JUNE 2023-ISSUE 254

SPECIAL FEATURE:
KARL BERGERIN MEMORIAM

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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

June 2023 – ISSUE 254

Laurence Donohue-Greene:ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

NEW YORK@NIGHT

Nate Dorward (Copy Editor):ndorward@nycjazzrecord.com

INTERVIEW: BOBBY SANABRIA

Advertising:advertising@nycjazzrecord.com

ARTIST FEATURE: ARUÀN ORTIZ

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

ON THE COVER: JOËLLE LÉANDRE
ENCORE: ALAN SKIDMORE

Suzanne Lorge (VOXNews):
voxnews@nycjazzrecord.com

LEST WE FORGET: BUDDY TATEUS Subscription rates: 12 issues, $40
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For subscription assistance, send check, cash ormoney order to the address aboveor email ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

Staff Writers
Stuart Broomer, Robert Bush,Brian Charette, Mike Cobb,
Thomas Conrad, Ken Dryden,
Phil Freeman, Pierre Giroux,
Kurt Gottschalk, Tom Greenland,
George Grella, Keith Hoffman,
Terrell K. Holmes, Marilyn Lester,
Steven Loewy, Suzanne Lorge,
Marc Medwin, Francesco Martinelli,
Jim Motavalli, Russ Musto,
John Pietaro, John Sharpe,
Elijah Shiffer, Elliott Simon,
Thomas Staudter, Anna Steegman,
Eric Wendell, Scott Yanow

LABEL SPOTLIGHT: FLYING DUTCHMAN
VOXNEWSFESTIVAL REPORTSPECIAL FEATURE: KARL BERGER IN MEMORIAM
ALBUM REVIEWSEVENT CALENDARCLUB DIRECTORY

Contributing Writers
Fred Bouchard, Jason Gross, Andrew Hamlin,
George Kanzler, Franz Matzner, John ShandContributing Photographers
Lauren Deutsch, Jeremy Fletcher,
Jimmy & Dena Katz, Daniel McCullough,Alan Nahigian, Hank O’Neal,
Luciano Rossetti, Peter Serling, Mike Shur,
Robert Sutherland-Cohen, Uli Templin,
Jack Vartoogian, Mark Wastell

IN CORRECTION (May 2023 issue)
We regret the following error….
The photo of Artist Feature Ben Stapp by Peter
Gannushkin/DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET
was incorrectly credited.

nycjazzrecord.com

IN MEMORIAM

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by russ musto
by george grellaby john sharpeby francesco martinelliby elliott simonby mike cobb
by suzanne lorge

by thomas staudter

Letter from the Editor

With summer upon us in just a few weeks’ time, June marks the unofficial beginning of jazz festival season, adding
to the always rich stew of nightly jazz options in NYC. Key festivals range in length from a week (the 27th annual Vision
Festival and 7th annual Jazztopad Festival) to two weeks (Soapbox Gallery’s first annual Sono Fest curated by pianist
Ethan Iverson) to a month (Jazz In June Festival at the McCarter Theatre Center and the Blue Note Jazz Festival at the club
as well as at larger venues such as Sony Hall, Town Hall and Beacon Theatre) to the entire summer (Jazzmobile’s
Summerfest, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! and City Parks Foundation’s Summerstage). And of course you can always refer
to TNYCJR’s extensive Event Calendar listings (pgs. 42-45) as a roadmap to the overwhelming diversity of choices. For
some strong in-house recommendations, though, be sure to check out our features, plus much of the Album Review
section, for plugs of local concerts happening this month.
Our three main features focus on three musicians, all with new album releases. French bassist Joëlle Léandre (Cover
Story) receives Vision Festival’s Lifetime Achievement award at Roulette and performs throughout the festival’s opening
night dedicated to her various ensembles. Cuban, NYC-based pianist Aruán Ortiz (Artist Feature) continues his upwards
trajectory as an original player, composer, bandleader and collaborator, all aspects on display at his June concerts: 411
Kent’s “Shift” series (solo), Dizzy’s Club (with Andrew Cyrille’s “Caribbean Cross-Generations”) and DiMenna Center forClassical Music (with Ensemble Ipse). And South Bronx-born drummer/percussionist/educator Bobby Sanabria(Interview Feature) will be at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, celebrating the follow-up to his last Grammynominated album.
We also honor a few legends of this music. Octogenarian English saxophonist Alan Skidmore is overdue for an NYC
visit, but at least we can join him in celebration of an astounding, just-released boxed set highlighting his six decades inmusic. We pay tribute to two other legendary figures who made the jazz stew that much thicker during and beyond their
lifetimes: tenor saxophonist/Count Basie alum Buddy Tate (Lest We Forget) and the late vibraphonist/Creative Music
Studio founder Karl Berger (In Memoriam Special Feature), who passed away in April.
There’s a lot to digest, so bring your reading and listening appetite. And see you out at the shows!
On The Cover: Joëlle Léandre (photo by © Lauren Deutsch)
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

2 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

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ALAN NAHIGIAN

aidu has truly lived in music for his whole adultlife. He has been performing with the likes ofWalter Perkins, Duane Eubanks, Essiet Essiet, andmore recently Billy Hart, Steve Wilson, Carl Allen,
Willie Jones III, Jon Irabagon, and Gary Thomas.
Of his exemplary trio Haidu says simply, “We are
seeking the deepest level of expression. It’s notabout technique, tricks or trends. It’s all heart.”

DENNY ZEITLINCRAZY RHYTHMEXPLORING GEORGE GERSHWIN
SSC 1693 / AVAILABLE 6/30/23

Z

eitlin brings his full creative force to the effort
to transform well-known pieces into remarkablemusical journeys. In 2018, Zeitlin decided to focus on
the great American composer, George Gershwin, for
his concert at Oakland’s Piedmont Piano Company
and recorded the proceedings, released now as Crazy
Rhythm: Exploring George Gershwin.

www.sunnysiderecords.com

During the pandemic, two significant events happened
that affected the jazz world: St. Peter’s Church suffered acatastrophic flood and Dr. Barry Harris, born on December
15, 1929, left this earth on December 8, 2021. The rebuilt
sanctuary of the church has just now been completed,allowing for a Barry Harris Jazz Memorial celebrationof life (May 10) for the pianist-educator. Before theceremony began, 16 renowned artists, including pianists
Pete Malinverni, Ehud Asherie and Spike Wilner, among
others, played musical tributes (on Billy Strayhorn’s piano)
to an ever-growing audience that eventually packed thesanctuary. Tributes in music and word followed, includingfrom Jazz Pastor Emeritus, The Rev. Dale R. Lind, who
told of the founding of the Jazz Ministry at the church, andhow Harris was an integral part of it. MC Sheila Anderson(of WBGO) skillfully kept the pace lively. Conducting
the “Barry Harris Orchestra and Chorus” (30 and 35
members respectively), Philip Bingham led with energy
and joyfulness, with numbers such as “Come Sunday”,“Something to Live For” and “Afternoon in Paris”,
arranged as symphonic, hymn-like jazz. Vocalist Sheila
Jordan (who grew up with Harris in Detroit) spoke andperformed, as did pianist-vocalist Johnny O’Neal. Closing
out the moving program was Rossano Sportiello withthe orchestra’s rhythm section, delivering a lively “Teafor Two”. Chorus and orchestra ended with a swinging“Wee Dot” and “Nascimento”, which had everyone up
and dancing, including forming several celebratory andimpromptu second lines.
— Marilyn Lester
R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN/JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

NOAH HAIDU STANDARDSAlluding to genres like bluegrass, European andIndian classical and jazz can’t capture the eclectic
music of Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer andRakesh Chaurasia (on banjo, tabla, bass and bansuri,
respectively), heard to dazzling effect at Town Hall
(May 4). Showcasing a sound that debuted on Melody
of Rhythm (2009), the band also included tunes fromthe forthcoming As We Speak. Brandishing astounding
technical skills, the quartet’s sinuously imaginative
style made the complex arrangements—awash withlong-form melodies, slippery accent patterns andbyzantine rhythmic permutations—sound effortless.
The crisp, choppy banjo and tabla established a tensile
cushion of percolating pulses, to which Meyer’s bowed
upright and Chaurasia’s almost-human-sounding flute
added warmth and intimacy. Over two sets it was
hard to stop staring at Hussain’s fluttering fingertips,
which tapped, rolled, glided and pressed to yield anastonishing array of shapeshifting beats, cadencing
his ideas in three-part tihai patterns. Among many
highpoints were Chaurasia’s soulful, fluid phrasing on“Conundrum”, “Pashta” and “Trade Winds” (a duetwith Hussain); Fleck’s “raga-grass” experimentation
on “Rickety Karma”; Meyer’s feral bowing andgliding on “J Bhai-E” and “Beast in the Garden”;
Hussain’s showstopping episodes on “As We Speak”
and “B-Tune”; and the quartet’s close cohesion on the
intricate “Owl’s Misfortune” and weird but wonderful“Motion”.
— Tom Greenland

Béla Fleck @Town Hall

Johnny O’Neal @St. Peter’s Church

Bill’s Place is tucked between row houses on Harlem’s
133rd St., a strip known as “Swing Street” in theProhibition Era, due to the prevalence of speakeasies
and live music. Since 2006, tenor saxophonist Bill
Saxton has hosted weekend blowing sessions with anaudience of two dozen or so listeners who pack into his
cramped railroad apartment. The BYOB drink policy
and Saxton’s relaxed repartee ensure the good times
roll. Friday’s (May 12) early set featured the dynamic
Oscar Perez (piano), Chris Haney (bass) and Ocie
Davis (drums), with Saxton up front. Opening witha medium-up, slightly reharmonized “Speak Low”,
the unmic’d quartet was soon off and swinging. They
stretched out on solos, so that tunes might run to fifteen
minutes. “I Thought About You” featured an inventive
bass solo by Haney, though several chatterboxes in
the rear room weren’t paying attention until a lady
up front said, “Please keep quiet!” Despite such
distractions—wine bottles constantly handed around,
cellphones checked—the casual atmosphere was partof the charm. A romp over Cedar Walton’s “Bolivia”
preceded the ballad treatment of “If You Could See
Me Now”, Saxton reciting the lyrics beforehand,coloring his sound with old-school, Ben Webster-esquevibrato, and Perez in superb form. After Cannonball
Adderley’s “Wabash”, Saxton laid horn aside to sing acouple blues, including humorous verses detailing his“baby’s” proclivity for whiskey. In closing, he related a
few amusing anecdotes about local history.
(TG)

In Come Sunday: Duke Ellington’s Sacred Works, vocalist
Joy Brown joined an octet of prime musicians at
Dizzy’s Club (May 13), led by music director/pianist
Luther S. Allison. In his autumn years, Ellingtonpresented three Sacred Concerts (1965, 1968, 1973),
which included about 31 works in total. This curated
selection allowed Brown to express her full vocal
capacities, evidenced particularly in “Heaven”,
introduced famously by Swedish operatic soprano,
Alice Babs. Brown didn’t quite hit those stratosphericBabs high notes, but she proved her range, while theband—Bruce Harris (trumpet), Frank Lacy (trombone),
Joe Miller (alto), Jason Marshall (baritone), Russell
Malone (guitar), Peter Washington (bass) and Kyle
Poole (drums)—excelled at the work’s changing moods
and tempos. Brown’s gospel blues vocal on “Come
Sunday” (written originally for Black, Brown and Beige)
mirrored the reverence of the notable version sung by
Mahalia Jackson (1958). The highlight of the set was athrilling “David Danced Before the Lord With All His
Might” (originally with Bunny Briggs), on which Omar
Edwards tapped ecstatically for nearly ten minutes,
removing his shoes near the end to tap in bare feet.
Through “Tell Me It’s the Truth” and “Almighty God”
and more, the excellence of the band prevailed, holding
the groove powerfully and tightly. With a big, highenergy audience participation play-out of “Hallelujah”,
the genius of Ellington and his famous star players wasmore than well-served.
(ML)

4 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDThe genius of Gil Evans lingers on 35 years after thecomposer-orchestrator’s death: Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead,Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain document the brillianceof his work with Miles Davis; but Evans’ career spanned
well beyond, starting with his own 1930s big band (which
included the expanded instrumentation he’d later use witha vengeance). Coming to prominence arranging the Claude
Thornhill Orchestra, followed by cloistered meetings, as thelegends go, with Miles, Gerry Mulligan and others in his
claustrophobic room behind a Chinese laundromat, Evans’
prolific career ran through the remainder of his life. Cut to2012, and Ryan Truesdell, partnering with the Evans family,acquired the original manuscripts and founded the Gil
Evans Project, proving that the music is a living document.
Birdland (May 10) hosted the ensemble in full force,
displaying Truesdell’s expertise and the band’s prodigious
talents. Opening with “Yardbird Suite”, the lush but fierce
sounds resounded across the house and never ceased. One
memorable selection, “Time of the Barracudas”, was jointly
composed by Evans and Davis for the 1963 Peter Barnes
play of the same name. It was handled as a swinging
jazz waltz colored with tonal discord, tempo shifts andlengthy solo segments (drummer Lewis Nash’s was jawdropping). A fascinating orchestration of Bix Beiderbecke’s“Davenport Blues” featured Riley Mulherkar’s tenaciously
creative trumpet. The full personnel list would spill overthis column’s allotment, but Gary Versace (piano), Chris
Lewis (tenor), Jay Anderson (bass), in particular, deserve
mention.
— John Pietaro

MIKE SHUR

R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN/JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

Celebrating the centennials of timbalero Tito Puenteand sonero Tito Rodriguez, two towering figures of
Latin music, bassist Carlos Henriquez led an estimableensemble at Rose Theater (May 6), which featured
a fiery percussion section of veterans Jose Madera,Jr. (timbales), Bobby Allende (congas) and Johnny
Rodriguez (bongos and bell). The first half of the concert
was devoted to Rodriguez’ repertoire, beginning with
the instrumental “Satin and Lace” before vocalist
Jeremy Bosch stepped out front to sing mambos “El
Sabio” and “El Rincon”. The band fired up the classic“Mama Guela” with Abdias Armenteros digging in on
tenor. The elegant rhythms of “El Medio al Cha Cha
Chá” had the crowd swaying and “Mango del Monte”
got them clapping clave, then cheering with recognition
for “El Que Se Fue”, before the set closed with “El
Moldo de Las Locas (Blast Off)”, which lived up to
its title. The Puente part of the program started with
“Mambo Birdland”, as Paul Nedzela’s baritone wailed
on top of percolating percussion. “Yo Vendo Unos Ojos
Negros” underscored Puente’s skill as an arranger and“Vaya Puente” his fluency in the jazz idiom. The chacha “Llegó Miján” mellowed the mood, before Tito’sson, Ron Puente, came out to speak and play vibes
on “Tus Ojos” and “Vibe Mambo”. Timbalero Marcos
Lopez Ayala guested on an incendiary reading of theiconic Puente anthem “Para Los Rumberos” to close out
the set. A raucous standing ovation brought the bandback for an encore of “Oye Como Va.” — Russ Musto

Jose Madera, Jr., Bobby Allende, Johnny Rodriguez @Rose Hall

Gil Evans Project @Birdland

A wildly enthusiastic crowd packed Roulette (May Opening with a smoking instrumental set, the band led4) to hear Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita celebrate
the release of their second album together, Suba.
Joined by Venezuelan master percussionist Gustavo
Ovalles, the Cuban pianist/keyboardist andSenegalese vocalist/kora player embarked on atranscontinental musical journey of soul-stirring
spirituality and joyousness. The set opened with
Keita prayerfully intoning the Mandinka lyricof “Maam”, the intertwined chords of piano andkora buoyed by a Yamaha Montage keyboard bassline and Ovalles’ prancing bongos. Segueing into
“Drops of Sunrise”, piano and voice engaged in a
playful call-and-response pattern over bata drums.
Classically tinged piano flowed into bluesy kora andvoice on “Tama Tama” and jazz-infused pianistics
merged with harplike kora for “Allah Léno”, with
Sosa and Keita leaping to center stage, dancing
and leading the audience into a hand-clapping
singalong. After that point, the audience was up anddown the rest of the evening, jubilantly dancing to
the lively polyrhythms laid down by Ovalles as hecircumnavigated a variety of hand drums, gourds,
shakers, bells and cymbals. Keita added his talking
drum to the mix on “Voices of the Sea”, as the three
danced and embraced each other as they marched
offstage. The foot-stomping, cheering crowdbrought them back on to conclude the concert with
“Fatiliku”.
(RM)

by vocalist Jeanne Gies and trombonist Michael Rorby
kicked off another Friday evening at Frankie & Johnnie’s
on 37th Street (May 5). Joined by adroit bassist Jennifer
Vincent and the perfect guitar pairing of Joe Cohn andPaul Bollenback, this unique and immediately irresistible
ensemble reimagined standards and pop songs, blithely
scoring a Friday night’s revelry in John Barrymore’s
townhouse. With Rorby out front (imagine Bill Watrous
conjoined with Tommy Dorsey, J.J. Johnson and Steve
Swell), twin guitars weaving about him, the action was
relentless. Joe Cohn is the quietly acerbic son of tenor sax
giant Al, with a discography including Buddy DeFranco,
Bill Crow and Jay Leonhart. Bollenback, an in-demand
musician, has recorded with Joey DeFrancesco, Gary
Bartz and Joe Locke. Together they were a formidable
tandem team, warping in and out of each other’s
melodic and rhythmic lines. Gies’ vocals, aerial, sweet
but just world-weary enough, took on “Old Devil
Moon” as a pulsating drummer-less bossa, with theguitars crossing each other deliciously. She purred theironic, lyrical warning, dancing over Bollenback’s rapidfire runs. Her lush, whispery vocal on The Carpenters’“Superstar” benefited from the ensemble’s tendency todrop a downbeat where one least expected it. Similarly,
the band’s readings of “Who Can I Turn To?”, “Mrs.
Robinson” (featuring an impeccable guitar duet), “Come
Sunday” and James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” all captured
the songs’ emotional subtexts.
(JP)

W H AT ’ S NE W s
Jazz Power Institute’s “Summer Institute for Artists andEducators” takes place Jul. 6-7 (9 am to 5 pm both days) at
Lehman College (CUNY) in the Bronx with pianist Eli Yamin (JPIManaging/Artistic Director), guitarist Tom Dempsey (Program
Director Professor, LaGuardia Community College), vocalist
Antoinette Montague (Senior Vocal Instructor, MarymountCollege), pianist Phil Bingham (Barry Harris Institute of Jazz) anddancer Mercedes Ellington (Duke Ellington Center for the Arts).
Registration is free. For more info visit jazzpower.org/institute2023.
Ruth Foundation for the Arts (aka “Ruth Arts”, named in honor of
Ruth DeYoung Kohler II) has announced its second annual 2023
Artist Choice recipients. The artist-led grant program awards$1.25 million to over 50 arts and cultural organizations across thecountry. New York organizations awarded include Asian American
Arts Alliance, The Black Painters Academy, The Center for
Photography at Woodstock, Harlem Stage, The Jazz Gallery and
The Kitchen. For more info visit rutharts.org.
Corbett vs. Dempsey Instant Award in Improvised Music 2023
recipients have been announced. The winners—Tristan
Honsinger and the Tobias Delius/Christian Lillinger Duo—will
receive an unrestricted $50K award. Previous recipients include
Peter Brötzmann, Satoko Fujii, Mats Gustafsson, Ikue Mori,
Alexander von Schlippenbach, Henry Threadgill and Nate
Wooley. For more info visit corbettvsdempsey.com.
Living Jazz announced its 1st Annual Jazz Camp West Fellow:
23-year-old French drummer Guilhem Fourty. Fourty studied at
Toulouse Music Conservatory, received a scholarship to Berklee
College of Music (where he joined the Berklee Jazz and Gender
Justice Institute directed by drummer Terri Lyne Carrington) andhas played with saxophonists Miguél Zenon and Bill Pierce. In fall2023, he continues his studies under a full-tuition scholarship at
the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Living Jazz runs musiceducation programs and its Jazz Camp West features drummer/
educators Ulysses Owens, Jr. (Fellowship Mentor and Artist in
Residence) and Allison Miller (Artistic Director). For more info visit
livingjazz.org.
Jazz at Lincoln Center announced the 28th annual winners in the
Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition
and Festival at Frederick P. Rose Hall: (1st place) Osceola County
School for the Arts (Kissimmee, FL); (2nd place) Susan E. Wagner
High School (Staten Island, NY); (3rd Place) New World School of
the Arts (Miami, FL). Trophies and awards up to $5K were given
for improving each of the jazz education programs. The three-day
festival also included awards for individual soloists, composition,
arrangement and band sections. Judges included Wynton
Marsalis, drummer Jeff Hamilton, JALC Orchestra bassist Carlos
Henriquez and Essentially Ellington alum Alexa Tarantino. For
more info visit jazz.org/ellington.
Sloane: A Jazz Singer (directed by Michael Lippert), a
documentary released only a month after legendary jazz vocalist
Carol Sloane passed away in January, will have a one-night-only
NYC premiere on Jun. 21 as an official selection of the Manhattan
Film Festival at Cinema Village. For more info visit
sloanefilm.com.
New Orleans-based trumpeter/vocalist Kermit Ruffins andgirlfriend, Harmonese Pleasant, have started a GoFundMe page
to help with the expense of creating a wheelchair-accessible home
after last year’s March 24th incident that resulted in Pleasant,pregnant at the time, being shot in their Tremé neighborhood by astray bullet that also hit the couple’s unborn baby. Both thankfully
survived and baby Blossom recently celebrated her first birthday
but is still rehabilitating and may not be able to walk. For more info
and to help support the couple and Blossom visit
gofundme.com/f/help-us-raise-for-blossom-ruffins-medical-bills.
A GoFundMe campaign has also been set up to help the family of
the late Karl Berger (his daughter/dancer Savia and wife/vocalist
Ingrid Sertso), to ease the financial burden of funeral and medical
expenses following his passing on Apr. 9 at the age of 88. Berger
was one of jazz’ most significant vibraphonists to come out of the’60s. In the early ’70s he co-founded Creative Music Studio (alongwith Sertso and Ornette Coleman), an organization that nurtured
the careers of many and continues to this day under the leadershipof percussionist and CMS Executive Director (and Director/CEO
of Creative Music Foundation) Billy Martin. (See In Memoriam
Special Feature tribute on pgs. 14-15). For more info visit
gofundme.com/f/karl-bergers-legacy-support-for-his-family.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 5

I NTERVIEWBOBBYSANABRIAJEREMY FLETCHER

son of the bronx
BY RUSS MUSTO
Bobby Sanabria has emerged as one of the world’s foremost
advocates and purveyors of Afro-Caribbean music. He plays
many roles, as drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger,
bandleader, producer, educator, music historian, recording
annotator, host of radio station WBGO’s “Latin Jazz Cruise”
and co-artistic director of the Bronx Music Heritage Center.
He’s an alumnus of the Latin bands of Mongo Santamaria,
Tito Puente, Larry Harlow, Ray Barretto and Mario Bauzá,
and a member of notable jazz ensembles M’Boom and the
Joe Chambers Quintet; as well as a sideman on countlessrecordings that span genres. Recently, he took time out fromhis incredibly busy schedule to discuss his early life andcurrent projects.
The New York City Jazz Record: You are a proudNuyorican and S.O.B (“son of the Bronx”), as you liketo describe yourself. Could you talk about growing up
in the borough, and what kind of music you heard andhow it inspired you both culturally and musically?
Bobby Sanabria: Well, I’m a product of myenvironment, and I was lucky. I was born in 1957. Jazz
was still in the mainstream. Afro-Cuban music, in termsof the mambo and cha cha cha cha and what eventuallybecame known as salsa, was firing on all cylinders.
They kind of became the lingua franca of New York
City. And I was able to see great jazz artists on TV,
on the Ed Sullivan Show—people like Count Basie andDuke Ellington and Buddy Rich, Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
I remember seeing Candido, not knowing that later I
would become not only a colleague of his, but a goodfriend. Maestro Tito Puente as well, same thing—notknowing that I would eventually record and performwith him.
TNYCJR: What kind of music did you hear at home?
BS: My father had very eclectic tastes. Harry Belafonte,
who just passed away—I remember distinctly hearing
those live at Carnegie Hall albums from him. And helistened to Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, he listened
to Mexican ranchera music. We listened to musicfrom Spain. I heard Ahmad Jamal from my father. We
listened to everything. That’s why I fell in love with
Brazilian music. He brought home Sergio Mendes &Brazil 66 doing “Mas Que Nada”. I would play thatover and over again.
We were lucky in New York City because we hadthese great radio stations. WBLS with Frankie Crocker
and this moniker, “the Total Black Experience inSound,” which I totally believe in. It was so forward
thinking at the time. He’d play James Brown and he’dplay Gladys Knight and the Pips. But then he played
Santana. He played something by the Fania All-Stars.
On the rock station, WNEW, I’m listening to theAllman Brothers’ At Fillmore East, I’m listening again
to Santana. That’s how I heard Bitches Brew for the firsttime. Allison Steele the Nightbird played it. Jonathan
Schwartz loved Frank Sinatra and Tito Puente. After heplayed something by Procol Harum all of a sudden heannounces, “And now the Count Basie of Latin music,
Tito Puente.”
I grew up with that kind of ethos, which now I
call the multiverse. I grew up in a time period when
all these forms of music were kind of like on an equal
plane, maybe not monetarily, but you would have achance to hear them in New York City. You know, therock drummers, the cat from Cream, Ginger Baker.
All these people I saw on PBS too. I saw Don Ellis on
PBS. That freaked me out. A lot of people think thatmy whole driving force is Tito Puente, and he’s oneof the driving forces, but the main one is Don Ellisin terms of what I want to embrace musically as abandleader. There are no boundaries. That’s why I
decided in 2012 to rename the band Bobby Sanabria
Multiverse Big Band, because I don’t want people tocall us a Latin jazz band. No, no, we’re far from that,
because we embrace so many things musically. Latin
Jazz, that’s part of it, but we embrace all these otherthings as well.
So, there are no musical boundaries. I got that frommy father, I got that from Don Ellis. I got that frommy high school band director in Cardinal Hayes HighSchool in the South Bronx, Mr. William Lyon.
TNYCJR: You formed your first band, Quarteto Aché,back in 1974 and it’s still going strong. Now this year
you’re celebrating the silver anniversary as leader ofyour multi-Grammy nominated big band.
BS: I remember when I formed this big band in 1998. I
said, “Man, I wonder how this music would sound notwith my students (at the Manhattan School of Music),
but with professional musicians.” And the first gig weever did was at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. A year later,
we recorded at Birdland… Dave Rufo was the soundman at Birdland, so I go down there and he goes to me,“Listen, I’ve got a ProTools setup. I’ve been recording
bands here. Just pay me five hundred bucks and I canrecord the band.” And we did. And that was our first
Grammy nomination. But it was all serendipitous. I
could have told him, “Nah, it’s all right”; but we did
it and…
TNYCJR: The rest is history. The Grammy nominations
kept on coming.
BS: We’re very proud of the West Side Story Reimagined
recording. We lost the Grammy. We should have won
it. I’ll be very honest. I’m not going to pull any punches:
we should have won it. We got effectively robbed.
That’s just a fact. But we got something even greater,which was the Jazz Journalists Association Album of
the Year Award, which means more to me because
the people who voted for us are knowledgeable jazzwriters. So, it was a nice kind of a tradeoff. I’m very
proud of the musicians, because we did that live, nojive, at Dizzy’s.

6 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDTNYCJR: That’s also where you recorded the band’slatest album, VOX HUMANA, with vocalists Janis
Siegel, Antoinette Montague and Jennifer Jade
Ledesna.
BS: These women inspire me so much with some of
the things they come up with, because they’re true jazz
singers. When we do this music it’s different every
time. They’re always looking for things, coming up
with new phrasing, etc. It’s very accessible [music],
and the listeners are hopefully going to love it as muchas we all did doing it.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 41)

JIMMY & DENA KATZARTIST F EATURE

T he categories of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban

music are convenient fictions, a way to collectand identify a lot of great, important music.
But they can also sadly limit listeners’ attention
to and awareness of music that has roots in
those traditions but expands out in unexpected,
nontraditional directions.
Take Cuban pianist Aruàn Ortiz, who has beena major figure in jazz since his arrival in America
early this century. The clave is there in his playing,as he pointed out recently across a Zoom connection
from Europe, where he was on tour with bassist
Brad Jones and (alternately) drummers John Betschand Jeff Ballard. But Ortiz is a true modernist;
when he plays, it often becomes an opportunity toworry a succinct idea through myriad variations,or explore how many harmonic relationships hecan develop out of simple material. That makes fora style of playing that is elegant, sinuous, capableof both introspection and energetic extroversion.
An Ortiz solo can be a slender path like a river, ora triumphant arch, like a mountain.
“I work with the melody of rhythm a lot, likebuilding rhythms I generated with lines, and thenmake them fit into an architecture of style,” Ortiz
says. He also looks back to his country of origin:“Of course, coming from Cuba, I have a natural
approach to rhythm… but not in the way ofcreating patterns,” he adds. That is (he explains),
he does not create repeated sections as in AfroCuban music. Instead, it’s “the way to generatea kind of language…where everything is veryliquid and it could disintegrate. The elasticity ofrhythm for me is very fascinating, and how you
could build layers of different micro-rhythmic
cells.”In a historical sense, this is classic modernism,
reaching back to older ideas and using them ina new context, and when it comes to jazz andspontaneous music-making, these elements (manyof which can be found in Medieval European
music) become new each time Ortiz builds
something with them. “When you hear all of them,
you hear one or two things happening, but it’s justlike little cells that are one on top of another, andthat is another approach to polyphony.”
Ortiz’ flexible and distinctive personal voicebalances rhythm, melody and especially harmony,the foundation of his modernism. He learned thefundamentals from Charlie Banacos, a pianist
and teacher with influential harmonic concepts
that have become staples at leading jazz schools
like Berklee College of Music, the New EnglandConservatory, and the New School; however, he
has developed them in his own way.
“My creative process,” he says, “let’s put it
this way: I’ve started moving away from the tonal
center, and then to organize intervals. It could
be based on combinations of intervals, like pitch

ARUÀN
ORTIZ

Recommended Listening:• Aruán Ortiz Trio—Vol. 1(AYVA Music, 2003)• Aruán Ortiz Quartet—Alameda(Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006)• Aruán Ortiz—Cub(An)ism(Intakt, 2016)• Aruán Ortiz (with Andrew Cyrille,
Mauricio Herrera)—Inside Rhythmic Falls(Intakt, 2019)• James Brandon Lewis Quartet—
Molecular (Intakt, 2020)• Aruán Ortiz Trio—Serranías (Sketchbook For
Piano Trio) (Intakt, 2022)

modernist from cuba
BY GEORGE GRELLA

Wednesday June 7, 8pm

collections. So you have a group of pitches, threeor four, and I find a relation with all intervallic
organizations. Then I go as far as I can to try tomove through a path, and organizing it allows me
to go back to the center.”He also credits pianist, composer andbandleader Muhal Richard Abrams and reedplayer Don Byron. The former showed him“compositional
rhythm—how
tocombineharmony, rhythm, and melody at the same time.”
From the latter, with whom he made the excellent
duo recording Random Dances and (A)tonalities, helearned ways to integrate his harmonic studies
with the range of jazz and jazz-related traditions
that Byron brings to the table.
His discography as a leader includes Live in
Zurich with Jones and drummer Chad Taylor,
Inside Rhythmic Falls with drummer Andrew
Cyrille—who Ortiz describes as “a poet ofcolors”—and percussionist Mauricio Herrera, andmost recently, Serranías: Sketchbook for Piano Trio,with Jones and Betsch (all albums are on the Swiss
Intakt label).
Ortiz has also been an invaluable memberof other groups, especially saxophonist James
Brandon Lewis’ Molecular Quartet, where heshows how powerful his playing can be, andalso how comfortable he is playing with stacked
harmonies, while always ready to choose freedom
as the destination away from the center.
The pianist always plays with a sense of
purpose and meaning: there’s intention behindeach note. His concepts may organize how anindividual piece of music works, but also seem to befundamentally a way of expressing his own voice.
“I’m not looking for consonance or dissonance,”
he explains. “I’m looking for a release of tension.
I’m looking for different parameters when I playand compose, like if you have emptiness and you
can have activity, so you have something very fast,very slow.
“In a way, that creates an arc, a gesture. I workwith a lot of gestures, and if I play something very
atonal or dense, I tend to empty that. I create asense that you’re going somewhere, that you’removing in a sort of cycle. I always focus first on
the design of it; here’s how I know that the pieces
are moving in the clear way. All those parameters
are always present when I play—that’s why I loveto improvise and to create all those atmospheres inreal time. I am able to challenge myself, to control
myself and to listen to myself—to go through that,and just write that story.”
For more info visit aruan-ortiz.com. Ortiz is at 411
Kent’s “Shift” series Jun. 4, SEEDS Jun. 6, Dizzy’s
Club Jun. 9-10 as part of Andrew Cyrille’s “Caribbean
Cross-Generations” and DiMenna Center Jun. 29 with
Ensemble Ipse. See Calendar.

Qubit Presents: Whitney Biennial Intervention Revisited
Ekphrastic Discourse: James Ilgenfritz + Sandy Ewen
+ Michael Foster + Sam Newsome
Sara Schoenbeck + Josh Sinton + Giacomo Merega
Thursday June 8, 8pm
Anagram Ensemble: Katie Porter + James Ilgenfritz + Eli Wallace
Sara Bernstein + Stuart Popejoy duo
Time Phase Trio (Ty Citerman + Jen Baker + Shayna Dunkelman)
Saturday June 10, 8pm
Alex Marcelo + J D Parran + Daniel Carter
Anagram Ensemble: Andrew Drury + Thomas Buckner +Nicole Parks plays Aaron Jay MyersNew Release!

New Release!

My America 2

Hangin’ Out

Jazzy American Songs

3rd Duo Jazz withJohn Chiodini

Produced by Jim Self

Floating in WinterThe Light Fantastic

Out on the Coast

InnerPlay¡YO!

