NEW YORK

March 2009 | No. 83 Your FREE Monthly Guide to the New York Jazz Scene newyork.allaboutjazz.com

PHIL
WPHOILOOLODGSY

Odean Pope • Herb Robertson • Venus Records • Nublu • Event Calendar

 NEW YORK
W e have a new word to add to our collective lexicon: ‘stimulus package’. The
financial service sector got one, then the auto makers. Other industries are lining

4 New York@Night
Interview: Odean Pope
6 by Elliott Simon
Artist Feature: Herb Robertson
7 by Sean Fitzell
Label Spotlight: Venus Records
8 by Ken Dryden
Club Profile: Nublu
by Martin Longley
On The Cover: Phil Woods
9 by George Kanzler
Encore:
10 Denny Zeitlin
by Ken Dryden
Megaphone
11 by Eric Reed
up for their slice of our pie in a time of almost unprecedented economic turmoil.
Well, the next idea is obvious, isn’t it? What needs economic stimulating
more than jazz? Producer Quincy Jones has floated the idea of asking President
Obama to create a cabinet level Secretary of the Arts position. That’s fine but let’s
back up that with some cash! And we can bet that the jazz community will be
happy with a lot less - let’s say a measly $10 billion. Extrapolating from a 2001
National Endowment for the Arts Study, let’s say there are 100,000 jazz musicians
nationwide; that translates into $100,000 per person. We know that could help.
But until that package gets approved by Congress, we’ll soldier on as we
have, underappreciated and underfunded, for decades. Take it from guys like Phil
Woods (On The Cover, at Dizzy’s Club this month), Odean Pope (Interview, at
Blue Note with his Saxophone Choir) and Herb Robertson (Artist Profile,
appearing at venues across town). And let’s hope the economic slowdown
doesn’t affect the work of Japanese imprint Venus (Label Profile) or Alphabet City
venue Nublu (Club Profile).
Disposable income is down and people can barely afford the shirts they’ll
probably lose tomorrow. But in times like this, take some solace in culture and
Lest We Forget: support a jazz musician. They’ve been in a recession for decades and have kept
Edward Vesala
going regardless. Peruse our CD reviews and buy some music or take a gander at
our Event Calendar and plan some outings this month; hey, take advantage of
by Donald Elfman someone’s else’s heating bill, why don’t you?
Spring is coming soon and hopefully things will look up. Until then, fill up
VOXNews
by Suzanne Lorge
on a bountiful and renewable resource: jazz.
We’ll be in line with you...

12 Listen Up!: Iris Ornig & Lisa Mezzacappa

Laurence Donohue-Greene, Managing Editor Andrey Henkin, Editorial Director
CD Reviews: Gerry Hemingway, Mike Holober, Peter Evans,
14 SF Jazz Collective, Horace Silver, Enrico Rava, Brad Shepik and more
On the cover: Phil Woods (Photograph © 2003 Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos)

36 Event Calendar
Corrections: In last issue’s Lest We Forget, JR Monterose actually did not live in the
Quad-Cities. He lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In the CD Reviews, Jason Robinson’s

41 Club Directory Circumvention Music label was referred to incorrectly as new. It has been in
existence since 1999.

43 Miscellany In Memoriam • Birthdays • On This Day

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Martin Longley, Suzanne Lorge, Marc Medwin, Event Calendar Andrey Henkin
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Listings ahenkin@allaboutjazz.com
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All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 3

 N EW Y OR K @ NI GHT
To hear pianist Helen Sung and bassist Ron Carter in After
a duo setting at the Rubin Museum (Feb. 6th), in a
small theater with no amplification, will surely rank as
one of this year’s highlights. Carter is of course a
legend (it so happened that Dan Ouellette’s new
Carter biography, Finding the Right Notes, came hot off
the presses in time for the event). And while Sung may
be Carter’s gifted former student, here the two met as
equals and swung the room, anchored in a spirit of
play and risk. The popping, drum-like roundness of
Carter’s every note enabled them to deal with the
hazardous rhythmic demands of Sung’s “The Waiting
Game” and “Hope Springs Eternal” and Carter’s
famous “RJ”, although with his diving glissandos and
virtuosic asides, Carter did far more than keep time.
The set began with Monk’s “Eronel” arranged as a
flowing waltz, ended with a brisk, multi-key “In
Walked Bud” and also included the Carter gems
“Opus 1.5” and “First Trip”. But the centerpiece was a
new suite by Sung, inspired by female deities from the
Rubin’s collection of Himalayan art. Pictures of
flame-encircled goddesses shone on a screen overhead
as the duo progressed from abstraction (“Joyful
Noise”) to intricate swing (“The Professor”), from
minor-key lyricism (“Clarity”) to a blistering
conclusion (“Meeting of the Minds”). Billy Strayhorn’s
“Lotus Blossom” served as a coda, echoing the
projected image of a serene figure in bronze - seated,
naturally, in lotus position. - David R. Adler
Photograph © 2009 Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
Helen Sung and Ron Carter, Rubin Museum
Thanks to the monthly Brooklyn Music Wide Open
series, engrossing things are happening at the modest
Belarusian Church on Atlantic Avenue. In the latest
installment (Feb. 7th), Steve Coleman and Five
Elements appeared in an unusual setting without bass
or drums. One could have called it the Five Elements
choir, with Coleman (alto sax), Jen Shyu (vocals),
Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Tim Albright
(trombone) and guitarist Miles Okazaki. Spiraling
polyphonic dialogues took up the first half-hour, a
language of free play broken up by Coleman’s stark
unaccompanied solos and held together with precise
rhythmic incantations. All at once, on Coleman’s
imperceptible cue, the full band would launch into
unison passages of great intricacy and speed and this
in a situation without a clearly-marked beat. The poise
of the performers - particularly Shyu, who matched
the horns note for impossible note - was breathtaking.
Albright and Coleman ventured a few vocal moments
of their own, as the second and third pieces traveled to
tonal areas that were more distinct. Earlier that night,
the Connection Works Ensemble (drummer Rob
Garcia, flutist Michel Gentile, pianist Daniel Kelly)
played invigorating music by guests Bill McHenry
(tenor sax) and Chris Lightcap (bass). The latter’s
“Ting” and “Blues for Carlos” had a driving
quasi-African pulse while McHenry’s untitled works
teased the brain with shrewd counterpoint, one
example involving no improv at all. (DA)
4 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
the surprise reemergence of Henry Grimes in
2003, jazz listeners with ears keyed to the ‘60s New
Thing ought be prepared for anything. But few might
have guessed that Giuseppi Logan would be
returning to the stage. The saxophonist recorded for
ESP-Disk in the day and, following a low-key
appearance with Steve Swell at Roulette in August,
made his return as a frontman Feb. 17th at the Bowery
Poetry Club. Opening the night was Gunter Hampel,
whose simultaneous bass clarinet and vibraphone
playing wasn’t just a parlor trick but him playing solo
while thoughtfully accompanying himself for a
beautifully fluid set. Logan appeared hesitant as he
took the stage with bassist Francois Grillot, drummer
Warren Smith and Matt Lavelle, who organized the
event and kept a watchful eye over Logan throughout.
The reedmen played a slow and easy leapfrog,
alternating short solos and switching instruments
incessantly, Logan on alto sax, Lavelle on flugelhorn
and both on bass clarinet. Logan’s tone, especially on
the saxophone, was wonderfully warm, even if the
initial tentativeness never entirely went away. Grillot
and Smith proved to be a wisely sensitive rhythm
section, keeping steady time most of the night and
supporting, not drowning, the guest of honor at all
times. Logan’s one unaccompanied solo perhaps
didn’t show complete resolution, but it did show a
voice that, it is to be hoped, will be heard much more
in the coming years. - Kurt Gottschalk
Photo by Peter Gannushkin/DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET
Giuseppi Logan, Bowery Poetry Club
O n Ka’a Davis has a background ranging from
performing classical guitar as a teen to playing with
Sun Ra, Don Ayler, and Charles “Bobo” Shaw. In a
rare appearance at Yippie Cafe Feb. 2nd as part of the
RUCMA series, he presented a strange mix of out jazz,
R&B and experimental electronics. Opening solo, he
played a surprising interference funk on keyboard:
deep, quiet bass tones beneath popping, noisy riffs,
suddenly switching it to bombastic church organ
overlaid with a blistering but quiet guitar solo. The
extreme differences in volume may not have been
intentional, but it was oddly effective, creating a
feeling like sounds coming from opposite buildings on
a city street. He ventured a Hendrix-styled ballad
where concept began to overshadow execution. Cuing
Takuma Kaz to the stage, he then played slow space
jams alongside the blips and squeals of Takuma’s
electronics, like the next block on that same empty
street. Pieces came closer to gelling as he brought up
the rest of his band, hovering in stasis and falling
akimbo again. Saxophonist Mikhail Prester, not short
on Coltrane licks, was often the odd man out as the
only melody against a jungle gym of rhythms driven
by drummer David Pleasant, sometimes sporting an
M-Base Collective vibe. It was an odd amalgamation,
yet somehow felt preconceived, the sort of thing one
more often hears on record than in a café, which it may
in part have been. Davis is set to release an album on
LiveWired in the spring. (KG)
 J ohn Zorn as a composer is remarkably eclectic,
drawing together wide-ranging influences into very
deliberate music. Some of his projects, like The
Dreamers for example, are almost Quentin Tarantino-
like, but Zorn is more accomplished, creating work
that is meaningful as far greater than a stylized
pastiche. Zorn left his alto sax at home, conducting
from a chair, for the debut of the group at Abrons Arts
Center (Feb. 6th), part of a two-day set of premieres
(the Masada Sextet played the night before). The first
set was all new music for the group - Marc Ribot,
Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron
and Cyro Baptista - a dreamy ‘70s soundscape that
mixed Swamp Rock with Santana-esque Latin fusion
and slack-key musings. Saft’s organ or Rhodes set the
aural tenor of the music while Wollesen’s vibes were a
gauzy layer over the fairly straightforward rhythms.
This gave most of the solo spotlight to Ribot, whose
period leads received the biggest cheers. The feeling
was loose, Zorn even restarting two of the pieces, and
the group forewent a set break due to thunderous
applause to play a handful of pieces from their
eponymous 2008 debut, closing with another
monstrous Ribot solo. Though the music was typically
complex, The Dreamers effectively captured a sort of
jamband aesthetic: a healthy mix of styles and
approaches by a group of musicians who do similar
things on their own but do them even better together.
- Andrey Henkin
It’s a five-minute walk from 53rd and Broadway, site
of the legendary Palladium Ballroom, to Columbus
Circle, where Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall is now
situated, but it’s been a long journey from the
WHAT’S NEWS
popularity of the dance floor to the respectability of GRAMMY AWARDS
the concert hall for Eddie Palmieri. Latin music’s The 2009 Grammy Award Winners have been
premier pianist, who revolutionized AfroCuban music selected. Winners in jazz-related categories are
with his band La Perfecta, reconstituted the iconic New Age Album: Peace Time, Jack DeJohnette
conjunto, which made famous the Nuyorican sound (Golden Beams/Kindred Rhythm);
that would become known as salsa, for two exciting Contemporary Jazz Album: Randy in Brasil,
evenings. Opening night (Feb. 6th) the group, Randy Brecker (MAMA Records); Jazz Vocal
featuring a frontline of trumpeter Brian Lynch, flutist Album: Loverly, Cassandra Wilson (Blue Note)
Karen Joseph and trombonists Jimmy Bosch and Joe Jazz Instrumental Solo: "BE-BOP", Terence
Fiedler offered incendiary recreations of its repertory Blanchard, from Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz
from the early ‘60s, with sonero Herman Olivera Festival (Monterey Jazz Festival 50th
delivering powerful vocals in the tradition of Ismael Anniversary All-Stars) (Monterey Jazz Festival
Quintana, who first popularized the band’s many hits. Records); Jazz Instrumental Album Individual or
With Palmieri’s distinctive dissonant clustered chords, Group: The New Crystal Silence, Chick Corea
aided by tres guitarist Nelson Gonzalez, flying and Gary Burton (Concord Records); Large Jazz
passionately over the percussion section of Jose Ensemble Album: Monday Night Live at the
Clausell, Little Johnny Rivero and Orlando Vega, Village Vanguard, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
anchored by bassist Luques Curtis, La Perfecta II (Planet Arts Recordings); Latin Jazz Album:
proved that its music could be as satisfying to a Song for Chico, Arturo O'Farrill and The Afro-
discerning listening audience as it was to the world’s Latin Jazz Orchestra (Zoho); Album Notes: Kind
greatest dancers. The packed house responded with of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition,
joyous recognition to the classic material that featured Francis Davis, album notes writer. For more
familiar mambos, guarachas, cha-cha’s and rumbas, information visit grammy.com.
including “Muñeca”, “Café”, “Ritmo Caliente” and the
fiery closer “Azúcar Pa’ Ti”. - Russ Musto ASCAP
The recipients of the 2009 ASCAP Foundation
Young Jazz Composer Awards have been
announced. Local winners include Mike
Baggetta, Alex Heitlinger, Armand Hirsch, Matt
Holman, Remy Le Boeuf, Rob Mosher, Daniel
Ori, Travis Reuter, Albert Rivera, Sam
Sadigursky and Brandon Wright. For more
information, visit ascapfoundation.org.
DUKE ELLINGTON
The US Mint has released the District of
Photo by Scott Friedlander

Columbia's own 25-cent piece as part of the

Photo by Morgan Levy

popular 50 State Quarters Program bearing the

Jamie Saft, Cyro Baptista, Marc Ribot - Abrons Arts Center
The title of the Feb. 12th performance at Douglass
Street Music Collective was simply “Piano +1”. But
three disparate duo sets demonstrated how differently
this basic concept could be applied. The evening began
with pianist Jesse Stacken and trumpeter Kirk Knuffke
playing sparse takes on two famous modernists,
Charles Mingus and Lennie Tristano. Their
interpretations of the former were more reverent while
the latter’s music was used for more open reading. But
regardless of the material, Stacken’s open piano fit
nicely with Knuffke’s arid trumpet. Pianist Randy
Ingram and reedman Josh Sinton followed with music
by themselves, Steve Lacy, Ornette Coleman and two
free improvisations. When Sinton was on baritone
saxophone, he tended to overpower Ingram’s gracious
playing, creating unevenness; moving to bass clarinet,
the mix was more equal and the dialogue more
stimulating, particularly on the penultimate
spontaneous composition. The final duo was a chance
to see pianist Ethan Iverson (of The Bad Plus fame)
and tenor saxist Bill McHenry in intimate environs
away from the Village Vanguard. Unlike the two
preceding sets, the pair played only expansive
versions of originals. Iverson wore a suit and tie while
McHenry seemed decked out for the farm but their
music was neither formal nor rural, instead modern in
the best sense of the word. Iverson dominated the
lower register while McHenry spewed out rich
melodic ostinatos, both leading and following. (AH)
Eddie Palmieri La Perfecta II - Rose Hall
N ot long ago, the gentrified Loisaida neighborhood
now home to The Living Theatre was populated by a
generation of heroin-addicted jazz musicians that
inspired Jack Gelber’s Obie-Award winning play The
Connection. The piece, which spied upon a quartet of
jazzmen and a group of junkie hangers-on waiting for
their supplier to show up, featured the original music
of the Freddie Redd Quartet with Jackie McLean in its
initial production (and subsequent film adaptation)
and would later serve as a forum for many other
players who were prevented by drug busts from
obtaining the cabaret card that was then required to
perform in venues where liquor was served. For the
play’s 50th anniversary, altoist Rene McLean revived
the hornman role first played by his father, performing
with his group of pianist Alan J. Palmer, bassist Andy
McCloud and drummer Emanuel Harrold. As in
previous editions, the band performed “original music
in the tradition of Charlie Parker” (posters of whom
decorated the walls of the loft in which the action
transpires), rather than revive the popular Blue Note
soundtrack of Redd’s. McLean’s set (Feb. 3rd) swung
contemporaneously, beginning appropriately with his
father’s classics “Bird Lives” and “Little Melonae” and
following with “‘Round Midnight”, “What’s New”
and his own compositions “J Mac’s Dynasty” and
“Down In The Bottom”, adding realism to the show
that sadly was not always equaled by the actors’
performances. (RM)
image of jazz legend Duke Ellington. For more
information, visit usmint.gov.
CHUCK MANGIONE
Two members of Chuck Mangione’s band,
saxophonist Gerry Niewood and guitarist
Coleman Mellett, died in the recent crash of
Continental Connection Flight 3407 to Buffalo.
The two were flying to play with Mangione and
the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, a concert
which Mangione subsequently cancelled.
ART TATUM
The pianist Art Tatum (1909-1956) is being
honored by his hometown of Toledo, Ohio with a
sculpture that will be completed in October of
2009, the date of the 100th anniversary of
Tatum's birth. The design is to be a 27-foot
spiraling tower made of black and white
stainless steel and glass depicting the 88 keys of
the piano and will be located in a plaza outside
Toledo's Downtown Arena. For more
information, visit arttatummemorial.org.
JAZZ GALLERY
Dale Fitzgerald, Founder of the Jazz Gallery,
has announced that he will step aside from his
position as Executive Director, an office he has
held since the Gallery opened in 1995. Mr.
Fitzgerald will remain active in a variety of the
Gallery's activities in pursuit of their mission as a
not-for-profit jazz cultural center. For more
information, visit jazzgallery.org.
Submit news to ldgreene@allaboutjazz.com

ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 5

 INT ER VI EW
John Abbott Photography | www.johnabbottphoto.com
Grounded in the Baptist spirituals of his youth, followed
by a musical upbringing in Philadelphia with the likes of
John Coltrane and organist Jimmy Smith as mentors, tenor
saxophonist Odean Pope is the bridge between hardbop and
free. His contributions to jazz are of major historical
significance and through his over two-decade long fruitful
association with drummer Max Roach, groundbreaking
Saxophone Choir, trio and quartet work and educational
outreach he has influenced generations of musicians. He
remains an incredibly busy and active musician with many
recent releases on Porter, Half Note and CIMP Records in a
variety of settings.
AllAboutJazz-New York: You are characterized as on
the cusp of hardbop and free jazz. Do you think of
yourself in those terms at all?
Odean Pope: People have different concepts and name
titles. I like to think of myself as one of the
forerunners of the Spirit. Most people say I am on the
cutting edge, I don’t play a lot of traditional standards
and most of my music is original music that was
composed and arranged by me.
AAJ-NY: You are also considered a Philly guy.
OP: I came to Philly when I was around 10 and I feel
blessed because I was really in the middle of the
developing process here. John Coltrane, the Heath
brothers, Kenny and Bill Barron and McCoy Tyner
were still here with a whole host of great musicians. I
still have some of the original scores that were passed
down to me by Benny Golson. During that period I
was still developing and was playing standards. I
started to write in the mid ‘70s and I formed the
Saxophone Choir in 1978.
AAJ-NY: Did you have many interactions with Trane?
OP: Very much so and in fact he gave me my first gig
with [organist] Jimmy Smith. When Trane went with
Miles in the middle ‘50s I was probably around 17 and
Trane called me up and said “Odean, I am getting
ready to go on a major gig and I have been sort of
following you and I would like for you to complete
this engagement I have with Jimmy Smith.” I said I
don’t think I am ready for that and he said, “Well yes
I think you can make it and you should make it
because the school is on the bandstand and you learn
a lot playing with people like Jimmy Smith.” So I
accepted that gig and after that a lot of opportunities
opened up for me. Shortly after that I got a job with
[guitarist] Tiny Grimes.
AAJ-NY: How did you hook up with Max Roach?
OP: Hasaan Ibn Ali, a keyboard player, Max had
recorded him (Max Roach Trio featuring the Legendary
Hasaan, Atlantic, 1964) and he told Max that there is a
6 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
Odean
AAJ-NY: On the Saxophone Choir’s CD, Locked &
Loaded: Live at the Blue Note (Half Note), there is a song
dedicated to Prince Lasha and he also recorded with
your trio (The Mystery of Prince Lasha, CIMP, 2004).
What is your connection with him? [Prince Lasha
passed away shortly after this interview]
Pope
OP: Prince is like history in a sense. Many, many years
ago he had a big house in NYC. All of the great
musicians: John Coltrane, Sonny Simmons, Sonny
Rollins and Ornette Coleman - in fact he and Ornette
went to school together - they all used to hang out in
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 42)
by Elliott Simon
tenor player in Philadelphia that he needed to hear.
Hasaan had been rehearsing with me for many years.
Then [bassist] Jymie Merritt, I was playing with his
Forerunners, independently said the same thing. So,
he introduced me and I went to NYC to audition. Max
didn’t like for any music to be on the bandstand, so I
had to learn a whole book within two weeks. After
working with him for about a year on tour that
confirmed in my mind that music was going to be my
livelihood and I came back home and practiced and
studied and went back to school. I did that for about
12 years. In 1979, Max invited me back and from then
until he retired, I worked with him.
AAJ-NY: What moments stand out?
OP: There were so many bright moments working
with Max because in addition to being a great
innovator on his instrument he was also a great
humanitarian. He was a big brother, a father and he
taught me so much. Shortly before Dizzy passed, I
think it was 1988 or ‘89, there is a park in London that
the Queen of England named the Max Roach Park. So
the Queen set up an extended tour for the Max Roach
Quartet featuring Dizzy Gillespie. That was like going
to the highest institution in the whole world because
there was so much information about people like
[cornetist] Buddy Bolden or [pianist] Scott Joplin or
going back to [saxophonists] Coleman Hawkins or
Chu Berry. Every day I was practicing with Dizzy and
it was just like going to the highest school. After that
tour I felt so blessed to work with two of the greatest
musical minds that this country has produced.
AAJ-NY: How did you come up with the concept of
the Saxophone Choir?
OP: I was raised in the South, in South Carolina, and
every Sunday it was mandatory that you had to go to
church and they had the big huge choirs. I used to do
a lot singing and they had a junior choir that I was in.
So, shortly after we came to Philadelphia, there was a
theater called the Earl Theater and 10 days out of
every month they would bring a major band in: Duke
Ellington, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Count
Basie. So, I tried to figure out what instrument could I
use to capture the experience that I had in the big
Baptist church. I started with the keyboard, then I
went to the bass and to the clarinet, then from the
clarinet I messed with the flute and then back to the
keyboard. Then one day when I went to the Earl
Theater they had Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, Johnny
Griffin and a whole host of saxophonists who were
actually marching around in the theater playing. So I
then said I want to play this instrument and when I
played the tenor saxophone I said this is my voice. So
I first tried writing for like a quartet and then an octet
and I said well let me stretch out a bit and utilize nine
saxophones and that’s where it came from.
 AR T IST FEAT UR E
Photo by Scott Friedlander
Amid a whorl of scraped cello, tenor sax squawks and
bass clarinet blats, trumpeter Clarence “Herb”
Robertson paused, his eyes closed in concentration.
With NSA-like hearing ability, he pierced the action
with a bracing note that crystallized the unfurling
improvisation. The intent listening and bold responses
displayed during saxophonist Lotte Anker’s January
show at The Stone typify Robertson’s commitment to
playing in the moment.
“Once I start improvising I just can’t think about
other things,” Robertson says. “Improvisation, to me,
that’s what exists: when I’m improvising, it’s music.”
Forging a distinct sound, he combines the chops and
projection of a big band lead trumpet with the
fearlessness of an improviser, extending his textural
range with ambitious use of multiple mutes,
vocalizations, megaphones and whistles.
Since the early ‘80s, he’s been a fixture of the
Downtown scene as a sideman to saxophonist Tim
Berne and bassist Mark Helias and as a leader.
Internationally, he’s held tenures in bassist Barry
Guy’s New Orchestra, pianist Satoko Fujii’s Orchestra
West and guitarist Pierre Dørge’s New Jungle
Orchestra and maintains associations with
saxophonists Evan Parker and Frank Gratkowski.
Raised in New Jersey, Robertson began playing in
the fifth grade and was about 16 when he decided to
pursue jazz, “the ultimate expression of trumpet”.
Particularly attracted to Freddie Hubbard’s sound,
Robertson spent hours absorbing and playing music,
often bringing dinner to the practice room. “It was like
one of my favorite things of the day, was to practice
the trumpet,” he recalls. He still keeps a disciplined
daily practice schedule to maintain his dexterity,
range and stamina.
Robertson attended Berklee College of Music as a
performance major and played up to 30 hours a week
in small combos and big bands, with visions of being
lead trumpet in Buddy Rich’s band. But he soon
realized the regimentation of big bands was not for
him. After graduating in 1973, he went on the road
with a Canadian jazz-rock band. Not exactly a
shrinking violet, Robertson struggled to hear himself
in the group and strained to get louder. The exertion
took a toll and he completely blew out his chops.
Unsure whether he’d play trumpet again,
Robertson was frustrated and spent roughly three
years rebuilding. During this time he discovered
modern classical and electronic music, feeling a
connection to its atonality. This led toward freer music
and exploring ways to cloak the trumpet’s sound.
Experimenting with warbling mutes and whispered
and shouted vocalizations, he tried to blend in with
groups instead of blaring above. In New York near the
end of the ‘70s, he met like-minded musicians
searching for new sounds and strategies to improvise.
“What attracted me to the music was the
selflessness about it and the idea that it’s a democratic
process where everybody is equal in participation,” he
Herb
Recommended Listening:
• Tim Berne - Mutant Variations (Soul Note, 1983)
• Herb Robertson Brass Ensemble -
Shades of Bud Powell (JMT-Winter & Winter, 1988)
• Herb Robertson/Dominic Duval/Jay Rosen -
Falling in Flat Space (Cadence Jazz, 1996)
• Herb Robertson -
Robertson
The Legend of the Missing Link (Splasc(h), 2001)
• Herb Robertson NY Downtown Allstars -
Elaboration (Clean Feed, 2004)
• The MacroQuarktet - Each Part of a Whole: Live at
The Stone NYC (Rubyflower, 2007)
by Sean Fitzell AMANDA MONACO
says. “I think that was the main change of the music in
Amanda & The Michaels with
the early ‘80s: it wasn’t the individual, it was more of Michael Blake, Michael Bates, Michael Pride
the collective that really evolved.” Throughout the Cake Shop, March 25th 8 pm
‘80s, he garnered a reputation as an uncompromising
improviser sparring in Berne’s groups, leading his Amanda Monaco’s Deathblow with
own and playing with a slew of others, exhibiting a
Michael Attias, Sean Conly, Tony Moreno
Cornelia Street Café, March 30th 8:30 pm
breadth of stylistic influences and seeking to blur the
line between composition and improvisation. www.amandamonaco.com
“When you hit the high moments it’s the real
thing and you’re really surprised by it and that’s what
makes it interesting,” Berne says. “And Herb just
epitomizes that as far as I’m concerned.” Though they
don’t play together as often anymore, the two
converge every few years to reestablish their rapport
and advance the music by incorporating new
influences and experiences.
Robertson frequently works in Europe with
European musicians and even moved to Berlin for
about three years to close the millennium. Playing
with and learning the sounds of different musicians
pushed Robertson’s composing and performing in a
free direction. “Now I’m more into the horn and I’m
not writing as much: it’s not written composition, it’s
more playing composition,” he says. Robertson’s
“Sick(s) Fragments” is six short sketches written to
provoke the improvisation of his NY Downtown
Allstars on Real Aberration (Clean Feed, 2004). On
Parallelisms (Rubyflower, 2007), he termed the pieces
“realizations”, again using brief outlines to guide his
partners, Evan Parker and pianist Agusti Fernandez,
who had all worked together in Guy’s orchestra.
The CD was the fourth release on Rubyflower, a
label that Robertson co-founded with creative music
impresario Dr. Ana Isabel Ordonez. Its mission
expanded to include other creative musicians and six
CDs have been released to date. The most recent, Each
Part A Whole (2008), documents a fully improvised
show at The Stone by his MacroQuarktet with
trumpeter Dave Ballou, bassist Drew Gress and
drummer Tom Rainey. The pieces decisively unfold
through dynamic peaks and subdued ebbs, imparting
structure and momentum without excess. The two
trumpeters met in Fujii’s band - their styles are
different but complementary and each prods the
improv in new directions. Nearing 60 years old,
Robertson is meeting younger trumpeters that he’s
influenced, like Ballou and Jean-Luc Cappozzo, with
whom he recorded the duet CD Passing the Torch
(Rubyflower, 2008).
“It’s good to know that it’s part of a legacy
now...it’s developed and it’s continuing, it’s
evolving,” Robertson reflects. “It’s a survivor’s music;
it keeps going because people keep playing it.” K
For more information, visit herbrobertson.com. Robertson is
at Cornelia Street Café Mar. 6th with Gerry Hemingway,
Roulette Mar. 16th with Joe Fonda/Michael Jefry Stevens
Group and Downtown Music Gallery Mar. 23rd with Tim
Berne. See Calendar.
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 7
 LAB EL SPOT LI GHT
Venus Records
by Ken Dryden
V enus Records may be sparsely represented in North
American record stores, though it has built quite a
loyal following among jazz aficionados who frequent
online music sources. Tetsuo Hara, the owner and
founder of the label, has long been a jazz fan: “When I
was a very young man, I listened to many 78-rpm
records that my mother and father had of US Swing
bands. Around the age of 16, I heard, and was very
moved by, the historic Impulse recordings by John
Coltrane and that was really important in getting me
seriously involved in listening to jazz music.”
Hara first worked for RCA Victor in Japan, then
moved to Alfa. He met Todd Barkan when the former
owner of San Francisco’s Keystone Korner brought the
master tapes of Bill Evans’ final major engagement (at
the Korner) to produce a boxed set for the label. The
two men hit it off, so when Hara decided to launch his
own record company in 1992, Barkan, a veteran of
many decades in the business, was an obvious choice
as a collaborator.
Hara came to New York City, where Barkan (who
had relocated from San Francisco) introduced him to a
number of artists. Hara recalled, “My first recordings
were by Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown, Lee Konitz
and Claude Williamson. Since then, I’ve produced
over 200 albums, many with the help of my friend
Todd Barkan.”
Hara’s method of choosing artists is simple; he
works only with his personal favorites. “I especially
like piano trios with piano, bass and drums, as well as
quartets adding saxophone or clarinet.” He is a hands-
on producer, working in concert with Barkan as
co-producer. Hara chooses the songs and the artists for
CLUB PR OFI LE
Nublu
by Martin Longley
O n an initial visit to the mysterious East Village club
Nublu, there are few external signs that the punter is
about to enter one of the city’s most welcoming club
spaces. A single blue bulb hangs above the relevant
Avenue C entrance, with a makeshift logo near the
door handle that’s only apparent upon closer
inspection. Then, it’s through the heavy Blue Velvet
drapes (except that they’re red) and into the long bar
space that ends up in a garden, which is a particular
boon for the summer months. There’s no one generic
term for the kind of music that gets played in this laid-
back haunt, but most of its indigenous sounds have
jazz at their root, whether manifested as hiphop,
retro-electro, reggae, Latin house or Brazilian pop.
Specifically, the ‘pure’ jazz found here is mostly
vibrating at a very specific intersection between free
improvisation and funky groove.
Nublu was opened by saxophonist Ilhan Ersahin,
who fronts Love Trio, Wax Poetic and I Led 3 Lives, all
regular acts at the club. “It was a sudden decision,” he
recalls. “I’m a musician, so I never had this kind of biz
on my mind before. But this space came up in front of
me after 9/11 and it was like a vacuum time in New
York. From Manhattan being a yuppie island it turned
into an indie, more local kinda place and somehow I
felt I could have a chance of opening a small biz
without having investors and big money. So I did. It
started very mellow and easy. The idea was to create a
‘clubhouse’ for me and my friends to play at, more
friendly, more relaxed and a meeting point for artists
8 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
every session. Barkan’s knowledge of studios and
engineers (Katherine Miller has made valuable
contributions for her audio skills) has been helpful,
though he asserts that “Tetsuo makes all of the final
decisions.” Once recording is completed, Hara takes
the music home to do the final remixing and mastering
in his self-described Hyper Magnum Sound.
While the bulk of Venus artists are fairly well-
known musicians to current jazz fans, there are
sometimes a few surprises. Eddie Higgins, a veteran
pianist, has been one of the label’s most frequently
recorded artists, with two dozen CDs as a leader. Hara
explains, “I had very much enjoyed listening to some
of Eddie Higgins’ Sunnyside recordings from the early
1990s, including Eddie’s beautiful album, Portrait in
Black and White.” Says Higgins, “I’ve recorded a lot for
Venus with Jay Leonhart and Joe Ascione. I’ve been
touring Japan every year since 1998. The tours help my
Venus Records and vice versa.”
Hara is a frequent visitor to Manhattan: “I travel
to New York City three or four times a year to make
recordings for Venus. While in New York, I try to find
time in my busy schedule to go and hear artists at local
clubs like Dizzy’s and the Jazz Standard.” Barkan has
also introduced Hara to many artists in New York
City, frequently accompanying him to hear them
perform in various venues. Hara signed Ken
Peplowski after hearing him at Dizzy’s Club then
produced an unusual session of him playing two
Yours is My Heart Alone
Gentle Ballads III
Eric Alexander
Dan Nimmer
in general and for people who enjoy them.”
Even though DJs spin at Nublu every night,
there’s always a live band as well, often two, playing
early and late sets. One specialty is to present informal
residencies, with Ersahin having his finger on the
pulse of particular musicians who might be making
sudden visits to town. Prime examples of this are the
Norwegian players Bugge Wesseltoft and Håkon
Kornstad, who both made low-key visits in 2008. The
in-house Nublu Orchestra is fronted by Butch Morris
and offers a platform for his conduction (instant-
composition improvisation) techniques to work with
slabs of rhythm and riffage, creating a spontaneous
music that’s much less abstracted than the results
previously expected from its leader. Late last year, the
Brazilian innovator Kassin played a high-profile gig at
Brooklyn Academy of Music, but typically turned up
at Nublu for a more intimate affair. Likewise with
Curumin, also from Brazil, who had appeared at The
Mercury Lounge a few days earlier. Only the other
week, reedman Jacam Manricks was found fronting an
exciting, texturally-aware quartet with Tyshawn Sorey
at the drumset.
The Nublu experience feels like an extension of
Ersahin’s personal tastes. “I didn’t want to start a
historic place where we play music form the ‘80s or
‘50s or ‘90s. I like to live now and I think it’s important
to nurture what’s now. I grew up listening to Miles,
Wayne, Stravinsky, the Sex Pistols and Bob Marley.
Somehow, Nublu represents it all. Since we never
advertise, it has taken some time for people to find
Nublu, which brings us new audiences all the time.
Physical expansion happened a few months ago when
we extended the club a bit and in terms of worldwide
expansion, that is in full force.”
separate interpretations of ten standards, one each on
clarinet and tenor sax. That’s not the kind of
programming one would typically expect on a jazz
album.
In addition to regularly recording his longtime
favorites (including Higgins, Bill Charlap, David
Hazeltine, Steve Kuhn and others), Hara is also adding
new faces to his catalogue. “I am very excited about
new Venus recordings that I have recently completed
by the Brian Lynch Afro-Cuban Orchestra, the Derek
Smith Trio, the John DiMartino Trio, Tessa Souter and
Nicki Parrott.”
The higher price of Japanese CD imports cause
some collectors to hesitate, but purchasers of Venus
releases have given the label high marks, though the
lack of English liner notes is frustrating. Hara has
licensed a few of his CDs to American labels for
distribution, though most are available exclusively on
Venus. But North America and Europe are not Hara’s
primary targets for sales: “The music that I record and
produce for Venus Jazz Records only reflects the
music that I most love to work with and listen to.
Right now, we still do not know what the real size of
the future audience is and what the sales potential and
distribution possibilities are for Venus Jazz recordings
outside of the Japanese market in the American and
European jazz markets. Currently our market is almost
entirely for consumption in the Japanese market.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 42)
New York Trio
Always
Ersahin is very optimistic about the future and
with good reason now that Nublu has its own record
label, complete with newly-opened digital emporium.
Nublu is increasingly colonizing other cities with its
club nights, including recent dates in Brazil and
Turkey. “Well, it’s directly involved,” says Ersahin of
the label’s relationship with the club. “Not all, but
almost all, releases so far have been by bands that
were actually born at Nublu. This year we released a
band from São Paulo called 3 Na Massa, so we’re now
trying to expand that side as well.” K
For more information, visit nublu.net. Performers this
month include Forro In The Dark Wednesdays, preceded by
a more jazzy set from members guitarist Guilherme
Monteiro and flautist Jorge Continentino, Avram Fefer
Mar. 2nd, Walter Fischbacher Mar. 9th, Christopher Ward
Mar. 14th and Taylor McFerrin Mar. 19th. See Calendar.
 O N T HE C OVER
W hen pianist Jim McNeely replaced Hal Galper in
the Phil Woods Quintet in 1990 it was the current
winner - repeating in 1991 - of the Downbeat Readers
Poll as top jazz small group. But, as McNeely
remembers, his first days with the alto saxophonist’s
band included a benefit concert for the local volunteer
fire department in Delaware Water Gap, Penn. (where
Woods has lived since 1974), a cancelled jazz club gig
and playing at the wedding of Woods’ friend.
“Well,” Woods told McNeely afterwards, “we’ve
had a freebie, a cancelled gig and a wedding. Welcome
to the Number One jazz band.”
When Woods brings his Quintet into Dizzy’s Club
this month the band, a quartet in its earliest
incarnations and a quintet, first in 1976-77 and
permanently since 1983, will be entering its 36th year
with original members Woods, bassist Steve Gilmore
and drummer Bill Goodwin. On trumpet will be Brian
Lynch, a 17-year veteran of the band and filling the
piano spot vacated recently by Bill Charlap after 14
years will be the fifth occupier of that chair, Bill Mays.
“Our three original members will soon pass the
Modern Jazz Quartet in terms of jazz band tenure,”
says Goodwin, who also produces most of the band’s
recordings. “I’ve surpassed Connie Kay [MJQ, 34
years] and Sonny Greer [Duke Ellington Orchestra, 23
years] as the longest running drummer in one group.”
Woods’ own career (he’ll turn 78 later this year)
predates the formation of the Quartet/Quintet by over
two decades. He was an established star by the late
‘50s and right through the following decade, working
with big bands led by Charlie Barnet, Buddy Rich,
Dizzy Gillespie, Michel Legrand and Quincy Jones and
appearing and touring with the Thelonious Monk
Orchestra and Benny Goodman Orchestra, as well as
sideman, studio and film soundtrack work and
leading his own bands. Music fans beyond jazz have
heard his solos on recordings by Steely Dan, Carly
Simon and, most famously, Billy Joel’s hit, “Just the
Way You Are”. Among his many honors are numerous
readers and critics poll wins as the top alto
saxophonist, a Kennedy Center Living Legends in Jazz
Award, four Grammys and having a jazz label,
Philology (in Italy), named for him.
Early in his career, Encyclopedia of Jazz author
Leonard Feather said Woods “has inherited the
Charlie Parker style and modified it to his own ends
more successfully than almost any other alto man
except Cannonball Adderley.” But Woods is no Bird
clone, in fact he has a distinctive and immediately
recognizable alto sax sound marked by a sumptuous
tone, superb technique and exceptional lyricism.
“What really knocked me out about Phil,” recalled
McNeely, “was that he could play a line and every
note had a different inflection to it and a little different
articulation. He never just ran out a string of eighth
notes, he always was sculpting the line in certain ways
with his melodic sense. He’s got wonderful technique
but the great thing there too is he doesn’t hit you over
the head with it; the technique is a means to a greater
end, so it’s not like you’re hearing a guy with a lot of
chops, you’re hearing a great musician expressing
himself fully. And Phil is such a strong player,
especially with time, something we could really feel
since we usually played acoustically, so it was like a
chamber group except very high energy.”
Catching up with Woods on the phone from his
home at the Gap, he was busy adding arrangements
from a trove of Al Cohn charts rescued from a
dumpster - he’s a member of the board of the Al Cohn
Memorial Jazz Collection housed at East Stroudsburg
University - to his computer as well as finishing up a
commission from the (classical) New Jersey Saxophone
Quartet which he is dedicating to his clarinet teacher
at Juilliard, Jimmy Abate. And being home doesn’t
necessarily mean being inactive as a player, as Woods
still helms a Pocono area big band that plays local
gigs. He is preparing to record solos for a Philology
album of his own songs and lyrics by singer Michelle
Lombardi that was recorded in Italy. He’s also looking
forward to the imminent release on Jazzed Media of
another project, one 40 years in the making, his The
Children’s Suite, inspired by the poems of A. A. Milne.
“Yeah,” said Woods, “we finally got it recorded by
my [8-piece] Little Big Band plus a string quartet, with
singers Bob Dorough and Vicki Doney and readings
by actor Peter Dennis. A local PBS station also
videotaped it a couple of years ago and it should
eventually come out on DVD too.”
Photograph © 2003 Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos.
PHILOLOGY
by George Kanzler
A suggestion that some new young alto
saxophonists appearing on the jazz scene are today
hailed as “the new Phil Woods”, just like he was once
hailed as the “new Charlie Parker”, prompted this
response from Woods:
“They listen to me and they’re getting it second
hand. Always go to the masters, the guys that
invented this stuff: Bird, Louis Jordan, Cannonball,
Johnny Hodges, Willie Smith, Pete Brown from Staten
Island, a favorite of mine not often remembered and of
course the great Benny Carter, one of the first cats I
ever heard. I always tell the young players ‘don’t be a
one trick pony’, listen to everybody, not just the most
fashionable and the most popular. If you find me as
one of your ingredients fine, but don’t be myopic. I
didn’t just copy Charlie Parker, I listened to the alto
sax played by people who knew how to play and made
an amalgam of it all.”
Woods has fond memories of his early years, the
‘50s-60s, when all the major labels had subsidiaries
that put out big band and orchestral projects. He’s
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
proud to have worked with such leaders/arrangers as
Manny Albam, Oliver Nelson, Ralph Burns, Quincy
Jones, Neal Hefti, Bill Potts and Johnny Richards.
“God bless Mosaic [the reissue label] for making
Oliver’s and Johnny Richards’ wonderful stuff
available,” he says. “I remember subbing for Gene
Quill [his partner in the two alto sax quintet of the
time, Phil & Quill] in the Richards band at Birdland.
After playing until almost 4 am, Johnny would bring
out new arrangements and we’d rehearse until
breakfast time. That’s when giants walked the earth.”
Many fans and musicians would say that Woods is
also one of those giants of jazz, notably Paolo
Piangiarelli, who named his record label, Philology,
for Woods, dedicating the label to “documenting
authentic legends of jazz [mostly Woods and fellow
alto legend Lee Konitz] and preserving the music of
this genius of jazz.” The Phil Woods discography on
the label numbers 40 albums and counting. Goodwin
has lost count of the recordings he’s done with the
Quartet/Quintet, Little Big Band and Big Band, but he
says the band’s book has over 300 charts and is
constantly expanding.
“Phil’s band is almost a writer’s workshop,” says
McNeely. “He likes to play a lot of different kinds of
things and wrote a lot himself as well as encouraging
us to write. And it was great to write for a band with
such a constant personnel, you know everybody’s
strengths and weaknesses. And everyone in the band
could read so well that we could run a tune at a sound
check and then begin playing it on the gig right away.
When I was leaving the band and Phil and Bill
decided to record a whole album of my works [The Phil
Woods Quintet Plays the Music of Jim McNeely on TCB],
it was like a classical composer being asked to do an
album for the Emerson String Quartet or some other
really established ensemble, a real honor.”
Woods has a busy schedule this spring, from an
April appearance at Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights in
Jazz series to dates in Europe, but he’s not very
sanguine about the future of jazz these days. “Europe
is pretty quiet and it’s going to get worse,” he predicts.
“A festival in London just cancelled and that’s just the
tip of the iceberg. European festivals have kept
American jazz musicians alive for years but I have a
feeling it’s over, we’re getting to the swan song, the
bread has dried up and there won’t be many more
straightahead jazz festivals.”
But meanwhile, Woods is more optimistic about
his local jazz scene in the Poconos, where he’s looking
forward to the 33rd annual Delaware Water Gap
Celebration of the Arts (COTA) festival in September,
an event he co-founded with trombonist Rick
Chamberlain, and to reviving a jazz summer school
that has been “my dream since the jazz camp we had
in New Hope in the ‘60s that Mike Brecker, Richie Cole
and Roger Rosenberg attended. And I’m also doing
another 10-day residency at DePaul University in
Chicago in May, working with Bob Lark’s student big
band. So my plate is pretty full.” K
For more information, visit philwoods.com. Woods is at
Dizzy's Club Mar. 12th-15th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:
• Phil Woods - Rights of Swing (Candid, 1960-61)
• Phil Woods & His European Rhythm Machine -
At The Frankfurt Jazz Festival (Atlantic, 1970)
• Phil Woods - Musique Du Bois
(Muse-32 Jazz-Pony Canyon, 1974)
• Benny Carter/Phil Woods -
Another Time, Another Place (Evening Star, 1996)
• Phil Woods - The Solo Album (Philology, 2000)
• Phil Woods/Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra -
Unheard Herd (Jazzed Media, 2004)
9
 E NC OR E
Back in the spotlight...

