Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Wise words
'Playing jazz is a bad way to try to earn a living, but it's a great way to live your life'- Tim Armacost interviewed by Julian Joseph for Radio 3 Jazz Lineup at the Southport Jazz on a Winter Weekend festival- February 1st 2014.
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Howard Riley in Leicester
Then the problems started; Howard was unwell and perhaps could not make the gig. Or maybe he would do one set and fill the rest of the time with a Q&A session. As the date approached even my normally optimistic spirit became a little anxious. We assured him that he would be among friends, with a sympathetic and attentive audience at what is a small arts centre with an excellent Bosendorffer. When I picked him up from the station the day before the gig it was an enormous relief when he told me: The gig's on- two sets!
We had a meal in a sombre mood- Gordon Beck's death had recently been announced, and Howard talked about the circumstances of his old sparring partner Jaki Byard's tragic end. We were not to know, of course, that Michael Garrick was to die suddenly and unexpectedly the day of the gig. Michael had charmed us with a duo gig a short while before, so the news was a great shock
The concert was a triumph. Howard played mostly standards and Monk tunes; the lightning virtuosity and extravagant technique of his 70's solo playing replaced by what Duncan Heining in his review of Howard's Monk/Ellington cd called 'careful, thoughtful and respectful' interpretations; no lack of technical expertise, but coming at the listener obliquely rather than full on. Several numbers began with improvisation, the theme emerging only at the end. Lots of knowing smiles from audience members at the point of recognition.
It was not the sell-out it deserved to be but the respectably-sized and enthusiastic audience included one guy who'd driven 80+ miles to attend. And I'm happy to say this is one gig that's not 'Gone...in the air.' Howard asked us to arrange to have the concert recorded, just for his own use in reviewing his playing, so we asked our friend Chris Trent to set up his equipment at the side of what would be the stage if we had one. Both sets were recorded and Howard was kind enough to let me have a copy.
A week later he phoned to tell he liked the recording so much he was going to get it released commercially by NoBusiness records who are based in Vilnius, and had released a series of Riley cds, including a 6cd box.
So at last we come to the reason for this post; today a small packet arrived with copies of the cd- Live with Repertoire. I'm delighted that the mixing was done by Alex Hawkins, who is about to do a duo concert for us at Embrace Arts with the great Louis Moholo-Moholo.
If you want a copy of the cd you can contact me here
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Cedar Walton
The programme reminded me of another conversation with Cedar that I attended at the Jazz Museum in Harlem on September 11 2008; on that occasion his partner was drummer Kenny Washington who is rather less reverential than Charlap, as you can hear here; at the bottom of the page are links to a recording of the whole conversation which I enthusiastically recommend; you 'll hear about how he got his nick-name 'Steep', Art Blakey's band-leading style, a very funny anecdote about Blakey's reaction when a flying drumstick which hit his bass-player's instrument after an extravagant gesture by Bu, the story of his first drive through Manhattan trying to find somewhere to park his car, his part in the Giant Steps recording and much more.
Finding myself in New York without my Walton collection I'd gone to the Jazz Record Centre to find an album for him to sign. All I could find was a 70s CBS lp - Soundscapes- which is hardly his finest hour. When I approached him after the talk with sleeve in hand and asked him to sign he looked up at me quizzically and said: I suppose I could.
Last year I sat with a group of friends at Smoke jazz club at the south end of Harlem to hear Cedar's trio play a set. Maybe Smoke's supper-club ambiance affected him (or perhaps us) but he sounded a tad semi-detached, playing a number of Monk songs as vehicles to blow on rather than digging deep. Now of course I wish I'd stayed for the next set.
Coincidentally a friend, customer (and street photographer - see http://35mil.blogspot.co.uk/)
recently bought a bunch of Eastern Rebellion albums from me then commented:
The two Eastern Rebellion LPs are magnificent too. Who
would have thought such tough, machine-tooled mainstream jazz was being played
-- and impeccably recorded -- in 1976?
I replied: And he's still doing it! Sadly no more.
Thursday, 6 June 2013
New York City Diary May 2013
Tuesday May 21.Smalls was nearly empty when I wandered in at 7.30 on my first night in the city. But people trickled in during the set as owner/pianist Spike Wilner's trio (Jonathan Kreiberg guitar/ Paul Gill bass) play a well- chosen set of standards including an Ellington tune I'd not heard before- Melancholy- and some Strayhorn. Smalls calls itself a cutting edge jazz club but Spike's style is firmly in the modern mainstream- a soothing beginning to the trip. I caught him after the set to collect the Smalls Live cds my customers had pre-ordered; the label is highly recommended- well recorded and packaged sessions from the club by a collection of young Smalls regulars, plus a few from an earlier generation.So there's Harold Mabern, Will Vinson, Dezron Douglous, Ralph Lalama, Ethan Iverson, Jim Rotondi....
I would have stayed for the set by the Smalls Legacy Band- including Frank Lacy from the Mingus Big Band and a young tenor- Stacy Dillard- who really impressed when I heard him at the club last year. But I was defeated by the time difference.
Wednesday May 22. The New York City Jazz Record is not the only free jazz guide you can pick up in clubs or download, but it's the essential one. Well-written articles, lots of reviews and interviews, as well the most comprehensive listing of clubs and concerts.
It was as a result of reading an interview with drummer Mike Pride in the NYCJR that I decided to hear his band From Bacteria to Boys- pianist/ keyboardist Alexis Marcelo, bassist Peter Bitenc and saxophonist
Jon Irabagon (plus tenor saxophonist Jonathan Moritz on a few numbers). The concert was at the Greenwich House Music School on Barrow St.
The stars of the show were Irabagon & Bitenc, the former showing great lyrical power on alto which contrasted nicely with Moritz' highly-charged athletic performance. Bitenc grounded the music beautifully with big calm notes. Marcelo played a decorative role, adding little but colour to the music. And the leader?- the article described his background in rock, followed by study with Milford Graves. His playing that night, on an extended kit- 2 snares- had sadly more of the former than the latter. In short too loud.
They played through the music from their new cd- complicated unmemorable themes with Pride moving restlessly around his kit but rarely allowing the music to relax and breathe. Great to see Irabagon live though.
That NYCJR article was by one of my favourite jazz writers- Clifford Allen- so I was pleased to meet Clifford the next day to deliver some choice vinyl, including one album which had already crossed the Atlantic twice before I smuggled it in this time; I'd previously addressed in error it to Clifford's previous address. My grateful thanks to the USPS and Royal Mail for getting the records back to me safely- Globe Unity indeed!
Thursday May 23. Mulgrew Miller suffered a serious stroke today, his second. He's in intensive care. Charlie Haden wrote: Sending love and healing light to the wonderful pianist Mulgrew Miller who suffered a stroke yesterday. We see a complete recovery.
I've no idea what 'From Bacteria to Boys' signifies- a crude definition of evolution?- but the meaning of Open Loose is clear, and beautifully apt. This is a band, musicians relaxed and confident in each others' company, empathetic almost to the point of telepathy. Bassist Mark Helias, drummer Tom Rainey and tenor Tony Malaby played 90 minutes of enthralling improvisation at Cornelia St Cafe. The movement from theme to improvisation was seamless and everybody played the song; the collective nature of the music made it almost seem disloyal to clap solos.
Half a century after Ornette Coleman opened up a new world of improvisation. Open Loose prove this world still allows for beautiful discoveries and wonderfully satisfying experiences.
Friday May 24. Back to Smalls for some hard bop from trombonist Steve Davis's sextet. First I caught a set by tenorist Tad Shull (Ray Gallon piano, Paul Gill bass, Joe Strasser drums). It was a hard-swinging set of unhackneyed standards- Dearly Beloved, Time After Time- showing off well Shull's gruff tone and eclectic approach- there were echoes of Rollins and Lockjaw Davis, and just occasionally a Coleman Hawkins-like arpeggio
Apart from Coltrane's Village Blues the Steve Davis set comprised mostly Davis originals, good vehicles to blow on, though apart from the occasional background riff they made little use of the possibilities offered by the instrumentation. Trumpeter Josh Bruneau was in generic Lee Morgan mode, altoist Mike DiRubbo had some Jackie McLean grit to his tone and the rhythm team of Nat Reeves and Billy Williams drove the music effectively. The leader, playing open throughout, had the attack if not the speed of JJ Johnson, but the meat in the sandwich came from pianist Larry Willis, whose chording was a delight (I was sitting right by his left elbow) and whose soloing was rich and percussive.
I was tempted to stay for the 1am set when I heard that Harold Mabern was in bassist John Webber's band. Another time perhaps.
Saturday May 25. A constant fear for us jazz club promoters is that we'll organise a gig and no audience will show; it's never happened to us in Leicester though we've come close on the odd occasion. No-one at ShapeShifter Lab seemed worried that only a dozen people turned up at this new Brooklyn poat-industrial space to hear ex-Sonny Rollins pianist Mark Soskin with Jerome Harris on acoustic bass guitar and Satoshi Takeishi on an oddly stripped-down drum kit. It was a warmly romantic, rhythmically-charged set from a player used to stoking up the heat for his ex-boss.
Then we sat around while the Jeff Galindo- Marc Phaneuf Quartet set up, with a guest on piano whose name I did not catch. The sound engineer wandered around adjusting microphone levels with the aid of his tablet for what seemed an age- in a room where all that was necessary was a little boost to the piano- and the lighting man practised various colour washes on the back wall.
By now the Soskin audience had largely gone home, leaving me and what seemed like friends and family of the band. Trombonist Galindo had obviously studied at the Roswell Rudd School of Advanced Poetics- he treated us to some effective rasps and smears on a couple of originals including one dedicated to Steve Lacy. Saxophonist Phaneuf was more boppish- his original composition was a bop line on Body & Soul, disguised sufficiently for it to take a few choruses before the Lego bricks came together in my brain.
Two interesting sets rendered a little uncomfortable by the size of the crowd- the musicians deserved better. ShapeShifter has an ambitious programme, but they could perhaps spend more time on marketing - an interesting gig this coming Monday does not appear in any of the jazz listings- and less on p a.
Sunday May 26 After a three park stroll in the expectation of some al fresco music- Tompkins Square (where I at last located the site of the General Slocum memorial, under an archway in the centre of a municipal building, flanked by that NYC rarity- public toilets.) My main reason to visit was to stand reverentially outside Charlie Parker's house on Avenue B.
Then to Washington Square, where a trumpet-led quartet impressed at first, before the leader started showing off by playing trumpet & flugel simultaneously, trying to out-Clark Terry! And on to the High Line, where a group of (I guess) students- tenor, 3/4 size acoustic bass, drums deservedly collected a lot of dollar bills in the bass drum case with an excellent set of jazz standards. Interesting to watch the reaction of passers-by: one small child was entranced, staring at the band, moving her arms and dancing; a few adults sat and listened, most walked straight by, either dropping a bill almost as a reflex or gazing ahead as if nothing was happening. Just occasionally young men would adopt what they apparently thought was an appropriate response to jazz- clicking their fingers loudly and in once case acting like an extra in an amateur production of West Side Story.
Then Smalls again for an afternoon session by bassist Ben Meigners, drummer Jason Brown, and, playing a few dates in the US before returning to the UK for his 50th birthday- Gilad Atzmon on alto. I wondered how Gilad would relate to an American audience- would he denounce the Israeli occupation, US warmongering and presidents present & past, and maybe play Burning Bush? In fact he was on his best behaviour (apart from a short foray into his decidedly odd take on sexual politics) and joked they would play an old jewish folk song: Oy Vey You Look Tonight. Gilad wasn't at his best- trying too hard to impress perhaps with superfast bebop phrasing, even on Body & Soul. He did impress of course, but I was hoping for more relaxation. He'd played with the same trio the previous night at Fat Cat, and whispered to me: The drummer's fantastic, before beginning the set. And indeed he was, a texturally complex player who complemented Gilad's lines well, especially when the bass laid out.
A quick stroll up 7th Ave South got me in line at the Village Vanguard for the first set of the last day of Barry Harris's week at the club. I was a little apprehensive when I saw how stiffly the octogenarian walked across the stage to the piano, and when he began a slow a cappella Sweet Lorraine I began to wonder if I'd have to make allowances for his age. Not one bit! He moved into a mid-tempo Sweet & Lovely with Ray Drummond and Leroy Williams beautifully responsive in support. The theme of the evening became clear when he told us the first tunes were a tribute to the Vanguard's owner ,'even though she can be cranky sometimes'. Then the set followed the story of a love affair: There Will Never Ever Be Another You, Just One of Those Things (with Williams playing the melody during his solo), I'll Keep Loving You & Yesterdays. This last segued into Night in Tunisia. Would he make the break?- of course he did. Then an original called something like 'You've Got the Power' which he sang with some help from audience members from (I suspect) his vocal classes. He finished with a Monk medley- Round Midnight, Pannonica, Ruby My Dear, Light Blue, before leaving us in Barbados with Charlie Parker. A consummate performance, full of delights, from the last of the great bebop pianists.