Basset Hound Blues

Tuba/Guitar Duo with
Jim Self and John Chiodini

Jazz Tuba and Strings

2nd Duo Jazz withJohn Chiodini

Tuba in Latin Jazz Nonet

13 Piece Jazz Ensemble(triple CD)

Jazz Quintet

Jazz CDs from
Hollywood Recording Artist

Jim Self
Other Jim Self CDs and music available at: www.jimself.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 7

LUCIANO ROSSETTI©PHOCUSAGENCYON THE COVERJOËLLE LÉANDRE
Lifetime Rebel
by john sharpe

Now 71, French bassist Joëlle Léandre (born September

12, 1951) is a consummate improviser who allies unrivalledfacility with boundless imagination. Her early performanceswere in the field of New Music, especially focused on
the works of John Cage and Giacinto Scelsi, who bothcomposed pieces specifically for her. It wasn’t until she met
the iconoclastic English guitarist Derek Bailey in New Yorkin 1980 that her dedication to free improvisation really tookflight. She has long since outgrown explicit influences,
but they still inform her authoritative tone, incantatoryphrasing, rich color palette and openness to theatricality
and humor. Having performed on over 240 albums, andover the years, she has recorded with about everyone, from
Anthony Braxton, George Lewis, William Parker, Marilyn
Crispell, John Zorn and Steve Lacy, to a slew of up-andcoming talent. As such, she is a worthy recipient of theannual Vision Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, to bepresented to her at Roulette this month.
As a woman from a working class background,
operating in what is largely a male-dominated art form,
Léandre’s journey has not been straightforward. She
studied at the local conservatory in Aix-en-Provence before
pursuing her education in Paris. Although she was still on
the classical music career track, it was here that AfricanAmerican music first made its mark, firing up a lifelong
passion and independence of spirit. “I was 19 years old. It
was the American Center. I’m a child of free jazz. I was there
to listen. Bill Dixon, Frank Wright, Rashied Ali, Anthony
Braxton, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Frank Lowe. Whenthese men played, they gave me the sense of jubilation. The
sense of freedom to effectively play your shit. I talk about
Afro-American music. They create and invent for different
reasons, political and other things. And this always was
attractive.”
Although Léandre largely performed contemporary
new music over the next decade, working with composers
Pierre Boulez, Morton Feldman, Cage and Scelsi, she also
rebelled against the straitjacket of playing other people’sscores and increasingly turned to improvisation. Her fearless
approach manifested itself early on when a solo concert for
London’s Actual Music festival in the late ‘70s unexpectedly
became a duo with German bassist Peter Kowald. She
grasped what proved a pivotal moment. “Kowald invited
me to Wuppertal. If you play in Wuppertal, you play inBerlin. There’s a mafia. I was invited to play, (and) record
with different musicians.” Such adventurousness has
defined her career. She sets out her credo: “If tomorrowon the street a person goes to me, ‘Oh Madame Léandre, I
know who you are, I have a project, we could have three orfour gigs’, then I say ‘Yes!’ I was ready for this adventure,
because life is just so risky. Many people have only one job,
the same employer. I don’t have a day that’s like anotherday. Never. So I’m a nomad. I’m a gypsy.”
It was on a year’s scholarship to New York that thesignificant turning point occurred: encountering Derek
Bailey, who she credits as the spiritual father of European
free improvisation, at one of his Company presentations.
She recalls: “I went there, and I went to talk with Derek
because that’s my character. He says ‘Oh, Joëlle, we haveto play together. We have to try.’ You do your best and wego and we improvise. It was in 1980. We played all day anddrank tea, talking about Boulez, about free music, about lotsof things.” She forged yet more connections when Bailey
subsequently asked her to join another Company week afew months later with Bill Laswell, Zorn and others; thenext year he called on her to play a trio with Evan Parker
for the BBC.
Even though renowned as an improviser, Léandre isdismissive of the idea that what she plays is totally free.
“Improvisation means something. We are not free. Free
music means nothing for me. When you have an instrument
in your hand, [you] are not free. When you improvise, it’s aselection. It’s a kind of continuous composition.” Certainly,listening to her play, the sense of form she conveys is
striking. How could it be any other way? “I played New
Music for ten years. You learn about a lot of things if you
have an open mind. I learned about form, structure, music[from] a lot of different composers. When I improvise, I
compose. Yes, to give a sense of repetition, organization,
validation, themes. Everything has a sense, an organization,in terms of memory, how you start, who you play with,
instrumentation. The first sound and you’re on the train
and you become responsible to the other ones around.
That’s why for me improvisation equals first collective—
it’s collective music. It’s instrumental music, and definitely
for me it’s a chamber music.”
It was through Kowald that Léandre first met William
Parker in Berlin. Duets, quartets and other collaborations
ensued and she subsequently became close friends with
Parker and his wife Patricia Nicholson. The bassist wasin New York in 1984 for the groundbreaking Sound Unity
Festival, the precursor to Vision Festival at which she
has appeared some nine times since its inception in 1996.
Consequently, in spite of a garlanded career, the Lifetime
Achievement Award means a lot to her: “I’m so excited you
cannot imagine. I play a lot in America. I go to America one
or two times a year. I was so happy and so touched, because
this really comes from the Afro-American community, notonly, but mostly. And I play with them. They adopted me
years ago.”
Léandre has consistently championed women’s placein improvised music. She was an important part of theEuropean Women’s Improvising Group and in 1960 cofounded Les Diaboliques, a pioneering trio with Swiss
pianist Irène Schweizer and Scottish vocalist Maggie Nicols.
She explains the rationale: “Why not? Women had to be
there. We played more than 35 years together. It was the
only woman band in Europe. You can play in an apartment,
but the live music, to have the gigs, to be on tour…nada. Of
course it’s political. Women create the same, they invent
the same, they do a lot the same, so why not play together?
Because men forget to invite us.” Continuing that mission,
the first of her dedicated four sets being presented at the
Vision Festival will be the Tiger Trio. This project features
Léandre with pianist Myra Melford and flutist Nicole
Mitchell, who met when the bassist was teaching at Mills
College in California.
Mitchell describes the attraction: “Joëlle Léandre
is a true hero in creative music as a trailblazing woman
who has taken the music to great heights in Europe
and beyond for decades. As a musician’s musician, herfearlessness, unstoppable innovation and virtuosity shine

8 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

bright inspiration to countless listeners. She has created aseamless improvisational language that combines her heart
for humanity, her humor and her sound in ways that will
never be able to be imitated.”
She will also be playing in another trio at the Vision
Festival, with longstanding partner, violist Mat Maneri,and pianist Craig Taborn. Over the course of 27 years, herassociation with Maneri has included the Stone Quartet and
the Judson Trio, an intense cooperative unit (with drummer
Gerald Cleaver) notable for its sparkling discourse. Léandre
is characteristically effusive about Taborn: “I tell you, I
could say he’s number one in a way, but never mind. He’s
so good, so rich, and natural, and [such a] great improviser.
You have to understand how I met Craig. More than 20
years ago we had a concert with Les Diaboliques in Francein Touraine, a festival. We started first, and the second
band was with Craig. And afterward he came to me andsaid, ‘We have to play together.’” Now, finally, they have.
This will be their second performance together following adate at the French Sons d’hiver festival in February 2022,
which can be heard on the wonderful, just released hEARoes(RogueArt).
There’s also a performance at The Vision withacclaimed poet Fred Moten. Although this is the first timethey have performed together, Léandre is very familiar
with the format, working with dancers and poets. Does sheplay differently in these situations than when interactingwith other musicians? “I listen to the texts, the word, themeaning. I can be with or against. I have my vocabulary as
a bass player, of course, but the attention, the listening…
You have to be careful because the verse, the text, has to beheard to be listened [to] by the audience also. You have tocare for the balance, and in terms of volume.” For the finale
she will debut a new composition showcasing an all-starcast of American improvisers. “I have less than two months
to put together the score. It will be seven musicians onstage, my friends, me on bass, with Mat Maneri, Joe Morris,
Fred Lonberg-Holm, Jason Kao Hwang, Ingrid Laubrock,
Steve Swell. I will be busy—I arrive early. We have a day’s
septet rehearsal!”
But whatever the lineup, Léandre’s passion is sure toshine through. “Even at my age I keep this rage, and this ispolitical. I have this fire, I don’t know where it comes from;it’s just me. I kept this utopia to change the world, because,of course, I’m a rebel. We have to change the world, and art
can change the world.”
For more info visit joelle-leandre.com. Lèandre receives a Lifetime
Achievement Award and performs at Roulette Jun. 13 as part ofVision Festival. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Joëlle Léandre—Taxi (Adda, 1981-82)• Irène Schweizer/Joëlle Léandre—Cordial Gratin(FMP, 1986)• John Cage/Joëlle Léandre—The Wonderful Widow ofEighteen Springs (Montaigne, 1995)• Sylvie Courvoisier/Joëlle Léandre/Susie Ibarra—
Passaggio (Intakt, 2001)• Tiger Trio—Unleashed (RogueArt, 2016)• Joëlle Léandre—Zürich Concert (Intakt, 2022)ARUÁN ORTIZ TRIOWITH BRAD JONES & JOHN BETSCHSERRANÍAS SKETCHBOOK FOR PIANO TRIO

Intakt CD 402

Intakt CD 385

Intakt CD 392

INTAKT RECORDS www.intaktrec.ch

ANDREW CYRILLE
MUSIC DELIVERY / PERCUSSION

JOËLLE LÉANDRE
ZURICH CONCERT

Andrew Cyrille: Drums, PercussionJoëlle Léandre: Bass

ALEXANDER HAWKINS TRIOWITH NEIL CHARLES AND STEPHEN DAVISCARNIVAL CELESTIAL
Neil Charles: Double Bass, Perc. ∙ Stephen Davis: Drums, Perc.
Alexander Hawkins: Piano, Synthesizer, Sampler, Percussion

Intakt CD 405

Tim Berne: Alto Saxophone ∙ Hank Roberts: Cello
Aurora Nealand: Accordion, Clarinet, Voice

Elias Stemeseder: Lautenwerk, Synth, Electronics, Una Corda
Christian Lillinger: Drums, Sampler, SynthPeter Evans: Piccolo trumpet ∙ Russell Hall: Bass
DoYeon Kim: Gayageum ∙ Brandon Seabrook: Banjo, Guitar

Intakt CD 404 Coming in June

STEMESEDER LILLINGER
UMBRAIntakt CD 398

David Virelles: Piano ∙ Ben Street: Acoustic Bass
Eric McPherson: Drums, Percussion

TIM BERNE – HANK ROBERTS – AURORA NEALAND
OCEANS AND

Intakt CD 399

DAVID VIRELLESWITH BEN STREET AND ERIC McPHERSONCARTAIntakt CD 403

Intakt CD 394 Coming in June

Aruán Ortiz: Piano ∙ Brad Jones: BassJohn Betsch: Drums

MICHAEL FORMANEK ELUSION QUARTET
AS THINGS DO

CHRIS SPEED TRIODESPITE OBSTACLES

Michael Formanek: Double Bass ∙ Kris Davis: Piano
Tony Malaby: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
Ches Smith: Drums and Vibes

Chris Speed: Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Chris Tordini: Acoustic Bass ∙ Dave King: Drums

DISTRIBUTED BY: VIRTUAL LABEL GROUP AVAILABLE IN NYC: DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY DIGITAL DOWNLOADS: intaktrec.bandcamp.com

NYCJR_FP_Jun2023.indd 1

16.05.23 16:06

MARK WASTELLENCOREALAN
SKIDMORE
trane to skid

BY FRANCESCO MARTINELLI

Alan Skidmore’s explosive saxophone solo on “TheSaxophone Song”, from English singer/songwriter
Kate Bush’s first album in 1978, might well be his
major exposure to the great public, but Skid—as he isaffectionately called—has touched on an amazing numberof other bases in his career, always maintaining his own
musical personality. “The journey is never ending. I am
still learning to play the saxophone,” he wrote. It could
be Coltrane speaking, and in fact this great American
saxophonist’s thirst for discovery was a major inspiration
for his British colleague.
Son of Jimmy Skidmore, one of the first major tenor
saxophonists in the UK, whose nuanced and elegant stylehelped jazz win a major audience in England, young Alanat first showed little interest in playing the saxophone;once he did, he developed a style that was the diametric
opposite of his father’s. But now Skid cites him, after
Coltrane, Dexter Gordon and Paul Gonsalves, as among
his major inspirations. “When I’d first got the tenor out,
I made the most dreadful racket you can imagine. So helocked me in the bedroom and said: ‘You wanna play thetenor saxophone? Well, you’ve gotta play long notes.’
And he was right.”
The now-octogenarian was born in London in 1942,
and at 16 he was already a pro. “In 1960, I was working
a summer season in Redcar,” he recalled. “And while
walking past a record shop I noticed an album in thewindow called Giant Steps by John Coltrane. I bought it
and it blew me away! Then, on my 21st birthday, someonebought me an album called Coltrane—Live! at the Village
Vanguard featuring a piece called ‘Chasin’ the Trane’ andthis changed my life forever.” In 1961, his father brought
him to see Coltrane live, and in 1963 he played in two key
British blues bands: Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated
and John Mayall’s Blues Breakers. Korner’s band was hip
enough to play Mingus themes, with Skid soloing on “Oh
Lord Don’t Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me”,
and he riffed the blues like the best of them in the weird
and wonderful last recording by Sonny Boy Williamson II
with Brian Auger, Jimmy Page and Joe Harriott. “My realmusical education came from a good few years on the roadand recording with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated—the ‘Alexis Academy’,” said Skid. “I also recorded withJohn Mayall’s Blues Breakers along with Eric Clapton.
I have always considered this to be my ‘university’, apriceless experience, because if you can’t play the blues
you will never be able to think about playing jazz. You
can teach all the techniques and mechanics of playing,
but to play the blues you have to have feeling that comesfrom within.” Later he discovered that Coltrane had gone
through a similar schooling and that his opening salvo
on John Mayall’s “Have You Heard” inspired a teenaged
Michael Brecker to take up the saxophone. “When Brecker
told me, I didn’t know what to say. I was gobsmacked.
But it’s true.”
Another reedman taught him a lesson: “I once pickedup Roland Kirk from his hotel in London’s Soho and drove
him and all his saxophones to the Berg Larsen factory in
Potters Bar; he needed to check some mouthpieces out.
I happened to mention that I was looking for a different
mouthpiece. It was quite a shock when he started to feeland grope around my lips and mouth and then said:‘the mouthpiece for you is the Berg Larsen ebonite tenormouthpiece 130/00m with a Rico 5 reed.’ This is a very
big hard setup—but it gave me the sound I wanted.
Roland was absolutely right.”
In 1965, Skid was playing with the BBC Radio Big
Band during the day and at dances in the evening because
he had a mortgage and a family to support; but the BBC
job fell through, oddly enough for a radio band, because
they wanted him to cut his hair. Work with Ronnie
Scott’s quartet proved essential to survive and to grow, as
demonstrated by a live BBC recording with Scott, Gordon
Beck and Jeff Clyne; later, at the sessions at Ronnie’s Old
Place, he rebonded with John Surman, Mike Osborne and
Kenny Wheeler. In 1969, his quintet with Wheeler, John
Taylor and Tony Oxley won the jazz competition of theMontreux Festival, giving him more recognition at home
and wider European fame as well. Skid became a flexible
and creative voice in several key jazz orchestras of the
British scene, led by Surman, Chris McGregor, Colin
Towns, Stan Tracey, Mike Gibbs, Elton Dean; he also led
his own groups, usually in a quartet format and often
paying tribute to Coltrane by playing some of his mostdifficult pieces including “Selflessness” and “Ascension”.
On the European scene, SOS, a short-lived
saxophone trio with Surman and Osborne (born out ofa quintet with three saxes, drum and bass), was hugely
influential. Surman’s electronics and Skidmore’s
drumming—drums are his second favorite instrument—

enlarged the band’s palette. Skid’s drumming can beheard on “Wherever I Am”, from the eponymous SOS
album on Ogun (1975). Its immediate successor was theEuropean Jazz Ensemble, founded in 1976 with Leszek
Zadlo, Gerd Dudek, Ali Haurand and Pierre Courbois,
a band that saw the participation of virtually all theluminaries of European jazz, including Jiri Stivin,
Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, Manfred Schoof, Tony Oxley,Charlie Mariano and Tony Levin. This group became anintermittent but long-lived collaboration that celebrated
its 30th year in 2016.
Skid realized a dream by playing with Elvin Jones’
Jazz Machine in 1988. In the ’90s he worked with theSouth African percussion band Amampondo—Xhosamusicians from Cape Town—when his group wasselected as the first to tour South Africa after the fall of theapartheid regime; they recorded two excellent albums,
The Call (1999) and Ubizo (2003). In 2006, Skidmore wasnominated by the Jazz Journalists Association Awards(for the reissue of his Once Upon A Time 1969 album on
Deram), with a ceremony at B. B. King’s Blues Club &Grill which he attended. His last appearance in New
York, though, was over a decade ago at the Iridium jazzclub, playing in drummer Charlie Watts’ big band on
June 29, 2012.
Last month, U.K.’s Confront Recordings issued
A Supreme Love: a 46-track, six-CD retrospective ofSkidmore’s career, extracted from his vast privatearchive. The material covers his entire legacy, ranging
from 1961, his debut alongside his father, throughhistorical recordings of his seminal 1969 quintet, SOS andthe European bands, to his only rendition of Coltrane’s“Psalm” from A Love Supreme, from 2019. It is a stunningmonument to his creativity and endurance.

his cousin Roy McCloud for the Night Owls. In 1930, hejoined Andy Kirk’s Clouds of Joy (switching to tenor),
which introduced him to the Kansas City style. Count
Basie’s band, in which Young’s sophisticated coolness
contrasted with Evans’ Texas tenor, would shortly
popularize the KC style more widely. In 1935, Tate
moved to Omaha, NE with the Nat Towles Orchestra,and in 1939, following Evans’ passing, he joined Basieas the featured soloist alongside Young.
Tate’s first recordings with Basie that year were for
Vocalion. On “Rock-A-Bye Basie”, Young’s melodicism
takes over, but “Taxi War Dance” shows Tate as a poised
player. Some months later, their twin tenors are central
to “Blues” (Okeh, 1940) and “Tickle Toe” (Columbia,
1940), while “Super Chief” (Okeh, 1940) is Tate/Youngmagic. “Stampede in G-Minor” (Okeh, 1941) showcases
Tate’s powerful flow, as he overshadows Paul Bascomb(sitting in for Pres). During Tate’s decade with Basie,
his side projects best reveal his breadth. Examples area nascent R&B/rock and roll solo on trumpeter Karl
George Octet’s “Peek-A-Boo” (Melodisc, 1945) thatcomplements trombonist J.J. Johnson and his firstsessions as a leader with the Buddy Tate Orchestra for

the Grey Gull Records subsidiary Supreme (1947).
By 1949, Tate had left Basie, settled in NYC anddeveloped a fruitful relationship with pianist Skip
Hall. Check out Swinging Like Tate (Felsted, 1958) foran example of their stellar work together. A top session
musician, he appeared with trumpeter Buck Clayton,
vocalist Jimmy Rushing and many others. Beginningin 1953, Tate’s Celebrity All Stars became a fixture forover 20 years at the Celebrity Club on Madison and125th Street. Several ’70s releases with organist Milt
Buckner (Midnight Slows, Black & Blue) are a mustlisten, enveloping his smoky horn in a sexy atmosphere.
A meeting with Abdullah Ibrahim (Buddy Tate Meets
Dollar Brand, Chiaroscuro Records, 1977) resulted in aninteresting conversation in which Tate deftly fields the
pianist’s post-bop phrasing; it works in part due to thewelcoming backdrop set up by Cecil McBee (bass) and
Roy Brooks (drums).
In the ’80s, Tate toured extensively in Europe as asoloist and with Jacquet and Cobb as the “Texas Tenors”.
Recently released, Tate’s Delight (Storyville) documents
a fun session in Denmark from 1982 on which Tate

For more info visit alanskidmore.info
Recommended Listening:• Alan Skidmore—A Supreme Love
(Confront, 1961-2019)• Alan Skidmore Quintet—Once Upon A Time…
(Deram, 1969)• S.O.S. (John Surman/Alan Skidmore/Mike Osborne)—
Looking For The Next One (Cuneiform, 1974-75)• Elton Dean, Alan Skidmore, Chris Laurence,John Marshall—El Skid (Vinyl, 1977)• S.O.H. (Alan Skidmore/Tony Oxley/Ali Haurand)—Live in London (Jazzwerkstatt, 1983)• Alan Skidmore Quartet—
Tribute to ‘Trane (Miles Music, 1988)

HANK O’NEALLEST WE FORGET

BUDDY
TATE

his sax still blows
BY ELLIOTT SIMON

The saxophone’s archetypal status in jazz is largely
due to what Cannonball Adderley termed the “moanwithin the tone” popularized by “Texas tenors”
Herschel “Tex” Evans, Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb
and Charles Holmes “Buddy” Tate. Tate could swing
with anyone, but his unique way with blues, bop andballads combined the influences of Coleman Hawkins
and Lester “Pres” Young into his own Texas sound.
He played with a hard edge, superb phrasing and atone that emerged from deep within the saxophone,shunning vibrato for power and clarity.
Born in Sherman, TX on February 22, 1913, Tatebegan playing alto at eleven and was soon tapped by

10 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD(CONTINUED ON PAGE 41)

L ABEL SPOTLIGHT

FLYINGDUTCHMAN
flies again
BY MIKE COBB

By the time he founded Flying Dutchman Records
in 1969, producer and songwriter Bob Thiele alreadyhad a legendary career. As an A&R representative, he
had signed pop stars Buddy Holly and Jackie Wilson
and worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby andQuincy Jones. From 1961 to 1969, Thiele was the head of
Impulse! Records, where he worked with John Coltrane
on masterpieces such as A Love Supreme and Ascension.
He also recorded Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Sonny
Rollins, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, et al. He even wrote(with co-writer George David Weiss) “What a Wonderful
World”, a smash hit for Louis Armstrong.
After eight years at Impulse!, Thiele felt the need to
expand his vision. His credibility solidified by his workas Coltrane’s producer, Thiele was able to connect withthe counterculture and Black Power movement of thelate ’60s. His concept was to give voice to the sounds ofrevolution happening in music and society as well as toacknowledge jazz legends.
Flying Dutchman featured legendary icons
Armstrong, Basie, Ellington and Earl “Fatha” Hines,
as well as progressive jazz musicians such as Ornette
Coleman, George Russell, Larry Coryell, Horace
Tapscott and the John Carter/Bobby Bradford Quartet.
It also released political speeches and audio journalism
by Angela Davis and championed the early works ofsocial revolutionary musician Gil Scott-Heron. Despite
its independent status and lack of funding, Flying

Fenix
Gato Barbieri

Pieces Of A Man
Gil-Scott Heron

Dutchman always invested in quality and detail: glossy
gatefolds, attractive photographs and high-fidelity
recordings made at top-notch studios. Though thespirit of revolution had faded by the mid ’70s, pianist/keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith had a worldwide
hit in 1975 with his cosmic jazz explorations on his
album Expansions, which—along with the success ofArgentinean tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri who
recorded over a half dozen albums for the label—createda second chapter for Flying Dutchman.
Carrying on the tradition by reviving the label withnew releases, Thiele’s son, Bob Thiele Jr., speaks of
his father’s efforts and struggles. “Viewing our world
through the lens of COVID, #BlackLivesMatter andsystemic racism, I fully grasp the obstacles that he faced.
His accomplishments were many, but they came at a costto his personal and professional life. As a businessman,he was not a success. But following the courage of his
convictions, crossing racial lines, risking financial
bankruptcy more than once, my father never backed
down. I feel compelled to bring Flying Dutchman backinto the fray so it may once again be a part of the voice of
this generation,” he says.
Flying Dutchman recently released influential soul
singer Billy Valentine’s latest album, Billy Valentine & The
Universal Truth, which marks the official return of Flying
Dutchman and includes protest songs by Curtis Mayfield,
Stevie Wonder, Eddie Kendricks, War, Prince, ScottHeron and Leon Thomas. The new release (the vocalist
accompanied by modern jazz luminaries including
Pino Palladino, Jeff Parker and Immanuel Wilkins) is a
comeback story for both Valentine and the label.
As a teenage singer, Valentine was discovered at a
cocktail lounge in New Jersey, opening for Roberta Flack

Soul Is… Pretty Purdie
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie

and Donny Hathaway (who were enroute to and fromThe Apollo) and toured in the original road cast of The
Wiz. His group The Valentine Brothers scored minor hitswith “Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)”, a cult hit in the
U.K., and the classic “Lonely Nights”.
Linking up with Thiele Jr. and singer-songwriterPhil Roy in the late ’80s, Valentine tried his hand at
songwriting. His compositions were recorded by Ray
Charles, The Neville Brothers, and Pops and Mavis
Staples. Valentine’s voice also appeared as part of thesoundtracks for the TV shows Boston Legal and Sons ofAnarchy and in “Legit” by rapper Nas and “Nobody
Else” by Axwell, which drew on influences from the
U.K. dance scene. About Valentine, Thiele Jr. says,“It was Billy’s voice that sold our songs. Billy would
become the secret weapon of nearly every songwriter in
L.A. His vocal performances on demos made their songs(and ours) irresistible to Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Bette
Midler and countless others. And yet, no one outside of
the privileged few knew who Billy Valentine was.”Having witnessed the civil rights protests throughthe Deep South in the United States, the Kent State
University shootings in 1970, and the Vietnam War’sdevastating effects on veterans, Valentine has always
been drawn to message music. “The music on my album
speaks to me,” Valentine says. “I think this is the mostimportant music that I’ve done yet in my life.” About
working with Bob Thiele Jr., Valentine adds, “Bob andI have been friends for close to 40 years as songwriters.
He came to me during the pandemic and said he wasthinking of relaunching his father’s label with me as thefirst artist, which completely bowled me over.”(CONTINUED ON PAGE 41)

Flight for FourJohn Carter & Bobby Bradford Quartet

And The Universal Truth
Billy Valentine

VOX NEWSVOCES LATINAS
BY SUZANNE LORGE

Bandleader/drummer Bobby Sanabria usually uses
vocals on his recordings with Multiverse, his Grammynominated Afro-Cuban big band. He’ll sing himself, andthe band will provide backup, and sometimes he’ll invite
a star singer like Charenée Wade to front the group. On
his new release VOX HUMANA (Jazzheads), Sanabria
continues building on his interest in arranging for voices.
The album’s 13 tracks, with the big band, spotlight threejazz singers—Janis Siegel, Antoinette Montague, Jennifer
Jade Ledesna—each of whom (like Sanabria) arose fromNew York’s multi-cultural musical scene.
Recorded live at Dizzy’s Club last June, the record
captures not only the band’s relentless exuberance, but thesingers’ diverse personalities. Spanish-speaking Ledesna
settles naturally into the joyous lilt of the Puerto Ricanclassic, “Capullito De Aleli”; Montague punches all theblue notes just so as she delivers Jazzheads owner andsongwriter Randy Klein’s lyrics on “Who Taught You
That”; and Siegel marries bop idioms with Latin drive
in a fiery scat solo on the ’60s hit “Spooky”. Sanabria
also commingles the sounds of all three singers, firstin individual solos and then in closely harmonized trio
singing on “Do It Again”—an exciting re-contextualizationof one of Steely Dan’s most popular tunes. Sanabria, Siegel,Montague and Ledesna will appear with the Multiverse
Big Band in two free concerts this month (Jun. 4 at Hostos
Center, and Jun. 24 at Bay Plaza Mall Auditorium). A side
note: Siegel also sings with Manhattan Transfer at Sony
Hall as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival (Jun. 9).
Guggenheim Fellow and SFJAZZ Collective member
Edward Simon’s new album, Femeninas: Songs of Latin
American Women (ArtistShare), brings us a step closer togender equity by honoring the Latina composers who
have contributed to the Latin American Songbook. The
record represents a wealth of tunes by women songwritersfrom across South/Central America and the Caribbean—
including Violeta Parra (Chile), Marta Valdés (Cuba),
Chabuca Granda (Perú), Elizabeth Morris (Chile), Rosa
Passos (Brazil), Georgina Hassan (Argentina) and Joyce
Moreno (Brazil). Mexican vocalist Magos Herrera adds aliquid, understated emotionality to these classic pieces andto Simon’s three-movement piece, “Latino Soy” (“Naked
Sky”, “Mujer Remolino”, and “Bulería”)—the Venezuelan
pianist’s sole contribution to the record as a composer, anda superb example of his fresh, modern writing. The album
drops on Jun. 8 and, the following week, Simon launches
the project at Dizzy’s Club (Jun. 13).
Last year, Cuban singer Aymée Nuviola won a Latin
Grammy for Live in Marciac (5Passion), a duo with pianist
Gonzalo Rubalcaba recorded at the summer jazz festival inthat small French village. On the record, Nuviola’s laid-backvocals steal into the ear like a warm breeze, conjuring visionsof sun-dappled countryside and halcyon skies. Contrast
this with Havana Nocturne (Worldwide), the singer’s newest
release, a quintet studio recording awash in the sounds andfeel of Havana nightlife. Here the singer taps into the Cuban
filin, a style blending “vocal jazz, Debussy’s impressionism
and the tradition of the Cuban son and bolero,” according
to the liner notes. Both sides of Nuviola’s musical persona
deserve attention via these recordings, which are now
available through multiple distribution channels.
New York-based jazz vocalist Mary Foster Conklin
has long promoted the work of female jazz composers,
both through her recordings and as host of the Sunday
radio show A Broad Spectrum: The Ladies of Jazz. This pastFebruary, she released her fifth album, These Precious Days
(Mock Turtle), an eclectic collection of popular and jazztunes penned primarily by women. She’ll introduce thealbum live at Mezzrow (Jun. 18).
Addenda: Singer Ben Cassara, who produces a vocal
jazz series at North Square Lounge and Pangea, one ofConklin’s regular rooms, presents his second self-produced
album, What a Way to Go!, at the latter club (Jun. 7). Sergio
Mendes graces the Blue Note Jazz Fest at Sony Hall (Jun.
23-24). And the 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International
Jazz Vocal Competition is officially open for submissions:jazz singers from the world over can apply via the NJPAC
website. (Last year’s winner, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso,
hails from Veracruz, Mexico, where she developed her
winning vocal style by singing son jarocho, a local hybrid of
Spanish, African and indigenous Mexican music.)

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 11

F ESTIVAL REPORTBY JOHN SHARPE

Isaiah J. Thompson, Cécile McLorin Salvant @American Pianists Awards©ULI TEMPLIN

DANIEL MCCULLOUGH/AMERICAN PIANISTS ASSOCIATIONBY SUZANNE LORGE

Sylvie Courvoisier @Ulrichsberg Kaleidophon

LONG PLAYFESTIVALBY TOM GREENLAND©PETER SERLING @LOTSOPIKTURES

2023 AMERICAN ULRICHSBERGPIANISTS AWARDS KALEIDOPHON

Famoudou Don Moye @Bang on a Can Long Play Festival

O n the second evening of this year’s American N estling in the rolling hills of Upper Austria, the T he Long Play Festival (May 5-7), now in its second
Pianists Association (APA) jazz competitionin Indianapolis, contender Isaiah J. Thompson
announced his final piece from the stage, eventhough it wasn’t listed in the program. “I’ll play
one more, if that’s alright,” the 25-year-old said, as
he introduced “Thank You, Betsy”, from his latest
album, The Power of the Spirit (Blue Engine). Betsy, he
explained, was the black Volvo that had gotten him
to and from rehearsals, school and gigs, during his
formative years as a young musician. The audiencelaughed, and Thompson settled into the skittering
riff that opened the ever-so-gently swinging original.
Expressions of gratitude were frequent among
the five pianists competing for the APA’s Cole Porter
Jazz Fellowship (Apr. 20-22): Thompson, Caelan
Cardello, Esteban Castro, Paul Cornish and Thomas
Linger. Not surprisingly, given the near-Olympian
effort it takes to launch a world-class jazz career,
the finalists had many people to thank. By the timethese young players had reached the APA’s finalists
circle, they had spent most of their lives training
in private study and specialized after-school musicprograms, at choice universities or conservatories
and under the tutelage of jazz celebrity mentors.
The achievement of the Cole Porter Fellowship
would give their music careers an additional boost:a substantial cash prize, a one-album deal with
Mack Avenue Records, professional marketing andpromotion and a two-year artist’s residency at the
University of Indianapolis. According to the APA,
the Fellowship is worth upwards of $200,000 all told.
The evening after Thompson played “Thank
You, Betsy”, the judges awarded him the Fellowship.
With this triumph, he joins previous winners
Sullivan Fortner, Emmet Cohen, Aaron Diehl, Adam
Birnbaum and Dan Tepfer—all of whom went on toestablish important careers.
Whatever rigorous path brought this year’s
finalists to Indianapolis, however, the vetting process
for the Fellowship is equally as demanding: it takes
more than a year and involves the careful navigationof a series of challenges. First, interested pianists mustreceive a nomination from an established performing
artist, educator or industry professional. Those who
make the cut must then successfully compete in two
rounds of juried auditions, one recorded and one
live. The five finalists must also complete a teaching
residency at an area school and concertize at a local

JazzAtelier in Ulrichsberg has hosted the annual
Kaleidophon ever since 1986. Not bad for a festival thatgazes determinedly toward the left field. For its 37th
edition (Apr. 28-30), director Alois Fischer assembled
a mouthwatering bill, leading to a sold-out event. This
made a fitting swansong for Fischer, who will stepback after this year, passing on the reins to younger
hands. While the poster and photograph exhibition
celebrating fifty years of the JazzAtelier, displayed
upstairs in the barn-like venue, revealed the festival’s
early dedication to American free jazz, over time theline-ups have also incorporated improv, and mostrecently, contemporary composition. Some of this wasfeatured over a wonderful three days.
Even among the headliners, the trio of pianist
Sylvie Courvoisier, bassist Drew Gress and drummer
Kenny Wollesen stood out. A unit for some ten years,
the band exhibits an uncanny chemistry. They remain
simultaneously tight yet loose, navigating melodic
fragments in unlikely places, delivering explosive
flurries and making abrupt detours. Although it’sa repertoire they have toured for several years, they
continue to uncover new facets, finding thrilling
opportunities for group interplay and unexpected
pockets for individual expression. Gress frequently
demonstrated why he is in such demand, as he combineda finely honed lyric sense with impeccable timing,
while Wollesen embellished and implied the beat asmuch as playing it. Courvoisier shifted seamlessly
between keys and interior preparations, as volatile asher compositions, ever ready to unleash forearms andbacks of hands when the moment required it, in a set
that was variously combustible, solemn and vivacious,
sometimes within the space of a single number.
Last Dream of Morning, the poetically monikered
cooperative British trio of saxophonist John Butcher,bassist John Edwards and drummer Mark Sanders, isbuilt on similarly durable foundations. The collective
experience they have amassed in various permutations
served them well, as evidenced by a hair-trigger
responsiveness and a trust that whatever happens willlead somewhere worthwhile. Their energy and passion,
allied to mastery of tone, timbre and tension, blurred
the distinction between free jazz and improv, in a flowwhich might suddenly accelerate from a spellbinding
textural exchange into bristling forward motion.
Edwards astounded with the sheer physicality of his
snapping strings, flying bows and tensile fingering.

year, is the latest in a series of “new music” marathon
concerts (begun as a concept in 1987) curated by
Bang on a Can (BoaC) founders Michael Gordon,
David Lang and Julia Wolfe. Big (56 acts, 10 venues)
and Brooklyn-based, it furthers BoaC’s mission to
exhibit artists who exemplify the 3 R’s: radicalism,
rebellion and revolution. As such, scheduled acts
are predictably unpredictable: you never know what
you’ll get, but it’s sure to grab your attention.
Event times were generally slated in halfhour increments, so it was possible to catch bits
and bites of many different shows, though certain
time slots obliged a choice. While your industrious
correspondent couldn’t be everywhere at once, he did
manage to get an ear-/eyeful of more than half theshows.
On opening night (May 5), avant icon Meredith
Monk proved to supportive fans at Red Hook’s Pioneer
Works that eighty trips round the sun haven’t slowed
her orbital momentum. Resplendent in red silk tailcoat
and jodhpurs, her movements lithe as a teenager’s,
voice vibrant, she guided vocalists Theo Bleckmann,Katie Geissinger, Allison Sniffin and the rocking BoaC
all-star sextet through pieces from her Memory Game:
catchy childlike melodies with post-apocalyptic sci-fi
lyrics, all delivered with an immediacy that, as she
put it, “grows before your very eyes.”
The marathon proper began just after noon
Saturday (May 6) at Mark Morris Dance Center with
Alarm Will Sound (a 16-piece mixed ensemble with
conductor) performing Tyshawn Sorey’s For George
Lewis, an almost-hour-long episode of staggered long
tones rubbing up against each other, reeling along at
the slow, inexorable pace of a Béla Tarr film. At Public
Records, a dark, cramped space hosting some of thefestival’s most intimate encounters, JACK (string)
Quartet played Catherine Lamb’s Prisma Interius VII,a protracted tone poem reminiscent of Sorey’s piece,
followed by Iannis Xenakis’ Tetras, a mash of collective
scurries, swoops and volume swells that suggested
children screaming on a Coney Island roller coaster.
One of the best-attended shows was the PhilipGlass Ensemble at Roulette, three keyboardists(one singing soprano) and three woodwind players
performing the composer’s trademark looping,slowly permutating themes, artsy yet accessible. At
Littlefield, the site of some of the festival’s edgiest
acts, Takeoff Collective, a tenor saxophone trio, mixed(CONTINUED ON PAGE 40)(CONTINUED ON PAGE 41)(CONTINUED ON PAGE 40)

12 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDDION PARSON &21ST CENTURY BAND
An Entire World of Music packed into a Powerhouse Ensemble

Dizzy's Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center
JAZZRIBBEANPACKS A PUNCH WITH ITS POWERFUL FUSION OF
TRADITIONAL JAZZ AND CARIBBEAN RHYTHMS

JUNE 2, 3 &4, 2023
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 7:30PM &9:30PM ET
SUNDAY 5:00PM & 7:30PM ET
Deutsche Bank Center - Columbus Circle
Tickets: Students $20 - Adults $30 to $55
New York, NY - Phone: +1 212-258-9595
https://2023.jazz.org/dion-parson
www.untedjazz.org

Dion Parson - Drums
Ron Blake - Saxophone
Melvin Jones - Trumpet
Reuben Rogers - Bass
Carlton Holmes - Piano
Victor Provost - Steel Pan
Alioune Faye
Percussion/Sabar Drums

