February 2024—ISSUE 262

YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE NYC JAZZ SCENENYCJAZZRECORD.COM

BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
ISSUE

KAHIL EL’ZABAR
semble’s Golden Annive
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H
r s a ry
EthnicSTEFONHARRISVAL
JEANTYCHARLIE
BURNHAMJELLY ROLL
MORTONManaging Editor:
Laurence Donohue-Greene[Co-Founder/Editor Emeritus: Andrey Henkin]

To Contact:
The New York City Jazz Record
66 Mt. Airy Road East
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
United States
Phone/Fax: 212-568-9628

February 2024 – ISSUE 262

Laurence Donohue-Greene:ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

NEW YORK@NIGHT

Mariyn Lester (Copy Editor)
Nate Dorward (Fact-Checker)

INTERVIEW: STEFON HARRIS

Advertising:advertising@nycjazzrecord.com

ARTIST FEATURE: VAL JEANTY

Keith Hoffman(Event Calendar Manager):calendar@nycjazzrecord.com

ON THE COVER: KAHIL EL’ZABAR

Suzanne Lorge (VOXNews):
voxnews@nycjazzrecord.com
US Subscription rates: 12 issues, $40
Canada Subscription rates: 12 issues, $45
International Subscription rates: 12 issues, $50
For subscription assistance, send check, cash ormoney order to the address aboveor email ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

ENCORE: CHARLIE BURNHAMLEST WE FORGET: JELLY ROLL MORTONLABEL SPOTLIGHT: JAZZ DETECTIVE
VOXNEWS

Staff Writers
Stuart Broomer, Daniel A. Brown,
Marco Cangiano, Brian Charette,
Pierre Crépon, Ken Dryden,
Tristan Geary, Kurt Gottschalk,
Tom Greenland, George Grella,
Jason Gross, Andrew Hamlin,
Keith Hoffman, Terrell Holmes,
Robert Iannapollo, Marilyn Lester,
Kyla Marshell, Francesco Martinelli,
Jim Motavalli, Russ Musto,
John Pietaro, Mike Shanley,John Sharpe, Elijah Shiffer,
Elliott Simon, Ken Waxman,
Zachary Weg, Scott Yanow
Contributing Writers
George Kanzler
Contributing Photographers
Christopher Andrew,
Willy Chu/Wink Photography,
Caroline Conejero, Keeshan Defay,
Denika Peniston, Ave Pildas,
Sherry Rubel, Mike Shur
IN CORRECTION (January 2024 issue)
The record label for Charles Mingus—
Mingus Takes Manhattan (listed as a“Best Boxed Set” in the BEST OF 2023 andas a Recommended New Release) is: New
Land (not No Land)nycjazzrecord.com

FESTIVAL REPORTALBUM REVIEWSEVENT CALENDARCLUB DIRECTORY
IN MEMORIAM

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10
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11
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12
14
36
42
43

by daniel a. brownby terrell holmes
by george grellaby tristan geary
by francesco martinelliby george grellaby suzanne lorge
by tom greenlandby marilyn lester

Letter from the Editor

Consider that every month should be Black History Month, just as every month should be Women’s History Month,and every day should be Earth Day. Although February and March are annually designated as Black History Month and
Women’s History Month, respectively, shouldn’t recognition and celebration of the contributions from these two groups
be every day of the year? The focus on them over the next two months certainly serves as a good reminder to appreciate,
honor and better balance racial and gender equality, for the record.
With that said, welcome to our “Black History Month Issue”. We acknowledge and feature two elders of the music,
both septuagenarians: percussionist Kahil El’Zabar (Cover) and violinist Charlie Burnham (Encore). El’Zabar speaks tojazz’ African roots with every breath and beat he takes and makes. Founder of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble (EHE) 50
years ago, he celebrates the occasion with a new EHE album and global tour, including a stop in NYC. Burnham has had
an unassuming but long and distinguished career himself, and in just about every context you can imagine, from workwith Doug Hammond and James “Blood” Ulmer to Steven Bernstein, Cassandra Wilson, Living Colour and Martha
Redbone. It will be hard to miss him in the city this month as he has at least a half-dozen live appearances. Vibraphonist
Stefon Harris (Interview) has graduated from up-and-comer to professor, with years on faculty at Manhattan School ofMusic to, more recently, a new position at Rutgers. He reconvenes his Blackout group at the Apollo, the quintessential hubthat has historically played such a central role as a significant outlet for African American artistic creativity since the ‘30s.
Drummer/percussionist/electronicist Val Jeanty (Artist Feature) speaks to her Afro-Haitian roots while having bolsteredprojects by everyone from Wallace Roney to Kris Davis and the stunning new collective Nite Bjuti. This month Arts For Art
presents her in duo with the organization’s founder/dancer Patricia Nicholson Parker, as part of its “Out Music Festival:
The Future is Pissed!”. In addition to our forward section of Album Reviews dedicated to Black History Month (see pgs.
14-21), we remember the earliest roots of jazz in America with a feature on pianist Jelly Roll Morton (Lest We Forget), who
himself claimed to have invented jazz and was, at the very least, one of the music’s first great arrangers. A revival of the
1992 Broadway production Jelly’s Last Jam, inspired by Morton’s life story, tells a fable of American history and legacy andreturns to the stage at New York City Center for a short run this month through early March.
Jazz is American History. American History is jazz. And what better way than to celebrate, through Black History
Month and each and every month thereafter.
Onwards and outwards and see you out at the shows….

On The Cover: Kahil El’Zabar photo by @ Ave Pildas Photography
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

2 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDETERNAL SPIRIT:
VIJAY IYER & FRIENDSCELEBRATE THE MUSICOF ANDREW HILLFRIDAY, MARCH 1 & SATURDAY, MARCH 2 | 7:30PM
150 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031

Harlem Stage welcomes back GRAMMY nominated composer
and pianist Vijay Iyer, one of the leading music-makers of
his generation, to guest curate and perform in Eternal Spirit:
Vijay Iyer & Friends Celebrate the Music of Andrew Hill.
Iyer leads a stellar ensemble, including drummer Nasheet
Waits, trumpet player Milena Casado, saxophonist Mark
Shim, bassists Devon Gates and Reggie Workman, flutist
Nicole Mitchell, vibraphonist Yuhan Su, and others, throughhis arrangements of compositions by his friend and hero,the vastly influential jazz piano legend Andrew Hill.
Vijay Iyer is a “social conscience, multimedia collaborator,
system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker, andmulticultural gateway.” –The New York Times

Get Tickets at harlemstage.org

Andrew Hill photo by Jimmy Katz
Vijay Iyer photo by Ebru Yildiz

NEW YORK @ N IGHT

RUFUS REIDSULLIVAN FORTNER

IT’S THE NIGHTS I LIKE
SSC 1730 / AVAILABLE 2/2/24

R

MIKE McGINNIS + 9
OUTING / ROAD TRIP II
SSC 1719 / AVAILABLE 2/16/24

M

ike McGinnis and his 10-piece jazz ensemble
pay tribute once again to the legendary clarinetist and composer Bill Smith whose commissioned
piece “Transformations” is debuted and featured
along with McGinnis’s dynamic recent works.
@ BARBÈS / Brooklyn, New Yorrk
February 1, 2024
7 PM

www.sunnysiderecords.com

Saxophonist/vocalist Camille Thurman with theDarrell Green Quartet appeared at the chic hotel room,
Chelsea Table + Stage (Jan. 12) to preview their upcoming
album project. Leading with trumpeter and frequentcollaborator Wallace Roney Jr., the two a la Coltrane
and Miles blew a thrilling Thurman composition,“Stand Tall” that played like an established bebop
original. From the “Bacharach Reimagined” repertoire,
she turned to her vocalist chops to deliver an assertive“Going Out of My Head” (Hal David, lyrics). Her vocal
tone is amazingly flute-like, sweet and pure. At one
point, vocalizing and playing flute on “Alfie”, it wasoddly difficult to discern if the ears were hearing her
voice or the instrument. What’s delightfully apparent
is that Thurman’s phrasing emulates her saxophone
playing, even down to the gesticulations that
accompany her delivery—unceasing movement alongwith a rubato of rising and falling notes. Her finelydeveloped scatting skill was especially heard on Cole
Porter’s “(You’d Be So) Easy to Love”, which began acappella and gave features to band members: Brandon
McCune (piano), who offered solid support in playing
and comping throughout the set; Paul Beaudry (bass)
and Green (drums, and Thurman’s husband). WhileThurman in song leans in on melody and is American
Songbook-anchored, Green, although known for his
versatility, mainly stuck to a post bop sensibility,
which made a statement, but often perhaps not the one
Thurman was making.
— Marilyn Lester

PHOTO BY MIKE SHUR

PHOTO BY KEESHAN DEFAY

ufus Reid has been acknowledged as one of
the best bassists in jazz for decades, leaving
him nothing more to prove. The heralded young
pianist, Sullivan Fortner, has a maturity beyond
his years and the pairing of the two allows for music making of the highest caliber.

I f Julian (aka “Cannonball”) Adderley and his
younger brother Nat were still around playing clubs,
they might sound something like Gil (aka “XL”) andAnsy Defay. This pair of siblings also infuse theirsoulful jazz with gospel and funk, renovating it withhip hop and reggae. At Lefferts Garden’s Bar Bayeux
on a Friday (Dec. 5), the Defay Brothers crew—with
Joel Desroches (piano), Parker McCallister (bass) and
Ben Nicolas (drums)—opened with Ansy’s “Seven
Angels”, a nursery-rhyme theme over a swing-funkgroove that moved to a bridge in 11/4 time. It was
simple yet sophisticated, much like a cut from Herbie
Hancock’s Fat Albert Rotunda. After three more
originals—“Risen Son”, set up by Desroches’ churchy
chords; “On the NYC”, merging a postbop theme witha slamming hip hop beat (reputedly inspired by thesound of a gas burner struggling to light) and thecalypso-flavored “What a Friend”—the set ended witha medley of Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain” and “Stir
It Up”, bookended by Roberta Flack’s “The Closer I
Get to You”. The latter saw Ansy switching fromsoprano (on which he played most of the set) to honeytoned tenor saxophone, rocking the room with reggaejazz vibrations. The trumpeter/flugelhornist Defaybrother cleverly quoted “Rhapsody in Blue”, “Marchof the Gladiators”, even “Taps”, but proved especially
adept at ad hoc melodies, such that sections of his solos
often sounded like pre-composed songs.
— Tom Greenland

Defay Brothers @Bar Bayeux

Camille Thurman @Chelsea Table + Stage

After heavy rainfall cancelled his Joe’s Pub gig lastSeptember, violinist Arun Ramamurthy rebooked histrio at the same venue (Jan. 4) and fortunately drummer
Sameer Gupta, his longtime cohort in Indian/jazz
experimentation (but now living in Oakland, CA), wasin town. Immediately evident to the attentive crowd,
was the close, almost telepathic cohesion between theleader, Gupta and bassist Damon Banks. Ramamurthy’s
compositions, all based on ragas (akin to modes) andtalas (rhythmic cycles) of South Indian Carnatic music,
supplied skeletons to be fleshed out by his improvised
melodies and Gupta’s explosive yet empathetic
drumming, while Banks’ bass formed connective tissue
between the two, anchoring the key center and talapattern with sinewy lines. Ramamurthy’s “Walk as One”
and “Conception” served as preparation for his 4-part“New Moon Suite”. This multidimensional centerpiece
moved through 4-, 6-, 7- and 10-beat cycles, led by thevoice-like violin singing out in long sequences, drums
easily catching its shifting accents, bass holding form,
even when Gupta’s wild phrases pushed then pulled
against the established form, threatening anarchy.
During “Sri Valli”, Ramamurthy made one of his mostunderstated yet heartfelt gestures, a moment whenapplause becomes superfluous. At the end of thisrich, full-flavored musical dinner, the trio offered alighter two-course dessert: “Delusions” in funky 4/4
with a backbeat and “Govardhana Giridhara”, a lovely
Carnatic song delivered with a gentle lilt.
(TG)

W hen it comes to acknowledging the achievements

4 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

of indigenous peoples, Julia Keefe has been aheadof the curve. The vocalist, actor and activist is Nez
Perce and as a self-confessed “jazz nerd” was early on
attracted to the music of Mildred Bailey, of Idaho’s
Coeur d’Alene people. At Birdland Jazz Club (Jan. 8)
Keefe brought a swinging nonet to back her in fêting
Bailey’s music. Typically, jazz vocalists aren’t longon narrative, but the passionate Keefe had a lot to
say about her 20-year-long mission to educate people
about the singer’s achievements. Bailey was thefirst female vocalist to sing in front of a big band(she joined the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in 1929),
opening the door for “girl singers” who would
follow. Keefe began with “Lover, Come Back to Me”(S. Romberg/O. Hammerstein II), with an energetic
delivery that set the tone for her set, comprised ofnumbers that Bailey sang/recorded. “Honeysuckle
Rose” (F. Waller/A. Razaf), with a swinging altofeature by Erica von Kleist and scatting by Keefe
spiced up the evening. Some lesser-known jazzstandards were offered, including a swinging“Bluebirds in the Moonlight” (R. Rainger/L.
Robin). The vocalist delivered “I’ll Close My Eyes”(B. Reid) to guitar accompaniment only, by Tim Jago,
capturing the rapt attention of the band as well as
the audience. The set closer was a tune Bailey wasespecially known for, Hoagy Carmichael’s “Rockin’
Chair”.
(ML)

T he inheritor of a tremendous legacy, drummer Donald “Big Chief” Harrison crammed a big chunkof jazz history into his two-hour as-billed “Music
Omniverse” concert at The Town Hall (Jan. 11). Opening
with several numbers in a late ’90s style he dubbed“Nouveau Swing”, with his youthful trio (Dan Kaufmanpiano, Nori Naraoka-bass, Brian Richburg-drums) he next
surveyed various subgenres—ragtime, swing, bebop,
funk—doing creditable impersonations of Sidney Bechet,Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Maceo
Parker along the way, all on alto saxophone. A host of
notable guests included Arturo O’Farrill (piano) and Bill
Summers (percussion) who added Afro-Cuban umph to“Temporal”. Charles Tolliver (trumpet), Vernon Reid
(guitar), Dave Holland (bass) and Mike Clark (drums)
offered “Blues for Dave”, with a masterful solo intro by
the tune’s namesake. A pair of medleys served up the
funk: James Brown covers with trombonist Fred Wesley(who, at 80, still blows a mighty fine horn), turntablist
DJ Logic, Reid and Summers; and Headhunters covers
with DJ Logic, Clark, Summers and Kaufman on wahwah clavinet. The multitalented impressionist Harrison
showed his deft beatboxing skills during the funk medleys,then imitated (on alto) Living Colour’s lead vocalist Corey
Glover on a hard-rock cover of “Cult of Personality”. To
complete the history lesson, he played a funk finale in the
key of New Orleans, Harrison’s hometown, with the “Big
Chief” reciting Mardi Gras Indian patois before singing
The Meters’ “Hey Pocky Way”, invoking the crowd witha sky-high falsetto worthy of Prince. — Tom Greenland

PHOTO BY CAROLINE CONEJERO

W H AT ’ S N E W S
Coinciding with Black History Month, the Detroit Institute of
the Arts opens its Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898-1971
exhibit, honoring the legacy of African American filmmakers
and actors. It will include photos, costumes, props andposters, as well as newsreels and home movies, including a
selection of fully-restored films (some rarely seen), from tap
dancers Fayard and Harold Nicholas in Stormy Weather(1943) to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm in That
Man of Mine (1946). The exhibit will be available for viewing
until Jun. 23. For more info visit dia.org.
The historic Harlem hotspot Minton’s Playhouse (206 W.
118th St.) is back and so are late night jazz jams. Founded
in 1938, Minton’s is the place where bebop was born, thanks
to the early ‘40s jam sessions that featured soon-to-be
bebop architects Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie
Christian, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Clarke.
A soft reopening of Thursdays through Sundays will have
two dinner sets (7/9 pm) plus late-night jazz jams (11 pm 3 am), thanks to a partnership with Harlem Late Night Jazz,
Inc. (HLNJ), the non-profit organization dedicated topreserving Harlem’s musical legacy. Hosted and curated by
HLNJ, the jams will feature mainstay veteran players suchas Patience Higgins and Ronnie Burrage, “Young Lions”
Kevin Oliver Jr., Tyreek McDole, Isaiah Collier and Anthony
Hervey, as well as John Smith and Willerm Delisfort. For
more info visit mintonsnyc.com.
The inaugural Jazz Music Awards, a non-profit division of
Jazz 91.9 WCLK FM (through Clark Atlanta University), had
its broadcast premier (via PBS Passport’s on-demand
platform) on New Year’s Day. Hosted by vocalist Dee Dee
Bridgewater and actor Delroy Lindo, the winners of theceremony included: Wayne Shorter and McCoy Tyner(posthumous “Lifetime Achievement Awards”); Henry
Threadgill and Ambrose Akinmusire (“Jazz InnovatorAwards”) and Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds (“Jazz EducatorAward”). Music was provided by Music Director Terri Lyne
Carrington with Jazzmeia Horn, Dianne Reeves, Brandee
Younger, Kassa Overall, Marcus Strickland and manyothers. For more info visit pbs.org/show/jazz-music-awards.

PHOTO BY SHERRY RUBEL @SRSTUDIOS_BIZ

Kojo Melché Roney used his gig at Blue Note (Jan. 8)
to honor the centennial of Max Roach, who was notjust a musical hero, but a family friend (he evenshared a story about attending Roach’s funeral as a
toddler). As the nephew of late trumpeter Wallace
Roney, the evening’s theme of family also included
the young drummer’s father, Antoine Roney (tenor)
plus “uncle” Buster Williams (bass). Throughout
a set organized around musical motifs rather thanstructured tunes, DJ Logic cued clips of Roach— theprimary voice around which the set was arranged—
speaking on drumming and life. Roney, only 19
and considered a prodigy, showed off his prowess
in multiple solos, without being showy or overly
deferential to Roach, a tough balance to strike. One
highlight: the dancer Nia Love, face, hair and bodycovered in white powder, hauntingly slinked throughthe crowd and onto the stage while a recording of
Roach’s voice spoke of the necessity for drummers
to understand dance (“I do a little rattle and roll,”
he said.) Love, whose father Ed was a close friend of
Roach’s, and who is Kojo’s mother, dressed thusly,
represented “the ghost of jazz” a la the Mexican
tradition of Día de Los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”),
honoring the beings that don’t fully leave us, butjust change form. It was a fitting idea to savor as
young Roney finds his own place within the music.
— Kyla Marshell

Kojo Melché Roney @Blue Note

Charles Tolliver, Donald Harrison @The Town Hall

V ocalist Shenel Johns has become known as astandout member of bassist Endea Owens’ band The
Cookout, but with her own trio at Dizzy’s Club (Jan. 3),
her sit-up-and-listen voice and arresting stage
presence are worthy of their own headliner status.
In a tribute to Dinah Washington, whose centennial
is this year, Johns, with Jonathan Thomas (piano),
Barry Stephenson (bass) and TJ Reddick (drums),
delivered a program of tunes Washington madefamous, including “This Bitter Earth” (Clyde Otis)
and the standout “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” (DonRobertson/Jack Rollins). The singer also guided
us through Washington’s life story, sharing her
own connections to it and from where she drew
inspiration. Johns has an astounding, gutturaldelivery, through which blues and torch songs comeeasily. Her voice has all the soul of so many great
Black American woman singers, but without theapparent heartache that characterized so many of
those women’s lives. Through her storytelling, andthe choice and sequencing of repertoire, Johns led us
toward an uplifting conclusion, finding the hope intunes that otherwise read as bittersweet, such as “I’ll
Close My Eyes” (Billy Reid) and set closer “Trouble
in Mind” (Richard M. Jones). To reinterpret the songsof a legend—really, to be any kind of artist—requiresa point of view. Johns’ angle on Washington extended
beyond mere re-arrangements to show the depth, andpotential, of her own musicianship.
(KM)

T he crowd outside Smalls that braved the Tuesdaynight (Jan. 9) soaking rainstorm was treated to asatisfying show by Steve Nelson and his quartet. The
evening’s first set opened with his solo vibraphone,ringing out a short clarion introduction, usheringin the band of Rick Germanson (piano), Kiyoshi
Kitagawa (bass) and Charles Goold (drums), which
together played “There’s No You” at a relaxed
grooving tempo. The leader was first up taking a solo
turn and stretching out on the standard, followed byextended Germanson and Kitagawa outings and aseries of climactic drum exchanges that led smoothly
into the head out. With his last note still resonating,
Nelson then played a dramatic two-note vamp thatlaunched the quartet into his captivating original“Song For Tina”, a briskly waltzing workout thatfeatured unbridled soloing by each band member.
The mood mellowed with the quartet’s delicate
reading of “Where Is Love” (the longing lament fromthe Broadway musical Oliver), then ramped up on“Blues For Carl”, the vibraphonist’s hard swinging
tribute to drummer Carl Allen, with Goold letting
loose. The band then slipped into a bossa groove
with Michel Legrand’s “Watch What Happens”,
after which the leader announced, “You can’t cometo hear a Steve Nelson concert unless you hear theblues.” And with that he reached back to his years
with David “Fathead” Newman to end with “Down
On His Luck”.
— Russ Musto

The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook, LI, has recently acquired acollection of more than 50 memorabilia items once belonging
to Charlie Parker. Dubbed Operation Bring Bird Home, theacquisitions come from a sale at Christie’s, which handled
the estate of the late Rolling Stones’ drummer Charlie Watts.
Included are: acetates from important Bird recording dates,
a personalized instrument case, the alto saxophonist’s
union card, Birdland contracts and much more. Starting thismonth, an opening exhibit at The Jazz Loft will highlightmany of these items, in conjunction with numerous concertsand events of Parker’s music, such as a screening of Clint
Eastwood’s Bird movie (Feb. 20) as well as “Celebrating
Bird”, which will feature The Jazz Loft’s very own Tom
Manuel, who will give a tour, talk and performance (Feb. 22).
And in April, there will be two performances of Charlie
Parker with Strings featuring saxophonists Chris Donohue
and Dayna Stephens. For more info visit thejazzloft.org.
In December, Jazz House Kids (JHK) Founder/President
Melissa Walker, and her husband, bassist Christian McBride,received a $25K donation on behalf of JHK from Wing Drone
Delivery during the couple’s appearance on The Kelly
Clarkson Show. The nonprofit JHK reaches more than 50K
students and is committed to education and performance
programs that create avenues of access, learning, careerdevelopment and community building in New Jersey and
NYC schools. McBride said, “Jazz is the sound of freedom.
Jazz is America’s indigenous art form… in order to learn thismusic properly, you have to have listening skills. You have tounderstand the concept of teamwork, (then) you understandempathy. Those things together not only make you a reallygreat musician, they make you a great human being.” Wellsaid, Mr. McBride. We couldn’t have said it better. For more
info visit jazzhousekids.org.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 5

PHOTO BY DENIKA PENISTONI NTERVIEWSTEFONHARRIS

blackout vibes to ai

Harris: I love it. Patricia and Joel were both my students.
I got to work with them very early on; they both carry
beautiful gifts inside of them. I feel that I’ve always beena teacher. It’s like, “When did you become a musician?”
As long as can you remember. The first time you heard
music, it probably brought a smile to your face. I think
for me, I love music on a spiritual level. But I also reallylove music on a scientific level. I find the mechanics ofharmony absolutely fascinating. It’s been a true blessing
to try to be of service to others through music. The morethat I teach others, the deeper access I gain to music as
an artist.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 34)

BY DANIEL A. BROWN
If wisdom includes the ability to convey deep, meaningfulknowledge, Stefon Harris is a wise soul indeed. In the past three
decades, the multiple Grammy-nominee has established himself
as a respected vibraphonist, leader, composer, collaborator andeducator. For his upcoming NYC performance at the Apollo,
he’s now combining those experiences on the cutting edge ofAI technology.
The New York City Jazz Record: With the vibraphone, it
seems like a player can get the best of all worlds: chords,
melody and rhythm. What originally attracted you to the
instrument?
Stefon Harris: You mentioned melody, rhythm andharmony. And the fact that the vibraphone has access toall of those elements, that’s attractive from an intellectual
perspective. But the thing that actually really draws me
to the instrument is the physicality of it. I feel completely
free to utilize my entire being to express myself during
the creative process: the way that you move, the way
you stand—all of that has an impact on one’s ability toswing and to create rhythm that feels fluid and connectedwith others. So I find being able to stand in front of my
instrument and not have to carry it, so to speak, I literally
dance. I find it a significant part of the delivery of art, thatthe vibraphone allows the audience access into the musicfrom a visual perspective, because the vibraphone isfacing the audience, and there’s nothing obstructing yourface. Not only are you getting the physical movement of
the mallets, you’re getting the movement of the body andfacial expressions of the person playing the vibraphone.
These are elements that are often not thought about interms of the effectiveness of the vibraphone to help
deliver emotion in art.
TNYCJR: You vocalize when you play the vibraphone
and it brings an ecstatic joy to the music. When did thatoriginally start?
Harris: It’s funny: on the recordings, you may hear it, butwhat you’re hearing is me trying not to do it. It’s actuallysomething that I’m very conscious of. My mother isa minister so I grew up in the Black church. My initial
experience with music was one in which I observed
people stand up to tell stories, to talk about what wasgoing on in their lives and express themselves. And they
happened to be using music to do it. No one was standing
up to sing a song when they testified. When I’m singing,it’s not so much that I’m singing. I’m literally speaking
sentences in my mind. I’m just taking the words away.
TNYCJR: Touching on that idea of an expression of spirit,
are you aware of a shift in your consciousness when you
move into pure improvisation?
Harris: When I first started to learn jazz—it’s sucha beautifully complicated art form from a technicalstandpoint—I was forced to do a lot of thinking to keep
up with the chord progressions. And then gradually I

realized, thinking back to church, is that you really needto lead with your ear in order to connect with what’s
happening with the other musicians about each individual
chord progression. So at this point, I would like to thinkthat the majority of the time when it’s time to improvise,
I’m able to let go, even when I’m seeing a piece of music
for the first time. I’m okay without thinking that every
note in the chord needs to be played.
What does need to be played is something that isbeautiful—something that is connected to what the othermusicians are doing and that is connected to what I may
have previously played. Sometimes you move yourhands and you can hear a melody. But it’s almost likeyou’re the observer at the same time. You played it, but
it surprises you. And if you’re surprised by what you
played yourself, your mind shifts and hopefully stays
in a space of empathy, where you’re really listening andresponding to the idea. The other amazing thing that
occurs on the bandstand is you may play an idea, but
instantaneously the other musicians are responding to
it and they’re completely transforming your initial idea.
By the time you come back to respond, it’s been imbued
with all the gifts of everyone else on the bandstand; itreally isn’t your idea anymore and becomes the idea ofthe collective, and then you’re able to contribute to theever-evolving community.
TNYCJR: You had once described a musical scale asa “collection of feelings.” As a music educator, do you
think it’s harder to teach younger players the value ofplaying vulnerably from the heart and spirit instead ofplaying from the mind?
Harris: I’m an eternal optimist. What you just described
to me, the way that it lands on my heart, is that it’s anopportunity. But when you think about the evolution ofjazz in academia, initially the music was allowed into
institutions, but not the culture of the music. Song forms
were allowed; people were talking about modes andscales, but the discussion around why we play and where
the playing and the ideas come from—those are culturalcharacteristics of African-American people. If you don’t
have us in the institution, you may analyze it from aEuropean perspective and miss out on the true beauty
that is at the heart of the music. So for me, now that we’reat a point where the music is in many institutions, I think
the next step is to cultivate a pedagogy that is actuallya direct reflection of the culture that gave birth to themusic. Is it challenging to take a musician from the headto the heart? It is if someone has been doing somethingfor 19 years. I’m cultivating and creating a curriculumthat starts you off with the heart first, and then explains it
later. It’s all about feeling.
TNYCJR: Over time, you’ve made the transition, being arising-star vibraphonist to now being a respected veteranand an educator. What are your thoughts on this type ofrenaissance happening with younger vibraphone players
such as Joel Ross, Patricia Brennan and Simon Moullier?

6 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDHJANUARY 30TH - FEBRUARY 3RDH

VIJAY IYER TRIO

LINDA MAY HAN OH - TYSHAWN SOREYHFEBRUARY 6TH - FEBRUARY 12THH

VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRACELEBRATING FIFTY-EIGHT YEARSOF MONDAY NIGHTSHFEBRUARY 13TH - FEBRUARY 18THH

KURT ROSENWINKEL TRIO
ALEX CLAFFY - JOE FARNSWORTHHFEBRUARY 20TH - FEBRUARY 25THH

JOE LOVANO’S PARAMOUNTQUARTETJULIAN LAGE - SANTI DEBRIANO - WILL CALHOUNHFEBRUARY 27TH - MARCH 3RDH

WYCLIFFE GORDON QUINTETADRIAN CUNNINGHAM - EHUD ASHERIE - YASUSHI NAKAMURA - ALVIN ATKINSON, JR.

COMING IN MARCHHPETER BERNSTEINH
HBEN WENDELHHDEZRON DOUGLASHHJAKOB BROH

MONDAY NIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR

THE VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTIST/FACE PAINTING BY SERGE KPONTON

ARTIST F EATURE

VAL
JEANTYFor more info visit val-inc.bandcamp.com. Jeanty is at
Theater for the New City (part of Arts for Art’s Out Music
Festival) Feb. 2. See Calendar.

afro-electronica soundscaper
BY TERRELL HOLMESA singular DJ, percussionist and sound designer, Val after they played and I played back what they played,
Jeanty has a unique style and concept that has made Wallace was like ‘What? That’s Val Gelder! That’s Val
her highly in demand in jazz, visual art, spoken word Gelder!’ He gave me the little nickname from Rudy...a striking
the concept
and drama. She’s not only worked with Wallace Roney, van Gelder.” Jeanty eventually developed
her contemporary
Yosvany Terry, Terri Lyne Carrington and others in of Afro-Electronica, which blends one-of-akind album
ensemble settings, she’s also a member of two avant creative expression with her embrace of Haitian cultural– Kevinis the African, ofgarde groups: Diatom Ribbons, which she co-founded traditions. “Afro-Electronica, for me,
Whitehead,
Without that,with pianist Kris Davis, and Nite Bjuti, a trio that course,” she explains. “That’s the root.
whole idea was to
examines the African diaspora from nontraditional I’m nothing. Let’s start there first. MyNPR
historical and musical perspectives, with bassist Mimi project my culture into the future. That was my wholeidea.”
Jones and vocalist Candice Hoyes.
Jeanty agrees that what she has developed is an
Jeanty incorporates her bold constructs seamlessly,
aspectJORDAN’Sof Afro-Futurism:“Yeah,
basically
that. But it got
challenging accepted song structures and expanding
CLIFFORDONLY JAZZ
VOCAL
ALBUM
Becauseis the thing
their definitions. Her soundscapes range from ethereal deeper.
Recordedin 1974this– unreleased
until withnow! Haitians: we aremost streaming
services anandAfricanat selectsort
retailersprojectingof destiny. This isand almost subliminal to boldly percussive and Onspecifically
who we are. It’s notgoing to be diluted or mixed. Andrhythmic, masterfully layered and timed. She frequently
www.cliffordjordan.com
harvestsongrecords@yahoo.com
includes vocal samples from various sources that are now I try to make it even more descriptive by saying
instructive, not ornamental. As writer Darius James ‘Vodou-Electro,’ so we can go even deeper and go into
noted in the documentary The United States of Hoodoo, that space. But it kind of works this way: when I’m
Jeanty’s abilities “[fuse] the ancient skills of the ritual working with cultural places, you know, then VodouElectro fits. When it’s festivals, Afro-Electronica kind
drummer with the tools of the DJ in the digital age.”
Jeanty was born in Haiti and has maintained an of works better. As long as it’s projecting the African
unshakeable cultural identity. Her great-uncle, Occide presence, that’s basically what it is.”In the liner notes to the group’s eponymous album
Jeanty, was a composer, pianist and music director andher grandmother, GranMe Shoun, was a Mambo (or Diatom Ribbons, pianist Kris Davis discussed Jeanty’s
Vodou priestess). Those musical and cultural traditions role in an improvised show they performed with Terriguide Jeanty’s creativity and spirituality. “That’s my Lyne Carrington at The Stone at New School. Davis
core; that is actually also my life, my life path as what observed that Jeanty’s “hip hop influence, being able to
you would call a Vodouist,” Jeanty says. “It started with shape the music using words and also ‘nature’ sounds
my grandma, who was a Mambo, so this is like a family and percussion—it opened up a whole new palette fortradition. It keeps me grounded, keeps me focused. It me to consider when I was conceptualizing this project.”feeds my spirit, it feeds my soul. Without that culture Jeanty adds, “I met Kris way back in the day with Geri
I don’t think I’d be able to even have this conversation Allen. I was honored enough to work with Geri as well.
with you right now. It definitely sustains every part And [Kris] was like ‘Oh, let’s try something new!’ Andof my life.” Like countless other teens growing up in I was like ‘Okay, let’s do it! Let’s push the boundaries
the ’80s and ’90s, Jeanty was heavily influenced by the there.’ So that’s pretty much how we did it. For somesound and rhythm of hip hop, but she became a DJ and tracks she had specific ideas which were amazing. It’s
turntablist because of an unusual circumstance. “In my so creative working with them and so inspiring. DJs,
family we have some people who stutter,” she reveals. that’s what we love to do, not just push buttons but“My father does, my brother [does], and I do as well, so push [those] creative limits just a little bit. That makes
growing up it was always a thing, you heard tha-tha-th- it a lot more fun.”
Jeanty encourages her students at Berklee College oftha-tha. The first time I saw Run-DMC on Yo! MTV Rapsor something, and I saw they were doing cha-cha-ch-cha- Music to explore those limits as well. “The way it works
cha! And I said wait a minute! That’s how I sound when for my classes is more about letting them explore where
I talk! I can express myself [like that] because this is the they are,” she explains. “It’s not like dealing [with] thebusiness of art, it’s more about ‘Okay, who am I, andway I talk anyway.”
Jeanty arrived on the scene at one of those how do I express what I’m trying to express? How dojunctures when jazz was shedding another skin, and I get the story out, and what are the tools I’m to use
she immediately thrived on that landscape. “The first to get it out?’ That’s a tough one, because everybody’s
little gig that I had [where] I started to do sound was doing art, but it’s a copy of a copy of a copy, so my thing
for Wallace Roney because the company Roland had is ‘You’re not just gonna press the buttons. If someone
sent him a VS-880 multi-track, and at that time I knew unplugs your laptop, what are you gonna do?’ So yeah,
how to run all those things,” Jeanty says. “A friend it’s more about connecting with the art itself. Certainof mine, Steve Hall, a saxophonist who played with tools help them develop that sound and that voice, so[Roney’s] band, called me and said ‘Hey Val, I know they’re not just copying and copying.”
Val Jeanty is definitely not a copy. She’s eclectic,
you got a read on all these gadgets! Wallace Roney
has a [VS-880] and we don’t know what to do with it! innovative, centered in her culture and committed toCome over here! Come over here!’ I was sitting in that moving art forward and helping it grow. She’s a true
room; I was recording; I was just in awe. So afterwards, original.

