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Home , Diane Schuur, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Modern Jazz Quartet, Monterey Jazz Festival, The Rippingtons

University of North Florida UNF Digital Commons

Jacksonville Festival Collection Materials Jacksonville Jazz Festival Collection

1991

Jacksonville Jazz Festival 1991 Official ogrPr am

Jacksonville Today

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Part of the Music Performance Commons OFFICIAL PROGRAM

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF JACKSONVILLE TODAY MAGAZINE JAZZ Performers & Schedule

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 (WJCT STUDIO & GALLERY) 9:00 p.m...... Reception for piano competition finalists Photo/lecture by Bill Gottlieb. Music by a local group

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 (THE FLORIDA THEATRE) 7:00 p.m ...... Great American Competition 9:15 p.m ...... Bunky Green Quartet

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 (METROPOLITAN PARK) 7:00 p.m ...... Longineu Parsons 8:00 p.m ...... Eliane Elias with the UNF Jazz Ensemble 9:15 p.m ......

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 (CIVIC AUDITORIUM EXHIBITION HALL) 6:30 p.m...... Festival Benefit Party Orchestra, Jay Leonhart Trio, Dirty Dozen

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 (METROPOLITAN PARK) 11 :00 a.m ...... Wlodek Kiniorski & Friends Noon ...... Bela Fleck and the Flecktones 1:30 p.m ...... The Rippingtons featuring 2:30 p.m...... Chris Marten Group 3:15 p.m ...... 4:30 p.m ...... Kevin Bales/Marcus Printup Group 5:00 p.m ...... 6:30 p.m ...... with St. Johns River City Band 7:50 p.m ...... Piano Competition Winner 8:30 p.m ...... 10:00 p.m ...... Elektric Band

(Times and perf armers subject to change)

ARTURO SANOOVAL would be free to make his kind of music. y Grupo, which also garnered accolades "lt is not easy, but if you have a hard time Born ln Artemsia, a small village near from critics and audiences all over Europe finding what you love, if you are continuous- Havana, on November 6, 194 7, Sandoval and Latin America. 1y searching, began studying classical at the age Listening to Sandoval's performances then whatever of twelve. But it was not long before a today, one can hear Gillespie's influ­ you got goes scratchy 194 7 and Charlie ence which Sandoval unreservedly calls, directly into Parker album introduced him to jazz. San­ "the most important thing that happened your blood," doval marvels, "l went crazy trying to figure to music." It was Gillespie who introduced explains Cuban what those guys were up to." Sandoval to America in the 1970s as a fea­ trumpeter He caught on to their sound, and became tured artist in the acclaimed Dizzy Gillespie Arturo San­ a founding member of the Grammy-win­ United Nation Band. doval. Hailed as ning group lrakere, a groundbreaking Latin To witness Arturo Sandoval in concert one of the most band, whose explosive mixture is to be swept up into his dazzling speed, his gifted jazz and ofjazz, classical, rock, and traditional Cuban phenomenal range and his crisp articula­ classical trumpet players alive, Sandoval's sounds stirred up the music world. In 1981 tion. This jazz sojourner has blown away quest led him to leave his native land so he he left lrakere to form his own band, Arturo audiences and critics all over the world.

