YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE NYC JAZZ SCENE

July 2024—ISSUE 267

NYCJAZZRECORD.COM

AARON DIEHLThe Real Diehl

DENA
DEROSEMARCUSGILMOREDON
PATE

HERBIENICHOLS

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

July 2024 – ISSUE 267
NEW YORK@NIGHT

Laurence Donohue-Greene:ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

INTERVIEW: DENA DEROSE

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

ARTIST FEATURE: MARCUS GILMORE

Advertising:advertising@nycjazzrecord.com

ON THE COVER: AARON DIEHL

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

ENCORE: DON PATELEST WE FORGET: HERBIE NICHOLS

Suzanne Lorge (VOXNews):
voxnews@nycjazzrecord.com

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Staff Writers
Duck Baker, Matty Bannond,
Dan Bilawsky, Fred Bouchard,
Daniel A. Brown, Brad Cohan,Thomas Conrad, Ken Dryden,
Phil Freeman, Paul Gaita,
Tristan Geary, Pierre Giroux,
Kurt Gottschalk, Tom Greenland,
Jason Gross, Sophia Valera Heinecke,Alex Henderson, Keith Hoffman,
Terrell K. Holmes, Marilyn Lester,
Sylvia Levine, Steven Loewy,
Suzanne Lorge, Francesco Martinelli,
Jim Motavalli, Russ Musto, John
Pietaro, Mike Shanley, John Sharpe,
Anna Steegman, Ken Waxman, Scott Yanow
Contributing Writers
Jeff Cebulski, George Kanzler,
Kyla Marshell, Bill Meyer
Contributing Photographers
Max Blease, Roberto Cifarelli,Peter Gannushkin, Maria Jarzyna,
Martin Morissette, Arturas Morozovas,
Luciano Rossetti, Robert Sutherland-Cohen,
Adrien H. Tillmann, Gilberto Tadday,
Francis Wolff, Anna Yatskevichnycjazzrecord.com

VOXNEWSFESTIVAL REPORTALBUM REVIEWSEVENT CALENDARCLUB DIRECTORY
IN MEMORIAM

4
6
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by jim motavalli
by matty bannondby marilyn lester
by sylvia levine
by george kanzler
by kurt gottschalkby suzanne lorge

BY MARILYN LESTER

Letter from the Editor

To speak or even think about jazz without recognizing the quintessential concept of its history and amazing
lineage would just be missing the point. Embodied in jazz is a special way of acknowledging, if not honoring,its great heritage. For what is history if not to learn from?
The theme of lineage inherently, inevitably and especially weaves itself through this issue’s features. Pianist
Aaron Diehl (On The Cover) has taken over the reins as the Artistic Director of 92NY’s “Jazz in July” concert
series, following in the esteemed footsteps of predecessors Dick Hyman (founder of the series) and, up until lastyear, Bill Charlap. Diehl’s inaugural season this month finds him curating and performing at the Upper East
Side venue with a mix of new faces and long-standing colleagues as well as some “Jazz in July” regulars. Since
Dena DeRose’s (Interview) debut album, it has seemed that every performance by the pianist/vocalist is a direct
or indirect homage to one of her primary influences, Shirley Horn. DeRose has solidly established herself as anextension of the pianist/vocalist tradition epitomized by Horn. Be sure to catch DeRose for her three nights thismonth at Birdland Theater. Pianist/composer Herbie Nichols may have passed away at age 44 in 1963, but hismusic still lives on in the numerous projects that have fêted him, from the Herbie Nichols Project to, mostrecently, vocalist Fay Victor’s Herbie Nichols SUNG project; the latter has an album release concert at Dizzy’s
Club this month. Drummer Marcus Gilmore (Artist) and bassist Don Pate (Encore) each have a personal, familial
connection to their musical pasts and present. Gilmore’s grandfather is none other than almost 100-year-old Roy
Haynes, jazz royalty to be sure. Grandson Gilmore leads his own band at the venerable Village Vanguard, where
his grandfather played countless times with many fellow jazz giants (most of whom of course have since passed).
And veteran Pate’s father is 100-year-old Johnny Pate, former house bassist for Chicago’s Blue Note as well as
producer, arranger and key figure from Chicago’s vibrant jazz, soul and R&B scenes. Son Don can be heard live
on several occasions this month: at National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Shapeshifter Lab and The New School.
Get out there and catch some shows. You’ll not only soak up some history, but also get a front-row view
into jazz’ healthy and inspiring current state, not to mention getting a taste of its trajectory. Onwards andoutwards…
On The Cover: Aaron Diehl (photo by Adrien H. Tillman; inside: Maria Jarzyna)
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

2 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDWESTCHESTER‘S PREMIER
JAZZ CLUBFRIDAYS & SATURDAYS
7 & 9:30 PM SETS

2024 FREE OUTDOORSUMMER CONCERTSJULY 10 - AUGUST 30
We present 32 concerts annuallyin July and August at five Hudson
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Landing in Sleepy Hollow andHenry Gourdine Park in Ossining.

JULY 5 & 6
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BOSS BARITONESPL AYING THE MUSIC OFJOHNNY GRIFFIN & LOCKJAW DAVISFEAT. GARY SMULYAN, FRANK BASILE,STEVE ASH, MIKE K ARN & MAT T WILSONJULY 19 & 20
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NEW YORK @ N IGHT
Formed by Finnish bassist Kaisa Mäensivu, Kaisa’s It was a night of brilliant youth in a venue designed for

HARRY SKOLER
RED BRICK HILL
SSC 1748 / AVAILABLE JULY 12, 2024

MATT PAVOLKADISCIPLINARY ARCHITECTURE
SSC 1734 / AVAILABLE JULY 19, 2024

www.sunnysiderecords.com

the young. At Nublu 151 (Jun. 7) Simon Moullier, oneof a number of the recent crop of stunning vibraphone
players (Joel Ross, Sasha Berliner, Chien Chien Lu, Patricia
Brennan immediately come to mind), surrounded himself
with his working unit of Lex Korten (keys), Rick Rosato(bass) and Jongkuk “JK” Kim (drums), each a wellestablished presence on the scene. Moullier is a player
whose technical acumen, imagination, writing and sheer
passion is carrying and transforming the tradition ofMilt Jackson, Gary Burton and Bobby Hutcherson into
the future. A talented composer as well, he opened withhis “Empress of the Sea”, a lovely, swinging ¾ tune fromlast year’s Isla (on which Korten and Kim also appear).
The quartet featured several new compositions slated for
future release, including “Elements of Light”, “Apollo” and“Primavera”, the latter a gorgeous ballad with a beautiful,flowing introduction by Korten. The ensemble’s collective
joy at playing together was obvious throughout the set,
and particularly present on “Apollo” (a slow and rare funktune in 3), as everyone settled into the big wide groove thatthe bassist and drummer provided. The hard-swinging“Phoenix Eye” (also from Isla) was enlivened by theleader’s fabulous four-mallet technique and the musicians’
evident simpatico—with Rosato and Korten dropping out toallow for an extended dual percussion spotlight featuring
Moullier and Kim. All in all, a fine outing from talented
musicians who we should all keep an ear and eye out for,now and in the decades to come.
— Keith Hoffman

MAX BLEASE

SSC 1733 / AVAILABLE JULY 5, 2024

ANNA YATSKEVICH

ALEX KAUTZ
WHERE WE BEGIN

Machine has been playing around Helsinki, NYC and points
elsewhere for nearly a decade, honing a unique soundbased on the leader’s intricate yet attractive compositions.
Saturday’s (Jun. 1) second set at Brooklyn’s Bar Bayeux—with Max Light (guitar), Eden Ladin (piano) and Joe Peri
(drums)—featured originals from Kaisa’s Machine’s 2023
album, Taking Shape (Greenleaf Music). First up was the
Caribbean-flavored “Floating Light”, impelled by, who else
but, Light’s fleet, inventive guitar. “Elsewhere” (a newer
song not on the album) was slower and more thoughtful,
with the leader improvising in long, arching phrases, andLadin’s piano functioning as a kind of musical connective
tissue over the slowly fading outro. Mäensivu set up“Gravity” with a fast, 9-beat bass part that led to Light’s
melody reading and a crackling post-bop solo prodded bytightly-synchronized group accents. “Shadow Mind”, a trio
number introduced by Ladin’s low, dirgy, Chopin-esquechords, revealed more of the bassist’s sinuous, textured
style, her own version of connective tissue. “Sizzler” was an
up-swinger with tricky kicks precisely played, Peri on thefrontside of the pulse, pushing and nailing every hit. “EatDessert First” was even edgier: Ladin and Light tradingeights, egging up the energy. Although the complexity ofMäensivu’s compositions required everyone’s eyes on the
sheet music in front of them, their ears were wide open and
the Machine was well-oiled, running smoothly, with eachcomponent part responding instinctively to the others, allplayers working together as one.
— Tom Greenland

Kaisa Mäensivu @Bar Bayeux

Simon Moullier Quartet @Nublu 151

Less known to jazz and bossa nova/samba buffs stateside With more than 40 wide-ranging leader dates to histhan some of his countrymen, singer-songwriter/guitaristJoão Bosco is venerated in his native Brazil, where he’s
been a seminal figure in música popular Brasileira since theearly ’70s. It’s no surprise then that his recent rare sojournat Birdland filled the venue for a solid week. Backed by
Ricardo Silveira (guitar), Guto Wirtti (bass) and Kiko
Freitas (drums), Bosco began his late set (Jun. 5) with
“Incompatibilidade de Gênios”, instantly recognized by
Brazilians and other cognoscenti in the crowd, following
it with three more sambas: “Prêt-á-Porter de Tafetá”,“Bala com Bala” and “De Frente Pro Crime”. At 77, hisconversational singing style remains agile and versatile ashe accompanies himself on acoustic guitar, with weirdly
wonderful chord progressions using inner moving lines
and pungent clusters. Freitas, playing brushes on a
drumkit fitted with a small, snappy tamborim, was a oneman samba school parade. Silveira provided tasty fills
and solos on his Telecaster in a style falling somewhere
between George Benson and Amos Garrett. The set
diverged with “Odeilê Odilá”, a mix of ijexá and funkand “O Ronco da Cuíca”, which evolved into an extended
spacy jam with animal sound effects. “Nação” began in aslow maracatu style, later shifting into high gear. “Coisa
Feita” was notable for its infectious, crowd-rousing samba
groove, while two spellbinding ballads, “Sinhá” and“Corsário”, showcased Bosco’s expressive singing. The set
concluded with “Desenho de Giz”, a mood piece akin to an
atmospheric number from a spaghetti Western.
(TG)

4 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

name, and in his work for the past 20 years with theband Wilco, it’s safe to say Nels Cline is the epitomeof the modern genre-less guitarist. At The Stone at The
New School (Jun. 5), with clarinetist Ben Goldberg
as the week’s artist in residence, the guitarist put on
his avant garde hat and had at it with gusto. Clineand Goldberg were joined by peerless experimental
musician, bassist Trevor Dunn (Trio-Convulsant, John
Zorn’s Electric Masada), and the widely acknowledged
king of New York avant garde drums, Tom Rainey. In afully improvised hour-long set, the quartet played ten
distinct, unnamed tunes. Throughout, Rainey displayed
why he is so valued: he swings in both rhythmic and freetime, using his mastery of dynamics to pull and push themusic along. Cline began some pieces with repetitive,
jagged figures, with Goldberg weaving in and out,
sometimes in the clarinet’s lower register, graduallyworking his way around the entire instrument, whileanswering and challenging the guitarist’s lines. On
one particularly effective piece, Cline played quick-firelines, Dunn underneath and surrounding him, before
Goldberg joined, purposely desafinado, while Rainey
was insect-like lightning on the ride. On another, theguitarist created sustained distortion, then looped it,
while the clarinetist played lovely sustained low notes
below it all. Definitely the right crowd and venue forthis adventure, Goldberg noted to the audience by theend: “I feel like we got the point across.”(KH)

NYC-born vocalist Marion Cowings brought a decadeslong air of New York cool to his performance at North
Square Lounge (Jun. 2), along with trademark wry wit andhis reliably rich baritone. The recently-turned 78-year-old
vocalist was in fine form, urbanely delivering a string of
songbook standards during the second set of the venue’s
Sundays brunch series. The opener, a toe-tapping bossa
arrangement of “Watch What Happens” (Legrand, Gimbel)
interwoven with “Exactly Like You” (McHugh, Fields), hada bit of New York sass cleverly added with a literal dash of
spice: a shaker made of peppercorns in a small plastic Chinese
food takeout container. Bossa treatment also was applied to“Out of Nowhere” (Green, Heyman) with a droll inclusionof a few bars of the original “Star Trek” theme. Cowings is amaster of vocalese and scat, but applied the latter sparsely,
including on a swinging “All the Things You Are” (Kern,
Hammerstein). Special guest, Japanese vocalist Emi Takada
delivered “No More Blues” (Jobim, Hendricks-English
lyrics) in a sweet and soft, highly-accented soprano. Morecomfortable in her native language, she dueted with Cowings
on an evocative rendering of a traditional Japanese song ofhope and unity. The closer, an up-tempo rendition of Cole
Porter’s “It’s All Right with Me”, allowed for features fromthe two backing musicians: Saul Rubin (guitar) and Melissa
Slocum (bass). The former delivered an outstanding improvon the tune, while the latter’s mostly arco solo treated the
upright as a giant violin. Throughout, Rubin’s superb artistry
underscored the notion that a keyboard isn’t missed in such acreative vocal-guitar combination.
— Marilyn Lester

If one was seeking evidence of the ever-increasing

R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN/JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

GILBERTO TADDAY FOR JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER

role of women in the world of jazz, they needn’t lookany further than Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Roomto hear Artemis, the allstar female band led by pianist
Renee Rosnes, featuring Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Alexa
Tarantino (alto, flute), Nicole Glover (tenor), Noriko
Ueda (bass) and Allison Miller (drums). The groupkicked off its final set from its second of two nights(Jun. 1) hitting hard with the Rosnes’ Tyner-esque tour
de force “Galapagos”, then swinging straight ahead
on Ueda’s “Lights Away From Home” that featured
Tarantino (on alto) along with the composer. Jensen’s
muted trumpet improvisation stirringly opened Wayne
Shorter’s beautiful “Penelope” with Glover blowing
brooding tenor. Rosnes’ arrangement of “Dolphin
Dance” had the band bouncing at a bright tempo on the
Herbie Hancock classic, and then fired up from Miller’s
drums on her own classically tinged “Life Does Not
Wait” with Tarantino (on flute). The fire burned evenhotter on the drummer’s wildly exciting excursion “Bowand Arrow” that had the horns blowing with inspired
abandon before Ueda took a turn followed by Miller’s
climactic ground shaking solo. The mood mellowedwith Glover waxing poetic on the pianist’s arrangementof Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing”,
then ramped right back up with another drum solo,
which introduced the set closer: Rosnes’ powerfularrangement of one more by Wayne Shorter, the Jazz
Messenger classic, “United”.
— Russ Musto

Marion Cowings @North Square Lounge

Allison Miller @Appel RoomAt age 93, David Amram has had an epic career as acomposer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalistin every corner of the music world, including and beyond
jazz. At the 2024 International Stretto Piano Festival at
Symphony Space (Jun. 1), three of Amram’s classical works
were featured in part one with Thomas Weaver (piano),
Ken Radnofsky (saxophone) and Consuelo Sherba (viola).
Act two was devoted mostly to his 1950s jazz compositions,with Jerome Harris (bass guitar), Rene Hart (bass), Kevin
Twigg (drums, marimba) and Elliott Pepper (bongos).
Sonny Rollins’ fun, percussive “St. Thomas” was a hat tip
to both his and Harris’ work with Rollins. Amram played
mainly piano, as well as cowbell, djembe and penny
whistle, a favored instrument he finds adaptable in a range
of genres. A consummate showman, at one point he played
two of them simultaneously. An abridged version of “Waltz
for Arthur Miller’s ‘After the Fall’” (Amram’s theme fromthe 1961 movie classic Splendor in the Grass, for which hecomposed the music) was a driving piece of complexity,
stylistically in keeping with the ‘50s to early ‘60s era of film
scoring. A lifelong and ardent collaborator, Amram worked
with Beat Generation poet and author, Jack Kerouac oncomposing for the short film, Pull My Daisy (1959). This
closer was preceded by daughter Adira Amram’s readingof two brief extracts from Kerouac’s On the Road to musicalaccompaniment. The total effect of this outro was a mix
of swing, blues and plenty of mood, including sections ofAmram vocalizing. He’s always been a singer, and in thisinstance, his stylistic choice was a grooving rap.
(ML)

Spellbinding virtuosity, coupled with sublime lyricism,are qualities that can be considered rare in a single
individual, but they were clearly evident in the playingof Michel Camilo at a one-night-only show at Sony Hall
(Jun. 7). The concert, part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival,featured the Grammy Award-winning pianist leading
a sextet in a show dubbed 3 + 3, in which his core trioof Ricky Rodriguez (bass) and Cliff Almond (drums)
was augmented by a horn section comprised of Diego
Urcola (trumpet), Ralph Bowen (saxophones) andConrad Herwig (trombone). The music got started ona festive note, with the leader’s “On the Other Hand”,
a carnivalesque outing featuring the horns, which had
the audience wildly cheering for each solo. A rhapsodic
piano prelude introduced the tranquil “Liquid Crystal”,
with Urcola’s muted trumpet featured among theatmospheric brass. The band bebopped Latin jazz style
on “Yes” (a contrafact of “(Back Home in) Indiana”), on
which Camilo’s ambidextrous virtuosity was on awesome
display and Almond showed off his rhythmic mastery,
while trading fours with the three horns. Composed forfilm, the ballad “Just Like You”, with Bowen featured on
soprano saxophone, recalled the melancholy mood of Tadd
Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now”. Bowed bass andmuted trombone ominously opened Horace Silver’s “TheGods of the Yoruba”, which the band swung with AfroCarribean aplomb, leading into “Caribe”, the incendiary
set closer. For a funky encore, “And Sammy Walked In”
had the crowd up, cheering and dancing.
(RM)

W H AT ’ S N E W S
Non-profit organizations have often provided stability and neededfinancial support for jazz—and the arts in general. Brooklynbased Blank Forms announced its 7th annual gala (Nov. 13) at
Angel Orensanz Center in Manhattan’s Lower East Side to honor
Moroccan visual artist Latifa Echakhch and Chicago
percussionist/vocalist (and Ethnic Heritage Ensemble founder)
Kahil El’Zabar. For more info and to donate, visit blankforms.org.
South Arts (founded in 1975) has announced the latest round ofover one hundred recipients for its three grantmaking programs:
Presentation Grants, Traditional Arts Touring Grants and Jazz
Road Tours. Included are: Derrick Hodge and the Color of Noize;
Aubrey Johnson Group; Broken Reed Saxophone Quartet;
Monika Herzig’s Sheroes; Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum in
Wilmington, NC (presenting The Jazz Legacy Project); and The
Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN (presenting The Dedicated
Men of Zion). South Arts addresses the needs of Southern
communities through impactful arts-based programs, celebrating
their innovations and value, as well as the power of the arts of theSouth. For more info visit southarts.org.
With the Fourth of July holiday coming up, it might be said there
are not many more things more American than baseball, apple
pie… and Louis Armstrong. In conjunction with the month of thelegendary trumpeter/vocalist’s traditionally celebrated birthday(July 4th)—even though he was actually born August 4, 1901—the
RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) recently
announced that Armstrong’s legendary, most commerciallysuccessful track, “What a Wonderful World” (inducted into the
GRAMMY® Hall of Fame in 1999) has received a historic, 5x
Platinum certification (U.S. sales have topped 5 million since its firstrelease in 1967). Ahead of this month’s previously unissued Louis in
London (Verve) CD/LP release, which includes an unearthed
version of “What a Wonderful World”, the RIAA award was
accepted by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (President of the Louis
Armstrong Educational Foundation and Managing Artistic Director
at Jazz at Lincoln Center) on behalf of Louis Armstrong/The Louis
Armstrong Estate. For more info visit udiscovermusic.com.
NBC/Universal isn’t cutting its Late Night With Seth Meyers fromthe network’s regular schedule, but there have been majorbudget cuts, including The 8G Band. A fixture since the show’s
inception a decade ago, the house band (assembled by SaturdayNight Live alumnus/comedian and intermittent drummer Fred
Armisen) has featured many guest drummers including Kimberly
Thompson, Colleen Clark, Stanton Moore and Red Hot Chili
Pepper’s Chad Smith. The 8G Band and any live music
component will cease to exist on the show as of this fall. Let’shope other network late-night shows don’t follow suit with thistrend. For more info visit nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers.
For a decade, Kansas City’s American Jazz Walk of Fame has
been honoring musicians with street star plaques. This year’s
honorees—pianist Bob James and vocalists Patti Austin andRoberta Flack—were inducted last month with stars bearing
each of their names (unfortunately, Austin’s first name, was misspelled as “Patty”). The Walk of Fame in K.C. was initiated by
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, who has been involved withthe 27-year-old American Jazz Museum (to which he has donatedartifacts, including the Charlie Parker plastic saxophone Cleaver
purchased for $116K). Other K.C. Walk of Fame stars include:
Harry Belafonte, Nathan Davis, Louis Armstrong, George
Benson, Melba Liston, Nina Simone, Ben Webster, David
Sanborn, Coleman Hawkins, Bennie Moten, Claude “Fiddler”
Williams, Lester Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Ramsey Lewis,
Thelonious Monk, Count Basie, Jay McShann, Pat Metheny,
Charlie Parker, Bobby Watson, Mary Lou Williams, et al. For
more info visit americanjazzwalkoffame.org.
Takumi Kakimoto won the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition
Prize at the 35th Annual BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Summer
Showcase in NYC last month at the Marjorie S. Deane Little
Theater, hosted by Musical Director Andy Farber and AssistantMusical Director Alan Ferber. Kakimoto additionally won the
Manny Albam Commission (named in memory of the workshop’slate founder and longtime music director). Judges included David
Berger, Don Braden and John Fedchock. For more info visit
bmi.com/genres/entry/bmi_jazz_composers_workshop.
Submit news to: ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 5

ROBERTO CIFARELLII NTERVIEW

DENA
DEROSEnot just your standard(s) singer
BY JIM MOTAVALLI
Though she’s best known in America for her regularperformances as a first-rank jazz pianist-singer as documented
on 14 albums, in Austria Dena DeRose is known as Professor
DeRose. For 18 years, she’s taught at the University of Musicand Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, a role she relishes.
Her title is Professor of Jazz Voice, for which she heads her
department. With a fresh approach to the Great American
Songbook, her recent albums reveal she’s branched out withsongs by more modern composers as part of her repertoire,in addition to having written lyrics to several jazz classics.
DeRose has also recorded some purely instrumental EPs for
the German G2 label, and her new album, In a Mellotone,
is being released next year by HighNote. Though she washeavily influenced by singer-pianist Shirley Horn, they soundnothing alike and her upcoming release is further proof of
DeRose’s self-taught, natural style.
The New York City Jazz Record: You grew up in
Binghamton, NY. Tell us about that.
Dena DeRose: I had a great childhood. Upstate New
York in the ’70s and ’80s was a beautiful time andplace to grow up. There were a lot of different musicalsituations to be had in the public schools. I grew up in
a Catholic family, so the kids went to Catholic schools
for the first four years or so. But then my mom realized
the Catholic schools didn’t have anything but piano
lessons—and I was already beyond that because I’d
had private lessons from the age of three.
My mother switched us to public school, and thenI was in the concert band, playing mallet percussion,
tympani, all of that. In high school I became the piano
player for the musicals. I was in the jazz band, played
piano for the choir; it was every kind of musicalsituation. There were a lot of opportunities, and my
mom was on it, just putting me in everywhere.
TNYCJR: It seems that singing was the only thing you
were not doing at that point.
DeRose: No singing yet. My mind was set on being akeyboard player, and I got into rock, pop and fusion in
my teens. I went through a lot of styles before decidingthat jazz was what I really wanted to do. It took a little
while because when I was 21, I developed hand issues
with arthritis and carpal tunnel and had to have some
operations—that’s when I started to sing. I had an
operation for the carpal tunnel, and then after a year
another one for the arthritis.
By the time I was 22 or 23 I was going down to New
York a lot—I had friends there I could stay with, andthen I’d drive four hours back to Binghamton. I finallymade the move to the city at age 25 in 1991, by whichtime I was both playing and singing. I got a repertoire
together in Binghamton, where gigs at the Holiday Inn
helped pay my bills. For a couple of years, I stood andsang with a cast on my arm. It wasn’t really a decision
to sing and play—it was just something I did on and off.
When my hands were ready, I just put the two together.

as “Nothing Like You” that’s a little more challenging
standard-style piece. I put lyrics to a Wayne Shorter
tune, “United”. I’m also composing more, so I havesome original music. I go with the songs I’m feeling at
the moment and my records reflect different times in
my life.
TNYCJR: You don’t sound anything like Shirley Horn,but I can tell she was an influence on you.
DeRose: Well, thank you. She was a big influence,and still is. I still listen to her stuff and say, “I need
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 33)

TNYCJR: And you were singing standards, even at thattime?
DeRose: Yes. Even while I couldn’t play and was justsinging with a jazz trio, it was all standards. We had twoor three gigs a week, four sometimes—there was a lotof work. I was fortunate to have had that opportunity,
just to play and gig. Of course it was a depressed time,
too—with my hand situation, the universe was tellingme, “You’re not going to be a piano player after all.”
And when I got to New York there was also tons ofwork for a piano player/singer, so I took on anythingfrom seven to fourteen gigs a week—solo, duo, trio,
sometimes quartets. Jam sessions, singer jams, cocktail
hours in bars and hotels with a bass player. I worked
with Dennis Irwin, a great bassist, at a hotel in midtown,
and he’d bring his clarinet because he loved playing
Brazilian music on it. He also had the sheet music andwe’d play it, and so I learned a lot of Brazilian songs.
The gigs didn’t pay a lot—they still don’t, sometimes
they pay less now than they did then—but I used to sit
there and think, “Wow, I get paid for doing this.”
TNYCJR: You probably felt at that time you were readyto record.
DeRose: I had done a little cruise ship job with a bass
player. We could play jazz, but we also had to provide
the music for the shows. It lasted three months. During
the day when no one was around I could go to the pianoand practice, and I started doing some arrangements.
I’d been doing the standards in a standard way, but I
thought about how I’d really want to do them if they
were being recorded. It happened in a very naturalway.
I took the arrangements I had into the studio withthat same bass player, Michael Zisman, and drummer
Albert “Tootie” Heath—who we just lost—and Steve
Wilson on saxophones. And that became Introducing
Dena DeRose (1994), originally on the Amosaya label.
Michael knew Tootie, and he came in and did therecord and it was just a treat. Everything was just so
right. David Baker, who’d worked on some of Shirley
Horn’s recordings, was the engineer. Amosaya didn’t
have any distribution, so then Sharp Nine came in andleased the album from me for five years, repackaged
it and put it out there. I’ve been with three different
labels, including MAXJAZZ and HighNote, and foreach one I’ve done about four albums. The owner of
MAXJAZZ (Richard McDonnell) passed away in 2014
and all that material is on Mack Avenue now. There
are also Japanese, Italian and Spanish labels I’ve donesome things with that maybe aren’t available in theStates.
I still love singing and playing standards, but in mymore recent albums I’m veering a little bit away fromthe standards, even though the songs are in that style.
For instance, an Alan Broadbent tune that’s a little more
harmonically developed, or a Bob Dorough song such

6 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDHJULY 2ND - JULY 7THH

KEVIN HAYS TRIOLARRY GRENADIER - BILLY HARTHJULY 9TH - JULY 14THH

JAVON JACKSON QUARTETJEREMY MANASIA - DAVID WILLIAMS - MCCLENTY HUNTERHJULY 16TH - JULY 21STH

THE VILLAGE VANGUARDWILL BE CLOSEDHJULY 23RD - JULY 28THH

MARCUS GILMORE QUINTETMORGAN GUERIN - DAVID VIRELLESRASHAAN CARTER - BURNISS TRAVISHJULY 30TH - AUGUST 4THH

DAYNA STEPHENS QUINTETGERALD CLAYTON (7/30-8/1, 8/4) - EMMANUEL MICHAELRICK ROSATO - KENDRICK SCOTT

COMING IN AUGUST
HANDREW CYRILLEH
HBILL FRISELLHHJOE LOVANO/DAVE DOUGLASHMONDAY NIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR

THE VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRALUCIANO ROSSETTI©PHOCUSAGENCYARTIST F EATURE

A t the age of seven, Marcus Gilmore already felt apowerful urge to pursue a career as a drummer—but
he had no drumkit. “By then, I had some sticks andI’d carry them with me,” he says. “I’d play wheneverI had an opportunity, like at church after the service
was over. Or I’d go to Sam Ash Music or any of thosemusic stores that had live drums set up.” Those onthe-sly percussive liaisons stopped after Gilmore’s
tenth birthday when he received his first-ever kit asa surprise. In truth, there’s limited shock value in thefamily’s decision to deliver the drums. His dad is asaxophonist, his mom is a singer (they formed a gospel
group in the ’70s), while drummer Craig Haynes andcornetist Graham Haynes are his uncles. Now thirtyseven years old, Gilmore is a Grammy winner, hasappeared on the cover of Modern Drummer magazine
and this month leads a group for six nights at theVillage Vanguard.
It was Gilmore’s grandfather, pioneering jazz
drummer Roy Haynes, who arranged that unexpected
gift. “I have very early memories of seeing my
grandfather perform,” he says. “I was about fourand we went to Grant’s Tomb, which was one of thestops for the Jazzmobile program. This was Harlem inthe early ’90s and all the food vendors were there…
It was a very interesting place.” Gilmore lists New
York City’s top centers for music education on his
glittering resumé. He attended the famed Fiorello
H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art andPerforming Arts before scoring full scholarships
to The Juilliard School and Manhattan School ofMusic. Outside of formal learning, he began touring
professionally at the age of sixteen and has shared thestage or studio with jazz icons such as Chick Corea,
Jason Moran, Pharoah Sanders, Pat Metheny, Vijay
Iyer and many more. “I’m fortunate that I’ve had theopportunity to meet a lot of my heroes, talk to themand even play alongside them,” he says. “Many of theelders were still around when I got started, but now a
lot of the architects of this music have come and gone.
I feel like the closer you get to the source, the betterchance you have of achieving whatever it is you’retrying to achieve. If you’re trying to be a sincere artist
that speaks your mind and you get a chance to meet
people who’ve been doing that for fifty years, it’s ahuge blessing.”
Mentoring has provided strong momentum
for Gilmore’s development. In his early twenties,
he learned from drummer and bandleader Chico
Hamilton as part of a program operated by New York
City’s The Jazz Gallery. In 2018 and 2019, Gilmore waspaired with Indian tabla player and composer Zakir
Hussain after securing a spot in the Rolex Mentor
and Protégé Arts Initiative. This project ended witha showcase event, where members of the Cape Town
Philharmonic performed his debut composition
for orchestra. Gilmore has led two groups: Actions
Speak and Silhouwav. Both kept audiences on their
toes with shifting lineups and gatecrashing guests at

MARCUSGILMOREFor more info visit instagram.com/drummerslams. Gilmore
is at Village Vanguard Jul. 23-28. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Vijay Iyer—Reimagining (Savoy Jazz, 2004)• Vijay Iyer Trio—Historicity(ACT Music, 2008-9)• David Virelles—Mbókò (ECM, 2013)• Steve Coleman and the Council Of Balance—
Synovial Joints (Pi Recordings, 2014)• Pat Metheny—Side Eye NYC V1.IV(Modern Recordings, 2019)• BlankFor.ms/Jason Moran/Marcus Gilmore—
Refract (Red Hook, 2023)

close to the source

BY MATTY BANNOND
performances scattered around the globe and acrossseveral years. Cuban keyboardist David Virelles wasa fixed presence in this pair of projects and is still aregular collaborator.
“Today, Marcus is the ultimate reference foranyone seeking to understand the history and futureof drumming,” Virelles says. “I consider myself
fortunate to have been in his orbit since 2009, having
learned a great deal from him. He is one of my greatest
teachers and a very dear friend. As the heir to a royalmusical lineage, Marcus stands as one of the mostadvanced drummers ever—dedicated to expressing
his ideas through composition, orchestration, form andrhythm.” Virelles also added piano and synthesizers
to his teacher and dear friend’s 2023 single, For Loved
Ones (Dream Gold Soul). The seven-minute track
includes strings from Miguel Atwood-Ferguson andbass from Burniss Travis. Gilmore composed it in 2015
when his grandmother passed away, then recorded
various parts in 2016 and 2017. It’s a meandering auralexperience with major and minor chords interrupting
each other, like the overlapping currents of love andpain during grief. Another esteemed pianist, Fred
Hersch, recently invited Gilmore to join a one-weekengagement last month at the Village Vanguard in atrio formation with bassist Thomas Morgan. “I’d been
hearing about Marcus for many years from all sorts ofpeople I respect,” Hersch says. “He more than lived
up to his reputation! He’s comfortable playing any
kind of music and his time feel is exceptional. I’ve
played with many of the great drummers in history.
For a youngish player, he’s already at master level.
And he’s a joy to be around!”Pianist Jason Moran and Gilmore played onlast year’s Refract (Red Hook), an album of fourteen
tracks constructed around electronics and tape loops
prepared in advance, processed in real time andpolished after recording by the artist BlankFor.ms (realname Tyler Gilmore). “He had about eight segmentsthat he played, then Jason and I would improvise
with them as they faded in and out,” he says. “It wassuch a fun project. I’m really into the soundscapes
BlankFor.ms creates.” For his own upcoming stint at
the Village Vanguard, Gilmore is bringing together aquintet with Virelles and Travis, as well as Rashaan
Carter (bass) and Morgan Guerin (saxophones, flute).
“We’ll be playing my compositions plus some stuff
from other members of the band and maybe a coupleof other things as well,” he says. “We’re making a live
recording and we have some special guests lined up,
but I can’t say who that may or may not be…”
Gilmore’s twisting path has carried him from theshadowy corners of his local Sam Ash to the spotlightof prestigious stages around the globe. Family,
friends, institutions, elders and mentors have helped
him steer the true course on that journey. It’s a story
that started with a surprise and has continued tostartle and ambush listeners worldwide. Expect theunexpected on the road ahead.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 7