Recommended Listening:• Wallace Roney—No Room For Argument(Stretch, 2000)• Caroline Davis Alula—Captivity (Ropeadope, 2017)• Kris Davis—Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic, 2018)• Raz Mesinai/Val Jeanty—Time Assassins (UPA, 2022)• Kris Davis Diatom Ribbons—Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic, 2022)• Nite Bjuti (Val Jeanty/Candice Hoyes/
Mimi Jones)—Nite Bjuti (Whirlwind, 2022)...a striking
one-of-akind album– KevinWhitehead,
NPR

CLIFFORD JORDAN’S ONLY JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM
Recorded in 1974 – unreleased until now!
On most streaming services and at select retailers
www.cliffordjordan.com harvestsongrecords@yahoo.com

LUIS RUSSELL

AVAILABLE NOW

on Dot Time Records

CATHERINE RUSSELL

visit dottimerecords.com to order

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 7

PHOTO BY @CHRISTOPHER ANDREW, STOPTIME LIVEON THE COVER

KAHIL EL’ZABAR
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s Golden Anniversary

by george grella
Kahil El’Zabar was studying music and culture in Ghana,as part of an exchange project in the early ’70s, when his
teacher asked him if he could sing a blues. “I said, yeah,
I’m from Chicago,” El’Zabar relates. His teacher replied:“That’s the language of your land, your heritage by thewater, where your lifeblood grew.” And so the multiinstrumentalist and composer thought about it. “Whenyou think about the African American community andabout blues or jazz or funk, you think about the food of
the Carolinas or the Creole food of New Orleans, certainstyles of dress that have been highly influenced by Blackurban culture for the last 150 years. No one ever looks at it
as an ethnic heritage. If you’re from a German culture, an
Italian culture, or a province of China—you have an ethnic
heritage.”
In America, these heritages are preserved, often as
if frozen in the past, as a way to signify ethnic identities,
cultures and values. “Everyone but the African American
was looked at for the inherited values in their culture,” hecontinues, and points out that the cultural roots of African
Americans were deeply damaged and altered by “the sadhistory of slavery” to contemporary times. “There is an
ethnic heritage [and] I decided to claim it.” If a mark ofgenius is to take something complicated and make it simple,
then El’Zabar had the genius to look at the deficiency of thiscultural calculation and reframe it in a way that now seems
obvious: that this Black influence from the culture of thediaspora was indeed the mark of a profound heritage.
And so, 50 years ago, his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble(EHE) was born. In the decades since, the EHE has beenbuilding and advancing this particular great American
ethnic heritage. El’Zabar says, “I find it very interestingthat when you look historically and anthropologically, you
can’t trace a people more influential across art forms than[the] African American. So why shouldn’t we claim blues,
jazz, funk, rock, certain forms of dance and foods as a viable,
historically significant ethnic heritage?” It’s his observationthat everything in America is modern compared to otherhistorical cultures. Modernism is inherent to African
American musical culture, jazz and all post-WWII popular
music, as well as the blues. “African American heritage
has given substantial authenticity to the total American
experience of artistic expression and culture,” he adds.
It is, after all, modern heritage that makes American
culture modern. And the EHE has been at the cutting edgeof modern jazz over the course of six decades, renewing
the blues and jazz with the panoply of African Americanmusical innovations that are part of El’Zabar’s experience.
Saxophonist and composer Edward Wilkerson, one of theearly members of the EHE, says jazz “should be aboutsome revolution, some impetus for change to happen.” Thecontext for him is the history of racism in America, andhow jazz has and can be part of, at the very least, creating
and buttressing a culture that stands against it. Wilkerson
started playing in the EHE in 1976, only a couple of years
after El’Zabar founded the group, and spent around 20 years
in it. Other early members included multi-instrumentalist“Light” Henry Huff, trombonist Joseph Bowie andsaxophonists Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and Ernest
Dawkins—some of the leading names on the creative edgeof jazz in the Midwest during the ‘70s, aligned between thegeographical poles of the Association for the Advancementof Creative Musicians (AACM) in Chicago and the Black
Artists Group (BAG) in St. Louis. These members took
the impetus to create and perform their own material andwork collectively to support each other’s music. That theseorganizations and EHE grew and thrived in and around
Chicago was no coincidence. El’Zabar credits the uniquecultural and social environment of the city for making thispossible. The musical influence speaks through the names
he mentions as part of his personal development: Von
Freeman, Gene Ammons, Sun Ra, Chaka Khan, the Five
Stairsteps and Sammy Davis Jr., as well as the genres of
blues, soul and gospel.
Then there was the city itself. “Chicago is a place wheresegregation allowed a cultural elegance to evolve in blues,
jazz, baseball, gospel music,” he says. “You had a large
audience with critical confidence.” And the audiences wereconsolidated, Wilkerson points out, into full neighborhoods
with their own businesses and shopping, even a separatebuilding for the Black musicians’ union. El’Zabar calls this“the seclusion of large spaces for people to feel secure andexpress their authenticity,” a perverse benefit of segregation.
Chicago is still producing great musicians, younger players
such as trumpeter Corey Wilkes who, along with baritone
saxophonist Alex Harding, can be heard on the last several
EHE albums on Spiritmuse (which next month will be
releasing the ravishingly beautiful new album by thegroup, Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit.)
El’Zabar clearly relishes renewing the group with younger
players. He cites the example of Miles Davis having respectfor younger, independent voices “to add to your voice,”and points out that, with Wilkes and Harding, he’s learned
new ways to play: “What I find a little bit different thanmy peers today—I went back and I started jamming withyounger guys, and rather than try to show them what I
know, I tried to learn the way they played.” He adds, “I’mnot from the hip hop generation” and says that with Wilkes
and Harding, “there’s a different lexicon. I grew up as aswing child. Anyone that’s grown up since the ’70s, no one
from that age can be a swing child. So I had to relearn myplaying to work with Corey and Alex to where my motifs fit
the way in which they attack melody and rhythm; I had tolearn the hip hop sensibilities, the house music sensibilities,
and so the core elements rhythmically and harmonically in
the EHE comes more from that.”
Take for instance the EHE’s two takes of Chicagoan
Eddie Harris’ “Freedom Jazz Dance”: one from the 1999
Delmark album of the same name and the other from themore recent Be Known: Ancient/Future/Music (Spiritmuse).
Recorded 20 years apart, it captures both El’Zabar’s musicaldevelopment and the ongoing creation of modern heritage.
For the earlier recording, the EHE is comprised of El’Zabar,
Dawkins, Bowie and guitarist Fareed Haque. It’s lightstepping; the swing roots are clear, so are touches of soul,and it’s directly out of the ’70s loft jazz movement—and ofcourse the Chicago (AACM) and St. Louis (BAG) milieus of
the musicians. Echoes of both big band soloing and bebop
are in the background. For the more recent version, withcellist Ian Maksin and the horns of Wilkes and Harding,the difference starts with El’Zabar keeping a booming,rolling beat on the drums, hip hop heaped with go-go

8 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

music. There’s a slightly aggressive minor key feel, and thehorn players are on top of the beat, leaving swing behindfor punchy straight eighth notes. Though more recent, theblues is directly and prominently underneath.
El’Zabar’s idea of heritage is eloquently on display,living and growing and changing every day. It’s like amighty tree, grounded by its root system—much of whichis still apparent in the shape and folds in the earth aroundit—branches growing in myriad directions, blooming ina canopy of leaves, and home to birds and squirrels thatbuild their nests there, even using parts of the tree itself inthe construction. The roots nourish every part of it, eventhe smallest and newest buds reaching away and upward.
From the other side of that, Wilkes says, “Our musicalexchange has been mutually beneficial. Kahil’s insights
into earlier traditions and ideas have enriched my playing,offering new perspectives and a deeper appreciation fordiverse musical styles.” Hip hop and house are elementsin the ongoing evolution of the blues, the ongoing creationof a modern ethnic heritage and Wilkes shares El’Zabar’s
perspective. Embracing a contemporary perspective feels
innate, shaped by experiences spanning generations:“Within the EHE, I seamlessly blend African heritage,
jazz and hip hop into my style, creating a distinctive layerthat harmonizes with the evolving narrative of African
American heritage.” That heritage is an experience that, as
Wilkes says, unites him and El’Zabar.
The EHE’s ever-evolving ethos is now reaching a
new under-30 audience who know nothing of the music’s
history. “Not the same audience as most peers my age,”he says. “People like Mos Def, Dave Chappelle, Erykah
Badu, they discovered my music on their own, and werelike, ‘Man, this cat’s been doing this for 50 years; he’s got
killer grooves and sophisticated harmonies and incredible
solos. It sounds like we can flow and follow it.’ The musicconnects with them… So it’s letting you know there’s more
heritage to create.”“I still think the blues has a long way to go. It’s nota dead music,” El’Zabar says. “As we become more andmore eccentric and esoteric in modern music, from jazz
to classical, we should not look at blues as a bastard,
but something that’s still evolving and something very
American.”For more info visit kahilelzabaris.com. Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic
Heritage Ensemble’s 50th Anniversary concert is at Brooklyn
Music School (presented by Blank Forms) Feb. 9. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Ethnic Heritage Ensemble—Three Gentlemen From Chikago(Moers Music, 1981)• Ethnic Heritage Ensemble—Dance with the Ancestors(Chameleon, 1993)• Ethnic Heritage Ensemble—Ka-Real (Silkheart, 1997)• Ethnic Heritage Ensemble—Mama’s House Live(35th Anniversary Project) (Katalyst, 2008)• Ethnic Heritage Ensemble—Be Known: Ancient / Future /Music (Spiritmuse, 2018)• Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble—
Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit(Spiritmuse, 2023)

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTISTENCORECHARLIE
BURNHAM

WATCH OUT FOR THE WAH-WAH
BY TRISTAN GEARY

In the City of New York, culturally vast and varied,
you can find just about any kind of gig to quench yourmusical thirst on any given night. It’s a bonus of city
life stretching way back in time, with a lively scene
constantly changing and evolving over the years. With
such plenty, it may be difficult to separate the wheatfrom the chaff, to figure out what’s “good” or not.
Longevity and experience can bring clarity in such
subjective matters.
Such is the case with veteran violinist, improviser
and composer, Charlie Burnham, who has kept up withthe scene, participating in every corner of its music.
Now 73, his decades of experience have afforded him
fluency in many musical languages. “I didn’t come up
strictly as a jazz player. I didn’t come up strictly as acountry player… things were kind of introduced tome bit by bit, and I kind of learned as I went,” says
Burnham. This happenstance, not to be constrained
to one specific style, has led him to work with diverse
ensembles and musicians, from Steven Bernstein’s
Millennial Territory Orchestra (MTO) to the proto-punk
ensemble The Kropotkins to James “Blood” Ulmer to
Cassandra Wilson, Norah Jones and many more.
Burnham has also spent significant time outside
the five boroughs. “When I left high school, it was thelate ’60s, the middle of a hippie revolution,” he recalls.
“It seemed an opportune time to go out to California.
So I did that, and I took my violin with me.” A fruitfulcollaboration with drummer Doug Hammond was
one of Burnham’s first professional forays into jazz
improvisation. Moving further west still, Burnham
continued to develop his jazz repertoire with pianist
David Paquette in Hawaii. By this time, the violinist
was carving out his own sound, marked by playing

steeped in the blues with an exploratory approach to
improvisation and an interest in singing and playing
his chosen instrument with a playful use of the wahwah pedal, a technique he’s become closely associatedwith. But it’s the blues. Whether in sound, feeling or
ungraspable atmosphere, that’s Burnham’s mothertongue. Although he’s schooled in bebop, chamber,country, soul and free jazz styles of playing, heconsiders himself a blues man first and foremost. “Mynatural language is blues,” he says. “I feel like I canspeak fluently and freely.”
All of the many skills that Burnham mastered werewhat guitarist and bandleader James “Blood” Ulmer was
searching for when he gave Hammond a call, asking if heknew any fiddle players that fit the bill. Serendipitously,
Burnham happened to be at Hammond’s apartment
at that exact moment. Subsequently joining Ulmer’sband impelled the violinist’s return to New York. But
circumstances surrounding the move rendered Burnham
pedal-less. He was able to pawn the soprano saxophone
he owned to replace his wah-wah, which was central
to Ulmer’s group sound. With the guitarist, Burnham
recorded many albums, including Odyssey (Columbia,
1983) on which he can be heard in a multifaceted role,
offering soaring solos, otherworldly melodies andtextural pads of sound. Bass-less, between Ulmer’s
open-tuned guitar, Burnham’s violin and drummer
Warren Benbow, the sound gets filled out plentifully.
“After playing with Blood, that opened a few more
doors and [I] began to enjoy some of the benefits of beinga New York musician,” he explained. Being able to cast awide net granted him chairs in many ensuing ensemblesof varying styles and scope. One such eclectic group
was the String Trio of New York, founded by guitarist
James Emery, bassist John Lindberg and violinist Billy
Bang (whom Burnham replaced in 1986). This chamberjazz group, adept in rip-roaring string renditions ofAmerican Songbook repertoire and thoughtful originalcompositions, displayed Burnham’s abilities in a purely
acoustic setting, sans wah-wah pedal, with heavenly
melodies and dexterous improvisation. Burnham also
contributed compositionally to this ensemble, withpieces such as the title track to Time Never Lies (Stash,1991), a particularly virtuosic album from the trio. His

playing is intimate and vulnerable, and the raw friction
from where rosin meets string is both gravelly andsatisfying.
Other ensembles that Burnham has written forinclude the Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness Quartet,
where he at times transcends the violin itself, offering
vocals on original selections such as “Hurt Nobody”.
His singing is at once arresting and heartfelt, and thecomposition, open for riotous improvisation, is mellow
and catchy. Steven Bernstein, founder of the MTO,
of which Burnham has been a member for 23+ years
says, “Whenever Charlie starts his magic, the music
moves to a new level. He’s very connected sonically,rhythmically and vibrationally. His singing is anotherpart of his magic... And when he starts the wah-wah
pedal—watch out!”
Interspersed
withinblues/gospel/soul/folk
vocalist Martha Redbone’s tour, this month there are
numerous NYC appearances at which audiences canwitness Charlie Burnham’s deep understanding of theblues, mind- and sound-expanding improvisations anddistinctive approach to the violin, including his wahwah magic.

the Midwest as a vaudevillian in blackface (pointedly
because of his light complexion), before he established
his base in Chicago, publishing “New Orleans Blues”(aka “N.O. Blues”) in 1914. His first success wastransforming the bawdy “Tricks Ain’t Walkin’ No
More” into the romantic “Someday Sweetheart”, a hit
for blues singer Alberta Hunter. Morton was given
second billing on his own tune, “The Wolverines”,
later renamed and republished as “Wolverine Blues”
and recorded by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. And
in 1923, Morton followed with a string of hit-making
recording sessions.
“One day Jelly Roll Morton came in,” pianist Lil
Hardin told Studs Terkel in a long interview (And TheyAll Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey). “Oh,boy, he sat down at the piano and his long skinny
fingers were hitting those keys and he was beatingout a double rhythm and the people were just goingwild. I was going wild, too! Jelly Roll is the first pianistthat influenced my playing.” (New Orleans Magazine,
October 2018).
In 1926 with his Red Hot Peppers, Morton waxed“Black Bottom Stomp”, “The Chant”, “Sidewalk Blues”
and the orchestral “Grandpa’s Spells”. Prophetically,
1927’s “Jungle Blues”, based on a single chord, fullof dissonances and, lacking harmonic progression,
hinted at modal jazz to come. But around this time,
Morton’s star began to fall: his move to New York was
unsuccessful; RCA dropped him and Louis Armstrong

and Duke Ellington took his place in the public eye,while his “King Porter Stomp” became a huge Swingera staple and success for Fletcher Henderson and
Benny Goodman, Morton receiving no royalties at all.
Dismayed, Morton moved to Washington and soon
emerged in writing protest letters (to the White Houseand in DownBeat), as well as going on record about
being deprived of his rights financially. In Washington,
Morton recorded his recollections of New Orleans at
the Library of Congress for folklorist Alan Lomax—thefirst oral history of jazz in sound. While his previous
excessive touches (e.g. the golden tooth, the bankroll) might be considered part of the building of Jelly
Roll’s persona, his boasting in Washington, including
infamously presenting himself in an obviously
exaggerated manner as the inventor of jazz and blues,
must be viewed in a context where he was deprived of
his rights, his profit and the fact that Benny Goodman
was crowned in the press as “the King of Swing”, riding
on his own success of “King Porter Stomp”.
Knifed by a customer in a Washington dive, hemoved back to New York, where in 1940, in poor
health, he recorded his last, superb, piano solos.
Another relocation, to California, followed before
his health further worsened and, in 1941, he diedalmost penniless. According to Howard Reich andWilliam Gaines’ excellent biography, Jelly’s Blues:
The Life, Music, and Redemption of Jelly Roll Morton,

Burnham is at Owl Music Parlor with Brandon Ross andPheeroan akLaff Feb. 2, Theater for the New City (partof Arts for Art’s Out Music Festival) in duo with gabby
fluke-mogul Feb. 3, Downtown Music Gallery with patrick
brennan’s String Party Feb. 6, and Sunny’s Bar with
Smokey’s Roundup Feb. 7, 14 and 28. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• James “Blood” Ulmer—Odyssey(CBS/Columbia, 1983)• String Trio of New York—Time Never Lies (Stash, 1991)• Susie Ibarra—Radiance (Hopscotch, 1999)• Mario Pavone Sextet—Deez To Blues (Playscape, 2005)• Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness Quartet (TonyJones, Charlie Burnham, Marika Hughes, Kenny
Wollesen)—Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness Quartet(Reva, 2013)• Universal Language Quartet (Kirk Knuffke/
Thommy Andersen/Charlie Burnham/Martin
Andersen)—Always Into It (Mingus, 2022)

PROVIDED BY THE HISTORICNEW ORLEANS COLLECTIONLEST WE FORGETJELLY ROLL
MORTONJELLY’S JAM
BY FRANCESCO MARTINELLI

Probably the first great arranger of jazz, Jelly Roll

Morton, born Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe to a New
Orleans Creole family circa 1890 (no birth certificate
was recorded), from an early age played different
instruments, sang on the street in a boys quartet andregularly attended the French Opera. At first, he rejected
the piano as a girls’ instrument, but soon realized piano
players had success with the ladies. The raunchy, dirty
lyrics and the bluesy, clashing notes attracted him,
so he began to play piano in the “houses” (the New
Orleans brothels) of Storyville, known as the red-light
district. His family, which found this unacceptable,
threw him out, and thus followed a nomadic life,
playing in: Biloxi, MS; Pensacola, FL; Memphis, TN;
Houston, TX; Mobile, AL; Kansas City, KS; Oklahoma
City, OK. On the road he began composing, including
one of his earliest and most well-known tunes, “KingPorter Stomp”.
More travel followed, including a tour through10 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD(CONTINUED ON PAGE 35)

L ABEL SPOTLIGHT

JAZZ DETECTIVE
THE SHERLOCK HOLMES OF JAZZBY GEORGE GRELLA

Zev Feldman is a man of many labels. Thirty years ago
this January he started as an intern at Polygram Group
Distribution, and since then has spent time working at,
or with, Rhino, Verve, ECM, Deutsche Grammophon andeven John Lurie’s Strange & Beautiful Music. And formore than a decade now, he has been part of the closelyrelated Elemental Music (of which he is a co-founder),Resonance and Reel to Real labels, where he has become
one of the most prominent archival recording producers
in jazz. In this capacity, he has helped unearth andpackage significant live concert and radio broadcast
recordings that include the music of Albert Ayler, Bill
Evans, Sonny Rollins, Wes Montgomery and others.
His latest imprint is Jazz Detective, part of the
Deep Digs Music Group he established. Its first releases
came in 2022, so though its discography may be small,its releases have been widely acknowledged as quite
significant. Important unearthed gems include: the
Emerald City Nights series of three excellent multi-disc
volumes of pianist Ahmad Jamal’s trio playing live at thePenthouse in Seattle (1963-1968); Chet Baker’s Blue Room,a set of lovely studio sessions the trumpeter recordedin Holland (1979); saxophonist Sonny Stitt’s Boppin’ inBaltimore - Live at the Left Bank; and vibraphonist Cal
Tjader’s Catch the Groove (Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967).
Asked via Zoom, what makes Jazz Detective different

Emerald City Nights (1963-1964)
Ahmad Jamal

from the very similar quality of Elemental Music andResonance, Feldman first talks about George Klabin, copresident of Resonance. Feldman started working with
Klabin purely on the business side: “I started there doing
distribution work building his network of international
folks. And we just became very close right out of the gate;
there were a lot of things that drew us together,” he says.
“George said to me one day, ‘Zev, I don’t understand how
you know so much about the music, but you’ve neverproduced an album, is that true?’ And I said, ‘yeah.’ Hesaid, ‘If you can go ahead and find recordings that havenever been out before, not just reissued but something
new, and I’m into the music, you can produce it.’ And
that led to the release of the West Montgomery Echoesof Indiana Avenue and Bill Evans’ Live at Art D’Lugoff’s
Top of the Gate, both 2012 releases, which really started
me off.”Feldman also praises Klabin’s generosity in allowing
him to explore his other projects, especially the new one.
“The differences between these labels are sometimes
different identities,” he says, “making rough categories
of certain artists and styles like 1950s post-bop, more
swing, or modernists like Ayler. The great live Revelations
Ayler set is on Elemental while Evans and Montgomery
are on Resonance. We’ll bring a release to the label basedon what it is.”What makes Jazz Detective different is notnecessarily what it’s producing but, being Feldman’s
own imprint and music group, what’s right for him. The
real key to his thinking is not so much what is alreadyout on the new label, but Feldman’s future plans. The
Deep Digs brand gives him the chance to research andEmerald City Nights (1965-1966)
Ahmad Jamal

Emerald City Nights (1966-1968)
Ahmad Jamal

release archival finds while following his passions formusic that isn’t strictly jazz, including blues, folk andeven classical.
But his main focus is jazz from the archives. And
for the next Record Store Day (Apr. 20), he has anamazing ten new releases coming out (these were stillembargoed at the time of this writing, and span all his
label associations). Feldman says music fans can follow
his social media accounts (the most central one being@feldman.zev on Instagram), where, he says, “I’m going
to selfishly roll it out, with a press release and my very
tailored summary about each project. Over a week, every
other day, I’m going to be sharing these.”
The trademark Feldman production is not just musicwith historical significance and of high quality, butthat he invests in the whole package of putting it out.
He points to Mosaic Records as the example he likes tofollow: “building these projects of a super-high caliber,
having different photographs and different essays, theboxed set style curation of years past.” Considering
what goes into these recordings—it’s not just theeditorial details, but following leads and searching forrecordings in archives at places like the Institut nationalde l’audiovisuel—the sheer scope of ten releases seems
beyond one man producing it all. But Feldman says “youknow, this is all that I do. I live, eat and breathe andsleep this.” He also points out he couldn’t do it without
the support and generosity of people like Klabin. And
addressing the reader directly, he says, “It wouldn’t
happen at all without you. Beautiful. Alright.”
For more info visit deepdigsmusic.com

Catch The Groove
Cal Tjader

Boppin’ in Baltimore
Sonny Stitt

VOX NEWSSAINTSBY SUZANNE LORGE
When Nora York died in 2016 at the age of 60, she left

behind a distinguished body of creative works: theatricalperformance pieces, commissioned concert compositions,soundtracks, several jazz albums (including one withbandleader Maria Schneider) and one TED talk. Her
warmly-colored voice, at once soothing and challenging,proved an apt vehicle for her boundlessly eclectic ideas.
These ideas have only grown in relevance over theyears—as evidenced by Rain (Good Mood), a 10-trackcollection of York’s later creations.
This posthumous release draws primarily from twoof York’s stage productions, created in collaboration
with composer Jamie Lawrence, now the album’s
producer. Their workshop production of Water, Water
Everywhere—a prescient warning about climate changepresented at the BRIC Arts Media in 2013—gives us two
tracks: the show’s title cut, an amalgam of York’s originallyrics (inspired by interviews with climate scientists)and her compositional take on Handel’s Water Music,
followed by “Tiny Blue Green Creature”, a soberingmusical monologue in a chamber setting.
Again alluding to the classical canon, York and
Lawrence reworked Tosca as a pop-folk theatre piececalled JUMP, which premiered at The Public Theaterin 2011. Six of the new album’s tracks derive from this

show: standouts are “Love and Beauty”, a charming
operatic-folk aria; “Love Only Me”, surprising in its
rhythmic vitality and “Vissi Darte”, the production’sheart-gripping finale. This tune didn’t close the album,
however. This prime spot went to “When I Am Laid in
Earth”, an elegiac version of Henry Purcell’s lament.
York sings on this track, her voice ever clear and everpresent.
Jay Clayton, another vocal jazz innovator, battled
cancer for a year before she passed on Dec. 31. She’dspent more than 60 of her 82 years championing vocal
jazz, specializing in the type of free vocal improvisationthat few can master. Composers and instrumentalists
as diverse as Charles Mingus, Steve Reich, Ornette
Coleman, Muhal Richard Abrams, John Cage, Lee Konitz,
Fred Hersch and Jerry Granelli were all drawn to her
talent—and with these and others, she recorded morethan 30 albums and sang in countless live performances
the world over.
Clayton was also a master educator who taught the
vocal jazz program at the Cornish College of the Arts in
Seattle and at the Universität für Musik in Graz, Austria;
later she would join the jazz faculties at Johns Hopkins’
Peabody Institute and Princeton University. But New
York singers know her best through the teaching studio
she shared in Chelsea with “jazz child” Sheila Jordan.
There she held private lessons, rehearsals and groupvocal improv classes, surrounded by decades’ worth ofbooks, photos and music lionizing the jazz greats. She
now joins this pantheon.
In July 2022, Christian McBride honored the tightmusical relationship between traditional pop icons Frank
Sinatra and Peggy Lee with a singular concert at the
Hollywood Bowl—imagine Billie Eilish, Debbie Harry,
Dianne Reeves, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Seth MacFarlane,
Bettye LaVette and Gretchen Parlato fronting the Count
Basie Orchestra. This month McBride re-creates thispowerful performance at NJPAC with Celebrating Peggy
Lee, Frank Sinatra & Friends: A Tribute in Song (Feb. 8).
It’s a different lineup, same vibe. Both Mitchell and
LaVette return, joining new castmates Aloe Blacc, Dee
Dee Bridgewater, Paula Cole and Rachel Price, alongwith McBride’s own strings-sweetened big band. The
group promises to deliver Lee favorites (“Fever”, “IsThat All There Is”, “It’s a Good Day”, “Let’s Love”) and
Sinatra classics (“Luck Be a Lady”, “I’ve Got You Under
My Skin”, “One For My Baby”, “Nice Work If You Can
Get It”).
This year, several preeminent singers will honor
Saint Valentine while in town: There’s Morgan James at
Dizzy’s Club and Lizzie Thomas at The Django (Feb. 14),Catherine Russell at Birdland (Feb. 13-17) and Dianne
Reeves in Lovestruck at JALC’s Rose Hall (Feb. 16-17).
And for his 10th annual Valentine’s Day concert in New
York, Gregory Porter will take to the stage at CarnegieHall (Feb. 16).
For something less pink, look for the “Ella Meets
Duke” tribute at Aaron Davis Hall (Feb. 24), Bilal at City
Winery (Feb. 29) or American Patchwork Quartet with
Falu at Joe’s Pub (Feb. 10), where they’ll launch theirdebut album and affirm their “mission to reclaim theimmigrant soul of American Roots Music.”

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 11

F ESTI VAL REPORTSTATEN ISLANDJAZZ FESTIVAL
PHOTO BY WILLIE CHU/WINK PHOTOGRAPHY

BY TOM GREENLAND

Winard Harper @St. George Theatre

T hough it’s off the beaten (subway) track, theStaten Island Jazz Festival (SIJF)—founded in 1988
by Sajda Musawwir Lander—is well worth the ferry
trip or bus/car ride over the Verrazano Bridge. As
the flagship event of Universal Temple of the Arts,
an arts/cultural/educational organization founded
in 1967, SIJF celebrated its 35th edition (Dec. 15) at
the meticulously restored St. George Theatre on theisland’s North Shore. Built along sloping Hyatt Street,the edifice’s unassuming exterior belies the gorgeous
gaudiness of its Spanish/Italian baroque interior, avisual bombast of gilded plaster and ironwork.
Because this year’s event honored five local
religious/community leaders and featured an
ensemble from Jazz House Kids (an after-school
program for young musicians), festival attendees
ran the gamut from members of the honorees’
congregations to parents of student musicians,
neighborhood jazz fans and even a few local
politicians. Despite the theatre’s imposing elegance,
most people seemed relaxed, many acquainted with
one another, and inclined to shout out when one of
the speakers said something they agreed with, or
when a musician played a particular note or passage
that made them feel something special. As such, thecasual familiarity provided a refreshing change fromthose formal concert spaces where an audience canfeel hushed and anonymous. The informal ambience
was quickly apparent to attendees as they entered thelobby where a student band worked out on standards
such as “Tenor Madness” and “Blue Bossa”, one
spectator sitting in on congas, others stopping to
gawk at the sumptuous décor.
The posted program began just after 7 pm, with
Organ Ambassadors. Arrayed across the main stage
in front of a blown-up collage by Romare Bearden
titled “Jazz Village” (depicting a jazz quartet infull flight), the all-star student ensemble under Dr.
Darrell Smith performed crowd-pleasers including“Back at the Chicken Shack”, which featured theenthusiastic organ work of Tyler Fengya. Radiostation WBGO personality and host for the evening,
Sheila Anderson, provided a segue to the second act,a trio led by guitarist John Lynch, with organist Greg
“Organ Monk” Lewis and drummer Mike DeConzo
playing soul-jazz and with plenty of both. Without
excessive flash or volume, the combo consistently
evoked the type of audience responses detailed
above—especially when baritone saxophonist Ray(CONTINUED ON PAGE 35)

12 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDCD - VINYL - STREAMING

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It has meaning for me, andthat's not something I experience often.
~Chuck Israels – bassist, composer/arranger
Wonderful project! It's great to hearthese Dameron tunes
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Cleveland (and other) “Cats!”. Kudos!
~John Clayton – bassist, composer/arranger

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BLACKHISTORYMONTH

ALBUM REVIEWS

Masters Legacy Series, Volume 5
Emmet Cohen (featuring Houston Person)(Bandstand Presents)
by George Kanzler

Houston Person, who turned 89 last November, is thethird tenor saxophonist to record an album in pianist
Emmet Cohen’s Masters Legacy Series, following George
Coleman and Benny Golson. Of the three, Person is theone most closely associated with both soul jazz and
the inner city “chitlin’ circuit”—a collection of venues
throughout the eastern, southern and upper Midwest
that provided performance outlets for African Americanmusicians during the Jim Crow era. Much of Person’s
work and recordings during the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s
included Hammond B3 organists. He also co-led a bandwith singer Etta Jones (from 1976 until her death in 2001)
that featured B3 in its first decade-plus, later supplantedby piano. And many of the selections on this album aresongs that Person performed regularly with Jones.
Often described as a soulful, bluesy tenor
saxophonist with a big, burly tone, Person’s sound is
influenced not only by the B3 of soul jazz but by his
association with Jones, as well as other singers withwhom he worked. Cohen and his trio, with Yasushi
Nakamura (bass) and Kyle Poole (drums), bring out
the saxophonist’s inherent lyricism, while also ably
supporting his soulful, funky side. The album openswith Person digging into a bluesy “Why Not?”, butquickly shifts as the pianist weaves a rubato opening
to the Rodgers and Hart standard “Isn’t It Romantic?”.
The tenorman’s limning of the melody conjures the lyric
as sure as any vocalist can; later his improvised solo
glances at the melody in a lyrical paraphrase. Cohen
and Person also find new ways to play old chestnuts
and newer standards. In “Just The Way You Are”, therhythm section injects a bouncy Latin feel into the Billy
Joel song, as Person’s solo toys with Joel’s melody inparaphrases. With “I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart”,
the leader introduces Duke Ellington’s song as a stride
piano solo, in a swing feel picked up by the rest of thequartet. Person then rollicks through his solo creating aline that could easily be cast in a vocalese commentaryon the original lyric. The album ends with a backbeatinflected version of a soul ballad Person memorably
performed with Jones, “Sunday Kind of Love”, spiked
with rolling piano crescendos from Cohen.

controlled by ten fingers on two hands, the effectcan be akin to a drum or bass, or the instrument ofan accompanist, or soloist and sometimes all four
simultaneously. Mulgrew Miller’s posthumous
release, Solo in Barcelona (recorded exactly twenty years
ago, on Feb. 2) is a sterling example of this traditionof pianistic diversity. His musical roots are revealedon the set’s single original, “Excursions in Blues”, anomnibus of blues, boogie, Fats Domino, funk, gospelballads and shouts, double-time bebop, even reggae,
all permeated with that most essential ingredient:soul. The rest of the set covers jazz, Broadway andbossa nova standards. The opener, Dizzy Gillespie’s“Tour de Force”, is exactly that, showing Miller’sdelicate yet decisive touch and his awesome ability
to play high-speed runs that, despite their rhythmic
irregularities, somehow manage to land precisely on
pulse. Cole Porter’s “I Love You” has similar runs, aswell as inventive quotes (“Three Blind Mice”, Charlie
Parker’s “Cool Blues”), autonomous left-handcounterpoint, song-specific motific development (à laThelonious Monk) and imaginative reharmonization.
Towards the end of the set, Gillespie’s “Woody ‘n’You” has even faster runs, some that don’t land quite
so precisely, a few jaw-droppingly fine. Tom Jobim’s
bossa “O Grande Amor” begins unpretentiously, but
eventually evolves an extremely dense texture with afunky left-hand bass alongside right-hand alternations
between high-solo phrases and mid-range chords—
all miraculously executed with complete relaxation
and accuracy. Two ballads, Rodgers and Hart’s“It Never Entered My Mind” and Erroll Garner’s“Misty”, evince expressive use of rubato and skilled
orchestration; improvised sections double up the
double-time in long, keyboard-spanning note-chains.
John Lewis’ “Milestones” contains some of Miller’sknottiest ideas, but the symmetry of these improvised
phrases gives them a certain classical elegance, andhe’s never far from a swinging blues gesture. Aftersuch dazzling display, the pianist unlooses tension
with a relaxed and eminently satisfying reading ofDuke Ellington’s “Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don’t
Tease Me)”. Two decades have passed since thisperformance (and almost eleven years since Miller’s
passing), but this recording endures as a document ofwhat one much-missed artist could accomplish witha piano, live and alone, over the course of a single
evening.
For more info visit storyvillerecords.com

For more info visit bandstandpresents.com. Cohen is at Smoke
Feb. 28 - Mar. 3; Person is at Birdland Theater Feb. 2-4, andPangea with Daryl Sherman Feb. 28. See Calendar.
60 Years
Horace Tapscott’s Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra(The Village)
by John Pietaro

Solo in Barcelona
Mulgrew Miller (Storyville)by Tom Greenland

S olo piano can offer a jazz artist a truly great
opportunity or challenge: with eighty-eight keys

W ithin the pantheon of revolutionary Black
Liberation and Black music, the cultural revolutionof the ’60s included radical Black arts collectives.
On the West Coast, pianist/composer/activist
Horace Tapscott, who composed the theme songof the Black Panther Party (“Seize the Time”), predated Amiri Baraka’s NYC Black Arts Movement, as
well as Chicago’s Association for the Advancementof Creative Musicians (AACM) and St. Louis’ Black
Artists Group (BAG).
With Tapscott’s 1961 founding of the Union ofGod’s Musicians and Artists’ Ascension (about the

14 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

same time Sun Ra brought his Arkestra to NYC’s
Lower East Side), the composer recognized theliberation inherent in “free jazz”, but also conceivedof still newer forms. His ensemble, the Pan-Afrikan
Peoples Arkestra, fused traditional African music
into modernist textures along with unfettered free
improv and overt statements of pride, protest andspirituality. Various editions of this band ran for
decades and Tapscott, ever the teacher, remained
a philosophic force well beyond his 1999 passing(this month marks his 25th year deathaversary). So
powerful was his tutelage, that his Arkestra’s legacy
continues to current day. But unlike the cosmic Sun
Ra, Tapscott focused quite exclusively on this planet,composing music of African American culture with
its issues, struggles and celebrations.
This 60 Years collection, of six previously
unheard live recordings, delves into the lifespan of
the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, from its early days
through 2019. Most striking is the immediacy; but forthe progression in recording quality, these expansive
works could have come from a single concert.
Opening cut “The Golden Pearl” (from 1961), featured
the original septet’s garage performance and a young
Black Arthur Blythe’s aerial solo out front. But besure to also absorb Angel Bat Dawid’s probing solo
bass clarinet on the later “The Ballad of Deadwood
Dick”. The R&B grooves and soul-drenched vocals
of “Little A’s Chant”, “Nation Rising” and “Justice”
speak to street-heat as much as urban nights dazzled
by extended improvisations. The slow build on thelatter is exquisite, from Dwight Trible’s throaty vocal
performance to a stirring trombone improvisation
against the throbbing 3/4 meter’s final tumult. And
1981’s “Nation Rising”, with an empowering vocal by
Jujigwa, is nothing short of epic, spitting fire at the

Ibn Ali—Reaching for the Stars
R • Hasaan(Omnivore)
Art Jazz Collective—Truth to Powere • Black(HighNote)c • Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers—
in Paris (Fremeaux & Associes)o • Live
Betty Bryant—Lotta Livin’ (Bry-Mar Music)
Davis Quintet—In Concert at them • Miles
Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)m • Kirk Edwards—Shout! (s/r)
El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritagee • Kahil
Ensemble—Open Me, A Higherof Sound and Spiritn Consciousness(Spiritmuse)d • Gerald Cannon—Live at Dizzy’s Club:Music of Elvin & McCoy (Woodneck)e • TheLawrence Fields—To The Surface
d (Rhythm N’ Flow)

n
e
w
r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s

• Vanisha Gould/Chris McCarthy—Life’s A Gig (Fresh Sound New Talent)• Abdullah Ibrahim—3 (Gearbox)• Moor Mother—The Great Bailout(ANTI-Records)• Willie Morris—Attentive Listening(Posi-Tone)• Endea Owens and the Cookout—
Feel Good Music (BassBae Music)• Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y—
A New Beat (Cellar Music)• Reggie Quinerly—The Thousandth Scholar(Redefinition Music)• Rufus Reid—It’s The Nights I Like
(Newvelle-Sunnyside)• Joel Ross—nublues (Blue Note)• Matthew Shipp/Steve Swell—
Space Cube Jazz (Rogue Art)
• Jamaaladeen Tacuma/Odean Pope—
The Lighthouse (Jam All Productions)

BLACKHISTORY
MONTH
nascent ultra-conservative Reagan Administration.
But this two-record collection does not claim any
single era; it is rather a compendium of Tapscott’svitality across decades—and counting. If there’s
anything herein that disappoints, it’s only the lack ofclarity on the specific personnel of each magical track.
For more info visit thevillagela.bandcamp.com

Fire Within
Rich Halley/Matthew Shipp/Michael Bisio/
Newman Taylor Baker (Pine Eagle)
We SpeakFrode Gjerstad/Matthew Shipp(Relative Pitch)
by Brian CharetteBLUE NOTE

RECORDS

85 TH ANNIVERSARYCELEBR ATION

A mainstay of the NYC improvised music scene foralmost four decades, Matthew Shipp’s orchestral
approach and vast knowledge of all modern pianostyles make these two albums under review a sheer
joy to listen to.
Fire Within—nominally-led by Rich Halley(tenor), with Shipp, Michael Bisio (bass) and Newman
Taylor Baker (drums)—starts right off with the title
track: solo riffs from Halley, as the band enters withtongue-in-cheek, playfully quoting his figures. Shippmay hint at blues clichés, but slowly morphs into
swampy swing and artful chording, followed by Baker
who settles into a slow simmer and also contributes afine eclectic-free-jazz-at-its-best drum solo. “Angular
Logic” has a leaping motive from the saxophonist.
The band supplies somewhat of a fugal counterpoint
and, taking cues from Halley’s lines, Shipp builds
related blocks for his accompaniment, a common
characteristic in his playing, and in this collaborationin particular; the pianist thoughtfully shapes motivic
material which he utilizes thematically as a threadthroughout many of the album’s five selections.
“Following the Stream” starts with a fun reggae snare
from Baker, developing into long tones from Halley
and whimsical, even swinging playing from Shipp,
who uses the white keys under shifting pedal points
to make interesting quartal voicings that change in
relation to Bisio’s searching bass lines.
We Speak, the pianist’s duo with Norwegian alto
saxophonist/clarinetist Frode Gjerstad, is comprisedof short pieces based around a word or mantra.
Shipp rolls big chords (the title track), plays hip
chords with the occasional understated bebop line aswell as plucks harpsichord textures on piano strings(“About Freedom of Expression”), offers dissonant
clusters (“About Minorities”) and is an overall
supportive duo partner without being obtrusive(“About Peace”). Gjerstad, meanwhile, moves fromclassical tones to wild stratospheric wails on clarinet(“About Freedom of Expression”) and explores the
instrument’s full range (“About Minorities”). The
two continuously prompt one another with ideas
in short lulls that always seem to lead to further
exploration and interaction.
Shipp obviously has a lot of piano under his
belt and audibly loves to switch gears as well as
dip into musical cracks and crevices, regardless ofcontext, whether as part of a full rhythm section plus
saxophonist Halley or in the pared-down context ofthe spontaneous musical conversation with Gjerstad.
For more info visit richhalley.com and relativepitchrecords.com.
Shipp is at Zürcher Gallery’s Forimo Piano Mini-Festival
Feb. 12. See Calendar.

