HAZAR feat.

AL DI MEOLA
REINCARNATED

“HAZAR can only

be compared to his
great inspiration
Paco de Lucia!”
— CD CRITIC KARSTEN RUBE

IMMERSIVE AUDIO
www .hazar.de
@hazar_guitarist Hazar Guitarist @Hazar.Guitarist
 SPECIAL 50 ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
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1: 50 PM
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The Best of Before
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jazztimes.com 70 Playlist
F
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50 Years On: A 19 H
 THE YEAR IN JAZZ
2020 was a banner year for Jazz in which the music gave
us solace, lifted our spirits, challenged us, and reflected
our collective humanity with artists spanning the globe and
generations, transcending boundaries of genre and gender,
and demanding social justice for all.

CHARLES LLOYD KANDACE SPRINGS NDUDUZO MAKHATHINI

8: KINDRED SPIRITS THE WOMEN WHO RAISED ME MODES OF COMMUNICATION
(LIVE FROM THE LOBERO)

TOM MISCH & YUSSEF DAYES AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE GOGO PENGUIN

WHAT KINDA MUSIC ON THE TENDER SPOT OF GOGO PENGUIN
EVERY CALLOUSED MOMENT

NORAH JONES DERRICK HODGE GERALD CLAYTON

PICK ME UP OFF THE FLOOR COLOR OF NOIZE HAPPENING:
LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
ii JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020
 ART BLAKEY IMMANUEL WILKINS BILL FRISELL
& THE JAZZ MESSENGERS OMEGA VALENTINE
JUST COOLIN’

GREGORY PORTER ARTEMIS RON MILES

ALL RISE ARTEMIS RAINBOW SIGN

VARIOUS ARTISTS JOEL ROSS THE NELS CLINE SINGERS

BLUE NOTE RE:IMAGINED WHO ARE YOU? SHARE THE WEALTH

THE FINEST IN JAZZ SINCE 1939

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 CONTENTS DECEMBER 2020 x VOLUME 50 x NUMBER 10

In every issue

Features 5 JT Notes
A half-century of thanks
6 Opening Chorus
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: The Detroit Jazz Festival carries
on, as do the Royal Bopsters; Phila-
FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ delphia’s Institute of Contemporary
20 A Brief History of JazzTimes by Lee Mergner Art hosts a Milford Graves career
22 Selections from Our Greatest Artist-to-Artist Interviews retrospective; Allegra Levy writes
the words that make John McNeil’s
28 The Top 50 Jazz Albums of the Past 50 Years songs sing; and farewells to Mark
Colby, Toni Belengeur, Stanley
Crouch, and Ira Sullivan
UKULELE IKE 14 Chronology
40 One hundred and twenty-five years ago, Cliff Edwards entered the world. Ethan Iverson on Meredith
D’Ambrosio
You may know him as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio and other
Disney productions. But in the 1920s and ’30s, he was Ukulele Ike—a 16 Before & After
major American pop star and a pioneering jazz singer. Steely Dan’s Ladies’ choice: Memorable mo-
Donald Fagen pays his respects. ments from 30 years of listening
sessions, featuring Anita O’Day,
Dorothy Donegan, Jane Bunnett,
PEGGY LEE
44 A quarter-century after Ukulele Ike, Norma Deloris Egstrom was born. As
Anat Cohen, Terri Lyne Carrington,
Dee Dee Bridgewater and more
Peggy Lee, she would go on to give us fever, then ask if that’s all there is.
54 Audio Files
But before those immortal hits, she created what many still consider her
Brent Butterworth on getting better
finest full-length work: Black Coffee. In an exclusive excerpt from her new
sound out of livestreaming
book on Lee, Tish Oney celebrates that 1953 album.

56 Reviews
Keith Jarrett, Ron Miles, Diana Krall,
Yellowjackets, and a forgotten gem
by Neil Swainson
64 Artist’s Choice
Brian Blade selects his favorite
THE BALLAD OF PRINCE AND MILES tracks from 1970, the year he and
48 In the mid-1980s, two creative titans met, one from the jazz world and
JazzTimes were born

one from the pop world. A newly expanded, multi-disc exploration of

Prince’s eclectic ’87 masterpiece Sign o’ the Times partly reveals what Cover image by Nate Silva
happened—and what could have been—between him and Miles Davis. Table of Contents image by Jeff Katz/Courtesy of
A.D. Amorosi uncovers the rest. the Prince Estate

2 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 ADVERTISEMENT

WINDS of CHANGE
Eastman’s new Rue Saint-Georges challenging projects, such as sculpt-
ing prototypes from blocks of brass.
family of next-generation saxophones “With my background, I knew I
could do anything I wanted,” he says.
ǔʊɡɁǔʊƬƞǜɁʁƬƞƬǞȭƬǜǒƬƋŘǜƬǷɁʁ˿Ɩ Schipani’s talent for out-of-the-
box thinking, along with his abid-
ing love for playing the saxophone,
When the Belgian inventor and musician Adolphe Sax designed the first collided one day in 2017 when he
saxophone in 1846, he became one of the very few people in history to joined Eastman Music Com founder
create a new musical instrument, as opposed to refine a primitive model Qian Ni and director of operations
already in use. It was an apt beginning for an instrument that would go Ralph Torres on a trip to Beijing to
on to be reinvented by American jazz musicians of the 20th century, perform a routine factory visit.
whose love for the woodwind gave their genre its unforgettable sound. “We were driving around,” says
Now, on the brink of the 175th anniversary of the saxophone’s debut Schipani, “and I mentioned to Ralph
on the world stage, Eastman has introduced a new family of saxophones that I was a saxophone player and a
poised to redefine the category yet again. technician. His ears perked up.”
Named Rue Saint-Georges, after the street in Paris where Sax main- The conversation segued to an
tained a workshop, the collection joins Eastman’s popular 52nd St. saxo- idea that Schipani has been noo-
phone family, which debuted in 2010 and, as its moniker would suggest, dling on for years: As a saxophone
is best known for the vibrant music associated with the New York City player who builds flutes for a living,
jazz scene. he’d long wondered why the mecha-
“From the very beginning, there was a desire to create two flagship nism on a saxophone didn’t feel as
models: one more oriented to classic American sound and one oriented elegant nor as fluid as those on flutes.
toward classic French sound,” says Ryan Richman, vice president of East- “Essentially, David looked at the saxophone mechanism and found a
man Music Company. “But we couldn’t achieve the French sound until weakness,” says Richman. “The back feet where you have key lifters—the
about three years ago, when we started investing in modeling and acous- connection point was very narrow and thin and would come out of ad-
tic design for alto and tenor saxophones that would be the foundation for justment quite regularly.”
us to create both voices.” With Ni’s support and the help of Li Stone, the general manager of
Unbeknownst to Richman, his dream of creating a new style of saxo- Eastman’s wind instrument production—as well as a supply of keys,
phone—one that is “beautiful, lyrical, centered and focused”—was tak- parts, and tubing—Schipani made the first Rue Saint-Georges proto-
ing shape just as another visionary maker within the Eastman family was type from scratch in his basement shop by adapting the flute-style back
considering his own love for the instrument. connectors to the saxophone.
David Schipani, a talented amateur saxophone player, began work- “The geometry of the flute didn’t work on the saxophone, so I had to
ing at Wm. S. Haynes Co., America’s oldest continuously operating flute make new parts,” Schipani says. “The construction of that first prototype
making company, in 1986. At the time, the process by which the vener- was just me in my basement soldering keys. When I finished, I said to
able Boston firm manufactured its flutes had been virtually unchanged myself, Whoa, this feels so much better than a traditional saxophone.
since the company’s founding nearly a century earlier. And that was when we knew we had something.”
“It was like walking back in time to a shop in the 1800s,” says Schi- By broadening the surface area of the back connectors on the saxo-
pani, the head of bodymaking and stringing at Haynes, which was ac- phone, from 1/16th of an inch to half an inch, Schipani ensured that the
quired by Eastman in 2004. “No computer design, everything done by force created upon contact between the lower kickers and upper plates
hand. It was a great way to learn flutemaking.” was “now distributed over a larger area, which is more efficient, more
It didn’t hurt that Schipani had a background in jewelry. Prior to stable, and holds an adjustment better,” he says.
apprenticing as an instrument maker, he’d studied sculpture and met- It was a classic example of form following function: Schipani’s deep
alsmithing techniques such as raising and chasing at the Massachusetts knowledge of the flute combined with his artistic sensibility helped him
College of Art and Design. Those skills helped set him apart in the work- sculpt saxophone keys that made the instrument not only more beauti-
shop and gave him the confidence to tackle some of the company’s more ful, but also more ergonomic.
As a result, the Rue Saint-Georges saxophone feels better in a player’s
hands and is easier to regulate.
“We did a lot of testing here in the U.S. with a lot of prominent saxo-
phonists who play on vintage instruments,” Richman says. “We got an
opportunity to look at their instruments and what made them great and
so desirable, and were able to incorporate that into our design, finding en-
hancements in intonation, tonality and, with David’s help, ergonomics.”
While the collaborative spirit that defines Eastman’s approach to
product development was critical to the success of the project, so, too,
was the company’s culture of experimentation, and its willingness to
cross-pollinate elements from across its family of instruments.
“We wanted to make a saxophone that took us back to why we fell in
love with playing in the first place,” says Richman. “But a lot of those
older saxophones weren’t comfortable under the fingers. So how do we
learn from that?”
“The flutemaker was the key,” he says. “Not just any flutemaker, but
a flutemaker that’s a saxophonist. We’ve created an instrument that has
the elegance, the stability, the comfort and fluidity of a flute—and that’s
what gives the Rue Saint-Georges saxophone its precision and mark of
excellence.”‹
 what's on
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from Axiom, Hazar, and Virginia Schenck JAZZTIMES FOUNDER: IRA SABIN (1928-2018)

4 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 JT NOTES
in me, and to Evan Haga for giving me a
shot. Thanks also to Nate Silva and Lollo
A Half-Century of Thanks Nylen for their first-rate design work,
to T.J. Buzzeo for his invaluable help on

J publication that would become Jazz-

azzTimes—or, more accurately, the when I began writing for it, about five the web and social-media sides, to Bob
years ago. At which point I found it hard Beucler for selling the ads, and to Matt
Times—predates me by about two to stop paying attention. JT reminded Martinelli both for his advice and for the
years. As Ira Sabin and his jazz-loving me strongly of my professional alma free rein he gives us to do what we do.
colleagues in Washington, D.C. and else- mater, the late lamented Musician Thanks to all the writers, photog-
where labored to turn a record-store cir- magazine, for which I’d worked in one raphers, recording artists, and visual
cular into a tabloid newspaper (you can capacity or another for a decade: It was artists who have contributed to JT over
read more about that on pg. 20), I was a intelligent, authoritative, serious without the past five decades. Our history was, in
young boy in southeastern Massachusetts being too serious. Good-looking too. large part, made by you.
finding my way through preschool and Five years ago, I’d never have guessed Thanks, of course, to everyone who
kindergarten. When that paper officially that I would now be occupying the plays, sings, writes, arranges, and pro-
adopted the JazzTimes moniker, I was in editor’s chair of JazzTimes—and that I duces jazz. Thanks too to the managers,
elementary school in Boston. would have the honor of bringing you the agents, the promoters, the venue
I started playing guitar at age nine, this issue celebrating its 50th anni- owners, the engineers—everyone who
and became a jazz fan within two or versary. My overwhelming feeling as I makes it possible for us to enjoy jazz.
three years. But I was a latecomer to write is one of gratitude. So under the Special thanks go to the publicists who
JazzTimes. Because I regularly haunted circumstances, I think a few thank-yous bring all this music to the notice of
the music sections of my local news- are in order. people like me.
stands, I saw it all the time, both the Thank you, first of all, to the Sabin Finally, my warmest thanks to every
tabloid and the later glossy version. But family for making this magazine a JazzTimes reader, past and present.
for some reason I never picked it up and reality, and thanks to Madavor Media Without you, we wouldn’t still be here a
looked inside. My loss. I only started for taking it over at a challenging time. half-century later. Here’s to many more
paying close attention to the magazine Thank you to Lee Mergner for believing years together. MAC RANDALL

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JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 5
 OPENING CHORUS DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL x THE ROYAL BOPSTERS x MILFORD GRAVES x

what the NBA, MLB, and NHL have

done in recent months. Featuring a mix
of national and regional performers, the
retooled festival presented more than
40 hours of live music in what can best
be described as a telethon format, albeit
without a fundraising thermometer or
Jerry Lewis loosening the tie on his tux.
The broadcast reached not only
the Detroit area through ties to local
television and radio, but also the world
through the magic of livestreaming.
A festival that normally attracts about
300,000 fans per day was watched in 32
countries. That viewing audience saw
performances by Pharoah Sanders, Rob-
ert Glasper, Joey Alexander, Steve Turre,
James Carter, René Marie, and many
others, most of whom were playing a
gig for the first time in more than six
months. But enjoyable as those perfor-
mances were, the inside story of how the
festival transitioned from a free outdoor
A masked Rodney Whitaker at event to a global livestream show is even
the 2020 Detroit Jazz Festival Pharoah Sanders more fascinating.
Collins said that various formats for
the festival were discussed during the
summer, including a stadium setting: “I

The Detroit Jazz got a team together, a task force for the
festival, and the first thing we needed
to do was establish relationships with
Festival Finds a Way epidemiologists in Detroit—the CDC
folks, the health department—so that we
would know who to talk to, who to track,
It happened over Labor Day weekend as usual, but that
and what we should be looking at.”
was the only thing usual about it When Collins appeared on a local
talk-radio station, a listener called in
and put him on the spot. “She said, ‘So

B down of just about every damn thing

ack in April, shortly after the shut- “Hope! Because we all saw what was you’re going to do the jazz festival like
coming and if this thing keeps going, has happened every year?’” he recalled.
had begun across the nation, the we’re in a real mess.” “And I said, ‘Well, we don’t know exactly
COURTESY OF THE DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL FOUNDATION

Detroit Jazz Festival announced its 2020 Of course, “this thing”—the pandem- what we’re doing, but yes, we’re moving
lineup for Labor Day weekend. Chris ic—did keep going and remains a mess. forward with some sort of festival.’ She
Collins, president and artistic director Undaunted, Collins and his team piv- said, ‘I just hope you’re not going to be
of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation, oted to produce a festival that fully de- using the Detroit community as guinea
soon received pointed queries and serves the now-overused term “unprec- pigs.’ It was right to the gut. But I took
criticism from journalists and bloggers, edented,” at least within the jazz world. that to heart.”
along the lines of “How could you make For four days, the Detroit Jazz Festival Collins went back to his team,
an announcement like that when every set up in the “bubble” of the Renaissance explaining the data and the need to
other event is canceling or postponing?” Center Marriott in downtown Detroit, protect patrons first. “We realized, ‘We
In a recent JazzTimes interview, Collins where a series of live performances were are going to change the format and it
said he had an immediate gut reaction: broadcast with no audience, much like appears a broadcast environment may

6 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

ALLEGRA LEVY x FAREWELLS

be possible, with some caveats,’” he said. intense by the artists’ sheer joy in being been a single reported case of COVID-19
“Those caveats for me were health and onstage. Sure, they missed the audience, among the approximately 400 artists,
safety—a top priority for any festival— the hang, the festival energy that we all staff, and crew who worked at the
and it has to be live and in real time. Fi- know so well. But just to play together RenCenter that weekend. For my part,
nally, we would have to make sure that, was rewarding after sitting in isolation I found that Detroit went the extra mile
being a free festival, we’re delivering it in for six months.  or two or three, as far as precautions and
enough places that people at all different According to the festival office, as screening went. I was even tossed out
income levels will have access.” of September 24, more than two weeks of a venue because the stage manager
The festival then had to determine after the final set ended, there had not felt I’d been there listening too long—a
how it could work, from staging to
sound and lighting, and from produc-
tion to streaming and broadcast. They
decided to use four separate sound-
stages, with performances broken up
by interstitial announcements and
interviews, so the stream could run
continuously 12 hours a day for four
days. “We had this robust connectivity
with broadcast partners because of the
Detroit Jazz Fest Live app [introduced
in the mid-2010s],” Collins said. “That
infrastructure was already there. We’re

over
one of the few who could potentially pull
this off on a level that’s more than Zoom
videos from people’s living rooms.”
As part of state protocols, the festival
had COVID officers on-site. They
developed anonymous reporting, in case
someone wasn’t wearing a mask. The
onstage positioning of artists became The NY Meyer
a serious matter. As Collins and crew
learned, when a group of musicians Flexibility. Easy to Blow.
performs, vapors accumulate and rise
into the air; when that group leaves and
Outstanding Consistency.
the next one comes in, those vapors
settle over them like a blanket. Hence This free-blowing alto sax model has
the rotation of stages, with two hours superb control and note separation at
between each set on any given stage so any tempo or volume level. Offers great
that everything could be disinfected.
intonation and even response, too.
Festival staff also kept track of who was
where and when, in the event that con- It’s ideal for students and pros alike.
tact tracing was necessary. Artists and
crew stayed in the bubble of the hotel,
with temperature screenings for anyone
coming from outside or even entering
a venue.
The lack of a live audience did make
for some awkward moments. Several
artists said, “Thank you, thank you”
or “Give it up for our bassist” to no
response. Not even the crew or staff
made a peep, in part due to signs at
each soundstage that said, “Complete Made of
Silence. No Applause.” Still, even though
jjbabbitt.com
hard rubber
the event didn’t come close to match- CELEBRATING OVER 100 YEARS OF MAKING MUSIC
ing outdoor festivals of the past, the TRADITION. CRAFTSMANSHIP. LOYALTY.
YAL
performances were solid, made more

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 7
 OPENING CHORUS

first for me, in a year of firsts. (A few outdoor facilities are putting on shows
festival-running colleagues assure me with audiences in spacious settings, with
that they’ll be more than happy to kick the requisite social distancing built in.
me out of any of their venues when their We’ve even seen live “drive-in” shows.
festivals are back in business, so I have But the numbers present an economic
that going for me.) Although I interacted challenge for nearly every presenter right
with a dozen or more individuals on- now, as any artist is sure to tell you.
site, I felt safe and was not infected. One thing’s certain: People really
Is this the immediate future for want to see live music, and sooner rather
festivals? Given the cost of audio and than later. “Look, nothing is ever going
video production, it’s more likely to be to replace live jazz,” Collins said to
one choice of many. Already we’ve seen me in early September. “But, as we’ve
festivals like Monterey and DC program gone through this, I’ve been watching
a mix of live performances with no au- and learning. [E]ven though we may
dience and archival footage. Many clubs [have] alter[ed] things, it produced all
are using the model of a show streamed these spin-offs for an ambassadorship
from a bubble, with a minimal ticket program for Detroit with the world. We

LEE MERGNER
price for consumers. The Exit Zero Jazz found an appropriate way to send a mes- A sign at one of the Detroit soundstages
Festival in Cape May and venues with sage about this city.” LEE MERGNER

L to R: Pete McGuinness, Amy London, But look closer; a lot has

the late Holli Ross, and Dylan Pramuk changed. Darmon Meader, a co-founder
of NY Voices who sang tenor on the
first recording, has been replaced by
Pete McGuinness. The new recording
presents the quartet less as a “project”
than as a working group. Dig a little
deeper and that’s fraught too: The
group suffered tragedy this spring when
founding member Holli Ross passed
away after a three-year battle with
cancer. Thus, the Royal Bopsters circa
autumn 2020 are in a vastly different
place from where they were five years
ago. One late September morning, Mc-
Guinness, soprano Amy London, and
bass Dylan Pramuk jumped on a Zoom
call to discuss jazz singing past, present,
and future and their group’s role in it.
“The first record was really created as

Out of Four, One a celebration of these legendary heroes

of ours,” Pramuk said. “We’re still cele-
brating them now, but we’ve come into
Amid personnel changes, THE ROYAL BOPSTERS keep our own as a group.” Pramuk has played
their group identity alive an important role in this evolution,
having written the arrangements for
eight of the 12 new tracks. McGuinness,

A 
t a quick glance, the Royal Bop- Transfer, and New York Voices. Like also a noted arranger, contributed the
sters’ new recording, Party of their debut, the new album is highlight- other four. “Swing-oriented, bebop-ori-
Four (Motéma), appears to be a ed by contributions from vocal legends ented, vocalese-oriented music—that’s
straightforward continuation of their Bob Dorough and Sheila Jordan. It also still at the heart and soul of what we
2015 debut, The Royal Bopsters Project. features a guest appearance by the great do,” he said.
JANIS WILKINS

The group remains a quartet carrying bassist Christian McBride, who shares But don’t mistake the Royal Bopsters
the torch of vocalese from Lambert, the Bopsters’ fondness for soulful vibes for revivalists; that music is certainly at
Hendricks & Ross, the Manhattan and a sense of bebop cool.   their root, but they’re seeking to branch

8 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

out further. London said it goes beyond “Most vocal groups become a Royal Bopster. “We’re looking
musical innovation: “I think the whole at altos that have been in groups before
bebop movement represented freedom don’t touch someone because it’s a specific skill,” she said.
for the people that were involved in it. “Singing in a vocal jazz group is not
It’s a frame of mind; it’s a way of living.”   like Wayne Shorter. so easy. The four of us are what I call
She continued, “Pete is a compos- That’s a little too choral geeks. Dylan and I started in
er and he brought an original called choir in third grade—in America, it
‘Spring Song,’ and I wrote a lyric for abstract.” seems like third grade is the year where
it. It still employs the concepts of you join the choir—and then there are
bebop—a shout chorus and a scat four- those that stick with choir all the way
part harmony chorus, which is kind of through high school. We love it, and
a small-band, Tadd Dameron concept— most vocal groups don’t touch someone we’re good at it. We can memorize, we
but it’s brand new.” like Wayne Shorter. That’s a little can set harmonies, and then you hear
Pramuk cited McGuinness’ ar- too abstract.” jazz and you’re like, ‘Oh, vocal jazz
rangement of Wayne Shorter’s “Infant The road ahead for the Bopsters has choir.’ So it’s a certain kind of singer
Eyes” as a prime example of their become more complicated in the wake that does that.”
modernism: “We wanted to tackle more of Ross’ death; her lithe alto was a cor- Going forward, the group wants to
pushing-the-envelope compositions. nerstone of the group’s harmonies. “We refine its style. “Our four personalities
Pete’s very adept at modern arranging were not in a rush to replace Holli’s have come together as one,” Pramuk
techniques; that song is very intricate- chair in the current climate, but we’re said. “And I see that that is going to
ly arranged.”   discussing it,” Pramuk said. “We’re continue to happen as we bring another
McGuinness added, “A lot of groups working with some friends, and we will member into the group and further
have covered swing stuff and then be ready when touring resumes.”   develop. We’re already getting excited
some have covered pop music—New In discussing their search, London about creating the next set of material!”
York Voices have with Paul Simon. But described the sort of singer that could MARTIN JOHNSON

Keith Jarrett
10/30/20
The second complete show to be issued from Keith Jarrett’s 2016 European tour – following on from the widely-acclaimed
concert released as Munich 2016 - this double album documents the pianist’s solo performance at the Béla Bartók National
Concert Hall in Budapest. Jarrett, whose family roots reach back to Hungary, viewed the Budapest concert as akin to a
homecoming, and the context inspired much creative improvisation. Where Jarrett’s early solo concerts shaped a large arc
of music over the course of an evening, the later concerts have generated suite-like structures, comprised of independent
“movements”, each of them a marvel of spontaneous resourcefulness. Creative energy is applied also to familiar songs
given as encores, “It’s A Lonesome Old Town” and “Answer Me”, transformed in the Budapest concert.

Dino Saluzzi - Albores

11/06/20
An album of soliloquies from the master. After highly acclaimed albums in formations from duo and trio to family band
HUKVYJOLZ[YHOLYLPZ[OLNYLH[(YNLU[PULHUIHUKVULVUWSH`LY+PUV:HS\aaPPUOPZÄYZ[W\YLS`ZVSVYLJVYKPUNPUTVYL[OHU
30 years. (The early solo albums Kultrum and Andina established his reputation outside his homeland). Recorded in the
Saluzzi Music Studio in Buenos Aires between February and June 2019, it is a powerful reminder of Dino’s gifts as a musical
storyteller of great subtlety. His pieces, in this intimate recording, reach back to early memories; “Don Caye”, subtitled
“Variations on the work of Cayetano Saluzzi”, is a most touching dedication to Dino’s father. Throughout, the bandoneonist
YLÅLJ[Z\WVU[OLÅLL[PUNWHZZHNLVM[PTLPUZ[Y\TLU[HUKWLYMVYTLYIYLH[OPUNHZVUL

Elina Duni - Lost Ships

11/13/20
Elina Duni and Rob Luft’s programme of songs of love and exile has been gathering momentum since 2017, when the
Albanian-Swiss singer and the British guitarist began their collaboration. Along the way the duo has been augmented by
KPZ[PUN\PZOLK N\LZ[Z ^P[O :^PZZ Å\NLSOVYUPZ[ 4H[[OPL\ 4PJOLS HUK <2 WPHUPZ[WLYJ\ZZPVUPZ[ -YLK ;OVTHZ OLYL THRPUN
ZPNUPÄJHU[JVU[YPI\[PVUZ[V[OLV]LYHYJOPUNJVUJLW[;OLTPNYH[PVUJYPZPZH[OLTLL_WSVYLKVU,SPUH»Z7HY[PYHSI\TPZHNHPU
a central issue, so too ecological concerns. Material is drawn from many sources: “There are songs that touch upon past
PUÅ\LUJLZ^P[O[OLZV\UKVM(SIHUPHHUK4LKP[LYYHULHUMVSRSVYLL]LYWYLZLU[>L^HU[LK[VL_WSVYLV[OLYT\ZPJHSYVV[Z
too: timeless jazz ballads, French chanson, American folk song…” The broad range of music addressed runs from traditional
pieces to original compositions, via songs made famous by Frank Sinatra and Charles Aznavour. Lost Ships was recorded
at Studios la Buissonne in the South of France in February 2020.
 Yara in triptych: Graves in the mid-'70s

garden planting in Queens, and a Reuters

video interview titled “The Heartbeat
Drummer.” Footage of heart ultrasounds,
concerts, martial-arts displays, and inter-
views fills another 100 or so videos. Au-
dio recordings reveal Graves performing
on trumpet, saxophone, trombone, and
various gongs, plus performances with
Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover in vari-
ous formats, and audio and photos taken
from Graves’ personal cassette library.

Heart Specialist Hundreds of photos document Graves’

concerts, acupuncture techniques,
martial-arts training, drum set and
An exhibit in Philadelphia pays tribute to the conga instruction, boyhood and family.
multidisciplinary accomplishments of MILFORD GRAVES There’s also a baby picture and—dated
April 12, 1962—a Village Voice concert
ad including Herbie Mann, Cal Tjader,

W 
hen appraising the work of into healing his own failing heart and the Milford Graves Latin Jazz Quar-
Milford Graves, you need to muscle. “I don’t want to leave the planet tet, which consisted of saxophonist Pete
reimagine what constitutes jazz with things undone,” he told The New Yellin, pianist Chick Corea, bassist Lisle
and improvisation. Yes, he’s a master York Times from his home in Jamaica, Atkinson, and conga player Bill Fitch.
percussionist who helped take the drums Queens, New York, in August 2020. For those hoping to delve deeper into
beyond mere timekeeping. But he’s also A Mind-Body Deal includes “The Graves’ mind, closeup photos of his per-
much more than that. Now 78 and a Professor,” the 15-minute promo video sonal library are included. Titles include
faculty member emeritus at Bennington for Full Mantis, a 2018 feature-length Wavelets and Their Scientific Applica-
College, Graves is the rare (perhaps sole) documentary on Graves; the excerpt tion, Multiwave Statistical Analysis,
musician whose pursuits have crossed focuses on his incantation-worthy, Zen and the Brain, Where Mathematics
multiple disciplines for decades, resulting atmospheric solo drumming, along Comes From, On the Sensations of
in dozens of important jazz works, pat- with remembrances of performances Tone, A Recitation of Ifa—Oracle of the
ents for medical devices, herbal cures for with Albert Ayler and early Afro-Cuban Yoruba, African Ceremonies, The Secret
various ailments, paintings, sculptures, and Afro-Caribbean instruction. The Doctrine, and Chasing the Dragon’s
costume art, and a lifelong study of the 90-minute 1982 documentary Speaking Tail, among hundreds of hardbacks
human heartbeat as a means to creating in Tongues documentary is also here, and paperbacks.
music and healing illness. featuring Graves, David Murray, and Battling his illness while continuing
In the first major retrospective hon- Billy Bang (and a cameo by the late to work, Graves ceaselessly monitors
oring Graves, Philadelphia’s Institute of Stanley Crouch) in performance and his own heart with a stethoscope while
Contemporary Art (ICA) in partnership discussion of Ayler, at whose funeral his students document his findings,
with Ars Nova Workshop is presenting the trio performed in 1970. Here and hoping to continue his research in the
Milford Graves: A Mind-Body Deal, in other videos, Graves’ performance is future. Treating students, neighbors, and
which also marked the reopening of ICA marked by a unique attribute: His sticks colleagues (this reporter once requested
to the public. Running from Septem- at times seem to not make actual contact a cure for enlarged prostate from the
ber 25, 2020 through January 24, 2021, with his drums (though they obviously master), he has since 1990 recorded
A Mind-Body Deal spans six decades do somehow), while creating waves of some 5,000 heartbeats. His self-designed
and comprises more than 40 artworks, rhythms that don’t necessarily mirror computer programs analyze the heart’s
including rare hand-painted album his body movements. It’s masterful rhythms and pitches, amplifying the
covers and posters, unusual drum sets, sleight of hand. Or is it? Some note that more obscure patterns and relating them
multimedia sculptures, photographs, his curious left-hand traditional-style to melodies and vibration frequencies,
COURTESY OF THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART

and costumes, as well as artifacts from grip is sometimes augmented by muting which can then be used for both musical
Graves’ home, scientific studies, record- the snare drum with his left elbow; and medical analysis. Hopefully, “The
ing ephemera, and archival recordings. others call him a shaman. Professor” will cure himself.
The exhibition’s timing couldn’t be Nearly 50 videos by filmmaker Jake Though his contributions are stun-
more profound: Graves has amyloid Meginsky (who directed Full Mantis) ning, from music to medicine, knowl-
cardiomyopathy, sometimes called stiff cover Graves’ martial art Yara, a perfor- edge of Graves’ life and work still seems
heart syndrome, which is currently in- mance with Arthur Doyle and William to require an inside track, like an aural
curable. When diagnosed in 2018, Graves Parker, another with Peter Brötzmann, history passed among devotees. A Mind-
was told he had six months to live, which solo drum concerts, lectures, workshops, Body Deal opens the door to his many
launched the former heart researcher demonstrations of healing techniques, achievements. KEN MICALLEF

10 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 Allegra Levy
makes a
statement

The McNeil-Levy
Rapport
ALLEGRA LEVY puts words to John
McNeil’s music on Lose My Number JOE CASTRO
PASSION FLOWER
W er, recorded his original tune “Lose My Number” in
hen John McNeil, the esteemed trumpeter/compos-

2001, it had no lyrics. “It’s the opposite of a love song, FOR DORIS DUKE
a no-love-lost song,” McNeil said recently. “I had that concept, SSC 1393 - 6 ALBUMS & BOOKLET BOXED SET
even though it was an instrumental. I never even thought about STREET DATE 11/20/20
putting words to it.”
McNeil, 72, likens the composition to something by Ornette SUNNYSIDE RECORDS PRESENTS THE SECOND BOXED SET OF RECORDINGS FROM
Coleman. As in some of Coleman’s music, “there’s this happy THE ARCHIVE OF PIANIST JOE CASTRO, A DIVERSE COLLECTION FEATURING GREAT
triad kind of thing going on,” even though the triads “don’t AND NEVER HEARD PERFORMANCES FROM LEGENDS LIKE PAUL BLEY, PAUL MOT-
have normal relationships—they go up a whole step, down a IAN, LEROY VINNEGAR, PAUL CHAMBERS, PHILLY JOE JONES, CANNONBALL
major third, up a whole step,” zooming around the song’s struc- ADDERLEY AMONG OTHERS.
ture like a pinball. “The song is negative, but it’s happy,” he said.
It’s also damn near unsingable. oe Castro’s love for jazz, and his charming personality, made it possible for
That didn’t faze the jazz singer and songwriter Allegra Levy,
who wrote lyrics to it and eight other McNeil instrumentals
J the pianist to become intimately involved with musicians of all stripes and
abilities. Castro’s relationship with the famous heiress Doris Duke afforded
for her latest album, Lose My Number (SteepleChase). She not him the financial means to further his relationships with these musicians in jam
only masters the tune’s odd intervals and meters but also adds sessions held at home studios at Duke’s residences, Falcon Lair in California
a degree of wit and cheek uncommon in the often self-serious and Duke Farms in New Jersey, and to later record albums of his own work
jazz world. Levy’s lyrics have a mordantly funny, feminist with great sidemen and projects led by these acquaintances and friends.
slant: “You may think that I’m the one/But I can promise you
he initial Joe Castro boxed set, Lush Life – A Musical Journey (Sunnyside,
that I’m no fun, no/Lose my number/Lose it!/Don’t you dare
call me up on the phone.” T 2015), provided an insight into the world of the pianist’s early meetings
with the greats of jazz at home recorded sessions. These recordings included
McNeil, a stalwart of the New York jazz scene, played with
the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Horace Silver Quintet, Buddy Collette, Chico Hamilton, Teddy Wilson, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Lucky
and Gerry Mulligan before establishing his own bands. His Thompson. The box also included a couple of sessions recorded for potential
release on Castro and Duke’s Clover label.
post-bop aesthetic is one part cool jazz, one part free jazz; his
strong melodies are dependably matched to unusual, occa-
he second boxed set of recordings from Joe Castro’s collection, Passion Flower
sionally outré harmonies and rhythmic curveballs. JazzTimes
contributor David R. Adler once called his compositions
T / For Doris Duke, highlights his collaborations with a vast array of incred-
ible musicians. There are fine home recordings of jam sessions, studio record-
“enormously sophisticated and a bit warped.” ings of Castro’s Atlantic Records releases, recordings of projects of friends
“John’s songs always tell a story,” Levy, 30, said via Face- and productions that were done under the aegis of Clover Records, the label
Time from her Manhattan apartment. “They’re still modern that Duke and Castro founded and briefly ran.
MICHAEL WILLIAM PAUL

and challenging,” she added, even though many of them were

written in the late ’70s and ’80s. “He takes complex ideas from
theory and turns them into astute melodies.” McNeil was a
mentor to Levy at the New England Conservatory and pro- www.sunnysiderecords.com
duced her first two albums, Lonely City and Cities Between Us.
 OPENING CHORUS

FAREWELLS

Mark Colby, a well-traveled saxophonist and controversial commentator. His of falsely glorifying them. (“Putting the
who eventually put down roots in Chica- outlook was often labeled as conser- White Man in Charge,” a column he
go as a jazz educator, died Aug. 31 from vative and sometimes even retrograde, wrote for the April 2003 issue of Jazz-
complications related to cancer. He was but could more accurately be described Times, became something of a scandal
71. Colby spent three years in the 1970s as idiosyncratic. He denounced overt in the jazz community.) Even as he ruf-
as part of Maynard Ferguson’s big band, racial politics in jazz (and elsewhere), fled feathers, however, Crouch’s power
then moved over to Bob James’ band for but also insisted that the music’s identity as a writer and ear as a critic were
six years. With James’ assistance, he was inherently Black. He regarded undeniable. In particular, he was hailed
signed to CBS Records and cut two no- bebop as its supreme achievement for his scholarship on Charlie Park-
table albums, 1978’s Serpentine Fire and and championed the generation of er. Kansas City Lightning, a long-prom-
1979’s One Good Turn, featuring James, musicians who returned to bop as their ised biography of Parker’s early years,
Steve Gadd, Hiram Bullock, Mike was published to rave reviews in
Mainieri, and others. He also per- 2013. Nor did he go unrecognized
formed with a wide range of artists in formal capacities: Among other
including Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis honors, Crouch was the recipient
Jr., Charlie Haden, Jaco Pastorius, of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1982
Doc Severinsen, Frank Sinatra, and and a MacArthur Foundation “genius
Sarah Vaughan. In 1980 he moved to grant” in 1993; was inducted into
Illinois, and although he continued the American Academy of Arts and
to gig and record well into the 21st Sciences in 2009; and was named an
century, his focus shifted to teaching, NEA Jazz Master in 2019.
with 31 years at DePaul University
and 23 at Elmhurst University. Ira Sullivan, a trumpeter, saxophon-
ist, and flutist who delved deep into
Toni Belengeur, a top trombonist on bebop, died Sept. 21 of metastatic
the Spanish jazz scene, died Sept. pancreatic cancer at his home in
13 in Valencia, Spain, of undisclosed Miami, Fla. He was 89. In 1950s
causes. He was 42. A professor at Chicago, Sullivan went toe to toe
his alma mater, the Joaquín Rodrigo with such legends as Charlie Parker,
Conservatory, he was a longtime Lester Young, and Roy Eldridge; he
member of the Sedajazz Big Band also worked with Art Blakey and
and recorded one album under his Stanley Crouch Roland Kirk. A move to Florida in the
own name, a quintet date called (1945-2020) early ’60s lowered his visibility as a
Alter-Ego, originally released in 2007 player, although he continued to per-
and digitally re-released in 2019. form and (occasionally) record, but
starting point—led by trumpeter Wynton his long connection with the University
Stanley Crouch, an irascible, polarizing, Marsalis, who was both a protégé of of Miami—especially its summer music
and uncompromising jazz and opinion Crouch’s and among his closest friends. camp—endeared him to generations
journalist, died Sept. 16 at the Calvary Crouch would become, with Marsalis, a of young musicians. In 1980, inspired
Hospital in New York City. He was 74. co-founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center. In in part by his encounters with players
At the time of his death, he had for publications such as the New York Daily like Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius,
some years been living at the Hebrew News (where he was a columnist for al- Sullivan formed a new band with his old
Home at Riverdale, an assisted-living most two decades), Crouch threw shade bop pal Red Rodney; it was followed
community in the Bronx. One of the at everyone from Amiri Baraka to Toni by groups with pianist/vibraphonist Stu
most famous and infamous jazz critics Morrison, yet saved some of his zeal for Katz and vocalist Erin McDougald. In
in the United States, Crouch was also white musicians whom he regarded as total, he recorded 17 albums as a leader
perhaps the music’s most outspoken inferior, and for the critics he accused or co-leader over more than 50 years.

12 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 Levy comes from a family of writers; with. And they happen to be women.” understood what I was trying to say, and
her three previous albums, praised by Levy, who co-leads the New York- we just had fun. These women came to
critics, have mostly featured her own based Women in Jazz Organization play—it’s very apparent.”
songs. Her own music embraces swing (WIJO), made a conscious decision to McNeil couldn’t be more pleased with
and American songbook tradition, with hire an all-female band for the album. the result. “Allegra was the first person
lyrics that are wry, occasionally caustic, “I just felt that this music needed to be to ask to record a whole album of my
yet often wistfully romantic. She recent- played by young women, specifically. tunes. I was really happy, because I like
ly won the John Lennon Songwriting I wanted to make a statement with her lyrics. She combines compositional
Contest for her pandemic-era children’s this record. Anybody could play these skills with the lyrical skills. I think she’s
song, “Wash My Hands.” tunes, but I feel like these women really great, man.” ALLEN MORRISON
McNeil and Levy collaborated closely
on Lose My Number. First Levy asked
McNeil to suggest songs of his that
might lend themselves to lyrics. “Writing
lyrics after the music has been written
is a different skill set with its own chal-
VINTAGE MAPLE SHELLS
lenges,” she said. “You have to know the
music really well. We went over every- WHEN YOUR SOUND MATTERS
thing together, but the truth is the songs rich voicing, natural overtones and airy sustain.
became new entities on this project.
Ǡ¹öñĻijǣŪĥůţŪêůĕīññŝůIJţljljljƅöĒÏijñëŝÏċŪƧöIJƅĕƧŪŝÏñĕŪĕĻijÏijñëÏŝöǡlj
“For example, if you listen to his - Bill Ludwig III, founder + president
2001 song ‘Strictly Ballroom,’ it’s very
different. We made a playful feminist
diatribe out of it. (The witty lyric, about
a Lothario on the dance floor, includes
the memorable line, “Don’t you dare/
You’re no Fred Astaire.”) He let me run
with it. He was very supportive of my
ideas and gave me space to work. At
other times he told me go back and try
again, it wasn’t hitting the mark, and he
was right every time.”
Levy performs the songs with an
all-female band of seasoned pros: pianist
Carmen Staaf, who has appeared on all
of Levy’s previous albums; bassist Car-
men Rothwell; and drummer Colleen
Clark. McNeil is featured on trumpet on
three songs.
Staaf, who also studied with McNeil
at NEC, is currently music director for
Dee Dee Bridgewater, among other
projects. She relished working on the
project. “Some of John’s pieces remind
me of Wayne Shorter,” she said by video
chat, “short, compact pieces, but they JOE CORSELLO
Recording artist, Educator, Author Check out the latest at
take you on a story melodically and
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harmonically. There’s so much music Glenn Miller Orchestra,
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The pianist praises Levy’s leadership.
“Allegra has a clear concept—there’s no
wondering should we do this or that; it’s
always like, okay, here’s the plan. She’s
self-possessed, even though she’s also
humble. She knows herself well. That’s info@WFLiiiDrums.com www.WFLiiiDrums.com
a great quality in a bandleader. And she
hired a band who are fun to hang out ©2020 WFLIII Drums & Percussion LLC All rights reserved.

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 13
 CHRONOLOGY
Meredith D’Ambrosio at Scullers in Boston,
September 1996

Fall. In D’Ambrosio’s hands, even adult Hersch, Harold Danko, Lee Musiker,
songs like “Lazy Afternoon” lack any and even Hank Jones also appear
suggestion of sin. supporting the singer. Her late husband
At the piano, she works over the Eddie Higgins was a great pianist too,
material, pruning and shaping, finding a and their collaborations have remark-
personal interpretation for the accom- able simpatico. Not content with being
paniment. The diatonic chime of her a master musician, D’Ambrosio is also a
reharmonizations occasionally recalls master painter, specializing in criti-
a child’s music box, but there’s also just cally acclaimed watercolors, and even
enough of Bill Evans’ added-tone colors innovated a genre of visual art, eggshell
to satisfy the experienced listener. mosaics. Her helpful website declares
Each song is under three minutes. The her to be a “Renaissance woman.” A new
lyric drives her aesthetic. She searches D’Ambrosio album on Sunnyside will be
out songs that tell a certain kind of story released in February 2021. JT
from composers and lyricists of a certain
kind of sophisticated bent—notably
seven pieces from Alec Wilder, includ-
ing his lyric to Thad Jones and Roland FURTHER LISTENING
Hanna’s “A Child Is Born.” Three effer- Blossom Dearie: Blossom Time
vescent Dave Frishberg songs help define at Ronnie Scott’s (Fontana, 1966)
the narrative aspect of the disc; her own – The nearest person to pair with
amusing piece “The Piano Player (A D’Ambrosio might be the legendary

Another
Thousand and One Saloons)” is right in Blossom Dearie, another niche
Frishberg storytelling tradition.  vocalist/pianist with an innocent
Some of what I’ve written so far voice, although Dearie was not

Time, might suggest that D’Ambrosio is a above interjecting something

musical-theatre or cabaret singer. That’s bawdy into the mix. This fine London
performance introduced Dave
not true: She’s a jazz singer. The way

Another her voice flexibly phrases over the beat

on the intentionally naive teen prayer
Frishberg’s “I’m Hip.”
Dave Frishberg: Classics
(Concord, 1991) – Frishberg was
“Someday My Prince Will Come” dis-
Listen plays serious rhythmic know-how. 
Still, D’Ambrosio is certainly not just
an idiosyncratic jazz pianist in the
Jimmy Rowles tradition before
devoting himself to songwriting.
MEREDITH D’AMBROSIO’s for regular jazz listeners; she’s for anyone
His voice does the job, but the piano
1981 album is a great attuned to the right wavelength. Her
breaks are something else. This
producer at Sunnyside Records, François
introduction to her work BY Zalacain, tells the story of a truck driver
trio with the “Phil Woods rhythm
section” of Steve Gilmore and Bill
ETHAN IVERSON from middle America who called the Goodwin satisfies. Frishberg is still
company. This gentleman rarely gave around and should receive a special
jazz much of a chance, but he had heard award for writing some of the best
M album from 1981, Another Time,
eredith D’Ambrosio’s second something from Another Time on the comic songs of all time.
radio, and wanted the album on cassette
Eddie Higgins: If Dreams Come True
is a perfect object, absolutely so he could listen while driving the
(Venus, 2004) – D’Ambrosio’s late
one of a kind. Her voice is low in range big rig, especially when it was raining. husband was not a household name
but light in affect. She’s clearly a saloon (Zalacain had to explain that Sunnyside but he began his career recording
singer, someone used to delivering torch didn’t make cassettes any more, but was with Lee Morgan and Wayne
songs to the accompaniment of booze happy to sell him a CD.) Shorter and always displayed taste
and cigarettes, but somehow her presen- Another Time is one of 16 stellar and chops. A steady trio with Jay
ALAN NAHIGIAN

tation is totally innocent nonetheless. D’Ambrosio discs on Sunnyside. She Anderson and Joe Ascione recorded
Evelyn Waugh said that P.G. Wode- plays piano on many of these albums, many lush and swinging albums for
house’s stories existed in Eden before the but legendary accompanists like Fred the Japanese market. 

14 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

Celebrating Matthew Shipp’s profound contributions
to the lexicon of jazz for three decades & counting.
On this, his 60th anniversary of life on Earth.

portrait by Anna Yatskevich, “Matt at Carnegie Hall”

Matthew Shipp has over thirty years defined his own genre in the history of jazz piano.
It has been a joy and an honor working with you my friend. –Whit Dickey, Tao Forms

There are many artists that converse in the language of jazz. Rarer still are artists that create a language which honors the past but speaks in an
original voice that redefines, reimagines and reinvents. This is the essence of Matthew Shipp. This is the essence of Jazz. –Peter Gordon, Thirsty Ear

Each album Matthew has recorded for RogueArt was supposed to be his last one. Matthew,
it’s a commitment I am very grateful you never kept…!!! –Michel Dorbon, RogueArt

Matthew Shipp has been at root foundation of happenings that prompt deep thoughts & conversations, and result in creations of great magnitude
concerning the nature of Existence, balance within same, and fortitude toward the eventual achievement of grace. –Steven Joerg, AUM Fidelity

Matt – lucky me to have met you years ago and our friendship
keeps on going. –Marek Winiarski, Not Two
Matt Shipp / Matt Shipp / Shipp / Matt / Matt / Shipp / Shipp / Shipp / MattShipp
(to melody of “Gruppen” by Stockhausen). –Lars-Olof Gustavsson, Silkheart Records

It was a pleasure to follow Matthew Shipp over three decades and be part of his continuous growth as an artist and as a human being. Thank you
Matthew. His recordings have been released on the following series: hatART, hatOLOGY & ezz-thetics. –Werner X. Uehlinger, Hat Hut Records

Over the past three decades, Matthew Shipp has consistently been among the most interesting and exciting players and
composers in jazz. He has continuously evolved in that time, upping his game to always reach new heights of creativity.
Witnessing that development has been a thrill, and ESP-Disk’ is honored to have been a part of it. –Steve Holtje, ESP-Disk’
 BEFORE & AFTER A LISTENING SESSION THAT PUTS ARTISTS' KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST

The Best of B&A: Time’s Up Edition

Selections from our favorite listening sessions on jazz’s distaff side BY LEE MERGNER

O been big reader favorites; according to our surveys,

ur Before & After listening sessions have always
DOROTHY DONEGAN (March 1993)
B&A is consistently one of the first sections of the by Leonard Feather
magazine read by subscribers. Leonard Feather devel-
oped its predecessor, the Blindfold Test, back in 1947 Oscar Peterson
for Metronome magazine. The premise of the column “Song to Elitha” (Saturday Night at the Blue Note, Telarc). Peter-
was not so much to trick or embarrass musicians, but son, piano, composer; Herb Ellis, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Bobby
to show that jazz musicians were not primitives or idiot Durham, drums. Recorded in 1990.
savants, a common notion during that time. Among his
first subjects were Mary Lou Williams, Billie Holiday, BEFORE: I liked that
Coleman Hawkins, and Dizzy Gillespie—and yes, he melody. It sounds like
actually blindfolded them during the sessions. When “Beautiful Love,” one of
Metronome folded, Leonard took the column to Down- the things Art Tatum
Beat. In 1989, he brought it over to JazzTimes (where he’d used to do, but I identify
been a contributor since the mid-’70s), but adapted it to the wonderful pianist,
include the comments of the subject after learning the Dr. Peterson. That big
details and the selection. He renamed it Before & After, fat man sure can play.
but the basic premise remained the same. I liked his changes.
Leonard was truly a friend to JazzTimes beyond his I could recognize some of the things he played. I heard him
regular contributions of features and reviews. In the groaning and grunting. I liked the bass player. Who was the
days before emails, when copy would arrive by mail, drummer? I hoped it would have been Ray Brown on bass. The
Leonard would include a letter containing all kinds of guitar should have been … Herb Ellis? And the drummer…
requests, as well as a concise critique of the last issue. oh … Jeff Hamilton. Might be somebody else? Somebody from
When I first came to JazzTimes in 1990, I remember England? Well, maybe you can set me straight.
being taken aback by his often blunt feedback, but I soon I like the big fat man. He has great chops. One article said
realized how lucky we were that he took the magazine him and me had more chops than in a butcher’s shop. Some-
so seriously. Indeed, it was Leonard who suggested that times we don’t have the best taste, but they said we had more
Ira Sabin change the publication’s name from Radio chops. Give the big fat man a 5.
Free Jazz to JazzTimes back in 1979, and he was active at
many of JazzTimes’ conventions. When Leonard died in AFTER: Bobby Durham? From Philadelphia? The bow-legged
1994, the magazine and the jazz community lost one of drummer. I like Bobby. I’m the only woman that made him
its passionate supporters. play a backbeat.
Leonard’s MO with Before & After was to elicit candid
feedback from artists about the music of their peers, and
thereby themselves. Although he naturally leaned toward
SHERRIE MARICLE (March 2018)
mainstream artists as subjects, Leonard loved to throw by Aidan Levy
the occasional curve in the form of an avant-garde selec-
tion. A favorite breaking ball of his was Sun Ra, who never Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
failed to evoke a strong and impassioned response. Artie “Tiptoe” (Consummation, Solid State). Jones, flugelhorn; Lewis,
Shaw simply said, “Messy,” after hearing Sun Ra play “But drums; Danny Moore, Al Porinco, Marvin Stamm, Snooky Young,
Not for Me.” Over the years, JazzTimes has continued trumpets; Eddie Bert, Cliff Heather, Jimmy Knepper, Benny Powell,
DOROTHY DONEGAN BY ALAN NAHIGIAN

Leonard’s legacy with a rotating cast of contributors such trombones; Eddie Daniels, Jerry Dodgion, Jerome Richardson,
as Larry Appelbaum, Ashley Kahn, and David R. Adler. reeds; Roland Hanna, piano; Richard Davis, bass. Recorded in 1970.
For this anniversary issue, we decided to cull tracks
from past B&A columns with women as subjects, reflect- BEFORE: Thad Jones and Mel Lewis! I hate when people ask,
ing on legends, heroes, and inspirations. Interestingly, “Who are your top 10 favorite drummers?” But if I had such
nearly every one of them was uniformly positive in their a thing, Mel is definitely way up there on the list. Is this “Tip-
judgment and opinions. Then there was Anita O’Day, toe”? That’s got the great album cover too. When I moved to
who didn’t have a good word for just about anybody. New York in 1985, Mel was my teacher at NYU for a year. My

16 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 lessons with him would be at his house, but twice my drum are, to be themselves. That’s what I listen to music for. I want to
lesson was playing the third set at the [Village] Vanguard. feel something. And in our culture, there’s so much material-
You’d think it would be fun, but I was 21 or 22. I knew a lot ism, we need to stop and take a breath and create a moment
of this music, and I was just petrified out of my mind. That’s that we can experience together.
when they used to do three sets. Mel said, “What do you want
to play?” And I said, “You know, I’ll play anything as long as
there’s music,” because I’m a fairly good reader, and he goes,
LISA FISCHER (September 2017)
“Yeah, it’s all back there.” Of course I went back and sat at by Larry Appelbaum
his drums and there’s
no music anywhere. Nat “King” Cole & Nellie Lutcher
And I’d never played “Can I Come in for a Second?” (Jazz Encounters, Capitol). Cole,
on [calfskin] heads piano, vocal; Lutcher, vocal; Ernie Royal, trumpet; Charlie Barnet,
before, and it was tenor saxophone; Irving Ashby, guitar; Joe Comfort, bass; Earl
really like playing on Hyde, drums. Recorded in 1950; released in 1992.
wet dishtowels. But
what a life-altering BEFORE: I love it. I love the story-
experience that Mel telling; I can see the whole scene.
gave me. I can see them at the door. It’s so
I don’t know what the word is for powerful and subtle—we funny. She’s saying no but her
need to come up with a better adjective for this. He swung so heart’s saying yes. I love her feisti-
hard without ever being overpowering or overbearing in any ness. And I love his smoothness;
way. When Mel hit that Chinese cymbal, in my mind that’s he’s just trying to get in. Ha-ha,
like when you’re shifting into the highest, most powerful gear touchdown! I’m not sure who the
that you have, just to send it over the edge. So I call it “Mel singers are, but the whole vibe of
Lewis overdrive,” when he went to that. His brushwork too, the singers is conversational. It’s
so extraordinary and smooth as glass. Sometimes I used to such a mirror into the times, when
think of it as an ice-skating rink or a hockey arena, when the things were a lot subtler, when
Zamboni machine just glides over the ice and it’s perfectly men used to have to have conver-
smooth. Everything he plays on brushes sounds like that. sations with women and a woman’s virtue was her currency.
As much as you need to guard it, you had to fight this other
side of yourself that wants to be conquered on some level.
ANAT COHEN (March 2010) It’s just so much fun to listen to. Again, I’m showing my age,
by Larry Appelbaum but I like the subtleness, and it allows my mind to paint the
picture. If you weren’t interested, you only needed to push back
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane a little bit. Now, when people say, “Yo baby, can I have your
“Big Nick” (Duke Ellington & John Coltrane, Impulse!). Ellington, phone number?,” it’s a harder push and it becomes uncomfort-
ANAT COHEN BY ALAN NAHIGIAN, SHERRIE MARICLE BY GARTH WOODS, LISA FISHER BY DJENEBA ADUAYOM

piano; Coltrane, soprano sax; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Elvin Jones, able to say no. But back then things were slower and with a bit
drums. Recorded in 1962. more intrigue.

BEFORE: Thank you for playing that. “Big Nick,” Coltrane. AFTER: Smooth, like cognac. I love the clips from his television
I remember the first time I really heard this recording. I got show. Back then you didn’t see a lot of black men on TV.
sucked inside it when I was jogging. I was so into his tenor
playing, and then when I heard this I really heard his soprano As Nat said at the time, “Madison Avenue is afraid of
playing, and the language and personality he used with it. the dark.”
Coltrane’s sound on this is so sweet yet it’s so complex, and he’s
playing all over the horn, harmon-
ically. The soprano is challenging
JANE BUNNETT (June 2002)
that way, not just to keep in tune, by Christopher Loudon
but to sound effortless in the
whole range. Paquito D’Rivera
I heard this when I was jogging “On Green Dolphin Street” (Blowin’, Columbia). D’Rivera, alto
and my feet stopped and I had saxophone; Hilton Ruiz, piano; Russel Blake, electric bass; Ignacio
to just stand and listen by that Berroa, drums; Daniel Ponce, congas. Recorded in 1981.
Muddy River in Boston. It changed
my life. Coltrane changed my life. BEFORE: Paquito!
It wasn’t the notes, it was the spirit:
to be so pure to express who they AFTER: [Laughing] Don’t hold back! Play what you really

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 17
 BEFORE & AFTER

feel! Well, I really love Paquito. He is one of the greatest living BEFORE: [Chuckles
musical spirits on this planet. He totally gives of himself, 100% with grunts of appreci-
of the time. Not only on the bandstand, but even when he ation] Was this record-
finishes. One of the things I like so much about Cuban people ed in the ’70s? With
is that they’re able to explode musically, but also they’re great that bass, I thought we
communicators as human beings. Paquito is totally that way. were getting into Shaft
He’s out there hooking people up, and “Pusherman.” I
and I know for a fact that he helps kept waiting for them
a lot of young musicians. He’s the to get into a walking
first one at a jam session. When he bass, but they never did, which was nice. That’s just music
comes to Toronto, if he hears we’re you can groove to. That was fun. Makes you feel good. There
playing somewhere he’s always was restraint, but it’s obvious this pianist could play a whole
there with his horn, ready to play. lot of piano with those chords, those voicings, and the whole
He’s not only a great musician bluesy thing.
who’s constantly challenging
himself musically, but also a total AFTER: Was this before her sacred period? I can see why all
participator in life. He’s always those pianists [Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Hank Jones,
doing 15 million things at once. He Tadd Dameron] went by her house. There’s so much music
has boundless energy, and I have there, so much to learn from.
tons of respect for him.
TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON
ANITA O’DAY (September 1992) (November 2010) by Larry Appelbaum
by Don Heckman
The Great Jazz Trio
Shirley Horn “Rhythm-A-Ning” (Autumn Leaves, 441). Hank Jones, piano; Rich-
“How Am I to Know” (Here’s to Life, Verve). Horn, piano and ard Davis, bass; Elvin Jones, drums. Recorded in 2002.
vocals; Johnny Mandel, arranger. Recorded in 1992.
BEFORE: That’s beau-
BEFORE: I like to hear things that I can learn something from. tiful. If it wasn’t Elvin
Nothing like that here. [O’Day briefly loses interest halfway Jones, it’s somebody
through the song and begins to talk about her rhythm section for who’s listened to a lot of
an upcoming gig.] I think the engineer on the deal was terrible. Elvin. His vocabulary
It’s got no bottom; no rhythm section. The singer tried for a and soloing with the left
thought [O’Day sings a line hand is so loose. Elvin
“How am I to know…”], but approached the drums
the song’s not that strong. with urgency and a raw

JANE BUNNETT BY ALAN NAHIGIAN, ANITA O'DAY BY TAD HERSHORN, HELEN SUNG BY MARGOT SCHULMAN
It just wasn’t that much for sensibility. Because I
her to work with. The ma- produce and I’m into the sound of things, it didn’t sound like
terial was terrible, the band the old Elvin Jones. On this recording, the snare was a lot
was a good band, but who- louder the way it was mic’d. It’s not warm like those classic
ever did the arrangements recordings from the ’60s, so it was throwing me off a little.
just didn’t quite catch it. Certain microphones pick up more of the detail of the snare,
But I’ll be nice: two stars. so if you have a busy left hand, which sounds great live, and if
you have a certain kind of mic on it, you’ll hear certain details
AFTER: Who’s Shirley Horn? [Heckman offers a brief descrip- which can be distracting. So that’s what I was hearing, and I’m
tion of Horn and her early association with Miles Davis.] Well, not used to hearing that sound from Elvin. I noticed that the
that’s nice. Of course, he didn’t know what the hell he was hi-hat was right on the 2 and the 4, which is uncharacteristic of
doing, so she couldn’t have learned much from him. Elvin, but his left hand was pulling back to produce a kind of
tension. I enjoyed that. I tend to listen analytically, which can
be a curse if you just want to sit back and enjoy. So if I just want
HELEN SUNG (September 2013) to feel it, I like to listen to a good singer or some hip-hop, where
by Larry Appelbaum I don’t have to analyze. The swing was cool. The pianist was
nice, traditional. I could really feel the love of that idiom, and
Mary Lou Williams when I listen to that style, that’s what I like to listen for.
“Play It Momma” (Zoning, Smithsonian Folkways). Williams, piano;
Bob Cranshaw, bass; Mickey Roker, drums. Recorded in 1974. AFTER: It’s funny, I was thinking it might be that trio. I love

18 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 Hank Jones, the ease of how he plays; it’s steeped in the tradi- 49. She had such a hard life and she was militant, kind of a rebel
tion. Hank and Tommy Flanagan both seemed timeless. You during her time period. And I just can’t imagine living how
can almost play anything, and if the feeling and the sound are she lived. Can you imagine driving in a car down the road in
right it always sounds good. the South and seeing black bodies strung up, that have been
lynched, that have been hung? And this is your view going to
the venue where you’re supposed to perform, not being allowed
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER (May 2013) in the front door, and then having to find a place to stay every
by Larry Appelbaum night? Now what does that do to one’s psyche? I hear anger in
her voice. I hear frustration in her voice. I hear hurt. I hear so
Billie Holiday many things and it conjures up so much that it’s hard for me to
“Everything Happens to Me” (Rare Live Recordings, 1935-1959, listen to.
ESP-Disk’). Holiday, vocal; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Artie Bernstein, She’s hard for me to listen to, like Abbey Lincoln is hard for
bass. Recorded in 1955. me to listen to. I feel that Abbey is the extension of Billie. Abbey
was more prolific as a fighter, but Billie wrote “God Bless the
BEFORE: Where’d you find this? She could take any song, and Child.” I couldn’t sing for four months after I did the play. She
once she sang it ... this is, wow. Is that Jimmy? What is that? consumed me. I was truly possessed by Billie Holiday, so I don’t
like to go to that place. When I listen to Billie, it dredges up
It’s a rehearsal. stuff I’ve tried to push into a dark, dark corner of my life. JT

Get out of here. I need that. It’s like being there with her. It’s «Read more excerpts from classic Before & After arti-
interesting when Jimmy Rowles suggested she sing that phrase cles—including sessions with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Eliane
differently. I know when we did the Billie record [Eleanora Fa- Elias, Marilyn Crispell, Jessica Williams, Gretchen Par-
gan (1915-1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee Bridgewater, lato, Mary Halvorson, Melissa Aldana, Bria Skonberg,
EmArcy, 2009], the guys would go off into a corner and listen and Nicole Mitchell—at jazztimes.com.
to her phrasing and analyze it, along with what the musicians
did behind her. I said to the guys, “Really? Why do you do
that?” So hearing Jimmy make that suggestion was like open-
ing the window a little crack. It was also interesting because
I’ve listened to her so Complete catalog: www.steeplechase.dk
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[Jones]’s advice: Don’t
listen to singers. If I had listened to Billie, I would have sung
like Billie. My ear is like a sponge and I’m good at imitating. So
listening to that brought it all back to me.
She had such an unusual voice. Just the sound of it, and the
texture of it after the drugging, smoking and drinking, gave it
an interesting quality. It was nasal and whiny and husky, but SCCD 31906 SCCD 31907
she had a way of phrasing that was unique to her. Her sense of
time was impeccable. She is singularly the jazz singer who has
influenced the most jazz singers. When you talk to pop singers,
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if they’ve listened to anyone in jazz, they’ve listened to Billie

Holiday. I don’t know if it’s the pathos in her life or the aura
she’s been given. There’s Billie Holiday, there’s James Dean,
there’s Marilyn Monroe. There’s this myth around her, and it
keeps drawing every generation. I don’t know what it is. I’m
fascinated with it too.

So what speaks to you about Billie?

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It’s the sensibility of the woman. I don’t listen to Billie. When I

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 THENtoNOW THE HISTORY OF
BY LEE MERGNER

JAZZTIMES DID NOT START WITH A PROPOSAL, Times?” Feather asked. Although the name was eventually
prospectus, or PowerPoint presentation. There was no capital in- trademarked with the USPTO, there was no real title search. Ira
vestment. There was no particular strategic plan. It didn’t even decided to drop “the” and make JazzTimes one word with a cap-
have a name. What kind of magazine is launched without a thor- ital T, something that many people, including several of its own
oughly researched and market-tested name? The answer is a jazz contributors, would get wrong for the next four decades. Ira also
magazine in 1970—one that would evolve into an award-winning turned to subscriptions to ease cash flow. The first subscriber was
publication and, with all modesty, one of the finest music maga- Dizzy Gillespie; the second was the pianist Kenny Drew.
zines in the world. Ira sold the record store in 1980 and devoted all his time to the
Like most publications, it started as the vision of one man. In magazine, which was growing in size and influence. He found a
the ’60s, Ira Sabin, a former society drummer and concert pre- little office in Silver Spring, Maryland, a struggling exurb of DC
senter, was the owner of an R&B and jazz record store—Sabin’s at that time. Rents were cheap. One of the earlier offices was over
Discount Records—in the U Street corridor of Washington, D.C. a banquet hall. He hired a series of editors, including the Wash-
The store became a cultural hot spot, with many of the great Af- ington Post music critic Mike Joyce, to help assign and edit the
rican-American artists of that time stopping by while on tour for content, while he hustled to find advertising prospects (record
meet-and-greets or signings, or just to hang out. labels and festivals, mainly) and distribution channels—from
After the riots of 1968, Ira moved the store to a record stores and bookstores to newsstands.
shopping center on Pennsylvania Avenue, in the Because the magazine continued to function as
Penn Branch neighborhood of DC. In 1970 he start- a conduit between record labels and radio stations,
ed printing up a circular for the store, highlighting
various recent releases and providing coupons, as JT a few cognoscenti including Orrin Keepnews and
Nesuhi Ertegun suggested that Ira host a con-
well as offering some short takes on records. Look-
ing at those pieces now, you see not only the mix of 50 ference for the jazz industry. The first JazzTimes
Convention took place in Washington at the Omni
R&B, soul, blues, and jazz but also the greatness of Shoreham. Within a few years, it moved to New
the music of that time. At some point, Ira decided York, where it was held at the Roosevelt Hotel for
to turn the circular into a tip sheet for radio people. several years. Looking back at the topics of the pan-
He started to add short columns from local DJs and writers, along els and workshops at those conventions in the ’80s and compar-
with playlists for what radio stations were airing. DJs would write ing them to the session titles of the more recent Jazz Congress
in asking for copies of recent releases in a column called “Pull- and JazzConnect conferences that we co-produced during the
ing Coattails.” last eight years, it’s amazing to see that the basic issues didn’t
As the circular grew and he got some advertising for it, Ira change much: the effect of new technologies, building the audi-
realized that it was becoming more than a promotional item ence for jazz, creative approaches to presenting live jazz, and so
for the store. It was a newspaper, in tabloid form, and it needed many other evergreen topics.
some sort of name. He somehow came up with the title of Ra- As printing technology evolved, glossy four-color magazines
dio Free Jazz, which we’ve never been able to parse. Did it refer became more common and even affordable, yet Ira found it
to avant-garde jazz on the radio? (Not likely.) Was it suggesting hard to make that transition. In 1990 he turned over the reins
that radio was free of jazz? (That would be the opposite of the to his son Glenn, who had worked at the record store when he
publication’s focus.) Most likely, it was a reference to Radio Free was barely a teenager and later sold ads for the magazine. The
Europe, which had such a large impact on culture behind the second generation did make the transition. In the ensuing years,
Iron Curtain. Ira told us many years later that he just liked the Glenn, with much help from myself and his brother Jeff, as well
way it sounded. as various editors, designers, and contributors, pushed the pub-
Over time the publication picked up more prestigious con- lication forward into a more sophisticated look and tone. Un-
tributors, including Leonard Feather, Ira Gitler, and Herb Wong. der Ira’s leadership, JazzTimes had been almost exclusively fo-
It was Feather who told Ira that the name Radio Free Jazz just cused on mainstream jazz. If it didn’t swing, it didn’t make it
wouldn’t do. “Why not call it the Jazz Times like the New York into print. Glenn expanded the magazine’s coverage beyond the

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 21
JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

mainstream to cover fusion and contemporary jazz. Record la- in the spring of 2009, a deal was struck.
bels like Blue Note, GRP, PolyGram, Warner Bros., Atlantic, and I, like an old washing machine in the basement of a recent-
Columbia became regular advertisers. ly sold house, transferred over to the new ownership based in
The ’90s were a period of great growth for JazzTimes, and Braintree, Mass., along with editor Evan Haga. Since 2009, Jazz-
the jazz industry at large. All the major labels had active jazz Times has been part of a portfolio of fellow niche magazines,
departments. Retail outlets like Tower Records, Borders, and such as Outdoor Photographer, The Writer, BirdWatching, and
Barnes & Noble were doing booming business as the market for Plane & Pilot. The resulting economies of scale, as well as shared
CDs exploded with both new releases and reissues of material resources and best practices, enabled us to not only weather the
from jazz’s long history. More and more jazz festivals happened storm but continue to develop and improve, winning multiple
all over the globe. Jazz education grew. Business was good for awards for journalism and design in those years.
a magazine that covered all that, and issues averaging over 200 For the last 30 years, JazzTimes has been guided by only four
pages enabled JazzTimes to feature dozens of artists and review editors: Mike Joyce, Christopher Porter, Haga, and Mac Randall,
hundreds of albums each month. plus myself as a utility player filling all sorts of different roles.
The evolution of the internet created a seismic shift for many However, during that same time there have been dozens of em-
industries, including the record business and print publishing. ployees who have contributed to the magazine’s growth and
Chains like Tower and Borders, which were significant sellers success. Finally, the cumulative roster of contributing writers,
of magazines as well as records, went under. Add to all that the photographers, and illustrators represents the best that music
economic crisis of 2008-2009, and a niche publication like Jazz- journalism has to offer. Whatever legacy the magazine has can
Times faced an enormous challenge to make its way as a single ti- rightly be credited to hundreds of creative and well-intentioned
tle. So when the opportunity came for the Sabin family to sell the people, all working toward a goal laid out by Ira Sabin 50 years
publication’s intellectual property to the Madavor Media group ago: to serve the music and the artists who make it. JT

LOOKING BACKatLOOKING BACK

FROM THE JAZZTIMES ARCHIVES: GREAT MUSICIANS
TALK ONE-ON-ONE ABOUT OTHER GREAT MUSICIANS
Over the years, we learned that some- time, because the record companies, with Count Basie later on Roulette. And
times it was best to have a musician in- generally, were very hesitant about having that came out perfect. Ralph Sharon did
terview another musician, because there Black artists. The record companies the charts, but Basie played piano on it.
would be an instant ease and shorthand didn’t consider them commercial—they We started at 12 o’clock at night and we
between them. Our subjects clearly wouldn’t sell down south. I realized went to six in the morning, and did the
opened up in these situations, in a way personally that it was very wrong, and whole album. And they just got on the
that they would never have done with a they were really creating the best music I bus and went 350 miles to play a gig the
jazz writer or critic. We thought you’d ever heard. I came up with this idea that I next day. Can you imagine? Someday
enjoy reading a few select excerpts from wanted to sing with Count Basie, and we someone’s gonna do a documentary on
our back pages, in which artists from broke a lot of rules in those days. For in- the history of bands and what hardship
the contemporary scene spoke with jazz stance, the Copacabana—I always played they had to go through to just play, and
greats about some of their peers and there—they never had Black artists. I was what great souls they were to just carry
mentors—all legends in the history of able to get Count Basie into the Copa, and on and play great music. Woody Herman
jazz. LEE MERGNER it went over magnificently. Then we went or Stan Kenton or Ellington or Basie—all
into the Casino in Philadelphia, and we the great bands. They were fantastic
TONY BENNETT, interviewed recorded there, and it was the beginning
of stereo. We did a record in mono, and
musicians—every one of them—and great
souls, and they knocked the audience
by BILL CHARLAP (2006) it was wonderful, but then some foolish right out of their seats every night.
producer who was in charge of it—I forget
CHARLAP: Can you tell me about his name at this point—said we had to CHARLAP: The two albums you made
your relationship with Count Basie? re-record it in a studio because we have with Bill Evans represent the highest
BENNETT: What happened with Count stereo now and we’ll put the applause in. standard of excellence in terms of
Basie and myself was a little ahead of It was a disaster. But then I made a record vocal interpretation and instrumental

22 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

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JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

accompaniment. With Evans it was a

true partnership, and both recordings
are regarded as all-time classics.
Can you reflect on the process of
creating those two masterpieces?
BENNETT: It was all up to Bill. Because
I’m a popular artist, the first thing he said
to me was, “Send all your cronies home.
I don’t want anybody hanging around
here.” And it was really beautiful because
it was just Helen [Keane], his manager,
and the engineer, and Bill and myself. I
can remember this so clearly I can hear
it as I’m speaking to you right now. We
didn’t plan anything. We just said, “What
would you like to sing?” “What about
this?” And he said, “Okay.” It would take
about three quarters of an hour, and
he’d work out a production, and what
he would want to do. But the music was Joshua Redman and Sonny Rollins circa 2005
so intense that I came running into the
engineer and I said, “Keep taping this, KONITZ: Another great musician who of real community; musicians playing
tape everything he’s doing right now.” was certainly influenced by Charlie and recording with each other all the
Because I never heard anybody play like Parker, but put it into piano music. time. Is that true?
that. It reminded me of ocean waves in He was also a troubled soul. Did I tell ROLLINS: Well, in those days—and
a hurricane, the waves are just comin’ in you the story about the Birth of the I’m speaking now primarily of when I
bada-boom, bada-boom, bada-boom— Cool band? Someone sent me a picture came on the scene, the latter part of the
like that, and I said you gotta record ev- recently of Lennie [Tristano], me, and ’40s into the ’50s and so on—there was
erything he’s playing. They said they were Billy Bauer, and in the picture, on the less money to be made. Therefore, the
running out of tape—in those days it was piano, was a baritone saxophone and guys sort of stuck together. It was more
on tape—and [the engineer] said, “We a trumpet. Sy Johnson, the arranger, about the music than about becoming a
won’t have any tape left.” And that was reminded me that I played in Lennie’s household name, especially the type of
about the best music I’ve ever heard. And band and the Birth of the Cool band that music that was making the break from
finally, after three quarters of an hour, he night. I had always said that the Birth swing; the guys that were doing that
said, “Okay, let’s try it.” And that’s how of the Cool band only played one solid felt marginalized anyway, so they had
the process went down. It was a beautiful week, but it was one week and one day, a community and it was a very close-
experience for me. I found out a few weeks ago. I heard knit community. There were the usual
that Bud Powell, who was in the Birth problems between human beings, but
LEE KONITZ, interviewed of the Cool band, played a great solo
on “Move.” Afterwards, everybody
the jazz community, the guys that were
playing, they were naturally brought
by ETHAN IVERSON (2011) congratulated him and he was sitting in closer together because there weren’t
a daze at the piano. Gerry Mulligan got that many places to play. There were just
IVERSON: Could we play some word up and very graciously embraced him clubs, and clubs were small, and not that
association? I’ll say a name and you and kissed him on the lips, and gently much money to be made, not as many
just react. Charlie Parker. walked with him off the stage. I thought records sold.
KONITZ: Charlie Parker was the master that was a very gracious thing to do. The musicians were beginning to get
of the alto saxophone in the ’40s. He a social consciousness, which is one of
was affected by the substances he used. I
think that it kind of excited his music to
SONNY ROLLINS, interviewed the reasons I always used to like Charlie
Parker, the way he presented himself
a breaking point sometimes, but he was by JOSHUA REDMAN (2005) when he played, his persona. He was
so brilliant that it was always musical. really serious, as opposed to some of the
It ended up being stylistic. And I think REDMAN: The ’50s and ’60s were guys were a little more jovial on stage.
he was stuck with that material. When an amazing age in music, where all That attitude pervaded a lot of us guys
he heard everybody playing and writing these incredible innovations were who were coming up under him.
like him, he was obliged to reinvent taking place. Among musicians in my In those days, guys had to do what they
himself. I think he was too sick to do generation, with everything we’ve did because they were often vilified by
ALAN NAHIGIAN

that. So he left town, I think. read and heard, there is a perception the larger community, and they just felt
that there was more of a life for jazz they had to stick together, fight together,
IVERSON: Bud Powell. on the streets of New York, a sense create music together and never mind

24 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

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JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

tomorrow. I don’t want to overpreach, but jazz musician ever. He was so gener- was an interesting combination of him
that was just the way things were, more ous not only creating a great career articulating the things that were working
so then. I’m not saying that there are not for himself, but he enabled others to or not working for him.
people that don’t feel like that now. make their own career, me included. I
remember when he called me in 1991. He ROSNES: Could you give an example
LOU DONALDSON, interviewed was supposed to do a two-month tour
with his quintet and Toots Thielemans
of what you’re referring to?
ALLEN: Well, the piano as an instrument
by CHRISTIAN McBRIDE (2015) was supposed to be his guest artist. And has all of these notes, in the sense that we
I had recently arrived in this country don’t have to breathe air. If you can think
McBRIDE: I want to throw a couple and then he called me. I was working in of it from the perspective of what it’s like
of names at you, and [I’d like you Washington at Blues Alley. They said, to breathe into an instrument, it changes
to say] a few words or [tell] a story “Dizzy Gillespie is on the phone for you.” the way you think about having to play
you have about these particular I thought, “What happened?” And I everything that’s there. I think that was a
musicians. Thelonious Monk. answered the phone, I said, “Hello, Dizzy. big part of what I had to find in that con-
DONALDSON: Well, what do you want to Can I do something for you?” He said, text: to wait for the notes that were really
know about him? He’s the weirdest cat I “Yeah, Toots Thielemans had a stroke.” I going to enhance the moment. Instead of
ever saw. [Laughs] Nobody in the world say, “Oh my God.” “Well, he’s doing fine, the way that we learn to play this or that,
was as weird as Monk. And he didn’t but he’s not going to be able to do this it really became about waiting and listen-
talk to but two people—and I was one tour. He was going to be my guest artist. ing and hearing the melody in relation to
of them; he liked me. He put me on all You want to sub for him?” It’s like some- these other four melodies.
his gigs and I used to be amazed, but he one calling me to do a movie instead of
liked me. He was in Yugoslavia and the Marlon Brando or something. I said, ROSNES: It’s like you’re painting
promoter came around and said, “Monk, “Dizzy, I am not as well-known as Toots together, so you have to pay
say a few words for the people.” Monk Thielemans.” And Dizzy, typical, he said, attention to the gradients of light
didn’t say anything and I said, “Look, [in a rough voice] “You want to do it, do or when to add a bit more color or
Monk, we getting $20,000 a week. That’s it, or you don’t!” “Yes, sir!” Then after that when to stop.
more than you ever got in your life, so tour I remember that the following year I ALLEN: Yes, very much like the expe-
you got to say something. We can’t blow had my first wonderful tour with my own rience of painting something together,
this gig.” He said, “All right, I’ll talk to group in Europe. So that is how generous where the melodies become the arcs and
them.” The promoter came back and said, Dizzy was, and what a wonderful person, the shapes. I felt that way when listening
“Now, Monk, you were born in North fantastic musician, you have to talk about to Ornette, the kinds of shapes the line
Carolina and you did this and did that.” that. And he was a blessing in my life and would take or moments of density …
And Monk said, “Something.” “What’s the life of many, many, many, many of us. with Denardo [Coleman] and Charnett
your wife’s name?” “Something.” He will be remembered forever. [Moffett] and the way that they would
deal with the density of sound, and
McBRIDE: Sonny Rollins.
DONALDSON: I’ve known Sonny for a
GERI ALLEN, interviewed Ornette’s sound would always shoot
through it in a certain kind of way. It’s
long time. I used to live in the neighbor- by RENEE ROSNES (2013) like if you look at the constellations when
hood where Sonny lived, in Sugar Hill you see the stars. He would pick these
[Harlem]. I used to go up there and see ROSNES: How would you describe spots, and everything becomes—some-
the ballgame for free every day—go up your experience under the how—a whole, complete idea.
there with spyglasses and look over the leadership of Ornette Coleman?
fence. But Sonny is a weird cat too be- ALLEN: I think a lot came through the ROSNES: It’s interesting how visual
cause I’ve been [in New York] since 1949 process of playing the music. It was a the music can be. I remember
and I never saw Sonny play one job at all certain kind of expectation, with the hearing his band in San Francisco
in New York, not in Harlem. He played in band. When I came into the band, it one night. To me, the image was
the Village, but nothing in Harlem, not was a well-developed trio without the a canvas filled with black lines
in the ghetto. Because the crazy stuff he piano. So it was more about me finding moving quickly and chaotically.
played, he’d get fired. Back then, if you a space in something that was already When Ornette played, I saw big
didn’t know “Flying Home,” you’re fired. complete. At least, it felt complete to me. circles of bright primary colors.
So he would give me this music and I ALLEN: Yes, and then the sound. To hear
PAQUITO D’RIVERA, interviewed would hear how he would play. I would
hear the velocity and the virtuosity in the
Ornette’s sound next to you—the impact
of what that is, and the sound in and
by ANAT COHEN (2013) approach and the fact that everyone was of itself—just the weight of that really
playing to their full capacity—going for made me want to figure out how you
COHEN: Let’s talk about Dizzy a it. So I learned from the combination of develop that when you play a note as a
little bit. hearing him describe the kinds of things pianist. We have to find a way to do that.
D’RIVERA: What can I tell you about that he liked and the kinds of things It doesn’t feel like a piano anymore, it
Dizzy? Dizzy was probably the dearest that maybe were reducing a moment. It doesn’t feel like a particular instrument,

26 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

it’s something more. I think Ornette was the paper rolls, while you pumped the it.” He didn’t know it was two guys. She
looking for that from me: to find that pedals. When she heard this roll being came home the next day and she asked
place where it wasn’t really a piano, or it played she said, “That’s pretty. I wonder if him, “How are you coming along with
didn’t matter what the instrument was. Arthur can play it.” She didn’t under- that?” He said, “I’m ready!” And he
stand it was two guys playing the music played it! I said, “Whoooo, look at that!”
JON HENDRICKS, interviewed on the piano roll.
She took it home and said, “Arthur, I’d
Then I whispered in her ear, and told her
it was two guys playing. She said, “It is?”
by ROSEANNA VITRO (2014) like to hear you play this when I come I said, “Yeah!” She was so surprised. He
home from work tomorrow.” Art said, not only played it, he learned it by ear
VITRO: Tell me more about your “Momma, I’ll be ready for you to hear and played it in a day. To this day, I’ll
working relationship with Art Tatum. it tomorrow. I’ll spend today learning never forget that. JT
HENDRICKS: My mother would save my
supper for me, because she knew I was
up at Art’s getting my nightly lessons. I’d
leave about 9 p.m. and I wouldn’t come
back until 2 or 3 a.m. the next morning.
Everybody of any consequence who
played an instrument—that means all
the great bands, Benny Goodman’s entire THE JAZZ
band—was listening to Art Tatum.
Louis Armstrong heard me, and said, SONGBOOK SERIES!
“Boy, you can sing!” I said, “Thank you Digital books direct from each composer’s lead sheets!
very much.” He said, “What are you KENNY BARRON RALPH TOWNER
TOM HARRELL STEVE SWALLOW
doing tomorrow about 12 o’clock?” I said, CARLA BLEY HORACE SILVER
“Nothing.” He said, “Come to the place KENNY WERNER OSCAR HERNANDEZ
I’m staying.” You know they couldn’t ALAN PASQUA WAYNE WALLACE
check into the white hotels, and there
weren’t any hotels in the ghetto, so he had
to get a room in a boarding house. So he
said, “Come by and wake me up and I’ll
take you for a walk.” So I got up and I
went down to the boarding house where
he was staying and he was dressed and
ready—you know, most people would
make you wait, but he was dressed and
ready. We walked down Indiana Avenue
[in Toledo, Ohio] to the downtown area
and across the street and all the way
back down into the ghetto. He talked all
the way down and all the way back. He
said, “You know something? You remind
me of me when I was the little cat. I
knew all I wanted was to learn to play
the trumpet.”