34 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 1991 ]AY LEONHART MODERN] AZZ QUARTET tra, but his call to military service placed Jay Leonhart is a rare bird. He is one him out of the scene for three years. Upon of the most sought after jazz bassists in his return, Puente dedicated all his time the world, a renowned poet, songwriter and energy to his studies at Juilliard. In and a widely acclaimed performer of his 194 7 he formed his own nine piece band, own songs. He is an autobiographical The Picadilly Boys, and in 1949, better poet whose songs reflect his life- in and known as the King ofTimbales, he began out of music. to weave Latin rhythms into American And one more thing- he is very funny. Mainstream music. Leonhart, 49, has been play ing bass Puente has collaborated with many jazz professionally since he was a teen in Bal­ The Modern Jazz Quartet, now in its artists including , Woody Her­ timore. He moved to Manhattan twenty thirty-eighth year, is one of the longest man, Buddy Merson, , and years ago, after studying fo rmally at existing modern jazz groups still perform­ "La guarachera del mundo," Celia Cruz; he Berklee and privately with bass mas ter ing together. Critics have called them "a has performed in the best dance arenas of . living legend." today - The Palladium, Bird land and Three times Leonhart has been named The Modern Jazz Quartet was formed Roseland. He has appeared all over the the Most Valuable Bass ist in the recording in 1952 when its original members-Milt world - in the United States, Latin industry by the National Association of Jackson on vibraharp, on America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Japan. Recording Arts & Sciences. piano, Percy H eath on bass and Kenny Tito Puente's orchestra was the first He didn't write songs until his mid­ C larke on drums-emerged from the Latin orchestra to perform fo r the pres­ thirties, and played them in public for the Dizzy Gillespie orchestra and began ident of the United States and the most first time in the early 1980s. recording together. In 1955, the MJQ had successful in spreading the positive Latin The critics can't decide whether Jay its only personnel change when Connie American spirit throughout the world. Leonhart is "extravagantly funny, " or Kay replaced on drums. It is no wonder the initials "T.P." have "one of the great musicians of our time." Together, the four artists cultivated the come to stand fo r great jazz sounds and Patrons will enjoy Leonhart and his distinctive MJQ sound that remains like a great jazz artist. songs at the festival benefit party, Friday, no other in jazz. Their style fused new October 11, while his musical skills will world jazz and with old world coun­ BUNKYGREEN be on display twice: as part of the rhythm terpoint and . Bunky Green proudly straddles the past section with his drummer, Terry Clarke, At the end of 197 4, the members of the and future. A man who wears many hats behind the piano competitors; and again MJQ decided to disband the group. And, as player, educator, composer, arranger, with Diane Schuur on Saturday. although each pursued separate careers for writer and lecturer, Green participates five years, the breakup was never complete fully in the evolving nature of jazz, while BELA FLECK or permanent. They reunited for major holding on to the lessons of past masters. AND THE FLECKTONES U.S. concert tours in 197 6 and '77. Then, Green received his class ical skills from in 1981, , John Lewis, Connie world renowned saxophonist Frederick Kay and reunited the MJQ for Hemke, and credits Charlie Mingus as his what was to be a single exclusive tour of jazz mentor. Julian "Cannonball" Adderly Japan. But the four artists enjoyed their was the first person to record him. renewed collaboration so much that they Green has fourteen albums to his decided to work together again full time. name on vintage labels such as C hess, Exodus, Cadet and Vanguard. He wrote TITO PUENTE and arranged many of the compositions Tito Puente's experience encompasses on C lark Terry's Vanguard album, Sum­ For Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, suc­ four decades of uninterrupted musical labor, mit Meeting, and also on Alvin Jones's cess took them by surprise, but they're including 120 recordings, 400 composi­ Time Capsule. ready for it now. Bela Fleck, whose banjo tions, and three Grammy awards. His Healing the Pain, Green's most recent playing has earned him legendary status, increasing popularity has placed him in recording, received five stars in Down assembled the band in August 1988 for a demand throughout the world as demon­ Beat magazine and rave reviews in many one-time performance on PBS's "Lone­ strated by his recent Coca Cola commercial other trade and consumer publications. some Pine Special." Little did they know with Bill Cosby and his composition of the He also received film credit for his back­ the broadcast would put them in such pop­ theme song for "The Bill Cosby Show." ground solo work in the PBS "American ular demand. After several tour dates, they This musical legend has appeared on talk Playhouse" presentation of"A Raisin in recorded the critically-acclaimed, self­ shows such as "The David Letterman the Sun" featuring Danny Glover and titled, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and Show" and appeared in two major movies: Esther Rolle. they've been going strong ever since. Radio Days and Armed and Dangerous. In 1989, Green left Chicago State Uni­ The Flecktones consists of Howard Born in of Puerto Rican versity to join the American Music Pro­ Levy, Victor Wooten and Roy Wooten. descent, he was named Ernesto Antonio gram at the University of North Florida. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones delight Puente, Jr. His mother encouraged him to He is professor of , teaches audiences by combining musical styles pursue musical studies, piano in particular, improvisation and has two combos. ranging from jazz to Bulgarian folk to but his passion "was always percuss ion." Green is president of the world's largest Brazilian sambas. Additionally, the group At an early age, Puente became a semi­ jazz education organization, the Interna­ mixes digitally synthesized frequencies professional musician, playing with a band tional Association ofJ azz Educators. As a with traditional acoustic ones to generate called The Happy Boys. Then at sixteen dedicated member, he contributes much a unique sound. he played with The Noro Morales Orches- of his time and talent to jazz education.