FRI, FEB 23 | 8PM

GERALD
CLAYTONKENDRICK
SCOTT

MATT
BREWERJOEL
ROSSIMMANUEL
WILKINSThis incredible evening of jazz features the music of iconic Blue
Note Records artists such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie
Hancock, and Thelonious Monk, along with songs from Blue
Note’s current roster. Not to be missed!

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Matt Brewer © Katz | Gerald Clayton © Ogata |Kendrick Scott © Justin Bettman | Immanuel Wilkins © Rog Walker

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THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 15

BLACKHISTORY
MONTH

CT!
Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters
Celebrate Clark Terry (Capri)
by Jim Motavalli

Legendary jazz trumpeter Clark Terry passed away

Kahil El’Zabar’s
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
50th Anniversary'Open Me, A Higher
Consciousnessof Sound and Spirit'
NEW ALBUM OUT MAR 8 2024!
50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
THROGHOUT U.S. IN FEBRUARY!

nine years ago this month at the age of 94. Delayed by
the pandemic with the original intention to celebrate
what would have been Terry’s centennial (2020), baritone
saxophonist Adam Schroeder had the happy idea to record
an album of Terry’s compositions (including some not as
well-known) with a 12-piece band using arrangements by
the experienced Mark Masters. Masters’ apropos last namecertainly suits the masterful arranging on this date, as he has
proven on numerous occasions in the past, with recorded
album tributes (many of which featured the actual artists assoloists), including Billy Harper, Jimmy Knepper, Grachan
Moncur III, Lee Konitz and Dewey Redman.
Schroeder is undoubtedly the main man on CT!, andhappily his baritone sax playing is in fine form, marrying
the muscularity of a Pepper Adams with the light touch of
Terry musical associate, Gerry Mulligan. While it may seem
unusual for a saxophone player to be in the lead chair onsuch a tribute, three heavyweight trumpet players are also on
board: Dan Fornero (in the lead seat), James Ford and Aaron
Janik. So if you want to hear some trumpet, start with one of
Terry’s better-known tunes, “Michelle”, which features Janikin a relaxed and soulful mood. (And to hear Terry play it,revisit Back in Bean’s Bag with Coleman Hawkins from 1963).
Janik also solos with a growly mute on the mid-tempo “SlowBoat” and an open horn on the bright “Top and Bottom”.
The album opener is another Terry gem, the bristling
up-tempo of “Serenade to a Bus Seat” (featured on the1957 Riverside album of the same name). Schroeder has
some cogent solo space, along with Bob Sheppard (tenor)
supported by effective big band riffs and anchored by the
piano-less rhythm section of Edwin Livingston (bass) andPeter Erskine (drums). The Ellington-style ballad “GroundHog” showcases great writing for the ten horns (including
Schroeder). “Ode to Pres” (originally from Get Together,1979) puts Kirsten Edkins (tenor) to the fore, along with Ido
Meshulam (trombone) and Sheppard again. It’s bright andcheery, with the to-be-expected strong ensemble writing ofMasters.
For more info visit caprirecords.com

Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden…
Matana Roberts (Constellation)
by Marco Cangiano

Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden… is Matana Roberts’
fifth installment of her 12-part Coin Coin project. Her goal
is to revisit African American history, and her personalfamilial history, through a combination of composed andimprovised music ranging from (free) jazz to (post) rock,gospel, rural blues and contemporary narrative forms andtheater. Roberts’ talents as a composer, instrumentalist,
16 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

arranger, visual artist and band leader produce a one-of-akind experience whereby all these elements come together as
a cohesive whole. The result is a hypnotic kaleidoscope thatis impossible to define and which Roberts calls “panoramic
sound quilting” and “cognitive dissonance” (her approach
has also been labeled and described as “dreamscape”). In
telling her stories, Roberts adds commentary on today’s
America and its plights: including taking a stance against theSupreme Court decision to knock down 50 years of freedomof choice/abortion rights guaranteed in Roe v. Wade.
The 16 tracks are not arranged as a suite but rather
maintain their individuality with a range of diversity,
retaining coherence within the overarching narrative. The
story of one of Roberts’ ancestors, who died of complications
from an illegal abortion during the early 20th century,
provides the one context within which the music supports
and comments on this narrative, especially via Mazz Swift(violin), Stuart Boogie and Matt Lavelle (clarinets) andDarius Jones and the leader (altos). Many also whistle,
play percussion and chant, in addition to their individual
instrumental contributions. The overall tension is marked
throughout at an underlying martial pace. There is thus asense of anxiety created, which is countered by presenting
means of surviving through communality action and a senseof camaraderie.
It is almost impossible to single out an individual tune
or player or defining artistic contribution, as the effort here
is a communal and collegial one, summarized by what
becomes a mantra-like ending on each of the narrative parts
throughout the album: “my name is your name / our nameis their name / we are named / we remember / they forget.”With four preceding Coin Coin editions, we eagerly
anticipate future installments.
For more info visit cstrecords.com. Roberts is at The Stone at New
School with Tomas Fujiwara’s “Return of Plutonia: For Greg
Tate” Feb. 17. See Calendar.

Cosmic Unconsciousness Unplugged
Sam Newsome & Jean-Michel Pilc
(Some New Music)
by Ken Dryden
Soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome and pianist
Jean-Michel Pilc have been successful bandleaders andprolific composers in their own right and, as a duo, have a
special chemistry that has taken them in new directions. Theirearlier duo release, Magic Circle, focused on spontaneity,with one man beginning to play without indicating whattune he might lead into or if his partner even knew it. That
recording focused more on jazz classics and standards.
Their latest recorded collaboration, Cosmic Unconsciousness
Unplugged, concentrates mostly on total improvisation,with a wide range of moods, plus several familiar works.
Newsome’s horn preparations add depth, drama andoccasionally, bewilderment. The overpowering intensity of“The Enigma’s Melody” gives a sense of foreboding withsearing saxophone over dramatic piano playing. The title
track blends Newsome’s swirling modified saxophone with
Pilc’s hand-muted or prepared piano; there is so much goingon that it sounds overdubbed, yet that would conflict with
their goal of a single take. Among the standards, Jerome
Kern’s timeless “All The Things You Are” stands out for its
whimsical approach and unpredictable lines. Irving Berlin’s“How Deep Is The Ocean” is the most unusual setting. The
somber cadence of Pilc’s introduction makes it sound likesomeone anxiously pacing in a hallway, instead of the usual
lush ballad approach. Newsome’s didgeridoo-like preparedBLACKHISTORY
MONTH
soprano is added after the introduction, with its electronicsounding gurgle growing more prominent as the piece
progresses. It’s a novel approach to this standard (though it
will leave some listeners puzzled). Billy Strayhorn’s “TakeThe ‘A’ Train” begins with a sparse call and response thatsegues into a marvelous blend of darting piano lines andequally inspired soprano interjections. Just as delightful isthe setting of Duke Ellington’s moving ballad “Solitude”, asolo feature for Pilc incorporating percussive repeated notes
and playful tremolos, without losing sight of the lush natureof the melody. Whether it was planned as a solo or Newsome
chose to sit this one out on the spur of the moment, “Solitude”
is the perfect conclusion to this adventurous record date.
For more info visit somenewmusic.com. The album release concert
is at Mezzrow Feb. 15. Pilc is also at Joe’s Pub with Stephane
Wrembel Feb. 2-4, and Smalls Feb. 16-17. See Calendar.

Causa y Efecto (Vol. 2)
Francisco Mela/Zoh Amba (577 Records)
by John Sharpe

Like its predecessor, the second volume of Causa y Efecto
stems from the 2021 studio session which paired Cuban
drummer Francisco Mela with the then 21-year-old reed
sensation Zoh Amba for another set of freewheeling duets.
While Amba’s 2022 and 2023 releases O Life, O Light, Vol. 1& 2 (also on 577 Records) featured Mela alongside bassist
William Parker on a program of her own compositions, thedrummer takes the lion’s share of the credits on the five cuts
here, excepting one joint effort and one cover. As the opening
title track makes clear, the drummer’s uncomplicatedthemes generate fertile blowing opportunities for Amba’s
incantatory tenor saxophone playing. She repeats, flexes
and worries at riff-like phrases, extracting every last dropof emotion, before exploding into squalling overblowing.
Although the prevailing vibe is one of freedom, that doesn’t
preclude funky or tuneful passages. This is especially soon “Mundos Diversos” where Mela’s wordless vocals andtumultuous cadences alternate with Amba’s twittering, andultimately dancing, flute work.
Mela’s buoyant drum cavalcade, vocal exhortations andsinging retain a seat-of-the-pants freshness, even while being
informed by the heritage of his native island. From different
parts of his kit he conjures inventive grooves and exuberant
polyrhythms from contrasting tonal colors and tempos;
and most importantly, in such a stripped back setting, heshows himself to be a sensitive partner, demonstrating
an appreciation of density and transparency, neverthreatening to overwhelm Amba even in her most delicate
moments. Although the collaborative “MEZO” begins withpercolating flute and exotic percussion, it’s not long before
the temperature rises and Amba deploys her wide vibrato infrayed bleats and a ripe falsetto, accompanied by a galloping
tattoo. However, she knows the value of tempering thecathartic outpourings with the cooling balm of a wistfulmelody. Mela provides the drama on the final “El Cisne
Blanco”. His animated chant, punctuated by bass drum
booms, bookends another insistent saxophone outburst,
though one which winds down to a wavering vulnerability,
giving an affecting hint of pathos behind the power.
For more info visit 577records.com. Amba is at Downtown Music
Gallery Feb. 20. See Calendar.

IN PRINT

Milford Graves: A Mind-Body Deal
Mark Christman, Celeste DiNucci, Anthony Elms
(Inventory Press/Ars Nova Workshop)
by Pierre Crépon

Considered a free jazz pioneer, drummer/percussionist

Milford Graves was part of the ’60s avant garde. In thisfirst-ever overview on the multimedia art of free-jazzpolymath Graves, the 256 pages of Milford Graves: A MindBody Deal is a fully illustrated catalogue that includes
hand-painted album covers and posters, idiosyncratic
drum sets, recording ephemera, multimedia sculptures,photographs, costumes and artifacts from his scientificstudies. The book was spawned by a museum exhibitionof the same name, which ran in Philadelphia in 2020-21,
the year Graves passed, and which was presented by
Ars Nova Workshop and the Institute of Contemporary
Art. Much of this material will be new to most readers,though some texts have been published elsewhere,
including a 2002 DownBeat profile, a conversation witha Vodou priest and another with consultant Jean-DanielLafontant.
The book opens with full-page shots of the large
three-story house in Jamaica, Queens where Graves
started to live around 1970. Herein are the first glimpsesof his varied areas of activity: a collection of herbs,
programming books and mural artworks. Essays andinterviews expand on those facets of his interests.
In writing an introduction to a piece about Yára, themartial art Graves created, editor Celeste DiNucci asks:“How can we share something so uniquely experiential
in essay form? It’s a question the entirety of A MindBody Deal seeks to answer.” The picture of Graves thatemerges in the book does not fundamentally differ fromprior documentation but gains in depth. Cardiologist
Carlo Ventura, for instance, provides much more details
on Graves’ heart research than can generally be foundin profiles. Saxophonist Hugh Glover recalls a trip to
FESTAC ’77 in Nigeria, while Japanese dancer Min
Tanaka gives elements on his collaborations with Graves.
Music is not what takes center stage in the book. The
volume’s main focus and protagonist is the “Professor”(as many people called Graves), not the drummer who
took part in the cultural agitation of the ’60s. The bookcontains little about that context; saxophonist Giuseppi
Logan, a significant early partner, is barely mentioned,
for instance. An assertion from Graves, which appears
early on in the book, frames his contribution to ’60s
political events as merely incidental, a statement at odds
with his reproduced Cricket magazine contributions.
Milford Graves: A Mind-Body Deal makes no claim about
being the last word on Graves, but it is more than astandard exhibition catalog: it combines welcome entry
points to the drummer’s intricate world into a volume
that can best be described as visually arresting.
For more info visit arsnovaworkshop.org. The exhibition,
Milford Graves: A Mind-Body Deal, continues to tour
nationally and will be at Bennington College’s Usdan Gallery(Feb. 27 to Apr. 27).

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THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 17

BLACKHISTORYMONTH

A Lovesome Thing
Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel(Heartcore/Motéma Music)
by Ken Dryden

The pairing of pianist Geri Allen and guitarist Kurt
Rosenwinkel took both musicians outside of theirusual group settings, though their chemistry must havebeen obvious to them from the first time they played
together. Only one duo booking (at NYC’s sincedefunct Jazz Standard) preceded their 2012 concert
in Paris, captured here, live at the Philharmonie deParis. Both musicians enjoyed playing in a free-flowing
manner that allowed plenty of room for improvising.
The extended performances from this concert are a joy,with no wasted space, nor any danger of either one ofthem running out of ideas or taking one chorus toomany. Allen lost her battle with cancer in 2017 at age
60, before they could meet in the studio to record what
would be their second album, but this recent releaseis welcome news. Although the Paris Philharmonic is
a large cultural center, the venue (and location of theconcert within it) features great acoustics and, fromthe reaction of an appreciative audience, infers an
intimate, magical setting no matter the actual size ofthe space. Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is a Lovesome
Thing” has never sounded so lush, with Allen’srhapsodic chords fueling Rosenwinkel’s moving guitarlines. “Embraceable You”, an oft-recorded favoriteof jazz musicians, finds the duo delivering a fresh
approach with an intricate improvised introductionthat gradually reveals its theme. The pair take theirtime exploring the timeless melody to embellish it in an
intricate, often surprising manner that’s far from more
typical interpretations. Rosenwinkel’s “Simple #2” is ajaunty vehicle that suggests a breezy spring day with
its upbeat nature. Thelonious Monk’s “Ruby My Dear”,
often subject to workmanlike treatment, is elevatedby the guitarist’s solo introduction that weaves amesmerizing improvisation, briefly hinting at the
melody, which is only revealed upon Allen’s entrance.
The two also retain the composer’s playfulness whileembellishing the number with their unique voicings.
The pianist’s constantly shifting “Open Handed Reach”,
the final track, provides ample proof of Geri Allen’screativity as a composer, providing a breathtaking
finale to a concert that is one for the ages.
For more info visit heartcore-records.com. Rosenwinkel is atVillage Vanguard Feb. 13-18. See Calendar.

LeWitt Etudes
Dave Soldier and William Hooker (Mahakala Music)
by Andrew Hamlin

The late conceptual artist Sol LeWitt was particularly
famous for his wall drawings; the artist even left
instructions for others to create work like his, in ways ofkeeping with their own tastes and skills. In that spirit,
multi-instrumentalist Dave Soldier took inspirationfrom LeWitt and his wall drawings to set down a seriesof 50 “Etudes”, and with each a textual set of rules,

avoiding standard notation nor advocating a standard
musical process. Like the intent of the visual artist,
Soldier’s work is meant to inspire musical adventuresby groups of any level of playing in any tradition.
He’s recorded other versions of the “Etudes” and thislatest one features drummer William Hooker, who’s
been making music with Soldier for decades. Hooker
is a genre-defying drummer who’s been a veteran of
NYC’s free improvisation scene since the mid ’70s. He
can thunder when the spirit moves him but also has
the smarts, wisdom and respect for his colleagues toleave them space. Predictably, Hooker’s powerfulyet-nuanced drumming had a pointed effect on the
dynamics of each piece.
In “Etude 40”, an epic freighter’s-horn drone withthe potential to turn into “Also sprach Zarathustra“,
has that drone with Soldier’s violin teasing in the
background. Horns join, drop out and drop in again.
Bassists Luke Stewart and Ken Filiano saw throughthat deep end, and when Hooker steps in—aroundthe five-minute mark—his play is unobtrusive, almost
inaudible, while Soldier slowly builds his own storm.
The piece is a good example of how each rendition of an“Etude” can contain a multitude of ideas. “Etude 43”,
the only piece delivered in two distinct takes, spins out
through “version one” as a series of solo outings. Then,like a multi-voiced singalong, the players contribute
their own individual but collective voicings. One
violin trades a sweet, mournful legato lick with tenor
saxophonist Ayumi Ishito; plucked bass comes in, thenmore sounds of basso foghorn drones and Alex Greene
volunteers a delicate piano statement.
For those who appreciate innovation and free jazz,
this music is compelling. It’s an as-intended adventure,
an odyssey delivered without notion of intellectual
trappings.
For more info visit mahakalamusic.com. Hooker and Soldier
are at Bowery Poetry Club Feb. 7; Hooker is also at Theaterfor the New City (part of Arts for Art’s Out Music Festival)
Feb. 4. See Calendar.

ON SCREEN

Dr. Eddie Henderson: Uncommon Genius
Directed by Michelle Bauer Carpenter(Salina Star Route)by Jim Motavalli

T he new documentary, Dr. Eddie Henderson:
Uncommon Genius is about one of jazz’ greatest
trumpet players and offers many valuable insights
into this multi-faceted man and musician. Judging
by his talking head interviews, he’s also his own best
biographer. But be warned, there’s unfortunately
precious little performance footage in this shortfilm. Only at the end of this work by Michelle Bauer
Carpenter (director, editor and co-producer), do we
get live music in the form of a brief excerpt from afairly recent in-performance video shot at NYC’s
Smoke Jazz Club with Henderson, Donald Harrison(alto), George Cables (piano), Gerald Cannon (bass)and Lenny White (drums). And it’s great—Henderson
proves he is still, unquestionably, in top form.
There are also brief snippets of Dr. Henderson’s

parents, both whom are also performers. As the good
doctor tells it, very engagingly, his mother was a
Cotton Club dancer who performed with her twinsister (and Fats Waller) and his father was a memberof the Charioteers singing group—regulars on The
Bing Crosby Show. Henderson was born in New Yorkin 1940, and inherited his uncle’s trumpet. Therewas stardust from the beginning. Mom and Sarah
Vaughan took the young Eddie backstage to see Louis
Armstrong at a gig, who right then and there “taught
me how to make a sound on the trumpet.” A year
later, Henderson was back, and knocked Armstrongout of his chair with “Flight of the Bumble Bee”. A
note from Satchmo encouraged the youngster: “Keepplaying, you sure sound beautiful.”
But jazz had to wait, because the young
Henderson became entranced with ice shows andfigure skating, studied with Richard “Mr. Debonair”
Dwyer (also an interviewee), and was soon doing
double axels. Despite huge racial barriers at thattime, he ended up winning bronze medals in major
skating competitions. Henderson’s stepfather in San
Francisco was a physician to jazz stars, including
Miles Davis, who took the young trumpeter to a
gig in his Ferrari. On the bandstand were bothCannonball Adderley and John Coltrane, withthe famed jazz rhythm trio of Wynton Kelly, Paul
Chambers and “Philly” Joe Jones. “They were likeavatars up there, superhuman beings,” Hendersonsays. “I became a Miles Davis fanatic.” Henderson
enrolled at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music,

18 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

where he was classically trained, meaning he stillneeded to learn how to improvise. His teachers inthat art included Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan.
At another point in his life, Henderson was following
his father into medicine by day and hitting the jazzclubs at night, eventually earning his M.D. The storyof how Henderson joined Herbie Hancock for fiveand a half years after putting his budding career asa psychiatrist on hold is alone worth the price of thisshort movie’s admission. Insightful interviews comefrom drummer Billy Hart—who was impressed byHenderson’s ability to sight read—Cables, Harrisonand drummer Mike Clark. The documentary is on
the abbreviated side at only 27 minutes, and lacks
not only performance footage, but an interview with
Hancock or information about Henderson’s postHancock career. The trumpeter made his first solo
album, Realization, in 1973 (for the Allman Brothers’
Capricorn label) and it’s a pioneering electric date,with many of his Mwandishi bandmates. Henderson,
who also worked with McCoy Tyner, Hubbard,
Kenny Barron and Benny Golson, took part inHancock reunions, and resumed his medical career.
And, as he once told me, bought a bunch of Ferraris:
Miles Davis was obviously influential in more ways
than one.
For more info visit uncommongenius.us. A screening ofUncommon Genius is at Smoke Feb. 7; Henderson plays
at Smoke Feb. 7-11 and is at Birdland with The Cookers
Feb. 27 - Mar. 2. See Calendar.

BLACKHISTORYMONTH

G LO B E U N I T Y

JID018 (Jazz Is Dead)
Tony Allen/Adrian Younge
The Golden Sèkèrè
Douyé (Rhombus)
3
Abdullah Ibrahim (Gearbox)
by Daniel A. Brown

I n honor of Black History Month, this edition of Globe
Unity focuses on two Lagos, Nigerian-born musiciansand one of South Africa’s most famous composermusicians. One passed away during the pandemic’s
first months, another is a Gen X vocalist and the third
is a jazz elder. They all share a sophistication that
can transcend location, genre and generations and all
honor the highest aspects of jazz music.
A founder of the Afrobeat movement, drummer
Tony Allen (1940-2020) was the rhythmic warhorse
for Fela Kuti’s 1968-79 jazz-funk revolution. Allen
has been sampled by so many hip hop artists that
his kick-drum thumps and snare cracks are syllablesof contemporary music. The recent eight-song
release JID018 features Allen, aligned with L.A.based composer-producer Adrian Younge and asquad of seasoned players, heavy on the brass, with

empathic large-ensemble performances. Kicked into
gear with Younge’s bass guitar and Allen’s beats,“Ebun” is an object lesson in jazz-funk. Sustained
horn swells and wah-wah guitar are given equal
footing; the affect is so hypnotic that when the band
modulates to a new key during the outro, it sounds
like a cameo appearance. On “Don’t Believe theDancers”, Allen and the assembled players equalize
funk through force and restraint, leaving us with amesmerizing slice of dance-floor trance. Allen was
78 years old when these tracks were recorded, andthe supernatural muscularity and earned finesse tohis playing beckons the band to follow—and theyaudibly do.
Based in Los Angeles, vocalist Douyé surrounds
herself with a cadre of qualified players on The
Golden Sèkèrè, a celebration of the Great American
Songbook in the age of Kindle; the overall effect of
the 14 tracks is reverent and playful, the torch song
now illuminated with LED lighting. Douyé cites
Nigerian organist-composer Fela Sowande (19051987) as a conceptual touchstone for her album. In
lieu of Sowande’s merger of classical and Yoruba
music, with “Cherokee”, Douyé and her 11-pieceband imbue the standard with nuanced, percolating
rhythms, including the titular beaded-gourd
instrument, and album’s namesake, the sèkèrè. “AfroBlue” is a tasteful example of low-boil polyrhythms,
the leader’s laid-back vocals unfazed by Dokun Oke’s
guitar plucks and pianist Dapo Torimiro’s pianojabs. “Devil May Care” showcases legendary bassist

Buster Williams, who guides the vocalist throughthe tune over static percussion by Najite Agindotan.
Douyé and band also flex their skills with savvy
interpretations of tunes by Kurt Weill (“Speak Low”)
and Duke Ellington (“It Don’t Mean a Thing”).
Now at age 89, South African pianist-composer
Abdullah Ibrahim embodies the qualitative impact ofa living jazz legend; among other apex moments, heperformed his anti-apartheid anthem “Mannenberg”
at Nelson Mandela’s inauguration. His latest release,3, is a three-LP, 19-song set of studio and live
recordings that unfurls like a soulful paean to themusic of his upbringing, with nuanced and evident
honoring of sacred and secular music, jazz, classical,
Ellington and Coltrane. Joined by Noah Jackson(bass) and Cleave Guyton, Jr. (flute), the tentative
arrival of “Mindif” (the title cut to his 1988 album)
here is an etude for the haunted, the feelings of loss
and homesickness that can arrive when one is alreadyhome. The pianist allows the chords and notes toinvite a minimal ostinato bass line from Jackson tounderpin Guyton’s pensive flute melodies. “Waterfrom an Ancient Well” (the title track to Ibrahim’s
memorable 1985 recording), in this rendition, mixes
gradients of gospel and blues, with the trio splitting
the difference between a church revival and a
roadhouse, all contained in the humble galaxy of a
G7 walking blues.
For more info visit jazzisdead.com, rhombus-records.com
and gearboxrecords.com

Bassist Endea Owens is one of jazz' most vibrantemerging artists. Mentored by jazz icons such as
trumpeter Marcus Belgrave and bassists
Rodney Whitaker and Ron Carter, she has toured andperformed with: Wynton Marsalis,Jennifer Holliday, Diana Ross, Jon Batiste,
Jazzmeia Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Cyrus Chestnut
and appeared with H . E . R . during the widely
acclaimed Super Bowl LV performance.

Endea Owens and
The Cookout
at Dizzy’s Club(Broadway/60th St.)In 2019, The Emmy, Grammy and George Foster Feb. 10: 7/9 pm
Peabody Award-winnin g Owens join ed
Feb. 11: 5/7:30 pm
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert houseband, Stay Human.
She is also founder of The Community Cookout,a non-proﬁt organization birthed out of the
COVID-19 pandemic which provides meals andmusic to underserved neighborhoods
worldwide. Endea's organization has
helped feed over 6,000 people!

“Best Debut Release”

ENDEAOWENS.COM
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 19

BLACKHISTORYMONTH

B OXED SE T

Mingus Takes Manhattan:
The Complete Birdland Dates (1961 – 1962)
Charles Mingus (New Land)
by Jason Gross

By the time of these fabled 1961-1962 radio broadcasts
from Birdland (“the jazz corner of the world“), renowned
bassist/composer Charles Mingus had already spentthe ’50s revolutionizing bop music with a prolificstring of albums. Though the music heard here has
been bootlegged for decades, this lavish 4-LP boxed set
marks the first time it’s officially been released (the tapes
remastered in mono). Mingus’ Jazz Workshop band,featured in the set, had a stunning cast of characters thatchanged constantly.
Many of the selections come from the underrated
1962 album, Oh Yeah (Atlantic), such as “Hog Callin’
Blues”, a wild, gospel-flavored romp. The October 1961
date stars Roland Kirk’s multi-sax prestidigitation and
Mingus’ elegant piano, as “Nouroog” moves from bluesy
ballad to exotic swing. By March 1962, the band shifted tothe outstanding horn section of Charles McPherson (alto),
Booker Ervin (tenor) and Richard Williams (trumpet),
who perform a fast-paced version of “Take The ‘A’ Train”
and a loose, Latin-tinged take on “Fables of Faubus’’ withthe ecstatic New Orleans-flavored “Eat That Chicken”.
By month’s end, the group really hit its stride with thehigh-speed horn drama of “Monk, Funk or Vice Versa”,
which actually gains in intensity in a May 1962 session
featuring horn battles so quick that notes blur together.
By contrast, in the same show, “Devil Woman” has a slow,
bluesy feel to it and “Reets and I” is a lithe piano trio
(minus Mingus), featuring Toshiko Akiyoshi. “Peggy’s
Blue Skylight” (from mid-May that same year) has relaxedbut fast-paced sax solos, and the wonderfully complex“Tijuana Table Dance”, alternating between Mexican
street music and bouncy swing, features Henry Grimes’
blistering bass thumping. The October 1962 show has aslower “Monk, Funk or Vice Versa” and “Please Don’t
Come Back From the Moon” with a sexy, screaming solofrom little-heard trumpeter Edward Armour and baritone
saxophonist Pepper Adams sounding ever-graceful. For alate-October date in 1962, Adams lets loose with dizzying
fury on “O.P.” alongside Armour’s blaring flugelhorn.
The set ends with the slow, sensuous “The Search (I Can’t
Get Started)”, paced with calm, reflective horn solos.
In all, these historic recordings show Mingus at thepeak of his powers as a bandleader, certainly eclipsing
the failure of the 1962 Town Hall concert.
For more info visit newland.ochre.store. Mingus Big Bandis at Drom Mondays. See Calendar.

NOW AVAILABLE and featuring original musicby saxophonist/clarinetist Kirk Edwards!

Shout!, a collection of songs inspired by the exuberant,
expressive and spiritual qualities of African American gospel
music traditions but with a jazz sensibility, features
pianist Donald Vega (2023 Guggenheim Fellow andmember of Ron Carter's Golden Striker Trio).
“Edwards' contributions are wonderful — lovely, searing,adventurous and cunning as called for.”—The New London Day“This quartet is a hard-swinging group with Kirk Edwards'
burnished tenor sax (think Benny Golson crossed with Ben
Webster) backed by a superb rhythm section…”—The Jazz and Blues Report“… take a spin with this cat who was with the Coast Guard bandfor 20 years and knows what to do with a sax. Surrounded byﬁrst call cats that know the score, and recording at Van Gelder's,
this straight-ahead jazz quartet is so in the pocket you hope theyﬁnd the time and tide to go out as a real band sometime. Tight andsolid, these guys blow up a most righteous storm. Well done.”—Chris Spector, The Midwest Record
Contact and Purchase Infokirksmusic.net

20 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDMusic Promotions: Scott Thompson PR
scottthompsonpr.com

You’ve Got to Learn
Nina Simone (Verve)
by John Pietaro

Recorded live at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival, You’ve

Got to Learn captures the immortal Nina Simone (whowould have turned 91 this month) in a brilliant, concise
set, profoundly highlighting her as both musician andsocial activist. Miss Nina Simone, as she was billedthat Saturday, was at her most musical and relaxed.
July 2, 1966 was a particularly mild day in Newport,
RI, but her performance was anything but. Right fromthe opening, title cut, Simone’s penchant for an utterly
visceral performance is on full display. Her lyrics sizzle:…You’ve got to learn although it’s very hard/The way of
pocketing your pride/Sometimes face humiliation/While youwere burning up inside… From this powerful statement,
Simone moves into her well-known adaptation of theGershwins’ “I Loves You, Porgy” in dreamy near-rubato.
Bassist Lisle Atkinson’s melodic fills dance about theleader’s voice and piano, particularly when he slips
into lustrous, soaring improvisational scat and immense
vocal dips. “Blues for Mama” goes further still. Simone
describes this as a “gut-bucket blues” co-written with
Abbey Lincoln (lyrics) and it features guitarist Rudy
Stevenson at his lonesome best, dropping in sinewy fills

BLACKHISTORY
MONTH
and brief, heartfelt solos. Demonstrating the heartbreakin song was always something Simone championed, and“Blues for Mama” may be one of the best examples ofher preference, calling on the heritage of earlier forms
such as the field holler. There is more deep emotion
in “Be My Husband”, which somewhat echoes theAbbey Lincoln/Max Roach pairing of “Driva Man”, as
drummer Bobby Hamilton leans hard into his bass drumwith hi-hat accents leading into each following measure.
The traditional yet expressionist underpinningsof the set conjured a “Mississippi Goddamn” straying
far from the two-beat “show tune for a Broadway showthat hasn’t been written”, offering the festival audiencea slowly swinging vision of this biting song about
hate in the deep South. Simone was no one’s fool, andthe strength of her music not only kept up with theprogressive sounds heard that day, but spit fire into
the face of Southern Civil Rights opposer Bull Connor,
the Ku Klux Klan and U.S. government reactionaries. A
side note: Simone historian Nadine Cohodas brought
the tapes of the set (which were donated to the Libraryof Congress by Newport Jazz Festival founder GeorgeWein) to the attention of Verve Records and the Nina
Simone Charitable Trust. It is thanks to her that thispreviously unreleased body of work is now available.
For more info visit ninasimone.com. “How It Feels To Be
Free”, a Nina Simone/Abbey Lincoln tribute, is at Dizzy’s
Club Feb. 8. See Calendar.

piano, while Garo has multiple overdubs, producing anarresting beauty.
On “ya know”, Wilkins showcases his brilliant,chromatic bebop-influenced playing, while both he andRoss hint at Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House”, without everdirectly stating it. In a further obvious nod to Blues on Bach,and to Ross’ (and Wilkins’) deeply-lived Christianity, theleader gives us the simple and gorgeous “bach (God theFather in Eternity)”, based on one of the many settings
Bach wrote for the litany “Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit“.
I am certain this album will be on my Top 10 of 2024.
And I am equally certain I will not be alone.
For more info visit bluenote.com. Ross is at Symphony Spacewith the Blue Note Quintet (part of Blue Note Records’ 85th
Anniversary concert event) Feb. 23. See Calendar.

