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Interviews

IngridIngrid JensenJensen

NicoleNicole HenryHenry

ErnieErnie WattsWatts

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RalphRalph PetersonPeterson NotNot AfraidAfraid ToTo LiveLive

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Jazz Inside Magazine ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) • ISSN 2150-3427 (online) May-June 2019 – Volume 10, Number 2

Cover Photo and photo at right of Ralph Peterson By Ken Weiss

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CONTENTS 20 Ralph Peterson by Ken Weiss 11 Nicole Henry Visit these websites: CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS 30 Ernie Watts JazzStandard.com 13 Calendar of Events INTERVIEWSINTERVIEWS Jazz.org 18 Clubs & Venue Listings 4 Ingrid Jensen JJBabbitt.com MaxwellDrums.com

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INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

Ingrid Jensen “I can’t wait to see where it’s going to go next”

Interview & Photo by Eric Nemeyer the integral parts of the chord. So my basic prac- JI: When I’m writing I’m tweaking this idea and ticing consists of long tweaking that one, and agonizing over one chord or notes, then simple exer- note. Then I think, “gee I should be practicing for a cises through all keys ... couple of hours. I just wasted two hours. Was it all some kind of idea ... for that one note? Was it really a waste though? some kind of technical idea—just so I have the IJ: Absolutely, it’s a real challenge to find a bal- fluency and the fluency ance. That’s what I would say about writing and in my sound and on my playing together. On top of that I’m constantly horn. That’s basically doing different gigs with different people. I’m my practicing while I’m learning their music or I’m working on other peo- working on other peo- ple’s music for upcoming projects. Or trying to ple’s music. learn my own music that I just wrote so… It’s a very thick adventure. Thick and complex. JI: What kinds of chal- lenges do you experi- JI: And you get excited about music. You don’t ence playing with a big band as opposed to a small want to stop. It’s like, “well gee I’m not playing ... group? IJ: Sure, actually the big band setting is a really I have a day or two off ... I want to practice. I want important part of my roots. Where I come from, we to do this, I want to do that.” Then you realize you IJ: The challenges and limitations for me usually had this big band. Dianna Krall played in it. My burnt yourself out. have to do with my ego wanting to play more solos sister played in it. All the up and coming talents in because most of the time I’m playing fourth trum- the town played in that band. It will always be sort IJ: Yeah, there’s a lot of pacing involved with all pet parts—which I love to play—with Maria’s of the role model for me as far as a healthy big of it. One of the things that I love, that I haven’t [Schnieder’s] band and playing with other big band feeling goes. It was an integrated band, of old been doing recently enough because I got too busy bands. I just love to be under the lead, but just dou- cats mentoring the young cats. This was on Van- recently is—way more important than practicing— bling it. Sometimes I’m in a real intense crunch in couver Island. We played swing dances. We used the voicing. It’s kind of energizing for the chops to the money we made from the swing dances to buy all the hip charts: Brookmeyer, Thad Jones, Toshi- ko Akiyoshi. We would rehearse every Wednes- “[Mary Lou Williams’] music has influenced so day. There was no money to be made whatsoever. So that idea of fun and the spirit of fun in that big many of the people that I knew about before I band has always been in the back of my mind when I play with a large ensemble. Since those days, I’ve knew about her ... Monk … Bird asked her to be in played with a number of big bands at Berklee in Boston. In Denmark, I played a little bit with Ernie his band … There are all these incredible stories Wilkins’ band. It was a little big band. Then, when I moved to new York I was working with Diva—an of how much of an effect she had on people. Dizzy all woman band—for a while. I also got to do some gigs with the Mingus band. Darcy James Argue came over and she showed him some stuff on that just started up a band which is called Secret Socie- ty. He’s a fantastic composer. It’s really about indi- piano and helped him figure out his concept. This viduality and writing for the moment, and writing from a place that is truly your own original, and is the one concept for me that makes sense—you inspired.

pay homage to a figure that deserves it.” JI: What kinds of things did you pick up when you were working with Ernie Wilkins?

be in that situation. I just feel like I had this great sitting at home doing long tones. Or, writing a tune IJ: It was such a long time ago. It was right after I work out at the end of a big band gig. When I hear because it gets you out of that space. Then I come finished Berklee. I only really sat in with the band. all these great soloists and great players, and I’m back and I feel much more in flow with the music I finished my degree at Berklee in Boston and then playing in such an inspired situation, I want to be and with my creativity. I feel that it is really im- I moved directly to Copenhagen, just to practice. more involved as a soloist. That’s the lesson that I portant to get the fundamental of sound together. My Aunt let me stay at her house. I had all these learn on pretty much every gig. You get one shot in That’s what practicing basics to me is—long tones, cassettes that I was transcribing. I met Ernie just the set and that in itself is a total gift. and getting inside of a rhythm while practicing hanging out. I got more from him just hanging out

those long tones. Also, using the imagination to listening and talking about the Basie days. I wasn’t JI: Can you cite several of the big bands that you almost feel like you are playing on a tune without thinking about writing or composing back then. I worked with and compare the leadership styles and playing big fancy solos. It is more about hearing all wish I had because I would have picked his brain the direction of each?

4 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 the people that I knew about before I knew about with Diva. It was positive. I learned how to play Ingrid Jensen her. That excites me too. Monk hung out with her. the trumpet better by playing beside the lead play- Bird asked her to be in his band and she turned him er, Liesl Whitaker. She is one of the greatest lead down. There are all these incredible stories of how players in the world. (Continued from page 4) much of an effect she had on people. Dizzy came more. I just learned more about this camaraderie, over and she showed him some stuff on that piano JI: Trumpet is often an instrument where there can this family feeling. It came from all the bands that and helped him figure out his concept. This is the be a lot of pyrotechnics involved. Many trumpet he was involved with. one concept for me that makes sense—you pay players are overwhelmed by Maynard Ferguson homage to a figure that deserves it. There’s so and his technique. Can you talk about the tempta- JI: Did you have an opportunity to solo a lot when much to still learn about them. I recently turned tion to be drawn to technique over the music itself you were playing with the Mingus Band? down an offer to play in an all-women’s festival. that artists experience, and how that has affected I’m pretty well done doing these all-women festi- you? IJ: They gave a lot of space to blow. The Mingus vals because I don’t feel that at this point in my band as you know is sometimes just stand-up-and- career I need to do that. I also feel that it’s an un- IJ: Well, the trumpet for me was very challenging fight-for-your-space. The first set I did with the fair marketing ploy. It’s creating this ghetto that’s at the very beginning. The most challenging part band, I didn’t realize that that’s how it worked. If not really going to help. Why not just have a festi- for me was that I couldn’t stand the sound that was you didn’t jump up and start blowing you were val of music ... or a tribute to an artist that I relate coming out of my bell when I would blow air going to get “blowed” over. I think, Earl Gardner to. But to complete my thought on this… The through it. That sounds like a trumpet. It sounds was there and he said, “just get up.” He almost whole idea of just working with a group of people, brittle and kind of narrow and it doesn’t sound pushed me up. I started playing and it was always just because they are from a certain place, or a anything like a voice. Having grown up listening to fun. They let me blow on a couple of tunes on eve- certain sex, limits that opportunity to go into those Louis Armstrong, and knowing how warm a sound ry set. few spaces that I like to go into. can translate through the trumpet, I was extremely freaked out. I would never get a chance to get that JI: I sometimes wonder if all-women bands are JI: I think that if we want to include people and together. I immediately started doing little exercis- somehow self-marginalizing themselves. expand the music, then segregating and excluding es, somebody must have said something to me. I people has the potential to interrupt or disconnect remember sitting in the band room during lunch IJ: Absolutely. That’s a valid observation about the us from Source or creative source energy. hours playing one note and then singing that note, state of women in jazz. I am not knocking the band, and then playing it again, trying to get the same or the women in the band. There are some fantastic IJ: You’re interrupting that source energy, I think, sound of my voice to come out of the trumpet. That players in the band. They’re playing incredible if you’re forcing something into a certain kind of obsession early on helped me to stay away from challenging music. It’s very exciting. Women are environment that it doesn’t need to be in. As a being a trumpeter. I didn’t want to play the trum- “Her teaching was so thorough and so great that it helped me put together my chops that had never been before. All of a sudden I had some screaming double G’s and lots of heavily articulated notes. Things got a little out of control and I just wanted to play high all the time. Eventually I brought the two together—the idea of music and chops. I went to being a musician first and a trumpet player second.”

getting a lot of experience from all women pro- woman, I know I have a certain energy to bring to pet. I wanted to play the trombone. Just knowing jects. It gives them an opportunity. The opportunity music. The guys I play with are sensitive to that, that sound, and knowing the vocal sound, was my thing is a little misleading as far as what you need and appreciate that. I recently did a tour with three goal. It kept me from ever wanting to play scream- in music as people. I think that the “ghettoization” women and two men and I didn’t even think about ing high notes. Although, I realized later on in my takes place when you have these concepts as all it. People came up to us and said, “Oh wow it was playing career that I needed to have those high women, or all black, or all white, or all anything. really nice to see all those women up there.” I did- notes. I heard Booker Little playing all those crazy It’s the concept that breaks down the integrity of n’t even realize it. Oh yeah, there are three of us intervals and I went wait a minute I got to get this the music. It’s kind of an insult to each individu- and two of them. Geez, whatever! We’re just play- together. That was when, all of a sudden, I realized al—as far as where they come from musically. ing. I can guarantee that not even one person on that I realized I was stressing out my chops and That’s because they are no longer there for a true that stage even thought about that. I hope that an- getting tired of not having any kind of endurance. I purpose of being passionate about something. swers the question eloquently. I don’t want in any- was trying so hard to get up the register. So yes, in They’re there because they were made a certain way to sound like I’m putting down my experience answer to your question, yes I did want to be a way. They were born a certain color, or born a trumpet player at some point and play the trumpet

certain sex, and they can play their instrument. It’s in that way. When I got all my chops together, I

a very marginalized market that takes place when studied with Laurie Frink here in New York. She “Encroachment that happens. It kind of puts things out of perspec- taught me the Caruso thing. She’s such a great of freedom will not come tive for me. If it is about the music, it is about the teacher. At that time, I was actually working at the about through one violent action music period. The one all-women’s festival that I Waldorf Astoria at a day gig. All I had time to do or movement but will come about really respect is the Mary Lou Williams Festival. I was play technical stuff on the trumpet—The Car- through a series of actions that appear have a soft spot for it because of Dr. Billy Taylor. mine Caruso technique. I did it every day religious- to be unrelated and coincidental, but He [didn’t] really see the festival as a bunch of ly. Her teaching was so thorough and so great that that were all along systematically women. He [saw] it as a celebration of his friend it helped me put together my chops that had never planned for dictatorship.” Mary Lou Williams. He [gave] her this kind of nod been before. All of a sudden I had some screaming that she deserves. Every year he [brought] people double G’s and lots of heavily articulated notes. — John Adams, 2nd President to her music. Her music has influenced so many of — Anton Chekhov (Continued on page 6)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 5 you only have a bass player in your band that can as men. Again, that really doesn’t have a lot to do Ingrid Jensen play, and you’re playing saxophone, just play as a with music. duo with them. That’s going to get the creative juices flowing a lot better then just playing with JI: The whole aspect about proving oneself is det- (Continued from page 5) something electronic, or playing along with the rimental to the creative process. When we are con- Things got a little out of control and I just wanted recordings. Learn the tunes the way they were cerned with what the people that are observing us to play high all the time. Eventually I brought the played. Don’t go to the books. The books have a lot are thinking, then it removes us from devoting our two together—the idea of music and chops. I went of mistakes in them. They’re just one version. full capital of conscious energy to actually creating. to being a musician first and a trumpet player sec- There are so many versions. That’s another level of ond. This allowed me to combine those two con- the interactivity in this music. It evolves because IJ: Absolutely. There are two things that people cepts and play the way I play. tunes evolve from recording to recording. say that I know that they believe are compliments when they are saying them. But, these two state- JI: I always learned a lot from teaching. It rein- JI: Louis Armstrong said that when he would trav- ments are my pet peeves. One is “I heard another forced the kinds of things I wanted to play. Maybe el, he would sometimes have to endure playing girl trumpet player. You sound better then her.” you could talk a little bit about the kinds of teach- with players that were not very good Well, that’s not really a compliment. Another is ing that you do, and how that experience as a clini- “You women play as good as the guys.” Again, cian and educator has helped you as an artist or IJ: He said he turned down the band on stage and those aren’t compliments. Unfortunately, those enhanced your creativity. turned up the one in his head. That is killer, man, come from ignorance, and from people not being and Louis was the king of imagination. From what exposed to the kind of culture that Europeans are IJ: I come from a whole family of teachers. My I understand, Louis loved everybody and he didn’t exposed to. I don’t hear those comments in Eu- mother was a grade school teacher. Then she went have any kind of prejudice about anything. He just rope—not the way I hear them in the states. back to school. My stepfather is a principal of an loved life. That’s again what I got from music at a elementary school. The teaching mentality is just young age was that spirit of life and fun and joy JI: I like getting compliments but I realize that one that came naturally. I saw my mom preparing and being silly and just going for it. compliments, and criticism, like perfume need to her lessons. I would go to her class and watch her be inhaled not swallowed. teach. I realized that being able to translate this gift JI: I agree. His lack of prejudice and fairness are of music into words, and to inspire other people to behaviors we can all learn to model after. We all IJ: That’s a good one. Did you put that in the play and want to go practice and want to go play, experience criticism. book? You got to put that in there. That’s awe- was definitely something I couldn’t avoid. I wanted some! to just be a player, an artist and a writer and never IJ: Young upcoming musicians have a lot of issues teach. But every time I get around a group of stu- to deal with. When I was playing in my early teens JI: But when you think about it, when somebody dents who are interested and who are excited about and early twenties, I was so insecure and so freaked comes up to you and says you sound great, and you music, it charges me up with a certain energy that I out about what I was doing. First of all, it’s not might not have thought this that was a great perfor- can’t explain. It’s like the playing energy I get exactly a normal career for a young girl from Cana- mance, you might think, well it’s nice of them to when I play with great musicians. It’s a whole oth- da or anywhere in the world to take off and play say that. Then somebody else might say you sound- er vibe. It’s like a drug you get injected with—with jazz trumpet. That’s a little odd. Because I was one ed terrible. Either of those extremes can be detri- all these different personalities and you see these of the first female jazz trumpet players that I saw mental—one giving us a big head, and the other providing a sign suggesting you to quickly enroll in therapy for six months.

