chang’s guitar playing becomes notably bluesy on “Bar Codes,” the
South America-tinged “Entangoed Heart” (as
opposed to “Entangled Heart”) and
“Djangolongo.” The latter is especially interesting: its title is an obvious reference to the seminal acoustic guitarist Django Reinhardt, who
wrote the book on gypsy jazz. Yet
“Djangolongo” is not traditional gypsy jazz by
any means. It is as avant-garde and as angular as
anything else on the album. But there are hints of
Reinhardt’s gypsy aesthetic nonetheless, and it’s
interesting to see that even a rock-influenced
guitarist specializing in electric free jazz can
offer some acknowledgement of the legacy of
Reinhardt (who was only 43 when he died in
1953). Reinhardt’s work continues to be influential no less than 61 years after his death, and the
fact that Chang appreciates a variety of guitarists—from Reinhardt to Jimi Hendrix to
Ulmer—speaks well of him.
Tongue & Groove is well worth checking
out if one likes his/her free jazz with an abundance of rock and funk muscle.
Jo-Yu Chen
STRANGER—Okeh
Records.
wwwJoYuChen.com. Mon Cher; Wolfman; Castle; Fragments; Stranger; The Pirate; Solo Piano; Song for Ryder; Happy New Year; Art of
Darkness
PERSONNEL: Jo-Yu Chen, acoustic piano;
Christopher Tordini, acoustic bass; Tommy
Crane, drums; Kurt Rosenwinkel, electric guitar
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By Alex Henderson
The connection between jazz and European
classical music has existed for many years.
Countless jazz musicians are classically trained,
and an entire area of jazz has been dedicated to
combining jazz and Euro-classical elements:
third stream. Some classically trained jazz musicians knew all along that jazz would ultimately
be their main focus, but others started out wanting to be full-time classical musicians before
shifting their focus to jazz. Taiwanese acoustic
pianist Jo-Yu Chen is a perfect example of the
latter.
When she left Taiwan and moved to New
York City to study at the Juilliard School of
Music, a career in classical music was what
Chen had in mind (she studied both the oboe and
the piano at Juilliard). But Chen ended up being
a full-time jazz pianist, recording two jazzoriented albums for Sony (2010’s Obsession and
2011’s My Incomplete Soul) before recording
2014’s Stranger for Okeh/Sony. However, the
Euro-classical influence didn’t disappear from
her playing, and one hears classical overtones on
Chen originals such as “Song for Ryder,” “Mon
Cher,” “Wolfman” and the title track.
Stranger is, for the most part, an album of
acoustic post-bop, drawing on direct or indirect
influences that include Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans,
Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Michel
Petrucciani. Her pianism has a crystalline sound,
which is perfect for the introspective and cerebral post-bop songs that she composes. And
most of the time, Chen oversees a cohesive
acoustic piano trio that includes Christopher
Tordini on upright bass and Tommy Crane on
drums. But electric guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel
turns the trio into a quartet when he is featured
on “Castle,” “The Pirate” and “Art of Darkness,”
and the rock muscle in his playing takes those
songs into the fusion realm. Chen sticks to the
acoustic piano throughout the album—she doesn’t playing any electric keyboards on “Castle,”
“The Pirate” or “Art of Darkness”—but Rosenwinkel’s appreciation of guitarists like John
McLaughlin, Al DiMeola and John Scofield
definitely brings some fusion appeal to parts of
what is mostly a straight-ahead post-bop album.
Although Chen’s own compositions dominate Stranger, an interesting exception to that
rule is her interpretation of a traditional Chinese
New Year melody. Chen has no problem transforming the song into acoustic post-bop, and her
performance is so enjoyable that she would
probably do well to include more traditional
Chinese melodies on future albums. World music has influenced a wide variety of jazz over the
years, ranging from the Middle Eastern, Indian
and African experimentation of John Coltrane
and Pharoah Sanders to the Brazilian breakthroughs of Stan Getz, Laurindo Almeida and
Bud Shank. And there is no reason why Chen
shouldn’t bring more traditional Chinese melodies into a jazz setting on future albums.
Chen briefly detours into outside playing on
the Chinese New Year song, sounding a bit like
Paul Bley. The track has an inside/outside perspective and is more inside than outside—it is
far from an exercise in atonal chaos—but there is
enough outside playing to give it some relevance
to the avant-garde. And Chen also takes an inside/outside approach on the eerie “Fragments,”
starting out with a discernible melody before
venturing into some outside pianism. Chen doesn’t take it as far as Cecil Taylor, but she does
contrast the inside and the outside successfully
on “Fragments.”
Stranger indicates that Chen is someone to
keep an eye on.
Greg Cohen
GOLDEN STATE—Relative Pitch Records
1020. relativepitchrecords.com. Old Gravenstein; Benitoite Blue; Robbin’s Nest; Beheading
Your Way; South of the Border; Fino Mornasco;
Serverino; California, Here I Come; Santa Susana
PERSONNEL: Greg Cohen, acoustic bass; Bill
Frisell, electric guitar
By Alex Henderson
Although jazz started in New Orleans with
cornetist Buddy Bolden in the 1890s, it spread to
many different parts of the world in the 1920s
and 1930s—and that includes California, where
Dexter Gordon, Hampton Hawes, Charles Mingus, Art Pepper, Frank Morgan, Buddy Collette
and many other jazz greats grew up. From the
Central Avenue scene of the 1940s to the West
Coast cool scene (as in Bud Shank, Warne
Marsh, Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, Richie Kamuca and the Lighthouse All-Stars) of the 1950s
and 1960s to all the bop, cool, post-bop and
fusion activity in San Francisco, California’s
importance to jazz is undeniable. So it makes
perfect sense for an improviser like acoustic
bassist Greg Cohen to pay tribute to California in
an instrumental jazz setting.
Forming an intimate duo with guitarist Bill
Frisell, Cohen paints an instrumental picture of
California on Golden State. But this 2012 recording doesn’t acknowledge California by focusing specifically on the Central Avenue scene
or L.A.’s contributions to the Cool School. Instead, Golden State favors a folksy combination
of post-bop and fusion, and even though the CD
was recorded in Brooklyn, it has a decidedly
southwestern vibe. Cohen and Frisell achieve
that with the melodies and harmonies as well as
with the song titles, many of which were named
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 64)
63
after places in California. “Old Gravenstein,” for
example, is named after a road in Sonoma
County, and “Santa Susana” is named after the
pass that separates the San Fernando Valley and
Simi Valley.
Most of the nine selections are Cohen originals, including “Old Gravenstein” and “Santa
Susana” as well as “Beheading Your Way,”
“Serverino” (which was named after drummer
Frank Serverino), “Benitoite Blue” and “Fino
Mornasco.” However, Cohen and Frisell also
turn their attention to Sir Charles Thompson’s
“Robbin’s Nest,” Jim Kennedy & Michael
Carr’s “South of the Border” and Buddy DeSilva
& Joseph Mayer’s “California, Here I
Come” (which was recorded by singer Al Jolson
back in 1924). But whether the duo is playing
Cohen’s own material or a familiar standard,
Golden State maintains a laid-back, casual, easygoing feel. Frisell has appeared in a wide variety
of musical settings over the years, and Golden
State is the veteran guitarist at his most lyrical
and melodic. He sounds like he is really enjoying the relaxed dialogue he has with Cohen.
“South of the Border,” which became famous when it was heard in the Gene Autrey film
of the same name back in 1939, has a strong
Mexican influence—which is quite appropriate
in light of California’s history and how easy it is
to get to Mexico from the southern part of the
state. If one lives in Los Angeles, the Mexican
border is only about 125 miles away (thus making it easy for someone who lives and works in
L.A. to spend a weekend in Tijuana or Rosarito
Beach). And California, from San Diego to Bakersfield to Oakland, has a huge Mexican population. So that ranchera influence on “South of
the Border” doesn’t sound the least bit out of
place on this album.
Golden State is a consistently thoughtful
celebration of California.
