The Latin Side of Hot House
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183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 1 The only jazz magazine in NY in print, online THE LATIN SIDE and on apps! OF HOT HOUSE P31 August 2017 www.hothousejazz.com Smoke Jazz & Supper Club Page 4 Tompkins Square Page 17 Harold Mabern Tia Fuller Benny Green Marquis Hill Birdland Page 4 Jazz Standard Page 21 Where To Go & Who To See Since 1982 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 2 2 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 12:59 PM Page 3 ee n n e FFIIFFTTHH AANNNNUUAALL NNYYCC Fans Decision Jazz Award Help your favorite players win the award for best musician in their category: go to www.NYCJazzContest.com and vote before August 21st! 2017 Honoree: GEORGE WEIN NEA Jazz master, Chairman - Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. and Founder of the Newport Jazz Festival Mark your calendar to attend the award ceremony and hang out with the Who's Who's of the New York jazz scene. Monday, October 9th - 7pm Metropolitan Room 34 West 22nd Street, NYC 3 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 4 Sponsored by Dot Time Records WINNING SPINS By George Kanzler HE ENDURING VITALITY OF JAZZ student and frequent collaborator, tenor rooted in the post-bop, modern main- saxophonist Eric Alexander, 49, and on Tstream back when the term "record" usual- three tracks, an even younger former stu- ly meant an LP and recording sessions dent, trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, 41. were routinely captured in real time, is On the album's opening title tune by reflected in this pair of Winning Spins by Jimmy Van Heusen, Cyro Baptista adds pianists whose stylistic sources are firmly Afro-Latin percussion, turning it into what in that era. Harold calls a "samba slash bossa." Harold Harold Mabern, now 81, actually lived has a well-earned reputation as a hard through it, first recording as a sideman in driving, two-fisted pianist, as his full-fin- the late 1950s. He has played with many of gered solo on this track affirms. In fact, the greats of that time including in the Eric's original blues here, "The Iron Man," Miles Davis Quintet of 1963, which record- is titled for one of Harold's nicknames. ed the At the Blackhawk live sessions. Harold and Eric share space on the Benny Green, at 54 a generation younger Schwartz-Dietz standard "If There Is than Harold, came on the scene in the Someone Lovelier Than You" with buoy- 1980s, honing his skills in those "post- antly swinging, heartbeat tempo solos. A graduate" bands led by Betty Carter and blues feel is also a big part of the hard bop Art Blakey (Jazz Messengers). that Harold grew up on; his funky, bluesy To Love and Be Loved, Harold Mabern side, as well as Eric's and Freddie's, comes (Smoke Sessions), comprises standards out on Harold's early employer and mentor and jazz originals associated with Harold's Lee Morgan's 6/8 rocker, "The Gigolo." early years in jazz. He's joined by a rhythm An even more down-home blues feel section anchored by a true jazz elder, emanates from Gene Ammons' "Hittin' the drummer Jimmy Cobb, still a vital rhyth- Jug," spiced up by playing it in G instead of mic force at 88, and veteran bassist Nat the original B-flat and shifts in and out of Reeves. Joining them is Harold's former double-time during the solos. Harold also pays tribute to two of his contemporaries on the piano, doing McCoy Tyner's boppish "Inner Glimpse" with the two-horn quintet and essaying Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere" as a solo tour-de-force stroll through jazz history. Nat gets to step out front playing the lead on Miles Davis' "So What," the last quintet track, highlighted by a sparklingly animated trumpet solo from Freddie. Harold reshuffles the order of a familiar standard, Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You," keeping everyone on their toes by fol- lowing the verse with the bridge before introducing the familiar chorus strains. Happiness!, Benny Green (Sunnyside), is a trio date recorded live one night in June 2016 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, Calif. Benny is joined by bassist David Wong and drummer Rodney Green. The repertoire is firmly rooted in the hard bop era with tunes from six of that period's leading lights. Rounding out the eight tracks is Benny's own "Pittsburgh Brethren," his hard bop blues with a bridge notable for a piano solo build- ing increasingly intricate right-hand lines with plenteous left-hand commentary, and for a solo from Rodney that becomes an inventive trading of breaks and fours with Benny. Pianist Cedar Walton is the only com- poser with two titles on the CD. Benny romps through "Martha's Prize," a tricky line with stop-times and two-bar flights continued on page 29 4 Green cover photo by RR Jones, Mabern Jimmy Katz. 