“what you put out is what you are going IJ: Well, I think we’re in a new age. There’s a new flow of healthy attitude going on among musicians to get back. If you’re putting out beautiful these days. I see a lot of musicians who are reading similar books, who are digging deeper into spiritu- honest thoughts into the universe you may ality. Because of that, it is helping us be set free from the competition that is naturally inherent in the business. For example, when the internet came not get ... a million dollar recording contract. along, everyone freaked out about it in the begin- ning. People would say “this is going to kill jazz. But you will have music with integrity, that No one going to get any gigs anymore. It’s all go- ing to be free and no one’s going to make any mon- will last. That process will keep you in an ey.” The internet is giving me the freedom now to have even more contact with my fans—people that really are my fans. These are not people who to evolving state as an artist …” whom I have to prove myself or sell myself. It’s the opposite. These are people that are really look- sparks going off. You see them wanting to go for it working, kind of made me nervous. It gave me an ing for me and are really interested in the projects and express themselves. So that is what teaching is insecurity and fear that would manifest itself. I’m doing—and I’m interested in sharing it with to me. It’s a real thrill and it helps me to formulate When I would think other people were saying them. So I’m busier then ever as a result of my web my ideas more clearly, and to learn how to explain something … or maybe they did say something … site: IngridJensen.com. People who might ask them. It forces me into a position where I have to or maybe they did let me play, or they didn’t let me “where can I find her?” Click! “There she is. Wow. be able to do what I’m teaching. If I’m going to tell play. But all those things ... when I look back on There’s her phone number. Let’s hire her. Let’s e- a kid to do something, then I better be able to do it them now... That was my problem. That was my mail her about something.” The new website with too. I just love it because when I’m teaching trum- way of either dealing or not dealing with the situa- ArtistShare is even more exciting to me. It’s giving pet students, it gives me a chance to sit at the pi- tion. Now I’m just so glad to be free of those times me the freedom to have all this information just ano, and play some chords ... and listen to them, in my life, and have the artistic control, and person- streaming on different levels of participation. There and maybe interact a little with them. If it’s their al power to actually create an environment that is are all these live gigs I’ve done—where we’re al- first time improvising, they get a feeling of what stimulating and supportive. I don’t have to prove ways recording on live gigs. There are tons of boot- it’s like to not play with a play-along record, but to myself. That’s in line with the whole women thing. legs on there. There are pictures from the road. play with a live person—and to just start that flow That’s one of the problems when a band is all There are stories. There is this great window of of creativity going. Those play-along records aren’t women. There’s a feeling that they are suppose to information that’s going to let me be more in touch going to interact with you. I encourage kids a lot. If be proving themselves—that they can play as good (Continued on page 8)

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LightningLightning Fast,Fast, WayWay BetterBetter ResultsResults && FarFar LessLess ExpensiveExpensive ThanThan DirectDirect--Mail,Mail, Print,Print, RadioRadio && TVTV AdsAds——ComprehensiveComprehensive Analytics!Analytics! CALL: 215-887-8880 www.SellMoreTicketsFast.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 7 they will ascribe to it. JI: I think the music is about experiencing and Ingrid Jensen enjoying the moment. If we are preoccupied with IJ: Some people have better business skills than becoming experts, we face the pitfall of stopping or others. Some people really want more out of their impeding our growth and artistic possibility. with people, and let them know me even more. It’s career than others, and they will work for that. exciting. It’s really exciting. Not to take away from Certain friends of mine get right into the industry. IJ: I don’t know what an expert is. I don’t think I’ll the magazine format, I think it even helps to sepa- I’m not so concerned about that high level of suc- ever understand that feeling myself. The music is rate the men from the boys as far as press goes. cess, or that level of schmoozing, and what comes so humbling. Everyday, the instrument I’ve chosen There’s just so much control within the press be- with that. For me, it is a bit of a sacrifice of my to play feels different on my face. So, I don’t know cause of the labels. It gives more independent art- own personal space, my own musical space and if I’ll ever feel like an expert, or be playing from ists, like myself, more freedom—to just be who social space. that place. A friend of mine was able to get her they are, without having to be beefed up by some chops together on trombone instantly. She started other producer. JI: If you’re committed to the music, that would playing and in two years. She had the most incredi- naturally come first—rather than forfeiting that to ble technique. She could play anything, and she JI: In jazz there doesn’t seem to be proper atten- compromise what you believe and what you are excelled through every level of improvising from tion provided in the mainstream media. What are really about. the time she was in high school. She said, “Well your views? that’s it. I think I’ve got it together and I don’t see IJ: I live with the theory that what you put out is any reason to go on.” Wow! That’s the opposite of IJ: I don’t really think about the idea of having to what you are going to get back. If you’re putting how I feel. I feel like I’m just beginning every time save the music. I think jazz doesn’t need to be out beautiful honest thoughts into the universe you I pick up the horn. At the end of every gig I feel saved, or advertised. It would be like advertising a may not get a $25,000 recording contract, or a like I’ve come to a new place, and I can’t wait to tree that was going to change it’s colors. It’s like million dollar recording contract. But you will have see where it’s going to go next. this tree will always look this way. Oh, wait. Fall music with integrity, that will last. That process came. Shoot. It’s not the same tree. It’s more like will keep you in an evolving state as an artist, ra- JI: I agree. the audience has to come to the music with an un- ther than a packaging state. It’s easy to package derstanding that it’s about adventure. In many ways things. There have been many times that I’ve had IJ: There is no knowing it all in jazz. people “dis” Diana Krall because she sings jazz, people say “hey, why don’t we do this with you?” and gets such exposure from it. People put down When I played in the Diva Big Band, I remember JI: It seems like the more I learn, the bigger the that idea of what she is doing. If you look at the being told that I should play like Clark Terry or Universe looks, and the further away I get from grand spectrum of advertising the music and adver- Sweets Edison on a piece. That kind of pissed me wherever we’re going on this path, and from any tising jazz … It is such an empowering thing to the off. I said, “No. I’ll play like Ingrid.” I know Clark, possible assimilation or mastery of the hypothetical music to have something swinging, melodic and and I know Sweets. They like it when I play like whole, or thorough knowledge, or completion. The beautiful being played—rather than Kenny G, and me. Those are my idols. Those are the guys I look more I get into exploring some song—the keys, the rather than the schmaltzy, poppy, crappy stuff. to as sources of integrity. They never sat down and tempos, the grooves, the dynamics—the more I see And, that’s the kind of music that goes on in all thought about what they were going to play like. there is to explore and create. these high exposure environments—like in air- They were just living and being who they were. As planes, malls, whatever. I just think it’s a very a result, out of their trumpets, and out of their voic- IJ: Sure. Then you play that same tune with a broad spectrum as far as advertising in music goes. es, out of their mouths, came them. whole other group of musicians, and you realize I’ve never thought of myself as having to sell it, or “oh my god you can go here too.” Exploring in advertise it. I’m so caught up in playing, writing JI: Kenny Werner told me that he went to this different meters, in different styles of music… and listening—playing off of what’s going on session and they said, “Can you play like Herbie Again, composing and arranging is a very exciting around me. On the other hand, I think the internet Hancock on this?” He said, “Why don’t you just arena—because now I can create different moods is going to allow other people who are not in such get Herbie?” and different modes and different feelings over locations to get the exposure to the music. I think it which to play, that constantly challenge me. A lot is going to allow an insight into the music and into IJ: Right, exactly! Why don’t you get Clark Terry? of the music that I’m playing in different bands is the musicians lives. It’s going to help increase the not in four. It’s in thirteen, and nine-eight …. and audience. Again, the internet is a very exciting JI: Before you were mentioning some nights you crazy stuff. It makes a lot of sense musically, but adventure. If I were a major record label trying to might have a good night or have a bad night but takes a constantly evolving approach to get through promote a jazz artist right now, I’d be concerned when you think about it that’s all part of your it. about that. In my eyes, that market that musicians sound and who you are—your fingerprint. All of were vying to get into, for so long, is kind of crum- our heroes were human. They made mistakes. But JI: One of the things that I observed in Thad Jones’ bling, in a way. It’s not longer about taking care of we simply wanted to hear them play—to experi- music was that his playing was a direct correlation, the musicians, like it used to be. There’s a select ence their unique sound—mistakes or not. Their or reflection of his arranging. His improvised or handful of select jazz artists that seem to get the persona, their fingerprint is still there. That’s who written lines had the same kind of energy about right treatment. But now, it seems that we can take we each are. them. Could you talk about the correlation between that treatment into our own hands, and have a very your playing and your writing? high quality of life. We can feel good about our- IJ: Absolutely, that’s what drew me to music in the selves, and reap the actual benefits of contact with first place and will keep me playing it until the end. IJ: It’s a growing process for me—the correlation our audience—through photos, letters, e-mails, I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to stop playing between the two. I think I have more technique on journals and honest and open personal insights, into for any reason aside from death or loss of limbs. the trumpet than I have technique with which to the music and ourselves and our personal lives. It’s the joy I get from the experience of evolving compose. I spent time transcribing trumpet solos, with the process of playing, improvising and writ- sax solos, piano solos. That information is assimi- JI: I interviewed Rob Levitt, a guitar player who ing. When I work on a tune and I get on the gig, it lated into my playing now in a very free flowing used to live in New York City. He is based around gives me the freedom to play more freely through way. With writing, I want to get inside the scores the Baltimore-Washington area now. He said that something. Or, I’ve been listening to a certain rec- of all these great composers and arrangers—and he used to play for tips in small clubs. He said that ord and I’ve been obsessing over somebody’s play- analyze things more. I want to get that connection he regrets that—and you don’t have to give it ing — how that sneaks into my playing, rather than with the harmonies as much as I feel I have with away. He advised people not to do it and regretted it becomes the direct result of a thought. It’s just the melodies. As I said earlier, I won’t write a line having done it because it lowered the value of his the stewing pot of ideas that are constantly fer- that doesn’t lay on the trumpet properly. I’m not music. He astutely pointed out that the value you menting and creating other aromas and other going to just write something on the computer and place on your art, on your music, and on yourself is scents. then see if it works. I’ll sit and play it through. I what other people are going to perceive, the value (Continued on page 10)

8 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880

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To Advertise CALL:Experience 215-887-8880 ResultsMay-June 2019 In Jazz 24-48 Inside Magazine Hours!  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com CALL 215- 887-8880 9 JI: What did you learn about the music business as thing. There are just a bunch of really great person- Ingrid Jensen a result of your record deal? alities floating around doing different things with different people. There is also the danger of believ- IJ: As I said, it was the one label I wanted to be on. ing what people say too much. Think of everything (Continued from page 8) The reason I wanted to be on it was because of with respect to what is going on in your life. Is it as want to make sure that it lays right on the instru- their catalog. There were so many people in my important as you’re making it out to be. There were ment and hopefully sounds like music. own circle that respected that label as much as I times when I was too hard on myself. I was too self respected it. It was a smaller label as well. Once I critical. Those were pitfalls that got in the way of JI: One of the ways I worked to develop technical- met Mathias, there was no question he wasn’t go- my having the experience of joy while playing. But ly was to transcribe solos that weren’t played on ing to pressure me into putting on a fancy dress, then again, I had to go through that in order to see my instrument. The idea was to provide myself and having my face airbrushed on a CD cover. He the struggling side versus the living side. Living in with a challenge. They might lay right on trumpet, wanted all these pictures of me playing. He loved the moment without so much pressure. but they might not lay right on vibes. the way I played. He encouraged me to hire differ- ent musicians so I would kind of get kicked in the JI: Society serves up a prodigious conspiracy IJ: Sure. I learned a lot of Coltrane solos. I had to butt while playing with them. I hired three different against mastery. We’re bombarded with promises translate to another octave. I was still playing saxo- bands for the three records. I learned more from of fast temporary relief, immediate gratification phone solos on trumpet. It really kicked my butt those three recording experiences than I could have and instant success all of which lead in exactly the getting all that technique together. learned if I had been at Berklee for twenty years. wrong direction for what we’re pursuing as artists. Each experience in the studio was really an hon- Do you want to comment? JI: Could you discuss some of the artists who have or—as far as hiring a band, writing music, playing made a significant impact on you? other peoples music. The label was very support- IJ: Absolutely. This makes me think of one of my ive. They continued to support me through all three favorite Freddie Hubbard stories. I’d like to men- IJ: There is such a stream of trumpet players and of those records. It was a very positive experience. tion that Freddie was so cool to me when I met him non-trumpet players that have influenced me I can’t say anything negative about it. The reason I the first time. We spent an entire day together. I throughout my development. I grew up listening to am where I am now, without a label, is by choice. was seventeen or eighteen years old. He said “you Dizzy, Clark, Sweets and the early swingers. Then It really is because I just feel like we’re in this time want to play the trumpet, let me hear you play.” I I went through the whole Miles phase. People that I now where we need to take care of our art like a played for him and he came down on me as he know and people that I’ve met that have had a big baby. I want to own my tunes. I want to pay for the would on anyone else about playing properly. He impact on me. Laurie Frank taught me the Caruso record and I want to see the benefits. just gave me a bunch of exercises to go practice. method, which was really a big transition in my But he was so respectful and supportive of the fact life. Playing with Liesl in the Diva Big Band was a JI: I know that there are a couple labels from over- that I wanted to play at such a young age. I’m en- very important part of my learning. I learned how seas that come here and record ten albums in a amored by his playing. His early records are in- to really blow through the trumpet and get my week, twice a year. The musicians get paid $300 credible—and his spirit in the music, and some of sound, and not question that so much. Those expe- and $500 apiece. They don’t own the tunes and the live stuff out there is just freaky. At the Jazz riences of working and playing with both of them, don’t own the recordings. Educator’s Convention in California, he was doing combined with all the sounds in my head—Chet one of those live blindfold tests. It was incredible. Baker, Thad, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan … It has IJ: That’s what the guitar player from Baltimore He played some Booker Little. He almost had all of helped me to have their sounds in my head, to be was talking about. Don’t do it, don’t sell out. $300 us crying. He told some stories about Booker Little, able to put my sound in perspective. Being an in- or $600 or even $1,200 is nothing. You’re never and spoke of the respect he had for him. It was so spired improviser is what I respect among these going to see anything else besides that. beautiful. The guys interviewing Freddie put on players—especially Clark Terry. It is the joy that I some kind of hip-hop version of a Monk tune. heard in his playing in the very beginning—when I JI: Could you talk about happiness and success? Freddie got so angry. He stood up and grabbed the heard him live and when I heard the first record- microphone. He said “turn it off, turn it off...turn ings of him. I’ll tell you a story. There was a time IJ: Your mind is your only limitation. The confi- that crap off.” His point was that you don’t need a when it didn’t seem like anybody had any problem dence with which you approach this is going to funk group to make a Monk tune sound cool, when with me sitting in on their gigs—like Clark, Al effect everything. I think back to the times when I it already sounds cool. Monk doesn’t need any Grey. I was living in Austria. I had already met struggled when I first came to New York. I did help. He’ll be all right. But the most important Clark here in New York. Whenever he was in Eu- subway gigs. I did street gigs. Those were the best point for me was when he said, “This music takes a rope, I would call him up and he’d say “Come on times of my life when I look back on it now. It long time to learn. You don’t just learn it. It just over. You’re going to sit in on the gig.” He had me gives me such a great healthy perspective on what doesn’t just happen.” I breathed a sigh of relief sitting in on all these gigs. One time I took a train success is. I’m nowhere near being loaded with when I heard him say that. I’m in my late 30’s. I from Vienna to Munich to go hang out with him. money. But I now understand the difference be- think I’m just now figuring out how to be me He had me sit in on this concert that was televised tween saying you have to sacrifice everything just through the trumpet, in relation to this music, and live. It was Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men to play, to the point where you can actually find music and life in general. Just to live a healthy of Jazz. It was broadcast around the world. I’ve had peace in your life. You can have a healthy life, and existence is something important to do. Whether or people ask “was that you on that show...it didn’t go on a vacation once in a while, and read a book. not I’m going to make it to the Starbucks Top Five say who it was. But we saw you on TV with Lionel You can do things that play a really healthy and CD list doesn’t really matter. Hampton and Clark Terry.” At first they had to important part in contributing to the creative pro- twist Gates’ (Lionel Hampton’s) arm. He said, “I cess in being a great musician, and being a person JI: It doesn’t matter. You’re inspiring people you don’t know. Can she play? Who is she? I don’t who has something positive to offer back to the don’t even know. know.” Al Gray, Clark, and Sweets said “it’s In- universe. grid, just let her play.” Lionel gave in and let me sit IJ: Exactly. Hopefully I’m inspiring myself and in on the end of the gigs. A tour manager that JI: What pitfalls must we be vigilant about encoun- everyone around me, on a daily basis—so that we worked with those guys really fell for my playing. tering in our lives as we pursue this path of creativ- are constantly growing together and sharing new He took a live tape of me and sent it out to ten ity? things. Like the community I’m in—we’re laugh- record companies. One of them responded—Enja. ing we’re crying we’re talking we’re digging we’re That was the one I wanted to work with. As a result IJ: One thing that can get in the way among reading we’re sharing we’re doing things…To me, of that whole supportive relationship, and no ques- younger people, as they’re developing their craft, is that kind of emulates a healthy society. It’s very tioning of anything, I ended up making those three the idea of success. This bloated, out of proportion exciting. records. That gave me the opportunity to move kind of image that you can mistakenly get from the back to New York, and to be able to afford to live media—of how people are stars, and other people    in New York. As they say the rest is history. aren’t stars. In jazz I don’t think there is a real star

10 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880

INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

Nicole Henry

Hear Nicole Henry at Dizzy’s Club, May 29-30

Interview by Gary Heimbauer

JI: Can you talk about some of the things that are currently happening in your career that you are excited about?