Tuesday May 28 It seems I'm stuck in the Smalls, Vanguard, Cornelia St triangle. It's Smalls tonight for some more reassuring standards from Spike Wilner, with Paul Gill once more and Spike's regular guitarist Pasquale Grasso- a player with a Joe Pass-like boppish sensibility and a technique to match. But the main event was Seamus Blake's quintet- a two-tenor front line with Chris Cheek, Aaron Goldberg piano, Matt Clohesy bass, Bill Stewart drums. The lineup makes you think of tough tenors, and there was real toughness in Blake's forthright gruff soloing on originals and unusual standards- they finished on Brian Wilson's Till I Die.
Cheek's lighter tenor sound made an effective contrast, though I got the impression that this kind of aggressive hard bop was not his natural mode of expression - I was proved right the next night. Aaron Goldberg often took a phrase and toyed with it like Mal Waldron used to, and Bill Stewart- wow! He drove the band with relentless energy.
Wednesday May 29 Second bass-led band, second two tenor quintet. Utterly original music. Chris Lightcap's Big Mouth- Chris Cheek, tenor sax; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Craig Taborn, piano; Ches Smith, drums at Cornelia Street.
Lightcap's compositions were strong, often anthem-like, with long notes in unison or close harmony by the saxes. One, Bounty, was driven by staccato piano chords- Taborn was magnificent throughout- and almost punk-like drumming. Some pieces had no room for improvisation at all, others, including three compositions referring to New York City- Arthur Avenue- the Little Italy in the Bronx, Nine South - the highway leading to NYC and Epicentre- dedicated to the Village Vanguard but featuring some exuberant high-note blowing by Malaby that Lorraine might not approve of, allowed the two tenors and Taborn plenty of freedom to show their superb musicianship- inside-outside music at its best.
We all wanted a second set, but after an hour Lightcap announced- That's it- we're here for 2 sets tomorrow. No good to me- I'll be in Philadelphia- and I'll be missing Dave Liebman at the weekend.
Thursday May 30 Mulgrew Miller died today.
The chance to look through a collection of 25000 lps was too good to miss, even though I knew that the high-end items would be destined for Ebay. So to Philly on Megabus and an exhausting but exhilarating weekend looking through as many of the 300+ plus boxes I could manage in 2 8-hour days. I managed around a third, plus those my host David pulled out and waved at me- How about these- 15 bucks? David is selling the collection on behalf of the estate of an old friend and it is by far the best assemblage of jazz vinyl I have ever seen (aside from David's own!) Prices reflect this- at least 5 items have fetched USD1000 each or more on Ebay so far with one which finally fetched $2800. But there are hundreds of mid-price items, and anyone wishing to see the list should contact me.
Sunday June 2 back in NYC, and what better way to end the trip than a night at the Vanguard with Joe Lovano's Nonet- Tim Hagans, Barry Ries (trumpets), Larry Farrell (trombone), Steve Slagle (alto, soprano, flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor, clarinet), George Garzone (tenor), Garry Smulyan (baritone), James Weidman (piano), Cameron Brown (bass), Steve Williams (drums). That's ten not counting Lovano, and even with the stage extended the leader had to stand on the floor- great for me, sat on what's called the 'balcony'- a narrow strip of tables and chairs slightly elevated on the right side of the room. I was just above Joe's left elbow looking down on his sheet music. Joe calls the band Streams of Expression, adding Exploring ways of playing together. And so it is; it's not an outside band though it contains some left-field players: Garzone, Hagans, Brown, some firmly straight ahead: Lalama, Smulyan, Farrell, some kind of in between: Slagle, and the leader himself of course, who can do anything. I've read criticism of Lovano, especially when he had the nerve to release a double cd, one inside, one outside. Was he hedging his bets, not firmly committed to one music or the other? Frankly I don't give a damn; he sounds as honest playing bebop as he does playing free.
The first set was bracketed by two Tadd Dameron numbers- On a Misty Night and Hot House. Joe had obviously made changes to the arrangement of Night: 'I'm playing a chorus and a half before the theme- just follow Ralph.' 'I'd follow Ralph to the end of the earth' joked Cameron Brown. With beautifully rich saxophone writing it was a thrilling start; Lovano features his own playing extensively but gives plenty of room to the rest of band- the first number lasts 25 minutes: Barry Ries- Chet-Baker-thin, ponytailed, anxious about his top plate playing an occasional Don Cherry phrase in a basically hard bop style, Tim Hagans like a slightly eccentric favourite uncle- wavy hair, pink-rimmed glasses, blazer with handkerchief in the top pocket, deeper into abstraction without ever losing touch with the changes, Gary Smulyan looking uncannily like Pepper Adams' portrait on the cover of his Mode lp, and with a style not too far away. George Garzone and Ralph Lalama, two thick set tenors, the latter firmly rooted in hard bop, the former ranging further out. Slagle- hard-toned but lyrical alto, rich flute- and a great rhythm section- Steve Williams knew just when to stoke it up like a big band drummer and when to let a cymbal beat and spare snare accents do the work. Cameron Brown- who I'd last seen in a very different context, as duo partner to Sheila Jordan, showed what a versatile and imaginative player he is- his lines were always interesting and his solos superb. And James Weidman- a new name to me- was a calm and grounding voice on piano.
The set lasted 90 minutes- this is band that likes to play- and the club was packed- so I was just getting ready to leave when the announcement came: 'You can stay for the second set for just the one drink minimum. If you are staying sit down, if you are going get out.' I sat down.
Joe Lovano does great announcements: Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou. Phew! Village Vanguard, New York City, Streams of Expression.
The second set included the first two parts of the Streams of Expression suite- Streams and Cool (which was anything but). And a stunning arrangement of Coltrane's After the Rain- good to be reminded what a great melody that is.
The music was never theme-solos-theme- this band really was exploring ways of playing together. Great background figures behind soloists (why do audiences applaud when that happens?- can't they hear the guy's still blowing?), linking scored passages, long sequences of eights and fours along the front line, and with the drums, collective improvisations- this band explored them all.
Midnight, three hours of amazing music, I can go home happy. But for now-time to eat.
I would have stayed for the set by the Smalls Legacy Band- including Frank Lacy from the Mingus Big Band and a young tenor- Stacy Dillard- who really impressed when I heard him at the club last year. But I was defeated by the time difference.
Wednesday May 22. The New York City Jazz Record is not the only free jazz guide you can pick up in clubs or download, but it's the essential one. Well-written articles, lots of reviews and interviews, as well the most comprehensive listing of clubs and concerts.
It was as a result of reading an interview with drummer Mike Pride in the NYCJR that I decided to hear his band From Bacteria to Boys- pianist/ keyboardist Alexis Marcelo, bassist Peter Bitenc and saxophonist
Jon Irabagon (plus tenor saxophonist Jonathan Moritz on a few numbers). The concert was at the Greenwich House Music School on Barrow St.
