Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
com
June 2014
Interviews
Mark Morganelli
& David Amram
Jazz Forum 35th Anniversary
Tom Chang
John Clayton
William Parker
Dizzy
William Parker
JC Sanford
Reece
Manuel Valera
Elio Villafranca
Bill Ware
Comprehensive Directory of NY
Trumpeter, Composer, Author, Deep Thinker Club Concert & Event Listings
Tues. June 17th @ 8 pm Highline Ballroom Mon. June 16th @ 7:30 pm Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
431 W. 16th St. • Info/Tix: 212.414.5994 or highlineballroom.com jalc.org/dizzys
CONCORDMUSICGROUP. COM
2013 GRAMMY NOMINATED ARTIST
MANUEL VALERA
SELF PORTRAIT
SOLO PIANO
MANUEL VALERA
SELF PORTRAIT SPRING TOUR
Jun 6-7 New Cuban Express + Sofia Rei @ Jazz Gallery, NYC
Performance of CMA Commissioned Work: Martí en Nueva York*
Jun 14 Manuel Valera Duo @ Private Fundraiser for PS75, NYC
Jun 20-21 Manuel Valera Trio @ The Rex Toronto, Canada
even in biography form. There’s a biography of DR: Well to be fair there was a very nice gentle-
Visit Dizzy Reece online at Dizzy Reece and so forth, but there are a few man, his name was Jules Colomby. I don’t know
Facebook.com/DizzyReeceTrumpet erroneous things. At Rutgers University there’s a if you’ve ever heard of him. He has a brother,
discography of mine - about 50 recordings that Robert [Bobby] who recorded with Colombia
JI: You mentioned in our previous conversations I’ve done. Most people are hip to the Blue Note [Blood, Sweat and Tears] He was very nice and
that one of the things that you were concerned recordings, and they seem to have lost my trail he knew my work and he liked the trumpet and
about is that you have an understanding that since then. But there’s quite a bit that we can fit was producing. The first thing I heard him pro-
you’ve been misrepresented in the media and in in between 1962 to date. duce was with Cecil Payne. He took a fancy to
books and so forth. my work and he contracted that date with Pres-
JI: In 1962, you recorded an album for Prestige tige New Jazz for that recording. He’s forgotten
DR: Yes. Well, overall, during my career I’ve called Asia Minor with Cecil Payne and Joe mostly and ended up in a wheel chair. He was a
had good criticisms, good reviews. I’ve had Farrell, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Charlie Per- very charming, very nice cat, and quite hip. His
some of the best critics, even from days in Lon- sip. That was after you left Blue Note. How did other brother, used to be a manager for Theloni-
don. Criticisms of me have been very good over- that opportunity arise? ous Monk. I think he ended up in Hollywood.
all. Most of the information that is out there is (Continued on page 4)
(Continued on page 7)
We listened.
With structural changes both
inside and out, “the sound”
of yesteryear has been
recaptured.
JI: One of your essays involves the idea that JI: What’s your perspective as to why the swing JI: People want this music but it is often plagued
music and sound have colors, and that there are groove is so essential? by a lack of support. There was a club in Phila-
certain resonances that coordinate with the peri- delphia for example, where the club owner
odic table. Zinc, for example, or gold or different DR: Well, I don’t know. It’s a natural thing that hosted weekly jam sessions on a weekday night.
elements have different atomic weights, and happens in nature. You can see where the line Loads of players would come out to play, to get
resonate at different frequencies—in or outside was drawn between the old-school of classical up on that stage to get some notoriety and make
your body. Everybody’s going to have different music. All the intellect and the intelligence was connections. As is inevitably the case, some
ratios of the various molecules and elements in already there and the music became classic. But players were great and some were not ready for
their body, and will probably resonate differently we missed that swing, the four-four swing. But prime time—which as I read in a marketing book
with different types of music. Maybe that’s one everything has a certain swing—that goes for years ago, “don’t be in too much of a hurry to
of the drivers for the way people experience athletics, writing, works of art, cuisine, cook- promote until you get good, otherwise it will
music, or are attracted to certain music and re- ing. It’s got a swing. When you read a novel you speed of the process by which people find out
pelled by other the music. can tell the difference between writers and you that you’re no good.” Anyway, the club owner
can tell if their writing swings. Even if you write would often lament that here were all these mu-
DR: That’s an article—and it asks, “Does music a letter, you can see if it just swings. I don’t sicians showing up—because the stage was valu-
have a healing force?” That’s what we’re trying know how it developed but it came through our able to them as a venue to get heard. Yet, as he
to establish. Is it a healing force? Of generation. said, most of those who showed up wouldn’t
course. Well the human body is a musical instru- even spend two dollar for a Coke or a beer.
ment per se. I’m deep into you’d call it astrol- JI: You created a jazz festival in New York in Many of the musicians didn’t connect the dots—
ogy, I call it astro analysis. That means every- the 1980s. that if they supported the club in the most mini-
thing affects everything—and music. They al- mal way, it would be there to support them.
ways say music is the healing force of the uni- DR: Well, I started the festival. Some people Needless to say, the club eventually closed.
verse. The human body, the spirit and the have said, “Dizzy, that was a gift to New York.”
mind—it heals itself. The body is a musical in- It was the annual New York City Jazz Festi- DR: Well of course. We could go deeply into
strument. It’s just like a string instrument—the val. If you go on YouTube and type in Dizzy that and the reasons why. I’ve got a lot of writ-
emotions and so forth. Nature plays upon the Reece, New York City, you’ll see exactly what it ings. I’ve been writing about this stuff. I have an
strings and we react through our character and is. I’ve been trying to resuscitate it. I started it in encyclopedia.
personalities. The healing that takes place in the 1979. Our first engagement was at Damrosch
body naturally comes from the natural forces Park. New York City didn’t have a festival. The JI: What do you think some of the reasons are?
10 June 2014 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
JI: Are you saying that it’s about racism rather than being about cheap-
skates or short-sighted people who simply don’t support the very thing, the
very music that they want to flourish?
DR: Yes, but don’t let me get started with blacks because I write about
that. I’ve always given compliment to the whites. If you’ll notice, they
have been the supporters of jazz. They have actually saved it. The blacks
have turned their backs on jazz. That’s another story. When we started out,
going back to Harlem as I mentioned, 90% of the jazz supporters were
black.
JI: But why would black people, as you just stated, turn their backs on
music that richly represents their heritage?
DR: Exactly, exactly. I explain that in my biography and work. It’s deep.
It goes deep. That’s a whole thing for psychiatrists and philosophers. I
know all about why. Even when I started… I know about the therapy of
jazz, exactly. And I know where it goes back … with improvisation, even
the classics. I know all the musicians from Beethoven, Haydn—that’s my
thing. I know all the composers and they had the same trouble as improvis-
ers 200 years ago. Bach and all of them were improvisers. You had the
audience. It takes intellect—otherwise that music wouldn’t have sur-
vived—and especially if it didn’t have sponsorships. The sponsors were
mostly the affluent, the rich people. Today you have the National Endow-
ment for the Arts. Most of the guys that owned plantations used to hire
musicians and their bands. But it was hard. Then when it came to the peo-
ple, the people always wanted the more superficial aspect. Music has got
levels of intelligence and not everybody gravitates towards its intelli-
gence. Today, music has been taken out of the educational system. You’ve
known that for years. That’s another story. So the do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-
do—that one is still there in the schools, but that’s just basic. As Charlie
Parker said, he never saw color. It’s beyond color. It’s beyond white. It’s
beyond black. Some people say it’s on another spiritual level—
improvisation. It has no color. It has nothing to do with it. Although I rec-
ognize the black innovations and so forth, it’s beyond that—and it was
always beyond that. You have some blacks, intellectuals—they don’t like
jazz. But, it’s beyond all that. Modern jazz is the greatest thing that ever
happened on the planet besides the technology, the gadgetries and the
high-tech. It’s an art form representing the human character. It’s the hip-
pest thing that has ever happened—that four-four. That’s why I compare
cats like Al Haig and other pianists and so forth—they play like Beetho-
ven. If Beethoven or Chopin were here today, you would have a modern
rhythm section. There music would be another dimension. But they’ve
swung. A bunch of us have gotten frustrated because the music has not
been recognized and it never will be per se. We have people in high places,
low places—they don’t give a damn about that. That’s why you have to
compliment the musicians that have really stuck with the music—and the
ones who invented it when it wasn’t easy. Today, musicians they’ve got it
easy. Rock and rollers have got money. They’ve got financing from the
electronics industry. Many years ago, whether it was played by black or
white, it was a struggle. It still is a struggle. They didn’t have the accom-
plishments, the luxury of traveling by cars, limousines and buses and
planes. Those cats used to travel by car to play a gig. I’ve been through it
all. Today, many cats don’t know the history of the music. That’s quite
important because what you play is the history of what has been. Today,
every little cat that now comes up playing—they can play and play …. but
play what? The content is what matters—and the content comes with the
history. It comes with experience. Everybody can play and everybody is a
musical prodigy and so forth. But what is the content? That’s why you
have the high end and the low end in everything. When you want a good
suit, you buy the best. If you want a good car you buy a Rolls Royce. You
buy the best—a Lexus or BMW. The best is what you strive for. I’ve
known the best musicians that have played this music and some that have
continued to play. I hardly listen to what’s happening now with the music
because as they say, after you’ve seen the face of God, what is there to
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Sunday, June 1 Thom Penn 9 at Treme, 7PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
Ali Jackson 5 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
— John Wooden
Columbus Cir. #10.
