Pianists Junior Mance and Eldar Topeka Jazz Festival Djangirov leads a charmed life By Tom [neck, Photos by Rich Hoover· . hey say the third time is the charm. T But the Topeka Jazz Festival has led a charmed life from its birth in 1998 to its infancy in 1999 to its playful and precocious childhood this year. It's not just growing older; it's rapidly developing into one of the premier jazz events in the United States. On the Berman Music Foundation's third annual trip to Topeka, the festival truly began to feellilee a home away from home. The Topeka Perfonnmg Arts Center is a wonderful place to spend the Memorial Day weekend with friendly In this issue of Jazz... musicians and familiar fans. The event attracts an audience of several hundred Topeka Jazz Festival. ......... 1 dedicated jazz devotees, some of whom plan their lives around annual jazz parties 1ilee this one. The Prez Sez.. ..................... 2 That means there is " ... the festival plenty to talk about at Pizza relli. ...................... 3 lunch and dinner, those truly began to feel brief respites to fortify Tomfoolery ........................... .4 fans for the next barrage like a home away of music. Jazz in the Venues ............... 4 With the help of a from home." couple of nap breaks, I managed to attend nine of the festival's 11 ses- Jazz in June .............................. 5 sions, or about 18 hours of music between 11 :20 a.m. May 27 and noon May Artie Shaw ............................ 12 ·29. What follows are some of my lasting impressions: Discorama ........................ 13 The opening "Horns A Plenty" session was a brass lover's dream, with Gary Foster on alto sax, Ken Peplowski and Bob Kindred on tenor saxes, Dan Barrett Jazz on Disc. ................... 14 on trombone, and Marvin Stamm on trumpet. Theylaunched into the bop Jazz on the Radio .................. 15 classic "Blues Walk" with a rock-solid rhythm section consisting of pianist Unsung Hero ...................... 16 Alan Broadbent, guitarist Rod Fleeman, bassist John Clayton and drummer Blues Corner ....................... 17 Todd Strait. The large ensemble then broke into smaller groups - one pairing Peplowski Blues on Disc .................. 17 and Barrett, another featuring Stamm on a fluid flugelhorn reading of "Medita­ Rock 2000 ........................ 18 tion," yet another matching Kindred's tenor with Foster's alto. Evetyone re­ united for a madcap "How High the Moon." . The audience's introduction to pianist Paul Smith of California was in a solo format. Lilce Art Tatum, Smith's prodigious technique and stylistic breadth are perhaps best appreciated without the constraints of accompanying musi­ cians. "Here Comes Ralph and Dick," composed by Smith for fellow pianists Ralph Sutton and Dick Hyman, showed his effortless stride style to good ef- (Topeka continued on pg. 6) )a e 2 Berman Music Foundation Jazz t~•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••• ' P rez Sez The Real Losers and Winners By Butch Berman· . Taken by Surprise on a wonderful new flautist Holly Hofmann and the return label we hope to gel and be creative of my current fave (live in perfor­ with. Norman just cut a video with mance) piano player, Monty Alexander. BET, which should start airing in early You can't register too soon - may even fall. By the time they roll into the Lied save a buck to call Jim Monroe now at Center March 24th with the Jerry 785-267-1315 and tell 'em that Butch Gonzales Fort Apache Band - will be sent ya and he'll set you up. cookin'. Outside of Norman's upcoming Oh yeah - back to the jazz clubs­ release the BMF is anxious to await you know the right place, a groovy mix the rearrival of trombonist Benny of investors and cats to run the joint Powell to lead the NJO in their 25ili ili Boom!!! and with the foundation's consultation year celebration on January 25 . Our and PR, who knows? Anybody out Valentine's Day gig at the Seventh d1 There, my heat of the surruner/4 there? Write us and keep your ears and Street Loft features pianist Frank ofJuly greeting to all you jazz fanciers eyes open. Like I said, you never Kimbrough (from the Jazz Compos­ out there. know... ers Collective) and my dear friend, I'm writing to you today following singer Kendra Shank, who just got a a fun, but lOSing weekend at one of whole. page feature in the current is­ our Nebraska/Iowa casino boat geta­ " ... you can get singed in a sue of Down Beat. Way to go, Kendra. ways. Upon reading the Sunday paper flash by either the over­ With that I'm outta here 'til next I discovered that over the same week­ neediness of the artist and/or