AUGUST2011

SILVANOMONASTERIOS

SHANNON POWELL

DOUG DEMING & THE JEWEL TONES

HOT TUNA TROY ROBERTS

SWEET CLAUDETTE

VICTOR WAINWRIGHT

JAY LEONHARDT

SILVANOMONASTERIOS

JAY LEONHARDT

NATE NAJAR PAULETTE DOZIER

DARYL SHERMAN

RJ HARMAN

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WINNING SPINSVENEZUELA-BORN, MIAMI-BASEDkeyboardist Silvano Monasterios arrived fullof promise when he first traveled to theUnited States in 1989 to play the Miami JazzFestival. Much of that promise was in classicalmusic, since he’d trained at the heralded JoseAngel Lamas Conservatory in Caracas. Buthis side studies in jazz proved formidableenough to earn him the Miami Jazz Fest’s“Best Soloist Award.”

The following year, Monasterios immigratedto the U.S. after receiving a scholarship fromMiami-Dade College. He earned another fromthe prestigious University of Miami jazz program, and by the time the keyboardistreceived his Bachelor of Music in 1995, he wasalready an area standout. Even while playingin R&B bands like Gary King & the Dream,Monasterios’ unique jazz voice was evident.

When he started his solo recording careerin 1998 with the CD Roads Not Taken,Monasterios was also well on his way towardthe Master of Music degree he’s since earnedfrom UM. As a member of Sammy Figueroa’sband, Monasterios earned even greaternotice. His masterful playing and songwritingon the percussionist’s Grammy-nominated2007 Savant release The Magician attractedthe attention of jazz-industry veteran JoeFields, who executive-produced Monasterios’new Savant debut, Unconditional.

The pianist’s compositions are both headyand hearty, a rare combination in any genre.He dedicates the opening “Farmacia delAngel” to his father, the doctor whose ownpiano playing at home first inspiredMonasterios. Borrowing its title from a poemby Colombian author Juan Manuel Roca, thepiece blends Brazilian and Venezuelanrhythms with a swinging undercurrent.Strong playing by tenor saxophonist andcomfortable foil Troy Roberts—each plays inthe other’s band—buoys the effortless solosof Monasterios and bassist Jon Dadurka.

Monasterios takes to heart the advice to“write about what you know.” The track“Monsieur Petit Noir” is named for his dog, amixed breed with no recognizable lineage—not unlike, at times, the pianist’s music itself.Building in intensity, the song shimmiesbetween several odd and even time signatures

as Monasterios leaves holes for the brief yetcaptivating solos of drummer Rodolfo Zuoñigaand percussionist José Gregorio Hernández.

Monasterios continues the familiaritytheme on the two-part “A Song for Jacques.”The suite honors jazz DJ JacquesBraunstein, whose weekly FM radio show inVenezuela also inspired his love for the genre.Part one is a short, somber prologue show-casing the pianist’s touch and a stately bowedbass line by Dadurka. The conclusion is asvibrant as its predecessor is dark, asMonasterios and Roberts engage in joyousinterlocking lines propelled by the rhythmsof Dadurka, Zuoñiga and Hernández.

Phil Markowitz’s composition “Sno’ Peas”is the disc’s only non-original cut. Discoveredby Monasterios on Bill Evans’ Affinity album,it’s performed as a playful romp, with bassistGabriel Vivas stepping in for Dadurka, as hedoes on the leader’s gorgeous title ballad, aswell. Monasterios’ arrangement surfs betweena swinging traditional feel, with Roberts play-ing soprano sax, and an insistent Venezuelangaita zuliana rhythm.

by Bill Meredith

SILVANO MONASTERIOS

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Roberts returns to his tenor for “Forgotten Gods,”written by Monasterios while on the Mayan Riviera.Sounding inspired, the pianist offers a cascadingsolo that displays every facet of his musicianship.This, in turn, inspires the saxophonist to unfore-seen heights.

