IN THIS ISSUE THE MAGAZINE OF THE FEBRUARY 2021 NEW JERSEY JAZZ SOCIETY JerseyJazz VOLUME 49 ISSUE 02 MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM DEFINING the BLUES NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ FEBRUARY • 2021 01 IN THIS ISSUE ARTICLES/REVIEWS COLUMNS 09 Jazz at William Paterson 03 All That’s Jazz 13 News from WBGO: 05 Editor’s Choice New CEO Steve Williams 35 From the Crow’s Nest 15 Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 52 Not Without You! 20 Talking Jazz: Kurt Elling 26 Pizzarelli Painting: Highest Bidder 28 Book Review: Life in E Flat 30 Phil Woods’ Legacy ON THE COVER _ Viola Davis as Ma Rainey with, from left, 37 Other Views Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, and Glynn Turman. (All Ma Rainey photos courtesy of Netflix). 43 Big Band in the Sky NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ FEBRUARY • 2021 02 ALL THAT’S JAZZ BY CYDNEY HALPIN f you’re reading this message, wishes to enjoy it—members and dvertisers are the sustaining e can’t do what we do with- you’ve you’ve embraced our new non-members alike. Please tell your life force for Jersey Jazz, out YOU! Members are the I reality, Jersey Jazz as a digital friends and family about this lim- A as membership fees alone are W heart and soul of this or- publication. We remain committed ited offer so they too can enjoy this insufficient to finance a publication ganization and we’d like to thank to the same editorial excellence amazing resource. After February, of this caliber and also allow NJJS everyone who renewed their mem- that has been the driving force full content of the magazine will be to present outstanding musical bership this past year. We’re grate- of this magazine, and steadfast available to NJJS members only. programming. ful for your continued patronage. to our mission to continue to We’d like to thank all of our If you joined NJJS this past year, preserve and promote jazz. advertisers in this issue: Jazz Fest we’re delighted to welcome you into With moving Jersey Jazz online, ongratulations to WBGO and at Sea, William Paterson University, this jazz community. Please see page we’re able to offer a full color, month- everyone associated with the Ocean County College, Bell & Shivas, 52 for our latest list of new and re- ly format which will better serve our C documentary The WBGO Sto- Attorneys at Law, Mark Clemente, newed members. If you have any members, musicians and advertisers. ry ... Bright Moments from Newark James Pansulla and our newest questions about your membership, This online format will allow to the World. It’s been chosen as an partner, Entertainment Cruise please contact [email protected]. this award-winning publication official selection of the New Jersey Productions/The Jazz Cruise. to be “Google-able”—with select Film Festival’s virtual Spring 2021 When patronizing any of these contents available to a worldwide season. Bravo to Chris Daniel—Pro- advertisers, please let them know n our ongoing effort to continue audience—and allow NJJS to be- ducer/Director, Dorthaan Kirk— you saw their ad in Jersey Jazz. to provide music programming, come part of the ever-expanding Co-Producer/Executive Consultant, If you or someone you know I we hope you’ve been enjoying digital world. What goes on in Jersey Bill May—Archival Photographs would like to advertise with NJJS, our virtual Socials on our Facebook won’t just stay in Jersey anymore! and Don Braden—Soundtrack, for please contact Jane Fuller at page: New Jersey Jazz Society. Please note, the February issue bringing this incredible story, of a [email protected] or consult January’s Social featuring gui- of Jersey Jazz is available with un- community of people committed to our website njjs.org/Magazine/ tarists Frank Vignola and Vinny restricted access to everyone who America’s art form of jazz, to film. Advertise for more information. Raniolo—in a tribute to New Jersey NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ FEBRUARY • 2021 03 ALL THAT’S JAZZ guitar greats—was an incredible hour provide more much-needed schol- ing and Legacy Gifts are all ways to Log on to www.smile.amazon. of music and memories and was our arship money to worthy college re- partner and celebrate with NJJS com and select New Jersey Jazz So- largest “attended” virtual event to cipients; and present performances in the promotion and preservation ciety (Summit, NJ) as your benefi- date. If you missed this hotter-than- that provide musicians with livable of jazz. If you’d like more informa- ciary, then shop as you normally do. hot concert, you can enjoy the re- wages. Credit card donations can eas- tion about any of these programs, Please