JANUARY 2022—ISSUE 237

YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE NYC JAZZ SCENENYCJAZZRECORD.COM

BOB
JAMES
FEEL LIKE
MAKING LIVE

F
O
T
BES
1
2
0
2
WOLFGANGMUTHSPIELANGEL BAT
DAWID

STIX
HOOPERFRANK
WESSManaging Editor:
Laurence Donohue-Greene
Editorial Director &Production Manager:
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

JANUARY 2022—ISSUE 237
MISCELLANY

Laurence Donohue-Greene:ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

NEW YORK@NIGHT

Andrey Henkin:ahenkin@nycjazzrecord.com

INTERVIEW : WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL

Advertising:advertising@nycjazzrecord.com

ARTIST FEATURE : ANGEL BAT DAWIDON THE COVER : BOB JAMES

Calendar:calendar@nycjazzrecord.com

ENCORE : STIX HOOPER

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

Staff Writers
Duck Baker, Stuart Broomer,
Robert Bush, Kevin Canfield,
Marco Cangiano, Thomas Conrad,
Pierre Crépon, Ken Dryden,
Donald Elfman, Phil Freeman,
Kurt Gottschalk, Tom Greenland,
George Grella, Anders Griffen, Tyran Grillo,Alex Henderson, Robert Iannapollo,
Mark Keresman, Marilyn Lester,
Suzanne Lorge, Marc Medwin,
Jim Motavalli, Russ Musto,
John Pietaro, Joel Roberts,
John Sharpe, Elliott Simon,
Anna Steegmann, Scott Yanow
Contributing Writers
Dan Bilawsky, Michael Cobb,
Jordannah Elizabeth, Pierre Giroux,
Kira Grunenberg, Jason Gross,George Kanzler, Steven Loewy,
Franz Matzner, Monique Ngozi Nri
Contributing Photographers
Alan Nahigian, Laura Pleifer, David Raccuglia,
Sherry Rubel, Sunshine Studio,
Robert I. Sutherland-Cohen
Fact-checker
Nate Dorward

LEST WE FORGET : FRANK WESSLABEL SPOTLIGHT : ASIAN IMPROVVOXNEWS
ALBUM REVIEWSSPECIAL FEATURE : BEST OF 2021
OBITUARIESEVENT CALENDAR

3
4
6
7
8
10
10
11
11
12
24
34
40

by andrey henkinby tyran grillo
by kurt gottschalkby anders griffen
by mike cobb
by ken dryden
by kurt gottschalkby suzanne lorge

by andrey henkin

Just as we were about to send this issue off to print and get ready for some much-needed
Christmas cheer, rumblings came from several venues, as well as the much-anticipatedreturning Winter Jazzfest, that shows were being possibly to be cancelled due to thealarming increase in COVID-19 infections as a result of the Omicron variant.
In some ways this was more devastating than similar events back in March 2020. Backthen, no one really knew what was happening or that what seemed like a temporary
closure would turn into months of lockdown and daily reports of illness and death. Now
we are no longer naïve and understand quite well what may lie in store for us. And wehave the added burden of a society split along cultural lines, divisions that were always
there but amplified by unprecedented circumstances. We are not only facing thecontinued pandemic but the ongoing battle for truth versus falsehood, responsible
citizenship versus misguided notions of liberty.
After a careful return to live performance over the past several months and the joy andrenewal that came with that, this latest development is crushing. We hope that it is only
temporary but suggest you call ahead before attending any concerts this month.

nycjazzrecord.com
On The Cover: Bob James (Sunshine Studio)
Corrections: Cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm’s name was inadvertently left out of theMars Williams Interview as an original member of the group Witches & Devils.
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

2 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDJAN 13–14

FEB 11–12

CELEBRATINGCHICK COREADIANNE REEVES:
LET’S FALL IN LOVE

Celebrate the late, legendary pianist andcomposer Chick Corea with a once-ina-lifetime tribute directed by longtime
bandmate John Patitucci and guest
performances by an A-list of Corea’s pastcollaborators and band members.

Continuing a hugely popular
tradition now in its 10th year,
vocalist Dianne Reeves sets
the mood for Valentine’s Day
weekend with a mesmerizing
concert in Rose Theater.

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

NEW YORK @ NIGHT
V eteran drummer Victor Lewis’ trio provided the Artemis, a sextet comprised of virtuoso female

musicians, left no doubt at Birdland (Dec. 14th) that
their particular brand of girl-power is a force withwhich to be reckoned. The strength of the band is thateach member is a leader, with every voice distinctly
heard, yet the group has a cohesive identity. MusicalDirector and pianist Renee Rosnes led with her own“Galapagos”, an evocative tune that began as ameditation and opened into an electric swing ofinnovative sound. “Goddess of the Hunt”, by drummer
Allison Miller, featured her blazing capacity for
inventive percussive dynamics, plus a smooth,beautiful harmony between Ingrid Jensen’s trumpet
and Nicole Glover ’s tenor saxophone. An adventurous
rendition of Thelonious Monk’s “Hackensack” assured
bassist Noriko Ueda’s position as the heartbeat of thegroup while Anat Cohen demonstrated her control of
the clarinet’s intricacies and the depth she brings to
her artistry. Rosnes inserted playful creative ideas into
the piece, including a riff on “Lady Be Good”. An agile
choreography of fingering on the saxophone dominateda swinging blues interpretation of Kenny Barron’s“And Then Again”, matching Rosnes’ own flexibility.
Rosnes often gives an empyrean impression at the
piano, but, despite her quiet elegance, she is neverwithout gravitas and creativity in her playing.
Certifiably, the musical conversation among thesemasters of their craft is consistently and unfailingly
soulful and mighty.		
—Marilyn Lester@SHERRYRUBELPHOTOGRAPHY

R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN / JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

anchor leg of a four-set mini-fest presented byConnection Works at Ibeam Brooklyn (Dec. 4th),
instantly commanding the room with a loud gunshot
crack to the snare. It had been a wonderful evening
thus far: vocalist Theo Bleckmann and guitarist Ben
Monder opened with scatting/shredding progelectronica covering everything from classical via
Franz Schubert to modern pop with Britney Spears;
tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom
Rainey debuted their latest works with amazing energy
and empathy; and flutist Michel Gentile’s quartet withpianist Gary Versace, bassist Kim Cass and drummer
Rob Garcia ran down quirky but catchy originals.
So the bar was set high by the time Lewis, bedecked inbackwards Fedora, shoulders flexed, elbows high, lips
drawn in a half-sneer, cued his crew with theaforementioned gunshot, followed by three swift
clicks, to which pianist Miki Yamanaka and bassist
Alexander Claffy responded with a sprint off thestarting line. That was Lewis’ onomatopoetic “Ba Da
Da Da Dah Dah”, succeeded by “P.D. on Great Jones
Street”, “Growing Pains” (by Claffy), “March” (byYamanaka) and a mamboing “Hey, It’s Me You’re
Talkin’ To”. Favoring a two-snare set-up and hardhitting yet tactful style, Lewis stewarded his protégés
through a vibrant set suggestive of the acuity andinterplay of Bill Evans’ classic trio.			
				—Tom Greenland

Victor Lewis @ Ibeam Brooklyn

Anat Cohen @ Birdland

In her invocation to the First Baptist Church of Crown C hris Botti’s 17th annual Holiday residency at the
Heights’ Jazz Vespers service featuring the Camille
Thurman/Darrell Green Quintet (Dec. 11th), Reverend
Dr. Christine Caton, intoning Psalm 100, enjoined thecongregants to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”.
And joyful it was as Thurman, playing tenor saxophone
or singing, led pianist Anthony Wonsey, guitarist Bruce
Edwards, bassist Tom DiCarlo and drummer Greenthrough two sets of soul-stirring song, beginning with
Cedar Walton’s riffing “Holy Land” and rearrangementsof Cole Porter ’s “Easy to Love” and Horace Silver ’sminor waltz “Love Vibrations”. The synergy deepened
as it worked over Green’s 6/8 drum feature“Despondent’s Flee” and Thurman’s lovely bossa“Inner Peace”, before the pièce de résistance: a fiveminute solo scat rendition of “Silent Night” during
which Thurman sang just about every possible melodic
interval, never losing her key center (A flat) despite
frequent twisting chromatic detours, making it allsound effortless, organic. After a stroll through Buster
Williams’ “Christina”, Wonsey as usual relentless in
his quest to develop each improvised motif to the nth
degree, the quintet took a 10-minute break before
returning for two more: the slow-swinging, gospel
inflected “Winter Wonderland” and Thurman andGreen’s “Stand Tall”, an infectious uptempo
hardbopper launched by a fiery tenor/drum duet. At
the end, those of us in the pews arose as one, thankful
for the joyful, jazzful noise we had heard.
(TG)

4 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDBlue Note (Dec. 19th) didn’t disappoint. He has learned
well from a successful foundational career in rock how
to produce a highly polished show worthy of a Las
Vegas showroom. With jazz at the core of genres, thetrumpeter shines, demonstrably a master, with easyhigh notes, glissandos and other techniques effortless
and a smooth, solid tone on the horn—and he knows
well how to work an audience. Like their leader,the core band members are showmen: pianist Holger
Marjamaa, bassist Reggie Hamilton and drummer Lee
Pearson are virtuosos all. Hamilton’s extended solo on“You Don’t Know What Love Is” was an
extravaganza of technique and style. Botti’s roster ofguests included uber-talented classical violinist Erin
Schreiber, who brought the house down in Led
Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”, and guitarist Leonardo
Amuedo, whose soulful playing on Leonard Cohen’s“Hallelujah”, in duet with Botti, was sensitively
executed. Tenor saxophonist Andy Snitzer guested on
several tunes, shining with Botti on a Miles Davis-John
Coltrane inspired “Blue in Green”. Vocalist Sy Smith,in sexy bluesy mode, travelled the audience with“In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”.
Showstopper vocalist Veronica Swift, scatting andswinging on “Moanin’”, proved why she will match
the fame of a Fitzgerald or Vaughan. An all-hands,
big, rocking playout of “Shining Star” left ‘emwanting more. 				(ML)P laying together for the first time in two years the Saxophonist Andrew Lamb brought new life—new

lives—to interdisciplinary performance and Roulette(Dec. 1st) was the perfect space for his Circadian
Spheres of Light Project. Lamb has always walked
between the epic and the shock of the new, but with thestudy into music’s influence on the brain and, in thecompany of poet/multi-instrumentalist Ngoma Hill,
the artful became a statement of both awakening andcultural pride. “I am the original man,” Hill
proclaimed just after his didgeridoo introduction,
moving to the sweep of visual artist Jimmy James
Greene’s brushwork. The ensemble eased in but spoke
in torrents through a series of motifs realized acrossthe 11 instrumentalists who had freedom of pitch
through each unison. The 90-minute, multi-themed
work erupted into fire music, the house quaking
beneath Warren Smith’s timpani throb and broil. He
was one of four percussionists covering a glittering
wealth of metals and idiophones at stage rear: Newman
Taylor Baker (washboard and more), Lloyd Haber(drumset, gongs) and Jose Luis Abreu (hand drums,
shakers). Trombone giant Dick Griffin seared theatmosphere with the circular breathing that still
mystifies and Melanie Dyer, the most essential jazzviolist today, played heart-wrenching improvisations,particularly when paired with dancer Trashina Conner.
Far too much to fit into this column, other astounding
soloists were bassist Hilliard Greene, violinist Gwen
Laster and the maestro Lamb himself. —John Pietaro

ALAN NAHIGIAN@SHERRYRUBELPHOTOGRAPHY

Ulysses Owens, Jr. Big Band came out roaring on their
opening night at Dizzy’s Club (Dec. 2nd). The band
kicked off the evening’s second set with trombonist
Michael Dease’s arrangement of John Lewis’ Dizzy
Gillespie Orchestra classic “Two Bass Hit”, abebopping flagwaver, which featured the powerfulbaritone saxophone of Andrew Gutauskas, a fiery
tenor-alto saxophone dialogue between Diego Rivera
and Erena Terakubo and a climactic Owens drum solo.
Clarinets and flutes created an airy atmosphere on
Benny Benack III’s “London Towne”, a charming
outing that showcased the composer ’s flugelhorn andAlexa Tarantino’s soprano. The band followed it up
with Owens’ lilting waltz “Red Chair”, beautifullyarranged by Micah Thomas in a way that recalled theswelling harmonic textures of Thad Jones. The
ensemble paid tribute to Count Basie on Neal Hefti’s“Girl Talk”, a feature for trumpeter David Snyder.
Vocalist Charles Turner got the crowd going with his“Harlem Harlem Harlem”, engaging them in call andresponse on the soulful uptown excursion, Owens
playing a “Moanin’”-styled shuffle rhythm backing
bluesy solos by Terakubo and Dease. The band soaredon Rivera’s take on “Giant Steps”, which had potent
round robin saxophone soloing, and his arrangementof “What’s Going On”, featuring Turner ’s smooth
vocals and Nicole Glover ’s tenor. The band closed
swinging on “Soul Conversations”.
—Russ Musto

Ulysses Owens, Jr. @ Dizzy’s Club

Nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards have been announced,
winners to be named on Jan. 31st. Nominees in relevant
categories are Record of the Year: “Freedom” - Jon Batiste;Album of the Year: We Are - Jon Batiste; Love For Sale - Tony
Bennett & Lady Gaga. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: LoveFor Sale - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga; Til We Meet Again (Live)- Norah Jones; Ledisi Sings Nina - Ledisi. Best Contemporary
Instrumental Album: Double Dealin’ - Randy Brecker & EricMarienthal; The Garden - Rachel Eckroth; Tree Falls - Taylor
Eigsti; At Blue Note Tokyo - Steve Gadd Band; Deep: The
Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2 - Mark Lettieri. Best Traditional R&B
Performance: “I Need You” - Jon Batiste. Best R&B Album: We
Are - Jon Batiste. Best Improvised Jazz Solo: Christian ScottaTunde Adjuah; Kenny Barron; Jon Batiste; Terence Blanchard;
Chick Corea. Best Jazz Vocal Album: Generations - The Baylor
Project; SuperBlue - Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter; Time Traveler- Nnenna Freelon; Flor - Gretchen Parlato; Songwrights
Apothecary Lab - Esperanza Spalding. Best Jazz Instrumental
Album: Jazz Selections: Music From And Inspired By Soul - Jon
Batiste; Absence - Terence Blanchard Featuring The E Collective
And The Turtle Island Quartet; Skyline - Ron Carter/Jack
DeJohnette/Gonzalo Rubalcaba; Akoustic Band LIVE - Chick
Corea, John Patitucci & Dave Weckl; Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV) - Pat
Metheny. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Live At Birdland! The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart; Dear
Love - Jazzmeia Horn And Her Noble Force; For Jimmy, Wes And
Oliver - Christian McBride Big Band; Swirling - Sun Ra Arkestra;
Jackets XL - Yellowjackets + WDR Big Band. Best Latin Jazz
Album: Mirror Mirror - Eliane Elias With Chick Corea and Chucho
Valdés; The South Bronx Story - Carlos Henriquez; Virtual
Birdland - Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra;
Transparency - Dafnis Prieto Sextet; El Arte Del Bolero - MiguelZenón & Luis Perdomo. Best American Roots Performance:“Cry” - Jon Batiste. Best American Roots Song: “Cry” - Jon
Batiste. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: The
United States Vs. Billie Holiday. Best Score Soundtrack For
Visual Media: Bridgerton - Kris Bowers; Soul - Jon Batiste, Trent
Reznor & Atticus Ross. Best Instrumental Composition: “Beautiful
Is Black” - Brandee Younger; “Cat And Mouse” - Tom Nazziola;“Concerto For Orchestra: Finale” - Vince Mendoza; “Dreaming In
Lions” - Arturo O’Farrill; “Eberhard” - Lyle Mays. Best Album
Notes: The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia And RCA Victor
Studio Sessions 1946-1966 - Ricky Riccardi. For more
information, visit grammy.com.
Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding premiered their opera... (Iphigenia) at the Kennedy Center last month and will havefuture performances in California in February.

Andrew Lamb @ Roulette

The holiday season got off to a festive start at Chelsea Leaping across a century of sound—from the distant
Table & Stage (Dec. 1st) with Papo Vázquez Mighty
Pirates Troubadours in a celebratory mood performing
the trombonist’s original music from their latest release
Chapter 10: Breaking Cover. The group, with saxophonist
Ivan Renta, pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Ariel
Robles, drummer Willy Rodriguez and percussionists
Carlos Maldonado and Reinaldo DeJesus, got things
started with Vázquez’ appealing ”New York Latin Jazz
Mambo”, played over a steady clave beat underpinningswinging horn and bass solos and an incendiarypercussion break. They continued with ominous “El
Cuco/The Boogeyman”, built upon a foreboding piano
vamp over a bomba rhythm played on barrel drum andconga, Vázquez and Renta backing Germanson andeach other ’s solos with claves and maracas. People
were up and dancing to “San Juan De La Maguana”,
a lively merengue with trombone and tenor and pianoand bass engaging in four-bar exchanges over thethrobbing Dominican polyrhythms. Solo trap drums
set up “The Reverend”, a blazing cubopping excursion,
which had the whole band charging straightahead at
a racing tempo, then segueing into a tipico interludewith Vázquez rhythmically chanting the band’s name,leading to a climactic percussion break. A salsafiedarrangement of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”
calmed the crowd, before things ramped up again withthe carnivale-esque plena “Fiesta de La Sanse” andencore “Mr. Babu”. 			
(RM)

W H AT ’ S N E W S

sepia tone of modernism and pre-swing to thecornucopia of free jazz and new music—the Sam
Bardfeld Trio burnished the darkened corners ofBarbès (Dec. 14th). The violinist’s penchant for thefalse harmonics and rapid-fire gliding of Stuff Smithover powerfully evocative discords and extended
forms saw to that and his longtime drummer Michael
Sarin and more recent pianist Jacob Sacks brought tolife each nuance and twist. “Tonight, we’ll be playing
all new music,” Bardfeld told the tight back room,“And most of these pieces aren’t named yet.” Works
entitled “New 10” or “New 7” had nothing to do with
odd-time signatures but acted as temporary names forthe gig. In any case, the newness was real but harkened
back to the creative richness of New York, Berlin andParis in the 1920s-early ‘30s, where the violinist’s trio
would have fit right in and been deemed as prescient,to say the least. Opener “New 11” gripped the room
immediately, swinging lightly over chromatic runs andsparing cluster chords, leading to a violin solo with thesplintered rhythmic foundation of Sarin and Sacks,
who embody an extremely tight section. The 20th
Century harmonies were pervasive throughout, butthen too the urgency of swing and, for “That Greeny
Flower” (after a William Carlos Williams poem),
swooping, sloping arco phrases within beguilingly
dissonant modernisms. Much like Williams’ Asphodelthen, “forebodingly, among them”.
(JP)

As part of this month’s Winter Jazzfest, the programmers, incollaboration with Berklee Institute for Jazz and Gender Justice,
The New School and M³ (Mutual Mentorship for Mentorships)
have announced This Is A Movement: Towards Liberation,“aiming to create a more equitable music industry - particularly inthe jazz and creative space - through the lens of an intersectional
Black feminist provocation” via a series of panels, discussions,and performances by Angel Bat Dawid, Georgia Anne Muldrow,
Fabian Almazan, Gargi Shindé, Terri Lyne Carrington, Shanta
Thake, Linda May Han Oh, J Hoard, Jordannah Elizabeth andNaomi Extra. For more information, visit thisisamovement.com.
Jazz at Lincoln Center has announced the second annual Jack
Rudin Jazz Championship, a two-day invitational competition
featuring ensembles from ten of the most well-regarded university
jazz programs in the country to take place at Rose Theater Jan.
10th-11th. For more information, visit 2021.jazz.org/jrjc.
The Burning Ambulance Festival will live-stream Jan. 1stat noon at burningambulancemusic.bandcamp.com with thefollowing participants: Rodrigo Amado; Code-Switch: JD Allen,
Eric Revis, Nasheet Waits; Muriel Grossmann; Karin Johansson;
Susanne Kujala; Simo Laihonen; José Lencastre; Massacre:
Anton Pomonarev/Anton Obrazeena; Rob Mazurek; Peter
McEachern; Ava Mendoza; William Parker; Steph Richards;
Senyawa: Rully Shabara/Wukir Suryadi; Patrick Shiroishi;
Tyshawn Sorey; Submerged; Shirazette Tinnin; Lisa Ullén;
Eli Wallace.
WBGO’s Michael Bourne has announced his retirement after 38
years on the air. A valedictory broadcast with many guests willtake place on Jan. 2nd. For more information, visit wbgo.org.
Harlem Stage will stream Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball (forConscientious Ballers & Cultural Shot Callers) with Marshall
Allen & the Nation of Imagination band Jan. 31st and Feb. 28th at
5 pm at HarlemStage.org.
Submit news to ahenkin@nycjazzrecord.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 5

© LAURA PLEIFER

INTERVIEWWOLFGANGMUTHSPIEL
by tyran grillo

A ustrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel is one of a handfulof guitarists whose influence is as robust as his humility.
Muthspiel began his musical training in classical violin,
shifting to guitar in his teens. And yet while he is now
firmly entrenched in jazz-defined spaces, he has never let goof his love for chamber music and the intimate sensibilities
required of one to self-express in that genre. Despite thetemptation to draw lines of influence between his style andthat of others—particularly Mick Goodrick, under whom hestudied while at the New England Conservatory before
moving on to Berklee—his profile is distinctly silhouetted.
After spearheading Material Records in 2000, he began
focusing on a series of small-group projects, including the
MGT trio with fellow picker Ralph Towner and Slava
Grigoryan. MGT later recorded for ECM, starting an
ongoing relationship with the German label for Muthspiel,which has since produced such masterstrokes as Driftwood,
his trio album with Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade, and ahandful of leader dates, including 2016’s Rising Grace. In
the following interview, we dive a little deeper into
Muthspiel’s background, interests and aspirations.
The New York City Jazz Record: Everyone is a work inprogress, of course, but if you were to characterize
yourself as a musician and as a human being at thispoint in time, what would you say?
Wolfgang Muthspiel: To define oneself is tricky, but
I would say that I have two main playing fields in mylife: the music and my small family. To strike the rightbalance seems to be the key and it is not always easy.
But I am grateful to love what I am doing.
TNYCJR: In terms of striking that balance between
music and family, what have been some of the greatest
lessons you have learned along the way?
WM: I guess the lesson is: I want to be really present
with music when that is going on and I want to bereally present with family when that is going on. It isbetter to have longer stretches of each without trying
to compensate all the time between the two.
TNYCJR: You have performed and recorded with someamazing musicians throughout your career. Can you
talk about the most gratifying of those experiences?
WM: I learned so much with many great musicians
who played with me over the years and lessons are
everywhere all the time if one stays open. Musicians
who have made a huge impact on me are Gary Burton,
my first big sideman gig, and Paul Motian, who
embodied so much of the essence and freedom of jazz.
He was a modernist with a huge link to the tradition.
As such, he offered me a priceless learning experience.
But many contemporary jazz musicians that I playwith have also been huge inspirations, like Ambrose
Akinmusire, Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, Brian
Blade and Scott Colley, to name a few.

TNYCJR: Was there a “eureka” moment at which you
realized that music was going to be your life?
WM: I grew up with classical music but my siblings
and I always improvised with each other as kids, long
before we knew anything about jazz. When we later
found out that improvisation is at the heart of jazz,
we were hooked. Coming from a classical tradition andcoming to jazz relatively late at age 14 brought its own
blessings and challenges.
TNYCJR: Can you expand on some of those blessings
and/or challenges?
WM: One of the blessings was being able to learn somuch about harmony, intonation, practicing, discipline,
tone and technique as a young child. One of thechallenges was having to do a lot of extra homework
later on about time, tradition, jazz language andrepertoire.
TNYCJR: Who were some of your greatest teachers,
musically or otherwise, and how does their dedication
continue to inspire you?
WM: My main guy was Mick Goodrick, who was
direct, honest and encouraging. I spent two years withhim as a student and then we played a lot of duo gigs.
He was the perfect teacher for me, the one I was looking
for. He is a scientist of the guitar and a philosopher
about music. As a kid I had many great teachers,
starting with my violin teacher at the age of six. I wasvery lucky in that regard.
TNYCJR: Can you talk a little bit about your artistic
directorships and residencies?
WM: I am the Artistic Director of an immersion year at
JazzCampus Basel in Switzerland called “Focusyear”.
There we invite up to eight players from all over theworld to come to Basel for a full year. They are coachedregularly by some great artists who come for a week at atime. They record an album, play concerts and get a fullscholarship. This year’s coaches are Jeff Ballard, Chris
Cheek, Kris Davis, Sullivan Fortner, Larry Grenadier,
Guillermo Klein, Ingrid Laubrock, Lionel Loueke, Linda
May Han Oh, Aaron Parks, Elena Pinderhughes, Tineke
Postma, Jorge Rossy, Becca Stevens, Cuong Vu, MiguelZenón and myself. I am fortunate to get to invite all theseinteresting artists and witness the growth of the ensemble
throughout the year. As each teacher brings his or her
own universe, it is a truly inspiring job.
TNYCJR: How would you characterize your composing?
WM: I love composing. For me, it is an act of finding
rather than constructing. I love to go on the hunt fora song. It is part of my daily music-making when I am
at home. I usually work with concrete people in mind,

6 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

who I write for. I imagine them in the room with me.
TNYCJR: Have you composed for film?
WM: I have scored for a 1931 silent film by F.W.
Murnau called Tabu: A Story of the South Seas. The scoreis for cello, trumpet and guitars and we have performed
it live in front of big screens in a few concert halls.
There is also the music I made with my [trombonist]
brother, Christian, for a film about our father, Kurt
Muthspiel [1931-2001], which is called Super 8 Music. It
is made from Super 8 home movies and provides alasting statement about our family.
TNYCJR: What is your role as teacher?
WM: I try to encourage the music that is inside mystudents. I also ask them to get their shit together.
I encourage them to go for what they burn for rather
than learn everything a little bit.
TNYCJR: Can you talk about what it is has been like towork with Manfred Eicher?
WM: I got introduced through Ralph Towner, whobrought our trio with Slava Grigoryan to ECM. We did
the album Travel Guide together and I got to know
Manfred. This is when our relationship started. It is a
privilege to work with Manfred, who is completely
dedicated to the art of recording. His ears and intuition
for the flow of music have a big impact.
TNYCJR: At this moment, who are some of your mostinspiring musicians, artists, writers, etc.?
WM: I owe so much to artists. Be they writers, visual
artists, actors, directors or musicians, they make thisworld rich and deep. They transcend the pragmatic
materialistic superficiality and remind us of our souls. It
is almost impossible to make a list, but here is a small
excerpt. Writers: Thomas Bernhard, Peter Handke,
Tobias Wolff, Thomas Mann and Toni Morrison. Painters:
Cy Twombly, Agnes Martin and Henri Matisse.
Musicians/composers: Witold Lutosławski, Olivier
Messiaen, Django Bates and Duke Ellington, but also oldmasters, including Bach, Mozart and Schubert.
Musicians/songwriters: Joni Mitchell, Prince and The
Beatles. Jazz musicians: Keith Jarrett and his bands,
Miles Davis and his bands, Wayne Shorter and his bands,
Billie Holiday, Ornette Coleman and Pat Metheny. Also:
Paco de Lucía, Glenn Gould...the list goes on.
TNYCJR: What is one of the most meaningful musicalexperiences you have had?
WM: Once in a while, the music plays itself and whenthat happens, it is blissful and encouraging. It is a zone
one wants to be in all the time. These moments become
shining lights and reminders that this freedom exists.
TNYCJR: And what is your most profound experience
as a listener?
WM: A reoccurring miracle is that we can enter theworld of music as listeners so fully and truly live in it.
This is a completely different world than our earthly
world. I believe that many listeners have thisexperience. When the piece is over, we return to ourphysical existence. Where were we before? And every
time I enter certain pieces, I have the same experience—in some cases, the same experience as 40 years ago.
TNYCJR: Is there anything in particular you have yet
to do musically that you hope to accomplish someday?
WM: I would love to play at the Village Vanguard
because it is soaked in vibrations of great music.
				(CONTINUED ON PAGE 39)

DAVID RACCUGLIAARTIST FEATU RE

ANGEL BAT
DAWID
by kurt gottschalk

There are, as Angel Bat Dawid sees it, three types ofBlack woman recognized within mainstream culture(read: white structural racism)—and she isn’t any ofthem. There is, she explained in a recent video call fromher Chicago home: the “mammy—the asexual character
who’s just there to make you feel better”; the “Jezebel­—
just here to shake her ass and twerk”; and the“Sapphire—­or the honey girlfriend”. With the iterationof each type, her rejections got stronger, more animated.
“Black women are way more complex than that,” shesaid. “We’ve got way more complex stories than that.”
Bat Dawid isn’t a lot of things. She is not aconventional jazz performer. She is not a conventional
performer in any sense. And she isn’t an artist who isgoing to let herself be pigeonholed by pre-existing
categories of consumer-based culture. What she is is an
artist: a composer, singer, keyboard player, clarinetist,producer and powerful performer. She is a music
historian and researcher, an educator and a visionary
who imagines a 2032 with Black-owned record labels,venues and festivals in which she has founded a school
to help ensure that African American children get themusic education no longer offered in many publicschools. Bat Dawid is a force with whom to be reckoned.
Her first album took an unexpecting listening
public by storm. Released by International Anthem in
2019, the eight tracks were recorded and mixed entirelyon her cell phone, Bat Dawid performing all of the
vocal and instrumental parts save one track featuring
Asher Gamedze’s drums. More important than thecreation, though, is the result. It is a bold and very
musical album, uplifting and challenging, steadfast
spirituals for times of conflict. Her followup, recorded
live in Chicago and Berlin, sharpened the stick with afull band and uncompromising agenda. Much has been
made of the album’s final track, which incorporates arecording of Bat Dawid speaking passionately during apanel at the 2019 Berliner Festspiele. It should beheard, listened to closely and can be streamed (alongwith the rest of Live as well as The Oracle) on Bandcamp.
Bat Dawid is a Black artist interested in Black art
and concerned (if we can borrow a phrase from W.E.B.
Du Bois) about the souls of Black folk. And at least for
the foreseeable future, it seems, that will be the focusof Bat Dawid’s art. “I’m not talking about my skincolor,” she said. “We’re not talking about this physicalBlackness, I’m talking about what we term ‘Blackness’.
Like when you walk in a room and you look aroundand you’re like, I bet you somebody Black lives here.
What is it? I’ve been wanting to figure that out in Blackmusic because jazz is Black music,” she continued.
“I don’t know why people are uncomfortable aboutthat or think it is some kind of Black supremacy thing,because it is not. It is music that came from Black
people in America under certain conditions. I’m reallyinterested in what that was because this music is what
liberated us. There is something really special andimportant that deserves really good research, anin-depth analysis of what its power is and the only

way that I can do that is if I’m playing with Black
people specifically. The work that I’m doing right
now—white people can’t play my music right now.”
Another thing Bat Dawid is is in demand. New
York, it seems, has taken notice of her. She is Artist-inResidence at this month’s Winter Jazzfest, presenting
her AfroTown Topics: A Mythological Afrofuturist
Revue with guest Marshall Allen at Roulette. [At press
time, the WJF’s fate with the upsurge of COVID cases
was yet to be announced.] And in February, she willappear on a double bill with Nicole Mitchell as a part ofCarnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism festival. She’ll return to
New York again in March, appearing with the jazz/
funk collective Standing on the Corner at the Ecstatic
Music festival at Merkin Hall. “In this new millennium,
we’re calling it ‘Afrofuturism’,” she said. “I guess
people didn’t realize that Black people were gonna still
be around in the future. You read science fiction novels
and you be like, ‘OK, I guess those Black people, I guessthey became extinct. Well, they played a lot of greatmusic, we still got that.’ That’s the future I don’t want.
You feel me? I don’t want a future where everybody has
everything from Black people and there ain’t no Black
people. That’s not gonna happen. Not on my watch.”Thoughts circle and fly by fast in Bat Dawid’s
conversation—there is a lot going on in her dialogue.
Sentences often contain parentheticals and subtopics,
lines of reasoning along which she can lead herself tolaughter, anger or tears. “You have to take people
seriously,” she explained. “You have to take everyone
seriously. You have to treat everyone’s questions as if
they were your own. You have to treat someone likeyou would treat yourself. That’s a very ancient proverb.
You have to empathize. Your empathy muscle has to
grow. Unfortunately, the white structural racism exists
because peoples’ empathy muscle is very weak because
they’ve been privileged for a very long time.”
AfroTown Topics and the piece she will present at
the Ecstatic Music festival—which she has labeled as
an “Afrofuturist Participatory Sonic Convocation”—
both found inspiration in jazz of earlier decades: theformer in James P. Johnson and Fats Waller and thelatter in Yusef Lateef and his writings on what hetermed “autophysiopsychic music” or “music fromone’s physical, mental and spiritual self.” “Why isn’t
anyone talking about the importance of Yusef Lateef?”
she said. “He is an Afrofuturist. He has science fiction
books that are just crazy. They’re out there.”
Later this year, Bat Dawid will release her third
full-length album, a “requiem for jazz” inspired by the1959 documentary The Cry of Jazz, interpolating partsof Sun Ra’s soundtrack. The piece, which she describedas “the biggest thing I’ve ever done”, was commissioned
for the 2019 Hyde Park Jazz Festival in Chicago andshe has been mixing it and adding interludes for an
International Anthem release.
Through it all and as witnessed by the many
performance videos that can be found online, Bat Dawid
maintains a unique ability not just to reach her audiencebut also to join them in a communal experience. Asked
if she could touch one audience member in one distinctway, Bat Dawid gave a typically thoughtful answer.
“The one thing that I would want this person to go awaywith is that I am my truly authentic self,” she said. “I ambeing just me, Angel Bat Dawid, and it would be myhope and my joy and humble privilege if you would justbe your true and authentic wonderful self as well andthen let’s be our true and authentic wonderful selves
together and keep spreading that message and whenever
we feel we can’t be ourselves, we would just always
think about this moment and say, hey, it does exist,
because I had that one moment, I remember, with Angeland I remember she was just really being herself and she
was saying everything that was on her mind. We canuse that as a way to feel encouraged when times get
hard, to know that it can exist,” she added. “And if it
can exist on that small micro level, it can definitely exist
on a macro level.” v
Bat Dawid is at City Winery Jan. 13th, Nublu 151 Jan. 14thand 21st, Zürcher Gallery Jan. 15th, Roulette Jan. 17th andPublic Records Jan. 20th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Angel Bat Dawid—The Oracle(International Anthem, 2018)• Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble—
Where Future Unfolds (International Anthem, 2018)• Angel Bat Dawid & The Brothahood—LIVE(International Anthem, 2018-19)• Jake Wark Quartet—Scrawl (Amalgam, 2019)• Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble—
Now (International Anthem, 2020)• Angel Bat Dawid—Hush Harbor Mixtape Vol. 1
Doxology (International Anthem, 2021)

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 7

ON THE COVER
ANDREW ONG / COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

BOB
JAMES
FEEL LIKE MAKING LIVEby anders griffen

Bob James, prolific composer and keyboard artist, iswell known for his theme song to the hit TV series Taxi
and has been routinely sampled in hip-hop. He has
won two Grammys among several nominations and has
hundreds of album credits with a range of jazz and pop
artists including Sarah Vaughan, Quincy Jones, George
Benson, Hubert Laws, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard,
Ron Carter, Idris Muhammad, Paul Simon and ArethaFranklin. He has enjoyed a successful career in music
for over 60 years: “I have no shortage of fun, surprising,interesting things to be working on creatively.”James grew up in a small farm town called
Marshall, Missouri where his mother started him on
piano lessons at four and he practiced throughout hischildhood. His parents weren’t particularly jazz fans,though they had a couple of records, but somehow
James discovered the music. “It got into my brain
somewhere and by the time I got into high school I was
rebelling against classical practice and I liked therebellious aspect of improvising.” He started finding
performance opportunities while in high school before
attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
“Michigan had a really good composition department,[but] they didn’t have anything much in the way of ajazz department.” Frustrated, he transferred to Berklee
during his freshman year. “I didn’t last very long at
Berklee. I decided I wanted to go back to Michigan
because it was a bigger school, more opportunities
and, little by little, I found enough jazz musicians at
Michigan to stimulate my interests.”
Influenced by the experimentation and free spirit
in jazz and contemporary composition, he was also
learning the mainstream and wanted to hold his own
as a straightahead player. A local venue called The
Falcon afforded him regular performance opportunities.
“I was doing some of my most experimental stuff inthat club, with [drummer] Bob Pozar and [bassist] Ron
Brooks. We would try literally everything. For example,
Pozar would go down in the basement and play triple
fortissimo and scream and make various sounds where
nobody knew where he was.” The Once Festival was
also influential as they were asked to perform classicalcomposers’ avant garde works, largely because they
were willing to do things that classical players were
not. “It was the time of John Cage and Stockhausen
and some of the cutting-edge people were composing
and performing at that festival and we got acquainted
with that music and were having a great time.”
In 1962, James received a small budget from theOnce Festival to compose a piece and he used themoney to invite Eric Dolphy out to perform with histrio. The results were released many years later,
mistitled and miscredited on the Dolphy CD Other
Aspects. “When that album came out, I wasn’t madeaware of it at all and was not credited properly for thecomposition called ‘Jim Crow’, which I actuallycomposed called ‘A Personal Statement’. I was a huge
fan of Eric Dolphy and I got brave and asked him tocome out and play my piece with my trio. He agreed
and actually stayed in Ann Arbor for a few days... It isa major memory for me because he was just such agreat artist and a wonderful human being too. We gave
him a copy of the tape from that performance and hetook it back to New York with him. After he passed
away, 10 or 20 years later, there was a producer
documenting all of Eric Dolphy’s work and he cameacross this tape, [which] wasn’t marked hardly at all
and just assumed that it was one of Eric’s compositions.”
That same trio also won an award at the Notre
Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival in Ann Arbor and Quincy
Jones was among the judges. Intrigued by the fact thatthey were veering away from straightahead bebop andplaying further out, Jones signed James to record his
first album, Bold Conceptions (Mercury, 1962), and gave
him numerous opportunities in the coming years. 		
“Every time I think of the pivotal points in mycareer, Quincy’s name immediately comes up. There
was a magic about him and his producer aura. Therewas something that everybody felt just by Quincy
being in the room. His mystique made everybody play
better. It was that badge of having been chosen by him
that definitely helped get me in doors.” One of thesewas an introduction to Vaughan. James worked withher for four years, along with his roommate, drummer
Omar Clay, who had also moved from Ann Arbor.
James was still learning what he considers somerudimentary things. “I was too young to evenunderstand what the impact was going to be and I only
realized years later how big an influence she was overme forming my whole approach. She was a jazz artist
in the true sense of the word as far as the atmospherethat she brought to her music.”
Working on Jones’ album Walking in Space was his
introduction to Creed Taylor and that ended up being
an incredibly fruitful relationship as James’ career took
off while they made some 60 albums together. Jamesworked as a composer and arranger just as often as an
instrumentalist. While he had made a couple of his
own recordings in the ‘60s, leading his own recordings
became regular in the ‘70s. The producers for Taxi werelistening to BJ4 while considering the type of moodand style they wanted for the show and they eventuallycalled James to ask if he’d like to prepare some music.
While James submitted “Touchdown” to be the theme,
they chose his song “Angela” instead and it has become
his signature tune. Rather than try to create 15- or
20-second music cues, “I asked them if they would be
willing to approach it in a different way and let me
treat it more like it was just a record date for an album
with long cuts, five- to six-minute tunes. I just took mypeople in and we cut some fast tunes, some slow tunes,
happy, sad, whatever, and then they picked.”
In 1979 James won his first Grammy award for hisalbum with Earl Klugh, One on One (Tappan Zee
Records), an honor he would receive again in 1986 forhis album with David Sanborn, Double Vision (Warner
Bros.). By that time the studio and record businesswere beginning to fade. In the ‘70s, musicians like
James were not encouraged to tour; there was enoughwork locally that they didn’t need it. “Then, maybe inthe ‘90s, I started hearing about musicians needing to
go on tour to sell their product and [cultivate] a loyal

