A tip of the hat richly deserved

Eric Jackson

WGBH-FM may not fully appreciate the impact that longtime jazz broadcaster Eric Jackson* has on his listeners - and the Boston community in general - but the jazz community at large does.

This week, Jazz Week has awarded Eric its annual Duke DuBois Humanitarian Award. The award is given to recognize an individual's long-standing commitment to jazz, jazz radio, jazz education and generous service to the jazz community. Jackson certainly is qualified, given his three decades of playing jazz, interviewing countless musicians, hosting live performances and informing his listeners of what’s going on throughout the southern New England jazz scene.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Michael Occhipinti, Pat Metheny and Gene Ess...

A thing of beauty, and then some...

The South County Jazz Club's weekly jam sessions each Tuesday evening at Valenti's Allegro Bistro, in Venice FL, continue to pack in the crowds. Tonight's musical treat came deep into the third set. Bassist Dominic Mancini held the spotlight, even silencing most of the distant-table yackers, with his gorgeous intro and solo work on the 1930s jazz standard "Beautiful Love." His extended intro set up rhythm section mates Tommy Goodman on piano and Dane Hassan on drums for subtle, tasty and sparing fills behind him. The bass work - a blend of wood and honey, rich and supple, solid on the beat and inventive with Mancini's touch and vocal-like bass sound - made it resonate with emotion filling the room.

You don't always get what you expect

Danny Sinoff quartet

Tonight's jazz outing in Port Charlotte FL was a fine reminder that the finest moments in jazz often involve something unexpected.
It was jazz trio time, with pianist-singer Danny Sinoff in his weekly Friday night gig at JD's Bistro & Grille. But the trio format only lasted through the first set, as Miami-based percussionist Carlos Salazar then joined the band. Sherrell McCants was on upright bass and Rich Iannuzzi was at the drums.

New Orleans to Newport

Offbeat magazine, which covers Louisiana music and culture, has just published several more of my Newport Jazz Festival images. The focus was on the opening night angle, as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dr. John's Lower 911 Band and special guests performed, bringing music from the birthplace of jazz to the birthplace of the jazz festival.

Bovi’s Allmark-Maslov double play

Eugene Maslov

Big band jazz has been the Monday night staple been at Bovi’s Tavern for 43 years – and it is still going strong,  Some locals  jazz cognoscenti consider it the musical highlight of their week. The John Allmark Jazz Orchestra has been at Bovi’s in East Providence RI for the past 13 years. The band took the Monday night reins at Bovi’s from the Duke Belaire Orchestra, which had been there for three decades
.
Needless to say, a Bovi’s stop was mandatory on my trip north for last weekend’s Newport Jazz Festival. And one of the treats was hearing pianist Eugene Maslov, a Russian émigré who has been with the band for four years.

More depth on Newport

 Jazz Times has just posted Bill Beuttler's extensive review of last weekend's Newport Jazz Festival, along with 10 of my images. With more than 30 acts performing on four different stages Friday-Sunday, there was a lot more to hear and see. Here for your viewing pleasure are 12 more of my images.

Singer Kurt Elling

Jenny Scheinman and Bill Frisell

Steamy days and music at Newport

More in the coming days on the 2012 edition of the Newport Jazz Festival, which took place over the weekend. As usual, the three overlapping stages provide an opportunity to park yourself for a full set by a favorite or intriguing band or to nibble at the music tapas-style by wandering from stage to stage. The daytime crowds were a bit light but the weather was New Orleans-like with oppressive sun and high humidity.

Keeping the candle burning

Given finite resources and wavering community support, it can be challenging to keep the jazz candle burning in many areas. The ebb and flow can vary from gig to gig, month to month, season to season.

The latest example is on Florida’s east coast, where the Jazz Arts Music Society of Palm Beach has announced that it is suspending its annual concert series for the upcoming 2012-13 season. That after 13 years of presenting more than 250 concerts featuring an array of international, national, regional and local mainstream jazz musicians.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Branford Marsalis, Paul West, Grant Geissman, Kevin Coelho. and Randy Hoexter....

Newport beckons

The folkies are headed for Newport this weekend, where the 2012 edition of the Newport Folk Festival is an advance-sales sellout for both days at picturesque Fort Adams State Park. That means jazz is just around the corner, with the Newport Jazz Festival set for August 3, 4 and 5. Kudos to George Wein (pictured) and his production team for putting together a diverse array of talent with a continuing increase on younger acts.

Ron Carter

 



The August issue of Hot House magazine is online and includes my profile of bassist Ron Carter (page 31). He's one of the most prolifically recorded musicians in jazz history. He'll be at Birdland with his Great Big Band for a six-night run that begins August 28. He's fresh off a European tour with his trio featuring guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Donald Vega.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Jazz singers are in today’s spotlight. Taking a closer look at new CDs from Alison Wedding, April Hall and Ori Dagan....

If You Build It, They Will Come

The South County Jazz Club's weekly jam session at Allegro Bistro in Venice has become a vibrant entertainment staple in southwest Florida, no matter that we are well into the steamy summer off-season. The jam session moved to Allegro in early March, and attendance has been strong, even after the northward exodus of the snowbirds.

