Photo by Rich Hoover Photo by Rich Giacomo Gates, consummate artist, appears April 7 with Cartwright Trio Singer Giacomo Gates will perform April 7 in Lincoln. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ By Tom Ineck ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The consummate jazz artist is a collection of all that has passed be- Giacomo Gates will perform in fore—in personal experiences and in Lincoln April 7 at the Melting the history of the art. He also has an Spot, 227 N. Ninth St. Joining March 2006 ear always open to the present moment. him will be the Joe Cartwright Vol. 11, Number 1 Singer Giacomo Gates is such an Trio of Kansas City, Mo., with artist. He draws on a blue-collar New pianist Joe Cartwright, bassist England upbringing, a natural inclination Gerald Spaits and drummer to song and a deep respect for the el- ders of the jazz vocal art form. When Ray DeMarchi. The perfor- he launches his expressive baritone mance is presented by the In this issue of Jazz.... voice in the interpretation of a jazz stan- Berman Music Foundation. dard, what comes out is pure Giacomo Prez Sez.........................................................2 Gates. year that Gates turned his lifelong pas- BMF Annual Meeting..................................6 Rather like the smell of grease- sion for music into a profession. Be- Marilyn Maye & Carmen Lundy in KC........7 paint for the Broadway child actor, fore that he had toiled, like his father Gates grew up with the smell of grease before him, at a wide variety of blue- NJO/Newell and Basile Review.....................9 and paint in his nostrils. His father was collar jobs, including a 14-year stint in Stefon Harris & Blackout Review............10 an auto body-and-fender repairman Alaska. But the move to music wasn’t “Sherman, The Boy Wonder,” R.I.P.............11 who operated his own shop in small- as sudden or unpredictable as it sounds. town Connecticut. “That transition was like a return, Tomfoolery: Non-jazz artists....................12 “My parents were married about actually, because as a kid I grew up Jazz on Disc...........................................13 eight or nine years before I was born,” around my father, who played classical Discorama...................................17 Gates recalled in a recent phone inter- music around the house—records— view from his home in the Bridgeport, and he also played the violin. And he Conn., area. “When I was going to be played pretty well. Here’s a guy doin’ born, they built an apartment on the body and fender work but he played back of the garage. So, I grew up classical violin, and he played one of smellin’ thinner.” th Born in 1950, it wasn’t until his 40 Gates continued on page 4 Page 2 Berman Music Foundation Jazz ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Prez Sez Spotlight’s on Lincoln music and radio scene ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ By Butch Berman ○○○○ Dear Faithful Readers, Photo by Rich Hoover Here’s comin’ at ya on the 21st day of February, my least favorite month. It all started decades ago when, soon after purchasing these ultra-cool blue suede boots for my honey for Valentine’s Day…she dumps me. (I probably deserved it, in those days.) Even now, married to a most tolerant and lovely woman, my darling Grace, this month still bugs me. Having to put my ol’ 20-year-old doggie, Sherman, to sleep over the weekend didn’t help much, either. You canine fanciers, like me, will hopefully dig my obit in this is- sue. Yeah, there’s been some good shit Butch Berman (keys), Norman Hedman (conga) and Craig Kingery (bass) jam at happening too…and even on our home Berman Music Foundation headquarters. front. Get ready for the local scoop. I came into contact with two dif- stole the show at the Topeka Jazz Fes- received warmly. We plan to meet soon ferent establishments within the past tival last Memorial Day weekend, and to discuss plans for doing some jazzy few weeks that hold great potential for have several nationally released record- stuff together this summer…which more, and better, live jazz in Lincoln. I ing behind them. A SHOW NOT TO could coincide in positive ways with got a call from a gentleman named Cal BE MISSED!!! More info will be Jazz In June. Keep your fingers crossed Simmons, who now runs The Melting available and updated on our website, for us all here, as this could turn into, Spot, at 227 N. Ninth St. in downtown so you all can show up and help sup- let’s say…something cool (homage to Lincoln, just around the corner from our port big-time jazz here again in Ne- June Christy). As always, we’ll keep historic