ArkansasArkansas JazzJazz CalendarCalendar Vol. 6 No. 4 Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation Newsletter November/December 1998 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In this issue: Monday Jazz welcomes Mose ARKANSAS JAZZ Allison, Michael Marcus in Concert. NEWS ... From New York... - The Jazz Club of Arkansas regularly MOSE ALLISON meets on the first Sunday of each month at Returns to the MICHAEL MARCUS the American Legion Post #1, 315 E. on the Straight Alto Sax Capitol, Little Rock, from 2 to 5 PM. AfterThought November’s meeting will be on the second Tuesday Nov. 24 Sunday to accommodate musician Monday Nov. 23 schedules but returns to the first Sunday in It is not very often you get a second Capitol Keyboard Recital Hall December. If you are interested in chance in the same year to see your favorite membership and activities call Doug Stiles “Over the past ten years, saxophonist at (501) 663-5414. entertainer. If your choice is Mose Allison, Michael Marcus has carved out a niche you’re in luck because he returns to the with his stritch, a unique instrument that - The Arkansas Jazz Heritage Monday Jazz Project at the AfterThought Foundation Board meets quarterly at was championed in the ’60s by Rahsann Capitol Keyboard, 13401 Chenal Parkway, on November 23, 1998. If you missed Roland Kirk and played by very few other Mose in April, he will be back for two Little Rock. Call Cece Rich (501) 228- saxophonist since then.” - Bill Milkowski 9999 or James Thomson 663-5264 for info. shows, 8 and 10 p.m., $10 per show general of JazzTimes, September 1998. admission. Tickets available from the Remember to send in those membership renewals. Thank you to Andrew Collins, AfterThought 663-1196, Capitol Keyboards Joe Kenady, Jim and Jo Lake, Jim Porter, (501) 228-9999, and Been Around Records and Rex Perry for becoming Jazzman on South University. members. - The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will perform at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre at 2:30pm on November 8, 1998. Tickets are $40 and available through the Memphis Symphony Box Office at 901-324-3627 or through Ticketmaster. Michael Marcus - Folly Jazz in Kansas City presents the The instrument to which Mr. Milkowski 12th Street Series 1998/99 season featuring is referring is the Straight Saxophone or the Charles McPherson Quartet, Saturday Saxello (configured soprano, dubbed Nov. 14th, 1998, 8PM in the Folly Theater, manzello by Rahsaan). The Marcus 300 W. 12th Street, Kansas City MO. Also on Discography includes 10 CDs covering the series the Freddy Cole Quartet, Friday Dec. seven labels including Westwind, ITM, 11th at 8PM. For tickets call (816) 474-4444. Qwest/Warner Brothers, C.I.M.P., Enja, - The Region VI All Region Jazz Band Soul Note, and his latest carrier JustinTime will hold a concert on November 14,1998, Records. Marcus teamed with the Jaki Byard at 5pm in Metcalf Auditorium on the Trio for “Involution”, his second recording campus of Little Rock Parkview Arts project for Justin Time Records, and a Magnet High School. For more information, subsequent tour which included stops at the call (501) 228-3030. Toronto Jazz Festival and the Museum of - Marvin Stamm, Memphis native and Modern Art. internationally acclaimed jazz trumpet player will be the featured artist with the Mose Allison The show features Marcus on saxophones, Chris Parker on piano, Dave Arkansas State University Jazz Band, “The As his 1998 Blue Note album Gimcracks Rogers on drums, and Joe Vick on bass. Tribe”, on November 23rd. Mr. Stamm & Gewgaws evidences, the 71-year old Show starts at 7:30 PM Tuesday November studied at the University of North Texas Mississippi native is an adept artist and a before touring with Stan Kenton and Woody 24, 1998 in Capitol Keyboard Recital Hall, Herman. He has also recorded with Bill tasteful tunesmith. Allison’s lyrics exhibit 13401 Chenal Parkway, $10 general Evans, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney, the a rare and wry wit made better only by admission. Beverages and snacks included Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, and James Mose’s skillful piano playing & unique with $10 ticket. Tickets available at Capitol Brown. The concert is free to the public and vocal delivery. Keyboard (501) 228-9999 and Been-Around begins at 8pm at Wilson Auditorium on the Records & CDs on S. University Ave. (Continued on page 2 - Monday Jazz ) (Continued on page 2 - Jazz News) Continued from page 1 - Monday Jazz KURT ELLING TRIO Continued from page 1 - Jazz News by Jeff Putterman, host of Jazzonia campus of Arkansas State in Jonesboro. On November 9, the Monday Jazz every Saturday night on KABF 88.3FM Project presents trumpeter Nokie Taylor - The International Association of Jazz from Memphis. Taylor graduated form Little Rock jazz fans are big on singer Educators will hold the 26th Annual Arkansas A.M.