For the concluding “Black Saint,” Monasteriosplays electric keyboards to pay homage to MilesDavis and his influential plugged-in key-boardists: Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, KeithJarrett and Joe Zawinul. The results echo Miles’Bitches Brew, as Monasterios fuses aVenezuelan chimbangle rhythm with Africanand traditional jazz elements. Even as hesalutes the fusion era, he keeps his eye onwhat appears to be a very bright future.

Silvano Monasterios performs with the Troy Roberts Quartet at 7PM on Aug. 12 atthe Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach. Call 305-673-7530 or visitBassmuseum.org. Follow Monasterios to the Van Dyke Café at 9PM and hear himwith Sammy Figueroa & His Latin Jazz Explosion.

WINNING SPINS

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DOUG DEMING AND THE JEWEL TONESMATTISON’S CITY GRILLE, SARASOTA/AUG. 1, 26PALLADIUM, ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE/AUG. 5BRADFORDVILLE BLUES, TALLAHASSEE/AUG. 6OCEAN BLUE, SARASOTA/AUG. 19, 27CORK’S, BRADENTON/AUG. 21, 28Detroit-born, Bradenton-based Doug Deming clearlyhas an affinity for the jump blues and jazzy, late-nightlicks of T-Bone Walker. His expertise, and that of histopflight band The Jewel Tones, have kept Deming indemand as a sideman. He’s worked with legends suchas Louisiana Red and the late A.C. Reed, as well asMotor City blues royalty, such as Alberta Adams andJohnnie Dyer. Naturally, Deming learned plenty at theside of these masters, as evidenced by his instrumental

fluency and his sly andsoulful tenor vocals.His 2009 CD, FallingThrough the Cracks,showcased his deeplyrooted original material.The guitarist was ablyaccompanied by aright-on-time rhythmsection and a rotatingroster of harmonicaplayers, including KimWilson, Dave Morrisand Dennis Gruenling.Gruenling will be per-forming with the ’Toneson the dates above. BW

S P O T L I G H THOT TUNAVINYL MUSIC HALL, PENSACOLA/AUG. 3PLAZA THEATRE, ORLANDO/AUG. 4REVOLUTION, FORT LAUDERDALE/AUG. 5SKIPPER’S SMOKEHOUSE, TAMPA/AUG. 6Steady As She Goes is not just the title of Hot Tuna’slatest recording, it also describes the band’s primedirective. Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist JackCasady were childhood friends, playing music togetherwhile growing up in Washington, D.C. They’d go on toworldwide fame as the heart of The Jefferson Airplane,splintering off into the old-timey-blues-inspired side bandHot Tuna. A masterful finger-style guitarist with a warmand rootsy voice, Kaukonen delved into the songbooks ofthe Rev. Gary Davis, Robert Johnson and Mississippi

John Hurt, accompa-nied by Casady’s liquidelectric basslines andmusicians including fid-dler Papa John Creachand harmonicist WillScarlett. Steady… is HotTuna’s first new studiorecording in 20 years,showcasing their mel-low, laid-back songcraftin acoustic and electricsettings. The Floridashows will be acoustic,with Jack and Jormajoined by mandolin wizBarry Mitterhoff. BW

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SHANNON POWELL QUARTETCORAL GABLES CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHAUG. 4If the headline atop your website’s home page reads“The World’s Greatest Drummer,” you have set thebar stratospherically high. Yet Shannon Powell doesn’tdisappoint. The 49-year-old New Orleans native’sonline address, after all, reads “The King of Tremé,”signifying his upbringing in the Crescent City’s storiedneighborhood. That’s where he began playing at age 6,at the First Garden Christ Church, shortly beforebecoming an accompanist at Preservation Hall. Taughtby Danny Barker, a singer and multi-instrumentalistin Cab Calloway’s band, Powell went on to study atthe Black Academy of Arts, where he played alongside

fellow students Wyntonand Branford Marsalis.From 1987 to 1992,Powell recorded andtoured with anotherNew Orleans export,Harry Connick Jr.,leading to work withDr. John, Diana Kralland John Scofield. Forthis concert, Powellwill lead a world-classquartet comprisingSteve Masakowsi onguitar, Jason Marsalison vibes and RolandGuerin on bass. BM

