A month for saxophonists

In my mind, June is a month for saxophonists. At least this June. For this jazz journalist.

Let me explain.

The June issue of Hot House jazz magazine, which covers the New York City jazz scene, as well as select venues in neighboring states, includes my profile of tenor saxophonist Harry Allen. 

I've known Harry since he was a junior in high school back in 1983. It is always great to hear and talk with this musician whose high-quality recording output in the U.S. and abroad is prolific to say the least. 

The June issue of JazzTimes includes my extensive profile of saxophonist Greg Abate. 

Greg Abate

He talks about his early-career road stint with Ray Charles, his evolution into a hard-bop ambassador, his important collaborations with late alto sax master Phil Woods, and much more. 

Greg was a natural fit for this issue, which spotlights a variety of sax players. They range from early 30s players Marcus Elliot, Julieta Eugenio and Melissa Aldana to Preservation Hall Jazz Band veteran Charlie Gabriel, who is just out with his first recording as a leader at age 89. The others include Eli Degibri, Kenny Garrett, Walter Smith III and Mark Turner, as well as the late Steve Lacy.

Greg and Harry came out of the Rhode Island jazz scene, where I got to know them well over the years. Harry is 55. Greg turned 75 on May 31.

Catching up with old friends, musically

Timing is everything. Singer Ronnie Rose returned to New England last weekend for his 50-year class reunion at Taunton High School in southeastern Massachusetts. It turned out to be great timing by reunion planners, because the John Allmark Jazz Orchestra performs on the first Monday of the month at The Met Café in nearby Pawtucket RI. As a result, Rose also had a musical reunion with the trumpeter 's big band, which was one of his favorite backing bands before he moved to Las Vegas 15 years ago.

Ronnie Rose and the John Allmark Jazz Orchestra

As a special guest for the night, on Monday, August 5, Rose performed a half-dozen tunes. They included Allmark's arrangement of “The Shadow of Your Smile” (a crowd-pleaser often performed by orchestra’s longtime vocalist, the late Clay Osborne), “Stormy Monday,” Ray Charles’ “Mary Ann” (first recorded in 1957 and then recorded with conguero Pancho Sanchez in 2003), and Big Joe Turner’s “Switchin’ in the Kitchen,” which Turner re-recorded with Rhode Island’s Roomful of Blues.