Mixing wine and jazz – and sunshine

I spent much of President’s Day Weekend covering the seventh annual Punta Gorda (FL) Wine & Jazz Festival for JazzTimes.com. The main event at the city’s Laishley Park along picturesque Charlotte Harbor featured pop saxophonist Mindi Abair (pictured), guitarist Peter White and The Rippingtons.

The festival is evolving beyond a one-day event. This year, organizers added a Sunday program that featured a mainstream jazz brunch in the ballroom of the nearby Isles Yacht Club. It drew a full house of 250. May the festival continue to grow - and evolve.

In addition to jazz, the Saturday program at Laishley Park lets attendees enjoy a huge variety of wines and tapas-sized portions of food from several dizen restaurants. Those are included in the cost of a ticket. All you need to bring are sunblock and your listening ears.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Wes Montgomery, Echoes of Indiana Avenue (Resonance)

Jazz guitar compleatists will dig this one, which is mandatory listening for anyone who thought they’d heard everything by the marvelous Wes Montgomery during his comet-like impact on jazz before his heart gave out in 1968. These long-lost club and studio sessions with local Indianapolis musicians were recorded in 1957 and 1958, perhaps as a demo tape, before his debut on Riverside Records in 1959 with The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound. There is much detail in the accompanying essays about how the tapes reached Resonance Records, and how they were restored beautifully.

Montgomery performs in several settings: with brothers Buddy on piano and Monk on bass; with Melvin Rhyne on piano or Hammond B3 and Paul Parker on drums; and with pianist Earl Van Riper, bassist Mingo Jones and drummer Sonny Johnson. These earliest-known Montgomery recordings show him to be a ferocious, inventive and swinging player from the start. The eight standards explored here in various contexts are followed by an improvised “After Hours Blues” that liner note writer Bill Milkowski says “may be the funkiest Wes Montgomery on record.” I concur. This session reveals Wes Montgomery at his earliest sessions as a leader, and captures the flavor and importance of his hometown’s jazz clubs that were his musical incubator. This will be released on March 6, which would have been Montgomery’s 88^th birthday.

Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)

Consistent excellence. That’s the simplistic accolade for pianist Ahmad Jamal’s music-making. He sustains that level of creativity and inventiveness in every format. At age 81, he’s got a refreshed band and a new recording. Blue Moon explores classic music from American film and Broadway from the 1940s through the 1960s, adding three originals and a fresh take on Dizzy Gillespie’s “Woody’n You.” His band here includes bassist Reginald Veal, drummer Herlin Riley and percussionist Manolo Badrena. This was Jamal’s first recording of the gorgeous title track, which originated in the 1934 film “Hollywood Party” and was popularized by Billie Holiday, Elvis and Mel Torme. Jamal’s version ought to stand without peer for many fans in the way that he has owned “Poinciana” for decades. This is classic Jamal. Dig it.

Wein is gearing up for August 2012 in Newport

The competition for the live entertainment audience has intensified as the number of venues has increased over the years. People only have so much time and money to travel to concerts and festivals. As a result, promotion of those events starts earlier and earlier.

Announcement of the Newport Jazz Festival lineups used to come in April or May. This time around, producer George Wein will roll them out on March 13, and he is already providing a sneak preview on select artists who will perform at Newport August 3 to 5.

Composer Maria Schneider (pictured, with trumpeter Ingrid Jensen soloing) will be in the lineup with her always exhilarating Maria Schneider Orchestra, which made its Newport in 2010. Schneider will debut the music from her third fan-funded ArtistShare project at Newport on Sunday, August 5.

Sunday’s program at Fort Adams State Park also includes Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Centennial Project. Truesdell will present music from his soon-to-be-released CD of newly discovered, unrecorded works by Evans from the 1930s to the 1980s.

On Saturday, August 4, saxophonist John Ellis will bring his band Double-Wide - featuring sousaphonist Matt Perrine, drummer Jason Marsalis and organist Brian Coogan. Ellis calls the band’s New Orleans-inspired sound “very raucous, kind of festive, wild, carnivalesque, but sophisticated.”

Already, Newport in August is sounding most intriguing.

Hixon & Co. tear it up at the Venice Art Center

Drummer Al Hixon, who at times sounds like he could have a second career as a semi-corny standup comedian, brought his quartet into the Venice Art Center today for a South County Jazz Club concert that drew more than 100 music fans to the venue. The band was joined by two special guests for a few songs apiece - singer Dick Smollins in the opening set and tenor saxophonist Jim Wellen in the second set.

The music was superb, with Wellen synching nicely with trumpeter Bob Switzer's often soft and always elegant soloing. They really clicked on the breezy "Summer Samba." Pianist Dick Reynolds and bassist/singer Vince Evans completed the band.