NH: Thankfully, everything is very exciting right now. Firstly, having my last CD “The Very Thought of You” go to #7 on the Bill- board Jazz Chart was awesome. That success opened more eyes and ears to my music and career, as well as opened doors of opportuni- ties. Secondly, I am producing my first ever inspirational and gospel concert. I’ve been singing at church since I was in middle school and will use songs from my past, as well as contemporary inspirational and secular songs. Singing in churches over the last eight years has enabled me to keep spirituality in my life, when I so often don’t make the time to do so otherwise. Planning and practicing for the concert has been inspirational, and that was my personal intention, aside from being able to welcome others to do it with me. Thirdly, I’ve been traveling more internationally. I just recently returned from my first tour in Russia and had a great time there. I had no particular expectations, but the warm welcome I re- ceived makes me even more enthusiastic for my return in early April and beyond. And finally, and I mean finally—I’ve been able to find satisfaction in the achievements of my career. I always felt like I was catching up and not in the places that I wanted to be, etc. etc. But lately I’ve been able to stop beating my- tive. So I value each event and each moment JI: In addition to your involvement in music, self up so badly. When a consultant of mine much more. Of course, now, I have to work what other activities help provide balance and brought to my attention that now I have three harder so that the next five years top the last fulfillment in your life? international Top 10 CDs in the last five five! years, it made me put my career into perspec- NH: Jogging helps me straighten out my thoughts. And I managed to watch about six movies last year, which is a record high since “finally—I’ve been able to find satisfaction in 2000. Otherwise, giving time to work with youth makes me very happy and fulfilled. It’s the achievements of my career. I always felt like hard to really grasp how less fortunate some children are in regards to being exposed to I was catching up and not in the places that I opportunities and being inspired. Childhood should be the time when you freely dream the wanted to be, etc. etc. But lately I’ve been able most, but many children can’t come close to to stop beating myself up so badly.” doing that. So I’ve been fortunate to work (Continued on page 12)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 11 ing… but singing opportunities kept popping Then I learn the most from recording myself Nicole Henry up. I always sang in school and in church be- in rehearsals and live. Admittedly, my practic- cause I could, but I never considered a career ing and rehearsing goes in phases, but I try to (Continued from page 11) in music. I wasn’t aware of my purpose in challenge myself by creating shows and add- singing then. But in 1997, after college, I ing new songs to the repertoire. with these young spirits in Miami. I also raise started singing with a dance music DJ and money and awareness for Arts Education in touring the U.S. at raves and night clubs. This JI: What advice do you have for young sing- our public school systems, reminding people was the first time I realized that singing was ers who are looking to develop their own the importance of an arts education to teach the way that I could make a difference in the voice and the ability to do this professionally? young people about ‘feeling’ and ‘expression’ world by emotionally moving people. And through the arts. But, I also find performing while I knew I didn’t want to only sing house NH: Be patient, it takes years. Learn how to therapeutic – I don’t think about emails, or music, I knew I wanted to sing forever. breathe correctly. Find some great warm up projects, or anything - just singing. It’s the That’s when the journey and passion to move exercises. Take some acting classes. And stress and work that’s behind getting on stage people through music started. when singing—the minute you hear yourself that’s throws me out of balance. sounding like someone else, find your own JI: Could you talk about your musical back- speaking voice inside your head, and become JI: Self consciousness can be the enemy of ground? What steps did you take to get where you again. And I can’t say enough about audio creativity, and it takes the most strength for a you are now? What were your studies like? and video recording yourself. One day you’ll singer to diffuse it. If you’ve experienced that How did you develop your skills? listen back you won’t wince… well, not as kind of performance anxiety or nervousness in often! your career, what helped you and how did/do NH: My background is I played cello, sung in you overcome it? choirs and was often a soloist. I started sing- JI: What is it about jazz that draws you to it? ing professionally in my mid-twenties, per- There are so many styles of singing—why NH: I’ve never really been self-conscious haps later than most, so I jumped in and tried jazz? about performing. Maybe writing … When I to make up for lost time. I just kept singing used to get nervous or anxious when just and listening and singing and singing. On the NH: I love the lyrics, the melodies, the classic about to go on stage, I’d tell myself I needed job training as they say. Along the way I took -ness of the music and the freedom of the to sing for me or someone out there listening. some vocal courses, two piano classes, I form. There’s a wealth of music to be sung in That way it became more about a “service” learned to play and write to guitar, but I never the genre. The challenge, of course, is making then about “Nicole.” I’d just focus on the lyr- really studied music theory. And at first, I felt a distinct statement, worthy to be heard again. Mostly, I love re-presenting the lyrics. I con- tinue to have other styles of music in my rep- “...giving time to work with youth ertoire, including inspirational and adult con- temporary, but jazz is also a sacred element to it. makes me very happy and fulfilled. JI: What is the most rewarding facet of your It’s hard to really grasp how less life as an artist?

fortunate some children are in regards NH: That I can make people feel emotion and relate to their emotions.

to being exposed to opportunities and JI: What is the greatest compliment that a listener can give you? being inspired. Childhood should be NH: I’m touched when someone shares with the time when you freely dream the me a specific memory from one of my record- ings, or one of my shows. That’s special when most, but many children can’t a performance stays with someone and they can recall it over time.

come close to doing that.”    ics, and close my eyes if I needed. Another a tiny bit self-conscious about not having tried and true trick is to hold my breath for as done so, but I would remind myself that so long as I can, and then, breathe deeply many of the jazz greats didn’t study either. I

through my nose and stretch my body. Then, recently heard Patti Austin say, “You mari- sip a martini! nate in jazz.” I respectfully fell in love with “Ultimate success is not jazz seven years ago and wouldn’t let anyone directly related to early success, JI: What were some of your early influences keep me away from singing it – especially in if you consider that many successful and turning points that solidified your desire today’s world where the jazz critics seem to people did not give clear evidence to follow this life path as an artist? want you to have your music school degree in of such promise in youth.” your front pocket. As far as developing my NH: Actually, I thought I would go into act- skills, I continue to watch and listen and learn. - Robert Fritz, The Path Of Least Resistance

12 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880

CALENDARCALENDAR OFOF EVENTSEVENTS

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 Bill Frisell Trio ft Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen; Blue Note, Wednesday, May 1 131 W. 3rd St.  Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Mark Turner, tenor sax; Rick Rosato, bass; Obed Calvaire, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Willerm Delisfort; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th Monday, May 6 & Bdwy  Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Fleurine & Boys from Brazil New Album Celebration: Brazilian  Mingus Orchestra: Celebrating 10 Years at Jazz Standard; Dream With Special Guest Brad Mehldau; Birdland, 315 W. Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. 44th St.  Milos; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Karriem Riggins Live; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Tuesday, May 7 Thursday, May 2  Antonio Sanchez with Chris Potter, saxophone; Donny  Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Mark Turner, tenor sax; Rick McCaslin, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez, Rosato, bass; Obed Calvaire, drums; Village Vanguard 178 drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. 7th Ave S.  Sax & Taps With Dewitt Fleming, Jr. & Erica Von Kleist;  Bruce Forman Trio; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy 60th & Bdwy  Duchess; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Chris Potter Circuits Trio featuring James Francies and Eric  David Murray with Saul Williams; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Harland; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Maceo Parker; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Emmet Cohen Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Bill Frisell Trio ft Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Wednesday, May 8  Antonio Sanchez with Chris Potter, saxophone; Donny McCaslin, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez, Friday, May 3 drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Mark Turner, tenor sax; Rick  Essentially Ellington Alumni Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Rosato, bass; Obed Calvaire, drums; Village Vanguard 178 Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy 7th Ave S.  Duchess; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Houston Person Quartet; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Cen-  David Murray with Saul Williams; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. ter, 60th & Bdwy  Maceo Parker; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Chris Potter Circuits Trio featuring James Francies and Eric Harland; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Emmet Cohen Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Thursday, May 9  Bill Frisell Trio ft Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen; Blue Note,  Antonio Sanchez with Chris Potter, saxophone; Donny 131 W. 3rd St. McCaslin, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Juilliard Jazz Orchestra: Music Of Duke Ellington; Dizzy’s Saturday, May 4 Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy  Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Mark Turner, tenor sax; Rick  Jeremy Pelt: Jeremy Pelt; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Rosato, bass; Obed Calvaire, drums; Village Vanguard 178  David Murray with Saul Williams; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. 7th Ave S.  Maceo Parker; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Chris Potter Circuits Trio featuring James Francies and Eric Harland; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Emmet Cohen Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Friday, May 10  Bill Frisell Trio ft Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen; Blue Note,  Antonio Sanchez with Chris Potter, saxophone; Donny 131 W. 3rd St. McCaslin, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Jeremy Pelt: Jeremy Pelt; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Sunday, May 5  David Murray with Saul Williams; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Mark Turner, tenor sax; Rick  Maceo Parker; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Rosato, bass; Obed Calvaire, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Akiko/Hamilton/Dechter; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Cen- Saturday, May 11 ter, 60th & Bdwy  Antonio Sanchez with Chris Potter, saxophone; Donny  Chris Potter Circuits Trio featuring James Francies and Eric McCaslin, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez, Harland; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Simas & Amorim Duo CD release concert; Afro Latin Jazz  Jeremy Pelt: Jeremy Pelt; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Orchestra; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. (Continued on page 14)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 13  David Murray with Saul Williams; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Bdwy  Maceo Parker; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Monday, May 13  Michael Leonhart Orchestra with Special Guest Nels Cline;  Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Monday Nights With WBGO: Terraza Big Band; Dizzy’s Club,  Curtis Stigers with The Birdland Big Band Directed by David Sunday, May 12 Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy Dejesus; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Mingus Big Band: Celebrating 10 Years at Jazz Standard;  Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban All-Stars; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd  Antonio Sanchez with Chris Potter, saxophone; Donny Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. St. McCaslin, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez,  Amanda Brecker; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Jazz For Kids; Jeremy Pelt: Jeremy Pelt; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Wednesday, May 15  Ken Peplowski Quartet: Featuring Special Guest Vocalist Tuesday, May 14  Seasons Band - Ben Wendel, saxophone; Gilad Hekselman, Nicole Zuraitis; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Seasons Band - Ben Wendel, saxophone; Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Aaron Parks, piano; Matthew Brewer, bass; Eric Har-  Maceo Parker; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. guitar; Aaron Parks, piano; Matthew Brewer, bass; Eric Har- land, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. land, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra with Special Guest  Bill Charlap Trio; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Kurt Elling; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Curtis Stigers with The Birdland Big Band Directed by David Dejesus; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban All-Stars; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.

Thursday, May 16  Seasons Band - Ben Wendel, saxophone; Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Aaron Parks, piano; Matthew Brewer, bass; Eric Har- land, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Curtis Stigers with The Birdland Big Band Directed by David Dejesus; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Eric Krasno & Friends w/ special guest Lisa Fischer; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.

Friday, May 17  Seasons Band - Ben Wendel, saxophone; Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Aaron Parks, piano; Matthew Brewer, bass; Eric Har- land, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Curtis Stigers with The Birdland Big Band Directed by David Dejesus; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Eric Krasno & Friends w/ special guest Lisa Fischer; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.

Saturday, May 18  Seasons Band - Ben Wendel, saxophone; Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Aaron Parks, piano; Matthew Brewer, bass; Eric Har- land, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Curtis Stigers with The Birdland Big Band Directed by David Dejesus; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Eric Krasno & Friends w/ special guest Lisa Fischer; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.

Sunday, May 19  Seasons Band - Ben Wendel, saxophone; Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Aaron Parks, piano; Matthew Brewer, bass; Eric Har- land, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Jazz For Kids; Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra "Along For The Ride" CD Release; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Eric Krasno & Friends w/ special guest Lisa Fischer; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.

Monday, May 20  Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Berklee Masters On The Road With Special Guest Melissa Aldana; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy  Mingus Big Band: Celebrating 10 Years at Jazz Standard; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. (Continued on page 16)

14 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 Hello, my name is David Haney. I am a pianist and composer. In 2012 I took over as publisher and editor of Cadence Magazine. We have the same mandate to present independent free press. We are dedicated to the promotion of creative music. I encourage you to give us a try. You will love the new Cadence.  Andy Farber; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Mark Giuliana Quartet - Jason Rigby, saxophone; Shai Maes-  Marcus Machado & Friends; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. tro, piano; Chris Morrissey, bass; Mark Guiliana, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Fred Hersch Duo Invitation Series with Kenny Barron; Jazz Tuesday, May 21 Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Alan Broadbent; Jazz Masters Play Ornette Coleman with  Trio Tapestry - Joe Lovano, saxophone; Marilyn Crispell, Tom Harrell, Donny McCaslin, Ben Allison, Steve Smith; piano; Carmen Castaldi, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Ave S.  Roberta Gambarini Quartet; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Gil Gutiérrez; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Dr. Lonnie Smith with The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertge- bouw; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Brandee Younger & Friends with Special Guests TBA; Blue Wednesday, May 29 Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Mark Giuliana Quartet - Jason Rigby, saxophone; Shai Maes- tro, piano; Chris Morrissey, bass; Mark Guiliana, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. Wednesday, May 22  Fred Hersch Duo Invitation Series with Julian Lage; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Trio Tapestry - Joe Lovano, saxophone; Marilyn Crispell,  Alan Broadbent; Jazz Masters Play Ornette Coleman with piano; Carmen Castaldi, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Tom Harrell, Donny McCaslin, Ben Allison, Steve Smith; Ave S. Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Gil Gutiérrez; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Roberta Gambarini Quartet; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Dr. Lonnie Smith with The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertge- bouw; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Brandee Younger & Friends with Special Guests TBA; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Thursday, May 30  Mark Giuliana Quartet - Jason Rigby, saxophone; Shai Maes- tro, piano; Chris Morrissey, bass; Mark Guiliana, drums; Thursday, May 23 Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Fred Hersch Duo Invitation Series with Kurt Elling; Jazz  Trio Tapestry - Joe Lovano, saxophone; Marilyn Crispell, Standard, 116 E. 27th St. piano; Carmen Castaldi, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th  Alan Broadbent; Jazz Masters Play Ornette Coleman with Ave S. Tom Harrell, Donny McCaslin, Ben Allison, Steve Smith;  Melissa Aldana Quartet; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Dr. Lonnie Smith with The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertge-   Kenny Garrett; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. bouw; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Chris Dave & The Drumhedz with Special Guest; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Friday, May 31  Mark Giuliana Quartet - Jason Rigby, saxophone; Shai Maes- tro, piano; Chris Morrissey, bass; Mark Guiliana, drums; Friday, May 24 Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. Trio Tapestry - Joe Lovano, saxophone; Marilyn Crispell,   Fred Hersch Duo Invitation Series with Drew Gress & Billy piano; Carmen Castaldi, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Hart; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Ave S.  Alan Broadbent; Jazz Masters Play Ornette Coleman with Melissa Aldana Quartet; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Tom Harrell, Donny McCaslin, Ben Allison, Steve Smith;  Dr. Lonnie Smith with The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertge- Birdland, 315 W. 44th bouw; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Kenny Garrett; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Chris Dave & The Drumhedz with Special Guest; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Saturday, June 1  Danny Barker; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Saturday, May 25 Bdwy  Trio Tapestry - Joe Lovano, saxophone; Marilyn Crispell, piano; Carmen Castaldi, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. Sunday, June 2  Melissa Aldana Quartet; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Georgia Horns; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th &  Dr. Lonnie Smith with The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertge- Bdwy bouw; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Chris Dave & The Drumhedz with Special Guest; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Monday, June 3  JALC Youth Orchestra with Ingrid Jensen; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz Sunday, May 26 At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy  Trio Tapestry - Joe Lovano, saxophone; Marilyn Crispell, piano; Carmen Castaldi, drums; Village Vanguard 178 7th Tuesday, June 4 Ave S.  Kenny Werner Trio; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center,  Melissa Aldana Quartet; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. 60th & Bdwy  Greg Ruvolo Big Band Collective; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.

Jazz Lovers’  James Francies Flight With Special Guests Bilal(4/4) & Kate  Chris Dave & The Drumhedz with Special Guest; Blue Note, K-S (4/5); Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. 131 W. 3rd St.

