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February 2011U.K. £3.
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DownBeat Bunky Green & Rudresh Mahanthappa // Omar Sosa // John McNeil // Kevin Eubanks // Jazz Venue Guide February 2011
FEBRUARY 2011
Volume 78 – Number 2
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Contributors
Senior Contributors:
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Á
4 DOWNBEAT FEBRUARY 2011
February 2011
On the Cover
30
24 unky Green
B
& Rudresh
Mahanthappa
Breaking Free
Of The System
By Ted Panken
Though the feeling they generate

is best described as “free,” alto
saxophonists Bunky Green and
Rudresh Mahanthappa both work
within strongly conceptualized
structures that leave them plenty
of space to soar. A seemingly
odd pairing on the surface, the
two share a common passion
and stimulate each other to
Massimo Mantovani
extremely high levels of creativity,
as heard on their latest CD Omar Sosa
project as coleaders, Apex. Cover photography by Jimmy Katz
Features
30 Omar Sosa
Goes Deep
By Dan Ouellette
55 Mina Cho 59 Mike Reed 67 Kneebody 68 Tarbaby
34 John McNeil
All Wit
By Jim Macnie
Departments
38 Kevin Eubanks
Shapes His 8 First Take 20 Players 72 Transcription
Post-Leno Career John Hébert
By Kirk Silsbee
10 Chords & Discords 74 Toolshed
James Falzone
13 The Beat Andrew Rathbun 78 Jazz On Campus
42 150 Great Jazz Venues Remembering Milton Suggs 82 Blindfold Test
An International Listing James Moody
51 Reviews Kenny Barron &
of the Best Places 17 European Scene 70 Master Class Mulgrew Miller
to See Live Jazz 18 Caught Claire Daly

First Take | By aaron Cohen
Rudresh’s Mission
A
bout 15 years ago, I went to Chicago’s Green Mill jazz club for a
different sort of gig. The event was a CD-release party that a
group of master’s degree candidates at Chicago’s Columbia
College’s arts, entertainment
and media management pro- Rudresh
gram organized to celebrate Mahanthappa,
circa mid-1990s
a release on their own label,
AEMMP Records. While in-
die record labels had a better
chance for success—actual-
ly, survival—in the mid-’90s
than they do today, this was
still a quixotic venture com-
ing from a group of students.
AEMMP was even more
idealistic in that their sign-
ing was a young, and un-
compromising, jazz alto sax-
ophonist named Rudresh
Mahanthappa.
Needless to say, Mahan-
thappa has come a long way
since the release of his de-
but disc, Yatra. But even back
then, his assertive tone and
unique way of combining
jazz with South Asian music
revealed that he had an origi-
credit
nal vision and determination
that would take him far in any art. He’s also always had a deep respect for
the traditions he chose to investigate, and that includes the work of jazz el-
der Bunky Green, who shares Ted Panken’s cover story with Mahanthappa
for this issue.
In talking with Mahanthappa this past week about when I met him at
the Green Mill in 1996, he said that the career he’s built for himself was al-
ways the dream, but, of course, it’s never guaranteed. He also is thankful
for the opportunity that the upstart label gave him. Having a disc in hand
was a valuable calling card when he moved to New York the following year
and began encountering the heavier hitters in the media (this was an era be-
fore downloads, or e-mailed mp3s). All of which reaffirms that the dreams
of a group of Midwestern students should never be taken lightly.
The reason why AEMMP signed Mahanthappa, and held its party at
the Green Mill, was because of one particular student, Michael Orlove,
who was handling the label’s a&r. Then—and now—Orlove has kept his
ear toward finding sounds from around the city and around the planet that
Chicagoans need to hear. Orlove is currently senior program director for
the city’s department of cultural affairs. He’s been the driving force for
the city’s stellar world music festival, as well as excellent free events year-
round at the Chicago Cultural Center. The Green Mill and the Chicago
Cultural Center are included in this issue’s venue guide: this club and civ-
ic institution show that it takes a combination of smart entrepreneurs, pub-
lic programs and educational efforts—often, working together—to build a
lasting audience for such artists as Mahanthappa.
This issue also includes a memorial tribute to the wonderful saxophon-
ist/flutist James Moody, who died on Dec. 9. Along with his beautiful me-
lodic feel and warm sense of humor, he and his wife, Linda, were tire-
less advocates for jazz education. For information on how to donate to the
James Moody Scholarship Fund, go to his website, jamesmoody.com. DB

Chords & Discords 
Making John McLaughlin

McLaughlin’s Day
I just got home yesterday eve-
ning after six weeks in the United
States, and the DownBeat Readers
Poll award had arrived yester-
day morning! Good timing! I just
wanted to thank you and the
staff at DownBeat for providing
musicians and music lovers with
such a great magazine over the
years. I’ve been reading DownBeat
since the mid-’60s and to win an
award from DownBeat has special
significance to me. The plaque will
occupy a special place in my home.
John McLaughlin
Monaco
Stop Thieves!
Thanks very much for the article on
Internet piracy of music publica-
tions (“Thief!,” January 2011). I
would like to make it clear that
Sher Music Co. is still very much
in the business of selling our
world-class jazz fake books. My
statement that “We are out of the
fake book business” referred to
the great difficulty in justifying the production rassment, have left this undone for decades. Ja-
of new fake books when we know they will be mal waits, while Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea
scanned and distributed free of charge all over and Keith Jarrett, all employees of Miles Davis,
the Internet. My hope is that people reading went in ahead of the man who influenced him
your article will be made aware of the serious (and that’s no disrespect to their individual tal-
negative consequences of illegally downloading ents). Let’s hope the Veterans Committee won’t
books and refrain from this unethical practice. have to do it. I wonder just how many of Davis’
Chuck Sher pianists were told, “Play like Ahmad Jamal.”
Sher Music Company
Ron Seegar
El Paso, Texas
Clean Language, Please

I must agree with Kevin McIntosh’s letter Erskine Nails It
(“Chords,” January) concerning cursing in your Peter Erskine’s “Woodshed” (November) is right
interviews. I host a jam session for students on the money. I am 75 and have been around
once a month, and encourage kids to take the drum scene for 60 years. Not only does his
copies of your magazine (which DownBeat article apply to the ride cymbal, but it can also
very graciously provides). I often think about be adapted to brush works and drum solo pat-
a parent’s reaction if they ever pick up the terns. I recommend it to young drummers who
magazine and read something like that. are trying to get the clutter out of their playing
Surely the language can be edited or bleeped. and play in a way that moves the tune forward.
As a subscriber since 1977, I know you used to Jim Murphy
do that. What changed? Students get enough Ormond Beach, Fla.
of that kind of “education” in their daily lives.

Better to have them focus on the music. Correction
Mike Eben The title of Ernie Krivda’s disc in “Best CDs
Reading, Pa. of 2010” (January) was incorrect. It should
have been written as November Man
Jamal Deserves Honor (CIMP).
It’s amazing that DownBeat readers almost DownBeat regrets the error.
voted master pianist/trio trailblazer Ahmad Jamal
(#2) into the Hall of Fame themselves, instead Have a chord or discord?
of the DownBeat critics, who, to their embar- E-mail us at [email protected].

News & Views From Around The Music World
The
Inside 
15 I Riffs
16 I Nicole Mitchell
17 I European Scene
18 I Caught
20 I Players
Moody’s
James Moody
Mood For Life

Friends, colleagues celebrate James
Moody’s magical personality
S
axophonist/flutist James Moody died on Dec. 9, of pancreatic can-
cer, at 85 near his home in San Diego, Calif. His career stretched
back across nearly 65 years of jazz history, and while it was a som-
ber end to a life of ebullient music making, his friends and colleagues chose
to celebrate his life—not his passing—during the days that followed.
“It’s nothing to mourn about,” Sonny Rollins said. “It’s not that I’m not
sorry we won’t get a chance to hear him play any more or be in his compa-
ny. That’s true. But it’s also really a joyful moment because he was here in
this life and look what he left people, a legacy of wonderful music and the
memory of a wonderful person. To know him and think about him brings
light to me. We can’t feel sad or sorry. We have to feel good about a man
like Moody.”
Moody was born in Savannah, Ga., on March 26, 1925, and raised in
Newark, N.J. He converged with Dizzy Gillespie’s first big band in the sum-
mer of 1946. His earliest work can be heard on Dizzy Gillespie: Showtime
At The Spotlite (Uptown). Gillespie became a mentor to the youthful
Moody, a role that in some ways made brothers of them for life. The early
band was a hive of musical energy. That’s when saxophonist Jimmy Heath
first met Moody (he would join the band several months after Moody left),
and began a life long friendship. In 2005 Heath described his friend in
Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
the lyric he wrote to “Moody’s Groove” (“Moody has more kisses than
Hershey’s…”), which the two performed in the Gillespie All-Star Big band.
“He is an original,” Heath said. “No one else in the world is like Moody,
one of the greatest human beings I ever met. We called each other ‘Section’
because we played in the saxophone section. Everybody remembers how
he outgoing he was, and he was always that way, I think, though the kissing
he might have picked up in Europe.” everyone in it—and did the same when he exited. There was only one
In the Gillespie band of 1946–’48 Moody helped set the bar for a com- James Moody. I will miss his music and I will miss his kiss.”
ing generation of young saxophonists who would shortly consolidate the The eras of Moody’s career can be sliced in several ways: by decade, by
foundations of modernism. One of them was alto saxophonist Phil Woods. group, by association. He converted to Baha’i in the early ’70s, following
“I loved Moody,” Woods said. “His joy and energy were contagious. Gillespie, and some regard that as something of a watershed. But to friends
And he was one of the best improvisers ever! No one ran the changes like like Woods, he was a fundamentally spiritual person, before and after his
Moody—nobody! And there was never a more spiritual man than Moody. conversion to Baha’i, with or without the patina of an official faith.
His horn and, indeed, his very persona exuded warmth and love. He was “He was one of the most humanistic people I ever knew,” noted Todd
the only man whose kisses I welcomed. When he entered a room he kissed Barkin, producer and owner of the Keystone Club in San Francisco, where
FEBRUARY 2011 DOWNBEAT 13

Moody played often in the ’70s. “I think that Baha’i just completed the cir- Bop-era Moody
cle, and Dizzy, too. They were naturally predisposed to that view of life. It
just fit.”
Moody came to wide prominence in the early ’50s with a vocalese ver-
sion of his 1949 solo on “I’m In The Mood For Love,” revised by King
Pleasure as “Moody’s Mood For Love.”
“It became a big seller in the black community,” Rollins said. “When
we heard it, it wasn’t Charlie Parker or Dizzy, so it didn’t have the impact
on us—meaning my younger colleagues who were interested in bebop. But
I’m glad it gave him some prominence and he soon transcended that in his
other work.”
Throughout much of the 1960s, he worked with Gillespie and his own
groups, many of which included bassist Bob Cranshaw.
“He was the best,” Cranshaw said. “I enjoy Moody because he was se-
rious about music but he had fun doing it. He kept you on your toes and
kept your laughing. He put a lot into his work, and working with him was
a joy. When I came to New York around 1960, his was one of the first gigs
that I got. I was with Moody around the time he became a Baha’i, and all
I can say is that it made him even more loving. He kept a wonderful atmo-
sphere around him.”
Moody and Rollins never played together, but their groups played joint
gigs during the ’60s in the Jazz Gallery in New York. But Rollins was un-
usually coy in remembering those days. He volunteered an event of some
DownBeat Archives
importance to him, then having brought it up, said, “I’m not going to reveal
the incident, but it was between us and it was very educational and infor-
mative for me and helped me grow up. I’ll leave it at that because the de-
tails are a little too embarrassing to me.” What was the lesson then? “That’s an aura about him, a special light. He had a gigantic heart as a man and a
what I don’t want to be specific about,” Rollins said as he laughed. “But musician, and also one of the most inquisitive minds that you could find.
we’ve been close friends since then. Maybe when I’m past being active in Until the end he had an incredible interest in younger players. I remember
the world, I might relate it.” once he went up to a wonderful young saxophone player, and he said he
Moody’s career touched successive generations over six decades, most loved what he was doing and could he check out how he was doing it. And
recently the brilliant young singer Roberta Gambarini, who first saw the player said, ‘But Moody, I got it from you.’ He was always on the search.
Moody in Italy with her parents when she was nine. They met again in He took the language and stretched it.”
Cape Town after a performance in 2002. As a young person working with a veteran, Gambarini was constantly
“When I got off the stage and I came down the stairs,” Gambarini said, aware of how Moody connected her to the history of the music.
“his arms were stretched out for a big hug. He loved to hug everybody.” “One night we were playing at Lincoln Center,” she recalled, “and I
Throughout the last decade, their musical relationship has become was standing next to him listening and thinking this is what it must have
something close to a partnership. felt like to be in those days with the vibration of Charlie Parker and all the
“He was just one of the most amazing human beings who ever walked other giants. He brought that with him when he played.”
this Earth,” she said. “He had an endless source of life and joy. There was —John McDonough
Moody: A Hard Man Not To Love

I
n the fall of 1976 James Moody was in Chi- “Your lip,” asked Moody, “how is it?” see such expressions of “belief” from the per-
cago to tape a “Soundstage” program for “Ahhh, nothing to worry about,” Gillespie spective of an outsider. Yet, I couldn’t help feel-
PBS. “Dizzy Gillespie’s Be-bop Reunion” said. ing a little moved by the utter ingenuousness
was a big affair. In addition to Moody, there “Look, this may seem a little strange,” and innocence of Moody’s little deed and the
was Sarah Vaughan, Milt Jackson, Kenny Moody said, “but it can’t hurt. OK?” spirit that rooted it. No hint of moral author-
Clarke, Al Haig, Joe Carroll, some others and, “What?” Gillespie asked. ity; no adulteration of ritual, fanfare, pretense,
of course, Gillespie. The taping was scheduled “Just hold still a minute. Be still. Don’t preaching or even promise. Like he said, “It
for two consecutive days. But by the end of day move.” Moody then leaned into the booth, can’t hurt.”
one, a suspicious-looking sore had flared on placed two fingers on Gillespie’s upper lip, and The lip sore soon passed. I don’t know
Gillespie’s upper lip. A doctor looked at it and held them there for 15 or 20 seconds. It seemed whether Moody’s healing energy intervened.
told Gillespie not to play until a biopsy could be longer. Nobody said a word. A few quietly trad- But the purity and unselfconsciousness of it all
done. Word spread quickly. ed perplexed glances. Finally Moody lifted his struck me as uniquely heartfelt. It was an open-
That evening I found myself with a dozen finger. ness Moody seemed to spread compulsively in
or so musicians from the program at a neigh- “That’s it, “ he said. “That’s all. We’ll see. all directions. I didn’t know him well, but when I
borhood restaurant. We occupied four or five Right? OK? Say nothing more.” Gillespie would see him from time to time over the years,
booths and tables, and I was sitting in one smiled, clutched Moody’s hand for a second, he not only seemed to recognize me. He would
across from Gillespie, mostly listening. Moody and that was it. “Let’s see what happens,” greet me with a big bear hug that often left the
came over at one point, eager in his concern Moody said returning to an adjoining booth. pungent scent of gardenia cologne clinging to
for Gillespie’s lip. The conversation went some- As one who floats somewhere between me for the next hour. James Moody remains a
thing like this: neutrality and skepticism on matters spiritual, I hard man not to love. —John McDonough

Riffs 
Ornette Coleman
Moers Return: Ornette Coleman will head-

line the 2011 Moers Festival, which runs
June 10–12. He had previously appeared at
the German event in 1981 with Prime Time.
Tickets are available. Details: moers-festival.de
Alligator @ 40: Chicago-based blues label

Alligator is celebrating its 40th anniversary
with a slew of historic releases. Company
president Bruce Iglauer has selected and
remastered tracks for the two-disc The Al-
ligator Records 40th Anniversary Collection.
The label is also releasing vinyl editions of
its back catalog, including Buddy Guy and
Junior Wells’ Alone & Acoustic.
Details: alligator.com
Caine Fellowship: Pianist Uri Caine

received a $50,000 United States Artists
fellowship grant on Dec. 7.
Details: unitedstatesartists.org
Blues Home: Memphis-based Blues Foun-

dation will begin moving into its first perma-
nent home in March. The 4,000-square-foot
location at 421 S. Main St. will centralize the
foundation’s educational, audio-visual and
retail opportunities, in addition to housing
its staff and operations. Details: blues.org
Bayou Download: The New Orleans Musi-

cians’ Clinic has released a digital download
of Down On The Bayou II Live Jam From
New Orleans. Participants include Ivan
Neville, Luther Dickinson and Gov’t Mule. All
proceeds from the sale will benefit the clinic.
Details: neworleansmusiciansclinic.org
Chicago Matinees: Chicago’s Old Town

School Of Folk Music has announced a new
series of matinee performances of jazz com-
posers at its 909 W. Armitage Ave. location
on the first Sunday of each month.
Details: oldtownschool.org
Kelly Meets Woods: Saxophonists Grace

Kelly and Phil Woods have teamed up for
their upcoming disc, Man With The Hat
(Pazz). Details: gracekellymusic.com

Nicole Mitchell
mark sheldon
Musical Community Restores
Nicole Mitchell’s Flutes, Faith
N icole Mitchell was riding an emotional high on Sept. 14 after a sold-
out performance at the MITO Jazz Festival in Milan, Italy, but ev-
erything came crashing down after a post-concert meal. Despite assuranc-
es from her driver that the band’s belongings would be safe, the car that
transported her band to dinner had been burglarized. Among the stolen
items was a bag containing Mitchell’s flute (which she’d only recently fin-
ished paying off) and piccolo, along with her sheet music for the group. She
was understandably devastated by the theft, losing the tools of her liveli-
hood. She spent most of the night in a local police station before rushing to
the airport for a flight back to Chicago. Once home she received more bad
news: her home insurance policy wouldn’t cover the stolen instruments.
Word quickly spread in Chicago about the crime. Drummer Mike
Reed, a long-time collaborator of the flutist, quickly came to Mitchell’s aid.
“Last year my brother needed help getting a new car, and I think of Nicole
as family, too, so what would be the difference?” he said. “I told her it
was ridiculous for her to be a professional musician without a profession-
al instrument.”
Mitchell says she was “flabbergasted” by the offer. She says she’s long
depended only upon herself to get by, so even considering such a propos-
al was difficult. She held off making a decision. She worked in the com-
ing weeks with borrowed instruments as well as an old flute of her own that
proved unreliable. “I had a concert with the Chicago Sinfonietta and my old
flute broke during the concert, so I had to borrow the flute player’s flute next
to me for my solo and then put it back in her lap,” she said.
Soon thereafter a supporter, Floyd Webb, told her that he wanted to or-
ganize a fundraiser to purchase new flutes, but Mitchell didn’t feel com-
fortable looking for contributions at a time when so many people were
struggling to survive. A veteran saxophonist and mentor to Mitchell, who
insisted on anonymity, ended up sending her his old flute, another gesture
that moved her. “All of the responses and people reaching out to me dur-
ing that time period was a real blessing because it made feel like I wasn’t
alone,” she said. “That was the most beautiful thing about it.”
On the night of the theft Mitchell’s European agent Ludmilla Faccenda
had told her that it was time to secure an endorsement deal, and within a
month she succeeded, landing an arrangement with the prestigious Powell
Flutes.
“We’ve been classically oriented, but there’s no reason a Powell flute
player can’t play jazz or any other genre, so we’ve been branching out re-
cently,” said Roberta Gillette, a sales advisor for the company, who negoti-
ated the endorsement deal. “Nicole being a composer and having so many
facets was very interesting for us.”
Powell has provided Mitchell with new, custom-made flute and piccolo
at a significant discount, and she ended up turning to Reed to cover the bal-
ance on the instruments. “She really helped bring me into a different world
of music,” Reed said. “She extended an invitation that was huge, a big deal
for me, and no one could pay for that with money.” —Peter Margasak

European Scene | By Peter Margasak
Lithuanian Label Contradicts Nation’s Aesthetic Status Quo

For many years jazz was cultural the music industry and they gave Jemeel Moondoc’s Muntu and
contraband in the Soviet Union, so us brilliant musical material that Amalgam, as well as acclaimed
it makes plenty of sense that many could not just be left on the shelf,” new recordings by drummer Harris
of its underground practitioners said Mikailionis. “But the real in- Eisenstadt, trumpeter Kirk Knuffke
were musical radicals. No group spiration was Mats Gustafsson. and bassist Joe Morris. This year
to emerge from the Soviet era was Mats encouraged us to go ahead looks even ambitious, with archival
better or more influential than the with the label, and the first record- releases—boxed sets of Parker’s
Ganelin Trio, a product of Lithu- ings we released involve his solo Centering Recordings, Billy Bang’s
ania. Yet as jazz lost its subversive and group improvisations with Survival Ensemble and solo work
status, commercial treacle came the best contemporary Lithuanian of pianist Howard Riley—and new
flooding in. jazz musicians.” titles by Tarfala Trio (Gustafsson,
“Festival organizers started Danas Mikailionis While a sizable chunk of the la- Guy and Raymond Strid), Thomas
bringing in more mainstream, fu- bel’s expanding catalog, which al- Heberer and John Butcher.
sion and smooth jazz or world jazz fly in the face of those toothless numbers nearly three dozen titles, Mikailionis said he would love
groups to Lithuania,” said Danas sounds. The label’s appearance were made from live recordings for No Business to release more
Mikailionis of the Vilnius-based la- was long in coming, emerging of concerts they had presented in work by Lithuanians, but with the
bel No Business Records. “The from Thelonious, a Vilnius record Vilnius, No Business branched out exception of Mockunas he feels
vast majority of listeners [here] shop that Valerij Anosov started in with new studio projects as well that most local musicians haven’t
tend to listen to easily acceptable 1997 and coming on the heels of as archival releases from Ameri- appealed to the label’s aesthetic.
and superficial jazz.” an important concert production can and European players.“We “Each year during the Vilnius Jazz
Since forming in 2008, No concern that’s brought people like never saw the goal of the label in Festival you can listen to young
Business has combated this status Matthew Shipp, William Parker, just documenting the jazz activities musicians from the Music Acad-
quo, releasing music by American Howard Riley, Barry Guy and Joe taking place in Lithuania,” he said. emy that have some good poten-
and European players, and in the McPhee to the city. In 2010 the imprint came into tial,” he said. “But after they finish
case of the superb reedist Liudas “The concerts we organized its own, offering historic antholo- their education it seems like their
Mockunas, local musicians who became a great introduction to gies from groups like Commitment, energy vanishes.” DB

Caught 
AfroCubism Eliades Ochoa (left), Baba Sissoko and Yuinor Terry (rear)
Reconnects Cuba,
West Africa in
New York
D espite its Grammy win, record-setting
sales and enormous critical praise, 1997’s
Buena Vista Social Club was only half the proj-
ect it was intended to be.
World Circuit’s Nick Gold had initially
planned to gather a group of prominent Cuban
and African musicians for a recording session,
but the Africans were unable to secure their vi-
sas, leaving Gold and his producer, Ry Cooder, to
do a little improvising of their own by inviting a
few more players from Havana to round out the
record. The monster success of the resulting al-
bum was serendipitous, if accidental.
More than a decade later, Gold’s complete
vision came to fruition with the recording of
AfroCubism, a marriage of music from Cuba main message of the evening, even as Diabaté “Guantanamera,” while the audience alternately
and Mali, countries that share similar rhythmic peeked out from behind his kora to drop the oc- sang the chorus and giggled as Tounkara coyly
traditions and proclivities for improvisation—not casional zinger, at one point teasing that New challenged his bandmates with a few mean call-
to mention political ties that have caused cultur- York might not be as rich in culture as it is and-response riffs until Ochoa finally surren-
al cross-currents since the beginning of the Cold financially. dered and led everyone back to the bridge.
War. The group, which features Buena Vista tres In “Mali Cuba,” solos changed hands swiftly In fact, the balance of spotlight sharing was
guitarist Eliades Ochoa and his band, Grupo and succinctly, with balafon player Lassana almost as remarkable as the way the two musical
Patria, and Malian kora legend Toumani Diabaté Diabaté’s agile and chromatic lines balancing cultures complemented each other. The hollow,
performed the second stop on their North out the more soothing kora swells. Grupo Patria’s spare sound of the balafon accented the Cuban
American tour at Town Hall on Nov. 9. unison horn section added a sunny layer of sal- polyrhythms in songs like the Cuban hit “La
The highly anticipated show kicked off on a sa to even the more traditional, Malian-leaning Culebra,” putting a new spin on a Latin classic.
sour note when Dan Melnick announced that tunes, not unlike the lineup in Toumani Diabaté’s Meanwhile, Tounkara’s rolling, danceable gui-
visa problems had left the ngoni player, Bassekou Symmetric Orchestra. tar riffs on the more Malian-led “Nima Djala”
Kouyate, stuck in Canada. But that road bump Despite the abundance of marquee names became a comfortable vehicle for Ochoa’s tres
turned out to be the show’s only impenetra- onstage, guitarist Djelimady Tounkara emerged support.
ble musical border, as Ochoa and Kasse Mady as an unexpected star of the evening. His blues- In the end, encores of “Bensema” and “Para
Diabaté helmed nominal leadership duties that drenched solos and playful, rock-infused vamps los Pinares Se Va Montoro” roused the audi-
often melded their similarly wistful, emotion- harkened back to his days with Salif Keita’s Rail ence to stand up, dance and cheer—as much, it
charged vocal contributions, despite the lan- Band from the ’70s. Near the end of the show, seemed, for the music as for Toumani Diabaté’s
guage differences. he teased Ochoa and Toumani Diabaté as they demand that it’s time to “stop stigma and dis-
Collaboration and cross-pollination were the made their way through the Cuban classic, crimination.” —Jennifer Odell
Douglas Ewart Impassioned, Playful AACM Anniversary

Celebration Enhances Its Mission
C hicago’s Association For The Advancement
of Creative Musicians held its 45th anni-
versary celebration with particularly fascinating
one of Lewis’ pioneering computerized systems
programmed to permit interaction with live per-
formers. After an intense sonic dialogue, dur-
events at the University of Chicago and the city’s ing which fragments of Schlippenbach’s play-
Museum of Contemporary Art. ing were reconstituted and fed back to him by
An event at the university’s Mandel Hall on the futuristic player piano, Lewis, the pianist and
Nov. 11 coincided with AACM trombonist/con- Davidson led a discussion about man, machine
ceptualist George Lewis’ residency at the in- and the broader social model suggested by the art
stitution, where he had taught a graduate sem- of improvised music. The night concluded with a
inar “Improvisation as a Way of Life” with rousing set from the 27-member AACM Great
philosophy professor Arnold Davidson. Lewis Black Music Ensemble.
Michael Jackson
played with German pianist Alexander von Douglas Ewart’s set at the museum on Nov.
Schlippenbach plus another piano prepared with 19 with his 11-piece “Inventions” was contoured

via stentorian cues from Ewart’s sopranino, ca- bowed ukelele and cornet.
thartic blowing from tenorist Ed Wilkerson (also During Renee Baker’s innovative Brass
on didgeridoo) and subtle drumming and ma- Epiphany set, she sent seven wildly enthusiastic
rimba from New York branch member Thurman trumpeters into the crowd. Blowing at full tilt,
Barker. Mankwe Ndosi, Duriel Harris and they elicited a stunning metallic reverberation
Kahari B’s poetic and lyrical contributions were around the walls. Save for an antiphonic “Jingle
also salient. The latter emceed, trying to whip the Bells,” which, a week before Thanksgiving, in-
thin turnout into a party atmosphere, stressing re- duced wincing, Baker proved herself, along with
ciprocation as inherent to the occasion. drummer Mike Reed, as the latest AACM vi-
The committed mentoring component of the sionary. Baker yoked symphonic professionals
AACM became underlined during its prime el- with less tempered AACM regulars and revealed
der’s closing concert. Multi-instrumentalist a grand vision for her massive 35-piece aggrega-
Kelan Phil Cohran recalled the stirring contem- tion, facing a posse of standing trumpeters with
porary speech of Frederick Douglass and recited the ragtag vibe of a maverick New Orleans brass
Laurence Dunbar’s patriotic “Columbian Ode.” band, opposite an obediently seated string sec-
Insisting that music spoke louder than words, tion, underpinned by three contra basses inject-
Cohran spurred his 17-piece Vocal Ensemble ing Afro spiritual heft via hypnotic ostinato.
with relentless zithering harp, electrified sanza, —Michael Jackson
David S. Ware Proves David S. Ware
Unstoppable at
Umbrella Festival
M usicians representing 10 European coun-
tries converged on Chicago for this year’s
Umbrella Music Festival, which ran Nov. 3–7.
But saxophonist David S. Ware’s unaccompa-
nied performance at Elastic on Nov. 5 left the
deepest emotional impression.
Since recovering from a kidney transplant in
the spring of 2009, Ware’s performances have
Michael Jackson
been understandably rare. And it took consid-

erable strength for him to appear onstage with-
out a rhythmic section’s support. He didn’t need
one. During his one-hour set, Ware’s tenor play- one or two-note launch for his forays into the in-
ing retained its enveloping heft, and his lengthy strument’s strings, at times making them resem-
passages still retained all of their interwoven nu- ble a harp before moving into percussive waves.
ances. Switching to soprano, he reaffirmed his But when Fernández sat down at the bench, he
mastery at circular breathing. His energy tran- displayed a formidable, and still unconventional,
scended any physical limitations.At the conclu- technique, particularly with his array of contin-
sion, Ware asked the audience for questions. He ually stunning bass passages. Earlier that night
used the opportunity to reassure everyone of his an Italian duo of pianist Alberto Braida and ten-
health, and that he kept eating his vegetables. or/soprano saxophonist Edoardo Marraffa be-
Umbrella’s first night included multiple art- gan their set with a quiet dialogue that quickly
ists in different combinations throughout the shifted to an almost pummeling crescendo with
Chicago Cultural Center, with dozens of in- Marraffa’s circular breathing and then pivoted
ternational consulate officials in the house. back again.
Dutch trombonist Joost Buis’ ensemble (sev- Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith closed the
en Chicagoans made up the nonet) put the focus festival in a set with German drummer Gunter
back on tunes and swing with drummers Mike “Baby” Sommer at the Hungry Brain as the duo
Reed and Charles Rumback delivering consis- Touch The Earth II (the original group was a trio
tently intertwined beats for baritone saxophon- with the late bassist Peter Kowald). The perfor-
ist Dave Rempis, cornetist Josh Berman, tenor mance reveled in contrasts. While Smith pre-
saxophonist Keefe Jackson and alto saxophonist ferred coolly elongated lines, Sommer (like Han
Jorrit Dijkstra to play behind. Songs were dedi- Bennink) couldn’t be tied to the kit, as he contin-
cated to a unique range of influences—Captain ually leapt up to make the entire stage his percus-
Beefheart and Harry Carney. For Spanish pia- sion arsenal. Even with his unrestrained exuber-
nist Agustí Fernández hour-long solo concert, he ance, his rapid timing was always perfect.
initially only used the piano’s keys to cue up a —Aaron Cohen

Players 
John Hébert
Cerebral Grit
I n 1996, his third year in New York City,
John Hébert’s roommate nicknamed him
“the janitor.”
“He’d hear a voicemail on our old answering
machine—‘Hey, John, so-and-so just bailed; can
you make this hit tonight?’” Hébert recalled. “I’d
be out the door. ‘Unh-oh, the janitor mopping up.’”
Now 38, Hébert is one of New York’s first-call
bassists, boasting a reverberant tone, supple time
feel and melodic sensibility in both solo and ac-
companying functions, bedrocking the package
with a solid foundation in hardcore mainstem
jazz. Able to cerebrate with grit, he is a conse-
quential figure on scenes that infrequently overlap.
“When I moved to New York I thought you had
to do everything,” he continued. “It’s true—that’s
how you learn. But although I work in many dif-
ferent styles, I’m still playing the way I play.”
It was Hébert’s first off-day in a while; his re-
cent itinerary reflected his breadth. The previous
evening at the Jazz Gallery, Hébert had played two
sets of high-concept speculative improvisation
with pianist John Escreet and drummer Tyshawn
Sorey, making the hit shortly after completing a
four-hour drive from a Wednesday one-night-
WIL GRAY/ARTHAUS IMAGERY AND DESIGN

er with drummer Owen Howard’s band in cen-
tral Pennsylvania. This followed a Tuesday-night
concert at Poisson Rouge to observe the release
of Enescu Reimagined (Sunnyside), comprising
Hébert’s and pianist Lucian Ban’s deconstructive
arrangements for violin (Joyce Hamman), viola
(Mat Maneri), trumpet (Ralph Alessi), tenor saxman dates of note are Whirl (Palmetto), Hébert’s big band. The transformative moment occurred
ophone (Tony Malaby), drums (Gerald Cleaver) recorded trio debut with Fred Hersch, an employer when, in 2001, pianist-composer Andrew Hill
and percussion (Badal Roy) of the corpus of 20th for several years, and Dragon Fire (Firehouse 12), called, on the recommendation of Horton and
century Romanian composer Georges Enescu. He on which he and drummer Ches Smith animate a Schneider’s band pianist Frank Kimbrough.
would play on Saturday with saxophonist Adam 10-piece suite by guitarist Mary Halvorson. “Everything felt right,” said Hébert, who
Kolker’s quartet at Cornelia Street Café, and was In forming his sensibility, Hébert took early played on Hill’s last recording, Time Lines.
preparing to fly to New Orleans—of Cajun de- cues from Bill Huntington—a gut-string-bass vet- “Playing four-on-the-floor and walking wouldn’t
scent, he’s a son of the Crescent City and Baton eran with an ancient-to-future orientation whose work—you’d expand and contract the time with-
Rouge—to play a duo with guitar-electronics im- credits include steady work with Ellis Marsalis in the pulse. Vidacovich talked about thinking
proviser Terence McManus. and James Black—during a 1990–1992 matric- of time as waves of water crashing against the
Late the previous week, Hébert had returned ulation at Loyola University. During this period shore. Rather than subdivide the beat, go to the
from several gigs in France with his own three- he accrued extensive bandstand experience, play- largest ratio possible.”
sax-and-woodwinds (Malaby, Michael Attias, ing standards with singers on five-night, four-set He also drew inspiration from Hill’s minimal-
Kolker) and two-percussion (Nasheet Waits, hotel dates and original music with world-class ist compositional strategies. “Andrew might create
Satoshi Takeishi) unit that appears on Byzantine Crescent City elders like Tony Dagradi, Steve a beautiful 20-minute tune from just a measure,”
Monkey (Firehouse 12), named eponymously for Masakowski, Michael Blair, John Vidacovich, Hébert said. “If you have the right chemistry, you
the group. Recorded in proximity was Spiritual David Lee and generational contemporaries Jon don’t need a lot of complex stuff. Rather than dic-
Lover (Clean Feed), a recital of Hébert’s trio music Cowherd and Brian Blade. tate, I prefer to let the musicians compose around
with Benoit Delbecq on piano, synth and clavinet, Once in New York, Hébert spent much of the it on the spot, so it’s different every time.
and Cleaver. Other recent dates featuring Hébert’s ’90s “floating around, questioning myself,” day- “To be able to react intuitively on stage to
compositions are Book Of Three (Rogue Art), a jobbing on the 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift at a coffee someone of that eminence, from that generation,
sonically nuanced trio with Cleaver and trumpet- house, attending sessions in the afternoons, and and have him say, ‘John, that sounds great, let’s do
er Taylor Ho Bynum; Attias’ Renku In Coimbra making high-content, low-remuneration gigs it again,’ helped me start being comfortable with
(Clean Feed), in trio with Takeishi; Pollock at night in restaurants and creative music ven- who I am. Maybe other people started jumping on
(Pirouet), by pianist Jurgen Friedrich’s trio; and ues like the Internet Café, where he played with board: ‘If Andrew thinks he’s good, then maybe
Lineup (Hatology), an informed dialogue by Malaby, Lossing and trumpeter Ron Horton. he’s good.’ The cream rises to the top eventually.
Hébert and pianist Russ Lossing. Additional side- Occasionally, he subbed with Maria Schneider’s Sometimes it takes 20 years.” —Ted Panken