The stars of the show were Irabagon & Bitenc, the former showing great lyrical power on alto which contrasted nicely with Moritz' highly-charged athletic performance. Bitenc grounded the music beautifully with big calm notes. Marcelo played a decorative role, adding little but colour to the music. And the leader?- the article described his background in rock, followed by study with Milford Graves. His playing that night, on an extended kit- 2 snares- had sadly more of the former than the latter. In short too loud.
They played through the music from their new cd- complicated unmemorable themes with Pride moving restlessly around his kit but rarely allowing the music to relax and breathe. Great to see Irabagon live though.
That NYCJR article was by one of my favourite jazz writers- Clifford Allen- so I was pleased to meet Clifford the next day to deliver some choice vinyl, including one album which had already crossed the Atlantic twice before I smuggled it in this time; I'd previously addressed in error it to Clifford's previous address. My grateful thanks to the USPS and Royal Mail for getting the records back to me safely- Globe Unity indeed!
Thursday May 23. Mulgrew Miller suffered a serious stroke today, his second. He's in intensive care. Charlie Haden wrote: Sending love and healing light to the wonderful pianist Mulgrew Miller who suffered a stroke yesterday. We see a complete recovery.
I've no idea what 'From Bacteria to Boys' signifies- a crude definition of evolution?- but the meaning of Open Loose is clear, and beautifully apt. This is a band, musicians relaxed and confident in each others' company, empathetic almost to the point of telepathy. Bassist Mark Helias, drummer Tom Rainey and tenor Tony Malaby played 90 minutes of enthralling improvisation at Cornelia St Cafe. The movement from theme to improvisation was seamless and everybody played the song; the collective nature of the music made it almost seem disloyal to clap solos.
Half a century after Ornette Coleman opened up a new world of improvisation. Open Loose prove this world still allows for beautiful discoveries and wonderfully satisfying experiences.
Friday May 24. Back to Smalls for some hard bop from trombonist Steve Davis's sextet. First I caught a set by tenorist Tad Shull (Ray Gallon piano, Paul Gill bass, Joe Strasser drums). It was a hard-swinging set of unhackneyed standards- Dearly Beloved, Time After Time- showing off well Shull's gruff tone and eclectic approach- there were echoes of Rollins and Lockjaw Davis, and just occasionally a Coleman Hawkins-like arpeggio
Apart from Coltrane's Village Blues the Steve Davis set comprised mostly Davis originals, good vehicles to blow on, though apart from the occasional background riff they made little use of the possibilities offered by the instrumentation. Trumpeter Josh Bruneau was in generic Lee Morgan mode, altoist Mike DiRubbo had some Jackie McLean grit to his tone and the rhythm team of Nat Reeves and Billy Williams drove the music effectively. The leader, playing open throughout, had the attack if not the speed of JJ Johnson, but the meat in the sandwich came from pianist Larry Willis, whose chording was a delight (I was sitting right by his left elbow) and whose soloing was rich and percussive.
I was tempted to stay for the 1am set when I heard that Harold Mabern was in bassist John Webber's band. Another time perhaps.
Saturday May 25. A constant fear for us jazz club promoters is that we'll organise a gig and no audience will show; it's never happened to us in Leicester though we've come close on the odd occasion. No-one at ShapeShifter Lab seemed worried that only a dozen people turned up at this new Brooklyn poat-industrial space to hear ex-Sonny Rollins pianist Mark Soskin with Jerome Harris on acoustic bass guitar and Satoshi Takeishi on an oddly stripped-down drum kit. It was a warmly romantic, rhythmically-charged set from a player used to stoking up the heat for his ex-boss.
Then we sat around while the Jeff Galindo- Marc Phaneuf Quartet set up, with a guest on piano whose name I did not catch. The sound engineer wandered around adjusting microphone levels with the aid of his tablet for what seemed an age- in a room where all that was necessary was a little boost to the piano- and the lighting man practised various colour washes on the back wall.
By now the Soskin audience had largely gone home, leaving me and what seemed like friends and family of the band. Trombonist Galindo had obviously studied at the Roswell Rudd School of Advanced Poetics- he treated us to some effective rasps and smears on a couple of originals including one dedicated to Steve Lacy. Saxophonist Phaneuf was more boppish- his original composition was a bop line on Body & Soul, disguised sufficiently for it to take a few choruses before the Lego bricks came together in my brain.
Two interesting sets rendered a little uncomfortable by the size of the crowd- the musicians deserved better. ShapeShifter has an ambitious programme, but they could perhaps spend more time on marketing - an interesting gig this coming Monday does not appear in any of the jazz listings- and less on p a.
Sunday May 26 After a three park stroll in the expectation of some al fresco music- Tompkins Square (where I at last located the site of the General Slocum memorial, under an archway in the centre of a municipal building, flanked by that NYC rarity- public toilets.) My main reason to visit was to stand reverentially outside Charlie Parker's house on Avenue B.
Then Smalls again for an afternoon session by bassist Ben Meigners, drummer Jason Brown, and, playing a few dates in the US before returning to the UK for his 50th birthday- Gilad Atzmon on alto. I wondered how Gilad would relate to an American audience- would he denounce the Israeli occupation, US warmongering and presidents present & past, and maybe play Burning Bush? In fact he was on his best behaviour (apart from a short foray into his decidedly odd take on sexual politics) and joked they would play an old jewish folk song: Oy Vey You Look Tonight. Gilad wasn't at his best- trying too hard to impress perhaps with superfast bebop phrasing, even on Body & Soul. He did impress of course, but I was hoping for more relaxation. He'd played with the same trio the previous night at Fat Cat, and whispered to me: The drummer's fantastic, before beginning the set. And indeed he was, a texturally complex player who complemented Gilad's lines well, especially when the bass laid out.
A quick stroll up 7th Ave South got me in line at the Village Vanguard for the first set of the last day of Barry Harris's week at the club. I was a little apprehensive when I saw how stiffly the octogenarian walked across the stage to the piano, and when he began a slow a cappella Sweet Lorraine I began to wonder if I'd have to make allowances for his age. Not one bit! He moved into a mid-tempo Sweet & Lovely with Ray Drummond and Leroy Williams beautifully responsive in support. The theme of the evening became clear when he told us the first tunes were a tribute to the Vanguard's owner ,'even though she can be cranky sometimes'. Then the set followed the story of a love affair: There Will Never Ever Be Another You, Just One of Those Things (with Williams playing the melody during his solo), I'll Keep Loving You & Yesterdays. This last segued into Night in Tunisia. Would he make the break?- of course he did. Then an original called something like 'You've Got the Power' which he sang with some help from audience members from (I suspect) his vocal classes. He finished with a Monk medley- Round Midnight, Pannonica, Ruby My Dear, Light Blue, before leaving us in Barbados with Charlie Parker. A consummate performance, full of delights, from the last of the great bebop pianists.