ON THE COVER

MARIA JARZYNA

AARON DIEHLThe Real Diehl
by marilyn lester
Not yet 40, pianist Aaron Diehl, long-acknowledged asa musical prodigy, has already accomplished what others
might take years more to achieve. A succinct accolade
comes from musician-educator Loren Schoenberg, afounder of The National Jazz Museum in Harlem and Senior
Scholar there: “Aaron is without exaggeration a once-in-ageneration talent—a true successor to the rarified lineage ofHank Jones, John Lewis and John Hicks.” This July, Diehl
assumes the prestigious post of Artistic Director of 92NY’sannual “Jazz in July” series, a position held by only twoprior masters of the keys: Bill Charlap (from 2005-23) andhis predecessor, founding Artistic Director Dick Hyman(who started his tenure in 1985). Diehl was hand-pickedby the former, as Charlap declared, “There was only one
choice—and it was Aaron.” Also on the young pianist’s
current resume is his Grammy-nominated 2023 release of
the Zodiac Suite (Mack Avenue), composed by trailblazing
jazz pianist-arranger Mary Lou Williams in the mid ’40s.
His interpretation continues to receive acclaim, as part of ajourney that began for him twenty years ago, when Diehl(then at The Juilliard School) met Williams’ last manager,
the Jesuit priest, Peter O’Brien.
Diehl’s musical journey began in 1992 at age seven
when he started classical piano training in his native
Columbus, OH. “My love of piano came out of listening
to the music of Bach,” he says. Grandfather Arthur
Baskerville, a pianist and trombonist, was one of his firstinfluences. Jazz entered his life at Interlochen SummerCamp where he met contemporary, Eldar Djangirov, adevotee of Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. In 2002, while
participating in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Essentially
Ellington High School Band Competition, he was awarded“Outstanding Soloist.” A scant two years after graduatingfrom Juilliard, he released his first live album in 2009, asolo concert recorded at the Caramoor Festival. Regularreleases followed, including 2020’s The Vagabond, which
immediately preceded the Zodiac Suite.
One of Diehl’s artistic gifts is the ability to meld classicaland jazz motifs into uniquely bold musical statements.
Pianist-composer Ethan Iverson says of Diehl, that he’s
“comfortable with both notation and improvisation. Usually
if someone has that kind of rep, the blues and swing side ofthings is neglected. Not so with Aaron, who digs deep andalways takes care of business.” This attribute underpins
Diehl’s Zodiac Suite, a project Williams began to conceive in
1942—twelve movements inspired by the astrological signs
and dedicated to a musician or performer born under thatsign, including Ben Webster and Billie Holiday (“Aries”),
Duke Ellington (“Taurus”), Lem Davis (“Cancer”) and ahost of luminaries such as Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk
and Charlie Parker (“Libra”). Beyond that meeting with
Father O’Brien in 2004, another chance meeting with
O’Brien occurred a few years later in 2006, in a church
setting. At that time, Diehl became aware that Williams
wrote sacred music; like Diehl, she was Catholic, having
converted to the faith. “That [meeting] was the beginning of
my journey of Mary Lou Williams,” Diehl reveals.” Studyand playing of these sacred works followed. Interest in the
Zodiac Suite grew. Zodiac Suite has never been an unpopular
work, even if its author has receded somewhat into history.
While Diehl was ruminating and working on his vision

for the suite, it was recently performed by the New York
Philharmonic (conducted by Tito Muñoz) and Kansas City
Jazz Orchestra, and recorded by France’s Umlaut Chamber
Orchestra (2023). Pianist Chris Pattishall, a friend andcolleague of Diehl’s, released his interpretation of the suite
called Zodiac (2021).
Of course, Diehl was aware of these efforts; just before
the pandemic, he began to explore the work fully, taking a
deep dive into the performance history of Zodiac Suite as wellas into various Williams arrangements and commerciallydistributed charts. In the history of the suite, she worked on
many iterations, from small groups to a 70-piece orchestra,and in her lifetime, there were many presentations of thework. “When I investigated the original manuscripts,”
Diehl reports, “there were a lot of issues, copying issues
and parts that had a lot of errors, essentially.” What ensued
was a process of development and work-shopping thepiece, collaborating with the classical orchestral collective,
The Knights, resulting in Aaron Diehl and The Knights’
Zodiac Suite album, which achieved immediate successupon its release. (This summer, The Knights and Diehl will
perform the suite at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park,IL, as well as just north of the city in Westchester County on
Jun. 30 at Caramoor in Katonah, NY.)A strong part of developing Zodiac Suite for Diehl was
about its composer. Williams was herself a piano prodigy
who became an arranger for Benny Goodman and Duke
Ellington and was close to the jazz luminaries of her day,including Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Monk. Diehlsays, “I wasn’t sure what she [Mary Lou] had intended,
there were no articulations and such.” Diehl also came torealize he’d taken on some of the issues that Williams had
faced in mounting Zodiac Suite. “The piece was not given acertain kind of attention, programmatically,” he explains.
“There were all kinds of cultural and racial barriers, andissues with sexism at the time.” Williams struggled to fully
realize the piece, despite its eventual success. At one point,tapes of the 1945 debut of the suite were even stolen. In
working on the suite there was also an element of honoringhistory; Williams loved Ellington and when she heard theBlack, Brown and Beige suite at its Carnegie Hall debut in 1943,
she decided she too wanted to create a work along thoselines. She also had a foot firmly planted in classical music
and wanted to create a work incorporating both genres.
Through early development and a pandemic, Diehl’s Zodiac
Suite emerged as a work probably destined to be its own
classic. As jazz, he says, “there are certain liberties that we
knew we could take.” For example, “Virgo” was the sole
movement given an element of swing, and “Scorpio” wasarranged with an Ellington groove. “We didn’t take huge,huge, huge liberties. The orchestration is all hers.” Diehl isproud to be part of “getting some of her music out there
and celebrating it. It’s probably one of the most rewarding
experiences I’ve had to date, even with all the challenges.”
In the learning curve of presenting this astounding versionof the Zodiac Suite, Diehl says he also became immersed in
the “power of resilience and perseverance and continuing
to fight for something in which one believes.”
And now, this month, Diehl begins his next big
adventure, curating “Jazz in July,” a festival with openended possibilities. The festival also happens to be a jewel

8 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

in the crown of the august 92NY, which has had a longcommitment to the genre. In 1955, 92NY (known then as
The 92nd Street Y) hosted the Modern Jazz Festival withpioneering jazz artists such as Monk, Charles Mingus andothers. In the ’60s and beyond the likes of Betty Carter,John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Sarah Vaughan appearedat the venue, and jazz has since played a signifant role atthe venue. In 1985 Dick Hyman established “Jazz in July”
at a time when only the earliest stirrings of Jazz at Lincoln
Center were emerging. And in each year of the “Jazz inJuly” series, the stars of subsequent jazz generations
appeared in productions of broad programing, offering
fresh perspectives on the developing worldwide jazzscene. Under Charlap’s tenure, there’s been an added
focus on American Songbook homage via the jazz idiom,along with an emphasis on pianism. A successful core oftalent for Charlap was in his mother, jazz singer Sandy
Stewart, wife Renee Rosnes and his long-standing trio ofPeter Washington (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums).
Diehl has big boots to fill. Naturally, the challenge
is exciting and appeals to his sensibilities of plugging
into the “wide range of emotion and feeling and depththat music has.” Just as the baton was handed to him byHyman, Charlap had a strong feeling that Diehl would be
the perfect “good fit.” Of the many reasons why, Charlap
cites “his great command of the instrument and love ofand embracing of the entire spectrum of jazz piano. Its full
history, the past, present and future all at the same time.
His warm and welcoming presence with other musicians.
His natural, personal charisma which is both humble andconfident at the same time. His imagination and ability to
put a personal imprint [on his role] as a presenter. He hassuch a wide range of depth and vision and imagination anddimension.” The new curator will also have more flexibility
to work within the new, intimate Buttenwieser space, in
addition to the large Kaufman Concert Hall stage. Whatremains the same as his predecessors’ task is to balance
artistic vision with the “realities of the marketplace.” Diehl
is ready. His vision is to provide expansive opportunities inan environment of “creativity of all types.” Ethan Iverson
has no doubts about the success of Diehl’s tenure at 92NY.
“Wherever Aaron is headed, it’s going to be great,” hepredicts, “and it’s going to be done in his own way.”
For more info visit aarondiehl.com. Diehl plays at 92NY’s “Jazzin July” on Jul. 17, 20, 25 and 27. (“Jazz in July” runs from
Jul. 17-27). See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Aaron Diehl—Live at The Players (s/r, 2010)• Cecile McLorin Salvant—WomanChild(Mack Avenue, 2013)• Aaron Diehl—Space, Time, Continuum(Mack Avenue, 2015)• Aaron Diehl—The Vagabond (Mack Avenue, 2019)• Tyshawn Sorey Trio—Continuing (Pi Recordings, 2022)• Aaron Diehl & The Knights—Zodiac Suite(Mack Avenue, 2023)*TNYCJR contributing writer Kyla
contributed reportage for this article.

Marshellalso

PETER GANNUSHKIN/DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET

ENCOREDON
PATE

IN, OUT AND ANY WHICH WAY
BY SYLVIA LEVINE

For bassist Don Pate, playing music is as natural asbreathing. The youngest of three children of legendary
arranger and bassist Johnny Pate (who celebrated his
100th birthday last December), he heard and appreciatedmusic being created and performed from infancy. With
the background of his father’s work in jazz, soul, blues,
pop and R&B (from Stuff Smith, Earl Bostic and Wes
Montgomery to Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions,
The Staple Singers and B.B. King), Don Pate never felt
constrained by categories. As collaborator/drummer Ra
Kalam Bob Moses says about his close friend and musicalcolleague: “His playing comes from a deep, mind-freewide open space.”
Pate grew up in Chicago, took band in high schoolwith William Abernathy and Burgess Gardiner (wellknown educators in the big band tradition), and thought
he might play the tenor saxophone. But he gravitated tothe bass and studied with Chicago Symphony Orchestra
bassist Rudolf Fahsbender, who also taught the late
Richard Davis. It was Fahsbender who gave him an
ultimatum—music or football, his other love. “He toldme, if you get your hands crushed out there on the field,
your bass-playing days are over,” Pate remembers.
So, he ended up in Boston—first at Berklee College ofMusic and then at the New England Conservatory witha full scholarship to Gunther Schuller’s fledgling jazzprogram. “Me, Harvey Mason and a piano player named
Ron Francis were the first students,” he recalls. As
important to his career, though, was meeting drummer
Roy Haynes in Boston, who would then bring him to
New York. “There was music 24/7 in New York then,so much happening!” The association with Haynes
was life-changing for the young bassist. “I’m a lifetime
member of the Hip Ensemble,” Pate says, “which is what
he called that band. We went all around the world—saxophonist George Adams, Marvin Hannibal Petersonon trumpet, the piano player most of the time was Carl
Schroeder but sometimes Cedric Lawson, and different
guitar players…” Pate would form a close musicalconnection with Adams, recording with him in 1979, on
the saxophonist’s The Paradise Space Shuttle (Timeless).
“That was a nice record,” Pate recalls. “George had

hooked me up earlier with Gil Evans for the Jimi Hendrix
project—I worked quite a bit with Gil, traveled to Europe
a few times and was on the 1974 recording, The Gil Evans
Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix. But sometimes, I
would leave the band, things might have gotten strange,
and then I’d come back.”
Also, soon after arriving in New York, Pate teamed
up with organist Larry Young. He once drove Youngfrom New York to Chicago to go to the Hammond organ
warehouse. “They had given Larry an organ, and he
had to go there and test out different organs and choose
one,” Pate said. “That trip was my first encounter withpracticing Muslims. We had to stop the car so Larry
could pray five times a day. I later met a lot of Muslims,of course; my son and his wife are Muslims, but that was
my first encounter. I was raised AME (African Methodist
Episcopal).” They worked together often in that period.
Young’s father owned several bars between Newark andJersey City, and as Pate recalls they would make therounds of each one rehearsing his latest music. If he wasjust playing in one of the bars, Young would sometimes
hire up to three bass players, some guitar players,
drummers, a percussionist, and then sit down for a threehour set. Accompanists would drop out, and anotherwould take his place—it was a public jam session. “You
could come and go as you pleased,” Pate reminisces.
“Nothing was concrete…but he was famous for making
all these sounds that no one else did. I enjoyed that. He
would come up with these bass lines that were continual
but that would lead to other melodies. He was always
interesting to play with.” Pate was fortunate in the ’80s
to be called by Sonny Rollins and Ahmad Jamal at thesame time, and so he had to choose. Rollins wanted anelectric bass player and Jamal wanted upright; Pate wasproficient on both but ultimately went with Rollins,
making several tours.
Unlike many bassists, Pate has no preference
between upright and electric, leaving the choice to thebandleader. He also enjoys both playing free and more“inside,” although now he seems to lean more toward freemusic. The bassist could be heard subbing in the bandsof pianists Kirk Lightsey, John Hicks and Hilton Ruiz in
the late ’80s and, in 1990, recorded with Larry Willis on
Heavy Blue (SteepleChase). “That was a great record,”
Pate fondly remembers. Pianist/organist/vocalist/
composer Amina Claudine Myers recalls working withPate decades ago for her early ’80s Circle of Time (Leo),
especially regarding his personal warmth and versatility.
“Playing with him was so easy because of his feelingof my music, as well as traditional compositions,” shesays. “He will do what is necessary to make a successful
performance.” Saxophonist Hayes Greenfield concurs: “Ilove Don… He is an open-minded player—he can playinside, he can play free; he is about being in the momentwith sincerity. I remember when I was doing a lot of duo
work with (drummer) Rashied Ali, he called in Don to
make it a trio for a recording. He just fit right in! He issuch a beautiful open-spirit player.”
Drummer Ali was with guitarist Tisziji Muñoz inthe ’90s, when Pate joined them. Later Moses joined theband, both with Ali and as the sole drummer after Ali’s
passing. Moses said of Pate, “I first heard him with Roy
Haynes in the ’60s. I call him ‘Don the lion-hearted’. He
is my favorite bass player to work with.” And Muñoz
agrees: “Don [‘Yaka’, as he calls the bassist] is still keeping
it together for what I do. Great cat, dependable, neverhesitating, always pushing/driving the time as needed,in, out, any which way and always strong. That is themaster Don Pate.” The music Pate performs with Moses
and Muñoz is mostly original. The bassist reveals that
“Muñoz has booklets of his music, his songbooks. The
charts are like road maps or skeletons of what you play.
Nothing is set in stone… With him, it is more about thepersonalities than the instruments and he will play withall kinds of instrumentation.” Performing and recordingwith Moses and Muñoz, separately and together, has
become Pate’s primary outlet now for over 35 years.
Having first recorded with Muñoz in 1988 (Visiting This
Planet, Anami Music), the bassist has since appeared onnearly 30 of the guitarist’s albums to date.
Three upcoming gigs in New York with Pate’s two
closest musical associates—sometimes with Moses as theleader, other times Muñoz—demonstrate that Pate is andwill always be their bassist of choice.

published when none of Nichols’ four LPs (three fromBlue Note, another from the defunct Bethlehem label)
were in circulation. The pianist’s career was a chronicleof obscurity, an original player and composer who
was almost never able to present his own creativeand distinctive music to the listening public. Instead
he toiled in R&B and Dixieland bands, or backed up
singers for little money and thus gained diminishedrecognition. Spellman thus summed up Nichols in his
book: “The job is not where the jazz artist goes to earn
the means of exploring his craft further; it is the place
where his craft is applied, and that was the destructionof pianist and composer Herbie Nichols.” The author
described Nichols’ style as falling “in a musicologicalsense, between those of Teddy Wilson and Thelonious
Monk,” melding the “keyboard dexterity, the clarity,
the sonorous tone” and elegance of Wilson with “thedissonances and kind of melodic structure based on apreconceived rhythmic development” of Monk.
Herbie Nichols, born January 3, 1919 in the San
Juan Hill section of New York City, attended the City

College of New York and served in the U.S. Armyfrom 1941–43. At the outset of his career, the pianist
participated in the Harlem sessions that led to thedevelopment of bebop. Billie Holiday famously wrote
lyrics to his song “Lady Sings the Blues”. Yet only
occasionally did he work with stylistic contemporaries
or perform his original music publicly. At the time ofhis death, Nichols had composed about 170 songs.
In the period of 1955–57 he recorded the few albums
on which his reputation is now largely based: The
Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1 & 2 (1955), Herbie
Nichols Trio (1956) and Love, Gloom, Cash, Love (1957).
After his death, most of his unrecorded compositions
were destroyed in an apartment flood; however,unissued recordings, including eight “new” songs,
were discovered and released in the ’80s.
For those who cherished those LPs, Nichols’
indelible, penetrating melodic phrases, akin toearworms, and his flexible sense of time in his

Pate is at National Jazz Museum in Harlem with Ra Kalam
Bob Moses’ Heart Breath Ensemble Jul. 11, Shapeshifter Lab
with Bob Moses/Tisziji Muñoz Group Jul. 13 (part of Wide
Open Works Summer Festival) and The New School’s Arnhold
Hall with Tisziji Muñoz/Ra Kalam Bob Moses’ Cosmic Spirits
Jul. 15 (part of Downtown Music Gallery’s 33rd Anniversary
Celebration). See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Roy Haynes—Senyah (Mainstream, 1972)• Shunzo Ohno—Something’s Coming (East Wind, 1975)• Amina Claudine Myers Trio—Circle of Time
(Leo, 1983)• Tisziji Muñoz—Death Is A Friend of Mine
(Anami Music, 1996)• Rashied Ali/Hayes Greenfield (with Don Pate)—
Duo + One (Dots & Lines- Survival, 1997)• Tisziji Muñoz—Sky Worlds: Heaven Born (feat. Ravi
Coltrane, Rashied Ali) (MRI, 2002)

FRANCIS WOLFF ©BLUE NOTE RECORDSLEST WE FORGETHERBIENICHOLSRESCUED FROM OBSCURITY
BY GEORGE KANZLER

W hen Herbie Nichols died at 44 in 1963 of leukemia,

the 1960 edition of Leonard Feather’s Encyclopedia of
Jazz devoted a scant three inches to the Nichols entry.
Feather wrote “An early associate of Thelonious Monk,
Nichols was sidetracked into jobs that prevented his
modern jazz style from being heard widely…Not until’55, when he made his first solo records [trios] for Blue
Note, was his harmonically adventurous style fully
displayed.”
A.B. Spellman’s ground-breaking critical biographical1966 work, Four Lives in the Bebop Business, was

10 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD(CONTINUED ON PAGE 33)

L ABEL SPOTLIGHT

NOTICE
RECORDINGSLIVING OUTSIDE THE ALGORITHM
BY KURT GOTTSCHALK
Evan James Lindorff-Ellery is committed to physicalmedia, even while there’s something transient about
the albums he issues on his Notice Recordings.
Lindorff-Ellery launched the label in Chicago in 2008
with Travis Bird, initially to release recordings by theirelectronic noise drone duo Dense Reduction—often
on repurposed cassettes bought at thrift stores. Afterthe duo ceased operation, Lindorff-Ellery carried theoperation to Portland, OR (where there’s a healthy
noise scene) and then, five years ago, to the Hudson
Valley in upstate New York. During that time, thecatalog has grown to more than 80 titles. Fifteen years
ago, with the CD market on a downward slide, cassettelabels were an increasingly viable and cost-efficient
way to make and distribute recordings on a small scale.
There may be fewer of those labels around now, but
Lindorff-Ellery stays true to the mission. “At that time,
there were a lot of cassette labels,” he says. “Before
Bandcamp, before Soundcloud, it was the only way tohear a lot of music. The label was a little different thanHailstone Temple
Camilo Ángeles/Joanna Mattrey

A Beaded Gesture
Sandy Ewen/Jason Nazary

it is now. At the beginning, it was more synth noise,sound art and to document the work we were doing.”
The sort of work released on Notice has broadened
over the years and Lindorff-Ellery’s own artistic output
now leans more into the visual. His work can be seen
on many of the covers of the albums he issues, which
continue to be limited editions of 100 with no secondpressings. “Maybe I’m just a bad business person but
I’m not that interested in going back,” he says. “Youcan download it if you want it.” Asked about releasing
albums on other physical formats, he says, “It wouldn’t
feel right. I don’t want to get into vinyl. That’s foranother label, someone else can do that. I might do a7” or a lathe cut, I can see that happening.” And what
he’s looking for in a recording hasn’t changed mucheither. In a word, the ethos is “honesty,” he says.
“Unpretentious things that aren’t labored over reallyinterest me, and a lot of that is in free jazz.” Cassettelabels capture events and experiments, he explains,“as opposed to having the weight of a refined album.
I feel we’ve stuck to it for the most part. I stuck to thataesthetic of documents of first meetings, live events.”
Recent titles include a recording by duo Sandy
Ewen (guitar) and Jason Nazary (percussion), and a trioof Jessica Ackerley (guitar), Frank Meadows (bass) andEli Wallace (piano, synth). And at the end of last year,
Notice released a Hailstone Temple by Joanna Mattrey(viola) and Camilo Ángeles (flute), recorded in Mexico,Mattrey’s third release with the label. “I have so muchappreciation and respect for the work Evan and Notice

Missa Amissa
Malcolm Goldstein/Fred Lonberg-Holm

Recordings do,” she says. “Not only do they put out
a huge amount of albums every year, they are also
really into recordings of live performances. So much ofwhat this music is about is the raw connection between
the performers and listeners in live performance andI think honoring and documenting that is something
really special that Notice Recordings makes a point todo.” Their relationship began with Lindorff-Ellery andMattrey organizing outdoor gigs during the pandemic.
That led naturally to a cassette release, and then moreof each. “When Evan and I first talked about puttingout my solo record, he had already heard me playseveral times, so we already had a sense of what kindsof sounds I might bring to a record,” she adds. “It’s sodifferent when you have in-person relationships withfolks from record labels, rather than communicating
through email. It really helps build and strengthen thecommunity. I do feel like I can bring some really out andnoisy recordings to Notice that I might not try to send
to other labels, and it’s so vital that we have resources
like Notice Recordings to help share our work.”
Upcoming releases include a duo with Alex Riva
(flute) and Ilia Belorukov (modular synth), who did aprevious Notice release with Jason Kahn (electronics,
multi-instruments); as well as a collaboration between
Luke Martin (bass) and poet No Land; and solo sessions
by Sam Newsome (soprano) and onetime Bikini Kill
member, Erica Dawn Lyle (noise guitar). Also on tap is(CONTINUED ON PAGE 32)

Apparitions
Kyle Motl/Patrick Shiroishi

Speckled Stones and Dissonant Green Dots
Okkyung Lee

VOX NEWS

FIREWORKSBY SUZANNE LORGE

During the 2010s, vocalist John Dokes was the regular

front man for the George Gee Swing Orchestra, which has
been the de facto house band at Swing 46 for the last 20
years. It’s hard to imagine a more apt setting for the smoothbaritone, just as it’s hard to avoid favorable comparisons
to Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis and other charismaticcrooners whose contributions to the vocal canon readilybridge any gap between jazz and traditional pop.
On his third album as leader, Our Day (Swing
Theory Entertainment), Dokes excels as an interpreterof cherished favorites such as “Our Day Will Come”,
a brightly choreographed opener; “Moanin’”, with
its sophisticated blues phrasing; and “L-O-V-E”, as a
happy samba. He reserves the album’s middle tracks
for some vocal tunes heard less often, including Michel
Legrand’s “I Will Wait For You”, its text less poignant
but more pointed in the big band format, and Freddie
Hubbard’s jagged melody in “On the Red Clay”, withMark Murphy’s tactile lyrics. Beyond these wellwritten tunes, so closely related to American Songbook,Dokes ventures into classic R&B—a natural fit for his
deliciously sonorous instrument. He settles comfortably
into Billy Ocean’s pop hit “Suddenly”, enhanced by thehorn section’s clean interjections and Benard Ighner’s“Everything Must Change”, usually performed as anaching, wistful ballad. In Dokes’ big voice, however, thelyrics’ focus lands on their redemptive message: “Broken
hearts will heal…that’s just the way of time…nothing
goes unchanged”, he sings. Dokes will officially launch
the record at Birdland with George Gee and company(Jul. 7).
Besides Dokes’ Our Day, several other note-worthy
vocal albums will light up the skies over New York
City this month. Chanteuse Allyson Briggs makes
full use of her appreciation for all things retro on her
newest release, Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson
Briggs Sings Burt Bacharach (Algos Music). Backed byher band, Fleur Seule, she tackles the ’60s catalog ofthis songwriting master, taking most of the album’s
20 tracks from charting songs written with lyricist Hal
David (just randomly, given the sheer number of the
duo’s hits: “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”, “Whatthe World Needs Now Is Love” and “(They Long to Be)
Close to You”). But she also includes Bacharach musicfrom other times and collaborators, including “That’s
What Friends Are For”, written with Carole Bayer Sagerand “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”, with
Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen. Most curious
is Friedrich Holländer’s “Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen
Dürfte”, popularized by Marlene Dietreich in 1931;
almost 30 years later, Bacharach would arrange the piecefor Dietreich and his orchestra, and today, Briggs makes
this one her own. She releases the album at Birdland
Theater in Bacharach at Birdland (Jul. 9).
Trumpeter/vocalist Matt Von Roderick brings amodern rock sensibility to his vocal tracks on Celestial

Heart (BFD), using distorting effects (“Fly Me to The
Moon”), bluesy growls (“The Seventh Son”) andinsouciant phrasing (“I Fall in Love Too Easily”) toconvey a confident detachment. In and around these
discrete vocalizations, Von Roderick leads his superbly
improvisatory trio, toggling between dystopian visions
and heartfelt affirmations. He plays from the record withpianist Gil Goldstein at Dizzy’s Club (Jul. 23).
The following evening, in the same venue, singer
Fay Victor leads her instrumental ensemble, Herbie
Nichols SUNG, in selections from Life Is Funny That Way(TAO Forms). Using melodies taken mostly from pianist
Nichols’ 1955-56 Blue Note sessions, Victor wrote lyrics
and arrangements to honor the composer’s influence on
her own musicianship. She brings her inimitable scatting
to each of the tunes (e.g. “Shuffle Montgomery” and“The Happenings”)—but most notable is her rendition of“Lady Sings the Blues”, a confab of Billie Holiday’s lyrics
and Nichols’ melody from “Serenade”. Though this was
one of Holiday’s signature tunes, the blues singer always
left off the bridge in performance, Victor explains. “So I
wanted to sing the lyrics with his bridge.”
Summer gigs: vocal jazz innovators Jenna Camilleand Anaïs Maviel each have a set at Ibeam Brooklyn’s
Free Spirit Festival (Jul. 12-13). 92NY brings together
three consummate singers from different generations inSingers and the Song—Marilyn Maye, Catherine Russell
and Ekep Nkwelle—as part of its “Jazz in July” series(Jul. 20). Dena DeRose visits Birdland Theater with her
exceptional trio in two different configurations withspecial guests (Jul. 19-21).

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 11

FESTIVAL REPORTLONG PLAYFESTIVALFESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL
DE MUSIC ACTUELLE DE
VICTORIAVILLE

Roscoe Mitchell @FIMAVBY TOM GREENLAND

ARTURAS MOROZOVASMARTIN MORISSETTEBY TRISTAN GEARY

DoYeon Kim @Long Play Festival

At 83, Roscoe Mitchell walked onto the stage to
rapturous applause. He looked regal, dressed in a
striking purple suit and matching hat. Peppered acrossthe stage were illuminated works of art created bythis legendary founding member of the Art Ensembleof Chicago, his boyish frame now perched like a
Buddha on a high stool. Mitchell was the literal andspiritual center of the 40th Festival International deMusique Actuelle de Victoriaville (FIMAV), four daysof mind-expanding music (May 16-20) held across two
sleek concert halls, a hotel ballroom and a church inVictoriaville, Quebec. The concertizing Mitchell thenlaunched into an improvisation on the bass saxophone,an instrument standing as tall as he was sitting.
Meandering through chesty low notes and wispy upper
registers with a probing curiosity, he arrived at tonal
centers, picked them up, examined them and departed
from them as gracefully as he greeted them, as if they
were passing thoughts to which he’d mastered theart of non-attachment. Circular breathing allowed forlengthy phrases, increasingly stirring the longer theysounded. It felt like the whole concert was deliveredin one continuous breath, a single thought with bolddigressions and eager homebases.
But two days and 11 concerts before Mitchell
took the stage, FIMAV 2024 launched with the world
premiere of Pascal Germain-Berardi’s Basileus.
Held upstairs from the smaller cabaret hall where
Mitchell played, over 50 musicians crowded the stage,
including three electric guitarists, eight acoustic
guitarists, a battery of percussionists and a volley ofbrass instrumentalists. The sound combined opera andheavy metal, deploying the epic quality of both. The
lead singers switched between traditional operatic
voice and gutbucket growling. Delivered in French, theplot revolved around a family confronted with a bitter
power struggle in a time of war. There was rarely amoment where the timpanist wasn’t playing, and thepercussionists darted around their setups like worker
bees in a hive. The music churned as if a lumbering
war machine. Particularly exciting was the Growlers
Choir of eleven singers who, towering at the back of thestage, acted collectively as the narrator, furthering theplot with growled, screamed and whispered libretto.
In the audience, metalheads with gnarly band T-shirts
sat next to bespectacled avant garde music enthusiasts,
creating a curious hang. At the end, the audiencescreamed back, giving a standing ovation.