8 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

audience in person. Even more important for me was[realizing] how much I loved it. I love live performance,
I love the danger, the immediacy of it. It is a completely
different passion from recording.”
When the band Fourplay was formed with Lee
Ritenour (guitars), Nathan East (bass) and Harvey
Mason, they were perceived as a one-off, allstar project.
“In order to prove that wrong, we had to tour, we had
to be a band and so we did set out to establish that kindof an identity.” The Modern Jazz Quartet inspired themas a model for longevity. While their personnel changed
over the years and they are now on indefinite hiatus,
they were active for over 25 years and enjoyed great
success with several gold number one records among
their 15 albums.
In recent years, James has been working in a trio
with bassist Michael Palazzolo and drummer Billy
Kilson. They released Espresso in 2018 (EvoSound) andhave just put out its followup, Feel Like Making LIVE,
recorded live with a video crew and available on CD
and DVD. He has a new album project underway withthe working name of Young Guns, which features
emerging talent. He is still working with Palazzolo and“I have a young drummer who I haven’t recorded withyet, James Adkins from Florida. Very fiery, very
inspiring for me because he understands this newworld [combining] hip-hop music and jazz and all
kinds of other influences that I learn from and hopefully
I’m teaching him some things too. So that’s been a lot offun.” The group will be at Blue Note this month.
Meanwhile, James has been collaborating longdistance throughout the pandemic and sending tracks
to others’ home studios. He has been working withsaxophonists Dave Koz and Andrey Chmut among
others and expects a new release in the spring. “I’ve hadsome interesting collaborations. On their first record, DJ
Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince sampled my song,‘Westchester Lady’, without licensing it, so I got off to arather complicated start with them, but recently I’ve
recorded a couple of tracks with DJ Jazzy Jeff that I
think are going to be included in my new project that’s
coming out next spring. At the same time, I have a newcollaboration with CeeLo Green, who kind ofrecomposed my song ‘Angela’, put a lyric to it andreleased it as a single a couple years ago under the nameof ‘Sign of the Times’. We collaborated on four newtunes. I’ve been doing an awful lot of that recently andhopefully there’ll be some good end results from it.” v
For more information, visit bobjames.com. James is at Blue
Note Jan. 25th-30th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Bob James—Once Upon A Time: The Lost 1965
New York Studio Sessions (Resonance, 1965)• Bob James—One (CTI, 1974)• Bob James—The Genie: Themes & Variations From theTV Series “Taxi” (Tappan Zee-Columbia, 1983)• Bob James Trio—Straight Up (Warner Bros., 1995)• Bob James—Alone (Tappan Zee-Red River, 2012)• Bob James Trio—Feel Like Making LIVE (EvoSound, 2018)

2021
THE CONGRATULATIONS,NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD BEST OFERROLLGARNER
BEST OF 2021 THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD BEST OF 2021

BEST OF 2021

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDNEW YORK CITYBEST OF 2021

ZZ RECORD

EST OF 2021

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021
BEST NEW RELEASESHONORABLE MENTION

THE NEW YORK CITY

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021

BEST OF 2021BEST BOXED SETS OF THE YEAR (2021)

Liberation in Swing: The Octave Records Story & Complete Symphony Hall Concert

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDTHE
JAZ NEW YZ O
BES REC RK C
20 T OF ORD ITY
21THE
JAZ NEW YZ O
BES REC RK C
20 T OF ORD ITY
21

JAZZ RECORD

Available Now at store.errollgarner.com

BEST OF 2021

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ R
CONGRATULATIONS, KENNYBEST OF 2021GARRETT
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RBEST TRIBUTE ALBUMSBEST OF 2021

THE NEW YORKTHE NEW YORK CITY

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021

BEST ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR (2021)

THE
JAZ NEW YZ O
BES REC RK C
20 T OF ORD ITY
21Sounds from the Ancestors

Available Now as a 2-LP set or CD at mackavenue.com

mackavenue.com | facebook.com/mackavenue | youtube.com/mackavenue | instagram.com/mackavenuerecords

BEST OF 20

BEST OF 2021

BEST NEW RELEASHONORABLE MENT

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021

BEST TRIBUTE ALBUMS

MAC1187

7811CAMJAZZ RECO

JAZZ RECORDENCORESTIXHOOPERby michael cobb
Stix Hooper is an acclaimed drummer, composer,
producer, educator, manager and radio personality
based in Seattle. Along with Joe Sample, he helped
found The Crusaders (né The Jazz Crusaders) and is apioneer in jazz and funk. But Hooper eschews genre
labels and firmly believes in the universality of music.
With nine Grammy nominations, Hooper has
performed with legends like Quincy Jones, B.B. King,The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Grover Washington, Jr.,
Hubert Laws, Nancy Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Eric Clapton,
Hugh Masekela, George Shearing, Les McCann, The
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London and others.
Originally from Houston, Texas, Hooper began
studying drums, percussion, composition andsongwriting in junior high school. In high school heformed The Swingsters, which later became the Modern
Jazz Sextet. He continued at Texas Southern University,where he was coached by members of the Houston
Symphony Orchestra. Hooper found it difficult tomove his career forward in Houston, so with his friends
Sample, Hubert Laws, Wayne Henderson, Wilton
Felder and Henry Wilson, he went to Los Angeles.
“The West Coast Jazz Movement was disappointing
at first; we had a hard time getting it together. We
played instrumental music in nightclubs and lounges,
but we still wanted to pursue jazz, so we went to see
Richard Bock at Pacific Jazz Records. We performed for
him and he signed us on the spot. We became The Jazz
Crusaders. From then on our career skyrocketed. We
did several records at The Lighthouse Café in Hermosa
Beach and were instrumental in making that a focal
point in the West Coast movement. 99% of thoserecords were done live with no overdubbing and wehelped create the funk-jazz movement,” he recalls.

When asked to articulate the difference between
jazz and funk drumming styles, Hooper says, “Thejazz-swing thing is like ‘spang-a-lang’, which means
you’re swinging on the cymbal with a certain rhythm.
You’d just play that all the time and it became the partthat all jazz musicians played in that style. Funk comesfrom rhythm and blues, where you’d also play a little
bit of that style but accented on the two and four with astrong backbeat. Some of the real jazz aficionados didn’tlike that, but jazz was getting stagnant and expression
shouldn’t be pigeonholed. Like Duke Ellington said,‘Jazz is the ultimate freedom of expression.’”While touring the West Coast, Hooper worked
with giants like bassist Leroy Vinnegar, who settled in
Portland, Oregon while passing through on a tour.
Eventually, Hooper settled in Seattle.
After leaving The Crusaders in the late ‘80s,
Hooper continued his career as a solo artist and leaderof his own bands Stix Hooper and Friends andViewpoint. Hooper is the last surviving member of
The Crusaders and continues exploring new sounds.
Currently, he is finishing his latest recording, the firstin over five years, to be released in early 2022.
“This new recording features musicians from allover the world, reflecting the universal appeal andglobal influence of music free from cultural, ethnic andracial boundaries. It celebrates the artistic camaraderie
and integrity that results when kindred artistic spirits
share a common bond of personal expression and unite
in magnificent musicianship and spontaneity. I’m very
excited about it,” Hooper says.
In November 2021, Hooper joined KKJZ radio (88.1
FM) in Los Angeles as the host of his own program Lay
It On The Line. Each show has its own theme andfeatures an eclectic mix of music, with Hooper sharing
anecdotes and compositions from his career. “Radio is
new for me. I’ll be playing music and interviewing
people of importance, so it will be informative andeducational. I’ve done an episode called ‘Jazz In The
Fast Lane’. I’ve got two more shows that I’ve alreadyproduced and am working on others with themes
related to jazz and music. The shows will be archived
on the station website,” he says.
When asked about career highlights, Hooper says,“Hanging out with B.B. King and Muhammad Ali atthe concert in Zaire [The Crusaders are featured in
Spike Lee’s Rumble In The Jungle, a film about thelegendary boxing match between Ali and George
Foreman in 1974] was really something and inspired
me to write a song for B.B. called ‘Never Make Your
Move Too Soon’. He was the initial artist to record it,
but Ruth Brown, Charles Brown, Bonnie Raitt and Joe
Bonamassa have also done it. And I’m thinking of myrecently departed friend Charlie Watts. I remember we
opened a show for The Rolling Stones at The Garden in
Boston. With The Stones, people always expected that
hard beat. I left my kit and went up to the microphonewith finger cymbals and just played the two and fourstrong, which echoed throughout that place. Thousandsof people were grooving as if it were a drum kit througha Marshall amp, which proved that if a rhythm isconsistent and tight, it doesn’t have to be loud.”
But above all, it is the connection that music
provides that keeps him going strong. He says, “I canplay a note in Budapest and it is the same note in Brazil.
Everybody can relate to it. I can remember playing atabla drum in Morocco under the moonlight. Suddenly,
there must’ve been 15 drummers who joined me because
they liked what I was doing. That’s what I’m doing
indirectly on the new record, which has my compositions
with musicians from all over the world in an orchestral
setting including Andreas Öberg, who is from Sweden
and one of the best blues guitarists in the world. It justproves the universality of music and that’s what keeps
me going. There’s something about musicians. We love
what we do. It inspires us to stay alive.” v

Wess remained with Basie until 1964, though hebegan recording as a leader for Savoy in 1956, often
using fellow Basie sidemen. He also began working with
Foster on a number of small-group albums as a sideman
or co-leader at that time, their regular collaborations
continuing into the ‘80s. Wess was an in-demand
sideman from 1957 on, appearing on numerous LPs.
After leaving Basie, Wess played in pit bands for anumber of Broadway shows and served as a staff
musician for ABC-TV, including The Dick Cavett Showand with the Billy Taylor Orchestra on The David Frost
Show. He played in Clark Terry’s Big Band from 196770, with the New York Jazz Quartet, Dameronia andthe Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra.
Wess made a lasting impression on many musicians
who worked with him, encouraging them as players
and composers. Multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson
met him during the ‘80s and talked at length about how
he learned from the jazz master: “Frank Wess was amaster who taught by example. We were close for about
25 years and although I never studied with him
formally, I learned every time I was around him: about
the music, the business and character. Frank was a great
listener who kept his ears open. Relative youngsters
like myself would be invited to his apartment for jam
sessions. Even in his last years, you never knew when
he might walk into someplace you were playing and sit
down to listen...sometimes with his horn, ready to sit in
if asked.”

Fortunately, Robinson had regular opportunities
to play with Wess. He explained, “When we started theOctet together back in the early ‘90s, we shared thewriting duties and I labored long and hard over myarrangements. After our first rehearsal, he said he felt
there was something missing from the program andthat he’d see what he could come up with. The next
day he showed up with a greasy shuffle-blues:
a rip-roaring melody, with solo send-off figures,
beautifully scored out for the band in handwritten
pencil parts. It was simple, hard-swinging, very
effective and a joy to play and it became the title trackof the album, Tryin’ To Make My Blues Turn Green. I was
astonished, after all the sweat and time I put into myarrangements, that he could just go home and turn out
a gem like that literally overnight. But he knew exactly
what the music needed, what was missing and heheard it in his head. I also learned from Frank about
the value of individuality. Heading into a whole week
playing two tenors with him at the Vanguard, I wasa little concerned about how to play. ‘This is the greatFrank Wess, my thing can get a little weird, how will
he take it?’ But I quickly found that the more I played
like myself, instead of worrying about fitting in withhis style, the bigger his grin became and the more heliked it. He’d turn to me with that little high-pitchedlaugh and a huge smile and say, ‘Shit, you crazy!’”
Pianist Michael Weiss was playing a piano trio gig
					(CONTINUED ON PAGE 39)

For more information, visit stixhooper.com
Recommended Listening:• The Jazz Crusaders- Freedom Sound (Pacific Jazz, 1961)• The Crusaders—Pass The Plate (Chisa, 1971)• Stix Hooper—The World Within (MCA, c.1979)• Gerald Wilson Orchestra—New York New Sound(Mack Avenue, 2003)• Stix Hooper—Jazz Gems (Stix Hooper Enterprises, 2010)• Stix Hooper & Friends—We Went West
(Stix Hooper Enterprises, 2014-15)

LEST WE FORGET

FRANK
WESS
by ken dryden
F rank Wess (Jan. 4th, 1922-Oct. 30th, 2013) excelled ontenor and alto saxophone, in addition to having one of
the most distinctive sounds on flute. The Kansas City
native studied classical music initially then moved to
Washington, DC in the mid ‘30s, where he began
playing jazz at lunchtime sessions with fellow student
Billy Taylor. After getting drafted, Wess played in the
Army band during World War II.
Upon his discharge, Wess studied flute at theModern School of Music in Washington. He worked
with popular bandleaders, including Billy Eckstine,
Eddie Heywood and Lucky Millinder, but joining theCount Basie Orchestra in 1953 greatly increased his
exposure. Wess’ skill as a flutist added a new dimension
to Basie’s sound and arranger Neal Hefti frequently
featured him as a soloist. Basie also utilized Wess’compositions. His more lyrical, Lester Young-influenced
approach to tenor was the perfect foil for the hardblowing of fellow tenor saxophonist Frank Foster.

10 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

L ABEL SPOTLIGHT

ASIAN
IMPROVby kurt gottschalkOver the last 35 years, Asian Improvised Arts (AIA)

has become a mainstay of integrating communities in
traditional music and jazz, rap and poetry, dance, visualarts and other forms of artistic expression in both San
Francisco and Chicago. With a paid staff of just two,
AIA runs a label, produces performance festivals andmentors young artists. Saxophonist Francis Wong,
however, doesn’t refer to the operation he co-foundedwith pianist Jon Jang as a “business” or an “organization”
or “coalition”. To him, it is a movement.
As movements go, it may be small, but the termfits. AIA was built from common interests and resources
coming together, taking cues from such seminal groups
as Chicago’s Association for the Advancement ofCreative Musicians (AACM) and St. Louis’ Black Artists
Group. “It is very human,” Wong said of the AIA
movement. “It is not really about styles of music, it isabout the possibilities of community-based creativity.
Jon and I have been very loyal to the community in thesense that we think we take a place in the line of thehistory of the Chinese community and more than 150
years of exclusion and racial discrimination. We’reinspired by African Americans and what they did
creatively in response to discrimination.”
Wong dates the thinking behind AIA’s founding
back to 1982, when Vincent Chin, a 26-year-old Chinese
American draftsman, was beaten to death by two white
men in Detroit. The killers were apprehended,

eventually found guilty of manslaughter and ordered to
pay fines of $3,000 each, neither of them serving jailtime. The sentences sparked protests in Asian
communities across the U.S., including in San Francisco,where Wong and Jang were living. Jang had alreadyreleased one record at the time, simply titled Jang, on
the local label RPM. His second album, 1984’s Are You
Chinese or Charlie Chan, addressed racial stereotyping in
its title. After RPM folded, Jang and Wong combinedforces to launch Asian Improv Records (AIR). In 1987,
AIR 0001 appeared. The title track of that album, Jang’s“The Ballad or the Bullet”, was dedicated to Thelonious
Monk and Malcolm X, presenting what almost could betaken as a mission statement for the new label.
Around the same time in Chicago, bassist Tatsu
Aoki was organizing screenings of Japanese films
through his Innocent Eyes & Lenses while making
connections in the city’s blues and free jazz scenes,
particularly the AACM. In 1990, he issued the first of
three albums that would bear the Innocent Eyes &Lenses label imprint, Depressingly Happy. “My music
had always been sort of experimental but it was always
very much Japanese folk music charged,” Aoki said.
“The AACM welcomed that idea that I came from thefolk music tradition.” Following the AACM model, hebegan booking and promoting his performances andthe work of other artists. “Chicago was and is a very
segregated town. A lot of people really didn’t accept
me as a part of the Chicago jazz scene in the mid to late‘90s,” he explained. “There was only a handful ofmusicians and presenters who would book us or
produce something with us.”
In 1994, Aoki and Wong met and merged efforts.
The Innocent Eyes label was folded into AIA’s efforts

And Then They Came For Us | Un-American
The MIYUMI ProjectThat’s What It WAZ
The Trio WAZ

Boxes
Melody Takata

and Aoki’s second album, the 1994 set of duets Kioto,came out on AIR. Aoki brought with him such Chicago
associations as drummer Afifi Phillard and composer,
producer and Southport Records founder Bradley
Parker-Sparrow, who would provide considerable
inspiration for the new label. Beyond documenting thework of Asian improvising musicians, AIR would
become an important platform for non-Asian artists,
significantly members of the AACM. The catalogue ofover five dozen releases includes sessions withsaxophonists Fred Anderson, Mwata Bowden,
trumpeter Bobby Bradford and percussionist Famadou
Don Moye, often also featuring Aoki. Percussionist
Anthony Brown, violinist Jason Kao Hwang,saxophonist David Murray, guitarist Jeff Parker anddrummer Max Roach have also appeared on records on
the imprint. Composers/performers Vijay Iyer, Miya
Masaoka and Jen Shyu have also spent time with AIR,
according to Wong, each of them showing up early intheir careers to volunteer, network and learn.
Recent years have seen the shared commitment toracial justice played out with regard to the Black Lives
Matter movement. A 2020 livestreamed forum andconcert under the name “So Many Tears” (which canbe found on YouTube) featured performances by Jang,
Wong and others addressing racial violence. Other
programs in both Chicago and San Francisco havecontinued the interracial bonds central not only to
AIA’s philosophy, but its practice. AIA’s core ensembles
have always represented mixed ethnicities, according
to Wong. “It is not performative that we acknowledge
a debt,” he said. “It is a continuing part of the practicethat we show it.”				
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 39)

1 Foot In 1 Foot Out
Mwata Bowden

Monologue
Mai Sugimoto

VOXNEWS

ON
THE
LIST
by suzanne lorge
In June 2021, The Baylor Project released their second

album, Generations, a batch of R&B-driven tracks,
mostly originals. This joyful record claims a Grammy
nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album this year, thefourth for vocalist Jean and drummer Marcus Baylor,the duo at the project’s helm. What makes this musicalpartnership so exciting is their open-handed approachto gospel jazz, impressive roster of collaborators andastute business sense. The new album doesn’t fit tidily
into any one jazz category, but the powerful guest list
hints at its expansive reach: alto saxophonist Kenny
Garrett embellishes rousing opener “Strivin’” withbreezy runs; singers Dianne Reeves and Jazzmeia Hornswap relaxed expert scats on “We Swing (The Cypher)”;pianist Sullivan Fortner comps Jean (also a consummate
scatter) on the alternately jaunty/swinging “Do You
Remember This?”; and vocalist/drummer Jamison
Ross settles into the soul ballad “Only Believe” in an
aching duet with the lead singer. All of this collaborative,
talent-focused output didn’t escape notice at Motown
Gospel, a division of Capitol CMG/Universal Music
Group. Last December, the Christian music label
extended a rare invitation: an exclusive distributionagreement for Be A Light, the Baylors’ self-owned label
and home for each of their award-nominated ventures.
On Grammy Day, Jan. 31st, the Baylor Project will
be squaring off against four other superb artists for Best
Vocal Jazz Album, among them multi-nominee Nnenna
Freelon for Time Traveler (Origin). With this recording,the former Concord artist shows how song can counter
grief: her artistic response to the death of both her
husband and her sister in 2019-20. She pulls most of therepertoire from ‘70s pop music—a Marvin Gaye medley,
two tunes by Thom Bell-Linda Creed (“Betcha By Golly
Wow”, “You Make Me Feel Brand New”), a Jim Croce
ballad (“Time In A Bottle”) and a Burt Bacharach hit (“ISay A Little Prayer”). Freelon infuses these songs withjazz feel and disarming pathos, pulling emotional truth
into the spotlight but not to wallow. As she sings in theoriginal title track, love exists in a timeless,indestructible place. We can always meet there.
Singer Kate McGarry also tackles the American pop
cannon on her latest release, What To Wear In The Dark
(Resilience Music Alliance), similarly inspired by loss.
In 2010, after the death of her parents and father-in-law,
McGarry found solace in the life-affirming lyrics of a
Paul Simon tune. Since then, her interest in music as amending tool has only grown and in 2017 she laid down
the first tracks of the 2021 album. Among them wereincisive, modern arrangements of Simon’s “The 59th
Street Bridge Song”, Don Henley’s “Desperado” andLeonard Cohen’s “Anthem”. In later sessions, she would

contemporize tunes like Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides
Now”, Cat Stevens’ “On The Road To Find Out” andGeorge Harrison’s “Here Comes The Sun”, tapping into
each tune’s essential poignancy. As with Time Traveler,
McGarry uses an original, “It Happens All The Time In
Heaven”—her vocal setting for a love poem by 14th
Century Persian poet Hafiz—to deliver a pointed
message. How can we be more loving, she wonders?
Two others found inspiration in the New American
Songbook last year: singer Denise Donatelli partneredwith producer Larry Klein to turn out Whistling In The
Dark…the Music of Burt Bacharach (Savant), an engaging
tribute to this seminal composer of mid-century pop
music. Besides Bacharach, bassist/singer Nicki Parrottborrows lyrics and melodies from singer-songwriters
like Dolly Parton, Don McLean, Carly Simon and Gordon
Lightfoot for If You Could Read My Mind (Arbors). Hersmooth understanding of these love songs reveals the
surprising depth in their simple constructions.
Without question, the best VoxNews list of the year
is always the vocalist lineup for the Winter Jazzfest.
You’ll have to check the website for the where, but you
can start here for the when. Samara Joy and Angel Bat
Dawid (Jan. 13th); Brianna Thomas, Jen Shyu, Alicia
Olatuja, Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Theo Bleckmann(Jan. 14th); Thana Alexa, Melanie Charles, Kurt Elling,
Camille Thurman, Fay Victor and Alicia Olatuja (Jan.
15th); Madison McFerrin (Jan. 16th); and Sara Serpa,
Aubrey Johnson and Sofía Rei (Jan. 22nd). v

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 11

ALBUM REVIEWS

Invisible Words
Falkner Evans (CAP)by Donald Elfman

Pianist Falkner Evans—a third cousin to William

Faulkner—is known in the jazz world for his respectfor harmony and melody. But in May 2020 his existence
took on a different meaning. Linda, his wife of 30 years,
took her own life. As a tribute to their marriage and asa crucial part of his healing process, Evans recorded asolo set on what would have been Linda’s birthday. It isan all-ballad reflection and a way to capture Linda’s
spirit on record. Additionally, it includes pictures of thecouple and some of her artwork.
The title track and its repetition at the album’s end
reflects how music makes visible the invisible aroundus. Evans was profoundly moved by this woman.
“You’re Next”, “Ladybug” and “Brightest Light” arepersonal takes: the first a librarian’s reference to Linda’s
choice of red in her outfit and the next portraits of his
beloved wife. “Breathing Altered Air” is a phrase used
to describe a place in the grieving process when somedegree of regularity returns, although in changed form.
The music is measured and introspective. The lyrical“Made Visible” brings the richness of Linda to life.
“Lucia’s Happy Heart” was written in 2006 andcalls to mind Linda’s Italian background and herlove—shared with her husband—of traveling while“The Hope Card” is an intimate, slow take on
Buddhism. This beautiful music reflects the worlds
Linda inspired in her husband.
For more information, visit jazzbeat.com. This project is at
Mezzrow Jan. 3rd. See Calendar.

Breath By Breath
Fred Hersch (Palmetto)
by Dan Bilawsky

Some projects seem preordained. As a child justfinding his way on piano, Fred Hersch developed
a fascination for string quartets when he would havethe opportunity to listen in on rehearsals of therenowned LaSalle Quartet (his teacher was married to
the group’s cellist). In addition, from the time hestarted writing seriously around the age of eight, themajority of Hersch’s compositions were concernedwith four-part foundations, heightening that interestby winding it into his own world. Fast-forward morethan a half-century to the present and the nowcelebrated pianist has finally married two great
passions, integrating a string quartet with a piano trio.
Inspired by his insight meditation practice andacknowledging how it centered him in a world turned
upside down by the pandemic, Hersch wrote The Sati
Suite. An eight-movement reflection on mindfulness
that merges a triangular unit with bassist Drew Gressand drummer Jochen Rueckert with the Crosby Street
String Quartet (violinists Joyce Hammann and Laura
Seaton, violist Lois Martin and cellist Jody Redhage

Ferber), the work speaks directly to its subject without
getting lost beneath any cover of contemplation.
“Begin Again” opens and offers vibrant sounds
that revolve and represent the act of regeneration at theheart of every moment. Then strings bookend tendersolo piano on “Awakened Heart”; the ensemble respires
and offers a stage to admire Gress’ work and the leader’sglistening gifts on “Breath By Breath”; the struggle tofind focus takes form in the aptly designed “Monkey
Mind”; and the anchoring effect of a chest’s movement
guides the direction of bass-ic development beneath“Rising, Falling”. Hersch adds percussionist Rogério
Boccato to the roster for the bewitching “Mara”, nodding
to the god who held temptations in front of Buddha, butthen it is back to the core personnel for the final stretch,where strings muse on the act of concentration during“Know That You Are” and the full four-and-three
explores the energy of the “Worldly Winds” of influence.
As an added bonus outside of the suite, Hersch andcompany close things out with a wonderfully refinedtake on “Pastorale”, dedicated to Robert Schumann. Not
unlike the major multi-part work that precedes it, thatmusic delves deep into the art of awareness.
For more information, visit palmetto-records.com. This
project is at Village Vanguard Jan. 4th-9th. See Calendar.

BEST OF
2021

UneasyVijay Iyer (ECM)
A Love Sonnet For Billie Holiday
Wadada Leo Smith/Jack DeJohnette/Vijay Iyer (TUM)
by John Sharpe

V ijay Iyer is not only an award-winning pianist, he is

a Harvard professor, influential thinker andcommentator and increasingly in-demand composer.
He draws widely on African-American practice, from
Ellington and Monk to the AACM and hip-hop, as wellas his study of music from his south Indian roots. Of
course, Iyer has long since outgrown explicit influences,though they still inform a thoroughly personal voice.
On Uneasy he offers a different perspective on the
piano trio from his previous outfit responsible for BreakStuff, one fitting more firmly within the tradition, butachieving an almost weightless freedom within its
strictures. Iyer unites with longtime colleague drummer
Tyshawn Sorey and bassist Linda May Han Oh on a
program of originals selected from across his career,along with two covers, which together encompass thevirtues of nagging tunes and propulsive swing. They
navigate the pieces in a state of continual creative
tension, maintained without ever compromising form.
Solos emerge through change of focus, rather than asinterruptions to the flow. Oh demonstrates the virtuositythat attracted the likes of Pat Metheny and Dave Douglas
as she nimbly dances low on the fingerboard, spawning
melody while furthering pulse, as Iyer and Sorey essay
discreet vamps. While the drummer gets his share ofbreaks, perhaps his biggest contribution is how heconstantly buttresses and embellishes Iyer’s lines
through astute accents on snare and toms. Iyer tips his
hat to the pantheon with Geri Allen’s deceptively
childlike “Drummer’s Song”, where Sorey appropriately
whips up a perfectly contained storm, and Cole Porter’s“Night And Day” inspired by saxophonist Joe
Henderson’s reharmonization featuring McCoy Tyner.
But it is on Iyer’s compositions that the group digs in
most, whether on the seductive lilt of “Children Of
Flint” which radiates compassion for the dedicatees,
exuberance and drama of bluesy “Combat Breathing” oranthemic “Touba”. The intricate title track furnishes

12 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

another highlight, which finishes in style with Iyer
unleashing waves of surging motifs at the climax of thesolemn “Entrustment”.
Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, Iyer and drummer
Jack DeJohnette recorded A Love Sonnet For Billie Holiday
in 2016, issued to coincide with Smith’s 80th birthday inDecember 2021. The disc combines two Smith works
with one by each guest and a collective construct. Iyer’s
connection with Smith goes long and deep: he was inSmith’s Golden Quartet and they later waxed the duet
album A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke for ECM in
2015. So it is no surprise that he does so much to bolster
Smith’s intent, whether through structural underpinning,
willful contrast or edgy counterpoint. Even on his own“Deep Time No. 1” his Fender Rhodes shimmers andbarely audible samples from Malcolm X’ epoch-defining
1964 speech “By Any Means Necessary” conjure
ambience rather than hog the spotlight. With his majestic
blue-tinged fanfares, exuding indefinable melancholy,
Smith’s sculpted phrases apportion silence and sound intight embrace, blurring the distinction between melody
and abstraction. Taking his lead from Smith, DeJohnette
conveys a sophisticated simplicity, poetry in percussion,from his hushed intro for the title cut to the rubato swirl
on his hymn-like ballad “Song For World Forgiveness”.
Smith’s dramatic multi-part opus “The A.D. Opera: A
Long Vision With Imagination” embodies Iyer’s mostforceful moments as his stabbing chords and cascading
runs vie with DeJohnette’s hustling traps while hestretches out on Hammond B-3 for the extemporized
groove of closer “Rocket”, an unexpectedly earthy
exclamation point to a forward-thinking set.
For more information, visit ecmrecords.com andtumrecords.com. Iyer is The Stone Jan. 5th and Village
Vanguard Jan. 25th-30th. See Calendar.

R • Satoko Fujii/Taiko Saito—
Futari: Underground (Libra)e • Muriel
Grossmann—Union (Dreamland)c • Okkyung Lee—나를 (Na-Reul)(Corbett vs. Dempsey)o • Ava
Mendoza—New Spells(Relative
Pitch/Astral Spirits)m• Allison Miller/Jane Ira Bloom—m Tues Days (Outline)
Mollestad—Tempest Revisitede • Hedvig(Rune Grammofon)n • Archie Shepp—Live in Paris (1974)(Transversales Disques)d • Wadada
Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet—
e The Chicago
Symphonies (TUM)•
Gunter“Baby”d Elements (AUT)Sommer/Fabrizio Puglisi—• Linda Fredriksson—Juniper (We Jazz)n(Ken Vandermark/Mars Williams)—e • Cinghiale
Exit...Stage Left! (Catalytic Sound)w • Albert Cirera—Âmago (Multikulti SMS)
Laurence Donohue-Greene, Managing Editor

r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s

• Friends & Neighbors—
The Earth Is# (Clean Feed)• Abdullah Ibrahim—Solotude (Gearbox)• Johannes Luebbers Dectet—
Divide and Conquer (Earshift Music)• Harold Mabern—Mabern Plays Coltrane(Smoke Sessions)• Sten Sandell/Lisa Ullén—
Double Music (Clean Feed)• Spinifex—Beats The Plague (Trytone)• Bo Van de Graaf—Off The Record (icdisc)• Eberhard Weber—Once Upon A Time (ECM)
Andrey Henkin, Editorial Director

Milo’s Illinois
Harry Allen/Mike Karn (GAC Music)
by Ken Dryden

H arry Allen is one of the most recorded tenor

saxophonists of his generation. Always ready to swing
in any setting, he is paired on these sessions from late
2020 and early 2021 with an old friend, bassist Mike
Karn. The latter is also a tenor saxophonist, though hesticks to bass for this release.
The lack of other players is never an issue as themusicians clearly neither need a chordal instrument
for support nor a drummer for rhythm. Allen has a giftfor creating inspired variations of each melody without
repeating himself or playing excessive notes while
never losing track of the theme. Karn is a master ofsupplying an engaging, inventive counter line thatkeeps the music alive, rather than taking a mere
background role, and more than carries his weight assoloist. Their chemistry is so natural it feels like thesessions involved little more than a quick discussion oftunes just before recording.
The music includes time-tested standards, a pairof bossa novas and originals by both musicians. The
upbeat opener, Lewis E. Gensler-Leo Robin’s “Love Is
Just Around The Corner”, is more frequently performedby vocalists, though the bouncy theme provides moreBEST THE NEW YORK CITY BEST
OF
OF
2021
2021

JAZZ RECORD

2021 BEST LARGE ENSEMBLE
RELEASES OF THE YEARMark Masters Ensemble(featuring Art Baron and Tim Hagans)
Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster(Capri Records)“Masters recomposes his chosenmaterial in ways that open fresh
insights into both the mind of the originalcomposer and the mind of Mark Masters…
It is fun to discover, track after track, Masters’
unexpected angles on Ellington.”—Tom Conrad, JazzTimes

CAPRIRECORDS.COM

than sufficient fuel for lively improvising. The
rendition of Cole Porter ’s ever popular “Just One Of
Those Things” restores its frequently omitted verse,
a nice touch since too many artists think it issuperfluous. Allen’s deft use of space in his solo is areminder to many young musicians who feel that they
have to fill in every gap that even uptempo
performances need breathing room.
Allen and Karn’s mastery of ballads is obvious in
their masterful setting of Walter Gross-Jack Lawrence’s“Tenderly” while fresh approaches to Antônio Carlos
Jobim’s “O Grande Amor” and “How Insensitive” also
merit praise. Karn’s intricate title track and Allen’s
playful, loping “Just Pickin’ Out Ditties” round out
this excellent collaboration.
For more information, visit harryallenjazz.com. Allen is at
Mezzrow Jan. 7th-8th. See Calendar.

Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra(with Catherine Russell) (Royal Potato Family)
by George Kanzler

Trumpeter Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory

Orchestra (MTO) seeks to reclaim and revitalize earlyand mid-20th Century styles, borrowing its name fromthe “territory bands” of the ‘30s Midwest. But here themusical model is not so much the music of those bands
as that of post-WWII New Orleans. The key track andcynosure is Earl King’s “Come On (Let the Good Times
Roll)”, singer Catherine Russell’s rendition of therefrain a call-to-arms for the band. Featuring Russell
throughout its six tracks, this album is a spirited,edging on raucous, invocation of the ebullience of the
jazz-inflected rhythm’n’blues that came out of the
Crescent City mid-20th Century.
Besides King, the other New Orleans-associatedcomposers represented are Professor Longhair, Allen
Toussaint and Percy Mayfield, as well as the earlier
W.C. Handy and Bessie Smith. The band’s arrangements
are tailored to Russell’s vocals, delivered withauthority, verve and dramatic finesse, as well as
admirably clear diction. Among her outstanding
highlights are a coyly teasing rendition of Smith’s“You’ve Been A Good Old Wagon” and cheerleadingbrio on Toussaint’s “Yes We Can”. There is a Cajun
flavor to that last one, emphasized by violinist Charlie
Burnham. Beside he and Bernstein, the MTO is
Curtis Fowlkes (trombone, featured on Mayfield’s“River ’s Invitation”), the reeds of Doug Wieselman(clarinet, tenor saxophone), Peter Apfelbaum (soprano
and tenor saxophone), Erik Lawrence (baritone
saxophone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Ben Allison (bass)
and Ben Perowsky (drums). Organ player John Medeski
joins in on Professor Longhair ’s “Baby Let Me HoldYour Hand”, a finale featuring collective, polyphonal,
tandem soloing as well as copious “Yeahs”.
The band actually indulges in a lot of polyphonyand tandem soloing, à la early New Orleans jazz,
although little attempt is made to produce a trad-jazzsound. In that, it follows in a tradition established by
the band Robert Altman assembled for his movie
Kansas City (for which Bernstein was Music Director),
wherein very now players updated 1934 era swing.
For more information, visit royalpotatofamily.com. Thisband is at City Winery Jan. 14th as part of Winter Jazzfest.
See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 13

G LO B E U N I T YBEST OF
2021

BEST OF
2021

Countdown
Simon Moullier (Fresh Sound-New Talent)Angelica
Sergio Armaroli/Fritz Hauser (Leo)Futari: Underground
Satoko Fujii/Taiko Saito (Libra)
by Tom Greenland

The vibraphone, invented 95 years ago in 1927 byHenry Schluter, is unique in the jazz world: highly
percussive, it also handles melodies with finesse
and is one of the few instruments (besides keyboards
and guitar) able to delineate harmonic progressions.
So there is very little to limit an imaginative
vibraphonist, as shown below.
Whereas Spirit Song, his leader debut (reviewed
here Oct. 2021) was an all-original quintet date, French
vibraphonist Simon Moullier changed gears for his
followup Countdown, opting for all covers and aslimmed-down acoustic trio with bassist Luca
Alemanno and drummer Jongkuk Kim, both from thefirst album. Recorded shortly after, this session allows
listeners to hear what Moullier can do with familiartunes by or associated with some of jazz’ biggest icons.
The notoriously difficult title track is played evenfaster than John Coltrane’s original but the byzantinechanges don’t hinder Moullier from sprinting throughthem, comping for himself as he sings the lines anoctave lower, adding triplet flourishes for extra speed
and excitement. Although his roots in mainstream jazzare evident, Moullier’s impressive dexterity andpliable lyricism promise fresh directions.
Italian vibraphonist Sergio Armaroli and Swissdrummer Fritz Hauser’s album Angelica, recorded live
in Bologna’s Teatro San Leonardo as part of theAngelicA - Festival Internazionale di Musica, is a
structured but free outing, deriving its course fromArmaroli’s programmatic compositions, which nod to
Butch Morris’ conductions and John Zorn’s gamepieces, relying on cues, gestures, role-playing andother meta-narrative parameters. There are two tracks,
the first over 35 minutes divided by prominent gaps of
10 seconds or more (aptly labeled “flashes of silence”
in the liner notes), the second half as long, together
constituting an epic immersive soundscape. Expertly
recorded, no detail goes unheard as Armaroli—light,
legato, tentative, ethereal, crawling crab-like acrossthe keys— and Hauser—stuttering, staccato, incessant,meticulous, both mercurial and metronomic—wend
their way through a highly gratifying set.
Kobe-based pianist/composer Satoko Fujii andBerlin-based vibraphonist/composer Taiko Saito revisit
their first in-person collaboration (Beyond, reviewed
here in Mar. 2021) in cyberspace, swapping files thenoverdubbing new musical thoughts/reactions. The
result sounds like real-time responses, but that is only
an illusion created by sensitivity to their partner’s
musical processes, heightened by the fact that the
track’s originator is not always the first voice you hear,by frequent overdubbing (Taiko often mixes marimba
and vibraphone) and editing and blurring of roles andtimbres so it is not always possible to distinguish the
instruments. Over ten tracks Saito generally favors
slowly morphing tones that hum, trill and/or whinewith wide vibrato, Fujii opting for mulchy chords andsweeping high-speed runs, even adding several layersof ecstatic vocals on the last.
For more information, visit freshsoundrecords.com,
leorecordsmusic.com and librarecords.com

BEST OF2021
El Templo
Paula Shocron/William Parker/Pablo Díaz
(Astral Spirits)
Village Mothership
Whit Dickey/William Parker/Matthew Shipp(TAO Forms)
No Joke!
William Parker/Patricia Nicholson (ESP-Disk’)by Jordannah Elizabeth

Hive Mind
Miles Okazaki/Trevor Dunn/Dan Weiss(Tzadik)by Stuart Broomer

Bassist William Parker had three new albums released Brooklyn-based guitarist Miles Okazaki covers ain October 2021. Each has its own distinct tone andfeel, as they should, yet Parker ’s performance is acommon thread bringing these works to virtuosic
fruition. This is not to say that Parker positions himself
as the star. He is a generous collaborator who flows
well with each of his bandmates, which allows for thecreation of cohesive musical projects.
El Templo, a trio date with pianist Paula Shocronand drummer Pablo Díaz, bubbles and overflows
through a technique the group describes as “naturalcounterpoint”. Parker leads the group with vigorous,
low pizzicato percussiveness in the opening track “Los
Jardines”. Díaz joins Parker ’s brief solo, swiftly
swirling his brushes around the entire drum head,adding to the intensity of Parker ’s fast-tempoed
playing. Shocron engages with lightning-speed
high-toned runs, which sound like a comet speeding
through the sky and exploding before it hits the Earth’s
atmosphere. The title track, with a running time ofover 30 minutes, is much more spacious, allowing
Parker to bow tapering tones, which dance along withkalimba-like piano and cymbals. It moves along likemolasses, resembling a slowed-down, reconstructed
standard that tells a tale of lost love.
Village Mothership is also from a trio of piano, bass
and drums, in this case Matthew Shipp, Parker and
Whit Dickey, respectively. Opener “A Thing &Nothing” is deep and brooding, traveling throughdifferent moods and going from sparse and quiet toheavy and powerful. Shipp’s playing is patient as
moved from whole notes to eighth- and quarter-notesthat are slightly dissonant, diverse and imaginative.
Parker and Dickey play off one another intuitively, theformer ’s steady walking adapting to each improvised
moment, and the latter ’s percussive crescendos anddecrescendos helping to generate the swells andvalleys of the track. The third track, “Nothingness”,
is a moody composition that feels like subverted swing.
The album is a dance between sonic worlds, listeners
going on a sumptuous and exciting journey. Each pieceis unpredictable and adventurous.
No Joke! features a much more expansive lineup,saxophonists James Brandon Lewis (tenor) and Devin
Brahja Waldman (alto), violist Melanie Dyer, drummer
Gerald Cleaver (plus Francisco Mela on drums andvocals for one track) under Patricia Nicholson (spoken
word). “Struggle” is a timely piece centering around theBlack experience in America, Parker playing a loosely
walking line while Cleaver and Dyer sit within the
bedrock of Nicholson professing, “They have stolen ourwords”. The album closes with the 21-minute title track:
wild, upbeat and heavily nuanced as the horns andviola play freeform riffs around each other before
advancing into longer, tapering melodies that feel morecomposed and intentional. No Joke! is a socially conscious
album navigating the reality of injustice in Black
communities in America and beyond, defiant in the
tradition of The Last Poets and Max Roach’s We Insist!

broad musical range, from Work, his brilliant 2018
six-CD solo exploration of Thelonious Monk’s complete
oeuvre, to the inventive quartet performances of his
Trickster album (Pi Recordings, 2016) and his sideman
appearances with Steve Coleman, Mary Halvorson,
Jonathan Finlayson and others, all of it distinguishedby consistent creativity and thoughtfully deployedtechnical mastery. Here he is joined in an all-improvised
set by electric bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Dan
Weiss with guest appearances by Tzadik label head
John Zorn on alto saxophone.
The improvisatory character is insistent: it isa recording of first takes, without edits, in order of
performance. What is also noteworthy is the shape ofthe material. There are 12 tracks in 48 minutes; only
three tracks make it past five minutes, none over six.
Each piece achieves an immediate focus, whether
exploring a sonic zone or developing a pattern. For
extreme brevity, there is “The Timing Is No Accident”,
appropriately titled, which comes in at a scant 2’27”;
however, it doesn’t sound like a fragment: it is fully
realized music. By session’s end, Hive Mind sounds likea long-standing band.
There is a definite cinematic feel to the music,from beginning to end. In his brief liner notes, Okazaki
mentions that there were flying saucers in the headlines
during the week of the recording. If that suggests
elements of anticipation, excitement, a certain frissonof dread perhaps leavened by bemusement, all of it
will arise in the CD’s shifting moods.
The opening “Ball of Light” has a densely
electronic texture and a machine-like insistence that
immediately suggest science fiction, a feeling that willarise again in “Smoking Light”. There is the play of
shadows that characterizes film noir, arising both in
the looming, threatening sludge of “Havana Syndrome”
and convolutions of “Hidden in Plain Sight”.
The complex interplay of “Indistinguishable Gray
Expanse” arises from Okazaki’s quick response toDunn’s inventive, guitar-like figures. As thingsdevelop, the interplay does as well. The strange weaveof “Mr. Efficient” begins in Dunn and Weiss’compounding funk patterns, with Okazaki carrying
them far afield with multiple distortions, sometimes
backwards sounding and reverberant at once. “Pistons”
continues the complex haze, liquid tones hanging inspace or glassy ones disappearing until Okazaki takes
off on his most developed flight of the session against
Weiss’ polyrhythms.
“Insensitivity Training”, with Zorn’s first
explosive appearance, sounds like an exotic andcrowded market square, while the shifting, sometimes
balladic “Release the Footage” suggests the quartet
should have a future; Hive Mind’s closing episodes
meanwhile—the dense, distorted, yet melodic“Betz Sphere” and the grinding weirdness of “Wet
Robot”— insist that the trio, at least, should beworking regularly.