Hixon is a greater Sarasota fixture who seems to be one of the busiest musicians around.

Hixon is rarely flashy on the drums; his solid accents are often spare and always to the point. Suffice it to say that his drumming is an aural and visual treat. The band's standing ovation was richly deserved.

Catching up with a legend

Ira Sullivan is on his SW Florida annual tour, which stopped last night in Port Charlotte. My coverage of the octagenarian's concert has been posted at JazzTimes.com.

The multi-instrumentalist made his mark initially on the Chicago jazz scene in the 1950s. It seems amazing that he has made Miami his home base for 50 years and counting.

Grammy redux

Another random thought on the Grammys last night. Maybe the voters have begun a course correction for the major categories.

Adele goes six for six. Which, in my mind, is a very strong endorsement for purity of voice and genuine soul. She soundly whack-a-moled the alternatives that have reared their ugly heads for too long: fashions selected for shock value, artists who win more for their dance moves than their voices, and glitz glitz glitz.

That was reinforced when some of the night's flashy entertainers (can you spell Bruno and Katy) walked away empty-handed. I won't even get into the Little Red Riding Hood gets an exorocism nonsense.

Way to go, Adele. You deserve it - and then some.

I must also commend Neil Portnow for his turnabout from 2011. He delivered his remarks about NARAS without talking over anyone's music. Let's hope that, too, starts a new trend.

Congratulations to the jazz-related musicians who won Grammys this year: Pat Metheny, Cachao, Chick Corea, Stanley Clark and Lenny White; Gordon Goodwin, Terri Lynne Carrington, Jorge Calandrelli, Bela Fleck and Howard Levy, Christian McBride, Tony Bennett and the Rebirth Brass Band. And to all of the nominees in those categories.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

The portion of the Grammys featuring jazz categories and jazz musicians took place hours before tonight’s prime time telecast of the least-common-denominator categories… and it was quite a showing today for Concord Records and its subsidiaries… garnering four of the eight awards.

See the winners here in category numbers 29-33, 42, 57 and 58.

Another shout out goes to the always-funny actress/comedienne Betty White for her Best Spoken Word Album Grammy for If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) [Penguin Audio]. It’s not jazz, but Betty’s a hoot.

Debbie Keeton - Jim Wellen at Venice Art Center

Singer Debbie Keeton and tenor saxophonist Jim Wellen work together frequently. And they work well together, which was evident at the February 9 South County Jazz Club matinee concert at the Venice Art Center, which drew 100+ music fans.

The band included bassist Dominic Mancini, guitarist Dave Trefethen and, for the second set, drummer Dane Hassan. It was an afternoon of standards, mostly performed straight ahead with some rhythmic twists.

Get there early

Get there early - and make a reservation if you want to have any chance of getting in to the South County Jazz Club's weekly jam session on Tuesday nights at Snook Haven in Venice (music from 5:30 to 8:30, home by 9:00). Otherwise, you may find yourself at a table al fresco - out on the deck overlooking the Myakka River. I called first thing one Monday morning and was told all the inside tables for the following night were reserved already, but sometimes folks cancel their reservations and seats open up.

 

In addition to the regulars who sit in most weeks, there have been some treats of late. Rhode Island pianist Mac Chrupcala, who's in the area for six weeks this winter, subbed for Tommy Goodman on February 7 (after sitting in a couple of weeks earlier for a few tunes.) He joined regulars Dane Hassan (drums) and Dominic Mancini (bass) as the house rhythm section. 

 

Mac's wife, singer Nancy Paolino, joined the jam for two tunes. (See top photo). That was a treat, particularly since they have separate Newport-area bands and never work together back home in Rhode Island.

 

For the past two weeks, trumpeter John Willis was one of the new jammers. The resident of Michigan's Upper Peninsula didn't know about the club's Snook Haven jam sessions when he arrived at Venice Campground next door on vacation. Fortunately he brought his horn. He headed back to Michigan on Wednesday, but some jam regulars hope he'll be back with his spirited playing next winter.(bottom photo)

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Gregory Porter, Be Good (Motéma)

Singer-songwriter Gregory Porter is the real deal. This second recording in as many years is a delight in so many ways. Let’s start with his firm, clear voice and uncanny musicality of his phrasing. Then we take a closer listen to the lyrics. He wrote nine of the dozen tunes here. Each is a gem, painting vivid pictures of moments in time, emotions, relationships real or imagined, and values. He’s part poet, part storyteller – both in service to his music. The fact that he created the music from within, and isn’t just covering someone else’s thoughts makes this stand high.