T hree seasons old, Bang on a Can’s Long Play Festival(CONTINUED ON PAGE 31)(CONTINUED ON PAGE 32)

12 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD(May 3-5) is an exciting nexus of classical/jazz,composition/improvisation, local/global, human/machine. There were over fifty shows in nine downtown
Brooklyn venues, all within walking distance.
Opening night held three concerts, the rest scheduled
Saturday and Sunday, noon to midnight, a new show
available almost every half hour, giving festivalgoers myriad choices.
Friday (May 3) was a foretaste of and bar-setter for
the festival’s following acts. Poet/singer Patti Smithappeared at BAM Opera House with Soundwalk
Collective—Stephan Crasneanscki (laptop), Simone
Merli (analog synth), Lucy Railton (cello), Diego
Espinosa Cruz Gonzalez (percussion, marimba)—
reciting poems to a backdrop of film clips by Andrei
Tarkovsky and Pier Paolo Pasolini, the sum of theimagery/music/poetry surpassing the parts. Smith
ended by singing “Peaceable Kingdom” and “People
Have the Power” accompanied by her daughter Jesse(piano, vocals) and the audience (vocals, claps), who
seemed to know most of the words. Afterwards, atRoulette, Bang on a Can All-Stars—Ken Thomson(clarinet, arrangements), Arlen Hlusko (cello), Mark
Stewart (guitar), Vicky Chow (piano), Kebra-Seyoun
Charles (bass), David Cossin (drums, vibraphone),
Andrew Cotton (sound design)—repurposed film
composer Ryuichi Sakamoto’s most popular themes(from the album 1996) for the avant-rock ensemble,
Stewart leading the charge with a loud biting attack,the set a cornucopia of delightful diversity.
Saturday (May 4) started at 1 pm with U.K.
trombonist Alex Paxton playing his compositions
with the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble,
a cleverly irreverent alliance of chaos and control,
the conductor’s baton stabbing wildly at constantly
changing time signatures. The whole enterprise
was steeped in humor, as when the score called formusicians to nonchalantly check their smartphones
mid-number. Much more subdued, at least initially,
was Ensemble Klang at BRIC Ballroom performingPeter Adriaansz’ endlessly droning, in-and-outof-tune soundscape to a backdrop of late novelist
Robert Pirsig’s voiceover description of a motorcycle
trip. At Irondale Center, a picturesque space witha lofty wraparound balcony, worn wooden stairs,
stained glass, cracked paint and old but serviceablerocking chairs, Ekmeles sextet sang George Lewis’While hundreds of books
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“The book focuses on the mysteries of Jazz by creating a human and cultural map...the conclusion is striking.”– Sophia Valera Heineke, The New York City Jazz Record

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ALBUM REVIEWS

Atlantis Lullaby: The Concert From Avignon
Yusef Lateef (Elemental Music)
Beyond This Place
Kenny Barron (Artwork / [PIAS])
by Scott Yanow

I n some ways Kenny Barron can be considered the
Roy Haynes of pianists, under-recognized until his
later years, despite his consistent brilliance. In 1961
when he was 17 and making his recording debut,
Barron was already an impressive and mature soloist.
During the 63 years since, while often overshadowedby other pianists and taken a bit for granted, he has
quietly recorded gem after gem. Today, at age 81,
having outlived nearly all of his elders and most of
his contemporaries, Barron is as creative as ever.
Atlantis Lullaby, a Zev Feldman production that
includes a 24-page booklet, is a previously unreleased
double-album (available on LP or CD), recorded on
July 19, 1972 featuring Barron as a sideman and thesole surviving member from the regularly working
quartet led by Yusef Lateef (tenor, flute, soprano) that
included Bob Cunningham (bass) and Albert “Tootie”
Heath (drums). The pianist had worked with Lateefin Philadelphia during 1959-60, and was part of hisgroup between 1971-74. Lateef, a unique performer
who in his career ranged from bebop to soul jazz(although he never liked the word “jazz”), romping
R&B, spiritual melodies, and during his last period,
mood music, was one of the first Western artists tofully explore “exotic” instruments from Asia andIndia (preceding the “World music” genre and label).
On Atlantis Lullaby he sticks to his tenor and flute,with just a cameo on soprano. The music includes theuptempo boppish romp “Inside Atlantis”, a rocking
booting blues in “Yusef’s Mood” (that gives Barrona chance to stretch out for nearly 11 minutes), theboogaloo-ish “Eboness” (which has Lateef hummingalong with his flute), two short duets (one with
Heath playing an Indian flute), a surprisingly slow
rendition of “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” anda way-too-long episodic work (“The Untitled”). Since
the first disc clocks in around 42 minutes, eliminating“The Untitled” would have made this set into a verystrong single album.
On Barron’s Beyond This Place, his most recent
release, the pianist performs six originals and threestandards, joined on various selections by ImmanuelWilkins (alto), Steve Nelson (vibes), Kiyoshi
Kitagawa (bass) and Johnathan Blake (drums). The
leader displays plenty of versatility and youthful
enthusiasm throughout the set. He hints at stride
piano during parts of the alto/piano duet renditionof Thelonious Monk’s “We See”, borders on theavant garde during a wild version of “Scratch”,
pays tribute to bebop on “Tragic Magic”, and isheated throughout a piano/drums performance of“Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise”. Wilkins rises tothe occasion, playing with great restraint during the
melodic “The Nearness of You”, hinting at Charlie
Parker on some of the cooking numbers and goingoutside on “Scratch”. The always-dependable Nelson
also contributes some worthy solos and is a calming
influence on the session. Since Barron has now led atleast 50 albums, calling Beyond This Place definitive
may not be quite accurate, but this rewarding releaseserves as proof that the pianist is still very much inhis musical prime.
For more info visit elemental-music.com and pias.com.
Barron is at 92NY’s “Jazz in July” Jul. 17. See Calendar.

Abiding Memory
Phillip Golub (Endectomorph/Berthold)by Thomas Conrad

O ur present jazz moment contains such a wealth ofadventurous experimentation and fearless conceptual
expansion as to rival any previous era of the art
form. Yet even today, albums that occupy a uniquesonic environment are rare. One is Abiding Memory,
Phillip Golub’s recording debut as a leader. The first
impression of this music is its huge presence as asingle, seething mass. Individual instruments are soembedded in one another that you are engulfed by thewhole, with few isolated discrete threads of thought.
Golub builds music in dense layers: he does notorganize it according to established principles such as
head-solos-head nor does he set his band into metricalmotion. Instead, Golub lets his imposing ensembleloom in space. But his music never sounds static. It
sounds dynamic because of its fierce inner energy. A
project this unusual and this complete in itself does
not happen quickly. Golub says that the music came
together over a year in which he worked closely withfour collaborators, none of whom are “famous,” butare special talents: Alec Goldfarb (guitar), Daniel Hass(cello), Sam Minaie (bass) and Vicente Atria (drums).
Technology is in play on Abiding Memory. Golub
employs post-production techniques in assembling
many moving parts into complex textures and“uncanny timbral fusions.” (That phrase comes frompianist Vijay Iyer’s brilliantly descriptive liner notes.)
But as you acclimate to Golub’s world, you recognize
something even more fascinating than technology:
art. Golub’s unpredictable music unleashes startling
melodies. And his “composerly persona” (anotherphrase from Iyer) embraces improvisation. Ultimately,
this deeply integrated ensemble entity is realized
through the vivid voices of individual improvisers
contributing to the whole. Golub’s blocky, cryptic
piano, Goldfarb’s keening guitar, Hass’ haunting
cello, Minaie’s ritualistic bass and Atria’s portentous
drums are not there for their own sakes. They serve
the collective purpose, which is to evoke darkly
cinematic narratives whose mysteries can only beapproached through a nonobjective medium likemusic.
For more info visit endectomorph.com. Golub is at The Stone
at The New School Jul. 6. See Calendar.

Standards II
Noah Haidu (Sunnyside)by Ken Dryden

O ver the course of his still young career, pianist

Noah Haidu has shown an appreciation for songs
written decades before his birth, while finding new
avenues with which to explore them. Standards II

14 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

continues on this path, with the potent assistance of
two brilliant veterans: Buster Williams (bass) andBilly Hart (drums), both of whom have played withnumerous greats during their long careers in addition
to leading their own bands.
From the start, listeners are in for a treat withthe stunning, abstract setting of “Over the Rainbow”.
The classic Harold Arlen tune begins with Hart
unaccompanied, before Williams then Haidu enter
gradually. The pianist takes his time, hinting at
the melody without diving head-first into it. The
rhythmic freedom, edgy arco bass and musical tension
make a stunning team effort. Freddie Hubbard’s “Up
Jumped Spring” has long been a jazz standard and the
pianist’s intimate, deliberate introduction also takes
a roundabout route before focusing on this famousjazz waltz, a performance that ranges from Williams’
sublime, intricate bass feature to the effusive joy
when the leader is in the spotlight. Hart’s inspired
percussion, as usual, sounds effortless.
The trio’s interpretation of the neglected
Puerto Rican composer Pedro Flores’ “Obsesión” istransformed into an engaging bossa nova with plenty offireworks. Henry Mancini’s music has been frequently
played by jazz groups and Haidu’s easygoing approachto “Days of Wine and Roses” settles into a natural
groove, with Williams prominently showcased alongwith the pianist’s lyrical, spacious improvisation,
which is fueled by Hart’s nimble brushwork. At the
midpoint the drummer’s switch to sticks completelychanges the mood, as the trio transforms this standard
from a ballad to an energetic bop vehicle. The decadesold warhorse “After You’ve Gone” remains a favoriteof jazz musicians, and not just swing and stride
interpreters, because of its many possibilities. There’s
nothing old-fashioned about this lively performance,

Adderley—Burnin’ in Bordeaux:R • CannonballLive in France 1969 (Elemental Music)
Barron—Beyond This Place (Artwork)e •• Kenny
Borderlands Trio (Stephan Crump, Krisc Davis, Eric McPherson)—Rewilder (Intakt)
Braxton Saxophone Quartet—o • Anthony
SAX QT (Lorraine) 2022 (i dischi di angelica)
Childs/Temple University Studiom • Billy
Orchestra—Labyrinth (BCM+D)m • Zaccai Curtis—Cubop Lives!
Revolution Recording Collective)e • (Truth
Jon De Lucia—The Brubeck Octet Project(Musæum Clausum)n • Maria
Faust Jazz Catastrophe: 3rd Mutation—
d Moth (BushFlash)
Gayle, Milford Graves, Williame • Charles
Parker—WEBO (Black Editions Archive)d • Erik Griswold, Helen Svoboda, Chloe

n
e
w
r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s

Kim—Anatomical Heart (Earshift Music)• Louis Hayes—Artform Revisited (Savant)• James P. Johnson—World Broadcast
Recordings (Solo Art)
• Harold Land—Choma (Burn)(Mainstream-Wewantsounds)• Jihye Lee Orchestra—Infinite Connections(Motéma Music)• Nduduzo Makhathini—uNomkhubulwane(Blue Note)• William Parker & Ellen Christi—
Cereal Music (AUM Fidelity)• Queen Esther—Things Are Looking Up(EL Recordings)• Wadada Leo Smith/Amina Claudine Myers—
Central Park’s Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake,
Paths and Gardens (Red Hook)• TAC—Monte dos Marmeleiros(Robalo Music)• Denny Zeitlin—Panoply (Sunnyside)which is highlighted by Haidu’s inventive chord
substitutions and rollercoaster right-hand lines. The
closing track is Duke Ellington’s bluesy “I Got It Bad(And That Ain’t Good)”, which the trio plays in a soft,
intimate setting that would hush any club audience.
Noah Haidu is clearly an artist to watch.
For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com. Haidu is at The
Django Jul. 21. See Calendar.

touched the album, illustrating the group’s versatility,
and after the show, the leader headed out on an
ambitious series of tour dates lasting into January ofnext year.

DROP THE NEEDLE

For more info visit smokesessionsrecords.com. McPherson’s
85th Birthday Celebration album release concerts are at
Dizzy’s Club Jul. 18-21. See Calendar.

The Fox (Contemporary-Craft Recordings)
Choma (Burn) (Mainstream-Wewantsounds)
Harold Landby Duck Baker

ReverenceCharles McPherson (Smoke Sessions)
by Jim Motavalli

J udging by these live recordings from Manhattan’s

Smoke Jazz club last year, Charles McPherson isstill, at 84, a vibrant presence on alto saxophone.
The veteran Detroit player’s new album, Reverence,is comprised of an all-original program, save for aheartfelt rendering of “Old Folks” (Willard Robison,
Dedette Lee Hill) plus “Come Rain or Come Shine”(Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer). And his group is topnotch: Terell Stafford (trumpet), Jeb Patton (piano),David Wong (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums).
The session kicks off in sprightly fashion withthe aptly named “Surge”, a nice twisty minor blues
line that would have fit nicely into any ’50s Blue Note
recording. Stafford, who tends to logically build his
solos, is featured first, rising into the higher registers
as Drummond kicks him forward with some Art
Blakey-esque energy. The leader comes out swinging
from the jump. If you expect McPherson to play it
safe, guess again—he’s all over his horn. As he says,“I’m not a safe bebopper, I’m a wild bebopper!”
The attractive theme to “Blues for Lonnie in Three”
features the two horns complementing and pushing
one another forward in a style that harkens back to
the altoist’s work with Charles Mingus (1960-72). The
saxophonist really sings on this one, from the top to
the bottom of his horn. Patton, an experienced bop
player (as longtime accompanist to Jimmy Heath and
The Heath Brothers band), has a particularly luminous
piano solo.
“Come Rain or Come Shine” is heard in a trio
format, the saxophonist with minimal piano and bass
accompaniment. It’s a lot of exposure for McPherson,
but this master has been playing ballad standards formore than 60 years. Is this the way Dexter did it? You
bet. “Old Folks”, with Stafford on board, will also
have you reaching for the Kleenex box. Wong shows aswinging bass on “Dynamic Duo”, followed by someadventurous forays from Patton and great skyscraping
high notes from trumpeter Stafford. McPherson entersat an absolute boiling point, shouting, honking,making you spill your drink. It’s a standout track. The
album closes with the mid-tempo “Ode to Barry”, for
McPherson’s mentor, fellow Detroiter Barry Harris.
Wong again does yeoman service, and the leader’ssolo is full of grace.
McPherson and company returned to Smoke Jazz
Club for the album release party in early May (the bandthe same as on the album, excepting Peter Washington
in for Wong on bass). On their final night (May 5) of afour-night stand, the altoist was even wilder than onrecord, as on an absolute knockout 10-minute version
of “Cherokee”. Both horns threatened to levitate theroof. “We old guys still like to play like that,” theleader said from the bandstand. The set list barely(after)Aaron Irwin Trio (Adhyâropa)
by Tom Greenland

T hough it might sound “simple,” what Aaron Irwin

accomplishes on alto saxophone and bass clarinet,with the help of Mike Baggetta (guitar) and Jeff
Hirshfield (drums), is anything but. (after), his ninth
and newest release, is informed by an abiding interestin poetry, an artistic medium that, like jazz, conveys
emotional truths through tone and rhythm, as much,
if not more, than the literal meanings of the words
or lyrics. Although a few tracks include recitationsof a poem alongside the music, most only suggest
the prosody—the patterns of rhythm and sound inpoetry— by translating its flow of words into a flowof pure sounds. Irwin and company attempt thistechnique with a pared down approach: in lieu ofcomplex chords and chromatic embellishment theyfavor triadic harmonies, diatonic melodies, slow
tempos and straightforward meters.
“Frederick Douglass (after Robert Hayden)”sets Irwin’s bagpipe-like, cool-toned alto against
Baggetta’s slapping cowboy chords, which drag orrush the beat, both eventually escalating to a jangly
maelstrom. Similar episodes occur on “Daniel Boone(after Stephen Vincent Benét)”, with Irwin’s bass
clarinet spreading out over guitar shimmers andwhammies to a mixed-meter pulse; and “The Hill
(after Joshua Mehigan)”, where Irwin’s bass clarinet
remains staid and stoic in reaction to Mehigan’s somber
recitation of a graveyard scene. Baggetta’s distinctive
style, heard to fine effect on “Recuerdo (after Edna St.
Vincent Millay)”, recalls Bill Frisell’s in its use of tasty
embellishments, natural harmonics, double-stops
and just a hint of electronic enhancement, though hisstrumming technique is uniquely his own. On “Pikes
Peak (after Sarah Holland-Batt)” and “When I Heard
at the Close of the Day (after Walt Whitman)”, the trio
takes more license with harmony, making side-trips
and detours, pursuing parallel logic. “The Cemetery(after Steve Scafidi)” suggests a Celtic melody along
the lines of “Danny Boy”, freckled with alto microtones
and false-fingered rolls. The freest episodes occur on“The President Visits the Storm (after Shane McCrae)”,wherein noises evoking rattling chandeliers, cannon
fire, jet engines and android chatter vie with Irwin’srich, low, resonant bass clarinet, Hirshfield’s steadyswing providing an anchor line through the stormysoundscape.
Just as Ernest Hemingway’s stories use glaringomissions to suggest a deeper narrative and Japanesepaintings use Ma (negative space) to lure a viewer’s
gaze, Irwin’s music, like poetry, achieves its depth
and complexity through allusion and connotation,
pointing a finger towards the great ineffable unknown.
For more info visit adhyaroparecords.com. The album
release concert is at Ibeam Brooklyn Jul. 8. See Calendar.

S o many great tenor players came up in the ’50sthat it’s probably inevitable that most of them
don’t get the credit they deserve. Harold Land
(who died 23 years ago this month) is a primeexample, a daring and original stylist who madehis entrance on the first three Clifford Brown/
Max Roach Quintet dates in 1954-55, and thenappeared on several late ’50s classics with acircle of West Coast hard-boppers that included
pianist Carl Perkins and Elmo Hope, bassist/
bandleader Curtis Counce and drummer Frank
Butler. Reflecting the influence of John Coltrane,Land’s style evolved considerably in the ’60s as
he teamed with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson
on a series of varied and rewarding records thatcombined elements of modal post-bop, freer
playing and even fusion.
But in his long and valuable career, Landnever made a better record than The Fox. Thenagain, not many people ever did. Two factors makethis date stand out: the participation of mercurial
trumpeter Dupree Bolton and the presence ofHope. It’s not that Hope is a better fit as a pianist
than the wonderful Perkins, but he does push themusic in an edgier way, and he was one of the mostadvanced jazz composers of the time. Bolton is
one of the great might-have-beens in jazz history,a brilliant and original player who unfortunately
managed just two studio appearances. The always
fascinating Butler drives the rhythm as bassist
Herbie Lewis keeps the date grounded, and thegroup feeling is electric. Four of Hope’s tunes
are featured, along with two by the leader, andthe whole program is so good that it’s pointless
to try and name standout tracks. For jazz fans,
The Fox is a must, and for audiophiles this superb
vinyl reissue is a dream. Apart from the original
pressing, it has never sounded this good.
Choma (Burn) was the second of three records
Land made in the early ’70s for the Mainstreamlabel and possibly the most ambitious. This was
the period of the group he co-led with Hutcherson
and the vibraphonist is on hand, as is the group’s
pianist, William Henderson. Land doubles onflute, Hutcherson on marimba, and Henderson on
Fender Rhodes. Harold Land, Jr. also plays bothkinds of piano, and there are two drummers. Thisis a fusion-oriented date and features excellent
soloing from Land and Hutcherson on four longtunes that range from funky soul-jazz (“OurHome”) to modal heads (the title track). We often
hear both pianists, both drummers, and bassist
Reggie Johnson all busily going at it, while Landor Hutcherson solo, building up complex layers on
simple harmonic frameworks. It’s not a completely
original concept, but the sound is pretty unique,and fusion fans in particular should seek thisvinyl reissue out.
For more info visit craftrecordings.com andwewantsounds.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 15her hallmark prepared piano (magnets!) in twinkling,
thumping quarks. Showcased are Smith’s ruminativeor impassioned musings and Radley’s bluesy pinging
strings. After a hearty ensemble climax, “Echos IV”
strolls sublimely into the sunset.
For more info visit brunoraberg.com
Look Inside – solo bass
Evolver
Bruno Råberg (Orbis Music)
by Fred Bouchard

W ise, imaginative and witty, bassist/composer BrunoRåberg (who turns 70 this month) has steadfastly
advanced his career over 14 albums of mostly upbeat
originals via a buoyant, exuberant bass techniqueexpressed in variable combos. His music is a deepdive into a restless, ruminative wellspring of themes
stemming from a sunny career that began in 1978 in
his native Sweden with trombonist Eje Thelin. Since
that time he has had much to draw and reflect upon
as a sideman on 50 albums with an array of jazznotables, balancing clear-eyed stylistic evolution withwhat is a galaxy of collaborators (often colleagues at
Berklee College of Music, where he’s been on faculty
since 1986). His two most recent releases have hit theextremes: a reflective solo bass debut, and a chamberlike tentet that recalls an early nonet.
Look Inside – solo bass draws from Råberg’s world
tours, festivals and studies, all of which rubbed off on
him as he absorbed modalities such as Swedish folk tales,
Karnatic modes, Brazilian samba and dodecaphonics.
On Ellington’s “Prelude to a Kiss” and Gershwin’s “My
Man’s Gone Now” he touches obliquely, effortlessly,
as if woven into memory. “Island Pathways” leads a“pitter-panther-patter” of motifs diverging in yellow
Nordic woods. He nibbles at “Nardis” (composed byMiles Davis, or Bill Evans, depending on your source)
in a kalimba reminiscence and on “Gyrating Spheres”
plays with geometric forms in counterpoint: tap, bow,
pizzicato. Råberg imbues a spur-of-the-moment “Odeto Spring” with innate peace and joy—his fairy tales
are not Grimm, they’re grand.
Evolver (“No R,” Råberg jokes from Boston’sRegattabar bandstand, “as in the ’Eatles album”)
was coaxed into being by life-long Berklee cohort/bandmate, saxophonist Allan Chase. As Chase cues thehorns (and solos with soprano fervor on “Peripeteia”
and “Echos II”), he earns credit for bugging his pal torevive the reed-favored horn mix of Chrysalis (2002).
Special guests are scintillating pianist Kris Davis andWalter Smith III on robust tenor sax, colleagues at
Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute. In this band of united
nationals we geolocate Stephen Byth (tenor, clarinet),
Charlotte Lang (bass clarinet), Fernando Brandão
(flutes), Randy Pingrey (trombone), Peter Kenagy(trumpet, flugelhorn), Anastassiya Petrova (organ,
piano), Nate Radley (guitar) and Gen Yoshimura(drums). The music flows smoothly, conductor-free;snugly-scored themes, orotund with piquant points,
rise above gnarly signature hops. “Echos III” (some
9/8, 5/4, 5/8) spins heads but Råberg and Yoshimura
push blithely from the rearguard. Soloists, observing
the lucid, well-knit structures, may weave improvs
into ensemble recaps or conversely, read unison lines
with the ensemble: no da capo dal segno (from thetop) here! Ebb and flow assures an edgy narrative,
energetic even on themes of stillness and elegy.
Brightness and clarity reign. Even Erebus, Greek
mythology’s son of Chaos, and darkness personified,
metaphorically emerges wreathed and cheerful fromRåberg’s loving hands. As a club-goer remarked
in a live performance, “We’re getting the wholestory tonight.” “Echos”, a 25-minute suite juggling
four tetrachords into a tone row, caps the date withtightly-rapt [sic] ensembles recalling the graceful,elegant moods of Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider
or John Hollenbeck. Grammy-winner Davis uncorks

sets together sharpness with simplicity. Its cohesion isa fractal of the album, finding the feeling of Teillier’s
sentiment: “In another place, far from this land andits time, I wait for your face where all the faces I have
loved meet.”
In between sets, Menares made mention that “ourfamilies listen to all of our albums, but this one I thinkthey really like. It has attracted the ears not just of jazzfans.” The album brings enough detail, abstraction
and intention for the seasoned listener but is always
pleasing enough for those who might even prefer pop.
Appropriately titled, Familia reminds us not to take for
granted the people closest to us and the tributes made tothem—which can be familiar yet are also often excitingin their unpredictability.
For more info visit greenleafmusic.com

Familia
Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares, Yago Vazquez(Greenleaf Music)
by Sophia Valera Heinecke

F amilia, by Rodrigo Recabarren (drums), Yago Vazquez(piano) and Pablo Menares (bass), is blanketed withmemorable and cohesive themes and full of additional
nuance that begs for repeat listens. Reflecting 13plus years of playing together, each musician brings
a multiplicity of identities to these gracefully adroit
arrangements. Originally from Chile (Recabarren and
Menares) and Galicia, Spain (Vazquez), the groupbonded over a shared love of the soaring ballads ofMercedes Sosa and the overlap of folkloric traditions
and cultural complexities met on the journey of life.
Traditions like the Chilean “chin-chin” street rhythm
and Galician ¾ Xota rhythm are intertwined with the
Chacarera beats of Argentina and Colombia’s Cumbia
beats. The album expresses qualities passionate,contemplative and storied in the way members of eachplayer’s family arrive on the tracks by name or notion,
spanning generations of grandfathers and sons. At theirlive concert at Ornithology Jazz Club last month (Jun. 5),
Recabarren mentioned the warmth from Greenleaf
Music (the label run by trumpeter/composer/educator
Dave Douglas), in supporting the album.
One of the recording’s most impactful melodic
themes radiates from Vazquez’ composition “Terra”,
the second selection on the new release (and the live
set opener). It weaves a brightness in tone between
the components of the trio, as Recabarren utilizes
the perimeter of the snare to drive the Cumbiainfluenced rhythms, evoking the sound of castanets.
The composition easily achieves a felt groove before
even introducing the theme. A convening of emotion
is starkly present on “Lazo”, incorporating brushed
percussion, pregnant pauses and piano lines thatripple up your throat. This album evades category
regarding upbeat or down, as moments of quietude
give way to action. Vazquez’ composition “Aninovo”
is most galvanizing, breaking from the theme in a piano
scramble set with a sweet finish as metallic cymbal
lines bounce a lightness that leaves room for emphasis
when bassist Menares pulls up. On the recording, thepiano playing on “Ritual” is exploratory but not quite
as daring as in many of the other compositions, such as
the bassist’s “Viaje”, with its scintillating moments ofdissonance that awaken into an overall sense of repose.
In the live version, the bassist gives a more tempered
exploration, particularly leggiero at the lead-out.
While the pacing across the album is varied, theaudience at Ornithology was activated by the balance,
silent for long stretches where Vazquez provided
majestic trills and embellishments. Conversation
bubbled up from the room, aligning with moments ofescalation, particularly on “Santiago”. “Después deTodo” (inspired by Chilean poet Jorge Teillier’s poem of
the same name) is the album finale, with Recabarren’s
drumming placed in the foreground, con brio, which

16 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDNight Reign
Arooj Aftab (Verve)
by Kurt GottschalkA cynic might say that after the surprising, thoughnot-underserved (comparatively) runaway success ofLove in Exile, Arooj Aftab’s lovely 2023 album with
Shahzad Ismaily and Vijay Iyer, the new Night Reign
has all the earmarks of a record designed to up thatparticular lightning strike. Aftab’s 2021 Vulture Prince
placed in numerous best-of-year lists and won the Best
Global Music Performance Grammy, making her the
first Pakistani to win a Grammy in any category. She
has thus been clearly poised for bigger success. And
indeed, perhaps strategists at Verve decided the way
to push her over the top would be to get some nameproducers, a bunch of behind-the-scenes talent and ahost of performers to work on her next project.
Aftab is the top dog producer of her new album,
but Chocolate Genius lends his talents as producer
and arranger on one cut, and four other arrangers are
credited for five more of the nine tracks. The twenty
musicians on board include Ismaily and Iyer as well
as Cautious Clay (flute), Maeve Gilchrist (harp), Gavin
Riley and Kaki King (guitars), Linda May Han Oh(bass), Keita Ogawa of Snarky Puppy (percussion),James Francies (keys), Elvis Costello (organ) and Moor
Mother providing guest vocals. Night Reign, it might
seem, is poised for commercial success. It might be a
bit far-fetched to assume that a Pakistani-American
singer born in Saudi Arabia (and now living in New
York City), who sings in both Urdu and English andis given to wandering meditations that come off a bit
like Eno remixes of Alice Coltrane with shades of Sade,
maybe a touch of Nina Simone and certainly strainsof her homeland, could find mainstream success. And
although I might be a cynic, sometimes a formula forsuccess works. This is a heavily-produced album,
rich and layered and lush. There’s a take on the jazzstandard “Autumn Leaves” that leans into pop, but inthe loveliest of ways. There’s a new version of “Last
Night” from Vulture Prince that strips the reggae rhythm
but is still sultry like a Rumi ballad.
Night Reign is a dark and beautiful after-midnightrumination. And at the end of the day, it deserves thepraise it’s poised for.
For more info visit ververecords.com. The album release
concert is at Central Park Summerstage Jul. 24. See
Calendar.

G LO B E U N I T Y

Two Trios
Guillermo Gregorio (ESP-Disk’)Telmo’s Tune
Guillermo Klein Quinteto (Sunnyside)
Tango Suite Buenos Aires
Antonio Gavrila (ZOHO)
by Daniel A. Brown

H eld annually and traditionally on Jul. 9, Argentina
National Independence Day (Dia de la Independencia)
honors the 1816 date when the South Americancountry declared freedom from Spanish rule. The
acknowledged indigenous music of Argentina istango, whose Golden Age (1935-52) ran concurrent
with the quantum leaps made by the American
jazz community. Yet contemporary jazz musicians
Guillermo Gregorio, Guillermo Klein and Antonio
Gavrila—whether by origin or through devotion to
the country’s musical heritage—continue to liberate
the soundscape of the Argentinian homeland.
In the late ’60s, clarinetist Guillermo Gregorio cofounded the experimental music-and-performancecollective Movimiento Música Más. Since the mid’80s, he has lived in various musical hotbeds: Los
Angeles, Vienna, Chicago and, since 2015, New York.

Vibraphonist/
Composer

Culled from two live performances, Two Trios can beheard as a field report of his decades-long peripatetic
search. Joined by Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello) and
Carrie Biolo (vibes), on “Degrees of Iconicity”, thethree create the effect of doors opening and closing:one passage of spatial sound exits as a sudden
propulsive theme enters. “Cosa Rara” shimmers andtwists with even more urgency. On the latter halfof the album, Gregorio is joined by Iván Barenboim(contralto clarinet) and Nick Jozwiak (cello). “Out of
the Other Notes” finds the two reed players digging
deep into the sonic capacity of their instruments,
with Jozwiak offering a shifting underpinning of
bowed and scraped notes.
In recent years, pianist-composer Guillermo
Klein has worked with large-scale ensembles.
Telmo’s Tune pares down the lineup with his
Quinteto, providing an object lesson in cohesion
and considerate, empathic group performance. On
this nine-song set, the leader is joined by old-guard
players Chris Cheek (tenor, soprano), Leo Genovese(Fender Rhodes, keyboards) and Matt Pavolka (bass),
and newer recruit, Allan Mednard (drums). “Push Me
Not” features a hyper-syncopated rhythm; Pavolka’s
ostinato bass line becomes a ballast the others flit andfly around with polyrhythms and evident glee. On
the title track, Cheek’s saxophone lines take on therole of point man, with Klein and Genovese building
the song’s structure out of impressionistic chordal
fragments. The driving “Camello” cribs from an
Olivier Messiaen mode, but in the hands of Klein andcrew, plays like the higher-reaching ’90s-era workof bassist Mario Pavone, with Klein, Pavolka andMednard locked in so Genovese and Cheek can cut
loose.
Antonio Gavrila is arguably the Argentine
traditionalist of this month’s featured musicians;
and ironically, he is Romanian. Following 15 yearsof classical study, the 27-year-old pianist-composersays he was “reborn through tango.” His recent
release, Tango Suite Buenos Aires, is an impressive
record of that rebirth. “Michelangelo 70” is a piece
penned by the tango revolutionary, Astor Piazzolla.
Driven by the propulsive Nuevo Tango 3-3-2
rhythm, Gavrila and bandoneon player Walther
Castro pursue the song’s chromatic vibe with certain
glee and bassist Horacio “Mono” Hurtado pushes aminor-key vamp, as guitarist Quique Sinesi delivers
tasteful commentary throughout. Over the courseof its 15 minutes, the four-part title piece moves
from elegiac to lively. “I: Tristeza” is a pensivesolo-piano ballad; “II: Nuevos Tiempos” and “III:Nostalgico” share the theme with an emphasis on
piano, bandoneon and guitar. “IV: Todo Piazzolla”
is a fitting closing track, honoring its legendarynamesake, with altered chords and dissonant
flavors—a prime example of the soulful complexityof Argentinian music.
For more info visit espdisk.com, sunnysiderecords.com andzohomusic.com. Guillermo Klein is at Shapeshifter Lab
Jul. 12 and Bar LunÀtico Jul. 22. See Calendar.

Jay Hoggard Quartet

James Weidman piano / Belden Bullock bass / Alvester Garnett drums / Jocelyn Pleasant drums, percussion
Thu & Fri - July 11 & 12, 2024
7:30 & 9:30 pm$25 Cover

14 Memorial Hwy New Rochelle, NY 914-654-6549

Saturday July 20, 2024. 3pm

621 Dudley St. Dorcester, MA FREE CONCERT

Please visit www.jayhoggard.com
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 17

Looking Up Through the Trees
Songevity (Mighty Quinn)
by Anna Steegmann

Jazz activist and bassist Rob Duguay, who has led
multiple groups, created Songevity, a collective of worldtraveling musicians, to compose (and perform) timelessmusic with the staying power to achieve longevity.
Various musicians have participated in this project in
the past, and for Looking Up Through the Trees, the bassist
and nominal leader is joined by the outstanding Mexican
pianist Alex Mercado and the prolific, Chilean-born,
Mexico-residing drummer Gabriel Puentes. Seven of theeight tracks are Duguay’s compositions, which showcase
different styles and moods, including swing, bebop, slow
ballads and even a New Orleans buoyant street beat.
Album opener “The Seed Planter” is joyful andupbeat. Mercado leads the melody, while the other twotake a more supportive role, before Duguay’s playing
comes to the forefront, and as Puente’s playing thenbecomes more prominent, the pianist then comfortably
accompanies and takes a backseat. This equal opportunity
pattern is repeated in many of the selections, giving
each musician ample room in taking his turn to shine.
“Better Left for a Letter” is unhurried and deliberate.
The trio creates a romantic mood: Puentes’ playing
is light, feathery and seductive, while Mercado andDuguay tease one other. At seven minutes, the exuberant“Blues Be Lousy” is the longest track and features great
improvisations on the catchy melody by each musician.
The title track transports the listener to a forest or
garden, and offers a gentle musical breeze that whispers
through trees and singing birds. “A Gloomy Blooming”
was written by Duguay at the beginning of the pandemic
on a rainy spring day, though it doesn’t feel as gloomy
as expected by its title; rather, it is tender and heartfelt.
The final selection, the album’s sole non-original, offers asurprising, creative take on Johannes Brahms’ Symphonyin F Major Opus 90.
Songevity offers a splendid recording that will havelisteners delighted by its playful spirit and amazed by
the subtly powerful performances created by the three
instrumentalists.
For more info visit mightyquinnrecordsmusic.com. The
album release concert is at Ornithology Jazz Club Jul. 30. See
Calendar.