Tuesday May 28 It seems I'm stuck in the Smalls, Vanguard, Cornelia St triangle. It's Smalls tonight for some more reassuring standards from Spike Wilner, with Paul Gill once more and Spike's regular guitarist Pasquale Grasso- a player with a Joe Pass-like boppish sensibility and a technique to match. But the main event was Seamus Blake's quintet- a two-tenor front line with Chris Cheek, Aaron Goldberg piano, Matt Clohesy bass, Bill Stewart drums. The lineup makes you think of tough tenors, and there was real toughness in Blake's forthright gruff soloing on originals and unusual standards- they finished on Brian Wilson's Till I Die.
Cheek's lighter tenor sound made an effective contrast, though I got the impression that this kind of aggressive hard bop was not his natural mode of expression - I was proved right the next night. Aaron Goldberg often took a phrase and toyed with it like Mal Waldron used to, and Bill Stewart- wow! He drove the band with relentless energy.
Wednesday May 29 Second bass-led band, second two tenor quintet. Utterly original music. Chris Lightcap's Big Mouth- Chris Cheek, tenor sax; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Craig Taborn, piano; Ches Smith, drums at Cornelia Street.
We all wanted a second set, but after an hour Lightcap announced- That's it- we're here for 2 sets tomorrow. No good to me- I'll be in Philadelphia- and I'll be missing Dave Liebman at the weekend.
Thursday May 30 Mulgrew Miller died today.
The chance to look through a collection of 25000 lps was too good to miss, even though I knew that the high-end items would be destined for Ebay. So to Philly on Megabus and an exhausting but exhilarating weekend looking through as many of the 300+ plus boxes I could manage in 2 8-hour days. I managed around a third, plus those my host David pulled out and waved at me- How about these- 15 bucks? David is selling the collection on behalf of the estate of an old friend and it is by far the best assemblage of jazz vinyl I have ever seen (aside from David's own!) Prices reflect this- at least 5 items have fetched USD1000 each or more on Ebay so far with one which finally fetched $2800. But there are hundreds of mid-price items, and anyone wishing to see the list should contact me.
Sunday June 2 back in NYC, and what better way to end the trip than a night at the Vanguard with Joe Lovano's Nonet- Tim Hagans, Barry Ries (trumpets), Larry Farrell (trombone), Steve Slagle (alto, soprano, flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor, clarinet), George Garzone (tenor), Garry Smulyan (baritone), James Weidman (piano), Cameron Brown (bass), Steve Williams (drums). That's ten not counting Lovano, and even with the stage extended the leader had to stand on the floor- great for me, sat on what's called the 'balcony'- a narrow strip of tables and chairs slightly elevated on the right side of the room. I was just above Joe's left elbow looking down on his sheet music. Joe calls the band Streams of Expression, adding Exploring ways of playing together. And so it is; it's not an outside band though it contains some left-field players: Garzone, Hagans, Brown, some firmly straight ahead: Lalama, Smulyan, Farrell, some kind of in between: Slagle, and the leader himself of course, who can do anything. I've read criticism of Lovano, especially when he had the nerve to release a double cd, one inside, one outside. Was he hedging his bets, not firmly committed to one music or the other? Frankly I don't give a damn; he sounds as honest playing bebop as he does playing free.
The first set was bracketed by two Tadd Dameron numbers- On a Misty Night and Hot House. Joe had obviously made changes to the arrangement of Night: 'I'm playing a chorus and a half before the theme- just follow Ralph.' 'I'd follow Ralph to the end of the earth' joked Cameron Brown. With beautifully rich saxophone writing it was a thrilling start; Lovano features his own playing extensively but gives plenty of room to the rest of band- the first number lasts 25 minutes: Barry Ries- Chet-Baker-thin, ponytailed, anxious about his top plate playing an occasional Don Cherry phrase in a basically hard bop style, Tim Hagans like a slightly eccentric favourite uncle- wavy hair, pink-rimmed glasses, blazer with handkerchief in the top pocket, deeper into abstraction without ever losing touch with the changes, Gary Smulyan looking uncannily like Pepper Adams' portrait on the cover of his Mode lp, and with a style not too far away. George Garzone and Ralph Lalama, two thick set tenors, the latter firmly rooted in hard bop, the former ranging further out. Slagle- hard-toned but lyrical alto, rich flute- and a great rhythm section- Steve Williams knew just when to stoke it up like a big band drummer and when to let a cymbal beat and spare snare accents do the work. Cameron Brown- who I'd last seen in a very different context, as duo partner to Sheila Jordan, showed what a versatile and imaginative player he is- his lines were always interesting and his solos superb. And James Weidman- a new name to me- was a calm and grounding voice on piano.
The set lasted 90 minutes- this is band that likes to play- and the club was packed- so I was just getting ready to leave when the announcement came: 'You can stay for the second set for just the one drink minimum. If you are staying sit down, if you are going get out.' I sat down.
Joe Lovano does great announcements: Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou. Phew! Village Vanguard, New York City, Streams of Expression.
The second set included the first two parts of the Streams of Expression suite- Streams and Cool (which was anything but). And a stunning arrangement of Coltrane's After the Rain- good to be reminded what a great melody that is.
The music was never theme-solos-theme- this band really was exploring ways of playing together. Great background figures behind soloists (why do audiences applaud when that happens?- can't they hear the guy's still blowing?), linking scored passages, long sequences of eights and fours along the front line, and with the drums, collective improvisations- this band explored them all.
Midnight, three hours of amazing music, I can go home happy. But for now-time to eat.
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Memories of Lol
When I graduated from trad to mainstream as a teenager and became a regular at concerts by US stars at the Odeon Hammersmith there was often a balding man playing soprano solo in the underpass leading to the cinema; his music sounded strange but intriguing in a serpentine way. Lol later grew tired of talking about his busking years but that subterranean music insinuated its way into my consciousness and persisted in my memory.
Then there were the years of the Bracknell Jazz Festival; Lol was hired as the announcer but found plenty of opportunities to play, standing at the corner of the stage while the bands were setting up. His annual mock-reluctant recital (with sound-effects) of 'Murder in the Air' was always greeted with a Mornington-Crescent-like cheer from the crowd but his music was always serious (even when filled with humour).
When we started Leicester Jazz House one of the first bands we booked was Dave Green's Fingers, a remarkable quintet with Lol and Bruce Turner on saxophones, Michael Garrick & Alan Jackson. Lol told me his job was to disrupt the music whenever Bruce and Dave got into a groove. Lol sang My Funny Valentine but we forgave him.
Later we heard from Anthony Wood (ex-editor of the Wire) that he was organising a tour for the Recedents- Lol, Mike Cooper, Roger Turner. We didn't think we'd get a big audience (in the event it wasn't bad) but booked them anyway. Lol stayed with us overnight and over breakfast I asked how the the tour was going; his reply?: That was it!