Personal favorites: “Painted on Canvas,” “On My Way to Harlem,” and “Real Good Hands.” The allegory in the title track is quite charming. As far as the covers go, he digs deep to find his own meaning in “Work Song” and “God Bless the Child.” His working band provides excellent support throughout. It features Chip Crawford on piano, Aaron James on bass, Emanuel Harrold on drums, Tivon Pennicott on tenor sax and Yosuke Sato on alto sax, with guest appearances by Keyon Harrold on trumpet and horn arranger Kamau Kenyatta on soprano sax. Five stars. This is a February 14 release.

Jon Gold, Bossa of Possibility (BluJazz)

Pianist/composer Jon Gold is a Renaissance man whose jazz interests dig deeply into the multi-flavored rhythms of Brazil, as well as a clear respect for American popular song, classical music and bebop. This new album leans heavily toward influences and interests absorbed during his time living, teaching and studying music in Brazil from 1990-1995. He’s brought saxophonists Dave Liebman and Jon Irabagon, harmonica player Howard Levy, bassist Harvie S and horn player Tom “Bones” Malone, among others, along for the journey on Bossa of Possibility.

The music is varied and deeply moving. So is Gold’s perspective as shared in his notes: “Making music can be difficult but thinking about it the right way helps. I now understand that when I send a composition out into the world, it is no longer about me or even of me. It is helpful then to remember that the listeners will eventually add their own contribution (or possibilities of experience)…” Everything here is original material.

Wanda Stafford, Something Cool (self-produced)

West Coast singer Wanda Stafford is not a belter. This is a good thing. She celebrates the laid-back side of jazz, reveling in the spaces between notes, on Something Cool. The project is a nod to the path set by June Christy, Chris Connor, Anita O’Day and Billie Holiday. There is much to enjoy in the approach she’s taken and you may find yourself putting the CD player on repeat mode for some time. Standouts among the dozen tracks include “Something Cool,” “All of You,” “The Man I Love,” “Dancing on the Ceiling” and “You Turn the Tables on Me.” Pianist Grant Levin, bassist Chris Amberger, drummer Lorca Hart, saxophonist Noel Jewkes and trumpeter Bob Switzer provide fine support. Levin and Switzer, in particular, really locked in with Stafford’s intent here and helped put the project over the top.

Bad to the bone - and more

Trombonist Greg Nielsen brought his quartet- and a lot of versatility - to the Venice Art Center on Friday, January 27 for an SRO performance. Nielsen’s quartet included pianist Dick Reynolds, bassist John Lamb and drummer/singer Dave Pruyn. Nielsen, a longtime bandleader, educator and sideman, is an engaging performer who loves digging into jazz standards. One highlight was his take on Lee Morgan’s “Ceora,” which the quartet performed as a bossa nova.

While trombone is his primary instrument, Nielsen also played at various points flugelhorn, trumpet, a two-belled double euphonium and a slide trumpet. The unusual euphonium hybrid was quite a marvel to hear. During Nielsen’s solos on “Lullabye of Birdland,” he shifted back and forth between middle and low registers. (“The nice thing,” he quipped, “is that I can make two mistakes at once now.”)

Reynolds was house pianist at Mr. Kelly’s in Chicago during the 1960s. He now splits his year between Michigan and the Sarasota area. Lamb, blessed with a deep and robust tone, worked with Red Garland in the mid-1950s and was the Ellington band’s bassist for three years in the 1960s and an occasional fill in later.

Pruyn is very active on the Florida scene, leading his own band, working in others as a trumpeter, drummer and/or vocalist. (His tone, sense of time and musical choices are very reminiscent of Mel Tormé – and he has a Tormé tribute show in his repertoire.) His vocal features were “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” and “”Don’t Blame Me.”

Reynolds provided the afternoon’s most poignant moment, a beautiful ballad, elegaically dark at times, called “Song for Stan.” He said he wrote it as a tribute upon tenor saxophonist Stan Getz’s passing in 1991.

The South County Jazz Club sponsored the matinee event, and standing room only was no exaggeration. About 135 people jammed into the center’s main gallery. Club President Morrie Trumble said it was the largest turnout to date in the club’s concert series, which began in 2010.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Harry Allen, Rhythm of the River (Challenge)
Perhaps more than any other musician, pianist Dave McKenna had a knack of weaving thematic medleys in his music. Songs with a woman’s name in the title, or subjects like shadows and dreams. Harry Allen has done something similar with his latest recording project. The tenor saxophonist took an idea from his executive producer and stretched it into a wonderful CD. Rhythm on the River contains a baker’s dozen tunes that have a strong river connection. They come from the popular music canon dating from the 1850s to the 1950s, with most coming out of the chestnut-rich 1920s and ‘30s. His quartet, featuring Rossano Sportiello on piano, Joel Forbes on bass and Chuck Riggs on drums, is joined on four tracks by cornetist Warren Vaché.