Joe Carozza 3 at The Falcon, 10AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Jacky Terrasson, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Vivian Sessions at Blue Note, 11:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Mayu Saeki 3 at Garage, 11:30 AM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Chris Flory 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Joe Lovano at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Monday, June 2
Lauren Hooker at Hibiscus, 12PM. 270 South St., Morristown NJ. Jill McCarron at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Steve Dalachinsky/Rocco John Iacovone at The Firehouse Percy Jones & MJ4 at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Tom Shad at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Space, 3:00 PM. 246 Frost St., Bklyn. Bklyn. Paul Jones 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Marco Cappelli at Barbes, 5PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn. Shrine Big Band at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave. Sean Wayland at 55 Bar, 7PM. 55 Christopher St.
Jazz Vespers at St. Peter's, 5PM. Artists TBA 619 Lexington Ave. Flux 4: Tomorrow's New Voices at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Vicki Burns/Ratzo Harris at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd. 2nd St. and Avenue C. Meeting: International Women in Jazz at St. Peter's, 7PM. 619
Nichlas Letman-Burtinovic 3 at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM. QED at Van Gogh's Ear, 8PM. 1017 Stuyvesant Ave., Union NJ. Lexington Ave.
13 Monroe St. Fat Cat Big Band at Fat Cat, 8:30 PM. 75 Christopher St. Juilliard School Ensemble at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30,
Terry Waldo Band at Fat Cat, 6PM. 75 Christopher St. Jeff “Tain” Watts at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
David Harewood at I Beam, 6PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn. John Lander 3 at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St. Mingus Orchestra, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Nick Finzer at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St. Kuba Wiecek at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd. Greg Ryan Group at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Rob Edwards 4 at Garage, 6:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Flux 4: Music of Barbara Monk Feldman at The Stone, 10PM. Albare at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Pascal Niggenkemper, Downtown Music Gallery, 7PM. 13 Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C. Bryan Carter 3 at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Monroe Mauricio DeSouza 3 at Garage, 11PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Jack DeJohnette 3 feat. Ravi Coltrane at Shapeshifter Lab,
Joanne Tatham: Music from Movies Made in Manhattan at Brandon Lewis at Fat Cat, 1:00 AM. 75 Christopher St. 8:00 and 9:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Jocelyn Shannon 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd. (Continued on page 16)
Friday, June 6
Swingadelic, River Vale Libr, 1PM. 412 Rivervale, River Vale NJ.
Gianni Mimmo/Alison Blunt at Downtown Music Gallery, 6PM.
13 Monroe St.
Elad Cohen at Shrine, 6PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Fukushi Tainaka at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Dave Liebman, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ.
B. D. Lenz, Deer Head, 5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA.
Bill Frisell: The Electric Guitar in America at Appel Room,
Lincoln Center, 7:00 and 9:30 PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
Garden State Jazz Orchestra + Manville HS Jazz Band at
Manville High School, 7PM. 1100 Brooks Blvd., Manville NJ.
Ayako Shirasaki 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Bria Skonberg 4 at Alvin & Friends, 7:30 PM. 14 Memorial Hwy.,
New Rochelle NY.
Steve Bloom 3 at Bar Next Door, 7PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Dion Parson, Dizzy's Club, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Jeff Ballard 3 feat. Lionel Loueke at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30,
& 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Marianne Solivan 4 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Gianni Gaglardi 5 feat. Gilad Hekselman at All Things Project,
8PM. 261 Bleecker St.
Pedro Giraudo 6 at Barbes, 8PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Andre Previn/Christian McBride, Blue Note, 8PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Masami Ishikawa 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Bdway.
Richard Boukas & others: Latin Guitar Fest at Lucille's, B.B.
King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Ran Blake/Sara Serpa at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra w/Wynton Marsalis: Modern
Ellington at Rose Theater, 8PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
TriBeCaStan at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Carolyn Leonhart at Silvana, 8PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Joe Morris/John Zorn/Nat Wooley at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
Neo Bass Ensemble feat. Lisle Atkinson, Leonard Nimoy
Thalia, Symphony Space, 8PM. 2537 Broadway.
Ron Jackson at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
Rio Clemente/Warren Chiasson at Watchung Arts Center,
8PM. 18 Stirling Rd., Watchung NJ.
TC III at Jazz 966, 8:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Gutbucket at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Bobby Lynn at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Brad Linde/Wadada Leo Smith at Seeds, 8:30 PM. 617 Vander-
bilt Ave., Bklyn.
Billy Hart 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Megan Hilty at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Michael Bates, Cornelia St. Cafe, 9PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Manuel Valera & New Cuban Express at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and
11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Andrew Pereira at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Ursel Schlicht, Firehouse Space, 9:30 PM. 246 Frost St., Bklyn.
Ron Sunshine Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
Diane Johnston, Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl.
Joe Morris 5 feat. Nate Wooley at The Stone, 10PM. Corner of
2nd St. and Avenue C.
Nikita White at Jazz 966, 10:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
(Continued on page 18)
Ken Peplowski 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Thursday, June 12
Jeremy Noller at Whynot Jazz Room, 8PM. 14 Christopher St.
Vic Washington w/Bill Robinson's Classic Soul Ensemble at
Jazz 966, 8:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Bill O'Connell, St. Peter's Plaza, 12:30 PM. 54th St. & Lexington Pete Davenport at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Judi Silvano 4 at Nublu, 8:30 PM. 62 Avenue C.
Mike Fahn +2 at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St. Bobby McFerrin & Questlove: A Musical Dialogue at Town
Alex Hoffman Group at Smalls, 6PM. 183 W. 10th St. Hall, 8:30 PM. 123 W. 43rd St.
Nick Brust 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St. Michael Louis Band at Treme, 8PM. 553 Main St., Islip NY.
Film Screening: Chile/New York/AfghanIRAQ at Roulette, 6:30 Bizingas at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
PM. William Parker/Roy Campbell. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn. Mike Stern/Bill Evans at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Joe Alterman/James Cammack at Blue Note, 6:30 PM. 131 W. Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
3rd St. Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Yoshiko Iwata 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 7PM. 2485 Broadway. Michael Formanek, Tim Berne, Cornelia Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
Mad Satta at The Falcon, 7PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Michele Rosewoman 4 feat. Liberty Ellman at Jazz Gallery,
Nick Finzer, Liberty House, 76 Audrey Zapp Dr., Jersey City NJ. 9:00 and 11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Michael Feinstein: Legends of the Jazz Age at Appel Room, Mitch Marcus 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Lincoln Center, 7:00 and 9PM. Corner of Broadway & 60th St. Groove Square feat. Manuel Valera at Terraza 7, 9PM. 40-19
Tony Corrao at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St. Gleane St., Elmhurst, Queens.
Steve Dalachinsky at Roulette, 7PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn. Jemeel Moondoc, Roulette, 9:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Asher Stein 3 at Shanghai Jazz, 7PM. 24 Main St., Madison NJ. Emily Wolf Project at Caffe Vivaldi, 9:30 PM. 32 Jones St.
Terry Cade 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd. New Wonders at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 W. 47th St.
M. Wimberley, Antoine Roney, Roulette, 509 Atlantic, Bklyn. Jonathan Goldberger at I Beam, 9:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Sammy Miller at Ginny's Supper Club, 7:30 PM. 310 Lenox Ave. Tatsuya Nakatani/Steven Leffue at Jack, 9:30 PM. 505 Waverly
Yovsany Terry at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St. Ave., Bklyn.
Pookestra at Shapeshifter Lab, 7:30 PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn. Peter Zak 2 at Knickerbocker Bar, 9:45 PM. 33 University Pl.
New Music for Saxophones: Greg Osby, Dave Liebman at Chris Bergson Band at 55 Bar, 10PM. 55 Christopher St.
Symphony Space, 7:30 PM. 2537 Broadway. Briggan Kraus, The Stone, 10PM. 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Enrico Granafei at Trumpets, 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ. Black Rose 4 at Jazz 966, 10:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and James “Blood” Ulmer, Roulette, 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Mike DiRubbo 5 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Jose James at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Peter Valera at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Monty Alexander at B.B. King Blues Club, 8PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Adam Larson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Baylor Project at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave. Soul Understated at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Mark Gross, Makeda, 8PM. 338 George St., New Brunswick NJ. Greg Murphy 4 at Smalls, 1:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Hot Club France w/Michael Valenu Band at Measure, 8PM. 400
5th Ave.
Microtitans at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Mary Halvorson, Roulette, 8:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Visit www.JazzNewswire.com
Nobuki Takamen, Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Michael Formanek, Cornelia St. Cafe, 8:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St. Saturday, June 14
Bizingas at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band, Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway. Marc Devine at Garage, 12PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Craig Yaremko, Maxfield's, 8:30 PM. 713 Main St., Boonton NJ. Web T, Candlelight Lounge, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic, Trenton NJ.
Harlem Renaissance Orch, Swing 46, 8:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St. Erik Satie 4 at Barbes, 4:00 PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S. Anders Nilsson 4 at Barbes, 6PM. 376 9th St., Bklyn.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St. Jody Quine at Caffe Vivaldi, 6PM. 32 Jones St.
Marques/Stinson/O'Farrill at Caffe Vivaldi, 9PM. 32 Jones St. Brooks Hartell 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
RIVA at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and 11PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway. Leslie Pintchik at Alvin & Friends, 7PM. 14 Memorial Hwy., New
Ned Rothenberg at Roulette, 9:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn. Rochelle NY.
Kirk Knuffke 4 at I Beam, 9:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn. Carrie Jackson, Deer Head, 5 Main, Delaware Water Gap PA.
Microscopic Septet at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St. Ron Dabney at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Briggan Kraus & Curtis Hasselbring, Stone, 2nd St. and Ave C. Satoko Fujii 4 at Roulette, 7PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Peter Brötzmann/Hamid Drake/William Parker at Roulette, Hiroko Kanna at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
10:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn. Rotem Sivan, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St.
Underground System at Drom, 10:30 PM. 85 Avenue A. Yovsany Terry & Afro-Cuban Roots at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
Avi Rothbard 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Adam Larson, Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10. Elio Villafranca at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Friday, June 13 Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Alex Layne 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Al Marino 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S. Myles Mancuso Band at Club Groove, 8PM. 125 MacDougal St.
