200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 1 The only jazz magazine THE LATIN SIDE in NY in print, online and on apps! OF HOT HOUSE P31 April 2019 www.hothousejazz.com Birdland Page 10 First Presbyterian Church Page 17 Benny Green Wycliffe Gordon Eric Reed Joe Locke Smoke Jazz & Supper Club Page 10 Jazz Standard Page 21 Where To Go & Who To See Since 1982 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 2 2 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 3 3 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 4 4 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 5 5 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 6 6 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 7 7 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 8 8 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 9 9 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 10 WINNING SPINS By George Kanzler IANISTS BENNY GREEN AND flash, finding a strong but still spiritual Eric Reed served formative apprentice- center in playing that is never rushed or shipsP with a couple of champions of flamboyant. Eric makes strategic use of straight-ahead post-bop modern jazz, silence, spacing his notes and delivering Betty Carter and Wynton Marsalis. In them with a sure, crystalline touch. The careers spanning three decades, both most familiar tune he covers, Freddie Benny and Eric have continued to carry Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring," demon- the banner, as their latest albums attest. strates his approach. He takes the piece— Then and Now (Sunnyside) finds Benny typically played at a brisk pace—at a slow Green emphasizing not only his playing tempo while retaining the waltz time, but also his composing and arranging. The turning the usually hard-bop composition album includes five of his own tunes, six by into a resonant ballad. Adding heft is the post-bebop era musicians, plus a ballad sonorous alto sax of Tim Green, who standard. Singer Veronica Swift appears appears on five of the tracks. On board on the standard, "Something I Dreamed throughout are bassist Mike Gurrola and Last Night"; she sings her own vocalese- drummer McClenty Hunter. like lyrics to Benny's "Naturally," and adds Eric also creates a soft palette of Fender wordless vocals to three other selections. Rhodes keyboard for John Coltrane's The Then and Now lineup also includes "Naima," bringing a quiet, reverential Benny's regular trio partners, bassist approach at a slower than normal tempo. David Wong and drummer Kenny He does include a swinging waltz, pairing Washington; flutist Ann Drummond is his tribute to Cedar Walton with a Stevie showcased on three tracks and percus- Wonder outro, "Cedar Waltzin'/Don't You sionist Josh Jones on two. Worry 'Bout a Thing," featuring a vigorous The CD opener, "Donny Hath a Way," is turn from Tim's alto sax and a captivating a short tribute to the late soul singer piano solo judiciously mixing single note Donny Hathaway, featuring electric piano, swirls and block chords. On Cedar's flute and Latin percussion. Benny incorpo- "Martha's Prize," Eric incorporates call- rates "The Closer I Get To You" into his response into his solo, as if dueting with original composition. On Cedar Walton's himself. "Latin America," another track featuring Except for "Naima," the tracks with flute and percussion, Benny plays the Tim's alto swing out; Eric is more contem- theme on electric piano but solos, in an plative in a trio setting. The title piece is exuberant, Cuban-inflected style, on an understated blues, taken at a slow acoustic piano. walk; his melding of Jerome Kern and the The whole album is a display of Benny's Beatles, "Yesterday/Yesterdays," is deeply, exuberance, his playing extroverted and deliberately lyrical, even though it ends brio filled. Whether he's flying through the with a gospel flourish. "Dear Bud," dedi- blistering bop tempo of Hank Jones' cated to Bud Powell, portrays the late "Minor Contention," rolling out bluesy pianist's mental anguish in descending triplets on Hank Mobley's "Hipsippy minor chords. With Tim on soprano sax, Blues," or joining Veronica in shout kickers Eric's "New Morning" builds from a slow on his tight, intricate "Humphrey," Benny piano intro through a ruminating, gospel- is assured and assertive at the keyboard. tinged theme, to a final climactic section On three tracks with Veronica— infused with a churchy spirit. Gospel and "Humphrey," Dexter Gordon's "For swing come together in the CD's finale, Regulars Only" and Horace Silver's "Split James Williams' "Road Life," a bright end- Kick"—she overdubs a second vocal. She ing to an often moody recital. sings to the melodies in tandem with Benny's piano, and her scintillating scat Benny Green commemorates his solos function like a horn. The tunes Benny 56th birthday (April 4) with his trio at has resurrected from the oeuvre of Birdland on April 2-6. Eric Reed cele- deceased jazz masters of the second half of brates the release of Everybody Gets the 20th century prove that there is a rich the Blues at Smoke Jazz & Supper trove of material that has not been suffi- Club on April 11-13, with alto saxo- ciently explored. phonist Julius Tolentin, bassist On Everybody Gets the Blues (Smoke Corcoran Holt and drummer McClenty Sessions), Eric Reed prefers subtlety to Hunter. 