Monday, May 27 Wednesday, June 5  Kenny Werner Trio; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center,

Lifetime Collection  Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. 60th & Bdwy  Arianna Neikrug; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  James Francies Flight With Special Guests Bilal(4/4) & Kate K-S (4/5); Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. JazzMusicDeals.com JazzMusicDeals.com Tuesday, May 28 (Continued on page 17)

16 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880  Bad Plus; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Saturday, June 15  Myron Walden Quintet; Miles Tucker Quartet; Mimi Jones  Christian McBride Big Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln

and The Lab Session; Small's, 183 W. 10th St. “Some people’s idea of Center, 60th & Bdwy  David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Charnett  Martin Family: Terrace Martin & Curly Martin With Larry Moffett's Bright New Day: CD Release; Birdland, 315 W. 44th free speech is that they are free Goldings; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. St. to say what they like, but if anyone Sunday, June 16  Savion Glover; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. says anything back that  Christian McBride Big Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy is an outrage.”  Martin Family: Terrace Martin & Curly Martin With Larry Thursday, June 27 Goldings; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Sean Jones, Dizzy Spellz; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln  Monday, June 17 Center, 60th & Bdwy - Winston Churchill  Chico Pinheiro Quartet; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center,  Bad Plus; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. 60th & Bdwy  Myron Walden Quintet; Simona Premazzi Quintet; Malick  Tuesday, June 18 Koly "After-hours"; Small's, 183 W. 10th St. Thursday, June 6  Scottish National Jazz Orchestra; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At  Pete Malinverni Trio; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy  Kenny G; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Hillary Gardner, Ehud Asherie; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln  Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban All-Stars; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd Center, 60th & Bdwy St.  Joey Alexander Trio Featuring Larry Grenadier & Kendrick Scott; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Friday, June 28  Sean Jones, Dizzy Spellz; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Wednesday, June 19 Center, 60th & Bdwy Friday, June 7  Scottish National Jazz Orchestra; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At  Bad Plus; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St. Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy  Dion Parson & 21st Century Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At  Ethan Iverson Quartet - Tom Harrell, trumpet; Ethan Iverson,  Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban All-Stars; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy piano; Ben Street, bass; Eric McPherson, drums; Village St. Vanguard 178 7th Ave S.  Joey Alexander Trio Featuring Larry Grenadier & Kendrick Scott; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Mike Boone Quartet; Victor Gould Sextet; JD Allen "After- hours"; Small's, 183 W. 10th St. Thursday, June 20  Birdland Big Band; Paul McCandless with Charged Particles; Saturday, June 8  Christian McBride's Tip City; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Django Reinhardt Festival: Samson Schmitt, Pierre Center, 60th & Bdwy Blanchard and more!; Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.  Dion Parson & 21st Century Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At  Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Kenny G; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy  Joey Alexander Trio Featuring Larry Grenadier & Kendrick Scott; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Friday, June 21 Saturday, June 29  Christian McBride's Tip City; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln  Sean Jones, Dizzy Spellz; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Sunday, June 9 Center, 60th & Bdwy Center, 60th & Bdwy  Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Bad Plus; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Dion Parson & 21st Century Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At  Ethan Iverson Quartet - Tom Harrell, trumpet; Ethan Iverson, Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy piano; Ben Street, bass; Eric McPherson, drums; Village  Joey Alexander Trio Featuring Larry Grenadier & Kendrick Vanguard 178 7th Ave S. Scott; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Saturday, June 22  Mike Boone Quartet; Victor Gould Sextet; Philip Harper  Christian McBride's Tip City; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Quintet; Small's, 183 W. 10th St. Center, 60th & Bdwy  Paul McCandless with Charged Particles; Django Reinhardt Monday, June 10  Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Festival: Samson Schmitt, Pierre Blanchard and more!;  The VI Jazz Collective; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. 60th & Bdwy  Kenny G; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Roy Haynes; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Sunday, June 23  Christian McBride's Tip City; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy Sunday, June 30 Tuesday, June 11  Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Sean Jones, Dizzy Spellz; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln  Christian McBride Big Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy Center, 60th & Bdwy  Bad Plus; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.  Roy Haynes; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Monday, June 24  Jennifer Wharton's BONEGASM; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra;  Randy Napoleon's Midwest Guitar Legacy: Grant Green, Wes Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. Montgomery, Kenny Burrell; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln  Kenny G; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Wednesday, June 12 Center, 60th & Bdwy  Savion Glover; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Christian McBride Big Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln  Center, 60th & Bdwy  Roy Haynes; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Tuesday, June 25  Jonathan Michel; Empirical; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Thursday, June 13 Center, 60th & Bdwy  Bad Plus; Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St.

 Christian McBride Big Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln

Center, 60th & Bdwy  Spike Wilner Trio; Josh Evans Quintet; Small's, 183 W. 10th St. “...among human beings  Martin Family: Terrace Martin & Curly Martin With Larry jealousy ranks distinctly as a Goldings; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  Peter Lin TNT Quartet CD Release; Django Reinhardt Festi- val: Samson Schmitt, Pierre Blanchard and more!; Birdland, weakness; a trademark of small minds; 315 W. 44th St. a property of all small minds, yet a property Friday, June 14  Savion Glover; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. which even the smallest is ashamed of; and when accused of its possession will  Christian McBride Big Band; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln lyingly deny it and resent the Center, 60th & Bdwy Wednesday, June 26 accusation as an insult.”  Martin Family: Terrace Martin & Curly Martin With Larry Goldings; Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.  François Bourassa Quartet; Empirical; Dizzy’s Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 60th & Bdwy -Mark Twain

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  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- Beacon Theatre, 74th St. & Broadway, 212-496-7070 Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY, 718- 3143. 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, 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 May-June 2019  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! Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. (betw Broadway & Columbus Ave.), 212-362-2590, triadnyc.com Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St, 10007, [email protected], tribecapac.org Trumpets, 6 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ, 973-744-2600, Get Hundreds Of Media Placements — trumpetsjazz.com Turning Point Cafe, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, N.Y. 10968 ONLINE — Major Network Media & Authority Sites & (845) 359-1089, http://turningpointcafe.com Urbo, 11 Times Square. 212-542-8950. urbonyc.com OFFLINE — Distribution To 1000’s of Print & Broadcast Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S., 212-255-4037 Vision Festival, 212-696-6681, [email protected], Networks To Promote Your Music, Products & Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Rd, Watchung, NJ 07069, Performances In As Little As 24 Hours To Generate 908-753-0190, watchungarts.org Watercolor Café, 2094 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY 10538, Traffic, Sales & Expanded Media Coverage! 914-834-2213, watercolorcafe.net Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 57th & 7th Ave, 212-247-7800 Williamsburg Music Center, 367 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY www.PressToRelease.com | MusicPressReleaseDistribution.com | 215-600-1733 11211, (718) 384-1654 wmcjazz.org

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 19 get together and Brian were in the band together, and Bill and Bob- laugh and joke and by were in together, so we have multiple genera- INTERVIEW tell the old stories tions of the Messengers represented. I started play- INTERVIEW and deal with this ing with the Jazz Messenger Big Band in March of

music. One of the 1983, until Bu’s passing. I’ve been planning and interesting observa- organizing for 5 years so that when Art’s centenni- tions that Geoff al year hit, that I would be in position with what I Ralph Peterson Keezer made on a felt was one of the definitive bands to represent and recent gig was rec- celebrate his legacy. Yeah, that’s how it happened. Not Afraid To Live ognizing that we’re playing this music JI: You released two recordings in 2018 on your now as fully ma- own Onyx Productions label and plan two more Interview & Photo by Ken Weiss tured musicians, 30-years after. We’re playing in releases in 2019. Is that a pace you plan to maintain our fifties as opposed to playing in our twenties, so moving forward? Ralph Peterson [b. May 20, 1962, Pleasantville, we get to bring our collective experience of each of NJ] has solidified his status as a superb drummer, our 30 years, as well as our experiences with Art, RP: I don’t know if I’ll be doing two albums eve- bandleader, composer and educator. He proudly together, and address them. We’re not playing ry year but when the opportunities present them- stands on the shoulders of the jazz royalty who some sort of repertory tribute, we’re declaring the selves, given my recent experiences and challenges preceded him and feels an earnest responsibility to sound of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers is a in life, I am more prone to act than to wait, and spread their message to listeners and students. living, growing, evolving thing. It’s been a real having my own record label means having the free- Peterson openly talks about his struggles with blast. It’s a labor of love and responsibility for me. dom and autonomy to put two records out in the drugs, his health battles with cancer, as well as his We’ve got gigs almost every month booked out calendar year. To make a statement that I’m not a time with mentors Michael Carvin, Walter Davis until 2020. You know, there’s 2, if not 3, genera- one trick pony, that I can focus on more than one Jr., Art Blakey, Betty Carter and others. Peterson’s tions of musicians who never sat in the room and musical approach at a time. The 2018 releases – boisterous personality at times matches his pas- felt Art move the air the way that only he could do Ralph Peterson’s Gennext Big Band I Remember sionate and explosive drumming but in this phone with the drum set, because it wasn’t just about Bu record and the quintet Aggregate Prime’s In- interview, taken March 8, 2019, his humble appre- hearing it, it was about feeling it. ward Venture recording are very, very different ciation for all those who have played a supportive musical directions. This year the release of the role in his life comes through, along with highly JI: How did you formulate the Messenger Legacy Messenger Legacy band’s CD will be called Ralph insightful commentary. band? Peterson and the Messenger Legacy: Legacy Alive Vol. 6 at the Side Door is set to be released on my Jazz Inside Magazine: You’re touring this year RP: I wanted a band that represented as many 57th birthday – May 20. Later in the year, the big with the Ralph Peterson and the Messenger Legacy different generations of the band as possible. My band will release its second record. The work is band in commemoration of Art Blakey’s 100th first call was to Reggie [Workman] to see if he done, it’s a matter of getting organized and getting birthday. What’s been your experience playing would be willing to do it. Interestingly, Reggie the music out. As long as I got the strength to have with that group of Jazz Messenger alumni and re- joined Art Blakey the year I was born. As time the ideas and pull it off, yeah, why not! visiting the music from your past? went by, with Reggie’s commitment to teaching at JI: You’re known to be a serious student of jazz’s past masters. Have you formally studied African “Swing is one of those words, like the percussion?

RP: Not formally, but what I have done is recon- name of God. It reveals itself to different nected with my roots through my family culture. My mother’s side of the family comes from the cultures in different ways at different Caribbean. My grandmother was born in Trinidad and raised in Barbados, so she’s what you call a Trini/Badian. What I learned in studying that was times … The notion that the irrepressible, the Caribbean, as a gateway to America from South America in the sea routing of the slave trade, creat- ed a couple of very unique cultural and national- irresistible, invisible force in music that istic hubs, one of which is Brazil. I learned there are more Africans in Brazil than there is any other compels you to move, has been in music place on earth, except Africa. And Trinidad and Barbados are very close to South America. I’m studying various musics and learning things about since the beginning of music …” how to play them and getting feedback from elder musicians like Ellis Marsalis. I was on the road The New School and everything, it became neces- with Delfeayo [Marsalis’] band with Ellis and we Ralph Peterson: I started the group in 2014 and sary to call another bass player and I called Essiett would do our little second line stuff, of course, as is this latest version was put together in preparation to Essiett, who I had put on the bandstand with Art required in Delfeayo’s band, and me being from celebrate Art Blakey’s centennial. The original Blakey in 1988 after he did my Triangular record- South Jersey, both Delfeayo and Ellis were appre- Messenger Legacy was Donald Brown, Reggie ing. I told Art, ‘You gotta hear this cat. You gotta ciative of the way I tried to be true to the second Workman, Donald Harrison and Bill Pierce. let him play.’ So Essiett came into the band on my line feeling as taught to me by Alvin Batiste back There’s been renditions of the band with Craig recommendation, and Bobby’s as well. Bill was a when I was recording Discernment [1986] with Handy, Robin Eubanks, and now with Geoff no-brainer because he was there at Berklee with me Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison. As I stud- Keezer and Essiett Essiett joining Bobby [Watson], and I’ve been in wonder of him for his consistent ied, I realized that, and I don’t want to get into too Brian [Lynch] and Bill [Pierce]. Every time we get high level of playing and his personal integrity and technical a breakdown about it, I think one day it together it has a homecoming feel, it’s like a frater- wisdom since 1981. Brian, I couldn’t even get the could end up being a master thesis if I ever went nal reunion because we are a finite number of indi- proposal all the way out before he said, “I’m in! back to school, but rhythmic resolution and the viduals. There were only so many Jazz Messengers Where we gonna hit?” [Laughs] It’s been great downbeat of four is a common phenomenon in the having Geoffrey Keezer. Geoffrey, Essiett and chosen by Art Blakey before he left the planet. We (Continued on page 22)

20 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 21 irrepressible, irresistible, invisible force in music I’ve got a permanent ostomy site. My CEA [cancer Ralph Peterson that compels you to move, has been in music since marker] was up to 25 again last year, and I’ve been the beginning of music, and it wasn’t until the on chemo every 2 weeks over the past 7 months, American experience, which in part included the and my CEA is down to 5. So, like I said, I’m not (Continued from page 20) African American experience, that the terminology out of the woods but I’m fighting this with an ax music of West Africa, South America, the Caribbe- swing was used to identify this phenomenon. I and I’m looking for a chainsaw. [Laughs] But it an, including Cuba, and up into New Orleans. have maybe a broader window of acceptance for simplifies things in terms of what’s important – We’d be on the road, telling jokes, I’d be dropping what swingin’ is. I mean I know what it is specifi- playing this music, guarding this music, which is one-liners from my beloved grandmother, who cally but when you say stuff is funky, you’re talk- another name for teaching, and just being the best could set you straight and make you laugh all at the ing about it’s swingin’, it’s just swinging in a dif- person that I can be. same time, and all of a sudden, Ellis asked me, ferent way. The other part of my answer is I think “Man, where do your people come from?” I told swing, as we know it in the so-called jazz music, JI: Is there repertoire that you play today that you him my grandmother’s heritage and he said, “Oh, African American classical music, is not a lost art didn’t feel comfortable performing early in your that explains why you play second line the way you but it’s an art that is being mistakenly viewed as career? do.” I asked him what he meant and if I was doing arcane and/or taken for granted. But ignorance and something wrong, and Ellis said, “ No, no, no, for awareness run in cycles within the culture, so it RP: No, I was always up for the challenge and the me it wasn’t until I went to carnival and calypso in doesn’t surprise me. There is no one approach to more you play challenging music, the more you the Caribbean that I really understood what second swing. The way Art Blakey played swing and the learn about how to play music. I never shied away line was about.” What’s important about that, in way Max Roach, Elvin Jones, and Roy Haynes or felt intimidated by any piece of music. It’s al- my experience, is that as a student of both history played swing is simultaneously different and the ways been a vehicle for me to become a better and the music, your knowledgebase broadens when same. That’s what I mean about the feeling of the musician, which is what I want to do. you come to the realization that something always Messenger Legacy not being a repertoire group. comes from somewhere, and when you make that How do I conjure the feeling and spirit in tribute to JI: You’ve wanted to play drums professionally connection of where it comes from, [Laughs] — Art Blakey without sounding like I’m playing dead since seeing Sonny Payne performing with the that’s a title of a tune by Michele Rosewoman on people music all the time? How do I play the music Count Basie Orchestra when you were 12. What one of my recordings—it changes you, it alters you in a way that is going to excite and interest and did you see in Payne’s drumming that captivated in a way that can’t be undone. I’m grateful for that inspire young people to be drawn towards it? you? process. That’s the challenge in this project. Art was always looking to slip in a little funk beat into the music. RP: Oh my God, there was a combination of in- JI: Have you performed in Africa? He was always open, he loved music. credible execution and incredible showmanship, and showmanship to the point of leadership, even. RP: I have yet to set foot on the motherland. It is a JI: What’s been the hardest thing for you to mas- It was amazing the relationship that Sonny Payne goal of mine. I made some contacts this year at the ter during your career? had in Count Basie’s orchestra. Count Basie was Winter Jazz Fest and I’m hoping to get an invite, clearly the chief, that was never questioned because but not yet. At some point, if I don’t get invited, RP: That’s patience, across the board – musically, he was the kind of leader that let everybody shine I’m just gonna buy a ticket and go. I’ll be going to in business, in life, in relationships, in dealing with and knew that the strength of the Count Basie brand rested on the power of the people in the or- chestra. He would cut Sonny loose and just watch it, like the rest of us, in awe of him. He was the “I was always up for the challenge and most entertaining, great drummer I’ve ever seen. Not all musicians are entertainers, or try to be. the more you play challenging music, the Some come out to perform and some come out to entertain you without passing a certain virtuosity level, but Sonny Payne had that ability to demon- more you learn about how to play music. strate virtuosity and the highest levels of showman- ship at the same time. My father played drums, but I had never seen drums played like that. I never shied away or felt intimidated by JI: It was almost inevitable that you would play any piece of music. It’s always been a drums. You come from a family of percussionists including 4 uncles and your grandfather, yet you didn’t know the basic drum rudiments, and failed vehicle for me to become a better your college drum audition at Rutgers. Why, with all the drummers around you, did you not have the musician, which is what I want to do.” drum basics down?