VITRO: You’ve truly lived a magical

life. Your ghosts have done a fine job
watching over. What are a few of
your favorite memories?
HENDRICKS: Art Tatum’s mother
scrubbed floors in a bank building down-
town. One day she came home and said,
“Arthur, I saw a piano roll and this fellow
said he’d sell it to me cheap because
nobody was buying them, so I bought
it and brought it home.” I don’t know if
you remember piano rolls, but there were
player pianos set up to automatically
play these pieces that were recorded on
See SherMusic.com for details
JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 27
 0
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hat better way to celebrate with consensus. It certainly doesn’t reflect
the anniversary of a music my personal tastes. My own top 10 for the
magazine than by making ’70s, to pick just one decade, would feature
a list? Given how much a different Miles Davis disc (either Jack
time we’re spending at Johnson or On the Corner), along with
home right now, a list of albums seemed the Air’s Air Lore and Ornette Coleman’s
most sensible, and fun, option. Under nor- Science Fiction. Indeed, the lack of a single
mal circumstances, we might not all have Ornette album is perhaps the greatest
the chance to delve into so many recorded disappointment to be found here. It’s not
statements of such length; we may as well because nobody voted for him; it’s because
take advantage of the opportunity while not enough people voted for the same
we’ve got it. record, which meant that none of them
A few basic ground rules were necessary, made it out of a particular decade’s top 25. I
though. The most important: resisted the strong temptation to play God
in this case and let the results stand.
1. Ten albums for each decade that Jazz- As we were compiling our list during
Times has been around. the spring, more questions arose. For
2. No more than one album per decade by example, why let the critics have all the fun?
any single “headline” artist. (Of course, Shouldn’t we get our readers involved too?
many of these artists have a way of And so we did, launching a series of five
reappearing on other people’s albums, readers’ polls—one per decade—that ran
but we didn’t penalize them for that. for approximately a month each on jazz-
Similarly, we didn’t consider cutting out times.com. Nearly 50,000 votes later, the re-
any album just because players on it also sults of all those polls are here too (ranked
show up on multiple others within the by number of votes cast per album), and
same decade.) it’s fascinating to compare your list with
3. No ranking; that’s too much pressure, ours. Perhaps not surprisingly, the farther
and besides it seemed offputtingly back we go, the closer we get to unity; for
weird to call an album made in 2016 the ’70s, seven out of 10 picks are identical
“better” or “worse” than one made in in both lists, and the other three titles in
1971. Chronology, based on release date, the readers’ list are all in our top 20. But as
would be the only determinant for the we enter the ’80s, opinions start to diverge,
final order. though there are still some common points
of agreement going forward, the excellence
With these rules in mind, we flipped of Wayne Shorter being the biggest.
through old JT reviews and critics’ polls, as You can (and almost certainly will) ar-
well as consulting various other sources (for gue about what’s here and what’s not; that’s
albums of the past 20 years, Nate Chinen’s what articles like this are all about. But one
book Playing Changes proved especially thing’s for sure: You can’t go wrong listen-
helpful in sparking ideas). Then we solicited ing to any of these 50 albums. And listen-
nominations from a small group of key ing to all of them, or even a small sampling
contributors to the magazine. Once all the of each … well, there could be few better
votes were in, we tabulated them to produce ways to commemorate JazzTimes’ golden
the list you see here. anniversary. Apart from throwing the kind
Like most such lists, it reflects the kind of big party we’re all hoping to have again,
of compromise that necessarily goes along one of these years. MAC RANDALL

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 29
JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

The ’70s CHICK COREA

Üƛɼʓɝșɼȩ_ȩɝƛʰƛɝ࢖
MILES DAVIS ECM, 1972
Bitches Brew Fans of Return to Forever tend to fall into
Columbia, 1970 two camps: those that love the high-pow-
Everything about Bitches Brew, from title ered fusion of the later band featuring
and cover on down, was provocative. It Corea with Al Di Meola, Stanley Clarke,
alienated as many listeners as it enchant- and Lenny White and those that prefer
ed, and it bewildered even more. Never- the first two RTF albums with Joe Farrell,
theless, Miles Davis’ electric, psychedelic, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, and Clarke.
often amorphous experiments spearhead- This, the group’s debut, is a very special
ed a revolution in jazz—then endured amalgamation of Brazilian music, jazz-
longer than the revolution did. Bitches rock, and Third Stream. Corea’s touch
Brew remains a singular recording. If and feel on the Fender Rhodes is sui ge-
its dark, caustic textures and spaced-out neris—at once melodic and percussive—
production don’t make for an easy listen, and the band blends together artfully
its earthy grooves never fail to intoxicate. and fluidly, while also enhanced by the
MICHAEL J. WEST crystalline sound of ECM. It’s music both
of its time and timeless. Nearly all Corea’s
compositions from this album and its
FREDDIE HUBBARD follow-up Light as a Feather became jazz
Red Clay standards, played by jazz pros and stu-
CTI, 1970 dents alike for the ensuing four decades.
LEE MERGNER
The product of three days at Van Gelder
Studio and one of the weirdest kick-drum
sounds in jazz, the trumpeter’s 1970 date HERBIE HANCOCK
with Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Head Hunters
Ron Carter, and Lenny White is his most Columbia, 1973
famous for a reason. From the hot-blood-
ed title track to a delirious (CD-only) While his former Miles Davis bandmates
cover of John Lennon’s dope-withdraw- stretched the trumpeter’s jazz/fusion
al dispatch “Cold Turkey,” Red Clay vision in Weather Report, the Mahav-
straddles the hard-bop and fusion eras ishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and
and contains some of the best of both. the Tony Williams Lifetime, keyboardist
MORGAN ENOS Herbie Hancock had other ideas with
Head Hunters. Akin to a ’70s funk
soundtrack, its four lengthy instru-
THE MAHAVISHNU mentals include the danceable classic
ORCHESTRA “Chameleon,” slow-grooving “Watermel-
The Inner Mounting Flame on Man” and “Vein Melter,” and frenetic
Columbia, 1971 “Sly,” with reedman Bennie Maupin,
bassist Paul Jackson, drummer Harvey
Guitarist John McLaughlin’s fusion crew Mason, and percussionist Bill Summers.
redefined jazz as full frontal assault on BILL MEREDITH
their debut album. The music was almost
unremittingly frenetic, but it also had hu-
mor, as the lope into odd-meter boogie on DAVE HOLLAND QUARTET
“The Dance of Maya” and the zany glisses Conference of the Birds
on “You Know, You Know” proved. ECM, 1973
With only (?) acoustic piano, organ, and
Dave Holland’s debut recording as a
Rhodes (plus a sick ring modulator) in
leader quickly ascended to the level of
his arsenal, keyboardist Jan Hammer
classic shortly after its release, and for
couldn’t quite match McLaughlin’s ecstat-
many good reasons. First off, there were
ic bends and fusillades as he later did with
the dueling horns of Sam Rivers and
analog synth on 1973’s Birds of Fire; this
Anthony Braxton, alternately muscu-
shifted the group’s balance more toward
lar and probing, always pushing each
Billy Cobham’s drumming—and what
composition forward. Drummer Barry
breathtakingly athletic drumming it is.
Altschul was perfect for this wide-rang-
MAC RANDALL
ing music. And the leader’s compositions
were so melodic and concise they were

30 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

Congratulations
on 50 Years
from the
Mack Avenue Family

Listen to these and other Mack Avenue Music Group artists on: mackavenue.com
facebook.com/mackavenue
youtube.com/mackavenue
instagram.com/mackavenuerecords
JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

practically hummable. This debut has all modinha, capped by some of the most
the hallmarks of Holland’s exceptional songful solos Wayne Shorter ever played.
later recordings. MARTIN JOHNSON J.D. CONSIDINE

KEITH JARRETT PAT METHENY

The Köln Concert Bright Size Life
ECM, 1975 ECM, 1976

The solo piano album that launched a Arguably the most influential jazz debut
thousand bad new-age imitations remains of the past 50 years, certainly the most
a stunning and inimitable achievement influential debut by a guitarist. Grounded
45 years after its release. The stately not just in swing, bop, and the moderns
melodic beauty of its 66 minutes is but also in country, folk, and rock, the
grounded in surprisingly pounding folk young man from Lee’s Summit, Missouri
rhythms, Jarrett’s virtuoso phrasing, unveiled a warm, plain but reverb-laced
and his eccentric wails and grunts. It tone that was refreshingly rustic, married
doesn’t sound like jazz, either in 1975 or to musical sensibilities that were just as
2020. Indeed, it sounds like nothing else. alluring in their urban sophistication
MICHAEL J. WEST (check the logic-defying changes on
“Omaha Celebration”). Metheny’s playing
and writing alone make Bright Size Life
WAYNE SHORTER superb; add the astonishing bass work of
Native Dancer his pal Jaco Pastorius and you’ve got an
Columbia, 1975 all-time classic. MAC RANDALL
Not since Getz/Gilberto had an album
connected Brazilian music with jazz as WEATHER REPORT
perfectly as Native Dancer. Recorded Heavy Weather
with a mix of jazz, rock, and Brazilian Columbia, 1977
musicians, and built largely around the
brilliant songs and ethereal voice of It’s rare for artistic and commercial peaks
Milton Nascimento, what it offered was to intersect, but that’s exactly what hap-
an absolutely singular sound, whisking pened on Weather Report’s eighth record-
jazz and rock with samba, folia, and ing. The band’s co-founders, keyboardist
Josef Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne
Shorter, plus mercurial fretless bassist
Jaco Pastorius deliver virtuosic play over
READERS’ TOP 10 tunes that update the leaders’ cornerstone

The ʻ70s
influences (Cannonball, Blakey, Miles)
in late-’70s form. In a more jazz-friendly
world, “A Remark You Made” would have
been a Quiet Storm hit and pieces like
1. Miles Davis Bitches Brew “Teen Town,” “Birdland,” and “Harle-
(Columbia, 1970)
quin” would be television theme music.
2. Herbie Hancock Head MARTIN JOHNSON
Hunters (Columbia, 1973)
3. Chick Corea Return to
Forever (ECM, 1972) The ’80s
4. Keith Jarrett The Köln
Concert (ECM, 1975) PAT METHENY
5. Weather Report Heavy 80/81
Weather (Columbia, 1977) ECM, 1980

6. Pat Metheny Bright Size Life Enlisting four of the musicians he most
(ECM, 1976) admired, including rhythm players—
7. Freddie Hubbard Red Clay bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Jack
(CTI, 1970) DeJohnette—who, remarkably, had never
worked together in the studio before,
8. Jaco Pastorius Jaco
Pastorius (Epic, 1976) the 26-year-old guitarist successful-
ly translated the sound in his head to
9. Miles Davis A Tribute to Jack beautifully open, airy, sometimes urgent
Johnson (Columbia, 1971)
recordings. Three tracks, including the
10. Weather Report Weather laid-back “The Bat” and the grooving,
Report (Columbia, 1971)

32 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

sharp-cornered, raucous “Pretty Scat- music circa 1983—hip-hop, R&B, funk,
tered,” feature the sublime pairing of rock, and synth-pop—and served it up in
tenor men Michael Brecker and Dewey a way that appealed to both serious jazz
Redman. PHILIP BOOTH listeners and breakdancing teenagers.
STEVE GREENLEE
JOE HENDERSON
Mirror Mirror JACK DeJOHNETTE’S
MPS, 1980 SPECIAL EDITION
After the ’60s Blue Note triumphs, the Album Album
’70s Milestone explorations, and a one-off ECM, 1984
for Enja, Mirror Mirror finds tenor sax- Having made his mark as a master drum-
ophonist extraordinaire Joe Henderson mer, DeJohnette moved to his second
still in top form. More relaxed but no less act: composer, arranger, keyboardist,
enchanting, Henderson’s huge tone and and bandleader. Special Edition wasn’t
brilliant imagination lead his quartet of his only platform for these skills, but it
Chick Corea, Ron Carter, and Billy Hig- was easily the best. From the electric sec-
gins in six of his own compositions. From ond-line groove of “New Orleans Strut”
the lighthearted, swinging title track and to the Ellingtonian color suffusing his
dark-hued “Keystone” to an unusually arrangement of “Monk’s Mood,” Album
extroverted reading of “What’s New?,” Album is DeJohnette at his Renaissance
Henderson’s gifts are strong and sweet. Man best. J.D. CONSIDINE
KEN MICALLEF

WYNTON MARSALIS
JACO PASTORIUS Black Codes (From the Underground)
Word of Mouth Columbia, 1985
Warner Bros., 1981
For all the talk of Marsalis as a derivative
Incredibly, this was not only Jaco’s second reactionary, Black Codes was bracing
album but also his last studio album as music. Sure, it was acoustic, bebop(-ish)
a leader. Such is the mercurial nature stuff. But these chord changes were not
of this tragic genius who in the span of for the faint of heart, and between the
about a decade revolutionized the electric angular polyrhythms and chops-y lines, it
bass, almost singlehandedly turned seemed the trumpeter had learned more
Weather Report into a live spectacle, and from fusion than he let on. A generation
wrote several tunes that will be part of of musicians pointed to Black Codes as an
the standard jazz repertoire for years to inspiration; Marsalis was looking to the
come. Word of Mouth is a big-band re- future after all. MICHAEL J. WEST
cording that merges divergent influences
(fusion, big band, rock, funk and more)
with unique lead voices such as Toots
x’Eí6ĥxí࢑
Thielemans’ harmonica, Othello Molin- Tutu
eaux’s steel drums, and Pastorius’ own Warner Bros., 1986
wordless vocals. A creative success and Befitting his mercurial nature, Miles had
a commercial failure, it represented the become interested in the pop music of the
peak of his output before mental illness mid-’80s, meaning synth-heavy hooks
took hold. Listen to this just once and with lots of programmed rhythms, as
see if you aren’t humming any number heard in the work of bands like Scrit-
of its melodies in the hours and days that ti Politti and the Human League. He
follow. LEE MERGNER turned to longtime bassist/production
wunderkind Marcus Miller to create a
HERBIE HANCOCK rich sonic tapestry that announces itself
with the very first notes of the title tune,
Future Shock
named for the South African bishop and
Columbia, 1983
anti-apartheid activist. “We used syn-
“Rockit,” both the song and the hit thesizers, samplers, drum machines and
MTV video, tricked millions of kids blended them with real musicians,” Miller
into getting hooked on Herbie, having explained in 2010. “Although many of
no clue about his background. Future the instruments were electronic, it was
Shock blended Hancock’s jazz instincts important to me to make the music feel
with everything that was going on in pop good, to make it swing. And it was also

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 33
JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

BETTY CARTER
important that, although I played most
of the instruments on the album, the
sound of Miles’ horn was the centerpiece. Look What I Got!
I tried to find melodies that were worthy Bet-Car/Verve, 1988
of his glorious sound. The result, in my More than any other jazz vocalist, Carter
opinion, is a pretty good representation of delights in the upended expectation,
what the ’80s had to offer.” The two would putting new light and shade on the most
continue the collaboration with the next shopworn lyric or emotional payoff. Here
album, Amandla, and material from she spars and parries with the likes of
those two discs would make up much of Benny Green or Don Braden on snappy
Davis’ live songbook until his death in tunes like “All I Got” and “Mr. Gentle-
1991. LEE MERGNER man” (her sequel to “Tight”), drops a
wistful scat passage in lieu of a lyric on
MICHAEL BRECKER her poignant hope-versus-reality compo-
sition “Just Like the Movies (Time),” and
Michael Brecker nudges the pace and pathos of “The Man
MCA/Impulse!, 1987 I Love” and “The Good Life.” As always,
Brecker didn’t make his debut recording “what she got” are worthy surprises.
as a leader until he was in his late thirties, BRITT ROBSON
at which point he had already been a
celebrated saxophonist for nearly two de- WORLD SAXOPHONE
cades. That’s the kind of career trajectory
you don’t see much in music these days.
QUARTET
All that past experience also meant he Rhythm and Blues
Elektra, 1989
knew exactly how to make a solo splash:
convene a ridiculous band (Pat Metheny, By no means a crossover bid, this
Kenny Kirkland, Charlie Haden, Jack album—composed in the main of R&B
DeJohnette), round up some cool tunes classics like “Night Train,” “The Dock of
(highlight: “Original Rays,” a co-write the Bay,” and “Messin’ with the Kid”—
with Don Grolnick and Mike Stern), and simply employs familiar tunes to bring
proceed to rip shit up. MAC RANDALL out the best in the WSQ. And their best
is, as always, a meeting of mind and body;
the way David Murray, Julius Hemphill,
and Oliver Lake reharmonize the melody
of “For the Love of Money” is très clever,
READERS’ TOP 10

The ʻ80s
but what makes it work is the innate
funkiness of Hamiet Bluiett’s baritone.
MAC RANDALL

The ’90s
1. Pat Metheny 80/81 (ECM, 1980)
2. Keith Jarrett Standards, Vol. 1
(ECM, 1983)
3. Miles Davis Tutu (Warner JOHN ZORN
Bros., 1986) Naked City
4. Pat Metheny Group Still Life Elektra/Nonesuch, 1990
(Talking) (Geffen, 1987) This quintet gave saxophonist/composer
5. Jaco Pastorius Word of Mouth Zorn the perfect outlet for his expansive
(Warner Bros., 1981) musical mind, with moods changing
6. Grover Washington, Jr. shape faster than you can say “Carl Stall-
Winelight (Elektra, 1980) ing.” Messrs. Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz,
Joey Baron, and Fred Frith—plus vocalist
7. Michael Brecker Michael
Brecker (MCA/Impulse!, 1987) Yamatsuka Eye, doing his best to channel
the Tasmanian Devil—light up Zorn’s
8. Pat Metheny Group First originals, which often change shape every
Circle (ECM, 1984)
couple measures; they also bring gravity
9. John McLaughlin/Al Di Meola/ to Morricone and Mancini and funk to
Paco DeLucía Friday Night in Ornette’s “Lonely Woman.” Elsewhere,
San Francisco (Philips, 1981) eight noisy punk-inspired “hardcore min-
10. Bob James and David iatures” (which almost total three min-
Sanborn Double Vision utes in length) precede a gentle rendition
(Warner Bros., 1986)

34 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 READERS’ TOP 10
of Jerry Goldsmith’s “Chinatown.” That’s
contrast. MIKE SHANLEY
The ʻ90s
1. Joe Henderson Lush Life
STAN GETZ/ (Verve, 1992)

KENNY BARRON 2. Pat Metheny/Dave Holland/

Roy Haynes Question and
People Time Answer (Geffen, 1990)
Verve, 1992
3. Stan Getz/Kenny Barron
During the middle of Stan Getz’s career People Time (Verve, 1992)
he recorded some albums that are likely
4. Charlie Haden and Pat
to be in most people’s all-time top 100, Metheny Beyond the
but for the last 20 or so years of his career, Missouri Sky (Short Stories)
it seemed that he was drifting. Nonethe- (Verve, 1997)
less, he continued to perform at a high
5. Joe Henderson So Near,
level, setting a standard for swinging So Far (Musings for Miles)
tenor that influenced people like Harry (Verve, 1993)
Allen, Scott Hamilton, and Ken Peplows-
ki. Pianist Kenny Barron was a member 6. Cassandra Wilson Blue Light
‘Til Dawn (Blue Note, 1993)
of his last working quartet, and the two
would often play duets with the mics off 7. Herbie Hancock, Wayne
during their shows, which provided the Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony
inspiration for this beautiful live record- Williams and Wallace
Roney A Tribute to Miles
ing, made in March ’91 at the Jazzhus (Qwest, 1994)
Montmartre in Copenhagen. Sadly, it was
the last recording for Getz, who died just 8. Brad Mehldau Songs: The Art
three months later of pancreatic cancer, of the Trio, Vol. 3 (Warner
Bros., 1998)
giving the album even more poignancy;
in a sense, it became his epitaph. Look for 9. Shirley Horn Here’s to Life
the deluxe seven-CD version with differ- (Verve, 1992)
ent sets and in-depth liner notes by Gary 10. Michael Brecker Tales from
Giddins and Barron. LEE MERGNER the Hudson (GRP, 1996)

DON BYRON
Tuskegee Experiments Carter, Joe Henderson, and Shirley Horn.
Nonesuch, 1992 This landmark album by the singer/pia-
For decades prior to Tuskegee Experi- nist featured the exquisite arrangements
ments, the clarinet had been something of of Johnny Mandel and showcased Horn’s
a jazz relic, seemingly unable to escape its singular vocal gifts, most significantly a
popular connection to the Dixieland and languid phrasing that wrests the drama
swing eras. That ended definitively with out of every ballad, most notably on the
the release of Don Byron’s debut album, title cut. The non-scatting Horn provided
which exploited both the instrument’s a model for contemporary jazz singers
natural mellifluousness and its capacity like Diana Krall and Carol Welsman.
to get real nasty. Paired wonderfully LEE MERGNER
with fellow downtown revolutionary
Bill Frisell on “Tuskegee Strutter’s Ball,” HENRY THREADGILL
Byron squeals, moans, and jests. Still
Too Much Sugar for a Dime
as ear-clearing today as it was nearly 30
Axiom, 1993
years ago. MAC RANDALL
Why this album and not any one of a
SHIRLEY HORN dozen others in Threadgill’s exalted
discography? Because no other Threadgill
Here’s to Life album contains “Try Some Ammonia,” a
Verve, 1992
thrilling 12-minute romp that shows off
When PolyGram rejuvenated the Verve the quirky depth of his Very Very Circus
label in the ’80s, it not only signed a lineup (French horn, two electric guitars,
bunch of emerging artists such as Chris- two tubas, drums) to brilliant effect. The
tian McBride, Nicholas Payton, and Ste- main melody couldn’t be more infec-
phen Scott, but it also revived the profiles tious or the groove more booty-shaking,
of several jazz veterans, including Betty and the ragged glory of Threadgill’s