JACKSONVILLE TODAY 35 As the composer, Corea taps into the DIANE SCHUUR strength of the quintet and creates music With her newest release, Pure Schuur, from there. Each musician molds and inter­ Grammy award-winning recording artist PERFORMERS prets his part, and once on tour the group Diane Schuur emerges a new woman, expands and enriches the improvisation both literally and figuratively. After shed­ producing an "elektrifying" sound unlike ding over one CHICK COREA any other. Corea's fascination with and With uncanny preCLston, dizzying hundred pounds, mastery of modem technology helped him she has entered speed, and nearly incomprehensible com­ in the band's latest album, Inside Out, where mand of their instruments, the musical an exciting phase he used the Yamaha MIDI grand piano. of her life that is juggernaut known as the C hick Corea Over the past two decades, Corea's pio­ Elektric Band has solidified into one of the joyously demon­ neering spirit has placed him at the forefront strated in her new most polished, formidable units in con­ of musical movements. Originally an acous­ temporary jazz. GRPalbum. tic jazz pianist, he switched to electric piano Produced by after joining the band in 1968. Andre Fischer, The Chick Corea Elektric Band debuted Pure Schuur fea­ in 1986. In 1988, the band released the tures Schuur singing songs that run from electric/acoustic hybrid, Eye of the Beholder, jazz to pop to contemporary. "I think it's and their latest offering, Inside Out, takes time to break through. I never want to the supercharged Elektric Band to new take my foot out of the jazz world, but I do heights. With remarkable confidence and want to get my music to more people." ease, Corea has broken down barriers A large part ofSchuur's personal history between genres and continues to do so. is bound up in the songs she learned from Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on June her mother and from the radio ( which Keyboardist Chick Corea is the band's 11 , 1942, Anthony Armando (Chick) became a constant friend to the blind girl). leader and musical explorer who formed Corea began playing piano at the age of Another facet of Schuur's talent con­ the Elektric Band in 1985. He explains, "I four. Today he can be found as a featured cerns her ability to forge meaningful and wanted to create a musical life where artist on more than sixty albums and a guest musically successful alliances with other everyone could flower without feeling con­ performer on more than three hundred. top vocalists and instrumentalists. fined in a group." And indeed each mem­ "The Elektric Band is a truly happy Although blinded in a hospital acci­ ber has a unique quality that gives the affair. We all fee l comfortable that there are dent shortly after her birth in 1953, Diane ensemble its distinctive sound. no confines, no limits to what we can do." Schuur was encouraged by her parents-

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36 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1991 and later, by the examples of other sightless performers, such as Jose Feliciano and -to conquer her disability. Diane exhibited an aptitude for music while still DON'T You DESERVE A POOL? an infant, and sang her first gig, at age ten, in a Holiday Inn show lounge. Before long, she was a regular on the local club-and­ hotel circuit. When she finally came to jazz in the mid-70s, Diane Schuur couldn't be stopped. She first attracted attention when she appeared with Dizzy Gillespie at the 1979 . Diane Schuur has embarked on a whole new phase of her career and her life. "I'm letting the real emotion get through. Itjustseems to come a lot more naturally. I've changed on the inside too-not just the exterior." She may look different but there's one thing we can be "Schuur" of - Diane Schuur is one of the great vocal­ ists of our time.