10 Green cover photo by Don Dixon, Locke by John Abbott, Reed by Jimmy Katz. 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 11 Sign-up for our E-ALERT at www.hothousejazz.com and be the 1st to know when the latest Hot House is available on line PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR: For advertising requests and listing Gwen Kelley (formerly Calvier) information contact Gwen Kelley [email protected] 203-434-4646/[email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Elzy Kolb Hot House Jazz Magazine is published monthly and all [email protected] copyrights are the property of Gwen Kelley. All rights PRODUCTION & ART DIRECTOR: reserved. No material may be reproduced without written Karen Pica [email protected] permission of the President. Domestic subscriptions CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: areavailable for $37 annually (sent first class). For Canada Ken Dryden, Nick Dunston, $39 and international $50. Ken Franckling, Raul da Gama, PUBLISHER EMERITUS: Dave N Dittmann Seton Hawkins, Eugene Holley Jr., CO-FOUNDERS: Gene Kalbacher, Stephanie Jones, George Kanzler, Lynn Taterka & Jeff Levenson Elzy Kolb, Michael G. Nastos, COPY EDITOR: Yvonne Ervin 2012-2019 Don Jay Smith, Eric Wendell For press releases and CD revues send a copy to CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Fran Kaufman Gwen Kelley: PO Box 20212 - New York, NY 10025 11 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 12 CLUBS & HALLS UPPER MANHATTAN (Above 70th Street) 449 LA: 449 Lenox Av (bet 132nd & 133rd Sts). 212-234-3298. Sun: 1-3:30&4-7pm Patio Jazz; Thurs: 1-3:30pm Jazz & Dessert; Fri-Sat: 8:30pm. AMERICAN LEGION POST: 248W 132nd St (bet 7th & 8th Avs). 212-283-9701. Sun, atler- native Wed & Thurs: 6:30-10:30pm Jam. APOLLO THEATER: 253W 125th St. 212-531- 5300. www.apollotheater.org. Apr 4: 8pm https://jazzfoundation.org/Apollo2019/ Jazz Foundation of America feat A Great Night in Harlem gala concert w/Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees Harry Belafonte & Tony Bennett, feat August Greene, Patti Smith, Bettye LaVette, The Count Basie Orch, Bruce Willis w/spec guest Savion Glover. BILL’S PLACE: 148W 133rd St (bet Lenox & 7th Avs). www.billsplaceharlem.com. 212-281- 0777. Fri-Sat: 8&10pm $20 don Bill Saxton Bebop Band. CAFÉ CARLYLE: At Carlyle Hotel. 35E 76th St at Madison. www.thecarlyle.com. 212-744- 1600. Sets: 8:45pm. Mon: Woody Allen & Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band. Apr 30: John Pizzarelli. CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE: 2485 Bway (bet 92nd & 93rd Sts). www.cleopatrasneedleny. com. 212-769-6969. Sets: Early (E), Late (L); Sun E 4-8pm, L 9pm-1am; Mon-Tues E 8- 9pm, L 10pm-1am; Wed-Thurs E 7-11pm, L 11:30pm-2:30am; Fri-Sat E 8pm-12am, L 12:30-3am. Free adm/$10 min. Trios except Mon&Thurs Duets unless otherwise noted. L Jam. Residencies: Sun E Open mic w/Keith Ingham, L Benno Marmur; Mon Mark Hagan; Tues Marc Devine; Wed E Open mic w/Les Kurtz, L Nathan Brown; Thurs L Nathan Brown; Fri L Robbie Lee; Sat L T. Kash. Apr 4: Didi Grooves; 5: Isaac Raz; 6: Dave Hirschman; 11: Noriko Kamo; 12: Kuni Mikami; 13: Justin Lees; 18: Equilibrium Jazz Gp; 19: Masami Ishikawa; 20: Roland Temple; 25: George Young Band; 26: Art Lillard; 27: Phil Briggs Band. FIRST CORINTHIAN BAPTIST CHURCH: 1912 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd at 116th St. Apr 29: 6:30-9:30pm Jazzmobile Fundraiser www.jazzmobile.org w/Music Director Winard Harper. GIN FIZZ: 308 Malcolm X Blvd at 125th St. 2nd Fl. www.ginfizzharlem.com. 212-289-5550. Apr 16: 7:30&9pm $15 adm Ross Kratter Qrt. GINNY’S SUPPER CLUB: At Red Rooster. 310 Lenox Av (bet 125th & 126th Sts). www.ginnyssupperclub.com. 212-792-9001. GREATER CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH: 55W 124th St (bet Malcolm X Blvd & 5th Av). 212-348-6132. www.harlemjazzboxx.com. Tues 12pm $15 adm & Fri 7pm $20: Harlem Jazz series. HAN DYNASTY RESTAURANT: 215W 85th St (bet Bway & Amsterdam Avs). 212-858- 9060. www.handynasty.net/uws. Thurs: 6- 8pm free adm Steve Wirts Qrt w/spec guests. HARLEM STAGE: At Aaron Davis Hall. 150 Convent Av at W135th St. 212-281-9240. 12 200260_HH_April_0 3/25/19 10:50 AM Page 13 www.harlemstage.org. Apr 5: 7:30-9:30pm Jim McNeely & Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orch; 11: 7:30-9:30pm Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah w/Steve Turre; 12: 7:30-11pm Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah.