My Favorite Things

Happy Birthday Pops

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:10:00 +0000

Even though recent research indicates that Louis Armstrong was not born on July 4, 1900, the legend is so strong that many in jazz still celebrate his birthday on Independence Day. What could be more American that celebrating the birth of the central figure in the development of this uniquely American music on the Fourth of July?

Here’s a link to the museum that is being established at the Armstrong House in New York.

Here’s a look at two Armstrong videos.

Louis Armstrong 1933
Uploaded by sirarnold

One of my favorite Armstrong recordings is his collaboration with Duke Ellington. Talk about a meeting of giants!

Finally, on a completely different note, here’s something to add a taste of history to your celebration. Enjoy!

Taking The A Train

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:03:00 +0000

Sunday, June 22 my wife and I took the “A” Train to Harlem. In fact, it wasn’t the only train we took that day but for the purposes of this story it was the important one.
We were on a mission to hear Art Tatum. Our destination was the historic Apollo Theater on 125th. Street. The show we were about to see was “Art Tatum Piano Starts Here.”
The playbill described the performance as a “two-man show: one lives, one lives on.” For the next two hours the actor Paul Butler, in the persona of Doc Hanley, beguiled us.
Hanley was closing up his basement jazz club shortly after the death of his friend Art Tatum. Hanley reminisced about his friend and recounted their many musical adventures.
Art Tatum was the other performer on the Apollo stage even though the audience only saw him through images projected onto the stage wall. However everyone in the theater would testify that they were in the presence of the great man.
Tatum came to life through a Steinway B concert grand piano which commanded the stage by its presence. Oh what a piano it was! Three years in the making, the instrument was a symbiotic melding of the instrument-maker’s craft and digital technology. Add the cutting edge software of Zenph Studios and we were about to be mesmerized by the artistry of Art Tatum as surely as if he were seated at the keyboard.
In all the show featured 12 song performed by Tatum. Even though I had heard Tatum many times in the past, those performances were Tatum distilled and filtered through microphones and speakers. What emerged from the Steinway was pure Tatum, no amplification allowed.
There was something about the visual reinforcement of the aural. I was hearing it and I was seeing it, but I still didn’t believe it.
Along the way we learned much about Tatum the man. However, the information that came as the greatest surprise was the fact that his widow Geraldine survives to this day.
After the performance Zenph President and Founder John Q. Walker told the audience of his meeting with Mrs. Tatum and of her generous contribution of Tatum’s personal piano to the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Generations to come will be able to view the piano and other artifacts from Tatum at the museum.
Overall I had a great time. The music was enthralling. Experiencing it in the historic Apollo Theater enhanced the special character of the performance. Kudos to one and all and especially to Art.

Art Tatum: Piano Starts Here

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:39:00 +0000

When I read about this recording in Marc Myers’ “Jazz Wax” blog I knew I wanted to add it to my collection. The disc arrived this week and I am not disappointed.

If you’ve not heard the story of this recording here it is in a nutshell. In the spring of 1949 Tatum performed at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. A less-than-stellar recording of the gig has seen multiple releases as “Piano Starts Here.” The new disc, released June 3, is promoted as a “RePerformance” and was recorded September 23, 2007 also at the Shrine.

Zenph Studios takes vintage recordings and through digital wizardry turns those recordings back into a live performance. In the case of the Tatum session a Yamaha Disklavier Pro digital reproducing piano is the performer.

After listening to the new disc I am pleased at the musicality of the performance. I have to keep telling myself that I am listening to a machine. Having listened to my share of Tatum recordings over the years, I feel that this is more than just an accurate representation of Tatum. This is the essence of the great pianist. No wonder the 2007 audience breaks into applause.

In addition to the usual surround sound recording, the disc also contains binaural stereo recordings. For this, two microphones mounted in a dummy head are placed at the keyboard of the piano. The resulting recording, when listened to on headphones, gives you the sense of sitting at the piano and hearing what Tatum must have heard.

Here’s a link to the Zenph website. Follow it for details on the recording and a planned performance later this month at the Apollo Theater in New York.

Unlike some other digital manipulations of old recordings, I don’t find this to be a misuse of the technology. One has only to listen to a track from the original recording and then the same track from the new disc to fully appreciate the amazing difference. To me this is technology employed in the service of artistry.