Michael Feinberg
LIVE AT 800 EAST—BeHip Records 19293.
michaelfeinbergmusic.com. Tutuola; Puncher’s
Chance; But the Sound…; Duckface; Untitled 2;
Humblebrag
PERSONNEL: Michael Feinberg, acoustic
bass, electric bass; Billy Buss, trumpet; Godwin
Louis, alto saxophone; Julian Shore, acoustic
piano; Terreon Gully
By Alex Henderson
Atlanta native turned New York City resident Michael Feinberg is best known for leading
The Elvin Jones Project, an output that pays
tribute to the legacy of Elvin Jones (the great
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64
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drummer who was a part of John Coltrane’s
early to mid-1960s quartet, organist Larry
Young’s Unity and other classic groups). But
Feinberg has many activities outside of the Elvin
Jones Project, and one of them is Michael
Feinberg’s Humblebrag—a quintet consisting of
Feinberg on acoustic and electric bass, Billy
Buss on trumpet, Godwin Louis on alto saxophone, Julian Shore on acoustic piano and
Terreon Gully on drums. Humblebrag (formerly
known as the MF5) don’t play any Elvin Jones
compositions on this CD, which was recorded
live in 800 East (a recording studio in Atlanta).
All of the selections are Feinberg originals, and
there is a strong Miles Davis influence throughout the disc.
Always determined to keep forging ahead,
Davis went through many stylistic changes during his long recording career as a leader—which
started in the late 1940s and continued until 1991
(the year of his death). The risk-taking trumpeter
influenced everything from bop to cool jazz to
modal post-bop to fusion, and the Davis that
Feinberg brings to mind on Live at 800 East is
the Davis of the mid- to late 1960s - in other
words, a post-bop musician who was getting
ready to take the fusion plunge. The influence of
that period of Davis’ career comes through in the
writing as well as the musicianship. That ESP/
Miles Smiles/Sorcerer aesthetic is evident on
Feinberg originals like “But the Sound…,”
“Puncher’s Chance,” “Duckface” and “Tutuola,”
all of which recall the sound of Davis during the
Lyndon B. Johnson years. And on the 11-minute
“Humblebrag,” there is a cerebral funkiness that
isn’t quite fusion but hints at it—a sound that
recalls Miles in the Sky and Filles de Kilimanjaro leading to In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew
and Tribute to Jack Johnson. Feinberg plays
both acoustic and electric bass on this album,
while Shore sticks to the acoustic piano and
doesn’t play any electric keyboards—and even
though this album isn’t as amplified as the albums that Davis recorded after he abandoned
post-bop and went full-on fusion, Feinberg expresses his admiration for the way that Davis
evolved during the second half of the 1960s.
The Humblebrag quintet is clearly mindful
of Davis’ post-Coltrane quintet of the 1960s,
which included Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on acoustic piano, Ron
Carter on upright bass and the late Tony Williams on drums. But while Shorter was a tenor
player who started playing the soprano saxophone as a second instrument, Louis sticks to the
alto on Live at 800 East. And the trumpet/alto
interaction of Buss and Louis is one of the things
that sets Michael Feinberg’s Humblebrag apart
from Davis’ post-Coltrane quintet. Plus, Buss
favors a bigger tone than Davis. Although Davis
is one of Buss’ influences, Buss is not as restrained or understated on his instrument as
Davis was known for being.
Feinberg’s different skills—bassist, group
leader, composer—yield solid results on Live at
800 East.
Satoko Fujii Orchestra
New York
SHIKI—Libra Records 215036. satokofugii.com. Shiki; Gen Himmel; Bi Ga Do Da
PERSONNEL: Satoko Fujii, acoustic piano;
Steven Bernstein, trumpet; Dave Ballou,
trumpet; Natsuki Tamura, trumpet; Herb
Robertson, trumpet; Joe Fiedler, trombone; Joey
Sellers, trombone; Curtis Hasselbring, trombone;
Ellery Eskelin, tenor saxophone, Tony Malaby,
tenor saxophone; Oscar Noriega, alto saxophone;
Briggan Krauss, alto saxophone; Andy Laster,
baritone saxophone; Stomu Takeishi, acoustic
bass; Aaron Alexander, drums
By Alex Henderson
Although big bands are greatly outnumbered by small groups in the jazz world of 2014,
there is still a great deal of diversity when it
comes to big bands. Swing-oriented ghost bands
continue to dedicate themselves to the classic,
time-honored repertoire of Artie Shaw, Count
Basie or Glenn Miller (the Miller ghost band, in
fact, remains active 70 years after Miller’s
death—which shows how well the music of the
Swing Era has held up over time). And other big
bands might be playing anything from hard bop
or post-bop to third stream to electric jazz-funk.
Tokyo-born acoustic pianist Satoko Fujii’s Orchestra New York, meanwhile, is a good example of a big band playing avant-garde jazz.
Having a big band is challenging enough if
hard bop, swing, cool jazz or post-bop is involved, but it becomes even more challenging
when a band is playing something with as small
an audience as avant-garde jazz (no one who
takes up free jazz realistically expects to be outselling Katy Perry or Lady Gaga anytime soon).
Regardless, memorable CDs by avant-garde big
bands are still being recorded, and Shiki is one of
them. This 2013 session is devoted to three compositions: the 36-minute title track, the sixminute “Gen Himmel” and the ten-minute “Bi
Ga Do Da.” While Fujii wrote “Shiki” and “Gen
Himmel” herself, “Bi Ga Do Da” is by Natsuki
Tamura (who is part of the Orchestra New
York’s trumpet section). And on all three selections, the band plays music that is angular, abstract and decidedly left of center, yet full of
nuance.
Some avant-garde jazz always goes directly
for the jugular, giving the listener no breathing
room and going for maximum sensory assault
and maximum density. But “Shiki,” “Gen
Himmel” and “Bi Ga Do Da” make extensive
use of space, which makes a lot of difference.
There are some heated and abrasive moments on
this 54-minute CD—between all the trumpets,
saxophones (two tenors, two altos and a bari-
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tone) and trombones, things can get intense on
parts of Shiki. But Fujii’s big band builds up to
the moments of intensity rather than clobbering
the listener from the get-go and never letting up.
The band paces itself, sounding spacey at times
and aggressive or forceful at others.
Fujii doesn’t simply throw things up against
the wall in the hope that perhaps some of them
might stick. There is a logical game plan on
Shiki, and this album—for all its abstraction and
eccentricity—has a sense of purpose and a sense
of direction.
Big bands are not a full-time activity for
Fujii. Along the way, she has been recorded in a
variety of settings—often with small groups,
occasionally as an unaccompanied solo pianist.
But she has had her Orchestra New York on and
off since 1997, and it’s good to see her recording
it when she has the chance.
Fujii brings a variety of direct or indirect
influences to Shiki, ranging from Sun Ra’s Arkestra to the Art Ensemble of Chicago to Charles
Mingus to traditional Asian music. And the end
result is an exciting yet nuanced contribution to
avant-garde big band jazz.
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Florencia Gonzalez
BETWEEN
LOVES—Zoho Music.
www.FlorenciaGonzalez.com. Hurry; Woman
Dreaming of Escape; Zamba for Jose Gervasio;
Weird Pericon; The One Who Never Was; Chacarera for Greg; Between Loves
PERSONNEL—Florencia Gonzalez, tenor
saxophone; Jonathan Powell, trumpet, flugelhorn; Shannon Barnett, trombone; Luis Perdomo, acoustic piano; Fernando Huergo, acoustic bass; Franco Pinna, drums.
By Alex Henderson
The term “Latin jazz” has usually been used
to describe a mixture of jazz and Afro-Cuban
rhythms (son, cha-cha, guaguancó, mambo and
danzón, among others). Dizzy Gillespie, Chano
Pozo, Machito, Cal Tjader, Mario Bauza, Mongo
Santamaria and Tito Puente are among the many
artists who excelled in the Afro-Cuban jazz
realm. But Latin music is not only Afro-Cuban
music and salsa—it also includes everything
from tango in Argentina to norteño, banda and
duranguense in Mexico to cumbia and vallenato
in Colombia to merengue and bachata in the
Dominican Republic. And even though Brazil
isn’t a Spanish-speaking country, Brazilian jazz
can also be considered Latin jazz since Brazil is
part of Latin America. So when one speaks of
Latin jazz, it’s important to remember that not
all Latin jazz is Afro-Cuban. And on Between
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Eric Nemeyer
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
65
Loves, tenor saxophonist Florencia Gonzalez
(who grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay but now
lives in New York City) puts a South American
spin on Latin jazz.