Haymarket District. Before I braska. you posted. had a chance to return his call, Grace Another beautiful room that runs In reference to Jazz In and I ran into our old friend, Lincoln jazz is also one of Lincoln’s best new June…aside from helping book ombudsman Oscar Harriott, who is a eateries. The Le Krem Bistro on the Alaadeen and his wonderful band here friend and “consulting partner” in mak- second floor of The Creamery Build- last year, I had nothing at all to do with ing this new African-American venture ing at 701 P St., right next door to the the musical choices or any of the poli- a success. After groovin’ on the seren- Burkholder Project, which, among other tics and workings of that event, or this dipitous nature of it all, Oscar got Cal local artists, houses our Berman Music year’s proceedings. I and the BMF on the cell phone, we met, talked biz, Foundation office. Anyway, I was eat- wholeheartedly urge you to always sup- and have two shows booked at this ing dinner there one night, loving the port live jazz ANYWHERE. lovely, two-level nightspot. ambience and diggin’ the cuisine, and I I’m thrilled to be back on the ra- Local saxophonist Bill Wimmer thought to myself, “This reminds me of dio again at our community station, brought his hot quartet to this club Zino’s (now defunct) in New York City. KZUM 89.3 FM. I do a show called March 10, my 57th birthday. On April 7, Wonder if they could use some big-city the “Tuesday Morning Soul Stew” that a star-studded show features East Coast jazz to augment their already nice local airs from 10 a.m. to noon every, yup, singing sensation Giacomo Gates, music format?” you guessed it…Tuesday. I figure “soul” backed by the incredible Joe Cartwright I then spoke to owners Kris and music has these three major require- Trio from Kansas City, Mo. These cats Emily Raasch about my ideas, and were ments—stories that convey truth, con- March 2006 Page 3 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Photo by Rich Hoover viction and emotion that allow me to present a wide variety of musical genres. Check me out! I got a surprise call while I was on the air today from Norman Hedman in New York who was listening on his computer via streaming. Just go to www.kzum.org and press the “Play” button on the right. Since I just mentioned Norman, this is a perfect lead-in to mention his Bill Lohrberg (guitar) and Norman Jazz is published online at: visit here recently. The BMF just cel- Hedman (conga) jam. www.bermanmusicfoundation.org th The office of The Berman Mu- ebrated its 11 year in show-biz, so we sic Foundation is at 719 P St., had a great dinner and meeting at the together. We’ve developed a great, Studio G, Lincoln, NE 68508. Dish restaurant. Tom Ineck reports on small but fervent cult fan base of folks the business side of our meeting in this led by perhaps my best oldest friend, or Editor and Designer: newsletter. Besides Norman, Dan is it oldest best friend (oops, she Tom Ineck Demuth of Colorado Springs, Colo., also wouldn’t like that, but you get the pic- Contributing writerswriters: attended. He and Norman are consult- ture) Joyce Latrom. She’s been a loyal Butch Berman and Tom Ineck ants for our foundation. follower of every band I’ve ever played Norman also was interviewed by in, and herself ran the sound and lights Photographers: Butch Lincoln musician and deejay Bill and tour biz for one of Lincoln’s favor- Berman, Grace Sankey Berman, Rich Hoover Wimmer on his KZUM show, “Jazz ite bands from the old days…Cricket. Journey,” which airs every Tuesday She’s a big ballet supporter as well, For inclusion of any jazz or from 1-3 p.m. Norman’s still active with working behind the scene of our annual blues related events, letters to his longtime band, Tropique, and gigs “Nutcracker” Xmas concert at the Lied the editor or suggested regularly with a wide variety of cats up Center for Performing Arts, and usu- articles, mail them to the office, phone (402) 476-3112, and down the Eastern coastline, and is ally chairing the now-consolidated high fax (402) 475-3136 or e-mail working on a new solo project to be school reunion extravaganzas ever five [email protected]. announced. Norman Hedman and years. Tropique are in the process of planning Anyway, the Cronins have found To be added to our mailing their upcoming summer tour of Europe. a new home to do our stuff in on a regu- list, call (402) 476-3112, fax (402) 475-3136 or e-mail Also on board for this excursion is saxo- lar basis at a lovely new nightspot on [email protected]. phonist Chico Freeman and vibraphon- the corner of 12th and O streets in down- ist Roy Ayers.