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 35
JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

alto-sax solo provides a perfect climax. warm yet cool, innocent yet knowing.
MAC RANDALL Surreptitiously, she tugs at your heart. She
is wonderfully supported on her fourth
CASSANDRA WILSON album by a world-class orchestra: Russell
Malone and Christian McBride. If you are
Blue Light ’Til Dawn not bewitched by Love Scenes, you need to
Blue Note, 1993 see a doctor. THOMAS CONRAD
This is the best record by the best female
jazz vocalist of her generation. The rep- BRAD MEHLDAU
ertoire runs from high pop culture (Joni
Songs: The Art of the Trio, Vol. 3
Mitchell, Van Morrison) to foundational
Warner Bros., 1998
blues texts (Robert Johnson). Trans-
formed by Wilson’s dark, sensual, spiri- At the time Songs was released, it was
tual voice, every song becomes her soul’s widely discussed for its inclusion of a
own testament, and the album becomes Radiohead song that had come out the
one rapt ceremony. Guitarist Brandon previous year. That this was a big deal
Ross is her essential co-conspirator. indicates how far jazz had gotten from
THOMAS CONRAD the hit parade, but it doesn’t properly get
across just how well-suited “Exit Music
JOSHUA REDMAN (for a Film)” is to Mehldau’s brooding-
romantic persona as a pianist. The same
MoodSwing goes for Nick Drake’s drifting “River
Warner Bros., 1994 Man,” on which Mehldau, bassist Larry
Joshua Redman’s third recording arrived Grenadier, and drummer Jorge Rossy
as trends in jazz were shifting. The Young combine to create something truly magi-
Lion trend was fading, and veteran play- cal. MAC RANDALL
ers were putting out era-defining music.
Redman assembled a group with three
future all-stars—pianist Brad Mehldau, The ’00s
bassist Christian McBride, and drummer
Brian Blade—and they made an impres- ANDREW HILL
sive recording, not just for their ages but Dusk
for the age. The music had an undeniable Palmetto, 2000
swagger, and the band confidently per-
Between his mid-’60s Blue Note break-
formed tunes from many different styles
through and this album, pianist Andrew
of jazz. MARTIN JOHNSON
Hill’s youthful fire had given way to
subtlety and nuance. But his idiosyncratic
CHARLIE HADEN vision—with its oblong forms, thickset
AND HANK JONES textures, and unpredictable harmonies—
was as potent as ever, and he showed a
Steal Away
solid rapport with younger players like
Verve, 1995
Marty Ehrlich, Greg Tardy, and Scott
A taste of heaven on earth, this attractive- Colley. Dusk represents one of the great
ly unassuming album finds bassist Haden artistic resurgences in jazz history.
and pianist Jones playing to the jazz faith- MICHAEL J. WEST
ful. Both were steeped in the music of the
church—Haden sang gospel glories with a
family band and Jones learned the sounds
JASON MORAN
of Sunday morning through a strict Black Stars
Baptist upbringing—so these religious Blue Note, 2001
and traditional songs were, quite simply, Jason Moran’s third album is his only
in their blood. DAN BILAWSKY recorded collaboration with Sam Rivers,
who is 50 years older. Rivers pulls Moran
DIANA KRALL outside and Moran pulls Rivers in. They
meet in an incredibly fertile zone in the
Love Scenes
middle, where Moran is set free for wild
GRP/Impulse!, 1997
skittering runs that climax in ecstatic
Jazz purists tend to distrust Krall because tremolos and crashing chords, and Rivers
she sells millions of records. Don’t listen concentrates his ferocity into concise on-
to them. Her gift for nuance is based on slaughts. It is a May-December marriage
contrast. Her voice is breathy yet clear, made in heaven. THOMAS CONRAD

36 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 WAYNE SHORTER
within standard songs to explosive
deconstructions of those standards.
Footprints Live! THOMAS CONRAD
Verve, 2002

Ushering in a new phase with the first SONNY ROLLINS

official live album under his own name, Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert
Shorter introduced an adventurous Milestone, 2005
quartet—with pianist Danilo Pérez,
This album is that rare case in which
bassist John Patitucci, and drummer
the backstory is quite nearly the whole
Brian Blade—that would swiftly go
story. On September 11, 2001, Rollins
down in history as one of the finest to was living in an apartment not far from
ever fly. The playlist’s titles ring familiar, the Twin Towers; after their fall, he was
with inclusions like “Sanctuary” and forced to evacuate his building amid the
“JuJu,” but the performances themselves debris and pollution. The legendary tenor
constantly confound and surprise. saxophonist went to Boston where, five
DAN BILAWSKY days later, he performed a concert that
was eventually released as this album,
DON BYRON which won a Grammy in 2006. Always a
transcendent performer, Rollins doesn’t
Ivey-Divey
disappoint on this 72-minute set with
Blue Note, 2004
his working band. One footnote: Retired
In 2004 Don Byron was, by critical from playing since 2012, Rollins blames
consensus, the preeminent clarinetist the toxic air of post-9/11 New York for his
in jazz. Ivey-Divey shows exactly why. It subsequent respiratory issues that later
is a tribute to a 1946 Lester Young trio made it impossible for him to play the
recording with no bassist. The premise tenor. LEE MERGNER
and the rhythm section (Jason Moran
and Jack DeJohnette) inspire Byron to MICHAEL BRECKER
unleash his full arsenal as an improviser,
Pilgrimage
from intricate melodic investigations
Heads Up/Concord, 2007

The saxophonist’s final statement,

released posthumously, is filled with
READERS’ TOP 10 exuberance and urgency. Though Brecker

The ʻ00s
was battling a disease that would kill
him months later, Pilgrimage soars with
joyous themes and sublime performances
by one of the finest supporting casts a
1. Kurt Rosenwinkel The Next musician could assemble (guitarist Pat
Step (Verve, 2001)
Metheny, pianists Herbie Hancock and
2. Wayne Shorter Footprints Brad Mehldau, bassist John Patituc-
Live! (Verve, 2002) ci, and drummer Jack DeJohnette).
3. Brian Blade Fellowship Brecker, knowing time was running out,
Perceptual (Blue Note, 2000) throws his entire self into every solo.
4. Roy Hargrove/Michael STEVE GREENLEE
Brecker/Herbie Hancock
Directions in Music: Live at
Massey Hall (Verve, 2002)
ROY HARGROVE
Earfood
5. Pat Metheny Group The Way
EmArcy/Decca, 2008
Up (Nonesuch, 2005)
6. Dave Holland Prime Directive
Two years after trumpeter Roy Hargrove’s
(ECM, 2000) death, we’re still too close to him to evalu-
ate his final legacy: whether, for example,
7. Kurt Rosenwinkel Heartcore
he’ll be known by future generations
(Verve, 2003)
more for his straight-ahead playing or
8. Brad Mehldau Largo (Warner for his pioneering jazz/R&B/hip-hop
Bros., 2002) hybrids with the RH Factor. Even at this
9. Norah Jones Come Away with juncture, though, it’s fair to say he’ll
Me (Blue Note, 2002) long be remembered for composing this
10. Herbie Hancock River: The album’s “Strasbourg/St. Denis,” a tune
Joni Letters (Verve, 2007)

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 37
JT
50 REFLECTING ON FIVE DECADES OF JAZZ

that it’s scientifically impossible to hear Note album, the saxophonist premiered
without smiling. The other 12 tunes are a two-drummer quintet that simultane-
just as great, making Earfood arguably ously drew upon the anarchic freedoms
Hargrove’s masterwork. MAC RANDALL of late-’60s/early-’70s jazz and held onto
enough accessibility to appeal to main-
CHARLES LLOYD QUARTET streamers. The program of all-Lovano
originals is continuously exhilarating,
Rabo de Nube unpredictable, and sublimely performed.
ECM, 2008 JEFF TAMARKIN
Lloyd plays only with the finest pianists,
and he doesn’t change them often. Rabo MIGUEL ZENÓN
de Nube documents Jason Moran’s debut
Esta Plena
with Lloyd’s quartet. Moran is a denser,
Marsalis, 2009
more jagged, more percussive pianist
than his predecessors, and therefore the The most resplendent and best-integrated
most different from Lloyd. The two jux- of Zenón’s now-many forays into weaving
tapose their separate concepts of lyricism the music of his Puerto Rican heritage
even as they meet on the common ground into jazz. Abetting his longstanding
of their shared predilection for sweeping quartet with a trio of percussionists/
drama. THOMAS CONRAD vocalists, he explores the raw, celebra-
tory “street” music of plena, without
JOE LOVANO US FIVE omitting Parker-esque bop (“Residencial
Llorens Torres”) or conservatory classical
Folk Art (“Progresso”). Expertly conceived, with a
Blue Note, 2009 strong, internal narrative arc, Esta Plena
Joe Lovano doesn’t so much reinvent is the altoist’s most passionate, patriotic
himself with each new outlet as fine-tune declaration of duality. BRITT ROBSON
what’s already there. For his 21st Blue

The ’10s
READERS’ TOP 10 TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON
The ʻ10s The Mosaic Project
E1, 2011

For all of her skill as a drummer/percus-

1. Kamasi Washington The Epic
(Brainfeeder, 2015)
sionist, Terri Lyne Carrington’s most im-
pressive talent may be that of facilitator. A
2. Wayne Shorter Quartet more inspired cast of participants would
Without a Net (Blue
be difficult to find (for starters, there’s
Note, 2013)
Esperanza Spalding, Dianne Reeves, Geri
3. Esperanza Spalding Radio Allen, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Cassan-
Music Society (Concord, 2012) dra Wilson), but this Grammy-winning
4. (tie) Brian Blade & the recording’s greatest strength lies in how
Fellowship Band Landmarks it transcends all of those tired “women
(Blue Note, 2014) in jazz” tropes and coalesces consistently
4. (tie) Keith Jarrett/Charlie into a statement of both power and splen-
Haden Jasmine (ECM, 2010) dor. JEFF TAMARKIN
5. Maria Schneider Orchestra
The Thompson Fields ESPERANZA SPALDING
(ArtistShare, 2015)
Radio Music Society
6. Pat Metheny Unity Band Heads Up/Concord, 2012
(Nonesuch, 2012)
As the least jazz-centric record in this
7. Ambrose Akinmusire When the half-century roundup, Radio Music Soci-
Heart Emerges Glistening
ety may be a polarizing choice. But at 27,
(Blue Note, 2011)
Spalding was an effervescently confident
8. Wayne Shorter Emanon (Blue conceptualist, content to let her hybrid
Note, 2018) songs sprawl among nearly every genre
9. Kurt Rosenwinkel Star of imaginable. She had the clout to deploy
Jupiter (Wommusic, 2012) big bands and children’s choirs, feature
10. Brad Mehldau Trio Ode Joe Lovano on a Stevie Wonder tune, tab
(Nonesuch, 2012)

38 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 AZIZA
Gil Goldstein to help rearrange an ob- working bands. But what a duo album it
scure Wayne Shorter fusion jam, and get is (it did net the vocalist her third Gram-
Q-Tip to co-produce two of her originals. Aziza my), featuring all the remarkable gifts
Her two political songs are more timely Dare2, 2016 that both Salvant and her locked-in but
today than when they debuted. And It would be easy (and true) to say that this wide-open musical partner, pianist Sul-
despite all the help, the disc’s dominant debut by the quartet of Dave Holland, livan Fortner, share: encyclopedic grasp
impression is made by her burbling yet Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, and Eric of repertoire, comfort with space, ironic
sinuous electric bass lines in tandem Harland is tremendously impressive. But sense of humor, dynamic interplay, and
with drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. that elides the factor that may just con- unquestioned virtuosity. When it comes
BRITT ROBSON tribute most to its greatness: Despite the to modern vocal jazz, their sparkling
fact that it nods deeply and satisfyingly performance nearly defines sublime.
WAYNE SHORTER to ’70s fusion—a subgenre built to a large LEE MERGNER

QUARTET degree on flash—there isn’t a moment

Without a Net
that feels like it was designed to impress BRANFORD
Blue Note, 2013
anyone. Which, of course, makes it all the
more impressive. MAC RANDALL
MARSALIS QUARTET
Wayne Shorter’s storied quartet with The Secret Between the
Shadow and the Soul
Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian
Blade hadn’t recorded in eight years when
GREGORY PORTER Marsalis/OKeh, 2019
Without a Net hit. It was worth the wait. Take Me to the Alley
No small ensemble in jazz today interacts
Blue Note, 2016
The then 79-year-old saxophonist proves with more emotional and intellectu-
more adventurous than players a quarter Vocalist Gregory Porter is this genera- al acuity than Branford’s longtime
his age. The writing is among the most tion’s Ray Charles, Van Morrison, and foursome. Their familiarity enhances
beautiful and mysterious in his career; Al Green rolled into one, an emotional, a wisdom already present from their
the band’s collective playing is at a level so spirit-drenched, powerfully uplifting individual musical diligence, providing
high, the rest of music can only look up in artist shining forth in a downcast time. a foundational rigor that enables them to
astonishment. MICHAEL J. WEST 2016’s Take Me to the Alley is prime “relax” into interpretations and improvi-
Porter, from the stirring “Don’t Lose sations that exude uncommon innovation
CHICK COREA TRIO Your Steam,” faith-filled “Holding On,”
and stunning, Savior-praising title
and immediacy. Be it bassist Eric Revis’
perfectly named “Dance of the Evil Toys,”
Trilogy track to the hard-swinging “Fan the the haunting beauty of the leader’s tribute
Stretch/Concord Jazz, 2014
Flames.” Classic album, timeless artistry. to his mother Delores (“Life Filtering
Chick takes a back-to-basics approach KEN MICALLEF from the Water Flowers”), or the loping
on this three-disc live set, recorded at whimsy of Andrew Hill’s “Snake Hip
venues around the globe. He returns to
the acoustic piano-trio format to rework
VIJAY IYER SEXTET Waltz,” this is a seven-song collection of
inexhaustible artistry. BRITT ROBSON
some fan-favorite compositions—“Spain,” Far from Over
ECM, 2017
“Armando’s Rhumba”—and familiar
standards. He’s in the driver’s seat, at 73 Although pianist Vijay Iyer made his
relying on full-force chops and an always name recording with bassist Stephan
questing creative spirit to feed brilliant Crump and drummer Tyshawn Sorey,
solos, but he also taps into remarkable most of his work for ECM has involved
ensemble synchronicity with bassist more varied ensembles. Here he assem-
Christian McBride and drummer Brian bles a sort of double trio, matching his
Blade. PHILIP BOOTH regular trio against a trio of horns (played
by Graham Haynes, Steve Lehman, and
KAMASI WASHINGTON Mark Shim). Between the dynamic use of
rhythmic structures in the writing and
The Epic the impassioned lyricism of the soloists,
Brainfeeder, 2015
Far from Over is endlessly enjoyable.
Rarely has an album title been so apt. J.D. CONSIDINE
Three discs, three hours, 13 musicians, 14
original compositions, and three glorious CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT
covers. Yet to everyone’s surprise, it’s as
accessible as it is ambitious. Coming on The Window
Mack Avenue, 2018
the heels of Kendrick Lamar’s landmark
To Pimp A Butterfly (for which he was I was surprised to see this album on our
music director), saxophonist Washington list, not because Salvant’s recorded work
and The Epic put Los Angeles back on the is undeserving of recognition, but rather
jazz map, and jazz back in the public eye. that a duo album would make the cut
MICHAEL J. WEST over previous studio recordings with her

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 39
UKULELE

Cliff Edwards (left)

with singers Frank
Raye and Betty
Brewer on his
“Ukulele Lady”
yacht, June 1947

20
 IKE
The artist
otherwise known
as Cliff Edwards—
born 125 years
ago—was a
major American

SINGS
pop star and an
important early
force in jazz. It’s
time to give him

AGAIN
another hearing.
BY DONALD FAGEN

A
snap quiz from the and the same person. He was a hugely pianos, Cliff learned to accompany
Kollege of Musical famous entertainer who starred on himself on the ukulele, gigging for tips.
Knowledge: Who Broadway, radio, films and TV. He sold After gaining more experience in New
introduced the timeless over 70 million records, he made mil- York and Chicago, he secured a spot
tune “Singin’ in the lions of dollars and spent every dime on on the vaudeville circuit in 1918 with
Rain” in a Hollywood plush hotel rooms, deluxe cars, and the the cigar-puffing, eccentric dancer Joe
musical? Gene Kelly in the eponymous alimony he had to pay to a trio of glitzy Frisco. The following year, Edwards and
1952 movie, right? Wrong. “Singin’ in ex-wives. He was a ferocious alcoholic, vocalist Pierce Keegan, performing as
the Rain” was first performed on screen a gambler and self-medicater. Forgotten “Jazz Az Iz,” were part of Ziegfeld’s lewd
in The Hollywood Revue of 1929 by now, he was a bona fide jazz man and after-hours rooftop show, the Midnight
Ukulele Ike.  one of the most gifted popular singers of Frolic. Sounds like a fun gig.
Here’s another one: Who sang all time. In 1924, the Gershwin brothers hired
“When You Wish Upon a Star”? You got Cliff Avon Edwards was born in 1895 him to play the butler in their show Lady
this—Jiminy Cricket, in Disney’s 1940 on a houseboat in Hannibal, Missouri, Be Good. By all accounts, Cliff upstaged
animated feature Pinocchio.  60 years after Mark Twain, with whom Fred and Adele Astaire with Gershwin’s
One more: he shared a characteristic strain of tricky new tune, “Fascinatin’ Rhythm,”
Southern drollery. When his father, a and Astaire agreed: “Ike stole the show.”
The cow goes moo… conductor on the Missouri Pacific line, Cliff also introduced “Little Jazz Bird”
The cat meows… became too sick to work, 14-year-old and his own tune, “Insufficient Sweetie.”
WILLIAM P. GOTTLIEB COLLECTION, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The duck goes quack… Cliff left school and worked a series of In ’25, he appeared in Jerome Kern’s
menial jobs—shoe salesman, freight car Sunny and scored a Top 10 hit with a
Easy, that’s from the mind-numbing painter, singing paperboy—eventually song from the show, “Paddlin’ Made-
viral YouTube phenomenon “The Fox landing a job in St. Louis as a drummer/ lin’ Home.”
(What Does the Fox Say?).” But those sound effects man in a silent movie In 1929, after catching the attention
lines appeared decades earlier in “You theater. Later, Cliff would describe him- of Irving Thalberg at MGM, Cliff, uke
Are a Human Animal,” which aired on self during those years as “a common, in hand, appeared in an early Marion
TV’s The Mickey Mouse Club back in everyday variety of street urchin.” Davies talkie, Marianne. He played the
1955. The singer was Cliff Edwards.  Eventually, he found work as an third banana, but he made the most of
The thing is, Ukulele Ike, Jiminy entertainer in clubs and saloons. In it, showing off his chops and charisma
Cricket, and Cliff Edwards were one an effort to dodge sketchy, out-of-tune on a couple of sweet numbers, “When

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 41
 I See My Sugar (I Get a Lump in My Dorsey brothers, Eddie Lang, and Joe squared with the public’s conception of a
Throat) and “Hang on to Me.” (You can Venuti. He scored big with now-classic male balladeer.
see Cliff sing the latter tune to prestidig- tunes like “It Had to Be You,” “Some- Cliff’s career got an unexpected boost
itator Suzy Wandas in a 1935 color clip body Loves Me,” “I’ll See You in My in 1939 when Walt Disney, then in the
on YouTube.) Dreams,” “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” “I process of developing Pinocchio, ran into
His third film, The Hollywood Revue Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and cricket trouble. Disney was determined
of 1929, was one of those plotless early a bunch more. to provide the wayward puppet with
talkies that trotted out all the studio tal- Although he didn’t specialize in raun- a likable cricket sidekick who would
ent. After some cringeworthy blackface chy blues like, say, Lucille Bogan, Cliff act as Pinocchio’s conscience. Over 30
stuff by the chorus, Buster Keaton does did record a few off-label “party” tunes voice actors had tried out for the part
a dopey dance, Oliver Hardy slips on a for the under-the-counter market: How when one of the animators mentioned
banana peel, and Joan Crawford, intro- about “I’m Going to Give It to Mary Cliff’s name. Walt had him come in
duced as the “personification of youth with Love”? Or “I Love Mount’n Wom- for an audition and, in the following
and beauty and joy and happiness,” does en”? And my favorite, “Mr. Insurance months, Jiminy Cricket was created in
a song-and-dance routine. Then Cliff Man,” in which the widow Liza sings: Cliff’s image. Rising to the occasion,
walks out in a rainhat and slicker and Cliff’s voice acting brought the character
steals the picture with his performance Mr. Insurance Man alive, and his tender performance of the
of “Singin’ in the Rain,” first alone with Take out that thing for me now-classic opener, “When You Wish
his uke, then again in the finale along Oh Mr. Insurance Man Upon a Star,” earned the song an Oscar.
with a dense crowd of MGM stars and Do the best you can Although the weight of Cliff’s own
chorus girls. It made him an interna- I crave some indemnity “bad conscience” is unknowable, one
tional sensation. wonders if he ever grokked the irony
Starting back in 1919, Cliff appeared A more wholesome novelty number of casting a skirt-chasing, alcoholic
on some of the earliest jazz recordings. was “Six Women (Me and Henry the hophead as Pinocchio’s spiritual advisor.
He’d developed a falsetto scat style he Eighth)” from the 1934 film George Perhaps he saw the role as a chance for
called “eefus,” an imitation of the New White’s Scandals. a new start. Jiminy, on the other hand,
Orleans plunger mute style pioneered Cliff had roles in over a hundred films could be deeply cynical about Pinoc-
by King Oliver, Bubber Miley, and for MGM and RKO: musicals, Westerns chio’s chances for rehabilitation. The
Tricky Sam Nanton. In 1922—a year (usually as the star’s sidekick), wartime self-scrutinizing cricket, after witnessing
before King Oliver recorded “Dipper- comedies and thrillers, most of them Pinocchio’s “success” on Stromboli’s
mouth Blues” and four years before pretty dreary stuff. Often, the brightest stage, no longer trusts his own judg-
Louis Armstrong’s famous scat on segment was a song by Cliff and his uke. ment: “Gosh! Maybe I was wrong …
He had a standout character role as the I guess [Pinocchio] won’t need me
reporter Endicott in Howard Hawks’ anymore. What does an actor want with
1940 classic His Girl Friday with Cary a conscience anyway?”
In 1922—a year before Grant and Rosalind Russell.  Notwithstanding the fact that Pinoc-
King Oliver recorded Cliff appeared in several of Buster chio’s voice actors weren’t listed in the
“Dippermouth Blues” Keaton’s films and they became serious film’s credits, “When You Wish Upon a
and four years before boozing buddies. Unfortunately, the Star” became a Top 10 hit, and Cliff, at
talkies signaled Keaton’s descent into age 45, was back on a roll. For the 1941
Louis Armstrong’s alcoholism, and Cliff descended right animated film Dumbo, Disney cast him
famous scat on along with him. The two vaudevillians as the lead singer in a choir of “black
“Heebie Jeebies” had a lot in common: a predilection for crows,” a scene which, unfortunately,
hasty marriages to fetching starlets on employed the usual black stereotypes of
—UKULELE IKE “EEFED” THE BLUES. whom they both spent large percentages the age. Although Cliff, growing up in
of their fortunes; a tendency to fritter Hannibal, was obviously influenced by
away big bucks on hotels, automobiles, black bluesmen and jazzmen, to my ears
“Heebie Jeebies”—Cliff, as Ukulele Ike, and such; and other assorted vices his style never comes close to being a
“eefed” the blues on a Gennett record- associated with young men who’ve been caricature of the Afro-American idiom.
ing of “Virginia Blues” by Ladd’s Black given too much money to play with. The Like Connee Boswell and Mose Allison,
Aces, another name for Phil Napoleon’s Great Depression compounded their he was always uniquely himself.
Original Memphis Five (all white musi- financial problems.  Taking advantage of his new status,
cians; Gennett thought they’d sell more By the end of the ’30s, romantic, less Cliff landed his own radio show. He
records if the audience thought they hip crooners like Bing Crosby, Rudy even had a program on early television,
were black).  Vallee, and early Frank Sinatra became The Cliff Edwards Show, one of the first
Throughout the ’20s and ’30s, Cliff the vogue, and Cliff’s popularity began variety shows on the tube. Still, he was
had a string of hits as Ukulele Ike to fade. In truth, he could croon with always struggling financially. Whereas
and His Hot Combination, which at the best, but the image he presented— Buster Keaton had turned his life around
various times included Red Nichols, the pudgy, owl-eyed leprechaun—no longer by the ’40s, Cliff, sadly, couldn’t manage

42 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 income. The last time he came into my
office, he didn’t seem to know where
he was or who I was. He was a sad and
sorrowful sight that brought tears to
my eyes.” 
In 1969, Cliff was taken to live at the
Virgil Convalescent Home in Holly-
wood, where he died of a heart attack
two years later at the age of 76. Because
no one on the staff knew he was anyone
of consequence, his death wasn’t report-
ed until almost a week later. The Actors
Fund of America and the Motion Picture
and Television Relief Fund paid for his
burial at Valhalla Memorial Park. Years
later, the Disney Corporation paid for a
proper headstone that reads, “In loving
memory of Ukulele Ike.”
Who was this impish trinity, Cliff/
Ike/Cricket? Because information about
his inner life is scarce, it’s not easy to say.
There are some show-business charac-
ters who seem to live only on the stage.
Speaking to an interviewer in 1936, Cliff
said, “The public doesn’t care about my
background as long as it can hear me
play the ukulele and make funny faces.” 
What we’re left with is four decades of
music on record. Though he could hold
his own with the Broadway minstrels
to pull out of his dive. In later years, his needed content for his Sunday-night Dis- and warbling dandies of the early jazz
excesses included addictions to cocaine neyland shows as well as the new Mickey era, Cliff’s center of gravity always
and heroin, not to mention three cata- Mouse Club, and he again called on Cliff landed him on the same ground as Louis
strophic divorces, four bankruptcies, and to do cricket service, which is what he Armstrong and Ivie Anderson. He was
the cost and maintenance of a custom mostly did until Walt died in 1966. Aside an authentic, ad-libbing, fun-loving,
Stutz Bearcat. His long, slow tailspin from voicing Jiminy’s “educational” seg- rhythmically driven jazz man, and the
continued, as they say, unabated. In the ments like “You Are a Human Animal” proof is pressed on to the wax. While
late ’40s he moved back to New York, and “I’m No Fool,” Cliff appeared as other showmen of the ’20s and ’30s now
where he escaped paying rent by living himself a few times to sing to the Mouse- abrade and offend, Cliff’s voice and
on an old renovated navy boat anchored keteers, still sounding great. When the bearing seem timeless. 
in a slip on the East River. He called it work dried up, he’d still show up at the In the last few years, three specialty
the “Ukulele Lady.” studio, hoping for a voice-over gig. labels have collected some of Cliff’s
Despite his tribulations, Cliff proved What’s obvious in accounts of his later best stuff. In 2011, Retrieval Records
himself to be a survivor. In 1951, the years is that the staff at Disney Studios, released Fascinating Rhythm 1922–1935,
owner of the Celebrity Club in Sydney, while witnessing his deteriorating con- with gems like “Night Owl,” “It’s Only
Australia invited him to spend a month dition, still loved the guy. The animators a Paper Moon,” and “Bless You Sister.”
as the headliner. Each night was broad- would treat him to lunch and listen to Another anthology, Cliff Edwards: The
cast live on radio, and he found a new his stories of the old vaudeville days. In Ultimate Collection (Blues Country
audience. On YouTube, there’s an audio 1956, film scorer George Bruns and his Records, 2018), includes “Dancin’ in the
clip from a 1952 Aussie radio show that Wonderland Jazz Band backed Cliff up Moonlight” and “Stack O’ Lee.” In 1995,
includes a beautiful rendition of “When on an album for Disneyland Records, Audiophile Records of New Orleans
You Wish Upon a Star” and a brief Ukulele Ike Sings Again, which included collected some of Cliff’s best radio
interview in which Cliff admits, “Who many of the songs he made famous. performances from the ’40s on an album
wants to go back? … I hope to stay about It wasn’t exactly a big seller. Jimmy called, naturally, Singing in the Rain. It’s
three or four years—I have nothing to go Johnson, who ran the record division, an intimate set, mostly just Cliff and his
back to …” But after two years gigging remembered those days: “I made some Martin tenor ukulele singing standards
around the South Pacific, Cliff was back work for him on records which we really like “Remember,” “Singin’ in the Rain,”
in Hollywood for good. didn’t need. Toward the end, royalties and his own “Minnie, My Mountain
Disney, now in the TV business, from records were his only source of Moocher.” It’s the real thing. JT

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 43
 b l e P E G G Y L E E
The inimit a
v e t u r n e d 1 0 0
would ha o f t hat
r . I n h o n o r
this yea e n t — in
e p r e s
milestone, w p t f ro m
e e x c e r
an exclusiv b o o k
’s re c e n t
Tish Oney u ry
y L e e : A C e n t
Pegg
o n g d e t a il e d
of S — a
m in a t i o n o f L e e’s
exa
5 3 m a s t e r w o r k
19
Black Coffee.
BY TISH ONEY ond Gigli
otograph by Orm
Peggy Lee in 1953
Ph
IN APRIL OF 1953, PEGGY LEE
EMBARKED UPON a recording project that
would produce a top-ten jazz vocal album of all time—her
peerless and legendary collection Black Coffee. This album
represented the crowning achievement of her Decca years,
the most acclaimed album of her entire career, and one of the
very first concept albums ever produced. Initially it appeared
in a 10-inch, long-play record format with only eight songs.
The enormous success of this modest recording compelled This concept album was
Decca executives to propose an expansion and rerelease of
the album a few years later to include a total of 12 songs. The bittersweet—it personified a
augmented album was crafted in the new 12-inch disc medium woman’s experience of loving a
that remained prevalent in fans’ living rooms for nearly three
more decades. Songs subsequently added to this project in 1956 man whose reliability and trust
included “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” “You’re My Thrill,” “There’s remained in question. It was
a Small Hotel,” and “Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You.”
Black Coffee began with the title track, an artistically unpar- to jazz what verismo was to
alleled version of a classic standard whose origins hailed from opera—dream-burning realism.
a traditional blues phrase spun into a song by W. C. Handy,
then passed along to Mary Lou Williams in her song “What’s —Excerpted from Peggy Lee: A Century of Song by Tish
Your Story, Morning Glory?” before being presented as a Oney, Foreword by John Chiodini. Used by permission of
Sonny Burke composition on this album. The song’s repetitive the publisher Rowman & Littlefield. All rights reserved.
melody and harmonic motion reflected the mundane, cyclical
daily routine expressed by the lyrics. Lee’s casual delivery of
these rightly supplied the appropriate mood and angle through
which listeners peered to find a story that resonated with daily different than any they had previously heard. This concept
living. Lee put on no pretensions. Her raw, unapologetic, mat- album was bittersweet—it personified a woman’s experience of
ter-of-fact attitude displayed in this housewife’s lament placed loving a man whose reliability and trust remained in question.
her in the living rooms of her listeners, speaking directly into It was to jazz what verismo was to opera—dream-burning
their hearts with realism and sober sincerity. The song aptly realism. The progression of songs relayed the heartbreak, bliss,
introduced the rest of the album’s tracks by giving listeners an and pain of authentic, vulnerable love as well as the awareness
indication that this album represented something completely and acceptance that this love was no paradise.