Rob Paparozzi at Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison NJ. Ben Perowsky at Doma Na Rohu, 8PM. 27 Morton St.
Matt Marantz, Deer Head, 7PM. 5 Main, Delaware Water Gap PA. Greg Abate at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Nanny Assis Band at Lucille's, B.B. King Blues Club, 7:00 and Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
9PM. 237 W. 42nd St. Briggan Kraus, The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Btrenda Earle Stokes 4 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd. Lula Valdivia at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Whit Dickey 4 at Roulette, 7:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn. Matthew Shipp 3 at Roulette, 8:15 PM. 509 Atlantic Ave., Bklyn.
Nat Adderley Jr., Don Braden, Alvin & Friends, 14 Memorial Bizingas at I Beam, 8:30 PM. 168 7th St., Bklyn.
Hwy., New Rochelle NY. Mike Stern/Bill Evans at Iridium, 8:30 PM. 1650 Broadway.
Yovsany Terry & Afro-Cuban Roots at Jazz Standard, 7:30, Anat Cohen at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St. Hiromi Suda at Whynot Jazz Room, 8:30 PM. 14 Christopher St.
Elio Villafranca at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Columbus Cir. #10. Michael Formanek 6 w/Loren Stillman at Cornelia St. Cafe,
Ramsey Lewis Electric w/Philip Bailey at Blue Note, 8:00 and 9:00 and 10:30 PM. 29 Cornelia St.
10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St. Jerome Sabbagh 4 at Jazz Gallery, 9:00 and 11PM. 5th floor,
Dan Furman 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway. 1160 Broadway.
Cory Henry 3 at The Falcon, 8PM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY. Brust/Horowitz 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Queens & Bklyn Jazz Party at Flushing Town Hall, 8PM. Artists Nasheet Waits & Tarbaby at Roulette, 9:15 PM. 509 Atlantic
include Queens Jazz Overground and Bklyn Jazz Overground. Ave., Bklyn.
137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens. Roger Davidson at Caffe Vivaldi, 9:30 PM. 32 Jones St.
Yemen Blues at Highline Ballroom, 8PM. 431 W. 16th St. Marek & The Boss Chops at Edison Rum House, 9:30 PM. 228 (Continued on page 20)
Joyce Breach, Warren Vache at Kitano, 66 Park Ave. W. 47th St.
Wednesday, June 18
Dylan Meek 3 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Kevin Wang 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Tish Rabe at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
B.D. Lenz at Mara's Cafe, 7PM. 250 South Ave., Fanwood NJ.
Jason Lindner, Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Luis Camacho at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Fatum Brothers at Antibes Bistro, 7:30 PM. 112 Suffolk St.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
(Continued on page 22)
sunday, June 29 @ 8 PM
Grand Funk Railroad
With Special Guest Petey Hop
“You cannot talk about rock in the 1970s without talking about Grand
Funk Railroad!” -David Fricke, Rolling Stone Magazine
Having formed in 1969, this year marks the 45th anniversary of the band,
and after their sold out show in 2012, the Playhouse is very excited to
bring back the platinum selling band, who has sold more than 25 million
records over the course of their career.
Friday, June 20
Yoav Shlomov Band at Silvana, 6PM. 330 W. 116th St.
Masami Ishikawa 3 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Javon Jackson, Shanghai Jazz, 6:30 PM. 24 Main, Madison NJ.
Max Gallico at Pier 45, Hudson River Park, 7PM. W. 10th St.
Manny Moreira/Julie E: Tribute to Tom Jobim at Lucille's, B.B.
King Blues Club, 7:00 and 9PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Melba Moore at Metropolitan Room, 7PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Film Screening: Un Passo Avanti (A Step Ahead) with live
performance & jam session by Roberta Garrison 4 at
Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl., Bklyn.
Rhonda Denet at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Christian McBride at Alvin & Friends, 7:30 PM. 14 Memorial
Hwy., New Rochelle NY.
Quentin Angus, Bar Next Door, 129 MacDougal St.
Paquito D'Rivera at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Warren Wolf's Wolfpack at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30
PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Danilo Perez 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Matt Baker 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Nilson Matta, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Hendrik Meurkens at Trumpets, 8PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Eric Frazier at Jazz 966, 8:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
Bobby Lynn at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Terri Lyne Carrington/Geri Allen/Esperanza Spalding at Village
Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Melissa Manchester at Cafe Carlyle, 8:45 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Benedikt Jahnel 3 at Cornelia St. Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
Godwin Louis at Jazz Gallery, 9PM. 5th floor, 1160 Broadway.
Ron Jackson 3 at Teddy's Bar, 9PM. 96 Berry St.
Mike Bardash 5 at Somethin' Jazz, 9PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Ron Sunshine Orchestra at Swing 46, 9:30 PM. 349 W. 46th St.
Matthew Gold, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Vinnie Knight 3 at Jazz 966, 10:15 PM. 966 Fulton St., Bklyn.
George Colligan 4 at Smalls, 10:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Kevin Dorn and the BIG 72 at Garage, 10:45 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Joe McDonough at Dizzy's, 11:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Vladimir Cetkar at Blue Note, 12:30 AM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Monday, June 23
Nick Finzer 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Lou Caputo's Not So Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
New West Guitar Group at SubCulture, 7PM. 45 Bleecker St.
Vanessa Perea at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Matt Baker 3 at Le Cirque Cafe, 7:30 PM. 151 E. 58th St.
Alan Broadbent 3 at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10
Columbus Cir. #10.
Michel Camilo at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Special Ambient Chaos at Spectrum, 8PM. Artists include
Jazzfakers, Max Alper, Rick Parker, and others. 121 Ludlow St.
Garth Knox at The Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Marianne Solivan, Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Garth Knox, Stone, 9PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
David Berkman 4 at Smalls, 9:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Garth Knox, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Adam Moezinia 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Tuesday, June 24
Candace DeBartolo 4 at Garage, 6PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Nick Lancaster 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Cecile McLorin Salvant at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center,
6:30 PM. Dance lessons at 6:30; music at 7:30 PM. Corner of
Amsterdam Ave. and W. 62nd St.
Saturday, June 28
Alex Layne 3 at Garage, 12PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Bob DeVos, Candlelight, 3:30 PM. 24 Passaic St., Trenton NJ.
Lara Bello, Cornelia St. Cafe, 6PM. 29 Cornelia St.
Houston Person w/Carrie Jackson & Dave Baham 3 at Memo-
rial West Presbyterian Church, 6PM. 286 S. 7th St., Newark NJ.
Champian Fulton 4 at Garage, 6:15 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Kaoru Watanabe at Shapeshifter Lab, 7PM. 18 Whitwell Pl.,
Bklyn.
Isaiah Barr 6 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
James Silberstein 3 feat. Harvie S at Bar Next Door, 7:30, 9:30,
& 11:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
So Simple Even A Beginner Can Look Like A Pro! Azar Lawrence at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, 7:30 PM. 10 Colum-
bus Cir. #10.
CREATE CUSTOM BRANDED FULL TRAINING: Step-by-step training videos get Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30, & 11:30 PM. 111
E. 27th St.
COLOR HEADER & BANNER DESIGNS in you started in minutes! Don Friedman 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
seconds! 100% WEB-BASED — Nothing to download Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
100 TEMPLATES: Use these to get started WYSWIG Editing—Simply drag, drop, edit Mike Latimore 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
in minutes or create your own! Simona Premazzi, Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
and see your design in real time. Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Frank Vignola/Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub at Rosendale Cafe,
www.HeaderAndBannerWizard.com
8PM. 434 Main St., Rosendale NY.
Ruben Gonzalez at Shrine, 8PM. 2271 7th Ave.
Anders Hagberg at Shapeshifter Lab, 8PM. 18 Whitwell Pl.,
Sunday, June 29
Erik Lawrence, Falcon, 10AM. 1348 Rte. 9W, Marlboro NY.
Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage at Blue Note, 11:30 AM. 131 W.
3rd St.
Pam Purvis/Bob Ackerman at Hibiscus, 12PM. 270 South St.,
Morristown NJ.
Joonsam Lee 3 at Jules Bistro, 12PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Jason “Malletman” Taylor, B.B. King’s, 1PM. 237 W. 42nd St.
Elan Trotman, Emmanuel Baptist, 3PM. 279 Lafayette, Bklyn.
Alex Brown 4 at St. Peter's, 5PM. 619 Lexington Ave.
Aida Brandes 3 at Somethin' Jazz, 5PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Marlene Verplanck, Shanghai Jazz, 6PM. 24 Main, Madison NJ.
Cyrus Chestnut 3 at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th
Ron Aprea Big Band w/Angela DeNiro at Trumpets, 7:30 and
9PM. 6 Depot Sq., Montclair NJ.
Harmolodic Monk at Whynot Jazz Room, 7:30 PM. 14 Christo-
pher St.
Hiromi Uehara 3 at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Jill McCarron at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Mary Halvorson, Stone, 8PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Dave Ambrosio, Loren Stillman, Cornelia Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
Shades of Jazz: Keith Jarrett's Music at Iridium, 8:30 PM. Dan
Tepfer, Greg Osby, James Weidman. 1650 Broadway.
Bill McHenry 4 at Village Vanguard, 8:30 PM. 178 7th Ave. S.
Inspiracy Duo at Whynot Jazz Room, 9PM. 14 Christopher St.
Kris Davis, Stone, 10PM. Corner of 2nd St. and Avenue C.
Sarah Slonim 3 at Smalls, 12:00 AM. 183 W. 10th St.
Monday, June 30
Ben Bryden 3 at Bar Next Door, 6:30 PM. 129 MacDougal St.
Jenny Scheinman w/Brian Blade at (Le) Poisson Rouge, 6:30
PM. 158 Bleecker St.
