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TheJAZZ CULTURE

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"Kings ofthe Crescent City" at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall

2 The Jazz Culture, VI:54

"The Kings of Crescent City" Octetby L. Hamanaka

Caught the beginning of “The Kings ofCrescent City” at Jazz

at Lincoln Center’s Rose Auditorium on Friday, April 1 9, 2013 at

8:00 p.m. Conductor and Musical Director was Victor Goines, on

clarinet and saxophone. Marcus Printup, trumpet, Kenny Rampton,

trumpet, Chris Crenshaw, trombone, tuba, Don Vappie, banjo,

guitar, Reginald Veal, bass, Adonis Rose, drums and Dan Nimmer,

piano. The “Kings” were: King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney

Bechet, and of course, Louis Armstrong. Hitting “1” and “3”

precisely on his drums, Mr. Adonis Rose took the stage and the

band played “Dippermouth Blues” at a bright 160= quarter note.

The octet then launched into “Cattanooga Stomp” at about

140=quarter note, a merry tune frequently punctuated by trombone

growls , the banjo strumming along, with chordal figures rising; it

seemed they were playing a written arrangement. This was a

segment of songs written by King Oliver. “Snake Rag” followed,

the pianist pinking figures delicately. A trumpet solo, either

written or transcribed was played neatly and prettily,

circumscribed by the style of the period of early jazz. Then, 4/4

was introduced, a marching sound, more of a wailing song, (about

100=quarter note) on “Snag It.” This song played with an even

4/4, started to emphasize “2” and “4” lightly, with a muted

trombone, banjo, Mr. Vappie sang with wavering tones of a nice

baritone, slightly flamboyant, in keeping with New Orleans style,

with an open and pretty tone.

The “Black Bottom Stomp” followed, in a segment featuring

songs by Jelly Roll Morton, at about 175=quarter note,

highlighting the New Orleans counterpoint that Mr. Morton was

famous for; briskly played, a piece with trumpet playing accented

lines against the rest of the ensemble, with deft clarinet work of

Mr. Goines, and stride piano by Mr. Nimmer. “Sidewalk Blues” by

Mr. Morton was next, at about 140=quarter note, in Stop Time,

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A Theatrical Evening withJUDE NARITA

JUDE NARITA won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award ‐ Saturday April 20 at 8 p.m., ZEB’s223 West 28th Street, 2nd Flr., Reservations & Info: 516‐922‐2010,

Tickets: General $15 stud/sen.: $10

The Jazz Culture, VI:54

with the trumpet and clarinet in counterpoint in a charming and

graceful arrangement, the rhythm played in 4/4 time. A clarinet

solo followed by the trombone, seeming to paint a pre World War

I scene in a cosmopolitan city like New Orleans, giving a historical

depiction (like “St Louis Blues" does). The arrangement even had

a bass solo with twangs, or gutbucket sound. In this song, the

rhythm ensemble played early swing. In a toggle ending, the song

went out in stop time also. There was then a piano solo by Mr.

Nimmer on “King Porter Stomp.” The “Shoeshiner’s Rag”:

followed, an earthy tune with lots of shakes, about 100=quarter

note, with a banjo solo with good phrasing, and a few measures of

bass solo on a chordal melody, with nice articulation. Mr. Printup

has a good middle register sound on trumpet, the arrangement

ended on a long tone with a cutoff by Mr. Goines. “Hyena”

featured Mr. Vappie's vocals, long guffaws and hysterical giggles

so infectious that the audience joined in, at about 148=quarter

note. A clarinet solo infused with triplets, and a catchy rhythmic

counterpoint by the band. The second half of the concert featured

works by Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet, in a charming style

true to the origins of that period of playing, and enjoyed by the

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WORLD PREMIERE ofJIMMY OWENS'"BRONX SUITE atFORDHAMUNIVERSITYby. L. Hamanaka

Caught the Jimmy Owens Septet at Fordham University

performing his original, “Bronx Suite” for the10th Anniversary

Concert of the Bronx African American History Project. Mr.

