As we’re in the midst of our “Unsung Women of Jazz” series, a post about drummer/composer/producer Terri Lyne Carrington’s new album, The Mosaic Project, feels rather timely. Not because Ms. Carrington is obscure (with an over two decade career that has included gigs with Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Wayne Shorter and most visibly, on Arsenio Hall’s late night TV show in the ’90’s, she’s anything but unknown), but because the jazz on this disc is performed by women only.
And what a powerful group of women this is: Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nona Hendryx, Cassandra Wilson, Esperanza Spalding, Helen Sung, Tineke Postma, Geri Allen, Patrice Rushen, Ingrid Jensen, Sheila E. and Gretchen Parlato all make beautiful musical contributions. Though I’ve always enjoyed Ms. Carrington’s work on the drums, I’ve found her albums as a leader to be frustratingly uneven. That is, until now. The Mosaic Project is Terri Lyne Carrington’s strongest album, by a mile. Ms. Carrington’s driving, soulful rhythms are always a perfect fit with the diverse contributions of her guests.
For me the most memorable tracks were “I Got Lost in His Arms”, the Irving Berlin classic, which gains new life wrapped in an R & B groove and Ms. Parlato’s sensuously ethereal vocals; Bernice Johnson Reagon’s “Echo” with a powerful spoken introduction by Angela Davis, Abbey Lincolnesque vocals by Ms. Reeves and a muted trumpet solo from Ms. Jensen; Geri Allen’s “Unconditional Love”, with haunting solos by the composer on piano, Ms.Postma on soprano sax and Ms. Spalding’s wordless vocal line, floating over the top; “Michelle”, the Beatles’ classic, sounds terrific in a post-bop reworking; and “Magic and Music”, a touching tribute written by Ms. Carrington, to the singer Teena Marie, who passed away suddenly last December.
Check out the accompanying videos for a sampling of more. You’ll dig Terri Lyne Carrington and the ladies of her gorgeous “Mosaic”.
Since I was shamefully late with my best of list for 2010, I figured why wait ‘til the last minute this year…
But seriously, there has been some fine jazz released so far in 2011. We’ve had some great releases from reliable veterans as well as some surprises from relative newcomers. Here are a few of the discs that have caught my ear during between January and June. They are listed in alphabetical order, by album title:
Bird Songs – Joe Lovano & Us Five (Blue Note)– Released in early January, this disc got the year off to a strong start. Yes, there are many Charlie Parker tribute albums, but Lovano and the band (James Weidman, Esperanza Spalding, Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela), have managed to find something fresh, new and exciting in these tunes that we have heard more times that we can count. In addition, in the two years since their last disc, their sound has grown more cohesive. If Joe Lovano isn’t the best tenor player of his generation, then he’s definitely in the top two.
Campo Belo– Anthony Wilson (Goat Hill)Recorded in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last September, with three very gifted young Brazilian musicians; Campo Belo counts as one of the most pleasant surprises of the first half of the year. It’s not a Brazilian record in the sense that we have come to know it, and therein lays a great deal of its charm. It never sounds forced or self-conscious; it’s just a bunch of cats that dig each other’s style, sitting down to play. It’s a heady vibe that will grow on you with each listen.
Captain Black Big Band – Orrin Evans (Posi-Tone) – Hold on to your hats on this one. Evans, the Philly bred pianist has dropped on us a band that’s as big, brash and badass as it wants to be. It was born out of Evans’ regular gigging at Chris’ Jazz Café in Philadelphia. The glorious result is 38 musicians, from The Big Apple and The City of Brotherly Love, in various configurations; blowing their hearts out on seven tracks. Soloists include Wayne Escoffery, Tim Warfield, Jaleel Shaw and the great trombonist Frank Lacy. It may not be your father’s big band, but it should be yours.