Steve Rudolph

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:42:00 +0000

Steve Rudolph has been a mainstay of the South Central Pennsylvania musical fabric for more years than either of us care to remember. The Indiana native brought his pianistic prowess to Harrisburg while touring with the Tommy Dorsey ghost band more than two decades ago.

In my earlier days as a Public Radio Jazz Producer Steve was a frequent contributor to my programs both as a performer and commentator. Through him I was introduced to countless members of the Jazz Community. He and I formed one half of the Founding Four of the Central PA Friends of Jazz
.
While his career has taken him to such far-flung locales as Russia, Germany and India; Steve always returns home to Central PA. I think that because he is usually here Steve is sometimes taken for granted by the local fans. Too bad because those fans are missing out on partaking of a prodigious talent who also happens to be a nice guy.

In 2007 Steve recorded a television show for WVIA Public Television in Scranton, PA. He used the opportunity to not only showcase himself but also some of his musical friends.
Here are two clips from that program. The first is a trio session and for the second the group expands to a quartet to feature saxophonist Tom Strohman. Enjoy!

Art Blakey

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:16:00 +0000

A Google search turned up the attached video. It runs 48-minutes and as you can see features Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers in 1961. Unfortunately no further information is provided.
Since it would be a few years after this was recorded before I became interested in jazz, I was only 15 at the time, I do not recognize any of the players except Blakey. Use the email link in the right column if you can share any information. Thanks!

2007 NEA Jazz Masters Special Online Event

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:04:00 +0000

LEGENDS OF JAZZ Presents the 2007 NEA Jazz Masters Special Online Event

Available Online all month long

TV special profiles NEA Jazz Masters Ramsey Lewis, Phil Woods,
Jimmy Scott, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Frank Wess, & Curtis Fuller

In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month (April) 2008, LRSmedia debuts LEGENDS OF JAZZ Presents the 2007 NEA Jazz Masters as a special webcast premiere in conjunction with the entire online jazz community.

This one-hour television special, hosted by 2007 NEA Jazz Master Ramsey Lewis, will feature conversation and musical performances by bandleader and pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, trombonist Curtis Fuller, vocalist Jimmy Scott, flutist Frank Wess, and saxophonist Phil Woods. Special guest and co-host Nancy Wilson will interview Ramsey Lewis about his music, 50-year career and his selection as an NEA Jazz Master.

Watch online here.

Sir Roland

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:56:00 +0000

I first met Sir Roland Hanna when he filled in for an ailing Joe Pass on a concert I was producing. It may seem odd to have a pianist subbing for a guitarist but in the role of the melodic anchor of a band either of the two instruments works nicely.

I had wanted to book Hanna for several years anyway and this lucky happenstance made that happen. I was familiar with his work with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and a host of trio and quartet dates which spanned several decades. Of course who can forget his work on those CTI albums including the Jim Hall session Concerto.

However, it was one particular recording that caught my attention and made Roland Hanna a regular on my radio show. The recording was a solo session for the tiny Town Crier label. I believe the session took place in a church. However, the recording quality was exceptional and Roland’s playing was captivating. I believe this is the only time he recorded his composition Century Rag. To me it was the highlight of the album.

The concert was a success and I asked Roland to put together a group for a return the following season. The return engagement featured the legendary Richard Davis on bass and Bill Easley on sax. The audience was treated to an evening of good friends making good music.

For me the highlight of the day came before the performance when we were walking to the concert hall from dinner. Roland remarked that my voice sounded familiar. He continued that I sounded like the announcer on a jazz show he briefly listened to while driving from New York to Washington, D.C.

He explained that after playing a Sunday matinee on Broadway he would drive to his home in Washington to spend his off day at home with his wife. It turned out that his route carried him into the signal area of the radio station for which I was doing a Sunday night jazz show. However, he only was able to listen briefly and had not heard me identify myself. I’ve since wondered who else was out there when I was playing jazz on the radio.

Over the years I’ve managed to collect a number of Sir Roland’s recordings including the 2003 tribute to Tommy Flanagan entitled “Tributaries.” I think that recording also serves as an appropriate summary to Roland’s career. To coin a phrase, his playing is soulful but stately.

The Piano/Herbie Hancock

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:26:00 +0000

In 1978 Herbie Hancock went into a Tokyo studio to record a solo piano session for release in Japan. What made the recording noteworthy was the way it was recorded.