Owens is a Bronx native brought up in the Morrisania

neighborhood, and the historians present recounted a jazz history

of our northern borough. After introductory remarks by Dr. Mark

Naison and Robert Gumbs, who recounted when he was a member

ofThe Jazz Arts Society and approached the owner of the “845”

Club to produce a Sunday series of concerts featuring such greats

as Gigi Gryce, Donald Byrd, Betty Carter, Cannonball Adderley,

Art Tatum, in 1956. In 1958 Mr. Gumbs helped produce

“Barbecue & Jazz” a series that started July 15, 1 958, with Curtis

Fuller and Hank Mobley among the guest artists. “We might have

been poor, but creativity – we had it,” said Mr. Gumbs. He also

remembered jazz musicians who lived in the Bronx at the time,

including Slide Hampton, Thelonious Monk, Elmo Hope. Maxine

Gordon, widow ofDexter Gordon, gave a brief historical

overview. Anybody who really knows New York City knows that

the 8 million all live in a fascinating and diverse series of

neighborhoods.

The Septet was: Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, Michael Howell,

guitar, Patience Higgins, tenor saxophone, Jimmy Owens, trumpet

& flugelhorn, Danny Mixon, piano, Winard Harper, drums ,

Kenny Davis, bass. The Bronx Suite had six sections: 1 . Prelude

The Bronx, 2. Statement The Bronx-Bronx Ballad, 3 . Blue Bronx

Blues, 4. Lypso Bronx, 5. Hold On! We B Fix-N’ It! and 6. The

Long Hard Road Back.

Event 1‐2Jimmy Owens "Bronx Suite" Premiere 4‐6,

We Always Swing 6‐10How To Make A Jazz Vocal Act 11‐16

Gig Listings‐Letter 1 9-20Billie Holiday Birthday 21‐24

[email protected]://theJazzCulture.com © 2012


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1 . Prelude The Bronx. The opening was a pretty melody on

flugelhorn and guitar, followed by a counter melody on trombone

and piano.

2. Statement The Bronx-Bronx Ballad. Drum intro, cruising

forward on long tones, in a joyous mood, with sparks from the

drummer and solid support of the bassist, carrying the strong spirit

of the borough forging ahead, with a percussive solo by Wycliffe

Gordon, followed by a chordal solo quoting Cherokee by Mr.

Mixon and a restatement of them by the horns, with accents on the

upbeats of a string of eighth notes pushing the beat ahead. A

proclamation in a dramatic fashion of the vast vista of the Bronx

stated by horns with a trumpet solo by Mr. Owens like a piercing

cry with a burnished tone and wide vibrato on long tones, later

rejoined by the rest of the band, and pianist providing a high trill.

Then a bass line, pretty punctuated long tones with counterpoint, a

semi martial sound on horns. There was a nice counter melody and

a lush sound, with great support. The trumpet solo was descriptive

and rich in memories of the streets and childhood haunts he grew

up in, with nice triplet figures that then exploded and opened into

new melodies. Mr. Higgins solo on tenor saxophone had a lusty

sound, arpeggiating up with spicy motifs

Danny Mixon, Patience Higgins, Michael Howell, Kenny Davis, Mark �aison, Jimmy

Owens, Windard Harper, Unknown, Wycliffe Gordon

Cont. P. 24


MISSOURI CONCERTSERIES

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Kenny Barron, Jimmy Greene, ts Kiyoshi Kitagawa,bass, Jonathan

Blake, drums "A Chunk ofMonk" Missouri Theatre“We Always Swing”® Jazz Series in Columbia, Missouriby Jon Poses

to Jazz CulturePub note: "We Always Swing" is one of the most successful

regional sponsors of jazz programming in the country and it

is humbly hoped that jazz enthusiasts, musicians and

producers, wil l learn from their experiences.

JC: How long have you been doing the series? And where is it

located?

Jon Poses: The “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series is in its 1 8th

season. I founded it on July 1 , 1 995 as an extension ofmy

touring/artist representative business, National Pastimes

Productions. The business’ name reflects an aesthetic that “Jazz”

as well as “Baseball” – referred to as our national pastime – is also


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a national pastime – meaning the United States has TWO national

pastimes (plural) – jazz and baseball. I founded National Pastimes

Productions as a touring and artist representative concern in 1985.

As luck would have it, on July 1 , 1 985, two close friends ofmine

bought a country and western “flavored” bar/restaurant and opened

it as “Murry’s,” deciding to have a jazz (and baseball)

motif/atmosphere. As National Pastimes Productions grew, and

because ofmy friends’ interest in having live jazz at Murry’s, I

“engineered” performances in Columbia, Missouri, as part of the

tours I organized. Columbia, now with a population that exceeds

100,000 people, is a university town located in the center of the

Missouri, sitting equidistant from St. Louis and Kansas City, 1 20

miles from each.