For more information, visit astralspirits.bandcamp.com,
taoforms.bandcamp.com and espdisk.com. Parker is at
Bushwick Public House Jan. 10th and The Stone Jan.
26th-29th. See Calendar.

For more information, visit tzadik.com. Okazaki is at The
Stone Jan. 12th. Dunn is at Joe’s Pub Jan. 9th with Rubin
Kodheli. Weiss is at Nublu 151 Jan. 22nd as part of WinterJazzfest. See Calendar.

14 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDIN PRINTBEST OF2021
The Other Shore
Amir ElSaffar Rivers of Sound (Outnote)by Tom Greenland
Ode To A Tenor Titan:
The Life and Times and Music of Michael Brecker
Bill Milkowski (Backbeat Books)
by Robert Bush

It is hard to believe that the iconic saxophonist

Michael Brecker has already been gone for 15 years
now, having been snatched from our mortal coil by
the ruthless assassin leukemia on Jan. 13th, 2007 at
the age of 57 at the apex of his monstrous abilities.
Brecker became the most influential saxophonist of
the post-John Coltrane generation and he managed
to do so without selling out or compromising his
creative and artistic integrity.
His impact on our world is carefully documented
by journalist Bill Milkowski, who was a friend of thesubject. Milkowski basically invented this form of
biography with his first book JACO: The Extraordinary
And Tragic Life Of Jaco Pastorius in 1995 and Pat
Martino enlisted him as a co-author for Here andNow! The Autobiography of Pat Martino in 2011.
Milkowski describes Ode To A Tenor Titan as a “loveletter to a pal”, but it is important to note that thisbook doesn’t gloss over any of the subject’s
shortcomings despite their close relationship. It
describes Brecker ’s reaction to the slings and arrowsof his life without becoming sensational or maudlin
and the entire work is exhaustively researched anddocumented.
Brecker got his first national exposure in the late
‘60s with early gigs in the Horace Silver band(alongside older brother Randy Brecker on trumpet
and future bandmate Billy Cobham on drums). The
prototype fusion group Dreams proved to beenormously influential as did the Brecker Brothers
band he co-led with his sibling.
Throughout his career, Brecker managed to lend
his sound to a variety of pop and rock recordings
without diluting the essence of his aesthetic, whichleaned heavily on the inspiration of Coltrane’slate period, including the masterful use ofmultiphonics. Early on he appeared on everythingfrom Todd Rundgren’s “Hello, It’s Me” toParliament’s Mothership Connection. Indeed, Brecker
could just be one of the world’s most recorded
saxophonists. In just a one-year period, he appeared
as a sideman on Joni Mitchell’s Shadows & Light,
Steely Dan’s Gaucho, Pat Metheny’s 80/81 and Chick
Corea’s Three Quartets.
Like many players of his generation, Brecker fell
into substance abuse, but, unlike so many, he got
clean in 1982 and subsequently spent many years
helping others into the road to recovery. He was at
the top of his game in terms of touring as a leader
when Paul Simon offered him a multi-year tour insupport of his Rhythm of the Saints tour and thedescription of those negotiations is among the manyhighlights of the book.
Brecker ’s untimely death still reverberates in
the music community, but the publication of Ode To
A Tenor Titan goes a long way toward a greatercelebration of his monumental contribution tomodern music.
For more information, visit backbeatbooks.com

The Other Shore is the sophomore release of Amir

ElSaffar ’s Rivers of Sound Orchestra, a 17-piece
multicultural ensemble. Equally gifted at jazz andclassical trumpet, Iraqi maqam singing and santur,
ElSaffar employs his versatile skill set to write works
that mix structure and simultaneity, modes andharmony, microtonality and equal temperament,
individuality and collectivity, craftsmanship and soul.
Drawing from the maqam tradition, most of his
compositions are rooted in modes, with low drones toanchor the (sometimes shifting) tonal centers andlong-limbed ornate melodies peppered with half-flat
seconds, thirds, sixths or other microtones. The
melodies are heterophonic, performed simultaneously
by trumpet, vibraphone, saxophones, viola, joza (Iraqi
spike-fiddle), oboe and/or nay (side-blown flute), each
instrument playing a slightly different version of thesame song, creating a thick multi-laminate texture,
the collective cry of diverse personalities. ElSaffar evenexperiments with harmonies—not an easy go whenusing microtonality—with interesting results.
Much of the excitement is generated rhythmically,
with standard and odd meters (often combinations of
two- and three-beat groups) supported by trap drums,
mridangam and dumbek or frame drum, with pulsing
patterns supplied by bass, cello, ouds, buzuq andguitar. “Ashaa”, for example, after a series of held
pitches, launches into a groove alternating 16- and17-beat phrases, then another combining groups of 3s
and 2s before moving to a fast 5-beat meter, ending
with an ecstatic improvised ‘chorale’.
Additional excitement results from the constantly
improvising middle-level parts, soft noodling by thevarious string and percussion instruments, murmuring
like background conversations in a crowded venue. Someof the most soulful moments occur during ElSaffar’s
affective vocals on “Dhuha” and “Transformations”, his
evocative trumpet solo on “Reaching Upwards”, his
sister Dena’s plaintive joza playing and Mohamed Saleh’s
keening English horn spotlighted on “Medmi”. Although
ElSaffar’s clear vision and leadership are tangible it isequally apparent that the album is a collective effort,
finding its strength in numbers.
For more information, visit outhere-music.com. ElSaffar is
at The Stone Jan. 12th-15th. and City Winery Jan. 14th aspart of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

Trio
John Patitucci/Vinnie Colaiuta/Bill Cunliffe (Le Coq)
An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy JamesJohn Patitucci and Andy James (Le Coq)
by Scott Yanow

Bassist John Patitucci began his career on the West

Coast where, during 1980-84, he quickly gained astrong reputation for virtuosity and creativity within
modern bop. He started becoming world famous in

16 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

1985 when he debuted with Chick Corea’s ElektricBand. On these two releases from the Le Coq label, he
returns to his roots, both geographically and musically.
Trio is Patitucci, pianist Bill Cunliffe and drummer
Vinnie Colaiuta mostly performing standards. The
music ranges from the boppish George Shearing tune
“Conception” and a sophisticated treatment of Wayne
Shorter ’s “Ana Maria” to an uptempo “Seven Steps To
Heaven” and sensitive version of “ Laura”. The solostatements are concise with Cunliffe and Patitucci as
the lead voices and Colaiuta (who has a few shortspots) playing tastefully throughout. While theinterpretations are not derivative, fans of the Bill Evans
Trio in particular will enjoy this set.
An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James is a
showcase for the latter, who has a very attractive voice,occasionally jumps in joyful fashion into the upper
register and does a fine job of consistently giving
warmth to the wide variety of songs. Her style isreminiscent of the better vocalists of the mid-to-late‘50s who straddled the boundary between cool jazzand middle-of-the-road pop singing even if some of
the tunes are of more recent vintage. The personnel
and instrumentation often change from song to songand solos are brief (often only a half chorus), giving
one just a taste of such notables as Chris Potter, Terell
Stafford, Rick Margitza, Jake Langley and the pianists/
keyboard players with Patitucci very much in a
supportive role. Highlights include the lightweight but
fun “I Love You And Don’t You Forget It”, “Moonlight
In Vermont”, “Some Other Time”, “Laura” and “MoreThan You Know”. This CD serves as a fine introduction
to the excellent singing of Andy James.
For more information, visit lecoqrecords.com. Patitucci leads a
Chick Corea tribute at Rose Theater Jan. 13th-14th. See Calendar.

“Let this be the music weremember from the COVID-19
era, then, instead of somethingtatty, haphazard, or unnecessarily
negative: a father and daughter
facing an uncertain futureand opting to have a musicalconversation. Thank goodness
we get to be a fly on the wall.”—Morgan Enos, JazzTimes

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021
BEST VOCALRELEASES

Thank you forlistening &happy new year!

champian.net

BEST OF
2021

Homeward Bound
Johnathan Blake (Blue Note)by Kira Grunenberg

Considering the Blue Note Records to which drummer

Johnathan Blake has contributed, like Breathe (2021)
from recently departed organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, andpianist Kenny Barron’s Concentric Circles (2018),
Homeward Bound feels almost like its own homecoming.
Even so, the album’s title track as well as other pieces
like “Steppin’ Out”, “LLL” and “Abiyoyo”, instead
reveal a project rooted in musical and emotional
intention extending outside this personal milestone.
Homeward Bound’s energy is built on groupchemistry generated by familiarity. It starts with therelationships between Blake and his Pentad bandmates,
pianist David Virelles and bassist Dezron Douglas, andcontinues through Blake’s collaborative history withvibraphonist Joel Ross and a shared connection withsaxophonist Immanuel Wilkins as cohorts of bothPhiladelphia and Blue Note. This is evident in the way
the players are able to bob and weave around not only
one another but also the complex time changes andrhythmic pivots throughout the session.
Homeward Bound opens with “In the Beginning
Was The Drum”. In only a minute’s time, Blake
showcases the many tone colors of his instrument andhis performative finesse. This introduction will impress
upon familiar and new listeners alike just how creativeand skilled Blake is as a player. From there, the rest of
the band find their own moments to flourish and add
to Blake’s structural art individually and as a unit.
Vibraphone and saxophone lead on “Rivers andParks”, giving the track a playful and flexible flow.
Blake remains key for rhythmic structure but opts forhis drum and cymbal timbres to provide gentler,
supporting sounds. Conversely, “LLL”’s opening
presents a prominent display of nuanced dancing
around the drumkit; though the rhythms may soundcrowded and on the verge of chaos, Blake remains incontrol and poised at all times. When Wilkins and Ross
drop in with more melodically and rhythmicallystabilizing phrasing, the piece gains immediate linear
clarity without losing compositional excitement.
Homeward Bound’s cohesion and artistic insight
culminates on the interpretation of English singersongwriter Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out”. Each exercises

just enough creative autonomy to give the familiar motif
the slightest edge of unpredictability. Blake, especially,
pushes the boundaries of the song’s established grooves
with syncopated rhythms and rapid rim-shot flourishes.
However, it is a sign of respect that these creativechanges never become the song’s main musical focal
point. Blake merely builds upon something great andenhances, without taking over. 		
Homeward Bound is a treasure: intricate with its
compositions, honorable with its dedications andplayful in its execution.
For more information, visit bluenote.com. Blake is at
Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning Jan. 13th and City
Winery Jan. 14th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

VIENNA/NEW YORKVINICIUS CAJADO

THRUSTFALL

VINICIUS CAJADO/NICOLEGLOVER/KENJI HERBERT/HANNAINUI/STEVEN CRAMMERVINICI

Absence
Terence Blanchard featuring The E-Collective
and The Turtle Island Quartet (Blue Note)by Russ Musto

This latest effort from Terence Blanchard pairs thetrumpeter ’s E-Collective of guitarist Charles Altura,
pianist Fabian Almazan, bassist David Ginyard anddrummer Oscar Seaton with The Turtle Island Quartet(violinists David Balakrishnan and Gabriel Terracciano,
violist Benjamin von Gutzeit and cellist Malcolm
Parson), on a genre-merging date paying homage tomaster musician Wayne Shorter. Blanchard’s fêting is
indeed a fitting one considering the mirroring of theircareer trajectories from Jazz Messenger to fusioneer toopera composer. The trumpeter ’s performance reveals
that his seemingly disparate abilities as jazz improviser,film scorer and opera creator are not incongruent
talents, but three sides of the same triangular coin.
Ginyard’s opening title track begins with a pastoral
piano prelude before morphing into an expansive
symphonic tapestry, combining synthesizers and strings
in a sonic landscape on top of which Blanchard’s
electronically enhanced horn treads a broad harmonic
path. Almazan’s arrangement of “The Elders” is adramatic exploration of Shorter’s composition from
Weather Report’s Mr. Gone, with electrified trumpet andguitar solos recalling the sound of Miles Davis’ post
Bitches Brew bands. Blanchard’s lush orchestration of“Fall”, which he largely plays acoustically, does fitting
justice to the Shorter classic. His “I Dare You”—titledafter Shorter’s retort to the question “What is jazz?”—
begins with a string quartet intro mimicking Beethoven’s
Fifth, then bursts into a boldly ominous march.
Strings again play a prefatory introduction to
Ginyard’s “Envisioned Reflections”, a melodicallyengaging atmospheric deliberation. Balakrishnan’s“The Second Wave”, a feature for Turtle Island sans
Blanchard and The E-Collective, reflects the group’s
wide range of influences, from Stravinsky to gypsy jazzand bluegrass, whereas Altura’s “Dark Horse”
showcases the E-Collective minus strings ona dreamy ambient outing. Blanchard’s arrangement of
Shorter’s Native Dancer composition “Diana” bringsback the strings, utilizing them and piano beautifully tocreate a sonic tapestry bathing his legato trumpet lines
in a manner that enhances the ballad’s Brazilian-tinged
melody. The date closes with “More Elders”, an exciting
improvised extract edited from the earlier “Elders”
track too good to leave on the cutting room floor.

VINICIUS CAJADOMONUKENJI HERBERTAS IF FOR NOW
KENJI HERBERT/SIMON JERMYNNATHAN ELLMAN-BELL
CHRISTOPHER GANNON MARION

KENJI HERBERT/VINICIUS
CAJADOUNIURCHINRECORDS.BANDCAMP.COM

For more information, visit bluenote.com. This project is at
City Winery Jan. 13th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 17

piece and offers much to the listener. “Torrential”
contains a lot of contrapuntal interplay before it delves
into the duo dwelling on a motif. “Mind Out Of Time”
spends much of its time artfully developing amisterioso mood.
This is a duo whose members, while like-mindedmusically, are different enough to surprise andentertain both the listener and each other.

BEST OF
2021

Searching For The Disappeared Hour
Sylvie Courvoisier/Mary Halvorson (Pyroclastic)
by Robert Iannapollo

For more information, visit pyroclasticrecords.com. This
project is at The Jazz Gallery Jan. 14th as part of WinterJazzfest. See Calendar.

P ianist

Sylvie Courvoisier and guitarist Mary
Halvorson released their first disc as a duo (Crop
Circles) back in 2017 and it found its way onto thisreviewer ’s Best of the Year list. Searching For The
Disappeared Hour may be doing the same.
This album has a more familiar quality and ismore relaxed in tone, which is not to say that it lacks
the exploratory edge for which these two players arenoted. That is clearly there and in the forefront.
The proceedings open with Halvorson’s “Golden
Proportion”, stately chords played by Courvoisier.
When Halvorson enters, it is with subtle spiky
dissonances until a forest of strings, hammered andplucked, sprouts up, becoming something very
different from its beginning,
Oddly, it is the more melodic sounds that surprisethe ear. Courvoisier ’s “Moonbow”, after a knotty introwith the two spiraling around one another, settles intoa calm piano figure that sounds related to Claude
Thornhill’s “Snowfall”. But as it progresses it once
again opens up with dense chords played by the pianist
over the piano figure and Halvorson delving into herpatented effects. It is a remarkable dissembling of aJanuary new releases

CrisisLouis Hayes (Savant)by Pierre Giroux

Louis Hayes is a drummer of impeccable taste andswing. He came from the same cohort of Detroit jazzersof the ‘40s-early 50s like Kenny Burrell, Barry Harris,
Tommy Flanagan and the Jones Brothers. He burnishedhis reputation through a series of seminal recordings
with Horace Silver and in 1960 he began his long career
as a leader with Louis Hayes Featuring Yusef Lateef & Nat
Adderley (Vee-Jay). Now 84, Hayes has a new releasewith a group of exceptional musicians: Abraham
Burton (tenor saxophone), Steve Nelson (vibraphone),

Complete catalogs: www.steeplechase.dk

CD - download - streamingDavid Hazeltine (piano) Dezron Douglas (bass) and,on two tracks, vocalist Camille Thurman. The set gives
Hayes the opportunity to recognize many of his bosses
over the years, including Joe Farrell, Bobby Hutcherson,
Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard.
The album kicks off with the Farrell tune “ArabArab”, which sets the pace for the balance of thesession. It has a Middle-Eastern texture on which
Hayes lays down the tempo and Nelson, Burton andHazeltine show that they are perfectly in sync with thestory that Hayes intends to tell. Hutcherson’s “Roses
Poses” is a samba-textured number, which plays to
Hayes’ strength as an alert and dynamic drummer.
Morgan’s “Desert Moonlight” comes from his 1966
Blue Note LP The Rumproller; led by Burton and Nelson
and pushed along by Hayes, the band delivers areading bustling with crisp exploratory textures. The
title track is a Hubbard original and the intriguing
unison intro between Burton and Nelson sets up thebalance of the piece. Driven by muscular drumming,the band rips through the arrangement with both
Hazeltine
andNelsonshowingthemselves
as resourceful and assertive boppers.
The two tracks with Thurman are “I’m Afraid The
Masquerade Is Over” and “Where Are You?” She andHayes met when she sat in on his 80th birthday gig at
Dizzy’s Club and he was impressed with her voice andself-assurance. And rightly so. Thurman shows her
prowess and dexterity as she covers the former number
with a delicate affinity and swings out the latter infearless fashion. The closer is “It’s Only A Paper
Moon”, the band cooking, each exchanging eighthswith Hayes, showing their harmonic vocabulary.
For more information, visit jazzdepot.com. Hayes is at City
Winery Jan. 14th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

FALKNER EVANS
Live at MEZZROW
Monday, January 3rd, 2022

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021
BEST NEW RELEASESHONORABLE MENTIONSCCD 31925

SCCD 31922

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021
BEST NEW RELEASESHONORABLE MENTIONSCCD 31922

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORD“A chronicle of love, loss and empathy”— Nate Chinen-NPR“Evans has expressed what, for most,is inexpressible” — The Jazz Owl“Evans delivers a sequence of utterly
distinct and unique solo compositions”— All About Jazz

BEST OF 2021
BEST NEW RELEASESHONORABLE MENTIONSCCD 31925
SCCD 33144

US distribution:www.statesidemusic.com

email: info@statesidemusic.com

18 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Shows at 7:30 and 9:00 pm
163 West 10th Street • (646) 224-1166
Reservations: www.mezzrow.com
www.falknerevans.com • www.jazzbeat.com

HumanShai Maestro (ECM)
by Tyran Grillo

After making his ECM leader debut in 2018 with The

Dream Thief, pianist Shai Maestro returns with bassist
Jorge Roeder and drummer Ofri Nehemya, adding to
the mix trumpeter Philip Dizack (in his debut for thelabel) for a sound that feels as solitary as it does tappedfrom the veins of collective experience.
If the predecessor was a reflection of past harmonies,
this followup holds a mirror to the future. Forwardlooking tendencies are immediately apparent in “Time”,
which, after a clear opening thesis, dissipates into thegentlest of body paragraphs and (speaking of mirrors)“The Thief’s Dream”, wherein wonders abound. In theseblushes of information, window-framed views outline
the possibilities of constant change. Similar atmospheresin the title track and the brief “GG” uphold chanceencounters as examples of purposeful living.
If any glimpses of permanence are to be caught,
one could find them in tracks like “Hank and Charlie”(an elegiac tribute to Hank Jones and Charlie Haden)
and Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” (theonly tune here not written by Maestro). By focusing on
ephemeral subjects, they reinforce the solidity of what
is left behind in the process of memorializing them.

The same holds for the album’s deepest moments,
reserved for such master narratives as “Mystery and
Illusions”, which further highlights the musicians’
strengths. From the gentle way Dizack lays down thetheme like a parent transferring a napping baby fromarms to crib to the graceful drumming and piano asides
and Roeder ’s dancing synchronicity drawing a threadthrough it all, the band’s sense of touch makes astatement of its age, for the ages. Like “Compassion”(a solo offering from Maestro) or the concluding “Ima”(a wonder to behold), it is a new level of music making
that must be heard to be believed.
For more information, visit ecmrecords.com. This project is
at Le Poisson Rouge as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

NWOG-RECORDSPRESENTS:FLORIANWEISS’WOODOISM

Y’All Don’t (Really) Care About Black Women
Melanie Charles (Verve)
by Jim Motavalli

Singer/flutist Melanie Charles’ mission is to pay

tribute to the singers who inspired her—Ella Fitzgerald,
Billie Holiday, Marlena Shaw, Sarah Vaughan, Betty
Carter and Dinah Washington—updating the soundand trying to “make jazz trill again”. In the course ofthat endeavor, Brooklyn-bred Charles enlists theoriginal artists in radically deconstructing the songs
with a fairly heavy hand, in many cases losing whatmade them great in the first place.
Sometimes it works, however. “God Bless theChild” incorporates heavy tribal drumming and avaguely Asian melody line reminiscent of rock group
Jade Warrior. On top of this Charles lards a diva-like
vocal performance miles away from Holiday’s original.
But she can most certainly sing and strangely enough it
all comes together. And then there is Marlena Shaw’s
iconic 1969 tough-times tale “Woman of the Ghetto”.
We are treated to heavy R&B bass (very upfront) anddrums, a slightly distorted vocal with echo and
Brandee Younger ’s harp. The original was pretty funky
too and this is another successful update.
Most of the rest, though, is smothered in studioeffects applied with a cudgel, heavy-handed editing andpointless distortion. Perhaps producing herself wasn’t
the wisest choice. If you’ve forgotten Carter’s
powerhouse version of “Jazz Ain’t Nothing but Soul”,
Charles usefully reprises its intro here. But that only
serves to contrast its swinging cadences with her own
choppily shrill R&B interpretation. Halfway in she
starts swinging a verse—is the ship righting itself?—butthen it goes down for the third time. Remember, this is asong about jazz, rendered in a version that obliterates it.
“Pay Black Women Interlude” has the makings of aswell instrumental led by flute, but is fatally interrupted
by random spoken interjections. Vaughan’s live “Detour
Ahead” (also sampled) is creamy, but crashes into
Charles’ modernization. What could have been anaffecting take is simply drowned in vocals, electronics
and trickery. “Beginning to See the Light” is cut into
disjointed pieces and topped with synthesizer.
Abbey Lincoln’s “The Music is the Magic” benefits
from Charles’ live band: Keith Brown (piano), Shedrick
Mitchell (organ), Dezron Douglas (bass), Tay Zaro (cello)
and Daniel Winshall (synthesizer). It is just a one-minutesnippet but, based on this, maybe the place to see theundoubtedly talented Melanie Charles is in a club.
For more information, visit jazz.centerstagestore.com. Charles is at
Bowery Ballroom Jan. 15th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

Florian Weiss – trombone
Linus Amstad – alto sax, ﬂute
Valentin von Fischer – double bass
Philipp Leibundgut – drums, glockenspiel

NILS
WOGRAM
MUSE

Nils Wogram – trombone
Kathrin Pechlof – harp
Gareth Lubbe – viola, overtone singing
Hayden Chisholm – alto sax

nwog-records.com
mgmt@nwog-records.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 19

Omniverse
Sun Ra and His Arkestra (Modern Harmonic)
by Monique Ngozi Nri

The opening chord from Sun Ra’s piano introduces thepathway to a mellifluous John Gilmore on tenor
saxophone in a ballad so lush it is barely Sun Ra except
for the mysterious intervals and slight sonic dissonanceso characteristic of his music. The subject of the opening
piece, “The Place of Five Points”, is the place of Sun
Ra’s arrival on the planet: Birmingham, Alabama. The
solo Gilmore takes hits both the high and low registers
in a way that both calms and excites the brain. Bassist
Hayes Burnett and drummer Samarai Celestial provide
sporadic rhythm and otherwise highlight and accent
the glittering keyboard display. “West End Side of
Magic City”, also a name for Birmingham, swings withvibrant interplay between Sun Ra’s eclectic chords andGilmore in very much a call-and-response affair. John
Szwed notes in his book Space is the Place that Sun Ra
was ambivalent towards the Magic City, suggesting hesaw the city also as a place of “fantasy, a city withoutevil, a city of possibilities and beauty.”
Greg Tate, the great writer/thinker of Black
culture who left the planet on Dec. 7th, 2021, wrote of
Ra: “The omnidirectional pursuit of musical,
philosophical and poetic inspirations from historical,
mythical and futuristic sources is a Ra staple.” It is a
drag that as the Arkestra comes into its own with a first
Grammy nomination that Tate is no longer here tocomment on what this renaissance means for the futureof the Afro-Futurism canon into which he placed theArkestra, borne from what he describes as Sun Ra’s“rallying, recombinant fusion of cosmic darkness andAfrican Blacknuss.” That combination is present in fullforce on “Dark Lights in a White Forest”. We hear a fullarray of horns, from Michael Ray’s muted trumpet to
Gilmore’s tenor flurries and intonations of Charles
Davis’ baritone. As the longest track at just under 11
minutes, it provides an opportunity for the players tostretch more than on the prior tracks. The last notes on
muted horn eerily call out to space.
The title track to this 1979 session (originally on El
Saturn) is also what Sun Ra often named his Arkestra
and the impressive discography of Sun Ra’s compiled
by Hartmut Geerken (who died on Oct. 21st, 2021) andChris Trent also bears the name. The definition is auniverse that is spatiotemporally four-dimensional;
perhaps that means a fourth dimension encapsulating
all forces for transformation, a concept at the heart of
Sun Ra’s philosophy. The music is sublime andsurprisingly gentle, the slow tempo, combined withmellow interweaving of piano and horns, having analmost hypnotic effect. “Visitant of the 9th Ultimate”
also has a relatively slow tempo to start before swinging
up to a brisker pace. This is the closest the recording
comes to the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent heatof Sun Ra’s larger ensembles.
According to the notes on the back of a beautifully
packaged vinyl, replete with a heliocentric circle ofpurple on the cover, at least three of the compositions
are not recorded elsewhere, so this offering serves as
an important part of Sun Ra’s oeuvre. Sun Ra stares outof a black and white photo also on the back cover, aglittery sun emblazoned on his chest. His eyes are
unshielded by candy cane spiral sunglasses. He looks
serious about his mission. Back to the AfroFuture!
For more information, visit modernharmonic.com

20 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

With Lou Grassi Feat. Georg Wissel
Klaus Treuheit Trio (KTMP)
by Steven Loewy

Two performances, one a trio recorded in 2007, thesecond a duet recorded in 2016, this double album is
undoubtedly one of the oddest (though surprisingly
enticing) releases of 2021, for a variety of reasons.
Regardless of how extreme the music, traditional
structures can provide a point of reference, leading toaccessibility. For conventional jazz, that includes
melody and improvisation based on a set chord
structure. For more radical, free improvisation, there
is often some sort of structure that breeds familiarity.
What German pianist Klaus Treuheit’s vision shows
here is a way to interact in an abstract way that is sui
generis, with few antecedents.
The first CD, consisting of ten tracks, is divided
into two “suites”, the first half called “Prickly Tenacity”
and the second “Sublime Sensations”, performed bya wide-ranging trio of tenor saxophonist Georg Wissel,
veteran drummer Lou Grassi and Treuheit on prepared
piano and “intensified” harpsichord. The band displays
a wonderful, if uncanny, connection. The music doesnot ‘go anywhere’, at least in the conventional sense;
rather it has a surprisingly soothing and animal-like
quality, which eschews convention and relies on
seemingly random primitive sounds, often played
thoughtfully and slowly, diminutive sounds prevailing.
But what makes it so attractive are the continual
surprises that pop up, with the leader scratching away,
saxophone indulging in light, forceful aberrations andthe always wonderful Grassi adding considerably withbells and variegated sounds. So, for example, the fourth
track features deliciously fluttering saxophone, without
any grandstanding, the others joining and droppingout as needed. The next track is intensely fast and light,
Wissel gliding above, with vocal interjections and analways-on Grassi. Treuheit is dashing throughout, witheach piece sounding different, as the trio offers apowerful ode to something new and exciting and an
antidote to society’s anthem and the bête noir ofcreativity: conformity and thoughtlessness.
The second CD constitutes a single-track live
recording called “Serracapriola”, with Treuheit onorgan and Grassi. There is clearly a different vibe inconcert, without saxophone and with organ substituted

BAR BAYEUXCocktails, Wine, Craft Beer,
Live jazz five nights a week in
Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn

BEST OF
2021

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD BEST2021OF
show times: 8 & 9:30 pm - no coverJan. 5th: Billy Drummond | Jan. 12th: Guillermo Klein
Jan. 19th: Adam O’Farrill | Jan. 26th: Dave Smith

1066 Nostrand Avenue - barbayeux.com

for harpsichord and prepared piano. In a sense there isa static, seriously random element, with a tip of the hat
to composer John Cage, as much happens without
preconceived notions. So a rumbling organ may
increase its volume, followed by tinkling bells, and thevolume slowly increases and then drops; or
expectations are defied in some other way such as
playing a solo for much longer than is customary or
suddenly engaging in new rhythms. It can, at times, belanguorous, tedious and even humorous, but somehow
it works and, while this strange album is not foreveryone, it has an indescribably quirky appeal, due tocontinual surprises and high level of performance,sucking the listener into its maw.

SINNE EEG &THOMASFONNESBÆKSTAYING IN TOUCH

For more information, visit klaustreuheit.de. Lou Grassi is
at Michiko Studios Jan. 21st. See Calendar.

BEST OF2021

The Day That Is
Thomas Heberer (Sunnyside)by Franz Matzner

The Day That Is, the latest release from German-born,

New York-based trumpeter Thomas Heberer, at firstfeels like an inconsistent album, until the consistency
begins to emerge. The 11 pieces each reflect different
compositional parameters, providing his quartet
platforms to raise its collective voice in unusual, yet
structured, scenarios while also exploring a diversityof historic periods and styles.
During the isolation of COVID-19, Heberer
embarked on a surge of composing, then partneredwith bassist John Hébert, drummer Michael Sarin andcompatriot saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock to record thepieces. While not obvious, Heberer has made clear thatpart of his inspiration was to sound a call against theviolence and extremism of the past several years.
The musicians’ technical facility are more than amatch for Heberer ’s challenging compositions. His
own skills are striking as he launches into sprints ofclear, concise notes, turns on a dime to explore
elongated phrases and then slides into sonic effects
sounding, for example, like bees buzzing or
woodpeckers knocking. Sarin provides rhythmic driveand stability within each context, deftly supporting
solos as well as the quartet as an entity. Similarly,
Hébert acts as connective tissue while the clarity of his
solos is impressive. The shining star, however, isLaubrock with the level of energy, buoyancy andexpression she injects into the collective effort. Her
interactions elevate trading and accentuate attenuatedemotion and her improvisational sprees fuel thealbum’s moments of peak chaos. In short, she provides
extra life to each of the compositional structures,making them all stronger and more robust.
Oddly, despite Heberer ’s association with free
improvisation, it is the descents into free exchange
that, at times, seem to lack fortitude, becoming
momentarily distractions from a piece’s overall impact.
These moments are rare however and do notsubstantially mar the release.
The Day That Is will engross those eager to witness
challenging compositional variation fulfilled byaccomplished musicians. It may be less accessible forthose seeking to ease into the pool rather than plunge.
For more information, visit sunnysiderecords.com. Heberer
is at Downtown Music Gallery Jan. 18th and MichikoStudios Jan. 21st. See Calendar.

SINNE EEG: VOCALTHOMAS FONNESBÆK:DOUBLE BASS“DANISH SINGER SINNE
EEG MUST BE ONE OF THE
BEST JAZZ VOCALISTSALIVE TODAY.”—DAVE GELLY, THE GUARDIAN UK

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021

BEST VOCAL RELEASESSTUNT RECORDS/DISTRIBUTION:
STATESIDE DISTRIBUTORS
WWW.SUNDANCE.DK

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 21

In My Own Way
Monnette Sudler (SteepleChase)by Robert BushP hiladelphia guitarist/vocalist Monnette Sudler has

spent much of her lifetime in music operating under
the radar of the mainstream jazz establishment.
SteepleChase founder Nils Winther though was an
early believer, signing her up for three albums back inthe ‘70s. While she was on tour, Winther booked arecording studio to cut an album with her working
band of Oliver Collins (piano), Kenny Kellem (bass)
and Newman Taylor Baker (drums). Apparently,
Winther thought the live material was more compelling,so In My Own Way remained on the shelf for the last 43
years. Just 26 when this recording was made, Sudler
was already a veteran of groups led by Byard Lancaster,
Sam Rivers and others.
The long-lost session begins with “Thoughts”,
a lively fusion-esque piece in the spirit of Chick Corea.
Sudler ’s warm and silky legato draws the listener in;she has a bluesy bite and a penchant for repetition asa vehicle to create tension. Her pianist acts a creative
foil and their rapport is a highlight of this session.
Sudler breaks out her vocal chops on the title tune
and acquits herself well although her guitar solo lateron sings a deeper tune. Perhaps the deepest selection is

William Parker & Patricia
Nicholson"No Joke!”gebhard ullmann/gerhard
Gschlossel/johannes fink/janleipnitz/michael haves

Eunhye jeong"nolda”

Rova"the circumference of
reason”"gulfh of berlin”“Fire and Air”, where she stretches “to the edge of theavant garde” according to Sudler, quoted in Neil
Tesser ’s excellent liner notes.
Not everything works. “All Blues” seems rushed
and perfunctory and the second vocal tune, “Message
To My Love”, has lyrics that don’t measure up to her
captivating performance.
The album concludes with a live version of Collins‘“Libra Rising”, a 21-minute tour de force where all of
the principals get plenty of room to flex. This is verymuch a document of the time and certainly whets theappetite as to the remainder of her career.
For more information, visit steeplechase.dk. Sudler is at
Nublu Jan. 18th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

Open Arms To Open Us
Ben Lamar Gay (International Anthem/Nonesuch)by George Grella

Ben Lamar Gay has such a unique musical personality
his work can be a little confusing, even as it is dazzling.
Everything is compelling and organic and even whatcomes from left field has a musical logic to it once
heard in a larger context. Think of him as an albumoriented composer and his work like a concept album,
especially in its modern iteration in hip-hop. But where

Gabriel zucker"leftover beats from theedge of time”

attitude!
"pause & effect”

ESP-DISK’

those usually have an explicit narrative that shapes the
tracks, Gay lets his mix of instrumental and vocal
pieces build a complex musical impression.
So let this excellent new album unfold throughtime. A new work of his heard with the Wet Ink
Ensemble last August at the Time:Spans festival of newmusic was hyperactive with detail and scene changes,
the overall duration not enough to let each idea build
and sink in. On this new album, that same feeling is
stretched out through time; it builds memories, whichbecome the context for each new moment.
It opens with a joyful anthem, “Sometimes I Forget
How Summer Looks On You”, then immediately
swerves into more mysterious and oblique territory.
There are shadows of Sun Ra, meaning that there isalways standard form mixed in with freedom, and“Bang Melodically Bang” could be a hit single.
Gay brings a DIY aesthetic to jazz and jazzadjacent music. He is such a good musician (heard hereon cornet, voice, organ, balafon, synths, temple blocks,
programming, manipulations, percussion, cítara, bass
synth, triangle, pandeiro, beatbox and kick drum), itsounds like he is always doing exactly what he wants,
even if no one would expect it. There is so much of thespirit of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, music that may seem
eccentric because it is so surprising, but made withseriousness and exactitude.
Gay’s liner notes talk both about rhythm—thealbum bursts with it—and memory and that is thelogic. There are many rooms and byways, but in theend everything points to the future and the charged
final track, “We Gon Win”, brings what had seemeda shaggy dog story into tight, powerful focus.
For more information, visit intlanthem.com. This project is at
Public Records Jan. 18th as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

Known for her large
number of works in thefield of acoustic free jazz,
Iro Haarla is a notable
Finnish pianist, composer, arranger and band
leader. Now Haarla takes
an eye-opening sidestep
towards progressive rock.
Her new band consistingof renowned Finnish musicians, Iro Haarla Electric Ensemble weaves avastly colourful world ofsound around Haarla’s
peculiar melodies, andwelcomes us to new sonicterritory: a vibrant world
where black music influenced rhythms, acoustic
instruments, analog synthesizers and spacelike,valiant electric guitars
converge.
For What Will We Leave
Behind - Images from
Planet Earth Haarla
has put together a band
whose musical expression
is strong and profound.
ALBUM OUT NOW!

