JAZZ IS IN: Music Educators National Conference recognizes jazz educators. 'By Lowell Richards ' HI DON T KNOW WHEN I've been so entation of ethnic music from Sub­ thrilled about American music as I was Saharan Africa. when Allen Britton came right out and Bill Smith, noted composer, jazz said the old girl is finally legitimate," clarinetist, and director of the University composer Meredith Willson told an of Washington's Contemporary Group, audience of 3,000 on Jazz Night at the presented an afternoon program with Music Educators National Conference's his group and the Philadelphia String biennial convention in Seattle. Quartet. Smith demonstrated how to Britton, of the University of Michi­ improvise with oneself, using a clarinet gan School of Music, is a former presi­ ami two tape recorders, one recording dent of the 54,OOO-member MENC. anq the other re-recording, feeding back, Many of the 5,000 delegates to the and playing back. He developed up to convention attended Jazz Night at the 10 simultaneous lines, using the two Seattle Opera House and heard sounds machines in tandem. At the climax, the they never heard before. Producing Opera House was full of the sound of these sounds were the Fort Vancouver many Smiths. With drummer-vibist Tom (Wash.) High School Stage Band, the Collier, Smith also performed Mauro Olympic College Stage Band of Bremer­ Bertolotti's I ntroduction-Nigh t-M usic ton, Wash., the Collegiate Neophonic -Toccata. Orchestra of Cerritos College, Calif., At the Tanglewood Symposium, also and the North Texas State University held on Tuesday, "serious music" teach­ Lab Band of Denton, Tex. ers heard this statement: "Today is � Britton and Willson were jubilant completely different. And so will music � over the organization of the National be, as long as people are different, and .J Association of Jazz Educators, which as long as there is another day. And no � was recognized as an official body by man will write nor teach the music 0: Father O'Connor and Stan Kenton the MENC at the convention, held which has total mass appeal." This came March 14-19. Some 500 school music from Paul Williams, editor of Craw­ Stage Band got Jazz Night off to a good teachers signed up as charter members, daddy, a rock magazine. start under the baton of Dale D. and M. E. Hall, president, predicts a Jazz Night was a joyful scene. A Beacock. This band was the winner last steady growth. Hall is in the department printed prohibition in the program year at the Olympic College Band of music at Stephen F. Austin State against encores was overridden with the Festival at Bremerton, Wash. James A. College, Nacogdoches, Tex. smiling acquiescence of the chairman, Brush then directed the Olympic College The Jazz Educators met March 15 Rev. Norman O'Connor. Stage Band. Both bands swung hard and and named John R. Roberts, school Leon Breeden's North Texas State professionally, making an impact on th� music supervisor at Denver, Colo., Lab Band, at the finale, topped even the teachers present that hopefully will be president-elect to take office July l. fantastic Collegiate Neophonic Group lastingly beneficial. The superintendent Other officers are Matt Betton of Man­ in swing and musical power and had of schools from a small coastal town in hattan, Kans., vice president; Jack W. the 3,000 teachers and fans clamoring Washington told us: "I've never heard Wheaton, director of the Collegiate for more. The Lab Band can only be anything like this in my life, an� it's Neophonic Band, secretary; and Clement described as a virtuoso ensemble, and simply wonderful." There must have R. De Rosa, music supervisor in the they played their hearts out for Breeden. been hundreds who felt as he did. Long Island, N.Y. public school system, Louis Marini, all-around reed player, So the old girl is finally "legitimate" treasurer. was outstanding both as a writer and -but what about her long-haired off­ Louis G. Wersen, outgoing MENC soloist. Drummer Ed Soph, an English spring? That same weekend, in Seattle president and supervisor of music in major, laid down some satisfying time. and environs, several dozen professional the Philadelphia public school system, Sal Marquez displayed skill with the rock bands were turning young flower told Down Beat that formation of the trumpet. John Monaghan inserted good people on and around-in revitalized Jazz Educators' unit was long overdue, bass lines under everything with an ex­ dance halls downtown and in the sub­ and that he was happy to see the Con­ cellent-sounding electric instrument. urbs. There may be hope that someday ference recognize the place of jazz and Stan Kenton spoke, and guest-con­ the nation's music educators will see pop music in the educational system. ducted the Collegiate Neophonic. He and hear this music as well as jazz. The The new president, Wiley