The Other One
Henry Threadgill Ensemble (Pi Recordings)
by Kurt Gottschalk

In recent years, Henry Threadgill has been putting

nubluesJoel Ross (Blue Note)by Keith Hoffman

Fifty years ago, when much of the improvised musicworld was busy releasing electronics-based music, someof it great, The Modern Jazz Quartet released Blues on
Bach, an unapologetically acoustic album that reachedback more than 200 years for its inspiration.
Five decades later, enter wunderkind Joel Ross
and his supremely talented quintet, Good Vibes:
Immanuel Wilkins (alto), Jeremy Corren (piano), Kanoa
Mendenhall (bass) and Jeremy Dutton (drums) withhis fourth Blue Note leader release, nublues. Ross’
inspirational vibraphone Trinity is the MJQ’s Milt
Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson and mentor Stefon Harris.
Like Jackson, Ross almost exclusively uses only two
mallets because he doesn’t want to dictate harmonic
content to his bandmates. And like the MJQ, his leader
dates are acoustic, even while many around him are
making crossover and electronic-influenced music. Ross
has also reached back in time and deep into his band’s
collective soul to gather inspiration from the feeling of
the blues.
Good Vibes have managed, in the studio, to corralthe deep spirituality its live performances evoke.
You don’t merely listen to this music—you put on
headphones, get into a comfortable chair, clear yourmind and just let it all take you to a deeply meditativeand peaceful place. It is that good. The seven originals
are, in some sense, bookended by two Coltrane tunes(from Coltrane’s Sound): “Equinox” and “Central ParkWest”. There is much effective use throughout of the
hypnotic vamps that the leader uses so expertly live. Theband introduces a motif at the end of “Equinox” that isthen woven into “mellowdee”, which follows without abreak. The vibraphonist brought in life-mate, Gabrielle
Garo (flute), for several tunes. For “Chant”, he plays

himself forward as a composer, and a fascinatingly
perplexing one. With the exception of the wonderful
and often overlooked 1994 collection Song Out of My
Trees (Black Saint), Threadgill’s playing—and almost
always that incisive alto—has been heard on every
record under his leadership since 1975. These recent
releases, however, have diverted the focus away fromperformance and toward new challenges in listening.
As with the previous Old Locks and Irregular Verbs(2016) and Dirt… And More Dirt (2018), the latter on which
he does play, The Other One is a long-form composition
for large ensemble titled (despite the name of the album)“Of Valence”—dedicated to drummer Milford Graves.
The dozen-strong group could, and sometimes does,
break down as a low-end string quartet, with two cellos
rather than two violins and a jazz ensemble of threesaxophones, two bassoons, tuba, piano and drums. But
Threadgill, as always, makes great use of the riches oftimbres and mixed tonalities within the ensemble.
It’s a fairly chaotic record, for the most part strictlycomposed, but as easily contained as insects on thesurface of a pond. The piece is in three movements, anddepending on how you count, twenty sections, nineof which are under two minutes. There’s a blink-andyou’ll-miss-it quality to the transitions. There’s also an
implicit logic throughout that can be felt, if not followed.
What proves the pudding is the magnificent second
movement, presented in a single 16½-minute block. It
begins in dissonant, overlaid string lines that recede intoa whispered haze, out of which breaks a single saxophoneline. Then a softer support saxophone joins and slowly
the ensemble swells in elongated, complementary tones.
The solo voice eventually seems to build consensus,
which eventually edges toward excitement. It’s astunningly prolonged build into something genuinely
upbeat, a well-earned reverie that helps define the restof the decidedly esoteric composition.
Henry Threadgill (who turns 80 this month) has
always made dense, and often exuberant, music. He’s
sold idiosyncratic complexity by being a hell of abandleader. These recent records don’t benefit from thewelcoming spirit of a jumping group. This time around,you’ve got to come to him.
For more info visit pirecordings.com. Threadgill is at The Jazz
Gallery Feb. 25. See Calendar.

UNEARTHED GEM

In Concert
Roy Eldridge Quartet/Ella Fitzgerald Quintet(SteepleChase)by Marilyn Lester

R ecorded at Copenhagen’s Falkoner Center in
April 1959, this release marks the third of the
SteepleChase label’s In Concert series. By thistime, Ella Fitzgerald, the “Queen of Jazz”, hadbeen lured from her long association with Decca
Records and was being managed by Norman
Granz under his Verve label. Granz had specificgoals for Ella’s career and the content of thisalbum certainly reflects that. There are thestraightforward ballads, sung with deliberation:
among them “You Brought a New Kind of Love”(Fain/Kahal/Norman) and a pair of Gershwins,“Oh, Lady Be Good” and “I Loves You, Porgy”,
which offer a hint at what the vocalist brought to
her Songbook series. Fitzgerald excelled in any
style, but in this pop mode she creates mood,
diving deep into making each word count.
There are several choice tracks of pure jazz
Ella heard herein. Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to
Cheek” added spirited swing to a song she’djust recorded for Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook.
From the 1956 Broadway show Mr. Wonderful,“Too Close for Comfort” (Bock/Holofcener/
Weiss) transforms big Broadway orchestration
into a hip jazz tune, enhanced by guitarist Herb
Ellis. Another Broadway entry, “Whatever Lola
Wants” (Adler/Ross), from Damn Yankees, has a
Latin twist, with Fitzgerald having a ball singing
the devilish lyric. Scatting as only she could, thediva then moves seamlessly into the musical’s“Who’s Got the Pain” in full mambo mode.
She aces the energized blues number “Alright,
Okay, You Win” (Wyche/Watts) with a fast scat,effortlessly playing with words and sounds. Her
frequent concert closer, “How High the Moon”(Lewis/Hamilton) is a barn-burner of a tune, withextended fast-paced scat and on-the-spot lyrics,
all demonstrating her vocal range and musicalgenius.
On this European tour, her opening act was
trumpeter Roy Eldridge, a master of rhythmic
drive and high-note wailing. Two Eldridge
tracks appear on the album: Benny Goodman’s
1939 blues “Soft Winds”, and the trumpeter’s
up-tempo “Roy’s Riff”, which begins withWilfred Middlebrooks’ bass solo and leads
into the electrifying rhythms of drummer Gus
Johnson, ending with Eldridge reaching for the
stratosphere.
Ultimately, this release offers a snapshotof Ella Fitzgerald at a time when her star wascontinuing to rise. Because the concert wasrecorded live, it’s a treat to hear her address theaudience and to hear the love received back as
about 20,000 fans cheered her on.
For more info visit steeplechase.dk. An Ella Fitzgerald
tribute, “Ella Meets Duke”, is at Aaron Davis Hall
Feb. 24. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 21

WellsGianni Mimmo/Harri Sjöström (Amirani)
Especially For You
Harri Sjöström/Erhard Hirt/Philipp Wachsmann/
Paul Lytton (Bead)by Ken Waxman

H arri Sjöström, who turns 72 this month, is a Finnish

musician who has maintained an affiliation withfree music over the years and remains a soprano/
sopranino saxophonist who might be more likely toplay with other European improvisers than Finnish
ones. Wells and Especially For You are two fineexamples of this proclivity.
On Wells, he is paired with Italian sopranosaxophonist Gianni Mimmo, who has a similar knackfor finding sympathetic partners. Purely acoustic,
their individual timbres are easily identifiable,
particularly when Sjöstrom sticks to his skyscraperpitch sopranino. The Finnish player’s peeping tones
decorate, while the Italian’s soprano advancescolorful themes. Sometimes the two break up thecontrapuntal challenges by pivoting to sudden
reed blats or further stretching expositions, as on
the double counterpoint of “Signaling”, which is
broken with one saxophonist creating a continuumof percussive tongue slaps while the other squeaks
and squeals.
Although pointed tones are the duo’s preferred
playing strategy, that doesn’t preclude the infusionof warmer tones. The concluding “Encyclopedia at
Glance” melds reed intersection with smooth timbral
slides. Its final affiliation is enlivened with toughbites from one and shrill flutters from the other.
Even on the extended “Pas de Deux”, consistency
is emphasized. Squeezed notes may be tossed from
one to the other as each moves up the scale—but
the conclusion is both harmonized and horizontal.
Intriguingly, the duo’s sound is so entrenched that,when each gets a solo spot, reed techniques suggestthat another saxophone is producing additionalsound squibs.
There’s no question whose reed textures areprojected on Especially For You, since Sjöström isthe only horn player. But considering that British
violinist Philipp Wachsmann amplifies his strokes
with electronics, German guitarist Erhard Hirt
projects his timbres with computer treatments
and British drummer Paul Lytton adds textureswith cymbals and various percussion objects—
reconstituted sounds are common. Each player has
a history of playing with one another, so synergy isimmediately and audibly established. Most obvious
are acoustic intonations from the saxophonist
and violinist, though Wachsmann often alternates
his melodic patterns with arco stops. And while
Sjöström’s harsh bites and split tones are also
prominent, Lytton’s irregular smacks or sweeping
cymbal pealing become accents to intensify themes.
Otherwise, there are more silent interludes thanpercussion breaks.
While the album ends with a near-balladic track(“For You Lullaby“), detours are prominent during
the previous improvisations. Hirt may occasionallysound a single string clip or sweeping strum, but his
output is mostly computer programmed. Coupledwith the violinist’s electronically-mutated pulses,
the synthesized voltage adds unexpected squeaks
or snorts that attain greater dynamics or disrupts
narratives with crackles when the interface seems
too conventional. Sjöström efficiently demonstrates
how his limpid tone fits, regardless of acoustic orelectronically-oriented situations. More cruciallyboth albums contain enough horizontal evolutionthat distinctive improvising has context in which tobe appreciated.

textures that expand the expectations of a baritone
saxophone. Left to his own devices, Sinton producesrich overtone blasts (“Thrutch’’) and twists a twonote trill for dear life (“Talus”), but he saves those
bits for later, preferring to launch the set with “Rift”
where his warm tone almost sounds like a tenor.
Unhinged displays of his sharp technique are often
buffered by pieces built on restraint. “Interstice”
also finds him flirting with the upper range of the
big horn, uncoiling a boppish line that sounds quite
dense for something spontaneous. The slow, bluesy“Seam” acts as the perfect cap to this varied set.
Book of Practitioners Vol. 2, also known as Book
‘W’ due to the first letter in every title, comesfrom a book of saxophone etudes Lacy composedin the ’80s. Sinton studied with Lacy at the New
England Conservatory and he has since devoted a
lot of effort to the legendary soprano saxophonist’s
repertoire. Sinton’s quartet, Ideal Bread, played
Lacy compositions exclusively. To say that Sinton
understands these etudes might be a bit of anunderstatement. After Couloir’s multi-sided recital,
these six pieces almost feel conventional. This effecthappens, in part, because “Willy-Nilly” opens
the album with a phrase that feels lifted from theJohnny Mandel/Paul Francis Webster standard “TheShadow Of Your Smile”. A few tracks later “Whoops”
features a rhythmic line that recalls Charlie Parker’s“Au Privave”. But both of these references are redherrings that, if they are indeed intentional, ensurethat the listener is paying attention. Lacy createdunique works with extended lines (“Waterline”)
that take intriguing paths (“Windfall”) and are
ideally suited for a solo instrument. Any additional
accompaniment would overcrowd the music. While
the melodic territory contains a lot of twists, Sinton
still finds plenty of space for the music to breathe
without ever sounding stark or bare. In addition tokeeping Lacy’s work alive, Book of Practitioners Vol. 2
proves that Sinton is continuing to expand thelanguage of the baritone saxophone.
For more info visit joshsinton.com. Sinton plays soloand duo with Mazz Swift at Downtown Music Gallery
Feb. 27. See Calendar.

For more info visit amiranirecords.com and beadrecords.com

Riley
Riley Mulherkar (Westerlies)
by Andrew Hamlin
Couloir & Book of Practitioners, Vol. 2
Josh Sinton (Form Is Possibility)
by Mike Shanley

A solo instrument album often contains a healthyamount of deep introspection with the occasional
dash of self-indulgence, and two albums-worth ofsolo performances can admittedly really ask a lot froma listener. Josh Sinton is no stranger to the format,
having released albums of his own compositions
and those of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, withnothing in the studio besides Sinton’s baritone
saxophone. Those sessions presented very personal
works that took the solo challenge seriously anddelivered the goods. His newest release has it bothways, with one disc of spry, spontaneous inventions,followed by more readings from the book of Lacy on
the second disc.
In 15 tracks, Couloir presents a wide range of
22 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

T his theater has ghosts, warns the old Chinese manto the young Japanese tourist, in Tsai Ming-liang’s
art house classic Goodbye Dragon Inn. Similarly,
Riley, the debut album as a leader from trumpeter
Riley Mulherkar, has a haunted melancholy to it, a
sad atmosphere of the spiritual that weighs down
every other aesthetic: they can exist, but only as
undertones of vague, shifting shapes. Yet there’s
innovation in this release, and complexity andfull-out passion. “Chicken Coop Blues”, the album
opener, sets a certain tone with an echoing stompthat marks time. Mulherkar’s horn double-tracked(at least) is so close-mic’d that his audible inhales
register assertively. A fantasia on Jelly Roll Morton’s“King Porter Stomp” finds the trumpeter further
into rich legato phrasing, but backed by piano-drone
bass tones, a seemingly waterlogged vibraphone
and a high-hat that might have been clunked witha railroad spike, which translates the merriment
Morton intended into a struggling and ultimately
overwhelmed disappointment.
“No More”, the only vocal selection, features
singer Vuyo Sotashe for a solo spot; the soundscapeevokes an ancient field holler, percussion that’s ashuffle of clanking chains and a hammer striking rock.
In the repetitive lyric “No more, no more,” Sotashe
enunciates and then boldly bends the vocalist’sdelivery so that other words become irrelevant. In
making Riley, the leader sought inspiration frompianist Chris Pattishall and guitarist/producer Rafiq
Bhatia who both programmed the sound design andused the studio itself as an instrument. Kyle Pooleand Russell Hall are credited respectively on drums
and bass, but it’s a struggle to decipher what’s being
played and how. The standard, “Stardust”, delivers anearly mainstream, if outstanding, expression of loss
and memory. By contrast, “Looking Up” structures
each slow distorted bass pluck as a downwardseeping tear, or perhaps an upward-reachingsubmarine ping, a message from the deep floating
upward to the lost surface.
In Riley, existence is a fragile thing. Take nothingfor granted the creators seem to say—it’s best to
bring awe and gratitude, and a new pair of ears to
the experience.
For
more
info
visit
westerliesmusic.com/label.
Mulherkar’s album release concert is at Littlefield Feb. 18.
See Calendar.

Portals
Art Lande/Sam Williams (Kilkhabart Music)
by Scott Yanow

P ianist Art Lande (who turns 77 this month) has

been a fixture in Boulder, CO, since 1987. Away
from the major cities, he developed his own eclectic
style and musical personality. Listening to any of his
recordings makes it clear that he has studied earlier
jazz stylists while keeping his own music open to
fairly free improvising and interaction with likeminded musicians. While from a later generation,
tenor saxophonist Sam Williams clearly thinks along
similar lines. He blends well here with Lande andseems at ease during the many tradeoffs on their
duet album Portals.
The program of original music covers quite a few
moods, alternates arranged passages with concise
solo statements and finds the duo playing both tightand loose. The opener, “Booker & Paul”, is a quirky
jazz waltz that is bright and cheerful despite thecomplexity of the music. “Possum Hunting” begins
with a little bit of free playing before the theme isannounced. It’s a tune that, if expanded beyond
its six-minute length, could have been a suite byitself since it contains several sections and a few
changes in tempo. Williams switches to sopranofor his “Columbine”, a somber, melancholic balladthat seems to ask “When will they ever learn?”. In
contrast, “The Orchards” is a happy piece with asimple but catchy melody.
The desolate ballad “Hodo” is followed by
the fairly straight-ahead swinger “Pool Shark”.
“Sea Shanty Medley (Shanty Cruise/Landlubber’s
Lament)” begins and ends with a childlike melody
played by Williams and Lande’s melodica thatsandwiches a minor-toned segment with a similar
feel. Other selections include the dissonant but
playful “Waitin’ For The Fadilla Monga”, an uptempo, Chick Corea-ish “Portals Of Properini”, thedownbeat “Starfish” and the relatively mellow andpicturesque “Robin’s Rest”.
Portals holds together quite well. Lande andWilliams display plenty of self-restraint while
focusing on serving the often-haunting music.

eek!

Open 7 Days a W

For more info visit artlande.com

Presenting

NEXT GENERATION JAZZ
Monday Nites ft. Up & Coming Talent!

2 Sets of Shows—7:30pm & 10:30pm Every Week!

Open Arms
Oran Etkin (GroundUP Music)
by Tom Greenland

O ran Etkin is something of a jazz ethnomusicologist.
Born in Israel, raised in Boston and now based in
New York, the clarinetist/saxophonist is a global
traveler in search of vibrant indigenous music.
Taking side-trips during tours, he records andjams with local musicians, later using samples andelectronics to improvisationally deconstruct fieldrecordings. This process allows Etkin to develop his
own brand of “world jazz.” On Open Arms, Etkin’s
sixth album, he recorded sessions in Brazil, Czech
Republic, Zimbabwe, Turkey and Canada. The ten
tracks display his versatile yet identifiable style:on cuts such as “Pavlinka’s Dream” and “Djelem
Djelem”, he approximates the signature ornaments
and obbligatos of Bohemian Roma clarinetists; on“We Are Together” and “Chigwaya—Song for the
Mermaid Spirit”, Etkin demonstrates an ability
to navigate the slinky 6/8 syncopations of South
African mbira music; and on “É Doce Morrer No
Mar” and “Caymmi”, there’s an affinity for Brazilian
song-forms.
A tasteful, spiritual player who favors thebass clarinet, Etkin reveals a more straight-ahead,harmonically progressive side on “Pro Carnaval
Voltar”, which features an expressive clarinet coda,
as well as a second, live version of “É Doce Morrer
No Mar”, performed in Canada on tenor saxophonewith Kevin Hays (piano) and Matt Wilson (drums).
Four cuts, recorded in Brazil, feature Etkin’s corequintet with Vinicius Gomes (guitar), Benjamim
Taubkin (keyboards), Vanessa Ferreira (bass) andSergio Machado (drums). On “We Are Together”,
the quintet (sans Machado) improvised to arecording by Zimbabwean mbira players Tute,
Irene and Wiri Chigonga and Clarence Mzite. A
similar studio collaboration occurs on “Pavlinka’sDream”, where Roma vocalist Pavlína Matiová
adds her voice to the Brazilian background track,then overdubs it with haunting parallel harmonies.
A third multi-studio production, “Protection
Song”, mixes Jehan Barbur’s vocals and Erkan
Oğur’s kopuz (fretless lute), recorded in Turkey,
with Etkin and Machado’s clarinet and drums
recorded in Brazil.
For all of its globe-trotting eclecticism, the album
hangs together as a unified artistic statement. It is,perhaps, a product of the close musical and personal
relationships that Etkin has keenly sought out andfostered along his many travels.
For more info visit groundupmusic.net. Etkin’s album
release concert is at Dizzy’s Club Feb. 12. See Calendar.

THR
2/1

Eric Alexander Quartet
Joe Strasser Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

FRI
2/2

Jason Tiemann Quartet
Edsel Gomez Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

SAT
2/3

Sheryl Bailey Quartet
Freddy Deboe Band

7:30pm
10:30pm

SUN
2/4

Alex Minasian Quartet
Tim Ries Quartet

6:30pm
9:30pmMON
2/5

Naama Gheber Quartet
Hank Allen-Barfield Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

TUE
2/6

Fima Ephron Quartet
David Weiss Quintet

7:30pm
10:30pm

WED
2/7

Neal Caine Quartet
Ron Jackson Trio

7:30pm
10:30pm

THR
2/8

David Bixler Quartet

10:30pm

FRI
2/9

Max Johnson Trio
Luther S. Allison Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

SAT
2/10

Tommy Campbell Trio
The Richard Cortez Band

7:30pm
10:30pm

SUN
2/11

Michael Kanan Quartet
Neal Miner Trio

6:30pm
9:30pmMON
2/12

Simon Mogul Quartet
Raphael Silverman Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

TUE
2/13

Manuel Valera Quintet
Jeb Patton Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

With Lizzie Thomas

7:30pmPhilippe Lemm Trio
Hendrik Meurkens Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

WED
2/14
THR
2/15

Late Show With The T.k. Blue Quartet 10:30pm

See The Line-Up AND Reserve At
THEDJANGONYC.COM
DINNER, LIBATIONS & LIVE JAZZ!
IN THE OF TRIBECA

2 AVE OF THE AMERICAS

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 23

Tora Collective
Petros Klampanis (Enja/Yellowbird)
by Elliott SimonG reece, positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean,
has long absorbed musical influences from Asia
and Africa, making for a rich tapestry of sound.
It is unsurprising then, that the improvisationaland harmonic elements of jazz intertwine with thetraditional melodies and rhythms of Greek music.
Bassists play a prominent role in this exchange,
with figures such as Apostolos Sideris and Yiotis
Kiourtsoglou standing out. Petros Klampanis, basedin New York City, has become a central figure in thissphere and expands the genre’s horizons throughhis project, Tora Collective. The bassist anchors arhythm section that includes Israeli drummer Ziv
Ravitz and Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu. Ravitz
co-produced the release, and tactfully decorates
the music with electronic tinge, contributing to
the Middle Eastern feel with an elegant percussive
touch. Randalu’s playing is classically informed;
his previous intimate collaboration with Klampanis(Irrationalities) and his work alongside oudist Dhafer
Youssef (Birds Requiem) makes him the ideal choice tostraddle these cultural realms.

The Greek musicians contribute virtuosity andvalidity to the music. Vocalist Areti Ketime embodies
the rebetiko tradition—a dynamic fusion of Greek,
Turkish, Jewish and Roma musical styles. The emotionand exquisite phrasing in her voice vividly reflect thesediverse influences across a variety of settings. She iselectric as she thrusts and parries with Klampanison the up-tempo Macedonian tune “Enteka” anddelicately weaves her way into your heartstrings on
the lovely waltz “Menexedes kai Zouboulia”. Premieroudist Thomas Konstantinou is masterful andseamlessly slips into this milieu without sacrificing
any of his heritage. His interplay with Ketime on thisupdated version of the rebetiko standard “Hariklaki”
is superb. Giorgos Kotsinis skillfully captures thegreat clarinet stylings of the Greek region of Epirus,
using his expertise in ornamentation and expressive
playing. On “Tora”, the spiritual doina that opens
the album, he makes an immediate impact. His
warm vibrant tone and mastery of melismatic nuance
pay homage to spirits of previous generations.
Kotsinis then leads a rendition of the Epirus folksong “Xehorismata” with Konstantinou delivering atouching vocal performance. Throughout the session
he complements Konstantinou by adding depth to the
melodic lines and enhancing the overall texture. Twooriginal compositions, the enigmatic “Disoriented”
and the expansive “South by Southeast”, have
Klampanis, Randalu and Ravitz introducing an open
setting to old-world charm.
Tora Collective is all that is good about world jazz,with its transcultural ethos and its cultural synergy.
For more info visit petrosklampanis.com. Klampanis’
Tora Collective album release concert is at Drom Feb. 15.
See Calendar.

Evening Will Find Itself
Alex LoRe & Weirdear (Whirlwind)by Ken Waxman

T hree brief interludes on alto saxophonist Alex

LoRe’s album Evening Will Find Itself are entitled“Radiance”, suggesting the lightness and brightness
his Weirdear quartet brings to the interpretationof the ten original compositions. For this project,
he explores themes of agreement and dissent,
technology, chance and control, darkness andlight and the power of nature. Throughout, theBrooklyn-based saxophonist airily tone trills andflutters without weakening each tune’s responsive
or reflective theme. Bassist Desmond White’s thickstring pops power the bottom, while pianist Glenn
Zaleski comps effectively throughout, often uniting
his measured elaborations with the leader’s soaring
reed expositions. As for Allan Mednard, the drummer
demonstrates that proper cadences can be created
to impel the program, using just occasional cymbal
sizzles and unforced accents of subtle drum beats.
Overall, each track has an audible buoyant quality.
LoRe has extensive experience with jazz andnotated music ensembles. But even within that ethos,compositions can be serious as well. “Green”, a shout50 years of jazz recordings

HaroldDanko
American jazz pianist

Complete catalog: www.steeplechase.dk

on SteepleChase since 1994
with 29 leader albums.
His music has led us to listen to the piano
jazz in a whole new way.
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24 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

www.statesidemusic.com email: info@statesidemusic.com

out to the saxophonist’s mentor, alto saxophonist/
educator Bunky Green, is a near-blues. It’s taken ata faster clip than most of the album’s other pieces
and, with a short, simple piano break and bass stops,
evolves through LoRe’s expressive peeps and tripletonguing. Dual sax/piano elaborations set up “At
Shore”, the album’s freest track. Moving upwards
and then downwards for the finale, the exposition
includes the leader’s tongue slides and tone
fragmentation, expressed on top of White’s bowed
double bass thrusts, Zaleski’s keyboard plinks anddead-on raps from Mednard.
In addition to compositional smarts, LoRe createsa luminescent and glossy individual tone in his
saxophone playing. The noticeable drawback to thisstyle of attack is that it often seems as if he’s playing
one unbroken solo rather than expressing individualcomments on each narrative in turn. Other than thisconcern, however, Evening Will Find Itself is exemplary
mainstream jazz. Also notable is that, besides Green,
LoRe reveals in his playing several other mentors
such as masters Lee Konitz and George Garzone, in
addition to influences from various other musicalgenres. As an evolving musician, it will be interesting
to hear how his career progresses from here.

Echoes” is pensive reflection.
Each musician has sole credit for theircompositions. The pianist’s “Chronostrata” is very
brief, a shade over two minutes, in which the duo
explode in an effusion of runs and rolls, cymbals
tapping out Morse codes and Kimura alternating
dissonance and consonance at high speed. The
percussionist’s relatively extended “Day into
Night” is a lively nocturne, beginning as quiet,
unidentifiable rustling to gradually expand into a
glittering exchange of spare but rapid piano lines.
Hemingway’s luminous xylophone suggests a
starlit sky. The concluding minute-long “Circadian
Twilight” provides a moment of fleeting, evanescent
beauty and makes for an apt conclusion to aremarkable program.
For more info visit fsrecords.net. Hemingway is at
Theater for the New City (part of Arts for Art’s Out
Music Festival) with Brew Feb. 1, and Soup and Sound
with Earl Howard Feb. 3. See Calendar.

Georg Graewe - pianoa 3-CD-set of solo recordings from 2012 - 2019a limited edition of 300 copies

For more info visit whirlwindrecordings.com. LoRe is at
Roulette Feb. 9. See Calendar.

Live at Scholes Street Studio
Stephen Gauci/Shinya Lin/Adam Lane/Kevin Shea
(Gaucimusic)
by Mike Shanley

P rior to the pandemic, saxophonist Stephen Gauci
KairosIzumi Kimura/Gerry Hemingway (Fundacja Słuchaj)by Stuart Broomer

I zumi Kimura is a Japanese pianist/improviser who

currently lives and teaches Jazz and Contemporary
Music Performance at Dublin City University in
Ireland. In recent years, her work has included strong
associations with two distinguished improvisers andcomposers: drummer Gerry Hemingway and bassist
Barry Guy. Illuminated Silence, her debut on the Polishlabel Fundacja Słuchaj, was a trio encounter with thetwo veterans; the second and third, Kind of Light andKind of Shadow, were quartet recordings with Guy,
drummer Ramón López and Polish trumpeter Artur
Majewski.
Kairos, a duet with Hemingway, takes as its title
an ancient Greek word meaning the “right time”,
the “critical moment” or “opportunity”. It’s a motto
for improvisers, and a defining idea on this very
recording, along with possible corollaries, like theapt space or a notion of resonance. The duets arealso dramatic and abstract, yet conversational, with
Hemingway adding marimba, xylophone and voice
to his drumming.
Five of the eight compositions are jointly
credited, distinguishable by empathy and form
that suggest some minimal design as well as close
listening. Emphasis on time is evident immediately
in the opening “Dendrochronology” (named forthe study of tree rings and their relationships tochanging environments). It’s not a passing obscurity
but a clear analogue, moving with slow drama, inpart through alternating sustained piano clusters
as well as sudden dramatic percussion events. Eachpiece that follows is musically distinct yet imbued
with some of the same drama. “Water Thief” mixes
prepared piano and assorted drums into a percussionof shifting rhythms and densities, while “CloudGEORG GRAEWE
Nothing Personal RA CD 037/038/039

hosted a weekly event at the Bushwick Public
House, a small bar/coffeeshop in that Brooklyn
neighborhood of the same name. Each week, fivedifferent acts, ranging from soloists to quartets,
had a chance to play a brief spontaneous set in thevenue’s basement. His tenor usually figured into
one of those sets, and back then, he maintained acollective trio with bassist Adam Lane and drummer
Kevin Shea. As a continuation of that series, Gauci
currently curates Wednesdays at Main Drag Music in
Williamsburg (still Brooklyn) in addition to monthly
sessions at Scholes Street Studio. It was at the latterthat his trio teamed up with Shinya Lin (piano) in
December 2022 for the 38-minute set captured here.
Gauci can easily kick off a set with a fiery wail andsustain that high-range power. But in the 30-minutepiece that makes up the bulk of this release, he doesn’tcome to a boil right away. His throaty tenor often
evokes the gruff, jagged edge of early Archie Shepp,
blending with Lin, whose choice stabs and spastic
jumps across the keys feel somewhat evocativeof Cecil Taylor. Lane alternates between bowedharmonics and drones, his plucked lines bringing
depth to the sounds flying around him. Shea has often
attacked his kit as if he sported an extra set of limbs
but, like Gauci, he shows restraint here, utilizing abank of cymbals, bells, rims and other percussives
just as often as he cracks a drum head for emphasis.
Throughout this longer piece (and the eight-minute“Improvisation II” that follows), the group’s power
comes when all four players listen and react to eachother. Gauci and Lin drop out quickly to give Laneroom to bow, and their reentry is audibly shaped bywhat they’ve heard. Following a Shea solo, the group
reconvenes in a manner that feels like a composedconclusion. It may be free, but it’s focused.
For more info visit gaucimusic.com. Gauci is at Downtown
Music Gallery Feb. 10, Scholes Street Studio Feb. 11 andMain Drag Music Wednesdays. See Calendar.