Denny Zeitlin experience because these two masters definitely LOVE

by Ken Dryden
F or over four decades,
Denny Zeitlin has
juggled practicing
psychiatry, teaching in
a medical school,
playing jazz piano,
‘60s ‘00s composing, arranging,
touring and pursuing a number of hobbies. Zeitlin was
already playing professionally in high school,
graduated Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Illinois,
then entered Johns Hopkins Medical School. Zeitlin
spent his evenings studying, though he enjoyed taking
a break by playing jazz in a Baltimore club a couple of
times a week, with Gary Bartz, Billy Hart and Grachan
Moncur III among his collaborators.
Zeitlin was reluctant to record, having heard
horror stories from various musicians, though Paul
Winter insisted that he meet producer John Hammond
in 1963. His friend’s assertion that “He’ll flip for your
music” was correct; the pianist appeared on Jeremy
Steig’s Flute Fever and made his debut recording as a
leader for Columbia the following year. One of his
early compositions to take hold was the gorgeous
requiem “Quiet Now”, which soon became a staple in
Bill Evans’ repertoire.
After four albums as a leader for Columbia,
Zeitlin was frustrated with the limitations of acoustic
piano and was drawn to electronic instruments, in
order to bend and sustain notes. After taking time
away from performing to master them, he recorded
two electronic albums for 1750 Arch that integrated
jazz, rock, freeform and classical music, along with an
LP of solo piano improvisations. Then director Philip
Kaufman invited Zeitlin to create a soundtrack for a
remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, completed
after ten weeks of intense work and a rare five-week
break from his psychiatric practice.
During the ‘80s and ‘90s, Zeitlin refocused on
acoustic music, including albums of duets with
Charlie Haden, solo piano, a trio with Joe DiBartolo
and Peter Donald, plus a partnership with bassist
David Friesen. The year 2000 sparked new record
dates: a duo with mandolinist David Grisman and a
new trio with Buster Williams and Al Foster. The
following year, Zeitlin revived the trio with Williams,
adding the in-demand drummer Matt Wilson. The
pianist recalled, “We played our first concert at the
San Francisco Jazz Festival without a rehearsal of the
three of us together, yet it was a gas and we went on
to have a wonderful tour.” Wilson added, “I adore the
to get into the sonic sandbox. They embrace the music
with passion and they embrace life with the same
• Denny Zeitlin - Soundings (1750 Arch, 1978)
• Denny Zeitlin/Charlie Haden -
Time Remembers One Time Once (ECM, 1981)
gusto.” Because of the logistical challenges, Zeitlin has • Denny Zeitlin - Live at Maybeck, Vol. 27
to book his trio up to a year in advance. Both Williams (Concord, 1992)
and Wilson are in great demand, while Zeitlin does • Denny Zeitlin - Slick Rock (MAXJAZZ, 2003)
not like to stay away from his private practice and • Denny Zeitlin - In Concert
teaching for very long, so the trio is limited to a few (Sunnyside, 2001/2004/2006)
extended engagements each year, along with a
smattering of individual concerts.
After a long layoff, Zeitlin was recently drawn
once more to synthesizers. When he learned his old
friend Bill Young was dying of cancer, Zeitlin sought
to ease his suffering with a suite, “Solo Voyage”, that
incorporated both electronic and acoustic instruments,
popular and jazz standards, original compositions and
improvisations. When recording several tracks of solo
piano for a second MAXJAZZ CD released in 2005, he
realized that “Solo Voyage” merited inclusion, but
hesitated at first, wondering if the background of the
extended piece would turn off listeners. Instead, his
audience was touched by both the project and the
music.
Two more recent Denny Zeitlin titles have
appeared. The three-CD Mosaic Select boxed set
includes all three of his studio trio albums for
Columbia. Zeitlin assisted with the remixing and
remastering of the entire project and remarked, “I
hadn’t listened to the LPs in years. One of the most
marvelous things was to hear the music played from
the original tapes. I was amazed at the sonic
compromises that were originally made to convert the
masters to vinyl. After remastering, I heard
interactions in the performances that I had never
before noticed.” The pianist chose a dozen previously
unissued selections from the sessions, including a
number of his originals that he has otherwise never
recorded, commenting, “I think the new tracks
represent some of the most interesting material in the
set.” Zeitlin’s new Sunnyside CD In Concert is a
compilation of several engagements with his current
trio. The pianist is thrilled with this live album, feeling
it captures the depth, exploration and excitement of
this extraordinary group. Reflecting on the
simultaneous release of these two projects, Zeitlin
remarks, “To have 45 years of my career covered in the
70th year of my life is something special.” K
For more information, visit dennyzeitlin.com. Zeitlin’s Trio
with Buster Williams and Matt Wilson is at Dizzy’s Club
Mar. 10th-11th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:
• Denny Zeitlin - Mosaic Select 34: The Columbia Studio
Trio Sessions (Columbia-Mosaic, 1964-67)

LEST W E FOR GET

Gone but not forgotten...

Edward Vesala (1945-1999)
by Donald Elfman
F innish-born Edward Vesala (pronounced, as all
Finnish names, with the accent on the first syllable)
was one of the most vital and significant of all
European jazz musicians. His work, though reflective
of influences from many disciplines, was original and
distinctive.
Vesala was born in Mäntyharju, Finland on Feb.
15th, 1945. He studied music theory and orchestral
percussion at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from
1965-67 and played with such musicians as Eero
Koivistionen and Seppo Paakkunainen during the mid
to late ‘60s as well as playing jazz and rock in such
bands as Blues Section and Apollo. The ‘70s were a
significant time for him as he led his own bands,
including a band with Polish trumpeter Tomasz
Stanko, and also recorded with Norwegian
saxophonist Jan Garbarek.
As Vesala started to record his own albums, he
became a powerful force in Finnish music but also in
the new music that was being played throughout
Europe. His compositions demonstrated an absorption
of jazz, classical music, tango, folk music and more. He
explored diverse colors, textures and timbres and
always put his rich and communicative percussion at
the center of his productions. He came to Manfred
Eicher’s ECM label in the early ‘70s, making a number
of recordings. His first was Nan Madol in 1974 with
American ex-pat Charlie Mariano on saxophone and
featured the leader on harp and flute as well. For
1977’s Satu, he collected musicians from several places
in Europe including Stanko, Norwegian guitarist Terje
Rypdal and Danish trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg.
After one recording done for his own Leo label
(not to be confused with the English Leo label) in New
York in 1980 (Heavy Life, with Stanko, Reggie
Workman on bass, JD Parran on saxophone and Bob
Stewart on tuba), Vesala went back to ECM with a
group called Sound and Fury, featuring trumpet, four
reeds, trombone and tuba, piano and harp (played by
Vesala’s wife Iro Haarla), guitar, accordion, bass and
drums. The 1986 album Lumi is stunning and rich.
Until his death, Vesala continued to record for
ECM. Other titles include Ode to the Death of Jazz,
Invisible Storm and Nordic Gallery. At the time of his
passing on Dec. 4th, 1999 in Helsinki, a new Sound
and Fury album was being completed. K

10 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 MEG APHONE
Musicians in their own words...
Sacred Jazz
by Eric Reed
G enerally, the idea of “sacred jazz” either brings to
mind Duke Ellington’s three sacred concerts or causes
confusion in the minds of those who are not cognizant
of what is “sacred” or “jazz”. Is it John Coltrane’s A
Love Supreme, Mary Lou Williams’ Black Christ of the
Andes or Ahmad Jamal’s After Fajr? In all these cases,
yes. In the broad sense of what is “sacred”, the
common thread that exists among the aforementioned
references pays respect to the devotion to a
supernatural being, considered to be higher than us.
As for jazz, of course, you gotta swing, but so many
people want to make jazz so many things. (Really,
must we?) My search for clarification in this field was
prompted by my recent participation in a jazz series
that focused on “The Sacred Side of Jazz”, where I
demonstrated the connection between jazz and gospel
music via hymns, Negro spirituals and the blues.
When you get right down to it, the term “sacred
jazz” becomes somewhat redundant because the
nascence of jazz is in sacred music! Do you think Jelly
Roll Morton (who probably did invent piano jazz)
simply stumbled upon “Wild Man Blues” without ever
hearing a gospel blues? It’s doubtful he could have
spent five years in Chicago and not have ever crossed
paths with Rev. Thomas Dorsey or Mahalia Jackson.
The stamp of “sacred jazz” is actually rather generic,
mainly because it covers such a wide array of artistic
concepts. As a child, “jazz” and “sacred” had always
intersected in my playing: from bluesy treatments of
hymns like “Amazing Grace” or “Pass Me Not, O
Gentle Savior” in my father’s Baptist church to Charles
Brown’s “Merry Christmas, Baby” while entertaining
family friends.
For me, there was never a conscious aesthetic
separation of gospel and secular music, but I had
enough good sense not to subject the congregation to
“Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On” during the
offering. Thomas Dorsey and Rosetta Tharpe met with
VOX NEW S
by Suzanne Lorge
S heila Jordan says, “There’s a scat virus going
around and the [remedy] is bebop.” What she’s
noticing is a preponderance of aimless vocal solos
among jazz singers feeling the pressure to improvise.
First, she says, you don’t need to improvise to sing
jazz; you can innovate melodically and harmonically
without soloing. But if you are going to solo, it isn’t
enough to sing a few syllables over an instrumental
phrase. A good scat solo has certain characteristics -
there’s a discernible guide line, a clear understanding
and anticipation of the changes and a healthy respect
for the time. And, she adds, if you want to learn how
to do it, listen to the bebop players and follow their
example.
This is how singers like Jordan came to be master
soloists. (Of course, it helps if you have worked with
the likes of Charlie Parker, as Jordan did). In some
ways it’s harder these days to find places to practice
this skill, even though now we have the benefit of
training programs on CD and books about the craft of
vocal improv and downloadable recordings of experts
doing it. But in other ways it’s easier: Even with help
from Charlie Parker, Jordan had to figure out vocal
soloing on her own, but we can benefit from her
expertise and her willingness to teach what she knows.
She and her long-standing colleague, vocalist Jay
Clayton, offer scat workshops throughout the year to
interested singers and many of our most lauded young
much angst from church folks who insisted they
perform on “one side of the fence or the other.”
Fortunately, my parents never vexed me in that area,
so I was free to explore and develop my own farrago
of diverse musical worlds, leaning towards a sound
influenced by musical and personal experiences,
biblical teachings, Negro spirituals, the blues, swing
and a heavy groove.
My music is influenced by a spiritual foundation
(specifically, God’s spirit, in this case), which
encourages me to remain focused on the reason I was
born with the gift He gave me - to praise Him. In
addition, I share that love and desire with the
audience, with the hope that they can be reeled into
my spiritual space, to be entertained and blessed by
the experience.
For years, my notion was to learn and perform the
‘standard’ jazz repertoire, composing songs that
sounded like standards and generally to honor the
brilliant creators - from Armstrong to Waller - that laid
it all out before me, while offering the occasional
‘tribute’ to my spiritual background. Fortunately (and
hopefully for most of us) life changes force us to be
wisely flexible; as brilliant artists-to-be, we learn that
the music doesn’t end with the lessons of our youth.
On the contrary, it only begins there, laying the
groundwork and leading us down the paths we trod
towards the excellence of our more mature years in the
arts. Merging my personal life with my music has
become more than merely composing some swing
ditty and pasting God’s name in the title. Boldly and
unabashedly, I put my love, honor and thanks to God
at the forefront of my music - before the transcribed
solos, Hanon exercises, repertoire - even the
commitment to swinging.
Many jazz artists encountered a “spiritual
awakening” on personal and musical planes later in
life: Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, John
Coltrane as referenced earlier. For others, the
awareness was apparent earlier on: Yusef Lateef,
Ahmad Jamal. Even though all don’t pay tribute to the
same deity, the vibration in the music of an individual
genuinely connected to his faith cannot be ignored -
jazz singers have passed through their doors. (This
month Clayton has two scat workshops in New York,
on Mar. 5th and 14th. For more information contact
Clayton through her website, jayclayton.com or check
her out as part of Cornelia Street Café’s Po’Jazz series
Mar. 19th).
Once a singer has mastered the basics, however,
they must make the material personal in some way -
mere imitation is not enough. Jordan and Clayton, for
instance, demonstrate distinctly different approaches
to soloing despite apparent agreement on the basics:
Jordan sticks to a bebop vocabulary in her phrasing,
syllables and melodic turns, while Clayton, besides
borrowing from the bebop school, might sing outside
and use experimental or avant garde vocalizations.
With both of these singers, however, the musical
intent is always clear.
Two new vocal releases celebrate the great variety
that vocal improvisation can take in the contemporary
jazz arena. The first, A Quiet Thing (Laughinghorse),
by Lisa Sokolov, is a brave exploration of Sokolov’s
subjective world, probably one of the most honest
examples of vocal improv around. It’s interesting to
note that Sokolov’s work does not move around a
melodic center but rather an emotional one and she
uses spoken word, instrumentation and both
structured and unstructured melodies to describe her
ever-changing inner reality. In contrast, Jen Shyu, on
her second release, Jade Tongue (s/r), also uses spoken
word, instrumentation and structured and
unstructured melodies to powerful and intensely
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
even if you don’t identify with his spiritual
philosophy. There is music for music’s sake and then
there is music that encompasses a deeper purpose.
Of a somewhat less “faith-based” intent, is what
has been referred to as “funky jazz” or “soul-jazz”.
This would be jazz that parrots the sound of Black
church music and is more contrived than reverent.
Popular jazz hits like Horace Silver’s “The Preacher”,
Billy Page’s “The In Crowd” (as performed by Ramsey
Lewis) or Bobby Timmons’ “This Here” were mostly
funneled through artists’ impressions of gospel music.
It’s much like listening to dyed-in-the-wool jazz
musicians play Latin or funk - without a full
immersion in the experience. Perhaps, this is where
the divide begins with regard to sacred versus secular;
whereas one implies an honoring and worshiping, the
other has a slightly exploitive dynamic that, over the
years, has continued to nosedive into poor imitations,
the end result being some minstrel-type exhibition by
individuals who have no real clue of the value and
essence of a spiritual experience.
My recent challenge to connect gospel music with
jazz music effectively has ignited a brushfire that
sweeps through my bones. Early on, I heeded the jazz
curriculum to the letter. As I continue to move through
life, my purpose becomes much clearer and now I am
moved to invoke the sentiments of Duke Ellington,
expressed before he performed his first sacred concert:
“Now, I can say openly and loudly what I have been
saying to myself on knees.” K
For more information, visit ericreed.net. Reed is at Dizzy’s
Club Mar. 3rd-8th. Additionally, there is a concert of Sacred
Ellington at St. John the Divine Mar. 7th. See Calendar.
With seven CDs as leader, many more as sideman and three
film scores, pianist Eric Reed’s accomplishments are
significant, especially for a man still in his 30s. Reed played
with Wynton Marsalis’ Septet, spent two years with the
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and worked in the bands of
Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson. Reed performs with
masters like Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Cassandra
Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry and Dianne Reeves.
personal effect - but the effect is quite different. Where
Sokolov probes self-reflectively, Shyu demands
answers; Sokolov extends comfort, but Shyu demands
recognition. Neither release is for the faint of heart and
though both releases are ripe with musical intent, you
will find no bebop here.
Interestingly, Nerissa Campbell opens her new
CD, Musings of a Telescopic Tree (Crooked Mouth), with
a free improv section before dropping into a heavy
blues groove. The blues dominate on this album of ten
expertly turned-out, indie-inspired tunes and
Campbell dips in and out of jazz phrasings
throughout, without returning to the free improv
offered so teasingly at the opening. But this is
Campbell’s signature: an amalgam of styles, no clear
commitment to any one approach. The liner notes offer
Charlie Parker’s words as the rationale for Campbell’s
liberal borrowing: “It’s all music, man.”
More good vocal music, man: Sarah DeLeo’s I’m
In Heaven Tonight (Sweet Sassy Music); the debut
recording of Jordan’s student, Kaoru Azuma,
Footprints In New York (River East Music) and Melody
Gardot’s impressive latest effort, My One And Only
Thrill (Verve).
Still more good vocal music, live around the city
this month: The Third Annual Sing Into Spring
Festival at Dizzy’s Club, with Catherine Russell,
Tierney Sutton, Ernestine Anderson and others, March
16-May 4; Lauren Hooker at O’Neal’s on Grand Street
every Wednesday and Roberta Gambarini at Blue
Note March 5th-8th. K
11
 LISTEN UP!

Iris Ornig Lisa Mezzacappa

bass bass

I ris Ornig is originally from Lisa Mezzacappa, originally from

Germany. She studied jazz and Staten Island is a San Francisco-
popular music in St. Gallen based bandleader, composer and
Switzerland and went from there musical instigator. Mezzacappa
to the well-known Guildhall has performed at Bay Area venues
School in Music and Drama in including Yerba Buena Center for
London to establish her musical skills. In 2003 she the Arts, SFMOMA and the de Young Museum as well
moved to New York City where she works as an as the Earshot and Montreal Jazz Festivals.
arranger, composer and bandleader. She has
performed at jazz clubs and festivals in Europe and TEACHERS: Michael Formanek, Pete Spaar, John
East Africa. She can be heard regularly at NYC’s top D’earth, Henry Threadgill, Myra Melford, John Schott,
jazz clubs such as 55Bar, The Garage and The Kitano. Olly Wilson.
Mon Feb 1 DAVID AMRAM & CO 8:30PM Since arriving in New York, Ornig has had the
Kevin Twigg, John de Witt, Adam Amram, John Ventimiglia pleasure to work with such jazz notables as Gretchen INFLUENCES: Fred Hopkins, Louise Bourgeois,
Wed Mar 04 KRIS DAVIS TRIO 8:30PM Parlato, Danny Grissett, Gene Jackson, Tony Jefferson, Funkadelic, Captain Beefheart, Joëlle Léandre, Haruki
Nate Radley, Ted Poor Rebecca Martin, Sachal Vasandani, Joel Frahm, Cecilia Murakami and Agnes Mezzacappa.
Coleman, Allison Miller, Roberta Piket, Stacey Dillard
Thu Mar 05 GNU VOX: David Devoe, host and Klaus Mueller. CURRENT PROJECTS: Bait & Switch is my garage
KAT CALVOSA & NATALIE JOHN 8:30PM
Dominic Fallacaro, Maeve Royce, Stu Bidwell jazz quartet stoked by the collective flames of Bay
TEACHERS: I recently discovered Kenny Werner’s Area improvisers John Finkbeiner, Aaron Bennett and
Fri Mar 06 GERRY HEMINGWAY QUARTET book Effortless Mastery. This book had such a strong Vijay Anderson. duo B. is a chamber-improv ensemble
9:00PM & 10:30PM influence on me and opened new doors for me to with my longtime musical partner, percussionist Jason
Herb Robertson, Ellery Eskelin, Kermit Driscoll
experience and live in the moment in music. Levis. Earworms is a series of sound installations
Sat Mar 07 FRANK CARLBERG QUINTET 9:00PM & 10:30PM about song, language and memory with visual artist
Christine Correa, John O'Gallagher, INFLUENCES: At around the age of 15, I heard a jazz Deborah Aschheim. I also play a lot with unsung Bay
John Hebert, Michael Sarin radio show in Germany and they were reviewing Jaco Area bandleader/composers Graham Connah, Phillip
Sun Mar 08 ADAM KOLKER GROUP 8:30PM Pastorius, the greatest jazz electric bass player I’ve Greenlief and Aaron Novik.
Ben Monder, John Hebert, Gerry Hemingway ever heard. I was blown away by his sound and his big
band. Two years later I started to play electric bass BY DAY: Birdwatcher! Cooker of fine produce!
Wed Mar 11 PAMELA BOB SINGS THE MANDEL and found myself in a rock band and jazz band. Jaco Lapsed ethnomusicologist! Webmaster, publicist,
AND LYDON SONGBOOK 8:30PM
made such an impact on me and, at the time, I didn’t graphic designer, copywriter, audience development,
Thu Mar 12 GNU VOX: David Devoe, host even realize it. Another strong influence, which might booking agent, artist liaison, scheduler, bass tech,
THE OVERNIGHT CROSSING seem odd, is Johnny Cash. roadie, finance manager, intern, copyist, special
& WENDY GILLES 8:30PM
Julie Hardy, Mark Dewings, Simona Dolecki, Bryson Kern events coordinator for all Lisa Mezzacappa-related
Wendy Gilles, Petr Cancura, Jamie Reynolds, Brian Adler CURRENT PROJECTS: My main project is my own musical activities.
quartet. We perform mostly my original compositions,
Fri Mar 13 TONY MALABY QUARTET 9:00PM & 10:30PM which range from swinging, stormy, melodic, I KNEW I WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN WHEN...
Sat Mar 14 Ralph Alessi, John Hebert, Billy Drummond
sensitive, playful, angular to straightahead - all of My death metal band nearly caused a riot at a
Mon Mar 16 FEDERICO LECHNER TANGO & JAZZ TRIO which have plenty of twists and surprises. Stuyvesant High School Battle of the Bands in 1992.
+ MARC MOMMAAS 8:30PM
Pablo Aslan, Tony Moreno BY DAY: I am thankful and happy to play music, DREAM BAND: Whoever I’m playing with right now.
Thu Mar 19 PO'JAZZ Golda Solomon, host 6:00PM arrange, compose and work with so many talented I love you guys.
Jay Clayton, Saco Yasuma musicians.
GNU VOX: David Devoe, host DID YOU KNOW?
SEAN WOOD -- CD RELEASE 8:30PM I KNEW I WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN WHEN... I used to be a reporter for the Staten Island Advance.
Fri Mar 20 JOHN HOLLENBECK'S I realized I could make people happy by playing
Sat Mar 21 CLAUDIA QUINTET 9:00PM & 10:30PM music. And it made me happy too. I was able to forget FOLLOW UP WITH:
Drew Gress, Ted Reichman, Chris Speed, Matt Moran everything else going on and get lost in the music. Email: lisamezz@gmail.com
There’s no other feeling like that. Website: lisamezzacappa.com
Sun Mar 22 SEBASTIAN NOELLE GROUP 8:30PM
Marc Mommaas, Thomson Kneeland, Tony Moreno
DREAM BAND: Brian Blade, Jacky Terrasson and Mezzacappa is at Goodbye Blue Monday Mar. 19th, Barbès
Thu Mar 26 THE RAFIQ BHATIA COLLECTIVE 8:30PM Chris Potter. I would love to play with them and hear and Bar 4 Mar. 23rd, Zebulon Mar. 26th and I-Beam Mar.
Miller Tinkerhess, Chris Pattishall, Jackson Hill, Alex Ritz my compositions through their gifted musicianship. 27th. See Calendar.
Fri Mar 27 RUSS LOSSING'S RED SHIFT 9:00PM & 10:30PM
Matt Maneri, Tony Malaby, DID YOU KNOW?
Thomas Morgan, Randy Peterson As a kid I was totally into art and sports, no musical
interests. In high school I had the dream and ambition April 1, 2009
Sat Mar 28 BRAD SHEPIK'S
HUMAN ACTIVITY SUITE 9:00PM & 10:30PM to become a professional squash player before I Iridium
Ralph Alessi, Gary Versace, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey started music…now, in between gigs, I just cook 1650 Broadway
squash!
Sun Mar 29 IGOR LUMPERT GROUP 8:30PM (corner 51st)
Chris Tordini, Tommy Crane New York, N.Y.
FOLLOW UP WITH:
Mon Mar 30 AMANDA MONACO'S DEATHBLOW 8:30PM Email: info@irisornig.com 212.582.2121
Michaël Attias, Sean Conly, Tony Moreno Website: irisornig.com Sets:
Tue Mar 31 GREG RUGGIERO GROUP 8:30PM 8:30 & 10:30PM
Frank LoCrasto, Chris Tordini, Tommy Crane Ornig is at The Garage Mar. 23rd and NYC Baha'i Center Ken Filiano, bass
Mar. 24th. See Calendar.
Ron Glick, drums

Celebrating the
release of his Art of Life
Records CD "Portraits"

12 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 C D R EVI EW S
Buffalo Pearl John Butcher/Gerry Hemingway
Kinetics Gerry Hemingway/Thomas Lehn
(Auricle)
by Stuart Broomer
G erry Hemingway isn’t restricted by any particular
concept of the drummer. He’s led forceful bands with
sidemen like Ellery Eskelin and Ray Anderson,
updating hardbop and postbop in the process, and
made empathetic contributions to the densely woven
music of Anthony Braxton and Marilyn Crispell. His
recordings include composed percussion music that
exploits a host of techniques and he is also a willing
participant in free improvisation, the kind that
genuinely defines its parameters as it goes along. He’s
heard in that context on these recordings, each with a
long-standing partner. In each performance the
musicians’ sonic identities come to merge, the work
going beyond dialogue to become whole music.
Buffalo Pearl finds Hemingway in Buffalo in 2005
with the English saxophonist John Butcher. While one
might expect the intensely meditative sustained work
the two have sometimes produced, there’s frequently
intense animation here, the scurry and bustle of
Butcher’s lines pressing toward the kinetic play of his
jazz forebears until a concluding explosion that has
ties to Coltrane’s Interstellar Space. Both players can
explore a sound to its microcosmic structure, picking
out a facet and magnifying it for new possibilities.
What’s most fascinating here is the way they do it
while building melodic and linear patterns, whether
it’s Hemingway scratching away at the surface of a
drum or scraping a cymbal or Butcher tapping a
plosive drum pattern with the key pads of his
sax or shadowing his own line with a multiphonic
burr. There are moments when Butcher approaches
electronic sound, only to hearken back suddenly to the
the bar-walking tenor saxophonists of R&B, alongside
Hemingway’s furious polyrhythms on full drum kit.
Hemingway’s use of small percussion and a sampler
here further blurs identities, creating electronic
burbles that resemble parts of Butcher’s vocabulary.
Thomas Lehn has a fierce loyalty to the sonic
character of the old analogue synthesizers that he
employs. Where others might curse the limitations,
Lehn constructs a fluid identity, never disguising the
blips and scratches endemic to his instruments. While
Lehn can play dazzling runs, he avoids them here,
moving further and further into the static and hum
that are the instrument’s native language. The music
on Kinetics is drawn from three performances (Austria
and France in 2003; France in 2006). Distinctions
between foreground and background are suspended
along with those between chance and intention.
Hemingway’s use of dense metallic percussion gets
him strikingly close to Lehn’s ambient electronics. The
half-hour long “Maquette” seems at times completely
interiorized, the two working their way to the point of
silence before a sudden revival takes place,
Hemingway’s animated, resonant swatting at his
drums turning into compelling rhythmic invention
and Lehn arriving at the rumbles of a tractor engine
reaching for a bass riff. It’s clearly not music for
everyone, but its mission is clear, to reach beyond the
expected to the possibility of fresh dialogue.
For more information, visit gerryhemingway.com.
Hemingway is at Cornelia Street Café Mar. 6th as a leader
and Mar. 8th with Adam Kolker. See Calendar.
14 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
ensemble’s playing. Pieces such as “Love and Donuts”
and “Luke the Dog”, which are repeated in several
sets, are completely different renditions each time. The
compositions leave ample room for improvisation, of
which Douglas takes great advantage, blowing solos
that never sound the same twice. Some have direct
hardbop references (“Circus Peanuts” echoing “Salt
Peanuts”) but are never derivative. All eight nights are
a comprehensive, remarkable record of Douglas’
Stand! continuing exploration of jazz in the 21st century.
Eric Reed (WJ3)
by Andy Vélez For more information, visit greenleafmusic.com. Douglas is
at Allen Room Mar. 6th-7th with SFJAZZ Collective. See
This 18th release by pianist Eric Reed is a spiritual Calendar.
melding of the gospel and jazz idioms. Though not yet
40, Reed has accumulated considerable mileage. He
was with Gerald Wilson at a mere 16, enjoyed a long
association with Wynton Marsalis and displayed a
marked flair for the American Songbook.
This outing offers a rich outpouring of Reed as
composer and orchestrator. The opening title track is a
hard driving and muscular piece with an African-
tinged reference that also recalls in effect, if not in
melody, Duke Ellington’s “Such Sweet Thunder”. The
dynamism of his chords are reminiscent of McCoy
Tyner, who is sometimes cited as an influence. There’s
a complete change of pace with the pulsating samba
“Adoracao” (“Adoration”), on which Willie Jones III
really belts out the rhythm. “Pursuit of Peace” takes
yet another different turn, with an easy, rippling
bounce that recalls Ahmad Jamal, for whom Reed has
also expressed great admiration. Rodney Whitaker’s
bass makes for especially tasty company on this tune.
A lyrical ballad, “You Are There”, and the gently
chord-based “A Love Divine” are just two of Reed’s
melodies here which cry out for words even as his
bluesy and free-spirited melodies and performances
are rich enough on their own. Perhaps it’s Reed’s long
association with classic songs and gospel or the
feelings his joyfully spiritual music stirs.
RECOMMENDED
For more information, visit ericreed.net. Reed is at Dizzy’s
NEW RELEASES
Club Mar. 3rd-8th. See Calendar. • Nels Cline - Coward (Cryptogramophone)
• Charles Evans - The King of All Instruments
(Hot Cup)
• Tom Harrell - Prana Dance (HighNote)
• Jeremy Manasia - After Dark (Posi-Tone)
• Jason Rigby - The Sage (Fresh Sound-New Talent)
• David S. Ware - Shakti (AUM Fidelity)
David Adler
New York@Night Columnist
• Borah Bergman - Luminescence (Tzadik)
Live at Jazz Standard
Dave Douglas & Keystone (Greenleaf) • Teddy Charles - Dances with Bulls (Smalls)
by Ted Gordon • Gunter Hampel - Vibes Vibes
In 1961, Bob Thiele set up a portable reel-to-reel tape (Vibrafon Solos 2008) (Birth)
recorder at the Village Vanguard to record John • Abdullah Ibrahim - Senzo (Solo Piano) (Sunnyside)
Coltrane’s quintet. Though there was no official plan • Lisa Sokolov - A Quiet Thing (Laughinghorse)
for releasing the tapes, Thiele knew that recording • Jeff “Tain” Watts - Watts (Dark Key Music)
every single night of these performances had to be Laurence Donohue-Greene
done. The resulting release proves his historical Managing Editor, AllAboutJazz-New York
foresight. In 2006, Greenleaf music took up a similar
project in recording and releasing over 22 hours of the • Daniele Cavallanti & Tiziano Tononi -
Dave Douglas Quintet live at Jazz Standard. And two Rings of Fire (feat. Jenny Scheinman) (Long Song)
years later, they repeated their completist strategy by • Abdullah Ibrahim - Senzo (Solo Piano) (Sunnyside)
recording and releasing eight sets of Douglas’
• Joëlle Léandre/Quentin Sirjacq -
Keystone with Marcus Strickland, Adam Benjamin,
Brad Jones, Gene Lake and DJ Olive. History will most
Out of Nowhere (Actuelle)
likely prove it to be a landmark in Douglas’ career. • Mark O’Leary/Ståle Storløkken/
Throughout their four nights, Douglas performed Stein Inge Braekhus - St Finn Barre’s (Leo)
an amazing variety of compositions, ranging from • Jim Rotondi - Blues for Brother Ray (Posi-Tone)
tunes cut on 2003’s Freak In to entirely new pieces, all • Aki Takase - Aki and The Good Old Boys live at
expertly played by a group that is solidly grounded in Willisau Jazz Festival (Jazzwerkstatt)
improvisation, funk and playfulness. DJ Olive stands Andrey Henkin
out as the gadfly of the group, nearly seamlessly Editorial Director, AllAboutJazz-New York
integrating found sound and cinematic loops into the