L. House­ first relaxed the scene by walking up to Jazz Educators' Association is flexible wright, dean of the Florida State Uni­ the large red podium, examining "it care­ and open enough to make a place for versity School of Music, voiced similar fully, sitting down at it, and then de­ popular music, and several MENC sentiments. ciding to conduct from the floor. George officers emphasized the importance of Although Monday was dedicated Jazz Roberts was, as usual, an impressive the popular music being played and Night, other sessions of the Conference trombone soloist. heard now. heard some excellent contemporary Kenton introduced Britton, who said: President Roberts may have summed music, as well as the more traditional "It's time we listen to and play music it up when he told the conveption that school fare. of our own people as well as the "teachers must have an emotional re­ African drummer Michael Olatunji aristocratic music of Europe which was sponse to honest music. Through con­ came from New York to assist Seattle played by liveried servants, and is still tinuous, dedicated study they will be music teacher Barbara Reeder in re­ played in this country by liveried serv­ able to enlarge their own horizons. hearsing the Seattle All-City Junior ants for our aristocracy." Then they will be better able to inspire High Choirs for a highly rhythmic pres- The Fort Vancouver High School and enlighten their students." m

downbeat May 16, 1968 May 16 D 15 COUNTRY JOE and the FISH: Improvisers ONE OF THE THINGS jazz and the new year he left the band to do singles as a 'they were happiest then. eo rock-pop music have in common, aside country folk singer, armed only with a What makes Country Joe and the-< from the fact that a lot of it swings and 12-string guitar. But now they're back Fish a great pleasure to hear, at least � some doesn't, is that there are groups together-and Together is the title of for this writer, is their clear and original 0 whose popularity and musicianship are their third Vanguard album, which, if a sound. Most bands of this type tend to � not always directly related. pre-auditioned tape is any indication, sound fuzzy and muddy, and things (t) Some bands are immensely popular goes well beyond the first two. don't always get heard. With the Fish, := and make important contributions to Joe's songs extend from the acidly you can hear what everybody is doing. :::0 music; other units aren't quite as big critical Superbird to the pensive and sad They can blast away, but confine the ,.... in the eyes of the musicians as in those Who Am I. He is one of the best male really loud outbursts to single sharp � of the audiences. Then there are groups singers in popular music, with a style chords for emphasis; in between, there � "1 who are not at the top in terms of that ranges from the lyric flow of Dono­ is funky country rock. popularity, but have the undivided at­ van all the way to hard, funky scream­ They are trying to branch out from � tention of other musicians. ing. the usual light-show concert and dance Country Joe and the Fish is one of Lead guitarist Barry Melton does the scene. At Duvall, near Seattle, they ac­ these latter groups; other musicians group's most down-to-earth singing and companied the Great Piano Drop, an listen to them, and the very young rock expresses himself on guitar with great outdoor happening in which a piano was groups copy their tunes along with those vigor. He is a large, quiet man with a cut loose from a helicopter in front of of the Stones, Doors, Airplane, etc. great bush of curly hair. Organist and 2,000 spectators. Playing in the open We talked about this and other mat­ third guitarist David Cohen also has air, they sounded their country best, ters with Joe McDonald, leader of the doubled on steam calliope. Gary (Chick­ playing for the benefit of two under­ five-man country-rock-blues band, when en) Hirsh is an able drummer who solos ground media, KRAB-FM and the Helix they visited Seattle to play several en­ well in the jazz bag. Bruce Barthol is newspaper. In San Francisco early this gagements. The other four were in the one of the best electric bassists extant, year, they made a short film at the Ke- street playing football, so Joe had to be jmd also takes his full share of solo zar Stadium Peace March. It was an our main source. Since he grew his time. "experimental" film in the sense that it handlebar moustache, Joe resembles a The Fish came from Southern Cali­ was entirely devoted to music, still a young Mark Twain. fornia, and Joe tells us that they range rarity in the avant garde motion picture "One song per thing. We demand in age from 21 to 26, and "are all col­ world. that no two songs sound alike." This is lege drop-outs." In 1965, they went Joe McDonald began his musical how Joe describes what the group