RP: Because we learned drums in the African China and Australia for the first time later this year, people, and for my own growth spiritually. I’ve tradition – the oral tradition. In Africa, a drum all touring with the Messenger Legacy. I’ve been to been through some things recently and I’m stand- lesson is taught with the master drummer on one pretty much every place else except Alaska and I ing in some woods now that have changed my side and the student drummer on the other side of can barely get through the winters in Massachu- perspective about what’s important. I’m not out of an animal skin, and the lesson is played by the setts. [Laughs] the woods yet but dam it, I’m holding an ax. You master. The student’s job is to recreate the sound of know, there’s a certain kind of freedom that comes, the lesson and until the proper technique is execut- JI: Would you talk about your take on swing and and I’m not saying this as breaking news, this is ed, the proper sound will not emerge. The master its importance to your music? just the existential realization that life is finite. But will continue to play the lesson over and over and when you have some experiences that really bring over, and once the student gets close enough to the RP: Swing is one of those words, like the name of you to a point of acceptance with that, not that lesson, then the master will alter the lesson to the God. It reveals itself to different cultures in differ- anything is imminent, I don’t want to suggest that next evolution. So that’s the tradition from which I ent ways at different times. In the Afro-Cuban in this interview, because we’re fighting the good learned music and I’m grateful for that because it tradition, there’s swing. In the African tradition of fight, and just for today, we’re winning the battle. gave me big ears. It’s also the reason that I’ve Bembe Abakua, there’s swing. The notion that the I’ve had 4 cancer surgeries in the last 3 years, and learned how to play trumpet because I learned

22 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 not stay on the trumpet track at that point? Addi- “Ah-Leu-Cha,”’ and he said, “Well, how do you Ralph Peterson tionally, your charismatic personality seems better know? Where’s the sticking?” And then I had that suited to the front of the stage, rather than the rear deer in the headlights puzzled look that students where the drums reside. have when they don’t have an answer. [Laughs] I trumpet to learn how to read rhythms. When I was said, ‘I’m only 18-years-old, I wasn’t around to be in marching band, I was playing trumpet, I wasn’t RP: I don’t accept the premise of that assertion able to see you play this,’ and he said, “If you playing drums, and marching band would have because if you asked Miles Davis who’s the most knew your rudiments, you’d have an idea.” He been the natural place for me to have been exposed important person in his band, he’d always answer made it clear to me that he had already peeped my to and learn my rudiments. I only played drums in that the drum was most important. I’ve never heard hold card as a musician, [Laughs] and I hadn’t even high school in the jazz ensemble. It’s not a com- a great band with a sad drummer, and I’ve heard ok held a pair of sticks in my hand yet. He knew right mon routing but it’s how I got where I’m at. Being bands that were kept afloat by good and great away not only did I not understand what rudiments compelled to learn my rudiments by Michael Carv- drummers. It could be argued that the drums are were, but that I hardly, if ever, had touched a pair in was the best thing that ever happened to me actually the front line. Art Blakey’s approach to of brushes. Philly Joe also gave me my first pair of because that was the first time musically that I was drumming is something that is unique and not brushes. He said, “You can’t come to the gig un- ever told “no.” It’s funny because I see the same talked about or understood enough. He came from prepared. If you’re a plumber, you can’t come to confounded look on students that I teach now who the big band tradition of Fletcher Henderson. Bill the job with no wrenches… You’ve got to have the are talented but haven’t done the requisite legwork Pierce ingeniously summed up Art Blakey’s ap- proper tools to do the job.” The third thing I got to bring their skill levels up to their talent. Talent is proach to drumming perfectly to me when he said, from that experience with Philly Joe is that Walter like hope, and hope is like temp tags on an automo- “Art Blakey is a master of big band drumming in a Davis Jr. came with Philly Joe to the gig, and it bile – after 30-days it runs out. [Laughs] Skilled small group setting,” and the longer you think was through Walter that I kind of got on the path- people aren’t born with their skills, they have to about that, the more sense it makes, if you think way to meeting Art, because Walter gave me my develop them. That’s the work. about the way Jazz Messenger music sounds. first gig in New York at Barry Harris’ Jazz Show- That’s why we’re celebrating Art Blakey now. It’s case. Yeah, that was a very important time in my JI: How did you finally convince Professor Mi- not just because of all the guys that came through life and that’s why I take my teaching so seriously chael Carvin that you were a legitimate drum stu- his band, but for how he changed the trajectory of because my college days were very important to dent and qualified to be taken into the Rutgers’ music, and why. me in terms of keeping me in the music. I think it’s drum program? harder now because there’s less clubs and less op- JI: During your college years, Paul Jeffries brought portunities for band leaders my age. See, when RP: I came back the next semester knowing my in numerous established visiting artists. Philly Joe there’s more opportunities for band leaders my age, rudiments. He told me, “There’s 26 rudiments, there’s 26 letters in the alphabet, go learn the al- phabet of the language of drumming and then you can study with me.” When people deal with you “Talent is like hope, and hope is with that level of frankness, it’s actually easy. [Laughs] The world would be a better place if eve- rybody did more of that. The person that needed like temp tags on an automobile – convincing was Paul Jeffries because he was the director of the big band and he took my trumpet audition. He knew me as a trumpet player, so we after 30-days it runs out. [Laughs] literally had to trick him by organizing a switching out of the drummers during a casual campus con- cert. When his back was turned, I switched out Skilled people aren’t born with their with the drummer that was playing, and when Jef- fries turned around to call the next section, he real- ized he didn’t know how long I had been playing, skills, they have to develop them. and that was how I convinced him. You know, after meeting Terence [Blanchard], [Laughs] I realized that there are people who play trumpet and That’s the work.” then there are trumpet players. Like there are peo- ple who drink beer and there’s beer drinkers. Peo- Jones was one who was especially helpful to you. there’s more opportunities for young players to ple who drink beer shouldn’t try to drink with beer grow. It’s getting done in the larger cities, but it drinkers. They will get hurt! [Laughs] I realized I RP: It was through Philly that I learned what Mi- certainly is a heavier lift than it used to be. The like the trumpet but I’m a drummer that plays the chael Carvin was trying to teach me by learning the industry is so geared towards youth, American trumpet. I’m still very much into it, and I’m play- rudiments. Most drummers play rudiments, wheth- culture in general is so geared towards youth and ing a lot of cornet these days because the stoma er they know they’re playing rudiments or not. sees experience as something to push back against. changed some of my wind pressure realities. The Meeting Philly Joe, who is to me, the highest, ele- conical bore of the cornet makes it a little bit less gant expression of rudimental drumming in the JI: Woody Shaw was another visiting musician strenuous in my lower abdomen. I’m starting to history of music. Yeah, I’ll go out there and say it. who came to your school and obviously inspired rebuild my ability to play sustain on horn, which In the standard 26, yeah, it’s Philly Joe. When you you. You recorded four of his compositions on took its toll through the operations and the chemo get out into the Swiss and the basic 40, then you your 2010 Outer Reaches album. because the chemo effected my dental work. It gotta start talking about Tony [Williams] and Jack started to eat the bone, teeth became loose, and I [DeJohnette] and Carvin and Eric Gravatt. When RP: Outer Reaches was the debut of my label, couldn’t play it for a minute. I needed to have an Philly came to the school, to show respect for him, Onyx Music, and it was not only a tribute to incredible amount of dental work done over 4 I tried to write out and learn his famous drum break Woody, but to all jazz New Jersey. I came up out months and now I‘ve got 5 or 6 teeth in my head from the tune “Ah-Leu-Cha,” from Round About of the organ tradition in New Jersey, which is seri- that I haven’t had in 20 years, [Laughs] and it’s Midnight. So, I wrote it up on manuscript, as neatly ous and deep there. New Jersey had the organ clubs changing the way I talk and play the horn. I’m as I could, ran up to him, like an idiot, and said, and great players, including Larry Young. Woody’s dealing and growing from that. ‘Ah, Mr. Jones, look at this.’ And he looked at it, playing, I mean I understand it from a numeric, and I’m sure he had experienced this before be- technical thing. I understand what he’s doing, but I JI: Your college training began on trumpet since cause of the way he handled it, and he said, “Oh, don’t know how he did it. It just freaks me out, the you were more advanced on that instrument. Why what’s this?” I said, ‘It’s your drum break from (Continued on page 24)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 23 call me at 7:30 in the morning and ask me, “What’s RP: Blakey wasn’t having health issues when he Ralph Peterson the first chord in the bridge of “Stablemates?” At hired me, he was as strong as a bull in ’83. He did- 7:30 in the morning! [Laughs] He would also sit n’t start showing signs of wear until late ’89. His down and play songs like “Un Poco Loco,” and decline was fairly rapid and merciful in that way. (Continued from page 23) “Glass Enclosure,” or Thelonious Monk’s He was able to go out pretty much playing until the stuff he played on that horn. He just defied the “Humph.” The really obscure stuff, and he would- end. I met Art Blakey at the Jazz Forum, I sat in at physics of the horn. If you learn to play the wider n’t call them, he’d just sit down and start playing Mikell's, and at Mikell's he said, “I’ve been waiting intervals that he was linking together, you start to them. You’d have to get in where you fit in, hang for you. We gonna put the big band together.” come into that phrase feeling that he generated. A in, and then your job was to come back the next Now, he would say that occasionally to people, but lot of trumpet players nowadays understand that time and not be fooled. I remember him wanting this time he did it, and it was like winning the lot- and certainly use it. I was a Maynard Ferguson me to learn a tune and I was just being lazy about tery and a graduate research fellowship all at he freak until I heard Dizzy Gillespie, and after Dizzy learning it, so he would just call somebody else same time. And I’m not talking about the money I heard Clifford [Brown], and then I heard Freddie down to the club who knew the tune and have them that was paid, I’m talking about the value of the [Hubbard], so there’s a very lyrical base there, but sit in and play. Let me tell you, when you feel the knowledge that I learned. Yes, I did it until he was that shit Woody was doing? I can only associate it threat of unemployment, you get your shit together, no longer with us, and then went back one more with Coltrane, at that point. And there was a lot of [Laughs] and he don’t even have to tell you that year to Mt. Fuji and I did it with Lewis Nash, the it that I didn’t listen to because it was over my you need to get your shit together. No, it’s implied year after he passed. head. A lot of Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson in the experience. It was always done with love, was lost on me until my ear gained a level of so- but it was also always done with the music being JI: How intimidating was it to take the stage with phistication and maturity in order to appreciate it. the most important thing, not my feelings. Some- Art Blakey that first night? I’m still fascinated by Woody. I’m also really times, these days, in these institutional efforts to grateful to have been able to work with another protect this music, we let the inmates run the ward RP: You gotta remember to breathe. I was ok on trumpet player who is pushing on that vocabulary and the tail wags the dog because we want every- the shuffles, but I wasn’t clear on how much he in his own way. I’m talking about my former stu- body to be our friends. Friendship can be an out- wanted me to play. I would just watch him and try dent, Sean Jones, who I taught at Rutgers when he growth of the experience, but if you’re my friend, to mimic him, stay under him soundwise. But then was in grad school. Sean not only understands the and you’re not dealing with the music, I’d rather it became clear to me that he wanted the feeling of Woody thing but has combined it with the Bill you hate my guts and be playing your ass off to two drummers playing at the same time. He trusted Fielder thing and his own thing to really open up spite me, because it’s the music I care about, the the work that I had done to learn about him and the sound and vocabulary. When he goes there, music you make as a student. how he played. He trusted it more than I did, so his there’s nobody that can deal with him. Josh Evans encouragement was to go ahead and play because also has a very wonderful voice of his own that is JI: So why did Walter Davis Jr. call you so early he knew I wouldn’t stray far from him. He knew I reminiscent of Woody, yet very much his own. in the morning? wouldn’t bust into any Tony Williams-isms or Max Yeah, I just sit back and admire those guys, and if Roach-isms. He knew that my reverence and defer- they let me come on the bandstand to play my little RP: Walter was more than a musician. He was a ence at that point was completely there. two choruses, then I can do that, take my bow, and parent, he was a style coach, he was a tailor. He get the hell off the stage. used to make a lot of his own clothes, he would do JI: What was Art Blakey most critical about re- garding your playing?

RP: About being myself. Even when I was trying “I remember [Walter Davis Jr.] wanting me to to play his stuff, sometimes I would try to physical- ly execute it the way I would see him execute it, learn a tune and I was just being lazy about and I couldn’t pull it off. But when I closed my eyes and focused on the sound, I would get closer, learning it, so he would just call somebody else even though mechanically I was pulling the sound out with a different technical approach. We were down to the club who knew the tune and have built very physically different so we’re not gonna create the same sound on the drums the same way. them sit in and play. Let me tell you, when you Physics doesn’t allow that, and of course, the mus- cle and the sound that was embedded in his hands, I hadn’t even begun to develop a sound yet. He feel the threat of unemployment, you get your would be critical through encouragement with me. He never really dogged me. You know what he shit together, [Laughs] and he don’t even have dogged me on? He dogged me on stuff off the bandstand, on not letting women get inside of my to tell you that you need to …” head and pull me away from the music, or get in- between me and any musician. He was adamant about me being the best parent I could be. You JI: During the midpoint of your college days, you that in the morning. What it did was make me know, his son Takashi lived with my mother and played in Walter Davis Jr.’s trio. He’s overlooked question why I had only been asleep for only 3 or 4 father for a summer or two in New Jersey long today. Would you talk about him and give a hours. He wouldn’t question me like that, he’d say, before I even played with the band, so we were memory? “Oh, you’re still sleeping.” He wouldn’t ride me connected like family. He had a home in North- about it, but he’d still keep calling again. It wasn’t field, and I grew up in Pleasantville. At that point, RP: That was around 1982. Walter taught me the an everyday thing, it wasn’t like he was a drill my father was deputy chief sheriff in Rutherford. Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk repertoire, as sergeant. He was more like Yoda. well as all of his incredible body of work as a com- JI: It’s a classic story that at your first rehearsal poser, which, when the Messenger Legacy goes JI: Your most significant early break came in with the Jazz Messengers, Blakey told you to arrive into the studio, will be addressed in no small way. 1983. While still in college, Art Blakey asked you at a certain time, and then he showed up five hours That’s a peek at 2020, hopefully before it’s all to become the second drummer in his band, which late, and the first thing he asked was if you had done. Right now, we’re not playing any of Walter’s you did until his death in 1990. Was he having showed up on time. As far as a learning experience, music in the book, but I imagine we’ll get there. health issues at the point he hired you? what did you take from that early incident? Walter would teach me. He would do things like

24 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 night and I think I played drums three times out of nities are great, but you can’t pay no bills with Ralph Peterson the six-night engagement. After I played, the next them. I was starting to stand on principle on some two nights, I never heard him play so strong in all business issues, and when you stand for something, the times I heard him play. He let me play trumpet you sometimes expose yourself to the slings and RP: To be on time is the most important thing on a couple of tunes with the band after he found arrows. So, when it was time for me to move on, I about playing time. We weren’t just sitting around, out that I could play the horn. So, I had musical did so seamlessly because at that point, I was work- waiting for him to show up. We rehearsed and ate, usefulness, as well as a practical usefulness. That ing with Stanley Turrentine, David Murray, Henry and I learned the music. If he had walked in, God was an amazing week because it was like a post- Threadgill and Jon Faddis, all at the same time. So, forbid, and found out that, “Oh, you didn’t come so graduate, high-intensity, up-close and personal I had a broad spectrum of musical outlets, and we just left,” he’d have fired everybody! [Laughs] daily master class. It was the kind of thing that within six months of leaving the band, I was ap- Many of the drummers who you will see paying changes your life forever. I was four-years clean at proached by Toshiba EMI and given the opportuni- tribute to Art Blakey, in addition to me, like Carl that time and Michael Carvin told me that before ty to be the first release in the early ‘80s saving of Allen, Cindy Blackman, Terri [Lyne Carrington], they called me, they called him and asked, “Is your Blue Note Records by Toshiba EMI. That bailout, they used to all fall by the rehearsals and play, boy cool? Is your boy ready?” [Laughs] Because which was a distribution deal between Toshiba because very often, when a new piece of music was my youthful indiscretions had become the stuff of EMI, Somethin’ Else Records and Blue Note, is brought, Art would learn it just listening first. And legend and folklore, and I had become my own how my first six records became released on the if he could listen to somebody else play it, then he worst enemy. Thank God, next month I’ll be 23- Blue Note label, and so, to me, the universe had could figure out what he wanted to do with it years drink and drug free. It’s well in my rearview balanced itself because at that point I had autono- quicker. There are other drummers who were cer- mirror now, but we go through what we go my. I could stand for what I believed in as a leader. tainly mentored by Bu in that process, and they through. I can remember traveling issues, being told that I were all in New York when I got there, but for could travel a certain class, but the band would some reason there was something about me that JI: Blue Note Records formed Out of the Blue have to fly another class, and I declined, saying made him relaunch the big band. And that meant a (OTB), a young lions all-star ensemble in 1984. either we all fly the same class or no class. That lot to me and still means a lot to me. That’s why I There was some negative buzz related to your time kind of integrity is something I learned from the don’t take this Messenger Legacy project lightly at with that band. people who taught me music. I never wanted the all. music to be disrespected just because the people RP: I’m not sure about the negative buzz at that who happened to be playing it were young. JI: Who was the first drummer to join him in the time, the youthful indiscretions hadn’t even taken band? off yet. I still had milk on my breath, I was drink- JI: Your career had almost a magical beginning.