tell your friends and family broadcast of it on our Facebook page. ily be made online at www.njjs.org/ please contact me at [email protected]. members about this amazing oppor- Until we can enjoy in person con- Donate or by mail to: NJJS, P.O. Box Thank you to all of you who tunity for NJJS. Thank you in ad- certs again, virtual live-streaming 223, Garwood, New Jersey, 07027. gave so generously to NJJS in 2020. vance for helping to support NJJS. events are a wonderful way to bring Please make check payable to NJJS. We cannot accomplish our goals our jazz community together, to You can maximize the impact of without you! engage with the artists, and to stay your gift if you work for an employer connected other viewers. Please that has a matching gift program. Please check our website www.njjs.org/ check with your Human Resources f the pandemic has you shopping events for future virtual events. Department for more information. online and using Amazon, please I“Turn your Amazon purchases into a force for good.” NJJS is astly, if you’re not already on ur “NOW, More than ever!” an- s we continue to expand our part of the AmazonSmile Gives the NJJS eBlast list you should nual appeal campaign kicked programming, look to grow program where 0.5% of the price L be. Be assured, we do NOT O off in December and we need A our membership, attract more of your eligible smile.amazon.com sell or share our lists we anyone! YOU to join with us in this collabo- corporate sponsorship, and hon- purchases will go directly to NJJS!! This is a vital communication rative effort. If you haven’t already or jazz and support its musicians, It’s the same Amazon you know tool for information and events contributed to this campaign, please we’re grateful for your stewardship. but a separate website. Same prod- concerning all things NJJS, as well consider a generous tax-deductible Memberships, Gift Memberships, ucts, same service—but to gener- as for information on our event donation, to help us more creatively Memorials and Tributes, Corporate ate donations you must ALWAYS partners and jazz colleagues. Sign introduce people of all ages to jazz; Matching Programs, Planned Giv- SHOP AT smile.amazon.com. up today on our website homepage. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ FEBRUARY • 2021 04 EDITOR’S CHOICE BY SANFORD JOSEPHSON freezing martial arts facility in the Bow- dent at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra ery. There was a blizzard, and they all School of Music & Art and Performing Will Survive at New Venue still came to the rehearsal. I thought, Arts near Lincoln Center. Adeylotte ‘We have to do something to cement heads a group called the Bowery Jazz this.’ I called James Polsky (Jazz Stan- Messengers, and on Saturday, October hen word spread that the Jazz people who didn’t want this program dard Co-Founder/Owner) and asked 10, 2020, World Homeless Day, the BJM Standard jazz club was clos- to go away. Ryan Maloney (NJMH if there was any chance we could start performed outside The Bowery Mis- W ing, there was concern that Director of Education and Program- a series at the Jazz Standard. He said, sion. The audience, said O’Rourke, con- the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra ming) said, ‘Look, we’ll do this which- ‘We’re all on the same page here. Mark sisted of “people who were strung out program, directed by bassist David ever way you want to do it.’ So, when (Mark Maynard, Co-Founder and but still needed something positive.” O’Rourke and tenor saxophonist An- the Covid lockdown is over, we have a Director of Operations) wants to do Born and raised in Dublin, O’Ro- toine Roney, would perish as well. place to go. Just being able to go back something for kids.’ We started doing urke leads and writes for his own Trumpeter James Haddad, now a Juil- to the kids and tell them we have a four weeks in 2002; now, we go through 20-piece band, The O’Rourkestra, liard student, performed regularly for very significant offer was fantastic.” the school year.” Musicians must audi- which ordinarily would be perform- a few years in the JSYO, and he told The JSYO provided young jazz tion to be accepted into the program. ing at the Zinc Bar in New York. me it was an experience he greatly musicians the opportunity to perform During the pandemic, the program Through the years he has played with valued (Jersey Jazz, January 2021). regularly on Sunday afternoons at has been continued online. “I get guitarists Les Paul and Bucky Pizza- Fortunately, according to O’Ro- the New York club, often with guest the kids to work on transcriptions,” relli and pianists Tommy Flanagan urke, the program has been rescued.