22 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Plays The Music of Bill Frisell, Volume 1
Unscientific Italians (Hora)
StrataSkúli Sverrisson with Bill Frisell (Newvelle)by John Pietaro

The muses who captivate the ears, hands and heart ofBill Frisell have operated tirelessly, lo these many years.
His spectrum has traversed genre, sonority and evengeneration, but listeners of a certain age particularly
recall the guitarist’s volume pedal sound-poetry andwhispering arabesques. From his earliest work,attention to finest detail with emphasis on pinpoint
dynamics and cascading phrases acted as a priceless
C.V. The textures cast about Paul Motian, John Zorn,
Paul Bley, Jan Garbarek, Bobby Previte and Eberhard
Weber, to name just a few, had an immediate effect on
the industry. And while Frisell was the darling of ECM,
he also pulled no punches on stage or in studio with
Naked City or tracking sessions with Richard Hell.
Frisell’s laurels primarily concern his singular
touch on the instrument, yet his status as a composer
has also earned accolades, as noted on Unscientific
Italians’ Plays the Music of Bill Frisell. But wait: can hismusic stand with nary a guitar in sight? Pianist AlfonsoSantimone dares the seemingly impossible with this11-piece ensemble out of Tredozio, Italy, traversing this‘80s-90s hallmark sound with piano, winds andrhythm. Rather than swinging with undue fervor, on
the best cuts Unscientific Italians’ tempered
orchestrations and sizzling improvisations carry theday. The brief opener, a new telling of “Before We WereBorn” (from the titular album), seizes upon Frisell’s
original intro of discordant mezzo-piano delicacy,
expanding on both form and voicings but closing thework before its improvisational exposition. This leads
into “Probability Cloud”, originally a string trio withpercussion and electronically-treated guitar, now
recreated with the saxophones and clarinets, patienceand dynamics of Cristiano Arcelli, Piero Bittolo Bon,Francesco Bigoni and Rossano Imili. Adding touches ofbrass, the leader ’s live electronics and Zeno De Rossi’s
drum rims, the full band rises into a swirling, freetapestry of aerial solos.
While this approach lends itself to some of thecatalogue, it is not without problems. The sloping, blue
theme of “Unsung Heroes”, led here by the canonic
trombones of Filipo Vignato and Federico Pierantoni,
juxtaposes into an orchestral thicket in place of theoriginal’s sparse voices of Frisell and cellist Hank
Roberts. This need not be problematic, but theguitarist’s compositions were grown from the uniquequalities and limitations of his instrument andsometimes such changes add nothing to the original.
To wit, “Hang Dog” is captured by Santimone’s razorsharp piano repetitions before erupting into the frenetic
orchestral escalations, which seem misplaced. Moreso,
the new timbre of “Verona”, one of Frisell’s ‘folk’tunes, belies its core, taking it from a Pete Seeger-likechildren’s melody into the markedly cartoonish. One
hopes that for Volume 2 the ensemble, as needed, isbroken into smaller divisions when the orchestral
approach overwhelms the inborn magic.
Frisell, himself, duets with Icelandic bassist Skúli
Sverrisson on the fascinating Strata. Pieces such as“Sweet Earth” allow for a considerable span of breath,possibly simulating the glacial Nordic terrain, yet thealbum was recorded in Manhattan. This wide vision
becomes that much clearer on “Vanishing Point”; analluringly somber melody heard just off unison, almosta heterophony, timeless and chilled, its title reads as

the onomatopoetic. And “Ancient Affection” offers
a nod to the elders, or simply Norsemen of old. The
pair work so closely together, with electric and acoustic
bass guitars played primarily in the higher register up
the neck, they often sound like a guitar duo if not asingle player double tracked. It has been said that thesetwo can be of one mind. This makes for a fascinating
conundrum of both the confined and the far afield,
causing this reviewer to recall the torn emotions
inherent in Conrad Aiken’s short story of inner escape,“Silent Snow, Secret Snow”. Strata, with its atmosphereof open harmonies, high-ceilinged reverb andtransglobal breadth, can be called classic ECM, but its
evocation of tightly quartered travel through distantlands is of the utterly newfound.
For more information, visit unscientificitalians.bandcamp.com
and newvelle-records.com. Frisell is at The Stone Aug. 19th.
See Calendar.

INTAKT RECORDS

www.intaktrec.ch

TIM BERNE –GREGG BELISLE-CHI
Mars
Tim Berne: Alto Saxophone
Gregg Belisle-Chi: Guitar

Intakt CD 374

ALEXANDERHAWKINSMIRROR CANON
Break a Vase

Road
Fred Frith Trio (Intakt)
by Jason Gross

Richard Olátúndé Baker: Perc
Neil Charles: Bass · Stephen
Davis: Drums · Otto Fischer:Electric Guitar · Alexander
Hawkins: Piano, Sampler
Shabaka Hutchings: Flute,
Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax

Intakt CD 373

An entire issue of this gazette could be easily devoted

to the extensive, half-century career of guitarist Fred
Frith, from his work as a founding member of Henry
Cow to other ensembles (Art Bears, Massacre, Skeleton
Crew), his solo work and dozens of collaborations. Now
retired as a full-time college instructor, he has lately
turned his attention to a trio with bassist Jason Hoopesand drummer Gordon Glenn he has had going since2013, with two earlier Intakt albums under their belt.
This expansive, wide-ranging double-CD is theirfirst live album. Known for his unique guitars andtechnique (using toys, found objects, live sampling),
this time Frith deploys a specially-designed guitar
made for upper registers, creating an extraordinary
vocabulary of sounds.
The first disc, a set for the Weekend Festival in
Köln in October 2019, is based around seven-part“Lost Weekend” (note the lovely pun), which includes
striking contrasts such as sections of screeching andshuttering string noise over cymbal crashes (“LostWeekend 1”), quiet guitar along with howling intongues (“3”) and spidery guitar runs combined withghostly tones and jingling bells (“4”).
The second disc is looser with guest horns,
recorded earlier the same month at the University ofVirginia and later the same month back in Germany.
This disc is framed by the unwinding and slow simmerof 18-minute “Color Of Heat”, which features trumpeter
Susana Santos Silva rapturously fluttering around
Frith’s alternately gentle and roaring, majestic tones,
and 15-minute “Color of Heart”, starting out riding on
a more regimented, martial feel (reminding us what a
Kurt Weill fan Frith is) before entering spacier vistas ofsound, recalling ‘70s Miles Davis. In comparison, thesecond disc’s middle pieces give saxophonist Lotte
Anker room to expand into high-flying antics before
Frith returns to passages of electric solitude (‘The Tree
Speaks”) and thorny, punctuated segments (“SinkingIn”). If this is any evidence of Frith’s latest phase of his
career, ‘retirement’ suits him very well indeed.
For more information, visit intaktrec.ch. Frith is at Merkin
Concert Hall Jan. 20th for Bang on A Can’s People
Commissioning Fund Concert. See calendar.
		(CD REVIEWS CONTINUED ON PAGE 26)

JAMES BRANDON
LEWIS QUARTET
Code of Being
James Brandon Lewis:
Tenor Saxophone
Aruán Ortiz: Piano
Brad Jones: Bass
Chad Taylor: Drums

Intakt CD 371

FRED FRITH TRIOWITH LOTTE ANKER
AND SUSANA
SANTOS SILVA
Road (2 CDs)
Fred Frith: Guitar, Voice
Jason Hoopes: Bass
Jordan Glenn: Drums
Lotte Anker: Saxophone
Susana Santos Silva: Trumpet

Intakt CD 372

OHAD TALMOR TRIOWITH DAN WEISSAND MILES OKAZAKI
Mise en Place
Ohad Talmor:
Tenor Saxophone
Miles Okazaki: Guitar
Dan Weiss: Drums

Intakt CD 366

DISTRIBUTED IN USA BY: VIRTUAL LABEL GROUPAVAILABLE IN NYC: DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERYDIGITAL DOWNLOADS: intaktrec.bandcamp.com

Jan2021_nycjr_vertical_5CDs_Colour.indd
1
16.12.21
THE NEW YORKCITY JAZZ RECORD| JANUARY 2022
23 14:57

BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021

ALBUMS OF THE YEARBUGPOWDER—Cage Tennis (Trytone)
FIRE!—Defeat (Rune Grammofon)
FRANK KIMBROUGH—Ancestors (Sunnyside)
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS RED LILY QUINTET—
Jesup Wagon (TAO Forms)
JOE LOVANO TRIO TAPESTRY—
Garden of Expression (ECM)
MANKWE NDOSI AND BODY MEMORI—
felt/not said (Auspice NOW)WILLIAM PARKER—Mayan Space Station (AUM Fidelity)
PUNKT.VRT.PLASTIK—Somit (Intakt)
STEPH RICHARDS (WITH JOSHUA WHITE)—
Zephyr (Relative Pitch)
WADADA LEO SMITH’S GREAT LAKES QUARTET—
The Chicago Symphonies (TUM)—Laurence Donohue-GreeneBARRY ALTSCHUL’S 3DOM FACTOR (FEATURINGJON IRABAGON)—Long Tall Sunshine (Not Two)
CHRISTER BOTHÉN 3—Omen (Bocian)BARRY GUY—Irvin’s Comet (NoBusiness)
ALEXANDER HAWKINS—Togetherness Music (For Sixteen
Musicians Featuring Evan Parker + Riot Ensemble) (Intakt)
JÜ—III (RareNoise)
FRANK KIMBROUGH—Ancestors (Sunnyside)
KOMA SAXO—Live (We Jazz/Freestyle)
STEPHANIE NILLES—I pledge allegiance to the flag—
the white flag (Sunnyside)IRÈNE SCHWEIZER/HAMID DRAKE—
Celebration (Intakt)
MARTIAL SOLAL—
Coming Yesterday: Live at Salle Gaveau 2019 (Challenge)—Andrey Henkin

MUSICIANS OF THE YEAR

JOHNATHAN BLAKE (drums)
SATOKO FUJII (piano)
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS (tenor saxophone)
FRANCISCO MELA (drums)
WADADA LEO SMITH (trumpet)

LABELS OF THE YEARASTRAL SPIRITS (astralspiritsrecords.com)
ECM (ecmrecords.com)
GEARBOX (gearboxrecords.com)
INTAKT (intaktrec.ch)
SUNNYSIDE (sunnysiderecords.com)

THE NEW YORK CI

CONCERTS OF THE YEARFRANCISCO MELA SOLO
TRIBUTE TO MILFORD GRAVES
February 13th, Soapbox Gallery
SAM NEWSOME QUARTETAngelica Sanchez, Hilliard Greene, Reggie Nicholson
April 21st, Bar Bayeux
AARON BURNETT QUARTETPeter Evans, Nick Jozwiak, Tyshawn Sorey
May 1st, Giant Step Arts “Walk With The Wind” Series,
Central Park Summit RockJAMES BRANDON LEWIS RED LILY QUINTET
Kirk Knuffke, William Parker, Christopher Hoffman, Chad Taylor
May 7th, Roulette
PETER EVANS BEING & BECOMING
Joel Ross, Nick Jozwiak, Savannah Harris
June 24th, The Jazz Gallery
BRANDON LOPEZ TRIO
Steve Baczkowski, Gerald Cleaver
July 30th, Vision Festival, Pioneer Works“BIRD AT 100”
Bobby Watson, Gary Bartz, Vincent Herring,David Kikoski, Yasushi Nakamura, Carl Allen
August 27th, Summerstage Charlie Parker Jazz Festival,
Marcus Garvey ParkDAVE LIEBMAN EXPANSIONS
Bobby Avey, Tony Marino, Alex Ritz
September 4th, Dizzy’s Club
PRISM QUARTET AND GUESTS
Timothy McAllister, Zachary Shemon, Matthew Levy, Taimur Sullivan,
Melissa Aldana, Chris Potter, Rudresh Mahanthappa
September 15th, DiMenna Center for Classical MusicDAVE BURRELL SOLO
October 15th, Arts for Art, Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center

CARNEGIE HALL PRESENTS: BRANDEE YOUNGER
Dezron Douglas, Marcus Gilmore
August 7th, Brooklyn Museum of Art
MATT LAVELLE’S 12 HOUSESClaire Daly, Art Baron, Mary Cherney, Cheryl Pyle, Chris Forbes,
Jeremy Carlstedt, Lee Odom, Charles Waters, Nicole Davis,
Hilliard Greene, Catherine Sikora, Jose Luis Abreu, Rich Rosenthal
October 3rd, Scholes Street Studio
VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA
November 8th, Village Vanguard—Tom Greenland
KEN PEPLOWSKI TRIO
Rossano Sportiello, Kevin Dorn
June 11th, Mezzrow
JAZZ IN JULY—STANDARD TIME: DIANNE REEVESBill Charlap, Peter Washington, Kenny Washington
July 27th, 92nd Street Y
MARISSA LICATA STRINGS ON FIRE
Matt Marcus, Martin Doykin, Shannon Ford, Jerry Sabatini
Guest James Montgomery
September 13th, Birdland—Marilyn Lester
ROBERT GLASPER TRIBUTE TO WAYNE SHORTER
Marcus Strickland, Jaleel Shaw, Keyon Harrold,
Vicente Archer, Kendrick Scott
October 12th, Blue Note
ISSAC DELGADO Y LA 9NA
Livan Mesa, Yorgis Goiricelaya, Roberto Vizcaino,
Camilo Molina, Manuel Marcos, Mike Rodriguez,
Roman Filiu, Carlos Perez
October 22nd, Birdland

PATRICK HOLMES/CHRIS CORSANOOctober 24th, Catalytic Sound NYC Festival, Fridman Gallery

WYNTON AT 60: JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
November 18th, Rose Theater

BILL CHARLAP/RON CARTER DUO
November 5th, Birdland—Russ Musto—Laurence Donohue-Greene

MINGUS BIG BAND
November 9th, The Django

VENUES OF THE YEARBAR BAYEUX (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)
BIRDLAND/BIRDLAND THEATER (Midtown West)THE JAZZ GALLERY (Koreatown)
ROULETTE (Boerum Hill)
SOAPBOX GALLERY (Prospect Heights)

ANNE WALDMAN
Devin Brahja Waldman, William Parker
September 30th, First Unitarian Congregational Society
VIJAY IYER/ZOH AMBA
October 15th, Arts for Art, Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center—John Pietaro

UP-AND-COMERS OF THE YEARDAHVEED BEHROOZI (piano)
PATRICIA BRENNAN (vibraphone)
WENDY EISENBERG (guitar/banjo)
LINDA FREDRIKSSON (baritone/alto saxophone)
BRANDON LOPEZ (bass)

HONORABLE MENTIO[Ahmed]—Nights on Saturn (communication) (Astral Spirits) • Chris Abrahams/Mark Wastell—A Thousand Sacred Steps (Confront) • JD Allen—Queen Cit
Sergio Armaroli/Fritz Hauser—Angelica (Leo) • Artifacts—... and then there’s this (Astral Spirits) • Dahveed Behroozi—Echos (Sunnyside) • Binker an
Jakob Bro—Uma Elmo (ECM) • Zach Brock—Light Shines Through (Soapbox Sessions, Vol. 1) (Secret Fort) • Rüdiger Carl/Joel Grip/Sven-Åke Johansson—
Emmet Cohen—Future Stride (Mack Avenue) • George Colligan Theoretical Planets—Long Term Goals (PJCE) • The Cookers—Look Out! (Gearbox) • Sylvie
Jeremiah Cymerman/Charlie Looker—A Horizon Made of Canvas (Astral Spirits) • Carsten Dahl Trinity—Mirrors Within (Storyville) • Harold Danko—
Donald Edwards—The Color Of Us Suite (Criss Cross) • Wendy Eisenberg—Bloodletting (Out Of Your Head) • Fanfare Ciocărlia—It Wasn’t Hard To Love You (AsphFriends & Neighbors—The Earth Is# (Clean Feed) • Satoko Fujii—Hazuki (Piano Solo) (Libra) • Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio—Moon on the Lake (Libra
Ayelet Rose Gottlieb—13 Lunar Meditations: Summoning The Witches (s/r) • Simone Graziano—Embracing The Future (Auand) • Iro Haarla Electric E
Thomas Heberer—The Day That Is (Sunnyside) • Thomas Heberer/Joe Fonda/Joe Hertenstein—Remedy (Fundacja Słuchaj!) • Susie Ibarra
Mikko Innanen/Stefan Pasborg/Cedric Piromalli—This Is It (Clean Feed) • Vijay Iyer—Uneasy (ECM) • Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Sep
Jeff Lederer Sunwatcher—Eightfold Path (little(i)music) • José Lencastre Nau Quartet + Pedro Carneiro—Thoughts Are Things (Phonogram Unit) •Peter Madsen’s Six on Six Guitar Ensemble—Where There Was No Path (Playscape) • Peter McEachern—Code 2 (SteepleChase) • John Medesk
Ava Mendoza—New Spells (Relative Pitch/Astral Spirits) • Roscoe Mitchell/Mike Reed—The Ritual and The Dance (Astral Spirits) • Hafez Modirzadeh—Facets (Pi) • H
Miles Okazaki/Trevor Dunn/Dan Weiss—Hive Mind (Tzadik) • Evan Parker—Winns Win (Byrd Out) • Evan Parker—All Knavery and Collusion (Cadillac)
PRISM Quartet—Heritage/Evolution, Vol. 2 (Xas) • Tom Rainey Obbligato—Untucked in Hannover (Intakt) • Red Trio & Celebration Band—Suite 10 Year
Mattias Risberg—Still (Kullen Reko) • Scott Robinson—Solipsisms (ScienSonic) • Gonzalo Rubalcaba/Ron Carter/Jack DeJohnette—Skyline (5 Passion)Archie Shepp/Jason Moran—Let My People Go (Archieball) • Susana Santos Silva/Torbjörn Zetterberg—Tomorrow (Carimbo Porta-Jazz) • Harri Sjöst
Craig Taborn—Shadow Plays (ECM) • Natsuki Tamura/Satoko Fujii—Keshin (Libra) • Ayumi Tanaka—Subaqueous Silence (ECM) • Henry Threadg
Paul Van Gysegem—Square Talks (El Negocito) • Florian Weiss’ Woodoism—Alternate Reality (NWog) • Mars Williams—An Ayler Xmas, Vol. 5 (SoulITY JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021 BEST OF 2021

MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORIES OF THE YEAR

UNEARTHED GEMSHASAAN IBN ALI—Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album(Omnivore)
ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS—First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Blue Note)
NATHAN DAVIS (WITH GEORGE ARVANITAS TRIO)—
Live in Paris: The ORTF Recordings 1966-67 (Sam)MASABUMI KIKUCHI—
Hanamichi (The Final Studio Recording) (Red Hook)
MUJICIAN—10 10 10 (Cuneiform)

LATIN RELEASESGABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN SEXTET—Social Distancing (Saponegro)
RUBÉN BLADES Y ROBERTO DELGADO &ORQUESTA—SALSWING! (s/r)
ENSEMBLE INTERACTIVO DE LA HABANA—
Studio Session (TAK Editions)CARLOS HENRIQUEZ—The South Bronx Story (Tiger Turn)
ARTURO O’FARRILL/THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE—...dreaming in lions... (Blue Note)

VOCAL RELEASESJEFF COFFIN/HELEN GILLET—Let It Shine (Ear Up)
SINNE EEG & THOMAS FONNESBÆK—Staying in Touch (Stunt)
CHAMPIAN FULTON—Live From Lockdown (s/r)
JAZZMEIA HORN AND HER NOBLE FORCE—
Dear Love (Empress Legacy)
LUCY YEGHIAZARYAN/VANISHA GOULD—In Her Words (s/r)

LARGE ENSEMBLE RELEASESGIRLS IN AIRPORTS X AARHUS JAZZ ORCHESTRA—
Leap (Kaja)ALEXANDER HAWKINS—Togetherness Music (For Sixteen
Musicians Featuring Evan Parker + Riot Ensemble) (Intakt)
JOHANNES LUEBBERS DECTET—
Divide and Conquer (Earshift Music)
MARK MASTERS ENSEMBLE(FEATURING ART BARON AND TIM HAGANS)—
Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster (Capri)
DAVID SANFORD BIG BAND—A Prayer For Lester Bowie(featuring Hugh Ragin) (Greenleaf Music)

ONS—NEW RELEASESTRIBUTESDAVE LIEBMAN EXPANSIONS—Selflessness (Dot Time)
HAROLD MABERN—Mabern Plays Coltrane (Smoke Sessions)
STEPHANIE NILLES—I pledge allegiance to the flag—
the white flag (Sunnyside)
VARIOUS ARTISTS—Kimbrough (Newvelle)
MIGUEL ZENÓN—Law Years: The Music of Ornette
Coleman (Live at the Birds Eye Jazz Club) (Miel Music)

DEBUTS

VINICIUS CAJADO—Monu (Urchin)
NAZARENO CAPUTO—Phylum (AUT)
LINDA FREDRIKSSON—Juniper (We Jazz)
SAMARA JOY—Eponymous (Whirlwind)
JACQUELINE KERROD—17 Days In December (Orenda)

REISSUESLOUIS ARMSTRONG—The Complete Louis Armstrong
Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966 (Mosaic)
PAUL DUNMALL, KEITH TIPPETT, PHILIP GIBBS,PETE FAIRCLOUGH—Onosante (DUNS-577 Records)
SVEIN FINNERUD TRIO—
Thoughts (Prisma-Rune Grammofon)
GEORGE OTSUKA QUINTET—Loving You George(Bellwood-Wewantsounds)
CLAUDIA THOMPSON—Goodbye to Love
(Edison International-Modern Harmonic)

JAZZ BOOKS

Beneath Missouri Skies: Pat Metheny in Kansas City 1964-1972
Carolyn Glenn Brewer (University of North Texas Press)
Guitar Talk: Conversations with Visionary Players
Joel Harrison (Terra Nova Press)
Ode To A Tenor Titan: The Life and Times
and Music of Michael Brecker
Bill Milkowski (Backbeat Books)
Organic Music Societies (Blank Forms)
Universal Tonality: The Life and Music of William Parker
Cisco Bradley (Duke University Press)

BOXED SETSERROLL GARNER—Liberation in Swing: The Octave Records
Story & Complete Symphony Hall Concert(Octave Music-Mack Avenue)JULIUS HEMPHILL—The Boyé Multi-National Crusade For
Harmony (mbari Production Company)
LEE MORGAN—
The Complete Live at the Lighthouse (Blue Note)
WADADA LEO SMITH’S GREAT LAKES QUARTET—
The Chicago Symphonies (TUM)
LENNIE TRISTANO—
Personal Recordings (1946-1970) (Dot Time/Mosaic)

ORIGINAL ALBUM ARTWORKSAMUEL BLASER, MARC DUCRET,MASA KAMAGUCHI, GERRY HEMINGWAY—
Moods (Blaser Music)
TONY COE/JOHN HORLER—
Dancing in the Dark (Gearbox)
JOHN EDWARDS, N.O. MOORE, EDDIE PRÉVOST,
ALAN WILKINSON—EMPoWered (577 Records)
KENNY GARRETT—
Sounds from the Ancestors (Mack Avenue)
OSSI MARISTO—ARC (Eclipse Music)

LIVE ALBUMSBARRY GUY—Irvin’s Comet (NoBusiness)
KOMA SAXO—Live (We Jazz/Freestyle)
PAT METHENY—Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV) (BMG Modern)IRÈNE SCHWEIZER/HAMID DRAKE—
Celebration (Intakt)
MARTIAL SOLAL—
Coming Yesterday: Live at Salle Gaveau 2019 (Challenge)

SOLO RECORDINGSSATOKO FUJII—Piano Music (Libra)
BARRY GUY—Irvin’s Comet (NoBusiness)
OKKYUNG LEE—나를 (Na-Reul) (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
STEPHANIE NILLES—I pledge allegiance to the flag—
the white flag (Sunnyside)
MARTIAL SOLAL—
Coming Yesterday: Live at Salle Gaveau 2019 (Challenge)ty (Savant) • Ray Anderson Pocket Brass Band—Come IN (Double Moon) • Martin Archer/Charlotte Keeffe/Martin Pyne—Hi Res Heart (Discus-Music)nd Moses—Escape The Flames (Gearbox) • Johnathan Blake—Homeward Bound (Blue Note) • Jaimie Branch—FLY or DIE LIVE (International Anthem)—In Early November (Corbett vs. Dempsey) • Cinghiale—Exit...Stage Left! (Catalytic Sound) • Todd Cochran—Then and Again, Here and Now (Sunnyside)e Courvoiser/Ned Rothenberg/Julian Sartorius—Lockdown (Clean Feed) • Sylvie Courvoisier/Mary Halvorson—Searching For The Disappeared Hour (Pyroclastic)—Spring Garden (SteepleChase) • Paul Dunmall/Mark Sanders—Unity (577 Records) • Yelena Eckemoff—Adventures of the Wildflower (L&H Productions)phalt Tango) • Mark Feldman—Sounding Point (Intakt) • Michael Formanek—Imperfect Measures (Intakt) • Michael and Peter Formanek—Dyads (Out Of Your Head)a) • Satoko Fujii/Taiko Saito—Futari: Underground (Libra) • Satoko Fujii/Taiko Saito—Beyond (Libra) • Stephan Goldbach—Transit (JazzHausMusik)
Ensemble—What Will We Leave Behind (Images From Planet Earth) (Svart) • Joel Harrison—Guitar Talk (AGS Recordings) • Hearth—Melt (Clean Feed)
ra—Talking Gong (New Focus) • Abdullah Ibrahim—Solotude (Gearbox) • Kari Ikonen—Impressions, Improvisations and Compositions (Ozella)
ptet with Wynton Marsalis— The Democracy! Suite (Blue Engine) • Marc Johnson—Overpass (ECM) • Nils Landgren—Nature Boy (ACT Music)• James Brandon Lewis—Code Of Being (Intakt) • Johan Lindström—On The Asylum (Moserobie) • López Trio—Live at Roulette (Relative Pitch)ki/Kenny Grohowski/Matt Hollenberg—John Zorn: Nostradamus (The Death of Satan) (Tzadik) • Francisco Mela—MPT Trio Volume 1 (577 Records)
Hedvig Mollestad—Tempest Revisited (Rune Grammofon) • Hedvig Mollestad—Ding Dong. You’re Dead. (Rune Grammofon) • Nosax Noclar—Rëd Sisters (YOLK Music)) • Mario Pavone—Blue Vertical (Out Of Your Head) • Rich Perry—Happy Destiny (SteepleChase) • Noah Preminger/Kim Cass—THUNDA (Dry Bridge)
rs Anniversary (NoBusiness) • Reut Regev/Igal Foni—Two Much: Never Enough (Relative Pitch) • Rempis Percussion Quartet—Sud Des Alpes (Aerophonic)• Sten Sandell/Lisa Ullén—Double Music (Clean Feed) • Sex Magick Wizards—Your Bliss My Joy (Rune Grammofon) • Jaleel Shaw—Echoes (s/r)
tröm/Andrea Centazzo/Sergio Armaroli—Steps (Ictus) • Wadada Leo Smith/Douglas Ewart/Mike Reed—Sun Beams of Shimmering Light (Astral Spirits)
dgill Zooid—Poof (Pi) • Sabu Toyozumi/Rick Countryman—Misaki Castle Tower (Chap-Chap) • Yuma Uesaka/Marilyn Crispell—Streams (Not Two)
What/Astral Spirits) • Stephane Wrembel—Django Experiment VI (Water Is Life) • Min Xiao-Fen—White Lotus (featuring Rez Abbasi) (Outside In Music)

(CD REVIEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23)

Snark Horse
Matt Mitchell & Kate Gentile (Pi)by Marc Medwin

Once upon a time, riding headlong out of the

progressive era, came a group called Hatfield and The
North. Their jazzily Canterbury humor grooved along apath bordered with foliage watered by the avant garde.
It is not so much that the Snark Horsekestra—purveyorsof the Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile compositions
under review here—shares in Hatfield’s sonic mayhem,much of it based on songcraft, but have a look at thecomposition titles: “Asymptotic Rest Stop” really is not
so far away from Hatfield’s “Giant Landcrabs in Earth
Takeover Bid”. Both provide a visual glimpse into what
you get when whimsy is combined with a heaping
helping of cheek. Then, there are the musicalcomplexities and virtuosity required to navigate thosecrazy curves and thorny corners both groups do.
Drummer extraordinaire Gentile and keyboard
wizard Mitchell have now been collaborating for morethan half a decade, notably on Gentile’s flabbergasting2017 debut Mannequins, but there has been nothing quite
as ambitious as the Snark Horse book: one-measurecompositions meant to foster the various levels of
freedom evident all over this six-disc set. The
Horsekestra involves a cast of familiar characters butlargely appearing in smaller aggregates, fragmented
and reconfigured with a precision and imagination
similar to each musical motive. We are only afforded asampling of the book, but what a journey it is.
To gauge the spectra in illumination, dig on the firsttwo pieces gracing the final disc, both by Mitchell.
“Breach Zone” bursts into view with a dazzling array of
percussive colors conjuring shades of late ‘60s Frank
Zappa madness before it settles down into one of thealbum’s complexities it would be incomplete to call agroove. It is more like Zappa’s “Black Page” in its deft
syncopations and labyrinthine rhythmic intrigues, allgiven melodic voice as Mitchell and bassist Kim Casstake up the tune. The polymorphous occurrence is basedon a unit in repetition on which the trio improvises,
drums and bass centerstage and piano enveloping it all
in a shower of angularities. The locomotive roars by
before slowly subsiding into a distance containing tones
from the ostinato peppered by poetic interjections from
Cass and Gentile, all leading to silence out of which“Elegiac Foldouts, Gluey Clamor” emerges, like arainbow. Again, repetition, via Mitchell’s morphing
chords, is at the heart of the narrative, but Davy Lazar’s
trumpet, Mat Maneri’s viola and Brandon Seabrook’s
variously distorted guitar ratchet up the energy as the
harmonies jell and liquify. To hear Maneri’s ghostly andabsolutely unique vibrato hanging suspended over those
protean harmonies is as beautiful as Seabrook’s eventual
chord grunge is punchy and disconcerting, as well as thechipper quasi-vocalizations Lazar unleashes on the
coagulations. While “Breach Zone” comes in at justunder four minutes, its successor is more than twice its
length, both expertly captured cross-sections of freedom
in check or liberated notation, depending on preference
and point of view. The other compositions fall somewhere
along these wavy lines. Gentile’s “Feral Pineals”, with
Cass and Seabrook, delves deep into a pocket full ofcountrified groove and curve, points and slashes
subverting cycle at every turn. It is a miniature residing
somewhere between impressionistic elegance and

26 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

something that swings like pointillistic stride stripped toits essentials. Gentile’s contributions to the lengthy andjointly composed “Torpid Blather, Fuck your
Capitalization style, Pendulum Wobbles” are equallysinewy as it moves through roiling rhythmic drive into
beautiful chamber-music ensemble work before
launching back into the rhythmically propelled jaggedlines found throughout the set. Mitchell’s fevered“Feebleau” snaps to attention and just as quickly splits,
Lazar’s melodic gifts in full flight over the trio’s air-tightfoundation. Mitchell’s “Thumbly” allows audition of theentire ensemble. Maneri’s microtones germinate as Ben
Gerstein’s trombone slithers alongside what sounds likesaxophonists Jon Irabagon and Matt Nelson. Is it
Seabrook or Ava Mendoza arpeggiating implication thatmirrors the temporarily meterless climb? Either way, theformer’s banjo soon sets the record straight as the initialwave crests, revealing the rawly woken riff that guides
the succeeding quarter of an hour’s fragmentations.
Like the chorus in a Greek tragedy, Mitchell provides
electronic pieces that anticipate and embody aspects ofthe proceedings. The set opens with the riveting “Flock
Adulation”, a dark and punchily rhythmically evolving
soundscape proving that electronics can and do swing.
“All Tall Ghosts” emerges from similar territory but has
a lovely mess of intertwined repetitions in chordomelodic intersection at its heart. They elucidate aspectsof the ensemble pieces while framing them, just as eachbar frames and is framed by its various and constantly
changing contexts. Each disc in the set is a titled unit andthe whole constitutes a narrative in palimpsest, needing
repeated reappraisal to appreciate fully.
For more information, visit pirecordings.com. Gentile and
Mitchell are at Roulette Jan. 21st with International
Contemporary Ensemble. See Calendar.

Min Xiao-Fen“The jazz world’s
most authoritative
voice on pipa is
Min Xiao-Fen.”—WBGO Take Five
“Min Xiao-Fen
is one of theworld’s greatest
virtuosos…”—NPR Weekend
EditionMin Xiao-Fen’s
White Lotus
Featuring Rez Abbasi
music.outsideinmusic.com/whitelotus
www.nativedsd.com/catalogue/
albums/aanyoim2120d-white-lotus

THE NEW YORK CITY

JAZZ RECORDBEST
OF 2021BEST NEW RELEASESHONORABLE MENTION

minxiaofenbluepipa.org

Meets The Alexander Claffy Trio
Michael Stephenson (Cellar Live)by Dan Bilawsky

Sometimes the most artful blends come from the oldestof friends. Such is the case with Michael Stephenson
and Alexander Claffy. Buddies since they were teenage
musicians, these two would eventually go their separate
ways: Stephenson (aka Sonny Step) as a sophisticatedsinger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Claffy asa wide-eared jazz bassist. But roads once diverged
realign and merge with this smart and catholic take on
American popular music of the past.
Stephenson, with light-voiced charm and soul(plus some swaggering tenor saxophone), pulls backthe curtain to reveal a side of his artistry that rarely has
an opportunity to shine and Claffy, doing his part,delivers one swinging arrangement after another anddrives the music from below to on high. Add to thatstellar work from pianist Julius Rodriguez anddrummer Itay Morchi and the heated horn of trumpeter
Benny Benack III and everything is tracked for success.
Opening on “Sweet Lorraine”, the co-headliners
immediately capitalize on the moment. Essentially a
duo track with just a touch of company in the periphery,
the Nat King Cole-associated gem finds Claffy walking
and Stephenson delivering an understated performanceright on target. Then the mood shifts with Ray Charles’“Greenbacks”, offering the leading man a chance tovacillate between soft-spoken storytelling andenergetic chorus-promoting.
A thoughtfully compelling “What’s Happening
Brother?”, smart and stylish “When a Man Loves a
Woman”, positively hopeful “On the Street Where You
Live” and mellow and melodious “Tennessee Waltz”
follow in succession, drawing from a broad set of
influences while stretching the definition of a standard.
In doing so, those songs (and a handful of others) also
operate with a higher purpose, pointing toward social
issues—the scourge of racism and all that surrounds
it—and the need to combat hatred with love andpositive action. Part of a Cellar Music Group series ofJeremy Pelt-produced albums led by Black artists, thisdate demonstrates commitment in all the right ways.
For more information, visit cellarlive.com. This project is at
The Django Jan. 26th. See Calendar.

Stairway to the Stars
Miki Yamanaka (Outside In Music)
by Ken Dryden

Miki Yamanaka left Japan nearly a decade ago and has

blossomed in New York as a pianist, composer andarranger. Stairway to the Stars is her fourth CD and wasscheduled to be recorded live at Mezzrow until COVID
shut down the city, so she opted to record it at home.
Bassist Orlando le Fleming and tenor saxophonist Mark
Turner join her for this impressive date.
One of the first things noticeable about Yamanaka
is her distinctive sound. She may briefly reveal
influences of greats who preceded her, but is alreadywell on her way to establishing her own voice. Her bop
chops are formidable in her fresh approach to Charlie
Parker ’s “Cheryl”, which gives plenty of solo space tole Fleming and her fierce attack and percussive playing
make it that much more fun. Some modern musicians
would consider the Ernie Burnett-George A. Norton
warhorse “My Melancholy Baby” too dated to play, but
Yamanaka transforms it into a swinging jazz waltz,
adding a few twists.
Steve Swallow’s “Eiderdown” adds Turner to makeit a trio. Yamanaka’s arrangement starts slowly; soon
she shows she is the perfect musical partner for theveteran tenor saxophonist. Turner introduces Thelonious
Monk’s “Ask Me Now” with a brilliant unaccompaniedsolo, adding le Fleming and the leader as the theme isrevealed. The trio is also on Yamanaka’s “Oatmeal”, aquirky, infectious tune. All jazz players have to prove
themselves as ballad interpreters and Yamanaka passes
the test with an introspective setting of Matty MalneckFrank Signorelli-Mitchell Parish’s title track. It is always
a joy to witness the growth of a talented young musician
like Yamanaka. She will have a packed house when she
finally gets to record a live album.
For more information, visit outsideinmusic.com. Yamanaka
is at Cellar Dog Jan. 8th, Chelsea Table & Stage Jan. 15thand Nublu 151 Jan. 20th, the latter two as part of WinterJazzfest. See Calendar.