James Falzone
Subtle Infusions
C larinetist and composer James Falzone
contemplated moving to New York af-
ter graduate school at Boston’s New England
Conservatory, or perhaps Europe, as he felt a
strong affinity with the European creative music
scene. But he opted to return to the Chicago area
he had left behind.
He describes that decision as one of the most
fruitful of his life. Since the improvised and ex-
perimental music community in Chicago had
grown so exponentially in the last 10 years, it was
the perfect place for him to be.
Falzone feasted in the academic environ-
ment of NEC, taking courses in Medieval mu-
sic, Indian ragas and Turkish traditions, klezmer
with Hankus Netsky’s ensemble, even a class
zoning in on Billie Holiday. He now teaches an
MICHAEL JACKSON
interdisciplinary seminar at Chicago’s Columbia
College that has as much to do with the visual
arts and literature as music.
From the outset his music has been self-pro- Christof Kurzmann at Chicago’s Cultural Center
duced, most recently on what he dubs his Allos last November. Thrown together with Kurzmann
Documents label. Lamentations (2010) features by curators of the Umbrella Festival, Falzone
his Allos Musica trio (allos is the Greek word for was forced to negotiate terms with a laptop musi-
“other”) comprising oud player Ronnie Malley cian for the first time. “You have two experienced
and percussionist Tim Mulvenna. The group digs musicians in a slightly awkward moment. It pres-
deep into Arabic modes. One is a Muwashah (a ents a wonderful balance between being your-
courtly lovesong from Andalusia), another writ- self and being a receptacle,” said Falzone. Both
ten by oud player Issa Boulos, but the rest of the Falzone and Kurzmann generated a sweat dur-
18 tracks are conceived by Falzone himself as ing their duo and Falzone drew on a host of re-
laments, “a musical/poetic genre that has tran- sources, including microtones, altissimo shrieks,
scended cultures and time,” as he puts it. didgeroo-like growls, as well as judicious use of
When Falzone was in Boston seeking out the low volume and space.
music of Egyptian singer Oum Kalsoum, whom Not central to the vein of heavier-blowing
he likens to Holiday, 9/11 struck. Since he had horns that followed Ken Vandermark on the
such respect and awe for the culture America Chicago scene, Falzone is nonetheless a virtuo-
seemed to be retreating from, Lamentations is in so and a brilliant strategist whose concepts can
part his reaction of frustration and sorrow to the be through-composed. Though he wouldn’t ac-
ethnic slants of the conflict. cept the term as a branding model, he identi-
A gentle soul, Falzone is something of a hip- fies himself as a “third stream” exponent (to
pie by his own admission, who home-birthed borrow Gunther Schuller’s jazz/classical bridg-
and home-schools his kids and bakes his own ing term) and has found musicians, such as cel-
bread. His 2009 release Tea Music with the quar- list Fred Lonberg-Holm, who can match his vi-
tet Klang (vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, bass- sion. Lonberg-Holm and Falzone are featured
ist Jason Roebke, drummer Tim Daisy) makes on Aerial Age with Daisy’s group Vox Arcana,
references to varieties of the benign beverage he the first release on Allos Documents not under
would sip while composing (he gave up coffee Falzone’s name. The chamber-like osmosis is as-
for a while due to migraine headaches). Song ti- tonishingly good, only possible given the subtle
tles like “No Milk,” “G.F.O.P” (Golden Flowery vibrations and proximity of empathetic, versa-
Orange Pekoe) and “China Black” have scant tile talent (the next record from Klang, inciden-
relevance to the superb Jimmy Giuffre-inspired tally, will include tunes associated with Benny
music on the CD but bespeak Falzone’s gourmet Goodman—continuing Falzone’s fascination
palate and hypersensitivity to the clarinet’s tim- with the blend between vibraphone and clarinet).
bral and tonal niceties, for which he developed an It’s like sharing the environment endemic to one
ear, aged 11, when his clarinetist uncle gave him of Falzone’s esoteric teas: “There’s this Jasmine
The Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet LP. Oolong tea from Taiwan where the tea leaves dry
Such nuance was evident in a spontaneous merely in the presence of the jasmine, absorbing
meeting with Austrian electronics musician its aroma.” —Michael Jackson

Players 
Andrew
Rathbun
Solitary Man
S axophonist Andrew Rathbun
has recorded 10 albums of el-
oquent, provocative and challeng-
ing music, each with a unique an-
gle. He catalogued the failures
of George W. Bush on Affairs
Of State, paralleled sculpture to
jazz with Kenny Wheeler for
Sculptures; improvised on Ravel,
Mompou and Shostakovich (with
George Colligan) on Renderings;
and paired the poetry of Margaret
Atwood with jazz on True Stories. Rathbun is interested in finding new so-
lutions to old questions, and challenging standard forms. His latest, The Idea
Of North (SteepleChase), follows a thread left by troubled Canadian pianist
Glenn Gould.
“Glenn Gould’s [1967] CBC radio documentary [also titled The Idea of
North] explored the netherworlds of Canada,” Rathbun explains. “He said,
‘Let’s get out of the urban centers and really see what’s north of the perma-
frost.’ Some of it was just the sound of his boots crunching in the snow for
six minutes. He approached these radio plays as if it were Bach, with vocal
counterpoint. He’d interview someone about ice fishing, then another guy
about what it’s like to start your car at 40 below. He edited the two inter-
views together so they played simultaneously, like counterpoint. It was per-
formance art. Gould was a nut-job, but it’s an interesting way to approach
spoken word.”
By extension, Rathbun, also a native Canadian, depicts the farther re-
gions of his homeland as a cold, desolate, isolated place, which mirrors, he
believes, the life of the average jazz musician. The CD’s liner notes ask,
“What effect does solitude have on a person? What can it offer someone?
How can one grow as a result of being alone?”
“That’s the existence of the musician,” Rathbun says. “You spend so
much time working out your music. It’s often a solitary life. Writing the
music takes a long time, you’re alone, until you join with other musicians
to perform it. I was thinking, ‘What can all this solitude offer someone?’
Basically trying to channel that into the compositions—the idea of the art
as a solitary pursuit, and then the vastness of the country and how many of
its residents also live a solitary existence.”
The Idea Of North, performed by Rathbun, Taylor Haskins (trumpet),
Nate Radley (guitar), Frank Carlberg (piano), Jay Anderson (bass) and
Michael Sarin (drums), embraces the enormity of the Canadian Territories
and the netherworlds of the musical mind in the titles “Across The
Country,” “Harsh,” “Arctic,” “Rockies” and “December.” Wayne Shorter
and Christoph Gluck material is also explored. Rathbun’s compositions
are alternately mysterious, cerebral and free, performed with tight execu-
tion and extreme improvisation. The group plays like a whipsaw cutting
through the frigid Canadian permafrost.
“Sometimes I write music with a narrative in mind,” Rathbun says, in
describing his sound(s). “It’s almost like scoring a movie that doesn’t exist.
The music that usually gets attention is either totally out, or the more in-
side tonally structured stuff. I think of myself as being in the middle. I love
to play free; I do it all the time. But I also love structure and harmony and
chord changes and standards. But I bring a different turn to that music. The
guys in the middle are the guys who get ignored. But to me, the guys in the
middle are making the most music. That is who I gravitate to and seek out.”
—Ken Micallef

Milton
Suggs
Circuitous
Trajectory
M ilton Suggs once set his
sights on being a jazz
pianist; instead he became
a commanding jazz sing-
er. As evidenced by his de-
but CD as a leader, Things To
Come (Skiptone Music), the
27-year-old Chicago-based
vocalist made a wise decision.
The disc highlights a sing-
er steeped firmly in the tra-
dition of crooners such as Joe
Williams, Eddie Jefferson and
Jon Hendricks but with mod-
ern sensibilities that put him in the company of contemporaries like Jose
James and Sachal Vasandani.
Suggs powers his mellifluous baritone through vocalese treatments of
Cedar Walton’s “Ugestu” (recast as “Fantasy For You”) and Thelonious
Monk’s “Round Midnight,” catchy originals like the forceful “My Last
Goodbye” and the ballad “Seize The Moment,” and glowing renditions of
“We Shall Overcome” and “Lift Every Voice And Sing.” He sings in an
easy, conversational manner that’s pliable enough to entice the jazz pur-
ist and melodically economical enough to pique the curiosity of r&b fans.
Suggs’ trajectory to becoming a vocalist was rather circuitous. The son
of jazz bassist Milton Suggs—who played with Mary Lou Williams, Elvin
Jones and Rahsaan Roland Kirk—Suggs was born in Chicago but grew up
with his mother in Atlanta. His initial career choice was broadcast journal-
ism, which he studied at Florida A&M University. “I liked the idea of us-
ing that broadcaster’s tone—using my voice in that type of way,” Suggs ex-
plained. “But it started not to feel right after a couple of months.”
Having studied bass and other instruments as a grade-schooler, Suggs
took a renewed interest in music during his freshman year of college. “I de-
cided to try to take some piano classes,” he recalled. “I was going to try to
enroll in the music program at Florida A&M, however I didn’t have enough
playing experience.” So his mother encouraged him to visit Chicago and
take lessons from his godfather—veteran pianist Willie Pickens.
Suggs journeyed to the Windy City for what at first was just going to be
a summer of learning piano with Pickens. He enjoyed his studies and the
Chicago jazz scene so much, he decided to stay. “[Pickens’] first mode of
attack is to focus on the blues,” Suggs said. “He always said that if you can
play the blues and ‘Rhythm’ changes, then that would be your foundation.”
Pickens also imparted the values of listening intently and exploring dif-
ferent approaches to standards. “We would sit down and go slowly during
practice and figure out what we were hearing. There was a lot of repetition.
I would do four measures of a song about 20 times over and try to explore
different options just to figure out what I’m hearing.”
Suggs enrolled at Columbia College Chicago and began to hone his
skills as a pianist and vocalist. He went on to get a master’s degree in jazz
studies from DePaul University, where he received a DownBeat Student
Music Award for outstanding vocal performance. When Wynton Marsalis
heard Suggs sing with the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble in 2008, the
trumpeter encouraged him to focus on vocals.
When asked if he’ll ever reignite his interest in jazz piano, Suggs said,
“I feel like I have more of a voice as a singer than as a pianist. I felt like I
didn’t have anything really to say as a pianist.” —John Murph

Bunky Green & Rudresh Mahanthappa
Breaking
Free
Of The System
By Ted Panken // Photography by Jimmy Katz
O
n the surface, they make an odd cou-
ple. Vernice “Bunky” Green Jr., 75, di-
rector of jazz studies at the University
of North Florida, is African-American,
born to parents who migrated from
Arkansas and Alabama during the Great Depression and
settled in Milwaukee, Wis. Rudresh Mahanthappa, 39,
of South Indian descent, is the first-generation son of a
physics professor in Boulder, Colo. But on Apex (Pi), their
co-led 2010 release comprising a suite of tunes that both
contributed to the project, they play so synchronously
that it’s a challenging proposition to tell who’s doing what.

Bunky Green (left) and Rudresh Mahanthappa at the Jazz Standard in New York City
Prodded by Jason Moran on piano, Francois “Bunky’s voice didn’t sound like anyone else. I volved in a pair of two-alto projects: the quin-
Moutin on bass and either Jack DeJohnette needed that affirmation that it was OK to be an tet Dual Identity, which he co-leads with Steve
or Damion Reid on drums, the two alto saxo- individual. I heard things—interesting interval- Lehman, a fellow Colemanite (The General
phonists blow like duelling brothers, each pro- lic approaches—that maybe I couldn’t play yet, [Clean Feed]); and the Dakshima Ensemble, a
jecting a double-reed quality in their tones, but was thinking about. But I also heard the tra- collaboration with Golparnath in which Abassi,
Mahanthappa’s slightly darker and tenoris- dition in the music.” bassist Carlo DeRosa and drummer Royal
tic, Green’s more nasal and oboeish. Both work Mahanthappa placed his hand at a 90-degree Hartigan meld with Golparnath’s sax-violin-mri-
with complex note-groupings, flying over bar- angle. “This is Charlie Parker,” he said, then dangam trio to perform their hybrid refractions
lines while always landing on the one. Though moved his hand to 105 degrees and continued, of Carnatic music, documented on the widely
the feeling is “free,” both work within strongly “and this is me. It’s all the same material, just re- publicized CD Kinsmen (Pi).
conceptualized structures that provide space to arranged a little bit—a different perspective. I “They wanted to present Dakshima and add
soar within the form and are thoroughly ground- heard Bunky doing that at the highest level.” some Chicago musicians, which sounded like
ed in “inside” playing and the art of tension-and- At the time, Mahanthappa, spurred by a trip a disaster and was budgetarily impossible,”
release. “It’s surprising what they come up with,” to India (with a Berklee student ensemble) to be-
DeJohnette summed up. “They stimulated each gin exploring ways to express identity in music,
other to the higher levels of creativity.” was absorbing an album by Kadri Golpalnath, an
Two days into a four-night CD-release run at alto saxophonist from Southern India who, like “I do a lot of analyzing.
the Jazz Standard in October, Green and Green, had systematically worked out inflec-
Mahanthappa convened at Green’s hotel. Green tions, fingerings and embouchure techniques to Maybe I play a phrase,
recalled their first meeting, in 1991 or 1992, elicit the idiomatic particulars of Carnatic classi-
when Mahanthappa—then a Berklee undergrad- cal music. As important, he took conceptual cues
and some experience
uate who was loaned a copy of Green’s 1979 re- from such Coleman recordings as Dao Of Mad comes up from my life.
cording Places We’ve Never Been by his sax Phat, Seasons Of Renewal and Strata Institute.
teacher, Joe Viola—presented the elder saxman “Steve extrapolated African rhythm as I aspired Or perhaps I see some
with a tape. “Sounds beautiful,” Green told him. to do with Indian rhythm and melody, not play- beauty in it and decide
“There’s only a few of us out here trying to think ing West African music, but doing something
like this.” new with well-established, ancient material from to keep developing
At the time, a short list of those “few” includ- a different culture,” he said. “It was an amazing
ed M-Base movers and shakers Steve Coleman template. Steve doesn’t need a kora player or a
it, and it leads into a
and Greg Osby, who had discovered Green in- Ghanaian drum line to play with him, and I don’t song, or pathways I
dependently as ’70s teenagers, and subsequently need a tabla or mridangam in my quartet. We’re
bonded in New York over their shared enthusi- playing modern American improvised music.” can utilize on what-
asm for his approach, poring over Coleman’s ex-
ever I’m working on.
tensive cassette archive of location performanc-
es. Many years before, in Chicago, where Green
settled in 1960, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman
I n 1996, three years into a four-year stay in
Chicago, Mahanthappa invited Green to
guest with his quartet for a weekend at the Green
To me, a tune can’t be
and Henry Threadgill, then young aspirants, had Mill. Green declined. “It was more about try- just pretty. It has to be
also paid close attention. ing to do something special than about the mu- something that fits into
“The level of expertise [Green] displayed in sic,” Mahanthappa reflected. According to altoist
his musicianship and expression were very clear Jeff Newell, a rehearsal partner who had studied the way I feel about life,
from the moment I heard him,” said Threadgill, formally with Green, Mahanthappa “had devel-
after witnessing the group’s final night at the oped a lot of the things he’s doing now,” project-
so I can express it.”
Standard. He recalled a concert, perhaps in 1962, ing them with a “bright, shave-your-head sound,” —Bunky Green
in which Green played pieces “structured in the as though, a local peer-grouper quipped, “some-
way of free-jazz, the so-called avant-garde cate- body threw lighter fluid on Bunky.”
gory.” He continued: “Bunky was formidable, no An opportunity for collaboration arose 13
one to fool with. I can’t think of another alto play- years later, when the producers of Made Mahanthappa said. “But they thought Bunky
er at a comparable level in Chicago at the time.” in Chicago: World Class Jazz approached was a great idea. Bunky made it clear that he
DeJohnette cited the “urgency, commanding Mahanthappa—now leading several ensembles didn’t want to play 7s and 11s and 13s—it was
presence and confidence” of Green’s early ’60s devoted to the application of Western harmony more about trying to find a comfortable place
playing. “Everybody would talk about Bunky,” to South Indian melodies and beat cycles, each that would highlight what we both do. It was in-
he said, noting that Green had once brushed off with highly structured, meticulously unfolding teresting to compose a blues [‘Summit’] and a
his request to sit in during a gig at a South Side repertoire specific to its musical personalities— ‘Rhythm’ changes tune [‘Who’] that sounds like
club. “He was legendary even then.” to present a concert at Millennium Park. In addi- the same compositional voice I’ve done over the
For Osby, Green was less a stylistic influence tion to his blistering sax and rhythm quartet with last decade. I’m trying to learn how to relinquish
than “a guru-type figure who assured me I’m on pianist Vijay Iyer, to whom Coleman had intro- control of the situation and just say, ‘Whatever
the right track, gave me the Good Housekeeping duced him in 1996 (he reciprocally sidemanned happens, happens.’”
Seal of Approval that what I was doing was the for years in Iyer’s own quartet, and they continue Two of Green’s new tunes, “Eastern Echoes”
right thing, not to let detractors sway me from to co-lead the duo Raw Materials), Mahanthappa and “Journey,” reflect his abiding interest in
my mission, that I was put here to establish new had recently conceptualized Indo-Pak Coalition, North African scales and tonalities, and another,
goals and force new paths.” Ten years later, a trio of alto, tabla (Dan Weiss) and guitar (Rez “Rainier And Theresia” (dedicated to the late wife
Mahanthappa drew a similar message. Abbasi) documented on Apti (Pi); and a plugged- of Jazz Baltica impresario Rainer Haarmann), is
“I was around lots of tenor players who in, ragacentric quintet called Samdhi, with elec- the latest addition to a consequential lexicon of
sounded like [John] Coltrane and [Michael] tric guitar (David Gilmore), electric bass (Rich searing ballad features. “I didn’t want to get in-
Brecker, and alto players wanting to sound Brown), drums (Damion Reid) and mridangam volved in anything with a lot of changes,” Green
like Kenny Garrett,” Mahanthappa recalled. (Anand Ananthakrishnan). Then, too, he was in- said. “I don’t feel that music too much now. Our

things kind of hover on the edge. There’s all kinds the way Mingus talked. ‘No, I really don’t know.’ very low timbre on ‘Foggy Day’ because he want-
of room in what we write, and we both like that ‘That means the first man to stand erect.’ He said, ed you to sound like a ship out in the harbor.”
you can take it where you want to. ‘Play this,’ and played something like bink-dink- Mingus brought Green cross-country to San
“Like Rudresh, I do a lot of analyzing. dom-deeenngg. I said, ‘Have you got that written Francisco’s Black Hawk. On the return trip, he
Maybe I play a phrase, and some experience down so I can see it?’ Then he went off on me— dropped him off in Chicago so that he could at-
comes up from my life. Or perhaps I see some if he wrote it down, I’d never play it right. I said, tend to family matters in Milwaukee, with the
beauty in it and decide to keep developing it, and ‘Then play it again.’ I was able to hear it and play expectation that Green would soon return to
it leads into a song, or pathways I can utilize on it back, and he smiled, and moved on. New York for more club dates and a recording.
whatever I’m working on. To me, a tune can’t be “Mingus validated how I was starting to feel But Green stayed home, imbued with notions of
just pretty. It has to be something that fits into about the music—that there must be a systemat- the freedom principle, with the late ’50s innova-
the way I feel about life, so I can express it. The ic way to break free of the major-and-minor sys- tions of Coltrane as his lodestar. Green continued
blues, too. It’s not just a word, it’s a feeling. It’s tem. He’d have you do things like take the neck off these explorations in Chicago, where—unable
something that you have, and right away, if you your horn and blow into the bottom part to get a “to afford New York at the time”—he moved in
play the right notes, the feeling will be there. It’s
bending notes. It’s moaning. How are you go-
ing to play about pain unless you’ve experienced
pain? And how are you going to package it like
Charlie Parker, who just cried over his horn?
Those aren’t notes. It’s a man’s life.”
Green discovered Bird in his early teens,
which coincided with the release of the alto leg-
end’s studio sides for Dial and Savoy. Green got
them all. By the time he was 17, he said, “I could
play everything Bird recorded in terms of imitat-
ing. I didn’t know what the hell I was playing. I
was just stretching, trying to find the notes.”
Around this time, Green contracted viral
pneumonia. “A doctor came to the house, and I
overheard him telling my mother that he didn’t
think I’d make it,” he recalled. “I decided that if I
did live through it, all my friends would be ahead
of me, so I should practice just in case—I could
hear the ones in my head, so I didn’t need my in-
strument. I took the hardest songs I could think
of—‘Cherokee,’ ‘All The Things You Are,’ ‘Just
One Of Those Things’—and transposed them
mentally through all 12 keys. The people my
mother worked for brought in a famous doctor,
who gave me new drugs, which knocked it out,
but not until I experienced the white light at the
end of the tunnel, the light closing, then fighting
for air to come back, the light opening up again.
When I was able to get back to my instrument, I
was able to play everything I’d practiced.”
While attending Milwaukee Teachers
College, Green worked locally with pianists
Willie Pickens and Billy Wallace, walking the
bar on rhythm-and-blues jobs, soaking up Gene
Ammons’ spare, vocalistic approach to ballads
like “These Foolish Things” and Lester Young’s
poetic treatment of “I’m Confessin’.” He had
New York on his radar, and first visited in 1957,
staying at the Harlem Y across the street from
Smalls Paradise, where Lou Donaldson held
a steady gig. He sat in with Max Roach’s quin-
tet with Sonny Rollins and Kenny Dorham on
the say-so of Wallace, then Roach’s band pia-
nist. “I was always able to play fast, especially at
that time, so I was able to hang in and do it,” he
said. That fall, Donaldson recommended him to
Charles Mingus.
The audition produced a second transforma-
tive moment, after Mingus told him, “The first
tune we’ll play is ‘Pithecanthropus Erectus.’”
Green continued: “I sat there, ‘Hmm, pithecan
... ’ ‘You know what that means, man?’ That’s

1960. He quickly made his presence felt on a scene that he describes as sons to cats who need lessons, and you don’t. You need to go to New
“very fast, but more laid back than New York, so you could do yourself in York.’ So I decided I’d listen and grab what I could.
a less frantic environment.” He cut a straightahead sextet date for Exodus “Although I noticed the patterns early on, Bunky used certain de-
with Jimmy Heath, Donald Byrd, Wynton Kelly, Larry Ridley and Jimmy vices that intrigued me. He developed a special fingering to get a hic-
Cobb, and a quartet side for Vee-Jay with Wallace, bassist Donald Garrett cup quality that you hear in North African singers. He also picked up
and drummer Bill Erskine. He frequently partnered with Garrett on “out of a lot of augmented second intervals, as well as quartal stuff and pen-
the box” projects, including an exploratory trio that did a concert—the one tatonics, from that part of the world. Whereas in those countries, the
Threadgill attended—on which they “just started playing and tried to inter- pitches stay pretty much the same, Bunky moved the intervals around
act—that was the whole gig.” in different ways. To me the blues is basically a modal music, without
A third transformative moment occurred in 1964, when Green, in a lot of progression. Bird managed to put sophisticated progressions in
Morocco on a State Department tour, traveled “through the back woods” to the blues that gave it motion, but let it sound like blues, as opposed to,
hear a performance. “We saw three musicians sitting on the floor in a cir- say, Lennie Tristano or Dizzy. Coltrane figured out a way to move the
cle,” he recalled. “One guy had a bagpipe, another had a small violin, and music that influenced him from Africa and India. Bunky figured out
the third played a small drum that he put his hand into and played on top. how to do this with the North African-Middle Eastern vibe.”
I became mesmerized by the bagpipe player’s skill. It blew my mind, be-
cause he put together what I was hearing in my head. No chords. There was
a drone of a fifth, and you played around that fifth and resolved it within
yourself. Later, I started studying it and building from it, pretty much the
A long with what he does on Apex, Mahanthappa’s recent sideman work
in DeJohnette’s new group with David Fiuczynski, George Colligan
and Jerome Harris and in Danilo Pérez’s 21st Century Dizzy project (there
way Rudresh visited his culture and started drawing on it. I’m not trying to are several open-ended Pérez–Mahanthappa duos on 2010’s Providencia
copy the sound. I’m trying to get into the essence of their phrasing and how [Mack Avenue]) may go some ways towards countering a critique that his
they circle the open fourth and fifth tonal centers that they use. I had to give musical production—particularly the 2006 release Codebook (Pi), com-
up the standard jazz lines in order to do that.” prising original pieces constructed of intervals drawn from Fibonacci
Ten years later, Steve Coleman, then 18, heard Green—at this equations, and Mother Tongue (Pi), on which the compositions draw from
point heading a newly formed Jazz Studies department at Chicago melodic transcriptions of Indian-Americans responding, in their native dia-
State University—either at Ratso’s on the North Side or Cadillac lect, to the question “Do you speak Indian?”—is overly intellectual and in-
Bob’s, around the corner from his South Side house. “Bunky worked sufficiently soulful.
out patterns that sounded calculated, like a deliberate effort to get to “Everyone I look up to is simultaneously right brain and left brain, to
his own thing,” Coleman stated. “As a result, his playing is very clear, use a dated term, or simultaneously intellectual and seat-of-the-pants in-
precise, direct, and I could dig into it, try to analyze it and find out stinctive,” Mahanthappa said. “Bartok played with Fibonacci equations.
what it was. I wanted him to show me what he was doing, so I asked Bach played with Golden Section. Even Dufay’s motets, if you pick them
for a lesson, but Bunky turned me down. He told me, ‘I only give les- apart, have a somewhat mathematical, formal approach. ‘Giant Steps’ and

‘Central Park West’ are math jazz. A lot of non-Western music has a foot in
math as well. A lot of algorithmic thought goes into the way South Indian
beat cycles are constructed and played; when the players solo, they know
exactly where to start this polyrhythmic thing so it lands at a certain spot
two minutes later.”
Throughout the recording, and on the four bonus video clips offered
with an Apex download, Moran prods the flow into unexpected, “right
brain” directions. He first recorded with Green on the 2004 date Another
Place (Label Bleu), produced by Coleman, who persuaded Green to use
him instead of the esteemed master bebop master pianist Green had asked
for. “I wanted to hear someone interact with Bunky who wouldn’t just lay
down a carpet for him to play over,” Coleman said. “Jason was one of the
few piano players I could think of who had enough of the stuff Bunky
wanted to hear—the sensibility of how to play a ballad, and so on—but
could throw him some curveballs, push him in his thing so the album
would represent something like the way he plays live.
“There’s a wild element, an abandon in Bunky’s playing. He lets his
feelings out. It was there early on—he’s one of those cats who got it young.
He has a very strong embouchure, and his pitch is very centered, his alto
tone is crystal-clear, nothing muscly about it. But he does false-fingerings
to offset this, to get more rawness in his sound. He plays in the upper reg-
ister without pressing the octave key, so he gets a throaty split-tone quality,
an overtone sound, holding the pitch right in between the upper and low-
er registers.”
Moran described his strategies. “When Bunky gets into his own lan-
guage, I comp behind him in a way that uses some of what I gleaned from
McCoy Tyner, not the chords or voicings, but the power,” he said. “He gets
to an angular sound that kind of free-floats up into the stratosphere, and
what’s attractive is that just when you think he has no further to go, there’s
like another mile-and-a-half, whether way up into the top of the instrument,
or into deeper levels of rawness.”
Discussing Mahanthappa’s qualities, Moran referenced an old video
game called Punch-out!!. “You’d press the button and it said, ‘Body blow!
Body blow!” he laughed, swinging his arms back and forth like a pendu-
lum. “Or like Neo punching in The Matrix, where you saw these multiple
arms hitting the same spot. Rudresh has that kind of rapid fire, and when
I play with him, I punctuate and jab. It isn’t just that he plays really quick
ideas, but his tone and attack are very different from Bunky’s—more di-
rect, while Bunky slides more.”
Both of Mahanthappa’s recent employers note his open mind and
fierce, unmediated execution as a selling point. “Rudresh does things that
remind me of a little kid, like, ‘Let’s go and play,’” Pérez said, extending
Moran’s analogy. “When he develops a line, there’s much excitement and
raw energy, but he also improvises with great clarity.”
“There was a lot of commotion about Rudresh,” DeJohnette remarked.
“He gets a sort of Indian flute or Arabic nai sound on the saxophone, and
I’ve been interested in Indian scales and ragas and rhythms since the ’60s,
so I thought his sensibility—and the rawness he brings—would work out
for my music.”
“I’ve been dying to play with Danilo and Jack forever,” Mahanthappa
said. “There’s a certain validation in working with them, as well as Bunky.
At Berklee or when I lived in Chicago, I was inspired when people who I
thought were authentic, regardless of jazz genre, would say, ‘Yeah, man,
keep doing what you’re doing.’”
Green himself intends to devote a greater proportion of the second half
of his eighth decade to performing than has been his custom since the ’60s.
“I’ve never been desperate about getting ahead,” he said. “All I ever
wanted was some recognition for my place in history. I believe in my heart
that I’m responsible for a stylistic thing that spread all around the country,
and nobody really knew the source. That’s the only thing I’ve regretted, but
now I seem to be getting credit. It always took someone else to motivate
and push me. I’m not an aggressive person, and unless you’re aggressive
you become complacent and don’t move. Maybe it would have been better
for me if I had been, because I would be quite established now. But I’m go-
ing to keep pushing in terms of playing more and getting more exposure—
and we’ll see what happens.” DB

Massimo Mantovani

Omar Sosa
Goes
Deep
By Dan Ouellette
W
hen he was commissioned by the Barcelona Jazz Festival
in 2009 to be one of three artists to commemorate the
50th anniversary of Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue, Omar Sosa
told a Barcelona reporter that what he was being asked to
do was like being thrown into a lion-packed arena at a Ro-
man circus. But the Cuba-born, Barcelona-based pianist/keyboardist/bandleader,
who has recorded more than 20 albums and garnered three Grammy nominations,
did his homework, studied the original compositions closely, assembled a sextet
featuring guest trumpeter Jerry González to decipher his complex arrangements
and held court at L’Auditori for his festival performance. Sosa, a risk-taker with an
adventurous streak and a no-borders attitude, plugged in and presented an elec-
tronically hued version of Kind Of Blue that was more like the 1969 Davis blitzing
into Bitches Brew than his mellow modal jazz of 1959.