From 1985-1995 I concentrated on organizing/managing 10-

then 20- and finally 30-city tours. On most occasions I was able to

have one of the tour performances take place in Columbia – mostly

at Murry’s. However, in the case of bigger, more popular acts I

rented larger venues – from 400 seats to 1 ,700 seats. Murry’s

initially held 100 people; now it holds about 1 30 people.

Among my clients/tours (1985-present) are:

• Guitarist Peter Leitch with Bobby Watson, James Williams,

Ray Drummond, Marvin “Smitty” Smith

• Pianist James Williams (several occasions including the

Contemporary Piano Ensemble with Williams, Harold Mabern,

Mulgrew Miller, Donald Brown, Geoffrey Keezer, Christian

McBride, Tony Reedus)

• Saxophonist Bobby Watson/Bobby Watson & Horizon with

Victor Lewis, Terell Stafford, Edward Simon, Essiet Essiet

• Bassist Ray Drummond/Ray Drummond’s All-Star Excursion

Band with Drummond, Craig Handy, Danilo Perez, David

Sanchez, Billy Hart, Mor Thiam

• Pianist Joanne Brackeen/Joanne Brackeen Quartet with Greg

Osby, Cecil McBee, Tony Reedus


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• Saxophonist David Murray/David Murray OctetPianist Kenny

Barron/Kenny Barron Trio with Ray Drummond, Ben Riley

• The Leaders – with Lester Bowie, Arthur Blythe, Chico

Freeman, Kirk Lightsey, Cecil McBee, Famadou Don Moye

• Matt Wilson/Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts with Wilson, Larry

Goldings, Terell Stafford and Dennis Irwin/Martin Wind

• Conrad Herwig/Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side All-Star Band

with Craig Handy, Mike Rodriguez, Bill O’Connell, Ruben

Rodriguez, Robby Ameen, Pedro Martinez

After a decade of touring I decided to emphasize presenting. I

launched the “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series on July 1 , 1 995. I

continued to work with a coterie of players as their

manager/representative however since then my main emphasis has

been on presenting a concert subscription and education series.

The “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series was founded as a

community-based, all-jazz organization. The Jazz Series,

administered by "We Always Swing," ® Inc., became a 501 (c)(3)

not-for-profit corporation in March 1999; in 2009, while remaining

wholly independent, the Jazz Series became an affiliated with the

University ofMissouri's College ofArts & Science. Support for

Anat Cohen, Bruce Barth, Piano, Vincente Archer, bass,

Royston, drums, The Blue �ote (a different Blue �ote)


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the Jazz Series arrives via ticket revenue, via federal, state and

local grant and contract programs and from a variety of national,

regional and local sources such as area corporations and

businesses. Additional funds are generated through the generous

tax-deductible contributions from individuals.

JC: Who is playing in it this year, and who has in the past?

Jon Poses: Since launching the Jazz Series we have presented

more than 200 concerts and events. The series was created as a

“modern” jazz series – essentially one that stressed post-World

War Two repertoire. While some artists pre-date World War Two

(Dave Brubeck, Von Freeman, Candido among others who have

performed as part of the Jazz Series) chronologically they all play

in a modern, post-modern mode right up until, in the case of

Brubeck and Freeman, died.

The first year of the series, 1 995-1996, offered six concerts –

“Big Band Bird” with Slide Hampton celebrating Parker’s 75th

birthday (what would have been), Ray Brown Trio, Brackeen

Quartet, Contemporary Piano Ensemble, Poncho Sanchez and

Kevin Mahogany with Eric Reed Trio.

The second season, our budget/fiscal year is July 1 -June 30, we

upped the schedule to 7 concerts and started an educational

component. The season has now been extended to more than 20

events annually, including between 10-12 concerts, a summer

series and a plethora of educational and in-school activities.

As to who has played here… well, a great many have. We have

presented something like 35 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz

Masters including Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess,

Sheila Jordan, Phil Woods, McCoy Tyner, Von Freeman, Toshiko

Akiyoshi, Ellis, Branford, Wynton, Jason Marsalis – on different

occasions, etc.

We have presented World Saxophone Quartet and Sun Ra;


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David Murray’s Octet. We have presented octogenarians and 20

somethings – Grace Kelly and Champian Fulton are two examples

this season (2012/2013) . We’ve presented large ensembles: Maria

Schneider Orchestra, Mingus Big Band, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra,

etc. We present artists in a solo, duo and trio settings along with

quartet and quintet configurations.

