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To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 1 Jazz Inside Magazine ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) • ISSN 2150-3427 (online) November-December 2017 – Volume 8, Number 9
Cover Photo (and photo at right) of Larry McKenna by Eric Nemeyer
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CONTENTS 18 Clubs & Venue Listings INTERVIEWSINTERVIEWS PHOTOS CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS 20 Frank Foster 27 Clark Terry FEATURE 13 Calendar of Events, Concerts, Festi- 24 Ted Nash 34 Dave Brubeck 4 Larry McKenna vals and Club Performances 28 Paquito D’Rivera Visit these websites: JazzStandard.com, Jazz.org,
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LarryLarry McKennaMcKenna Feature
Interview & Photos by Eric Nemeyer “Yeah, I want to play the guitar.” I approached my the whole thing again: Now I’m going to be a saxo- mother and said, “I want to play the guitar.” And I phone player. At school, I asked if I could get into JI: What inspired you to get into music? got a cheap guitar from the Sears cata- the band because they would give me an instrument logue...seriously! And then I took lessons at Zapf’s and teach me how to play it. The first thing they LM: I started when I was about ten years old. I Music Store in Philadelphia. The only thing was, gave me was a clarinet because they didn’t have actually took guitar lessons for a little while. I the teacher I had, who played mandolin, and banjo, any saxophones left. They gave me the clarinet and guess I had an interest in music without even real- and guitar, wanted to teach me classical guitar. said that it would be an easy switch for me to go izing it. There used to be a TV show—and this is After a while, I couldn’t remember why I had got- over to saxophone. way back—it was Johnny Desmond. He was a big ten interested in it to begin with, because the les- band singer. He had a TV show, and I think it was sons were boring, and I wasn’t able to play any JI: That was in the Philadelphia school system? on three times a week. It might have only been for tunes. I finally quit. I wandered for a little bit. Then fifteen minutes each time. They didn’t have many I had heard some records of Jazz At The Philhar- LM: At first, I went to LaSalle High School. I programs on TV—I’m talking about 1950, or monic, with Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips, Howard joined the marching band. They put you in the something like that. Tony Mottola was a guitar McGee, and guys like that. That was where I really marching band right away, without learning how to player on the show. Johnny Desmond would come got interested. I didn’t really know what it was. It play, because they wanted to have a whole bunch out and he’d sing standard tunes. When I first heard was just music that I had never heard before. I of kids on the football field to make it look impres- that, I didn’t really know what they were doing, but immediately was drawn toward the two saxophone sive. They actually gave me a clarinet and a uni- it was something that interested me. I thought, players, Jacquet and Phillips. Then I went through (Continued on page 6)
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To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 5 had the same name as the famous vocalist: Antonio nouncer for horse racing. At the time, he was a Larry McKenna Benedetta. But he probably started to use that name young guy and had a jazz show on the radio...a half before Tony Bennett was ever heard of. By this hour. He got this thing down on Broad Street called time I was already copying what I had heard on the “Jazz Workshop.” Somehow he was able to talk records. Not so much copying the licks, but more all these big name jazz players, when they came to (Continued from page 4) or less trying to play in the same style. I was imitat- town on Friday afternoons, to play at this place so form. I learned how to play the melodies to the ing the style of what I heard, trying to get the kind that the kids could go to hear it. On Friday after- marches by ear because I couldn’t really read the of sounds that the saxophone players got—and then noon after school we would take the subway down- stuff. I listened to what was going on, and I’d hear maybe stealing a lick here and there. But more or town. It cost fifty cents. We’d go in, and they’d whatever seemed like the trumpets were playing— less just trying to internalize, assimilate, all the have Clifford Brown, Buddy DeFranco, Art Bla- the melody. I would kind of fake that on the clari- things that I heard. I was able to do it really suc- key. All these guys came and played. They’d play a net. I was fourteen years old by that time, but it cessfully if they weren’t really difficult tunes— set, and then they would get the kids up to play. These guys would critique you and then they would give you some pointers. Then they’d go back and play. It was a good thing for half a buck. I saw so “This teacher was convinced that I many people there. Erroll Garner, Bird. I got to meet Bird there. He showed up after the whole thing was over, and I got to meet him. would never be able to play. He said to JI: How do you account for him showing up after it was over? I mean, he was booked for the gig, he me, ‘You can’t get blood from a stone. didn’t show up on time. Is that normal?
LM: You don’t want to hear the whole story. You’ll never be able to play.’ … I kind JI: Go ahead.
of let that fly by me. I pretty much LM: What happened was that Tommy Roberts, who ran the thing, needed a couple guys to set up the chairs in the place. You had to go upstairs, and started to do it on my own.” bring these chairs down, and set them up. After this thing was over you’d pull them up and take them back upstairs again. If you did that, you got in for was my first year of actually playing. I discovered tunes that I wouldn’t have been able to play the free—you didn’t have to pay the fifty cents. My then that I was able to play somewhat by ear, and bridge to such as “Have You Met Miss Jones,” or buddy and I wanted to be the guys to do it—not to then, gradually, I taught myself how to read the “Cherokee.” I didn’t understand anything about save the fifty cents, but we thought that would music. chord changes. I was just playing everything by make us, like, the “in” cats. “Oh hey, Tommy ear. Then, when I went to this teacher—one of the asked us to do this. We set up the chairs.” That JI: In high school, the kinds of programs prolifer- few teachers at that time who taught saxophone and kind of thing. One day, Bird [Charlie Parker] was ating today did not exist then. all about chords. Most of the guys who taught at supposed to be there, and Chet Baker was supposed that time taught you about sound, how to read, and to be there. Chet Baker showed up, and Bird didn’t. LM: They did have you assigned for lessons. What all that. But he said, “No. You have to learn After everybody split, we were taking the chairs I had was a group lesson. They told me, for in- chords.” I was always grateful that I had got him back up. I took two chairs up, and as I was coming stance, “Every Tuesday after school, you’re going for that reason. I was kind of able to put what I was down the steps I saw Bird walk in. He was with to have a lesson with this guy.” There were maybe doing naturally with the knowledge that I was get- this other guy, and I said, “Wow.” He was very four kids, but they had all been playing for a while. ting from the chords. I’d say, “Oh, that’s what this nice. He wanted to be shown which room he was This teacher was convinced that I would never be is. That’s why this sounds like that: because it’s supposed to play in. By this time, that room was able to play. He said to me, “You can’t get blood based on a certain kind of chord.” I started to put closed up. It was dark. So we said, “Well, you from a stone. You’ll never be able to play.” So I two and two together. know. It’s over. You missed it.” And he said, stopped showing up for the lessons. I think he was “Which room was I supposed to play in? I want happy because he never recorded that I wasn’t JI: So that bridged the gap from the theory to the you to take me there.” So we took him over and showing up for the lessons. He just let it slide. practical application. And then from there you must walked him into the room. And he said, “Now, you Luckily, I didn’t believe him when he told me that have begun playing around town, playing different tell the guy I was here.” And that made it all right. I’d “never be able to play”, and “you can’t get jobs with jazz players? [chuckles]. But he was real nice. He hung out with blood from a stone,” and all that. I kind of let that us for about fifteen minutes and then he split. But fly by me. I pretty much started to do it on my own. LM: Right. Well, Mike Natale [trumpet] and I anyway, I started to learn a lot of stuff from going were both in All-City High School Band, along to things like that. JI: How did you begin making the transition from with Lee Morgan. Mike and I became friends. He marching band to jazz? had already started to get some gigs in South JI: Did they have big attendance at that event? Philly, playing weddings. I started to play with LM: Okay, well, what happened was, I really did- him, and I would go down to his house in South LM: Maybe a hundred. n’t want to play the clarinet. I wanted to play the Philly and kind of just jam and play tunes. It was a saxophone. I did get a saxophone because at this really good experience because we had to learn JI: Things were beginning to happen for you? point, my mother could see that I was really inter- tunes for the gigs. We didn’t use any music. The ested in it. So my parents bought me a saxophone. kind of tunes we were playing would be “I’m In LM: It was happening as far as getting to meet By this time, I was starting to get a pretty good The Mood For Love,” some jazz hits that we had guys to play with, and getting to understand a lot collection of recordings—not just saxophone play- heard on records, and stuff like that. In the mean- more about the music, by seeing all the guys who ers, but all of the stuff. I was listening to Bird, and time, I was still taking lessons and I was starting to came in. I would go to concerts and exchange ideas Lester Young, and Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and play some more difficult tunes. I was starting to with the different people I met. other instrumentalists. Eventually, I transferred understand “2-5-1” chord progressions. We would over to Olney High School. A kid in the band set go to different jazz clubs in Philly—like the Show- JI: Around 1960 you had a break with Woody me up with his teacher. I started taking lessons boat. There was a DJ from Camden named Tommy Herman. Was there something that preceded that? every week with a guy named Tony Bennett. He Roberts who eventually became a big time an- (Continued on page 8)
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LM: We went out on a tour that lasted a couple of was told that you had to be a really good doubler, months. We didn’t have a night off. Every night we playing flute and clarinet. Vince Trombetta got the LM: I had been with Vince Montana (vibist). I played in a different town. Around Christmas, gig, and, actually, he was the best guy for it. Vince went on the road with him in 1955 and that was Woody broke up the band for a while. He liked to was a great player—is! And also, a good doubler. sort of like a commercial lounge group. I did that go home for Christmas. Around the middle of Jan- He knew a lot of tunes, and had a great ear. You for almost a year. We would go to Scranton for a uary, he started up the band again. Jimmy didn’t had to fake a lot of stuff. You know, singers would week and play—and you had to play Rhythm and go. He was tired of it by that point. I stayed for come in, and they’d say, “We’re gonna do “All of Blues, and popular tunes. Then you’d try to sneak a another few months. All told, it was six months or Me” in A-flat.” From what I understand, Vince was a pretty big help. People asked me, “How come you didn’t get that gig?” I always felt that it worked out just the way it should have. I used to do “The Mike Douglas Show came along, some subbing on that show. Sometimes they would have guys perform a big band group—Tony Ben- nett, when he came in. Once or twice, Vince took and they held auditions for that. I didn’t off, and I filled in for him. But that wasn’t the rea- son that I stayed. After that New York thing, I wanted to go to Los Angeles—and I did. even go because I really wasn’t that JI: When was that? good at doubling [on woodwinds - flute, LM: 1961. I went out there totally unprepared. I didn’t know anybody. I just went there. Somehow, clarinet]. I was told that you had to be a I thought, “Oh, well, as soon as people hear me play…” It wasn’t any kind of ego thing; but I fig- ured I was good enough that I’d start getting some really good doubler, playing flute and gigs. But it didn’t happen. I got to play some re- hearsal bands, but I just never hooked up with any- thing while I was there. I stayed out there for eight clarinet. Vince Trombetta got the gig, or nine months. Then I came back here again, and I joined George Young’s band. He had a gig in and, actually, he was the best guy for it.” Wildwood for the summer. I joined his band and stayed in Wildwood, and then we went to Vegas for a couple months. After that, I didn’t know couple jazz things in. It was around the time when so. Then I came back here. where I wanted to go. I was thinking about going Elvis came on the scene. People started expecting back to L.A. again. I didn’t. “Don’t Step On My Blue Suede Shoes.” We had JI: Then you came back here, and you have spent two tenors in the group and we’d play some house most of your career in Philadelphia. Given your JI: How were you continuing to pursue your devel- rocking stuff. We had to walk the bar. I did that for superb work as a jazz soloist on tenor sax, and your opment as a player? a while, but then I came back and played all differ- doubling on woodwinds, was there a reason that ent kind of gigs. Once in a while getting to play you elected to stay in Philadelphia? LM: When I came off of Woody’s band, I got with a Big Band, getting to play in a wedding, play interested in learning how to arrange. I wanted to someplace for three nights. I was playing all the LM: At one point I was thinking about moving to learn how to write for big band. I went and I took time and jamming with different guys. Then, in New York. Everybody said, “Oh yeah. If you want some lessons with Dennis Sandole. I didn’t take his 1959, Jimmy Amadie happened to be up in New to make a name for yourself you have to go to New improvisation course. I just wanted him to show York. He was walking down the street, and he York, or Los Angeles maybe.” A friend of mine me how to orchestrate. I studied with him for heard a band play. He went into the building and who wasn’t a musician wanted to go to New York while. He was showing me how to do that. He had upstairs and there’s Woody Herman’s band. They for some reason. I can’t really remember. We were a lab band, and I was doing a lot of that kind of were auditioning guys. It was a rehearsal, but they going to go to New York and share an apartment. I stuff. In the mean time, as far as blowing things, were, at the same time, auditioning people. Jimmy was going to try to make it in music, and he was I’ve always had kind of an analytical mind. I was came home and he called me. He said, “They need going to do whatever he did. We went up one day always taking tunes and dissecting them, and trying a saxophone and a piano. Let’s go up to New York looking for an apartment. I had been to New York to learn to play them on the piano. I was trying to tomorrow and we’ll audition.” I said, “Look, by before, but it was always just going up there and substitute chords, and figure out why every chord tomorrow, they probably already will have the coming home. We spent the whole day going was there—what the purpose was, why is this guys.” “Well, if they do, they do. At least we’ll around New York looking for apartments. At some chord going to this one? What can you do instead? point in the day, I said, “You know, I don’t think I What kind of scale? That sort of thing. want to live here.” I really didn’t want to be there.
The next day I called and said, “I think I’m gonna JI: It sounds like a lot of your knowledge of theory
“In times of change, stay here for a while. I really don’t have eyes to go and harmony you developed on your own, as op- the learners shall inherit the up there.” He got bugged at me. He went, and I posed to having a teacher who might have imposed never saw him again. I didn’t really feel that I his or her method on you. earth, while the learned find wanted to go there. themselves beautifully equipped LM: Like I said, the first teacher I had, he told me to succeed in a world that JI: For a while, though, in the fifties and sixties, I had to learn the chords. I had this Bugs Bower no longer exists.” there were some studio opportunities for musicians chord book. Thing is though, he made me memo- in Philadelphia here—WCAU (part of CBS) had a rize it. “You have this page of dominant 7 chords.” thing downtown, the Mike Douglas Show was When I’d come back the next week, he’d ask me to — Eric Hoffer, American Philosopher going on downtown. play them, close up the book. And if I couldn’t do
8 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 “You had a better chance of getting in with a big band. You weren’t just going to go into Miles Davis’s group. If you think of who the top groups were in those days, you didn’t look at the [Dave Brubeck] group and think, ‘Maybe I’ll replace Paul Desmond.’”