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 45
 Track two fell to a Cole Porter stan-
dard, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” a
brisk and energetic swing rendition that
Lee shaped in new and interesting ways.
Her timing and phrasing played with
the rhythms. She explored the expres-
sive compass of text setting to achieve
original ways of emphasizing import-
ant words. Lee balanced her natural,
conversational approach of pronounc-
ing sentences with an aurally artistic
paintbrush that presented the lyric as a
beautiful work of art.
“Easy Living” involved a delightful
give-and-take between crooning Lee
and the swooping muted trumpet lines
of Pete Candoli, who responded to
Lee’s every phrase during the first half
of the song and then again to her last
few phrases. Their rubato (out of time)
approach at the bridge created a lush
effect of hypnotism, during which the
The 1956 front
audience hung on Lee’s every word. cover and 1953
In this way, the recording beautifully back cover of
captured one of the signature qualities Black Coffee
that characterized so many of Lee’s
live performances.
Track four on Black Coffee revealed a
super-fast arrangement of another Cole
Porter standard, “My Heart Belongs to
Daddy.” The piece opened in a samba
feel and moved into a fast swing style
after the first chorus—a combination of
styles unlike those appearing on prior
recordings of this traditionally easy-
going swing tune. Lee’s timing of her
lyrical phrases was amazingly conversa-
tional and not lined up exactly with the
musical phrases the band was playing. precision required to execute the music pronouncing the Gullah dialect-inflect-
The freedom she displayed in her timing cleanly. By this point in Lee’s career, her ed “Ain’t Nessa . . . Ain’t Nessa” series of
choices revealed her total command of fans knew they could expect at least one four repeated lyric motives at the end of
the energy and mood that enveloped of these burning songs on her albums. the piece as authentically as anyone who
the whole band’s performance. The out- Her immense success with “Lover” had ever sung them. Her use of bluesy
standing solo commentary by Candoli (which also could be called “burning”) pentatonic descending runs (common
greatly intensified the sizzling effect. The set the stage for her victories over other for blues and pop singers of that period
piece showcased two performers in con- unusually fast, intense arrangements. and still used today) were indicative of
stant musical dialogue with one another. “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” though the wide range of stylistic tools at her
During the break, throughout which the only two minutes long, created a peak disposal. This brand of ornamentation
band performed the refrain again in a of intensity halfway through the record was never previously part of Lee’s style,
fast swing style, both Candoli and Lee that left her audience begging for more. a completely uncharacteristic adorn-
performed simultaneously in a corpo- In stark contrast, “It Ain’t Necessarily ment of her musical lines that may have
rate improvisational style reminiscent So,” from George Gershwin’s master- prompted bandleader Raymond Scott,
of Dixieland. The soloists matched the piece opera Porgy and Bess, served as when hearing a blindfold test featuring
band’s gradually building exuberance a stylistically sophisticated fifth track. this album in a DownBeat interview,
and intensification of energy. This ren- Beginning as a slow ballad with a heavy to comment: “It must be Billie Holiday,
dition of “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” sense of swing, the song periodically but it is so accurate, precise, and artistic,
was what modern jazz performers would broke into an abrupt fast swing and just that I can’t believe it.”
call a “barn burner,” to indicate the in- as suddenly returned to the original “Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You,” in
tensely fast tempo and intricate musical slow tempo. Lee was even successful in the author’s estimation, represents the

46 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

first track on this album that actually (rubato) ballad, facilitating for Lee the extreme sense of rubato, the song was
does resemble the voice of Billie Holiday. opportunity to ebb and flow her lyrics so out of time during the introductory
However, rather than portraying Peggy word-by-word at a pace she extempora- verse that listeners were forced to hang
Lee as a copycat, this track may have neously decided. It then moved into a on every syllable. Taking full advantage
simply displayed yet another extreme medium-fast swing style during which of words like “strange,” Lee capitalized
in her many talents so evident on this Lee demonstrated confidence in deliv- on her ability to weave the full meaning
album. The fast, almost out-of-control ering this decisive, self-assured lyric. of a word into a picturesque spectrum,
vibrato at the ends of words and phrases, The beauty of the text lay in its ambigu- assisted by the otherworldly timbres of
the occasional upward-scooping note ity—nothing was actually stated, only harp and vibraphone, enveloping the
that has no place in the melody but insinuated. In the context of the other essence of the song in a reverie.
rather functions as an exclamation, and songs on the album, however, the song Presenting “There’s a Small Hotel”
the heavy blues with a lyric soaked in presented a point of view of one who had as a lighthearted waltz with harp,
sorrow and self-pity all strongly suggest- learned from her mistakes and would no xylophone, piano, and bass accompani-
ed the vocal, musical, and lyric-inter- longer be hesitant in making decisions ment, then moving into a straight-ahead
preting approach of Lee’s contemporary to look after her best interests. “I Didn’t swing before returning to the original
Holiday. Framed as a tribute rather than Know What Time It Was” effectively instrumentation of the opening waltz,
an imitation, this song’s inclusion on illustrated a woman’s coming of age and Lee and her entourage brought refresh-
Black Coffee may have been Lee’s way to entering a state of revelation toward ing touches to this beloved Rodgers
honor a fellow singer known throughout self-empowerment. and Hart standard. The back-and-forth
the world for her own unique contribu- Lee’s devastating introduction to playfulness of the waltz appearing in
tions to the singing of jazz and popular “(Ah, the Apple Trees) When the World alternation with swing and the continu-
music, and certainly an important direct Was Young” (no less than two full ing ping-pong match between the styles
influence upon Lee herself. minutes in length) created an entranc- through the end of the piece created a
Composer Willard Robison wrote the ing backdrop for the comparatively delightful and unpredictable finish to
next song on Black Coffee specifically brief core of the song, which lasted only this stunning album.
for Lee to sing. His “A Woman Alone a minute. In this noteworthy case, Lee The charm of Black Coffee stemmed
with the Blues” appropriately fit among heightened the importance of a song’s from many factors, not the least of
the other songs and provided another introduction as its own set piece and rel- which was the sheer breadth of Lee’s
node of rest from the frenzy of some of egated the rest of the song to function as interpretive and vocal powers. She
the faster jazz selections. This easygoing a denouement, a tapering-down ending. whispered and soared, moaned and
ballad was not truly a blues song but was Having no repeated sections, it offered swung, purred, pleaded, and phrased
composed in the form and style of a con- recitative-like ruminations on the loss poetry with equal skill. Just when it
temporary jazz or pop ballad from the of innocence and the transformation seemed that flawless swing must be her
1940s or early ’50s. The powerful lyrics of an inexperienced child into a wiser strongest suit, that theory was dashed in
beautifully suited both Lee’s mood for state of being. Pete Candoli’s clever the shattering poignancy of her ballads,
the album and her life story. This piece muted trumpet quips, especially when the joy of a waltz, and the sizzling drive
served the album as the song that tied depicting the text about a hive of bees, of a samba. Lee’s unsurpassed powers
all the others together in its unifying provided slices of comic relief within to shape a phrase, to inhabit a song’s
theme of a woman’s lot in a flawed love this otherwise serious soliloquy. essence, and to meaningfully time
relationship. Sounding more like herself “Love Me or Leave Me,” track 10 on silences between words, filling them to
here than in the previous track, Lee the album, offered a necessary release of overflowing with poignancy, were never
approached the lyrics with honesty and tension created by the previous songs’ exhibited to a more impressive degree
tenderness as well as with an earnest expostulations about dashed hopes and than they were in Black Coffee. JT
passion that spoke more of sincerity maturity gained through heartbreak.
than of impressive technical skill. Ever This lightly swinging tune was deftly Tish Oney is a vocalist, composer, arranger,
the consummate translator of music into swung by Lee and the band. Candoli conductor, educator, and author. She has
pure emotion, Lee successfully brought again contributed adorable backtalk, recorded five albums as a leader; her most
her authentic sentiments to the forefront taking turns with pianist Jimmy Rowles recent, The Best Part, was released in 2019
in this humble outpouring of the femi- on the second time through the form, and features three songs with previously
nine heart. while Lee presented the lyrics in a freer, unused lyrics by Peggy Lee.
For the next song, “I Didn’t Know extemporaneous manner that rivaled
What Time It Was,” Lee wisely chose to the improvisational skills of the finest Ormond Gigli is an American
photojournalist whose work appeared in
include the seldom-performed introduc- jazz vocalists of the time. This brief track
Time, Life, Paris Match, Collier's, and other
tory verse, which gently and innocently was an upbeat moment of carefree grace
international publications over more than 40
provided a backdrop for the storyline that arrived just in time to rescue the years. His most famous shot—a 1960 image
concept of the album. She conceded in album’s light/dark scale balance from of 43 women standing in the windows of a
this verse that when she was young, she excessive melancholy. New York City brownstone—also provides
exhibited naïve idealism in regard to Lee then draped her mysterious part of the title of his career anthology, Girls
love. The song began as an out-of-time spell over “You’re My Thrill.” Using an in the Windows and Other Stories.

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 47
Horvitz’s Hammond and processed pia- Copland’s middle solo stands out.
no, is a whole other shade of deep funk. Other highlights include the bopping
Scattered Diamonds takes several “Broken Time,” which gets a reprise fur-
other roads. “Alhambra” features Rahim ther in, and the reverent ode “There’s a
Alhaj’s Iraqi oud in harmony with Mar- Mingus Amonk Us,” featuring storytell-
tin’s vibes; a couple of tracks later comes ing breaks by the horn players and Bar-
“Sarasvati,” showcasing an enchanting on; a provocative, Thelonious-inspired
vocal by Mumbai’s Mehnaz Hoosein. solo by Copland; and Gress gluing the
As for those rockers, Buck’s acoustic proceedings together à la Mingus. This
contribution to the album finale, “Blue quintet may consist of 60- and-70- CRITICS APPLAUD
Sunrise,” fuses seamlessly with Joe something musicians, but it’s clear that
Doria’s piano and Ben Thomas’ vibes,
while Thayil’s electric guitar solo in
no virus could push any of them into
retirement. BILL MEREDITH
“EXPLOSIVE JAZZ
“The Firebird” meets its match alongside
Hans Teuber and Curtis Macdonald’s HAZAR
VOCAL MAGIC”
searing saxophones. JEFF TAMARKIN Reincarnated

DAVID LIEBMAN/
Immersive Audio Network
“CREATIVITY ON
RANDY BRECKER/MARC The bass clarinet makes
it for me. Hazar deserves
PARADE”
COPLAND/DREW GRESS/
mad praise first for his
JOEY BARON virtuosity on the saz
Quint5T (a lute-like Persian “SOCIAL JUSTICE
Self-produced
instrument), then for switching over
to acoustic guitar and tearing it up
CHAMPION”
One possible sunny jazz down a different highway. But that
underside to the bass clarinet—played by Piotr
COVID-19 pandemic Torunski on several cuts here,
could be enhanced showcasing its lower-range woodsy
artistic control, in an era burble—dovetails so tastily with
where self-produced recordings were Hazar’s always-fancy flights.
already becoming prevalent. Taking The album’s much-touted binaural
advantage of a lengthy enforced break stereo, at least on the CD, isn’t nearly
from touring, the all-star quintet of so freaky as my previous bouts with
veteran saxophonist David Liebman, such things, although sounds, burbly
trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Marc and otherwise, can occasionally wrap
Copland, bassist Drew Gress, and around the inside of my head. Al Di Me-
drummer Joey Baron have created a ola’s heavily hyped guest spot turns out
joyful noise on the new, independently to be a pleasantly modest surprise; the
released Quint5T. guest doubles on cajón for certain pas-
On the opening “Mystery Song,” Bar- sages, but he and Hazar also take turns
on switches between brushes and sticks fluttering downward to the already-flut-
to guide Copland’s supportive chords, tering notes of Chick Corea’s “Spain.”
a creative bowed middle solo by Gress, “Donna Lee” manifests the steeple-
and the alternating solos, squawks, and chase Charlie Parker had in mind, but
interplay of Liebman and Brecker. The with an offhanded piano part by Mike “Jazz is my freedom,
Charlie Parker-inspired “Off a Bird” is Roelofs and distant percussion by Meh-
even more unpredictable, as the saxo- met Akatay, suggesting an after-hours
music is my resistance.”
phonist and trumpeter defy convention jam over smoky bourbon. “Summer- —VA/Virginia Schenck
by soloing simultaneously when they’re time” finds all four players—Hazar,
not harmonizing with one another. Roelofs, Akatay, and Torunski—fly-

BATTLE CRY
Parts of the free-form piece recall ing apart from each other to the four
Liebman’s tenure in Miles Davis’ band corners of the mix, tossing each other
during the first half of the 1970s. As does musical compliments and a few jokes.
the sashaying “Child at Play,” on which Listen to this one on headphones for The latest from jazz
Liebman’s soprano dances, Brecker’s the full effect. You’ll need it for the mix. vocalist Virginia Schenck
trumpet punctuates, the rhythm section But you’ll stay for the human intricacy.
provides the perfect undercurrent, and ANDREW HAMLIN AVAILABLE NOW!

virginiaschenck.com
U got the look:
Prince (left) in
early 1987 and
Miles Davis in
1986

In the mid-1980s, two creative titans met, one

from the jazz world and one from the pop
world. A newly expanded, multi-disc exploration
of Prince’s ’87 masterpiece Sign o’ the Times
partly reveals what happened—and what
could have been—between them.
BY A.D. AMOROSI

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 49
 B
ringing together musical instrumental jazz-funk under the name James Brown. “Maceo, Fred Wesley, they
geniuses with huge egos— Madhouse. That several unused Mad- were in and out of my house throughout
no matter what respect or house tracks were attractive to Miles—so my childhood,” Leeds recalls. “They, like
affection exists between much so that he recorded them toward Miles, were my DNA.”
them—can be more difficult the end of his life—just adds to the royal Throughout the late ’70s and early
than uniting warring nations or battling duo’s list of could-have-beens. ’80s, Blistan and Leeds did everything
spouses. So it was with the brief dance they could on Pittsburgh’s jazz scene, but
between Prince and Miles Davis. eventually, as Blistan puts it, “there was
In the first half of the 1980s, Prince es- HOW THEY nothing left for us to achieve.” And so
tablished himself as a wunderkind-auteur GOT THERE he and his wife moved to Atlanta, with
known for rolling cosmopolitan R&B, Leeds following soon after. “Working
funk, psychedelic rock, and new wave Miller’s association with Miles is chapter- eight nights a week and bringing in 200
into one sweetly soulful yet edgy pop and-verse to jazz aficionados. His father’s bucks is okay in your twenties, but at 30,
mélange. In that same period Davis, jazz’s cousin, pianist Wynton Kelly, played with that’s not stability,” Leeds remembers. “I
eclectic, ever-changing trumpet god, re- Davis from 1959 to 1963, while Miller was looking at alternatives with no real
emerged from a five-year retirement and himself became a session man, writer, answer. All of a sudden my brother calls
left his longtime label Columbia for War- and/or producer for contemporary jazzers and offers me session work with Prince.
ner Bros., Prince’s industry home since such as Bobbi Humphrey, Lonnie Liston Why the hell not?”
1977. That each loved the other’s work is Smith, and Grover Washington Jr. Then After departing Brown’s employ, Alan
no secret; that they actively sought collab- Miles called him to work on his first Leeds had become Prince’s tour man-
oration is the stuff of legend. post-retirement album, 1981’s The Man ager and consigliere: “Alan moved to
Now, more than three decades after with the Horn, an opportunity the bassist Minneapolis [Prince’s hometown] before
the twosome sort of connected, what calls “awe-inspiring” today. [the] filming [of] Purple Rain, and in
little fruit was yielded from that pairing After touring with Davis for 18 months 1984, when Prince was putting together
(perhaps?) is part of an epic reworking and playing on 1982’s We Want Miles the Family—his first side project where
of Prince’s 1987 chart-topping double and 1983’s Star People, Miller split from he specifically wanted a saxophone—my
album Sign o’ the Times. Its new Super Miles to better hone his own compo- brother mentioned, ‘If you’re looking for a
Deluxe edition contains 63 previously sition and production skills. “When saxophone player, I know somebody.’”  
unreleased tracks from Prince’s storied you were around him, your senses were The Family sessions quickly led to a
vault, as well as a two-hour-plus DVD on super-high intensity,” Miller says. spot in Prince’s own band the Revolution
featuring his only onstage collaboration “Everything became more important. on the Purple Rain tour. Soon thereafter,
with Davis, during a New Year’s Eve 1987 Everything you played, everything he Leeds phoned Blistan, who’d since picked
benefit concert at his then-new Paisley played, had a light shone on it. … What up work in ATL’s construction business.
Park studio in Minnesota. Within that was interesting about Miles is that, rather “I hadn’t played in six months when Eric
same package—eight CDs or 13 LPs—is than be resentful of the other things I was rang to say he’d booked me onto a flight
“Can I Play With U?,” a track composed doing, he was tickled and impressed.” the next morning for an audition with
and played by Prince for inclusion on (Miller may be selling himself a little Prince, then phoned back to say it was a
Miles’ first Warners album, 1986’s Tutu, short here, given that some of those recording session. I said prayers, flew to
but left on the cutting-room floor. “other things” were No. 1 hits he wrote Minneapolis, started recording ‘Moun-
This exciting archival development and produced for Aretha Franklin and tains’ [on 1986’s Parade, also Leeds’ first
can’t help but prompt a question, neces- Luther Vandross.) Prince album] the minute I got to Prince’s
sitated by 30 years of fevered rumor: Is Blistan and Leeds, friends from warehouse, and we were off.”
Davis’ slithery trumpet blare across a Duquesne University and Pittsburgh’s Whereas Miller’s knowledge of Miles
lengthy “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night/ bar-band scene, were Miles fanatics who was already encyclopedic before playing
Auld Lang Syne” live medley and one un- made the progressive fusion-funk of his with him, neither Blistan—nicknamed
used, good-not-great pop track really ev- live albums Agharta (1975) and Pan- Atlanta Bliss by Prince the day after the
erything Miles and Prince did together? gaea (1976) their bible. “We played those “Mountains” session—nor Leeds knew
Providing an answer, and further albums inside-and-out,” Blistan says. much about Prince. And to Leeds at least,
background on the Miles/Prince pairing, “The conversations Miles had with his his material was often suspect. “I was
are three players who were there: Mar- bands—that interaction—they were never in love with his music then, nor am
cus Miller, the bassist, composer, and talking to each other, sometimes serious, I today,” Leeds says. “But it was fascinat-
co-producer behind much of Davis’ 1980s sometimes angry, sometimes comical. ing to be involved in his musical process.
output; Matthew Blistan, a.k.a. Atlanta Eric and I, we had the same conversations And because I played an instrument
Bliss, Prince’s trumpeter from 1985 to between us that Miles had with his bands. Prince didn’t—he played most everything
1991; and Eric Leeds, Prince’s saxophon- He’s my musical brother.” else save for reeds and brass—it gave me
ist and horn arranger from the tail end of Another major influence on Leeds was and Matt the opportunity to be involved
the 1984-85 Purple Rain tour through to saxophonist Maceo Parker—and this was in all these recording sessions that other
1992’s The Love Symbol Album. Leeds also even more personal, as Leeds’ brother members of the band weren’t, because
teamed with Prince for several forays into Alan was a longtime road manager for he played all their instruments himself.

