kenny-garrett « WordPress.com Tag Feed

First Post

Miguel Olivares — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:35:31 +0000

Hi and welcome to my blog. My name is Miguel Olivares and I am a jazz musician. I’m starting this blog so that I can share my knowledge of music with the world; my thoughts on music, jazz, life as a musician, basically any and everything that inspires me. I hope that you enjoy and come back often. I’m barely figuring this site out so there should be some cool stuff on here eventually.

So the other day I was in rehearsal with my jazz ensemble at Texas State University and my instructor Freddie Mendoza said something that really made a lot of sense. He told the ensemble that every time we pick up our instrument we need to be as artistic as possible. We need to play as if it were the last time we are ever going to play. I really enjoyed hearing that because it is something that I have always believed but I always forget to play that way. After thinking about all the saxophonists that I listen to (Chris Potter, Kenny Garrett, Jaleel Shaw, John Coltrane, Walter Smith III, etc.) I realized that they all play with so much emotion. When listening to them it is so easy to tell that they are giving all they have to give. Of course this can only really work if you are a master of your instrument or else it might not turn out as well. Anyways, if you improvise with more emotion there is no doubt that the musical experience will be so much better for the performer as well as for the listeners. As an artist you can not be afraid to express yourself. It may seem like a scary thing because it actually is. If you truly express yourself as an improviser you open yourself up and become extremely vulnerable. It is a necessity as an artist to do this on a regular basis and hopefully I can reach that level one day.

Many people think of instrumental jazz and they think of some silly form of entertainment. The jazz music of today has evolved to such a high level that it can only be considered as art music. Jazz musicians need to think of themselves as artists and not just as entertainers. Whenever I improvise and I am in the artist mindset, the music means so much more to me and I believe the listeners can tell the difference. If I treat the music as sacred music then each performance I give can be a special, sacred moment.

It is so hard to keep all this in mind because I am performing all the time. And I don’t mean performing as in giving a concert. During rehearsals I am performing. During practice room jam sessions I am performing. Every time I play my instrument and someone can hear me, I am performing. So how can I keep all this in mind every time I perform? There’s only one answer….work on it. So hopefully my work will pay off. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Once again, thanks for stopping by. I’ll be posting information about my senior recital soon so come back often for updates!

infinite playlist; day 244

mccradyp — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:01:10 +0000

Kenny Garrett Quartet-Song for Difang

Cuts out in the middle of the piano solo, but is probably one of the more accessible solos I’ve heard from him.

Album of the Day 11/30/10

theamyb — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:32:46 +0000

Every day our 1000 best albums of all time countdown continues all the way to #1. Tuesday’s album is #791:

Kenny Garrett – Songbook

Who would have thought when he made his debut as an elevator jazz guy back in the 80s that someday he’d be capable of this kind of brilliance? As both a composer and player, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett was one of the 90s’ and zeros’ most potent forces and remains just as vital today. This one from 1997 really solidified his reputation, a retro, Coltrane-inspired triumph. With relentless energy and intelligence, Garrett locks in with Kenny Kirkland on piano, Nat Reeves on bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums, through a diverse collection of cerebral workups and lyrical ballads. The opening track 2 Down & 1 Across opens it lyrically, picking up the pace with the catchy, insistent Wooden Steps and then the magnificently Middle Eastern-inflected, modal epic Sing a Song of Song, the most Coltrane-ish number here and one which became a real crowd-pleaser live. There’s also the funky Freddie Hubbard tribute Brother Hubbard; the boleroish ballad Ms. Baja; the magisterial Nat Adderley homage The House That Nat Built; the darkly syncopated blues She Waits for the New Sun; the pensive, expansive Before It’s Time to Say Goodbye and the warily exuberant Sounds of the Flying Pygmies. Pretty much everything Garrett else has done since 1990 is also worth hearing. Here’s a random torrent.

Live Jazz: The 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival (Day 2)

irom — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:11:13 +0000

By Michael Katz

Saturday afternoon will long be remembered for Trombone Shorty’s march on Monterey. To say he stole the show doesn’t do him justice. It’s like calling Gen. Sherman a cat burgler. But I’ll try and set the stage, as the afternoon started innocently enough…

JOHN FIRMIN & THE NOCTURNE BAND

John Firmin

I always try to begin Saturday at the Garden Stage. It’s the heart and soul of the festival, small enough for the artists to connect with the audience, a combination picnic ground, performance space and all around hoot. John Firmin had advertised his show as “A Tribute to Hank Crawford, David ‘Fathead’ Newman and Leroy ‘Hog’ Cooper” so I’m not sure how they decided upon Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” to open the show. It’s the kind of thing that can get aging boomers to start counting dead brain cells. Fortunately, they moved on to Hank Crawford’s ouevre, with a rousing “Hollywood Blues,” featuring Scott Peterson on tenor, Firmin on alto and some fine trumpet work by Pete Sembler.

The program took on a knockout blues tone when Miz Dee strutted out, a generously built woman who got the crowd going by belting out “Hound Dog Blues,” the original Big Mama Thornton version penned by Lieber and Stoller. Equally impressive was her take on Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind (than see you walk away from me).” The band seemed to have found its groove, maintaining it after Miz Dee left with Fathead Newman’s “Hard Times” featuring Firmin on alto, Peterson on tenor and Wayne De La Cruz on organ, and Jack McDuff’s “Soulful Drums” with De La Cruz and Kent Bryson on drums. Jeff Massanari did stellar guitar work on “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” along with Marlo Green on baritone sax, and Massanari took center stage for ‘Little Sam.” At that point I took early leave to catch Trombone Shorty at the Arena…and that’s when things really started smokin…

TROMBONE SHORTY

Trombone Shorty

It’s hard to pinpoint what causes a crowd to ignite in pure joy and enthusiasm, but you sure know it when you see it. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is a lithe 24 year-old from New Orleans, who plays equally well on trumpet and trombone. He’s got the basic Bayou jazz n’ blues chops, has toured with Lenny Kravitz, and calls his style “Supafunkrock.” His band is youthful – at first I thought Guitarist Pete Murano was a fill-in from the MJF Next Generation Band, but he played like a demon, tearing the place up on “Let’s Get It Started.” The show reached its peak with a couple of old crowd pleasers, the Isley Brothers’ “Shout” and James Brown’s “I Got The Feeling,” which started out featuring tenor player Tim McFatter, whose solo had the crowd rocking, at least until bassist Mike Ballard took over with what can best be described as a backward crab walk, bass riffing all the while, until he was finally surrounded by his bandmates at center stage like a beached sea turtle, never missing a note.

Trombone Shorty was leading all this on, cajoling the crowd, whaling away on the trombone, the volume amping up everywhere until you could feel the rim of your hat start to vibrate. He had one more card to play as the band lit into “When The Saints Go Marching In,” doing a spot-on Satchmo impersonation, catching the rasp and growl in his vocals and then belting out a trumpet style rich in Armstrong’s New Orleans verve. The crowd was stamping and shouting and dancing. They might easily have followed him out in one giant conga line to the Garden Stage, only there was a whole ‘nother crowd awaiting him there, as word began to leak out of the arena that something special was afoot.

DELBERT McCLINTON BAND

Delbert McClinton

No one should ever have to follow Trombone Shorty. It is possible that after word of Saturday’s performance gets out, no one ever will. In his seventy years – and trust me, this guy does not look his age – Del McClinton must have seen just about everything. But there was nothing he could do, stepping into the giant crater left in Shorty’s wake. His voice is comparatively soft, kind of a bluesier Randy Newman, and his lyrics are on the ironic side, requiring a different type of attentiveness than the crowd had to offer. It took about half the set before the audience really knew he was there. It might have helped if McClinton had turned to the harmonica a little sooner, and more often. Kevin McKendree on keyboards did all he could to help, with some fine boogie blues. Eventually the smoke cleared and McClinton settled in comfortably. His “People Just Love To Talk” was one of the highlights of the day. “If you don’t know somethin’, don’t say nothin’” is advice more people should take. He finished off with “Shotgun Rider” and if it wasn’t quite up to the ovation for the act that preceded him, it was still recognition of a fine performance.

GRACE NOTES: The Berklee Global Jazz Institute Septet and Judy Roberts

Judy Roberts

With the trombone of Troy Andrews echoing from the Garden Stage, I took refuge in the Coffee House to catch a little of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute Septet. The place was packed, and not just with family and friends. The band’s most visible member, alto sax player Hailey Niswanger, is only 20, already has an album out and has played with DeeDee Bridgewater and James Moody. I managed to catch one of her own compositions, which featured some impressive improvisational flights, much to the adoration of the crowd.

Back in the picnic area, I dropped in on Judy Roberts, singing and playing on the Yamaha Avantgrand with Greg Fishman on sax. They were scheduled for seven half-hour sets over the course of the festival, and those of us who have followed Judy from Chicago (and now Phoenix) know what a treat that is. I caught the end of their set, a bright version of “Billie’s Bounce,” and vowed to return for a larger helping Sunday. While acknowledging the momentous impact Trombone Shorty has had on the festival, I’m ready to get back to the jazz side of the spectrum…though not without a timeout for some barbecued ribs and a peach cobbler with ice cream.

GRETCHEN PARLATO

Gretchen Parlato

There are several good reasons to catch up with young vocalist Gretchen Parlato at the Night Club. Not only is she a native Angelino whose star has been rising on the East Coast, her band features former festival prodigy Taylor Eigsti on piano and Kendrick Scott on drums. Parlato has a softer-than-air voice; the easy comparison is with Astrid Gilberto, especially since Brazilian tunes have been featured on her first two albums. Her vocals seem to waft in and out of the quartet’s overall texture; the title of her last CD, In A Dream, is indicative of this style. Her first couple of songs, “Winter Wind” and Herbie Hancock’s “Butterfly,” have a layered feeling, a stream of consciousness that is inviting without being New Age-y. Taylor Eigsti has plenty of room for piano improvisations, and there’s also excellent bass work from Alan Hampton.

Parlato’s only Brazilian tune of the set is Djavan’s “Flor de Lis” and it demonstrates her fluency and comfort with Brazilian music. Her reading seems crisper than in her English lyrics, where I often struggle to pick up the words. Monk’s “Ugly Beauty” is a contemplative piece which takes full advantage of Eigsti’s sensitivity. He moves over to Fender Rhodes for the cool, samba-like “On The Other Side,” which features some nice stick work by Kendrick Scott, whose solid backing permeates the set. The performance as a whole has a mystical air to it, certainly not inappropriate to the Monterey setting. But it would be nice to see at least one tune with some lyrics that connect with the listener in a more visceral way. Dreams only last so long.

KYLE EASTWOOD

Kyle Eastwood

One look at Kyle Eastwood’s hands and you can understand why he gravitated away from filmmaking and toward music. His long, spidery fingers seem genetically engineered for the bass, and he has three instruments with him tonight, including a small but sturdy stand-up that will find plenty of use. Eastwood has turned to film scoring as a career, and his compositions form the basis of the middle set at the Night Club. His quintet features most prominently Jim Rotundi on trumpet, a superb player we don’t see often here on the West Coast, and Jason Rigby on saxophones. The opening number finds Eastwood on his black electric bass with a supple solo to start things off, followed by Rotundi on flugelhorn and Adam Rigby on soprano sax. Rick Germanson on piano offers some deft trading of riffs with Eastwood; their interplay is effective throughout the set.