(Continued from page 8) big band. You weren’t just going to go into Miles Davis’s group. If you think of who the top groups JI: There were certain limitations. it, he’d say, “Well, you have that again this week.” were in those days, you didn’t look at the group He’d say, “You have to learn these chords.” He and think, “Maybe I’ll replace Paul Desmond.” LM: There were a couple guys about whom you’d didn’t really have to twist my arm. I understood. I Those groups were pretty much what they were. I say, “Man, those guys play the right notes.” The was interested in doing it. He didn’t show me, would have loved to play with Oscar Peterson’s first time I ever played with Steve Gilmore, I said, “Well, this is a 2-5-1,” or, “This chord will lead to rhythm section with Ray Brown on bass. “Man, it was such a pleasure to hear the right notes that.” He basically just showed me that you had to all night.” He said, “Well, isn’t that what you’re learn these. He was showing me how, in a simpli- JI: And Ed Thigpen. supposed to do?” I said “You haven’t met some of fied way, you could improvise over a chord. What the cats I’ve been playing with!” he was showing me was more basic than what I LM: Yeah. But even without the drums— with was already doing on my own. But it led me to see Herb Ellis [guitar]. It wasn’t like I had designs on JI: How does the rhythm section help you to ex- that what I was doing by ear, was still based on this how I would go about doing that. It was a day press yourself? How does that help you in your harmonic system. I remember one example he gave dream. You’d say, “Wow. I’d love to play with that improvisation? me. He took the tune “Exactly Like You” in C, group sometime.” I’ll tell you one thing, right now he’d take (hums tune) and then it’s just a C6 chord. (and I’m jumping ahead) when I get to play with LM: I think with each different rhythm section you Then he’d have me arpeggiate the chord—to fill in Tony Miceli (and there’s a lot of guys in Philly) play a little bit differently. If I’m playing with three the two beats that were rests (hums tune). You I’m just as happy as I think I could be. Only in the guys, whoever they might be…I don’t think that know, I had been doing stuff more complicated last few years have I been getting the chance to I’m saying, “Well, let’s see. I’ve got these three than that, but it made me see, “Oh, okay! That’s really play with really top cats. Even though we guys tonight, so I’ll probably play...” But then you what this is.” Then I was able to take it a step fur- had really good players back in those days, it was might find, with someone else, that you might be ther than that. At least it got me thinking more. It hard to get the kind of gig where you got a chance playing a little bit differently. I might be inspired to made me realize too why I was having trouble with to play. Talking about the late 50’s and 60’s, it was play in a certain way because of the way the other tunes like “All The Things You Are,” and where to hard to get gigs. I was playing in big bands, but I guys play. I think that’s good because one of my change keys, and all the things like that. I started to was also getting these gigs in bars. Sometimes concepts about playing is that I don’t try to play say, “Oh, okay, I’ll be able to learn those tunes you’d have a bad bass player, or a singing bass always in the same way. For me it’s kind of fun to now because I can see why I haven’t been able to player. They would hire a cat if he could sing, and go along with the way different people play, rather depend on my ear to take me there. So I continued it didn’t matter if he could play the bass well. You than just saying, “This is the way I play so every- to do that stuff. got a singer and a bass player for the price of one. I body just better follow me.” I might be influenced think you know a little bit about that—you’re by the way somebody else is doing something. It JI: Were you transcribing solos? younger than I am. will just happen that way that I will just end up sounding like they do. LM: No. I never did that. I’m not saying that you JI: Back in 1977, I remember playing a trio gig shouldn’t. I just never did it. Like, I said, when I like that briefly. The singing bass layer played JI: Tony, could you talk about Larry’s contribu- used to listen to the recordings, I’d pretty much try melody notes, as opposed to bass notes, on bass. tions and how he is an important influence in Phila- to get the concept, rather than saying, “Well, let me Luckily, I was playing drums on that gig! delphia. transcribe the whole solo and learn how to play it.” I really think that’s good. LM: I used to play with a bass player who did the TM: I guess it was 1981 or 1982, I had improvisa- same thing. He had a good ear for it. I used to say, tion class at the University of the Arts. It would be JI: Were there players that you wanted to play “Man, he would have made a hell of a horn play- at 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning. It was really early. I with? er!” Because he could hear the melody so well. just remember having that class with Larry. Any- Guys would sing and they’d stay on the rhythm. body that knows him, knows that he’s totally down LM: Do you mean necessarily well-known people? Now, we’ve been getting these gigs around town to earth—totally unpretentious. He would come in, where we go out and play some of these parties, and we’d have these tunes to play. He would just JI: For example, did you want to have an appren- and sometimes corporate things. People just want look at all the instruments in the room and just ticeship with Miles Davis’s group, or something you to play jazz. It’s not that they’re a jazz audi- write out parts for everybody. It was “Girl From like that? ence, but they say, “Well, let’s hire a jazz group.” Ipanema” I remember one time. He wrote out the Tony and I, we’ve been doing some of them. I do tunes for us. We would go hear him play and he’d LM: No. I don’t think so. I mean, there were the some with some other people. To me, it’s a real be playing the stuff he’d covered with us. I guess, people that I admired… gig. The rhythm sections are always good. We have because he had been playing it anyway. But he’d a stable of players now. There’s a bunch of good play something and look out at us. JI: Were you more interested in big band work? bass players in town now. A lot of these young guys really can play. If you remember back in the LM: Sometimes I would be able to do that. If I had LM: You had a better chance of getting in with a days... (Continued on page 10)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 9 there on Friday night to hear us play. So I’ll re- LM: Sure. As far as recording goes now, you can Larry McKenna member some of the stuff, I’ll just play it, and I’ll always do it over again. But you don’t want to just look to see if he gets it. go in there with the idea of enough confidence, that I’m not going to screw it up. That’s not good (Continued from page 9) JI: I asked Frank Tiberi if he still gets anxious enough, really. You don’t want to just say I know I given them a certain thing that I wanted them to when he plays? He said, no, not really, but when can do it without making any mistakes. You have learn, and then if I’d see some of them in the audi- that red light comes on, and he’s recording with to have a certain amount of that to back you up. ence I would deliberately play it to see if they’d Woody’s band, and it’s going to be etched in stone But you still want to make it better than that. You recognize it—and sometimes you’d look out and it for eternity, he gets a little anxious. How do you want to have enough of an edge to say I really want would just go right by. feel about that? to do this better than just what I’m capable of—but with the understanding that if you have to, you will TM: I hope I looked. LM: I don’t usually get nervous when I play. at least only fall back to the level of “I know I’m There have been times. When I used to have to not going to screw it up.” LM: I’m surprised you said that though. I didn’t play a show and there would be a clarinet part know if anybody would remember that. where you are exposed. I would think, “Oh here JI: How do our experiences influence our music, that comes.” That kind of thing. Playing jazz—I and how have your experiences impacted your TM: That was one of the fun things about it. Now, never feel that way. I think I’m pretty confident music? if you play with him (because he’s such a quote- that I’m not going to screw it up. I’ve done proba- meister—you do your little quote, think you’re bly more recording in the last three years, then I LM: Everything that we do is influenced by what kinda hip), he’ll tear the tune apart. But sometimes, ever did — because, you know, everybody’s mak- we’ve lived through. Do I think that I would play he’ll quote something and look around, and I don’t ing CD’s now. All these vocalists are calling me. differently if somehow or another my life had been know what it is. But I know that he’s quoting I’ve pretty much gotten to the point where I go into different? Probably. Would it be that much differ- something cool. I’ll try to smile and fake it—try to the recording studio and I’m pretty much as relaxed ent? I don’t really know. But I think all that stuff figure out what’s happening. But he was such a as I would be if I’m playing in a club. I did a record happens without you realizing that it’s happening great educator. He was so honest with us, and he with Jim Shade, a guy who I played with a lot— so you don’t say, “ah, today this happened so that’s “As far as recording goes now, you can always do it over again. But you don’t want to just go in there with the idea of enough confidence, that I’m not going to screw it up. That’s not good enough, really. You don’t want to just say I know I can do it without making any mistakes. You have to have a certain amount of that to back you up. But you still want to make it better than that. You want to have enough of an edge to say I really want to do this better than just what I’m capable of.”
would talk. I remember talking about money with very good drummer. He’s on my CD, but we did a going to make me…” It’s a gradual process. I’m him—all aspects of the business. And there’s a CD with somebody else. Afterwards, he said to me, sure I can get real sentimental about music. I can whole bunch of great players that came through when you do your thing, it’s just like as if you were get nostalgic about music and hear some old song University of the Arts, that came through him. He’s playing down at Chris’s [jazz club in Philadelphia]. that will really affect me emotionally. I think that just kind of our mentor. We all talk about him— And I said, “what about it?” He said, “well, I can’t really influences my playing. I can also laugh at sort of worship him in a way. When we’re all to- do that, I still get nervous.” But he’s a lot younger. certain things about music. I think all that comes gether, one of the topics we’ll talk about is Larry And I said, “I couldn’t tell you were nervous, you into play. I would never want to get to the point and how helpful he was. There’s stuff on the web- sounded great to me.” He said, “yeah but I am. where I get so analytical about music that that is site (Larry’s Improv Page) where you can see how When do you get over that?” I don’t know. I mean, the beginning and the end of it. After it’s all said right to the point he is. That was the best thing I don’t like to think about it. I’m not saying that and done, I still like to play the tune. I think a lot of about his teaching. You’d take all these courses would never happen. If somebody put me in that that comes from all the stuff that has happened to and things that were so confusing. Larry would say, situation, and said you are going to have to do this, me in my life. “It’s this!” And like, “Ohhhhh.” I remember so I might get to the point where I feel “whoa, this is many times just going, “Oh, damn, that’s what it pretty important.” JI: How did you develop your skills as an arrang- is!” So that was important for us. We would all er? follow him around. A lot of students would come JI: If you have to read something note for note, I out. I still do some of that. I have this one student, can understand it. But when you’re playing jazz, LM: One of the things I did early on, was to get a dentist, and he’s the same age as me. He played you get to the point where it’s conversation. You the Russell Garcia arranging book. I went out and saxophone all these years and about four years ago, have your vocabulary. You get to speak extempo- bought that book, around 1960—probably right he decided he wanted to get more serious about raneously in music, in the way we’re speaking around the time I started studying with Dennis it—not that he’s going to go into the music busi- here. Self-consciousness can be the enemy of crea- Sandoli. You took some lessons with him, right? ness. But he said, after all these years, I decided I’d tivity—especially when we’re so concerned what like to really know more about what it is. So he people think about us. Then you can’t let yourself JI: No. comes every Friday for class and then he comes out go and immerse yourself in the music.
10 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 JI: And what book would that have been? Jones scores and others that I could get. And, I’ve Larry McKenna arranged a lot of small group and big band charts LM: I don’t know. He thought that why bother over the years. I’m working on a big band pro- learning some technique that was used by someone ject—writing new things for a recording next year. (Continued from page 10) else, when you should be learning your own thing. A number of years ago, you played a number of LM: Well, anyway, Dennis was a great guy, and he I can understand that. But from my point of view, it times with the big band I organized in Philadelphia taught a lot of people in Philly. Anyone who played was like, I wanted to learn all the things—so I on and off for a while. jazz around Philadelphia, and is my age, eventually knew how to do it all. took some lessons with Dennis. I also knew his TM: Did you play at the London, downtown? brother, Adolph. I played with his band. When I JI: Right. So you would be able to understand the went to Dennis to learn, he did for me in the begin- lineage of the music and how it’s developed. JI: Yes. I was actually publishing big band ar- rangements for awhile. But, the financial benefits were so limited, and the work was overwhelming. Pretty soon, I was promoting everyone else’s ar- rangements but my own. We would record an al- “‘You got to leave town and go to some small bum full of material of the various arrangers, and send the LP out to 30,000 schools—who would town in Kansas, and you’ll hear somebody then order the charts from their music stores or directly from us. The place to invest one’s efforts is better than anybody you’ve heard before.’ ... to have your own tunes played, recorded and placed on TV, in movies, and getting other people just when you think you’re on top, there is to record them. One of the problems with the big band was last minute cancellations by players. always somebody out there—and that person is You’d have trombone players, for example. At the last minute, someone would call and say, I can’t not necessarily some big name guy. So I don’t make it now. Then you’d have to call somebody else—because in Philadelphia, many players did know how anybody can justifiably develop the not follow the protocol of getting their own subs— as is the case in places like New York or L.A. where the overall level of good musicianship is kind of attitude that enables them to think, more prolific, and there is more competition. Plus, you’d get some attitude from someone you might I really do deserve all this attention.” call to sub in Philadelphia. The sub would say, “hey man, how come you didn’t call me in the first place? Then all of a sudden, I’m in the middle of ning exactly what I wanted. I knew changes. So I some political thing—and it was just a Monday didn’t feel as though I needed to take his improvi- LM: Right. He didn’t subscribe to that kind of night kicks band. I got tired of that. Plus, while the sation lessons. Maybe that was smug of me to say thinking. So about that time I started buying some big band gave me an outlet for my arrangements, it that. But I pretty much didn’t know how to put books too. I got that Garcia book, and the next one had its limitations for me as an improviser, as com- anything down in orchestration. I was always good I got was Henry Mancini, Sounds and Scores. That pared to playing with a small group. at if I had an idea in my head. I could write out was one of the first books to come out with record- single lines. I could sit down and write out tunes, ings. It included recordings of eight and sixteen bar LM: I was telling Tony before, that I still write but I didn’t know what to do with the instruments. excerpts of his arrangements. You could see how arrangements for big band, but lately I’ve been So I went to Dennis. He started me right off the he scored the trombones and the French Horns and doing it just for my own amusement. first week. I had originally gone to someone else, so on. but the other teacher wanted to put me through the JI: Where’s the outlet? At school, right? whole thing of learning about traditional harmony JI: That’s what the Don Sebesky’s arranging book over again. I said, “no I just want to learn how to was like too when it was published in the 1970s. LM: Well, I don’t plan ahead to do it. I’ll be sitting make a tune, and where do I put the trumpet, and at home and I’ll get an idea for something and I’ll so on?” This one teacher I had said, “no, no, you LM: Mancini’s book came out in 1962 I think, I get out my score paper. I haven’t learned to do it have to go back and figure bass…” In the first les- still have all these books and I still use them as yet using a computer. I just do it the old-fashioned son with Dennis, he said, “we’re having a small reference. I eventually wound up getting, Nelson way. But I’m too lazy to copy them. So I have group here, trumpet, alto, tenor, trombone and Riddle’s book. I have Sebesky’s book, a couple of scores at home that I keep saying, “well one of baritone sax, five horns. We’ll put the trumpet on other ones. It’s funny because sometimes those these days I’ll get them copied and bring them top.” He showed me how to voice it. So by the end guys disagree with one another. It will say some- around to play. I never made any real money from of the first week, I wrote sixteen bars of “Laura.” It thing in one of the books— “never do this.” Then arranging. Yeah I got paid. Years ago there used to sounded neat because I wrote it in four-part block you’ll open another and it says exactly the opposite be work doing it for singers. That was always a harmony, with the baritone sax doubling. I had in there. pain in the ass. They’d go, “Oh, I changed my some guys play it, and to hear it, I said “wow, man mind, I want it in another key…” Guys would say, that sounds like Shorty Rogers.” It had that sound. JI: There are a number of bootleg arranging books “I need an arrangement for my big band, can you And that inspired me to be able to do it more. And too. One of them has examples of all the different do it for twenty-five bucks?” I would always wind that was within one lesson. One time, I asked him styles of big band arranging, with examples from up doing it. One saxophone player who I used to to show me how to write the voicing for a certain the works of many different arrangers—from work with in Al Raymond’s band said, “there must thing I heard on a record. He said “no, you should- Woody Herman’s band, Basie’s band, Ellington, be a place in heaven just for arrangers where they n’t copy anybody.” He said, “I’m trying to make examples of Willie Maiden’s music from Maynard have a big band set up, where they actually play you into a master musician.” That was one of his Ferguson’s band, and others. your charts at the right tempo, and get it right each favourite things, “master musician” and “I’m not time.” It was always the case, when you write ar- interested in teaching mundane things.” I asked LM: Do you arrange? rangements, that something went wrong. John Da- him, how do you get the sound for the [Woody vis was an arranger and sax player. He went to Herman Big Band] ‘Four Brothers’ saxophone JI: Yes. I began writing big band arrangements in University of the Arts back when they called it section?.” He said, “if you wish to learn that, go the 1970s, after being inspired by Thad Jones and Philadelphia Musical Academy. He eventually buy a book or something, don’t waste my time.” Ellington, and buying and analyzing all of the Thad (Continued on page 12)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 11 ticipating in and developing a kind of dialogue LM: Yeah, so, when you get up to that level, the Larry McKenna among players for which Miles’ groups were re- guys you just mentioned, they’ve all reached a nowned. Instead he was playing his stuff, and the certain level of greatness. group is accompanying him. By comparison, when (Continued from page 11) Hank Mobley joined the group in 1961, there