The lyrical and melodic but swinging Gonzalez leads an acoustic sextet on this CD, employing Jonathan Powell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Shannon Barnett on trombone, Luis Perdomo on piano, Fernando Huergo on bass and
Franco Pinna on drums. Gonzalez gets a big, full
sound from her group, and their performances
are mindful of American hard bop and post-bop
as well as the music of South America—
specifically, the countries in the far south of
South America such as Uruguay and Argentina
(as opposed to Colombia or Venezuela, which
are in the northern part of South America). Gonzalez’ tone on the tenor is big, edgy and rugged,
yet she is quite capable of sensitivity.
Gonzalez opens the CD with “Hurry,” a
song by Uruguayan musician Hugo Fattoruso.
Because he has worked with so many Brazilian
artists (including Milton Nascimento, Airto
Moreira and Djavan), some people assume that
Fattoruso is Brazilian himself. But no, Fattoruso
was—like Gonzalez—born in Uruguay. “Hurry”
establishes a strong South American flavor for
Between Loves, and Gonzalez maintains that
flavor on engaging originals such as “Weird
Pericon,” “Chacarera for Greg,” “Zamba for José
Gervasio” and “Woman Dreaming of Escape.”
Whether Gonzalez is being influenced by Argentinean tango, Brazilian music or traditional
rhythms of Uruguay, that South American influence is evident throughout this CD.
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“The One Who Never Was” is a lively
piece that was written in memory of tenor titan
John Coltrane and blends hard bop with the Uruguayan candombe rhythm. Coltrane evolved a
lot during his career, and the Coltrane that comes
to mind on “The One Who Never Was” is the
hard bop musician of the late 1950s rather than
the modal post-bop explorer of the early 1960s
or the blistering free jazz iconoclast of 1966 and
1967 (the year in which he died). Try to envision
the sunny, optimistic exuberance of “Giant
Steps” or “Moment’s Notice” (two of Coltrane’s
best known hard bop songs from the late 1950s)
being combined with candombe: that is the type
of mood that prevails on “The One Who Never
Was.” And the fact that Coltrane is still influencing so many jazz improvisers 47 years after his
death shows how enormous his impact was.
Shining as both a saxophonist and a composer, Gonzalez shows much promise on Between Loves.
Hammond Eggs
BACK IN THE PAN—In and Out Records
77018. Inandout-records.com. Back in the Pan;
Let’s Vamos; For Django; Speed; Too Late
Now; Be Three; Smooth Colours; Kostalogy;
Hey Charly; Funkyhuber; Spektrolines
PERSONNEL: Jermaine Landsberger, organ,
electric keyboards, acoustic piano; Paulo Mo-
rello, electric guitar; Christoph Huber, drums;
Randy Brecker, trumpet, flugelhorn; Bob
Mintzer, tenor saxophone; Tony Lakatos, tenor
saxophone; Kim Barth, alto saxophone; Dudu
Penz, electric bass
By Alex Henderson
The organ has been used as a jazz instrument since the 1920s, when pianist Fats Waller
played some occasional organ on the side—and
after that, Milt Bucker, Wild Bill Davis and Bill
Doggett made some valuable contributions to
jazz’ pre-Jimmy Smith era. But it wasn’t until
the rise of Smith in the late 1950s that the organ
become really prominent as a jazz instrument.
Smith’s influence was enormous: he wrote the
book on the soul-jazz school of Hammond B-3
organ playing. Yet in the 1960s, post-bop innovator Larry Young demonstrated that there could
be life after Smith for jazz organ. Young influenced everyone from John Medeski to Barbara
Dennerlein to Larry Goldings to Brian Charette,
and the Young influence is unmistakable on
Back in the Pan.
Young applied the modal ideas of John
Coltrane and other post-bop musicians to the
organ, which is why he was exalted as “The John
Coltrane of the Organ.” And a post-bop outlook
clearly asserts itself on this CD by Hammond
Eggs, a cohesive trio consisting of organist Jermaine Landsberger (who is also heard playing
electric keyboards and acoustic piano as secondary instruments), guitarist Paulo Morello and
drummer Chistoph Huber. Various guests join
the trio at times, including trumpeter/
flugelhornist Randy Brecker, tenor saxophonist
Bob Mintzer (who was greatly influenced by
Brecker’s late brother, Michael Brecker), tenor
saxophonist Tony Lakatos and alto saxophonist
Kim Barth. But Landsberger, Morello and Huber
are the core of the album, and they bring a
healthy appreciation of Young’s breakthroughs
to post-bop material that includes Morello’s
“Let’s Vamos,” Landsberger’s “Be Three” and
Morello’s “Funkyhuber.” The group can get
funky, yet all things considered, the mindset that
prevails on this album is a post-bop mindset—
not the R&B-influenced grits and gravy aesthetic
that Smith and his countless disciples were
known for.
But the fact that Back in the Pan is clearly a
post-bop album and gets so much inspiration
from Larry Young does not mean that it is
oblivious to jazz that came before the 1960s.
“For Django,” in fact, is a piece by Kosta Lukacs, a guitarist who died in 1993 and was
known for playing gypsy jazz of the Django
Reinhardt variety. Hammonds Eggs’ arrangement of “For Django” becomes a tribute to
Reinhardt as well as to Reinhardt disciple Lukacs. But that does not mean that “For Django”
(Continued on page 67)
66
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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sounds exactly like something Reinhardt would
have played in the 1930s or 1940s. Instead, Morello’s guitar playing on “For Django” offers
some acknowledgement of Reinhardt’s legacy
but does so in a post-bop fashion. When
Hammond Eggs interpret “For Django” on this
CD, their performance celebrates Young,
Reinhardt and Lukacs all at once.
No less than 87 years have passed since
Waller made his first recordings on the pipe
organ. That was back in 1927, and the organ has
come a long way as a jazz instrument since then.
So many of jazz’ great organists of the past are
no longer living. Yet the organ’s popularity as a
jazz instrument continues, and the B-3 works
enjoyably well when used for post-bop expression on Back in the Pan.
Holly Hofmann
LOW LIFE – Capri 74133 – CapriRecords.com.
Jack Of Hearts; Touch The Fog; Grow (for Dick
Oatts); Lumiere de la Vie; Cedar Would; The
Very Thought Of You; Make Me Rainbows;
Soul-Leo; Farmer’s Trust
PERSONNEL: Holly Hofmann, alto flute; Mike
Wofford, piano; Anthony Wilson, guitar; John
Clayton, bass; Jeff Hamilton, drums
Visit www.JazzMusicDeals.com
ing in colorful interplay with the flutist and making one wish that he was part of the entire project. Bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff
Hamilton are tasteful in support of Hofmann,
also getting a few short solos along the way.
Mike Wofford takes some fine solos of his own
but the focus throughout is very much on Hofmann and her alto flute.
Holly Hofmann plays more laidback solos
than usual due to her instrument’s warm sound
and limited range. However this is not a set comprised solely of ballads and slow-tempo material.
In fact, one of Low Life’s most attractive features
is the inspired repertoire. Starting with the lighthearted Anthony Wilson piece “Jack Of Hearts,”
the project includes John Clayton’s ballad
“Touch The Fog,” the jazz waltz “Grow,” Hofmann’s melodic and lyrical “Lumiere de la Vie,”
Clayton’s tribute to pianist Cedar Walton (the
medium-tempo blues “Cedar Would”), a tasteful
rendition of “The Very Thought Of You,” the
medium-tempo cooker “Make Me Rainbows”
Mulgrew Miller’s infectious hard bop piece
“Soul Leo” and Pat Metheny’s haunting
“Farmer’s Trust.” With the exception of “The
Very Thought Of You,” there are no standards
on this set although several of the obscurities
could become well known in the future.
Holly Hofmann sounds fluent and inventive
throughout, showing that she sounds very much
at home on her “second instrument.”
By Scott Yanow
The alto flute, which is pitched a fourth
lower than the standard C flute, has a small twooctave range. Sometimes it is used by C flutists
for an occasional ballad. In the case of Holly
Hofmann, although she had played it a little bit
years ago when she teamed up with Frank Wess
and Ali Ryerson in Flutology, and has switched
once in a while to it for a ballad, she had never
specialized on the alto flute before. Because she
always seemed to get such an emotional reaction
from her audience when she played alto flute on
the quietly expressive ballad “Farmer’s Trust,”
Hofmann decided to record a full CD on the
instrument, with the result being Low Life.
Born in Cleveland, Hofmann began playing
flute as a child. After years of classical lessons,
she studied with Frank Wess and Slide Hampton.
