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The Oregonian Old-fashioned flavor hits right cord at jazz festival By MARTY HUGHLEY AND LYNN DARROCH THE OREGONIAN GRESHAM—One of the first songs return to a time many festivalgoers and Friday’s Louis Armstrong Centennial time he’s actually played jazz at the performed at this year’s Mt. Hood Jazz even festival organizers may have tribute by the trumpeter Nicholas jazz festival, instead of the pop- Festival was the sentimental standard thought was lost forever. Payton; a beautifully orchestrated leaning fusion that often has been his “I’m Old-Fashioned,” which Portland The mellow and attentive audience tribute to Sarah Vaughan late Saturday stock in trade. The secondary Xeta favorite Tom Grant sang on Friday. and the wealth of straight-ahead jazz by the versatile vocal powerhouse Technologies stage really was the Tom On Sunday, Jenna Mammina, a Bay fare almost made it feel like old times Dianne Reeves; a virtuoso melding of Grant stage on Friday, as the pianist Area singer who charmed the crowd (read: early– to mid -80s) again, even bop, funk and rock by bassist Christian played three sets there assaying every- here for the second year in a row, as the return to a three-stage format McBride; and a set of emotionally thing from Thelonious Monk’s de- performed it again. And if we had to encouraged lots of fan movement, a clear and intellectually deep pianism lightfully quirky bop to the Brazilian pick a them song for the festival’s 20th feature of the late –90s festivals. by Brad Mehldau’s trio. classic “Desafinado.” run at Mt. Hood Community College A famous adage holds that there are But there wasn’t a set all weekend Payton’s 12-piece ensemble roared in Gresham, that’d be as good a choice only two kinds of music: good music that lacked craft, taste, interpretive into the rainy night with a brassy big as any. and bad music. Paraphrased for this insight and improvisational vigor. band sound that provided a Not, let us hasten to add, old- year’s jazz festival, however, the two There was a certain historical sense Please see JAZZ, Page C5 fashioned in the sense of hokey or out kinds would have to be called good to the festival’s start on Friday. Tom of date. Rather, these three days of and better. Grant opened the first event in 1982, music seemed at least a little like a Some acts stood out - among them but he noted that this year was the first Continued from Page C1 loudest receptions were those who “the best single day of programming of fragility, yearning, innocence and rich, rangy setting for the young trum- played from the tradition and at the I’ve ever done.” even a kind of tensile strength. peter’s full, contemporary sound and same time engaged the fans in a direct, Clouds, and even just a little rain, She created extemporaneous lyrics arrangements. personable manner. accompanied the first two days of the about anything from the concession While playing a repertoire familiar Kenny Barron, the master main- festival, but Sunday benefited from booth offerings to Royston’s children to Armstrong fans—including “St. stream pianist, and his younger part- warm, sunny skies. After a solid set in “When I Take My Sugar to Tea” James Infirmary” and “Potato Head ner, violinist Regina Carter, received a by Portland flugelhornist Paul and found still more astute interpretive Blues” - Payton and his youthful crew standing ovation for their subtlety Mazzzio’s quartet, veteran singer phrasings for Elvis Costello’s only toyed with the authentic New nuanced set of tunes from their duo James Moody drew repeated standing “Watching the Detectives,” which also Orleans concept, taking the chestnut CD, “Freefall.” ovations for his warmth, wit and a featured a livewire solo by guitarist “Hello, Dolly,” for instance into such Many of Saturday’s fans must have repertoire of familiar chestnuts such as Andre Bush. unfamiliar territory with substitute come especially to hear Reeves pay his signature tune “Moody’s Mood for Closing out the festival was the chords and a rumba beat that it became tribute to “a woman who opened many Love” and “Bennie’s From Heaven,” terrific trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Clad difficult to recognize. Yet such doors for me,” as she said of Vaughan. vocalese pioneer Eddie Jefferson’s in a bright red vest and sunglasses, he changes produced some of the night’s Again, though Reeves, 41, recalled her spoof on “Pennies From Heaven.” looked a bit like Miles Davis in the most beautiful music. inspiration, the modern, finely detailed Nearly as beloved in this staunchly ‘80s. His sound, though, was more For instance, the Bud Shank Sex- arrangements—she was backed by a traditional mode was the piano duo of calmly assured than mercurial, shining tet’s voicings and arrangements of 36-piece string section as well as her Ramsey Lewis and Billy Taylor, col- particularly on the lush ballad “Nature many new, original tunes recalled the quintet—by pianist Billy Childs made laborating gracefully on such old Boy” and, switching to a buttery-toned saxophonist’s heyday as a leading it clear that this was a thoroughly faithfuls as “Stella By Starlight” and flugelhorn, “Never Let Me Go.” figure in West Coast Jazz of the ‘50s. modern tribute. “Body & Soul,” plus nodding to fel- With an estimated attendance of The group’s set of bright, lively bebop Using her awesome voice to paint low piano great Oscar Peterson with a more than 21,000 for the weekend, the was highlighted by Shank’s ballad Vaughan’s repertoire with a broad cover of his “Nigerian Marketplace.” festival’s 20th anniversary didn’t reach feature, “Sacajewea.” brush, Reeves brought the crowd along Mammina, by contrast, was more the heights of the late 1980s in terms Though the energy and variety of with her every step of the way as a contemporary in approach but also of public support, but the music quali- the jam sessions both evenings thrilled felicitous moon rose behind thin created a glow of affection in listeners. fied as one to remember, a classic of the fans who filled the grassy bowl in clouds. Her voice can be girlishly high, but true jazz. Not so much old-fashioned front of the festival’s second stage, the All in all, festival artistic director she uses that part of her register like a really, as timeless. artists who received the warmest and Bill Royston proudly called Saturday filament, illuminating a lyric’s strains .