is a JI: It’s content. Somebody can be a really articu- became a big time arranger in Hollywood. He was dialogue that you can hear emerging between pia- late speaker but have nothing to say. Someone arranging for TV shows like Hunter, Heart to nist Wynton Kelly and Mobley on Friday Night might earn a doctorate in English Literature, and Heart, Falcon Crest and all that. Apparently, he Live At The Blackhawk, for example. They are can write Shakespeare, and can cite and recite made lot of money. From what I was told he was feeding off one another. books, and poetry. But, if this person has never getting like twenty-five grand per episode. He lived any life to be able to write the great novel he would do it at his house on the computer, and Tony: With Larry, there’s a dialogue. He knows wants to write, then what. On the other hand, some- they’d send someone around to pick it up. But any- the tunes so well. When you are comping for him, body else might have lived a lot of life, but might way, at the point he had just gotten out of school, he’s just writing your stuff. If you alter something, be grammatically imperfect. Whose story do you he was playing sax, and we were both working he’s right there, and he’s fixed my chords. If I play want to hear—the grammatically perfect, dull, with Al Raymond. I got this connection to write the a dominant chord and it’s supposed to be a minor content-less one, or the imperfectly stated content- music for a show. The guy that was supposed to do chord, every time you get there, he’ll adjust. At rich, meaningful story? it was the conductor for Ann Margaret, who was first, he’ll look over and I’ll wonder what he’s appearing at the Latin Casino [a leading night club doing. Then, I realize “oh, he’s fixing my chords, LM: Or are you going to compare Sinatra and in the Philadelphia area—Cherry Hill, New Jer- while we’re playing.” He’s right in there. Pavarotti, who’s the better singer? sey— that featured celebrity entertainers]. He had promised somebody he was going to write the LM: In other words, I’m a pain in the ass. JI: Did you have anything that you want to talk charts for this show that was going on a cruise or about that we haven’t brought up? something like that, and he hadn’t done it. So he JI: What kinds of business experience have you called Ronnie Rubin, who said, “call Larry developed in your career? LM: I’m saving them for the book. [laughs] No, I McKenna.” The guy called me. He had a ton of can’t. I have plenty of funny stories. They’re usual- work, for two horns and a rhythm section—it LM: Obviously not enough. I’ve never been a ly told on the breaks between sets at gigs. seemed like a million songs. I said, “well I can’t do good businessman. That’s number one. I envy peo- this in a weekend.” But, it had to be done by Sun- ple who are. I see certain people that seem to have JI: I know, I’ve heard some. day, and we all had gigs. I called John Davis. John certain things more together. I think I’ve always Davis and I met the guy. I was going to charge him been just lazy. I just wanted to play. It’s been im- LM: But I have more since then. six hundred dollars. This is thirty years ago. The portant to me feel that I am doing good at the job of guy agreed to it. playing music. I would have hated to go with the JI: Tony, why don’t you talk a bit about the web- band, if I was feeling like I was one of the lesser site you’ve created, dedicated to Larry, called Lar- JI: Because he was getting probably six thousand. players. So I focused on trying to be a good musi- ry’s Improv Page? cian. As far as attitudes go, I don’t know, I’ve al- LM: John says to me, “Wow, you’ve got a lot of ways been pretty cool about knowing how to deal TM: Okay, I made it in dedication of Larry. I balls.” And I said, “I don’t care man.” We still had with people on that human level. I see some guys thought of the website because I remembered Da- to get someone to copy it. So the whole weekend, who have never learned how to get along with vid Liebman talking about his music. He said that between gigs, we were up writing all this stuff out. other people—even just with their fellow musi- the only way he was going to get people to appreci- We finally get Jack Faith to copy it. Nothing ever cians. They just don’t seem to know. I think that’s ate his music was to teach them about it. That’s ruffles him. He showed up on the last day, and the something you try to be sensitive about it. The how he has kind of spent his life. At that point I guy who hired us is sweating. He wanted to make whole thing is, no matter how good you are, you’ll started thinking about doing some kind of website. sure it was all done because they were leaving for always find somebody who’s better. Buddy Savitt I like doing Web stuff. I like computers. So I the cruise the next day. Jack came in with piles of was one of the top tenor sax players in the area. I thought about Larry, and how important he is and music. We were waiting for our six hundred dol- met him on a trolley car, one time and said “Hey, was to so many of us. I also realized that for a lot lars. Then Jack took out a bill—an itemized bill. It Buddy how you doing?” I was much younger, and I of us who aren’t well known, but are great players, was more than what we charged to write the charts. said, “Hey, Buddy, who are some of your favourite that maybe strength in numbers could help us. So I He handed it to the guy, and the guy said, “Oh, players?” Buddy had a funny way of talking. He designed the website and called Larry and I told okay,” and wrote him a check—for more than what said, “You got to leave town and go to some small him I wanted to do it in dedication to him. Guys we got paid. That was the whole thing about ar- town in Kansas, and you’ll hear somebody better would write to me thinking I was Larry, because ranging. I think unless you make it in the big time, than anybody you’ve heard before.” He said just it’s Larry’s Improv Page. There are a lot of lessons arranging should be just for fun. when you think you’re on top, there is always on it. I just want a way for musicians to connect somebody out there—and that person is not neces- with other musicians, especially young musicians. JI: It’s very time consuming. It does help your sarily some big name guy. So I don’t know how Larry’s spirit is teaching us, and plays a big part in playing a lot. Could you talk about the importance anybody can justifiably develop the kind of attitude it. of being a sensitive listener when you’re playing? that enables them to think, “I really do deserve all this attention.” But there are people out there. LM: Right now I am a novice at the computer. I LM: It goes back to what I said before. If I’m play- have a computer, right now. I just kind of put it off ing with certain guys I’ll be influenced by what JI: I think that once you reach a certain level as a for a long time. I was intimidated. I didn’t even they are playing rather than just going straight player, the focus is logically about making music, want to look at the computer. So now I have one. ahead and saying this is how I play. You have to and not about speed and technique and who is bet- But basically what I’ve been doing, as I’ve always adapt your playing. ter. Everybody is different. So Stan Getz, Sonny done for years, is to write out things—examples of Rollins, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, John Col- how I approach improvisation. I’ve been giving JI: I think that speaks to having a dialogue with the trane are all different—different voices. them to Tony and he puts them on the website. musicians with whom you are playing. This is in contrast to certain people who go in and simply LM: Well, I definitely think that. You can make play their style, expecting everyone to adjust to comparisons to people as far as technique goes and them. I was listening to a Miles Davis recording things like that, but there is so much more about
from 1960, where he had Sonny Stitt in the group music than that. “Time makes heroes and for a European tour. Everyone sounds great. Sonny dissolves celebrities.: Stitt sounds great—and he is playing Sonny Stitt. JI: It’s all about the groove. He is not necessarily fitting into the group by par- - Dan Boorstin, Past Librarian of Congress
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Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Sunday, November 5 George Coleman Quintet, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Saturday, November 11 Vocal Masterclass With Marion Cowings, Ai Murakami Trio Feat. Leonard Bernstein At The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Sacha Perry Wynton Marsalis Celebrates The Leonard Bernstein Centennial; Rose Behn Gillece Quartet, Richie Vitale Quintet, Hillel Salem, After-Hours Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Jam Session, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Warren Wolf, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy John Colianni Jazz Orchestra, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Jon Roche, The Flail, Philip Harper Quintet, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Fred Hersch, Piano; John Hébert, Bass; Eric McPherson, Drums; Django Reinhardt NY Festival All Stars, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Bad Plus, Bill Frisell, Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Ravi Coltrane, Saxophone Adam Rogers, Guitar Dezron Douglas, Bass E.J. Strickland, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Talib Kweli – Live band residency: “Quality” album 15th Anniversary, Monday, November 6 Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Triangular: Ralph Peterson Trio Featuring The Curtis Brothers, Diz- zy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center Theo Hill Trio, Jonathan Michel Group & After-Hours Jam Session, Sunday, November 12 Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Warren Wolf, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Ai Murakami, Sasha Dobson, David Schnitter, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Django Reinhardt NY Festival All Stars; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Tuesday, November 7 Bad Plus, Bill Frisell, Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Triangular: Ralph Peterson Trio Featuring The Curtis Brothers, Diz- Ravi Coltrane, Saxophone Adam Rogers, Guitar Dezron Douglas, zy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Bass E.J. Strickland, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Frank Lacy Group, Abraham Burton Quartet & After-Hours Jam Session, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Django Reinhardt NY Festival All Stars, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Monday, November 13 Ravi Coltrane, Saxophone Adam Rogers, Guitar Dezron Douglas, Neal Smith Berklee Octet Featuring Billy Pierce, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Bass E.J. Strickland, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Rebirth Brass Band, Residency, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Tim Hegarty Group, Jonathan Barber Group & After-Hours Jam Session, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Wednesday, November 8 McCoy Tyner, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Israeli Jazz Celebration: 7:30pm—Guy Mintus Trio; 9:30pm—Yotam Ben-Or Quartet, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Michael Zilber Quartet, Ryan Keberle & Catharsis, Aaron Seeber, Tuesday, November 14 After-Hours Jam Session, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Jerome Jennings Group Featuring Jazzmeia Horn, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Django Reinhardt NY Festival All Stars; David Ostwald's Louis Arm- At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. strong Eternity Band; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Brian Blade, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Ravi Coltrane, Saxophone Adam Rogers, Guitar Dezron Douglas, Lucas Pino Nonet, Abraham Burton, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Bass E.J. Strickland, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Diane Schuur, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Rebirth Brass Band, Residency, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. John Zorn's Masada: Book Three, Masada At The Vanguard; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Stanley Clarke Band with Lenny White, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Thursday, November 9 Leonard Bernstein At The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis Celebrates The Leonard Bernstein Centennial; Rose Wednesday, November 15 Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Jerome Jennings Group Featuring Jazzmeia Horn, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Sullivan Fortner, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. New York Jazz Nine, Nick Hempton Trio, Jonathan Thomas, After- Brian Blade, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Hours Jam Session, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Curtis Nowosad, Harold Mabern, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Django Reinhardt NY Festival All Stars, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Diane Schuur; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Ravi Coltrane, Saxophone Adam Rogers, Guitar Dezron Douglas, John Zorn's Masada: Book Three, Masada At The Vanguard, Village Bass E.J. Strickland, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Talib Kweli – Live band residency: “Quality” album 15th Anniversary, Stanley Clarke Band with Lenny White, Beka Gochiashvili, Salar Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Nadar, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Friday, November 10 Thursday, November 16 Leonard Bernstein At The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Embrace: A Musical Celebration Of Friends And Collaborators Of The Wynton Marsalis Celebrates The Leonard Bernstein Centennial; Rose Incredible Honk, Roswell Rudd, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Center, 60th & Bdwy. Warren Wolf, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Brian Blade, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Tim Ries Quintet, The Flail, After-Hours Jam Session With Joe Farns- Alex Lore, Brandon Sanders, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. worth, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Diane Schuur; Steve Sandberg Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Django Reinhardt NY Festival All Stars, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. John Zorn's Masada: Book Three, Masada At The Vanguard, Village Ravi Coltrane, Saxophone Adam Rogers, Guitar Dezron Douglas, Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Bass E.J. Strickland, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. th (Continued on page 14) Talib Kweli – Live band residency: “Quality” album 15 Anniversary,
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 13 John Zorn's Masada: Book Three, Masada At The Vanguard; Village Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Friday, November 17 Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Ari Hoenig Trio, Jonathan Barber, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band: West Side Story At 60 Reimag- Stanley Clarke Band with Lenny White, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Veronica Swift; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. ined, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Brian Blade, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Marcus Strickland’s Twi-Life & Friends, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Michael Cochrane, John Fedchock, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Sunday, November 19 Diane Schuur; Birdland Big Band; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band: West Side Story At 60 Reimag- John Zorn's Masada: Book Three, Masada At The Vanguard, Village ined, Dizzy's Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Tuesday, November 21 Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Brian Blade, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Yotam Silberstein, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Stanley Clarke Band with Lenny White, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Ai Murakami, Tardo Hammer, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Maria Schneider Orch, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Veronica Swift; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Steve Nelson Quintet, Abraham Burton Quartet & After-Hours Jam John Zorn's Masada: Book Three, Masada At The Vanguard; Village Session, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Saturday, November 18 Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Veronica Swift; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band: West Side Story At 60 Reimag- Stanley Clarke Band with Lenny White, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Jason Moran, Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. ined, Dizzy's Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Brian Blade, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Kristina Koller, Mike Clark Quartet, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Monday, November 20 Veronica Swift; Diane Schuur, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Steve Nelson Salutes Bobby Hutcherson, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Wednesday, November 22 Wycliffe Gordon, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Maria Schneider Orch, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Taylor Eigsti, Asaf Yuria, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Louis Armstrong Eternity; Veronica Swift; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Jason Moran, Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Thursday, November 23 Wycliffe Gordon, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Taylor Eigsti, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Veronica Swift; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Jason Moran, Piano; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Friday, November 24 Wycliffe Gordon, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Maria Schneider Orch, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Brandon Lee Quartet, Jerome Jennings Sextet, After-Hours Jam Session With Corey Wallace, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Veronica Swift With The Benny Green Trio; Birdland Big Band; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Jason Moran, Piano; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Saturday, November 25 Wycliffe Gordon, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Maria Schneider Orch, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Michael Stephans, Philip Harper Quintet, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Veronica Swift, Benny Green; Birdland Big Band; 315 W. 44th St. Jason Moran, Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Sunday, November 26 Wycliffe Gordon, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Maria Schneider Orch, Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Marion Cowings, Ai Murakami, David Gibson, Small’s, 183 W. 10th Jason Moran, Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Monday, November 27 MSM Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato, Jonathan Michel, Small’s Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. McCoy Tyner, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Tuesday, November 28 Dayna Stephens with Taylor Eigsti, Peter Bernstein, Ben Street, Billy Hart, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Spike Wilner, Abraham Burton, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Marcus Roberts Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Terell Stafford, Trumpet; Tim Warfield, Saxophone; Bruce Barth, Piano; Peter Washington, Bass; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Fourplay, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
Wednesday, November 29 Dayna Stephens with Taylor Eigsti, Peter Bernstein, Ben Street, Billy Hart, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Nate Radley, Steve Davis, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Marcus Roberts; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Fourplay, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
(Continued on page 16)
14 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 15 Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Thursday, November 30 Jimmy Heath Big Band; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. David Chesky: Jazz In The New Harmonic, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Taeko; Eliane Elias; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Christian McBride & Inside Straight; Steve Wilson, Sax; Warren Wolf, Hailey Niswanger, Steve Davis, Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Vibes; Peter Martin, Piano; Christian McBride, Bass; Carl Allen, Marcus Roberts Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Jill McCarron Quartet; Fukushi Tainaka Quartet; Davis Whitfield - After Fourplay, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. -hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St.
