Singer Kendra Shank Pays Tribute to Spirited Music of Abbey Lincoln
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Photo by John Abbott Photo by John Kendra Shank will bring the music of Abbey Lincoln to Lincoln June 5. Singer Kendra Shank pays tribute ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ to spirited music of Abbey Lincoln ○○○○○○○○○○○○ By Tom Ineck ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ April 2007 Vol. 12, Number 2 With her new release, “A Spirit File Photo Free: Abbey Lincoln Songbook,” singer Kendra Shank has taken on a daunting task—interpreting the music of one of the most idiosyn- cratic jazz singer-songwriters in his- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ tory. In this issue of Jazz.... She and her longtime ensemble will bring the music of Lincoln to Prez Sez.........................................................2 Lincoln, Neb., June 5 in the open- Abbey Lincoln John Pizzarelli review........................6 ing concert of this year’s Jazz in Giacomo Gates/NJO review..................7 June series. this record were created there, on In a recent interview, Shank the gigs at that club. We would just Chick Corea/Gary Burton review...........8 talked about the recording and the try stuff and see what worked well Maria Schneider Orchestra review.....9 years it took to bring to fruition. and what didn’t work well,” she Mac McCune/NJO review......................10 Unlike many jazz musicians liv- said, pretty much describing the cre- Tomfoolery: Generous jazz calendar......11 ing in New York City, Shank has a ative process inherent in jazz mu- regular gig where she and the band sic. Harry “The Hipster” Gibson..................12 can work up new material and hone To Shank’s knowledge, no one Jazz on Disc reviews...........................14 their music to a fine edge. One Fri- else has ever attempted a full-length Discorama reviews..............................18 day a month, they appear at the 55 tribute to Lincoln’s very personal Letters to the Editor...............................19 Bar, Shank’s home away from music, although some of her tunes home for five years. Much of the have been covered by other sing- music on “A Spirit Free” evolved in ers, including Sheila Jordan, performances at the intimate Cassandra Wilson, Mark Murphy Greenwich Village night club. “A lot of the arrangements for Kendra Shank continued on page 4 Page 2 Berman Music Foundation Jazz ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Prez Sez Berman foundation celebrates swingin’ spring ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ By Butch Berman ○○○○ Dear Readers, File Photo Well the buds are a buddin’ and the birdies are chirping and I guess this must be spring. I had a fun, active winter…but I know it was brutal for many around the country. You just can’t mess with Mother N. Jazz goes and flows with the sea- sons. Cool when needed, and hot in usually (hopefully) the right places. Jazz always works for me, and I love work- ing for jazz. Speaking of jazz….one of the bright new talents out there, sax-man Doc Severinsen led the Tonight Show Orchestra for many years. Andrew Vogt, wrote me recently from L.A. He’s a former Lincolnite who showmanship that a lot of bands seem Brothers turned the usually groovy FAC honed his chops on cruise ships, set sail to forget these days. at Lincoln, Nebraska’s famed Zoo Bar to Colorado to gig his butt off the past Playing ability is foremost, but see- into a really cool party for me, and a few years, and just cut his first CD, ing Doc lead these young lions through whole bunch of my Pisces pals. Mega “Action Plan,” this year (You can read those great old songs, with those “To- kudos as always goes out to my old my review in the January 2007 edition night Show” Tommy Newsom arrange- friend, Joyce Latrom, and all of the of Jazz). ments was a gas. The major star in Cronettes for making for a fab birth- He found himself sitting near an- Doc’s house on this tour is L.A. jazz day to remember, and my lovely wife, other great player who’s been around saxophone legend Ernie Watts. For me, Grace, for everything else. awhile, and is still moving he stole the whole show. I love all his Another night to remember was upwards…Greg Abate. I’ve hired Greg stuff with Charlie Haden and others, a benefit for one of Lincoln’s counter- a lot throughout the foundation years, and it was a thrill to see him still plays culture leaders, who has suddenly taken and he gave a couple of private lessons so magnificently that evening. What a ill, and is making his battle with the to Andrew in the early days that made monster! dreaded C, an adventure that only a difference in his development. Maybe I turned 58 on