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 5 5 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 6 6 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 7 7 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 8 8 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 9 9 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 10 10 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 8:56 AM Page 11 Sign-up for our E-ALERT at www.hothousejazz.com and be the 1st to know when the latest Hot House is available on line PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR: For advertising requests and Gwen Kelley (formerly Calvier) listing info contact Gwen Kelley [email protected] Toll Free Phone: COPY EDITOR: Yvonne Ervin 888-899-8007/[email protected] [email protected] Hot House Jazz Magazine is published monthly and all PRODUCTION & ART DIRECTOR: copyrights are the property of Gwen Kelley. All rights Karen Pica [email protected] reserved. No material may be reproduced without written permission of the President. No unsolicited manuscripts CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: will be returned unless enclosed with a self addressed Ken Dryden, Yvonne Ervin, Ken Franckling, stamped envelope. Domestic subscriptions areavailable for Seton Hawkins, Eugene Holley Jr., $37 annually (sent first class). For Canada $39 and Stephanie Jones, Nathan Kamal, international $50. George Kanzler, Elzy Kolb, Ralph A. Miriello, PUBLISHER EMERITUS: Dave N Dittmann Michael G. Nastos, Emilie Pons, CO-FOUNDERS: Gene Kalbacher, Cary Tone, Gary Walker, Eric Wendell Lynn Taterka & Jeff Levenson For press releases and CD revues send a copy to Fran Kaufman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Gwen Kelley: PO Box 20212 - New York, NY 10025 11 183722_HH_Aug_0 7/24/17 12:04 PM Page 12 CLUBS & HALLS UPPER MANHATTAN (Above 70th Street) 32nd PRECINCT: 250W 135th St (bet Frederick Douglass & Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvds). www.jazzmobile.org. Aug 1: 7-9pm free adm T.K. Blue Qrt. BEACON THEATER: 2130 Bway at W75th St. 212-496-7070. www.beacontheatre.com. Aug 7: 7:30pm $75-125 adm Herbie Hancock. BILL’S PLACE: 148W 133rd St (bet Lenox & 7th Avs). www.billsplaceharlem.com. 212- 281-0777. Fri-Sat: 8&10pm $20 don Bill Saxton Bebop Band. CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE: 2485 Bway (bet 92nd & 93rd Sts). www.cleopatrasneedleny. com. 212-769-6969. Sets: Early (E), Late (L); Sun E 4-8pm, L 9pm-1am; Mon-Tues E 8- 9pm, L 10pm-1am; Wed-Thurs E 7-11pm, L 11:30pm-2:30am; Fri-Sat E 8pm-12am, L 12:30-3am. Free adm/$10 min. Trios except Mon&Thurs Duets unless otherwise noted. L Jam. Residencies: Sun E Open mic w/Keith Ingham, L Kelly Green Duet; Mon Nathan Brown; Tues Marc Devine; Wed E Open mic w/Les Kurtz, L Nathan Brown; Thurs L Kazu; Fri L Ben Zweig; Sat L T. Kash. Aug 3: Joel Forrester; 4: Sachamo Mannan Qrt; 5: Kayo Hiraki; 10: Robert Rocker; 11: Alex Layne; 12: Masami Ishikawa; 17: Matt Baker; 18: Chip Shelton; 19: Denton Darien; 24: Sonelius Smith; 25: Art Lillard; 26: Walter Williams feat Gitesha; 31: Joe Bonacci. COOPER HEWITT MUSEUM: 2 E91st St (bet 5th & Madison Avs). www.cooperhe- witt.org. 212-849-8400. Aug 17: 6-9pm $13/15 adm Juilliard Jazz Ens. FARAFINA CAFÉ & LOUNGE HARLEM: 1813 Amsterdam Av (bet 149th & 150th Sts). www.farafinacafeloungeharlem.com. 212- 281-2445. Mon: 7:30&9:30pm $10 adm. Fri- Sat: 11pm-4am Keyed Up series. Aug 5&19: 8:30-11pm Jazz In The Heightzz; 7: “KAT” Modiano progressive-funky-jazz Trio; 19: Elliot Pineiro & Sumbaswing. GINNY’S SUPPER CLUB: At Red Rooster. 310 Lenox Av (bet 125th & 126th Sts). www.ginnys supperclub.com. 212-792-9001. Sets: 7:30&9:30pm $15 adm. Aug 3: Johnny O'Neal; 4: Chris Turner; 5: Louis Fouché/ Jonathan Powell; 10: Sharel Cassity & Elektra; 11: Afro Yaqui Music Collective; 12: Gotham Kings; 17: Johnny O'Neal; 18-19: Allan Harris; 24: Poole & the Gang, 9:30pm Jam Celeb of the 25th Charlie Parker Jazz Festival; 25: Bobbi Humphrey. GRANT’S TOMB: Riverside Dr & W120nd St. www.jazzmobile.org. 212-866-4900. Free adm. Wed: 7-8:30pm. Aug 2: Houston Person; 9: Alyson Williams; 16: Harlem/ Havana Festival; 23: T.K. Blue; 30: Sonny Fortune. GREAT HILL: Central Park West & 106th St. www.jazzmobile.org. 212.866.4900. Free adm. Aug 5: 4-7pm Great Jazz on the Great Hill feat Jimmy Heath Big Band w/spec guests, Allan Harris Band, Matthew Whitaker Trio. LUCA’S JAZZ CORNER: At Cavatappo. 1712 12 For comprehensive daily updated listings with sort-by options—by artist, location, day or time—go to www.hothousejazz.com.