I N ME MORIAM“Michael, you always play the right thing. I don’t knowhow you do it.” Even after 40+ years of dedicating mylife to this music, those words, that sentiment let me
know, in a most profound way (I wasn’t prepared for),I had arrived. Karl was/is a giant, a gentle giant. Hisability to let others in, and willingness to be let in, knew
no bounds. This is how this music moves forward. Thankyou, Karl, for not only blazing the trail but leading it into
the beyond. Big love.
—MICHAEL BISIO (bass)
Karl was my dear friend and a wise and inspirational
teacher. He and his family have been like a second
family to me since I came to Woodstock in the late ’70s.
His death is a deep loss to me and to the family, friends
and students who loved and learned from him.
—MARILYN CRISPELL (piano)
I met Karl in 1976, and for years was a frequent visiting
teacher at Creative Music Studio, offering Indiansinging and ‘Raga’ form. Karl’s vision was all aboutauthentic musicianship that went beyond technique andperformance of a particular style. His groundbreaking
rhythmic exercise “Ga Ma La Ta Ki”, and deep attention
to time and space, opened ears to a unique mind/bodyawareness. I was part of a family of Turkish, Africanand Indian musicians who brought elements of worldmusic into the offerings of the CMS. My last concert with
Karl, along with his dear wife/musical partner, Ingrid
Sertso, and bassist Michael Bisio, was this past fall. It
was always a joy to play with them.
—STEVE GORN (flute)
I met Karl Berger and Ingrid Sertso in upstate NY duringCamp MMW (Medeski, Martin & Wood) in Summer 2010.
I had no idea what Creative Music Studio was then, butlater realized how influential CMS was for me. I had been
deeply influenced by the iconic musicians that came outof CMS in the ’70s and ’80s, such as Codona (Don Cherry,
Nana Vasconcelos and Collin Walcott), Jack DeJohnette,
Anthony Braxton, Ra Kalam Bob Moses, et al. The nexttime I ran into Karl was years later at Ornette Coleman’sapartment in NYC. It was Ornette’s birthday. As I was
leaving, Karl ran up to me and asked if I could comeupstate to teach a masterclass at his CMS retreat, held at
the same location where I first met him at Camp MMW.
After I taught my masterclass, Karl told me I was
perfect for CMS because of my fundamental approachto teaching. I would soon become one of the artistic
directors. A year later, Karl handed me the leadership(Executive Director/President) of CMS. It all happened
so fast. From the time I started working with Karl, from2016 to 2023, I have had such deep learning experiences
as an artist and leader. Karl’s vision to bring people
together from all backgrounds was such a breath of
freshness. This was a movement he started back in theearly ’70s, which I hope to keep evolving at CMS.
Karl was certainly a mentor to me. A father figure forsure. He was kind, soft-spoken and encouraging in many
ways. One of the most profound moments was sitting withhim at the piano in his house. I asked him, “How should I
approach my way of playing piano?” I played some thingsand he knew right away what I needed: “Just open up yourintervals wider.” And voila, that was it! Of course, there
were many more things I learned watching and listening
to him play and teach. His conducting technique certainly
rubbed off on me as we often shared the conducting roleat his monthly CMS Improvisers Orchestra concerts in
Kingston, NY. I love his idea of “beat-for-beat” attention.
That’s something he and drummer Ed Blackwell had
intuitively, and he noticed that was something we had
when we played together. Karl will always be there withme, smiling, gently listening and dancing with the music.
I know he’s dancing in the spheres and conducting an
incredible ensemble out there in the Omnisphere.
—BILLY MARTIN(percussion/CMS Executive Director & President)

Apart from his outstanding work as a performer, hisorganization, Creative Music Studio and its workshops
in Woodstock, was an educational triumph at a time
when there was very little opportunity to find anywhere
else to explore the way that jazz was moving forward.
Karl was truly ‘one of a kind’ and I was privileged tohave been able to even join in a few classes during the’70s.
—JOHN SURMAN (saxophone)Karl Berger was an oracle. He moved every person
he played with and spoke to. He was always inspired
and inspiring. I met Karl in 2011 after many years of
being a fan of his. We shared a bill one night and heplayed an unforgettable duo concert with William
Parker. After the concert he invited me to play withhim and right away we were friends, playing all thetime in duo, quartet and large ensembles. He asked
me to teach with him at the Creative Music Studioand I attended all of his classes each time and wrote
down everything he said. I think about something
he said every day. He liked to talk on the phone
and I looked forward to those conversations. When
COVID first happened and everyone was upset andcomplaining about no work, Karl said to me, “Forus, time is a gift. Let’s make the most of this time to
study.” And he was always studying, always using
his time to learn and make beautiful music. Karlremained completely open and free as a musician andperson. He is the most important vibraphone player,
a poet on the piano, and an incredible composer andbandleader. I will miss him every day.
—KIRK KNUFFKE (cornet)
A few years back, the Creative Music Studio Artistic
Council at the time (Karl, Ingrid Sertso, Billy Martin,
Steven Bernstein, Ken Filiano and myself) met
with a consultant team that had been hired to help
promote the organization. We were shown picturesof different animals and asked to pick the one wethought best exemplified the CMS aesthetic. Karllooked over the pictures and, noticing one he didn’t
recognize, asked what it was. After being told it wasa meerkat, Karl decided that would be his choice.
Asked why, he replied, “Because I don’t know it!”To me, this was one of the wonderful things about
Karl, and said as much about him as about CMS:
his willingness to embrace the unknown was whatmade him a true improviser. He was a great teacher
and a great friend and bandmate for 46 years, andI’ll miss him dearly.
—PETER APFELBAUM (multi-instrumentalist)
I miss you, Karl. Words are not enough. I feel yoursounds, voice and energy, kind smile—even after you’regone.
Karl taught me so much through our sonic plays
and hangouts. He was my spiritual best friend, mymusical grandfather. He told me that I needed toplay when I felt too insecure to play, and said, “No
one plays violin the way you do,” and gave me work
to play long tones and improvisations in my own
sensitive way. He taught me to love myself and myexpressions a little more when I needed to, and tolisten to everyone and everything more deeply andsubtly. Recently he said to me, “You are a musician
first of all and that is where your attention needs togo.” To me that means to prioritize listening to myheart because it will always direct me to the right path
as a musician and as a human being. It was a gift that
I was able to be around Karl in my 20s and 30s. He
didn’t educate me like a teacher, but, rather, he let mebe; he listened to me carefully and responded kindly
and joyfully. His way of being was playing and we
did so much of it. I will always wish we could havedone more of it but, for now, thank you my friend andmy playful teacher.
—SANA NAGANO (violin)

14 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

I am both amazed and grounded by all that has
transpired in my musical and personal relationship with
Karl—creating, collaborating, inventing, moving andrenewing. Our 2005 album Duets 1, made three decades
after our initial meeting, was both a crystallization of ourdiverse work together and the artistic trailhead of a newpath we had only but begun to tread upon. Perhaps it is
this symbiosis that kept our work together continuallyfresh. Not in the sense that it is refreshing, but morethat each sound voyage we embarked upon shined withsurprising discoveries, regardless of how steeped inpreviously constructed foundations those journeys may,or may not, be. Now in flight in unknowable realms upon
the wings of boundless imagination, forevermore….
—JOHN LINDBERG (bass)
I was a percussion student at the same time Karl was a
percussion student; we were born less than a year apart.
I hadn’t met him, though, until after I came to New
York, as he was still in Germany by the time I got here.
I had gotten a scholarship to attend Manhattan Schoolof Music to complete a master’s degree, during whichtime I began an association with a lot of musicians,
especially since I had a reputation for reading weird
scores and participated with then-considered-strange,
forward-thinking folks like Gunther Schuller. It was
so unusual to have a percussionist like Karl who
was basically doing what I was doing. Karl was oneof the few people I knew who could play the mallet
instruments. He was a virtuoso in terms of thevibraphone; I couldn’t even approach his vibraphone
technique. I am a percussionist, so my first love was
the drum set and then the timpani as there were very
few trying to improvise on timpani. But Karl was doing
the same thing, just with marimba and vibraphone. We
were exploring and going into this whole different shift
in composition and improvisation, where contemporary
music was taking on different rhythmic and tonal
explorations, and he was very much part of that withhis mallet instruments. Every time we got together, wewere able to create something unusual, sometimes ingatherings of multiple percussionists. If I ever needed
a mallet player for anything more than I could handle,
I’d invite him, and conversely if he needed someone
like me, he’d invite me. Karl was experimenting in acertain way that was never rigid. He was expanding theway that people were listening to music and he reallyopened up different kinds of expression not explored
before. —WARREN SMITH (vibraphone/percussion)
I met Karl Berger (and Ingrid... it’s always been Karland Ingrid to me) when Peter Apfelbaum and I went
to Creative Music Studio in 1977. It’s unclear exactly
how we got up to Woodstock (actually West Hurley)from JFK, and legend has it that no one was there
when we showed up. But gradually folks assembled
and Karl taught us gamala taki and Ingrid had us
capturing overtones. George Russell, (Wadada) Leo
Smith, Frederic Rzewski, Sunny Murray, Abdullah
Ibrahim, Carla Bley, Ed Blackwell, et al. all showed
up and opened our impressionable minds. That
was the experience Karl Berger brought to so many
young people. CMS, universal music, World Music,
active listening: a holistic approach to music. And his
vibraphone playing was the embodiment of that—freeand rooted, melody and surprise. He had a great style,musically and sartorially… understated Buddhist cool.
I knew he had been having recent health issues, and I
called to check in on a dog walk this March. He sounded
as upbeat as ever, just so Karl: “Hey, man. We are doing
Sundays in Kingston with the Improvisers Orchestra.
I can pay some bread and cover your gas.” I thought
how beautiful at 88 to have the overwhelming desire tocreate and improvise and dance in front of his orchestra.
Here’s to a life well-lived. Thank you for the gifts... One
big Om to you.
—STEVEN BERNSTEIN (trumpet)

Some of the first recordings I made when I arrived in
NY were done at Karl’s CMS studio in Woodstock.
Later on, he did great work for me doing stringarrangements, applying strings to many projects thatyou wouldn’t expect with strings: Sly & Robbie, Bob
Marley, Angélique Kidjo, Buckethead, Swans, Bernie
Worrell, Material and many others. I always valued
his rich musicality, knowledge and always a wicked
sense of humor. I remember once we ran out of music;
he simply turned the paper upside down and had
everyone play that as a new piece of music! A greatmusician and a great teacher—he will be remembered
and missed by many.
—BILL LASWELL (bass/producer)
It is very hard to write something about Karl: he
was half of my life and so much more. When wemet, we connected right away. It felt like I knew himfrom many past lives. We both came from a classicalbackground and started loving jazz. Going to New
York with Don Cherry, meeting Ornette Coleman
who we adored, just made what we already felt deep
and powerful. Music is in everybody, the world is in
everybody, listening, hearing sound, feeling what you
play or sing. Music is universe, no style. Karl was aborn teacher; his music mind was and is pure gold. He
cannot be replaced. I love him.
—INGRID SERTSO (vocals/CMS co-founder)
Forty years ago, I came here from Brazil to Creative
Music Studio. It was a crazy scene for me: my family wasin Brazil and I didn’t know where I was or where I wasgoing. I came for this summer course that Karl Berger
and Ingrid Sertso used to do in Woodstock at a farm.
You know when you fall in the right place at the rightmoment? Well! This experience, living there in CMS, issomething that I carry and I’m going to carry until I die.
It was such a strong moment for me. And if you’re goingto talk about music, you need to mention CMS because it
was the first time in the world that musicians got together
in one place and could play together all night and create
something. And that happened there underan umbrella of “jazz”. CMS was likea nest of possibilities. And so,
if I want to pass any message
through what I’ve been doing
and am doing right now, it is
this: to create this possibility,
especially with everythingthat is happening around us.
Music is possibility. Thanks
to Karl for providing thenurturing space for so many
to explore the possibilities.
—CYRO BAPTISTA(percussion)

In the summer of 1979, I took a seriesof bus rides to get from Madison,
WI to Woodstock, NY so I could
attend two 5-week sessions at
Karl Berger’s Creative Music
Studio: Don Cherry’s WorldMusic workshop and Roscoe
Mitchell’scomposition
seminar. Each morning westarted out with meditation
practice, led by Karl’s wife
Ingrid Sertso, followedby Karl’s basic practiceclass, where we chanted andsang in odd meters (5/4, 7/8,
9/8). These informal classes
were simple and life-changing,approaching the most basic musicalfundamentals in a relaxed, ritualisticmanner. Karl’s teaching was nondogmatic and very spiritual. We wereencouraged to find our own individual
approach, and not to imitate. Along with astellar formal faculty: Anthony Braxton, George
Lewis, (Wadada) Leo Smith and Cecil Taylor, all there in‘79, casual guests included Sunny Murray, Marion Brown
and Gary Windo. I had the great fortune to spend timeinteracting with many of the geniuses and innovatorsof 20th century music that summer. Twenty years later
I joined Karl’s CMS Improvisers Orchestra as baritone
saxophonist. I was also his driver, transporting Ingrid
and Karl to and from dozens of NYC gigs from theirhome in Woodstock. The knowledge and inspiration
continued to be passed on to me from my early 20s
through my mid 60s. I am truly grateful to have been a
student, friend and colleague of Karl’s and his huge andbrilliant extended musical family.
—BILL YLITALO (aka Otto Kentrol)(multi-instrumentalist)

KARL BERGER
1935-2023

JACK VARTOOGIAN

I heard Karl with the Don Cherry Quintet at theInternational Jazz Festival Praha (Prague) in 1965 with
Gato Barbieri, J.F. Jenny-Clark and Aldo Romano. Afterthe concert, there was a jam session and Karl playedwith J.F. and Aldo. I went on stage to ask Karl to sit in,
and when Don and Gato came after a while back onto thestage, I was then playing with the Don Cherry Quintet.
It was the music I dreamed of: THE jam session of mylife! We played for two hours, and afterwards stayed
in touch. Following my escape from East Germany in
1966, a few months later my brother Rolf (Kühn) and I
were recording our new album for MPS (Transfiguration)with Karl as a special guest. In 1968, we played again
with Cherry at the Berlin Jazz Festival and recorded thealbum Eternal Rhythm (also MPS). I learned a lot fromKarl, especially at this time as I was only 21. Karl wasan unforgettable, new voice on the vibes and a greatmusician. I’m very sorry to hear of his passing.
—JOACHIM KÜHN (piano)

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 15

ALBUM REVIEWS

Ornettiana
Monica Nica Agosti’s Shapex (AUT)
by Anna Steegmann

The Italian vocalist Monica “Nica” Agosti, always open

to experimentation, has performed with rock, soul andjazz bands in musicals and in clubs. She wrote her thesis
about Ornette Coleman at Siena Jazz University andOrnettiana, her first album as a leader, is a deeply felt
tribute to the great saxophonist, who died eight years
ago this month. Agosti first presented Ornettiana at the
Piacenza Jazz Fest in 2021. Quintet Shapex surrounds her
with brilliant musicians: Tommaso Iacoviello (trumpet),
Tobia Bondesan (alto), Francesco Sarrini (bass) and
Giuseppe Sardina (drums) on an album (eleven tracks in
a compact 46 minutes) that offers three interpretationsof Coleman compositions, plus pieces by Sardina,
Bondesan, and Agosti. Shapex sounds both vintage andinnovative, at times experimental, always congruous or(in Coleman’s terminology “harmolodic”). Their skill,chemistry and harmony, and especially the leader’sscat singing, are irresistible. But, as with the musicof Coleman, the work cannot be easily categorized as
belonging to a particular style. Instead, each song is a
new listening adventure.
The opening track, “The Band Comes Playing a
Crazy Little March and Goes Away”, features a greatcall and response between trumpet and saxophone,enriched by Agosti’s scat singing and a marching-band
drum beat. Throughout the recording, the horns standout for their warm tone. Coleman’s “Law Years” iswild, free and rhythmically complex. Agosti’s extended
a capella feature on “Spread Love” shows off her range
and skill as an improviser. On Coleman’s “Kathelin
Gray”, perhaps the most accessible of the tracks, Agosti
is stunning, her beautiful, charmingly accented singing
accompanied at first by only bass and later drums.
“Echoes from Fort Worth, Texas” is poignant in its
sparsity. “Cooper’s Game” transports the listener to abudding romance in a late-night jazz club. “Rolling”
is upbeat and energetic, and “At the Funeral the BandIs Sad and Drunk” is melancholy and multifaceted.
This album, full of delightful surprises, is definitely awinner.
For more info visit autrecords.com

Dream Box
Pat Metheny (BMG Modern Recordings)
by Brian Charette

Guitarist Pat Metheny has covered a lot of ground since

he first burst onto the international jazz scene in 1974.
His iconic album Bright Size Life reinvented the role andsound of jazz guitar. On his newest recording Dream Box,the enigmatic six-stringer has constructed an engaging
program of solo guitar pieces with self-accompaniment.
In the press materials, Metheny says, “Dream Box is anunusual recording for me: a compilation of solo tracks
recorded across a few years that I discovered while
listening on tour.” The recording process was simple:
a chordal accompaniment was recorded, then a trackwith melody and solo was added on top, sometimes
inspired by an unusual guitar. The recordings are raw,
with slight signal clipping here and there and small
imperfections in the different guitars used, but this only
emphasizes the effortless brilliance of the performances.
“The Waves Are Not the Ocean” is a lovely slow
jazz ballad with inverted chords, lilting melody, and aperfectly unresolved plagal cadence. Metheny’s solo is
minimal, with just the right resolutions outlining theslick chord changes. Resonant fret harmonics take us
out on the coda. The backing tracks of all the pieces haveperfect metronomic time and show great patience andforesight in their performance. “Ole & Gard” moves inthirds with interesting harmonic twists before arriving
at an optimistic vamp. The tune seems to slide between
metrically modulated 3/4 and 4/4 time, keeping
listeners on the edge of their seats. Metheny’s solo is
lyrical and weaves expertly through the chords withjust a hint of augmented major 7th harmony here andthere. The tone of the lead guitar is round and dark andin great contrast to the crisp rhythm track. The standard“I Fall in Love Too Easily” gets a wistful treatment withvery simple accompaniment and a memorable solo. The
guitarist says a lot with just a few notes; his lines have aterrific arc, with buttery slides and bends that add to the
mystique. “P.C. of Belgium” grooves in 3, with a subtle
country twang and counterpoint that is automaticallycreated when the rhythm guitar uncharacteristicallybreaks out of its lane and plays some lines as well.
The solo on the vamp out of the tune is particularly
beautiful. Melancholy closer “Clouds Can’t Change
the Sky” is gorgeously spacious and a perfect ending
for this brilliant set. This is a great album of first-takeguitar playing and a must for Metheny fans.
For more info visit modernrecordings.de. Metheny is at
Beacon Theatre Jun. 24. See Calendar.

Spirit Gatherer: Tribute to Don Cherry
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble (Spiritmuse)by Jim Motavalli

Trumpeter Don Cherry’s career was so wide-ranging

and idiosyncratic—from serving as Ornette Coleman’s
foil to embracing world music—that any tribute must
similarly cover a lot of ground. Spirit Gatherer, thelatest album by the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, the longstanding project of drummer/percussionist/vocalist
Kahil El’Zabar, certainly tries to do just that.
On Monk’s “Well, You Needn’t”, baritone
saxophonist Alex Harding takes on the bass role, while
trumpeter Corey Wilkes tackles the melody. Harding’s
growling solo is a long way from Monk, but that’s
fitting; back in the day, Ornette was also perceived to
be a long way from Monk, though their kinship is now
more apparent.
“The Opening” (which features the nominal leader’schanted vocals) has an elegiac feel and could serve asa tribute to David Ornette Cherry (Don Cherry’s son)who plays piano, melodica and douss’n gouni (a formof West African guitar) before passing away last year,
shortly after working with El’Zabar.
The album’s vocals, from El’Zabar and DwightTrible (the latter influenced by Andy Bey and Leon

16 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Thomas), are heartfelt but also an acquired taste(“Sketches of a Love Supreme” would arguably bebetter without them). “Bop On” is, as the name implies,
boppish but with some sprinkled Ornette/Cherry fairy
dust. Wilkes and Harding make a good team, playing
around each other, backed by David Ornette Cherry’s
slightly dissonant piano; his solo is full of sharp edges,true to his father’s music.
The leader’s kalimba introduces “Holy Man”,
which has more effective incantatory vocals that evoke
Cherry’s productive Codona period (his trio withpercussionists Naná Vasconcelos and Collin Walcott).
“Evocation” has a lovely melody voiced by the horns
and some fine growling from Wilkes.
“Degi Degi”, from Don Cherry’s Brown Rice, isgiven an attractive treatment (via Ornette Cherry’s
circling piano patterns). Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”,
perhaps his most recorded tune, also benefits fromDavid Ornette Cherry’s piano work, along with Wilkes’
haunting trumpet and El’Zabar’s percussion. Though
Margo Guryan wrote lyrics for “Lonely Woman” in
1962 (both Chris Connor and Freda Payne covered it),the lyric here isn’t the same.
“Don Cherry”, on which the band chants thecomposer’s name, is catchy but repetitious. The maestro
himself could have created the cool riff, but an actual
Don Cherry piece might have had more going on.
The title piece is a showcase for baritone saxophonist
Harding and Trible’s spiritual jazz vocals.
Many Don Cherry albums have divine moments,and some dross. That’s true here too.
For more info visit spiritmuserecords.com. El’Zabar’s Ethnic
Heritage Ensemble is at Roulette Jun. 18 as part of Vision
Festival. El’Zabar is also at Nublu Jun. 28 in duo with David
Murray. See Calendar.

Real Time (Blue Note)
R •• ARTEMIS—In
Jamie Breiwick—Awake: Volume 2-The
e Music of Don Cherry (Shifting Paradigm)
Clark—c • Mike
Plays Herbie Hancock (Sunnyside)o • Jeff Coffin—Look For Water (Ear Up)m • Orhan Demir—
In Jazz, Vol. 3 (Solo Guitar) (Hittite)m • Freedom
Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet—e As Things Do (Intakt)n • Devin Gray—Most Definitely (Rataplan)
Harnik/Zlatko Kaučič—d • Elizabeth
One Foot In The Air (Not Two)e • Lauren Henderson–d Conjuring (Brontosaurus)

n
e
w
r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s

• François Houle Genera Sextet—
In Memoriam (Clean Feed)• Russ Lossing & King Vulture—
Alternate Side Parking Music (Aqua Piazza)• Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry—
Our Daily Bread (ECM)• Denman Maroney/Scott Walton/Denis
Fournier—O Kosmos Meta (RogueArt)• Edward Simon—Femeninas: Songs of Latin
American Women (ArtistShare)• Alan Skidmore—A Supreme Love (Confront)• Cecilie Strange—Beyond (April)• Henry Threadgill—The Other One(Pi Recordings)• Lukas Traxel—One-Eyed Daruma (We Jazz)• Twirls—Tides & Shadows (Tiger Moon)• Bo van de Graaf—Shinjuku (ICDISC)

features a weirdly digital arrangement by Hooland. The
pianist also contributes two originals, the angular ballad“Wimpel” and the concluding “Aanhanghuis”, a shifting
collage of divergent approaches. This is lively, buoyant
music, but the brevity of the pieces and the overall
performance limit any sense of the band’s real potential.
ScyllaDave Rempis, Joshua Abrams, Jim Baker, Avreeayl Ra(Aerophonic)
These Things Happen
Keefe Jackson, Oscar Jan Hoogland, Joshua Abrams,
Mikel Patrick Avery (Astral Spirits)
by Stuart Broomer

For
more
info
visit
aerophonicrecords.com
andastralspiritsrecords.com. Joshua Abrams is at Roulette Jun.
14 with Hamid Drake’s “Turiya: Honoring Alice Coltrane”
as part of Vision Festival. See Calendar.

Joshua Abrams has been based in Chicago since theearly ’90s, although his roots (pun intended) are in
Philadelphia, where his rhythmic acuity earned him
the nickname “The Original 808” after a Japanesedrum machine. He is likely best known for his 14-year
leadership of one of the world’s most original bands,
Natural Information Society, in which he plays guembri,
a hide-covered North African bass lute. However, he’slong been among Chicago’s leading bassists, withassociations across a range of music from post-bop to
postmodern. He’s a brilliant bass soloist; his Excavations
1 (Feeding Tube) reveals how much mayhem one cancreate with a bow. However, it’s largely in the traditionalroles of establishing the rhythmic and tonal core of themusic, as well as providing flexible support, that heappears on these two quartet recordings, the first richly
expansive, the second mercurially brief.
Scylla presents the quartet of tenor/alto/baritone
saxophonist Dave Rempis, drummer/percussionist
Avreeayl Ra, pianist/synthesist Jim Baker and Abrams
playing at Elastic Arts in July 2021 after a fifteen-month
COVID-19 layoff. More than mere celebration, it’s aperformance of profound emotions, opening with aserenely beautiful moment of Ra playing mbira andannouncing, “This is for the survivors” (thoughtfully
moved from the performance’s end to the album’s
beginning). When Rempis launches “Between a Rock”
he does so slowly; his impassioned tenor has a sounduncannily like John Coltrane’s in his last year, withhigh frequencies shaved off and a wide vibrato. The
performance runs 35 minutes, from rubato reverie tosoaring joy, through shifting tempos, techniques, volumelevels and instrumental emphases, with consistentattention to nuance. Each musician brings a unique voice
and special empathy, including a late passage in which
individuals gradually join Abrams’ arco solo, until
the full quartet is engaged in an improvisation that’s
compound as well as collective, its parts beautifully
individuated. The very different, 27-minute companion
piece, “Viscosity”, includes a long passage that matches
baritone saxophone heft with dance rhythms and eerie
synthesizer drones. It’s another intense, extended
immersion, but the listener’s interest never flags.
These Things Happen couldn’t be more different. It’sa strange record, beginning with its format: a six track,
22-minute, 45 rpm record.
An essentially Chicago band—Abrams, Mikel
Patrick Avery (drums) and Keefe Jackson (tenor/
soprano)—here makes an essentially Dutch record,
working in the Netherlands with pianist Oscar Jan
Hoogland. The emphasis is on slightly off-kilter jazzstandards, performed briefly and explosively. The
album opens with Thelonious Monk’s “Epistrophy”,
pushed along by Abrams’ pulsing bass and Avery’s
polyrhythmic chatter. Jackson addresses the melody
with a rugged honk, and he and Hoogland solo briefly.
The pattern continues through performances of Dewey
Redman’s “Gotta Get Some Sleep”, which is marked byfrequent shifts in rhythm and tempo, and (best of all)
Herbie Nichols’ “The Happening”, a fitting tribute to alost master highlighting Abrams’ classic in-the-pocketbass work and Jackson’s boppish tenor. Monk’s “Bemsha
Swing” is a truncated performance (merely 2’30”), andJUNE 2023

NEW YORK CITY

Ghost Trance Septet Plays Anthony Braxton
Kobe Van Cauwenberghe’s Ghost Trance Septet(el NEGOCITO)
by Kurt Gottschalk

It takes a performance history to save a composer fromthe dustbin. Granted, that’s less true than it was before
the recording age, but the digital era is arguably bringing
back that ill-fated fast track. Recordings and scores
won’t keep compositions in the collective memory. It’s
ongoing performance that keeps them alive.
For a composer as prolific and brilliant as
Anthony Braxton (who turns 78 this month), continued
performance is vital. His work has been performed
almost entirely by ensembles led either by himself or
by musicians who have worked closely with him. With
work so open to individual interpretation, it’s not justimportant for its future to have it performed; any such
performance directly informs the present.
Kobe Van Cauwenberghe has engaged with,indulged in and absorbed the Ghost Trance Music, one
of Braxton’s headiest and most exciting compositional
systems. In 2020, he released his Ghost Trance Solos,
an effective if counterintuitive guitar-looping approachto a performance process that allows for concurrent
interpolations from across Braxton’s catalog, and doesa convincing job at realizing a concept designed for inthe-moment ensemble subgroupings.
He has now expanded that effort to a full band, and to
wonderful effect. The four performances on Ghost Trance
Septet Plays Anthony Braxton—sourced from Compositions
193, 255, 264 and 358, each a bit over 20 minutes—ringclearly with Braxton’s voice, but as refracted by themusical personalities of a talented assemblage of Belgianand Danish players. Van Cauwenberghe employs astandard midsize jazz band lineup—trumpet, reeds,
violin, piano, bass, drums—himself playing electricand nylon string guitars and adding some surprisingsynthesizer. Trumpeter Niels Van Heertum provides
some nice, murky euphonium on Composition 258, andoff-mic vocals add to the fabric of Composition 255. But
it’s on Composition 264 that the ensemble really comes
into its own, with long and seemingly open passages andespecially fiery soloing by the leader.
Performance histories are what move musicians
associated with the jazz tradition from the entertainerrole across the line to the (racially-defined and more
esteemed under Eurocentric standards) status ofcomposer. The Ghost Trance Septet hasn’t just madean enjoyable (and very much so) record for the current
moment; they’ve contributed to the future criticalassessment of a musical mind as important as Ellington
and Riddle on the one hand and Stockhausen and
Xenakis on the other.

GRACE JONES(NxWORRIESANDERSON .PAAK& KNXWLEDGE)

ROBERT GLASPER

with LALAH HATHAWAY & BILAL

BJ THE CHICAGO KIDRIGHTGUY DAMN
FAREWELLPAT METHENY BUDDYCHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM

SIDE-EYEwith

GUEST BOBBY RUSH
& SAMANTHA FISH+SPECIAL

BRUCE HORNSBY &THE NOISEMAKERS

with JOHN SCOFIELD,KENNY GARRETT & CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE

CHUCHO VALDÉS &PAQUITO D’RIVERARON CARTER • SERGIO MENDESTALIB KWELI • STANLEY CLARKEOMARA PORTUONDO
THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER
Ms. LISA FISCHER • SOULIVELETTUCE • KENNY GARRETTMESHELL NDEGEOCELLOGHOST-NOTE • AVERY SUNSHINEJULIUS RODRIGUEZ • MASHINA
BRANDEE YOUNGER • DJ LOGIC • THE MOTETTAUK • CORTEX • HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIRHARLEM BLUES PROJECTBLUENOTEJAZZFESTIVAL.COM

For more info visit elnegocitorecords.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 17

Blues on Top
Mike Clark & Leon Lee Dorsey(featuring Mike LeDonne) (JazzAvenue1)
Plays Herbie Hancock
Mike Clark (Sunnyside)
Cantaloupe Island
Leon Lee Dorsey (JazzAvenue1)
by George Grella

T he first name that comes to mind in association withdrummer Mike Clark is Herbie Hancock; it’s Clark
at the kit for some of Hancock’s finest ’70s albums,
including Thrust, Death Wish, and the live Flood.
Clark is absolutely integral to the greatness of tracks
such as “Absolute Proof” and “Hang Up Your Hang
Ups”, and the Hancock legacy continued through his
playing in the Headhunters band.
A long partnership with bassist Paul Jackson
established Clark as one of the premier—and mostsophisticated—funk drummers, but his dozens ofalbums as either a sideman or a leader show his range
as a modern musician, from funk and soul to straightahead piano trios in recordings with Betty Davis, Jack
Walrath, Charnett Moffett, Chester Thompson andmany others.
Jazz is the main flavor on these three albums, as is
Hancock, not just on the Plays Herbie Hancock tributealbum but through the title track on Cantaloupe Island.
More central is the partnership with bassist Leon Lee
Dorsey, who is present on each of these discs.
Blues on Top, with pianist Mike LeDonne, isa mainstream jazz effort, but the seeming selfconsciousness works somewhat to its detriment—
there’s an occasional feeling of proving bona fides.
The selections are mostly well-known standards,
stretching to include a classic soul music take on
The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love”; there are also two
LeDonne originals, the title track and “Lock It in the
Pocket”. Track-to-track, this is mostly fine stuff, butthere’s a sense of impatience to the album as a whole,of a need to fill every possible space with music andplaying, where some light and air would be welcome.
This issue is especially true with LeDonne, who has a
lot to say, never dull, but at times garrulous, such as
on “Stolen Moments”, a mid-tempo take that he fills
with notes. The best moment on the album is Dorsey’ssolo statement on “Angel Eyes”, which has lovely
pace, clarity and phrasing.
Plays Herbie Hancock is also a piano trio, with Jon
Davis at the keyboard. This is not a tribute album, justone where the musicians play great pieces including“Toys”, “Dolphin Dance”, and “Actual Proof”—
there’s no attempt to recreate a past time and place,just an appreciation of good material. Davis does put
in a few gentle Hancock-isms, a tremolo here and aparallel run there; these are not imitative, but simply
an acknowledgement of his predessor’s greatness.
Clark is always fully present, quick and responsive,
but never too much. His high-hat and stick work on
the cymbals is nicely reminiscent of a young Tony
Williams.
This album is straight ahead throughout, andthat being said, it might be a little conservative forsome tastes. The strength of Hancock’s writing is thatit has both a specific thematic presence and the kindof structure that supports everything from a swing
to funk to open-ended explorations. The variety here

is in the tunes, not the approach—although Clark
often seems to be asking musical questions such as,“How about we try this? How about we go here?”
Like Blues on Top, this is a good collection of tracks
but is missing a key ingredient for the parts to equal
the whole.
Cantaloupe Island is the best of the three albums
because it’s the most distinctive, the one with theclearest personal voice. Guitarist Russell Malone helps
open up the trio’s textures. The title track, the only
Hancock tune, is complemented by other works suchas Horace Silver’s “Sister Sadie”, Wes Montgomery’s“Bumpin’ on Sunset”, Prince’s “Thieves in the
Temple” and Ray Noble’s “The Very Thought of You”.
There’s also variety in the approaches: “CantaloupeIsland” is a medium funk groove built on Clark’s
cracking march rhythm; “Sister Sadie” has a soul/
stomp feel; and the Prince tune is a lovely balance
between funk and rock, with Malone bringing out thedepth of harmonies.
The ballads, including Kenny Burrell’s terrific“Listen to the Dawn”, contrast nicely with the othermaterial. The Montgomery riffs—which have Malone
clearly enjoying himself—also offer the kind ofcontrasts that an album needs to be a fully realizedstatement. That’s more than a matter of major andminor keys and tempos, but moods and concepts.
One can hear the range in Clark’s playing, what hedoes when playing slow and sculpting space, andDorsey’s strength and wisdom at the bottom. Malone
similarly plays with thoughtfulness: every line has its
purpose in what is a fine, fine album.
For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com andleonleedorsey.com. Clark’s Plays Herbie Hancock album
release concert is at The Django Jun. 8-9. See Calendar.

p res e nted b yexch a nge pl acea l li a nce

FREE to the public
SATURDAY& SUNDAYJUNE 3–4
p rodu ced b yjers ey c it y

JAZZ NIGHTS

shows
throughout jersey city
june 1–4 featured

18 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

tickets at jerseycityjazzfestival.com

his most voluble, always dealing in fresh ideas but also
tying them together.
The press notes describe Rueckert’s compositions andarrangements as “on the simple side.” But the way that
this band continuously reconfigures itself, converging
suddenly to create a unique backdrop for a soloist
or engaging in heated, spontaneous counterpoint, isnonetheless intricate. It’s just that their playing is so crisp
and efficient they make it all sound easy.
With Best Intentions
Jochen Rueckert (Colonel Beats)by Thomas Conrad

For more info visit jochenrueckert.net. Rueckert is at Bar
Bayeux Jun. 28. See Calendar.