YaY Hufflignon
Samuel Blaser/ Peter Van Huffel/
Malcolm Braff Sophie Tassignon
(Fresh Sound-New Talent) (Clean Feed)
by Wilbur MacKenzie
Trombonist Samuel Blaser has been making a name
for himself for the last few years, building a reputation
for inventive improvisations and inspired virtuosity.
He has been in constant motion, splitting his time
between New York and his adopted Germany, having
found his way to the States via a Fulbright
Scholarship. He has been active as a composer and
bandleader, with a wonderful quartet release on the
Between The Lines label and more material on the way
from Clean Feed. Blaser is also active as a sideman,
working with artists as disparate as Dub pioneer Lee
“Scratch” Perry and the legendary avant-big band the
Vienna Art Orchestra. Blaser’s proficient and creative
playing is featured on two great recent discs, one led
by saxist Peter Van Huffel and the other featuring the
duo of Blaser and Brazilian pianist Malcolm Braff.
One might expect a piano/trombone duo to be
dominated by lyricism and melody, with perhaps little
more than a passing flare for rhythmic intrigue.
However, on YaY, detailed rhythmic framework takes
the listener down an unexpected but assured path, full
of momentum and drive, while never straying far from
tonality. Braff was raised in Dakar, Senegal and the
multifaceted rhythmic layering of West African music
distinguishes the duo’s approach. Blaser and Braff
evoke percussion traditions on pieces like Braff’s title
track and “Yele”, while nodding towards American
jazz and gospel music on tunes like their very
buoyant take on Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” and
Blaser’s soulful “Uncle Sam”. Braff’s prepared piano
and Blaser’s extended trombone vocabularies expand
the textural palette, while at the same time
highlighting the rhythmic aspects of the duo’s
interactions. At times, the sonic density and variance
in texture are so striking, it sounds like there are more
than two musicians. The interactions remain nuanced
and intricate, with sublimely delicate moments
balanced with a general penchant for pursuant
momentum.
Saxophonist Peter Van Huffel and vocalist Sophie
Tassignon’s new release, Hufflignon, features
compositions by both musicians, brought to life by an
unusual quartet of trombone, woodwinds, voice and
contrabass. Huffel and Blaser are often teamed up
with intricately-voiced melodies, while bassist
Michael Bates alternates between foundational
support, textural bowing and thoughtful melodic
statements. Tassignon’s singing is quite versatile; on
more structured pieces like “Thoughts And
Memories” and the opener, “Dégringolade”, she
exhibits horn-like melodic and rhythmic dexterity,
while at other times her voice wanders through a
labyrinthine maze of amorphous syllabic abstractions.
Two examples of the latter approach include
“Landscape (morning)” and “The Sad Imposing Tree”,
both of which provide wonderfully abstract sound
worlds. That isn’t to say that the music is at all
dualistic; rather, the abstractions and melodies react
nicely together, creating a unified sonic environment
that moves freely between steady pulse and more
introspective arrangements of sound. Tassignon’s
piece “Nervous Breakdown” veers closer to the
careening chamber improvisation of the Paul
Bley/Steve Swallow-era Jimmy Giuffre 3, with a
dexterous solo from Blaser. Van Huffel’s playing
throughout is richly nuanced, with melody and
texture seamlessly integrated to create colorful and
evocative statements.
For more information, visit cleanfeed-records.com and
freshsoundrecords.com. Blaser is at Le Grand Dakar Mar.
14th and Middle Collegiate Church Mar. 15th. See
Calendar.
Morning Song
George Cables (HighNote)
by Terrell Holmes
Morning Song, a recently discovered live set from
1980 led by the great George Cables, is a tale of two
gigs. While the quartet performances are middling,
Cables’ overall dynamism, particularly on his solo
piano turns, lifts the disc above mediocrity.
The rhythm section of Cables, bassist John Heard
and drummer Sherman Ferguson, is excellent, with the
leader constantly inspiring Heard and Ferguson to
meet his harmonic challenges. Heard’s pizzicato on
“Up Jumped Spring” is luminous; it also drives the
Latin burner “Quiet Fire”, with Ferguson finding an
extra gear in his drum kit to complement Cables’
flurries. The quartet is weakened, however, by Eddie
Henderson, a fine trumpet player who clearly had a
bad night. Throughout Morning Song his playing is
fragmentary, distracted, sometimes sounding like he’s
catching his breath instead of blowing. On “Up
Jumped Spring” Henderson is breathless and off-key.
He rallies somewhat as each tune progresses and even
comes up with a few interesting ideas and sustained
riffs, but the overall effort is shaky.
Ultimately it’s Cables’ piano that saves Morning
Song. He mines jazz’ heavier elements, fusing Bud
Powell’s feeling, Fats Waller’s juke joint geniality and
Art Tatum’s quick wit into his own transformative
lyricism. For example, he gives perfunctory nods to
the melancholia and sentimentality of “Who Can I
Turn To” and the misty-eyed “I Remember Clifford”
before redefining them in his image with sparkling
runs of boundless invention. Bobby Hutcherson’s
“Stroll” begins with the measured pace the title
implies but eventually cascades of notes burst forth.
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
“As Time Goes By” becomes a skip through a meadow
and he turns the ballad “Polka Dots and Moonbeams”
into a lively hard bop exposition.
The glorious paradox is that Cables plays like
someone who’s familiar with the piano’s most subtle
nuances, yet is experiencing the joy of truly
discovering the instrument for the first time. He
explores each song carefully, interpreting it with
depth and beauty. Morning Song shows why alto
saxman Art Pepper named Cables as his favorite
pianist and dubbed him “Mr. Beautiful”.
For more information, visit jazzdepot.com. Cables is at Blue
Note Mar. 3rd-4th and Iridium Mar. 5th-8th. See Calendar.
UNEARTHED GEM
Force of Nature
Mike Osborne (Reel Recordings)
by Martin Longley
Late English alto saxist Mike Osborne, whose work
represented the pinnacle of British avant jazz, sadly
retired back in 1982 as a result of mental health
problems. The discovery of previously unheard
material is therefore particularly exciting,
especially when its standard is high enough to
preserve the reedsman’s best playing form.
This disc features live recordings of two
different quartet lineups, both of them having
Osborne teamed with trumpeter Dave Holdsworth.
The opener, “Ducking & Diving”, sprawls over an
epic 42 minutes, from a performance at the 1980
Kölner Jazzhaus Festival in Germany. Osborne
doesn’t tarry, charging off into an exhaustive solo
virtually straight away, with bassist Marcio Mattos
kind of soloing too, maintaining a pulsing miasma
alongside drummer Brian Abrahams. Then
Holdsworth spurts, making a complete shift closer
to something approaching the jazz tradition.
Abrahams develops a bouncing beat that’s almost a
Jungle precursor, then all goes quiet midway,
before some odd structures form, such as the brief
stretch of rocking-out rhythm five minutes before
the conclusion. Osborne and Holdsworth began
building their close rapport while working together
with Mike Westbrook in the early ‘60s, right at the
beginning of their careers. The trumpeter
remembered this Köln gig as a personal pinnacle,
but until 2007 (the year of Osborne’s demise) he
hadn’t realized that it had been recorded.
Despite Holdsworth’s memories, the other two
pieces, recorded in London a year later, are
arguably even more gripping. Here, Tony Marsh is
on drums and Paul Bridge plays bass, the latter
thrusting with an electric hardness, well up in the
mix. “Journey’s End” (8 minutes) and “All Night
Long” (12 minutes) are more compact, horns
tussling simultaneously, with seething urgency.
The quartet slams with punk urgency into the latter
tune, hurtling through a twinned theme with not a
second wasted. Osborne is tensed expression
personified, while Holdsworth is jetting off
competitive flares. These were the days and now we
have some sort of partial memory at our fingertips.
For more information, visit reelrecordings.org
15

Joe’s Strut Michael Wolff Trio (Wrong)
Piano Warrior Steve Blanco Trio (Art of Life)
The Heartbeat, The Breath
Landon Knoblock (CAMJazz)
by Donald Elfman
The keyboard remains, here in the new century, a
primary force in composition and appealing jazz
leadership. Here are three talented players - one only
a little more well-known - that combine sterling
artistry with a keen sense of tradition and forward-
thinking compositional approaches,
Michael Wolff came to jazz prominence working
with Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson and a host
of others. He describes Joe’s Strut as going “down into
the caves of jazz and improvisation” and he clearly
draws songwriting and bandleading inspiration from
these mentors. Wolff composed five of the seven tunes
and he has a strong sense of color, texture and
emotional depth. And he is fortunate enough to have
veteran Steve Wilson and newcomer Ian Young, both
on saxophones, to complement his visions. Filling out
the group are Richie Goods or Chip Jackson (bass) and
Victor Jones (drums).
It’s instructive to start with how Wolff takes on
standards. With Goods and Jones, “If I Were A Bell”
emerges from a groove intro and is reminiscent of the
blues-drenched artistry of such giants as Red Garland,
Wynton Kelly or George Shearing. The Frank Loesser
tune (from Guys and Dolls) has the feel of a killer night
in a great club and the bass and drum solos are
crowd-pleasing yet full of new color. It’s a
performance that grows as it goes along without ever
losing the delight of the original tune. The other
standard is the Harold Arlen gem “Come Rain or
Come Shine”. The song floats free but hangs on to a
pulse to propel it. It’s delicate, impressionistic playing
- deconstructed and ever-breathing.
The originals have the colors of some of the
classic bands in which Wolff has played. The opener
“Harbour Island” feels like a rich, soulful Blue Note
track with both saxophonists stating the simple,
bluesy melody. It’s straightahead with a quirky little
tag at the end of the first melody section. Wolff
achieves funky virtuosity in a dazzling solo and is
followed by Wilson, with a rich, full tone and some
beautifully realized gutsy ideas. Young is darker and
less brash but is powerful and direct throughout. The
title track was written in memory of the late Joe
Zawinul, a friend of Wolff’s since 1975. It’s a boogaloo
all the way with some New Orleans movement and
suggests a picture of Zawinul the soulful and happy
man rather than specifically Zawinul the musician. It’s
funky as hell in any case.
Steve Blanco is another adventurer. He writes
smart new tunes but also tries his hand at a couple of
numbers from the rock ‘n’ roll repertoire. The music
on Piano Warrior is a complex blend of traditional jazz
piano trio, with its sense of mystery and familiar
colors, and a whirling taste of chaotic yet controlled
exploration. We’re never quite prepared for what’s
coming next as is boldly evinced by a freeform take on
Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them”. The tune seems to
emerge from out of some primal eddy as a hymn to the
unknown. Blanco is ably assisted by bassist Adam
Roberts and drummer Sunny Jain and the three are
like gentle Zen warriors who achieve their aims
through more subtle means. Led Zeppelin’s “Black
16 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
Dog” is dark and funky but the way it’s approached -
with the pianist’s ominous low notes and the rhythm
section’s insistent pulse - makes the tune seem like
some minimalist workout.
“Final Voyage” is a gorgeous, rich ethereal ballad
that moves very, very slowly and makes its points in
simple statements, helped by Roberts’ lush dark bass
notes and the quiet punctuation of Jain. The melodies
here don’t smash a listener in the face but rather work
deliberately and subtly, taking several listens before
getting a sense of where things are going. “A.V.S.”
comes in single notes and phrases that mask their
beginnings and endings. It develops as a full-formed
piece but without ever being obvious. The title tune is
found coming towards us after an opening ‘festival’ of
African-style drumming. It moves like the warrior of
its title - ferociously and in an ever-changing terrain.
And “Laughing Planet” seems to suggest the birth of a
sense of wonder and joy in creating a tune, a metaphor
for the way all of the music here is created.
Evolving composition is also at the fore in The
Heartbeat, The Breath by Landon Knoblock. Right from
the start, in the pianist’s “Jaunted Memory”, Knoblock
uses some single notes to find patterns that create a
new tune. The composer’s touch, both at the keyboard
and in his sense of structure, is graceful and easy but
it takes real work to achieve this kind of mastery. This
is yet another example of the continuing marvels of
the piano trio at its finest. All the themes here are
delightfully elusive; just when they make themselves
known, Knoblock and his cohorts Joe Rehmer (bass)
and Austin McMahon (drums) deftly move elsewhere.
The groove of “Why the Frown” seems ever-present
but the trio plays myriad inventive lines that merely
imply it. And the improvisations are done
economically, with never a wasted note or phrase.
Speaking of pulse, this trio has also mastered the
tempos where there seems to be no pulse at all. “New
Beauty” is truly gorgeous, insinuating itself into the
consciousness at an almost imperceptible pace. We
find it clearly and surely, however, and it’s a stunning
thing. Oddly, after the quiet glory there, Knoblock
prepares his piano for “Sylvie A Montreal”. McMahon
plays melodica for the sinuous melody that works
itself out over the ‘noise’ and it’s somehow very sexy
and very funny. These tunes all become little tone
poems that sound like places we’ve been before but
damn if it’s not like we’re there for the first time!
For more information, visit wrongrecords.net,
artofliferecords.com and camjazz.com. Wolff is at Tribeca
Performing Arts Center Mar. 19th as part of Highlights in
Jazz. Blanco is at Domaine Wine Bar Fridays and
Saturdays. Knoblock is at Fat Cat Mar. 6th with Michael
Feinberg and 55Bar Mar. 12th with Katie Bull. See
Calendar and Regular Engagements.
 GLOBE UNITY

Rollercoaster Rolf Kühn & Tri-O (Jazzwerkstatt)

The Salmon
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky/Michael Griener (Intakt)
Simple Game PAPAJO (Cadence Jazz Records)
by Andrey Henkin
It is fascinating to observe how each country adapts
an already adaptable art form to its own particular
culture. Due to its large population base, distinct
regionalism and troubled history with jazz,
Germany has birthed a vast number of disparate
musicians working within the ‘tradition’.
Since the death of Albert Mangelsdorff,
clarinetist Rolf Kühn, born in Köln and 80 this
September, is Germany’s elder statesman. He has
played with such diverse figures as Jack Sheldon
and Tony Oxley and his voluminous output has
included trad, free and fusion, all featuring his
quirkily modern compositions. Rollercoaster, Kühn’s
first disc for Jazzwerkstatt, finds him leading a trio
whose combined age barely exceeds his. But Kühn
doesn’t look and certainly doesn’t play old,
presenting a fresh program of nine tunes written by
himself, brother Joachim, group guitarist Ronny
Graupe and Ornette Coleman. It is often said that
the best avant garde players are those thoroughly
steeped in the classics; Kühn embodies this and his
band responds with both respect and urging.
Saxophonist/clarinetist Ernst-Ludwig
Petrowsky, hailing from Northern Germany
bordering Poland, is a few years Kühn’s junior but
is more closely associated with the burgeoning
avant garde scenes as a member of Zentralquartett
and Globe Unity Orchestra. The Salmon is a duet
session recorded in 2005 with younger drummer
Michael Griener but is not all ‘Raum Interstellaren’.
Both musicians are well-versed in the particular
brand of German free improvisation but use that
experience to craft 11 pieces which range from
sparse textural enterprises to more strident
expositions in the vein of Peter Brötzmann and Han
Bennink. This format has been explored ad naseum
since 1967 but sometimes, as is very much the case
here, players make it sound innovative again.
PAPAJO - the trio of Paul Hubweber
(trombone), Paul Lovens (drums) and John
Edwards (bass) - is another mixed generation
outing; Lovens is a cagey veteran of the groups of
Alex von Schlippenbach, with Hubweber and
Edwards (the lone non-German) beginning their
careers in the mid ‘70s and ‘80s respectively. Simple
Game was recorded at The Loft in Köln in 2006 and
is six improvisations of a chiefly wispy nature,
reflecting the influence that minimalist British free
jazz had on Germany through players like Paul
Rutherford (an obvious influence on Hubweber)
and Evan Parker. This is no doubt due to the
participation of Edwards, who works extensively
with Parker (mighty German bassist Peter Kowald
was in the group until his death). The dynamic
interaction of the trio is paramount here.

For more information, visit jazzwerkstatt-berlin-

brandenburg.de, intaktrec.ch and cadencejazzrecords.com

ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 17


Blue Plate Special Night for Day
Will Bernard Bernard/ Emer/ Lackner/
(Palmetto) Ferber (BJU)
by George Kanzler
G uitarist Will Bernard is the common denominator
on these two stylistically divergent CDs. On Blue Plate
Special he’s joined by keyboardist John Medeski,
bassist Andy Hess and drummer Stanton Moore while
Night for Day is with fellow Brooklyn Jazz
Underground members Benny Lackner (piano),
Andrew Emer (bass) and Mark Ferber (drums). The
former is a groove-heavy, funky hoe-down while the
latter explores more evanescent soundscapes.
The presence of New Orleans drummer Moore on
Blue Plate Special guarantees a fat backbeat shuffle and
the keyboardist brings his expansive sonic palette
from Medeski Martin and Wood to the mix. Bernard
matches him with an array of fuzz tones, wah-wah
effects, distortion, decay and delay in his solos and
leads. Some tracks tend toward generic soul-funk, but
there are also arresting moments and quirky surprises
along the way: the churning keyboard riffs with bluesy
acoustic piano and guitar in the seductively slinky title
track; the opening-credits-to-a-TV-crime-show vibe of
“571” morphing into controlled chaos; the tango
shuffle, zithery guitar and burbling organ on
“Genpop” and kaleidoscopic range of “Frontwinder”,
from the twittering birds and underwater organ of the
opening to the heavy feedback guitar riffs and boogie-
style piano solo. There are also fast 8/8 forays and a
final “How Great Thou Art” full of gospel fervor.
Intricate interaction permeates Night for Day, a
group endeavor where each musician carves out a
distinctive role while fitting into the whole like pieces
in a jigsaw puzzle. Bernard and Ferber are the busy
pair in this quadrangle, guitar laying down sleek,
crisp, skittering runs - there’s little to none of the sonic
effects employed on Blue Plate Special - while the
drummer creates whirlwinds of shimmering motion
from cymbals to skins, giving the impression of
constant, shifting double-time. Emer’s bass anchors a
steady but emphatic time or adds counterpoint
ostinato riffs while Lackner’s piano is the cool gravitas
center. All the musicians contribute tunes, Bernard’s
flirting with fusion á la Pat Metheny but the others are
more ethereal in an ECM school manner. A spacey
“Heaven” from Duke Ellington’s “Second Sacred
Concert” is the only non-original.
For more information, visit palmetto-records.com and
bjurecords.com. Bernard is at Highline Ballroom Mar. 26th.
See Calendar.
The Second Original Silence
Original Silence (Smalltown Superjazzz)
by Andrey Henkin
There a certain amount of irony in calling a group
Original Silence that brings together members of The
18 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
Thing, Sonic Youth, ZU and The Ex. Mats Gustafsson dances. “Twist and Turn” does so seductively as
(baritone sax, live electronics), Thurston Moore Holober’s Rhodes and John Hebert’s bass add some
(guitar), Jim O’Rourke (electronica), Terrie X (guitar), funky overtones that are picked up by Charles Pillow’s
Massimo Pupillo (electric bass) and Paal Nilssen-Love tenor sax. “Roc and a Soft Place”, dedicated to band
(drums) threaten the sound barrier just by being in the leader Joe Roccisano, is a very pretty and leisurely
same room together. stroll. “Note to Self”, a very melodic yet contemplative
The ‘supergroup’’s second live album continues tune, and “Thrushes”, which uses the bird’s song as
the onslaught begun on The First Original Silence, a sort muse, feature reflective solos from Holober against
of proto-improvised rock that makes no attempt at delicate scores. There is definitely a classicist at work
subtlety. This is Peter Brötzmann’s Machine Gun here and the details, subtleties and shades are
electrified, with the same cathartic approach to group refreshing and elegant.
improvisation. Gustafsson wails above the fray,
strafing the ears while Moore, Ex and O’Rourke lay For more information, visit sunnysiderecords.com. Holober
down artillery fire and Pupillo and Nilssen-Love is at Jazz Standard Mar. 10th-11th. See Calendar.
exterminate the local populace with napalm and
concussion bombs.
But for all its intensity, there is some discernable
arc to the proceedings, or at least a groundswell that
makes the disc’s four tracks - two under 10 minutes,
one at 18 and another at 22 - seem organic and even
peaceful. The ear adjusts after a while and if you walk
through Times Square not noticing the crowds, your
brain probably already sounds like the music on this
album. And that is presumably Original Silence’s
intent: to create sound that is elemental, a soundtrack
to the primordial cosmological explosion.
Even without the whole group, the effect is
achieved. Gustafsson and Moore played a trio set last
month at Rehab, neé Club Midway, with Moore’s
brother Gene on second guitar. With the smaller
lineup - the compacted Silence? - Gustafsson’s live
electronics, on which he spent half the set, become
more prominent, spikes shot through the layering of
the Brothers Moore. When he returned to his baritone,
the shrieks, flutter tonguing and percussive explosions
violently stirred the already distorted martini. If this is
what Moore and Gustafsson can do on their own,
seeing the entire Original Silence live must require a
release form.
For more information, visit smalltownsuperjazzz.com
Mar 3rd
Mike Longo Trio
Quake
Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra Mar 10th
(Sunnyside)
Bill Moring Ensemble
by Elliott Simon
Duke Ellington’s legacy is alive and well with pianist Mar 17th
Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra. Holober Gary Morgan and Panamericana
makes use of the increased musical scope that 17
pieces give him to weave compositional strength Mar 24th
within a sound that sways more than swings. Iris Ornig Quartet
Some of the finest jazzers the city has to offer join
Holober for this session. Their individual talents are Mar 31st
certainly showcased but the strength of this release is Mike Longo & The NY State of the
how Holober fits them all together to fashion these Art Jazz Ensemble
elegant presentations. The Beatles and The Rolling
with Hilary Gardner
Stones make appearances via extended reworkings of
“Here Comes the Sun” and “Ruby Tuesday”. With
Holober’s approach, the danger here is treading too
close to muzak but his arrangements, Dave Pietro’s
alto saxophone and Tim Ries’ tenor on the former
along with Mark Patterson’s trombone and Steve
Cardenas’ guitar on the latter expand and evolve these
pop tunes into intriguing inventions.
The originals likewise are conceptually strong
and benefit from gorgeous voicings and a perfect
amount of flavoring from the soloists. The title cut
evokes autumnal imagery over which Ries’ soprano

Sibanye (We Are One) Louis Moholo-Moholo (Intakt)
Phases of the Night
Barry Guy/Marilyn Crispell/Paul Lytton (Intakt)
Geggie Project John Geggie (Actuelle)
by David R. Adler
Put a pin anywhere in the lengthy discography of
pianist Marilyn Crispell and you’ll stumble on a new
facet, an unforeseen window into her turbulent,
ever-evolving improvisational discourse. This is
because Crispell retains the ability to surprise herself -
as must have been the case during her first-ever
playing encounter with Louis Moholo-Moholo, the
iconic drummer and South African expatriate (now
repatriated). The resulting duo session, Sibanye (We
Are One), makes for a vibrant contrast with two recent
trio efforts involving Crispell and a far-flung roster of
colleagues. Bassist Barry Guy, founder of the London
Jazz Composers Orchestra, enlists Crispell and
drummer Paul Lytton for Phases of the Night while
Ottawa bassist John Geggie offers Geggie Project, his
leader debut, with Crispell and drummer Nick Fraser.
During his exile in London, Moholo worked in an
orbit similar to Crispell’s own, giving the music of
Sibanye (We Are One) a certain historical resonance.
Recorded in 2007 at the An Die Musik series in
Baltimore, the disc includes seven collaborative pieces,
remarkable for their overall restraint. Crispell and
Moholo are able to brainstorm at a low and enticing
volume, bringing out subtle sonic details without
losing intensity. Moholo likes to nudge the music into
tempo, whether it’s the tom-tom beats of “Reflect” and
“Moment of Truth” or the march-like gait that peeks
momentarily through “Improvise, Don’t
Compromise”. The set does have its tempestuous side,
bringing to mind Remembrance (FMP), Moholo’s 1988
duo with Cecil Taylor, although “Phendula (Reply)”
and the middle-to-end of “Journey” find Crispell in
high lyrical mode, unveiling sunny major-key
sonorities. In an odd twist, Moholo vocalizes at the
beginning of “Journey”, working Crispell’s name into
something like a hypnotic poetry.
Barry Guy and Paul Lytton have worked
extensively in a trio with saxophonist Evan Parker,
adding Crispell to record After Appleby (Leo, 2000).
This lineup, omitting Parker, also recorded Odyssey for
Intakt. Now with Phases of the Night, the
Guy/Crispell/Lytton trio gathers again to interpret
four Guy compositions inspired by surrealist
paintings. The title track takes its name from a work
by Max Ernst - a strange canvas of earthy pastoral
green and bright institutional blue. Beginning with
extended free improvisation, the trio at last arrives at
a precise, rhythmically assertive theme, launching
Crispell into higher gear. “Insomnie”, after an even
more abstract painting by Dorothea Tanning, is busy
and unsettled, with a long piano-drum duo passage
(recalling the Moholo album). “The Invisible Being
Embraced”, for Wifredo Lam, veers more toward the
tonal, with a foreboding intro leading to melodies of
an almost classical Spanish tinge. “With My Shadow”,
for Yves Tanguy, ends the set with dark, hovering
chords that work up to dense, rumbling free interplay.
Best to let these selections play while gazing
attentively at the images that inspired them.
John Geggie, a frequent collaborator of pianist DD
Jackson, also finds a satisfying rapport with Crispell
on Geggie Project, splitting the program evenly
between his original pieces and collective improvised Fonda’s bass sound is full and round, affected by its
tracks. The recorded sound is uncommonly fine, with live amplification and losing some of its gut-grain in
Crispell’s bell-like single notes filling out the contours favor of a bullish depth. Each member’s solos stretch
of the opening “Credo”. Thanks to her seasoned touch, out to on-stage length, the epic “Da Bang” opening
Geggie’s compositions breathe exactly as they should, with a drum extravaganza, fiddle and bass slamming
particularly the rubato ballad “Across the Sky” and in when it’s time for the runaway theme. Bang takes a
the tempo-based, off-kilter “Or Not”, which recalls lengthy pizzicato solo during his own “Spirits
some of Crispell’s work with Paul Motian. Fraser steps Entering”, delving with abandonment into freedom,
up on the starkly contrapuntal “View from the Bridge” groove and blues.
- essentially a drum feature - and pairs up with
Crispell authoritatively on “Weather Forecast”, one of For more information, visit sansbruit.fr and
three duets (the others being “Entre Chien et Loup” disquesfuturaetmarge.ifrance.com. Fonda is at 55Bar Mar.
and “PH”, for piano and bass). Here, as on Sibanye (We 12th with Katie Bull and Roulette Mar. 16th with Michael
Are One) and Phases of the Night, Crispell acquits Jefry Stevens. See Calendar.
herself as one of our most adaptable and imaginative
pianists, a team player par excellence.
For more information, visit intaktrec.ch and actuellecd.com.
Crispell is at The Stone Mar. 21st. See Calendar.
New York City Session A Night in Paris
Bruno Angelini/ (Live at the Sunset)
Joe Fonda/Ramon Lopez FAB Trio
(Sans Bruit) (Marge)
by Martin Longley
H ere are two trio discs that reveal bassman Joe Fonda
in highly contrasting circumstances. New York City
Session is a repeat collaboration with French pianist
Bruno Angelini and Spanish drummer Ramón López,
recorded in Brooklyn. Even though all three players
provide compositional grist, the development of these
themes has a unified, improvisatory feel, heady with
sensitized interaction. The overall atmosphere is one
of introverted diligence, but this doesn’t prevent a
regular outbreak of tension when the participants
happen to collide at some key juncture. Fonda has a
hard-fingered attack, a terse pull to his bass phrases.
The opening “China” has a gritted-teeth push, but it’s
followed by the lyrical piano dominance of
“Morning”, as Angelini lets his icy stalactites drop.
Then “Song For My Mother” develops a strong
rhythmic pulse, with Fonda providing a toughened
backbone, Angelini bluesily swaggering. By the fourth
piece, it’s clear that this threesome is gifted with a
kind of lyrical violence, where their music is by turns
calm and then clutched into the occasional knot. The
tunes range between three and six minutes, which is Jim Pugliese performs
ideal for altering their degrees of mood and
spaciousness.
with Marco Cappelli and
Recorded last year, A Night in Paris (Live At The their collaborative band
Sunset) features another regular Fonda combo, the
FAB Trio, with violinist Billy Bang and drummer Barry IDR @ The Stone
Altschul. This is a high-energy proposition, with all Corner of Ave. C and 2nd Street
three band members representing jazz at its most
vigorously extroverted. Outside of the studio, these on March 13th @ 8 pm
players keenly grasp the opportunity for amplified
fortitude, each relishing combat and confrontation, On a bottle of good Italian wine you'll find the sticker
each in the business of escalation. Bang skates as he DOC: "Denominazone di Origine Controllata", which
bites, the opening two-part improvisatory title track certifies its good quality. Italian DOC Remix (IDR) is the
setting the tone for this club set. Although these men
result of the artistic exchange between Marco Cappelli
are free jazz champions, they also employ the classic
postbop language, even though representing its more
and Jim Pugliese, whose mutual reverence for the
barnstorming end. Bang flails brashly, as bass and Souther Italian Villages' ritual music inspired
drums roll, buck and ricochet, his prehistoric this collaboration.
earthiness momentarily dominating a collective that’s
deeply in touch with the elements themselves. Rhythm Available in US at Downtown Music Gallery
is at times suspended in spiral space, though on some
numbers the trio are empowered to swing hard. downtownmusicgallery.com/Main
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 19

The Peace of Wild Things
Jay Clayton (Sunnyside)
by Florence Wetzel
The innovative singer Jay Clayton has forged a career
out of taking chances and exploring the possibilities
inherent in the human voice. The Peace of Wild Things is
a subtly adventurous mix of voice, electronics and
poetry. Each of the nine songs features a poem; five
are by the renowned poet E.E. Cummings, with others
by jazz innovator Jeanne Lee, the farmer-poet Wendell
Berry, Lara Pellegrinelli and Clayton herself.
What’s so fresh about this CD is the spare and
spacious approach Clayton and her co-producer Jay
Anderson have taken; they use electronic effects in a
judicious fashion that lets Clayton’s gifts breathe and
allows the poetry to be heard. A good example is
“Love is a Place”, which features one of Cummings’
poems. Clearly Clayton is inspired by Cummings; she
echoes his elliptical, joyful poetry in her airy
arrangements and playful delivery. Through the use of
innovative mixing, Clayton sings and speaks over a
percussive background that consists of her own voice.
Different melodic and percussive lines emerge
throughout the song and these are gradually layered
over one another as the song progresses. Yet even with
the layering of sound, the song remains spacious with
a gentle, lilting quality both understated and vibrant.
Another wonderful song is “No Words, Only a
Feeling”, written by the late, great Lee. In this gently
funky piece, Clayton’s natural voice plays against an
electronically enhanced version and a minimalist
approach creates a bouncy lightness, a veritable
soufflé of sound.
The CD’s title comes from Berry’s poem, a gentle
meditation on finding peace within nature. The Peace of
Wild Things does indeed exude peace and its gentle
exuberance and sense of celebration make it a welcome
offering in Clayton’s long and illustrious career.
the elegance and harmonic sophistication that has
made him a favorite accompanist for a who’s who of
jazz icons since the ‘40s.
His nuanced, tender touch is perhaps best
appreciated on several duets with Moody. On “Old
Folks”, Jones strolls with grace as Moody plays the
melody line softly on flute and increases his comping
volume slightly as Moody solos. “Body and Soul”, a
ballad highlight, finds Jones accenting with implied
stride grooves underneath Moody’s tenor sax and
taking a brief solo replete with references to the Swing
and bop vocabulary.
Moody has been a master soloist since he arrived
on the scene 60+ years ago, as evidenced by “Moody’s
Mood for Love”, immortalized by King Pleasure’s
vocalese lyrics. His ebullient performance on the title
cut as well as on his own “Darben the Red Foxx”
transforms the blues into a smile of dawn.
Most of the compositions, such as Gillespie’s
minor blues “Birk’s Works” and Dameron’s “Lady
Bird” are in the medium tempo range, the major
exception Sonny Stitt’s high velocity “Eternal
Triangle”, where Moody’s emphatic runs are
tempered by Jones’ dramatic rhythmic arcs, providing
listeners with an aural rainbow of colors.
Some may make the claim that the final cut,
Jimmy Heath’s “Moody’s Groove”, with vocals by
Roberta Gambarini, is somewhat out of place. She’s a
favorite of Moody and Jones for her fresh lyrical
approach and fidelity to the changes while scatting.
Heath’s tribute to Moody is sweet, as is Gambarini’s
singing and so only adds to the overall delight.
For more information, visit iporecordings.com. Moody is at
Blue Note Mar. 24th-29th. Jones is at Iridium Mar. 11th-
15th and 19th with Teddy Charles. See Calendar.

For more information, visit sunnysiderecords.com. Clayton

is at Cornelia Street Café Mar. 19th. See Calendar.

Our Delight
James Moody/Hank Jones Quartet (IPO)
by Greg Thomas
“O ur Delight”, penned by Tadd Dameron, is a fitting
title for a quartet date fronted by two venerable elder
statesmen of jazz, James Moody and Hank Jones. Close
listening will surely enchant lovers of acoustic jazz
interpretations of timeless songs by Dameron and
Dizzy Gillespie, Moody’s mentor, dear friend, boss
and frontline partner over four decades.
Bassist Todd Coolman and drummer Adam
Nussbaum, regulars in Moody’s steady group, round
out the quartet and give secure support for Jones’
customarily tasteful comping and refined
improvisations. Jones, 90, is rightfully acclaimed as
the dean of jazz pianists and his playing proceeds with

20 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 BOXED SET
Originals, Vol. 1 & 2
Albert Mangelsdorff (MPS-Universal)
by Andrey Henkin
It is often difficult to present comprehensive career
overviews on musicians given most’s peripatetic
label representation. Legendary German trombonist
Albert Mangelsdorff however enjoyed a remarkably
fruitful relationship with the MPS label from 1968 to
1982, resulting in over a dozen albums under his
sole or co-leadership. Universal has revived the
label’s catalogue and done wonderful justice to the
output of one of Germany’s most revered musicians.
A two-disc set, Solo, collects three unaccompanied
sessions while Live combines the 1976 and 1980
concert recordings Trilogue and Live in Montreux.
But most impressive is the two volumes of
Originals. 10 CDs present an exhaustive overview of
Mangelsdorff’s unique oeuvre in many different
settings, functioning as both a personal retrospective
and a larger reflection on European jazz at the time.
Mangelsdorff began his career in the early ‘50s
in the groups of Hans Koller and Joki Freund,
making an appearance at the 1958 Newport Jazz
Festival as part of the “International Youth Band”
(at 30!). His first records were in the vein of
traditional American jazz until a remarkable three-
album period (1963-67) on German CBS with his
quintet. He followed that up with his MPS debut,
the cleverly-titled ZoKoMa, with guitarist Attila
Zoller and saxist Lee Konitz. That album is the first
disc in Vol. 1, nine originals written by the frontline,
some of the first players to have worked in both the
straightahead and avant garde worlds. Next is the
atypical Wild Goose, his quintet augmented by
brother Emil (alto sax and flute) and Freund (tenor
and soprano), all backing the British folk duo of
Colin Wilkie and Shirley Hart on four of the
former’s originals and three traditional folk songs.
Never Let It End, one of the most important albums
in the European jazz canon, is the third disc in this
set, Mangelsdorff’s quintet pared down to a mighty
foursome - saxist Heinz Sauer, bassist Günter Lenz
and drummer Ralf Hübner - for seven originals by
everyone but Lenz. This document, apart from its
fantastic playing and composing, such as the
“Flamenco Sketches”-inspired title track, is also the
final, perfect, studio document of a seven-year
relationship. Mangelsdorff, even if he is relatively
unknown by general jazz listeners, is favored by
practitioners for his prodigious technique. Trombone
Workshop, one of a series of same-instrument
sessions by MPS, places him in a group with Slide
Hampton, Åke Persson and Jiggs Whigham, plus
rhythm section, for five competitive workouts,
including a track from Never Let It End. The final
disc from Vol. 1 is Mangelsdorff at his most out,
1972’s Birds of Underground with Sauer, saxist Gerd
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
Dudek, free jazz marvel bassist Buschi Niebergall
and drummer Peter Giger for two originals and two
free improvisations, representing the burgeoning
influence of the avant garde in Germany at the time.
Vol. 2 cuts an even wider swathe. The Wide Point
(1975) is a trio session with bassist Palle Danielsson
and drummer Elvin Jones that features Mangelsdorff
the composer. 1976’s Solo Now is an album of
expositions by pianist Joachim Kühn, drummer
Pierre Favre, multi-instrumentalist Gunter Hampel
and Mangelsdorff, along with one Mangelsdorff/
Kühn duet and a quartet track. A Matter of Taste from
1977 by MUMPS - Mangelsdorff Und (Stu) Martin,
(Barre) Phillips, (John) Surman - brings him together
with The Trio, one of the longest-running
improvising groups to come out of ‘70s Europe, for
six group tracks, including the wonderful “Sparrow
Knows”. A Jazz Tune I Hope is a 1978 session with
Elvin Jones, ably abetted by bassist Eddie Gomez
and one of Mangelsdorff’s most regular cohorts,
pianist Wolfgang Dauner. The closing Triple Entente,
documents a 1982 partnership with the Swiss
rhythm section of Léon Francioli and Pierre Favre.
There is only one major omission to this set: the
duets record And His Friends with Don Cherry,
Konitz, Jones, Karl Berger, Dauner and Zoller. And
for a more complete picture of Mangelsdorff, one
must seek out the over 50 albums he cut as a
sideman during this period with groups as diverse
as the Globe Unity Orchestra and United Jazz + Rock
Ensemble. But Originals, plus the aforementioned
Solo and Live, are an affordable and compact
headstart to what trombonists have known for years.
For more information, visit mps-label.de
21
 structure increase, a singer interacts with spoken
voice, before the interlocking textures of the through-
notated second section. In the liners, three of the four
composers highlight the inspiration of Luciano Berio
and this disc’s prime interest likely resides with those
who seek the intersection of contemporary classical
music and improv.
For more information, visit leorecords.com and
www3.sympatico.ca/cactus.red/toucan. Gratkowski is at
Diapason Gallery Mar. 28th. See Calendar.
Palaë
Achim Kaufmann/Frank Gratkowski/
Wilbert De Joode (Leo)
Wake (Live at Mills College)
Frank Gratkowski/Chris Brown/William Winant
(Red Toucan)
Live at Musik Triennale Köln
James Choice Orchestra (Leo)
by John Sharpe
are an animated foundation that drives like a Rio
samba. “El Pavo” provides most of the program’s
assertiveness, Magnarelli and Franceschini putting
forward scorching leads leading to a drum solo over
piano and bass montuno. Elsewhere in the program,
modern jazz and Latin influence meet in a common
groove, amplifying Sheller’s 50 years of experience,
playing trumpet for Mongo Santamaria and writing
and arranging for both Santamaria and Tito Puente.
For more information, visit steeplechase.dk and
martysheller.com. Magnarelli is at Smalls Mar. 4th and
31st and Jazz Standard Mar. 10th-11th with Mike Holober.
See Calendar.