Last night's jam was proof positive.

Please welcome Professor Sanabria

Latin jazz is back for next year's Grammy categories, thanks in large measure to the efforts of New York-based drummer Bobby Sanabria who led the protest charge after that category was eliminated last year, among many others.

Today, Sanabria is using a different forum to show how deeply embedded Latin music is in American musical culture.

WGBH needs to revisit its short-sighted decision, not dig in its heels

Last night was Eric Jackson’s final weeknight broadcast and tonight brings Steve Schwartz’s final broadcast as WGBH-FM in Boston retools (deeply cuts and moves to weekends) its jazz programming. That is sad indeed, unless station management takes a step back and admits it made a mistake. (Sadly, I fear radio executives never admit they were wrong about something).

But maybe last night’s heavily attended jazz funeral and protest outside the station, led by musician Ken Field, will prompt a reconsideration. I doubt it will happen, but the optimist in me hopes it does.

What's your take?

An interesting conversation developed the other day at the weekly jazz musicians’ brunch in Sarasota FL, which has been an off-the-gig informal weekly gathering for area musicians for more than a dozen years.

Just what makes someone – male or female – a jazz singer?

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Taking a closer look at new CDs from La Lucha, The Black Butterflies and The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie....

A Sonny day at JJA; overdue honor for Silver

Horace Silver and Sonny Rollins topped the winners list at the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2012 Jazz Awards gala on Thursday at the Blue Note in New York. Rollins has become the awards’ iron man, collecting three awards (musician of the year, record of the year, tenor sax player of the year), while Silver received lifetime achievement honors for his impressive career as a composer, pianist and bandleader.

Here are four key awards:

A sad day for jazz in Boston (updated)

I expect the protests to start rapidly, accompanied by a severe fall off in the checks and pledges that fund Boston's premier public radio station.

Word came from broadcaster Steve Schwartz this afternoon that WGBH-FM in Boston is dropping his Friday night show, and it is eliminating jazz programming on weeknights as well. It is moving longtime host Eric Jackson (of Eric in the Evening fame) to weekends only. These changes take effect in July.

CDs of Note - Evans and Evans

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Ryan Truesdell and Bill Evans....

What a pair

Today’s the first day of issue in the United States and France for a pair of postage stamps being issued to honor jazz great Miles Davis and French singer Edith Piaf.

A sizzling victory of sorts for Latin jazz

Yes, boys and girls, there is value in being the skunk at the lawn party. We saw proof of it yesterday.

The Recording Academy has made a partial but significant rollback this week from its 2011 decision to cut 31 Grammy Awards categories. It’s decision, made by the Board of Trustees last month and announced yesterday, added two awards and reinstated the Best Latin Jazz Album category.

A solo treat, brief but solid

Every once in a while, it is good to revisit the earliest  jazz piano styles to reinforce one's appreciation for the bedrock upon which today's jazz developed. An opportunity to do that took place today in Venice, FL - and it drew hundreds of listeners.

Dick Hyman

Pianist-composer-arranger Dick Hyman gave a free 40-minute performance that opened a weekly music series through June to celebrate Venice Presbyterian Church's acquisition of a fine, new K. Kawai grand piano.

During this afternoon's mini-concert, Hyman performed a bit of ragtime (Scott Joplin's "Heliotrope Bouquet" and "Maple Leaf Rag,") "Basin Street Blues" and boogie-woogie pianist Meade Lux Lewis's "Honky Tonk Train," the latter tune bringing the set to a rollicking finish.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Louise Van Aarsen, Lisa Hilton, Hailey Niswanger and Jared Gold....

Renee Rosnes on jazz, family

Renee Rosnes

Pianist Renee Rosnes has developed quite a musical family since arriving on the New York jazz scene from Canada 25 years ago. My profile of Renee is published in the June issue of Hot House. As usually happens with these conversations, not everything fits in the magazine article.


Rosnes also told me how thrilled she was that drummer Lewis Nash was honored in April by having a building named in his honor in his native Phoenix AZ. She and Nash have been working together for almost 20 years and are sidemen in each other’s bands. 

Keeping the beat in southwest Florida’s extended summer

The formal concert scene pretty much dries up in southwest Florida once most of the snowbirds have begun their return to northern climates. But the music certainly isn’t gone ‘til autumn. Here are just two examples of things to check out.

Jazz and crime fiction mix well

I’m a sucker for a good mystery. I’ve pretty much devoured the outpouring of crime-related  fictional works by Sue Grafton, J. A. Jance, and Tony Hillerman, as well as Nora Roberts’ J.D. Robb series about homicide detective Eve Dallas, who solves crimes set about 40 years in the future and is married to the richest man on the planet. Once I get my hands on a new one, it’s pretty much uninterrupted read time. That goes for the jazz-related mysteries as well, which got me to thinking this week about why jazz and fictional crime blend so well together.

Honors set for Montreal

The Montreal International Jazz Festival  has announced the award winners that it will honor this summer for their exceptional contributions to music. The awards will be presented during the 33^rd edition of the festival, which runs June 28 to July 8.