The presence of Mark Turner—one of America’s premiertenor saxophonists—among the personnel here is one
obvious reason to check this album out, but there are many
more. German trombonist Nils Wogram and Dutch bass
clarinetist Joris Roelofs are similarly creative and intensemusicians. The instigator of this international project:
German, now NYC-based drummer Jochen Rueckert.
With Best Intentions is an example of the current trend
for chordless ensembles, as the rhythm section consists
only of Rueckert and bassist Doug Weiss. The leader’snine originals are convoluted little anthems, compact but
hummable, that launch Turner, Wogram and Roelofs highinto the air.
The first solo of the album, “The Dress”, is by thebass clarinetist. He is fluent across the entire range of ahorn that remains a specialty instrument in jazz, despite
its intriguing intervallic capabilities and expressive
potential. Wogram’s playing reveals his grasp of thetrombone’s natural affinity for drollery, but he also makes
formidably serious statements, as on “Unmitigated”.
Turner justifies his imposing reputation, on “Rainbow
Road” and “Unmitigated”, sounding thoughtful even atDance Kobina
Joe Chambers (Blue Note)by Tom Greenland

Joe Chambers established his reputation six decades ago

as house drummer for Blue Note Records, gigging andrecording with a Who’s Who of jazz icons. Turning 81 thismonth, he’s back with his third release for the label as aleader, Dance Kobina, recorded in Queens and Montreal.
There are three trio tracks with pianist Rick Germanson
and bassist Mark Lewandowski: Kurt Weill’s “This Is
New” (previously recorded by Chambers on Chick Corea’s
Tones for Joan’s Bones), which toggles between melody

and solos in 4/4 swing and vamps and interludes in 3/4;
Chambers’ “Intermezzo”, the most free-form track on thealbum, for which he switches to vibes to dialogue withGermanson; and guitarist Karl Ratzer’s “Moon Dancer”,
where he overdubs vibes and birdcall percussion. His
vibes playing, more episodic than thematic, is notablefor fast, dynamic flurries. For “Caravanserai”, an uptempo, impressionistic original, the trio is augmented by
Cuban percussionist Emilio Valdés; on “Ruth”, his lyrical
3/4 ballad with multihued harmonies, the trio grows toquintet with Valdés and alto saxophonist Marvin Carter.
Joe Henderson’s “Power to the People”, by the same
quintet with Carter now on tenor, contains engaging
conga/drums exchanges; Chambers again overdubs
vibraphone on the melody and transitional sections. Here,as elsewhere, the studio mix pans individual parts side-toside across the channels to create an immersive, slightly
surreal experience.
The remaining three tracks feature a Montrealbased sextet comprising alto saxophonist Caoilainn
Power, pianist André Vial (who wrote two of the tunes),
vibraphonist Michael Davidson, bassist Ira Coleman
and Congolese percussionist Elli Miller Maboungou onngoma drums. The title cut restlessly shifts between 3+3
and 2+2+2 accent patterns over a quasi-flamenco chord
progression, Chambers’ rim-taps and Maboungou’s sharp
slaps pumping the pulse. “City of Saints” and “Gazelle
Suite” are equally rhythmically devious, the former in 9/8,
the latter in a complex polyrhythm juxtaposing elevengroups of three against a cross-cutting piano montuno
in fractured 4/4, switching to straight-ahead swing forsolos, 6/8 for the intro and outro. All of which sounds
complicated, but Chambers’ relaxed yet hard-driving
groove keeps it all supple and spry.
For more info visit bluenote.com

SCAN FOR ALL CALENDARUPDATESPRESENTSSTEVEN OQUENDOLATIN JAZZ BANDBETHUNE BIG BANDPAUL E. WEST, CONDUCTORFORMER JAZZMOBILE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

WED. JUN. 14
7:00PMTHE INTERCHURCH CENTER
61 CLAREMONT AVE.
BTWN. WEST 119TH & 120TH ST. HARLEM

FRIDAY JUNE 2 @ 7 PM

COMING SOON | JULY 5 - SEPTEMBER 23
20 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDGuilty Pleasures
Kurt Elling’s SuperBlue (Edition)
by Scott Yanow

K urt Elling is arguably jazz’ leading male singer ofthe past 30 years. His career took a surprising turn inrecent times when he recorded SuperBlue. Conceived
during the worst period of the COVID epidemic, Elling
collaborated with bassist-keyboardist DJ Harrison anddrummer Corey Fonville, two musicians he did notactually meet until the album was completed. WithCharlie Hunter (whom Elling knew from his days with
the Blue Note label) acting as guitarist, producer andgo-between, SuperBlue featured the singer improvisingover funky rhythms. While the title cut is a Freddie
Hubbard tune, most of the other selections found
Elling stretching himself into uncharted areas andsounding quite at home in the funky setting.
Guilty Pleasures, a six-song EP that is only available
as a download, is even more of a stretch. Elling is again
joined by Hunter on hybrid guitar, but this time in a
bassless trio with drummer Nate Smith. Reinventing
himself as a creative soul singer, Elling performs
pieces associated with Eddie Money, Isaac Hayes (Sam& Dave’s “Wrap It Up”), Al Jarreau, P.J. Morton, andeven AC/DC (“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”). In

addition, there is a brief instrumental (Nate Smith’s“Bounce”).
The singer meets the music on its own terms, notattempting to turn it into a boppish “jazz meets rock”
project. The songs are mostly quite catchy (particularly“Wrap It Up” and the danceable “Sticking to My
Guns”); Smith’s drumming is quite prominent, while
Hunter takes a supportive role. Most rewarding isJarreau’s “Boogie Down”, which has Elling scatting
quite fluently and swinging in this sparse setting.
Will Elling fans embrace his latest effort? It helps
to have an open mind toward soul/R&B singing, andto dismiss one’s expectations of what to expect from
Elling. Chances are that Guilty Pleasures will be seen asa brief stop before the singer’s next major project.
For more info visit editionrecords.com. Elling is at Village
Vanguard Jun. 6-11 with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. See
Calendar.

Rite Notes
Harold Danko (SteepleChase)by Ken Dryden

Igor Stravinsky’s landmark score for The Rite of
Spring drew brickbats from many who heard its 1913

premiere in Paris, but classical music fans soon began
to appreciate the inspired innovations within themaestro’s groundbreaking work. Many jazz musicians
have been drawn to Stravinsky’s music and there havebeen a number of earlier attempts by them, either
solo or in a group, to interpret The Rite of Spring.
Pianist Harold Danko (who turns 76 this month) took
a different path by composing a series of new works
influenced by Stravinsky’s ballet score. Originallyintending the music to be performed by his quartet, thepianist reworked it into a series of solo piano pieces,some of which were heard on his acclaimed Spring
Garden (SteepleChase, 2021). This second volume
further explores this body of Stravinsky-influenced
compositions.
The beauty of listening to this recording is
detecting how Danko has incorporated snippets ofStravinsky’s masterpiece into his equally striking
compositions. While Danko’s music isn’t nearly as
percussive or dissonant as the original, it is no lessmesmerizing. He also revisits some of the works from
Spring Garden, including the somewhat humorous“Address Unknown”. On “No Escape”, a haunting
ballad with a sense of terror just beyond the horizon,
Danko strums the strings and makes use of the rarely
utilized middle (sostenuto) pedal. He uses similar
techniques in his raga-influenced “Nirigama”, adriving performance that incorporates a Bud Powelllike bass line. Danko’s detailed liner notes provide
technical descriptions of each composition, withoccasional hints as to his sources of inspiration, though
there’s plenty of detective work left to listeners if they
are so inclined. Rite Notes reveals new facets with eachhearing.
For more info visit steeplechase.dk

NELS CLINE: CONSENTRIK QUARTETLPR15FEATURING

LIVE AT LPR
FOR TICKETS AND INFO VISIT LPR.COM

INGRID LAUBROCK, CHRIS LIGHTCAP + TOM RAINEY

06.02.23
Dave Soldier Orchestra with Komar & Melamid
Gene Pritsker, conductor
Talujon Percussion
A N

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W I T HBEBELGILBERTO
06.19.23

08.16.23
08.19.23( FO R M E R LY C H R I S T I AN S C O T T )22 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

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inspired by female shaman Maria Sabina. The suite
continues with the elegant English language ballad“Naked Sky”, and concludes with “Bulería”, agraceful blend of contemporary jazz and flamenco.
While Herrera and Simon’s synergy is at the heart ofFemeninas, they skillfully avoid overshadowing thetunes. Their leadership shines through as they bringa sense of familiarity and appreciation for the music,
introducing these important women composers to a
new audience.
Femeninas: Songs of Latin American Women(feat. Magos Herrera)
Edward Simon (ArtistShare)
by Elliott Simon

F eminanas: Songs of Latin American Women builds
upon native Venezuelan pianist Edward Simon’s
previous Latin American Songbook (Sunnyside, 2016), by
expanding its setting and narrowing its focus. Mexican
vocalist Magos Herrera, Venezuelan percussionist
Luis Quintero and Brazilian guitarist Romero
Lubambo are featured, in addition to drummer Adam
Cruz and bassist Reuben Rogers. The arrangements
artfully complement Herrera’s voice while capturing
the essence of each song. Eight tunes from femalecomposers and a new three-movement suite showcase
deep and varied emotions.
Brazilian artist Joyce Moreno’s title track is alively opener, but Simon’s classically informed touchand Herrera’s vocals truly shine on the ballads andtorch songs that follow. Herrera is the artistic advisor
at Brooklyn’s National Sawdust and previously
collaborated with Simon for a tribute to the lateArgentinian songstress Mercedes Sosa. She channels
Sosa’s spirit on Chilean composer Violeta Parra’s“Gracias a la Vida” while Simon applies his jazzsensibilities to this powerful performance of Parra’s
life-affirming anthem. Simon opens Chabuca Granda’s
Peruvian classic “La Flor de la Canela” with a gorgeous
piano solo that picks up speed with Herrera’s entrance.
The beautifully ethereal “Palabras”, featuring a lovely
bass solo, and the touching “Hacia Dondé” represent
important Cuban composer Marta Valdés.
Rogers’ beautiful bass arco work defines
Argentinian Georgina Hassan’s “Tierra Movida”. Morerecent compositions are also included: a mystery-filledtake on Chilean composer Elizabeth Morris’ stylish“Décimas”, and the breezy “Dunas”, from Rosa Passos
and Fernando de Oliveira. Work from other notable
Latin American women composers such as Ángela
Peralta (Mexico) or Margarita Luna de Espaillat(Dominican Republic) would have been welcome, butinstead Simon’s three-part “Latino Soy” completes the
program. It begins with “Mujer Remolino”, initiallya pleasant improvisatory performance by Simon that
gradually transforms itself into a haunting recitation
photo E. Melchior

OGUZ BUYUKBERBER
bass clarinet

TOBIAS KLEIN
bass clarinet

CD VOSTOK
Remote Islands

Release Sept. 2023
relativepitchrecords.com

FIE SCHOUTEN clarinets
VINCENT COURTOIS cello
GUUS JANSSEN keyboards

BASSCLARINET.NL

TRYTONE.ORG

For more info visit artistshare.com. Simon’s album release
concert is at Dizzy’s Club Jun. 13. See Calendar.

G L O B E UN I T Y

AmberLori Freedman/Scott Thomson (Clean Feed)
Live at De Roze TankerOğuz Büyükberber / Tobias Klein (Trytone)
Jazzpreis
Rudi Mahall/Michael Griener (Astral Spirits)
by Fred Bouchard

O rrin Evans wants to tell you a story. That story isgoing to be broad and diverse, because Evans doesn’t
believe in barriers of any kind. With The Red Door, thepianist pummels the barriers to dust, bringing together
disparate source material and supremely talented
musicians. Over two recording sessions, with two setsof musicians, he has produced a magnificent, coherent
and beautiful story of love and loss.
The “base unit” on the album includes Gary Thomas(tenor/flute), Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Robert Hurst(bass) and Marvin “Smitty” Smith (drums). For “TheGood Life”, the leader brought the velvety tone of oneof his great mentors and fellow Philadelphian, 82-yearold tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna. McKenna is stillat the top of his game, and his solo turn is swinging,
melodic and inventive. And it doesn’t hurt that therhythm section here is: Evans, Buster Williams (bass)
and Gene Jackson (drums)!
Then there is loss. Trumpeter Wallace Roney was
one of the first to employ a young Orrin Evans. Roneyand Evans recorded a deconstructed version of “All theThings You Are” on March 10, 2020, two days before
the COVID-19 lockdown. Three weeks later, Roney wasgone, making this track his last recorded output. The
pianist pays tribute to the distaff side of their great (ifimpermanent) musical marriage with an avant gardeinfluenced version of Geri Allen’s “Feed the Fire”, andalso tips his hat to Ralph Peterson Jr. with “Smoke
Rings”. All major influences on Evans, and all takenmuch too young.
There is redemption here, as well. Two of the bestpieces are “Weezy” and “Phoebe’s Stroll”, both written
to honor Evans’ godchildren. “Weezy” was written at a
Chicago piano with Eloise literally at Evans’ side. The
titular Phoebe is the younger daughter of Brinae Ali
and trumpeter Sean Jones, and the funky, confident
style Evans brings to the piece reflects the little girl’s
personality when she was just a toddler.
Because of his musical range, complex yet melodic
compositions and technical ability, Evans is on the
short list of active, living piano masters along with the
likes of players such as Brad Mehldau, Jason Moran andgrandmaster (and a generation older) Kenny Barron.
The Red Door is a superb addition to Evans’ canon of
more than 25 releases as a leader or co-leader over the
past quarter century; altogether, it is one of the mostimportant collections in contemporary music.

When Harry Carney played bass clarinet on Duke
Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” (1930) it was an instrument
he’d long-played, even before the baritone sax. Few
practitioners of the grenadilla-bodied, metal-belled hybrid
horn worked outside concert bands and symphonies backthen, but Ellington was always an innovator. In the ’60s
the bass clarinet came to jazz prominence in the able handsof Eric Dolphy, Bennie Maupin and Paul McCandless;later adherents include David Murray, Denis Colin and
Ned Rothenberg. Today, it may serve as a second or thirdaxe and edgy alter ego for saxophonists in an ethnically
expanding and sonically exploratory jazzosphere. Canada,
Netherlands and Germany bring us sessions that pit bass
clarinetists (listed first) with long-standing colleagues.
Freedman and Thomson (trombone), accomplishedveteran improvisors based in Montreal and Toronto, lastpaired up on disc in 2007 (Plumb, Barnyard). Amber isfossilized tree resin, and the two name their improvised
artifacts for various chemicals that characterize amber
types. Yes, aural-mineral metaphors do occasionally loom:“Glessite” sounds like crushing mica; “Cadinene” evokes
ants quietly screaming to be released from golden prisons.
Whale-song vocals arise: squiggly squeaks, gurgly coughs,
key snaps, multiphonics. The soloists share the limelightequally, with a marvelous range of sonic variety anddynamic levels that range from a hush to a shout on their
Amber collaboration.
Bass clarinetists Oğuz Büyükberber and Tobias Klein
meet again (they’ve been at it 16 years) on Live at De Roze
Tanker at the small Amsterdam arts club. Birds of a feather,
they entwine necks, clack beaks, twitter querulously, andcoo in the altissimo range. Their extensive ruminations
range widely and well: gracefully arced arabesquescantilevering midway through “June, July?”, MiddleEastern modes and mey-like ululations on “Crown
Shyness”, and relaxed legato melodic ideas stretched overthe finale of this half-hour set. On the website you can finda dreamy bonus track, where slap-tongue meets overtones.
Active cohorts on the Berlin scene, Rudi Mahall(clarinets, baritone) and Michael Griener (drums) go way
back to their teenage years on Jazzpreis, and their witty,
brisk exchanges on “Derweil...” reveal their long-standing
intimacy. Their old wink-and-nudge routine peaks in amelee between bari shrieks and trap-set clanks in a trackthat translates roughly as “Late Night in the Lockup”.
Kati Mahall captures the music’s cut-and-paste-bits-makewhole-cloth mentality in her colorfully fragmented covercollages. Scintillating excursions for clarinet and vibraphone(and dry snare-less raps) break the textural skein. With theirfluent phrasing, breathless pacing and clear intent, these two
savvy veterans approach post-bop fragmentation freely,
like, say, Scott Robinson and Han Bennink. Don’t blink!
On duos you might expect to find a few true solo
passages for textural relief, but you’d find few here; withthe exception of Amber’s extended pianissimo opening
track and some other spots, the male protagonists on thesealbums vie competitively to cram notes into every cranny
and suck air out of the space.

For more info visit smokesessionsrecords.com. Evans’ album
release concert is at Smoke Jun. 8-11. See Calendar.

For more info visit cleanfeed-records.com, trytone.org andjazzpreis.com.

The Red Door
Orrin Evans (Smoke Sessions)by Keith Hoffman

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 23

IN PRINT

Silent Films/Loud Music: New Ways of Listening toand Thinking about Silent Film Music
Phillip Johnston (Bloomsbury Academic)
by Ken Dryden

P hillip Johnston is best known as the cofounder of the Microscopic Septet with pianist
Joel Forrester. By the late ’90s, Johnston turned
some of his focus to composing and performing
new soundtracks for silent films. His new bookon silent film music covers a lot of ground. He
discusses the background music performed
to accompany silent films in their day, whichranged from a solo theater organist or pianist
improvising in response to the movie, towritten-out cues for a group of musicians,
and later completely composed scores, few
of which have survived intact. His primary
focus, however, is on new music performed toaccompany silent films, regardless of genre.
What is fascinating is how modern composers
have approached writing or performing forthese films in different ways. Freedom fromlimitations imposed by anyone associated withthe original films enables new and sometimes
unusual approaches, such as Forrester turning
Nosferatu into a comedy and a Laurel and Hardy
into a horror flick. Johnston believes that music
is an equal partner to the film rather than merely
serving as background, though the performance
should be continuous.
Many commercial silent film DVDs have beenreleased with one or more modern soundtracks.
As Johnston notes, the quality of the music is
all over the map, from electric organ played
by a musician evidently seeing the film for the
first time, to fully composed music, whether it
is electronic, jazz, punk or a blend of classicalthemes.
In addition to discussing his own methodology
for composing for silent films, Johnston elicits
detailed information in his interviews with othersoundtrack composers about how they create theirsoundtracks. The common thread is first viewing
the film several times before starting work, eventhough the musicians feel no obligation to follow
the guidelines created by filmmakers during theheyday of silent films.
Musicians
willappreciate
Johnston’s
inclusion of an appendix presenting manuscript
examples of his own writing for silent film.
Detailed footnotes encourage further reading
and research. The wealth of information in thisvaluable study should encourage other composers
in many genres to write and play new music forsilent films, though it won’t necessarily be for themoney! Hopefully, arts organizations outside themajor cities will begin to offer silent film festivals
with live music; but for now, most fans will haveto find DVDs with modern soundtracks.
For more info visit bloomsbury.com. Johnston’s booklaunch is at Barbes Jun. 1. He also plays with Richard
Dworkin Orchestra at Barbes Jun. 2. See Calendar.

b i o m e i.i
Kate Gentile/International Contemporary Ensemble(Obliquity)
by George Grella

Kate Gentile is a drummer and percussionist who playswith the likes of pianist Matt Mitchell, guitarist Ava
Mendoza and guitarist/banjo player Brandon Seabrook.
She has a recent eponymously titled release of her band
Secret People (on Out Of Your Head), which is described
as a “cryptic jazz/noise rock project.” That’s a way tointroduce this album, which is not necessarily a jazz record
but rather a thirteen-movement composition performed bya prominent new music ensemble.
What it shares with her playing is the “cryptic” part,which describes the kind of complex rhythms that Gentile
and Mitchell play in their band Snark Horse—the beats
come in fragments that collide rather than join together
smoothly. This is the kind of discontinuous structure thatJohn Zorn pioneered with his game pieces. Those pieces
took advantage of improvising musicians’ quickness;composing with this same kind of quickness is possible,
but an altogether different, and harder task.
This is music that seems to be always trying tobuild something; it’s full of effort but only intermittently
produces rewards. On sections like “bippf”, the woodwinds
try to carve a rising, striving phrase out of the percussion’s
aggressive, off-kilter rhythms—they get there, but only
for a moment. Other sections sound improvisational, buthemmed in by specific cues.
The music has a dense texture, which is an ambiguous
virtue. There is past music that is quite concentrated
because it has a lot to say, like that of Charles Ives (whose
influence seems to be here in some small phrases) or
Cecil Taylor, but being cryptic is the opposite of that. The
orchestration is murky and relentlessly-so in the middle
range, which contributes to a monotonous and rather
faceless experience, making it impossible to know exactly
what Gentile is trying to say.
For more info visit kategentile.com. Gentile is at Bar Lunàtico
Jun. 27 with Caroline Davis. See Calendar.

Tines of ChangeMark Dresser (Pyroclastic)
by Robert Bush

Bassist Mark Dresser is a master of the solo recital. Recent
breakthroughs include his marvelous Unveil (Clean Feed,2005) and Guts (Kadima Collective, 2010). Tines of Change isthe latest development along these lines, and he performs
it on two special instruments created by luthier Kent
McLagan (a four- and five-string model). McLagan has beenbuilding custom instruments from sustainable woods formore than twenty years. The first modification on Dresser’s
instrument came in 2000 when McLagan embedded handwound magnetic pickups in the fingerboard. These allow
certain overtones and pitch segments to be amplified—

24 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

revealing a unique sonic wonderland.
The second innovation is the installation of a series ofmetal tines attached to a second bridge on Dresser’s bass.
The tines are graduated in length and can be plucked orbowed—an amalgam of the African mbira or stroked rods
designed by the composer Robert Erickson. The results are
frequently stunning. Audio engineer Alexandria Smith iscrucial to the success of Tines of Change, capturing both thehugeness of Dresser’s sound and the intricate and amazing
details within his performance.
Describing the music is difficult. Dresser’s fullthroated arco work is often juxtaposed against startling
pizzicato effects that might convince the listener thatmultitracking or significant electronic manipulation is
employed. (Neither technique is used.) The results are
staggering: on pieces such as “Bitonetime”, Dresser
generates so much continuous sonic onslaught that you
might suppose the bassist has at least three hands.
“I think of the bass as an orchestra,” says Dresser in his
self-penned liner notes, and this is apparent throughout themusic. His compendium of extended techniques creates asingular sonic landscape that transports the listener into abeautiful alternate reality.
For more info visit pyroclasticrecords.com. Dresser is at Zürcher
Gallery Jun. 12, Roulette Jun. 14 as part of Vision Festival andplays/curates The Stone Jun. 28 - Jul. 1. See Calendar.

HomageSheryl Bailey Quartet (PureMusic)
by George Kanzler

Guitarist Sheryl Bailey includes a definition of the word
“homage” on the back of this LP release, along withthe statement, “All these compositions are to honor myinfluences, and the performances are all to channel mydeepest gratitude towards those that have been mentors andfriends throughout my career, on and off the bandstand.”However, the cryptic titles of her eight selections (e.g., “The
Velvet Hammer” or “A Fine Vine”) offer scant clues as to who
the homages are for. Originally drawn to jazz guitar after
hearing Wes Montgomery, Bailey could well be referencing
him. But we don’t know. What we do know is this quartet
includes Miki Hayama (electric keyboards), Harvie S (bass)
and Neal Smith (drums). A grant from Berklee College ofMusic, where Bailey is a veteran faculty member, made thisvinyl + digital download only release possible.
Bailey’s sound combines a clean, single-note style witha mild reverb/echo. “The Velvet Hammer”, the opener,
has distinctive, popping lines and an easy swing. The
most striking of the eight originals is the Side One closer,“Lazy Dazy”. Like the late Oscar Pettiford’s “Tricotism”,
its theme is played in lock-step by two instruments, inthis case guitar and drums (sticks). Bass and keyboard
eventually join in with riffs that expand the tune, with solos
all around, including beguiling pizzicato from Harvie S.
Other selections also have welcome surprises. “WalkUp”, a mid-tempo swinger, in AABA form, races doubletime through the B section. Climbing, overlapping, echoey
guitar chords feature on the climax of the silky ballad “A
Fine Vine”. Eerie synth keyboards add spacey audio to“The Search for New Light”. And “Exit” opens with drums
soloing against jabs of Harvie S’ bow on strings, before
segueing into a more conventional 4/4 guitar quartet
sound to end Side Two.
For more info visit sherylbailey.com. Bailey’s album release concerts
are at Zinc Bar Jun. 5 and Bar Lunàtico Jun. 24. See Calendar.

Sky Continuous
Noah Preminger Trio (Criss Cross)by Ken Dryden

Noah Preminger is one of the most adventurous
and least easily categorized tenor saxophonists of his
generation; he’s also a versatile and prolific composer.
This record date is a rare opportunity to hear him
leading a trio with just bass and drums accompaniment.
His frequent collaborator Kim Cass (bass) was anatural choice for the session, as they have also toured
extensively together, while veteran Bill Stewart (drums)
was suggested by the late Gerry Teekens (founderof Criss Cross Jazz) prior to his death in 2019. Eachof Preminger’s originals has a unique character thatinspires the trio to great heights. Because the leader’scompositions are not heavily arranged, they instead
provide frameworks for exploration that give Cass andStewart plenty of freedom.
The acronym “FTGOP” hardly needs to be spelled
out for anyone who closely follows recent U.S. politics;
its turmoil and twists are handled with finesse,
highlighted by Stewart’s off-center drumming. The
loping, laconic “High or Booze” finds Preminger in awistful mood, incorporating Cass’ brooding bass andStewart’s dynamic drumming. The haunting “Iris”

honors Preminger’s grandmother, who succumbed to
COVID early in the pandemic. The tenor saxophonist’s
emotional playing elegantly conveys his sense of loss; as
Cass keeps vigil with his pensive bass, they are buoyedby Stewart’s adept percussion. Preminger’s breezy “SkyContinuous” summons imagery of the open road on abeautiful day. The title of “Jamz” suggests an uptempo
setting, but it surprisingly has a deliberate gait. Despite
that, it simmers nicely, with occasional rapid-fireoutbursts in Preminger’s solo and an intricate Cass bass
feature. The final track is a wild interpretation of the latealto saxophonist Jackie McLean’s “Little Melonae”, a
bop classic recast in a totally new light by the trio.
For more info visit crisscrossjazz.com. Preminger is at Bar
Bayeux Jun. 13. See Calendar.

Time CapsuleBill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra(Planet Arts)
by George Kanzler

Trumpeter Bill Warfield’s Time Capsule is a brass andreed–heavy trip down the leader’s musical memory
lane, with an emphasis on the pop and jazz fusion hits of
his formative years (the late ’60s and ’70s). Tunes from26 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

the pioneer fusion bands Return to Forever and Weather
Report are beefed up with horn charts reminiscent ofrock horn bands such as Electric Flag and Blood, Sweat& Tears. Motown and James Brown are also revisited, as
is Burt Bacharach.
The opener, Billy Taylor’s “I Wish I Knew How It
Would Feel to Be Free”, features the versatile Broadway
and pop-rock singer Chrissi Poland. Its emphatic horn
charts and churning mix of Hammond organ (Paul
Shaffer) and piano (Cecilia Coleman) recall the 1969
version by San Francisco rock horn band Cold Bloodand its vocalist Lydia Pense. But Poland isn’t just a jazzrock belter. She brings out the tenderness in the ballad“Alfie” (also heard in an instrumental version featuring
the leader’s trumpet) and conjures up The Temptations
with overdubs on “Just My Imagination”. She also
brings the requisite vocal power to Percy Mayfield’s“Please Send Me Someone to Love”, which is pumped
up with horns and organ. Her other vocal is on “Let It
Go”, from Disney’s Frozen.
Warfield dresses up Return to Forever’s “Light asa Feather” with dual flugelhorns leading the ensemble(it’s the one track recorded live in concert). Shaffer’sorgan and Scott Neumann’s drums propel the funkon James Brown’s “Cold Sweat/I Got the Feeling”,
with gritty solos from Matt Hong (alto), Kurt Bacher(baritone) and Matt Chertkoff (guitar). Alto saxophonist
Lou Marini and tenor saxophonist Dave Riekenberg arecompelling on Joe Zawinul’s “Man in the Green Shirt”.
Bacher and Warfield prance through the boogaloo of“Zoe’s Dance”. And for contrast to the pop-fusion-funk,
there’s Hank Levy’s “Chain Reaction”, in 13/8, with
Warfield overdubbing all the brass.
For more info visit planetarts.org. Warfield’s album release
concert is at Silvana Jun. 30. See Calendar.

Far Far Away (feat. Kurt Rosenwinkel)
Jim Snidero (Savant)by Terrell K. Holmes

Far Far Away by alto saxophonist Jim Snidero is anembarrassment of riches. This remarkable album contains
a great roster of mostly original tunes, with Sniderojoined by an all-star band featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel(guitar), Orrin Evans (piano), Peter Washington (bass)
and Joe Farnsworth (drums).
Rosenwinkel states the band’s case immediately on
the title track, leading off with a fiery solo that grabs
the listener by the shoulders and sets the tone for not
only this song but the rest of the album. The brooding“Infinity” has strong soloing by Snidero, Rosenwinkel
and Evans, with each solo moving the song toward its
unresolved ending—which makes sense: how can one
resolve infinity? “Nowhere to Hide” swings effortlessly,
with more great soloing again from the leader, guitarist
and pianist. Farnsworth’s boogaloo-inflected drumbeat
provides the underpinning for the the moody and pensive“Obsession”. The band takes a strut along the block withthe light-hearted bopper “Pat”, with Washington finallystepping forward for a brief, nimble solo of his own.
“Little Falls” is as crisp and cheerful as a drive throughsnowy mountains on a winter’s morning.
In addition to his own tunes, the leader adds a pair ofclassics to the mix, which the band interprets faithfully,
though not without its own signature. The quintet renders
McCoy Tyner’s “Search for Peace” with the tenderness
and introspection that it deserves. Snidero’s somber
statement of the theme and Washington’s pizzicato arepitch perfect. And Snidero, Rosenwinkel, Farnsworthand Washington’s heartfelt version of Rodgers andHammerstein’s “It Might as Well Be Spring” is as goodas any that has been recently recorded.
Far Far Away is a pleasure to listen to. How canan album with this lineup not be? Led by the alto
saxophonist’s stellar playing and composing, thisquintet’s smoothness and cohesion is enviable andexemplary. This unit makes sounding great seem easy;
they also make Far Far Away a prime candidate for Bestof the Year lists.
For more info visit jazzdepot.com. Kurt Rosenwinkel is atVillage Vanguard Jun. 27-Jul. 2. See Calendar.

Certain Reveries
Ben LaMar Gay (International Anthem)by Kurt Gottschalk

Ben LaMar Gay’s Open Arms to Open Us (2021) was an
exciting and revelatory release. He’s a member of the
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians,
has spent three years living in Brazil, has composed for
New York City’s Wet Ink Ensemble and duetted with
Chicago’s DuSable Bridge. On Open Arms, all these
influences congealed into a remarkable and joyous

statement. How to follow that up couldn’t have been alight question. What he apparently decided to do was togo low-key, and what he found was dense, perplexing,
sometimes exhilarating and consistently intriguing.
Open Arms included more than two dozen guests,
many contributing vocals; some voices were seemingly
recorded impromptu and dropped in later. Certain
Reveries is a duo with drummer Tommaso Moretti. But
it’s not as simple as that. Trumpeter Gay’s is the sole
singing voice on the album, and then only occasionally.
He fills out the textures with liberal use of synthesizers,
often droning in organ tones or sounding more likemachinery. The album (which only got a cassette anddigital release) still feels like a duo, but a very big duo.
Gay and Moretti have worked in partnership in thepast under the name Bottle Tree, but their songwriting
and sound-making has grown considerably since theirsole release in 2017. Comparisons between their new
album and Lester Bowie’s duo with Philip Wilson (aswell as his wonderful solo album All the Magic!) are both
inevitable and apt, with glimmers of Sun Ra’s outer realms
discernable in the open-ended keyboard excursions.
Moretti, for his part, is a remarkable drummer. His fast,
light playing was a big part of what made Open Arms
to Open Us so exciting. Given less structure in the newalbum’s tracks, he has more room to wander. Some ofthe extended synth and drum improvisations are truly
fantastic.
Almost certainly, another bud of Gay’s sound,song and discovery will blossom in the future—indeed,
hopefully many more—and no doubt Moretti (whomay be to Gay what Dannie Richmond was to Charles
Mingus) will be part of it. If Certain Reveries is a bit of aplaceholder, it still earns its place.
For more info visit intlanthem.com. Gay is at Roulette Jun. 15
with Mike Reed as part of Vision Festival. See Calendar.

In the Wilderness
Gerald Cleaver/Brandon Lopez/Hprizm (577 Records)
by Phil Freeman

Gerald Cleaver is one of the most creative drummers on
the current music scene. He plays conventionally swinging
jazz and the freest improvisation with equal facility; he’s
worked with performers as different from each other as
trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and saxophonist Charles Gayle,
but that’s because he sees it all as one thing, not as adichotomy. And in recent years, he’s embraced the musicof his upbringing in Detroit by leaning into electronic
sounds on albums including Signs and Griots, whichfeatured an array of modular synth sounds, programmed
techno beats, and guest appearances from trumpeter
Ambrose Akinmusire and keyboardist David Virelles.
In the Wilderness is an experimental release that takes
as its source material an improvised live performance, a2019 duo between Cleaver and bassist Brandon Lopez.
(They’ve been playing together for several years,
sometimes just the two of them and sometimes in a trio
with poet Fred Moten.) These recordings were given to
Kyle Austin, aka High Priest of avant-garde rap crew
Antipop Consortium, currently known as Hprizm. He
manipulated them, added sounds, sent them back to
Cleaver and Lopez for revision as a good editor should,
and together they gradually built this album. Sometimes,
such as on “Hopoff” with its fractured organic
breakbeats, it sounds like a refracted, dubby version of
the fusion of jazz and electronic music from the Thirsty

Ear label’s Blue Series, some 20 years ago (one Blue Series
release was a collaboration between Antipop and pianist
Matthew Shipp); at other times, such as “Mainsource C”,
it sounds like a Timbaland and Missy Elliott track played
underwater. Late in the album’s second half, the “GLP3”> “GLP1” > “GLP” sequence comes across like a lost 12”
single from the cult dub techno label Basic Channel, withjust a little extra boom-bap in the middle section. The
disc ends with “Mainsource C1”, its longest track at morethan seven minutes; this cut feels the most “organic” andthe least “produced”, and even ends with applause, but
as this record proves, the instant you make the first edit,
you’ve created sonic fiction. What matters is the final
product.
For more info visit 577records.com. Cleaver is at Roulette aspart of Vision Festival: Cleaver’s Black Host Jun. 14, Cleaver
with William Parker’s Mayan Space Station Jun. 16 and with
Lopez’ “the gospel of sans” Jun. 17. See Calendar.

D R O P T H E NEE D L E

Dance With Death
Andrew Hill (Blue Note)by Eric Wendell

The late Andrew Hill (who died 16 years ago thismonth) had a command of the piano on par with his
contemporaries, but his nuanced melodic quality has
arguably fallen through the cracks of jazz history.
With Dance With Death, Hill proved that he could
build uniquely intricate mosaics.
Recorded in 1968 but not released until 1980,
Dance With Death begins with the solemn “Yellow
Violet”. The melody seamlessly weaves together the
timbres of trumpeter Charles Tolliver and sopranosaxophonist Joe Farrell (elsewhere heard exclusively
on tenor). The original Hill composition (one of
six on the album) is also a keen example of Hill’s
expertise as an accompanist, as he gently entwines
his piano with Tolliver’s solo.
The pianist is especially adept at balancing
different tones. While “Yellow Violet” is reflective,
the subsequent “Partitions” is a lively hard bop tune,
complete with a beautifully executed solo from theleader. “Fish ’n Rice” shows the ensemble at theirmost free, guided by a firm, fun groove underpinned
by Victor Sproles (bass) and Billy Higgins (drums).
The title track is a great example of Sproles’
simple line, anchoring the music’s atmosphericand, at times, nefarious feel. The sole ballad, “Love
Nocturne”, reveals the romantic side of Hill who
beautifully evokes the nature of love with subtle
adornments. The album ends on a high note withcloser “Black Sabbath”, a showcase for Farrell, whose
tenor solo veers between unbridled and controlled.
No longer under-appreciated, Dance With Deathdemonstrates Hill’s sophisticated compositional
style. History can now help this album finally get its
due in no small part to it getting the Blue Note “Tone
Poet Series” audiophile treatment: cut directly fromthe original analog tapes and released on 180g vinylwith deluxe gatefold packaging. A feast for the eyes
and ears.
For more info visit bluenote.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 27

the Play-A-Longs, but it’s refreshing to hear themreimagined with these players’ sly sense of humor.
This is a novel approach to music-making that
breathes new life into recordings we never thought
would get it.

JUNE 1SEKOU MCMILLER AND FRIENDS: AFRICAN DIASPORAAND DANCE
JUNE 2–4

DION PARSON & 21ST CENTURY BAND
JUNE 5

SONIC FESTIVAL: CLARICE ASSAD (7:30PM)& YOSVANY TERRY (9:30PM)
JUNE 6HARRY BELAFONTE’S CALYPSO REIMAGINEDJUNE 7BRIAN CHARETTE QUARTETJUNE 8STEVEN FEIFKE BIG BAND
JUNE 9–10

ANDRE CYRILLE AND CARIBBEAN CROSS-GENERATIONSJUNE 11

SONGBOOK SUNDAY: FATS WALLER
JUNE 12JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER YOUTH ORCHESTRA
JUNE 13

FEMININAS: SONGS OF LATIN AMERICAN WOMENJUNE 14

ALEX WEITZ QUARTET: ALBUM RELEASE (7:30PM)& RUBEN FOX & FRIENDS (9:30PM)
JUNE 15–18

VIJAY IYER TRIOJUNE 19–20

BRYAN CARTER PRESENTS “JAZZ AT PRIDE”
JUNE 21DANTON BOLLER CELEBRATES “THE SENATOR”
JUNE 22

DOUG BEAVERS: LUNA ALBUM RELEASE
JUNE 23–24

CARIBBEAN DIASPORA BIG BAND
JUNE 25

TERELL STAFFORD, RODNEY WHITAKER AND FRIENDS
JUNE 26

BENNY BENACK III: THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM
ALBUM RELEASE
JUNE 27

7TH JAZZTOPAD FESTIVAL NYC PRESENTS:
JOANNA DUDA TRIOJUNE 28–29

NEW YORK SALSA JAZZ PROJECTJUNE 30–JULY 2CHARLIE SEPULVEDA
AND THE TURNAROUND

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

212.258.9595
BROADWAY AT 60TH ST.

You Break You Buy
Mick Rossi/Peter Hess/Matt Moran (Diskonife)
Wild Awake
Darren Johnston (Diskonife)
Audible Spirits
Matt Moran (Diskonife)
by Elijah Shiffer

W oodwind player Peter Hess and percussionist Matt
Moran are two of Brooklyn’s (not to say the world’s)
most versatile musicians. Both have performed andrecorded with a seemingly infinite roster of artists
across the entire range of composed, improvised
and traditional music. As collaborators, they’re
perhaps best known as members of the Balkan brassband Slavic Soul Party! Hess and Moran are also thefounders of Diskonife, a label mostly dedicated totheir own projects as leaders and co-leaders. The
label’s three latest releases are very different fromeach other, but all sound like a lot of fun to create—
the kind of fun you’ll be familiar with if you’ve ever
heard Slavic Soul Party!
On You Break You Buy, Hess and Moran are
joined by Mick Rossi (keyboards, drums), anothereclectic multi-instrumentalist who’s worked withthe greats of every genre. Given the lineup, it’s nosurprise that this album is impossible to categorize;
its vast sonic palette is united by these players’
love for the diversity of music. The 11 tracks are
improvised throughout, but with tight overdubbing,which transforms them from jams to arrangements.
The title track is a great example, sounding almost
like a zanier version of the Claudia Quintet (anotherensemble featuring Moran). Hess in particular
explores overdubbing as a guitarist would use
effects pedals, as in “Constants”, where he createsa continuous trill that shifts in timbre between tenor
sax and clarinet. Other highlights include Rossi’sfiery solo piano track “Free Lunch” and Hess’ wideinterval clarinet lines on “Ursa Major Minor”.
Equally joyous is trumpeter Darren Johnston’s
Diskonife debut, Wild Awake. Though more
traditional in instrumentation than the label’s othernew releases, this quintet album features a slipperyrhythm section (Jacob Sacks-piano, Sean Conlybass, Ches Smith-drums) that seems prepared to go
anywhere at any time. Johnston and saxophonist
Dayna Stephens form a sure-footed front line, onethat goes right along with the many shifts in timeand feel, over the seven tracks. Stephens is aninteresting choice for such a playful ensemble; hislines have a polished quality that often contrasts
with the other players’ hijinks. Johnston’s voice
is heard on “Joe Hill’s Last and Final Will”; hesings the namesake labor activist’s final testament
in a beautiful ballad setting, approaching it like avenerable jazz standard.
Interpreting standards from an experimental
direction is always fascinating, and Audible Spirits
is a standards album with a major twist. The trio of
Moran (vibraphone), Curtis Hasselbring (trombone)and Sarah Elizabeth Charles (vocals) is joined by aunique accompanist: samples of Jamey Aebersold
Play-A-Long recordings. The eight songs use thissource material in several ways; some are charming
arrangements (such as Antonio Carlos Jobim’s“Girl from Ipanema”) while others are barely
recognizable. On Jerome Kern’s “All the Things You
Are”, Moran solos over two simultaneous backing
tracks at completely different tempos. Charles’
warm-toned voice holds things together when theaccompaniment gets particularly skewed. There
have been all sorts of opinions on Aebersold and

28 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

For more info visit diskonife.com. All three projects areat The Owl Music Parlor Jun. 3 as part of a Diskonife
showcase. See Calendar.