Allen is a ballad master. The material is well served by his rich tone and respect for the melody. The project also benefits from the cohesiveness of his band. Playing with the same musicians does make a difference – and this recording proves it. This cruise up and down the musical river doesn’t disappoint. They explore “Riverboat Shuffle,” “Cry Me a River,” “Lazy River,” “Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On,” Down by the River,” “Walking by the River,” “River, Stay ‘Way from My Door,” “Blue River,” “Weary River,” “Old Folks at Home,” (the original title of the 1851 ballad better known as “Swanee River”),”Ready for the River,” “Sleepy River” and the title track, which was the title tune for a 1940 Bing Crosby movie.” “River, Stay ‘Way from My Door” is a robust, swinging gem that features the full ensemble with Allen and Vaché going head to head.

Ehud Asherie with Harry Allen, Upper West Side (Posi-Tone)

Piano and tenor sax duo recordings are the exception rather than the rule, but this teaming of Israeli-born pianist Ehud Asherie and tenor player Harry Allen rules on a number of levels. They principally mine the world of romance ballads on this fine session, but the opener and closer are the true treats because of the multiple facets they reveal in each player’s chops and ideas. Those tracks are Dolores Silvers’ “Learnin’ The Blues” (a Frank Sinatra hit single) and the chestnut “My Blue Heaven.” Allen is best known for his way with a ballad, but he really knows how to tear it up on a frisky blues, or tune a popular song into one as happens on the former. They both stretch the closer, with Asherie working several distinct uptempo styles into his solos and comping. Duos are not everyone’s cup of tea, but these guys make their two instruments sound like a full combo with their creativity. This is Asherie’s fifth CD as a leader.

Frank Macchia, Frank Macchia's Swamp Thang (Cacophony)

L.A.-based saxophonist Frank Macchia has a dandy here. Swamp Thang is his newest band, and its focus is revved up at the intersection of funk, the blues and some irresistible New Orleans Second Line shuffle beat. The cacophony that opens the set on “Discombobulated” makes it clear this will be a wild ride – and the leader’s versatility serves him well throughout the session. The rhythm section aces are keyboard player John Rosenberg, bassist Tom Lockett and drummer Frank Briggs. Eric Jensen and Ken Rosser share electric guitar duties. Jensen is particularly fine on the funky blues title track. The sextet is joined by two guests: trombonist Alex Iles and trumpeter Wayne Bergeron. Chances are you’ll dig the variety of music here, the funky and unbridled fun sides of its makers - and the wild cover art. Yes, jazz can be fun - and should be crazy fun once in a while.

A stamp of approval

Miles Davis will receive his very own commemorative postage stamp from the U.S. Postal Service in June as part of an overseas partnership. The trumpeter will be immortalized in a collection of music-themed stamps that will also honor the singer Edith Piaf. They will be released in tandem with the French postal service, La Poste, which is issuing a similar French commemorative

The Davis stamp design is based on the cover of Davis's Jack Johnson album, which features a classic B&W photograph by the late David Gahr.

The USPS announced today that the Davis and Piaf stamps are being issued in the U.S. as Forever stamps in self-adhesive sheets of 20 (10 of each design). Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate. At the time of issuance, the Edith Piaf and Miles Davis stamps are being sold at a price of 45 cents each, or $9 per sheet.

The stamp story was unearthed by Linns Stamp News, a specialty mag, and for general publications this week by The Telegraph, a newspaper in Davis's hometowm of Alton IL. View the original article...

Catching up with Scott

I talked with Italy-based Scott Hamilton this month for a feature in Hot House magazine’s February issue. (He’s a guest artist with fellow tenor saxophonist Harry Allen at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency in New York on February 6.) 

 

Two tidbits that didn’t fit in the profile:

• Scott said he finds the audience for his brand of mainstream swing has changed over the past 35 years. “The audience I’m dealing with now is one that hasn’t heard much jazz. You have to start from scratch and draw them in."
• The phone call from London revealed that music runs in the family. His oldest son, Sho, who was born in New York but who now lives in Tokyo, is now 21 and is lead singer for Okamoto’s, a psychedelic garage rock band from the city’s Shinjuku district. You can check them out on YouTube.

Unlikely to be a super Sunday

Football's Super Bowl will be here in 13 days, which means we're less than three weeks away from the Grammys. Don't groan all at once, boys and girls.

The 54th annual GRAMMY Awards are set for Sunday, Feb. 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. It's rare that jazz gets the spotlight it deserves at this musical circus event so I never dig too deep with predictions.

My only wonder at this point, is which jazz artist's/group's performance Grammy guru Neil Portnow will talk over this year. Or maybe he learned from last year's insult to Best New Artist winner Esparanza Spalding. One can only hope someone will restrain him.