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Kat Edmonson, Louis Armstrong, Shawnn Monteiro and Tony Monaco...

One step at a time

Sérgio Mendes

The Punta Gorda Wine & Jazz Festival, a local Chamber of Commerce production with a loyal following from near and far, continues to evolve. This is a good thing.

A wonderful tradition - 22 years and counting

Frank Ascone

Drummer Al Hixon wound up the 22nd season of his Monday night jazz jams last night at 15 South  on Sarasota's St. Armand's Circle.
Hixon and bassist Mark Neuenschwander were joined by a special guest on keyboards: Boston's Chris Neville, whose hefty jazz credentials include working with the late Benny Carter on the alto saxophonist/composer's last seven albums.

Labor Day Weekend will feel different

Tanglewood is celebrating its 75^th season as summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But the summer season just won’t be the same for jazz fans in western Massachusetts.

Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood

There will be no silver anniversary for Tanglewood’s  long-running Labor Day Weekend jazz festival.

Special moments

The South County Jazz Club's jam session on Tueday nights at Valenti's Allegro Bistro in Venice FL is always a treat, and the reasons vary week to week. It's always packed. And it goes on year-round despite the snowbirds' return to points north this time of year.

Sometimes the musicians seem to be lined up out the door hoping to get a moment on stage. The Tuesday, May 1 edition had fewer sitters-in, which meant more playing opportunities for all participants.

A special day for jazz - globally

Naysayers who claim jazz is dead or dying will find a lot of contrarians today at Congo Square in New Orleans and the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

This is the first International Jazz Day, an official designation that was made last November by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for each April 30.

Montreal is full of surprises - again

For 32 years, the Montreal International Jazz Festival team has been showing the world how to produce a music festival that is filled with programming innovations, draws from genres and artists from around the globe – and runs like clockwork.
The 33^rd edition, which runs from June 28 to July 8, is just around the corner and the tickets for the 180+ indoor concerts went on sale this weekend. This six-square-block musical party is always a treat, no matter whether you go just for the 400 or so free outdoor shows at 10 stages in and around Montreal’s Place des Arts, or you also pony up to see some of the formal indoor concerts.

Jazz is always the core of the festival, but you’ll also find plenty of blues, folk, afro-pop and world music. It’s always a treat to hear some of the formidable Canadian musicians who never seem to garner much attention here in the U.S.

It's all about musical art in an artsy place

The South County Jazz Club concluded its 2011-12 concert season this afternoon with a concert spotlighting cabaret singer Kitt Moran, who has become an entertainment staple in Southwest Florida over the past eight years. She was backed by her husband, pianist and arranger Mike Moran, and bassist Dominic Mancini
at the Venice FL Art Center.

Building for the future

George Wein

How do you ensure the granddaddy of jazz festivals will be around for a long time? Producer George Wein has been running the Newport Jazz Festival since it was first held in 1954. That's 58 years ago, and Wein, now 86, is a realist.
He knows he won't be around forever, but wants to ensure the festival will be. So he's taken a multi-faceted approach to sustain the event, showcase newer generations of musicians, and help build the future talent base and audience for jazz.

A Royal event

The Southwest Florida music community rallied on Sunday to support pianist Michael Royal and his wife Julie with an event that brought together more than 50 area musicians and scores more music fans. The 3 1/2-hour jazz jam packed the Floribbean Restaurant & Lounge in downtown Sarasota.

Hug the ones you love

I never had a brother by blood and missed out on all of those brotherly things that happen in families. Thanks to jazz, I developed brother-like friendships with a couple of people over the past 20 years. And now, one of them is gone - way, way, way too soon.

The jazz world lost one of its great accompanists and yesterday I lost a friend who was indeed like a brother. Pianist George Mesterhazy died in his sleep yesterday - four days after his 59th birthday - at home in Cape May, New Jersey. 

He was a revered player on the South Jersey jazz scene, who also toured the world as accompanist to Shirley Horn in her later years, Rebecca Parris, Paula West and Mark Murphy, among many others. He worked as pianist and musical director for both West and Murphy right up to his passing, accompanying Murphy to London, Paris, Berlin and Istanbul a couple of months ago. And now he's jamming - no doubt leading the festivities and cracking most of the jokes - in a heavenly jazz club.

George Mesterhazy

His talent was over the top as a player and arranger. But his genuine warmth and essence as a human being was more amazing. George had a zest for life and an ability to connect with people that seems beyond compare. His many friends have been filling his Facebook page with their memories over the past 15 hours or so. Such an impact on so many people.

I cherish the memories, the phone calls, the trips, and his dash to Rhode Island 50 weeks ago to play a few tunes when Kathie and I married on a beautiful day in a Japanese garden. George celebrated with us for a few hours and then headed right back to New Jersey the same night. He was always busy but always made time for the important stuff - his friends.

This image by San Francisco photographer Pat Johnson truly captured George's spirit.

My heart aches for his longtime companion/girlfriend, Victoria Watson, his dad, his kids, his extended family.

The only other words right now are those with which George ended every one of our phone calls.

"Love ya, brother."