Rotundi is a joy to behold. He moves from the warm tones of the flugelhorn to the more strident trumpet for “Cosmo.” He is a strong and clear player, who often accompanies Eric Alexander in New York and was paired effectively here with Rigby. Eastwood has a sensitive touch with his compositions – you can see how he works well in the film world. “Song For You” features more work with Germanson, who moves over to the Fender Rhodes, while Eastwood plucks on his third bass, the shiny green electric one (that’s about as deep an analysis of the electric bass as you’ll get here).

The set picked up pace as it went along. Rotundi returned to flugelhorn and Eastwood to stand-up for a new composition, but the highlight was a rollicking version of “Big Noise From Winnetka” to conclude the set. Adam Rigby contributed a blazing tenor solo, Rotundi picked up from there, with drummer Joe Strasser and Eastwood wrapping it up. It was an impressive set, and it’ll be interesting to see how Eastwood divides his time between performing and film scoring. With a quintet like this, it would be good to hear more of him.

CHICK COREA FREEDOM BAND

I went back to the arena for the final set of the night, the Chick Corea Freedom Band featuring Kenny Garrett on alto, Christian McBride on bass and the ageless Roy Haynes on drums. They played an hour of mostly free improvisation, loosely structured thematically with only one recognizable tune. Like Roy Hargrove the night before, Corea spoke hardly at all, though in this case no one had trouble recognizing the soloists.

Chick Corea

Corea sounded great, with brisk, light runs over the keyboard to begin proceedings. Kenny Garrett is a wondrous player of this type of music, his solos soared like the seagulls that circle the arena during the day. McBride and Haynes were steady influences, taking their turns at improvised riffs. Still, there is a little regret that Corea, who has contributed so many fine compositions, didn’t turn to any of them during the evening. He has devoted albums to Bud Powell and Thelonius Monk, but the only nod toward either one was the penultimate “Monk’s Dream.” It was especially effective in comparison to the rest of the set because it gave the listener something to latch on to and made the extended solos seem more daring as they danced around a recognizable line.

The final number featured Christian McBride with a terrific solo on arco bass and Roy Haynes with a multifaceted percussion solo. At 85 years old he shows not the slightest sign of slowing down, his facile control of the entire drum set matched only by his charm. You couldn’t deny the virtuosity of this quartet as the curtain came down. It’s invigorating while you listen to it, but like the proverbial Chinese dinner, when it is all over you are still hungry.

To read Michael Katz’s Day 1 review of the 53^rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival click HERE.

To read Michael Katz’s Day 3 review of the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival click HERE.

To see more of Michael Katz’s iRoM reviews click HERE.

Photo of Kyle Eastwood by Mandy Resendes. Photos of Trombone Shorty and Chick Corea by Tony Gieske. Other photos courtesy of the Monterey Jazz Festival.

NIGEL CAMPBELL: JESSE RYAN is going to put Trinidad on the map

M. Minchie Israel — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:57:35 +0000

Trinidad and Tobago La Casa de Ibiza was full as Jesse Ryan (sax), David Richards (drums), Kevon La

NIGEL CAMPBELL: JESSE RYAN is going to put Trinidad on the map

M. Minchie Israel — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:57:35 +0000

Trinidad and Tobago La Casa de Ibiza was full as Jesse Ryan (sax), David Richards (drums), Kevon La

Barney McAll Unit

someotherjazz — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:55:43 +0000

He has recorded or performed internationally with many other musicians including Dewey Redman, Roy Ayers, Kenny Garrett, Maceo Parker, Jimmy Cobb, Eddie Henderson and Vernel Fornier.

He was awarded the prestigious fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts in 2007.



Barney McAll Unit
verylongo — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:55:43 +0000
He has recorded or performed internationally with many other musicians including Dewey Redman, Roy Ayers, Kenny Garrett, Maceo Parker, Jimmy Cobb, Eddie Henderson and Vernel Fornier.
He was awarded the prestigious fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts in 2007.




Flux Music [Jazz] Essentials ... [Garrett, Return to Forever, Sanchez, Clayton & Jones] 
Rob Young — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:26:07 +0000
Flux Music Essentials Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, it’s a pleasure to be with as we delve deep


Kenny Garrett in Confederation Park (concert review)
Peter Hum — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:25:00 +0000
Here’s my review of Kenny Garrett’s concert Sunday night, with a nice pic by the Citizen‘s Ashley Fraser:
By Peter Hum
The alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett has impeccable jazz credentials. Renowned for his forceful, urgent playing and keen harmonic sense, Garrett, 49, can pretty much match or best any other jazz horn player when it comes to power, soulfulness and ingenuity.
However, urban music and R&B have always been part of his musical mix, and his TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival set on Sunday night stressed slamming grooves and brash, primal energy above jazz invention and swinging.
When Garrett was last in Ottawa in 2004, his acoustic group was so loud and fierce it practically tore the roof of the Library and Archives Canada auditorium. He came to Confederation Park, however, with an electric rhythm section to be flat-out funky and largely leave jazz ingenuity on the shelf.
“Are you ready to get this party started?” Garrett asked over drummer Nathan Webb’s I-mean-business backbeat. Through the set, Garrett frequently exhorted the crowd to applaud and even, on the last tune, sing along. There’s a fine line between eliciting audience participation and treating thousands of listeners like trained seals, and Garrett explored where that line lay.
Garrett and his group opened with an extended jam on tune Wayne’s Thang, a simple tune built for sing-song riffing and good feeling fit for a party. Garrett and his group mightily prolonged that short-form song — overly so — with the saxophonist processing his horn through electronic gear.
However, the rest of the set held enough variety and substance to elevate the music beyond just a spirited funk jam.
One song crescendoed so that Garrett reached full catharsis mode, screeching passionately through his horn over sustained synthesizer chords and a tumult of drums. An urban Coltrane for 2010? Maybe.
Garrett also allowed lots of room for his sidemen to stretch out, so that keyboardist Johnny Mercier won over the crowd with a cadenza consisting of Lennon and McCartney’s Yesterday. Bassist Kona Khasu and drummer Webb gave their all during their solos.
During the last song, Happy People, everyone in the park was up and clapping and singing along. Of course, Garrett had asked them to do so. But he probably didn’t have to twist too many arms.