What a Way to Go!
Ben Cassara (Audiophile)by Marilyn Lester

W ell known as a vocalist and producer around
New York and its environs, Ben Cassara knows jazz
deeply. He studied with a trio of late jazz divas,
Carol Fredette, Roz Corral and Marlene Ver Planck,picking up a thing or two about selling a song. His
strong suit is a sharp eye for talent, as demonstrated
in the quintet backing his latest (second) album,
What a Way to Go!. Right out of the gate, in “I Just
Found Out About Love” (Jimmy McHugh, Harold
Adamson), Josh Richman’s piano is delightfully
forward with its lyrical, upbeat swing. Ronny
Whyte, the album’s producer, also guests as a
pianist on four of his originals. His song “The Party
Upstairs” (lyric by Roger Schore) is one of thoseswell, sophisticated numbers you can imagine Cole
Porter writing back in the day. This number also
introduces the mellow saxophone of Harry Allen,
who happily demonstrates his chops on quite a few
of the album’s other cuts.
Cassara does well with this kind of light swing.
He’s got a pleasant mid-range tenor, a propensity to
exaggerate final t’s and a vibrato that reveals itself
in ballads. In many respects, his style is akin to aless assertive form of Steve Tyrell’s. Still, even witha gentle delivery, Cassara has a way with a lyric andcan certainly put a song across. Duke Ellington’susually zippy “I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart”(Henry Nemo, John Redmond) is thoughtfully
delivered as a torchy blues ballad. Transforming
this standard into a story song works nicely, shining
a spotlight on how a re-imagining and clever
arrangement can give an old chestnut, even as greatas Ellington’s, new life and new meaning. Anothermaster of mood and melody, Antonio Carlos Jobim, ispresent on this album in bossa nova classics “Living
on Dreams (Vivo Sonhando)” (alternate English lyric
by Susannah McCorkle) and “Fotografia”.
What a Way to Go! is a highly curated piece ofwork, devised by someone who’s intimate with the
jazz repertoire as a whole and who has an ear forneglected material. Cassara, for instance, is a fan ofsongwriter Dave Frishberg, and includes “Zanzibar”,“Let’s Eat Home” and “Wheelers and Dealers”. It’s
on “Let’s Eat Home” that drummer Tim Horner andbassist Boots Maleson finally get to show off theirstuff; their solos are brief but demonstrate why
they’re highly in demand. As for “What a Way toGo”, the ballad by June Tonkin confirms Cassara asa pleasantly savvy singer who uses his voice wisely.
He’s just the ticket for a listener who’s looking forsomething off the beaten path.
For more info visit jazzology.com. Cassara’s album
release concert is at Pangea Jun. 7. See Calendar.

Criss Cross Jazz latest releases

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Criss Cross Jazz Recordss

LunaDoug Beavers (Circle 9)
by Russ Musto

Trombonist Doug Beavers is a mainstay of the Spanish

Harlem Orchestra and Eddie Palmieri bands. On Luna,his fourth effort as a leader, the follow-up to his criticallyacclaimed Sol date, he again proves himself not only atalented trombonist and commanding bandleader, but afirst rate composer and arranger in the tradition of Thad
Jones, Marty Sheller and Don Sebesky.
The first half of the album features the six-movement“Luna Suite”, performed by a nonet that includes
Jeremy Bosch (flute/vocals), Ivan Renta (tenor andsoprano saxophones), Manuel “Maneco” Ruiz (trumpet
and flugelhorn), Max Siegel (bass trombone), Gabriel
Chakarji (piano), Jerry Madera (bass), Luis Quintero(congas and timbales) and Camilo Molina (drums andbongos). It opens with a tranquil “Intro”, which leads
into the dynamic “Tidal”, on which vibrant horns soar
over Afro-Cuban cadences. “Reflejo del Sol” has Bosch’sflute floating gently over the ensemble. The band thenswitches gears, swinging soulfully on the reggae-flavored“Piedras”. Bosch is featured singing his Spanish language
lyric to the gamboling melody of Beavers’ “Multicolores”,
with guest vocalist Carlos Cascante joining the band on

the gorgeous bolero title track that closes the suite.
An expanded ensemble, with Luques Curtis taking
over bass duties and Robby Ameen and George Delgado
augmenting the percussion section, is heard on thealbum’s second half, which kicks off with a feature forvibraphonist Joe Locke and guitarist Paul Bollenback on
the multifaceted “Sea”. Conrad Herwig and Francisco
Torres join Siegel and Beavers on trombones for thelatter’s pulsating arrangement of Djavan’s beautiful
Brazilian classic “Flor de Lis”. The album concludes
dramatically with “Sands Time”, where the gospel tinged
vocal of Ada Dyer finishes the song on an appropriately
uplifting note.
For more info visit circle9music.com. Beaver’s album release
concert is at Dizzy’s Club Jun. 22. See Calendar.

HUSH
Le Boeuf Brothers (Soundspore)by Tom Greenland

HUSH, the fifth release by the Le Boeuf Brothers (pianist

Pascal, alto saxophonist Remy), delivers the twins’
usual double-barreled compositional sophistication. Its
relatively subdued emotional key perhaps reflects theirtransition from wunderkinder to seasoned vets (bothare now married with academic positions in separate
cities). Though each of the relatively short tracks stressa separate idea, the album’s overall atmosphere is of apiece. One unique feature of the project is close-mic’ing
and low-volume playing. This gives the saxophones anintimate breathy quality—like wind blowing or wirebrushes stroking a snare drum.
Pascal contributes eleven compositions, including
seven miniatures inspired by Meredith Monk’s practice oforchestrating improvised passages for ensemble, which areused as interludes or palate cleansers between the longer
numbers. The eight remaining compositions are Remy’s.
Pascal’s “Wedding Planning”, an up-tempo, floating/swinging ‘canon’, is a prime candidate for an album single;
the dulcet theme of his “Soot” is invigorated by Remy’s
alto solo, passionate without theatrics, while his “Apollo”
smooths out the bumps of its 5/4 time signature.
The brothers are ably abetted by frequentcollaborators Dayna Stephens (tenor), Linda May Han Oh(bass) and Christian Euman (drums). Remy and Stephens
work together closely, echoing, answering, harmonizing
and inspiring each other. “Too Soon” is a standout
example of Remy’s abstract romanticism; his ballad“Gaia”, on which his ardent alto adds just enough colorand ornamentation to galvanize the melody, is another.
Pascal, in contrast, communicates through conception
and inference: he explodes concrete ideas into subliminal
fragments, as on “Susie Song” where, over shifting
accents of 2’s and 3’s, he permutates a stable pedal point
into complex polyrhythms and pantonality. Together, thesiblings generate yin-yang synchronicity, an appeasing
melding of head and heart, intention and intuition.
For more info visit leboeufbrothers.bandcamp.com. Remy Le
Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows Big Band is at The Jazz Gallery
Jun. 21-22. See Calendar.

Cantaloupe Islandis the latest release from bassist

Leon Lee Dorsey

alongside drummer extraordinaire

Mike Clark

and the brilliant guitarist

Russell Malone.

Veteran bassist Leon Lee Dorsey and drummer Mike Clark have forgeda deep simpatico over the course of six projects on
Dorsey’s Jazz Avenue 1 record label:*2019’s Monk Time (with guitarist Greg Skaﬀ)*2020’s Play Sgt. Pepper (with pianist Michael Wolﬀ)*2021’s Thank You Mr. Mabern (with late, great pianist Harold Mabern)*2022's Freedom Jazz Dance (with pianist Manuel Valera) andBlues on Top (with pianist Mike LeDonne)

Lydia Liebman Promotions
lydialiebman.com

30 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDB OXED SE T

Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 1
Ella Fitzgerald (Verve)by Marilyn Lester

Originally released as a double CD in 2003, Jukebox Ella:

The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 1 has been rereleased asa limited edition boxed set of 3 LPs with the same 36
tracks (sadly, the label has never gotten around to Vol.
2). The singles represent Fitzgerald’s move to manager
Norman Granz’ new label, Verve, and his desire to
revitalize her career by extricating “The First Lady ofSong” from Decca, where she’d spent two decades. In
January 1956, Fitzgerald thus went into the studio andrecorded “Stay There”; a session in March yielded “A
Beautiful Friendship”. These sessions were held at L.A.’s
Capitol Studios with a choir and string-heavy orchestra
conducted by Buddy Bregman. Band members included
high-profile musicians of the day, including Milt
Bernhart (trombone), Barney Kessel (guitar), Bud Shank(alto), Harry “Sweets” Edison (trumpet) and Alvin
Stoller (drums). Over ten years, she continued to record
45s along with her 33 rpm albums, which included

the now legendary Song Book series of albums, whichwere released at regular intervals between 1956 and1964. Arrangers who worked on the singles included
Bregman, Marty Paich, Frank DeVol, Russ Garcia, Paul
Weston and Nelson Riddle, who was much sought after
but not always available; several also arranged for theSong Books.
It’s safe to say that Jukebox Ella has something foreveryone, covering many genres but always informedby the agreeable personality that the singer brought to
her recordings over a 50-year career—her aim always toplease her public. Fitzgerald was as at home with stringladen ‘50s arrangements, such as “The Sun Forgot to Shine
This Morning”, as with small groups (listen to the jazzy“Beale Street Blues”, with clarinet and piano forward). She
was also an ace at torch songs such as “It’s Only a Man”.
The singles include many obscure tunes, such as Phil
Tuminello’s “Teach Me How to Cry”, which are far fromthe Song Book standards of major writers. One exception isa singles release of “But Not for Me” from the George and
Ira Gershwin Song Book. The choices were mostly Ella’s,
not Granz’. Ironically, she’d long dreamed of having a
big singles hit. Yet despite being one of the world’s mostpopular recording artists, these relatively obscure singles
failed to bring her one—even when the bossa nova craze
swept over the land and the music of Antonio Carlos
Jobim came to the fore. In 1962, she recorded a straightahead “Desafinado” paired with one of the most engaging
singles on the Jukebox release, “Stardust Bossa Nova”. The
latter was arranged by Paich using Brazilian percussion;
Fitzgerald’s interpretation, with jazz phrasing and scat,
thrillingly transforms an iconic tune that started out in
1927 as a simple jazz instrumental.
And then there are the novelty songs, for which she
had a penchant. These include “Hotta Chocolatta” and“I’m a Poached Egg (Without Toast)”. The latter was
written by George and Ira Gershwin, went unpublished,
and finally wound up in the 1964 Billy Wilder comedy
Kiss Me, Stupid. Fitzgerald also recorded another obscure
Gershwin tune, “All the Live Long Day”, originally
written for the 1933 stage show Pardon My English, which
also wound up in Kiss Me, Stupid. Fitzgerald had a way
with humor. Her swinging “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please
Come Home?” features imitations of Louis Armstrong,
Della Reese and Pearl Bailey. She tackled German in“Ich Fuhle Mich Crazy (You’re Driving Me Crazy)”,
with truly wondrous scat sequences. An update on herclassic “(You’ll Have to Swing It) Mr. Paganini”, also
Germanized, and a Latin version of “A-Tisket, A-Tasket”
reveal creative exploratory artistry. As with the bossa
nova releases, the singles also represent the mood of
the times, notably rock and roll. When The Beatles burst
on the scene she was inspired to create “Ringo Beat”,
a forgettable ode to Mr. Starr and the Fab Four. Moresuccessful are the doo-wop version of “She’s Just a Quiet
Girl” and a girl-group style “We Three (My Echo, My
Shadow, and Me)”.
By the last track of Jukebox Ella, “Lonely Is”, a keen
listener will note how Fitzgerald’s vocal tone grew andmatured over the years. The slightly girlish soprano of“Too Young for the Blues”, for example, mellowed intoa deeper resonance; one also notes the finer interpretive
depth that age and experience bring, as in “The Shadow
of Your Smile”. For those who appreciate vinyl, Jukebox
Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 1 is a worthy pieceof musical history, offering an indispensable collection oftunes sung by an artist (passing away 27 years ago thismonth) whom Duke Ellington called “beyond category”.
For more info visit ververecords.com

Sunday / June 18 / 4:00pm

Hot Jazz Age Frolic
Eyal Vilner Big Band
Nathan Bugh and Gaby Cook, dance instructors
Imani Rousselle, featured singer

Eyal Vilner Big Band

This high-energy event takes place under an airy tent turned
into a hot-to-trot dance club plucked right out of 1920s Harlem.
Join us on the dance floor for a lesson, then be unabashed andstrut your stuff.

more music this summer!
July 22

Jazz Festival
Cécile McLorin Salvant

Bringing the family?

Join us at 2:00pm for a special family set fromthe Eyal Vilner Swing Band with dancers Nathan Bugh,
Gaby Cook, Jennifer Jones, and Ray Davis.

July 29

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer,
Shahzad Ismaily:
LOVE IN EXILE

Free Shuttle from the Katonah Train Station
Plus! Free Parking & No Ticket Fees!

K AT O N A H , N Y / 9 1 4 . 2 3 2 . 1 2 5 2 / C A R A M O O R .O R GFeel free to sport your favorite
swing-era vintage look!

August 4

Samara Joy

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 31

JUNE 1–3 ROSE THEATER

THE JAZZ AMBASSADORS:
DUKE, DIZZY, AND BRUBECKThe Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton
Marsalis pays homage to three of America’s mostinfluential jazz artists—Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie,and Dave Brubeck—who, along with their integrated
bands, traveled the globe to perform as culturalambassadors.

JUNE 9 –10 THE APPEL ROOMCARNIVAL:THE SOUND OF A PEOPLE
Get ready to experience the ultimate celebration as
Trinidad & Tobago’s world-famous Carnival comes to
The Appel Room! With trumpeter, percussionist, andcomposer Etienne Charles leading the way, this highenergy spectacle will transport you to the heart of
the Caribbean.

Etienne Charles by Kwaku Alston

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

Ekphrastic Discourse
James Ilgenfritz/Sandy Ewen/Michael Foster(Infrequent Seams)
Time Phrase Trio (featuring the BCDs)
Ty Citerman/Jen Baker/Shayna Dunkelman(Infrequent Seams)
by Elijah Shiffer

T hereis a constant dialogue between the
improvised and composed sides of New York’s
avant garde music scene, and Infrequent Seams has
been documenting this interaction for over a decade.
The label’s many releases include fully written
works, pure improv and all sorts of experiments
in between. Two recent albums illustrate thediversity of Infrequent Seams’ output. Both are bytrios including one horn and an electric guitar, butlittle else unites them besides their creativity; theylie on quite different points on the line between
improvisation and composition.
Ekphrastic Discourse features three unique
improvisers: Michael Foster (tenor and soprano),
Sandy Ewen (guitar) and the label’s founderJames Ilgenfritz (bass). The title, used also for allseven tracks followed by their number, means
the literary description of a work of art. It seems
to reference how hearing these players on record
is an entirely different medium from their live
performance. There is a striking visual element in
at least Foster’s and Ewen’s improvising (Ilgenfritz
may be considered more of a composer). Theircollections of objects with which they modify theirinstruments—Foster’s balloons and pipes, Ewen’s
springs and spikes—are familiar to anyone who’sseen them play. When these are unseen, the listeneris left with a challenging landscape of mysterious
sounds. At times it can be difficult to assign a soundto a particular instrument, as extended techniques
meld together in clouds of scrapes, slaps and hisses.
When the instruments become recognizable it feels
like light shining through; Foster’s voluptuous
tenor in the last two tracks is particularly refreshingafter all the commotion.
Toward the composed end of the spectrum wefind Time Phase Trio (featuring the BCDs). This doubly
named ensemble consists of Jen Baker (trombone),
Ty Citerman (guitar), and Shayna Dunkelman(percussion). The nine tracks are compositions,eight by Citerman and the last by Baker, that blend
written and improvised elements quite effectively.
Citerman was a co-leader of the madcap mathpunk-jazz quartet Gutbucket; his piece “Tennis”
comes close to that band’s goofiness in its clunky
rhythms and noisy timbres. Throughout the album,
all three players have fun exploring the many quirksof their instruments; Baker in particular brings acertain absurdity with her exuberant vocabularyof rasps, bellows and yelps. Things never get too
silly, however; several pieces are comparatively
tranquil and lyrical, especially Citerman’s “Water
Music” and Baker’s “25 Degrees of Sticking to It”.
Curiously, there is an aquatic theme to this album,
with all of Citerman’s titles except “Tennis” having
something to do with water. This seems like anappropriate subject for this dynamic ensemble andthe way this music flows through such a variety ofaural habitats.
For more info visit infrequentseams.bandcamp.com. The
Infrequent Seams Festival is at 411 Kent and Scholes
Street Studios Jun. 7-10. See Calendar.

32 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Fifty
The Manhattan Transfer (Craft)(with The WDR Funkhausorchester)by Marilyn Lester

A half century is a considerable span of time forany group to be together, and certainly speaks to the
popularity and longevity of The Manhattan Transfer.
Thus, the aptly named Fifty, with its ten carefully
chosen tracks drawn from their biggest hits, skillfully
captures the group’s amazing history. Recorded in thestudio with the WDR Funkhausorchester Köln (WDR
Radio Orchestra Cologne), Fifty reveals itself as alush and fearlessly innovative treasure chest of song.
Given that the album was recorded in stages and in
disparate locations, owing to the pandemic, the result
is all the more remarkable.
Originally founded by the late Tim Hauser,
Laurel Massé, Janis Siegel and Alan Paul, The
Manhattan Transfer is now Siegel and Paul with longtime member Cheryl Bentyne and Trist Curless (whoreplaced Hauser in 2014). Always practitioners ofcarefully choreographed, complex close harmony, andinitially a lot of vocalese, over the years the group has
explored a wider range of jazz, pop, big band, doo-wop
and more—“What Goes Around Comes Around” evenoffers an ode to hip-hop within the bebop/jazz ethos.
But Fifty is mostly a symphonic album; the sound of
the WDR Funkhausorchester as a whole is intensely
atmospheric, and the individual instrumentalists are
sharp and creative.
The first track, “Agua”, is a thrilling deep
immersion, calling up the swirling aquatic feel ofEnya’s “Orinoco Flow”. That fulsome approach,with a perfect integration of vocal and musicalinstruments, appears again in one of the group’s early
hits, “Chanson D’Amour”. For lovers of vocalese,the closest Fifty gets to it is in “The Man I Love”, amasterwork of phrasing and tempo juxtapositions
between singer(s) and orchestra. Interestingly, thisnumber, unlike the other selections on the album, wasnever previously recorded by the group.
There’s plenty of wry fun in Fifty too. For a 1940s
film noir experience, there’s “Blues for Harry Bosch”,
with its spoken introduction and some parlando alongwith a prominent percussive beat, and “On a Little
Street In Singapore”. This latter tune begins with ascat intro, then spins into a dramatic evocation of men
in trench coats and slouch hats in dark, mysterious
alleys. For sheer fun, the offbeat “Twilight Zone” riffs
on that TV show’s theme and includes the show’s
spoken Rod Serling intro, adding a generous portionof danceable swing to the entire track. Fittingly, thelast cut on Fifty, “God Only Knows”, infuses thesymphonic sound with swing, pulling out all the
stops to showcase the Transfer’s amazing ability
to mix and match vocals and harmonies. This richtreatment of The Beach Boys song has a rising arc andhymn-like ending—almost like a prayer. It’s a soulstirring performance that invokes one’s memories
and contemplation of a musical legacy that’s given
so much pleasure over these five decades. The
Manhattan Transfer are currently in the midst of a50th Anniversary worldwide tour. If Fifty becomes thegroup’s swan song, it is certainly a memorable one.
For more info visit craftrecordings.com. The Manhattan
Transfer is at Sony Hall Jun. 9 as part of Blue Note Jazz
Festival. See Calendar.

G100650 years of jazz recordings
Complete catalog: www.steeplechase.dk

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16.05.23 17:11“A living legend” - Cecily Janus

Live JAZZ(The New Face of Jazz, Billboard Books)

Returns to“…The most elegant spotin New York City”
Stephen Sorokoff, Broadway World

Available exclusively atmeisteromusic.bandcamp.com

Antonio Ciacca

Champian Fulton

June 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 28,
30 & July 1

June 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29

Marco di Gennaro

Jill McCarron

June 9, 10 & 14

June 2, 3 & 7

Wednesdays through Saturdays
6:00pm - 9:00pm

Fritz Pauer & Gary Versace - piano
Drew Gress - bass
John Hollenbeck & Tom Rainey - drums
Ed Neumeister - trombone

No Reservations Required
No Cover"Ed Neumeister is the Picasso of music.”
Holli Harms (The Front Row Center)
TwoE_NYCJazzRcrdADApril.indd 3

5/15/23 6:20 PM

Song For Alice
Dave Scott (SteepleChase)by Ken Dryden

T rumpeter Dave Scott is a veteran jazz educator

who is also well known for his work in the bands of
Jim Widner, Kim Richmond and Billy Mintz. Whenhe gets the opportunity to record as a leader, Scottfocuses on his original compositions. His sixth album
for SteepleChase, with his working quintet, includes
long-time collaborators Rich Perry (tenor) and Gary
Versace (piano), plus Johannes Weidenmüller (bass)and Mark Ferber (drums). As Scott discusses in his liner
notes, his music has grown more open over the years,
allowing for more freedom during improvisation. In
this case, the music was not rehearsed in full on stage
or in the studio, increasing the spontaneity of themusicians’ interpretations.
There’s no explanation of the title to the extended
piece “Ralph Retired”, though it sounds like its
namesake must be as busy now as when he wasworking. The furious opening gives way to a moresubdued section showcasing the leader’s expressive
trumpet; Weidenmüller’s solo gradually builds steam
as the band returns to its original furious momentum.
Scott’s delicate ballad “Song for Alice” was written
in memory of his mother. The love within this lush
composition, with just a touch of wistfulness, isapparent from the opening statement, while eachspacious solo reveals new facets. “Venus at Dusk”
is the most unusual piece, a turbulent composition
inspired by György Ligeti’s piano concerto. Scottbuilds tension with a dramatic introduction featuring
Versace’s ominous piano, Weidenmüller’s droning
arco bass and Ferber’s irregular percussion, as theleader’s haunting trumpet and Perry’s tenor saxophoneslowly come to the forefront. The improvised section
releases the tension gradually as the musicians enter
free territory. “K.C. Swingin’” pays homage to Scott’s
Kansas City roots, though it is more in spirit than insound; it features an irregular structure and superb
call and response between Perry and Scott.
Song For Alice is demanding music, requiring thelistener to devote complete attention to its constantly
shifting textures.
For more info visit steeplechase.dk. Scott is at Main DragMusic Jun. 14 and Smalls Jun. 15. See Calendar.

releasing his promising debut Brit-Eyed Soul six years
ago, luckily one of his supporters has been producer
Bob Thiele Jr., whose father founded the legendary
jazz labels Impulse! and Flying Dutchman. With
this new release, Thiele Jr. seeks not only to revive
Valentine’s career but also the latter of his dad’srecord labels.
The eight-song album is a heartfelt tour throughbleak, sociopolitical soul songs mostly from the ’70s,
bolstered by an impressive ensemble of musicians.
Curtis Mayfield’s yearning “We the People Who
Are Darker Than Blue” features Immanuel Wilkins’soaring, modal sax and Linda May Han Oh’s fluid bass;
the plea for racial unity is brought home by Valentine’ssad, beautifully straining voice. Valentine makes Gil
Scott-Heron’s bleak junkie tale “Home Is Where theHatred Is” even more heartfelt and desperate thanthe original or Esther Phillips’ lovely cover version;
he is aided by Rob Moose’s subtle strings and Larry
Goldings’ lithe electric piano. Eddie Kendrick’s “My
People...Hold On” grabs attention with Abe Rounds’booming drums; Valentine’s clarion vocals are buoyed
by a five-piece chorus and a fuzzed-out psychedelic
guitar solo from Jeff Parker (of Tortoise fame).
Stevie Wonder’s pointed, accusatory “YouHaven’t Done Nothin’” is taken at a much slower pacethan the original, emphasizing Valentine’s sweet,
weary singing atop doo-wop voices (apparently allby Valentine himself). His tender vocals also perfectly
match Pharoah Sanders’ spiritual anthem “The Creator
Has a Master Plan” (featuring an economical Steely
Dan-like guitar solo from Parker) and Prince’s spare,
topical “Sign o’ the Times” (aided by Theo Croker’s
bop trumpet). The album closes with a soulful R&B
treatment of the traditional gospel tune “Wade in the
Water” and War’s bleak but hopeful funk jam “TheWorld Is a Ghetto”, slowed to a burning, insistentballad. In this time of animosity toward critical racetheory, this album serves as a mini-history lesson,a reminder that we can’t forget our sometimes
uncomfortable cultural past.
For more info visit flyingdutchmanrecords.com

Mediumistic Methodology
Devin Brahja Waldman/Hamid Drake(Astral Spirits)
Eternal RiverKen Vandermark/Hamid Drake(Corbett vs. Dempsey)by John ShandT here’s a secret few drummers unlock: the art ofBilly Valentine & Universal Truth
Billy Valentine (Flying Dutchman)
by Jason Gross

B illy Valentine was half of the ’70s/’80s R&B group

Valentine Brothers (“Money’s Too Tight to Mention”),
and he has spent the last few decades working ina successful songwriting team and recording TV
soundtracks. Long overdue for an album, after

34 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

playing so melodically as to create relationships
between their instrument (of indeterminate pitch)and other instruments (of determinate pitch) that
imply a kind of harmony. Max Roach, Ed Blackwell,Paul Motian and Jack DeJohnette spring to mind, as
does Hamid Drake. Such techniques are especiallypertinent when duetting, because suddenly theinterrelationship reaches beyond rhythmic, melodic
and textural areas into a rarefied zone where the two
instruments seem to fatten each other’s notes.
A duo situation requires drummers to exert
supreme control in nuancing such elements as
dynamics, attack, overtones, pitch-bending and the
choice of simultaneous sounds coming from their four
limbs. Listen to how Drake does it on “Table Turner”,
from his duo album with alto saxophonist Devin
Brahja Waldman, Mediumistic Methodology. This isan extended piece based around a fanfare-like motif,and Drake creates an ever-shifting sound-world of
implied harmonic contextualization for Waldman’sastonishing forays. By contrast, the opening “Knock
Knock” has them barely frosting silence with overtones
and shakers: music that makes you lean forward tolisten, rather than pushing you back. Yet they keep
you in suspense with the unfolding beauty andsense of power held in reserve. When that power isunleashed—with Waldman’s alto sounding like somegnarly double-reed instrument, and Drake increasing
volume rather than density—the earlier intricacy ofthe conversation is sustained.
Trumpeter Don Cherry’s 1960s-80s dialogues
with Blackwell were duet masterworks, and Drakeenjoyed a strong personal relationship with Cherry.
This makes another new duo album, the live Eternal
River, with long-term collaborator Ken Vandermark(tenor saxophone), an especially heartfelt project.
They revisit classic Cherry compositions in flowing
medleys (as the composer was wont to do), including“Elephantasy”, “El Corazon”, “Brown Rice” and“Complete Communion”. Drake is consistently at
his most melodic, while maintaining his instinct
for harmony-like shading as he engages in thrillinginterplay with Vandermark’s scalding tenor. It’s
fascinating to hear these pieces reimagined, andanyone doing anything to keep the Cherry legacy
alive does the world a huge favor.
For more info visit astralspiritsrecords.com andcorbettvsdempsey.com. Drake’s “Turiya: Honoring Alice
Coltrane” is at Roulette Jun. 14 as part of Vision Festival.
See Calendar.

fortunately returns to a swinging tempo and includes
the little-heard verse and some scat.
Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” with Wayne
Escoffery (tenor) is a highlight. His intro is full-bodied
and Thomas’ vocal is intimate. It’s not going to makethe listener forget Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, but
despite a shaky midpoint it’s still pretty darn good.
Rossano Sportiello’s piano sparkled at the recent
Gotham Jazz Festival, and he’s bouncy on Harry
Warren/Al Dubin’s “You’re Getting to Be a Habit
with Me”. Thomas’ vocal is warm and happy. Charlie
Chaplin’s “Smile” (lyrics by John Turner, Geoffrey
Parsons) is similar, but with added poignancy and atouch of Brazil in Guilherme Monteiro’s guitar work.
Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf contributes excellent arco
cello on Monk’s “Round Midnight”.
The album was a product of COVID necessities,
but the end the result is something lasting.
For more info visit lizziethejazzsinger.com. Thomas is at
Zinc Bar Jun. 6. See Calendar.

T he concept here is vocalist Lizzie Thomas in a seriesof duos with a wide variety of players. This sort ofbarebones performance asks a lot from a singer.
Though perceived mistakes might be right up front,
for the most part, she is able to still pull it off. Thomas
stays close to the melodies, rarely taking chances in
the way someone like Betty Carter might—but that’s
not a problem since the tunes are mostly classics fromthe Great American Songbook.
A chipper duo with pianist Helio Alves on Cole
Porter’s “Love for Sale” kicks things off. Ron Carter
mines the bottom range of his bass on “Willow Weepfor Me”, which comes off as slightly ghostly. Pianist
John DiMartino, a veteran accompanist, plays on“After You, Who?”; Thomas has a bit of brass in her
voice, but she’s no shouter and his low-key solo is
exquisite.
“My Foolish Heart” (Washington/Young) has
frequently been recorded, but not as a vocal/guitar
duet. The Johnny Mathis album Open Fire, Two Guitars
comes to mind. Thomas plays it extra poignant, andRussell Malone follows suit, channeling Johnny
Smith. Maybe Eden Ahbez’ “Nature Boy” should begiven a rest, but Café da Silva’s percussion at least
gives a touch of ’50s exoticism. Thomas’ vocal isslowed down to something like a recital of the lyrics.
Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”, also shopworn by
now, features guitarist Ron Affif, and is similarly
taken at a lullaby-like tempo. Rodgers/Hart’s “Have
You Met Miss Jones”, with Dezron Douglas on bass,

2023 New Members andAward Winners in MusicA CADEMY M EMBERS
Adolphus Hailstork
Carman Moore
Roger Reynolds
Maria Schneider
Wadada Leo Smith
Pamela Z
A RTS AND L ETTERS A WARDS
Eve BeglarianDavid Serkin Ludwig
Nicole Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell

Parallel Motion
Yellowjackets (Mack Avenue)
by Scott Yanow

T he Yellowjackets have been together for a remarkable

Duo Encounters
Lizzie Thomas (Dot Time)
by Jim Motavalli

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF
ARTS AND LETTERS

46 years. The current version of the band consists oforiginal member, pianist-keyboardist Russell Ferrante;tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer, who has been withthe group for 32 years; drummer William Kennedy(a member from 1987-99 and again since 2010); andelectric bassist Dana Alderson, who joined in 2015.
The quartet never really fit into the fusion category(not rock-ish enough), always too adventurous to be
merely smooth and has had its own identifiable soundand style through each of its periods. The band plays
originals that, while touched by Weather Report, funkand aspects of R&B, can accurately be described asmodern post-bop jazz.
On Parallel Motion, the Yellowjackets perform a
trio of songs apiece by Mintzer (generally the mostchallenging) and Ferrante, two by Alderson and one
from Kennedy. As usual, the pieces generally havelong melody statements, colorful and inventive solos,
original chord changes and enough twists and turns
to keep the listener guessing. The band sets a grooveon many of the originals, yet the rhythms are never
simplistic or repetitive and the playing is harmonicallyadvanced. “Challenging Times”, with a creative
Mintzer solo, unpredictable comping from Ferrante
and inventive group interplay, is a fine example of thegroup’s style.
Many of the songs, including the title cut, arecomplex and catchy. The lyrical “Il Mio Amico”, whichcontains an excellent soprano solo from Mintzer, isa highlight. Ferrante’s ballad “If You Believe” has aguest vocal by Jean Baylor, whose husband Marcus
Baylor played drums with the Yellowjackets in an
earlier period. One could not imagine many singers
attempting to sing most of the other quirky originals,
although Kennedy’s relatively melodic “Samaritan”
might be an exception. Parallel Motion, the group’s 26thalbum to date, gives listeners a strong sampling of how
the largely unclassifiable Yellowjackets sound today.

MARC BLITZSTEIN MEMORIAL AWARD
Missy Mazzoli
Royce Vavrek
W ALTER H INRICHSEN A WARD
Shih-Hui ChenA NDREW I MBRIE A WARD
Robert Honstein
C HARLES I VES O PERA P RIZE
Laura Elise Schwendinger
Ginger Strand
C HARLES I VES F ELLOWSHIPSCharles Peck
Peter ShinC HARLES I VES S CHOLARSHIPS
Seare Ahmad Farhat
Jordyn Gallinek
Luke Haaksma
Ali Can Puskulcu
Harriet Steinke
Bethany Younge
GODDARD LIEBERSON FELLOWSHIPS
Andy Akiho
Zosha Di Castri
www.artsandletters.org

For more info visit mackavenue.com. The Yellowjackets are
at Birdland Jun. 14-18. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 35

Debut CD
out now
ENJA Records

Explorations
Ed Neumeister Quartet (MeisteroMusic)
by Ken Dryden

The Fuchsthone Orchestra is anything but
a conventional big band – with a line-up
expanded to include violin, vocals andelectronica, the 20 award-winningmusicians represent the state of the artof contemporary large jazz ensembles.
In the compositions of bandleaders
Christina Fuchs and Caroline Thon,
brute tutti passages and wind voicings
à la Maria Schneider are followedby moments of silence, punctuated bycollective improvisations of smaller
sub-units of the band.
An impressive musical experience thatfully exploits the diverse timbres andpossible combinations of the instruments
involved.

Trombonist Ed Neumeister has always been a bold
performer and innovative composer, though hisbreakthrough came when he began to record as aleader in the mid ‘90s, and especially after the launch of
his MeisteroMusic label a few years later. The originals
in this collection were mostly recorded in 2001 and
2002, when Neumeister was touring Europe with hisquartet with Fritz Pauer (piano), Drew Gress (bass) andTom Rainey (drums). Three other tracks are from 2021
with Gress, Gary Versace (piano) and John Hollenbeck(drums).
The trombonist’s songs are like sketches, designed
to give his musicians a great deal of freedom to explore
their possibilities. The earlier sessions consist of elevendifferent “Explorations”, only one of which is longer
than four minutes. “#1” has a mysterious air, with
Pauer darting in and out playing brief rapid runs andstrumming the strings, while Neumeister contributes
little recognizable trombone, though it sounds like heis making sound effects with the mute. Things comemore into focus with “#2”, as the leader’s straightahead, spacious playing contrasts with Pauer’s
staccato, dissonant chords and Gress’ percolating bass.
“#7” is introduced with a furious drum solo, thenjagged fireworks from Pauer, plus Gress’ free bass line,
while the leader’s trombone is almost conversational.
“#6” has a loopy air: Neumeister sings through hishorn and Pauer contributes additional vocals, mixing
playfulness with ominous overtones. The “ya-ya” styleof trombone introduced by “Tricky” Sam Nanton in
Duke Ellington’s band is prominent in “#8”, as Pauer’s
attack keeps the musicians on edge.
The latter quartet is featured on three selections.
“Fawg-It #1” also features Neumeister’s use of
Nanton’s tricks, with superb support from Versace,
Gress and Hollenbeck. The final selection, “Fawg-It#2”, utilizes mournful open horn buoyed by Versace’s
dramatic accompaniment, while the duo section
showcasing Gress and Hollenbeck takes the piece inanother direction.
Explorations is filled with introspective, surprisingmusic that will stand the test of time.
For more info visit edneumeister.com. Neumeister’s album
release concert is at Smalls Jun. 8. See Calendar.