Hofmann moved to San Diego in the late 1980s
and has been based there ever since. She made
her first album for the Capri label in 1989, a
quartet set that teamed her with her future husband pianist Mike Wofford. She has since
worked with many top jazz artists including Bill
Cunliffe, Ray Brown, Slide Hampton, Frank
Wess, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, Houston
Person, Regina Carter, Kevin Mahogany and
quite a few others.
For Low Life, Hofmann and Wofford are
joined by three of Los Angeles’ top musicians
and long-time associates. Guitarist Anthony
Wilson is a major asset on four numbers, engagTo Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Lee Konitz, Dan Tepfer,
Michael Janisch,
Jeff Williams
FIRST MEETING: LIVE IN LONDON,
VOLUME 1—Whirlwind Recordings 4638.
Web: whirlwindrecordings.com. Billie’s Bounce;
All the Things You Are; Stella by Starlight; Giant Steps; Body and Soul; Alone Together; Subconscious-Lee; Outro
PERSONNEL: Lee Konitz, alto saxophone,
soprano saxophone; Dan Tepfer, acoustic piano;
Michael Janisch, acoustic bass; Jeff Williams,
drums
By Alex Henderson
Miles Davis was valuable to jazz not only
because of his influential trumpet playing and all
his stylistic innovation—he pushed cool jazz to
the forefront with Birth of the Cool in 1949 and
1950, helped launch the modal post-bop explosion with Kind of Blue in 1959 and set off the
fusion revolution with In a Silent Way and
Bitches Brew in the late 1960s—but also, because of all the important musicians he featured
(a long list that ranges from tenor saxophonists
John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter to baritone
saxophonist Gerry Mulligan to guitarist John
McLaughlin). And the restless trumpeter also did
the jazz world an enormous favor when he featured alto saxophonist Lee Konitz on his Birth of
the Cool sessions, which had a huge influence on
the great albums that Chet Baker, Stan Getz,
Warne Marsh, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond,
the Lighthouse All-Stars and many other Cool
School artists recorded in the 1950s. Most of the
musicians who appeared on Birth of the Cool are
no longer living, but Konitz (who turned 86 on
October 13, 2013) is still going strong and continues to hurl himself into a variety of musical
situations. Recorded at the Pizza Express Jazz
Club in London, England on May 19-20, 2010,
First Meeting: Live in London, Volume 1 finds
Konitz playing in an acoustic quartet with pianist
Dan Tepfer, bassist Michael Janisch and drummer Jeff Williams. The quartet doesn’t appear on
all the selections, and different combinations of
the four players can be heard on different parts
of this CD. But Konitz, Tepfer, Janisch and Williams do play together as a quartet on memorable
performances of Charlie Parker’s “Billie’s
Bounce,” Konitz’ “Subconscious-Lee” and the
Tin Pan Alley standards “Stella by Starlight” and
“Alone Together.”
Konitz was already quite distinctive when
he appeared on Birth of the Cool 64 and 65 years
ago, and that hasn’t changed. Whether he is
playing the alto sax (his main instrument) or the
soprano sax (a secondary instrument for him) on
this album, he is instantly recognizable. And the
subtlety that he has long been known for is very
much in evidence on Jerome Kern & Oscar
Hammerstein’s “All the Things You Are” (a
pianoless trio performance with Janisch and
Williams) and the standard, “Body and Soul” (an
intimate sax/piano duet with Tepfer). Konitz has
never felt the need to shout to get one’s attention—his playing is the essence of restraint and
understatement—but that is not to say that he is
not expressive. Emotionally, Konitz has no problem getting his points across. And listening to
First Meeting, it is evident that his chops have
not suffered along the way. After all these years,
the octogenarian improviser still has an impressive command of his instruments.
Konitz lays out on an 11-minute version of
the John Coltrane standard “Giant Steps,” which
finds Tepfer, Janisch and Williams performing
together as an acoustic piano trio. “Giant Steps,”
a gem that Coltrane unveiled in 1959—the same
year Davis featured him on Kind of Blue—has
usually been played as a high-speed barnburner,
and any young musician who is learning to play
jazz can attest to the fact that its chord changes
are notoriously difficult. Playing “Giant Steps”
with seasoned musicians at a jam session is not a
good idea if one hasn’t spent enough time in the
shed (in other words, hasn’t spent enough time
practicing his/her instrument). Of course, Tepfer,
Janisch and Williams are seasoned musicians—
and while they have the skills to play “Giant
Steps” at breakneck speed, they approach it at a
comfortable medium tempo. Tepfer is feeling
very Thelonious Monk-ish on “Giant Steps,”
bringing an angular outlook to the standard.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 68)
67
Only on “Giant Steps” does Konitz lay out.
He is present on all of the other selections. And
whether he is playing as part of a quartet, trio or
duo, First Meeting leaves no doubt that the veteran improviser continues to be on top of his
game.
John La Barbera
Big Band
CARAVAN – Jazz Compass JC 1023 –
www.jazzcompass.com. Caravan; Voyage; Roman Notes; Atlantis; Forgotten But Not; Incompatible (Incompatiblidade De Genios); Accordin’ To Gordon; Trinacria; Young Rabbits
PERSONNEL: John La Barbera, arranger;
Wayne Bergeron, Bob O’Donnell; Willie
Murililo, Clay Jenkins, trumpets; Les Benedict,
Eric Hughes, Ryan Dragon, trombones; Ken
Kugler, bass trombone; Brian Scanlon, alto,
flute; Kim Richmond, alto; Pat La Barbera,
tenor, soprano; Rob Lockart, tenor, flute; Bob
Carr, baritone, bass clarinet; Bill Cunliffe, piano,
keyboards; Tom Warrington, bass; Joe La Barbera, drums; Aaron Serfaty, percussion
By Scott Yanow
John La Barbera, who is part of an illustrious jazz family, has been a top arranger for several decades. His older brothers are saxophonist
Pat LaBarbera and drummer Joe LaBarbera, both
of whom have also had notable careers. John
began on the cornet when he was five. Within
two years he was playing in the La Barbera Family band which also included his father on piano
and his mother on bass. There was little doubt
that he would follow his brothers and become a
professional musician,
John La Barbera developed into a solid
section trumpeter. But when he was playing
trumpet with the Buddy Rich Big Band in the
late 1960s (a group also featuring brother Pat),
he realized that his future was as a writer rather
than a player. He was soon contributing arrangements not only to Rich’s orchestra but to the big
bands of Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy
Gillespie, Harry James, Bill Watrous, and the
Glenn Miller Orchestra and for such artists as
Mel Torme, Al Cohn, Bill Perkins and Phil
Woods. He has also spent quite a few years as an
Associate Professor of Music at the University
of Louisville.
Caravan is John La Barbera’s third CD as a
leader of his big band, following On The Wild
Side and Fantazm. As with the other two recordings, La Barbera’s arrangements never call
attention to themselves at the expense of the
melodies and the solos. His ensembles are consistently exciting and swinging, uplifting whatever songs are being performed.
68
Recorded in Hollywood, Caravan has some
of the finest musicians from Southern California
including brother Joe while his other sibling Pat
came in from Canada for the project. The opening title cut has trombonists Ryan Dragon and
Eric Hughes inspiring each other in their solos
and a trombone “battle” while the writing for the
ensembles adds to the heated atmosphere. Kenny
Barron’s best-known original, “Voyage,” is
given a fresh treatment that has trumpeter Clay
Jenkins and Pat La Barbera on tenor taking highpowered solos and engaging in a stirring tradeoff.
“Roman Notes,” a tribute to the late altoist
Joe Romano, is an original piece that features the
wailing alto of Brian Scanlon. McCoy Tyner’s
rarely-performed “Atlantis” has a modal flavor,
a lot of exciting ensembles, and memorable spots
for pianist Bill Cunliffe and Pat La Barbera on
both tenor and soprano. “Forgotten But Not” was
originally written for the WDR Orchestra as a
showcase for bassist John Goldsby. This version
has bassist Tom Warrington in the spotlight with
a brief spot for altoist Kim Richmond.