50 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 Into the
Whatever else was going to come out of
this would be beyond my control.”
Control was a big part of the Prince
ethos, something Leeds and Blistan—and
Miles—would soon find out.
Madhouse
The Story of a Mysterious Side Project
After Prince’s Parade tour ended in
MEETING September 1986, Eric Leeds was sitting
OF GIANTS at home on a Sunday afternoon when
he got a call from his boss: “I’m here
In April 1985, Leeds and Prince, on their with my dad playing some jazz. Want to
way back home from the Purple Rain come over and play with us?” An hour
tour, landed at LAX. As they readied later, Leeds showed up at Prince’s house,
themselves to leave the terminal, Prince where Prince led him to an upstairs
noticed another distinctively dressed room with a grand piano. “His dad had
musician nearby. “Out of the corner of left, though, so now what?” The two
his eye, he spots Miles and takes off like a went on to do what they often did: jam
kid,” Leeds says with a chuckle. “That was with no explanation. 
the first time they actually met.” “We’re sitting at the piano. I get my
That same year, Davis signed with horn out. Prince starts to play progres-
Warner Bros., ending his 30-year associ- sions on the piano. I’m writing down
ation with Columbia. It was a move that chord changes. He’s coming up with Sonny Thompson (bass), and Michael
made him Prince’s labelmate, and that melodies … we went through three Bland (drums) for the harder, more
wasn’t a coincidence; Miles had become a songs until he said, ‘Let’s get to work.’ soulful 16. A third Madhouse album,
major fan of the diminutive multi-instru- I’m thinking we’re going to record titled 24, started production in 1988,
mentalist. “His shit was the most exciting whatever music it is we just played. I get but Leeds said that both he and Prince
music I was hearing in 1982,” Davis wrote downstairs to the studio … he already lost interest. They didn’t forget about
of Prince in 1989’s Miles: The Autobiogra- had the tracks done to these same three the songs, though—retitled, unre-
phy. “Here was someone who was doing songs. What he was doing, without leased Madhouse tracks such as the
something different… For me, he can be telling me, was teaching me these songs funky “Penetration,” the ballad-like “A
the new Duke Ellington of our time if he in their simplest form. The only thing Girl and Her Puppy,” and the bluesy
just keeps at it.”  left to do was fill in the blanks. Two “Jailbait” were sent by Prince to Miles
Marcus Miller, who had previous hours later, I put sax and flute on these Davis in March ’91 for the trumpeter’s
Warners experience due to his work with songs—the melody lines, keyboard, bass, recording consideration and were played
David Sanborn, was a natural choice to and drums were already there courtesy by Davis’ band on tour throughout
rejoin the trumpeter’s team and become of Prince. He told me to come back to- that winter and spring. Miles recorded
his new co-producer with WB’s Tommy morrow, I came back, and he had two or new versions of them in Europe and
LiPuma. Considering where Miller’s head three more songs done for me to solo on. intended to finish them in NYC before
was at in terms of sampling, sequencing, Three days later, he articulated that this he passed later that year. When Prince
and synthesizers in jazz and R&B, the would be an album of just him and me was asked about adding post-production
combination made perfect sense. (Unbe- and that he was calling this Madhouse, to “Penetration” for Miles’ posthumous-
knownst to Miller at the time, the Rub- had already talked with Warners, who ly released Doo-Bop album, he refused,
berband sessions of 1985 with guitarist were behind the project and set to re- supposedly saying that he felt the music
Randy Hall, keyboardist Adam Holzman, lease it without our names on it—anony- didn’t show Davis in his finest light,
and producer Zane Giles had already mously, so to not get killed by jazz critics according to the exhaustively researched
been recorded for Miles’ prospective or people expecting a Prince album. … fan site PrinceVault.com.
Warners debut, but remained shelved un- Prince loved his mysteries.” Leeds is less pleased with Mad-
til a 2019 release; see the October '19 JT.) That’s how the jittery funk and jiving house 8 (“nothing very interesting”)
“Tommy told me that they were fusion of the all-instrumental 8 was than he is with 16 (“more complex,
signing Miles and were looking to do quickly born, and released in early 1987. closer to what I really liked”), but he
something different with him,” Miller “Because it’s not a vocal album, my saxo- appreciates that since their release, Mad-
muses. “What sort of different?” phone and flute is the equivalent of the house has become celebrated among jazz
LiPuma sent Miller a track that George lead vocalist,” Leeds says of 8. “Prince, players. “Roy Hargrove told me he loved
Duke had produced for Miles, “Backyard though, was still the writer, the produc- that [first] album. Branford Marsalis
Ritual,” an era-appropriate song with er, the director—I was just the actor. He was a big Prince fan and got into my
room for the trumpeter to roam. Feeling did this for me. I’m humbled by that. I shit because of Madhouse. When Kenny
out that direction, Miller wrote and couldn’t tell anyone it was me and him, Garrett was in Miles’ band, he had a
recorded three demo tracks, and brought but I was still humbled.” cassette of his group playing Madhouse
them to LiPuma and Davis. “I had Miles’ Several months later, Prince and songs. Who am I to tell those guys it
Leeds added Levi Seacer, Jr. (guitar), wasn’t any good?”
 melodies on the demos—if it was just me you feel over it. Because I trust what you to chill with him,” Leeds recalls. “I was
guessing with nice contemporary sounds hear and play.” doing something with Prince. Matt was
in the background, that would have been Miller mixed “Can I Play With U?” just sitting when Miles took the barstool
a mistake,” he says. “Even with Miles, it’s after Prince submitted it, as LiPuma next to Matt and sat down. I’m look-
good to give him some direction. Once he wanted his co-producer to see if it ing at Matt—one of my dearest, oldest
has a direction, he can see where and how belonged on Tutu. “Its only problem was friends—sitting next to his absolute hero.
he could open something up and do what that it was a full song,” Miller says with a I always wished I had a photo of that.” 
he wanted to do.”  laugh. “Prince was singing, killing it too, Blistan laughs as he imitates Davis’
Miller began to look at Tutu in much but there wasn’t an actual part for Miles. introduction (a raspy “I’m Miles”) and re-
the same fashion as Gil Evans had I tried to open some space on it for Miles members happily that the two talked em-
approached Sketches of Spain; like Evans, … and we recorded his horn [in February bouchure and equipment while waiting
he would present Miles with something 1986]. As a matter of fact, I wrote a song for Prince and Miles to meet. “We had
highly structured, but instead of an for Tutu, ‘Full Nelson,’ that was influ- a good discussion about the stuff Prince
orchestra or a nonet, he offered sequenc- enced by Prince, so that there could’ve had on stage, like our Fairlight sampling
ers and samplers. And looming over it all been a bridge between what Miles did keyboards. They were $30,000 each.
was the influence of Prince. “Miles loved and Prince’s song. That is, if we had one Prince had two. Miles was impressed.”
what Prince was doing, thought he was a to use. Because the Prince song wasn’t on Later that same night, Miles, percus-
genius,” Miller says. “Prince didn’t even there, it was a bridge to nothing.” sionist Sheila E., Prince’s jazz-pianist
let a drum machine sound like a drum The song, as it stands on the Super father John L. Nelson, and Leeds all
machine. It was cool. Anything between Deluxe version of Sign o’ the Times, is not had dinner with Prince at his house, an
them could have been special.” amazing. It’s a run-of-the-mill synth- experience the saxophonist calls “the
Meanwhile, Leeds was listening to funk track that didn’t really consider its most fascinating several hours of my life.
what the grapevine had been saying about featured guest in its arrangement or mel- Miles was on, performing. Is it really so
the possibilities of a Miles-Prince union. ody. “Prince heard it again, what we did,” difficult for music writers to get that 90%
He knew that Prince was a fan of Sketch- Miller notes, “and even he realized that of what he said, he said for effect? He
es of Spain and Jack Johnson (“For it didn’t sound as if it belonged on Tutu, wanted to get a rise out of people, saying
Christmas, I bought Prince E.S.P., Miles and maybe we shouldn’t use it.” the most ridiculous, obscene, absurd shit
Smiles, Nefertiti, and Filles de Kilimanja- Cutting to the chase, Leeds calls it “a just to watch people react. It’s how he
ro,” the saxophonist says), and made sure bunch of horseshit. The purpose of the enjoyed himself.” 
to clue his boss in on anything he heard song was that it was going to be Prince’s Eventually the subject turned to other
regarding Miles. “I wanted Prince to contribution to Miles’ first Warner Bros. trumpeters. “I knew there were musicians
know,” Leeds stresses. “If situations arose album—Warners wanted it bad—a that Miles loved to put down,” Leeds says,
[where] these two could get together, feather in their cap. We got Miles. We so he threw out Lester Bowie’s name,
I was going to make damn sure that I got Prince. That’s synergy; publicity that figuring Miles would have little time for
would be in the middle of that.”  writes itself. But when Prince asked my the Art Ensemble of Chicago mainstay.
Then came Christmas Day 1985. “My opinion of the song—and he wasn’t a guy Instead, he got this rejoinder: “Eric, why
brother was on his way down to Florida who cared about others’ opinions—I got the fuck wouldn’t I love Lester Bowie?”
for a holiday with our parents when he the idea he was having second thoughts. “Wow, cool,” Leeds says. “I got him
tells me Prince wants me in L.A. tomor- It was a truly uninteresting tune. And to to admit somebody else was a badass
row,” Leeds recalls. “I was pissed, but this be absolutely honest, Miles didn’t do any- trumpet player with his own identity. No
is my gig. I fly, land, get my rental car, thing interesting with it either. He played way in the world would he have said that
drive to Sunset Sound because Prince is typical Miles stuff.” about Freddie Hubbard, he would never
waiting for me. Right there, he informs give it up to him. Funny thing too, about
me that he has a song, done, with vocals. Miles and Prince—they would never
‘I’m giving this to Miles,’ he says. Prince THE DANCE truly give it up to each other. They both
asks me to put a horn arrangement on it, CONTINUES loved and identified with each other, yet
saxophone section too, then says, ‘I have a you could see the wheels turning. Prince
dinner date. I’m out of here. Do whatever The saga of Prince and Miles could not had nothing but adoration for Miles.
you want—JUST LEAVE ROOM FOR end with one bum song in 1986; that’s Miles was the template for everything
MILES.’ That was ‘Can I Play With U?’ what makes the legend flourish. The two Prince aspired to as an artist. But in
We were going to go over to Miles’ crib kept in contact, hung out and weaved Prince’s eyes, Miles was the old man: ‘I’m
in Malibu to hand it to him, but Prince around each other, perhaps fearful of the new you.’ And Miles, [though he]
decided to just send it to Miles.” commitment. Leeds and Blistan both respects the hell out of what Prince does,
COURTESY OF WARNER RECORDS

Along with the tape, Prince enclosed a remember March of 1987, when Davis is thinking, ‘You may be the new version
note: “I can tell just from listening to your came to Minneapolis for a concert at the of me, but without me there is no you.’
music that you and I are so exactly alike Orpheum Theatre. Everything they said to each other, how
that I know whatever you play would be “Miles came out to Prince’s warehouse they interacted, was nothing but a dance.
what I’d do. So if this tape is of any use to to hang a day before his gig—this would It was hilarious to watch two superegos
you, please go ahead and play whatever have been Matt’s and my opportunity dance around each other. Neither one of

52 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

The Prince/Miles dance onstage at Paisley Park: Stills from Sign o’ the Times: New Year’s Eve 1987

them was going to be the first one to give immediately on the next phrase what we hands-on, to see what Prince could do,”
it up.” were going to do.” he recalls. “Prince was scared to death
Mention this summation to Miller, Leeds takes the next part of the story: by that notion. In these words, he said,
and he’s very clear. “Working with Miles “Miles is playing. Prince is facing us and, ‘I don’t know how to tell Miles Davis to
as I did, there was never a question of in the middle of that, he throws up his play music.’ I explained that Miles wasn’t
who would be top dog: Miles was Miles,” hands for one of those cues. But nobody looking for that, he just wanted some of
he laughs. “He’d been Miles since 1945. in the band paid Prince any attention … what Prince had, something that might
It might have, however, been uncom- at all. We were all just looking at Miles. lead him to play something different,
fortable for Prince, who wasn’t in any Nobody hit the cue. And Prince got respond differently.”
situation where he wasn’t Prince. He was pissed. He threw his hand up expecting Eventually, Prince sent the jazz legend
always in control of his surroundings.” reaction from the band—nothing. He several Madhouse tracks, originally
looked at us and yelled, ‘Hey,’ as if to say, intended for that side project’s nev-
‘I’m over here. I’m still running the show.’ er-completed third album (see sidebar).
PAISLEY Then he gave us another cue, and we were Leeds also remembers helping Prince
NEW YEAR on top of that.” put together a version of his “Nothing
What Blistan and Leeds regret most Compares 2 U” for Davis—think of what
Such control was put to the test at the about that evening is that they had want- Miles could’ve done with that tune—but
New Year’s Eve 1987 show documented ed to show their love and respect to Miles he’s uncertain what happened to it.
in the Sign o’ the Times box. As Leeds during “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night” Maybe these are the recordings Vince
notes, it was “the only time Miles and by playing a riff they adored, a blip at the Wilburn Jr., Davis’ nephew and executor
Prince were together in real time making top of side two of Davis’ Agharta that of his estate, was alluding to when he said
music.” The occasion was a private the Pittsburgh pals had tossed into jams in a recent interview with the U.K. music
party celebrating the opening of Prince’s since their club days. “I was just waiting magazine Mojo, “[T]here should be more
Paisley Park studio complex in suburban to throw that riff in, elbow Matt as a [Miles/Prince] music … If they [Prince’s
Chanhassen, Minnesota. signal to hit it—just to see what the look estate] want to revisit anything, we’re all
“Miles was invited, and asked, if he on Miles’ face might be,” Leeds says. “For ears. We’re still hoping. You can quote
wished, to bring his horn and come join whatever reason, though, I hesitated too me on that.” Then again, maybe not.
us on stage to jam,” Blistan says. “It was long ... the moment passed. I will always Miller regrets that Prince and Miles
great. Miles even asked me to test his kick myself for that.” never got it together, but acknowledg-
wrap-around [monitoring] equipment “Who knows?” Blistan says. “Miles es that the only true road to positive
during the soundcheck.” may have turned around and given results for the duo would have been full
Blistan recalls Miles strolling onto the us a dirty look, like ‘C’mon, playing immersion and deep commitment. “The
Paisley Park stage as the band launched something I played 30 years ago?’ We’ll most obvious way would have been for
into “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night,” never know.” Prince to do Prince, and have Miles join
warmly greeted by Prince. “Miles is The realization that Miles’ presence in fully,” he says. “I don’t know about
playing and, always, during any set, we could loosen Prince’s hold over his Prince, but Miles was flexible. I would
have cues—three or four—that Prince band, even if only for a moment, seems have loved to have had them spend real
could give us by showing a certain hand to have tempered his interest in further time together. Hear what it would have
gesture. If he threw his hand up in a par- collaboration. Leeds readily admits that sounded like if Miles’ sound was truly in
ticular manner, there was a riff that the Prince was intimidated.  Prince’s ear. For Prince to write for that
band knew to insert at that point. Could “After the New Year’s Eve show, Miles voice—because that voice was so strong,
be a jam. Could be a funk song or a was still very interested in wanting so beautiful—that would have been
ballad. When we saw the hand, we knew Prince to produce him, one on one, really amazing.” JT

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 53
 AUDIO FILES
Obed Calvaire of the
SFJAZZ Collective
performs during
SFJAZZ’s Fridays at
Five livestream

The Stuff of Streams

Jazz concerts will be online for the foreseeable future. high-resolution sound.
How can we get the best sound from them? BY BRENT The high-res audio stream of Jazz
BUTTERWORTH Re:Fest was available (and excerpts still
are) to all owners of devices using Blue-
sound’s BluOS software, which include
products from NAD Electronics and

T and venues shifting their focus to

hanks to COVID-19, and artists comparable to Spotify’s lowest-quality PSB Speakers as well as Bluesound itself.
tier. Spotify’s mobile streaming uses Because no video streaming format
online streams, we may be seeing the Ogg Vorbis codec (compression/ supports high-resolution audio—even
more jazz performances than ever decompression) technology running Netflix and Hulu can’t do that—it was
before. What we’re hearing, though, isn’t at 96 kilobits per second—about impossible to stream a full high-resolu-
always so appealing. The quality of an 30 percent as much data as used in tion audio/video presentation.
audio track within a video stream from Spotify’s best-quality downloads, and According to June Ip of Bluesound’s
YouTube, Facebook, and most other only 14 percent as much as in a typical parent company Lenbrook, “You had
sources is a step down from live sound. CD-quality FLAC stream. YouTube and the choice to watch on YouTube, so
Fortunately, there are steps we can Facebook use the AAC codec, which is you could see the performers, but then
take to make it better—and venues and similar in sound quality to Ogg Vorbis, you’re limited audio-wise. If you’re an
festivals that are trying to go beyond typically at 128kbps. audiophile and audio is more import-
low-resolution sound. ant, you had the option of using a
“When we went into lockdown, every- BluOS-enabled device and just listening
one’s life changed,” says Adam Moses,
Studio-Quality Streaming to the audio. If you wanted to com-
project director and co-chief executive As you know if you’ve watched jazz per- bine the two, it’s somewhat possible to
of the U.K.’s Jazz Re:Freshed, which formances on YouTube and Facebook, sync up the YouTube images and the
puts on the annual Jazz Re:Fest festival. the quality of 128kbps AAC streams MQA stream, but with all the different
“We’ve been promoting jazz concerts for can be okay, provided the production ads on YouTube it’s impossible to get
17 years, and sound is so important to is good and everything goes just right. it perfect.”
that experience. Once musicians started But last August, Jazz Re:Freshed, in I listened to Jazz Re:Fest 2020 per-
COURTESY OF SFJAZZ

broadcasting from their homes, the conjunction with audio electronics formance highlights in MQA high-res
decrease in quality was shocking.” maker Bluesound and audio technology through an $899 Bluesound Powernode
In fact, the quality of audio in You- company MQA, streamed the entire Jazz 2i streaming amplifier connected to
Tube and Facebook video streams is Re:Fest 2020 in 24-bit/192-kilohertz my $3,500-per-pair Revel Performa3

54 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 F206 speakers. With all the details of
Vocalist Sahra Gure at the 2020
the saxophones, cymbals, and other Jazz Re:Fest, livestreamed from
high-frequency instruments coming London in high-res audio
through in high-res quality, it sound-
ed more lifelike than the YouTube
stream. Because the Powernode 2i
has an HDMI input, I was able to
connect it to my TV and stream the
YouTube program from my Roku
Streaming Stick+, which made it easy
to switch between listening to the
high-res audio and the low-res audio/
video presentation.

Some Assembly Required

According to Ross Eustis, producer
and project manager of the weekly
Fridays at Five streaming program
from San Francisco’s SFJAZZ, the
quality of concert audio/video of headphones—there’s no reason that and artists may be huge. As Lenbrook’s
streams can be excellent, but you sonically, at least, your streaming jazz June Ip puts it, “Before, you couldn’t
need good gear to appreciate it. experience can’t be very good, perhaps access Jazz Re:Fest unless you were
“We want to make it sound like even great. And as we get used to this in the U.K. Now they have a global
you’re sitting in the hall, not like new medium, the benefits for jazz fans audience.” JT
a typical live recording or studio
album,” Eustis says. “We start with a
high-resolution, 24/48 WAV file. For
concerts where we have multitrack
recording, we may do some panning After 8 critically-acclaimed releases and a “recording hiatus” to grow as
of different instruments [into the left composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and author,
or right stereo channels]. If you have
a hi-fi system attached to the TV,
or great headphones, you can really CHIP SHELTON IS BACK
hear all this. It feels like a live show
at SFJAZZ.”
WITH A 3-RELEASE BONANZA
The end result, though, depends
on what you’re using to access the PLAN BE™ DREAM MUSIC
stream. And as Eustis acknowledges, RELEASE #9, still-active, spotlights 9 Shelton originals
and synchronizes with release of his 1st book,
those devices range widely. “Usually Excel in 2 Careers...Plan Be™ Your Dream.
it’s 65 to 70 percent desktop comput-
ers, 25 to 30 percent smartphones, Info at chipshelton.com
and a small contingent on tablets,”
he says. All of those devices are MENTORS
capable of connecting or streaming RELEASE #10, November 2020, pays homage to his music mentors,
to a TV set. “The best experience past & present, singling out Jimmy Heath's "Heritage Hum" &
we’ve found is to cast it to a TV with "Angel Man"; Frank Foster's "Simone"; Frank Wess' "Half Moon
a separate sound system. That way Street"; plus 5 Shelton originals, and vocal flavorings on Willie
Dixon's "I Love the Life I Live", & Richie Cole's "DC Farewell"
it’s taking up more of your atten-
tion. If you’re watching on phone or
computer, you’re probably looking at
other stuff.” SPECIAL DAYS EACH YEAR
Provided you put a little bit of RELEASE #11, for 2021, lends itself to year-round airplay, delivering
effort into assembling a system to 15 seasonal originals by Shelton, including: “Birthday Love”, “MLK”,
COURTESY OF MQA

“A Snow Day”, “Spring Break”, “Mothers Day Gratitude”, “Juneteenth”,

get the best sound quality from “Mandela Day”, “Election Days”, “Have a Happy Thanksgiving”,
streams—and that could be as “Christmas (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa) is My Time of Year”, and much more.
simple as a laptop with a good set

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 55
 REVIEWS ALBUMS

it is, a joyous, fiercely played, irony-free

boogie-woogie and a welcome surprise.
The two encores, the borrowed com-
positions “It’s a Lonesome Old Town”
and “Answer Me,” both of which also
appeared on Munich 2016, are blissful
enough but, having just heard Keith
Jarrett rock roadhouse-style, a bit of a
letdown. JEFF TAMARKIN

RON MILES
Rainbow Sign
Blue Note

The title of Ron Miles’

Blue Note debut can be
linked to a trio of
influences—the Carter
Family classic “God Gave
“Gold standard”: Noah the Rainbow Sign,” James
Keith Jarrett
Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, and the
Book of Revelation—but the story of its
sounds is tied most directly to the topic
of family. Focusing on music composed

Among the Magyars while the cornetist was caring for his
ailing father in the summer of 2018, and
showcasing the same close-knit quintet
The latest Keith Jarrett live solo album is a Hungarian that delivered his sociopolitical
gem masterpiece I Am a Man a year before
that, Rainbow Sign offers varicolored
visions that explore the weight and
KEITH JARRETT of the new? Who knows, but it’s up there beauty of relationships.
Budapest Concert with his finest, that much is for sure. As they delve into the emotional im-
ECM As with the Munich concert, and pact of losing a parent, Miles’ musical
numerous other solo recordings, some fraternity—guitarist Bill Frisell, pianist
Keith Jarrett is already on dating back nearly half a century, Jarrett Jason Moran, bassist Thomas Morgan,
record as saying that he dispenses with titles, instead dividing and drummer Brian Blade—stands
now considers the new his suite of spontaneous creations into for honesty and integrity. If down-
Budapest Concert, “parts”: There are 12 of them on Buda- home modernism defines the day, as
recorded in the Hungarian pest Concert, ranging in length from it does on the swinging title track and
capital in 2016, the “gold standard” just under three minutes to nearly 15. “Binder,” this crew relishes the oppor-
among his solo live albums. Why, a Each part is intended both as a distinct tunity to embrace that wonderfully
listener might wonder, does the pianist movement and an essential slice of the paradoxical notion without a touch
deem this particular recital to be whole pie; each exudes its own personal- of irony. And when the music takes a
worthier than his Munich 2016 ity, but some naturally exert themselves somewhat nostalgic turn, in places like
set—taken from the same tour and more convincingly. “The Rumor,” respect rules the moment
released a year ago—or, for that matter, “Part I,” the longest on the two-disc without putting a damper on acts of
his 1975 landmark The Köln Concert? set, presents the widest range of hues, dynamic expression.
Virtually all of Jarrett’s solo releases tempos, and complexities: one second Fantasy figures prominently into the
DANIELA YOHANNES/ECM RECORDS

approach impeccability, a remarkable deceptively simple, the next a twisted album’s opener—the sprawling, morph-
achievement considering that he takes flurry of notes, it’s a wild ride. “Part ing “Like Those Who Dream”—but clear
the same risk each time he enters a VII,” the first track handed over to realities serve the rest of the set well.
concert hall, engaging in pure improvi- streaming services as a teaser, is linear, “Queen of the South” coolly confesses
sation and trusting his creative serene, and accessible. Only one of loyalties to both understatement and
impulses. Is Budapest truly the pinnacle, the 12 parts, the last, receives a subti- Ethiopian pop. “This Old Man” speaks
or is Jarrett just responding to the thrill tle—“Blues”—and that’s precisely what to the simpatico relationship Miles and

56 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

Frisell have developed over the course JOSH JOHNSON
of nearly a quarter-century’s worth of Freedom Exercise
collaborations. And “A Kind Word” car- Northern Spy
ries the album to its positive, spiritually
powerful conclusion. DAN BILAWSKY Eight years of being an
Angeleno hasn’t taken
DIANA KRALL any of the Chicago vibe
This Dream of You out of flutist/saxophonist/
Verve keyboardist Josh
Johnson—whether you associate that

50
Recording sessions by vibe with experimental nu-jazz or
Diana Krall from 2016 and old-school blues and soul. Along with
2017 found her crooning playing several emotive roles (alto sax,
tender classics with a clarinet, flute, Mellotron) across several
misty vocal quality that’s albums for Tortoise guitarist Jeff
become her signature. Those sessions Parker, Johnson has been the bandlead-
have now resulted in This Dream of You, er for Texas R&B singer Leon Bridges
an assortment of love songs (“That’s All,” and a featured, sprightly sax man on
“Almost Like Being in Love”) and trumpeter Marquis Hill’s postbop best.
nostalgic tunes (“Autumn in New York,” Freedom Exercise, his debut as a leader, Congratulations
“Singin’ in the Rain”) that Krall has a demonstrates that, like his heroes
knack for making her own. Each song Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, he ®
conjures the feel of chilly days and warm understands how to make space amid
nights by a cozy fire—a proper follow-up clutter, calm within disarray, and
to her 2017 album Turn Up the Quiet, lasting signature sounds. on your
which followed a similar band format of First and foremost, Johnson is an
both trio and quartet. intriguing composer, with a sense of 50th
Great artists tend to stick close to play in all but his darkest moments.
those who know how to showcase What closes in, gloomily, on the buzzing
anniversary!
their sound best, and Krall has clearly blip-hop of “Return Recoil” opens up
followed that mantra by continuing brighter and fresher than funky daisies
her longstanding relationship with on “New July” and “False Choice.”
bassist John Clayton Jr., drummer Plus, Johnson and crew keep these
Jeff Hamilton, and guitarist Anthony tracks tight; all but two songs are under
Wilson. She also teams up with bassist five minutes.
Christian McBride and acclaimed Commencing with the wob-
guitarist Russell Malone, who back her bly-stringed “Nerf Day,” Johnson does
on songs such as the lovely “There’s No triple duty—doubling his gentle sax
You,” with a supremely light melody sound while adding a scratchy, syn-
by Malone. thetic ambience to brushed-drum pro-
One of the more up-tempo tracks, ceedings. Rhythms grow tense and his
“Just You, Just Me,” pairs Krall with sequenced keyboards more frenetic in
the fiddle and drums that are meant to thrak-attacking King Crimson fashion
counter the album’s more serious tunes. on “856,” before we head to “Western
The title cut, originally written and Ave” and its twinkling cinematic blues.
performed by Bob Dylan, has a more Drummer Aaron Steele and bassist
country feel, but fits well into the mix Anna Butterss loll behind Johnson on
and could easily be a salute to Krall’s much of Freedom Exercise; the leader’s
longtime collaborator and friend Tom- true foil is six-stringer Gregory Uhl-
my LiPuma, who passed away in 2017 at mann. Whether on the hypnotic “Love Your friends at
the age of 80. LiPuma produced 11 of her Supreme”-like “Bowed,” the cool,
records, part of a creative relationship clammy “Punk,” or the easy, breezy,
that stretches back to the early ’90s; this Nino Rota-esque “Simple Song,” the
is the last album to feature their work to- twang-bar guitar king and the gently
gether. In many ways, This Dream of You boiling saxophonist bob, weave, moan,
is a fitting tribute to the man who helped and focus on each other’s intricate
to craft Krall’s poignant approach to line readings in friendly oneupman- pdxjazz.com
standards. VERONICA JOHNSON ship. A.D. AMOROSI

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 57
 Rebekah Victoria REVIEWS
Songs o
A collaboration with seven-time Editor’s Pick
Grammy nominee, acclaimed
trombonist and composer-arranger NEIL SWAINSON QUINTET
Wayne Wallace and an assemblage 49th Parallel
of two-dozen musicians for a panorama Reel to Real
of songs from each decade
of the 20th century With an archival jazz release, you need the backstory. The Real to Reel label
is diligent about backstories. In 1987, Neil Swainson, a first-call bassist on the
Toronto jazz scene, made an ambitious plan for his first (and to date only) album
as a leader: Hire trumpeter Woody Shaw (with whom Swainson had gigged)
and tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson (whom he had never met). Use reliable,
familiar Canadians in the rhythm section (pianist Gary Williamson, drummer
Jerry Fuller). Write some tunes with openings for bass solos.
It came together on May 2 and 3, 1987, at Studio 306 in Toronto. Henderson
was a no-show on May 2. (He was famous for such behavior.) He appears on
four of the seven tracks. All seven are terrific. The CD came out on the Con-
cord label in 1988. This re-release on CD, LP, and download has one new track,
“Labyrinth.”
Shaw was functionally blind at the
time of the recording. (He would be
“Every single track on this ten-track dead two years later, at 44.) He could
album is superb, beginning with the not see to read music and had to learn
1909 hit song, ‘Some of These the tunes by rote. He plays his ass off.
Days.’” – Dee Dee McNeil From his first fanfare and flourish on
the opening title track, he commands
rebekahvictoria.com attention. Every solo he takes is full of
soaring songs within songs.
On the pieces with both horns,
Henderson solos first. He always veers
From trombonist/composer
away from the centers of Swainson’s
JULES ROWELL. compositions (which are interesting
“Interesting and intelligent”:
The Warmth of Gentle Seas and intelligent) and plays the edges. Neil Swainson in 1985
The high point is the only ballad,
“Don’t Hurt Yourself.” Swainson gives it entirely to Henderson, who meanders
around in it for almost nine minutes. He sounds voluptuous yet casual, as if he’s
been playing the tune his whole life. In fact, Swainson showed it to him on piano
in the studio, right before the first and only take. THOMAS CONRAD