Live Jazz: The Playboy Jazz Festival, Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl
irom — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:35:33 +0000

By Don Heckman
The 32^nd Playboy Jazz Festival wrapped a long weekend of music yesterday with yet another program perfectly illustrating the qualities that make it one of the world’s most engaging celebrations: tradition, youth, stylistic range and global diversity.  Bill Cosby, the Festival’s irrepressible master of ceremonies and the leader of his own Cos of Good Music, got it exactly right in a conversation we had the week before the Festival.
“It’s in the name,” he explained.  “It says ‘Playboy Jazz Festival’ with this realization that jazz has this tremendous umbrella that keeps broadening, it keeps getting wider.  And to me, that says everything.”
To properly view the breadth of that umbrella, iRoM dispatched several of its prime reviewers – Tony Gieske, Devon Wendell and Mike Katz – to cover the Festival’s two long, entertaining days. We’ll be adding their comments over the next day or so.  From an overall perspective there was a lot to write about.
Saturday’s program, for example, began with a superlative set by the gifted young players of the El Dorado High School jazz band.  Youth was well served, as was tradition, via the convincing grasp of the memorable aspects of big band jazz.
Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukuro added a different slant on youth,  Alone on the vast Bowl stage with his ukulele, engagingly interacting with the enthusiastic crowd, he produced an extraordinary collection of music.  Beatles songs, jazz riffs, percussive stomps, rock guitar wails were all extracted, mysteriously, from his seemingly unlikely instrument.
Tradition was there aplenty, as well.  The Marcus Miller Band combined with a powerful dose of youth via the presence of alto saxophonist Alex Han and trumpeter Christian Scott – two players on the way to superlative careers.  Singer Kurt Elling and the gripping tenor saxophone work of Ernie Watts recalled the memorable ‘60s Great American songbook encounter by Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane.
Les McCann
Spreading Cosby’s “umbrella,” Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue took off on a fast-fingered, improvisational excursion combining wild virtuosity with blues roots.  And Javon Jackson and Les McCann added a further view of the blues (and beyond) in an ever-swinging, cross-generational encounter.
But the most unusual group demanding (and getting) a place beneath that umbrella was the extraordinary vocal ensemble, Naturally 7.  Using nothing more than their voices and their free-flying imaginations, the group’s seven members created an astonishing collage of instrumental-like textures combined with surging, propulsive, human body beat-box percussion.
The Clayton-Hamilton Big Band, sparked by co-leader and bassist John Clayton’s dynamic presence, offered a stunning display of big band jazz as a timeless musical entity.
Roy Haynes
And Chick Corea’s Freedom Band – including the stellar line-up of alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Roy Haynes – roved from the occasional far-out forays of Garrett and Corea to some surprisingly traditional passages with every note driven by the imaginatively rhythmic work of the octagenarian Haynes.
Pete Escovedo
The Festival couldn’t have made a better choice for the let’s-get-the-crowd-on-their-feet segment of the evening than Pete Escovedo, delivering highly spiced Latin sounds along with his talented offspring, Sheila E., Peter Michael Escovedo and Juan Escovedo.  The tradition of jazz-as-dance (and vice versa) was in full blossom as the Bowl’s aisles overflowed with happy rhythmic celebrants.
Wrapping the Festival’s first day, Sax For Stax added yet another aspect of the music’s stylistic range — jazz as pop instrumental music.  With the saxophones of Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum in the hard-driving showcase spotlight, it remained for the solid playing of keyboardist Jeff Lorber to keep the music directly linked to its straight ahead roots.
Photos of Jake Shimabukuro and Pete Escovedo courtesy of Playboy Jazz Festival.  All other photos by Tony Gieske.



Fans delay Maxwell's next album
thedailyrecord — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:27:17 +0000
(Above: The video for “Pretty Wings,” one of the biggest songs to come off Maxwell’s latest album.)
By Joel Francis