ELIANE ELIAS The story ofEliane Elias's journey from Sao Paulo to the jazz clubs of America is the stuff of which legends are made. Born to a musical family, the ambitious pianist 1991 International Gold Medal Design Award was transcribing and playing solos from Wynton Kelly, Art Tatum, and at age twelve. At age fif­ teen, she was teaching piano at one of Brazil's most distinguished music conser­ vatories, and telling anyone who would listen how she would make it in New York. In 1981 she fulfilled her dream and Surf Side moved to New York. Through a previous meeting with bassist Eddie Gomez, she POOLS &SPAS was recommended to fill a vacant key­ board spot with the band, Steps Ahead. She left the band after a year to go out on Building Quality Pools since 1976 that feature her own. "Looking back, I'm impressed that my goals were so big," she says. POOL VALET - the automatic in-floor cleaning system. Her roots may be in Brazil, but she has - CALL TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION- definitely made her mark on the world of jazz. As Leonard Feather said in bestowing 262-2800 246-2666 his 1988 Golden Feather Award on Elias (TOWN) Lic.#CP-C044080 (BEACHES) as "Soloist of the Year," "Eliane Elias has established herself as ... one of the most gifted and fastest rising stars on the cur­ rent scene." NON-STOP JAZZ... T HE DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND While jazz purists consider the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's music little more than Richard's a mumbo-jumbo, Dirty Dozen leader Greg Davis contends the band's music is more like spicy gumbo. Each player contributes his own style to the group's sound. The group was founded in twelve years ago when the Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club needed a few musicians to supplement its kazoo band, but it was soon shaped into a full-fledged 77 San Marco Avenue , St. Augustine, FL 32084 (904) 829-9910 brass band. Because they played for the JACKSONVILLE TODAY 37 A Showplace for Country Club Livingand Entertaining JAZZ PERFORMERS club so often they became known as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, despite being four members short of a dozen. Twelve years later, the group has devel­ oped an international following touring in twenty-one countries, including three appearances at our Jacksonville Jazz Fes­ tival and other festivals all over the world. The Dozen's unique blend of tradition • and adventurism has brought them approval from their peers in the music world. Ellis Marsalis (father ofWynton, Branford and Defeayo) has called the band rivacy, elegance and liveability one of the few acts in jazz that really under­ P were key criteria in the design and construction of this five­ stands the medium. High-flying rocker bedroom custom estate at Marsh Landing in Sawgrass. Miles of brought them in to play on natural tidal marsh and spectacular bird life dominate the view, and several tracks for his album Spike and sang an ingenious plan for indoor/outdoor living maximize the "That's How You Got Killed Before" on the Dozen's New Orleans Album. possibilities for individual privacy and grand-scale entertaining. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band's growing celebrity allows them to break into new Watson Ponte Vedra MARKETED BY: territories. As Davis says, "Jazz started out 615 Hwy. AlA South Elizabeth Hudgins being radical music you could dance to. Ponte Vedra, FL 32084 (904) 285-6300 Why be narrow-minded about it now?"

THE RIPPINGTONS FEATURING Russ FREEMAN Take contemporary jazz, add reggae, ---ALHAMBRA calypso, a dash of hard-driving rock 'n roll, DINNER THEATRE a pinch of acoustic ballads, and a teaspoon of sounds from nature, and there you • July 23 - have it-The Rippingtons, fe aturing September 15 Russ Freeman. Their combination of modem tech­ Little nology and jazz-rooted sound cuts across music barriers, appealing to pop/rock and Shop of jazz audiences alike. Born on February 11, 1960, Freeman grew up in Nashville, where he was exposed to the music of Chet Atkins and local greats like studio guitarist Singin John Pell. After lessons with Pell, Free­ man moved to in 1978 to for­ mally study all aspects of music. In 1985, he went into a studio to record Nocturnal Playground, a one-man show with Free­ in the man handling all the keyboards and guitar parts while also programming the drum September 18 - machine and playing bass lines on a guitar synthesizer. November 17 RAINShortly thereafter, the band was formed when Alfa Records ofJ a pan asked Russ Freeman to cut a record on their label. Watching some friends play at a club some time later, Freeman thought to himself, "Those guys are ripping. They're rearing it up. They're ... the Rippingtons!" Hence, the birth of the name. JT 38 SEITEMBER/OCTOBER 1991