is try­ electric in Berkeley and rapidly became career as a high school trombone player, ing to do now, and this attitude reflects one of the more popular bands on the pumping away on such things as "you their concern for musicianship. Because Bay Area scene. In 1967 they began to know, Stars and Stripes Forever, Na­ they refuse to crystallize Country Joe tour, playing Seattle and then New tional Emblem March, and so on." He and the Fish into an identifiable sound York, where they enjoyed a warm re­ says his musical influences include, but image, they have not moved to the top ception. They plan to make a Scan­ are not limited to J.J. Johnson, Dave of the record sales charts; but they aren't d�navian tour late this summer. Brubeck, Kid Ory, Julie London, Blind unhappy with the good, healthy sale of "We're not a rock and roll band," Lemon Jefferson, Harry Belafonte, Pete 250,000 copies for each of their first Joe insisted when pressed about what Seeger, Gilbert & Sullivan, and Earl two albums. the band was doing. Most of all they Robinson. Among the tunes on these two albums want to improvis�. They are rather tired Country Joe and the Fish are serious (a third should be on the counters by of repeating tunes from their records. about what they do, yet can be thor­ this time), Section 43 has become the "Tp.ose songs have lost all life," Joe oughly relaxed and humorous about it most popular. Surprisingly, it is a long said. In one long set at the Eagles in at the same time. There are several instrumental composition in four parts. Seattle this spring, they jammed for an things on the new album that resemble There is some beautiful harmonica play­ hour and a half, at the risk of doing nothing they've done before, such as a ing by Joe, who also plays one lead gui­ things the audience wasn't set to hear, beautiful mickey-band put-on inviting tar solo, followed by first lead guitarist and alsq at the risk of not being "into white tourists to visit Harlem in the Barry Melton in his slashing, powerful it" all the way. But they want to take ,summer, with a surprise kicker on the style. But not even Section 43 could be these risks very much. This is what they end. This is one group that refuses to called a hit, and this is the way the were doing in 1966, Joe told us, and ,become stereotyped. m group wants it. "We don't want to play songs any more. We want to improvise. There is a different relation between people and a band that improvises than between people and a band that doesn't impro­ vise," Joe explained. One look at either album cover­ Electric Music jor the Mind and Body and I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die­ shows that Country Joe and the Fish are five individuals. They don't dress alike; no manager tells them how to look, and the only "images" are personal ones. Joe McDonald writes and sings most of their songs. He plays a somewhat classically-oriented style of guitar and some harmonica, and is the group's spiritual and musical leader. Twice last

downbeat Sep 5, 1968 will also be pop music, folk music, fla­ FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH break communal bread and notes every menco, mime, films, recorded concerts, etc. Friday.Led by adman-alto saxophonist Les A reasonable admission price will enable LUCKY FOR DB WINNER Lieber, who along with publicist Georgi­ patrons to use all the club facilities. The Friday September 13th Jazz at anne Aldrich created Jazz at Noon, the According to Scott, the new format will Noon session at Chuck's Composite in band included, at various times, guest produce "an establishment which is a com­ New York was anything but unlucky for stars like trumpeter Joe Newman, trom­ plete environment rather than the accepted Jazz Interactions and guitarist Dennis bonist Benny Powell and drummer Ray conception of a 'club'." Taitt. Proceeds from that day's luncheon McKinley.One of the ex-pro regulars (he The new facilities will enable Scott to were donated to JI which, in turn, gave still plays gigs on weekends) is trumpeter present even the most expensive jazz $150 of the money to young Taitt to sup­ Sonny Rich, who played with Claude groups, because their fees will be sub­ plement the $200 scholarship he received Thornhill in the late '40s. sidized by the pop music and other ven­ from Down Beat toward studies at the In the audience were Montego Joe and tures. "The only reason this can be done," Berklee School of Music in Boston. guitarist Wally Richardson, Taitt's teacher. he said, "is because the underground pop A huge turnout heard a variety of music His pupil sat in on On Green Dolphin and new jazz groups are coming together. from the conglomeration of semi-pros,ex­ Street and a good time was had by all, ...If we're wrong, it's the river." pros and pros who generally gather to including Dennis' mother.