S P O T L I G H TPAULETTE DOZIEREL BAR, CORAL GABLES/AUG. 3, 10The term “Renaissance woman” might have beencoined with Miami vocalist Paulette Dozier in mind.Besides singing for audiences around the world, she’sworked as a model, actress, voice-over artist, dancerand talent coach. Dozier’s warm alto is perfectly suitedfor ballads. Her scatting ability shows a penchant forjazz, and she also displays elements of R&B, cabaret,Motown and international music. The nativeFloridian even learned to speak—and sing in—Spanish and Italian during trips to South Americaand Europe. Her 2005 CD With You features a medleyof Marvin Gaye tunes, a dark reading of Peggy Lee’s“Fever” and a version of Burt Bacharach’s “Alfie.”

Coral Gables audi-ences might also heartracks from Dozier’s2007 release Over &Over Again, includingstandards like the titletrack, Van Morrison’s“Moon Dance” and AlGreen’s “Let’s StayTogether.” The singerwill be joined by SouthFlorida all-stars BradKeller on piano, DaveTomasello on bass andJames Cotmon ondrums. BM

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NATE NAJAR TRIOTHE ALE AND THE WITCH, TOWER PLAZA COURTYARD, ST. PETERSBURG/AUG. 6Whether playing electric or acoustic instruments,most jazz guitarists use single-note phrases to emulatehorn players. Not Nate Najar. The St. Pete-based guitaristphrases more like a pianist on a nylon-stringed classicalguitar—a rarity in jazz—and the results are often classic.Najar’s trio includes upright bass and drums, and theirconcerts usually display material by jazz innovatorsfrom Bill Evans and Django Reinhardt to AntonioCarlos Jobim and beyond. Najar’s latest CD, Until Now,features several of his compositions plus a gorgeous,jazz-meets-classical arrangement of Michael Jackson’s“Human Nature.” His trio also has Christmas and live

recordings to theircredit, all displayingthe leader’s uniqueapproach and theinfluence of his hero,Charlie Byrd. Najarperformed during a2008 salute to Byrd atthe Kennedy Center inWashington, D.C., andwill do so again along-side drummer ChuckRedd’s ensemble atthe Monty AlexanderJazz Fest in Easton,MD, over Labor DayWeekend. BM

DARYL SHERMAN & JAY LEONHARDTROYAL ROOM AT THE COLONY HOTEL, PALM BEACH/AUG. 5, 6, 12, 13An accomplished pianist, Daryl Sherman’s best-knownfor her light, almost childlike voice. Influenced byMildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald and Blossom Dearie,the Rhode Island native moved to New York City in1974 while in her mid-20s. Once there, the quirkysinger was taken under the wings of pianist DickHyman and bassist Milt Hinton, among others, andeven fronted clarinetist Artie Shaw’s orchestra beforestarting her solo career in the mid-1980s. Her accom-panist for her shows in Palm Beach, versatile bassistJay Leonhardt, hails from Baltimore but also moved tothe Big Apple in his 20s. Since then, he’s worked with

everyone fromFrank Sinatra andTony Bennett toSting and QueenLatifah. Shermanand Leonhardtlikely will performstandards fromthe vocalist’s 2006CD Guess Who’sin Town (which alsofeatured Leonhardt)at the Royal Room,an intimate 90-seater that hasbecome a favoritefor cabaret acts. BM

S P O T L I G H T

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TROY ROBERTS QUARTETBASS MUSEUM OF ART, MIAMI BEACH/AUG. 12VAN DYKE CAFE, MIAMI BEACH/AUG. 25.Listening to saxophonist Troy Roberts on tenor andsoprano conjures images of a young Wayne Shorter,rather than a musician who cut his jazz teeth inAustralia. The Perth native earned a masters degreefrom the University of Miami (where he’s since becomea member of the adjunct faculty) after relocating tothe U.S., and has worked with the likes of JohnClayton, Jeff Hamilton, Lauryn Hill and SilvanoMonasterios. Roberts plays in the Miami-basedMonasterios’ band, and the pianist returns the favorin the saxophonist’s quartet. The group will be play-ing music from Roberts’ third CD, the 2008 release