„The pieces that make up this collection were selected from recordings over a period of seven years.
They document explorations into various areas ofmusical composition. Some are impressionistic incharacter, others focus on melodic and harmonic
processes, different degrees of polyphonic densities
and the articulation of time. Altogether they represent my idea of 21st century piano music.“- Georg Graewe, November 2024

release concert and live stream
February 26, 2024 | 20:30 CET
Porgy&Bess | Vienna | www.porgy.at... further releases on Random Acoustics ...
FRISQUE CONCORDANCEDistinct Machinery RA CD 031/32
John Butcher - tenor/sopranosax Georg Graewe - piano
Wilbert de Joode - double bass Mark Sanders - drums
INAWHIRL
Streugebilde RA CD 036
Sara Kowal - harp Georg Graewe - piano Dieb13 - turntables
BAUER|GRAEWE|LINDBERG
Sottobosco RA CD 033
Konrad Bauer - tb John Lindberg - db Georg Graewe - p
GEORG GRAEWE& SONIC FICTION ORCHESTRA
Fortschritt und Vergnügen RA CD 034
Frank Gratkowski - clarinets | Maria Gstättner - bassoon
Martin Siewert·- guitars, electronics | Sara Kowal - harp
Joanna Lewis - violin | Laura Strobl - viola | Asja Valcic - celloPeter Herbert - double bass | Els Vandeweyer - vibraphone
Wolfgang Reisinger - drums | Georg Graewe - piano
GEORG GRAEWE TRIO
in concert RA DVD 030
Georg Graewe - pianoPeter Herbert - double bass Wolfgang Reisinger - drums
GEORG GRAEWE QUARTET
Amsterdam, October 1998 RA CD 029
Frank Gratkowski - alto sax, clarinet Georg Graewe - piano
Kent Kessler - double bass Hamid Drake - drums
GEORG GRAEWE
stills and stories RA CD 028
Georg Graewe – piano solo

www.randomacoustics.net- order at www.trost.at -THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 25

FEB 1JOSH EVANS BIG BAND: MUSIC OF THE DIASPORAFEB 2–4

WARREN WOLF & HISTORY OF THE VIBRAPHONE
FEB 5

TED NASH BIG BAND

I n honor of Tadd Dameron’s centennial in 2017,

FEB 6

STEVE SLAGLE QUINTETFEB 7

RUSSELL HALL: BLACK CAESARFEB 8HOW IT FEELS TO BE FREE: CELEBRATING THE VOICESOF NINA SIMONE AND ABBEY LINCOLNFEB 9GODWIN LOUIS: EXPLORATION ON HYMNSFEB 10–11

ENDEA OWENS AND THE COOKOUT
FEB 12ORAN ETKIN: OPEN ARMS
FEB 13

FAT TUESDAY WITH ALPHONSO HORNE & THE GOTHAM KINGS
FEB 14DIZZY’S VALENTINE’S DAY WITH MORGAN JAMESFEB 15DAVID CHESKY, GIOVANNI HIDALGO, AND JON BENITEZ:
THE NEW LATIN TRIOFEB 16–18

JEREMY PELT WITH STRINGS: THE ART OF INTIMACYFEB 19JUILLIARD JAZZ ENSEMBLES: THE SPANISH TINGE– FROM AFRICA TO CUBA TO NYC
FEB 20SUMMER CAMARGO: TO WHOM I LOVEFEB 21

CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR – “JAZZICAL”
WITH YE HUANG QUARTET WITH STRINGSFEB 22–25

THE AZAR LAWRENCE EXPERIENCEFEB 26CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL: DONGFENG LIU BANDFEB 27–28

YOTAM SILBERSTEIN TRIO FEAT. BILLY HART
AND JOHN PATITUCCIFEB 29EMILIO SOLLA /ANTONIO LIZANA QUARTET

Central Avenue Swing & Our Delight(The Music of Tadd Dameron)
Madd For Tadd (Tighten Up)
by George Kanzler

JAZZ.ORG/DIZZYS
7PM & 9PM
SUNDAYS 5PM & 7:30PM

212.258.9595
BROADWAY AT 60TH ST.

Lantskap Logic: Hidden Danger Lets Me In
Evelyn Davis/Fred Frith/Phillip Greenlief(Clean Feed)
Laying Demons to Rest
Fred Frith/Susana Santos Silva (Rogue Art)
by Kurt GottschalkM ulti-instrumentalist Fred Frith retired in 2018—

Kent Engelhardt and Steve Enos put together a big
band, Madd for Tadd, in Dameron’s hometown ofCleveland, OH, and gave a concert later released in2018 on the album The Magic Continues. Now, a twodisc release is a continuation of their exploration andreclamation of Dameron’s music, including pieces
written for bebop combos repurposed and adapted
for big band. According to Engelhardt, who wrote
or adapted all the arrangements, Dameron “had aprofound gift of melody, like George Gershwin andDuke Ellington. He created melodies that instantly
stuck, and his harmonic inventions brought colors
to the music that just hadn’t been heard before,
foreshadowing what was to come.” Englehardt,
inspired by Dameron’s work, expanded andenhanced them in exhilarating charts that inspired
sparkling solos.
The two discs reflect very different aspects ofDameron’s career. The first, Central Avenue Swing,features Engelhardt’s adaptations of nine tunes
Dameron wrote and arranged in 1940 for the Kansas
City band Harlan Leonard & His Rockets. The title
tune is an Engelhardt original. “Heaven’s Doors Are
Open Wide”, a song Dameron wrote for Kay Penton
to sing with Miles Davis in 1949, is also included.
Dameron’s 1940 pieces, especially swingers suchas “Dameron Stomp”, “400 Swing” and “Rock andRide”, rival the best of more well-known Swingera bands including the likes of Jimmie Lunceford,
Count Basie and Benny Goodman. Two ballads, thetenor saxophone-led “A La Bridges” and the baritone
saxophone-led “My Dream”, reveal an audible
Ellingtonian flare. (The former, memorably limnedby tenor saxophonist Mike Tamaro, also echoes thestandard “Memories of You”.)
Our Delight places Englehardt and Enos’ bandsquarely in the pantheon of ensembles like John
Beasley’s MONK’estra and the many iterationsof Charles Mingus tribute bands, as musicians
who engage in cross-generational ferment andcollaboration. Madd for Tadd expands and reimagines
Dameron’s bebop combo for jazz big band in exciting
ways. Enos steps out on two tracks originally written
for trumpeter Blue Mitchell’s combo sessions: “A
Blue Time” and “Smooth As the Wind”. On theformer, his open horn is wrapped in singing highsaxophone passages; on the latter his tightly mutedhorn duels with ensemble shout interludes. Dameron
charts for John Coltrane are expanded with worthy
orchestrations, Engelhardt stepping out of his leadalto role to solo on “Soultrane” and “Handy Andy
(Gnid)”. “Mating Call” is turned into an anthemic,
Afro-Latin-inflected romp with bravura solos fromboth trombonist Michael Dease and tenor saxophonist
Dave Kana.
These two discs make for a stirring introduction
to (or reminder of) the importance of the jazz
contributions of Tadd Dameron, born 107 years ago
this month (and passing away almost six decadesago. He was only 48).

not from making music, which would be fairly
unfathomable, but from his teaching post in thestoried music department at Mills College. Justa few years later, the fate of that school—which
has included on its faculty composers Luciano
Berio, Lou Harrison and Darius Milhaud, radical
innovators Robert Ashley, Pauline Oliveros andTerry Riley and contemporary visionaries Anthony
Braxton, George Lewis and Zeena Parkins—wasitself in question when it was announced that Mills
would be closing. On May 28, 2022, with the school’s
future still hanging in the balance (negotiations
were underway for the college to be acquired by
Boston’s Northeastern University), Frith brought
his guitar to the Mills College Chapel, where he met
up with reed player Phillip Greenlief and organist
Evelyn Davis.
The three had recorded a session there in 2013,
released by Clean Feed under the name Lantskap
Logic. Making their second album, Hidden Danger
Lets Me In, was a loaded proposition. Frith (whocelebrates his 75th birthday this month) writes in theliner notes: “Whereas the first record had been madein a spirit of open-hearted exploration, this one hada certain focus, an emotional edge, that captures the
feeling of the time. I experienced countless concerts
and installations in this chapel during my twenty
years at Mills, and the ghosts and spirits of many
extraordinary and gifted composers and performers
haunt that space and resonate beyond it. I hear ourmusic from that day as both a requiem and a call ofdefiance against the lack of curiosity and imagination
inherent in this revolutionary Music Department’s
demise.”Hidden Danger Lets Me In is an intense record.
Not an angry or ominous one, but with the energyof a last opportunity. Each of the players is attuned
to supporting the others, the common good. There isoften a remarkable blending of timbre. The reedinessof the organ doesn’t converge with but runs parallelto the saxophone and clarinet. The guitar (and, as
always, masterful use of electronic effects) sets long
tones unhampered by attack or delay, breathing withthe other two. Each of the players is just as likely to
run on a tangent, but not for long. They are a tight, if
sadly sinking, ship.
Laying Demons to Rest features Portuguese
trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, who is fast becominga regular playing partner for Frith, and deservedly
so; her fluency in both orthodox and extended
technique is remarkable and as an improviser she’sa fantastically quick thinker. The album presents
the pair in duet at Motoco (in Mulhouse, France),as part of Festival Météo. It’s a bold session—asingle, 42-minute track that never sits still. Frith
plays foreground and background, filling a lot of
space tastefully with a multiplicity of instrumental
voices. Silva, with just a brass tube at her disposal,
is nearly as variegated. It’s an engaging and evershifting dialogue between masters and acrossgenerations.

For more info visit maddfortadd.com

For more info visit cleanfeed-records.com and roguart.com

26 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD„NOBODY HAS CONSISTENTLY
CREATED SUCH STUNNING BEAUTY.“
ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM (USA)MARC COPLAND TRIOMEZZROW 2/16/24 & 2/17/24
7.30 AND 9 PM.

Live JAZZ

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Stephen Sorokoff, Broadway WorldA N D I LO V E H
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February 3, 7, 9, 14, 16, 17, 21, 23 & 24
Eli Yamin - February 1 & 2
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February 8, 15 & 22
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February 10, 28 & 29

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1/19/24 3:42 PM

IN PRINT

FellowshipDavid Gibson (Imani)
by Zachary Weg
And Did Those Feet… Six British Jazz Composers
Duncan Heining (Jazz in Britain)
by Francesco Martinelli

T his innovative book/CD combo is a major
editorial event; unlike typical jazz histories, there
are precious few books discussing the music andthe lives of a group of musicians broadly associatedin a place and time, especially who created original,
jazz-inspired music that went past conventional
jazz. And Did Those Feet… Six British Jazz Composers
is focused on English jazz in particular, where incontrast to other European countries, musicians
were not concerned with this issue. Inspired by
the brass band and choral traditions of the U.K., aswell as the music of immigrant communities, thediverse group of chosen composers herein include:
Michael Garrick, Mike Gibbs, Barry Guy, John
Mayer, Keith Tippett and Mike Westbrook. Author
Duncan Heining is no stranger to the subject of
jazz; he began writing about jazz in the mid ’90s
and has written for a number of publications andwebsites. His other books include Stratusphunk: The
Life and Works of George Russell and Trad Dads, Dirty
Boppers and Free Fusioneers: British Jazz, 1960-1975.
And Did Those Feet… features essays about thelife and the work of each individual composer,
dealing with their orchestral writing, their smallergroups and relation to their instruments. Adding
to the meticulous background research, Heining
includes his own previous work and original
interviews. His definition of jazz is: “a way ofmaking music based on its manipulation of therelationship between improvisation and form...
always in dialogue with itself, its history andtradition, never fully realized but rather waits tobe realized again by those creating it anew.” This
statement is as good as any and informs all the
discussion in this book. The author shows not only
knowledge but empathy as he paints the complex
picture of the musical world these composers
operated in, from Indian and Caribbean music
traditions to avant garde and free improvisation,
as well as of their goals—those achieved and thosemissed.
The included double-CD of previously
unreleased recordings by the six composers is“worth the price of admission,” as they say. The
set includes tracks taken from the BBC archiveand recorded in the early ’70s, excepting the
Santarcangelo suite by Mike Westbrook (recorded in1980). The content will be as valuable to informed
readers/listeners as to novices. One of only a few
minor qualms, though, about some of the editorial
choices, would include the need for a richer
appendix with full bibliography and discography
which would have served useful (all the references
are in the text, but not all together in the same page).
Nonetheless, And Did Those Feet… is absolutely
recommended reading: its content and the music
are a precious guide to a path of discovery.
For more info visit jazzinbritain.org

A s one of the first jazz records of the new year, David

Gibson’s Fellowship is a welcome marvel of joyousness
and musical collaboration. Fellowship, his eighth album
as leader, features the New York-based trombonist
leading a quartet of Davis Whitfield (piano), Joseph
Lepore (bass) and Kush Abadey (drums) and it’s thekind of solid, no frills bebop album that is rare thesedays. As a bonus, listening to it is a balm for theharshness of the winter.
“Disquietude”, the album-opener, establishes
its warm tone. After a funk-inflected bass intro from
Lepore, the leader steps in with his whirring trombone,making clear the near limitless possibilities of his
instrument. At one point, breathing forcefully, huffing
through his horn, he switches over to a softer attack,conjuring a reverie. Among today’s trombonists,
Gibson is certainly one of the most versatile. The
intriguingly titled “Beyond Breath” (the second ofeight tracks) reveals he can also be a romantic. With its
long horn lines and twinkling keys, the track almost
transports the listener to the rosy air and low lights ofSmalls, the West Village jazz club where Gibson plays
regularly.
Gibson to this reviewer is akin to a modest Princeof Downtown and, with this album, he’s createdan easily digestible, buttery treat for a musicalbanquet. This release is so smooth it goes down likea butterscotch sundae. Yet, to be sure, Fellowship isn’t
background “smooth jazz”; it’s music of intrigue andsubstance. The ironically titled “Meek’s Wrath” has acalming effect, and, with Gibson’s peppery horn, comeswonderfully alive. “Chief’s Distortion” is similarly
agreeable, yet has enough vigorously-drummed
perkiness to keep listeners engaged. By the time thetitle track is heard, the notion emerges that possibly
one reason the trombonist made this album is to unite
listeners into a kind of musical fellowship. With its
consummate musicianship and welcoming spirit, it
serves as an antidote to hardship and an embodimentof jazz’ sunnier side.
For more info visit imanirecords.bandcamp.com. Gibson
is at Smalls Feb. 8 and 22, and The Django Feb. 16. See
Calendar.

Outing: Road Trip II
Mike McGinnis + 9 (Sunnyside)by Elijah Shiffer

T here’s something about a medium-sized ensemble—agroup between a combo and a big band—that is unique:it can have the former’s freedom and flexibility while
approaching the latter’s harmonic richness. On Outing:
Road Trip II, clarinetist Mike McGinnis explores these

28 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

possibilities to their fullest potential with a 10-piecelineup that includes three brass, four reeds and rhythm
trio. The album is truly an adventure; in eight tracks,
the band traverses an eclectic range of styles andtextures with authenticity and playful humor, utilizing
a contemporary sound infused with swing and bebop
influences. McGinnis is certainly an attentive studentof the jazz tradition, with writing that has a strong
focus on melody, no matter how quirky the rhythms
and harmonies get. He’s also not wary of featuringmultiple soloists in the same piece; in the aptly titled“Roundtable”, everyone gets two choruses of blues.
There’s plenty of collective improvisation as well;
two tracks are brief, purely improvised interludes,
but collective group improvisation even shows up in“The Gospel Of Bone Drye”, a heartfelt feature for
Brian Drye (trombone). Other particularly exciting
soloists include: Justin Mullens (French horn), Peter
Hess (tenor) and Jacob Sacks (piano). The centerpieceof the album is “Transformations”, written specificallyfor this group by the late Bill Smith—an influence on
McGinnis as well as an experimental classical composer
and jazz clarinetist long associated with Dave Brubeck.
Smith’s through-composed piece combines hardswinging grooves with thorny wide-interval lines inclassic Third Stream style. Its off-kilter trickiness fits
well with McGinnis’ own compositions.
It’s a well-paced album: long tracks are broken
up by shorter ones in between, and every shiftof texture happens at just the right moment. The
album closer serves as a perfect conclusion, with anarrangement of Frank Foster’s “Shiny Stockings” thatis relatively faithful to the original big band version
while incorporating some sly new wrinkles. The themeis stated by horns only (no rhythm section), and thepenultimate ensemble chorus adds an unexpected
meter change. In its experimentation within a swinging
framework, the number is a satisfying summation ofthis entire album.
For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com. McGinnis is at
Theater for the New City Feb. 3 (part of Arts for Art’s Out
Music Festival). See Calendar.

Trillium
Harold Danko (SteepleChase)by Robert Iannapollo

P ianist Harold Danko emerged in the ’70s to become
one of the most consistently interesting musicians injazz. His early gigs in the big bands of Woody Herman
and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis established his name; healso worked and recorded in the groups of Lee Konitz,
Chet Baker and Phil Woods. Though albums under
his own name began in 1978, it was during the mid’80s, with a series of albums for Sunnyside in mostly
small groups (duos to sextets as well as the remarkablesolo Ink and Water, which regrettably has not yet beenreissued), that Danko’s name became more widely
known. The pianist’s most fruitful collaboration,
however, has been with the Danish SteepleChase label
for which, since 1994, he has released 28 recordings ina variety of small group formats.
Trillium is Danko’s latest and it’s a fascinating
document. Anyone who has been able to catch him live
the past few years (particularly solo) has been treatedto lengthy excerpts from a piece of music by which heseems obsessed: Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring.

Danko’s prior two releases (Spring Garden performed
with a quartet and the solo set Rite Notes, both on
SteepleChase) have been based on this, using themes
from the piece as source material. Trillium continues
the concept.
Rather than a standard piano trio format,
here Danko opted to again use a trio but different
instrumentation, with Rich Perry (tenor) and Kirk
Knuffke (cornet). Both have been frequent collaboratorswith the pianist, so they seem to know intuitively
what he wants. The leader uses pieces from his firsttwo recorded versions: “The Rite of Spring” for thisset and also an original new piece “Vernal Eternal”.
But despite using the same work derived from theearlier versions, the approach in all three is different
and distinctive. Compared to the other two releases,
there are different rhythmic and harmonic tactics here,
as in this context the material is opened up even more.
Perry doesn’t reprise his role from Spring Garden (onwhich he also appears), but rather digs deeper into
the material, coming up with different avenues. And
Knuffke, an open yet melodic player, knows how
to free up the material, still maintaining a mutual
approach with both the pianist and saxophonist.
All in all, Trillium is well-directed by Danko andwell-worth the extra and continued effort.
For more info visit steeplechase.dk. Danko and Rich Perry
are at Hudson View Gardens Feb. 18. See Calendar.

Bizet: Carmen in JazzJohn Ellis Quartet (Blue Room Music)
by Tom Greenland

J azz musicians have almost always relied on folk songs,

popular hits, Broadway shows, movies and radio toconnect with audiences. Using a familiar tune not only
attracts and comforts listeners, it affords comparison
between the original and cover, inviting evaluation of
the latter’s artistic merit. On his latest release, Bizet:
Carmen in Jazz, multi-reedist John Ellis picked six
songs from the French composer’s 1875 masterpiece,
one of the most recognizable works in the opera canon.
Corralling favorite collaborators from New York and
New Orleans—Gary Versace (piano), Reuben Rogers(bass), Jason Marsalis (drums)—Ellis repurposes
Carmen along lean, clean lines, using it as a jumpingoff point for what is essentially a blowing date. For
example, on “Habanera”, the original Spanish tingebass part is streamlined and syncopated with chromatic
harmonies added to the opening theme—yet its chief
allure lies in the improvisations. Ellis (on soprano)
stutters then flows in a sort of Caribbean hard-bop
style; Versace’s piano parts are both organized andabstract, with bits of blues emerging out of left field.
“Seguidilla” samples soca, Afro-Cuban and Spanish
flamenco, all with a pervading ethos of New Orleansbon temps rouler, especially during Rogers’ jaunty solo.
Lumbering along in a gospel shuffle, “Flower
Song” features Versace’s exaggerated ornaments
recalling Crescent City ticklers such as Professor
Longhair or James Booker and Ellis (on tenor)
expresses intimacy with tremulous, breathy tones.
“Toreador”, another rhumba, follows the script ofa jazz funeral parade—the music slow and stately
as the body is carried out to the graveyard, fast andlively on the return. Ellis’ soprano statement is aparadigm of musical architecture. His tenor playing

is equally elegant on the minor-keyed, rhythm-andbluesy “Gypsy Song”, in which he employs motificdevelopment à la Sonny Rollins to sustain interestand intrigue over an extended solo turn. “Card Song”(sans drums) features Ellis (on bass clarinet), his deep,
delicate sound recalling Sidney Bechet. Versace, in oneof his more adventurous moods, hews to the highest
ranges of the keyboard, rolling histrionic trills in asuitably operatic style.
While Bizet’s songs are well known, Ellis’
repurposed versions won’t be. Compare them foryourself.
For more info visit theblueroommusic.com. Ellis is at Nublu
with Gili Lopes Feb. 23. See Calendar.

Unclosing
Illegal Crowns (Out Of Your Head)by Kurt Gottschalk

T he first time I listened to Unclosing, the second recordby the collective quartet Illegal Crowns, I didn’t makeit all the way through—at least, not without stoppingnear midpoint and repeating a track. Revisiting therecord some weeks later, I found myself again stopping
in my tracks by this fourth of nine selections, drummer
Tomas Fujiwara’s “Fading Wave”. At nine minutes,
it’s the album’s longest cut. It’s also the slowest (I dotend toward the down tempo). It begins with a brief
ostinato played seemingly ad infinitum by pianistBenoît Delbecq, a prepared string at the apex causing
the sweetest little clink. Two and a half minutes in,
the drummer comes in with a cymbal wash as Mary
Halvorson’s guitar complements the piano figure so
closely it’s easy to miss it as a new instrument (until
her trademark pitch bending, ever so slight, announces
her presence). A minute or so later, Taylor Ho Bynum’shorn (I’ll wager from its mellow tone it’s a flugelhorn)enters as a lovely, offset mirror. By now, any listenerwill understand that the sound doesn’t emanate fromjust one instrument, but somehow it still feels as if
it is. The musicians proceed to push a bit more, butnever hard. A gentle drum roll swaps places with aquick bit of guitar plectrum tremolo. The brass floats
overhead but ever in deference. Meanwhile, the pianoline has varied—perhaps even with each iteration—
but is always there. It’s very nearly a perfect groupperformance. I can’t think of any reason it isn’t, except
I’m not sure “perfect group performance” can actuallyexist. If such detailed praise presents the risk of castinga dark shadow on the rest of this very good record,so be it. The other tracks—two more by Fujiwara,
three each by Delbecq and Halvorson, with Bynum
containing his contributions to the playing—are quite
good, and the group dynamic is superb throughout.
But on a scale of one to Muhal Richard Abrams, it’s
Fujiwara’s “Fading Wave” that will keep me coming
back, and will have me looking forward to the quartet
unclosing again. As another musical master once sang,“Those kind of cars don’t pass U every day.”For more info visit outofyourheadrecords.com. Tomas
Fujiwara and Mary Halvorson are at 92NY with Halvorson’s
Amaryllis Feb. 10 and The Jazz Gallery with Tomeka Reid
Feb. 26. Fujiwara is also at Theater for the New City (partof Arts for Art’s Out Music Festival) with Amir ElSaffar
Feb. 1, The Stone at The New School Feb. 14-17, and The
Jazz Gallery with his 7 Poets Trio Feb. 26. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 29

Skultura
Nick Dunston (Tripticks Tapes)by George Grella

T he challenge on the free side of jazz, fromits beginning sixty-plus years ago, has been its
language: free playing is akin to inventing abrand new vernacular, with vocabulary, grammar
and syntax. On the inside it’s an exhilarating
experience to extemporaneously discover a new
way to articulate the normally inexpressible
to one’s fellow musicians. One danger in thatchallenge, though, is that musicians creating thismusic may eventually run out of intersecting
things to say to each other. Even more, is that thelanguage can become too esoteric: maybe gestural,rococo or in some other way intelligible only to
an in-group, and therefore not expressive, or evensociable to an audience.
That’s the disappointment with Skultura frombassist Nick Dunston, a talented musician who isusually exuberantly outward facing and musicallycharismatic. On the album, in addition to being
the composer of all the material (and production),
Dunston is credited with performing on preparedbanjo, sampler, tape and vocals. It is admittedly aninteresting example of how the idea of composition
can be a realized in studio production—and makeno mistake, this is an intensely “produced” album,
full of studio effects, editing, sampling and otherelectronics. There’s a lot of activity, but the result
sounds more like molecules bouncing around an
enclosure rather than expressive music.
Principal players Dunston, Eldar Tsalikov(reeds) and Cansu Tanrıkulu (vocals) become
fragments in a processed mix, used almost entirely
for what may be perceived as trickery rather thanas participants in a process to create coherent
musical structures. There’s a lot of discontinuity
that never makes a form à la composer Carl
Stalling; instead the entire effort feels haphazard.
The clever details grow tiresome; to a discerning
listener, the end product can strike one as adegradation of the irreverence and strategies ofthe likes of John Zorn, “Butch” Morris, the Art
Ensemble of Chicago and others.
Skultura represents gestural music in theextreme: a fast-walking bass in a chaotic soniccontext, swirling and squealing saxophone. The
album features Cathy Berberian-esque non-verbal,
non-tonal vocalizations, but doesn’t create any
context to understand them. When all is said anddone, the activity is frantic, even if the overallpace is leaden. So much is happening, yet nothing
goes anywhere.

rumbling modal ostinatos into quasi-reggae, withdry snare snaps. Oh’s lyricism builds robustly
on the hypnotic “Panegyric”. At times the trio’s
interdependence veers into overload, filling all
the space all the time. Iyer regularly pays homage
to revered musicians with exuberant shout-outs:
a lightning “Nonaah” by Roscoe Mitchell, Stevie
Wonder’s durable “Overjoyed” and “Drummer’s
Song” to pianist Geri Allen. They craft devotions
to Iyer’s father, to Emmett Till and transformationsof poems by Eve L. Ewing.

For more info visit triptickstapes.bandcamp.com.
Dunston is at 92NY with Mary Halvorson’s Amyrillis
Feb. 10. See Calendar.

For more info visit ecmrecords.com. Iyer’s album
release concert is at Village Vanguard through Feb. 3;
he is also at The Jazz Gallery with Henry Threadgill
Feb. 25. See Calendar.

Compassion
Vijay Iyer Trio (ECM)
by Fred Bouchard

S ince 1971 I’ve been riveted by the (largely)

black-and-white photographs shot (or selected)
by Manfred Eicher as jacket covers for ECM’s
1,800-strong catalog of sublime and timely modernmusic. While I’m seldom piqued to investigate
interconnections between the sights and sounds,
Vijay Iyer’s latest album covers and music
stopped me dead in my tracks. His Uneasy (2021)
squints at a tiny Statue of Liberty in New York
Harbor: cloud-shrouded, distant, unattainable.
His latest release, Compassion, depicts Jan Kricke’s
study of a flying flock of squalling gulls, likely
in a feeding frenzy over a baitfish upswell or
garbage dump. Iyer’s succinct liner note says,in part: “I am no more qualified than anyone
else to tell you anything new about compassion.
But I hope that this word, placed alongside thismusic, offers us all a reminder, an assurance, aplea and perhaps an inspiration—to find eachother in this together.” It’s a short leap to recall
Emma Lazarus’ paean to immigration, The New
Colossus, within the pedestal of F. A. Bartholdi’s
harbor angel: “Give me your tired, your poor/
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...”And then we listen to these souls in consummate
communion—a
Malaysian-Australian
woman
bassist (Linda May Han Oh), a Black drummer
from Newark, NJ (Tyshawn Sorey) and a pianistof Tamil Indian heritage from Albany, NY (Vijay
Iyer), who form a joyous and reverent testament
to America’s realized dreams of freedom.
Forming a working trio since the pandemic, allthree musicians, each showered with accolades andawards, also immerse themselves individually inmulticultural projects. As a trio, they chug along—alert, focused, devoted—in cherished moments
together to weave tapestries of love and devotion.
They share fiery chemistry and tender empathy;
mutual inspiration charges the improvised
workings of Iyer’s tidy bluesy structures. Theirsound rises as arched shapes build on quirky
melodic nuggets and fall on briefly reflective
tapering codas. The title track thus emerges fromSorey’s cymbal mist like “La cathédrale engloutie(The Sunken Cathedral)” written by Claude
Debussy for solo piano. “Arch” (for Desmond Tutu)
unveils currents of relentless and impassioned
Tyner-esque modalists. “Maelstrom” transforms

30 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDOne Foot in the Air
Elisabeth Harnik/Zlatko Kaučič (Not Two)by Stuart Broomer

O ne Foot in the Air documents a duet performanceby Austrian pianist Elisabeth Harnik and Slovenian
percussionist Zlatko Kaučič (who turns 71 thismonth), recorded at the Kulturhalle Eggersdorf
in Austria in June 2022. The title is explained by
the jacket photograph: Kaučič lies under the grandpiano, sweeping on the bottom of the instrumentwith one leg raised in the air, while Harnik
stands, leaning forward, at the keyboard, directlyinteracting with the strings. The principal work
consists of five movements, running to 57 minutes.
It’s an ever-shifting performance: turbulent,
reflective and playful, as the two musicians
succeed in transcending any sense of distance.
This feat is performed by a shared intensity
and a keen awareness that they’re both playing
percussion instruments. Harnik and Kaučič evenaccomplish this effect by, occasionally, playing thesame instrument.
The music may be violent or quietly evanescent,but it’s always precise and determined. Eachsegment, called a “Volume”, develops a particulararc from one texture to another. “Volume I” begins
in a pointillist exchange of brief gestures, building
a continuum out of distinctive approaches—
isolated tones, brief flurries, a knitwork ofsounds—eventually achieving a whirling forcefield
throwing off fresh details. “Volume II” is initiallya subtle exploration of objects applied rapidly tothe piano strings, likely accompanied by a squeeze
toy. “Volume III” possesses the utmost delicacy,with harp-like explorations of piano strings andsmall metallic percussion that has an almost liquid
fluidity of pitch. That jacket photograph justmight have been taken during this segment, given
the approaches to the piano and the sweeping
sounds. Returning to their usual positions, Harnik
piles up furious clusters, while Kaučič mounts acorresponding storm at his kit.
“Volume IV” moves from strings to keyboard
reverie to charging tonal play amidst a sea of
exuberant rattling percussion. The final “Volume”
begins in dense, polyrhythmic drumming,
proceeding to a brief exchange that gradually
evolves to complex string sounds, then an ultimate
absorption in the glittering minutiae of sound,then silence. Even the brief encore, “Last Steps

(remembering Heimo Steps)”, is memorable,
Harnik’s playfully anarchic patterns of splashingchords ultimately spurring Kaučič to a robust
thrashing of his drums.

UNEARTHED GEM

For more info visit nottwo.com

Down Another Road @ Stockholm Jazz Days ’69
Graham Collier (My Only Desire)by Marco Cangiano
EVENTS – Live! @ SFJAZZSteve Slagle (Panorama)
by Scott Yanow

S teve Slagle has been such a consistently

rewarding soloist (leading 17 previous albums,
mostly for SteepleChase and his Panorama label,
and appearing on over a hundred others) that it’seasy to take the alto saxophonist (and flutist) for
granted. He can always be relied on to take solosthat display his original sound, virtuosity andability to enrich and extend the tradition while
creating new music. EVENTS (initially released asa digital download-only album) is a set of duets
he recorded live with pianist Bruce Barth. While
one might guess that with that instrumentation
the date might emphasize ballads, this is far fromthe case. From the start of the opening track, themusic is burning. While Slagle occasionally tips
his hat briefly to Charlie Parker and Phil Woods,
he always sounds like himself and every note
has audible passion. Barth’s playing occasionally
recalls McCoy Tyner. He is very much a oneman rhythm section (his bass lines on “Moment’s
Notice” are particularly enjoyable) and makes
the absence of string bass and drums barely
noticeable.
The program mixes together originals withstandards. The title track sets the bar for what is
to follow with fearless, hard-swinging playing,including a torrid tradeoff. The alto saxophonist
takes a great break after the melody statement
on “Moment’s Notice” and is quite fiery on “We
Release”, an excellent post-bop tune with original
chord changes. He switches to flute on Thelonious
Monk’s “Light Blue”, while keeping the melody
close by (as Monk himself preferred). Both “Spirit
Call” and “Down Home at Joe Hen’s” (the album
was recorded at SFJAZZ’ Joe Henderson Lab) aresoulful and bluesy without actually being a blues.
On “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”,
Slagle (on flute again) is tasteful and melodic.
The boppish “Alto Manhattan” has a few familiar
melody quotes, although the driving piece utilizes
a more modern chord structure. “Open Air”,
basically a 12-bar blues with altered chords inthe ninth and tenth bars, has an infectious groove
reminiscent of “Freedom Jazz Dance”. And
concluding the release is a bonus track, the original“There Is Still Time”, on which Slagle and Barthare joined by singer Sachal Vasandani and Joe
Lovano, the latter heard on drums rather than his
usual tenor. The title track for an upcoming film,
it’s a bit of spiritual jazz with wordless vocalizing
by Vasandani in unison with the leader’s alto.
With EVENTS, Steve Slagle continues his
perfect string of rewarding recordings.

Composer, bass player and mentor Graham Collier, who

passed away over a dozen years ago (he would have turned
87 this month), played a fundamental role in developing
the British jazz scene in the late ’60s and early ’70s. And
many of the players he influenced are represented on thisarchival release, including Karl Jenkins (oboe, piano),
Nick Evans (trombone), Stan Sulzmann (tenor, alto) anddrummer John Marshall (who passed away last year).
A Berklee alumni, Collier combined composition withimprovisation in seamless fashion, his dictum beingthat “jazz happens in real time, once.” With Mingus
in particular, Collier shared the conviction that a band
could be led from the bass, although contrary to Mingus
his role as a bass player was functional to his music—herarely ventured into solos and eventually abandoned the
instrument to concentrate fully on composing.
This live recording, Down Another Road @ Stockholm

Jazz Days ‘69, precedes Collier’s second album (Down
Another Road) and contains most of the material therein,
except for the suite “Danish Blue”, which is replacedwith the less abstract, mood-shifting opener “Burblings
for Bob”, featuring Collier’s signature solo cadenzas.
Initially conceived as transitions between different
themes, these cadenzas grew over time as improvisations
merged with compositions. Collier’s melodic approachalso provides for a variety of sounds by alternating thesesolo cadenzas with duos, trios and full-blown ensembles.
“Molewrench”, another extended composition basedon a repeated bass figure, anticipates certain riff-basedstyles of play associated with Nucleus (the great British
jazz-fusion band active from 1969-89). Jenkins’ oboesolo, backed by Collier’s bass and Marshall’s always
tasteful and supple drumming, has an Eastern feel, andis followed by Evans’ fiery trombone over a funkier
tapestry, led by Jenkins as he shifts to piano. Jenkins’“Lullaby” is a lovely and ingenious ballad featuring aheartfelt solo by Sulzmann (on alto). “Barley Mow” isthe leader’s pastoral ode to old British pubs, composed
while he was in Boston, and featuring Jenkins (oboe)and Harry Beckett (flugelhorn). “Aberdeen Angus”
concludes the album with an upbeat bluesy feel, thanks
mostly to Jenkins’ comping.
This previously unreleased live album is a welcome
addition to Collier’s early opus and a reminder of his
polyhedric and somewhat underrated contributions to
the jazz scene, particularly from across the pond.
For more info visit myonlydesirerecords.com

michael stephans

OM/ShalOM
Featuring
Michael Stephans
David Liebman
Bennie Maupin
Scott Colley
D. Munyungo Jackson

available
January 26th
visit dottimerecords.com to order

For more info visit steveslaglemusic.com. Slagle’s
album release concert is at Dizzy’s Club Feb. 6. See
Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 31

UMBRaElias Stemeseder/Christian Lillinger (Intakt)
Tesserae
Tilo Weber (We Jazz)
by Stuart Broomer

A ustrian-born, now New York-based, pianist Elias
Stemeseder first gained recognition playing withdrummer Jim Black and tenor saxophonist/flute
player Anna Webber. His 2022 Intakt debut, Piano
Solo, demonstrated his conceptual range, technicalbrilliance and willingness to pursue structuralcomplexity in even brief episodes. While thatalbum presented him as a traditional modernist,
these two recent releases reveal an advanced
post-modernism. He turns his attention to diverse
sounds and techniques through collaborations
with various musicians in New York and Europe,
including drummer Christian Lillinger andbassist Petter Eldh (partners in unique projects
such as Koma Saxo, Punkt.Vrt.Plastik and AmokAmor), representing a radical approach to free
improvisation, electronica and extensive postproduction.

On UMBRa, co-led with Lillinger, Stemesederis highly involved in the recording process. His
credits contrast with those on Solo Piano, all the way
to the absence of a conventional piano, and include
composition, production, lautenwerk (an 18th
century keyboard that resembles a harpsichord,
but with nylon strings), synthesizer, electronics
and Una Corda (an upright piano with one string
per key). Lillinger’s roles here are composition,
production, drums, sampler and synthesizer.
That variety is enhanced by four guest musicians,
added individually or in pairs throughout thealbum: Peter Evans (trumpet), Russell Hall (bass),
Brandon Seabrook (banjo, guitar) and DoYeon Kim(gayageum: a traditional Korean plucked zither
instrument).
The result is a sonic utopia arising in segments
ranging from one minute to over seven, designatedas “Cycles”. The short just over minute-long “Cycle
IV” consists of rhythmically disjunct percussion
emphasizing a bass drum and high-pitched metal,
while at the longer range, the seven and a half
minute “Cycle VI” includes the quicksilver workof Evans and Seabrook in a continuously shifting
collage. The bracketed “Cycle V” highlights
sounds as diverse as backwards cymbal recordings
and contrasting string tunings (gayageum, banjo,
Una Corda), which arise in a continuous seriesof elisions and collisions, a brilliant field ofdisconnection that characterizes both individual
tracks and the work as a whole.

Tesserae (the title refers to the small stones ortiles used in a mosaic) could not be more dissimilar
than UMBRa, and is yet strangely similar. Led
by Berlin-based Tilo Weber—who composed thematerial and whose percussion instruments include
vibraphone—the basic trio consists of Stemeseder(harpsichord, celeste, synthesizers) and Petter
Eldh (bass, acoustic guitar). The music is almost
militantly pretty, usually tonal and melodic,
featuring instruments that are singularly light, butwith odd harmonic features, strange layerings andsudden shifts in rhythm and texture.
On the opening “Time Traveler’s Vessel”,
Stemeseder’s keyboards are bright, Eldh’s bass
lightly buoyant and, at one point, Weber even plays
his snare with brushes. The diverging overdubbed
keyboards of “Nacre Nacre” provide the uncannysuggestion of Muzak from multiple elevators. The
effect is refreshingly disconcerting, with a certain
prettiness that’s not the enemy of beauty, butrather the cloak of an alien messenger. “In Epitaxy”
adds the flutes of Anna-Lena Schenker and Bastian
Dunker to further compound both polyphony andbuoyancy. In its own subtle way, Tesserae demands
active listening.
For
more
info
visit
intaktrec.chandwejazzrecords.bandcamp.com. Stemeseder is at Ibeam
Brooklyn with Alain Metrailler Feb. 9 and The Stoneat New School with Aliya Ultan Large Ensemble
Feb. 23. See Calendar.

