MFT -  You’ve enjoyed some national airplay for your most recent disc, “One For Shirley,” (I’ve heard tracks on Sirius XM and also on KJAZZ from Los Angeles) what is your next project?

TW – I’m actually not sure. I have two projects pending. The first is original music that was written specifically for the musical personalities in my sextet. The second consists of Christmas Holiday arrangements that would involve the inclusion of some vocalists as well. I debuted a bit of this new material at a CPFJ Holiday concert this past December 2008.

MFT -  Who are you listening to these days?  Do you have anyone on your radar as being the next big thing?

TW – Everyone! I’m listening to the new music mediums, MySpace, Youtube, Music Choice, Sirius, etc. The internet has helped level the playing field a bit, allowing many new artists, the chance to be heard, who otherwise may have never been.

I don’t feel that I’m qualified to predict the next BIG thing but I will say that many eyes are on pianist Gerald Clayton, the son of the “progenitor”, bassist John Clayton. He’s extraordinarily talented, as well as a true gentleman, most importantly, he’s “cool” like a jazz musician should be. New Orleans trumpeter Christian Scott is the same way. A few other young artists to watch out for are vibraphonist, Warren Wolf, drummer Marcus Gilmore, trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, pianist Aruan Ortiz, vocalist Joanna Pascale, organist Pat Bianchi, young drummers Kush Abadey and Justin Falkner (both still in High School), and bassist Esperanza Spalding.

MFT -  I realize that, as Wynton Marsalis once said, Jazz is serious business; however, are you having any fun these days?

TW – I love to perform and still do so regularly, but I am also an ”Artist in Residence” at Messiah College. I find teaching to be immensely rewarding intellectually and spiritually. Terell Stafford and I, have already had influential hands in guiding the careers of a few wonderful artists like, the brilliant and artistically eccentric pianist Orrin Evans, saxophonist Jaleel Shaw(currently w/ Roy Haynes), and drum dynamo Rodney Green. Sharing information with them early, then creating a forum allowing them to evolve, is like planting seeds and watching them grow.

MFT -  Where do you see yourself in five years?
TW – This is difficult to say. I hope to continue as a contributor to this valuable artform, but in an even greater magnitude.

Gerald Clayton

New York pianist Gerald Clayton comes from a long line of Jazz musicians.  In his relatively compact career Clayton has managed to carve out a niche in the music through his playing and through the well-thought-out reasons behind the music he makes.

Clayton is in the process of producing his first album which will be released by Artists Share.

In advance of an appearance here in Central PA I asked Gerald about his music and his approach to improvising.

MFT -  On your Artist Share page you talk about your music being a balancing act.  Can you tell me what you mean by that?

GC – I say balancing act because I like to draw from all of the various musical styles that I love. If we had to describe music without using genre distinctions, we would have to refer to the emotions that the music evokes. I hope to find an honest way of expressing all of my emotions through music, which means drawing upon various types of sounds and styles. Similar to making a big stew, an artist has to use his or her judgement as to the right balance of ingredients.

MFT – I suspect that growing up in a musical family gave you a special respect for the traditions and history of this music. How do you maintain a respectful attitude without becoming a clone off that which has come before you?

GC – I remember being a kid and going to a lot of sound checks and rehearsals with my dad. I saw a whole bunch of grown men smiling and laughing, greeting each other with hugs. It was a very loving environment to be in. I think it’s the love for music that makes musicians treat each other and the history with respect. There’s no commandments that we’re forced to follow (Thou shall always respect the tradition). It’s just a natural thing to show respect to that which we love.

First, for all the sight readers here’s a look at the solo.

Next we have McCoy Tyner’s version.

Finally, there’s this thing.

I hope it has an “off” switch!

In the hands of Phil Woods the alto saxophone is no mere musical instrument. As with any creative artist, for Woods his instrument is but a tool that he employs in the service of his art.

Woods has resided in Pennsylvania’s Pocono mountain region for some three decades, just about as long as his quintet has been together.

Audience members familiar with the saxophonist know that any performance will include neither radical avant-garde playing nor self-indulgent introspective playing. Instead the room will be filled with the spirit of Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington to name a few.

With his longevity in the music industry one would expect to find multiple bins of recordings by Woods at their favorite music retailer. As the saxophonist’s die-hard fans will attest, such is not the case.

During a phone conversation Woods described his recording history as “spotty” saying, “I was with Blue Note for a minute, but they dropped me like a hot potato. I did one record for them with Johnny Griffin and Cedar Walton, but of course the accountants are running the business now, as we all know. “

“What sticks in your craw is they keep telling you that you don’ sell but they keep reissuing your (old) stuff without renegotiating or even sending you a complementary copy.”

“I’ve kinda given up on the majors, and I’m going to concentrate on recording for small independent labels with modest budgets. I started off with the small independents and I think that’s where probably I’m going to end up, I just want to make music at this point in my life.”

Ever the globetrotter, Woods casts a quizzical eye on the importance placed upon jazz and jazz education abroad and at home. “Somebody is getting mixed up. We’re not meant to compete with the Kenny G’s and the big guys. Jazz is modest salon-type music and as such it’s pretty strong.”

“Jazz is still well respected around the world, even though it is less so at home. We educated the whole world about jazz and the first thing we cut to save a buck in the schools was the music education programs. We need a Voice of America for Americans.”

As with so many other artists and fans, it was at a live performance where Woods was bitten by the jazz bug, “When I saw Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges came down front and played “Mood To Be Wooed” and then I heard Charlie Parker and that’s all she wrote. I wanted to be a musician but there were no jazz schools at the time so I went to the Manhattan School of Music for a summer course and then I transferred to Julliard where I did four years on the clarinet.”

That was from 1948 to 1952 which was a very fecund time to be in New York City. It was where the revolution was happening in all the arts from Max Bodenheim to John Cage to Charlie Parker, it was all happening. That’s when the arts were very strong.”

Woods love of his work and certainty in the rightness of his chosen path in life seems unflagging. He says, “I knew when I was fourteen years old that if you’re going to go into music or any of the arts it was not going to be easy. I get up in the morning, I look in the mirror, give myself a round of applause and get on with it.”