RP: His son, Art Jr. “Many of the drummers who you will see paying JI: Would you share a memory of Art Blakey? tribute to Art Blakey ... like Carl Allen, Cindy RP: There are Art Blakey stories for public con- sumption and there are Art Blakey stories that re- Blackman, Terri, they used to all fall by the re- main closed-holed. One that I tell my students all the time is we were at Mt. Fuji, rehearsing the big band and the phrasing in the trumpet and trombone hearsals and play, because very often, when a sections was not happening. Art was not at the beginning of the rehearsal. I was playing and the new piece of music was brought, Art would cats in the band, all the Jazz Messengers at that point, were trying to tell me how to play like Art learn it just listening first. And if he could listen Blakey. You dig? None of them being drummers, by the way. So, it’s getting a little testy, and Art to somebody else play it, then he could figure comes in and listens and observes for a minute and stops the band and goes on a 30-minute diatribe because none of the horn players are tapping their out what he wanted to do with it quicker.” feet. He’s saying, “What the hell are you looking at Ralph for if none of y’all keeping your own time? ing chocolate milk at the gigs [Laughs] at that You played with Art Blakey and had the backing of Each tub stands on its own legs.” So, it was a nice point. I wasn’t the first choice for that band. I be- the historic Blue Note label. You bypassed the moment of advocacy for me. It taught me some- lieve Lewis Nash was the original drummer of typical years of struggling to earn a reputation that thing important of ensemble playing in that every- choice. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about other musicians had to endure. Would you talk body is responsible for their own time, and when anybody that has a problem with me, especially if about your early days on the New York scene? everybody’s responsible for their own time, the they’re too much of a coward to bring it to me like drummer is then set free to become creative. If I’m a grownup. What you might be referring to was my RP: No, it wasn’t easy because I was young and not carrying your water, I can drink my own. exit from the band. We were all enlisted in this stupid. I was clearly a part of the early ‘80s jazz band on the promise that it was a cooperative group renaissance. I was set up to be the Blue Note’s JI: You also got to play for Elvin Jones towards and that we would have equal say in what went on answer to what Wynton and Branford were doing the end of his life. with the band, musically and businesswise, and at CBS, without a doubt. That’s what OTB was publicity would be shared. Particularly after the about. That’s what my records were about, but it RP: That came in 2000 at the 19th anniversary of Inside Track record [1986], when Kenny Garrett didn’t necessarily make working in New York that the New York Blue Note jazz club. It was also the went to Art Blakey, and Bob Hurst went to Wynton much easier as a leader because New York had year that Elvin Jones had surgery on his femoral Marsalis, and Harry Pickens moved out to Arizona more clubs then, and guys who are my age now arteries in his legs. He was performing that week at to support his ill wife, and Renee [Rosnes], Kenny were still leading bands. And you could hear the the club and wasn’t sure of his physical ability and Davis and Steve Wilson came in the band, there difference between older guys leading bands and wanted someone on hand every night in case he was a shift. A lot of the focus on the marketing of bands led by younger guys, and the audience still needed to pass the baton. So, not only am I the last the band seemed to hover around Ralph Bowen and had a great level of sophistication and appreciation drummer that Art Blakey called, but I’m actually Mike Mossman, which was not what I was told for music created by guys who are my age now. the last drummer that Elvin Jones called to sub for coming in. Also, I was hearing – “You guys should One of the things I think is important in the resusci- him. He hired me to be at the Blue Note every just be grateful for the opportunity.” Well, opportu- (Continued on page 26)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 25 and I would grab the horn and Michael would sit on to them, and they can pass on to their students. Ralph Peterson down at the drums, and I would play a solo after In a way, that’s kind of the path to immortality. the bass solo. We used to have a lot of fun with that. I miss Mike a lot, he used to call me, like JI: Beginning with your first leader recording, (Continued from page 25) Elvin, always checking in with how I was living, in you’ve shown interest in working with unusual tation of this music is to go back and grab young terms of keeping my life clean. He would remem- time signatures and structures. What attracts you to people and show them how hip the people they ber to call me on my “clean date.” You don’t al- that? think are outdated really are because the music that ways experience that level of caring from human people are playing now, the groove constructs that beings that you play music with. RP: I’m not sure what attracts me to that. The chal- a lot of creative musicians are playing on, are the R lenge of finding the groove and asymmetry. Swing & B and funk roots that guys my age grew out of, JI: You also spent time with Betty Carter. She was exists in 17 too, it’s just not as obvious. The central and they think it’s new! It’s fucking hilarious. famous for developing young artists. What was focus of [my band] the Fo’Tet deals in asymmet- [Laughs] They think they discovered it. your experience with her and how did she chal- rical swing concepts, whether it’s Afro Cuban or lenge you? whether it’s what I like to call “Swunk,” which is JI: David Murray hired you in the mid-late ‘80s for like part swing, part funk, swing with a backbeat. his octet which featured avant-garde players such RP: I wasn’t a young artist when I got to Betty I’m not sure why I’m attracted to that, it’s a prod- as Baikida Carroll, Craig Harris and Wilbur Mor- Carter, that was the most challenging thing about it. uct of who I am and what I came through musically ris. How was it playing in that setting? That was the biggest head job. When I joined Bet- and how I try to bridge all the disparate influences ty’s band, I was 34, going on 35, and most people that have impacted on how I hear music. RP: It helped me to not get completely swept up in were leaving that band by the time they got in their the cliched language of my generation. My contem- ‘30s, if they lasted that long. I subbed for a gig at JI: [Pianist] Geri Allen played on your earliest poraries – Wynton, Branford, Terence, Marlon Yoshi’s with Craig Handy, Curtis Lundy, Jacky recordings. Would you share a memory of her? Jordan, Mulgrew, we were all influenced by a par- Terrasson, and maybe Mark Shim. I ended up stay- ticular kind of language, and what was great about ing with the band for about 10 months after that. It RP: We were doing a promotional follow-up to the David, and playing with David, was he knew I was an incredible experience to play with Betty. I Triangular record and Mild Seven cigarettes from possessed that, but he would challenge me not to did so much training on tempo and dynamic transi- Japan, came in, put us in the studio, put us in all play it. He would really get in my face not to play tion with playing with her records, so the oppor- these designer clothes, and shot a video. The studio certain things that I played in other bands. He said, tunity to be able to play that stuff with Betty, while was hot, they had to turn the air off during taping “I didn’t bring you in here to change my music into she was still here, was a dream come true because I because of the noise that it made. And we were how you want it to sound.” So that’s how you learn thought I was too old for that opportunity. Here’s doing “Just One of Those Things” at warp seven to be a sideman, which really teaches you to be a an interesting thing – I call Betty Carter the nicest tempo. We got finished with the first and the sec- leader. That’s the process that’s getting circum- firing I’ve ever had. When Betty let me go, she told ond takes and I was done, but Geri wanted one vented now, which is why, I believe, the music and me, “You need to go on and develop your own more shot at it. Now you could have taken my shirt the careers and the longevity of some of these mu- band. I ain’t got nothing else I really need to teach and jacket off and rung it out, but Geri was like, sicians just don’t have the staying power, because you.” And she said, “Plus, there’s a few more y’all “Let’s do one more.” I said, ‘Geri, what do you the music doesn’t have the depth. You know, a I want to get to before I get out of here.” And I want from me?’ And Geri hollered back, “My dig- house that’s built on top of the ground is different didn’t know what it meant then, but she knew that nity!” [Laughs] She had felt that she hadn’t played from a house that has a ten-foot foundation dug all she was sick. I was like,’ Oh, Betty, you gonna live well but that’s just the humble place that she came the way around. And when life happens to those forever. Thanks for the opportunity, call me if you from. I never heard Geri not play well, each solo two houses, depending on what it is, one could end need me,’ and then a year-and-a-half later, she was was a masterpiece. She was one of the most in-the- up floating down the damn street because it ain’t gone. I’m grateful for all of those playing experi- moment musicians I ever had the privilege of play- anchored to nothing. ences that I’ve had because they fashioned me into ing with. Nobody gets out of this life alive. We whatever weapon it is that I am now. need to cherish and bring our champions their roses JI: Michael Brecker hired you in 1998 and you while they’re here and honor them. developed a closeness with him. You’ve said he JI: V [1989, Blue Note] was your first recording as taught you balance between performing and living. a leader. It’s significant that five of the six tunes JI: Ornettology [1991, Blue Note] includes your Would you expound on that? are your own originals. In the liner notes you add- first recorded horn solo. [It was on cornet]. Why ed, “My hope is to further the cause of drummers did you wait nine years to release your next horn RP: Michael and I shared some things in life that as leaders, not by leading with drums, but by lead- solo [Back to Stay, 2000, Sirocco Jazz]? were spiritual in nature, not religious, and that spir- ing with a high level of musicality.” It’s 30 years itual growth led us to conversations about the dif- later, how would you judge today’s level of drum- RP: I don’t know why it took nine years but some ference between who I am, what I am, and what I mer musicality? of that had to do with when it was recorded and do. Because I used to walk around with my chest released, and my trials and tribulations in learning out, saying, ‘Yeah, playing music is not what I do, RP: I believe that it is really great, as exemplified how to live and stay clean, which led to the title of it’s what I am.’ What I learned from Michael is that by Antonio Sanchez, Dafnis Prieto, Quincy Phil- Back to Stay, because that’s what I was coming I’m a father, I’m a son, I’m a brother, I’m an uncle, lips, and Eric Harland, and all of these cats that can back from – a relapse. I’m a teacher, a mentor. I’m all those things, pri- play way more piano than I can play trumpet. They marily through music, but also through martial arts are incredible musicians. All of the drummers who JI: In interviews over the years, you’ve often men- and fellowships and fraternal organizations that I write and arrange and do more than just keep time. tioned a desire to release a recording featuring belong to which enable me to have impact on the I’ve had a really successful run as a teacher myself, yourself on trumpet. Why the delay and when will solutions in my community, and therefore in the and I’m really proud of the guys I’ve had the op- that happen? world. That’s what’s important about being, not portunity and blessing to work with because as I where my record charts on jazz radio. help them grow, they help me grow. Antonio RP: Because playing the trumpet is a full-time gig. Sanchez and all the way up to Justin Faulkner, I’m planning on going on sabbatical at Berklee JI: Is it true that when you played trumpet in Mark Whitfield Jr., Jonathan Pinson, Johnathan soon. I’ve never taken one, and once I go on sab- Brecker’s band, he would play the drums? Blake, E.J. Strickland, Ari Hoenig, and so many batical, I’m going deep, deep into the shed on horn more. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to because I’ll have that block of time to dedicate to RP: Michael Brecker was one of the most com- pass on whatever it is that I have and make sure it, and then I’ll record. There’s also been all the plete musicians I’ve ever played with. We would that it lives. That what guys like Art and Elvin, and other issues I’ve dealt with. Life happens, with or often, during the encore bass solo, when James lesser known people like George (Red) Walcott without your permission. Genus would play, we would both walk off stage and Eddie Gladden passed on to me, that I can pass