The album was recorded using the Direct-To-Disc method where the music goes from the studio to a master disc from which the vinyl LPs are pressed. In the pre compact disc era Direct-To-Disc represented the peak of recorded quality.

For his session Hancock chose three standards as well as four original tunes. Because of the recording technique each 16-minute side of the LP was to be recorded in one pass with only slight pauses between tunes.

The resulting album, “The Piano” was never released in the United States. However, in 2004 a compact disc was produced that included not only the 1978 release but also several alternate tracks. It can be found on the Columbia Legacy label.

The music here is absolutely stunning. Hancock rose to the challenge of performing under the constraints of the technology. His impressionistic intro to the opening track, “My Funny Valentine” is in itself worth the price of admission. Of the originals “Harvest Time” is a standout. The bonus of hearing additional takes of four of the tunes gives the listener a glimpse into Hancock’s creative process.

This is a piano recording done the way all piano recordings should be done. The instrument is well tuned and recorded with a presence and clarity that approaches the experience of hearing a live instrument. You hear the piano from the pianist’s perspective. The right hand is on the right channel and the left hand in the left channel. A gem of a recording!

Dave McKenna

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:48:00 +0000

Back in the early 1990’s I was producing a series of summer jazz concerts here in Pennsylvania. Over the course of six years I met a lot of great jazz players and heard some exceptional music.

One of the artists whom I got to know a little was pianist Dave McKenna. I was familiar with his playing through his recordings that I was playing on my radio show.

When I was assembling a series of solo piano concerts Dave was one of the first names that came to mind. I knew that his rumbling left hand bass notes would roll like thunder through the open-air concert hall.

To see Dave McKenna without knowing what his profession was one would think he might have been an accountant or some other office scribe. He was the quietest most self-effacing person I had ever met.

Make no mistake, you could engage him in conversation about music or his beloved Red Sox and you’d find a friendly though soft-spoken man. However, for the most part he let his music do the talking. For instance, in the two concerts he performed for me he never spoke a word to the audience. He would acknowledge their applause with a smile and nod of the head and then it would be back to work.

Of course his playing was sublime and swung like crazy. I was able, with his permission, to record the second concert for radio. What strikes me the most from the recording is McKenna’s seemingly spontaneous assembly of tunes into lengthy cohesive medleys.

My friend and recording engineer had just become a father a day or two before the gig. Dave must have heard us talking about the birth because to our amazement the second half of the concert contained a lengthy medley of tunes each with the word baby in the title.

I’ve frequently wondered what happened to Dave McKenna. Wikipedia says he retired around the turn of the millennium. Too bad for we fans but good for him.

Giant Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:58:00 +0000

Ever just type something into a search engine and see where it takes you? These video takes on Coltrane's "Giant Steps" are the result of just such an idle search.

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!

Grammy Awards for Jazz

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:45:00 +0000

As promised, here is the list of Grammy Award winners in the Jazz categories. As just about everyone knows, Herbie Hancock also won Album of the Year.

Jazz Grammy Winners 2008

Category 45
Best Contemporary Jazz Album

* River: The Joni Letters
Herbie Hancock
[Verve]

Category 46
Best Jazz Vocal Album

* Avant Gershwin
Patti Austin
[Rendezvous Entertainment]

Category 47
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo

* Anagram
Michael Brecker, soloist
Track from: Pilgrimage
[Heads Up International]

Category 48
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group

* Pilgrimage
Michael Brecker
[Heads Up International]

Category 49
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

* A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
Terence Blanchard
[Blue Note]

Category 50
Best Latin Jazz Album

* Funk Tango
Paquito D'Rivera Quintet
[Paquito Records]

Sitting In With Sonny Stitt

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:53:00 +0000

My friend Steve sent me the link to this video which, as he put it, is "seriously funny."

You don't have to be a jazz musician to appreciate the tale spun by master storyteller Bill Cosby. Also check out the reactions of both Dick Cavett and Jack Benny.

Enjoy!

The exceptional Ira Sullivan

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:19:00 +0000

Like many in this area I was introduced to Ira Sullivan in the 1980's when he made a guest appearance at a jazz society Christmas Party. Up from his Florida home for a private engagement. Sullivan greeted the jazz society crowd with a blistering trumpet solo.

It was only later that I would learn that the trumpet was one of seven instruments over which Ira had command. I also learned that he was primarily self-taught on all those instruments.