Just Found Joy
Ricky Alexander (Turtle Bay)by Scott Yanow

Freewheeling, pre-swing jazz, which is variously calledclassic jazz, traditional jazz, 1920s jazz or Dixieland,
has long been underground music. While it has had
occasional periods during the past half-century when it
catches on a bit with the general public, the modern jazz
world largely ignores the style other than perhaps paying

18 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

homage to Louis Armstrong. That is a pity because its
ensembles can be quite exhilarating and, in many ways,
it is the world’s happiest music. Trad jazz exists mainly
in its own appealing world of classic jazz festivals(particularly in Europe), jazz parties and recordings.
New York City has been one of its main centers in recent
years even if one has to know where to search in order
to find it.
Ricky Alexander, a skilled soprano saxophonist
and clarinetist, may be a new name to those who do notfollow classic jazz but he has already appeared on over
30 albums and can be found playing regularly in New
York clubs. On Just Found Joy (his third project as a leader
for Turtle Bay), Alexander heads a sextet that includes
Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Brennen Ernst (guitar), either
Dalton Ridenhour or Jon Thomas (piano), Ron Adkins(bass) and Kevin Dorn (drums). In addition to the leader
singing “Don’t Blame Me”, Vanisha Gould also takes
appealing vocals on four of the ten numbers. The album
features impeccable musicianship, explosive solos from
Kellso (one of today’s giants in the style), and one of
the hottest versions of “King Porter Stomp” recorded inrecent memory. Alexander, who sometimes hints at thepassion of Sidney Bechet, has many fine spots and therhythm section (both pianists are equally top-notch stride
and swing players) is consistently impressive. Amongthe highlights are “People Will Say We’re In Love”, thegroup vocal on “Sweet Lorraine”, Alexander’s original“Promenade”, the burning ensembles on “High Society”,
a surprisingly hard-swinging “It Had To Be You” andthe leader’s clarinet showcase on “Rubber Plant Rag”.
Whether listeners are long-time fans of trad jazz or
just discovering the style, they will find Just Found Joy to
be filled with exciting, timeless jazz.

keyboard solos. Cannonball is more expansive, versatileand generous as a solo voice at the Bordeaux concert.
Zawinul’s skittery 7/4 “The Scavenger” finds him on the“outside” edge of his artistry (re: the Ayler reference),
while he limns Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere”
with a lush romanticism closer to alto saxophonist Phil
Woods. There’s a bit of bossa in “Manhá de Carnaval”;
there’s also Nat’s bluesy soul funk “Work Song” andadventurous soloing from both brothers on “Experiencein E”, distilled from a symphonic piece inspired by aZawinul tune. And for his feature in Bordeaux, Zawinul
invokes the spirit of Duke Ellington on the maestro’s“Come Sunday”.
Both Zawinul and Duke—the latter employing wahwah and synth effects—switch between acoustic pianoand electric keyboards. The former gets downrightchurning, church organ rocking on Pops Staples’ “Why
Am I Treated So Bad”. Duke conjures a synthy Bitches
Brew vibe on his “Black Messiah”, an extended 20+ minuteopus. From 1960 to 1975, when he died, Cannonball was
one of jazz’ most acclaimed musicians, his bands among
the music’s biggest attractions. But he never rested on hislaurels; he was always on a quest for new horizons. Casein point: in Paris the quintet plays “Autumn Leaves”,
but rather than reprise his famous Somethin’ Else version
with Miles Davis (in a rare sideman role), Cannonballinstead reimagines it as a hard bop uptempo number.
For more info visit elemental-music.com. A Cannonball
Adderley tribute is at Smoke featuring Vincent Herring
Jul. 3-7. See Calendar.

Life is Funny That Way
Fay Victor Herbie Nichols SUNG (TAO Forms)
by Alex Henderson

In remarks to the audience in Bordeaux, France, Julian“Cannonball” Adderley cited a range of jazz artists
who they might be reminded of by his quintet’s music,
including Albert Ayler, Ramsey Lewis and Count Basie.
He could have also included the electric jazz-rock ofMiles Davis of Bitches Brew (even though it was recorded
the same year). Cannonball’s bands were always aboutmuch more stylistically than the soul jazz and blues
funk of their greatest hits. These two albums, Burnin’
in Bordeaux (in its first official, authorized release) andPoppin’ in Paris (previously unreleased) are remasteredfrom tapes made at Cannonball Adderley Quintet
concerts in France three years apart when he had beenleading his own quintets (and occasional sextets) for a
decade. They capture performances that are typical of theera, when jazz festivals and concerts showcased bands
in all their facets, including features for sidemen andextended drum solos. Both include two sets, with eachconcert featuring close to an hour and a half of music.
The core band at both consisted of alto saxophonist
Cannonball, brother Nat (cornet) and Roy McCurdy(drums). In Bordeaux the three are joined by Joe Zawinul(piano, electric piano) and Victor Gaskin (bass); in Paris
it’s George Duke (piano, electric piano) and Walter Booker(bass). The only tunes played at both concerts were theband’s biggest hit, Zawinul’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” andhis “Walk Tall (Baby That’s What I Need)”, both soulful
jazz-funk tunes that feature only horn ensembles andFor more info visit taoforms.com. The album release concert is
at Dizzy’s Club Jul. 24. See Calendar.

UNEARTHED GEM

September Night
Tomasz Stańko Quartet (ECM)
by Phil Freeman

Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko (who died in

For more info visit turtlebayrecords.com. Alexander is at Rum
House Jul. 9 and 23. See Calendar.

Burnin’ in Bordeaux: Live in France 1969
Poppin’ in Paris: Live at L’Olympia 1972
Cannonball Adderley (Elemental Music)
by George Kanzler

Montgomery”, Victor sticks to wordless scat vocals. The
album thrives on both inside and outside improvisation,and the backing acoustic quartet proves itself flexible:
Michaël Attias (alto, baritone), Anthony Coleman(piano), Ratzo Harris (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) all
rise to the occasion on a variety of Nichols melodies with
new Victor arrangements.
In an ideal world, Nichols would have enjoyedgreater exposure before his untimely death. But as canbe heard here, Victor does her part to keep his memory
alive.

Pianist and composer Herbie Nichols, who was only 44
when he died of leukemia in 1963, was underappreciatedduring his short life. But posthumously, his work has
been the subject of enthusiastic tributes by sopranosaxophonist Steve Lacy, trombonist Roswell Rudd,
bassist Ben Allison and pianist Misha Mengelberg, as
well as various others. Singer Fay Victor is by no means
the first vocal improviser to pay homage to Nichols as
an album one-off, but this ambitious double album is arare example of an entire vocal tribute to the bop pianist.
While Nichols favored an angular style of pianism thatwas greatly influenced by Thelonious Monk, Bud Powelland Elmo Hope, among others, Victor is a gritty, bigvoiced singer who draws a great deal of inspiration from
Carmen McRae and Betty Carter. Nichols’ best-known
melody is “Lady Sings the Blues”, recorded by Billie
Holiday, and it receives an inside/outside interpretationfrom Victor. Although she performs Holiday’s originallyrics, Victor brings new titles and lyrics of her own
to most of the other selections. And the Brooklyn
native successfully reimagines time-honored Nichols
material including “The Spinning Song” (“Descent
Into Madness”), “Step Tempest” (“Non-Fraternization
Clause”) and “The Gig” (“The Bassist”) as vocal jazz.
The vocalist’s love of McRae’s gutsy, hard-swinging
style serves her well on “Double Exposure” (“LifeIs Funny That Way”) and “House Party Starting”(“Tonight”), while the more abstract improvisations
on “2300 Skiddoo” (“The Culprit Is You”), “TheHappenings” (“Sinners, All Of Us!”) and “Another
Friend” (“Bright Butterfly”) take her into Carter-ish
avant garde territory. On the exuberant “Shuffle

Warsaw six years ago this month) long fronted aquartet with Marcin Wasilewski (piano), Sławomir
Kurkiewicz (bass) and Michał Miśkiewicz (drums).
The group existed for over a decade, from its
formation in 1993 to its third and final studioalbum, 2005’s Lontano. Now, the group’s history is
expanded with this new release of a live recordingfrom a September 2004 concert in Munich. Theband had released Suspended Night earlier that year,
which featured ten tracks simply titled “Suspended
Variations” (“I” through “X”) and a piece called“Song For Sarah”; only the latter appears here, alongwith versions of “Euforila” (from 1997’s Leosia),“Celina” (from 1995’s Matka Joanna) and otherselections with simple titles such as “Elegant Piece”
and “Theatrical”.
Stańko was a pioneer of avant garde jazz inEurope; he worked with pianist and composer
Krzysztof Komeda in the ’60s, was a member of
the Globe Unity Orchestra, collaborated with Don
Cherry and played in Cecil Taylor’s Orchestraof Two Continents in the ’80s, appearing on thealbum Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants). But his
voice on the horn, particularly when leading his
own groups, was very much in the spirit of Miles
Davis, specifically the Miles Davis of 1965. On thisnew discovery, Stańko’s introspective, melancholysound—clear and eschewing vibrato, but allowing
for wild stratospheric leaps as well as sudden
descents—may well remind listeners of the othertrumpeter’s live recordings from the Plugged Nickel
in Chicago. There, the band was determined tosubvert the leader, the audience, and each other, byperforming what drummer Tony Williams dubbed“anti-jazz.” That somewhat anarchic spirit can beheard clearly on “Euforila” and “Kaetano”, whichallow Miśkiewicz—who was a teenager when hejoined the band, a mirror of the Davis-Williams
relationship—to detonate explosively behind the kit,as Stańko leaps and twirls in midair, occasionallyerupting in fierce cries.
For more info visit ecmrecords.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 19

ON SCREEN

Tastenarbeiter: Alexander von Schlippenbach
Tilman Urbach (Modofilm/isar film)
by Paul Gaita

Tastenarbeiter is a coolly introspective documentary on
German free jazz legend Alexander von Schlippenbach,founder of the free jazz ensemble Globe Unity Orchestra(GUO), which ignited the West German and European
jazz scenes during the ’60s. Director Tilman Urbachroots much of his film’s focus in the present, showing
the recently turned 86-year-old von Schlippenbach
still vibrant and far-reaching in collaboration withlongtime musical partners such as trumpeter Manfred
Schoof, wife and pianist Aki Takase and drummer
Gunter “Baby” Sommer, as well as with newer partners
like son, turntablist Vincent Graf von Schlippenbach.
Nostalgia is relegated to a handful of interviews withthose that charged headlong into the free jazz fieldwith him, including the late Free Music Production(FMP) founder Jost Gebers, as well as black-and-whitefootage of the GUO, with Schlippenbach playing his
piano’s entire keyboard at once with a length of wood,and tenor saxophonist Peter Brötzmann in full cry.
The art that issues from conflict seems to be anunderlying theme in Tastenarbeiter; newsreel footage
shows the political protests and clashes with policethat took place while Schlippenbach united Schoof
and Gunter Hampel’s bands to form the GUO.
Conversations with son Vincent also suggest thatemotional upheaval was in part responsible for his
father’s music, which spurred turmoil with his familyof origin (even deviation from food recipes put him on
their bad side, as one amusing anecdote reveals). For
his part, Schlippenbach (and Gebers) professes that he
was disinterested in linking his music to the politicallandscape of the period; the music itself provided
all the dissent he needed from mainstream culture,
though a conversation with the East German Sommer
acknowledges that their collaborations did foment thepossibilities of music impacting political unity.
Tastenarbeiter is decidedly not for newcomers to
Schlippenbach’s art and the history of European freejazz. Interviewees are not identified on screen, so their
exact place in Schlippenbach’s story can be unclear
if you aren’t immediately familiar with his life andthat particular scene and time period. Such concerns
are relegated to the background when Urbach focuses
his camera on his subject making music, whether in
intimate duos or with a ferocious, reconstituted GUO.
Words never quite did his music justice then,and certainly show their inefficacy in defining his
effortlessly protean art today.
For more info visit modofilm.de

20 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDFor Miles
Mark Morganelli Italian Quartet (Blue Chip Jazz)
by Alex Henderson

Determined to always keep moving forward,
trumpeter Miles Davis was probably among the least
nostalgic musicians in jazz history. The fusion-oriented
Davis of the ’70s and ’80s expressed no interest inrevisiting his modal innovations, let alone the bebop
and cool jazz classics he made before that. Yet Davis’
bop/cool period continues to inspire solid tributes,
including trumpeter/flugelhornist Mark Morganelli’s
For Miles. Recorded in Torino, Italy last year, this selfproduced effort finds him leading a cohesive acoustic
group that is billed as his Italian Quartet, featuring
Massimo Faraò (piano), Nicola Barbon (bass) and
Ruben Bellavia (drums).
Morganelli occasionally detours into modal postbop, embracing two standards from Davis’ seminal
Kind of Blue: “Freddie Freeloader” and “All Blues”. But
Davis’ bop/cool period is Morganelli’s main focus on
his new album, and he celebrates that era with versionsof “It Could Happen to You” (Jimmy Van Heusen),“Bye Bye Blackbird” (Ray Henderson) and other pop
standards Davis famously recorded during the ’50s. At
times, For Miles also becomes, by extension, a tribute toalto saxophone icon Charlie Parker—even without thepresence of a saxophonist. Morganelli’s performancesof “Lover Man” (Ram Ramirez) and “Half Nelson”(composed by Davis when a member of Parker’s quintet)
are mindful of what both Davis and Parker brought tothose standards. Davis recorded “Half Nelson” in 1947
and 1956, the earlier version featuring Parker on tenor
had an ethereal quality, while the latter recording withtenor saxophonist John Coltrane was faster and much
more aggressive. Morganelli’s version here (which
incorporates the melody to pianist Tadd Dameron’s“Lazy Bird”) may be closer to the 1947 version yet
contains elements of the edgy 1956 arrangement. While
Davis featured saxophonists on many of his ’50s sessions,
Morganelli’s focus is in his rhythm section, particularlyFaraò whose swinging yet melodic pianism is a definite
plus on “Solar” (guitarist Chuck Wayne’s original,
stolen by Davis and based on the standard “How Highthe Moon”), Dave Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way”
and saxophonist/vocalist Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson’s“Four” (frequently and historically miscredited to Davis).
For Miles doesn’t offer a lot of surprises. But what it
lacks in that area, it clearly makes up for with warmthand enthusiasm.
For more info visit 1201music.com. Morganelli is at Smalls
Jul. 5. See Calendar.

Two Views of Steve Lacy’s The Wire
Ackley-Chen-Centazzo-DeGruttola-Kaiser-Manring(Don Giovanni)
Derailleur
Archie Shepp (Triple Point)
by Bill Meyer

Twenty years have passed since Steve Lacy’s demiseand this month represents what would have been his
90th birthday, but time has not forgotten him. Lacy
was a singular voice on the soprano saxophone, andhis compositions, which were often informed by nonmusical art, remain enduring resources for musicians
who choose to walk the wire between total freedom
and challenging structures. Neither of these recordings
was made under Lacy’s direction, but they offer two
vantage points from which to perceive his contributions
to the evolving language of jazz.
Recorded in 2017, Two Views of Steve Lacy’s The Wireis exactly what the title says—two complete performancesof an album that Lacy recorded with an unusuallyconfigured Japanese ensemble in 1975: piano, drums andthree bassists (one doubling on cello). Never reissued, theoriginal is now collector bait, but easy to find on YouTube.
Two of the musicians on Two Views (percussionist Andrea
Centazzo and soprano sax/clarinet player Bruce Ackley)
worked extensively with Lacy and assure some fidelity to
his severe economy. In another view, here are burping,busy exchanges between electric bassists Michael Manringand Henry Kaiser (the latter convincingly playing
squiggly sounds that he has made on guitar in the past).
Their approach drastically differentiates this project fromthe original’s seething pocket orchestra textures; they
reveal just how much weight Lacy’s skeletal frameworks
can bear. Why two views? Heard back-to-back, the tunes
differ substantially, driving the point home, affirming
their renewable quality.
Derailleur presents Lacy in a rare situation. Earlyon, in the ’50s, he had played in other leaders’ bands,
first in Dixieland combos and later with Cecil Taylor
and Thelonious Monk. But on this recording (which
probably took place in the spring of 1964), his quartet
with Roswell Rudd (trombone), Arthur Harper (bass)

and Denis Charles (drums) was recruited to back up
tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp on what is the tenor
saxophonist’s earliest session as a leader. At the time,
Shepp was looking to move on from the collaborative
work he’d done with Bill Dixon and the New York
Contemporary Five and become a solo artist. Shopping
around acetates of demo recordings done on the cheap
was a common strategy for procuring a record deal,
and playing with an existing unit spared him the taskof assembling one. This session was forgotten until thetapes surfaced in 2020 and has now been released on 150g
vinyl by the archivally oriented, vinyl specialty Triple
Point label. One side contains the original acetate’s two
Shepp originals and one Ellington composition, whilesolid alternate takes of the originals occupy side two.
Each piece presents a different aesthetic perspective.
The swaggering beat and big, bluesy tone of “Dunbar
Days And Miami Joys” confirms Shepp’s bonafides
as a directly communicative entertainer. The staccato
beat and long, slurring statements by each horn playeron “Viva Jomo” (named for Jomo Kenyatta) present
political and musical vanguardism as an indivisible
force. And “Sophisticated Lady” consciously asserts
a connection to the historic jazz continuum. On eachtake, Lacy’s contributions demonstrate his empathy forthe music’s intentions.
For more info visit
triplepointrecords.com

dongiovannirecords.com

that—a space-funk workout complete with trademark
Worrell cosmic synth swooshes and streaks that rocket
the listener to the moon and stars. This release also
shows off the guitar shredding mastery of King; hiswah-wah skronk on jams “Starpath” and “Auguries”
approaches Hendrix-ian levels. And on the beats front,
the relentless wallop of Blackman Santana is a guiding
force that would blow the roof off an arena.
Spherical is not only a further document of Worrell’s
genius but a life-affirming snapshot of ’90s-era NYC
that would certainly appeal to fans of Sonny Sharrock,
Harriet Tubman, James “Blood” Ulmer and the music of
the Black Rock Coalition. Essential listening.
For more info visit infrequentseams.bandcamp.com. Cindy
Blackman Santana Band is at Birdland Jul. 9-13. See
Calendar.

andWild is Love
Naama (La Reserve)by Anna Steegmann

Spherical
Bernie Worrell, Cindy Blackman Santana,John King (Infrequent Seams)
by Brad Cohan

The godhead-level influence of the late great visionary
Bernie Worrell is immeasurable in the annals offunk, R&B, rock, psychedelia and more. Worrell’s
revolutionary stylings as a keyboardist and arranger
defined generations as he put his indelible stamp acrossthe sonic spectrum. And his legend continues to growexponentially since his 2016 death as the posthumous
release Spherical proves.
This session was a spontaneous one-off initiated byguitarist John King with a vision for an all-improvised,mapless session jamming on rock, funk, blues andnoise with Worrell and drummer Cindy Blackman
Santana—a chance of unknowns. But the recording wasthought to be lost to the sands of time. Thankfully, it
was unearthed and my, oh, my is Spherical a glorious
face-melter documenting one miraculous night only ata downtown NYC studio called Baby Monster in 1994.
Worrell, King and the drummer (née Blackman) put
the “power,” and then some, in power trio. The paintpeeling improvisations these three maestros tear intoare quintessentially New York; they gush and bleed thegrit and grime that was prevalent in the then mid ’90s
East Village streets. This trio would have undoubtedly
been right at home wreaking noisy havoc at CBGB, The
Cooler and the old Knitting Factory on Houston Street.
From the very first pummeling beats, Blackman
Santana dishes out rhythm that starts the combustible
bluesy rager “Future-Blues”, a title apt as any todescribe this group’s overall aesthetic; you know you’rein for some serious head bobbing and foot tapping
action. Worrell, King and Blackman Santana instantly
lock in on a groove and don’t look back. The next track,
the sublimely named “Unfunkingstoppable” is justIf you love the Great American Songbook, particularly
the composers and lyricists of the ’30s and ’40s, andsingers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday andFrank Sinatra, then you will most likely love Naama’s
third album, Wild is Love. Naama, an Israeli transplantand Manhattan resident, dedicated the album to thebrokenhearted and their crushed dreams, taking her
listeners on a musical journey through love’s highs andlows. Twelve songs represent the different stages oflove: attraction, bliss, heartbreak and facing the truth.
The vocalist offers a surprisingly fresh take on beloved
standards and her range is impressive, especially inthe lower registers, with a vocal delivery consistently
full of raw emotion, whether she’s interpreting joyful
or sorrowful lyrics. Her outstanding collaborators
include: Peter Bernstein (guitar), Glenn Zaleski (piano),
Dave Baron (bass) and Charles Goold (drums).
The album opener, “If I Could Be with You (OneHour Tonight)” (James P. Johnson, Henry Creamer),seems to have been written for the singer, whose voice
captivates with its pitch-perfect delivery, sophisticatedsound and impeccable phrasing. The listener can feelthe agony and yearning. As in the rest of the album,
there are significant instrumental sections that give allmusicians room to shine, thanks to Baron who was thesession’s primary arranger. Heretofore, we have heard
beautiful versions of “I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t
Good)” (Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster), sungby the likes of Tony Bennett, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee
and many, many others. Adding her voice, Naama’s
unhurried, demonstrative interpretation makes thissong feel catchy, urban and contemporary. “FromThis Moment On” (Cole Porter) is lively and swinging
and the musicians display great chemistry during the
instrumental sections. In “Ooh, What-cha Doin’ to Me”(Richard Rodgers, Dorothy Fields), the vocalist’s joyful
tone mirrors the lyrics and her scatting adds further
buoyancy. She also wrote compelling lyrics for “Isfahan”(Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn) in “The Moon Is
Gone”. The last song and title track brings consolationthat we can still believe in love amid shattered dreams
and love’s occasional to frequent failures.
For more info visit lareserverecords.com. The album release
concerts are at Mezzrow Jul. 14 and The Django Jul. 22. See
Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 21

Contrafactus
Spike Wilner Trio (Cellar Music)
by George Kanzler

An antidote to the too-serious approach to jazz often
encountered these days, Contrafactus is a delightfully
entertaining album, reflecting a line from pianist Spike
Wilner’s oblique, shaggy-dog notes: “Dragons live
free in the environment, joyful and child-like.” So dotrio members Paul Gill (bass) and Anthony Pinciotti(drums). The impetus to be child-like is reflected in thetitle, “Ants Go Marching”, a track most likely familiar
to listeners as the Civil War ballad “When Johnny
Comes Marching Home”. After an abstract piano intro,
the trio treats the familiar melody with a martial vibe,
easing into swing for the improvised piano choruses,
then taking it out as a high stepping march.
The album kicks off with a fleet Wilner original,“At First Blush”, demonstrating how well this trio
(which has been together since the turn of the century)
seamlessly meshes and works together. The tune
begins with a series of quick, single note stabs at justtwo or three piano keys in rapid multiples (shadesof Duke Ellington’s “C-Jam Blues”), developing intoa solo by the pianist with left-hand jabs and chords
never far from the original notes; Gill’s pizzicato
bass solo follows before piano-drum trades lead to a
fluttering coda. The leader’s seven originals spotlight
his single-note lines and independent weaving ofleft and right hands, toying with avant approaches
but never veering far from the parameters of thetunes—possibly contrafacts considering the album’s
title. However, the approach to the three classic
pop standards is warm and affectionate. “Poor
Butterfly”, “If You Are But a Dream” (which has aheraldic cymbals and rhapsodic piano opening) and“Lullaby of the Leaves” get romantic readings. On all
three numbers, Wilner eases into choruses strongly
reminiscent of Erroll Garner’s chording and lockedhands approach. The latter selection (the album’s
penultimate track), with its opening rubato andfeaturing sumptuous variations of the melody, is themost impressive.
For more info visit cellarmusicgroup.com. Wilner is at
Mezzrow Jul. 8 and 22, and Cellar Dog Jul. 23. See Calendar.

Conspiracy Brass
Frank London (Tzadik)
Spirit Stronger Than BloodFrank London/The Elders (ESP-Disk’)
Chronika
Sir Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars(Borscht Beat)by Tom Greenland

There was a mix of joy and pain circulating throughthe crowd packed into Roulette (Jun. 4) for a concert
held to celebrate the music of trumpeter/composerFrank London: joy for his artistic spirit and the legacyof music he’s gifted us, pain for his escalating battlewith myelofibrosis. Undaunted by the diagnosis ofblood cancer, London has remained prolific, dropping
three new recently released recordings.
Conspiracy Brass is the debut album of a group
comprised of London, Josh Roseman (trombone), Marcus
Rojas (tuba), Kenny Wollesen (drums), Javier Diaz(percussion) and Onel Matos (congas), a configuration
with plenty of elbow room for the horns to maneuverand experiment and the drums and percussion to leanin and layer. Though Rojas often plays bass parts(channeling Jaco Pastorius on “rube g funk”), in supportof London and Roseman’s avant-bopping, his extended
techniques and puckish humor come to the fore in
free-blown sections. Elsewhere, all three horns interact
in Bach-like chorales with autonomous inner lines orin conversational counterpoint, sometimes in stark
opposition, as on “ting”. The drums simultaneously
establish and subvert the pulse by stacking 2’s on 3’s
on 4’s on 6’s, Diaz a trickster figure tugging at thetempo. “dedication” epitomizes the sextet’s swelland flow dynamics, akin to lava heating and cooling,
while “espíritu del danzón”, with its retro-prog ethos,achieves an overall effect both soothing and seething.
Spirit Stronger Than Blood, by The Elders—London,
Marilyn Lerner (piano), Hilliard Greene (bass) andNewman Taylor Baker (drums), with Greg Wall (tenor)
guesting—is ruminative and spiritual in comparison, a
direct response to the specter of mortality. The recording
is dedicated to many of London’s friends and colleagues
who have passed away from blood diseases and othercancers (e.g. Lester Bowie, Thomas Chapin, Ron Miles).
Not surprisingly, it contains some of London’s mostexpressive playing, as on “Resilience” and the elegiac title
track, where his “doits,” stuttered doublets, half-valved
pitches and pinched, sputtery attacks recall electricera Miles Davis. “Abundant Love”, a flamenco-esque
meditation, features his muted squeaks and bends, ending
with an outro climax that glides up into dog-whistle range,
while the klezmer-ish “Resistance-Healing” features
extended modal blowing, trumpet growling, purring,
mewling, spitting, talking—an irony of relaxed intensity.
Greene has wonderful moments on the latter track,
while Lerner’s agile, light-fingered support manifests inflickering, twitching figures and gestures.
Chronika, the latest release by London’s Klezmer
Brass Allstars—London and Susan Hoffman Watts(trumpets), Michael Winograd (clarinet), Brian Dryeand Dan Blacksberg (trombones), Ron Caswell (tuba),
Brandon Seabrook (guitar), Aaron Alexander (drums)—
repurposes tracks originally recorded in 2008. Opening
the album are “TOPZ” and “GREEKZ”, the first a spin
on a dreidel song spurred by Winograd’s unorthodox
slides and slurs, the second a hyperactive faux-reggae
polka mitigated by a gloomy bridge section. Both songs
reappear in new guises at the end of the program:“TOPZ” now a techno frolic with punchy synth-bass
and other studio enhancements, “GREEKZ” sounding
like a (re)production by Jamaican dub-masters Joe Gibbs
or Lee “Scratch” Perry. The calypso/soca “UNITY”,

22 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

drunken-funkin’ “BOOZE” and two versions of “YIDZ”(one dub, one even dubbier), many with vocal choruses,
point to the album’s eclectic adventurousness.
Each of these three recordings show London to
be in top form and fighting shape, as did his remarks
to the Roulette audience, made from his hospital bed
as he waited for a critical blood transfusion, listening
to a live-cast of the concert, thanking gathered fans,friends and family for their support—for being, as hiswife Tine Kindermann later remarked onstage, “thechicken soup that we need.” In addition to Conspiracy
Brass, The Elders and the Klezmer Brass Allstars(Steven Bernstein subbing for London on the first, Bria
Skonberg the second), the exuberant three-hour event
included excerpts from London’s operas A Night in the
Old Marketplace and Salomé Woman of Valor, a soulful
melismatic prayer sung by Chazzan Yaakov “Yanky”
Lemmer, a boisterous set by the Klezmatics (co-founded
by London in 1986) riled and hyped by Matt Darriau’s
keening clarinet, and an eighteen-voice choral renditionof “Anthem” from London and lyricist Judith Sloan’s A
Symphony for a New America. Just after the chorus had
finished, the HONK Family Band poured through thehall’s rear doors, soon joined by most of the previous
performers to form a huge marching band, driving theaudience to stand and dance to the infectious strainsof “Chuma Zuma”. Although London’s doctors had
forbidden him to come and play, he was there in voice
and spirit, and that was more than enough. Let’s wish
him wellness.
For more info visit tzadik.com, espdisk.com andborschtbeat.bandcamp.com

Blutopia
Alex Harding & Lucian Ban (Sunnyside)
by Terrell K. Holmes

Pianist Lucian Ban and baritone saxophonist Alex

Harding have had a fruitful and acclaimed musicalrelationship since their first album (Somethin’ Holy,
2002). Their new album, Blutopia, is a new phase in
their constantly evolving collaboration. Joining themhere are Mat Maneri (viola), Bob Stewart (tuba) and
Brandon Lewis (drums), who together create intriguingsonic textures on pieces that are challenging without
being self-indulgent.
“Speak Our Silence” unfolds like a photo from a
Polaroid camera, revealing its details gradually as it
develops. Harding and Maneri muse dissonantly over
Ban’s spare single notes. Lewis’ whispering brushes
and Ban’s move to prepared piano provides evenmore depth. Stewart’s entrance on tuba completes the
picture of a stark yet inviting landscape. The intriguing
combination of tuba and viola are at the core of Paul
Motian’s “Fantasm”, enhanced by Lewis’ pointillist
touch on cymbals. “Mist” has the baritone saxophonist
blowing soundlessly into the mouthpiece, and Stewart
adding some uncommonly, masterful high notes not
usually associated with his instrument. The title trackis delightful chaos. Harding screeches, Maneri wails,
Stewart pumps, Lewis crashes, Ban thrashes, then,suddenly, all goes quiet. Harding and Stewart throwing
down on Andrew Hill’s “Blue Black” gives it a barrelchested, second line funkiness. “Marrakesh”, the coleader/pianist’s homage to Randy Weston, displays
Ban’s elegance, Stewart’s steady pulse, Harding’s
ferocity, Lewis’ dynamism and Maneri’s measured

eloquence. The bari player doesn’t just play on “Spirit,
Take My Hand”—he testifies, with the band playing
like a Sunday morning congregation affirming his fireand baritone sermon.
The quintet’s depth and range was on display at a
recent record release concert at The Jazz Gallery (May29). “Marrakesh” began tentatively, sounding almost
like a tune up, but soon settled into a recognizable
rhythm, led by Ban’s blueprint of single notes. Harding
coaxed elephantine growls from his baritone; Lewis
moved deftly between brushes and sticks; Stewart
established a strong tuba bass line. But Maneri’s spirited
solo was nearly overwhelmed by the other instruments.
The pianist then played whirlwind Fender Rhodes on“Blue Black”, frequently rising off the bench as themusic moved him. The baritone saxophonist and tubaist
proved to be in beautiful sync on the mesmerizing“Mist”. The set closer was “Spirit, Take My Hand”(the third to last track from the album), which Harding
dedicated to the memory of his grandmother, a preacher.
He asked the audience to “consider this a Wednesdaynight prayer meeting” (a nod to Mingus). The baritone
player ululated and growled, using slap-tonguing andshouting between notes on his way to the truth—aferocious solo coda capping a tour de force performancefor him, the quintet and its Blutopia project.

fourteen breathless minutes of the seemingly bionic
Mitchell at full tilt, thrashing out a heady maelstromof notes and forms that suggests 20th century modern
classical music melding with Krallice-like tech-metal
shredding. The following “Unwonted” (clocking
in at nearly 43 minutes!) zigzags its way into more
abstract and idiosyncratic terrain that is downrightmind-bending due to its turbulent fits and spurts.
“Abstruse Admixtures” follows a similar unpredictable
path, while the finale “For Oona” approaches Morton
Feldman-esque minimalism.
The press release states that Mitchell recorded
three hours of improvised music with Illimitable
representing four of the sixteen tracks completed thatday. Here’s hoping those other pieces are released soonin subsequent volumes.
For more info visit obliquityrecords.bandcamp.com. Mitchellis at Bar Bayeux with Ralph Alessi Jul. 17. See Calendar.

the here and now: from Matthew Shipp (The Intrinsic
Nature of Shipp) to John Blum (Nine Rivers), Thollem(Revelations of the Sun) and pianist/composer Matt
Mitchell. The deeply inquisitive and methodical
Mitchell is a vital anchor of the avant garde, andhis deconstructed renderings of jazz, classicalcontemporary, rock and metal have produced some of
the most electrifying sets in recent memory, including
Snark Horse (2021) and Oblong Aplomb (2023). Whilehe has made lasting imprints in ensemble and duo
settings, he hasn’t ventured much into solo outings,
with the exception of FØRAGE (2017), a collection of
Tim Berne-penned compositions. Illimitable changes
that as his inaugural foray into solo piano consisting
only of his own music.
A fitting title for the sprawling peaks and valleys
Mitchell fearlessly journeys through over the course of its
mammoth 110-minute runtime, Illimitable raises the bar
as far as solo piano performances go. One would be hardpressed to match his multidimensional expanse, whichfinds the pianist effortlessly spraying a head-spinning
groundswell of phrases and epic passages, delving
into subdued moments of quietude and investigating
rhythmic intricacies that defy jazz tradition. He’s
certainly taken invaluable cues from logging time with
Berne, including the saxophonist’s unclassifiable group
Snakeoil. And on par with outsider Berne, Mitchell alsodoesn’t adhere to standards and norms.
Illimitable is a pure manifestation of that
nonconformist ethos. Fully improvised with everything
done off-the-cuff and in the moment over the course ofa single day at the end of last year, the four marathon
pieces that make up the set are majestic shapeshifters
on the grandest of scales. The opening title track isBLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVALJULY 5–7
BOB JAMESBLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL@ SUMMERSTAGE

Groove Street
Dave Stryker Trio (with Bob Mintzer) (Strikezone)
by Ken Dryden

N ew trails on the solo piano front are being blazed in

JULY 1–4
JOEY ALEXANDERJULY 7
EZRA COLLECTIVE

For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com

Illimitable
Matt Mitchell (Obliquity)
by Brad Cohan

JULY SHOWS

After just a few notes, guitarist Dave Stryker’s soundis so distinctive there is no mistaking him for anyoneelse. Having recorded dozens of albums as leader,in addition to many appearances as a co-leader orsideman, the guitarist’s career has blossomed since
he took charge of his own destiny by forming his
Strikezone label a decade ago. Influenced by his early
work with both organist Brother Jack McDuff and tenor
saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, the organ has often
been part of Stryker’s working bands. His regular trio,
with Jared Gold (organ) and McClenty Hunter (drums),
often adds a guest or two and, for this session, an oldfriend in Bob Mintzer (tenor) proves to be an inspired
choice. The music was played live over the week prior
to the record date and most songs are first takes, since
the musicians had time to find the nuances within the
new material and arrangements.
Six of the nine songs are originals contributed by
the band, starting with the leader’s title track, a spirited
blues that makes it easy to imagine the raucous audience
reaction when played live. Mintzer’s tense “Overlap”
cooks to a sizzling heat with his searing solo, while theintricate guitar lines are buoyed by Gold and Hunter.
Wayne Shorter’s heartfelt “Infant Eyes” takes on a new
dimension in this intimate arrangement, with Mintzer
paying tribute to its composer without mimicking him
in the least. The organist-penned “Soulstice” is a hip
groover, bringing to mind some of the classic organ/
tenor combo records of the ’60s. Gold’s considerable
chops are on display in this upbeat vehicle; Stryker and
Mintzer shine as well. Eddie Harris’ explosive blues“Cold Duck Time” produces some of the session’s best
moments, especially Stryker’s blistering, soulful guitar
along with Mintzer’s playful, robust tenor playing. The
guitarist’s “Code Blue” has a mischievous title, as it isanything but dead. From the very beginning, the breezy
riff proves infectious; the only cure: a second hearing.
The sole standard is the 1945 Harry Warren favorite,“The More I See You”, which is transformed with a hip,swaggering scoring.
For more info visit davestryker.com. Stryker is at The Django
Jun. 27. Bob Mintzer is at Birdland with Yellowjackets
Jul. 2-6. See Calendar.