At a later concert with Roger Turner at the City Gallery the musicians got into a huddle during the interval; I overheard someone telling Lol it was strange to see free musicians rehearsing and planning a set list. 'We weren't deciding what to play, just what not to play.'
For a few years we ran an annual gig as part of the De Montfort University Cultural EXchanges week- a (free-of- charge) talk in the afternoon then a solo gig in the evening. Remembering Lol's wit and loquacity we invited him two years ago and were delighted he agreed. To our surprise he was very ill-at-ease during the afternoon session, answering almost monosyllabically. We struggled to keep the conversation going and were relieved when he announced he'd play for a bit; the music was great as ever but we only we wanted him to give the audience a taster- we did want them to come back and buy tickets for the evening gig!
The lack of ease- anxiety even- persisted during the evening performance but his music was as inventive and original as ever, with twisting melodic shapes you'd hear no other saxophonist attempting.
My biggest disappointment is failing to persuade Lol to reconvene the Melody Four (Tony Coe & Steve Beresford) for a Leicester gig. I no longer have their lp 'Love plays such funny games' so I'm playing Lol's album 'Before my time' instead. There's a version of Burgundy Street Blues with the late Paul Rutherford on euphonium and Dave Green on bass, then I'll turn it over for Buddy Bolden's Blues. I won't play What a Friend We Have in Jesus ...not today.
Monday, 28 May 2012
NYC notes May 2012
I spent a week in New York City earlier this month; here's my diary.
Tuesday May 8: I'm staying in an apartment on W 13th between 7th & Greenwich, booked, despite my earlier NYC apartment debacle, through Craigslist. I've become adept in spotting the crooks (who still seem to comprise 80% + of the vacation rental advertisers.) Sara and I had circled each other warily before each decided the other was harmless but I was still a little anxious until I had collected the keys, climbed the 3 flights of narrow stairs and let myself in to a beautifully- decorated (buddhist chic) studio.
Spike Wilner (pianist and owner of Smalls) was playing a 6pm solo set but all I wanted to do was sleep- but not before strolling down 7th Ave South to Bleecker for what's become an arriving-in-NYC ritual- a pizza and a pint of Sierra Nevada at John's (recently acclaimed the best restaurant in the West Village by the Village Voice.) The small pie's too big for one jet-lagged traveler (no slices at John's) so 2 slices go in a bag for lunch tomorrow.
Wednesday May 9 ...in which your diarist learns an important lesson. I'd of course scanned Hot House and other what's on guides to help plan the musical side of the trip. One gig stood out- a concert of solos & duos by Craig Taborn, Amina Claudine Myers & Vijay Iyer to be held at the Harlem Stage on 135th St & Convent Avenue that night, part of the Celebrating Cecil Taylor festival - I already knew I would miss the great man himself - he was to play 2 gigs after I left the USA. I'd looked on line weeks before and noted that there was a $5 booking fee for a $10 ticket. I railed at the injustice of the charge and decided to visit the venue and save the 5 dollars. And of course it was sold out. And of course I'd have happily paid for a $15 ticket!
And inevitably I paid far more than $15 dollars that night for 2 gigs in the Village.
The first was Jerome Sabbagh's quartet at Cornelia Street Cafe- a cd launch. I'd not heard Jerome before but knew he was an associate of the wonderfully left-field guitarist Ben Monder so I was expecting good things. Big disappointment; the quartet- Sabbagh tenor, Pete Rende, keyboards, Simon Jermyn, electric bass; Rudy Royston, drums - played the themes without enthusiasm- lots of bass ostinatos with some electronic twidding for contrast , and the leader's simple phrasing left me wanting a bit of passion & complexity to spice up what was a dull set.
I decided one was all I needed so I strolled up 7th Avenue to Smalls to hear the Brandon Wright Quartet- Brandon Wright - tenor, Boris Kozlov - bass, Helen Sung - piano, Donald Edwards - drums. I confess the leader was a name new to me, but I had heard Helen Sung and Boris Kozlov in the Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard on my last visit and had been impressed by their forceful playing; Helen is an a resonsive and provocative accompanist and an exciting soloist whose occasional Cecil-like clusters are immensely refreshing. And Kozlov- well, he plays bass in a band under the watchful eye of Sue Mingus! Dynamic drumming too, and the leader, who Fred Wesley called 'a young white cat who sounds like an old black man'- meant as a compliment I'm sure since Brandon displays it on his home page- provided all the drive and inventiveness I'd so missed from JS. Two sets of hard-swinging post-Coltrane jazz.
Thursday May 10 The day was spent touring the Manhattan record stores with my friend David- a voracious collector from Philly- plus a brief visit to Brooklyn. In the era of Ebay and popsike it's near impossible to find treasure-trove bargains in record stores but between the NY Jazz Record Center (where I was introduced to Fred Cohen for the first time), the 3 branches of Academy Records and a few small shops in the East Village I bought around 50 albums. They will be on the new arrivals list I'm sending tomorrow- contact me if you'd like to see my lists.
Back to Cornelia Street that night to hear Allison Miller's quartet- another album release gig, but this time it was a double vinyl album- Live at Willisau. The band's called Boom Tic Boom, which is nice onomatopoeia for her restless and occasionally explosive drumming style; she's another name new to me- it was the presence of the great reeds player Marty Ehrlich which brought me to the gig. He was superb- especially on alto, playing just on the edge of abstraction with a blazing tone.
Tuesday May 8: I'm staying in an apartment on W 13th between 7th & Greenwich, booked, despite my earlier NYC apartment debacle, through Craigslist. I've become adept in spotting the crooks (who still seem to comprise 80% + of the vacation rental advertisers.) Sara and I had circled each other warily before each decided the other was harmless but I was still a little anxious until I had collected the keys, climbed the 3 flights of narrow stairs and let myself in to a beautifully- decorated (buddhist chic) studio.
Spike Wilner (pianist and owner of Smalls) was playing a 6pm solo set but all I wanted to do was sleep- but not before strolling down 7th Ave South to Bleecker for what's become an arriving-in-NYC ritual- a pizza and a pint of Sierra Nevada at John's (recently acclaimed the best restaurant in the West Village by the Village Voice.) The small pie's too big for one jet-lagged traveler (no slices at John's) so 2 slices go in a bag for lunch tomorrow.
Wednesday May 9 ...in which your diarist learns an important lesson. I'd of course scanned Hot House and other what's on guides to help plan the musical side of the trip. One gig stood out- a concert of solos & duos by Craig Taborn, Amina Claudine Myers & Vijay Iyer to be held at the Harlem Stage on 135th St & Convent Avenue that night, part of the Celebrating Cecil Taylor festival - I already knew I would miss the great man himself - he was to play 2 gigs after I left the USA. I'd looked on line weeks before and noted that there was a $5 booking fee for a $10 ticket. I railed at the injustice of the charge and decided to visit the venue and save the 5 dollars. And of course it was sold out. And of course I'd have happily paid for a $15 ticket!