Cecilia Coleman Big Band at Garage, 7PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Peggy Duquesnel 2 at Somethin' Jazz, 7PM. 212 E. 52nd.
Kay Matsukawa at Zinc Bar, 7PM. 82 W. 3rd St.
Avalon Jazz Band at Le Cirque Cafe, 7:30 PM. 151 E. 58th St.
Deer Head Inn Jazz Orchestra at Deer Head Inn, 7:30 PM. 5
Main St., Delaware Water Gap PA.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Faculty Band at Dizzy's Club Coca
Cola, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 10 Columbus Cir. #10.
Mingus Orchestra at Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th
Eden Ladin 3 at Smalls, 7:30 PM. 183 W. 10th St.
Gato Barbieri at Blue Note, 8:00 and 10:30 PM. 131 W. 3rd St.
Antonio Ciacca at Measure, 8PM. 400 5th Ave.
Jocelyn Medina 3 at Bar Next Door, 8:30 PM. 129 MacDougal .
Chris Bergson at Jules Bistro, 8:30 PM. 65 St. Mark's Pl.
Lauren Lee at Metropolitan Room, 9PM. 34 W. 22nd St.
Danny Jonokuchi 3 at Garage, 10:30 PM. 99 7th Ave. S.
Juni Booth at Nublu, 11PM. 62 Avenue C.
REGULAR GIGS
Mondays (6/2, 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30)
Hayes Greenfield 3 (except 6/16) at Pearl's Social & Billy Club,
5PM. 40 St. Nicholas Ave., Bklyn.
Earl Rose at Bemelmans', 5:30 PM. 35 E. 76th St.
Rick Bogart 3 at Broadway Thai, 6PM. 241 W. 51st St.
Kat Gang/Joe Young at Arcane Bistro, 7:00. 111 Avenue C.
Akiko Tsuruga 3 at Kotobuki, 7PM. 56 3rd Ave.
Mingus Big Band (except 6/2 and 6/30) at Jazz Standard, 7:30,
9:30 PM. 111 E. 27th St.
Jon Weiss 3 at Cleopatra's Needle, 8PM. 2485 Broadway.
Vince Giordano Nighthawks at Iguana, 8PM. 240 W. 54th .
Iris Ornig Jam Session at Kitano, 8PM. 66 Park Ave.
Cotton Club All Stars at Cotton Club, 8:30 PM. 656 W. 125th St.
Eric Lemon, Brownstone Jazz, 8PM. 107 Macon St., Bklyn.
Pedrito Martinez Band at Guantanamera, 8:30 PM. 939 8th Ave.
Kat Gang, Rose Club, Plaza Hotel, 9PM. 5th Av & Central Pk W. Avalon Jazz Band at Matisse, 8PM. 924 2nd Ave.
RECORD STORES
Academy Records, 12 W. 18th St., New York, NY 10011, 212-
242-3000, http://www.academy-records.com
Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe St, New York, NY
10002, (212) 473-0043, www.downtownmusicgallery.com
Jazz Record Center, 236 W. 26th St., Room 804,
212-675-4480, www.jazzrecordcenter.com
Princeton Record Exchange, 20 South Tulane St, Princeton,
NJ 08542, 609-921-0881, www.prex.com Comprehensive Online & Offline Media & Marketing Campaigns & Reporting
Scotti’s Records, 351 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ, 07901,
908-277-3893, www.scotticd.com For CD Releases Events National Campaigns Consultations
MUSIC STORES Web Social Mobile Video Press Releases eMail SEO List Building
Drummers World, Inc., 151 W. 46th St., NY, NY 10036, 212-
840-3057, 212-391-1185, www.drummersworld.com
215-887-8880
Roberto’s Woodwind & Brass, 149 West 46th St. NY, NY
10036, 646-366-0240, Repair Shop: 212-391-1315; 212-840-
7224, www.robertoswoodwind.com
Rod Baltimore Intl Woodwind & Brass, 168 W. 48 St. New
York, NY 10036, 212-302-5893
got interested and were offering gigs.” The idea of that was to have a festival where
everyone would get paid 100 dollars and there
would be no leaders. There’d be heads of groups
but no leader’s fee. As a precursor to the festival,
After studying with master bassists such as creative jazz music scene, the glue that holds it I called meetings in New York and Bill Dixon
Jimmy Garrison, Richard Davis, Milt Hinton together and a mentor to many. The New York came all the way down from Bennington on a
and Wilbur Ware, Parker toured extensively with Times labeled you the “father to the followers of Saturday morning and we met with other musi-
Cecil Taylor and later David S. Ware, along free jazz” and the Village Voice has proclaimed cians to talk about making the transition from the
with most of the world’s top creative jazz musi- you to be “the most consistently brilliant free ‘give me a gig’ mentality to creating our own
cians. Although best known for his work in the jazz bassist of all time.” You’re quiet and unas- work until people actually got interested and
avant-garde arena, Parker has wide-reaching suming by nature, how did you come to be con- were offering gigs. So we did the festival and it
interests – leading orchestras along with pro- sidered the leader of the scene? was very successful and a movie was made out
jects covering the music of Curtis Mayfield and of it. In ‘88, we did another Sound Unity Festi-
Duke Ellington, as well as a clarinet trio, a vio- WP: I don’t know about all of that but I will say val, which was structured a little differently. I
lin trio, an organ quartet dealing soul jazz, and that I’ve been very fortunate, I came on the rented the Knitting Factory for one thousand
a recording with Merengue musicians. He’s also scene in ‘71-’72, when the original ESP Records dollars for the whole week and included Dewey
recorded with hip-hop groups and rock groups was in transition and I was on one of their last Redman, Peter Brotzmann, Sonny Sharrock,
such as The Roots, Yo La Tengo and Akron/ recordings – Black Beings. It was done at Or- Milford Graves, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell,
Family and been an important force behind New nette Coleman’s Artist House at 131 Prince (Continued on page 36)
“I think each musician should define it’s still there and it’s the way things are still run.
It’s become a way of life. Someone told me that
defined by outsiders who are not WP: I tell them that they can save the world
and they are also inaccurate.” and say, “I want my music to change people’s
lives,” not just make sounds, it really becomes a
reality. If it becomes your purpose, it can hap-
pen, and you don’t have to believe that but it
direction and I didn’t want to do it anymore. Not like to play, to play until the sick are healed and really gives you focus and there are people who
that I ever did that much of it, I did it when it the sleepers awake. Dealing with the concept of really have a gift. There are special people who,
was needed to be done. It’s a lot of work to or- pure improvisation, breaking the rules of logic when they play, people like Kidd Jordan,
ganize it, to raise money, do the booking, and the and tapping into the source of all sound and Charles Gayle, and the bassist Sirone was like
publicity. The Vision Festival was all Patricia’s going past barriers, reconnecting and starting that. It’s not just what they play, they are just
idea and it’s been a labor of love. It’s a constant with a people’s revolution. Yes, this is what different. They are people with what I call
struggle to get the money to keep it going. we’re working on now, to have the concept that, “Illuminated Sounds.” They have a glow. Wa-
and I don’t know if everybody agrees with this, dada Leo Smith, when he plays the trumpet,
JI: The term Downtown music is often used to but we’re talking about the idea of Vision Art- there’s just something extra. He’s not trying to
define New York City’s creative music scene. I ists—people who are connected with the Vision play something extra, he’s just developed what
don’t know how you feel about that label but Festival and have a certain esthetic and that es- he does and is able to make sound vibrate in a
how is Downtown music unique in comparison thetic is that we are root music. Most of these particular way. Of course, there are exercises
to other avant-garde jazz music around the people are in their ‘60s and ‘70s and it’s not and things you can do to help you do that, but
globe? many people. That’s a different generation than you have to have faith and the belief that you
Matthew Shipp because he’s ten years younger play a sound and something happens to sprout
WP: I don’t really know what Downtown Music than we are and I’m ten years younger than Mil- (Continued on page 37)
Woody Shaw
w/ Art Blakey
John Clayton
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
“We know that there is so much music in fresh today as they were back then, only you
hear more things that you didn’t hear before.
New York. But how many jazz musicians JC: Funny you’re saying that because only kind
of recently have I come out of denial and em-
can live in New York and make a living just braced the fact that the stuff that I heard when I
was younger that really drew me in—I still love.
playing local gigs only in New York? It’s Because part of me was going, you know, Clay-
ton you need to move on. There’s so much new
stuff—small things, how do you act here, how JI: Well, that was really handy that he reached
back then and just got lucky to stumble over the do you handle business ... and it just kept going around at that point and kept you clean. Peer
right recordings when I’d go to Sam Goody’s or on, not only when I was a teenager but through pressure can be very detrimental to your behav-
some other record store was a reel-to-reel tape of my college years. I finished school at Indiana ior — especially if it is guiding you in the wrong
two of Oscar Peterson’s albums—The Trio and University, and all along during that time I direction when you’re developing. Some people
the Sounds of the Trio with Ray Brown and Ed would stay in touch with him. But when I needed got into it maybe to escape, or to feel good, or to
Thigpen live in Chicago, 1961. to hook up with Monty Alexander, it was be liked or trusted by their peers or associates, or
through Ray Brown. He introduced us. It was because they wanted to be perceived as being
JC: I know every note on there. It’s the sister to through Ray Brown that I was able to talk to cool. Ultimately, as we’ve all seen those kinds of
that that was the first record featuring Ray Count Basie who happened to need a bass player behavior over the long term have deleterious
Brown that I ever heard—and which changed two weeks from then. It was through Ray Brown effects on the human body. I always thought that
my life, called The Trio. It’s the one with “I’ve that I met Milt Jackson and just so many musi- those kinds of behaviors—which some acquaint-
Never Been in Love Before.” cians. Then he taught me about so many aspects ances used to try to get me to do—would ad-
of being a musician. I remember him saying versely impact and otherwise impede the driving
JI: Yes, that’s the first track on the album. Fabu-
lous playing. And then “Chicago” is on there,
“Whisper Not.”