Christina Fuchs and Caroline Thon

Available at www.amazon.com /www.amazon.de and spotify
www.fuchsthone.com
Cologne/Germany

Live @ the Side Door
Vince Ector Organatomy Trio + (Cabo Verde)by Keith Hoffman

When Wild Bill Davis came East in the ’40s, he paired
up with Crazy Chris Columbo on drums to bring the
new sound to the hippest spots on Kentucky Avenue
in Atlantic City, the Club Harlem and Gracie’s Little

36 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Belmont. From there, the sound naturally spread west
to nearby Philadelphia, where Jimmy Smith, Don
Patterson, Shirley Scott, Trudy Pitts, Jimmy McGriffand “The Mighty Burner” Charles Earland—and manyothers—established the organ trio as the dominantsound at nightspots including Spider Kelly’s, Dino’s
Lounge, Morgan’s and Catherine’s Postal Card. And
long before bassists such as Bootsy Collins and Fred
Thomas were bringing those gut-crunching bottoms
you could feel down to your soul, there was the B3;
those low-end vibrations coming out of a Leslie
speaker cabinet, controlled by foot pedals could makeyou move. With that dominant sound, when the B3
was king, Philadelphia was the hard-beating heart of
the kingdom.
South Philly-born and raised drummer Vince Ector
doesn’t need a recitation of the history because, as hesaid, “I was there, I lived it.” And although he was
too young for the ’50s scene, his father, a professional
pianist, brought Vince to see Don Patterson and manyothers when he was as young as eight years old. Later,
having his first professional gig with Earland further
hipped him to all that had come before.
That history, that love, is here in every note,
captured live at the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme,
CT. Ector was there to support Organatomy +’s
excellent 2019 release, Theme for Ms. P. The personnel
for that album was Pat Bianchi (organ), Bruce Williams(saxes) and Paul Bollenback (guitar). For the Side Doorgig, Williams wasn’t available, so he hooked Ector
up with his former student, the talented young Justin
Williams.
From the first shuffle of opener “South Philly
Groove” this album swings ferociously, driven by
drummer Ector and organ master Bianchi, an acolyte of
the late Joey DeFrancesco. The Side Door crowd is therewith the musicians for every note. Bianchi sears on the
Patterson burner “Sister Ruth”. Jones and Bollenback
are just killing it left and right. An excellent release for
B3 aficionados and anyone who loves to swing.
For more info visit vinceector.com. Ector’s album release
concert is at Soapbox Gallery Jun. 24. He also plays at The
Django Jun. 1 with T.K. Blue Quartet. See Calendar.

séances
Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant avec Folie à Quatre(Pyroclastic)
by Phil Freeman

Bassist Trevor Dunn hasn’t made an album with his
Trio-Convulsant, featuring guitarist Mary Halvorson
and percussionist Ches Smith, since 2004’s Sister
Phantom Owl Fish. That record came out on the Ipecac
imprint of Faith No More frontman Mike Patton. Pattonand Dunn have collaborated many times, notably in
Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, Tomahawk and John Zorn’s
Moonchild. Trio-Convulsant’s music shares many
qualities with those projects, including a proclivity forsudden sideways lurches; melodies that straddle thespace between jazz and rock; and a general feeling ofunresolved tension. It’s also worth remembering that
before he became an avant jazz darling, Ches Smith was
the drummer in the noise-rock trio Theory of Ruin, andHalvorson has a skronky punk-rock side that bursts
out at odd moments.
On this album, the trio is augmented by anensemble dubbed Folie à Quatre: Anna Webber (flute),

Oscar Noriega (bass clarinet), Carla Kihlstedt (violin,
viola) and Mariel Roberts (cello). Not all of this musicis performed by the full septet; indeed, much of itis designed to showcase one player or another. It’s
heavily composed, and on many, if not most tracks,
one instrument is allowed to roam free while the others
hew to the score. (Dunn reveals in the liner notes thatnone of the percussion parts were written out; that’s all
Smith.) The opening “Secours Meurtriers” begins withsolo flute, before guitar and strings come in playing agentle, repetitive figure. Eventually, things begin toswirl like a zephyr sweeping through a pile of leaves,with occasional bursts of distortion and a swinging,loping beat. Throughout the album, Halvorson’s guitar
is subject to multiple effects, not just her usual squiggly
delay-pedal sound, but also echo and reverb, giving
it an almost psychedelic, dubby feel. Similarly, when
Smith switches from drum kit to timpani on “Restore
All Things” and Webber’s echo-treated flute floats overdroning strings, the entire effect feels like an unsettling
dream. This is painstakingly written and assembled
music that never allows the intricacy of its structures tobecome the point—nothing here feels like an exercise,or a stunt.
For more info visit pyroclasticrecords.com. Dunn is at The
Stone Jun. 10 with Ben Goldberg and Microdose, and Nublu
Jun. 26 with Dan Weiss’ Starebaby. See Calendar.

Words from My Horn
Anthony Hervey (Outside In Music)
by Franz Matzner

Trumpeter Anthony Hervey’s Words from My Horn isa centered, calm and collected debut. While the album
may be his introduction as a leader, Hervey is not new
to the scene, having worked with Christian McBride,
Jon Batiste, Wynton Marsalis and other luminaries.
Hervey is more than adept as a leader of this quartet,with a honed voice and refined sense of artistic
direction. Words from My Horn provides a carefully
constructed overview of jazz’ core history, for the mostpart drawing within the lines.
It is tempting to label the album “traditionalist”,
but that would not give enough credit to Hervey’s
inventiveness across these twelve pieces. Somehow,
Hervey manages to simultaneously deliver his musicalanalysis of the trumpet’s history in jazz, while also
manipulating that heritage so that different elements
become puzzle pieces joined together to form a variety
of structures. In this way, he offers a panoramic
exploration of African-American identity as expressed
through its most distinguished musical forms,
including jazz, gospel and blues, as well as his own
contemporary interpretations.
Case in point, “Du-Rug” is an amalgam of earlier
jazz forms. At the hands of Sean Mason (piano), Philip
Norris (bass) and Miquel Russell (drums), rhythms
are overlaid. Ragtime sways, stride pounds, blues
swing and even barrelhouse rolls into the mix. All thewhile, Hervey matches every rhythmic shift, weaving
together the individual styles of the era’s greats, suchas Louis Armstrong, in the same way that modernist
authors weave together words.
“Glider” illustrates the quartet’s instrumental
talents and Hervey’s ability to compose emotionallycogent, balladic blues. The tune is carried by a fullon walking bass and Norris’ quick-flicking drums.

Working from this firm foundation, Hervey, Sarah
Hanahan (alto) and Isaiah J. Thompson (piano) blend
their voices to create colorful shades of introspection.
One of Hervey’s strengths is his note choice andmeticulous tone, in full evidence on the elegiac “His
Eye Is on the Sparrow”, a gospel hymn, as well as atender rendition of “But Beautiful”, which resonateswith a Miles Davis feel.
Hervey has it all: technique, compositional skill,
historical scope and creativity. The most inspiring
aspect of his music, however, is its earnest spiritualand intellectual clarity.
For more info visit outsideinmusic.com. Hervey is at Smoke
Jun. 7 with Sean Mason Quintet. See Calendar.

D R O P T H E NEE D L E

Ptah, the El Daoud
Alice Coltrane (Impulse-uMe)
by Andrew Hamlin

While not as hit-the-ground-running incandescent

Sometimes the Air Is
Steve Swell/Joe McPhee/Chris Corsano(Mahakala Music)
by Steven Loewy

O ne of the most innovative trombonists on today’s
scene, Steve Swell continues to push the limits of hiscraft through hard discipline and concentrated effort.
Through his career, Swell has often performed in small
settings with a who’s who of modern saxophonists,
including Jemeel Moondoc, Gebhard Ullmann, Peter
Brötzmann, Rob Brown, Paul Flaherty, Frode Gjerstad
and Paul Dunmall. Swell’s trombone playing andoff-beat arrangements often surprise, especially as
he brings an array of influences from various genres.
Even after decades of plying his trade, he continues todiscover new ways to express his thoughts and sounds.
There is something new in Sometimes the Air Is.
Swell has assembled a stunning trio with Joe McPhee(tenor) and Chris Corsano (drums). At 83, and at the
top of his game, the legendary McPhee maintains
a wild, aggressive sound that harkens back to therevolutionary spirit of his early work. Corsano brings
a raw, unrelenting approach to the drums, pushing thehorns hard. The music emphasizes short bursts fromboth Swell and McPhee, clipped repetitive phrases
and intense group interaction. The result is a hugely
expansive sound, belying the small group size. All thepieces on the album are freely improvised but subject
to Swell’s guiding hand, and in light of its intensity
and abstractness, the music is surprisingly accessible
and immediately enjoyable. Along the way, there is
the usual diversity from moment to moment: changing
tempos, group improvisations mingled with solo
efforts, and dramatic contrasts in mood, timbre andabstraction. Highlights abound: Swell’s beautifully
crafted lines; McPhee’s joyous extended performancewith Evan Parker-like technique on “Welcome to theDancing”; the opening jabs from the trombonist andthe abstract collaborations between Swell and McPhee
on the closing title track; the powerful drum solo
on “Open That Other Can of Worms”; the slow, softclusters of notes from the three performers on “Ardent
Disrupter”.
An important addition to Steve Swell’s discography,
Sometimes the Air Is should thoroughly delight his fan
base.
For more info visit mahakalamusic.com. Swell and McPhee
are each at Roulette as part of Vision Festival: Swell Jun.
13 with Joëlle Léandre Septet, McPhee Jun. 17 in duo with
Dave Burrell. See Calendar.

as her follow-up set Journey in Satchidananda, thisalbum, recorded at the Coltrane home studio at
Dix Hills and recently re-released on 180 gram LP(including a limited edition bright yellow vinyl!),holds more intimate thrills, the quietude of acandle’s flicker against a wall, deep in a cave.
The title track, a modern hymn to creator god
Ptah (“El Daoud” translates to “the beloved”), starts
with Ron Carter’s inimitable walking bass. Coltrane
picks her notes carefully at the piano, sustaining
chords over the melody from tenor saxophonists
Joe Henderson (left channel) and Pharoah Sanders(right channel). The former’s lyricism is moving
but relatively standard in format, as he lays down
simple, supple lines, while Sanders as usual waxes
noisier and freer. Drummer Ben Riley’s solo
suggests a cashier stacking the component parts ofa huge order on his countertop—adding, building,reckoning.
On “Turiya and Ramakrishna” the horns lay out(though Sanders rings sleigh bell-like tambourine
in the background), which permit a deeper studyof the rhythm section: Coltrane’s pirouettes fromfigure to figure; Riley’s methodical brush work on
snare and cymbals; and Ron Carter doing what hedoes best—a song of a solo, lyrical, impeccable. For“Blue Nile”, Coltrane switches to harp (she waspractically the only jazz harpist of the period, aside
from the sadly unsung Dorothy Ashby), settling
into a permeable galaxy of glissandos as Henderson
and Sanders shift to alto flutes. Henderson’s
civil contemplation stands out, as does Sanders’surprisingly sweet outing, a stimulating contrast to
his tenor work.
“Mantra”, the closer, heats up the pot as
the tenors brood menacingly across the stereo
spectrum. The two saxes mix and match phrases,
like a compare-and-contrast pair of modern dancers
rather than the manic simultaneous improv of New
Orleans jazz. Sanders goes faster, higher, smearing
notes like a dancer sliding across a stage floor, thentakes to the bells as Henderson cycles through aseries of variations—throwing in screeches andwails as a kindly nod to his neighbor across the way.
Sanders responds with some Henderson-esque licks;
his bubbling tone sounds like he’s down in the sandat the bottom of an aquarium.
Intimacy. Mutual respect. Affection. Leaving
enough room for others to work. All hands
building higher. Alice Coltrane laid down wider
music, brasher music, more obviously ambitious
music, but has she ever gotten closer to her trusted
collaborators? A subtle set of reverberations here
and a meeting that transcends minds, getting down
to essences, down to souls.
For more info visit udiscovermusic.com. “Turiya:
Honoring Alice Coltrane” featuring Hamid Drake is at
Roulette Jun. 14 as part of Vision Festival. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 37

A New Beginning
Eric Alexander (HighNote)by Scott Yanow

W hen one thinks of an alto saxophonist being joinedby a string section, the famous “Bird With Strings”
sessions of 1949-50 immediately come to mind. And
when one thinks of Eric Alexander, it is of a harddriving tenor saxophonist.
A New Beginning is a bit different. Alexander
originally played alto when he was a teenager decadesago, but has rarely picked it up since. During the
COVID period of isolation, he took it up again to fill upsome time. Although he found it a little more difficult
to play than tenor, he soon felt comfortable again on
the smaller instrument. While Alexander played it
in 2021 on a version of “Estate” on his Gentle Ballads
VI (for the Japanese Venus label), A New Beginning is
his first full-length recording exclusively on alto. At
times one can hear the influences of Charlie Parker
and Sonny Stitt along with the soulfulness of Hank
Crawford, but in general Alexander already sounds
like himself on alto.
While one is prepared to hear a set of ballads
on A New Beginning, the opening selection is a bit ofa surprise: “Blues for Diane” (which is heard again
as the closing track) is taken without strings and isa medium-tempo cooker. It serves to introduce the“new” Eric Alexander. He is joined by his longtime
rhythm section: David Hazeltine (piano), John Webber(bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums).
The other seven selections include an unidentified
string section, with arrangements by Bill Dobbins.
One would swear, while listening to these lush andthoughtful performances, that all of the musicians
were in the same room at the same time, but the strings
were actually overdubbed months later. Alexander
and his musicians left space in their playing so theresults sound natural and not overcrowded. Only
“Embraceable You” is from Charlie Parker’s repertoire
but it was not recorded by Bird with strings. The otherselections are ballads from later periods including theleader’s “Anita”. Alexander digs into the music and,even when playing heated double-time runs, neverloses sight of the melody. And Dobbins’ string writing
is tasteful and complementary to the playing of thequartet throughout this set.

David Murray’s quartet. At one point, he played asolo with so much energy that, apparently, the drum
kit didn’t suffice. He stepped away from the drums,
sticks in hand, and walked along the perimeter ofthe club, laying paradiddles on tabletops, empty
glasses, the walls and the unoccupied seat right infront of me. Cyrille’s excellent new solo project,Music Delivery/Percussion, is as evocative andinspiring as that initial encounter.
On several tracks, the drummer/percussionist
uses the elemental trap kit, cymbals and sticks unit,
but elemental doesn’t mean elementary. “Thruway”
is a polyrhythmic excursion, a kind of introduction
to what follows. “Bernard Albert Wilkinson” finds
Cyrille lamenting the passing of a lifelong friend.
He establishes a five-beat motif, then expands on
it masterfully by creating variations with different
tempos and textures, and using eloquent, welltimed silences to build tension.
Setting sticks aside on “La Ibkey” (“Don’tCry”), he overdubs his hand drumming over the hihat. The song is in 7/4, and Cyrille moves in andout of the unusual time signature, accommodating
it in one moment, then challenging it in the next.
The spirited cover of Amina Claudine Myers’“Jumping in the Sugar Bowl” is in standard 4/4
time but is far from average. The instruments
and implements Cyrille uses on the spacious
improvisation “Metallic Resonance”, including
crotales and knitting needles, creates a vivid rangeof sonic textures. A cowbell, played in a Ghanaian
6/8 pattern, enhances the drums on the sobering“Water Water Water”. This leads seamlessly into
the lighthearted “Cowbell Ecstasy”, on which only
cowbells with sticks are played. He uses mallets
with the hi-hat on “Enter from the East” to produce
another colorful texture, then steps away fromthe drums completely to explore another pathon “Tambourine Cocktail”. The way brushes are
utilized on “Threading a Needle” is sophisticatedand thoughtful, rather than as mere soup-stirrers.
The final tune, “For Girls Dancing”, was inspired
by Cyrille’s days at Juilliard. The pulsating energy
and joy with which he plays is what I heard duringthat first encounter at the Vanguard and is whatmakes Music Delivery/Percussion such a wonderful
album.
For more info visit intaktrec.ch. Cyrille’s “Caribbean
Cross-Generations” is at Dizzy’s Club Jun. 9-10. See
Calendar.

For more info visit jazzdepot.com. Alexander is at Rizzoli’sJun. 4 as part of Peperoncino Jazz Festival and Smalls Jun.
5. See Calendar.
Molten Gold
Ivo Perelman/Ray Anderson/Joe Morris/
Reggie Nicholson (Fundacja Słuchaj)by Steven Loewy

T o paraphrase a commercial advertising campaign

Music Delivery/Percussion
Andrew Cyrille (Intakt)
by Terrell K. Holmes

I first heard drummer Andrew Cyrille many years
ago at the Village Vanguard as part of saxophonist
38 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

decades ago for a financial firm: “When Brazilian
tenorsaxophonist
Ivo
Perelman
performs,
people listen.” People are listening more intently
now, as the peripatetic Perelman consistently
releases outstanding, disciplined recordings at an
unprecedented pace, and with some of the world’s
most notable jazz performers. For the double CD
Molten Gold, Perelman has assembled an all-starquartet, with Ray Anderson (trombone), Joe Morris(bass) and Reggie Nicholson (drums). The recording

is stunning and potentially a game changer for the
saxophonist.
Perelman has rarely worked closely withtrombonists before, but the timbre of the trombone
is a natural foil for the saxophonist, even though
merely keeping up with Perelman’s velocity would
be challenge enough for trombonists less skilledthan Anderson. This writer was first introduced tothe trombonist more than forty years ago throughHarrisburg Half Life, Anderson’s seminal recording
as a leader. Today, the trombonist’s playing is
at peak performance: lately, his approach haschanged in favor of a new focus on nuance anddeep listening, reaching down to the lowest tones
with incredible flexibility.
Like most of Perelman’s recent projects, Molten
Gold is freely improvised. The two horns partner
magnificently, and the album is among Perelman’s
most effective collaborations; so much is goingon that the quartet might be confused for a large
ensemble. From the start, it sounds like a working
group, the musicians anticipating each other’s
moves and brilliantly moving across dense, complex
landscapes. On the opening “Warming Up” (which
is anything but), the two horns navigate a difficult
landscape, rapidly changing directions, punchingout diverse phrases. Anderson focuses on the low
tones and sometimes growls; his syncopated giveand take with Perelman and the Morris/Nicholson
tandem is especially fascinating. “Aqua Regia”, thethird track, encompasses many of the strategies that
Perelman pursues as a leader. Starting slowly andgradually building, a collective groove develops,
the horns spitting out phrases and the group soundtaking precedence. Perelman and Anderson lockhorns, as if morphing into a single unit.

THE ELECTRIFYING NEW ALBUM
FROM NYC STELLAR VOCALISTLIZZIE THOMAS
This is not your typical duet album“Her pitch and sense of time are flawless.”
Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Scene

Featuring

Ron Carter
Russell Malone
Wayne Escoffery
Noriko Ueda
and more...
LizzieTheJazzSinger.com
DotTimeRecords.com

Listening to this recording in one sitting is
exhausting but exhilarating, and when it ends,
there is a sense that something very special has
been created.
For more info visit sluchaj.bandcamp.com. Anderson isat Zürcher Gallery Jun. 29 with BassDrumBone. Morrisis at Roulette Jun. 13 with Joëlle Léandre Septet as partof Vision Festival. See Calendar.

with similarly rapid-fire flights of interregistral
fancy, each gesture a kaleidoscope of dynamic
contrast as the others murmur agreement. These areensembles in which listening and playing generate
symbiotic propulsion, just as tonal centers slide in
and out of focus. The two albums are sides of thesame coin and represent high points in a nearly
half-century career.
For more info visit discus-music.co.uk

UNE A R T H E D G E M
Yes Tomorrow
It’s a Matter of Fact
Paul Dunmall (Discus Music)
by Marc Medwin

T he lines curve, fragment and reform, incorporating

vast harmonic and historical tracts in a seemingly
parenthetical phrase. Fairly brief by the standardsof saxophonist Paul Dunmall (who turned 70 lastmonth), “Every Soul”, Yes Tomorrow’s closer, brings
his inclusive and unpredictable approach into
focus.
In another way, that alto solo is an outlier.
The pieces on these two albums are ensemble
compositions, brimming with the invention,
discovery and musical dynamism typical of every
Dunmall project, composed or otherwise. Last
year’s Yes Tomorrow release is a revelation inthat the quintet plays Dunmall’s compositions,a relatively rare occurrence and always a treat.
Steven Saunders (guitar), James Owston (bass)
and Jim Bashford (drums) rock the opening salvosof “Micromys Minutus”, but soon slide into
one of those wonderfully nebulous areas Davey
Graham and company occupied in the late ’60s.
They elongate the groove as Dunmall’s slithery
melody obscures the pulse, so that by Saunders’solo, genre has been irradicated. It isn’t evenreally a solo, as in late Coltrane fashion, everyone
is improvising contrapuntally as meter dissolves,
until the infectious groove returns at the end. The
compositions explore particular areas: they can bealternately meditative and swinging, as in “Medgar
Evers”, or they can blaze with the high energyof the title track, on which trombonist Richard
Foote punches, growls and slides his way to theforeground.
On It’s a Matter of Fact, the genre-busting quintet
is expanded to include Martin Archer (alto andbaritone saxophones), Charlotte Keeffe (trumpet)
and long-time Dunmall collaborator, vocalist Julie
Tippetts (who turns 76 this month). Her strong,earthy voice propels “Calling the Spirits” into thestratosphere, paving the way for a subsequent
collective improvision that blasts notions of timeand space into irrelevance. The 18-minute piece
grooves while conjuring Dunmall’s I Wish You Peacein distillation, just as “Latu Reunion” builds on its
foundational freedoms, with Saunders’ electronic
timbres an integral component. Dunmall guides the
melody to the surface at 5:47, and his unisons with
Tippetts are breathtaking as another vamp ensues.
As with his compositions, Dunmall’s playing
morphs continuously even as its roots remain
firmly planted. Scales and blues licks coalesce withstunning precision, traversing tonalities with the
speed and assurance of complete assimilation. Theband aesthetic inhabits similar spaces. Listen at
17:30, as Dunmall lays down a pentatonic phrase
and Saunders echoes the final pitch at a moment’s
notice. Keeffe imbues the bluesy “Don’t Ask Why”

Live in Germany 1954-2013
David Amram (After The Fall)by George Grella

T his is neither a great stand-alone album, nor

a proper introduction to David Amram, but for
those already familiar with him it is a worthy,
often charming, document. Amram was one of
the early, and arguably most accomplished, Third
Stream musicians who tried to bring the structuresand forms of Western classical music to jazz,and mix swing and improvisation with classicalforms. He is an important composer in Americanmusic, producing in-house scores for the New
York Shakespeare Festival, serving as the New
York Philharmonic’s first Composer in Residence,and scoring Splendor in the Grass, The Manchurian
Candidate and other films.
Amram wasn’t the first French horn player
in jazz, and while he was an active sideman, hismost prominent jazz work was slightly parallel,
developing poetry and jazz performances withJack Kerouac and other Beat poets. One of thepleasures of this album is how it features his horn
playing in a small group, alongside a young Albert
Mangelsdorff (trombone). This is the first of thetwo live dates, a rather boxy and stuffy Armed
Forces Network Radio broadcast from Amram’s
stint with the Army. The vibe is mellow and theswinging is both easy and meticulous. Given that
this recording dates from a mere two years after the
debut of the Gerry Mulligan–Chet Baker Quartet,
it’s fascinating to hear how deeply embedded
these musicians are in that style. Amram andMangelsdorff play fluid, well-thought-out andarticulated solos, and there’s a clever arrangementof Juan Tizol and Ravel entitled “Perdido Meets
Bolero”.
The later date (recorded ten years ago thismonth) is a short and slightly scattered tributeto Amram; he plays piano, pennywhistles (oneof his specialties) and shepherd’s flute, and singsa little, too. The band includes alto saxophonist
Emil Mangelsdorff (Albert’s older brother) andthe feeling is warm and rambunctious, even if theplaying from the band might be stiff and awkward.
The highlight is Amram playing his theme to
Splendor in the Grass on piano and pennywhistle.
Both sessions show his vitality and musicianship,
but fans will likely stick with the earlier session.
For more info visit afterthefallrecords.com. Amram is
at Zinc Bar Jun. 27. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 39

(APA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)(LONG PLAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)

hospital. From there, they move on to Discovery
Week—a “variety of events [that] replicates nearly
every kind of performance situation a professional
pianist will encounter”, according to the program.
Among these events are a non-adjudicated solo
performance for the community and four adjudicatedsets—two as part of a trio, one accompanying star
vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, and another soloing
with the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra.
Divided across two evenings, these four sets fell
under the purview of a preeminent panel of judges:
pianists Fortner, Cyrus Chestnut and Bill Cunliffe;
The Jazz Gallery Artistic Director Rio Sakairi; andA&R Senior Director of Mack Avenue Records Will
Wakefield. No less impressive, celebrated soprano
Sylvia McNair and master pianist Bill Charlap
emceed the two evenings, live-streamed via the APA
website.
Thompson, a Juilliard graduate and recipientof the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award,
approached the trio performances by leaning into
the blues. He displayed a deep understanding of thestyle on his own “Citizen of the Blues” in the first trio
set and Johnny Hodges’ “Funky Blues” in the second,
before charging through an ebullient rendition ofDuke Ellington’s “Take the ‘A’ Train”. His seemingly
preternatural maturity as a player on these standard
forms doubtless factored heavily into the judges’
decision to award him top honors.
But Thompson was not without strong rivals in
the contest. William Paterson University graduate
Cardello, who bears the distinction of being the final
student of Harold Mabern (1936-2019), distinguishedhimself through his grasp of contrasting styles, firstwith his solo take of Jimmy McHugh’s ballad “Don’t
Blame Me” followed immediately by a skilled bop
rendition of Kenny Barron’s “New York Attitude”.
And Castro, a current Juilliard student and winnerof three ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz ComposerAwards, excelled with two superb originals, thebeautifully filigreed “Indigo Flurries” and the jazz
meditation “Love Song”.
To the extent that the trio performances
showcased
theplayers’
improvisatory
andcompositional skills, the duo and big band sets tested
their abilities as collaborators. Cornish, who received
a full scholarship to UCLA’s Herbie Hancock
Institute of Jazz, delivered one of the competition’s
most enthralling performances on Billy Strayhorn’s“Lush Life”, so responsive and unpredictable
was his rapport with Salvant. And University ofNorth Carolina (UNC) grad Linger, winner of theAmerican Jazz Pianist Competition in 2017 (a year
before Cornish in 2018 and five years before Castro
in 2022), showed an unruffled dexterity in finessing
the variable tempos, shifting keys and crisp grooves
in “Monk Medley”, a tight big-band arrangement of
select compositions by the bebop master.
After the big band set on the final evening, thejudges sequestered themselves to select the winner.
As the audience waited, perhaps they recalled
Charlap’s earlier wisdom summing up the difficulties
of choosing the recipient of this year’s award.
“Everybody here is a winner. It sounds corny
to say, but it isn’t,” he said. “Think about it—acompetition that had in it Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum,
Bud Powell, Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. Who
wins? Of course, they all win. They all win forbeing themselves. And that’s what these marvelous
musicians have—they all have a point of view,
something to say about the music. They will continue
to develop into greater and greater artists—and have
not just a hit record, but a hit career. And that’s
where it’s at.”electronic and acoustic timbres with a punk/metal
attitude, restively switching moods and textures likesomeone scanning radio stations. In BRIC Ballroom,
Ganavya and Shabaka Hutchings co-led a soothing,spiritual session that made the big hall feel small andclose. Ganavya’s melismatic vocals and Hutchings’
mesmerizing flute cast a spell that conjured a few
uninhibited trance dancers to rise from their seats.
Back at Mark Morris Dance Center, innovative
bassist Brandon Lopez employed a plethora of
percussive and extended techniques to craft a oneman orchestral backdrop for Fred Moten’s intoned‘flowetry’, which offered wry observations on thecontradictory nature of human beings. A quick trip
out to Littlefield afforded a peek at the second halfof soprano saxophonist Dave Liebman and pianist
Kenny Werner’s duo set. Werner was extroverted andebullient; Liebman was more subdued, but poured
out his soul on John Coltrane’s ballad “Naima”.
There were ten times as many musicians onstage at
Roulette when conductor/arranger David Sanford’s
Pittsburgh-based big band played a raucous set
ending with featured trumpeter Hugh Ragin’s The
Moors of Spain, a programmatic meditation on war
and peace.
A second quick jaunt to Littlefield offered a taste of
tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and drummer
Chad Taylor’s superb duet set. After playing a novel
version of “Over the Rainbow”, Lewis exclaimed, “Thereed’s trying to be my enemy tonight,” but nobody
believed it when they heard his tremendous tone on
the minor ballad in 9/8 time that capped the set. The
tone profile was of decidedly deeper frequency at
Synaesthesis’ Roulette set; bass clarinet, cello, piano,bass and tuba all rumbled together like electronic
digeridoos. At Public Records, Thumbscrew (guitarist
Mary Halverson, bassist Michael Formanek, drummer
Tomas Fujiwara) crafted brittle, crab-walking
melodies that side-slipped through established key
areas in quirky rhythmic motions—ideal theme music
for a steampunk adventure.
The final Saturday event was one of the moreinteresting: Liturgy’s bristling black metal concert at
Littlefield, a swarm of high-velocity, tremolo-pickedmosquito notes punctuated by guitarist/vocalist
Haela Hunt-Hendrix’ howling “Wow’s!” over longform, through-composed blast beats trip-hammered
home by drummer Leo Didkovsky.
First up Sunday (May 7) in BRIC’s lobby was
Julia Wolfe’s “my lips from speaking”, a two-piano
composition (based on the churchy piano riff of ArethaFranklin’s “Think”) performed by Vicky Chow andDavid Friend. Down the hallway in the big ballroom,
birdsong played over the PA system established anirenic ambiance for guitarist Gyan Riley and sitarist
Krishna Bhatt’s jugalbandi (duet) with tabla, which
grafted Hindustani raga and tala to jazz and new
age music. At Littlefield, Lori Goldston’s solo celloset alternated between open-handed, quasi-flamenco
strumming and bowed drones and overtones thatcreated a gritty, bagpipe-like effect. At BAM Café,
vibraphonist Patricia Brennan led her quartet on an
original program of quickfire, metrically intricate
pieces including “Convergences” and “Sizigia”,
shading her gleaming, gliding lines with a whammypedal.
Composer/multi-reedist
Henry
Threadgill
gave an insightful interview at Center for Fiction
bookstore, touching on various topics: the musicbusiness (comparing major labels to loan sharks);
innovating within tradition (“You gotta get up off of
this and on to something else”); finding your voice(“You have to have a language built up within you
before you can say something”); travel as a sourceof artistic inspiration; musical meanings (“I never
have a ‘message’ as such; I would never put myself

For more info visit americanpianists.org

40 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

in that position”); the Vietnam War’s dehumanizing
effects; childhood sonic memories; and his personal
mantra, derived from Muhammad Ali: “I’m in shape,and my training’s on time!” Shortly afterward, he andwe reassembled around the corner at Mark Morris
Dance Center for a tribute to his Very Very Circus,organized like parallel train tracks: tubas (Marcus
Rojas, Ron Caswell) and guitars (Brandon Ross, Miles
Okazaki) on either side of the stage, alto sax (Yosvany
Terry) to the left, trombone (Jose Davila) to the right,
with locomotive drummer Gene Lake chugging up the
middle. The rumbling twin tubas made for muddy
textures at first, but the septet’s sound grew clearer
and more cohesive as the set progressed, cresting withthe final tune, “Bee Dee Aff”.
Pianist Marta Sanchez’ trio set at Roulette featured
intelligent themes laced with subtly subversive
rhythms, serving as a brief palate cleanser before thefestival finale: the Art Ensemble of Chicago at Pioneer
Works. Since saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell was
COVID-quarantined, the remaining original member,drummer Famoudou Don Moye, captained the ship
comprised of Moor Mother (spoken word), eddy
kwon (violin), Simon Sieger (trombone, keyboards)
and Junius Paul (bass), plus Shabaka Hutchings (tenor
saxophone/flutes) filling in for Mitchell. Callingout the ancestral spirits for a good hour and a half,
AEC’s most transcendental moments occurred when
the band sang, danced and played small bells, rattles,
flutes and whistles. Moving in close, winding circles,
they enjoined the audience: “Let the children see!”“Trust your vision!” “Seek to live!” “Ancient to the
future!” “This is what freedom sounds like, looks like,feels like!”
For more info visit bangonacan.org/longplay

