August 2023—ISSUE 256

YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE NYC JAZZ SCENENYCJAZZRECORD.COM

THE COOKERS
Cookin’’ AT Bird Fest!
CookinRE:
SPECIAL FEATUPETERBRÖTZMAMNN
IN MEMORIAALEXANDERHAWKINSMARTÁSANCHEZ

PAUL
WEST

KEITH
TIPPETTManaging Editor:
Laurence Donohue-Greene[Co-Founder/Editor Emeritus: Andrey Henkin]

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

August 2023 – ISSUE 256

Laurence Donohue-Greene:ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

NEW YORK@NIGHT

Nate Dorward (Copy Editor)
ndorward@nycjazzrecord.com

INTERVIEW: ALEXANDER HAWKINS

Marilyn Lester (Associate Copy Editor)

ARTIST FEATURE: MARTA SÁNCHEZ

Advertising:advertising@nycjazzrecord.com

ON THE COVER: THE COOKERS

Keith Hoffman(Event Calendar Manager):calendar@nycjazzrecord.com
Suzanne Lorge (VOXNews):
voxnews@nycjazzrecord.com

ENCORE: PAUL WEST
LEST WE FORGET: KEITH TIPPETTLABEL SPOTLIGHT: AMALGAM MUSICUS Subscription rates: 12 issues, $40
Canada Subscription rates: 12 issues, $45
International Subscription rates: 12 issues, $50
For subscription assistance, send check, cash ormoney order to the address aboveor email ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

Staff Writers
Duck Baker, Matty Bannond, Stuart Broomer,
Marco Cangiano, Brian Charette, Mike Cobb,
Thomas Conrad, Pierre Crépon, Ken Dryden,
Pierre Giroux, Kurt Gottschalk,
Tom Greenland, George Grella, Tyran Grillo,
Keith Hoffman, Terrell Holmes,
Marilyn Lester, Steven Loewy, Suzanne Lorge,
Marc Medwin, Francesco Martinelli,
Jim Motavalli, Russ Musto, John Pietaro,
John Sharpe, Elijah Shiffer, Elliott Simon,
Thomas Staudter, Anna Steegman,
Eric Wendell, Scott Yanow

VOXNEWSFESTIVAL REPORTSPECIAL FEATURE: IN MEMORIAM BRÖTZMANNALBUM REVIEWSEVENT CALENDARCLUB DIRECTORY
IN MEMORIAM

Contributing Writers
Andrew Hamlin, George Kanzler, Kyla Marshell,
John Shand, Ken Waxman
Contributing Photographers
John Abbott, George Troy Council, Tim Dickeson,
Warren Linhart, Francesco Martinelli,Danas Mikailionis, Alan Nahigian,Sherry Rubel, Robert Sutherland-Cohen
IN CORRECTION (July 2023 issue)
We regret the following errors…
In the Album Review section, Steve
Tintweiss Spacelight Band’s Live at NYU:
1980 is a first-time release (not a reissue);in the East Axis No Subject review, Scott
Robinson had played prior with one of theband members: Gerald Cleaver (with
Roscoe Mitchell).

nycjazzrecord.com

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by kurt gottschalkby matty bannondby jim motavalli
by marilyn lester
by francesco martinelliby eric wendellby suzanne lorge

by thomas staudter

Letter from the Editor

Jazz is as much about acknowledging and honoring its past, as it is about adding to that vast history to ensure its vitality
into the future. In this issue, you will notice a lot of featured octogenarians in particular, starting with our Cover Story on The
Cookers, a septet which for 16 years has maintained its steady stable of veterans (only one personnel change since its inception).
Though its collective average age is 76, don’t let ageism distract from your listening experience—these individuals are as vital
today as they were in the ‘60s and ‘70s, a time when most of them were instrumental in giving shape to the music of thatgeneration. The Cookers play the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival later this month. Speaking of Charlie Parker, Paul West (Encore)
was the longtime bassist for Bird’s main foil, Dizzy Gillespie, and though West may be zeroing in on nonagenarian status in a
few months, he shows nary a sign of slowing down, playing Blue Note and Jazzmobile at Grant’s Tomb this month.
We additionally pay tribute to two fallen sequoias of the jazz world. Legendary European figures each: U.K. pianist
Keith Tippett (Lest We Forget) died in the first months of the pandemic and would have turned 76 this month; German freejazz tenor saxophone titan Peter Brötzmann (Special Feature: In Memoriam) more recently passed away at age 82, only
months after his last live concerts (with vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz). We have gathered sentiments from Adasiewicz andover a dozen others who knew Brö’s music well and, in most cases, co-created music with the fire-spewing saxophonist. Both
Brötzmann and Tippett’s music was unapologetically uncompromising and, though of its time, remains timeless. That featin itself is an invaluable lesson for musicians seeking to find their voice in the ocean of current and past voices. Two who are
succeeding in this challenge are pianists Alexander Hawkins (Interview), whose debut NYC performance is this month at
The Stone, and Marta Sánchez who performs in NYC on a regular basis and will be at her usual weekly haunt Bar Bayeux, as
well as at Barbès.
There are a lot of musicians out there to keep tabs on, so be sure and don’t let their voices pass you by. Take it as yourpleasureful duty to be present for performances by these musicians we affectionally like to call “music magicians”!
Onwards and outwards — happy reading and listening and see you out at the shows.
On The Cover: The Cookers (photos courtesy of John Abbott)
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

2 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

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JAZZFESTARTSWESTCHESTER, THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS & THE WHITE PLAINS BID

WHITE PLAINSSEPT. 6–10, 2023

Presented by:

F E AT U R I N G :John Scofield & Joe Lovano Quartet | Mike Phillips |Cécile McLorin Salvant & Sullivan Fortner |Endea Owens & The Cookout | Richie Goods &Chien Chien Lu | Mike Freeman ZonaVibe

For Tickets & Concert Details Visit:artsw.org/jazzfest

Sunday, Sept. 10
Endea Owens
and The Cookout

NEW YORK @ N IGHT

SSC 1698 / AVAILABLE 8/25/23

T

he music on Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente’s
new album, Cometa, comes from a place oflove and joy. As a group, they hope to celebrate
the reemergence of hope in Brazil with acollection of inspiring music highlighting
the power of Brazilian song and the limitless expression of jazz.

I n a bustling Jazzmobile outdoor concert at Grant’s

Tomb (Jul. 12), the venerable tenor player Houston
Person held court with Lafayette Harris, Jr. (piano/
keyboard), Mike Karn (bass) and Vince Ector(drums). Beginning with a straight ahead “Sweet
Sucker”, followed by R&B/blues ballad “Save Your
Love for Me”, the set headed into Songbook gold
standards. “Since I Fell For You” spun out a dolefulmood, keenly interpreting the heartbreak-laden
lyrics. The concert highlight was Person’s intensely
soulful mid-tempo rendition of the ballad “All My
Love in Vain”, with Harris executing an inspired solo
full of lyrical twists and creative ideas. Ellington was
represented in a spirited “Do Nothing Till You Hearfrom Me”, followed by the entrance of guest tenor
saxophonist Ray Blue, and a powerful rendition of
the John Coltrane arrangement of “In a Sentimental
Mood”. Billy Strayhorn’s iconic “Take the ‘A’ Train”
served as a prime example of the overarching
synchrony between Person’s relaxed, steadfast style,with its assured elegance and honeyed tone, andBlue’s more robust attack, which featured occasional
forays into growls and slides. The closer, “Sunny”,
began with a short drum feature showcasing Ector’stalents. With an uninspired but consistent Karn,
Ector anchored the set throughout, while Harris’features displayed a dynamism rooted in the pianobar ethos, sometimes edging into roadhouse honky
tonk.
— Marilyn Lester

GEORGE TROY COUNCILCOMETA

R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN/JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

LUCIANA SOUZA & TRIO CORRENTE

O ver a dozen-year tenure with Anthony Braxton
in the ’80s and ’90s, Marilyn Crispell (piano), Mark
Dresser (bass) and Gerry Hemingway (drums)
brought visceral agility and emotional urgency to
his cerebral compositions. When the trio reunited ona Saturday night (Jul. 1) at The Stone at New School,
it was like old flames meeting at a class reunion:
former chemistry was rekindled, well-worn repertoire
was rejuvenated. Revisiting music Braxton wrote forthem, some with layered-on “pulse tracks”, the trio
delivered a continuous hour-long suite, improvised
segues connecting pieces, piano and bass doubling
cued phrases in loose lockstep, drums responding
intuitively, together attaining a plateau within sevenminutes, another shortly thereafter, each summit
followed by a respite, so that the epic-length set felt
much shorter. For timbral variety, Dresser bowed orplucked mbira-like metal tongues below the modified
bass bridge, creating multi-layered upper-partial polytones with circular, sweeping bow strokes over thefingerboard. Hemingway blew/sang into the snare
head through a conic light fixture to invoke ghostly
drones and pressed/tapped mallet sticks along thedrum rims to produce high soft overtone whines.
Crispell’s single notes and two-handed chords surged
forth in mighty flows, rejoined by equally mighty ebbs.
Hemingway spurred her with edgy blast beats, andDresser stood between them, tracking the action like aspectator at a tennis match.
— Tom Greenland

Marilyn Crispell @The Stone at New School

Houston Person and Ray Blue @Grant’s Tomb

Downtown Music Gallery’s free in-store concert series “B orn in a trunk,” the saying goes, and in thisGUILLERMO KLEIN QUINTETOTELMO’S TUNE
SSC 1708 / AVAILABLE 8/18/23

T

he Quinteto that Klein put together includes
longtime friends and collaborators, likebassist Matt Pavolka, Leo Genovese on Fender
Rhodes and other keyboards, and Los Guachos
saxophonist Chris Cheek. When Klein wasrecently introduced to drummer Allan
Mednard, they had an instant connection,
cementing Mednard’s role as a creative
partner in the Quinteto.

www.sunnysiderecords.com

is a three-decade institution, presenting both veteranand neophyte free improvisers, to fans crammed into
the aisles of Bruce Gallanter’s basement record store
in Two Bridges. On a Tuesday (Jul. 11), the lineup comprised four sets. Setting the mood were Yoni
Kretzmer (tenor), Erhard Hirt (guitar, visiting from
Germany), Joe Fonda (bass, flute) and Lou Grassi(drums), their set marked by creative tension between
Kretzmer’s forceful but warm sound and Hirt’s arsenalof electronic effects. Their second piece (of three)achieved an inspiring collective climax. The second set
was a duet between Elias Stemeseder (modular andanalog synthesizers) and Aaron Rubinstein (guitar).
Stemeseder wove thick tapestries of mutating tones,
some of them extremely rough and spiky—akin to an
all-night factory where robot cranes transport hardwareand other goods—while Rubinstein drummed his
fingers high on the neck or picked half-fretted notes
in legato flurries. Clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s trio withJohn Hébert (bass) and Billy Mintz (drums) delivered
the third set, short but substantial, despite an unevenstart (Hébert was interrupted by a cellphone call fromhis mom!). Close, intelligent listening paid off in
moments of deep silence and empathy. Seattle-based
Kelsey Mines began the fourth and final set with deepyoga-like breathing, later accompanying her skipping/stuttering bass parts with high-pitched, unearthly
vocals to startling effect.
(TG)

4 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

case, it was a jazz trunk owned by singers Marion
Cowings and Kim Kalesti, whose son, tapdancersinger A. C. Lincoln, did them proud in his Birdland
Theater debut (Jul. 6). Favoring the American
Songbook, Lincoln juiced up familiar standards
with a smooth light baritone inflected with a hintof deeper, darker notes. The opener was a bandfeature of “Summertime” (G. and I. Gershwin)with pianist Danny Mixon in Oscar Peterson mode,
playing an energetic mashup of swing, bebop andorchestral styles. Lincoln entered with “The Way
You Look Tonight” (J. Kern, D. Fields), launching
into sophisticated tap, calling to mind the looselimbed style of Ray Bolger. The animated Mixon had
plenty of spotlight moments, as did bassist Melissa
Slocum, walking especially vigorously on the intro
to “You and the Night and the Music” (A. Schwartz,
H. Dietz). Mixon’s sophisticated musical phrasing in
support of Lincoln gained an extra meaning from therevelation that Mixon was also a hoofer in his youth.
A highlight, “Caravan” (J. Tizol, D. Ellington), beganwith a tap intro closely followed by an extended
drum feature by Winard Harper, whose 1998 album
Trap Dancer is a window into the relationshipbetween rhythm tap style and percussion. On taplessvocals, such as “Darn That Dream” (J. Van Heusen,
E. DeLange), Lincoln showed solid ballad chops.
(ML)The opening night (Jul. 6) of the Dirty Dozen Brass J ust a few words to state that this is my final column

for the NY@Night section. The day job has too often
spilled into evenings; I’m focusing more on my poetry,
and while I’ll remain a staff writer with TNYCJR, thisis it for live reviews. Thanks to the many amazing
artists I’ve covered over these years—and a standout
among them is We Free Strings, led by violist
Melanie Dyer. This ensemble’s recent performanceat the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (Jul. 9) via
One Breath Rising, confirmed its role as a boundaryand genre-shredder. Catching them just after theyrecorded a new album, the program included thegroup’s latest material, notably a gripping piece
which paired composition and improvisation with
Dyer’s powerful spoken word (“When Jeanne Leesings, she sees purple…” and “We may not know
freedom, but we know what it sounds like”). True
to Downtown’s multi-media tradition, the inclusionof her claymation film and shadowy figures briefly
turned the Park Slope room into a No Wave loft.
Violinist Gwen Laster’s “Is My Black Still Beautiful,
Is My Black Still Proud?”, with her spoken word andsinging, was both topical and artful. Cellist Alex
Waterman filled out the string trio, and the ensemble
was completed by the dual magic of Ken Filiano(bass) and Michael Wimberly (drums). The bandat its best, free and dynamic, demonstrated strong
interplay to an audience hungry for new sounds andnew creations.
— John Pietaro

ALAN NAHIGIAN

Roger Lewis of Dirty Dozen Brass Band @Blue Note

Melanie Dyer of We Free Strings @Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

The final set of a three-night stand by Melvis Santa’s D espite the early summer heatwave, Issue ProjectNoche Cubana at Dizzy’s Club (Jul. 1) opened
ceremonially with the multitalented maestro Román
Diaz entering from stage right. Santa tapped out aclave rhythm on chekere, and Diaz shook a string of
metal bells, chanting a Santeria oration before the pair
took their respective places at the piano and congas.
Joined by Alberto Miranda (bass) and Edgar Martinez(timbales) they performed her “Descarga Celeste”, alively work dedicated to Celeste Mendoza, La Reina delGuaguancó. Moving center stage, Santa introduced hernative Havana bandmates, with Axel Tosca succeeding
her at the piano. Revealing a potently impassioned
voice and commanding chekere rhythm, she delivered acompelling canto to the orisha Changó, driven by Diaz’cowbell. The incantation was meaningful in that Changó
is the Yoruba god of thunder and lightning, and alsoof music, drumming and dancing. The band followedwith her arrangement of and Spanish lyric to Mongo
Santamaria’s iconic composition “Afro Blue”. Joined bysinger Xiomara Laugart, Santa duetted on the traditional
trova “La Sitiera”, moving from a stirring bolero rhythm
to a soulfully cadenced guajira. Her woody clave andchanted vocal ushered in a rumbafied and impressively
scatted “Caravan”. The lush and mellow La Lupeassociated bolero “Qué Te Pedí” preceded Berta Moreno(tenor) sitting in, playing boldly on the classic “Lágrimas
Negras”. The show closed with Latin jazz staple “El
Manisero” (The Peanut Vendor).
(RM)

W H AT ’ S N E W S
The annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, presented by City
Parks Foundation in conjunction with the legendary alto
saxophonist’s birthday month (he would have been 103 on Aug.
29), will include various ancillary events. In addition to three fullafternoons of music at Marcus Garvey Park (Aug. 25-26) andTompkins Square Park (Aug. 27), there will be “Harlem Speaks:
The Cookers Talk Bird with Keanna Faircloth”, a Q&A and talk withthe band The Cookers (TNYCJR Aug. issue Cover Story!) at the
National Jazz Museum in Harlem (Aug. 23), and a film screeningof “Paris In Harlem” at Hansborough Recreation Center Rooftop in
conjunction with a performance featuring Antoine Roney andSpaceman Patterson (Aug. 24). For more info visit
cityparksfoundation.org/charlieparker.
Christie’s Auction House has announced “Charlie Watts:
Gentleman, Collector, Rolling Stone”, a multi-part auction of theestate of late Rolling Stones’ drummer (1941-2021). Included arejazz memorabilia featuring various Charlie Parker items such as
Bird’s DownBeat awards from 1952, signed photographs and rareacetate recordings, and a signed printed score by George
Gershwin of his Porgy & Bess. The auctions will take place from
Sep. 15-29. For more info visit:
christies.com/events/charlie-watts-gentleman-collector-rolling-stone/what-is-on
Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester-NY islaunching a newly conceived jazz voice program as part of theschool’s undergraduate Jazz and Contemporary Media degree,
led and designed by vocalist Sara Gazarek. Gazarek has
performed and/or recorded with Fred Hersch, Terri Lyne
Carrington, John Beasley’s MONKestra and is a founding memberof the vocal group säje. For more info visit esm.rochester.edu.
The 2024 class of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) “Jazz
Masters” has recently been announced. Alto saxophonist Gary
Bartz, pianist/organist/vocalist Amina Claudine Myers, trumpeter
Terence Blanchard and jazz writer/critic Willard Jenkins (the latterrecipient of the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for
Jazz Advocacy) all will be honored for their “exceptional
contributions to the advancement of jazz” on Apr. 13, 2024 at theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington,
DC. All NEA Jazz Masters Fellows receive up to $25K. The
deadline for nominations for the next class of honorees is Oct. 31.
For more info visit arts.gov.

SHERRY RUBEL @SRSTUDIOS_BIZ

Band’s annual summer pilgrimage to the Blue Note
had the venerable 46-year-old New Orleans ensemble
throwing down hard for a sold-out house with theirsoulfully swinging hometown sound. “I hope y’all
didn’t come here and think you’re just gonna sitaround and be nice all night, ’cause that ain’t happenin’
in here,” founding member Gregory Davis (cornet andvocals) admonished the seated crowd, exhorting themto “move around, party and get good.” With that,
Kirk Joseph’s funky sousaphone and Julian Addison’s
boogying drums launched the band, with Roger Lewis(baritone sax), Trevarri Huff-Boone (tenor), Stephen
Walker (trombone) and Takeshi Shimmura (guitar),
into “Snowball”, which had each member taking a solo
turn backed by riffing horns. The band then segued
into “Right Place, Wrong Time”, with Davis cogently
delivering the classic Dr. John lyric. On “It’s All Right”
the singer engaged the audience in a shouting vocal calland response before the song flowed into the Meters’“Cissy Strut”, which featured Shimmura’s wailing
guitar. Audience participation was in full swing on “Li’l
Liza Jane”, with the crowd up out of their seats, singing,clapping and dancing, as Davis brought audience
members up on stage to strut their stuff. The party
atmosphere persisted on “St. James Infirmary Blues”,
with people up on their chairs yelling encouragement
to the band as it closed out James Brown-style with
“Use Your Brain”.
— Russ Musto

Room hosted Rocket Science at the Brooklyn
Music School (Jul. 7). The historic building (ca.
1909) unfortunately maintains its original climate
control system: a lack of air-conditioning or fans.
The heavy, near-tangible atmosphere was hardto ignore, yet the artistry onstage seemed little
affected, and the audience was riveted. Peter Evans(trumpets) positioned the brilliant flow from his twohorns within Craig Taborn’s uncanny pianistics, a
relationship further shaped by Sam Pluta and Ikue
Mori’s electronics. This was the stuff of legend. The
concert was built on duets, the first of which had
Evans’ piccolo trumpet at times fighting for its life
against Pluta’s aggressive sound waves (the punkedge is always welcome, but here it absorbed whatever
acoustics were to be heard). Later, Evans moved toflugelhorn for a duo with Taborn, a tour-de-forceof runaway modal passages over lush chromatics
which could have scored Frank Frazetta’s Lord of theRings Middle Earth illustrations. Taborn shone in his
masterful duo with Mori, gorgeously blending realms
and textures. Mori’s electronics grew from both visual
art studies in Japan and Downtown drumming, so
one clearly hears strains of both these influences—thepercussive, the natural, whole swaths of atmosphere.
Taborn responded with rapid-fire phrasing befitting
Georges Auric, magically illuminating the thickened
air.
(JP)

It has been reported that New Orleans’ Historic District Landmarks
Commission has again cited the former home of legendary late19th century jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden (1877-1931) for
demolition-by-neglect (including but not limited to deteriorating
sills, foundation piers, studs, steps and stucco, missing or
deteriorated gutters, downspouts, weatherboards and roof
shingles), as in its current state it could actually collapse. The
current owners (since 2008) of the New Orleans landmark, thenon-profit Greater St. Stephen Ministries (which has ties to PJ
Morton, pop rock band Maroon 5’s singer/keyboardist who in thepast has at least been vocally involved) has until Aug. 4 to getapproval from the city to address the issues. For more info visit
nola.gov/boards/new-orleans-historic-district-landmarks-commission.
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission has
recently designated three buildings connected to jazz history:
Dizzy Gillespie’s former residence at 105-19 37th Avenue inCorona, Queens, Harlem’s Hotel Cecil & Minton’s Playhouse andthe building at 935 St. Nicholas Avenue that once was home toboth Duke Ellington and Noble Sissle. For more info visit
nyc.gov/site/lpc/index.page.
Located just a block away from the legendary but since-defunct
Sugar Hill jazz club St. Nick’s Pub (one of the oldest continuous
operating jazz clubs in Harlem before its closing in 2011), The
Porch has sadly announced as of mid-July it too has closed its
doors to nightly music programming (it will become a private event
space). The Porch fostered and presented a regular menu of jazzartists for its brief two-year existence, including Wayne Tucker(trumpet), Frank Lacy (trombone), Gregor Huebner (violin),
Yvonnick Prene (harmonica), Gregory “Organ Monk” Lewis(organ), Willerm Delisfort (piano), Russell Hall (bass), Tommy
Campbell (drums) and many others. Hats off to The Porch’s
founder/owner Mark Miller for giving it the old college try andadmirably opening the venue just a year after the beginning of thepandemic, which no doubt came with its own inherent andunenviable challenges.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 5

LUCIANO ROSSETTI ©PHOCUSAGENCYI NTERVIEWALEXANDERHAWKINS
listening to influence

AH: I think part of the answer to this lies in the ecologyof the UK creative music scene. In general, when I wascoming up—and the characterization is a bit rough andready, but hopefully it illustrates the point—there wasa more ‘conservative’ jazz scene, and then there was thefree improvisation scene (which I can now understandis also conservative in some senses too, just in the same
way that the ‘mainstream’ scene has some brilliantly
creative voices). There weren’t really too many people,
at least to my knowledge, who were interested incomposition within more avant-garde settings—inmarked contrast, for example, to my peer group in the(CONTINUED ON PAGE 33)

BY KURT GOTTSCHALK
On any given night, pianist Alexander Hawkins might beheard touching on Anthony Braxton and Duke Ellington,
attacking the Hammond B3, deploying swift ragtime figuresor dropping soft chords that ring with the tonal complexityof Olivier Messiaen. There’s a wealth of knowledge at his
fingertips. A key figure in the London jazz scene, he plays
regularly with Blue Notes drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo
and saxophonist Evan Parker while leading his own bands.
He is also a podcaster and an insightful and eloquent writerof liner notes. This month, he makes his official NYC debut,
playing with Tomeka Reid at The Stone.
The New York City Jazz Record: Let’s start by talking
about one of your newest job titles: web-stream DJ. You
launched a podcast series called “Break a Vase” in May,
which features you discussing and playing selections
from your eclectic collection. What prompted you tostart the show and why the name?
Alexander Hawkins: I’m a compulsive listener:
although I don’t think of the activity as quite akin to the“scientific” side of instrumental practice—time spentworking on facility, muscle memory and so on—I dotake it very seriously as a source of inspiration and as
preparatory work for composition. And if that sounds
a little earnest, on the simplest level, needless to say, it
brings me a great deal of joy.
I was reflecting recently that I do a great deal of mylistening digitally these days—unsurprisingly, given theamount of time a musician can spend on the road. And it
struck me that this is, in some senses, a shame insofar as itis largely at the expense of all the physical albums which I
have so lovingly collected over the years. So, the podcast
came about essentially as me making an aural record ofan effort to revisit my physical music collection. Radiois something I used to get asked to do quite a bit, so it
seemed a fun format to attempt.
The title is that of my last-but-one release as aleader—a sextet album on Intakt Records. “Break avase” is a phrase from the Nobel Prize acceptancespeech of the wonderful St. Lucian poet and playwright
Derek Walcott, in which he expresses some ideas
which had considerable resonance. I also like theslightly oblique nature of the phrase: since I personally
don’t experience or conceive of music in any way
as narrative or representative, the pieces are never“about” anything—so I try to seek out intriguing formsof words for titles.
TNYCJR: As you’re putting the shows together, do you
see differences between the music that informs yourown playing and the music that you just like to hear?
AH: I find this relationship between that which
influences and that which is simply enjoyable reallyfascinating. I think ultimately the differences are ofdegree rather than of kind. I feel that I am getting betterat learning something from any music I hear: even—and occasionally especially—things which I don’t likehelp me to understand something about the core ofwhat music means to me. It’s of course true that there
are certain things which are more direct influences.
I can listen to someone like Anthony Braxton, forexample, and think about structural devices andpossibilities for my own work. I’ve also recently spent
a lot of time with various pieces of [Luigi] Nono, andthe music of Foday Musa Suso, as a way to help me
articulate certain thoughts and begin to translate these
onto, and ultimately then again off, the page. But isthe Ocora album I was listening to earlier of musicfrom Tajikistan finding its way into my music? It’s lessclear—unless what I’m really asking is, does it fuel mycontinued passion for organizing sound in fascinatingways, in which case the answer is emphatically ‘yes’.
TNYCJR: You’ve played organ in the trio Decoy withbassist John Edwards and drummer Steve Noble forover a decade, sometimes adding saxophonist Joe
McPhee. What is your relationship with the electricorgan? And who are some of your B3 heroes?
AH: Until the age of 18, I played the church organ very
seriously—hence in part my obsession with Bach (andcounterpoint more generally), and as you identified
earlier, Messiaen, amongst others. As far as classicalplaying went, I was much more accomplished on that
instrument than the piano. Then it dawned on me
that if I wanted to try to do this music for a living, mybest chances were with the instrument I really loved,rather than the one I simply liked a great deal. So, oneday, I never played the church organ again (a decision
made much easier by the church setting for so muchof the repertoire, which I find very problematic) inorder to concentrate on the piano. Of course, I havesubsequently revisited the instrument on occasion, but
now much more often play Hammond when it comes tothe organ family. Many of the principles of registrationand technique are the same, so I took to the instrument
without too much trouble, probably all the more sohaving been an avid listener to the tradition after being
given a Jimmy Smith CD when I was very young.
I love this stuff so much—I could go on and on about
the Smiths, Jimmy and Dr. Lonnie (actually, some of myformative live music experiences were going to London
to see the latter play with Lou Donaldson), Shirley Scott,Jack McDuff, Reuben Wilson, John Patton, Sun Ra, Don
Patterson, Amina Claudine Myers, Freddie Roach andso on, and of course the incredible Larry Young. But
forced to save one player from the proverbial flames,
I’d probably grab my Baby Face Willette CDs.
TNYCJR: We’ve heard your written work on 2017’s
UpRoot—co-led with vocalist Elaine Mitchener—andTogetherness Music (For Sixteen Musicians) from 2021,
with Evan Parker. It seems putting yourself forward as
a composer came later in your career. Had you been
considering more structured music all along, or was
this a more recent venture?

6 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDHAUGUST 1ST - AUGUST 6THH

ANDREW CYRILLE QUARTETBILL FRISELL - DAVID VIRELLES - BEN STREETHAUGUST 8TH - AUGUST 13THH

BILL FRISELL FOUR
GREG TARDY - GERALD CLAYTON - JOHNATHAN BLAKE
HAUGUST 15TH - AUGUST 20THH

BILL FRISELL FIVEKENNY WOLLESEN - TONY SCHERR - THOMAS MORGAN - RUDY ROYSTONHAUGUST 22ND - AUGUST 27THH

JOE LOVANO
TRIO TAPESTRYMARILYN CRISPELL - CARMEN CASTALDIHAUGUST 29TH - SEPTEMBER 3RDH

GILAD HEKSELMAN TRIOLARRY GRENADIER - MARCUS GILMORE

COMING IN SEPTEMBERHBILL CHARLAPH
HBILL STEWARTHHJOHN ZORNHMONDAY NIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR

THE VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRAKIMBERLY M WANG

ARTIST F EATURE

Beneath the surface of every thriving ecosystem is acomplex interplay of forces and mechanisms. That same
life-giving balance animates Marta Sánchez’ music.
Intricate rhythmic figures overlap and collide. Tonalities
clash and vanish. “The goal is always beauty,” thepianist says. “The harmonies are pursuing beauty, andmelodically they are very singable. I mean, they’re hardto sing… But you can sing them.”That pursuit of beauty carried Sánchez away from
Spain in 2011 and into New York City’s very different
musical scene. She had successfully finished studies inclassical piano and composition at conservatories in her
hometown of Madrid, courses that offered Sánchez her
first experience of improvisation. “I didn’t listen to jazz asa kid,” she says. “And in the conservatory they taught us
improvisation—but it was classical. I was fascinated thatpeople could sit down at the piano and create music in
the moment. Then one of my teachers started giving me
records, some of them jazz.”
To further deepen her understanding during her
studies, Sánchez occasionally jumped on a 90-minuteflight to Barcelona to take instruction from Argentinian
jazz pianist/composer Guillermo Klein whose music
grabbed her imagination. The marathon music lessons
kept her in the practice room for several hours at a time(she believes her generous hero felt guilty because she’dtraveled so far to see him!).
Next—a trip to NYC. Her first visit was a wet
blanket. But the second lit a roaring fire. “I was going tocome for one month to take lessons and see concerts,” shesays. “I ended up staying for three months, the maximum
allowed with a tourist visa. I fell in love with the music,
the city, everything. It was super intense and I reallywanted to live here.”
To chase that dream, Sánchez launched a barrage ofapplications for grants to study and live in the Big Apple.
At the third attempt, she landed a spot on the prestigious
Fulbright Program, which supports cultural exchange forgraduates and young professionals. After initial struggles
with the language and culture, she completed a Master’s
degree in Jazz Piano Performance at NYU in 2013.
In 2015, the pianist released her first album as abandleader in the US. Partenika features a quintet with
Roman Filiú (alto) and Jerome Sabbagh (tenor) in frontof a Sánchez piano trio (Sam Anning, bass; Jason Burger,
drums). It’s an instrumentation Sánchez frequently
employs live and on recordings. In this fertile setting,she’s able to slink into the shadowy undergrowth whilehorns pirouette in the sunlight. But Sánchez’ contrapuntal
post-bop melody-making is present in every slippery beatof her playfully meandering compositions. The New YorkTimes listed the record as one of the 10 best albums of theyear, for any genre.
Danza Impossible and El Rayo de Luz followed in 2017and 2019. Both albums involve the same quintet formula,with a couple of personnel changes. “I don’t think mymusic has changed radically, but I’ve evolved,” she says.
“That evolution reflects all the music I’ve listened to andall the people I’ve played with. I gained confidence, so

MARTASÁNCHEZ
fearless and fluid

Recommended Listening:• Marta Sánchez Trio—Lunas, Soles & Elefantes(Errabal, 2007)• Marta Sánchez—Le Espiral Amarilla(Errabal, 2010)• Marta Sánchez Quintet—Partenika(Fresh Sound New Talent, 2014)• Marta Sánchez Quintet—Danza Impossible(Fresh Sound New Talent, 2017)• Marta Sánchez Quintet—El Rayo de Luz(Fresh Sound New Talent, 2019)• Marta Sánchez—
SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum)(Whirlwind, 2021)

BY MATTY BANNOND

I can put myself out there without being afraid. I cantransmit whatever is inside of me, my deepest feelings
and fears… So the music is more about who I am, insteadof thinking about what people want to hear.”
Sánchez’ evolutionary journey left a deep imprint
on her most recent release, SAAM (Spanish American Art
Museum). Her quartet welcomes guest contributions fromAmbrose Akinmusire (trumpet) and Charlotte Greve(synthesizers), as well as Camila Meza (vocals, guitar).
The compositions offer more open space for free playing
in an album often described as a tribute to Sánchez’
mother, who died in 2020. “It’s not really like that,” shesays. “I already had half of the music before the deathof my mom. I wrote her a couple of tunes… I became
obsessed with working. I guess it was an escape, to notthink about it. I was almost not sleeping, waking up super
early and trying to write or practice or listen to music.”
Only one musician is on all four of her albums as
leader—Cuban saxophonist Filiú, who plays alto on thefirst three records, switching to tenor for SAAM. “Marta’s
skill to put together musicians from different backgrounds
to achieve a personal sound is something I admire,”
he says. “She doesn’t just rely on her compositions or
piano skills—but on a focused band sound, where every
instrument works as an individual mechanism of a larger
instrumental device.”
During live performances in her beloved New
York, the pianist takes the stage in a broad range oflocations and formations. Solo shows offer the chance toinvestigate melodic ideas in deeper detail. Appearanceswith saxophonists like David Murray, Oscar Noriega andAlfredo Colon add new flora and fauna to the Sánchez
sound. The coming months will regularly feature her ina trio setting with Chris Tordini (bass) and Savannah
Harris (drums)—another, more exposed landscape withvast sonic plains to explore. “Marta is a fearless and fluid
pianist,” Tordini says. “I love improvising with her. She’s
the kind of player who elevates whatever band she’s
playing with, similar to Jason Moran. She writes songs
that sound very personal. There’s patience, momentum
and a unique harmonic language.”This trio enters the studio in September to record
a new album and Sánchez says the music will be lesscompositional and more abstract: her focus on strong
melodies will soften slightly in favor of in-the-moment
exchanges. But the sessions for the new album will probe
the same elements that characterize the pianist’s natural
habitat—intricate rhythms, interlaced harmonies andintimate emotions.
Looking further ahead, Sánchez plans to tread newpaths. She has composed music for string quartet andpiano, and is now seeking opportunities to record it. Thatwould put the pianist in a new ecosystem, with a fresh set
of forces and mechanisms to balance it out. The resulting
melodies may be hard to sing, but they will resonate witha powerful life-force. And the goal will always be beauty.
For more info visit martasanchezmusic.com. Sánchez is at
Barbes Aug. 30 and Bar Bayeux Thursdays. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 7

ON THE COVER

JOHN ABBOTTTHE COOKERS
Cookin’ AT Bird Fest!
by jim motavalli
I n April 1965, trumpeters Freddie Hubbard and Lee
Morgan got together with an all-star band consistingof James Spaulding (alto sax/flute), Harold Mabern(piano), Larry Ridley (bass), Pete La Roca (drums)
and Big Black (congas/percussion), recording twonights of music at Brooklyn’s long-since defunct ClubLa Marchal. There was so much great music recordedthat Blue Note Records released two volumes of The
Night of the Cookers. And since then, the albums haveachieved legendary status as a prime document oflive jazz musicians reaching for the stars.
Yet it wasn’t until decades later that The Cookers
were to come together as a bona fide group, derived
in name and musical ambition from those very
sessions. And so adopting the name about 16 years
ago, a band simply known as The Cookers was born.
With but a single personnel change over the years
since, it was and continues to be a super-group.
Though veteran Cookers trumpeter Eddie
Henderson (then 24) may not have played on theoriginal The Night of the Cookers, he did, in a sense,play a role in that group’s creation, chauffeuring
Hubbard to the gigs. “Both nights,” he adds. “I canstill see that session vividly in my mind’s eye…I
was studying for my medical degree at Howard in
Washington, but every weekend I’d come up to New
York and go see Freddie.”Another longtime Cooker, tenor saxophonist
Billy Harper finds it helpful to explain that“cooking” not only comes out of the kitchen, but
in this context means “burning jazz”. Henderson
and Harper, two of the seven Cookers, excel at thisconcept, one good reason they’re founding membersof the ensemble. The other original members areDavid Weiss (trumpet, composer and arranger),
George Cables (piano), Cecil McBee (bass) andBilly Hart (drums). Donald Harrison (alto) is thesole personnel change since the band’s inception(replacing Craig Handy as of The Cookers’ fourth
album Time and Time Again). Experience counts—andthese musicians have collectively appeared on overa thousand albums, including some of the greatest
ever recorded, whether under their own respective
names or with jazz legends such as Art Blakey, Miles
Davis, Gil Evans, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery,Art Pepper, Max Roach, Pharoah Sanders, Jimmy
Smith, Randy Weston and many, many others.
For Harper, playing with The Cookers is about“staying in line with true, honest music. All themusicians in the band are on the same wavelength
about that.”“We are carrying the banner,” says Cables.
“What we played (before The Cookers) changed themusical direction of the time. And what we’re saying(now) is that the music is still alive, with importantroots. We’re not just old guys playing old stuff!”
Indeed not. The Cookers have proven to be avital institution in their own right since 2007, touring
the world and releasing a half dozen significant
albums to date. And to Cables’ point, all the band
members are still as vital as ever. The oldest Cooker,

McBee, is 88. Henderson and Hart are 82 and Harper
80. Cables is a mere stripling of 78, and Harrisona youth of 63. Weiss, the baby of the group at 58,
has been instrumental in the conception, launch andcontinuation of The Cookers (as he was with priorensembles like the New Jazz Composers Octet andPoint of Departure).
“It started with work I was doing with Freddie
Hubbard,” Weiss recalls. “We wanted to do a Nightof the Cookers celebration, and assembled as many of
the original players as possible, including Spaulding
and La Roca (performing the music of Lee Morgan
and Freddie Hubbard). [Pianist] Ronnie Mathews
was also involved. It sounded great, and we wanted
to do more shows. George came in, and Eddie. At
some point, I thought we should start doing original
material if the band was going to get to the next level,
and that was how Billy [Harper] and Charles [Tolliver]came in.” (Harper has since contributed to the band’sbook some of his vast and memorable output ascomposer, including “Priestess”, “Capra Black” and“Somalia”). Weiss continues, “[Trumpeter] Tolliver
was involved for a time... before he wanted to focus
on his big band. So our first gig as The Cookers, as it
basically is today, was in 2007.” In June of that year,
the group performed at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival
in California. There were some transitional gigs prior
to that, though, perhaps stretching the timeline evenfurther as to the more unofficial beginnings of theband: at Jazz Standard the year before, Weiss shared
the frontline with Tolliver, Spaulding and Harper(Weiss also recalls this gig as probably being McBee’s
very first with the band), and in 2005 in Cork, Ireland,
Weiss, Tolliver, Handy (subbing for Spaulding) andHarper played a concert. One thing that cannot be
disputed since the band’s beginnings, though, is thefact that, as Weiss puts it: “Everything clicked. We
hadn’t realized it would work so well.”
All this said, Weiss does admit to feelingthat ageism is and has been alive and well in theentertainment industry: “The 20- and 30-year-olds
tend to get more of the gigs. In an ideal world, all
the members of The Cookers would have solo careers
and just do that.” Weiss reaffirms that even thoughnone of the players would be sitting in retirement,
the band adds significant dates to their respective
and collective touring calendars. “The purpose of theband is to put these guys in the best possible light,”
says Weiss. “They’re all modest in their own way,
but they also know what they can do!”For the band’s first two releases (Warriors andCast the First Stone, both recorded in 2010), Weisssays he picked tunes from the members’ repertoire
and arranged them. “By the third album [Believe],the pattern was each musician would bring in a tune
and we’d work on it, with the composer taking overthe leadership. The music is in their hands. They’rethe living embodiment of this music, and they’re still
evolving—as great musicians do.”The band’s albums are far from fast head–solos–head jam sessions. The Cookers have become

8 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

known for thoughtful arrangements of originalcompositions delivered with a high degree of energy
and intensity, both through their recordings andespecially live appearances. Henderson says the 16year longevity of The Cookers is, “Remarkable. It’sa very special band.” In addition to the band’s globe
trotting from Taiwan, Israel, Argentina and Brazil,
he recalls trips and tours over the years by the band
to Japan, Australia, Austria, England, Ireland andperformances ranging from North Sea and Umbria to
Newport and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festivals(supplementing The Cookers impressive showings at
Monterey, Playboy and Pori Jazz Festivals, etc.).
But it was in February 2020, when COVID-19 hit,as The Cookers were convening in Europe for one of
their tours, that everything came to an abrupt halt—
for The Cookers and the rest of the world. Cables
and Henderson were already overseas, the former
working with Jeremy Pelt and Ray Drummond, thelatter celebrating his 80th birthday at Pizza Expressin London. They would all get stranded in Europe,
eventually making it home to the States.
“Some guys were losing their minds because they
had never stopped [gigging] before,” Weiss recently
told DownBeat. “Most of them have a workmanlike
attitude—they do what they do, on an extremely
high level, without giving a ton of thought to career
trajectory… or how to promote something. Just play.
The pandemic stopped that.”
But since pandemic restrictions have eased off
with regard to travel and other considerations, The
Cookers have returned to their original momentum,with a banner year last year into this year, andbeyond. This month The Cookers reconvene in New
York for a concert at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park,
part of the weekend-long Charlie Parker Jazz Festival(presented by City Parks Foundation).
And looking a little further ahead: the beginningof 2024 will see the band releasing its next highlyanticipated album. It will not only be the band’s
seventh recording, but its first live one, recorded at
Dizzy’s Club in NYC just over a year ago.
The successful recipe for The Cookers? They willkeep cookin’ as long as listeners keep listenin’!
For more info visit thecookersmusic.com. The Cookers are
at Marcus Garvey Park Aug. 26 as part of the weekendlong Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, presented by City Parks
Foundation.
Recommended Listening:• The Cookers—Warriors(Jazz Legacy Productions, 2010)• The Cookers—Cast the First Stone(Plus Loin Music, 2010)• The Cookers—Believe (Motéma Music, 2012)• The Cookers—Time and Time Again(Motéma Music, 2014)• The Cookers—The Call of the Wild and PeacefulHeart (Smoke Sessions, 2016)• The Cookers—Look Out! (Gearbox, 2020)

Randy Brecker

Lee Ritenour

NY Voicesdave grusin:
a life in music
Dave Grusin

nov 17ranky
tankyvery special guest
Ms. Lisa Fischer
Nov 9 @ 7:30PM
Get in a Gullah groove with GRAMMY®
winning band Ranky Tanky.

abdullahibrahim trio
Sun, Nov 12 @ 3PM“When it comes to stately beauty,
it’s damn near impossible to surpass
an Abdullah Ibrahim solo piano set.”(JazzTimes)

omara
portuondo
Fri, Nov 10 @ 7:30PM
The grand dame of classic
Cuban song, the legendary
Omara Portuondo performs a
retrospective of her life in music.

roy ayers
Nov 16 @ 7:30PM
It’s a night of vibrant, feel-goodjazz-funk with the artist behind“Everybody Loves the Sunshine,”“Searching” and “Running Away.”

Will Downingfeaturing Lee Ritenour,
Will Downing,
Randy Brecker
and the New York Voices

take 6
with special guest Hillary-Marie
Sat, Nov 11 @ 7:30PM
Experience the vocal genius of a capellagroup Take 6, the “baddest vocal cats on
the planet” (Quincy Jones).

when you wish
upon a star
A Jazz Tribute to 100 Years of DisneyFri, Nov 17 @ 7:30PM
Celebrate 100 years of Disney throughthe lens of jazz, with songs from yourfavorite Disney movies performed live.

Buy tickets today at njpac.org or call 1.888.MY.NJPAC! • For full jazz lineup visit njpac.org/jazz
New Jersey Performing Arts Center • One Center Street • Newark, NJ

JazzRecord_9.5x12_Aug.indd 1

7/25/23 3:43 PM

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTISTENCOREPAULWEST

DIZZY TO THE QUARTER NOTE
BY MARILYN LESTER

Longevity in jazz seems to be a commodity corneredby double bassists in particular: Bill Crow (95), Jay
Leonhart (82) and Ron Carter (81), to name a few.
Among this august fraternity, Paul West, born inHarlem on January 28, 1934, is still active at age 89 andstill gigging. Recently, West was part of the “Titans of
Jazz Bass” super-group that performed this March 29
at the Apollo Theater, as the opening act for the Jazz
Foundation of America’s “Great Night in Harlem”
benefit. West’s fellow bassists for the occasion: from theyouthful Rufus Reid (79) to fellow octogenarians Buster
Williams (81), Reggie Workman (86) and Cecil McBee(88).
Reid proudly declares that “Bass players are a
special breed!” even though they might not see eachother except at such gatherings. He met West and other
New York bass players when he moved here from
Chicago in 1976, and that was at bassist Sam Jones’
memorial. Now, nearly 50 years on, of West, Reidobserves, “He’s always the same—loving, sincere, witha congenial personality. His vast experience was always
special to learn (from).”That vast experience has been culled from anamazing well of sources. West has been associated withthe brightest names in jazz, including Billy Taylor, theThad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra, Milt Jackson, Kenny
Barron, Randy Weston, Tommy Flanagan, Sir Roland
Hanna, Barry Harris—and Dizzy Gillespie, an important
touchstone. When West was 22, Gillespie invited him toattend a band rehearsal. He liked what he heard andhired the young bassist, along with another newcomer,
18-year-old trumpeter Lee Morgan. West wound up
touring with Gillespie through 1956. “Those years weremy Juilliard education,” he says. “Dizzy was a masterteacher without over-teaching.” Saxophonist Benny
Golson, now 94, was on that crew with West. A fast
friendship was formed. “Through the course of many

notable years, Paul’s noteworthy disposition has always
been peace and love, which is supported by his unusual
talent,” Golson says. He adds, “I’ve found him to be oneof my greatest friends. Today’s changing and rapacious
world could learn much from this iconic man.”West’s musical journey began in early childhood.
The son of a minister, he grew up in the church and in
an atmosphere where only classical music was heard.
He began studying violin at age six. At the High Schoolof Music & Art, jazz caught his attention. In his senioryear, overhearing the jazz band rehearsing a Count Basie
chart, he found his way to the basses stored nearby. He
picked one up and started plucking along, and thus his
jazz path began. He gigged professionally around thecity after graduation, and then in 1954 entered Wagner
College in Staten Island to pursue a major in musiceducation, planning on a teaching career in publicschools. This path, he reasoned, would provide thefinancial security to raise a family.
The universe intervened with that call from
Gillespie. One gig led to another—Ray Charles, Les Jazz
Modes (co-led by Julius Watkins and Charlie Rouse),
Lester Young, Urbie Green and others. West became afavorite of vocalists Dinah Washington, Petula Clark
and others. And then, serendipitously, there was Dizzyagain. While in L.A. at the end of a gig in the late ’60s,
West went to the Lighthouse Cafe to hear Gillespie’squintet. Dizzy’s bass player had just been hauled off
by the LAPD. So, West took over and joined the bandfor more than a year. The late Mike Longo, Gillespie’s
pianist, later recalled, “What I like about Paul is his
bass line, his musicality, and his taste… and he’s got
one of the swingingest grooves around.” West was
frequently a part of the 42-year run of Longo’s trio, as
was drummer Ray Mosca, now 91, who remembers firstmeeting West in 1966 at the New York Playboy Club,
though they were in different units at that time. “Weplayed very well together,” Mosca says. “Paul had avery excellent quarter note. We felt the same way about
the quarter note. It was a pleasure working with him.”
Still, West disliked life on the road away from family.
A solution presented itself in 1969. From then until 1973
he was Jazzmobile’s Director, creating outdoor summer
concerts, school programs and workshops. Next, Westwas the Director of the Henry Street Settlement Music
School where he initiated and expanded a vast numberof programs. Administration came easily to him. “I’dbeen an administrator in high school,” he notes. “I had
the experience. In my senior year I conducted the senior
symphony orchestra. I also formed my own orchestra,also as a violinist, that played in my father’s church.”
During these years West worked at completing hiscollege education, obtaining his degree from Wagner in
2001.
West retired from Henry Street in 2000. Big brother
Lonny West, who was director of the Bethune SeniorCenter in Harlem, had an idea. Lonny had started
the Bethune Big Band in 1973 to provide employment
to senior jazz players who had nowhere to gig. West
reports, “Lonny said, ‘I don’t want my brother hanging
around doing nothing.’ ” Lonny, who has since passed,
handed the reins over to brother Paul in 2003. “Mybusiness never finishes,” West says. “The band was
Lonny’s baby, so I keep it alive in his memory.”
A 2002 gig with Barry Harris at Birdland that
resulted in the album Live in New York made a huge
impression on guitarist Roni Ben-Hur, who was partof the quintet along with Leroy Williams (drums) andCharles Davis (tenor). “Everyone who knows jazzknows Paul West,” declares Ben-Hur. “His masteryof the jazz idiom and the bass was evident from thefirst note, and you knew right away that the band will
be swinging tonight.” He adds, “What l learned byknowing him personally is how classy, hip, wise andkind Paul is. Always ready to support, give a good word
or a smile, and always humble. He is a treasure to thismusic, and to all who know him.” This sentiment, by all
accounts, is widely shared in the jazz community—anunimpeachable, remarkable legacy indeed.

Robert Wyatt (drums), among others. Their albums
were hugely influential on the budding prog-rockmovement. Julie Driscoll invited them to play for her
1969 album, marking the beginning of a lifelong artistic
and personal partnership (Julie, nèe Driscoll, kept theoriginal spelling of the surname after they married in1970), with several memorable duo recordings (Couple
in Spirit) and more comedic associations in a trio withimprovising singer Maggie Nicols (Mr. Invisible andthe Drunken Sheilas, 1987). After playing on influential
King Crimson albums In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard andIslands (the former on which he perhaps most famously
soloed on the single “Cat Food”), Keith and Julie
created the unique Centipede orchestra of more than 50
musicians. The band on Centipede’s landmark album
Septober Energy (Neon, 1971) consisted of musicians
covering the whole spectrum of the London scene: fromthe Spontaneous Music Ensemble to King Crimson via
Soft Machine, as well as soul and classical musicians.
“He listened to everybody, was open minded, never put
anybody down—and one of his things was to get all thesedifferent musicians from different genres together,” said
Wyatt. “In this one piece,” according to Melody Maker,“he has done more than almost anybody else that comesto mind in breaking down barriers in rock, jazz andclassical music.” It was unprecedented, but as Tippett

said, “I didn’t see it as a European or a British modelof music...It was more simple: it was a glorious musicalcircus that happened to exist from a bunch of musicians
who happened to be British.”Composing for large and unusual ensembles, acomplimentary activity to his solo playing, remained aconstant interest for Tippett. In London he gravitatedtowards the Blue Notes, the band of exiled South
Africans, and later played with many of its members,
notably Harry Miller (bass) and Louis Moholo-Moholo(drums). The pianist provided burning energy as therhythm section of Dean’s quartet and Ninesense nonetof the ’70s. In 1980, Tippett released his first solo album,
the live The Unlonely Raindancer, still a monumental
statement (remastered and reissued by Discus-Music in2019). This was followed by other solo albums: Mujician
I, II and III (all on FMP), “regarded as among the mostself-consistent and beautiful piano improvisations of thedecade and a significant re-programming of the languageof piano,” according to The Penguin Guide to Jazz.
With Paul Dunmall (saxophones, clarinet, bagpipes),
Paul Rogers (bass) and Tony Levin (drums), Tippett
established the Mujician quartet in 1988, which remained
a working ensemble until Levin’s death in 2011. Theiralbums (available on Cuneiform) are a lasting testimony

West and the Bethune Big Band are at Blue Note Aug. 6. Westalso plays Grant’s Tomb Aug. 23, presented by Jazzmobile.
See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Lee Morgan—Dizzy Atmosphere (Specialty, 1957)• Dizzy Gillespie—At Newport (Verve, 1958)• Johnny Lytle—Close Enough For Jazz
(Solid State, 1969)• Lisle Atkinson—Bass Contra Bass
(Jazzcraft-Storyville, 1978)• Junior Mance Trio—Soul Eyes (M&I Jazz, 2004)• Mike Longo Trio—Celebrates Oscar Peterson: Live at
the Baha’i Center in New York City (CAP, 2013)

LEST WE FORGETANDY ISHAM

KEITH
TIPPETTWEREN’T YOU LISTENING?
BY FRANCESCO MARTINELLI

Born Keith Graham Tippetts in Southmead, Bristol,

UK, 76 years ago on August 25, 1947, Tippett dropped
the final “s” in his name at the beginning of his career,annoyed by frequent misspellings in publicity. After
studying classical piano and playing organ in the
church, he fell in love with jazz. “I first heard ‘Midnightin Moscow’ by Kenny Ball, and went out and bought the
sheet music, and that was my introduction to jazz,” heonce declared. “While other kids at school were forming
Shadows-style guitar groups, I played in a trad band.”
Shortly after he moved to London, he established
The Keith Tippett Group with Nick Evans (trombone),Mark Charig (cornet) and Elton Dean (saxophones) for
Polydor (You Are Here... I Am There) and Vertigo (Dedicatedto You, But You Weren’t Listening), with the basic quartet
augmented by Jeff Clyne or Roy Babbington (bass) and

10 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD(CONTINUED ON PAGE 33)

L ABEL SPOTLIGHTAMALGAM MUSICSENSE OF COMMUNITYBY ERIC WENDELL

I f ever there was a city truly dedicated to jazz as
an artform, it would surely be Chicago. From thelegendary musicians born there (Nat “King” Cole,
Bud Freeman, Quincy Jones, Ramsey Lewis, Dinah
Washington, Von Freeman, Lee Konitz, Herbie
Hancock) to the musicians who made Chicago theirhome (King Oliver, Earl Hines, Eddie Condon, Fred
Anderson, Ken Vandermark, Jason Stein), the Chicago
scene has constantly produced new and exciting
sounds in the jazz arena. And many of those sounds
from the Windy City’s past decade can be found on
the Chicago-based label Amalgam Music, founded bydrummer Bill Harris.
Born in Pittsburgh, Harris began to play thedrums around the age of seven. After graduating fromhigh school, he made his way to Kent State University,where he studied math and computer science but
continued to practice and study music on his own. He
moved to Chicago around 2011 after his partner got
a job there. “The first weekend I moved to Chicago,
I stumbled upon Umbrella Music, which was anorganization out here coordinating shows at different
venues throughout the week. I saw their calendar, andthe first weekend I went out to Elastic Arts Foundationand saw (drummer) Frank Rosaly and (saxophonist)
Dave Rempis do a duo set and it completely blew mymind,” says Harris. He began to make his own way

Two or Three
Mars Williams/Katinka Kleijn/Rob Kassinger

in the Chicago scene by befriending musicians andcutting his teeth at various venues. “(Drummer) Mike
Reed was running two series at Constellation; one wascalled the Sound of the City Workshop, which was a
weekly free improvisational jam. Then Mike asked
me to play on another series called Three on Three; hewould ask three artists to put some new group together
they’d never played with before and then they would
have a concert.”
In a city that houses notable labels such as
Delmark, Southport, International Anthem andCatalytic Sound, Amalgam came about in a different
way. It was conceived by Harris in 2015 with the ideathat it would be 100% artist-run, and 100% of thesales would go directly to the artist. “It was originallyintended to be more of a collective. Part of the reason
it came to fruition was I was having frustration withgetting music released. What it felt like was there werea particular group of people doing this kind of music,
and it seemed like if you weren’t into this upperechelon of things then no one would ever give you any
consideration for anything. Amalgam came out of thatneed to have a platform for like-minded artists andmusicians to put our music out and present it.”
Amalgam’s first release was Amsterdam/Chicago
Duo (2015), a duo record featuring Amsterdam’s Oscar
Jan Hoogland (electric clavichord) and Chicago’s Matt
Piet (electric piano). That same year also saw Harris’
first label appearance with his band Four Letter
Words, consisting of Harris (drums), Piet (piano) andJake Wark (tenor), on Blow, an album that garneredglowing reviews. And since its inception, Amalgam has
released dozens more albums highlighting Chicago’s

Dura
Jim Baker/Brandon Lopez/Bill Harris

Plays Clinkers
The Flakerobust music scene, including luminaries such as (fromHarris’ first Chicago encounter) saxophonist Rempis,
as well as drummer Tim Daisy, bassist Steve Kaiser,
saxophonist Mars Williams and many others.
When it comes to selecting releases for the label,
Harris balances promoting albums by colleagues versus
the work of people he was previously unfamiliar with.
“There are a number of releases from people I’ve nevereven met before, if I really like it, and I try to think ofthat in a very objective way.” Creating and fosteringa sense of collaboration is particularly important toAmalgam’s overall mission. A perfect example isthe label’s latest release Dura, with Harris alongside
pianist Jim Baker and bassist Brandon Lopez. Lopez
recalls, “it worked organically. It’s three like-mindedmusicians that get together that make something work,
which is kind of the ideal for me.”
When it comes to the future of the label, Harris has
sights on things other than improvised music. “I don’t
want it to just be improvised jazz music. My interests
are in punk and DIY and noise and all sorts of things. I
don’t want it to be too focused on just one thing, but I
also don’t want it to be all over the place.” In terms ofthe next five to ten years, he hopes to continue to fostera strong sense of community: “What I’d like to see isbeing able to hand the keys over to other people in thecommunity that I trust and know as friends and also as
artists; that by handing the keys over to them, they’regoing to do something that’s good for the label. What
I’d like to see them do is turn this into a community
tool—for everyone in Chicago.”
For more info visit amalgamusic.org

Cure The Quotidian
Dave Rempis/Matt Piet/Tim Daisy

Amsterdam/Chicago Duo
Oscar Jan Hoogland/Matt Piet

VOX NEWSDEFIANCE
BY SUZANNE LORGE

Last year, vocalist Veronica Swift did a radio interview
with Eric Jackson for WGBH in Boston, a few months
before the legendary broadcast journalist passed away.
During their chat, the discussion turned to the topic of
the singer’s radical eclecticism.
“My music-making is not confined. I don’t confine
myself to stylistic things,” she explained. “Instead, if I’mwriting or singing, I let the song dictate what happens
stylistically.” The example she gives is “Don’t Rain on
My Parade” (from Funny Girl). To Swift, this is a punkrock tune, all middle fingers in the air; when she sings itwith a jackhammer drum line and distorted vocals, thesound serves the tune’s story. And, Swift asserts, she’s
a storyteller first, before she’s a musician. The term she
uses to describe her approach to music is “trans-genre,”meaning across or beyond genre. Or, simply, defying
classification.
Swift’s upcoming third album, TransGenre (Mack
Avenue), exemplifies her ideology. The album openswith Swift scatting masterfully atop a swinging highhat, before segueing into the head of “I Am What I
Am” (from the Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles).
The major gear shift comes midway through, during thesolo breaks, when she cavorts with piano in a baroquefugue for a bit before the swing returns. (To hear for
yourself, look for the teaser track of “I Am What I Am”,
available this month as a single.) The whole album is fullof stylistic U-turns like this. Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer”
is framed as a soul burner and moves in and out of
bebop riffs. Ellington’s “Do Nothing Till You Hear FromMe” is a big band chart featuring bluesy electric guitar
and gravelly, retro vocals. There’s a French chanson
treatment of Charles Gounod’s aria for lyric soprano,“Je Veux Vivre” from the opera Roméo et Juliette, which
offers a musette vocalese section. A rendition of Queen’s
debut single, “Keep Yourself Alive”, culminates as a
Scott Joplin-esque rock-blues anthem. And, of course,
there’s the aforementioned punk version of the Barbra
Streisand hit.
Two Swift originals also appear on the set list:“Severed Heads”, a lilting, cheery duet with a comic dark
undertone (longtime friend Austin Patterson assists) and“In the Moonlight”, a simple ballad atop Beethoven’s“Moonlight Sonata”, which hits a feverish note before
settling down again. Needless to say, Swift brings topnotch musicianship to each of these tunes, regardless of
where they land on the trans-genre spectrum. She cando it all, it seems, so why would she not?
Like Swift, Aut Records in Germany is a proponentof genre defiance, though its artists apply the concept
differently. Listen to An Artist’s Life Manifesto, a recent
release from the label by Italian singer Valentina Fin on
which she uses the beauty of her voice and avant garde
improvisation to dig into emotional truths that transcend

any particular formal structure—it’s captivating stuff.
Which isn’t to suggest that artistic confrontation
can’t appear in more conventional stylistic attire. Take
Diana Torti, another naturally gifted Italian singer.
On It’s All We Have (Tambora Music), her latest album,
she doesn’t hesitate to use her lyrics—self-penned orotherwise—to call attention to social justice issues.
Because, as she sings on “Beyond Clouds”: “Tears speak
louder through joined hands.”
Or consider Lucy Yeghiazaryan, who placed in
the top ten of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Competition(the year that Swift came in second). Growing up in
post-Soviet Armenia, Yeghiazaryan learned jazz—andsinging in English—by listening to her father’s “oncecontraband” jazz records. Today her NY-based career issoaring. Most recently, she contributed vocals to With
Roses (Triangle 7), saxophonist Harry Allen’s new bigband record of all originals. Her cool stance towards thematerial speaks to her hard-won confidence as a singer,
whether on a traditional swing number (“It All Catches
Up With You in the End”), a sultry bossa (“Takes a
Moment”), a catchy odd-meter tune (“Be the One”) ora vulnerable ballad, like the title cut. Yeghiazaryan willappear at Mezzrow Aug. 10 and at Joe’s Pub Aug. 11.
Summer outings: vocal powerhouse Allan Harris
will introduce Live at Blue Llama Jazz Club at SmokeAug. 3. Queen Esther conjures the ‘20s at the annual Jazz
Age Lawn Party on Governors Island Aug. 12-13. And
Dianne Reeves headlines Charlie Parker Jazz Festival ina free outdoor concert at Marcus Garvey Park Aug. 25.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 11

F ESTIVAL REPORT

Craig Taborn/Lutosławski Quartet @National Sawdust

BY ANNA STEEGMANN

Herbie Hancock @Syracuse Jazz FestSÜDTIROLJAZZFESTIVAL
BY THOMAS CONRADTIM DICKESONPHOTO COURTESY POLISH CULTURAL INSTITUTE NEW YORKBY KURT GOTTSCHALKSYRACUSEJAZZ FEST

WARREN LINHARTJAZZTOPADFESTIVAL NY

Sun-Mi Hong @Südtirol Jazzfestival

O f the more than 200 compositions the Polish composer
Frederic Chopin published during his short life (18101849), exactly zero of them were written outside of the
piano. There are no string quartets in his oeuvre, no reed
ensembles or works for gamelan or African percussion.
It’s a historical curiosity, unimportant really, although
Chopin still looms large over his homeland. It’s alsoa scant bit of evidence on which to base a theory thatwould explain the remarkable pianists the Wroclawbased Jazztopad Festival brought to New York City
during a weeklong six-concert run (Jun. 23-30).
One of them, Joanna Duda, set some kind of careerrecord by making her New York debut at Barbès
and two nights later appearing at Dizzy’s Club atJazz at Lincoln Center. She’s an odd and interesting
figure, given to palatable, idiosyncratic compositions,occasionally leaning into techno beats. (She hasrecorded a Chopin Polonaise interrupted by piercing
electronic tones and frightful screams.) At Dizzy’s
Club, her trio—with Maksymilian Mucha (bass) andMichal Bryndal (drums)—played well-crafted pieces
with shifting themes and, at times, video game sounds.
Bryndal met her with easy grace or breakbeats, as themusic demanded.
The backroom at Barbès provides audience
members with the opportunity to sit all but on top of
the piano, affording an intimate vantage on Duda in
the first set and pianist Kamil Pietrowicz in the second.
They are each, in their ways, masters of minutiae,honing in on tiny figures and circling them outward.
Pietrowicz was also a part of a spirited group improvon the opening night at 411 Kent. Following a set by
Amir ElSaffar’s trio with Tomas Fujiwara (drums) and
Ole Mathisen (tenor)—a global trio with no Polish pointof contact seemed an odd kickoff—the trio expanded toinclude the pianist, Jazztopad MVP Ksawery Wójciński
(bass) and, representing the southern hemisphere,
Australian Peter Knight (trumpet).
If I might be permitted to overgeneralize a bit
more, the Polish visitors seemed interested not just in
close listening but in dialogue within group contexts.
At Barbès, in a first-time grouping of Duda andWójciński with New Yorkers, Kirk Knuffke (trumpet)and Lesley Mok (drums), Knuffke took a bright, mutedsolo, and the moment he concluded, Duda pickedup the line and looked over her shoulder to him inencouragement. She then transferred the phrase onto
a travel-size synthesizer, pushing electronic waves
until they dominated and Knuffke finally rejoined in

The Syracuse Jazz Fest was founded 41 years ago by its
current Executive Producer Frank Malfitano, who has
kept it going all these years—even after its four-year
hiatus, due to financial challenges as well as, of course,
the pandemic. Heralded as one of the best festivals in
the country, the newly-minted National Grid Syracuse
Jazz Fest (SJF) has presented many legendary figures
alongside up and coming talent. So 2023’s edition (Jun.
21-25) was a welcomed return for jazz fans far andwide.
Downtown Syracuse (a four hour’s drive
northwest of NYC) came alive in the middle of theweek on a Wednesday afternoon, the first day of musicpresented by SJF. Visitors attending the Northeast’s
largest free jazz festival were spoiled for choice, with
25 performances in a single day by both Syracusearea jazz artists and national artists with ties to thecity. Performances took place in restaurants, hotelbars and pubs, with four to five bands performing
simultaneously. Sampling all the offerings between
the late afternoon start and the wee hours was (it goes
without saying) an impossibility.
The Funky Jazz Band played outdoors at Benjamin’s
on Franklin, exuberant and fast-paced, and received
an enthusiastic response. Many listeners noticeably
got up to dance. The seasoned musicians of the FrankGrosso Quartet at Mulrooney’s, many of whom studied
at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam in
the ’80s, delighted with their skillful interpretationof standards. Vocalist Marissa Mulder, a successful
cabaret artist on the Manhattan scene since her move
to New York from Syracuse in 2007, created magicwith pianist Bill Zeffiro. She seduced listeners with asultry voice, singing sentimental songs of unrequited
love. The Ronnie Leigh Quartet late set was opening
day’s most spectacular. An outstanding singer with amultiple-octave range and an entertainer extraordinairewith the experience of five decades performing, Leighexcited the audience at the crowded, standing-roomonly Weighlock Lounge. Listeners were mesmerizedby his call and response, scatting, improvising andspontaneity as well as unabashed love for the music.
The second day’s performances took place inpicturesque Hanover Square. The first act, Syracuse
University’s Orange Juice Jazz Combo, a group of
five talented students, attracted a relatively younger
crowd. Performing competent renditions of Charlie
Parker and Art Blakey classics, they charmed thecrowd with the Bob Dorough/Dave Frishberg “I’m

This was a watershed year for the Südtirol Jazzfestival,
which has been based in Bolzano, Italy, since 1982.
Klaus Widmann, a physician in Bolzano by day, has
run it since 2004, but stepped down this year. Threepeople who worked directly under Widmann havesince taken charge as co-Artistic Directors: Max vonPretz, Stefan Festini Cucco and Roberto Tubaro.
Their predecessor was famous for two things:
the unusual and beautiful places where he presented
music (aided by the breathtaking grandeur of the South
Tyrol alpine landscape) and his creative programming(aided by his instinct for finding exceptional European
players lurking under the radar). Based on the 2023
edition and its first six days of the summer-long event
which your trusted correspondent attended, the newadministration intends to sustain the traditions of thisuntraditional festival.
La Litanie des Cimes is a classic example of a
Südtirol booking. This trio from France (Clément
Janinet, violin; Elodie Pasquier, clarinets; Clement
Petit, cello) is not yet well known but has a unique,fully developed concept. They played Janinet’s
compositions, drawn from folkloric sources as far apartas Burgundy in France and Mali in West Africa. It was
intricate chamber music, in which the three voices
were separate strands interweaving in counterpoint
then resolving in yearning melodies. At Südtirol, theirchamber was the vast outdoors. They played twice,once deep in a forest, and once at 6,500 feet at the edgeof a ravine, mountains towering above.
When he first came to Bolzano in 2016, ItalianFrancesco Diodati was a new name who had justjoined veteran trumpeter Enrico Rava’s band. Since
then, he has become widely acknowledged as one of
the most creative guitarists in Europe. This festival,
for all its unpredictability, is loyal to the artists it
believes in. Diodati has been back several times and inmany different settings. He appeared twice this year,
once in a band called Oliphantre (with French vocal
acrobat Leila Martial and first-call Italian drummer
Stefano Tamborrino) and once in a duo with theAustrian drummer Alexander Yannilos. The latter wasa quintessentially Südtirol project: having just met,
Diodati and Yannilos improvised a soundtrack while
watching the 1926 film Mit dem Motorrad über die Wolken(“A Motorbike Trip Among the Clouds”). Diodati’s
diverse guitar sonorities were a second line of thought
moving through the film, responding to the cinematic
imagery with aural correlatives, all in the moment.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 32)(CONTINUED ON PAGE 32)(CONTINUED ON PAGE 32)

12 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

JAZZ

Live

In Partnership with the

Na onal Jazz Museum in Harlem

Eugenie Jones

Returns to
LOUNGE“…The most elegant spotin New York City”
Stephen Sorokoff, Broadway World
Antonio Ciacca
August 11, 12, 16, 18, 19,
23, 25, 26, & 30
September 1 & 2Jill McCarron
August 9, 10, 17, 24, & 31
Eric Yves Garcia
August 2, 3, 4 & 5
Wednesday through Saturday
6:00pm - 9:00pm
No Cover | No Reservations

Soulful jazz originals,
reimagined jazz classics,
soul classics by Nina Simone,
Anita Baker & more!