26 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 JI: You started your own record label, Onyx Mu- and stands up as a beacon for those who might be Ralph Peterson sic, as a means to control your music. in the pit, trying to claw they’re way out. I try to support those people find a path to recovery. That RP: I never understood why a record had to be may be one of the most important things I do with JI: You’ve also become proficient on bass and released at a certain time of year or why did it only my life, beyond playing music. piano. Have you given thought to a one-man-band, stay available before it went out of print for a lesser solo project with overlapping tracks of piano, trum- and lesser amount of time. I was in Malta, and JI: Art Blakey was known to also use drugs. Re- pet, bass and drums? Gary Bartz was also there at the festival. We were spectfully asking, with the understanding that he hanging out at the pool and me and Orrin [Evans] was so close to you, was that part of the problem? RP: No, I don’t play enough bass and piano for and a couple other people were complaining about that. I have thought about doing the trumpet re- the recording industry, and Gary Bartz shut us all RP: Art Blakey’s drug use had nothing to do with cording in a particular way where nobody on the down by saying, “Y’all need to shut up because mine. Yeah, we’d knock back a few drinks and record is playing on their primary instrument. y’all ain’t in the recording industry. Y’all not in the pass around a few joints, but that was all I ever got record making business.” ‘What do you mean? I into with Art Blakey. That’s not all I’ve ever seen, JI: What would be the benefit of that situation? got recordings,’ I said. “No, no,” he said, “You but that’s all I’m gonna talk about. I’m not blaming employees of people in the record making business. it on anybody else. I like getting high because I like RP: I think each person would be able to express You don’t own nothing.” And we all got quiet. getting high, but I had to recognize that getting themselves from their alter ego. [Laughs] And I’m telling you, that thing stuck with high didn’t like me. Look, I’m living in a medical me like a splinter in my mind. The more that tech- marijuana state. I’ve got a plate and 8 screws in my JI: Your final Blue Note recording Art [1994] was nology evolved, which brought down the cost of right ankle, spinal fusion at L5-S1, a replaced right a tribute to the then recently passed Art Blakey. In making a record, I began to see my opportunity. hip, and I’m fighting cancer. Do you know how the album’s liner notes, you point out that shortly When I signed my first serious cymbal endorse- much medical marijuana I’m entitled to? But I dare before Blakey died, he told you that the best way to ment deal, I took the royalties and bankrolled my not lift the lid because I have recognized and ac- pay tribute to him was to be yourself. How did that record label, and I’ve been doing it like that ever cepted the fact that my cutoff switch is broken. conversation come about? since. I’ve been at Berklee for almost 17 years, so That’s what makes me an addict. My success, a day I’m at a kind of professional freedom because I’m at a time, comes through the consistent application RP: After my daughter was born, he was at my not playing my gigs to pay my bills. That gives me of spiritual principles that I learned. I’m a hope-to- apartment in New York, with my daughter sitting artistic and professional freedom. I don’t live die dope fiend but I didn’t know how sick I was on his lap, eating curried chicken that I had cooked, grand, but I’m comfortable. until I put the dope down and had to deal with the telling me, “You don’t have to chase me musically fiend. A lot of getting better is about putting inside anymore. You don’t have to try to play like me because you couldn’t deny me musically if some- body held a gun to your head.” And he was gone “I was hearing – ‘You guys should just be grateful for within a year-and-a-half of that. So, he not only gave me permission but insisted that I at least start the opportunity.’ Well, opportunities are great, but to reach for my own stuff. And what I find in play- ing this Messenger Legacy project, I am challenged you can’t pay no bills with them. I was starting to to do both – honor him but be myself. And when I lose sight of being myself, I very often musically stand on principle on some business issues, and find myself frustrated. There were two times during this first West Coast tour where I literally heard his when you stand for something, you sometimes ex- voice in my spirit say to me on a particular song, “Well, what the fuck do you have to say about pose yourself to the slings and arrows. So, when it this?” [Laughs] A kind of, that’s enough about me, what about you? It’s a delicate balance because if was time for me to move on, I did so seamlessly be- my point of departure is something other than Art Blakey, then it becomes a thing that anybody else cause at that point, I was working with Stanley Tur- can do, and the Messenger Legacy is the closet you’re gonna get to that feeling. Some generations rentine, David Murray, Henry Threadgill …” have never heard it or felt it, and while I’m here, I can’t let that happen. JI: It’s no secret that you battled substance abuse the box that you’ve been stuffing drugs into, earlier in your career. Even while under contract you’ve got to find something else to go inside that JI: Blue Note Records purged part of their back with Blue Note, you were essentially a homeless box, and the answer is spiritual in nature. Again, catalog at one point, including your early record- crack addict. Thankfully, you’ve been clean since not necessarily religious, but spiritual in nature. ings. What was your reaction upon hearing that? 1996. Would you talk about that part of your histo- That’s what’s been working for me come April 24, ry and how bad it got? for 23 years. I keep a running calendar, so I know RP: I wanted a leasing deal, I still want a leasing how many days, because I never want it to be too deal. Every time an artist releases a record, it seems RP: It got so bad that I spent the summer of my far away from me, how long I’ve been clean. to me that every label that has ever recorded that last year using, sleeping in someone’s Lazy Boy artist has an opportunity to sell units of the record recliner in their living room. It got so bad that I was JI: Unfortunately, you’ve also dealt with numerous that they recorded with that artist, especially in the 158 pounds in the frame that I am now. It got so significant health issues during the latter part of digital age where space and storage is not an issue. bad that there was a time where my mother would your career. You’ve mentioned the four surgeries, It seems the most ass-backwards thing is to put a stand outside of the bathroom when I was in her you also coded during the second surgery, you’re record out of print or purge a catalog. That’s bean home, just to make sure I wasn’t doing anything in undergoing chemotherapy for recurring colon can- counter language. Some part of a record label has there. And most of all, it got so bad that I couldn’t cer, battled Bell’s palsy, and substantial orthopedic to have at its core the preservation of the culture. I stop and stay stopped, well after I knew I needed surgeries, including spinal fusion. Would you talk would love to come to an agreement with Toshiba to. And that’s when things began to feel hopeless. about dealing with this multitude of problems and EMI and rerelease my early recordings, but I can’t I’m really grateful to my dear friends who circled getting on with your life? seem to get a conversation started with them. the wagons and offered me a life preserver back That’s good music. We were young and full of piss then, and most of them are still my friends now. RP: These challenges are my life, they are part of and vinegar. My life today represents a win against addiction (Continued on page 28)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 27 it. There was no class like that at Berklee and now I nese style, Korean style, Brazilian style martial Ralph Peterson teach two sections of it. The principle of why up arts, you have New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia, the tune count from 35 to 50? Because in 15 weeks, New Jersey approaches to jazz. All of them swing it gives you the ability to learn music, which is a and move differently, and like each to the other, it (Continued from page 27) useful skillset when somebody calls you for a rec- depends on the practitioner. There’s issues of bal- my life. They’re not problems, unless I don’t deal ord date and sends you a Dropbox file with 9 tunes ance, patience and pace, and there are spiritual with them, or unless I allow them to define my life in it, which you gotta play for a gig in two weeks principles in play with the development of your itself. That’s why I’m putting out two records a and you’re not gonna have any rehearsal for them body as a martial artist that are very much in line year and still training martial arts, working towards except for the rehearsal check. Your ability to do with the same principles that help you become a my fifth-degree black belt. I get up at 4:35 in the that can’t be based on talent. You gotta bring some great musician. At the core of each is the necessity morning, three days a week, go to the Y. I just had skills for a circumstance like that, and it ain’t just to show up and put in the work. At the same time, chemo two days ago and swam a mile at the gym reading because the chart ain’t gonna tell you how it’s a complete and total distraction from music that before chemo. I can swim a mile in 45 minutes. I to make it feel. helps me cleanse my brain. It also keeps me in focus on staying healthy and being positive. In shape. Playing drums is a physical thing, and the addition, my mother passed in October and I went JI: Do you recall the best question a student has way I’ve made my reputation playing drums, I through a divorce in August, but none of these ever asked you? can’t just all of a sudden bust into tiki-boom, tiki- things define who I am. I simply don’t allow it. boom style. They’d be like – “He’s done. That ain’t Those are circumstances, the next dragon to slay in RP: No, but I can tell you the best answer a stu- Ralph Peterson no more!” I’ve made my own bed life, and you keep having these challenges until dent’s ever given me. You ready – “I don’t know.” so I’ve got to stay in shape so I can sleep in it. your life is over. What matters is not that you had That’s the best answer a student can give you be- [Laughs] challenges, but how you met them. My practice of cause then they’re teachable. Part of the problem Buddhism keeps me centered. My life is better than with students is that they walk around trying to act JI: Were you an athlete in school? its ever been, not in spite of what I’ve gone like they know what they don’t know, and the reali- through, maybe even because of what I’ve gone ty is they don’t even know what they don’t know. RP: Yeah, I ran track, intermediate hurdles, and through, because each thing has caused me to be a So, when they admit it to you, you have a real op- played basketball. I was a good athlete. better person in order to keep living. portunity to put something meaningful in the glass because it’s hard to fill a glass that’s already full. JI: The word on the street is that you’re also a JI: Sean Jones, your former student, helped build The problem is that the students of today are more great salsa dancer. your trumpet embouchure back up after the Bell’s collectors of jazz than they are students of jazz. palsy. Of course, you learn from your students, but They carry all the tunes around in their cell phones, RP: [Laughs] Oh, my God! You must have been how was it to become the student of your former and so much music passes their ears, but they don’t talking to the Curtis brothers or something. Wher- student? know the music on an intimate level. You can col- e’d you get that one? I know I like to try. Dancing lect great Picasso paintings, but that doesn’t mean is like golf, it’s one of the things you can have a lot RP: I got over that a long time ago. If I named all you know shit about painting. That makes you a of fun doing, whether you do it well or not. I think of the drummers that I’ve learned from… There is collector of paintings. In order to be a student of that dancing is an integral part of playing this mu- a custom in martial arts where eventually the stu- music, you gotta go inside and understand the pro- sic. During listening session with students, I will dent is expected to eclipse the teacher in certain cess, and that involves becoming uncomfortable often compel the students to get up and start danc- things because the student’s body is younger. It and facing what you don’t do well. ing to something, usually starting with James wasn’t just Sean, I gotta give credit and love to my Brown, and then seeing if they can convert that “shero,” Ingrid Jensen, and Brian Lynch. A lot of JI: Who have you played with that we would be same movement to dancing with Count Basie. If people were very encouraging. I’m still battling most surprised to hear about? you can’t respond to music physically, inside your back from the Bell’s and the dental issues. body and move to it, how the hell you gonna play RP: Regina Belle, the R&B and gospel vocalist, it? JI: You’ve taught many of the finest drummers on who went to college with me and Terence at Rut- today’s jazz scene, but you realized early on when gers. Another vocalist, who you may not think of JI: What are your other interests outside of music you got to Berklee that even the best drummers as a vocalist, Phylicia Rashad. Yeah, I did some including guilty pleasures? didn’t know tunes, so you created a jazz repertoire gigs in New York with Clair Huxtable. I also did a development class that taught 50 songs in 15 track with The Roots back in the mid-‘90s with RP: I’d like to play more golf. When I look at my weeks. Would you talk about that unique course Jamaaladeen Tacuma before The Roots had really life, there ain’t a lot of space for any more work or and how you determined the 50 tunes? taken off. I’m hoping that that experience will get pleasure. I feel that I’ve got a balance of stuff that me on the Jimmy Fallon show. Jimmy came down is a comfortably full plate, and I dig that. I don’t RP: The creation of the course grew out of my to the gig in New York last summer and heard feel any gaps. I’m connected spiritually, I’m con- experience at Rutgers, studying with Ted Dunbar Aggregate Prime. nected to my recovery. I have a sponsor and I spon- and his jazz improv class, which had a 38-tune sor men in recovery. I practice my Buddhism in a requirement. However, with all due respect, Ted JI: What inspired you to study Buddhism? way that works for me, and I share all of these didn’t agree that drummers could play the melo- aspects with my students who are extensions of me dies. He believed that drummers had to play the RP: The end of my first marriage. [Laughs] Being being a parent. My fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, is melodies on piano, and then he found out that I on the road with Buster Williams and being at a also important to me. play trumpet. So, now I’m trying to learn “Donna transition point in my life where I had to deal with Lee,” “Quicksilver,” and “Little Willie Leaps,” all some decisions and stand up and deal. Buster intro- JI: The final questions have been given to me by these hard-ass bebop tunes on the trumpet, and I duced me to Nam Myoho Renge Kyo in Zürich, other musicians to ask you: knew I could execute these melodies, with phras- Switzerland and I’ve been chanting ever since. ing, on the drum set, and because I can, I’m a little Antonio Sanchez (drums) asked: “I’d like to know different from all of the drummers who don’t play JI: Would you talk about your involvement in what drives you? I’m always interested to hear trumpet. That experience carried me to Berklee and taekwondo, and the relationship between martial what drives people. Is it the music or something meeting a group of talented young drummers who arts and your music? more personal? Now that you’ve been having these didn’t know “Stablemates,” or “Cheesecake.” They health battles, that’s not something everyone expe- didn’t know basic construct melodies. If you learn RP: As I became a black-belt, the thing that riences. How have you been able to beat the odds, these tunes, and the music on the record that these dawned on me is that martial art is itself, an art. because I think of myself, if I was in a situation tunes come from, you will get an education in the Which means there’s subjectivity to the way it’s like that, how would I react? I have no idea. It vocabulary of the language of jazz and how to use practiced. Just like you have Chinese style, Japa- seems super scary to deal with reality like that, and

28 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 am not. I write music because I hear music. Other an apartment across the hall from him and got me Ralph Peterson people’s music inspires me. I’ve learned that good to start training Taekwondo. I had done martial arts writers borrow, and great writers steal, and genius also in high school. My mind cleared and musical writers steal and hide it right in front of you. So, ideas came. I was playing pocket trumpet then but it’s inspiring to see people dealing with what they you can steal somebody’s stuff, write a new tune, it’s a little too small for me now when I pick it up. have to do.” play it back for them, and they don’t even know Maybe I’m too fat to play it? [Laughs] I developed that you stole it from them. You know what’s real- a book during that time which I am still developing RP: The simple answer is I don’t have a choice. ly funny? When Sean [Jones] was working on his and playing. After relapsing in Philly, I moved to Well, I do have some choices - I could either fold, masters, composition was one of the things we D.C. for two years. and let the cancer cells in my body define the rest focused on, and we would have this kind of conver- of my life, or I can live as much of my life that I’m sation all the time, and now he does the shit to me. Ari Hoenig (drums) asked: “Your playing and physically capable of at the highest level of intensi- I can hear it in his music, him and Orrin Evans. thinking seems to be so rooted in tradition, yet so ty that I can live it at, for as long as I can. And I’m progressive, original, and creative at the same time. choosing the latter. Having lost both parents, and JI: They’re taking your stuff? Is this a conscious choice you made for your mu- having an experience on the operating table that sic? Also, what inspired the progressive side of people call “coding,” I don’t have the same fear RP: Taking the stuff that I use. I don’t know if it’s things?” that I used to have. Everybody wants to go to heav- mine, but I used it before them. I’m not claiming en, but nobody wants to die. I’m not afraid of dying any originality. I learned from Bill Fielder there’s RP: I believe in the principle of you can only go as anymore, and when you’re not afraid to die, you’re nothing new under the sun until you discover it, far forward as you’ve been backwards because you also not afraid to live. By the way, Antonio was the and then it’s new. don’t know if you’re playing something new if you second drummer I ever taught at Berklee. That was haven’t checked out what’s old. A lot of the young in 1993 and I was still living in Philly and I would Johnathan Blake (drums) asked: “What did you cats out now who are devoid of swing think they’re come up to Berklee because Ron Savage, the now do to work on your sight-reading?” playing something new, but what they’re playing is dean of the Professional Performance Division, the old shit that we grew up on before we discov- was then the acting chair of the Percussion Depart- RP: The only thing that helps reading, is reading. ered swing. [Laughs] The other piece of it, and Ari ment and he asked me up. If you’re working on your reading, it doesn’t mat- has it in his playing, I’m really proud of my rela- ter the accuracy. In The Real Books or Snare Drum tionship with him and Orrin, and all of these guys, Terri Lyne Carrington (drums) asked: “How do Book by [Anthony] Cirone, just turn the page, you but there’s a degree of courage required in recog- you view your growth over the last fifteen years as read until you make a mistake. You turn the page. nizing what your guns are and sticking to them. a player and as a human being, and how do they intertwine?”

RP: The last seventeen years at Berklee have given “you can only go as far forward as you’ve me the opportunity to get to a place professionally where I have artistic freedom based on professional been backwards because you don’t know stability. Berklee helped save my life. I would not be alive were it not for the college’s support and my health care. Terri Lynne came to the school if you’re playing something new if you shortly after I got there, and we’ve worked together and supported each other’s projects. She’s been a haven’t checked out what’s old. A lot of the shining example of excellence and I’ve tried to do the same as an educator from the standpoint of young cats ... who are devoid of swing teaching this music. For me, it’s a centurion’s post – I’m guarding the gates of what I love. As an art- ist, these last fifteen years have been this emer- think they’re playing something new, but gence into a fully-realized, empowered artist. I really feel a sense of freedom. I don’t have to wor- what they’re playing is the old shit that we ry about saying shit that’s gonna piss the record label off, that they might drop me from the label. If I want to take a stance politically, like I have been grew up on before we discovered swing.” on certain records, I can do so as an artist and stand up, ready to accept whatever consequence there You read, read, read and as soon as you make a You have to find out what you are connected to, might be, because there always is. mistake, turn the page, so that you don’t memorize trust it, develop it, and then after you do that, are the page, and then you come back to it, slow it you going to have enough courage to stick with it Warren Smith (drums) said: “I remember you as a down, and try to read it. I’m a musician who’s been in the face of people doing something different and very talented young student when I first met you. blessed with the ability to hear, and the ability to being more popular. That’s the question. If your What has inspired you to write music? I know in hear works against the skill set of reading because life as a musician is not solely balanced on low my case, it was frustration with the way most com- if you let me hear some shit twice, I ain’t got to paying gigs, where you are at the mercy of the posers were composing, if at all, for drums and read it. I had to learn that about my gift so that I demands of living, you’re not free to make a lot of percussion.” could develop my skill set, and a lot of musicians artistic decisions based on your convictions as an who are naturally talented, struggle with that. artist. But as you grow and broaden your base, RP: I don’t write, not that I can’t, but I haven’t maybe with some private students, that will free written any percussion pieces yet. But I compose Orrin Evans (piano) asked: “I’d like to hear about you to play the music you want. Today, I feel I because I hear and feel melody in my spirit. It’s your time living in Philadelphia and leading your must honor the particular thing I was given the gift sound that’s in me that takes form and shape, that I pocket trumpet band.” to do. If I’m just doing anything with the instru- must address. I have to get it out of me and turn it ment to make money, I feel like I’m “ho- into a tune because otherwise it’ll drive me nuts. RP: Hah! Well, Orrin was in it. I was living in ing.” [Laughs] I feel like a “ho.” I definitely want [Laughs] I won’t be able to stop hearing it. Warren Philly from ’91 – ’94 because my dear friend, who to get paid, but I want to get paid for doing what I comes from such a rich tradition of the Max Roach threw me the life preserver and pulled me up, lived do well, and it’s built on the shoulders of these line of drummers and composers, and the M’Boom there. He gave me the opportunity to recalibrate, giants, like Art Blakey. thing. He’s also a mallet-instrument player, which I start to get my life back on track. He put me up in (Continued on page 30)

To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 29 mation and make Ralph Peterson? What is your to join Miles, Kenny called me to fill in for him for Ralph Peterson statement on the instrument? some of the Out of the Blue dates. So, I made some dates with the band, and Ralph really dug my play- RP: The one thing I learned about taking on the ing, and said, “We’d love to have you in the band.” (Continued from page 29) task of emulating Art Blakey is that it’s like walk- I moved to New York in ’87 as a result and worked ing towards a mirage. No matter how close you with the band and also with Ralph’s first quintet. Steve Wilson (alto sax) said: “You often talk about think you are, you’re never gonna get there, but From the first time that I played with Ralph, it was the whole history of the music and the drummers, that doesn’t mean you don’t move forwards to- really a revelation because Ralph was the first particularly. We used to sit down and talk about wards it. The point is the movement, the journey, drummer I played with that could hear all of the Baby Dodds, and you could play something verba- you’ve got to keep moving because it’s the move- music, all of the time. I had played with some great tim from Philly Joe or Cozy Cole, or whoever. ment that’s gonna make you grow. It’s not about drummers before that, but Ralph could hear every- You’ve got something from everybody’s language ever getting there, and that’s another thing I thing. As a matter of fact, he heard my phrasing – everyone from Baby Dodds up to Milford learned from Carvin. No matter how close I get, and he knew what I was going to play before I Graves, and beyond. You’ve got the whole history I’m still gonna be in it. Some people may hear me played it! I was like, ‘What the hell is that?’ It was in your playing. I know you like to talk about your and hear Elvin or Art or catch me on a good night amazing, and then I discovered what a great musi- mentors -what did you get from Michael Carvin?” and hear Philly, or if I’m playing with the right cian he is as a pianist, trumpeter, bassist, and com- poser. I remember we were hanging out at his crib band, they’ll hear Baby Dodds and Papa Jo. I just one time, listening to the record The Real McCoy, RP: Wow! Steve’s observation is actually the an- did a gig in Qatar, a Frank Sinatra review, I had so and he knew that record like a score. He knew swer to Ari’s question. Man, what didn’t I get from much fun playing in my Sonny Payne hat musical- everything that Joe Henderson played, everything Carvin? Like I said before, the first thing I got from ly. It was a gas, but I was still me at the same time. that McCoy played, every bassline that Ron played. Carvin, that I needed the most, was to be told no. I They’re all a part of me because I put in the work, He knew solos and everything. I said, ‘Now I get it, had to learn that I couldn’t get everything that I but they’re filtered through the who that I am and now I understand.’ Being around him really taught wanted just because my parents were paying tuition that makes it different from the next drummer over me how to hear, because at that time, I was still just to Rutgers. The tail can’t wag the dog. If students to me. If you look at all the drummers who have trying to develop as a soloist, trying to figure out knew what they needed, they wouldn’t come to studied with me and they don’t sound alike or like harmony, but in terms of playing music and hear- college, they’d just go get it. I have a limited toler- me – Ari Hoenig, Justin Faulkner, E.J. Strickland, ing it, then I understood how he played because ance for students telling me what they need, and Johnathan Blake, Dana Hall, Joe Dyson, Rodney this determined how he could orchestrate. I think Michael Carvin helped me with that. He helped me Green, Tyshawn Sorey, Vince Ector, Antonio still a lot of people don’t understand about the bril- to commit myself to understanding Max Roach, Sanchez, Mark Whitfield Jr, Obed Calvaire, Chris liance of Ralph. He hears everything, all of the Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, and all the way back to Beck, Jonathan Barber, etc. These cats don’t play time, so everything he plays has context. So, when Baby Dodds. Baby Dodds and Zutty Singleton are the same way and that bodes well for what I was he plays something that seems out of time and free, two names that Michael Carvin taught me, and he trying to get them to do, which is put in the work there’s always a pulse in time and form of what taught me that every time he said the name of a but always know where they came from and look at he’s doing. When I started playing his composi- drummer that I didn’t know, my responsibility was where they’ve all gone. tions in his band, where he would have these odd to go learn something about them, so the next time phrases, it made me really think about the music their name came up in conversation, I could partici- Artists ‘memories of Ralph Peterson: differently and it opened up some new doors. That pate instead of looking stupid. Sometimes today, Antonio Sanchez recalls his first meeting with first band with Geri Allen, Phil Bower and Terence students don’t want to be challenged to that level Peterson: “My interaction with Ralph was fairly [Blanchard], that was a dynamite band, it was kill- because they shudder at the feeling of being ex- short. I first met him through a friend around ‘93 in’. [Laughs] Playing with Ralph’s band was a posed, but the exposure is when you know how while I was at Berklee. I was fresh from Mexico major step for me growth wise, as musician playing much space you’ve got to grow. I got a lot from and I was really trying to get into jazz. I played a with Ralph, and being around him. He’s one of the Carvin. He’s a martial artist, and his great relation- little bit of jazz in Mexico but not really straight- smartest people I’ve ever known. He’s a few years ship with his daughter continues to inspire me in ahead. I wasn’t aware of the vocabulary that you younger than me but even then, at 25-years-old, my relationship with my amazing daughter Sonora, need to command in order to sound authentic. My he’s had wisdom beyond his years. He’s a heavy who’s the principle flutist in the Milwaukee Sym- friend asked me if I would be into taking a lesson cat and I always talk to my students about him phony Orchestra. Michael Carvin taught me that with Ralph because Ralph was going to be in town because of what I got from him, and what I contin- you can’t be afraid in this music to be who you see and my friend was organizing a full afternoon of ue to get from him. He continues to influence a lot yourself as, and to be able to alter course when you lessons for Ralph. I had seen Ralph play with Mi- of what I do musically. see what you’re doing isn’t working. We still have chael Brecker, so I said sure. At the lesson there