B OXED SE T

Discover Who I Am (The Fontana Years)
Blossom Dearie (Fontana-uMe)
by Marilyn Lester

V ocalist/songwriter/pianist Blossom Dearie wasan acquired taste for some, and for others, herbody of work was so admired and loved that she
became an artist with a cult-like following. For
this second group, Discover Who I Am (The Fontana
Years) provides a candy land and abundance of
riches recorded during Dearie‘s London years.
The release is a 6-CD boxed set comprehensively
documenting the recordings she made in London(from 1966-1970) for Fontana, a label started in the’50s as a subsidiary of Dutch Philips and which was
dropped in 1970 in favor of Vertigo. Remasteredfrom the original analogue sources, the set includes
over two dozen previously unheard tracks, anextensive biographical essay and rare, previously
unseen photos.
Dearie (who died this month fifteen years ago
at the age of 84) was often cited as enigmatic andmysterious. But the most forward-announcing
characteristic about her was her “baby voice,” ahigh, light, girlish tone that belied her age. Yet,
there was much more to her than a quirky vocal
tone. In a five-decade career she was acknowledged
as a highly admired musician’s musician. Hermusicality was top-notch. She was also the firstfemale artist to have her own independent recordlabel, the successful Daffodil Records, as well as thestill operating publishing company, Blossom DearieMusic. In a deal with Fontana (now distributed
through the Virgin Music Group of Universal),
this boxed set is comprised of four albums: Blossom
Time At Ronnie Scott’s, Sweet Blossom Dearie, Soon
It’s Gonna Rain and That’s Just The Way I Want To
Be. The additional 27 unheard tracks date fromlate ‘60s sessions discovered in the family homefollowing her death.
So who was Blossom Dearie? If you don’t know,
this set paints a full audio picture of her talent andpersonality, a slice of the latter discernible throughher commentary caught in performance on the live
recordings. The starting point, though, as a baseline of her genius, is her unfailing impeccability.
In her piano playing, phrasing, storytelling andintelligence, Dearie was wonderfully consistent.
That onstage banter captured from the live
concerts reveal healthy doses of humor and wit,
along with accessibility, qualities she infused into
all her work. That wit is clearly evident in DaveFrishberg’s classic and ironic lyrics to “I’m Hip”—
and you can tell she’s having great fun singing
it. That undercurrent of irony is also a feature of“When In Rome” (Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh).
Listen for the audience reaction to “Everything
I’ve Got Belongs to You” (Richard Rodgers/
Lorenz Hart) and “The Shape of Things” —an early
gem about the hazards of love by the late mastersongwriter and lyricist, Sheldon Harnick. There’s
laughter, cheering and knowing appreciation.
Dearie’s choice of music was eclectic. Her body ofwork includes a range of tunes in various genres—
songbook standards, Broadway musicals, folk, pop
and more, all delivered with sophistication andwithout prejudice to their “depth.” This collection
also features various versions of certain songs, notuncommon for an artist of longevity who inevitably
develops favorites in their repertoire. There arequite a few such doubles: “Mad About the Boy”
(Noël Coward), “On Broadway” (Barry Mann and

32 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Cynthia Weil/ Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) andtwo Bacharach/Davids: “Trains and Boats andPlanes” and “Alfie”.
Not all the tracks are live recordings, as thestudio work allows for more polish and control
over spontaneity. Dearie offered several bossa nova
numbers (e.g. Tom Jobim’s “How Insensitive”),
notable since, during the time her work wasrecorded in London, the bossa nova “craze” wasin full swing. She was also an original songwriterand several of her own tunes are documented here.
Played with bossa-influences, “Long Daddy Green”(written with Frishberg) is included, as well as “I
Was Looking For You”, a sad number with a bluesy
piano riff. During her London period, Dearie also
wrote songs for her British friends: “Hey John”(for John Lennon), “Dusty Springfield” and “Sweet
Georgie Fame”, each a sweet, clever tribute, with
Dusty’s tune even quite whimsical. Her dedication
to Lennon is also a reminder that, when theserecordings were made, London was tremendously
hip; the British invasion of rock music may havebeen happening on U.S. shores, but the sourceswere all in London, with The Beatles leading thecharge. It was no doubt an exciting environment
for a musical artist such as Dearie.
Aptly named, Discover Who I Am (TheFontana Years) features excellent song choices
representative of the vocalist/pianist’s musicallikes and goals. Known for her ability to find songs
with interesting, quirky or touching lyrics, Dearie
performed each and every one of them with utter
authenticity. These may only serve as a generous
appetizer on the full plate of Blossom Dearie, butoffer enough of a taste to be especially satisfying.
The beautifully packaged boxed set is a perfectgateway to enter the world of Dearie as well as acherry on the sundae for seasoned lovers of her
work.
For more info visit udiscovermusic.com

(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)TNYCJR: In the trajectory of your art, it seems likeyour work with Blackout, and definitely collectives likethe SFJAZZ Collective and New Directions, are notablepassion projects.
Harris: Absolutely. I did a Bobby Hutcherson song on
my first album, but I didn’t really dramatically change
it—it was just a beautiful piece of music, and I wanted
to celebrate one of my most important mentors. On
my second album, I did a standard, “There Will Never
Be Another You” (Harry Warren/Mack Gordon) but I
didn’t really take it apart and do a complex arrangement;
we just let go and allowed the music to do whatever it
wanted to do in the moment. Early on, I wasn’t honoring
the ancestors in the same way that I am now. I’m always
focused on the idea that what our ancestors wanted for
us was not to imitate. Remember, it’s the one moment thatyou get to stand up and sing the truth. The reason thatthey left those messages in the DNA of jazz was to give us
an opportunity to let go of what’s on our hearts, because
if you don’t have a means to do that, it will cause you
all types of physical ailment. If your community doesn’t
see its pain, suffering and joy manifested in organizedsound, it could cause suffering in the greater community.
So now when I pay tribute to the ancestors—and I always
will—I’m very careful to do it in a way that they would
be proud of, and in a way that is healing for all of us asartists and as a community.
TNYCJR: What can you tell us about the upcoming
concert at the Apollo, here in NYC?
Harris: I’m excited about this next phase of mydevelopment. It’s really where my passion lies and I

think that it’s centered around me being a teacher. For
example, this Apollo performance is really going to bea cultural celebration. It’s not a “jazz” concert. There
will also be a conversation and a Q&A. One of the mostsignificant things that’s going to happen at the show isthat our band is going to be improvising throughout theentire concert with an AI that I created: Harmony Cloud,which is an ear-training app. I spent the past 10 years
creating an algorithm that teaches how to improvise
chord progressions. It’s now at a very high level that isjust triads, but the next update that should be out thisyear has probably 95% of all the chords in Western
harmony. So you can put any key: sharp nine, sharp
five, minor, major and all types of sus-chords and thealgorithm understands how to do proper voice leading.
It will create progressions on the spot so you can learn toplay by ear. So I’ve taken what was in the app, which isan educational tool, and I created an AI. The AI will takea composition that I’ve written and it rearranges and reharmonizes, but it never repeats itself. We have the solo
sections in jazz and there’s this sort of repetitive thing.
I know what chord is coming next. But the algorithm
neatly eliminates that. You don’t know what chord iscoming next. I’ve never done this before.
The AI that I’ve designed has the parameters or
intention of helping human beings enhance their ability to
be intuitive. It’s not designed to replace us. The AI is not
making music in and of itself, which I’m very intentional
about. If you think that there are the three primaryelements of music—melody, rhythm, and harmony—weessentially, throughout the night at various points, aregoing to give control of harmony to the AI. We’re stillin control of melody and rhythm, but we’re not totallyin control of what chords are happening. That brings
us back to the cultural foundation. You have to bevulnerable. You have to be comfortable with uncertainty.

“I absolutely love the Marcus Persiani In-Motion
album, one of the best piano trio albums
I've heard this year...“- Ed Blanco (W-DNA fm, allaboutjazz.com)
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Contact/Purchase: marcuspersiani.com
Scott Thompson PR: scottthompsonpr.com

34 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

And this I think challenges us all, to stay in that spaceof vulnerability. Because human beings’ first reaction to
uncertainty is usually to listen. Our instincts usually will
say, “Wait a minute, what’s going on?” This is actually
going to help us continue to stay empathetic and deeply
engaged with one another.
There’s also going to be a visual element. The
goal here is to think of the AI as a musician who’s
participating in the creative process. But now I canshow you on a large screen what it’s thinking, the chordthat it’s playing right now; maybe the one in the backis vibrating and it has more intensity and it’s going tocome out [into the performance]. The next era of thismusic, for it to be sustainable, is not going to be basedon capitalism. It’s going to be based on the fact that wehave to understand it as a public good. Because there arethese beautiful lessons about democracy and society that
we can absolutely bring to life, so that we can continue
to generate support and unlock beauty in our audiences,
not just in ourselves.
For more info visit stefonharris.com. Stefon Harris’ Blackout is
at The Apollo’s Victoria Theater Feb. 18. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Charlie Hunter & Pound For Pound—
The Return of the Candyman (Blue Note, 1997)• Stefon Harris—BlackActionFigure (Blue Note, 1999)• Kenny Barron—Images (Gitanes Jazz, 2003)• Stefon Harris—African Tarantella: Dances With Duke(Blue Note, 2005)• SFJAZZ Collective—Live SFJAZZ Center 2013
(The Music of Chick Corea & New Compositions)(SFJAZZ, 2013)• Stefon Harris + Blackout—Sonic Creed(Motéma Music, 2017)

(STATEN ISLAND CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)
Scro joined for their third and final number, crouchingover his horn like a chicken pecking seeds. Between
sets the honorees—Bishop Laverne Owens-Larkins
and The Reverend Doctors Agnes McBeth, Alfred
Correa, Demetrius S. Carolina, Sr. and Terry Troia—
took the podium to address the crowd, the spirit andmusicality of their short speeches tantamount to thatof the jazz singers and instrumentalists. At one point,
Anderson, taking the room’s pulse, reported: “I’mfeeling the vibe!”
Drummer Winard Harper was one of the night’s
most riveting performers in terms of body language andvisceral impact. His Jeli Posse ensemble—comprised of
Ted Chubb (trumpet), Anthony Ware (tenor), Charlie
Sigler (guitar), Nick Masters (piano) and Anthony Perez(bass)—rendered Jimmy Heath’s “A Sound for SoreEars” as a boogaloo blues before digging into a more
spiritual mood for Abdullah Ibrahim’s “Water from an
Ancient Well”. Noting the turbulence of recent politicalevents, the bandleader observed, “This music comesfrom people who understand turbulent times.” His set
concluded with a brilliant, stand-alone drum solo, then,in a lighter mood, offered quick bows over the music to
Mercer Ellington’s “Things Ain’t What They Used toBe”. In contrast to some other jazz presentations, yourreporter noticed that while some of the flashiest, mosttechnically accomplished improvisations garneredsizable enthusiasm, here it was often those simpler
musical statements, made with a strong anchor to
the author’s heart and soul, that elicited the warmest
responses—a tribute to the audience’s empathy.
In the next slot, Staten Island denizen and festival
mainstay, bassist Santi Debriano led his octet,
Arkestra Bembé, serving up Latin-swing, bolero and,on his original “Imaginary Guinea”, Haitian Vodou
rhythms in 6/8. Flutist Andrea Brachfeld’s energetic
solos were an asset throughout, as was the threeway conversational interplay between DeBriano, trap
drummer Robby Ameen and bongosero Joaquin Pozo.
The front line, who in addition to Brachfeld, comprised
TK Blue (alto), Tommy Morimoto (tenor) and Scro(baritone), furnished punch and drive to the heads andrhythmic figures.
An all-star line-up of SIJF regulars included
Sylvester Scott (tenor), Kris Kaiser (guitar), Danny
Mixon (piano), Elias Bailey (bass), Leopoldo F. Fleming(percussion), Dr. Darrell Smith (drums) and special
guest vocalist/frontwoman Antoinette Montague.
Mixon was immediately impressive for his clever ideas
and musical quotes executed with clean but expressive
technique. Montague came out by the second number,strutting and singing her stuff up the aisles and out
into the crowd, making sure all attending got involved
and, in the words of the song she was singing, “Let theGood Times Roll”. Her cover of Patti LaBelle’s “I’m
Christmasing with You” further riled up the house,
especially after a long-climbing falsetto swoop. Herbouncy reading of “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
sustained interest by switching between medium- andup-tempo back-beat swing.
Trumpeter Nabaté Isles’ mostly original set
combined intelligent writing with coercive solos anddanceable grooves, the latter thanks to bassist Richie
Goods and drummer Gene Lake’s in-the-pocket lockup. The quintet’s sound was fleshed out by guitarist
David Gilmore’s popcorn picking and substitutekeyboardist Marta Sanchez’ atmospheric chords, while
the leader took charge with a high-pitched, slightly
distorted tone.
More than three hours after the downbeat, tenor
saxophonist Billy Harper’s quintet—with Freddie
Hendrix (trumpet), Francesca Tanksley (piano),
Benjamin Young (bass) and Aaron Scott (drums)—
walked onstage for the final set, recharging theaudience’s depleted batteries with a well-paced andengaging set. Harper, a strong stylist who fashions

short, sharp phrases into longer themes, is also a
generous leader, sharing equal airtime with his talented
cohorts, particularly Hendrix, who inserted long,slowly escalating explosions into his improvisations.
The trumpeter brought a beaming smile to thebandleader’s face, particularly during the opening
selection, “Illumination”, the 40+ year-old originalcomposition by the saxophonist.
More than a concert, the Staten Island Jazz Festival
proved to be a community gathering, a sharing of
cultures, a renewing of bonds. Next year, don’t let the
ferry ride or bridge hop deter you: take the plunge,hear the music, say hello to the neighbors.
For more info visit utasi.org(LEST WE FORGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)
he was in debt, including $48.69 to the Los Angeles
County General Hospital, while his assets amounted
to his clothes plus 51 Victor records. Anita Gonzales,
Morton’s longtime companion, characterized him as a“very devout Catholic” and his modest grave marker
in Calvary Cemetery, LA, bears a crucifix, though no
indication of his career in music.
Besides music, Morton’s legacy lives via the dramaof his life. With the passage of time, his work has been
more fully recognized. In the later decades of the lastcentury, Morton’s music was back in the spotlight and in
performance, including movies and TV shows. Ironically,
many years after Morton’s passing, his work was finallyproducing quite the healthy economic return. Thanks
to historian William Russell, Morton’s archive has beenpreserved and made publicly available (including oneof his last unrecorded tunes, the futuristic “Ganjam”).
The 1992, Tony-winning Broadway musical Jelly’s
Last Jam, follows the life of Morton and is being revived
in a concert staging at New York City Center. The
show’s director Robert O’Hara sums up the Morton
mystique: “Jelly’s Last Jam is an amazing musical abouta very complicated Black man, and I think it is always
exciting and necessary to show Black genius and Blackexcellence in all its complications. That’s what makes
Jelly Roll and this musical relevant today: it shows a
man struggling with his identity, his role in society
and his art form. It’s always rewarding as an artist to
wrestle with legacy in order to further appreciate it.
That’s the lesson that Jelly’s Last Jam teaches: We are theRhythms that Color Your Song.”
More than 80 years after his death, and after being
accused of being a crackpot, Morton’s place in thehistory of jazz has finally been vindicated.
Jelly’s Last Jam is at New York City Center Feb. 21 throughMar. 3. For more info visit nycitycenter.org. “Masters of
Form: Duke, Jelly Roll and Mingus” is at Rose Theater
Feb. 2-3. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Jelly Roll Morton—Ferd “Jelly Roll” Morton(Gennett/Paramount/Rialto - Retrieval, 1923-26)• Jelly Roll Morton—Birth of the Hot:
Classic Chicago “Red Hot Peppers” Sessions(Victor-RCA Bluebird, 1926-27)• Jelly Roll Morton—Volume 1 (1923-1924) /Volume 2 (1924-1926) (Masters of Jazz, 1923-26)• Jelly Roll Morton—Jelly Roll Morton, Volumes 1-5(JSP, 1926-30)• Jelly Roll Morton—The Complete Library of Congress
Recordings (Rounder, 1938)• Jelly Roll Morton—Last Sessions (The Complete
General Recordings) (General-Commodore, 1939-40)*Photo of Jelly Roll Morton provided by The William
Russell Jazz Collection at The Historic New OrleansCollection, acquisition made possible by the Clarisse
Claiborne Grima FundFEB 2–3 ROSE THEATER

MASTERS OF FORM:
DUKE, JELLY ROLL, AND MINGUS
FEATURING THE JLCO WITH WYNTON MARSALISAND SPECIAL GUEST ANDY FARBER

Music directed by Vincent Gardner, the first half of theevening features the JLCO with Wynton Marsalis exploringworks by three essential architects of jazz. The second halffeatures special guest Andy Farber premiering Usonian
Structures, his new work that draws inspiration from thestructures of immortal American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
This program is presented as part of the Ertegun Jazz
Concert Series.

FEB 16–17 ROSE THEATERDIANNE REEVES: LOVESTRUCKJazz at Lincoln Center’s most romantic tradition returns to
the Rose Theater just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend.
Five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and NEA Jazz Master
Dianne Reeves leads her acclaimed quartet, sharing songsof rapture and anguish, of romance and heartbreak—all incelebration of that mysterious force called love.

MAR 1–2 ROSE THEATERTERENCE BLANCHARD:A CAREER RETROSPECTIVE IN JAZZ
Six-time Grammy Award winner, Oscar nominee, trumpeter,and film and opera composer Terence Blanchard returns
to the Rose Theater for his highly anticipatedcareer retrospective. To the bandstand, the 2024 NEA Jazz
Master brings together a lineup of special guests, including
Benny Green, Christian McBride, Turtle Island Quartet, and
Ben Wendel.

MAR 8–9 ROSE THEATERWAYNE SHORTER CELEBRATIONFEATURING THE JLCO WITH WYNTON MARSALIS

Jazz at Lincoln Center celebrates the life and works oflegendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter whose
legacy of groundbreaking composition and improvisation
continues to inspire generations of artists. Live from the Rose
Theater, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton
Marsalis and special guests pay tribute to his enduring
impact.

DIANNE REEVES

Photo by Lawrence Sumulong

212.721.6500
BROADWAY AT 60TH ST., 5TH FL.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 35

CALENDAR
Thursday, February 1• Gary Versace, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton, Anthony Pinciotti
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Momentum with Joy Hanson

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

Barbès 10 pm $20• Body Kite
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• John Pizzarelli• Allyson Briggs: “Bacharach at Birdland”

Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20-30êKenny Garrett
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êPhilip Harper Quintet; Miki Yamanaka Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5• Josh Evans Big Band: “Music of the Diaspora”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55• Eric Alexander Quartet; Joe Strasser Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Caleb Wheeler Curtis Trio with Sean Conly, Michael Sarin
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Michael Eckroth Trio; Ray Gallon Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Patience Higgins
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
National Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
• Abdou M’Boup solo
Nublu 151 10 pm $28.33• Takuya Kuroda• Robby Ameen with Bob Francheschini, Conrad Herwig, Troy Roberts,
Edsel Gomez, Lincoln Goines
Philip Williams Posters 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Eli Yamin
Silvana 8 pm
• Harlem Jazz CircusêBarry Altschul Quartet with Hayes Greenfield, Kenny Wessel,
Joe Fonda; Curtis Nowosad Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-50• Tierney Sutton• Bilongo with Marina Kifferstein, Camille Dietrich, Cecilia Lopez,
Brandon Lopez
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êArts for Art’s “Out Music Festival - The Future is Pissed”:
Tomas Fujiwara/Darius Jones; BREW with Gerry Hemingway,
Reggie Workman, Miya Masaoka; Joe McPhee/Jay Rosen
Theater for the New City 7:30 pmêVijay Iyer with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, February 2• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook;
FMS feat Day Kornegay

Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm, 12 am• Alex Goodman Trio with Rick Rosato, Jochen Rueckert
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Telavana with Itai Kriss• Oscar Noriega’s Crooked Quartet with Marta Sanchez,

Christopher Tordini, Jason Nazary; Pre-War Ponies with Daria Grace,
J. Walter Hawkes, Jim Whitney, Willie Martinez
Barbès 5:30, 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30• Birdland Big Band; John Pizzarelli
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50• Tatiana Eva Marie and Avalon Jazz Band
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
êKenny Garrett
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Abraham Burton Quintet; Kyoko Oyobe Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êWarren Wolf with Helen Sung, Russell Hall
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• Jason Tiemann Quartet; Edsel Gomez Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Fima Ephron• Stephane Wrembel with Jean-Michel Pilc, Josh Kaye,Ari Folman-Cohen, Nick Driscoll, Nick Anderson
Joe’s Pub 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Willie Jones III; Charlie Sigler, Ameen
Saleem, Aaron Seeber
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Willerm Delisfort
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
Nublu 151 7 pm $28.33• Takuya Kuroda
êAliya Ultan; Charlie Burnham Trio
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Eli Yamin• Sam Dillon; Birsa Chatterjee Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20
êJLCO with Wynton Marsalis and Andy Farber: “Masters of Form: Duke,
Jelly Roll and Mingus”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-175• Mark Gross Quintet; Greg Glassman Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-51• Tierney SuttonêRonnie Burrage and Holographic Principle with Kim Clarke, Frank“Ku-umba” Lacy, Alex Collins
SoulBK 9 pm $25

ê = Recommended Shows• Chuck Roth with Buz Donald, Brandon Lopez

The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êArts for Art’s “Out Music Festival - The Future is Pissed”: James
Brandon Lewis/Alexis Marcelo; Shamanic Principle with Val Jeanty,
Patricia Nicholson; Tony Malaby Quartet with Angelica Sanchez,Mark Helias, Billy Mintz
Theater for the New City 7:30 pmêVijay Iyer with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Brenda Bufalino, Teri Roiger, John Menegon
Westbeth Artists Complex 7 pm
• John King, Laura Ortman, Lester St Louis
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20

Saturday, February 3• Manny Montanez, Russia Montanez, Robb Roberts, Kevin Belle,Charlie Caldarola
Alke Cafe 8 pm
• Seydurah & Her Avecmoi Band of Blues
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Yuhan Su Quartet with Matt Mitchell, Chris Tordini, Dan Weiss
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Binky Griptite Orchestra Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Pakula Surprise with Eric Pakula, Blake Lindberg, Nick Cudahy;
Tony Malaby Trio with Ben Monder, Nasheet Waits; Combo Daguerrewith Olivier Conan, Adele Fournet, Felipe Wurst, Andres Fonseca,
Neil Ochoa, Dan Martinez; Banda de los Muertos with Oscar Noriega,
Jacob Garchik, Chris Speed, Ben Holmes, Justin Mullens,Curtis Hasselbring, Brian Drye, Rachel Drehmann, Jim Black,
Mireya I. Ramos
Barbès 3, 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30• Pasquale Grasso Trio; John Pizzarelli
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-50• Tatiana Eva Marie and Avalon Jazz Band
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
êGlen David Andrews: “Mardi Gras New Orleans Brunch”; Kenny Garrett
Blue Note 12:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-45• Cellar Dog All Stars; Tad Shull Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10
Chelsea Table + Stage 7 pm $21-41• Duke Guillaume• Lynn Bechtold, Funda Cizmecioglu,Mark Zaki, Tassos Papastanou,Michelle Shocked, Robert C. Ford, Erik T. Johnson, Imelda O’Reilly:“War”
The Delancey 6:30 pmêWarren Wolf with Helen Sung, Russell Hall
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• Sheryl Bailey Quartet; Freddy DeBoe BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• Anthony Tidd
• Stephane Wrembel with Jean-Michel Pilc, Josh Kaye,Ari Folman-Cohen, Nick Driscoll, Nick Anderson
Joe’s Pub 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $25-30• Giorgi Mikadze• Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Willie Jones III; Steve Ash Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êUlysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y Miller Theatre 8 pm $10-35êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Kevin Oliver, Jr.
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
Nublu 151 7 pm $33.99• Brass Against
Pelham Fritz Rec. Center 2 pm
• Rod Williams solo
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
êPeter Evans Being & Becoming with Nick Jozwiak, Michael Shekwoaga
Ode, Craig Taborn
Public Records 7 pm $25• JLCO with Wynton Marsalis and Andy Farber: “Masters of Form: Duke,
Jelly Roll, and Mingus”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-175• Nimbu2; Peter Louis Octet Shrine 7, 8 pm
• Mark Gross Quintet; Eric Wyatt Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-52• Tierney SuttonêRonnie Burrage and Holographic Principle with Kim Clarke,
Frank “Ku-umba” Lacy, Alex Collins and Jam
SoulBK 7 pm $25
êGerry Hemingway/Earl Howard Soup & Sound 7 pmêFred Moten, Brandon Lopez, Craig Taborn
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êArts for Art’s “Out Music Festival - The Future is Pissed”:
Charlie Burnham/gabby fluke-mogul; Davalois Fearon, Mike McGinnis,
Alan Mednard; Jason Kao Hwang, Anders Nilsson,
Michael TA Thompson
Theater for the New City 7:30 pmêVijay Iyer with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, February 4êSam Bardfeld Trio with Jacob Sacks, Michael Sarin

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Air Space with Mike Effenberger, Brian Shankar Adler; Los Aliens with
Ricardo Gallo, Sebastián Cruz, Stomu Takeishi, Andres Jimenez;
Daisy Castro with Max O’Rourke, Brad Brose, James Robbins
Barbès 6, 8, 10 pm $20

36 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Lil Maceo with Regina Martin; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40• Tatiana Eva Marie and Avalon Jazz Band

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35

êKenny Garrett
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
êEd Cherry Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êWarren Wolf with Helen Sung, Russell Hall

Dizzy’s Club 5, 7 pm $20-60• Alex Minasian Quartet; Tim Ries Quartet

The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25

êJon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars

The Ear Inn 8 pm

• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon

Entwine Wine Bar 6 pm

• Stephane Wrembel with Jean-Michel Pilc, Josh Kaye,Ari Folman-Cohen, Nick Driscoll, Nick Anderson
Joe’s Pub 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Yuko Togami
The Keep 9 pm
• Barbara Rosene, Jon Davis, Boots Maleson; Tamuz Nissim Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Tyreek McDole
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 amêJoe Lovano + The Overlook Museum of Arts and Design 11 am• Oran Etkin, Vinicius Barros, Vitor Gonçalves: “Timbalooloo,
Jazz for Kids”
National Sawdust 11 am $15
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Jane Irving Trio
Red Rooster Harlem 12-9 pm• Nate Lucas All-StarsêCaroline Davis Alula with Chris Tordini, Jason Nazary
Rizzoli’s 5 pm $25• Marcus Goldhaber; Mimi Jones and Jam
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Tabreeca Woodside Trio with Chad Selph, Mike Forfia
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
Shrine 8 pm
• Shrine Big Band
Silvana 8 pm
• Far TrioêMichael Shekwoaga Ode with Andy Berman, Emmanuel Michael,
Matt Sewell, Mwanzi Harriot, Butler Knowles
Sisters 8 pm
• Chris Byars Quintet; Aaron Johnson Boplicity and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-53• Tierney SuttonêArts for Art’s “Out Music Festival - The Future is Pissed”:
Luke Stewart Silt Trio with Brian Settles, Trae Cruddup;
Raymond Nat Turner; William Hooker Trio with John King,
Hilliard Greene
Theater for the New City 7:30 pmêSean Jones
Zankel Hall 6 pm $30

Monday, February 5
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Tal Mashiach’s TIYUL• Musics with Ilusha Tsinadze, Gocha Tsinadze, Chris Tordini,
Jason Nazary

Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm $35-45
êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40êJames Carter with James Hurt, Kahil Kwame Bell, Hilliard Greene
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Spike Wilner TrioêTed Nash Big Band
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Naama Gheber Quartet; Hank Allen-Barfield Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35• Conal Fowkes, Brian Nalepka, Kevin Dorn; Pasquale Grasso Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Stan Killian Quartet with Paul Bollenback, Will Slater, Russell Carter
Nublu 151 8 pm $22.66
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Alfredo Colón’s Our Armor with Hank Mason, Zekkereya El-Magharbel,
Lex Korten, Steve Williams, Connor Parks
Roulette 8 pm $25• Bruce Harris Quintet; Brandon Sanders Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Tired Horses with Jack Gruber, Cameron Criss, Noah Amick, Mike
Talento, Szecső Szendrődy Troost 8 pmêVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êEd Cherry
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35• Scott Alan

Tuesday, February 6
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Mehrnam Rastagari• Tamar Korn; Slavic Soul Party with John Carlson, Kenny Warren, Peter

Hess, Peter Stan, Tim Vaughn, Adam Dotson, Ken Bentley, Matt Moran,
Chris Stromquist
Barbès 7, 9 pm $20
êBill Charlap/Renee Rosnes Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Eric Comstock/Barbara Fasano: “Sinatra to Sondheim to Sting”
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30êJames Francies Trio with Burniss Travis, Jeremy Dutton and BlackThought
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Bryant Park Winter Village 7 pm
• Willie Martinez Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Our DelightêSteve Slagle Quintet with Scott Wendholt, Lawrence Fields, Ugonna
Okegwo, Jason Tiemann Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Fima Ephron Quartet; David Weiss Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êStan Zenkov, Ayumi Ishito, Keenen Ruffin, Yuko Togami; Richard
Rosenthal; patrick brennan’s String Party with Charlie Burnham,
gabby fluke mogul, Stephanie Griffin, Jason Kao Hwang, David Soldier
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm• Kevin Sun Quartet with Adam O’Farrill, Jeonglim Yang, Kayvon Gordon
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10êJeremy Pelt, Rick Germanson, Clovis Nicolas; Chris Byars Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Deborah Newallo• Hendrik Meurkens Quintet with Nick Hempton, Steve Ash, Chris Berger,
Aaron Kimmel
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35• Jihee Heo Trio

Wednesday, February 7• Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêJaleel ShawBar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Andy Statman Trio with Larry Eagle, Jim Whitney
Barbès 8 pm $20

êBill Charlap/Renee Rosnes Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar

Night with Jimmy Bruno, Sheryl Bailey
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30êJames Francies Trio with Burniss Travis, Jeremy Dutton andNicholas Payton
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êWilliam Hooker with Bob Holman, John Pietaro, David Soldier,
Kevin Ramsey, Patrick Brennan, Yuko, Jair Rohm Wells, Paul Geluso,
Ras Moshe, Laura Feathers Bowery Poetry Club 8 pm $20
Café Wha? 7, 9 pm $29-46• Kinga GlykêNed Goold Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êRussell Hall with Stacy Dillard, Giveton Gellin, Mark Whitfield, Mathis
Picard, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Neal Caine Quartet; Ron Jackson Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Eric Zinman, Brenna Ray, Marc Edwards; Adam Caine’s Main Drag
Guitar Orchestra; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton;
Jeff Davis’ Summer Horse with Kenny Warren, Jonathan Goldberger,
Eivind Opsvik; Nick Neuberg, Kenny Warren, Webb Crawford
Main Drag Music 7 pm $15• Chico Pinheiro Quartet with Helio Alves, Or Bareket, Rafael Barata;
Micah Thomas Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Deanna Kirk/John Di Martino
Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Red Rooster Harlem 6 pm
• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20• Kristin Norderval and Friends with Gustavo Aguilar, Miguel Frasconi,
Jill Sigman
Roulette 8 pm $25• Davy Mooney Quintet with John Ellis, Glenn Zaleski, Matt Clohesy,
Jimmy Macbride; Nate Jones Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êEddie Henderson/George Cables
Smoke 7 pm $50• Crossfades Quartet with Isabel Lepanto Gleicher, Shara Lunon, Clara
Warnaar, Rebekah Heller The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, February 8• Mimi & The Podd Brothers Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêGary Versace, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton, Anthony Pinciotti

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Miss Maybell & The Jazz Age Artistes with Charlie Judkins,

Brian Nalepka; Balsa de Fuego with Raquel Baena, Dan Neville,
Justin Flynn, Andrés Fonseca, Juan Sebastián Monsalve
Barbès 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Charlap/Renee Rosnes Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Marty Isenberg: “Wes Anderson Playlist”
Birdland Theater 7 pm $20-30êJames Francies Trio with Burniss Travis, Jeremy Dutton andNicholas Payton
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Samba de Gringo; Mariel Bildsten Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5• Elijah Shiffer’s Dada Bebop Quartet
Dada Bar 8 pm
• Marcus Grant, Luther Allison, Noah Campbell, Geraldo Marshall,Alexandria DeWalt, Desiree Jaha, Kweku Aggrey, Kamari Carter:“Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• David Bixler Quartet

The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Sonya BelayaêNels Cline’s Consentrik Quartet with Ingrid Laubrock, Chris Lightcap,
Tom Rainey
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $25-35• Sebastian Chames, Danton Boller, Willie Jones III; Caelan Cardello Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
John Smith
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 amêHilliard Greene solo
National Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
• Robby Ameen with Bob Francheschini, Conrad Herwig, Troy Roberts,
Edsel Gomez, Lincoln Goines
Philip Williams Posters 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Eric Yves Garcia
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington• Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson with Katrin Szamatulski, Moritz Schneidwendt,
William Overcash, Nathan Watts
Roulette 8 pm $25• Michael Veal’s Armillary Sphere
Shrine 9 pm
Silvana 8 pm
• Harlem Jazz Circus• Carmen Intorre Jr. Quartet with Bruce Williams, Anthony Wonsey, Lorin
Cohen; David Gibson Quartet with Cameron Campbell, Joseph Lepore,
Jay Sawyer and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êEddie Henderson Quintet with Donald Harrison, George Cables , Gerald
Cannon, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9 pm $40-55
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• Emilio Teubal• Rebekah Heller, Jessie Cox, Joy Guidry
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êBenito Gonzalez Trio

Friday, February 9• Gui Duvigneau Trio with Jacob Sacks, Nathan Ellman-Bel
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Reggie Chapman’s Chaphouse

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Oscar Noriega’s Crooked Quartet with Marta Sanchez,

Christopher Tordini, Jason Nazary; Leo Sidran; Anbessa Orchestra with
Wayne Tucker, Eyal Vilner, Eden Bareket, Nadav Peled, Dor Heled,Ran Livneh, Eran Fink
Barbès 5:30, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; Bill Charlap/Renee Rosnes
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50• Troy Roberts/Tim Jago Quartet Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
êJames Francies Group with Jeff “Tain” Watts, Walter Smith III,
Larry GrenadierBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
êEthnic Heritage Ensemble with Kahil El’Zabar, Alex Harding, Corey Wilkes,
Brooklyn Music School 7:30 pm $20
James Sanders• James Burton Quintet; Jamale Davis Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Godwin Louis: “Exploration on Hymns”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Max Johnson Trio; Luther S. Allison Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Alain Metrailler Quartet with Elias Stemeseder, Chris Tordini,
Eric McPherson
Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Nicola Caminiti• Gold Rumi with Haleh Liza Gafori, Shahzad Ismaily, Trina Basu
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $20-25• Harry Allen Trio; Greg Ruggiero Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Domo Branch
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
êDevin Gray’s Most Definitely
Record Shop 9 pm
• Gabrielle Stravelli; Ray Blue Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Mixology: Lucia della Paolera & Gobby’s Child of the Church with
Alex LoRe
Roulette 8 pm $25• Ben Wolfe Quartet with Nicole Glover, Brandon Goldberg,
Aaron Kimmel; Philip Harper Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êEddie Henderson Quintet with Donald Harrison, George Cables, Gerald
Cannon, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $40-55
êFay Victor/Rebekah Heller The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson, Katrin Szamatulski, Moritz Schneidewendt,
William Overcash, Nathan Watts
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20

Saturday, February 10• Shailah Edmond with Hilliard Greene, Jon Weiss
Alke Café 8 pmêMary Halvorson Sextet: “Amaryllis” with Patricia Brennan,