Good and Bad Memories –Stacy Dillard (Criss Cross) – Though people have pulled my coat about him in the past, I’d somehow managed to sleep on this Michigan native until this album, his fifth as a frontman. It’s definitely my loss. His sound on tenor and soprano is restless, powerful and exciting as all hell. With support from a band that includes Orrin Evans, and guitarist Craig Magnano anchoring a non-traditional front line, Stacy Dillard proves to be a force to be reckoned with, as a player and as a composer. When speaking of Mr. Dillard, Wynton Marsalis eloquently exclaims “This MF can PLAY!” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
The Lost and Found –Gretchen Parlato (ObliqSound) – Ms. Parlato is another artist who gets better with each successive release. This album is a dreamy mix of gorgeous originals like “Winter Wind”, with inventive takes on jazz classics, like “Juju” and “Blue in Green”, with totally unexpected and effective uses of more recent works, including Mary J. Blige’s “All That I Can Say”. Not everyone digs her style, but I sure do. Gretchen Parlato is one of jazz singing’s best hopes for the future.
Ninety Miles – Stefon Harris; David Sanchez and Christian Scott (Concord Picante) – One of the most anticipated jazz releases of the first half of the year, lives up to the hype. Harris, Sanchez, Scott and their Cuban sidemen have bridged the political nonsense to create some powerful and enduring music. They are a true collective, as all support each other as powerfully as they solo. Grammys be damned, Ninety Miles is some award worthy Latin Jazz.
No Need for Words – Sean Jones (Mack Avenue)Trumpeter Sean Jones’ latest, is an album of love songs; not in the traditional romantic sense, but rather it’s about all of the different emotional aspects that visit us when we love, in any way. So, there are songs about a mother’s love, forgiveness for an absent father, spiritual love, physical passion, unhealthy obsession and yes, romance. His writing is very strong and his band is rock solid. On No Need for Words, Jones makes a statement that is personal, powerful and compelling.
This Side of Strayhorn – Terell Stafford (MaxJazz) – The veteran trumpet man flat-out cooks from start to finish on this tribute to the works of one of jazz’s greatest composers. He tackles the well-known (“Lush Life”) and the obscure (“Lana Turner”) parts of the Strayhorn catalog with creativity and gusto. His tone is as good as it has ever been as Stafford flutters, sings and growls his around Strayhorn’s music as if the songs were written just for him. With stalwarts like Tim Warfield and Bruce Barth joining him, they manage to make great tunes even greater.
Victory –J.D. Allen (Sunnyside) – In general, I have not been a big fan of sax trios, outside of Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson. J.D. Allen is one of handful of relative newcomers who are causing me to reconsider. Here’s what made me fall in love: first – Victory is stocked with short, powerful statements. No one track exceeds five minutes in length, leaving less room for the self-indulgent rambling that often plagues trio projects. Second – J.D. Allen is a prodigiously gifted musician; adept at flirting outrageously with the avant-garde without going all the way. Third – a delightful rendition of “Stairway to the Stars”, that appears out of nowhere. Kudos to Gregg August on bass and Rudy Royston on drums, who are just as important to this album’s success.
Voice of My Beautiful Country –René Marie (Motema) – By now, most jazz fans are familiar with the incident that birthed the concept for this album. Invited to sing the National Anthem at a 2008 Denver political event, Ms. Marie instead chose to sing the words of “The Star Spangled Banner”, to the melody of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” (aka “The Black National Anthem”). Though the rendition was stunning, the fallout was immediate and harsh, on all sides of the political and racial spectrum. It nearly derailed Ms. Marie’s promising career. Now in her first full album release since the incident, René Marie proves that she’s back with a vengeance. Voice of My Beautiful Countryis a flat-out artistic triumph; as it covers the spectrum of great American songwriting, from homespun Americana, like “John Henry” to rock classics (“White Rabbit”) to a surprisingly effective medley of “Imagination” and “Just My Imagination” to the unforgettable “Voice of My Beautiful Country Suite”, which includes another “Star Spangled Banner”/”Lift Ev’ry Voice…” mashup. René Marie has been called the natural successor to Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln and other socially conscious jazz singers. The comparison is fitting.
Honorable Mention must go to Brian Lynch’s Unsung Heroes, an album released on CD in 2011, which would be at the top of this list, except for the fact that it appeared on the 2010 year-end list, after it was released late last year in digital form only. Nevertheless, it’s so good that we’ve got to at least mention it again, just in case you’ve missed it.
I also need to remind everyone that this list represents releases that I’ve heard during the first six month of this year. All, some or none of these albums may be on the year-end list, as I hear newer releases, catch up with stuff from the first six months that I haven’t heard yet (such as Branford Marsalis & Joey Calderazzo’s Songs of Mirth and Melancholy, Ben Williams’ State of Artand Vijay Iyer’s Tirtha, all of which are at the top of my very long “to get to” list), or simply change my mind, which is a jazz geek’s prerogative.
I hope that you’ll use this list as an excuse to check out something that you haven’t heard. Agreements, disagreements and additional suggestions are always welcomed.
“It was told that there was a version of this tune that had driven this man to tears, beyond his trivial dogma to a true understanding of the music.” – Jazz critic Eugene Chadbourne discussing Gloria Coleman’s rendition of Blue Bossa (on her Sings and Swings Organ album)
For many, the history of women on the jazz organ begins and ends with Shirley Scott. Though no other woman matched Ms. Scott’s prominence, there were others who deserved a piece of that small spotlight. One such woman was Gloria Coleman.
Ms. Coleman was a New York native, who as a child studied the piano, violin and bass. In fact, she began her career in 1952 as a bassist, playing with pianists in the Philadelphia and Chicago areas. As her interest in the piano and organ grew, her work as a bassist decreased. She got tips from organ legends “Wild Bill” Davis and Jimmy Smith, which helped her develop her foot pedal technique, allowing her to work without a bassist; something Ms. Scott rarely did.
Like Shirley Scott, Gloria Coleman married a well-known tenor saxophonist: in Ms. Coleman’s case it was George Coleman, a strong player in his own right, who gained most fame for being the “transitional tenor” between Coltrane and Shorter in Miles Davis’ quintet. Their union was musically fruitful, as they would work together, on and off, for the rest of Ms. Coleman’s life.
Like most of the women in our series, Gloria Coleman recorded sporadically. Her most well-known recording is her first as a leader; Soul Sisterswhich she made for Impulse in 1963, with Grant Green on guitar, Leo Wright on alto sax and a female drummer named Pola Roberts, who slipped back into obscurity right after this record, in spite of her capable performance. Critics have called Soul Sistersan “underappreciated gem”. It certainly holds its own alongside the work that Scott, Smith, McDuff and others were doing at that time in the soul jazz idiom. Green and Wright sound inspired on their solos and Ms. Coleman’s compositions are catchy. She also recorded a gem of an album in 1971, called Sings and Swings Organ, with trumpeter Ray Copeland, guitarist Ted Dunbar and others.
[From Sings and Swings Organ – Gloria sings “Love Nest”]
Gloria returned the favor to Wright, sitting in on his Soul Talkalbum and composing the minor hit, “State Trooper”. In more recent years, she recorded some memorable sides with Bobbi Humphrey (City Beat), Nat Simpkins (Cookin’ with Some Barbeque) and Hank Crawford (Groove Master).
Her finest album IMO, also proved to be her last. 2008’s Sweet Missywas a sort of family affair, with George Coleman featured on tenor and her son, George Jr. on drums. “Dr.” Lonnie Smith also makes a memorable guest appearance, playing piano alongside Gloria’s organ, on “Put ‘em in a Box, Tie ‘em with a Ribbon”. It’s a very relaxed, but joyous album. The soloists are universally terrific (especially Ms. Coleman, who had grown exponentially over the years) and the band is tight and swinging. Her vocals on the album are frayed but ingratiating with a quality reminiscent of the great Etta Jones.
Gloria Coleman died on February 10, 2010. She left us a musical legacy that is definitely worth exploring.
I’ve been a resident of Charlotte, NC for almost 11 years. I must admit that during most of that time, the choices for mainstream jazz have been at best, limited. Yes, there have been a few establishments that have called themselves “jazz” clubs, but they have mostly offered what we sometimes call “grown folks music”, that is, a mix of radio hit-based R & B instrumentals; vocalists whose time atop the pop charts has passed and competently performed, but unimaginative “smooth” jazz. Economic times being what they are, even those clubs have fallen by the wayside. Though there would be the occasional appearance of a jazz star, they were few and far between.
I tell you that to tell you this. To quote Martin Luther King, we straight ahead jazz fans are now “able to hew out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope”. Within the past 15 months, Charlotte has played host to well-attended concerts by notables such as Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Kenny Barron, Russell Malone, Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper, Branford Marsalis and now another Marsalis brother, Delfeayo; who brought a vibrant quintet to the McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square last week. I’m going to cut to the chase: it was the finest jazz concert I’ve seen since I’ve lived in this city.
The concert was presented by the Jazz Arts Initiative, a new non-profit organization composed of educators, cultural arts patrons, musicians and individuals, all dedicated to the continued development of Charlotte’s arts heritage. Headed by Lonnie Davis, the JAI has shown great potential to succeed where other similar organizations have failed – first because they have already produced tangible results, such as last night’s concert and the ongoing educational programs for elementary and secondary school students; second, because they have shown a willingness to use social media, to an extent that prior organizations have not and finally, because they are funded in part by The Charlotte Arts and Science Council, giving them needed legitimacy with local arts fundraisers.
The evening was kicked off in fine fashion by the JAI All-Star Youth Jazz Ensemble, a promising group of youngsters, all in their teens: Quinn Bannon on drums; Phillip Howe on trumpet; Claire Lucas, bass; Steven Ray (remember that name) on guitar and Alex Sherman, piano. These well-trained, enthusiastic kids delivered solid, swinging takes on Miles’ “Four” and Sam Jones’ “Unit 7”. Their performances bode well for the future of JAI and Charlotte area jazz.
Delfeayo took the stage immediately after the JAI Youth; relaxed, in good humor and ready to swing. Surprisingly, he played no music from his latest, album Sweet Thunder, an Ellington tribute. Instead, he delighted the audience with tunes from the jazz canon and his own compositional catalog. He broke with tradition by kicking the set off, not with a flag-waver but with Strayhorn’s “Intimacy of the Blues”. Marsalis and the quartet, consisting of his longtime pianist Victor “Red” Atkins, John Brown on bass and Charlotte’s own Ocie Davis on drums, had the crowd feeling “intimate” as we hummed, swayed and responded with sundry expressions of approval.
Another regular Marsalis ally, saxophonist Derek Douget and trumpeter Ashlin Parker, a Charlotte native who shows remarkable promise; joined the group for a bouncy romp through the old warhorse “Drum Boogie”. This delight was followed by one of the high points of the evening, Elvin Jones’ “The Lone Warrior”, a tune inspired, as we found out in Delfeayo’s expository comments, by Jones’ father’s refusal to answer his draft notice. Marsalis and Douget and Atkins painted a story of haunting determination in their solos and the ensemble passages. You could envision the proud, resolute Jones père as he marched through his 25 mile journey.
From a previous performance, here’s Delfeayo’s group on an excerpt from “The Lone Warrior”, featuring Mark Gross…
The second half of the show was devoted to numbers penned by Marsalis: the dark, haunting “Lost in the Crescent”, the appropriately whimsical “Br’er Rabbit” (both from Marsalis’ underrated Minions Dominions album). And the compelling set closer, “The Weary Ways of Mary Magdalene” from his debut album Pontius Pilate’s Decision. That tune’s percussive piano vamp grabbed my attention when I first heard it nearly 20 years ago and it still moves me in the same way now.
After the concert was over, Mr. Marsalis returned to the stage for a Q & A session with the audience. In keeping with the relaxed atmosphere that had been established, Marsalis was gracious with his time and expansive with his answers, peppering his responses with interesting anecdotes and raucous humor.