Sat., 19 Aug
6:30 PMAdvance Tickets $15 | $20 at the Door
Students & Seniors $10“Extraordinary
singer/songwriter”
NEA Jazz Master
Reggie Workman#7 Top 50 Charts#30 Top 100 Albums
Jazz Week

Award-winning Sea le-based Singer | Songwriter
Featuring an All-Star NY line up, including
Lafaye e Harris | Piano
Lonnie Plaxico | Bass
Dwayne Cook Broadnax | Drums
Na onal Jazz Museum in Harlem, 58 W 129th St. NY, NY“Impressive”
DownBeat
Welcome to Jazz You Can Feel...

co-presented with
VERY SPECIAL
GUESTS TO BE
ANNOUNCED
AUGUST 6!!!

photo credit: Michael Torres

A once-in-a-lifetime concert event (and 81st birthday party) with drummer
and NEA Jazz Master Jack DeJohnette, brings together an all-star lineup
featuring;
Don Byron (clarinet)
Will Calhoun (drums)
George Colligan (piano)
Matthew Garrison (electric bass and electronics)
Wallace Roney Jr. (trumpet)
Luisito Quintero (timbales and percussions)Vernon Reid (guitars)
SCAN FOR TICKETS!
Artistic director: Matthew Garrison

I N ME MORIAM
Peter: a friend, a brother, a father and mentor. What tosay? When asked to write something about Peter who
is now gone, that’s probably what he would say too.
At least that was one thing he would often do. Peter
was always questioning himself, the music, the arts,
friendships, politics and more. Always pushing, always
searching and always knowing that you are never done.
What to do now? Now that Peter is gone we will lookback at what he meant for us all. All of what he did needs
to be celebrated! I can’t do anything but smile with tearsof joy in how fortunate I have been, to have known andto have worked with him. We shall also look forward
to do our best in continuing his work and to continue
to open doors for others just as he opened doors for us.
And we will continue to play our asses off like there is
no tomorrow, for Peter, for ourselves and for the music.
—PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE (drums)
There’s a saying that every musician tries to live by:“Play like it’s your last show.” It’s easy to embrace theconcept but almost impossible to follow. Emotions can
get the best of you and switching to autopilot on stage
can be a hard mindset to escape from. Peter did not let
himself become prey to that. He embodied the mantra“Play like it’s your last show.” Whether it was in a small
coffee shop in rural northern Wisconsin for 50 super fansor in a giant amphitheater in the city of Ljubljana in frontof thousands, Peter brought everything to the table themoment the horn entered his mouth.
I was beyond fortunate to share the stage with Peter,
including for his last four shows. Along with John
Edwards and Steve Noble, we played two shows in
Warsaw and two in London the beginning of February.
The first night in London I met Peter in his hotel room
and we walked over together to Café OTO, taking ourtime on the way, letting Peter set the pace. That night
became Peter’s second to last concert and I felt it was
his strongest set of the four shows. Many tributes I haveread recently talk about Peter’s last few years and many
paint him as taking longer breaks during concerts, butthat was not the case at all with these last shows. Afterhearing about his passing I sat down and listened to
all four sets of the two London shows and realized myinitial thoughts were wrong. The second to last night
was not the strongest of the four; it was the final set ofthe last night of the tour. His final show. His last date.
Truly unbelievable. I will miss you Peter.
—JASON ADASIEWICZ (vibraphone)
It was in my early work composing and accompanying
for physical theater where I learned about pushing pastone‘s limitations—physically, mentally and spiritually—
to reach a place where original ideas began to flow fromthe core. By breaking down these rote habits and comfort
zones, artists find themselves in uncharted creative
territory. Many years later when I began to work withPeter Brötzmann in a variety of musical contexts, fromduo to large ensembles, usually improvised, these same
principles applied.
It was never just a matter of playing loud, fast andhard, and for a long time; it was always about coming
up with fresh ideas and exploring new terrain with yourcreative partners. In the over 200 concerts I had theprivilege to play with Herr Brötzmann, I always found it
remarkable how quickly we would collectively reach thebottom of our “bag of tricks”. Everything we knew to say
was said in 10 minutes and there was still another coupleof hours to go. So we kept digging down into ourselves
until a new language would appear, and what we didon the stage the night before became ancient history.
The constant, driving question was, “What’s next?” I
will dearly miss Peter as a deep and profound friend,
but I will always remember the huge contribution he has
made for all of us with his insistence on moving beyond
what we already know.
—MICHAEL ZERANG (drums/percussion)

I have so many stories regarding Peter and ourrelationship. He was one of my best friends, though
we could be on a train for hours, traveling, doing duets
through Europe and maybe only speak to each otheronce or twice. I loved him very much and I still love him.
He had a great effect and influence in my life. And I hopethat in some way I was good for him too. I was one of
the first Chicago musicians, after bassist Fred Hopkins,
to play with him; Peter, Fred and I had a touring trio fora couple of years. Peter was one of the great ones: hecame from space and he returned back to space, and hegave us the beauty of spacetime, creativity, compassion,
harmony and loving kindness in the most strange ofways.
—HAMID DRAKE (drums/percussion)Peter Brötzmann’s music was called free music but it
was really human rights music. He actually played freemusic with no preset melody or rhythm: the structure
was formed as the music unveiled itself. It was not about
putting on a performance; it was about ritual theatre, atemple of vibration filled with colors and shapes thatcame from a nature people could relate to. Black Americanmusicians played the free jazz Peter Brötzmann played.
Free vibrational sound patterns. Music to free the mind
and soul of those who listened.
I began playing with Peter in 1981 and from day one
it was evident that I could play any sound pulse texture
that came through me. It was also obvious that Peter
Brötzmann was serious about music in a whole otherway. I once played in Berlin with Peter, Cecil Taylor,Frank Wright, Earl McIntyre and Steve McCall. There
was pure joy on that bandstand, dancing and soaring
through a beautiful sound storm that covered everythingfrom sunrise to sunset and all that is in between. As
we began the second set, Cecil told Peter not to play. I
looked at Peter’s face and there were tears in his eyes.
Tears coming from sadness, respect and joy all at thesame time.
Throughout the 40 years of touring and interactingwith him, I also played with Peter in many trio concertswith Hamid Drake. We played in all styles: blues andin a jazz context moving through sonic changes full of
emotion, extending and bending the tradition. If he
had wanted, Peter could have torn the blues apart. In
fact, he did from time to time, reminding us that theauthentic blues is never codified. He loved music,
and all the trees and branches that contributed to thebeauty of life. His innovation was his relationship withthe music he played. He was the real deal. Thank you,Peter, for picking up your horn and playing your heartout. No apologies, just music.
—WILLIAM PARKER (bass)
I didn’t know Peter very well personally and I was kindof surprised just how sad I was when I heard the news.
I think as we get older it becomes less abstract when we
see others passing on, in terms of our own mortality but
also for the music. When we’re young we kind of assume
the music will keep going, even if individuals like Frank
Wright, Derek Bailey—and now Peter—are no longer
with us. But slowly we start to realize: there is nothinginherently keeping this music alive except the people that
devote their lives to creating it. And who approached themusic with as much blood and guts as Peter Brötzmann?
There are infinite ways to approach music, and I don’t
want to play into the cliche that kids these days don’t
have the balls that Peter had. But they don’t. On theother hand, it’s not just about the times, as, other thanan infinitesimal few, no musicians before Peter had theballs he had either. Hardly anyone in any field has thecourage to throw themselves into their art with complete
disregard for the status quo and follow their own path,absolutely fearless and totally committed. Aside fromhis actual sound, which can’t be understated and has no
analogue, the force of his artistic presence will be sorely
missed.
—JOHN DIKEMAN (saxophones)

14 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDPeter Brötzmann was an excellent person to smoke acigar with and hardly talk at all. We’ve lost a real one.
—KENT KESSLER (bass)
It’s been a very sad time since Peter’s passing, but he’ll
live in our hearts forever.
—HEATHER LEIGH (pedal steel guitar)
Peter Brötzmann has always been more or less on mymind ever since I first heard his music 50 years ago.
He was always so powerful, original, different andtotally dedicated to his art of playing his saxophones
and clarinets. He created most of his album covers in
his own unique way too. I am forever thankful thathe accepted me as one of his drummers and as a closefriend. He even asked me to write liner notes to someof the albums we recorded together and he stamped
my words by hand into his cover designs. So many
wonderful memories, and even more important is that
I will still hear all his wonderful sounds vibrating in
my head. Peter Brötzmann played tenor saxophonewith the most beautiful tone I have ever heard and heknows I loved him madly.
—PEETER UUSKYLA (drums)
In December of 1967 I was invited (by the skin of myteeth) to be part of the first Free Jazz Meeting organizedby the late J.E. Berendt for SudWest Funk in Baden
Baden. (The precise story of how I came to be there isanother matter.) This was where and when I met andheard Peter Brötzmann for the first time. Needless tosay, I had never heard such powerful saxophone playing
in my life! I remember a piece featuring Peter with Don
Cherry and me and Don whispering in my ear, “High,
fast, chromatic,” as background to Peter soloing. I only
learnt recently that “Machine Gun” was actually Don’s
nickname for Peter.
We stayed in touch and he invited me to be part ofa larger group project that he wanted to record. In May
1968 I was part of the Machine Gun group along with Han
Bennink, Willem Breuker, Buschi Niebergall and Fred
Van Hove. Peter had invited us to augment his regulartrio with Peter Kowald and Sven-Åke Johansson. Other
projects and collaborations followed, but being part ofthat group introduced to me to the core of what was
to become the European scene. I hope recordings will
someday emerge of another early larger Brötzmann
ensemble involving Paul Rutherford, Derek Bailey, Han
Bennink, Fred V. H. (playing organ), Buschi and me. We
played a couple of years after Machine Gun in a Berlinclub called Litfass. I have great memories of this as notjust good music, but also a very special meeting of great
individuals. Peter will stay dear in my memory as anhonest, forthright and powerful individual and a goodfriend to the end.
—EVAN PARKER (tenor/soprano saxophone)
Dear Peteritiseasy toremember+so hardto forget!
R.I.P.
Johannes—HAN BENNINK (drums)

Goodbye Peter Brötzmann. You were a creative force of
nature. Knowing you was complex, and the main yearsof working together with the other musicians in the
Chicago Tentet, and with Mats Gustafsson in Sonore,
were among the most significant learning experiences
and inspirations of my career—thank you. Rest In Peaceon your final Schwarzwaldfahrt.
—KEN VANDERMARK (saxophones)

Now and evermore you will stand as a Galionsfigur
of Free Jazz. Honour to you Brötzmann and thanks foreverything you did for our music. Your seed is growing
up! There is more Free Jazz in the world than ever before.
—ALEXANDER VON SCHLIPPENBACH (piano)
Peter Brötzmann was an early musically-formative
influence on me. Before I got my first guitar in 1971, I had
his Machine Gun and Nipples albums and noticed a very
special kind of straightforwardness in his playing on
those recordings as he trailblazed new directions in theevolution of Free Jazz. For me it was not just the radical
intensity of his playing and artistic conceptions, but it
was the honesty of presenting everything about himself
as he played. A little over 20 years later I played andrecorded with Herr Brötzmann in Japan. He continued
to deliver that same radical-in-the-moment musicalhonesty in his improvisations. For the entire 54 years of
my musical activities he has been a guiding beacon offorthright and conscientious musicality. Thank you Herr
Brötzmann!
—HENRY KAISER (guitar)

Sadness. Emptiness. Grief. No words
possible… The passing of someone thatchanged my world. Peter made me hearand see things differently. Forever.
Memories are forever. I learned manythings from Peter over the years. Good
things. Bad things. Being critical isalways and forever the major one. ONE
SOUND. The whole spectrum. The
whole spectrum in ONE SOUND.
No fucking around. Consistency. No
compromises. Gerade aus. DIY. DIY.
DIY. You have to do it YOUR own
way. Fuck it. The legacy is forever.
Music is forever. Let’s make somechange.
—MATS GUSTAFSSON(saxophones)

PETER BROTZMANN
1941-2023

R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN/JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

As the last living member of Peter Brötzmann’s first trio,
which produced the first self-produced LP with theirown music For Adolfe Sax… It was with Peter Kowald
as driver and his middle-class car “Borgward Isabella”,
a German make which was no longer produced at thetime 1966/67 and thus could be had quite cheaply in the
trade. Endless journeys in Europe on the motorways,
with Brötzmann in front, his baritone saxophone
between his legs, me in the back between the drums andthe neck of the double bass. In those early years when
I played with the trio and the octet, everything was“new”. Sound: overtones from the sax and bowed bass
with free figuration on the drums, plus Brötzmann’stremendous forward momentum, often mixed up withlots of beer in those days. My way from the jazz cellars inParis to Wuppertal with my three-wheeled moped andthe drums on it, led across green borders and winding
roads to a former horse stable in the back, my new
home, situated on a hill in the city—”Auf dem Rott”.
Brötzmann wrote letters to the promoters, Kowald
drove, I practiced. And that’s how it was!
—SVEN-ÅKE JOHANSSON (drums)

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 15

ALBUM REVIEWSFar Star
Gilad Hekselman (Edition)
by Elliott Simon

G uitarist Gilad Hekselman delved into the realms
of production and engineering during the pandemic,
skills that helped him flesh out his initial songideas into the fully produced compositions of his
new album, Far Star. Drummer Eric Harland plays
a significant role on many of these tracks as they
evolve from simple tapped rhythms and melodies
into full-fledged arrangements. Hekselman skillfully
utilizes guitar, bass, keys and percussion, merging
intersecting rhythms and layered effects to create
majestic musical works.
The album opens with the whistled melody of“Long Way From Home”, where Hekselman’s speed
and clarity really shine. The clever explorations that
follow are underpinned by Harland’s Afro-beats.
“Fast Moving Century” is led by keyboardist Shai
Maestro; the guitarist injects quick runs and shortinterludes, pushing towards more chaotic territories.
“I Didn’t Know” takes its time to coalesce, but
eventually unveils an exotic scalar structure. “Magic
Chord” pays homage to prog rock with dazzling
guitar work against a percussive backdrop. “Cycles”
is an elegant, ethereal harmonic exercise.
The remaining three pieces feature different
drummers. Alon Benjamini’s subtle cymbal workadds touches of color to the title cut, featuring Nathan
Schram (viola, violin). Schram’s understated strings
complement the leader’s enchanting tone and touchon his instrument. “The Headrocker”, co-producedby Nomok (keyboards) and drummer Amir Bresler(drums), takes an experimental, slightly meandering
turn, diverging from the album’s overall direction. In
contrast, on “Rebirth“, Ziv Ravitz (drums) pushes theguitarist towards tense, accelerating explorations,
resulting in a climactic culmination of sound. On
Far Star (available on limited edition orange vinyl)
Hekselman weaves together myriad elements,
resulting in an overall invigorating voyage.
For more info visit editionrecords.com. Hekselman is atVillage Vanguard Aug. 29-Sep. 3. See Calendar.

Breathing Room
Darren Johnston/Carmen Staaf/Michael Formanek(Minus Zero)by Ken Waxman

B reathing Room is concise chamber jazz thatmodulates from restrained to rugged. The bi-coastal
wayfaring trumpeter Darren Johnston uses a limited
palette, but is able to sound-paint a technicolor
picture nonetheless. A Canadian who spends aquarter of his time in New York, after two decades
in the Bay Area where he played with Larry Ochs

and many others, the trumpeter is aided by pianist
Carmen Staaf (Dee Dee Bridgewater’s musicaldirector) and bassist Michael Formanek (who has
played on numerous sessions with the likes of Tim
Berne and has recorded over a dozen albums under
his own name since his 1990 leader debut).
The music here stretches the trio format to its
utmost, the moods ranging from bouncy to bluesy.
Johnston’s frequent portamento extensions are often
interrupted by speedy triplets, half-valve growls or
grace note formalism. Along the way, themes balanceon sliding strums from the bassist and single-note or
two-handed comping from the pianist. However, thetrumpeter steps back on tunes including “Fragmentsof Olympian Gossip” and “Man’s Laughter”. Staaf
has solo space to introduce the former, his sweeping
romantic chords leading to a brassy, high-pitched
response from Johnston and concluding with adarker emphasis. The bassist’s spaced strums on“Man’s Laughter” are soon doubled by ringing piano
tones, while the trumpeter’s plunger excursions are
squeezed down into vibrating slurs cushioned bycircular piano notes.
Staaf’s exploration of the basement tones of the
piano eventually dominates the title track, one of
the album’s most realized efforts. Slinky keyboard
pressure is matched by triple strokes from thebassist, and the trumpeter’s initial half-valve effects
cascade into repeated smears and slides. Anotherstandout is “The Forever People”, where the pianist’s
underlying ostinato turns almost Baroque-like frilly,
the trumpeter letting loose a deluge of grace notes.
Modest in its aspirations, Breathing Room isorganized with the skills and smarts to realize themand so much more due to tight-knit playing. Looking
for another reason to investigate the session? Allproceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood.
For more info visit darrenjohnstonmusic.com. Johnston
is at Main Drag Music Aug. 16 with Main Drag
Philharmonix Conduction Orchestra. See Calendar.

And That Too
Call Time
Josh Lawrence (Posi-Tone)
by Marco Cangiano

T hese two albums provide compelling evidence oftrumpeter Josh Lawrence’s development as a player
and bandleader. Though these are quite different
recordings, they share a few similarities startingwith the fact they were recorded during the samesessions and feature a congenial band consisting ofWillie Morris (tenor), Art Hirahara (piano), Boris
Kozlov (bass) and Jason Tiemann or Rudy Royston(drums). They also reveal similar roots in terms ofa modern post-bop aesthetic that simultaneously
leaves room for creativity while preserving respect
and love for the tradition. But most notably, theyshare Lawrence’s warm and original trumpet sound.
Call Time is noticeably the shorter of the twoin duration—clocking in less than half an hour—and reveals a more programmatic approach. The
music was composed as the score to DominiqueMorisseau’s play Paradise Blue (produced by the
Juilliard School’s Drama Division in 2019). The story
takes place in Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhoodin the ‘40s where trumpeter Blue owns the Paradise
Club. Each tune portrays one of the play’s characterswith references to period style that at times verges
on the grotesque as in “Cornbread”. After “Paradise

16 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDin Blue”, a brief declamatory a cappella intro by thetrumpeter, the music shifts into the medium swingof the Horace Silver-like “Pumpkin Pi”. The album’s
highlight is the remarkable “Black Bottom’s Up”: as
the longest tune of the album, Lawrence and Morris
are given the opportunity to impressively stretchout over the sturdy walking support of Kozlov. The
bassist provides a real anchor for both albums.
And That Too picks up where Call Time left off—
but without any potentially perceived constraintsof a soundtrack project. It is a normal-length
album and there is far more room for each of themusicians to improvise. Right from the get go,with “Grit”, this album sounds more assertive andswings harder, making reference (like with Wayne
Shorter’s “Nefertiti”) to the Blue Note era andMiles’ mid-to-late ’60s pre-electric quintets. Morris
additionally thrives and proves to be even moreat ease with the material than in Call Time, partly
because he also contributes original compositions(the aforementioned “Grit” and “Hole”). Overall
drummer Royston’s somewhat frenetic playing
sounds a better fit to the varied program on thisalbum versus Tiemann’s (Royston takes over the kit
from Tiemann for almost half the numbers). Hirahara
is featured more extensively, showing a range ofmoods and styles from the bouncy “Cosmological
Constant” to the elegiac ballad “Left Hanging”
to the suspenseful “Black Keys”, the latter whichshowcases Lawrence’s range and flexibility.
For more info visit posi-tone.com. Lawrence is at The
Poster House Museum Aug. 4, and Marcus Garvey Park
Aug. 25 with Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band andDianne Reeves as part of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival,
presented by City Parks Foundation. See Calendar.

Allen/Adrian Younge—JID018
R • Tony(Jazz is Dead)
Alterman—BIG MO & little joe
e • Joe(Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann) (s/r)
c • Michael Bates—Metamorphoses:
on Lutosławski (Anaklasis)o • Variations
Berghäll Brothers Big Band—Vol.II
Music Helsinki)m • (Boulder
John Butcher, Pat Thomas, Dominic Lash,m Steve Noble–Fathom (577 Records)
Coltrane (with Eric Dolphy)—e • John
Evenings at The Village Gate (Impulse!)n • Johannes Fink 70s Revisited—of Music (Jazzwerkstatt)d • Sound
Gafieira Rio Miami—Bring Back Samba
Music)e • (Brazilianaire
Illegal Crowns–Unclosingd (Out Of Your Head)

n
e
w
r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s

• Gregory Lewis—Organ Monk Going Home
(Sunnyside)• Mark Lotz Trio–Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out!
(Zennes)• Sam Newsome/Dave Liebman—
Soprano-Logues (Some New Music)• Hitomi Oba—Water Stem (Asian Improv)• Kresten Osgood/Bob Moses/Tisziji
Muñoz—Spiritual Drum Kingship(Gotta Let It Out)• Jochen Rueckert—With Best Intentions(Colonel Beats)• Taiko Saito/Jan Roder/Michael Griener–
Wald (Trouble in the East)• Matthew Shipp—The Intrinsic Natureof Shipp (Mahakala Music)• Tom Teasley–The Breath (T2 Music)• Paul Tynan/Aaron Lington–
Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Six (OA2)• David Virelles–Carta (Intakt)

Reunion—Live at WICN
Greg Abate/Paul Del Nero Quartet (Summit)by Ken Dryden

Saxophonist Greg Abate has released a steady output of

rewarding sessions as a leader in his career, dating backto his 1981 debut Without Boundaries (World). This quartet
features his old friend, Paul Del Nero (bass), with whom
he played in the fusion group Channel One in the late’70s, and later in the Artie Shaw Orchestra, before theircareers diverged. They kept in touch, playing together
on occasion, and finally realized they needed to co-leada new band. They recruited Matt DeChamplain (piano), a
faculty member at Abate’s alma mater (The Hartt School- University of Hartford) and Gary Johnson (drums, andson of the late reed player Dick Johnson, alum and former
leader of the Artie Shaw Orchestra). This live recording,made at WICN-FM in Worcester, MA with a small studioaudience, focuses on the co-leaders’ original compositions.
The set begins with Abate’s “Maria’s Ocean”, anupbeat bop vehicle reminiscent of Phil Woods, though
Abate’s approach to the alto is very different from the latejazz master. Abate’s breezy “Light Speed” showcases his
formidable bop chops, while DeChamplain contributes
two inventive choruses. Abate switches to soprano for“The Fifth Season”, a bossa nova gem. Del Nero’s “Clare’s
Ostinato”, showcasing the co-leader’s flute playing,utilizes a tantalizing piano/bass ostinato as a recurring
theme throughout the piece. The bassist’s “Mose Knows”
is a sinewy blues inspired by the composer’s work withthe late Mose Allison. The rhythm section provides
a stimulating backdrop for Abate’s expressive alto
saxophone playing, while DeChamplain’s inspired bop
piano stands out. The one cover is a loping treatment ofCharlie Parker’s classic “Quasimodo”, which brings out
its playful twists. Strong solos by Del Nero, Abate and
DeChamplain add to its luster.
The lively studio sound from this recording gives thelistener the feeling of actually being in the audience forthis enjoyable quartet date.
For more info visit summitrecords.com. Abate’s album release
concert is at Smalls Aug. 11-12. See Calendar.

Conjuring
Lauren Henderson (Brontosaurus)
by Anna Steegmann

Admirers of vocalist Lauren Henderson will be thrilledwith Conjuring, her tenth recording as a leader. For 44
minutes and ten tracks (five originals and five American
Songbook standards), listeners are treated to songs about
the magic and mystery of love. She channels both the powerof Black American Music and Afro-Latin experiences, withthe aid of a superb group of instrumentalists: Sean Mason
and John Chin (piano), Gabe Schnider and Nick Tannura(guitar), Joel Ross (vibraphone), Eric Wheeler (bass) and
Joe Dyson (drums).

Henderson is beloved for her warm timbre andsultry contralto. Her voice transports us to an elegant,smoky after-hours 1940s nightclub while simultaneously
managing to sound original. She breezes new life into
standards we have heard numerous times before. In “ThatOld Black Magic” (Arlen/Mercer), her singing changes
from a hypnotizing whisper to rapid variations in pitch
and a firm tone, making the standard uniquely hers.
Ross’ vibraphone playing is also outstanding. She offers“It’s Magic” and a Spanish version in “Es Magia” (Styne/Cahn). The riveting “Coercion”, one of her originals,
opens with Wheeler plucking bass with room to shine
throughout the track. Her voice and intonation are strong
and vibrant. The title track opens with a lengthy, exquisite
vibraphone intro; tension builds as piano and vibraphonerepeat the same motif. Her lyrics about the wonders oflove enfold the listener like a poem in rhyming couplets:“In its way, love’s divine. Conjures what it can, often
sublime.” “Spells” is delightful for its brilliant rhythmic
interplay between piano, bass and drums.
By the end of this recording, you will have fallen
under the spell of Conjuring.
For more info visit brontosaurusrecords.com. Henderson will be
at Mezzrow Aug. 20. See Calendar.

Set Sail withBlue Note
Groove Cruise

AU G 1 0, 2 0 2 3

Dave Koz & Friends:
Summer Horns
FEAT. CANDY DULFER,
MAYSA, & ERIC DARIUS

On Board
The Cornucopia
at Pier 40
How Love Begins
Nicole Zuraitis (Outside In Music)
by Marilyn Lester

Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/instrumentalist

Nicole Zuraitis has been increasingly coming into her
own in the jazz world, performing, writing and producing
albums at a fast clip. This latest, her fifth (co-produced by
Christian McBride), is a song cycle about love. Backed by
McBride (bass), Gilad Hekselman (guitar), Maya Kronfeld(organ, Wurlitzer and Rhodes) and Dan Pugach (drums),
Zuraitis plays piano and sings mellifluously over thealbum’s ten harmonically sophisticated and creatively
arranged tracks, portentously divided into two sections:“oil” and “water”.
“The Good Ways”, an R&B style wailer, is organforward, while the arrangement of Debussy’s “Reverie”
demonstrates her pianistic chops (which she’s finallyowned, after a series of albums downplaying them).
McBride’s accompaniment is robustly supportive. Asa lyricist, Zuraitis is literate, often poetic, as in “Let Me
Love You”, where the singer muses, “Does this game everend?” The final number of part one, “Burn”, starts withan intense McBride solo, before Zuraitis joins with rapid
counterpoint. The final lyric, “I think I’ll finally try a newromance,” signals what’s to come in part two. “Two Fish”,
the first track of “water”, is reminiscent of a Songbook
standard in its dreamy allusions to the depth of love. Butthat love begins to spiral downward in “Well Planned,
Well Played”, “20 Seconds” and “Like Dew”, with lyrics
such as “Alarm bells ring a warning sound”, portending
endings. “The Garden”, a rising arc of emotion, finds
expression and release in the explosive finale.
Holding a mirror to life, Zuraitis reflects truths with an
inherent positivity in her voice, no doubt stemming from theamazing vocal control she learned when studying classicalsinging. How Love Begins is a mature and robust song cycle
to be enjoyed by Zuraitis’ fans and newcomers alike.

For more info visit outsideinmusic.com. Zuraitis is at Birdland
Aug. 31 with Birdland Big Band and Birdland Theater
Tuesdays. See Calendar.

PRESENTED BY

bluenotegroovecruise.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 17

Reunited
The Rodriguez Brothers (RodBros Music)
by Scott Yanow

T he sons of a father from Cuba, who played drums
New Release!...
VuVu for Frances by Claire Dalywith George Garzone (tenor),

Jon Davis (piano) , Dave Hofstra (bass) andDavid F Gibson (drums)

Available now atclairedaly.bandcamp.com,
Downloads at all the usualpla�orms + Vinyl coming soonon Bandcamp andthought ClaireDaly.com*Sat. August 19th (5:30 pm):
The Bousquet Mountain
Jazz Fes�val in Pi sﬁeld, MA*Tue. August 22nd (7:30/9:30 pm):
Dizzy's Club, NYC .
Come celebrate with the band!
“Claire Daly's triumphant
VuVu for Frances has earned a spot on
my top ten list for 2023."—Ken Dryden (NPR 88.1 WUTC fm and
The New York City Jazz Record)“VuVu for Frances stands as acompelling demonstra�on of
the enduring power of jazz.
It sparkles like a ﬂawless diamond.”—Indie Boulevard“These two bring great personality
to the music and the rhythmsec on keeps it swinging...”—Ralph Mirello-

and worked for a record label in Miami, Mike andRobert Rodriguez have lived in the midst of AfroCuban jazz throughout their lives. They formed
the Rodriguez Brothers in 2002 (Mike on trumpet,
Robert on piano), and while they have both hadbusy individual careers, they continue to reunite
periodically. Reunited celebrates the 20th anniversaryof their first recording; it’s the fifth Rodriguez
Brothers album and first since 2014’s Impromptu.
The music (five originals by Robert and two fromMike) is forward-looking hard bop with a strong
Latin tinge. The other musicians of the quintet (theunrelated bassist Ricky Rodriguez, drummer Adam
Cruz and percussionist Anthony Almonte) provide
a solid foundation for the siblings, creating rhythms
that are both stirring and swinging. The trumpeter
and pianist are the main soloists throughout, startingwith their lively interaction on “Gitmo’s Groove”(named after their father). Mike Rodriguez’s warm
playing is a highlight of the catchy modal piece“Guayaquil”, which one could easily imagine
Freddie Hubbard playing. “Impromptu” is a bit more
uptempo, with hot yet lyrical doubletime runs fromthe trumpeter. While “Descargation” has a complex
melody, the sidemen’s rhythms keep the pieceaccessible.
Robert Rodriguez’ behind-the-beat playing on“Love Samba” is almost independent of the Latinrhythms and works quite well. The medium-tempo
ballad “Lulu’s Song” is a fine showcase for Mike
Rodriguez’ heartfelt playing, while the closing“Minor Things” features the pianist at his mostinventive and energetic.
There is a lot to enjoy on this live set from Dizzy’s
Club, whether one is a fan of modern hard bop or
Afro-Cuban jazz.
For more info visit rodbrosmusic.com. Mike Rodriguez is
at The Jazz Gallery Aug. 11. See Calendar.

Henceforth
Max Light (SteepleChase)by Ken Dryden

M ax Light is one of the most promising young

guitarists to arrive on the jazz scene in recent years.
Light won second place in the Herbie Hancock Instituteof Jazz International Competition and distinguishedhimself as a sideman on albums with trumpeter Jason
Palmer and tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger. His
sophomore recording as a leader includes Preminger,
Kim Cass (bass) and Dan Weiss (drums), all of whom
have worked together. Most of this session focuses

18 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

on the leader’s intriguing originals, starting with
“Barney and Sid”, an offbeat, angular melody withtight unison lines by the leader and Preminger (whoalso contributes an edgy solo). The melancholy“Henceforth” has a rock-like rhythmic undercurrent
that gives way to the saxophonist’s searing solo anda more subdued improvisation by Light. The breezy“Luftrauser” has the flavor of early-’60s Ornette
Coleman, though the guitarist’s solo darts back andforth across stylistic boundaries, while Preminger
gets a bit more out than the leader; Weiss’ powerful
drum solo wraps this masterful performance.
“Subjective Object” is introduced by pensive
unaccompanied bass before it becomes an intensemusical conversation between the guitarist andtenor player; its centerpiece is Light’s darting solo.
“Animals” has all the characteristics of a ballad andits heartfelt melody communicates to the listener
without the need of a lyric. The sensitive work of
Cass and Weiss (on brushes) provides superb backing
for the engaging solos of Preminger and Light.
John Coltrane’s seldom played “26-2” supplied theinspiration for the guitarist’s “Half Marathon”: Weiss
and Cass negotiate its tricky rhythmic structure withease, while Light’s and Preminger’s solos never runout of fresh ideas. The saxophonist contributed theinfectious Latin-flavored blues “High or Booze” toclose the session. Its complex theme makes for terrificinterplay and intriguing unison lines. A fine end to astunning album.
For more info visit steeplechase.dk. Light is at Bar Bayeux
Aug. 30 with Kaisa’s Machine. See Calendar.

Meet Me at Birdland
Champian Fulton (s/r)
by Pierre Giroux

G rowing up in a household where jazz was partof the ecosystem (her father is trumpeter Stephen
Fulton, whose friends Clark Terry and Major Holley,
among others, dropped in from time to time), pianist/
vocalist Champian Fulton was presented with bothmusical advantages and expectations. Clearly, sheboth rose to and exceeded the opportunities offered
to her, and she is now an integral part of the New
York City jazz scene. Her trio, with Hide Tanaka(bass) and Fukushi Tainaka (drums), did a fournight stint at Birdland in September 2022, the resultof which is this self-released album.
Jumping off with Richard Whiting and Johnny
Mercer’s “Too Marvelous for Words”, Fulton’s vocal
percolates along in fine fashion; as she segues into her
piano solo she becomes an avatar for Erroll Garner,
her blistering right-hand block chords supported
by behind-the-beat left-hand comping. Harry White
wrote “Evenin’” with lyricist Mitchell Parish in1934 as a blues, but Fulton takes it uptempo. Eachbandmember gets plenty of solo room to shine.
Pianist Phineas Newborn Jr.’s “Theme for Basie”
is an instrumental track. Fulton shows she is an
insightful and hard-charging pianist; Tanaka andTainaka provide resilient support. John Klenner’s“Just Friends” is given a 3/4 treatment on a firstrun-through of the Sam M. Lewis lyrics. Fulton
and the band then pick up the pace for a chorus
before settling back to the original languid mood: adelightful juxtaposition.

Fulton breathes tender warmth into theGershwins’ “I’ve Got a Crush on You”, and the album
closes with the Harry Warren/Al Dubin love song
“I Only Have Eyes For You” and Jule Styne/Sammy
Cahn’s end-of-WW2 song “It’s Been a Long, LongTime”. Fulton swings the former in a cheery fashionthat downplays its underlying romantic flavor, andconveys the message of the latter while dialing backthe pathos.
This is a sensational live set from a consummate
professional.
For more info visit champian.net. Fulton is at Mezzrow
Aug. 6. See Calendar.

Live at Scholes Street Studio
Stephen Gauci/Sandy Ewen/Thomas Helton/
Joe Hertenstein (Gaucimusic)
Live at Scholes Street Studio
Stephen Gauci/Wendy Eisenberg/Francisco Mela
(Gaucimusic)
by John Sharpe

more towards the free jazz vernacular. Even though
they call on a litany of attacks and FX, they’re always
recognizably a guitar player, contributing doomy
chords, ringing plucks and machine gun staccato,
blending well with Gauci’s approach: the braidingof fretboard shredding with the reedman’s etiolatedcries and smears on “#3” is a case in point. Some of
the most exciting episodes come when Gauci and
Eisenberg unleash forward-leaning lines in tandem;
but not all the dialogue is so direct, so much so thatthe passage on “#2” where the drummer echoes
and reinforces Eisenberg whose rhythmic figures
stand out. Mela and Eisenberg share an affinity formeter, as is most evident on “#5” where they get
almost funky, something Gauci determinedly avoids.
However, while Mela is more of a commentator thanan instigator (his chanting and chattery boogalooon “#6” aside), his stuttered outbursts and kinetic
clatter maintain the improvisations’ flow.
For more info visit gaucimusic.com. Gauci is at
Downtown Music Gallery Aug. 12 and Main Drag Music
Wednesdays. Sandy Ewen is at Main Drag Music Aug. 30
with James Paul Nadien. Wendy Eisenberg is at RouletteAug. 27 with John Zorn’s Cobra. See Calendar.

but it’s especially rewarding to hear Okegwo andTiemann (who together supply rock solid rhythmic
underpinnings throughout this album) take briefturns in the spotlight.
The elegant title cut that ends this remarkable
album is more than a brief cover of a back-in-the-day
pop tune. It serves as a coda, a summing up of theemotions and memories that inspired it, an elegy tothose recently lost and missed. Love Letters is reflective
and somber, but ultimately joyful. This album, after
all, is about the love of music, the love of jazz and thelove of those Ben-Hur has met along the way.
For more info visit mightyquinnrecordsmusic.com. BenHur is at Ornithology Aug. 10, Dizzy’s Club Aug. 1820 with Joyce Moreno and Mezzrow Aug. 29 with Sheila
Jordan. See Calendar.

UNEARTHED GEM

T enorsaxophonist Stephen Gauci provokes
inventive performances from the casts on two further
installments of Live at Scholes Street Studio. The New
York native (who turns 57 this month) embodies afierce DIY streak which manifests in producing
multiple concert series in NYC as well as releasing
the resulting audio and video recordings on his own
label and website. He has developed a startlingly
original approach, which can suggest the late David
S. Ware in its thorough exploration of the altissimo
heights and co-option of multiphonics, although in
Gauci’s case largely shorn of blues inflections andsubject to a singular lurching phraseology.
On the first set from May 2021, Gauci enlists a
cat’s cradle of regular and less familiar partners forsome wonderfully unbridled interplay. Sandy Ewen
(guitar), an erstwhile sparring partner in Gauci’s
Quartet, and Thomas Helton (bass) cut their musicalteeth in Houston, TX, while German (once Brooklynbased) Joe Hertenstein (drums) forms one third of
Helton’s Core Trio. Such connections ensure a highlevel of trust, important for getting such off-the-map
ensemble communion into less-frequented terrain. As
a result, they largely sidestep the common tropes of
the improv session: the incremental build or its polar
opposite, the group blow-out. Instead, they embark ona succession of unpredictable journeys, exemplified
by “#2”. It opens with woozy arco bass pepperedby staggered drum thumps, before blossoming
into an exchange of spare textures and wavering
tenor saxophone, propelled by Hertenstein’s tappy
cymbals and discontinuous snare and kick drum.
Notwithstanding the prevailing collectivist ethos, thedrummer exerts a notable influence. He’s strongly
present during “#1”, the longest track at over 10
minutes, first in a classic tenor/drums face off with
Gauci, then subsequently with Ewen’s scuttling
guitar and Helton’s dreamy sawing. Ewen adds tothe volatility as her guitar leans towards abstractelectronics, from droney shimmer to a rattle evoking
both glass and metal. Gauci even wields flute andclarinet on “#3”, increasing the timbral variety of analready wide-ranging outing.
On the second recording, from July 2021, Gauci
recruits Wendy Eisenberg (guitar), with whom he’dalready recorded in his Pandemic Duets series, andadds Francisco Mela (drums). Equally at home in rock,noise folk and free improv, Eisenberg tilts the date

The Tide of Love
T. K. Blue (Arkadia)
by Anna Steegmann

Love Letters
Roni Ben-Hur (Mighty Quinn)
by Terrell K. Holmes

G uitarist Roni Ben-Hur is one of those gifted (somewould say “annoying”) souls who make playing jazzsound effortless. His style is a study in economy andeloquence, yet his technical ability and dexterity are
so impressive that he sometimes sounds like two
guitarists. His excellent new album, Love Letters,
will enhance his well-deserved first-call stature. The
quartet (Ingrid Jensen, trumpet; Ugonna Okegwo,
bass; Jason Tiemann, drums) perform a diverse setof tunes, several of which pay tribute to important
people in Ben-Hur’s life.
The swinging, Caribbean-inflected opener, “To
Dizzy with Love”, was written about Gillespie,
but for Ben-Hur it’s a remembrance of the song’s
composer, the late pianist Barry Harris, one of theguitarist’s mentors. When they played together,
this tune was one of their favorites. The leader
alternates crisp single notes with rapid and explosive
clusters; Jensen complements him with her signature
harmonic and melodic boldness. While her muted,
heavy-hearted phrasing on Ben-Hur’s “Seul, àParis” seems a little uncertain at the beginning, shequickly reclaims her bearings to produce a solo that’s
restrained yet impassioned. Benny Golson’s “Fair
Weather” dares you not to tap your foot and bob
your head. The guitarist and trumpeter have suchseamless interplay on the lively samba “Alegria de
Viver” that it sounds like they’re sharing a dance, notplaying instruments. Ben-Hur honors his father with
“The House That Yosef Built”, with Jensen executing
some of her most powerful playing of the album,
buoyed by the Hebraically-inspired melody. “Faint
Memories”, another of the guitarist’s originals,
is a reflective ballad on which the composer andJensen exemplify lyricism. “Waiting for JH,” by
Ben-Hur and the late pianist Chris Anderson, tips
the cap to NYC-based jazz advocate Jim Harrison.
Everyone stretches out on this archetypal bop tune,

F ans of saxophonist/flutist T. K. Blue will be
thrilled by this newly released archival recordingfrom 2001. These heartfelt, gorgeous ballads shouldhave been the follow-up to his first albums, Eyes of
the Elders and Another Blue, but the music businessstarted to change drastically at that time. Bluestates, “Record stores were closing, and online
streaming/downloads were taking off. CDs were
becoming obsolete.” Consequently, his record
company Arkadia went dormant until a few years
ago; thankfully, it’s now back, and this fine record
can finally be heard. It features a stellar group ofmusicians: Stefon Harris (vibraphone, marimba),
Ron Jackson (guitar), James Weidman (piano),
Gavin Fallow (bass) and Lenny Robinson (drums).
The opening track, “When Sunny Gets Blue”(Segal/Fisher), mesmerizes the listener with its
deeply melancholy tone. The chemistry between
the musicians is stunning, especially the interaction
between saxophone and vibraphone. “The Tide
of Love” is smooth and sensuous, slow at the
beginning, becoming more buoyant, mirroring
the ups and downs of love. “Eu Sei Que Vou Te
Amar” and “Luiza” (both by Tom Jobim), sweetand languid, transport us to Brazil and put us in aromantic mood. The leader’s original “To Mend a
Broken Heart” showcases Jackson’s guitar playing.
On “A Prayer for Us”, the composer’s saxophone
is less dominant, allowing Weidman and Harris totake center stage.
Blue has been called “one of the brightest
talents in jazz today.” (The Washington Post, Geoffrey
Hines). The Tide of Love substantiates this statement.
His playing is expressive, crisp and deliberate
throughout the recording. We needed Blue’s “songsof peace, love, and hope” back in 2001, and we
certainly need them now.
For more info visit arkadiarecords.com. T. K. Blue is at
Smalls Aug. 15, The Django Aug. 24, and the Charlie
Parker Festival in Marcus Garvey Park Aug. 25,
presented by City Parks Foundation. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 19

AUG 1–2

RUSSELL MALONE & TAMMY MCCANN
AUG 3–6

BEN WOLFE QUARTET FEAT. WARREN WOLF
AUG 7

JAZZ HOUSE KIDS WITH HOST CHRISTIAN MCBRIDEAUG 8–9

DOUG CARN QUINTET FEAT. KATHRYN FARMER
AUG 10–12

CELEBRATING MULGREW MILLER: WINGSPAN REUNIONAUG 13

SONGBOOK SUNDAYS: CAN’T HELP LOVIN’ JEROME KERN
AUG 14

ALAN BROADBENT TRIO WITH HARVIE S & BILLY MINTZ
AUG 15

TREVOR WATKIS QUINTETAUG 16–17

DONALD EDWARDS QUINTETAUG 18–20

JOYCE MORENO WITH SPECIAL GUEST RONI BEN-HUR
AUG 21

MATHIS PICARD TRIOAUG 22

CLAIRE DALY & GEORGE GARZONEAUG 23JOANNE BRACKEEN TRIOAUG 24–27

CELEBRATING BIRD: “BIRD LIVES”
AUG 28SYLVIA CUENCA GROUP
AUG 29ETHAN PHILION: MEDITATIONS ON MINGUS
AUG 30

DRED SCOTT AND THE PACIFIC JAZZ GROUP
AUG 31SUMMER CAMARGO

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7:30PM & 9:30PM
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BROADWAY AT 60TH ST.