Cuban Butterflies features a tight Latin jazz band…
La Banda Ramirez balances the Afro-Cuban rhythms
with consistently strong jazz soloing. The music, while
always danceable, also rewards close listening and theresult is a set of performances that are both accessible
and creative. Cuban Butterflies is easily recommended.
– Scott Yanow, September 2021
labandaramirez.hearnow.com | metrotang.com
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 27

Deciphering the Message
Makaya McCraven (Blue Note)by Tom Greenland

Drummer and “beat scientist” (as he fashions himself)

Makaya McCraven is developing a new jazz dialect,
incorporating aesthetics of hardbop and hip-hop. For
Deciphering the Message, his seventh release as a leader
and first for Blue Note, he plundered the label’s vaults
for tracks from the ‘60s and earlier to sample, mix,
produce and generally mess with to create somethingof his own, something new from the old.
Like hip-hop artists Pete Rock or A Tribe Called
Quest, or even J Dilla, whose unquantized grooves
could be rap’s equivalent to jazz ‘swing’, McCravensamples jazz riffs and track fragments to create hooks,
but his treatment of these raw materials is often moreradical, as when he does a studio makeover of Kenny
Burrell’s guitar tone from “Autumn in New York”
to create fresh lines and curves that sound like anotherguitarist played them. Overdubbed on the album’s
short tracks (most are about three minutes long)
are improvisations by trumpeter Marquis Hill,
saxophonists Greg Ward (alto) and De’Sean Jones(tenor), vibraphonist Joel Ross, guitarists Jeff Parker
and Matt Gold and bassist Junius Paul, but theirindividual contributions are deemphasized in the thickmixes, more often functioning as additional color thanas featured soloists. The tracks are so dense—layered
with back-, mid- and foreground elements, almost likea Phil Spector production—that you cannot always tell
if you are hearing Art Blakey’s drumset or McCraven’s,
Ross’ vibraphone or Bobby Hutcherson’s.
“Monaco” (based on a Kenny Dorham track)contains masterfully layered riffs, as if the Count Basieband were covering a rap song. “Black Rhythmic
Happening” (by Eddie Gale) recalls the psychedelic
polyphony of George Clinton’s Parliament. Fans ofclassic Blue Note (including albums by Clifford Brown,
Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver) will bechallenged to identify the extracts McCraven used andto what extent he has repurposed them. Although theheavily-looped music is more repetitive than jazz, therich textures, sheer density and subtlety of thesoundscapes will reward close and repeated listening.
For more information, visit bluenote.com. McCraven is at
City Winery Jan. 13th, House of Yes Jan. 16th and Nublu
151 Jan. 19th, all as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

City of Sounds
Joe Farnsworth (Smoke Sessions)by Scott Yanow

It is no real surprise that drummer Joe Farnsworth’s

City of Sounds is a gem. After all, it is a trio album withthe great veteran pianist Kenny Barron (who seems to
be improving with age) and always flawlessly swinging
bassist Peter Washington. Farnsworth, who in the last
30 years has worked with everyone from the much-

missed Harold Mabern, Eric Alexander, Benny Golson
Cedar Walton and Pharoah Sanders to Diana Krall and
One For All, uplifts every session he is on.
City of Sounds was recorded in February 2021 at
Smoke without an audience during the height of thepandemic. But, despite the worrisome circumstances,the music always has a feeling of optimism. It wasconceived as a tribute to New York although theconnections between some of the music (such as Karl
Suessdorf-John Blackburn’s “Moonlight In Vermont”)
and the city are not always obvious. The program
consists of three Farnsworth originals, two by Barron
and a trio of standards.
Uptempo “New York Attitude” gets the set off toa strong start and makes it obvious that the inspired
Barron is going to have plenty of opportunities to stretch
out. The pianist really digs into an uptempo version of
Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein’s “The Surrey
With The Fringe On Top”, coming up with an endlessflow of creative ideas within the bebop tradition. While
there are sensitive versions of Farnsworth’s light Latinpiece “Ojos Carinosos” and “Moonlight In Vermont”,
the other songs swing hard. Barron purposely hints at
Bud Powell during his “Bud-Like” (which has fiery
drumming), Farnsworth contributes a blues (the title
track) and “No Fills” (which is essentially “Impressions”)
and the closing take on Sigmund Romberg-Oscar
Hammerstein’s “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” isplayed with such enthusiasm that it sounds as if the trio
had just discovered the song rather than playing it for
the umpteenth time.
Washington contributes some concise solos andFarnsworth is a powerful guiding force throughout,
but they would have no trouble agreeing that City ofSounds is a showcase for the masterful Barron.
For more information, visit smokesessionsrecords.com.
Farnsworth is at The Django Jan. 22nd, Cellar Dog Jan.
28th and Minton’s Jan. 29th. See Calendar.

BEST OF2021

60 x Sixty
Craig Taborn (Pyroclastic)
Shadow Plays
Craig Taborn (ECM)
by Tyran Grillo

P ianist Craig Taborn’s artistry is a diamond that keeps

growing facets. Perhaps no two fairly concurrent
releases could make better on that statement than
60 x Sixty and Shadow Plays. The first is a project
consisting of 60 pieces, each about a minute in length.
More of an installation than an album, per se, it isavailable only online. Pressing PLAY commences asequence that is different every time, each number
representing only the ordinal appearances of otherwise
nameless tracks. In addition to acoustic piano, Taborn
corrals electronic keyboards of various stripes
alongside electronic marginalia and other incidencesof interest. The results are the sonic equivalents of
those miniature puzzles one sometimes gets as party
favors or stocking stuffers, minus the kitsch factor.
What at one moment feels like two bent metal bars
rotating in constant search for separation could atanother morph into a wooden polygon, which, despite
its cleaner edges, offers no more clues into its undoing.
Sometimes, the appearance of beats and synth textures
suggest a video game environment. Other times,
ambient needles draw threads of hidden code. Eachvignette represents a world unto itself and privileges
tasting over savoring.
If 60 x Sixty is an examination of disembodiment,

28 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

then Shadow Plays, a fully improvised solo concert from
Vienna’s Konzerthaus, is one of embodiment. Since therelease of Avenging Angel one decade ago, Taborn’s
traversal on ECM has brought him to collective
enterprises with the likes of Roscoe Mitchell, Thomas
Morgan and Chris Potter. All the while, his language
has been as much his own as it has been a force ofadaptation to contexts big and small. From the gesturesthat open “Bird Templars”, one gets the sense that eachof Taborn’s hands is a traveler engaged in a slowmotion contest for a single path ahead. And yet, there
is no feeling of animosity; instead, a sense of wonder,
especially as the music quiets in the left, allowing theright to offer its soliloquy in the spirit of accompaniment.
If it is possible to whisper through a piano, then Taborn
has accomplished that here. “Discordia Concors” and“Concordia Discors” both offer frantic searches formeaning balanced by the jauntier rhythms of“Conspiracy Of Things” between them. These pieces
find themselves pulled to the keys by a gravitational
force they cannot quite escape.
The jazziest inflections await interpretation
through “A Code With Spells” and concluding “Now
In Hope”, both of which convey honeyed textures withcinematic sensibilities, coated by resistance against thestorms that have barraged us over the past year and ahalf. The most epic stretches are reserved for the title
piece, in which chords resuscitate the possibility ofharmony. As one of the cleanest concert recordings inrecent memory, it felt like there was no one else in theroom: an intimacy we need more of now than ever.
For more information, visit 60xsixty.com and ecmrecords.com.
Taborn is at Village Vanguard through Jan. 2nd with Chris
Potter and The Jazz Gallery Jan. 14th as part of Winter Jazzfest.
See Calendar.

effect is like wind chimes on a lonely night. Listen toMiller, on “Light Years Away”, coming in under
Bloom’s loneliest-saxophone-in-the-world playing andever-so subtly starting it to swing.
There are 11 tracks in all and all quite engrossing.
Miller and Bloom guide and prod each other into
consistently interesting sound patterns. They do notsound like anyone else.
Tues Days
Allison Miller/Jane Ira Bloom (Outline/Supaphine)by Jim Motavalli

These two form a multitude. Soprano saxophonist

Jane Ira Bloom and drummer Allison Miller set
themselves a challenge: record a series of fully
improvised duets on consecutive Tuesdays in thespring of 2021. This download-only release is the result
and is clearly the result of two players listening to one
another and creating spontaneously.
The title track has Miller in an almost martial
cadence while Bloom trills almost flute-like. Her
playing is melodic, swimming near but not quite tosongs you have heard before. It is great. “Technicolor”
has a scruffier, edgier Miller complemented by an
upper-register Bloom in exploratory mode. Miller ’ssolo is abrupt and episodic and then Bloom is back—still looking for something.
On “Rowing in the Dark”, Miller enters almost
subsonic—on mallets it sounds like. Bloom locks into
the pensive mood and Miller ticks the cymbals behindher. Bloom finds a groove and the makings of a theme
as the pace picks up. They are clearly in sync, as thepiece slows to a quiet conclusion. “Five Bells” is justa two-minute snippet, Miller on percussion, maybe
what was once referred to as “little instruments”. The

For more information, visit allisonmiller.bandcamp.com.
Miller is at Chelsea Table & Stage Jan. 14th, Public Records
Jan. 20th with Dave Harrington and Nublu 151 Jan. 22nd,
all as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

DROP THE NEEDLE

Jazz Sur Seine
Milt Jackson, Barney Wilen, Percy Heath,
Kenny Clarke (Philips-Sam)by Pierre Giroux

J azz Sur Seine is not just the French name of thisArchipelago X
Ikue Mori/Brian Marsella/Sae Hashimoto (Tzadik)
by John Pietaro

Ikue Mori holds legendary status as a founding partyof the no wave school. Her throbbing, almost tribal
rhythms across a drumkit in Arto Lindsay’s band DNA
led her into the heart of New York’s underground in
1977, on to collaborations with Downtown avant garde
royalty. Over the years, her focus transferred fromdrums to drum machines and finally to laptop
electronics, where she has collaborated with myriad
global sound and performance artists, focusing on theatmospheric, but her percussive roots crank out varying
levels of sonorities, cross-rhythms and shifting timbre.
While all members of various John Zorn ensembles,
the self-taught Mori is of the underground while herbandmates are trained contemporary classicalmusicians with a penchant for improvisation and awide palette for variety. Pianist Brian Marsella doubles
on Fender Rhodes but also Mellotron, clavinet, zither
and a plethora of sequencers, effects and analog
synthesizers. Percussionist Sae Hashimoto is ensconced
in a veritable funhouse of mallet instruments, an arrayof drums and metals and small percussives, standard
and homemade. Listening to her effortlessly glide fromthings idiophonic (vibraphone, marimba, crotales,
pitched and unpitched gongs, maracas, waterphone,balafon, shakers, bells, chimes, woodblock, cajon) andmembranophonic (snare drum, concert toms, bass
drum, frame drum, bongos), as in “Satellites Are
Spinning”, is something of a revelation. In a field of
shimmering sound, the percussion boldly captures theear and then retreats further back with washy gongs
and silvery chimes. “Lapis Lazuli” too features crystalclear sticking before the sonorities shift into a thicket,
held, embellished upon, reactivated and sent back out
by Mori. A high point, however, is closer “Through theMist”, its imagery of walking a fog-blinded coast bynight, complete with the sounds of buoys, dark waters,
a lighthouse bell, warns as acoustic piano (with justenough reverb) paints an ominous but not hopelessforecast. Left-hand diminished chords and roaming
high-end dissonances carry such rare beauty that
listeners may recall Paul Hindemith.
Still, this ensemble is a true collective, creating not
only unified music but also a unified, organic tapestry.
Very much as its name implies, this Archipelago iscomprised of individuals standing as one. The beautiful
irony is that this album was recorded remotely during
the 2020 lockdown.
For more information, visit tzadik.com. Mori is at The Stone
Jan. 21st. Marsella is at The Jazz Gallery Jan. 15th as partof Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

particular album, but also reflects that this is a
French session inside and out. Apart from Thelonious
Monk’s “Epistrophy”, all the other material camefrom the pens of French composers like singer
Charles Trenet, tenor saxophonist Barney Wilen,
pianist Raymond Fol and Paris-based Belgian gypsy
guitarist Django Reinhardt and were mostly
unknown to the American musicians—vibraphonist
Milt Jackson (born 99 years ago this month), bassist
Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke (born 108
and died 37 years ago this month)—brought in forthis date.
At the time of these February 1958 sessions,
Clarke had already relocated to Paris and had beenplaying with the young Wilen (not yet 21) for several
months at the Club Saint-Germain. So when Jackson
and Heath showed up in Paris, producer Marcel
Romano sought to organize a recording built around
Wilen, including a couple of his own compositions:“B.B.B. (Bag’s Barney Blues)” and “Swingin’ Parisian
Rhythm”. In retrospect it turned out to be a very
successful outing.
From the opening bars of Reinhardt’s “Swing39”, it was clear Wilen was not going to be intimidatedby his illustrious cohorts. He demonstrates maturity
in his playing and, perhaps taken by the influence ofLucky Thompson, his tone is firm yet cool. Propelledby Clarke, Trenet’s “Ménilmontant” (name of a
Parisian Metro stop) jauntily dashes along. In thisnumber as well as all others, Jackson is on piano notvibraphone yet seems to have adopted thevibraphone technique, playing notes one finger oneach hand but still able to maintain the fast tempo.
The A side closes with “B.B.B. (Bag’s Barney Blues)”,a straightforward line with which the rhythm section
feels perfectly at home, piano setting the groove
before Wilen dives in with a long unvarnished solo.
Even at this early stage in his career, he seems toknow what he wants to say.
It would be difficult to imagine a Paris-based
session without the inclusion of Reinhardt’s“Nuages”. After a thoughtful introduction from
Jackson, the well-recognized theme is picked up by
Wilen, who offers a fresh look. Another Trenet
original, “Que Reste-t-Il De Nos Amours” (WhatRemains Of Our Loves), is best known for its English
reinterpretation as “ I Wish You Love”; taken at amoderate tempo, after a big-toned bass intro, thenumber flows in lyrical fashion, full of shifting
accents. The final track is “Epistrophy”, essayed in aneat and tidy version, with all aboard staying prettymuch within the guardrails.
Finally, a word about Sam Records. It is a oneman label based in Paris, wholly devoted to thereissuance of jazz albums recorded and produced in
France in the ‘50s-60s. The sound is pristine and theLPs are issued on 180-gram vinyl.
For more information, visit samrecords.fr

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 29

ON SCREEN

Notes With Attachments
Pino Palladino/Blake Mills (New Deal/Impulse!)by George Grella
Oscar Peterson: Black + White
Barry Avrich (Melbar Entertainment)by Kevin Canfield

Barry

Avrich’s new documentary includes
interviews with numerous well-known jazz and pop
musicians, all of whom agree on one thing: Oscar
Peterson, the pianist who was 82 when he died in
December 2007, was a virtuoso with no detectableweakness. Peterson’s left hand was nearly as nimble
as his right, and, as two of Avrich’s expert
commentators note, he made use of all 88 keys.
“I just wondered how he was able to make the pianosound like he had four hands,” says Jon Batiste,
bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Oscar Peterson: Black + White is a laudatory
portrait of an artist who had a wry knack for
explaining his work. In solo piano, he says in an oldclip, “you can change key at a second’s notice.” Trythis in a group, however and “you’re going to beplaying solo piano the next night, whether you
wanted to or not.” To judge by this documentary,Peterson was a buoyant, inspiring figure. Avrich’s
interviewees compare Peterson’s impact on music to
Muhammad Ali’s on boxing and dub him “Canada’s
gift to the world”. Branford Marsalis tells Avrich that
he listened to “In the Wee Small Hours of theMorning”—written by David Mann and Bob Hilliard,
it was recorded for Peterson’s 1961 album The Trio:
Live from Chicago—twice-daily for 18 months.
Avrich depicts Peterson’s artistic developmentwith expertly chosen archival footage and wellplaced humor. The pianist was performing on
Canadian TV by the time he was 10. Word of his
talents soon reached the U.S. “Back then,” Quincy
Jones says, “I didn’t even know they had Black
people in Canada.” Peterson’s trios made numerous
albums, ranging in style from 1950-51’s amiable
An Evening with Oscar Peterson to 1978’s spirited
The Paris Concert. When his manager, Norman
Granz, put together his Jazz at the Philharmonic
tours, Peterson played for enthusiastic fans acrossthe planet. In one of the film’s evocative still photos,
we see Peterson riding in a convertible in Tokyo,
celebratory streamers draping the car as it passes bysmiling onlookers. Images like these are augmented
by new interpretations of Peterson songs performedby contemporary Canadian musicians.
The film’s title evokes piano keys and the racismthat Peterson encountered on the road. A short but
effective clip shows poorly educated Southern
segregationists holding a sign in favor of “segretion”.
Avrich duly notes that the Peterson-penned antibigotry “Hymn to Freedom” was performed at
Barack Obama’s first inauguration, but the latterpart of the film brims with mild clips from awardpresentations and other ceremonies honoringPeterson. Aside from some quick mentions oflong-ago marital infidelities, the film’s tone isreverent; it is worth noting that Peterson’s widow,
Kelly Peterson, is credited as a consulting producer.
This is a capable, often enjoyable film and an
exceptionally courteous one.
For more information, visit melbarentertainment.com

This is, as the kids say, a vibes record. It is also a beats
record, groove construction after groove construction.
And the grooves are all fine, as are the vibes, which are
well-dressed, suave, even a little buzzed on something
tasty from a legal dispensary. ’S’all good, man.
But this is still a soul-jazz album of sorts, with cutsand horn solos and, as pleasant as the sound and feelingare, it kind of drifts by without much consequence. The
album embraces the now longstanding aesthetic forbeats (broken and not) repeated with a few changing
inflections over a few minutes and then done. But it
doesn’t question that premise and so on almost every
track there is something missing, as there is in purebeat music; most of the titles sound like preludes tosomething else, long introductions to some kind ofsong form that never develops.
This is all well made, but often the making
becomes its own purpose, the process of the musicrather than the results themselves. This doesn’t
generate music, it showcases studio techniques andthis is an album that is production-heavy. Sam Gendel’s
saxophone is so harmonized and effects-laden it
becomes an abstract, avant garde presence. The
problem is that this is a (sophisticated) pop album andsince he is playing riffs, you want to dig the riffs, notthe signal processing.
Pino Palladino and Blake Mills are longtime,
important sidemen and session musicians, contributing
an enormous amount to the music floating around us
for decades. Perhaps these roles are so integral to theirown music-making that, when putting together theirown thing, what satisfies them is to create the finest
context they can and let someone else provide thefrontman role of musical personality and meaning.
They just neglected to book that musician.
For more information, visit impulserecords.com. This
project is at Le Poisson Rouge Jan. 18th as part of WinterJazzfest. See Calendar.

A Centering Peace
Brian Woodruff Sextet (QJOG)
by Dan Bilawsky

When an album cover beckons with pure meditative

promise, it is only fitting that its introduction and title
track deliver. Demonstrating the positive side ofpredictability, “The Welcome Song”, a statement ofsupreme hospitality concerned with rubato dreaminess
and warm greetings from guest vocalist Elisabeth
Lohninger, verbalizes an invitation to release ourselvesfrom worry; and the title track, written to celebrate
spiritual advisor Monsignor Edward Straub’s 75thbirthday and 50th year in the priesthood, comes off as asoothing larghetto comfort featuring Lohninger,
saxophonist Lisa Parrott and bassist Matt Clohesy. Both

30 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

works lean fully into the packaging’s visual aesthetic,
but neither should be used to pigeonhole the production.
Beauty certainly becomes this ensemble, as
demonstrated through the aforementioned material
and gently twirling designs of “Pirouette en Dedans”.
But that line of expression only addresses one facet of
drummer Brian Woodruff’s music. There are manyother angles to his art. “What Happened”, a number
based on rhythm changes, details an appreciation forbop-based melody and sunny swing. “War Paint”,
featuring trombonist Alan Ferber, trumpeter Michael
Rodriguez and guitarist Pete McCann, is an intense hit
advancing with energy and providing twists with halfand odd-time feels in the form. “Every Detail Minding”,
nodding to the leader ’s favorite phrase in Langston
Hughes’ poem “Old Walt”, adopts a more measured
swing stance while wearing Wayne Shorter ’s influence
as a badge of honor. “Undertow” turns the beat around,offering a somewhat off-kilter rock experience. And“Freeway Doctor East”, opening with paranoid swing
pulsation and some skulking sentiments, motors on
down the modal highway.
By the time Woodruff and Co. close with the slow
and woozy “King Size Blues”, a break-up song drawing
inspiration from the respective blues stylings of Count
Basie and Duke Ellington while remaining aware of its
own place in time, they have completely dispelled thenotion implied in the opening and title performances. A
centering peace may play an important part in thisleader’s beliefs, both musically and philosophically,
but what surrounds it is of equal importance. By castinga wide net stretching well beyond the interior, Brian
Woodruff shows us the value of expansive aspirations.
For more information, visit queensjazz.org. This project is
at Culture Lab LIC Jan. 25th. See Calendar.

BEST OF
2021

Code of Being
James Brandon Lewis (Intakt)
Resilient Vessels Live at The Cell
James Brandon Lewis, Patrick Holmes, Ches Smith,
Josh Werner (RR Gems)
by Tom Greenland

Tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis has beenworking with a concept he terms Molecular CellularMusic, a metaphor and generative tool for creative
composition and improvisation, wherein the four basic
triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented) serve asbuilding blocks for well-defined yet open-ended
musical structures, just as the four nucleic acids of DNA(adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine) code for an
infinite variety of complex proteins. This could suggestthat Code of Being—the second in a triptych of albums to
be released on Intakt with pianist Aruán Ortiz, bassist
Brad Jones and drummer Chad Taylor—leans to the
cerebral. It does anything but, thanks to Lewis’ roots in
the gospel church and affinity for the spiritual song ofAlbert Ayler and John Coltrane. The latter’s influence isparticularly apparent on “Resonance” and the title
track where the mood is one of controlled ecstasy, theleader’s muscular, motive-laced lines developing withfervor and intelligence, Ortiz voicing spread modal
chords reminiscent of McCoy Tyner, Taylor utilizing
busy tom-tom and hi-hat figures to create a somewhat
disjointed yet still powerful drive. The mood swings tocool and impressionistic on “Per 5” before the groove isdeconstructed midway through, segueing to amarvelous two-headed solo, tenor and piano weaving
their way independently without the recourse to themore usual call-and-response interactions. The ‘hit
single’ would have to be “Where Is Hella”, a memorably
sequenced melody in AABA form, tenor and piano
gently trespassing harmonic boundaries during theirimprovisations. There is wonderful tenor work on“Archimdean” supported by highly interactive pianocomping, a beautiful ballad mood established on“Every Atom Glows” and a hint of Ornette Coleman’s
Harmolodics in the fractal shapes of “Per 4”.
Resilient Vessels Live at The Cell documents a project
bassist Jones organized as part of his July 2020
residency at NYC’s The Cell with Lewis, clarinetist
Patrick Holmes and drummer Ches Smith. Although
crowd response is only audible on a few tracks theperformance’s energy level is patent, Lewis bringing
two types of power to the proceedings: a hefty, low-tomid range riffing style in which he worries anddevelops elemental pentatonic riffs and a higher-range
skronking style in which he coaxes strained, raspy, yetsomehow sweet tones from his horn. His riffing
approach recalls an inspired preacher in the pulpit
who repeats himself to make the message clear, adding
variation to emphasize his points and keep the
congregation engaged. Smith is an equally forcefulcounterweight, playing in a rock-funk + free jazz idiomthat anchors down even as it upheaves, fulfilling therole of co-soloist. His aggressive style is especiallypotent on “Gotham Rundown”, whereas his brushwork
evokes gentle rain sounds on “Green Paper Tea”.
Holmes, while not often the focal point, is neverthelessa key component of the group chemistry, intertwining
ideas with Lewis or else going his own way in an
independent but parallel manner, sometimes leading,sometimes matching, other times trailing the tenor.
For
more
information,
visit
intaktrec.chandrrgemsrecords.com. Lewis is at Mercury Lounge Jan. 14th
as part of Winter Jazzfest. See Calendar.

The Buzz
Sean Conly (577 Records)by George GrellaThis album from bassist Sean Conly with pianist Leo

Genovese and drummer Francisco Mela is deceptive.
The title and the cover imply some sort of slightly
hectic, stimulating urban experience. Instead, themusic is subdued, though not lethargic; there is quite a
lot of concentration even as the levels of dynamics andactivity stay relatively low. Everything sounds good,
so why in the end does it feel so jejune?
The melody of “The Jake Leg” floats overuntethered harmonies and the deliberate rhythmic
machinery of “In The Stretch” frames Genovese’s airy
freedom; ­­­there is traditional structure underneath thebulk of the music; that means inner freedom andidiosyncrasies, which on a large scale, are held within astrong form. The walls are so firm they can containenormous intellectual and aesthetic force within. Whatensues, instead, is technically accomplished but overly
relaxed, even polite, music-making. The quirks are
predictable: fast against slow, angular versus smooth,playing that is skittering and skating for the sake of it.
At the end, there is the change-up of “Send in the
Clowns” (recorded well before composer Steven
Sondheim’s death). It appears as a modest encore after
the full set, but rather than demonstrate ideas, the trio
just plays, with Conly carrying the melody and it is themost satisfying stretch of music on the album.
This is careful music, every moment clear andoutlined, no one is taking any chances. It is like a childat a playground with a parent around who isconcentrating on their every move, poised to swoop in.
For more information, visit 577records.com. Conly is at
Bushwick Public House Jan. 24th and 31st. See Calendar.

Smooth Free Jazz
Dave Sewelson (Mahakala Music)
by John Pietaro

The artistry of Dave Sewelson, who carries an inborn

zaniness, can be said to have matured with our city’s
Downtown arts movement so there is little surprise that
he as mad prophet would shred the ‘light jazz’ myth.
With Smooth Free Jazz, Sewelson deconstructs theclassic “Nature Boy”, not once, but twice; the uninitiatedmay wish to start with the shorter “Radio Version”. Yet,accusations of heresy wither after one examines the radbohemian life of composer Eden Ahbez. Both takes
incorporate a stunningly authentic Booker T groove via
the very organ-like lap steel guitar of Mike Neer androllicking M.G.s pulse of bassist Dave Hofstra anddrummer Bernice “Boom Boom” Brooks. And Sewelson’s
rusty-gate voice braves comparison to Nat Cole andJohnny Mathis. His vocals are an acquired taste.
“Song Moth”, however, is a lovely, moving
Sewelson melody placed over the spoils of George
Benson’s “Breezin’”, floating airily until the

saxophonist’s unbridled solo, which conjures Albert
Ayler in washing away fetid late ‘70s crossover odor.
“The Moment” better juxtaposes the easy listening andthe avant garde, with its funkier rhythm, scratchiertune and, more so, Sewelson’s improvisation is built on
a distant blues. But it’s “Bill” that is the album’s heart,from Neer’s haunting solo opening and the bottomy
reggae of Hofstra and Brooks. Sewelson’s evocative
horn melody is gripping. With its drunken quality, it
could be part of a David Lynch film score, embodying
the ominous nightclub scene to end all others.
For more information, visit mahakalamusic.com. Sewelson
is at Bushwick Public House Jan. 24th. See Calendar.

UNEARTHED GEM
BEST OF2021

10 10 10
Mujician (Cuneiform)
by Andrey Henkin

J azz has always been a multi-generational endeavor.

This is especially true in the relatively small British
jazz scene, from Tubby Hayes working with John
Stevens in the ‘70s to the more recent pairing ofLouis Moholo-Moholo and Alexander Hawkins. 		
One of the most fruitful of these partnerships
was Mujician: pianist Keith Tippett (1947-2020),
drummer Tony Levin (1940-2011), tenor/sopranosaxophonist and bagpiper Paul Dunmall (born 1953)
and bassist Paul Rogers (born 1956). The band first
convened in 1990—taking its name from what had
previously been a Tippett solo project—andcontinued regularly for the next two decades-plus
through to this final studio recording, which wasmade during a 2010 tour to celebrate Levin’s 70thbirthday and came only a few months before his
passing. It has now been released by Cuneiform, theoutlet for almost all of the quartet’s albums.
The album is two pieces of 25 and 31 minutesin length, titled “10 10 10” (referencing the recordingdate) and “Remember”. Yet, within that prosaic
description is wonderment. Few groups could movefrom energy music-type squalls to the particularly
British form of microscopic free improvisation so
successfully, all while maintaining a highly cogent
awareness of structure and pacing. Sharedexperience both within the group and in otherensembles of course helps birth this kind of intuition.
But also key is the truly unique voices of those
involved, whether Tippett’s ability to make the
piano sound like an orchestra (he did lead several
notable large ensembles over the decades),Dunmall’s mix of folk and fire, Levin’s versatility(playing with almost everyone in British jazz, fromHayes and Humphrey Lyttelton to John Surman andElton Dean) and Rogers’ astonishing virtuosity on
his seven-stringed bass, whether utilizing pizzicato,arco or extended techniques.
It is tempting, with the benefit of hindsight,
to assign special stature to this album as the laststatement of this group but, just as Eric Dolphy
would have moved past Out To Lunch given the
chance, Mujician would have carried on creating theremarkable music only they could.
For more information, visit cuneiformrecords.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 31

Something Wonderful:
Peggy Lee Sings The Great American Songbook
Peggy Lee (Omnivore)by Marilyn Lester

Artist legacy isn’t always easy; greats who have passed

sometimes present a challenge to the living who seek tokeep creative contributions alive and relevant. “Tea forTwo”, for instance, remains universally known, but
composer Vincent Youmans and lyricist Irving Caesar
are hardly household names. On the other side of thecoin is singer Peggy Lee, who died 20 years ago thismonth: she enjoyed a seven-decade career, composed
nearly 300 songs and was fêted royally around hercentenary year of 2020. Now, with radio transcriptions
becoming more available for legacy estates, Lee’s has
issued Something Wonderful: Peggy Lee Sings The Great
American Songbook, a 2-CD, 40-track collection of rare
and some unheard performances from her CBS Radio
Peggy Lee Show (1951-52), restored and remastered byengineer Michael Graves. The set was originally put
together to accompany the 2020 PBS documentary
Fever: The Music of Peggy Lee. Living on in CD form, thisterrific compilation alone demonstrates why Lee, with
her innate capacity of musicianship, exceeded the roleof ‘girl singer’ and gained acceptance as a composer ina man’s world.
With Something Wonderful, a young Lee (she was
31 at the time), sweetly sounding as if she had juststepped off the farm (and a pace away from theseductive siren tone she later cultivated), hosted theshow breezily under the musical direction of Russ Caseand Sonny Burke, with a swinging small, but fulsomesounding, jazz orchestra. Her vocal tone is light andcheery, but make no mistake, Lee’s capacity to swing
and her superb phrasing skills are thoroughly on
display. So is her talent for nuance and subtlety,a particular ability noted by the late jazz critic Nat
Hentoff. Something Wonderful is also a double-whammyof riches; featured are some of Lee’s guests, allstar
songwriters including Johnny Mercer, Hoagy
Carmichael and Frank Loesser, whose vocal
contributions are a joy to hear. Mercer ’s “Ac-cent-tchuate the Positive” and “That Old Black Magic” (with
Harold Arlen) are doubly a treat; Lee’s jazz phrasing
on the latter is backed up by plenty of swing and anunderlay of percussive Latin beats. A medley of“Georgia On My Mind/I Get Along Without You Very
Well/Old Rockin’ Chair/Little Old Lady/Small Fry/Two Sleepy People”, with Carmichael, is a window
into the old-school scripting of such shows before thedominance of television. A duet on Loesser ’s “If I Werea Bell” (from Guys and Dolls) swings the tune a jazz
length away from Broadway.
Of course, Lee’s own work is represented. What
could be considered one of her signature tunes, “It’s a
Good Day” (written with then husband Dave Barbour),is a toe-tapping, bright and super-swinging rendition,complete with bongo drums holding the beat. Also
written with Barbour, “I Don’t Know Enough AboutYou” is a bluesy interpretation, hinting at the sultry
diva to come. PC warning—not for the ‘woke’:“Mañana” (with Barbour) is pure fun, showcasing
Lee’s capacity for humor; with a stage Mexican accent,vocal help from the band and a prominent flute/tin
whistle thread throughout, the tune is a jaunty musicaltrip, performed in an era in which no offense wasallowed. Of course, other major songwriters of the day
are liberally featured in Something Wonderful. Lee’srendition of “I Could Write a Book“ (Richard RodgersLorenz Hart) is delivered as an emotive ballad in alanguorous tempo, a perfect interpretation. From theRodgers-Oscar Hammerstein canon she demonstrates
storytelling ability in the eponymous “Something
Wonderful”. Cole Porter ’s cynical “Just One of ThoseThings” is given a dose of swing with claves keeping
the beat and Lee conveying that essential touch ofworld-weariness through a veneer of flip cheer.
During her career, Lee recorded more than 1,100
masters and over 50 albums. Her radio broadcast
performances number over 800 while TV appearances
clock in at more than 200. Among this immense bodyof work, the 40-track Something Wonderful is a rare peekinto a landscape of Lee riches. The CDs are a superb
way to get to know Lee’s work for the novice and arevel in her nonpareil talent and achievements forestablished fans.
For more information, visit omnivorerecordings.com

sort of off-beat time-changing rag on which Erdmannfollows effortlessly on tenor. “Pascale” a Takase tour deforce dedicated to Erdmann’s wife, entertains a similar
approach, as it opens gorgeously with an original
melody, which starts unhurriedly as though it were a
Houston Person ballad and by the end of the piecemorphs into an intense, accelerating tempo, Takase andErdmann in full sync. On Takase’s “Magic”, played in
5/4 at a blistering pace, soprano reigns supreme as it
navigates changes quickly, after which piano takes it
outside with blistering speed and never lets up. “No
Particular Night or Morning” (a reference to science
fiction novel Fahrenheit 451), another Takase original,
exudes a buoyant ragtime feel while Erdmann’s clever“An jeder Kreuzung liegt eine Erinnerung begraben”
follows logically, its angular melody comprised of nonswinging fast quarter notes played feverishly in unison
and repeated several times after interludes, using
silence effectively as one of its wonders. Erdmann’s“The Cat”, opens with stunning a cappella tenor, joined
halfway through by Takase and ending with a small“meow” from Erdmann’s actual cat. Like its honoree,
the piece is fast, slippery, and, ultimately, sly.
For more information, visit intaktrec.ch and bmcrecords.hu

Auge
Aki Takase/Christian Weber/Michael Griener (Intakt)
Isn’t It Romantic?
Aki Takase/Daniel Erdmann (BMC Records)by Steven Loewy

Pianist Aki Takase, who turns 74 this month, occupies

a unique place in the pantheon of international music,
in the course of several decades having produced afascinating and eclectic collection of music. Whiletackling major projects reinterpreting Fats Waller, Eric
Dolphy, Ornette Coleman and Duke Ellington,
alongside numerous other recordings as a leader in a
broad range of genres, free and composed, Takase’s
latest recordings focus on small groups performing a
mix of original compositions and free improvisations,each reflecting a slightly different side of her work, buteach supplying a series of near-perfect vignettes.
What is striking about Auge is the total command of
all three players, with bassist Christian Weber anddrummer Michael Griener, each of whom has worked
separately with the pianist, meshing singularly as aunit. Takase composed 4 of the 14 short pieces, theothers being freely improvised, yet what is mostconspicuous are the stunning group sound, changes inrhythm and tempo and laser-sharp way in which theplayers anticipate each other’s moves. Each track sports
special delights, with nuance, flexibility, shimmering
beauty and technical prowess holding sway. All of thesecharacteristics occur regularly in pieces averaging onlyaround three minutes apiece, so that in almost John
Zorn-like fashion, one is pulled into a spontaneously
phantasmagoric sound show. Opener “Last Winter”
focuses on sound and silence, with slow, thoughtfullines, followed by Takase’s tumultuous “Drops ofLight”, where bass and drums furiously keep pace withthe pianist as she races to freedom with alacrity. Delights
abound, including fiery closer “The End Justifies theMeans”, in which the pianist, in just over two minutes,
leads the group furiously with breathless intensity. On“Who’s Going to Bell the Cat”, Griener’s forceful solo
seamlessly tails a flowing Takase, leading to scraping
sounds interspersed with contemplative piano. “Facethe Bass” is a wonderful showcase for Griener andWeber, as the tune picks up and all push hard.
The duo of Takase and tenor/soprano saxophonist
Daniel Erdmann on Isn’t It Romantic? is more intimate.
One cannot help but enjoy their version of the Richard
Rodgers title track, which closes the album, the melody
transformed, as Takase knows how to do so well, into a

32 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Afterglow
Enrico Pieranunzi/Bert Joris (Challenge)
by Ken Dryden

Pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and trumpeter/flugelhornist

Bert Joris (who turns 65 this month) are two of Europe’s
most gifted instrumentalists, the former better known
in North America due to his much larger discography
and frequent concerts in the US. But make no mistake,
both can hold their own as performers and composers,
as heard on these delightful duo sessions from 2018.
The Italian and Belgian aren’t exactly strangers,
since they made two earlier CDs together, but this istheir first recorded duo meeting, which puts additional
emphasis on making every note count and letting themusic breathe. It is surprising that Pieranunzi plays
relatively few unaccompanied solos, but he is focusedon the best interpretation of each song.
Both brought in originals and collaborated on two
new works as well, producing outstanding results.
There are many strong melodies within this CD, a fewof which have been previously recorded. The pianist’s“Siren’s Lounge” is an elegant, reflective jazz waltz
inviting comparison to early Bill Evans. The delicate
ballad “Cradle Song For Mattia” is a lyrical lullaby thatputs the focus almost completely on Joris, thecomposer’s sparkling backing providing the perfect
backdrop. Pieranunzi’s “Five Plus Five” changes themood quite a bit, as this rather abstract blues features
some spacey chords behind much of Joris’ solo. The
trumpeter’s engaging “Millie” has a playful AfroCuban
rhythm while the pianist blends in a little gospel flavor
in his solo. Joris switches to flugelhorn for his wistfulballad “How Could We Forget”, a highlight.
The collaborative songs are just as rewarding.
Tense piano chords give the miniature “Freelude”
a mysterious air while trumpet adds a touch of sorrow,capped off by the unresolved ending. Heartfelt ballad“The Real You” closes the CD, Joris returning toflugelhorn, the players’ deft use of space allowing the
melody to blossom.
For more information, visit challengerecords.com

B OXED SE T
BEST OF
2021

Liberation in Swing: The Octave Records Story &Complete Symphony Hall Concert
Erroll Garner (Octave Music-Mack Avenue)
by Scott Yanow

Pianist Erroll Garner, who died 45 years ago thismonth at only 55, had a unique style. Whileacknowledging the influence of Art Tatum, Fats Wallerand Earl Hines, in reality he sounded like no one else.
Self-taught and a bit of a child prodigy (playing on theradio when he was seven), Garner emerged in the jazz
world in 1945. His style fell between swing and bop,
always keeping the melody close by (like Waller) but
he also sounded quite comfortable on a session withCharlie Parker. On faster material, he often achieved anecho effect by hitting chords with both his right and left
hands but with his right playing slightly behind thebeat. He put a great deal of feeling into ballads yet also
displayed an impish sense of humor, delighting instarting out songs with elaborate and abstract
introductions that had nothing to do with the tune,
keeping both the audience and his sidemen (who had
to be very alert) guessing. Garner was one of the