As for this season – please visit our website –

wealwaysswing.org. Each artist/group that performs has their own

“page” on the site; at the top of the Home Page people can click to

on any of the thumbnails and they will be taken to that

artist’s/group’s page. This season we started with Billy Childs

Quartet and we’ll end with Gerald Clayton’s Trio; in between we

presented Kenny Barron as part of “A Chunk ofMonk,” a NEA

Jazz Masters Live! project that we conceived of centered on

Thelonious Monk along with Terell Stafford Quintet, Jane Bunnett

with Hilario Duran and Candido, Marcus Roberts Trio, The Bad

Plus, Joe Locke-Geoffrey Keezer Group and Monterey Jazz

Festival On Tour: 55th Anniversary Celebration.

Stefon Harris & Blackout, at Murry's


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JC: I notice it’s non-profit. Why did you choose that route?

Jon Poses: There is, sadly, at least I haven’t figured it out, yet, no

way to run a major jazz project in this day and age without either a

serious endowment in place that one can draw from or as a non-

profit organization, which allows presenters to seek outside

funding from agencies, corporations in the form of sponsorships

and individual tax-deductible contributions. Our current budget

fluctuates between $260,000 and $295,000 – depending on which

artists we present in a given season and how many tickets they can

generate. However, even ifwe sold every possible ticket – and our

tickets run from $15 (for students in some instances) to $37 for the

public (best seats available in other instances) – we would only

generate approximately 40% of the budget on the 12 concerts we

present in any given Fiscal Year.

JC: Who is on your board?

Jon Poses: Right now we have 1 1 board members serving three-

year terms that can be renewed for up to three periods. They are

mostly long-time supporters, season ticket holders, educators and

University representatives along with physicians, social workers,

etc. They are community members.

JC: Do you have a newsletter?

Jon Poses: We don’t have a print newsletter per se, but we do

have a Facebook page and a Twitter account. More than that, we

produce substantial concert programs that are handed out at the

shows and for the last three years have been posted on our website

in their entirety with links for all the advertisers, etc. The programs

resemble the classic “Playbill” formats – 5.5” x 8.5”; glossy, color,

etc. Each issue – about five per season – covers two to three

concerts – so we move ads around, change content, etc. They are

more like magazines than your basis arts group concert program.

Also, about five years ago we launched our “E-Note,” a weekly

electronic newsletter that tells people what’s upcoming; we also

mix in a “Video Clip of the Week” selected randomly – sometime

with a tie-in to a specific upcoming concert, other times they


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showcase great on-the-bandstand scenes. We have approximately

2,200 subscribers.

JC: How many members do you have?

Jon Poses: We’re not really a membership organization. We have

a snail mail list of 4,200 households; we have an email list of

2,300 people. We just started – only a few months ago – a student

and public membership opportunity. It stemmed as an outgrowth

of our newly created “Lending Library,” which consists of 7,000

CDs/LPs. – mostly my personal collection. With basic

memberships (students = $25/yr.; public $50 per yr.) people can

check out two CDs a week; they receive certain discounts; students

get a free T-shirt and there are some other perks. The membership

levels serve two purposes: try and get younger people involved; try

to help ease/create cash-flow.

JC: What do you think of the future of jazz?

Jon Poses: The short answer is it’s in fine shape. Overall we, as

the jazz culture, need to sharpen our marketing and promotional

Bobby Watson with Peter Washington on bass, and Terrell Stafford,

trumpet


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tools. We need to figure out how to get and then stay younger –

but not at the expense of “watering down” the music. That’s

different from simply commercializing the music as a way to draw

more people in and make more money by “simplifying stuff” I

don’t buy that argument. It’s never worked – and what’s worse is

that it leaves with shoddy, simplistic and mundane music that

requires us to periodically dig ourselves out of some kind of

watered-down muck. The key to the future of jazz remains the

same: genuine exposure to the art form through traditional means:

easy to access sights and sounds – whether it be the radio or via

Pandora; be it on television or youtube. It’s about exposure – in

and out of the classroom so people hear it. The Grammys® are a

perfect example; how much jazz is heard/showcased on the

Grammys®, a premier showcase for American music. Virtually

none. Why are we surprised that few people have heard of some of

our greatest artists? It really makes perfect sense that’s the case.

It’s the proverbial tree falling in the forest and no one’s around to

hear it drop. Until that changes, until jazz gets into people’s ears in

more than a background setting, then it’s going to remain an

enigma and intimidating to most people rather than offering folks

the true joyful noise that it is.

JC: Are you a musician?

Jon Poses: As a child I studied classical piano – and I never

practiced. As an adolescent I was a rock-‘n’-roll guitarist wanna-

be – and I didn’t practice. I studied music history/theory in college

so I understand a lot of the concepts but the only thing I play is the

telephone.