Matanzas
Lopez Trio (Relative Pitch)
vilevilevilevilevilevilevilevile
Brandon Lopez (TAO Forms)
by Tom Greenland

O ver the last decade, bassist Brandon Lopez
has become a ubiquitous presence in new music
circles, in no small part because of the prodigious
physicality of his performances, which, like those of
saxophonist Albert Ayler, foreground the visceralimpact of absolute sound. Two recent releases,
Matanzas and vilevilevilevilevilevilevile, show Lopezin trio and solo formats, respectively.
Saxophonist Steve Baczkowski and drummer
GeraldCleaver
join
Lopez
for
Matanzas(“Slaughters”), a two-part free-improv onslaught
recorded before a live audience. The first track,“Dithyramb, Sodomy, Salt”, begins with unbridledintensity: Baczkowski’s baritone sax, recorded asif from a slight distance, is almost unrecognizable,
high-pitched and strained, recalling a speeding
train whistle or screeching chainsaw; Lopez’ stern
plucking approximates a walking bass; Cleaver’s
seven-note motive shifts to a leisurely marchdisrupted by protracted bass smears that shore
up the saxophone’s buzzy, insect-caught-underglass droning—everything abruptly halted on a
final hidden cue. “Gomorrah, Philadelphia”, thehalf-hour-long second track, begins with Cleaver
clicking sticks, then pauses after a few minutes—
faking the audience into premature applause—until
Lopez reenters with a bow-rattling sound, creatingslightly symmetrical, amorphous textures, the sonicequivalents of Rorschach inkblots, where what you
hear is what you get. Seven and a half minutes
into the piece, he shifts to the sound of a mutedgong, suggesting an accelerating/braking gamelan
orchestra; Baczkowski’s fade-in attacks swell tofull-throated bellows, calling out Lopez, while
Cleaver hints at—but never commits to—a backbeat
groove. Midway into the improvisation, themusicians achieve a floating, ambiguous ambiance,
as if asking themselves, “Where should we go
now?” The second half is structured by Cleaver’s
incessantly clicking sticks, marking out throughcomposed claves and pulses, while Baczkowski and
Lopez succumb to anarchistic impulses, the former
evoking soft birdcalls with his mouthpiece or scary
rumbles that sound like a mutant mosquito trappedin your tent and out for your blood. Lopez’ ominous
subterranean tones bubble up like molten lava,
impelling the trio to a gradual climax, simple but
potent.
vilevilevilevilevilevilevile, Lopez’ latest solo
project, is an intimate portrait of his volcanic
approach: effusive, eruptive, disruptive, yet capableof great subtlety and finesse. Most of the eighttracks—recorded to catch every nuance, including
Lopez’ gasping breaths and soft murmurings—
hover around and develop from contrasting
techniques that add/subtract layers of tone andtimbre.
“LikeTheEdgeOfAMachete”
develops
from a trilling left hand and rapidly bowing righthand fortified with drags, scratches and the bass
equivalent of false fingerings (i.e., similar notes
achieved through dissimilar techniques). “Piri”
mixes rapid finger-taps, ‘belly rubs’ on the bass
body, finger swipes, palm slaps and knuckles
rapping against the soundbox (similar to cajón
technique). Lopez’ uncompromising style conjures

20 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

many
images—amalfunctioning
generator,
bursting with feedback or horses stampeding overrough terrain (“PonceNewYork”); an executioner
hacking off a head, gasping for breath between
hatchet blows (“RealBadVibes”); a cold tractor
engine trying to turn over on a winter morning (thetitle track); a heavy metal guitarist warming up ora chorus of nocturnal jungle animals warring overturf or mates (“The Real Bad Vibe”)—each image
as much a product of the listener’s imagination as
Lopez’ intentions, whatever those could be. But
doesn’t this conjured imagery signal the presence ofan accomplished musical sorcerer?
For more info visit relativepitchrecords.com andaumfidelity.com. Lopez is at The Jazz Gallery Aug. 18
with Matana Roberts. See Calendar.

Shades of Rainbow
Miki Yamanaka (Cellar Music)
by Ken Dryden

A mong the veterans who dominate today’s jazz
media, the outpouring of jazz program graduates
makes it challenging for young musicians to makea name for themselves. But pianist Miki Yamanaka,
who immigrated to the US from her native Japan in2012 to pursue jazz studies and her dream career, is
one who has made considerable headway gaining
an audience for her music. This session focuses onher considerable gifts as a composer. Her quartet
includes Tyrone Allen (bass) and her husband Jimmy
Macbride (drums), both of whom have worked withher often, plus seasoned tenor saxophonist Mark
Turner (who appeared on her previous album,
Stairway to the Stars).
The opener, “That Ain’t Betty”, is a welldisguised reworking of Benny Golson’s 1950s
gem “Along Came Betty”. The piece crackles withenergy, the burning rhythm section supporting
the leader’s fluid bop lines and Turner’s effusive
solo. “Early Morning” is a lush, lyrical ballad thatradiates positive energy; here, bassist Allen takes
center stage. “Shades of Rainbow” is infectious, its
polyrhythmic undercurrent supporting Turner’s
passionate tenor playing, though Yamanaka’s turnin the spotlight is no less intense.
Yamanaka switches to electric piano for the
rapidfire blues “Uh Oh”, showcasing the band’s
humorous side. The upbeat “Song for Mary Lou”
is dedicated to the late Mary Lou Williams, though
Yamanaka does not mimic her compositional
approach. “Gin” is dedicated to Horace Silver, andhis influence on the pianist is apparent in this driving
hard bop vehicle (expect this work to hopefully
become a staple in Yamanaka’s repertoire). The
playful groove of “Oatmeal” features the leader onelectric piano, giving it the flavor of a ’70s sitcom
theme, though Turner’s expressive tenor playing
devours the piece whole.
Miki Yamanaka’s continued growth as acomposer, pianist and leader are all on display inthis very rewarding album.
For more info visit cellarlive.com. Yamanaka’s album
release concert is at The Jazz Gallery Aug. 2. She is also
at Saint Peter’s Church Aug. 6 and Smalls Aug. 28. See
Calendar.

hEARoesJoëlle Léandre/Craig Taborn/Mat Maneri(RogueArt)
by Ken Waxman

D oyenne of double bass improvised music, Paris’Joëlle Léandre is a member of many collaborative
groups, but this one with two American musicians,
Mat Maneri (viola) and Craig Taborn (piano),
is comparatively uncommon. That’s because
Taborn’s music flows directly out of the (free) jazz
tradition, whereas Léandre’s work over six decades
has been eclectic and often esoteric as bassist,
vocalist and composer. Her concentration in newmusic and free improvisation in contemporary
music has included associations with non-jazz
settings, such as performance with Pierre Boulez’
Ensemble InterContemporain, with dancer Merce
Cunningham as well as avant garde composer John
Cage. Luckily Maneri, who has worked regularly
with both Taborn and Léandre in the past, helps
bridge the divide.
Taborn’s most jazz-like excursion takes place
on “O” (the track names taken together spell out
the album’s title), where his chording builds up to
arpeggiated sweeps and staccato clips. Maneri’ssoaring string scratches and Léandre’s drones
contribute tension and finally release to thisnarrative. Elsewhere the pianist adds measured
precision or, as on “E”, a sprinkle of notes andsubtle swing as he searches for and finds therhythmic center. This is in contrast to the bassist’sslashes and scrapes, until the violist’s angled slides
connect the textures from both directions. Léandre’s
technical command is such that she can create
woody resonations that link Maneri’s restrained
glissandi at the same time as her higher pitchedstring rasps project rugged stacks of polyphony.
hEARoes, a distinctive entry in Léandre’s canon,
successfully melds opposing musical concepts intoa satisfactory whole.
For more info visit roguart.com. Taborn is at The Jazz
Gallery Aug. 17 with Ralph Alessi’s Baida. Maneri is at
Barbes Aug. 19 and 26, and Bar Lunàtico Aug. 29, allwith Lucian Ban. See Calendar.

s/t
London Brew (Concord Jazz)
by Jim Motavalli

M iles Davis’ Bitches Brew was scorned by manyin the jazz press upon its 1970 release, but has
subsequently been recognized as a classic of electric
jazz. The group London Brew was assembled in2020 for live celebrations coinciding with the 50th
anniversary of the Miles album—but the eventswere canceled due to the pandemic. And now wehave this album, recorded right after the UK’s
second lockdown that year.
Don’t worry: despite titles including “Miles
Chases New Voodoo in the Church”, London Brew
is far from a mere recreation of a seminal moment injazz history. The names you’ll likely recognize aresaxophonists Nubya Garcia and Shabaka Hutchings(probably the most influential jazz artist in Britain
today and founder of Sons of Kemet, Shabaka andthe Ancestors and The Comet Is Coming), Theon
Cross (tuba) and Tom Skinner (drums). There’s also“sonic recycling” from Benji B and electronics fromviolinist Raven Bush, all anchored by Tom Herbert(bass). The music is not as funk-based as Davis’, but
the twin keyboard players (Nikolaj Torp Larsen andNick Ramm) are definitely tuned in to what Chick
Corea, Joe Zawinul and Larry Young were doingback then on the original album, while the sax
players occasionally channel Bennie Maupin’s bass
clarinet and Wayne Shorter’s soprano. Trumpet?
There isn’t any here.
It’s best to forget the antecedents, though,and just let this music wash over you. Start withthe 23-minute title cut which feels much shorter.
An atmospheric beginning builds into a rumblingjuggernaut. The two tenors weave together
deliciously, before it all slows to a bed of synths
ridden by breathy sax and flute. It builds again withpowerful drums and Hutchings on bass clarinet
dancing with Garcia’s sax over floating Fender
Rhodes. It all sounds as spontaneous as was Bitches
Brew (spliced together from longer sections by Teo
Macero).
“London Brew Part 2: Trainlines” is kicked
off by bass and drums before Dave Okumu divesin with a rock-inspired solo that highlights John
McLaughlin’s contribution to the Bitches Brew
sessions. There’s also a fascinating section withthe horns playing repetitive minimalist riffs thatrecall Philip Glass and Terry Riley. Near the end,
there’s also a subtle sample taken from In a Silent
Way.
“Raven Flies Low” is a welcome showcasefor Bush’s violin, while “Miles Chases…”, a reinterpretation of the original track, is the nearest
London Brew comes to the Bitches Brew sound.
Saxophones stand in for Davis’ trumpet, which, if
truth be told, is missed to an extent. “Nu Sha Ni
Sha Nu Oss Ra” has a sinuous, ingratiating saxled melody line that doesn’t have much to do withMiles nor Bitches Brew, but is welcome anyway.
Ramm’s piano is great on what has the makings ofa future classic, with the many treasures on London
Brew rewarding repeated listening.

an all-star group comprising Craig Handy (tenor),
Santi Debriano (bass) and the legendary Billy Hart
(drums); veteran trumpeter Randy Brecker also
guests on the first and last tunes. It’s exciting musicin a postmodern hard bop vein.
The music kicks off with a Latin-infused,
mid-tempo version of Ellington’s “Do Nothing
Till You Hear From Me”. Handy is in top form.
O’Connell’s “Sparks” is possibly the highlightof the session. The catchy theme is introduced
by a piano solo showcasing his remarkable range
and then carried by the quartet. The saxophonist
delivers a compelling solo that sums up decadesof tenor sax jazz history. Hart’s solo is masterful,
stripped down to the essentials; the theme then reemerges after a nod to “All Blues” and Debriano
brings the proceedings to an end. Bobby Timmons’“Moanin’” also receives a slightly Latin treatment,
while “No Rhyme or Reason” takes the quartet into
ballad territory, where Handy finds his way to pay
tribute to the late Wayne Shorter. Herbie Hancock’s“One Finger Snap” gets an out-of-tempo intro prior
to locking in the main theme and evolving into aswinging affair; the bassist and drummer once again
prove to be a spectacular rhythmic duo, pushingboth Handy and O’Connell to soaring heights.
Debriano’s blues waltz “Ripty Boom” precedes the
final “Tip Toes”, which features a brilliant solo
by Brecker and another nod—this time to Charlie
Parker—by Handy.
For more info visit jazzdepot.com. O’Connell is at
Smalls Aug. 11-12 with Greg Abate and El Sol BrillanteAug. 23 with Andrea Brachfeld as part of “Charlie
Parker Jazz Festival: Jazz in the Garden”, presented by
City Parks Foundation. See Calendar.

For more info visit concordrecords.com. Shabaka
Hutchings is at Central Park Summerstage Aug. 2 with
The Comet Is Coming. See Calendar.

Live in Montauk
Bill O’Connell (Savant)by Marco Cangiano

D espite pianist Bill O’Connell’s impressive,
40-year-long resume as musician and educator (heis on the jazz faculty at Rutgers University), thisis his first live album. It was recorded in August2021 at the Hamptons Jazz Festival and features
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 21

DROP THE NEEDLE

Children of the Forest
Milford Graves (Black Editions Archive)
by Pierre Crépon

Thanks to Valerie Wilmer’s powerful cover art, themusic from this deluxe 2-LP gatefold archival releasenearly starts before the needle even hits the vinyl.
Milford Graves (who would have turned 82 this month)is seated at his drum kit under the bright neon of an
unadorned loft, shouting intensely. Lights of the New
York night filter through windows, in front of which
stand reed players Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover.
Their postures contrast with Graves’: Doyle seems to
be carefully apposing a flute line, while Glover holds
the tiniest of bells. What hope is there for the sound it
could make amidst Graves’ torrential drumming?
These previously unreleased private recordings
show ways in which the gesture could makesense. Recorded in early 1976, when the trio madeits only album, Bäbi, these sonically raw tapes
present the group in a new light. Instead of Bäbi’s

drums-plus-two-juggernaut-saxophones,
however,things are refocused here around a single wind
instrument. During the first session, Glover sticks
to “miscellaneous” instruments while Graves plays
busy, bouncing rhythms. Doyle starts where he
usually did, at the last stop on the way out, seemingly
looking for ways to obliterate certain frequencies. At
the end, Glover plays a single sound (a Klaxon?) over
and over, and to remarkable effect.
It underlines how the point here is not to flow
freely in every direction but to work concentratedly
on specific registers and how one simple sound could
matter. The second session features only Graves plus
Glover (on tenor). The mood is somber, ruminating,more subdued. It shows again, with less immediacy,
how Graves and his musicians could shift the music’sbalance in more ways than they’ve been credited for.
Produced by Peter Kolovos and Eremite Records’
Michael Ehlers, this release is an example of archival
material done properly: truly unheard music,
substantial notes (here an interview with Glover) andgreat photography (that also includes a shot fromThierry Trombert’s deep archives). It follows a firstentry in Black Editions’ Milford Graves series thatfeatured William Parker and the recently departed
Peter Brötzmann. The drummer’s small discography
has never reflected his stature accurately. This newrelease seems to confirm that the project of correcting
this problem has now been taken up in earnest.
For more info visit blackeditionsgroup.com

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22 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDDavid Hazeltine Peter Washington Joe Farnsworth

David Hazeltine Trio
BLUES FOR GERRY
Criss Cross Jazz 1415

Through the Lens
Falkner Evans (CAP)
Blues for GerryDavid Hazeltine Trio (Criss Cross Jazz)
Butcher Block Ballet
Jeremy Manasia Trio (Blujazz)by Elijah Shiffer

F or the modern jazz pianist, the harmonic languageof bebop and hard bop is a constant presence toconverse with. There are infinite possible ways tointerpret this vocabulary. Three new releases by
established pianists, one solo and two trio, illustratevery different ways to deal with the lexicon ofstraight-ahead jazz harmony.
The most inventive of these is Through the Lens,
Falkner Evans’ second solo piano recording for theConsolidated Artists Productions (CAP) label. On
this entirely improvised album, Evans often plays
recognizable jazz harmonies, but fractures them into
unique, abstract progressions. There is an elegiac,
reflective mood throughout; the album is a tributeto Evans’ late wife. Though some of the five tracks
ramble a little, full of fleeting harmonic shifts, otherssuch as the opening “Soul Witness” are laser-focusedon a single tonal landscape. “Blues for Lucia” isanother of these, a surreal soliloquy in which Evansdances around the blues without ever stating achorus of blues changes.
Blues for Gerry is a trio album by David Hazeltine,
who confronts the hard bop sound much more

directly. It’s Hazeltine’s tenth recording on Criss
Cross (and named for the label’s late founder, Gerry
Teekens); as with five previous releases for the label,
Hazeltine is joined by Peter Washington (bass) and
Joe Farnsworth (drums). The ten tracks form a tight,
polished set of standards and originals. This is a
comfortable album that takes a while to get going.
The first few tracks seem a bit routine, even on theburning tempo of Cedar Walton’s “Firm Roots”; theopening “Here Again”, an obscure medium swinger
by Hazeltine’s mentor Buddy Montgomery, isapproached like a venerable standard. The intensity,
however, is eventually kicked up a refreshing notchin the last three tracks, especially Duke Pearson’s“You Know I Care”, in which the trio brings a bossa
groove to a boogaloo boil. It’s flanked by two uptempo
originals by the pianist: “Minor Disturbance” and“Here We Go”, each with an intricate set of changes
that make for some exciting soloing.
Jeremy Manasia’s Butcher Block Ballet is a very
different trio album, though also strongly connected tothe bebop and hard-bop tradition. The pianist is joinedby Ugonna Okegwo (bass) and Charles Ruggiero(drums) for eight accessible—often lyrical—and very
creative originals. All have unconventional forms andeach tells a unique story. This is a fun album, especiallythe opening title track with its quirky rhythmic intro
and Ruggiero going berserk on the fade-out ending. The
leader’s exquisite command is on display throughout,unpredictable and interesting at any given momentwith solos far from merely virtuosic. Manasia leads
his trio into textures that just feel right, whether it’s ahard-swinging groove as on “Take the In-Step” or theremarkable stillness of “Curitiba Girl” (named for his
wife’s hometown in Brazil). It’s no surprise that he has
a way with words as well; his liner notes, in which thesong titles are strung together into sentences, are as
charming as the album itself.
For more info visit falknerevans.com, crisscrossjazz.com
and blujazz.com. All pianists are at Mezzrow: Evans Aug.
8, Hazeltine Aug. 11-12, Manasia Aug. 26. See Calendar.

VuVu for Frances
Claire Daly (with George Garzone) (Daly Bread)by Ken Dryden

C laire Daly is one of today’s most heralded baritone

saxophonists, known for her melodic gifts, brightsound and spirit of adventure. Each of her albums
has its own unique character, from the repertoire
chosen to the band assembled, and VuVu for Frances
is no exception. The music pays tribute to Daly’s
friend, 98-year-old super-fan Frances Ballantyne,
who has been a jazz fixture in New York clubs since
the ’40s, and who was asked to pick several of thestandards played on this session. Daly brought
in several seasoned veterans for the recording,including tenor saxophonist George Garzone (an oldfriend who inspired her early in her career), plus
Jon Davis (piano), Dave Hofstra (bass) and David F.
Gibson (drums).
Daly’s inventive arrangements give fresh looks
to familiar songs. She tackles two ballads heavily
associated with Frank Sinatra, taking a breezy,swinging approach to “All the Way” and giving amelancholy, deliberate rendition of “Fools Rush In”
featuring highly emotional, almost vocal-like solos

by the two saxophonists. An introspective “Harlem
Nocturne” features just Daly and the rhythm section.
In addition to the standards, two lesser-known Steve
Kuhn compositions are a nice surprise. The song
“Hold Out Your Hand” was written for a 1971 album
that featured Kuhn’s vocals in addition to his piano.
Daly’s warm voice is perfect for it, while her robust
baritone sax blends beautifully with Garzone’s
tenor in this brisk Latin-tinged setting. The leader
switches to electric piano for Kuhn’s breezy “TheSaga of Harrison Crabfeathers”, a lively vehicle forblowing. Her setting of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s“The Lonely Goatherd” (from The Sound of Music),a song all but ignored by jazz musicians, proves tobe the showstopper of this session. The off-centerrhythms and gradual shift to freer blowing by Dalyand Garzone are an unexpected, pleasurable surprise.

THE JAZZ LOFTSTONY BROOK, NEW YORKPRESENTSJohn Monteleone

Art of the Guitar
Festival

August 11-12, 2023

For more info visit clairedaly.com. Daly’s album release
concert is at Dizzy’s Club Aug. 22. See Calendar.

With Grace in Mind
Dreamstruck (Marilyn Crispell/Joe Fonda/
Harvey Sorgen) (Fundacja Słuchaj)by Ken Waxman

A s pianist Marilyn Crispell’s career advances, hercommand of improvisation and composition deepens.
Known for her superlative playing with the likes of
Anthony Braxton and Gerry Hemingway, she has
refined her style so that it’s as much inside as it isoutside. During the past few years, she has also hit upon
the perfect companions for this transition: Joe Fonda(bass) and Harvey Sorgen (drums). Besides providing
powerful support, Fonda is also a canny composer:
four of the tunes on With Grace in Mind are his, three
by Crispell. There are also three group improvisations
and a rumbling, thumping but unshowy drum solo.
The finest instance of the mature Crispellstyle comes on the extended “GS #2”. Zesty andintense, it features the pianist shaping the flows andeddies of her playing into a responsive, reflective
theme statement. Furious but not frenetic, it’s
sympathetically seconded by Sorgen’s rim shots andside taps and Fonda’s sluicing, popping bass work.
Without downplaying Crispell’s writing skills,
it’s Fonda’s compositions that bring out the best in
all three. In addition to “GS #2”, his sprightly “For
Ornette” and expressive “We All Make Mistakes”
define the program. “For Ornette” lopes along as thetrio members engage in a game of musical catch andrelease with the theme. It passes through swift stops
from Fonda, Sorgen’s press rolls and eventually adense weave of counterpoint between the bassist andpianist, before Crispell restates the head at the end.
On “We All Make Mistakes”, Crispell’s light fingers
elaborate gently on the melody, while Fonda conveys
a countermelody with arco sweeps. In contrast,
Crispell’s writing on pieces, including “Gary’s Tune”,
always contains an element of rushing pressure andactive intensity, even when she’s engaged in slow,
quiet story-telling.
This well-balanced trio matches the “grace” in its
album title with gravity and grit.
For more info visit sluchaj.bandcamp.com. Marilyn
Crispell is at Village Vanguard Aug. 22-27 with Joe
Lovano’s Trio Tapestry. See Calendar.

John D’Angelico c. 1959 New Yorker(John Monteleone, personal collection)

John D’Angelico c. 1958 New Yorker

John D’Angelico c. 1959 New Yorker(owned by George Benson)(John Monteleone, personal collection)

Friday, August 11, 2023

6 pm | Opening Reception
John Monteleone

7 pm | Performance

John Jorgenson Quintet

Saturday, August 12, 2023
12 pm | Guitar Workshop

John Monteleone & Steve Salerno

1 pm | Performance
Steve Salerno Trio

4 pm | PerformanceFrank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo

7 pm | Performance
Dario Napoli Trio

For tickets and more info visit
thejazzloft.org/monteleone
275 CHRISTIAN AVENUE, STONY BROOK, NY 11790
631.751.1895 | THEJAZZLOFT.ORG

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 23eek!

Open 7 Days a W

Presenting

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

2 Sets of Shows—7:30pm & 10:30pm Every Week!
TUE
8/1

Santi Debriano Group
Itai Kriss Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

WED
8/2

The Brooklyn Holdouts
Tia Brazda

7:30pm
10:30pm

THR
8/3

Alex Minasian Quartet
Mariel Bildsten Septet

7:30pm
10:30pm

FRI
8/4

Dave Stryker Quartet
Richie Vitale Quintet

7:30pm
10:30pm

SAT
8/5

Ed Cherry Quartet
Sam Dillon Quintet

7:30pm
10:30pmSUN
8/6

Ashley Pezzotti Quartet
Sasha Dobson Quartet

6:30pm
9:30pmMON
8/7

Joey Ranieri Quartet
Hank Allen-Barfield Quintet

7:30pm
10:30pm

TUE
8/8“Tango At The Django” Feat.
Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet 7:30pm
People Of Earth
10:30pm

WED
8/9

Michael Rabinowitz Quartet
Nick Biello Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

THR
8/10

Jonny King Trio
David Weiss Sextet

7:30pm
10:30pm

FRI
8/11

Ugonna Okegwo Quartet
Helio Alves Quartet

7:30pm
10:00pm

SAT
8/12

David Gibson Quartet
Wayne Escoffery Quartet

7:30pm
10:00pm

SUN
8/13

Antonio Ciacca Quartet
Ray Gallon Trio

6:30pm
9:30pmMON
8/14

Cameron Campbell Quartet
Philippe Lemm Trio

7:30pm
10:30pm

TUE
8/15

Alex Brown Quartet
Craig Handy Latin Project

7:30pm
10:30pm

WED
8/16

Joe Farnsworth Quartet
Fima Ephron Quartet

7:30pm
10:30pm

THR
8/17

Mike Ledonne Trio
Mark Whitfield

7:30pm
10:30pm

Spam Likely
Jessica Pavone/Lukas Koenig/Matt Mottel(577 Records)
by John Sharpe

T hree musicians united by an experimental but

irreverent outlook join forces on the wryly named
Spam Likely. Violist Jessica Pavone’s credentials
include spells with Anthony Braxton and Mary
Halvorson, as well as left-field leadership excursions
ranging from solo to string ensemble. Keyboardist
Matt Mottel, here credited with keytar and threestringed guitar, brings the devil-may-care attitude
allied to fertile imagination that animates his
Talibam! duo with Kevin Shea, while Austrian
drummer Lukas Koenig uses his trapset not only
for conventional pulse, but also as a plugged-insoundlab. No surprise, then, that the album’s twolengthy pieces evade categorization.
The opening “Binge Listen” certainly sounds
like everything all at once, the density belying thenumber of musicians involved, though that may be
the result of overdubbing. It starts with a twangy
groove and tapping beats. Assorted textures comeand go—simple melodic patterns, electronic bleeps,
rhythmic string sawing, propulsive vamps—all
without disrupting the incessant onward progress.
This could be the soundtrack to a scrolling cartoon
landscape, where the occasional brash primarycolored oddity appears in an otherwise gradually
evolving scene of trees and rocky outcrops. While
Pavone’s abrasive viola can be discerned on occasion
amid the kaleidoscopic swirl, the group pursues aresolutely collectivist ethos.
By contrast, the title track deals for the firsthalf of its 18-minute duration in static spacey
atmospherics, a sort of psychedelic drone in whichechoing percussion overlaps sustained long tones.
Eventually, a piano tremolo heralds the adventof keys-driven forward motion. A klezmer-tinged
air surfaces as the vamp gradually coalesces; later,
Pavone bows a folk-music lament. But it’s not until
the final straight that Koenig’s drum chatter falls intotrain, picking up the meter for an emphatic finish.
You might call it electric free jazz, but of a strangely
accessible bent.
For more info visit 577records.com. Pavone plays soloat Socrates Sculpture Park Aug. 5, presented by Jazz
Foundation of America. See Calendar.

DINNER, LIBATIONS & LIVE JAZZ!
IN THE OF TRIBECA

2 AVE OF THE AMERICAS

For more info visit jazzheads.com. Sanabria’s Multiverse
Big Band is at Central Park’s “Great Jazz on the GreatHill” Aug. 12, presented by Jazzmobile. See Calendar.

That’s It!
Booker Ervin (Candid)by Duck Baker

H ow does one “review” a great record like this?

See The Line-Up AND Reserve At
THEDJANGONYC.COM

from Africa, Cuba and Puerto Rico, plus R&B, gospel
and jazz; yet he has found a way to communicate asense of community that breaks all boundaries. On
Vox Humana, recorded live at Dizzy’s Club over twonights in June 2022, Sanabria and the band power
through thirteen tracks that offer multiple iterationsof the Afro-Cuban musical experience.
The opener, Juan Tizol’s “Caravan”, comes out
swinging with a propulsive arrangement by Jeremy
Fletcher. The band slides perfectly through eachregister, while David DeJesus’ soprano sax solo
shows poise and agility. Eddie Palmieri’s “PuertoRico” pays homage to his birthplace; in this version,
Oreste Abrantes and Jennifer Jade Ledesna’s vocals
are supported by the band’s sweeping rhythmic
underpinnings, as trumpeter Matt Hilgenberg offerssome stratospheric bravado.
The classic jump blues “Let the Good Times
Roll” receives a deft, fiery arrangement, again by
Fletcher; there’s a solid bluesy vocal by Antoinette
Montague, and trombonist Armando Vergara, withplunger, provides irrepressible support. A fullthrottle Latinized version of the Gershwins’ “I Loves
You, Porgy” features another vocal spotlight fromMontague, this time with Dave Miller shining on
trombone.
One interesting facet of this release is thepresence of three vocalists across the album. “Genie
in a Bottle”, boasting Janis Siegel (best known as leadsinger for the Manhattan Transfer), is a solid swinger
with the band in full attack mode. She dances andprances over the lyrics, with some serious scatting
thrown in for good measure. On the Steely Dan classic“Do It Again” all three vocalists appear singing overthe band’s juicy, pulsing arrangement and showing
off their rich and expressive voices, reveling in thesetting.
The closer is another Palmieri original, “Mi
Congo”. Once again, the band demonstrates its highoctane intensity and ability to handle long complex
arrangements. But most importantly: they deliver the
goods.

Vox Humana
Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band (Jazzheads)
by Pierre Giroux

D rummer/bandleader Bobby Sanabria is arenaissance man of Afro-Cuban music. His explosive
Multiverse Big Band draws on sounds and rhythms

24 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

For starters, let’s try just “re-viewing” what was
happening when producer Nat Hentoff recorded
Booker Ervin’s working quartet in early 1961. Alongwith almost everyone else who was keeping an ear
to the ground, Hentoff first heard Ervin in Charles
Mingus’ band, and was bowled over by the new tenor
man’s huge sound and directness. When jazz people
talk about musicians being influenced by blues andthe sounds they grew up hearing in the sanctified
church, they often tend to gloss over what this reallymeans, using terms like the “pentatonic blues scale”,
without ever noting that early Blues players rarely ifever played it, and never connecting the intensity of amid-’60s John Coltrane solo over two chords to whatgospel lead singers such as Ira Tucker did during agospel “ride”. Mingus, however, knew deeply what

these things meant, and he heard and nurtured themin Ervin’s playing.
Ervin does employ that pentatonic blues scalequite a bit—except that he plays microtonal variantsof most of the notes in it. Indeed, some listeners findthe way he focuses on bending notes distracting,but it’s crucial to listen carefully to what he doeswith this; it’s not a matter of lack of imagination—quite the contrary. The pianist on That’s It! wasHorace Parlan, Ervin’s Mingus bandmate. Ervin andParlan shared important characteristics, including
a harmonic sense that allowed them to sound very
individualistic even when playing familiar melodies
or phrases, and a marked allegiance to the Swing-era
formula of tension-and-release when soloing. We
must also note the importance of the contributionsof George Tucker (bass) and Al Harewood (drums),
a reminder that in great jazz, the whole is always
greater than the sum of its parts. It’s magic theway a jazz bassist like Tucker can seem to push thebeat for almost the entirety of an uptempo burner
like “Speak Low” without ever really budging the
tempo.
Ervin (who died 53 years ago this month) will
always be best remembered for his association with
Mingus, and after that for dates he shared withthe likes of Randy Weston and Jaki Byard, but weshouldn’t forget the great work he did with Parlan,
especially this superb record which has been recently
remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original
master tapes and available on 180-gram vinyl, CDand digital download.
For more info visit candidrecords.com

Multiplicities: A Repository of Non-Existent
Objects
Multiplicities II
John Zorn (Tzadik)
by Steven Loewy

I nspired by the works of the French philosopher

Gilles Deleuze, John Zorn wrote twenty musicalaphorisms. These have been divided between two
different quartets across two albums, each of which
demonstrates the exquisite mashing of genres andoutstanding musicianship for which John Zorn is
known.
As is generally the case, Zorn does not perform
on any of the pieces, but his presence is clearly
evident in his eclectic, freewheeling compositions
and arrangements. The first volume, recorded
and released last year, features his new electricensemble, Chaos Magick, a quartet of John Medeski(organ), Brian Marsella (Fender Rhodes piano), Matt
Hollenberg (guitar) and Kenny Grohowski (drums)—
musicians described in the album leaflet as “membersof Zorn’s innermost circle.” The music features
intricate compositions, complex rhythms, snake-likelines and rapid changes. Medeski and Marsella drive
the music hard. There’s also impressive guitarwork
from Hollenberg and the powerful drumming of
Grohowski; together they draw the listener into theintensely layered, twisting and turning phrases.
Marsella’s rapid, snaking keyboard improvisations
add a jazz flavor to the music, which often has moreof a hard rock influence.
Multiplicities II, recorded and released this year,
is described in the leaflet as the acoustic companion
piece to the first volume. It features Incerto, a newgroup consisting of Marsella (this time on acoustic

piano), plus Julian Lage (guitar), Jorge Roeder(bass) and Ches Smith (drums). The writing is again
complex but noticeably more jazz-influenced. Lage’s
extraordinary technique is evident on the fasterpieces, but he also displays a lovely lyrical side.
Marsella’s solos are both powerful and thoughtful.
There is a greater delicacy to these performances
compared to those on the first volume, but they
still remain electrifying. Smith is gentler, while
Lage largely takes the role of a horn player. Roeder
provides strong support, and contributes a solid solo

on “Objects of the Mind”. The complicated rhythms
on “Soothsayer”, combined with Lage’s allusion to
Zorn’s Spillane album (from 1987), are a backbreaker,
yet Smith hits the polyrhythms hard. The quartet
is completely synchronized despite the music’s
difficulty, and the results are exemplary, at times
jaw-dropping.
For more info visit tzadik.com. Zorn’s Cobra with Brian
Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith, John Medeski, et al.
is at Roulette Aug. 13. See Calendar.