& N college (Now UAPB), Kurt Elling. Back in 1996, at the now International Conference on January 7-9, 1999 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, legendary three-day Wildwood Jazz Festival where Taylor’s fellow students included California. For more info, call (785) 776-8744. John Stubblefield, James Leary, and other (which marked the “birth” of the Cypress Arkansas and Memphis native jazz artists. Jazz Associates) a relatively unknown Elling - The Arkansas River Blues Society He toured and / or recorded (Stax records in worked his vocal magic. By the end of his presents their weekly Blues Jam at Memphis), with such names as Isaac Hayes set, he had the crowd literally leaping from Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $3 general admission (toured with for nine years), Jimmy Reed, its seats. His performance then was so Every Tuesday evening in Juanita’s Cantina Ballroom , 1300 S. Main, Little Rock. Percy Mayfield, and Rufus Thomas. His powerful that after the show one novice Sign-up with Jeff Weeden at the event to group in Little Rock will include Herman confided in me: “Now I know why you participate in the Jam. Call (501) 374- Green on saxophone, Charles Thomas on guys like jazz so much.” 3660 for more information. piano, Joe Vick on bass, and Dave Rogers Thursday Oct. 1, 1998, at the Stella at the drums. $5 cover. - Vagabonds has live jazz Thursday, Friday Boyle Smith concert hall at UALR, the and Saturday nights at 5913 Kavanaugh, Cypress Jazz Associates again brought Kurt Little Rock. Don’t miss it! There is a Jam Elling to Little Rock. This time the audience Session every Thursday. Call (501) 296- was more familiar with him. After all, Kurt 9696 for information. now has three Blue Note CDs under his belt - The North Arkansas Jazz Society and has already won a Grammy award and presents jazz events in Fayetteville, several more nominations. He sits at the top Arkansas. Support jazz in Northwest of the male vocalist category in many jazz Arkansas by sending a check for $20 magazine polls. So the attendees had heard (individual), $30 (family), $10 (Student), him sing, and knew about Kurt, his trio, and $50-$100 (Sustaining), or $100 - UP his music. But Elling did it again. Proving (Corporate) payable to North Arkansas Jazz that his talent for improvisation, energy Society, 40 East Elm, Fayetteville, AR and wit have yet to be properly captured in 72703, or call President Robert Ginsburg for information at (501) 521-1255 or 442-0990. digitized form, Kurt again “knocked out” the large and appreciative audience. - The Pine Bluff Jazz Club meets every 3rd Sunday 2 to 5 p.m. of each month. For Backed by long time partner Lawrence location and date for their next meeting call Hobgood on piano, Rob Amster on bass, (501) 879-2059 for further information. and Michael Raynor on drums, Elling showed why he has quickly become regarded - The Star Dust Dance Band with vocalist Shirley Chauvin performs monthly in Hot as one of the top male vocalists in jazz. His Springs. Call for schedule (501) 767-5482. Nokie Taylor stage persona is part smooth crooner, part November 16th features the John Craig beat hipster, and part bebop scat man. Mixed, - The Hot Springs Jazz Society supports Trio. Craig, a former member of the Ike I might add, with an intellectual’s playful jazz programming in the Spa City including and Tina Turner band and the leader of the use of ironic musical and literary allusions. the annual Hot Springs Jazz and Blues Festival which is September 11 - 13, 1998 Arkansas River Blues Society’s jam night Although he carefully caresses soulful in Hot Springs, Arkansas. To join send house band at Juanita’s, will show us his ballads, to call him a singer belittles his check for $25 to The Hot Springs Jazz jazz chops. $5 cover Again don’t forget style. And though he scats, to characterize Society, PO Box 972, Hot Springs, AR Nov. 23, featuring Mose Allison, two him as a bebop vocalist, ignores his use of 71902-0972. For further information shows 8 and 10 p.m., $10 per show. Then “vocalese.” Rather Elling, as he proved in contact Shirley Chauvin at (501) 767-5482. on Nov. 30 is the Monday Jazz Project Jam Little Rock, is an accomplished musician The next calendar deadline is December and Showcase. Open mike for local area who “plays” his voice. And the way he 7th, 1998. Please reply with jazz happenings jazz players every last Monday of the month. reinterprets and reinvigorates old tunes— to The Arkansas Jazz Calendar, c/o The House trio includes Buck Powell on piano, playing with tempo, harmony, and phrasing Arkansas Jazz and Heritage Foundation, PO Joe Vick on bass, and Dave Rogers at the while keeping unerringly swinging time Box 251187, Little Rock, 72225-1187.