Omar Sosa
Donning a white robe and a white cap, Sosa One point that Sosa found particularly offen-
opened by fleetingly alluding to “So What,” but sive was when the reviewer wrote that Kind Of
for the rest of the evening avoided playing too close Blue has nothing to do with Africa. Sosa com- “All of my music—
to the recognizable phrases and melodies of the mented that before he wrote one note, he was
classic. He coaxed drummer Dafnis Prieto to play totally immersed in his understanding of how
every single note—is
bombastic drums in pockets, conducted waves of Davis possessed the spirit of Africa. “All of based on the African
exclamatory horns inspirited by Peter Apfelbaum my music—every single note—is based on the
on sax, soothed González to play a sublime muted African tradition, but some critics don’t under-
tradition, but some crit-
solo on a gorgeous ballad, then bubbled the pro- stand what the spirit of Africa means,” he says. “I ics don’t understand
ceedings with mysterious stretches that frothed played a chamber music concert in Spain with my
into funk, balladic measures that jumped into Afreecanos Quartet and a symphony orchestra.
what the spirit of Africa
rhythmic leaps, and strident piano and electronic Some people complained that the evening was means. It’s as if the
keyboard lines setting up dense-to-stark passag- too refined and didn’t go into the deepest spirit
es that were both boisterous and beautiful. Each of Africa. What? It was as if the spirit of Africa
spirit of Africa has to
piece became a journey of tempo shifts, rhythmic has to be dirty, or a black guy sweating and be- be dirty, or a black
vivacity, exhilarating conversations and pensive ing wild. It can’t be refined and sophisticated?”
breaks of silence. guy sweating and
For 90 minutes, Sosa led the charge through
his image of Kind Of Blue, which was explosive-
ly imaginative in some people’s eyes but for oth-
T hat notion of delving into the depth of his
African heritage is at the heart of Sosa’s
Afro-Cuban-infused music. It’s coursing in his
being wild. What? It
can’t be refined or
ers was an audacious affront to Davis’ art. He blood and intertwined in his DNA. While he first sophisticated?”
included a spoken word sample of Davis talk- studied marimba and percussion in the conserva-
ing from the stage at his last concert in Paris tory in his hometown of Camaguey, he switched
before he died. Certainly, Sosa’s interpretation to piano while in formal studies in 1983 at the
was markedly different from the straight-up Escuela Nacional de Musica in Havana in pursuit became acquainted with several stars on the lo-
take of original Kind Of Blue session drummer of the musical motherland he was drawn to. While cal scene, including percussionist John Santos,
Jimmy Cobb’s variations on the album songbook classically trained, he had jazz albums around who with his band Machete Ensemble was ex-
two nights earlier and Spanish pianist Chano the house when he was growing up (including ploring the history of Cuban music.
Domínguez’s flamenco-styled rendering of the the album Pianoforte by Chucho Valdés) and lis- “Meeting John moved me to another level,”
album three nights later. tened as a student to a jazz radio program host- Sosa said, “He helped me to express myself
The next day sitting in his apartment (“my ed by the father of drummer Horatio “El Negro” based on what I feel. Everything took a new di-
home, my temple”) in the labyrinthine old section Hernandez. It was during this time that he was in- rection for me. He told me to stay on my own
of Barcelona, filled with small altars to the gods troduced to the recordings of Thelonious Monk, road even if it’s going to be a really long walk.
from his Cuban heritage, Sosa good-naturedly who became a major influence. John knew more about my tradition than most
scoffed at the critics, one of whom lambasted the After school, Sosa began his worldwide od- people in Cuba. I learned how to hear my own
show in a local newspaper. “I knew that some peo- yssey, moving to Quito, Ecuador, in 1993, where music as well as my tradition.”
ple were going to be negative and complain that I he discovered the African-rooted folkloric mu- Santos recalls first meeting Sosa when he
write complex on purpose,” he said. “I knew I was sic of Esmeraldas and formed a fusion group. subbed in a band that the conguero often per-
going to be a target because so many people have Then he settled in San Francisco in December formed with at the Elbo Room in San Francisco.
their own perception of the album. But I say that 1995, landing there unexpectedly. While living “We were connecting all night,” he says. “It’s as
someone can try to dance like Michael Jackson in Ecuador on a Cuban passport, Sosa set off to if we were thinking the same things at the same
and may get his steps but never be able to truly Mallorca, Spain, to do some summer gigs. When time. Omar spoke no English, and my Spanish is
dance like Michael Jackson. That’s impossible. In he prepared to go home, he lost his visa so he was OK but it’s not my first language. But what was
the same way, I didn’t want to play like Miles. I re- stranded there and living illegally. Previously he cool was that we both knew Afro-Cuban folk-
spect him, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Cannonball had applied for an American tourist visa, which loric music, which I had been exploring my en-
Adderley, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb too was approved. “I used it one day before it ex- tire life. We started playing together more and we
much to do that. I never play standards, anyway, pired,” Sosa said. “I got on a plane and landed in knew the same musical language. In Omar’s mel-
but I wanted to research and interpret these songs San Francisco, where I knew no one and couldn’t ody line I could hear the Cuban music, so I would
in my own way. You never play like the masters; speak a word of English.” respond with my congas. That would set him off,
you have your own voice.” A friend of his ex-wife picked him up at the so he would respond with another melody that
Sosa read books on Davis’ life and listened airport, and they both bounced from friends of would get me driving. Omar made me play stuff
closely to the solos, the tempos, the conversations friends’ apartments. “In one month, I lived in that I never thought of playing.”
that were taking place on the album. He then something like 12 houses,” Sosa said. “I cried They first played a duo concert together in
combined rearranged solos and reharmonized like a baby. I had no friends, no job and no mon- 1997 at KCSM radio’s Jazz on the Hill festival
melodies in a post-modern pastiche of suspended ey. Welcome to America.” at the College of San Mateo and later performed
harmonies, rushing syncopation and snippets of Sosa had recorded jingles in Ecuador, with concerts throughout clubs in the Bay Area, in-
lines from one song stitched into another. “What the paychecks being delivered to him in the Bay cluding La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley,
I did was a more cubist, angular style of arrang- Area, which gave him three months’ worth of where they recorded the album Nfumbe, released
ing,” he said. “All the album solos and melodies living expenses. In February 1996, he answered in 1998.
are in my interpretation. I just mixed them all to- a classified ad looking for musicians to be a part Another key person to Sosa’s growth was
gether. If some people aren’t willing to listen for of a Latin combo. He joined the band and be- saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum, at the time one of
it, that’s not my problem. It’s the way I hear har- gan playing Spanish, flamenco, cumbia and sal- the most important jazz artists in the Bay Area.
mony. And then I put in elements of Miles’ later sa. He showed up on albums recorded in 1996 In one of the first shows he attended when he ar-
style. I was born in 1965, so I can relate to that by Pancho Quinto (En El Solar La Cueva Del rived in San Francisco, Sosa went to a small club
period when he was experimenting with differ- Humo) and Carlos “Patato” Valdes (Ritmo Y on Market Street, The Upper Room, and caught
ent tempos and colors.” Candela: African Crossroads), and gradually Apfelbaum playing with his band. “Peter instant-

ly became one of my heroes,” said Sosa. “I saw ments in New York in May (he also performs a tains who I am. Funny thing is, Jaques told me
him play the keyboards, then jump onto the sax, week at the Blue Note, from May 3–8) with his that this was his first all-instrumental big band
then jump over to the drums. He started singing Afro-Electric quintet including Apfelbaum, album.”
and doing spoken word. I didn’t know who he German trumpeter Joo Kraus, bassist Childo Apfelbaum marvels at Sosa’s eclectic oeu-
was, but I thought, this is the music that I want Tomas, drummer Marque Gilmore and a special vre. “The vocabulary Omar uses is broad,” he
to do. It was multikulti with a lot of tradition, and
guest, 78-year-old South African vocalist David says. “That’s something that I find is a reflection
it was crazy.” Serrame. Known for changing his material up of the time we’re living in, but that many musi-
The pair officially met a few years later when improvisationally, Sosa will be delivering a dif- cians are not recognizing even though there is
Sosa was playing a gig at the Great American ferent session than the show at Barcelona. The a lot more harmonic advancements and wider
Music Hall with drummer Josh Jones, a vet- tentative title is Alternative Africa, and the CD rhythmic variety than there was 30 years ago.
eran of Apfelbaum’s big band, Hierogylphics will be issued late this year or early 2012. The way Omar structures music is universal,
Ensemble. “Omar and I felt a common bond,” Meanwhile, Sosa is immersed in another but the foundation is always very Africa.”
says Apfelbaum, now based in New York. “I start- exuberant project that he unveiled for Spanish Santos, who continues to tour and record
ed out when I was young drumming and listen- eyes at the 2010 Barcelona Jazz Festival: his big with Sosa on occasion, says, “Omar has an in-
ing to a lot of African music, so rhythm became a band adventure with the NDR Bigband of his satiable appetite for music. He’s like a creative
big part of what I do. It’s the same with Omar. He originals arranged by Brazilian great Jaques sponge. He’s doing exactly what he set out to do:
approaches his music with a rhythmic foundation, Morelenbaum. The album of this material, travel the world and play for many different audi-
and when I play with him, he always encourages Ceremony, was released early in 2010. Sitting ences. He’s restless. He always has a new project
me to improvise on my saxophone over the Afro- in the lounge area of the Gran Hotel Havana a he’s working on. And he attracts the most esoter-
Cuban rhythmic foundation he lays.” few days before the performance at the majes- ic and creative people in the world, whether it’s in
As Apfelbaum got to know Sosa better and tic Palau de la Música, Sosa, draped in a bag- Europe, Africa or the Middle East. We toured to-
participated on many of his projects, he became gy pants and vest suit, with a blousy white shirt gether in the Caribbean, Spain and Italy, and he
impressed with how many trails the pianist was and dangling bracelets with shells on his wrists, mesmerized the audience in every show. He’s a
blazing. “Omar is one of those idea guys,” he says that the experience of the recording was a magician. He brings magic to each project.”
says. “He’s prolific, which I admire. Some peo- dream come true. The opportunity came about Certainly Sosa’s recording output reflects
ple work hard, but never really change what they because of a scheduling glitch when he was his passion for diversity, with dates with a range
play. But Omar is constantly changing because touring with his quartet in Europe. of performers, including Venezuelan percus-
he has so many ideas of what he wants to do.” “I was performing in Germany, then needed sionist Gustavo Ovalles, L.A.-based percussion-
Another key Bay Area contact was Scott to leave that night to play in Poland the next day,” ist Adam Rudolph, clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera
Price, a former newspaper publisher who over- says Sosa. “We didn’t know we needed visas to and trumpeter Paulo Fresu (a duo album is now
sees Sosa’s career to this day. He created Otá travel there, so we were forced to miss our plane in the works). Another idea that Sosa was plan-
Records exclusively for the pianist to pursue and stay overnight. So we hung out in a restau- ning to embark on after his big band date in
his multifarious projects (the label is part of the rant and drank a lot of wine. Stefan Gerdes of the Barcelona was his Africa tour where he was go-
Harmonia Mundi distributing network) and to NDR band asked me if I’d like to do a big band ing to visit nine countries and record with tradi-
help manage his career, even to the point of oc- album some day, and if so, who would I want to tional musicians from each. “The album will be
casionally working as a road manager on the pi- arrange the music. So, I said Jaques, who is an- called Deeper Into The Tradition, which means
anist’s 150-dates-a-year tours, which included other one of my heroes because of all the work he we’ll be going deep,” says Sosa. “It’s going to be
a gig at the Highline Ballroom in New York in had done with Brazilian musicians.” interesting. For example, we’re going to Sudan,
October 2009. “I wanted to give Omar the op- Off to Poland the next day, Sosa forgot which is the tenth largest country by area in the
portunity to record widely and frequently,” Price about the exchange. But Gerdes did not. He world, but they only have three pianos there,
said over coffee at Union Square’s Joe’s Art of contacted Morelenbaum, who had first become and all uprights. So that’s what I’ll be playing.”
Coffee cafe. In fact, since his first album, Omar exposed to Sosa when he heard the pianist at With a dance-like bounce to his step and
Omar, Sosa has recorded a whopping total of 23 the New Morning jazz club in Paris. He was rapid-fire zeal in his voice, Sosa is in surge
albums, including his upcoming solo piano al- impressed. In the liner notes of Ceremony, he mode, yet he has yet to fully break through in
bum, Calma (to be released March 8) and the writes that the project was a dream gig for him, the U.S. market. During his time in Barcelona,
much-heralded Across The Divide: A Tale Of too: “I could not imagine I was going to meet an Sosa knew that Chano Domínguez was close to
Rhythm & Ancestry, a 2010 Grammy-nominated artist capable of making a complete and natural signing with Blue Note to record his Kind Of
album in the Best Contemporary World Music synthesis of what music is today on this planet. Blue rendition. Is a major label deal something
category that was an unusual collaboration with From that moment on, I began to dream about that he’d be interested in?
New England vocalist/banjoist/American folk sharing the music that emanates from Omar Usually voluminous in his responses to ques-
ethnomusicologist Tim Eriksen. Produced by with such expressiveness. Now, here he comes, tions, Sosa shakes his head and bluntly says,
Jeff Levenson, the CD was released by Half offering me not only his music and his freedom, “No.”
Note—the only Sosa disc not on the Oakland- but also the chance to listen to my arrangements Why not? “The way I look at the picture is
based Otá label. performed by the fantastic ensemble.” that if I feel something musically, I try to put
Even though Sosa has released multiple al- Meanwhile, once Morelenbaum signed on that out as a recording,” he says. “It’s a blessing
bums within a year’s time on a couple of occa- to the project, Gerdes contacted Price, who re- to have my own label. I can put out whatever I
sions, he sells well, especially in France. While layed the news to Sosa. “Wow, I could hardly re- want to, whenever. I record every message that
his Grammy-nominated 2002 CD Sentir is ar- member that conversation,” he says. “But thank comes to me. That’s why I have more than 20 re-
guably his top seller (an estimated 30,000 copies God and all the spirits of my life. It turned out cords in a decade-and-a-half, and I own 100 per-
worldwide), Price reports that today with digital to be an amazing project. Jaques and I became cent of my publishing. I want my legacy to go to
distribution, the sales figures are more difficult good friends, and I learned so much about army kids, not to a record company. Maybe I would
to calculate. ranging from him. He sent me titles of my songs have a higher profile if I did a record on a ma-
he wanted to arrange, and I wrote two new piec- jor label, and I’d get more publicity and attention.
S osa, who has been living in Barcelona for es. I gave him the scores and said, ‘Fly.’ The re-
some 12 years and has two kids (ages 5 and sult is that my music sounds so different with
8), is planning to record his Kind Of Blue arrange- all the complexities and voicings but still main-
But I figure the more you control your own mu-
sic, the more opportunities you can have in the
future.” DB

All Wit
John McNeil
By Jim Macnie
T
hey come each week, and each week they make you chuckle. Sometimes they read
like this: “Wednesday is Tiki Barber’s birthday. To celebrate, the band is moving to
an earlier start time of 8:30. In addition, the audience will be asked to participate in
blocking and tackling drills between sets. Shoulder pads will be provided, but every-
one should bring their own helmet and cleats. No wagering.”
And sometimes they read like this: “To celebrate the 120th anniversa- came through before he was done, and each was more outrageous than
ry of the official opening of the Eiffel Tower, the band will present works the last.”
by French composers such as François Rosolineau, Thelonious-Claude The 2006 record Chase alludes to was a novel date, opening the door
LeMonk and Jean Coltraigne. There’s no minimum, so pay a cover, hang to a new slant on the 1950s West Coast sound, which is often typified by
out for three sets and have some brie. Or some epoisses. Scratch that: the darting interplay of the musicians he mentioned, Mr. Baker and Mr.
epoisses smells like death, so vile that it’s actually illegal to carry it on the Mulligan. McNeil conceptualized the approach, putting a modern spin on
Paris Métro.” an orthodox repertory. He’s long appreciated the lithe intricacies of cool
They’re header paragraphs of invitations to see John McNeil’s various jazz, having shared bills with Baker and done time in Mulligan’s large en-
bands at Puppets, a Brooklyn jazz club. The trumpeter doesn’t like to do sembles. But he also digs the open territories of free-jazz, and has lots of
anything without giving it a bit of flair, so for several years now, his week- skills when it comes to launching investigatory solos. East Coast Cool’s
ly gig reminders have been crazed and cool. On his 61st birthday, the text blend of chipper melodies and mercurial improvs was unique. Its tunes,
promised a red velvet cake so good, “It will make you slap your grandma.” mostly written by McNeil to bridge the particulars of each element, inge-
Ask anyone who knows McNeil, and they’ll mention the fact that he’s niously straddled the two approaches.
part wag, part wiseass and all wit. A string of quips often shoots from the “When he handed me my music folder, the cover title read ‘CGOA,’ re-
bandstand when the now-62-year-old brings his freebop antics to an audi- calls Chase. “I said, ‘John, what’s that mean?’ ‘Chet and Gerry on acid,’
ence. He’s just as quick with a snarky comment as he is with trumpet flour- he deadpanned.”
ish. The first time I saw him play, he intro’d Russ Freeman’s “Batter Up” A similar whimsy has been driving the otherwise serious music proj-
with a gleefully sarcastic mention of how lame the Mets were. After an ects McNeil has helmed for the last few years. His latest Sunnyside al-
impromptu gig with other New York jazzers last spring, while everyone bum, made in collaboration with tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry, is called
from Tony Malaby to Rob Garcia was congratulating each other for some Chill Morn, He Climb Jenny (yep, it sounds dirty, but it’s an anagram of
nifty coordination during a totally abstract piece, McNeil told his mates their names). Like Rediscovery, the disc that preceded it, the program con-
with a smile, “You guys were lost a lot of the time, but yeah, it was cool.” tains a scad of unique spins on actual West Coast nuggets that the pair
They expected nothing less. Everyone knows that he’s a guy who has lev- have refined during the last few years. Freeman is a central figure here:
ity for lunch. Everything from “Band Aid” to “Happy Little Sunbeam” to “Bea’s Flat” is
“When we made East Coast Cool,” says saxophonist Allan Chase, part of the McNeil–McHenry book. Those titles are surrounded by Wilber
“we took fun photographs of ourselves dressed in suits, acting like Chet Harden, Jimmy Van Heusen and George Wallington ditties. It’s a tack that
and Gerry. When it was time to decide which of the shots to use, John has earned the trumpeter wider visibility. A few years ago the New York
started sending me these PhotoShopped variations of the cover with the Times proclaimed the pair’s weekly interpretation of such jewels to be
most hilarious fake album titles, many of them quite obscene—about 25 “one of the best jazz events in the city.”

Mike Figgis

Composer Nicholas Urie has been arranging some of McNeil’s tunes
and co-leading a big band with him. “There are two types of older people,”
he says, “those who look forward and those who look back. John, as a rule,
looks forward. One the most effective ways he does it is by putting him-
self in situations where he might not know entirely what’s going to happen.
Some people his age get confrontational when it comes to doing things in a
way other than the norm. He’s interested in reimagining his career and the
way he relates to improvisation and jazz in general.”
Rolling through the book at Manhattan’s Cornelia Street Café (where
Chill Morn was recorded live), the group, which features bassist Joe Martin
and drummer Jochen Rueckert, recently found ways to balance their ma-
terials. McHenry is utterly willing to stroll down avenues where anything
goes. His solos, often fascinating, have a private feel, sometimes taking a
few seconds to reveal their inner logic. His exchanges with McNeil are deft;
their camaraderie is such that the counterpoint demanded by the arrange-
ments is dead-on. The two weave in and out of each other, offering a sweet
symmetry. McNeil is agile as he moves around his horn. His solos can be
sly or puckish. Seldom are they arcane, though. The relative simplicity of
the melodies gives even the most complicated maneuvers a breezy quality.
“Those West Coast tunes are relentlessly cheery,” says McNeil, “you
never hear any sturm und drang coming from out there; it’s sunshine, opti-
mism, vitamin D. In many of these tunes there’s almost a Mozartian light-
ness.” He starts singing Nachtmusic’s “Allegro,” and segues it into Baker’s
“A Dandy Line.” “Back in New York, everyone is in a minor key, everyone
thinks they’re going to die. But not out there. I wonder if [Charles] Mingus
brought his own cloud with him when he moved to Mill Valley—that’s a
very bucolic place. ‘Think it’s going to rain?’ ‘Maybe; I see lightning right
above Mingus’ house.’ Even the California song titles were cute: ‘Shank’s
Pranks’ and things like that. Back East we’d have titles like ‘Black Death’
or ‘Relentless Cough.’”
M cNeil knows a tad about bad weather. He’s spent a good chunk of his
life battling the constraints of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which af-
fects the body’s muscles by messing with its neural system. As a kid in Yreka,
Calif., he wore braces all over his body. Taunts from bullies were the norm,
and McNeil believes that some of his humor was sharpened by the guys who
teased him. He took some punches, both verbal and physical, and gave back
a few as well. He saw his wit as an armor of sorts. “Being handicapped in a
small town doesn’t get you far,” he says. “It’s better to be funny.”
As a child he came across Louis Armstrong on TV, was swayed by the
charisma and got himself a trumpet. When he was in his mid-teens, the
CMT’s impact subsided. Befriending a local newspaper editor who had
once gigged with Red Nichols, McNeil received encouragement for his
own playing. He connected with big bands and fell deeper into jazz. He
tended to like the new stuff. He believes he was the only person in Yreka
who bought Miles Davis’ ESP the week it was released.
He’s a brainiac, and after hitting a home run on his SATs, IBM tried to
recruit him. McNeil decided to stick with jazz because there were more op-
portunities to connect with the opposite sex. He hit New York in the early
’70s, snuggled into the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra and played a bit
with Horace Silver. He started getting his own gigs, too. Being in shape be-
came a priority. When he first met his longtime sweetie, Lolly Bienenfeld,
she lived on the 43rd floor of a Manhattan high-rise; McNeil would run up
the stairs to stay in shape.
One day, out of the blue, the CMT emerged again. This time the dis-
ease had snuck its way into his face and his diaphragm. He made physical
changes to keep his chops together, but it was an uphill battle. Another blow
was struck when he discovered that two of his spinal vertebrae had disin-
tegrated. Can you say massive, constant pain? A 14-hour operation helped
save him from death, and afterwards the proud surgeon presented him to
colleagues as part of a “here’s what’s possible” medical forum. Time for a
victory dance, right? Wait, we’re not done yet.
In the mid-’80s the trumpeter lost control of his right hand and couldn’t
finger the horn with any accuracy. Fellow musicians told him that should be
the final straw, but with Bienenfeld’s support and a sense of determination
honed during his childhood days, he learned to play the trumpet with his

left hand (he’s since gone back to his right). Saxophonist Noah Preminger,
who has collaborated with the trumpeter, deems that accomplishment “out-
rageous and fantastic.” McNeil explains it in simple terms. “I wanted to
play. I could have quit, but there’s no mystery in that move. I want to see
what would happen if I tried to actually do it.”
E very week McNeil heads to Boston for two days to teach at the New
England Conservatory. He’s been in front of classes since the mid-
’80s, and according to a handful of his peers, he’s one of the school’s most
respected educators. Chase, NEC’s former head of jazz studies and the cur-
rent chair of the Ear Training department at Berklee, assures that he’s “a
fantastic resource to the students, and a big believer in learning.” McNeil’s
courses concentrate on jazz theory and jazz repertoire, and his vast knowl-
edge of songs and their inner workings makes him a go-to guy. Preminger
is in awe of his pal’s work ethic. “He doesn’t stop,” says the saxophonist.
“It’s idea after idea after idea. He used to call me up all day and night to
bounce new stuff off of me.”
Chase concurs: “He’s wildly fluent—that makes him popular with the
students. And the way he gets them to pay attention is key. He’s very mo-
tivating, and operates without bullshit. He always goes the extra mile, and
writes new arrangements for each group rather than opting for the standard
stuff. The reason I’m emphasizing his diligence is because he’s so funny
you might think that humor is what he’s riding on. Nothing could be fur-
ther from the truth. He can have people on the floor, but they respect him
because he’s a hard worker and real bandleader.”
Dave Douglas knows McNeil’s clout when it comes to the horn. They
were once neighbors, and the younger trumpeter would often solicit his
friend’s opinion before releasing a new album. Their exchange of ideas is
deep and ongoing. “I would go over to his house frequently to hang out and
play,” recalls Douglas. “I loved hearing him play and felt like he had a keen
sense of what ideas I was trying to go for. His hands-on knowledge of so
much music was always an inspiration.”
McHenry agrees. “When he does a gig as a sideman—he once subbed
for Duane Eubanks in my band—he rewrote out all my charts in his own
hand, just to make it clearer for himself, and then memorized ’em by the
time of the gig. And guess what, he played his fucking ass off. He al-
ways does.”
A t a weekly jam session in Brooklyn, McNeil stresses his skills as both

curator and traffic cop. Up-and-comers populate the place, and he
tries to give each a chance to blow on a tune or two. It starts with a learn-
by-listening session. He and trombonist Mike Fahie bounce through a short
set to get a vibe going. Then the revolving doors open. One recent evening
was marked with timid trumpeters and brazen alto players. A dude who
looked like an insurance agent blew a decent tenor on “I Remember You.”
“Who knows ‘JuJu’?” asked McNeil. Some did, some didn’t, so he
helped the needy with the design of Wayne Shorter’s nugget, and in a few
minutes everyone was off. “Deluge” surfaced later in the set.
“I occasionally have to be the bad guy,” he explains. “Last week I had
to tell someone that he was no longer invited to play. It happens.”
But people flock to McNeil because he’s the good guy, the entertaining
guy. He’s the subject of a forthcoming doc by filmmaker James Lester, who
made a gorgeous 2007 short on Sal Mosca. Lester caught a Puppets set one
night and was really taken with the trumpeter’s charisma. “When I told
him what I did, he said, ‘Why don’t you make a film about me?’ Now we’re
doing it. I felt a passion about the Sal piece, and though we’ve just started,
I’m getting that same feeling with John. He really draws you in.”
McHenry is psyched when he learns that his pal is going to be in front
of a camera. “That’s way overdue,” the saxophonist says. “I’ve always
thought John would make an incredible subject. The humor endears peo-
ple to him.”
In fact, McHenry has recorded McNeil’s on-stage patter in numerous
situations, and he promises that he’s going to compile several of the quips
and put them on YouTube. Which anecdote is most memorable? “I’m not
going to spoil it here, but get him to tell you about the time he met John
Coltrane at the Vanguard …” DB

Kevin
Eubanks
Shapes His
Post-Leno
Career By Kirk Silsbee
I
t’s 10 a.m. at Paty’s, a popular breakfast destination in Toluca Lake, Calif. Much
of its business comes from the people who work in nearby Burbank, where Dis-
ney and NBC are headquartered. In a booth by the window, guitarist Kevin Eu-
banks—casual in his sweatshirt and baseball cap—has made short work of his
morning meal. His day began at 5:30; he’s already got an “Access Hollywood”
taping under his belt. Last night he rode down Hollywood Boulevard in the Santa Claus
Lane Parade, a fair barometer of SoCal celebrity status.
After 18 years—as both a sideman ity, variety and ensemble empathy than effortlessly. “The one inherent problem
and a leader—Eubanks has left “The many of the self-conscious concept al- you can have is if you try to record mu-
Tonight Show” to try his own wings. It bums and recorded “projects” that regu- sic like this before it’s reached the shape
might be tempting to say that he has ar- larly issue these days. you really want it to be. Sometimes you
rived. In fact, he’s been a part of the larg- His “Tonight Show” collaborators have to play it in a club and reach an emo-
er jazz consciousness since the early (saxophonist Bill Pierce, keyboardist tional climax a few times before you real-
1980s, when Bruce Lundvall signed him Gerry Etkins, drummer Marvin Smith ize that’s the shape of the song. Sometimes
to the Elektra/Musician label. Maybe it and bassist Rene Camacho) surround you realize we’re just not there yet. And
would be more accurate to say that the Eubanks on the album. “I’ve been with that’s actually what happened with this re-
non-jazz audience is coming to Eubanks. these musicians for so long that when I cord. We tried to record the songs earlier
He left the show several months ago write, they’re the voices that I’m writing and we didn’t really get it; we realized it
and has been navigating his way through for; I know that they’ll be playing it,” he just wasn’t done yet.”
a career transition: weighing offers, float- says. “So it’s an easy fit. I think we all A couple of miles away on Cahuenga
ing trial balloons, and rightfully proud of learn from each other. And sometimes Boulevard in North Hollywood is the
his new album and label association. Zen I think they kind of look to me to say, Baked Potato, Eubanks’ club of choice.
Food on Mack Avenue is a solid instru- ‘What do you think here?’” Owned and operated by legendary ses-
mental collection that has more virtuos- Yet the recording didn’t come together sion pianist Don Randi, it’s a real musi-

Raj Naik
Kevin Eubanks
cians’ club. That’s where Eubanks has gone to was like this city. People from back East think easy and familiar, though ironically, the two men
hone his chops in a way that he couldn’t on the it’s all relaxed and slow-paced out here. But all it are quite different. Leno collects automobiles,
studio set. “The Baked Potato is exactly the kind takes is a phone call to change your life and all and Eubanks finds no romance in cars. Kevin’s
of place I’m talking about; it has got a great his- of a sudden, you’re moving at top speed in an en- passion is the music he lives, and Leno wonders,
tory,” Eubanks says. “They let you be a musi- tirely new neighborhood.” in all sincerity, if anything has happened in mu-
cian there. You can just concentrate on the music since 1969. “He doesn’t even have a CD player
sic when you go in there, just let it hang out. If
it splats against the wall, that’s where it is and
you have a blast doing it. Then you get that out
T he years of acting as comedian Jay Leno’s
musical foil have imparted some valuable
knowledge and sensibilities to Eubanks, but it
in his car,” Eubanks says, incredulously. “When
you can drive a stick shift,” Leno has offered to
Eubanks, “I’ll get a CD player.”
and it’s, ‘Oh, I remember this feeling.’ The places didn’t come without growing pains. “The hard- Their bond was in their selflessness to the
where you can get to that core energy are some- est thing for me to get used to,” he confesses, production and their ironclad work ethics. “I
how overlooked by everybody other than the mu- “was not to take it personally when I didn’t get complimented Jay once on how much he gives
sicians, but they’re invaluable.” reinforcement in the way I was used to getting it. to the show and he said, ‘Me? What about you?
Did Eubanks see his job on “The Tonight Nobody pats you on the back and tells you you’re Have you even missed one day of work?’” In fact,
Show” as enlarging the jazz audience? “The doing a good job; you’re just one of many peo- Eubanks had a perfect attendance record. “You
show was not the place to hold up pictures of ple and you’re all expected to do your job. In that work off of your passion,” he points out, “and
Miles and Trane and try to convert people to corporate system, their way of acknowledging then when things get rough and there are prob-
jazz. It’s a classic rock demographic, and you my work was when contract negotiations came lems to solve, that’s when your work ethic kicks
can’t make that leap in that setting. But when up. Then you could say I’d like this or I’d like in and you see it through.”
they followed us to the club and heard us, then that, and you came to an agreement. That’s how Eubanks’ long tenure with the show is stud-
they learned something new. People would say, they show appreciation in TV.” ded with great musical memories, and it’s im-
‘Oh, I didn’t know you played this kind of mu- “I feel like it’s easy to be myself in the TV parted respect for other musical forms. “I love
sic.’ I’d say, ‘What did you think I play—Rolling studio. Even though it’s going out to untold num- playing with Willie Nelson,” he says. “What you
Stones songs?’ But then you can direct them to bers of people, I’m in this recording studio, if you hear in him is the essence of country—on every
someone they should discover.” will. Everybody in the place is after the same ob- note. Dolly Parton’s like that, too. Underneath all
There’s a fair amount of writing on Zen jective, even though it’s a whole organization of the big hair and everything else is an everyday
Food, like the multi-layered “Los Angeles.” people. And they’re all just pulling for you be- person who’s a big talent.”
Eubanks grins when he’s complimented on the cause they’re all part of the production. It feels He’s especially going to miss the interaction
piece’s complexity. “Most of the time,” he ex- like everybody’s pulling for you; you’re not com- with guitarist B.B. King, a “Tonight Show” regu-
plains, “the songs get titled afterward. That piece peting against anybody. The show is the star.” lar. “When I told B.B. I was leaving,” Kevin says
has a lot going on in it, and it came to me that it His on-camera chemistry with Leno was with gravity, “I could see some disappointment

on his face. He said, ‘I always thought you’d be he replies tentatively. “Of course, I have family low-sodium and low-fat cookies.” A vegetarian
there for me,’ and it broke my heart. I had to tell there but I haven’t yet decided how it will work since age 18, Eubanks is a health and fitness buff
him, ‘No, B.B.—if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be into my musical plans. who will extol the virtues of lowering one’s so-
here.’ But in those few moments, it kind of encap- “After 18 years of doing ‘The Tonight dium intake (“I lost weight, I sleep better, I have
sulated the whole experience for me.” Show,’” he volunteers, “I realize I like doing TV. more energy, and I haven’t had a cold since”).
Does he see himself as a collaborative artist From doing it five days a week, I know a lot about His personal health inquiry figures into a ca-
rather than an autonomous one? Eubanks af- what goes on around a set. There’s a lot of mov- reer goal. “What I’d love to do,” he says, lean-
firms, “I’ve been asked to step out more, but I ing parts, but when I walk into a studio I feel re- ing forward, “is host a cooking show that focuses
like comping behind other soloists. I learn a lot ally, really comfortable. So I don’t necessarily on healthy cooking and recipes, geared to peo-
from doing that. The first time I realized that want to escape from this thing that I’ve learned ple over 45. There’d be music too, but I think this
comping was a great source of energy and a so much about.” is something that’s not being done by anybody.”
learning tool was the two years I played with What did he do on “Access Hollywood”? “I Holding up a copy of Zen Food, he clarifies, “Just
Sam Rivers [in the early 1980s]. The music we made cookies,” he proudly smiles. “Low-sugar, as long as I still get to do this.” DB
played was free, and I realized how much the
comping made the ebb and flow of the music—
up, down and moving around. Sam and I would
talk about it, and he said, ‘Comping is like the
tail of a comet—the comet is all the force, but
the tail gives it the lift. The tail always follows
the comet to where it gives the comet some mo-
bility.’ And I was like, ‘Yes!’”
“If you play with Sam in his free modes, you
still get all the intellect, all the creativity, all
the theory. All of that’s in it because it still has
to make tremendous sense in order to have the
depth. I think one of the reasons I enjoyed it and
got so much out of that experience was because
I had just played with Slide Hampton and Roy
Haynes a few years before I hit with Sam. I was
actually living in Slide’s house in Brooklyn, pla-
yin’ with him. We were playing all straightahead,
with Slide doin’ the arrangements, and then Sam
called me. Playing Sam’s suites and pieces just
took on extra meaning because I had been ex-
posed to all the form and the shape of Slide and
Roy, and then Sam added this free dimension.
When I was done with that experience, it just el-
evated my comping to another level.”
If an offer for a TV or movie soundtrack fell
into his lap, would Eubanks take it? “I’d love
that,” he declares. Talk of the great jazz com-
posers who wrote for Hollywood soundtracks
(Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson, J.J. Johnson,
Quincy Jones and Benny Golson among them)
elicits a fan’s note from Eubanks. “With all due
respect,” he begins, “the baddest TV theme in
history is the “Mission: Impossible” theme that
Lalo Schifrin wrote. What he did with just an
alto flute and some percussion was amazing. You
can hear that right now and it’s as hip as any-
thing. I can hear Miles improvising on that thing.
When I met Lalo for the first time, I said, ‘I know
you get this all the time, but I just have to say…’”
Eubanks will stay in Los Angeles for the
time being. He was reared in Philadelphia and
he’s proud of his civic, familial and musical roots.
“There’s something about the Philly players,” he
enthuses, “that you hear immediately. I can’t de-
scribe it, other than to say that it’s a vibe or a feel.
People seem to recognize it everywhere, even if
they don’t know it comes out of Philly. But if you
were brought up playing there, you’ll always have
it.” How does he see the City of Brotherly Love
figuring into his new career plans? Eubanks is
uncharacteristically hesitant and he chooses his
words carefully. “I’ve been thinking about that,”

150 Great Jazz Rooms
DownBeat’s International Jazz Venue Guide
Jazz can be heard in almost every corner of the world. So, wherever your travels may take you,
here are some spots to check out what’s best in the worlds of jazz, blues and beyond.
EAST COAST: Boston Sahara Club & Restaurant dan Square brownstone boasts a thriving jazz and
34 Bates Street, Methuen MA blues menu of under-the-radar artists.
The Acton Jazz Cafe (978) 683-9200 // jockosjazz.com
462 Great Road, Acton MA A half-hour drive northwest of the Hub, this Middle
92nd Street Y
(978) 263-6161 // actonjazzcafe.com 1395 Lexington Ave., New York, NY
Eastern restaurant presents Jocko Arcidiacono’s Tues-
Two dozen miles west of Boston, this suburban club
(212) 415-5500 // 92y.org
day night jazz series.
books talent from the metropolitan area. Music nightly 92Y’s renowned jazz series continues to present some
of the finest improvised music in the city, with Dave
except Monday and Tuesday. Scullers
Brubeck and others on the calendar for 2011.
Chianti Tuscan Restaurant & Jazz Lounge 400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston MA
285 Cabot Street, Beverly MA
(617) 562-4111 // scullersjazz.com Birdland
(978) 921-2233 // chiantibeverly.com Opened in 1989 and long booked by jazzman Fred 315 W. 44th St., New York NY
North of Boston, near the site of the legendary club Taylor, the mahogany-walled music room in the (212) 581-3080 // birdlandjazz.com
Sandy’s Jazz Revival, Rich Marino’s elegant Italian Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel features top touring Near Times Square, Birdland has great sightlines and
restaurant has a strong music calendar highlighted by and regional artists of various jazz styles. acoustics. The club attracts locals and out-of-towners
North Shore Jazz Project-sponsored gigs. with its top-notch weeklong acts of world-class impro-
Wally’s Cafe visers and weekly hits with area big bands.
Lilly Pad 427 Massachusetts Ave., Boston MA
1353 Cambridge Street, Cambridge MA (617) 424-1408 // wallyscafe.com Blue Note
(617) 395-1393 // lily-pad.net This South End landmark, run by the Walcott family 131 W. 3rd St., New York NY
The Inman Square hot spot for innovative jazz is home since its opening in 1947, is the “training ground” for
(212) 475-8592 // bluenote.net
to the long-existing trio The Fringe and welcomes visit- Berklee and New England Conservatory students. An expansive music policy features festival head-
ing notables like Toronto trumpeter Lina Allemano. lineers, jazz legends, elite Latin acts, hardcore big
EAST COAST: New Jersey bands and high-visibility younger artists.
Regattabar
1 Bennett Street, Cambridge MA Cornelia Street Café
(617) 395-7757 // regattabarjazz.com Shanghai Jazz Restaurant & Bar 29 Cornelia St., New York NY
Overlooking Harvard Square, this high-end club at
24 Main St., Madison NJ (212) 989-9319 // corneliastreetcafe.com
(973) 822-2899 // shanghaijazz.com The excellent menu is fusion (American-French-Asian),
the Charles Hotel, now in its 25th year, hosts world-
The 85-seat North Jersey club boasts a dining room and so is the eclectic entertainment on the small stage,
class artists as well as local luminaries like the Jazz
with an unobstructed view of the stage, a pan-Asian located in the basement of a distinguished Greenwich
Composers Alliance Orchestra. All ages welcome.
menu and a roster of artists culled from New York’s Village restaurant/cabaret.
Ryles Jazz Club metro area featured five nights a week.
212 Hampshire Street, Cambridge MA Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
(617) 876-9330 // ryles.com EAST COAST: New York Broadway at 60th Street, 5th floor, New York NY
This two-floor venue in Inman Square has qual- (212) 258-9595 // jalc.org/dccc/
ity area musicians—trombonist Dan Fox, tenorman 55 Bar Dizzy’s offers the best view of any New York jazz club:
Mike Tucker, others—and visitors like Taylor Ho By- 55 Christopher St., New York NY overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park. The
num downstairs on the Mainstage. Latin Caribbean (212) 929-9883 // 55bar.com 365-nights-a-year component of Jazz at Lincoln Cen-
dance parties upstairs. This former speakeasy on the ground floor of a Sheri- ter, Dizzy’s was designed for jazz.

Fat Cat an bands and groove-oriented jazz units.
75 Christopher St., New York NY
(212) 675-6056 // fatcatmusic.org EAST COAST: Philadelphia
A West Village space for rising-star locals, Fat Cat usu-
ally features two jazz acts a night and a late-night jam Chris’ Jazz Café
that runs until 5 a.m. 1421 Sansom St., Philadelphia PA
(215) 568-3131 // chrisjazzcafe.com
Iridium Fresh off of its 20th anniversary, Chris’ continues to
1650 Broadway, New York NY present local and national artists six nights a week.
(212) 582-2121 // iridiumjazzclub.com
The site of Les Paul’s weekly gig until his passing last Le Cochon Noir
year, Iridium draws crowds for its top-flight jazz acts. 5070 Parkside Ave., Philadelphia PA
The weeklong stints feature a range of hard-core jazz, (215) 879-1011 // lecochonnoir.com
often with international names attached. This new BBQ joint offers a blend of jazz, blues and
r&b, mostly culled from the ranks of locals like singer
Jazz Gallery Denise King and the Jump City Jazz Orchestra.
290 Hudson St., New York NY
(212) 242-1063 // jazzgallery.org Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
This invaluable not-for-profit venue has presented cut- 260 S. Broad St., Philadelphia PA
ting-edge bookings since it opened its doors in 1995. (215) 893-1999 // kimmelcenter.org
The home of the Philadelphia Orchestra hosts two jazz
Jazz Standard series, one for major touring artists like Dave Brubeck
116 E. 27th St., New York NY and the Wayne Shorter Quartet, the other curated by
(212) 576-2232 // jazzstandard.net pianist Danilo Pérez.
The Jazz Standard is one of the most comfortable
rooms in New York to see jazz. Downstairs from the Painted Bride Arts Center
Blue Smoke BBQ restaurant, it features acts such as 230 Vine St., Philadelphia PA
Dave Douglas and Anat Cohen. (215) 925-9914 // paintedbride.org
The city’s longest-running jazz series is housed in this
Joe’s Pub multi-use arts space, which also presents theater,
425 Lafayette St., New York NY dance and world music events.
(212) 539-8778 // joespub.com
Joe’s Pub mirrors the inclusive intelligence of its found- Philadelphia Museum of Art
er with a trans-genre calendar, from pop to world to 26th Street and Ben Franklin
jazz. It’s the Manhattan showcase room of choice, with Parkway, Philadelphia PA
one-of-a-kind jazz acts. (215) 763-8100 // philamuseum.org
The PMA’s Great Stair Hall is a stunning (albeit sound-
Miles’ Café swallowing) site for its Friday-night Art After 5 series.
212 E. 52nd St., 3rd floor, New York NY
(212) 371-7657 // milescafe.com EAST COAST: Pittsburgh
A new Midtown jazz venue with great acoustics and an
1888 Steinway grand, Miles’ Café provides two shows MCG Jazz
almost every night, featuring music by some of New 1815 Metropolitan St., Pittsburgh PA
York’s premier artists. (412) 322-0800 // mcgjazz.org
The jazz arm of the multi-disciplinary nonprofit arts
Smalls
organization Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, MCG
183 W. 10th St., New York NY
smallsjazzclub.com presents artists in its 350-seat venue who bolster and
Smalls offers superb bookings, with two or three engage with its educational mission.
groups performing each night. Priding itself in featuring
EAST COAST: Washington, D.C.
cutting-edge music, it also hosts after-hours jazz jams
that often attract local and visiting luminaries.
Birchmere Music Hall
Smoke 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria VA
2751 Broadway, New York NY (703) 549-7500 // birchmere.com
(212) 864-6662 // smokejazz.com Located right outside of Washington, D.C., this
The Uptown room south of Harlem features straigh- popular roadhouse presents a fairly regular lineup
tahead groups, B-3 organ shows and Latin jazz. The of talents in its multifaceted programming.
inside is decked out in antiques, and the club hosts
Blues Alley Jazz Supper Club
open jam sessions and strong marquee acts.
1073 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Washington DC
The Stone (202) 337-4141 // bluesalley.com
Avenue C and 2nd Street, New York NY One of America’s oldest, continuously running jazz
thestonenyc.com supper clubs, Blues Alley is open 360 days a year and
John Zorn serves as artistic director and visionary be- features traditional and contemporary talent. In addition,
hind a space that gives 100 percent of the door to the the club hosts its own youth orchestra, summer jazz
musicians. The Stone features cutting-edge experi- camp and annual Big Band Jam jazz festival.
mental jazz artists presented by guest curators.
Bohemian Caverns
Village Vanguard 2001 11th Street N.W., Washington DC
178 Seventh Ave. South, New York NY (202) 299-0800 // bohemiancaverns.com
(212) 255-4037 // villagevanguard.net After a rather dubious comeback a decade ago, this
A living legend, the Vanguard is a cramped, triangular legendary jazz club, located in the historic U Street
basement room that has served as a cornerstone of corridor, has finally gotten its groove back, attracting
modern jazz since the mid-1950s. On Mondays the a multi-generational and multi-ethnic audience.
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra holds forth.
The John F. Kennedy Center
Zinc Bar for the Performing Arts
90 Houston St., New York NY 2700 F. Street N.W., Washington DC
(212) 477-8337 // zincbar.com (202) 467-4600 // kennedy-center.org
One of the few New York venues that presents third While sometimes a bit stuffy for bristling jazz con-
sets nightly, the narrow, low-ceilinged ground-floor bar certs, Kennedy Center nevertheless excels at pro-
offers a steady diet of African, Brazilian, Afro-Caribbe- gramming jazz concerts with fairly wide-ranging tal-

ents. Other major highlights include its annual Mary local and regional talent with a primary focus on
Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, the Thelonious straightahead jazz.
Monk Institute International Competition finals, and
NPR’s Piano Jazz Christmas concert. SOUTH: Nashville
The Music Center at Strathmore F. Scott’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar

5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda MD 2210 Crestmoor Road, Nashville TN
(301) 581-5200 // strathmore.org (615) 269-5861 // FScotts.com
Located right outside of Washington, D.C., this posh per- The lounge seats 40 and hosts local talent, with solo
formance center aims to compete with the more estab- piano Mondays and Tuesdays and combos Wednes-
lished Kennedy Center. And while the jazz programming days through Sundays. Cover is never charged.
hasn’t quite caught up in terms of regularity, the Strath-
more nevertheless presents some engaging A-list talent. The Jazz Cave: Nashville Jazz Workshop
1319 Adams Street, Nashville TN
Twins Jazz Lounge (615) 242-5299 // NashvilleJazz.org
1344 U Street N.W., Washington DC The Jazz Cave features local and touring artists approxi-
(202) 234-0072 // twinjazz.com mately four nights a week in an intimate, 72-seat setting.
Twins Jazz promotes the city’s riskiest lineups for bet- A modest cover is charged.
ter or worse, providing a nice platform for newer talents
to emerge while also offering a hub for slightly under- Ryman Auditorium
radar talents to perform. 116 5th Avenue North, Nashville TN
(615) 458-8700 // Ryman.com
Warner Theatre This former tabernacle offers occasional concerts by
1299 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington DC artists such as Tony Bennett and Herbie Hancock.
(202) 347-4707 // warnertheatre.com
Nestled in downtown Washington, D.C., this popular SOUTH: New Orleans
theatre isn’t known as a primary hotspot for jazz. But
when it does open its doors to the music, jazz lumi- Blue Nile
naries such as Cassandra Wilson, Chucho Valdes 532 Frenchmen St., New Orleans LA
and David Sanborn usually grace the stage. (504) 948-2583 // bluenilelive.com/
Prepare to shake a tailfeather with a mish-mash of col-
SOUTH: Atlanta lege students at this funk mecca, where super groups
and Neville-peppered outfits are the norm.
Churchill Grounds
660 Peachtree St., Atlanta GA Chickie Wah Wah
(404) 876-3030 // churchillgrounds.com 2828 Canal St., New Orleans LA
Churchill Grounds is the perennial favorite for new- (504) 304-4714 // chickiewahwah.com/
comers seeking an introduction to Atlanta’s scene, Catch a dose of traditional jazz vocal harmony, cour-
offering straightahead jazz five to six nights a week. tesy of the Pfister Sisters, whose three-part classics
cast a ’40s vibe on this Mid-City room once a month.
Twain’s Billiards and Tap
211 East Trinity Place, Decatur GA d.b.a.
(404) 373-0063 // twains.net 618 Frenchmen St., New Orleans LA
Twain’s range of freshly brewed beer might be enough (504) 942-3731 // dbabars.com/dbano/
for some patrons, but the bar also convenes Atlanta’s A mixed music bag, d.b.a.’s whiskey worshipping
best free jam session every Tuesday. walls are often lined with sweaty fans, devouring the
club’s locavore rock bills. But when the vibe mellows,
SOUTH: Austin sweet spots often include sousaphone-washboard-
guitar trio The Tin Men, vocalist John Boutte and blues
Elephant Room legend Walter Wolfman Washington.
315 Congress Ave., Austin TX
The Maple Leaf
(512) 473-2279 // elephantroom.com
8316 Oak St., New Orleans LA
A classic basement club that presents live jazz every
(504) 866-9359 // mapleleafbar.com/
night of the year, the Elephant Room is the epicenter of
Brass band fans and funksters sweat it out nightly
a surprisingly active local scene.
under the Leaf’s pressed tin ceiling, while less ram-
bunctious listeners enjoy the show from beneath the
SOUTH: Dallas/Fort Worth
banana palms out back.
AT&T Performance Arts Center Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse
2100 Ross Ave., Dallas TX 300 Bourbon St., New Orleans LA
(214) 880-0202 // attpac.org (504) 553-2331 // sonesta.com/RoyalNew
The AT&T Performing Arts Center (formerly Dallas Cen- Orleans/index.cfm?fa=restaurant2.home
ter for the Performing Arts) is an exhilarating place to Harkening back to the days when Bourbon Street was
experience music and theatre, with plenty of jazz con- all about music, this elegant space inside the Royal
cert offerings. The center will present an expanded jazz Sonesta presents the city’s leading modern jazz play-
season this year. ers at no cover charge.
Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Ogden Museum of Southern Art
2301 Flora, Dallas TX presents Ogden After Hours
(214) 670-4334 // dallasculture.org/ 925 Camp St., New Orleans LA
meyersonSymphonyCenter (504) 539-9600 // ogdenmuseum.
The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center has been org/ogden_after_hours.html
a crossroads of artistic excellence ever since it opened The museum casts an educational net on music lovers
in September 1989. In March, trumpeter Chris Botti will at this weekly, family-friendly, 6 p.m. series focused on
perform with the orchestra. introducing both emerging and veteran southern musi-
cians to new audiences.
Scat Jazz Lounge
111 W. 4th, Fort Worth TX Palm Court Jazz Café
(817) 870-9100 // scatjazzlounge.com 1204 Decatur St., New Orleans LA
Open just a few years, this basement club in the heart (504) 525-0200 // palmcourtjazzcafe.com
of Forth Worth’s Sundance Square usually features Old world New Orleans lives on at this sometimes tour-

bues Tuesdays with New Orleans jazz for $5, and sing-
er Bobby Ryder and his big band swing two Wednes-
days a month. Regional and national musicians take
over on weekends.
MIDWEST: Chicago
Andy’s
11 E. Hubbard St., Chicago IL
(312) 642-6805 // andysjazzclub.com
A congenial spot just north of Chicago’s Loop and
one block away from the Jazz Record Mart, the
downtown workforce can take advantage of its late-
afternoon sets and dinner menu. Still, the club is seri-
ous about presenting a range of local jazz musicians
late into the night.
Buddy Guy’s Legends
isty but undeniably charming Creole restaurant and 700 S. Wabash, Chicago IL
traditional jazz venue. (312) 427-1190 // buddyguys.com
The world’s pre-eminent blues guitarist opened his
Preservation Hall
726 St. Peter St., New Orleans LA own Chicago club 20 years ago, and moved into this
(504) 522-2841 // preservationhall.com upgraded sprawling location last spring. Buddy Guy,
The Hall has kept the traditional New Orleans jazz who has a residency here every January, says that jazz
flame alive since 1961 with a house band featuring a groups will start performing here this year.
host of esteemed local players. Chicago Cultural Center
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro 78 E. Washington St., Chicago IL
626 Frenchmen St., New Orleans LA (312) 744-6630 // chicagoculturalcenter.org
(504) 949-0696 // snugjazz.com Thanks to the city’s active department of cultural af-
An intimate room with great acoustics, this downtown fairs, this downtown venue brings a host of local and
classic presents two straightahead New Orleans jazz international jazz artists to perform free sets through-
shows nightly, featuring names like Ellis Marsalis, Her- out the building.
lin Riley, the Thelonious Monk Institute Young Lions Evanston SPACE
and Astral Project. 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston IL
The Spotted Cat (847) 492-8860 // evanstonspace.com
623 Frenchmen St., New Orleans LA This cozy acoustically pristine 250-seat room is mak-
(504) 943-3887 // spottedcatmusicclub.com ing its case through presenting a great range of jazz
Roots-influenced jazz dominates this airy, Frenchmen and blues artists, including Allen Toussaint, Jennifer
strip room. Stop by to catch Brett Anderson’s daily 4 Scheinman, Bobby Broom and Dave Specter.
p.m. solo piano set. Green Mill
Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club 4802 N. Broadway Ave., Chicago IL
1931 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans LA (773) 878-5552 // greenmilljazz.com
(504) 945-9654 This Uptown landmark feels relatively unchanged
For a somewhat formal experience in a classic New since the ’20s, but the mix of jazz artists presented
Orleans environment, get a little gussied up and head here looks towards the future.
to the 9th Ward to catch world renowned bandleaders
Jazz at Symphony Center
like Nicholas Payton, or the Sunday jazz brunch.
220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL
Three Muses (312) 294-3000 // cso.org
536 Frenchmen St., New Orleans LA The home for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra also
(504) 298-8746 // thethreemuses.com hosts an ongoing Friday night jazz series. This is the
This newbie tapas joint and jazz club is somewhat place to catch the big names when they make their
more serene than many of its frenzied Frenchmen Midwestern swings.
Street neighbors.
Jazz Showcase
Tipitina’s 806 S. Plymouth Ct., Chicago IL
501 Napoleon Ave., New Orleans LA (312) 360-0234 // jazzshowcase.com
(504) 895-8477 // tipitinas.com Joe Segal has been presenting jazz since 1947 and
What began as a fan-made venue for Professor Long- his current space in Dearborn Station may be his best-
hair now pays homage to the greater music commu- sounding room.
nity through a variety of jazz-influenced bookings and
a foundation devoted to supporting the local culture Old Town School Of Folk Music
and music education. 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL
(773) 728-6000 // oldtownschool.org
Vaughn’s Lounge Since 1957, the Old Town School has offered classes in
4229 Dauphine St., New Orleans LA all kinds of music (and dance). Its great-sounding audi-
(504) 947-5562 torium hosts an array of top jazz stars to complement its
The music happens barroom-style at this low-key cor- courses, including John Scofield and Kurt Elling.
ner spot in the Bywater. Mayor Kermit Ruffins and the
Barbecue Swingers preside on Thursday nights. Velvet Lounge
67 E. Cermak Rd., Chicago IL
SOUTH: South Carolina (312) 791-9050 // velvetlounge.net
The late saxophonist Fred Anderson established this
The Jazz Corner venue in the early ’80s, where he provided space for
1000 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island SC AACM veterans and upcoming musicians to test show
(843) 842-8620 // thejazzcorner.com off their mettle in performances and regular jam ses-
Weeknights at the Jazz Corner are for long-standing sions. While the club has remained open since his
gigs. Trumpeter Bob Masteller, the club’s owner, im- death in June, its future is uncertain.

MIDWEST: Cleveland no Us Five, Ellis Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Earl Klugh,

Karrin Allyson and Sachal Vasandani.
Nighttown
12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights OH MIDWEST: Milwaukee
(216) 795-0550 // nighttowncleveland.com
This traditional Irish bar, which is more than 40 years Jazz Estate
old, has featured live jazz since 2001. Nighttown fea- 2423 N. Murray Ave., Milwaukee WI
tures local as well as national acts, who usually per- (414) 964-9923 // jazzestate.com
form four nights a week. The Jazz Estate is modeled on a ’50s style club, and
has been booking jazz since the ’70s. Milwaukee na-
MIDWEST: Detroit/Ann Arbor tive Brian Lynch has worked the club, as has nearby
drummer Clyde Stubblefield.
Baker’s Keyboard Lounge
20510 Livernois Ave., Detroit MI MIDWEST: Minneapolis/St. Paul joint, with concerts held Wednesday through Saturday
(313) 345-6300 // bakerskeyboardlounge.com and instrumental or vocal jam sessions on Sundays.
As one of the world’s oldest jazz clubs, Baker’s, since The Artists’ Quarter Yoshi’s (Oakland)
opening in 1934, has seen the history of the music un- 408 St. Peter St., St. Paul MN 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland CA
fold on its stage. It’s the hub of Detroit’s jazz scene. (651) 292-1359 // artistsquarter.com (510) 238-9200 // yoshis.com/Oakland
Close, warm and welcoming, the Artists’ Quarter’s inti-
Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe mate basement is a favorite among local and national
The elder Yoshi’s offers seven nights and a Sunday fam-
97 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms MI ily matinee of jazz, Latin and occasional hip-hop/soul.
acts. Roy Haynes has recorded live here, and Harry
(313) 882-5299 // dirtydogjazz.com Yoshi’s (San Francisco)
“Sweets” Edison called it “just like New York.”
The Dirty Dog specializes in live jazz and a sophisti- 1330 Fillmore St., San Francisco CA
cated small-plate dishes in an old English pub setting. Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant (415) 655-5600 // yoshis.com/sanfrancisco
The venue presents local, national and international 1010 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis MN It’s rare that a venue’s associated restaurant and bar are
artists, many from the Mack Avenue label. (612) 332-1010 // dakotacooks.com
as much as an attraction as its music. But the fledgling
Jazz and non-jazz lovers have enjoyed the Dakota’s
Kerrytown Concert House noteworthy local and national jazz acts. The upscale
Yoshi’s attracts foodies, bar hoppers and music fans.
415 N. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor MI venue has an open atmosphere, with a wood and brick
(734) 769-2999 // kerrytownconcerthouse.com WEST: Denver
interior as the backdrop.
The Kerrytown Concert House is an intimate 110-seat
venue that presents a wide range of musical styles. It is Walker Art Center Dazzle
home to the acclaimed festival Edgefest. 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis MN 930 Lincoln St., Denver CO
(612) 375-7609 // walkerart.org (303) 839-5100 // dazzlejazz.com
MIDWEST: Indianapolis The Walker offers Twin Cities audiences some of the The nicely appointed and intimate music/dining room
most original and daring live performing art experi- comfortably seats 100. The musical menu is as tasty
Chatterbox ences available anywhere in the world. as the food, blending touring artists with area-based
435 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis IN players presented in intriguing contexts.
(317) 636-0584 // chatterboxjazz.com MIDWEST: St. Louis
This club in the heart of Indianapolis’ Massachusetts WEST: Los Angeles
Ave. Arts & Theatre Cultural District has presented jazz Jazz at the Bistro
for more than 25 years. 3536 Washington Ave., St. Louis MO Blue Whale
(314) 534-3663 // jazzstl.org/jazz-bistro 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St.
The Jazz Kitchen Jazz at the Bistro’s prime music season runs Septem- Ste 301, Los Angeles CA
5377 N. College Ave., Indianapolis IN ber through May showcasing top-name artists including (213) 620-0908 // bluewhalemusic.com
(317) 253-4900 // thejazzkitchen.com Houston Person, Jane Monheit and Chris Potter. This new-ish haunt, in the Little Tokyo area of down-
As its name implies, this Indianapolis club combines town Los Angeles, has been generating a good buzz
great food with an array of local, regional and national WEST: Bay Area for its vibe, its “hidden jewel” status, and its open-
jazz acts. minded booking policy, including generous nods to
Madame Walker Theatre Center Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society some of LA.’s riches in the left-field jazz department.
615 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis IN 311 Miranda Road, Half Moon Bay CA
bachddsoc.org Café Metropol
(317) 236-2099 // walkertheatre.com 923 E 3rd St., Ste 101, Los Angeles CA
In terms of locale for a jazz (and sometimes clas-
One of Indianapolis’ cultural landmarks, this 1927 the- (213) 613-1537 // cafemetropol.com
sical) venue, it’s tough to beat the Douglas Beach
ater hosts an array of arts events, including a regular Settled in the funky-but-not-too-funky downtown L.A.
House on Miramar Beach. That’s the spot for Sun-
jazz series. Its Jazz On The Avenue is presented every artist district, Café Metropol is a popular eatery and
day afternoon concerts by the likes of Hendricks &
fourth Friday. all-around hip hang zone, and the place has ushered
Ross and Terence Blanchard.
Palladium Center For The Performing Arts into its mix of offerings a weekend jazz booking policy
335 W. Center Dr., Carmel IN
Coda which has ranged from the adventurous end to prom-
1710 Mission Street, San Francisco CA ising up-and-comers.
(317) 660-3373 //
(415) 551-2632 // codalive.com
thecenterfortheperformingarts.org Catalina Bar & Grill
San Francisco’s Fillmore district has gone through
This 1,600-seat venue is scheduled for completion 6725 W Sunset Blvd #100, Los Angeles CA
demographic transformations. A “live music supper
early this year. Along with musical performances, the (323) 466-2210 // catalinajazzclub.com
club,” Coda reflects all of these residents with upscale
center will also house a museum displaying manu- Catalina Bar & Grill is the longstanding go-to jazz club
dining and live music (from jazz and Latin to Afropop
scripts related to the Great American Songbook. in the city. Major acts settle in for multi-night runs in the
and r&b) six nights a week.
room, now an oasis on Sunset Boulevard tucked into a
MIDWEST: Kansas City Kuumbwa Jazz Center utilitarian-looking office building.
320-2 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz CA
The Blue Room (831) 427-2227 // kuumbwajazz.org Charlie O’s
1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City MO A proper jazz club with a community center’s inclusive 13725 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys CA
(816) 474-8463 // americanjazzmuseum.com atmosphere, Kuumbwa is equally beloved by patrons (818) 989-3110 // charlieos.com
As part of the American Jazz Museum, the Blue Room is and musicians, including Branford Marsalis and Bobby Although Charlie O’s founder, Charlie Ottaviano,
designed to resemble a nightclub from the 1930s. Also Hutcherson. Concerts are typically presented Mon- passed away in 2008, this hot spot in the San Fernan-
located within the museum is the historic Gem Theater. days and Thursdays, with snacks, drinks and meals do Valley continues to host strong local players with
always available. some visitors from afar filtering through.
Folly Theater
300 W. 12th St., Kansas City MO Savana Jazz Hollywood Bowl
(816) 474-4444 // follytheater.org 2937 Mission Street, San Francisco 2301 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles CA
The non-profit Folly’s annual jazz series spotlights top (415) 285-3369 // savannajazz.com (323) 850-2000 // hollywoodbowl.com
touring acts; the 2011 lineup so far includes Joe Lova- This street level club has the atmosphere of a basement During the summertime concert season in this out-

door amphitheater, a few evenings of jazz sneak into across Lake Washington in the recreation hall of a gat-
the mix of classical music, pop and “world music,” ed community in the hills of suburban Issaquah. Locals
starting with the annual two-day Playboy Jazz Fes- are featured most of the time, but about once a month
tival in June. a fine vocalist such as San Francisco’s Madeline East-
man or New York’s Daryl Sherman drops by to help
Jazz at the Athenaeum
you enjoy a nice meal by the fireplace.
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
1008 Wall Street, La Jolla CA Boxley’s
(858) 454-5872 // ljathenaeum.org/jazz.html 101 North Bend Way, North Bend WA
This thoughtful series presents jazz with the seri- (425) 292-9307 // boxleysplace.com
ousness and dignity becoming the art form. In the North Bend, 45 minutes up the Cascade Mountains
past, jazz concerts have taken place in the Neuro- from Seattle, is probably best known as the place
science Institute theater, but have recently returned where “Twin Peaks” was filmed, but this decidedly un-
to the historic and intimate Athenaeum Music & mysterious logging town now hosts a bustling, lively
Arts Library. and very large jazz room. Boxley’s can get a bit loud,
Lobero Theatre but the vibe is friendly and the music—drawn in large
33 E. Canon Perdido St., part from the stable of musicians who record for Se-
Santa Barbara CA attle’s Pony Boy label—is first-rate.
(805) 963-0761 // lobero.com Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
California’s oldest, continuously operating theatre 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle WA
(founded in 1873) has been a great place to hear live (206) 441-0729 // jazzalley.com
jazz concerts during the past 10 years, with head- Seattle’s premiere jazz club for more than 30 years,
liners including the likes of Herbie Hancock, Wayne spacious and upscale Jazz Alley offers A-list artists,
Shorter, Charles Lloyd, Dave Brubeck, John Sco- from Roy Hargrove to Chick Corea, great sightlines,
field, McCoy Tyner and Bobby McFerrin. tasteful decor and a stupendous sound system. With
Los Angeles County Museum of Art its loft seating, the room can accommodate a concert-
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles CA sized crowd of more than 400.
(323) 857-6000 // lacma.org/ Egan’s Ballard Jam House
programs/JazzatLACMA.aspx 1707 Northwest Market St., Seattle WA
Although its music program is a shadow of what it (206) 789-1621 // ballardjamhouse.com
once was, the campus of LACMA still hosts jazz— Started by a jazz mom, Egan’s is a miniscule black
usually fine locals from various attitudinal corners, box with a bounty of spirit that belies its size. One of
mainstream to avant-garde—on early Friday eve- the few places in the country that welcomes student
nings April–November, outdoors in the Central Court. groups, Egan’s also provides a venue for veterans to
Steamers Jazz Club and Cafe try out new things.
138 W. Commonwealth, Fullerton CA Triple Door
(714) 871-8800 // steamersjazz.com 216 Union St., Seattle WA
One of the better L.A. jazz clubs is not in L.A., proper, (206) 838-4333 // thetripledoor.com
but in Orange County, a half-hour drive from down- The Triple Door presents all kinds of music, from blues
town L.A. Steamers, a humble club and eatery in and folk to jazz and world, but whatever it does, it does
Fullerton, is a well-established haven for some of the it well. Carved out of an ancient, below-ground bur-
finest players Southern California has to offer. lesque hall, the room has a gigantic proscenium stage,
Vibrato Grill Jazz tiered booth seating, a dazzling lightshow backdrop
2930 North Beverly Glen Circle, Los Angeles CA and top-flight Asian fusion food.
(310) 474-9400 // vibratogrilljazz.com Tula’s
Nestled up in the twining terrain just below Mulholland 2214 Second Ave., Seattle WA
Drive, Vibrato is a welcoming continuation of the res- (206) 443-4221 // tulas.com
taurant-jazz-club tradition begun as Rocco’s. It is now Seattle’s casual bebop hang, Tula’s is the place locals
owned by Herb Alpert. congregate, though acts from out of town occasionally
Walt Disney Concert Hall pass through. Owned by former Navy band trombonist
111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles CA Mack Waldron, Tula’s welcomes musicians as friends,
(323) 850-2000 // laphil.com pours a stiff drink and serves a killer hummus from
Since opening in 2004, the Frank Ghery-designed Mack’s wife’s Greek menu.
Disney Hall has been touted as an architectural mar-
vel and one of America’s finer concert halls. The LA Canada
Philharmonic organization takes care to host several
jazz concerts each season. The finest jazz hall in Casa del Popolo
town, especially in all-acoustic settings, memorable 4873 St. Laurent Boulevard, Montreal QC
examples being Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. (514) 284-3804 // casadelpopolo.com
A funky vegetarian restaurant that holds only 55 people,
WEST: San Diego since opening in 2000 the Casa has become the spiritual
heart of Montreal’s vibrant alternative art scene.
Anthology Cellar Jazz Club
1337 India St., San Diego CA 3611 West Broadway Street, Vancouver BC
619 595 0300 // anthologysd.com (604) 738-1959 // cellarjazz.com
This supper club features some enticing jazz. The The site of numerous live recordings produced by
3,000-square-foot room has featured Dave Liebman, club owner and saxophonist Cory Weeds, the Cellar
Peter Escovedo and Tuck & Patti, tucked into a roster opened in 2000 and provides a mainstream counter-
of pop and r&b. point to Vancouver’s woolly improvised music scene.
WEST: Seattle Diese Onze
4115 St. Denis Street, Montreal QC
Bake’s Place (514) 223-3543 // dieseonze.com
4115 Providence Point Dr. S.E., Issaquah WA A newcomer on Montreal’s scene, Diese Onze doesn’t
(425) 391-3335 // bakesplace.org have the best sightlines, but the vibe is friendly, and the
Seattle’s only cabaret/supper club isn’t in Seattle, it’s atmosphere akin to an art gallery.

Largo Resto-Club combos. Visiting American jazz stars and up-and-

643 St. Joseph Street East, Quebec City QC comers pass through here, too.
(418) 529-3111 // largorestoclub.com
Located in a bohemian neighborhood outside the France
tourist-friendly old city, Largo doubles as both a first-
class bistro and intimate jazz venue. The club regularly Le Caveau de la Huchette
features the cream of Montreal’s jazz scene, with occa- 5 Rue de la Huchette, Paris
+33 (0)1 43 26 65 05 // caveaudelahuchette.fr
sional special events starring international artists.
This lively venue in the Latin quarter has a 60-year his-
L’Astral tory of presenting jazz, embracing dixieland, jazz ma-
305 Ste. Catherine Street West, Montreal QC nouche (Gypsy jazz), swing and blues.
(514) 288-8882 // sallelastral.com
Owned by the team that manages the Montreal Interna-
Duc des Lombards
42 Rue des Lombards, Paris
tional Jazz Festival, L’Astral is a two-tiered venue with a
+33 (0)1 42 33 22 88 // ducdeslombards.fr
capacity of 350–600 and a state-of-the-art sound system.
This classy jazz club, located on the corner of Rue des
National Arts Centre Fourth Stage Lombards and Sebastopol, was founded in 1984 and
53 Elgin Street, Ottawa ON recently renovated.
(613) 947-7000 // nac-cna.ca/en/fourthstage
A basement room with a seasoned sound crew, the
The New Morning
7-9 Rue des Petites Ecuries, Paris
Fourth Stage is frequently used by the Ottawa Inter-
+33 (0)11 45 23 51 41 // newmorning.com
national Jazz Festival for off-season bookings by art-
Perhaps Paris’ most enduring jazz club, the New
ists like Holland’s ICP Orchestra. It’s also home to a
Morning is larger than most but unprepossessing.
monthly series curated by bassist John Geggie.
American stars visit as well as musicians from north
The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar and central Africa.
194 Queen Street West, Toronto ON
(416) 598-2475 // therex.ca Great Britain
The kind of workingman’s tavern that draws students
and hipsters, The Rex also just happens to feature a The 606 Club
steady stream of top-notch bands, every night of the 90 Lots Road, London SW10
week. An average of 1,000 acts are featured each year, +44 (0)20 7352 5953 // 606club.co.uk
and at about two-thirds of these shows the musicians This basement joint close to Chelsea Harbor is a great
pass the hat rather than charge at the door. place to dine at reasonable prices and enjoy an inti-
mate environment close to the musicians.
Trane Studio Jazz Lounge
964 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON Pizza Express
(416) 913-8197 // tranestudio.com 10 Dean Street, London W1
A gorgeous red-brick room with a pressed-tin ceiling, +44 (0)20 7437 9595 // pizzaexpresslive.com
the Trane specializes in soulful jazz and r&b. Each Oc- This Soho basement, enlarged and refurbished in re-
tober, Toronto-based trumpeter Brownman Ali hosts a cent years, originally hosted Bud Freeman, Earl Hines
multi-era tribute to Miles Davis. and Stan Getz. Current regulars include locals Dave
Newton and Ian Shaw with annual residencies from
Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill Mose Allison and Scott Hamilton.
1254 MacKay Street, Montreal QC
(514) 931-6808 // upstairsjazz.com Ronnie Scott’s
A well-managed basement room, Joel Giberovitch’s 47 Frith St., Soho, London
club has developed a reputation as a venue for listen- +44 (0)20 7439 0747 // ronniescotts.co.uk
Since 1959 Ronnie’s has presented top-tier U.S. jazz
ers, where you can catch a combination of Montreal’s
with support from U.K. groups. The upscale room
best young players and the occasional import from
(though dress code is casual) is an institution, open
New York City.
from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. with late bar and kitchen.
Yardbird Suite
11 Tommy Banks Way, Edmonton AB The Vortex
(780) 432-0428 // yardbirdsuite.com 11, Gillette Square, London N16
+44 (0)20 7254 4097 // vortexjazz.co.uk
Canada’s oldest jazz club, the spacious Yardbird Suite is
The Vortex is a long-running North London haunt
operated by volunteers of the Edmonton Jazz Society.
friendly to a wide variety of jazz, post-bop to avant
Austria garde, seven nights from 8 p.m.–midnight.
Germany
Jazzland
Franz Josefs-Kai 29, Vienna
(43) 1 533 25 75 // jazzland.at
Domicil
Hansastr. 7-11, Dortmund
This 36-year-old club, in a 200-year-old cellar, hosts
(49) 231 8629030 // domicil-dortmund.de
mainly local gigs, but American musicians play fre-
Having moved into a new location a few years ago,
quently. Photos of past performers adorn every wall.
Domicil has continued its progressive booking policy.
Porgy & Bess Quasimodo
Riemergasse 11, Vienna
Kantstr. 12a, Berlin
(43) 1 503 7009 // porgy.at
(49) 30 312 8086 // quasimodo.de
This 17-year old room can take in up to 500 patrons.
The lively jazz cellar holds 400 when busy, which it
It features jazz from the U.S. and Europe, with regular
often is. Prog-rock and even disco are on offer here
jam sessions and a willingness to stage big bands. along with blues and world music.
Denmark Unterfahrt
Einsteinstrausse 42, Munich
Copenhagen Jazzhouse (49) 08 9448 2794 // unterfahrt.de
Niels Hemmingsensgade Presenting mostly European musicians that range
Gade 10, Copenhagen from avant-garde to traditional vocalists, Unterfahrt
(45) 7015 6565 // jazzhouse.dk has offered adventurous programming and regular jam
Denmark’s leading club is cozy for big bands and small sessions for close to 30 years.

Italy
Alexanderplatz
Via Ostia, 9, Rome
(39) 063 9742 171 // alexanderplatz.it
Italy’s oldest jazz club attracts its own breed of pil-
grims: lovers of food, vintage wine and great music.
Cantina Bentivoglio
Via Mascarella, 4/b, Bologna
(39) 051 265416 // cantinabentivoglio.it
Located near the historic center of Bologna, this popu-
lar wine bar and restaurant presents jazz nightly in the
restored cellar of a medieval palace.
La Salumeria Della Musica
Via Pasinetti 4, Milan
(39) 02 5680 7350 //
lasalumeriadellamusica.com
The keeper of the jazz flame in Italy’s media, fashion Switzerland
and finance capital is also delicatessen with a musical
menu ranging from Phil Woods to Bill Frisell.
Marian’s Jazz Room
Engestrasse 54, CH-3012 Bern
Panic Jazz Club (41) 31 309 61 11 // mariansjazzroom.ch
Piazza degli scacchi, Marostica (VI) This exclusive club is located in the downstairs of the
(39) 0424/72707 // panicjazzclub.com Innere Enge hotel. Marian’s has been the spot to catch
This club not only features a fine restaurant, but it is visiting American stars, like Dianne Reeves and Jon
also connected with a recording studio and hosts such Faddis. It also offers a jazz brunch on Sundays.
Italian musicians as saxophonist Michele Polga as well
Moods
as an ongoing gospel series. Schiffbaustrasse 6, 8005 Zurich
(41) 44 276 80 00 // moods.ch
Netherlands
Moods is located in the Schiffbau, an old industrial
building which has been transformed into a cultural
Bimhuis center. The club offers a program of European and
Piet Heinkade 3, Amsterdam
American jazz stars and newcomers, and also has its
(31) 20 788 2188 // bimhuis.nl
doors open to funk and soul acts.
It moved to a new and improved multi-use arts facil-
ity in 2005, where its maintained the same progressive AUSTRALIA
booking policy that it started in 1974. The best of the
Dutch scene meets with other European, American The Basement
and African artists at this thriving institution. 29 Reiby Place, Sydney
(61) 2 9252 3007 // thebasement.com.au
Norway The Basement is situated in prime real estate in Syd-
ney’s Circular Quay. The club has been around since
Bla the 1970s and has hosted international jazz talent as
Brenneriveien 9C, Oslo well as local acts that can draw a crowd.
(47) 22 20 91 81 // blx.no
Ensconced in a former factory, Bla is Oslo’s prime Bennett’s Lane
source for jazz discoveries. The 300-seat club knits a 25 Bennetts Lane, Melbourne
multitiered daily offering of domestic and international (61) 3 9663 2856 // bennettslane.com
jazz and related sounds. A bona fide, revered jazz haunt, Bennett’s Lane is a
200-capacity backstreet joint that has hosted Harry
Portugal Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis but also supports
local heroes.
Hot Clube De Portugal
Praça da Alegria, 39, Lisbon JAPAN
(351) 13 467 369 // hotclubedeportugal.org
Jazz started in Portugal during the late ’40s in this Alfie Jazz House
6-2-35 Roppongi, Tokyo
small basement in Lisbon. It’s open nightly from Tues-
(81) 3 3479 203 //
day through Saturdays.
homepage1.nifty.com/live/alfie/index.html
This club in a high-rise in the heart of Roppongi per-
Spain
ceives itself as sophisticated and not just the hang for
Café Central jazz “otaku” or nerds, but its clientele usually know
Plaza del Angel 10, Madrid who they’ve come to hear.
(34) 91 369 4143 // cafecentralmadrid.com Blue Note Tokyo
This informal art deco cafe close to the Plaza del An- Tokyo 107-0062
gel has been one of the few Spanish clubs offering (81) 3 5485 0088 // bluenote.co.jp
extended engagements for journeying European and The club is a large, theater-like jazz cabaret (300 seats)
American musicians. Ben Sidran has been a regular. that serves as one of the most popular nightlife attrac-
tions in the stylish Aoyama area with some of the top
Sweden jazz artists in the world coming through.
Fasching
Gamla Brogatan 44, Stockholm Listings compiled by Paul de Barros, Shaun Brady,
(46) 8 534 829 60 // fasching.se Aaron Cohen, Robert Doerschuk, Ed Enright,
Fasching’s excellence lays in the eclecticism of the Frank-John Hadley, James Hale, Michael Jackson,
programming, while retaining a solid base in reflecting Yoshi Kato, John Murph, Jennifer Odell, Jon Ross
the whole spectrum of the Stockholm jazz scene. and Joe Woodard.

Masterpiece ★★★★★ Excellent ★★★★ Good ★★★ Fair ★★ Poor ★
Inside 
57 I Jazz
61 I Blues
63 I Beyond
64 I Historical
69 I Books
Randy Weston
and his African
Rhythms Sextet
The Storyteller
Motema 51
★★★½
R andy Weston, 84, is that rare

bird—an original, creative
voice—though he has always iden-
tified with tradition: namely, the
spirit of his African ancestors. But
Weston, a gentle giant of a man,
has always embraced opposites eas-
ily. As a pianist, his orchestral ap-
proach and fondness for color owe
a lot to Duke Ellington. Yet his
pared-down melodies, judicious use
of dissonance and disjunctive trains
of thought—jumping in a trice from
thunder to light rain—are more like
Thelonious Monk.
This live recording of Weston’s
African Rhythms Sextet, the first
since 1999, is timely, as the pia-
nist recently published a welcome
as-told-to autobiography with the
same title. As a composer, Weston
tends to revisit and rework semi-
nal pieces again and again, but the
reward is not so much in the intri-
cacies as a spiritually incandescent
mood. A creator of shape-shifting
atmospheres, Weston’s band con-
carol friedman
jures spirits the way an African

lithophone player calls out to vari-
ous gods with different scales, hop-
ing for a visitation. pretty melancholy threaded through- of work song with quartal under- a speedy coda, “Fly Hi,” and ends
Unsurprisingly, the album has out. It segues directly into “African pinnings. Bassist Alex Blake has a his set as he traditionally does, with
an autumnal as well as celebra- Sunrise,” in which the band explores fine run in the third movement, “The the great Ghanaian drummer Guy
tory feel, reinforced by the pass- the Afro-Cuban fusion Pozo brought Bridge,” thrumming a flamenco feel. Warren’s “Love, The Mystery Of,”
ing of Weston’s longtime trombon- to life with Dizzy Gillespie. Blues- Weston’s more recent, ceremo- explaining to the crowd that the
ist Benny Powell shortly after it was crying alto saxophonist T.K. Blue’s nially slow composition “The band has tried to “capture the spirits
made. The music is lovely, but does allusions to “Hot House,” “Night Shrine” offers haunting voicings for of the ancients.”
not always catch fire and a few tracks In Tunisia” and “Manteca” are nice flute, trombone and piano, and the From time to time, they do.
go on a bit long. Weston’s stream-of- touches. Weston’s music never strays witty, Monkish “Loose Wig” of- —Paul de Barros
consciousness solo style sometimes far from the blues; Powell is down fers Weston’s only splashy, carefree The Storyteller: Chano Pozo; African Sunrise;
crosses the line from brilliance to with the program on this soulful out- moments, ending with an animated The African Cookbook Suite: Tehuti, Jus’ Blues,
noodling. His opening solo, dedicat- ing on “Jus’ Blues,” the aptly titled conversation between all the instru-
The Bridge; The Shrine; Loose Wig; Wig Loose;
Hi Fly; Fly Hi; Love, The Mystery Of. (74:18)
ed to the great Afro-Cuban drum- second movement of “The African ments. Weston gets into some glid- Personnel: Randy Weston, piano; Benny Pow-
ell, trombone; T.K. Blue, alto saxophone, flute;
mer Chano Pozo, has some fine, Cookbook Suite.” Weston rumbles ing stride on his classic “Hi Fly,” Alex Blake, bass; Neil Clarke, percussion; Lewis
Nash, drums.
dancing moments, with wisps of up a fine mess here himself, a sort also taken very slowly, followed by Ordering info: motema.com

Charlie Hunter dividualistic enough to actually feel like a
Public Domain duet is going down. There are moments in
Spire the program when the thumb-pluck tech-
★★★★ nique gets a bit predictable, and actually
tilts towards the tedious. But for the most
C all it the gramophone ap-

proach. The physical disc of
Charlie Hunter’s second solo gui-
part—on the carousel frolic of “Meet Me
In St. Louis,” where he attempts to get a lit-
tle Blind Blake going, say—it’s a nice way
tar album has the resonance of a to paint yourself out of a rhythm section-
shellac 78, even allowing its nee- less corner.
dle-riding grooves to be discern- Just because the guitarist keeps these
ible to the touch. This packaging performances on a tight leash doesn’t mean
parallels the ancient material the he banishes expressiveness. The liquid tone
perpetually modern improviser of the single-note foray on “Limehouse
essays this time ’round. Curated Blues” is loaded with personality. And one
by Hunter’s 99-year-old grand- of the most fascinating spins is “Low Bridge
father, Public Domain is a yes- Song (15 Miles On The Erie Canal),” which
teryear romp that accounts for sets its melody in a series of ominous taps
1920s foxtrots, Al Jolson nug- and plinks that make you forget previous
gets and nods to an era when the versions by Burl Ives and Bruce Springsteen.
Ziegfeld Follies ruled the entertainment roost. itself. That’s how it is on “Avalon” as well: The Hunter brings the sweat of barge work to the ta-
Because of its dedication to focus and celebra- curt romp leaps from the speakers while the ble, and as the whispery track unfolds, you start
tion of bounce, the entire thing is a hoot. guitarist restacks the theme in a couple differ- thinking that the famed waterway should actu-
Hunter, whose fanciful excursions into the ent ways. Thanks to his dexterity, he winds up ally be deemed “eerie.” Though he spends much
stratosphere are well documented (don’t be conjuring the Atkins/Paul rendition on the clas- of Public Domain applying for a job as the new
afraid to revisit Groundtruther’s Come In Red sic Chester & Lester date. Mitch Miller, on this one Hunter seems more like
Dog, This Is Tango Leader), plays things rela- This abracadabra interplay comes from the old David Lynch. —Jim Macnie
tively straight here. Rather than abandoning the Hunter using his thumb as a rhythm section.
melodies for parts unknown, he hovers around There’s a dash of syncopation to several tracks, Public Domain: Ain’t We Got Fun; Alexander’s Ragtime Band;
Avalon; Cielito Lindo; Danny Boy; Low Bridge Song (15 Miles On
them, nudging nuanced variations into the fore- and his seven-string instrument allows an ar- Em DownCanal);
The Erie Indiana; Limehouse Blues; How You Gonna Keep
On The Farm?; Meet Me In St. Louis; St. Louis Blues.
ground. “Meet Me In St Louis” could be a sing- ray of bass patterns to bubble up. The opening (37:54)
a-long; the tune’s infectious nature speaks for
Personnel: Charlie Hunter, seven-string guitar.
lines of a droll saunter through “Indiana” are in- Ordering info: charliehunter.com
Paquito D’Rivera wise known as camp.

Panamericana Suite Among the instrumentals, “Serenade” is a
Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild 1026 lovely piece in which D’Rivera’s elegant clari-
★★★ net glides with an 18th century Mozartian grace,
complete with tremolos and flitting classical fili-
P aquito D’Rivera’s contrasting as-

pirations shift with all the sud-
denness his prodigious crossover
grees. Perhaps the most invigorating turn comes
in D’Rivera’s “Fiddle Dreams,” a work of steely
intelligence performed as a tightly wrought en-
skills allow in this 2008 Pittsburgh semble piece with pianist Alon Yavnai and the
concert (and his fifth for the MCG la- rhythm section. Written for violin, it provides a
bel), which offers a performance arc fine vehicle for D’Rivera’s spotless clarinet vir-
from fierce, small group exactitude tuosity without bogging down in affectation. Its
(“Fiddle Dreams”) to rather heavy- brittle rhythms and phrasings are a glass me-
handed operatic pretense. In showcas- nagerie of sharp, thin, dense, angular and tinsel
ing his range as performer and com- strands. But the threads never snap.
poser (five of the pieces are his), he “Waltz For Moe,” “Con Alma” and “Tojo”
has deployed and mixed elements that find D’Rivera on alto and are squarely in the
would seem better left to their own Latin jazz pocket. The yeoman solo work is fit-
respective classical and jazz realms. tingly fiery without being especially surprising,
Even his jazz phrasings (on clarinet at though Edmar Castanada stands out on “Moe”
least) often sound touched by a stately rectitude opens fire in full operatic mode. Her rich colora- in a rare and nimble spin on the harp, an outlier
characteristic of a classical temperament. tura power would be impressive in its proper eleven in the “miscellaneous instrument” catego-
D’Rivera’s “Panamericana Suite” promises ement, but is thoroughly jarring and almost os- ry. “Preludio N. 3” is an attractive tango with ele-
rhythms and styles from all over Latin America, tentatious here, vastly out of scale and purpose ments of a minuet. —John McDonough
but that’s insufficient to sustain the curious with the surrounding environment. It’s a perfor- Panamericana Suite: Waltz For Moe; Con Alma; Preludio No. 3;
11-minute opus that follows. After a rather om- mance that sucks in all the surrounding oxygen. Tojo; Panamericana Suite; Fiddle Dreams; Serenade; Song For
Peace. (68:37)
inous indigenous chant by Pedro Martinez and A second semi-operatic fling, “Song For Peace,” Personnel: Paquito Rivera, clarinet, alto saxophone; Diego Urcola,
a brief fanfare, soprano Brenda Feliciano of- is more in the art song mode, but burdened with horn; Dave Samuels, vibraphone, marimba; Edmar Castaneda,
trumpet; Dana Leong, trombone, cello; Henderson, trumpet, flugel-
fers a soft, sweetly voiced spoken introduction pious cliches like “together we can make the harp; Alon Yavnai, piano; Oscar Stagnaro, bass; Mark Walker,
drums; Pernell Saturnino, percussion; Andy Narell, steel pans;
in praise of “one awesome mass of soil.” A little world a better place.” The effect is one of unmit- cals; Brenda
Hector del Curto, bandoneon; Pedro Matinez, batas, timbales, vo-
Feliciano, soprano vocal (5, 8).
geological pride is fine, but a moment later she igated pomposity and failed seriousness, other- Ordering info: mcgjazz.org

Hot Box
The
CD Critics 
Randy Weston and His

John McDonough John Corbett Jim Macnie Paul de Barros
African Rhythms Sextet ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★½ ★★★½

The Storyteller
Charlie Hunter ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★

Public Domain
Avishai Cohen Paquito D’Rivera ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★½

Panamericana Suite
Introducing Triveni
Anzic 5103
Avishai Cohen
★★★★½ Introducing Triveni
★★★½ ★★★★½ ★★★★ ★★★
I t’s turning out to be a very good time for the

trumpet. From Peter Evans and Josh Berman
to Magnus Broo and Roland Ramanan, there is
Critics’ Comments 
Randy Weston, The Storyteller

a wealth of different approaches and aesthetics
in creative music today, enough to remind one Familiarity breeds fervor in this gem of Afrocentric nostalgia. The lineup goes back nearly 20 years and a
of what a shock it was when Dave Douglas ap- couple of the tunes, more than 50. The oldest, a Monkish “Loose Wig,” sounds the most contemporary, but
Weston goes at it all with a boyish passion for discovery moving between restraint and thunder.
peared on the scene with his startling chops —John McDonough
and inventiveness. In a way Douglas set the bar Another satisfying chapter in Weston’s lifelong exploration of Africa via jazz, with drummer Lewis Nash added
higher, and now a wave of practitioners is jos- for extra juice. Bittersweet dedication to the late Benny Powell, whose big, conch-like trombone was a voice in
tling around that bar. the Weston band’s signature sound for such a stretch. Weston’s brilliant elementalism still commands attention.
—John Corbett
Anyone interested in these developments
who’s looking for something to get excited A nice little document of what the mighty pianist’s interactive ensemble is all about. The restless forward mo-
tion, the attention to atmosphere, the dedication to dynamics. —Jim Macnie
about should take careful notice of Avishai
Cohen. He’s got everything—terrifying con- Paquito D’Rivera, Panamericana Suite
trol, great taste and personal style. With
I sometimes prefer the discrete moments of Americana here to the panoramic experience. Edmar Castane-
no fellow horns, no harmonic safety-net, da’s blazing harp solo on the opener, for instance, doesn’t need a syncretic subtext (or anthemic text) to be
Cohen’s completely exposed. But he doesn’t worthy. But D’Rivera and his orchestra mix and match South and Central American and Caribbean musics
need any cover, he’s utterly capable, so un- along with North American jazz to respectfully reveal their commonalities and distinct personae.
—John Corbett
forced and relaxed that it’s slightly dizzying.
I warm up when a waltz is turned into a whirl by Andy Narell’s pans. I drift off when the soprano’s voice gets
He covers a Don Cherry tune, “Art Deco,” but operatic and the band goes into prayer mode. There’s something unfocused about the entire outing.
really steers clear of direct reference, instead —Jim Macnie
whirling, dipping and leaping joyously, nev- Paquito’s been exploring classical music of late and he’s assembled an impressive all-star band here to play
er showing off but never backing off either, the music of the Americas. But the result feels a bit like musical tourism. The best moments are the classical
cello/piano piece “Serenade” and Paquito’s nimble, matchless clarinet, on the choro-inspired “Fiddle Dreams.”
transforming Cherry’s melody completely —Paul de Barros
into his own music.
The young Israeli-born trumpeter has cho- Charlie Hunter, Public Domain
sen his partners carefully. Bassist Omer Avital Hunter’s down-to-earth simplicity is likably subversive. But he largely smothers the promise of these oldies under
is also stunning here, and drummer Nasheet sluggish tempos. “Farm” shows some life. But jazz staples like “Indiana” are frozen in stiff, lumbering straightjack-
Waits continues his impressive and versatile ets that tramp along to a rigid quarter-note trudge. Next time, loosen it up and swing. —John McDonough
work, sympathetic in every way. After a brood- The one-man-band is best comprehended sans accompaniment, solo. So it is on Public Domain, my new
ing intro by the rhythm section, Cohen kicks favorite Charlie Hunter outing. Perfectly droll selection and even more perfect approach—laid-back as possible,
gently over-driven sound, amusing and enlightening inventions. —John Corbett
into John Coltrane’s “Wise One” radiantly, his
Charlie Hunter’s an amazing musician, never less than funky, but this playful solo collection of old American
soft, but acute tone navigated through a pene- favorites is pretty forgettable, seemingly done more to amuse the guitarist and his granddad—who chose the
trating theme and solo. Though the setting is tunes—than anyone else. —Paul de Barros
very open and unconfined, Cohen stays away
Avishai Cohen, Introducing Triveni
from the noisier parts of the contemporary
trumpet vocabulary, preferring melodic chal- Cohen comes out of the gate with such a sense of focus and drive on “One Man’s Idea,” the rest of the CD
lenges to textural ones. His own compositions never quite catches up with itself. Without any sensational tricks up his sleeve, though, his crisp mid-range
attack and clear lines sustain with exceptional strength and coherence in a lean, pianoless trio format.
are excellent foils, the lovely “Amenu” showing —John McDonough
what he can do with a mute, which is plenty, and One of the most engaging trumpet trio discs I’ve ever heard, it’s based on a balance of fervor and lyricism. Co-
“October 25th” introducing a gnarly bit of funk, hen’s invention is front and center throughout. As he messes with melody, he also finds ways to invite textural
without any dopey affectations.—John Corbett variations into the action. The rhythm section is deeply on the case. —Jim Macnie
Triveni: One Man’s Idea; Ferrara Napoly; Art Deco; Mood Indigo; Cohen has a bold, round tone, fine sense of a phrase, great swing feel and crisp articulation. Lyrical, too. But
Wise One; Amenu; You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To; October there’s something instinctively conservative about his playing with this pianoless trio, a feeling that didn’t be-
25th. (57:18) come apparent until they got to the Coltrane tune “Wise One,” which invites a musician to become possessed.
Personnel: Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Omer Avital, bass; Nasheet —Paul de Barros
Waits, drums.
Ordering info: anzicrecords.com

James Cotton ties, exhibiting taste through-
Giant out. Allen handles most of the
Alligator 4940 vocals. He shares a range and
★★★ tonal similarity to B.B. King,
minus the soul-shaking shouts
T here’s good news and

bad news on the James
Cotton front. The good
at the end of his lines. The slow
numbers betray his voice, as he
lacks the drama to fill the spac-
news is that the 75-year-old es. But Kenny Neal Jr.’s tight
blues veteran is playing har- drum support is particularly
monica almost as well as he gratifying: a third-generation
ever has. The bad news is that he’s no longer sing- bluesman, he’s extending the line.
ing. While he’s in good instrumental company Cotton’s solos are forceful, if measured (sel-
on this album, the vocals don’t hold up as well as dom more than a chorus) and as an accompanist
the playing—a mixture of old and new material. he’s a pungent commentator, squarely stabbing
Cotton can certainly be forgiven for relinquish- the notes and chords. His phrases are shorter Tamir Hendelman
ing vocal chores. As far back as Living The Blues than they once were, but they’re full of tonal va- Destinations
from 1994, he was rasping hoarse. The man gave riety, summoning a steamship, a train whistle, a Resonance 1017
at the office. saxophone, a hurricane and an octave-jumping ★★★
Cotton has led some fine bands over the bird. When he switches to the chromatic harp on
years, and this is a solid one. It tears through var-
ious speeds of shuffles (“Buried Alive In The
Blues,” “Going Down Main Street” and “With
“Sad” and “Blues For Koko,” it spreads warmth
throughout the tune. The tour de force tribute to
Koko Taylor signifies that Cotton’s not through
O n Tamir Hendelman’s innately impres-
sive new album, the Israel-born and Los
Angeles-based pianist demonstrates the unde-
The Quickness,”), funk (“Change”), middling- creating by a long shot. —Kirk Silsbee niable depth and technical mastery of his ap-
to-slow rhythm numbers (“Heard You’re Getting Giant: Buried Alive In The Blues; Heard You’re Getting Married;
proach to his instrument, putting him in the
Married,” “Let Yourself Go”) and real slow blues Find Yourself Another Fool; Sad Sad Day; Change; How Blue company of such young jazz dazzlers as Eldar.
(“Sad Sad Day,” “How Blue Can You Get?” and In powerful trio collusion with Italian bassist
Can You Get?; With The Quickness; Since I Met You Baby; Go-
ing Down Main Street; That’s All Right; Let Yourself Go; Blues For
“Since I Met You Baby”). The two-guitar line- Koko. (49:27)
Personnel: James Cotton, harmonica; Slam Allen, guitar, vocals; Marco Panascia and New York drummer Lewis
up of Slam Allen and Tom Holland provides a Tom Holland, guitar, vocal (4); Noel Neal, electric bass; Ronnie
James Weber, electric bass (4); Kenny Neal Jr., drums.
Nash, Hendelman takes care to cover many sty-
simpatico team that trades lead and rhythm du- Ordering info: alligator.com listic bases and musical terrains on the album,
bringing his fervent keyboard attack and ar-
ranger’s touch.
Tyler Blanton In general, the recording presents Hendel-
Botanic man as a wowing, wash ’n’ wear virtuoso, with
Ottimo Music the ability to unleash dexterous energies in mul-
★★★½ tiple stylistic directions. The album’s subti-
tle could be “derivations,” as he works his way
T he debut release from vibraphonist Tyler

Blanton begins with an upbeat head ar-
rangement that sounds like something Billy
through standards, Braziliana, a pinch of clas-
sical and high-wire bebop, with a version of
Charlie Parker’s “Anthropology” which lay-
Taylor or Milt Jackson might have penned ers the classic serpentine head with the pia-
years ago. “Already Here,” featuring the trio nist’s own new, intertwining layer of contra-
with bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Jared puntal cerebration. On somewhat mellower
Schonig, is a cantering swing through uncom- turf, Hendelman’s two originals, “Israeli Waltz”
plicated blues cliches. The title track is similar- and “Babushka” suggest bittersweet Israeli folk
ly wholesome, hinting at Blanton’s green, or- tunes pressed into the service of jazz.
ganic outlook. Schonig is a splashy, but crisply The album’s much-needed moment of soul-
detailed, energetic drummer and works well be- “Mellow Afternoon” is indicative of the chill ful probity comes with Hendelman’s sensitive
hind the authoritative tenor of Joel Frahm who temperament endemic to musicians drawn to the take on Keith Jarrett’s “My Song.” Hendelman
completely takes charge with a resolutely con- vibraphone’s delicate resonance, Frahm’s drive slows down and heeds the delicate beauty at
ceived solo that takes time to dance with the on soprano like a darting bird over the plac- hand, while sneaking in a few elbowing synco-
beat and take other audacious rhythmic liberties, id lake pictured on the back cover of the CD. pations, as is his wont.
shadowed by Schonig. Blanton has a nice sense “Little Two” shifts metrically but like all this Amid the furious, serious musical flow of
of equilibrium and paints pellucid tones with his music is cute, clean and impeccably articulated, Destinations, at times, an instinctive response of
mallets, always attentive to the contours of his with more space for the inventive Schonig. The “how’d he do that?” mixes in with “where is he
compositions and comping. quartal theme of “Hemming And Hawing,” with coming from?” One could wish for more ques-
“Good Ol’ Joel” seems written with Frahm’s Loomis pushing the action this time, draws out tioning and lyricism in his approach to the music,
quicksilver soprano saxophone technique in more intensity that is carried through to the ur- and less pyrotechnical, chest-thumping declara-
mind, though Blanton takes the first solo, elements gent closer, which displays a little more attitude tions. Nonetheless, Hendelman is clearly a musi-
from which are picked up by Frahm to build his and thrust from this promising young leader than cal force to reckon with and keep tabs on.
own pithy exploration. “Foreshadowing” is more the opening tracks. —Michael Jackson —Josef Woodard
somber and reflective, chordal rather than trick-
ily melodic. Loomis is dropped in for a solo be- Botanic: Already Here; Botanic; Good Ol’ Joel; Foreshadowing;
Mellow Afternoon; Little Two; Hemming And Hawing; Vestibule.
Destinations: Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams; Passarim; Soft
Winds; Le Tombeau de Couperin; My Song; You Stepped Out of a
fore rasping tenor from Frahm and some busy (49.58)
Personnel: Tyler Blanton, vibraphone; Joel Frahm, tenor and so-
Dream; Israeli Waltz; Anthropology; Babushka; On the Street Where
You Live; BQE; Valentine. (71:49)
but tight interplay between Blanton and Schonig, prano saxophone; Richie Barshay, drums (5, 8); Jared Schonig, Personnel: Tamir Hendelman, piano; Marco Panascia, bass; Lewis
the latter always injecting textures and ideas.
drums; Aidan Carroll, bass (5, 8); Dan Loomis, bass. Nash, drums.
Ordering info: tylerblanton.net Ordering info: resonancerecords.org

Mina Cho what some pianists accomplish with forearms
Originality and fists, though in her case every note remains
Mina Cho Music clear within the climactic wash.
★★★★ Given the sophistication of this material, it’s
tempting to say that Cho is primarily a com-
O riginality isn’t about introducing

Mina Cho as a young firebrand.
The impression here, more difficult
poser with accomplished instrumental chops.
But the truth is more impressive: She is a ful-
ly integrated artist, with every element of ex-
to attain, is that she is a musician of pression in balance. Like many from her gen-
the first order and can already take eration, Cho creates by drawing from eclectic
her place as a significant player. influences. Her process, though, lacks any sense
Throughout this collection of in- of the exotic. On “A Shy Angel, Cheyenne,”
strumentals and one marvelous vocal when she brakes from a rhythmically vigorous
song (“Because You Are Looking At opening section and eases into a lush, rubato-
Me”), the South Korean pianist gen- inflected solo piano episode in waltz time, and
erally executes the parts she assigns from there into festive joropo that gradually ab-
to her instrument. When backing a sorbs a sharp funk strut into the beat, Cho and
soloist, she plays full, rich chords and her group make every transition feel logical and
figures, often with tremolos or bris- expressive. Even when adding accordion and
tling interactions between her hands. acoustic guitar and playing largely from a cho-
Her voicings can be dense, but she positions them text, Cho begins her solo thoughtfully, stating ro foundation on the title cut, one of Cho’s pre-
almost cautiously, never nudging or jabbing but a theme in sync with Sam J.C. Lee’s marvel- ferred accompaniment devices—chords puls-
rather changing the texture, like a lighting direc- ously subtle pattern. From here she nurtures ing restlessly between the beats—imposes her
tor for actors playing their roles onstage. the idea through a gradually unfolding stretch already distinctive brand. —Robert Doerschuk
When Cho takes the spotlight, she reveals across the keys through which a montuño feel
an assured technique. She can spin fleet lines briefly blossoms, only to dovetail perfectly into Originality: Corea; Can I?; A White Lion; A Shy Angel, Cheyenne;
in her solos, but her preferred mode of expres- the top of Andrew Halchak’s alto chorus. And
Originality; Maria; Choro No. 2; I Like A Turtle; Because You Are
Looking At Me. (58:09)
sion is more compositional. “Can I?” is in 3/4 when the meter switches to 4/4 for an unexpect- Personnel: Mina Cho, piano; Andrew Halchak, soprano and alto
saxophones; Shu Odamura, electric and acoustic guitar; Pier Luigi
but divided into clever sub-rhythms that inject ed, swirling finale, Cho plays carefully pedaled Salami, accordion; Sam J.C. Lee, bass; Mario Rodriguez, drums,
percussion; David Thorne Scott, vocal.
a feeling of delightful imbalance. In this con- chords in rapid triplets; the effect is similar to Ordering info: minachomusic.com