JAN 6–9

fortunate few in that he was able to become a household
name simply by being himself.
After recording (usually with his trio or solo) for
Savoy, Mercury, RCA and Columbia (1950-58), in 1960
Garner, with his champion and manager Martha
Glaser, formed Octave Records. During the remainderof Garner’s life, his recordings were made for Octave
and then leased to other companies such as ABCParamount, Mercury and MGM. Long after his death,the 12 Octave dates were reissued. Now, in this newset, they have been augmented by 12 “new” numbers
from the sessions. All but one are Garner originals
and eight had not otherwise been recorded.
Liberation in Swing is an unusual LP-sized set.
The 60-page booklet includes examples of Garner ’slittle-known skill as a visual artist (with an essay bysinger Cécile McLorin Salvant); a lengthy, fascinating
and superb article about Garner ’s life, complicatedrelationship with Glaser and story of the Octavelabel by Robin D.G. Kelley; many rare photos; andliner notes about the Symphony Hall concert from
drummer Terri Lyne Carrington.
The set also includes four LPs and a download forall of Garner’s Octave recordings. Of the LPs, the first
three comprise his previously unreleased Jan. 17th,
1959 concert at Symphony Hall in Boston. With theaccompaniment of his longtime sidemen bassist Eddie
Calhoun and drummer Kelly Martin, Garner is heard
in top form on 27 songs. He constantly varies the
tempos and moods and, in addition to playing many of
his favorite standards and his one hit “Misty”, performsa few obscure numbers: “Back Bay Stride”, ”Gospel
Mambo”, “Shell Game” and “Moment’s Delight”. The
pianist, who was remarkably consistent throughout
his career (never making an unworthy record),

certainly sounds in a happy frame of mind.
The fourth LP, Sessions, has ten of the 12
previously unreleased numbers. While Garner wrote
over 200 originals in his career, only “Misty” caught
on big. However, several, most notably the assertive
strut “She Walked On”, “Not So Fast”, “Grill On The
Hill” (both uptempo and soulful) and the haunting“By Chance”, are especially worth exploring bymodern pianists. The closing number, titled “Maybe
You’re The One”, is actually the standard “Smile”.
In addition to the LPs, the set grants access todownload versions of the full Octave catalog. In
addition to the dozen “new” selections, some pieces,formerly edited, are available for the first time in fulllength versions. The trio with Calhoun and Martin is
on five of the first six releases (A New Kind Of Loveutilizes an orchestra) while the others, with the
exception of Up In Erroll’s Room, which adds a brasssection, are mostly with a quartet that includes congas.
Mention should be made of two other overlapping
releases recently put out by Mack Avenue. The limited
edition Liberation in Swing: Centennial Collection, in
addition to the four LPs, includes all of the Octave
albums on 12 CDs, a promotional box of five 45-rpm
singles from the Garner archives and a cassette (!) of
the pianist’s final concert, which had never been out
before. Hopefully the singles and the last concert will
someday be available in a more accessible form. And
there is also a single LP, Symphony Hall Concert, which
has 9 of 23 selections from the 1959 performance.
It is fitting Liberation in Swing concludes with
“Smile”. In all of his albums and live performances,
the superb Garner always left one with a smile.
For more information, visit errollgarner.com

JAN 18EMMET COHEN TRIO WITH SPECIAL GUESTS A RALPH PETERSON CELEBRATIONPRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH
JAN 12
WINTER JAZZFESTBIGYUKI SOLO AND
JAN 19–20
YASUSHI NAKAMURA TRIOFRANK WESS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONJAN 13CHICK COREA AFRO-CARIBBEAN
EXPERIENCE WITH ELIO VILLAFRANCA
AND FRIENDSJAN 14

MICAH THOMAS TRIOJAN 15–16

SONGS WE LOVE FEATURING
VUYO SOTASHE, BRIANNA THOMAS,AND SHENEL JOHNSJAN 17VANISHA GOULD AND LUCY YEGHIAZARYAN:IN HER WORDS

JAN 21–23

CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIOJAN 26CHARLES TURNER & UPTOWN SWINGJAN 27–30

DIANE SCHUUR: RUNNING ON FAITH
JAZZ.ORG/DIZZYS
7:30PM & 9:30PM
SUNDAYS 5PM & 7:30PM

212.258.9595
BROADWAY AT 60TH ST.
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 33

IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM 2021êDIED FROM COMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19

LENNART ÅBERGYUL ANDERSONOTTO ANDRAELOUIS ANDRIESSEN
LUBOŠ ANDRŠTRON ANTHONYALAIN ANTONIETTO
MANASSÉS ARAGÃOCARLTON AYLESCOLIN BAILEYCHRIS BARBEREREZ BARNOY
ALEXEY BATASHEVBUNNY BECKDANIEL BENOÎT ê
ANTONÍN BÍLÝPAVEL BLATNÝJUINI BOOTH
JAN BORKOWSKICOLIN BOWDENJACK BRADLEYSÉRGIO BRANDÃOCHRISTIAN BREWERLESLIE BRICUSSETHURSTON BRISCOECHRISTIAN BROECKINGWILLIAM A. BROWERGARNETT BROWNBARON BROWNE
YOLANDE BRUCE
BRIAN BUCHANANOLGIERD BUCZEKFREDDY BÜHLER
FRANCESC BURRULLBARNEY BUSHCARMELO BUSTOSBEN BYNUMENZO CARPENTIERICLAUDE CARRIÈRE
EULIS CATHEYMALCOLM CECIL
FRANCO CERRI
JEFF CHAMBERSEMMETT CHAPMAN
JACQUES CHESNELDENNY CHRISTIANSONLOUIS CIOCIPAULY COHEN ê
BABA DAVID COLEMAN
TINO CONTRERASSHEILA COOPERCHICK COREA
CONRAD CORK
BILL COTTMANEVA COUTAZ
BURRILL L. CROHN
CRISTIÁN CUTURRUFO êJEAN DARKEDAVID DARLINGRICHARD DAUGHERTYRAOUL DE SOUZA
EVERETTE DE VAN
DINO J.A. DEANE
HUBERT DEGEX
JEAN DEMANNEZDAVID DEPALMABUDDY DEPPENSCHMIDT ê
PHIL DIRE
AL DOANE
DOTTIE DODGION
LUIS DUARTEFRANÇOISE DUPASISLA ECKINGERBOB EDMONDSONGARY EDWARDSBENJAMIN ELKINSJIMMY ELLISPEE WEE ELLISPAMELA ESPELAND
CLAUDE ETIENNEMICHAEL EVANSTONY FALCOCHUCK FERTALBOBBY FEWJACK FINE
JOHN FINKBEINERTOM FINLAY
JOHN FIRMIN
HOWARD “KINGFISH” FRANKLINCAROL FREDETTE
DAVE FRISHBERG
CURTIS FULLERROY GAINESCALVIN GANTTBURGESS GARDNERWILLIE GARNETTCHRISTIAN GAUFFRENICKY GEBHARD
HARTMUT GEERKENLEONARD “DOC” GIBBSEBE GILKESPAT GIRAUDINGMAR GLANZELIUS
LOREN GLICKMANKLAUS GÖBELDON GOLD
PEDRO GONÇALVESJÁNOS GONDABILLY GORLTJERRY GRANELLIMILFORD GRAVESBURTON GREENE
TAMMY GREENE
MALCOLM GRIFFITHS
FRANÇOIS GRILLOTROLAND GRÜNBERGGUEMJONAS GWANGA
RUTH CAMERON HADENSLIDE HAMPTONNORBERT HANF
BILL HANNANOBUO HARALARRY HARLOWCORTEZ HARMON, JR.
BARRY HARRIS ê
JON HASSELLTEPPO HAUTA-AHOSPIKE HEATLEY
MAKOTO HIRAHARANORMAN HOGUEPETER HOLLINGERGEORGE HORN ê
ABBI HÜBNER
THEODORE R. HUDSONANTTI HYTTIPETER IND
RALPH IRIZARRYHIROTAKA IZUMICARLTON JACKSONDUFFY JACKSONPAUL JACKSONFRÉDÉRIC JACQUEMINHAKIM JAMINILS JANSENROBERT JANZHOWARD JOHNSONHILL JORDANWALLY KANEWOJCIECH KAROLAKALEXANDER KATZSHIN KAZUHARAMARY KEHL
WERNER KELLERPATRICIA KENNEALYMORRISON
HANS KENNELSIBONGILE KHUMALOJOSKY KIAMBUKUTAJIM KILBURNRAYMOND A. KINGALAIN KIRILIJIM KNAPPBOB KOESTERFRIEDRICH KÖRNER
MIRKA KŘIVÁNKOVÁULRICH KURTHELEKTRA KURTISSAJDA MUSAWWIR LADNERRICK LAIRDWALTER LANGRENÉ LANGELELLIOT LAWRENCEJANET LAWSONMICHEL LE BRISHERVÉ LE LANNDAVID LEE, JR.
LETIERES LEITEVIVIAN LORD
JEREMY LUBBOCKJIM M c AULEY
CLARENCE M c DONALD
STAN M c DONALDGEORGE M c GOWANGAY M c INTYRE
KEITH M c KENDRY
MARILYN M c LEODLLOYD M c NEILLSTEVE MAIN
JUNIOR MANCEBONNY MANZISAM MARABELLA
VLADANA MARKOVIĆ
DON MARQUISAARON MARTIN, JR.
PAT MARTINO
STEPHEN MASKALERISJERZY MATUSZKIEWICZCARLOS MELERO
DUARTE MENDONÇA
PHILIPPE MICOLMANFRED MILLER
WAMBALI MKANDAWIRE êISAAC MKUKUPAJEMEEL MOONDOCBARBARA MOOREJOEY MORANT
GINO MORATTIBOBBY MORRISKATHRYN MOSESCLAUDE MOUTON ê
TONY MOWOD
GEORGE MRAZKLAUS MÜMPFERSHUICHI MURAKAMIBENNY MUSTAFA
SAMMY NESTICOKEITH NICHOLS êERIK NILSSONFRANK O’BRIEN

34 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

RUTH OLAY
DENNIS OWSLEY ê
JOHNNY PACHECO
JEAN-RENÉ PALACIODON PALMERRAYMOND PANDE ê
DEE POP
CLAUDE “DIDI” PATTIRANE
MARIO PAVONE
VICTOR PAZ
ROGER PEMBERTONRICHIE PEREZ êDENISE PERRIERBENNIE PETE
ANDRE PETERSEN êRALPH PETERSONACHIM PILSTONY PITTMIKE POINTONARTHUR POMPOSELLOBOB PORTERBARNEY RACHABANE
BILL RAMSEYIDANG RASJIDI
AUGIE RAYFREDDIE REDDSAM REEDKURT REICHENBACH
AL REICHENBERGER
DEAN REILLYTAPANI RENKONENULI RENNERTGERRY RICEBOB RINGWALDJOE ROBINSONRANDY ROSSBILL ROYSTONMARTEZ RUCKERBOB RUDOLPHKENNY RUPPJOHN RUSSELL
FREDERIC RZEWSKIKEN SALVOWILL SAMUELSBOB SANDSNISSE SANDSTRÖMPHIL SCHAAPCHRISTIAN SCHEUBERAL SCHMITTGARY SCHUNKALEX SCORIERROBBIE SHAKESPEAREJOHN SHERIDAN
AYAKO SHIRASAKINORMAN SIMMONSSONNY SIMMONSBOSSE SKOGLUNDSONIA SLANYKEN SLONE
COURTNEY ISAIAH SMITH ê
STEPHEN SONDHEIM
DOMINIC SPERASAL SPICOLAAL STANWYCKBERNARD STEPIENMICHAEL STILLMANJAMES STINNETT
W. ROYAL STOKES
MACIEJ STRZELCZYKSEBASTIÃO TAPAJÓS
GREG TATEJAMES TATUMBERTRAND TAVERNIER
MABI THOBEJANE
JO THOMPSON ê
SVANTE THURESSONFRANK TIRROHIDEFUMI TOKI
AMEDEO TOMMASIFRANK TOMSTSEPO TSHOLADEEMS TSUTAKAWATIMO VÄHÄSILTAACK VAN ROOYENREINETTE VAN ZIJTVELD-LUSTIGURS VÖGELISTEFAN VON DOBRZYNSKISUNAO WADAYOSHI WADA
ELIOT WADOPIANKARL HEINZ WAHRENCHARLIE WATTS
GEORGE WEIN
ANTHONY WELLERJOSEF WERKMEISTERMARK WHITECAGE
JIM WIDNERPATRICK WILLIAMSTONY WILLIAMSBURT WILSON ê
GABOR WINAND
ANTHONY WOOD
TOM WOUTERSFRANK WRIGHTHUGH WYATTGAIL WYNTERS
AL YOUNG
ERICH ZAWINUL êJULIEN FRANÇOIS ZBINDENDAN ZEILINGER

SLIDEHAMPTONby andrey henkin

Slide Hampton, trombonist and NEA Jazz Master,

who was a triple threat as a bandleader, sideman/collaborator and composer/arranger for myriad big
bands over the decades, died Nov. 18th, 2021 at 89.
Locksley Wellington Hampton was born Apr. 21st,
1932 in Jeannette, Pennsylvania and raised inIndianapolis. He and his 11 siblings were all part of thefamily band, which toured the country, the young
Hampton unusually playing trombone left-handed. He
was working on his own in various bands by the mid‘50s, getting his first break with Maynard Ferguson, forwhom he would also do arranging. As Hampton told
this gazette in 2003, “In the circle that I was raised in,writing and orchestration was part of being a musician.
And to be considered to be a good well-roundedmusician, you learned every aspect…The attitude of
the trombone is all about working together. The idea/
concept of organization is very natural for trombonists.”
Over the next five decades, Hampton would workwith Melba Liston, Randy Weston, Charles Mingus,
Oscar Peterson, Barry Harris, Hank Mobley, Paul
Kuhn, Klaus Weiss, Oliver Nelson, Eddie Jefferson,
Dexter Gordon, Sam Jones, Louis Hayes, Philly Joe
Jones, Reggie Workman, Mickey Tucker, Curtis Fuller,
Mark Murphy, McCoy Tyner, James Newton, Bill
Hardman, George Benson, Claudio Roditi, Robin
Eubanks, Dizzy Gillespie, Monty Alexander, David
Amram, David Hazeltine, James Moody, Killer Ray
Appleton, Jim Hall, Bill Charlap, Roy Hargrove andmany others, amassing an almost equal number ofcredits as a performer and composer/arranger.
Even with all that work, Hampton found time torecord as a leader, with several dozen releases into thenew millennium on Strand, Charlie Parker Records,
Atlantic, Epic, Philips, Barclay, MPS, EMI Pathé,Gazell, Supraphon, Quicksilver, Metronome, Horo,West 54, Enja, Telarc, Criss Cross, Sound Hills, Alleycat
and other labels. He was also a champion of his
instrument, convening multi-trombone ensembles. As
he remarked, “The trombone in the ‘70s wasn’t an
instrument that people even knew…We started off
with probably four, and we played around wherever
we could, and then we added another, and another,
until we had nine.” It makes sense that trombonists
would play well together—the timbre of the instrument
is as agreeable as its players.”
Hampton was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2005,
given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz
Foundation of America in 2021 and won two Grammy
Awards, both for his arrangements, in 1997 and 2004.
He was very optimistic about the future of the
instrument to which he had devoted his life: “It’s avery good future, and not only because of jazz; classicaltrombonists are great...The sound is often being heard
by the public, and as an important instrument.”

PAT
MARTINOby andrey henkin

G uitarist Pat Martino, who had a prolific career oneither side of a career-threatening aneurysm, died Nov.
1st, 2021 at 77 after a long illness.
Martino was born Patrick Azzara in Philadelphia
on Aug. 25th, 1944. He was 18 when he debuted onrecord under the leadership of saxophonist Willis“Gator” Jackson and would appear on many ofJackson’s albums over the next couple of years as wellas on dates by Don Patterson, Trudy Pitts, Eric Kloss
and Jack McDuff, all on Prestige. That label released
his 1967 leader debut, El Hombre, which also saw himchange his name to Martino (there was an earlier
session recorded for but not released by Vanguard).
He would make several more albums over the next
decade, most notably 1968’s Baiyina (The Clear Evidence),
an outing that included a second guitarist in Bobby
Rose and tragic young saxophonist Gregory Herbert,
Indian percussion instruments and a subtitle of“A psychedelic excursion through the magicalmysteries of the Koran”. The final records of his first
period were made in the late ‘70s-1980, both under his
own name and in a return to the groups of Jackson.
In 1980 Martino suffered an aneurysm, losing his
memory and the ability to play guitar. He returned toPhiladelphia, where he began the painstaking processof relearning his instrument. As he told this author in2007 in response to a question about his recovery andbeing defined by the event, “It’s much easier to findcompatibility with all walks of life and individuals ineach of these confronting confrontations physical andpsychological throughout life. And to be able to recoveris something that we share together in general in termsof our species, under these conditions that we areconfronted with in terms of crisis...The years ofrecovery is not the proper way to define it. It’s much
more refined. To go back to the past is a loss, to behonest with you, compared to a refinement and aredefinition, in other words a metamorphosis. So it
wasn’t recovery; it was evolution taking place.”
In 1987, Martino played his first gig in years at
New York City’s Fat Tuesday’s, the recording of which,
The Return (Muse), marked his reemergence. After that
Martino played and recorded regularly over the next
30 years, releasing more albums on Muse as well asBlue Note and HighNote, the latter also releasingarchival sessions from the ‘60s-70s. Martino retired
from performance in 2018 due to chronic illness.
He summed up his journey thusly: “I see the guitar as
multiplication. And I’ve learned it self-taught fromthat perspective. So there are a number of things thatare quite different in terms of the reduction of the
instrument and its technical demands to simplicity as
quickly as possible so that it can reside and take its
place as being second nature, no longer offering any
interference with your intentions.”

EMMETT CHAPMAN (Sep. 28th, 1936
- Nov. 1st, 2021) The guitarist is best
known for inventing his eponymous
Stick, a vertically-oriented guitar, bassor hybrid of the two, played withhammer-on technique and used by
jazzers like Chapman himself, Tony
Levin, Alphonso Johnson, Glen Moore, Trey Gunn,
Jorge Pescara and others. Chapman died Nov. 1st at 85.
DAVE FRISHBERG (Mar. 23rd, 1933 Nov. 17th, 2021) The pianist had albums
on CTI, Concord, Discovery, Audiophile,
Omni Sound Jazz, Fantasy, Arbors,
Gazell, Blue Note and other labels andsideman credits with Sal Salvador, Bud
Freeman, Zoot Sims, Herb Alpert,
Richie Kamuca, Jack Sheldon, Pee Wee Russell, Ken
Peplowski, Bob Wilber and more but is best known as
a composer whose songs have been performed bysingers ranging from Blossom Dearie, Rosemary
Clooney, Shirley Horn and Anita O’Day to Michael
Feinstein, Diana Krall, Stacey Kent and John Pizzarelli.
Frishberg died Nov. 17th at 88.
TEPPO HAUTA-AHO (May 27th, 1941
- Nov. 26th, 2021) The Finnish bassist
worked both in his native country andthe larger international improvisational
scene since the ‘60s, accumulating
credits under Juhani Vilkki, Heikki
Sarmanto, Juhani Aaltonen, Edward
Vesala and Esa Helasvuo, undertaking collaborations
with Jarmo Sermilä, Philipp Wachsmann, Evan Parker,
Barre Phillips, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, Marilyn
Crispell and Ramón López and having membership in
Finnczech Quartet, Trio Nueva Finlandia, Quintet
Moderne, Kellari Trio and other groups. Hauta-aho
died Nov. 26th at 80.
SPIKE HEATLEY (Feb. 17th, 1933 Nov. 10th, 2021) The British bassist was
active since the ‘50s, working withcompatriots like Dill Jones, Vic Ash,
Johnny Dankworth, Tony Coe, Bill Le
Sage, Ronnie Ross, Harold McNair andothers plus visiting Americans such as
Bud Freeman, Ben Webster, Red Rodney and Chris
Connor. Heatley died Nov. 10th at 88.
MAKOTO HIRAHARA (May 2nd,
1952 - Nov. 26th, 2021) The Japanesesaxophonist worked with Shigenori
Ohara, Akitoshi Igarashi, Tomohito
Aoki, Yuji Ohno and Kazumi Watanabeand had a pair of late ‘90s-early ‘00s
albums for Columbia. Hirahara diedNov. 26th at 69.

BARNEY RACHABANE (1946 - Nov.
13th, 2021) The South African
saxophonist had albums on Black
Music, Soul Soul, Jive Afrika and Kaz
and credits since the ‘60s with Chris
McGregor, The Soul Giants, The Roots,
Dollar Brand, Kippie Moketsi, Hugh
Masekela, Darius Brubeck, Basil Mannenberg Coetzee,
Richard “Groove” Holmes, Miriam Makeba and Paul
Simon. Rachabane died Nov. 13th at 75.
STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Mar. 22nd,
1930 - Nov. 26th, 2021) The Broadway
composer had his music covered bydozens of jazz players since the mid‘50s, particularly “Send In The Clowns”
and selections from West Side Story, thelatter with Sondheim’s lyrics to Leonard
Bernstein’s music. Sondheim died Nov. 16th at 91.
ACK VAN ROOYEN (Jan. 1st, 1930 Nov. 18th, 2021) The Dutch trumpeter(and younger brother to fellow
trumpeter Jerry) was active since the‘50s, working with Rita Reys, Kenny
Clarke, The Red and Brown Brothers,
Friedrich Gulda, Hans Koller, Panorama
Sound Orchestra, German All-Stars, Horst Jankowski,
Knut Kiesewetter, Clarke-Boland Big Band, Charly
Antolini, Peter Herbolzheimer, Klaus Weiss, Eugen
Cicero, Eberhard Weber, Joe Haider, United Jazz+Rock
Ensemble, Volker Kriegel, Gil Evans, Barbara
Dennerlein, George Gruntz, Dutch Jazz Orchestra,
Chuck Israels, Paul Kuhn, Martin Wind and others andreleasing albums under his own name for Vibraton,
RCA Victor, MPS, Calig, Mood and Jazzline [see review
on pg. 38]. Van Rooyen died Nov. 18th at 91.
JOSEF “SEPP” WERKMEISTER (1931 Nov.
11th,
2021)
The
Germanphotographer’s images appeared on
dozens of releases from SABA/MPS/
BASF, Enja, EGO, Calig, hatART, Musidisc
and Sonorama from the ‘60s onwards.
Werkmeister died Nov. 11 at 90.
TONY WILLIAMS (Feb. 1941 - Nov.
2021) The British record producer
founded Spotlite in 1970 by reissuing allof Charlie Parker’s Dial sessions, goingon to release further albums from the Dial
catalogue and new music by Americans
like Cecil Payne, Duke Jordan, Al Haig
and others concurrent with Brits Don Rendell, Fingers,
Howard Riley, John Stevens, Mick Pyne, Mike Carr andPeter King. Williams died in November at 80. v

JIM KNAPP (1939 - Nov. 13th, 2021) The
trumpeter, bandleader, composer andarranger and Seattle stalwart wassignificant both as a player, with albums
on ECM, ITM Pacific and Origin [seereview on pg. 36] and work with John
Cage, Anthony Braxton and Jay Clayton,
and as an educator, establishing one of the country’s
first accredited jazz degree programs at Cornish Collegeof the Arts. Knapp died Nov. 13th at 82.
LLOYD McNEILL (Apr. 12th, 1935 Nov. 5th, 2021) The flutist, educator,
poet and painter (who designed the 2009
USPS Kwanzaa stamp) had a handful of
releases on Spoken Arts and his own
Asha, Baobab and New Milford imprints
and credits on a pair of mid ‘70s Dom
Um Romao albums. McNeill died Nov. 5th at 86.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 35

RIP
2021

IN MEMORIAM

It’s not business, it’s personal
Jim Knapp Orchestra (Origin)by Thomas Conrad

The Seattle jazz scene, in the far upper left-handcorner of the national consciousness, is isolated but
vibrant. In its tight-knit community, Jim Knapp was alooming presence: orchestra leader, composer,
arranger, trumpet player, project instigator and mentor.
At Cornish College of the Arts, where he beganteaching in 1971, he created one of the country’s first
four-year accredited jazz degree programs. His deathat 82 on Nov. 13th, 2021 left a gaping hole in thecultural life of the city. The fourth album by the Jim
Knapp Orchestra was recorded in 2009 but not released
until 2021 on Seattle’s Origin label. Knapp died six
days before the street date of It’s not business, it’s
personal. But he held the CD in his hands.
Even knowledgeable jazz people, if they live outside
the Pacific Northwest, are likely to be startled by thisalbum. They will wonder why a composer/arranger socreative and sophisticated is not more famous. (Other
big band leaders do know about Knapp. Maria Schneider
has said, “Jim Knapp’s music…is among the best oforchestral jazz being written these days.”)
Knapp’s sweet spot was lyrical impressionism madefresh by distinctive harmonies and firm by intelligent
craftsmanship. “Afterthought” is representative. It is athrough-composed reverie, under three minutes, without
solos. Its simple cyclical initial figure gradually gathers
additional alluring details through quiet calls and subtle
responses. Pastel colors keep shifting as configurations ofreeds and brass keep realigning.
The other pieces do contain solos. Knapp’s
13-piece ensemble, anchored by Tom Varner ’s French
horn, contains some of Seattle’s best improvisers.
Pieces like “The Presence of Absence” and “GraySkies” (a fitting Seattle theme) share the lyric impulseof “Afterthought”. But they are three times as long,with many more moving parts and with lucid, deep,true solos from alto saxophonist Mark Taylor,
trumpeters Jay Thomas and Brad Allison and pianist
John Hansen. This album is something beautiful that
Jim Knapp left behind.

one of Peterson’s early mentors, this CD is more theproduct of today’s tense times, from COVID-19 toBlack Lives Matter, and a more varied package, the trio
augmented by Jazzmeia Horn’s impressive voice andscat-singing on “Tears” and “Naima” and Eguie
Castrillo’s percussion on “Blue Hughes”. The CD is
originals plus covers of such elders as Bud Powell,
John Hicks and James Williams, emphasizingPeterson’s deep knowledge and respect for the jazz
tradition. Of note also is Zaccai Curtis’ lush ballad“I Want To Be There With You” and Horn’s bonus track“Please Do Something” on the album’s digital version.
There is a sense of unresolved tension between
hope and fate within the two versions of the title track
bookending the album’s Latin (“Blue Hughes” and“Fantasia”), bop (“Bouncing with Bud”), modern(“Jodi” and infectious “Shorties”) and blues influences(“Four Play”). The Curtis Brothers show considerable
maturity and confidence while Peterson delivers amaster class on modern drumming.
It may be easy to be deceived by Brandon
Goldberg’s precociousness—15 at the time of recording
In Good Time—and his prodigious technical skills. Yet
the pianist comes across as a true leader through his
writing and arranging of well-known standards and byleaving ample room for his band, most notably tenor
saxophonist Stacy Dillard. The choice of Peterson andLuques Curtis could not be more revealing ofGoldberg’s respect for his elders, who in turn respondwith taste and generosity to his writing. Among thenoteworthy originals are opener “Authority”, withPeterson’s message on Goldberg’s answering machine
stressing the album’s dedication, medium-tempo
ballad “Time” and uptempo “Ninety-Six” whileinterpretations of Wayne Shorter ’s “Nefertiti”, a trio
take on Thelonious Monk’s “Monk’s Dream” and thesomewhat daring reading of Victor Young-Ned
Washington’s “Stella By Starlight” (Goldberg on
Fender Rhodes) demonstrate the leader ’s love of the
tradition. While there will certainly be more fromGoldberg, Peterson’s presence is already missed.

SE
D

Monday-Saturday, 10:00-6:00

Discernment was recorded at London’s Café Oto almost

drummer Ralph Peterson led or participated in before
his death on Mar. 1st, 2021 at only 58. They showcase
his skill at forcefully driving groups as well as
supporting with the most delicate touch.
Raise Up Off Me is Peterson’s final recording andthe second release by his trio with pianist Zaccai andbassist Luques Curtis. Whereas the first date relied on
postbop themes in paying respect to Walter Davis Jr.,

N

U

EW

236 West 26 Street, Room 804
New York, NY 10001

Discernment
John Butcher, Dominic Lash,John Russell, Mark Sanders (Spoonhunt)
by Stuart Broomer

These albums are among the very last sessions

For more information, visit dominiclash.bandcamp.com

For more information, visit ralphpetersonmusic.net andbrandongoldbergpiano.com. A Ralph Peterson tribute is at
Dizzy’s Club Jan. 18th. See Calendar.

For more information, visit originarts.com

Raise Up Off Me
Ralph Peterson (Onyx Productions)
In Good Time (featuring Ralph Peterson)
Brandon Goldberg (s/r)
by Marco Cangiano

Butcher and Phil Durrant to form the trio News from theShed, later occasionally a quintet, but in either case oneof the essential groups of its era, developing
a quietly yet intensely complex form of collective
improvisation that persists until this day and is evident
in this recording.
Here Russell and Butcher are joined by drummer
Mark Sanders and the younger bassist Dominic Lash,though in no way would the latter two be described asa rhythm section; rather, they are full partners whose
instruments fill out a spectrum of pitches and timbres
in which each musician is fully engaged. There are
essentially two pieces here. The first “Discerning 1 - 2 3” is a single 22-minute piece with track choices tofocus on its segments; the second, “Discerning”, is 17
minutes. Densities ebb and shift throughout and theinitial listening could focus on how instruments are
blending; one notes those stretches when an instrument
has wandered so far from its typically assigned soundor patterns as to have become something else, whether
drums and cymbals blurring into guitar or tenor closing
in on arco bass, which may blur as well with guitar.
It is a singular act of creative music-making,wholly collective in its processes, neither insistently
emotional or intellectual, more an act of imaginativetransference in which listeners, live or listening to the
document, are key participants in the assemblage ofrelations and meanings within the group act. The
sounds, arising through and into one another, could
never be achieved with mimicry; heightened empathy
and common cause are the only explanations. Midway
through “Discerning”, when Butcher has turned
largely to whistling, the others seem to have become akind of floor sweeping, a pattern of light abrasions.

exactly a year before the death, at 66 on Jan. 18th, 2021,
of guitarist John Russell, to whom the recording isdedicated. Appropriately, it is an ideal instance of the
English school of free improvisation, insofar as any
verbal description will make it seem like every otherinstallment in the idiom’s recorded history while in its
actual realization and listening, it is utterly itself. Russell
was Derek Bailey’s finest pupil, in part because he neversounded like Bailey and in part because he brought thesame kind of invention to the classic acoustic archtop
guitar to which he was even more dedicated, eschewing
the electric from early in his career until the last decade,when work with the massed ensemble of the Evan Parker
Electro-Acoustic Ensemble or a duet with fellow guitarist
Thurston Moore would dictate more volume andfeedback resistance than a mere acoustic pick-up could
provide. Early in the ‘80s, Russell joined with John

36 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Tel: 212-675-4480
Fax: 212-675-4504
Email: jazzrecordcenter@verizon.net
Web: jazzrecordcenter.com
LP’s, CD, Videos (DVD/VHS),Books, Magazines, Posters,
Postcards, T-shirts,
Calendars, Ephemera
Buy, Sell, Trade
Collections bought
and/or appraised
Also carrying specialist labels
e.g. Criss Cross, ECM, Enja, ESP,
Fresh Sound, High Note, Pi, Savant,Sunnyside, Venus and many more.

RIP
2021

Live at The Bopshop (In Memory of Mark Whitecage)
The Nu Band (Not Two)by John Sharpe

O ne of the most productive outlets for reedplayerMark Whitecage in the latter part of his career was
The Nu Band, an egalitarian outfit completed by bassist
Joe Fonda, drummer Lou Grassi and latterly German
trumpeter Thomas Heberer, following the 2014 deathof Roy Campbell. Whitecage died on Mar. 7th, 2021 at
83 and this vibrant live recording from Rochester ’s
famed Bop Shop Records may be his final release. The
cooperative nature of the unit is signaled firstly by
writing credits shared across the band, but then moreemphatically by the practiced group interplay nomatter the author.
After the almost ritual opener “Prayer For The
Water Protectors”, Whitecage’s alto saxophonesoliloquy, replete with woozy slurs and husky
multiphonics, sets up his “The Five O’Clock Follies”,
a freebop piece exploding out of the gate and serving
as an introduction to the rest of the band who each geta slot. There is an especial joy in their exuberant
expression, which even sneaks into the crevices andvortices between the notated elements here andelsewhere, as if they just cannot stop themselves.
Fonda personifies infectious swing, which comes witha melodic overlay, while Heberer exploits thecapabilities of his quarter-tone trumpet to the full,
expanding the textural palette of the group, but also
bringing a whiff of pre-bebop styles, meat and drink
for Grassi, a free jazz veteran who also helmed a
Dixieland group, who consequently solos without any
dissipation of momentum whatsoever.
Collective discourse forms the band’s stock in
trade, catalyzed by charts offering keen wit, upended
expectations and memorable themes. On Fonda’s“Christophe And Ornette”, after scene-setting
atmospheric exotica, clarinet spirals in duet withtrumpet, until both become more voice than instrument.
Although the interweaving horns form a winning trait,
Whitecage enjoys fine moments in his own rightthroughout, capped by his impassioned alto preaching,affirmed by Heberer ’s amens on Grassi’s “Dark Dawn
In Aurora”, a dirge with a hopeful spring in its step.
His penchant for blending inside and outside is sharedby his bandmates and, together with a leave-it-all-onthe-field ethos, makes this a thoroughly engaging
listen and a worthy tribute to an undersung talent.
For more information, visit nottwo.com. This band is atMichiko Studios Jan. 21st. See Calendar.

LIVE
Chick Corea Akoustic Band (Concord)by Brian CharetteEvery Generation X jazz kid went crazy for the first

Chick Corea Akoustic Band album in 1989. The tunes,interplay and sound all were at a level matched only

by another benchmark Corea trio recording, Now He
Sings, Now He Sobs. The album made bassist John
Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl stars and set the
new standard for jazz piano trio recordings.
LIVE, recorded in 2018 at the start of a tour, is thefirst outing in over 20 years for the iconic group. The
album has two discs’ worth of great standards andclassic originals. “Morning Sprite”, one of the group’s
most beloved numbers, sets the tone for the sides,
which is decidedly more meditative and less chopsoriented than the group’s debut. “In a Sentimental
Mood” has a lovely piano intro, as do many of thepieces here, and the arrangement has a few unusual
harmonic motions and cool rhythmic figures Patitucci
and Weckl get to work out on with each chorus. On“Humpty Dumpty” Weckl trades with the trio with
understated fills just hinting at his brutal technique,letting it out in tiny flashes to let you know it is still
there but is otherwise smoothly subtle.
Disc Two opens with the familiar “On Green
Dolphin Street”, the arrangement working one noteagainst the moving chords in a “One Note Samba” sortof way. Corea’s melodic motives are tiny building
blocks he turns over and backwards to get out all of thejuice. “You and the Night and the Music” gets an extra
two bars added to its slick samba. “You’re Everything”,
from the second Return to Forever album Light as a
Feather, has Corea joined by wife Gayle Moran. The
couple are very cute with her complementing his intro
and jokes about how hard the song is to sing.
This is an historic performance made even morepoignant by the loss of Corea, who died Feb. 9th, 2021
at 79. If you are a fan of the debut from this group,
get this great album and marvel at the difference inapproach.

excuse me, Chairperson of the Board’s boisterous
swagger into the mostly mellow proceedings. “I Get
Along Without You Very Well” finds a little influenceof Linda Ronstadt creeping into Barnett’s phrasing.
Here, Nestico’s setting for the vocals is tender without
being fussy or precious. Barnett brings tenderness anda bit of reticence to “You Don’t Know What Love Is”,
which sidesteps coyness, while Nestico’s slyly zestfulorchestral setting evokes his old boss. “You’ve
Changed” is nominally a sad song but Barnett delivers
it with sass reflecting hard-won wisdom, like she isleaving the bum instead of feeling sorry for herself.
Nestico’s settings for these well-known tunes
gives them a jolt of freshness. He was certainly no
minimalist yet let the songs breathe, their framing
never sounding too hyper or labored. Whether Barnett
has become a jazz vocalist with this platter is subject tointerpretation, but, taken on its merits, this Star indeed
shines, with candlepower to spare.

For more information, visit concord.com. A Chick Coreatribute is at Rose Theater Jan. 13th-14th. See Calendar.

79, the jazz world lost not only one of its great souljazz organists but also one of its most original
characters, known for his long white beard and colorfulturbans and for adopting the honorific “Dr.” despite
having no advanced degree.
Smith’s 2021 release for Blue Note, a label hereturned to recently after a nearly 50-year hiatus, isa mostly live date, recorded in 2017 during his 75thbirthday celebration at New York’s Jazz Standard. The
Hammond B-3 master with his regular trio of guitarist
Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Johnathan Blake,
along with a horn section of John Ellis and Jason
Marshall (saxophones), Sean Jones (trumpet) andRobin Eubanks (trombone), expertly covers tunes from
Smith’s songbook including jovial “Bright Eyes”,
gently grooving “Too Damn Hot” and spacey “Track9”, plus a funky hip-hop-infused version of Thelonious
Monk’s “Epistrophy”. The trio takes center stage on
the moody, slowly building “While the World Weeps”,
with Smith and Kreisberg contributing expansive
solos, while guest vocalist Alicia Olatuja is featured ona powerful reading of the gospel-tinged “Pilgrimage”.
Throughout, Smith showcases his technical prowess
and versatility, alternating between growling, greasy
funk and more sweeping, ethereal improvisations.
The six live tracks are bookended by two studioones pairing Smith and his trio with, of all people,
punk-pioneer Iggy Pop, who trades in his usual manic
vocals for a subdued, world-weary crooner style on
surprisingly effective covers of the R&B classic “WhyCan’t We Live Together” and Donovan’s flower-power
era “Sunshine Superman”. The collaboration is not as
unlikely as it may first seem, given that Pop has
recently made some jazz-flavored albums and Smith
has performed in rock settings for years (recording apair of Jimi Hendrix tributes in the ’90s and covering
Blood, Sweat and Tears hit “Spinning Wheel” way backin 1970). It is a rewarding partnership, bolstering
Smith’s status as a true jazz iconoclast and underscoring
how deeply this adventurous artist will be missed.