NEW WOLFGANG LACKERSCHMID& CHET BAKER ALBUm

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(LABEL SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11)“Bob wanted to do it for a while, but timing iseverything. It’s like a dream that came true. The fact thatit’s a comeback for both of us makes it feel like it wasn’t
an accident. I learned my trade in New Jersey where
Bob’s dad did a lot of his work. You start connecting thedots, it’s pretty amazing to me,” he adds.
Thiele Jr. selected songs for Valentine that drew
connections from past to present. Valentine says, “Wewere coming out of lockdown and we wanted to saysomething. We thought ‘You Haven’t Done Nothing’ by
Stevie Wonder spoke to our disappointment in political
officials who we’d put our faith in and ‘Home Is Where
the Hatred Is’ by Gil Scott-Heron and ‘We People Who
Are Darker Than Blue’ by Curtis Mayfield speak to theracism Black people experience. We also did ‘The Creator
Has a Master Plan’ by Pharoah Sanders and ‘Wade in
the Water’. It was pretty gut-wrenching… Once it was
finished, I couldn’t listen to it for nine months because
it had taken so much out of me. Bob told me we’d done
something special. I was very pleasantly surprised by thedepth we put into those songs.
“We’d cut the record in LA at East West Studio andBob took it to NY and added musicians Claire Daly on
baritone saxophone and Theo Croker on trumpet. So,
when he brought it back to me it’d taken on a whole newthing. The nucleus of the rhythm section was so good thatwhat we put on later was icing on the cake,” he adds.
“What I tried to do with Billy was to link him withartists like saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins and drummer
James Gadson, who’d never made a record together. It’s
the idea of bringing together great musicians regardlessof their prior individual recognition,” Thiele says. “I want
to break down the lanes that have been established for along time in jazz and let collaborators come together tocreate something unique.”Given the enduring relevance of the sociopoliticalclassics covered, Valentine ponders how much haschanged and how much has stayed the same since Flying
Dutchman first launched. “We’re much more aware ofthings, even though a lot of things remain the same. I
love the young people who take to the street and speakout. Progress is slow and it comes in increments. As MLK
said, ‘you must continue the struggle.’”Thinking of his father’s legacy and his renewed senseof vision for the label, Thiele Jr. says, “I ask myself, what
would Bob Senior do? I’m committed to honoring theearly years of Flying Dutchman as a social and politicalmouthpiece reflecting the times… The brand has beenreactivated to its original mission statement. My father
loved being in the studio with artists he wanted to hearrecorded. We’re going to do stuff that I love that’s jazzbased, politically and socially conscious. My dad had astrong feeling about what’s going on in 1969, like I donow.”
For more info visit flyingdutchmanrecords.com. A Gato
Barbieri tribute with Jeff Lederer is at Barbés Jun. 15. See
Calendar.
(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)TNYCJR: What about the “Louis Armstrong and Latin
Music” show you’re doing at Hostos Center in June?
BS: Louis Armstrong has a strong connection to Latinmusic because his trumpet inspiration, the person hecopied his tone off of, was Manuel Perez. Perez was
Cuban, and he was the trumpeter in the Olympia BrassBand in New Orleans. And if you don’t believe me, lookat the transcript of his interview with the Smithsonian. I
freaked out when I read it because me and Mario (Bauzá)were having a conversation one day about why are allthese hidden figures that are Latino and Latinos in jazznever given any credit? When you hear recordings ofLouis Armstrong, you’re hearing Manuel Perez’ voice on

the trumpet combined with Louis Armstrong’s creative
improvisational genius. He also in 1930 recorded “ThePeanut Vendor (El Manisero)”, which was the first Cuban
tune that hit the U.S. in a big way, so he has that connection
to Latin music. And of course, he’s from the northernmost
city of the Caribbean: New Orleans. So there you go. It’sa children’s concert. It’s free. So families can come with
their kids and have a great Sunday afternoon.
For more info visit bobbysanabria.com. Sanabria’s album
release concert is at Hostos Center Jun. 4. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Mongo Santamaria—Mongo Magic (Roulette, 1983)• Mario Bauza And His Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra—
Tanga (Messidor, 1991)• Bobby Sanabria Big Band Afro-Cuban Dream—…live & in clave!!! (Arabesque, 1999)• Bobby Sanabria/Manhattan School of Music AfroCuban Jazz Orchestra—Kenya Revisited Live!!!
(featuring Candido) (Jazzheads, 2008)• Bobby Sanabria Big Band—Multiverse(Jazzheads, 2011)• Bobby Sanabria MULTIVERSE Big Band—
VOX HUMANA (Jazzheads, 2022)(ULRICHSBERG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)
Butcher’s command of multiphonics gifts him an entire
language which he deployed not only in visceral rollercoaster surges, but also in more nuanced settings. That
was illustrated by one magical episode when splittoned soprano blended with bowed cymbal and spare
tolling bass, conjuring up a deliciously melancholy
atmosphere.
The union of another stalwart of the London scene,
drummer Roger Turner, with two veteran Japaneseprotagonists, guitarist Otomo Yoshihide and pianist
Masahiko Satoh, in the Sea Trio, proved anotherhighlight. Amid the mutual give and take, Satoh showeda particular affinity for form, periodically inserting vamps
into the unfettered outpouring. Every oblique commentand rattle by Turner was visible in his facial expressions,as he either played against patterns or fell into a steadymeter to accentuate the rush even more. While pianoand drums could get quite jazzy on occasion, Yoshihide
tended towards the abstract, drawing on noise, rock andimprov, enlisting bows, mallets and a metal U-bend in hisquest. In a rousing finale, Satoh cued a pithy convoluted
unison which drew whoops and hollers from the throng.
Their entreaties were answered with a delicate lullaby,
sporting just a hint of dissonance.
The shadow of the late German bassist Peter Kowald
loomed large over In Memoriam Global Village. The
two remaining members of Kowald’s Global Village
Trio, Gunda Gottschalk on violin and Xu Fengxia on
guzheng (a sort of zither) and sanxian (a three-stringedlute), joined with his erstwhile sparring partner,
drummer Günter Baby Sommer, and Belgian bassist
Peter Jacquemyn. The addition of Sommer was inspired,as his infectious rhythms grounded the wilder flights offancy, and his provocations productively kept the strings
off balance. All three supplemented their instrumental
duties with vocal lines; Jacquemyn’s eerie throat singing
was especially striking. Their set, which veered fromeffervescent swing to exotic timbral intertwining, acted
as a joyous celebration of its absent founder and a vibrantaffirmation of the musicians’ artistry.
The quartet of reedman Frank Gratkowski, pianist
Achim Kaufmann, bassist Wilbert de Joode and drummer
Tony Buck teetered constantly between chamberdelicacy and thorny wallop, often depending on whether
Gratkowski favored flute and clarinets or his fiery alto
saxophone. It was an intense set, which privileged
ensemble interaction over solo breaks. That emphasis oncommunal music-making was characteristic of the whole
event. Metal Breath, the pairing of vocalist Phil Minton andtubist Carl Ludwig Hübsch, was highly communicative,
albeit in a tongue utterly of their own making. Minton
seemed to be channeling a stream of different characters;
Hübsch complemented Minton’s dazzling litany ofhums, groans and sniffs with vocal sounds of his own.
Jane In Ether, comprising pianist Magda Mayas, violinist
Biliana Voutchkova and flutist Miako Klein, also tradedin unconventional sonorities, shaping them into prickly
dialogue.
Italian cellist Luca Tilli and trombonist Sebi
Tramontana hewed closer to conventional norms in arelaxed, thoughtful conversation, yet still integrated
excitable vocalizations and percussive outbursts
into the extemporized discourse. Likewise anchored,
the Austrian twosome of pianist Josef Novotny andbassist Peter Herbert mined an accessible seam at first,
then stretched the parameters with the intrusion ofelectronic effects. The contemporary music strand of theKaleidophon was also represented by a performance of
the Italian composer Luigi Nono’s “Hay que caminarsoñando” by violinists Annelie Gahl and Alexander
Gheorghiu (who perambulated through the parish
church), alongside other contemporary pieces and two
baroque works.
With its top-notch programming, enthusiastic crowd
and friendly vibe, the Ulrichsberg Kaleidophon should
figure highly on every festival-goer’s radar.
For more info visit jazzatelier.at(LEST WE FORGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)shows his skills on clarinet. His last recording was withsaxophonist James Carter (Conversin’ with the Elders,Atlantic, 1996). Carter said this about Tate’s sound:“It’s like he could swing honk and boot but at the sametime turn around and caress a rose petal… He could
show tenderness, but he got the spurs on and jingle,
jingle, jingle, just knock everybody on their butt. But
when it came time to seduce and move a filly, let me
flip this over here for you.”
Carter remembers his first meeting with Tate ten
years earlier as a seventeen-year-old attending a concert
in Detroit. “The catalyst was a fundraiser for Paradise
Valley, which is a part of Detroit where the jazz groups
used to come… I still have the program. Buddy andSweets (trumpeter Harry Edison) just finished playing,and you would think they would be, ‘No, don’t messwith this, don’t mess with that,‘ but I was like, ‘Can I
see your horn?‘ I played his Conn and…YEAH! ... Then
Buddy said, ‘Oh, you got a little set on there, look atthat.’ This is September 1986, and ten years later both ofthem agreed to be on my album.” Carter continues, “I
asked Buddy, what was the real deal on Billie Holiday?
And I can just see how his cheeks turned up and he was,like, ‘Yeah, I was there, she was one of the guys and at
the same time she was the lady, but then that sailor side
would come out and put folks in check.’”
Tate passed away on February 10, 2001, but his sax
still blows. Carter possesses his Selmer Balance Action
and says, “I bring it out every time I need to reconnect.”
You can hear Carter connect with Tate’s Selmer as heplays all over it on “Skull Grabbin” (In Carterian Fashion,
Atlantic, 1998). As he tells it, “My Yamaha Custom forsome reason wouldn’t fall under my fingers, but I also
had Buddy’s ax there with me, and we did it in one
take.” Buddy Tate would approve.
Recommended Listening:• Buddy Tate—1945-1950 (Classics, 1945-50)• Count Basie And His Orchestra—1947 (Classics, 1947)• Buck Clayton/Buddy Tate—Buck & Buddy(Prestige Swingville, 1960)• Buddy Tate/Milt Buckner—When I’m Blue (TheDefinitive Black & Blue Sessions) (Black & Blue, 1967)• Buddy Tate—Meets Dollar Brand (Chiaroscuro, 1977)• Buddy Tate/Al Grey—Just Jazz (Uptown, 1984)

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 41

CALENDAR
Thursday, June 1êCaleb Michel; Darius Jones Quintet

411 Kent 8 pm $20
êJerry Bergonzi with Anthony Pinciotti, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Mike Moreno Quartet with Lex Korten, Matt Brewer, Jimmy Macbride
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êPhillip Johnston
Barbès 6 pmêJohn Patitucci Remembrance Trio with Joe Lovano, Brian Blade
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Ghost Note
• Jon Davis Trio; Ai Murakami Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $5• Sekou McMiller and Friends: “African Diaspora and Dance”; SJC-3 with Sarah
Cion, Alec Safy, Mike Camacho
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $20-45• Julieta Eugenio Quartet; T.K. Blue Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30• Roy Hargrove Big BandêTim Berne, Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi
Lowlands 8 pm $10• Oran Etkin, Kevin Hays, Matt Wilson; Greg Murphy Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
The Porch 8 pm $10• TramplemanêJALC Orchestra: “The Jazz Ambassadors - Duke, Dizzy, and Brubeck”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-180• Trevor Turla; Sophia Kickhofel Quintet
Silvana 7, 11 pm• Willy Rodriguez Quintet with Gideon Forbes, Grant Richards, Joseph
Doubleday, John Sims; Sarah Hanahan Quartet and Jam with Luther S. Allison,
Elam Friedlander, Diego Joaquin Ramirez
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êGeorge Coleman Quintet with Peter Bernstein, Tadataka Unno, John Webber,
George Coleman Jr
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• JC Maillard, Jorge Glem, Darío Boente, Juana Luna, Sofía Rei
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAmbrose Akinmusire with Fabian Almazan, Joe Sanders, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, June 2• Anant Pradhan, Larry McDonald

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Richard Dworkin Orchestra; Spanglish Fly
Barbès 8, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; John Patitucci Remembrance Trio with Joe Lovano,
Brian Blade
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êScott Robinson Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Ghost
Note
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45•* = Recommended Shows• Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra

Bryant Park 7 pm
• Victor Gould Quartet; Tad Shull Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10êDion Parson and 21st Century Band with Ron Blake, Melvin Jones, Reuben
Rogers, Carlton Holmes, Victor Provost, Alioune Faye; SJC-3 with Sarah Cion,
Alec Safy, Mike Camacho
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $20-55• David Gibson Quartet; Sam Dillon Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Alone Not Lonely Vol. 5 with Yoon Sun Choi, Tizia Zimmermann, Noa Fort,
DoYeon Kim
Ibeam Brooklyn 7:30 pm $20
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30• Vanisha Gould• Tomoko Ohno, Jay Leonhart Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pmêNels Cline’s Consentrik Quartet with Ingrid Laubrock, Chris Lightcap,
Tom Rainey
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $32.96• Peter Zak, Paul Gill, Billy Drummond; John Chin Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
• Khalil Kwame BellRed Room at KGB Bar 10 pm• Rico Jones Quartet
Ryan
Sands;
MichaelZilberRoom 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20•
êJALC Orchestra: “The Jazz Ambassadors - Duke, Dizzy, and Brubeck”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-180êSteve LaSpina Reunion Quintet with Billy Drewes, Dave Ballou, Marc Copland,
Jeff Hirshfield; Corey Wallace Dubtet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• George Coleman Quintet with Peter Bernstein, Tadataka Unno, John Webber,
George Coleman Jr
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 8 pm $55-85• Lisa Fischer• Jorge Glem, Franco Pinna, Sofía Rei
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAmbrose Akinmusire with Fabian Almazan, Joe Sanders, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Williamsbridge Oval 6 pm
• Ray Blue Quintet

Saturday, June 3• Maalem Hassan BenJaafar, Dan Freedman

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Brian Prunka; Anant Pradhan, Larry McDonald, DJ Little Dynasty
Barbès 6, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

êJohn Patitucci Remembrance Trio with Joe Lovano, Brian Blade

Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Ghost NoteSambadeGringo;Miki
Yamanaka
Quartet•Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10êDion Parson and 21st Century Band with Ron Blake, Melvin Jones, Reuben
Rogers, Carlton Holmes, Victor Provost, Alioune Faye; SJC-3 with Sarah Cion,
Alec Safy, Mike Camacho
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $20-55• Max Johnson Trio; Craig Handy and 2nd Line Smith
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Alone Not Lonely Vol. 6 with Akiko Pavolka, Mazz Swift, Cat Toren
Ibeam Brooklyn 7:30 pm $20• Tomoko Ohno, Jay Leonhart Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
• Peter Zak, Paul Gill, Billy Drummond; Johnny O’Neal Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êMatt Moran, Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Curtis Hasselbring; Darren Johnston,
Dayna Stephens, Jacob Sacks, Sean Conly, Vinnie Sperrazza; Peter Hess, Matt
Moran, Mick Rossi
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10êRoberta Donnay, Kay Kostopoulo
Pangea 7 pm $25• Raphael Silverman Trio; Casa Mantequilla
The Porch 1, 7, 9 pm $15
Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• Tamar Eisenman and Y&IêJALC Orchestra: “The Jazz Ambassadors - Duke, Dizzy, and Brubeck”
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-180êSteve LaSpina Reunion Quintet with Billy Drewes, Dave Ballou, Marc Copland,
Jeff Hirshfield; Eric Wyatt Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êGeorge Coleman Quintet with Peter Bernstein, Tadataka Unno, John Webber,
George Coleman Jr
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
êAllen Lowe and The Constant Sorrow Orchestra Soup & Sound 8 pm
JC
Maillard,
Sofía
Rei
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20•
êBruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers with Christian McBride, John Scofield,
Kenny Garrett
Town Hall 8 pm $68-174
êAmbrose Akinmusire with Fabian Almazan, Joe Sanders, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êScott Robinson Quartet

Sunday, June 4êAruan Ortiz solo

411 Kent 8 pm $20• The Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Jon Cowherd’s Mercy Project with Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, Dan Rieser
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Max Johnson Trio with Neta Raanan, Jeff Davis; Stéphane Wrembel
Barbès 6, 8 pm $20• Jay Leonhart; Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30 pm $25• Harlem Blues ProjectBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Ghost Note
Campbell Apartment 6 pm
• Maria Kaushansky
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Mike Karn TrioêDion Parson and 21st Century Band with Ron Blake, Melvin Jones, Reuben
Rogers, Carlton Holmes, Victor Provost, Alioune Faye
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $20-40• Alexander Claffy Quartet; Caelan Cardello Trio
The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25
êBobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band; Miguel Zenon, Angelica Negron
Hostos Center 1, 4 pm
• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Rodrigo Recabarren
Keep 9 pm• Kristina Koller with Fima Chupakhin, James Robbins, Cory Cox;
Jamile Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êThe Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra with Michael Session, William Roper, et al.;Taja Cheek
National Sawdust 8 pm $20• Wajdi Cherif, Kana Miyamoto New York Jazz Workshop 5:30 pm $20
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Kate Baker Trio
• Angelina Kolobukhova, Andrew Wilcox, Sameer Shankar
Ornithology Jazz Club 2 pm $5• Akie Bermiss, Kazemde George, Yotam Ben-Or
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10êScott Robinson Quartet

42 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDThe Porch 1 pm $10• Timothy Johnson• Elio Coppola, Eric Alexander, Alexander Claffy

Rizzoli Bookstore 5 pm $25

Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• Carmen & Jean
• Marcus Goldhaber; Mimi JonesRoom 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 9:30 pm $20
Sivan
Arbel
QuartetSaint Peter’s Church 5 pm•
• From Bebop to Hardbop; John Colonna
Silvana 7, 10 pm• John Ellis Quintet with Mike Rodriguez, Gary Versace, Massimo Biolcati,

Joe Dyson; Aaron Johnson Boplicity and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êGeorge Coleman Quintet with Peter Bernstein, Tadataka Unno, John Webber,
George Coleman Jr
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êAmbrose Akinmusire with Fabian Almazan, Joe Sanders, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, June 5êOmer Avital GroupBar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Billy Stritch and Gabrielle Stravelli: “Mel and Ella Swing!”

Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30

êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55

Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Vanderlei Pereira Trio
• Clarice Assad, Mariel Mayz, João Luiz Rezende, Carolina Calvache;

Yosvany Terry, Fabian Almazan, Yunior Terry, David Virelles
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-40• Marius Van Den Brink Quintet; Wilfie Williams Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35
Spike
WilnerTrio;
Pasquale
Grasso,Ari Roland, Keith Balla•
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Brian Hargrove; Randal Fisher Quartet; Mekala Session and
Zekkereya El-Magharbel
Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66
Silvana 10 pm• Julen Rodriguez Quintet• Eric Alexander Quartet; Mike Boone Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êSheryl Bailey
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25

Tuesday, June 6• Jorge Glem, Sam Reider: “Brooklyn-Cumaná”
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 7 pm $20• Tamar KornêStacey Kent
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30• Loston Harris• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Our Delight• Brandon Bain and Jonathan Michel: “Harry Belafonte’s Calypso Re-Imagined”
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-50• Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet; Hector Martignon’s Foreign Affair
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Kevin Sun Trio with Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Susan Tobocman Quartet with Matt Ray, Caleb Tobocman, Michael Sarin;
Michael Kanan, Greg Ruggiero, Neal Miner
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Frank Lacy Quartet; Jason Clotter Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êKurt Elling with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êLizzie Thomas
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25

Wednesday, June 7• Oz Noy Trio with Matt Penman, Colin Stranahan

333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pmêEkphrastic Discourse with James Ilgenfritz, Sandy Ewen, Michael Foster,

Sam Newsome; Anagram Ensemble with Sara Schoenbeck, Josh Sinton
411 Kent 8 pm $20
êSullivan Fortner
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Chris MorisseyêStacey Kent
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Nightwith Mike Stern
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55
êBrandi Disterheft Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5
Columbus Park 12 pm• Rome Neal Quintet• Kirk Fletcher with Anton Fig, Felicia Collins, Andy Hess, Eric Finland
Cutting Room 8 pm $35-40
êBrian Charette Quartet with Joel Frahm, Ed Cherry, Adam Nussbaum
Dizzy’s Club 9:30 pm $25-40
êJonny King Trio; Frank Basile Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Ben Tiberio Root Cause with David Leon, Yvonne Rogers, Ari Hoenig
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30êCarol Sudhalter, Bertha Hope, Keisha St. Joan, Bill Crow
Jazz Museum in Harlem 7 pm $25• Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton; Alejandro Florez, Dan Blake,
Satoshi Takeishi; Yoni Kretzmer, Mike Pride, Sean Conley, Reuben Radding
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20• Neil Podgurski Trio; Sam Raderman Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ben Cassara with Josh Richman, Harry Allen, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner
Pangea 7 pm $25• Harlem Blues and Jazz Band Pier 84 7 pm
The Porch 8 pm $10• Ginetta’s VendettaêBRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!: Taj Mahal, Corinne Bailey Rae,
Harlem Gospel Travelers
Prospect Park Bandshell 6 pm
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $20• Peter Brainin• Eishin Nose, Satoshi Takeishi Scholes Street Studio 8 pm
• Adam Brenner Quartet; Curtis Nowosad Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSean Mason Quintet with Anthony Hervey, Chris Lewis, Felix Moseholm,
Domo Branch
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êSono Fest!: Ethan Iverson, Mark Turner
Soapbox Gallery 7:30, 9 pm $25
êThomas Morgan, Ben Goldberg The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20

êKurt Elling with the Vanguard Jazz OrchestraêHenry Fraser

Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20

Thursday, June 8êAnagram Ensemble with Katie Porter; Sara Bernstein + Stuart Popejoy;Time Phase Trio with Ty Citerman, Jen Baker, Shayna Dunkelman
411 Kent 8 pm $20• Grassroots Jazz Effort with Jerome Sabbagh, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton,
George Schuller
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30, 11 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Jason Lindner, Nate Wood
• Miss Maybell and her Jazz Age Artistes
Barbès 8 pm $20
êStacey Kent
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55• Dave Gibson Organ Quartet; Simona Premazzi Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $5• Steven Feifke Big Band; Adriel Vincent Brown
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55
êChris Beck Quartet; Mike Clark Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
Harlem Stage Gatehouse 9 pm $20• Yasser Tejeda• Kengchakaj Yon Yaeng with Rose Stoller, Alfredo Colon, Mike Haldeman,
Almog Sharvit, Kobi Abcede, Nitcha Tothong
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30êTim Berne, Jeff Davis, Gregg Belisle-Chi, John Hebert
Lowlands 8 pm $10• Freddie Bryant, Tarik Shah, Jimmy Madison; Mike Camacho Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Silvana 6 pm
• Morgan PriceêEd Neumeister Quartet; Nick Hempton Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êOrrin Evans All-Star Quintet with Sean Jones, Gary Thomas, Robert Hurst,
Marvin “Smitty” Smith
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Daniel Jodocy, Hamir Atwal, Michael Coleman, Ben Goldberg
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Elling with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, June 9• Etienne Charles: “Carnival - The Sound of a People”

Appel Room 7, 9:30 pm $80-100• Jojo Kuo and The Afrobeat Messengers
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; Stacey Kent Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40• Esteban Castro Trio in the Theater
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-65• Lettuce with Grand Puba
• Richard Clements Quintet; Jamale Davis Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10• Quintin Harris Trio; Randy Edelman
Chelsea Table + Stage 7, 9:30 pm $21êCaribbean Cross-Generations with Andrew Cyrille, Aruán Ortiz, Giveton Gelin
and Shenel Johns; Adriel Vincent Brown
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Jason Tiemann Quartet; Simon Moullier Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Nerissa Campbell with Arta Jekabsone, David Cieri, Desmond White,
Bill Campbell
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
• Arnie Sainz• Joe Locke, Jim Ridl, Lorin Cohen; Eden Ladin Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
• Jay Rodriguez• Corey Bernhard X, Sanche Ramirez; Alexander Claffy, David Kikoski,
Jonathan Blake
Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66• Sabeth Perez, Tal Yahalom, Martina Liviero
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $20• Seawind of Battery & Kendraplex
Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• Alissa Stahler; Coby Petricone-Berg
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Joel Frahm Quartet with Spike Wilner, Paul Gill, Joe Strasser; Philip Harper
Quintet and Jam with Bernell Jones II, Miles Lennox, Jason Maximo Clotter,
David Hawkins
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êOrrin Evans All-Star Quintet with Sean Jones, Gary Thomas, Robert Hurst,
Marvin “Smitty” Smith
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 8 pm $62.50• Manhattan TransferêBen Goldberg, Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, Allan Mednard
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Elling with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, June 10êAlex Marcelo, JD Parran, Daniel Carter; Anagram Ensemble with Nicole Parks

411 Kent 8 pm $20• Etienne Charles: “Carnival - The Sound of a People”

Appel Room 7, 9:30 pm $80-100
BAMCafé 9 pm
• Pakula Surprise with Eric Pakula, Blake Lindberg, Nick Cudahy; Brian Prunka
Barbès 3, 6 pm $20• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êStacey Kent
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
EstebanCastroTriointheTheater•
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-65• Lettuce with Mike Stern• Jade Synstelien Quartet; Courtney Wright Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10êCaribbean Cross-Generations with Andrew Cyrille, Aruán Ortiz, Giveton Gelin
and Shenel Johns; Adriel Vincent Brown
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Freddy DeBoe Band; Matt Chertkoff Quartet with Houston Person
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Eli Yamin, Clifford Carlson: “Norah’s Ark”
Holy Trinity Cathedral 4 pm
• Joaquin Pozo y la Clave Suena
J. Hood Wright Park 2 pmêEndea Owens• Caracas Trio with Juan Diego Villalobos, Gabriel Chakarji, Daniel Prim

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
• Arnie Sainz• Joe Locke, Jim Ridl, Lorin Cohen; Jon Cowherd Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
National Sawdust 8 pm $20• Chase Elodia
Ilya
Dynov
Trio;
Wayne
Tucker&The Bad Mothas•
The Porch 1, 8 pm $10• Soul Science Lab; Olivia K and The Parkers
Prospect Park Bandshell 4 pm
• Ken Kobayashi Quartet; Tom Blatt Project
Silvana 8, 9 pm
• Joel Frahm Quartet with Spike Wilner, Paul Gill, Joe Strasser; Saul Rubin Zebtet
and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êOrrin Evans All-Star Quintet with Sean Jones, Gary Thomas, Robert Hurst,
Marvin “Smitty” Smith
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
Soapbox Gallery 7:30, 9 pm $25• Sono Fest!: Timo AndresêMatt Hollenberg, Trevor Dunn, Kenny Grohowski, Ben Goldberg
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êChucho Valdes and Paquito D’Rivera
Town Hall 8 pm $68-143
êKurt Elling with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, June 11411 Kent 8 pm $20• Sawt Out• The Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band; Noé Socha

Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm

Barbès 8 pm $20• Stéphane Wrembel• Brian Krock and Big Heart Machine Ensemble; Arturo O’Farrill and
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30• Senri Oe
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-65• Lettuce• DJ Logic, Neal Evans, Eddie Roberts, Ben Atkind, Nate Edgar
Brooklyn Bowl 8 pm $22

Campbell Apartment 6 pm
• Maria Kaushansky
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Willerm Delisfort Trio
• Songbook Sunday: Fats Waller Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-40
êJed Levy Quartet; Pete Malinverni Trio

The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Dalius Naujo
Keep 9 pm• Aimée Allen Trio; Naama Polite Jam

Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Timbalooloo Jazz for Kids with Oran Etkin; Edmar Castañeda
National Sawdust 11 am $20• Vicki Burns with Paul Bollenback, Sam Bevan

North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm

Nublu 151 8, 10 pm $22.66• Jazz Is PHSH
• Tobias Meinhart, Eden Ladin, Matt Penman, Mark Whitfield jr.

The Owl Music Parlor 7:30 pm $10

The Porch 1 pm $10• Angela Grey Trio
• Mattan Klein and Tammy Scheffer Group

Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• Marcus Goldhaber; Mimi JonesRoom 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 9:30 pm $20
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Kris Allen Trio
Silvana 7 pm
• Audrey Silver• Bruce Williams, Ted Chubb, Brandon McCune, Chris Berger, Vince Ector; Jeff
McGregor Quartet and Jam

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

êOrrin Evans All-Star Quintet with Sean Jones, Gary Thomas, Robert Hurst,

Marvin “Smitty” Smith
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êSono Fest!: Sam Newsome, Sylvie Courvoisier
Soapbox Gallery 7:30, 9 pm $25
êKurt Elling with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• “To Ibrahim with Love: A Memorial Concert for Ibrahim Gonzalez”
Woodlawn Cemetery 3 pmêVision Festival: Tiger Trio with Joëlle Léandre, Myra Melford, Nicole Mitchell;Joëlle Léandre/Fred Moten; Judson Trio with Joëlle Léandre, Craig Taborn,
Mat Maneri; Joëlle Léandre Septet with Ingrid Laubrock, Steve Swell,
Mat Maneri, Jason Kao Hwang, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Joe Morris
Roulette 7 pm $45-65
Silvana 7 pm
• Matt Kahn; Caroline Kuhn
êSteve Nelson Quartet with Rick Germanson, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Charles Goold;
Russell Hall Quintet and Jam with Mike Troy, Sasha Berliner, Leo Larrett,Matt Lee
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Peter White and Vincent Ingala Sony Hall 8 pm $45-80êFred Hersch with Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25• Rachel Z

Wednesday, June 14

333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pm• Akiko Tsuruga Trio
• Ben Bennet, Toshi Makahara; Kid Millions, Sarah Bernstein
411 Kent 8 pm $20

êMax Light with Noah Preminger, Kim Cass, Dan Weiss

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7 pm, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Nightwith Mike Stern
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55
êEd Cherry Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5
Columbus Park 12 pm• Gene Ghee
• Alex Weitz Quartet; Ruben Fox Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-45• Todd Herbert Quartet; Ben Wolfe Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êAlan Ferber Nonet with Scott Wendholt, Jon Gordon, John Ellis, Chris Cheek,
Nir Felder, David Cook, Matt Clohesy, Mark Ferber
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40• Kaelen Ghandhi, Raf Vertessen, Kyle Motyl; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane,
Colin Hinton; Yoni Kretzmer; Billy Mintz; John Hebert; Dave Scott;Main Drag Philharmonix Conductino Orchestra
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20• Daryl Sherman, Warren Vache, Boots Maleson; Lex Korten Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Marty Elkins with Janice Friedman, Yoshi Waki, Vito Lesczak:“The Music of Dakota Staton “ Pangea 7 pm $25• Gregory “Organ Monk” Lewis Pier 84 7 pm
The Porch 8 pm $10• Chase Elodia Trio
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $20• Peter BraininêVision Festival: Gerald Cleaver’s Black Host with Cooper-Moore, Brandon
Seabrook, Darius Jones, Dezron Douglas, Brandon Lopez, Miriam Parker;
Karen Borca Quartet with Rob Brown, Hilliard Greene, Jackson Krall; Hamid
Drake’s “Turiya: Honoring Alice Coltrane” with James Brandon Lewis, Jamie
Saft, Joshua Abrams, Patricia Nicholson; Mark Dresser 7 with Nicole Mitchell,
Keir GoGwilt, Marty Ehrlich, Michael Dessen, Joshua White, Michael Sarin
Roulette 7 pm $45-65• Sarah Cabral• Yellowjackets

THE ENGAGING NEW ALBUM FROM
AWARD-WINNING CHICAGOSINGER AND SONGWRITERJOANIE PALLATTO

Monday, June 12• Allan Mednard Trio with Carmen Rothwell, Santiago Leibson
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55

Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ehud Asherie Trio
• Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra

Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-45• Cameron Campbell Quartet; Hiruy Tirfe Quartet

The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35• Mike LeDonne Trio; Stefano Doglioni Quartet
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East Nublu 151 8 pm $22.66• Ari Hoenig Trio with Gadi Lehavi, Ben Tiberio; Charles Goold Quartet and Jam
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• Oz NoyêMark Dresser
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20
êMingus Big Band

Tuesday, June 13êNoah Preminger, Josh Evans, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Diego Voglino: “Weekly Jam

Session”

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êStephan Crump Slow Water with Patricia Brennan, Jacob Garchik,
Kenny Warren, Joanna Mattrey, eddy kwon
Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm, 9:30 pm $30-40• Yellowjackets
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30• Loston Harris• Talib Kweli and the Whiskey Boys
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Bruce Harris TrioêEdward Simon Trio with Magos Herrera, Luis Quintero: “Femininas - Songs of
Latin American Women”
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Alex Brown Quartet; Benito Gonzalez Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Happy Trio XXX with Kevin Sun, Gui Duvigne, Ele Howell
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• David Janeway, Cameron Brown, Billy Hart; John Merrill Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35"Joanie’s lyrics take you to the core of your being.”- Roots Music Report (5 STAR REVIEW)
Featuring Modern Guitar Virtuoso and
Co-Producer FAREED HAQUE
CD Release Show at Chicago's Legendary Green Mill
Sunday, June 11th, 4 - 6 PM
greenmilljazz.com• Ross Pederson Quartet

Southport Records Real Jazz Made In Chicago
chicagosound.com"Joanie Pallatto oﬀers a stimulating program of 13 new songson her new album…” - JAZZIZTHE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 43

• Luca Rosenfeld Trio

SEEDS 9 pmêAllen Lowe Sextet with Frank Lacy, Lewis Porter, Ray Suhy, Will Goble,

Rob Landis; Benny Benack Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSono Fest!: Marta Sánchez
Soapbox Gallery 7:30, 9 pm $25
êJulian Lage, Greg Cohen
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch with Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, June 15êGraham Haynes

411 Kent 8 pm $20• Danny Lipsitz & His Brass Tacks Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Three (Other) Tenors with Troy Roberts, Bob Sheppard, Adam Kolker, Jeremy
Stratton, Colin Stranahan
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Brandon Woody’s UPENDO Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êThird World: The Music of Gato Barbieri with Jeff Lederer
Barbès 10 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm, 9:30 pm $30-40• Yellowjackets
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $50-65• Soulive• Greg Glassman Quartet; Gabriele Donati Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $5êVijay Iyer Trio; Anthony Hervey Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• John Sneider Quintet; Mark Whitfield
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Uptown! A Latin jazz and swing FIESTA
Inwood Hill Park 4:30 pm• Alan Ferber Nonet with Scott Wendholt, Jon Gordon, John Ellis, Chris Cheek,
Nir Felder, David Cook, Matt Clohesy, Mark Ferber
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40êReggie Workman: “Remember” Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
StevenOquendo
Latin
Jazz
Orchestra;
Annette A. Aguilar & Stringbeans•
Lehman College, Steve Getz Music Hall 4:30 pmêTim Berne, Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi
Lowlands 8 pm $10• Julian Shore, Martin Nevin, Allan Mednard; Tyler Bullock Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Chris Dave, Burniss Travis, Kebbi Williams, Mike Aaberg, Jahi Sundance,
Oswin BenjaminNublu 151 8, 11 pm $22.66
êBalance with Anna Webber, Matt Mitchell
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10
The Porch 8 pm $10• Lloyd HaberêVision Festival: Brahja with Devin Brahja Waldman, Watson, Ras Moshe,
Lee Odom, Damon Hankoff, Luke Stewart, Reggie Nicholson, Nissa Nishikawa,
Gabriel Gall; L.I.P. with K.J. Holmes, Jeremy Carlstedt, Matt Lavelle;
Ted Daniel International Brass and Membrane Corps with Marvin Sewell,Jose Davila, Michael Wimberly; Mike Reed’s Separatist Party
with Ben LaMar Gay, Marvin Tate, Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, Rob Frye
Roulette 7 pm $45-65
êLauren Cauley - Erika Dohi Duo; Marius Duboule Quartet with Ohad Talmor,
Ben Street, Billy Mintz; Michel Maurer Quartet
SEEDS 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 pm
Silvana 7 pm
• Steve Count• Dave Scott Quintet; David Gibson Quartet and Jam

Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, James Carter, Paul
Bollenback, David Kikoski, Essiet Essiet, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êSono Fest!: Aaron Diehl
Soapbox Gallery 7:30, 9 pm $25
êScott Robinson, Greg Cohen The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch with Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, June 16• Kalí Rodriguez Peña’s Mélange Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

Joe’s Pub 6:30, 8 pm $35• Donny McCaslin• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Miller
Keep 9 pm• Dave Soldier Orchestra with Komar and Melamid, Gene Pritsker, Talujon
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $32.96• Mary Foster Conklin Quartet with Sara Caswell, John DiMartino, Ed Howard;
Lucy Wijnands Polite Jam

Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ben Cassara with Addison Frei, Perrin Grace

North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm

• Mike Gebhart, Katy Pinke, Alena Spanger, Derek Weaving

The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10• The Key To Authenticity; April Varner Quartet

The Porch 1, 8 pm $10êBen Allison, Steve Cardenas, Vinicius Gomez, Allan Mednard

Rizzoli Bookstore 5 pm $25• Birdland Big Band; Yellowjackets• Work in Progress Session #4 with Charlie Rauh, Rinat Tregerman, Julia Easterlin,êSteve Slagle• Marcus Goldhaber

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $50-65• Soulive• Wayne Tucker Quintet; James Austin Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10êVijay Iyer Trio; Anthony Hervey Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55
êLauren Sevian Quartet; Spin Cycle
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• The Jazz Wahi Composers Sextet with Julie Maniscalco, Berta Moreno,
Michael Rörby, Mark Kross, Eddy Khaimovich, Joseph Chidiebere EmmanuelGovernors Island 5, 7 pmêMike Holober and The Gotham Jazz Orchestra
Greenwich House Music School 6 pmêMicah Thomas Mountains with Adam O’Farrill, Immanuel Wilkins, Nicole Glover,Caleb Smith, Kanoa Mendenhall, Kweku Sumbry
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30• Spike Wilner Trio; Jon Davis Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
• Franz Hackl• Chris Dave, Burniss Travis, Kebbi Williams, Mike Aaberg, Jahi Sundance,
Oswin BenjaminNublu 151 8, 11 pm $22.66
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Kris Allen; Akili BradleyêVision Festival: Patrica Brennan’s More Touch with Kim Cass , Marcus Gilmore,
Mauricio Herrera, Mincho Vega; Mayan Space Station Flight 66 with William
Parker, Ava Mendoza, Gerald Cleaver, Mixashawn Rozie, Jason Kao Hwang,
gabby fluke-mogul, William Parker; Shamanic Principle with Val Jeanty, Patricia
Nicholson, Miriam Parker, Amir Bey; Mississippi to NY Freedom Band with Dick
Griffin, Dave Sewelson, Luke Stewart, Michael Wimberly, Tcheser Holmes, Dick
Griffin; Matthew Shipp Quartet with Mat Walerian, Michael Bisio, Whit Dickey,
Dawn Bisio
Roulette 6:30 pm $45-65• Alain Metrailler Quartet with Elias Stemeseder, Chris Tordini, Steven Crammer
SEEDS 8 pm
Silvana 8 pm
• Peter Louis OctetêSam Newsome Quartet with David Liebman, Mark Helias, Reggie Nicholson; Greg
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Glassman Quartet and JamêVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, James Carter, Paul
Bollenback, David Kikoski, Essiet Essiet, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
êGreg Cohen, Panda Rontop Padin
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch with Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, June 17• Belo and the Beasts with Eduardo Belo

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Brian Prunka; Living Language Barbès 6, 10 pm $20• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars

Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40êSteve Slagle
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Soulive
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $50-65•• Bebop Collective; Kyoko Oyobe Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10
Chelsea Table + Stage 7, 9:30 pm $21• MozayikêVijay Iyer Trio; Anthony Hervey Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55
Dave
Stryker
Quartet;LezlieHarrison•
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMicah Thomas Mountains with Adam O’Farrill, Immanuel Wilkins, Nicole Glover,Caleb Smith, Kanoa Mendenhall, Kweku Sumbry
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30• Spike Wilner Trio; Johnny O’Neal Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êCHAMA with Cyro Baptista, Felipe Hostins, Martche, Gil Oliveira; Melanie Charles
Nublu 151 7, 10 pm $22.66
The Porch 1 pm $10• Olli Soikelli• Spaceman Patterson and the Celestials; Phil Young Experience
Riverbank State Park 1 pm
• Klye Nasser and Simona Premazzi Group
Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41
êVision Festival: Sun Han Guild with William Parker, eddy kwon, Laura Cocks,
Nava Dunkelman, DoYeon Kim, Lester St. Louis; Dave Burrell/Joe McPhee; Yasmine
Lee, Michael Wimberly; Brandon Lopez “the gospel of sans” with Zeena Parkins,
Cecilia Lopez, Mat Maneri, DoYeon Kim, Gerald Cleaver, Tom Rainey,
Ian Kornfeld; HEAR IN NOW Extended with Tomeka Reid, Silvia Bolognesi, Angelica
Sanchez, Selina Trepp
Roulette 6 pm $45-65• Annie Chen Guardians Project with Marius Duboule, Alex LoRe, Fung Chern Hwei,
Jacob Sacks, Jeong Lim Yang, Satoshi Takeishi; Sebastien Ammann’s Spectrumwith Neta Raanan, Pablo Menares, Peter Kronreif
SEEDS 7:30, 9 pmêSam Newsome Quartet with David Liebman, Mark Helias, Reggie Nicholson
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $40
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, James Carter,Paul Bollenback, David Kikoski, Essiet Essiet, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55• Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax Quartet; George Gray Quartet
South Oxford Park 1 pmêElias Stemeseder, Greg Cohen The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch with Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Yellowjackets