Friday, December 1 Friday, December 8 Steve Miller, Jimmie Vaughan & Charlie Musselwhite: The Blues Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan Duo; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 Triangle Memphis, Texas, And Chicago And More; Rose Theater. E. 27th. Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Renee Rosnes Deep In The Blue - Featuring Melissa Aldana, Steve Fabulous Dorsey Brothers With Peter And Will Anderson, Wycliffe Nelson, Peter Washington And Lenny White; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Gordon, Brianna Thomas, Bruce Harris, And More; The Appel Room, Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Jimmy Heath Big Band; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Fourplay, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Birdland Big Band; Eliane Elias; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Birdland Big Band; Marcus Roberts Trio Christian McBride & Inside Straight; Steve Wilson, Sax; Warren Wolf, Christian McBride & Tip City, Emmet Cohen, Piano; Dan Wilson, Vibes; Peter Martin, Piano; Christian McBride, Bass; Carl Allen, Guitar; Christian McBride, Bass; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Braden-Teepe-Wilson aka "Trio of Liberty"; Michael Weiss Quartet; David Gilmore Quintet; Mike DiRubbo Quartet; Corey Wallace DUBtet After-hours Jam Session with Joe Farnsworth; Small’s, 183 W. 10th "After-hours"; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. St. Saturday, December 9 Saturday, December 2 Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan Duo; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 Steve Miller, Jimmie Vaughan & Charlie Musselwhite: The Blues E. 27th. Triangle Memphis, Texas, And Chicago And More; Rose Theater. Renee Rosnes Deep In The Blue - Featuring Melissa Aldana, Steve Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Nelson, Peter Washington And Lenny White; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Fabulous Dorsey Brothers With Peter And Will Anderson, Wycliffe Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Gordon, Brianna Thomas, Bruce Harris; Appel Room, Jazz At Lincoln Jimmy Heath Big Band; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Center, 60th & Bdwy. Billy Stritch; Eliane Elias; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Fourplay, Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St Christian McBride & Inside Straight; Steve Wilson, Sax; Warren Wolf, Marcus Roberts Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th. Vibes; Peter Martin, Piano; Christian McBride, Bass; Carl Allen, Christian McBride & Tip City, Emmet Cohen, Piano; Dan Wilson, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Guitar; Christian McBride, Bass; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Smalls Showcase: Mike Bond Trio; Sylvia Cuenca Quartet; Mike Smalls Showcase: Carmen Staaf; Craig Brann Quintet; Michael Weiss DiRubbo Quartet; Philip Harper Quintet; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Quartet; Brooklyn Circle; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Sunday, December 10 Sunday, December 3 Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan Duo; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 Paula West Quintet; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. E. 27th. Fourplay; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Renee Rosnes Deep In The Blue - Featuring Melissa Aldana, Steve Greg Ruvolo Big Band Collective; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra; Bird- Nelson, Peter Washington And Lenny White; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At land, 315 W. 44th St. Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Christian McBride & Tip City, Emmet Cohen, Piano; Dan Wilson, Jimmy Heath Big Band; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Guitar; Christian McBride, Bass; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Vocal Masterclass with Marion Cowings; Ai Murakami Trio feat. Sacha Christian McBride & Inside Straight; Steve Wilson, Sax; Warren Wolf, Perry; Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra; Frank Basile Quintet; Hillel Salem Vibes; Peter Martin, Piano; Christian McBride, Bass; Carl Allen, - After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Vocal Masterclass with Marion Cowings; Ai Murakami Trio feat. Sacha Perry; Ian Hendrickson-Smith Quartet; Corcoran Holt Sextet; Small’s, Monday, December 4 183 W. 10th St. Juilliard Jazz Orchestra; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Jim Caruso's Cast Party; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Monday, December 11 Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. New York Youth Symphony: Ted Nash, Extended Works; Dizzy’s Tal Gamlieli & Change of Heart; Will Sellenraad Trio; Jonathan Michel Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Group & After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Jim Caruso's Cast Party; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Tuesday, December 5 Ari Hoenig Trio; Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet; Jonathan Barber Group Omer Avital Quintet; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. & After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Rebirth Brass Band; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Eliane Elias; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Christian McBride & Inside Straight; Steve Wilson, Sax; Warren Wolf, Tuesday, December 12
Vibes; Peter Martin, Piano; Christian McBride, Bass; Carl Allen, Joe Lovano Classic Quartet; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. 27th. Ulysses Owens Jr. & Friends; Frank Lacy Group; Small’s, 183 W. Marquis Hill Blacktet With Special Guest Willie Pickens; Dizzy’s Club, 10th St. Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Stacey Kent; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Wednesday, December 6 Kenny Barron Quintet - Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet; Dayna Stephens, Omer Avital Quintet; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Saxophone; Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Johnathan Rebirth Brass Band; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Eliane Elias; Bird- Kirk Lightsey; Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet; Abraham Burton Quartet &
Jazz Lovers’ land, 315 W. 44th St. After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Christian McBride & Inside Straight; Steve Wilson, Sax; Warren Wolf, Vibes; Peter Martin, Piano; Christian McBride, Bass; Carl Allen, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Tuesday, December 13 Jerome Sabbagh/Greg Tuohey Quartet; Ken Fowser Quintet; Aaron Big Band Holidays Featuring The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra Seeber - After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. With Wynton Marsalis And Vocalists Catherine Russell And Kenny Washington; Rose Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy.
Lifetime Collection Joe Lovano Classic Quartet; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. Thursday, December 7 27th. Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan Duo; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 Marquis Hill Blacktet With Special Guest Willie Pickens; Dizzy’s Club, E. 27th. Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. JazzMusicDeals.com JazzMusicDeals.com Renee Rosnes Deep In The Blue - Featuring Melissa Aldana, Steve (Continued on page 17) Nelson, Peter Washington And Lenny White; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At
16 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 Tuesday, December 19
Matt Wilson Christmas Tree-O, Featuring Nels Cline, Jeff Lederer;
Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. “...among human beings “Some people’s idea of Dick Hyman: Standards And Strides; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln jealousy ranks distinctly as a Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. weakness; a trademark of small minds; free speech is that they are free Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. to say what they like, but if anyone Freddy Cole Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. a property of all small minds, yet a property Kenny Barron Trio - Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; which even the smallest is ashamed of; says anything back that Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. and when accused of its possession will Spike Wilner Trio; Abraham Burton Quartet & After-hours Jam Ses- lyingly deny it and resent the is an outrage.” sion; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. accusation as an insult.” Wednesday, December 20 - Winston Churchill Matt Wilson Christmas Tree-O, Featuring Nels Cline, Jeff Lederer; -Mark Twain Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Sherman Irby: A New Christmas Story; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Tuesday, December 26 David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Stacey Kent; Bird- Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Carlos Henriquez Octet: The Latin Side Of Dizzy; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz land, 315 W. 44th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy Kenny Barron Quintet - Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet; Dayna Stephens, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Freddy Cole Quartet; Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Saxophone; Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Johnathan Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Birdland Big Band with Special Guest Vocalist Veronica Swift; Bird- Kenny Barron Trio - Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; land, 315 W. 44th St. Jochen Rueckert Quartet; Kelly Green Sextet; Jovan Alexandre - After Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. -hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Piano; Dave Alex Wintz Quintet; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S.
Lucas Pino Nonet; Abraham Burton Quartet & After-hours Jam Ses- Wednesday, December 14 Thursday, December 21 sion; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Big Band Holidays Featuring The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra Spanish Harlem Orchestra; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. With Wynton Marsalis And Vocalists Catherine Russell And Kenny 27th. Washington; Rose Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy. Wednesday, December 27 Sherman Irby: A New Christmas Story; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Joe Lovano Classic Quartet; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. Carlos Henriquez Octet: The Latin Side Of Dizzy; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. 27th. At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Bria Skonberg; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Freddy Cole Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Birdland Big Band Kenny Barron Trio - Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Fleur Seule; Stacey Kent; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. with Special Guest Vocalist Veronica Swift; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Kenny Barron Quintet - Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet; Dayna Stephens, The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Piano; Dave Jason Yeager & Jason Anick Quintet; Sloniker-Uusitalo Quartet; Davis Saxophone; Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Johnathan King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Whitfield - After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Patrick Cornelius Quartet; Akiko Tsuruga Quartet; Aaron Seeber -
Jochen Rueckert Quartet; Michael Blake Quartet; Jonathan Thomas - After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. "After-hours" Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Friday, December 22
Spanish Harlem Orchestra; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. Thursday, December 28 27th. Friday, December 15 Carlos Henriquez Octet: The Latin Side Of Dizzy; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Sherman Irby: A New Christmas Story; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Joe Lovano Classic Qt; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Riley’s Red Hot Holidays; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Bdwy. Birdland Big Band with Special Guest Vocalist Veronica Swift; Bird- Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch In “A Swingin' Birdland Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. land, 315 W. 44th St. Christmas”; Freddy Cole Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Birdland Big Band; Stacey Kent; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Piano; Dave Kenny Barron Trio - Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Kenny Barron Quintet - Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet; Dayna Stephens, Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Saxophone; Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Johnathan Adam Larson Quartet; Saul Rubin Quartet; Jonathan Thomas - "After- Eddie Allen Quintet; Metta Quintet; Corey Wallace DUBtet "After- Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. hours" Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. hours"; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St.
Duane Eubanks Quintet; Ralph Bowen Quartet; After-hours Jam Session with Joe Farnsworth; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Saturday, December 23 Friday, December 29 Carlos Henriquez Octet: The Latin Side Of Dizzy; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Spanish Harlem Orchestra; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. Saturday, December 16 At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy 27th. Joe Lovano Classic Quartet; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Sherman Irby: A New Christmas Story; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln 27th. Birdland Big Band with Special Guest Vocalist Veronica Swift; Bird- Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Riley’s Red Hot Holidays; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & land, 315 W. 44th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Bdwy. The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Piano; Dave Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch In “A Swingin' Birdland Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Christmas”; Freddy Cole Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Stacey Kent; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Mark Whitfield Trio; Dezron Douglas/Johnathan Blake Quartet; After- Kenny Barron Trio - Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; hours Jam Session with Joe Farnsworth; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Kenny Barron Quintet - Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet; Dayna Stephens, Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Saxophone; Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Johnathan Smalls Showcase: Sam Raderman Trio; Eddie Allen Quintet; Metta Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Quintet; Philip Harper Quintet; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Saturday, December 30 Duane Eubanks Quintet; Ralph Bowen Quartet; Eric Wyatt Quartet & After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Carlos Henriquez Octet: The Latin Side Of Dizzy; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Sunday, December 24 At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Sherman Irby: A New Christmas Story; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Sunday, December 17 Birdland Big Band with Special Guest Vocalist Veronica Swift; Bird- Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Joe Lovano Classic Quartet; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. land, 315 W. 44th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. 27th. The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Piano; Dave Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch In “A Swingin' Birdland Riley’s Red Hot Holidays; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Christmas”; Freddy Cole Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Bdwy. Smalls Showcase: Fima Chupakhin Quintet; Mark Whitfield Trio; Kenny Barron Trio - Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Brooklyn Circle; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Vocal Masterclass with Marion Cowings; Robert Edwards - After-hours Kenny Barron Quintet - Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet; Dayna Stephens, Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Sunday, December 31 Saxophone; Kenny Barron, Piano; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass; Johnathan Blake, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Rene Marie; Jazz Standard, 7:30, 9:30 PM. 116 E. 27th. Ralph Lalama & "Bop-Juice"; Hillel Salem - After-hours Jam Session; Monday, December 25 New Year’s Eve With Paquito D’rivera And Carlos Henriquez; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch In “A Swingin' Birdland Birdland Big Band with Special Guest Vocalist Veronica Swift; Bird- Christmas”; Freddy Cole Quartet; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Monday, December 18 land, 315 W. 44th St. Christmas With The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Dick Hyman: Standards And Strides; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson, Bass; Ethan Iverson, Piano; Dave Piano; Dave King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Ctr, 60th & Bdwy. King, Drums; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Fabien Mary Quintet; Jonathan Barber Group & After-hours Jam Chris Botti; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Jon Roche Quartet; New Year's Eve with SmallsLIVE All Stars; Session; Robert Edwards - After-hours Jam Session; Small’s, 183 W. Small’s, 183 W. 10th St. Christine Ebersole & Billy Stritch “Snowfall”; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. 10th St.
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S. Ari Hoenig Trio; Jonathan Michel & Jonathan Barber: After-hours Jam To Session;Advertise Small’s CALL:, 183 215W. 10th-887 St.-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 17 Clubs,Clubs, VenuesVenues && JazzJazz ResourcesResources