G erman reedman Frank Gratkowski has become an

increasingly significant presence on both sides of the
Atlantic in recent years. Although perhaps best known
for his quartet with drummer Gerry Hemingway, such
currency has seen an increase in collaborators, with his
adventurous alto saxophone and clarinets in cohort
with Herb Robertson, Ray Anderson, Ken
Vandermark, Muhal Richard Abrams and Peter
Brötzmann, among others. These three live discs
present him in diverse company, idioms and locations.
Palaë is the third outing by his co-operative
improvising trio with pianist Achim Kaufmann and
bassist Wilbert de Joode and the pick of this bunch.
Judicious selection and programming of seven pieces
from three dates on a 2006 European tour delineates a
trajectory from indeterminate sound towards almost
overtly jazz influenced momentum. All three partake
in spacious conversation in which extended technique
sometimes belies the instrumental source. Gratkowski
has by now achieved such mastery of his chosen axes
that he adroitly summons whatever sound or texture
seems most appropriate, from nonchalant lumberings
on contrabass clarinet to sustained whistles and
multiphonic trills on clarinet or alto sax. “Storeys
Above” is abstract and mysteriously built from
ghostly sighs and wafts of air, while on the powerful
“the Heart of All”, De Joode unearths a riff which
anchors Kaufmann’s inside/outside piano and
Gratkowski’s multiphonics.
Traversing similar terrain, but with even more of
an experimental bent, Wake finds Gratkowski in the
company of pianist/electronics pioneer Chris Brown
and percussionist William Winant. Timbre and noise
are more integral to this unit’s sound, with the live
electronics central to the overall effect. Culled from a
2007 concert, the five long pieces, with even the
shortest over ten minutes, each cover a lot of ground.
Consequently the payoff is more hit and miss than the
European trio. When it works, as in the wonderful
“Parallax” where chiming bells and pealing piano
envelop saxophone tones sustained like a distant
foghorn, and parts of the 25-minute opener “Slide”,
such as the meditative interlude for clunky piano and
squeaking bass clarinet, then there is a soaring
collective cohesion, but elsewhere the hums, blurts
and susurrations don’t achieve the same synergy.
Improvisation also features strongly with the
James Choice Orchestra’s Live at Musik Triennale Köln ,
but within the confines of heavily new music-
influenced composition. Recorded in his home base of
Köln, Gratkowski’s 21-minute “Pyrsos” is one of four
extended works from each of the leaders of the 23-
strong International band (named as a word play on
favorite author James Joyce). In two parts, the piece
opens with sweeping orchestral textures before
fanning out for small group interactions, around
Benjamin Weidekamp’s excitable clarinet and Udo
Moll’s garrulous trumpet. As the density of the
Jam Session, Vol. 25
Marcus Printup/Ryan Kisor/Joe Magnarelli
(SteepleChase)
Gratitude Dick Oatts (SteepleChase)
Why Deny Marty Sheller Ensemble (PVR)
by Jim Santella
A veteran of the Big Apple jazz scene for 23 years,
trumpeter Joe Magnarelli brings a clear tone, crisp
articulation and fiery imagination to these sessions.
On Jam Session Vol. 25, Magnarelli teams with
trumpeters Ryan Kisor and Marcus Printup, as well as
pianist Andy LaVerne, bassist Steve LaSpina and
drummer Billy Drummond. There are distinct
differences between the trumpeters in tone,
articulation and style; however, each knows how to
communicate fluently. On the sultry ballad medley,
“My One and Only Love” features Printup with legato
statements that feel the essence intuitively, “Never Let
Me Go” is a showcase for Kisor’s laid-back approach
that swings high and low rhythmically and
“Imagination” highlights Magnarelli’s clear trumpet
voice that speaks volumes. Fittingly, they pay tribute
to several of their instrumental forefathers with Thad
Jones’ “Three and One”, Kenny Dorham’s “Scandia
Skies” and “Ca-Lee-So” by Lee Morgan. It’s a
trumpeter’s delight and another significant jam
session from SteepleChase’s deep library.
With eight Dick Oatts compositions to unite them,
the quintet on Gratitude wears its music like a pair of
comfortable jeans. Like two feet that peek out from the
bottom, Magnarelli and alto saxophonist Oatts enjoy
plenty of unison territory. Further up, knees bend this
way and that to the flexible pulse of bassist Dave
Santoro while drummer Tony Reedus remains in the
pocket with his accomplished beat. Pianist Gary
Versace, who doubles on the Hammond B3, fills out
the rest of the denim pattern with double stitching and
creative embroidery. At 55, Oatts is in his prime; the
quintet he’s put together recalls the era when hard bop
expression came with true feeling and sweat. Only the
title track and “Horton’s Lament” veer from this
program’s fiery, bop-flavored attitude; the latter is
also a stellar example of Magnarelli’s lyrical charm,
which runs through the album like a golden thread.
The rhythmic drive of Marty Sheller’s Why Deny
makes this nine-piece ensemble sound much larger
than it is. Three of the leader’s original pieces, another
by saxophonist Bobby Porcelli and two jazz standards
are arranged with dense harmony, flowing melodies
and an ever-present Latin-influenced beat, courtesy of
Steve Berrios. Trumpeters Magnarelli and Chris
Rogers lend a high harmonic structure while saxists
Bob Franceschini and Porcelli and trombonist Sam
Burtis add considerable depth. Oscar Hernandez,
bassist Ruben Rodriguez and drummer Vince Cherico

22 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 Announcing the debut album of percussionist Daniel Sadownick,
"There Will Be A Day" on In Time Records.
It features original compositions and arrangements by this in-demand percussionist
who has recorded with Michael Brecker, Nicholas Payton, Pat Martino, Christian McBride,
Dennis Chambers and Al Green.
The Album also features:
Scott Colley - Bass Rob Bargad - Piano
Joe Magnarelli - Trumpet Michael Karn - Tenor Saxophone
David Binney - Alto Saxophone Daniel Freedman - Drums
Keve Wilson - Oboe Kenny Wollesen - Percussion
Available at:
iTunes.com CD Baby.com Amazon.com EarBuzz.com CD Universe.com
IndieRhythm.com

please visit danielsadownick.com


Doh Tala
Robert Dick/Steve Baczkowski/Ravi Padmanabha
(Epoch Music)
by Marc Medwin
The duo of Steve Baczkowski and Ravi Padmanabha
has been engaging in exploratory improv for some
time and the addition of master flutist Robert Dick is a
stroke of genius.
A certain world-beat vibe pervades much of the
disc, as it does many of Padmanabha’s projects, but
this is no mere new-age feel-good session. The
opening track should clarify the direction from which
these improvisers are coming as they create structures
ranging from serene introspection to New Thing
confrontation. If “Epoch” brings drone to the fore,
Baczkowski’s didgeridoo in full effect, “Boarding”
returns us to the world of free improv as Baczkowski’s
clarinet weaves lines and circles around Dick’s
Dolphy-esque flute pointillisms.
Baczkowski has grown by leaps and bounds since
he came to attention with Paul Flaherty several years
back. If some of the high-drama and roiling intensity
has been replaced by timbral exploration and attention
to delicacy of phrasing, so much the better! His art has
gained subtlety, breadth and wisdom, all especially
apparent and appropriate in this multi-national
context.
Dick’s playing itself bridges geographical gaps; in
the midst of some Varése-influenced atonalities, he
will launch into a modal fragment, repeating it several
times before just as quickly abandoning it for new
territory. In this, his approach mirrors perfectly that of
his comrades. The title track tells the story, sliding and
lurching through percussion-heavy atmospheres with
each musician so in tune with the overall texture that
individual contributions become indistinguishable.
This is world music as it’s meant to be, flexible
without compromise.
allstar aggregations is that it’s not just a one-off
gathering of soloists trying to outdo one another; it’s a
well-rehearsed, unified and apparently egoless
meeting of equals. Each member of the ensemble
arranges one of the chosen artist’s tunes and
contributes an original composition of their own to the
band. It’s a simple, yet ambitious formula that
brilliantly melds a respect for jazz’ past with an
embrace of its future. And how refreshing to find
major figures like Lovano and Douglas who are
willing to spend time as just another player in the
band, even if it is a heck of a band.
Over three discs documenting its 2008 tour, the
octet (which also features Robin Eubanks, Renee
Rosnes, Matt Penman and Eric Harland) offers
powerful, imaginative and heartfelt interpretations of
gems spanning Shorter’s long career and diverse
stylistic incarnations like “Black Nile”, “El Gaucho”,
“Infant Eyes” and even, in an arrangement by Rosnes,
a fresh take on the much-covered “Footprints”. The
original tunes are more of a mixed bag, with standouts
including Zenon’s intricate “Frontline”, Lovano’s
hard-swinging “This, That and the Other” and
Harland’s politically charged “The Year 2008”. The
level of musicianship throughout the nearly
three-hour recording is nothing short of stunning,
with all the Collective members given ample room to
shine.
For more information, visit sfjazz.com. The SFJazz
Collective performs the music of Horace Silver at Allen
Room Mar. 6th-7th. See Calendar.

For more information, visit ravipadman.com. Dick is at The

Stone Mar. 3rd and 8th, Brecht Forum Mar. 14th with
Hans Tammen and Roulette Mar. 15th. See Calendar.

Live 2008: 5th Annual Concert Tour

SF Jazz Collective (SF Jazz)
by Joel Roberts
E ach year since 2004, the SFJazz Collective has
brought together eight of the top names in jazz
(including, in its latest lineup, Joe Lovano, Dave
Douglas, Stefon Harris and Miguel Zenon) to focus on
the work of a single modern jazz giant. Ornette
Coleman, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Herbie
Hancock were featured in past years and in 2008 the
spotlight was on the music of Wayne Shorter - an
inspired, if obvious, choice given Shorter’s profound
influence on today’s jazz scene and the fact that 2008
was Shorter’s 75th birthday year.
What sets the Collective apart from most similar

24 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK


Take Me Anywhere (with Jon Davis Trio)
Marcus Goldhaber (Fallen Apple)
by Marcia Hillman
Marcus Goldhaber’s new CD comes on like a plate
full of comfort food. This collection of 17 songs (almost
half of which are original and the rest familiar
standards) is done straightforwardly with the Jon
Davis Trio (Davis on piano, Martin Wind on bass and
Marcello Pellitteri on drums with drummer Lieven
Venken on one track). Goldhaber’s soft, warm voice
and lyric-driven laid back style tells each story
effortlessly. He also takes a couple of tired chestnuts
(“With Plenty Of Money And You” and “When I Take
My Sugar To Tea”) and gives them a fresh new
approach with changes of tempo and new rhythm
patterns. And just to let you know where his heart is,
Goldhaber does two numbers - “I Fall In Love Too
Easily” (done as a waltz) and “A Lovely Way To Spend
An Evening” - strongly associated with Sinatra.
Since Goldhaber works mostly with the Jon Davis
Trio, they all read each other well. The piano work is
just enough to allow the vocal to take the spotlight, but
also shines with solos on most of the tracks. Wind’s
wonderfully lyrical arco bass is captured on the
original “A Walk” and the aforementioned “When I
Take My Sugar To Tea”. Also worth mentioning is
Pellittieri’s intricate tempo changes on “I’ve Never
Been In Love Before” and Venken’s performance on
“Look For The Silver Lining”. A surprise visit by
Hendrik Meurkens’ harmonica adds seasoning to the
original “Take Me”.
This CD bears witness to the fact that Goldhaber
is a hopeless romantic, that old-fashioned breed of
singer called a crooner. In a climate which pushes
reality and actuality, it’s nice to find something that
bespeaks of light, both moon and candle.
For more information, visit marcusgoldhaber.com.
Goldhaber is at Iridium Mar. 25th. See Calendar.
Keep Your Heart Right
Roswell Rudd Quartet (Sunnyside)
by Fred Bouchard
R uby Braff once described a jazz combo as
“conversation among friends.” Venerated veteran
trombonist Roswell Rudd rates prime candidacy for
Mister Congeniality as he relaxes in witty repartee and
pleasant banter with like-thinking colleagues:
stalwart-yet-light-fingered pianist Lafayette Harris Jr.,
orotund bassist Brad Jones and singer Sunny Kim, a
dew-dappled voice of reason and cheer. Rudd,
self-styled curmudgeon of Kerhonkson
(onomatopoeically Hudson Valley hamlet!), grouses
about being a frustrated singer, but in truth he’s a
one-man chorus on this set of his vigorous songs from
a deep 40-year songbook, a few with lyrics by partner
Verna Gillis.
Rudd dips into his bag of mutes and whips out
more ‘bone voices than Rowan Atkinson does faces.
He’s a gruff plunger on the title tune, cracked-wheezy
grandpa’s kazoo on “The Light Is With Me” and, on
gospel-soaked “Loved By Love”, God’s own glory-
and-honey declamatory voice. He follows or leads Kim
in counterstatements (or harmony blends mixed with
contrapuntal razz-ma-tazz, as on “Bamako”). Kim, a
revelation, launches her smiling, slightly nasal sound
that, for all its wide vibrato, hews unerringly precise
and occasionally channels Sheila Jordan’s mystical
simplicity, as on the spooky “Suh Blah Blah Buh Sibi”
and affirming “Whatever Turns You On, Baby”.
Harris and Jones blend in blissful, hearty support,
unencumbered by traps, especially buoyant on “I Look
In The Mirror” and “I’m Going Sane”; Jones posits
irrefutable solo opening arguments on “All Nite Soul”
(pizzicato) and “You Blew It” (arco). “What’s gonna
happen when the sky falls down?” sings Sunny Kim to
open this feel-good, think-right date. From the
bandstand at the Rubin Museum’s “Harlem in the
Himalayas” series in late January, Rudd placed our
recent doleful doom-boom in perspective with such
original music (as well as upbeat exhortations on
President Barack Obama’s hope-filled Inauguration
and Captain Chesley Sullenberger’s heroic Hudson
River airline touchdown) in an uproarious, life-
affirming duo with pianist Harris, Kim joining them
for encores. To witness, even overhear, transcendent
conversations such as these may well contribute to
cures for what ails us, individually and collectively,
short-term or bone-deep.
For more information, visit sunnysiderecords.com
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 25

Oculus Ex Abyssus
Peter Evans/Weasel Walter Group
(UgExplode)
Eponymous
Peter Evans/James Fei/Damon Smith/Weasel Walter
(UgExplode)
Sparks Peter Evans/Tom Blancarte
(Creative Sources)
by Sean Fitzell
O ver the last several years, trumpeter Peter Evans has
emerged as an exciting voice from the next generation
of creative improvisers. Not yet 30, he’s developed a
broad sonic vocabulary: from brash blasts and
sputtering smears of noise to lengthy lines of
articulated notes, he seamlessly alternates between
extended and standard techniques. Perhaps best
known for his role in the tradition-subverting work of
Moppa Elliott’s Mostly Other People Do the Killing
and the standards-deconstructions of his own quartet,
Evans pushes his expressive and textural range on
three releases from 2008.
The limited-edition vinyl LP Oculus Ex Abyssus is
comprised of two lengthy group improvisations by the
quartet Evans co-leads with drummer Weasel Walter
that includes saxist Paul Hartsaw and bassist Damon
Smith. After a halting introduction, “The Eyes of Hell”
erupts in a fusillade of notes, the musicians furiously
spinning ideas and quickly responding. Evans and
Hartsaw generally use recognizable tones and sounds,
until later when the trumpeter buzzes in duo with
Smith’s sawing bass, a brief respite before the next
torrent. The intensity eventually subsides in a nuanced
concluding section. The script flips on “Ex Adveho
Malum Sonitus”, which builds intensity from a
probing introduction with Walter and Smith spurring
the action. Near the end, Evans offers a repetitive
phrase that Hartsaw and the rhythm section lock into,
creating cohesion from chaos.
Saxophonist James Fei replaces Hartsaw on the
eponymous CD by this collective. Energy and texture
dominate the quartet’s two improvisations, as Fei and
Evans spew contorted sounds that intermingle and
make it difficult to distinguish the source. Smith
teases squeals from the bass with his bow, while
Walter’s rumbling tom runs and staccato fills
punctuate the first improv as it alternates between
intense swells and sparse ebbs. The second piece spills
forth with pounding drums and a cacophonous cloud
of horns. Later, Evans achieves a didgeridoo-like
drone that Fei pierces with sharp blasts. Smith-Evans
and Walter-Evans duets complete the CD, highlighting
the trumpeter’s affinity with these musicians.
A similar abstract approach is taken on Sparks, a
series of improvisations between Evans and bassist
Tom Blancarte, who plays in his quartet and with
whom he has an obvious rapport. Blancarte matches
Evans’ swirling lines with deft bowing to blend with
and contrast the brass on the opener “Xangu”,
particularly a segment of overblown multiphonic
squawks. Seemingly inexhaustible, their non-
idiomatic ideas rapidly flow without establishing
recognizable forms or grooves, an amorphousness that
challenges player and listener alike.
The full-throttle improvisations captured on these
recordings illustrate the breadth of Evans’ imagination
and array of sounds: trilling whistles, overblown
bleats, breathy drones and the occasional clean note
26 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
for stark contrast.
For more information, visit nowave.pair.com/ugexplode and
creativesourcesrec.com. Evans is at Zebulon Mar. 1st,
I-Beam Mar. 13th, Roulette Mar. 14th and Goodbye Blue
Monday Mar. 20th. See Calendar.
The Call (ESP-Disk)
Solo (ILK Music)
Henry Grimes
by Matthew Miller
The disappearance and reemergence of Henry Grimes
after almost 30 years is one of jazz’ great resurrection
stories. The Juilliard-trained double bassist, who
began his career in the late ‘50’s with the likes of
Benny Goodman and Gerry Mulligan before becoming
an avatar of the avant garde in the bands of Albert
Ayler and Cecil Taylor, vanished at the height of his
acclaim to a life of obscurity on the West Coast, to
return in 2003 through the assistance of fans and a
coterie of musicians on both coasts.
The Call, Grimes’ sole effort as a leader from his
early days in New York and Solo, though recorded
more than three decades apart, represent a continuum
that is, in many ways, as miraculous as the bassist’s
reemergence. Taking up where he left off, Grimes
returned to the scene with creative reserves
undiminished by his years of obscurity. Grimes has
become a familiar face at festivals and concerts,
reestablished artistic relationships and began new
collaborations with generations who had grown up
listening to his tumultuous, soulful music.
On The Call, Grimes leads a free-minded trio of
clarinetist Perry Robinson and drummer Tom Price
through a series of original compositions that serve
mostly as bare-bone structures for the discursive
improvisations in which the trio specialized. “For
Django” develops from dirge to a roiling uptempo free
improvisation that pairs Robinson’s blues-inflected
squawks and trills with the leader’s bass lines and
authoritative double stops. Grimes takes a brief bowed
solo exposition before the trio returns with the
mournful refrain.
On “Saturday Night What Th’”, Grimes’ emerges
from the tangled opening fray with a solo exposition
that could be edited seamlessly into Solo, the bassist’s
2008 release. Produced by the Danish drummer
Kresten Osgood, Solo features Grimes in an
uninterrupted, double-disc length improvisation on
bass and violin. The lengthy performance is sustained
by the characteristic duality that has marked Grimes’
playing from ‘60s: an unshakable sense of swing that
permeates the freest improvisation and an ability to
sustain ideas without reference to bar lines or
recognizable forms. Make no mistake: Solo is a
difficult album to digest. It is a work as inscrutable
and unrelenting as its creator but displays an
unblinking devotion to a path deferred, but never
abandoned.
For more information, visit espdisk.com and ilkmusic.com.
Grimes is at Issue Project Room Mar. 3rd with Amiri
Baraka and Rubin Museum Mar. 27th with Marc Ribot. See
Calendar.

Check for Monsters
Okkyung Lee/Peter Evans/Steve Beresford (Emanem)
Fuhuffah Daniel Levin Trio (Clean Feed)
New Code Peggy Lee Band (Drip Audio)
Friulian Sketches Alexander Von Schlippenbach (psi)
by Clifford Allen
The cello has become somewhat like the bass clarinet
in jazz - there are now a significant number of
practitioners on the instrument, yet it still wears the
flag of rarity quite proudly. Four recent discs each
display absolutely different proponents of the
instrument in this music: transplanted New Yorkers
Okkyung Lee and Daniel Levin, Vancouverite Peggy
Lee and New Hampshire native Tristan Honsinger, a
stalwart of European free improvisation since the ‘70s.
Okkyung Lee, born in Korea, has been an integral
part of New York’s Downtown scene since the turn of
the millennium, having played in John Zorn’s Cobra
and Butch Morris’ orchestras as well as with
experimental and noise figures like Thurston Moore,
C. Spencer Yeh and Christian Marclay. Somewhat
surprisingly, Check for Monsters is only her second
recording as a leader (third if you count a recent solo
slab on Moore’s Ecstatic Peace! label). She’s joined
here by multi-instrumentalist Steve Beresford (on
piano) and trumpeter Peter Evans on four group
pieces. The three players work extraordinarily well as
a unit, as each has a clear relationship to both
scumbled mass and elegant poise. The short
improvisation that rounds out this live Roulette set,
“Egokrlo-nar”, manifests this perfectly. Beresford
plays with Satie-like song fragments and
Mikrokosmos clusters as Evans’ breath darts in high
arcs and splays out in metallic circular breathing,
while Lee is devilishly swooping and percussive.
Daniel Levin’s Fuhuffah is, by all accounts, a true
power-trio date, his blood-red double and triple stops,
maddening glissandi and spiky exhortations
supported by the whirlwind of drummer Gerald
Cleaver and bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten on six
originals and a staggering rendition of the folk tune
“Hangman”. The title track finds him pulling out most
of the stops (pun intended) in his technical palette, yet
he’s essentially a ‘traditional’ player; knocking wood
and hushed microtones aren’t particularly part of his
language . In saxophonist terms, he’s the JR Monterose
or Frank Gratkowski to, say, Fred Lonberg-Holm’s
John Butcher and those whose free mettle is intensely
drawn lyricism of a lead instrument cresting bass and
percussion waves would do well with Fuhuffah.
Peggy Lee’s octet falls rather far from the free
improvisation tree on New Code, on which she’s joined
by luminaries of the Vancouver jazz and new music
scenes on 12 tunes including one piece each by Kurt
Weill and Bob Dylan. The latter’s “All I Really Want to
Do” starts off the set beautifully and perhaps places
Lee’s approach as an arranger somewhere between
Nels Cline and Beirut, through a somewhat Balkan
brassy waltz supplanted by wheat-belt guitar twang.
“Preparations” pits dust-bowl electricity and
ponticello strings against a drifting march that, in its
opening statements, recalls Amon Düül’s spaciousness
before the tune’s stately head rears itself, lying quietly
behind Lee’s tense and dangerous sawing. Tenorman
Jon Bentley, trumpeter Brad Turner and trombonist
Jeremy Berkman each acquit themselves as forces on
their instruments, but the twin guitars of Ron
Samworth and Tony Wilson tie the music to
contemporary rock, which holds Lee’s work tightly
between several distinct compositional poles.
Friulian Sketches is the latest outing from German
pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, yet this
particular trio is clearly tied to a classical chamber
lineage rather than anything traditionally ‘jazz’. He’s
joined here by fellow Globe Unity conspirators Tristan
Honsinger and Italian reedman Daniele D’Agaro on
clarinet for 20 short improvisations that, whether due
to instrumentation or feel, reside firmly in a tradition
beholden as much to Bartók as Cecil Taylor/Jimmy
Lyons/Sunny Murray. Yet D’Agaro’s woodwind work
sallies forth with as much Benny Goodman as Michel
Portal and, supported by the interlocking rhythmic
arcs of cello and piano, lends the uptempo pieces an
infectious swing. Honsinger’s “earmeals” and
frequent vocalizations add a madcap energy to the
trio’s urgency while puckering his lines tersely next to
muted piano and chamuleau tiptoes in the trio’s
nocturnes and rhapsodies.
For more information, visit emanemdisc.com,
cleanfeed-records.com and dripaudio.com. Okkyung Lee is
at Roulette Mar. 14th and The Stone Mar. 25th with Miya
Masaoka. Daniel Levin is at Brecht Forum Mar. 21st. See
Calendar.
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 27

Making Love to the Dark Ages
Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber (LiveWired Music)
Suites
Ulrich Gumpert Workshop Band (Jazzwerkstatt)
With the Exploding Star Orchestra
Bill Dixon (Thrill Jockey)
Open Port
Circulasione Totale Orchestra (Circulasione Totale)
by Ivana Ng
I mprovising within a small group is chaotic and
difficult enough, but the four CDs here feature
collectives of as many as 13 musicians, each band
offering different approaches to avant garde jazz in a
large ensemble.
Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber’s Making Love
to the Dark Ages traverses the most genres, fusing jazz,
funk, rock, classical and other musical traditions.
Inspired by the middle passage of slaves from Africa
to America, bandleader Greg Tate wrote “Chains and
Water”, a scorching three-part narrative that utilizes
the powerful vocals of Lisala Beatty and Jeremiah.
Throughout the 25-minute meditation, these two
voices, whether they are scatting or repeating a simple
phrase like “I go back”, always remain a powerful
presence in the sea of blues-inflected harmonica riffs,
drum-and-bass rhythms and woodwind
reverberations. Burnt Sugar experiments with many
different musical approaches and because it is a large
ensemble, each layer of funk, electronica, blues and
jazz is distinctive yet perfectly melded together in
each tune.
Ulrich Gumpert’s Workshop Band, a collaborative
of eight improvisers prominent in their native
Germany, is more traditional (if you can call it that) in
the vein of free jazz. Suites, which is trisected - “Aus
Teutschen Landen”, “Sinfonietta” and “H-M-Suite” -
is a fun record, because it approaches free jazz
seriously, but also delves into orchestral and big band
styles. A playful juxtaposition of moods and melodies
characterizes the CD; the first track, “Es Fiel Ein Reif
In Der Fruhlingsnacht”, begins with a mournful piano
and brass line and then launches into a cacophonous
march. Gumpert begins several tunes himself with
solemn piano notes and it is these enticingly simple
overtures that make Suites so fascinating.
The collaboration between Chicago cornetist Rob
Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra and the
underrecorded trumpeter Bill Dixon is, by far, most
loyal to the avant jazz idiom. This may be due to the
fact that Dixon composed two of the three tracks, with
the third heavily influenced by him. The first and last
tracks, titled “Entrance / One” and “Entrance / Two”,
explore ambient textures, distorted trumpet notes and
polyphonic exchanges. Nestled between these two
tunes is “Constellations For Innerlight Projection (For
Bill Dixon)”, written by Mazurek; in this 24-minute
piece, guest Damon Locks narrates an eerie space
lullaby as Dixon releases a flood of sharp, sputtering
notes, which the Orchestra maps eagerly onto a
dissonant, ethereal soundscape.
The Circulasione Totale Orchestra, founded in
1984 by Norwegian reedman Frode Gjerstad, features
an ever-changing lineup of young, up-and-coming free
jazz improvisers. The group’s latest CD, Open Port,
28 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
includes Norwegian and American players, as well as strings - spends a fair bit of time on the keyboard here.
one British and one South African musician (legendary Which is not to say all is convention. At midpoint the
drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo). The CD consists of piano is trembling with muted clatters, adding a
one 50-minute tune, subdivided into four movements. percussive aspect to her quick chordings, with
“Yellow Bass & Silver Cornet” features blistering Eskelin’s tenor somehow residing right in the middle.
reeds, like a flurry of birds, electronic distortions such But perhaps the nicest of the nine tracks here are the
as tortuous industrial noise, and jangling percussive ones in which the duo defies expectations by simply
motifs that weave through the other instruments. This playing warm, spontaneous improvisations. In the
abrasive interplay exemplifies the acoustic-electric pocket, maybe, but it’s their pocket they’re in.
nature of the Gjerstad’s large ensemble vision.
For more information, visit justin-time.com and
For more information, visit livewiredmusic.org, home.earthlink.net/~primesource. Eskelin is at Cornelia
jazzwerkstatt-berlin-brandenburg.de, thrilljockey.com and Street Café Mar. 6th with Gerry Hemingway. Courvoisier
frodegjerstad.com. Burnt Sugar is at Blue Note Mar. 27th. is at Roulette Mar. 14th. See calendar.
See Calendar.
March 5:
Hank Johnson trio with Gary Smith
8pm ($10)
March 13:
baj featuring Bernadette Speach
Andrea LaRose Jeffrey Schanger
8pm ($10)
March 14:
Willie Mack Quartet
8pm ($10)
March 19:
Albey Balgochian, Lisle Ellis,
Mike Bisio
Silence Every So Often
8pm ($8)
David Murray/ Ellery Eskelin/
Mal Waldron Sylvie Courvoisier March 21:
Jerry Finkelstein & Alle Steirer
(Justin Time) (Prime Source) 8pm ($8)
by Kurt Gottschalk 5C CAFE March 26:
P art of what makes David Murray one of the greatest 68 AVENUE C Steben Ruel
8pm ($7)
jazz saxophonists there is is the way he has of making (AT 5TH STREET)
March 28:
everything seem so effortless. Long, rich, rolling lines 212-254-1142 Dom Minasi String Quartet
seem to flow with ease from his horn. It’s that quality WWW.5CCC.COM 8pm ($10)
that makes a small portion of his enormous
discography all the more special. Once in a while,
when working with one of his elders, Murray seems
reverent, even humbled. If much of the time his
playing seems as simple as telling a tale, occasionally -
when playing with the likes of Milford Graves, McCoy
Tyner or, as on Silence with Mal Waldron - he sounds
like he’s pushing for higher ground.
Murray and Waldron came together in 2001, a
year before the pianist’s death, for a two-day session
that is only now seeing release - surprising given what
an exceptional record was made. They open with the
beautiful “Free for C.T.”, composed by Waldron and
Max Roach and it speaks to both Waldron and
Murray’s individual talents and their deep listening
that they can cover so much ground in a 10-minute
ballad, never resting on the melody but never
overstating the case. The energy builds on the second
tune, Murray’s title track (his only composer credit
here), the name of which almost seems like a joke
given how quickly they press to harder edges. There as
always, Waldron has a wonderful ability to inhabit
both back- and foreground, playing quick, soft
progressions while dropping heavy single notes. They
go on to cover Sammy Cahn (“I Should Care”), Miles
Davis (“Jean-Pierre”) and Duke Ellington (“All Too
Soon”), closing with Waldron’s “Soul Eyes”, sounding
wonderful throughout. And the sound here is notable.
Waldron’s Steinway couldn’t be warmer and Murray
(on tenor sax and bass clarinet) is so closely mic’d that
his swaying from left to right is reproduced in living
stereo.
The surprise in Ellery Eskelin and Sylvie
Courvoisier’s sax/piano duo Every So Often is how
relatively inside the two experimenters were. They’ve
certainly gone spelunking together, notably in their
trio with Vincent Courtois, adventurously seeking
new sounds and textures, but here they sound relaxed.
They’re certainly not playing standards or heads, but
there’s something nicely at ease about the
proceedings. Courvoisier - who is one of the finest of
piano preparers, often playing inside the case and
using tape and small objects to alter the sound of the

Eponymous Eastern Boundary Quartet (Biem Artisjus)
For Andrew Michael Jefry Stevens (Konnex)
Poetry in Motion Conference Call (Clean Feed)
Trading Post Southern Excursion Quartet (ARC)
by Karen Hogg
P ianist Michael Jefry Stevens has enjoyed a prolific
musical journey but collaboration could be seen as the
inspiration behind his music. Each project Stevens
participates in offers a different framework to explore
his compositional and improvisational ideas.
On the eponymous debut of the Eastern Boundary
Quartet, the music literally crosses international
boundaries as Stevens, along with bassist Joe Fonda,
collaborates with Hungarian musicians Balazs Bagyi
(drums) and Mihaly Borbel (sax). This live recording is
a musical quilt combining the spirit of jazz with the
distinctive nature of Hungarian music. The disc begins
with “Song for My Mother”, a Fonda composition, that
starts off plaintively, building to an insistent
crescendo and ending with masterful drum work.
“The End Game”, a Latin-flavored Stevens piece,
features a melodic, virtuosic solo from Fonda and on
“Tuzugras/Fire Jumping”, the quartet exhibits an
uncanny energy and drive. Rounding out the disc is an
improvisational piece and Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro
Blue”. With two American and two Hungarian
musicians, the Eastern Boundary Quartet is a musical
melting pot of the best kind.
For Andrew by Stevens’ trio with bassist Peter
Herbert and drummer Jeff “Siege” Siegel is a showcase
for Stevens the composer. Though the Miles Davis/Bill
Evans classic “Nardis” and the Moross-Latouch
composition “Lazy Afternoon” are included, the
majority of the compositions belong to Stevens. “Spirit
Song” exemplifies Stevens’ lyrical playing, “Waltz” is
a propulsive piece that lets Siegel demonstrate his
nuanced, expressive drumming and “The Lockout” is
a playful, insistent tune with a march-like feel. “The
River Po”, the closing track, begins with Herbert
bowing in the upper registers, creating a dark, moody
tone. The compositions exhibit various influences
from modern and free jazz, but each tune has Stevens’
distinct stylistic stamp.
Conference Call, on the other hand, finds Stevens
as part of a composing collective. All the members -
Stevens, Fonda, reedman Gebhard Ullmann and
drummer George Schuller - contribute compositions to
Poetry in Motion. Stevens wrote the title track and the
aptly named “Quirky Waltz”. Another standout track
is Fonda’s “Next Step”, a kinetic composition that
highlights the rhythm section. Schuller’s “Back To
School” allows Ullmann to showcase his prodigious
skills. The last tune, Ullmann’s “Desert...Bleue...East”,
is a shape-shifting tour-de-force demonstrating the
rhythmic interplay of the ensemble.
Stevens is also a part of the Southern Excursion
Quartet, a collective of musicians living in the
southeastern part of the United States (with saxist Don
Aliquo, bassist Jonathan Wires and drummer Tom
Giampietro.) True to its moniker, Trading Post has a
distinctly southern feel. The Andrew Hill composition
“Ashes” is languid, like a humid Tennessee summer
afternoon. It builds in intensity, but never loses the
relaxed feel. Giampietro’s “A Long and Lonely Nights
30 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
Work” sounds like it could be heard drifting out of a
jazz club on Beale Street. Stevens, who moved to
Memphis after years in the New York City area,
contributed two pieces to this CD, “For Wheeler”
(dedicated to trumpeter Kenny) and “Spiritual”, the
soulful closing track.
For more information, visit balazsbagayi.com,
konnex-records.de, cleanfeed-records.com and
artistsrecordingcollective.info. Stevens is at Roulette Mar.
16th with Joe Fonda. See Calendar.
Live at Issue Project Room
Jim Pugliese Phase III (Improvvisatore Involontario)
by Francis Lo Kee
In the tradition of raucously creative Downtown NYC
jazz-rock bands like Curlew and Naked City, Jim
Pugliese’s Phase III burns with passion that is both
musical and conceptually bold and is a great working
band, not just a thrown-together collection of
accomplished soloists. Yet these are not mere AABA
compositions nor are they played to display a pristine
sense of melody: they thrash and kick about like kids
having fun in a playground, yet with an adult’s deep
connection and knowledge of music. This is not
surprising as Pugliese has performed with traditional
classical ensembles as well as with contemporary
composers like John Cage and Philip Glass.
Perhaps even more pertinent to the Phase III
project, Pugliese has intensely studied African music
tradition. In fact the second track, “Kundo”, is from
the repertoire of Nii Tettey Tetteh, the Ghanaian
master musician that Pugliese cites as a mentor and
major influence. All the instruments - sax (Michael
Attias), guitar (Marco Cappelli), bass (Kato Hideki)
and drums (Christine Bard as well as Pugliese) -
interlock and flow, revealing layers of music that erase
concepts like background and foreground or
primary and secondary melodies. “Fresh”, an original
by the leader, also displays the ensemble synergy that
starts with an angular unison line and develops into a
funky groove over which Cappelli wails. The groove
drops out while the intense dialogue continues, the
mind-blowing, cathartic lines of sax and over-driven
electric guitar melding together in a way that you can’t
tell the difference between them. Then, pow, the
rhythm section re-enters, changing the texture from a
rolling boil to an ominous simmer. But not for long.
The screaming sax-guitar rejoins to make this twisted
sonic car ride go until the last unison line puts on the
breaks, leaving only the smell of burning rubber.
“Slipped” and “New Cued”, also the leader’s
originals, might display more of the Cage influence
with contrasting sections (sometimes only lasting
seconds) of very loud fusillades of notes, then silence,
then atmospheric drones, then an ending on a power
chord. It’s all here. Hypnotic grooves, noise, stop-on-
a-dime unison lines, blistering free jazz and then one
of the most tender and sincere moments the
Downtown scene has ever offered. “Kariga Mombe” is
performed by Pugliese alone, singing and playing the
mbira (African thumb piano) and it not only serves as
a touching last track to this amazing CD but also as
beautiful tribute to the leader’s father, who passed
away only days before this concert was recorded.
For more information, visit improvvisatoreinvolontario.com.
Pugliese is at The Stone Mar. 13th. See Calendar.