Sunday, June 18

êCooper-MooreêDevin Gray

411 Kent 5 pm $20
440Gallery 4:40 pm $10• Anita Brown Orchestra; Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êSteve Slagle
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $50-65• Soulive
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Saul Rubin TrioêVijay Iyer Trio
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-45• Sam Taylor Quartet; Neal Miner Trio
The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25

44 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Miwa Gemini

Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6 pm $20
êVision Festival: 75 Dollar Bill Altered Workspaces with Che Chen, Rick Brown, Sue
Garner, Talice Lee, Jason Kao Hwang, Talice Lee; Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with
Kahil El’Zabar, Corey Wilkes, Alex Harding, Justin Dillard, Dwight Trible; We Free
Strings with Melanie Dyer, Gwen Laster, Ken Filiano, Alexander Waterman, Newman
Taylor Baker, Kayo, Nioka Workman; Celebration Band with Reggie Workman,
Odean Pope, Jason Moran, Jen Shyu, Elijah Thomas, Elizabeth Panzer, Tapan
Modak, Gerry Hemingway
Roulette 6:30 pm $45-65
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Lex Korten, David LeonCharles
Owens
Quartetwith
Garen
Dorsey, Kris Monson, Kofi Shepsu; Aaron•
Johnson Boplicity and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVincent Herring & Something Else with Jeremy Pelt, James Carter, Paul Bollenback,David Kikoski, Essiet Essiet, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Sono Fest!: Robert Cuckson; Ethan Iverson
Soapbox Gallery 7:30, 9 pm $25
êFred Hersch with Drew Gress, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, June 19• Rich Hinman, Adam Levy
• Natalie Douglas

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7 pm $20-30êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25• TAUK with Kanika Moore
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Chris Beck Trio
• Bryan Carter: “Jazz at Pride” Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-50• Thomas Linger Quartet; Esteban Castro Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35
Abigail
Riccards,
MichaelKanan,
Neal Miner; Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland,•
Clifford Barbaro
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• The Lit RevueêGeorge Coleman Quartet with Spike Wilner, David Williams, Joe Farnsworth;
Miki Yamanaka Trio and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, June 20• Ben Monder, Joe Martin, Diego Voglino: “Weekly Jam Session”
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Arthur Kell Quartet with Nate Radley, Allan Mednard

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 7 pm $20
êMaria Schneider Orchestra
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
LostonHarrisBirdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30•
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• The Motet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Organ Grooves• Bryan Carter: “Jazz at Pride” Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-50êJoe Farnsworth Latin Quartet; Yotam Silberstein Brazilian Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Nicole Glover, Alexander Claffy InterContinental New York Barclay’s Club 6:30 pm $55• Kevin Sun Trio with Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Barbara Rosene, Jon Davis, Jon Roche; Tardo Hammer Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSophie Said; Isaiah Collier, Brandon Woody, Surya Botofasina, Russell Hall,Tim Regis
Nublu 151 7, 9, 11 pm $22.66
Shrine 10 pm• Human Rights• Liz Woolley/Andrew Hartman Duo; Gary Sieger, Beverly Crosby
Silvana 7, 9 pmêGeorge Coleman Quartet with Spike Wilner, David Williams, Joe Farnsworth; Jason
Clotter Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êGeorge Cables with Essiet Essiet, Jerome Jennings
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25• Emilio Modeste• Tamar Korn

Wednesday, June 21• Steve Sandberg Trio

333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pmêTom Chiu; Gerry Hemingway
411 Kent 8 pm $20
êJerome Sabbagh & Melissa Aldana Quartet with Joe Martin, Bill Stewart

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Vinícius Gomes Quartet with Jon Cowherd, Matt Penman, JK Kim• Buck And A Quarter Quartet

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 8 pm $20

with Mike Stern

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20

êMaria Schneider Orchestra
Birdland 7 pm, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• The Motet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Tardo Hammer Trio
Columbus Park 12 pm• Chief Baba Neil Clarke
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Danton Boller• Ron Jackson Trio; Ian Hendrickson-Smith

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

êRemy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40êKen Kobayashi, Ayumi Ishito, Eric Plaks, Adam Lane; Barbara Solsky,

Elliott Levin, Warren Kitt, Mike McCann; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton;
Yoni Kretzmer and Juan Pablo Carletti’s BIGGISH; James Nadien, Cosmo Gallaro,
Brenna Rey
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20• Jay Leonhart Trio; Wilfie Williams Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êBertha Hope Quintet: “Elmo Hope at 100”
Pier 84 7 pm
The Porch 8 pm $10• Ruben Fox
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $20• Peter BraininêAdam Nussbaum Lead Belly Project with Ohad Talmor, Steve Cardenas,
Nate Radley
SEEDS 8 pm
• Jason Yeager Quintet with Milena Casado, Randal Despommier, Danny Weller,
Evan Hyde; Benny Benack Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35

êJazztopad Festival: Amir El Saffar Trio; Ksavery Wojcinski Trio

411 Kent 8 pm $20

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Louis Fouché• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

êBirdland Big Band; Maria Schneider Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40êFrank Vignola Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30êRon Carter’s Foursight Quartet
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Wayne Escoffery Quartet; Mariel Bildsten Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10
Chelsea Table + Stage 9:30 pm $22• Ty Stephens & SoulJaazz• Caribbean Diaspora Big Band; Josh Lee Big Band
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax Quartet; Sarah Hanahan Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMarquis Hill
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30êJonny King, Russell Hall, Nasheet Waits; Alan Broadbent Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• T.K. Blue with Alva Nelson, Gregory Jones, Greg Bufford
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10• Julia Easterlin, Innov Gnawa
The Porch 8 pm $10• Natasha BlaineêBRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!: Antonio Sanchez “Birdman Live”; Takuya Kuroda
Prospect Park Bandshell 6 pm
• Phil Grenadier Quintet with Jerry Bergonzi, Bruce Barth, Harvie S, Billy Drummond;Philip Harper Quintet and Jam with Bernell Jones II, Miles Lennox, Jason Maximo
Clotter, David Hawkins
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êMary Stallings with Emmet Cohen, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 8 pm $60-100• Sergio Mendes
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Alberto Mesirca, Yura LeeêGeorge Cables with Essiet Essiet, Jerome Jennings
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
West Harlem Piers Park 7 pm
• David Lee Jones

Saturday, June 24êSheryl Bailey 3

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Pakula Surprise with Eric Pakula, Blake Lindberg, Nick Cudahy; Brian Prunka
Barbès 3, 6 pm $20
êPat Metheny Side-Eye
Beacon Theatre 8 pm $62-248• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êMaria Schneider Orchestra
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40êFrank Vignola Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30êRon Carter’s Foursight Quartet
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• James Burton Quintet; Carol Morgan Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10êStanley Clarke N 4Ever; Kenny Garrett; Brandee Younger; DJ Logic
Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield 6 pm
• Caribbean Diaspora Big Band; Josh Lee Big Band
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Danny Jonokuchi Quintet; Nick Hempton BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMarquis Hill
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $20-30êJonny King, Dezron Douglas, Billy Drummond; Jeremy Manasia Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êJazztopad Festival: Craig Taborn with Lutosławski Quartet: “Luminous Grid”;
Don Davis: “Screaming Into The Void”; Craig Taborn Solo & Duo
with Ksawery Wójciński
National Sawdust 8 pm $20
The Porch 1 pm $10• Kaushik Viswanathan TrioêBRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!: Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge, Robert Glasper with Lalah
Hathaway, Bilal; BJ Chicago Kid Prospect Park Bandshell 5 pm $90
Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• Perry Smith Trio
• Phil Grenadier Quintet with Jerry Bergonzi, Bruce Barth, Harvie S, Jason Tiemann
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $40
êMary Stallings with Emmet Cohen, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
êVince Ector Organatomy Trio +Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
Sony Hall 8 pm $60-100• Sergio Mendes• Excavation Mini Orchestra with Chris Cochrane, John Thayer, Nick Jozwiak,
Shoko Nagai, Hans Tammen, Dafna Naphtali, Gelsey BellThe Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êGeorge Cables with Essiet Essiet, Jerome Jennings
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, June 25êCory Smythe

411 Kent 5 pm $20

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ned Goold TrioêTerell Stafford, Rodney Whitaker, and Friends
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $20-45• Carolyn Leonhart Quartet; Yaron Gershovsky Trio
The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Dalius Naujo
Keep 9 pm• Ashley Pezzotti, Miki Yamanaka, Jason Maximo Clotter; Vanisha Gould Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Paul Jost with Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Lauren Lee Trio and Marcos Varela Trio
Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 7:30 pm $23.41• Marcus Goldhaber; Mimi Jones Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 9:30 pm $20• Jonathan Saraga Trio with Marius Van Den Brink, Sam TrapchakSaint Peter’s Church 5 pm
Silvana 10 pm• Antoine Dowdell Group
Alexander
McCabeQuartet;RobertEdwards Quintet and Jam•
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êMary Stallings with Emmet Cohen, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êGeorge Cables with Essiet Essiet, Jerome Jennings
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êFrank Vignola QuartetêRon Carter’s Foursight Quartet

Monday, June 26• Ocean Ave Bolero Club• Caelan Cardello Trio

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7 pm $20-30êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25• Julius RodriguezêChampian Fulton Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Benny Benack III with Peter Bernstein
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Zach Adleman Quartet; Jihee Heo Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35• Spike Wilner Trio; Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Clifford Barbaro
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSTAREBABY with Craig Taborn, Matt Mitchell, Trevor Dunn, Dan Weiss
Nublu 151 8 pm $22.66
Smalls 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• ELEW Quartet and Jam
Vanguard
Jazz
Orchestra
Village
Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40•
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25• Paul Bollenback

Tuesday, June 27êBruce Barth, Ugonna Okegwo, Diego Voglino: “Weekly Jam Session”

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêCaroline Davis’ Alula Trio with Chris Tordini, Kate Gentile

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30• Loston HarrisêRon Carter’s Golden Striker Trio Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Zaid Nasser Trio
• Jazztopad Festival: Joanna Duda Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-40• Tim Ries Latin Project; Helio Alves Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Kevin Sun Trio with Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Jamie Baum Quartet with Carmen Staaf, Tony Scherr, Allison Miller; Steve Ash Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
The Porch 8 pm $10• Luther Allison• Ralph Alessi Quartet with Andy Milne, John Hebert, Mark Ferber; Russell Hall Quintet
and Jam with Mike Troy, Sasha Berliner, Leo Larrett, Matt Lee
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Aidan McKeon, Joe Block, Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êDavid Amram with Kevin Twigg, Rene Hart, Adam Amram, Jerome Harris
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm

Friday, June 30• Bill Saxton and the Harlem All-Stars

Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

êBirdland Big Band; Ravi Coltrane Quartet

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40• Steve Smith Vital Information Trio Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $50-65• Soulive• Darrell Green Quintet; Jinjoo Yoo Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $10• Charlie Sepulveda; Melvis Santa Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Ricardo Grilli Quartet with Mike Harmon, Aaron Seeber, Eric Alexander;David Cook Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Roberta Piket Trio; Jon Davis Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
• Tony Lewis
The Porch 8 pm $10• Will Delisfort ProjectêBill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Orchestra
Silvana 8 pm
• Steve Davis Quintet with Mike DiRubbo, Zaccai Curtis, Ugonna Okegwo,
Eric McPherson; Jason Marshall Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êMyra Melford, Matt Wilson, Mark Dresser
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Aidan McKeon, Joe Block, Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

êSonelius Smith, Adam KahanêRavi Coltrane Quartet

Wednesday, June 28

333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pm• T.K. Blue Trio
• Luke Stewart, Ed Bear, Madison GreenThe Stone
411 Kent 8 pm $20

êJochen Rueckert
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêRavi Coltrane Quartet
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Nightwith Mike Stern
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Ehud
Asherie
QuartetCellarDog 7, 8:30 pm $5•
Columbus Park 12 pm• Patsy Grant• Jazztopad Festival: Ksawery Wójciński & Maniucha Bikont; Michael Bates’ Acrobat +Lutosławski Quartet
David Rubenstein Atrium 7:30 pm
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-50• New York Salsa Jazz Project• Tyler Blanton Quartet; David Bixler and The Old Dog Quartet with Freddie Bryant,
Raul Reyes, Jason Tiemann
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êEric Plaks, Adam Lane, Tcheser Holmes; Devin Gray, Hery Paz, Kenneth Jimenez;
Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Kevin Shea; Marc Edwards and Slipstream Time Travelwith Tor Snyder, Takuma Kanaiwa, David Tamura, Ayumi Ishito, Brenna Rey
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20• Dida Pelled Trio; Adam Ray Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êKahil Elzabar/David Murray
Nublu 151 7, 9 pm $22.66
Pangea 7 pm $25• Lauren Lee Trio
Pier 84 7 pm
• Ariacne Trujillo Quintet
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $20• Peter Brainin• Bernd Reiter Quartet; Evan Sherman Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Harlem Gospel Choir: “Sings Nina Simone”
Sony Hall 8 pm $35-58• Terry Jenoure, Angelica Sanchez; New Muse 4tet with Gwen Laster, Melanie Dyer,
Alex Waterman, Andrew Drury
Soup & Sound 7 pmêLarry Ochs, Vladimir Tarasov, Mark Dresser
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Aidan McKeon, Joe Block, Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êRon Carter’s Golden Striker Trio

Thursday, June 29

WBGO TRIPS TONEWPORT JAZZFESTIVAL
On sale now
buses departAug 4, 5 + 6choose departurefrom NYC or
Newarkweekendpackageavailable

RT

Friday, June 23

Barbès 8 pm $20

Birdland Theater 8:30 $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $50-65
Bushwick Inlet Park 6:30 pmêDavid Schnitter Quintet; Sarah Hanahan Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $5êEnsemble Ipse with Aruán Ortiz, Seong Ae Kim, Treya Nash, Charles Peck
DiMenna Center 7:30 pm• New York Salsa Jazz Project; Melvis Santa
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-50• Erena Terakubo Quartet; Ty Bailie B3 Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
Drom 9 pm $25-35• Pedrito MartinezêHilliard Greene and the Jazz Expressions
Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $30• Pablo Ziegler Jazz Tango Trio
• Harish Raghavan Trio; Ray Gallon Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Sirintip with Kengchakaj Kengkarnka, Andrew Freedman, James Quinlan, Nolan Byrd,
Nitcha Tothong; Ilhan Ersahin, Trevor Dunn, Kenny Wollesen
Nublu 151 7, 10 pm, 12am $22.66
The Porch 8 pm $10• Marcelino Feliciano• Greg Lapine; Matt Roach; Sophia Kickhofel Quintet
Silvana 7, 9, 11 pm• Patrick Cornelius Octet with Mike Rodriguez, Dayna Stephens, Nick Vayenas,
Perry Smith, Adam Birnbaum, Yasushi Nakamura, Jimmy Macbride; David Gibson
Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êMark Dresser Quartet with Denman Maroney, Matthias Ziegler, Michael Sarin
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKurt Rosenwinkel with Aidan McKeon, Joe Block, Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êBassDrumBone with Mark Helias, Gerry Hemingway, Ray Anderson
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20

PO

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7 pm, 9:30 pm $30-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Akiko Tsuruga Quartet; Matt Martinez Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11pm $5• Brooke Alford, Reggie Hines, Kelley Andre
Chelsea Table + Stage 7, 9:30 pm $21êDoug Beavers; Josh Lee Big Band Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Wayne Escoffery Quartet; Hector Martignon Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35• Human RightsêRemy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40êTim Berne, Tom Rainey, John Hebert, Ralph Alessi
Lowlands 8 pm $10• Peter Mazza, Andrew Gould, Gianluca Renzi; Andrea Domenici Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Felipe Salles and the Interconnections Ensemble
National Sawdust 8 pm $20• Diana Herold; Short Memory; Noah Rosner
Silvana 7, 9, 10 pm• Marcus McLaurine Trio with Tomoko Ohno, Samuel Martinelli; Sarah Hanahan
Quartet and Jam with Luther S. Allison, Elam Friedlander, Diego Joaquin Ramirez
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êMary Stallings with Emmet Cohen, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 8 pm $59-85• Omara Portuondo
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Alberto MesircaêGeorge Cables with Essiet Essiet, Jerome Jennings
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êMaria Schneider OrchestraêRon Carter’s Foursight Quartet

Maniucha Bikont; Kirk Knuffke• Wagner High School Jazz Band; Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra• Robbie Rozelle• Soulive• JFA All-Stars/N
EW• Flamenco Inside/Out

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êJazztopad Festival: Joanna Duda, Max Mucha, Michał Bryndal; Ksawery Wójciński &RG

Thursday, June 22êJoel Frahm Trio with Dan Loomis, Ernesto Cervini

GO.O

Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 8 pm $40-80• Meshell NdegeocelloThe Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Alberto MesircaêGeorge Cables with Essiet Essiet, Jerome Jennings
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Liberation Trio with Elijah J. Thomas, Alberto Oliart, Skyler Hagner
Zürcher Gallery 8 pm $20

WBêSasha Berliner Quintet with Mike King, Russell Hall, Jongkuk Kim• Gary Versace, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton, Anthony Pinciotti
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Momentum with Joy HansonêRavi Coltrane Quartet
Birdland 7 pm, 9:30 pm $30-40

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 45

C LU B D I RE C TO RY• 333 Lounge 333 Flatbush Ave.
(718-399-8008) Subway: B, Q to Seventh Avenue
333lounge.com• 411 Kent 411 Kent Ave.
Subway: J, M, Z to Marcy Ave.
411kent.org• 440Gallery 440 Sixth Ave., Brooklyn(718-499-3844) Subway: F, G to Seventh Ave.
440gallery.com• The Appel Room Broadway at 60th Str., 5th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Str.
(212-675-6879) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
arthurstavernnyc.com• BAMCafé 321 Ashland Pl.
(718-636-4139) Subway: M, N, R, W to Pacific Str. ; Q, 1, 2, 4, 5 toAtlantic Ave.
bam.org• 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• Beacon Theatre 2124 Broadway at 74th Str.
(212-496-7070) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 72nd Str.
beacontheatre.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 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.s(212-581-3080) Subway: 7, A, C, E, F, N, Q, R, to 42nd Str.
birdlandjazz.com• Birdland Theater 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.s(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• Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Ave.
(718-963-3369) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
brooklynbowl.com• Bryant Park 5th and 6th Ave.s btwn. 40th and 42nd Str.
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 42nd Str.
bryantpark.org• Bushwick Inlet Park Kent Avenue between N. 7th and 12th Str.,
Brooklyn
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
• Campbell Apartment 15 Vanderbilt Ave.
(212-953-0409) Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7, S to 42nd Str. -Grand Central
hospitalityholdings.com• Cellar Dog 75 Christopher Str. at 7th Ave.
(212-675-6056) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str. /Sheridan Sq.
cellardog.net• Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield 72nd Str. and Fifth
Ave.
(212-36O-2777) Subway: B, D to 72nd Str.
summerstage.org• Chelsea Table + Stage Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 W 26th Str.
(212-434-0499) Subway: C, E to 23rd Street; R, W to 28th Str.
chelseatableandstage.com• Columbus Park Johnson Str., Brooklyn
Subway: 4, 5 to Borough Hall• The Cutting Room 44 E. 32nd Str.
(212-691-1900) Subway: 6 to 33rd Str.
thecuttingroomnyc.com• 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• 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• Drom 85 Ave. A(212-777-1157) Subway: F to Second Ave.
dromnyc.com• Governors Island
Subway: Ferry from Battery Maritime Building• Greenwich House Music School 46 Barrow Str.
(212-242-4770) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
greenwichhouse.org• Harlem Stage Gatehouse 150 Convent Ave. at W. 135th Str.
(212-650-7100) Subway: 1 to 137th Str.
harlemstage.org• Holy Trinity Cathedral 337 E. 74th Str.
(212-288-3215) Subway: M, Q, R to 72nd Str.
thecathedralnyc.org• Hostos Center 450 Grand Concourse(718-518-6700) Subway: 2, 4, 5 to 149th Str.
hostos.cuny.edu• Ibeam Brooklyn 168 7th Str. btwn. Second and Third Ave.
Subway: F to 4th Ave.
ibeambrooklyn.com• InterContinental New York Barclay’s Club 111 E. 48th Str.
(212-755-5900) Subway: 6 to 51st Str.
intercontinentalnybarclay.com/• Inwood Hill Park
Subway: A train to 207 Str.
• J. Hood Wright Park W. 173rd Street and Haven Ave.
(212-927-1563) Subway: A to 175th Str.
nycgovparks.org• The Jazz Gallery 1160 Broadway, 5th fl(212-242-1063) Subway: C, E, to Spring Str. ; 1, 2 to Houston Str.
jazzgallery.org• Jazz Museum in Harlem 58 W. 129th Str. btwn. Madison and Lenox
Ave.
(212-348-8300) Subway: 6 to 125th Str.
jazzmuseuminharlem.org• Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Str.
(212-539-8770) Subway: N, R to 8th Str. -NYU; 6 to Astor Pl.
joespub.com• The Keep 205 Cypress Ave., Queens(718-381-0400) Subway: L to Jefferson Str.
thekeepny.com• Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 33 University Pl. at 9th Str.
(212-228-8490) Subway: N, R to 8th Str. -NYU
knickerbockerbarandgrill.com• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Str.
(212-228-4854) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Str.
lepoissonrouge.com• Lehman College, Steve Getz Music Hall 250 Bedfork Park Blvd
West, Bronx(718-960-8833) Subway: 4, D train to Bedford Park Blvd.
• Lowlands 543 Third Ave., Brooklyn(347-463-9458) Subway: R to Prospect Ave.
lowlandsbar.com• Main Drag Music 50 S. 1st Street between Kent and Wythe Ave.
(718-388-6365) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
maindragmusic.com• Mezzrow 163 W. 10th Str.
(646-476-4346) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smalls.com• Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 15 Mount Morris
Park West(212-831-6800) Subway: 2, 3 to 125 Str.
• National Sawdust 80 N. 6th Str.
(646-779-8455) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
nationalsawdust.org• New York Jazz Workshop 265 W. 37th St, 10th floor suite(212-287-5908) Subway: A, C, E to 34th Street-Penn Station
newyorkjazzworkshop.com• 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• Ornithology Jazz Club 6 Suydam Str., Brooklyn(917-231-4766) Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Ave.
ornithologyjazzclub.com• 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• Pier 84 W. 44th Str. and Hudson River
Subway: A, C, E, F, V to 42nd Str. -Port Authority

46 June 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• The Porch 750A St. Nicholas Ave.
(646-895-9004) Subway: A, B, C, D to 145th Str.
theporchnyc.com• Prospect Park Bandshell
Subway: F to Prospect Park
• Red Room at KGB Bar 85 E. 4th Str.
(703-221-4587) Subway: F to Second Ave.
redroomnyc.com• Riverbank State Park 679 Riverside Drive at 145th Str.
Subway: A, C, 1 to 145th Str.
• Rizzoli Bookstore 1133 Broadway(212-759-2424) Subway: R, W to 28th Str.
rizzolibookstore.com• Room 31 at Arlo NoMad 11 E. 31st Str.
(212-806-7000) Subway: 6 to 33rd Str.
arlohotels.com/nomad• 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.
(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• SEEDS 617 Vanderbilt Ave.
Subway: 2, 3, 4 to Grand Army Plaza
seedsbrooklyn.org• 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• Smalls 183 W 10th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-252-5091) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallsjazz.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• Sony Hall 235 W. 46th Str.
(212-997-5123) Subway: N, R, W to 49th Str.
sonyhall.com• Soup & Sound 292 Lefferts Ave. btwn. Nostrand and Rogers Ave.
(917-828-4951) Subway: 2 to Sterling Str.
soupandsound.org• South Oxford Park 197 S. Oxford Str.
(212-639-9675) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R to Atlantic Ave.
nycgovparks.org/parks/south-oxford-park• The Stone at The New School 55 West 13th Str.
(212-229-5600) Subway: F, V to 14th Str.
thestonenyc.com• Town Hall 123 W. 43rd Str.
(212-997-1003) Subway: 7, B, D, F, M to 42nd Str. -Bryant Park
the-townhall-nyc.org• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Ave. South at 11th Str.
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Str.
villagevanguard.com• West Harlem Piers Park Riverside Drive and 130th Str.
Subway: 1 to 125th Str.
• Williamsbridge Oval 3225 Reservoir Oval E, Bronx(718-543-8672) Subway: 4 to Mosholu Parkway
nycgovparks.org/parks/williamsbridge-oval• Woodlawn Cemetery 517 E 233rd Str.
(718-920-0500) Subway: 2, 5 to 219th Str.
thewoodlawncemetery.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 BroadwayLafayettegaleriezurcher.com

I N ME MORIAM
HARRISON BANKHEAD (Mar. 1, 1955 – Apr. 5, 2023)
A wide-ranging avant garde jazz bassist, Bankhead diedat 68 in North Chicago, IL. Born Harrison Napoleon
Bankhead III in Waukegan, IL, by the early ’80s Bankhead
was working steadily in the Chicago jazz scene, mostnotably with Fred Anderson and at the tenor saxophonist’sclub, the Velvet Lounge. Over the years he performed
with Oliver Lake and other Chicagoans, including Roscoe
Mitchell, Von Freeman, Malachi Thompson, saxophonist
Edward Wilkerson’s 8 Bold Souls and Hamid Drake.
Bankhead was a member of the Association for the
Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Wilkersonand Mars Williams joined Bankhead on his two albums
as a leader, Morning Sun / Harvest Moon (2010) and Velvet
Blue (2013).

EMAHOY TSEGUÉ-MARYAM GUÈBROU (Dec. 12,1923 – Mar. 26, 2023) The renowned Ethiopian Orthodox
nun and pianist-composer died at age 99 in Jerusalem.
Born into a wealthy Addis Ababa family, she studied
violin at a Swiss boarding school before moving back to
Ethiopia, working briefly as a civil servant before taking
her holy orders at 21 and living for a decade in silence
at a monastery. Eventually, she began to compose again
and performed on violin, piano and organ. Emahoy’s
first album was released in 1967, her music a blend of
Ellingtonian jazz, folkloric and choral music. Wider
fame arrived in 2006 with the release of a compilation,
Éthiopiques Vol. 21: Ethiopia Song, and Emahoy used her
popularity to open a charitable foundation in Africa andWashington, D.C. to help underserved children.

KARL BERGER (Mar. 30, 1935 – Apr. 9, 2023) The
pianist-vibraphonist, arranger-composer and championof improvised music, died at 88 in Albany, NY, fromcomplications following surgery. Berger is best known
for the Creative Music Studio (CMS) in Woodstock, NY,
co-founded in 1972 with singer-poet (and wife) Ingrid
Sertso and Ornette Coleman, which offered training tomusicians and presented hundreds of “sessions”. Born
in Heidelberg, Germany, he studied classical piano, but
was drawn to jazz. Berger took up the vibraphone while
studying for his doctorate in musicology in Germany, andtaught briefly as a professor before deciding to focus onmusic and moving to Paris where he joined a band led bytrumpeter Don Cherry, on whose Symphony for Improvisers,
Brown Rice, Eternal Rhythm and Live at Café Montmartre heappears. His own debut album From Now On (ESP-Disk’)
was released in 1967; ultimately, he recorded over 20 otheralbums as leader. Berger was also a frequent collaborator
with some of jazz’ most creative musicians, including
his lifelong mentor Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Jack
DeJohnette, Carla Bley, John McLaughlin and Roswell
Rudd. After CMS initially closed in 1984, he continued
to conduct musical workshops around the world with
Sertso. He also led the Karl Berger Improvisers Orchestra
while also teaching at various universities, chairing themusic department of the University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth until retiring in 2006. Berger was additionallya sought-after arranger for disparate musical artists andacts (Angélique Kidjo, Jeff Buckley, Natalie Merchant,
Bootsy Collins, Buckethead). CMS was reopened in 2010
and its leadership has since been passed on to percussionist
Billy Martin (CMS President and Executive Director),with workshops in Kingston and Woodstock. Berger andSertso’s Creative Music Foundation is currently releasingarchival recordings in conjunction with the Columbia
University Center of Jazz Studies. His final album, HeartIs a Melody, was released last year.

DUŠKO GOJKOVIC (Oct. 14, 1931 – Apr. 5, 2023) The
trumpeter and composer who brought the musical heritageof the Balkans into modern jazz died at 92 in Munich,Germany. Gojković (often spelled as “Gojkovich”) wasborn in Jajce, a small town in former Yugoslavia, now
Bosnia and Herzegovina. While studying at a musicacademy in Belgrade he played in various jazz combos, aswell as in the Radio Belgrade Big Band. In 1956, Gojković
moved to West Germany and performed regularly with
the Frankfurt Allstars. An acclaimed performance with
Marshall Brown’s International Youth Band at the 1958
Newport Jazz Festival raised his stature, and in 1961
Gojković was awarded a scholarship to study composing
and arranging at the Berklee College of Music. He thenworked with Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman
before returning to Europe and forming a sextet. In 1966
Gojković released his first album, Swinging Macedonia, amilestone in Balkan jazz, and more than 30 recordings
as a leader followed. Gojković worked with the Kenny
Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band from 1968-73, thenwith Slide Hampton’s big band before leading his own
large ensembles, one of which performed at the 200th
anniversary of Serbian statehood in 2004.

IVAN “MAMÃO” CONTI (Aug. 16, 1946 – Apr. 18, 2023)
A founding member of the pioneering Brazilian jazz-funktrio Azymuth and often lauded as one of the greatest
drummers ever, Conti died at age 76. Born Ivan MiguelConti Maranhao in Rio de Janeiro’s Estáncio neighborhood,
where samba was first established, Mamão played guitar in
the bossa nova band Os Dissonantes and a leading ’60s rockgroup, The Youngsters, while also picking up steady session
jobs with the likes of Eumir Deodato and José Mauro. At
20, he started playing drums, echoing the powerhouseplaying of Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Louie Bellson,
and two years later started playing in Projeto 3 with future
Azymuth bandmates José Roberto Bertrami and Alex
Malheiros. The trio eventually launched Azymuth in 1973,
and recorded their self-titled debut two years later, mixing
jazz, funk, samba and other Brazilian sounds. Azymuth
signed to Milestone in 1979 and released the influential
Light as a Feather, scoring a hit with “Jazz Carnival”. Mamão
recorded more than two dozen albums with Azymuth, aswell as several acclaimed solo recordings, most notably The
Human Factor (1984), the big band album Pulsar (1997) andPoison Fruit (2018). Mamão was an active collaborator withmany artists outside Azymuth, creating Sujinho with hiphop luminary Madlib in 2008.

RALPH HUMPHREY (May 11, 1944 – Apr. 25, 2023) The
drummer and educator known for his stints with the
Don Ellis Big Band, Frank Zappa and Al Jarreau died at
78 in Los Angeles from cancer. Humphrey was born inBerkeley, CA, and started on clarinet before switching todrums at 15. His many bandstand credits include workwith Wayne Shorter, Barbra Streisand and Natalie Cole,
as well as countless film and TV soundtracks. He cofounded the Los Angeles Music Academy and authoredan instructional book, Even in the Odds.
AHMAD JAMAL (Jul. 2, 1930 – Apr. 16, 2023) A leading
figure in the development of modern jazz’ small group
aesthetic, the pianist-composer died at 92 in Ashley Falls,
MA from complications of prostate cancer. A Pittsburgh
native, he began playing piano at 3. After high school,
he became a professional musician; at 20, he converted
to Islam and changed his name (from Frederick Russell
Jones). He moved to Chicago and started to work in a trio
called the Three Strings, recording first for the Okeh label.
Together with bassist Israel Crosby and drummer Vernel
Fournier, Jamal recorded the landmark live album At thePershing: But Not for Me in 1957, a best-seller that included
what would become Jamal’s theme song, “Poinciana”. The
trio’s deceptively understated style, deeply grooving andjoyously melodic, was a strong influence on other musicalartists, most notably Miles Davis. A National Endowment
for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master and Grammy Lifetime
Achievement honoree, Jamal recorded over 70 albums as
a leader. Last year, two volumes of unreleased live trio
recordings, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 19631964 and 1965-1966, met with wide acclaim.
EDWARD “KIDD” JORDAN (May 5, 1935 – Apr. 7, 2023)
The popular saxophonist and educator, a fixture of the
New Orleans jazz scene for 70 years, died at 87 in his sleep.
Born and raised in Crowley, a southwestern Louisiana
farming community suffused with blues and zydeco

sounds, Jordan became entranced with Charlie Parker
and continued music studies at Southern University in
Baton Rouge, where he met his future brother-in-law
and frequent bandmate, clarinetist Alvin Batiste. Jordan
moved to New Orleans in 1955 and quickly became afirst-call side musician for R&B greats including Ray
Charles, Guitar Slim and Chuck Willis. Jordan formed his
Improvisation Arts Quintet in 1975, and over the years
worked with Cecil Taylor, Cannonball Adderley, Fred
Anderson, Ornette Coleman, Ed Blackwell and Archie
Shepp. His greatest contribution to jazz, however, was as
an educator: he was a professor in the music program (andlater the chair of the Jazz Studies Program) for 34 years at
Southern University in New Orleans, and an instructor
at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation’smusic school for 25 years. Among his many honors wasrecognition as chevalier of the Ordre des Artes et desLettres by the French Ministry of Culture, and a Lifetime
Achievement award from the Vision Festival at which he
was a regular. In 2020, Jordan released his tenth and final
album, Last Trane to New Orleans.
MARY McMAHON (Aug. 30, 1948 – Mar. 30, 2023) A
Buffalo, NY vocalist with a passion for jazz standards, shedied at 74 from cancer. McMahon grew up in a musicalfamily, singing in various jazz groups around Buffalo,
including Things to Come with pianist Bobby Jones,
before stepping aside to raise her two children and focus
on a 25-year teaching career. After retirement, she swung
into action with the popular group My Cousin Tone’,performed in musical theater productions and led her
own group, the Mary McMahon Project.
BILL MIELE (Jan. 22, 1952 – Apr. 25, 2023) Regarded as
one of the top jazz bassists in New England, Miele diedat 71; he lived in Johnston, RI, just outside Providence,
where he was born and raised. A graduate of the Berklee
College of Music, he worked early on with Bobby Greene
and Coleus, a fusion outfit, and then steadily with top
jazz artists, such as Greg Abate, Dan Moretti and John
Allmark, in the busy Providence and New Bedford, MA
scenes. A member of the Whaling City Sound Superband
and the Jim Robitaille Trio, Miele was a longtime
educator as well, teaching at the R.I. Philharmonic Music
School, Providence College and the Franklin School for
the Performing Arts.
DON SEBESKY (Dec. 10, 1937 – Apr. 29, 2023) The
Grammy Award-winning composer and arranger diedat 85 in Maplewood, NJ, of complications from dementia.
Born and raised in Perth Amboy, NJ, he first started
playing the accordion, then took up the trombone in highschool. Sebesky took lessons with Warren Covington fromTommy Dorsey’s band, and paid close attention to thework of other trombonists, namely Frank Rosolino andCarl Fontana, whom he subbed for in Kai Winding’s band,an early professional gig. After studying at the Manhattan
School of Music, Sebesky joined Maynard Ferguson’sband in 1958—his song “Humbug” is on Ferguson’s
A Message from Newport—and then briefly worked in
the Stan Kenton Orchestra before turning to full-timearranging, conducting and composing. He began working
with producer Creed Taylor, first on Wes Montgomery’s
memorable 1965 album Bumpin’, then on countless otherrecordings as house arranger for Creed Taylor Inc.—CTI
Records—and overseeing sessions in the late ’60s and ’70s
for artists including George Benson, Milt Jackson, HubertLaws, Herbie Mann and Freddie Hubbard. At this point,
Sebesky was creating a pop-friendly crossover sound thatwould later develop into the contemporary jazz genre.
He also recorded over a dozen albums as a leader. Popmusic stars regularly sought his arranging skills fortheir recordings—Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Barbra
Streisand, Roberta Flack, Prince, Rod Stewart, Liza
Minnelli and many more. Sebesky had numerous theater
credits as well, and won Emmy nominations for his
television work. His papers were acquired by the Libraryof Congress in 2016.
—Thomas Staudter

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | June 2023 47