Every Star Above
Mandy Barnett (Melody Place)by Mark Keresman

Billie Holiday’s 1958 album Lady In Satin was one ofher final recordings. Recorded with lush orchestral
accompaniment, some maintain it is among her finest
work while others proclaim it a last desperate gasp ofa great vocalist whose powers, for various reasons,
were on the wane. Either way, the album is intertwinedwith her mythical and tragic legend.
Emerging in the early ‘90s, Mandy Barnett
established herself as a singer in the tradition ofcountry legend Patsy Cline. With Every Star Above,
Barnett interprets the iconic Holiday date with fullorchestral accompaniment and, for the most part, it isa winner. At no point does Barnett try to evoke Holiday
vocally or stylistically, instead singing in her natural,
supple alto.
Every Star Above features arrangements by Sammy
Nestico, who died Jan. 17th, 2021 at 96 and is best
known for his work with Count Basie from 1967-84.
They are deft and subtle, drawing attention to thesongs, not themselves, distinguished by muted
grandeur. The overall tone is one of melancholy andreflection, with a few swinging passages for spice.
The album begins with “But Beautiful”, whichshimmers like a mirage, Barnett singing with grace,
hope and wisdom, Nestico’s setting judiciously lush.
“For Heaven’s Sake” inserts a dose of Chairman…

For more information, visit mandybarnett.com

BreatheDr. Lonnie Smith (Blue Note)
by Joel Roberts

W hen Lonnie Smith passed away Sep. 28th, 2021 at

For more information, visit bluenote.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 37

RIP
2021
BEST OF
2021

Isabella
Mario Pavone/The Tampa Quartet (Clean Feed)
Blue Vertical
Mario Pavone (Out Of Your Head)by Robert Iannapollo

Bassist Mario Pavone passed away May 15th, 2021 at

80 after a 17-year bout with cancer. He had a 50-plusyear career and made exceptional music right up to theend. His first notable work with Paul Bley’s late ‘60s
trio paved the way to groups with vibraphone player
Bobby Naughton and reedplayer Mark Whitecage. He
founded his own label (Alacra) in 1979 and released
several well-received albums throughout the ensuing
decade. 1985’s Sharpeville (rereleased by Playscape in2000) is one of his best. He continued to record, leadgroups and perform with Anthony Braxton, Wadada
Leo Smith, Thomas Chapin and others. A recordingfrom 2007 saw him reunite with Bley in a trio date.
These two albums mark Pavone’s last recordings.
In 2020, his granddaughter Isabella, passed away at 23.
Both albums are dedicated to her and share six
compositions. Rather than somber, the mood is mostly
energetic, bright and defiant. The title track however
sounds like a meditation on loss and love and issensitively rendered in both versions by all participants.
Isabella finds him leading the Tampa Quartet withhis guitarist son (Isabella’s dad) Michael, alto
saxophonist Mike DiRubbo and frequent rhythm
section mate Michael Sarin. It is a great quartet. Alleight pieces are by the bassist and bear his lively,knotty compositional trademarks. One of the moststriking is “Good Treble”, with a bass/drums midsection demonstrating how well Pavone and Sarin
work together. Pavone fils and DiRubbo vindicate
themselves well throughout with meaty solos.
Blue Vertical is with the Dialect Trio of pianist Matt
Mitchell and drummer Tyshawn Sorey with whom
Pavone recorded two well-received albums. The “+ 1”
is trumpeter Dave Ballou, who also does the arranging
on both albums. He is an excellent addition, his playing
edgy and spiky but with a warm sound and he exults
in probing this material. Mitchell’s voicings are one of
the highlights of the disc as is Sorey’s subtly shaded,
open drumming.
Both of these are excellent recordings and thegroups respond to the material in an exemplary,
exploratory fashion. The material calls for it. This
music is among the finest of Pavone’s lengthy career.

Sweden with Rolf Ericson and Ernestine Anderson andrecorded his San Francisco Suite in 1957 for Riverside. He
gained his greatest fame in 1960 when he wrote themusic and acted in the stage production of The
Connection, also appearing in the film version andrecording the music from the show both for Blue Noteand (under a pseudonym) for Felsted. Two other Blue
Note albums resulted although the third was notreleased for decades. After that, Redd lived in Denmarkand France for a dozen years and spent time back on
the West Coast. During the 1962-2008 period, he only
appeared on five records with just two (one apiece for
Uptown and Milestone) being for American labels.
Tenor saxophonist Brad Linde found Redd living in
California in 2009 and worked with him occasionallyduring the next few years. On Jan. 24th-25th, 2013 inBaltimore, Linde recorded the then-84-year old pianist in
two settings. Reminiscing consists of eight previously
unrecorded Redd originals. Most of the selections are bya quintet with both Linde and Brian Settles on tenor,
bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Matt Wilson;
two songs have Sarah Hughes on either alto or sopranoin Settles’ place. The performances are consistently
relaxed (only “Blues X” comes close to a cooking pace)with Redd, a classic bebop pianist but with his own voice,not taking any more solo space than most of his sidemen.
The highlights include the joyful “Oh! So Good”,
melancholy “Shadows”, swinging “Blues Extra” andwarm jazz waltz “Once In A Lifetime”.
Bassist Butch Warren (1939-2013) was a busy
sideman during 1960-64 when he was a regular on Blue
Note sessions and worked with Kenny Dorham, Dexter
Gordon and Thelonious Monk among others. Warren
was off records (with one exception) altogether during
1965-2009 and considered lost to heroin addiction andmental illness. However in his later years he played onan occasional basis in the Washington D.C. area andmade a few obscure recordings. For Baltimore Jazz Loft,recorded on the same day as the second part ofReminiscing, no rehearsals took place. While Warren(who sounds fine both as a swinging accompanist anda soloist) is the leader, Redd is the solo star during theinformal and very spontaneous set. The group with
Wilson and occasionally Linde performs two standards,
a pair of Redd blues and four likable if fairly basic
originals by Warren; “Barack Obama” is a light Latinpiece while “I Remember Monk” is an exotic-sounding
minor blues. Baltimore Jazz Loft features Redd (who had
two SteepleChase albums in the future) and Warren(heard on his last recording) in top form.
For more information, visit bradlinde.com

For more information, visit cleanfeed-records.com andoutofyourheadrecords.com

90
Ack van Rooyen (Jazzline)
by Andrey HenkinAnyone with even a passing knowledge of European
Reminiscing
Freddie Redd (Bleebop)
Baltimore Jazz Loft
Butch Warren/Freddie Redd (Bleebop)
by Scott Yanow

Pianist Freddie Redd, who died Mar. 17th, 2021 at 92,

had an episodic career often spent in obscurity. He grew
up in New York, was self-taught and made his recording
debut in 1950 with Tiny Grimes’ Rockin’ Highlanders.
Redd had his first trio date as a leader in 1955, toured

jazz has come across Dutch trumpeter Ack van Rooyen,
who died Nov. 18th, 2021 at 91. He was active since themid ‘50s, amassing hundreds of credits on the continentand beyond, especially in big bands. And his longcareer allowed him to dip his horn into various styles
of jazz, from the bebop of his youth to fusion as part of
the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble. He was also active asa leader since the ‘60s, releasing albums for Vibraton,
RCA Victor, MPS, Calig, Mood and other labels.
Van Rooyen was six months into his 90th year
when he made this final album, which is a remarkable

38 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

testament to his longevity. Like many trumpeters of hisage, by this point van Rooyen had long dedicatedhimself to the mellower, more forgiving flugelhorn
and filled his bands with far younger players who
could energize him. Even the oldest here, Dutch
guitarist Peter Tiehuis, was born after van Rooyen had
turned professional and the youngest, German tenor
saxophonist Paul Heller, could have been van Rooyen’s
grandson. The rest of the quintet is filled out by
German pianist Herbert Nuss, German bassist Ingmar
Heller and Dutch drummer Hans Dekker. All but
Tiehaus had previously recorded with the leader.
The music comprises two Heller originals; a pairof traditional pieces from the Dutch and Danish folk
canons; jazz and Great American Songbook pieces
from Michel Legrand, Jim Hall and Jule Styne; a ‘60s
bossa nova from Edu Lobo; and, opening the album,
a composition by van Rooyen’s United Jazz+Rock
Ensemble section mate Kenny Wheeler. The feel isrelaxed and tasteful, the atmosphere congenial and if
you didn’t know van Rooyen and the album was titledsomething else, you would never believe he was 90.
For more information, visit jazzline-leopard.de

Live at Pio’s
Ben Webster (Enja-Pure Pleasure)by Thomas Conrad

The greatest pianists (say, Bill Evans or Oscar Peterson)

inspire awe. With pianists in the second echelon (say,Wynton Kelly or Red Garland or Tommy Flanagan),
you can have a more personal relationship. JuniorMance was in the second echelon. Maybe even thethird. He played gut-level-honest blues-based pianowith a silken touch. You can listen to a Mance record in
the morning, afternoon or night. It will always improveyour quality of life. He died on Jan. 17th, 2021. It was agift that he lived to 92 and kept playing almost to theend. He is unobtrusively beautiful on Live at Pio’s. His
introductions (like on “Pennies from Heaven”) andsolos and spot-on comping come from a once deep
wellspring of the jazz art form that is now nearly dry.
But this is a Ben Webster album. It was recorded ata lounge in Providence, Rhode Island in early 1964
shortly before Webster moved to Europe, where hespent his last decade. In the hands of a master stylist,
style is not an adjunct to the art. Style is the art. Webster
was identifiable in three notes. No one else ever playedtenor saxophone with that particular gruff, gritty
breathiness. That sound could express a vast range ofhuman experience. His nickname was “The Brute”, but
he was capable of nuanced, delicate melodic invention.
He was 54 in early 1964 but he sounds younger
here than on the European recordings that soon
followed. The hard-working rhythm section (bassist
Bob Cranshaw and drummer Mickey Roker) pushes
Webster, who cruises through brisk tunes like “Sunday”
and “Cookin’ for T”. “Gone with the Wind”, in a
medium tempo, is classic Webster. He caresses the
melody with the strong, calloused hands of tough-love.
“How Long Has This Been Going On?” is the only
ballad. Webster ’s timing with ballads was sublime.
With consummate patience, he lingers and hesitatesover every fresh element of the melodic narrative.
Every time he finally resolves each phrase, there isa sense of fulfillment and release.
For more information, visit purepleasurerecords.com

(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)TNYCJR: On a similar note, is there anyone you wish
to work with that you haven’t already?
WM: I am open for new adventures and don’t havea list of people I want to work with. But, in my fantasy,
I would have loved to play with Joni Mitchell andMiles Davis.
TNYCJR: Do you think being a musician today means
anything different than a few centuries ago?
WM: I feel that a few centuries ago, you had to be ofa certain class, race and gender to even be considered.
In that way, it is more open now. At the same time,
we also live in a time of shorter attention spans and somuch information that a good musician can beoverlooked or undervalued easily.
TNYCJR: What is the most meaningful comment
someone has ever made about your music?
WM: Whenever I realize that there are people out there
who live with my music, I am incredibly motivated togive them the best I can give. To have listeners is sovaluable. However, I believe that it is healthy not tolisten too much to comments about your own music
and just keep going with it.
TNYCJR: If you could travel back in time and meetyourself when you were just starting out as aprofessional musician, what would you say to yourself?
WM: I would say: “Go for it and have fun.” v
For more information, visit wolfgangmuthspiel.com.
Muthspiel is at The Jazz Gallery Jan. 27th-28th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Paul Motian and The Electric Bebop Band—
Reincarnation of a Love Bird
(JMT—Winter&Winter, 1994)• Wolfgang Muthspiel—Perspective (Amadeo, 1996)• Christian Muthspiel/Wolfgang Muthspiel—Echoes of Techno (Material, 2000)• Wolfgang Muthspiel—Solo (Material, 2004)• Wolfgang Muthspiel/Larry Grenadier/
Brian Blade—Driftwood (ECM, 2013)• Wolfgang Muthspiel—Angular Blues (ECM, 2018)(LEST WE FORGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)
at Bradley’s in 1988: “Sunday night was usually reservedfor horn players with the trio, which served as anopportunity to ask Frank to play with us. We played
there three times from 1989 to 1990. From developingthat relationship, he started to use me on his own gigs.
I played sporadically with him over the years, maybe
up to three dates a year up until the time he died, mostly
in quartets and a couple of big bands. There was amemorable Jazzmobile at Grant’s Tomb that was a
tribute to Dexter Gordon with Jimmy Heath and Frank
Wess. I prepared a lot of Dexter’s music that they played
together. I made a couple of records with Frank and hehad a nonet that played at Dizzy’s, where I contributed
a couple of arrangements and he did a number of themand Scott Robinson and Dennis Mackrel. That’s what
we’re going to recreate in January.”
Flutist Holly Hofmann met Wess during the ‘90s:“When I would study with him in NYC, he took me tojam sessions and made sure I knew all the usual tunes[i.e., tough Charlie Parker tunes at brisk tempos]. He
often played with me at the sessions, which helped meso much with nerves!” Hofmann had no clue that her
friendship with Wess would lead somewhere. “In thelate ‘90s and early 2000s he would come to my gigs in

New York. At Birdland one night, where I was playing
with Mike Wofford, Ray Brown and Victor Lewis, hesaid, ‘Baby girl, you stole all my shit! But you made itsound so good, I’m stealin’ the shit back!’ At that same
gig, when Ali Ryerson and I were standing on eitherside of him at the bar, he thought we should have aband with the three of us. Flutology was born thatnight and after recording the album at Nola a year
later, with the great rhythm section of Mike Wofford,
Peter Washington and Ben Riley, we had theopportunity to tour together. When greeting theaudience on stage, he liked to say, ‘This frontline is aflute sandwich and I’m the meat!’”Ryerson also fondly remembers him: “Frank used
to talk about the young lions who’d stop by his gigs to
sit in. Wanting to impress, they’d play really fast, trying
to fit in as many notes as possible on every chorus.
Frank used to say, ‘He never met a note he didn’t like!’
On all our gigs with Flutology, I remember thinking
I could listen to Frank all night. I especially loved how
he would begin each solo, he always took his time.
Listening to one of the cats who practically invented thelanguage, it was like getting a jazz lesson on every gig.”
Wess continued to be in demand in his later years.
He spent a decade as the first-chair tenor saxophonist in
the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and played in the Dizzy
Gillespie Alumni Big Band. Wess was named a National
Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2007. He also
recorded CDs as a leader or co-leader for Concord Jazz,
Chiaroscuro, Koch Jazz and IPO. Wess died from a heart
attack at 91 in New York City on Oct. 30th, 2013. v

THE NEW YORK CIT Y

JAZZ RECORDBEST OF 2021

DAHVEED BEHROOZI ECHOSSSC 1618

UP & COMERS - MUSICIANS OF THE YEARHONORABLE MENTION - BEST NEW RELEASESA Frank Wess Centennial Celebration with Robinson, Weissand others is at Dizzy’s Club Jan. 19th. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Count Basie—E=MC 2 (The Atomic Mr. Basie)(Roulette, 1957)• Count Basie—And The Kansas City 7 (Impulse, 1962)• New York Jazz Quartet—In Concert in Japan(Salvation-CTI, 1975)• Frank Foster/Frank Wess—Frankly Speaking(Concord, 1984)• Frank Wess Quartet—Surprise, Surprise! (Live at the
1996 Floating Jazz Festival) (Chiaroscuro, 1996)• Frank Wess—Magic 101 | Magic 201 (IPO, 2011)(LABEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11)
The last few years have seen the organization
working to open new physical spaces in both of its
cities of operation, although the efforts have beenstymied by the pandemic. The 945 ArtSpace opened in
San Francisco in January of 2020 with a concert by Iyer
and saxophonist Hafez Modirzadeh before having to
shutter its box office. They are yet to reopen the facility,
but as of press time performances were being plannedat the city’s Asian Art Museum. And Aoki expects toannounce the opening of a new space on Chicago’s
northwest side early this year, under the name “Asian
Improv Arts Midwest Building”. The facility won’t be
used for concerts but will offer space for rehearsals,
workshops and lessons for people in the artistic andracial communities they have worked to bring together.
A new album on the label, featuring Wong playing
with AACM saxophonists Bowden and Ed Wilkerson,
along with Bay Area players, is slated for the spring.
True to the movement philosophy, Wang said hewants to see the label grow, but even more so he hopes
to see AIA provide a model and inspiration for otherartists outside the established artistic and melaninmainstream to create their own opportunities andbuild their own communities. “It is generative,” hesaid. “Artists can come and be part of our label, butthey can also start their own.” v
For more information, visit asianimprov.org

TODD COCHRAN TC3
THEN AND AGAIN - HERE AND NOW
SSC 1608

HONORABLE MENTION - BEST NEW RELEASESTHOMAS HEBERER THE DAY THAT IS
SSC 1637

HONORABLE MENTION - BEST NEW RELEASES

www.sunnysiderecords.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 39

CALENDAR
Saturday, January 1• Kendrick Scott Corridors with Walter Smith III, Reuben Rogers

		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks
		Bond 45 8 pm $25• PAKT: Percy Jones, Alex Skolnick, Kenny Grohowski, Tim Motzer
		
Iridium 8:30 pm $30
êFalkner Evans solo
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Bob Lanzetti with Ross Pederson, Matt Aronoff, Justin Stanton		Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 8:30 pm $12êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Birdland Big Band with Nicole Zuraitis

		
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40• Gabrielle Stravelli
Birdland Theater 9:30 pm $30• Chris Botti with Sy Smith, Caroline Campbell, Veronica Swift, Andy Snitzer,
Holger Marjamaa, Leonardo Amuedo, Reggie Hamilton, Lee Pearson		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $95
êDezron Douglas Quartet with guest Tai Allen		
Chelsea Table & Stage 5 pm $32• Paul Shapiro’s Ribs & Brisket with Cilla Owens, Eleanor Reissa
		City Winery 12 pm $29• Michael Weiss Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• V.Shayne Federick 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Jonathan Beshay
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20
êChris Potter Quartet with Craig Taborn, Scott Colley, Marcus Gilmore		Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, January 4

		Lowlands 8 pm
• Jim Ridl/Pete Bernstein
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Cat Rivers
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Kendra Shank, Gary Versace, Dean Johnson
		Pangea 7 pm $25• Harlem Jam Session led by Peter Brainin		Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $12êSheryl Bailey
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20
êZoh Amba/Vijay Iyer
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch Trio with Drew Gress, Jochen Rueckert and The Crosby Street String Quartet
		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Zinc Bar 8:30, 10:45 pm• Marta Sanchez Trio with Michael Formanek, Kayvon Gordon

		Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êBill Charlap solo
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êKendrick Scott Corridors with Walter Smith III, Reuben Rogers
		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks
		Bond 45 8 pm $25• Micah Thomas Trio with Dean Torrey, Kayvon Gordon
		Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Viv Corringham, Marcus Cummins, Dave Mandl, Steve Moses; Patrick Brennan,
Hilliard Greene, Michael TA Thompson
		
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30, 7:30 pm• Happy Trio XVIII: Kevin Sun, David Wong		
Lowlands 7:30, 9 pm
• Fleurine
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Tyler Mitchell
Smalls 10:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch Trio with Drew Gress, Jochen Rueckert and The Crosby Street String Quartet
		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, January 2êArturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra		
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30• Gabrielle Stravelli
Birdland Theater 9:30 pm $30• Chris Botti with Sy Smith, Caroline Campbell, Veronica Swift, Andy Snitzer,
Holger Marjamaa, Leonardo Amuedo, Reggie Hamilton, Lee Pearson		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $95• Ray Gallon Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10êTeri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon		
Entwine Wine Bar 7, 8, 9:15 pm• Welf Dorr, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Treut		
The Keep 9 pm
• Todd Coolman
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Willie Alexander III
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Roz Corral Trio
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Glenn Crytzer Quartet
Press Room at Alamo Drafthouse 6:30 pm• Mimi Jones and Friends
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6 pm $15• Tad Shull; Aaron Johnson
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20
êChris Potter Quartet with Craig Taborn, Scott Colley, Marcus Gilmore		Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, January 5êBilly Drummond Trio with Micah Thomas, Dean Torrey		
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Brooklyn Boogaloo
Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band		
Birdland 5:30 pm $30
êDee Dee Bridgewater/Bill Charlap Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $50
êFrank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Jimmy Bruno, Harvie S, Vince Cherico and guest
Paul Bollenback
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30• Zach Brock, Eric Harland, Mark Lettieri, Justin Stanton, Jonathan Maron		
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25• Brandon Lee Quartet
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Brandi Disterheft; Jennifer Jade Ledesna		The Django 7, 10 pm

Monday, January 3êMax Johnson Trio with Anna Webber, Mike Sarin

		• Steven Feifke Trio

• Raf Vertessen, Will Greene, Jesse Heasly

Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30

Thursday, January 6• Arnt Arntzen
Barbès 7 pm $20• Miss Maybelle and The Jazz Artistes with Charlie Judkins, Brian Nalepka				Barbès 10 pm $20
êDee Dee Bridgewater/Bill Charlap Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $50
êLew Tabackin Trio with Boris Kozlov, Jason Tiemann and guests
		Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30• DJ Logic and Friends with Karl Denson, MonoNeon, Adam Deitch		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Spike Wilner Quartet
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Emmet Cohen Trio with Russell Hall, Kyle Poole		
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35
êPat Martino Tribute: Rick Germanson Trio with Gerald Cannon; Peter Bernstein,
Dave Stryker, Mark Whitfield, Paul Bollenback, Eric Alexander, Pat Bianchi,
Carmen Intorre
The Django 7, 10 pm• Pedrito Martinez
Drom 8 pm $30
êJoel Ross’ Being A Young Black Man		
The Jazz Gallery 7:30 pm $30-40• Claudia Acuña
Joe’s Pub 7 pm
• Asen Doykin
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• House of Jade: Vuyo Sotashe, Jenn Jade, Benny Benack III, Irwin Hall, Mathis Picard,
Russell Hall, Bryan Carter
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êJames Carney Quartet with Ravi Coltrane, Kim Cass, Allan Mednard; Noah Garabedian		
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10• Isaiah Collier; David Gibson
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Counter)Induction: Kyle Bartlett, Douglas Boyce, Miranda Cuckson, Benjamin Fingland,Daniel Lippel, Jessica Meyer, Ryan Streber, Caleb van Der Swaagh, Ning Yu		Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êZoh Amba, Caroline Davis, Brian Chase		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch Trio with Drew Gress, Jochen Rueckert and The Crosby Street String Quartet
		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

January 2022 Shows

Natu Camara (w/ DJ Henri)City Winery
Thu, Jan 6 - 8pm

Simon Shaheen
Kaufman Music Center
Fri, Jan 21 - 8pm

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Symphony Space
Sat, Jan 29 - 7:30pm

www.worldmusicinstitute.org
The Best in Music and Dance from Around the World
40 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Friday, January 7• Moses Patrou Dive Bomber Organ Trio		Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10• Birdland Big Band
Birdland 5 pm $30
êDee Dee Bridgewater/Bill Charlap Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $50
êLew Tabackin Trio with Boris Kozlov, Jason Tiemann and guests
		Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30• DJ Logic and Friends with Karl Denson, MonoNeon, Adam Deitch		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Corcoran Holt Group; Davis Whitfield Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10• Rob Garcia’s Bright Idea with Cait Jones		
Chelsea Table & Stage 9:30 pm $22êEmmet Cohen Trio with Russell Hall, Kyle Poole and guest Houston Person
		Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Ken Fowser Quintet with Jeremy Pelt, Rick Germanson; Evan Sherman Quintet with
Joe Magnarelli, Tyler Mitchell
The Django 7 pm
• Oz Noy Power Trio with James Genus, Dennis Chambers
		
Iridium 8, 10:30 pm $30
êJoel Ross’ Being A Young Black Man		
The Jazz Gallery 7:30 pm $30-40• Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet with Mika Stoltzman		Joe’s Pub 7 pm $30
êHarry Allen
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Benny Benack III 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Claude Campbell, Stephan Torres, Fred Jorio, Kyle Mealy
		
Red Room at KGB Bar 10 pm• Jordan Young; Simona Premazzi Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $18-25• Greg Tardy
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20
êZoh Amba, David Mirarchi, Brandon Lopez, Kenny Grohowski
		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch Trio with Drew Gress, Jochen Rueckert and The Crosby Street String Quartet
		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, January 8êCode Switch: JD Allen, Eric Revis, Nasheet Waits		
Barbès 6 pm $20
êDee Dee Bridgewater/Bill Charlap Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $50
êLew Tabackin Trio with Boris Kozlov, Jason Tiemann and guests
		Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30• DJ Logic and Friends with Karl Denson, MonoNeon, Adam Deitch		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Raphael D’Lugoff Quartet; Miki Yamanaka Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10• Joe Pino Quintet
Chelsea Table & Stage 9:30 pm $32• Emmet Cohen Trio with Russell Hall, Kyle Poole		
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $45• Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet with Julian Lee, Felix Moseholm, Domo Branch;
Joe Saylor and The Kingdom with Tivon Pennicott, Julius Rodriguez
		
The Django 7, 10 pm• Eli Wallace/Stephen Gauci; Kevin Shea/Stephen Gauci; Stephen Gauci, Eli Wallace,
Kevin Shea
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm• Oz Noy Power Trio with James Genus, Dennis Chambers
		
Iridium 8, 10:30 pm $30
êJoel Ross’ Being A Young Black Man		
The Jazz Gallery 7:30 pm $30-40êHarry Allen
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Darren Chase and Jenn Jade Ledesna		
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Nat Adderley, Jr. Quartet
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $20• George Burton``
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Allan Harris
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êZoh Amba, Micah Thomas, Marc Edwards
		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êFred Hersch Trio with Drew Gress, Jochen Rueckert and The Crosby Street String Quartet
		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, January 9êStephane Wrembel

Barbès 9 pm $20• Ron Aprea Big Band with guest Angel DeNiro		
Birdland 5:30 pm $30
êArturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra		
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30
êScott Robinson Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30• DJ Logic and Friends with Karl Denson, MonoNeon, Adam Deitch		Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35
êEd Cherry Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Emmet Cohen Trio with Russell Hall, Kyle Poole and guests Ruben Fox,
Benny Benack III
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $35
êTeri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon		
Entwine Wine Bar 7, 8, 9:15 pm• Rubin Kodheli Trio with Trevor Dunn, Brian Chase; Abbie from Mars		
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $15• Welf Dorr, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Treut		
The Keep 9 pm
• Janice Friedman
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Willie Alexander III
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Linda Ciofalo Trio with Mark Marino, Marcus McLaurine
		North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pmêBen Goldberg
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10• Glenn Crytzer Quartet
Press Room at Alamo Drafthouse 6:30 pmêSex Mob: Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen		
Rizzoli Bookstore 5 pm $20
êAaron Burnett; Evan Sherman
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Sam Sadigursky/ Nathan Koci Soapbox Gallery 4 pm $25
êFred Hersch Trio with Drew Gress, Jochen Rueckert and The Crosby Street String Quartet
		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 41

Monday, January 10
êEd Cherry Trio with John Di Martino, Gary Wang		
Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks
		Bond 45 8 pm $25• Chad Fowler, William Parker, Anders Griffen; Jason Hwang’s Critical Response withAnders Nilsson, Michael T.A. Thompson; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton;
Danny Kamins, Jamison Williams, Nick Neuburg, Joe Hertenstein; Yuma Uesaka,David Leon, Kenny Warren, Jonathan Goldberger, Jason Nazary		
Bushwick Public House 7 pm $15êMingus Big Band; Alex Claffy Jam Session
		
The Django 7:30, 8:30, 10 pm• Spike Wilner
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Lea Bertucci solo and duo with Ben Vida		
Roulette 8 pm $25
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, January 11êEddie Palmieri 85th Birthday Celebration

		Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êMatt Munisteri
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks
		Bond 45 8 pm $25• Louis Prima, Jr. and The Witnesses
		
The Cutting Room 7 pm $30-40êManuel Valera Quartet; Los Hacheros		
The Django 7, 10 pm• Jamison Williams/Danny Kamins; Jessica Ackerley, Lucie Vitkova, Joanna Mattrey				
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30, 7:30 pm• Neta Raanan Quartet with Max Light, Tyrone Allen II, Kayvon Gordon
		
Lowlands 7:30, 9 pm
• Cassie Wieland and Nois with Hunter Bockes, János Csontos, Jordan Lulloff,
Julian Velasco
Roulette 8 pm $25• SeaJun Kwon Sextet
Scholes Street Studio 8 pm $10êBill McHenry; Tyler Mitchell
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Paul Jost Quartet with Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner		Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet with Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, Justin Faulkner				
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, January 12êGuillermo Klein Quartet with Leo Genovese, Matt Pavolka, Allan Mednard

		Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Yotam Silberstein”s Alma Brasileira with Vitor Gonçalves, Cesar Garabini, Daniel Silva		Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band		
Birdland 5:30 pm $30
êEddie Palmieri 85th Birthday Celebration
		Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êFrank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Jimmy Bruno, Harvie S, Vince Cherico and guest
Howard Paul
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30• Ehud Asherie Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• As Is: Alan Schulman/Stacey Lynn Schulman; Dario Acosta Teich Quartet				
Chelsea Table & Stage 7, 9:30 pm $22-32
êBig Yuki Solo; Yasushi Nakamura Trio with Lawrence Fields, Clarence Penn				
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35• Gabrielle Stravelli Quartet with Michael Stravelli, Pat O’Leary, Billy Mintz;
Ashley Pezzotti Quartet with Sean Mason, Jason Clotter, TJ Reddick		The Django 7, 10 pm• Louis Armstrong Jazz Jam led by Carol Sudhalter		
Flushing Town Hall 7 pm $10• Jane Getter Premonition with Vernon Reid, Alex Skolnick, Adam Holzman, Paul Frazier,
Gene Lake
Iridium 8 pm $27.50
êDarcy James Argue’s Secret Society with Dave Pietro, Rob Wilkerson, Sam Sadigursky,
John Ellis, Carl Maraghi, Seneca Black, Matt Holman, Nadje Noordhuis, Riley Mulherkar,David Smith, Mike Fahie, Ryan Keberle, Kalia Vandever, Jennifer Wharton,
Sebastian Noelle, Adam Birnbaum, Matt Clohesy, Jon Wikan
		The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40• Lim Yang, Matt Nelson, Santiago Leibson, Sam Ospovat		
Lowlands 8 pmêLew Tabackin Trio with Yasushi Nakamura, Jason Tiemann		Michiko Studios 7 pm $20• Alex Claffy 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Tracey Yarad/Jim Ridl
Pangea 7 pm $25• Tyondai Braxton’s Multiplay; Leila Bordreuil solo		
Public Records 7:30 pm $23• Harlem Jam Session led by Peter Brainin		Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $12• Yuko Togami
Scholes Street Studio 8 pm $10• Vitaly Golovnev; Benny Benack III Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Resonance Ensemble: Amir ElSaffar, Sara Serpa, Miles Okazaki, Chris Dingman
		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet with Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, Justin Faulkner				
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Zinc Bar 8:30, 10:45 pm

Thursday, January 13• Arnt Arntzen

Barbès 7 pm $20

êThe Phantoms of New York: Charles Burnham, Marcus Rojas, Erik Della Penna				Barbès 10 pm $20
êEddie Palmieri 85th Birthday Celebration
		Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êDuchess: Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, Melissa Stylianou
		
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30

42 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Lisa Fischer with Ranky Tanky Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $55• Zaid Nasser Quartet
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Simona Smirnova’s Bird Language; Yacine Boulares’ AJOYO		Chelsea Table & Stage 7, 9:30 pm $22-32
êWinter Jazzfest: Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet;
Makaya McCraven; Samara Joy; Mahogany Browne; Angel Bat Dawid
		City Winery 7 pm $35
êChick Corea Afro-Caribbean Experience: Elio Villafranca and Friends		
		
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Leandro Pellegrino; Mark Whitfield Quartet with Davis Whitfield, Russell Hall,
Kush Abadey
The Django 7, 10 pm• Pedrito Martinez
Drom 8 pm $30
êJohnathan Blake
Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning 8 pmêDarcy James Argue’s Secret Society with Dave Pietro, Rob Wilkerson, Sam Sadigursky,
John Ellis, Carl Maraghi, Seneca Black, Matt Holman, Nadje Noordhuis, Riley Mulherkar,David Smith, Mike Fahie, Ryan Keberle, Kalia Vandever, Jennifer Wharton,
Sebastian Noelle, Adam Birnbaum, Matt Clohesy, Jon Wikan
		The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-40êPete Malinverni
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• House of Jade: Vuyo Sotashe, Jenn Jade, Benny Benack III, Irwin Hall, Mathis Picard,
Russell Hall, Bryan Carter
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: Adam O’Farrill’s Stranger Days; Tivon Pennicott; Freelance;
Justin Brown
Nublu 151 7 pm $20
êCelebrating Chick Corea led by John Patitucci
		Rose Theater 8 pm $40-130êDreamstruck: Joe Fonda, Marilyn Crispell, Harvey Sorgen		
Roulette 8 pm $25• Or Barket
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Keith Loftis Quartet with John Chin, Eric Wheeler, Willie Jones III
		Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êAmir ElSaffar solo
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet with Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, Justin Faulkner				
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, January 14• Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet; Big Lazy		
Barbès 8 pm $20• Birdland Big Band
Birdland 5 pm $30
êEddie Palmieri 85th Birthday Celebration
		Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
êTia Fuller Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30• Lisa Fischer with Ranky Tanky Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $55• Akiko Tsuruga Quartet; Tad Shull Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10êWinter Jazzfest: Allison Miller BOOM TIC BOOM; Connie Han Trio; Alicia Olatuja;
Matthew Whitaker; Brianna Thomas		Chelsea Table & Stage 6:30 pm $55-150êWinter Jazzfest: Amir ElSaffar Trio; Helen Sung Quartet+;
Linda May Han Oh’s The Glass Hours; Johnathan Blake’s Beauty Beneath The Rubble;
Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra
		City Winery 6:45 pm $55-150êWinter Jazzfest: Louis Hayes; Lakecia Benjamin’s Pursuance; James ‘Blood’ Ulmer
with David Murray; Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber
		City Winery 7:15 pm $55-150• Ken Fowser Quintet with Jeremy Pelt, Rick Germanson;
Endea Owens and The Cookout The Django 7, 10 pm• Pedro Martinez
Drom 8 pm $25• GroundUP Music Showcase: Sirintip; Becca Stevens and The Secret Trio;
House of Waters; Michelle Willis; Mike “Maz” Maher; Chris Bullock Boomtown				
Drom 8:45 pm $15êBill Charlap Trio with Peter Washington, Kenny Washington
		Flushing Town Hall 8 pm $25
êWinter Jazz Fest Pyroclastic Records Stage: Kris Davis’ Diatom Ribbons withTerri Lyne Carrington, Val Jeanty; Mary Halvorson/Sylvie Courvoisier; Craig Taborn solo		
The Jazz Gallery 7 pmêBria Skonberg; Sasha Berliner
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $25• Michela Marino Lerman’s Love Movement
		Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $25
êWinter Jazzfest: Shai Maestro Quartet; The Bad Plus; Nate Smith’s Kinfolk
		
Le Poisson Rouge 6:30 pm $55-150êWinter Jazzfest: James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quartet; Harriett Tubman;
Greg Ward’s Rogue Parade; Red Baraat
		Mercury Lounge 7:30 pm $55-150êKen Peplowksi
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20
êAaron Goldberg 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Kathleen Supové; Geoffrey Burleson
		Mis-En Place 7 pmêWinter Jazzfest—M3: Jen Shyu’s Zero Grasses; Ganavya; Shanta Nurullah’s Sitarsys;
Caroline Davis’ Portals
Nublu 6 pmêWinter Jazzfest: Anteloper; Angel Bat Dawid’s Sistazz of The Nitty Gritty;
Marc Ribot Trio; Kassa Overall; Terence Blanchard		Nublu 151 7 pm $55-150êMike McGinnis Trio with Lonnie Plaxico, Vinnie Sperrazza; Steph Richards
		
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $10êDelfeayo Marsalis and The Uptown Jazz Orchestra		Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 9:30 pm $20• Nicola Caminiti; Adam Moezinia Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $18-25
êCelebrating Chick Corea led by John Patitucci
		Rose Theater 8 pm $40-130êDavid Liebman
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Lezlie Harrison
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êAmir ElSaffar Trio with Tomas Fujiwara, Ole Mathisen
		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet with Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, Justin Faulkner		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êWinter Jazzfest: Patricia Brennan; Alan Braufman; Tim Berne/Gregg Belisle-Chi;
Theo Bleckmann/Shai Maestro Zürcher Gallery 6:45 $55-150

Saturday, January 15
êMr. Saturday: Charles Burnham. Jean Rohe, Skye Steele, Rashaan Carter				
Barbès 6 pm $20
êEddie Palmieri 85th Birthday Celebration
		Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
êTia Fuller Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30
êWinter Jazzfest: Aurore Voilqué; Ishkero; Samy Thiebault; Gabi Hartmann;
Léon Phal Quintet; Abraham Reunion; Yessaï Karapetian		
The Bitter End 6 pm $55-150• Lisa Fischer with Ranky Tanky Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $55
êWinter Jazzfest: Thana Alexa ONA; Melanie Charles; Julian Lage;
Antonio Sánchez’ A Bad Hombre Project; Pete Rock and The Soul Brothers		Bowery Ballroom 7:15 pm $55-150• Richard Clements Quartet; Nicole Glover Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10êWinter Jazzfest: Miki Yamanaka; Sarah Elizabeth Charles; Julius Rodriguez;
Chien Chien Lu; Nite Bjuti: Candace Hoyes, Mimi Jones, Val Jeanty		Chelsea Table & Stage 6:30 pm $55-150êWinter Jazzfest: The Jazz Gallery Allstars; Joel Ross Parables; James Francies,
Joel Ross, Blaque Dynamite; Kurt Elling SuperBlue with Charlie Hunter;
Georgia Anne Muldrow’s In The Moment; Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science		City Winery 6:15 pm $55-150êWinter Jazzfest: Sana Nagano; Di Breddrin’ Court with Michela Marino Lerman;
Camille Thurman with Darrell Green Quartet; Code Switch: Nasheet Waits, JD Allen,
Eric Revis; Oran Etkin’s Open Arms Project		City Winery 6:45 pm $55-150• Songs We Love: Vuyo Sotashe, Brianna Thomas and Shenel Johns with
Riley Mulherkar, Mariel Bildsten, Julian Lee, Mathis Picard, Barry Stephenson,
TJ Reddick
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $45
êWayne Escoffery; Jerry Weldon Sextet with Alonzo Demetrius, Peter Lin,
Jason Clotter, Hank Allen Barfield The Django 7, 10 pmêWinter Jazz Fest Pyroclastic Records Stage: Eric Revis Quintet with Darius Jones,
Bill McHenry, Kris Davis, Chad Taylor; Angelica Sanchez solo;
Chris Lightcap’s Superette with Steve Cardenas, Curtis Hasselbring, Brian Marsella,
Dan Rieser
The Jazz Gallery 7 pm
• Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East with Grey McMurray, Alison Shearer, Kenny Bentley,
Ganavya, Ben Parag
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $20• Juilliard Jazz Orchestra
Juilliard School Peter Jay Sharp Theater 7:30 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: NIKAR; Takuya Kuroda; Theo Croker;
Weedie Bramah and The Hands of Time		
Mercury Lounge 7:30 pm $55-150êKen Peplowksi
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Eduardo Brechó
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest—M3:Miriam Elhajli’s The Uncertainty Of Signs;
Anjna Swaminathan’s We Assemble Below; Michele Rosewoman’s Textured Trio;
Malika Zarra; Fay Victor’s SoundNoiseFUNK		
Nublu 6 pmêWinter Jazzfest: Zoh Amba; Nate Mercereau; Samir Langus;
Irreversible Entanglements; Dave Harrington’s Prankster’s East		
Nublu 151 7 pm $55-150êMichael Leonhart Fourtet with Donny McCaslin		
Rizzoli Bookstore 5 pm $20• Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows with Gregory Robbins, Julia Easterlin,
Ben Kono, Jason Rigby, John Lowery, Carl Maraghi, John Lake, Tony Glausi,
Phil Dizack, David Smith, Mike Fahie, Sam Blakelsee, Javier Nero, Jennifer Wharton,
Alex Goodman, Martha Kato, Matt Aronoff, Peter Kronreif		Roulette 8 pm $25• Camila Nebbia, Santiago Leibson, Kenneth Jimenez, Vinnie Sperrazza				Scholes Street Studio 8, 9:30 pm $15êDavid Liebman
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20
êJoanne Brackeen
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• Two Rivers: Amir ElSaffar, Nasheet Waits, Zafer Tawil, Tareq Abboushi, Carlo DeRosa,
Ole Mathisen
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet with Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, Justin Faulkner				
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êWinter Jazzfest: Samora Pinderhughes’ Grief; Surya Botofasina and Carlos Niño withguests Angel Bat Dawid, Chelsea Baratz; Steph Richards + Supersense with
Ravi Coltrane
Zürcher Gallery 6:45 pm $55-150

