BCJS Presents Rufus Reid Quintet at BMA
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DECEMBER 2 014 BCJS presents Rufus Reid Quintet at BMA . 1 Nels Cline and Julian Lage at Patterson . 3 BALTIMORE JAZZ ALLIANCE Jazz Jam Sessions . 4 CD Review: Veronneau’s Snow Time . 4 An Interview with Paul Faatz . 6 BJA Holiday Meet and Greet . 7 John Tegler, Jazz Maven . 9 BJA Products and Member Notes . 10 Ad Rates and Member Sign-up Form . 11 VOLUME XI ISSUE XI THE BJA NEWSLETTER WWW.BALTIMOREJAZZ.COM BCJS presents Rufus Reid Quintet at BMA By Michael Formanek . Reid showed how important it is to play just the right note, in the assists who are also composers and bandleaders are no longer an right way, with the right tone, at the right time. There were strong Bexception in the jazz world. How - solos all around but Bartz in particular really impressed me throughout ever, at the time Rufus Reid was playing the whole evening with his warm tone, lyrical phrasing, and the his first professional gigs with saxo - thoughtful development of his ideas. phone virtuoso Eddie Harris in the early 1970s, they were few and far between. In those years, most bassists, other than Charles Mingus, were part of the rhythm section and worked as sidemen for other bandleaders who played sax - ophone, trumpet, piano, or almost any other instrument. Over the past twenty to thirty years there have been many significant changes in this imbalance of musical influence, and seeing a band with a bassist as the primary composer and leader is a much more common oc - currence. Fortunately for us, Rufus Reid made that transition to bassist/com - poser/bandleader with dignity, author - ity, and a wonderful sense of imagination PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL FORMANEK and creativity. These qualities were demonstrated From left: Steve Alee, Freddie Hendrix, Rufus Reid, Gary Bartz and Duduka Da Fonseca perfectly in his quintet performance at the Baltimore Museum of Art as the Bal - Bartz. I guess it’s time for full disclosure The two well-programmed sets of timore Chamber Jazz Society opened its here. I know Reid fairly well and pre - music flowed well from piece to piece. 24th season. The group featured some sented him at Peabody, in 2006, as a The first set opened with a Steve Alee longtime collaborators, including Steve guest with the Jazz Orchestra. I have original entitled “Ebony,” from the Alee on piano and Duduka Da Fonseca also known Da Fonseca for more than Rufus Reid Trio’s 2010 CD Out Fron t. It on drums. The front line consisted of thirty years, although we haven’t even served a dual purpose of getting the au - trumpet player Freddie Hendrix and the seen each other for more than twenty of dience to engage with something rela - Baltimore-born-and-raised, world-class those, and Bartz and I have crossed tively familiar while also giving the alto saxophonist and improviser Gary paths a few times over the years as well. musicians a chance to get a feel for the (continued on page 2) The Baltimore Jazz Alliance is a 501(c)(3) BCJS presents Rufus Reid Quintet at BMA tax exempt organization. (continued from first page) room and for each other in the space. moments that resulted from focused and The Baltimore Jazz Alliance (BJA) is a grass-roots organization of jazz afi - There were strong solos all around but meaningful interplay among all the mu - cionados, musicians and venues dedi - Bartz in particular really impressed me sicians. The rhythm section in particular cated to enhancing and promoting jazz throughout the whole evening with his demonstrated that they have a history of in Baltimore and the surrounding areas. warm tone, lyrical phrasing, and the playing together, which allowed the New members sharing this passion are thoughtful development of his ideas. music to breathe in a very natural way. I always welcome as the BJA continues The first tune was no exception, and for felt that these moments, such as one dur - its efforts to build a stronger and better networked jazz scene. Together we can me the other stand-out solo was by Reid ing Reid’s homage to the great pianist help this music thrive in the region and himself. Throughout the performance Hank Jones in which a richly orches - reward listeners and musicians alike. there was a good balance of pieces, in - trated opening theme gave way to a cluding some older ones by Reid, like beautiful set of ballad harmonies, were BJA Priorities the sweetly lyrical samba composed for some of the best of the evening. Here • To develop new audiences for jazz a very warmly regarded relative, enti - Reid showed how important it is to play • To strengthen communication within the jazz community tled “When She Smiles upon Your just the right note, in the right way, with • To improve media relations on Face,” as well as pieces composed by the right tone, at the right time—not an behalf of the jazz community and dedicated to recently departed pi - easy task to accomplish, and I can tell • To bring greater visibility to the anists Horace Silver and Mulgrew you that from experience! The second set entire array of jazz offerings in the Miller. Other highlights in the first set closed with a tune by Eddie Harris Baltimore region were a gorgeous trio version of Tadd called “Cryin’ Blues.” This piece brought • To provide greater access to Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now,” things back to the mood of the first half performance opportunities for Baltimore-area jazz musicians and a newer composition by Reid dedi - but with a looser and more relaxed feel - cated to a particular sculpture by the ing. Here again there were a lot of strong Visit www.baltimorejazz.com artist Elizabeth Catlett called “Glory,” solos and even some energetic collective for information about our which featured the horns and bass play - improvisation before th e band took the accomplishments and future goals. ing a unison melody over nicely swing - theme out at the end. Baltimore Jazz Alliance ing ride cymbal by Da Fonseca. This was a very good concert played 847 North Howard Street As much as I enjoyed the first set, I by excellent musicians who balanced cre - Baltimore, Maryland 21201 found the second half to show much ativity and improvisation well, with more of the leader’s imagination as well enough known quantities to keep the au - Website: www.baltimorejazz.com as his broad range of compositional and dience in the musical loop and enough Please direct your improvisational skills. The set began challenging and evocative material to questions and comments to: with the drummer’s composition, “Man - allow the musicians to fully express [email protected] hattan Style,” in which he introduced themselves . Rufus Reid made this hap - the tune on the drums; Hendrix fol - pen by choosing the musicians, by the lowed with a strong opening solo played way he structured his music and his BJA BOARD very much in the spirit of another great program, and by the way he played the trumpeter with the same initials. The set bass, which was really all anyone Alice Downs really started to open up after this tune, needed to hear. Liz Fixsen, Secretary www.michaelformanek.com Barry Glassman, Founder and Emeritus and there were many beautiful musical Vernard Gray Brad Gunson Bob Jacobson, Vice President Sara Jerkins Give the Gift of Jazz! Todd Marcus H Camay Calloway Murphy, Emerita Membership in THE BALTIMORE JAZZ ALLIANCE Mark Osteen, President is the perfect gift for the jazz lover on your list! Ian Rashkin Robert Shahid, Treasurer Join using PayPal at: www.baltimorejazz.com Marcellus “The Bassman” Shepard or use membership form on page 11 and mail in with payment. PAGE 2 / DECEMBER 2014 BALTIMORE JAZZ ALLIANCE Nels Cline and Julian Lage at Patterson By Michael Raitzyk he Creative Alliance’s new per - formance director Josh Kohn has Twasted no time in flexing his na - tional music-booking chops by bringing an amazing concert of world-class jazz and forward-thinking improvisational music to Baltimore. On Tuesday, No - vember 18th, guitarists Nels Cline and Julian Lage performed all selections from their new duo CD, Room (Mack Avenue Records). With just two guitars and no effects pedals, the pair explored the vocabulary of all things guitar. Sometimes it sounded like a Grateful Dead jam band (“Blues Too”); some - times it sounded like Sonny Sharrock free jazz (“The Scent of Light”). With an - gular melodies (“Abstract”), post-mod - ern funk melodies (“Racy”) and angelic PHOTO CREDIT: JUSTIN CAMERER and pointillist melodies (“Whispers from Eve”), Cline and Lage weaved a With just two guitars and no effects pedals, tapestry of shimmering guitar tones that the pair explored the vocabulary of all things guitar breathed as one musical idea. Nels Cline is best known for his work with the rock band Wilco, which has recorded with Gary Burton, David His picking hand floats above the strings he joined in 2004. In addition, he has Grisman, Taylor Eigsti, Eric Harland, at all times. recorded with many musicians from Nicole Henry, and Dayna Stephens. More than 100 people attended this the free jazz/avant-garde world. For Cline met Lage at the “crony lunches” concert and one could tell that at least example, in 1999 Cline paired up with that guitarist Jim Hall used to hold with half of them were guitar players. The jazz drummer Gregg Bendian to record fellow musicians. Cline had written an ones I recognized play a wide swath of a modern rendition of John Coltrane's article about Hall and was invited to genres.