And inevitably I paid far more than $15 dollars that night for 2 gigs in the Village.
The first was Jerome Sabbagh's quartet at Cornelia Street Cafe- a cd launch. I'd not heard Jerome before but knew he was an associate of the wonderfully left-field guitarist Ben Monder so I was expecting good things. Big disappointment; the quartet- Sabbagh tenor, Pete Rende, keyboards, Simon Jermyn, electric bass; Rudy Royston, drums - played the themes without enthusiasm- lots of bass ostinatos with some electronic twidding for contrast , and the leader's simple phrasing left me wanting a bit of passion & complexity to spice up what was a dull set.
I decided one was all I needed so I strolled up 7th Avenue to Smalls to hear the Brandon Wright Quartet- Brandon Wright - tenor, Boris Kozlov - bass, Helen Sung - piano, Donald Edwards - drums. I confess the leader was a name new to me, but I had heard Helen Sung and Boris Kozlov in the Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard on my last visit and had been impressed by their forceful playing; Helen is an a resonsive and provocative accompanist and an exciting soloist whose occasional Cecil-like clusters are immensely refreshing. And Kozlov- well, he plays bass in a band under the watchful eye of Sue Mingus! Dynamic drumming too, and the leader, who Fred Wesley called 'a young white cat who sounds like an old black man'- meant as a compliment I'm sure since Brandon displays it on his home page- provided all the drive and inventiveness I'd so missed from JS. Two sets of hard-swinging post-Coltrane jazz.
Thursday May 10 The day was spent touring the Manhattan record stores with my friend David- a voracious collector from Philly- plus a brief visit to Brooklyn. In the era of Ebay and popsike it's near impossible to find treasure-trove bargains in record stores but between the NY Jazz Record Center (where I was introduced to Fred Cohen for the first time), the 3 branches of Academy Records and a few small shops in the East Village I bought around 50 albums. They will be on the new arrivals list I'm sending tomorrow- contact me if you'd like to see my lists.
Back to Cornelia Street that night to hear Allison Miller's quartet- another album release gig, but this time it was a double vinyl album- Live at Willisau. The band's called Boom Tic Boom, which is nice onomatopoeia for her restless and occasionally explosive drumming style; she's another name new to me- it was the presence of the great reeds player Marty Ehrlich which brought me to the gig. He was superb- especially on alto, playing just on the edge of abstraction with a blazing tone.
Friday May 11 A couple of weeks before my trip our club Leicester Jazz House had put on a gig by the New York Standards Quartet with tour organiser, animateur, mover & shaker Michael Janisch replacing the regular bassist. I already knew how good he is, but I was blown away by David Berkman (piano), Tim Armacost (ten/sop) and Gene Jackson (drums) none of whom I'd heard live before. Talking to Tim after the gig I mentioned I'd be in NYC and he recommended I went to a gig at Zinc by Emilio Solla y La Inestable de Brooklyn. 'Great tunes, and I'm in the band.' I'd already planned to hear Billy Harper at Smoke- 102 streets uptown- but I reckoned I could just fit it in. I'm glad I did. I'm no great fan of Latin jazz (there's often too little angst for my taste) but Emilio's tunes and arrangements were superb. 'It's as if Gil Evans had been born in Argentina and studied with Kurt Weill' was my immediate assessment. Tim was the stand-out soloist but the whole band- John Ellis, tenor, flute and bass clarinet,Tim Armacost, tenor, soprano and alto flute, Alex Norris, trumpet, Ryan Keberle, trombone,Meg Okura, violin,Victor Prieto, accordion, Emilio Solla, piano,Jorge Roeder, double bass, Eric Doob, drums played brilliantly, and the voicings and instrumental combinations were superb. The band has a residency at Zinc once a month but have not recorded yet.
Then a quick dash for the 2 train to get me to Smoke for what I was sure would be a highlight of the week- Billy Harper's Quintet. It was not to be. Though Harper played beautifully with that characteristic 'cry' in his tone, the band- Francesca Tanksley - piano, Freddie Hendrix - trumpet, Clarence Seay - bass ,Aaron Scott - drums were efficient but unmemorable. And at the end of each number Harper asked the audience if we had any questions- one time adding ' I feel there's another question coming' after answering the one about the handsome leather tabard he was wearing. I held back from asking the query on the tip of my tongue- English reserve I guess. I couldn't help comparing his set to the unexpectedly excellent music I'd heard earlier, and a watery and overpriced Jambalaya added to my disappointment (though the food at Smoke is generally very good.) At the end of the one-hour set we weren't invited to stay for the next.
Saturday May 12 As soon as I heard that Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown were playing Cornelia St Cafe (yes again) I emailed begging them to reserve me a seat- they normally only accept reservations by phone but I asked them nicely.
I've asserted in the past that Sheila is the greatest living jazz singer; nothing about her two sets that night made me alter that opinion. The National Endowment for the Arts seem to agree- they just gave her a Jazz Masters Award. She was born, as anyone who's heard 'Sheila's Blues' will surely know, on November 18th 1928- Micky Mouse's birthday- and in her long black coat and black hat she looked every bit the old lady she undoubtedly is. The coat came off, the hat stayed on, and when she realised no-one was coming to announce her remarked 'I love the Village, it's so laid back' then launched into two wonderful life-affirming hours of jazz standards, show tunes- a great Fred Astaire medley, some Oscar Brown songs and a lovely version of Don Cherry's 'Art Deco.' She's a bopper at heart but was a friend of Don's. Never possessed of a big voice (indeed she made a record called 'Little Voice!) she now occasionally struggles for a high note; what makes her so great is her musical imagination, improvising ability and emotional profundity. And her humanity.
Cameron Brown is her perfect bass partner; she's worked and recorded in the past with Arild Andersen and Harvie S(wartz), but Cameron's note choices, phrasing and attentiveness were jideal. There's a great interview with him in the May issue of the NY Jazz Record where he talks about his work with Archie Shepp, Don Cherry (and Sheila of course).
I was delighted she remembered the gig with Harvie in Leicester when she sang without PA (it was buzzy) and now have her London Jazz Festival concert (with Kurt Elling) to look forward to. See you there- I'm the guy in the front row with the big grin.
Sunday May 13 I was flying home on Monday so I was determined to fit in as much as possible.
I'd not been to Cafe Loup before, but as it's just along W 13th from the apartment I decided to try their jazz brunch with Bob Kindred (tenor), John Hart (guitar) and Santi Debriano (depping for Steve La Spina) (bass). I asked for a table near the music, but they were very busy so I was a little way from the alcove half way down the long room where the trio played . Still, just one table between me and the band.