JULY 8DIZZY GILLESPIE
ALL-STARSJULY 9–10
THEO CROKERJULY 11–14
ISAIAH SHARKEY
JULY 15RAY ANGRYWITH SPECIAL GUEST LIV WARFIELD
AND SURPRISE GUESTSJULY 16–21
THE BAD PLUSJULY 22–24
FRÉDÉRIC YONNETJULY 25–28
MAKAYAMCCRAVENJULY 29–31
KILLER MIKE

&THE MIGHTYMIDNIGHT REVIVAL
131 West 3rd Street, New York City 10012
212.475.8592 • bluenotejazz.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 23

eek!
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JULY 2024
Presenting The Return Of

Live Jazz & Supper
WED thru SAT
Sets at 8:00pm & 9:30pm

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7:30pm & 10:30pm Shows Every Week!

Fri - 7/5
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MON
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7:30PM
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7:30PM
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7:30PM
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7/6

Spike Wilner Quartet
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7:30PM
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7/7

Todd Herbert Quartet
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6:30PM
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Jordan Leftridge Quartet
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7:30PM
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7:30PM
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7:30PM
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7/11

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7:30PM
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7:30PM
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TUE
7/16

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Jamile

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Mark Whitfield

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Darnell White
Wed - 7/10
Alexander Claffy
Thu - 7/11
Bill Dobrow feat. Alma Micic
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Sat - 7/13
Noa Chait
Wed - 7/17
Sonny Step
Thu - 7/18
April Varner

Thu - 7/25
Cameron Campbell
Fri - 7/26
Anna Siciliano
Sat - 7/27
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24 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDNew York Jazz Stories at The Public (Vol. 9)
Exotic Materials in Development (Vol. 2)
David Haney (Cadence Media)
by Steven Loewy

D avid Haney, eclectic jazz pianist, composer,

producer and, since 2012, publisher of the jazz
magazine Cadence, has been bringing together groups
of musicians to perform in free settings interspersedwith what he calls “New York Jazz Stories.” In thesepresentations, he dramatically recites transcribed
selections of life stories told to him by various
musicians, with the oral tracks lasting six to ten
minutes each. Haney has been organizing andrecording these sessions at Joe’s Pub at The Public
Theater in New York City since 2016.
Vol. 9 continues his mission with several tracks
dramatizing “stories” from several performers.
On “Julian Priester Moves to New York”, the now
89-year-old trombonist describes his first sojourn to
NYC in the ’50s and having breakfast with Thelonious
Monk on his first morning. He relates how heworked in the shipping department of Riverside
Records with trumpeter Chet Baker and bassist
Wilbur Ware, among others, which eventually led tohis first recording session as a leader. Other tracks
are similarly described by their titles: “(Drummer)
Warren Smith Remembers Janis Joplin”, “Bachir
Attar (leader of The Master Musicians of Jajouka)
Remembers Ornette Coleman” and “(Trumpeter)
Eddie Gale Remembers Sun Ra”. The stories arecarefully edited by Haney, and the insightful
recollections contribute to understanding the music.
For this, his latest recording, he performs on piano
as part of a splendid quartet that also includes
Daniel Carter (trumpet, saxophones), Adam Lane(bass) and Andrew Cyrille (drums). There is somefine lines throughout, with Lane’s gorgeous basslines anchoring the performance, and the ensemble
performing well in what appears to otherwise be alargely free-improvised outing.
For Exotic Materials in Development (Vol. 2), Haney
recorded thirty pieces for piano, mallets, glass bottle
and ebow (an electronic bow) earlier this year. He thenrecorded separate overdubbed tracks from Cheryl
Pyle (flute), Dave Sewelson (baritone), Kirk Knuffke(cornet), Dave Storrs (percussion) and Bernard“Pretty” Purdie (drums), presenting the final released
version as duets, trios and quartets, editing theoutput of these musicians who recorded in a different
location and at different times. While assembling
the tracks was no doubt not an easy process, theresult sounds, for the most part, as if the players had
been performing together in real time, a remarkableachievement in itself (and one most likely learned,
if not perfected, during the pandemic). A threadof exoticism ties the pieces together thematically,
with Pyle’s long flowing lines and fluttering flute,
Sewelson’s consistently solid performance on baritone
and the leader’s reflective jabs and unobtrusive lines
holding it all together, while Knuffke’s soft, roughedged, acerbic cornet proves a fine foil for the pianist.
The generally unobtrusive Storrs and Purdie provide
backbone and gentle support, sometimes squeezing
aggressive bell-like tones. Each player is featured
at different times and it is fascinating, given theirisolation from one another, to hear how they navigate
such difficult musical terrain.
For more info visit cadencejazzworld.com. Haney is atDrom Jul. 19. See Calendar.

From Here
Alyssa Allgood (Next)
by Jeff Cebulski

O n her concept album From Here, Chicago jazz singer

Alyssa Allgood displays the emotions of female
experience as both an advocate and an empathic
participant. Avoiding stridency, the singer exudes
a sagacity that serves her material well. To keep thethematic emphasis from deterring the jazz, Allgood
chose a formidable ensemble, with Greg Ward(saxophone), Geoffrey Keezer (piano), John Patitucci(bass) and Kendrick Scott (drums). Throughout,the vocalist applies her effusive style, wonderful
scatting and arrangement skills to 12 songs (10 ofthem originals) that address challenges women facein society and in self-realization.
To set the tone, the album opens with a Coltranetinged entrance on “Burn (For Betty)”, which leads
to a confident, rhythmically-varied delivery a la
the attributed Betty Carter. The band cooks hard
as Allgood proclaims “I’ve got to let it burn!”
Emotional sister-support and encouragement follows
on the Abbey Lincoln vibe of “Your Wings”, withthe ensemble engaging in deep swing. One thesis
statement drives several of the numbers: that womenoften have to negotiate disconcerting dichotomies—
contrasts, divisions, polarities, conflicts and the like.
These issues are reflected in Joni Mitchell’s “BothSides Now” (even though the jazz element is muted),
the single “Brave Little Flower” (“where you areplanted does not define you”), and “Still Searching”(“Caught in the in-between/her troubles go unseen”).
Other songs take on subject matter including betrayal
and the introspection following it; forward-thinking
yet realistic life views and the embrace and promiseof the moment. The closing track is the Broadwayoptimistic “Turn to Gold”, a fitting culmination
complete with choral support.
On From Here, how much the songs mirror Alyssa
Allgood herself or hypothetical womanhood, is lessimportant than the words and music that mesh into a
narrative whole. Backed by a sterling supporting cast,she joins jazz singers who address such issues withforce, clarity and jazz integrity.
For more info visit nextmusiccompany.com. The album
release concert is at Birdland Theater Jul. 18. See Calendar.

Beyond the Margins
Rodridgo Amado and The Bridge (Trost)by Mike Shanley

P ortuguese-born saxophonist Rodrigo Amado (whoturns 60 this month) is involved with a number ofdifferent groups, including his Motion Trio and an“American quartet” with bassist Kent Kessler, drummer
Chris Corsano and multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee.

He has also performed alone, as heard on Refraction
Solo (2022). Beyond the Margins captures him in a live
setting from that same year at Warsaw’s Pardon To
Tu, with pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach (whohad worked with the saxophonist previously, though
this performance marks their first live encounter),along with bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and veteran
drummer/percussionist Gerry Hemingway.
Anyone wondering about such a meeting of theminds only needs to delve into the album’s 42-minutetitle track. After the tenor saxophonist and pianist
begin, sounding like they’re working from a composed
turbulent ballad, the group gradually moves towards
a jagged groove. Amado could easily come to a boil
early on, but he saves the altissimo range for later.
His thick, gruff sound stays in a melodic range during
this early section. Håker Flaten coaxes some highovertones with the bow, before plucking heavily. In
the final quarter, when the sense of direction slows
down a bit, the group’s exploratory feeling is sustainedand ends with some raucous interactions between
Hemingway and Schlippenbach, underpinned by thebassist. During “Personal Mountains”, the pianist
slyly quotes Thelonious Monk’s rarity “Oska T”, aplayful wink not always heard in such free music. It
comes in between more lyrical lines from Amado. It
also sets the tone for the next selection, “(Visiting)
Ghosts”, which takes Albert Ayler’s classic themeand emphasizes its power without borrowing thesignature style of its composer.
The vinyl edition includes an additional 20-minuteperformance coming from a Berlin Jazz Festival
set, and its title “Tearing Down the Walls” implies
a vicious performance. In fact the group sounds
relatively grounded, at least to start. Håker Flaten
walks as Schlippenbach hammers more Monk-ian
ideas. Amado creates a series of cells that keep getting
reshaped and adapted, with recurring bits popping up,
even as Hemingway locks horns with him. It sounds as
if they’ve been together for years.
For more info visit trost.at

7th Ave SouthJon Gordon (ArtistShare)by Jim Motavalli

T he first live jazz that New York-born Jon Gordon
ever heard was at age 16 at the 7th Ave South club(hence the album’s title) in his hometown and he wastaken. Gordon has decided to pay it back with this,his latest release of mostly originals.
7th Ave South’s title track is indicative of the
progressive bop you might have heard at clubs likethe ones the saxophonist visited as a teen. It’s aswinger with a complex head and a bit of a backbeatfrom Fabio Ragnelli (drums). Gordon jumps in on
soprano with a beautifully wistful tone to his longsolo. Will Bonness (piano) takes it down a notch, withthe massed horns—Jonathan Challoner (trumpet),
Walter Smith III (tenor), Alan Ferber (trombone),
John Ellis (bass clarinet)—which, together, urge him
on. The short “Witness” features a 10-piece choir ina wordless performance, somewhat reminiscent of a
Kamasi Washington project.
Singer Erin Propp is featured on the pianobacked “Visit” (also without lyrics). Gordon’ssaxophone playing lights up the mood, particularly

with Challoner—an audibly promising trumpet
player who trades lines with the leader halfway in.
Propp is also heard on The Beatles’ “Here, There andEverywhere”. The Beatles’ music arguably has nevertranslated well to jazz. That said, this track works,
with its great buildup from the horns, as well as
creative underpinning from Ellis, Bonness and bassist
Julian Bradford. Gordon’s solo (again on soprano) islight as a cloud, and guitarist Jocelyn Gould is given a
lot of space to match him with some jazzy swing. “Ed’s
Groove” makes creative use of Ellis in the lead, andthen the skies part for Bonness’ best solo feature on
the album, buoyed by the horn section and drummer
Ragnelli. Gordon’s arranging skills shine through on
this one, as well as on “Spark”, a bouncy number at
mid-tempo with fine bass work. The leader’s fairly
complex arrangements never devolve into cliches.
Overall, the choir won’t be to every listener’s
taste, but for the most part it blends in to a lovely,
thoughtful album with no serious weak spots. Even
if you never visited 7th Ave South and caught theblistering bop and fusion in its heyday you willthoroughly enjoy this music.
For more info visit artistsshare.com. Gordon is at Dizzy’s
Club Jul. 17. See Calendar.

Block Party
Michael Musillami Trio (Playscape)by Ken Waxman“A fter Twenty” is the title of the final track on thissignificant trio album by Michael Musillami. That’s
because the party celebration alluded to is of the two
decades plus that the guitarist, Joe Fonda (bass) andGeorge Schuller (drums) have been working together.
The ease, grace and sophistication they bring to theeight compositions by Musillami (who turns 71 thismonth) shouldn’t be surprising: all have long histories
working as leaders or in bands with numerous othercreative musicians (e.g. the guitarist with Mario
Pavone; Fonda with Michael Jefry Stevens; Schuller
with Jason Robinson.)On his own, Musillami is a classic jazz guitarist.
Eschewing volume and gimmicks, most of his
playing includes modulated and well-shaped notesor patterns. He’s fleet-fingered but responsive andalways in context, whether he’s slipping and sliding
to expand a groove piece like “Off The Monster”
or using downward strums and acoustic-sounding
comping to outline the balladic “Little Ruby Steps”.
In sync and cadenced, Fonda’s high-on-the-bass-neckarco work can animate and add warmth to a ballador, on a bluesy romp like “Slow Moe”, propel the
exposition with pizzicato stops and throbs. As for the
drummer, his shuffle and back beat on “Slow Moe”
easily toughens the tune. Overall his accompaniment
always secures the rhythm feel with pressure but notexcess, so that it’s sensed as much as heard.
Taken together, the Musillami trio always
projects the essence of swing. Never forced, the three
have enough experience to attain that attribute as an
expected and genuine way of playing. With pliant,pleasing and professional sounds on this new album,
they’ve created a block party that many will want toattend.
For more info visit playscape-recordings.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 25

Live at FreeJazzSaar 2019
Frank Paul Schubert, Michel Pilz, Stefan Scheib,
Klaus Kugel (Nemu)No Toxic
Roby Glod, Christian Ramond, Klaus Kugel(Nemu)by Ken Waxman

A free music fixture since the ’80s, German drummer
Klaus Kugel (who turns 65 this month) has worked
with an impressive list of musicians from Charles
Gayle to Vyacheslav Ganelin. Besides his rhythmic
sense, Kugel’s go-to status reflects his ability torespond positively to any situation he’s part of, as
demonstrated on these two recent releases.
No Toxic’s 14 tracks pinpoint the interactive skills
music thatofshocked
three German musicians who have played together
for two decades: Roby Glod (alto, soprano), whoteaches at the Luxembourg conservatory and, from
Cologne, Christian Ramond (bass), both of whom
have similar experience as Kugel. While Berlin-based
Frank Paul Schubert (alto, soprano) plays on Liveat FreeJazzSaar 2019 (recorded three years before No
Toxic), it’s bass clarinetist Michel Pilz who shared
Glod’s background. The German-born Pilz (1945-2023)
also taught in Luxembourg and had worked with the
likes of Alexander von Schlippenbach and Globe Unity
Orchestra.
Unlike the close-knit vitality of the trio, thequartet’s three-part improvisation on Live at
FreeJazzSaar 2019 is antithetically unique. A first-time
collaboration, each track is titled “Where is Charles”,
since the group filled a festival slot when Gayle,
who was scheduled to play, didn’t appear. All are
mature enough to improvise at a high level as if sucha situation happened every day. The improvisations
intensify as they evolve with unison work supersededby percussion rumbles and extended reed techniques.
Breaking his lines into strained vibrations andelongated smears, Schubert adds torque as he works
his way up and down the scale. Chalumeau clarinet
snores provide the ostinato, joined by Scheib’s tautstring pops, before Pilz then defaults to clarion
tones, joining soprano flutters for lyrical interludes
at crucial points. Gradually solidifying the narrative
as the improvisation evolves, four-part intensity
downshifts from textural shattering challenges toandante synergy, pinpointed by Kugel’s bell-tree
shakes and a concluding four-part groove.
If there’s confrontational chamber jazz then Glod/
Ramond/Kugel have perfected it on No Toxic. The
trio slides through the mostly improvised tracks witha minimum of disruptions but a maximum of subtly
unexpected timbres. While Glod’s alto work sometimes
resembles Bird more than Brötzmann, elsewhere andon soprano he’s more audacious. Squeals, bites andhonks characterize the title track with corkscrew reed
ascendancy matched by drum ruffs and strident string
slices. “Subconscious Triptychon” is probably the
wildest track, as harsh col legno string smacks anddrum ruffs back a stop-time alto solo that squirms,
slithers and slurs. Slower moving well-modulated
interaction also figures into the album’s evolution.
Irregular pivots constantly give way to balanced
expositions with enough unexpected turns to confirm

freshness. Connie Crothers’ “Carol’s Dream”, the only
non-improvisation, shows the band’s dual identity.
Horizontal evolution comes from measured drumbeats
and bass thumps, while clarion reed sputters and trills
confirm how the three simultaneously emphasize
harmony and harshness.
With each album, Kugel’s adaptability is on full
display.
For more info visit nemu-records.com

Duck Baker Plays Monk
Duck Baker (Triple Point-Fulica)
by Alex Henderson

O ver the years, Thelonious Monk’s music has inspired
tribute albums by artists ranging from singer Carmen
McRae to soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, pianist
Tommy Flanagan and many more. What separates
Duck Baker Plays Monk from many other tributes isthat guitarist Duck Baker (who turns 75 this month)
isn’t strictly a jazz improviser. Greatly influenced
by early blues guitarists as well as fellow acoustic
guitarists Dave Van Ronk and Stefan Grossman,
Baker came out of the fingerpicking style of guitar
playing that inspired John Fahey, Robbie Basho andcharlespillow.com

Electric Miles 2, the follow up to the acclaimed Electric Miles (2018), is a further explora on ofMiles Davis’ early electric period. The NYC ensemble features soloists
such as trumpeters Tim Hagans, Clay Jenkins and Sco Wendholt;
saxophonists Jimmy Greene and Alexa Tarran no; trombonists Alan
Ferber and Michael Davis; guitarist Pete McCann and pianist Henry Hey,backed by bassists Chuck Bergeron and Ugonna Okegwo and drummer
Jared Schonig.
‘‘With skill andimagina on,
Pillow arranges
the music thatshocked the jazz
establishment
in 1969”—Doug Ramsey

26 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Leo Kottke, many who essentially became folk-rockinstrumentalists. But Baker has played a wide rangeof music along the way, including Celtic folk, fiddle
tunes, blues, ragtime and gospel. And on this album,
an unaccompanied Baker successfully combines jazzwith the fingerpicking style.
The combination is unusual, but it’s one that serves
Baker well, especially on familiar Monk standards“Misterioso”, “Bemsha Swing” and “Jackie-ing” (thelatter named for alto saxophonist Jackie McLean).
Baker takes chances with Monk’s compositions,bringing elements of Mississippi Delta country blues
to “Straight, No Chaser” and “Blue Monk”. And
his interpretation of the ballad “’Round Midnight”(once described by producer Orrin Keepnews as“the national anthem of jazz”) has both country
and jazz-noir appeal. Monk’s innovations were verymuch a product of New York City’s bop culture,
showing a decidedly urban perspective. Yet Baker’s
fingerpicking approach owes a lot to rural America,
and the acoustic guitarist successfully brings together
urban and rural elements on “In Walked Bud”, “OffMinor” and other gems.
Originally released in 2017 (on a vinyl-only
release by Triple Point), this Duck Baker Plays Monk
CD reissue includes the nine original selections plus
seven bonus tracks, ranging from alternate takes of“Straight, No Chaser” and “Misterioso” to an inspired
performance of Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation”.
Though Monk’s compositions dominate the release,“Confirmation” fits right in with the blend of bop andfingerpicking folk-rock that Baker is going for.
Duck Baker has never claimed to be a jazz purist
or a strict bop traditionalist in the vein of a Joe Passor Barney Kessel, but his love of jazz obviously runs
deep. And the guitarist’s willingness to take risks is abonus throughout Duck Baker Plays Monk.
For more info visit duckbaker.com

RewilderBorderlands Trio (Stephan Crump, Kris Davis,
Eric McPherson) (Intakt)
by Kurt GottschalkA notion that might have been suggested in
Wandersphere, the remarkable 2021 release byBorderlands Trio: Kris Davis (piano), Stephan Crump(bass) and Eric McPherson (drums), is that their ideas
are too big to be easily contained. The group’s chosenname suggests it—borders stretch for miles and areboth crossed and protected, calling to mind a global
wanderlust. But the biggest clue about this view
was that it took two compact discs on that release to
carry four thoughtful, exploratory tracks that passed
the two-hour mark with six minutes to spare. Their
2017 single-disc debut, Asteroidea, was just a proof ofconcept. On Wandersphere, the trio spread their wings,

and the wingspan was not inconsiderable.
The expansiveness is worth noting because thetrio is back with a new set, Rewilder, filling anotherpair of CDs (also available as a download but posh
LP sets have not been pressed). The tracks areshorter this time, ranging from four to 24 minutes,
which is a small shame because each is remarkable
at gradual, groupthink progression, recapitulationand development. That they do it without discussion
or preparation of material beforehand makes theeffort all the more remarkable. The music is fully
improvised and was laid down in a single session.
Everything that the trio recorded that day is on thealbum and the group is a quiet joy to listen to.
What makes the long tracks so great, besides
just the opportunity for blissful indulgence, is thatthe trio can lock into sections without defining thepiece. The fixed impromptus are just points along
the border. They’re not dominant edifices but they
are what makes listening to the music so absorbing.
The 23-and-a-half minutes of “Lost Species”—thelongest track on the set—is a delirious listen. Davisflips with ease between wonderfully lyrical soloing
and obsessive, micro-groove repetitions with muted
strings. Crump and McPherson, meanwhile, havean uncanny way of playing together at altogether
different tempi. Borderlands is a classic piano trio
that can travel for days without circling back orgetting lost.
Rewilder is full of so many small surprises, theymight pass you by if you’re not paying close attention.
For more info visit intaktrec.ch. Stephan Crump and Eric
McPherson are at Bar Bayeux Jul. 12. See Calendar.

B OXED SE T

The Bal Musette/Les As du Musette
Various Artists (Belgatone)
by Francesco Martinelli“We have a blues of our own, it’s played in three andit’s called musette!” So said Boris Vian, trumpet player,
poet and major jazz agitator. This Parisian valse genre
takes its rightful place along the other great genresof popular music that circulated globally in the ’20s
and ’30s: blues, fado, choro, tango. The Bal Musette/
Les As du Musette is a major compilation meticulously
researched by French guitarist Dominique Cravic,
leader of the manouche band Les Primitifs du futur,
and by Belgian expert Christian Van den Broeck,founder of the nonprofit Belgatone (along with theprecious contributions by the late Robert Crumb,cartoonist, old time music enthusiast and avid record
collector.)
The spectacular boxed set includes a 320-page
book, available in French or in rather non-idiomatic
English, with more than 350 mostly never previously
published images, embellished by Crumb’s graphic
art. The set is available as a double-vinyl (or doubleCD) album, with 32 rare tracks from the authors’collections, plus 18 bonus tracks for a total of 50
pieces from 1907-47. There’s also an accordion-shaped
USB key with a complete discography of musetterecordings made on 78 RPM records (more than 20,000

entries from 1905-58!), a list of all Parisian dance hallsof the time and reproductions of hundreds of recordlabels. The book covers not only the players and theirmusic but the whole world of musette, including
record labels, instrument makers, painters and writers,
jazz musicians and pop stars, sourced in part fromthe specialized articles by experts Philippe Baudoin,
Daniel Denécheau, Michel Esbelin, Philippe Krümm,
Arnaud Legrand, Philippe Nasse, Robert Santiago andClaire Elzière.
The carefully selected and lovely restored tracks
allow the listener to follow the style born from theuneasy mixture of the rural musette, a traditional
bagpipe from the Auvergne region, and the urban
chromatic accordion, introduced by Italian instrument
makers from the Marche region in the late 19th
century. The flexible accordion quickly became theinstrument of choice for dance music all over Europe,
while the lowly, loud musette fell into oblivion. In
this era, both Auvergnat-speakers and Italians wererather unwelcome immigrants in Paris, sharing botha diminished social position and soon a place inentertainment; the joining of their traditions was
symbolized by the wedding of Italian accordionist
Charles Péguri with the daughter of the Auvergnian
Antoine Bouscatel, who operated one of the famous
dance halls concentrated in the Bastille area. Here,around 1880, there existed around 130 “bals” mostly
owned by Auvergnats, particularly in Rue de Lappe.
We can hear the iconic wedded duo in one of theearliest tracks from the compilation, “Trotteuse”(from 1910), a truly fascinating piece of history. But
the oldest recording is “La Marsigliesse”, by one
Gaston Gardel.
From the very beginning, listening to the musettes
makes clear the deeply creolized nature of this music,
inspired by Viennese waltzes and operettas, tango
rhythms and Eastern European folklore, with evocative

vocals, castanets and banjos. The opening track by
Maurice Alexander, the mysteriously titled “Carabet”(a wordplay on “cabaret” or a nod to Armenianmusic?) is otherworldly, with its percussions andxylophones; Michel Péguri—one of the founders of
the style—follows with “Mes Caresses”, from a Lehar
operetta. The third track, in the swing style, by theRoguero Band, is so obscure that it’s not even includedin the discography. Emile Vacher’s version of 1928’s“Ramona” includes most probably the banjo of Gusti
Mahla, a legendary Roma musician who composed
beautiful waltzes and for whom Django Reinhardt
played banjo in musette orchestras before switching toguitar. Duly, the book includes a monographic article
about Django with unpublished photos, while manyof the musicians who played with him are includedin the compilation. Albert Carrara and Fredo Gardoni
are among the most popular names of the genre with
their impossibly romantic waltzes, and it goes on,with funny, fascinating and charming discoveries
one after the other. After the German occupation ofFrance, the Nazis forbade musette, so the era between
1939-45 was characterized by clandestine events, more
often than not associated with the Maquis, the French
resistance. Hence, the bulk of the tracks come from
1926-36, roughly after the introduction of electrical
recording and before the German prohibitions. In the’30s, under the influence of American music, a newgeneration of players such as Guerino, Tony Murena
and Gus Viseur created the swing musette style. “Bye
Bye Blackbird” sounds straight from the circus, while“A Tisket-A Tasket”, “Undecided” and “After You’ve
Gone” are among the American songs reinterpreted ina Parisian swing.
Lovers of jazz, blues, old-time country and Cajun
music will find plenty to enjoy in this milestone study.
For more info visit soufflecontinu.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 27

All Aboard: Vol. 1 Departures
Itai Kriss & Telavana (Avenue K)
by Tom Greenland

I sraeli flutist/composer Itai Kriss has been on

the New York scene for more than twenty years,
establishing himself as a sideman and leader, thelatter through his group Telavana, a portmanteau
of his favorite musical ports of call: Tel Aviv andHavana. All Aboard: Vol. 1 Departures, the sextet’s third
release in six years, has a core line-up of Kriss (flute,compositions), Wayne Tucker (trumpet, flugelhorn),
Ahmed Alom-Vega (piano), Tamir Shmerling (bass),
Dan Aran (drums) and Samuel Torres (percussion),with Amos Hoffman (oud, guitar) appearing on four
tracks and most of the band singing chorus parts on
several songs. Kriss’ influences are easy to identify:
Cuban son, danzón and timba (a rowdier, clavéresistant meld of son, salsa and funk) on one hand;Middle Eastern minor modes and instrumentationon the other. The latter influence is heard mostprominently on “Beach Song”, where Hoffman’soud improvises between sung stanzas, answering
the vocal phrases with taqasim-like (improvised)obbligato parts impelled by layered patterns playedon goblet and frame drums.

The album leans Latin on “Night Vision” and“Prendido”, both tracks employing rigorously
accented melodies over montunos doubled on pianoand bass, all riding the rhythms of Torres’ sparky
tumbadoras. “Seventh Life” starts out as bubbly funk,later alleviated by jarring syncopations and judderingstops, climaxing with Kriss and Tucker’s alternating
8-bar solos, each inching the bar a bit higher. “Dakar”
is a similarly smooth and funky, radio friendly cut
with a rhythm break towards the end that gives Arana chance to stretch out. “Flânerie Brumeuse” evokes
a fairytale dreamscape, strangely tuneful, thickly
layered yet thin as gossamer, Kriss injecting peppery
accents and fast sequences into his liquescent solo,
soaring to high altitude at the finish. “Agadir” moves
between three sections: a catchy bi-layered pentatonic
theme, an “Ah la la” chorus with two-versus-threepolyrhythms and a detached Land-of-Oz refrain.
Not a blowing session, soloists generally keep theirstatements short and to the point throughout, AlomVega often adopting a lush rhapsodic touch thatlounges over the tight-knit rhythms. Though the
band’s Cuban and Middle Eastern influences arepatent, to Kriss’ credit the music achieves an organic
fusion of the two that resists labeling, in effect forging
his own new tradition.
For more info visit itaikriss.com. Kriss is at The Django
Jul. 9. See Calendar.

Truth Seeker
Ivo Perelman, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey(Fundacja Słuchaj)
SnapshotMark Helias (Radio Legs Music)
by Daniel A. Brown

A lthough it is at times still considered a secondary

rhythm-section instrument, the double bass has beenutilized by musicians who boast dual membershipas side players and soloists. Notable bassists—inparticularfree-improv-leaning
musicians—haveapproached the unwieldy instrument in ensemble
and solo excursions and are as varied as the timbral
qualities of the bass. Jean-François Jenny-Clark, Beb
Guérin, Dave Holland, Peter Kowald, Joëlle Léandre,
Sirone and Alan Silva have all been showcased instudio settings and live concerts in group and spartan,soloist performances. Mark Helias is assuredly also amember of this roster of versatile, passionate players.
Two recent albums highlight his skills at digging indeep with a group and equal fearlessness in going it
alone.
A trio setting with Ivo Perelman (tenor) andTom Rainey (drums), Truth Seeker is a seven-songcollection of both fierce and languid playing. An
inaugural meeting between three players who all
possess impressive bodies of work, with this set theyplay like longtime collaborators. On the title track, thetrio gradually builds forward motion: Helias toggles
chromatic and minor-second-tinted bass lines, Rainey
doles out measured snare and tom runs as Perelman
gradually moves his horn lines from the fragmentary
to extended, powerhouse blowing. The duo leadin of Helias’ droning arco and Perelman’s subdued
ideas initiating “Spiritual Growth” soon dissolve into
scattershot, free playing; at midpoint Rainey points toa front-line Crescent City beat, the tenor saxophonist
pushing riffs that invoke Coltrane’s “Offering”,
while the bassist rejoins the fray. Thanks to digital
downloads, and also ongoing demand, there is a

28 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

current surge of avant-jazz releases. Truth Seeker isworthy of discovery.
Filled with textures and adroit, albeit
contemplative playing, the solo album Snapshots
features Helias playing 12 short-form, improvised
pieces during a single session, wherein the bassist
was breaking in a recently-commissioned double bass
carved by U.K. luthier Martin Penning. Swimmingalong as a swirling drone of bowed microtonal
rumbles, swoops and upper-register harmonics,“Waterslide” encapsulates a half century ofadvanced, high-reaching arco techniques, all driven
by Helias’ inventive approach. “Common Ground”
and “The Minor Half” satisfy any craving for bluesy
riffs; on the latter, he hits a stream of plucked pulloffs on the bass (no small feat) with a casual sureness.
While spontaneously composed, many of the pieces
sound like 21st century etudes for the instrument.
“Curtis Counce” and “Napkins Rings and Doilies”
would challenge any bass student or peer, yet for
all of his evident skills (particularly with his spoton intonation and arco work), Helias is more about
heartfelt expression than technical shredding.
For more info visit sluchaj.bandcamp.com andmarkhelias.bandcamp.com. Helias is at P.I.T. Jul. 14 andBarbès Jul. 19, both with Tony Malaby. See Calendar.