B OXED SE T

Bird in LA
Charlie Parker (Verve)
by Brian Charette

J azz listeners and artists may forget about thefact that, besides Kansas City and New York, theplace Charlie Parker spent most of his time was
Los Angeles—from a residency at Billy Berg’s in
Hollywood (which is still active as The Parker Room)to the storied wild session of “Lover Man” thatlanded him in an institution in Camarillo, just off the
101 (aka Ventura Highway), 50 miles northwest of
L.A. The music contained here is a great chronicleof the trips Bird took to L.A. from 1945-54. We also
get to hear wild MC’s such as Harry “The Hipster”
Gibson and lots of wild postwar vernacular. In
celebration of Bird’s b-day month (he would haveturned 103), this collection features lovely packaging
and an extensive booklet with notes (and many
entertaining anecdotes) on the rare and mostly
unreleased performances that comprise this 4-LP
vinyl boxed set.
Side A from the first album comes from Billy
Berg’s but the concerts are under trumpeter Dizzy
Gillespie’s name. The group had a two-monthengagement there, an event that was billed as “Bebop
Invades the West”. On these sessions, we get to hear
the cool vibes of Milt Jackson and the crystal-clear
bebop of pianist Al Haig. “How High the Moon” is agreat feature for them, both swinging deeply in the
pocket. Parker sounds relaxed, lyrical and at the topof his game. It’s great that we get to hear longer solos
from Bird, who keeps it much tighter on his NYC
studio sessions. The set has lots of cool dialogue
between Harry “The Hipster” and the band, which
is fun to listen to. Gibson sings in a slightly different
key for most of the tune; the lyrics and delivery
are certainly engaging, but odd for sure. “52nd St.
Theme” features classic Bird, burning at a nice clip
with a splendid sound. “Over There” and other timespecific musical quotes spill out. Gillespie is also in
top form, popping at the top of his horn’s register andnever missing. “Groovin High” has a nice medium
tempo treatment, with Bird blowing first. He nails
the changes and sneaks in a little blues. Parker’s
L.A. lines are slower and more measured, as are thetempos. Gillespie follows by effortlessly slipping inand out of brilliant quadruple time.
The second album comes from The Finale Club
in L.A.’s Little Tokyo. On “Billie’s Bounce”, Birdsounds bluesy, breaking up his blazing bop with abar-walking strut. We also get to hear a young Miles

Davis play smart bebop with his characteristic mute.
Pianist Joe Albany uses funky bebop chord shells to
support melodic swing-based right-hand lines thathave a toe in the bebop pool. On “Ornithology”,
Bird deals in the horn’s middle range, with Albany
catching his cadences in crisp comps. Muted Miles
paints the changes and functions as a great minimal
foil for Bird. The record’s second side features
cuts from an NBC studio session. “Anthropology”
has Bird sounding very chill, with Nat “King”
Cole playing beautiful piano lines on the date. His
comping behind Parker is especially striking on“Cherokee”, where his repetitive big band-style
vamps whip the audience into a frenzy.
Album 3’s recordings were made at the wild
parties at bohemian sculptor Jirayr Zorthian’s
Ranch near Los Angeles. These parties would go
on for days and usually included skinny-dippingin the pool, led by Bird himself. The playing has afreewheeling party atmosphere and Parker sounds
like he’s feeling no pain. There is some great tradingwith the drummer, Larance Marable, on “Scrapple
from the Apple”. Frank Morgan plays terrific alto
but is less audible than Parker and obviously in themaster’s shadow. The first has an inspired Parker
solo on “Au Privave”, eliciting wild calls from theband which may have had a few cocktails (the beatturns around occasionally and the tempo, well,“fluctuates”). Pianist Amos Trice solos well, but
is very difficult to hear because of the diminishedrecording quality. On “Hot House”, Parker dips inand out of unusual exotic scales interspersed withhumorous musical quotes. He sounds totally free
and in his element on these cuts. Of great interest,
too, are the small bits of conversation from thepeople talking at the party!
The B side of the fourth album features a young
Chet Baker, who plays beautiful clipped bebop
trumpet. The first track is an improvised marchcalled “Noodling”. It doesn’t have a really clear
direction as a composition but has terrific bebop line
trades between the musicians. The song slips into aswinging blues and the band even starts singing ariff that sounds like it may have been an inside joke.
Every bebopper will love this beautiful collection
documenting Charlie Parker’s LA years!
For more info visit udiscovermusic.com. Charlie Parker
birthday tributes this month include the Charlie Parker
Jazz Festival (presented by City Parks Foundation) at
El Solle Brillante Aug. 23 with “Jazz in the Garden”
featuring Andrea Brachfeld Quartet, Marcus Garvey
Park Aug. 25-26 with Orrin Evans Captain Black Big
Band, Dianne Reeves, T.K. Blue, The Cookers, Endea
Owens, Nduduzo Makhathini Trio and Tompkins SquarePark Aug. 27 with Charles McPherson, Vincent Herring
Septet and Hera; “Bird Lives: The Charlie Parker Project”
at Dizzy’s Club Aug. 24-27 with SWR Big Band andJohn Beasley; Roni Ben-Hur/Sheila Jordan/Harvie S at
Mezzrow Aug. 29; John Yao’s “JY-17 Plays Bird” at
Birdland Aug. 20; and “Bird With Strings” at Birdland
Aug. 22-26 with Ken Peplowski. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 25

®
®

s/t
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band
(Prohibition Productions)by Scott Yanow

FREE SHOWS THIS AUGUST
AUGUST 19
MARCUS GARVEY PARK, MN
JASON MORAN & THE BIG BANDWAGON:JAMES REESE EUROPE AND THE HARLEM
HELLFIGHTERS: FROM THE DANCEHALL

JASON MORAN & THE BIG BANDWAGON

AUGUST 25
MARCUS GARVEY PARK, MN
ORRIN EVANS AND THE
CAPTAIN BLACK BIG BANDFEATURING DIANNE REEVES
T.K. BLUE
AUGUST 26
MARCUS GARVEY PARK, MN
THE COOKERSENDEA OWENS & THE COOKOUTNDUDUZO MAKHATHINI TRIOAKUA ALLRICH AND THE TRIBE

ORRIN EVANS AND THE
CAPTAIN BLACK BIG BAND

AUGUST 27
THE COOKERSTOMPKINS SQUARE PARK, MN
CHARLES MCPHERSON WITH TERELL STAFFORDSOMETHING ELSE! VINCENT HERRING SEPTETHERA FEAT CHELSEA BARATZ & ANDROMEDA TURREMICHAEL MAYO

P rebop jazz exists in a parallel world to modern jazz.
While many followers of the latter may be unaware of(or quickly dismiss) the former, they are missing out
on an exhilarating musical world. Hot jazz (whether
a revival of styles from the ’20s, Swing, jump or a
mixture of the three) is a great deal of fun, takes
time to master and is quite accessible to both Swingdancers and listeners alike.
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band, which is quite activein New York City’s Swing scene, is co-led by violinist
Gabe Terracciano (who also plays with the Turtle
Island String Quartet) and producer-drummer Patrick
Soluri. The group’s self-titled album features four
vocals by Hanna Gill and three from Queen Esther,which fit well into the style and do not dominate theperformances. Terracciano is one of today’s top Swing
violinists; he’s joined here by Soluri, and (on various
selections) the boisterous and occasionally happily
over-the-top playing of Alphonso Horne (trumpet)
and Ron Wilkins (trombone), Dan Levinson (clarinet,
tenor) or Danny Lipsitz (saxophone), three different
bassists, guitarist/banjoist Justin Poindexter and (ontwo numbers) Gordon Webster (piano).
Other than Terracciano’s “Kilowatt Stomp”, theset consists of vintage standards that are played withexcellent musicianship and a lot of spirit. “I Wanna
Be Like You” (on which the violinist sings) and arambunctious version of “Kansas City” are the only
other songs written after 1936. “Digga Digga Doo”,“Love Me or Leave Me”, the instrumental “BlueDrag” and “When I Get Low I Get High” (recorded
by Ella Fitzgerald early in her career) are particularly
welcome revivals. Solos are generally short, and themusicians make the best use of their space to create
exciting statements.
Even readers who listen exclusively to cuttingedge jazz should give this disc a try. Chances are thatthey will be surprised by the high energy and pure
joy of the music.
For more info visit hottoddies.band. Hot Toddies is at
Somewhere Nowhere’s Gotham Jazz Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30.
See Calendar.

SUMMERSTAGE.ORG
SUMMERSTAGE

SUMMERSTAGENYCNYCSUMMERSTAGE

The Glass Hours
Linda May Han Oh (Biophilia)
by John Shand
CHARLES MCPHERSON

T here’s always an element of risk when artists
interrogate why they do what they do, as analysis
can jeopardize the purity of intuition. But for thosebrave enough to take the plunge, it can also lead todeeper areas of endeavor, as musicians from J.S. Bach

26 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

to John Coltrane have discovered. Linda May Han
Oh says she began to question the point of making
music in the wake of the pandemic. On The Glass
Hours she confronts such big issues as mortality, andthe title inverts the term “hour glass” to evoke notjust time inexorably running out, but its fragility as aconcept in our lives. Listening to her fulfill her lofty
ambitions here, you wonder what limits there are to
Oh’s expansive artistry as a composer and bassist.
The leader partly lays out her thesis in a spokenword section delivered by vocalist Sara Serpa on“Antiquity”, a disquieting, oneiric vision of therelationship between past and present. This is oneof several pieces to feature Serpa’s wordless, often
ethereal, but never insubstantial, singing. The
spiraling melody of “Circles”, for instance, is shared
between Serpa and Mark Turner (tenor). It is counteredby an extraordinary out-of-phase deployment ofrhythm, whose challenges are brilliantly met by ObedCalvaire (drums)—you may briefly wonder if yourlistening device is on the blink. Perhaps evocativeof the repetitive minutiae of life, “Circles” has edgy
contributions from Turner and Fabian Almazan(piano), and Oh’s solo is the eye of the storm: earthed,sinuous and soulfully emotive amid the frenzy.
As on her previous albums, Oh has tailor-made herensemble to realize a specific batch of compositions:
the warmth of Serpa’s voice, for instance, offers afascinating textural counterpoint to Turner’s desolate
tenor. It’s a testament to the phenomenal skills of all
five players that they improvise with such fluency
and vibrancy amid the sometimes extreme rigors of
the compositions. Oh (already the bassist of choice forthe likes of Pat Metheny and Joe Lovano) continues torise in stature as a leader.
For more info visit biophiliarecords.com. May Han Oh
plays at and curates The Stone Aug. 23-26. See Calendar.

Ride Awhile
Luca Benedetti (s/r)
by Elliott Simon

G uitarist Luca Benedetti launches Ride Awhile with

the infectious riff and captivating harmonies of “SoGood, So Far”. This funky jazz fusion immediately
showcases the guitarist’s natural affinity for the
standard trio format. As in his previous We’ll Get
There (2019), “The Tonys”—Tony Scherr (bass) andTony Mason (drums)—round out the trio. Together,
they skillfully enhance the leader’s twelve originalcompositions while staying fully attuned to the spiritof the music.
An accomplished jazz musician and a graduate of
Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Benedetti effortlessly
traverses genres, incorporating jazz, country,
rock, blues, ambient and more, into his music. The
understated and lovely ballad “Daisy” takes listeners
on a leisurely stroll, allowing his delicate overtones toshine. In contrast, the guitarist displays his love forthe blues in the biting track “Mosquito”, where a dark
rhythmic backdrop bolsters his aggressive lead. Scherrtakes the spotlight on many tunes, blending with
Mason to provide a solid foundation, while also taking
on a rhythm guitar role, resulting in a rich, full trio
sound. He solidifies the countrified picking in “HangNail” and adds punch to the midnight atmosphere of
the ironically titled “How Glad I Am”.

Benedetti’s talent for composing and arranging isevident throughout. The laid-back Hawaiian environs
of “Tickles” gives way to a sparse John Lee Hookerlike slow burn in “1971”. “Magnolias” meanders,
returning to the muggy vibes of “Tickles” before
seamlessly transitioning into the dreamy “Oh, Hi”
and the exquisite “Joe Pass” (a tribute to the legendary
guitarist who died almost two decades ago). While
this recording leans toward elegance rather than
hard-edged bravado, Benedetti’s masterful playing iscontinually on display.
For more info visit lucabenedetti.com. Benedetti’s album
release concert is at Barbes Aug. 13. See Calendar.

Carnival Celestial
Alexander Hawkins Trio (Intakt)
by Stuart Broomer

E nglishpianistAlexander
Hawkins,
like
contemporaries Kris Davis, Kaja Draksler, Eve Risser
and Cory Smythe, is a historically-informed radical,
here pressing the traditional jazz piano trio into
new terrain. His working trio of Neil Charles (bass)
and Stephen Davis (drums) accompanied Anthony
Braxton during an epic European tour that has
been preserved on the 13 CDs of Quartet (Standards)
2020. And here they extend their sonic palette, withCharles adding percussion to his role and Hawkins
augmenting his piano with synthesizer, sampler andadditional percussion.
Given that Hawkins carries history lightly andwith a fleet touch, it’s remarkable just how much ofit he carries at all. In his liner notes, Bill Shoemakermentions Hawkins once, naming Ellington’s Money
Jungle trio (bassist Charles Mingus and drummer
Max Roach) and Art Tatum’s 1956 recordings withbassist Red Callender and Papa Jo Jones as his
favorite piano trios, an appreciation of both deep
history and the special energy of collisions. His
lineage as pianist/composer includes Andrew
Hill (“Fuga, the Fast One”) and Paul Bley (“Canon
Celestial”), demonstrating an acuity about the waysthat intervals of pitch and time can together shape acomplex line’s identity.
Beyond that compound sense of tradition—
as playground and library—Hawkins is both athoroughly in-the-moment creator and a thoughtful
composer, with a lively sense of detail and subtle linear
movement. His compositions come in sets: several
canons, a few “Celestials”. The canon is a particularly
tight contrapuntal form, and it goes to the heart of
the trio’s music, often a rapid three-way slicing-up
of time that emphasizes Charles’ and Davis’ incisiveattention to detail. The eleven tracks vary widely, buteach is layered and multi-directional. The opening“Rapture” levitates on Charles’ slightly exotic bassline and the ethereal burbles of Hawkins’ synthesizer
and sampler, reminiscent of Sun Ra, before piano
assumes the foreground. On “Rupture”, Hawkins’left hand doubles Charles’ bass line, fraught withcinematic dread. Hawkins’ sense of orchestration
similarly serves an uneasy social vision in “If Nature
Were a Bank, They Would Have Saved It Already”
and an ethereal anxiety in “Echo Celestial”.
For more info visit intaktrec.ch. Hawkins is at The Stoneat New School Aug. 17 with Tomeka Reid. See Calendar.

Jiggs’ Back in Town
Jiggs Whigham Copenhagen Trio (Storyville)by Ken Dryden

T hough trombonist Jiggs Whigham often leads

big bands, he has led small ensembles, too. Several
years ago when he planned a series of Stan Kenton
tribute concerts with the Danish Radio Big Band,the COVID-19 lockdown intervened. So, when hearranged a return trip in 2021, he was paired off
with two young Danish musicians—Pelle von Bülow(guitar) and Matthias Petri (bass)—for a series ofconcerts and these studio sessions. Although decades
younger than the trombonist (who becomes anoctogenarian this month), von Bülow and Petri not
only provide excellent support, but the trio feels likea working band and the sparse format allows one tofocus on the leader’s expressive solos.
The program ranges from Swing era standards to
bop and bossa nova. “It Had to Be You” is the easygoing
opener, a toe-tapping arrangement where Whigham’s
lyricism is on full display. Older generations may
remember Alfalfa in the Our Gang comedy shorts
attempting to sing the 1935 romantic ballad “I’m in the
Mood For Love”, but Whigham’s inspired improvisingtransforms the piece into a viable 21st century jazz
vehicle. “Blue Funk” is a novel treatment of Thelonious
Monk’s “Blue Monk”, in which Whigham’s loopy
statement of the theme adds just the right touch of
dissonance. He was clearly impressed with his young
accompanists, giving them several duo features.
Their fluid, energetic arrangement of Branislaw
Kaper’s “Invitation” showcases their inventivenessas soloists, and they modernize “Tea For Two” witha masterful, swinging arrangement on which they
trade the lead back and forth. The sessions wrap witha luxurious, deliberate interpretation of the Gershwins’“Embraceable You”. Whigham’s expressivenessmatches that of any vocalist, while the spacious backing
by von Bülow and Petri approaches perfection.
For more info visit storyvillerecords.com

G LO B E U N I T Y

Flute ’N’ Bass: Traces
Stephanie Wagner/Norbert Dömling (Unit)
The Way We SpeakSpaces Unfolding (Bead)
Healing RitualsNaïssam Jalal (Les Couleurs du Son)by George Grella

While there’s no way that just these three albums

could represent the state of contemporary flute music,
they do cover quite an impressive range. Only one is a“jazz” record per se—Traces, from the duo of Stephanie
Wagner (flute) and Norbert Dömling (bass)—but allof them feature music directed substantially, if notcompletely, toward improvisation, and all are fineexamples of the genres and styles they represent.
Traces is straight-ahead, swinging modern jazz.
The sparseness of the duo instrumentation is beliedby how rich the music making is. Wagner in particularspins out a constant flow of ideas. She’s an exciting
jazz player and a tremendous flutist; her sound iseven and full through all registers, and her alto andbass flute playing have the same focused sound as
the C-flute. The writing is also excellent, from theopening “Salsa Torcida” to the noirish ballad “State ofSuspense”. On the title track, they indulge in effects
and sound processing, setting aside the marvelous
playing, perhaps the only flaw in an otherwise superb
jazz album.
While Traces is a slight outlier in this company,
so is the free improvisation captured on The Way We
Speak, played by the Spaces Unfolding trio of Neil
Metcalfe (flute), Philipp Wachsmann (violin) and Emil
Karlsen (drums). It is uncommon to hear completely
improvised playing that eschews extended techniquesof sound production and sticks closely to clear notes
and musical ideas rather than using instrumental
effects for expressive purposes. In other words, thetrio’s focus is melodic. The result is an engrossing,satisfying and often quite beautiful album. Karlsen is
the central figure, having played with each of the othermusicians before, but this was their first meeting as atrio, so ultimately the album is about skilled musicians
discovering, through pure improvisation, how to makemusic together. It is one of the finest documents of how
improvisation is made that this listener has heard, on
par with the two astounding The Life of a Trio albums(by Paul Bley, Jimmy Giuffre and Steve Swallow). All
the music is thus process: there are passages where
things aren’t particularly exalted or even directed,
and times when the musicians listen closely to eachother, suggesting ideas and possibilities and finding
consensus. The effect is clear and relaxed; things that
don’t work, such as Karlsen’s mallet playing at thestart, are gently neglected in favor of a more promisingphrase from flute or violin. Metcalfe’s tone is silvery
and the acoustic space is both resonant and intimate.
The album is broken up into five tracks but these
seem arbitrary, and once the music starts the listeneris more likely to listen to it as a whole, following thedevelopment of a group language.
Naïssam Jalal’s Healing Rituals is also one to listen
to in a single attentive sitting. The title is both literaland serious: this is a ritual in integrated parts meant toheal the mind, body and soul and comes out of somedifficult experiences that Jalal only got through withthe help of the musicians playing here. This kind ofmusic always comes with possible disconnects between
intents and effects, but Jalal has created a seamless,sincere and indeed effective musical ritual. She plays
flute and nay and does some wordless vocalizing
through and separately from her instruments; together
with the accompaniment of Clément Petit (cello),
Claude Tchamitchian (bass) and Zaza Desiderio(drums), the group sound has dimensions of space andcolor beyond expectations. Credit her compositionalorganization, which always has a firm idea at the core.
The flow of moods from the propulsive opening of“Rituel du Vent”—with a fiery solo from the leader—to the subdued “Rituel de la Lune” and beyond iselegant and has an immersive emotional logic. She
plays the flute with a slightly breathy tone that suits
the fragments of gnawa, Hindi and other traditions
which she weaves into her writing. The music is lovely,
but what matters most is that it has force and power.
For more info visit unitrecords.com, beadrecords.com andlescouleursduson.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 27

Abstractions in Lime Caverns
Michael Marcus (ESP-Disk’)by Andrew Hamlin

M ichael Marcus (who turns 71 this month) aims

to systematically and methodically, but soulfully,
increase the breadth and depth of the clarinet soundin jazz. That’s not his only mission, but a crucial one.
Over the ten cuts on his new album he deploys the
G clarinet occasionally, but also the alto tarogato, a
Hungarian woodwind that resembles the clarinet.
His tarogato shoots anywhere from a tenor sax
timbre (“Hueysville”, a nod to his fallen comrade
Huey “Sonny” Simmons) to the nasal sound of the
English horn Simmons used to play (the title track),
to a rough texture leaving in some of the clarinet vibe
plus saxophone roughness (“La Verdad de Nuestro
Amor”).
On soprano for “Eddy & Jones” (plus two othertunes) the ever-shifting Marcus pairs himself withFrank Lacy, best known for his trombone playing
though here confining himself to French horn,
another instrument rarely found in jazz circles.
The leader manages some remarkably clarinet-liketextures here deftly mixed with Lacy’s glissandoheavy horn, reminiscent of his primary axe.

On “Lioness of the Trees”, Marcus sounds as if
he has overdubbed himself on alto flute, given there
are two flute lines with no other players credited: one
higher up in pitch with a rough leading edge, and alower, fruity line enriching it on occasion. On tenor,
the leader likes to stick to the lower range, avoiding
any high-wire acts others might tend to favor.
“Banana Pudding”, a tenor-drums duet with Jay
Rosen (the only other player on all ten cuts), concocts
a private dance bouncing off the percussionist’s deftcymbals and low booming toms.
It should be mentioned that bassist Tarus Mateen,
who introduces the opener “Zight Pulse” withbubbling two- or three-note phrases, consistently
keeps the listener guessing, as on the longest cut“Hillsville” (a Marcus shout-out to the late pianist/composer Andrew Hill), by keeping to a few notes
without settling into any predictable pattern.
This album taken as a whole is a thoughtfulendeavor that richly rewards disciplined andrepeated listening.

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AMALGAMUSIC.ORG

For
more
info
visit
editionrecords.com
andyosefgutman.com. Loueke is at Blue Note Aug. 17-20 with
Dave Holland AZIZA. See Calendar.

For more info visit espdisk.com. Marcus is at Socrates
Sculpture Park Aug. 5, presented by Jazz Foundation ofAmerica. See Calendar.
Live at Blue Llama Jazz Club
Allan Harris (Live at Blue Llama)
by Marilyn Lester

T he

HH Reimagined
Gilles Peterson & Lionel Loueke(Edition E2 Music)
Soul Song
Yosef-Gutman Levitt (Soul Song)by George Kanzler

G uitarist Lionel Loueke, who recently turned 50,

TWO
THREE
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tap into the rhythms of the Israeli/Hebrew “nigun”
tradition (reminiscent of “Hava Nagila”). Harmonicprogression on most tracks is glacially slow. The
mood is contemplative, as short melodic riffs/
phrases are repeated by piano, then guitar, thenbass. Simplicity of melody and harmony dominate,variety added mostly by Nehemya’s wide choice of
percussion options from track to track, from drum
kit to hand percussion, sticks to bundles to brushes
to hands.

grew up in West Africa (Benin and Ivory Coast) but
came to study at Berklee College of Music when hewas 21, forging an impressive career to date here
in America. His distinctive style, with its staccato
percussive picking, redolent of the rhythmic lilt ofWest African dance music, has since graced diverse
bands and albums of dozens of jazz, pop, folk
and rock musicians. But wherever he appears, his
distinctive guitar sound is evident. On these two
albums, that sound comes through strongly eventhough the projects have quite different goals.
In 2020, Loueke recorded HH (Edition), a solo
guitar album honoring Herbie Hancock, withwhom Loueke works in various bands and on threerecordings. HH Reimagined is a project of Gilles
Peterson, a veteran DJ, record producer and radio
personality in England. This EP is Peterson’s remix ofsix tracks from HH, adding drum/percussion loops,
vocal and non-vocal sounds and electronics. The
aim, according to one British reviewer, is to create“’90s style dance club tracks.” Loueke supposedly
re-recorded some of his original tracks for Peterson,
although it is hard to hear exactly where.
Peterson’s remixes bring in a panoply of sounds—
electronically altered voices, sirens, horns, rhythmloops—that often dominate the tracks. “Tell Me a
Bedtime Story” features an echo chamber, oncoming
train sounds, tick-tock beats, whistles, drum loops, etc.
for almost five minutes before we even hear Loueke’s
guitar. And the DJ completely buries the melody of“Watermelon Man”. HH Reimagined is definitely“reimagined”, though Loueke is largely forgotten.
Soul Song features Loueke’s guitar in a quartet
with the leader (mostly acoustic bass guitar), Omri
Mor (piano) and Ofri Nehemya (drums, percussion).
The music is closer to new age or ambient styles
than jazz, although a small handful of the 14 tracks

28 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

prolific singer/songwriter/guitarist Allan
Harris releases his 15th album in the soulful Live atBlue Llama Jazz Club, recorded at the Ann Arbor club
this past January. In ten eclectic tracks, what’s evident
is that this collection is as much about the Harrisband as it is about the vocalist. The unit is Harris’working band, consisting of Arcoiris Sandoval (piano,
keyboards), Marty Kenney (bass), Norman Edwards(drums) and Irwin Hall (saxophone, flute), all ofwhom turn in dazzling performances throughout.
Opener “Sunny” (Bobby Hebb), with its driving
tempo and Harris’ interpretation of the lyric as a
firm declaration of love, sets a gospelly tone of thesort pop vocalist Tom Jones often favored. Harris’smooth baritone is flexible in range, but always
invested in storytelling, from nuanced blues, such as
the stellar “Black Coffee Blues”, on which Harris lets
loose on guitar, to the story songs “New Day” and“Shimmering Deep Blue Sea”. Although Harris isn’t
too guitar forward on many of the tracks, “There She
Goes” features prime guitar work along with a lyricalsolo by Hall. Reaching back in his repertoire to his first
live album, Long Live the King (2010), Harris ladles on
the honey, turning out a slow, seductive and dishyballad in “The Very Thought of You” (Ray Noble).
On another Harris staple, “Spain” (Chick Corea, Al
Jarreau), the singer dives right into the tune, without
an instrumental intro. With “So What” (Miles
Davis, Eddie Jefferson), Harris proves his mettle,
effortlessly tossing off the vocalese. It’s a fun listen,particularly in its allusion to the time that Davis andJohn Coltrane, not happy with their performance,
walked off stage to practice before returning toplay. The closing track, “Nature Boy” (eden ahbez),features a stunning arrangement by Sandoval, with a
big band feel and creative vocalizations. Harris has
the ability to utilize his voice like an instrument, andhe does so here with repeated phrases from the lyric
bookending the chorus.
Live at Blue Llama Jazz Club is a must for Harris fans
and anyone who wants to experience how brilliantly atight unit can perform. What’s more, the album’s useof minimal, judicious editing ensures that the powerof live performance comes through loud and clear,which makes for especially satisfying listening.

For more info visit bluellamaclub.com/live-at-blue-llama.
Harris’ album release concert is at Smoke Aug. 2. See
Calendar.

O Life, O Light Vol. 2
Zoh Amba(577 Records)
by Marc Medwin

A t the end of “Dance of Bliss”, the first of O Life,
O Light Vol. 2’s pair of lengthy pieces, Francisco
Mela’s drums exude tintinnabulating thirds. It’sneither a melodic nor a harmonic moment, and yet
it’s both—a subtle indicator of what makes thismusic so powerful and such a challenge to define.
Anyone who knows tenor saxophonist (andflute player) Zoh Amba’s work will attest to its
elemental power, but there are layers beneaththat dancing, roiling surface. Each musician here
skirts boundaries of categorization, and their“transgressions” are best heard in relationship. 5:45
into the beautiful “Three Flowers”, bassist William
Parker delineates harmonies in polyrhythm withMela, and when Amba enters on flute, she sets thestage for an entirely new sonority with a note thatshivers with her customary microtonal inflection.
She then centers her activity around that pitch,raga-fashion, illuminating aspects of it as Mela andParker engage with solemn alacrity.
When Amba picks up the tenor, things build
to their usual fever pitch, but the first ten minutes
of “Three Flowers” is a gorgeous study in subtlety,
space and sonic layering, exposing another facet ofAmba’s artistry. It may be that “New Thing” categorybusters like Coltrane’s Meditations or Albert Ayler’s
New York Eye and Ear Control present the closest
point of comparison to her work, but while highenergy dictates much of what this trio lays down
here, the passage of time has brought nuance to thelanguage. Amba’s duets with Parker on gralla (atraditional Catalan double reed instrument) offer atranscultural and spatial counterpoint that resolves
beautifully in Mela’s cross-currents of rhythm
and timbre. The slow arcs of build and burn neverquite mask the harmony and mellifluous beauty at
the center of the often frenetic music. The title’s
prayerful reflection encapsulates this excellent
album’s volatile stasis better than external verbiage
ever could.
For more info visit 577records.com. Amba is at Main
Drag Music Aug. 2 with Marc Edwards. See Calendar.

Solo
Benny Green (Sunnyside)by Pierre Giroux

B enny Green is a master of bebop piano, although

his main influence is Oscar Peterson. This
association was formally recognized by Peterson
when he was awarded Canada’s Glenn Gould Prizein 1993: he selected Green as the first recipient of

the Glenn Gould Protégé Prize.
Prior to this, Green worked as a sideman with
Betty Carter, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard and
Ray Brown. About the time of the award, he began
heading his own trio with bassist Christian McBrideand drummer Carl Allen and, in the intervening
years, there were several other iterations of thistrio. Like many artists after the collapse of touring
during the COVID-19 pandemic, Green rethought
his approach to performing, and began to gravitate
to the solo piano format.
He had already released one solo album, Green’s
Blues (Telarc, 2001) and as he began to redevelop
his solo chops, he decided to concentrate on music
created by composer/pianists, and headed into thestudio in December 2022. The eleven tracks here
cover a panoply of styles and music from familiar
jazz names. It begins with James Williams’ “Soulful
Mr. Timmons”, written from one Jazz Messenger
pianist to another. It is bustling, swaggering andsoulful. Cedar Walton’s “The Maestro” pays
homage to Duke Ellington; Green treats it in an
unsentimental fashion, applying subtle harmonicshading.
“Lonely Woman” (by Horace Silver) has long
been a Green favorite. He gives it the care andattention it deserves, anchored in a strong lyricism.
“Ruby, My Dear”, the always intriguing Monk
classic, provides Green with a ballad frameworkfor his unerring touch and melodic instinct.
Green’s own “Blue Drew” references Kenny Drew,
a bop pianist influenced by Bud Powell, and his
boppish right-hand lines are sure-footed in their
execution. Finally, there’s Oscar Peterson’s “He
Has Gone”, an evocative ballad written for hisson. The pianist plays it with precisely calibrated
soulfulness.
Green’s renewed interest in solo piano has
resulted in a lovely collection revisiting thecompositions of pianists who have influenced his
playing.

in the past. He has a savvy instinct for supporting
her, or supporting the songs, but that unduly
simplifies his contributions here. If anything, Rei
is the anchor, while Roeder extrapolates nimble
phrases from the melodies, sometimes doubling or
quadrupling the count.
Both are urban creatures—Rei originally from
Buenos Aires and Roeder from Lima—and theytranslate their cosmopolitan upbringing into a
number of styles; the meeting is a New York City
musical polyglot. The eleven songs pull largely
from South American sources: “La Oncena” and“Serenata para la tierra de uno” from Argentina;“Callejón de un solo caño”, “Oración del remanso”
and “Gallo Camarón” from Peru; and “Silencio
De Um Minuto” and “Rosa” from Brazil. Roeder’s
restless “Días de Sitio” (Siege Days) was penned
under lockdown, while Rei’s “Prestados” is a lovely
take on the tango. The set is rounded out by a pairof selections from the jazz songbook: a bouncing
rendition of Thelonious Monk’s “Ask Me Now”,
using Jon Hendricks’ lyrics (recorded in 1990 by
Carmen McRae as “How I Wish”); and a somber
reading of Jimmy Rowles’ “The Peacocks” (using
lyrics by Norma Winstone and recorded by her as“A Timeless Place”).
The record is steeped in Latin culture, but it’sservice to the song that steers the ship. In thatregard, Coplas Escondidas (available for download
and on vinyl) calls to mind the wonderful later
recordings Ella Fitzgerald made with pianist Oscar
Peterson: confident and well-crafted, sometimes
subdued but never simple.
For more info visit sofiamusic.com. The album release
concert is at Joe’s Pub Aug. 25. See Calendar.

For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com. Green’s
album release concerts are at Birdland Aug. 18-20. See
Calendar.

Coplas Escondidas
Sofia Rei & Jorge Roeder (Cascabelera)
by Kurt GottschalkS ofia Rei and Jorge Roeder met when they werestudying at the New England Conservatory ofMusic and have worked together in various projects
for the last 15 years. Coplas Escondidas, their firstrelease as a duo, reveals the deep compatibility
built over those years, but is also suffused withthe exuberance of discovery from taking on a newform.
The Argentinian Rei—an ambassador for andprofessor (at the NYU Clive Davis Institute) of Latinmusic—has been heard on past releases playing thestringed charango and the handheld caja vidalera
drum, but here confines herself to impassioned andpitch-perfect vocals. That, it turns out, is plentywith Roeder’s full and rich accompaniment. The
Peruvian-born bassist, known for his work with
Julian Lage, Shai Maestro and John Zorn (among
others), has played on and produced Rei’s records
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 29

IN PRINT

Griot: Examining the Life of Jazz’s Great Storytellers,Vol. III
Jeremy Pelt (PeltJazz Publishing)by Keith Hoffman

D rummer Eric McPherson once told me, “I wastaught by a man, who was taught by a man, who
was taught by a man.” In his case, the man was Elvin
Jones. While it was literally true in his lineage—all
were men—the concept stands as gender neutral.
In the oral history tradition of West Africa (andin many other cultures for that matter), it was thegriot who received knowledge from an elder griot,
then passed knowledge down to the people using
poetry and music. And it’s this concept that is thebeating heart of trumpeter Jeremy Pelt’s literary
achievement.
In the tradition of drummer Arthur Taylor’s
1977 Notes and Tones, Pelt talks to other accomplishedprofessional musicians about their calling. And
make no mistake, Pelt and everyone he interviews
know their art is a calling, not merely a profession.
Notes and Tones and the three Griot volumes todate are not superficial softball interviews withentertainers. They are deeply political, serious
discussions (with a lot of laughter) about what
it is to be a Black jazz musician in America, andtherefore what it is to be Black in America, andwhat it’s like to be a Black intellectual and artist
in an America that doesn’t really care about art or
intellectuals.
The central question in every interview is:“What is the significance of being a Black jazzmusician?” Wayne Shorter—the first interview inthe book—equates the creativity of his music withrealizing, in the fullest, his humanity. “Being ahuman being means you are not going to escapeyour eternal mission. Your eternal mission is to…
point to the trail—the least trodden taken—so thatno one can be eternally trapped….and not know it.”
Because he arranges the book by dates of birth,the bookend to Shorter (born in 1933 and who diedthis March) is flautist Elena Pinderhughes, born
62 years later. Her answer is no less profound—dealing not with humanism, but with the issue of
cultural appropriation: “I think in a time when in
every art…what has been made by Black people isoften being taken by…some other group of people
that have more power and made to look like it was
theirs, it’s very important… (A)s a music of theAfrican diaspora, that history has to stay true…and
we have to keep honoring that.”
In between there are interviews with Gary
Bartz, George Cables, Lenny White, Regina Carter,
Christian McBride, Jason Moran and many others.
They are all deeply moving, often very funny, always
very challenging and intellectually satisfying. Pelt
has done yeoman’s work, promises he is not done
yet, and hopes other griots will join him.
For more info visit peltjazz-publishing.myshopify.com.
Pelt is at Central Park as part of “Great Jazz on The Hill”
Aug. 12 presented by Jazzmobile, and Dizzy’s Club Aug.
15 with Trevor Watkins. See Calendar.

Third Time’s the Charm
Benny Benack III(La Reserve/Bandstand Presents)
by Scott Yanow

B enny Benack III believes that jazz can be bothcreative and entertaining. A versatile Swing-based
trumpeter and a personable singer who has an
appealing voice, Benack never leaves one in doubtthat he loves performing, and that he is a studentof jazz history.
Third Time’s the Charm, which is actually
Benack’s fourth album as a leader (if one counts
his Christmas record Season’s Swingin’ Greetings),
follows One of a Kind and A Lot of Living to Do. He is
joined by pianist Emmet Cohen’s trio (with Russell
Hall, bass and Kyle Poole, drums), Chad LefkowitzBrown, Michael Stephenson or Ruben Fox (tenor)
and Peter Bernstein (guitar).
This is a wide-ranging program that keeps
you guessing. The album starts with Benack’s hot
trumpet on the title track; he next revives “I’ll NeverFall in Love Again” (one of the few jazz-oriented
recordings of the Burt Bacharach hit), utilizes aboogaloo rhythm on “Scootin’”, switches to Art
Blakey-style hard bop (“Catching Drift”) and thensings on the ballad “Thank You for the Heartbreak”.
On “Gary, Indiana” (from The Music Man), Benackplays a duet with Cohen that hints at the 1920s andclimaxes with the ending of the classic 1928 Louis
Armstrong-Earl Hines duet “Weatherbird”.
Trumpeter-singer Bria Skonberg guests ona unique version of “In a Mellow Tone”. She andBenack accompany one another’s singing on trumpet
and trade off both vocally and instrumentally (thismemorable rendition was filmed and can be seen on
YouTube). The remainder of the album continues
in its eclectic way with such unlikely but swinging
material as “It’s Not Unusual”, “American Woman”
and “Pretty Eyed Baby”. The atmospheric “TwilightBlue” is another highlight.
Benny Benack III’s desire to stretch himself
while having a great time along the way is quite
infectious.
For more info visit lareserverecords.com. Benack is at
Smalls Aug. 30. See Calendar.