Jacob Garchik, Adam O’Farrill, Nick Dunston, Tomas Fujiwara
92NY 7:30 pm $30
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Axel ToscaêMarta Sanchez
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All Stars
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êTony Malaby’s Tone Collector with Elvind Opsvik, Jeff Davis,
Dave Ballou; Las Rubias del Norte with Allyssa Lamb, Emily Hurst,
Taylor Bregren-Chrisman, Olivier Conan, Greg Stare, Giancarlo Vulcano;Super Yamba Quartet
Barbès 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êPasquale Grasso Trio; Bill Charlap/Renee Rosnes
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-50• Troy Roberts/Tim Jago Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
êCalvin Johnson and Native Son: “Mardi Gras New Orleans Brunch”;
James Francies Group with Jeff “Tain” Watts, Walter Smith III,
Larry GrenadierBlue Note 12:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Bronx Library Center 2 pm
• Carlos Jimenez• James Austin Quartet; Ai Murakami Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10
David Rubenstein Atrium 7:30 pm• Halie LorenêEndea Owens and the Cookout
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-65• Tommy Campbell Trio; Richard Cortez BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• American Patchwork Quartet with Clay Ross, Falu, Yasushi Nakamura,
Clarence Penn
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $25• Family Concert: “Cubop to Hip-Hop!”
Kupferberg Center 3 pm $20
Louis Armstrong House Museum 3 pm $28.52• Baylor Project• Harry Allen Trio; Cameron Campbell Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Kevin Oliver, Jr.
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am• Gregg Belisle-Chi, Chelsea Crabtree, Sam Decker, Luke Bergman,
Sean Mullins
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Adrian Galante• Mixology: Seth Graham & More Ease with Shawne Michaelain Holloway,
Charmaine Lee
Roulette 8 pm $25• Ben Wolfe Quartet with Nicole Glover, Orrin Evans, Aaron Kimmel;
Stacy Dillard Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êEddie Henderson Quintet with Donald Harrison, George Cables, Gerald
Cannon, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $40-55
êWendy Eisenberg, Brian Chase, Rebekah Heller
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, February 11
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Caracas Trio
• Stéphane Wrembel; Olli Soikkeli with Paul Sikivie, Dani Danor
Barbès 8, 10 pm $20

êPete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40• Troy Roberts/Tim Jago Quartet

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35

êJames Francies Group with Jeff “Tain” Watts, Walter Smith III,

Larry GrenadierBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êEndea Owens and the Cookout
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7 pm $20-65• Michael Kanan Quartet; Neal Miner Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êJon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars
The Ear Inn 8 pm
• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pm
• Welf Dorr, Eva Novoa, Carlo DeBiaggio, Yuko Togami
The Keep 9 pm
• Gillian Margot, Helen Sung, Noriko Ueda; Naama Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Tyreek McDole
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Kate Baker Trio
• Michael Sarian; Timo Vollbrecht
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12
Red Rooster Harlem 12-9 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars• Will Gorman; Mimi Jones and Jam
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Mixology: Lea Bertucci/Matt Robidoux
Roulette 8 pm $25
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Andrea Wolper Trio

• Jon Davis Trio

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 37

Scholes Street Studio 6 pm
• Stephen Gauci• The Orders with Tasos Papastamou, Erik T. Johnson, Gene Pritsker;

In4mation with Jane Getter, Gene Pritsker, Harvie S, Gerry Brown
Silvana 7 pmêMichael Shekwoaga Ode with Butler Knowles, Mike King, Jon Elbaz
Sisters 8 pm
• Jovan Alexandre Trio; Asaf Yuria Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êEddie Henderson Quintet with Donald Harrison, George Cables, Gerald
Cannon, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9 pm $40-55
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Kinan Azmeh’s CityBand with Kyle Sanna, John Hadfield, Josh Myers,
Layale Chaker
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall 5 pmêLouie Belogenis with Trevor Dunn, Ryan Sawyer Zürcher Gallery 7 pm

Monday, February 12êJeff Davis Catchfoot with Matt Nelson, Jonathan Goldberger, Marta

Sanchez, Eivind Opsvik

Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm $30-40êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40• Slum Village featuring Chris Rob
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Vanderlei Pereira Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Oran Etkin• Simon Mogul Quartet; Raphael Silverman Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35• Spike Wilner Trio; Ed Cherry Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Ari Hoenig, Gilad Hekselman, Gadi Lehavi; Mike Boone Quartet andJam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Ben Monder/Theo Bleckmann Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35
êFORTISSSSIMO Piano Festival: Matthew Shipp solo
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $25• Julie Benko

Tuesday, February 13• Mardi Gras Party with Tubby Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Slavic Soul Party with John Carlson, Kenny Warren, Peter Hess,

Peter Stan, Tim Vaughn, Adam Dotson, Ken Bentley, Matt Moran,
Chris Stromquist
Barbès 9 pm $20
êCatherine Russell
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Eric Comstock/Barbara Fasano: “Sinatra to Sondheim to Sting”
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30• Slum Village featuring Chris Rob
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êChris Beck Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Alphonso Horne & The Gotham Kings
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• Manuel Valera Quintet; Jeb Patton Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Jason Weiss: “Listenings”; Andy Haas /Don Fiorino;
Patrick Golden Group
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm• Happy Trio XXXI with Kevin Sun, Kevin Hsieh, Angus Mason
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Bennett Paster, Gary Wang, Tony Mason; Tardo Hammer Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Deborah Newallo• Jon Menges Quartet; Lee Odom
Silvana 8, 10 pm• Dave Scott Quintet with Rich Perry, Gary Versace, John Hebert,
Tiago Michelin; Julius Rodriguez Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êAlan Broadbent Trio with Harvie S, Billy Mintz
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35• FORTISSSSIMO Piano Festival: Juliette MazerandZürcher Gallery 8 pm $25

Wednesday, February 14
Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm• Sol Liebskind• Duduka Da Fonseca & Quarteto Universal

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Smoota Tête -a-Tête; Moon Radio

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Melissa Errico: “A Manhattan Valentine”
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $40-50• Jaz Karis with Keyon Harrold, Kenneth Whalum: “Celebrating
Valentine’s Day”
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êChampian Fulton Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êCatherine Russell• Morgan James: “Dizzy’s Valentine’s Day”

Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $225
êValentine’s Day with Lizzie Thomas; T.K. Blue Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êWallace Roney, Jr.
Interchurch Center 7 pmêAnthony Hervey
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êElsa Nillson, Santiago Leibson, Marty Kenney, Rodrigo Recabarren;
Guillermo Gregorio, Sarah Bernstein, Ivan Barenboim, Ken Filiano,
James Paul Nadien; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Kevin Shea;
Dave Scott, Jim Clouse, Ken Filiano, Patrick Golden; Trevor Deke Bajus,
Matt Hollenberg, Patrick Golden
Main Drag Music 7 pm $15• Marianne Solivan Quartet with Brandon McCune, Steve Wood,
Jay Sawyer; Joe Davidian Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Eric Burns’ The Point!; Caleb Curtis
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12• Andrea Wolper, Val Hawk, Ben Cassara, Nicki Adams, Boots Maleson:“Jazz Valentine”
Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Red Rooster Harlem 6 pm
• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20• JD Walter Quartet; Sam Dillon Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Abena Koomson-Davis Quintet with Steve Davis, Rick Germanson,
Nat Reeves, Willie Jones III Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Billy Ray Valentine Trio with Mary Halvorson, Henry Fraser,
Tomas Fujiwara
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êFORTISSSSIMO Piano Festival: Dan Tepfer
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $25

Thursday, February 15êChristian McBride Big Band with Ron Blake, Dan Pratt, Todd Bashore,

Steve Wilson, Carl Maraghi, Anthony Hervey, Freddie Hendrix,
Nabate Isles, Frank Greene, James Burton III, Michael Dease,
Steve Davis, Douglas Purviance, Rodney Jones, Xavier Davis,
McClenty Hunter
92NY 7:30 pm $30-60êCatherine Russell
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Melissa Errico: “A Manhattan Valentine”
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $40-50• Corinne Bailey Rae: “Black Rainbows”
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Richard Clements Quintet; Simona Premazzi Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êDavid Chesky, Giovanni Hidalgo, John Benitez
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Philippe Lemm Trio; Hendrik Meurkens Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êJon-Erik Kellso; Petros Klampanis and Tora Collective
Drom 6:30, 8:30 pm $15-20
êAdam Lane Band with Ray Anderson, Kirk Knuffke, Billy Mintz
Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20
êRoy Hargrove Big BandThe Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $40-50• Justin Adams/Mauro Durante
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $25-50
êSam Newsome, Jean-Michel Pilc; Andrea Domenici Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Gengis Don
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 amêCooper-Moore
National Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
• Robby Ameen with Bob Francheschini, Conrad Herwig, Troy Roberts,
Edsel Gomez, Lincoln Goines
Philip Williams Posters 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Eric Yves Garcia
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington
Shrine 10 pm• Paul Austerlitz Band
Silvana 8 pm
• Harlem Jazz Circus
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Chet Doxas TrioêCarl Allen with Brian Lynch, Bobby Watson, Robin Eubanks,
Geoff Keezer, Peter Washington: “A Jazz Messengers Tribute to
Art Blakey”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• David Blake TrioêTomas Fujiwara Percussion Quartet: “Dream Up” with Patricia Brennan,
Kaoru Watanabe, Tim KeiperThe Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êRon Jackson Trio
Sugar Hill Children’s Museum 5:30 pmêKurt Rosenwinkel with Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êFORTISSSSIMO Piano Festival: Marilyn Crispell
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $25

Friday, February 16êCaroline Davis Portals with Julian Shore, Chris Tordini, Allan Mednard

38 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Oscar Noriega’s Crooked Quartet with Marta Sanchez,

Christopher Tordini, Jason Nazary; Slow Motion with Joel Matteo,
Julia Chen, Kyle Miles, Alex Asher; La Banda Chuska with Felipe Wurst,
Sam Day Harmet, Adele Fournet, Erica Mancini, Abe Pollack,
Joel Mateo
Barbès 5:30, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; Catherine Russell
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50• Melissa Errico: “A Manhattan Valentine”
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Corinne Bailey Rae: “Black Rainbows”
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Wayne Tucker Quintet; Marc Devine Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Jeremy Pelt with Strings: “The Art of Intimacy”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• David Gibson Quartet; Ben Stivers Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• yuniya edi kwon; SUN HAN GUILD; Bora Yoon
Harlem Stage Gatehouse 7:30 pm $25
êJames Paul Nadien/Steve Swell Duo
Harvest Cyclery 7 pmêAngelica Sanchez with Adam O’Farrill, John Hebert, Chad Taylor:“The Brilla Suite”
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40
Kupferberg Center 8 pm $30• String QueensêMarc Copland, Drew Gress, Billy Drummond; Jon Davis Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Christopher McBride
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am• yuniya edi kwon, SUN HAN GUILD, Bora Yoon
National Sawdust 7:30 pm $20
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Aidan O’Connor; Amina Figarova
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Dianne Reeves: “Lovestruck”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-175êJean-Michel Pilc, François Moutin, Ari Hoenig; Joel Frahm Quartet
and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êCarl Allen with Brian Lynch, Bobby Watson, Robin Eubanks,
Geoff Keezer, Peter Washington: “A Jazz Messengers Tribute to Art
Blakey”
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
êGregory Porter
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 8 pm $22-155
êJason Moran/Tomas Fujiwara
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, February 17• Phil Young Experience feat. Marvin Horne

Alke Café 8 pm

• JT Bowen and the Mighty Kings of Soul

Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm• Hannah Marks Trio with Dan Weiss, Matt Mitchell

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êPakula Surprise with Eric Pakula, Blake Lindberg, Nick Cudahy;
Tony Malaby’s Open Loose with Mark Helias, Tom Rainey, Tim Berne;
Shoko Nagai’s Tokala with Satoshi Takeishi, Frank London;
Habina Habina with Amit Peled, Ran Livneh, Dani Danor
Barbès 3, 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êPasquale Grasso Trio; Catherine Russell
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-50• Melissa Errico: “A Manhattan Valentine”
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Corinne Bailey Rae: “Black Rainbows”
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Jade Synstelien Quartet; Matt Martinez Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Jeremy Pelt with Strings: “The Art of Intimacy”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• Nick Hempton Band; Craig Handy and 2nd Line Smith
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Festival: Mingus Big Band
Drom 6:30, 8:30 pm $35-40• Memory Palace Ensemble with Benjamin Louis Brody,
Rachel Drehmann, Zachary Paul, Kirin McElwain
Gallery MC 7 pmêAngelica Sanchez with Adam O’Farrill, John Hebert, Chad Taylor:“The Brilla Suite”
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40• Juilliard Jazz Orchestra; WDR Big Band Cologne
Juilliard School Peter Jay Sharp Theater
7:30 pm $25
êMarc Copland, Drew Gress, Billy Drummond; Johnny O’Neal Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Arnan Raz BandêHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring

Kevin Oliver, Jr.
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am• Felice Belle; Chase Elodia’s Perennials; Alejandra Sofia
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Dianne Reeves: “Lovestruck”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-175• Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba featuring Amy Sacko
Roulette 8 pmêJean-Michel Pilc, François Moutin, Ari Hoenig; Joel Frahm Quartet
and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êCarl Allen with Brian Lynch, Bobby Watson, Robin Eubanks,
Geoff Keezer, Peter Washington: “A Jazz Messengers Tribute to Art
Blakey”
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
êThe Return of Plutonia: “For Greg Tate” with Matana Roberts, Tomas
Fujiwara
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, February 18• Stefan Bauer

440Gallery 4:40 pm $10êStefon Harris and Blackout with Casey Benjamin, James Francies,

Dezron Douglas, Terreon Gully, Christie Dashiell, Dwayne Clark
Apollo Theater & Music Café 4, 8 pm $20• Miles Tucker & Many Blessings
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Juancho Herrera/Franco Pinna; Stéphane Wrembel; Baklava Expresswith Josh Kaye, Daisy Castro, Max O’Rourke, James Robbins,
Jeremy Smith
Barbès 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Evan Sherman Septet; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40• Melissa Errico: “A Manhattan Valentine”
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Corinne Bailey Rae: “Black Rainbows”
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-45
êNed Goold Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Jeremy Pelt with Strings: “The Art of Intimacy”
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7 pm $20-60• Jed Levy Quartet; Jay Leonhart Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Festival: Mingus Big Band
Drom 7, 9 pm $35-40
êJon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars
The Ear Inn 8 pm
• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêHarold Danko/Rich Perry
Hudson View Gardens Lounge 5 pm
• Yoko Yates Quintet with Jamie Baum, Aaron Irwin, Aryeh Kobrinsky,
Jeff Hirshfield
Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20• Welf Dorr, Shoko Nagai, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Miller
The Keep 9 pm
• Riley Mulherkar feat. Theo Bleckmann
Littlefield 8 pm
• Arianna Neikrug Trio; Richard Cortez Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êLew Tabackin Trio with Yasushi Nakamura, Jason Tiemann
Michiko Studios 7, 8:30 pm $10-20êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Tyreek McDole
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 amMuseum of Arts and Design 11 am• Duo Kayo
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Ben Cassara Trio
Red Rooster Harlem 12-9 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars• Andrea Wolper; Mimi Jones and Jam
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Rubin Kodheli, Trevor Dunn, Brian Chase, Mary Halvorson
Roulette 8 pm $25• Ras Moshe Burnett Jazz Totality with Tom Cabera, Philip Sirois
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
Scholes Street Studio 3 pm
• Ras Moshe• Steven Blane and Friends Silvana 7 pm
• Jesse Davis Quartet; Nick Hempton Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êCarl Allen with Brian Lynch, Bobby Watson, Robin Eubanks,
Geoff Keezer, Peter Washington: “A Jazz Messengers Tribute to Art
Blakey”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, February 19• Rich Hinman vs. Adam Levy Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Steve Ross: “Moonlight and Love Songs”
Birdland 7 pm $25-40

êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40• J.PERIOD: “Story To Tell” with Stro Elliot, Ray Angry, Mark Kelly,

Marcus Machado, Mumu FreshBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Saul Rubin Trio
• Juilliard Jazz Ensembles: “From Africa to Cuba to NYC”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• David Yee Quartet; Ricardo Grilli Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Festival: Mingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-40
êSimon Moullier Trio; Pasquale Grasso Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle
Shrine 10 pm• Villagers Brass Band
• Jesse Davis Quartet; Miki Yamanaka Trio and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Nate Radley with Gary Versace, Jay Anderson, Adam Nussbaum
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35

Tuesday, February 20• BIGYUKI X Jharis Yokley Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Tamar Korn; Slavic Soul Party with John Carlson, Kenny Warren, Peter

Hess, Peter Stan, Tim Vaughn, Adam Dotson, Ken Bentley, Matt Moran,
Chris Stromquist
Barbès 7, 9 pm $20
êMike Stern Band
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Eric Comstock/Barbara Fasano: “Sinatra to Sondheim to Sting”
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30êRebirth Brass BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êZaid Nasser Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Summer Camargo: “To Whom I Love”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55• Loston Harris Trio; John Lang’s Earotica
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êZoh Amba, Caroline Morton, Marc Edwards; Su$Hi with Gian Perez,
Caroline Morton, Anthony Genovese; Selendis Sebastian, Alexander
Johnson/AJMedeiros Duo Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $30• Badi Assad• Kevin Sun Quartet with Max Light, Simón Willson, Jon Starks
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Sean Wayland Trio; Neal Miner Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Deborah Newallo• Jesse Davis Quartet; Tyler Mitchell Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Paco de Lucía Festival: Karime Amaya, Farru and Farruquito,
Josemi Carmona, Yerai Cortés, Antonio Rey, Rafael Riqueni,
Niño Josele, J.M.Bandera, Pepe Habichuela, Diego ‘El Cigala’,Duquende, Chonchi Heredia, Salif Keita, Carmen Linares, José Mercé,
Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Makarines, Carles Benavent, Alain Pérez,Javier Colina, Rubem Dantas, Tino Di Geraldo, Israel Suárez ‘Piraña,
Madou Diabaté, Chano Domínguez, Jorge Pardo, Nesrine Belmokh,
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 8 pm $23-120
Antonio SerranoêJoe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano, Will
CalhounVillage Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, February 21
333 Lounge 7 pm
• Kevin Oliver Jr.
• Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Chris McCarthy Quartet with Takuya Kuroda, Eden Bareket, Sam Minaie,
JK KimBar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêBrandon Seabrook String Trio
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Buck And A Quarter Quartet Barbès 8 pm $20
êMike Stern Band
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar
Night with Rodney Jones Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30êRebirth Brass BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êBrandi Disterheft Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ye Huang Quartet with Strings: “Jazzical”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50êJason Marshall Quartet; Rick Germanson Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êDelfeayo Marsalis Quintet Drom 7, 9 pm $30-35êIngrid Laubrock’s Lilith with Dave Adewumi, Adam Matlock,Yvonne Rogers, Eva Lawitts, Henry Mermer
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Paco de Lucía Festival: Josemi Carmona, Javier Colina, Piraña,
Silvia Prez Cruz, Jorge Pardo, Chano Dominguez, Tino di Geraldo, Farru
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $35-65• Jackson Hillmer, Nicole Davis, Gabe Marquez; Main Drag Conduction
Orchestra; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton; Ras Moshe;
Andrew Drury; Dafna Naphtali; Patrick Golden Ensemble
Main Drag Music 7 pm $15• Zach Brock Quartet with Aaron Goldberg; Carol Morgan, Steve Nelson,
Elias Bailey
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Gili Lopes Sextet with John Ellis, Ari Hoenig, Helio Alves, Vinicius
Gomes, Rogerio Boccato

Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66

Pangea 7 pm $25• Teri Wade/Mark Wade
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Red Rooster Harlem 6 pm
• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin

Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20• Noah Halpern Trio; Alexander Claffy Quartet and Jam

Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35

êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Escoffery,David Kikoski, Paul Bollenbeck, Essiet Essiet, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Aliya UltanêPaco de Lucía Festival: Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharpe Theatre
7 pm $20-55
êJoe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano,
Will Calhoun
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, February 22êAdam Nussbaum, Gary Versace, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Sandra Weigl: “Lost in the Stars - The Music of Kurt Weill”

Barbès 8 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20-30• Ye Huang QuintetêRebirth Brass BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• John Mosca Quintet; Carol Morgan Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êAzar Lawrence Experience with Dennis Nelson, Robert Turner, Weldon
Scott, Greg Brown
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55
êEric Person Quartet; Mark Whitfield
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Drom 8 pm $30-35• Pedrito Martinez• Kristen Lee Sergeant/Jeb Patton
InterContinental 6:30 pm $55• Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares, Yago Vazquez
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Bernie Senensky Trio; Jesse Green Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Morgan Faw
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am• Robby Ameen with Bob Francheschini, Conrad Herwig,
Troy Roberts, Edsel Gomez, Lincoln Goines
Philip Williams Posters 7 pm $20
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Eric Yves Garcia
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington
Silvana 8 pm
• Harlem Jazz Circus• Joe Strasser Trio; David Gibson Quartet with Toru Dodo,
Joseph Lepore, Jay Sawyer and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Escoffery,David Kikoski, Paul Bollenbeck, Essiet Essiet, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Taiga Ultan, Aliya Ultan, Aaron Dilloway
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êJoe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano,
Will Calhoun
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êMike Stern Band

Friday, February 23
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Kaz George• Oscar Noriega’s Crooked Quartet with Marta Sanchez,

Christopher Tordini, Jason Nazary; Mehrnam Rastegari; Big Lazy with
Stephen Ulrich, Andrew Hall, Yuval Lion
Barbès 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; Mike Stern Band
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Tony DeSare TrioêChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Darrell Green Quartet; Steve Ash Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êAzar Lawrence Experience with Dennis Nelson, Robert Turner, Weldon
Scott, Greg Brown
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55• Tyler Blanton Quartet; Hector Martignon’s Foreign Affair
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êDavid Virelles
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Rick Germanson Trio; Joe Block Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Camille Gaynor Jones
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Mafalda Minnozzi/Paul Ricci; Leandro Pellegrino: “Brazil Night”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 39

• Michael Weiss Trio; Philip Harper Quintet and Jam

Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Escoffery,David Kikoski, Paul Bollenbeck, Essiet Essiet, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55• Elias Stemeseder, Jon Elbaz, Taiga Ultan, Laura Cocks, Cleek Schrey,
Marija Kovačević, Scott Li, Richard Lenz, Javen Lara, Joanna Mattrey,
Aliya Ultan, Lester St Louis, Drew Wesely, Sandy Ewen, Henry Fraser,
Anna Abundolo, Tete Leguia, Kevin Eichenberger
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êThe Blue Note Quintet with Gerald Clayton, Joel Ross,
Immanuel Wilkins, Kendrick Scott, Matt Brewer
Symphony Space 8 pm $30-55
êJoe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano,
Will Calhoun
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êCatherine Sikora/Susan Alcorn
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20

Saturday, February 24
ê“Ella Meets The Duke”: Ray Chew & Harlem Music Festival All-StarBand + special guests

Aaron Davis Hall 7 pm $150-$500

Alke Café 8 pm
• Sweet Lee Odom Unit
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Axel Tosca• Matt Pavolka Quartet with Jason Rigby, Dave Smith, Santiago Leibson,
Allan Mednard

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êTony Malaby Quartet with Angelica Sanchez, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey;
Bill Carney’s Jug Addicts with Karl Meyer, Brian Mulroney,
Steve Cooney, Jerry Fabris, Seth Kessel; Abraham Gomez-Delgado’s
Zemog with Rosa Avila, Gabo Tomasini, Reinaldo Dejesus,
Bryan Vargas, Juancho Herrera, Stefan Zeniuk, Olia Toporovsky
Barbès 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êPasquale Grasso Trio; Mike Stern Band
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-50
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Tony DeSare TrioêChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Donald Edwards Quintet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êAzar Lawrence Experience with Dennis Nelson, Robert Turner,
Weldon Scott, Greg Brown Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55• Chris Beck Quartet; Helio Alves Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êDavid Virelles
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Blue Inventions Trio with Neal Kirkwood, Ron Horton, Tim Harrison
Joe Solomon Studio 8 pm
• Rick Germanson Trio; Alan Broadbent Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Kevin Oliver, Jr.
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Michael Weiss Trio; Francisco Mela Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Escoffery,David Kikoski, Paul Bollenbeck, Essiet Essiet, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55• Javen Lara, Aliya Ultan, Wesley Michalski, Adam Turay, Teté Leguía,
Kevin Eichenberger, Jon Starks
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Liz Callaway: “Broadway and Beyond”
Tribeca Performing Arts Center 7:30 pm $45-50
êJoe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano,
Will Calhoun
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zankel Hall 9 pm $75• Kandace Springs• Erik Deutsch Band

Sunday, February 25
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Jared Schonig Quartet• Stéphane Wrembel; Simon Hanes’ Tsons of Tsunami with

Kevin Newton, Selendis Sebastian Alexander Johnson, Jesse Heasly,
Jon Starks
Barbès 8, 10 pm $20• Mariel Bildsten Quintet; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Tony DeSare TrioêChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Organ GroovesêAzar Lawrence Experience with Dennis Nelson, Robert Turner,
Weldon Scott, Greg Brown Dizzy’s Club 5, 7 pm $20-55• Alexander Claffy Quartet; Michael Weiss Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êJon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars
The Ear Inn 8 pm
• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêHenry Threadgill, Vijay Iyer, Dafnis Prieto

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $40-50• Welf Dorr, Robert Boston, Dmitry Ishenko, Kevin Shea
The Keep 9 pmêHilliard Greene: “Negro Spirituals”
Ken Cro-Ken Memorial Foundation 3 pm
• Lauren Lee Trio; Vanisha Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHarlem Late Night Jazz presents “Late Night Jazz Jams” featuring
Tyreek McDole
Minton’s Playhouse 11 pm-3 am
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Carolyn Leonhart Trio
• Gene Pritsker’s Sound Liberation Trio
Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66
êSound Liberation Trio with Gene Pritsker, Adam Holzman,
David Cossin, Dick Griffin, Franz Hackl
Nublu 151 7:30 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 12-9 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars• Alexandria DeWalt; Mimi Jones and Jam
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Eve Zanni, John di Martino, Yoshi Waki
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
Scholes Street Studio 6 pm
• Stephen GauciêMichael Shekwoaga Ode with Ace Williams, Emilio Modeste,
Butler Knowles
Sisters 8 pm
• Alexander McCabe Quartet; Ned Goold Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Escoffery,David Kikoski, Paul Bollenbeck, Essiet Essiet, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êJoe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Santi Debriano,
Will Calhoun
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, February 26• Sarah Cabral• Dana Lyn/Kyle Sanna• Natalie Douglas

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm $25-35
êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40êChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• David Wong Trio
• Dongfeng Liu Band with John Benitez, Roberto Quintero, Carly
Maldonado, Feifei Yang
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Jonny King Trio; Joey Ranieri Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35êTomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio with Patricia Brennan, Tomeka Reid;
Tomeka Reid Quartet with Mary Halvorson, Jason Roebke,
Tomas Fujiwara
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• Edmar Castaneda Trio; Pasquale Grasso Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSusie Ibarra, Jeffrey Ziegler, Graham Reynolds, Jessica Ware,Elena Park: “Insectum”
National Sawdust 7:30 pm $20
êChristian McBride with Nelson George: “The Movement Revisited”
New York Public Library Stephen
A. Schwarzman Building 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle
Roulette 8 pm $25• Alaara• Joe Farnsworth Trio; Mike Troy Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êMark Whitfield
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35

Tuesday, February 27êSantiago Leibson Trio with Lim Yang, Randy Peterson;

Slavic Soul Party with John Carlson, Kenny Warren, Peter Hess,
Peter Stan, Tim Vaughn, Adam Dotson, Ken Bentley, Matt Moran,
Chris Stromquist
Barbès 7, 9 pm $20
êThe Cookers: Billy Harper, Craig Handy, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss,George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Eric Comstock/Barbara Fasano: “Sinatra to Sondheim to Sting”
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30êChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êAkiko Tsuruga Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êYotam Silberstein Trio with Al Foster, John Patitucci
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Joe Davidian Trio; People of EarthThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êJosh Sinton/Mazz Swift; Jonathan Reisen; Daniel Galow, Syl Winch;
Judy Dunaway
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm• Kevin Sun Quartet with Andrew Boudreau, Simón Willson,
and Jon Starks
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10

40 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Peter Slavov Trio; John Merrill Trio

Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êWycliffe Gordon Quintet with Adrian Cunningham, Ehud Asherie,
Yasushi Nakamura, Alvin Atkinson Jr.
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Ted Rosenthal Trio with Noriko Ueda, Tim Horner
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25-35• Abraham Burton Quintet

Wednesday, February 28êJoel Harrison with Jerome Sabbagh, Lex Korten, Chico Huff,

Robby Ameen

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êThe Cookers: Billy Harper, Craig Handy, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss,George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar
Night: “The Django Celebration” with Joscho Stephan, John Jorgensen
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30êChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Bruce Harris TrioêYotam Silberstein Trio with Al Foster, John Patitucci
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Misha Piatigorsky Quartet; Ben Wolfe Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Idris Frederick with Ryan Easter, Obēeah Yute, Max Spinelli,
Dom Gervias
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êSeajun Kwon, Jonathan Paik, Chris Ferrari; James Paul Nadien, Chris
Cochrane, Shoko Nagai; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Kevin Shea; Hans
Tammen, Shoko Nagai, Satoshi Takeishi; Eyal Maoz, Chris Stromquist,
Fima Ephron
Main Drag Music 7 pm $15• Jim Ridl Trio; Neil Podgurski Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êDaryl Sherman/Houston Person
Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Adrian Galante• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20
Shrine 6 pm
• Thursday Music Krewe• Jumaane Smith Quartet; Luke Sellick Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Emmet Cohen Trio with Joe Ranieri, Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Simon Hanes, Trevor Dunn, Ches Smith, Jon Starks
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êWycliffe Gordon Quintet with Adrian Cunningham, Ehud Asherie,
Yasushi Nakamura, Alvin Atkinson Jr.
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Michael Feinstein: “Standard Time”
Zankel Hall 7:30 pm $85-95
êMatt Darriau Yo Lateef

Thursday, February 29
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Ricardo Grilli Trio
• Glenn Zaleski, Kayvon Gordon, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêThe Cookers: Billy Harper, Craig Handy, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss,George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20-30• Bryan Eng SextetêChris Dave + Pino Palladino + Isaiah Sharkey Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Greg Glassman Quartet; Jinjoo Yoo Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5
City Winery 7, 10 pm $40-65• Bilal• Emilio Solla/Antonio Lizana Quartet with Ferenc Nemeth,Pablo Menares
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55
êThe Choir Invisible with Vinnie Sperrazza, Charlotte Greve,
Chris Tordini, Fay Victor
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Randy Ingram Trio; Jeremy Manasia Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
National Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
• Mala Waldron solo
• Robby Ameen with Bob Francheschini, Conrad Herwig, Troy Roberts,
Edsel Gomez, Lincoln Goines
Philip Williams Posters 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Adrian Galante
Silvana 8 pm
• Harlem Jazz Circus• Thomas Marriott Quartet; Sarah Hanahan Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Emmet Cohen Trio with Joe Ranieri, Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Kate NV/Simon HanesêWycliffe Gordon Quintet with Adrian Cunningham, Ehud Asherie,
Yasushi Nakamura, Alvin Atkinson Jr.
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, February 1

CONNECTICUT
333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pm
Bill’s
Seafood(Westbrook,CT)www.billsseafood.com• Ian Douglas-Moore, Eric Wong, Dominic Coles; Seth Cluet					2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23 (7 pm) Bill’s All-Star
411 K Jazz Band
2/7, 2/21 (7 pm) Corinthian Jazz BandêMonte Croft Trio

Café Nine (New Haven, CT) cafenine.com
2/3 (4 pm) Jazz Jam with Michael Coppola
2/6 (7 pm) NHJU Tuesday Night Jazz with Ben Simmons
2/10 (4 pm) Jazz Jam with Gary Grippo
2/17 (4 pm) Jazz Jam with Tony Dioguardi
2/24 (4 pm) Jazz Jam with Chervansky, Tappan & Ice
La Zingara (Bethel, CT) www.lazingara.com
2/7 (7 pm) David Morgan Trio with Paul Francis, Dan Asher
2/15 (7 pm) Elijah Atkins Trio with Matthew Munzner, Nico Marini
2/21 (7 pm) Giacomo Gates Trio with Phil Bowler, Ron Drotos
2/28 (7 pm) Marvin Stamm
Owl Shop (New Haven, CT) owlshopcigars.com
2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28 (9 pm) Kevin Saint James Band
Palace Theater Poli Club (Waterbury, CT) palacetheaterct.org/shows/jazz
2/16 (7, 9 pm) Richard Baratta, Vincent Herring, Paul Bollenback, Bill O’Connell
Ridgefield Playhouse (Ridgefield, CT) ridgefieldplayhouse.org
2/21 (7:30 pm) Bill Frisell Three with Gregory Tardy, Rudy Royston
Side Door (Old Lyme, CT) thesidedoorjazz.com
2/2 (8:30 pm) Yosvany Terry Quartet
2/3 (8:30 pm) Dave Pietro Quintet with Scott Wendholt, Gary Versace, Jay Anderson,
Billy Drummond
2/9 (8:30 pm) James Austin Jr. Quintet with Joe Magnarelli, Josh Lee, Ben Rubens,
Jeremy Warren
2/10 (8:30 pm) Jeremy Pelt Quintet
2/16 (8:30 pm) Giacomo Gates
2/17 (8:30 pm) Shawnn Monteiro Quartet
2/23, 2/24 (8:30 pm) Jimmy Greene Quintet
2/25 (7:30 pm) Jimmy Greene Quintet
NEW JERSEY
Bethany Baptist Church (Newark, NJ) njpac.org
2/3 (6 pm) Bill Charlap Trio with Noriko Ueda, Dennis Mackrel
Brothers Smokehouse (Ramsey, NJ) brotherssmokehousenj.com
2/2 (7 pm) Hilliard Greene and The Jazz Expressions with TK Blue, Sharp Radway
2/9 (7 pm) John Lee Trio
2/16 (7 pm) Obasi Akoto Trio
2/23 (7 pm) T.K. Blue
Brush Culture (Teaneck, NJ) brvshcul7ur3.com
2/2 (8 pm) Jerry Weldon Trio
Candlelight Lounge (Trenton, NJ) candlelighteventsjazz.com
2/3 (3:30 pm) Jerry Weldon
2/10 (3:30 pm) Glenn Williams
2/17 (3:30 pm) Audrey Weber
2/24 (3:30 pm) James Stewart
Clement’s Place (Newark, NJ) njpac.org
2/15 (7:30 pm) Jazz Jam with James Austin, Jr.
Collingswood Community Center (Collingswood, NJ) jazzbridge.org
2/8 (7:30 pm) Marlon Simon/Mike Boone
Englewood Public Library (Englewood, NJ) englewoodlibrary.org
2/3 (7 pm) Stephen Fuller & Amani
First Republic Restaurant (Elizabeth, NJ) firstrepubliclounge.com
2/6 (7 pm) Kahlil Kwame Bell
Moore’s Lounge (Jersey City, NJ) winardharperjazz.com/moore-s-lounge
2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23 (8 pm) Winard Harper Hosts The Jazz Jam
2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25 (7 pm) Winard Harper Hosts The Jazz Jam
New Jersey Performing Arts Center @Prudential Hall (Newark, NJ) njpac.org
2/8 (7:30 pm) “Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra Tribute” with Dee Dee Bridgewater,
Paula Cole, Bettye LaVette, Rachael Price, Brian Stokes Mitchelland The Christian McBride Big Band and Strings
Princeton University Richardon Auditorium (Princeton, NJ)
music.princeton.edu/events
2/1 (7:30 pm) Brad Mehldau
Shanghai Jazz (Madison, NJ) shanghaijazz.com
2/3 (7/9 pm) Helio Alves Trio with Sam Minaie, Alex Kautz
2/6 (6:30/8:30 pm) Tomoko Ohno Trio with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
2/8, 2/9 (6/8:30 pm) Russell Malone
2/13 (6:30/8:30 pm) Bob Himmelberger Trio with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
2/15 (7/9 pm) Olli Soikkeli Trio with Paul Sikivie, Joe Peri
2/20 (6:30/8:30 pm) Grover Kemble Trio with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
2/21 (7/9 pm) Warren Vache Trio with Earl Sauls, Eddie Monteiro
2/22 (7/9 pm) Harry Allen
2/24 (7/9 pm) SaRon Crenshaw
2/27 (7/9 pm) Leonieke Scheuble Trio with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
2/28 (7/9 pm) Deep Groove Jazz Organ Trio with Leonieke Scheuble, Leo Jordan,
John Vourtsis
South Orange Performing Arts Center (South Orange, NJ) sopacnow.org/events
2/18 (7 pm) Erena Terakubo Quartet