long conversations. was a drum set and he had a trumpet with him, and I didn’t know he played trumpet. He had me sit at JI: What is your connection to someone like Mil- the drums and said, “Let’s just play it loose,” and I ford Graves? started playing, and he started blowing on the trum- pet like he was a professional trumpet player. It  RP: David Murray, it was through David Murray, was incredible to me. He would play a phrase and I Craig Harris and Henry Threadgill that I took an was a little in awe of being there with Ralph, and in earnest study in the music that’s called avant-garde being a little uninformed of how jazz worked. I and began to understand it for the kind of sound remember he played a phrase and I just looked at theater that it is. I owe a lot to those guys. Back to him while playing, but I wasn’t really answering anything that he was playing, and he immediately Ari’s question, the fact that my stuff is rooted in stopped me and lectured me about how it’s all in-

tradition but has this kind of open-ended, progres-

teractive, how it’s supposed to be a conversation sive slant on it comes from the period I spent when

I was working with Stanley Turrentine and David and counterpoint. It was really cool to hear that Murray at the same time. That’s about as far across from a drummer while he played another instru- “”The greatest discovery of any the expanse of the language of tenor saxophone as ment really well. That made a big impression on generation is that human beings one could conceive. me.” can alter their lives by altering the

attitudes of their minds.” JI: You’ve made it a point to study all the master Steve Wilson shares a memory about Peterson: drummers that have come before you. That’s a lot “Ralph was one of the reasons I moved to New of different styles and concepts. If you can play York. He was in the group Out of the Blue, along like all of them, how do you take all that infor- with Kenny Garrett, and when Kenny left the band - Albert Schweitzer

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ORDER Start Your Promotion NOW! - PressToRelease.com To Advertise CALL:Experience 215-887-8880 ResultsMay-June 2019 In Jazz 24-48Inside Magazine Hours! www.JazzInsideMagazine.com CALL 215- 887-8880 31 JI: Pat Metheny essence is still: there’s no music business without has a different con- the music. Everything comes from the energy of cept than Quartet the music. The people who recognize that have INTERVIEWINTERVIEW West, his own style control of their lives. The artists that recognize that and approach. have control of their lives. The artists that don’t When you were recognize that are on the merry-go-round. They’re touring with him, doing what the guys that don’t do music tell them Ernie Watts what kind of adjust- what they should do. It has outlived its usefulness Always on the journey (Part 3 of 3) ments did you and that is why the music business is falling apart. make in your per- The music business has allowed the values to fall spective with a apart, so the business is falling apart. It has no sub- group like his? stance, so it can’t stand, so it’s not. All you have to Interview & Photos by Eric Nemeyer do is look around. And the people that are creative EW: Pat, Charlie, and I, the other people that we and believe in what they’re doing, they start their (Continued from the previous surround ourselves with all have the same values. own record companies and they do their music. issue of Jazz Inside) We listen to the same kind of things, we have the They sell their music on the web sites and on the same world view, and we have the same feeling gigs, and you don’t need them. I don’t need some- JI: Could you talk about your association with about music. When we play all, of that comes out body telling me that I can only play a tune for three Charlie Haden, who is himself a sensitive and soft- and it works because we have all of these things in -and-a-half minutes and I’ve got to use a drum spoken individual? How did his music gel with common before we even go in. That’s the thing – machine, and a whole bunch of other stuff that I what you do? when you enjoy other people’s company. Off the don’t intend to use. Or, “Hey, you played with bandstand you have great conversations and you Marvin Gaye. Let’s do a tribute to Marvin Gaye!” EW: Well, I think it goes back to the melody have some hilarious dinners, you have good times, Or, “Hey, you played with the Temptations. Let’s again. He’s very in tune to a melodic concept and I you’re living on the road and all those crazy things do a tribute to the Temptations!” Why? The thing think he draw other people who have the same that happen on the road. There’s always a bit of is, if you don’t do it, they’ll find a 19 year old kid values. I met Charlie in Los Angeles. I was playing humor that comes through that. If somebody’s that wants to be in the music business more than an orchestral piece, a great French composer, freaking out, somebody’s saying, “Hey, you might anything else and they’ll get them to do it. And Michel Colombier, who wrote a piece for saxo- be taking this thing a little too seriously.” And then that’s what you’ve got – you’ve got smooth jazz. phone and orchestra. He wrote it for me; he’s a everybody helps everybody get back on the track. That’s why you’ve got smooth jazz, because very good friend. This piece was called “Night By the time you get to the bandstand, you bring all there’s a whole bunch of young kids who’ll do Bird.” We were performing it at the Chanel Mobile of those experiences with you. You bring all of anything to be in the music business and hear their Art Pavilion in Los Angeles and Charlie was back- those experiences to the music because that’s what record on the radio. So that’s what they do – they stage. When I came off the stage, he came up to me the music is. The music is a compilation of your do anything. And that’s what’s on the radio – any- and introduced himself. Of course I knew who he experiences, of your life. It’s your life in sound. So thing. And that’s fine, because the taxi drivers like was. He said, “Maybe we should get together and it was always very, very easy, because Pat is an it, and the secretaries like it, and the people that are play some music,” and I said, “Great. Let’s do it.” incredibly melodic player. having dinner like it, so it has a purpose. That’s That’s how it started. Then he put together a couple fine too. You know, I’ve got no problem with any of it. The only thing is, it’s not my personal choice to do these things. And then if it’s posed to me that “If somebody’s freaking out, somebody’s say- I have to do these things in order to survive or whatever, that’s just not true. The difference be- tween me and a whole lot of other people is I know ing, ‘Hey, you might be taking this thing a lit- it’s not true, and I can say to them, “No, that’s not true.” It’s about what we feel. It’s about how we tle too seriously.’ And then everybody helps think. We are the creators of our lives. If there’s something going on that you don’t agree with, then everybody get back on the track ... You bring you don’t have to do it.

JI: There is a quote by Bertrand Russell, “The all of those experiences to the music because trouble with this world is that the foolish are cock- sure and the intelligent are all full of doubt.” that’s what the music is. The music is a com- EW: There’s also a saying that, “Ignorance of the pilation of your experiences, of you’re life.” law, is the law.” We’re all a part of this source energy. Whether you recognize it or not, you’re of editions of the Liberation Orchestra, and I JI: In the breadth and scope of your experiences – still a part of the source energy. When you realize played with those out in California. Then we did in the studio, and as you mentioned, you really got that you’re a part of the source energy and you two or three tours with Pat Metheny, though I don’t to learn the music business by observing what was make that recognition and you submit yourself to think that any of those were recorded. After that we going on – can you talk about your understanding that, then you realize that you’re not a victim of the started doing our Quartet West, playing in different of human nature that you’ve developed through universe; that you have choices; that everything contexts together. It’s like family. You know how some of those different experiences? you do is a choice and your life is a compilation of you meet somebody sometimes and you feel like your choices over the years. If there’s stuff going you’ve always known them. Well, it was like that EW: I believe that the essence of the artist is to on in your life that you don’t like, then you have to with Charlie. realize and never forget that there’s no music busi- make difference choices, and then you’ll change. ness without the music. It’s music business. If We are tools of the energy. It comes through us. JI: How did the group begin evolving? there’s no music, there’s no business. Because of Therefore our only responsibility is to be the sharp- that, because we are the creators, the artists, we est tool that we can be we can have a minimum of EW: Well, we never had a rehearsal. We’d bring in have the ability to structure the business. Because resistance for the energy to come through. That’s tunes, Charlie would bring in tunes, we would try we are artists and because some of us don’t believe why as musicians, we practice. When you’re free it, and if it works and the energy’s coming across the power that we have, a lot of us have given that and you’re fluid on your instrument and you get up we’d keep it. It’s very organic. power away. That is why we have what we have on the stage, you’re an open channel for the energy now. That’s called the music business. But, the (Continued on page 34)

32 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 May-June 2019  Jazz Inside Magazine  www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 33 a kid learning how to play, you’re coming out of a part of our growth cycle. As long as you grow from Ernie Watts competitive background. Even if in the back of them and as long as you go on, you get stronger. So your mind you know that music is more than that, it’s hard to tell a kid that’s learning how to play you still want to be the best; you still want to be the music what he should do, what he shouldn’t do, (Continued from page 32) first seed in All-State. All of that stuff. That’s the where he should go, what he should eat or not eat – to flow through you with the least amount of re- way our system is set up. We always want to be the don’t eat French Fries because it’s all cholesterol sistance. But the music belongs to everyone. No- best—that’s why we practice. After we practice for and all that kind of stuff – when he’s seventeen or body owns the music. The music comes from the a while, then we look around and think about what eighteen years old. The thing that you have to tell spirit, through us, and out. Music is God singing we’re doing. You realize that it’s impossible to be people is that whatever you’re doing, when it stops through us. That’s what we do – we allow God to the best at anything because how can you be the feeling right, immediately turn the page. If it’s not play this incredible beauty to the Earth through us. best when everybody’s different? There are no working for you, turn the page – go on. That’s the And when you choose to do that, you also recog- criteria. The only best that you can be is to be the hardest thing to do sometimes because we are crea- nize a whole bunch of stuff. You recognize that best you that you can be. When you make that tures of habit. You’ve seen people in situations all music is God singing through us. You recognize recognition, then that begins to put you on the the time and you get that thing of like, some people that you have chosen to be a channel for this. You track. Until you get on the track, you do have a lot believe that a bad deal is better than no deal at all. recognize that it’s going through you because you of experiences. It’s a very tricky thing. Our life is But they don’t know that there’s a better deal wait- sure feel it. When I play, it’s like listening to some- our experiences. If you’re going to have a full life, ing if they would just change the page. A lot of fear body play. You also realize that to make this recog- you have to have a lot of experiences. Some of the – I dealt with a lot of fear when I stopped doing nition is to create an environment where these experiences are positive. Some of the experiences studio work. I was making a whole bunch of mon- things can come clean. You also recognize that are negative. Some of the experiences are positive ey doing studio work but I wasn’t happy. I wanted you’ll always be taken care, because God is not in the beginning and then they turn negative. I to play jazz. There’s all of the history, the mytholo- going to give you a gift and God is not going to think while you’re having experiences, you get gy, and all of the horrible information about what flow through you and then run you into a wall … information and you know when one experience is happens to jazz players. Have you ever seen a posi- or make you poor, or sad, or mentally ill. If you done and it’s time to turn the page. If you turn the tive jazz movie? Have you ever seen a jazz movie make the recognition to the Holy Spirit, everything page, you go on. If you don’t turn the page, you get where, at the end of the movie, the guy is doing is added onto you. You just have to stay on the stuck. It manifests with musicians in a lot of differ- great and everything is cool and people love him track. All you have to do is stay on the track and ent ways. Sometimes, if you’re a musician and and he’s got a house and a family, and he’s just you’ll survive. You know? We’re always making you’re doing a particular thing or a particular job fine and he does a concert tour and he goes home? choices and we’re always getting information. The and it’s great for a while but then ends up wearing No! It’s always some guy dead in the gutter. Right? choices that we’re making all the time is to either go with the information or say, “Well, you know, I’ve got a better idea.” That’s your first mistake [laughs]. “When you realize that you’re a part of

JI: When things aren’t working out – you’re not the source energy and you make that being creative or unable to have good relationships – it’s a function of the connection that you have to the spirits, or energy, or God, being corroded. You recognition and you submit yourself to need to get yourself back on track, whatever that is for different people. that, then you realize that you’re not a

EW: From all of the studies that everybody’s made victim of the universe; that you have on being in touch with the Holy Spirit, it all seems to kind of boil down to this: at some point during the day, you have to have a quiet time. That’s when choices; that everything you do is a you get your information. Some people have it in the morning. Some people have it in the middle of choice and your life is a compilation of the afternoon. Some people meditate maybe two or three times a day. Regardless, it’s very important to have a quiet time to focus so that energy comes your choices over the years.” through, so that you get yourself back in line. That’s very important. out and you know it’s time to turn the page but you And that’s dramatic – that’s a good story. Ever don’t, it creates an emotional problem. Or it creates seen a jazz story about somebody that came out on JI: There are a lot of temptations that occur when an alcohol problem, or a drug problem, or whatev- top? [laughs] But you know what? Somebody’s you begin getting involved in music and creative er, because you’re unhappy. These things – these mother is watching those movies. And her kid is endeavors. All of us, there are people tempting you diversions – come because of some unhappiness or seven or eight years old and when he gets to be with various and sundry experiences, substances, something that’s out of balance in your heart. You fourteen years old, he wants to play jazz. His moth- and all sorts of other things. It can be very difficult don’t know how to deal with it so you have a drink, er remembers these movies, and she says, “No. for people who are starting out to not think that or you smoke a joint or something like that. But the You’ll kill yourself. You’ll die out there. You’re that’s cool. If you’re in jazz, certainly you’ve read thing is, even if you get diverted in that way, you my kid. I love you. I can’t send you out there to do about people like Charlie Parker and other people also come to a point with that stuff when you know that! Look what happened to Dexter Gordon. Look succumbed to those temptations. Of course in it’s time to turn the page. You wake up in a hospi- at what happened in that Round Midnight movie. Charlie Parker’s case, he was able to create incredi- tal or you wake up in a gutter somewhere. Then Look at what happened in any of those movies.” ble music despite his specific challenges that would you say, “Uh, you know, I don’t think I should do You challenge fate. So, I went through all my fear have doomed other people. How do you suggest or this anymore.” [laughs] So there are all of these stuff when I stopped doing studio work in order to encourage people to maintain their vigilance in the things. But you had the experience. You come out really focus on my jazz playing. But I believe two face of those kinds of temptations, in order to stay of it. You get your life together. In your music is things. I’m very stubborn and I got to the point on the path of mastery? reflected a part of that experience. Some of that where I really had to play. I felt like I would be depth that’s in your music may come from prob- better if I was broke playing than had a whole EW: Kenny Werner wrote a very good book for lems that you had dealing with stuff. It’s very diffi- bunch of money and was unhappy. The other thing that called Effortless Mastery – a wonderful little cult to go through this life and not have had some that I really believe more than anything is that uni- book. It’s a very interesting question. When you’re travails. I don’t think they’re bad. I think they’re a versal energy is directing you. 

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Alan Broadbent & Ernie Watts

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