The XenDen Suite, atthe Bass Museum inMiami Beach. Thesimpatico musicianswill have their handsfull in re-creatingRoberts’ unique eight-part suite (originallyperformed by a jazzquartet with a stringquartet). Roberts andMonasterios may alsoperform tracks fromRoberts’ latest CD,Nu-Jive, on which the pianist is also featured. BM

S P O T L I G H TRJ HARMANHARRY’S CIGAR AND BREW, OVIEDO/AUG. 20With a name like RJ Harman, you’d better be able tobring it on harmonica. After all, comparisons will bemade to two of the baddest harpoon men around,James Harman and RJ Mischo. But the Longwood,Florida, resident more than holds up his end of themoniker, displaying a cutting tone and phrasing rootedin Walters big and little, Sonny Boys I and II, SonnyTerry and Kim Wilson, among others. In fact, histechnique and showmanship was impressive enoughto win the annual Florida Harmonica Championshiptwo years running (2009-2010). The cat also boastssome soulful pipes, as heard on his quite-originalsounding “Bottlecaps,” his cover of Sonny Boy II’s

“Nine Below Zero”and his frenetic takeon “R ocket 88 .”Harman received hisfirst harmonica as agift from his granddadon his 13th birthday.Now in his early 20s,he’s shared stages andtraded licks with harpwizards Jason Ricciand Phil Wiggins andperformed with theRev. Payton’s BigDamn Band andSelwyn Birchwood &Deuces Wild. BW

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SWEET CLAUDETTE BANDBRADFORDVILLE BLUES, TALLAHASSEE/AUG. 25Sweet Claudette Harrell-Manning is a classic bluessinger. Hailing from Detroit, quite naturally shebrings a great deal of soul and funk to the proceed-ings. But she’s deeply immersed in blues tradition, ascan be heard on tracks from her 2009 recording ThatMan’s Got to Go, including her racy “23 Hours & 45Minutes,” the slowburning “Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness,”and the jumping “Meet Me.” The album ascendedinto the top 20 of the Living Blues Airplay Charts.Sweet Claudette followed it this year with ShakingUp the Bucket, which revisits repertoire staples suchas the self-determined “Ain’t Gonna Wash Your DirtyClothes” and the slinky “Sending You to Man School.”

No wonder she was afavorite at the lateWillie King’s FreedomCreek Festival in hernative Alabama, as wellas in the Motor City,where last year she wasnominated for a DetroitBlack Music Award.Having just celebratedher 75th birthday,Sweet Claudette swingsdown to Tallahasseebefore heading back toTuscaloosa for theJohnny Shines Festival.BW

S P O T L I G H TVICTOR WAINWRIGHT AND THE WILDROOTSBRADFORDVILLE BLUES, TALLAHASSEE/AUG. 27PARADISE BAR & GRILL, PENSACOLA/AUG. 28-30Victor Wainwright’s thundering boogie-woogie pianoand partying blues growl mark him as a true descendantof Leroy Carr, Professor Longhair and Dr. John. Dubbedthe “Piana’ From Savannah,” which is also the name ofhis 2005 release, Wainwright hails from the picturesqueGeorgia town, although he’s currently based in Memphis.But Florida also plays a role in the piano man’s tale,as he hooked up with bassist and collaborator StephenDees, with whom he formed his band The Wildroots,in Ormond Beach. In 2009, their album Beale Street tothe Bayou earned rave reviews and lofty space on the bluesand roots charts. Earlier this summer, Wainwright and

co. followed it with theraucous Lit Up, a mixof jump blues, grittyChicago-style blues,Memphis/New Orleansboogie and even someswampy, acoustic Deltablues. The latter styleis heard to beautifuleffect on tracks like“Dixie Highway,” anode to the sprawlingasphalt ribbon thatconnects the Southand Midwest—muchlike Wainwright’smusic. BW

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