Our Daily Bread
Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry (ECM)
by Tyran Grillo

J oe Lovano’s Trio Tapestry is one of the mostprofound projects to grace ECM in recent years
and, for this the group’s third outing, we arewelcomed into a chamber within a chamber withina chamber. This set of eight Lovano originals, each
written exclusively for the project, draws from

30 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

the wells of Marilyn Crispell (piano) and Carmen
Castaldi (drums), whose gifts of abundance unwrap
themselves to reveal one grace after another.
“All Twelve” takes a 12-tone approach to theproverbial welcome mat, greeting us with open
arms and closed eyes. Lovano takes liminal accountof Crispell’s architecture, rendering an experiencethat takes two steps inward for every step outward.
The ghosts of albums past linger with a loose
developmental feel. Every motif, as much a childof atmosphere as of melody, works a speech-likefiligree into every wall, sconce and pew. Like thelater tracks, “The Power of Three” and “Crystal
Ball”, its introspections have the presence ofsomeone who has absorbed the world to squeeze
out only its most inclusive drops.
Despite an overarching solace, there is variety
to be found. Where “Rhythm Spirit” is a heartfelt
duet for tenor and drums highlighting breathy lows
and delicate highs, “Grace Notes” floats Lovano’s
tarogato on a seascape of dreamy complexion,
Castaldi’s cymbals hinting at a groove that nevercatches, buried instead in the crashing brine. On“One for Charlie”, reedman Lovano returns to
the tenor with a monologue dedicated to the lateCharlie Haden.
At the heart of this session are two balladic
verses: the snaking indeterminacy of “Le Petit
Opportun” and the title track’s potent lyricism give
us plenty to savor even as they savor us. This ischaos theory in slow motion, and proof that if thisalbum is a match between day and night, the latterhas surely won.
For more info visit ecmrecords.com. The album release
concerts are at Village Vanguard Aug. 22-27. See
Calendar.

Your Mother Should Know:
Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles
Brad Mehldau (Nonesuch)by Tom Greenland

A lthough his early inspirations were not The
Beatles themselves, but pop-rock artists influenced
by them, pianist Brad Mehldau has had a longmusical relationship with the Fab Four, going backto his cover of Lennon/McCartney’s “Blackbird” on
1997’s The Art of the Trio, Vol. 1, which was followedby many more examples, live and/or recorded.
Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The
Beatles, a live solo set recorded at Philharmonie deParis in September 2020, contains Beatles tunes thatthe pianist had not previously recorded, plus David
Bowie’s “Life on Mars”, giving jazz fans a glimpse of
Mehldau’s genius for taking familiar material to lessfamiliar places. Blending compositional rigor andstrict attention to detail with open-ended curiosity
and willingness to explore, his interpretations
stay well within the harmonic/melodic structureof the songs while introducing subtle but telling
reharmonizations, novel counterpoint (often in
the left-hand/bass register) and outward-boundvamps.
“I Am the Walrus” rocks hard, left handconnecting right-hand phrases. The title track is
one of several—“She Said, She Said”, “Maxwell’s
Silver Hammer” and “Golden Slumbers”—thatreveal Mehldau’s debt to Romantic era classicalpiano music. “I Saw Her Standing There” is aboogie-woogie with crab-walking bassline andmelodic riffing à la Horace Silver. The poignant
theme of “For No One” is chromatically expandedwith bop-rock vocabulary. “Baby’s in Black”
gets a gospel reading that tends to obscure themelody, though the Keith Jarrett-style vamp in the
middle is terrific. Some of the most transformative
improvisations—“Here, There and Everywhere”,“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”, “Life on Mars”—areplayed out of tempo, Mehldau eschewing a steadypulse in favor of in-depth explorations of harmony
and counterpoint.
One of Mehldau’s strongest assets is the ability tofunction as two (or more) musicians simultaneously,
which allows him to orchestrate and perform, ona single keyboard, the many separate hooks, riffs,
themes, counter-themes and harmonies found in
Beatles songs. Even more astounding is his ability
to improvise similarly layered parts, each handworking autonomously, creating new ideas in thesame spirit as the originals.
For more info visit nonesuch.com. Mehldau is at SmokeAug. 10-13 with Joe Farnsworth Trio. See Calendar.

There are many other moments of joy,celebration and playfulness throughout. “Tiempos”(composed by Virelles) starts with a slinky,
winkingly simple bass-and-piano motif designed tounspool into something else. And that’s just what
happens, as the pianist’s sprawling, sometimes
arrhythmic solo adds new textures to the steadinessof Dezron Douglas’ bassline. The piece’s title canbe literally translated as “times”, and it’s anothernudge toward the album’s intention—the music
is not just about time as we experience it, but thetimes we’re living in: peculiar, unprecedented andrepetitive all at once. “Groundhog Day” and “Muna& Johna’s Playtime” lean in to those other shadesof meaning. The former makes oblique reference
to pandemic monotony, and the latter offers a lovenote to Blake’s two children, now teenagers.
There are few places where the album dips intomelancholy, but when it does, it feels appropriate,and contributes to its overall range. The solo piece“Lament for Lo”, a tribute to the late drummer
Lawrence Leathers, is brief, ruminative, almost a
meditation; the ballad “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”,
led by vibraphonist Joel Ross, evokes its own
wistfulness.
Across Passage, each artist is spotlighted, as
either composer or soloist, underscoring how
much Pentad is meant to be a unit—each musician
bringing his talents and insights to serve the whole.
For more info visit bluenote.com. Blake’s album release
concerts are at Smoke Aug. 24-27. See Calendar.

Passage
Johnathan Blake & Pentad (Blue Note)by Kyla Marshell

U pon first glance, drummer Johnathan Blake’s
second Blue Note release, Passage, seems to exist as
a tribute to his father, the jazz violinist John Blake,Jr.: a photograph of the two adorns the cover; thetitle evokes Blake, Jr.’s 2014 death. But the album
turns out to be more than that. It’s a vessel for
considering transition, lineage and evolution.
This notion is perhaps most evident on thetitle track, composed by the elder Blake. It’s rare
to be able to honor a parent in such a way. But
instead of sounding solemn, the track bops along,
phasing through moments of melody and swing,
Immanuel Wilkins (alto) and David Virelles (piano)
trading spirited solos. Its approach is the difference
between a funeral and a celebration of life.

In What Direction Are You Headed?
Joe Farnsworth (Smoke Sessions)by George Kanzler

A fter featuring established masters Wynton
Marsalis and Kenny Barron, respectively, on hislast two Smoke Sessions albums, drummer Joe
Farnsworth recruits a younger generation for thefront line of his latest quintet session: ImmanuelWilkins (alto), Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Julius
Rodriguez (piano); and joining him in the rhythm
section is veteran Robert Hurst (bass).
Farnsworth flaunts the conventions of
the hard-swinging drummer-leader here: threeof the eight tracks feature semi-rubato or rubato
openings that don’t even include drums (and heonly takes solos on four tracks). The title track isby the recently deceased pianist Harold Mabern,with whom Farnsworth worked for close totwo decades, and the album ends with Donny
Hathaway’s anthemic “Someday We’ll All Be
Free”, a favorite of Mabern’s that he never got
to record. The other six tunes are originals: three
from Rosenwinkel and one each from the leader,
Wilkins and Rodriguez.
The group’s distinctive sound comes from thepairing of alto sax and guitar. Wilkins ranges from asweet, mellifluous sound, as on the bossa-inflected“Terra Nova”, to choked, Ornette-ish squeals,
heard in the climax to his tour-de-force solo on
the title track. He can also unspool complex bebop
lines, as on the album’s barnburner “Anyone But
You”. Rosenwinkel’s sound is legato and hornlike,his entrances sometimes sonically suggesting aflute. The guitarist’s “Filters”, an uptempo romp,

features long, tandem polyphonic soloing from alto
saxophone and guitar. Wilkins’ ballad “Composition4” has shifting time signatures almost every bar.
The one original by the leader, “Bobby No Bags”, isinterestingly a feature for Hurst, whose bass leads
the ensemble in the theme. This is but one example
of an album full of delightful surprises.
For more info visit smokesessionsrecords.com. The
Farnsworth Trio featuring Brad Mehldau is at SmokeAug. 10-13. The Farnsworth Quartet is at The DjangoAug. 16. See Calendar.

ON SCREEN

The Melt Goes On Forever:
The Art & Times of David Hammons
Judd Tully and Harold Crooks (Rosiefilm Waze)
by Anna Steegmann

This documentary chronicles the career of David
Hammons (b. 1943), the elusive, subversive,category-defying Black American artist, from his
beginnings as an art student in Los Angeles to hisrise as a global art world star.
The film opens and closes with his landmark
action Bliz-aard Ball Sale (from 1983), in which hesold snowballs of different sizes on a New York
City sidewalk. The Melt Goes On Forever includes
interviews with artists, curators, gallerists, art
dealers, art historians, critics and friends ofHammons; however, the artist himself did notparticipate. We witness Hammons’ developing
political consciousness following his experience ofthe 1965 Watts riots, his beginnings as a conceptual
artist, the influence of his mentor and art teacher
Charles White (the first Black artist he met), his firstsolo showing in L.A. and his famous body prints
where he used his body as a vehicle for imagemaking and the creation of the iconic AfricanAmerican US flag. He was inspired by practices
from Central Africa and worked with found objects,
many representing Black American life. After his
move to New York in 1974, he worked out of astudio on 125th St. in Harlem and found inspiration
every time he walked the streets. Although intensely
defending his outsider status, he arrived at a place
where he no longer hid from success and became
one of the most important living American artists.
Hammons is fond of “music that makes you
think”—jazz, popular in the ‘50s and ’60s. He hasoften created his art to the sounds of Miles Davis,
Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus and John
Coltrane. The documentary’s soundtrack composer
Ramachandra Borcar, inspired by Hammons’ art,
merged modal jazz, African musical instruments
and styles and found-object percussion. For thesoundtrack, she enlisted a group of musicians athome in Afro-jazz: Shabaka Hutchings (Sons of
Kemet), Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra), Idris
Ackamoor (The Pyramids) and Umar Bin Hassan(The Last Poets).
Kudos to directors Judd Tully and Harold Crooks
for creating such an important and necessary film.
For more info visit themeltfilm.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 31

(JAZZTOPAD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)(SYRACUSE FEST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)

whispers. They cross-faded in group-think to Mok’s
malleted cymbals, clearing the screen for a new lineof thought. The Poles often seemed a tight-knit crew,
more musically convivial than the different-thingsall-at-once free improv approach often favored in theStates and Western Europe.
Often in New York, visitors are heard in isolation,paired with local players (who are, of course, manyand fine). What Jazztopad brought to town was theopportunity to hear Polish players not entirely out of
their comfort zones. It was an added pleasure. While
German and British musicians, and some others aroundWestern Europe, have made names for themselves in
American jazz circuits, and players from the States
have certainly long worked in Poland (notably at
Warsaw Summer Jazz Days), Polish musicians haverarely gained American fans. The departed trumpeter
Tomasz Stańko and the twin rhythm section of the OleśBrothers are, as they say in America, the exceptions thatprove the rule. Fortunately, Polish promoters such as
Jazztopad and Unsounds (with support from the Polish
Cultural Institute) and labels like Fundacja Słuchaj and
Not Two Records have set about to break the rule andleave it broken.
Jazztopad’s (presumed) pianistic preference
extended to a night at National Sawdust with
Wójciński, Craig Taborn and the Lutosławski Quartet,
which proved to be a highlight of the week. A short andappealing piano improvisation by Taborn opened theevening with a simple complexity before he was joinedby Wójciński in a deep and darkly impressionistic duet.
The Lutoslawski Quartet gave the premiere of Don
Davis’ Screaming Into the Void, moving from delicacy
to exaltation. But the highlight of the evening was alengthy section of Taborn’s Luminous Grid (the title
could be a description of the National Sawdust stage),which will be presented in full at Jazztopad’s home
festival in Wroclaw this autumn. (The festival name isa play on Listopad, the Polish word for “November”).
Gentle electronic tones—the first in the otherwise
acoustic evening—intertwined with lovely, repeatinglines from the five strings like reflected images incloudy mirrors, growing to something positively
Romantic then falling into disarray and climaxing in an
earnest allegro, beguiling and masterful.
House concerts are a key part of Jazztopad, andthey brought the tradition to New York with a Saturday
matinee in a Harlem apartment: three bite-size sets anda steady flow of gourmet cooking. Wójciński again wasa load-bearing wall; he has an uncanny way of locating
and delivering the thing not being played, never out ofstep and essential once it’s introduced. The afternoon
offered a chance to hear Lutoslawski Quartet cellist
Maciej Kułakowski in a less formal setting, and was thefirst opportunity to hear the singer Maniucha Bikont,
who has a remarkable way of filtering Slavic song into
wordless vocalese.
The final night was a free concert at the David
Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, a set of
performances that articulately connected New Yorkand East Europe. Bikont and Wójciński performed
beautiful renditions of Ukrainian folk songs. In a more
traditional setting, Bikont’s singing was even stronger.
As the sole instrumentalist, Wójciński provided astrong, unfussy foundation, sometimes mimicking thedrone of a lira (Ukrainian hurdy-gurdy). Americanbassist Michael Bates then presented an album release
concert set of jazz-informed interpretations of Witold
Lutoslawski compositions with his band Acrobat andthe Lutoslawski Quartet. The results of mixing New
York jazz with Lutoslawski’s music were akin to a
French nouvelle vague soundtrack, at least some of thetime. But Bates’ music was reverent and imaginative,
and a striking meeting of very different Polish and
New York traditions.

Hip” (made famous by Blossom Dearie). Harri Stojka& Acoustic Drive from Austria followed, featuring
Stojka (guitar), Peter Strutzenberger (bass), Herbert
Berger (saxophones) and Siegfried Meir (bongos).
Known for his sheer virtuosity, the guitarist/leader
also proved to be at home in many styles of music.
The group’s innovative deconstruction of “(Get Your
Kicks on) Route 66” (Bobby Troup) was a bonafide
crowd-pleaser. The mood changed with “Song for My
Daddy,” a haunting ballad dedicated to his father, who
survived three concentration camps and was finallyliberated by General Patton’s soldiers. The evening
closed with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring’s latest
group endeavor, Something Else! Herring, who has
worked with Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Art
Blakey, Horace Silver, Nat Adderley and the Mingus
Big Band (to name a few), brought this funky soul jazzband to thrill the audience with its bouncy swing andjazz hits from the ’60s and ’70s.
The festival moved to Clinton Square for Friday’s
musical festivities. The opening afternoon act, Scott
Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ), delivered an
exuberant spectacle featuring singers, tap dancers
and a huge group of instrumentalists. No matter themusical genre, they made contemporary pop hitssound like vintage jazz. Rain started when Towerof Power took the stage and as it fell harder, thepower company National Grid, the festival’s leading
corporate sponsor, gave out blue ponchos. Not a soul
departed, as the audience turned into a euphoric seaof blue to enjoy this band that has been beloved for 50
years, delivering the best in funk and soul music withhits like “You’re Still a Young Man”. TOP was forcefuland dynamic as ever.
Miraculously, for Herbie Hancock and his
bandmates, the rain stopped. The legendary pianist
captivated the audience with both his music andhumbleness. “You won’t believe what a thrill it is forme to play with these musicians,” he said. Rightfully
so—Terence Blanchard (trumpet), James Genus (bass),
Lionel Loueke (guitar) and Jaylen Petiaud (drums) were
outstanding. The set began with a 20-minute collageof music from Hancock’s extensive music career,followed by “Actual Proof” (1975) and “Come Runningto Me” (1978), which Hancock originally recorded witha vocoder, a cutting-edge technology back then. In
Blanchard’s innovative arrangement, Wayne Shorter’s“Footprints” sounded fresh and new. Introducing thetune, the pianist said about his friend and collaborator:“The last words Wayne spoke to me were, ‘Looks likeI need a new body to continue my mission.’ Isn’t thatamazing?” Ultimately, Hancock took the keytar andplayed multiple solos before electrifying the audience
with his super-hit “Chameleon”.
On Saturday, performances started with the
Syracuse University Faculty Jazz Ensemble. It’s nowonder the Setnor School of Music students played
so well when they had such capable teachers! The
ensemble played compositions by their members (anddeserved a much bigger audience). Tuba Skinny, astreet band from New Orleans that draws inspirationfrom early jazz, ragtime and blues of the ’20s and’30s, took the stage when heavy rain again started tofall. Their high-spirited performance ensured no one
in the audience left, no matter how wet they mightget. Spyro Gyra was next, a group that got its startin Buffalo and has since gone on to record 35 albums
and earn multiple Grammys. They played hits fromthe ’70s/’80s in addition to newer compositions suchas “De la Luz” (by the band’s Cuban-born guitarist
Julian Fernandez) which was unforgettably evocative.
The rain stopped and it was time for the “Empressof Soul” Gladys Knight to take the stage. The womenin the crowd seemed to know every word of every
song as they danced and sang along to “Neither One
of Us”, “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” andthe rest of legendary singer’s hits. She sang with so

For more info visit instytutpolski.pl/newyork

32 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

much heart and soul that it felt like she was taking
the audience to church, and in doing so provided
an uplifting, jubilant experience. “The great onesendure,” said the woman sitting next to me.
Speaking of church, Sunday ended at the historic
Hendrix Chapel of Syracuse University with a gospel
jazz service from the Black Celestial Choral Ensembleof Syracuse University, the Dillard University Concert
Choir and the Syracuse Gospel Jazz Community
Choir. Quite the send off to SJF’s long-awaited returnto the festival fold!
For more info visit syracusejazzfest.com(SÜDTIROL FEST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)
In recent years the festival has set up a venue
under a canopy in a Balzano park. They call it “BaseCamp”. It is not one of Südtirol’s scenic settings formusic, but it is a functional, convenient alternativeand does not require a bus ride up a mountain andwas used for a portion of the program. That said, theweather in the region was uncooperative—it was therainiest early July anyone could remember. The band
most victimized by Mother Nature was Gard Nilssen
Acoustic Unity (Nilssen, drums; Kjetil Møster,
saxophones; Petter Eldh, bass). For an acoustic
ensemble, they were very loud. Møster unleashedfurious onslaughts and Nilssen, a relentlessly
powerful drummer, raised continuous hell. But justas their set began in Base Camp, the skies opened.
The audience stayed relatively dry under the tent,
but Acoustic Unity was unfortunately drowned out
by the rain pounding on the overhead canopy.
On a marginally drier evening, was the trio
NOUT (Delphine Joussein, flute and effects; Rafaëlle
Rinaudo, harp; Blanche Lafuente, drums). These three
young Frenchwomen looked innocent enough when
they took the stage at Base Camp. But their guest
was baritone saxophone maniac Mats Gustafsson.
This band hit crescendos as raw and deafening as
anything played at the festival—Gustafsson blasting
and raging, Lafuente thundering and Rinaudo
rasping.
Another band that played Base Camp (under asteady rain on the tent roof) was a quintet whose
members hailed from five different countries, led by
Danish guitarist Teis Semey. Tucked away in Semey’sgroup were three highly promising new talents:
Portuguese alto saxophonist José Soares (alreadyan original thinker), U.K. trumpeter Alistair Robert
Payne (a Don Cherry descendant) and Korean (nowNetherlands-based) drummer Sun-Mi Hong.
If there was one star of the festival’s first week,
it was Hong. She made three appearances and playedbrilliantly and differently each time. Her own quintet
included Payne and Italian tenor saxophonist Nicolò
Francesco Ricci, an ass-kicker. Their concert in an
outdoor venue was rained out, so at the last minuteit was switched to a school auditorium, where they
played acoustically, and memorably. Sun-Mi Hong:remember her name.
Finally, shows by two extraordinary (and
antithetical) duos were held in interesting locations.
Antoine Boyer and Yeore Kim, virtuosos on guitar
and harmonica respectively, performed at Roner,
advertised as “the most awarded distillery in Italy.”
Ruth Goller (bass) and Dan Kinzelman (saxophone),both notorious outcats, gave a dinner concert in an“agriturismo” restaurant called Stanglerhof. The
food and the view out the windows were spectacular.
It was another perfectly representative Südtirol
occasion. The two played with a quietude that wasappropriate for such a refined setting, yet with astrangeness that was consistent with their avant
garde reputations.
For more info visit suedtiroljazzfestival.com

TNYCJR: It’s taken so long to get you here in New
York; hopefully it won’t be so long before we see you
here again. What’s coming up for you?

WBGO TRIPS TONEWPORT JAZZFESTIVAL
On sale now
buses departAug 4, 5 + 6

ORweekendpackageavailableTchoose departurefrom NYC or
NewarkWP

to the power of collective improvised creation, and theband formed the basis for other projects, with Tippetts,
musicians from Georgian State Radio & TV Orchestra(Live in Bristol), and Zim Ngwana’s South African band
Ingoma.
Dunmall reminisced that, “Keith was an outstanding
pianist and great composer. He had a completely unique
voice in music. I played (with him) many times overthe 40 years I knew him, playing written music andimprovised music. For me the highlight working with
Keith was in the improvising quartet Mujician....His
contributions are sorely missed.”Mark Sanders commented, “I used to love to see thefaces of musicians who had never seen these four virtuosos
before, jaws dropping. In 1989, when we recorded withDavid Sylvian, Keith played beautifully and was a lot offun.” Thanks to his lifelong friend Riccardo Bergerone,
Tippett played frequently in Italy and established aregular association with Apulian musicians including
Pino Minafra (trumpet) and Roberto Ottaviano (soprano),
playing and recording with Viva La Black, MinAfric
Orchestra and Canto General over the years.
The connection with South Africa was triumphantly
revisited and celebrated with The Dedication Orchestra,a who’s who of British jazz that convened to celebrate
the music of Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood ofBreath. Tippett was one of the ensemble’s co-directors
and arrangers for a series of concerts and two memorable
recordings, Spirits Rejoice and Ixesha (Ogun). In the mid’90s, connections through Tippett’s association with
the Dartington College of Arts, and his direction of theRare Music Club in Bristol, brought the commission by
the Kreutzer String Quartet of a suite for piano quintet
released in 2000 (Linückea).
At the end of the ’90s, thanks to the organizing
support of his friend Nod Knowles, Tippett created
his second biggest band, the Tapestry Orchestra, withhis hand-picked favorite band members from Italy andGermany and across the UK. Tapestry premiered in 1997
at Bath International Music Festival’s European Jazz
Weekend and was recorded by French radio, a concert
later released as Live at Le Mans (now on Edition). The
Dartington Trio and Live at the Priory (with Tippetts
and Dunmall), Linückea and The Bern Concert (a 1993

Recommended Listening:• Keith Tippett Group—Dedicated To You, But You
Weren’t Listening (Vertigo, 1970)• Keith Tippett Centipede—Septober Energy (Neon, 1971)• Ark—Frames (Ogun, 1974)• Keith Tippett—Mujician I / II / III (FMP, 1981/’86/’87)• Keith Tippett/Andy Sheppard—66 Shades of Lipstick(Editions EG, 1990)• Mujician—There’s No Going Back Now(Cuneiform, 2005)

NE(LEST WE FORGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)

For more info visit keithtippett.co.uk

G/

AH: I first met Tomeka when we were both part of areally fun Taylor Ho Bynum quintet for a week or so in
Portugal, and have had the pleasure of working with her
in a variety of projects since that time. She represents
so much of what I admire in a musician: an incredible
imagination, a complete musical fearlessness, a totally
unshakeable musical integrity, an open and constantly
searching mind and much else besides. She expands thepossibilities of any musical context in which she is present,
not only because of these qualities, but also for far more
concrete reasons of the many roles she can inhabit withher cello—soloistic, coloristic, rhythmic and so on—andher complete facility in switching between these roles. In
short, it’s a total joy whenever we get to play together.
The piano and cello pairing is one I love. The cello,of course, has a huge range, but the majority of it sits
in that tenor range, which is also so attractive on the
piano; so, one of the things which is a thrill about thiscombination is how it forces the musicians to create
space for each other. Similarly, to when playing witha guitarist, it requires ingenuity and sensitivity toprevent things from turning into a tessitura ‘land grab’,and it’s a kick for me to play in these situations which
force me not just to play my ‘stuff’, and instead actuallyto play the music at hand in real time. It’s also a funcontext because aside from some extremely notable
examples—the work of Anthony Davis and Abdul
Wadud of course comes immediately to mind—there
hasn’t been too much territory staked out in the idiom,at least compared to many other settings.

Recommended Listening:• Decoy & Joe McPhee—Oto (Bo’Weavil, 2009)• Alexander Hawkins/Louis Moholo-Moholo—
Keep Your Heart Straight (Ogun, 2011)• Alexander Hawkins/Evan Parker—
Leaps in Leicester (Clean Feed, 2015)• Alexander Hawkins—Iron Into Wind (Piano Solo)(Intakt, 2018)• Alexander Hawkins/Tomeka Reid—
Shards and Constellations (Intakt, 2019)• Alexander Hawkins Trio—Carnival Celestial(Intakt, 2022).OR

TNYCJR: Your concert with Tomeka Reid at the Stone
this month will mark your New York City debut. Whatcan you tell us about playing with Reid, and what are
your thoughts about the pairing of piano and cello?

For more info visit alexanderhawkinsmusic.com. Hawkins is
at The Stone Aug. 17 in duo with Tomeka Reid. See Calendar.

piano duo with Howard Riley) are now available in theboxed set Keith Tippett – 1947-2020 (FMR), an excellent
overview of his multifaceted creativity.
The 2000s saw him expand his creativity inunprecedented areas where genre distinctions and theborder between improvisation and composition all
disappeared: The Monk Watches the Eagle (Discus) is aninspired combination of the BBC Singers, string quartet,
Julie’s voice and Dunmall, Ben Waghorn, Kevin Figes
and Chris Biscoe on saxophones recorded live in 2004
at Norwich Cathedral. Then there’s the Granite to Wind
Octet (Ogun, 2011) and, arguably his greatest musicaltestament, The Nine Dances of Patrick O’Gonogon (Discus,
2016) for octet and dancer.
Keith Tippett was one of the first major passings in
the jazz world during the COVID-19 pandemic, dying ofa heart attack on June 14, 2020. “With his mutton-chop
sideburns and penchant for tweed jackets, waistcoats andcollarless shirts, Tippett suggested a quirky Edwardian
gentleman farmer more than an experimental music
firebrand,” John Fordham wrote in The Guardian. “Yet hecould make the outlands of modern music feel like thewarmest and most hospitable of places and sometimes
the most intriguingly and seductively dangerous too.”GO

US. When I was looking to try to find people to playwith, as someone who was an obsessive listener tothe jazz tradition, many of the people engaged in free
improvisation seemed to me to be more ‘in the spirit’ ofthat music with which I had grown up. And so early on,
I naturally fell into that scene. It’s a music which is very
important to me, and in which I have had, and continue
to have, some amazing experiences: but never one inwhich I have been interested to work as a bandleader.
In all of my releases as a leader, there may be a small
handful of tracks which are freely improvised, but nomore than that, and certainly no entire records.
The long and the short of it being that although
especially early on I was associated largely with a‘free’ scene in the U.K., as soon as I became fortunate
enough to have opportunities to make albums under
my own name, I was able to start documenting mycompositions. Some things are certainly more elaborate,
such as Togetherness Music; some are systematic (thecounterpoint at various points on Break a Vase, forinstance); and some make use of very minimal materials
indeed; but whatever the case, I do have something ofan obsession with structure. This is perhaps also why I
adore Bach’s music so much: ‘free’ improvisation can
produce many magical moments, but struggles to realize
large-scale designs, and it’s often in the organization ofmusic where I find the really transcendent moments.
I’m anxious that sounds pretentious—it’s certainly
not meant to be; and to stress, many of my mosttreasured and formative musical experiences have been
improvising freely. I can’t begin to acknowledge mydebt of gratitude to the likes of Evan for the educationand opportunity they have repeatedly afforded me,
and each occasion is a privilege and a joy. When I’m
speaking of a preference for composition, I mean purelythat it is where I feel I am most able to be creative whenat the helm of a group.

AH: I’m fortunate to be staying very busy on returning
to Europe from NYC. My most recent album is mysecond piano trio effort, and I’m greatly looking
forward to more touring with that later in the year. My
next release on Intakt is a duo with the astonishing Sofia
Jernberg, and I’m excited to perform some more with
her later this month. In the early autumn, I’m touringsome more with Mulatu Astatke, before returning
to the US in mid-October for a short trip. There arealso some really fun one-offs on the horizon, such asa Michael Formanek group at a festival in Portugal
in November. On record I am also really proud of aduo Nicole Mitchell and I have coming out soon, and I
definitely hope that we’ll get some more opportunities
to play live together before long.

WB(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 33

CALENDAR
Tuesday, August 1• Samuel Torres: “New Colombian Folklore”

Bar Lunàtico 6 pm $10
Barbès 7, 9 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 $20-30êDizzy Gillespie Big BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êJoel Forrester
Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ehud Asherie TrioêRussell Malone/Tammy McCann: “An Evening Of Les Paul & Mary Ford”
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-55• Santi Debriano Group; Itai Kriss Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• You’re Mom Band with Michael Shapira, Alex Frondelli; James Mckain /Chuck Roth;David Grollman/Richard Kamerman Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm
Gantry Plaza State Park 7 pm
• Linda EPO’s• Sam Yahel Trio with Larry Grenadier, Brian Blade
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-40• Bennett Paster, Gary Wang, Tony Mason; James Austin Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Pangea 7 pm
• Iris Ornig Jam Session• Abraham Burton Quartet; Russell Hall Septet and Jam with Ben Seacrist, Mike Troy,
Sasha Berliner, Esteban Castro, Matt Lee, Leo Larrett
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Teri Roiger/John Menegon Duo with Steve Berger
Tipsy Grape Wine Bar 7, 8:30 pmêAndrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, David Virelles, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25• Jesse Green• Tamar Korn; Slavic Soul Party• Birdland Big Band
• Nicole Zuraitis

Wednesday, August 2• Julian Shore Trio with Martin Nevin, Allan Mednard

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Big Lazy
• Andy Statman Trio; Mamady Kouyate and his Mandingo Ambassadors

Barbès 8, 10 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Birdland Big BandêDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with
Dave Stryker
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30êDizzy Gillespie Big BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êJoel Forrester
Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Brandi Disterheft Trio
• Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra; Lulada Club; JFuse DJ Set
Crotona Park 6 pmêRussell Malone/Tammy McCann: “An Evening Of Les Paul & Mary Ford”
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-55• The Brooklyn Holdouts; Tia Brazda
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êJazzmobile presents: Danny Mixon Quartet
Grant’s Tomb 7 pmêMiki Yamanaka Quartet with Mark Turner, Tyrone Allen, Jimmy Macbride
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-30
êCisco De La Garza; Stephen Gauci with Adam Lane, Colin Hinton; Rick Parker with Matt
Pavolka, Jeff Davis; Marc Edwards with Zoh Amba, Brenna Rey
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20
Craig
Brann, Sam Sadigursky, Nick Morrison; Jon Elbaz Trio•
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Pier 84 7 pm
• Annette St. John
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Eric Yves GarciaêThe Comet is Coming with Shabaka Hutchings; Ibeyi
Rumsey Playfield in Central Park 6 pm
• Billy Mintz Sextet with Dave Scott, Peter Brainin, Mike Fahn, Roberta Piket,
Don Falzone; Curtis Nowosad Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHot Toddies
Somewhere Nowhere 6 pm
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Sita ChayêAndrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, David Virelles, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, August 3• Márta Sanchez Trio; Glenn Zaleski, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton

Bar Bayeux 5-7 pm; 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20-30êDizzy Gillespie Big BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 6:30 pm• Milena CasadoêJoel Forrester
Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• Bruce Harris Quartet; Katie Cosco Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êBen Wolfe Quartet with Chris Lewis, Warren Wolf, Aaron Kimmel; Alex Minasian Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-50• Jed Levy Quartet; Mariel Bildsten Septet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-45• Roy Hargrove Big BandêOluyemi Thomas Positive Knowledge Quartet
Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pm
• Joel Forrester Quartet with Vito Dieterle, David Hofstra, Matthew Garrity
Little Branch 9 pmêTim Berne with Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Chris Lightcap, Oscar Noriega
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Zach Brock, Paul Bedal, Eduardo Belo; Tyler Bullock Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Phil Young Experience
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Eric Yves Garcia
Silvana 7 pm
• Mark Patterson• Caleb Curtis Quartet with Orrin Evans, Rashaan Carter, Michael Sarin; Evan Sherman
Quintet and Jam with David Sneider, Kendric McCallister, Cameron Campbell,
Joseph Ranieri
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êAllan Harris Quintet with Stacy Dillard, Arcoiris Sandoval, Marty Kenney,
Norman Edwards
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êFrank London, Shoko Nagai, Satoshi Takeishi, Sita Chay
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $30
êAndrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, David Virelles, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Sarah Cabral• Birdland Big Band• McKrells

Friday, August 4• Matt Pavolka’s The Horns Band with David Smith, Charlotte Greve, Curtis Hasselbring,
Tom Rainey

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• MILK with Fred Cash Jr., Marvin Sewell, Adrian Harpham, Bruce Flowers• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars• Birdland Big Band

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40

ê = Recommended Shows
êWycliffe Gordon QuartetêDizzy Gillespie Big BandêJoel Forrester

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• Chris Byars Quartet; Matt Martinez Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êBen Wolfe Quartet with Chris Lewis, Warren Wolf, Aaron Kimmel; Alex Minasian Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-50• Dave Stryker Quartet; Richie Vitale Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êJazzmobile presents: Craig Harris Marcus Garvey Park, Richard Rogers Amphitheater 7 pmêWarren Vache, Tardo Hammer, Earl Sauls; John Chin Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Eric Yves GarciaêMilton Suggs
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
Patrick’s Place 8 pm
• Patience Higgins’ Jazz JamêJosh Lawrence Quartet
Poster House 7 pm
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Nathan Farrell; Ed Cherry
Silvana 7 pm
• Peter Louis• Jeb Patton Quintet with Mike Rodriguez, John Ellis, Clovis Nicolas, Quincy Davis;
Corey Wallace Dubtet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êSteve Turre Quintet with Nicholas Payton, Ron Blake, Isaiah J. Thompson,
Buster Williams, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35• Latasha N. Nevada Diggs/Sita Chay The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAndrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, David Virelles, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, August 5

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Axel Tosca
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• trioTrio
Barbès 3 pm $20• Pakula Surprise• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars

Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40êWycliffe Gordon Quartet
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20
êDizzy Gillespie Big BandBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• James Austin Quartet; Ai Murakami Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êBen Wolfe Quartet with Chris Lewis, Warren Wolf, Aaron Kimmel; Alex Minasian Trio
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-50• Ed Cherry Quartet; Sam Dillon Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êWarren Vache, Tardo Hammer, Earl Sauls; Anthony Wonsey Quartet with
Julia Moscardini, Lonnie Plaxico, Joe Tange
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Rob Roberts and Friends
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Eric Yves Garcia• Jeb Patton Quintet with Mike Rodriguez, John Ellis, Clovis Nicolas, Quincy Davis;
Saul Rubin Zebtet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êSteve Turre Quintet with Nicholas Payton, Ron Blake, Isaiah J. Thompson,
Buster Williams, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35• Steven Kroon Latin Jazz Band Snug Harbor Cultural Center 2 pmêBlue Reality Quartet with Warren Smith, Joe McPhee, Michael Marcus, Jay Rosen;
J.D. Parran N’ the Spirit with Andrew Drury, Alexis Marcelo, Sharif Kales; Art Baron and
the Psychacoustic Band with Peter Apfelbaum, Matt Lavelle, Ben Stapp,
Newman Taylor Baker; Oluyemi Thomas & Positive Knowledge; Jessica Pavone;
Ronnie Burrage with Valerie Green/Dance Entropy
Socrates Sculpture Park 3 pm
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Satoshi Takeishi/Sita ChayêAndrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, David Virelles, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Birdland Big Band

Sunday, August 6

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band
Barbès 10 pm $20• Daisy Castro
JumaaneSmith
Quartet;ArturoO’Farrill
and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra•
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20
êPaul West And Bethune Big Band; Dizzy Gillespie Big BandBlue Note 12:30, 2:30 $25-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Dave Stryker TrioêBen Wolfe Quartet with Chris Lewis, Warren Wolf, Willie Jones III
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-50• Ashley Pezzotti Quartet; Sasha Dobson Quartet
The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pm
Grace Gospel Church 11:15 am• Joel ForresterêDan Blake, Dmitry Ishenko
The Keep 9 pm
Joel
ForresterTriowith
Dmitri
Kolesnik,
Matthew Garrity•
Little Branch 9 pm
• Champian Fulton, Nick Hempton, Hide Tanaka; Richard Cortez Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êAva Mendoza
More Gardens 3 pm
• Deanna Kirk with Mark Capon, Tim Givens
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
Patrick’s Place 12 pm $10• Boncellia Lewis and Friends• Georgia Heers; Mimi Jones: “Jazz and Jam Party”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Miki Yamanaka, Tyrone Allen, Jimmy Macbride
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
Shrine 6 pm
• Shrine Big Band
Silvana 8 pm
• John Colonna• Jesse Davis Quartet with Spike Wilner, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth;Asaf Yuria Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSteve Turre Quintet with Nicholas Payton, Ron Blake, Isaiah J. Thompson,
Buster Williams, Lenny White
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êAndrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, David Virelles, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Wycliffe Gordon Quartet

Monday, August 7

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Grove Street Stompers
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• The Ladles• Musics with Ilusha Tsinadze, Gocha Tsinadze, Chris Tordini, Jason Nazary
Barbès 7 pm $20

êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40êJames Francies Trio with Larry Grenadier, Jeremy Dutton and Logan Richardson

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-30
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Willerm Delisfort Trio
• Christian McBride Hosts: “Jazz House Kids”
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm• Joey Ranieri Quartet; Hank Allen-Barfield Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30• Chris Humphrey and Vocal Jam Le Chéile 7:30 pm $15

34 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDêAlan Broadbent, Harvie S, Billy Mintz

Mezzrow 7:30, 9 pm $35• Jesse Davis Quartet with Spike Wilner, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth;
Mike Boone Quartet and JamêVanguard Jazz Orchestra• Charlie Ballantine

Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25

Tuesday, August 8

Aberdeen Street Community Garden 7 pm
• Noa Fort, Chad Taylor• Gary Versace, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Diego Voglino and Jam
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Rob Garcia Quartet with Noah Preminger

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Matt Pavolka with Ben Monder, Santiago Leibson, Allan Mednard; Slavic Soul Party

Barbès 7, 9 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35-55
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êDoug Carn with Kathryn Farmer, Duane Eubanks, Andrew Schwandt, Dishan Harper,
Russell Carter
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet: “Tango At The The Django”; People Of EarthThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êCaroline Davis/Dustin Carlson; Sally Gates/Daniel Carter; Antivoid with
Samantha Kochis, Selendis Sebastian Alexander; Luisa Muhr, Daniel Carter,
Abram Mamet, Emily Shapiro, Fall Raye, Gary Jones III
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm• Michael Olatuja and Lagos Pepper Soup
Gantry Plaza State Park 7 pmêFalkner Evans Trio with Belden Bullock, Matt Wilson; Steve Ash Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Jesse Davis Quartet with Spike Wilner, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth;
Jason Clotter Quartet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êBill Frisell Four with Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Duke Robillard/Scott Hamilton• Nicole Zuraitis• David Sanborn• Our Delight

Wednesday, August 9êLucian Ban Elevation, with Abraham Burton, John Hébert, Eric McPherson

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êDuke Robillard/Scott Hamilton
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Mike
Stern, Jimmy Bruno, Pasquale Grasso
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35-55• David SanbornêGrant Stewart Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êDoug Carn with Kathryn Farmer, Duane Eubanks, Andrew Schwandt, Dishan Harper,
Russell Carter
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45
êMichael Rabinowitz Quartet; Nick Biello Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êJazzmobile presents: Donald Harrison Quartet
Grant’s Tomb 7 pm
• Esteban Castro with Gervis Myles, Kayvon Gordon
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-30
êBonnie Kane with Shayna Dulberger, John Loggia; Stephen Gauci with Adam Lane,
Kevin Shea; Lim Yang with Igor Lumpert, Santiago Leibson, Dave Treut;
Adam Caine’s Main Drag Guitar Orchestra with Matt Hollenberg, Anders Nilsson,
Harvey Valdes, Bob Lanzetti, Jeong Lim Yang, Vijay Anderson
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20
Will
Sellenraad, Elam Friedlander, Nasheet Waits; Joe Block, Paul Sikivie, JK Kim•
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Camille Gainer Jones with The Immortals
Pier 84 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Jill McCarron• Peter Brainin and Friends: “Harlem Jazz Session”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 pm $20
Silvana 9 pm
• Spaghetti Eastern• Nick Finzer Sextet with Lucas Pino, Glenn Zaleski, Alex Wintz, Dave Baron,
Jimmy Macbride; Frank Lacy Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êPalladium: The Music of Wayne Shorter
Smoke 7, 9 pmêHot Toddies
Somewhere Nowhere 6 pm
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Brian ChaseêBill Frisell Four with Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Roy Nathanson

Thursday, August 10

ê Márta Sanchez Trio; Dan Tepfer, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton

Bar Bayeux 5-7 pm; 8, 9:30 pmêDuke Robillard/Scott Hamilton
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDaryl Sherman, Jay Leonhart, Dave Silliman: “Homage to Blossom Dearie”

Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35-55• David Sanborn
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 6:30 pm• Charisa the ViolinDiva
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• James Burton Quintet; Carol Morgan Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êWingspan: “Celebrating Mulgrew Miller” with Steve Nelson, Steve Wilson,

Duane Eubanks, Rodney Green, Danny Grissett, Nat Reeves; Luther Allison Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55

êJonny King Trio; David Weiss Sextet

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

êBilly Mintz Quartet with Tony Malaby, Roberta Piket, Don Falzone

Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $15• Alfredo Colón with Ben Chapoteau-Katz, Odin Scherero Walentiny, Rafael Enciso,
Kobi Abcede
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-30
êDoug Carn Quintet
Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pmêTim Berne with Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Chris Lightcap, Oscar Noriega
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Luther S. Allison, Neal Miner; Greg Murphy, Obasi Akoto,
Steve Johns
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êRoni Ben-Hur
Ornithology Jazz Club 9 pm
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Phil Young Experience
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Jill McCarron
Charley
GordonSilvana 7 pm•
• Jonathan Saraga Sextet with Lucas Pino, Jeff Miles, Arcoiris Sandoval,
Nick Jozwiak, Kenneth Salters; David Gibson Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êJoe Farnsworth Trio with Brad Mehldau, Larry GrenadierSmoke 7, 9 pm $35
êZeena Parkins/Brian Chase
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Four with Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, August 11• Jonathan Beshey• Arnan Raz Band

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

Monday, August 14• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; Duke Robillard/Scott Hamilton

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-30
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30• Vanessa Rubin
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35-55• David Sanborn
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna KirkêAkiko Tsuruga Quartet; Miki Yamanaka Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Arthur Verocai with Orchestra Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center 7 pmêWingspan: “Celebrating Mulgrew Miller” with Steve Nelson, Steve Wilson,
Duane Eubanks, Rodney Green, Danny Grissett, Nat Reeve; Luther Allison Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Ugonna Okegwo Quartet; Helio Alves Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Mike Rodriguez Quintet with John Ellis, Gary Versace, Joe Martin, Jimmy Macbride
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-40
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $40• Lucy YeghiazaryanêDavid Hazeltine, David Williams, Billy Drummond; Jon Davis Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êJD Parran
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pmêEmber with Caleb Wheeler Curtis, Noah Garabedian, Vinnie Sperrazza andSteven Bernstein
Nublu 151 7 pm
Patrick’s Place 8 pm
• Patience Higgins’ Jazz JamPierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca• Zoe Obadia; Radam Schwartz Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20
Silvana 9 pm
• Marley HowardêGreg Abate Quartet with Bill O’Connell, Harvie S, Jason Tiemann; Philip Harper Quintet
and Jam with Bernell Jones II, Jordan Williams, Jason Maximo Clotter,
Winard Harper
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êJoe Farnsworth Trio with Brad Mehldau, Larry GrenadierSmoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35• Matteo Liberatore, Vanessa Baish, Brian Chase, Manami Mizumoto
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Four with Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, August 12• Seydurah & Her Avecmoi Band of Blues; JT Bowen & The Mighty Kings of Soul
• Barry Stephenson• Jah Baba
• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars

Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-31• Vanessa Rubin
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $35-55• David SanbornêTeri Roiger/John Menegon Duo
Café Luce 6 pm
SambadeGringo;SimonaPremazzi
Quartet•Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êJazzmobile presents: Jeremy Pelt Quartet; Wycliffe Gordon Quartet; Bobby Sanabria
Multiverse Big Band
Central Park Great Hill 4 pmêWingspan: “Celebrating Mulgrew Miller” with Steve Nelson, Steve Wilson,
Duane Eubanks, Rodney Green, Danny Grissett, Nat Reeve; Luther Allison Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• David Gibson Quartet; Wayne Escoffery Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Andre Sacalxot, Charlie Lincoln, Kevin Murray; Stephen Gauci, Kevin Shea;
Michael Larocca, Luke Rovinsky, Caleb Duval
Downtown Music Gallery 6 pmêDavid Hazeltine, David Williams, Billy Drummond; Dave Kikoski Duo
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Derrick Barnett: “Jamaican Jazzmatazz”
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca
Shrine 7, 10 pm• Ashley Keiko; Phil Gammage
Silvana 7 pm
• Ashley KeikoêGreg Abate Quartet with Bill O’Connell, Harvie S, Jason Tiemann; Eric Wyatt Quartet
and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êJoe Farnsworth Trio with Brad Mehldau, Larry GrenadierSmoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35
êAnthony Coleman/Brian Chase
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Four with Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êDuke Robillard/Scott Hamilton

Sunday, August 13

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band
• Wayne Tucker & The Bad Mothas Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êReginald Chapman with Maxx Spinelli, Julia Chen, Ryan Easter, Mark McIntyre,
Eli Rojas; Luca Benedetti, Tony Scherr, Tony Mason
Barbès 6, 10 pm $20• Sean Nelson; Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-32• Vanessa Rubin
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-55• David Sanborn
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Joe Strasser Trio• ”Can’t Help Loving Jerome Kern”: Billy Stritch, Margo Seibert, La Tanya Hall,
Robbie Lee, Aaron Heick, Neal Miner, Mark McLean
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-40• Antonio Ciacca Quartet; Ray Gallon Trio
The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25• Souren Baronian’s Taksim Middle East Ensemble
Drom 7 pm $20• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pm
Grace Gospel Church 11:15 am• Joel Forrester• Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Rob Mitzner
The Keep 9 pm
• Arianna Neikrug, Luciano Minetti, Matt Clohesy; Lucy Wijnands Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ronny Whyte with Sean Harness, Boots Maleson
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
Patrick’s Place 12 pm $10• Boncellia Lewis and Friends• Alexandria DeWalt; Mimi Jones: “Jazz and Jam Party”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20
ê”Zorn@70 Part Two: Cobra”: John Zorn, Wendy Eisenberg, Taylor Levine,
Trevor Dunn, Alexandra Simpson, Michael Nicolas, Jorge Roeder, John Medeski,
Brian Marsella, Ikue Mori, Kenny Wollesen, Sae Hashimoto, Ches Smith,
Cha Cha La Fox
Roulette 8 pm $35• Jim Ridl, Charles Pillow, Jay Anderson
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
Shrine 8 pm
• Lucas Amorim• Craig Wuepper Quartet; Aaron Johnson Boplicity and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êJoe Farnsworth Trio with Brad Mehldau, Larry GrenadierSmoke 7, 9 pm $35
êBill Frisell Four with Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, Johnathan Blake
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, August 18

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Grove Street Stompers
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Kazemde George Quartet• Akiko Pavolka Band with Brad Shepik, Matt Pavolka, Bill Campbell

Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm $20-30êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40• Karl Denson Project With Keyon Harrold, James Francies, Burniss Earl Travis,
Blaque Dynamite
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ehud Asherie TrioêAlan Broadbent with Harvie S, Billy Mintz
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Cameron Campbell QuartetêMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êRoxana Amed/Frank Carlberg
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $20
MichaelKanan,
Neal
Miner,
Greg
Ruggiero;Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland,•
Keith Balla
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Tim Ries Quartet; ELEW TrioêVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Luke Hawkins/Matt Baker

Tuesday, August 15

êRich Perry, Ugonna Okegwo, Diego Voglino and Jam

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêMichael Attias’ Lumisong with Santiago Leibson, Matt Pavolka, Mike Sarin

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 7, 9 pm $20
êCindy Blackman Santana with Felix Pastorius, Marc Cary, David Gilmore
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 $20-30• Nicole Zuraitis• Karl Denson Project With Keyon Harrold, James Francies, Burniss Earl Travis,
Blaque Dynamite
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Nick Hempton Trio
• Trevor Watkis Quintet with Ralph Moore, Jeremy Pelt, Dezron Douglas,
Willie Jones III
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Alex Brown Quartet; Craig Handy Latin Project
The Django 7:30, 9 pm $25
Gantry Plaza State Park 7 pm
• Slavo Rican Assembly• Carlo De Rosa Trio; John Merrill Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Pangea 7 pm
• Iris Ornig Jam Session
Silvana 9 pm
• Annika Horne• Santi Debriano Arkestra Bembe with Nina Shankar, Andrea Brachfeld, TK Blue, Tommy
Morimoto, Ray Scro, Adrian Alvarado, Mamiko Watanabe, Robby Ameen; Russell Hall
Sextet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êSir Richard Bishop with Chris Corsano
Union Pool 7 pm $24.21
êBill Frisell Five with Tony Scherr, Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Kenny Wollesen
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30• Leo Genovese• Tamar Korn; Slavic Soul Party

Wednesday, August 16• Joe Dyson• Molly Miller & Friends• Buck And A Quarter Quartet

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 8 pm $20
êCindy Blackman Santana with Felix Pastorius, Marc Cary, David Gilmore
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with
Dave Stryker
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30êKeyon Harrold
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Bebop Collective QuartetêDonald Edwards Quintet with Abraham Burton, Jonathan Kreisberg, Helen Sung,
Ben Wolfe
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-40
êJoe Farnsworth Quartet; Fima Ephron Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êJazz Composers’ Showcase
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-30
Dave
Millerwith
Marco
Cappelli,
Rubin
Kodheli; Stephen Gauci with Adam Lane,•
Colin Hinton; Amanda Monaco with Michael Attias, Sean Conly, Satoshi Takeishi’ s Main
Drag Philharmonix Conduction Orchestra with Darren Johnston
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20• Neal Kirkwood, Jeff Carney, Rob Garcia; Nadav Nazarathy Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Pier 84 7 pm
• Harmony Bartz Experience
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca• Peter Brainin and Friends: “Harlem Jazz Session”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 pm $20• Tim Collins Quartet with Randy Ingram, Matt Clohesy, Jochen Rueckert;
Robert Edwards Quintet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Smoke 7, 9 pm
• Shedrick Mitchell QuintetêHot Toddies
Somewhere Nowhere 6 pmêHemphill Stringtet with Curtis Stewart, Sam Bardfeld, Stephanie Griffin,
Tomeka Reid
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Five with Tony Scherr, Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Kenny Wollesen
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, August 17• Márta Sanchez Trio; David Berkman, Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton• Marked For DeathBar Bayeux 5-7 pm; 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êCindy Blackman Santana with Felix Pastorius, Marc Cary, David Gilmore

Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20-30êAZIZA with Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• Zaid Nasser Quartet; Mariel Bildsten Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êDonald Edwards Quintet with Abraham Burton, Jonathan Kreisberg, Helen Sung, Ben
Wolfe; Brian Richburg Quintet
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-40• Mike LeDonne Trio; Mark Whitfield The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
Dyckman Farmhouse Museum 6:30 pm• Yvonnick Prene Jazz QuartetêRalph Alessi Baida Quartet with Craig Taborn, Drew Gress, Nasheet Waits
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-40• Tal Ronen, Rossano Sportiello, Albanie Falletta; Jihee Heo, Alexander Claffy,
Joe Farnsworth
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Phil Young Experience
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Jill McCarron
Silvana 7 pm
• Marc Phaneuf• Tom Christensen with Scott Neumann, Pete McCann, Phil Palombi;
Sarah Hanahan Quartet and Jam with Luther S. Allison, Elam Friedlander,
Diego Joaquin Ramirez
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Eric Reed Quartet with Dan Wilson, Billy Drummond
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êTomeka Reid/Alexander Hawkins The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Five with Tony Scherr, Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Kenny Wollesen
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Joie Bianco

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Aubrey Johnson
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Louis Fouché• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

êBirdland Big Band; Cindy Blackman Santana with Felix Pastorius, Marc Cary,David Gilmore

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êBenny Green
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30êAZIZA with Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45

Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• Wayne Tucker Quintet; Sarah Hanahan Quartet

Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10

Chelsea Table + Stage 7 pm $20-40• Eric Stern Quintet• Joyce Moreno with Roni Ben-Hur, Helio Alves, Rodolfo Stroeter, Tutty Moreno;
Brian Richburg Quintet

Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Chris Beck Quartet; Simon Moullier Quartet

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

êMatana Roberts, Brandon Lopez, Tomas Fujiwara

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $15-40

êJazzmobile presents: Jason Moran & The Big Bandwagon: “A James Reese Europe

Celebration”
Marcus Garvey Park, Richard Rogers Amphitheater 7 pm
• Ehud Asherie. Peter Washington, Kenny Washington; Johnny O’Neal Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
• Napoleon Revels-Bey
Patience
Higgins’
Jazz
Jam
Patrick’s Place 8 pm•
Antonio
CiaccaPierre Hotel 6-9 pm•• Camille Thurman; Allan Bezama Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Walt Weiskopf European Quartet with Carlos Winter, Andy Langer, Andrew Mortensen;
Greg Glassman Quartet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Eric Reed Quartet with Dan Wilson, Billy Drummond
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35
êTomeka Reid, Nicole Mitchell, Mike Reed
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Five with Tony Scherr, Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Kenny Wollesen
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, August 19

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Axel Tosca
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Jeff Davis
Pangari&The
Socialites
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10•• Pakula Surprise; Lucian Ban/Mat Maneri
Barbès 3, 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

êCindy Blackman Santana with Felix Pastorius, Marc Cary, David Gilmore

Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30• AZIZA with Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êTeri Roiger/John Menegon Duo
Café Luce 6 pm
Saul
Rubin
Quartet;JinjooYoo
Quartet•Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Joyce Moreno with Roni Ben-Hur, Helio Alves, Rodolfo Stroeter, Tutty Moreno;
Brian Richburg Quintet
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55
The Django 7:30, 9 pm $25• Tommy Campbell TrioêJazzmobile presents Jimmy Owens with Michael Howell, Gene Perla, Winard Harper,
Jenn JadeLouis Armstrong House 5 pm
• Ehud Asherie. Peter Washington, Kenny Washington; Johnny O’Neal Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êEugenie Jones with Lafayette Harris, Lonnie Plaxico, Dwayne Cook Broadnax
National Jazz Museum in Harlem 6:30 pm
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Just Tones• Blues BBQ Festival: Jonathan Kalb; Cedric Catfish Turner/Keith “The Captain” Gamble;
Beareather Reddy; Ed Cherry/Marvin Sewell; Danny Mixon
Pier 84 1 pm
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca• John Benitez Latin Jazz Group Roberto Clemente State Park 5:30 pm• Walt Weiskopf European Quartet with Carlos Winter, Andy Langer, Andrew Mortensen;
Jason Marshall Quartet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Eric Reed Quartet with Dan Wilson, Billy Drummond
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35
êTomeka Reid Quartet with Jason Roebke, Tomas Fujiwara, Mary Halvorson
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBill Frisell Five with Tony Scherr, Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Kenny Wollesen
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êBenny Green

Sunday, August 20• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band
• Cesar Garabini with Ian Curry

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êJohn Yao with JY-17; Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êBenny Green
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30êCalvin Johnson & Native Son; AZIZA with Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke,
Eric Harland
Blue Note 12:30, 2:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Brazilian Grooves• Jose Alberto “El Canario”; The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra: “The Music Of Machito, Tito
Rodriguez And Tito Puente”; Karen Joseph And Mambocha
Coney Island Ampitheater 5 pm
• Joyce Moreno with Roni Ben-Hur, Helio Alves, Rodolfo Stroeter, Tutty Moreno
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55• Caelan Cardello; Neal Miner Trio The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25
Drom 5:30 pm $15• People of Earth• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêDan Blake, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko
The Keep 9 pmêCharlie Parker Jazz Festival: Endea Owens, “The Community Cookout”
Marcus Garvey Park 3 pmêLauren Henderson, Nick Tannura, John Chin, Jonathan Michel; Naama Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Kate Baker with Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
Patrick’s Place 12 pm $10• Boncellia Lewis and Friends• Tyreek McDole; Mimi Jones: “Jazz and Jam Party”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Yosham Ishay/Harshitha Krishnan
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Brian Charette Trio with Eric Zolan, Jochen Rueckert; Evan Sherman Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Eric Reed Quartet with Dan Wilson, Billy Drummond
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êBill Frisell Five with Tony Scherr, Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Kenny Wollesen
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, August 21

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Grove Street Stompers• Tyler Blanton’s Urban Achievers with Josh Dion, Eric Finland, Al Street

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 35

• Wendy Moten

Friday, August 25

Birdland 7 pm $40-50êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40• Nicholas Payton with Blaque Dynamite, Marcus Machado, David Ginyard
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Chris Beck Trio
• Mathis Picard Trio with Russell Hall, TJ Reddick
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Simon Mogul Quartet; Sam Taylor Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Spike Wilner Trio; Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Keith Balla
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Ari Hoenig Trio with Gadi Lehavi, Tivon Pennicott; Bernell Jones II Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $25• Pete McCann

Tuesday, August 22• Pasquale Grasso Quartet• Slavic Soul Party

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 9 pm $20
êKen Peplowski: “Bird with Strings” with Terell Stafford, Glenn Zaleski,Peter Washington, Willie Jones III Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 $20-30• Nicole Zuraitis• Nicholas Payton with Blaque Dynamite, Marcus Machado, David Ginyard
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ray Gallon TrioêClaire Daly and George Garzone with Jon Davis, Dave Hofstra, Steve Johns
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-50• Sonido Costeño; Manuel Valera And New Cuban Express
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Shai Jaschek, Benjamin Young, Willis Edmundson; Tardo Hammer Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êSteve Nelson Quartet with Rick Germanson, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Neal Smith;
Jason Clotter Quartet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êTrio Tapestry: Joe Lovano with Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30• Jihee Heo

Wednesday, August 23êWayne Escoffery with Tal Cohen, Mark Lewandowski, Mark Whitfield Jr.

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Lim Yang
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Armo• Alex Asher with Joel Matteo, Julia Chen, Kyle Miles
Barbès 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30

êBirdland Big Band; Ken Peplowski: “Bird with Strings” with Terell Stafford,

Glenn Zaleski, Peter Washington, Willie Jones III
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-30êDavid DeJesus Quintet: “Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration”

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55• Arturo Sandoval• Diana Burco, Suistamon Sähkö, and Ragini Ensemble: “Accordions Around the World”
Bryant Park 7 pm
• Richard Clements Quartet; Marc Devine Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êSWR Big Band with Chris Potter: “Bird Lives”; Bruce Williams 4
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax Quartet; Dan Aran BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êCharlie Parker Jazz Festival: Sylvia Cuenca Organ Group
Harlem Rose Garden 5:30 pm
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $25• Sofia Rei/Jorge RoederêCharlie Parker Jazz Festival: Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band with Dianne
Reeves; T.K. Blue Sextet with Steve TurreMarcus Garvey Park, Richard Rogers Amphitheater 7 pm
Aaron
Goldberg, Philip Dizack, Matt Penman; Jon Davis Trio•
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êKelvyn Bell
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church 7 pm
Patrick’s Place 8 pm
• Patience Higgins’ Jazz JamPierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Chiara Izzi; Nilson MattaêWayne Escoffery Quartet with Tal Cohen, Ugonna Okegwo, Mark Whitfield Jr; Philip
Harper Quintet and Jam with Bernell Jones II, Jordan Williams, Jason Maximo Clotter,
Winard Harper
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êJohnathan Blake Pentad with Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross , David Virelles,
Dezron Douglas
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35
êLinda May Han Oh, Fabian Almazán, Jonny Allen, Terry Sweeney, Victor Caccese,
Eric DoobThe Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êTrio Tapestry: Joe Lovano with Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, August 26

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Carolina Mama
• Mamady Kouyate and his Mandingo Ambassadors
Barbès 10 pm $20

êKen Peplowski: “Bird with Strings” with Terell Stafford, Glenn Zaleski, Peter

Washington, Willie Jones III

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

Sheryl Bailey

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êJoanne Brackeen Trio with Ugonna Okegwo, Adam Cruz
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45
êBen Wolfe Trio
The Django 10:30, 12 am $25• Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Andrea Brachfeld Quartet
El Sol Brillante Community Garden 5:30 pmêJazzmobile presents Paul West Grant’s Tomb 7 pmêBristan Kastan with Suki Cerulo, Nick Gianni, Erik Egol; Stephen Gauci with
Adam Lane, Kevin Shea; Yoni Kretzmer/Juan Pablo Carlettti’s BIGGISH with
Kenny Warren, Christof Knoche, Peter Bitenc, Andrew Hadro
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20• Lafayette Harris, Kenny Davis, Alvester Garnett; Thomas Linger Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Sutton Place Trio with Alex Leonard, Al Gafa, Jay Leonhart
Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca• Peter Brainin and Friends: “Harlem Jazz Session”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 pm $20
Shrine 8 pm
• Plaks Pandemic Ensemble• Hendrik Meurkens Quartet with Adam Moezinia, Akiko Tsuruga, Jason Tiemann;Willerm Delisfort Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êHouston Person and Emmet Cohen Hammond Organ Trio
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êHot Toddies
Somewhere Nowhere 6 pmêLinda May Han Oh, Loke Risberg, Savannah Harris
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êTrio Tapestry: Joe Lovano with Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Arturo Sandoval• Noriko Ueda Trio

Thursday, August 24

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Jr. Mack/Noé Socha Duo• Márta Sanchez Trio; The Grassroots Jazz Effort

Bar Bayeux 5-7 pm; 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• An Only ChildêKen Peplowski: “Bird with Strings” with Terell Stafford, Glenn Zaleski,Peter Washington, Willie Jones III Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid DeJesus Quintet: “Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration”
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55• Arturo Sandoval
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• Greg Glassman Quartet; Courtney Wright Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êSWR Big Band with Miguel Zenon: “Bird Lives”; Bruce Williams 4
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Jason Tiemann Quartet; T.K. Blue Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
Drom 8 pm $20• Mike Stern BandêCharlie Parker Jazz Festival: Antoine Roney Trio with Spaceman Patterson
Hansborough Recreation Center 6 pmêMiguel Zenon/Luis Perdomo
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $25
êTim Berne, Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Ralph Alessi
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Tyler Blanton, Joe Martin, Rudy Royston; Marius Van Den Brink Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Phil Young Experience
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Jill McCarron
Silvana 7, 9 pm
• Ric Becker; Nicolaus Gelin• Tim Ferguson Quartet; David Gibson Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êJohnathan Blake Pentad with Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross , David Virelles,
Dezron Douglas
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êLinda May Han Oh/Fabian Almazán
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êTrio Tapestry: Joe Lovano with Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm• KJ Denhert & The NY UnitêMichael Attias
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Samir LangusêTUBA PROJECT with Lucian Ban, Alex Harding, Bob Stewart
Barbès 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton & The Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30
êKen Peplowski: “Bird with Strings” with Terell Stafford, Glenn Zaleski, Peter
Washington, Willie Jones III
Birdland 8:30, 10:30 pm $30-40êDavid DeJesus Quintet: “Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration”
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55• Arturo SandovalêImmanuel Wilkins with Micah Thomas, Daryl Johns, Kweku Sumbry; 75 Dollar Bill withSue Garner, Cheryl Kingan, Talice Lee, Steve Maing, Jim Pugliese, Karen Waltuch,
Barry Weisblat; Ka Baird
Bryant Park 7 pmêTeri Roiger/John Menegon Duo
Café Luce 6 pm
• Jade Synstelien Quartet; Jamale Davis Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êSWR Big Band with Chris Potter: “Bird Lives”; Bruce Williams 4
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-55• Joe Marcinek Band with Dennis Chambers, Jesus Molina
Iridium 8:30 pm $35-45
êLluís Capdevila
Klavierhaus 7 pm $5êCharlie Parker Jazz Festival: The Cookers with David Weiss, Eddie Henderson,
Donald Harrison, Billy Harper, George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart;
Endea Owens And The Cookout; Nduduzo Makhathini Trio; Akua Allrich And The Tribe
Marcus Garvey Park, Richard Rogers Amphitheater 3 pm
• Aaron Goldberg/Camila Meza; Jeremy Manasia Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Trane N Chel and Friends
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca• Ken Kobayashi Quartet; Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans
Shrine 7, 8 pm
Sistas’ Place 8, 10 pm• Danny MixonêWayne Escoffery Quartet with Tal Cohen, Ugonna Okegwo, Mark Whitfield Jr;
Stacy Dillard Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êJohnathan Blake Pentad with Dayna Stephens, Joel Ross , David Virelles,
Dezron Douglas
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35
êLinda May Han Oh/Melissa Aldana The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êTrio Tapestry: Joe Lovano with Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, August 27• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêSantiago Leibson with Michaël Attias, Tom Rainey

Barbès 6 pm $20
êDavid DeJesus and The Yardbird Big Band; Arturo O’Farrill and
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êDavid DeJesus Quintet: “Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration”
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-55• Arturo Sandoval• Ronnie Burrage Holographic Principle
Brooklyn Museum of Art 2 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ned Goold Trio
• Kieran Brown/Gabe Schillinger-Hyman Duo
City Winery 12 pm
City Winery 7:30 pm $30• Jay RodriguezêSWR Big Band with Chris Potter: “Bird Lives”
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55• Carolyn Leonhart Quartet; Michael Kanan Trio
The Django 6:30, 8, 9:30, 11 pm $25• Teri Roiger, Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pm
• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Dalius Naujo
The Keep 9 pm
• Sasha Dobson, Peter Bernstein, Neal Miner; Vanisha Gould Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ben Cassara with Marius van den Brink, Dean Johnson
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
Patrick’s Place 12 pm $10• Boncellia Lewis and Friends• Anson Jones; Mimi Jones: “Jazz and Jam Party”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20
ê”Zorn@70 Part Three”: John Zorn with Laurie Anderson, Sean Ono Lennon
Roulette 8 pm $35
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Lafayette Harris Trio

36 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Ai Murakami Quartet; Aaron Johnson Boplicity and Jam

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

êJohnathan Blake Pentad with Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross , David Virelles,

Dezron Douglas

Smoke 7, 9 pm $35

êCharlie Parker Jazz Festival: Charles McPherson with Terell Stafford;

Something Else! Vincent Herring Septet; Hera with Chelsea Baratz, Andromeda Turre;Michael Mayo
Tompkins Square Park 3 pmêTrio Tapestry: Joe Lovano with Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, August 28

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Grove Street Stompers• Ross Pederson Quartet with Donny McCaslin

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40êJames Francies, Joel Ross, Jeff “Tain” Watts

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $20-30
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êSylvia Cuenca Group with Freddie Hendrix, Rico Jones, Dave Kikoski, Essiet Essiet
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• April Varner Quartet; Thomas Linger Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êEthan Iverson, Ben Street, Eric McPherson; Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Keith Balla
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Joe Dyson Trio with Mike King, Tyrone Allen; Miki Yamanaka Trio and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Vanderlei Pereira Trio

Tuesday, August 29êLucian Ban with Alex Harding, Bob Stewart, Brandon Lewis

Bar Lunàtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 9 pm $20
êCatherine Russell
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40
Birdland Theater 5:30 $20-30• Nicole Zuraitis• Sungazer with Adam Neely, Shawn CrowderBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ehud Asherie Trio
Aaron
Matson/Kieran
Brown
Duo
Coby Club 8:50 pm•
Ethan
Philion:“Meditationson
Mingus”
with Jaleel Shaw, Stacy Dillard, Max Bessesen,•
Russ Johnson, David Adewumi, Frank Lacy, Jacob Garchik, Dana Hall
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45
êBenito Gonzalez Trio; Hector Martignon’s Foreign Affair
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êSheila Jordan, Roni Ben-Hur, Harvie S; Jesse Green, Joe Cohn, Jerad Lippi
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Pangea 7 pm
• Iris Ornig Jam Session
RodneyJones
Quartet
with
Dabin
Ryu,
Lonnie Plaxico, Alvester Garnett;•
Russell Hall Quintet and Jam with Mike Troy, Esteban Castro, Leo Larrett, Matt Lee
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êGilad Hekselman Trio with Larry Grenadier, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Slavic Soul Party

Wednesday, August 30• Kaisa’s Machine with Tivon Pennicott, Max Light, Lex Korten, Kaisa Mäensivu, Joe Peri
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêMarta Sanchez Trio with Savannah Harris, Chris Tordini; Mamady Kouyate and his
Mandingo Ambassadors
Barbès 8, 10 pm $20
êCatherine Russell
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with
Karrin Allyson
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30• Sungazer with Adam Neely, Shawn CrowderBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25
êSylvia Cuenca Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Dred Scott and the Pacific Jazz Group with Kenny Brooks, Sam Bevan, Diego Voglino
Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-45• Rachel Eckroth Trio with Liany Mateo, Otis Brown; Jon Gordon Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Jazzmobile presents Arturo O’Farrill Grant’s Tomb 7 pmêAdam Schniet with Kenny Warren, JP Schlegelmilch, Andy Dow, Nathan Ellman-Bell;
Jonathan Goldberger with Jeff Davis; Stephen Gauci with Adam Lane, Kevin Shea;
Thomas Heberer with Phil Haynes, Ken Filiano; James Paul Nadien with Sandy Ewen,
Chris Libutti
Main Drag Music 7 pm $20
Doug
Wamble Trio; Tyler Bullock Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35•• Tri-ality with Ted Kooshian, Steve Count, Ray Marchica, Niaa Hennessey
Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm• Antonio Ciacca• Peter Brainin and Friends: “Harlem Jazz Session”
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 pm $20
êAaron Burnett and the Big Machine with Peter Evans, Jon Elbaz, Nick Jozwiak,
Kayvon Gordon
Roulette 8 pm
• Pete Zimmer Quintet with Stacy Dillard, Miki Yamanaka, Peter Bernstein, Yoshi Waki;
Benny Benack Quintet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Charles Owens Quartet with Brad Mehldau, Alexander Claffy, Joe Strasser
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35
êHot Toddies
Somewhere Nowhere 6 pm
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Eyvind KangêGilad Hekselman Trio with Larry Grenadier, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, August 31

Bar Bayeux 5-7 pm• Márta Sanchez Trio
• Curtis Hasselbring and his Curhachestra
Barbès 8 pm $20
êCatherine Russell
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Amity Duet with Avishai Cohen, Makoto Ozone
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $40-55
Café Luce 6 pm
• Deanna Kirk
• Darrell Green Quartet; Jon Davis Trio Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5• Summer Camargo with Veronica Leahy, Jeffery Miller, Esteban Castro, Raul Reyes
Bueno, Varun Das; Fernando Saci Dizzy’s Club 7:30, 9:30, 11:15 pm $25-50• Tim Ries Quartet; Richard Cortez Band The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êTim Berne, Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Aurora NealandLowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Randy Ingram, Drew Gress, Kush Abadey; Marc Devine Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Patrick’s Place 7 pm $10• Phil Young Experience
Jill
McCarron
Pierre Hotel 6-9 pm•
Carl
MaraghiSilvana 7 pm•
• Kaisa Mäensivu Quintet with Max Light, Lex Korten, Joe Peri; Sarah Hanahan Quarteet
and Jam with Luther S. Allison, Elam Friedlander, Diego Joaquin Ramirez
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Peter Bernstein Quartet with Adam Birnbaum, Doug Weiss, Al Foster
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35• Eyvind Kang, Hidayat Honari, Shahzad Ismaily
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êGilad Hekselman Trio with Larry Grenadier, Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, February 1

CONNECTICUT
333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pm
Eric Wong,
Coles;Peter
SethWashington,
Cluet			• Ian8/20Douglas-Moore,(6 pm) Ken Peplowski
with Dominic
Donald Vega,
Nasheet Waits		8/27 (6 pm) Donald Vega with Peter411
K
Washington,
Nasheet Waits
Greenwich Jazz Festival @ Great Lawn (Greenwich, CT) https://culturalalliancefc.orgêMonte Croft Trio

8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22, 8/29 (9 pm) Red Planet
8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30 (9 pm) Kevin Saint James Band
Owl Shop (New Haven, CT) https://owlshopcigars.com
8/18 (7/9 pm) Emily Mazzella Quartet
Palace Theater Poli Club (Waterbury, CT) https://www.palacetheaterct.org/shows/jazz
8/4 (8 pm) Rachel & Vilray
Ridgefield Playhouse (Ridgefield, CT) https://ridgefieldplayhouse.org
8/11 (8:30 pm) Mike LeDonne’s Groover Quartet
8/12 (8:30 pm) Mike LeDonne’s Groover Quartet
8/18 (8:30 pm) Aaron Goldberg Trio
8/19 (8:30 pm) Aaron Goldberg Trio
Side Door (Old Lyme, CT) https://thesidedoorjazz.com
NEW JERSEY
8/4 (7:30/9:15 pm) T.K.Blue “Organ Soundz” with Akiko Tsuruga
8/11 (7:30/9:15 pm) Imraan Khan Quartet
8/18 (7:30/9:15 pm) Edsel Gomez Trio
8/25 (7:30/9:15 pm) Ron Jackson Trio
Brothers Smokehouse (Ramsey, NJ) https://www.brotherssmokehousenj.com
8/3 (7:30 pm) Bill Saxton
8/10 (7:30 pm) Mark Gross
8/17 (7:30 pm) Daryl Yokley
8/24 (7:30 pm) Sharp Radway
8/31 (7:30 pm) Vince Ector
Englewood Public Library (Englewood, NJ) https://englewoodlibrary.org
8/24 (7 pm) Darrell Smith
Jazz House Kids (Montclair, NJ) https://jazzhousekids.org