JC: Okay, I’ll check that out for sure. change the level of your music and
JI: Yes. Now you studied with Ray Brown early
on. Talk about those experiences and the kinds how you approach it.”
of wisdom that he imparted to you in addition to
the musical instruction. I’ll bet there were some
ideas that helped you gain clarity about the “Okay, when you get ready to fly with your bass, energy and interest I had in and for this music—
world and human nature. you’ll have a bass trunk. When you go to the creating, practicing, learning, performing, com-
airport, don’t even go inside the terminal. Find a posing and arranging.
JC: Well Ray was like a second father to me. He skycap, tip him five dollars.” That shows you
probably is more like my first musical father how long ago that was! “Tip him five dollars and JC: Yep, and I agree. If you’ve got that kind of
because I took a class that he taught at UCLA he will take care of everything ... he will put you upbringing and that kind of environment, it sure
when I was 16 years old. It was an extension on the plane.” I remember I went to hear him makes it easier for you to understand other ways
course, and an evening thing that met every play some place at some point and it was during that you can approach life—other choices that
other week. In that course, he taught the basics that period that musicians were doing a lot of you can make and still feel comfortable in your
to me and the other students. You had to learn all drugs. There was a lot of coke flying around. I own skin.
your scales, all your chords, arpeggios, reper- went to hear him play and was hanging out back-
toire. When the course ended, I was so in love stage with him and the other musicians. We were JI: With Basie’s band you had to be able to pull
with the guy and that was a discovery—because all talking. It was a bit of a semi-circle that up those charts pretty quickly. Maybe you were
I didn’t even know who Ray Brown was. He had seemed to just happen naturally, and the musi- also a little bit nervous as you entered the
to be famous because he was on a record. But I cians were kind of circled around talking, laugh- band—because you, we all want to make a good
had no idea about his background and playing ing and all this stuff. Somebody started passing impression in performance situations. Could you
with Dizzy [Gillespie] and Bird [Charlie Parker], around some coke and a lot of the musicians— talk about your entree into the Basie band, and
and being married to Ella [Fitzgerald] and all most of the musicians there—would do a line of your initial experiences?
that stuff. I didn’t know about that—so I learned coke. When the plate came around to me, Ray
about him as time went on. He was the guy who Brown reached around me and grabbed the plate JC: Well, that too was like a school. From day
really pushed me. He kept telling me the impor- and he said “No, he doesn’t do that,” and passed one, my seat on the bus was in the back of the
tance of studying classically with a classical it on to the next person. So he was always at bus. Right across the aisle from me, exactly
teacher—so he hooked me up with a classical every step of the way looking out for me and across the aisle, was Freddie Green’s seat. He
teacher. I was playing electric bass at the time as guiding me and teaching me. I remember so was a really, really quiet man. But as time went
well. He got me lessons with Carol Kaye, a stu- many conversations beginning with “Here’s on he opened up. I remember the first day. You
dio [electric] bass player. She, as well as my what you’ve got to do.” That was his line to me. didn’t have an audition in Basie’s band. The gig
classical teacher, knew that I came from a family “Here’s what you’ve got to do” — and then he’d was the audition. So I was on the bus in New
that was poor and couldn’t afford lessons. So give me some instruction. So everything from
Carol Kaye charged me five dollars a lesson. My band leading to being paid to how to deal with a (Continued on page 44)
They talked in parables. They didn’t have a path of mastery. Some suggest that if you are a
master, or self-perceived master, then there’s
nothing more to learn and you might stagnate.
conversation often like you and I are having JC: Yes, right, which also I think is an untruth
a conversation—and I’ve heard other jazz obviously. Masters are masters partially because
they are constantly learning.
musicians kind of do that too. They have a JI: Right. I guess when you’re at that level, I
be complete sentences but you totally more proficient and masterful you become at
what you do, and you recognize that deep inside,
Manuel Valera
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
JI: Let’s talk about your new solo piano project. has this Cuban pianist,
Emiliano Salvador. It’s not
MV: Okay. My first solo piano record is called really trying to sound like
Self Portrait. I wanted to do some homage to from the 70s but it has an
some of the things that influenced me throughout essence of what those bands
the years. So there’s a Bill Evans composition, had— which is the influence
“Very Early,” there’s a Monk composition, “Ask of American popular music
Me Now.” There’s also another one, in Cuban music. But what
“Hallucination” by Bud Powell, which I consider we’ve tried to do now, with
to be my three most influential. I also wanted to the way American popular
showcase my compositional side because that’s a music is now, is to adapt
big part of what I do. So I wrote six pieces for some of those things to Cu-
the solo piano and I also wrote a series of three ban music, and fuse those
“Impromptus” that I dedicate to the classical two things together. In my
composers that have also influenced me a opinion, I don’t think it’s
lot. One of them is Erik Satie. The other one is been done too much. There
for George Gershwin, who is both a classical are a lot of people that play
composer and a standards composer as well, and Latin jazz and there are a lot
also for Nicholas Slonimsky, the guy that wrote of people that play Cuban
the Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns. I music. We are really melt-
figure in a sense that would sort of round out ing those two things right
what would make me who I am musically speak- there, not only the pop mu-
ing. So that’s why the record is called Self Por- sic but also like jazz, mixing the contemporary We just premiered the piece at the Harlem Stage,
trait. The way it came about was that for the jazz with Latin jazz. It’s something that Yosvany May 7. It’s an adaptation of Jose Marti’s Versos
longest time, I didn’t feel comfortable with the Terry, Daphnis Prieto and myself have been sort Sencillos, to sound cycle that features the band
idea of a solo piano record. I was afraid of the of working on these kinds of things for a while. I plus singer Sofia Rei. He’s a very famous Cuban
idea of a solo piano record just because it’s so always wanted to have a Cuban kind of band patriot, philosopher. He’s the equivalent of like
demanding for the pianist. But a couple of years because before The New Cuban Express, my Abraham Lincoln and George Washington put
ago a promoter really liked my playing and he things were trios and quartets — and they were together in the States. He’s a very, very famous
asked me to do a couple of solo piano concerts. I more within the jazz realm, not so much Cu- inspirational character in Cuban history. He
performed at a couple. The first two were put ban. The New Cuban Express was actually my helped the Cubans defeat the Spanish in the late
together for Monk’s birthday every year down- first venture into the whole Latin music thing as 1800s. He was also a very prolific poet. He
town. It then evolved into me really liking the a whole. There’s really not much straight-ahead wrote a lot of poetry but this series of poems that
idea of doing this and feeling really comfortable with that band. Once in a while, we could go he wrote called Versos Sencillos, he actually
now. I found a new love for solo piano. Then I there. But it’s not really part of the repertoire. wrote them while he was living in New York in
booked some other shows like An de Musik in the late 1800s, and they were actually published
Baltimore. Every time I got the chance, I would JI: What does the writing entail for The New in New York as well. So I found a little bit of
propose a solo piano idea to promoters and Cuban Express? What kinds of things have you parallel thing with me and with Cuban artists
things like that. Now it’s evolved into something been pursuing? living here in New York now — because he was
good. I am doing a seven-city tour in June play- also forced into exile by the Spanish. He was
ing solo piano supporting the release of the re- MV: I’ve been writing for the band for a while forced to leave Cuba because they found him
cord. I’m also doing a solo concert on August 31 now. We’ve done two records. I’m actually go- really threatening. That was the beginning of the
at the Rubin Museum which will serve as the CD ing to record a third one that will be released in end of the Spanish colonization of Cuba. The
release party for Self Portrait. the fall with Criss Cross. The format of the band piece is a song cycle based on his poetry.
is saxophone, guitar, piano, bass, drums and
JI: So you’re really busy, yes. percussion. I always have that I can use to ac- JI: How did you discover your interest and pas-
MV: Yes. It’s good. I’m really busy with The company the piano. I also can play melodies sion for jazz?
New Cuban Express as well. with the saxophone. The guitar also acts as a
rhythmic instrument, so you have that aspect as MV: Well, since a very early age in Cuba I was
JI: Talk about The New Cuban Express a little well. At first it was a little tough writing for the exposed to jazz, straight-ahead jazz, via my fa-
bit and your concept for putting that together. group. But I quickly adapted to it. I really like it ther who’s a very well-known saxophonist in
now because we have sort of a sound with the Cuba. His name is also Manuel Valera. He
MV: The concept of putting The New Cuban saxophone on top of the guitar and there are played with people like Gonzalo Rubalcalba and
Express together—originally the idea was that it harmonies and stuff. Also, there’s quite a bit of with Chucho Valdés. So jazz was always around
would be more of a collective compositional keyboards. I use my moog a lot in the band. So the house. At a very early age I was introduced
type of group. But then it sort of evolved into that also adds a touch that’s a little bit different to people like Chet Baker, Paul Desmond. He
just me writing the music, and me and my than regular Latin jazz stuff. Last year, I was liked a lot of the West Coast guys, but he also
band. That group is heavily influenced by Cuban awarded this grant from Chamber Music Amer- liked Charlie Parker and Chick Corea and there
bands from the 70s and 80s like Irakere and also ica to write a piece on The New Cuban Express. was some Michael Brecker stuff in the
MV: The first one was the language. I couldn’t MV: Right. There’s definitely something like MV: I’ve basically been fortunate that the peo-
really speak English so that was a really hard that happening, I’m certain of it. Because some ple that are playing in my band are sort of the
challenge for me — and I would imagine for of the places that we’ve gone to play, people ideal people that I want to play in my band. So
anybody that’s from a different country that hardly have any idea of what we we’re doing on playing new music and teaching them new music
travels here. English, that’s a “ginormous” chal- any intellectual level like they do here. They just is super easy because I write the music for them
lenge. Fortunately for me, I really caught on hear stuff and they’re like “Oh, yes. We like because I already know how they each play and
quite quickly to English, and I finished my last that.” Also it helps that my music is very rhyth- their sounds. In cases like this, when you’re
couple of years of high school in Miami and then mic—and a lot of these places are very strong writing for people you know, the music takes
I moved up here. There are many challenges rhythmic places. Like India, for example, is a shape really quickly. You know in advance, you
other than that by being in New York and being very strong rhythmic place. Between Africa and really hear how they’re going to do it and you
in the states; it’s just a different culture than India, I think they’re the two strongest rhythmic hardly ever have to say anything. That part is
Cuba. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have that places in the world probably. We got to connect generally really painless for me—mainly for the
much of a hard time adapting to the new culture, there. When I went to Nepal, the same thing reason that I write the things specifically for
but a lot of Cubans do have a tough time adapt-
Bill Ware
Interview by Joe Patitucci
Photo by Paulo Pacheco
Tom Chang
Interview by Joe Patitucci
“the real payoff is just playing this music, to hopefully grow and
learn something about yourself through the playing of this music.”