The Kansas City Star
When Maxwell released his first album in eight years last summer, he planned on making up for lost time by hitting his audience with three albums over a short period of time. The fans, however, had another plan. “BLACKsummer’snight” debuted at No. 1, spawned two singles that stayed on the charts for 46 and 47 weeks, respectively.
The assuring everyone “I’m back for good,” the follow up album is ready. Now Maxwell’s waiting for the excitement to die down.
“This (new album) will be the second in a trilogy,” Maxwell said. “They were going to come out in succession, but then the first one created this response. We’re waiting for the people to tell us when they’re ready.”
The soul man mapped his return cautiously, playing the Uptown on the first leg of his tour in the fall of 2008. By the time his show reached St. Louis a year later he was playing arenas and had two sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden under his belt.
“Honestly, I like the intimate settings better,” said Maxwell, who celebrated his 37^th birthday on May 23. “People can hear us better and see us better. But because of the success of the record, I’d be in every town for two weeks if I did that.”
When Maxwell plays Starlight on Sunday, he will bring Jill Scott, one of the singers who blossomed during his time away.
“She is absolutely amazing,” Maxwell said of Scott. “Apart from the music, she not only has the most beautiful smile but the biggest spirit. She typifies soul right now.”
Maxwell said his set is “very different” from previous tour legs. The stage has been redesigned by Roy Bennett, who came to Maxwell’s attention through his work with Nine Inch Nails and Rammstein.
“His ability to design is stellar. We’ve got great video and lights,” Maxwell said. “More importantly is my band. These musicians could stand out in front of a cloth.”
The ten-piece outfit includes several artists who have made names for themselves in the jazz world, like pianist Robert Glasper and bass player Derrick Hodge. The pieces of the ensemble started falling into place when a friend introduced Maxwell to Chris Dave. Dave’s impressive resume includes collaborations with Mint Condition, Meshell Ndgeocello, Pat Metheny, Kenny Garrett.
“Chris is just an incredible drummer. He knew the person who introduced me to the horn section, and the band kind of evolved from there,” Maxwell said. “I won’t say it was happenstance, because I do believe in destiny, but it came together very organically.”
The musical landscape Maxwell re-entered is markedly different. Labels are failing and artists are selling fewer albums and, as a result, generating less money for both themselves and their label.
“It hasn’t been a problem for me, which is incredible,” Maxwell said. “We just added the fourth leg of the tour and I’m getting better album sales than I’ve ever had. I’ve been pretty – and I hate using this word, but – lucky. Blessed.”
For Maxwell the comeback is over. He’s returned and conquered, and now he’s ready to move on. Worn down by being asked why he voluntarily dropped out of sight so many times, Maxwell has a simple, smirking answer: “I like Seinfeld.”
Keep reading:
Review:  Maxwell and Jill Scott
Review: Jill Scott at Starlight
Stevie Wonder celebrates Michael Jackson  at Starlight
Review:  Raphael Saadiq



CD Review: Sarah Manning - Dandelion Clock
delarue — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:40:20 +0000
Count this as the best jazz album of this young decade – give it another ten years and it could be one of the best jazz albums of an old decade. Not only is Sarah Manning a fearless and intense player, she’s a fearless and intense composer, shades of another first-class alto saxophonist, Kenny Garrett. Restless, irrepressible, unafraid and unfailingly terse, much of what she does here is transcendent. Like Garrett, she likes a stinging chromatic edge, often taking on a potently modal, Middle Eastern tinge. Like JD Allen, she doesn’t waste notes: she doesn’t waste time making her point and the result reverberates, sometimes because she likes to hit the hook again and again, sometimes because her punches delivers so much wallop. There are plenty of other influences on her new cd Dandelion Clock (Coltrane, obviously), but her voice is uniquely hers. An obviously inspired supporting cast of Art Hirahara on piano, Linda Oh on bass and Kyle Struve on drums do more than just support, they seize the moment as you do when you get the chance to play songs like this. The tracks are originals bookended by a couple of covers (isn’t that what cover are for, anyway?).
The most Coltrane-esque composition, both melodically and architecturally, here is the dark, bracing ballad Marble, Manning’s circular hook giving way to Hirahara’s thoughtfully slinking piano that builds to an insistent staccato crescendo. Oh’s solo follows with similarly relentless insistence as piano and drums prowl around behind her. The title track contemplates the concept of time as children see it – it’s not finite. The song is pensive and uneasy, as if to say that Manning knows something the kids don’t and this is her rather oblique way of telling them. Bernard Herrmann-esque piano builds expansively to a tense rhythm that ticks like a bomb, Manning emerging off-center, circling her way down to a simple but brutally effective crescendo and an ominous diminuendo from there. Crossing, Waiting is an even more potently intense exercise in how to build tension, beginning with Oh’s marvelously laconic, pointed solo, Manning eventually adding raw little phraselets over Struve’s equally incisive rattle. The high point of the album is The Owls Are on the March, something of an epic. Hirahara’s haunted-attic righthand is the icing on Manning’s plaintively circling phrases. The way she builds and finally sails her way out of an expansive Hirahara solo, turns on a dime and finally brings up the lights, then winds them down mournfully again is one of the most exquisite moments on any jazz album in the last few years.
There’s also the aptly titled Phoenix Song, Manning’s easygoing congeniality a bright contrast with the brooding band arrangement until she goes otherworldly with them at the end; the equally otherworldly tone poem Through the Keyhole and the after-dark scenario Habersham St. The two covers are strikingly original, a defiantly unsettling post-bop interpretation of Jimmy Rowles’ The Peacocks, and Michel Legrand’s The Windmills of Your Mind, taken with a murky tango feel to the back streets of Paris – prime Piaf territory – and then out to Toulouse. Manning is somebody to get to know now – the album’s just out on Posi-Tone.



Flux Music Essentials - [Garrett, Yellowjackets, Wright & Harris ... 5/10/2010] 
Rob Young — Mon, 10 May 2010 09:47:49 +0000
Flux Music Essentials Greeting’s fellow jazz enthusiasts, as usual thanks so much for dropping


Picks of the Week: May 3 – 9
irom — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:32:56 +0000
By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
 