BARRETT MARTIN GROUP world music masters as well as a couple

Scattered Diamonds of A-list rockers: R.E.M. guitarist Peter
Sunyata Buck and Soundgarden guitarist Kim
Thayil. If the idea was to demonstrate
When the percussionist/ Martin’s globalism, he came up aces.
A BOOK OF NUMBERS composer Barrett Martin Barrett wrote or co-wrote each of
offered his list of influen- the album’s 17 tracks, which—whether
tial rhythmic tracks in a by design or pure luck—flow together
2019 JazzTimes “Artist’s naturally, something of a world tour.
Choice” column, it ran the gamut from “Swingin’ on a Moonbeam,” the third
Benny Goodman to Fela Kuti to Miles to song in, is the first that kicks up serious
the Meters—about as eclectic as you can dust: Martin’s fervent drumming, Ryan
get. Scattered Diamonds, the ninth Burns’ Hammond organ, and Lisette
studio album by the Latin Gram- Garcia’s cowbell are just beginning to
my-winning musician, puts that same suggest vintage Santana when the saxo-
spread of interests into practice. The phones and trumpet step up to give the
MARK MILLER

guest list augmenting Barrett’s superb jam some serious funk cred. “Sands of
Available on Amazon & iTunes core group includes players from Africa, Venus,” which pits together all man-
India, Iraq, and the States, jazz and ner of keyboards, among them Wayne
julesrowell.com

58 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

Horvitz’s Hammond and processed pia- Copland’s middle solo stands out.
no, is a whole other shade of deep funk. Other highlights include the bopping
Scattered Diamonds takes several “Broken Time,” which gets a reprise fur-
other roads. “Alhambra” features Rahim ther in, and the reverent ode “There’s a
Alhaj’s Iraqi oud in harmony with Mar- Mingus Amonk Us,” featuring storytell-
tin’s vibes; a couple of tracks later comes ing breaks by the horn players and Bar-
“Sarasvati,” showcasing an enchanting on; a provocative, Thelonious-inspired
vocal by Mumbai’s Mehnaz Hoosein. solo by Copland; and Gress gluing the
As for those rockers, Buck’s acoustic proceedings together à la Mingus. This
contribution to the album finale, “Blue quintet may consist of 60- and-70- CRITICS APPLAUD
Sunrise,” fuses seamlessly with Joe something musicians, but it’s clear that
Doria’s piano and Ben Thomas’ vibes,
while Thayil’s electric guitar solo in
no virus could push any of them into
retirement. BILL MEREDITH
“EXPLOSIVE JAZZ
“The Firebird” meets its match alongside
Hans Teuber and Curtis Macdonald’s HAZAR
VOCAL MAGIC”
searing saxophones. JEFF TAMARKIN Reincarnated

DAVID LIEBMAN/
Immersive Audio Network
“CREATIVITY ON
RANDY BRECKER/MARC The bass clarinet makes
it for me. Hazar deserves
PARADE”
COPLAND/DREW GRESS/
mad praise first for his
JOEY BARON virtuosity on the saz
Quint5T (a lute-like Persian “SOCIAL JUSTICE
Self-produced
instrument), then for switching over
to acoustic guitar and tearing it up
CHAMPION”
One possible sunny jazz down a different highway. But that
underside to the bass clarinet—played by Piotr
COVID-19 pandemic Torunski on several cuts here,
could be enhanced showcasing its lower-range woodsy
artistic control, in an era burble—dovetails so tastily with
where self-produced recordings were Hazar’s always-fancy flights.
already becoming prevalent. Taking The album’s much-touted binaural
advantage of a lengthy enforced break stereo, at least on the CD, isn’t nearly
from touring, the all-star quintet of so freaky as my previous bouts with
veteran saxophonist David Liebman, such things, although sounds, burbly
trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Marc and otherwise, can occasionally wrap
Copland, bassist Drew Gress, and around the inside of my head. Al Di Me-
drummer Joey Baron have created a ola’s heavily hyped guest spot turns out
joyful noise on the new, independently to be a pleasantly modest surprise; the
released Quint5T. guest doubles on cajón for certain pas-
On the opening “Mystery Song,” Bar- sages, but he and Hazar also take turns
on switches between brushes and sticks fluttering downward to the already-flut-
to guide Copland’s supportive chords, tering notes of Chick Corea’s “Spain.”
a creative bowed middle solo by Gress, “Donna Lee” manifests the steeple-
and the alternating solos, squawks, and chase Charlie Parker had in mind, but
interplay of Liebman and Brecker. The with an offhanded piano part by Mike “Jazz is my freedom,
Charlie Parker-inspired “Off a Bird” is Roelofs and distant percussion by Meh-
even more unpredictable, as the saxo- met Akatay, suggesting an after-hours
music is my resistance.”
phonist and trumpeter defy convention jam over smoky bourbon. “Summer- —VA/Virginia Schenck
by soloing simultaneously when they’re time” finds all four players—Hazar,
not harmonizing with one another. Roelofs, Akatay, and Torunski—fly-

BATTLE CRY
Parts of the free-form piece recall ing apart from each other to the four
Liebman’s tenure in Miles Davis’ band corners of the mix, tossing each other
during the first half of the 1970s. As does musical compliments and a few jokes.
the sashaying “Child at Play,” on which Listen to this one on headphones for The latest from jazz
Liebman’s soprano dances, Brecker’s the full effect. You’ll need it for the mix. vocalist Virginia Schenck
trumpet punctuates, the rhythm section But you’ll stay for the human intricacy.
provides the perfect undercurrent, and ANDREW HAMLIN AVAILABLE NOW!

virginiaschenck.com
 REVIEWS
Editor’s Pick devotee of the music and philosophy of
composer Pauline Oliveros. She has
YELLOWJACKETS spent several decades in the “downtown”
Jackets XL music scene, performing with luminar-
Mack Avenue ies like Evan Parker, LaDonna Smith,
Ingrid Laubrock, and Fred Frith.  
Thirty-nine years in and still dropping cracking grooves and catchy melodies, Her most high-profile recent gig has
Yellowjackets return with their 25th album, which finds the quartet revisiting been as a member of the Mary Halvor-
original material from its past discography. son Octet. Alcorn is an integral part of
If you’re like me, you’ve jumped on or off Yellowjackets’ train at various that group’s superb 2016 album Away
times in their career. Who could resist their eponymous 1981 debut, a blast of with You, and at times her new record-
fresh L.A. jazz-funk? I personally dove deep during their ’86-’87 period and the ing has some of the same distinctive
burners Shades and Four Corners. Regardless of year, though, they’ve retained flavor of the MH8. Alcorn leads a
an instantly recognizable sound: knotty drum grooves, brain-glued melodies, quintet—with Halvorson, violinist Mark
clever harmonies, and extended, rip-roaring solos. Feldman, bassist Michael Formanek,
Performed by the current YJ lineup of tenor saxophonist/EWI player Bob and drummer Ryan Sawyer—through
Mintzer, keyboardist Russell Ferrante, drummer Will Kennedy, and electric five stellar pieces that recall both
bassist Dane Alderson, Jackets XL also features the WDR Big Band, which su- the big-sky country traditions of her
percharges the entire event. Handily, Mintzer happens to be that band’s princi- instrument and the thorny, rigorous
pal conductor, which is evident in the arrangements (seven of the 10 by Mintzer) interplay that are her bandmates’ calling
and performances, which crackle and pop with power. cards. There are knotty guitar duets,
The Americana-tinged “Even sweeter ones with bass and violin, and
Song” (Run for Your Life, 1994) a sense of surprise at every turn. In
shows the band’s easy way with its balance between complexity and
an eighth-note groove, and accessibility with prominent string and
the WDR horn lines are pure guitar work, Pedernal is reminiscent of
Mintzer magic. “Downtown” Tomeka Reid’s fine 2019 effort Old New.
(Live Wires, 1992) skips and Alcorn’s playing is richly evocative,
soars courtesy of Kennedy’s but it never settles into genre. She’s an
kinetic beat, blasted forward by individualist, with a unique sound and
a unison synth/brass melody; vision. MARTIN JOHNSON
the groove changes to up-tempo
“Crackle and pop” (L to R): Russell Ferrante, swing, the darting arrangement ALAN BROADBENT TRIO
Will Kennedy, Dane Alderson, and Bob Mintzer like changing trains in Tokyo at Trio in Motion
rush hour, propelled further by Savant
a blistering Alderson bass solo. “Coherence” (Cohearence, 2016) finds composer
Ferrante in minimalist mode, framing the composition in an arrangement that Alan Broadbent first
owes some of its color and shape to composer/arranger Maria Schneider. made his name in 1975
A winner for Yellowjackets’ faithful base, Jackets XL may garner the band with Irene Kral on her
further accolades; it will surely gain them new fans. KEN MICALLEF nocturnal piano-and-
voice album What Is
Love. Since then, his most visible
SUSAN ALCORN QUINTET appearances as a pianist and arranger
Pedernal have been with singers: Barbra
Relative Pitch Streisand, Natalie Cole, Sue Raney,
Georgia Mancio. While these collabo-
Pedal steel guitarist Susan rations have resulted in a comfortable
Alcorn has expanded her career, including two Grammy wins
instrument’s domain well and 13 nominations, they tell only half
beyond the familiar the story. Since the mid-’80s, he’s also
sounds native to Hawaii, been working with his own trio, a
Nashville, or Bakersfield. She’s influ- lower-profile yet creatively rewarding
enced by those traditions, of course, as outlet. By the time Savant signed the
well as the folk and blues of the group for 2019’s New York Notes,
ROBERTO CIFARELLI

Woodstock era (a chance encounter with Broadbent’s rhythm section consisted

Muddy Waters inspired her ambition to of bassist Harvie S and drummer Billy
become a professional musician). Since Mintz; they return for the trio’s second
the early ’90s, she’s also become a Savant release, Trio in Motion.

60 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 There are two originals here (“I Hear filigreed blues guitar over reggae-like SIMON MOULLIER
You,” “Moonstones”) and many stan- rhythms and an extended, gusty solo Spirit Song
dards (including Lil Hardin Armstrong’s by guest tenor saxophonist Stephen Outside In
“Struttin’ with Some Barbecue,” Paul Riley, punctuated by Dørge’s Mingusian
Desmond’s “Late Lament,” and Hoagy exhortations. “Mingus’ Birthday Party” There’s a new wave of
Carmichael’s “One Morning in May”). incongruously begins with a deflating vibraphonists making
None of it challenges the format or horn fanfare, bounces back to cavort- noise these days. Warren
redraws the rulebook for trio albums. ing trumpet and saxes, then dissolves Wolf, the virtuoso who
Instead, like a classic Oscar Peterson into thin air during its final minute. came first, has been
record—think 1961’s The Sound of the “Rocking at Planet Pluto” pays heed to followed by fresh thinkers like Joel Ross,
Trio—it’s clean, sophisticated, and in both vintage Ellington and Sun Ra’s Chris Dingman, and Sasha Berliner.
the pocket. swing roots, while “Elefante Imposante” Now we have Simon Moullier, originally
The Armstrong, Desmond, and Car- matches woozy atmospherics to Dørge’s of Nantes, France, now of Brooklyn. He
michael renditions are unquestionably recitation of Basque phrases from a chil- has said, “When I am creating, I focus
the best of the set. “Struttin’ with Some dren’s book. And don’t miss the conch on … aura.” On Moullier’s debut album,
Barbecue” is propelled by a percolating shells that bookend “Witchdoctor in the Spirit Song, that focus is apparent.
samba beat from Mintz. The slow-burn- Burial Mound.” He is a lyrical voice on vibes, but his
ing “Late Lament” earns its high-velocity The somber side of beauty also gets priority is the collective, not individual
runs and displays Broadbent’s knack for its due. “Sister” is an elegiac tone poem moments. The core quartet here contains
tension and release. And the cascading composed by Dørge’s wife and NJO a pianist (either Simon Chivallon or
progression of “One Morning in May” keyboardist Irene Becker for her sibling, Isaac Wilson), a bassist (Luca Aleman-
evokes a sunshower. suffused with heartfelt textures from no), and a drummer (Jongkuk Kim). On
Not all of Trio in Motion’s 56 minutes bass clarinet, soprano sax, and the five of the nine tracks, either Morgan
are essential; a too-straight version of pairing of Riley and bassist Thommy Guerin or Dayna Stephens joins on tenor
Bird’s “Relaxin’ at Camarillo” doesn’t Andersson. Finally, as Neil Tesser points saxophone. Moullier also plays synths
catch fire, and the final third of the out in his excellent liner notes, the way and a chromatic balafon. This album is
album seems to slip by unnoticed. But Riley’s breathy tenor captures the soul of very much an “aura”: tight, mannered
on the whole, it’s an appealing date with Dørge’s “Mama Asili” is reminiscent of arrangements are presented in an
unquestionable highlights and no real the way Paul Gonsalves burnished many integrated wall of sound, with minimal
lowlights, showing that this accompanist classic Ellington-Strayhorn ballads. discrimination among instruments.
and improviser is more in motion than Bluu Afroo is an apt title for an un- The appeal of Moullier’s music is its
most. MORGAN ENOS conventional band that has developed its gauzy melodicism. But the thick mix can
own musical language over the past 40 be frustrating. Compelling players like
PIERRE DØRGE & NEW years. BRITT ROBSON Stephens and Guerin are recessed in the
JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
Bluu Afroo
SteepleChase

After four decades of “Judy knows how to beguile

explorations with his New
Jungle Orchestra, Danish
onstage and in the pages of
bandleader/guitarist this book, which you’ll lap up.”
Pierre Dørge hasn’t forsak- – Blythe Danner Golden Globe, Tony and
en the art of playfulness. The NJO’s Emmy-winning Actress
planned 40th-anniversary celebration
at the 2020 Copenhagen Jazz Festival
last summer was canceled by COVID; “She is a masterful storyteller
in its stead, Dørge culled material from
with a stinging wit that will
the dectet’s brief tour of Denmark in late
November 2019 to produce Bluu Afroo. make you LOL.”
As usual, the musical palette is rich— – Felix Contreras,
blending progressive big-band jazz with Host/Jazz Producer, NPR
the groove-and-sway of African music,
dappled with electronics for an air of
mystery—and the mood and execution
are delightfully loose-limbed. Order your autographed copy
Influenced by a trip to Zanzibar, at JudyCarmichael.com
“Ka Wa Ku Wo” is cleaved by Dørge’s

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 61
 REVIEWS
Editor’s Pick RAN BLAKE/
CHRISTINE CORREA
MANUEL VALERA When Soft Rains Fall
NEW CUBAN EXPRESS BIG BAND Red Piano
José Martí en Nueva York
Greenleaf RAN BLAKE/
FRANK CARLBERG
Sometimes big lives require big bands. That’s what Cuban composer/pianist Gray Moon
Manuel Valera discovered after he’d completed his 2013 Chamber Music Jazz Red Piano
Works commission for the project José Martí en Nueva York. Martí was the
patron saint of Cuba, an activist/writer and fierce catalyst for the country’s Billie Holiday’s Lady in
independence from Spain, who martyred himself for the cause at age 42 at the Satin can provoke fierce
Battle of Dos Rios in 1895. Four years earlier, exiled in New York, he completed debate. Some feel that Ray
Versos Sencillos, a book of poems regarded as his masterpiece. Valera composed Ellis’ lush arrangements
music around nine of those poems and premiered the project with his New overdressed Holiday,
Cuban Express sextet in 2014. But he soon believed the material demanded a whose voice was battered
grander scope. after years of hard living.
With the help of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the promise of a monthly Others believe the contrast
residency at the Queens club Terraza 7, Valera expanded the score to accom- between the music and the
modate a 20-piece band, plus female vocalist. On this recording, the work has rawness of her vocals
been elegantly polished, celebrating the marriage of American jazz and Cuban added pathos to the 1958 album, her
rhythm with as much rigor and passion as it fêtes Martí. While there are obvious penultimate recording. Pianist Ran
passages where you recognize the taut pirouette of danzon and the honeydrip of Blake and singer Christine Correa
bolero, the orchestrations are more frequently reminiscent of the Thad Jones-Mel interpret the original on When Soft
Lewis Big Band’s taut swing and the tone poetry of Kenny Wheeler. Rains Fall in a manner that pays fitting
There isn’t a single clunker among the seven tribute to the way Holiday wrung
selections. Chilean rising star Camila Meza emotions from the lyrics she sang.
delivers the set’s best vocal on “Por Sus Ojos Much of this material has been
Encendidos,” a poem about (perhaps mistaken) covered by umpteen singers over the last
jealousy, while the music threatens eruption yet six decades, but Correa isn’t interested
ultimately recedes like waves in a harbor. On in just rehashing some warhorses. She
Martí’s indictment of Spain (the poem trans- understands why Lady in Satin has
lates as “The Brutal Enemy”), Ricky Rodri- endured; songs like “I’m a Fool to Want
guez’s liquid bass turn is tagged by a procession You” and “You’ve Changed” will rip at
of stately percussion, then capped by blistering the heartstrings if they’re done the right
solos from guitarist Alex Goodman and congu- way. Opening with the former, Correa
ero Mauricio Herrera. And the closer, “Si Qui- evokes Holiday’s untrained voice, not in
ere Que de Este Mundo,” is predictably rousing, style but with a similar impact. She of-
with piquant solos from piano, trumpet, bari fers some optimism with “For Heaven’s
sax, and drums. Sake,” but “You Don’t Know What Love
Valera wrote much of this music while his Is” sounds melancholic. Blake’s rich but
wife Lisa battled, and eventually succumbed, to unobtrusive accompaniment provides
cancer. He dedicates the album—which chan- “Channels copious emotions the music with an ideal amount of color,
nels copious emotions into thrilling sound- into thrilling soundscapes”: moving from dark entry to a gentle
Manuel Valera
scapes—to her memory. BRITT ROBSON stride in “It’s Easy to Remember.” His
foreboding line in “I Get Along Without
You Very Well” seems at first like it
blend. There is little distinction between resonate sympathetically with the hu- won’t mesh with Correa’s performance
foreground and background. Moullier’s man heart. He knows that all melodies but ultimately adds to the tragedy of the
synths add additional clutter to an al- sound more poignant when played on a lyric. In addition to the dozen Lady in
ready crowded soundstage. His fondness vibraphone. He lingers over these songs Satin tracks, the duo combines Frank
for loops creates annoying repetitions. and seduces you into their intimacy. A O’Hara’s poem “The Day Lady Died”
Yet Moullier has something. Gene de brief solo feature, “Prophecy,” also works with original Blake music and interprets
Paul’s “I’ll Remember April” and “Ken- because the synth accompaniment Herbie Nichols’ “Lady Sings the Blues.”
yalang” (an original), relatively clean is subtle. Blake also gives a fine solo reading to
charts for quartet only, are ethereal and “April” and “Kenyalang” create “Big Stuff,” which Holiday recorded
alluring. Moullier understands that the anticipation for Moullier’s next album. earlier in her career.
notes he strikes with his mallets can THOMAS CONRAD On Gray Moon, Blake teams up with

62 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

 AD INDEX

Airborne Ecstasy-Virginia Schenck..... 59 Lisa Hilton Music...................................... 5 New Release from

AUM Fidelity........................................... 15 Lumina Music Group.............................. 58 3D JAZZ TRIO
Blue Note Records................................. C2 Mack Avenue Records.......................... 31
Chip Shelton............................................. 55
DIVA Jazz.................................................. 63
PDX Jazz....................................................57
Sher Music................................................27
CHRISTMAS
DJ Records............................................... 60 Smoke Sessions Records......................23
IN 3D
Eastman Music Company....................... 3 Sunnyside Records..................................11
ECM Records USA.................................... 9 SteepleChase Productions.................... 19
Hal Leonard / Music Dispatch............... 25 Sweetwater Sound................................. C3
jj Babbitt..................................................... 7 The Jules Rowell Group..........................58
Joan Watson-Jones Music................... 63 Ulas Hazar Music....................................C4
Judy Carmichael Music........................ 61 WFLIII Drums............................................13

Frank Carlberg for a two-piano session.

Their obvious rapport ensures that the
Charles Darwin. Feeding off the ominous
and surreal notions embedded in the AVAILABLE NOW!
music never gets crowded; in fact, there 2017 Twin Peaks return, this drummer/ 3divasjazztrio.com
are times when they sound like one play- composer works his magic by bending
er on one instrument. (The cover offers time, texture, and form to his will. He
no info revealing which player is which.) creates a series of tulpas: new composi-
The 16 tracks tackle a wide range of ma- tions mystically aligned to material from
terial, from Ellington and Monk classics Starebaby’s eponymous debut.
to a dash of ’70s soul, film music, and An awareness of antecedents proves
several deeply personal Blake originals. illuminating, but understanding all the
All but two last less than five minutes, connections—the mood-shifting arcs
and Blake and Carlberg use most of their that bind this collection’s “Episode 18”
time to gently peel away at melodies. with the previous album’s “Episode 8,”
Slow readings of “Take the A Train” for example—isn’t a prerequisite for
and “’Round Midnight” feel charming, listening. In fact, entering these spaces
but the duo attacks each succeeding without any preconceptions enriches the
piece within a very similar dynamic act(s) of discovery. Complex enough to
range, if not the same languid tempo. keep anybody guessing and wise enough
Taken a few at a time, a sequence that in- to yield to the moment, this music is full
cludes George Russell’s “Stratusphunk,” of wicked surprises.
the Sylvers’ “Wish I Could Talk to You,” One might say that “The Long Di-
and Blake’s “Vanguard” (done solo by agonal” deals in sound askew—placing
Carlberg) makes a compelling program. dizzying riffs, minimalistic maxims, and
But an hour-long set requires a closer off-kilter alarms in close contact—or
Watson-Jones has recorded her own lyrics
listen to appreciate fully the way the duo note how “A Taste of a Memory” uses on other albums, but “Choices” is her first
unleashes the tension of “Memphis” or chimerical quietude as a prologue to project featuring almost all original material.
the feeling at the heart of “Short Life of danger. But calling out a few musical For Watson-Jones, nothing is more
Barbara Monk,” a reflection on Theloni- attributes or descriptors for any of these important than the people in her life. She is a
ous’ daughter. MIKE SHANLEY pieces seems pointlessly reductive, natural storyteller, and the stories she tell
short-changing their might-and-flight grow from her life experiences.
DAN WEISS STAREBABY majesty. Weiss, who calls wonders into A versitile, deeply soulful emotional
Natural Selection existence with some help from fear- and sublimly swinging singer and
Pi somely fluid pianists (and synth wizards) insightful songwriter and musical
Matt Mitchell and Craig Taborn, ra- storyteller...”
Don’t let the title fool you. zor-sharp guitar hero Ben Monder, and JWVibe
The second album from thrumming electric bass heavy Trevor
Starebaby—Dan Weiss’ Dunn, manages to artfully embody mo- Available On
malleable, metal-leaning tion without ever missing a beat. That, in Apple Music - Spotify
avant-garde outfit—takes truth, says it all. DAN BILAWSKY Amazon Music
more cues from David Lynch than joanwatsonjones.com

JA Z ZT I M E S.C O M 63
 ARTIST'S CHOICE THEMATIC PLAYLISTS CREATED BY PLAYERS AND SINGERS

50 Years On: A 1970 Playlist

In spite of the circumstances that have befallen the globe in 2020, I am thankful for this
moment as I sit to reflect on God’s enduring mercy and to celebrate JazzTimes in its 50th year
of existence. As I am also celebrating my own 50th year, I was excited to receive an invitation
from JazzTimes’ editor Mac Randall to contribute a playlist of songs from our birth year, 1970.
While assembling it, I was reminded of several folklorists and literary heroes that have inspired
me with their work over the years: James Baldwin, Samuel and Ann Charters, Moses Asch,
Alan Lomax, and lastly, the biggest thank-you possible to a former disc jockey at WWOZ New
Orleans, Louise “Blue Lou” Wehner, for giving me the best mix tape ever made. BRIAN BLADE

Joni Mitchell Cowell, Herbie Lewis, Wally Richardson, Kenny Barron,

“Woodstock” Candido, and lyricist/vocalist Gene McDaniels catch the spiral
Ladies of the Canyon (Reprise, 1970) falling upward, out of 1969 and into 1970. The title selection is
I cannot begin to write about the significance of Joni Mitchell a timeless ballad composed by Bobby in dedication to bassist
and who she is and what she means to me. The heroine of the Albert Stinson, who passed away on June 2, 1969. I’m not sure
story. The one and only. There is a bittersweet set of circum- if Bobby and Albert made music together in Pasadena, Cali-
stances that brought on this masterpiece, but nevertheless, it fornia while in their teens, but they both graduated from John
is an anthem for a generation at its zenith and as it fades away. Muir High School (in 1958 and 1962, respectively), and Albert
She puts it perfectly: We are stardust/We are golden/And we’ve is the bassist on Bobby’s 1967 album Oblique.
got to get ourselves/Back to the garden.
Minnie Riperton
The Ahmad Jamal Trio “Expecting” by Charles Stepney and Jon Stocklin
“The Awakening” Come to My Garden (GRT, 1970)
The Awakening (Impulse!, 1970)
Minnie Riperton was a member of the psych-soul-rock band
Ahmad Jamal is an absolute master of space, groove, song Rotary Connection, which recorded six albums between 1967
structure, and interpretation. The balance of his brilliance is and 1971 on the Cadet Concept label. Those recordings were
unparalleled, and at the fulcrum rests his total command of produced and arranged by the great Charles Stepney, as was
the instrument to execute whatever he might imagine and the Ms. Riperton’s first solo masterwork, Come to My Garden.
sensitivity to know how that ability will best serve the journey. Unfortunately, she passed away much too young at the age
Since the ’50s with Israel Crosby and Vernel Fournier and into of 31, but her voice and this recording shall live on inside the
the late ’60s and ’70s with Jamil Nasser and Frank Gant, Mr. deepest part of us where we still feel and love and exist. Oh, by
Jamal’s piano-trio conception has shown us the way with grace the way: Sometime between 1969 and 1970, the drummer on
and economy of power. this album, Maurice White, founded Earth, Wind & Fire.

John Coltrane Laura Nyro 

“Transition” “Christmas in My Soul”
Transition (Impulse!, 1970) Christmas and the Beads of Sweat (Columbia, 1970)

This album was recorded in 1965 and released three years after I put this record on the other day and after I stopped weeping
Coltrane’s death in 1967. It is a must-have power source on the over how good it is, I had to send a message to my friend Billy
path to where his vision was taking him and the music. This is Childs because I knew he would understand. Laura Nyro sang
the quartet with McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Jimmy Garri- and played with a dynamic courage, unflinching honesty,
son, and the answer is YES. overflowing joy, and unrestrained emotional power that stands
like a beautiful monolithic tower wearing a black dress and no
Bobby Hutcherson  nonsense. Thank you, Laura.
“Now”
« For more of Blade’s picks, visit jazztimes.com
Now! (Blue Note, 1970)

Fifty years later, this album remains a

totally deep listening experience, from Brian Blade is a drummer, composer, and leader of the Fellowship
beginning to end. Bobby Hutcherson, Band. His most recent album as a co-leader is 2020’s RoundAgain
Harold Land, Joe Chambers, Stanley with Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, and Christian McBride.

64 JAZZTIMES DECEMBER 2020

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