ticularly Beck on Truth and Blow by Blow. TC: First off, I don’t think there are any short
Visit Tom Chang online at Also, the sheer sonic breadth and tone of their cuts to learning music. Period. I really didn’t
facebook.com/tom.chang.921 sound just killed me. I still think the three most spend much time at Berklee, two semesters in
Hear Tom Chang important things in music are tone, tone and total before I bolted to New York City. But to
Saturday, June 7 at Cornelia Street Cafe tone! answer your question, I would have to say that
it would really depend on the individual and
JI: How did your experiences with pop star where they were at. Some people might not feel
JI: What were some of the key understandings Luther Vandross expand your understanding of ready to jump into real playing situations and so
that made a significant impact on your playing, music and how you approached performance; in that case it might be more beneficial to hang
that you picked up from guitarist Joe Pass, with and what did you discover about the music in a school and meet other musicians, etc. I
whom you studied at The Musicians Institute in business from that? think the downside of spending too much time
Los Angeles? in the academic world is the lack of exposure to
TC: I was incredibly fortunate and lucky to real playing situations. There is nothing like
TC: Getting to hang with Joe and play in a have been a part of a house band for a well someone yelling at you on the bandstand to get
small room with him at such a young age was known weekly showcase in LA that would fea- your shit together. I just don’t see how this sort
magical—and equal parts terrifying. Holding ture a star like Luther Vandross, Sandra Bern- of pressure and type of learning is possible in
back was not a problem for him...tough love. I hard to host the night. This was my first an academic setting. Ultimately though, I don’t
don’t think any one element of his playing im- glimpse into a real professional scene from top think there is any one way of getting there.
pacted me as much as his approach to playing to bottom and it really impacted me to take Your path is your path alone.
on standards and his overall fluency on the every aspect of my playing, reading and overall
instrument which was quite incredible. musicianship to another level in order to hang JI: How did guitarist Mick Goodrick influence
and develop. I think the thing that I learned your approach to improvisation as a result of
JI: What were some of the aspects of the play- most from this experience professionally was to your studies with him at Berklee?
ing of Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix that have always be ready and open to the possibility of
been drivers and motivators in your musical meeting anyone in the business at any time. TC: Mick was simply incredible and in my
development? mind the most complete modern jazz guitar
JI: What are your perspectives about the bene- teacher out there. I actually took lessons in his
TC: Wow, just about everything. I think the fits and or shortcomings of taking the academic apartment outside of Berklee—as he was teach-
singular aspect of both Beck and Hendrix that route as you did at Berklee College of Music ing at New England Conservatory at the time
motivated me at the time was to use the guitar versus pursuing the performance and appren- and touring with Jack DeJohnette. I think the
more as a voice to express ideas rather than ticeship route in the real world that had been the lessons with Mick were more conceptual than
play clichés or licks. It really seemed to me that pathway to a performance career in the past? anything else, and really about how to approach
they were speaking through the instrument par- (Continued on page 52)
would play 24 hours around the clock, jam ses- people now but I don’t care. It’s alright finan-
Dizzy Reece sions in Brooklyn, in New York, every- cially for the cash register. But it became like
where. All of that, that was a different pe- that. It became another product. Chopin used to
riod. Everybody gave so much. Nobody was like to play in salons, little rooms. He said his
looking per se for fame. You expected to make a music wasn’t for the masses per se. But you can
(Continued from page 60)
living out of it. It’s a business world and it’s a have a big place too. Carnegie Hall is good
into joy. It’s like the blues. People think the product. We’re still products. I’m a product, too. It’s still intimate—a few thousand people.
blues is always a dirge. You have happy blues— that’s all I am. A product. I hated the word enter- It’s all right. The more people that we get to hear
you know that. There are different colors in the tainer, but we do entertain each other. You have the music, the better.
blues. You’ve got joy, you’ve got blue colors, bad entertainment and you have the higher end. I
red colors, all the colors. Most people when they hoped to be a higher end entertainer and not JI: Is there anything that you’d like to address or
say the blues, they think it’s one dark emotional some bad old cat. Even now, I was always shy promote?
mode. Charlie Parker said man, you can never even for the stage and playing in clubs and so
play enough of the blues. It is true. The blues is forth. I wanted to give, but that was another DR: Try to get some of Dizzy Reece’s mu-
still it. A lot of people are trying to get around thing with the modern music. People use to see sic. I’m one of the last cats around—icons they
it. I’m still a champion of the American song you, “Oh, those modern players, they’re not call me. Some people say I’m a genius. I used to
book and that’s where it’s at. All the emotions entertainers.” We all entertain, animals entertain be—from London in my early days—a genius. I
are there in the songbooks and the you, birds sing, dogs bark, everything. We enter- didn’t even know what that word genius was. As
blues. Everything is there. In a lot of the free tain each other. But there’s a higher end to I grow older and into it more, I appreciate per-
form and so forth, they try to get around the it. You know that. There’s some indication. In haps what the meaning is. I’m one of a kind and
American song book. The songbook is where theater and the films, whatsoever, there’s always I’m always looking for one of a kinds in every-
you’re coming from—the richness. Those cats that sophistication. It’s all entertainment but you thing—the art world, in everything. The mas-
are chefs. All those musicians are great have levels of entertainment. So I suppose that’s ters—they’re one of a kind. I’ve studied all the
chefs. They took all that music and put it to- why you could say I never progressed finan- schools of painting—Flemish painters, every-
gether and came up with a language. I hope peo- cially. Jazz—the name is a hell of a prod- body. That’s what they look for—individualism,
ple get my music—but not because of the fi- uct. They’ve got perfumes, they’ve got cos- one of a kind in any thing you do. I don’t know
nance. You play for the people—to interact, and tumes, and people sell the word jazz. It’s still if people are still interested in me or whatso-
you hope they get your soul and your philoso- big. But that’s when it became profane any- ever. I would like them to be—because I’ve
phy. If you don’t get to hear Charlie Parker or way. We should bypass that. If it’s jazz, it’s worked hard getting that trumpet up to this stage
Bud Powell or other greats, you have not gotten jazz. The content is what matters. It never used as an improviser. Check out my work—Dizzy
to hear the best. Have you lost? No, you haven’t to be a big thing for thousands of people. It used Reece Plays A Cappella—and all my recordings
lost—because you can’t lose what you’ve never to be more intimate. Going back in history, most and see what I’ve done with the trumpet per se.
have. I remember we had jam sessions and cats of the clubs were little rooms. It can have 5,000
J.C. Sanford
Composer, Arranger, Trombonist
Interview by Eric Nemeyer
in New Jersey and I also played jazz on the ody and lyrics are a jewel, and the question be-
Bill Ware street. This was my early career, until I was
playing one time in a wedding band that my high
comes, what kind of setting are we going to put
this jewel in? This technique has become like an
school friend Greg Ribot put together for his important compositional tool for me, after many
(Continued from page 50)
wedding, and his brother Marc was there. Marc years of playing with the Jazz Passengers we
studio musician, if I am asked to play on a track, sat in on guitar for Coltrane’s ‘Moment’s No- have all these different settings and now I often
I can perform many functions of a guitar player, tice’ and I was ripping it up. Marc liked my use them like compositional methods, putting
which gives the producer a lot more options than playing and recommended me to his friend Roy multi meter, or raggae drum beats with a straight
just having a vibe solo or standard vibraphone Nathanson who was just putting together musi- ahead bass part, by breaking through the concep-
bell parts. cians for a new band he would call the Jazz Pas- tual barriers that merely emulating other music
sengers. When I first got in the band I had been genres can’t do. Thanks to the encouragement of
JI: Could you touch upon some of the specifics
playing salsa, merengue, straight ahead jazz, my latin music buddy Jay Rodriguez, I moved
of your other performance experiences - such as
ECM style, fusion jazz and bebop. Those things from New Jersey to New York City in 1989 and
with The Jazz Passengers, The Groove Collec-
were very solidly in my mind as the types of a while after that the pieces for Groove Collec-
tive, Steely Dan, and others—and what key un-
music you could play out for audiences. When I tive also came together. Groove Collective
derstandings you may have discovered from
joined the Jazz Passengers, I went to the first started a whole kind different thing with the acid
those that have made a lasting impact on your
rehearsal - and well I’m young – 27 years old, jazz scene, I became exposed to DJs. The flow
music, business and or life perspectives?