Soho Nights, Vol. 1
Ben Webster/Stan Tracey (Resteamed)
by Graham Flanagan
This month we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
birth of one of the jazz titans: Ben Webster. His career
spanned over 40 years, from being a journeyman in the
Ellington orchestra to becoming one of that group’s
biggest stars and subsequently emerging as one of the
most iconic figures of the tenor sax.
On the heels of last year’s Dig Ben, Storyville’s
mammoth, eight-disc box set chronicling Webster’s
European years, British label Resteamed is rolling out
a series of previously unissued club dates that team
the tenor legend with British pianist Stan Tracey. The
first volume presents a high-quality recording of the
set performed at the Ronnie Scott’s famed London jazz
club in January 1968, right smack in the middle of
Webster’s permanent European sojourn that lasted
from 1965 until he died in Amsterdam in 1973.
Along with Dave Green (bass) and Tony Crombie
(drums), the combination of Webster and Tracey
results in a wonderful hour of music, especially where
ballads (Webster’s known specialty) are concerned.
Anyone familiar with Webster’s European recordings
knows full well that his abilities hardly regressed with
age. In fact he always remained the King of the Ballad
and it’s more than apparent on this disc with his work
on “Londonderry Air” and “Come Sunday”.
Tracey’s accompaniment and soloing definitely
measures up to the work of the leader. As the liner
notes suggest, it’s true that Webster tended to favor
ballads and medium-tempo swingers over hot and
heavy scorchers as one might have heard him play as
a member of the Ellington squad. This might be true,
for the most part, but the saxman definitely proves he
still had his uptempo chops in a relatively fast and
furious version of “Sunday”. This set does, however,
give us Webster at his swinging and easy-going best
and should definitely be a pick-up for Webster
completists. You might have to dig deep to get it,
though, as it’s currently only available via import.
For more information, visit resteamed.com
Live at Newport ‘58
Horace Silver (Blue Note)
by Stuart Broomer
F rom his first recordings with the Jazz Messengers in
1954, Horace Silver’s values as pianist, bandleader and
composer have been clearly evident: buoyant swing
propelled by strong riffs and ensemble drive, along
with expressive, edited-in-advance solos. There’s a
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
kind of controlled enthusiasm at the center of Silver’s
music, a slightly formal celebration that owes much to
gospel music and the classic Basie band of the ‘30s.
Live recordings of the Silver Quintet at its peak in
the late ‘50s and early ‘60s were once rare. Only Doin’
the Thing (at the Village Gate) from 1961 appeared in
the band’s prime, followed belatedly by the 2003
release of Paris Blues. This recently-discovered
performance presents the group in a transitional stage.
Blue Mitchell hadn’t yet joined and in the trumpet
chair is Louis Smith, a fine, boppish player, only
intermittently active, his moment in the jazz spotlight
acknowledged recently with the reissue of his 1958
Blue Note debut Here Comes Louis Smith. Drummer
Louis Hayes combines with Silver to brew a churning,
resilient backdrop, the whole circling bassist Gene
Taylor’s springy beat. Silver is also a forceful soloist,
mixing up riffs and vamps and bluesy chords along
with deft quotations. Tenor saxophonist Junior Cook
plays with the force and focus the music requires and
Smith is a deft trumpeter, his quick, thoughtful lines
ricocheting off the themes.
Sets at the Newport Jazz Festival would often run
a scant 20 minutes, but Silver’s quintet gets 44 here,
enough to turn in robust versions of four of Silver’s
taut anthems. The Silver band discipline was such that
a live performance’s mood didn’t veer far from his
studio sessions. Rhythms shift confidently from
straightahead to Latin, with permutations and
overlays; the theme of “Señor Blues” slides easily
between understatement and brash declamation. This
is classic hard bop, from the style’s finest hour.
For more information, visit bluenote.com. The Music of
Horace Silver is at Allen Room Mar. 6th-7th and
Bargemusic Mar. 19th. See Calendar.
31

After Dark
Jeremy Manasia (Posi-Tone)
by Terrell Holmes
P ianist, composer and arranger Jeremy Manasia is the
driving force behind After Dark, an excellent group of
originals and standards rendered by Manasia,
drummer Charles Ruggiero and bassist Barak Mori.
Manasia wrote most of the songs with classic jazz
as his guiding principle. Uptempo tunes like
“Ruggburn” or the cool midtempo blues “Arch Eyes”
are straight from the hard bop lexicon. In the spirited
“Jake’s Dilemma” one can hear whispers of Bud
Powell’s “Oblivion”. There are subtle but substantial
variations on the theme, such as “Search for
Moonlight”, another bop descendant that has
influences ranging from Gershwin to Asian folk music.
Guest star Ian Hendrickson-Smith’s alto sax invokes
Getz more than Coltrane on the samba arrangement of
“Soul Eyes”, but it neither mutes his own voice nor
devolves into hollow mimicry. Jane Monheit’s smoky
vocals light up “When You Smile”, a song whose
structure and lyrics recall the golden era of singing
and songwriting. And any yawns that might be
induced upon seeing the title “Just One of Those
Things” will be stifled quickly by Manasia’s unique
arrangement and the dynamism with which the trio
attacks it.
Manasia continued his homage to the hard bop
tradition during a lively CD release set at Smalls in
late January. The lineup was expanded to a quintet,
featuring trumpeter Joe Magnarelli and Wayne
Escoffery on tenor. The band played no tunes from
After Dark; instead it showcased the music of
trumpeter Kenny Dorham. The set opened with
“Whistlestop”, where ideas poured from Magnarelli’s
horn with such fury that it seemed that he wouldn’t
get them all out. Escoffery spun his wheels a bit
initially but once he found a rhythm his solos were
smartly conceived and resonant. Manasia comped
deliberately throughout the set but played his own
solos with the same fluidity he displayed on disc. The
versions of “Sunrise in Mexico”, “Escapade” and “Our
Thing” were so tight and blistering that it made one
want to run out and buy every single Kenny Dorham
recording possible.
brass wind instruments, but the context of those solos.
This is an unaccompanied piano recording; Bix
recorded the solos rendered here with mostly small
bands playing the New Orleans/Chicago style now
termed trad jazz.
So what we have here is not a reproduction but a
refraction through the prism of Hyman’s piano and
imagination, providing a fresh setting for music
originally performed - or in the case of the Bix piano
pieces - composed by Bix Beiderbecke. Like similar
ventures that take transcribed solos from recordings
and orchestrate them (the groups Pres and Bird
Feathers, many tribute big band projects), Hyman’s
renditions here illuminate aspects of both Bix and the
bands he worked with that are revelatory, clarifying
harmonies and casting melody in a luminous
spotlight. But Hyman’s most impressive achievement
is finding pianistic equivalents for band arrangements
that reflect the suave sophistication of Paul Whiteman
(“‘Tain’t So, Honey, ‘Tain’t So”) or peppy, Jazz Age
rhythmic spirit of Bix & His Gang (“Since My Best Gal
Turned Me Down”).
Only a jazz pianist as completely schooled in both
piano technique and jazz piano history could pull off a
project like this with the felicity and élan of Hyman.
From the wonderful Bix and band interpretations and
the four impressionistic piano compositions that make
up Bix’ “Modern Suite” to the final, rollicking four-
hand duet with fellow pianist Mike Lipskin on “You
Took Advantage of Me”, Hyman imaginatively revives
that old slogan: “Bix Lives!”.
For more information, visit referencerecordings.com.
Hyman is at 92nd Street Y Mar. 7th. See Calendar.

For more information, visit posi-tone.com

Thinking About Bix (Piano Solo)

Dick Hyman (Reference)
by George Kanzler
A piano is not a cornet. That should be obvious, yet
both the name of the label, Reference Recordings and
statements like this one by pianist Dick Hyman in the
notes - “As with all of these replicas, I’ve tried to
reproduce Bix’ solo exactly.” - belie that obvious fact.
Hyman’s “reproductions” of cornet solos by Bix
Beiderbecke lack not only the sounds characteristic of

32 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK


The Chakra Suite
Dave Pietro (Challenge)
by Elliott Simon
Alto saxophonist Dave Pietro is a heck of a bop
player who with his recent projects has integrated
world music and culture into his oeuvre. His most
recent offering, The Chakra Suite, is a concept album
that uses the seven bodily energy centers, or chakras,
that are central to Indian medicine, as an
organizational framework. These move in ascending
order from base/natural to the more supreme/
ethereal and the ambiance of each tune is a musical
abstraction of each chakra within Pietro’s accessible
but innovative Brazilian/Indian jazz setting.
While the suite begins with the back-to-nature
jungle feel of “Muladhara” and ends with the free
flowing “Sahasrara”, Pietro mixes up the order of the
in-between chakras to vary the album’s flow. Many of
these are overtly sensual and the instrumentation -
most notably Pietro’s use of an F-alto saxophone with
its luscious upper register, guitarist Rez Abbasi’s very
cool electric sitar and the Brazilian/Indian percussion
stylings of Todd Isler - ratchets up the ‘hotness’ factor
of the music significantly.
The pulsating rhythms set up by bassist Johannes
Wiedenmueller and drummer Adam Cruz join with
U particularly rooted in its decade, aside from maybe the
SE
EW D Bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Jon Christensen
N
236 West 26 Street, Room 804
New York, NY 10001
Monday-Saturday, 10:00-6:00
Tel: 212-675-4480
Fax: 212-675-4504
Email: jazzrecordcenter@verizon.net
Web: jazzrecordcenter.com
LP’s, CD, Videos (DVD/VHS),
Books, Magazines, Posters,
Postcards, T-shirts,
Calendars, Ephemera
Buy, Sell, Trade
Collections bought
and/or appraised
Also carrying specialist labels
e.g. Fresh Sound, Criss Cross,
Ayler, Silkheart, AUM Fidelity,
Nagel Heyer, Eremite, Venus,
Clean Feed, Enja and many more
Abbasi’s electric sitar and Isler’s Indian vocal
percussion to turn “Vishuddha” into a wonderfully
entrancing jazzy raga while pianist Gary Versace is
exquisite on the beautifully Brazilian-kissed rhythms
of “Ajna”. Pietro adroitly moves among his various
saxophones and does not sacrifice his well-rounded
tone for versatility. He soars on soprano during
“Manipura”, featuring a fiery sax/Indian percussive
duet, uses a C-Melody sax to infuse “Anahata” with a
deeply exotic soulfulness and combines alto with
Versace’s accordion and Cruz’ dynamic drums to turn
“Svadhisthana” into Brazilian bop. With The Chakra
Suite, Pietro has produced what is one of the the finest
jazz/world fusion albums in recent memory.
For more information, visit challenge.nl. Pietro is at Jazz
Standard Mar. 10th-11th with Mike Holober, Barnes and
Noble Mar. 23rd with Scot Albertson and Bar Next Door
Mar. 27th. See Calendar.
The Pilgrim And The Stars New York Days
Enrico Rava (ECM)
by Martin Longley
The Pilgrim And The Stars (1975) is part of ECM’s
renewed reissue program. Here, the Italian trumpeter
Enrico Rava was teamed with what was a typical
lineup from the label. The session doesn’t sound
amplifier tone adopted by guitarist John Abercrombie.
make contributions that sound timeless, alongside the
crisp flutters of Rava. A scene-setting introduction
leads into the rolling, melodic theme of the title piece.
Abercrombie has flecks of organ in his guitar sound,
leading the quartet in a speedy rise towards agitation.
Rava splinters his phrases, crackling as Abercrombie
rips up. “Bella” has a choppy funkiness, with a
spume-splashing trumpet solo, followed by an
extended bass solo, made out of pliable driftwood. The
penultimate “By The Sea” is the most successfully
sculpted tune, representing all that this band excels at
in just under five minutes.
Rava recorded New York Days during a Birdland
residency in February 2008. Perhaps it should be
called New York Nights, as it has a pronounced
after-hours aura. An impressive lineup has tenorman
Mark Turner, pianist Stefano Bollani, bassist Larry
Grenadier and drummer Paul Motian, all dedicated to
creating an unselfish dialogue within their leader’s
introverted compositions. The pieces are concerned
with pulse rather than push, so Motian is the ideal
sticksman. There are occasional stretches where Rava
becomes incongruously heated beside his statuesque
cohorts, as though frustrated by their limpidity,
although this may be a deliberate compositional
strategy. Tiptoeing across noir cobblestones, through
pools of midnight moonlight, Rava suddenly races
into an Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry joust with Mark
Turner, right at the close of “Outsider”, then
delivers an old-fashioned ‘50s-style “Thank You,
Come Again” with a tight theme and a gay gait.
Besides these stretches, this album is comfortably
mesmerizing, but after over an hour of such peaceful
fare, this overnight session is about to move into the
chamber of slumber.
For more information, visit ecmrecords.com. Rava is at
Birdland Mar. 25th-28th. See Calendar.
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 33

On The Radio: The 1963 ‘Live’ Guard Sessions
Sarah Vaughan/Woody Herman Orchestra
(Acrobat Music)
by Florence Wetzel
This unique CD brings together Sarah Vaughan and
Woody Herman, two of jazz’ strongest talents. Shortly
after a studio recording made together under
Vaughan’s name, the pair joined forces in 1963 for a
series of radio programs called “The Guard Sessions”,
which were sponsored by the US National Guard as a
tool for recruitment. On the Radio: The 1963 ‘Live’ Guard
Sessions was culled from these programs and features
eight songs with Vaughan backed by Herman’s
orchestra and eight songs with just the orchestra,
including one with Herman himself singing.
In order to retain the original flavor of the radio
show, the collection includes some of the scripted
banter between Vaughan, Herman and DJ Martin
Block. Although the repartée verges on the goofy, it’s
fun to get a sense of their personalities, particularly
Herman’s exceedingly dry humor.
As for the music, it’s delectable. By 1963, both
Vaughan and Herman were thoroughly seasoned
performers with flawless chops and unbeatable
credentials. Vaughan’s voice is as luscious as ever and
Herman was playing with the latest incarnation of his
“herds”, known as “His Swinging Herd”. This group
included noted soloists Bill Chase on trumpet, Phil
Wilson on trombone and Sal Nistico on tenor sax and
Herman is in fine form on clarinet and alto sax.
Highlights include “Day In, Day Out”, a cheerfully
swinging tune showcasing Vaughan’s smooth,
honeyed delivery. Vaughan is just as compelling on
“But Not for Me”, her easy, natural phrasing and
beautiful range complemented by Herman’s orchestra,
which utilizes just a few instruments in order to give
Vaughan plenty of space. The Swinging Herd also
shines on its own, particularly on the bold and bluesy
“Mo-Lasses” as well as on “Muskrat Ramble”, where
they cut loose with their precise and powerful sound,
featuring an impeccable frontline.
It’s a treat for jazz fans when gems are unearthed
from musicians who are long gone (Vaughan would
have been 85 this month). This is certainly one of those
treats and the inspired combination of Vaughan and
Herman only makes the listener wish for more.
For more information, visit acrobatmusic.net. A Vaughan
Tribute is at Sistas’ Place Mar. 21st. See Calendar.
CT: The Dance Project
Cecil Taylor/William Parker/Masashi Harada (FMP)
by Marc Medwin
Since the late ‘80s, the pioneering imprint FMP has
released more of Taylor’s work than any other
company, including the mammoth box set
documenting his month-long 1988 residency in Berlin.
The present disc, recorded two years later, documents
34 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
a performance of which this music was only one
component. Bert Noglik’s accompanying notes afford
reminiscences of what occurred as dance and music
merged on a July evening in 1990. The album is
divided into two multi-part pieces; the dancers’
presence may account for the way each section unfolds
and the many sudden shifts in dynamic and character.
Of primary importance is whether or not the
music works on its own and it does. The soundworld
is sparer than much of Taylor’s work of the period. In
fact, the closest comparisons might include his
pianoless albums made for Leo in the late ‘80s. As with
those recordings, even the densest moments on Dance
Project are somehow replete with space. Masashi
Harada’s playing accounts for much of the novel
aesthetic, his touch light and his interjections fewer
than those of other drummers in Taylor’s orbit.
Harada’s approach to sound is beautifully aphoristic,
a well-placed roll or cymbal stroke speaking volumes
in his hands. Even at the moments of highest drama,
when Taylor leaves predetermined structure for free
flight, Harada’s playing is astutely reactive.
Bassist William Parker and Taylor’s symbiotic
relationship is beautifully captured here, as
demonstrated by the opening moments of the album’s
second large piece, “Soul Activities”. Parker’s
harmonics complement Taylor’s multihued pianism,
the two creating a multileveled counterpoint as they
do throughout the disc. Truly though, Taylor’s
approach brings the most surprise and enjoyment.
While the percussive nature of his work gets the most
attention, he commands every detail of each note he
plays. His virtuosity here is attendant to his sense of
detail, as he executes gorgeous tremolos and exquisite
glissandi, the angular arpeggiations more meaningful
as a result of the seemingly limitless timbral variety
with which they are contextualized.
Taylor spends a fair amount of time off-mic, but
there’s plenty of room atmosphere which renders his
fevered recitations environmentally realistic. The
recording is first-rate, each detail captured with
stunning clarity. This recording may not scale the
visceral heights we expect from this pioneer and
innovator, but it presents a more introspective side of
his art, an aspect discussed too infrequently.
For more information, visit fmp-label.de. Taylor is at
Merkin Hall Mar. 28th. See Calendar.
Desire
Tierney Sutton Band (Telarc)
by Joel Roberts
Most singers place the emphasis on romance when
interpreting the Great American Songbook. Not
Tierney Sutton. The LA-based vocalist’s latest release
is a decidedly unromantic, melancholy effort that
looks at the darker side of standards by the likes of
Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen, as well
as more contemporary tunes by Dave Frishberg and
others.
With her clear, supple voice, sensuous delivery
and an actress’ flair for the dramatic, Sutton conveys
skepticism along with heartbreak in her highly
distinctive readings of familiar fare like “It’s All Right
With Me”, “Cry Me a River”, “Fever” and “Skylark”.
She’s especially effective in the role of the cynical
seductress in “Whatever Lola Wants”. When she sings
that song’s most licentious lines (“She always gets
what she aims for/And your heart and soul are what
she came for”), there’s no doubt Lola will get
everything she desires.
Sutton is aided enormously over the album’s 11
tunes by her sympathetic bandmates - Christian Jacob
(piano), Trey Henry and Kevin Axt (bass) and Ray
Brinker (drums) - all of whom are given space for
extensive soloing. She’s been working with these
musicians for 15 years and their ease and rapport with
one another is clear.
For more information, visit telarc.com. Sutton is at Dizzy’s
Club Mar. 17th-22nd. See Calendar.
IN PRINT
The Jazz Ear: Conversations Over Music
by Ben Ratliff (Times Books)
by Tom Greenland
J azz critic Ben Ratliff’s new book, following closely
on the heels of his well-received exposé on the
sound and influence of John Coltrane, is a
compilation of annotated interviews originally
published as a series in The New York Times called
“Listening With”. The dramatis personae includes a
veritable Who’s Who of jazz MVPs, including Bob
Brookmeyer, Ornette Coleman, Roy Haynes,
Andrew Hill, Hank Jones, Branford Marsalis, Pat
Metheny, Paul Motian, Joshua Redman, Dianne
Reeves, Sonny Rollins, Maria Schneider, Wayne
Shorter, plus two surprises: Bebo Valdés, (Chucho
Valdés’ father, memorable for his appearance in
Calle 54) and Argentinean pianist Guillermo Klein,
an under-recognized up-and-comer.
Ratliff’s modus operandi was to conduct each
interview while listening to recordings that his
subjects had preselected, using the music as
lubrication and inspiration, a set of “changes” to
blow over. This would, hopefully, provoke
spontaneous reactions instead of usual worked-out
“licks” that many understandably self-promotional
musicians are likely to regurgitate in the heat of
media attention. For the most part he is successful
and the reader is treated to a variety of engrossing
insights into each artist’s aesthetic ethos: Metheny
talks of the “glue” that makes musical ideas cohere;
Schneider reveals underlying metaphors of flying in
her compositions; Klein revels in the impact of
“freshly discovered” harmonies; Haynes and
Motian offer insightful critiques of their drumming
peers; Brookmeyer advises “Keep your hand on the
soloist”; Reeves pays homage to Shirley Horn by
duplicating every nuance of her sung phrases and
Coleman expounds and expands on his concept of
“unison”. Some of the most interesting moments
occur when Ratliff ventures an opinion of his own,
only to stand ‘corrected’ with a clarifying riposte.
In spite of Ratliff’s careful preparation,
proprietary editorial hand and brusque, pithy
prose, these interviews emerge finally as
co-improvisations, freewheeling blowing sessions
that, like many a classic Verve side, make up for in
panache what they might lack in polish.
For more information, visit henryholt.com

Human Activity Suite
Brad Shepik (Songlines)
by Stuart Broomer
Brad Shepik’s Human Activity Suite is a ten-part
mingling of ‘world music’ materials from various
cultures and ecological concerns. Sponsored by
Chamber Music America’s New Works program, the
project sees guitarist Shepik enlarging his usual trio
with Gary Versace on keyboards and Tom Rainey on
drums to include trumpeter Ralph Alessi and bassist
Drew Gress. The result is downright orchestral, Alessi
adding clarion leads to the guitarist’s works as Gress
thickens the already complex, underlying textures.
Seven of the pieces are named for continents and
there’s a certain amount of mimesis in the
compositions. “Lima (South America)” has a
decidedly Latin flare to its melody and rhythms, as
well as Versace’s idiomatic accordion and a village-
band feel to Alessi’s trumpet. Shepik himself doubles
on tambura and electric saz, adding distinctive Indian
and middle-Eastern elements, as in the Indian-tinged
“Waves (Asia)”, with the accordion sounding very
much like a harmonium. However, there’s more going
on here than a travelogue. It’s the meditative richness
of the music - its compelling sense of endangered
cultures and the quiet intensity of its feelings - that
gives this work its character. The level of playing is
consistently high, with Shepik among the most
articulate and quickest-witted of guitarists, able to
find subtle nuance even within a concentrated electric
sound. Alessi’s alternately mournful and crisp lines
seem to cut at the edge of meaning while Versace -
playing piano, accordion and organ - goes far beyond
mere orchestral color, turning in particularly strong
performances on piano. Rainey’s loose drumming, at
once casual and vital, adds a special animation and
contributes to the distinctiveness of the band’s sound.
A frequent use of modal underpinnings knits together
Shepik’s music, a sense of larger unities under the
detailed and sometimes fractured surfaces. It’s an
effective combination of extended composition and
developed group dialogue.
For more information, visit songlines.com. Shepik is at
55Bar Mar. 4th, Rose Live Music Mar. 8th and Cornelia
Street Café Mar. 28th. See Calendar.
Bert’s Playground
Ari Hoenig (Dreyfus Jazz)
by Elliott Simon
The varied contexts in which drummers play make
their own sessions as leaders either spottily uneven or
dynamically diverse. For his latest project, drummer
Ari Hoenig has gathered a troop of six musicians that
includes two bassists, guitarists and saxophonists that
he mixes and matches to illuminate the fun to be had
on Bert’s Playground.
After receiving a gentle push from Hoenig and
bassist Matt Penman, guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and
tenor saxophonist Chris Potter swing hard on Trane’s
“Moment’s Notice”. Guitarist Gilad Hekselman and
bassist Orlando Fleming transform Jerome Kern’s
beautiful “The Way You Look Tonight” into a sandbox
for boppy guitar explorations. Kreisberg, layering
acoustic and electric guitars, elegantly combines with
altoist Will Vinson for “Seraphic”’s subtle spin. This is
followed by Hoenig and Penman leading the way up
the intricate jungle-gym bars of “Ramilson’s Brew”.
Hoenig eerily conjures up a drum solo version of
“Round Midnight” then joins Kreisberg and Fleming
for a reinterpretation of Wayne Shorter’s “Fall”. The
title cut is an apt potpourri of postbop rhythmical
playscapes. “For Tracy” again has Hoenig and
Kreisberg combining for a gorgeous and leisurely
slide. “Green Spleen” is a deliciously funky and wild
tenor/guitar seesaw. And Gershwin’s “Embraceable
You”, delicately interpreted by Hekselman’s guitar, is
a tender reminder that it is time to call it a day. A
major aspect of what holds this session together is
Hoenig’s understated style. He leads not with bravado
but with a wonderfully exquisite touch, allowing his
bandmates to cavort.
For more information, visit dreyfusrecords.com. Hoenig is
at Smalls Mar. 2nd. See Calendar.
Solar Force
Totem (ESP-Disk)
by Martin Longley
This is one of New York’s most exciting improvising
combos, but the Totem trio tend to ration out their
gigs, rarely playing in the area. Thus, purchasing their
new Brooklyn-recorded disc is recommended. Even
though no performance will be alike, it’s a reasonable
guide to their general sound and strategy.
Bruce Eisenbeil’s guitar has a very noticeable
stereo-splitting, enlarging the vistas, sound, making
tiny scrapes into potentially juddering strokes. He
might be a brutalist, but the guitarist is also deeply
aware of all sonic levels, heading right down to the
delicate tinkle. Drummer Andrew Drury has a classic
dismantling-of-an-automobile approach and bassist
Tom Blancarte equals his colleagues in a match of
speed-thought and immediate implementation of
ideas. Towards the end of the opening “Blooming
Ore”, it’s difficult to identify between bowed bass,
scraped cymbal and whatever Eisenbeil’s doing to his
axe. The four pieces range from 10 to 16 minutes
apiece, which is an ideal time for these extended
soundscapes to evolve. “Austenized” probes the quiet
zone, rummaging around with great sensitivity.
Density, hardness and hyperactivity resume for
“Hephaestus’ Wrath” and the scrapyard can’t be saved
from destruction. After five minutes, the buzzsaw
mania is in full flow, operating within a jazz improv
structure, but using a rock palette.
A similar approach prevailed at Zebulon at the
end of January, ESP-Disk’s founder Bernard Stollman
sitting right at the front, with a set that exuded the
pungent air of resourceful improvising. Totem concern
themselves with a rockier form of abstraction,
amplified to a screaming, metal-groaning level which
is all the more apparent out in the live field. Perhaps
influenced by the rowdier barroom ambience, Totem
left less space for tentative exploration and demanded
a more argumentative approach. Eisenbeil mostly
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
chose to avoid traditional guitar gestures, deploying
metal skating devices or attacking all of the string
areas, upper and lower extremities that are away from
the accustomed ‘bridge’ zone. Likewise Drury
engaged in an extended bout of extreme small-cymbal
scraping, sometimes issuing high trebly screams that
were surprising, emanating from a low-amplified
source. On this particular night, the Totem mission
was to avoid sounding too much like guitar, bass and
drums. They sent a few individuals running for the
subway, but those that remained were clearly
ensnared by this beautifully tense racket.
For more information, visit espdisk.com
ON DVD
In Concert: Coconuts Feeding Birds
Billy Martin (Vongole-Amulet)
by Graham Flanagan
D ue to his tenure with mega-successful avant
garde jamband powerhouse Medeski Martin and
Wood, Billy Martin currently inhabits the most elite
pantheon of contemporary percussionists.
This popularity has made each member of that
trio a star in his own right and their solo work
attracts similarly large and enthusiastic crowds
wherever they perform. The new DVD In Concert:
Coconuts Feeding Birds gives us one such
performance, showcasing the drummer/
percussionist in a solo environment on stage at
Houston Community College in 2008, where he
taught a percussion master class. Martin surrounds
himself with an eccentric arsenal of instruments,
ranging from a standard drum kit to a frying pan,
not to mention gongs, bongos and imposing concert
bass drums.
The opening “Black Elk Speaks” pays homage
to the teachings of the famous Sioux Medicine man
by recreating a powerful storm. Martin deftly
accomplishes this by beginning with foreboding
rumblings and making the sounds evolve into a
chaotic, sonic maelstrom through the crashing of
gongs and cymbals. After that nearly ten-minute
journey, Martin loosens up with selections that
recall the African origins of the handmade
instruments used to play them. Perhaps the most
enjoyable piece occurs with “Whirlwind Chaser”, in
which Martin begins by establishing a rhythm on
the agogo bells; continuing to play the bells, he
walks to his drum set and accompanies the music
he’s making with his hands by adding a driving
beat with his hi-hat and bass drum.
The rest of the set presents Martin as a true
virtuoso. He’s like a mad scientist happy to be
confined to his laboratory where he can play with
his toys without being disturbed by the outside
world. This is required viewing for every
percussion student or fan. It allows the viewer to
spend an hour with one of the world’s greatest
percussionists in a totally raw, intimate
environment that no doubt informs and inspires the
music he makes in sold-out concert halls.
For more information, visit amuletrecords.com. Martin
is at Roulette Mar. 20th. See Calendar.
35
 CALENDAR

Sunday, March 1 • Leni Stern with Mamadou Ba, Brahim Frigbane, Kofo
55Bar 10 pm
ÌEivind Opsvik Overseas with Tony Malaby, Jacob Sacks,
Kenny Wollesen ISCP 8 pm
• Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers • Tom Abbott’s Big Bang Big Band; Ai Murakami Trio • TK Blue Quintet with Benny Powell, Onaje Allan Gumbs,
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 The Garage 7, 10:30 pm Essiet Essiet Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20
• Spanish Harlem OrchestraBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 • Greenpoint Jazz Festival: Lola Danza with Don Pate,
• Ann Hampton Callaway with Ted Rosenthal, Jay Leonhart,
Victor Lewis Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Wednesday, March 4 Rakalam Bob Moses; Glenn White; Where’s Ilva: Chris Norton,
• Honor: Blues, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Soul, And Beyond: Dave Carey, Bryan Reeder, Joseph Higgins, Greg Evans;
• Ed Simon Trio with Ben Street, Adam Cruz Lewd Buddha: Frankie Malabe, Robert Valderrama, Eddie Torres,
Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 Ray Chew, Geri Allen, Terence Blanchard, James Carter, Derek Currier, Tony Oliveras, Erika Montaperto; Brian Newman
ÌMostly Other People Do the Killing: Moppa Elliott, Jon Irabagon, Ron Carter, Freddie Jackson, Leela James, Kem, Toshi Reagon, Red Star 8 pm $10
Peter Evans, Kevin Shea; Capillary Action; Mary Halvorson/ Vernon Reid, Ryan Shaw, James “Blood” Ulmer • Hendrik Meurkens Trio; Yotam Silberstein Trio
Jessica Pavone Zebulon 8 pm Carnegie Hall 8 pm $28-86 Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10
ÌDr. Lonnie Smith Quartet with Donald Harrison, Peter Bernstein,
• Vic Juris Trio with Jay Andersen, Adam Nussbaum • Thought: Tim Allen, PJ Boeckel, Lynn Ligammari,
55Bar 6 pm Herlin Riley Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 Michael Williams, Jared Schonig
ÌRaoul Björkenheim/Lukas Ligeti Duo
• Stebmo Trio: Steve Moore, Todd Sickafoose, Kenny Wollesen Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5
55Bar 9:30 pm The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 • Lady Got Chops Festival: Annette Aguilar Stringbeans Ensemble
• Peter Gordon Orchestra with Elio Villafranca, Yunior Terry, • Cynthia Hilts Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $25
• Freddie Bryant Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $8 The Jazz Spot 9 pm $10
Robby Ameen, Ned Sublette, Steven Bernstein, Martha Mooke, • Brad Shepik NYU World Ensemble with Jackie Coleman, • Michael Feinberg with Alex Norris, Landon Knoblock,
Kit Fitzgerald Le Poisson Rouge 9 pm $10 Lenart Krecic, Ross Edwards, Ramon de Bruyn, Shareef Taher; Daniel Platzman, Godwin Louis
ÌMatt Bauder with Jason Ajemian, Tomas Fujiwara; Josh Sinton’s Fat Cat 10 pm
Holus-Bolus with Jon Irabagon, Jonathan Goldberger, Brad Shepik Quartet with Loren Stillman, Gary Versace, • Newxotica: David Caldwell-Mason, Keith Drogan, Eyal Maoz,
Peter Bitenc, Mike Pride CoCo 66 9 pm Mark Ferber 55Bar 7, 10 pm Andy O’Neill Tillie’s 8 pm $5
• Annette Aguilar Stringbeans Ensemble • Deanna Kirk Quartet with Joel Frahm, John DiMartino, Neal Miner
• Eidolon: Tucker Dulin, Bryan Eubanks, Adam Diller, Kenny Wang,
Brooklyn Lyceum 9, 10:30 pm $10 The Kitano 8, 10 pm Andrew Lafkas, Jim Altieri, Maria Mykolenko, Ann Adachi,
• Peter Leitch/Thomson Kneeland • Terry Waldo solo; Dred Scott Trio with Ben Rubin, Tony Mason;
Joe Magnarelli Quartet Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 Katie Young, Leif Sundstrom, Dave Ruder, Dave Kaden and guest
Walker’s 8 pm • Alex Waterman Issue Project Room 8 pm $10 Jonathan Zorn, Michael Bullock
• Nook: Kenny Warren, JP Schlegelmilch, Jonathan Goldberger, Lutheran Church of the Messiah 8 pm
ÌKris Davis Trio with Nate Radley, Ted Poor
Jeff Ratner, James Windsor-Wells; Martin Urbach Group with Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $8 • Valerie Capers/John Robinson
Brian Seeger, Scott Bourgeois, Tim Collins, Pascal Niggenkemper, • Matt Renzi Trio Brooklyn Lyceum 8, 9:30 pm $10 Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5
Sonia Szajnberg Bowery Poetry Club 7 pm • Bill Stevens Quintet with Charlie Gushee, Elliot Honig, Paul Pricer, • Dexter Calling: Dave Liebman, Eric Alexander, George Cables,
• Cécile Broché ABC No Rio 8 pm $3 Lonnie Plaxico, Billy Drummond
• The Stick-Ups: David Luther, David Bailis, Bennett Miller, Eric Peters Cachaça 7, 8:10 pm $10 Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30
Joel Arnow Rose Live Music 10 pm • Hank Johnson Trio with Gary Smith, Mike Benjamin
ÌKind of Blue 50th Anniversary Sextet with Jimmy Cobb,
• Yayoi Filipski Blue Owl 8 pm $5 5C Café 8 pm $10 Eddie Henderson, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Larry Willis,
• Melissa Stylianou Quintet with Joel Frahm, Jamie Reynolds, • Ronen Itzik Quartet Tapeo 29 8 pm
ÌGeorge Cables Project with Gary Bartz, Jeff “Tain” Watts John Webber Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30
Gary Wang, Mark McLean Saint Peter’s 5 pm Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 ÌRoberta Gambarini Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30
ÌCobi Narita Birthday Bash Saint Peter’s 7 pm ÌDavid Fiuczynski’s KiF with Steve Jenkins, Louis Cato
• Cameron Carpenter Middle Collegiate Church 6 pm • Michel Legrand Trio with David Finck, Lewis Nash and guests
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $40-60 Blue Note 12:30 am $10
• Champian Fulton Smoke 6, 7 pm • Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with Michael Mossman,
ÌRoy Hargrove Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
• Brian Lynch NYU Ensemble Jim Seeley, John Walsh, Michael Rodriguez, Reynaldo Jorge,
ÌCyrus Chestnut/Eric Reed Duet and Quartet with Dezron Douglas,
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $24.50 Willie Jones III Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Gary Valente, Tokunori Kajiwara, Douglas Purviance,
• Nicole Pasternak Trio with Chris Flory, Joel Forbes Bobby Porcelli, David De Jesus, Mario Rivera, Jimmy Delgado,
ÌCurtis Brothers: Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, John Davis,
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm Obed Calvaire, Reinaldo De Jesus, Philip Dizack, Kris Allen, Ivan Renta, Pablo Calogero, Ricardo Rodriguez, Vince Cherico,
• Albey Balgochian Tribes Gallery 3 pm Tony Rosa Symphony Space 8 pm $30
• Time for Three: Ranaan Meyer, Zachary De Pue, Nicolas Kendall Frank Kozyra Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 ÌDr. Lonnie Smith Quartet with Donald Harrison, Peter Bernstein,
Brooklyn Publ. Library Ctr. Branch 4 pm • Travis Sullivan’s Björkestra with Becca Stevens, Ian Cook,
Sean Nowell, Lauren Sevian, Alan Ferber, Ryan Keberle, Herlin Riley Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Rob Silverman Trio Manna House Mini Theatre 4 pm $15 • Michel Legrand Trio with David Finck, Lewis Nash and guests
• Alicia Svigals/Marilyn Lerner Kevin Bryan, Eli Asher, Art Hirahara, Yoshi Waki, Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $40-60
City Winery 11 am $10 Joe Abbatantuono Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20 ÌRoy Hargrove Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $35
• John Colianni Quartet; David Coss and Trio • David White Jazz Orchestra; Ryan Oliver Quartet
ÌCyrus Chestnut/Eric Reed Duet and Quartet with Dezron Douglas,
The Garage 12, 7 pm The Garage 6, 10:30 pm Willie Jones III Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
• Jan Leder/Jon Davis Saint Peter’s 1 pm $5 ÌCurtis Brothers: Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, John Davis,
Monday, March 2 Thursday, March 5 Obed Calvaire, Reinaldo De Jesus, Philip Dizack, Kris Allen,
ÌGeri Allen Schomburg Center 7 pm $22.50 Frank Kozyra Dizzy’s Club 1 am $10
ÌMingus Big Band: Scott Robinson, Doug Yates, Vincent Herring, • Dexter Calling: Dave Liebman, Eric Alexander, George Cables, • Paolo Sabia Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm
Lauren Sevian, Joe Fiedler, Avishai Cohen, Jeremy Pelt, Lonnie Plaxico, Billy Drummond • Karl Walters Jr Trio; Cassim & Barbaria
Earl Gardner, David Kikoski, Hans Glawischnig, Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm
ÌKind of Blue 50th Anniversary Sextet with Jimmy Cobb, • Hide Tanaka Trio; Kevin Dorn’s Traditional Jazz Collective
Jeff “Tain” Watts Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 Eddie Henderson, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Larry Willis,
• Jonathan Batiste Quintet Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $15 The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
• Imani Uzuri Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $15 John Webber Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30
ÌRoberta Gambarini Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30
• Larry Ham Trio with Lee Hudson, Tom Melito; Ari Hoenig Group
with Jon Kreisberg, Danton Boller, Will Vinson • Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with Michael Mossman,
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $20 Jim Seeley, John Walsh, Michael Rodriguez, Reynaldo Jorge,
ÌTodd Nicholson’s Otic Band with Dave Sewelson, Nabate Isles, Gary Valente, Tokunori Kajiwara, Douglas Purviance,
Newman Taylor Baker; Billy Bang Quintet with James Zollar, Bobby Porcelli, David De Jesus, Mario Rivera, Jimmy Delgado,
Andrew Bemkey, Todd Nicholson, Newman Taylor Baker Ivan Renta, Pablo Calogero, Ricardo Rodriguez, Vince Cherico,
Yippie Café 7:30 pm $10 Tony Rosa Symphony Space 8 pm $30
ÌChris McIntyre solo and with Josh Frank, Mike Atkinson,
• Avram Fefer’s Electric Kool-Aid with Kenny Wessel, Dave Phelps,
Gbatokai Dakinah, Kenny Wollesen, Matt Kilmer Louis Bremer Issue Project Room 8 pm $10
Nublu 11 pm • Gyan Riley with Timb Harris, Ches Smith; Paolo Angeli solo
• David Amram and Co. with Kevin Twigg, John de Witt, The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
Adam Amram Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10 • Aquiles Baez Trio with Pedro Giraudo, Samuel Torres
• Alex Terrier Quartet with Roy Assaf, Pascal Niggenkemper, Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15
ÌSam Newsome solo; David Berkman solo
Steve Davis Cachaça 7:30, 9 pm $10 Douglass St. Music Coll. 8 pm $10
• Jane Rigler/Anne La Berge
Diapason Gallery 8 pm $8 • Christian Tamburr with Brandon Wright, Oscar Perez, Matt Wilson,
• Melissa Stylianou Trio with Keith Ganz, Gary Wang Hans Glawischnig The Kitano 8, 10 pm
Bar Next Door 8 pm $10 • Rosanno Sportiello solo; Gregg August Sextet with Jim Rotondi,
• Owen Stewart Robinson; Beutifull Bells Bruce Williams, JD Allen, Luis Perdomo, Rudy Royston;
Bar 4 7, 8:30 pm $5 Alex Hoffman Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
• Douglas Bradford; Danny Sher’s Idiosyncrasies; Salo Sextet; • Freddie Bryant Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
Bobby Avey Spike Hill 7 pm • Sean Smith Quartet with John Ellis, Keith Ganz, Russell Meissner
• New School Presents: Anton Pyvavarov Group; 55Bar 7 pm
Samuel Mortellaro Trio Sweet Rhythm 8, 10 pm $10 • Jazz Guitars Meet Hendrix: Sheryl Bailey, Vic Juris, Brian Charette,
• Musicians’ Think Tank Hosted by Lola Danza with Yoko and Anthony Pinciotti 55Bar 10 pm
Dan Gilman; John Voigt/Steve Swell Chinese Yoga Workshop; • Kat Calvosa; Natalie John Quartet with Dominic Fallacaro,
Jeff Platz with John McLellan, Daniel Carter, Kit Demos; Maeve Royce, Stu Bidwell Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10
Yukonaughtica Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm • Masters of Tashkent: Rob Thomas, Adam Klipple, Al Street,
• Fay Victor’s Jazz Vault Project with Michael Attias, Jose Davila, Francis Mbappe, Jordan Perlson
Anders Nilsson 55Bar 7 pm Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5
• Howard Willliams Jazz Orchestra; Ben Cliness • Antolin Trio with Noriko Tomikawa, Hilliard Greene;
The Garage 7, 10:30 pm Chris Dingman/Kaoru Watanabe Duo
Le Grand Dakar 8 pm
Tuesday, March 3 ÌDr. Lonnie Smith Quartet with Donald Harrison, Peter Bernstein,
Herlin Riley Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
ÌGeorge Cables Project with Gary Bartz, Jeff “Tain” Watts • Michel Legrand Trio with David Finck, Lewis Nash and guests
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $40-60
• Michel Legrand Trio with David Finck, Lewis Nash and guests ÌRoy Hargrove Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $40-60 ÌCyrus Chestnut/Eric Reed Duet and Quartet with Dezron Douglas,
ÌRoy Hargrove Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 Willie Jones III Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
ÌCyrus Chestnut/Eric Reed Duet and Quartet with Dezron Douglas, ÌCurtis Brothers: Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, John Davis,
Willie Jones III Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Obed Calvaire, Reinaldo De Jesus, Philip Dizack, Kris Allen,
ÌCurtis Brothers: Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, John Davis, Frank Kozyra Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
Obed Calvaire, Reinaldo De Jesus, Philip Dizack, Kris Allen, • Masami Ishikawa Trio Cleopatra’s Needle 7 pm
Frank Kozyra Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 • Edouard Brenneisen Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm
• Amiri Baraka/Henry Grimes • Champian Fulton Trio; Ron Petrides Trio
Issue Project Room 8 pm $10 The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
ÌMarc Uys/Jacqueline Kerrod; Robert Dick, Reuben Radding, • Imani Winds CUNY Graduate Center 1 pm
Lukas Ligeti The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
• Mike Longo Trio NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15
ÌJohn Bunch Trio with Bucky Pizzarelli, Jay Leonhart;
Friday, March 6
ÌSFJAZZ Collective Performs Horace Silver: Joe Lovano,
Grant Stewart Quartet; Ken Fowser Quartet with Behn Gillece Dave Douglas, Miguel Zenón, Robin Eubanks, Renee Rosnes,
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 Matt Penman, Eric HarlandAllen Room 7:30, 9:30 pm $60
• Travis Sullivan’s Björkestra with Becca Stevens, Ian Cook,
ÌCurtis Fuller Creole 8, 10 pm $20
Sean Nowell, Lauren Sevian, Alan Ferber, Ryan Keberle, ÌThe Detroit 3: Geri Allen, Bob Hurst, Karriem Riggins
Kevin Bryan, Eli Asher, Art Hirahara, Yoshi Waki, The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25
Joe Abbatantuono Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20 ÌOliver Lake/Vijay Iyer Symphony Space 7:30 pm $30
• Laurie Krauz and Daryl Kojak Octet with Sean Conly, Gene Lewin,
ÌGerry Hemingway Quartet with Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson,
‘Sweet’ Sue Terry, Jamie Fox, Emily Bindiger, Margaret Dorn, Kermit Driscoll Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $10
Kathryn Raio Iridium 8, 10 pm $25 ÌIgor Lumpert Group; Pete Malinverni Invisible Cities with
ÌMichael Blake with Ben Allison, Doug Wamble, Rudy Royston
City Winery 8 pm Scott Wendholt, Rich Perry, Ugonna Okegwo, Tom Melito;
• Ken Hatfield, Hans Glawischnig, Jamie Baum Tim McCall Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
Fetch 7 pm • Pedro Giraudo Orchestra with Alejandro Aviles, Todd Bashore,
• Lathan Hardy Trio Le Grand Dakar 8:30, 10 pm $5 Luke Batson, Carl Maraghi, Miki Hirose, Brian Pareshi,
• Jack Wilkins/Richard Boukas Ryan Keberle, Mike Fahie, Jess Jurkovic, Jeff Davis, Tony De Vivo,
Bella Luna 8 pm Sofia Tosello Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15
ÌMichael Thieke/Kai Fagaschinski
• Amy Cervini Group with Greg Heffernan, Jesse Lewis, Matt Aronoff
55Bar 7 pm Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5
• Jenny Scheinman Whitney Museum 7 pm