Jeanie Brandes
- May 4. (Tues.)  Jeanie Brandes.  Songs from Brandes’ new CD, Kisses You Awake will be on the agenda for Brandes’ crystalline voice and elegant phrasing.  She’s backed by Bryan Bromberg, Shelly Markham and Tom Zinkas.  Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.
- May 4. (Tues.)  Jonny Blu.  He’s a unique musical canaries, an  American singer who has been a star in China, singing in Mandarin.  And  he’s just as good with the classic American songbook.  Vibrato (310) 474-9400.
- May 5. (Wed.)  Cinco de Mayo Celebration.  Louis Cruz Beltran. The dynamic drummer/singer celebrates the holiday in an irresistible evening of rhythm and song. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
- May 5. (Wed.)  Susie Hansen Latin Jazz Band.  The body-moving rhythms of Hansen’s dynamic ensemble are applied to tunes from her soon-to-be-released new CD, the appropriately titled Representante de la Salsa.  Atomic Ball Room, Irvine.   (914) 250-3332.
- Jan. 6. (Thurs.) Julie Kelly.  Kelly’s dulcet tones and brisk rhythms are supported by the stellar backing of Bill Cunliffe, Chris Collangelo and Kendall Kay. Charlie O’s.    (919) 994-3058.
Gustavo Dudamel
- May 6 – 8.  (Thurs. – Sun.)  Los Angeles Philharmonic.  An evening of dramatic music directed by the equally dramatic hands of Gustavo Dudamel: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #6 (Pathetique) and the Dvorák Cello Concerto, with soloist Alisa Weilerstein.  Disney Hall.
- May 7. (Fri.)  Charlie Shoemake and “Sounds of Shearing” Vibist Shoemake brings the classic Shearing sound back to life, recalling some of the classics, applying it to new repertoire.  Culver Club Radisson Hotel. Culver Club Raddison.
- May 7. (Fri.)  Rique Pantoja & Friends.  Brazilian pianist Pantoja leads a band that can easily cover all aspects of the jazz meets Brazilian rhythms style.  Bob Sheppard, Abraham Laboriel, Luis Conte and Russ Miller.  Vitello’s.  (818) 769-0905.
- May 7. (Fri.)  Shelly Berg Trio.  Jazz pianist and jazz educator Berg takes a hiatus from his academic duties in Miami for a one-nighter in Fullerton.  He’s backed by Chuck Berghofer and Greg Field.  Steamers.   (714) 871-8800.
Katayoun Goudarzi
- May 7.  (Fri.) Saffron.  A Celebration of Rumi. A rich blending of atmospheric music with readings from the sensual poetry of Rumi.  The engaging voice of reader Katayoun Goudarzi is accompanied by the playing of Sujaat Husain Khan, Tim Ries, Kevin Hayes, Satoshi Takeishi and Abhimann Kaushal.   The Skirball Center.   (310) 440-4500.
- May 8.  (Sat.) Patti LaBelle.  Ashford & Simpson.  A Mother’s Day Concert celebrates the maternal blessings with a classic collection of soul and r & b sounds. Gibson Amphitheatre.   (818) 622-4440.
- May 9. (Sun.) Raymond de Felitta Trio.  Pianist de Felitta is a legitimate show business mult-hyphenate.  In addition to this convincing keyboard work, he is an Academy Award-nominated independent filmmaker and writer.  His most recent film, City Island, received First Place Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.  Vibrato.  (310) 474-9400.
- May 9. (Sun.)  Judy Wexler. KJAZZ Mother’s Day Brunch. The singing’s great, the food is great, and the atmosphere is great.  Mother should be very happy to be here. KJAZ’s Helen Borgas hosts. Twist Restaurant at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.   (562) 985-2999.
 San Diego
- May 7. (Fri.)  Eldar. The young prodigy jazz pianist from Kyrgyzstan, now 23, has matured into a top level improvisational artist.  Anthology, San Diego.   (619) 595-0300.
Farah and Strunz
- May 8. (Sat.)  Strunz & Farah. The veteran two-guitar team (from Iran and Costa Rica) are producing some of the finest music of their long career together.  Click here to read an iRoM review of a recent L.A. appearance. Anthology, San Diego.   (619) 595-0300.
San Francisco
- May 6 & 7. (Thurs. & Fri.)  Christian McBride and Inside Straight.  Everybody’s favorite bassist, adept at almost any given style, leads his own, appropriately titled straight ahead quintet.  Yoshi’s Oakland.  (510) 238-9200.
- May 7 – 9. (Fri. – Sun.)  Rachelle Ferrell.  A voice with no apparent limits ranges easily across styles, from blues and gospel to some convincing jazz singing.  Yoshi’s San Francisco.   (415) 655-5600.
New York
Chick Corea
May 4 – 9. (Tues. – Sun.)  Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian.  “Further Explorations of Bill Evans” Corea must be serious about the quest to dig into the rich lode of Bill Evans music.  He’s performing with a pair of players – bassist Gomez and drummer Motian – who spent a lot of time on the bandstand with Evans.   The Blue Note.  (212) 475-8592.
- May 5 – 8. (Wed. – Sat.)  Umbria Jazz. Unfortunately trumpeter Enrico Rava, the headliner for this presentation of high level Italian jazz, had an accident and can’t make the gig.  He’s been replaced by close associate Dan Kinzelman (sax and clarinet), along with Gianluca Petrella (trombone) Giovanni Guidi (piano), Pietro Leveratto (bass) Fabrizio Sferra (drums), and the quality level is still something special to hear.  Birdland.  (212) 581-3080.
 
Kenny Garrett
- May 5 – 8. (Wed. – Sat.) Kenny Garrett Band. Alto saxophonist Garrett takes time off from the Five Piece Band to apply his free orbiting style to a collection of his own music.  Iridium.  (212) 582-2121.
 
- May 5 – 9. (Wed. – Sun.) The Julliard Jazz Orchestra examines some classic jazz repertoire in a program devoted to  “The Music of Mary Lou Williams and Duke Ellington”  with special guests Kenny Barron (Wed. & Thurs.) and Lew Tabackin (Fri. – Sun.)  Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.   (212) 258-9800.
 
- May 6 – 9. (Thurs. – Sun.) Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan. Pianist Miller and his small band, Wingspan, have produced some of the jazz world’s most appealing sounds over the past three decades.  The current group features Antonio Hart, Steve Nelson, Duane Eubanks, Ivan Taylor and Rodney Green. Jazz Standard.  (212) 576-2232.