kicking around the scene in New Jersey for a of DJ music is different from live musicians, and
BW: When I was a kid, the house we moved while and pretty average, I didn’t know a lot of when you blend live music and DJ beats it be-
into in Maplewood, NJ had a record collection tunes, so I did a lot of salsa gigs because I could comes something even more different. Blending
left behind from the previous owners, stocked read well, so for me joining this NYC band was those things and at the same time sampling was
with their teenage daughter’s rock n roll collec- a big break. When I got to that first rehearsal and becoming popular, and writing with computer
tion (Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Jan and Dean), heard these guys I just couldn’t figure out what and using midi and musicians together for either
and the parents’ 78s with lots of older jazz mu- the hell they were doing. I thought this is the live or studio work, so Groove Collective was a
sic. Also, my uncle Ron Warwell had an amaz- weirdest music. These guys are never going to great chance to use some of my own tracks from
ing jazz record collection. He had every record make it! This stuff is even less popular than the my studio. I also had some of my own projects
ever made by Miles, Coltrane, Clifford Brown, music I am playing now!! Working with the Jazz come out of that, like ‘Groove Thing’ on the
Sun Ra, Art Blakey – you name it, he had it. So I Passengers all these years has truly expanded my Eightball Records label and several other pro-
had a rich foundation of many kinds of music understanding of all music. The Passengers use jects that are in my archives but haven’t been
that I listened to as a young person. My musical elements of straight ahead, with a whole lot of released yet. It was through Groove Collective
journey started with listening to those rock-n-roll humor, as Roy and Curt had worked together in that I was introduced to Gary Katz, who was also
45s, then I got into jazz rock, then straight ahead the Big Apple Circus band, and so the sound of throwing his hat in the ring to find top-notch
jazz, then jazz fusion, then bebop, then big band the band is littered with chaotic and quirky ele- musicians for Steely Dan’s Alive in America
music, and classical music as well, all while ments. But despite the chaos, the Jazz Passen- tour, and he knew they were looking for a per-
taking music lessons and performing in commu- gers arrangements are structurally planned out to cussionist. Gary recommended me because he
nity music theater, school bands and my own present each idea to its maximum. Each section wanted to hear something other than guitar and
bands with my friends. Each time I found a dif- of music has a certain idea behind it to propel the saxophone solos. So they hired me, and I played
ferent kind of music I analyzed it and explored music emotionally, and depending on which with Steely Dan for an amazing two years. Play-
it. Maybe its because as a young kid I wanted to project, there are elements from other influences, ing with Steely Dan was an incredible thrill and
be an architect and build things, but that desire to like the Africanoid beat we used in the Egypt taught me a lot about music, getting to work with
understand how something is constructed and to project. Learning to play with the Passengers phenomenal talents, and also meeting fascinating
build things has carried into my art form. As I was like learning another language. There were people and living a rock-n-roll lifestyle for a
grew up and began to play music for money I standard things we always did to build a Jazz couple of years.
quickly found my way playing with Latin bands Passengers arrangement. Each song is like mel-
(Part 2 — Continued next issue)
Elio Villafranca
Interview by Joe Patitucci Photo by Jerry Lacay
Duke’s Serenad-
Visit Elio Villafranca online at
eliovillafranca.com ers of 1917 was
Hear Elio Villafranca & the Jass Messengers his very first en-
June 13-15 at Dizzy’s Club, CD Release event semble and “The
June 23, Millennium Swing Award from JALC Colored Syncopa-
tors”— as this
band was also
JI: Could you talk the music that you’ve identi- sometimes
fied as The Caribbean Tinge and the qualities called—really
you understand to make it unique? was an example
of Duke’s highly
EV: What I identify as the Caribbean Tinge, is syncopated ap-
not different from what Jelly Roll Mor- proach to his
ton identified in the early 1900s as the Spanish music. Later, the
Tinge. The Tinge lays in the tradition of the Tinge appeared in
drums, and is then reflected in other instruments, 1936, in the col-
so any music that reflects a strong influence and laboration between Ellington and Puerto Rican it’s found everywhere you go!! I was born in
presence of the Afro Caribbean drums, has the trombonist and composer, Juan Tizol’s. This is Cuba within the tradition of Tambor Yuka of
Tinge in it. This was evident and crucial in the the ensemble that produced the iconic jazz tune San Luis, Pinar del Rio. This is all to say that I
development of early forms of jazz, and as Jelly “Caravan.” A decade later, in 1947, these same was introduced to this Congolese drumming
Roll pointed out, you need to have the Tinge in syncopated influences were found within the tradition at a very early age. I grew up seeing the
your music in order to have the right ingredients masterworks that Dizzy Gillespie created with drummers tuning their drums with fire before
for jazz! At the time, the term Spanish Tinge, as the Cuban percussionist and composer,Chano performing in the streets of San Luis and at the
used by Jelly Roll, was referring to the Havana Pozo. However, the Caribbean Tinge is more Casa de Cultura located next to my home. The
style of Cuban Contradanza, also known as Ha- than the influence of the syncopated bass pat- Tinge was a basic component of the musical
banera, and its syncopated bass lines and form terns of the Habaneras. Syncopation is a huge tradition all around me. This album and the mu-
of tresillo that derived from Afro-Caribbean part of the entire Caribbean culture. It is easy to sic I composed—that I identify as “Caribbean
music. This new form of tresillo, which he used hear it in the different patterns played by Afro Tinge”—demonstrates the Caribbean’s different
styles of drumming and traditions, specifically
from the islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Santo
“The Tinge lays in the tradition of the drums, Domingo—and their influence on jazz. One of
the things that makes this unique is the fact that
and is then reflected in other instruments, all of the traditions used in this album—
Yubá, Sicá, and Belén styles of Puerto Rican
so any music that reflects a strong influence Bomba, Salve style of Palo from Santo Do-
mingo, and Mambo from Cuba and variations of
and presence of the Afro Caribbean drums, syncopated patterns—these were all derived
from the rich Congolese drumming traditions.
has the Tinge in it. This was evident and JI: What were some of the highlights in the
process of your creation of your new recording
crucial in the development of early forms of Caribbean Tinge released by Motema Music and
featuring your group The Jass Syncopators.
jazz, and as Jelly Roll pointed out, you need EV: The creation of this project started back in
to have the Tinge in your music in order 2006 with my second album The Source in Be-
tween. Leaving Cuba to come to America was a
to have the right ingredients for jazz!” hard decision to make, but it was the right one if
I wanted to learn jazz and emerge as part of this
fascinating art form. After few years of living in
on his left hand, became the basis for some of Caribbean drums or tam bores, but it is also pre- Philadelphia—learning and playing jazz with
his compositions. He called it Spanish Tinge, but sent in every aspect of Afro Caribbean music: in local musicians—I became frustrated at the way
the Habanera actually came directly from Cuba, the piano, in the bass, in the melodic lines played people would only see me as a Salsa player once
and was introduced to New Orleans by the Span- by the guitar, the horns etc. Syncopation is also they knew I was from Cuba. I always understood
ish composer Sebastian Yradier. Perhaps that experienced in the way we walk, the way we that jazz was much bigger than just salsa, and
was what led Jelly Roll to call it talk, and in our gestures. You can witness this if had an even bigger foundation in Caribbean
the “Spanish” Tinge. Ever since this happened, you go to a Hispanic neighborhood in New York music. It was around that time that I visited New
the Tinge has been present in jazz, influencing City, and stand still on a street corner, or in front Orleans for the first time, and it was like being in
musicians such as Duke Ellington: e.g. The of a bodega. In Cuba, where I’m originally from, (Continued on page 56)
accepted for who I really am in the jazz improvisation, different approaches of playing,
composing, and playing the same music I could-
“I didn’t want some young promoter, to the music. I really like the low sounds and I
plan to investigate it more as I get older.
for a gig that wasn’t paying anything, JI: You’ve been introducing more and more
world instruments into your performances over
me if I could play there or not.” from the bass? Does bass not allow you to fully
express yourself?
JI: You studied bass with Richard Davis, Art JI: NoBusiness Records released Centering “Leadership is not
Davis, and Milt Hinton by way of Harlem’s (Unreleased Early Recordings 1976-1987) in magnetic personality. That can
Jazzmobile and also took private lessons with 2012, a beautifully prepared 6-CD box set. The just as well be a glib tongue. It
Jimmy Garrison and Wilbur Ware. What did attached booklet details your life coming on the is not ‘making friends and influencing
each of them stress to you jazz scene during the ‘70s historic loft era. A people’ - that is flattery. Leadership is
typical day for you was spent from 10 AM – 1 lifting a person’s vision to higher sights,
WP: I also studied with Paul West who was the PM practicing in Alan Glover’s band, 2 PM – the raising of a person’s performance
director of the Jazzmobile at the time. Every- 7PM playing with Juma Sultan’s Aboriginal to a higher standard, the building of
body would bring in who they were and what Music Society or with Cecil Taylor, and then the a personality beyond its
they did. Richard Davis was playing in a sym- rest of the night was spent at a loft such as Stu- normal limitations.”
phony orchestra, he was playing jazz and doing dio Rivbea until early in the morning. How were
record dates with pop and folk musicians, so his you surviving financially in those days? - Peter F. Drucker
plays music too, as well as the God force that JI: The place where readers can find a lot of
(Continued from page 11) plays music. So it’s life. Talent is just inciden- your writings is at Facebook.com/
tal. What’s important is the character that you DizzyReeceTrumpet. You mention that you have
see? Those are my values. And that’s the value have, innately, genetically, whatsoever, as a recorded 45 albums as a leader, and that you
that perhaps is lacking both from the younger being. I don’t know about karma, reincarnation have written an autobiography.
musicians and from the popular music, so to and so forth as you go along, but you develop. I
speak. There’s always a prejudice about jazz just deal with the mind. There’s a spiritual force. DR: Yes, it’s just about finished. I’ve done a lot
because creativity is really freedom. We have It’s physical too. It’s not spiritual. It would mean of work. I’ve got a trunk full of stuff. I do a lot
our freedom marches and we have all this, and a high grade form of physicality. It’s still physi- of art. I do a lot of painting too. I’m a painter.
being free and so forth. But freedom is within cal. It’s still tangible regardless if it’s spiritual
creativity. You know that as a creative musician. whatsoever. For me, it means a high level of JI: What kind of painting do you do?