God forbid he should prattle on about "the academy" while Rihanna or Sir Paul McCartney are performing.

Ed Metz Trio

My review of the the Ed Metz – Nicki Parrott – Rossano Sportiello trio concert at the Charlotte Cultural Center has just been posted online at JazzTimes.com. This is quite a band, with two recordings under its belt, a great stage presence and an engaging sound that appeals to audiences.

A video wow

Some drummers and percussionists are known to play everything but the kitchen sink.

Tupac Mantilla goes beyond that metaphorical barrier on this delightful video.

New York-based Mantilla directs the Children’s Program for the Panama Jazz Festival and is founder and artistic director of Colombia’s top experimental Percussion Group TEKEYÉ® and the Global Percussion Network PERCUACTION®.

Enough said. Here's a link:

A Buddy and Flip fest

With no full-fledged local jazz nightclub now in existence, where better to showcase the art of jazz than in an art gallery? That’s the case for the South County Jazz Club’s high-profile concert series at the Venice FL Art Center.

The center’s main gallery holds a maximum of 100 people, and there were few empty seats for today’s treat. Tampa-based drummer Ken Loomer brought his longstanding trio with pianist Tony Castellano Jr. and tenor saxophonist Franco Marino. It was a flashy and fun afternoon, with the leader showing off chops and enthusiasm reminiscent of his hero, Buddy Rich, and Marino’s frisky tenor coming more from a Flip Phillips style.

The range of material was expansive, from American Songbook standards and a few big band staples to Miles Davis’s “Seven Steps to Heaven,” Sonny Rollins’ calypso “St. Thomas” and Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man.” Castellano doubled on vocals on several tunes, including two originals and “Nancy With the Laughing Face” and “Just in Time.”

Loomer plays the full drum kit with abandon and subtlety during his lengthy spotlight solos, such as on the closer “Caravan,” where he sometimes played one stick off the other with the most delicate touch. Then after a journey up and down one cymbal, got a delightful tone off the tiny tip- top of the cymbal stand.

These guys have fun together and love to bring the audience along in the same spirit. As the concert began, a cellphone rang in the audience. Not missing a beat, Marino quipped “We work alone.”

The club, which provides jazz events serving in Venice, Englewood and North Port, holds monthly concerts at the art center September through December and in April. They run bi-weekly January through March. Trombonist Greg Nielsen’s quartet is on deck for January 27.

Note concerning the bottom photo: even his bandmates get into Loomer's solos, as noted by Castellano's cellphone camera work.

NEA Jazz Masters to continue

As five more musicians formally receive their NEA Jazz Masters awards in New York tonight in the 30th such annual presentation, comes word that this will NOT be the final class of inductees.

It turns out the death of the program, as announced last spring, was premature. In short, Congress wouldn't let it go away. Howard Mandel has some of the detail here in his fine blog.

Congrats to this year's inductees, Jack DeJohnette, Von Freeman, Charlie Haden, Sheila Jordan and JimmyOwens, who is receiving the 2012 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy. The event is at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall.

Looking back 12 months

The website allaboutjazz.com has just published my extensive Year in Jazz retrospective. There was a lot going on and I've tried to touch on most of the significant happenings from 2011.

The one thing that is discomforting: there never seems to be any significant shrinkage in the number of musicians who exit the planet during the year, perhaps in search of or hopes of joining the fabled all star celestial big band.

Happy new year as we begin keeping a watch on 2012 happenings.

A new NEA Jazz Master talks

I had a long conversation with trumpeter Jimmy Owens in preparation for a feature in the January issue of Hot House, which is just out. He had far more to talk about than there was space for in the profile. He’s getting the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy at the NEA Jazz Masters event January 10 at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall.

It is very well deserved. Owens’ involvement as an advocate regarding the rights of jazz artists led to the founding of the Jazz Musician's Emergency Fund, a Jazz Foundation of America program that helps individual musicians with medical, financial and housing assistance. He is also actively involved in issues related to pension benefits for jazz artists. Earlier, he co-founded The Collective Black Artists Inc., which kept 18 musicians working - touring up and down the East Coast and as far west as Chicago and Detroit. He also taught a business course on things that made a difference economically and control-wise for their lives.

Speaking off health issues, here’s what he also has to say about the current health of the jazz recording industry:

“There are no real jazz record companies and the majors call a few artists ‘jazz’ now and then,” Owens told me. “Artists are now saying, ‘I’m not going to wait any more. I’ll make my own.’ Now we have some really great self-produced recordings, and some pieces of shit. It is relatively inexpensive to make your own CD and press 500 or 1,000 copies. Sometimes they are really good, sometimes they are mediocre, and sometimes they are really bad. This is the state of the record industry and jazz. It’s not a very good state that we’re in today.”