Blues Outclasses Rock At Sky River Festival THIRTY-FIVE rock bands, numerous blues gate. In addition to the large bandstand quartet with some soul); It's a Beautiful and folk artists and a jazz group, several with 1,000 clean watts of amplification, Day (closed the festival at 3 a.m. Tues­ acres of mud, two dramatic units, 15,000 there was a smaller nearby stand for day; great electric violinist). young people,and an indefinable air of folk singers and the San Francisco Mime Blues: The James Cotton Blues Band freedom remain in the memory after Troupe. A large arts and crafts sales from Chicago; in a class by itself, at Labor Day weekend at Sultan, Wash. area was set up, along with the usual least at this festival. Other blues groups The occasion was the Sky River Rock food stands, a soul food booth, and an included Santana and the Frumious Festival, held Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 Indian salmon barbecue. Wet ground Bandersnatch, both from California. on Betty Nelson's Organic Raspberry was soon trampled into mud, and many Jazz: The Byron Pope Ensemble was Farm, 40 miles northeast of Seattle in listeners set up camps in the upper mead- the only jazz unit, as the term is loosely the foothills of the Cascade mountains. ow and hillside. The scene was reminis- defined.Altoist-piccoloist-composer Pope The comments most often heard back­ cent of Civil War photographs. came from Canada and is beginning a stage were "We never played a better A summary of the most outstanding year's term as Visiting Lecturer in Music set" or "They never grooved more." This events of various types follows: at the University of Washington. In his was said of or by Kaleidoscope, Willie Rock: Country Joe and the Fish (wild quartet, which projected his avant garde Mae (Big Mama) Thornton, the Grateful performance with conflicts between drum- jazz competently, were pianist Gwint Dead, Country Joe and the Fish, the Coleman, bassist Alphonse LaRue Wynn, New Lost City Ramblers, the Ploating and drummer Steve Solder. Bridge, It's a Beautiful Day, and the Folk: Alice Stuart Thomas (country Byron Pope Ensemble-to name a few. blues); Mark Spoelstra; Dr. Humbead's The festival elicited the interest of New Tranquility String Band (traditional Time and local newspapers, who con­ country); New Lost City Ramblers centrated on the thousands of turned-on (good bluegrass); All Men Joy; Billy spectators doing whatever they liked. Roberts; Ramblin' Jack Elliott. While this was an obvious feature of the Other bags: A new San Francisco three-day event, perhaps the musical side drama group, the Congress of Wonders, could also have been described. In fact, blew some minds. Three young hippies the two aspects were intimately con­ in street clothes, they presented a differ­ nected. There was a degree of inter­ ent play each day in a way that made action between audience and performers the Mime Troupe appear old-fashioned. too often lacking in the big rock halls Saturday night the rains came, and or in the jazz clubs. Sunday dawned deep in mud. But the The pinnacle of the festival was atmosphere was established, and some of reached in a soulful blues session led by the best performances happened that Big Mama Thornton, accompanied by night. Monday dawned clear and every­ J ames Cotton on mouth harp, Ron (Pig­ one dried out. Monday' evening was pen) McKernan (of the Grateful Dead) damp and foggy, but nobody cared by on organ, one of the Dead's two drum­ then. There was just too much happen­ mers, and a guitarist. The session, late ing. in the afternoon of the final day,seemed The Sky River Rock Festival and '" to define blues playing in a way that z Lighter Than Air Fair, to spell out its < " many of the rock groups had only been IL full name, was organized by New Amer­ able to approach. ican Community Inc.,with the idea that The Grateful Dead, who preceded Big � -....