36 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 Saturday, March 7 Monday, March 9 • Nick Moran Trio; Dave Kain Group
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
ÌDick & Derek’s Piano Party: Dick Hyman, Derek Smith, ÌDavid “Fathead” Newman Memorial: Joe Lovano, Javon Jackson, • Loston Harris/Christopher Berger
Bill Charlap, Meral Guneyman, Rossano Sportiello, Carol Woods, Cedar Walton, Rufus Reid, Frank Wess, Jimmy Cobb, Yoron Israel, Saint Peter’s 1 pm $5
Evan Christopher, James Chirillo, Aaron Weinstein, Jay Leonhart, Lou Donaldson, David Williams, Bryan Carrott, David Leonhardt,
Eddie Locke 92nd Street Y 8 pm $50-60
ÌHazmat Modine meets Millennial Territory Orchestra
John Menegon, Cynthia Scott, Randy Brecker, Marcus Belgrave,
Benny Powell, Howard Johnson, Nancy Reed, Peter Bernstein,
Thursday, March 12
ÌPhil Woods Quintet with Brian Lynch, Bill Mays, Steve Gilmore,
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $12 John DiMartino Saint Peter’s 7 pm Bill Goodwin Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
ÌFrank Carlberg Quintet with Christine Correa, John O’Gallagher, ÌChristian McBride and guests
John Hebert, Michael Sarin Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Antonio Ciacca Quartet Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
ÌOdean Pope Saxophone Choir with James Carter, Julian Pressley,
Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $10 • Carmen Lundy Schomburg Center 7 pm $22.50 Sam Reed, Louis Taylor, Elliott Levin, Terry Lawson, Seth Meicht,
• John Zorn Improv Night - A Stone Benefit with Lukas Ligeti and ÌMingus Orchestra: Wayne Escoffery, Ku-umba Frank Lacy,
guests The Stone 8, 10 pm $20 Jason Marshall, John Clark, Michael Rabinowitz, Mark Whitfield, Terrence Brown, Joe Sudler, George Burton, Lee Smith,
• Connection Works Ensemble: Michel Gentile, Rob Garcia, Boris Kozlov, Jeff “Tain” Watts Craig McIver Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
Massimo Biolcati and guest Dan Tepfer; Wycliffe Gordon Quartet Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 • Mose Allison Trio with Ron McClure, Tom Whalley
with Aaron Diehl, Zaid Shukri, Rodney Green • Curhachestra: Curtis Hasselbring, Ron Caswell, Brian Drye, Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
ÌMicroscopic Septet; One Ring Zero
Belarusian Church 8 pm $15 Tim Monaghan, Brandon Seabrook Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $15
• Sacred Ellington: Jessye Norman, Mike Lovatt, Bill Easley, Barbès 7 pm $10 ÌEhud Asherie Duo with Jon-Erik Kellso; Don Friedman Trio with
Ira Coleman, Flux Quartet St. John the Divine 8 pm ÌNed Rothenberg/Paolo Angeli
Martin Wind, Tony Jefferson; Alex Hoffman
• Marco Benevento Trio with Dave Dreiwitz, Andrew Barr Issue Project Room 8 pm $10
The Bell House 10:30 pm $15 • Lonnie Plaxico Group Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $15 Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $20
ÌHarris Eisenstadt’s Woodblock Prints with Jose Savila, Brian Drye, • James Keepnews’ Stalker with Todd Nicholson, Mike Golub; • Luiz Simas Trio with Adriano Santos, Itaiguara
Jonathan Goldberger, Mike McGinnis, Jason Mears, Mark Taylor, Bern Nix Trio with Francois Grillot, Jackson Krall Bargemusic 8 pm $20-35
Sara Schoenbeck, Garth Stevenson; Nate Wooley, Adam Linson, Yippie Café 7:30 pm $10 • Thomas Buckner Roulette 8:30 pm $15
Harris Eisenstadt I-Beam 9, 10 pm $10 • Walter Fischbacher Trio Nublu 11 pm • Esperanza Spalding Schomburg Center 7 pm
• Mario Escalera Sextet Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $20 • Bryn Roberts Trio with Dave Wong; Gilad Hekselman Group with • Craig Davis Trio with Marco Panascia, John Davis
ÌMary Halvorson/Weasel Walter Joe Martin, Obed Calvaire Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $20 The Kitano 8, 10 pm
ÌInner Circle Showcase: Logan Richardson, Ambrose Akinmusire,
Zebulon 8 pm • Sean Wayland with Pete McCann, Aki Ishiguro, Tim Le Febvre,
Mike Pinto, Greg Ruggiero, Joe Sanders, Tommy Crane
• Sunny Jain’s Red Baraat Festival Mark Guiliana 55Bar 10 pm
Barbès 10 pm $10 • Andre Goncalves, Margarida Garcia, Barry Weisblatt Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15
• Etienne Charles Trio; Jon Irabagon Trio Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5 • Matthew Welch Issue Project Room 8 pm $10
Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10 • Sarah Lynch Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10 • Dave Allen Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
• Rocco John Group Otto’s Shrunken Head 7 pm • Adam Schneit; Blast off Bar 4 7, 8:30 pm $5 • Uri Gurvich Group with Leo Genovese, Hans Glawischnig,
• Lady Got Chops Festival: Jackie Coleman and Friends • Brad Farberman, Marco Cappelli, Dave Miller; Akihiro Nishiguchi; Eric Doob Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5
The Jazz Spot 9 pm $10 Adam Caine Quartet; Ramiro Olaciregui • Julie Hardy, Mark Dewings, Simona Dolecki, Bryson Kern;
ÌSFJAZZ Collective Performs Horace Silver: Joe Lovano, Spike Hill 8 pm Wendy Gilles with Petr Cancura, Jamie Reynolds, Brian Adler
Dave Douglas, Miguel Zenón, Robin Eubanks, Renee Rosnes, • New School Presents: Burbeck Alumni Band Tribute to Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10
Matt Penman, Eric HarlandAllen Room 7:30, 9:30 pm $60 Freddie Hubbard with Brian Chahley, Lucas Pino, Glenn Zaleski, • Nick Moran Trio with Daniel Kelly, Chris Michael
ÌCurtis Fuller Creole 8, 10 pm $20 Chris Smith, Cory Cox Sweet Rhythm 8, 10 pm $10 Inkwell Café 8 pm $5
ÌThe Detroit 3: Geri Allen, Bob Hurst, Karriem Riggins ÌSteve Kuhn Trio with Eddie Gomez, Al Foster
• Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra; Michael O’Brien
The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25 The Garage 7, 10:30 pm Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
ÌDwayne Clemons with Josh Benko, Sacha Perry, Murray Wall, ÌThe Jazz Masters Salute the Broadway Masters: Hank Jones,
Jimmy Wormworth; Pete Malinverni Invisible Cities with Tuesday, March 10 Frank Wess, Rufus Reid, Ilya Lushtak, Willie Jones III
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35
Scott Wendholt, Rich Perry, Ugonna Okegwo, Tom Melito; ÌDenny Zeitlin Trio with Buster Williams, Matt Wilson • Todd Coolman Quintet with Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi,
Spencer Murphy Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Jim McNeely, John Riley Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $28
• Pedro Giraudo Orchestra with Alejandro Aviles, Todd Bashore, • Antonio Ciacca Quartet Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 ÌLou Donaldson Trio with Fukushi Tainaka, Randy Johnston
Luke Batson, Carl Maraghi, Miki Hirose, Brian Pareshi, ÌLou Donaldson Trio with Fukushi Tainaka, Randy Johnston Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
Ryan Keberle, Mike Fahie, Jess Jurkovic, Jeff Davis, Tony De Vivo, Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 • Danny Fox Trio Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm
Sofia Tosello Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 • Mike Holober Gotham Jazz Orchestra with Jon Gordon, • Bob Albanese Trio Cleopatra’s Needle 7 pm
• TK Blue Quintet with Benny Powell, Onaje Allan Gumbs,
Marcus McLaurine Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 Steve Kenyon, Dave Pietro, Charles Pillow, Tim Ries, ÌKatie Bull Group with Jeff Lederer, Landon Knoblock, Joe Fonda,
• Greenpoint Jazz Festival: Sten Hostfalt Trio with Marko Djordjevic;
Craig Johnson, Tony Kadleck, Joe Magnarelli, Scott Wendholt, Harvey Sorgen 55Bar 7 pm
Kat Gang; Sean Nowell with Nir Felder, Art Hirahara, Nate Durham, Bruce Eidem, Pete McGuinness, Mark Patterson, • Harlem Speaks: Toshiko Akiyoshi
Thomson Kneeland, Joe Abba; The Basement Trio; Nat Janoff Trio Pete McCann, John Hebert, John Riley, Rogerio Boccato Jazz Museum in Harlem 6:30 pm
with Chris Tarry, Jordan Perlson; PITOM: Yoshie Fruchter, Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20 • Rick Stone Trio; Stan Killian Quartet with Sharpe Radway,
• JC Hopkins Biggish Band with Andromeda Turre, Bryan Copeland, Steve Williams
Jeremy Brown, Shanir Blumenkranz, Kevin Zubek; Alex Harding’s DeWitt Fleming Jr., Liberty Ellman, Warren Smith, Hilliard Greene, The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
The Afro Horn Red Star 8 pm $10 Patience Higgins, Claire Daly, Cleave Guyton, James Zollar,
• Valerie Capers/John Robinson
Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5 Mark MacGowan, Vincent Chancey, J. Walter Hawkes
• Dexter Calling: Randy Brecker, Eric Alexander, George Cables,
Iridium 8, 10 pm $25
• Bill Moring Ensemble NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15
Lonnie Plaxico, Billy Drummond • Roman Ivanoff/Jon Roche Duo; Brandon Wright Quartet with
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 Dave Kikoski, Hans Glawischnig, Billy Drummond;
ÌKind of Blue 50th Anniversary Sextet with Jimmy Cobb,
Eddie Henderson, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Larry Willis, Ken Fowser Quartet with Behn Gillece
John Webber Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
• Kato Hideki/Ursula Scherrer
ÌRoberta Gambarini Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30
ÌDr. Lonnie Smith Quartet with Donald Harrison, Peter Bernstein,
Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5
• Jeremiah Cymerman’s Graphic Scores with Nate Wooley,
Herlin Riley Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30 Christopher Hoffman, Tom Blancarte, Mary Halvorson
• Michel Legrand Trio with David Finck, Lewis Nash and guests
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $40-60 Zebulon 8 pm
• Kathleen Supové with Adam Fisher, Emanuele de Raymondi;
ÌRoy Hargrove Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm 12:30 am $35
ÌCyrus Chestnut/Eric Reed Duet and Quartet with Dezron Douglas,
Jeffrey Hayden Shurdut with Joe McPhee, Randy Borra,
Willie Jones III Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30 Tom Chess, Gene Janas The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
ÌMichael Blake with Ben Allison, Doug Wamble, Rudy Royston
ÌCurtis Brothers: Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, John Davis,
Obed Calvaire, Reinaldo De Jesus, Philip Dizack, Kris Allen, City Winery 8 pm
• Ken Hatfield, Gene Torres, Steve Kroon
Frank Kozyra Dizzy’s Club 1 am $10 Fetch 7 pm
• George Stella Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm • SPOKE: Andy Hunter, Justin Wood, Dan Loomis, Danny Fischer
• Larry Newcomb Trio; Justin Wood Trio with Dan Loomis,
Danny Fischer; Akiko Tsuruga Trio Le Grand Dakar 8:30, 10 pm $5
• Jack Wilkins/Scott Dubois Bella Luna 8 pm
The Garage 12, 6, 10:30 pm • UNT One O’Clock Lab Band
Sunday, March 8 Birdland 7 pm
• Jazz Band Classic; Jason Ennis
ÌThierry Gomar solo; Robert Dick/Ursel Schlicht Duo The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
• Chris Conly Trio with Jordan Scannella, David Andrew Moore; Wednesday, March 11
Brad Shepik Trio with Shane Endsley ÌJim Staley/Joe McPhee Roulette 8:30 pm $15
Rose Live Music 8 pm ÌLee Konitz/Dan Tepfer Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $20
ÌDenman Maroney/Ben Miller; Josh Sinton, Brandon Seabrook, ÌSteve Kuhn Trio with Eddie Gomez, Al Foster
Mike Pride, Justin Peake; Nate Wooley, Michael Thieke, Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
Adam Linson, Harris Eisenstadt ÌThe Jazz Masters Salute the Broadway Masters: Hank Jones,
Douglass St. Music Coll. 8 pm $10 Frank Wess, Rufus Reid, Ilya Lushtak, Willie Jones III
ÌAdam Kolker Group with Ben Monder, John Hebert,
Gerry Hemingway Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10 Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35
• Todd Coolman Quintet with Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi,
• Marko Marcinko Quintet 55Bar 9:30 pm Jim McNeely, Adam Nussbaum
• Brad Farberman’s Expected Draw with Chris DiMeglio, Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $28
Kevin Moehringer, Matt Thomas, Jason Kao Hwang, Jared Pauley, ÌThe Thirteenth Assembly: Taylor Ho Bynum, Tomas Fujiwara,
Josh Giunta Bowery Poetry Club 8 pm $10 Mary Halvorson, Jessica Pavone
• Respect Sextet Brooklyn Lyceum 9, 10:30 pm $10
• CUCURI: Ben Stapp, Kenny Warren, Juan Pablo Carletti;
Barbès 8 pm $10
• Joel Harrison Mood Rodeo with Christian Howes, Glenn Patscha,
Chris Cochrane solo ABC No Rio 8 pm $3 Stephan Crump, Jordan Perlson
• Dexter Calling: Randy Brecker, Eric Alexander, George Cables, 55Bar 10 pm
Lonnie Plaxico, Billy Drummond • Master Class: Esperanza Spalding
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 David Gage String Instruments 7 pm $20
ÌRoberta Gambarini Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30 • Susan Pereira’s Sabor Brasil with Noah Bless, Cliff Korman,
ÌDr. Lonnie Smith Quartet with Donald Harrison, Peter Bernstein,
Herlin Riley Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 Itaiguara Brandao, Vanderlei Pereira
• Michel Legrand Trio with David Finck, Lewis Nash and guests
The Kitano 8, 10 pm
• Spike Wilner solo; Abigail Riccards with Mike Kanan, Neal Miner,
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $40-60 Eliot Zigmund; Stacey Dillard Trio
ÌRoy Hargrove Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
ÌCyrus Chestnut/Eric Reed Duet and Quartet with Dezron Douglas,
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
• The Tehran-Dakar Brothers: Saadat Ladjevardi, Damon Banks,
Willie Jones III Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Brandon Ross, Justice Dilla X, Mar Gueye; Arrington de Dionysio
• Peter Leitch/Ugonna Okegwo
Walker’s 8 pm The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
ÌDead Cat Bounce: Matt Steckler, Jared Sims, Drew Sayers,
• TK Blue Ensemble Saint Peter’s 5 pm Charlie Kohlhase, Carl Testa, Bill Carbone
• Jorge Sylvester’s Trio Imagination with Jeff Carney, Gene Jackson Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5
Middle Collegiate Church 6 pm • Triocracy Brooklyn Lyceum 8, 9:30 pm $10
• Melissa Stylianou Quartet with Jamie Reynolds, Gary Wang, • Elin Birthday Bash Sweet Rhythm 8 pm
Greg Ritchie Smoke 6, 7 pm ÌDenny Zeitlin Trio with Buster Williams, Matt Wilson
• Melissa Hamilton Trio with Joe Tranchina, Gene Perla
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
• Antonio Ciacca Quartet Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
• The Klez Dispensers: Susan Watts, Alex Kontorovich, Ben Holmes, ÌLou Donaldson Trio with Fukushi Tainaka, Randy Johnston
Audrey Welber, Amy Zakar, Adrian Banner, Heather Versace, Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
Gregg Mervine; Alex Kontorovich’s Deep Minor • Mike Holober Gotham Jazz Orchestra with Jon Gordon,
City Winery 11 am $10 Steve Kenyon, Dave Pietro, Charles Pillow, Tim Ries,
• Alva Nelson’s The Jazz Men From Texas
Flushing Town Hall 2 pm $20 Craig Johnson, Tony Kadleck, Joe Magnarelli, Scott Wendholt,
• Lou Caputo Quartet; David Coss and Trio; Mauricio de Souza Trio
Nate Durham, Bruce Eidem, Pete McGuinness, Mark Patterson,
with Noah Haidu, Chris Haney Pete McCann, John Hebert, John Riley, Rogerio Boccato
The Garage 12, 7, 11:30 pm Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20

ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 37

 Friday, March 13 ÌSteve Kuhn Trio with Eddie Gomez, Al Foster
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
• William Susman with Demetrius Spaneas, Elaine Kwon,
Jacqueline Familant, Tabor Wind Quintet, Ebony String Quartet;
ÌPaquito D’Rivera’s Brazilian Stories with guests Leny Andrade, ÌThe Jazz Masters Salute the Broadway Masters: Hank Jones, Grid Mesh: Andreas Willers, Frank Paul Schubert,
Anat Cohen Rose Hall 8 pm $30-120 Frank Wess, Rufus Reid, Ilya Lushtak, Willie Jones III Rudi Fischerlehner The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
ÌOnaje Allen Gumbs with Avery Sharpe Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35
Rubin Museum 7 pm $20 ÌLou Donaldson Trio with Fukushi Tainaka, Randy Johnston ÌMichael Blake with Ben Allison, Doug Wamble, Rudy Royston
• IDR - Italian Doc Remix: Marco Cappelli, Doug Wieselman, Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm 12:30 am $35 City Winery 8 pm
Jose Davila, Ken Filiano, Jim Pugliese and guest DJ Logic; • Evan Schwam Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm • Ken Hatfield, Hans Glawischnig, Jamie Baum
Hans Fjellestad The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 • Gypsy Jazz Caravan; Brooks Hartell Trio; Dre Barnes Project Fetch 7 pm
• Dave Valentin Creole 8, 10 pm $20 The Garage 12, 6, 10:30 pm • Bill Lee Quintet with Arnold Lee, Andy Hunter
ÌTony Malaby Quartet with Ralph Alessi, John Hebert, • Steve Rush Quartet with Harris Eisenstadt Le Grand Dakar 8:30, 10 pm $5
Billy Drummond Cornelia Street Cafe 9, 10:30 pm $10 St. Paul’s Chapel 10 am • Jack Wilkins/Howard Alden
• Eli Degibri Quartet with Gerald Clayton, Doug Weiss, Bella Luna 8 pm
Obed Calvaire
• Arturo O’Farrill
The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25
Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5
Sunday, March 15 • Joris Teepe Lucille’s at BB King’s 8 pm
• Junior Mance/Hide Tanaka Duo • Lou Caputo Not So Big Band; Will and Peter Anderson
• Xavier Casellas NY Quintet with Emilio Solla, Ben Monder, The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
Jorge Roder, Ted Poor; David Glasser Group with Larry Ham, Saint Peter’s 5 pm
Yonatan Voltzok, David Robaire, Dennis Mackrel; Tim McCall
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
ÌPrez Fest 2009 - Celebrating Billy Strayhorn: Randy Weston,
Billy Taylor, Ron Blake, Jeb Patton, David Wong, Winard Harper, Wednesday, March 18
• Inner Circle Showcase: Lauren Sevian’s LSQ with Adam Birnbaum, Valerie Capers, John Robinson, Rudy Lawless, Alan Givens, ÌGeorge Coleman Quartet Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
Brad Jones, EJ Strickland; Jacob Yoffee Quartet with Aruan Ortiz, Michael Morris, Aaron Diehl, Gene Bertoncini, Sara Caswell, • Hey Rim Jeon Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $25
Massimo Biolcati, EJ Strickland Alan Ferber Quartet, Jimmy Owens, Kenny Davis, Mike Howell, • Yosvany Terry with Mike Rodriguez, Luis Perdomo, Yunior Terry,
Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 Mike Hashim, Ehud Asheri and The Ellington Legacy Band with Ernesto Simpson Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20
• Bill Jacobs Ensemble Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 Edward Ellington, Norman Simmons, Virginia Mayhew, • Tom Rainey with Ingrid Laubrock, Mary Halvorson
• Lady Got Chops Festival: Freddie Hubbard Tribute with Nancy Reed, Jami Dauber, Paul Wells, Tom DiCarlo, Noah Bless Barbès 8 pm $10
Tanya Darby, Jamie Dauber Saint Peter’s 7 pm $20 • Ela Orleans/Kevin Shea; Lespecial: Rory Dolan,
ÌRobert Dick’s Sound Carrier with Miya Masaoka, Ursel Schlicht, Jonathan Grusauskas, Luke Bemand
The Jazz Spot 9 pm $10 Isaac Jaffe, Satoshi Takeishi The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
• Carl Stone/Aki Onda Roulette 8:30 pm $15
• Judy Barnett’s Jazz-A-Teria Roulette 8:30 pm $15 • Thomas Buckner/Matthias Kaul
ÌJeff Davis Band with Oscar Noriega, Jonathan Goldberger, Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5
Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 Eivind Opsvik; Uli Kempendorf, Mike Pride, Eivind Opsvik • Ada Rovatti’s Green Factor with Christian Howes, Oli Rockberger,
• Chris Jentsch Group Large with JC Sanford, Ben Kono,
Jason Rigby, Mike McGinnis, Dan Pratt, Josh Sinton, Jon Owens, CoCo 66 9:30 pm Janek Gwizdala, Obed Calvaire
John Carlson, Mike Kaupa, Dave Smith, Alan Ferber, Brian Drye, • Rashanim: Jon Madof, Shanir Blumenkranz, Mathias Kunzli; 55Bar 10 pm
Paul Olenick, Max Seigel, Jacob Sacks, Jim Whitney, John Mettam Bobby Previte, Mike Gamble, Patrice Blanchard • Xavier Casellas Quintet with Emilio Solla, Ben Monder,
Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5 Rose Live Music 8:30 pm Jorge Roeder, Ted Poor Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5
• Randy Napolean Trio; Jason Campbell Trio • Daniel Kelly solo; Iva Bittova solo • John Merrill Trio; George Colligan Trio with Josh Ginsburg,
Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10 The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 EJ Strickland; Tad Shull Quartet with Rob Schneiderman,
• Charles Evans/Neil Shah; Language Of: Charles and Peter Evans, • Gary Fisher Brooklyn Lyceum 9, 10:30 pm $10 Neal Miner, Joe Strasser Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
ÌPhil Woods Quintet with Brian Lynch, Bill Mays, Steve Gilmore, • Tyler Blanton Brooklyn Lyceum 8, 9:30 pm $10
Moppa Elliott, Jan Roth I-Beam 9, 10 pm $10 Bill Goodwin Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Daniel Smith’s Bassoon & Beyond with Alex Minasian, Zaid Shukri,
• Lespecial: Rory Dolan, Jonathan Grusauskas, Luke Bemand and
ÌOdean Pope Saxophone Choir with James Carter, Julian Pressley, Will Clark The Kitano 8, 10 pm
guest Eyal Maoz Trash Bar 8 pm Sam Reed, Louis Taylor, Elliott Levin, Terry Lawson, Seth Meicht, ÌStanley Clarke Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35
• Baj: Bernadette Speach, Andrea LaRose, Jeffrey Schanger
5C Café 8 pm $10 Terrence Brown, Joe Sudler, George Burton, Lee Smith, • Tierney Sutton Band with Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt,
ÌPhil Woods Quintet with Brian Lynch, Bill Mays, Steve Gilmore, Craig McIver Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 Ray Brinker Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Bill Goodwin Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Mose Allison Trio with Ron McClure, Tom Whalley • Dmitry Baevsky 4tet with Jeb Patton, David Wong, Joe Strasser
• Antonio Ciacca Quartet Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
ÌOdean Pope Saxophone Choir with James Carter, Julian Pressley, ÌThe Jazz Masters Salute the Broadway Masters: Hank Jones, • David Sanchez Quartet with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming,
Sam Reed, Louis Taylor, Elliott Levin, Terry Lawson, Seth Meicht, Frank Wess, Rufus Reid, Ilya Lushtak, Willie Jones III Henry Cole Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
Terrence Brown, Joe Sudler, George Burton, Lee Smith, Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35 • Melissa Stylianou Quartet with Jamie Reynolds, Gary Wang,
ÌLou Donaldson Trio with Fukushi Tainaka, Randy Johnston Greg Ritchie 55Bar 7 pm
Craig McIver Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 • The Invisible Trio with John Chin; Andrew Hadrow Quartet
• Mose Allison Trio with Ron McClure, Tom Whalley
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Peter Leitch/Jed Levy Walker’s 8 pm The Garage 6, 10:30 pm
ÌSteve Kuhn Trio with Eddie Gomez, Al Foster • Tony Hewitt Blue Owl 8 pm $5 • Patti Dunham/Gary Haberman
ÌSamuel Blaser/Ziv Ravitz Middle Collegiate Church 6 pm Saint Peter’s 1 pm $5
Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40 • COMA 11th Anniversary with Tom Shad, Katie Down, Ben Lee,
ÌThe Jazz Masters Salute the Broadway Masters: Hank Jones,
Frank Wess, Rufus Reid, Ilya Lushtak, Willie Jones III Tom Zlabinger, Diana Wayburn, David Freeman, Tom Blatt,
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35 Ras Moshe, Blaise Siwula, Federico Casagrande, Marco Buccelli,
ÌLou Donaldson Trio with Fukushi Tainaka, Randy Johnston Bonnie Kane, Paul Pinto, Claire de Brunner, Ken Silverman,
Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $35 David Powell, Sean Meehan, Francois Grillot, Richard Keene,
• Jordan Young Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm Sten Hostfalt, Andy McNeil, James Luke, Lex Samu, Tor Snyder,
• Joseph Perez Quartet; Virginia Mayhew Quartet Jamie McLaughlin, Katt Hernandez, Clifton Hyde, Robyn Siwula,
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm Motoko Shimizu, David Brahinsky, Mossa Bildner
ABC No Rio 6 pm
Saturday, March 14 • Liz Childs with Ed MacEachen, Dan Fabricatore, Anthony Pinciotti
55Bar 6 pm
• Joe Ascione with Randy Sandke, Derek Smith, Nicki Parrott • Lisa Hearns Smoke 6, 7 pm
Riverdale YM-YWHA 8 pm $20 • Juilliard Jazz Brunch Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $24.50
ÌSparks Orchestra: Tom Blancarte, Peter Evans, Dan Blake, • Roz Corral Trio with Gene Bertoncini, Boris Kozlov
Okkyung Lee, Nate Wooley, Brandon Seabrook, Sylvie Courvoisier, North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
Dan Peck Roulette 8:30 pm $15 • EOL Trio Barbès 5:30 pm $10
• Michele Rosewoman and New Yor-Uba with Pedro Martinez, • Adam Rogers Master Class
Roman Diaz, Abraham Rodriguez, Ricky Rodriguez, The Cellar 2 pm $15
Rafael Monteagudo, Howard Johnson, Joe Ford, Eddie Allen, • Alex Jaquemin/Yoed Nir ParlorJazz 3, 4:15 pm $15
Jacob Yoffee Hostos Center 7:30 pm $15 • John Colianni Quartet; David Coss and Trio; Ryan Anselmi Quartet
• Hans Tammen’s Third Eye Orchestra with Jason Hwang, The Garage 12, 7, 11:30 pm
David Soldier, Stephanie Griffin, Ha Yang Kim, Dafna Naptali,
Robert Dick, Briggan Krauss, Ned Rothenberg, Detlef Landeck,
Denman Maroney, Ursel Schlicht, Stomu Takeishi, Satoshi Takeishi
Monday, March 16
ÌJoe Fonda/Michael Jefry Stevens Group with Herb Robertson,
Brecht Forum 9 pm $10 Harvey Sorgen Roulette 8:30 pm $15
• Jon Regen Trio Kupferberg Center 8 pm $22
• Vergil Sharkya; James Ilgenfritz Ensemble with Steve Swell, • Omer Klein Trio with Omer Avital, Ziv Ravitz
Stephen Rush, Aaron Siegel Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $10
ÌEivind Opsvik Overseas with Tony Malaby, Jacob Sacks,
The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 Kenny Wollesen Zebulon 10 pm
ÌHarris Eisenstadt’s Woodblock Prints with Jose Savila, Brian Drye,
Jonathan Goldberger, Mike McGinnis, Jason Mears, Mark Taylor, • Catherine Russell Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $15
Sara Schoenbeck, Garth Stevenson; Tony Barba Trio with • Spelman Jazz Ensemble Schomburg Center 7 pm $22.50
Rob Jost, Brook Martinez I-Beam 9, 10 pm $10 • Mingus Dynasty Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
ÌSamuel Blaser with Michael Bates, Ziv Ravitz ÌFlow Trio: Joe Morris, Louie Belogenis, Charles Downs;
Le Grand Dakar 8 pm $10 The Throes: Nate Wooley, Taylor Ho Bynum, Ken Filiano,
• Inner Circle Showcase: Michael Pinto IE Group with Tomas Fujiwara Yippie Café 7:30 pm $10
ÌSteve Ash Trio with Neal Miner, Tom Melito; Yotam Silberstein Trio
Logan Richardson, Adam Birnbaum, Chris Tordini, Tommy Crane; with Dwayne Burno, Willie Jones III
Sara Serpa Group with Andre Matos, Vardan Ovsepian, Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $20
Thomas Morgan, Tyshawn Sorey • Tarab Cello Ensemble with the Respect Sextet: Josh Rutner,
Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 Eli Asher, James Hirschfeld, Malcolm Kirby, Red Wierenga,
• Grant Stewart Trio; Pat Bianchi Trio
Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10 Ted Poor Le Poisson Rouge 7 pm $10
• Lady Got Chops Festival: Aronda Way/Antoinette Montague • Federico Lechner Tango Jazz Trio with Pablo Aslan, Tony Moreno
Quartet with Bertha Hope, Bernice Brooks and guest Mark MommaasCornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10
The Jazz Spot 9 pm $10 • Michael Wilhelmi solo and with Josh Sinton; Steve Rush/
• Sojourner Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $20 James Ilgenfritz Douglass St. Music Coll. 8 pm $10
• Ron Jackson’s Flubby Dubby with Ron Jackson, Greg Lewis, • Jon Crowley; Pete Robbins; Ryan Blotnick; Michael Blake;
Gordon Lane Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 8 pm $10 Rob Mosher Spike Hill 7 pm
• Naomi Johnson and Trio ParlorJazz 9, 10:30 pm $20 • Bonnie Kane; Kevin Shea Report
• Willie Mack Quartet 5C Café 8 pm $10 Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm
• Christopher Ward Nublu 11 pm • Michelle Walker Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
• Arlette Beauchamps/Hilliard Greene • Tony Barba, Conor Elmes, Ari Folman-Cohen
Billie’s Black 8 pm $12 Bar 4 8 pm $5
ÌPaquito D’Rivera’s Brazilian Stories with guests Leny Andrade, • New School Presents: Jennifer Jadesman and Trio
Anat Cohen Rose Hall 8 pm $30-120 Sweet Rhythm 8, 10 pm $10
• Dave Valentin Creole 8, 10 pm $20 • Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra; Kenny Shanker Quartet
ÌTony Malaby Quartet with Ralph Alessi, John Hebert, The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
Billy Drummond Cornelia Street Cafe 9, 10:30 pm $10 Tuesday, March 17
• Eli Degibri Quartet with Gerald Clayton, Doug Weiss,
Obed Calvaire The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25 ÌStanley Clarke Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35
• Arturo O’Farrill Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5 • Tierney Sutton Band with Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt,
• Ned Goold Trio; David Glasser Group with Larry Ham, Ray Brinker Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Yonatan Voltzok, David Robaire, Dennis Mackrel; Spencer Murphy • Dmitry Baevsky 4tet with Jeb Patton, David Wong, Joe Strasser
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
• Bill Jacobs Ensemble Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 • David Sanchez Quartet with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming,
• Judy Barnett’s Jazz-A-Teria Henry Cole Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 • The Refuge Trio: Theo Bleckmann, Gary Versace, John Hollenbeck
ÌPhil Woods Quintet with Brian Lynch, Bill Mays, Steve Gilmore, Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20
Bill Goodwin Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Alex Nguyen And The Jazz Conceptions Orchestra
• Antonio Ciacca Quartet Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 Iridium 8, 10 pm $25
ÌOdean Pope Saxophone Choir with James Carter, Julian Pressley, • Gary Morgan and Panamericana
Sam Reed, Louis Taylor, Elliott Levin, Terry Lawson, Seth Meicht, NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15
Terrence Brown, Joe Sudler, George Burton, Lee Smith, • Adam Birnbaum solo; Sergio Monroy Quartet with
Craig McIver Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 Graciela Perrone, Tim Ries; Ken Fowser Quartet with Behn Gillece
• Mose Allison Trio with Ron McClure, Tom Whalley Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • ESP-Disk Live Bowery Poetry Club 10 pm $10