Some would argue that the points he makes extend far beyond jazz.

Feliz Navidad

Joyous holiday wishes to each of you on this special day.

It feels a bit odd to be celebrating away from the usual white carpet of snow in upstate New York or New England... but I'm starting to like the concept of Christmas-lighted palms and certainly the 80-degree weather in this new environment.

May 2012 bring an abundance of swinging music and fulfillment of dreams for each of you, not necessarily in that order.

Peace

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Rene Marie, Black Lace Freudian Slip (Motéma)
Rene Marie is not a “chick singer” covering standards. Even the thought of that at this stage of her career likely would drive her batty. The singer-songwriter is a lady with attitude. This is a good thing; it enhances her music by making it personal. On track two, “This is for Joe,” she admits as much: “I can’t compete. I can’t be a good girl and sing standards all nice and sweet.” The heart-on-her-sleeve song is a dandy, except for the opening sentence. She has proven that she can compete.

The creative gem here is the clever title track, which delves into the challenges of being an artful singer. Marie even throws a jab towards the critics among us: “Ah, the media and the critics blah-blah-blah in my ear. Oh I’ve sat out there but have you ever stood up here?” …. You get the picture. Her oldest son, Michael A. Crone, joins her on vocals on his original, the blues “Deep in the Mountains.” Check out this fine recording. There is much to savor. Understand going in that you’ll find no standards, not tired tunes, no covers. Hallelujah.

The New World Jazz Composers Octet, Breaking News (Big and Phat Jazz Productions)
Saxophonist Daniel Ian Smith formed the octet in 2000 as a vehicle for recording and performing material by the Boston area’s many fine jazz composers. This is the group’s third recording, and it is robust both in the range of quality material and in the performances of those nine compositions. The band often sounds more like a full big band than an octet. Lovers of hard bop will dig the blistering and funky title track, which trumpeter Walter Platt wrote as a tip of the hat to Horace Silver and Shorty Rogers. Saxophonist Ted Pease provided a diverse trilogy paying homage to three of his favorite composers: “Thad’s Pad” for Thad Jones, “Strays” for Billy Strayhorn and “Willis” for Bill Holman. The depth and the nuance throughout Breaking News are a combined joy to behold.

Matt Wilson, Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O (Palmetto)

Holiday jazz recordings are odd in several ways - mostly their weird shelf life. Some become timeless and surface on various samplers for decades. (Think Louis Armstrong’s “’Zat You, Santa Claus?” and Ella Fitzgerald’s clever “Santa Claus Got Stuck in My Chimney.”) Some are so fine that it is likely they will be dug out each December for years and years.

One strong candidate is Matt Wilson’s cleverly titled 2010 recording that featured the drummer (and cover photographer) with two longtime collaborators, saxophonist Jeff Lederer and bassist Paul Sikivie. They put a spirited spin on 14 Christmas tunes – all classic in their own way (ranging from standard fare to “The Chipmunk Song,” “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” “Mele Kalikimaki” and Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time is Here” from the Charlie Brown Christmas special). The treatment of these is anything but traditional. The music is intense and the solos are wild at times, playful at others, as Wilson & Co. present this swinging musical Christmas gift.

Looking to the past reveals how the music has changed - and hasn’t

JazzTimes.com has just published my review of Monday night’s concert by Bill Alllred’s Classic Jazz Band at the Cultural Center Theater in Port Charlotte, Fla. This was a Charlotte County Jazz Society event that primarily brought the audience on a musical trip back to the first four decades of jazz. As a new resident of Florida, I found equally fascinating the under-told story of the night – the way in which circumstances in Orlando enabled the members of this group to come together more than 20 years ago, as did other groups, involving geography, opportunities and changes within the music industry. You can read about it here.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

The Bill King Trio, Five Aces (7 Arts/Slaight Music)
Pianist/producer/jazz photographer Bill King has taken a trip back to his musical roots with this trio project. It’s a celebration focusing on the blues’ intersection with classic R&B. There’s a bit of gospel, a bit of soul and a touch of jazz on this session with bassist Collin Barrett and drummer Mark Kelso. American-bred, Toronto-based King digs mightily into four soul classics – Odis Redding’s “I Can’t Turn You Loose,” the Marvin Gaye hit “How Sweet It Is (to be Loved by You),” James Brown’s “There It Is!” and the Eddie Floyd/Steve Cropper classic “634-5789.” Shifting between piano and B-3, he also shares eight originals that pack the same flavor and power. Among the standouts, “Come Walk With Thee” is Southern gospel all the way and “Stax ‘em High,” a tribute to the Memphis soul sound, while “I’ll Chase that Rainbow” affords King a chance to dig into the bluesy side of a gospel-tinged ballad. The title track and “Inception Blues” are other proof points about our timeless love for this classic sound.