WindowKari van der Kloot (TPR)
by Dan Bilawsky

T his third album from Kari van der Kloot is an
opportunity for the Canadian-born, New York-based
vocalist-songwriter to elaborate on what was, andis, a journal of sorts, penned primarily during early
pandemic times. Her work offers numerous reflections
on life while inviting outside ears to ruminate in realtime. It’s a layered production in both theme andcontent, digging deep into psychological recesses
while highlighting the simpatico relationship van der
Kloot has built with her longtime rhythm section—
Jamie Reynolds (piano), Gary Wang (bass) andNathan Ellman-Bell (drums)—plus newcomer Elsa
Nilsson (flute).
Opening with “Outside”, the leader meditates
on technology’s isolating impact and the human
disconnect with what connection truly means. That
weighted message comes with a strong groove,
melodic hooks, a standout Reynolds solo (on aYamaha CP80), and a notable Ellman-Bell breakaway.
“Trust Exercise”—van der Kloot’s floating counterto her own pessimism—follows, using a spacy sonicpalette with hybridized voice/flute choir to help
embrace the idea(l) of grasping the good wherever it
arises. Moving across varied emotional landscapes,
she captures attention with her candor. The upwardlooking “Sprout”, shining the soloist’s spotlighton Wang, stands as a statement of recognition
surrounding trauma and the growth that may comefrom it. Wintry beauty and spare intensity figure
into “Snow Angels”, where the leader highlights her
long-standing affiliation with Reynolds in an icy andisolated setting with flutes flowing ‘round. Thoughtsof the unseen appear in the liminal looking glass of“In Between”.
Though van der Kloot makes an art out of
peering inward, she also works beyond the borders

of her being. “Cost”, for example, which deals withgovernmental indifference and harm toward theenvironment, makes its broader message clear whileleaving space for fanciful flute and tempestuous
drums. “Totem”, informed by the enormity of Ruth
Bader Ginsberg’s influence on women’s rights,
amps up harmonic movement and benefits frombouncing voices—a surround-sound of womanhood.
And “Keeping Quiet”—a setting of Alistair Reid’stranslation of Pablo Neruda’s A callarse—praises
stillness while gifting one last glimpse at the vander Kloot-Reynolds relationship. Light in voice, thisleader is nevertheless heavy in expression. Window is
but the latest wonderful example of that fact.

de Tula” (a song popularized by the Buena Vista
Social Club) and “El Empanadillero”, yet anotherstreet vendor-inspired song with the leader’s cuatro
answering the horns and vice versa.
In all, Vacilón Santiaguero is a captivating tour of
Kiki Valera’s, as well as Cuban, heritage and history.
For more info visit circle9music.com/artists. The album
release concert is at Joe’s Pub Jul. 5. See Calendar.

JUL 2–10
DIZZY’S CLOSEDFor more info visit tprrecords.ca. van der Kloot is at
Silvana Jul. 11. See Calendar.

JUL 11–14
DJANGO FESTIVAL ALL-STARS
Boss Baritones
Gary Smulyan/Frank Basile Quintet (SteepleChase)by Marilyn Lester

I n the somewhat rarified baritone sax realm, Gary

Vacilón Santiaguero
Kiki Valera (Circle 9 Music)
by Jason Gross

I f you’re not already familiar with the joyous musicof son Cubano, Vacilón Santiaguero is a good place
to begin. Originating in Cuba in the late 1800s, thestyle combined central/southern African music’s
heavy percussion and call-and-response modes withintricate Spanish guitar stylings. And Kiki Valera
is part of a long musical family lineage that helped
pioneer the style.
Valera is now releasing his second solo album
in the States with an aptly named, rotating group of
singers and musicians dubbed Son Cubano. Playing
and soloing on his own homemade cuatro (a crossbetween a Spanish and classical guitar), guitar,
bass, claves, maracas and coros, here he leads animpressive group, with vocalists Carlos Cascante,
Francisco “Coco” Freeman, Joshuah de Jesus andRaquel Zozaya, as well as Steve Guasch (coros) andPedro Vargas (congas, bongos, coros), the latter who
provides a soulful groove throughout the album.
Many of the songs come from Valera’s family andfriends, which he heard and enjoyed back in his
youth.
The album’s plethora of trumpet guests include:
Alexis Baró, Steve Mostovoy, Michael Rodriguez,
Jonathan Powell, Pete Nater, Dennis Hernandez,
Bryan Lynch, Thomas Marriott and Leon Q Allen.
Opening with the dynamic “Este Vacilón” (written
by Valera’s father, Felix), the recording starts rightoff the bat with blaring trumpets, as well as elegant
cuatro and lovely lithe vocals from Casante of the
Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Coco Freeman takes on
the role of a street vendor with ease and grace foranother Felix Valera song, “El Aji De Cocina”, with
Valera’s high-stepping solo featuring hard string
plucks, heavy strums and intricate lines. From there,
we hear a variety of sounds and moods, including
a New Orleans slow march and a celebratory“Sobre Una Tumba Una Rumba”, as well as a salsasounding children’s song, “El Penquinto E’ Coleto”(with Casante playing off a vocal trio). The bouncy,
jumpy rhythm of “Funfuñando” is a plaintive
mid-tempo ballad with perhaps the leader’s mostintricate, extended solos on the album. “Mari-juana”
is a humorous song that pines for a girl and somecannabis, Valera picking out a solo at varying speeds.
The album’s dozen tracks also include “El Cuarto

JUL 1
CANADIAN JAZZ COLLECTIVE

Smulyan and his former protege, Frank Basile,
are indeed boss. Smulyan, whose playing is mostinfluenced by his association with Pepper Adams,
has a keen musical wit. He loves a pun (note a coupleof the musical titles on the album’s nine tracks) andhas long been fascinated by contrafacts, releasing a
few albums dedicated to them. Many of the tunes on
the newly released Boss Baritones indeed are numbers
based on the chord changes of standards. But what’s
significant about bari players is, for the most part,they’re not flashy; as this release attests, they’repretty much straight ahead. Yet, for those who lovethe sound of the baritone and maybe even lean into
an intellectual appreciation of jazz, the subtlety anddepth of the playing is especially rewarding.
Opener, “Oh Gee” (Matthew Gee) offers theperfect template for the Smulyan-Basile collaboration.
Beginning in duetic harmony, the two then trade off,
demonstrating flexible technique and clarity of tone
throughout. Creative comping by Steve Ash (piano)
gives way to a feature about a third of the way in,plus a short solo for Mike Karn (bass). All the while,
Aaron Seeber (drums) provides a consistent rhythmic
platform. While Ash and Karn take the spotlight oneach of the tracks, it is only on the closer, the aptly
titled “Straight Ahead” (J. R. Monterose) that Seeber
was called upon to display his considerable chops.
This fast tempo bop piece is also the only selection thatfeatured a bit of skronk and other tonal forays fromthe duo. Its 64-bar chorus, half in minor, switching
to major, makes for an interesting, engaging piece.
Likewise, the hard-driving bop blow-out “FiftySix” (Johnny Griffin) also offers percussive riffs
propelling toward an abrupt, stop-ending. One of thehigh points of the album is Eddie Heywood’s “Landof Dreams”, based on “Cherokee” without a bridge.
It’s a catchy tune with space for the entire quintet
to stretch out. The sole songbook standard on therelease “I’ll Never Be The Same” (Matty Malneck) isa bop textbook rendition of melody transitioning intocreative improv, with an extended feature from Ash
entirely built on the notes laid down by the baritones.
Its ending with flourishes and repetitive sax riffs isespecially gratifying.
Overall, Boss Baritones is a solid, satisfying ode to
bebop tradition, with a superb musical synchrony andchemistry between two colleagues, and a talented,
organic rhythm section.
For more info visit steeplechase.dk. Basile is at Birdland
Theater with the Celebrating Slide Hampton Octet Jul. 6-7.
Smulyan is at Village Vanguard with Vanguard Jazz
Orchestra every Monday. See Calendar.

JUL 15
JOE GRANSDEN BIG BANDJUL 16CHARLES GOOLD: TRIPTYCH LESPRIJUL 17JON GORDON NONETJUL 18–21
CHARLES MCPHERSON 85TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONJUL 22
TOM OREN TRIOJUL 23
MATT VON RODERICK: CELESTIAL HEARTJUL 24FAY VICTOR’S HERBIE NICHOLS SUNGJUL 25–28
JON FADDIS QUARTETJUL 29FRANCESCA TANDOI TRIOJUL 30EAST AXIS: MATTHEW SHIPP, SCOTT ROBINSON, KEVIN RAY,GERALD CLEAVERJUL 31RACHEL THERRIEN’S LATIN JAZZ PROJECT: MI HOGAR

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

212.258.9595
BROADWAY AT 60TH ST.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 29

IN PRINT
As Things Do
Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet (Intakt)
Another State of Rhythm
Old Mountain (Clean Feed)
Live in BarcelonaÁlvaro Torres Quartet (Fresh Sound New Talent)by John Sharpe

Groove, Bang and Jive Around
Steve Cannon (Ophelia Press-Blank Forms Editions)by John Pietaro

S teve Cannon (who died five years ago thismonth), writer/poet and founder of the culturalorganization A Gathering of the Tribes, was a
revolutionary that many saw as the cultural
heart of the struggle for Black liberation. He wasa mentor to countless New York poets, startingwith his days in the Society of Umbra alongside
luminaries such as Akia Toure, Ishmael Reed
and Calvin Hernton as well as free jazz leaders
Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor and Archie Shepp. By the’80s, despite failing vision and then blindness,
Cannon and his Tribes performance space andmagazine remained a major underground voiceof East Village poetry. One would be hardpressed to find naysayers to Cannon’s vast
inspiration.
His only novel, Groove, Bang and Jive
Around was published by the Parisian Ophelia
Press in 1969. Of its age, the story is filledwithpsychedelic,hallucinatory
imagery.
Unfortunately, social justice drowns under anoverload of carnal imagery. The brutally raw
depiction of African American culture in theSouth is somewhat reminiscent of the protagonist
in the recent film American Fiction and somehardcore sections seem to be competing with
William H. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch. The storyof fourteen-year-old Annette’s explicit comingof age starts with a shockingly graphic scene
in an outhouse with a man twice her age, goes
through exploits with the man she believes to be
her father, has a threesome with her boyfriend
and an obese older woman, engages in ritualisticorgies, and is the main course in a violent mass
gang bang. Related visions of her mother andbrother’s lurid relations, as well as flashbacksof Annette’s first time, age 10, with her brotherand his friend, do little to accent the politics
Cannon held so dear. Eventually, Anette arrives
in a Black nirvana, Ooh-bla-dee, where people ofcolor hold power and take vengeance on corrupt
officials and their wives via public humiliation
and bestiality.
Along the way, though, a wonderful varietyof jazz artists make cameos: Dizzy Gillespie
presides over Ooh-bla-dee and Count Basie’s
band plays uproariously for the victors. Groove,
Bang and Jive Around does play out though asclassic storytelling. A New Orleans native who
moved to the Lower East Side in 1962, Cannon
carried the southern tradition of tall tales into
the fertile mix of radical downtown and it’seasy to imagine the book as a series of spoken
presentations. This work is the motherlode of
all chin music and the re-publication may justmark it as an invaluable vision of cruel, imposed
poverty and the dissonant journey north.

For more info visit blankforms.org

S axophonist Tony Malaby has been a hard-hitting
presence on the NYC scene for more than a quarterof a century. Although an MVP whose unique soundelevates any bandstand he graces, as shown with the
likes of Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra,
Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band and the Fred
Hersch Quintet, he’s also an established leader. But
while a fearsome improviser whose own albums often
swerve to left field, he remains a wholly committed
interpreter of other people’s concepts, as he showson the three dates here.
On As Things Do, Malaby finds himself amonga crew of peers. It’s the second outing from bassist
Michael Formanek’s all-star Elusion Quartet,
completed by drummer Ches Smith and another ofthe reedman’s regular collaborators, pianist Kris
Davis. Formanek’s formidable scope as a composer
ensures he utilizes all the considerable talents at his
disposal, mixing intricate parts in often multifaceted
charts that offer diverse improvisatory spaces, which
are exploited to the full. Malaby certainly enjoys
himself on the audacious opener “Bury the Lede”,
as his tenor soars above a juddering churn that
progressively resolves anthemic. Far more than justa fire breather, the saxophonist demonstrates hisbreadth, all grizzled elegance navigating the shifting
meters of “Rewind”, then invoking flute-like tones
on soprano to accompany Davis’ gamelan-inflectedpiano preparations and Smith’s chiming vibes early
on in “Cracked Bells”, while his playing is lyricallyaching on the valedictory “Gone Home”. Each track
represents a journey into its own world in whichnothing can be anticipated other than that excellence
awaits.
Malaby guests on Another State of Rhythm, thethird release under the banner Old Mountain by
the Portuguese pairing of pianist Pedro Brancoand drummer João Sousa, who add twin bassistsJoão Hasselberg and Hernâni Faustino to the cast
for nine selections. The saxophonist proves wellsuited to the outfit’s canny blend of “out” there withmore inside heartfelt pieces. He shines on the solecover, a rendition of the offbeat C&W stroll throughLeadbelly’s blues classic, “Goodnight, Irene”: first
Branco and then Malaby gradually go off the rails,
culminating in a final madcap duet. Thereafter,
the saxophonist ranges from tender and delicately
keening on the wistful “The Sixth Commandment”,
to abrasive and raw on the seething “Giraldo”. He
doesn’t appear at all on the hymn-like “Ballad For
Paul”, a lovely tribute to his erstwhile employer
Motian, although his breathy embroidery of thesubsequent “Blend in By Standing Out” seems tocapture the same spirit.
Malaby joins Madrid-born, NYC-based Álvaro
Torres to realize six of the pianist’s originals on
Live in Barcelona. He’s part of Torres’ dream team,which also includes Japanese expat bassist Masa
Kamaguchi and Danish drummer Kresten Osgood.
Torres’ compositions pull in influences from postbop to Spanish folklore, but always remain direct
and accessible, with a swinging core. Partly that’s
down to the leader’s strong sense of time, and partly
down to the engine room where Osgood brings an
irrepressible drive allied to sensitive imagination, all

30 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

spiced by just a hint of mischief, alongside the nimblefingered Kamaguchi. Malaby thrives in the cracks,
offering impassioned flourishes to the Monk-tinged“Siresimi”, and swaggering through the changes of
the involved “You Dig?”. The compositional fabricof the standout “The Good Life” barely contains his
nerve-shredding squeals and expressive skronk.
For more info visit intaktrec.ch, cleanfeed-records.com andfreshsoundrecords.com. Tony Malaby is at P.I.T. Jul. 14,
Barbes Jul. 19 and Bar LunÀtico Jul. 21. See Calendar.

Playing With Fire
Jane Bunnett and Maqueque (Linus Entertainment)
by Pierre Giroux

J ane Bunnett and Maqueque’s Playing With Fire isa vibrant testament to this all-female ensemble’s
evolving sound and dynamic energy. The album
masterfully fuses Afro-Cuban rhythms with
contemporary jazz flair, a unique musical style thatsets them apart. Led by visionary soprano saxophonist
and flutist Jane Bunnett, Maqueque has again
proven its ability to innovate and inspire, injecting
new life into its powerful musical journey. This
ten-track outing relies heavily on the leader’s own
fertile compositional talents, as well as composing
opportunities for her band members, in addition to
the creative approach of Maqueque’s reworking ofjazz classics by Bud Powell and Charles Mingus.
As it evolves, album opener (and Bunnett
original) “Human Race”, captures the essence andintensity emanating from each musician. Led by theleader (on soprano), special guest Donna Grantis(electric guitar) also enjoys a feature. One of Powell’ssignature numbers, “Tempus Fugit”, here is given an
elaborate piano opening from Danae Olano, before
taking off in a Powell-like tempo with an exhilarating
fusion of sounds through its theme. The Olanopenned “Daniela’s Theme” has an ethereal quality
and weaves seamlessly through the pulsing backdrop
set by the composer (debuting here on violin) andher bandmates. Bassist Tailin Marrero’s “Bolero a un
Sueño” reveals the rhythmic backbone of Maqueque:Marreno, Olano, Yissy Garcia (drums), plus Mary Paz(percussion). Together they incessantly propel themusic forward. As for the composition, the narrativeis led by Zimbabwe-born vocalist Joanna Majoko,
who brings a rich, soulful texture to the band’s vocal
and overall landscape.
As the album plays out, it’s clear that it is not
only a showcase for the remarkable talents of theindividual members, but a testament to the collective
strength and creative synergy of Maqueque as awhole. Listen to the reworking of Mingus’ “JumpMonk”: the fierce interpretation and its interplay
between Bunnett (on soprano) and the vocalese of
the singers is both complex and cohesive, adding
dynamism to the group’s diverse soundscape.
The title track closer (another Bunnett original)features Grantis’ savvy guitar lines, which create aheady fusion of sounds that pushes boundaries andtranscends genres, continuing with the groove andinfectious energy that is imbued in all the tracks thatprecede it.
For more info visit linusentertainment.com. Bunnett andMaqueque are at Birdland Jul. 23-27. See Calendar.

(FIMAV CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)
The festival was structured with no overlaps in themusic, often with less than an hour’s rest to recalibrate
one’s ears between concerts. With the echoes of thethunderous percussion of Basileus still felt in the air,festival goers filed into the downstairs cabaret hall tohear Quatuor Bozzini. As if the festival’s new Artistic
Director Scott Thomson (this year replacing the sinceretired Michel Levasseur whose 39th edition of 2023 was
his last) was pranking audiences, the string quartet’s
performance was the pure opposite of what listeners
had just experienced. If the previous concert blew yourhair back, this concert required lean-in listening; Jürg
Frey’s String Quartet No. 4 never rose above a whisper.
The quartet floated out gossamer harmonies, barely
scraping the strings. Some of the notes lasted upwardsof 15 seconds, leaving ample time to contemplate
the overtones. At times dissonant, but replete withsatisfying resolutions, the music was, as Thomson
admitted during a press conference, intended as “anear cleaning experience after something so grandiose.”
More than cleansing the aural palate, it was an act of
hypnosis: a late-hour start and the music’s somniferous
character, led some audience members into dreamland.
The next day, Sakina Abdou’s solo saxophone
concert was held in the serene, vaulted church of Église
Saint-Christophe D’Arthabaska and was one of thestandout concerts of the entire festival. Abdou madeuse of the church’s multiple floors and hidden crevices,beginning the concert with a soaring two-note refrainfrom an unseen location. The instrument echoedhauntingly in that special church-like way. Abdou, still
hidden, moved around the upper levels, developing
the yearning two-note riff into more complex gestures.
The sound cascaded from above, as if the horns ofangels were blaring down from on high, but a pained,
tortured kind. Eventually, she made her way down the
church’s central aisle, busying the sound as she moved
along. At last visible, steps away from listeners, thesound rose to eye-watering volume levels. Arriving at
the stage, Abdou bounced between searing altissimo
notes held bafflingly long, and guttural, distorted
saxophone growling. After a pause, she switched fromalto to tenor, exploring some low-end ideas. She pushed
the instrument into multiphonic territory, emitting
two somehow independent lines simultaneously. The
saxophone achieved a split personality, hard not toassociate—when surrounded by biblical imagery—with heaven and hell. It was the perfect setting for themusic, and Abdou used it to its full totemic potential.
She then retreated back down the aisle, to hidden
alcoves, playing remnants of the blues.
Electronic music was well-represented at FIMAV,
whether through standalone sets, or as a core textureof electroacoustic ensembles. The height of electronic
music wizardry came from Amma Ateria. A solo setheld in Centre Des Congrès’ dark, windowless hotelballroom (perfect for immersive listening), Ateria’s
music told the sonic story of recovering from a
concussion. The music reflected the shiver-inducing
feeling when thinking about head trauma. Is this what
it sounds like to go under? The abstract, self-madeprojections that backlit the electronicist, evoked silky
hospital sheets and a probing doctor’s searchlightover a patient on a table. But the squeamishness of thesound and subject was at the same time calming; notjust clinical, but anesthetizing. The slowly enveloping
sounds: droning, watery, metallic and bassy, wrapped
the audience up in a hug of some dark abyss, loudenough to rattle the ceiling panels of the room.
That evening, the eight-piece, fashion-forward
band Natural Information Society also played. Lisa
Alvarado (harmonium) wore an angular art pop
getup with striking reds and a dashing beret. Nick
Mazzarella (alto) was attired in a smart, no-frills graysuit; Josh Berman (trumpet) favored high-waisted
pants and tucked in gingham shirt; Jason Stein (bassclarinet) was in lumberjack chic; Mikel Patrick Avery(drums), with well-groomed beard and hipster cap,
had a humble coolness; Joshua Abrams (guimbri) wore
a flowing, multilayered outfit, jangling necklaces anda shin-length denim coat and Ari Brown (tenor), thelegendary octogenarian Chicago saxophonist was thedefinition of class, with an old school loose leather
jacket and deftly placed pork pie hat. Likewise, oldschool was Mai Sugimoto (flute, alto) in concert black.
Composed by Abrams, the music was earthy andunvarnished, working up a galloping, bop-in-yourseat momentum from his guimbri (a three-string basslute), along with Avery’s drumming, the engine of theensemble. The music evolved like a species, with eachpassing section sprouting new limbs and appendages.
Alvarado provided a cloud of harmony, on top of which
saxophones, flute, trumpet and bass clarinet blended
and wailed with a freewheeling energy, but never lost
touch with the music’s patient pacing. Brown was
the beloved guest of the ensemble, and offered many
evocative solos, commanding yet inviting.
Later that evening, midnight hangers-on weretreated to Bazip Zeehok, the Dutch experimental punktrio fronted by longtime FIMAV performer G.W. Sok,
founder and former frontman of the band The Ex. The
trio, featuring Lukas Simonis (guitar) and Gert-Jan
Prins (drums) brought a refreshing punk attitude to thefestival. Short, snappy, and thrashing pieces defined
their set, with the instruments wailing underneath
Sok’s words. A cross between a poetry reading and apunk show, hard-hitting lyrics were a welcome change
in a festival of instrumental prowess.
On day three came the festival’s pinnacle of acoustic
free-form improvisation, the Roaring Tree Trio.
Featuring Craig Taborn (piano), Mat Maneri (viola) andJoëlle Léandre (bass), the three performers launched
into the music as if picking back up on a conversation
they were just having and eager to get back to, witheach revealing strong, distinct personalities. Taborn
was probing. His phrases had a sharp wit and juggled
pointed lines and aching chords. He was vigorous in
his improvisation, overflowing ideas with no note left
unplayed, even strumming the interior of the piano.
A contrast to Taborn’s kinetic energy was Maneri’s
pacifying viola. He was the group’s peacekeeper,
offering slow-moving, delicate ideas that, while neverboiling over, maintained a simmering suspense. The
boundaries between Léandre and her bass dissolved
as she hung on to its neck. She swept the strings arco
in all directions, creating otherworldly sounds. She
kindled many fires with the other two, scene-settingwith swirling textures. At other times she preferred
the nuclear option, dropping explosive ideas andmachine-gun like lines. A particularly commanding
solo interlude from her had audiences groaning insatisfaction at every mind-expanding idea that topped
the last. Together, the group kicked around the music,
sometimes unanimously, sometimes solo to no answer,
and at other times paired-off, with the third chiming infrom afar.
Standout concerts from the final day included Nate
Wooley’s program-length work Columbia Icefield. The
trumpeter introduced the piece with a moving speech
about his north star trumpeter and friend, the late
Ron Miles. The music followed with similar stirring
gravitas. It moved, as its title suggests, glacially,
capturing the sheer power of the nature the work is an
ode to. Guitarist Ava Mendoza added a distorted fireand-ice edge to Wooley’s soaring playing. Pedal steel
guitar from Susan Alcorn emitted round shapes andpads of sound while Ryan Sawyer steered the intensity
through percussion, dialing the flame that kept themusic cooking. The result was music that captured thetectonic tranquility of its subject as well as its elemental
might.
The final concert of the festival saw Norwegian
guitarist and composer Kim Myhr’s eight-piece band
send audiences into the aisles dancing to deep grooves

and hefty backbeats. Strummed bliss from multiple
guitars gave the music an indie-rock feel. Innermounting intensity from Eve Risser on keyboards
offered a platform for improvisational merrymaking
from all, with the eight members moving in sync within
the dense sound and groove.
Other performances included: electroacoustic
high energy outfit Le Double; accordion-forward
improvisation from Splendide Abysse; a solo set held in
the church from Nicole Rampersaud; timbric adventureswith French pianist Sophie Agnel and U.K. saxophonist
John Butcher; the satisfying grit of the Bill Orcutt Guitar
Quartet (with Mendoza, Wendy Eisenberg and Shane
Parish); psychedelic and dizzying beat-making from The
Dwarves of East Agouza; baffling extended techniquefrom saxophonist Don Malfon; the DJ-meets-improv
world of Kavain Wayne Space/XT Trio; and the hip-hop
drenched sound of Sélébéyone, the multi-continenthailing jazz rap group.
FIMAV ended on a triumphant note, with a pangof bittersweetness from the sweeping sound of Kim
Myhr’s Sympathetic Magic. Mitchell, returning, played
four improvisations before the audience begged him
back for a fifth. Towards the end he switched between
sopranino and bass saxophone, pinging the distinct
sounds off of one another in short, punctuated phrases.
His concert ended without pretense or grand ceremony.
The aftermath of Mitchell and the whole festival wasa lingering feeling of mystery, a contemplation of
improvisations, their sound, their many parts, theirformulas. You want to bottle them up and take themhome with you, but the harder you try to pin themdown the more they dissolve into the air. Luckily wehave next year to get another fix.
For more info visit fimav.qc.ca/en

GO TO:

www.artistshare.com/
projects/experience/
64/533/1

for JON GORDON’S new album,“7th Ave South”,
recently selected by
the Times of London as one of
the top jazzalbums of 2024.
Jon’s Nonet will be playing at
Dizzy’s Club in NYC July 17th.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 31

(LONG PLAY FESTIVAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)“Lone Coast Anacrusis” and other selections in low
guttural tones, high falsettos, whispers, sirens andwhoops through cupped hands—banging tuning
forks against their skulls to help them hear difficult
pitches.
At the BRIC Stoop, percussion sextet Talujon
rustled paper, rattled sticks and played in lopsided
meters before relinquishing the stage to Gamelan
Yowana Sari, a 19-piece ensemble encircled byan even larger audience sitting cross-legged on
the floor, forming a concentric sea of tuned metalgongs, bells and hand drums, the laminated sounds
rippling out in hypnotic waves, tempo at ebb or flow.
Darius Jones’ fLuXkit Sextet set at Roulette was astandout: his raw-boned alto saxophone in consonantdissonance with four strings and rocked by rhythmteam Chris Lightcap (bass) and Ches Smith (drums).
Perhaps the most unusual set was an opera recitalof Alex Weiser and Ben Kaplan’s “The Great
Dictionary of the Yiddish Language”, a humorous
depiction of one linguist’s valiant/vain attempts
to salvage his culture. Alto saxophonist ImmanuelWilkins played an all-original duo with pianist Jason
Moran at Roulette, segueing through spacey circularchords, intense fast repetitive motives that imitated aharmonizer and split-tone multiphonics, building togale-force strength, ending in soothing calm. Laptop
dj/drummer Jeff Mills’ show at BAM Opera House,
improvised with three musicians who’d just metthat day, was overly dominated by his beat-making
machinery that squelched the sparks of humanengagement. The Ligeti Quartet’s performance ofAnna Meredith’s string quartets suffered a similarloss of immediacy when it became apparent thatthe musicians were performing to sweetener tracks,
playing second fiddle as it were to more prominent
pre-recorded melody parts. A third example ofhumans vs. machines came at BRIC Ballroom
during a trio improv where pianist Jason Moran anddrummer Marcus Gilmore’s vigorous acoustic forays
overbalanced BlankFor.ms’ electronic soundscapes.
The score so far? Humans: 1; Machines: 2. Friday’s
final set, at Roulette, showcased tenor saxophonist
Anna Webber’s wonderful rhythmic phraseology,
her compositions an eclectic yet organic mix of
melody and shifting meters, further fortified byAdam O’Farrill’s bright trumpet work.
Sunday (May 5), the second full day of concerts,
began at BRIC’s Stoop with a circle of five inwardfacing double bassists (all students of the late RobertBlack), surrounded in turn by a circle of listeners inthrall to their slumberous tone poem. At Ironhorse,
tones turned operatic with a decidedly avant twist
as William Parker ushered Cooper-Moore (diddlybow), Charles Burnham, Jason Kao Hwang andgabby fluke-mogul (violins), Melanie Dyer (viola),
Eri Yamamoto (piano), AnnMarie Sandy (mezzo
soprano) and Griff Spex (spoken word) througha suite of quirky but catchy themes, the leader
swapping n’goni for kora or end-blown flute,Burnham singing about “shortnin’ bread” in fauxSouthern drawl, Sandy moving from recitative toaria (her “uptown”-trained voice completely in sync
with the “downtown” adventurousness.) A further
example of the human/machine dialectic was inevidence at BRIC Ballroom during which Kuniko
Kato played Steve Reich’s Drumming, a piece written
for nine players but which she performed alone
by layering live rhythms over pre-recorded parts,“phasing” (in Reich’s terminology) her timing in
relation to her mechanical “bandmates.”
At BAM Café, DoYeon Kim showed remarkableagility and versatility on gayageum (Korean 25-string
zither), employing delicate traditional techniques
and bold innovations, such as wielding a bow likea lumberjack’s cross-cut saw, ending one song with

32 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

a blood-curdling scream, her update of Pansori
vocal practice. Next on the same stage was Malian
duo Yacouba Sissoko (kora) and Moussa Diabaté(n’goni), the former singing proverbs in a sweet
baritone over rolling syncopated kora patterns, thelatter plucking/jabbing fills and solos. At Public
Records’ Atrium a young crowd bobbed and snappedas Russian synthesist/vocalist/mix-master Kate
NV sang nursery rhyme-like tunes with ragdoll
choreography interspersed with weird-warped live
dance beats. Around the corner in the venue’s Sound
Room was Chicago Underground Duo: Rob Mazurek
unleashed long, reverberant trumpet tones (directing
his horn bell at one of three mics, each with a different
type of delay) and shouted over pre-recorded beatloops, while drummer Chad Taylor found his own
groove within the unrelenting electronic grids, thetension between the two furnishing high excitement.
Final score? Humans: 1; Machines: 2; Tied: 2. Someof the most beautiful sounds occurred during
Michael Gordon’s Rushes, performed by sevenoboists standing in a circle at Ironhorse, staggering
their entrances, sustaining quavering chords thatshimmered and clashed while audience members(complying with the emcee’s prefatory direction)
wandered around and across the stage area, testing
the natural acoustics, pausing to savor a particularly
resonant spot. The third showcase at BAM Opera
House was Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians,
minimalism’s first “hit single,” a piece of meditative
urgency, folksy charm and a lesson in layering andlong-form development. Two final sets took place
at Roulette: poet Eileen Myles’ trio, featuring her
politically charged and psychologically honest(though sometimes difficult to hear) verses; followed
by Deerhoof, a category-defying quartet fronted bybassist/vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki, backed by John
Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez (guitars) and kinetic
drummer Greg Saunier playing loud, clean andheavy with constant breaks and mood-shifts while
Matsuzaki executed distinctive hopscotch steps as
she scatted in a sing-song style.
Whether you’re rooting for humans, machines,
neither or both, Long Play is here/hear to show us
where the future might be headed.
For more info visit bangonacan.org/longplay(LABEL SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11)
a new album by Tamarisk, the trio of Christina Carter(vocals), formerly of Charalambides, David Menestres(bass) and Andrew Weathers (guitar). “Charalambides
was highly familiar to me,” Lindorff-Ellery says. “I
was listening to their stuff in high school. That will bea little different because it’s kind of songs. We don’t
release a lot of songs. I’m kind of into big chunks of
exploration.” And, of course, they’ll all be on cassette.
“Sometimes I have this existential crisis, why am
I selling cassettes in 2024?” he muses. “But I thinkphysical media is still really important, even though
I understand the inconvenience to some people.” Headds, “I think we’re in a phase of adapting. I thinka lot of people are getting tired of intangible things,
intangible literature, intangible music.” LindorffEllery’s existential crisis runs deeper than the calculusof business models. He framed cassettes as a way of“living outside the algorithm,” along with writing
letters on paper and reading physical books. “Thegovernment doesn’t know when you put on a record,”he said. “It’s not surveilled. To have a little slice ofthat still, I think that’s important.”
For more info visit noticerecordings.bandcamp.com. Joanna
Mattrey is at Sisters Jul. 3, and The Stone at The New
School Jul. 10-13 including with Camilo Ángeles Jul. 13.
See Calendar.