38 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 Thursday, March 19 • Music Now Group: Ras Moshe, Kyoko Kitamura, Daniel Levin,
Tom Zlabinger, Anders Nilsson; Matt Lavelle, Giuseppi Logan,
• Gary Versace Quartet with Donny McCaslin, Adam Rogers,
Clarence Penn Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20
• Kenny Barron with Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Francisco Mela and guests Francois Grillot, Warren Smith; Ras Moshe, Roy Campbell, • Gary Lucas solo and Church of the Blood with James Ilgenfritz,
Gretchen Parlato, Grady Tate Joel Freedman, Hill Greene, Tor Yochai Snyder; Nioka Workman Lukas Ligeti The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
Allen Room 7:30, 9:30 pm $60 Trio with Lewis Barnes, Michael Wimberley • Mayra Casales’ CoCoMaMa with Jessica Rodriguez, Nicki Denner,
• Highlights in Jazz: I Love A Piano: Cyrus Chestnut Trio with Brecht Forum 8 pm $10 Jennifer Vincent, Christelle Durandy, Sofia Tosello, Hadar Noiberg,
Dezron Douglas, Neal Smith; Michael Wolff Trio with • Jerry Finkelstein/Alle Steirer Reut Regev Iridium 8, 10 pm $25
Chip Jackson, Mike Clark Tribeca Perf. Arts Center 8 pm $35 5C Café 8 pm $8 • Iris Ornig Quartet NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15
ÌCharles Tolliver Big Band Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25 ÌLee Konitz Creole 8, 10 pm $20 ÌRaphael D’Lugoff solo; Ethan Iverson Trio with
ÌTeddy Charles Allstars with Hank Jones, Bob Cranshaw, • Dafnis Prieto Quartet with Peter Apfelbaum, Manuel Valera, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Ben Street; Ken Fowser Quartet with
Kenny Washington Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35 Charles Flores Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30 Behn Gillece Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
• The Music of Horace Silver: Carlos Abadie/Joe Sucato Inc. with ÌClaudia Quintet: John Hollenbeck, Chris Speed, Ted Reichman, • Mike Pride, Darius Jones, Alex Marcelo, Peter Bitenc; Conncet 9;
Jeb Patton, Jason Stewart, Yonatan Rosen Matt Moran, Drew Gress Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $10 Talibam Cake Shop 9 pm
Bargemusic 8 pm $20-35 ÌHayes Greenfield Quartet with Neal Kirkwood, Tony Moreno, ÌMichael Blake with Ben Allison, Doug Wamble, Rudy Royston
ÌJeremy Pelt Quintet Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 Ed Schuller; Eric McPherson/Abraham Burton Group with City Winery 8 pm
• Chiemi Nakai Quartet with Jorge Bringas, Ludwig Afonso, Marc Cary, Dwayne Cary, Dezron Douglas; Spencer Murphy • Ken Hatfield, Hans Glawischnig, Valery Ponomarev
Emmanuel Bizeau The Kitano 8, 10 pm Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 Fetch 7 pm
• Ehud Asherie/John Allred; Howard Alden Quartet with John Burr, • Triple Play: Bill O’Connell, David Samuels, Richie Flores • Giancarlo Vulcano Trio Le Grand Dakar 8:30, 10 pm $5
Rob Garcia; Zaid Nasser Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25 ÌJack Wilkins/Bucky Pizzarelli
ÌKirk Knuffke Trio with Doug Wieselman, Kenny Wollesen • New York Youth Symphony’s Jazz Band Classic with guest Bella Luna 8 pm
Roulette 8:30 pm $15 Conrad Herwig Symphony Space 7:30 pm $20 • Nate Birkey Quartet with Jim Ridl, Tony Marino, Marko Marcinko
ÌMichael Dessen Trio Chris Tordini, Dan Weiss; • Nicki Parrott Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5 55Bar 7 pm
Tom Blancarte/Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen Duo • Dwight West and Trio Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 • David White Jazz Orchestra; Joseph Perez Quartet
Le Grand Dakar 8 pm • Kenny Barron with Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Francisco Mela and guests The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
• Ben Wendel Group with Adam Benjamin, Nir Felder, Ben Street, Gretchen Parlato, Grady Tate
Nate Wood Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 Allen Room 7:30, 9:30 pm $60
• The McCollough Sons of Thunder; Hypnotic Brass Ensemble ÌCharles Tolliver Big Band Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
Harlem Stage 7:30 pm ÌTeddy Charles Tentet with Chris Byars, Pete Anderson,
ÌAdam Lane Group; Reuben Radding Trio with Jason Mears, Mark Lopeman, Richie Vitale, Eddie Bert, Marcus Rojas,
Harris Eisenstadt; Lisa Mezzacappa, Chris Welcome, Mike Pride Steve Ash, William Ash, Ari Roland, Stefan Schatz, Amie Margoles
Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35
ÌAlbey Balgochian, Lisle Ellis, Michael Bisio with guest ÌJeremy Pelt Quintet Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30
Steve Dalachinsky 5C Café 8 pm $5 ÌGeorge Coleman Quartet Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
• Zbigniew Karkowski Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5 • Tierney Sutton Band with Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt,
• Lambic: Paul Sullivan/Stephen Moses and guest Percy Jones Ray Brinker Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5 • Dmitry Baevsky 4tet with Jeb Patton, David Wong, Joe Strasser
• Russ Spiegel Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10 Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
• Taylor McFerrin Nublu 11 pm • David Sanchez Quartet with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming, Thu - Sat, March 5 - 7
• Jill McManus/Ratzo Harris Sofia’s 7 pm
• Po’Jazz hosted by Golda solomon with Jay Clayton, Saco Yasuma
Henry Cole Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm 12:30 am $35
• Kellz The Groove Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm
MILES DAVIS “KIND OF BLUE”
Cornelia Street Café 6 pm $15
ÌGeorge Coleman Quartet Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
• Rocco John Group Otto’s Shrunken Head 6 pm 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEXTET
ÌHelen Sung’s NuGenerations; Chris Byars Quartet Featuring original drummer Jimmy Cobb
• Yosvany Terry with Mike Rodriguez, Luis Perdomo, Yunior Terry, Dizzy’s Club 1, 3 pm Eddie Henderson • Vincent Herring • Javon Jackson •
Ernesto Simpson Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $20 • Larry Newcomb Trio; Mark Marino Trio Larry Willis • John Webber
• Tierney Sutton Band with Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt, The Garage 12, 6 pm
Ray Brinker Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Wed - Thu, March 11 - 12
• Dmitry Baevsky 4tet with Jeb Patton, David Wong, Joe Strasser
Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
Sunday, March 22 TODD COOLMAN
• David Sanchez Quartet with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming, • Lisle Ellis’ Motile 6 with Darius Jones, Michael McGinnis, Eric Alexander • Scott Wendholt • Jim McNeely • John Riley
Henry Cole Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 Michael Dessen, Angelica Sanchez, Michael Wimberly; Rashanim: Fri - Sat, March 13 - 14
Jon Madof, Shanir Blumenkranz, Mathias Kunzli
• Blue Haze Over NY Cleopatra’s Needle 7 pm
• Nick Moran Trio; Austin Walker Quartet Zebulon 8:30, 10 pm JUDY BARNETT & JAZZ-A-TERIA
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm • Hypercolor: Eyal Maoz, James Ilgenfritz, Lukas Ligeti and guests
The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 Thu - Sat, March 19 - 21
Friday, March 20 • Pulse Composers Federation with Joy Askew
Roulette 8:30 pm $15
JEREMY PELT QUINTET
ÌLee Konitz Creole 8, 10 pm $20 • Sebastian Noelle Group with Marc Mommaas, Thomson Kneeland, Thu - Sat, March 26 - 28
• Dafnis Prieto
Charles Flores
Quartet with Peter Apfelbaum, Manuel Valera,
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30
Tony Moreno
• Mark Mickelthwaite
Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10
Brooklyn Lyceum 9, 10:30 pm $10
SEAMUS BLAKE QUINTET
• Wu Fei/Billy Martin Roulette 8:30 pm $15 Lage Lund • Gary Versace • Matt Clohesy • Bill Stewart
• Electric Junkyard Gamelan with Terry Dame, Robin Brudulis,
ÌClaudia Quintet: John Hollenbeck, Chris Speed, Ted Reichman, Mary Feaster, Lee Frisari, Kim Garey, Julian Hintz; Ken Butler
Matt Moran, Drew Gress Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $10 and Friends Rose Live Music 8:30 pm
ÌMike Longo/Santi DeBriano; Eric McPherson/Abraham Burton • Dafnis Prieto Quartet with Peter Apfelbaum, Manuel Valera,
Group with Marc Cary, Dwayne Eubanks, Dezron Douglas; Charles Flores Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
Tim McCall Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 ÌCharles Tolliver Big Band Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
• Johnny Pacheco 74th Birthday Celebration • Chris Byars Ensemble with Teddy Charles, Chris Byars,
Town Hall 8 pm $50 James Byars, John Mosca, Ari Roland, Stefan Schatz
• Triple Play: Bill O’Connell, David Samuels, Richie Flores Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35
The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25 • Tierney Sutton Band with Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt,
• Dan Blake with Josh Sinton, Yoni Niv, Sergei Tcherepnin; Ray Brinker Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Martin Philadelphy’s PaintThe Stone 8, 10 pm $10 • David Sanchez Quartet with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming,
• Mike Moreno Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 Henry Cole Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
• Alexei Borisov/Jeffrey Surak • Laura Kavanaugh/Ian Birse with Blaise Siwula; Diana Wayburn/
Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5 Lex Samu ABC No Rio 8 pm $3
• Charles and Peter Evans’ Language Of; Slipstream Time Travel; • Peter Leitch/Harvie S Walker’s 8 pm
Human Engine; D Sixty Band • Kate McGarry/Keith Ganz Saint Peter’s 5 pm
Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm • Com Voce: Maggie Grebowicz, Stan Killian, Mike Moreno,
• New York Youth Symphony’s Jazz Band Classic with guest Hans Glawischnig 55Bar 6 pm
Conrad Herwig Symphony Space 7:30 pm $20 • Michelle Walker Smoke 6, 7 pm
• Marty Eisenberg Big Band with Cem Misirlioglu, Angelo Spagnolo, • Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet with Walter Fischbacher,
Borey Shin, Roy Sunak, Kate Miller, Mike Engstrom, Alex Suarez, Evan Gregor, Jordan Perlson and guests Donny McCaslin,
Amie Margoles, Steve Lugerner, Greg Marino, Jeffrey Young, Max Pollak Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $24.50
Liz Hanley, Jen Herman Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5 • Roz Corral Trio with Roni Ben-Hur, Alex Gressel
• MSM AfroCuban Jazz Orchestra led by Bobby Sanabria North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
Manhattan School of Music 7:30 pm • The McCollough Sons of Thunder; Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
• Nicki Parrott Knickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5 Kingsborough Community College 3 pm
• Dwight West and Trio Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 • Eve Silber Trio; David Coss and Trio; Ariel del a Portilla Trio
• Jerome Sabbagh Trio; Tim Collins Trio The Garage 12, 7, 11:30 pm
Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10
ÌCharles Tolliver Big Band Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
ÌTeddy Charles Tentet with Chris Byars, Pete Anderson,
Monday, March 23
ÌHerb Robertson/Tim BerneDowntown Music Gallery 7 pm
Mark Lopeman, Richie Vitale, Eddie Bert, Marcus Rojas, ÌSpike Wilner solo; Ethan Iverson Trio with Albert “Tootie”Heath,
Steve Ash, William Ash, Ari Roland, Stefan Schatz, Amie Margoles Ben Street Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $35 • The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra Tribute to Nina Simone
ÌJeremy Pelt Quintet Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30
ÌGeorge Coleman Quartet Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40 Schomburg Center 7 pm $22.50
ÌMingus Big Band Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
• Tierney Sutton Band with Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt,
Ray Brinker Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Marta Topferova Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $10
• Dmitry Baevsky 4tet with Jeb Patton, David Wong, Joe Strasser • Daniel Levin/Rob Brown Duo; Cooper-Moore
Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 Yippie Café 7:30 pm $10
• David Sanchez Quartet with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming, • Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra
Henry Cole Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $35 Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $15
• Champian Fulton Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm • Elin Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
• Alonzo Gardner’s Illusions with Lady Lorna Rose, Denzil Rollins, • Jeremy Carlstedt; Mike Gamble, Lisa Mezzacappa and Friends
James Grey Shrine 7 pm Bar 4 7, 8:30 pm $5
• Rocco John Group Teneleven Bar 6 pm • Giovanni Almonte; Uri Gurvich; Jeremy Noller
• David White Quartet; Kevin Dorn’s Traditional Jazz Collective Spike Hill 8 pm
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm • Andrea Belfi; Tait-Lango Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm
ÌAaron Novik with Colin Stetson, Dina Maccabee, Marié Abe,
Saturday, March 21 Lisa Mezzacappa Barbès 7 pm $10
• Oompahsters: Petr Cancura, Ben Holmes, Mike Winograd,
ÌMarilyn Crispell solo and Trio with Michelle Makarski, Lukas Ligeti Ron Caswell Barbès 8:15 pm $10
The Stone 8, 10 pm $20 • New School Presents: Ahmed Abdullah Sun Ra Ensemble
• Roulette Benefit Roulette 8:30 pm $25 Sweet Rhythm 8, 10 pm $10
• Hans Glawischnig Quartet with Esel Gomez, Johnathan Blake • Scot Albertson and Daryl Kojak Quintet with Dave Pietro,
Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 ‘Sweet’ Sue Terry, Cameron Brown, Tony Jefferson
• Lil Phillips Sarah Vaughan Tribute Barnes and Noble 6 pm
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $20 • Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra; Iris Ornig Quartet
• Lady Got Chops Festival: Andrea Brachfeld’s Brazilian Flava with The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
Kim Clarke The Jazz Spot 9 pm $10
• David Daniell Experimental Intermedia 9 pm $5
ÌHarris Eisenstadt’s Woodblock Prints with Jose Savila, Brian Drye,
Tuesday, March 24
ÌFrank Wess Quintet with Scott Robinson, Ilya Lushtak, Tal Ronen,
Jonathan Goldberger, Mike McGinnis, Jason Mears, Mark Taylor, Quincy Davis Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
Sara Schoenbeck, Garth Stevenson; Sean Moran’s Small Elephant ÌJames Moody Quartet with guest Jon Faddis
with Mike Mcginnis, Reuben Radding, Vinnie Sperrazza, Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35
Harris Eisenstadt I-Beam 9, 10 pm $10 • Ernestine Anderson with Houston Person and Lafayette Harris, Jr.,
• Nate Wooley with Chris Forsyth, Chris Heenan, Aki Onda
Abrons Arts Center 8 pm Chip Jackson, Willie Jones III
• Paul Bollenback Trio; Jared Gold Trio Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10 • Nicki Parrott Quartet with John DiMartino
Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10

ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 39

 Wednesday, March 25 ÌEnrico Rava with Mark Turner, Stefano Bollani, Larry Grenadier,
Paul Motian Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40
•
•
Jessie Cook Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $15
Jazz Forum: Kim Clarke Illinois Jacquet Perf. Space 7 pm
ÌEnrico Rava with Mark Turner, Stefano Bollani, Larry Grenadier, ÌFrank Wess Quintet with Scott Robinson, Ilya Lushtak, Tal Ronen, • Dee Pop; Roy Campbell Yippie Café 7:30 pm $10
Paul Motian Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40 Quincy Davis Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $35 • Yaala Balin Trio Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
ÌGene Bertoncini and Strings ÌJames Moody Quartet with guest Jon Faddis • Rich Stein/Mike Gamble Duo; Noah Preminger
Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35 Bar 4 7, 8:30 pm $5
• Victor Wooten; JD Blair BB King’s 8 pm $30 ÌBurnt Sugar Blue Note 12:30 am $8 • Edouard Brenneisen; Secret Architecture; Tyler Blanton;
• Hans Lüdemann; Miya Masaoka with Okkyung Lee, Wu Fei, • Ernestine Anderson with Houston Person and Lafayette Harris, Jr., Elias Meister Quartet Spike Hill 7 pm
Shoko Nagai The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 Chip Jackson, Willie Jones III • New School Presents: Art Blakey Tribute
ÌAmanda and the Michaels: Amanda Monaco, Michael Blake, Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Sweet Rhythm 8, 10 pm $10
Michael Bates, Michael Pride; Radio I-Ching: Andy Haas, • Nicki Parrott Quartet with John DiMartino • Howard Williams Jazz Orchestra; Jusin Lees Trio
Don Fiorino, Dee Pop; Young Equestrians: Mikey Freedom Hart, Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
Chris Welcome, Shayna Dulberger, Rich Levinson; • Waldron Mahdi Ricks Quartet
Sportman’s Paradise
• Marcus Goldhaber
Cake Shop 8 pm $10
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $25
Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm Tuesday, March 31
• Candace DeBartolo Quartet; Tim Price and Ryan Anselmi’s
• Gerald Cannon Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $8 Tenor Madness The Garage 6, 10:30 pm • Wonderful World of Armstrong: Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon,
• Christine Capdeville Quartet with Manu Koch, Leonardo Cioglia, James Andrews, Aaron Diehl, Herman Birney, Marion Felder
George Mel The Kitano 8, 10 pm
• Jay Leonhart solo; Miles Griffith with Nick Russo, Paul Beaudry,
Saturday, March 28 Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
• Charenee Wade, Matthew Rybicki, Oscar Perez and Friends
ÌCecil Taylor Merkin Hall 8 pm $25 Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10
Dave Pleasant; Ralph LaLama’s Bop Juice with Pat O’Leary, ÌFrank Gratkowski/Chris Brown • Ted Nash’s Odeon with Nathalie Bonin, Bill Schimmel,
Clifford Barbaro Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 Diapason Gallery 8 pm Clark Gayton, Tim Horner Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25
• Mary Halvorson/Jessica Pavone; Greg Heffernan/Zach Brock
ÌBrad Shepik Group with Ralph Alessi, Gary Versace, Drew Gress, ÌPreservation Hall Jazz Band: Ben Jaffe, Rickie Monie,
Barbès 7, 8:30 pm $10 Tom Rainey Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $10 Walter Payton, Joseph Lastie, Jr., Carl Le Blanc,
• Adam Niewood and his Rabble Rousers
ÌJohnathan Blake with Jaleel Shaw, Chris Potter, Robert Glasper, Elliot “Stackman” Callier, Darryl Adams, Frederick Lonzo,
Brooklyn Lyceum 8, 9:30 pm $10 Joe Martin Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 Frank Demond, Shannon Powell, Clint Maedgen, Charlie Gabriel,
• Ronen Itzik Quartet Tapeo 29 8 pm
• The Plumes; Mambo Mantis and Friends • Matthew Welch’s Blarvuster; Pyrolator solo; David Rothenberg/ Ralph Johnson, Lucien Barbarin, Leroy Jones, Mark Braud
Goodbye Blue Monday 9 pm Lindsey Horner The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
ÌFrank Wess Quintet with Scott Robinson, Ilya Lushtak, Tal Ronen, • Juan de Marcos Afro-Cuban All Stars • Terese Genecco Little Big Band
Quincy Davis Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 Town Hall 8 pm $35-60 Iridium 8, 10 pm $25
ÌJames Moody Quartet with guest Jon Faddis • Theo Bleckmann/John Hollenbeck Duo • Mike Longo and The NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble with
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35 Roulette 8:30 pm $15 Hilary Gardner NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15
• Ernestine Anderson with Houston Person and Lafayette Harris, Jr., • Lisa Parrott with Chris Lightcap, Allison Miller; Jessica Lurie • Greg Ruggiero Group with Frank LoCrasto, Chris Tordini,
Chip Jackson, Willie Jones III Ensemble with Art Hirahara, Brandon Seabrook, Todd Sickafoose, Tommy Crane Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 Allison Miller Jalopy Theater 9, 10:30 pm $15 • Roman Ivanof/Jon Roche; Joe Magnarelli Quartet; Ken Fowser
ÌDom Minasi String Quartet with Jason Kao Hwang, Tomas Ulrich, Quartet with Behn Gillece Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20
• Nicki Parrott Quartet with John DiMartino
Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 Ken Filiano 5C Café 8 pm $8 • Eyal Maoz’ Edom with Brian Marsella, Shanir Blumenkranz,
• The Invisible Trio with John Chin; John David Simon Trio • Vanessa Rubin Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $20 Yuval Lion; NoNet Trio: Ken Thomson, Eyal Maoz, Lukas Ligeti
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm • Lady Got Chops Festival: Camille Thurman, Dotti Anita Taylor The Stone 8, 10 pm $10
• Lou Caputo Not So Big Band The Jazz Spot 9 pm $10 ÌMichael Blake with Ben Allison, Doug Wamble, Rudy Royston
ÌHarris Eisenstadt’s Woodblock Prints with Jose Savila, Brian Drye, City Winery 8 pm
Saint Peter’s 1 pm $5 Jonathan Goldberger, Mike McGinnis, Jason Mears, • Ken Hatfield, Hans Glawischnig, Jim Clouse
Thursday, March 26 Sara Schoenbeck, Garth Stevenson, Mark Taylor
I-Beam 9 pm $10
Fetch 7 pm
• Justin Wood/James Ilgenfritz Quartet with Josh Sinton,
ÌLarry Coryell Organ Trio with Sam Yahel, Billy Hart • Donald Vega Trio; Tom Guarna Trio Vinnie Sperazza Le Grand Dakar 8:30, 10 pm $5
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10 • Jack Wilkins/Chris Berger Bella Luna 8 pm
• Will Bernard Band with John Medeski, Andy Hess, Stanton Moore • Gato Loco: Stefan Zeniuk, Ari Folman-Cohen, Joe Exley, • Eli Yamin/Evan Christopher
Highline Ballroom 9 pm $25 Clifton Hyde, Greg Stare Barbès 8 pm $10 Indian Road Café 8:45 pm
ÌRandy Sandke with Ted Rosenthal, Nicki Parrott • Transcendence Quartet: Ras Moshe, Shayna Dulberger, • Valery Ponomarev Big Band; Evan Schwam
Bargemusic 8 pm $20-35 Dave Ross, Dave Miller Corridor Gallery 8 pm The Garage 7, 10:30 pm
ÌMingus Ah Um: Andy McKee, Vic Juris, Becca Stevens, Ivan Renta, ÌDwayne Clemons with Josh Benko, Sacha Perry, Murray Wall,
Idris Muhammad New School 8 pm $10 Jimmy Wormworth; Freddie Redd Sextet with Chris Byars, R E G U L A R E N G A G E M E N T S
• Rudy Royston with Shane Endsley, Stacy Dillard, Adam Klipple, Brad Linde, John Mosca, Ari Roland, Stefan Schatz; MONDAYS
Nir Felder, Josh Ginsburg Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 Spencer Murphy Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 • Ron Affif Trio Zinc Bar 9, 11pm, 12:30, 2 am
• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis ÌLouis Hayes Quartet with Abraham Burton, Helio Alves, • Dave Allen Group Push Café 8 pm
Rose Hall 8 pm $30-120 Santi Debriano The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25 • Carter-Davis Ensemble Judi’s 8 pm
• Kevin Mahogany’s Kansas City Review with Kathy Kosins, ÌSonny Fortune Creole 8, 10 pm $20 • Sedric Choukroun and The Brasilieros Chez Lola 7:30 pm
Red Holloway, Grant Green Jr., Reuben Wilson, ÌJunior Mance/Hide TanakaKnickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5 • Pete Davenport Jam Session Annabelle’s 9 pm
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 • Eric Frazier Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 • Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band The Carlyle 8:45 pm $75-100
• Seamus Blake Quintet with Lage Lund, Gary Versace, ÌLarry Coryell Organ Trio with Sam Yahel, Billy Hart • Jesse Elder Destino’s 7:30 pm (ALSO TUE, WED, FRI)
Matt Clohesy, Bill Stewart Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 • John Farnsworth Jam Smoke 8, 9:30 pm $8
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 • Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks Sofia’s 8 pm
• Roy Meriwether Trio with Paul Ramsey, Sir G. Earl Grice • Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis • Harlem Renaissance Orchestra Swing 46 8:30 pm
The Kitano 8, 10 pm Rose Hall 8 pm $30-120 • Patience Higgins Lenox Lounge 9:30 pm $5
• Michael Manring solo; Lukas Ligeti with Dan Blake, Wende Blass, • Kevin Mahogany’s Kansas City Review with Kathy Kosins, • Jack Jeffers Big Band Minton’s 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $10
Eyal Maoz, Lorna Krier The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 Red Holloway, Grant Green Jr., Reuben Wilson, • JFA Jazz Jam Local 802 7 pm
• Either/Or Ensemble Merkin Hall 8 pm $20 Bernard “Pretty” Purdie Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30 • Bill Wurtzel Duo Plum 6:30 pm (ALSO WED)
• Ehud Asherie Duo with Harry Allen; Ken Fowser Quintet with • Seamus Blake Quintet with Lage Lund, Gary Versace, • Vanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30
David Hazeltine, Behn Gillece, Adam Cote, Jason Brown; Matt Clohesy, Bill Stewart Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 • Melvin Vines Kortet with Kay Mori St. Nick’s Pub 10 pm (ALSO TUE)
Zaid Nasser Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 ÌEnrico Rava with Mark Turner, Stefano Bollani, Larry Grenadier, TUESDAYS
• Rafiq Bhatia Collective with Miller Tinkerhess, Chris Pattishall, Paul Motian Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40 • Jonathan Batiste Quartet Jam Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm
Jackson Hill, Alex Ritz Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10 ÌFrank Wess Quintet with Scott Robinson, Ilya Lushtak, Tal Ronen, • David Berger & The Sultans of Swing Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $25
ÌLisa Mezzacappa Group with Darius Jones, Mike Pride, Quincy Davis Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm 12:30 am $35 • Sedric Choukroun Seppi’s 8:30 pm
Jonathan Goldberger Zebulon 9 pm • Irving Fields Nino’s Tuscany 7 pm (ALSO WED-SUN)
ÌJames Moody Quartet with guest Jon Faddis • Joel Frahm Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
• Trio Iberico Bar Next Door 8 pm $10 Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35 • George Gee Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra Swing 46 8:30 pm
• SPOKE: Andy Hunter, Justin Wood, Dan Loomis, Danny Fischer • Ernestine Anderson with Houston Person and Lafayette Harris, Jr., • Yuichi Hirakawa Trio Arthur’s Tavern 7, 8:30 pm
Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5 Chip Jackson, Willie Jones III • Loston Harris Café Carlyle 9:30 pm $20 (ALSO WED-SAT)
• Steben Ruel 5C Café 8 pm $7 Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 • Sandy Jordan and Larry Luger Trio Notaro 8 pm
ÌEnrico Rava with Mark Turner, Stefano Bollani, Larry Grenadier, • Nicki Parrott Quartet with John DiMartino • Kats in Black Hats Creole 7, 8:30, 10 pm $5
Paul Motian Birdland 8:30, 11 pm $30-40 Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 • Annie Ross The Metropolitan Room 9:30 pm $25
ÌFrank Wess Quintet with Scott Robinson, Ilya Lushtak, Tal Ronen, • Marco DiGennaro Quartet Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm • Dred Scott Trio Rockwood Music Hall 12 am
Quincy Davis Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 • Slavic Soul Party Barbès 9 pm $10
• Welf Dorr’s Underground Horns • Diego Voglino Jam Royale 10:30 pm
ÌJames Moody Quartet with guest Jon Faddis Phoebe’s Cafe 7 pm • Bill Wurtzel Duo Café du Soleil 7 pm
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35 • Bryson Kern; Champian Fulton Trio; Virginia Mayhew Quartet WEDNESDAYS
• Ernestine Anderson with Houston Person and Lafayette Harris, Jr., The Garage 12, 6, 10:30 pm • Astoria Jazz Composers Workshop Waltz-Astoria 6 pm
Chip Jackson, Willie Jones III • Frank Lacy St. Nick’s Pub 10 pm
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
• Nicki Parrott Quartet with John DiMartino
Sunday, March 29 • Rick Bogart Trio Seppi’s 8:30 pm (ALSO THUR-SAT)
• Raz Mesinai Roulette 8:30 pm $15 • Eddy Davis Dixieland The National Underground 9 pm
Dizzy’s Club 11 pm $10 • Scott Reeves Quintet with Rich Perry, Jim Ridl, Mike McGuirk, • Felix and the Cats Swing 46 8:30 pm
• Yoko Komori Trio Cleopatra’s Needle 7 pm • Rick Germanson Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 6 pm (ALSO THU-SAT)
• Harlem Speaks: Phoebe Jacobs Andy Watson 55Bar 9:30 pm • Patience Higgins Sugar Hill Quartet Minton’s 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $10
ÌAndrew D’Angelo/Mike Pride; Seth Meich 4tet with Aaron Meicht, • Shan Kenner Trio Jam Tamboril 8 pm
Jazz Museum in Harlem 6:30 pm Adam Lane, Mike Pride CoCo 66 10 pm
• Michika Fukumori Trio; Joseph Perez Quartet • Jonathan Kreisberg Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
The Garage 6, 10:30 pm • Dov Manski/Kristin Slipp Duo; Carl Maguire and Friends; • Jed Levy and Friends Vino di Vino Wine Bar 7:30 pm (ALO FRI)
Noah Preminger Group with Aaron Kruziki, Ila Cantor, • Nathan & Max Lucas Organ Trio Lenox Lounge 8 pm
Friday, March 27 Noah Jarrett, Tony Falco Douglass St. Music Coll. 8 pm $10
• Tim Kuhl with Jon Irabagon, Rick Parker, Nir Felder, Aidan Carroll,
• Jeremy Manasia Solo
• Jacob Melchior
Roth’s Westside Steakhouse 6 pm
Philip Marie 7 pm (ALSO SUN 12 PM)
ÌGeorge Dulin Sextet with Karel Ruzicka, Dave Smith, Nir Felder, Ryan Mackstaller Zebulon 9 pm • David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Centennial Band Birdland 5:30 pm $10
Danny Zanker, Jordan Perlson; Freddie Redd Sextet with • Sedric Choukroun and the Eccentrics Chez Oskar 7 pm
• Igor Lumpert Group with Chris Tordini, Tommy Crane
Chris Byars, Brad Linde, John Mosca, Ari Roland, Stefan Schatz; Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm THURSDAYS
Tim McCall Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm 12, 1:30 am $20 • Pascal Plantinga, Pyrolator, David Campbell; Eve Risser/
• Sedric Choukroun Brasserie Jullien 7:30 pm (ALSO FRI, SAT)
ÌLouis Hayes Quartet with Abraham Burton, Helio Alves,
• Avram Fefer Trio Le Pere Pinard 9 pm
Jack Wright The Stone 8, 10 pm $10 • Gerald Hayes and the Qualified Gents Minton’s 9, 10:30 pm 12 am $10
Santi Debriano The Kitano 8, 10 pm $25 • Scott Wendholt Brooklyn Lyceum 9, 10:30 pm $10 • Barbara Rosene Times Square Brewery 8 pm
ÌSonny Fortune Creole 8, 10 pm $20 • The Stick-Ups: David Luther, David Bailis, Bennett Miller, • Sugartones Brass Band Jacques-Imo’s 8 pm
ÌErik Friedlander Broken Arm Trio with Trevor Dunn, Mike Sarin Joel Arnow Rose Live Music 10 pm • Eric Wyatt Late Night Session Sweet Rhythm 11:30 pm $10
Barbès 8 pm ÌLarry Coryell Organ Trio with Sam Yahel, Billy Hart • Eri Yamamoto Trio Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm (ALSO FRI-SAT)
• Henry Grimes/Marc Ribot Rubin Museum 7 pm $20 Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 FRIDAYS
ÌJunior Mance/Hide TanakaKnickerbocker Bar and Grill 9:45 pm $5 • Kevin Mahogany’s Kansas City Review with Kathy Kosins, • Steve Blanco Trio Domaine Wine Bar 9 pm (ALSO SAT)
• Russ Lossing’s Red Shift with Matt Maneri, Tony Malaby, Red Holloway, Grant Green Jr., Reuben Wilson, • George Braith Jam University of the Streets 10 pm (ALSO SAT)
Thomas Morgan, Randy Peterson Bernard “Pretty” Purdie Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 • Bill Saxton and Friends Bill’s Place 10 pm 12 am $15
Cornelia Street Café 9, 10:30 pm $10 ÌFrank Wess Quintet with Scott Robinson, Ilya Lushtak, Tal Ronen, • Donald Smith St. Nick’s Pub 10 pm
• EJ Strickland with Jaleel Shaw, Yosvany Terry, Luis Perdomo, Quincy Davis Village Vanguard 9, 11 pm $30 SATURDAYS
Hans Glawischnig Jazz Gallery 9, 10:30 pm $15 ÌJames Moody Quartet with guest Jon Faddis • Ted Hefko Quartet Antique Garage 12:30 pm
• Pete Robbins Group Tea Lounge 9, 10:30 pm $5 Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35 • Wayne Roberts Duo City Crab 12 pm (ALSO SUN)
• Leni Stern BAMCafé 9 pm • Ernestine Anderson with Houston Person and Lafayette Harris, Jr.,
• Skye Jazz Trio Jack 8:30 pm
• Lisa Mezzacappa Trio with Kris Davis, Harris Eisenstadt • Ryoichi Zakota Buona Sera 7 pm
Chip Jackson, Willie Jones III
I-Beam 9, 10 pm $10 Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $30 SUNDAYS
• Eric Frazier Lenox Lounge 8:30, 10 pm 12 am $20 • Peter Leitch/Charles DavisWalker’s 8 pm
• Rick Bogart Trio Seppi’s 3 pm
• Dave Pietro Trio; Ben Monder Trio
• Toru Dodo Jam Cleopatra’s Needle 8 pm
• The Symmetry Quartet Saint Peter’s 5 pm • Ear Regulars with Jon-Erik Kellso The Ear Inn 8 pm
Bar Next Door 7, 9, 11 pm 1 am $10 • Kevin Harris Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $24.50 • Marjorie Eliot/Rudell Drears/Sedric Choukroun Parlor Entertainment 4 pm
• Interchange: Craig McGorry, Eric Loffswold, Yoshiki Miura, • Jazzing up the Classics: Ted Rosenthal Trio with Noriko Ueda, • Fat Cat Big Band Fat Cat 8:30 pm
Tim Mule, Hiro Omori Tillie’s 8 pm $5 Matt Wilson Dicapo Opera Theatre 4 pm $25 • Lafayette Harris Trio Lenox Lounge 7 pm
ÌLarry Coryell Organ Trio with Sam Yahel, Billy Hart • Ted Kooshian Trio; David Coss and Trio; Tucker Roundtree Quartet • Satoshi Inoue Duo Roth’s Steakhouse 6 pm
Iridium 8:30, 10:30 pm $30 The Garage 12, 7, 11:30 pm • Bob Kindred Grouo Café Loup 12:30 pm
• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis • Spike Wilner Group; Alex Stein Jam Smalls 10:30 pm 1:30 am $20
Rose Hall 8 pm $30-120
• Kevin Mahogany’s Kansas City Review with Kathy Kosins,
Monday, March 30 • Lapis Luna Trio
• Peter Mazza
Bocca 7 pm
Bar Next Door 8 pm $10
Red Holloway, Grant Green Jr., Reuben Wilson, • Mingus Orchestra Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30 pm $25 • Chico O’Farrill’s AfroCuban Jazz Big Band Birdland 9, 11 pm $25
ÌAmanda Monaco’s Deathblow with Michaël Attias, Sean Conly, • TC III St. Nick’s Pub 10:30 pm
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie Jazz Standard 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 pm $30 Tony Moreno Cornelia Street Café 8:30 pm $10 • Cidinho Teixeira Zinc Bar 10, 11:30 1 am
• Seamus Blake Quintet with Lage Lund, Gary Versace, • Jazz Jam hosted by Michael Vitali Comix Lounge 8 pm
Matt Clohesy, Bill Stewart Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $30 • Randy Ingram Trio with Jochen Rueckert, Matt Clohesy • Chris Washburne’s SYOTOS Band Smoke 8, 10, 11:30 pm $8
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20