Kenny Garrett: Standard of Language (2003 - Warner Bros)
crossrhythm — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:41:00 +0000

On Standard of Language, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett explores every popular trend in jazz, covering the last fifty years of the genre’s history. From free jazz to soft and all the bop in between, Garrett’s fourth Warner Bros. release shows why he is loved by jazz-heads everywhere, from the Philharmonic to Philly’s south-side.
“What Is This Thing Called Love” is the only cover on Standard of Language, a surprising feat in the standard-obsessed jazz age of Wynton Marsalis and his followers. What is not surprising, though, is the way Garrett burns his way through this timeless Cole Porter standard.
Drummer Chris Dave’s hip hop roots definitely show through on tracks like “Kurita Sensei” and “Chief Blackwater.” Both tunes would otherwise be boring Rollins-esque hard bop if not for Dave’s funk-laden timekeeping. “XYZ” highlights Garrett’s willingness to explore elements from the free school of jazz in his soloing. Midway through his solo, Garret begins to scream note after note, bringing the tune to its emotional climax before bassist Charnett Moffett dives into a brilliantly bowed solo.
Much of the album continues in this sort of fashion. Standard of Language is mostly predictable: Blue Note-era hard bop that is sadly too reminiscent of Art Blakey, Lou Donaldson, and the aforementioned sax colossus Rollins to be worthy of any significant praise.
“Native Tongue” is Garrett’s biggest mistake on Standard of Language. Out of nowhere this hard-bopping blitzkrieg turns into soft-jazz radio fluff. Now, Rollins, Coltrane and other great jazz saxophones were all guilty of including a pop tune or two on their albums back in the day, but that was before “soft-jazz” was a label with the power to ruin one’s credibility, not to mention career. Well Kenny Garrett’s career isn’t dead yet, but his continual flirtation with the elevator-friendly side of jazz will ultimately force real jazz fans everywhere to question his stature as today’s top sax in jazz.
Then again, this stuff isn’t that different than what Garrett was doing in Miles Davis’ post-retirement bands, and jazz critics loved that crap.
So Garrett has one pop-jazz Kenny G slip up—that’s not the end of the world, is it? Standard of Language is still some of Kenny Garrett’s best work to date. His soloing is as forceful and emotional as ever, and his tunes remain rooted in bop tradition while stretching enough to incorporate today’s funkier, more urban sounds.
James Taylor  (All About Jazz)
Track List:
1. What Is This Thing Called Love?
2. Kurita Sensei
3. XYZ
4. Native Tongue
5. Chief Blackwater
6. Doc Tone’s Short Speech
7. Just a Second to Catch My Breath
8. Gendai
9. Standard of Language I II III 

Personnel:
Kenny Garrett (soprano & alto saxophone)
Vernell Brown (piano)
Charnett Moffett (bass)
Chris Dave, Eric Harland (drums)
Recorded at Avatar, New York, New York.
Original Release Date: 2003  -  Warner Bros 2003 release
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Picks of the Week: Mar. 15 – 21
irom — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:09:28 +0000
By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
Keith Jarrett
- Mar. 15. (Mon.) Keith Jarrett Solo.  Jarrett’s solo performances — revelatory journeys through his ever imaginative musical mind — don’t take place very often.  So don’t miss this rare opportunity.  Disney Hall. (323) 850-2000
- Mar. 16. (Tues.)  John Pisano’s Guitar Night.  Every Guitar Night is a winner, and this one’s a highlight, featuring 7-string master Ron Eschete with the solid backing of bassist Chris Conner.  Vitello’s.  (818) 769-0905.
- Mar. 17.  (Wed.)  The Anonymous 4.  “A Medieval Ladymass.” The Grammy-winning quartet perform the richly atmospheric polyphony and chant of the 13th and 14th centuries.Disney Hall.
- Mar. 18. (Thurs.)  Stephen Stills.  Going strong at sixty-five, Stills has a deep catalog of music — from Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash to his own solo outings — from which to choose.  As well, no doubt, as his still vibrant new songs.  The Music Box at the Fonda.  (323) 464-0808.
- Mar. 18. (Thurs.) Ashley Maher.  Singer/songwriter/dancer Maher celebrates the release of her new album, Amina, with a concert and party.  Her songs and her singing find creative ground between jazz, African music and pop via simmering rhythms, arching melodies and lyrics reminiscent of the intimacy of Joni Mitchell.  She’s backed by pianist Otmaro Ruiz, drummer Walter Rodriguez, saxophonist Katisse Buckingham, guitarist Marcelo Caseras, bassist Dante Pascuzzo and percussionist Magatte Sow.  The Talking Stick in Venice.   (310) 450-6052.
- Mar. 18. (Thurs.)  Julie Newsome.  Vocalist Newsome brings jazz to the far west suburbs, backed by Karen Hammack, keyboard, Chris Colangelo, bass, Jack Le Compte, drums.   Famous Sports Bar,  Thousand Oaks.  (805) 497-4669.
- Mar. 18 – 21.  (Thurs. – Sun.)  Rachelle Ferrell.  With octaves of range and a voice as pliable as warm taffy, Ferrell’s vocal excursions across the boundaries of pop and rock are fascinating to hear.   Catalina Bar & Grills.  (323) 466-2210.
Chris Bennett
- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Chris Bennett‘s versatile, genre-leaping style conjurs up musical magic with her “Girl Talk” Band.  Featuring Sarah Underwood, saxophone, Sacha DuPont, piano, Jennifer York, bass and Suzanne Morissette, drums.  Jazz at the Radisson.  (310) 649-1776.
- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Bern.  Drummer Bernie Dresel’s played with just about everyone.  But he seems to have most fun when he’s propulsively driving his own eclectic, three-singers, four-horns band, Bern.