You have to transcend the color line and really intellect. I’m a Buddhist. The word Buddha
get along as an individual being. Hell, I’ve got- comes from the word Bodhi. Bodhi means the DR: I’ve got some paintings in New York. I did
ten a lot of flak too—like when I used Joe Farrell intellect in Sanskrit. Thousands of people that a lot of painting in Paris, big paintings. I still am
on that recording date for Asia Minor. “Why did practice Buddhism take it as a deity. That has surrounded by paintings I have here. Painting is
you use a white guy?” I’ve been through that. It nothing to do with it. By the way, I mention this like frozen music. It’s all related. Music is still
has nothing to do with that. If you can play, because I don’t know if you’re hip to my album the hippest because it’s alive—where a painting
we’ll make music together. I understand, and I Nirvana. I made that in 1967 before there was a hangs on a wall. But it’s got its spirituality as
understood. The racism was very thick—and it group called Nirvana, the pop group. Nirvana is you would say—essence. All these different
was black and white, and that stuff was very a reference to Buddhism. I’m familiar with all things come together. They relate. I never sepa-
despicable. the great religions. One of my things has always rate one from the other, whether it’s cuisine,
been to read and I’ve read a lot. All of this goes cooking. I’m a gourmet cook. I’m a painter, I’m
JI: Do you think that it’s still going on today? into your music and it comes out in bell of the a philosopher, I’m a great trumpet player. When
horn. You can’t play what you don’t know or I say great I mean because I try to make it
DR: Yes, nothing has changed in the world. It’s what you’re not. If you’ve got a rich back- great. If I write you a letter, it’s very artful. It’s
a way. It’s natural. You’ve got tribes, you’ve got ground, that’s what you have to offer as a musi- like a painting. Anything I do, I suppose I’m
clans. It goes both ways. That’s why I said it cian. There was always an axiom or a saying, fortunate. It’s in my genes, like perhaps in
comes back to individuality—and eventually you “You cannot cast pearls to swine.” The pearls yours. I’m a trumpeter and a musician. These are
create your own freedom as an individual crea- mean knowledge, and what you have to offer. As the things. I’m not just another musician walking
tive artist. Your freedom is really freedom in soon as the music and art becomes profane, you around.
your creative spirit—and there’s a difference see what happens with it. That’s why you always
between a creative spirit that can improvise and have a certain society of musicians. I remember JI: I think that whatever you do—to do it well,
one that can’t. That’s why being an improviser is the days when people were complaining, “Man, I you have to be driven by emotion. Some people
such a high level with anything—even technol- can’t get into jazz. It’s too closed. It’s too closed think that money will make them happy, or that
ogy. I never aspired for fame and fortune, a shop.” Well yes, it was closed because the power will make them happy. But I think the
never. That wasn’t my outlook when I started. players and the innovators they didn’t want to foundational element that drives everything—the
Most of the musicians I know just wanted to make it profane as much as they wanted to estab- one thing that you really want to have and dis-
play better and better. I didn’t know what would lish it. But is has opened up. I think it’s oversatu- cover—is enthusiasm. If you discover just what
it is for which you have enthusiasm, that’s going
to give you all the power and drive to get all
“Modern jazz is the greatest thing that those other things going.
ever happened on the planet besides DR: Well that’s a creative force. It’s a creative
force, it’s what you call enthusiasm. That’s what
high-tech. It's an art form representing Rollins liking to get himself angry before he
performs because he feels it gives him more
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Pearson was an early champion of Chick away from rock and R&B material altogether.
Corea’s work, as evidenced by the fact that the Thankfully, other improvisers are rejecting that
band performs two of Corea’s pieces at this con- dogma. Acoustic pianist Walter Fischbacher is
cert: “Tones for Joan’s Bones” and “Straight Up one of them.
and Down.” In 1969, Corea was in his late twen- Billed as the Phishbacher Trio, Fis-
ties and was a rising star in the jazz world: he chbacher’s group (which also includes bassist
had recorded a few albums as a leader and had Goran Vujic and drummer Ulf Stricker) plays an
been a sideman for major improvisers who in- abundance of popular songs on Dreamcatcher.
cluded trumpeter Blue Mitchell and tenor saxo- But none of them are Tin Pan Alley standards
phonist Stan Getz. But he wasn’t as famous as he
Phishbacher Trio from the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s or 1940s. Instead,
would become in the 1970s thanks to, among the Phishbacher Trio selects well-known rock
other things, the formation of Return to Forever DREAMCATCHER—JazzSick Records 5077. and R&B hits. But one needn’t worry about
in 1971. The fact that Pearson opted to perform Web: jazzsick.com, phishbacher.com. Every- Fischbacher, Vujic and Stricker playing a bunch
both “Tones for Joan’s Bones” and “Straight Up thing in Its Right Place; With or Without you: I of note-for-note covers the way that so many
and Down” at a 1969 concert and come up with Can’t Stop Loving You; Firework; Dream- “smooth jazz” players do. Dreamcatcher is not
big band arrangements for the songs indicates catcher; I Gotta Feelin’; While My Guitar Gen- “smooth jazz” but rather, puts a pianistic post-
that he was way ahead of the game as far as tly Weeps; Clocks; Mermaid’s Refuge; I Can’t bop spin on material ranging from Katy Perry’s
recognizing Corea’s potential. Dance “Firework” to U2’s “With or Without You” to
The Left Bank Jazz Society, it should be PERSONNEL: Walter Fischbacher, acoustic Genesis’ “I Can’t Dance.” The performances
noted, was an organization that promoted live piano; Goran Vujic, bass; Ulf Stricker, drums; have a lot in common stylistically with the piano
jazz concerts in Baltimore from 1964-2000. The Elisabeth Lohninger, vocals trio recordings of Marian McPartland, Bill Ev-
concerts were held in various venues before ans, Chick Corea or Vince Guaraldi, but instead
1967, when its home became the Famous Ball- By Alex Henderson of hearing standards by Cole Porter, George &
room at 1717 N. Charles Street (a venue they Ira Gershwin, Harry Warren or Irving Berlin,
lost access to in 1984). The late Vernon L. Throughout the history of jazz, musicians one hears Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Stop Lov-
Welsh, the Left Bank’s co-founder, recorded have used popular songs as vehicles for improvi- ing You” or Radiohead’s “Everything in Its
hundreds of the concerts that took place at the sation. That was true when the Dixieland trail- Right Place.” And the fact that these songs came
Famous Ballroom—and this is one of them. blazers of the 1910s and 1920s put a jazz spin on out of rock or R&B doesn’t make the
Pearson, sadly, was only 47 when multiple the show tunes of that time, and it is still true Phishbacher Trio any less improvisatory. Make
sclerosis ended his life in 1980. But he left be- today. But in purist circles, it isn’t hard to find no mistake: this is a serious jazz album, not the
hind an impressive body of work, and Baltimore musicians who stubbornly cling to the dogma work of a cover band.
1969 paints a rewarding picture of his underex- that only certain types of popular songs are ap- The oldest song that the threesome tackles
posed big band. propriate vehicles for jazz expression—and is the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently
those who think that way are quick to play bop Weeps.” For the most part, Fischbacher and his
versions of Tin Pan Alley standards but stay colleagues concentrate on songs from the 1980s
and beyond. The only non-instrumental selection
is an arrangement of Coldplay’s “Clocks,” which
features singer Elisabeth Lohninger. That track
ends up being more adult alternative than vocal
jazz, but even so, the Phishbacher Trio doesn’t
go out of its way to emulate the original Cold-
play version. Lohninger is an individual, and her
individuality comes through.
The idea of using rock and R&B songs as
vehicles for jazz expression is not brand new.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, there were soul-
jazz artists and organ combos that found the jazz
possibilities in the music of Marvin Gaye, the
Beatles, Sly & the Family Stone, Aretha Frank-
lin and the Doors. Organist Charles Earland
recorded interesting versions of the Spiral Stair-
case’s “More Today Than Yesterday (which
became his signature tune) and the 5th Dimen-
sion’s “Aquarius,” and Ramsey Lewis’ acoustic
piano trio became famous for its arrangement of
Dobie Gray’s “The In Crowd.” Tenor saxophon-
ist Joe Farrell recorded a great version of Stevie
Wonder’s “Too High” in 1973. But unfortu-
nately, rock and R&B songs were marginalized
in much of the jazz world for a long time; Ear-
land and Farrell were the exception rather than
the rule. And in recent years, it has been good to
see more and more improvisers—from the Bad
Plus to singers Claire Martin and René Marie—
acknowledging the fact that worthwhile popular
music did not end with Tin Pan Alley.
The Phishbacher Trio obviously realizes it
as well, and that realization makes for a stimulat-
ing listen on Dreamcatcher.
Florencia Gonzalez
from Dizzy Gillespie’s Afro-Cuban experimen-
tation with percussionist Chano Pozo and the
bossa nova breakthroughs of Stan Getz, Antonio
Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto to the Middle
Eastern, Arabic and Indian influences of John
Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. When Rollins
brought together bop and calypso on “St. Tho-
mas” (which he unveiled on his Saxophone Co-
lossus album of 1956), “Don’t Stop the Carni-
val” and other gems, it was definitely innovative.
“Don’t Stop the Carnival” is still a crowd-
pleaser at Rollins’ concerts, as the enthusiastic
Marseilles audience on this CD demonstrates.
Rollins, thankfully, has built a sizable cata-
logue over the years. When one compares the
albums that Rollins recorded during the 1950s
and 1960s to his more recent recordings, it is
clear that he hasn’t lost anything as a saxophon-
ist since his youth. Rollins still sounds great, and
Road Shows, Volume 3 is a solid document of his
live performances of the 21st Century.
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