• proceeds of the benefit would go to Mama and were very, very good in their Big Mama Thornton American Indian and black causes. How­ usual bag, sounded square by compari­ ever, because of planning that "got out son. Behind Miss Thornton, Pigpen mer Chicken Hirsh and others that were of control, " according to festival director comped and comped and comped-almost resolved dramatically and musically); John Chambless, bad weather, and in­ no solos. Kaleidoscope (mixed bag of straight filtration through the woods, gate re­ The scene was loose. A young man blues, Near East pieces with great oud ceipts didn't quite meet the nut. who earlier in the day had discarded playing, and flamenco numbers); Float­ Chambless, whose regular occupation his clothes jumped on the stand during ing Bridge (the best local group,playing is professor of philosophY at the Uni­ the session and stood by the singer, who hard blues, with lead guitarist Rich versity of Washington, said the festival told the audience, "He's doing his thing, Dangle); Country Weather (a very was a musical and spiritual success, and and I dig him doing it." groovy Bay Area rock band, better than will be repeated at a better location next Saturday, Aug. 31, opened with sun­ many on record); Anonymous Artists of year. shine and about 10,000 admissio'ns, some America (another good Bay Area rock We've never heard so much good mu­ through the woods but most through the unit); Juggernaut (Seattle blues-rock sic in so short a time.-Lowell Richards

downbeat Oct 31,1968 October 31 D II August 20, 1970

LOUIS NIGHT SPARKS Dizzy, and Roberta Flack were among World Pacific artists for another Liberty those who broke it up, while expatriate division, Pacific Jazz. SUCCESSFUL NEWPORT tenor giants Don Byas and Dexter Gordon Among them are: The Buddy. Rich -though neither was playing under opti­ Orchestra, Ravi Shankar, Ernie Watts, The 17th Annual Newport Jazz Festival, mum circumstances-and Ray Nance and Craig Hundley, George Duke, Jean-Luc threatened by an unfavorable weather prog­ Jean-Luc Ponty provided, aside from the Ponty and Groove Holmes. "The rest of nosis and the hangover from last year's Louis Night, some of the prime musical the artists," according to Bock, "will either rock debacle, emerged und�l: relatively moments of the weekend. go to other labels and make deals for clear skies, and the forecast for the future Producer George Wein announced that themselves, or else Liberty will make de­ next year's festival will again be a four­ cisions about their futures." nighter held on the customary July 4 dates, Bock has influenced a number of fu­ adding that he personally would have liked tures himself since he created the Pacific to see some rock repre�entation this year. Jazz label in 1952. He recorded the first This was made impossible by a Newport Wes Montgomery sides (when Wes was City Council edict issued in 1969, but this with his brothers Monk and Buddy in a year's smooth sailing (though at least 75% group called the Mastersounds); he intro­ of the audience was visually indistinguish­ duced on record the Don Ellis Orchestra able from last year's crowd) may have the original Gerry Mulligan-Chet Baker cleared the way for a return of at least Quartet, the Bud Shank-Laurindo Almeida moderate ecumenicism. Quartet (which added fuel to the contro­ As it was, the 1970 Newport menu in­ versy over who introduced bossa nova cluded blues, r&b, gospel, soul and rock­ to the United States), the Chico Hamilton jazz in liberal doses. But it was the New Quartet, Les McCann's trio, the Jazz Orleans electricity that gave jazz at New­ Crusaders, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, port the needed creative spark to continue trumpeter Bobby Bryant, and jazz prodigy a grand tradition. -Morgenstern Craig Hundley. In 1965, Bock sold his Pacific Jazz label KENNEDY CENTER PICKS to Liberty and became general manager of Pacific Jazz, World Pacific division. His JAZZ ADVISORY PANEL ·five-year contract expired this summer, coinciding with a corporate decision to Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, John "alter the division concept." o � Lewis, David Baker, along with producer As