“Incompatible” is a Latin-flavored number,
that features Cunliffe on electric piano, altoist
Brian Scanlon and strong interplay between
drummer La Barbera and percussionist Aaron
Serfarty. “Accordin’ To Gordon,” a tribute to the
late trumpeter Joe Gordon, gave La Barbera a
chance to remember hearing Shelly Manne’s
Live At The Blackhawk when he was in high
school. Jenkins plays this modern hard bop piece
quite well. The original “Trinacria” is an atmospheric piece that has solos by both of the La
Barbera brothers with Pat sounding excellent on
soprano. The enjoyable set concludes with
“Young Rabbits” from the Jazz Crusaders.
Hughes and Dragon are featured on trombones
along with tenor-saxophonist Rob Lockart and
Joe LaBarbera. The leader’s arrangement finds
his band recalling the Buddy Rich Orchestra a
bit.
Fans of swinging modern big bands will
find much to enjoy on John La Barbera’s Caravan.
Ingrid Laubrock
& Tom Rainey
AND OTHER DESERT TOWNS—Relative
Pitch Records 1018. relativepitchrecords.com.
Patio B; Lost Creek; The Lemontown Riddles;
Clown Car; And Other Desert Towns; Mission
Wolf; Painted Dave; Scoff-Scot-Face; Summerland; Patio A
PERSONNEL: Ingrid Laubrock, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Tom
Rainey, drums
By Alex Henderson
Avant-garde jazz saxophonist Ingrid
Laubrock can be a real firebrand, tearing into her
saxophone (be it alto, tenor, soprano or baritone)
with the type of scorching intensity one associates with Charles Gayle, Ivo Perelman or Albert
Ayler. Yet on And Other Desert Towns, an album of duets with drummer Tom Rainey,
Laubrock is much closer to the nuanced contemplation of Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). And
that more reserved approach serves her well.
No less than 48 years have passed since alto
saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell recorded 1966’s
Sound, his first album as a leader—and Sound
continues to have a major impact on avant-garde
jazz. Truly groundbreaking in its day, Sound
made extensive use of space and offered a
calmer, more reflective approach to free-form
improvisation that was quite a contrast to some
of the really brutal free jazz that Ayler and a
post-McCoy Tyner John Coltrane were coming
out with at the time. Many other AACM members followed in Mitchell’s nuanced footsteps,
including saxophonist Anthony Braxton—and on
And Other Desert Towns, the AACM aesthetic is
alive and well. Laubrock (who is heard on tenor,
alto and soprano but not baritone) and Rainey
don’t beat and pummel the listener into submission on “Lost Creek,” “Patio B,” “Mission
Wolf” or “The Lemontown Riddles”; full of
space, those selections are much closer to the
reserved introspection of Mitchell and Braxton
than the violent eruptions that Pharoah Sanders
offered when he was with Coltrane in 1966 and
1967 (the year of Coltrane’s death). That is not
to say that And Other Desert Towns will be mistaken for straight-ahead bop anytime soon. This
May 2013 session is outside all the way, but it’s
a kinder, gentler view of outside improvisation
much like the AACM recordings that it is mindful of.
Occasionally, Laubrock offers some intense
outbursts on this album. “Summerland,” easily
the disc’s most intense offering, is closer to the
firebrand version of Laubrock. And things also
heat up on parts of “Clown Car” and “ScoffScoff-Face.” But when there is a fiery outburst
on And Other Desert Towns, it is something that
Laubrock and Rainey build up to. They pace
themselves, which is much different from the
type of vicious free jazz recordings that whip the
listener into submission from the get-go and
never let up in intensity.
The desert imagery that Laubrock and
Rainey employ with some of the song titles is
interesting in light of the fact that jazz, throughout much of its history, has had a very urban
perspective. Jazz started in a big city, New Orleans, and went on to thrive in a long list of other
big cities, ranging from New York City (where
this album was recorded) to Paris to Amsterdam
to San Francisco. And Chicago, of course, is
where the AACM started in the 1960s and where
it is still active after all these years. But many of
the song titles on this disc use the wide-open
spaces of the desert for creative inspiration. It
isn’t what one normally expects from jazz improvisers, who are more likely to be thinking
about densely populated places such as Chicago’s North Side, the East Village in Manhattan
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 69)
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or Montmartre in Paris. Yet it works for
Laubrock and Rainey, and when you think about
it, space is something the desert and AACM-type
jazz have in common—there is a lot of space in
the deserts of Arizona or North Africa, and a lot
of space in the AACM school of outside jazz.
And Other Desert Towns is a satisfying, if
derivative, assertion of Laubrock’s more
AACM-ish side.
Brad Melhdau
& Mark Guiliana
MEHLIANA: TAMING THE DRAGON—
Nonesuch Records 536645. bradmehldau.com,
markguiliana.com. Taming the Dragon; Luxe;
You Can’t Go Back Now; The Dreamer; Elegy
for Amelia E.; Sleeping Giant; Hungry Ghost;
Gainsbourg; Just Call Me Nige; Sassyassed
Sassafrass; Swimming; London Gloaming
PERSONNEL: Brad Mehldau, electric keyboards, synthesizers, acoustic piano, vocals;
Mark Guiliana, drums, electronics
By Alex Henderson
When people hear the word “electronica,”
they tend to think of music that is 100% electronic and that is entirely programmed rather
than played with real instruments in real time.
But electronica can involve a combination of
programming and actual instruments. For example, there have been world music/electronica
recordings where a mountain of high-tech programming was combined with an Indian sitar or
an Arabic oud. And on Mehliana: Taming the
Dragon, Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana form
a duo and bring together the electronic, the electric and the acoustic.
Those who associate Mehldau with straightahead post-bop jazz and think of him as an
acoustic pianist should not expect to hear anything straight-ahead on Mehliana: Taming the
Dragon. The intriguing material is best described as “electronica with jazz-rock fusion
overtones,” although it isn’t 100% programmed
from start to finish. Guiliana plays real drums,
and Mehldau plays some acoustic piano in addition to synthesizers and electric keyboards. But
Guiliana also provides a lot of electronics. Between the two of them, this is a very high-tech
album—even with real drums and the occasional
acoustic piano.
It would be misleading to think of this release as standard jazz-rock fusion in the style of
Miles Davis, Return to Forever, Weather Report,
the Mahavishnu Orchestra or Scott Henderson &
Tribal Tech. But fusion is definitely an influence, and Mehldau acknowledges some of the
great fusion keyboardists of the 1970s such as
Chick Corea, George Duke, Joe Zawinul and
Herbie Hancock. Listening to “Sleeping Giant,”
“Hungry Ghost,” “Sassyassed Sassafras” or “Just
Call Me Nige” (all of which are instrumentals),
one is reminded of the things that those keyboardists accomplished in the electric realm
during the 1970s. Yet Mehliana: Taming the
Dragon will never be mistaken for a Weather
Report, Mahavishnu Orchestral or Return to
Forever album from 40 years ago. Fusion, for all
its rock and funk muscle, maintained the improvisatory mentality of jazz and reflected the fact
that Davis, Corea, Hancock, Zawinul, Wayne
Shorter, Duke and other fusionists started out
playing straight-ahead acoustic bop. But
Mehliana: Taming the Dragon has the technology-driven mentality of electronica. And when
the use of scattered vocal soundbites—which is
one of the things electronica is known for—is
used on the spacey “Elegy for Amelia E.,” it is
clear that an electronica experience is prevailing.
It’s electronica with jazz-rock fusion overtones,
but it’s still electronica. And judging this album
by jazz standards (either straight-ahead acoustic
jazz or fusion) is unfair because Mehldau and
Guiliana are not pretending to adhere to a strict
jazz aesthetic.
Although this is an instrumental album first
and foremost, Mehldau offers some spoken word
on the opener “Taming the Dragon.” There are
many different types of vocals that can be used
with musical instruments or programming, ranging from singing to rapping to toasting (the style
that Jamaican vocalists have embraced in dancehall reggae and the music that preceded it, dubwise). But the vocals on “Taming the Dragon”
(Continued on page 70)
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June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
69
are clearly of the spoken word variety. The way
spoken word is used on “Taming the Dragon” is
quite different from the use of soundbites on
“Elegy for Amelia E.”: on “Taming the Dragon,”
the spoken word vocals are right up front,
whereas on “Elegy for Amelia E,” they are a side
dish and are used in service of the electronic
programming.
Electronica is quite diverse, ranging from
the brutal sensory assault of techno and rave
music to the lushness of downtempo and
chillout. This album positions itself on the more
melodic and musical side of electronica, and the
overall result is sort of like trip-hop with some
jazz-rock fusion appeal. Mehliana: Taming the
Dragon is not for jazz purists, but it’s an enjoyable listen if one has a taste for jazzy electronica.