Sunday, January 16êMichael Blake and Brass XL with Bob Stewart, Marcus Rojas, Clark Gayton,

Steven Bernstein, Allan Mednard Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10
Barbès 9 pm $20
êMaria Schneider Orchestra
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40• Loston Harris
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30• Lisa Fischer with Ranky Tanky Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $55• Grant Stewart Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Songs We Love: Vuyo Sotashe, Brianna Thomas and Shenel Johns with
Riley Mulherkar, Mariel Bildsten, Julian Lee, Mathis Picard, Barry Stephenson,
TJ Reddick
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $35
êStephane Wrembel
Drom 7 pm $25• Tatiana Eva Marie and Avalon Jazz		
Drom 8 pm $15êWinter Jazzfest: The Feel Good Party: Questlove, Georgia Anne Muldrow,
Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, Madison McFerrin, Makaya McCraven,
Wildcat Ebony Brown, MonoNeon, Isaiah Sharkey, Blaque Dynamite		House of Yes 8 pm $30-75• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Treut		
The Keep 9 pm
• Gillian Margot
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Willie Alexander III
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Erli Perez Trio with Hyuna Park, Yoshi Waki		
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pmêWinter Jazzfest: Sam Gendel; Rudresh Mahanthappa Hero Trio; In Common:
Walter Smith III, Matt Stevens, Kris Davis, Harish Raghavan, Terri Lyne Carrington;
XXXX: Tim Lefebre, Michael Wollny, Emile Parisien, Christian Lilinger				
Nublu 151 7 pm $20• Glenn Crytzer Quartet
Press Room at Alamo Drafthouse 6:30 pm• Althea SullyCole Trio with Ras Moshe Burnett, Alec Saelens; JD Parran,Ras Moshe Burnett, Dave Ross, Alexis Marcelo		Scholes Street Studio 3 pm $15êStephane Wrembel• Brandon Sanders; Aaron JohnsonSmalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet with Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, Justin Faulkner		

Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, January 17
ê36th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Nona Hendryx with

Craig Harris and Tailgaters Tales; Sing Harlem		
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House 10:30 am• Jerome Sabbagh Quartet with Ben Monder, Chris Lightcap, Otis Brown III				
Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êMingus Big Band
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êCyrille Aimee
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks
		Bond 45 8 pm $25• David Gervais, André Sacalxot, Jordan Caroompas; Sandy Ewen, Stephen Gauci andguest; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton; Alejandro Florez Ensemble;
Nick Di Maria, Aaron Rubinstein, Brandon Terzakis		Bushwick Public House 7 pm $15êVanisha Gould and Lucy Yeghiazaryan with Eric Zolan, Dan Pappalardo,
Ludovica Burtone, Kate Victor
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35
êWinter Jazzfest: Dezron Douglas/Brandee Younger; Brandee Younger Quartet;
Ray Angry with Kendra Morris, Kamilah		
Nublu 151 7 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert: Nate Mercereau, Sam Gendel,
Carlos Niño
Public Records 7 pm $30
êWinter Jazzfest: Angel Bat Dawid’s Afro-Town Topics-A Mythological Afrofuturist Revuewith Marshall Allen
Roulette 8 pm $55
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, January 18• Joe Alterman Trio

Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40

êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks

		Bond 45 8 pm $25
êWinter Jazzfest—A Ralph Peterson Celebration: Bill Pierce, Craig Handy, Brian Lynch,
Essiet Essiet, Tyshawn Sorey and guest Tia Fuller		Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35• French Quarter Jazz FestThe Django 7 pmêThomas Heberer/Ingrid Laubrock; Max Kutner/Lee Hodel		
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30, 7:30 pmêWinter Jazzfest: Pino Palladino and Blake Mills with Sam Gendel, Abraham Rounds
		
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $45• Kevin Sun Quartet with Dana Saul, Walter Stinson, Matt Honor		
Lowlands 7:30, 9 pmêHarvey DiamondMezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest—M3: Lesley Mok’s The Living Collection;
Maya Keren’s Careful in the Sun; Monnette Sudler; Who’s Lily: Maya Keren,
Isabel Crespo Pardo, Eden Girma, Miranda Agnew, Lesley Mok
		
Nublu 6 pmêWinter Jazzfest: David Binney; Rocket Sci; Daniel Freedman’s Ghost Modern with
Innov Gnawa, Jason Lindner, Gilad Hekselman, Gustavo Di Dalva;
Daru Jones and Friends
Nublu 151 7 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: Ben Lamar Gay’s Open Arms To Open Us; Jaimie Branch solo				
Public Records 8:30 pm $30• Tyler Mitchell
Smalls 10:30 pm $20• Alvester Garnett
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• Joe Martin Quartet with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

A new book by saxophonist

SAM NEWSOME
Be Inspired, Stay Focused: Creativity,
Learning, and the Business of Music

This collection of personal essays is a
must-read for those wanting real insight
into how a creative musician thinks about
his or her craft and an honest and nuanced
perspective of the music business.
“Sam Newsome is really in the pocket withthis one. An authentic voice and conversational
style make this book on the creative process,music theory and other fascinating topics
under the jazz umbrella an absolute must-read!”—Debbie Burke, jazz blogger
and author of the novel Glissando“Every page of this book contains positive,
practical ideas and advice and will inspire
you to challenge yourself, expand yourthinking, trust your creativity, and help
you in your life as a musician.”-- Joe Morris, guitarist, educatorand author of Perpetual Frontier The Properties of Free MusicNOW AVAILABLE
AT BOOKBABY.COM
AND AMAZON.COM

Wednesday, January 19êAdam O’Farrill Quintet with Anna Webber, Tal Yahalom, Noah Garabedian, Daniel Prim		
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêDan Weiss Trio with Thomas Morgan, Jacob Sacks						Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band		
Birdland 5:30 pm $30• Joe Alterman Trio
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êFrank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Jimmy Bruno, Harvie S, Vince Cherico and guest
Bill Wurtzel
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
êFrank Wess Centennial Celebration: Scott Robinson, Bill Easley, Frank Greene,
Brandon Lee, Steve Turre, Michael Weiss, Rufus Reid, Dennis Mackrel				Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40
êPete Malinverni Trio with Ugonna Okegwo, Aaron Seeber and guest Anaïs Reno;
Vanisha Gould and April Varner with Victor Gould, Alex Claffy, Domo Branch		
The Django 7, 9 pmêJazzmobile: Jay Hoggard Quartet with Nat Adderley, Jr., Belden Bullock,Pheeroan akLaff
Interchurch Center 7 pm
• Alex Skolnick Trio
Iridium 8 pm $27.50• Dezron Douglas/Kweku Sumbry Group with David Virelles
		
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-25• Dierk Peters
Lowlands 8 pm
• Alex Wintz
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Jon Boutellier 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: Makaya McCraven/Jeff Parker; N/UM with guest Daniel Carter				
Nublu 151 8:30 pm $20• Melissa Hamilton Trio with Lee Tomboulian, Boots Maleson		Pangea 7 pm $25• Harlem Jam Session led by Peter Brainin		Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $12• Ben Tiberio; Benny Benack III Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Jim Ridl
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êSusie Ibarra, Bill Frisell, Immanuel Wilkins
		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Joe Martin Quartet with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Zinc Bar 8:30, 10:45 pm

SOMENEWMUSIC.COM

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 43

Thursday, January 20• Arnt Arntzen• Joe Alterman Trio
• Vanessa Rubin

Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
êVeronica SwiftBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45• Saul Rubin Quartet
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10êFrank Wess Centennial Celebration: Scott Robinson, Bill Easley, Frank Greene,
Brandon Lee, Steve Turre, Michael Weiss, Rufus Reid, Dennis Mackrel				Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Ehud Asherie Trio with David Wong, Kenny Washington; Ian Hendrickson-Smith		The Django 7, 10 pm• Pedrito Martinez
Drom 8 pm $30• Carlitos Padron and Rumberos Del Callejon
		
Drom 8 pm $25
êChad Taylor Trio with Brian Settles, Neil Podgurski
		The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-25• House of Jade: Vuyo Sotashe, Jenn Jade, Benny Benack III, Irwin Hall, Mathis Picard,
Russell Hall, Bryan Carter
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: Miki Yamanaka; The Bogie Band; Maurice Brown; Casey Benjamin		Nublu 151 8 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest: Dave Harrington’s Anything Possible with Allison Miller,
Angel Bat Dawid, Brian Chase, Caroline Davis, Devin Hoff, Doug Weiselman,
Samir Langus, Val Jeanty, Will Shore, David Binney and guests 					
Public Records 8 pm $30• David First and The Western Enisphere with Jeanann Dara, Sam Kulik, Jeff Tobias,
Alex Waterman, Ian Douglas-Moore, Tania Caroline Chen, Will Stanton, Danny Tunick,
James Ilgenfritz, Bern Gann, Matt Evans		
Roulette 8 pm $25• Dave Schumacher; David Gibson Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20
êSusie Ibarra/Kaoru Watanabe
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Joe Martin Quartet with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, January 21• César Orozco’s Kamarata Jazz
• Birdland Big Band
• Joe Alterman Trio
• Vanessa Rubin

Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10
Birdland 5 pm $30
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30
êVeronica SwiftBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45• Cocomama; James Austin Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10• Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Ken Fowser Quintet with Jeremy Pelt, Rick Germanson; Craig Handy and 2nd Line Smithwith Kyle Koehler, Clark Gayton, Jerome Jennings
		The Django 7, 10 pmêPearring Sound: Jeff Pearring, Virg Dzruinko, Pete Swanson, Todd Capp				
Ibeam Brooklyn 8, 9 pm $15êBilly DrummondMezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20
êThe Nu Band: Thomas Heberer, Kenny Wessel, Joe Fonda, Lou Grassi				Michiko Studios 7 pm $20• Alicyn Yaffee
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest—M3: Samantha Boshnack’s Uncomfortable Subjects;
Sumi Tonooka’s One Two Free Trio; Eden Girma’s Aden;
Erica Lindsay Alchemy Sound Project; Cleo Reed		
Nublu 6 pmêWinter Jazzfest: Chad Taylor/Joshua Abrams; Angel Bat Dawid/Oui Ennui;
Aquiles Navarro/Tcheser Holmes; DJ Lindsay
		
Nublu 151 8 pm $20• Rasmus Sørenson, Tony Golden, Garyfallia Kerkezou, Rico Jones		Red Room at KGB Bar 10 pm• Connor Evans; Tyler Mitchell
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $18-25
êWinter Jazzfest—International Contemporary Ensemble: Isabel Lepanto Gleicher,
Joshua Rubin, Rebekah Heller, Ross Karre and guests Kate Gentile, Matt Mitchell,Jennifer Curtis, Fay Victor, Patrick Holmes, Kalia Vandever, Mazz Swift, Marika Hughes		Roulette 8 pm $25• Monte Croft
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• David Bixler
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êSusie Ibarra, Ikue Mori, Zeena Parkins, Brian Chase		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Joe Martin Quartet with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, January 22• Bottom Heavy: Marika Hughes, Charlie Burnham, Kyle Sanna, Fred Cash, Tony Mason		
Barbès 6 pm $20• Joe Alterman Trio
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40• Vanessa Rubin
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30
êVeronica SwiftBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45• Jade Synstelien Quartet; Ai Murakami Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10• Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $45• Bruce Williams Quartet with Tyler Henderson, Chris Berger, Chris Beck;
Joe Farnsworth
The Django 7, 10 pmêBilly DrummondMezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Luan Barbosa
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20
êWinter Jazzfest—M3: Sara Serpa; Val Jeanty’s Vodou-Electro Soundscape				
Nublu 6 pmêWinter Jazzfest: Dave Harrington, Stuart Bogie, Darius Christian, Allison Miller,
Spencer Zahn; Dan Weiss Starebaby; Now vs. Now; Ilhan Ersahin, Trevor,
Kenny Wollesen, Dave Harrington; Big Yuki
		
Nublu 151 8 pm $20• Monte Croft
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Roni Ben-Hur
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êSusie Ibarra/Jin Hi Kim
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Joe Martin Quartet with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

44 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Sunday, January 23êStephane Wrembel

100 MILES OUT

Barbès 9 pm $20

êMeg Okura Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble		Birdland 5:30 pm $30
êArturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra		
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30• Adam Birnbaum Trio; Ariana Neikrug Quartet
		Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30
êVeronica SwiftBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45• Greg Glassman Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $35• Fernando Garcia’s Bomba-Jazz Drom 9 pm $10• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon		
Entwine Wine Bar 7, 8, 9:15 pm• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Treut		
The Keep 9 pm
• Willie Alexander III
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Roz Corral Trio with Josh Richman, Jennifer Vincent
		North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Glenn Crytzer Quartet
Press Room at Alamo Drafthouse 6:30 pm• María Grand Trio
Rizzoli Bookstore 5 pm $20• Al McCabe
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Counter)Induction: Kyle Bartlett, Douglas Boyce, Miranda Cuckson, Benjamin Fingland,Daniel Lippel, Jessica Meyer, Ryan Streber, Caleb van Der Swaagh, Ning Yu				
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• Joe Martin Quartet with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays, Nasheet Waits		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, January 24êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks

		Bond 45 8 pm $25
êAdam Shead, Darius Jones, Steve Swell; Anders Nilsson/Jeremy Carlstedt;
Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton; Billy Mintz Ensemble; Patrick Golden,
Dave Sewelson, Jim Clouse, Sean Conly		Bushwick Public House 7 pm $15• Ehud Asherie Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10êMingus Big Band; Alex Claffy Jam Session
		
The Django 7:30, 8:30, 10 pm
êEd Palermo
Iridium 8:30 pm $30
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, January 25• Gabriel Guerrero with Seth Trachy, Edward Perez, Rudy Royston

		
Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10• Mike Gamble, Max Kutner, Sandy Ewen
		
Barbès 7 pm $20• Karrin Allyson with Chris Caswell, Rod Fleeman, Jay Young, Jerome Jennings		
		Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êBob James Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35
êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks
		Bond 45 8 pm $25• Brian Woodruff Sextet with Duane Eubanks, Hashem Assadullahi, Mike Fahie,
Pete McCann, Matt Clohesy and guest Bogna Kicińska
		
Culture Lab LIC 7 pm
• Tony Glausi; Jeffery Miller
The Django 7, 10 pm• Michael Vatcher/Sam Weinberg; Nicola Hein/Robert Dick		Downtown Music Gallery 6:30, 7:30 pm• Juilliard Jazz Ensembles
Juilliard School Paul Hall 7:30 pm $20• Two Tenors: Neta Raanan, Kevin Sun, Tyrone Allen II, Kayvon Gordon				
Lowlands 7:30, 9 pm
• Tyler Mitchell
Smalls 10:30 pm $20
êZach Brock/Dave Kikoski
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êVijay Iyer Trio with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, January 26• Andrea Wolper Trio; Rosalyn McClore; Freddy Deboe		
The Atlantic BKLN 7 pm $15• Dave Smith Quartet with Bruce Barth, Ugonna Okegwo
		Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Mike Moreno Quartet
Bar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band		
Birdland 5:30 pm $30• Karrin Allyson with Chris Caswell, Rod Fleeman, Jay Young, Jerome Jennings		
		Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êFrank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Jimmy Bruno, Harvie S, Vince Cherico and guest
Dave Stryker
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
êBob James Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Charles Turner and Uptown SwingDizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $35• Philip Harper/Ilya Lushtak’s Celebrating Song with Mike Karn, Curtis Nowasad;
Alexander Claffy Trio with Sean Mason, Itay Morchi and guest Michael Stephenson		The Django 7, 10 pm• Sonya Belaya, Grey McMurray, Nicole Patrick		Lowlands 8 pmêBob Devos
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Tony DePaolis Trio
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Judy Neimack Trio
Pangea 7 pm $25• Harlem Jam Session led by Peter Brainin		Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8 pm $12• Scott Neumann; Benny Benack III Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm $20• Introscopic Music: Hans Young Binter, Michael Gilbert, William Parker, Jim Ferraiuolo,
Gabby Fluke-Mogul
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVijay Iyer Trio with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Zinc Bar 8:30, 10:45 pm

CONNECTICUT
1/5, 12, 19, 26 (9 pm) Hawkins Jazz Collective
Owl Shop New Haven, CT www.owlshopcigars.com
1/14 (7/9 pm) Ed Fast & Conga Bop
Palace Theater Poli Club Waterbury, CT www.palacetheaterct.org
1/30 (4 pm) Brubeck Brothers Quartet Celebrates Dave Brubeck’s Centennial:
Dan and Chris Brubeck, Mike DeMicco, Chuck Lamb
Ridgefield Playhouse Ridgefield, CT ridgefieldplayhouse.org
1/7-8 (8:30 pm) Christian Sands Trio
1/13 (8 pm) Delfeayo Marsalis and The Uptown Jazz Orchestra
1/14-15 (8:30 pm) Lew Tabackin Trio
1/21 (8:30 pm) Jon Cowherd Quartet
1/22 (8:30 pm) Barry Stephenson Quartet with Nicole Glover, Sarah Hanahan,Charles Goold
1/28 (8:30 pm) Immanuel Wilkins Quartet
1/29 (8:30 pm) Jeff Fuller with Ben Bilello, Darren LitzieSide Door Old Lyme, CT www.oldlymeinn.com/TheSideDoorJazzClub.html
NEW JERSEY
1/8 (6 pm) Brandee Younger
Bethany Baptist Church Newark, NJ www.njpac.org
1/16 (2 pm) Larry Fuller Trio with Hassan Shakur, Jason Tiemann
Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum Morristown, NJ
www.morrismuseum.org/theatre-information/
1/21 (8 pm) Rivertown Vintage Jazz Band
1/22 (8 pm) Eric Mintel Quartet with Nelson Hill, Jack Hegyi, Dave Mohn
Bucks County Playhouse Marlton, NJ www.buckscountyplayhouse.org
1/1 (3:30 pm) Mike Boone
1/8 (3:30 pm) Josh Lawrence
1/15 (3:30 pm) Josh Lee
1/29 (3:30 pm) Joe Ford
Candlelight Lounge Trenton, NJ www.jazztrenton.com
1/6 (7:30 pm) Jazz Bridge Fundraiser featuring Ben Kornak
Collingswood Community Center Collingswood, NJ www.jazzbridge.org
1/30 (3 pm) Branford Marsalis Quartet with Joey Calderazzo, Eric Revis,
Justin Faulkner
Kean Stage Wilkins Theatre Union, NJ www.keanstage.com
1/29 (7:30 pm) “Celebrating The Theater Songs of Leonard Bernstein” withBill Charlap Trio with Peter Washington, Kenny Washington + Jamie Bernstein
NJPAC Newark, NJ www.njpac.org
1/9 (7 pm) Jazz in the Loft: Ty Stephens “Standard Time”
South Orange Performing Arts Center South Orange, NJ
www.sopacnow.org
1/4 (7/8:45 pm) Danny Raycraft Quartet
1/6 (7/8:45 pm) Mike Bond Quartet
1/11 (7/8:45 pm) Frankie Midnight Quartet
1/13 (7/8:45 pm) Todd Bashore Quartet
1/18 (7/8:45 pm) Ilan Eisenzweig Quartet
1/20 (7/8:45 pm) Alex Collins
1/25 (7/8:45 pm) Liam Sutcliffe Quartet
1/27 (7/8:45 pm) Rudy Royston Quartet
Tavern on George, New Brunswick, NJ www.tavernongeorge.com
NEW YORK
1/6 (7/8:15/10 pm) Teri Roiger Trio with John Menegon, Matt Garrity+ Matt Munisteri
Bearsville Theater Woodstock, NY bearsvilletheater.com
1/6, 13, 20, 27 (7 pm) Thursday Night Organ Groove with Paul Connors
1/22 (7:30 pm) Bob Meyer and The New Adirondack Jazz Quartet with
Steven Frieder, Bryan Copeland, Luke Franco
Elk’s Lodge Ossining, NY www.jazzatthelodge.com/shows
1/6 (8 pm) Chris Byars Quartet
1/13 (8 pm) Marty Elkins/Saul Rubin
1/20 (8 pm) Kat Gang/Tony Roman
1/27 (8 pm) Roz Corral/Tom Dempsey
Divino Cucina Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
www.facebook.com/FNBhastingsny

1/1 (7/9:30 pm) Karrin Allyson Quartet
1/2 (4/6 pm) Helio Alves Quartet with Portinho; (8 pm) David Janeway Trio
1/7 1/8 (7/9:30 pm) Sheila Jordan with Alan Broadbent, Harvie S
1/9 (4/6 pm) Jay Leonhart Trio
1/14-15 (7/9:30 pm) Nicholas Payton Trio with Vicente Archer, Bill Stewart
1/16 (4/6 pm) Stephen Guerra Quintet
1/21-22 (7/9:30 pm) Willie Jones III Quintet with Eddie Henderson,
Justin Robinson, Mike LeDonne, Gerald Cannon
1/23 (4/6 pm) Kristen Mather De Andrade Brazilian Group
1/28-29 (7/9:30 pm) Fred Hersch Trio
1/30 (4/6 pm) Dave Schumacher & Cubeyé
Jazz Forum Arts Tarrytown, NY www.jazzforumarts.org
1/15 (8 pm) Alexander McCabe with Ugonna Okegwo, Paul Odeh, Craig Wuepper
1/15 (8/9:30 pm) Sam Waymon “Freedom Is My Name: A Tribute to Nina Simone”
1/16 (6 pm) John Forrester
1/21 (8 pm) Russ Kassoff
1/28 (8 pm) Conal Fowkes
Maureen’s Jazz Cellar Nyack, NY www.maureensjazzcellar.com
1/3 (9 pm) Two Sisters, Inc. with Dave Sewelson, Claire Daly, Dave Hofstra,
Michael Sarin
1/17 (9 pm) MLK Day 2022 Celebration: Ray Blue
1/24 (9 pm) Iris Ornig Quartet with Stuart Mack, Pete McCann, Brian Woodruff
Quinn’s Beacon, NY www.facebook.com/QuinnsBeacon
1/21 (7 pm) Rave Tesar Trio with Sue Williams, Steve Rubin
1/22 (7 pm) Vinnie Cutro Quartet
1/23 (1 pm) Jeff Ciampa Trio with Pete Levin, Jeff Siegel
1/30 (1 pm) Ryan Berg Trio
The Cove Castle Greenwood, NY www.covecastleny.com
1/9 (7 pm) Kenny Werner Trio with Robert Kopec, Pete O’Brien
1/13 (7 pm) Murali Coryell
1/16 (7 pm) Kevin Hays
1/20 (7 pm) Don Byron Quartet
1/22 (7 pm) Bernard “Pretty” Purdie & Friends
1/23 (7 pm) Tim Ries Project
1/27 (7 pm) Jean-Michel Pilc Trio with François Moutin, Ari Hoenig
1/29 (7 pm) Ozmosys!: Omar Hakim, Rachel Z, Jonathan Toscano, Chogyi Lama
1/30 (7 pm) Immanel Wilkins Quartet with Micah Thomas, Daryl Johns, Kweku Sumbry
The Falcon Marlboro, NY www.liveatthefalcon.com
1/3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (8pm) Monday Jazz Sessions with John RichmondTurning Point Café Piermont, NY www.turningpointcafe.com/index.htm
PENNSYLVANIA
1/15 (1 pm) “Chasing Milford Graves” with Yuji Agematsu
ArsNova Philadelphia, PA www.arsnovaworkshop.org
1/5 (7:30 pm) Jazz Bridge presents Dave Posmontier with Mollie Ducoste
Cheltenham Center for the Arts Cheltenham, PA www.jazzbridge.org
1/6-8 (8/10 pm) Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio with Alex Claffy, Jeff “Tain” Watts” andguest Chris Potter
1/14 (8/10 pm) Pablo Batista Quintet
1/15 (8/10 pm) Gillian Margot Power Flower Project with Andy Ezrin, Ben Butler,
Richie Goods, Jeff “Tain” Watts
1/28-29 (7:30 pm) Peter Bernstein Quartet with Sullivan Fortner
Chris’ Jazz Café Philadephia, PA www.chrisjazzcafe.com
1/16 (2 pm) Tri-State Jazz Society presents Danny Tobias and Friends withVince Giordano, Conal Fawkes, Dennis Lichtman, Jim Lawlor
Community Arts Center Wallingford, PA tristatejazz.org
1/21 (8 pm) 75 Dollar Bill: Rick Brown, Che Chen, Sue Garner, Talice Lee;
Bark Culture: Victor Vieira-Branco, John Moran, Joey Sullivan
1/22 (8 pm) Erik Ruin’s Ominous Cloud Ensemble + guests;
Skylight with Gelsey Bell, Erin Rogers
Fire Museum Philadelphia, PA www.firemuseumpresents.com
1/13 (8 pm) Bria Skonberg
Kimmel Center Philadelphia, PA www.kimmelculturalcampus.org
1/3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (5:30 pm) Tony Williams Jazz Quartet
1/6 (7:30 pm) Jack Saint Clair Orchestra
La Rose Jazz Club Philadelphia, PA www.jazzclublarose.com
1/19 (7:30 pm) Jazz Bridge presents Karen Rodriguez Latin Jazz Ensemble
Ridge Avenue Methodist Church Philadelphia, PA www.jazzbridge.org
1/14-15 (7/9:30 pm) Jazzmeia Horn
South Jazz Club Philadelphia, PA www.southjazzkitchen.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 45

Thursday, January 27• Lucy Yeghiazaryan
The Atlantic BKLN 9 pm $10• Alvaro Benavides GroupBar Lunàtico 8:30, 10 pm $10• Arnt Arntzen
Barbès 7 pm $20• Karrin Allyson with Chris Caswell, Rod Fleeman, Jay Young, Jerome Jennings		

		Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40
êBen Wolfe
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
êBob James Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Regional de NY
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Diane Schuur’s Running on Faith with Riley Mulherkar, Barry Stephenson, TJ Reddick		Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Ed Cherry Trio with Kyle Koehler, Anwar Marshall; Django All Stars: Bruce Harris,
Ken Fowser, Mark Whitfield, Anthony Wonsey, Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth		
The Django 7, 10 pm• Pedrito Martinez
Drom 8 pm $30• Carlitos Padron and Rumberos Del Callejon
		
Drom 8 pm $25
êWolfgang Muthspiel Trio with Scott Colley, Brian Blade		The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• House of Jade: Vuyo Sotashe, Jenn Jade, Benny Benack III, Irwin Hall, Mathis Picard,
Russell Hall, Bryan Carter
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Andrew Van Tassel
Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 7 pm $20• Jared Dubin
Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 9 pm $15• Danton Boller
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Steve Sandberg
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• William Parker/Joe Morris
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVijay Iyer Trio with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, January 28• Curtis Hasselbring Curhachestra with Raphael McGregor, Adam Minkoff, Dan Rieser

		
Barbès 8 pm $20• Birdland Big Band
Birdland 5 pm $30• Karrin Allyson with Chris Caswell, Rod Fleeman, Jay Young, Jerome Jennings		
		Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
êBen Wolfe
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30
êBob James Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Joe Farnsworth Quartet; Matt Martinez
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10• Diane Schuur’s Running on Faith with Riley Mulherkar, Barry Stephenson, TJ Reddick		Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $40• Ken Fowser Quintet with Jeremy Pelt, Rick Germansont; Hudson Horns

		
The Django 7, 10 pmêElectric Miles: Randy Brecker, Jeremy Pelt, Paul Bollenback, Steve Cardenas,
Shane Theriot, Lonnie Plaxico, Billy Kilson
		
Iridium 8, 10 pm $37.50
êWolfgang Muthspiel Trio with Scott Colley, Brian Blade		The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êMark Whitfield 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Rasmus Sørenson, Tony Golden, Garyfallia Kerkezou, Rico Jones		Red Room at KGB Bar 10 pm• Jamile Staevie Ayres; Kalia Vandever		
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $18-25• Jean-Michel Pilc
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20
êWilliam Parker/Matt ShippThe Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVijay Iyer Trio with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, January 29• Nick Biello Five for One Quintet The Atlantic BKLN 10 pm $10êJaimie Branch solo

Barbès 6 pm $20

êMichael Bates’ Acrobat with Marty Ehrlich, Mazz Swift, Sara Schoenbeck, Mike Sarin

		
Barbès 8 pm $20• Mike Holober
Birdland 5:30 pm $30• Karrin Allyson with Chris Caswell, Rod Fleeman, Jay Young, Jerome Jennings		
		Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $40
êBen Wolfe
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $30
êBob James Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• James Burton Quartet; Kyoko Oyobe Quartet
		
Cellar Dog 7, 11:30 pm $10• Diane Schuur’s Running on Faith with Riley Mulherkar, Barry Stephenson, TJ Reddick		Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $45• Mike LeDonne Trio; Lezlie Harrison
		
The Django 7, 10 pmêImmanuel Wilkins
Harlem Stage Gatehouse 7:30 pm $25-35
êElectric Miles: Randy Brecker, Jeremy Pelt, Paul Bollenback, Steve Cardenas,
Shane Theriot, Lonnie Plaxico, Billy Kilson
		
Iridium 8, 10 pm $37.50
êOcelot: Yuma Uesaka, Cat Toren, Colin Hinton
		
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-25• The Campbell Brothers’ John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme		
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $25• Donald Vega
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20• Joe Farnsworth 4tet
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20

êStephane Wrembel

National Sawdust 7:30 pm $35• Jean-Michel Pilc
Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20• Introscopic Music: William Parker, Shinya Lin, Leo Chang, Noa Fort		The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êVijay Iyer Trio with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, January 30êStephane Wrembel

Barbès 9 pm $20

êArturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra		
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30• Holly Bean Trio
Birdland Theater 9:30 pm $30
êBob James Trio
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35• Ned Goold Trio
Cellar Dog 7 pm $10• Philippe Lemm Trio
Chelsea Table & Stage 7 pm $27• Diane Schuur’s Running on Faith with Riley Mulherkar, Barry Stephenson, TJ Reddick		Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $35
êTeri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon		
Entwine Wine Bar 7, 8, 9:15 pm• Blood Drum Spirit: Wes Brown, David Bindman, Art Hirahara, Royal Hartigan				Michiko Studios 3 pm $10• Willie Alexander III
Minton’s 7, 9 pm $20• Tamuz Nissem Trio with George Nazos, Marcos Varela		North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Band Of Other Brothers: Jeff Coffin, Jeff Babko, Keith Carlock, Nir Felder, James Genus
		
Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 8, 10 pm $35• Nick Hempton; Aaron Johnson Smalls 7:30, 9 pm $20
êVijay Iyer Trio with Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey		
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, January 31• Nick Biello Quartet

Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30

êVince Giordano and The Nighthawks

		Bond 45 8 pm $25• Michael Larocca/Matt Gannon; Ryan Siegel, Ben Eidson, James Paul Nadien;
Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton; Daniel Carter, Stephen Gauci, Sean Conly,
Kevin Shea, Aron Namenwirth; Nick Demopoulos, Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie.
Lauren Lee
Bushwick Public House 7 pm $15êMingus Big Band; Alex Claffy Jam Session
		
The Django 7:30, 8:30, 10 pm• Spike Wilner
Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $20
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Available at Amazon and iTunes. 2021 QJOG Records

Culture Lab LIC and Queens
Jazz OverGround present:
A Streaming CD Release Party for
A Centering Peace
The Brian Woodruff Sextet
Duane Eubanks - trumpet
Hashem Assadullahi - alto & soprano sax
Mike Fahie - trombone
Pete McCann - guitar
Matt Clohesy - bass
Brian Woodruff - drums
w/special guest vocalist Bogna Kicińska

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 from
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Stream through the Culture Lab:https://www.youtube.com/culturelablicLive audience limited to 40, first come-first serve
Proof of vaccination required.

46 JANUARY 2022 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDCLU B DI RE CTORY• The Atlantic BKLN 333 Atlantic Avenue
Subway: A, C, G to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets www.atlanticbkln.com• BAM Howard Gilman Opera House 30 Lafayette Avenue(718-636-4100) Subway: Subway: M, N, R, W to Pacific Street;
Q, 1, 2, 4, 5 to Atlantic Avenue www.bam.org• Bar Bayeux 1066 Nostrand Avenue(347-533-7845) Subway: 2, 5 to Sterling Street www.barbayeux.com• Bar Lunàtico 486 Halsey Street(917-495-9473) Subway: C to Kingston-Throop Avenues
www.barlunatico.com• Barbès 376 9th Street at 6th Avenue, Brooklyn(718-965-9177) Subway: F to 7th Avenue www.barbesbrooklyn.com• Birdland and Birdland Theater 315 W. 44th Street(212-581-3080) Subway: A, C, E, to 42nd Street www.birdlandjazz.com• The Bitter End 147 Bleecker Street between Thompson and LaGuardia
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street www.bitterend.com• Blue Note 131 W. 3rd Street at 6th Avenue(212-475-8592) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F to W. 4th Street
www.bluenotejazz.com• Bond 45 221 W. 46th Street(212-869-4545) Subway: B, F, M to 47-50 Streets www.bond45ny.com• Bowery Ballroom 6 Delancey Street(212-533-2111) Subway: F to Delancey Street www.boweryballroom.com• Bushwick Public House 1288 Myrtle Avenue
Subway: G to Myrtle - Willoughby Avenue then B54
www.bushwickpublichouse.com• Cellar Dog 75 Christopher Street at 7th Avenue(212-675-6056) Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.cellardog.net• Chelsea Table & Stage Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 W. 26th Street
Subway: C, E to 23rd Street; R, W to 28th Street
www.chelseatableandstage.com• City Winery 25 11th Avenue (at 15th Street)(646-751-6033) Subway: A, C, E to 14th Street www.citywinery.com• Culture Lab LIC 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City (347-848-0030)
Subway: 7 to Vernon Boulevard/Jackson Avenue
www.facebook.com/culturelablic• The Cutting Room 44 E. 32nd Street(212-691-1900) Subway: 6 to 33rd Street www.thecuttingroomnyc.com• Dizzy’s Club 33 W. 60th Street, 5th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
www.jazz.org• The Django 2 Sixth Avenue(212-519-6600) Subway: A, C, E to Canal Street; 1 to Franklin Street
www.thedjangonyc.com• Downtown Music Gallery 13 Monroe Street(212-473-0043) Subway: F to East Broadway
www.downtownmusicgallery.com• Drom 85 Avenue A(212-777-1157) Subway: F to Second Avenue www.dromnyc.com• Entwine Wine Bar 765 Washington Street (212-727-8765)
Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, L to 14th Street www.entwinenyc.com• Flushing Town Hall 137-35 Northern Boulevard(718-463-7700) Subway: 7 to Main Street www.flushingtownhall.org• Harlem Stage Gatehouse 150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street(212-650-7100) Subway: 1 to 137th Street www.harlemstage.org• House of Yes 2 Wyckoff Avenue(646-838-4937) Subway: L to Jefferson Street www.houseofyes.org• Ibeam Brooklyn 168 7th Street between Second and Third Avenues
Subway: F to 4th Avenue www.ibeambrooklyn.com• Interchurch Center 475 Riverside Drive at 120th Street
Subway: 1 to 116th Street• Iridium 1650 Broadway at 51st Street(212-582-2121) Subway: 1,2 to 50th Street www.theiridium.com• Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning 161-04 Jamaica Avenue, Queens(718-658-7400 ext. 152) Subway: E to Jamaica Center www.jcal.org• The Jazz Gallery 1160 Broadway, 5th floor (212-242-1063)
Subway: N, R to 28th Street www.jazzgallery.org• Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater 425 Lafayette Street(212-539-8770) Subway: N, R to 8th Street-NYU; 6 to Astor Place
www.joespub.com• Juilliard School Paul Hall, Peter Jay Sharp Theater 155 W. 65th Street(212-769-7406) Subway: 1 to 66th Street www.juilliard.edu• The Keep 205 Cypress Avenue, Queens(718-381-0400) Subway: L to Jefferson Street www.thekeepny.com• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Street
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Street www.lepoissonrouge.com• Lowlands 543 Third Avenue, Brooklyn(347-463-9458) Subway: R to Prospect Avenue www.lowlandsbar.com• Mercury Lounge 217 E. Houston Street(212-260-4700) Subway: F, V to Second Avenue
www.mercuryloungenyc.com• Mezzrow 163 W. 10th Street(646-476-4346) Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.mezzrow.com• Michiko Studios 149 W. 46th Street, 3rd Floor(212-302-4011) Subway: B, D, F, M to 47-50 Streets
www.michikostudios.com• Minton’s 206 W. 118th Street(212-243-2222) Subway: B, C to 116th Street www.mintonsharlem.com• Mis-En Place 341 Calyer Street(929-400-3636) Subway: G to Greenpoint Avenue www.place.mise-en.org• National Sawdust 80 N. 6th Street(646-779-8455 Subway: L to Bedford Avenue www.nationalsawdust.org• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Place at McDougal Street(212-254-1200) Subway: A, B, C, E, F, V to West 4th Street• Nublu 62 Avenue C between 4th and 5th Streets(212-979-9925) Subway: F, V to Second Avenue www.nublu.net• Nublu 151 151 Avenue C
Subway: L to First Avenue www.nublu.net• The Owl Music Parlor 497 Rogers Avenue, Brooklyn(718-774-0042) Subway: 2, to to Sterling Street www.theowl.nyc• Pangea 178 Second Avenue(212-995-0900) Subway: L to First Avenue www.pangeanyc.com• Press Room at Alamo Drafthouse 28 Liberty Street(332-216-3200) Subway: 2, 3 to Wall Street
www.drafthouse.com/nyc/theater/lower-manhattan• Public Records 233 Butler Street
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R to Atlantic Avenue www.publicrecords.nyc• Red Room at KGB Bar 85 E. 4th Street(703-221-4587) Subway: F to Second Avenue www.redroomnyc.com• Rizzoli Bookstore 1133 Broadway(212-759-2424) Subway: R, W to 28th Street www.rizzolibookstore.com• Rockwood Music Hall 196 Allen Street (212-477-4155)
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue www.rockwoodmusichall.com• Room 623 at B2 Harlem 271 W. 119th Street(212-280-2248) Subway: B, C to 116th Street www.b2harlem.com• Rose Theater Broadway at 60th Street, 5th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, A, C, E, B, D to Columbus Circle www.jazz.org• Roulette 509 Atlantic Avenue(212-219-8242) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Atlantic Avenue www.roulette.org• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Street www.saintpeters.org• Scholes Street Studio 375 Lorimer Street(718-964-8763) Subway: L to Lorimer Street
www.scholesstreetstudio.com• Sistas’ Place 456 Nostrand Avenue at Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn(718-398-1766) Subway: A to Nostrand Avenue www.sistasplace.org• Smalls 183 W 10th Street at Seventh Avenue (212-252-5091)
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street www.smallsjazzclub.com• Soapbox Gallery 636 Dean Street
Subway: 2, 3 to Bergen Street www.soapboxgallery.org• The Stone at The New School 55 W. 13th Street(212-229-5600) Subway: F, V to 14th Street www.thestonenyc.com• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Avenue South at 11th Street(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street www.villagevanguard.com• Zinc Bar 82 W. 3rd Street(212-477-8337) Subway: A, C, E, F, V, Grand Street Shuttle to W. 4th Street
www.zincjazz.com• Zürcher Gallery 33 Bleecker Street(212-777-0790) Subway: 6 to Bleeker Street; B, D, F to Broadway-Lafayettewww.galeriezurcher.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | JANUARY 2022 47