100 MILES OUT
8/13 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: The Analog Jazz Orchestra with Kevin Bene,
Geoff Vidal, Luke Batson, Brad Hubbard, Jason Miller, Jeff Fairbanks,
Brian Bonvissuto, Erick Storckman, John Castleman, Chris Persad, Kenny
Harbus, Rich Johnson, Scott Arcangel, Scott Drewes, Rob Helsel, Lou Pappas
8/13 (7:30 pm) Joe Lovano’s Analog Jazz Orchestra
8/26 (7:30 pm) Ed Palermo Big BandThe Falcon (Marlboro, NY) https://www.liveatthefalcon.com

8/31 (7 pm) Interplay Jazz Orchestra
The Jazz Loft (Stony Brook, NY) https://www.thejazzloft.org

8/13 (12 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Bob Shaut and Sax Life
Frank Guido’s Little Italy (Kingston, NY) https://hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org

8/13 (3 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Rick Savage Quartet with Joe Vincent Tranchina,
Gandharva Earl Sauls, Eliot Zigmund
Last Whiskey Bar (Warwick, NY) https://lastwhiskybar.com

8/9 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Sean Crimmins Heart Strings Band
8/10 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Depetris/Laks Duo
8/11 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Soul Jazz Collective with Steve Raleigh,Pete Levin, Lew Scott, Matt Garrity
8/12 (12 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Nancy Tierney Trio
Front Street Tavern (Kingston, NY) https://frontstreetkingston.com”
8/28 (7 pm) Charles McPherson quartet with Randy Brecker: “Bird Lives”
Hamptons JazzFest @Church at Bay Street Theater (Sag Harbor, NY)
https://hamptonsjazzfest.org
8/3 (2 pm) Galeet Dardashti and Divahn
8/10 (6:30 pm) Matt Wilson Quartet
8/24 (6:30 pm) Mafalda Minnozzi & Paul Ricci Qunitet
Hamptons JazzFest @Church at Sag Harbor (Sag Harbor, NY)
https://hamptonsjazzfest.org
8/20 (6 pm) Bill O’Connell Quartet with Billy Hart, Craig Handy
Hamptons JazzFest @Gosman’s Dock (Montauk, NY)
https://www.hamptonsjazzfest.com
8/2 (6 pm) Micahel O’Brien Trio
8/16 (6 pm) Iris Ornig Trio
Hamptons JazzFest @Hampton Library (Bridgehamtpon, NY)
https://hamptonsjazzfest.org

8/8 (6 pm) T.K. Blue with S.O.L.E.
Liberty State Park (Jersey City, NJ) https://visitnj.org/article/liberty-state-park
8/12 (4:30-10pm ) Charlie Siegler; Endea Owens and The Cookout; DJ Brother Misteraka Christian McBrideMontclair Jazz Festival: Lackawanna Plaza (Montclair, NJ)
https://www.montclairjazzfestival.org/

8/4 (6 pm) Spike Wilner Trio
8/18 (6 pm) Sasha Berliner Quartet
Hamptons JazzFest @Parrish Art Museum (Water Mill, NY)
https://hamptonsjazzfest.org

8/4 (7 pm) Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (New Brunswick, NJ) https://nbpac.org

8/1 (7 pm) Santi Debriano and Arkestra Bembe
Hamptons JazzFest @Southampton Arts Center (Southampton, NY)
https://hamptonsjazzfest.org

8/1 (6:30 pm) John Korba with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
8/2 (6 pm) Jan Findlay with Tomoko Ohno, John Zweig, Rick Crane
8/3 (7 pm) Meant To Be Quartet with Glen Merritt, Alan Hayes, Pete Omelio, John Higgins
8/5 (7 pm) Champian Fulton with Fukushi Tainaka, Hide Tanaka
8/8 (6:30 pm) John Korba with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
8/9 (7 pm) Adrian Cunningham
8/12 (7 pm) Good Stuff
8/15 (6:30 pm) John Korba with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
8/18 (7 pm) Eric Mintel Quartet with Dave Antonow, Dave Mohn, Nelson Hill
8/19 (7 pm) SaRon Crenshaw
8/22 (6:30 pm) John Korba with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
8/25 (7 pm) Dave Stryker Trio
8/26 (7 pm) Nicki Denner Trio with Jennifer Vincent, Pablo Bencid
8/29 (6:30 pm) John Korba with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
Shanghai Jazz (Madison, NJ) https://www.shanghaijazz.com
8/3 (7 pm) Kate Curran Quartet
8/10 (7 pm) Ray Blue Quartet
8/17 (7 pm) Marianne Solivan Quartet
Tavern on George (New Brunswick, NJ) https://www.tavernongeorge.com
NEW YORK
8/13 (2 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Billy Stein, Joe Giardullo, Harvey Sorgen
Albert Wisner Library (Warwick, NY) https://hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org
8/11 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Judi Silvano, Matt Finck, Teri Roiger,
Gabriele Tranchina, John Menegon
Astoria Hudson (Montgomery, NY) https://www.astoriahudson.com
8/12 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Steve Slagle Group with Matt Garrity
Barnstock (Woodstock, NY) https://barnstockny.com
8/9 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Taru Alexander, Robert Kopec, Eric Person,
Bill Ware
8/12 (3 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Brian Kastan GroupThe Cove Castle (Greenwood Lake, NY) https://hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org

8/4 (7 pm) Club d’Elf with John Medeski, Eric Kalb, Will Bernard, Mister Rourke,
Mike Rivard
8/5 (7:30 pm) Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and Friends
8/6 (7:30 pm) Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet

8/12 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Jeff Ciampa with Chris Pasin Quartet
Lydia’s Café (Stone Ridge, NY) https://www.lydias-cafe.com
8/12 (8 pm) Arturo O’Farrill Quartet
8/19 (8 pm) Nilson Matta Brazilian Voyage
The Maverick (Woodstock, NY) https://maverickconcerts.org
8/3 (6:30 pm) Joel Forrester
Pierson Park (Tarrytown, NY) https://www.tarrytownny.gov
8/24 (7 pm) Yosvany Terry, Michael Rodriguez, Osmany Paredes, Yunior Terry,
Obed Calvaire
The Pocantico Center (Tarrytown, NY) https://www.rbf.org/pocantico
8/11 (7:30 pm) Jerry Vivino, Adam Nussbaum, Sue Williams, Tomoko Ohno
Railroad Green (Warwick, NY) https://villageofwarwick.org
8/20 (12-8 pm) Jazz in the Park Festival: Ensemble; T.K. Blue Quartet; Harlem Blues and Jazz
Band; Cynthia Scott Quintet; Ray Blue Quintet; Mark Morganelli Jazz Forum Brazilian All-Stars
Riverfront Green Park (Peekskill, NY) https://www.cccjazz.org

8/7 (6 pm) Amina Figarova
8/14 (6 pm) GilL Goldstein
Hamptons JazzFest @LTV Media Center (Wainscott, NY)
https://hamptonsjazzfest.org

8/20 (7 pm) Béla Fleck solo; Shakti with John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, V. Selvaganesh,
Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan
New Jersey Performing Arts Center @Prudential Hall (Newark, NJ)
https://www.njpac.org

8/3 (8 pm) Brasil Trio + 1 and Jam
8/4 (7/9 pm) Naama Quartet
8/5 (7/9 pm) Andy Bianco Organ Quartet with Wayne Escoffery, Brad Whiteley, Paul Wells
Jazz on Main (Mt. Kisco, NY) https://jazzonmain.com

8/12 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Village Jazz Quartet
Silvio’s Italian Villa (Warwick, NY)
8/10 (6:30 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Camille Thurman
with the Darrell Green Quartet
Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center (Sugar Loaf, NY) https://hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org
8/12 (1 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Rave Tesar/Mike Jackson Group
Trail’s End Taphouse (Greenwood Lake, NY) https://www.trailsendtaphouse.com
8/2 (8 pm) Grex with Karl Evangelista, Rei Scampavia; Allen Lowe/Lewis Porter
Tubby’s (Kingston, NY) https://www.tubbyskingston.com

8/20 (2 pm) Joe Duraes and The Skills
Hendrick Hudson Free Library (Montrose, NY) https://henhudfreelibrary.org
8/12 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: David Amram
Howland Cultural Center (Beacon, NY) https://hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org
8/10 (6 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Nancy Donnelly with Peter Tomlinson Duo
Hudson House Distillery (West Park, NY) https://www.thehudsonhouseny.com
8/3 (7/8:30 pm) Chris Vitarello
8/10 (7/8:30 pm) Chris Morrison, Paul Connors, Jon Doty
8/17 (7/8:30 pm) Satish Robertson, Paul Connors, Jon Doty
8/24 (7/8:30 pm) Mark Barden, Paul Connors, Jon Doty
8/31 (7/8:30 pm) Chris Vitarello
Jazz at The Lodge (Ossining, NY) https://www.jazzatthelodge.com
8/4, 8/5 (7/9:30 pm) Willie Jones III Quintet
8/6 (4/6 pm) Klaus Mueller Quartet
8/11, 8/12 (7/9:30 pm) Rodney Jones Quartet with Ron Blake, Lonnie Plaxico, Carl Allen
8/13 (4/6 pm) Greg Abate Quartet
8/18, 8/19 (7/9:30 pm) Oscar Feldman Quartet: “Celebrating the Music of Gato Barbieri”
8/20 (4/6 pm) Bertha Hope Quartet: “Salute to Elmo Hope’s Centennial”
8/25, 8/26 (7/9:30 pm) Roni Ben Hur Sextet with George Cables:“Remembering Barry Harris”
8/27 (4/6 pm) Mark Soskin Trio with Jay Anderson, Matt Wilson
Jazz Forum Arts (Tarrytown, NY) https://jazzforumarts.org
8/11 (6:30 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Vanessa Racci Band
Jazz Forum Arts presents Jazz at Pierson Park (Tarrytown, NY)
https://jazzforumarts.org/summer-concerts/pierson-park
8/2 (7 pm) Keenan Zach and the Jazz Loft Trio and Jam
8/8 (5 pm) Jazz Loft Quartet: “The Great American Songbook”
8/9 (7 pm) Keenan Zach and the Jazz Loft Trio and Jam
8/10 (6 pm) Melanie Marod Ensemble
8/11 (7 pm) John Jorgensen Quintet with Simon Planting, Casey Driscoll, Rick Reed,
Rory Hoffman
8/12 (12 pm) John Monteleone/Steve Salerno: “Guitar Workshop”; Steve Salerno Triowith Ray Anderson, Dean Johnson
8/16 (7 pm) Keenan Zach and the Jazz Loft Trio and Jam
8/17 (7 pm) Bad Little Big Band
8/23 (7 pm) Keenan Zach and the Jazz Loft Trio and Jam
8/24 (6 pm) The Phoenix Big Band
8/25, 8/26 (7 pm) Nicole Zuraitis: “Sings the Keely Smith Songbook”
8/30 (7 pm) Keenan Zach and the Jazz Loft Trio and Jam

8/9 (7:30 pm) Jack DeJohnette: “Tribute to Miles Davis” with Don Byron, Will Calhoun, George
Colligan, Matthew Garrison, Wallace Roney Jr., Luisito Quintero, Vernon Reid
Ulster Performing Arts Center (Kingston, NY) https://www.bardavon.org
8/11 (6 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Circular Jazz, The Guitar Trio
Unison Arts (New Paltz, NY) https://hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org
8/10 (7 pm) Hudson Valley Jazz Festival: Joe Vincent Tranchina, Bryan Kopchak Neil,
Alexander, Robert Kopec: “Bill Evans Tribute”
Up Front Exhibition Space (Port Jervis, NY)
http://artistsmarketcc.com/UpfrontGallery.html
PENNSYLVANIA
8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30 (8/9:30 pm) Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra
8/3 (8/9:30 pm) Bianca Love
8/4 (8/10/11:30 pm) Imani-Grace Cooper; Jake Kaplan
8/5 (8/10 pm) Steve Weiss
8/10 (8/9:30 pm) Justin Farquhar
8/11 (8/10/11:30 pm) Joe Block; Oliver Mayman
8/12 (8/10 pm) Dylan Band
8/17 (8/9:30 pm) Cameron Sewell-Snyder
8/18 (8/10/11:30 pm) T.K. Blue; Jake Kaplan
8/19 (8/10 pm) Jonathan Michel
8/24 (8/9:30 pm) Peter Frank
8/25 (8/10/11:30 pm) Aidan McKeon; Oliver Mayman
8/26 (8/10 pm) Kaisa Mäensivu
8/31 (8/9:30 pm) Skyler Hagner Nonet
Chris’ Jazz Café (Philadephia, PA) https://www.chrisjazzcafe.com
8/3, 8/10, 8/17, 8/24 (7 pm) Bill Washer & Friends, and Jazz Jam
8/4 (7 pm) David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
8/5 (7 pm) Emily Braden
8/6 (7 pm) Jay Leonhart
8/11 (7 pm) Yoko Miwa Trio with Will Slater, Scott Goulding
8/12 (7 pm) Naama Gheber
8/13 (5 pm) The Hot Club of Scranton with Roy Williams, Nick Driscoll, Mark Woodyatt,Mike Williams, Ian O’Hara
8/18 (7 pm) Co-Op Bop with Alan Gaumer, Nelson Hill, Tom Hamilton, Craig Kastelnik,
Tom Kozic, Dave Mohn
8/19 (7 pm) Houston Person with the David Leonhardt, Matthew Parrish, Colby Inzer
8/20 (5 pm) Erin McClelland Band with Spencer Reed, Tony Marino, Daniel Gonzalez
8/25 (7 pm) Walt Bibinger/Zach Brock
8/26 (7 pm) Nellie McKay
8/27 (5 pm) Hot Takes Trio with Patrick Kerrsen, Erica Golaszewski, Ron Bogart
8/28 (7:30 pm) The Water Gap Jazz Orchestra
Deer Head Inn (Delaware Water Gap, PA) https://deerheadinn.com
8/2 (7 pm) Judi Silvano and The Family Band with Teri Roiger, Bruce Arnold,
John Menegon
Settler’s Inn (Hawley, PA) http://www.thesettlersinn.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 37

C LU B D I RE C TO RY• Aberdeen Street Community Garden
98 Aberdeen Str., Brooklyn
Subway: L to Bushwick Ave / Aberdeen Str.
• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Str.
(212-675-6879) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
arthurstavernnyc.com• Bar Bayeux 1066 Nostrand Ave.
(347-533-7845) Subway: 2, 5 to Sterling Str.
barbayeux.com• Bar Lunàtico 486 Halsey Str.
(917-495-9473) Subway: C to Kingston-Throop Ave.
barlunatico.com• Barbès 376 9th Str. at 6th Ave., Brooklyn(718-965-9177) Subway: F to 7th Ave.
barbesbrooklyn.com• Bill’s Place 148 W. 133rd Str. btwn. Lenox and 7th Ave.
(212-281-0777) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
billsplaceharlem.com• Birdland 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.
(212-581-3080) Subway: 7, A, C, E, F, N, Q, R, to 42nd Str.
birdlandjazz.com• Birdland Theater 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.
(212-581-3080) Subway: 7, A, C, E, F, N, Q, R, to 42nd Str.
birdlandjazz.com• Blue Note 131 W. 3rd Str. at 6th Ave.
(212-475-8592) Subway: A, C, E, F,
V Grand Str. Shuttle to W. 4th Str.
bluenotejazz.com• Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 58 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn(718-622-3300) Subway: F to Seventh Ave. , N, R to Union Str.
bkcm.org• Brooklyn Museum of Art 200 Eastern Parkway(718-638-5000) Subway: 2, 3 to Eastern Parkway
brooklynmuseum.org• Bryant Park 5th and 6th Ave. btwn. 40th and 42nd Str.
(212-768-4242) Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 42nd Str.
bryantpark.org• Café Luce 235 E. 53rd Str.
(646-590-2777) Subway: E, M to Lexington Ave. / 53rd Str.
cafelucenyc.com• Cellar Dog 75 Christopher Str. at 7th Ave.
(212-675-6056) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str. /Sheridan Sq.
cellardog.net• Central Park Great Hill 105th Str.
Subway: B, C to 103rd Str.
jazzmobile.org• Chelsea Table + Stage Hilton Fashion District Hotel,
152 W 26th Str.
(212-434-0499) Subway: C, E to 23rd Str.; R, W to 28th Str.
chelseatableandstage.com• City Winery 25 11th Ave. (at 15th Str.)(646-751-6033) Subway: A, C, E, L to 14th Str.
citywinery.com• Coby Club 156 1/2 7th Ave(646-504-0519) Subway: 1 to 18th Str.
cobyclubnyc.com• Coney Island Ampitheater 3052 W 21st Str., Brooklyn(718-954-9933) Subway: D, F, N, Q to Stillwell Ave.
seasideparkconeyisland.com• Crotona Park 1591 Fulton Ave., Bronx(212-639-9675) Subway: 2, 5 to 174th Str.
• Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center Broadway and 62nd Str.
Subway: 1 to 66th Str.
• Dizzy’s Club 33 W. 60th Str., 11th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F
to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• The Django 2 Sixth Ave.
(212-519-6600) Subway: A, C, E to Canal Str.; 1 to Franklin Str.
thedjangonyc.com• Downtown Music Gallery 13 Monroe Str.
(212-473-0043) Subway: F to East Broadway
downtownmusicgallery.com• Drom 85 Ave. A(212-777-1157) Subway: F to Second Ave.
dromnyc.com• Dyckman Farmhouse Museum 4881 Broadway(212-304-9422) Subway: A to 207th Str.
dyckmanfarmhouse.org• El Sol Brillante Community Garden 522 E. 12th Str.
Subway: L to First Ave.
elsolbrillante.org• Entwine Wine Bar 765 Washington Str.
(212-727-8765) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, L to 14th Str.
entwinenyc.com• Gantry Plaza State Park 49th Ave. and Center Blvd.
Subway: 7 to Vernon-Jackson Blvd.
liveatthegantries.com• Grace Gospel Church 589 E. 164th Str.
(718-328-0166) Subway: 2, 5 to Prospect Ave.
• Grant’s Tomb 122nd Str. and Riverside Dr.
Subway: 1 to 125th Str.
jazzmobile.org• Hansborough Recreation Center 35. W. 134th Str.
(212-234-9603) Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Str.
nycgovparks.org• Harlem Rose Garden 6 E. 129th Str.
Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
• Ibeam Brooklyn 168 7th Str. btwn. Second and Third Ave.
Subway: F to 4th Ave.
ibeambrooklyn.com• Iridium 1650 Broadway at 51st Str.
(212-582-2121) Subway: 1,2 to 50th Str.
theiridium.com• The Jazz Gallery 1160 Broadway, 5th fl(212-242-1063) Subway: C, E, to Spring Str. ; 1, 2 to Houston Str.
jazzgallery.org• Jazz Museum in Harlem 58 W. 129th Str. btwn. Madison andLenox Ave.
(212-348-8300) Subway: 6 to 125th Str.
jazzmuseuminharlem.org• Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Str.
(212-539-8770) Subway: N, R to 8th Str.-NYU; 6 to Astor Pl.
joespub.com• The Keep 205 Cypress Ave., Queens(718-381-0400) Subway: L to Jefferson Str.
thekeepny.com• Klavierhaus 549 W. 52nd Str., 7th Floor(212-245-4535) Subway: C, E to 50th Str.
klavierhaus.com• Le Chéile 839 W. 181st Str.
(212-740-3111) Subway: A to 181st Str.
lecheilenyc.com• Little Branch 22 7th Ave. South(212-929-4360) Subway: 1 to Houston Str.
littlebranch.net• Lowlands 543 Third Ave., Brooklyn(347-463-9458) Subway: R to Prospect Ave.
lowlandsbar.com• Main Drag Music 50 S. 1st Str. between Kent and Wythe Ave.
(718-388-6365) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
maindragmusic.com• Marcus Garvey Park, Richard Rogers Amphitheater
120th Str. btwn. Mt. Morris Park and Madison Ave.
(212-201-PARK) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to 125th Str.
cityparksfoundation.org• Mezzrow 163 W. 10th Str.
(646-476-4346) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smalls.com• More Gardens Stanton Str. Between Eassex and Norfolk Str.
Subway: B, D to Grand Str.
moregardens.org• Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church
15 Mount Morris Park West(212-831-6800) Subway: 2, 3 to 125 Str.
• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Pl. at McDougal Str.
(212-254-1200) Subway: A, B, C, E, F, V to West 4th Str.
northsquareny.com/about-jazz.php• Nublu 151 151 Ave C
Subway: L to 1st Ave.
nublu.net

38 August 2023 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Ornithology Jazz Club 6 Suydam Str., Brooklyn(917-231-4766) Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Ave.
ornithologyjazzclub.com• Pangea 178 Second Ave.
(212-995-0900) Subway: L to First Ave.
pangeanyc.com• Patrick’s Place 2835 Frederick Blvd.
(212-491-7800) Subway: B, D to 155th Str.
patricksplaceharlem.com• Pier 84 W. 44th Str. and Hudson River
Subway: A, C, E, F, V to 42nd Str. -Port Authority
jazzfoundation.org• Poster House 119 W. 23rd Str.
(917-722-2439) Subway: 1, 2 to 23rd Str.
posterhouse.org• Roberto Clemente State Park 301 W Tremont Ave., Bronx(718-299-8750) Subway: Metro North: Hudson Line to Morris
Heights
parks.ny.gov/parks/140/details.aspx• Room 623 at B2 Harlem 271 W. 119th Str.
(212-280-2248) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
b2harlem.com• Roulette 509 Atlantic Ave.
(917-267-0363) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Atlantic Ave.
roulette.org• Rumsey Playfield in Central Park 72nd Str. and Fifth Ave.
(212-360-2777) Subway: B, D to 72nd Str.
summerstage.org• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Str.
(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Str.
saintpeters.org• Shrine 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. btwn.
133rd & 134th Str.
(212-690-7807) Subway: B, 2, 3 to 135th Str.
shrinenyc.com• Silvana 300 W. 116th Str.
(646-692-4935) Subway: B, C, to 116th Str.
silvana-nyc.com• Smalls 183 W 10th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-252-5091) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallsjazz.com• Smoke 2751 Broadway btwn. 105th and 106th Str.
(212-864-6662) Subway: 1 to 103rd Str.
smokejazz.com• Snug Harbor Cultural Center1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island(718-448-2500) Subway:
jazzmobile.org• Socrates Sculpture Park 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City
(718-956-1819) Subway: 7 to Vernon Blvd.-Jackson Ave.;
M to Broadway
socratessculpturepark.org• The Stone at The New School 55 West 13th Str.
(212-229-5600) Subway: F, V to 14th Str.
thestonenyc.com• Tipsy Grape Wine Bar 110 Smith Str., Brooklyn(347-588-3955) Subway: F, G to Bergen Str.; A, C, G to Hoyt/
Schermerhorn Str.
tipsygrapeny.com• Tompkins Square Park 7th to 10th Str. btwn. Ave. A and Ave. B(212-387-7685) Subway: L to 1st Ave. ; F, V to Second Ave.;
6 to Astor Pl.
• Tompkins Square Park Library 10th Str. and Ave. B(212-925-5256) Subway: L to 1st Ave. ; F, V to Second Ave.
• Union Pool 484 Union Ave. at Meeker(718-609-0484) Subway: L to Lorimer Str.
union-pool.com• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Ave. South at 11th Str.
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Str.
villagevanguard.com• Zinc Bar 82 W. 3rd Str.
(212-477-8337) Subway: A, C, E, F, V, Grand Str. Shuttle
to W. 4th Str.
zincbar.com

I N ME MORIAMEMILI BALERIOLA (Apr. 4, 1952 – Jun. 19, 2023) The
Barcelona-based guitarist, a progenitor of Catalan jazz
fusion, died at 71 from an aneurysm. Baleriola formed thegroundbreaking band Crac with his local music academy
chum Carles Benavent in 1970, before joining Enric Herrera inanother progressive jazz-rock band, Màquina! for its second
album, En directo. After completing his military service in
1974, he started Urban Band, then worked with renowned
Catalan singer-songwriter Jaume Sisa on Le catedral. (1997).
In the ’80s, Baleriola was a member of the Plateria Orchestra,
guesting in other bands and recording solo albums in his
Barcelona studio. His last recording was Bad Times Magic(2002).
PETER BRÖTZMANN (Mar. 6, 1941 – Jun. 22, 2023) An
incendiary, uncompromising improviser, the iconoclastic
avant garde saxophonist died at 82 in Wuppertal where he
was born. Acknowledged as one of the key figures in free
jazz, Brötzmann worked with scores of avant gardists on
both sides of the Atlantic, mainly playing tenor and alto
saxophone, but also soprano and baritone saxes, various
clarinets and tárogató (a Hungarian reed instrument). Trained
as a visual artist—his art and calligraphy grace many of hisalbum covers—he worked with Fluxus stalwart Nam June
Paik before deciding to pursue music, inspired by a Sidney
Bechet concert he attended, as well as hearing Miles Davisand John Coltrane live. Brötzmann first worked in a free jazztrio with bassist Peter Kowald and drummer/percussionist
Sven-Åke Johansson, recording with them on two seminal
free jazz albums: For Adolphe Sax and Machine Gun, thelatter titled from a nickname given to him by trumpeter
Don Cherry. A prolific artist and wide-ranging collaborator,
the saxophonist spent time with Han Bennink in InstantComposers Pool and then dueted with the Dutch drummer
on another groundbreaking album, Schwarzwaldfahrt,
which featured jams with birdsong and his horn recorded
underwater. Brötzmann worked with guitarist Sonny
Sharrock in a duo, and in Last Exit (with bassist Bill Laswelland drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson) in the ’80s and’90s, and later with Chicago multi-reedist Ken Vandermark,and trumpeter Toshinori Kondo, bassist William Parker
and drummer Hamid Drake in the Die Like a Dog Quartet.
His Chicago Tentet was especially active for over a dozen
years starting in the late ‘90s, touring internationally andreleasing a dozen albums in that timespan as well. Almosta decade ago, he began a fruitful collaboration with pedal
steel guitarist Heather Leigh (their Naked Nudes was released
earlier this year), adding to his vast catalogue of duo
collaborators which includes a shopping list of significant
drummers: Bennink, Drake, Andrew Cyrille, Walter Perkins,
Nasheet Waits, Michael Zerang, Paal Nilssen-Love, Steve
Noble, Peeter Uuskyla, et al. All told, Brötzmann’s legacy
includes hundreds of inimitable recordings as leader andcollaborator with other free jazz luminaries.
KIM CUSACK (Dec. 28, 1938 – Jun. 2, 2023) The traditional
jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist, beloved by generationsof Chicago-area music fans, died at 84; he lived in Delavan,
WI. He began learning clarinet in fifth grade. And withboyhood pal, pianist James Dapogney, he first joined theChicago Stompers, a band then led by trumpeter Ted
Butterman, with whom he would play in the Chicago Cubs’
famed Dixieland band for over 50 years. In 1957, Cusackbecame the top clarinetist for the Salty Dogs Jazz Band’s
Chicago gigs, and eventually ended up working with many
top trad jazz bands and artists, including Wild Bill Davison,
Turk Murphy and Ernie Carson’s Original Cottonmouth
Jazz Band. Ten days before he died, Cusack performed in
Wisconsin with Bob Schultz’ Frisco Jazz Band at a meeting of
the Madison Jazz Society.
ASTRUD GILBERTO (Mar. 29, 1940 – Jun. 5, 2023) The worldfamous singer from Brazil, who helped popularize bossa
nova with the hit song “The Girl from Ipanema”, died at 83 inPhiladelphia, PA, from lung cancer. Born Astrud Evangelina
Weinert in Salvador, a city in Brazil’s northern state of Bahia,
and raised in Rio de Janeiro, she began singing while in her
teens. She was 19 when she married guitarist, singer andcomposer João Gilberto, who was instrumental in launchingbossa nova, and worked with him frequently. In March 1963,
Gilberto accompanied her husband to New York City, where
he was making the album with Stan Getz later released as Getz/
Gilberto. It was decided to include a cover of “The Girl from
Ipanema”, a pensive ballad written by Antônio Carlos Jobim
and poet Vinícius de Moraes; Gilberto ended up singing theEnglish lyric (written by Norman Gimbel) on one verse of thesong, while her husband sang a verse in Portuguese. The song
won a Grammy for “Record of the Year” and subsequently
became one of the most recorded songs in music history.
Resulting fame and popularity from her vocal performance led
to a tour and a live album with Getz and subsequent albums
on Verve; she worked with Gil Evans (Look to the Rainbow),and Don Sebesky/Claus Ogerman (The Shadow of Your Smile).
Gilberto later recorded with Stanley Turrentine, but in the ’70s
worked less frequently after her 1964 divorce from Gilberto
and as her disenchantment with the music business grew.
She made notable recordings with the James Last Orchestra
and Japanese trombonist Shigeharu Mikei, dueted with
George Michael for the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio,and released a final album in 2002, a contemporary pop-jazzcollection called Jungle. In 2008, Gilberto was awarded a Latin
Grammy for Lifetime Achievement.
JOAQUIM “LUCKY” GURI (1950 – Jun. 22, 2023) The
pianist and bandleader, who became a fixture on Catalonia’s
TV3 in the ’90s, died at 73 in Palamós, Catalonia, Spain. Born
in Calella in Spain’s Maresme region, his family moved
to Barcelona when he was 7, the same year he entered theMunicipal Music Conservatory to study classical piano. Guriformed his first jazz trio in 1967. At La Cova del Drac, a wellknown Barcelona jazz haunt, he worked with numerous
touring American jazz artists and introduced the electric
piano to the bandstand. Guri inaugurated his New Jazz Trio(renamed Barcelona Traction) in the early ’70s. A popular
figure on radio and TV, Guri had a stroke in 2004, but slowly
relearned how to play piano and eventually returned toperforming.
DAVID KOETHER (Feb. 26, 1944 – Jun. 6, 2023) A
drummer-percussionist, and professional photographer,
Koether died at 79 in Ann Arbor, MI. Originally from San
Diego, he graduated from Albion College, then stayed toteach sixth grade. He later became an assertiveness traineron contract with the Navy. Active in the Detroit jazz scene,
Koether recorded with the quintet Mixed Bag, which backed
saxophonist Sonny Stitt on his Brand New Bag album.
VINCENT LATO, JR. (Aug. 26, 1945 – Jun. 1, 2023) The
Ocean State’s much-loved saxophonist died at 77 in Cranston,
RI. Born and raised in Providence, “Vinny” learned flute andsaxophone early on and played in the Rhode Island Youth
Philharmonic before heading to Boston’s Berklee College ofMusic. Over the years, Lato worked and toured with a litanyof jazz and popular music greats—Tony Bennett, Louie
Bellson, Etta James, Natalie Cole, Jimmy Smith and The
Righteous Brothers. He was a regular on local Rhode Island
bandstands, playing with artists including Mike Renzi, Duke
Belaire and Tony Giorgianni as well as the Calamari Brothers.
BOB MARTIN (1948 – Jun. 1, 2023) The alto saxophonist,
whose tenure from 1976-92 with the Bob Young Orchestra
in Atlantic City, NJ (where he was born and raised) meantaccompanying the biggest stars in showbiz, died at 74.
Martin took lessons with Gene Quill, Phil Woods’ frequentfoil, before attending Berklee College of Music in Boston.
A student of bop saxophone, he found work after collegewith Buddy Rich, staying with the drummer for two sizable
stints. He also worked with trumpeters Bill Hardman and
Al Porcino. While with Young, Martin would zip over toPhiladelphia to play with Shirley Scott or his drummer/
brother Doug. In 1997, the saxophonist moved to London,
where he stayed for 15 years; he later lived in France.
MAX MORATH (Oct. 1, 1926 – Jun. 19, 2023) The polymath
pianist known as “Mr. Ragtime” died at 96 in Duluth, MN.
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, CO, he learned pianoand harmony as a child. While in high school, Morathworked as a radio announcer. He attended Colorado College
and the Stanford–NBC Radio and Television Institute,during which time he developed an interest in early
popular music and theater, leading him to study ragtime
pioneers Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake. He produced a 12part public television program called “The Ragtime Era”
in 1960, which led to programs on Tin Pan Alley and othersubjects; his documentary series “The Turn of the Century”
was broadcast in 1962. As a performer and recording artist,
Morath benefited greatly from the ragtime resurgence of theearly ’70s. At 70, he earned a Master’s degree in American
studies from Columbia University—his thesis was on thecomposer Carrie Jacobs-Bond, which he followed with anovel based on his research. He also authored The NPR
Curious Listener’s Guide to Popular Standards and wrote twomusicals and a screenplay. In 2016, he was inducted into the
Colorado Music Hall of Fame.
TOM NICHOLAS (Mar. 8, 1938 – Jun. 16, 2023) The drummerpercussionist died at 85 in Germany, where he resided. Born
in Philadelphia, he began playing drums in grade school.
Nicholas moved to California, recorded with guitarist
Michael Howell and saxophonist John Handy and worked
with Kenny Burrell, Dewey Redman, Pharoah Sanders andEddie Moore before relocating to New York City. He thenmoved to Europe in 1977, ending up in Darmstadt, Germany
where he became a fixture in the German jazz scene, recordingwith the Afrobeat band Mombasa, Peter Giger Percussion
Orchestra, Vienna Art Orchestra and Albert Mangelsdorff.
With saxophonist Anke Schimpf, Nicholas co-led the Black &White Cooperation, which released three albums.
MARTIN ROJAS (Sep. 3, 1943 – Jun. 11, 2023) The
influential guitarist-composer, and co-founder of the Nueva
Trova Cubana movement, died at 79 in Miami, FL. Born in
Havana, he was blinded in an accident at seven. During his
convalescence he began to learn guitar and later studied
with Isaac Nicola, Cuba’s top guitar teacher at the time.
Rojas founded the group Antares for blind musicians in
1958, and continued performing with them for six years. In
1966, he founded Grupo Sonorama 6 with Paquito D’Rivera,
Changuito and bassist Carlos del Puerto. Rojas was afavorite accompanist for many of Cuba’s top vocalists—heworked with Omara Portuondo and Elena Burke for nearly
two decades—and after he moved to the U.S. in 1998, hecontinued to work with and compose for different musicians,
including his former Nueva Trova compatriot Pablo Milanés.
Rojas appears on Nocturne (2001) with Gonzalo Rubalcaba
and Charlie Haden.
HOWIE SHEAR (Aug. 5, 1954 – Jun. 27, 2023) A Los Angelesbased trumpeter and composer-arranger, Shear died at 68.
After receiving a degree in music from SUNY at Fredonia,
NY and a Master’s from the Eastman School of Music, Shear
joined Woody Herman and His Orchestra in 1980. He thenrelocated to L.A., played with Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé andGeorge Benson and added arrangements and solos to Terry
Gibbs’ 52nd & Broadway: Songs of the Bebop Era (2004). Shearalso led small combos and released Bopliography (2003). For
several seasons, Shear was trumpeter/arranger for The Late
Show Starring Joan Rivers. He was also a longtime trumpet
teacher at Cal State University, Northridge and the Los
Angeles College of Music, even while battling Tourette’s
syndrome, as he had throughout much of his life.
JACKIE WILLIAMS (Jan. 2, 1933 – Jun. 11, 2023) The
drummer and lifelong Harlem resident, Williams died at 90.
He started playing professionally at a young age, working
with Doc Cheatham for 18 years, as well as accompanying
scores of notables around NYC and in Europe, such as Illinois
Jacquet, Jay McShann, Buck Clayton, Bobby Hackett, Alberta
Hunter, Warren Vaché, Jr., Earl Hines, Maxine Sullivan,
Buddy Tate, Stéphane Grappelli and Teddy Wilson. Williams
also recorded with Junior Mance and Keter Betts in the
Floating Jazz Festival Trio. While in his 80s Williams was stillplaying with younger musicians including Ray Blue, Evan
Christopher and Nicki Parrott.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | August 2023 39

FREE CONCERTS
IN AUGUST

8/11 (F) SIPHO KUNENE & WOZA MASEKELA

8/1 (Tu) Phil Young

8/19 (S) Jimmy Owens

SAT. AUG 12 4-7 pm

Lezlie Harrison
8/23 (W) Paul West
8/2 (W) Danny Mixon

Jeremy Pelt

Wycliffe Gordon

Bobby Sanabria
8/25 (F) Dianne Reeves

8/4 (F ) Craig Harris

8/18 (F) Jason Moran
8/25 (F) T.K. Blue

8/5 (S) Steven Kroon

8/17 (Th) Omar Edwards

8/17 (Th) Dietrice Bolden____________________________________________________________________________________________

7pm TUESDAY 8/1: 229 W. 135th St. | 7pm WEDNESDAYS: Grant's Tomb RSD W. 122nd
5pm THURSDAY 8/17: SummerStage in HARLEM - 163 W. 125th St.
7pm FRIDAYS: Marcus Garvey Park : Fifth Ave & W. 124th St. Entrance
SATURDAYS:
3pm 8/5 Snug Harbor, Staten Island
4pm 8/12 The Great Hill in Central Park CPW and W. 106th Entrance
5pm 8/19 The Louis Armstrong House Museum, Corona, Queens|

8/9 (W) Donald Harrison
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8/30 (W) Arturo O' Farrill
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