Emmet Cohen, In The Element (Bada Beep)
What a terrific debut for this pianist, a Miami native whose musical maturity far
eclipses his tender age. Emmet Cohen was 20 when In The Element was recorded in August 2010. Cohen is backed by bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Rodney Green, with trumpeter Greg Gisbert joining on three tunes: the poignant “Good Morning Heartache,” “3 O’Clock in the Morning” and Cohen’s “Just Deserts.” Four of the 10 tracks are Cohen originals. None of the standard fare included on the CD was drawn from the “tired tunes” category that can be maddening to more than a few listeners.

While Cohen finds new facets in each standard he explores (his version of Frank Foster’s classic “Simone” is a gem), he really cuts loose on his originals, including the high-flying “Resentment (Without Reason),” “The Swarm,” “Just Deserts” and the title track. The touch, the phrasing, the time, the harmonic choices on each tune and the simpatico with the other musicians all reveal what a significant player he is. Imagine the potential for Emmet Cohen (who finished third in this year’s Thelonious Monk Competition) with another 10 or 20 years experience. It will be great fun to see his continued development.

The Curtis Brothers, Completion of Proof (Truth Revolution Records)

If you love hard bop, a la Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, chances are you will very much dig this second recording co-led by bassist Luques and pianist Zaccai Curtis. The Connecticut natives developed musically in the Jackie McLean-led Artists Collective in Hartford. While studying at different music schools in Boston, they got their first significant exposure as sidemen to Donald Harrison and Ralph Peterson. This project features the Curtis brothers with trumpeter Brian Lynch and drummer Peterson on all tracks, with saxophonists Harrison, Jimmy Greene and Joe Ford, and percussionists Pedro Martinez, Rogerio Boccato and Reinaldo De Jesus joining on select tracks embued with an Afro-Latin vibe. Zaccai Curtis wrote all of the music here, much of it inspired by events and trends in the world. You can dig into that as further appreciation, or just dig the hard-driving musicality on this self-produced CD for its emotional excellence. And it swings like crazy.

A two-year adventure

Swedish pop-folk singer Sofia Talvik has just started a two-year United States tour, in which she plans to bring her fine music - mostly originals - to various locales as she hopscotches the continent in a refurbished old RV. The tour began here in Florida.

One of the early stops was last night at Warm Mineral Springs' Evergreen Cafe here in North Port. The Drivin' & Dreaming tour includes a stop in mid-March at SXSW (the highly regarded South by Southwest Music Conference, an industry showcase held annually) in Austin, Texas. We wish Sofia and her husband, Jonas, well on this adventure.

Warm Mineral Springs, is a natural wellness destination with an underground spring that provides some 9 million gallons a day of pure water containing 51 minerals.The springs, which is on the Natural Register of Historic Places as explorer Ponce de Leon's long-sought "Fountain of Youth," is now owned by Sarasota County.

The best of 2011 - my take

'Tis the season for the outpouring of Top 10 lists, and their many variations, for jazz, world events, etc.

The jazz lists tend to have a lot of variation depending on the individual reviewer's personal tastes, as well as what he or she had a chance to hear during the year.* Bottom line, they are very subjective. Some do numerical rankings, some do alphabetical.

In recent years, I have gravitated toward the more-democratic alphabetical format, though some polls require numerical choices (including Jazztimes and Rhapsody.com (the latter a Francis Davis-produced poll that until this year was published by The Village Voice.)

As I begin preparing my review of significant events an trends in jazz in 2011 for posting on allaboutjazz.com, I thought I'd share my "best of 2011" lists. *Always keep in mind the above caveats.

The 10 best new jazz releases of 2011, listed alphabetically:
· Lynne Arriale, Convergence (Motema)
· The Cookers, Cast the First Stone (Plus Loin Music)
· Fred Hersch, Alone at the Vanguard (Palmetto)
· Julian Lage Group, Gladwell (EmArcy)
· Brian Lynch, Unsung Heroes (Hollistic MusicWorks)
· Roberto Magris Quintet, Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan,
Vol. 1 (JMood)
· Bill O’Connell, Rhapsody in Blue (Challenge)
· Gretchen Parlato, The Lost and Found (ObliqSound)
· Kenny Werner, Balloons (Half Note)
· Yellowjackets, Timeline (Mack Avenue)