time. We're moovin' and groovin' the end the real losers were a couple of the over-greediness of the best we can - stay with us. restaurants that had to close for one record company." reason or another. Bingo - the light in Your jazz ringmaster, my head immediately went off think­ ing - hrrunm - could one of these soon They sure did all the right things at to be vacated spots tum into lincoln's Topeka this year with their best festi­ E~~~ newest, jaZZiest nightclub? val ever - and the flrst two were pretty Then of course ...the mind boggles damn good. Special kudos to Jim Butch Berman at what a vast, difficult project this Monroe and the entire T.P.A.C. staff could be - could even tum a music for knowing how to put on a great lover into a music hater with all the show and treat people right. See Tom aggravation. Even with my early ven­ Ineck's special report for all the details Check out the new tures into the recording industIy - you later in this issue and dig Rich Hoover's Berman Music Foundation can get singed in a flash by either the fab photo shoot he shot that memo­ Web Site. Filled with more over-neediness of the artist and the rable Memorial Day Weekend. photos, articles and infor­ over-greediness of the record company And on a personal note - showing mation about artists we - so you need to stay pretty focused or guitar master Bucky Pizzarelli the origi­ support you could flip. nalJohn Falter drawing presented to I'm lucky that in my #1 artist - me by the State Historical Society for WVWI'N.OOmarm.JsicfoLr.org Norman Hedman - he's a true friend sponsoring the gallery event by him and a player of valor - handling the drawn 35 years ago was a complete foundation's money like it was his own gasser. They even showed it off on an and making the artistic side of the biz easel on stage throughout Pizzarelli's a pleasure. By the next newsletter­ major performing slot. I'm hoping to debut the release by Next year features the Ray Brown Norman Hedman's Tropique called Trio with America's premiere female July/ August 2000 Page 3 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Jazzis usually published six times a Pizzarelli remembers artist year by The Berman Music Foun­ dation, 719 PSt., Studio G, Lincoln, John Falter NE68508. By Tom Ineck· . Editor: Dave Hughes hirty years ago, guitarist Bucky Newsletter and computer con­ T Pizzarelli was a young fret mas­ "I might have been one of the sultant: Rebecca Kaiser ter already making a name for himself youngest guys in the whole thing, at Contributing writers: Butch on the jazz scene. He was touring in a that time, and I thought it was just Berman,Dan Demuth, Rich Hoover, duo with legendary tenor saxophonist marvelous that he caught everybody, Dave Hughes, Tom Ineck, & Bill Zoot Sims. One of their stops was in because I draw myself," he said. "I Wimmer. the Denver area, where they performed thought it was just magnificent." Photographers: Butch Berman at the famed Dick Gibson jazz party. and Rich Hoover For inclusion of anyjazz of blues re­ in Also attendance was lated events, letters to the editor, or artist and Saturday suggested articles, you can either Evening Post illustrator mail them to the office, phone us at John Falter of Falls City, 402476-3112,faxusat402475-3136, Neb. Over a period of or e-mail us at: many years at the Gibson <[email protected]>. Our jazz parties, jazz-lover Fal­ website address is: ter captured many of the www.bermanmusicfoundation.org musicians - in the heat of For advertising information, contact improvisation - with his Butch Berman at 402-488-1398. A on-the-spot drawings. business card sized ad for one issue is $25, a half-page ad for one issue is Last year when the $ 100. Discounts apply for six month Berman Music Founda­ or one year rates. tion sponsored "Drawing on the Beat: John Falter's If you would like to be added to our mailing list, call us at 402-476-3 1 12, Jazz Portraits," an exhibit Butch Berman and Bucky Pizzarelli of Falter drawings at the fax us at402-475-3136, or Museum of Nebraska History, e-mail us at:: <[email protected]>. Berman was presented with a framed In other appearances at Gibson Falter original featuring Pizzarelli, circa jazz parties, Pizzarelli worked with gui­ Jazz is printed by Sir Speedy at tarists Les Paul and George Barnes. 1970. Bennan reintroduced the guitar­ 4211 S. 33rd St in Lincoln, 402-483- ist to his portrait at the recent Topeka He said Falter frequently was in atten­ 7575; and sorted and mailed by All Jazz Festival. dance, with drawing pad and pencil in Needs Computer at 5606 S. 48th hand. St., also in Lincoln, 402-421-1 083.