5 C Cultural Center, 68 Avenue C. 212-477-5993. www.5ccc.com City Winery, 155 Varick St. Bet. Vandam & Spring St., 212-608- 212-539-8778, joespub.com 55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. 212-929-9883, 55bar.com 0555. citywinery.com John Birks Gillespie Auditorium (see Baha’i Center) 92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128, Cleopatra’s Needle, 2485 Broadway (betw 92nd & 93rd), 212-769- Jules Bistro, 65 St. Marks Pl, 212-477-5560, julesbistro.com 212.415.5500, 92ndsty.org 6969, cleopatrasneedleny.com Kasser Theater, 1 Normal Av, Montclair State College, Montclair, Aaron Davis Hall, City College of NY, Convent Ave., 212-650- Club Bonafide, 212 W. 52nd, 646-918-6189. clubbonafide.com 973-655-4000, montclair.edu 6900, aarondavishall.org C’mon Everybody, 325 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn. Key Club, 58 Park Pl, Newark, NJ, 973-799-0306, keyclubnj.com Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Broadway & 65th St., 212-875- www.cmoneverybody.com Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave., 212-885-7119. kitano.com 5050, lincolncenter.org/default.asp Copeland’s, 547 W. 145th St. (at Bdwy), 212-234-2356 Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Pl., 212-228-8490, Allen Room, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Broadway and Cornelia St Café, 29 Cornelia, 212-989-9319 knickerbockerbarandgrill.com 60th, 5th floor, 212-258-9800, lincolncenter.org Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, New Jersey Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St, 212-219-3132, knittingfacto- American Museum of Natural History, 81st St. & Central Park 07701, 732-842-9000, countbasietheatre.org ry.com W., 212-769-5100, amnh.org Crossroads at Garwood, 78 North Ave., Garwood, NJ 07027, Langham Place — Measure, Fifth Avenue, 400 Fifth Avenue Antibes Bistro, 112 Suffolk Street. 212-533-6088. 908-232-5666 New York, NY 10018, 212-613-8738, langhamplacehotels.com www.antibesbistro.com Cutting Room, 19 W. 24th St, 212-691-1900 La Lanterna (Bar Next Door at La Lanterna), 129 MacDougal St, Arthur’s Tavern, 57 Grove St., 212-675-6879 or 917-301-8759, Dizzy’s Club, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor, 212-258-9595, New York, 212-529-5945, lalanternarcaffe.com arthurstavernnyc.com jalc.com Le Cirque Cafe, 151 E. 58th St., lecirque.com Arts Maplewood, P.O. Box 383, Maplewood, NJ 07040; 973-378- DROM, 85 Avenue A, New York, 212-777-1157, dromnyc.com Le Fanfare, 1103 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn. 347-987-4244. 2133, artsmaplewood.org The Ear Inn, 326 Spring St., NY, 212-226-9060, earinn.com www.lefanfare.com Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. & 65th St., East Village Social, 126 St. Marks Place. 646-755-8662. Le Madeleine, 403 W. 43rd St. (betw 9th & 10th Ave.), New York, 212-875-5030, lincolncenter.org www.evsnyc.com New York, 212-246-2993, lemadeleine.com BAM Café, 30 Lafayette Av, Brooklyn, 718-636-4100, bam.org Edward Hopper House, 82 N. Broadway, Nyack NY. 854-358- Les Gallery Clemente Soto Velez, 107 Suffolk St, 212-260-4080 Bar Chord, 1008 Cortelyou Rd., Brooklyn, barchordnyc.com 0774. Lexington Hotel, 511 Lexington Ave. (212) 755-4400. Bar Lunatico, 486 Halsey St., Brooklyn. 718-513-0339. El Museo Del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave (at 104th St.), Tel: 212-831- www.lexinghotelnyc.com 222.barlunatico.com 7272, Fax: 212-831-7927, elmuseo.org Live @ The Falcon, 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro, NY 12542, Barbes, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.), Park Slope, Brooklyn, Esperanto, 145 Avenue C. 212-505-6559. www.esperantony.com Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. 212-533-7235, livingroomny.com 718-965-9177, barbesbrooklyn.com The Falcon, 1348 Rt. 9W, Marlboro, NY., 845) 236-7970, The Local 269, 269 E. Houston St. (corner of Suffolk St.), NYC Barge Music, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn, 718-624-2083, Fat Cat, 75 Christopher St., 212-675-7369, fatcatjazz.com Makor, 35 W. 67th St., 212-601-1000, makor.org bargemusic.org Fine and Rare, 9 East 37th Street. www.fineandrare.nyc Lounge Zen, 254 DeGraw Ave, Teaneck, NJ, (201) 692-8585, B.B. King’s Blues Bar, 237 W. 42nd St., 212-997-4144, Five Spot, 459 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 718-852-0202, fivespot- lounge-zen.com bbkingblues.com soulfood.com Maureen's Jazz Cellar, 2 N. Broadway, Nyack NY. 845-535-3143. Beacon Theatre, 74th St. & Broadway, 212-496-7070 Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY, 718- maureensjazzcellar.com Beco Bar, 45 Richardson, Brooklyn. 718-599-1645. 463-7700 x222, flushingtownhall.org Maxwell’s, 1039 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ, 201-653-1703 www.becobar.com For My Sweet, 1103 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY 718-857-1427 McCarter Theater, 91 University Pl., Princeton, 609-258-2787, Bickford Theatre, on Columbia Turnpike @ Normandy Heights Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-782-5188, galapago- mccarter.org Road, east of downtown Morristown. 973-744-2600 sartspace.com Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St., 212-501 Birdland, 315 W. 44th St., 212-581-3080 Garage Restaurant and Café, 99 Seventh Ave. (betw 4th and -3330, ekcc.org/merkin.htm Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd, 212-475-8592, bluenotejazz.com Bleecker), 212-645-0600, garagerest.com Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St NY, NY 10012, 212-206- Bourbon St Bar and Grille, 346 W. 46th St, NY, 10036, Garden Café, 4961 Broadway, by 207th St., New York, 10034, 0440 212-245-2030, [email protected] 212-544-9480 Mezzrow, 163 West 10th Street, Basement, New York, NY Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (at Bleecker), 212-614-0505, Gin Fizz, 308 Lenox Ave, 2nd floor. (212) 289-2220. 10014. 646-476-4346. www.mezzrow.com bowerypoetry.com www.ginfizzharlem.com Minton’s, 206 W 118th St., 212-243-2222, mintonsharlem.com BRIC House, 647 Fulton St. Brooklyn, NY 11217, 718-683-5600, Ginny’s Supper Club, 310 Malcolm X Boulevard Manhattan, NY Mirelle’s, 170 Post Ave., Westbury, NY, 516-338-4933 http://bricartsmedia.org 10027, 212-792-9001, http://redroosterharlem.com/ginnys/ MIST Harlem, 46 W. 116th St., myimagestudios.com Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, Glen Rock Inn, 222 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ, (201) 445-2362, Mixed Notes Café, 333 Elmont Rd., Elmont, NY (Queens area), NY, 718-230-2100, brooklynpubliclibrary.org glenrockinn.com 516-328-2233, mixednotescafe.com Café Carlyle, 35 E. 76th St., 212-570-7189, thecarlyle.com GoodRoom, 98 Meserole, Bklyn, 718-349-2373, goodroombk.com. Montauk Club, 25 8th Ave., Brooklyn, 718-638-0800, Café Loup, 105 W. 13th St. (West Village) , between Sixth and Green Growler, 368 S, Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson NY. montaukclub.com Seventh Aves., 212-255-4746 914-862-0961. www.thegreengrowler.com Moscow 57, 168½ Delancey. 212-260-5775. moscow57.com Café St. Bart’s, 109 E. 50th St, 212-888-2664, cafestbarts.com Greenwich Village Bistro, 13 Carmine St., 212-206-9777, green- Muchmore’s, 2 Havemeyer St., Brooklyn. 718-576-3222. nd Cafe Noctambulo, 178 2 Ave. 212-995-0900. cafenoctam- wichvillagebistro.com www.muchmoresnyc.com bulo.com Harlem on 5th, 2150 5th Avenue. 212-234-5600. Mundo, 37-06 36th St., Queens. mundony.com Caffe Vivaldi, 32 Jones St, NYC; caffevivaldi.com www.harlemonfifth.com Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (between Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St, Trenton. 609-695-9612. Harlem Tea Room, 1793A Madison Ave., 212-348-3471, har- 103rd & 104th St.), 212-534-1672, mcny.org Carnegie Hall, 7th Av & 57th, 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org lemtearoom.com Musicians’ Local 802, 332 W. 48th, 718-468-7376 Cassandra’s Jazz, 2256 7th Avenue. 917-435-2250. cassan- Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley St, Orange. 862-252-9147. National Sawdust, 80 N. 6th St., Brooklyn. 646-779-8455. drasjazz.com hatcitykitchen.com www.nationalsawdust.org Chico’s House Of Jazz, In Shoppes at the Arcade, 631 Lake Ave., Havana Central West End, 2911 Broadway/114th St), NYC, Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark, New Jersey 07102- Asbury Park, 732-774-5299 212-662-8830, havanacentral.com 3176, 973-596-6550, newarkmuseum.org Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th St (between 9th & 10th Ave. New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, NJ, highlineballroom.com, 212-414-4314. 07102, 973-642-8989, njpac.org Hopewell Valley Bistro, 15 East Broad St, Hopewell, NJ 08525, New Leaf Restaurant, 1 Margaret Corbin Dr., Ft. Tryon Park. 212- 609-466-9889, hopewellvalleybistro.com 568-5323. newleafrestaurant.com Hudson Room, 27 S. Division St., Peekskill NY. 914-788-FOOD. New School Performance Space, 55 W. 13th St., 5th Floor (betw hudsonroom.com 5th & 6th Ave.), 212-229-5896, newschool.edu. Hyatt New Brunswick, 2 Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ New School University-Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St., 1st “A system of morality IBeam Music Studio, 168 7th St., Brooklyn, ibeambrooklyn.com Floor, Room 106, 212-229-5488, newschool.edu INC American Bar & Kitchen, 302 George St., New Brunswick New York City Baha’i Center, 53 E. 11th St. (betw Broadway & which is based on relative NJ. (732) 640-0553. www.increstaurant.com University), 212-222-5159, bahainyc.org emotional values is a mere Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 212-582-2121, iridiumjazzclub.com North Square Lounge, 103 Waverly Pl. (at MacDougal St.), Jazz 966, 966 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-638-6910 212-254-1200, northsquarejazz.com illusion, a thoroughly vulgar Jazz at Lincoln Center, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, jalc.org Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St. (betw 5th and conception which has nothing Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St., 5th Floor 6th Ave.), 212-840-6800, thealgonquin.net Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Reservations: 212-258-9595 Oceana Restaurant, 120 West 49th St, New York, NY 10020 sound in it and nothing true.” Rose Theater, Tickets: 212-721-6500, The Allen Room, Tickets: 212-759-5941, oceanarestaurant.com 212-721-6500 Orchid, 765 Sixth Ave. (betw 25th & 26th St.), 212-206-9928 Jazz Gallery, 1160 Bdwy, (212) 242-1063, jazzgallery.org The Owl, 497 Rogers Ave, Bklyn. 718-774-0042. www.theowl.nyc The Jazz Spot, 375 Kosciuszko St. (enter at 179 Marcus Garvey Palazzo Restaurant, 11 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair. 973- Blvd.), Brooklyn, NY, 718-453-7825, thejazz.8m.com 746-6778. palazzonj.com Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., 212-576-2232, jazzstandard.net Priory Jazz Club: 223 W Market, Newark, 07103, 973-639-7885 — Socrates — Anton Chekhov Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St & Astor Pl., Proper Café, 217-01 Linden Blvd., Queens, 718-341-2233
18 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 Prospect Park Bandshell, 9th St. & Prospect Park W., Brooklyn, Zankel Hall, 881 7th Ave, New York, 212-247-7800 NY, 718-768-0855 Zinc Bar, 82 West 3rd St.
Prospect Wine Bar & Bistro, 16 Prospect St. Westfield, NJ, RECORD STORES 908-232-7320, 16prospect.com, cjayrecords.com Academy Records, 12 W. 18th St., New York, NY 10011, 212-242 “It is curious that physical courage Red Eye Grill, 890 7th Av (56th), 212-541-9000, redeyegrill.com -3000, http://academy-records.com should be so common in the world Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main St., Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe St, New York, NY 10002, and moral courage so rare.” Ridgefield, CT; ridgefieldplayhouse.org, 203-438-5795 (212) 473-0043, downtownmusicgallery.com Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St, 212-477-4155 Jazz Record Center, 236 W. 26th St., Room 804, Rose Center (American Museum of Natural History), 81st St. 212-675-4480, jazzrecordcenter.com (Central Park W. & Columbus), 212-769-5100, amnh.org/rose MUSIC STORES — Mark Twain Rose Hall, 33 W. 60th St., 212-258-9800, jalc.org Roberto’s Woodwind & Brass, 149 West 46th St. NY, NY 10036, Rosendale Café, 434 Main St., PO Box 436, Rosendale, NY 12472, 646-366-0240, robertoswoodwind.com Queens College — Copland School of Music, City University of 845-658-9048, rosendalecafe.com Sam Ash, 333 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 NY, Flushing, 718-997-3800 Rubin Museum of Art - “Harlem in the Himalayas”, 150 W. 17th Phone: (212) 719-2299 samash.com Rutgers Univ. at New Brunswick, Jazz Studies, Douglass Cam- St. 212-620-5000. rmanyc.org Sadowsky Guitars Ltd, 2107 41st Avenue 4th Floor, Long Island pus, PO Box 270, New Brunswick, NJ, 908-932-9302 Rustik, 471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 347-406-9700, City, NY 11101, 718-433-1990. sadowsky.com Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, 185 University Avenue, Newark NJ 07102, 973-353-5595 rustikrestaurant.com Steve Maxwell Vintage Drums, 723 7th Ave, 3rd Floor, New newarkrutgers.edu/IJS/index1.html St. Mark’s Church, 131 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.), 212-674-6377 York, NY 10019, 212-730-8138, maxwelldrums.com SUNY Purchase, 735 Anderson Hill, Purchase, 914-251-6300 St. Nick’s Pub, 773 St. Nicholas Av (at 149th), 212-283-9728 SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CONSERVATORIES Swing University (see Jazz At Lincoln Center, under Venues) St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington (at 54th), 212-935-2200, 92nd St Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128 William Paterson University Jazz Studies Program, 300 Pompton saintpeters.org 212.415.5500; 92ndsty.org Rd, Wayne, NJ, 973-720-2320 Sasa’s Lounge, 924 Columbus Ave, Between 105th & 106th St. Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, 42-76 Main St., RADIO NY, NY 10025, 212-865-5159, sasasloungenyc.yolasite.com Flushing, NY, Tel: 718-461-8910, Fax: 718-886-2450 WBGO 88.3 FM, 54 Park Pl, Newark, NJ 07102, Tel: 973-624- Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, Savoy Grill, 60 Park Place, Newark, NJ 07102, 973-286-1700 8880, Fax: 973-824-8888, wbgo.org NY, 718-622-3300, brooklynconservatory.com WCWP, LIU/C.W. Post Campus Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., 212-491-2200, City College of NY-Jazz Program, 212-650-5411, nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html WFDU, http://alpha.fdu.edu/wfdu/wfdufm/index2.html Drummers Collective, 541 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011, WKCR 89.9, Columbia University, 2920 Broadway Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main St., Madison, NJ, 973-822-2899, shang- 212-741-0091, thecoll.com Mailcode 2612, NY 10027, 212-854-9920, columbia.edu/cu/wkcr haijazz.com Five Towns College, 305 N. Service, 516-424-7000, x Hills, NY ADDITIONAL JAZZ RESOURCES ShapeShifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11215 Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow St., Tel: 212-242- Big Apple Jazz, bigapplejazz.com, 718-606-8442, gor- shapeshifterlab.com 4770, Fax: 212-366-9621, greenwichhouse.org [email protected] Showman’s, 375 W. 125th St., 212-864-8941 Juilliard School of Music, 60 Lincoln Ctr, 212-799-5000 Louis Armstrong House, 34-56 107th St, Corona, NY 11368, Sidewalk Café, 94 Ave. A, 212-473-7373 LaGuardia Community College/CUNI, 31-10 Thomson Ave., 718-997-3670, satchmo.net Sista’s Place, 456 Nostrand, Bklyn, 718-398-1766, sistasplace.org Long Island City, 718-482-5151 Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, Rutgers- Lincoln Center — Jazz At Lincoln Center, 140 W. 65th St., Skippers Plane St Pub, 304 University Ave. Newark NJ, 973-733- Univ, 185 University Av, Newark, NJ, 07102, 973-353-5595 10023, 212-258-9816, 212-258-9900 Jazzmobile, Inc., jazzmobile.org 9300, skippersplaneStpub.com Long Island University — Brooklyn Campus, Dept. of Music, Smalls Jazz Club, 183 W. 10th St. (at 7th Ave.), 212-929-7565, Jazz Museum in Harlem, 104 E. 126th St., 212-348-8300, University Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-488-1051, 718-488-1372 jazzmuseuminharlem.org SmallsJazzClub.com Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave., 10027, Jazz Foundation of America, 322 W. 48th St. 10036, Smith’s Bar, 701 8th Ave, New York, 212-246-3268 212-749-2805, 2802, 212-749-3025 212-245-3999, jazzfoundation.org Sofia’s Restaurant - Club Cache’ [downstairs], Edison Hotel, NJ City Univ, 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, 888-441-6528 New Jersey Jazz Society, 1-800-303-NJJS, njjs.org 221 W. 46th St. (between Broadway & 8th Ave), 212-719-5799 New School, 55 W. 13th St., 212-229-5896, 212-229-8936 New York Blues & Jazz Society, NYBluesandJazz.org South Gate Restaurant & Bar, 154 Central Park South, 212-484- NY University, 35 West 4th St. Rm #777, 212-998-5446 Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St, New York, NY, 5120, 154southgate.com NY Jazz Academy, 718-426-0633 NYJazzAcademy.com 212-620-5000 ex 344, rmanyc.org. Princeton University-Dept. of Music, Woolworth Center Musical South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Studies, Princeton, NJ, 609-258-4241, 609-258-6793 Way, South Orange, NJ 07079, sopacnow.org, 973-313-2787 Spectrum, 2nd floor, 121 Ludlow St. Spoken Words Café, 266 4th Av, Brooklyn, 718-596-3923 Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, 165 W. 65th St., 10th Floor, 212-721-6500, lincolncenter.org The Stone, Ave. C & 2nd St., thestonenyc.com th Strand Bistro, 33 W. 37 St. 212-584-4000 SubCulture, 45 Bleecker St., subculturenewyork.com PAY ONLY FOR Sugar Bar, 254 W. 72nd St, 212-579-0222, sugarbarnyc.com Swing 46, 349 W. 46th St.(betw 8th & 9th Ave.), 212-262-9554, swing46.com Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Tel: 212-864-1414, Fax: 212- 932-3228, symphonyspace.org Tea Lounge, 837 Union St. (betw 6th & 7th Ave), Park Slope, Broooklyn, 718-789-2762, tealoungeNY.com Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St. (betw Thompson & LaGuardia), RESULTS 212-777-7776, terrablues.com Threes Brewing, 333 Douglass St., Brooklyn. 718-522-2110. www.threesbrewing.com Tito Puente’s Restaurant and Cabaret, 64 City Island Avenue, City Island, Bronx, 718-885-3200, titopuentesrestaurant.com Tomi Jazz, 239 E. 53rd St., 646-497-1254, tomijazz.com Tonic, 107 Norfolk St. (betw Delancey & Rivington), Tel: 212-358- 7501, Fax: 212-358-1237, tonicnyc.com Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St., 212-997-1003 PUBLICITY! 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To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 19
InterviewInterview
Frank Foster “the talent to perform jazz music is one of the most beautiful gifts of God”
Interview by Eric Nemeyer his way, and where I shone— Photo by Joe Patitucci he didn’t get in my way. And of course, I played tenor and JI: You’ve worked with some really great peo- soprano, he played tenor and ple. Could you comment on what it was like flute, so we had at least a three working with them, and if you could contribute a dimensional thing happening, him and I met just about everybody in the music story or two, and how you might have, or not with three instruments represented...And if he field. After leaving Basie in 1964, I freelanced have, adjusted your style? For example, you and felt like playing some alto, he would do that. But around New York City. I had moved to New Frank Wess worked together on a number of of course, his first love is the tenor, as far as York when I began working with Basie. I was albums. saxophones are concerned; he only played alto out of the Basie Orchestra for 22 years, from out of necessity, with the Basie Orchestra. But, 1964 to 1986. During that time, I worked with FF: It was a great pleasure working with him, it’s very good working with him, because both various groups, from Elvin Jones Quintet, Thad because our styles...In spite of the fact that a lot of us insist on a top-notch rhythm section. And Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra...I worked a short of people say, “Oh, yeah. Y’all sound just both of us are composers, and we offer a differ- period with the Woody Herman Orchestra, and a alike!”...They weren’t really listening, because ent style, different approaches to writing and very short period with the Lloyd Price band. I Frank Wess and I are worlds apart in style. His arranging. recorded with a lot of folks. style is more adaptable for romantic ballads, and Basie realized this, and used him in that context. JI: Could you provide a brief synopsis of your JI: When you had the 12-piece band in high And Basie once told me—I asked Basie, “Why career highlights? school, were you arranging for that band? don’t you let me play more ballads?” And he said: “You just play fast tunes. You don’t need Frank Foster: My career actually began in Cin- FF: Yes, I wrote all the arrangements for the to play any more ballads.” So, your up tempo cinnati. I had my own 12-piece band my senior band. songs, like “Jumpin’ At The Woodside”—I was year in high school. I just worked local dances “The things I admired about [Coltrane’s] playing —his harmonic awareness, and that sort of “sheets of sound” approach—I fell in love with the ‘sheets of sound’ thing, and I started just emulating that. The ‘sheets of sound’ being long, sweeping, almost glissando-like combinations of notes, based on a certain chord or a certain scale. I really fell in love with that approach…”