JC: How did you come to be devoted to the art form?

Jon Poses: This is a very long story. Briefly, I’ve always loved

music – as long as I can remember. My folks always liked

listening to music – mostly the Big Band dudes: Artie Shaw,

Benny Goodman and I’ ll throw in Duke Ellington; they also had a

very good “folk” record collection and we listened to and actually

saw people such as Josh White, Pete Seeger and Burl Ives, etc. I


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grew up in New

York City; by the

time I hit in high

school I was in the

right place at the

right time – and so

I lived at places

such as the

Fillmore East. I

caught the tail end

of the Greenwich

Village folk scene.

In 1973 I dropped

out of college and

went to the Bay

Area. I was already

a Dead Head and

living in that

epicenter made

such groups as

Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Van Morrison, Country Joe,

Commander Cody, Boz Scaggs, et. al. readily available when they

weren’t on tour. They all lived there having moved from San

Francisco up north to Marin County. I spent a year in the Bay Area

and then returned to school in Boston – also a great market for

music.

In 1976, after graduating college, I went to Europe for the first

time. During my seven months there I made conscious effort to get

to the Montreux Jazz Festival. That year I saw Stan Getz, Herbie

Hancock, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, etc. Jazz was the

logical extension for me; I had heard literally every note that Jerry

Garcia could play and it was time to move on and quench a new

thirst. So I did. Fortunately, I’ve never run out of jazz streams and

tributaries to drink from; on occasion I’m lucky enough to

discover a new jazz river – at least for me and even a jazz ocean

CD cover for "Home: Live in Columbia,

Missouri" with Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson

House Concert fundraiser


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HOW TO-DO A JAZZ VOCAL ACT

that’s filled with music.

I love democracy and conversation – and there is no form of

expression that exemplifies such qualities along with sharing,

listening, learning, taking risk, enjoying the satisfaction of doing

so than jazz – so, in my case, it was easy to devote myself to the

art form.

* * *

by L. Hamanaka

A singer who wants to do an Act

has to ask him/herself certain

questions first.

1 . Is it a special occasion?

Christmas, a birthday, a Tribute to

a Famous Artist or Composer?

2. Does it fall into the general category, ie. , a singer wants to do

his or her Act.

3 . How long is the time slot? Half an hour, forty-five minutes, an

hour, two shows, three sets?

4. Will it be a family intergenerational gathering with minors

present? Where do you want to perform your Act?

The reason one asks these questions is obviously, it will help

you choose appropriate songs. Next ask yourself, what kind of

singer are you and what is your repertoire? If you have a year or

two to plan, you can learn new material. You may find yourself

doing research to find rare songs or special material that is funny,

etc. During the process, you may find certain songs highlight your

special talents. There are many kinds of songs: blues, ballads,

Singer Jo Marchese


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medium swing, bebop, cool jazz,

progressive, are just a few

examples.

Whatever your forte is, you

might try to choose a theme to

center your choices around. Most

songs are love songs, so to say you

want to have “love” as your theme

is too general. You might pick

“Hollywood” or Film songs, “Cole

Porter Songs,” “Jazz Composers from the Second Half of the

Twentieth Century,” or some other theme that focuses your

choices.

After choosing a theme, we have to consider tempos. There has

to be a variety: Latin, ballad, patter songs, blues, all provide

different rhythmic patterns and tempos to stimulate and interest the

listener. Few audiences will sit through an evening of all ballads.

You might look at a dvd of an evening with Tony Bennett or

another leading singer to see how he paces his program. The very

fact that you want to do an Act means you are committed to being

a professional, and you are thinking about the audience and the

effect you are making on them.

Then there is what you will say to the audience to introduce

each song, segue between songs, and end your show. This material

should be written down until it becomes memorized.

Along with that, there is the whole question of interpreting each

song in terms of how your life relates to it, or the subtext,

phrasing, tone quality, dynamics.

At some point, after you have chosen a group of songs and

tried them out, gotten feedback from fellow artists and the songs

seem to fit together, you can set up a practicing schedule for run

throughs every day. If you can play piano or guitar, you can

Jim Malloy


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accompany yourself. Otherwise you may have to pay an

accompanist to lay down the songs in order for you on a tape, with

intros and endings. Then tape your rehearsals of these songs on a

different machine. Listen to the playback and see what has

improved and how you can make the songs better. Also, time

yourself. Every professional situation has a time frame. Perhaps

Club A offers a vocalist a one hour time slot from beginning to

end. So you would aim for that. Perhaps you would wind up

throwing out a weak song or a song that is not essential to the story

line of your theme. You should try to go through at least half the

songs you will perform each day. Listen to your tape, then sings

them again with modifications and listen again. Check your

tempos with a metronome before you start and after you finish so

you can see if you have slowed down or sped up the tempo.