To close the evening, there was one more selection. Victor Atkins returned to join Delfeayo for reminiscence about the beginning of their musical partnership, followed by a duet on “What a Wonderful World”. It was truly a wonderful evening of jazz in Charlotte, one of many we hope to see in the near future here. Kudos to Delfeayo Marsalis and his fine sextet, to the JAI All-Star Youth Ensemble and to Lonnie Davis and The Jazz Arts Initiative; thanks to them, the future of jazz in this city looks very bright, indeed.
On Father’s Day, Charlotte will be hosting a concert by a son of “America’s First Family of Jazz”. NEA Jazz Master Delfeayo Marsalis will appear at the McGlohon Theatre in Spirit Square on Sunday, June 19; at 7:30 p.m.
This will be the internationally acclaimed trombonist/producer/educator’s second appearance in Charlotte this year. He was last with us in February for a series of educational workshops and concerts. He also took time out for a hot jam session at Sullivan’s in South End, which was documented in this blog.
Here’s Delfeayo and his dad Ellis, on “Sultry Serenade”
Marsalis is of course, the son of renowned pianist/educator Ellis Marsalis and the brother of jazzmen Branford, Wynton and Jason Marsalis. His father and brothers share the NEA Jazz Master Award with Delfeayo. He’ll be playing selections from his latest critically acclaimed album Sweet Thunder (Duke & Shak) and more. The JAI All-Star Youth Jazz Ensemble will open this event.
The concert is being presented by the Jazz Arts Initiative, a new non-profit organization made up of educators, cultural arts patrons, musicians and individuals dedicated to the continued development of Charlotte’s arts heritage.
The remaining tickets are on sale for $25. (The $35 VIP seats are sold out.) They are available online through CarolinaTix.
I will be there, courtesy of a generous Father’s Day gift from my wife and son. I hope to see you there too.
Sunday at the Atlanta Jazz Fest started very well and ended not so well. And it had nothing to do with the music.
Sunday morning was a rare R & R day. The family and I got up, went out to breakfast, the came back to the hotel and went for a swim. We then head over to Piedmont Park. Traffic patterns were flowing better than Saturday, so we arrived in time to catch a bit of the last of the opening acts; The North Atlanta High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Adam Brooks. They were well rehearsed and swung nicely; it was a great treat to hear these promising kids as we were entering the park. They also featured a promising young vocalist named Brittany Carr, who performed an accomplished version of “Blue Skies”. Hopefully we’ll hear more from Ms. Carr in the future.
The young folks were an appetizer for the explosive main course that followed, in the person of trumpeter Sean Jones. Mr. Jones was celebrating his birthday on Sunday and he was doing it in high style. He kicked off his set with a scorching tune from his just released album No Need for Words, which managed to make it even hotter outside. His band which included up and coming talent Brian Hogans on alto was every bit the equal of the leader (Mr. Hogans also has a new album out, titled Evidence of Things to Come – check it out!). Set highlights were a take on Freddie Hubbard’s “Dear John” and two of the new numbers “Obsession” and “Momma”, which Jones dedicated to his mother, who in attendance, seeing him at a festival for the first time.
Next up was pianist Gerald Clayton, who has caused quite a bit of buzz in the jazz world of late. Young Mr. Clayton is a talented pianist, whose style is a bit introspective and freely stretches boundaries. He also loves to deconstruct standards, which he did to great effect on “My Shining Hour” and “Con Alma”. I enjoyed his set immensely. I can’t say the same for some of the audience, who seemed a bit confused and put-off by Clayton and his trio. I think the problem may have been that a trio like Clayton’s loses some of the intimacy that it needs, in a sprawling outdoor setting like the Atlanta Jazz Festival. I noticed that a large part of the audience either left or turned their conversational volume up, which was a shame, because they missed some terrific music.
My anticipation built after Clayton’s set, as we awaited Ninety Miles, the group featuring Stefon Harris on vibes, David Sánchez on tenor and Christian Scott on trumpet. I expected this to be the highlight of what had already been a very fine festival.
However, I never got to see them.