100 MILES OUTTavern on George (New Brunswick, NJ) tavernongeorge.com
2/1 (7, 8:30 pm) Kate Curran Quartet
2/6 (7, 8:30 pm) Ed Crisonino Quartet and Jam
2/8 (7, 8:30 pm) Adrian Cunningham Quartet
2/13 (7, 8:30 pm) Frankie Midnight Quartet and Jam
2/15 (7, 8:45 pm) Erena Tarakubo Quartet
2/20 (7, 8:30 pm) Jeremy Leon Quartet and Jam
2/22 (7, 8:30 pm) Carrie Jackson Quartet
2/27 (7, 8:30 pm) Ryan Williamson Quartet and Jam
2/29 (7, 8:30 pm) Michelle Lordi Quartet
NEW YORK
Arts Westchester (White Plains, NY) artswestchester.org
2/14 (8 pm) Alexis Cole’s Valentine’s Day Juke Box
Bean Runner Café (Peekskill, NY) beanrunnercafe.com
2/2 (7 pm) Chico Alvarez and Mafimba
2/3 (6 pm) The Trilateral Project with Tomoko Ohno, Marcus McLaurine,
Samuel Martinelli, Nick Russo
2/10 (6 pm) Hot House Latin Jazz Ensemble
2/13 (7 pm) George Kilby Jr’s Mardi Gras Revue
2/17 (6 pm) Steve Sandberg Trio
2/23 (7 pm) Base Camp
2/24 (6 pm) Bob Magnusson Group: “Tribute to Mike Longo”
2/25 (4 pm) Eddie Ellis Band with Charlie Alletto, John Goldberg, Luiz Ebert
The Capitol Theatre (Port Chester, NY) thecapitoltheatre.com
2/24 (8 pm) Trombone Shorty
Elk’s Lodge (Ossining, NY) jazzatthelodge.com/shows
2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29 (7/8:30 pm) Thursday Organ Groove with Chris Morrison,Paul Connors, Jon Doty
2/10 (7:30/8:45 pm) The Bright Size Life Project with Paul Connors, Marshal Toppo,
Jon Doty, Chris Morrison, Matt Garrison, Todd Isler
2/24 (7:30/8:45 pm) Wayne Henderson Group with Ben Rice, Will Lyle, Nick Biello,Peter Lin, David Sneider
The Falcon (Marlboro, NY) liveatthefalcon.com
2/2 (7 pm) Glen David Andrews
2/3 (7 pm) Will Bernard and Freelance Subversives with Eric Kalb, Ben Zwerin,
Eric Finland
2/4 (7:30 pm) Don Byron with Luis Perdomo, Dezron Douglas, Ben Perowsky
2/7 (7 pm) Nels Cline’s Consentrik Quartet with Ingrid Laubrock, Tom Rainey,
Chris Lightcap
2/10 (7 pm) Kurt Rosenwinkel with Joe Farnsworth, Alexander Claffy
2/15 (7 pm) Bassekou Kouyate & N’goni Ba
2/17 (7:30 pm) Ed Palermo Big Band
2/18 (7 pm) Tatiana Eva-Marie
2/24 (7 pm) Alexis P. Suter Band
2/25 (7 pm) Christine Spero Plays Nyro
Jazz Forum Arts (Tarrytown, NY) jazzforumarts.org
2/2, 2/3 (7, 9:30 pm) George Garzone/Jerry Bergonzi Quintet
2/4 (6, 8 pm) Lauren Kinan Brazilian Quartet with Marcello Pellitteri and Jam
2/9, 2/10 (7, 9:30 pm) John Patitucci Trio with David Virelles, Adam Cruz
2/11 (4, 6 pm) Hendrik Meurkens Quartet with Portinho
2/14 (6 pm) Roseanna Vitro Group
2/16, 2/17 (7, 9:30 pm) Jesse Davis Quartet
2/18 (5, 8 pm) Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
2/23, 2/24 (7, 9:30 pm) Christian Sands Quartet
2/25 (4, 6 pm) Gerson Galante Quartet
The Jazz Loft (Stony Brook, NY) thejazzloft.org
2/1 (7 pm) The Jazz Loft Big Band with Director Tom Manuel
2/7 (1, 7 pm) Tom Manuel, Steve Salerno, Keenan Zach
2/9 (7 pm) Carlos Jimenez/Miki Hayama
2/10 (7 pm) Susanna Phillips/Steve Salerno
2/14, 2/21, 2/28 (7 pm) Jazz Loft Trio with Keenan Zach
2/15 (7 pm) Rich Iacona’s Bad Little Big Band with Madeline Kole
2/16 (7 pm) Jazz Loft All Stars with Tom Manuel, Dean Johnson, Darrell Smith
2/22 (7 pm) Tom Manuel with Chris Donohue, Darrell Smith, Dean Johnson,
Mala Waldron: “Bird is Back!”
2/23 (7 pm) Rubens De La Corte/Steve Salerno
2/24 (7 pm) Nicole Zuraitis
2/29 (7 pm) 17-piece Orchestra with Joe Devassy, Gary Henderson
Jazz on Main (Mt. Kisco, NY) jazzonmain.com
2/1 (7:30 pm) Jeremy Baum Power Trio with Chris Vitarello, Tyger MacNeal
2/2 (7, 9 pm) Joe Traina Quintet with Chris Byars, Jeb Patton, Mike Karn, Andy Watson
2/3 (7, 9 pm) Davide Pannozzo Blues Trio Etienne Stadwijk, Clint de Ganon
2/4 (12 pm) Sunday Jazz Brunch with Liz Ingalls/Mark Lubin
2/8 (7:30 pm) Jaana Narsipur with Cary Brown, Alec Safy
2/9 (7, 9 pm) Kristen Mather de Andrade Quartet
2/10 (7, 9 pm) Daniel Glass Trio with Sean Harkness, Michael O’Brien
2/11 (12 pm) Sunday Jazz Brunch with Ken Kresge, Premik Russell Tubbs, Todd Isler
2/14 (7 pm) “Valentine’s Day” with Juliet Ewing/Ron Drotos Trio
2/15 (8 pm) Derek Lewis Trio and Jam with Jon Lakey, Carmen Intorre Jr.
2/16 (7, 9 pm) Miss Maybell and the Jazz Age Artistes with Charlie Judkins,
Brian Nalepka, Andy Stein
2/17 (7 pm) Simona Daniele with Marius Van Den Brink, Vasilis Koutsonanos,
Antonio Cerfeda
2/18 (12 pm) Sunday Jazz Brunch with Madoka Mooney/Ron Drotos
2/22 (8 pm) Cary Brown Jam with Sam Bevan, Joe Abba
2/23 (7, 9 pm) Teri Roiger Trio with John Menegon
2/24 (7, 9 pm) Gustavo Casenave Trio with Franco Pinna, Moto Fukushima
2/25 (12 pm) Sunday Jazz Brunch with The Noreen Mola Quartet with Bill Lance,
Eric van Laer, Dave Reynolds

2/28 (7 pm) Robert Kessler with Jeff Shapiro, Dan Potash, Dave Lada
2/29 (8 pm) Nick Di Maria and Indigo Seven with Brian Suto, Andrew Kosiba,
Andrew Zwart, Ryan Hamme
Maureen’s Jazz Cellar (Nyack, NY) maureensjazzcellar.com
2/2 (8 pm) Victor Jones Trio with Roberta Piket, Alex Blake
2/9 (8 pm) Lew Tabackin Trio with Jason Tiemann, Boris Kozlov
2/16 (8 pm) Conal Fowkes Trio with Brian Nalepka, Kenin Dorn
2/17 (8 pm) Mark Patterson/Peter Bernstein Group with Jay Anderson,
Eric McPherson
2/23 (8 pm) Frank Perowsky/Bill Crow Quartet with Ben Perowsky, David Budway
2/24 (8 pm) Pat Bianchi with Troy Roberts, Colin Stranahan
My Father’s Place (Glen Cove, NY) mahavishnuproject.com
2/3 (8 pm) The Mahavishnu Project with Robbie Mangano, Neil Alexander,
Brian Mooney, Gregg BendianParrish Art Museum (Water Mill, NY) parrishart.org
2/9 (6 pm) Greg “Organ Monk” Lewis, Kevin McNeal, Nasheet Waits
Pocantico Center (Tarrytown, NY) rbf.org/pocantico
2/29 (6:30 pm) Mark Morganelli & The Jazz Forum All-Stars with Monika Oliveira,Roni Ben-Hur, Eddie Monteiro, Nanny Assis
Uncle Cheef (Brewster, NY) unclecheef.com
2/1 (7:30 pm) Grease Patrol
2/2 (7:30 pm) Eric Halvorson
2/3 (7:30 pm) David Hawkins “Veracity”
2/4 (12 pm) Matt King Brazilian Jazz Brunch
2/7 (7 pm) Elijah Atkins
2/9 (7:30 pm) Dida Pelled
2/10 (7:30 pm) Peter Bernstein
2/15 (7:30 pm) Brewster’s Millions
2/16 (7:30 pm) Junco Partners
2/17 (7:30 pm) Andromeda Turre
2/22 (7:30 pm) Grease Patrol
Westchester Collaborative Theater (Ossining, NY) wctheater.org/music-in-the-box
2/10 (7:30 pm) Marshall McDonald, Roberta Piket, Billy Kilson
2/24 (7:30 pm) Gerry Malkin, Chris Morrison, Mike McGuirk, Steve Johns,
David Janeway
PENNSYLVANIA
Cheltenham Center for the Arts (Cheltenham, PA) jazzbridge.org
2/7 (7:30 pm) Tyrone Brown
Chris’ Jazz Café (Philadephia, PA) chrisjazzcafe.com
2/1 (7:30/9 pm) Mike Lorenz & his Trio
2/2 (7:30/9 pm) Marlon Simon and The Nagual Spirits
2/3 (7:30/9:30 pm) Tyreek McDole Quintet with Georgia Heers
2/6 (7:30/9 pm) Matt Kahn Quartet with Jack Judge, Dan McCain, Robert Rutigliano
2/7 (7:30/9 pm) Gabriel Meyer 5tet with Jake Miller, Josh Klamka, Eli Pace,
Greg Masters
2/8 (7:30/9 pm) Keith Chasin Trio
2/9, 2/10 (7:30/9:30 pm) Joanna Pascale Quintet with Josh Lawrence
2/13 (7:30/9 pm) Mardi Gras with Hoppin’ John Orchestra
2/14 (7:30/9 pm) Valentine’s Day with Anais Reno, Pete Malinverni, Juliete Kurtzman
2/15 (7:30/9 pm) Hudson River and her Band
2/17 (7:30/9:30 pm) Katie Oberholtzer with Dylan Band, Tim Brey, Joe McDonough,Madison Rast, Dan Monaghan
2/20 (7:30/9 pm) Chris Oatts’ Pretty Big Band with Dylan Band, Josh Lee, Jon Shaw,
Joe Anderson, Nick Lombardelli, Tim Brey, Sam Harris, Donovan Pope
2/21 (7:30/9 pm) Jesse Davis Quartet with Spike Wilner, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth
2/22 (7:30/9 pm) Cameron Sewell-Snyder Band
2/23 (7:30/9:30 pm) Joe Peri Quartet
2/24 (7:30/9:30 pm) “Tenor Madness”: Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart, Victor North and
The Tim Brey Trio
2/27 (7:30/9 pm) Eat It Up Trio with Sean Perlmutter, Trevor Lamb, Mike Harrison
Fire Museum (Philadelphia, PA) firemuseumpresents.com
2/3 (8 pm) Heart of the Ghost Trio with Jarrett Gilgore, Luke Stewart, Ian McColm
2/10 (8 pm) Susan Alcorn/Jair-Rohm Parker
2/21 (7:30 pm) Mostly Other People Do the Killing with Moppa Elliott, Kevin Shea,
Ron Stabinsky
Solar Myth (Philadelphia, PA) solarmythbar.com
2/2 (8 pm) Peter Evans’ Being and Becoming feat. Craig Taborn
2/4 (8 pm) Fred Moten, Craig Taborn, Brandon Lopez
2/7 (8 pm) Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with Alex Harding,Corey Wilkes, James Sanders
2/8 (8 pm) Mary Halvorson’s Amaryllis with Patricia Brennan, Nick Dunston,Tomas Fujiwara, Jacob Garchik, Adam O’Farrill
2/9, 2/10 (8 pm) Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet
2/10 (3 pm) Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet
2/17 (8 pm) Takuya Kuroda
2/21, 2/22 (8 pm) Makaya McCraven
2/23 (8 pm) Allison Miller & Myra Melford’s Lux Quartet
South Jazz Club (Philadelphia, PA) southjazzkitchen.com
2/1 (7/9 pm) Patrick Lamb
2/2, 2/3 (7/9:30 pm) Brianna Thomas Band
2/4 (6/8:30 pm) Carl Cox
2/10 (7/9:30 pm) Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble
2/16, 2/17 (7/9:30 pm) Alphonso Horne & Gotham Kings
2/18 (6/8:30 pm) Alphonso Horne & Gotham Kings
2/24 (7/9:30 pm) Glenn Bryan
2/25 (6/8:30 pm) Glenn Bryan

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 41

C LU B D I RE C TO RY• 333 Lounge 333 Flatbush Ave.
(718-399-8008) Subway: B, Q to Seventh Ave.
333lounge.com• 440Gallery 440 Sixth Ave., Brooklyn(718-499-3844) Subway: F, G to Seventh Ave.
440gallery.com• 92NY Lexington Ave. at 92nd Str.
(212-415-5500) Subway: 6 to 96th Str.
92ny.org• Apollo Theater & Music Café 253 W. 125th Str.
(212-531-5305) Subway: A, B, C, D, 2, 3 to 125th Str.
apollotheater.org• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Str.
(212-675-6879) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
arthurstavernnyc.com• Bar Bayeux 1066 Nostrand Ave.
(347-533-7845) Subway: 2, 5 to Sterling Str.
barbayeux.com• Bar LunÀtico 486 Halsey Str.
(917-495-9473) Subway: C to Kingston-Throop Ave.
barlunatico.com• Barbès 376 9th Str. at 6th Ave., Brooklyn(718-965-9177) Subway: F to 7th Ave.
barbesbrooklyn.com• Bill’s Place 148 W. 133rd Str. btwn. Lenox and 7th Ave.
(212-281-0777) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
billsplaceharlem.com• Birdland / Birdland Theater 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.
(212-581-3080) Subway: 7, A, C, E, F, N, Q, R, to 42nd Str.
birdlandjazz.com• Blue Note 131 W. 3rd Str. at 6th Ave.
(212-475-8592) Subway: A, C, E, F, V Grand Str. Shuttle to W. 4th Str.
bluenotejazz.com• Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery btwn. 1st and Bleeker Str.
(212-614-0505) Subway: F to Second Ave. ; 6 to Bleecker Str.
bowerypoetry.com• Bronx Library Center 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd.
Subway: D to Fordham Rd.
• Brooklyn Music School 126 Saint Felix Str., Brooklyn(718-907-0878) Subway: 4 to Atlantic Ave. -Pacific Str.
brooklynmusicschool.org• Café Wha? 115 MacDougal Str.
(212-254-3706) Subway: 1, 2 to Christopher Str.; 1,2 to Houston Str.; A, C,
E to Spring Str.
cafewha.com• Cellar Dog 75 Christopher Str. at 7th Ave.
(212-675-6056) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str. /Sheridan Sq.
cellardog.net• Chelsea Table + Stage Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 W 26th Str.
(212-434-0499) Subway: C, E to 23rd Str.; R, W to 28th Str.
chelseatableandstage.com• City Winery 25 11th Ave. (at 15th Str.)(646-751-6033) Subway: A, C, E, L to 14th Str.
citywinery.com• Dada Bar 60-47 Myrtle Ave., Queens
Subway: M to Forest Ave.; M to Fresh Pond Rd.
dadabar.nyc• David Rubenstein Atrium Broadway at 60th Str.
(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
atrium.lincolncenter.org• The Delancey 168 Delancey Str.
(212-254-9920) Subway: F to Delancey Str.
thedelancey.com• Dizzy’s Club 33 W. 60th Str., 11th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• The Django 2 Sixth Ave.
(212-519-6600) Subway: A, C, E to Canal Str. ; 1 to Franklin Str.
thedjangonyc.com• Downtown Music Gallery 13 Monroe Str.
(212-473-0043) Subway: F to East Broadway
downtownmusicgallery.com• Drom 85 Ave. A(212-777-1157) Subway: F to Second Ave.
dromnyc.com• Ear Inn, The 326 Spring Str. at Greenwich Str.
(212-246-5074) Subway: C, E to Spring Str.
earinn.com• Entwine Wine Bar 765 Washington Str.
(212-727-8765) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, L to 14th Str.
entwinenyc.com• Gallery MC 549 W 52nd Str.
(212-581-1966) Subway: C, E to 50th Str.
gallerymc.org• Harlem Stage Gatehouse 150 Convent Ave. at W. 135th Str.
(212-650-7100) Subway: 1 to 137th Str.
harlemstage.org• Harvest Cyclery 1158 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn(929-234-3555) Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Ave.
facebook.com/HarvestCyclery/• Hudson View Gardens Lounge 183rd and Pinehurst Ave.
Subway: A to 181st Str.
• Ibeam Brooklyn 168 7th Str. btwn. Second and Third Ave.
Subway: F to 4th Ave.
ibeambrooklyn.com• Interchurch Center 475 Riverside Drive at 120th Str.
Subway: 1 to 116th Str.
• The Jazz Gallery 1158 Broadway, 5th fl(212-242-1063) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 28th Str.; F, M to 23rd Str.
jazzgallery.org• Joe Solomon Studio 53 East 34th Str., Room 201(212-741-2839) Subway: 4, 6 to 34th Str.
facebook.com/joesolomonjazz• Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Str.
(212-539-8770) Subway: N, R to 8th Str. -NYU; 6 to Astor Pl.
joespub.com• Juilliard School Peter Jay Sharp Theater 155 W. 65th Str.
(212-769-7406) Subway: 1 to 66th Str.
juilliard.edu• The Keep 205 Cypress Ave., Queens(718-381-0400) Subway: L to Jefferson Str.
thekeepny.com• Ken Cro-Ken Memorial Foundation 9 Avenue B
Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Str.
2b-2c.com• Kupferberg Center 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing(718-793-8080) Subway: E to 71 - Continental Avs - Forest Hills• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Str.
(212-228-4854) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Str.
lepoissonrouge.com• Littlefield 635 Sackett Str.
(718-855-3388) Subway: D, N, R to Union Str.
littlefieldnyc.com• Louis Armstrong House Museum 34-56 107th Str., Queens(718-478-8274) Subway: 7 to 11th Str.
louisarmstronghouse.org• Lowlands 543 Third Ave., Brooklyn(347-463-9458) Subway: R to Prospect Ave.
lowlandsbar.com• Main Drag Music 50 S. 1st Str. btwn. Kent and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn(718-388-6365) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
maindragmusic.com• Mezzrow 163 W. 10th Str.
(646-476-4346) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallslive.com• Michiko Studios 15 W. 39th Str. Floor 7(212-302-4011) Subway: N, Q, R, W to Times Squaremichikostudios.com• Miller Theatre 2960 Broadway and 116th Str.
(212-854-7799) Subway: 1 to 116th Str. -Columbia University
millertheatre.com• Minton’s 206 W. 118th Str. btwn. Str. Nicholas Ave. and Adam Clayton
Powell Jr. Blvd
(212-243-2222) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
mintonsnyc.com• Museum of Arts and Design 2 Columbus Circle(212-299-7777) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
madmuseum.org• National Sawdust 80 N. 6th Str.
(646-779-8455) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
nationalsawdust.org• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Pl. at McDougal Str.
(212-254-1200) Subway: A, B, C, E, F, V to West 4th Str.
northsquareny.com/about-jazz.php• Nublu 151 151 Ave C
Subway: L to 1st Ave.
nublu.net• The Opera House 288 Berry Str.
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
• The Owl Music Parlor 497 Rogers Ave.
(718-774-0042) Subway: Subway: 2 to to Sterling Str.
theowl.nyc• Pangea 178 Second Ave.
(212-995-0900) Subway: L to First Ave.
pangeanyc.com

42 February 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Philip Williams Posters 52 Warren Str.
(212-513-0313) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to Chambers Str.
postermuseum.com• The Record Shop 360 Van Brunt Str.
(347-668-8285) Subway: Bus: B61to Van Brunt Str./King Str.
record-shop.business.site• Red Rooster Harlem 310 Malcolm X Blvd.
(212-792-9001) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
redroosterharlem.com• Room 623 at B2 Harlem 271 W. 119th Str.
(212-280-2248) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
b2harlem.com• Rose Theater Broadway at 60th Str., 5th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• Roulette 509 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn(917-267-0363) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Atlantic Ave.
roulette.org• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Str.
(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Str.
saintpeters.org• Scholes Street Studio 375 Lorimer Str.
(718-964-8763) Subway: L to Lorimer Str. ; G to Broadway
scholesstreetstudio.com• Shrine 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. btwn. 133rd & 134th Str.
(212-690-7807) Subway: B, 2, 3 to 135th Str.
shrinenyc.com• Silvana 300 W. 116th Str.
(646-692-4935) Subway: B, C, to 116th Str.
silvana-nyc.com• Sisters 900 Fulton Str.
(347-763-2537) Subway: C to Clinton-Washington Ave.s
sistersbklyn.com• Smalls 183 W 10th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-252-5091) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallslive.com• Smoke 2751 Broadway btwn. 105th and 106th Str.
(212-864-6662) Subway: 1 to 103rd Str.
smokejazz.com• Soapbox Gallery 636 Dean Str.
Subway: 2, 3 to Bergen Str.
soapboxgallery.org• SoulBK 706 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn(347-240-8440) Subway: S to Park Pl.; 2, 5 to President Str.
soulbk.com• Soup & Sound 292 Lefferts Ave. btwn. Nostrand and Rogers Ave.
(917-828-4951) Subway: 2 to Sterling Str.
soupandsound.org• Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 881 Seventh Ave.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th- Seventh Ave.
carnegiehall.org• Stone at The New School, The 55 West 13th Str.
(212-229-5600) Subway: F, V to 14th Str.
thestonenyc.com• Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharpe Theatre 2537 Broadway at 95th Str.
(212-864-5400) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 96th Str.
symphonyspace.org• Theater for the New City 155 First Ave.
(212-254-1109) Subway: 6 to Astor Placetheaterforthenewcity.net• Tribeca Performing Arts Center 199 Chambers Str.
(212-220-1460) Subway: A, 1, 2, 3 to Chambers Str.
tribecapac.org• Troost 1011 Manhattan Ave.
(347-889-6761) Subway: G to Greenpoint Ave.
troostny.com• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Ave. South at 11th Str.
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Str.
villagevanguard.com• Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall 154 W. 57th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, R to 57th Str.
carnegiehall.org• Westbeth Artists Complex 55 Bethune Str.
(212-691-1500) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Str.
• Zankel Hall 881 Seventh Ave. at 57th Str.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th Str.
carnegiehall.org• Zinc Bar 82 W. 3rd Str.
(212-477-8337) Subway: A, C, E, F, V, Grand Str. Shuttle to W. 4th Str.
zincbar.com• Zürcher Gallery 33 Bleecker Str.
(212-777-0790) Subway: 6 to Bleeker Str. ; B, D, F to Broadway-Lafayettegaleriezurcher.com

I N ME MORIAMDAVE BAILEY (February 22, 1926 - December 28, 2023)
The drummer, who died at age 97, worked with Gerry
Mulligan, Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, Billy Taylor, Curtis
Fuller, Charlie Rouse, Clark Terry, Stan Getz, Bob Dorough,Marian McPartland, Tommy Flanagan, Johnny Hodges andmany more. He led albums for Epic, Jazztime and Jazz Lineand appeared in the 1965 Jim Henson short film Time Piece.
BUDDY BAKER (June 12, 1932 - December 10, 2023)
Passing at age 91, the trombonist and former president of
the International Trombone Association worked with Stan
Kenton, Woody Herman, Oliver Nelson and others. As an
educator he authored numerous pedagogical books andself-released a 1999 leader date.
SAM BURTIS (October 2, 1948 - December 29, 2023) Witha substantial studio career in both Latin and pop sessions,
Burtis died at age 75. As a trombonist since the late ’60s
he played with Buddy Rich, Carla Bley, Larry Harlow, Tito
Puente, Joel Kaye, Eumir Deodato, Dave Matthews, Herbie
Mann, Astrud Gilberto, Art Farmer, Barry Miles, David
Sanborn, Candido, Earl Klugh, Lionel Hampton, et al.
ZITA CARNO (April 15, 1935 - December 7, 2023) Born Zita
Carnovsky in New York City, the classically-trained pianist
died at 88 in Tampa, FL. Carno was intrigued by jazz. In
1959, she wrote a two-part article about John Coltrane in
The Jazz Review, analyzing his technique. Introduced tothe saxophonist by Coltrane bassist Art Davis, she begantranscribing the tenor’s solos while listening to him
perform. Carno wrote the liner notes to Coltrane Jazz, his
second album for Atlantic Records, released in 1961.
JAY CLAYTON (October 28, 1941 - December 31, 2023) Aftera cancer diagnosis in December 2022, the vocal pioneer dieda year later at age 82. Her work as a vocalist spanned genresfrom avant garde new music to cutting edge approaches ofjazz standards. She sang, she said, “from emotion.” Clayton
led or co-led albums on Anima, Mothers Music, JMT andWest Wind, with credits that included Marc Levin, Jerry
Granelli, Muhal Richard Abrams, Jane Ira Bloom andCharlie Haden, fellow vocalists Norma Winstone, Urszula
Dudziak, Jeanne Lee and Bobby McFerrin and had longassociations with Sheila Jordan, Steve Reich and John Cage.
MARTIN DAVIDSON (February 11, 1942 - December
9, 2023) The founder of Emanem Records (in 1974), who
documented the free improvisation scene in his native
England and internationally with hundreds of releases on
the label, died at age 81. Known for his technical expertisein mastering, he recorded Steve Lacy, Bobby Bradford,
Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Anthony Braxton, Derek
Bailey, Evan Parker, John Russell, Kent Carter, John
Butcher, Charlotte Hug, Duck Baker and many others.
JOHN FROSK (October 23, 1931 - December 10, 2023) The
Canadian-born trumpeter, who started his career in 1952
with Al Martino, passed away peacefully in his home in Old
Tappan, NJ, at 92. His many credits include the Dorseys,
Benny Goodman, Oscar Peterson, Gary McFarland, Doc
Severinsen, Quincy Jones, Gabor Szabo, Stanley Turrentine,
Glenn Miller Orchestra and Tony Bennett.
BILL GELDARD (September 27, 1929 - December 21, 2023)
The British trombonist, conductor, composer and arranger,
who passed away at 94, became a professional musician
at age 15. In his National Service he played 1st trombone
in the RAF Central Band and then went on to play andarrange for the Ted Heath Orchestra. He also worked withJohn Dankworth and freelanced. In the ’70s, he ran his own
big band, then went on to compose and arrange for TV andfilms. Some of his credits include Tubby Hayes, Michael
Gibbs, Tony Kinsey, Louie Bellson, Tony Coe, George
Shearing, Kenny Baker and Joe Williams.
FRANK GORDON (September 27, 1938 - December2023) An early AACM member, the trumpeter died at 85.
Gordon’s sole album as leader, Clarion Call (Soul Note),

BY MARILYN LESTER
was recorded and released in 1985. He also co-led the
Awakening (with two ’70s albums on Black Jazz), was amember of Manhattan Blaze and had credits since the ’70s
with Young-Holt Unlimited, Eddie Harris, Thad Jones/
Mel Lewis Orchestra, Lena Horne, Charli Persip, Muhal
Richard Abrams and Max Roach.
CARL GRUBBS (July 27, 1944 - January 5, 2024) The
saxophonist and educator died of pneumonia at Mercy
Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, at age 79. Mainly an alto
saxophonist, he also played soprano, tenor and clarinet.
Grubbs co-led The Visitors with brother Earl Grubbs(releasing four ’70s albums on Cobblestone and Muse) andhad his own albums for CIMP and B&C Productions. His
credits include Julius Hemphill, Odean Pope and Stanley
Clarke. He also founded the performing arts organization,
Contemporary Arts Inc.
NORMAN LEAR (July 27, 1922 - December 5, 2023) The TV
writer and producer died at his home in Los Angeles at age
101. Lear not only transformed the situation comedy withsociopolitical themes, but the theme music to many of his
shows were composed by jazz-associated musicians suchas Quincy Jones (Sanford and Son), Roger Kellaway (All in
the Family) and Dave Grusin (Good Times; Maude). He also
rescued the troubled jazz label Concord Records (foundedin L.A. in 1995) by leading a consortium that purchased it
and the label’s offices were moved (in 2002) from Concord,
CA, to Beverly Hills. Success followed with Grammy wins
and a roster that continued to grow in importance. The
label has since featured an A-list of performers including
Ray Brown, Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Ken Peplowski, Frank
Vignola, Chick Corea and more recently Esperanza
Spalding, Hiromi, Jazzmeia Horn and Keyon Harrold.
CARLOS LYRA (May 11, 1933 - December 16 2023) The
Brazilian composer, singer and guitarist, considered inbossa nova as second only to Tom Jobim, died at 90 ofsepsis in Rio de Janeiro. Inspired by the West Coast jazzof Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan and others, Lyra was partof a group of musicians in the ’50s who sought to blend
traditional samba sounds with American jazz and European
classical influences. He would record for major labels
such as Philips, CBS, Columbia, Capitol, RCA Victor andContinental, and his songs were recorded by João Gilberto,
Cal Tjader, Walter Wanderley, Herbie Mann, Zoot Sims,
Vince Guaraldi, Stan Getz, Sérgio Mendes, Flora Purim,
Leny Andrade and Milton Nascimento.
NICK MARTINIS (August 13, 1931 – December 7, 2023)
Philadelphia-born drummer Nick Martinis died in Los
Angeles at age 92. As a young drummer, Max Roach let
him sit in with his band, kickstarting his career. Later, after
a band tour, he settled in L.A., and went on to work withFrank Rosolino and The Lighthouse All Stars. He joined thePete Jolly Trio, playing with the pianist for over 30 years.
Martinis worked with Art Pepper, Conte Candoli, George
Shearing, Chet Baker, Victor Feldman, Vince Guaraldi, Don
Ellis and Jack Wilson.
LES McCANN (September 23, 1935 - December 29, 2023)
The pianist/keyboardist/vocalist died at 88 of pneumonia
in Los Angeles. Serving in the US Navy, success in a singing
competition led to an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
McCann was informed by bebop, blues and gospel music.
He released over a dozen albums for Pacific Jazz between
1960-64, moving to Mercury and then Atlantic, making
11 albums, including his 1969 hit Swiss Movement and1972’s Layers. Later albums followed for Impulse!, A&M,
Jam, MusicMasters and others, with his final self-released
date A Time Les Christmas in 2018. McCann was also an
artist-in-residence at Harvard University’s Learning From
Performers program and had his Invitation to Openness: The
Jazz & Soul Photography of Les McCann 1960-1980 publishedin 2015.
ELITH “NULLE” NYKJÆR JØRGENSEN (February 8,
1937 – December 11, 2023) The clarinetist, actor and TV

host, died at 86 in his native Denmark. He led several
albums from the late ’80s to present day on Olufsen, wasa member of trombonist Ole “Fessor” Lindgreen’s Big City
Band, Street Urchins and Grand Danois, and guested withAnders Koppel, Hans Knudsen and Emil de Waal.
TONY OXLEY (June 15, 1938 - December 26, 2023) The
improvising drummer-percussionist died at age 86 in his
native England. Oxley taught himself to play the drums
and, as a member of a British army band, traveled to the U.S.
where he broadened his knowledge of drummers such as
Art Blakey and Philly Joe Jones. Work with Georgie Fame,
Ronnie Scott (he was house drummer at the saxophonist’sclub Ronnie Scott’s), Gordon Beck and John McLaughlin
preceded his avant garde career. Oxley led or co-led albums
for CBS, RCA Victor, Incus (he was co-founder with Evan
Parker and Derek Bailey), Bead, hatART, Splasc(H), ECM,
Soul Note, Nuscope, Tzadik, Jazzwerkatt, Triple Pointand Discus Music. He was one-third of S.O.H. (with Alan
Skidmore and Ali Haurand) and Joseph Holbrooke Trio,
was a member of the European Jazz Ensemble and also had
a lengthy partnership with pianist Cecil Taylor.
ALAN RAPH (July 3rd, 1933 - December 8, 2023) The
bass trombonist, who also played tuba, bass trumpet,
euphonium, piano, organ and percussion, died at age
90 at Yale New Haven Hospital, due to an accident. He
had credits since the ’50s with Gerry Mulligan, Freda
Payne, Cal Tjader, George Benson, Quincy Jones, Marlene
VerPlanck, Kenny Burrell and The Manhattan Transfer.
He was active in Broadway shows, did solos and clinics
for King instruments and also played in the movie The
Wiz. Raph wrote music for the Joffrey Ballet’s Trinity as
well as authored publications for Carl Fischer, edited the
Arban Method for Trombone and collaborated with fellow
trombonists Bill Watrous, Dave Steinmeyer and Wycliffe
Gordon on other method books.
WILLIE RUFF (September 1, 1931 - December 24, 2023).
The musician and educator died at his home in Killen, AL,
at 92. He amazingly joined the Army at a mere 14 years old;
after his discharge he applied to the Yale School of Musicto study French horn with Paul Hindemith. He earned
his bachelor’s degree in 1953 and master’s degree a year
later. Ruff joined the Yale faculty in 1971 until retiring in2017. As a musician he came up with Lionel Hampton in
the mid ’50s, then formed a duo in 1955 with bandmate,pianist Dwike Mitchell, which lasted until 2011 withnearly two dozen albums for labels such as Epic, Roulette,
Mainstream and Blackhawk. Ruff also recorded his own
albums for Columbia, A&M and Kepler, and had credits
with Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Benny Golson, Milt Jackson,
Oscar Peterson and McCoy Tyner. He was also a founderof Alabama’s W. C. Handy Music Festival and the Duke
Ellington Fellowship Program at Yale.
MICHEL SARDABY (September 4, 1935 - December 6,2023) The Martinique-born pianist, who specialized in West
Indian jazz, died in Paris at age 88. Early credits were with
Hazel Scott and the Sonny Grey Orchestra. Sardaby had his
own albums on Disques Debs, Président, Harmonic, DIW,
Mantra, Sound Hills and Universal Music, which included
bassists such as Richard Davis, Ron Carter, Jay Leonhart
and Rufus Reid and drummers Billy Cobham, Billy Hart,
Albert “Tootie” Heath and Marvin “Smitty” Smith.
TORBEN ULRICH (October 4, 1928 - December 20, 2023)
The Copenhagen-born Danish polymath, who died at 95,
had a major career as a professional tennis player, and was
also a painter-artist and respected clarinetist. He was also
the father of Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. In the ’50s hestarted a New Orleans-type unit and later had associations
with free jazz trio Clinch as well as many others. Active
throughout his life, at the age of 92, Ulrich, with cellist Lori
Goldston, released the limited edition Oakland Moments:
Cello, Voice, Reuniting (Rejoicing). A prolific writer, Ulrichalso wrote jazz criticism for various publications, as well as
becoming a poet and reciter.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | February 2024 43