really, I had the thing happening on the fast around school. I played with dance bands around JI: How did you begin studying arranging? Ob- tunes. And Frank was more adept at playing town; the first group, with a name you’d be fa- viously, at that time they didn’t have the scores medium tempo tunes and ballads. And, whereas miliar with, would be Snooky Young. That was and the materials they have now. Were you tran- I eventually learned how to play a ballad, I real- after my college days. I left school and went to scribing things, or…? ly was more at home on faster songs, faster tem- Detroit and worked with Snooky for part of a pos. So, when we worked together, we were sort year, until I got drafted into the Army. After I FF: All I did was, I listened to the music of the of a very good complement to one another. We came out of the Army, of course I spent eleven dance bands that I was playing, and I sort of were able to use a broad range of songs, from years with Count Basie, from 1953 to 1964. figured out how the horns were stacked up. slow to fast, and where he shone—I didn’t get in During that time, I wrote many arrangements for (Continued on page 21)
20 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 studying his music? How did you assimilate it Coltrane just didn’t play what I call harmonical- Frank Foster into your own playing? ly non-relevant notes, despite what some people said about his playing—either too long, or play- FF: The things I admired about his playing—his ing what they call, just, “outside.” I always (chuckles) So I just started arranging on my harmonic awareness, and that sort of “sheets of found Coltrane’s ideas harmonically relevant, own, without any formal lessons—just from sound” approach—I fell in love with the “sheets and for that, I really had the utmost respect for listening. of sound” thing, and I started just emulating that. him and others like him. And Dexter Gordon The “sheets of sound” being long, sweeping, was another one who showed a vast harmonic JI: The Basie band—obviously they had a cer- almost glissando-like combinations of notes, awareness. tain style, a certain instrumentation. How did based on a certain chord or a certain scale. I that begin to impact or influence your composi- really fell in love with that approach… I wasn’t JI: Were you transcribing their solos, or kind of tional and your improvisational approach as drawn to musicians of any ilk, I picking things up intuitively? a player? FF: I was just picking things up FF: The keynote of the whole Basie or- intuitively. I wasn’t into transcrib- chestrational theme was simplicity—and ing solos. At one time or another, I swing. So, I didn’t write too many elabo- was into transcribing entire ar- rate orchestrations with Basie. I kept them rangements. I knew some older very simple in terms of thematic content musicians who did that, and I did a and harmony, although I learned a lot couple of those. I think I transcribed about harmony from listening to other one solo...no, I learned one tran- arrangers, like Thad Jones and Ernie Wil- scribed solo—I learned Coleman kins...and Benny Carter. Hawkins’ famous “Body And Soul” solo. I learned to play that on alto, JI: Was Thad doing a lot more arranging because I was playing alto at the prior to the time that you started contrib- time. I was never into really tran- uting to the Basie band? scribing solos, because I thought, while it was good for analysis, it was FF: No, Thad didn’t do a lot of arrang- just getting too much into an artist’s ing; he did a few things. He has an ex- style. It’s bad enough that you copied tensive knowledge of the art of arrang- half of what he did (chuckles), on ing and his compositions, his arrange- records, or what you heard him play, ments, were very effective. I guess, in intuitively. But, it was all good prac- terms of the amount of arranging, I did tice for the ear; but I didn’t ever want more, and Thad did a little less, and to become too much like another artist. Frank Wess did even less. But they That’s one reason I was happy to were just as expert, if not more... switch from alto to tenor. Charlie Parker’s influence on my alto saxo- JI: You play alto, and you play tenor. Was that mean who played phone playing was so great, that I just always the case, from high school on? any instrument, who didn’t show a vast harmon- could- n’t shake it. Almost everything I played ic awareness. I was always attracted to the styles was Charlie Parker-ish, and earlier I had been FF: No. I played alto until my second year of of musicians who really, as the old timers used influenced by Johnny Hodges, and Willie Smith, college, and at that time they were short of tenor to say, knew their chord changes. And I could and Benny Carter, until Charlie Parker came players and had an abundance of alto players, so always tell who did and who didn’t! And anyone along and he wiped everything out of the way. I switched to tenor. And, I haven’t played alto who exposed his or her limitations, I didn’t lis- But I never got into transcribing solos, even since, except on a few occasions. As my style of playing became more adaptable to the tenor, I just put the alto down altogether. “It’s bad enough that you copied half of
JI: Have you found that, over the years, as you what he did (chuckles), on records, or what developed your sound on tenor, and the things that you were doing, that that was influencing you heard him play, intuitively ... but I didn’t your arranging style? ever want to become too much like another FF: Not so much. When you’re arranging, you have to think of all the instruments, their proper- artist. That’s one reason I was happy to ties and their qualities, their mechanics.... switch from alto to tenor. Charlie Parker’s JI: From live performances that I’ve seen, and on your recordings, it’s apparent that you’ve influence on my alto saxophone playing been influenced by some of the other tenor play- ers who were around, such as John Coltrane. was so great, that I just couldn’t shake it.” Would that be safe to say?
FF: Oh, yes. I was influenced by John Coltrane, ten to them much. I liked listening only to those now, when that seems to be a big part of the jazz Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Don Byas...I who really displayed a great harmonic ed program—transcribing, analyzing. guess those were my main influences on tenor knowledge. I mean, there are some who saxophone once I switched. swung—heavy swingers—and some who had a JI: You raise an interesting point. In years past, heavy blues orientation, and I would appreciate you could go down to the clubs, and sit in and JI: When you heard John Coltrane, and began to them. But whenever they played a note that I listen in, and it was all in a live or impromptu be interested in his work, how did you go about considered non-relevant, that would turn me off. (Continued on page 22)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 21 go, and everybody wants instant relief from ity of … who’s going to come out with some- Frank Foster pain, and fast learning....Someone recently said, thing that will represent a natural evolutional “Well, jazz used to be—what’s Charlie Parker, development of jazz, in which it still is creative, or John Coltrane, or Miles Davis gonna do next? and still is spontaneous, and still is applicable, (Continued from page 21) And now, it’s who’s gonna be the next Miles and relevant, and still contains those elements setting, where the music was evolving. And Davis, or the next Charlie Parker?”...instead of which always characterize jazz … the element of now, it’s moved from that...into the classroom, observing, and taking a liking to, and appreciat- swing, the feeling for the blues....I would like to which gives people the opportunity to develop ing the ongoing growth of any musician’s music think: devoid of electronics. I would hate to see their technique to some astonishing level … and career. Do you have a perspective on that? jazz move totally over into the world of elec- Could you comment on that? tronics, and have somebody say, well, the next FF: Well, I’m not looking for the “next” Charlie great person is gonna be the one who does some- FF: Yes. My only classrooms were the dance- Parker, or John Coltrane, or Miles Davis. I’m thing different on a synthesizer. I don’t wanna halls and the nightclubs...I would stand right just looking for hear that. You know, for how many close to the saxophone sec- decades did I grow up with acoustic tion, or sit under the lead music? And then, suddenly I was alto player or the solo tenor assaulted by electronics. And peo- player, and absorb what he ple say it’s getting to the point was doing. I think that, in a where you can’t tell acoustic piano sense, is better than all this from electric piano, and you can’t classroom activity. We seem tell synthesized strings from actual to be producing generations strings...And I just don’t think of derivative players...only they’ll ever bring it around to one in ten is really developing where you totally can’t tell the an individual style, and the difference between acoustic in- rest of them almost seem like struments, as they have been clones. known to be, and so-called elec- tronic imitations. And I was JI: How do you see, if there is distressed—I love classical mu- one, a way out of that dilem- sic, European classical music— ma? and I was distressed by the fact that they say: “Well, we’re mix- FF: I don’t know if there is a ing synthesizer with the sympho- way out of it...I don’t think ny orchestra, and we’re partly we’ll ever go back in time to a electronifying (chuckles) the less complicated era. You symphony orchestra.” And I know, we’ve got television, said, Oh, man, why does this we’ve got computers, and we’re have to be? Why can’t we keep able to do so much with tech- this acoustic purity somewhere, nology—and people get hung in this music? So, as far as I’m up on technology. Right now, concerned, I don’t want to hear I’m sitting at a computer, writ- about the next great jazz person ing out a score. I just don’t think being somebody who’s heavily we’re going to be able to return electronified! I want to hear to the so-called Stone Age of what somebody’s gonna do with the jazz (chuckles), where the princi- somebody who’s going to come alto saxophone, the tenor saxophone, the trum- pal activity is sitting up under someone, live. along with a thing of his or her own that will pet, the guitar, the trombone, the acoustic piano, Thank God, we still have some jazz clubs left, inspire me not to liken that person to Charlie as they have always been. and people can do that. And, we have these situ- Parker, or Coltrane, or Monk or Miles... ations where Monday night bands or Tuesday JI: What do you think are the most important night bands can play; but back when I was com- JI: Rather, to enjoy their original voice, which is non-musical things musicians need to learn in order to remain happy, and balanced, and be successful? “The most important non-musical thing is FF: The most important non-musical thing is to maintain physical and mental health, and not to maintain physical and mental health, become involved with drugs, thinking that drugs will help them perform, or will enhance their and not become involved with drugs, performance. Now, so many musicians got hung up in the drug thing, and it ended the lives, it shortened the lives, of many great musicians. thinking that drugs will help them per- And, it killed the careers of musicians, who nev- er even got to be heard from in the mainstream. I form, or will enhance their performance.” knew musicians in Detroit who, if they hadn’t gotten hung up on drugs, and got to New York, and got to the mainstream, and recording, and ing up, every week I heard a different band, in what jazz is all about—like many people, in- performing throughout the world, they would the same dancehall. You don’t have traveling cluding yourself, who’ve contributed to the mu- have been as big names as some of those who bands coming through like that anymore. sic. are out there now. And, of course, there are great names who were just brought down by drugs. I JI: Given that Americans are kind of moved by FF: Yes. And, see, the media and some of the won’t even mention any names.… what’s “in the moment,” and things come and critics—I don’t know, if they’ve got this mental-
22 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 best weapons, and your most important tools in FF: With Basie, there’s this time we were on Frank Foster developing whatever you need to develop, as far tour in England. And the band was wearing—we as jazz is concerned. And that means whether had sort of a tan tux uniform, with gold stripes you’re a passive listener, or you’re listening to down the middle of the trousers, and the gold FF: I’m not either. I’m referring to a “God- learn; if you’re listening for enjoyment, or lapels. And coffee brown bow ties, and coffee consciousness,” which can be Presbyterian, or you’re listening to learn various techniques, or brown shoes as the uniform. And I, uh, mis- Baptist, or none of the above, you know. First of listening for analysis, analytical purposes—your placed my shoes—I think somebody purposely all, the talent to perform music, to compose, ears are the best weapons you have. In addition misplaced them for me! I couldn’t find my uni- arrange, perform, is God-given. God gave every- to ears, I think some talent and feeling for the form shoes. We played this concert; I think it body in this world something to use for the bet- blues is necessary—I mean for players. Now, for was Manchester, England. Thousands of people terment of mankind, of humankind. Some of us people who just want to be part of our audience, in the audience. And the only other shoes I had He made musicians, some of us He made car- listening is very important because listening— was a pair of dirty blue and white sneakers—I penters, some of us build houses, or some of us really, truly listening—develops your faculties, mean, real dirty! And, so, I had to have some- own grocery stores, or whatever. God gave eve- so that you become a wonderful fan of the music thing on my feet, so I went out on stage to play, ry being born of woman something to use for the (chuckles)...and, we need fans! This music is and I had these blue and white sneakers on, with betterment of humankind. And, the talent to not…I mean, jazz is not elevator music. Elevator this tan tux and gold lapels. And, I was featured perform jazz music is one of the most beautiful gifts of God, as far as I’m concerned. Because it’s so much fun (chuckles), it’s so fulfilling and “...the talent to perform music, to rewarding. When you have done some- thing...When I have created a new piece, a song compose, arrange, perform, is God-given. or a symphony, or whatever—the satisfaction that I feel, even down to enjoying the physical God gave everybody in this world act of writing notes with a pen in hand, is just a great, great feeling. And the feeling of knowing something to use for the betterment of that when somebody hears these notes per- formed, and the notes come off the paper, and mankind, of humankind. Some of us come alive—the enjoyment and fulfillment they’re going to get out of it—that really gives He made musicians, some of us me a real boost. So, that’s the beginning of the spiritual awareness: It’s a God-given talent. He made carpenters …” And, we’re all supposed to live our lives accord- ing to the word of God, and we’re supposed to treat our fellow beings the way we’d like to be music forms a certain ambiance for things you on one of the songs, “Jumpin’ At The Wood- treated, simply stated. And if we can play some do in life, or getting from one place to another, side”—you probably know that one. And, when music for some people, and make them happy, but jazz has stories, messages. And people an artist is featured on a solo, that artist usually hey, I think that’s doing God’s work. should develop their listening power, to decipher goes around to the front, down, and there was a these messages. And, I think it takes a certain mike at the center of the stage in the front.… JI: It’s contrary to the attitude of many of the degree of intelligence to listen, even aesthetical- Well, I chose not to play into the mic on my people and some of the musicians that we all run ly, for long periods of time; but I think people extended featured solo, for obvious reasons, and into in the music business, where sometimes a are more developed as individuals, who listen I just stood up behind my music stand to play negative and undeserved behind-the-back criti- attentively. And, who strive...who want some- my solo. And, Charlie Fowlkes, the late Charlie cism, or the competitiveness and lack of cooper- thing more than just what the media has to offer, Fowlkes, who played baritone, sat next to me. ation you encounter alienates certain people, and in the way of not only music, but in all types of And he decided to pull my music stand out from runs contrary to that spirituality that we’re talk- entertainment. If you go with the general public, in front of me, revealing me standing there with ing about. you’re just going to be fed a bunch of garbage, this classy tux on, and these dirty blue and white and you’re gonna eat it all. But if you want sneakers. Everybody in the audience broke up, FF: Right, right. I agree with that. something more, you will develop a taste for and the band broke up. Basie fell off the piano jazz, for true jazz. stool, laughing! ‘Cause the spotlight was right JI: We talk about playing a lot, and how im- on me! portant in writing and playing it is to develop JI: Do you have a favorite funny story about harmonic, and melodic, and rhythmic under- working with Basie, or any particular players JI: Sounds like Charlie Fowlkes and some of the standing, and of course the other subtleties, such you worked with, that you want to share? guys in the band knew it was going to happen in as dynamics and phrasing, and texture, and so advance! on. But there’s an element that a lot of people FF: Okay. I got a couple of stories. One is an overlook—they don’t necessarily overlook it, Ella Fitzgerald story. Years ago, when I first FF: It sounds like they did, yeah....But, I played but it doesn’t occupy as much importance— worked with Ella, with the Basie band, we were one hell of a solo! namely, listening. Gary Peacock, in an interview talkin’ in Birdland. We were standing at the bar, JI: So they forgot about the sneakers…! What mentioned that if you’re in the mode of deep havin’ a little drink. And I said: “Miss Fitzger- words of wisdom have you received from a listening, then the playing will simply take care ald, my wife is a big fan of yours. She thinks teacher or a mentor or is there a quotation, or a of itself. you’re marvelous, she thinks you’re wonderful, fragment of wisdom that’s inspired you, or that she thinks you’re the greatest that she’s ever you abide by? FF: Hmm. Well, I agree with that, at least in heard, and she thinks the sun rises and sets
part. To that I would add—you’ve got to work to around you...” Every sort of compliment about FF: Well, I remember, somebody told me a long become what you’d want to be, musically. And, what my wife thought. So, Ella finally said, “Oh, time ago: “Never get satisfied with yourself, kid. listening is a very important part of it. When I do that’s very nice. Now, how do you feel?” And I ‘Cause the minute you think you’re the greatest, clinics, and workshops, whatever, seminars and said, “Oh, I feel fine.” (hearty chuckles) Natural- and you wanna stick out your chest, somebody discussions around the world at universities and ly, I cleared it up later. else is gonna come along and blow you music schools, one of my most important state- away!” (laughs) ments to the students is: These two things on JI: Yeah, I’m sure.
either side of your head, known as ears, are your
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 23 through that. As I started to do projects that in- volved string quartets, or an accordion, I would InterviewInterview study the music in which those instruments were featured – say, Bartok’s String Quartet. So I bought the score to that and I brought it on the road with me. I battled through trying to under- stand a lot of that music. I got particularly in- Ted Nash volved with tango, loved listening to Piazzolla and nouveau tango stuff and very old tango. The Commitment, Dedication, Challenges, Growth Jazz Composers Collective is a group I was a part of back in mid 90s. For about 13 years we New York Youth Symphony think in my mid 30s or so I started to really in- did five concerts a year, and we always were Ted Nash Extended Works vestigate composition. I realized that playing featured on one of the concert. That was the Jazz At Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Club, December 11 your own music was important. It really helped opportunity to push myself – and to come up identify you. Again, I felt very young at it. I with something new. That’s where I came up Interview by Eric Nemeyer realized that my favorite projects are those with some of the ideas that I really like with my where I’ve done a lot of orchestrating or com- small band stuff. JI: Talk a little bit about your life in New York posing. Living in the city—I’m pretty relaxed City and how you’re able to stay balanced with it. It doesn’t matter how active, or crazy, or JI: I really liked that album the Mel Lewis and among the hustle and bustle and noise and so on. loud, energetic the city is. I maintain an even Brookmeyer did with the big band in the late energy level for myself. I do have a cabin that’s 70’s. I think it had a blue cover and it had all TN: I lived in Brooklyn for a while. I moved out in Pennsylvania, in Wayne County—the these great charts by Bob Brookmeyer. here when I was eighteen. I was a bit sure of Northeast tip of Wayne County in the upper myself, a little cocky — because things seemed Delaware area. I’ve got ten acres of wooded TN: I joined the band just after that record came to go so easily for me when I was young. In Los property and a log cabin and a piano, and it’s the out. Tom Harrell was in it. Dick Oatts had a Angeles, people seemed to care that I was polar opposite of being in the city. So I have the feature called “Make Me Smile.” Steve Coleman young, and they thought that was interesting. best of both worlds. I did most of the Chakra or Kenny Garrett had been playing with the “Wow, he plays great for somebody who’s sev- [album] writing out there in the cabin. I enjoy band. I used to sub for Steve. The chair opened enteen or sixteen or whatever.” I was getting being in the city. I’m not doing a lot of in-town up and Dick Oatts asked me to join. Brookmeyer gigs, and then it was time to come to New York work. I used to do Broadway shows. I did some was the musical director at the time and we where the people were serious about music— studio work. I used to do a lot of private parties played a lot of that music. He wrote more music jazz. This is where everybody was. This is and things back when I was in my 20s and 30s. that was very challenging, and kind of went where all my heroes lived. So I moved to the Even in my 40s I was still doing Broadway away from Thad’s more traditional way. A lot of city here and I had gotten an attitude. And peo- shows because I needed to earn a living. Now I guys in the band loved it, and a lot of guys in the ple were like, “Hey, you see that little line going don’t need to do any of that work. I realize that band resisted it. Bob Brookmeyer was very con- around, all the way around the building and most of the work that I do I could get on a plane flicted and eventually left. He just said I can’t do down the street? Get in the back of that line, and come here and do, or be on the road. So in this anymore. that’s where you belong.” I learned quickly. This the back of my mind there is the possibility that was before the young lion thing too, so I didn’t I may not always be in the city for my perma- JI: How was he conflicted? get the benefit of that vernacular. But I realized nent place of residence. But I’m still not quite at that I had to work. There was so much still to do that point. I like the energy. I think a true extro- TN: He saw the band as an opportunity. He was and to work hard. I got a little bit side-tracked I vert is somebody that thrives on energy of other in the band originally [when Thad and Mel think in my first few years in New York. It was- people. That’s why you see a lot of people going founded the band in the mid 1960s] and wrote n’t anything specific. It wasn’t like drugs or to a café, a coffee shop and sitting and doing some of the early music. Then he saw it as an alcohol. I was in a relationship that was just not their homework or doing their work. It’s not like extension of his own creativity, as an opportuni- very supportive of what I did—and I didn’t prac- they’re engaged with anybody but they just love ty to explore new sides of himself. But I think tice enough and I didn’t write enough music. I the energy of people around them and it helps some people felt that it was at their expense. did gigs and I kept working and playing with them produce. I do get that. They didn’t necessarily want to play music that was so free. So there was resistance from the band. I think Bob was conflicted because he “...the commitment also means that we’ll get wanted to stay there. He loved Mel. He loved a lot of the guys in the band. He loved the oppor- called for things that we really want to do and tunity. Yet he felt like people weren’t digging the music enough. So he always felt bad. More we have to say no. That’s what a commitment is. and more he would show up and you could tell that he was feeling insecure about the music. He You are that dedicated to something. felt like he wasn’t getting support. Not too long after that, he moved to Rotterdam where he felt I think that’s a challenge at times” that people understood his music better or some- thing. bands, but I feel like I just missed a few years JI: Talk about the kinds of study and investiga- there where I could have been developing more tion you did as you began to pursue your interest JI: Talk a little bit about your work at Jazz at and achieving more creatively. I had a rebirth in in composition. Lincoln Centre which occupies a significant my late 20s where I had started to really discov- amount of your time. er music that I had never heard before, and start- TN: Being in the Mel Lewis band for ten years, ed to develop more in my personal way of play- I heard Thad Jones and Bob Brookmeyer in par- TN: Well, I first joined 15 years ago. During the ing, and getting away from sounding like every- ticular. I studied their scores so I got my basics second year I was in the band we did an entire body that I liked. Then starting in my 30s, I about orchestrating for a big band kind of (Continued on page 26)
24 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 25 ful.” I said “Why?” He goes “You know, men benefits. So that happens sometimes. Ted Nash with tuxedos and all of that—that just kind of seems like it’s getting away from—you’re a JI: Well that’s a good healthy attitude. People (Continued from page 24) creative musician man. You’re too creative to who don’t know the inner workings of an organ- get caught up in all that and everything.” I said, ization and often times project their own under- year celebrating Duke’s [Ellington] Centennial “Whoa, okay.” I kind of got it for a while. The standings or misunderstandings onto things. and doing of just Duke’s music. We didn’t do next time I saw Dave Liebman was when he was Plus, things don’t remain static. Everyone and anything else that entire year but Duke. So it a guest for Jazz at Lincoln Centre, and we were everything is always in process – and does not really did feel like a repertory orchestra. I playing some very creative music. He just remain stagnant and stay the way it was when it wouldn’t trade that year for anything because I seemed to be very involved and supportive of it. started out. The Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra learned a hell of a lot about not only Duke, but So I think sometimes it’s our own perception may have seemed like it was a Duke Ellington about music. The band still had a bit of reputa- that changes, or sometimes it’s the actual direc- repertoire band for a year. But things have to tion of being a repertory band in that it started tion of the music that’s changing and people are start somewhere before they begin to grow and out that way. But now the majority of what we learning about it. But I think Jazz at Lincoln take on the life of the participants and all of the do is new music or original music, or music Centre is doing wonderful things and I’m really energy that’s evolving and growing on a daily written by cats in the band. The direction of the honored to be a part of it. basis. band has certainly changed in the last three, four, five years. There was a point when I felt JI: What are some of the challenges that you TN: Yes, for sure. People who don’t actually like maybe my contribution to the band was experience in your work if any with Jazz at Lin- listen to our music or check us out or come to through. I wasn’t really giving anything to the coln Centre? our concerts may only remember something that band that they needed necessarily and I almost Wynton said when he was nineteen. Or they may left. I’m glad I didn’t—because now I feel very TN: It’s a full commitment. We have annual have seen one concert on PBS back in 1991. I involved with that direction. I write a lot of mu- contracts. We’re committed to them. They take remember showing up for a gig and someone sic. Wynton is so wonderful to work for. He’s up about seven months work out of the year. said, “Hey, how’s that gig you’re doing with a always encouraging us to write, to find our own That’s basically a positive thing—but we also racist.” I was like, “Excuse me?” “Yes, the thing voice, to always be honest in the music. I think can’t do a lot of other things. So the commit- with Wynton.” I said, “Wow, what makes you people are starting to learn a little bit about ment also means that we’ll get called for things think he’s a racist?” He said, “Oh, come on. I Wynton in that he feels a tremendous responsi- that we really want to do and we have to say no. know some of the things he said.” I said, “Oh, bility for keeping jazz alive. He has a strong That’s what a commitment is. You are that dedi- you mean some of those comments he made mission to make that sure jazz doesn’t die. Part cated to something. I think that’s a challenge at when he was nineteen or something, because he of that is preserving older music, and part of it is times because there are things that come up - was angry about how he was treated as a kid or something? Come on. We all grow up.” Wynton is racially aware, certainly. But he’s not racist by “The band [Jazz At Lincoln Center Orhcestra] any means.
JI: Everyone is growing and evolving. It sounds still had a bit of reputation of being a repertory like there is a healthy attitude that is a part of the Orchestra and the way he encourages members. band in that it started out that way. But now the TN: Yes, and Wynton’s a deep thinker. He reads majority of what we do is new music or original a lot. I’m always learning about things when I’m talking with and hanging out with him. We music, or music written by cats in the band ... laugh too because we’re about the same age. We have kids the same age. We have fathers who There was a point when I felt like maybe my are musicians. We grew up in the same era lis- tening to the same music. So we have so much contribution to the band was through. I wasn’t in common and yet we didn’t really hook up with each other until the mid-90s. We feel like it really giving anything to the band that they would have been interesting if we had met a decade earlier - what that would have been. I’m needed necessarily and I almost left. I’m glad I so glad that I have him next to me a lot of times. He’s a great inspiration. didn’t—because now I feel very involved with that direction. I write a lot of music.”
creating newer music. So it all comes together. I and they might be my own things. There have feel like all the music is valid. I remember once, been offers to do things of my own that I’ve had “The greatest day in your life a long time ago, I ran into a hero of mine, Dave to say no to. There have been times when the and mine is when we take total Liebman. I went to hear him play in Chicago. I conflict was so great that I talked to Wynton and had a night off after the gig with Jazz at Lincoln I said “Hey, look, man, this thing is really im- responsibility for our attitudes. Center. So I came and I heard him at the Green portant.” And he’ll say “Cool man, we’ll get That’s the day we truly grow up.” Mill. Afterwards I went up to him and said “Hey somebody to cover for you. Do that, that’s im- man.” He goes “Hey, how are doing?” I said portant.” Whenever the cats in the band can do “Good. I’ve been playing Jazz at Lincoln Cen- something where they can grow, he knows that ter.” He looked at me and he said “Just be care- we bring that back to the band and everybody - John Maxwell
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To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 27 gamble. The owners wanted people to be able to gamble. I think it was Frank Wess who told me InterviewInterview that Lionel Hampton was then sued for playing too much. Another experience I had playing with Lionel Hampton was in the Jazz Nativity. I was one of the kings, along with Tito Puente and Paquito D’Rivera Lionel Hampton. Then we played the closing “It takes a great man, not just a great musician, jam session. Then we all packed our instruments and went downstairs for the party. When we came back upstairs, Lionel Hampton and Tito to try to make other people feel good.” Puente were playing a duet.
Hear Paquito D’Rivera dogs. JI: Talk about Cachao. Jazz At Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Club December 31, New Year’s Eve JI: Do you appear with the animals in those PR: Cachao was a friend of my father back in pictures as well? Havana. He was the reason that I wrote this Interview & Photos by Eric Nemeyer PR: Yeah, yeah yeah. [laughs]. The cover of the piece “Conversation with Cachao.” It is written edition in Spanish was taken with a group of for contrabass, saxophone and symphony or- JI: Tell us about your book. baby elephants in Thailand. Seconds after the chestra. It was commissioned for the Caramoor photo was taken, one of them stole from me a Music Festival. I wanted to write a contrabass PR: The book is called Portraits and Land- bunch of bananas. [laughs]. I’ve had so much concerto but they wanted me in the picture. I scapes. This is a traveling book. As you know I fun traveling around the world that I decided to remember those conversations my father had spend most of my time traveling and watching put it in a book to read about our nomad life. with Cachao in little cafes, in his office, in cen- the landscapes through the windows of the train tral Havana. So I said let’s put this together and or bus, and meeting different types of people. I JI: Could you talk about your association with dedicate it to Cachao and Tito. My father’s name decided to put that in a volume and put it out. It Lionel Hampton? was Tito. My relationship with Cachao was very was published in Spanish by Universal but now warm. I’m looking for a publisher in English. I think it PR: The first time I played with Lionel Hamp- could be very interesting book – especially for ton was at his festival in Moscow, Idaho. For JI: Did you have much opportunity to play with musicians and people that don’t have a chance to me, it was a dream come true. Lionel Hampton Cachao in Cuba? travel. The book covers from Thailand to Bue- was on the first recording I got, Benny Good- nos Aires to Mexico to Japan, Taiwan, China. man, Live At Carnegie Hall. So, playing PR: He left Cuba when I was very young. He There are tales about people whom I’ve had the “Memories of You” with Lionel Hampton was a was part of the line of contrabasses for the TV chance to work with – people like Yo-Yo Ma, fantastic experience for me. I played many times station symphony orchestra. I played a couple of Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Cachao, Celia with him after that – and I always had a lot of times with the symphony as a soloist. He was Cruz. I also describe different parts of the world fun. known mostly for the dance music that he rec- while being with those artists. These are chroni- orded. But he was a very versatile musician. He cles of my travels. JI: Do you remember any discussions you might played symphonic music, ballet – anything.
JI: Did he provide any guidance or ideas about how he wanted you to play. “I think it is important for your self- PR: No. He had such a great sense of humor. respect to put a price on your work – Cachao was a lesson by himself. He was a mag- nificent contrabassist. He had that grace to play music. because this is work. It doesn’t look JI: You had a long association with Dizzy Gil- lespie. Talk about how that began and devel- like work to other people, but this is oped.
work. We have to practice, we have PR: There is a chapter in my book called “General Holmes in Havana.” That was the initi- ation of our friendship. I arrived in my house in to pay for [instrument] repairs, we Marianao, a suburb of Havana City. I found a paperback with something written on it in kind of a “Spanglish.” It said, “Paquito, we have been have to dress correctly.” looking for you. Don’t disappoint us. – Dizzy Gillespie” I said, “What kind of joke is this?” have had with him? Then I went to the grocery store around the cor- JI: Are there pictures in the book? ner. The guy there said, “Did you receive the PR: No. Just watching him play was plenty. He note.” I said, “What note? What type of joke is PR: Yes. This is my third book and a very im- loved playing music so much. Somebody told this?” He said, “It’s not a joke. There was guy portant part of my books are pictures – taken in me that one time he was sued for playing too who came in here – a chubby black guy with different parts of the world and with a variety of much. He was playing in Las Vegas and they these chicks. He was speaking in a new language people and animals that I met in those places. I told him he had to play one hour. He would al- and wearing a herring bone cape that Sherlock love animals. So there are a number of pictures ways play an hour and forty five minutes or two Holmes used to wear in the movies. He had a of elephants, and big parrots in the Amazon, and hours. Then people didn’t have the chance to (Continued on page 30)
28 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 29 want to know what the hell you’re doing.” I PaquitoJoseph Jarman D’Rivera JI: Did Dizzy offer any ideas or suggestions to agree with him. I think that reading music is you? very important – as important as knowing how to play by ear. First of all, it saves a lot of time (Continued from page 28) PR: Dizzy Gillespie was a born teacher. He was in the studio. When you are able to have a guide always teaching something harmonically or to show you where you are going… You can double visor hat and he was smoking a pipe that rhythmically. Every day we had something new play in small groups without reading music. But looked like a saxophone. I said, “That was Dizzy to learn from him. The way he addressed the when you play in a large ensemble, it is impossi- Gillespie.” The guy in the store said, “Dizzy audience…. Playing with him was like going to ble to organize without reading music. Dizzy who?” He had no idea who Dizzy was. That day school. Sometimes, without saying a word, he was very aware of that. There is no reason not to a very large ship named The Daphne came into would teach you how to play certain phrases and be able to read music. That is like asking me to port. On the ship were people like Stan Getz, what not to play. That’s an important thing – read the New York Times for you. Read it your- Joanne Brackeen, and Dizzy Gillespie. So, Artu- because sometimes the more important notes are self! Reading music is an asset. It’s a blessing. ro Sandoval was passing by the pier and he saw not the ones that you play, but the ones that you Improvising is also a blessing. When you com- Dizzy Gillespie – which is like seeing, I don’t leave out. Dizzy was an example of that … of bine both you are in heaven. You save time. I know… a horse with three heads. We’re in the what not to play. He was a master of leaving don’t like rehearsing too much. I don’t want to middle of Havana, and here’s Dizzy Gillespie. space for others to shine. play the same piece ten times. I want to play two What the hell is this? Well, Dizzy was real easy times and that’s it. Then go on to the next piece. to convince to go wherever you wanted. So Ar- JI: You played in Dizzy’s United Nations Or- And, the only way to do that is if you read mu- turo said, “Do you want to go with me? I’m a chestra. sic. trumpet player.” Dizzy said, “Yeah, I’ll go with you.” So, Arturo took him to my house, and I PR: I was the Musical Director along with Slide JI: How did you develop your arranging skills? was not there. A couple of hours later, I found Hampton. We organized the orchestra for him. I out that I received a call to go to the former Hil- arranged a couple of things. It was like a pocket PR: By studying scores and reading orchestra- ton Hotel. I went there and there was a jam ses- size big band. When Sam Rivers left the band, tion books. Don Sebesky’s book. But, mainly sion with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz and Earl Marion Rivera took over. That added a little listening and comparing with the score. Maurice “Fatha” Hines. So that was the beginning of a more of a Caribbean flavor to the band. I also Ravel, Kodaly, and the arrangers for Stan Ken- very nice friendship until the end of his life. suggested bring in Claudio Roditi to play the ton, like Pete Rugolo, Pete Russo, Johnny Rich- That was in April of 1977. second trumpet. Dizzy loved his sound, and ard Jones, Chico O’Farrill and of course, Thad commented on it very often. Also, when Monty Jones. I think Stan Kenton has been very under- JI: Then you came to the United States and be- Alexander left, a very young Danilo Perez came rated for the past 30 or 40 years. I think he is one gan playing with Dizzy. on. of the Big Band titans. He knew how to sur- round himself with great arrangers. I never made PR: I was always a guest artist. I was never a JI: Do you remember any discussions with Diz- a living as an arranger. I do it because I like it. member of his band. The first time I went on zy that made a particular impact on you? But, I learned a lot from an Argentinian guy who tour with him was when Toots Thielemans had a lives in New York for many years, named Carlos stroke in 1981. Toots was supposed to be his PR: We were playing at Lincoln Center. I made Franzetti. He is a master of the colors. He was “...when you play in a large ensemble, it is impossible to organize without reading music. Dizzy was very aware of that. There is no reason not to be able to read music. That is like asking me to read the New York Times for you. Read it yourself! Reading music is an asset. It’s a blessing. Improvising is also a blessing. When you combine both you are in heaven.”
guest artist on the tour through Europe. Dizzy a sarcastic comment to him, and then tried to my pianist for awhile. He even wrote a concerto called me and asked, “Do you want to do this pinch him to see what he had to say. We were for me, and I worked with him a lot. tour?” He wanted me as the guest artist. I said, talking about sight reading music, I said some- “Dizzy, I am not as well known as Toots Thiele- thing to provoke him. I said, “Dizzy, I heard that JI: I know that he arranged the music for an mans.” Dizzy said gruffly, “You want to do the Charlie Parker played by ear, that he didn’t read album by Jon Faddis a few years ago. tour or you don’t.” I said, “OK, I will go with music.” Dizzy became very serious and said, you.” He was so helpful for me because the fol- “That is a big lie.” I said that some people play PR: Yes. I played on that album. Faddis played lowing year I had my own tour in Europe. That pretty good without reading. He said, “Not that the flugelhorn most of the time. was very generous of Dizzy. way. For you to play like Charlie Parker, you (Continued on page 31)
30 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 the enormous contribution of Latin-American book of exercises that belonged to my father. Paquito D’Rivera musicians to the jazz language. Then they put The exercises keep me in good shape. I practice together this suite – and the lyrics were written certain tonguing exercises in all keys and porta- by Annie Colina. She has been in exile for 50 mentos – long jumps. They are very good for the (Continued from page 30) years and she is here in New Jersey. The Pan lips to keep you in good shape. I don’t have a Americana Suite is an homage to the entire con- routine to practice anymore. I used to have one tinent – the entire Americas. It puts together when I was a kid. JI: Could you talk about your recent album instruments from the entire continent – the ma- Paquito D’Rivera Tango Jazz? rimba from Central America, the steel pan from JI: What is special about the Rossi Clarinet that the Caribbean, the harp from the Andes, and the you play? PR: There was a Tango concert at Jazz At Lin- bandoneon from Argentina. coln Center. The musical director was Pablo PR: I have five of them – one in A, one in C and Aslan, the great Argentinian bass player. They JI: What kind of practice do you do on a daily three in Bb. I love that instrument. It makes your called me to be the guest artist. They imported basis to maintain your skills? life easier. I play a rosewood instrument. Luis the musicians from Argentina, Uruguay, a ban- Rossi is a soloist also. He made that instrument doneon player – the one jazz bandoneon player, PR: The saxophone is a very noble instrument. for the soloist – so it is very well built instru- Michael Zisman. He is such an impressive play- When you stay in good shape with the clarinet, ment. He has also continued to improve the in- er because he gets the bebop language into the you practically don’t have to play the saxophone strument. The wood is carved differently. The Tango thing. When I heard the reaction, we tried too much. The clarinet demands much more instrument is longer and the barrel is shorter. to record it live at Lincoln Center. Sometimes it attention. That’s why there are so few of us The sound of the instrument is very pure and is more important to listen than to play. So I around. I don’t play the alto sax too much at mellow. I try to have a dark sound and this in- learned from the way they played the Tango. I home. I have the clarinet assembled all the time, strument gives it to me. was impressed with the results. We got permis- and it’s over there in the corner. Whenever I sion and put out the CD. have a chance I practice scales. These days I JI: What have you observed about leadership don’t have too much time to practice because from the influential players with whom you have JI: Could you talk about your other current al- I’m doing so many things. I’m traveling and worked. bum, Pan Americana. writing. It’s not that the saxophone is an easy instrument. There is no such thing. But staying PR: I try to learn constantly so I absorbed those PR: Pan Americana was commissioned by Jazz in shape on the clarinet keeps you in shape on things naturally. I am a better leader though At Lincoln Center ten years ago. The piece fea- the sax. Frank Wess said the clarinet was invent- since I had the chance to work with these lead- tured Nicholas Payton and myself. I remembered ed by five men that never met. Usually I use a (Continued on Page 32)
(Continued on page 32)
To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 31 Carnegie Hall with those huaraches man.” He others is to be applauded and emulated, or a Paquito D’Rivera told her he didn’t have any other shoes. She place of scarcity, where the success of others is said: “You know we are in New York, and on to be feared.” every corner there is a shoe store. So you better (Continued from page 31) go and buy a couple of pairs because we are not PR: That takes a nice man like Michael Moss- going to let you go on stage this way. And, you man to think that way. Most negative people ers, like Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie. Even have to comb your hair.” Ever since then he has don’t know how to do that. It takes a great man, when Lionel was almost 100 years old, he didn’t become a very well-dressed musician –very not just a great musician, to try to make other want to stop playing. That is a great example. It elegant. We are very proud that we kind of initi- people feel good. was the same thing with Tito Puente – the love ated that for him. When you are well dressed for what we do, the dedication. you look better on stage and the music comes JI: In Quantum physics, it is understood that out better. You don’t have to wear tuxedoes all particles change when observed. Wayne Dyer JI: One of my favorite quotations about business the time, but clothing has to be part of your pro- phrased it that when you change the way you was something that Dizzy said which went fession. look at things, the things you look at change. If something like: “I love the music but at the end we view someone in a positive, friendly way, of the day I want to be paid.” Could you talk JI: What are some of the things you have dis- that’s often what we get in return. about some of your business perspectives? covered about human nature. PR: James Moody had a great line. He said, “If PR: I am not a very good businessman. But I PR: Some people have the opinion that you can you’re telephone doesn’t ring, it’s me.” [laughs] have a good manager. There is no rule. Some- be on bad terms with the drummer or the pianist times you have to do things for no money, and and the quality of the music will have nothing to JI: With everyone in a business like music or even have to pay to do something – for a good do with that. I don’t agree with that. Maybe you entertainment wanting attention, how do you cause. I like what Dizzy said that you quoted. can behave that way in a big band or in a sym- avoid letting your ego get out of control? We make a living out of music and we don’t do phony orchestra. The guy playing the third bass anything else. I think it is important for your self chair may have nothing to do with the tympanist. PR: Ego is something that is very import. It -respect to put a price on your work – because But when you are playing this type of music, the keeps you running, with the desire and to aspire this is work. It doesn’t look like work to other better the relationships we have in the band, the to do things. The problem with the ego is like “Dizzy Gillespie was a born teacher. He was always teaching something harmonically or rhythmically. Every day we had something new to learn from him. The way he addressed the audience…. Playing with him was like going to school. Sometimes, without saying a word, he would teach you how to play certain phrases and what not to play. That’s an important thing – because sometimes the more important notes are not the ones that you play, but the ones that you leave out.”
people, but this is work. We have to practice, we better the music is going to sound. It reflects in with salt in food. Salt tastes good. But if you put have to pay for [instrument] repairs, we have to the music when the musicians don’t like each in too much salt, it tastes terrible. Just like hot dress correctly. That’s another thing that has other. Many years ago, I got rid of any negative sauce. A little bit of hot sauce on your food is disappeared from the jazz music – and I hate it. elements in my band. I don’t like negative peo- good. If you put in the whole bottle you won’t Sometimes musicians dress for a performance as ple. I’m so happy that I achieved that – with the be able to eat the food. Shinichi Suzuki, the cre- if they are just going to the grocery store at the band that I have for the last 20 years. They get ator of the Suzuki method said: “The most im- corner or something. You have to be on some along with each other. If there is a problem – portant thing is to keep your ego controlled. The musicians, because they dress like sh*t – except any type of problem, we can solve it among excess of vanity deprives you of the appreciation the Wynton Marsalis Orchestra. Someone who ourselves, like in a family …. Even better than the greatness around you.” In other words, he is has changed his dress habits for the best is in a family. If we have a problem we talk about saying you are missing too much of the great- Danilo Perez. The first time that he was going to it and try to solve it. We really like and admire ness surrounding you when are too much into play with me at Carnegie Hall, he was wearing a each other. yourself. As a pianist friend of mine Esko Linna- pair of huaraches – very rustic shoes that the valli, in Finland said: “When you think you are a Mexicans sell in the streets for two or three or JI: A few months ago we ran interviews with a finished musician, you are finished.” four dollars. It is a yellow shoe with the sole number of educators. Michael Mossman made a made out of a tire. He was wearing something comment about students that really applies for us JI: What do you do to decompress? similar to a tuxedo with the huaraches. He was all: “what determines a student’s [or a person’s] very young – maybe 20 years old. My wife, success is whether they decide to see the world PR: I go around in my baby blue 1957 Belair. Brenda told him: “You are not going on stage at as a place of abundance, where the success of It’s a conversation piece. I like old cars.
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DaveDave BrubeckBrubeck Newport Jazz Festival, August 13, 2005
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36 November-December 2017 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 Contact Steve: 630-865-6849 | email: [email protected]
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When it comes to superb vintage drums Our experience: In addition to operating our NY and you need a true expert. I have over 40 Chicagoland stores, I currently serve as years of experience with vintage drums manager and curator of the world’s finest private collection of rare and celebrity and have authenticated and brokered owned drums in the world. some of the rarest and finest sets in exis- We have authenticated and brokered the sale of instruments owned by such tence, including sets owned by some of famous drummers as Buddy Rich, the world’s most renowned drummers. Joe Morello, Elvin Jones, Mel Lewis, Tony Williams, Sonny Greer, Don Lamond, Cozy Cole, Papa Jo Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Whether you want to purchase or sell a Gene Krupa, Peter Erskine, Stan Levey, fine vintage snare drum or drum set, or Dave Tough, Louie Bellson, Jake Hanna, Earl Palmer, Billy Gladstone and more. perhaps purchase something owned by Steve We have sold more of the world’s rarest Maxwell a famous drummer you admire, trust drums and drum sets than anyone in the world. Items such as: the finest known the industry’s leading expert. Ludwig Top Hat and Cane drum set; the finest known and unique example of When you call or email, you get me. I am available and I want to speak Leedy’s Autograph of the Stars set; four with you. Feel free to call or email with questions and requests. of the twelve known examples of ’50s era Gretsch cadillac nitron green “Birdland” drum sets; more Gretsch round badge era No one does “vintage” better, and you deserve the best. 12-14-18 drum sets than any dealer world- wide; eight of the rare Billy Gladstone snares (of which only 25 exist) and one of the only Serving the www.maxwelldrums.com two complete Billy Gladstone drum sets. Community of Our worldwide clientele consists of Midtown Manhattan 242 W. 30th Street, New York, NY 10001 serious players; collectors, investors and Professional Ph: 212-730-8138 Hours: 11–7 M–F; 11–6 Sat anyone else who loves the finest examples Drummers and of rare vintage drums. Our expertise runs Chicagoland 2000 Bloomingdale Road, Unit #110 deep and is rooted in the superb instru- Drum Lovers Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Ph: 630-237-4997 ments crafted by US manufacturers from Hours: 11–6 Fri; 10–5 Sat | Additional hours by appointment. the 1920s through the 1970s.
JAZZINSIDE_full-page_VintageExp10.07.17.indd 1 11/13/17 3:10 PM New CD Release from Dallas Area Pianist John A. Lewis
John A. Lewis, piano Merik Gillett, drums Robert Trusko, bass
TRACKS: Backstory Deadline Jacked Complicity Bylines Liable Precocity Excerpt from the "Ancient Dance Suite" What Say I A Cautionary Ruse
All compositions by John A Lewis Visit JohnALewisJazz.com