His skill on alto, soprano and tenor sax is without match. To hear Ira on alto flute is to bring joy into your heart. On every instrument in his arsenal the man will swing you into bad health!

During the years when Sullivan was a regular participant in the annual Central PA Jazz Festival I had the good fortune to hang with Ira. I even once coaxed him to submit to an interview for my radio show.

I also had the opportunity to observe as he worked with not only his peers but also with the budding musicians who attended his clinics. This kind and gentle man seemed tireless as he coached and encouraged his charges.

The background of Ira Sullivan includes early encounters with Charlie Parker and other royalty of be-bop. Recordings are available of Sullivan's collaboration with Red Garland. Rahassan Roland Kirk and most notedly Red Rodney.

For me personally the ultimate Ira Sullivan experience came when I produced a concert featuring him with pianist Reuben Brown, bassist Steve LaSpina and drummer Steve Bagby. The music sizzled that night.

Ira lives in the Miami area and plays frequently in that area of Florida. Occasionally he ventures out for places such as Chicago, Denver or New York. If you get word that he's going to be close by, don't miss the opportunity to witness the exceptional Ira Sullivan.

Brother Thelonious

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:27:00 +0000

One thing I like with my Jazz is a tall cool adult beverage. My choice runs toward something created from hops, barley and water.

Recently I've been exploring the craft beer world and the dizzying array of styles and flavors available. I also really enjoy the creative names developed for the brewers and their beverages. Many times you know exactly what your getting when you open a beer called "Hop Devil" for instance. Other times you haven't a clue. After all, who knows what to expect from an ale called "Old Abonimable?"

Being a jazz fan, I at least have some idea of what to expect from the ale named "Brother Thelonious." That's right, there is a beer named for Monk! Not only that, there's a stylized drawing of the great man right on the label.

What do you think a beer named for Thelonious Monk would taste like? Would it have some of the quirky characteristics of Monk's music & personality? Or would it be laid-back and cool?

When you follow the link to the North Coast Brewing page for Brother Thelonious you'll learn a few things about the brew. It's based on a Belgian style Abby ale, which means it will be rather dark and heavy. You'll also see that it is bottled in 750ml bottles with a cork and wire cage. No 12oz cans here!

I spotted some at my local beer store and experienced sticker shock over the rather considerable price tag. A brew this special requires a special occasion that justifies the outlay. Maybe to celebrate Monk's birthday? Heck, maybe to celebrate my birthday!

Grammy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:35:00 +0000

February 10 marks the 50th Anniversary of the recording industry awards known as the Grammy Awards. Many jazz fans have a rightly deserved negative reaction to the awards.

For years jazz music and those who create it have been relegated to the back of the bus. Visibility on the national broadcast is limited to a brief appearance or complete banishment from the telecast.

The recording industry is making what at best can be described as feeble attempts to raise the profile of not only jazz but classical music as well. Separate events are planned for the days leading up to the award show.

This year Sonny Rollins and McCoy Tyner will be celebrated for their outstanding careers and exceptional talents. Too bad we won’t get to see any of the program on February 10.

For those who like to keep score I’ve listed below the nominees in each of the jazz categories. I’ll make every effort to post the winners after February 10.

Category 45

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* Party Hats
Will Bernard
[Palmetto Records]

* Downright Upright
Brian Bromberg
[Artistry Music]

* Re-imagination
Eldar
[Masterworks Jazz]

* River: The Joni Letters
Herbie Hancock
[Verve]

* He Had A Hat
Jeff Lorber
[Blue Note]

Category 46

Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Avant Gershwin
Patti Austin
[Rendezvous Entertainment]

* Red Earth - A Malian Journey
Dee Dee Bridgewater
[DDB/Emarcy]

* Music Maestro Please
Freddy Cole
[HighNote Records]

* Nightmoves
Kurt Elling
[Concord Jazz]

* On The Other Side
Tierney Sutton (Band)
[Telarc Jazz]

Category 47

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
(For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter's name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Levees
Terence Blanchard, soloist
Track from: A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
[Blue Note]

* Anagram
Michael Brecker, soloist
Track from: Pilgrimage
[Heads Up International]

* Both Sides Now
Herbie Hancock, soloist
Track from: River: The Joni Letters
[Verve]

* Lullaby
Hank Jones, soloist
Track from: Kids: Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Joe Lovano and Hank Jones)
[Blue Note]