Pat Metheny
Unity Group
KIN – Nonesuch/Metheny Group Productions
536354 – PatMetheny.com. On Day One; Rise
Up; Adagia; Sign Of The Season; Kin; Born;
Genealogy; We Go On; KQU
PERSONNEL: Pat Metheny, guitars; guitar
synth; Chris Potter, tenor, bass clarinet, soprano,
clarinet, alto flute, bass flute; Ben Williams,
bass; Antonio Sanchez, drums; Giulio Carmassi,
piano, trumpet, trombone, French horn, cello,
vibes, clarinet, flute, recorder, alto sax, whistling, vocals
By Scott Yanow
It is hard to believe but Pat Metheny has
now been recording for 40 years. Although many
have tried to pin him down musically, particularly those who may think that all he ever did
was lead the Pat Metheny Group (the popular
and unique folk/post bop band that featured keyboardist Lyle Mays), Metheny is impossible to
accurately categorize. Like Chick Corea, he has
come up with a steady stream of creative projects for decades.
Metheny made his first recording as a sideman (next to Jaco Pastorius) in 1974 on a date by
keyboardist Paul Bley. The following year he
was a member of the Gary Burton Quintet. In
1976 he led his first album, Bright Size Life.
“Encroachment of freedom
will not come about through one violent
action or movement but will come about
through a series of actions that appear to
be unrelated and coincidental, but that were
all along systematically planned
for dictatorship.”
— John Adams, 2nd U.S. President
70
Metheny first used Lyle Mays on 1977’s Watercolors and he was soon leading the Pat Metheny
Group. But even as that band became popular,
Metheny was always involved in other projects.
Through the years, in addition to his dates as a
leader, he has collaborated with such musical
giants as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Brad
Mehldau, Jim Hall, John Scofield, Derek Bailey,
Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Roy Haynes, Jack
DeJohnette, Ornette Coleman, Michael Brecker
and Abbey Lincoln. Metheny has certainly never
been a guitarist to rest on his laurels.
In 2012 he formed the Unity Band, a quartet with tenor-saxophonist Chris Potter, bassist
Ben Williams and drummer Antonio Sanchez.
Recently under the title of the Pat Metheny
Unity Group, the band became a quintet with the
addition of multi-instrumentalist Giulio
Carmassi. While Carmassi’s role with the group
is so far rather minor, due to the wide range of
instruments he plays, there is a great deal of
potential.
The nine Metheny originals on Kin feature
the band at its best. “On Day One” is lengthy,
has many sections, and keeps listeners guessing.
Metheny is typically distinctive (his tone has
been quite personal and instantly recognizable
since the 1970s) and his playing very fluent
while Chris Potter’s extroverted and highly expressive tenor stars for a long stretch. This piece
has the surprising use of Carmassi’s voice near
its conclusion.
“Rise Up” swings hard in its own fashion,
with shifting rhythms and plenty of fire. As with
the other originals, the themes, chord changes
and rhythms are complex yet often quite catchy.
Potter’s soprano shares the lead with Metheny,
up through this number’s explosive conclusion.
“Adagia” is a brief and bittersweet ballad.
“Sign Of The Season” picks up from “Adagia,”
evolves from being a gloomy ballad into a more
upbeat piece, and at times sounds like it could
have been written by Wayne Shorter around
1971. “Kin” is an atmospheric and dreamlike
piece that recalls the sound of the Pat Metheny
Group a bit although with the addition of Potter’s tenor. Ben Williams’ bowed bass is impressive. The relatively mellow “Born,” the very
brief and boppish “Genealogy,” the mostly easylistening soulful strut “We Go On” and the melodic “KQU” end Kin on a fairly peaceful mood.
The Pat Metheny Unity Group has continued to evolve and grow since recording this studio album, making one look forward to its future
activities.
Duke Pearson
Big Band
BALTIMORE 1969—Uptown Records 24.
Web: uptownrecords.net. Hi-Fly; New Girl;
Eldorado; In the Still of the Night; Tones for
Joan’s Bones; Straight Up and Down; Ready
When You Are, C.B.; Night Song (Theme From
‘Golden Boy’)
PERSONNEL: Duke Pearson, acoustic piano;
Donald Byrd, trumpet; Joe Shepley, trumpet;
Burt Collins, trumpet; Jim Bossy, trumpet; Julian
Priester, trombone; Joe Forst, trombone; Eddie
Bert, trombone; Kenny Rupp, bass trombone;
Frank Foster, tenor saxophone; Lew Tabackin,
tenor saxophone; Jerry Dodgion, alto saxophone,
Al Gibbons, alto saxophone; Pepper Adams,
baritone saxophone; Bob Cranshaw, acoustic
bass, electric bass; Mickey Roker, drums
By Alex Henderson
The majority of Duke Pearson’s albums
were recorded with small groups, which is not
usual for an artist who emerged in jazz’ postswing, post-World War II era and focused on
hard bop and post-bop. The economics of jazz
changed a lot after WWII, and paying four of
five musicians is certainly easier than paying 19,
20 or 21. Nonetheless, jazz had some great big
bands during the 1960s, from Quincy Jones’
band to the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra to
the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. And in 1967, Pearson formed his own big band—which recorded a
few studio albums for Blue Note Records
(including Introducing Duke Pearson’s Big
Band and Now Hear This), performed live and
lasted until 1971. Pearson’s big band didn’t
achieve great commercial success, but as Baltimore 1969 demonstrates, it wasn’t due to a lack
of quality.
Recorded live at the Left Bank Jazz Society’s Famous Ballroom on April 27, 1969, this
79-minute CD is a rewarding document of that
concert. Pearson shows himself to be skillful in
the bandleader/arranger role, soaring on inspired
performances of two original songs (“Ready
When You Are, C.B.” and “New Girl”) and
Randy Weston’s “Hi-Fly.”
And his big band includes top-notch players
like Donald Byrd on trumpet, Julian Priester on
trombone, Frank Foster and Lew Tabackin on
tenor saxophone, Pepper Adams on baritone
saxophone, Bob Cranshaw on acoustic and electric bass and Mickey Roker (famous for his
many years with Ella Fitzgerald) on drums. Indeed, there are some exciting soloists on board:
Byrd is given the spotlight on Mitchell Farber’s
“Eldorado,” while Adams is the star soloist on a
hard-swinging performance of Cole Porter’s “In
the Still of the Night.” During the 1950s and
1960s, some divisive jazz critics tried to pit Adams and fellow baritonist Gerry Mulligan against
one another. As some critics saw it, Adams’
aggressive, big-toned approach was a “correct”
way of playing the baritone, while Mulligan’s
subtle, understated, cool-toned approach was
not. But Mulligan was great at what he did, and
as Adams’ playing on “In the Still of the Night”
demonstrates, so was Adams.
Baltimore 1969 has one foot in hard bop
and the other in post-bop. “Eldorado,” with its
addictive modal groove, is clearly on the postbop side. Byrd first played Farber’s tune on his
Blackjack album of 1967, which makes him a
logical soloist for the big band version at this
concert.
June 2014  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
(Continued on page 72)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
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Pearson was an early champion of Chick
Corea’s work, as evidenced by the fact that the
band performs two of Corea’s pieces at this concert: “Tones for Joan’s Bones” and “Straight Up
and Down.” In 1969, Corea was in his late twenties and was a rising star in the jazz world: he
had recorded a few albums as a leader and had
been a sideman for major improvisers who included trumpeter Blue Mitchell and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz. But he wasn’t as famous as he
would become in the 1970s thanks to, among
other things, the formation of Return to Forever
in 1971. The fact that Pearson opted to perform
both “Tones for Joan’s Bones” and “Straight Up
and Down” at a 1969 concert and come up with
big band arrangements for the songs indicates
that he was way ahead of the game as far as
recognizing Corea’s potential.
The Left Bank Jazz Society, it should be
noted, was an organization that promoted live
jazz concerts in Baltimore from 1964-2000. The
concerts were held in various venues before
1967, when its home became the Famous Ballroom at 1717 N. Charles Street (a venue they
lost access to in 1984). The late Vernon L.
Welsh, the Left Bank’s co-founder, recorded
hundreds of the concerts that took place at the
Famous Ballroom—and this is one of them.