40 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK

 CLUB DIRECTORY
• 5C Café 68 Avenue C (212-477-5993)
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue 5ccc.com
• 55Bar 55 Christopher Street (212-929-9883)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street 55bar.com
• 92nd Street Y Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street (212-415-5500)
Subway: 6 to 96th Street 92y.org
• ABC No Rio 156 Rivington Street (212-254-3697) Subway: F to
Second Avenue, J,M,Z to Delancey Street abcnorio.org
• Abrons Art Center 466 Grand Street
Subway: F to Grand Street henrystreet.org/arts
• Allen Room Broadway at 60th Street, 5th floor (212-258-9800)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle jalc.org
• Annabelle’s 44 Beard Street (718-643-1500)
Subway: G to Smith - 9 Streets annabelles-nyc.com
• Antique Garage 41 Mercer Street
(212-219-1019) Subway: N, Q, R, W to Canal Street
• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Street (212-675-6879)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street arthurstavernnyc.com
• BB King’s Blues Bar 237 W. 42nd Street (212-997-2144)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 7 to 42nd Street/Times Square bbkingblues.com
• The Backroom 485 Dean Street, Brooklyn (718-622-7035)
Subway: 1, 2 to Bergen Street freddysbackroom.com
• BAMCafé 30 Lafayette Avenue (718-636-4139) Subway: M, N, R, W
to Pacific Street; Q, 1, 2, 4, 5 to Atlantic Avenue bam.org
• Bar 4 15th Street and 7th Avenue, Brooklyn (718-832-9800)
Subway: F to 7th Avenue, N, M, R, D to Prospect Avenue bar4.net
• Bar Next Door 129 MacDougal Street (212-529-5945)
Subway: A, C, E, F, V to W. 4th Street lalanternacaffe.com
• Barbès 376 9th Street at 6th Avenue, Brooklyn (718-965-9177)
Subway: F to 7th Avenue barbesbrooklyn.com
• Bargemusic Fulton Ferry Landing (718-624-4061)
Subway: F to York Street bargemusic.org
• Barnes and Noble 66th Street and Broadway
Subway: 1 to 66th Street
• Belarusian Church 401 Atlantic Avenue at Bond Street
Subway: 4 to Nevins Street
• The Bell House 149 7th Street (718-643-6510)
Subway: F to 4th Avenue, M, R to 9th Street thebellhouseny.com
• Bella Luna 584 Columbus Avenue Subway: B, C to 86th Street
• Birdland 315 W. 44th Street (212-581-3080)
Subway: A, C, E, F, V to 42nd Street birdlandjazz.com
• Blue Note 131 W. 3rd Street at 6th Avenue (212-475-8592)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street bluenotejazz.com
• The Blue Owl 196 Second Avenue Subway: L to First Avenue
• Bocca 39 East 19th Street
(212-387-1200) Subway: 4, 5, 6, L, N, R, Q, W to Union Square
• Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery (212-614-0505) Subway:
F to Second Avenue; 6 to Bleecker Street bowerypoetry.com
• Brecht Forum 451 West Street (212-242-4201)
Subway: A, C, E, L, 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street brechtforum.org
• Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 58 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn
Subway: F to Seventh Avenue, N, R to Union Street bqcm.org
• Brooklyn Lyceum 227 4th Avenue (718-857-4816)
Subway: R to Union Street brooklynlyceum.com
• Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch
Subway: 2, 3 to Grand Army Plaza; Q to 7th Avenue
• Buona Sera 12th Street and University Place
Subway: 4, 5, 6, L, N, R, Q, W to Union Square
• Cachaça 35 W.8th Street (at McDougal) (212-388-9099)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street cachacajazz.com
• Café Carlyle 35 East 76th Street (212-744-1600)
Subway: 6 to 77th Street thecarlyle.com
• Café du Soleil 2723 Broadway at 104 Streets
(212-316-5000) Subway: 1 to 103rd Street
• Café Loup 105 W. 13th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
(212-255-4746) Subway: F to 14th Street
• Caffe Vivaldi 32 Jones Street between Bleecker and W. 4th Streets
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, Q, V to W. 4th Street-Washington Square
• Cake Shop 152 Ludlow Street
(212-253-0036) Subway: F, V to Second Avenue cake-shop.com
• The Cellar 304 Manor Road, Staten Island
(718-887-1405) Subway: 1 to South Ferry musentcent.com
• Chez Lola 387 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn (718-858-1484)
Subway: C to Clinton-Washington Avenues bistrolola.com
• Chez Oskar 211 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn (718-852-6250)
Subway: C to Lafayette Avenue chezoskar.com
• City Crab Park Avenue South at 19th Street (212-529-3800)
Subway: 6 to 23rd Street
• City Winery 155 Varick Street
(212-608-0555) Subway: 1 to Houston Street citywinery.com
• Cleopatra’s Needle 2485 Broadway (212-769-6969)
Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 96th Street cleopatrasneedleny.com
• CoCo 66 66 Greenpoint Avenue Subway: L to Greenpoint Avenue
• Cornelia Street Café 29 Cornelia Street (212-989-9319)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street
corneliastreetcafé.com
• Corridor Gallery 334 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn (718-638-8416)
Subway: L to Grand Avenue
• Creole 2167 3rd Avenue at 118th Street
(212-876-8838) Subway: 6 th 116th Street creolenyc.com
• Cupping Room 359 West Broadway between Broome and
Grand Street (212-925-2898) Subway: A, C, E to Canal Street
• David Gage String Instruments 36 Walker Street (212-274-1322)
Subway: A to Chambers Street davidgage.com
• Diapason Gallery 1026 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor (212-719-4393)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9, B, D, F, Q, N, R, W to 42nd St
• Destino 891 First Avenue at 50th Street
(212-751-0700) Subway: 6 to 50th Street destinony.com
• Dicapo Opera Theatre 184 East 76th Street at Lexington Avenue
Subway: 6 to 77th Street
• Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola Broadway at 60th Street, 5th Floor
(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to
Columbus Circle jazzatlincolncenter.org
• Domaine Wine Bar 50-04 Vernon Boulevard
Subway: 7 to Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue
• Douglass Street Music Collective 295 Douglass Street
(between 3rd and 4th Avenues), Brooklyn Subway: R to Union Street
• Downtown Music Gallery 13 Monroe Street (212-473-0043)
Subway: F to East Broadway downtownmusicgallery.com
• Drom NYC 85 Avenue A
(212-777-1157) Subway: F to Second Avenue dromnyc.com
• The Ear Inn 326 Spring Street at Greenwich Street
(212-246-5074) Subway: C, E to Spring Street
• Experimental Intermedia 224 Centre Street at Grand, Third Floor
(212-431-5127) Subway: 6 to Canal Street
experimentalintermedia.org
• Fat Cat 75 Christopher Street at 7th Avenue (212-675-7369)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street/Sheridan Square fatcatjazz.com
• Feinstein’s 540 Park Avenue (212-339-4095)
Subway: 6 to 77th Street feinsteinsattheregency.com
• Fetch 1649 Third Avenue between 92nd and 93rd Streets
(212-289-2700) Subway: 6 to 96th Street
• Flushing Town Hall 137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing
(718-463-7700) Subway: 7 to Main Street flushingtownhall.org
• The Garage 99 Seventh Avenue South (212-645-0600)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street garagerest.com
• Goodbye Blue Monday 1087 Broadway, Brooklyn (718-453-6343)
Subway: J, M train to Myrtle Avenue goodbye-blue-monday.com
• Highline Ballroom 431 W 16th Street (212-414-5994)
Subway: A, C, E to 14th Street highlineballroom.com
• Hostos Center 450 Grand Concourse (718-518-6700)
Subway: 2, 4, 5 to 149th Street hostos.cuny.edu
• ISCP 1040 Metropolitan Avenue (718-387-2966)
Subway: L to Grand Street iscp-nyc.org
• I-Beam 168 7th Street between Second and Third Avenues
Subway: F to 4th Avenue ibeammusic.com
• Ido Sushi 29 Seventh Ave South at Bedford Street
(212-691-7177) Subway: 1 to Christopher Street
• Il Campanello Restaurant 136 West 31st Street (212-695-6111)
Subway: A, C, E to 34th Street
• Indian Road Café 600 West 218th Street @ Indian Road
)212-942-7451) Subway: 1 to 215th Street indianroadcafe.com
• Inkwell Café 408 Rogers Avenue between Lefferts and Sterling
Subway: 5 to Sterling Street plgarts.org
• Iridium 1650 Broadway at 51st Street (212-582-2121)
Subway: 1,2 to 50th Street iridiumjazzclub.com
• Issue Project Roon 232 Third Street (at the corner Third Avenue)
Subway: M to Union Street issueprojectroom.org
• Jack 80 University Place Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to 14th Street
• Jacques-Imo’s 366 Columbus Avenue at 77th Street (212-799-0150)
Subway: C to 81st Street jacquesimosnyc.com
• Jalopy 315 Columbia Street, Brooklyn (718-395-3214)
Subway: F to Smith Street jalopy.biz
• Jazz 966 966 Fulton Street (718-638-6910)
Subway: C to Clinton Street illbrew.com/Jazz966.htm
• Jazz Gallery 290 Hudson Street (212-242-1063) Subway: C, E, to
Spring Street; 1, 2 to Houston Street jazzgallery.org
• Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 E.126th Street between Park and
Lexington Avenues (212-348-8300) Subway: 6 to 125th Street
jazzmuseuminharlem.org
• The Jazz Spot 375 Kosciuszko Street (718-453-7825)
Subway: J to Kosciuszko Street thejazz.8m.com
• Jazz Standard 116 E. 27th between Park and Lexington Avenue
(212-576-2232) Subway: 6 to 28th Street jazzstandard.net
• Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Street (212-539-8770)
Subway: N, R to 8th Street-NYU; 6 to Astor Place joespub.com
• Judi’s 2308 Adam C. Powell Jr. Boulevard (212-690-0353)
Subway: 2, 3, B, C train to 135th Street
• Jules Bistro 60 St Marks Place (212-477-5560)
Subway: 6 to Astor Place julesbistro.com
• The Kitano 66 Park Avenue at 38th Street (212-885-7000)
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to Grand Central kitano.com
• Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 33 University Place (212-228-8490)
Subway: N, R to 8th Street-NYU knickerbockerbarandgrill.com
• Kupferberg Center 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing
(718-793-8080) Subway: E to 71 - Continental Avs - Forest Hills
• Le Grand Dakar 285 Grand Avenue (718-398-8900)
Subway: G to Classon Avenue granddakar.com
• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Street (212-796-0741)
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street lepoissonrouge.com
• Lenox Lounge 288 Lenox Avenue between 124th and 125th Streets
(212-427-0253) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Street lenoxlounge.com
• Local 802 322 W. 48th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues
(212-245-4802) Subway: C to 50th Street jazzfoundation.org
• Lutheran Church of the Messiah 129 Russell Street
Subway: G to Nassau Avenue
• Manhattan School of Music 120 Claremont Avenue (212-749-2802,
ext. 4428) Subway: 1 to 116th Street msmnyc.edu
• Manna House 338 E. 106th Street between First and Second
Avenues (212-722-8223) Subway: 6 to 103rd Street
• Merkin Concert Hall 129 W. 67th Street between Broadway and
Amsterdam (212-501-3330) Subway: 1 to 66th Street-Lincoln Center
kaufman-center.org
• Metropolitan Room 34 West 22nd Street (212-206-0440)
Subway: N, R to 23rd Street metropolitanroom.com
• Middle Collegiate Church 50 E. 7th Street (212-477-0666)
Subway: 6 to Astor Place middlechurch.org
• Minton’s Playhouse 208 West 118th Street at St. Nicholas Avenue
and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd-7th Avenue (212-864-8346)
Subway: 2 to 118th Street uptownatmintons.com
• The National Underground 159 E. Houston (212-475-0611)
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue
• New School 66 W. 12th Street (212-229-5896)
Subway: F, V to 14th Street jazz.newschool.edu
• Nino’s Tuscany 117 W. 58th Street (212-757-8630) Subway: 1, 2, 3,
A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle ninostuscany.com
• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Place (212-254-1200)
Subway: A, B, C, E, F, V to West 4th Street northsquarejazz.com
• Notaro Second Avenue between 34th & 35th Streets
(212-686-3400) Subway: 6 to 33rd Street
• Nublu 62 Avenue C between 4th and 5th Streets (212-979-9925)
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue nublu.net
• NYC Baha’i Center 53 E. 11th Street (212-222-5159)
Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to 14th Street-Union Square bahainyc.org
ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009
• Otto’s Shrunken Head 538 E 14th Street between Avenues A and
B (212-228-2240) Subway: L to First Avenue
• Parlor Entertainment 555 Edgecombe Ave. #3F between 159th and
160th Streets (212-781-6595) Subway: C to 155th Street
parlorentertainment.com
• ParlorJazz 119 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn (718-855-1981)
Subway: G to Clinton-Washington parlorjazz.com
• Phoebe’s Cafe 323 Graham Avenue (718-599-3218)
Subway: L to Graham Avenue
• Plum 4009 Broadway at 168th Street (212-781-3333)
Subway: A, 1 to 168th Street
• Puppets Jazz Bar 481 5th Avenue, Brooklyn (718-499-2622)
Subway: F to 7th Avenue puppetsjazz.com
• Push 294 Third Avenue Subway: 6 to 23rd Street
• Riverdale YM-YWHA 5625 Arlington Avenue, (718-548-8200)
Subway: 1 to 242 Street - Van Cortlandt Park riverdaley.org
• Red Star 37 Greenpoint Avenue between Franklin and West Streets
(718-349-0149) Subway: G to Greenpoint Avenue redstarny.com
• Rockwood Music Hall 196 Allen Street (212-477-4155)
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue rockwoodmusichall.com
• Rose Hall Broadway at 60th Street, 5th floor (212-258-9800)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle jalc.org
• Rose Live Music 345 Grand Street between Havemeyer and Marcy
(718-599-0069) Subway: L to Lorimer Street liveatrose.com
• Roth’s Westside Steakhouse 93rd Street at Columbus Avenue
Subway: B to 96th Street
• Roulette 20 Greene Street (between Canal and Grand Streets)
(212-219-8242) Subway: 1 to Franklin Street roulette.org
• Royale 506 5th Avenue
(718-840-0089) Subway: F to 4th Avenue royalebrooklyn.com
• Rubin Museum 150 West 17th Street
(212-620-5000) Subway: A, C, E to 14th Street rmanyc.org
• St. John the Divine 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (212 316-7490)
Subway: 1 to 110th Street stjohndivine.org
• St. Nick’s Pub 773 St. Nicholas Avenue at 149th Street
(212-283-9728) Subway: A, C, B, D to 145th Street
• St. Paul’s Chapel 415 W. 59th St. (212) 265-3495
Subway: A, C, E, 1, 2, B, D to 59th Street-Columbus Circle
• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street
(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Street saintpeters.org
• Schomburg Center 515 Macolm X Boulevard (212-491-2200)
Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Street nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html
• Seppi’s 123 W. 56th Street (212-708-7444)
Subway: F to 57th Street
• Showman’s 375 West 125th Street (212-864-8941)
Subway: 1 to 125th Street
• Shrine 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (212-690-7807)
Subway: B, 2, 3 to 135th Street shrinenyc.com
• Sistas’ Place 456 Nostrand Avenue at Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn
(718-398-1766) Subway: A to Nostrand Avenue sistasplace.org
• Smalls 183 W 10th Street at Seventh Avenue (212-252-5091)
Subway: 1,2,3,9 to 14th Street smallsjazzclub.com
• Smoke 2751 Broadway between 105th and 106th Streets
(212-864-6662) Subway: 1 to 103rd Street smokejazz.com
• Sofia’s 221 W. 46th Street Subway: B, D, F, V to 42nd Street
• Spike Hill 184 Bedford Avenue Subway: L to Bedford spikehill.com
• The Stone Avenue C and 2nd Street
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue thestonenyc.com
• Sweet Rhythm 88 Seventh Avenue South (212-255-3626)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street sweetrhythmny.com
• Swing 46 349 W. 46th Street (646-322-4051)
Subway: A, C, E to 42nd Street swing46.com
• Symphony Space 2537 Broadway at 95th Street (212-864-5400)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 9 to 96th Street symphonyspace.org
• Tamboril 527 Myrtle Avenue (718-622-5130)
Subway: G to Classon Avenue
• Tapeo 29 29 Clinton Street (212-979-0002) Subway: F to Delancey
• Tea Lounge 837 Union Street, Brooklyn (718-789-2762)
Subway: N, R to Union Street tealoungeNY.com
• Teneleven Bar 171 Ave C at 11th street (212-353-1011)
Subway: L to 14th Street
• Tillie’s 248 DeKalb Avenue (718-783-6140)
Subway: B, D, F, Q, N to DeKalb
• Town Hall 123 W. 43rd Street (212-997-1003)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, 7 to 42nd Street-Times Square
the-townhall-nyc.org
• Trash Bar 256 Grand Sreet. between Driggs and Roebling
(718-599-1000) Subway: L to Bedford Avenue thetrashbar.com
• Tribeca Performing Arts Center 199 Chambers Street
(212-220-1460) Subway: A, 1, 2, 3, 9 to Chambers Street
tribecapac.org
• Tribes Gallery 285 E. 3rd Street
(212-674-8262) Subway: F, V to Second Avenue tribes.org
• University of the Streets 130 East 7th Street
(212-254-9300) Subway: 6 to Astor Place
• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Avenue South at 11th Street
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street villagevanguard.com
• Vino di Vino Wine Bar 29-21 Ditmars Boulevard, Queens
(718-721-3010) Subway: N to Ditmars Blvd-Astoria
• Walker’s 16 North Moore Street (212-941-0142)
Subway: A, C, E to Canal Street
• Waltz-Astoria 23-14 Ditmars Boulevard (718-95-MUSIC)
Subway: N, R to Ditmars Blvd-Astoria Waltz-Astoria.com
• West Bank Café 407 W. 42nd Street (212-695-6909)
Subway: A, C, E to 42nd Street westbankcafe.com
• Whitney Museum 1845 Madison Avenue at 75th Street
(800-944-8639) Subway: 6 to 77th Street whitney.org
• Yippie Café 9 Bleeker Street between Elisabeth and Bowery
Subway: 6 to Bleeker Street
• York College Performing Arts Center 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.,
Queens Subway: E to Jamaica Center york.cuny.edu
• Zankel Hall 881 Seventh Avenue at 57th Street (212-247-7800)
Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th Street carnegiehall.org
• Zebulon 258 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn (718-218-6934)
Subway: L to Bedford Avenue zebuloncafeconcert.com
• Zinc Bar 82 West 3rd Street (212-477-8337) Subway: A, C, E, F, V,
Grand Street Shuttle to W. 4th Street zincbar.com
41
 (INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)
Prince’s house. Prince is a great instrumentalist. He
plays the alto, the baritone, the flute, the bass clarinet,
the e flat clarinet and practically all of the woodwinds
very well. He was in NYC for a long period of time
and he had all of the people working with him like
Herbie Hancock, Elvin Jones, all of the great ones
worked with Prince Lasha. He moved to the West
Coast in maybe the late ‘60s where he bought a big, big
house on a hill. He always had a big house and all of
the musicians, when they went to the West Coast he
would encourage them to stay at his place. There they
could practice and have the flexibility to eat good. ...In
the late ‘70s, I think it was 1977, when I did the first
tape of my Saxophone Choir he heard it and fell in
love with the tape and contacted me. So, about three
years later when we went out to San Francisco with the
Max Roach Quartet to play the Keystone Korner, a
very famous [now-defunct] jazz club there, of course I
had to stay at Prince’s house. He picked me up at the
airport and I was treated like a king. He was such a
being that I thought it was very appropriate to write a
composition about him.
AAJ-NY: Your tone and sound are incredible. How did
they develop?
OP: I am very fussy about sound. A couple of my
professors when I was coming up said never sacrifice
tone for technique. Even today, my first priority when
I go in my basement in my studio is how can I better
enhance my tone quality. It comes from focus,
consistency, hard work and discipline. I feel left out if
I am not able to still practice three hours a day and I
try to practice more than that if possible.
AAJ-NY: The recent Serenity (CIMPoL, 2007) is like
Odean Pope naked soloing among nature.
OP: I have been recording for Bob Rusch at CIMP in
Redwood, New York for 10 years; he has a big farm
out in the country. Normally the way I record is that I
have rehearsed everything before I get there and we
then drive up, about a six-hour drive. We usually get
there about 4 in the afternoon, we rest for about an
hour and then his wife, Susan, prepares dinner and we
eat. Then shortly after dinner we go into the studio
and start recording and for the most part I would
complete all of the pieces that night. I then get up
around 4 in the morning, go outside and practice. This
morning we had just finished To the Roach and the
birds were out there and I usually go out and play
spirituals. I was unaware but Rusch was recording and
then I heard him say that this would be a wonderful
concept. He was thinking of starting another label and
he wanted me to do a CD of solo spirituals and that is
how it came about. It was raining the night before and
there were people holding umbrellas over the
engineers and myself and my horn. The birds were out
and it turned out very nice. K
For more information, visit odeanpope.com. For the
complete interview, visit allaboutjazz.com. Pope and his
Saxophone Choir featuring James Carter is at Blue Note
Mar. 12th-15th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:
• Catalyst - The Funkiest Band You Never Heard
(Eponymous/Perception/Unity/Tear and a Smile)
(Muse-32 Jazz, 1972)
• Max Roach Quartet - In The Light (Soul Note, 1982)
• Odean Pope Saxophone Choir -
The Ponderer (Soul Note, 1990)
• Odean Pope Trio - Ninety-Six (Enja, 1995)
• Odean Pope Saxophone Choir - Locked & Loaded:
Live at the Blue Note (Half Note, 2004)
• Odean Pope - Plant Life (Porter, 2008)
42 March 2009 | ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK
(LABEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8)
Hopefully, one day we will have enough distribution
and sales in the US market to justify releasing Venus
Records in the US market with English liner notes.”
The use of female nudes on some Venus covers
has caused a bit of controversy, limiting their
marketing in stores and on some websites (one of
which substituted the back cover to promote Kenny
Werner’s recent With a Song in My Heart) while
several Venus artists have complained about their use.
But Tetsuo Hara is convinced that his packaging is
essential to his CDs. “Venus Jazz recordings reflect my
total artistic concept of music, cover art and overall
sound quality that I most prefer and choose. When
these recordings appeal and resonate well with a lot of
listeners in the world, that makes me very happy.” K
For more information, visit venusrecord.com. Artists
performing this month include Eric Alexander at Iridium
Mar. 5th-8th and Smoke Mar. 11th-12th with Todd
Coolman; Stefano Bollani at Birdland Mar. 25th-28th with
Enrico Rava; Bill Charlap at 92nd Street Y Mar. 7th as part
of Dick & Derek's Piano Party; John DiMartino at The
Kitano Mar. 4th with Deanna Kirk, Saint Peter's Mar. 9th
as part of the David “Fathead” Newman Memorial and
Dizzy's Club Mar. 24th-28th with Nicki Parrott; David
Hazeltine at Smalls Mar. 26th with Ken Fowser; Lee Konitz
at Jazz Gallery Mar. 11th and Creole Mar. 20th-21st; Steve
Kuhn at Birdland Mar. 11th-14th; Dan Nimmer at Rose
Hall Mar. 26th-28th with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra;
Cedar Walton at Saint Peter's Mar. 9th as part of the David
“Fathead” Newman Memorial; Phil Woods at Dizzy's Club
Mar. 12th-15th and Denny Zeitlin Mar. 10th-11th at
Dizzy's Club. See Calendar.
MARCH S CHEDULE
SHOWTIMES - 8 :30, 1 0, 1 1:30 p m
WEEKEND C OVER C HARGE - $ 20
WEEKDAY C OVER C HARGE - $ 10
Fri & Sat, March 6 & 7
TK BLUE QUARTET
Fri & Sat, March 13 & 14
BILL JACOBS NEW ENSEMBLE
Fri & Sat, March 20 & 21
DWIGHT WEST AND TRIO
Fri & Sat, March 27 & 28
ERIK FRAZIER &
THE ALL-STAR JAZZ
Sun. Jazz vocalist Open Mic
with Lafayette Harris Trio
Mon. Patience Higgins & Sugar Hill Quartet
Wed. Nathan & Max Lucas Organ Trio
288 Lenox Avenue
(Malcolm X Boulevard/124th & 125th)
212-427-0253
www.lenoxlounge.com

LOUIE BELLSON
A vice president at Remo, the drummer was
known for spectacular solos on his signature
two-bass drum set. Called “the world’s
greatest drummer” by Ellington, Bellson died
Feb. 14th, aged 84.
IN MEMORIAM by Celeste Sunderland
JOE CUBA GUNTER HORIG ANCA PARGHEL
The “Father of Boogaloo” fused Latin and The German pianist, composer and arranger She started singing at age three and, in 20
R&B rhythms in hits like “Bang Bang” and founded the Swing and Dixieland big band years, made 16 albums. The Romanian
“El Pito” in the ‘60s-70s. Influential in the Tanzsinfoniker just after World War II. A vocalist played with Larry Coryell, Paolo
Nuyorican Movement, Cuba passed away teacher at the Dresden Conservatory since Randoni, Norma Winstone and others.
Feb. 15th. He was 78 years old. 1962, Horig died Jan. 17th, aged 81. Parghel died Dec. 5th, aged 51.

IRVING BUSH
He got his start in Nelson Riddle’s big band,
played in the studio orchestras of 20th
Century Fox, MGM and Paramount and
recorded with Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and
Nat King Cole. At 78, the trumpeter died Jan.
8th.
ORLANDO “CACHAITO” LOPEZ
Considered the “heartbeat” of the Buena
Vista Social Club, the Havana-born bassist
enjoyed independent acclaim with his award-
winning album Cachaito in 2002. On Feb. 9th,
Lopez passed away. He was 76.
HANK CRAWFORD
Just before graduating from college, he joined
Ray Charles’ band, where he met longtime
mate David “Fathead” Newman. The
saxophonist went on to lead a variety of his
own bands before his death Jan. 29th, at 74.
BLOSSOM DEARIE
In post-war Paris she began a solo singing
career that led to a series of classic albums on
Verve in the ‘50s. Famous for her girlish voice
and restrained vocal technique, Dearie was 82
when she died Feb. 7th.
LEO FLEMING, SR.
He played bass with the orchestras of Tito
Puente and Tito Rodrigues in the ‘50s at the
legendary New York club The Palladium and
helped spark the “mambo craze”. Born in
Panama, Fleming died Jan. 21st at 94.
LEONARD GASKIN
In the ‘40s he took the bass seat in Dizzy
Gillespie’s band before going on to play with
Cootie Williams, Erroll Garner, Eddie
Condon and others. A gifted educator,
Gaskin was 88 when he passed away Jan.
24th.
SUSAN MEYER MARKLE
A jazz scholar with a vast record collection,
the one-time president of the Jazz Institute of
Chicago was also an author, professor and
video editor for JazzTimes magazine. At 80,
she passed away Dec. 19th.
WHITEY MITCHELL
He started a career in jazz, playing bass with
Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa and Lester
Young before becoming a television writer in
Hollywood. On Jan. 17th, Mitchell passed
away. He was 76 years old.
GERRY NIEWOOD
A member of Chuck Mangione’s band, the
saxophonist played with Simon and
Garfunkel, Liza Minnelli and appeared on
Saturday Night Live. A victim of flight 3407,
Niewood was 64 when he died Feb. 12th.
JOZEF DODO ŠOŠOK
One of Slovakia’s most beloved jazz
musicians, the percussionist founded a
variety of bands and played with Bireli
Lagrene, Kenny Wheeler and Tomasz Stanko
during his career. Šošok died Nov. 21st at 65.
MONTY WATERS
In the ‘80s, the California-born saxophonist
moved from New York to Paris and later
relocated to Munich. He worked with Mal
Waldron, Marty Cook and played duo with
Titus Waldenfeld. At 70, Waters died Dec.
24th.
KLAUS WEISS
He shared the stage with German mates like
Klaus Doldinger, George Gruntz and
Friedrich Gulda, as well as Bud Powell,
Johnny Griffin and other American expats.
The drummer was 66 when he died Dec. 10th.

BIRTHDAYS
March 1 March 6 March 11 March 17 March 22 March 27
†Glenn Miller 1904-44 †Red Callender 1916-92 †Miff Mole 1898-1961 †Grover Mitchell Fred Anderson b.1929 †Hal Kemp 1905-40
Teddy Powell b.1906 †Howard McGhee †Mercer Ellington 1930-2003 John Houston b.1933 †Pee Wee Russell 1906-69
†Barrett Deems 1914-98 1918-87 1919-96 Paul Horn b.1930 †Masahiko Togashi †Ben Webster 1909-73
†Kenny Baker 1921-99 †Wes Montgomery Ike Carpenter b.1920 Karel Velebny b.1931 1940-2007 †Sarah Vaughan 1924-90
†Eddie Jones 1929-97 1925-68 †Billy Mitchell 1926-2001 Jessica Williams b.1948 George Benson b.1943 †Harold Ashby 1925-2003
Benny Powell b.1930 †Ronnie Boykins 1935-80 †Leroy Jenkins 1932-2007 Abraham Burton b.1971 †Bill Barron 1927-89
Gene Perla b.1940 Charles Tolliver b.1940 March 23 Burt Collins b.1931
Ralph Towner b.1940 Peter Brötzmann b.1941 March 12 March 18 †Johnny Guarnieri
Norman Connors b.1947 †Robin Kenyatta Sir Charles Thompson †George Orendorff 1917-85 March 28
1942-2004 b.1918 1906-84 Al Aarons b.1932 †Paul Whiteman
March 2 Flora Purim b.1942 †Hugh Lawson 1935-97 †Deane Kincaide 1911-92 Dave Frishberg b.1933 1890-1967 MARTY SHELLER
†Kutte Widmann 1906-54 †Al Hall 1915-88 Dave Pike b.1938 †Herb Hall 1907-96 March 15th, 1940
Narvin Kimball b.1909 March 7 March 13 †Sam Donahue 1918-74 Masabumi Kikuchi b.1940 †Ike Isaacs 1923-81
†Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis †Nat Gonella 1908-98Dick Katz b.1924 Bill Frisell b.1951 †Thad Jones 1923-86
1921-86 †Lee Young 1917-2008Roy Haynes b.1926 March 24 Bill Anthony b.1930 In 1958, he made his
†Doug Watkins 1934-62 Roy Williams b.1937 †Blue Mitchell 1930-79 March 19 †June Clark 1900-63 †Eric Dixon 1930-89 professional debut on
Buell Neidlinger b.1936 Herb Bushler b.1939 Akira Tana b.1952 †Curly Russell 1917-86 †King Pleasure 1922-81 †Tete Montoliu 1933-97 trumpet at the
Bob Neloms b.1942 Terence Blanchard b.1962 †Lennie Tristano 1919-78 Dave MacKay b.1932 Barry Miles b.1947
March 8 †Harry Babasin 1921-88 Kalaparusha Maurice Donald Brown b.1954 Woodbine Hotel in the
March 3 †George Mitchell March 14 Gene Taylor b.1929 McIntyre b.1936 Catskills. Soon after he
†Barney Bigard 1906-80 1899-1972 †Joe Mooney 1911-75 Bill Henderson b.1930 Steve Kuhn b.1938 March 29 joined saxophonist
Cliff Smalls b.1918 Dick Hyman b.1927 †Les Brown 1912-2001 Mike Longo b.1939 Paul McCandless b.1947 †Sidney Arodin 1901-48
†Jimmy Garrison 1934-76 George Coleman b.1935 Sonny Cohn b.1925 David Schnitter b.1948 Renee Rosnes b.1962 †Abe Lincoln 1907-2000 Hugo Dickens’ band
Luis Gasca b.1940 †Gabor Szabo 1936-82 Mark Murphy b.1932 Chris Brubeck b.1952 Dave Douglas b.1963 †George Chisholm and started playing a
Franco D’Andrea b.1941 †Shirley Scott 1934-2002 Michele Rosewoman 1915-97 mix of Latin jazz and
March 4 †James Williams b.1953 March 25 †Pearl Bailey 1918-90
Don Rendell b.1926 1951-2004 March 15 †Albert Burbank 1902-76 Allen Botschinsky b.1940 R&B at weekend dances
†Cy Touff 1927-2003 †Jimmy McPartland March 20 †Pete Johnson 1904-67 †Michael Brecker in Harlem. In 1961 he
†Ann Burton 1933-89 March 9 1907-91 †Ozzie Nelson 1906-75 †Linton Garner 1915-2003 1949-2007 met Mongo Santamaria
†Barney Wilen 1937-96 †Joe Daniels 1908-93 Spencer Clark b.1908 Nick Caizza b.1914 Paul Motian b.1931 and soon found himself
David Darling b.1941 Vic Ash b.1930 †Harry James 1916-83 Marian McPartland †Larry Gales 1936-95 March 30
Jan Garbarek b.1947 Ornette Coleman b.1930 Bob Wilber b.1928 b.1920 †Lonnie Hillyer 1940-85 †Ted Heath 1900-69 recording “Watermelon
Keely Smith b.1932 Cecil Taylor b.1929 Sonny Russo b.1929 Makoto Ozone b.1961 Lanny Morgan b.1934 Man” with Herbie
March 5 Zakir Hussain b.1951 Charles Lloyd b.1938 Harold Mabern b.1936 Karl Berger b.1935 Hancock. Seven years
†Joe Yukl 1909-81 Marty Sheller b.1940 Jon Christensen b.1943 March 26 Marilyn Crispell b.1947
†Gene Rodgers 1910-87 March 10 Joachim Kühn b.1944 Abe Bolar b.1908 later, he stopped
†Bill Pemberton 1918-84 †Peter DeRose 1900-53 March 21 †Flip Philips 1915-2001 March 31 playing the trumpet,
Dave Burns b.1924 †Bix Beiderbecke 1903-31 March 16 †Hank D’Amico 1915-65 Andy Hamilton b.1918 †Santo “Mr.Tailgate” but a career as an
George Probert b.1927 †Pete Clarke 1911-75 †Ruby Braff 1927-2003 Mike Westbrook b.1936 †Brew Moore 1924-73 Pecora 1902-84
Pee Wee Moore b.1928 †Don Abney 1923-2000 †Tommy Flanagan Herbert Joos b.1940 James Moody b.1925 †Red Norvo 1908-99 arranger and composer
†Wilbur Little 1928-87 Louis Moholo b.1940 1930-2001 Amina Claudine Myers Maurice Simon b.1929 †Freddie Green 1911-87 blossomed. -CS
†Lou Levy 1928-2001 Mino Cinelu b.1957 John Lindberg b.1959 b.1942 Lew Tabackin b.1940 †Jimmy Vass 1937-2006

ONbyTHIS DAY
Andrey Henkin

JATP Lausanne 1953
Oscar Peterson & Friends (TCB)
March 14th, 1953
This 2007 first release fills out a
hitherto empty segment of the late
pianist’s discography, early spring
1953. At the time, Peterson had his
famed trio with Barney Kessel and
Ray Brown, performing alone or
under other leadership. All are here
as are “Friends” Lester Young,
Charlie Shavers, Willie Smith and the
dual drums of JC Heard and Gene
Krupa. Part of the Jazz at the
Philharmonic series of concerts, this
Swiss date features music by
Ellington, Berlin and Youmans
among others.
Here’s Jaki
Jaki Byard (Prestige-OJC)
March 14th, 1961
By the time of this album, pianist Jaki
Byard had been here for some time,
working extensively with Eric
Dolphy. This Prestige debut (after an
unreleased-until-much-later Candid
session) is a trio outing with bassist
Ron Carter and drummer Roy
Haynes. Byard wrote all the tunes
except for a cover of Coltrane’s “Giant
Steps” and a Gershwin medley of
“Bess, You Is My Woman/It Ain’t
Necessarily So”. A relatively late
starter, Byard was only a couple of
years away from seminal work with
Booker Ervin and Charles Mingus.
The Band
George Gruntz (MPS)
March 14th, 1976
Swiss pianist/composer/arranger
George Gruntz has been leading
variations of his Concert Band since
the early ‘70s, releasing a large
number of albums on labels like MPS
and TCB. This particular edition
features an international cast of
players like Jon Faddis, Palle
Mikkelborg, Jimmy Knepper,
Howard Johnson, Alan Skidmore,
Niels Henning Ørsted-Pedersen,
Daniel Humair and Dom Um Romao
on tunes by Gruntz, Humair, the
Ambrosetti Brothers and the
collective title track.
Xanadu in Africa
The Xanadu All-Stars (Xanadu)
March 14th, 1980
Xanadu was a relatively short-lived
record label (mid ‘70s to early ‘80s)
that nonetheless released many
albums that filled the void left by a
declining Prestige from artists like
Jimmy Heath, Sam Jones and Ted
Dunbar. This live date from Club
Taski Les Almadies in Dakar, Senegal
brings together members of the
label’s roster - Al Cohn, Billy Mitchell,
Charles Dolo Coker, Leroy Vinnegar
and Frank Butler - for a set of
standards like “All or Nothing at
All”, “I Surrender Dear”, “Blues in
the Closet” and “Easy Living”.
The Last Concert
Eddie Harris (ACT)
March 14th, 1996
Eddie Harris might be under-
appreciated as a saxophonist due to
usually recording as a leader but
everyone knows his most famous
tune, “Freedom Jazz Dance”. That
song appears on this live date from
Köln, Germany, recorded less than a
year before Harris’ death at 62 after
long illness. Harris also plays tunes
by Lee Morgan (“The Sidewinder”),
Bobby Timmons (“Moanin’”), Gil
Goldstein and Nat Adderley (“Work
Song”) as a featured soloist with a
sextet and the WDR Big Band, with
charts by Goldstein.

ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK | March 2009 43

 723 7th Ave. 3rd Floor
New York, NY. 10019
212-730-8138 Store Hours: Mon-Sat: 11-7 Sun: Closed
Owner: Steve Maxwell Manager: Jess Birch
Steve’s cell: 630-865-6849 Email: drummermax@aol.com
Visit us on the web at: www.maxwelldrums.com

WE HAVE A NEW LOCATION

IN MANHATTAN
After six years in Chicago we’ve opened a
new location in Manhattan. Our shop is
located at 723 7th Ave. 3rd floor. We’re right at
the corner of 7th Avenue and 48th Street,
which is known as “Music Row” in Manhattan.
Our NYC manager is Jess Birch and he and
Steve will both be at the shop. We’ve been open
since April 1st and business has been great.
Thanks to all who have stopped by!!! Now we’re
ready to spread the word!
Our philosophy for the shop is to create an inviting atmosphere where players and collectors alike can visit and see wonderful vintage and custom drums
and cymbals that you can’t find anywhere else; enjoy listening to some jazz vinyl while hanging in the drummer’s lounge area of our museum; and
exchange ideas and information with friends. We even have sound proof rooms for testing cymbals, drum sets and snare drums. Our sets, snares and
cymbals are set up and ready for you to play. We believe in the highest level of personal, professional service and we have the experience you need when
considering vintage and custom drums and cymbals. Call Steve on his cell anytime, or email him at drummermax@aol.com . He wants to hear from you.

Our shop includes:

• Craviotto: World’s largest selection of Craviotto
one-ply snares and drum sets. We are the largest
Craviotto dealer in the world.
• Vintage: Extensive inventory of high end vintage snare
drums, sets and cymbals. We have vintage Gretsch,
Rogers, Slingerland, Ludwig, Leedy, Camco and more!
• Player’s Specials: Snares, sets and cymbals focused
on the needs of players
• Gretsch: USA Custom drums in bebop sizes made
famous by the 60s era jazz greats
• Leedy: Our Leedy USA Custom Shop drums will debut
in NYC later this year
• GMS: Great USA made drums built in New York!
• George Way: We are your source for Ronn Dunnett’s
great new George Way snares
• Maxwell: Our Maxwell line of custom drums includes
small bebop sets and more.
• Heads, hardware, sticks, bags and more

Cymbals: We have Istanbul, Bosphorus, Zildjian, Old As, Old Ks, Spizzichino, Dream and
our own Session Cymbals line of hand hammered cymbals made in Turkey. New and vintage cymbals galore.
Stop in and see our museum section with items such as:
Gene Krupa’s 30s Slingerland Radio King! • Elvin Jones’s Tama brass shell snare used by him from 78-88. Rare Slingerland black beauty snare drum.
Recording Studio Support:
Enormous selection of vintage and custom drums to suit the needs of any recording studio looking for that special, unique sound.
Need that “vintage” drum or cymbal sound? Come see us. We have what you need. Need a versatile but unique
custom drum sound? We have that as well with our Craviotto solid shell drums. None finer in the world.

NYC DRUMMERS, WE HAVE DRUM SET PRACTICE

SPACE AVAILABLE FOR RENT ON AN HOURLY BASIS.
CALL JESS AT 212-730-8138 FOR DETAILS.
TEACHING STUDIO IS OPEN
Ron Tierno has relocated his long standing teaching studio to
our shop. Call Ron directly at 646-831-2083 for lesson
information and visit his site at www.nydrumlessons.com

WE NOW HAVE OUR BRAND NEW VINTAGE STYLE RAIL

CONSOLETTE TOM HOLDER IN STOCK. CHECK IT OUT
ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN THE SHOP.