Cecil Taylor/ machinations, there’s nothing
Tony Oxley remotely relaxed about these
Ailanthus/ performances.
Altissima: The two suite-like pieces
bilateral wax and wane with stunning
dimensions of beauty, each building out
2 root songs from terse little crab-stepped
Triple Point 037 phrases shaped by the pianist
★★★★ into masterfully controlled,
rhythmically phantasmago-
T he British percussion-
ist Tony Oxley ranks
as one of Cecil Taylor’s most trusted drum-
ric starbursts; the music ex-
hibits a feverish volatility
and while Taylor is clearly in the driver’s seat,
mers; the pair have collaborated regularly since Oxley’s imagination seems hard-wired to his
1988, when the pianist spent a month in Berlin, partner’s every impulse, as the drummer per-
when they recorded the classic release Leaf Palm fectly limns, rhymes, or girds every movement
Hand (FMP), most steadily in the Feel Trio with without a hint of latency. Although the intensity
bassist William Parker. The astonishing music ebbs and flows, the duo never engages in simple Roscoe Mitchell and
on Ailanthus/Altissima, an expensive and highly acceleration and deceleration; instead, Taylor is The Note Factory
limited-edition double vinyl set, packaged with forever looking on the horizon, pushing the mu- Far Side
a lovely booklet featuring poetry by Taylor and sic into consistently new terrain, and while his ECM 2087
paintings by Oxley, was recorded during a week- language and phrasing may be familiar here, ★★★★
long Village Vanguard stint in 2008, and marks his drive and invention sounds as fresh and vi-
their first duo release since the pianist’s German
residency 32 years ago. Despite their ages—
Taylor is 81 and Oxley, 72—the performanc-
tal as anything he’s done in decades. A late-ca-
reer gem. —Peter Margasak R ecorded live in 2007, Far Side documents
a “new” version of Roscoe Mitchell’s dou-
ble quartet, a band that includes two of the most
es here reveal undiminished powers, and while Ailanthus/Altissima: Ailanthus; Altissima. (83:85) prominent young piano players in jazz today,
the pianist generally eschews his most volcanic Craig Taborn and Vijay Iyer. It is rounded out
Personnel: Cecil Taylor, piano; Tony Oxley, drums.
Ordering info: triplepointrecords.com
by rising star Corey Wilkes on trumpet and a
core of longtime associates, bass players Jaribu
Mike Reed’s es, scouting for midnight Shahid and Harrison Bankhead (who doubles
Loose Assembly prey. All aware this is on cello) as well as drummers Tani Tabbal and
Empathetic time for suspended long- Vincent Davis.
Parts tones, Abrams stomps One of the main interests of this recording
482 Music 1074 off like a three-legged resides in how Mitchell structured his compo-
★★★★ bear. Mitchell switches sitions. Each piece works as a suite with each
to flute, Adasiewicz twin- part featuring a different band configuration.
D rummer/promot-
er Mike Reed, the
éminence grise of pro-
kles stars, Reid’s plucked
cello plays cub following
Abrams. Ward’s feverish-
Some of the compositions’ titles are indicative
in this respect (“Quintet 2007 A For Eight”
or “Trio Four For Eight”). This approach of-
gressive Chicago mu- ly investigative alto her- ten produces arresting moments. In particu-
sic due to his bolstering alds further wheeling solar, the string instruments provide a wonderful
of improv venues and prano before Reed’s ride warmth to material that could otherwise easily
the Umbrella Festival, flew in Roscoe Mitchell cymbal and Abrams kick into urgent swing, un- pass for brainy or stark.
at the last minute to guest with his quintet at der-painted with pools of watercolor vibraphone. Those outcomes also illustrate Mitchell’s tal-
woodsy Chicago bar The Hideout for a concert The fever subsides, Ward skitters like an owl- ent at getting the best out of his musicians. Once
in 2009. I attended the gig, which was remark- dodging mouse before an arco sawing impasse again, evidence is given that Wilkes never sounds
able for several reasons, not least the appearance which prompts Reed to rattle around furiously, better than under his leadership. Ample opportu-
of band members, save Mitchell, in blue work- moving things forward with lumberjack-meets- nities are provided for everyone to shine.
er overalls with colored armbands. Inspired by flamenco bass. Mitchell’s soprano sounds naive- At this time in his career, Mitchell’s music
strategies of local creative musicians, including ly unaware of the dangers of the forest with alto seems to reveal more conceptual or son-
Fred Lonberg-Holm’s Lightbox Orchestra, Reed creeping behind, not to mention chiming, cuckoo ic connections to other Association for the
devised a system of colored paddles to signal vibes. Soprano is strangled to the dismay of cello Advancement of Creative Musicians luminaries,
changes of texture and note value. Despite this and guilt of alto, then they all get the hell out … such as Anthony Braxton or Henry Threadgill.
artifice, the music comes across with a strong to wild audience applause. That being said, the recording remains quintes-
narrative arc rather than as an aleatoric collage. The second piece, from drummer Steve sential Mitchell. His ability to create a maelstrom
Reed starts with nothing in particular— McCall’s unknown catalogue, features an in- powered by his dazzling circular breathing tech-
cymbal shimmers, mallet taps, snare smudges— advertent “Sophisticated Lady” fragment from nique, his keen interest in textures or his use of
then an ominous collective intro phrase precedes Mitchell before a gorgeous entry into the melo- extremely sparse notes are all highlighted and, as
a clang-tipped sustain spilling into false-fin- dy from all. A stop about four minutes in her- a result, Far Side is a fine addition to his some-
gered squalls from Mitchell. Richly textured cel- alds new melodic segments, beautifully framed what inconsistent discography. —Alain Drouot
lo from Tomeka Reid precedes an eerie collec- by Ward and Adasiewiscz. —Michael Jackson
tive hum and another clanging checkered flag,
Far Side: Far Side/Cards/Far Side; Quintet 2007 A For Eight; Trio
Four For Eight; Ex Flover Five. (65:57)
or rather colored paddle, for Mitchell. Reed clat- Empathetic Parts: Empathetic Parts; I’ll Be Right Here Waiting. (41.58)
Personnel: Mike Reed, drums, percussion; Roscoe Mitchell, alto
Personnel: Roscoe Mitchell, saxophones, flutes; Corey Wilkes,
trumpet, flugelhorn; Craig Taborn, piano; Vijay Iyer, piano; Jaribu
ters busily behind Mitchell’s cycle breathing, and soprano saxes, flute: Greg Ward, alto sax; Tomeka Reid, cello;
Jason Adasiewicz, vibraphone; Joshua Abrams, bass.
Shahid, bass; Harrison Bankhead, bass, cello; Tani Tabbal, drums;
Vincent Davis, drums.
then everyone hangs like owls on tree branch- Ordering info: 482music.com Ordering info: ecmrecords.com

Jazz | Byjames hale
Six-String Magicians Kurt Rosenwinkel:

Soaring
Smooth, round and sweet, Russell Malone’s

tone might be what catches the ear first,
but it’s his ability to vary his attack and tim-
ing that maintains interest. On Triple Play
(MaxJazz 607; 60:52 ★★★★), his first trio
recording, he showcases the full range of
the voice that has made him a busy musi-
cal accomplice for the likes of Ron Carter
and Diana Krall. Mining the horn-like me-
lodic tradition that stretches back to Char-
lie Christian, Malone is always ready with a
slightly tart aside or rhythmic twist. Bassist
David Wong and drummer Montez Cole-
man are ideal partners for him, working
hand-in-glove and mirroring him closely. A
more chordal take on “The Kind Of Girl She
Is” and a ripe, solo interpretation of “Un-
chained Melody” complete the picture of
Malone in his prime.
Ordering info: maxjazz.com
Recently, Joe Morris has been explor-
ing the double bass more than his signature
dry-toned electric six-string, but Camera
(ESP-Disk 4063; 50:22 ★★★½) finds him
Lourdes Delgado
contrasting his regular axe against violin

and cello. With Luther Gray on understated
drums—with cymbals that sound as arid as
Morris’ guitar—the string trio is front and
center. Katt Hernandez’s violin explores employ electric guitar as an additional color
impressionistic, microtonal territory, while rather than as an ongoing lead voice. With
cellist Junko Fujiwara Simons plays acer- his signal processed into a rich, piping tone,
bic washes under Morris’ typically skittery Kurt Rosenwinkel more than holds his own
lead lines. The combination of fine-grained with Portugal’s Orquestra Jazz Matosinhos,
guitar detail and more gauzy string tex- performing seven of his own compositions
tures highlights the link to the photographic on Our Secret World (Word Of Mouth
theme, and it’s not difficult to visualize Music 00003; 66:13 ★★★★½). The band’s
street scenes—both stark and abstract—to three arrangers find ways of making him an
accompany Morris’ six compositions. integral element. On “Dream Of The Old,”
Ordering info: espdisk.com Carlos Azevedo’s chart has Rosenwinkel
Desert Island Dreamers (Arbors Jazz soaring over the band with a sound so large
19412; 63:40 ★★½) would’ve been a stron- that it seems to be as broad and rich as the
ger recording had Bucky, John and Martin entire horn section.
Pizzarelli obeyed the “no ‘Stairway’” rule Ordering info: wommusic.com
from Wayne’s World and steered clear of Veteran guitarist and educator Rolf
the Led Zeppelin classic. That’s not the Sturm steps away from the band he co-
only programming decision that makes leads with his bassist brother and delivers
you wonder what other options were in 10 solo acoustic performances that reso-
play. “Over The Rainbow,” “Danny Boy” nate with verve. Balance (Water Street
and “Moon River” surely deserve a rest, Music 124; 50:59 ★★★★) is divided be-
and poet Rod McKuen’s “A Man Alone” is tween jazz standards like “Stella By Star-
a slight thing. There is no shortage of in- light” and “Out Of Nowhere” and an equal
strumental prowess here, but the choice number of originals that take whimsical
of material—maudlin and overused in the anagrams as their titles (“Alone Together”
main—makes it seem like an easy-listening becomes “To Get Her Alone,” for example).
session rather than anyone’s idea of an es- Sturm’s style encompasses elements of
sential collection. classical, American roots music and fla-
Ordering info: arborsrecords.com menco, and he mixes them so seamlessly
Although amplification helps, making a and constantly that they become their own
guitar heard in the context of a 16-piece, anagram. Regardless of his approach, each
brass- and reed-heavy band represents a piece is suffused with tremendous energy
challenge. Composer-arrangers like Maria and movement. DB
Schneider and Darcy James Argue often Ordering info: waterstreetmusic.org

Lew Soloff, Steve Richman Suzanne Pittson’s Freddie Hubbard tribute, on
and the Harmonie the other hand, is anything but conservative. As she
Ensemble of New York did on her 1999 release A Remembrance Of John
Sketches Of Spain Coltrane, Pittson bravely uses her voice to pay hom-
Sheffield Lab 10089 age to the work of one of the most important figures
★★★ in hard-bop. Covering tunes from across Hubbard’s
catalogue, the vocalist—along with her husband
Suzanne Pittson and pianist, Jeff, and Evan Pittson—pens new lyrics
Out Of The Hub: for about half of the tracks. And for the most part,
The Music Of she doesn’t waver even when facing a vocal reinter-
Freddie Hubbard pretation of some of Hubbard’s trickiest and best-
Vineland Records 7757 known solos, from “Byrd Like” to “Crisis.”
★★★ The band complements her soprano beautifully
on tracks like “Gibraltar,” with Jeremy Pelt helping
W hy bother? This is the most obvious, if simplistic, question to ask of

a tribute album. And if the project is worthwhile, the artists prob-
ably have answers. For Steve Richman, the conductor of the Harmonie
to set a swinging vibe from the outset, and John Patitucci keeping the bot-
tom intact on tunes where Pittson’s soprano threatens to overwhelm things.
At times, the singer’s chordal leaps and otherwise pristine phrasing feel a
Ensemble of New York, the 2008 performance of Sketches Of Spain with bit forced and unstable. But on tunes like “Out Of The Hub,” she recov-
Lew Soloff was a passion project and a story of family friendships. Its re- ers gracefully, thanks in large part to a scat that jives more naturally with
cent recording and release also happens to mark the 50th anniversary of Hubbard’s music than her often poetic (but sometimes saccharine) lyrics.
the 1960 masterpiece, offering a new perspective from which to consider If the answer to “Why sing Hubbard?” is about creative risk and original-
the masterful arrangements, world music-tinged solos and unmatched col- ity, then Pittson’s project succeeds despite its hiccups. —Jennifer Odell
laborative efforts of Gil Evans and Miles Davis.
While Soloff understandably makes the conservative choice to stick Sketches of Spain: Concierto De Aranjuez; Will O’ The Wisp; The Pan Piper; Saeta; Solea. (41:02)
Personnel: Lew Soloff, trumpet; Steve Richman, conductor; Harmonie Ensemble of New York: Domi-
closely to Davis’ original trumpet part, Richman’s orchestra softens and nic Derasse, Kenny Rampton, Joe Giorgiannai, Marc Osterer, trumpets; Mike Seltzer, Earl McIntyre,
trombones; R.J. Kelley, Doug Lyons, Vincent Chancey, french horns; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Ed Joffe,
rounds out some of the edginess of that first recording. The castanet is mut- Ralph Olsen, Rick Heckman, Charles Pillow, Ron Jannelli, reeds; Stacey Shames, harp; Francois Mou-
ed, while Francois Moutin’s bass comes closer to the surface on “Concierto
tin, bass; Jim Musto, drums; Jon Haas, Erik Charlston, percussion.
Ordering info: sheffieldlab.com
De Aranjuez.” In a darker version of “Solea,” Soloff’s lines harken back to
the wooziness of “Will O’ The Wisp,” rather than adhering to Davis’ ten-
Out Of The Hub: The Music Of Freddie Hubbard: Our Own (Gibraltar); Up Jumped Spring; Out Of The
Hub (One Of Another Kind); Bright Sun (Lament For Booker); True Visions (True Colors); You’re My Every-
dency to bend notes to their breaking points. The end result is a faithful, if thing; We’re Having a Crisis (Crisis); Moment To Moment; Lost And Found (The Melting Pot); Like A Byrd
(Byrd Like); Betcha By Golly, Wow! (45:07)
conservative, tribute to one of the most endlessly fascinating collaborations Personnel: Suzanne Pittson, voice; Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Wilson, alto and soprano saxo-
phones; Jeff Pittsom, piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano; John Patitucci, bass; Willie Jones III, drums.
in the music’s history. Ordering info: suzannepittson.com
Ingrid Laubrock
Anti-House
Intakt 173
★★★
T he liner notes put it so well,

there’s no point saying it any
other way; this music is informa-
tion-dense. Even when saxophonist
Ingrid Laubrock plays with essen-
tial restraint, it has a heft that makes
casual listening pointless.
This is the German-born musician’s first effort under her own name
since leaving London for Brooklyn, and she has surrounded herself with
accompanists who realize her music with unstinting commitment. No
one trifles or coasts. John Hébert and Tom Rainey sound extraordinari-
ly assured articulating “Quick Draw’s” rapidly changing rhythmic terrain.
Mary Halvorson shifts with aplomb from hushed, baleful ambience to car-
oming, crushed-metal chords. And Kris Davis exercises unbearable re-
straint on the creeping “Big Crunch.” Laubrock ranges just as freely on
her horns, sounding like a microtonally mindful Paul Desmond on the
stealthy ballad “Tex & Clementine” and plumbing the spiky introduction
to “Funhouse Glockwork” with Bhob Rainey-like gulps and gargles.
The more time one spends with this record, the more it impresses.
Beyond the rigorous playing, each of its 14 tracks abounds with surprise
changes in shape and direction. But while it commands admiration, it’s
hard to love; the contrasts and complexities don’t really add up to some
greater whole. —Bill Meyer
Anti-House: Slowfish Glowfish; Flowery Prison Cell; Messy Minimum; Quick Draw; Funhouse Glock-
work; Tex & Clementine; Anti-House; Is Life Anything Like This; Big Bang; Big Crunch; Betterboon; Tom
Can’t Sleep; Oh Yes; Mona Lisa Trampoline. (72:45)
Personnel: Ingrid Laubrock, tenor and soprano saxophone; Mary Halvorson, guitar; John Hébert,
bass; Tom Rainey, drums, glockenspiel; Kris Davis, piano.
Ordering info: intaktrec.ch

Marty Ehrlich And The Thread,” a tune that sounds well-suited to musical theater. The
Fables unusual trio features tuba player Marcus Roja and Netsky on piano. “The
Tzadik 8155 Lion’s Tanz” features the same sidemen, but Ehrlich plays alto on a tune
★★★ that becomes increasingly heated with each chorus. Ehrlich’s tone becomes
first edgy, and then coarse; the harmony and structure all but disappear by
The Ray the end of the song.
Anderson– “The Lion’s Tanz” also appears on Hear You Say, a live recording from
Marty Ehrlich an August 2009 booking at a Swiss festival. It features a quartet Ehrlich co-
Quartet leads with trombonist Ray Anderson; the rhythm section includes drum-
Hear You Say: mer Matt Wilson. Ironically, the tune features less structure than the ver-
Live in sion appearing on Ehrlich’s Fables. Describing the beginning as rubato
Willisau would be generous. The drumbeat, closer to a march, provides the under-
Intuition 71303 pinning for a collective freak-out.
★★★ The tune, though, is not only the shortest of the seven compositions; it’s
also the only one in which the quartet avoids even the slightest reference to
M arty Ehrlich begins Fables by overdubbing several wind instru-

ments on the same track: an unaccompanied bass clarinet ostinato,
then clarinet, flute and soprano saxophone over it. Hankus Netsky’s accor-
traditional fare. The opener, “Portrait Of Leroy Jenkins,” begins as a blues;
the similarly long “Hot Crab Pot” has a boppish feel, and the deliberate
“My Wish” recalls Thelonious Monk.
dion brightens the somber mood while providing at least a sense of im- “Alligatory Rhumba” sounds like the most enjoyable. Over a playful
provisation. Ehrlich titles the composition “Scroll No. 1”; it’s the first of rhythm, Ehrlich’s alto and Anderson’s trombone shadow one another while
three “scrolls” appearing on the album, and it’s played straight. There’s no trading licks, riffs and vocal effects for the better part of the 11-minute
rhythm section, and the 10 compositions often have more in common with track. Betraying an affinity for the swing era, the performance also demon-
chamber music than jazz. strates continuity: Even as these folks look to the future, they keep in touch
Ehrlich’s sensibility is unsurprising. He aligns himself with the pro- with the past. —Eric Fine
gressive strains in jazz that break with convention while incorporating mu- Fables: Scroll No. 1; The Thimble And The Thread; Es Felt; Wednesday’s Waltz; Rozo D’Shabbos;
sic styles another generation would have ignored. Here, he draws from not Scroll No. 2; The Mirror Waltz; The Lion’s Tanz; I’m Growing Into My Hat; Scroll No. 3. (45:34)
Personnel: Marty Ehrlich, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, alto and soprano saxophones; Hankus Netsky,
just classical music, but also Jewish and eastern European music. For the piano, accordion; Marcus Roja, tuba (2, 8, 10); Jerome Harris, acoustic bass guitar (3).
most part it’s not the lively dance music of the klezmer, but rather the more
Ordering info: tzadik.com
solemn music that originated in the synagogue. Hear You Say: Portrait of Leroy Jenkins; Hot Crab Pot; My Wish; The Lion’s Tanz; The Git Go; Alligatory
Rhumba; Hear You Say. (63:08)
Yet Ehrlich, the composer and the instrumentalist, sheds this cool ve- Personnel: Ray Anderson, trombone; Marty Ehrlich, clarinet, alto and soprano saxophones; Brad
Jones, bass; Matt Wilson, drums.
neer often enough. Ehrlich plays a swinging clarinet solo on “The Thimble Ordering info: allegro-music.com

Lauren Sevian thority, breaking fluid
Blueprint mid register bop lines
Inner Circle Music 004 with rhythmic skips
★★★½ and occasional bag-
piping higher register
A release on Greg Osby’s

hip Inner Circle label,
this disc debuts a rising tal-
excursions. Colligan
and the boys eat it
up; an exciting track.
ent on the baritone saxo- Elsewhere on this hour
phone. Sevian guested with long CD, Sevian pays
the Count Basie band as a tribute to bari king
teenager, studied with Mark Cecil Payne and teno-
Turner, Donny McCaslin rist John Stubblefield
and Joe Temperley and has been anchoring such and negotiates denser harmony alongside partner
groups as Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra and the Mike DiRubbo on alto (“Gesture Of No Fear”),
feisty Mingus Big Band. The latter group’s bass where she again relishes the challenging tempo.
player Boris Kozlov joins her here, with a crack On the darkly funky “Outline” Sevian’s tone in-
rhythm section of pianist George Colligan and includes Pepper Adams-style low register pops. Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin
demand young drummer Johnathan Blake. The slower track “Intrepid Traveller” is less con- Llyrìa
“Blueprint” opens with the band in deep vincing but the craggy, precipitous “The Free ECM 2178
swinging flow before Sevian’s throaty bari twists Effect” kicks hard, Sevian broadening her pal- ★★★★
through a sinewy minor blues, making clear she ette with overblowing, Colligan painting abstract
has bags of energy and lots to say. The chorus
trades at the end feature Blake’s elastic beats. The
ballad “Elusive Illusion” sounds as wandering as
and Kozlov briefly attempting to rein his relent-
less swing. —Michael Jackson T he titles to each piece here may indicate
the sameness the songs share from track
to track. But it’s program music played unpro-
the title suggests, though Kozlov does his best to grammically. Pianist Nik Bärtsch and crew de-
Blueprint: Blueprint; Ellusive Illusion; Not So Softly; One For C.
Payne; Gesture Of No Fear; True; For Mr Stubb; Outline; Intrepid
sculpt something out of it, with Colligan inject- Traveler; The Free Effect. (64.33)
Personnel: Lauren Sevian, baritone saxophone; George Colligan, liver a “standard” ECM date, complete with
ing glissandi. “Not So Softly” is another matter, piano; Boris Kozlov, bass; Johnathan Blake, drums; Mike DiRubbo,
alto saxophone (5).
atmospheric reverb, a sense of the jazz haunt,
Sevian gripping the furious tempo with great au- Ordering info: innercirclemusic.net overall mood-making. In fact, the material is
structured around motifs, patterns and waves of
instrumental expressions. The music swings in
SFJAZZ Collective its own funny way, as we hear on “Modul 48,”
Live 2010: 7th An- Bärtsch’s eight-note sequence framing this mid-
nual Concert Tour tempo piece that falls between smooth rockish
SFJAZZ Records exposition and a more loose jazzy syncopation,
★★★★ Sha’s reed playing helping to set the pace.
This is a rhythm-section band replete with
S FJAZZ Collective embraces the ideal that

each player can express individual creativity
in a leading role, with the rest of his mates fall-
structure and in complete support of Sha’s and
Bärtsch’s occasional meanderings. And yet,
the rhythm section itself becomes part of the
ing in line in support in order to accomplish in- show because so much of this music is based
teractive synthesis. The concept sounds great on on meters, cycles and patterns, not to men-
paper. Putting it into practice in an octet is an- tion grooves. Featuring bassist Bjorn Meyer,
other matter: The prospect of eight prominent drummer Kaspar Rast and percussionist Andi
instrumentalists/composers achieving all-for- Pupato, Ronin’s tempos vary, the arrangements
one group mentality seems as likely as biparti- The piece alternately spins, dances and broods slightly different from track to track, the poten-
san Congressional agreement on issues pertain- as flaring horns brawl with hesitant, shifting tial for a kind of boring sameness threatening
ing to the American economy. beats in a back alley. Spaciousness and impres- to mar the proceedings. And yet, it’s Bärtsch’s
Given their cohesive performances on Live sionism reign here. In particular, Stefon Harris’ writing and a tight band that keep things inter-
2010: 7th Annual Concert Tour, a three-disc vibraphones function as a bonding agent. He and esting, pulsating. Some of the material becomes
celebration of Horace Silver works and relat- pianist Edward Simon occasionally marshal the repetitive to a fault, like “Modul 52,” where the
ed originals captured during a spring 2010 tour, parade, hitting stride with gospel-laden rhythms pattern idea is a tad lifeless. Ronin can seem
the members of the SFJAZZ Collective should and impromptu solos, yet they more frequently like a soundtrack in search of a movie, “Modul
consider running for office. Unison melodies serve as accessories to cinematic mise en scene. 52” being a perfect example. And yet, it is the
dominate the arrangements, replete with impro- On Simon’s “Collective Presence,” an atmo- execution and sense of direction and purpose
visational flights, ostinato passages and sympa- spheric introduction gives way to subtle, intro- that underlie this music that keep it affecting.
thetic interaction. Despite the talent involved, at spective devices that float within a vertigo-in- “Modul 55” takes that same incessant formal-
no point does the ensemble stray from its core ducing twilight zone. —Bob Gendron ism and yet somehow makes it more of an en-
philosophy; this is a team on which no single gaged listen, the interweaving patterns and al-
member steps out as the star. Competition and Live 2010: 7th Annual Concert Tour: Disc One: Cape Verdean
Blues; Lonely Woman; More Than Meets The Ear; Collective Pres- ternating senses of pulse a kind of aural illusion
overshadowing take a back seat to setting moods, ence; Harlandia. Disc Two: Suite For Ward Martin Tavares; The
Devil Is In The Details; Sister Sadie; Peace; Triple Threat; Song
keeping one off-balance, but in a pleasantly dis-
extrapolating themes and teasing out the colors For My Father. Disc Three: Senor Blues; The Lady From Johan- orienting kind of way. —John Ephland
of the material at hand.
nesburg; The Mystery Of Water; Brothersister II; Baghdad Blues.
(52:13/60:41/52:52)
Witness the percussive textures and hard- Personnel: Miguel Zenon, alto saxophone; Mark Turner, tenor
saxophone; Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Robin Eubanks, trombone;
Llyrìa: Modul 48; Modul 52; Modul 55; Modul 47; Modul 53; Modul
51; Modul 49_44. (56:08)
bop threads sewn throughout drummer Eric Stefon Harris, vibraphone; Edward Simon, piano; Matt Penman,
bass; Eric Harland, drums.
Personnel: Nik Bärtsch, piano; Sha, alto saxophone, bass clarinet;
Bjorn Meyer, bass; Kaspar Rast, drums; Andi Pupato, percussion.
Harland’s treatment of Silver’s “Senor Blues.” Ordering info: sfjazz.org Ordering info: ecmrecords.com

Blues | By frank-john hadley
Harmonicats
Unleashed
Tad Robinson: Back In Style
(Severn 0050; 47:21 ★★★½)
Robinson, here on his fifth al-
bum, is one of those rare soul-
blues singers who manages to
finesse the sense of wonder at
the heart of assertions on the
power of love. His vocals and
harp playing are personalized
and immaculately ordered into
arrangements of quality songs
mostly written by him and bass-
ist Steve Gomes. The supporting
studio band, featuring guitarist
Alex Schultz, is with Robinson all
the way, though a cheesy elec-
tric piano does their Memphis
soul approximations no favor.
Ordering info: severnrecords.com
Bob Corritore & Friends:
Harmonica Blues (Delta Groove
139; 72:40 ★★★½) Impresario
Corritore collects 15 tracks that
he recorded in the studio the past Geno Malusek
few decades with veterans gig-
ging at his Rhythm Room club Tad Robinson: Assertive love
in Phoenix. Big Pete Pearson
dredges up true grit singing “Tin Pan Alley,” feel with his distinctive singing voice and his
Eddy Clearwater cuts a swath of fun through prowess on harmonica and guitar. He’s ably
“That’s My Baby” and Little Milton, on vocals supported by a keyboards/drums/bass/sec-
and guitar, takes listeners to school with his ond guitar team of a similar stamp.
“Six Bits In Your Dollar,” a bad-feeling-this- Ordering info: tascru.com
morning lesson. These guys, along with Nap- Mitch Kashmar & The Pontiax: 100
py Brown, Koko Taylor, Pinetop Perkins and Miles To Go (Delta Groove 140; 50:24 ★★★)
the rest, may be past their prime but they’re This reissued 1989 album by the California
blessed with unconquerable spirit. They’re jump-blues band features Kashmar, then in his
also comfortable with the house band helmed late 20s, on still-ripening vocals and harp. He
by Corritore, a damn good harp player with a conveys motion and force, especially effective
lively sense of history. when his tin instrument emits flows of graceful
Ordering info: deltagroovemusic.com notes. Now-deceased harmonica marvel Wil-
The Chris O’Leary Band: Mr. Used To liam Clarke guests on “Horn Of Plenty.” Two
Be (Fidellis/Vizztone 001; 40:10 ★★★½) bonus tracks made at a studio reunion just a
O’Leary, formerly with Levon Helm’s Barn- few months ago, the swamp-sodden “When
burners, is a more than capable singer and You Do Me Like That” and mildly political New
Chicago-style harmonica stylist; the proof Orleans romp “Petroleum Blues,” have Kash-
comes in the shuffles and jump numbers he mar showing more assurance and having fun,
handles with suave assurance on his debut though neither tune soars.
recording. It’s really the slow tempo of “Blues Ordering info: deltagroovemusic
Is A Woman” that draws out his best singing, Swississippi Chris Harper: Four Aces
reminiscent of Jimmy Witherspoon. His Hud- And A Harp (Swississippi 2010; 72:40 ★★)
son Valley-based cohorts stir up the all-orig- Harper, a Swiss, bankrolled this part-Delta
inal material without faltering. Young guitarist acoustic and part-Chicago electric album and
Chris Vitarello merits notice for his technical got to live out his fantasy of tooting his Marine
powers and imagination, his reach extending Band (reverentially) and singing (awkwardly)
to rockabilly and swinging jazz. on “Eyesight To The Blind” and other classics
Ordering info: vizztone.com in the company of real-deal bluesmen Jimmy
Tas Cru: Jus’ Desserts (Crustee Tee Burns, John Primer, Willie Smith and Bob
1001; 47:35 ★★★½) Cru, a sometimes face- Stroger. Singer-guitarist Burns and guitarist
tious and other times serious storyteller in ru- Primer have their moments, but they can’t
ral New York State, gives the engaging original save this album from the discard pile. DB
songs of his second album a comfy, intimate Ordering info: swississippi-records.com