Over time polish and augment your interpretation of the lyric.

Remember, before you expect your audience to be moved by a

song, you must be moved yourself. Do a run through before a

friend, or sing some of the songs at an open mike.

Try to give yourself at least two or three months to work on a

group of songs. A year would be more realistic. Also, write

legible charts in your key that indicate the form you want a

musician to follow. If you are singing with more than one person,

have a copy of the chart for each musician in the same order.

Learn the song as the composer wrote it before you try to make

any changes, and try to make any changes at least equal to or as

interesting as the composer’s choices. Many singers do not make

any change in notes; they may change the phrasing, but it is

important to learn the chords or harmony of a song so that you will

not sing a melody note that does not fit in with the harmony.

This process is a joyous experience. Each vocalist has their

own personality and can bring new things to the same material.

Take the time to invite as many people as possible to your

performance. Every artist needs to build their own following. Keep


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Subscribe Free to the Jazz Culture Newsletter:http://thejazzculture.com. © 2012, The Jazz Culture,Ltd. West Park Finance Sta, POB 20023,700 Columbus Avenue, NYC 10025, 646‐312‐7773 Advertise in The Jazz Culture:Reasonable rates: [email protected]

track of everyone who you know that likes music or likes you well

enough to come out and hear you. When you finish your Act and

have presented it to the public, it should help you build your

following and you should be a better musician.

BILLIE HOLIDAY BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE atTHE RUM HOUSE

Dealva & Franke Robinson

Clockwise, Lisi Paluski, Carol Randazzo & Sybil Evans

cont.

p. 21


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Gig Listings ofThe Jazz Culture Subscribers:

Please support theseartists and bring your friends.

April 1-2: Ray Blue,Hamilton College, Utica, NY

April 2: Michael Weiss Trio, University ofChicago,

Chicago, IL

April 3: Valery Ponomarev, "Our Father Who Art Blakey"

Zinc's 9-1

April 4: Michael Weiss Trio, Logan Center, Chicago, IL

Tribute to Johnny Griffin

April 6: Ray Blue, Jazz Ed Workshop, Embark Studio,

Peekskill, NY;

also, duo at the Division Grill, Peekskill, NY

April 6: Michael Weiss Trio, Western Illinois University,

Macomb, IL

April 6, Jimmy Owens debut of an Original Composition by

Mr. Owens, "The Bronx Suite", performed by all star septet

The Fordham Univ Campus 441 E. Fordham road 8 p.m., 718

-817-4339 admission FREE

Also performing are subscribers Patience Higgins and Danny

Mixon; Bronx African American History Project 10th

Anniversary

April 7: Annual Billie Holiday Tribute at The Rum House,

228 West 47 Street, bet 8-Broadway 2-6 p.m. No Cover or

Minimum

Singers: Katie Collins, Sarah Rose Grillo, Jim Malloy,Anthony

Maxwell, Franke Robinson, Lionelle Hamanaka, Maggie Malone,

Karen Maynard, Maki Mototsu, Mary Rocco, Ron Saltus, Richard

Williams, Megumi Watada, Kumiko Yamakado, Joe and Phyllis


20

Gimpel, Phil Levy, Jo Marchese, Sonya Perkins, Connie

McNamee, Michael Morgan. Trio features Kuni Mikami, Chuck

McPherson and Jon Roche

April 11 : Lionelle Hamanaka, Richard Wyands, Bertha Hope,

Ron McClure, Chuck McPherson, Gene Ghee Goddard Riverside

Community Center 7-8 p.m. Free 593 Columbus Avenue, all

Lakisha Williams for tickets at 212-799-9400 ext.206

April 12: Ray Blue, Davenport, Iowa High School Anti-

Bullying Tour; also, evening at the Lighthouse Restaurant, 7:00

April 16: Ray Blue, Garage, NY 7-1 1

April 19: Ray Blue St. Peters Jazz Vespers w/Harlem Jazz&

Blues Band

April 21 : Ray Blue, Jazz Vespers Peekskill Presbyterian

April 26: Lionelle Hamanaka at Tomi Jazz, 9-1 a.m. 239 E.