The 10 best new songs of the year, listed alphabetically:
· Lynne Arriale, “Dance of the Rain” from Convergence (Motema)
· Pedro Giraudo, “Duende Del Mate” from Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra, Córdoba (Zoho)
· Tom Harrell, “Dream Text” from The Time of the Sun (HighNote)
· Donald Harrison Ron Carter and Billy Cobham, “Treme Swagger” from This is Jazz (Half Note)
· Lisa Hilton, “Blue Truth” from Underground (Ruby Slippers)
· Julian Lage, “233 Butler” from Gladwell (EmArcy)
· Mike Longo, “A Picture of Dorian Mode” from To My Surprise (CAP)
· Roberto Magris, “Lee-Too” from Roberto Magris Quintet, Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan, Vol. 1 (JMood)
· Vince Mendoza, “Beauty and Sadness” from Nights on Earth (Horizontal)
· Ralph Peterson, “Outer Reaches” from Outer Reaches (self-produced)

2011's best debut recording:
· Emmet Cohen, In The Element (Bada Beep)

The best historical/reissues of 2011:
- Miles Davis Quintet, Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1 (Columbia/Legacy)
- Duke Ellington, The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra (Mosaic)
- Bill Evans, The Sesjun Radio Shows (Naxos/Beeld en Geluid)
- Jaco Pastorius. The 60th Anniversary Collection (Warner Music Japan)

The best jazz-related DVDs of 2011:
· Miles Davis, The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux DVD Collection, 1973-1991 (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
· Stan Kenton, Artistry in Rhythm (Jazzed Media)· Ray Charles, Live in France 1961 (Eagle Rock Entertainment)

The best jazz-related books of 2011:
- John Swenson, “New Atlantis: Musicians Battle for the Survival of New Orleans” (Oxford)
- Norman Granz, “The Man Who Used Jazz For Justice” (University of California Press)
- Clark Terry with Gwen Terry, “Clark: The Autobiography of Clark Terry” (University of California Press)

Jazz at the end of the dirt road

(updated with times and Web links)

Regulars turn out in large numbers for a free three-hour Tuesday night jazz jam, at Snook Haven in Venice, FL. The no-frills restaurant, footsteps from the scenic Myakka River, is literally at the end of a dirt road canopied by Spanish moss. In its storied past, the venue was a smugglers’ hideout during prohibition, a speakeasy and brothel and the jungle setting for some Hollywood films. Snook Haven was formally established in 1948 as a fishing camp. Today it features the small restaurant, a variety of indoor and outdoor musical events, cabins, boat launch and tours of the Myakka River and Charlotte Harbor.

Fanning, Felman, Mancini, Miro

The jam sessions are the weekly glue for the South County Jazz Club, which was formed in July 2010 to support musicians and provide live listening opportunities for fans in and around Englewood, North Port and Venice on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Jazz Club president Morrie Trumble says the organization has swelled in less than 18 months from its five founding board member to more than 200 people. The club sponsors some 70 events a year. They include the jam sessions, 11 formal concerts at the Venice Art Center, and seven Eat to the Beat concerts held one Sunday afternoon a month October through April) at La Stanza, an Italian restaurant in neighboring Englewood.

Boffa, Goodman

Trumble says Snook Haven management offered the rustic venue as a jam session home last year and the weekly event (from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.) has proved to its busiest night on average. Some of the participating musicians are year-round residents and some are so-called snowbirds who reside here in the winter months.

Last night’s fine rhythm section included pianist Tommy Goodman, 86, a veteran jazz arranger and conductor who once worked for Benny Goodman (no relation); busy local bassist Dominic Mancini; and drummer Dane Hassan, a retired Connecticut state trooper who now calls Florida his home. Goodman recently changed his status from snowbird to full-time resident.

The three-hour jam featured a changing cast of musicians performing standards from the American Songbook, jazz chestnuts and Brazilian repertoire. (“Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Besame Mucho,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Pennies from Heaven” among the many offerings this night.

The Myakka River

Participants included Tony Boffa, a guitarist, singer and bandleader from the Portland, Maine, area, who splits his year between northern New England and southwest Florida; jazz club secretary Jack Fanning, a two-mallet traditionalist on vibes; clarinetist Bob Felman; violinist Elisa Miro, who leads a band called KlezMania On The Gulf; saxophonist Ron Drischel (who often plays alto and tenor simultaneously); and valve trombonist Jim Fitzpatrick.

"I like this kind of scene,” guitarist Boffa said between sets. “It’s a great vibe. And Dominic is as good a bass player as I’ve ever heard.”

The jam was a great opportunity to savor the skill of Goodman, a former New Yorker whose subtle and inventive comping illuminated the arranger’s touch he brings to his improvisation.

Clarinetist Felman called the weekly jams “a great break from my real job.” (He’s a local gastroenterologist.)

Snook Haven is an informal room where the regulars and the wait staff know each other by first name. The stage is flanked on the left by a taxidermist’s delight, including a skunk, a small bear and even an alligator’s toothy head, which Goodman used as a hat rack for the night.