the 10th of March, these cats should get together and cut sharing a birthday with the likes of the Courtesy Photo one another in the old tradition of sax late, great Bix Beiderbecke, and all-star players trying to blow each other off pitcher Steve Howe, both lovers of life the stage and just tearing up the joint. and its occasional excesses. When I was I caught Doc Severinsen recently growing up during the 60s, most of my at our Lied Center for Performing Arts, musical heroes didn’t make it past 27. with his extremely talented and enter- Luckily, I turned 40 at the Hazelton taining big band. I was hoping he’d have Clinic, which probably made it possible Ed Shaughnessy on drums or trumpeter for me to be telling you this tale now. Snooky Young, but no dice. Doc still For the rest of the story…watch for The Cronins, with Cronettes in looked and sounded great. He still pro- the book. attendance, play at Terrence Moore cesses that “old-school” charm and Anyway, my rockin’ Cronin benefit. April 2007 Page 3 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Courtesy Photo Jazz is published online at: www.bermanmusicfoundation.org The office of The Berman Mu- The crowd enjoys the Cronins at the benefit for Terrence Moore. sic Foundation is at 719 P St., Lincoln, NE 68508. Terrence “Terry” Moore of Dirt Cheap him. Quite a guy! Records could handle with such cour- I’m excited to announce that “the Editor and Designer: age and curiosity. Visit Gates” is returning. Good buddy, great Tom Ineck www.dirtcheapreunion.com to learn of singer, entertainer and educator Contributing writerswriters: this cutting-edge record store from the Giacomo Gates is first returning with Butch Berman, Dan Demuth early ’70s and how it helped define Kansas City’s Joe Cartwright Trio (Joe and Tom Ineck Lincoln’s always hip underbelly that on piano, Gerald Spaits on bass and Ray Photographers: Dan later created our first Courtesy Photo DeMarchi on drums) community organic food which will perform at Demuth and Tom Ineck market, Open Harvest, the Brownville Concert For inclusion of any jazz or and its swell, diverse ra- Hall in Brownville, blues related events, letters to dio station, KZUM 89.3 Neb., April 6-8, and then the editor or suggested FM, to name a few. here at the Embassy articles, mail them to the The Cronins, The Suites Ballroom on office, phone (402) 476-3112, fax (402) 475-3136 or e-mail Stringtown Castanets Tuesday April 10 with [email protected]. and Charlie Burton and the Nebraska Jazz Or- the quartet version of his chestra. He’s one of the To be added to our mailing Lynch Mob brought a hippest and most tal- list, call (402) 476-3112, fax whole lot of folks from ented cats I’ve ever (402) 475-3136 or e-mail Giacomo Gates [email protected]. the old days together for come into contact with a beautiful, heartfelt evening that in my 12 years of jazz biz. The Butch Berman rocked, and help raise money to put a Be there or be square, and I’m Charitable Music small dent in his mounting medical bills. not kiddin’. You can catch us both chat- Foundation is a non-profit, tax Many fences were mended that night, ting about the gig, his career, and other exempt, 501(c)(3) private foun- dation recognized by the Inter- as the reality of life, our mortality and bright moments on my KZUM radio nal Revenue Service and the uncertainty of anything beyond now show, “Reboppin’ Revisited.” We’ll be Nebraska Department of Rev- crept through the hundreds of old friends on 1-3 p.m. Tuesday April 10 on 89.3 enue. It was established in the that packed the Loft at The Mill. FM, Channel 10 on local cable TV and spring of 1995 to protect and If you want to donate to this wor- via streaming at www.kzum.org. Should promote unique forms of jazz music. thy cause, the necessary info is also be a gasser. linked to the website mentioned earlier. Speaking of gas…I’m runnin’ out, Trustee: Butch Berman Terry and I go back to the 8th grade, so gotta go. Back at cha by Jazz In and his B-Day is just one day past mine, June. Consultants: Grace Sankey both in 1949. We had our ups and downs Later, Berman, Russ Dantzler, Dan Demuth, Norman Hedman, (mostly ups) over the years and always Gerald Spaits, Leslie Spaits and seemed to be supporting each other’s Wade Wright stuff once Dirt Cheap started. We both ended up working for KZUM, and were really reuniting when his illness befell Prez Sez continued on page 4 Page 4 Berman Music Foundation Jazz ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kendra Shank continued from page 1 Photo by John Abbott and Freddy Cole. Shank herself in- cluded Lincoln songs on her last two releases, in 1998 and 2000. Her latest homage to Lincoln, however, took the musical challenge to a new level.