53 Street in basement 646-497-1 254

ENGLANDEvery Friday & Saturday: John Watson atthe Palm Court, Langham 1c PortlandPlace, London, no cover or minimum 44-

207-965-01 95

John Watson on BBC Saturday morning,

1 1 :30 a.m. UK time.

GERMANYApril 24-30: Ray Blue Germany tour including: Bandenscher Hof

in Berlin,(24-27); Evalgelische Paulus-Kirschengemeinde (28);

back to Badenscher Hof (30).

JAPANApril 11: Nobuo Watanabe, The Swing +1 at Una Mas, 8-1 1 pm

Tokyo Y2500

April 13: Nobuo Watanabe with Kai Ichikawa Quintet, 7:30-1 :00

Y2000, Tokyo

April 13: Nobuo Watanabe, Kin No Subo, Core Place Yoga,

Tokyo


MORE OF BILLIE HOLIDAY BIRTHDAYTRIBUTE at THE RUM HOUSEby L. Hamanaka

The great genius Billie Holiday was celebrated at a Birthday

Fete presented at The Rum House at 228 West 47th Street on April

7, 2013, the day of her Birthday. Ms. Holiday was called "an

improvising genius" by John Hammond, who discovered her when

she was singing at 17 in Harlem. A great beauty and inspiration

and innovator, Ms. Holiday sang from the depths of her life, heart

and soul. Singers and musicians from Long Island, Connecticut,

the five boros and New Jersey gathered to sing her repertoire at the

gourmet tavern The Rum House, in the heart of the Broadway

Theatre district.

Michael

Morgan,

Max

Anthony, Jo

Marchese &

Sonya

Perkins


Clockwise, Karen Maynard, Carol Sue Gershman, Jim Malloy,

Maki Matotsu, pianist Kuni Mikami, Phyllis Gimpel


Clockwise, Chuck McPherson,

Megumi Watada, Connie

Mac�amee, Maggie Malone, Joe

Gimpel and Katie Collins


Bassist Jon Roche, Singer Kumiko Yamakado

Job Opening: Advertising Director for The Jazz Culture

�ewsletter.Commission basis, 50%. Please email resume to:

[email protected]

24

forging ahead, with a percussive

solo by Wycliffe Gordon, followed by a chordal solo quoting

Cherokee by Mr. Mixon and a restatement of them by the horns,

with accents on the upbeats of a string of eighth notes pushing the

beat ahead. A proclamation in a dramatic fashion of the vast vista

of the Bronx stated by horns with a trumpet solo by Mr. Owens

like a piercing cry with a burnished tone and wide vibrato on long

tones, later rejoined by the rest of the band, and pianist providing a

high trill. Then a bass line, pretty punctuated long tones with

counterpoint, a semi martial sound on horns. There was a nice

counter melody and a lush sound, with great support. The trumpet

solo was descriptive and rich in memories of the streets and

childhood haunts he grew up in, with nice triplet figures that then

exploded and opened into new melodies. Mr. Higgins’ solo on

tenor saxophone had a lusty sound, arpeggiating up a spicy into

new melodies. His solo was well supported by the rhythm section.

Mr. Howell gave a liquid guitar solo, pleasing guitar enthusiasts

with licks starting from a high note and descending and then

reversing direction from the bottom up. Two lindy hoppers jumped

up and danced in front of the audience below the stage. The septet

carried the theme out on a vamp leading to a diminuendo that

Cont. from p. 5


Wycliffe soloed over, a mellow tone with a strong center, and then

raunchy and assertive, leading to a group long tone that fluttered

poetically and then seemed to spiral heavenward.

Mr. Owens made the following comments: “I was born in

Morrisania Hospital and grew up on 168th Street near the Prospect

and Intervale Avenue (subway stops). I played skellies and

stickball growing up in the public schools. I went to PS.99 and

Junior High School 40 where they had a music class, then the High

School ofMusic & Art. I’m a real product of the public school

system in New York City. I went to Freddie’s and Mickey &

Sylvia’s on Boston Road near 168 Street…I’d stand outside and

listen to lots of great musicians perform…many of the people I

grew up with wound up in jail…Many are dead. … But music

kept many of us very, very busy.”