Bock told down beat: "I'm looking � Topper Carew, critic Stanley Dance, jazz­ forward to 'indie' production. I'll be a � man-turned-sociologist Julian Euell, and lot freer, and I'll have no administratiye g Voice of America senior producer Tahir headaches." Don Byas: Outstanding Sur, have been selected as members of the Jazz Advisory Panel for the John F. Ken­ of the daddy of all jazz festivals is bright. nedy Center for the Performing Arts. FINAL BAR The attendance of 38,000, if not strik­ In addition, Voice of America's Willis ing, was very good considering the change Conover will serve as a consultant for the Bassist John Lathan, 52, died July 12 of date (held from July 10-12, this was the Center's jazz programs. in New York City of a stroke. Best known first Newport not taking 'place on the 4th In making the announcements, George for his work with James Moody's fine little of July weekend) and the dropping of the London, artistic administrator for the Ken­ band oil' the early '50s, Lathan was born in traditional Thursday night evening and Fri­ nedy Center, said: "Representing both the Cleveland, Ohio. Feb. 8, 1918, and was day afternoon shows. local and national scene, the panel will with the Gay Crosse band in that city at the Unquestianably, the highlight of the fes­ advise the Trustees on all aspects of jazz same time as John Coltrane. He was dis­ tival was the Friday night tribute to Louis programming with emphasis not only on covered by Moody on 52nd St. in New Armstrong. The ever-threatening rain did artistic policy but also on the development York. not materialize until the very end, when a of programs that will stimulate the support Bad news doesn't always travel fast. We brief but torrential downpour sent amaz­ of a broad spectrum of the national popu­ only recently got word of the death of ingly few of the 7,500 in attendance scurry­ lation." Lowell Richards, 49, on Feb. 26. Rich� ing for the exits. But by then, the warm Currently under construction, the Ken­ ards, down beat's Seattle correspondent vibrations from the stage had turned the nedy Center will house, in a single struc­ since 1966, was a professional musician, program into a love-in for Satchmo, as ture, a concert hall (where most jazz pro­ co-founder of the Seattle Jazz Society, sec­ great a night as we can recall in 14 years grams will be presented), an opera house, retary-treasurer of Local 76 of the AFM, of attending Newport. the Eisenhower Theatre for drama, and a and for several years conducted a jazz Among the stars that shone brightly film theatre. The opening is planned for show on station KRAB. were Mahalia Jackson, the Eureka Brass September, 1971. Hans Gertberg, 61, died June 21 in Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band Hamburg, Germany. Since 1951, he had from New. Orleans, tributing trumpeters BOCK LEAVES LIBERTY been director of the jazz radio and TV Bobby Hackett, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe New­ section of Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Ger­ man, Ray Nance, Jimmy Owens and Wild TO FORM OWN COMPANY many's largest broadcast network. In 1958, Bill Davison, each of whom had some­ Gertberg initiated a bi-monthly jazz work­ thing warm and special to ·say and play, World Pacific Records has been phased shop program, utilizing the talents of jazz and of course, the celebrant himself, who out by its parent company, LibertyIUA, musicians from all over the world. Each was genuinely moved by it all, and in turn ,Inc. Former general manager of World of the 70 workshop programs he produced moved all the movers. Pacific, Dick Bock, will return to inde­ had its own theme, and the shows were A detailed review of all the festival pendent production with his newly formed considered among the best anywhere, both happenings will appear in our next issue. Aura Productions in Hollywood. Bock in terms of content and production. For now, let us note that Tina Turner, will continue to produce some of the Harry T. Morrison died in early July

August 20 0 II