* 1000 Kilometers
Paul McCandless, soloist
Track from: 1000 Kilometers (Oregon)
[CamJazz]

Category 48

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* Pilgrimage
Michael Brecker
[Heads Up International]

* Live At The Village Vanguard
The Bill Charlap Trio
[Blue Note]

* Kids: Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
Joe Lovano And Hank Jones
[Blue Note]

* Line By Line
John Patitucci
[Concord Jazz]

* Back East
Joshua Redman
[Nonesuch Records]

Category 49

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(For large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
Terence Blanchard
[Blue Note]

* Eternal Licks & Grooves
The Bob Florence Limited Edition
[MAMA Records]

* Hommage
The Bill Holman Band
[Jazzed Media]

* Sky Blue
Maria Schneider Orchestra
[ArtistShare]

* With Love
Charles Tolliver Big Band
[Blue Note]

Category 50

Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Funk Tango
Paquito D'Rivera Quintet?
[Paquito Records]

* The Magician
Sammy Figueroa And His Latin Jazz Explosion
[Savant Records]

* Borrowed Time (TIEMPO PRESTADO)
Steve Khan
[Tone Center Records]

* Refugee
Hector Martignon
[Zoho]

* Big Band Urban Folktales
Bobby Sanabria Big Band
[Jazzheads]

New Online Jazz

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:36:00 +0000

The New Year has already seen a pair of new websites opening for business. Below are brief glimpses of each.

Jazz.com calls itself, "a comprehensive jazz portal with thousands of pages of reviews, interviews, features, discographies and photos."

A team of more than thirty writers, photographers and artists has been working for almost two years in preparation for the launch. Under the direction of Ted Gioia, author of The History of Jazz and West Coast Jazz, this team has prepared more than 1,000 new reviews, a comprehensive jazz encyclopedia, and other exciting content of interest to the global jazz community.

“Orrin Keepnews, Producer,” is a new video Podcast series
Veteran Jazz producer Orrin Keepnews and his Keepnews Collection releases from the Concord Music Group are the subject of a new video Podcast series created and produced by Bret Primack now available on YouTube and iTunes, as well as the Concord Music Group website.

One of the most respected of all Jazz producers, Orrin Keepnews, in his long and productive career, has worked with such artists as Rollins, Monk, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, and Cannonball Adderley, and has also founded the influential Jazz labels Riverside and Milestone.

Orrin Keepnews, Producer: “Orrin Keepnews Meets The Saxophone Colossus”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3L6Ws2DsEY

Schedule for “Orrin Keepnews, Producer”
January 14: The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
January 28: Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco
February 11: George Russell - Ezzethics
Febraury 25: Bill Evans – Portrait in Jazz
March 10: McCoy Tyner -- Horizon
March 24: Cannonball Adderley Sextet in New York
April 7: Thelonious Monk -- Brilliant Corners
April 21: Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners, Part 2
May 5: Coleman Hawkins – The Hawk Flies
May 19: Nat Adderley – Work Song
May 22: Freedom Suite – Sonny Rollins
June 9: Freedom Suite – Sonny Rollins, Part 2
June 23: Fly with the Wind – McCoy Tyner
July 7: Bill Evans – Sunday at the Village Vanguard
July 21: Thelonious Monk – Town Hall Concert
August 4: Thelonious Monk – Town Hall Concert, Part 2
August 18: Blue Mitchell – Blue Soul

Looking Forward & Looking Back

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:51:00 +0000

As we launch into a New Year our attention is divided between looking ahead and looking backward. There is benefit to be gained from each perspective.

Looking back, 2007 was a time of change. Like all of us, some corners have been turned and some friends have been left behind.

Here in Central PA the jazz community is poorer for the loss of Chris Santiago. The surprise of his death cast a shadow over the usual December festivities.

As a concert producer and Friends of Jazz founder I worked with Chris on numerous projects. He was generous with his time and with his instruments. The list of percussionists who have played his drum kit would read like a roll-call of the greats of jazz drumming.

A talented musician and gentle person was Chris. He always was a steady timekeeper no matter if he was behind his drums or just sharing a laugh.

Looking ahead, there is a whole world of music to which we’ll want to listen. Along the way there will be some new musical friends to be made too. For example, within the past week my eyes and ears have been opened to the exceptional percussionist Evelyn Glennie. To quote maestro Ellington, she is “beyond category.” I’ll have more to report in the coming weeks.

The beauty of jazz in part stems from the music’s ability to surprise. The adventuresome part of jazz comes from not knowing from where or when the next surprise will come.

Happy 2008!

Oscar Peterson

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:58:00 +0000

Monday's news of Oscar Peterson's death at age 82 came as something of a surprise. I knew he'd not been in the best of health in recent months but was not aware of the seriousness of his condition.

The Canadian-born pianist had been a reliable presence on the jazz scene for many decades. Not even a stroke in the 1990's could silence Peterson.

To simply see Peterson at the keyboard was to glimpse an obviously overpowering musical presence. However, when he started playing you instantly knew you were in the company of a commanding talent.

Like some other jazz players who garnered widespread recognition, Oscar Peterson was dismissed by some critics for being too technically perfect and for not revealing sufficient emotion in his music. How much of this criticism was rooted in envy of Peterson's widespread success is anyone's guess.

I am happy that for one night in my life I was fortunate to be in the audience for an Oscar Peterson concert. He made the piano sound like an entire orchestra.

Holiday Greetings!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:29:00 +0000

Ever since I started playing jazz on the radio an annual tradition would be my Christmas Jazz program. In the early years the music choices were limited to Stan Kenton's Christmas, the soundtrack to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and the Ellington Nutcracker Suite. Times sure have changed with just about every artist in the business releasing a holiday collection.

In 2005 when I resumed production of My Favorite Things as an online program I produced a Christmas program. In the one-hour show I was able to survey some new and some old recordings, including Louis Armstrong reading "The Night Before Christmas."

I post here a link to that program with best wishes for a Cool Yule and a Swingin' New Year.

ENJOY!

Chatting WIth Phil Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:09:00 +0000

Several weeks ago I posted a tribute to the great Phil Woods on his birthday. In the weeks since that posting I discovered the transcript of a phone conversation Phil and I had to promote a local appearance by his band. This week I'm sharing that conversation.

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.”

Jazz Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:40:00 +0000

Here are two jazz related videos from You Tube. The first is a hilarious cartoon that puts a hipster spin on the Three Little Pigs story.

The second clip is a 1984 performance from the Northsea Jazz Festival by one of my favorite jazz pianists, Dave McKenna. Dave gave two solo performances during my time as a concert producer. Each concert was a gem and I wish he were still making music.

The focus is a little soft on the video but the music is great, typical McKenna

Faddis, Mingus & Dizzy

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:58:00 +0000

Any conversation with Jon Faddis eventually evolves into two topics. . .one being the importance of the big band in jazz, the other topic being the immortal Dizzy Gillespie.

During a telephone interview Faddis discussed the important place in his musical development held by big bands. He said, "When I was ten or maybe eleven my trumpet teacher used to take me to rehearsals of big bands and tell me to 'sit here and listen and stay out of the way!' It was really good for me being in the middle of a big band and hearing it from such a young age."

The road to his present status within the music community wasn't without pitfalls and problems for a then teenaged big band trumpeter. One of Faddis' early employers was the bassist and composer Charles Mingus.

Spending time in the presence of such a musical giant can be an awe inspiring experience or as Faddis described it "It definitely was a treat but I was too young to appreciate what a treat it was, I was only 18."

When asked if he'd ever incurred the not inconsequential wrath of the mercurial Mingus, Faddis replied succinctly, "Yes, once and it scared me to death."

Faddis continues, "But we got along after that one incident, I think we were okay. I always remember his laugh. He had a gorgeous laugh and I remember his constantly saying 'Jon Faddis tell me a joke, Jon Faddis tell me a joke!'."

When queried about the place the late Dizzy Gillespie held in his musical life Faddis instantly replied "He was the reason I got into Jazz. I first heard him in person when I was twelve but I was too shy to say anything when he came over to the table. So I decided that the next time when I would meet him I was going to say something. So the next time I took all of my records of him along to the Monterey Jazz Festival. We sat there and he autographed them and we talked about all the records."

"A couple of weeks after that I got a chance to sit in with his group. From that moment on I knew that jazz was what I wanted to do with my life."

Gillespie's infectious joy of life and living earned him the nickname 'the clown prince of jazz' and spawned many a legend, some of them true. As Faddis put it "Dizzy had a good time wherever he was, yeah that was Dizzy."

The trumpeter recalled, "I remember one time walking up the street with him. It was about six blocks and it took us about an hour because he would stop in every store and people would stop him. With Dizzy it was like he had all the time in the world. He always had a good time. I think even when he was having a bad time he was having a good time."

Jane Bunnett

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:57:00 +0000

Even before Dizzy Gillespie teamed up with his Cuban colleague Chano Pozo, jazz musicians have been drawn to what Jellyroll Morton called “The Spanish Tinge.” We listeners have followed suit over the years, snapping up latin-themed albums by everyone from Gillespie to Stan Kenton to the Buena Vista Social Club.

Then why does it come as a surprise that a recent champion of the music of that Caribbean island nation is a female Canadian sax and flute player? Jane Bunnett is that person and the music couldn’t be in better hands.

In a phone interview Bunnett described a film project which she and husband Larry Cramer completed to illustrate the music’s attraction saying, “We just finished a documentary film called “Spirits of Havana.” It’s kind of a road trip where we collaborated with musicians all across Cuba. The diversity of the music we encountered was just unbelievable. There’s so many styles because there’s so many influences.”

No latecomer to the Cuban music bandwagon, in 1991 Bunnett’s first recorded exploration of the genre won a Juno, Canada’s recording arts award. Her Blue Note release, “Ritmo + Soul” is the saxophonist’s seventh such recording.

Bunnett quickly points out that each recording has explored a different facet of the many-faceted music saying that in the current session, “We work in an idiom that hasn’t been really experimented with or used as a source of inspiration until now. It’s the one that most interests me mainly because it seems so ignored. Even in Cuba when I was there it was very marginalized.”

The saxophonist is quite aware of the dangers of over commercializing or anglicizing what is at its core an artform with its own set of traditions. She said, “In terms of Afro-Cuban folkloric music we’ve been working pretty heavily with very traditional music. For example the percussionist who is with us, Pancho Quinto, his music is a very traditional form of rumba that’s only learnt at the docks or the places that the musicians tend to live. You can’t really go to school and learn that particular music.”

Bunnett described her involvement with the specific style of Cuban music documented on the album as a long-standing one saying, “I’ve always been on this course with this particular form of Cuban music, even though I work in all the various forms of Cuban music. But it has been the one that I felt that lent itself to the particular way that I play & inspires me.”

Politics is an unavoidable byproduct of any discussion of Cuba. Bunnett wonders what might have been saying, “I can’t imagine what it would have been like if John Coltrane had gone to Cuba and discovered this music, it would have been pretty amazing.“

“I often think of Coltrane’s “Africa Brass” session and some of the things that Pharaoh Sanders did, they were in the same groove as some of these rhythms. If there hadn’t been an embargo at the time some pretty incredible things could have happened with these jazz musicians who were experimenting with the ‘back to Africa’ concept.”

Bunnett could be describing her fellow members of Spirits of Havana when she attempts to define the unique quality of the typical Cuban musician, “The sheer energy that the Cuban musicians put out attracts our attention. They play very intensely and with a lot of stamina. They’re all very serious about what they’re doing.”

As Bunnett says, “It’s very seldom that you meet a mediocre Cuban musician.”

Isfahan

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:38:00 +0000

Discovered this while browsing You Tube. Nothing more to say than Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges and an achingly lovely melody from Billy Strayhorn.

Happy Birthday Phil!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:54:00 +0000

On November 2, 1931 clarinetist, alto saxophonist, educator and bandleader Phil Woods was born in Springfield, MA. This week I salute my fellow Pennsylvania resident on his birthday even though he’s somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean playing for a jazz cruise!

You would think that at his advanced age Phil would be content staying closer to home and perhaps write his memoirs. However, those of us who have followed Phil’s career are not surprised that he is spending his birthday working another gig. Phil is one of the hardest working figures in the world of jazz.

I’ve had the good fortune to hear Phil and the band in person on several occasions and to have produced a concert featuring Phil and Jim McNeely doing music associated with Johnny Hodges. The concert was lovely and Phil and Jim were a delight to work with.

If you click on Phil’s picture at the top of this page you’ll be taken to his website. The site is very professionally produced and contains a wide variety of materials about Phil and his music. There is even a discussion forum.

As I raise my glass in a toast to Phil Woods, here is a sample of his collaboration with Jim McNeely.

"Dutch Morning" from "Flowers For Hodges," Phil Woods & Jim McNeely