Mr. Owens later continued, that he was “the only Bronx native

to receive the National Endowment of the Arts jazz master

award… So the music foundation from Junior High School 40

took me all over the world.” In 1969 Mr. Owens founded the

Collective Black Artists, where he taught a course entitled “The

Business Aspect of the Music Industry.” At the same time he

started working with Lionel Hampton and Slide Hampton. After

that, he worked with Hank Crawford in a nonet travelling through

the south. The nonet had a station wagon and U Haul. “Hank

Crawford musicians were not Freedom Riders but could have been

mistaken by racist police in those areas.” In 1964, Mr. Owens

started working with Charles Mingus, and after 1965 he got

married and had to learn how to be a freelance musician-as he

didn’t have a steady job but just freelanced, but stayed busy. At

that time, he began to write more music for recordings. “Life was

always about the blues,” he said. With these words as an

introduction, the septet went on to play the “Blue-Bronx Blues”

section of the “Bronx Suite.”

3. Blue Bronx Blues, a slow blues in 12/8. Melody was full of


reminiscences in blue, with dynamic accents by the horns. The sax

made a bleating tone from top to bottom, with a few circular

movements, the trumpet in counterpoint. The trombone used a

mute a la New Orleans, down and dirty. Danny Mixon played

percussive blues licks and glisses high in the right hand, then a

series of triplets migrating down chromatically.

4. Lypso Bronx: Another stream of the Black diaspora, with

calypso drums, drums laying down a nice smooth carpet of sound.

The trombone and sax had a four bar Call and Response, and then

ended in a crisp phrase on the trombone. Then piano did a

rhapsodic solo, playing a solo that resembled the solos of steel

drums on the piano. There was restatement of the theme, and a

cheerful sunny 6 note melody followed by five note ideas.

5. Hold On! We B Fix-N’ It! This section refers to an escalator

at 161 Street and River Avenue stop from the D train to the El at

that stop. There were many steps that everyone including the

elderly had to walk up, for too long while it stayed broken. Every

time people called, the City would say, Hold On! We B Fix-N’ It!

Starting with a nine note melody to a march rhythm, the trombone

played a raucous solo, the trumpet joined in counterpoint, an

emphatic declamatory sound portrait like the ones Ellington used

to compose, depicting the hardships who are neglected by red tape.

Kenny Davis on bass played a mutlinote solo, kind of blue with a

pretty full sound. The crowd was clapping on 2 and 4. The

counterpoint between the rhythm section and horns was very

effective. The septet sang the words, Hold On! We B Fix-N’ It!

6. The Long Hard Road Back. Began with a trumpet solo, a

ballad expression aspiration in 12/8 with church echoes like a

hymn in chorus. The sax solo expressed determination and

passion, from the top of his horn to the bottom. It was a militant

determined theme, and in fierce stop time, the trombone played a

bluesy solo with perfect articulation and feeling. Then the rhythm

section gave a dynamic crescendo, with the horns entering one by


one, trumpet, trombone and sax, expressing the uphill heartache of

the borough of the Bronx. Then a drum solo double time with

piano and guitar casting a happier light on the piece, ending with a

short four note phrase.

Dr. Naison called the concert “historical” and “memorializing

the history of the Bronx” and indeed the performance and

composition succeeded in expressing the history, spirit and

struggles of an often overlooked borough, and the people who live

there, especially the African American diaspora and cultural

modes. The audience gave a standing ovation and performers

seemed aware ofwhat they had done; luckily there was a

videographer to capture it for posterity.


Bronx Suite ErrataIn the article on Jimmy Owens and Septet at FordhamUniversity, please note the following ERRATA:1.The spelling of Wycliffe Gordon, The Jazz Arts Society‐RobertGumbs, Dr. Mark Naison, Thelonious Monk, Adderley.2. The “Bronx Suite” was in 6 sections: Prelude The Bronx;Statement the Bronx‐Bronx Ballad;Blue Bronx Blues; Lypso Bronx; Hold On! We B Fix‐N it!; and TheLong Hard Road Back3. Mickey’s & Sylvias’ and Freddie’s were located on168 St nearBoston Road4.Hank Crawford’s musicians were not Freedom Riders but couldhave been mistaken by racist police in those areas. Jimmy[Owens] never said he was a Freedom Fighter. He said thegroup did not want to be mistaken for Freedom Fighters.5. In 1965 Mr. Owens “got married and had to learn how to be afreelance musician‐as I didn’t have a steady job but justfreelance but stayed busy.”6. Lypso Bronx had 4 bar, not a 2 bar Call and Response section.7. “Hold On!” was about an escalator at 161 and River Avenue,not an elevator.8. The bass player’s name was Kenny Davis.We apologize for the prior errata. The revised article appears infull in this issue.28 The Jazz Culture, VI:54

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