Then it hit me- it was Mother's Day- and the intervening table held 3 generations of a family who were out to honour grandmother, and catch up. More people kept joining the party, and it became clear that they were not going to order (let alone eat) until all had arrived. (I hoped that eating might provide an alternative to conversation.) The group included a woman whose voice could make mobile phones redundant and a man who sat looking slightly bemused for 30 minutes, then found his wind and joined in the melee. I was particularly impressed by his glasses, which came apart at the bridge, just like the ME's on CSI New York. Wasn't him though.
The fact that I've yet to mention the music might give you the impression that I wasn't concentrating...well I was trying but it was not easy to focus when there's that kind of 'background'. The tenor man had a nice tone out of Webster and Hawkins, the guitarist was in the Christian/ Kessel tradition- fine by me- and there were some nice bowed bass solos. If I'd been in a group with mother it would have been fine, but for a solitary music lover it was a struggle, and as my neighbours hadn't ordered by the end of the 1st set I finished my excellent Eggs Benedict and left, walking down to Washington Square Park where a young man had wheeled out a grand piano (almost in tune) and was playing Romantic favourites by ear. I'll certainly go back, but I'd book early the table opposite the band.
I'd been looking forward to that evening's gig at the Vanguard with great anticipation; I'd heard Geri Allen's trio on a previous visit to NYC- it was a Jazzmobile presentation in the open air at Grant's Tomb, and she had Maurice Chestnut (tapdancer) as guest. It was the first night of our trip, but her brilliance had cut through my tiredness.The chance to hear her at the Vanguard was not to be missed- I was slightly worried to read that once more there would be guests, because I'd have been content to hear the trio alone (remembering the great DIW 1990 album with Charlie Haden & Paul Motian recorded at the Vanguard.) Robert Hurst on bass and Karriem Riggins (drums) were much more straight ahead than Haden & Motian but were dynamic parners to the pianist's rhythmically complex style and intense melodic inventiveness. Bruce Williams on alto was the first guest, with a rubbery Dolphy-like tone- excellent. Lizz Wright sang a couple of songs in each set- she claimed to be not a jazz singer, rather a folk singer who knew a few jazz songs. She's tall, physically very striking with a beautiful rich chocolatey voice, but she's right- Her 'Prelude to a Kiss' was rather stiff though she sang two gospel-inflected songs effectively, with Geri Allen's simple but effective backing- 'Grandma's Hands' impressed even though Lizz forgot the words.
It was the last night of Geri's 6 night engagement; maybe that was why (though the first set was packed) most people disppeared during the interval. So we were invited to stay on (for just the 1 drink minimum). To a half-empty house they played a fantastic set, finishing with an obscure Charlie Parker blues- 'Another Hair-do' - Bird recorded it on Savoy in 1947, three breakdowns then the master take. Listen to the Complete Savoys and the head will drill itself into your memory. I didn't think anyone had recorded it since, but Tom Lord informs me that there are versions by Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Jackie McLean and Pete Yellin (on an obscure record with Sheila Jordan guesting on one track.)
Back to Geri; after the piano and alto solos a tall tenor player strode onto the stage and unleashed a blistering solo, then strode off again scarcely acknowledging the applause. Geri clearly wasn't expecting a sitter-in; when she back-announced the band she looked to the audience for assistance and someone yelled 'Azar!' 'Wow...Azar Lawrence' ....and wow was right- a magical ending to a stunning performance.
And a very satisfying week of music.
I'm organising a jazz tour of NYC in October so part of the reason for this post is to give some idea of the range of music to be heard in the city one random week. Contact me for details of the tour.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Makanda Ken McIntyre- Peace thru Jazz
I've been listening to jazz and buying records for more than 45 years, selling jazz records for around 20. I consider myself quite well informed about the music.
So when my good customer Derek Styles wrote to tell me he'd written a bio- discography of Makanda Ken McIntyre I tried to scrape together from what's left of my failing memory what I know about the saxophonist & multi-instrumentalist. Not much surfaced: a Prestige album with Dolphy, some later Steeplechases which I hadn't heard, a Blue Note double cd- ditto. Clearly I needed to read the book, to be reminded of his recordings with Bill Dixon, Cecil Taylor, the Jazz Composers Orchestra, the Liberation Music Orchestra, of his participation in the Studio RivBea Wildflowers sessions.
Peace Thru Jazz is a chronological survey of McIntyre's work and recordings, with reviews, comments by musicians he worked with and short commentaries by Derek. He includes not only published recordings but details of the hundreds of tapes Makanda made at gigs and workshops, a few of which are available via the website maintained by his widow Joy Rosenthal.
What emerges is a rounded portrait of an undoubtedly significant and unjustly neglected musician who made a considerable contribution to jazz from the 60s on as player & composer, and as a pioneering jazz educator.
He was for sure a complicated and contradictory character; he preferred to call his music 'African American' rather than jazz but signed his letters 'peace thru jazz', he could be tough on his students- trombonist Steve Swell recalls him whispering 'You sound sick' in his ear- Swell agreed with his judgment!- yet encouraged a young inexperienced trumpet player to sit in with him at a gig and heaped praise on him afterwards.
He immersed himself in the music education world, teaching in schools and universities, then complained when he was not called on for gigs; he was bitter about the neglect he was shown by record companies & club owners and recalled the Down Beat review of Looking Ahead- 'Don't listen to this record if you have the slightest hint of a headache' - in his sleeve note to the Prestige two-fer reissue (under Dolphy's name). The book is full of praise for Makanda from fellow musicians- Roscoe Mitchell, Charlie Haden, Sonny Rollins, but a sentence from altoist Sonny Simmons stands out: 'Ken McIntyre?- we never liked each other.'
The 700 + tapes of Makanda which have now been placed in the Library of Congress in no way compensate for the paucity of issued recordings- an example: 8 years passed between Cecil's Unit Structures and Makanda's first recording for Steeplechase. His final recording, called with a nice irony 'A New Beginning' was issued on his own label CAAMO in 1999 but got no distribution; he died in 2001 not knowing it was to be reissued by Roscoe Mitchell on his Passing Thru label.
The neglect Makanda received during his career is reminiscent of the treatment of Herbie Nichols, so it's perhaps appropriate that there's a Makanda Project led by his ex-pupil John Kordalewski with the aim of recording some of Makanda's 400 unrecorded compositions.
Derek Styles sells antique silver for a living; this book is a sterling piece of research illuminating the life and work of an important musician.
Makanda Ken McIntyre; Peace thru Jazz by Derek Styles
Cadence Jazz Books 340pp paperback; ISBN 9781881993452
Price £20- signed copies available here
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