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Home , Benny Powell, Earl May, Johnny Griffin, Ronnie Mathews

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Beginnin7ono JLI,J. b""oL!

Our One Hundred FortiethProgram B:t#l#3b*'- Onnfe o::---p-i"oo MaY- Earl bass Inmenory ofthe hto ll flmy(1915-20ffi)

Sponsoredby the Departmentof Musicand the New Hampshire Library of Traditional

8 p.m. Monday,May 1,2000,Johnson Theatre Paul CreativeArts Center,Durham, NH TEE ARTISTS

Benny Powell, , and

We beginthis epistlewith best wishesfor the speedyrecovery of JaneJarvis who recently suffereda leg injury which, much to her annoyance,has preventedher retum to UNH for this program,one that actuallywas her idea.. Nevertheless,we are confidentthat being nearlya decadeyounger than FiddlerWilliams, shewill haveample opportunity to enhance our environmentin the future. The deathofour good friend, ,on March 24, givesus pauseand an opportunityfor reflection. (Many will rememberthat he, Jane,and performedtogether on last season'sseries; Basie buffs will know that Al andBenny Powell both were membersof the Count'strombone section, separately and simultaneously.)Among otherthings orie is led to more deeply appreciatehow profoundlythe personalvoices of jazz artists have actually changedthe normsof tle instrumentsthemselves. For example,for generationsthe image of the trombonewas definedby suchthings as its solemnityin Mozart'sMagic Flute andits triumphant quality in Beethoven's Fifth Sytphony, not to mention the tradition immortalizedin MeredithWils on's 76 Trombonesl But now the expressiveand technical expectation for the instrumentmust embracethe range of soundg'colors,and challengesposed in venueslike the very different trombonesections of the Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton orchestras,as well as in the variegatedsoloistio panoramasfrom Iack Teagardenand Tommy Dorsey to J.J. Johnsonand Carl Fontana,a rich andcorrplex history ofwhich Al Grey andBenny Powell arean importantpart. Bennyunderstandably is most identified with the Basieband, but his distinguished56-year careeralso includes significant associations with ,Billy Tiylor, and /MelLewis, amongothers. ScholarLeroy Ostraaskywrites of his 'tluent technique, strongsense of melodicline, and ability to enunciaterapid notesclearly''(the latter hardly a factor for thoserestricting themselves to Mozart and Beethoven!). However, as the years have passed, perhaps more revealing is this comment from Basie's autobiography concemingBenny's departurefrom the band in 1963 after twelve years of service;.you know you are always going to miss him no matter who comesin there to replace him, becauseduring thoseyears you've seenhim continueto developas a wonderful musician anda wonderfulperson." How blessedwe areto haveRonnie Mathews available to replaceJane on suchshort notice. '60's His experienceas a sidemanreads like a historyof jazz in lhe and'70's - , FreddieHubbard, , ,, etc. But in the "small world,, categorywe proudlyobserve that he playedwith Clark Terry on CT's very first visit to this W--!{toFlAL BennyPowell, trombone RonnieMathews, piano EarlMay,bass

campus, in 1975, and we further note that he was with T.S. Monk's superb group at Portsmouth'sMusic Hall just a few yearsago. Earl May is anotherartist whosecontacts are copiousif not encyclopedic;for starters,,Mles Davis,,, - andFiddler williams - and Dave McKenna! He was also Gloria Lynne's music director, and toured with Sophisticated Ladies. As we endanother season devoted to preservingand enhancingthis tradition, we both mourn and celebratethose who havepassed, and cherishyet more lovingly thosewhose endless youthfulnessinhibits our own aging. And when we have an opportunity to view the ,big picture", we see not only lots of young people playing in high schooi a.'d collegejazz ensembles,but also the natureof their music becomingmore representativeof the Jtylistic variety of a long heritage. we rejoice, andwelcome three artistsold to the tradition. u"t n"* to our stage.

'['ape recordersand' camprosote not permitted d,ueto contradual orrarrgernmty.pleose tum olJ' beepersand, uatch alarms. Yow aoperati,on is requEsted. 7*'tt Beginningon, JLnJ bn"oJn! B:lvJlH$vOur One Hundred FortiethProgram Onnfe o::---p-i"rro MaY-- Earl bass Inmenory ofthe late tl finy fi915-20ffi) Sponsoredby the Departmentof Musicand the NewHampshire Library of Traditional Jazz

8 p.m. Monday,May 1,20fi)nJohnson Theatre Paul CreativeArts Center.Durham. NH