Eric Nemeyer’s WWW.JAZZINSIDEMAGAZINE.COM December-Janauary 2020 Interviews DaveDave StrykerStryker Jazz Standard, Jan 24--26 LewisLewis NashNash omprehensive DirectoryDirectory of NY ClubS, ConcertS HaroldHarold MabernMabern KnowingKnowing HowHow toto StayStay OutOut ofof thethe WayWay TheThe FinalFinal InterviewInterview To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 December 2015 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 1 COVER-2-JI-15-12.pub Wednesday, December 09, 2015 15:43 page 1 MagentaYellowBlacCyank ORDER THIS 200+ Page Book + CD - Only $19.95 Call 215-887-8880 To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 December-January 2020 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 1 Eric Nemeyer’s Jazz Inside Magazine ISSN: 2150-3419 (print) • ISSN 2150-3427 (online) December-January 2020 – Volume 10, Number 7 Cover Photo and photo and at right of Harold Mabern By Eric Nemeyer Publisher: Eric Nemeyer Editor: Wendi Li Marketing Director: Cheryl Powers Advertising Sales & Marketing: Eric Nemeyer Circulation: Susan Brodsky Photo Editor: Joe Patitucci Layout and Design: Gail Gentry Contributors: Eric Nemeyer, Ken Weiss, Joe Patitucci. 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Violators may be subject to criminal penalties uting writers are their own and do not necessarily express the opinions of Jazz Inside, and liability for substantial monetary damages, including statutory damages up to Eric Nemeyer Corporation or its affiliates. $50,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys fees. CONTENTS 4 Harold Mabern — Knowing How to INTERVIEWSINTERVIEWS Visit these websites: CLUBS, CONCERTS, EVENTS Stay Out of the Way – The Final Inter- 30 Dave Stryker JazzStandard.com 13 Calendar of Events view 35 Lewis Nash Jazz.org 20 Clubs & Venue Listings JJBabbitt.com MaxwellDrums.com PAY ONLY FOR RESULTS LIKE US PUBLICITY! www.facebook.com/ JazzInsideMedia Get Hundreds Of Media Placements — ONLINE — Major Network Media & FOLLOW US Authority Sites & OFFLINE — Distribution To 1000’s of Print & Broadcast www.twitter.com/ Networks To Promote Your Music, Products & Performances In As Little As JazzInsideMag 24 Hours To Generate Traffic, Sales & Expanded Media Coverage! WATCH US www.PressToRelease.com | MusicPressReleaseDistribution.com | 215-887-8880 www.youtube.com/ JazzInsideMedia 2 December-January 2020 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 To Advertise CALL: 215-887-8880 December-January 2020 Jazz Inside Magazine www.JazzInsideMagazine.com 3 I’m old.” Or I can say what Howard Cosell said, “I’m a legend in my own mind,” otherwise I INTERVIEWINTERVIEW don’t think about it, all I think about is the re- sults. How many articles have I done, how many covers have I been on? Until that happens, it really don’t mean a thing. It’s only words and you can’t take it to the bank. Harold Mabern Knowing How to Stay Out of the Way – The Final Interview JI: Do you like doing interviews? I’m asking because it took a bit to set this up. that was okay. This “Iron Man” thing came HM: I don’t really get a chance to do inter- Interview & Photo By Ken Weiss views, as a rule. If it comes about, and it’s some- about later because I used to play at this jam session in Chicago called the Randolph Rendez- thing that I feel I want to do, or if it’s something Harold Mabern (b. March 20, 1936, Memphis, that means something, then I’ll go along with it. TN) is one of the many excellent pianists from vous where the bandstand would go around. Most times, not a lot of piano players would Otherwise I don’t think about it. I don’t get a lot the Memphis area to have made a significant of calls to do interviews, and I’m not on the mark in the history of jazz. Beloved for his in- show up, so I’d have to play the whole two sets without intermission. The guy playing congas covers, but I don’t lose sleep over it. You got to credible comping skills, Mabern has been an go on with what you’re doing. As long as I can intricate part of recordings made by the MJT+3, said, “Look at that, ladies and gentlemen, the Iron Man of the keyboards!” That’s how that play, that’s the main thing. The Jazztet, Wes Montgomery, Stanley Turren- tine, Lee Morgan, Blue Mitchell, Hank Mobley, came about. JI: Most of your career has been spent as a Roland Kirk, J.J. Johnson, Freddie Hubbard, sideman, which you take great pride in. You say Jimmy Forrest, George Coleman, and Eric Alex- JI: How much of an advantage does having such large hands give you, and are there disad- on your website – “I was never concerned with ander, as well as numerous titles under his own being a leader. I just always wanted to be the name. Mabern talks about his time spent with vantages? best sideman I could be. Be in the background Phineas Newborn Jr. and his life doing what he so you can shine through.” Would you expound was chosen to do. He’s soft-spoken and South- HM: It can be an advantage but some of the greatest piano players got small hands, but it on why that’s been enough for you? ern, humble by nature, and this 3-hour inter- view, done on June 13, 2019 near New York’s helps me when I’m doing a lot of comping. I can get excessive power or, as Freddie Hubbard said HM: I do take great pride in being a sideman, Union Square, reveals many pearls of wisdom. and that’s been enough. Last night I had a stu- Mabern dedicated this interview to Phineas in liner notes, I can get certain kinds of voicings, different kinds of sounds, because of the size. dent and Peter Bernstein’s wife came by, and I Newborn Jr. Sadly, Mabern passed suddenly played something, and she said, “Oh, that and unexpectedly on September 17, 2019. This is Because of the span, I might be able to play chords that some of the other guys can’t get. The sounds like Stravinsky!” Now, that was a com- thought to be his final significant interview. pliment because I don’t even know how to spell only disadvantage is that I used to play this song in D-flat, and sometimes I had a problem play- Stravinsky. First of all, I’m a self-taught musi- Jazz Inside Magazine: Colorful nicknames in cian. I tell my students, ‘Don’t play, on piano jazz are a thing of the past. You’ve been called ing the melody because the width of the middle finger could get stuck in the keys. Otherwise, especially, don’t play with the person, you play for them.’ So, I get joy out of being an accompa- nist. When Cedar Walton came to me and said, “To obtain something, you have to listen. “Brother Mabern, that was some fine comping you did,” that meant more to me than him saying I played well because not everybody can comp. When I first started, I wanted to comp like Comping is a specialty. Wynton Kelly, Red Gar- land, Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Bobby Richie Powell, who was a harmonic genius, Timmons, Cedar Walton, and a few others. You can’t just teach how to comp, you learn that by but I was playing too much. I had to be listening to the people that came before you. If I never played another job as a so-called leader, shown by a friend how to leave space. that’s fine with me. If I never made another re- cording, that would be fine with me, but I love to comp. It’s a so-called subordinate role but Comping has always been easy for me be- when you’re able to shine through, and people say, “Who is that playing that?” That’s the com- cause I love doing it, but I learned by listen- pliment. ing to all the people that came before me.” JI: Bassist Howard Rumsey had some mild criticism for you as a leader.