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| Billy Marcus |
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| Dick Reynolds and Ira Sullivan |
m New York University to Sarasota FL for a week mixing beach time and several music appearances. The pianist brought at least five of his frequent musical collaborators and other friends along for the ride.
anced the overall group sound immeasurably.
wport Jazz Festival, will return as presenting sponsor for three additional years.
It was an afternoon for covering more than a dozen pages of the American Songbook and for digging into several jazz instrumental chestnuts. The latter category included Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder," Paul Desmond's "Take Five" and Earl Hagen's "Harlem Nocturne," which has become an R&B staple.
Beginning March 13, the jazz club's jams are moving about four miles west to Valenti's Allegro Bistro, 1740 E. Venice Ave. in Venice FL. An overwhelming majority of club members voted for the change. It may be a great step in the jams' evolution.
Still, as a Florida newcomer, I'll miss the "Old Florida" rustic charm of Snook Haven, mere steps from the scenic and wild Myakka River. I know of no other place offering jazz on a regular basis that has taxidermist-prepared critters (a bear, two skunks, a coyote) on or alongside the stage - and a skinned alligator on the ceiling.
Valenti's seems to have a bit more seating, which should be a great enhancement going forward. Snook Haven's jams were packed to the gills most Tuesday nights.
Pictured: drummer Dane Hassan, clarinetist Dr. Bob Felman, bassist Dominic Mancini, pianist Tommy Goodman and valve trombonist Jim Fitzpatrick.
I’m a big fan of jazz CDs that have the Hammond B3 at the heart of the action. The leader doesn’t have to be the organist for the recording to stand out. The sound enhances the music regardless. Here are a few gems.
Gary Smulyan,Smul’s Paradise (Capri)
Gary Smulyan’s brings his baritone sax to the world of the jazz organ combo here. In part, it is a tribute to late organist Don Patterson. It includes the Patterson compositions “Aries” and “Up in Betty’s Room,” as well as Smulyan’s “Blues for DP.” The band, with B3 player Mike LeDonne, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Kenny Washington, also tackles “Pistaccio," the Pee Wee Ellis tune that organist Rhoda Scott liked to play; George Coleman’s “Little Miss Half Steps” and Bobby Hebb’s 1960s pop hit “Sunny,” as well as two more Smulyan originals. Smulyan is best known for his extensive big band work. It is a treat to hear him in the organ combo context.
James Carter Organ Trio, At The Crossroads (EmArcy)
The gregarious saxophonist James Carter seems to get most earthy and exuberant with his organ trio, which he formed more than 10 years ago. The core band, with B3 player Gerard Gibbs and drummer Leonard King Jr., is augmented by guitar, vocals and/or horn section on five tracks. Among the many treats: the way Carter cuts loose on “My Whole Life Through,” which was written by veteran B3 player Sarah McLahler and guitarist Eddie Durham, as well as Julius Hemphill’s “The Hard Blues” and Big Maybelle’s “Ramblin’ Blues.”
Cinque, Catch A Corner (Alma)
This quintet, anchored by B3 player Joey DeFrancesco, includes drummer Steve Gadd and three fine Canadian players - bassist Peter Cardinali, pianist Robi Batos and saxophonist John Johnson. The band collaborated in writing six of the eight tracks, adding Cedar Walton’s classic “Bolivia” and Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years” to close things out. It’s soulful and impressive. At varying points, it’s bluesy, gritty, warm, subtle and soulful. There’s a lot to love.
Brian Charette, Music for Organ Sextette (SteepleChase)
There’s a modernist/ classical music approach here, with Charette’s B3 holding its own amid a bright and ambitious horn section and added propulsion from drummer Jochen Rueckert. The horn choir is solid, with Jay Collins on flute, Mike DiRubbo on alto sax, Joel Frahm on tenor sax and John Ellis on bass clarinet. Charette’s writing is clever and whimsical. Dig, for example, “Fugue for Kathleen Anne/Ex-Girlfriend Variations” and “The Elvira Pacifier.” “Prayer for an Agnostic” ironically is one of the most soulful tracks. “Late Night TV” and “Tambourine” are the most robust.
Bob Sheppard, Close Your Eyes (BFM Jazz)
Keyboard players Alan Pasqua and John Beasley use the B3 to great effect on one track apiece on reed player Bob Sheppard’s latest project. Paasqua’s organ work helps set the agenda on the the title track opener, while Beasley cuts loose on Joe Henderson’s “Gazelle.” The CD is a terrific showcase for Sheppard’s instrumental versatility and solid sound. Other key players include trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, guitarist Larry Koonse and drummer Antonio Sanchez.
esque 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.
Jazz guitar compleatists will dig this one, which is mandatory listening for anyon
e 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 88th birthday.
Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)
ot 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. 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.
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.
he 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 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.
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.
Another random thought on the Grammys last night. Maybe the voters have begun a course correction for the major categories.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.
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. 
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.
Gregory Porter, Be Good (Motéma)
Singer-songwriter Gregory Porter is the real deal. This second r
ecording 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 d
eeply 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 celebrate
s 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.
enice 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.
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.
ute 
show in his repertoire.) His vocal features were “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” and “”Don’t Blame Me.”
utiful 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.
rry 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 shu
ffle 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.
e, which is issuing a similar French commemorative
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.
New York on February 6.) 
ples 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. God forbid he should prattle on about "the academy" while Rihanna or Sir Paul McCartney are performing.
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.
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:
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 spotli
ght 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.
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.
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.
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.
May 2012 bring an abundance of swinging music and fulfillment of dreams for each of you, not necessarily in that order.
y 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 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)
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.