(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)
more patience.” She could really swing, and I love thecohesiveness of the trio she had for so long with Charles
Ables and other bass players and drummer Steve
Williams. The record that I made that was a tribute toher (We Won’t Forget You… An Homage to Shirley Horn,
HighNote) doesn’t include all those incredibly slow,
lush ballads that she did—I’m still working on thepatience for that.
TNYCJR: Tell us about your career in jazz education.
DeRose: I’ve always been a teacher. By the time I was
18 I was already teaching piano and organ and giving
private lessons. I had great teachers myself, so when amusic store says they need a piano teacher or someone
asks me about lessons, I just do it. I say “yes,” because
it’s an opportunity for me to learn a lot. I didn’t go touniversity for jazz, and I’m not a product of all thesegreat schools that are out there now. I’m self-taught,
pretty much 99%—listening to the records, getting
books, asking the musicians questions, doing the gigs
and learning the music for them.
I’ve had 40 years of teaching, because I started at
18 and I’m 58 now. When I moved to New York, that’s
when I started to teach voice—I didn’t teach that in
Binghamton, because I was just beginning as a singer
myself. People would come up to me at gigs and ask me
if I taught, so I just started teaching what my teacherstaught me. And since they were great teachers, I had
a lot to start with. Now being a university professor
for the last 18 years in Graz I educate myself by taking
further classes, going to jazz lectures and clinics andupdating my technique. That’s how I get new ideas.
You have to keep on top of it, because the students get
better every year, what with all the information on theInternet and social media these days. It keeps me on
my toes, and I enjoy that part of being a professor. I
moved over here to Austria, after 15 or 16 years in New
York, because I couldn’t find a position in the U.S. that
was anything but adjunct. You had to drive all over,and you didn’t get travel money or health care. I wason the list to get health care at Purchase College for 10
years but never got chosen.
TNYCJR: Doesn’t it go both ways? European jazzmusicians come here for validation and for the caliberof the musician they can have on their recordings.
DeRose: Yes. As you know, the jazz world is so small.
Once you start traveling around, you realize it’s one
big family. Some people here (in Europe) go over. I
actually have a different rhythm section almost in
every country, and a lot of them will save up theirmoney and go to New York for a couple of weeks, crashon people’s couches, and go out and hear music every
night, play sessions and maybe make a recording. As
you say, the caliber of musicianship is very high in the
U.S., but now we have wonderful musicians all overthe place. Every European city has someone who’s an
ex-pat and a great player.
And there’s plenty of opportunity to play here—
just in Graz we have four or five venues. And we have
Vienna just two hours north of us, and there are places
up there. At Jazzland in Vienna I have played with thegreat trumpet player Jim Rotondi, who teaches here.
Half of the professors at the university are American,
actually. Chris Smith is the drum professor—he was
Birdland’s big-band drummer for many years. Alex
Goodman is a new guitar professor from New York. I’dbeen coming to Europe for festivals, and I finally decided
that I’d go for the position here and see what happens.
I have 12 students a week, an hour and a half each, andyou can really build a program here. In New York I
was teaching at many schools—The New School, NYU,
The Hartt School, Purchase—my main one, Long Island
University, City College. They’d come to my apartment,

but I only had them for a year or two, so you’re notreally developing anything other than what they’reworking on at the moment. Here I have the students forfour years, which means I can really be with them andhelp them advance their skills. And if they stay for amaster’s, you get them for two more years.
TNYCJR: And tell us about your trip to NYC thismonth, and your three nights performing at Birdland.
DeRose: The special guest on Friday is trombonist Ed
Neumeister [he’s on the upcoming album release], andSaturday night it’s tenor saxophonist Houston Person[from the last album release]. Person is a dear and I
love his playing. Sunday night will likely be trio withbassist Martin Wind whose played with me 20 years
and drummer Matt Wilson who’s played 30 years withme. We will focus on our decades playing together!
For more info visit denaderose.com. Dena DeRose Trio (withspecial guests Ed Neumeister and Houston Person) is at
Birdland Theater Jul. 19-21. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Dena DeRose—Introducing(Amosaya-Sharp Nine, 1996)• Dena DeRose—Love’s Holiday (Sharp Nine, 2002)• Dena DeRose—Live at Jazz Standard Volume One/Two(MAXJAZZ-Mack Avenue, 2007)• Dena DeRose—Travelin’ Light(MAXJAZZ-Mack Avenue, 2010)• Dena DeRose—We Won’t Forget You…An Homage to
Shirley Horn (HighNote, 2014)• Dena DeRose—Ode To The Road (HighNote, 2019)(LEST WE FORGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)
phrasing, was as surprising in its juxtapositions of note
placement and space as was Monk’s. The monumental
jazz reference work, the multi-volume The New Grove
Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition (2002), devoted a full page
to Nichols, written by pianist Frank Kimbrough, whose
comments on Nichols’ style elaborate on Spellman’s:“[Nichols’] mixing of elements from Dixieland, swing,
and bop styles with new harmonies and freedom make[his] work a perfect bridge from those styles to theavant garde—some of whose players he taught andchampioned in their youth. As a pianist, Nichols is
often compared with his contemporaries, Monk and
Bud Powell; though there are similarities in [their]styles, his was a sound of its own. Like Monk, Nichols
was really a pre-bop pianist, influenced mostly by the
Swing era, though his technique was more akin to
Powell’s in that he was capable of playing the fast lines
prevalent in bop. However, the mixing of ideas old andnew, a touch that ran the gamut of emotions, and thethematic material of his own compositions made hiswork distinctive.”
Kimbrough (who died in December 2020) was
instrumental in the rediscovery and revival of Nichols’
music, and ultimate re-release of his albums in the’90s. Bassist Ben Allison explains: “The Herbie Nichols
Project (HNP) grew organically out of our non-profit
organization the Jazz Composers Collective (JCC),
which existed from 1992 to 2005 and was created tofoster new music, with an emphasis on experimentalismand expanding the boundaries of the jazz idiom.
[Frank] brought Herbie Nichols’ music to our attention.
We embraced it because it was both highly original
and also largely undiscovered…it felt like new music.”
Allison, Kimbrough and trumpeter Ron Horton of the
JCC actively researched Nichols, finding previously
unrecorded, undiscovered compositions in the Libraryof Congress. HNP, which presented his music fleshedout with two or three horns as well as a piano trio,
released three albums on Soul Note and Palmetto
between 1997-2001. Allison has continued to research

Nichols and when previously unpublished works weresent to saxophonist Ted Nash (another JCC alumnus),
the trio of Allison, Nash and guitarist Steve Cardenas
released Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie
Nichols (Sonic Camera) earlier this year. An even more
recent release is Fay Victor’s Herbie Nichols SUNG
project’s Life Is Funny That Way (TAO Forms), featuring
the vocalist’s lyrics to nine of the twelve tracks. Her
approach, reminiscent of the late Betty Carter, isfreewheeling and boppish.
“Lady Sings the Blues” was Nichols’ most
famous work during his lifetime. Now considereda genius ahead of his time, Nichols as pianist andcomposer—whose advanced bop-era concepts ofrhythm, harmony and form predicted aspects of free
jazz—continues to achieve well-deserved recognition
denied him in life.
For more info visit bluenote.com/artist/herbie-nichols. A
Herbie Nichols tribute featuring Fay Victor’s Herbie Nichols
SUNG is at Dizzy’s Club Jul. 24. See Calendar.
Recommended Tributes:• Misha Mengelberg, Steve Lacy, George Lewis, Arjen
Gorter, Han Bennink—Change of Season (The Music of
Herbie Nichols) (Soul Note, 1984)• Duck Baker—Spinning Song (Duck Baker Plays The
Music of Herbie Nichols) (Avant, 1995-96)• Herbie Nichols Project—Dr. Cyclops’ Dream(Soul Note, 1999)• Simon Nabatov—Spinning Songs of Herbie Nichols(Leo, 2007)• Howard Alden, Marty Krystall, Buell Neidlinger—
The Happenings (Music of Herbie Nichols) (K2B2, 2013)• Fay Victor Herbie Nichols SUNG—Life Is Funny That
Way (TAO Forms, 2022)

U

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EW

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236 West 26 Street, Room 804
New York, NY 10001
Monday-Saturday, 10:00-6:00
Tel: 212-675-4480
Fax: 212-675-4504
Email: jazzrecordcenter@verizon.net
Web: jazzrecordcenter.com
LP’s, CD, Videos (DVD/VHS),Books, Magazines, Posters,
Postcards, T-shirts,
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Buy, Sell, Trade
Collections bought
and/or appraised
Also carrying specialist labels
e.g. Criss Cross, ECM, Enja, ESP,
Fresh Sound, High Note, Pi, Savant,Sunnyside, Venus and many more.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 33

CALENDAR
Monday, July 1• Rôge with Stephane San Juan Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7 pm $50-100• Jamie deRoy• Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Joey Alexander• Piano in the Park: Isaac ben Ayala Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Nick Biello Trio
• Canadian Jazz Collective with Derrick Gardner, Kirk MacDonald,

Virginia MacDonald, Lorne Lofsky, Brian Dickinson, Neil Swainson,
Bernd Reiter
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-35• Paul Jones Group; Alexa Torres Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle
Silvana 10 pm• Jacob Varmus• Joe Farnsworth Quartet with Sarah Hanahan, Micah Thomas,
Felix Moseholm; Mike Boone Quartet with Trevor Watkis, Dylan
Bannd, Jarrett Walser Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra with Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, Rich
Perry, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, John Chudoba, Brian
Pareschi, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt, Dion Tucker, Jason
Jackson, Robert Edwards, Douglas Purviance, Adam Birnbaum,
David Wong, John Riley Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $35• Johnny O’Neal

Tuesday, July 2• New Moon Acoustic Blues Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêVanisha Gould Quartet with Chris McCarthy, John Sims,

Jongkuk Kim
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Loston Harris Duo; Yellowjackets Birdland 5:30, 7, 9:30 pm $25-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Joey Alexander• Piano in the Park: Isaac ben Ayala Bryant Park 12:30 pm• Brandi Disterheft Trio Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5
Columbus Park 12 pm• Nikita White• Dan Aran Latin Band; Edsel Gomez Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Judy Dunaway; Jon Madof, Jessica Lurie; Amos A;
Kyoko Kitamura, Ken Filiano, Julius Boxer-Cooper, Paige Draiss
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pmêRoni Ben-Hur with Harvie S Klavierhaus 7, 8:30 pm $25• Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee Trio with Kayla Kessler, Henry Mermer
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm
Shrine 8 pm
• Private Label Trio
• Sam Weinberg Trio with Eivind Opsvik, Tom Rainey; Kevin Sun
Trio with Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon Sisters 8 pm
• Charles Ruggiero Quartet with Julieta Eugenio, Jeremy Manasia,
Ugonna Okegwo; Ned Goold Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êKevin Hays Trio with Larry Grenadier, Billy Hart
Village Vanguard 8:30 pm $40• Joy Swing Jazz Orchestra Wilson Live! 7 pm $15-30
êMarta Sanchez with Joel Ross, Kanoa Mendenhall,Mark Whitfield Jr
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $35

Wednesday, July 3êJamie Baum Quartet with Carmen Staaf, Tony Scherr,

Allison Miller

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Yacouba Sissoko & SIYA Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• YellowjacketsêDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band;

Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Rodney Jones
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Joey Alexander• Piano in the Park: Isaac ben Ayala Bryant Park 12:30 pm• Wednesday Night Jazz Café Erzulie 7 pm
• Vanderlei Pereira Trio Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Mitch Marcus Quintet Dada Bar 8 pm
êEd Cherry Quartet; Roni Ben-Hur Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30
Shrine 10 pm• Cununao
Silvana 8 pm
• Winterfisch SextetêJoanna Mattrey, Leila Bordreuil, Sean Ali; Cooper-Moore/
Jonathan Reisin
Sisters 7 pm
• Lex Korten Quartet with Nicola Caminiti, Kim Cass,
Miguel Marcel Russel; Benny Benack Quintet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35

ê = Recommended Shows
êCannonball & Coltrane: Vincent Herring/Eric Alexander Quintet

with Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
êCraig Taborn, Lester St. Louis, Lesley Mok
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKevin Hays Trio with Larry Grenadier, Billy Hart
Village Vanguard 8:30 pm $40
Wilson Live! 7 pm $12-25• Tad Robinson• Svetlana & The New York Collective
WTC North Oculus Plaza 12 pm

Thursday, July 4êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm• Bombay Rickey with Kamala Sankaram, Drew Fleming,

Jeff Hudgins, Nick Cudahy, Brian Adler Barbès 10 pm $20

Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Yellowjackets• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band; Benny Benack III Quartet
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-40

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Joey Alexander• Piano in the Park: Isaac ben Ayala Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Café Erzulie 7 pm
• Jazz Night
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Nick Hempton Trio
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30• Pedrito MartinezêBria Skonberg/Benny Benack Louis Armstrong House 2 pmêBrian Charette Organ Trio Ornithology Jazz Club 9 pm

Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington
Silvana 8 pm
• Joeykeysade• Muneer Nasser Quintet; Saul Rubin Quartet with Dave Kikoski,

Danton Boller, Anthony Pinciotti
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êCannonball & Coltrane: Vincent Herring/Eric Alexander Quintet
with Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
êKevin Hays Trio with Larry Grenadier, Billy Hart
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, July 5
449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook
Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm• Angus Mason; Martha Kato Bar Bayeux 5:30, 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Modupe Onilu• Curtis Hasselbring and his Curhachestra
Barbès 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Birdland Big Band; Yellowjackets

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40

êCelebrating the Slide Hampton Octet with Sam Dillon,

Frank Basile, Nick Marchione, Bruce Harris, Robert Edwards,
James Burton III, Mike Karn, Charles Ruggiero
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Bob James• Piano in the Park: Isaac ben Ayala Bryant Park 12:30 pm• James Austin Quartet; Matt Martinez Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êNaama GheberClub Room 8 pm
David Rubenstein Atrium 7:30 pm• Rogê
• Vivian Sessoms; Bruce Williams Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êKiki Valera y su Son Cubano Joe’s Pub 7, 9:30 pm $25• Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra
Lincoln Center Plaza 6:30 pmêJazzmobile presents Allan Harris
Marcus Garvey Park Richard Rodgers Ampitheater 7 pmêAdam Birnbaum, Peter Washington, Al Foster;Caelan Cardello Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12• Lily/Elise• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Those Guys
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 pm $20-30• Kelly Green• Chardavoine & The Evolution ShapeShifter Lab 9 pm $40
êMusically Inclined; Bill Warfield’s Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra
Shrine 7, 8 pmêMark Morganelli Quartet with George Cables, Ron McClure,
Sylvia Cuenca; Pete Zimmer Quintet with Stacy Dillard, Matt
Chertkoff, Miki Yamanaka, Tom DiCarlo; Round About Midnight
Jam with Eric Wyatt
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êCannonball & Coltrane: Vincent Herring/Eric Alexander Quintet
with Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55• Shara Lunon, Chris Williams, Luke Stewart, Lesley Mok
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20

34 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDêKevin Hays Trio with Larry Grenadier, Billy Hart

Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wilson Live! 7, 10 pm• Mindi Abair

Saturday, July 6
449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Seydurah & Her Avecmoi Band of Blues Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Jonathan Beshay• Falsa with Umer Piracha, Roshni Samlal, Siddharth Ashokkumar,
Tom Deis, Paul Arendt

Barbès 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Esteban Castro; Yellowjackets

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êCelebrating the Slide Hampton Octet with Sam Dillon,

Frank Basile, Nick Marchione, Bruce Harris, Robert Edwards,
James Burton III, Mike Karn, Charles Ruggiero
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Bob James• John Mosca Quartet; Ai Murakami Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Jeff Williams with Daniele Germani, Leo Genovese,
Francesco Marcocci
Dada Bar 8 pm
• Erena Terakubo Sextet; Jason Tiemann Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êAdam Birnbaum, Peter Washington, Al Foster;Johnny O’Neal Quartet Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Underground Horns & Dingonek Street Band
Nublu 151 7 pm $20• Nate Mendelsohn; Jason Burger Quartet with Mike Haldeman,
Josh Crumbly and Julia Easterlin Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12
Shrine 8 pm
• Gil Schwartz
Silvana 7 pm
• Alexa HendricksonêMark Morganelli Quartet with George Cables, Ron McClure,
Sylvia Cuenca; Ben Solomon Quartet; Round About Midnight
Jam with Greg Glassman Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êCannonball & Coltrane: Vincent Herring/Eric Alexander Quintet
with Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25• Alexa TorresêDavid Leon, Yuma Uesaka, Kalun Leung, Joanna Mattrey,
Christopher Hoffman, Phillip Golub, Dorian Duke, Lesley Mok
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êKevin Hays Trio with Larry Grenadier, Billy Hart
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, July 7• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam

449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm

• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band; Alyson Murray

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êGeorge Gee Swing Orchestra; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êCelebrating the Slide Hampton Octet with Sam Dillon,
Frank Basile, Nick Marchione, Bruce Harris, Robert Edwards,
James Burton III, Mike Karn, Charles Ruggiero
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir; Bob James
Blue Note 1:30, 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Rick Germanson Trio Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ezra Collective; Celeste; Da Chick DJ
Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield 5 pm
• Todd Herbert Quartet; Michael Weiss Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Welf Dorr, Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Yuko Togami
The Keep 9 pm
• Melanie Scholtz Lincoln Center: Underground at Jaffe Drive 6 pm
• Marianne Solivan Quartet; Vanisha Gould Polite Jam Session
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Kevin Oliver Jr. Group Minton’s 11 pm $25
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Amy London Trio
• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis Patrick’s Place 12 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars; Sing Harlem Gospel Brunch
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30• Mimi JonesSaint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Yotam Ishay
Shrine 8 pm
• Shrine Big Band
Silvana 8 pm
• Kyle Moffatt• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Larry Ham/Woody Witt Quartet; Round
About Midnight Jam with Aaron Johnson
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $35• Puccini JukeboxêCannonball & Coltrane: Vincent Herring/Eric Alexander Quintet

with Mike LeDonne, John Webber, Lewis Nash
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
êKevin Hays Trio with Larry Grenadier, Billy Hart
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wilson Live! 5 pm $15-30• Lamar Campbell

Monday, July 8• Grove Street Stompers Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Brian Richburg Presents Noveau Wav

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Evan Sherman Big Band Birdland 7 pm $30-40êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40êDizzy Gillespie All-Stars with John Lee, Charlie Porter,
Erena Terakubo, Abelita Mateus, Roger Squitero,
Tommy Campbell
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45êPiano in the Park: Jon Weber Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Will Terrill Trio
• Kevin Oliver Jr. Group Close Up 7:30, 9:30 pm• Jordan Leftridge Quartet; Jackson Potter Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êAaron Irwin, Mike Baggetta, Bill Campbell
Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20• Spike Wilner Trio; Pasquale Grasso Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Santiago Leibson, Kenneth Jimenez, Kevin Murray,
Simone Baron, Bala
The Record Shop 7:30 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Hari Nandu with Robin Wong and Thomas Hutchings
ShapeShifter Lab 8 pm $20
Shrine 10 pm• Villagers Brass Band• Ari Hoenig Trio with Gadi Lehavi, Matt Penman; Obasi Akoto
Quintet with Anna-Lisa Kirby, Tim Green, Aaron Goldberg,
E.J. Strickland
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra with Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, Rich
Perry, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, John Chudoba, Brian
Pareschi, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt, Dion Tucker, Jason
Jackson, Robert Edwards, Douglas Purviance, Adam Birnbaum,
David Wong, John Riley Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $35• Daniel Glass Trio

Tuesday, July 9êCindy Blackman Santana Band with Aurelien Budynek,

Felix Pastorius, Emilio Modeste, JD Allen, Zaccai Curtis
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band;
Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Rodney Jones
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Theo CrokerêPiano in the Park: Jon Weber Bryant Park 12:30 pm• Wednesday Night Jazz Café Erzulie 7 pmêCorcoran Holt Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êAlexander Claffy
Club Room 8 pmêBryan Eng Trio; Jason Marshall Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30• Louis Armstrong Legacy Jam Flushing Town Hall 7 pmêJazzmobile presents Jimmy Heath Big Band with Antonio Hart
Grant’s Tomb 7 pm
• Vitor Gonçalves/Todd Neufeld Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20• Cameron Campbell Trio; Joe Wittman Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ben Cassara with Val Hawk, Jay Leonhart, Alex Leonard, Louise
Rogers, Teri Wade
Pangea 7 pm $25
êSanti Debriano & Arkestra Bembe Pier 84 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• John Smith• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30êWilliam Parker
Saint Peter’s Church 12:30 pm• Jon Menges Quartet; Shala Way Shrine 8, 10 pm
Silvana 9 pm
• Corn of the CobêMichael Dease Quartet; Diallo House Septet with Stacy Dillard,Michael Louis-Smith, Greg Glassman, Marius Van Den Brink,
Reinaldo De Jesus, Ismail Lawal, Jimin Park, George Lax
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êLezlie Harrison Quintet with Antoine Drye, John DiMartino,
Yoshi Waki, Russell Carter Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-45
êLea Bertucci, Chantal Michell, Joanna Mattrey
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Javon Jackson Quartet with Jeremy Manasia, David Williams,
McClenty Hunter
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êNicole Zuraitis
Wave Hill 7 pm
Wilson Live! 7, 9:30 pm $15-30• Reggie Bishop

Thursday, July 11êJoe Fonda Quartet with Sam Bardfeld, Kenny Wessel,êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pmêBob Sheppard with Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton,• Hompulon• Duduka Da Fonseca Quarteto Universal with Vinicius Gomes,

Rob Garcia

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Barbès 7 pm $20
êLoston Harris Duo; Cindy Blackman Santana Band with
Aurelien Budynek, Felix Pastorius, Emilio Modeste, JD Allen,
Zaccai Curtis
Birdland 5:30, 7, 9:30 pm $25-40• Allyson Briggs Bacharach at Birdland
Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Theo CrokerêPiano in the Park: Jon Weber Bryant Park 12:30 pmêAkiko Tsuruga Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Steven Kroon Latin Jazz Sextet Columbus Park 12 pm• Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet; Itai Kriss Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êAlan Broadbent, Harvie S, Billy Mintz
Klavierhaus 7, 8:30 pm $25• Kevin Sun Trio with Walter Stinson, Jon Starks
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Guy Mintus, Dan Papparlardo, David Sirkis; Neal Miner Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
One Manhattan West 12 pm• Combo Daguerre• Deborah Newallo Experience
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pmêRicky Alexander
The Rum House 9:30 pm
Shrine 8 pm
• BenHitsDrumsêSteve Nelson Quartet with Rick Germanson, Kiyoshi Kitagawa,Charles Goold; Todd Herbert Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Javon Jackson Quartet with Jeremy Manasia, David Williams,
McClenty Hunter
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Urban Renewal Big Band Wilson Live! 7, 9:30 pm $15-30

Wednesday, July 10• Alphonso Horne and his Gotham Kings 140 Broadway 12 pm
êKush Abadey Trio with Sam Yahel, Vicente Archer

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Cosmo with James Buckley, Will Graefe, Jeremy Gustin, Jesse
Harris, Kenny Wollesen Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

Anthony Pinciotti

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

Gili Lopes, Helio Alves

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Brooklyn Maqam with Megumi Saruhashi, Brian Prunka,

Zach Lapidus, Moto Fukushima, Philip Mayer
Barbès 7 pm $20
êCindy Blackman Santana Band with Aurelien Budynek,
Felix Pastorius, Emilio Modeste, JD Allen, Zaccai Curtis
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band; Margot Sergent Sextet
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Isaiah SharkeyêPiano in the Park: Jon Weber Bryant Park 12:30 pm• George Gray Jazz Coalition Bushwick Inlet Park 6:30 pm
Café Erzulie 7 pm
• Jazz Night• Ehud Asherie Quartet; Miss Maybell Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5
David Rubenstein Atrium 7:30 pm• Sonny SinghêDjango Festival All-Stars with Pierre Blanchard, Ludovic Beier,Samson Schmitt, Francko Mehrstein, Antonio Licusati
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55
êSam Dillon Quartet; T.K. Blue Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Roy Hargrove Big Band The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $40-50
êRa Kalam Bob Moses and Heart Breath Ensemble with Darius
Jones, Don Pate, Billy Martin Jazz Museum in Harlem 2 pmêBill O’Connell, Santi Debriano, Billy Hart; Tyler Henderson Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Towner Gallaher Organ Trio with Seydurah Avecomoi
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Brandon Seabrook, Lou Koonig, Katie Porter, T.J. Borden
The Record Shop 7:30 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette WashingtonêCharlie Burnham, Marcus Rojas, Ben Perowsky; Matt Wilson
and Permission Slip with Kal Ferreti, Spencer Hoefert, Conway
Campbell; Michel Gentile Quartet with Gary Versace, Jerome
Harris, Tom Rainey
ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm
• Eric Lippin Quintet; Jules Daud Shrine 8, 9 pmêKari van der Kloot

Silvana 8 pm

• Mark Zaleski Sextet with Troy Roberts, Tim Jago, Alex Brown,

Matt Dwonszyk, Mark Whitfield Jr; Carol Morgan Quartet with
Steve Nelson, Daniel LaCour Duke, Andy Watson
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êEthan Iverson Sextet with Jonathan Finlayson, Sam Newsome,
Jacob Garchik, Peter Washington, Kush Abadey
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
êCleek Schrey, Steven Long, Ethan Philbrick, Joanna Mattrey
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Javon Jackson Quartet with Jeremy Manasia, David Williams,
McClenty Hunter
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, July 12449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook
Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pmêChaz Martineau; Stephan Crump with Darius Jones,

Eric McPherson

Bar Bayeux 5:30, 8, 9:30 pm

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Saha Gnawa
Barbès 10 pm $20• Christian Gibbs• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30

êBirdland Big Band; Cindy Blackman Santana Band with

Aurelien Budynek, Felix Pastorius, Emilio Modeste, JD Allen,
Zaccai Curtis
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40• Steve Smith & Vital Information
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Isaiah Sharkey• Jon Weber; Thandiswa Mazwai Bryant Park 12:30, 7 pm
• Chris Beck Quartet; Carol Morgan Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Django Festival All-Stars with Pierre Blanchard, Ludovic Beier,Samson Schmitt, Francko Mehrstein, Antonio Licusati
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9 pm $25-55• Joe Strasser Quartet; Ben Stivers Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êBrooklyn Free Spirit Festival: Jenna Camille; gabby fluke-mogul/
Mara Rosenbloom
Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20• Juan Diego Villalobos with Gadi Lehavi, Harish Raghavan,
Mark Whitfield Jr
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êJazzmobile presents Craig Harris
Marcus Garvey Park Richard Rodgers Ampitheater 7 pm
• Jonny King, Alex Claffy, Allen Mednard; Jon Davis Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• LV ProjectRoom 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30• Roy Ben BashatêGuillermo Klein Quintet with Vinicius Gomes, Rogerio Bocatto,
Sebastian de Urquiza, Rodrigo Recabarren; Anna Webber
Triangles with Chris Tordini, Ches Smith; Hildegard Project with
Noah Preminger, Gary Versace, Kim Cass, Rob Garcia
ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm
• Dot Iso; Ken Kobayashi Project Shrine 7, 8 pm
Silvana 7 pm
• Musically InclinedêMicroscopic Septet with Phillip Johnston, Don Davis,
Mike Hashim, Dave Sewelson, Joel Forrester, David Hofstra,
Richard Dworkin; Mike LeDonne Quartet with Eric Alexander,
Mark Lewandowski, Jason Tiemann; Round About Midnight Jamwith Eric Wyatt
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êEthan Iverson Sextet with Jonathan Finlayson, Sam Newsome,
Jacob Garchik, Peter Washington, Kush Abadey
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55
êLoo King, Alex Zhang Hungta, Leila Bordreuil, Joanna Mattrey
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Javon Jackson Quartet with Jeremy Manasia, David Williams,
McClenty Hunter
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Stephanie Allen-Stevenson Wilson Live! 7, 9:30 pm $15-30
êMingus Dynasty with Philip Harper, Mark Gross, Abraham
Burton, Robin Eubanks, Miki Yamanaka, Barry Stephenson,
Donald Edwards
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $35

Saturday, July 13
449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Axel Tosca; Mireya Ramos Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Wayne Tucker• Binky Griptite Orchestra Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Kudzu Quartet with Reed Turchi, Seth Barden, Daniel Yount,
Eric Burns

Barbès 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30

êEsteban Castro; Cindy Blackman Santana Band with

Aurelien Budynek, Felix Pastorius, Emilio Modeste, JD Allen,
Zaccai Curtis
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 35

Sunday, July 14• Steve Smith & Vital Information

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Isaiah SharkeyêCamille Thurman Quartet; Jared Gold Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êDjango Festival All-Stars with Pierre Blanchard, Ludovic Beier,Samson Schmitt, Francko Mehrstein, Antonio Licusati
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Ron Jackson Trio; Helio Alves Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êBrooklyn Free Spirit Festival: Kyoko Kitamura; Karen Borca;Anaïs Maviel; Ambient Parade with Kalun Leung, Yuma Uesaka
Ibeam Brooklyn 4 pm $20
êBarry Altschul with Hayes Greenfield, Kenny Wessel, Joe Fonda
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• Jonny King, Alex Claffy, Allen Mednard; Andrea Domenici Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Kevin Oliver Jr. Group Minton’s 11 pm $25• Ryan Dugre; Emma Frank; Tommy Crane
The Owl Music Parlor 8 pm $12
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Dave Hillard BandêViscoid with Briggan Krauss, Tony Scherr, Lukas Koenig;
Ra Kalam Bob Moses/Dave Liebman; Ra Kalam Bob Moses
Group with Tisziji Muñoz, Don Pate, Matt Garrison
ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm
Silvana 10 pm• Trinity Colvin
Silver Lake Park 2 pm
• LaDee Streeter• Jay Rodriguez Quartet; Mike Ledonne Quartet with
Eric Alexander, Mark Lewandowski, Jason Tiemann;
Round About Midnight Jam with Stacy Dillard
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êEthan Iverson Sextet with Jonathan Finlayson, Sam Newsome,
Jacob Garchik, Peter Washington, Kush Abadey
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55• C’ Mil O’ Angggls, C Spencer Yeh, Kwami Winfield,
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
Joanna Mattrey• Javon Jackson Quartet with Jeremy Manasia, David Williams,
McClenty Hunter
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Sean Imboden Quartet Wilson Live! 7, 9:30 pm $15-30• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz JamSaint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Paul Jost
• Tim Miller Trio with Joshua Davis, Cliff Almond

449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm
• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band; Stew Cutler
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Trio Catarina• Dayna Kurtz; Reginald Chapman’s Chaphouse withMaxx Spinelli, Julia Chen, Ryan Easter, Mark McIntyre, Eli Rojas
Barbès 6, 10 pm $20• Jon De Lucia’s Dave Brubeck Octet Project with John Lake,
Scott Robinson, Becca Patterson, Jay Rattman, Danny Fox,
Daniel Duke, Keith Balla; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40• Steve Smith & Vital Information
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• World Famous Harlem Gospel Choir; Isaiah Sharkey
Blue Note 1:30, 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Our DelightêDjango Festival All-Stars with Pierre Blanchard, Ludovic Beier,Samson Schmitt, Francko Mehrstein, Antonio Licusati
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55• Carolyn Leonhart Quintet; Simon Mogul Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Welf Dorr, Bobby Spellman, Dmitry Ishenko, Kevin Shea
The Keep 9 pmêLibby York, Roni Ben Hur, Obasi Akoto; Naama Polite Jam
SessionMezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ben Cassara with Roni Ben-Hur, Yoshi Waki
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pmêTony Malaby Quartet with Tim Berne, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey
P.I.T. 9 pm
Patrick’s Place 12 pm• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis• Tom Weeks, James McKain, Shogo Yamagishi, James Paul Nadien,
Webb Crawford
The Record Shop 7:30 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars; Sing Harlem Gospel Brunch
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30• Mimi Jones

ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm $20

Shrine 8 pm
• Peter Louis Octet• Christian Vega; Carter, DelGiudice & Togami Trio; Laurie Dapice
Silvana 7, 8, 9 pm