Spazio.  (818) 728-8400.
- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Don Rader with the John Heard Trio.  Veteran trumpeter Rader’s resume embraces gigs with Woody Herman, Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Ella Fitzgerald and dozens of others.  Here, he’s out in front, doing it his own way.  Charlie O’s.  (818) 994-3058.
- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Donovan. The folk/rock/pop troubadour performs with his daughter, Astrella Celeste in a benefit concert for the David Lynch Foundation.  Also on the program: Jack Maness (Sublime), Z (The Like), The Global Sound Lodge, Amrita Sen, Danny Saber and others.  Mathew St. Patrick (of Six Feet Under) hosts.   El Rey.   (323) 936-5657
- Mar. 20. (Sat.) Jeff Elliot All-Stars.  Trumpeter Elliot has assembled a group fully deserving the “All-Star” label, featuring pianist Les McCann and percussionist Airto Moreira.  Spazio.  (818) 728-8400.
- Mar. 20. (Sat.)  Gilberto Gil.  “The String Concert.” The great Brazilian singer/songwriter/guitarist appears with a sterling ensemble featuring his son, guitarist Bem Gil and the gifted cellist Jaques Morelenbaum.  Brazilian Nites at Royce Hall.  Tickets from Ticketmaster.
Al Jarreau
- Mar. 21. (Sun.) Al Jarreau and Dee Dee Bridgewater.   A pairing to remember: two singers who blend irresistibly entertaining vocal styles with authentic jazz chops.   Disney Hall.  (323) 850-2000.
- Mar. 21. (Sun.) Willie Jones III.  With Donald Vega, Gilbert Castellanos & Hamilton Price.  Drummer Jones steps to the front of the stage to lead an impressive ensemble of Southland talent,  performing in an amiable, Hollywood hills setting.  A-Frame Jazz.  (310) 659-9169
- Mar. 21. (Sun.) Josh Nelson & Pat Senatore.  The generation-crossing duo of pianist Nelson and bassist Senatore always has something musically fascinating to say.  Their appearances are relatively rare, so don’t miss this one.   Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.


Sacramento
Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh
- Mar. 16. (Tues.)  Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh CD Release Concert.    The Music of Maria Schneider.  Dollison and Marsh have accomplished the remarkable task of creating vocal renderings of Schneider’s mesmerizing instrumental music.  With Sacramento State Vocal Jazz. Music Recital Hall, Capistrano Hall, Sacramento State Campus.   Click here for more information (916) 278-5155.
 San Francisco
- Mar. 16 & 17. (Wed. & Thurs.)  Gil Scott-Heron and Friends.    Before there was rap and hip hop, there was Scott-Heron’s spontaneous poetry.  And few of his successors have come close to the depth and the innate musicality of his work.  Yoshi’s San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.
- Mar. 17. (Wed.)  Rrazz Room Second Anniversary and Benefit for Haiti.  A long line up of stellar performers give their all for a worthwhile cause.  Including  Lucie Arnaz, Sarah Dash, Marilou Henner, Thelma Houston, Miki Howard, Stefanie Powers. Linda Purl, Paula West, Wesla Whitfield and more.  Rrazz Room.  (415) 394-1189.
Pete Escovedo
- Mar. 18 – 20. (Thurs. – Sat.)  Pete Escovedo and his Orchestra.  The Latin jazz percussionist and bandleader has been defining the music for decades.   On this lively outing he features his sons, Juan and Peter Michael Escovedo. Rrazz Room.   (415) 394-1189
- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Altan.  The Irish supergroup’s performances provide convincing evidence of the rich, emotional timelessness of traditional Celtic music.    Zellerbach Auditorium at U.C. Berkeley.  (510) 642-9988
New York
Mar. 16 – 21. (Tues. – Sun.)  Paul Motian, Jason Moran and Greg Osby.  Decades of musical experience, much of it on the cutting edge, come together in this fascinating musical encounter.  Village Vanguard.   (212) 255-4037.
Roy Haynes
- Mar. 17 – 21. (Wed. – Sun.)  Roy Haynes 85^th Birthday Celebration.  W. Kenny Garrett & Bill Cosby (17), Roy Hargrove & Christian McBride (3/18), Chick Corea (3/19 & 3/20) TBA (3/21). A great week of music, celebrating the continuing vitality (musically and otherwise) of the man who seems to know the secret to the Fountain of Youth.   The Blue Note.   (212) 475-8592.
- Mar. 18 – 21. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Russell Malone Quartet. Malone’s eclectic skills have played a significant role in building a number of musical careers other than his own.  But he’s a major talent in his own right.   He performs here with pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Tassili Bond and drummer Johnathan Blake.     Jazz Standard.  (212) 576-2232.
- Mar. 20.  (Sat.)  Daughters of Cybele. Dancer/musician Alessandra Belloni  leads a “Celebration of  Women’s History Month and the Spring Equinox”   St. James Chapel.  Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  (212) 316-7540.
Detroit
Mar. 19 – 21. (Fri. – Sun.)  Seventh Annual Detroit Django Reinhardt Festival.  With the Hot Club of Detroit adding their musical tribute to the Reinhardt centennial year   Special guests: guitarist Howard Roberts and clarinetist/saxophonist Anat Cohen.  Hot Club of Detroit.



Kenny Garrett; Giant Steps
jezza4 — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:48:13 +0000
Alto player…check out Kenny…he’s a freak!!! So good…actually tenor players check it to…
He’s playing Coltrane’s Giant Steps here and absolutely burning on it!!