While killing time after the Clayton set, my son and I decided to play catch. While tossing the ball around, either a particle off of the ball or a gnat, flew into my left eye. I rubbed my eye to try to get the particle out. I think I rubbed it too hard. By the time we arrived back where my wife was sitting, her panicked reaction told the story. My eye had become extremely swollen and infected. My wife and son pleaded with me to go to an urgent care or emergency room. I finally acquiesced after getting a look at myself in my wife’s mirror. As we packed up, Ninety Miles took the stage. What I heard of them was great. Unfortunately, I only heard half of the first song.
Turns out that I had a scratched cornea; the doctor gave me eye drops, which soothed my eye and began the healing. It didn’t quell my disappointment though at having to miss what was likely a terrific festival closing set.
Overall, the 34th Atlanta Jazz Festival provided some great jazz and an awesome chance to relax with and hang with the family. I can’t ask for much more than that. We definitely plan on being back next year, but next time, I’ll wear goggles!
The 34th Atlanta jazz Festival took place Memorial Day Weekend. This was my first time attending this sprawling event, which is free on the first two days in midtown’s Piedmont Park and concludes with a ticketed event on Memorial Day.
Saturday
The festival began at 1:00 with performances by a couple of Atlanta area youth jazz groups. We arrived at around 4:30, in time for the first of the evening performances by vocalist Audrey Shakir. Ms. Shakir is a veteran of the New York jazz scene as well and she brought strong reinforcements, in her solid backing quintet which included former Wynton Marsalis alto saxophonist Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson and Atlanta’s own Melvin Jones on trumpet. I had not heard of Mr. Jones before last Saturday afternoon, but he made an immediate impression, with his powerful tone and creative soloing. (I was tweeting frantically, trying to learn his identity, before he was finally introduced.) Ms. Shakir is a fine vocalist and a nimble scat singer, who deserves much wider recognition. Unfortunately, the 90 plus degree heat got the better of her and she had to cut her set short. Jones, Anderson and the rhythm section didn’t skip a beat and they finished in high style.
And here’s my son, John, with a kid’s perspective on the first set of the day
Next up was the Warren Wolf Quintet, with the outstanding bassist Christian Mc Bride as guest artist. I am a great admirer of Mr. McBride’s body of work and I’ve also enjoyed what I’ve heard from Mr. Wolf on vibes; as a member of McBride’s 2009 Inside Straightband and on drummer Willie Jones III’s 2010 release The Next Phase. So needless to say I looked forward to their set with a great deal of anticipation. Unfortunately, it was my biggest disappointment of the festival. Their set was decidedly in the contemporary/smooth jazz vein, which was not a problem, as gifted cats such as these have the ability to give “smooth jazz” a good name. What left me scratching my head is how uninspired their playing was, except for the Latin-tinged opening number and the hard-driving funk of the set closer. They also brought on a young female singer, whose name escapes me; which is for the best. Her ponderous vocals on four tracks; brought the proceedings to a virtual standstill.
Warren and Christian, I still have much respect and admiration for both of you, but this was not your finest hour.
As night fell, the highlight of the first day came with the appearance of violinist Regina Carter and the eclectically delightful group that appeared with her on her latest album Reverse Thread. From the moment they hit the stage, playing the opening notes of “Artistiya”, until the last note of their last song was lost in the cheering, they had captivated the large, diverse crowd. Ms. Carter, kora (West African harp) player Yacouba Sissoko; accordionist Gary Versace; percussionist Alvester Garnett and the rest of the sextet were locked in a polyrhythmic groove that would not let us go. As I breathlessly tweeted during their set; “If there is a better jazz violinist than Regina Carter alive today, then I haven’t heard him/her yet”. I stand by my every word. It is not hyperbole. Ms. Carter is a singular artist; Reverse Thread is a singular group and concept. It takes a lot to bring an audience lounging on lawn chairs and blankets to their feet, but damned if they didn’t do it. It was a great way to end the evening and everyone went home happy.