Pearson, sadly, was only 47 when multiple
sclerosis ended his life in 1980. But he left behind an impressive body of work, and Baltimore
1969 paints a rewarding picture of his underexposed big band.
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Phishbacher Trio
DREAMCATCHER—JazzSick Records 5077.
Web: jazzsick.com, phishbacher.com. Everything in Its Right Place; With or Without you: I
Can’t Stop Loving You; Firework; Dreamcatcher; I Gotta Feelin’; While My Guitar Gently Weeps; Clocks; Mermaid’s Refuge; I Can’t
Dance
PERSONNEL: Walter Fischbacher, acoustic
piano; Goran Vujic, bass; Ulf Stricker, drums;
Elisabeth Lohninger, vocals
By Alex Henderson
Throughout the history of jazz, musicians
have used popular songs as vehicles for improvisation. That was true when the Dixieland trailblazers of the 1910s and 1920s put a jazz spin on
the show tunes of that time, and it is still true
today. But in purist circles, it isn’t hard to find
musicians who stubbornly cling to the dogma
that only certain types of popular songs are appropriate vehicles for jazz expression—and
those who think that way are quick to play bop
versions of Tin Pan Alley standards but stay
away from rock and R&B material altogether.
Thankfully, other improvisers are rejecting that
dogma. Acoustic pianist Walter Fischbacher is
one of them.
Billed as the Phishbacher Trio, Fischbacher’s group (which also includes bassist
Goran Vujic and drummer Ulf Stricker) plays an
abundance of popular songs on Dreamcatcher.
But none of them are Tin Pan Alley standards
from the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s or 1940s. Instead,
the Phishbacher Trio selects well-known rock
and R&B hits. But one needn’t worry about
Fischbacher, Vujic and Stricker playing a bunch
of note-for-note covers the way that so many
“smooth jazz” players do. Dreamcatcher is not
“smooth jazz” but rather, puts a pianistic postbop spin on material ranging from Katy Perry’s
“Firework” to U2’s “With or Without You” to
Genesis’ “I Can’t Dance.” The performances
have a lot in common stylistically with the piano
trio recordings of Marian McPartland, Bill Evans, Chick Corea or Vince Guaraldi, but instead
of hearing standards by Cole Porter, George &
Ira Gershwin, Harry Warren or Irving Berlin,
one hears Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You” or Radiohead’s “Everything in Its
Right Place.” And the fact that these songs came
out of rock or R&B doesn’t make the
Phishbacher Trio any less improvisatory. Make
no mistake: this is a serious jazz album, not the
work of a cover band.
The oldest song that the threesome tackles
is the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently
Weeps.” For the most part, Fischbacher and his
colleagues concentrate on songs from the 1980s
and beyond. The only non-instrumental selection
is an arrangement of Coldplay’s “Clocks,” which
features singer Elisabeth Lohninger. That track
ends up being more adult alternative than vocal
jazz, but even so, the Phishbacher Trio doesn’t
go out of its way to emulate the original Coldplay version. Lohninger is an individual, and her
individuality comes through.
The idea of using rock and R&B songs as
vehicles for jazz expression is not brand new.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, there were souljazz artists and organ combos that found the jazz
possibilities in the music of Marvin Gaye, the
Beatles, Sly & the Family Stone, Aretha Franklin and the Doors. Organist Charles Earland
recorded interesting versions of the Spiral Staircase’s “More Today Than Yesterday (which
became his signature tune) and the 5th Dimension’s “Aquarius,” and Ramsey Lewis’ acoustic
piano trio became famous for its arrangement of
Dobie Gray’s “The In Crowd.” Tenor saxophonist Joe Farrell recorded a great version of Stevie
Wonder’s “Too High” in 1973. But unfortunately, rock and R&B songs were marginalized
in much of the jazz world for a long time; Earland and Farrell were the exception rather than
the rule. And in recent years, it has been good to
see more and more improvisers—from the Bad
Plus to singers Claire Martin and René Marie—
acknowledging the fact that worthwhile popular
music did not end with Tin Pan Alley.
The Phishbacher Trio obviously realizes it
as well, and that realization makes for a stimulating listen on Dreamcatcher.
June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
Sunday, June 01, 2014 22:06
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Sonny Rollins
ROAD SHOWS, VOL. 3—OKeh Records
04998. sonnyrollins.com. Biji; Someday, I’ll
Find You; Patanjali; Solo Sonny; Why Was I
Born?; Don’t Stop the Carnival
PERSONNEL: Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Clifton Anderson, trombone; Stephen
Scott, acoustic piano; Bobby Broom, electric
guitar; Peter Bernstein, electric guitar; Bob
Cranshaw, bass; Steve Jordan, drums; Perry
Wilson, drums; Victor Lewis, drums; Kobie
Watkins, drums; Sammy Figueroa, percussion;
Kimati Dinizulu, percussion
By Alex Henderson
Most of the great bop-oriented tenor saxophonists who emerged in the late 1940s are no
longer living, but Sonny Rollins (who is now 83)
not only continues to perform after all these
years—he is still very much on top of his game.
Rollins hasn’t lost anything in terms of either
chops or feeling and emotion: he still plays his
horn with plenty of passion and isn’t shy when it
comes to stretching out or offering extended
solos.
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Volume 3 of the Road Show series (which
has focused on previously unreleased live recordings by the distinctive, big-toned saxman)
spans eleven years, offering performances recorded in Saitama, Japan in 2001 (“Biji”), Toulouse, France in 2006 (“Someday, I’ll Find
You”), Marciac, France in 2007 (“Why Was I
Born?”), St. Louis in 2009 (“Solo Sonny”) and
Marseille, France in 2012 (“Patanjali” and
“Don’t Stop the Carnival”) The personnel can
vary from one track to the next, but trombonist
Clifton Anderson and bassist Bob Cranshaw
(who turned 81 last year and has been playing
with Rollins on and off since the early 1960s)
are present on all of the selections—and the
other sidemen include Bobby Broom or the
Grant Green-influenced Peter Bernstein on guitar, Steve Jordan, Perry Wilson, Victor Lewis or
Kobie Watkins on drums, and Kimati Dinizulu
or Sammy Figueroa on percussion. Acoustic
pianist Stephen Scott is heard on Rollins’ vibrant
“Biji,” but Rollins doesn’t employ a pianist on
any of the other selections. For those who know
a lot about Rollins’ history, that isn’t surprising.
He was also pianoless on his classic A Night at
the Village Vanguard recording of 1957 and his
1962 session The Bridge (with Jim Hall on guitar
and Cranshaw on bass).
The tenor/trombone front line that Rollins
and Anderson offer on Road Shows, Volume 3
recalls the Jazz Crusaders (before they dropped
“Jazz” from their name, became simply the Crusaders and shifted their focus from straightahead acoustic jazz to electric jazz-funk). That
combination of tenor and trombone without
trumpet is the same combination of horns that
Wilton Felder and Wayne Henderson favored
with the Jazz Crusaders during the 1960s, and on
this CD, it serves Rollins well whether he is
going for energy and exuberance on “Biji,”
“Patanjali” (another Rollins original) and a 23minute exploration of Jerome Kern’s “Why Was
I Born?” or showing how masterful a ballad
player he can be on Noël Coward)’s “Someday,
I’ll Find You” (which lasts 15 minutes). Rollins
first tackled “Someday, I’ll Find You” on his
Freedom Suite album (another pianoless studio
date) back in 1958, and he still plays Coward’s
song with both grit and sensitivity many years
later.
“Solo Sonny” is appropriately titled because Rollins mostly plays unaccompanied on
that selection - it isn’t until after seven minutes
into the tune that the other musicians finally
come in. And when he’s stretching out by himself, Rollins gets in plenty of quotes. Some jazz
critics, over the years, have complained that
Rollins can do too much quoting at times. The
same thing was said about another iconic tenor
titan, Dexter Gordon. But there’s nothing wrong
with doing a lot of quoting if you’re creative
about it, and on “Solo Sonny,” playing “name
that quote” is a big part of the fun. The songs
that Rollins quotes on “Solo Sonny” range from
two Kern standards (“Dearly Beloved” and “The
Song Is You”) to the Pee Wee King/Redd Stewart country standard “Tennessee Waltz” to Miles
Davis’ “Four” (one of the many bop standards
that is based on the chord changes of “How High
the Moon”).