Band Of Gypsys ly plodding “Purple Haze.”
Reincarnation And from a 2004 concert,
40 Years After and also on one track, are (it
Inter-You Kft 01 appears to be) the late pic-
★★★★ colo bassist/vocalist Jackie
Orszaczky, groove box play-
Y ou hear this band’s

take on Jimi Hendrix’s
“If Six Was Nine” and you
er Zsolt Kosztyu and percus-
sionist Janos Paczko help-
ing to creatively reinvent
think: “Man, Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic.” If that
music really was set up to weren’t enough, Halper in-
play jazz.” Turning this song into a quasi-Lat- serts a bit of Chopin with a guitar paraphrase of
in piece that ends up swinging, with jazz chords the composer’s “Prelude In E Minor.”
to boot, makes you miss the original a bit less. The core band includes a radical and in-
The same could be said for the Band of Gypsys spired choice in cimbalom player Miklos
Reincarnation’s “Manic Depression,” which Lukacs, whose soloing is ferocious and full of Ted Hearne
is recognizable but also imbued with a unique heart, whether he’s checking in on another funky Katrina Ballads
flavor. Taking the rock contours of this classic, rendition of, in this case, “Fire,” or adding oth- New Amsterdam Records 011
their version becomes a bona fide jazz waltz. At erworldly touches to “Voodoo Chile.” Brecker’s ★★★½
times recalling the fiery expressiveness of Jean- Freddie Hubbard-flavored solo on “Fire” con-
Paul Bourelly, leader Laszlo Halper’s adherence
to rock and jazz energies is on full display with
the dervish-y, swinging reinvention of “Voodoo
firms that even the trumpet can nail Hendrix’s
music. Drummer Imre Koszegi contributes a
sound that’s nowhere near what Mitch Mitchell
I n the days following Hurricane Katrina, the
world endured a media monsoon of horrif-
ic images in an effort to understand what went
Chile.” And his mesmerizing use of the wah-wah or Buddy Miles put forth but a beat and vibe that wrong in New Orleans. Anderson Cooper asked
is reminiscent without being imitative. help to drive this band’s sound and pulse, clearly viewers to steel themselves to accounts of death
Halper’s essentially Hungarian band creates, more jazz than rock. —John Ephland and destruction because it was our duty to know
in his words, “a bridge between the musi- what was going on. Composer Ted Hearne’s trea-
cal world of Jimi Hendrix, the jazz played by 40 Years After: If Six Was Nine; Manic Depression; Purple Haze;
Fire; Hey Joe; Who Knows; Voodoo Chile; Crosstown Traffic; Pre-
tise on the disaster demands something similar.
Hungarian Gypsies and traditional Gypsy mu- lude In E Minor–paraphrase; Medley: Little Wing, Third Stone From By setting media-derived, post-Katrina
sic.” What he’s been able to pull off includes the soundbytes to a dizzying array of juxtaposed
The Sun–part I; Third Stone From The Sun–part II. (59:16)
Personnel: Laszlo Halper, Tibor Tatrai (3), guitar; Imre Koszegi,
strange mixture of American trumpeter Randy drums; Miklos Lukacs, cimbalom; Peter Olah, double bass; Istvan
Fekete (3, 5, 6, 8, 11), Randy Brecker (1, 2, 4, 7), trumpet; Jackie musical forms, Hearne creates a sonic narrative
Brecker on four tracks in addition to a cut with Orszaczky, piccolo bass, vocal (8); Zsolt Kosztyu, groove box (8);
Janos Paczko, percussion (8).
that taps into the fear, confusion and deep pain
guitarist Tibor Tatrai on a very funky, pleasant- Ordering info: halper.hu caused by the storm and by the George W. Bush
administration’s stagnating response. The disc
opens with the piercing sound of Abby Fischer’s
The Dymaxion Quartet mezzo-soprano shrilly announcing that “New
Sympathetic Vibrations Orleans is sinking,” her vibrato jarring your ear-
Self Release drums into high alert.
★★★½ Nathan Koci’s horn takes center stage on
track two, which plays out like the day after
I nventor Buckminster Fuller has recent-

ly spawned some interest in jazz circles—
from the Rova Saxophone Quartet to composer
Katrina struck. A solo horn calls out, as if look-
ing for survivors. The response is frantic, grim,
high-pitched. The clash of metal on metal con-
Darcy James Argue. Now enters The Dymaxion jures a broken home’s door; a man searches for
Quartet, a piano-less foursome led by drummer his wife’s body.
Gabriel Gloege, who strives to apply Fuller’s In the next confluence of music and media
concept of “dynamic maximum tension” to the clips, Hearne deftly continues to retell the story,
field of music. In addition, Gloege’s nine compo- but now his tone is one of appropriate mocking.
sitions are inspired by photographer Asca S.R. Bush’s infamous “heck of a job, Brownie” re-
Aull’s pictures. mark becomes surreal fodder for lyrics.
There are two types of drummers/bandlead- tain momentum. Bass player Dan Fabricatore Compositional feats aside, this is no bel canto.
ers. Those who feel the need to populate every supplies quite a chunk of melodic content and A slew of bleak soundscapes and dissonant re-
tune with a drum solo and those who understand Gloege succeeds in not drawing too much the at- frains marshals so many negative emotions that
that the role of their instrument is to support and tention to himself, which is a compliment. you may not know if you should cry, scream or
serve the music. The band’s debut, Sympathetic In the end, the references to Fuller and Aull just turn the stereo off—like the experience of
Vibrations, clearly shows that Gabriel Gloege might set too many expectations and be a disser- watching the news right after Aug. 29, 2005.
belongs to the latter category. vice to the music, which does not need those ref- —Jennifer Odell
As a bandleader, Gloege has already learned erences to be enjoyed. Ultimately, it’s the compel-
how to present a balanced program and found ling tunes played with conviction, the intriguing Katrina Ballads: Prologue: Keeping Its Head Above Water; When
We Awoke, It Was To That Familiar Phrase: New Orleans Dodged
how to mix tempos and moods. His freebop role-switching process and the stimulating inter- a Bullet; Hardy Jackson: 8.30.05; Interlude 1; Dennis Hastert:
8.31.05; Bridge To Gretna; Anderson Cooper And Mary Landrieu:
leanings create a proper environment for col- play that captivate. The Dymaxion Quartet is a 9.1.05; Brownie, You’re Doing A Heck Of A Job; Interlude 2; Bar-
lective cohesiveness and invention. A real treat band to watch.
bara Bush: 9.5.05; Kanye West: 9.2.05; Ashley Nelson. (62:59)
—Alain Drouot Personnel: Abby Fischer, mezzo-soprano; Ted Hearne, tenor; Isa-
is the near constant dialogue between trumpet- Sympathetic Variations: At One; The Kiss; Night Market; Spring
iah Robinson, tenor; Allison Semmes, soprano; Anthony Turner,
baritone; Chris Coletti, trumpet; David Hanlon, piano; Kelli Katham,
er Michael Shobe and tenor saxophonist Mark Equinox; Summer’s End; The Boat; Wollman’s Rink; Midnight
Mass; Fulton Fish Market. (55:05)
flute; Nathan Koci, horn; Taylor Levine, electric guitar; Batya Mac-
adam-Somer, violin; Eileen Mack, clarinet, bass clarinet; David
Small. Counterpoint, shadowing, or echoing are Personnel: Michael Shobe, trumpet; Mark Small, tenor saxo-
phone; Dan Fabricatore, bass; Gabriel Gloege, drums.
Medine, viola; Jody Redhage, cello; Kris Saebo, bass guitar; Ron
part of the arsenal they use to build and main-
Wiltrout, drums, percussion.
Ordering info: dymaxion.bandcamp.com Ordering info: katrinaballads.com

Beyond | By James Porter
Riding Curtis Mayfield:

Unvarnished truth
The ‘Soul
Train’ Rails
For 35 years, Don Corne-
lius’ “Soul Train” was the premier
television showcase for contem-
porary black music in America.
Almost every significant soul
artist who came along between
1971 and 2006 appeared on the
program, superstars and one-
hit wonders alike. This wasn’t
the first show devoted solely to
soul, nor was it even the first na-
tional soul showcase (that honor
Courtesy TimeLife
would go to “The !!!! Beat”). But
unlike that show, “Soul Train”
was black-owned, black-oper-
ated and black-hosted. From small beginnings with the JBs and Barry White with his massive
in 1970 as a local program in Chicago, Corne- Love Unlimited Orchestra. One memorable
lius took the franchise to Los Angeles the fol- 1973 show had Curtis Mayfield singing along
lowing year and had a hit on his hands. Just to a censored “Pusherman” (with lines from
about every major development in ’70s–’00s the song edited to cover the drug references).
black music was showcased: funk, disco, On the DVD, Mayfield mouths to the original
hip-hop, new jack swing and quiet storm. unvarnished version.
Jazz artists who dabbled in soul like Herbie What’s also interesting about the set
Hancock, Ramsey Lewis and the Crusaders is watching the kids change along with the
were featured. Blues acts like Little Milton, B.B. times. On the earliest shows here (1972–’73),
King and Bobby Bland got screen time. Even the dancing is every bit as wild as the fashions,
black rock ’n’ rollers like Chuck Berry, Little and the kids are genuinely happy to be seen on
Richard, Lenny Kravitz and the Bus Boys oc- nationwide TV. By the disco era (1978–’79), the
casionally rode the rails, as did white perform- mode of dress has gone conservative and al-
ers like Elton John and David Bowie. While though there is more room to dance, the steps
the program covered a ton of ground in four are a bit more subtle, not quite as acrobatic as
decades, the show still remains identified with before. There is one token post-’70s episode:
the afropick era of the ’70s. The Best Of Soul Stevie Wonder is shown in 1991, doing a med-
Train (TimeLife 25658 180:00/155:00/155:000 ley of his hits with the “Soul Train” dancers
★★★★) DVD set collects 16 episodes, all but singing along. Although the kids are enthusias-
one from that decade. tic, by this time they were more jaded and less
Barry White, The Isley Brothers, Jackson surprised about being in front of the camera.
Five, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Teddy Their facial expressions seemed practiced for
Pendergrass, Sly & The Family Stone and oth- this moment, and they may have shoved some
ers are all shown in their prime, or close to it. people out of the way for this exposure. This is
But it should be noted that the episodes have in stark contrast to Wonder’s appearance on
all been edited somewhat. The opening of one the same show in early ’73 (not included on
episode from October 1972 promises Gladys this DVD) when he’s sitting at the piano sing-
Knight & the Pips, the O’Jays and Major Lance; ing a song about “Soul Train” that he com-
as it turns out, we don’t get to see Lance’s per- posed specially for the occasion. Rather than
formance. Even if he wasn’t quite the hitmaker jockeying for position, the dancers merely get
he was in the early part of the ’60s, the entire in where they fit in, laughing with genuine ex-
show should have remained intact. A nice bo- citement. The 1973 crowd were just kids hav-
nus (unannounced on the cover) is the addition ing fun; the 1991 audience may as well have
of some of the original commercials for Afro- been extras auditioning for a job in a video. Yet
Sheen and Ultra-Sheen, generally seen only Cornelius remained cool as a cucumber, and
during Soul Train but fondly recalled by those Wonder will always be Wonder.
who were there. Other features include interviews with
The format was generally lip-synched Cornelius, Smokey Robinson and Bri-
performances, but unlike predecessor Dick an McKnight. Even if the episodes were
Clark’s “American Bandstand,” Cornelius’ altered, this DVD set gives a fair picture of
show would have the acts play live when pos- why they called themselves “The Hippest
sible. About half of the performers do their Trip In America.” DB
thing live on this DVD, including James Brown Ordering info: timelife.com

Historical | By john murph
CTI Flexed
’70s Muscles
In addition to the four-disc set CTI:
The Cool Revolution, Sony’s Mas-
terworks Jazz commemorates the
label’s 40th anniversary with a spate
of reissues that epitomized CTI’s
signature sound and nearly defined
mainstream jazz in the ’70s.
Initially, label founder Creed
Taylor demonstrated a fondness for
bossa nova by releasing timeless
recordings by Antonio Carlos Jo-
bim, Milton Nascimento and Tamba
Alan Broadbent Trio
Live At Giannelli Square:
Chuck Stewart
4. So it makes sense for Jobim’s
1970 album Stone Flower (CTI/ Freddie Hubbard: Firey improv, buttery grooves
Volume I
Chilly Bin Records
Masterworks Jazz 77682; 39:53
★★★★) to be among the first reissues. That and the cinematic title-track, on which Baker ★★★½
album’s posh allure continues to hypnotize as it turns in a stunning vocal performance. He and
showcases Jobim’s manicured keyboard work Laws handle Hank Mobley’s “Funk In Deep
on the whistle-friendly “Children’s Games” and Freeze” admirably, too. Still there’s a slickness
sauntering “Brazil.” As a producer, Taylor dem- to this date that almost makes much of the
V eteran pianist Alan Broadbent is part of
a vanishing breed: musicians steeped in
mid-20th century bop that lately receives more
onstrated his gift for packaging jazz—or in this playing go unnoticed. exposure on campus than onstage. Broadbent’s
case, high-end instrumental music—in a man- Some musicians did manage to ruffle the credits include the best-of-the-best among his
ner that didn’t insult jazz fans but wasn’t too satiny textures of CTI’s soundscapes while still Los Angeles brethren, notably Warne Marsh,
bristling to put off pop lovers. Not a note, beat, fitting with the label’s overall aesthetic. Hub- Chet Baker, Bud Shank and Charlie Haden.
harmony or melody seem out of place. bard’s 1970 Red Clay (76822; 68:20 ★★★★½) The pianist is yet another West Coast musi-
CTI’s lacquered production sheen and is a perfect example. The trumpeter spits out his cian who’s never received his due. Broadbent’s
wide-screen orchestrations, often provided fiery, hard-tongue improvisations over a buttery Live at Giannelli Square typifies a veteran’s al-
by Don Sebesky, tended to neuter the emo- groove on the title track, which also showcases bum. A live date recorded early last year in Los
tional immediacy of some records. Such is spirited solos from Herbie Hancock and tenor
Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, it features a pro-
the case with Kenny Burrell’s 1971 God Bless saxophonist Joe Henderson. Basically a con-
gram of mostly standards and a rhythm section
The Child (77681; 49:52 ★★★½). Whether tinuation of the hard bop and soul jazz that dis-
well-versed in the art of brushes and walking
intentional or not, the music lacks the urgen- tinguished much of Hubbard’s Atlantic LPs after
cy of the LP cover, which depicts a helicopter he left Blue Note, Red Clay remains essential.
bass lines. The trio’s varied approach transcends
hovering over a war-torn forest in Vietnam. Stanley Turrentine’s 1970 release Sugar the narrow scope of the repertoire. The opener,
Burrell’s blues-drenched, elegantly under- (76826; 59:16 ★★★★½) is another case in “Lullaby of the Leaves,” features Broadbent’s
stated guitar takes center nearly throughout, which the artist cut through the gloss. Turren- two-handed runs and rubato passages. The pia-
serving up nice grooves on “Love Is The tine’s honky-tonk tone and razor-sharp phras- nist then cruises through the up-tempo “I’ll Be
Answer” and “Do What You Gotta Do” and ing refuse to fade into background, especially All Right,” his tribute to Bud Powell. By “Alone
glowing balladry on “Be Yourself” and “God on the swaggering title-track and his organ- Together,” though, the rhythm section begins
Bless The Child.” Still it’s a disappointment driven take on John Coltrane’s “Impressions.” to loosen its grip, with drummer Kendall Kay’s
that he never engages in any heated dialogue Also commendable are band mates Hubbard, steady patter becoming increasingly busy and
with his stellar band mates, such as trumpeter guitarist George Benson and electric pianist unpredictable.Broadbent is good at any tempo,
Freddie Hubbard or keyboardists Hugh Law- Lonnie L. Smith, who goad Turrentine to high- but I would have preferred to hear fewer ballads.
son and Richard Wyands. octane improvisations. The extraverted reading of “I’ll Be All Right”
Sebesky’s rich orchestrations also insu- The double-disc California Concert: The early in the set whet my appetite for more of the
late flutist Hubert Laws on 1972’s Morning Hollywood Palladium (76405; 77:50/76:06 same. “My Foolish Heart” follows; as much as
Star (76833; 35:50 ★★★★). Here, though, the ★★★★★) makes for a great celebration be- I like it, it drags by comparison. To Broadbent’s
pairing seems more ideal as on the evocative cause it’s the first time it’s been released on credit, he ratchets up the tempo on his tune “Now
title-track, which showcases Laws’ dynamic CD. The July 1971 concert gathered a dream And Then” to accommodate his bop-inspired
flute improvisations as well as some engaging team of Benson, Laws, Carter, Hubbard, Cob-
solo. The set concludes with a rousing version of
accompaniment from keyboardist Bob James, ham, Turrentine, percussionist Airto Moreira,
Miles Davis’ “Solar,” the trio’s most compelling
drummer Billy Cobham and bassist Ron Carter. saxophonist Hank Crawford and organist
performance. The more prominent use of dy-
When the tempo slows down as on the beauti- Johnny Hammond for a scintillating perfor-
ful “Let Her Go,” Laws’ flute leaps forward from mance included takes on Coltrane’s “Impres-
namics, counterpoint and rhythm that Broadbent
the thick orchestrations, wonderfully. sions” and Miles Davis’ “So What” as well as displays here would have benefitted the other
Laws and Sebesky team up to support enchanting readings of Laws’ “Fire And Rain” tracks. The same holds true for the elastic pocket
Chet Baker on the 1974 date She Was Too and Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke’s created by bassist Putter Smith and Kay.
Good To Me (76830; 41:07 ★★★½), an album “Here’s That Rainy Day.” The disc also dispels —Eric Fine
that marked somewhat of a comeback for the recent notions that acoustic jazz faded com- Live At Giannelli Square: Volume 1: Lullaby Of The Leaves; I’ll Be
All Right; My Foolish Heart; Alone Together; Now And Then; You
trumpeter. Sebesky’s orchestrations work well pletely in the ’70s. DB And You Alone; Ghost Of A Chance; Solar. (65:34)
for Baker on the opening “Autumn Leaves” Ordering info: ctimasterworks.com Personnel: Broadbent, piano; Putter Smith, bass; Kendall Kay,
drums.
Ordering info: alanbroadbent.com

ure that suggests a distant carillon chiming the tune whose left-hand ostinato, built on alter-
hour. From the simplicity of this beginning, nating bars of eight and nine, sets an intrigu-
Frank expands gently into moodier chords, ing stage for the brisk lines and clustered chords
darker with blues insinuations and played with in his right hand. Rather than act as a think-
gorgeous restraint. His approach to “My Man’s ing man’s McKenna, Frank may find his truest
Gone” is similar, though he allows a little more muse is as an interpreter of intriguing and often
dynamic contrast particularly in the middle of ballad-oriented originals. —Robert Doerschuk
the tune. These changes are handled with taste
and feeling. Portrait Of New York: Full Force NYC; Broadway Boogie-Woogie;
This Nearly Was Mine; Midtown 9 AM; Perdido; My Man’s Gone;
The boogies and blues that fill much of this Lower East Side Shuffle; McKenna/McCoy; Manhattan By Moon-
light; Bowery Blues; You And The Night And The Music; Times
Portrait seem relatively undeveloped, with the Square. (50:45)
exception of “Times Square,” another Frank
Personnel: Dave Frank, piano.
Ordering info: jazzheads.com
Dave Frank
Portrait Of New York
Jazzheads JH1181
★★★
D ave Frank identifies himself unequivocal-

ly on his website as a solo player. A spe-
cialist in a generalist’s age, he sets the bar high.
And on Portrait Of New York as on previous
projects, he mostly clears it, though he might
have set it on a different set of bars.
The most obvious reference point in Frank’s
performance is the late Dave McKenna, whose
mastery of the left-hand walking bass made
solo performance his strongest metier. This is
obvious on the first track, “Full Force NYC,”
which opens with a long string of low-register
eighth-notes. But where McKenna typically dug
into the keys with an intensity that pulled his
performance way off tempo in a long but irre-
sistible acceleration, Frank paints almost an ab-
stract picture. His tempo slows slightly down as
he scatters fleet single lines and a few chords af-
ter bringing in his right hand. This, plus a few
breaks where the bass line morphs momentari-
ly into quizzical dissonances or simply stops,
undercuts his momentum. Though the per-
formance is built on the concept of a swing-
ing groove, it comes across as oddly academic.
Despite the title, the song sounds an awful lot
like “Tangerine.”
Frank channels this spirit more persuasive-
ly when he mixes it with another inspiration
on a track whose title says it all. “McKenna/
McCoy” opens with a pair of sturdy fifths in the
left hand, a foundation for a harmonic elabora-
tion that brings McCoy Tyner quickly to mind.
From here, a fusion of aesthetics begins, with
voicings, rhythmic placements and a modal fla-
vor to his solo developing over an alternation of
prowling bass, jabbed and softer accents, and
silences below. This interplay catches fire now
and then, though again the positive impression
is more conceptually interesting than visceral-
ly exhilarating.
There is much more range than this in
Frank’s playing. “Manhattan By Moonlight,”
an original, is a lovely miniature, played ruba-
to, opening over a delicate tonic note with a fig-

Wyatt/Atzmon/ glass-full, gets-’em-ev-
Stephen ery-time anthem “What
For The Ghosts A Wonderful World.”
Within A sense of melancholy
Domino 271 tends to predominate, as
★★★★½ Wyatt and company re-
visit classic heartbreakers
I n the wake of co-found-

ing England’s pop
group The Wilde Flowers,
like “Laura,” “Lush Life”
and “What’s New?” In
each case, Wyatt’s croon-
Robert Wyatt went on ing and the arrangements
to co-found the progres- (by Stephen, with two
sive jazz-rock (then fair- from Jonathan Taylor)
ly psychedelic) band Soft Machine in 1966 as a lend a kind of delicacy unique to the material at
drummer. Since leaving SM in 1970, this inno- hand with Atzmon’s soulful reed playing tipping
vative, restless force has taken many of his jazz the music ever more toward a jazz vibe here and
roots and recombined them with a series of ever there. Atzmon’s production (which pulled Wyatt
more startling collaborations, spearheaded by and his serene, thin yet totally evocative voice in
his singing voice and ongoing outward-bound from another studio) adds reeds, electronics and
proclivities. accordion. Wyatt’s wife, Alfie Benge, also gets
For The Ghosts Within is another one of into the mix with tender lyrics to “Lullaby For
those collaborations, this time between Wyatt Irena” as well as contributing to the uncharacter-
(who, apart from his singing, some trumpet and istically raucous, haunting title track (complete
composer credits, adds percussion/brushes and a with vocal chorus and some harrowing horn-
bit of whistling), saxophonist Gilad Atzmon and playing from Atzmon), the lyrics inevitably serv-
violinist/composer Ros Stephen, whose Sigamos ing to further Wyatt’s emotional and sonic reach.
String Quartet serves as the instrumental back- A tad sentimental here and there, For The
bone to the recording. Bassist Richard Pryce Ghosts Within manages to carry within each
augments the group. Throughout this set of stan- song great care, delivered as a package, giving
dards mixed with originals are special instru- one the sense that this music was made all in one
mental and repertoire choices that keep the pro- day, and all in one place, even though it wasn’t. A
gram always a little offbeat even as it remains cozy arrangement, indeed. —John Ephland
thoroughly lyrical and listenable.
With a title like this one and with Wyatt on
For The Ghosts Within: Laura; Lullaby For Irena; The Ghosts
Within; Where Are They Now?; Maryan; Round Midnight; Lush Life;
board, the chances of the proceedings sounding What’s New?; In A Sentimental Mood; At Last I Am Free; What A
Wonderful World. (56:06)
more wistful than not are good. This despite the Personnel: Robert Wyatt, voice, brushes, backing vocals, percus-
sion, whistling, trumpet; Gilad Atzmon, alto saxophone, soprano
sunshine offered to such material as Thelonious saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, accordion, Palestinian shep-
Monk’s “Round Midnight” (an uplifting whis-
herd’s flute, backing vocals; Sigamos String Quartet: Ros Stephen,
violin, viola (backing vocals), Tom Piggot-Smith, violin, Rachel Rob-
tle instead of a lyric), pop-rock rap with the po- son, viola, Daisy Vatalaro, cello; Richard Pryce, double-bass; Frank
Harrison, keyboards (3, 4, 6); Stormtrap (Abboud Hashem), voice
litically themed, at times cartoonish-sounding (4); Yaron Stavi, double bass, electric bass (4); Julian Rowlands,
bandoneon (10).
“Where Are They Now” and the perennial half- Ordering info: dominorecordco.us
Stephan Crump/ and fleet, propulsive runs.

James Carney More impressive than the
Echo Run Pry breadth of their resources is the
Clean Feed 199 intelligence they exercise in se-
★★★★ lecting from them. Whether
contrasting inside-piano buzz-
T hese two musicians

know how to sail
confidently in mainstream
ing with an elegantly descend-
ing pizzicato figure or finding
concord in a passage of delicate
as well as uncharted wa- beauty, they make music that
ters; collectively their as- intuitively makes sense; if this
sociations include Michael McDonald and Ravi were science, one would say that it has face va-
Coltrane as well as Liberty Ellman and Nels lidity. The self-sufficiency of this effort bears
Cline. Although these two pieces were freely im- notice; Crump recorded the music in Carney’s
provised, with a consequent lack of rigid struc- Brooklyn loft, achieving impressive clarity
ture, they unfold with a clarity that draws on the and presence using one stereo microphone and
full breadth of their experiences. While Carney a portable digital recorder. Most likely the ab-
spends considerable time playing under the lid of sence of outsiders and familiarity of setting
his piano, pulling and slashing at the strings as also contributed to the intimacy of this excel-
though he’s applying Derek Bailey’s guitar attack lent performance. —Bill Meyer
to a harp, he’s also quite willing to state a bold
melody and let it flow. Crump’s technical range is Echo Run Pry: Rodeo Gwen; Wood Genre. (48:54)
Personnel: Stephan Crump, double bass; James Carney, piano.
similarly wide open, encompassing bongo slaps Ordering info: cleanfeed-records.com

Jeremy a sense of purpose, which keeps
Siskind it from sounding like a pastiche
Simple by a prodigiously talented young
Songs For musician.
When The As a soloist, Siskind is impossi-
World ble to pigeonhole, delving into
Seems stride on “The Inevitable Letdown,”
Strange exploring some pretty, quiet coun-
Brooklyn Jazz ter-movement on “Venice” and
Underground 020 channeling Glenn Gould (down
★★★★ to the glottal noise) on the wistful
“Audrey’s Song.” Fronting his trio,
L ike his mentor Fred Hersch, Jeremy Siskind

likes to tread the ground between jazz and
art music, unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve
he sounds more modern, building to muscular
climaxes on the title composition and “A Single
Moment” and riding herd over a relentless mar-
Kneebody or to subjugate swing in favor of languid lyri- tial rhythm on “Firstness.”
You Can Have Your Moment cism. On “Little Love Song”—one of three piec- From Brad Mehldau to Ethan Iverson, plenty
Winter & Winter 910 165 es to feature vocalist Jo Lawry—Siskind melds of younger pianists tread similar territory, but
★★★½ a ripe melody line with lyrics that remind you Siskind distinguishes himself in his duo work
that he has a master’s in English. It seems to be with Lawry. In that setting, he seems even less
O n its third album, the hard-hitting quintet

Kneebody invests heavily in groove, which
isn’t such a difficult thing to do when your post-
something that might’ve come out of a Stephen
Sondheim musical, yet Siskind’s trio—which
plays on half the recording—features Chris
wedded to the jazz continuum. “Hymn Of
Thanks” draws on English church tradition, and
their work on “Six Minute Tango” would fit well
bop is already so deeply inflected with post- Lightcap and Ted Poor, two of the most inter- in a cabaret. In the end, Siskind seems happy to
rock, fusion and rhythmic ideas nabbed from esting rhythm section players in contemporary go his own way. —James Hale
hip-hop. (On the other hand, it might be a little improvisation. He wraps everything up with a Simple Songs For When The World Seems Strange: Venice;
strange when you consider that its 2009 collab- seemingly unironic take on “The Candy Man.” The Fates; Hymn Of Thanks; Firstness; Audrey’s Song; Six Minute
Tango; The Inevitable Letdown; Simple Song (For When The World
oration with vocalist Theo Bleckmann scored a The paradox of Siskind’s ability to shift Seems Strange); A Single Moment; Little Love Song; The Candy
Man. (55:39)
Grammy nomination in the classical crossover shapes and dodge expectations lingers through- Personnel: Jeremy Siskind, piano; Jo Lawry, vocals (3, 6, 10);
out his sophomore recording, but there is also
Chris Lightcap, bass (2, 4, 8, 9, 11); Ted Poor, drums (2, 4, 8, 9, 11).
category for a collection of Charles Ives songs). Ordering info: bjurecords.com
My initial impression of the music left me fo-
cusing on the gritty, intensely cohesive ensem-
ble work—I could barely remember that there
were plenty of solos—which in this case is a
positive accomplishment. The rigorous com-
positions from the band’s members generally
weave multiple sections together with seamless
yet bold transitions, and with most of the tunes
by trumpeter Shane Endsley and keyboardist
Adam Benjamin there are subtle variables and
cue systems that give the pieces an alluring flex-
ibility when performed live.
Drummer Nate Wood, electric bassist
Kaveh Rastegar and keyboardist Benjamin
carve out huge, steadily morphing grooves that
usually support plangent, sophisticated melod-
ic shapes that give up their essence calmly. The
horns of Endsley and reedist Ben Wendel fre-
quently provide contrapuntal richness and addi-
tional harmonic depth, with improvised passag-
es perfectly woven into the fabric of ensemble
sound. While Kneebody really digs tricky,
rhythmically disorienting grooves like the
ones on “No Thank You Mr. West” or “Nerd
Mountain,” they can also handle more gentle
ones with the requisite patience and sensitivi-
ty. I could use a bit more space in the thick ar-
rangements, but sounding gauzy couldn’t be
further from Kneebody’s concerns here.
—Peter Margasak
You Can Have Your Moment: Teddy Ruxpin; Held; The Entrepre-
neur; No Thank You Mr. West; You Have One Unheard Message;
The Blind; You Can Have Your Moment; Desperation Station; Nerd
Mountain; Call; Unforseen Influences; High Noon. (55:16)
Personnel: Adam Benjamin, Fender Rhodes, effects; Shane End-
sley, trumpet, effects; Kaveh Rastegar, electric bass, effects; Ben
Wendel, saxophone, melodica, effects; Nate Wood, drums.
Ordering info: winterandwinter.com

Amy Cervini
Lovefool
Orange Grove 1103
★★★★
A my Cervini is one of many young jazz sing-

ers trying to expand the range of acceptable
material beyond the hidebound Great American
Songbook; if you count its cutoff point at about
1965, its latest songs are about 50 years old. Here
she addresses latter day music by singer/song-
writer Jack Johnson, Green Day, the Cardigans,
Willie Nelson and Depeche Mode. Her trio of pi-
anist Michael Cabe, bassist Mark Lau and drum-
mer Ernesto Cervini works hand-in-glove with hood, “I Wanna Get Married.” Snarkiness, no
her natural, unforced singing. Guest appearances matter how sweetly sung, is still snarky.
by Joel Frahm’s tenor, Marty Ehrlich’s bass clari- Don’t be fooled by Cervini’s song choices. Ab Baars
net and String Nucleus lend well-placed tang and Savvy treatments of her most “standard” mate- Time To Do My Lions
textural variety. rial (like “Comes Love,” Fred Hersch’s “Lazin’ Wig 17
She has a small, attractive voice that’s sure- Around” and “The More I Go Out”) use tasty ★★★★
toned and swings easy. Cervini uses Johnson’s phrasing choices, discreet octave jumps, melis-
“Upside Down” as a playful rhythmic play-
ground, while Blossom Dearie and Jack Segal’s
“Country Boy” gets a much deeper lyrical
ma and glisses. Her choice and abilities leave no
doubt that she’s a real jazz singer, and one who
can gently yet firmly reshape material.
O n his first solo album since Verderame from
1997, Dutch reedist Ab Baars sounds more
jagged, intense and exploratory than ever. His
reading. Nelson’s flat-footed “Sad Songs And —Kirk Silsbee work has always been smart and marked by me-
Waltzes” and the tongue-in-cheek tango title Lovefool: Bye Bye Country Boy; Upside Down; Sad Songs And ticulous care, but as he’s aged he’s increasingly
track are slyly quirky and fun, while the French Waltzes; Good Riddance; Lovefool; Quand Je Marche; I Wanna channeled his ideas into concentrated, perfectly
lyrics on “Quand Je Marche” make for lush
Get Married; Enjoy The Silence; Lazin’ Around; Comes Love; Lone-
ly Highway; The More I Go Out. (51:20) pitched excursions that focus on specific notions,
sultriness. Cervini’s own, dreamlike “Lonely Personnel: Amy Cervini, vocals, melodica (6); Joel Frahm, tenor
saxophone (1); Marty Ehrlich, bass clarinet (5, 11); Michael Cabe, without wasted notes. Best known for his long-
Highway” sublimely hovers in the realm of art piano, Fender Rhodes (6, 8); Mark Lau, bass, background vocal;
Ernesto Cervini, drums, percussion, accordion (6, 11), background running membership in the ICP Orchestra, Baars,
songs. The one false note is Nellie McKay’s vocals; Earl Maneein, violin (5); Matt Szemela, violin (5); Jon Weber, who turned 55 this November, is second only to
backhanded slap against marriage and mother-
viola (5); Jessie Reagen, cello (5).
Ordering info: amycervini.com the group’s co-founder Misha Mengelberg when
it comes to staunch modernism, and it makes
sense that he revisits his wonderfully herky-
jerk homage to the pianist “Gammer” (it trans-
Tarbaby lates as “donkey-like”) on zigzagging clarinet
The End Of Fear scuffed by upper-register multiphonics and low-
Posi-Tone 8069 end squawks; the original tune first appeared on
★★★½ Baars’ previous solo outing.
His deep love and respect for jazz tradition
T arbaby is lots of things. The collec-

tive’s sophomore outing, The End Of
Fear, is by turns scattered, focused, even
streaks his dark sound—his authoritative tenor
playing on the album opener “Day And Dream”
is studded with elliptical phrases that might’ve
jarring. But never dull. The dozen tracks been transmitted by primo Archie Shepp or Von
feature pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Freeman, but rather than connecting his lines
Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits, in ad- with florid embellishment and predictable turn-
dition to several well-known horn players. arounds, he patiently leaves them as stark yet in-
The tracks are fairly brief, suggesting the fo-packed patterns that stand and resonate deep-
musicians are still gathering themselves: ly on their own. The same cool thoughtfulness
trying something and then, for better or manifests itself differently on a couple of gor-
worse, moving on. geous shakuhachi pieces; “Nisshin Joma,”
The blueprint tries like crazy to create com- reading of Fats Waller’s “Lonesome Me” spot- named after a collection of lion drawings by the
mon ground for both tunes and free-jazz. It suc- lighting tenor player JD Allen provides a respite Japanese artist Hokusai, expertly uses the gossa-
ceeds, but the group needs to refine this difficult from the tumult and eclecticism. Another quar-
mer breathiness of the instrument to shape a se-
concept. On “Heads,” a voice sample of Duke tet features alto player Oliver Lake performing
ries of elegant lines with the kind of spare sim-
Ellington defines jazz as “freedom of expres- his composition “November ’80,” a study in free-
plicity common to so much art from Japan. Baars
sion”; as if to demonstrate, trumpeter Nicholas dom and control. The track succeeds where oth-
doesn’t mimic the sound of Japan in the slight-
Payton sprints out of the gate over a jittery ers like Andrew Hill’s lugubrious “Tough Love”
est, even when playing one of its traditional in-
rhythm section. The trio, sans horns, brings sim- lose their footing. While The End Of Fear lacks
struments, but the clarity of his playing clearly
ilar swagger to “Sailin’ On,” a minute-long cov- consistency, the potential for great music is argu-
suggests an appreciation for its singular aesthetic.
er of a song originated by the punk band Bad ably present. —Eric Fine
—Peter Margasak
Brains in 1982.