In the next post, we will talk about Day Two of the AJF, which featured trumpeter Sean Jones, pianist Gerald Clayton and the super group Ninety Miles, with Stefon Harris, David Sanchez and Christian Scott.
Talk about finishing strong…The Piedmont Park portion of the 2011 Atlanta Jazz Festival concludes tonight with Ninety Miles: a group composed of trumpeter Christian Scott, tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and some of Cuba’s finest jazz musicians. Their album, also called Ninety Miles, will be released June 21st, on Concord Picante Records. Filmmaker Devin DeHaven has produced and directed a documentary film about the project that will be released this summer.
The group and project draw its name, of course, from the geographical distance between the U.S. and Cuba. Though we are physically very close, politics, as we all know, has kept the countries far apart for over half a century.
“This record is about the power of music to communicate, and break down some of the barriers that result from language and politics and culture,” says John Burk, Chief Creative Officer of Concord Music Group and producer of the album. He developed the idea for the project after experiencing first-hand the visceral energy exchange between artists and audiences at the Cuban Jazz Festival in 2008. After more than a year of negotiations with representatives of the Cuban music industry – not to mention clearing the various travel-related hurdles with the U.S. State Department and the Cuban government; Harris, Sánchez and Scott were booked to perform in Havana in May 2010 with many of the same Cuban players he’d seen at the festival a couple of years earlier. Ninety Milesis a snapshot of the rehearsals just prior to the 2010 performance.
That snapshot will be on the Atlanta Jazz Festival stage tonight, at 9:00. If you’re in the area, it is a must-see event.
Though I knew that Gil Scott-Heron had been battling various health problems the last few years, hearing of his death a few minutes ago still was a shock. It hit like a ton of bricks.
I first heard Gil Scott-Heron in my early teens as “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” burst into my darkened room as I listened to WBLS overnight. His words have occupied rent-free space in my brain ever since.
He was once of the most memorable, creative, stunning and misunderstood artists I ever heard.
Here are five of his works of art that meant the most to me.
You are free at last!
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
The Bottle
Johannesburg
Whitey on the Moon
Pieces of a Man
Plus there was “B-Movie” a Reagan-era classic. I couldn’t embed it, but see it on YouTube by clicking below:
Gerald Clayton is one of the most talked about young pianists working today. Clayton is the 27-year-old son of jazz bassist/bandleader/producer John Clayton. In just a few short years on the jazz scene Gerald Clayton has drawn raves from all segments of the jazz world and has attracted an audience that includes hip-hoppers; be-boppers; avant-garde lovers and every hyphenate in between.
Clayton began his piano studies at age seven. His teachers have included famed pianists Kenny Barron and Billy Childs. In 2006, he finished second in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Piano Competition. He made his bones in the groups fronted by his dad and uncle – The Clayton Brothers and the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He has also backed a number of well-known singers; including Diana Krall, Michael Buble and Roberta Gambarini. He has also written arrangements and played piano on the most recent albums by trumpet master Roy Hargrove (Emergence) and rising trumpet star Ambrose Akinmusire (When the Heart Emerges Glistening).
In 2009, Gerald Clayton made his debut recording as a leader; Two-Shade. It earned a Grammy for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo” for his version of Cole Porter’s “All of You”. Earlier this month, he released his second album, another trio date: Bond – The Paris Sessions. More Grammy noms may follow for this disc, as it includes many dynamite originals plus interesting reworkings of jazz and popular standards.
The Gerald Clayton Trio will appear at the 2011 Atlanta Jazz Festival, this Sunday May 29th, at 7 p.m. I’ll be checking them out. I hope you will too.
As we’re in the midst of our “Unsung Women of Jazz” series, a post about drummer/composer/producer Terri Lyne Carrington’s new album, The Mosaic Project, feels rather timely. Not because Ms. Carrington is obscure (with an over two decade career that has included gigs with Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Wayne Shorter and most visibly, on Arsenio Hall’s late night TV show in the ’90’s, she’s anything but unknown), but because the jazz on this disc is performed by women only.
Curt's Jazz Cafe 