June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
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Sunday, June 01, 2014 22:23
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Rollins is in fine form on a celebratory
performance of “Don’t Stop the Carnival,”
which is one of his most famous jazz-calypso
pieces. Jazz musicians have found a wide variety
of ways to incorporate world music, ranging
from Dizzy Gillespie’s Afro-Cuban experimentation with percussionist Chano Pozo and the
bossa nova breakthroughs of Stan Getz, Antonio
Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto to the Middle
Eastern, Arabic and Indian influences of John
Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. When Rollins
brought together bop and calypso on “St. Thomas” (which he unveiled on his Saxophone Colossus album of 1956), “Don’t Stop the Carnival” and other gems, it was definitely innovative.
“Don’t Stop the Carnival” is still a crowdpleaser at Rollins’ concerts, as the enthusiastic
Marseilles audience on this CD demonstrates.
Rollins, thankfully, has built a sizable catalogue over the years. When one compares the
albums that Rollins recorded during the 1950s
and 1960s to his more recent recordings, it is
clear that he hasn’t lost anything as a saxophonist since his youth. Rollins still sounds great, and
Road Shows, Volume 3 is a solid document of his
live performances of the 21st Century.
AD
Florencia Gonzalez
Sara Serpa, André Matos
PRIMAVERA—Inner Circle Music 039. Web:
saraserpa.com, innercirclemusic.com. Primavera; Tempo; Rios; Choro; Kubana; Song for a
Sister; Caminho; O Guardador de Rebanhos; A
Realidade das Coisas; Nuvem; Vanguard; Gardening; Se Me Va la Voz; Earth
PERSONNEL: Sara Serpa, vocals, electric
keyboards, acoustic piano; André Matos, guitar,
electric bass, cymbals; Greg Osby, soprano saxophone; Leo Genovese, melodica, acoustic piano,
toy guitar, bombo legüero; Pete Rende, el. kybds
By Alex Henderson
Brazilian music is quite popular in Portugal.
Go to Lisbon or Oporto, and it isn’t hard to find
people who are admirers of Brazilian stars like
Daniela Mercury, Gal Costa, Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento—which makes sense in light of
the fact that Brazil and Portugal speak the same
language (albeit with different accents) and Brazil was once a Portuguese colony. And Primavera (which means Spring in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian) is a perfect example of Portuguese musicians being influenced by the jazz
and pop of Brazil. The co-leaders on Primavera
are both natives of Portugal who now live in
New York City: singer Sara Sera is originally
from Lisbon, while guitarist André Matos grew
up in Sintra (a small town near the Portuguese
capitol). In addition to singing, Serpa plays electric keyboards and acoustic piano on this CD—
and Matos plays the electric bass in addition to
the guitar, which is his main instrument.
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page 5
June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com
75
Sunday, June 01, 2014 22:06
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Although recorded in Brooklyn, Primavera
sounds like it could have been recorded in Rio
de Janeiro or São Paulo: melodically, rhythmically and vocally, the Brazilian influence is
prominent. Serpa gets a lot of inspiration from
Brazilian jazz singers whether she is singing in
Portuguese (her native language) or English or
offering a wordless performance, which is what
happens
on
“Rios”
(“Rivers”),
“Caminho”
(“Path”),
“Choro,”
“Nuvem” (“Cloud”), “Gardening” and the title
song. The Brazilian school of wordless scat singing (as in Flora Purim, Tania Maria and Ana
Caram) is a definite influence on those performances, and Serpa’s singing is equally Brazilianinfluenced when she performs in Portuguese on
“Kubana,” “A Realidade das Coisas” and “O
Guardador de Rebanhos.” Meanwhile, “Song for
a Sister” and “Earth” find Serpa singing in English, and she successfully performs in a third
language, Spanish, on Guillermo Klein’s “Se Me
Va la Voz.”
Serpa has an appealing vocal style that is
warm, sweet and vulnerable, and she is expressive both with and without lyrics. Matos is a
highly appropriate companion for her, bringing a
lyrical approach to his guitar as well as the electric bass. They have some talented American
company when saxophonist Greg Osby joins
them on “Choro,” which is named after a famous
Brazilian rhythm (anyone seriously studying
Brazilian music will learn the difference between
the samba and the choro). Other guests who
appear on parts of this album include keyboardist Pete Rende and Leon Genovese, who plays
various instruments ranging from the acoustic
piano to the melodica.
Most of the selections were written by
Serpa or Matos, but one exception is a performance of Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee’s
“Vanguard” (which is among the album’s English-language offerings). Pianist Blake and
singer Lee (who died of cancer in 2000) were
frequent collaborators, beginning in the late
1950s—and along the way, they did some fine
composing and performing together. But instead
of emulating Blake and Lee’s original 1961 version of “Vanguard,” Serpa and Matos successfully take the song in a Brazilian-influenced
direction.
It isn’t hard to understand why Serpa and
Matos get along so well. They have a lot in common musically - and their partnership brings
consistently strong results on Primavera.
Manuel Valera
SELF PORTRAIT –
Mavo
1106
–
www.manuelvaera.com.
Spiral; Very Early; Solamente Una Vez; Impromptu No. 1; Hallucinations; Water; Impromptu No. 2; Ask Me Now;
Las Perlas De Tu Boca; Improvisation; Hope;
Impromptu No. 3; Blues
PERSONNEL: Manuel Valera, piano
By Scott Yanow
Although Manuel Valera is a fine twohanded pianist with virtuoso technique and a
vivid creative imagination, he had not recorded a
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CD of unaccompanied solos before his recent
Self Portrait. He had felt that he was not ready
but, after being persuaded to perform some solo
concerts in New York, he realized that he very
much enjoyed the experience.
Born in Havana, Cuba 33 years ago, Valera
has lived in New York City since 2000. He recorded his debut CD as a leader (Forma Nueva)
in 2004 after attending New School University.
Since then he has recorded seven additional
CDs. While he has stated that some of the main
influences on his playing are Bill Evans, Chick
Corea and Keith Jarrett (and I can hear bits of
Marian McPartland at times), Valera has long
had an original style that blends together his
classical training and Cuban heritage with modern jazz.
Valera has worked along the way with
Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Brian
Lynch, Dafnis Prieto, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Lenny
White, John Benitez, Joel Frahm, Oscar
Feldman, Samuel Torres, Dana Lauren and Yosvany Terry. He is probably best known for leading his New Cuban Express during the past few
years.
But Self Portrait is something much different. On this solo recital, Manuel Valera often
plays in a thoughtful manner, letting the music
breathe and develop slowly but logically. The
three elements of classical, Cuban and jazz are
well balanced with Valera’s virtuosity being
used to serve the music. He performs eight originals, including three tributes, three jazz standards by some of his favorite pianists, and a pair
of traditional boleros. The performances are
mostly pretty concise, with only two of the 13
selections exceeding six minutes.
Valera’s opening original “Spiral” sets the
mood for the full CD, being both accessible and
inventive. On Bill Evans’ “Very Early,” Valera
at first sounds a bit like Evans but his solo uses
many more notes and plenty of rapid runs while
building off of the theme. The bolero
“Solamente Una Vez” continues in the same
vein as “Very Early.” In fact, to a large extent
the music on Self Portrait sounds like a suite
with one piece logically segueing into the next
one despite the very different original sources
for many of the compositions.
“Impromptu No. 1” is a tribute to George
Gershwin with improvising in Gershwin’s style.
On Bud Powell’s “Hallucinations,” Valera
shows that he has no difficulty swinging bebop
without the luxury of bass and drums. During
stretches of his colorful original “Water,” Valera
sounds as if he is playing improvised classical
music. “Impromptu No. 2” pays homage to Erik
Satie with an improvisation on one of his
themes. Thelonious Monk’s “Ask Me Now” is
an intriguing extension on Monk’s tune. Valera
never tries to copy Monk, instead playing in his
own dazzling style. “Las Perlas De To Boca” is a
tasteful treatment of a bolero melody while
“Improvisation,” like “Water,” could pass for
modern classical music at times. Not too surprisingly, “Hope” sounds optimistic while being
quite sophisticated. “Impromptu No. 3” is a brief
tribute to the Russian classical composer-pianist
Nicolas Slonimsky while the concluding
“Blues,” while not technically a blues, brings out
Valera’s bluesy side. Manuel Valera’s Self Portrait rewards repeated listenings.
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