While the group’s go-for-broke spirit is ad-
The End Of Fear: E-Math; Brews; Heads; Utility; Jena 6; Sailin’
On; Lonesome Me; November ’80; Hesitation; Tails; Tough Love; Time To Do My Lions: Day And Dream; Time To Do My Lions;
mirable, the more conventional tracks stand out. Abacus. (51:36)
Personnel: Orrin Evans, piano; Eric Revis, bass; Natheet Waits,
Purple Petal; 12 O’clock And All Is Well; Nisshin Joma; Gammer;
Ritratto Del Mare A Anzio; Watazumi Doso; The Rhythm Is In The
Revis’ “Brews” owes a debt to Thelonious Monk, drums; JD Allen, tenor sax; Oliver Lake, alto saxophone; Nicholas
Payton, trumpet.
Sound; 730 Union Street. (49:37)
Personnel: Ab Baars, tenor saxophone, clarinet, shakuhachi.
but the performance is quite good. A deliberate Ordering info: posi-tone.com Ordering info: stichtingwig.com

Books | By john mcdonough
Arguing The
Great Voices
Twenty yeas ago Will Friedwald published Jazz
Singing: America’s Great Voices from Bes-
sie Smith To Bebop And Beyond, an original,
provocative, often flippant melange of fact and
commentary that purveyed praise and con-
tempt with a subjective elegance. Born in 1961,
he plays the advocate from a position of schol-
arship without the prejudicial taints of nostalgia.
Now, with A Biographical Guide To The
Great Jazz And Pop Singers (Pantheon),
he has spread out. No more splitting hairs
between jazz singers and everyone else. He
tackles them all here from Eddie Cantor to Bob
Dylan in a survey that covers pop, musical
theater, cabaret and even a few rock singers
who’ve traded up to pre-rock standards. The
book is about singers, but the admission ticket
(with few exceptions) is the common ground
they share with the American songbook, a
theme that excludes most contemporary sing- no pretense of hiding the author’s comfort in
ers under 50, save for Diana Krall, Michael the safety of history, where all outcomes are
Bublé and a few others. known and all stories told. He dismisses his
The structure at first glance is standard own generation’s cultural crucible as “the
encyclopedia form. Its first 540 pages include general disaster area known as the sixties
free-standing, alphabetically listed entries and seventies.” The more contemporary his
on 103 individual singers, plus another five subjects (Betty Carter or Cassandra Wilson),
“extras” in the final 30 pages. In between are the more he seeks out specific “highlights for
another 240 pages of thematic essays that us more conservative listeners.” Many new-
cover an additional 117 singers in 26 separate comers are briskly summarized in thematic
groupings such as “Singing Songwriters,” “Fe- essays: “Retrocrooner Boychicks,” “Contem-
male Band Singers” and “Male Band Singers.” porary Cabaret” and “Rock Goes Standards.”
But these essays are not bare-boned bio The last is an especially skeptical chapter in
sketches. Each is a probing, subjective com- which he seems to underestimate the Ameri-
mentary, typically with an opening anecdote can songbook’s capacity for unexpected re-
or observation that becomes the rhetorical interpretation, whether by Louis Armstrong,
trigger for his particular theme. Friedwald ex- Blossom Dearie, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart or
plores the interaction between “personas” and even Linda Ronstadt.
music and vice-versa, and how they mutually Friedwald deals with all the greats, of
sustain or subvert illusion to create a complete course. But the book’s value is the attention
performer. He argues that the controlling in- it brings to artists who are not written about
dependence of Barbra Streisand robs her of often, mainly because they were peripheral
the vulnerability necessary to validate her sig- to jazz, like Gene Austin, Buddy Clark and
nature song, “People.” “I remain completely Perry Como. Comic Martha Raye gets a major
unconvinced that she’s a person who needs boost as a singer based on a very limited body
people,” he writes. of work. Alice Faye “may be the single most
His essays are rich in such juicy asser- significant female singer in Hollywood history,”
tions, often tantalizing in their startling certainly Friedwald writes in another surprising but well-
but always provocative and usually plausible. argued stroke.
He zeroes in, for instance, on two Billie Holi- Some singers he humbly admits to not
day air shots with Count Basie, claiming they getting. He grew into Mabel Mercer, but con-
are perhaps “the highlights of her recorded fesses that he still cannot hear in Helen Merrill
output”—a big bet to put on such a tiny sam- what most of the best musicians have heard
pling of Holiday’s remarkable work. Paragraph since the mid-1950s. Some singers he pro-
after paragraph is mined with such scintillating files seem a bit distant from his purpose. Ed-
declarations, often over similarly obscure points die Cantor, Sammy Davis, Sophie Tucker and
but engineered to invite debate. Friedwald has a Jimmy Durante were singing entertainers who
broad perspective of cultural context (films, ra- perhaps belong in a separate book.
dio, social history) and a mind like switchboard. This is still a wonderful book to read around
The result is unexpected cross-references that in, and given Friedwald’s instincts as a polemi-
bring intellectual life to factual detail. cist, it’s also likely to become influential. DB
The scope of the book’s judgments make Ordering info: randomhouse.com

Woodshed | Master Class
By Claire Daly
Stayin’ Alive
T he trajectory of what I thought my life in music would be is not very
much like what has happened, but it’s not all bad news. In fact, what
the jazz tradition has demonstrated over the years is an uncanny ability
to address all kinds of challenges—social, economic, artistic—in order to
advance this living music. The current state of the music “business” has
stopped more than a few people I know, but as a creative person, I will con-
tinue to find ways to play and hear the music that I love.
Once upon a time, the norm was that major labels signed and cultivated
artists they believed would last. The artist was recorded in a big, beautiful
studio and promoted by the in-house team who was well connected to the
powers-that-be. The tab was running and the hope was that the expenses
would be recouped by the label in album sales. More often than not, the
artist made a very small percentage of sales but might be lucky enough to
have some tour support from the label, and their careers developed with
time and exposure. Many strong relationships were built and plenty of great
music was recorded and released this way, but there was more to the story.
Years ago, I read a book called Hit Men that chronicled the music busi-
ness as a daunting tale of corruption, immorality and greed. Although it de-
pressed many who read it, I found it liberating because it made me realize
for certain that there was no rhyme or reason to the business. If I wanted to
keep playing, I would have to use creative energy to stay in the game as well
as to play the music. I identified myself as a “lifer,” who would play music
no matter what happened in the business.
Enter technology. New world. New game. Few rules. The Internet, where
the production and distribution of music is undergoing change, is still basi-
cally the Wild West. Most music is available for downloading (free or pur-
Judy Schiller
chased) or may be sold by someone who has nothing to do with the artist
or a record company, so young music lovers have come to believe that mu-
sic is free. They may never buy a CD in their life; their music is download- incentive to get the word out. The only cost is Kickstarter’s cut, which is 5
ed or “shared” (a.k.a stolen), and there are very few rules in place for how it percent. You can also put a PayPal “Donate” button on your website and
is distributed on the web. Record companies have sued the fans and royalties fundraise through a PayPal account. Get creative!
aren’t being paid. The world is upside down! Apps and technology now rule Distribution no longer favors the business side. Now you can distribute
the culture more so than music. How can a musician make money anymore? your music from your website and from indie sites like CD Baby. No lon-
With the Internet as a global distributor, artists can find the people who ger at the mercy of whether your label (if you had one) has good distribu-
like their music and service those fans on a more personal level. Instead tion and can get good placement in record stores, you will have to do what
of a record company telling them what will sell, what they should re- you can to be heard. Once again—get creative.
cord, or with whom they should be recording, artists get to make the mu- Streaming is likely to be the future of music, but will most jazz fans,
sic they want and in their own time frame. Likewise, the fan is not being who love to own whole collections of their favorite artists, settle for whatev-
told whom they should listen to or purchase. In a strange way, globalization er is streamed to them? Hard to say, but the majority of even jazz fans will
has brought us back to grass roots. The thing that will make people want to come to hear what they know through the Internet and streaming. Music
have your music is that it speaks to them. The people who love music will Choice, Sirius and other subscription-based music sites have whole chan-
be surfing the web, looking to discover something great. If you can provide nels with different styles of jazz, from traditional to bebop to big band to
that for them, they will tell their friends who will tell their friends who will avant-garde. Some sites have samples of tunes with links to Amazon to buy
tell their friends. It will be the music that will get people’s attention. And them. Everyone is trying to figure out the new game plan, and I don’t think
they will support you. Just like the old days. it’s in place yet. Be bold if you have the stomach for it. The more we can
I find this an inspiring idea, but it does leave many unanswered ques- embrace the changes, the better chance the music has of being heard and
tions. For an established artist with a fan base, folks can easily find you. If appreciated by new audiences.
you are just emerging, you may have to negotiate a number of possibilities, In a perfect world, musicians don’t have to think about anything but mu-
like how to record your music—which takes funding. The Internet has cre- sic. Someone else takes care of recording details and touring details and dis-
ated new and interesting ways to do this. There are several sites through tribution/sales details so the artist can be free to create unencumbered. This
which you make a pitch to friends, fans and strangers about funding your world is pretty far from perfect, so if you want a life in music, I hope you can
project. My favorite is Kickstarter, where you set a monetary goal and a find it in yourself to be as involved in the details as you can. Optimism, im-
deadline to fundraise your expenses through pledges from people who provisation and willingness to explore new possibilities help, too! DB
want to support your effort. You can offer perks at different levels. Donors
can be as involved in the project as much or as little as you want them to be. Claire Daly is an award-winning baritone saxophonist based in New York City.
People can get advanced copies or exclusive offers for various levels of do- She travels the world playing music, teaches at Jazz at Lincoln Center MSJA,
nations or go hear some music with you, come over for dinner, or anything Litchfield Jazz Camp and privately, and improvises a life in creative music. Cur-
rently, she is writing music to be premiered at the Juneau Jazz and Classics
you invent. If you don’t reach your goal, nobody pays, which is an excellent Festival in May 2011.

Woodshed | solo
by jimi durso
Jeremy Pelt
Jeremy Pelt’s Evocative Trumpet Solo
On Ralph Peterson’s ‘The Vicious Cycle’
D rummer Ralph Peterson’s composition
“The Vicious Cycle,” from the 2002 re-
lease Subliminal Seduction (Criss Cross), is
still makes it clear with his note choices where
the downbeat is. For example, the descending
chromatic line at the end of measure 11 lands on
quite a challenge to improvise on. Though the seventh of the D7(#9) in measure 12 and then
the form is an even 24 bars, that may be the continues as a scalar line. From measure 12 to
only thing standard about this tune. Most of 13 we see a similar concept, ending measure 12
the chords are inverted and in some instances with Eb and F (the b9 and #9 of the current chord)
are over bass notes with no relation to the tri- and landing in between on the E natural on the
ad (like the Bbmaj7/E b in measures 3, 7, 27 and downbeat of measure 13, where it is the third of
31). Many of the chords are anticipated, com- the C/G chord. This not only makes the chord
ing in on the last eighth note, and in some plac- change clear but also emphasizes that this is the
es quarter note, of the previous measure. And “one” of a new measure.
though the song is based on 4/4, there are the Pelt also shows a deftness and playfulness in
measures of 2, 3, 5 and even 9/8 that are inter- dealing with the odd and sometimes ambiguous
spersed throughout the piece with landmine- harmonies—for instance, the unusual Bbmaj7/Eb,
like qualities through which the soloist must which could be thought of as an Eb lydian sound.
navigate. But when this chord occurs in measures 3–4, 7–8
Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt not only makes it and 27–28, Pelt instead plays Bb major pentaton-
through two choruses of this obstacle course, he ic, highlighting the upper part of the chord. And
does so in such an evocative way as to make the then when the chord comes up for the last time
piece appear to the listener to be much simpler in his solo (measures 31–32), Pelt instead plays F
than it is. In dealing with the rhythmic aspect, major pentatonic. This brings out the upper parts
notice how Pelt’s first phrases start on down- of the Bb (the seventh, ninth and 13th), but also
beats, making the underlying time signatures makes the harmony more ambiguous (like F/
clear. It isn’t until measure 8 that we hear Pelt Bb/Eb!). He uses the same approach to the Db/E
playing over a bar line. He does this more fre- in measure 44, playing an Ab major pentatonic
quently as his improvisation progresses, but he line, again playing off of the fifth of the chord

to bring out the upper extensions (major seventh sure 12. When the D7(#9) shows up for the final
and ninth). time three measures before the end of his solo,
The D7(#9) that appears in measures 12, 22, Pelt plays closer to the actual harmony by playing
36 and 46 is another harmony that Pelt has fun D minor pentatonic (though with the root miss-
with. The first time he plays a descending line ing). He uses the F, the sharp nine of the D7, as
that is basically D phrygian, only with the root a pivot tone that becomes the third of the antic-
missing. This makes it sound almost like C mi- ipated harmony of the next measure, and makes
nor pentatonic with the sixth added, but the notes this clear by playing the rest of the Db triad right
also can be heard as the alterations of the D7 afterward.
chord: seventh, flat sixth, fifth, 11th, flat ninth, It’s also interesting to note that Pelt is com-
seventh and then sharp ninth. When the chord fortable enough with his playing that he lays
comes up in measure 22, however, he plays the out for the first and last measures of his solo,
sharp 11th, fifth and major third, two of these giving it space to develop and blend into the fi-
tones having not appeared in the previous in- nal melody. DB
stance. In measure 36 Pelt starts his line on the
root, but the remainder of the measure is C mi- Jimi Durso is a guitarist and bassist in the New York
nor pentatonic, which he had alluded to in mea- area. He can be reached at jimidurso.com.

Toolshed 
Antigua Pro-One Saxophones

Redefined Horns For
Modern Players
A ntigua enlisted the help of acclaimed saxophonist and veteran tech-
nician Peter Ponzol to create a new series of professional horns, the
Pro-One. The line raises the bar of Taiwan-made saxophones to a whole
new level, with numerous design innovations that improve tonal quality
and enhance the overall playing experience.
The first two horns in the series are the Pro-One alto (AS6200VLQ)
and tenor (TS6200VLQ). Sax-section mate Bruce Gibson and I tried them
both out during a two-hour test session in my DownBeat office, and we
found both models to be incredibly responsive, great-sounding and easy
to manage.
Key to the high performance of the Pro-One is the Ponzol-designed P1
neck, the angle of which causes the player’s throat to open more easily, re-
sulting in freer blowing, quicker response, significantly improved altissi-
mo, precise intonation (nice octaves!) and more subtle tonal control.
Another important component of the new design is the Pro-One’s
well-contoured keyboard layout, also the result of Ponzol’s input,
which provides a comfortable feel and promotes an economy of hand
motion that makes everything lay nicely on the horn. The ergonomic
positioning and placement of keys makes it easier for the saxophon-
ist to play with speed, accuracy and finesse. You get a nice even re-
sistance from top to bottom, resulting in a consistent feel and a
graceful touch. The tenor model includes two strap hooks, so
you can choose the one with the best angle to suit your height,
posture or embouchure.
In developing the Pro-One, Antigua conducted extensive
research on the chemical composition and grain structure of
the metal in some of the best professional-model saxes ever
made—specifically, post-World War II Selmers. The com-
pany’s engineering team found a source for such an alloy
(which it termed Vintage Reserve) and came up with a
computer-controlled annealing process that makes the
instrument respond more like a saxophone that’s been
broken in and played for a while. The Pro-One even
features metal thumb rests that let the player feel the
horn vibrate in his hands, unlike plastic thumb rests,
which tend to isolate vibrations and force the player
to rely entirely on his ears for feedback.
The Pro-One has a hybrid bell diameter—one
that’s slightly larger than a standard bell size, but not
oversized like many of the step-up horns that have been
introduced in recent years. Antigua and Ponzol settled on
an in-between bell size and length to help the player achieve an even the F and F-sharp keys that facilitates faster action and response in the
timbre and balanced resistance through all registers of the horn. right-hand key section. Antigua’s Trident adjustable key arms on the bell
Also contributing to the Pro-One’s consistency of tone are drawn tone keys improve radial rigidity and feature two adjustment arms for better bal-
holes. The holes are rolled on the bell keys (low C, B and B-flat) and straight ance and increased strength.
in all other areas, resulting in a hybrid of sorts. The rolled tone holes pro- The Pro-One is finished in a conservative vintage lacquer and features
vide a larger contact area for the pads to seal and add strength, provid- elaborate hand-engraving for an elegant look that suits the burnished tone
ing faster, more nimble response from the low notes and a deep, rich tone. of this classic-sounding instrument.
The straight holes are more appropriate for the middle and upper registers The alto carries a suggested retail price of $3,599, and the tenor lists at
of the horn, where rolled holes could have a tendency to spread the sound $3,999.
too much. The horns also feature high-grade Italian-made Lucien Deluxe The Pro-One doesn’t screw around. With its superior design and con-
leather pads and stainless steel tone boosters. struction and a bare minimum of bling, this saxophone is aimed directly at
One of the cooler features on the Pro-One is a Ponzol-designed lifter the professional market. The horns exhibit an overall coherence and clarity,
for the G-sharp mechanism that acts like a teeter-totter and gives extra le- with a nicely colored core tone that’s always present, from subtone quiet to
verage to prevent sticking. The mechanism never fails, so goodbye sticky blazing loud. —Ed Enright
G-sharp keys. Other keywork enhancements include a little bridge between Ordering info: antiguapro-one.com

Kawai MP10, MP6
Sweet-Sounding Stage Pianos
O ver the past 80 years, Kawai has delivered high-quality acoustic pi-
anos to the Asian and American markets, and has become one of
the major players in that space. The company’s digital offerings have been
and the XLR balanced outs (which are unaffected by the volume slider).
This is a really nice touch. These ins are also recorded when you use the
internal song recorder, which can hold up to 10 songs in wav or mp3 for-
around for more than 25 years, and Kawai has demonstrated a commit- mat. There is also a MIDI control section with basic features for control-
ment to developing and improving them with every iteration. Kawai offers ling external instruments. You can connect to your computer through the
many different series of digital pianos, ranging from lower-priced student USB jack on the back to dump out and bring in setups and programs, as
models to almost every level of home-console-style digital to a wide vari- well as MIDI files in the SMF format. There is also a standard USB jack on
ety of stage pianos. Two of the newest models that fit into this last catego- the front of the unit for inserting a USB key loaded with songs. All-in-all, a
ry are the MP10 and MP6. While they share the MP designation, these are very well-thought-out performance keyboard.
very different beasts, with different target audiences in mind. We’ll look at The MP6 lives in the mid-level stage piano market, street-priced at
the MP10 first. around $1,500. There is a lot more competition in this space, and the MP6
The Kawai MP10 is designed to compete in the premium digital piano has a feature set that matches up well with most of the competition. It is
space. Priced around $2,500 on the street, this piano is designed for the se- smaller than the MP10, but still large, although at 48 pounds it is much
rious professional pianist. It does include 27 different sounds, all in the pi- more manageable. It has a raised-angle front panel, which means it is not
ano, electric piano and what they call the “sub” section—which includes ideal for a second-tier keyboard, but it does give good access to all your
strings, pads and vibes—all sounds designed to complement the piano. So controls. The action is different on the MP6, which uses the Kawai RM ac-
if you are looking for an all-in-one synth workstation, this is not for you; if tion. This means the keys are plastic instead of wood, and the mechanism
you are looking for a high level piano experience, then read on. is not as long as in the RM3 action, but it still feels very good, if not as au-
The construction of the MP10 is solid. At 70 pounds, it comes in on the thentic as the MP10.
heavy side for a stage piano, and it is also pretty large—you probably won’t The MP6 includes a much larger sound set, adding in organs, brass, vo-
be sliding this into the backseat of the Civic. The upside of this kind of bulk cal, guitar and more synth sounds. All are decent, although there are no real
is the solidity of play it offers. If you have it on a solid stand, the MP10 feels standouts here. The pianos are excellent, but the electric pianos are not the
like a piano. The MP10 includes the newest Kawai RM3 digital piano ac- same as the ones found in the MP10, and not as good. The organs are like-
tion. The RM3 action uses fully wooden keys, and a really comfortable sys- wise good, but not fantastic. All are pretty usable, though, and considering
tem of counterweights—it feels great. This action was released this year as the lower price, there is a lot to like here.
a part of the company’s celebration of 25 years of Kawai digital piano ac- The controls for the four zone levels, the parameter adjustments and the
tions. The keys are covered in an ivory-like material that absorbs moisture, effects settings are arranged in a matrix with four buttons and knobs for
so the feel of the keyboard is really pleasurable. easy access, and allow for quick edits on the fly without digging through
The sounds are also very strong. Each sound section (piano/electric pi- menus. There are also four dedicated sliders for the zone levels, which
ano/sub) has its own control section, and can be switched on and off sep- make mixing layers and splits a snap.
arately for layering and splits. The pianos are gorgeous. From the rich There is also a sound recorder and a MIDI song recorder included here,
Concert Grand to the mellow Jazz to the bright Pop—these are all really but not the additional inputs on the MP10—still a nice feature, though.
usable. The electric pianos are likewise very playable. The Rhodes is really One of the areas where the MP6 does excel, though, is the editability of
rich and full—it definitely feels like the real thing. The Wurli also has the the sounds and parameters—they get pretty deep, and I suspect that with
sound of an authentic instrument, and is inspiring to play. Kawai also in- some time spent tweaking, you could get the factory sounds to sound great.
cluded a couple of decent clavs and a DX-style digital electric piano. The There is also a lot of control over MIDI messages and CCs, which make it
Electric Piano section also includes an amp simulator that is pretty solid a very nice controller.
and adds a lot of punch to these already excellent sounds. The Sub sec- Kawai continues to offer good products in the digital piano market
tion’s strings and pads are pretty good, and there are a couple of parame- with the MP10 and MP6. The care and attention to the action is something
ters to adjust that give a wide variety of options within each sound. There one would hope for from a respected maker of acoustic pianos, and the
are a couple of multi-effects sends and reverb on each group, and a global playing experience was very positive. The MP10 is a gorgeous instrument,
EQ for the entire unit. and needs to be considered if you are in the market for a high-level stage
Also included in the MP10 is a stereo line-in that will accept another piano. The MP6 has some weaknesses, but also a number of strengths, and
instrument output, which can be separately mixed in from the front pan- is definitely worth a look for the mid-level purchaser. —Chris Neville
el. This signal then gets routed out through both the 1/4-inch amplifier outs Ordering info: kawaius.com

Toolshed | Gear Box
{1} Luxury Case

Protec’s new Lux PRO PAC cases feature a
lightweight shock-absorbent shell to protect
{1} the instrument. They also include a zippered
messenger section with a built-in organizer,
tuck-away padded backpack straps, a water-
resistant padded ballistic nylon exterior and
a removable shoulder strap. Lux PRO PAC
cases are available for B-flat clarinet, German
clarinet, oboe and flute/piccolo. They come in
black or chocolate.
More info: protechmusic.com
{2} Midpoint Mouthpiece

The M30 Lyre is the latest addition to
Vandoren’s French clarinet mouthpieces.
This model is designed to be a midpoint
between the gold-standard 5RV Lyre and
the M30—its tip opening and facing length
position it directly between the two. The
mouthpiece is flexible with a big, round
{2} sound that’s harmonically dense and easy to
control. The M30 Lyre is available in Standard
Profile, Profile 88 and 13 series models.
More info: vandoren.com
{3} Tuning Key

Gibraltar’s new Quick Release drum
key makes tuning simple by includ-
ing a knurled grip for fast, easy head
{6}
changes and adjustments. The Quick
Release drum key hooks onto any lan-
yard or carabineer clip for easy access.
More info: gibraltarhardware.com
{4} More Cowbell

{5} Pearl’s New Yorker Cowbells create a
signature salsa sound with enough vol-
ume for any musical situation. The new
line comprises three different bell sizes.
More info: pearldrum.com
{4} {5} Perfect Balance

The new Pro 2900 is the only open-backed
headphone in Ultrasone’s Pro series.
Ultrasone has released both a standard,
single-cable version and a balanced,
double-cable version of these headphones.
The Pro 2900s have a classic black de-
sign and velvet-covered black ear pads.
More info: ultrasone.com
{6} Clip-On, Clip-Off

Barcus Berry’s new Sync Clip-On Tuner is a
mini-sized chromatic tuner with an LCD dis-
play and a tuning range of A0 to A6. It offers
fully adjustable clip-on mounting with silica gel
clip pads to protect the instrument. The Sync
{3}
Clip-On Tuner also features chromatic, guitar,
bass, violin and ukulele tuning selections.
More info: barcusberry.com

Jazz On Campus 
New York Jazz Academy Javier Arau
Expands Its Mission

S axophonist Javier Arau had a social agenda in mind when
he established a youth saxophone workshop in 2009: to
fill the void created by a sharp decline in public funding for
school music programs.
“I felt that they were underserved,” Arau said. “There are
kids trying to work through jazz on their instruments, but are
not having any chance to play with other kids and work with
mentors. The schools have cut so many programs.”
Arau leased a classroom at St. Bartholomew’s Church in
Midtown Manhattan, and spent heavily to advertise the week-
long program. But when the first day of the workshop ar-
rived that July, Arau had just six students. Things worked out,
though.
“They all showed up [and] we had a blast,” Arau said.
“We were in this hot, little room with no windows. For them
it was just this remarkable intensive. I don’t think any of these
kids knew there was this much to playing saxophone.”
Although Arau lost roughly $400, he deemed the venture
a success. “You know, I had to stop looking at any of this the
way a musician looks at a gig,” he said. “I was a businessman,
and that was like a trial-by-fire because you have to change
your mindset.”
Indeed, Arau altered a subsequent business plan for a
year-round program after the overwhelming response came
from adults. “I’d say nine out of 10 times,” he recalled, “it was
an adult calling, saying, ‘What about me?’”
As a result, Arau’s summer youth workshop grew into the
New York Jazz Academy, a mostly adult program with an en-
rollment of roughly 200. It has also recently added introduc-
tory music courses for small children. The school opened in
October 2009 at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew on the
Upper West Side. A year later, it expanded to several other
locations around Manhattan, in addition to Prospect Heights,
Brooklyn and Mineola, Long Island. It has also launched the
website nyjazzacademy.com. Its programs are affordable; typ-
ically $30 for a two-hour class.
Arau, now 35, grew up in Sacramento, Calif., and earned
Jason River
degrees in jazz composition at Lawrence University in
Wisconsin and New England Conservatory of Music. He
moved to Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood in September 2001, spends roughly eight hours a week at Arau’s academy. “I only wish I was
and then to Jackson Heights, Queens. Arau, a member of the BMI Jazz 25 again,” said Thuroff, 65, a computer consultant. “[As a young musician]
Composers Workshop, leads an 18-piece orchestra, serves as house saxo- I played, I played, I played; I just never learned.”
phonist at St. Bartholomew’s Church and has worked with Charli Persip’s Dr. Jennifer Provataris, who works in the emergency department at
Super Band. His credits as a composer include scores for the indie film Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y., played alto saxophone in a high
Easy Listening and The Gold Wutahkee, an Off Off Broadway musical. school stage band before her focus shifted to college and then medical
The New York Jazz Academy includes combos and big bands, and school. Armed with the same Bundy saxophone she played in high school,
weekly classes devoted to harmony, improvisation, guitar and voice. The she attends one of the academy’s improvisation workshops. “It was kind of
faculty includes guitarist Brad Shepik, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery and killing me that I wasn’t doing it anymore,” Provataris, 36, said. “I wish I
singer Carolyn Leonhart. However, the students run the gamut: from a would have done something like this sooner.”
doctor and a minister to an assortment of college students and instructors, For his part Arau is pleased with the school’s steady growth and the op-
tradesmen and retirees. Many of the students studied music during their portunity to refine his personal method for teaching jazz. But Arau’s mis-
formative years and see the school as an opportunity to pick up their in- sion remains incomplete.
struments again. “We’re seeing such positive results from both the teaching methods
Trumpet player Michael Thuroff said he was first chair in New York’s and the business model,” he said. “The next step is taking this beyond New
all-state band in 1963, and later played in a U.S. Army band and with York. This whole [program] could really benefit neighborhoods every-
the rock band Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. He quit after devel- where, whether it’s in the tri-state area, the Midwest or even abroad.”
oping embouchure problems, but began playing again in 2009. He now —Eric Fine

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83

Blindfold Test | By dan ouellette
Kenny Barron &

Mulgrew Miller
S hortly before performing their duo concert at the 31st Annual Detroit
International Jazz Festival on Sept. 5, Kenny Barron and Mulgrew
Miller appeared at the Talk Tent before a live audience to listen to and re-
Courtesy: Detroit International Jazz Festival, Photographer Jeff Forman

flect on a range of piano-based music. The Barron–Miller performance
took place on the Carhartt Amphitheatre Stage.
Tommy Flanagan
“How High The Moon” (from Lady Be Good … For Ella, Verve, 1994) Flanagan,
piano; Peter Washington, bass; Lewis Nash, drums.
Kenny Barron: The minute I heard this I could tell that this was someone
who liked Bud Powell, and it sounded like someone from Detroit. I was
thinking Barry Harris, but Mulgrew said no because it sounded like the
rhythm section of Peter Washington and Lewis Nash. That being the case,
I thought it must be Tommy Flanagan, my hero.
Mulgrew Miller: I thought of Tommy right away, playing “How High
The Moon.” I recognized his touch and that unique kind of language, vo- [An audience member guesses that this is “an old, old, old, old Oscar
cabulary in his playing. What always gives Tommy away for me is his left Peterson tune.”]
hand, which is a kind of legato left hand as opposed to a rhythmic left hand. Barron: Wow, it was recorded in 1945? I was 2 years old.
Tommy plays these sustained chords with his left hand.
Barron: When I was in junior high, I had an art teacher who used to Abdullah Ibrahim
bring in music for inspiration. In one class he played the Miles Davis re- “Blue Bolero” (from African Magic, Enja, 2001) Ibrahim, piano; Belden Bullock,
cording of “In Your Own Sweet Way” with Tommy. I loved his touch and bass; Sipho Kunene, drums.
the way he phrased. He became an influence and continued to be an influ- Barron: I’m stumped. It’s a very beautiful piece. Whoever this is knows
ence till the day he died—and he still is. how to take their time and not play a lot of notes. If I would have to rate
this, I’d give it 5 stars.
Eliane Elias/Herbie Hancock Miller: I have no idea, but I’ll just throw something out there. Is it
“The Way You Look Tonight” (from Solos And Duets, Blue Note, 1995) Elias, Han- Dollar Brand or Don Pullen or Geri Allen? It is Dollar Brand, I mean,
cock, pianos. Abdullah Ibrahim. I guessed him because the tune has an African folk ele-
Miller: This is an uneducated guess, but at least one of the pianists is a Cuban ment, and it has a simplicity of harmony. Abdullah isn’t into heavy impro-
virtuoso. I’m venturing forth with Gonzalo Rubalcaba as a wild guess, play- visation. This tune stayed simple while also having a spiritual feel. That’s
ing with either Herbie Hancock or someone influenced by Herbie. what led me to guess him.
Barron: I’m definitely lost, but I’ll hazard a guess that this is Hiromi Barron: I remember seeing Abdullah playing with saxophonist Carlos
playing with Chick Corea. They both have a similar technique. It’s not? Ward at Sweet Basil on Monday nights. The music was so hymn-like. It
Well, I liked this. They both stretched the boundaries. That was very was like being in church.
interesting. Miller: It’s funny, but at first I thought this might be Brad Mehldau, but
Miller: I liked it as well—harmonically, rhythmically, and its form. It’s then I could hear that the touch wasn’t his.
an adventurous version of the tune, without a straightahead swing. It’s what
you’d expect from a modern piano duo. They’re both virtuosos with phe- Fred Hersch
nomenal technique and ideas. They’re in tune with each other. Personally, I “I Mean You” (from Fred Hersch Plays Thelonious, Nonesuch, 1998) Hersch, piano.
would have been lost in the first eight bars. Miller: Again, I’m not sure, but something about it reminds me of Jaki
Barron: This is Herbie? Is he playing with a Spanish pianist? Byard. It’s the quirkiness. It sounded like someone a little older than any
Miller: Is it Herbie and Chucho Valdés? of the young pianists.
Barron: Eliane? I never would have guessed that, even though I’ve Barron: At first I thought it was Fred Hersch. It is? There was some-
played duets with her. thing in his phrasing. I’ve played duo with him on occasion. I thought it was
Fred, but then it got a little busy—busier than I’ve heard him play. So that
Oscar Peterson threw me off. But I’m glad I was right. I liked this a lot. It was very creative.
“The Sheik Of Araby” (from This Is Oscar Peterson At The Piano, Bluebird/BMG, This was a unique rendition of Monk.
2002, rec’d 1945) Peterson, piano; Bert Brown, bass; Frank Gariepy, drums. Miller: I’ve known Fred a long time. We’re about the same age. I was
Barron: I want to defer to Mulgrew, but I do know the song. It’s “Sheik Of living in Boston when Fred was at the New England Conservatory of
Araby.” I don’t have any idea who this is, but it’s obviously someone who Music studying with Jaki Byard, so I was close. I’m a great admirer of
is older. The sound quality makes it sound old, and the way the bass player Fred. He always improvises with a lot of adventure. He has a lot of imagi-
plays makes it sound old. nation and creativity. He’s got a lot to say. DB
Miller: I’m going to take a wild guess. Is this Dorothy Donegan?
Barron: I liked this. It’s not my cup of tea, but from a piano point of The “Blindfold Test” is a listening test that challenges the featured art-
view, it’s great. ist to discuss and identify the music and musicians who performed on
selected recordings. The artist is then asked to rate each tune using
Miller: And the left hand is incredible. a 5-star system. No information is given to the artist prior to the test.

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February 2011U.K. £3.

President Kevin Maher

Record Companies & Schools

Musical Instruments & East Coast Schools

Classified Advertising Sales

102 N. Haven Road

Jack Maher, President 1970-2003

Though the feeling they generate

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Making John McLaughlin

Clean Language, Please

of that kind of “education” in their daily lives.

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Mood For Life

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Moody: A Hard Man Not To Love

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Moers Return: Ornette Coleman will head-

Alligator @ 40: Chicago-based blues label

Caine Fellowship: Pianist Uri Caine

Blues Home: Memphis-based Blues Foun-

Bayou Download: The New Orleans Musi-

Chicago Matinees: Chicago’s Old Town

Kelly Meets Woods: Saxophonists Grace

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Lithuanian Label Contradicts Nation’s Aesthetic Status Quo

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Douglas Ewart Impassioned, Playful AACM Anniversary

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David S. Ware Proves David S. Ware

been understandably rare. And it took consid-

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WIL GRAY/ARTHAUS IMAGERY AND DESIGN

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A t a weekly jam session in Brooklyn, McNeil stresses his skills as both

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The Music Center at Strathmore F. Scott’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar

February 2011U.K. £3.

Though the feeling they generate