• Philip Harper Quintet; Saul Dautch Quintet with Noah Halpern,

Caelan Cardello, Louie Leager, Hank Allen-Barfield;
Round About Midnight Jam with Aaron Johnson
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $35
êEthan Iverson Sextet with Jonathan Finlayson, Sam Newsome,
Jacob Garchik, Peter Washington, Kush Abadey
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55• Javon Jackson Quartet with Jeremy Manasia, David Williams,
McClenty Hunter
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wilson Live! 6 pm $15-30• Bluewater Kings

Monday, July 15• Grove Street Stompers Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
Birdland 7 pm $40• Nicole HenryêVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40• Ray Angry with Liv Warfield Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Piano in the Park: Victor Lin Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Joe Strasser Trio
• Joe Gransden Big Band Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-65• Boyce Griffith Quintet; April Varner Quartet

The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Chris Van Voorst, Zach Lapidus, Nathan Ellman-Bell;
Ed Cherry Trio

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

êDowntown Music Gallery 33rd Anniversary: Tisziji Muñoz, John

Medeski, Don Pate, Ra Kalam Bob Moses, Dave Liebman, Jim
Clouse, Ellen Christi The New School Arnhold Hall 7:30 pm $25• Dada Bebop Quartet with Elijah Shiffer, Hayoung Lyou,
Anna Abondolo, James Paul Nadien; American Seraphim with
Christian Cail, Samantha Kochis, Sabrina Salamone,
Anna Abondolo; New York 69 with Adam Caine, Kevin Shea
The Record Shop 8 pm

photo by Antonio Porcar Cano

12 straight weeks#1 Big Band on
Roots Music Report
2023 winner of the
Detroit Music Award
Outstanding Jazz
RecordingEastlawnRecords.com

PLANET D NONET - ECHOES OF HARLEM

AVAILABLE ON CD & LP

DENA DEROSE TRIO
at Birdland Theater (315 West 44th St.)
July 20-22 (7, 9:30 pm sets)

Dena DeRose (vocals, piano) with Martin Wind (bass),
Matt Wilson (drums)+ special guests trombonist Ed Neumeister (7/20)
and tenor saxophonist Houston Person (7/21)“She brings a modern-jazz hipness to the American standard repertoire andapproaches virtually everything she plays with a “swing ﬁrst” mentality.”–Scott Yanow“The most creative and compelling singer pianist since Shirley Horn.”—Joel Siegel (Washington City Paper)

DENADEROSE.COM

36 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDRed Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Eric Alexander/Mike LeDonne Quartet; Neal Caine Quartet

Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra with Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, Rich
Perry, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, John Chudoba, Brian
Pareschi, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt, Dion Tucker, Jason
Jackson, Robert Edwards, Douglas Purviance, Adam Birnbaum,
David Wong, John Riley Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, July 16• Loston Harris Duo; Wycliffe Gordon

Birdland 5:30, 7, 9:30 pm $25-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Piano in the Park: Victor Lin Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Johnny O’Neal Trio
• Ricardo Strobert Ensemble Columbus Park 12 pm• Charles Goold with Juan Diego Villalobos, Davis Whitfield,
Mark Lewandowski, Judette Budden, Tiga Jean Baptiste
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Benito Gonzalez Trio; Jamile
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• James Weidman with Harvie S, Alvester Garnett
Klavierhaus 7, 8:30 pm $25• Kevin Sun Quartet with Max Light, Simón Willson, Aaron Seeber
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10êPeter Anderson, Will Anderson, Rossano Sportiello;
Michael Kanan Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
One Manhattan West 12 pm• Villalobos Brothers• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm
Riverside Park 7 pm
• Salongo
Silvana 7 pm
• Andrea Veneziani• Taru Alexander Quintet; Corey Wallace Dubtet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Wilson Live! 7 pm $15-30• GM Horns Big BandêThe Bad Plus

Wednesday, July 17êJazz in July: Kenny Barron, Benny Green, Helen Sung,

Joe Block, Aaron Diehl

92NY 7:30 pm $25-65

Tim Angulo

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêEri Yamamoto Trio
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêRalph Alessi Quartet with Matt Mitchell, Chris Lightcap,êVinnie Sperrazza, Ethan Iverson, Vicente ArcherêSusie Ibarra Sky Islands with Claire Chase, Alex Peh, Levy

Lorenzo, Bergamot String Quartet, Ledah Finck, Sarah Thomas,
Amy Huimei Tan, Irene Han Asia Society 7:30 pm $30
êJerry Bergonzi with Adam Kolker, Chris McCarthy,
Jeremy Stratton, Anthony Pinciotti Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Toubab Krewe Quartet Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êWycliffe Gordon
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êHigh Society New Orleans Jazz Band; Alyssa Allgood
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40êThe Bad Plus
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Piano in the Park: Victor Lin Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Café Erzulie 7 pm
• Jazz Night• Jade Synstelien Quartet; Clovis Nicolas Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êApril VarnerClub Room 8 pm
David Rubenstein Atrium 7:30 pm• Claudia Acuña• Charles McPherson 85th Birthday Celebration with
Terell Stafford, Jeb Patton, David Wong, Billy Drummond
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Fima Ephron Quartet; Mark Whitfield
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Drom 8 pm $35-40• Mike SternêTuck & Patti
Iridium 8:30 pmêChad Taylor Quintet with Jonathan Finlayson, Bryan Rogers,
Victor Viera-Branco, Matt Engle
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Behn Gillece, Bob Devos, Todd Coolman; Ray Gallon Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Craig Holiday Haynes Patrick’s Place 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington• Stephen Philip Harvey Octet with M. Alex Ramirez, Rachel Therrien,
Nick Grinder, Connor Evans, Martha Kato, Tony DePaolis,
Dan Pugach
ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm $20
Shrine 9 pm
• Steven Blane Trio
• Jimmy Macbride Quartet with Troy Roberts, Alex Wintz,
Desmond White; Thomas Linger Trio
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êBill Charlap Solo Piano Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
êEddie Palmieri
Sony Hall 8 pm
• isabel crespo pardo, Chris Williams
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êReggie Workman with Tamir Lifshitz, Chi Westfelt
Venus Over Manhattan 6 pm

Friday, July 19

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êWycliffe Gordon
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band;

Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Bill Wurzell, Mike Jackson
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-35
êThe Bad Plus
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Piano in the Park: Victor Lin Bryant Park 12:30 pm• Wednesday Night Jazz Café Erzulie 7 pm
• Willerm Delisfort Trio Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êJon Gordon Nonet with Dave Smith, James Burton III,
Lucas Pino, Charles Pillow, David Cook, Matt Clohesy
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45• Eric Alexander Quartet; Connor MacLeod Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êJazzmobile presents Patience Higgins Grant’s Tomb 7 pmêBill Cunliffe Trio; Dave Baron Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Pangea 7 pm $25• Suzanne Pittson TrioêDick Griffin Big Band
Pier 84 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Tommy Morimoto• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30êEri Yamamoto Quartet Saint Peter’s Church 12:30 pm• Hannah Marks Trio with Jacob Sacks, Dan Weiss;
Nate Jones Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êBill Charlap Solo Piano Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• isabel crespo pardo• Eighth Blackbird with Nico Muhly Town Hall 8 pm $65
Wave Hill 7 pm
• Twisted Pine
Wilson Live! 7 pm $15-30• Drienna Thompson• Christopher McBride & The Whole Proof
WTC North Oculus Plaza 12 pm

Thursday, July 18• Mycelium Trio with Dan Loomis 1803 NYC 6 pmêJazz in July: Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet 92NY 7:30 pm $40
êRichard Cortez; Terry Waldo’s Gotham City Band

Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook
Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pmêAndrew Boudreau; Marty Ehrlich Summer Quartet withêBill Charlap Solo Piano Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55• isabel crespo pardo, Emmanuel Michael, Maya Keren, Selendis

Sebastian Johnson Alexander
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
Wilson Live! 7, 10 pm• Acoustic Alchemy

Saturday, July 20• Denton Darien

92NY 7:30 pm $40• JT Bowen & The Mighty Kings of Soul Arthur’s Tavern 10 pmêSusie Ibarra Sky Islands with Claire Chase, Alex Peh,

Levy Lorenzo, Bergamot String Quartet, Ledah Finck,
Sarah Thomas, Amy Huimei Tan, Irene Han
Asia Society 7:30 pm $30• Jerome Sabbagh Quartet with Greg Tuohey, Simon Willson,
Jochen Rueckert
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Barbès 8 pm $20• Blue Dahlia• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30
êEsteban Castro; Wycliffe Gordon
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êDena DeRose with Martin Wind, Matt Wilson, Houston Person
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30êJunior Mack; The Bad Plus Blue Note 1:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Donald Edwards Quintet; Jinjoo Yoo Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êCharles McPherson 85th Birthday Celebration with
Terell Stafford, Jeb Patton, David Wong, Billy Drummond
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Tommy Campbell Trio; Craig Handy and 2nd Line Smith
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êIrreversible Entanglements; Shara Lunon
First Unitarian Church 8 pm
• NYO Jazz with Sean Jones, Alicia Olatuja
Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 8 pm $10-40
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Sam Yahel Trio
• Kevin Oliver Jr. Group Minton’s 11 pm $25
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Trinity Colvin• Manny’s Boogaloo Crew Shrine 7 pm
Silvana 7 pm
• Press Play• Jared Gold Trio; David Bixler Quintet; Round About Midnight
Jam with Greg Glassman Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êBill Charlap Solo Piano Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55
êisabel crespo pardo, Lester St.Louis, Henry Fraser
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Kavita Krishnamurti; L. Subramaniam
Town Hall 8 pm $70

James Weidman

Bar Bayeux 5:30, 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êTony Malaby Quartet with Dave Ballou, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey
Barbès 8 pm $20• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30
êBirdland Big Band; Wycliffe Gordon
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40
êDena DeRose with Martin Wind, Matt Wilson, Ed Neumeister
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30êThe Bad Plus
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Victor Lin; Louis Cato Bryant Park 12:30, 7 pm
• Wayne Tucker Quartet; Sarah Hanahan Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êCharles McPherson 85th Birthday Celebration with
Terell Stafford, Jeb Patton, David Wong, Billy Drummond
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55
êJonny King Trio; Eric Person Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êDavid Haney New York Jazz Stories with Steven Bernstein,
Adam Lane, Cheryl Pyle Drom 8 pm $30-35
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $20-30• Hot 8 Brass BandêJazzmobile presents Danny Mixon
Marcus Garvey Park Richard Rodgers Ampitheater 7 pm
• Sam Yahel Trio; Steve Ash Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Those Guys
• Kevin Oliver, Jr. and the Atlanta Trio
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 pm $20• Joe Pino Quartet with Philip Weberndorfer, Peter Brendler,
Eric Reeves
ShapeShifter Lab 9 pm $20
Shrine 8 pm
• Ryan Siegel• Sharif Zaben One Pulse with Ed Cherry, Leighton Harrell,
Brenon Parmar; David Bixler Quintet; Round About Midnight
Jam with Ken Fowser
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pmêJazz in July: Marilyn Maye, Catherine Russell, Ekep Nkwelle

Sunday, July 21• Armo• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam

449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm

• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêTony Malaby

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Danny Jonokuchi Big Banda; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êDena DeRose with Martin Wind, Matt Wilson

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $20-30

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 37

êWorld Famous Harlem Gospel Choir; The Bad Plus

Blue Note 1:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Saul Rubin TrioêCharles McPherson 85th Birthday Celebration with Terell
Stafford, Jeb Patton, David Wong, Billy Drummond
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55
êJim Ridl Quartet; Noah Haidu Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Welf Dorr, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Miller The Keep 9 pm
• Jalen Baker Quartet Lincoln Center: Underground at Jaffe Drive 6 pm
• Joel Fass Quintet with John Eckert, Kelly Green, Harvie S,
Scott Neumann; Lucy Wijnands Polite Jam Session
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Kate Baker Trio
• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis Patrick’s Place 12 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars; Sing Harlem Gospel Brunch
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30• Mimi JonesêMatthew ShippSaint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Ariana Hartunian-Sowa; Tom Kelley/Paul Bloom Silvana 7, 8 pm
• Alexander McCabe Quartet with Paul Odeh, Ugonna Okegwo,
Craig Wuepper; Jerry Weldon Quartet; Round About Midnight
Jam with Aaron Johnson Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $35
êBill Charlap Solo Piano Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55

Monday, July 22• Grove Street Stompers Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêGuillermo Klein Quintet with Rogério Boccato,Vinícius Gomes, Rodrigo Recabarren, Seba Urquiza
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10
Birdland 7 pm $35• Telly LeungêVince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Frederic Yonnet• Piano in the Park: Russ Kassoff Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Noriko Ueda Trio

• Tom Oren Trio with Elam Friedlander, Eviatar Slivnik

Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45
êNaama Gheber Quartet; Danny Raycraft Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Spike Wilner Trio; Pasquale Grasso Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle
Silvana 10 pm• Rafael Chamone• Benito Gonzalez Trio; Tyler Mitchell Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra with Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes,
Rich Perry, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, John Chudoba,
Brian Pareschi, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt, Dion Tucker,
Jason Jackson, Robert Edwards, Douglas Purviance,
Adam Birnbaum, David Wong, John Riley
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Tuesday, July 23• Joshua Crumbly

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êLoston Harris Duo; Jane Bunnett and MaquequeBirdland 5:30, 7, 9:30 pm $25-40

Birdland Theater 8:30 pm $30• AC Lincoln
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Frederic Yonnet• Piano in the Park: Russ Kassoff Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Spike Wilner Trio
Columbus Park 12 pm• Rome Neal
• Orchestra of St. Luke’s: Premieres of Works by Pascal Le

Boeuf, Liam Cummins, Michael Dudley, Geli Li
The DiMenna Center 7 pm $20
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45• Matt Von Roderick• Alex Brown Quartet; People of EarthThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Manuel Valera with Hamish Smith, Mark Whitfield Jr.
Klavierhaus 7, 8:30 pm $25• Two Tenors with Ben Solomon, Kayvon Gordon
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Nick Green, Thomas Linger, Paul Gill; Chris Byars Quartet
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
One Manhattan West 12 pm• Luca Mundaca• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pmêRicky Alexander
The Rum House 9:30 pm
Silvana 8 pm
• Max Johnson• Todd Marcus Quintet with Virginia MacDonald, Bruce Barth,Blake Meister, Eric Kennedy; Jason Clotter Sextet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êMarcus Gilmore with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Rashaan
Carter, Burniss Travis Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Wednesday, July 24êJazz in July: Etienne Charles and Creole Soul

92NY 7:30 pm $40-60• Manuel Valera Quintet with John Ellis, Alex Norris, Hamish
Smith, Jimmy Macbride Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Mike Dillon & PunkadelicBar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êJane Bunnett and Maqueque Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank

Vignola’s Guitar Night with Bill Mays, Jay Leonhart
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Frederic Yonnet• Piano in the Park: Russ Kassoff Bryant Park 12:30 pm• Wednesday Night Jazz Café Erzulie 7 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Cellar Dog All StarsêArooj Aftab; Sid Sriram; Emel
Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield 5 pmêFay Victor Herbie Nichols SUNG with Michael Attias,
Anthony Coleman, Ratzo Harris, Tom Rainey
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45
êJohn Sneider Quintet; T.K. Blue Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êJazzmobile presents Winard Harper Grant’s Tomb 7 pmêDarius Jones Samesoul Maker with Gelsey Bell,
Sunder Gangliani, Paul Pinto, Levy Lorenzo
Green-Wood Cemetery 6:30 pm
Iridium 8:30 pm $45-50• Acoustic Alchemy• Danny Lipsitz and The Brass Tacks Ballroom Orchestra
Lincoln Center Plaza 6:30 pm
Madison Square Park 6 pm
• Ekep Nkwelle• Zach Lapidus Trio; Sam Lerner Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35

38 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Dylan Pramuk with Will Gorman, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner
Pangea 7 pm $25• Joaquin Pozo y la Clave Suena Pier 84 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• TW Sample• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin

Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30

Saint Peter’s Church 12:30 pm• Arturo O’Farrill
Shrine 8 pm
• Press Play• Kishoten; Private Label Jazz Trio; Blüe Crüe
Silvana 7, 8, 9 pm

• Elan Mehler Quartet with Scott Robinson, Matt Penman,

Satoshi Takeishi; David Hawkins Trio
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êCynthia Scott/Houston Person with John di Martino,
Paul Beaudry, Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-45• Conrad Harris, Pauline Kim Harris, Louis Michot
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êMarcus Gilmore with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Rashaan
Carter, Burniss Travis Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wave Hill 7 pm
• Edmar Castañeda

Thursday, July 25êJazz in July: Adam Birnbaum, Jeb Patton, Aaron Diehl

92NY 7:30 pm $40

êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pmêIngrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey with Adam Kolker,

Jeremy Stratton

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Kazemde George Trio with Kayvon Gordon, Tyrone Allen II
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Frank Catalano Quartet Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band; Jinjoo Yoo Trio

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Piano in the Park: Russ Kassoff Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Bushwick Inlet Park 6:30 pm• Gerry Eastman
Café Erzulie 7 pm
• Jazz Night• James Burton Quintet; Simona Premazzi Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5• Leo Genovese/Mariano Otero Dada Bar 8 pmêJon Faddis Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Bill Dobrow Quintet• Noa Fort with Jonathan Reisin, Shinya Lin
Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pmêDarius Jones Samesoul Maker with Gelsey Bell,
Sunder Gangliani, Paul Pinto, Levy Lorenzo
Green-Wood Cemetery 6:30 pm
Iridium 8:30 pm $45-50• Acoustic Alchemy
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $25• Jamie Leonhart• Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $100-200• James Weidman, Harvie S, Malik Washington; Adam Ray Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Towner Gallaher Organ Trio with Seydurah Avecomoi
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Jack Wright, Ron Stabinsky, T.J. Borden
The Record Shop 7:30 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington• Compass Trio with Galen Passen, James Labrosse,
Tripp Dudley
ShapeShifter Lab 7 pm $20• Paul Austerlitz Band; John Colonna Quartet Shrine 7, 9 pm
• KQ and The SoundTrip Silvana 9 pm
• Brandon McCune Trio; Sarah Hanahan Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êCyrus Chestnut Trio with Mark Lewandowski, Willie Jones III
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Conrad HarrisêMarcus Gilmore with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Rashaan
Carter, Burniss Travis Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êMakaya McCraven

Friday, July 26
449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook
Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm• Freddie Banker; Astighk Bar Bayeux 5:30, 8, 9:30 pmêSheryl Bailey 3

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Birdland Big Band; Frank Catalano Quartet

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40

êChampian Fulton Trio

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Russ Kassoff; Michael Olatuja & Lagos Pepper Soup
Bryant Park 12:30, 7 pm
• Richard Clements Quintet; Jamale Davis Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êJon Faddis Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax Quartet; JC Hopkins Biggish BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Melissa Almaguer; Immanuel Wilkins
Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning 7:30, 9 pm
• Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $100-200• Rafiq Bhatia Lincoln Center: Underground at Jaffe Drive 8 pmêJazzmobile presents Endea Owens
Marcus Garvey Park Richard Rodgers Ampitheater 7 pm
• Mark Soskin, Dean Johnson, Anthony Pinciotti; Jon Davis Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Soul Power Band
• Timothy Norton Quintet; Virginia Mayhew Quartet;
Round About Midnight Jam with Eric Wyatt
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êCyrus Chestnut Trio with Mark Lewandowski, Willie Jones III,
Ekep Nkwelle
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55• Conrad Harris, Pauline Kim Harris, David Behrman
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êMarcus Gilmore with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Rashaan
Carter, Burniss Travis Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wilson Live! 7, 10 pm $25-80• Kirk WhalumêMakaya McCraven

Saturday, July 27• Denton Darien

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm

+ Warren Wolf

92NY 7:30 pm $40-60

êJazz in July: Tyshawn Sorey Trio with Matt Brewer, Aaron Diehl• Axel Tosca; Mireya Ramos Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm

Sunday, July 28

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Marianne Solivan• Anant Pradhan with Larry McDonald

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

Barbès 10 pm $20• Spanglish Fly• Bill Saxton Harlem All-Stars Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Esteban Castro; Frank Catalano Quartet

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
êMakaya McCraven
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Ehud Asherie Quartet; Miki Yamanaka Quartet
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10êCarolyn Leonhart
Club Room 8 pmêJon Faddis Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• David Gibson Quartet; Richard Cortez BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Declan Sheehy-Moss with Tim Watson, Rahul Carlberg,
Devon Gates, Alex Yoo The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êJoel Forrester
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
• Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $100-200• Mark Soskin, Dean Johnson, Anthony Pinciotti;
Anthony Wonsey Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Kevin Oliver Jr. Group Minton’s 11 pm $25• Derrick Barnett and Jamaican Jazzmatazz
Patrick’s Place 7 pmêFrankin Rankin; Yuhan Su; Roy Hargrove Big Band;
Samara Joy
Rufus King Park 1:30 pm• Simona Premazzi Quartet; Virginia Mayhew Quartet;
Round About Midnight Jam with Stacy Dillard
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $40
êCyrus Chestnut Trio with Mark Lewandowski, Willie Jones III
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $25-55• Pauline Kim Harris The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êMarcus Gilmore with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Rashaan
Carter, Burniss Travis Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wilson Live! 7, 10 pm $25-80• Kirk WhalumêChampian Fulton Trio

• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam

449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm

• Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Sarah Cabral with Rafael Barata, Helio Alves, Gili Lopes
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Jennifer Wharton’s BONEGASM; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40

êChampian Fulton Trio Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
êWorld Famous Harlem Gospel Choir; Makaya McCraven

Blue Note 1:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Brooklyn Museum of Art 2 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êGabrielle Stravelli
Club Room 8 pmêJon Faddis Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55• Jed Levy Quartet; Neal Miner Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Nick Lyons, Dmitry Ishenko, Rob Mitzner The Keep 9 pmêJerome Jennings Lincoln Center: Underground at Jaffe Drive 6 pm
• Arianna Neikrug Trio; Jamile Polite Jam Session
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• La Tanya Hall Trio
• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis Patrick’s Place 12 pm• Nate Lucas All-Stars; Sing Harlem Gospel Brunch
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30• Mimi Jones• Ty Stephens; Cocomama Rufus King Park 2 pm
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Mavis Pan• Allan Harris Quintet with John DiMartino, Irwin Hall;
Lezlie Harrison Quartet; Round About Midnight Jam with
Aaron Johnson
Smalls 6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12am $35
êCyrus Chestnut Trio with Mark Lewandowski, Willie Jones III
Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-55
êMarcus Gilmore with Morgan Guerin, David Virelles, Rashaan
Carter, Burniss Travis Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wilson Live! 7, 10 pm $25-80• Kirk Whalum• Patsy Grant• Greg Glassman Trio

MATT VON RODERICK

Featuring Gil Goldstein

JULY 23
Celebrating
The Critically Acclaimed Album“...his latest masterpiece...”-JAZZIZ Magazine

CELESTIAL HEART
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 39

Monday, July 29• Grove Street Stompers Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm

• Ned Goold Trio

Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• John Pizzarelli

Gerald Cleaver

Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45

Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with Sara Caswell
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-65• Killer Mike
• Dan Manjovi; Alvin Flythe Quartet Bryant Park 12:30, 8 pm
• Wednesday Night Jazz Café Erzulie 7 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Tardo Hammer Trio
• Rachel Therrien with Gabriel Chakarji, Raul Reyes,
Juan Carlos Polo, Carlos Maldonado, Ivan Llanes
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45• Manuel Valera Quartet; David Weiss Quintet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êJazzmobile presents Houston Person
Grant’s Tomb 7 pm
• Randy Ingram, Matt Penman, Jochen Rueckert;
Miki Yamanaka Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Tedd Firth with Jay Leonhart, Peter Grant
Pangea 7 pm $25• Axel Tosca Trio with Xiomara Laugart Pier 84 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 10 $20-30• Eduardo Belo Quintet Saint Peter’s Church 12:30 pm
Silvana 7 pm
• Louisa Lee Poster• Neil Podgurski Quintet with Duane Eubanks, Brian Settles,
Madison Rast, Byron Landham; Robert Edwards Quintet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Abena Koomson-Davis Quintet with Steve Davis, Rick
Germanson, Danton Boller, Neal Smith Smoke 7, 9 pm $25-45
êMatana Roberts, Adi Myerson, Rahul Nair
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Dayna Stephens with Emmanuel Michael, Gerald Clayton, Rick
Rosato, Kendrick Scott Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Wave Hill 7 pm
• Missing ElementêEast Axis with Scott Robinson, Matthew Shipp, Kevin Ray,êArturo O’Farrill/Roy Nathanson• Misha Piatigorsky Quartet• A Celebration of Maurice Hines Birdland 7 pm $30-40• Fabio Rojas Unit with Greg Osby, Dan Loomis

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-65• Killer Mike
• Piano in the Park: Dan Manjovi Bryant Park 12:30 pm
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Zaid Nasser Trio
• Francesca Tandoi Trio with Danton Boller, Willie Jones III
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45• Tony Song Trio; Willie Morris Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Ed Palermo Big Band Iridium 8:30 pm $35-45
êBeings with Zoh Amba, Steve Gunn, Shazad Ismaily, Jim WhiteLe Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $20-30• Alan Broadbent, Don Falzone, Lucas Ebeling;
Pasquale Grasso Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Anthony Pinciotti Quartet; ELEW Trio with David Hawkins,
Leighton Harrell
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êVanguard Jazz Orchestra with Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes,
Rich Perry, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, John Chudoba,
Brian Pareschi, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt, Dion Tucker,
Jason Jackson, Robert Edwards, Douglas Purviance,
Adam Birnbaum, David Wong, John Riley
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Jaleel Shaw Quartet with Lawrence Fields, Dezron Douglas,

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Tuesday, July 30• Josh Dunn/Katie Martucci Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Loston Harris Duo; John Pizzarelli

Birdland 5:30, 7, 9:30 pm $25-50
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $45-65• Killer Mike
• Dan Manjovi; Camille Gainer-Jones
Bryant Park 12:30, 7 pm

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

Gantry Plaza State Park 7 pm

Joe Dyson

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• Gabriel Chakarji with Ben Tiberio, Eviatar Slivnik

Klavierhaus 7, 8:30 pm $25

êGreg Osby, Gustavo D’amico, Kevin Harris, Dan Loomis,

Fabio Rojas

Kupferberg Center 7 pm

Kayvon Gordon

Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Simón Willson Quartet with Neta Raanan, Evan Main,• Avi Rothbard Trio with David Wong, Joe Farnsworth;Tardo Hammer Trio

Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
One Manhattan West 12 pm
êSongevity with Rob Duguay, Alex Mercado, Gabriel Puentes
Ornithology Jazz Club 9 pm
• Deborah Newallo Experience
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Darryl Yokley Quartet; Frank Lacy Quartet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Dayna Stephens with Emmanuel Michael, Gerald Clayton,
Rick Rosato, Kendrick Scott
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Naptown Trombone Collective
Wilson Live! 7 pm $12-25• Ebony Hillbillies

Wednesday, July 31êMarta Sanchez Trio with Chris Tordini, Savannah Harris

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Simona Premazzi/Kyle Nasser Quartet with Massimo Biolcati,
Jay SawyerêJoel Forrester

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

Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band;JAZZFESTARTSWESTCHESTER, THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS & THE WHITE PLAINS BID

WHITE PLAINSSEPT. 11–15, 2024

Presented by:

F E AT U R I N G :Nicole Zuraitis Quartet | Pasquale Grasso Trio |Vijay Iyer Trio, feat. Tyshawn Sorey & Linda May Han Oh |Anaïs Reno Quintet | Brandon Sanders |Julius Rodriguez | AND MORE!

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

Friday, Sept. 13
Nicole Zuraitis

40 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

100 MILES OUT
CONNECTICUT
Bill’s Seafood (Westbrook, CT) billsseafood.com
7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26 (7 pm) Bill’s All-Star Jazz Band

Triumph Brewing (Red Bank, NJ) triumphbrewing.com/red-bank
7/5, 7/6 (7 pm) Aaron Wienstein
7/12, 7/13 (7 pm) Jason Jackson Quintet
7/19, 7/20 (7 pm) Steve Turre Quintet

Greenwich Jazz Festival @ Great Lawn (Greenwich, CT)
NEW YORK
culturalalliancefc.org
7/14 (6 pm) Back Country Jazz: Bennie Wallace, Godwin Louis, Simon Moullier, Alvin & Friends (New Rochelle, NY) alvinandfriendsrestaurant.com
7/11 (7:30 pm) Jay Hoggard Quartet with James Weidman, Belden Bullock,
Matt Dwonszyk, Harvel Nakundi
Alvester Garnett
Litchfield Jazz Festival @Frederick Gunn School (Washington, CT)
Bean Runner Café (Peekskill, NY) beanrunnercafe.com
litchfieldjazzfest.com
7/28 (11 am) Albert Rivera/Nicole Zuraitis with Paul Bollenback, Matt Dwonszyk, 7/5 (7 pm) Cuboricua
7/6 (6 pm) Mala Waldron Quartet
Dan Pugach
7/12 (7 pm) Independence Band
Litchfield Jazz Festival @Tisch Auditorium (Washington, CT)
7/13 (6 pm) Harlem Blues and Jazz Band
litchfieldjazzfest.com
7/26 (7 pm) Alexa Tarantino with Steven Feifke, Philip Norris, Mark Whitfield, Jr. 7/19 (7 pm) Anthem Band
7/26 (7 pm) International Orange
7/27 (3 pm) Amina Figarova and Matsiko World Orphan Choir,
7/27 (6 pm) Straight Ahead Jazz Trio
Alex Pope Norris, Wayne Escoffery, Bart Platteau, Luques Curtis,
Rudy Royston; Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas, Ted Nash;
Bill Charlap Trio with David Wong, Kenny Washington

Palace Theater Poli Club (Waterbury, CT) palacetheaterct.org/shows/jazz
7/19 (7/9 pm) Jane Bunnett & Maqueque; Mary Paz
Ridgefield Playhouse (Ridgefield, CT) ridgefieldplayhouse.org
7/18 (8 pm) Branford Marsalis Quartet with Joey Calderazzo, Eric Revis,
Justin Faulkner
7/23 (8 pm) Arooj Aftab
Side Door (Old Lyme, CT) thesidedoorjazz.com
7/5 (8:30 pm) Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band
7/6 (8:30 pm) Yoko Miwa Trio with Will Slater, Scott Goulding
7/12 (8:30 pm) Caelan Cardello Trio with Dan Finn, Hank Allen-Barfield
7/13 (8:30 pm) Noah Baerman Quartet with Jimmy Greene, Henry Lugo,
Curtis Nowosad
7/19 (7 pm) Nick Di Maria Quintet with Matt Knoegel, Miki Yamanaka,
Conway Campbell, Curtis Nowosad
7/20 (8:30 pm) Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
7/26 (8:30 pm) Ben Wolfe Quartet with Chris Lewis, Addison Frei,
Aaron Kimmel
NEW JERSEY
Brothers Smokehouse (Ramsey, NJ) brotherssmokehousenj.com
7/5 (7 pm) Santi Debriano
Candlelight Lounge (Trenton, NJ) candlelighteventsjazz.com
7/6 (3:30 pm) Josh Lee
7/13 (3:30 pm) Rob Henderson
Cranford Downtown Clock (Cranford, NJ)
downtowncranford.org/news/category/Music
7/11 (6 pm) MPACK with Clarence Conover, Patricia Walton
7/18 (6 pm) CMJ JAZZ Band
7/25 (6 pm) Forget The Whale with Alisha Taipig
Englewood Public Library (Englewood, NJ) englewoodlibrary.org
7/11 (7:30 pm) Calvin Hill Group
7/18 (7:30 pm) Chris Beck
7/25 (7:30 pm) Bill Saxton
Moore’s Lounge (Jersey City, NJ) winardharperjazz.com/moore-s-lounge
7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26 (8 pm) Winard Harper Hosts The Jazz Jam
7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28 (7 pm) Winard Harper Hosts The Jazz Jam
New Jersey Performing Arts Center @Chambers Plaza (Newark, NJ)
njpac.org
7/11 (6 pm) Cyro Baptista
Orange Jazz Festival @Monte Irvin Orange Park (Orange, NJ)
essexcountyparks.org/parks/monte-irvin-orange-park
7/20 (12 pm) ULTRAS; Mpack; Yayoi Ikawa Quartet; Dermel Warren andthe Rudiment; Nat Adderley Jr Quartet; John Lee;
Winard Harper Band; Charissa Violin Diva: Lynette Sheard
Shanghai Jazz (Madison, NJ) shanghaijazz.com
7/2 (6:30/8 pm) Bob Himmelberger with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
7/5 (7/9 pm) Dave Stryker
7/6 (7/9 pm) Nilson Matta with John Snauwaert, Marcello Pellitteri,George Dulin
7/9, 7/16 (6:30/8 pm) John Korba with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
7/23 (6:30/8 pm) George Naha with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
7/26 (7/9 pm) John Zweig with Rick Crane, Tomoko Ohno
7/30 (6:30/8 pm) Ben Collins-Siegel with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
South Valley BBQ (West Orange, NJ) southvalleybbqandlounge.com
7/5 (6:30 pm) Blues People with Mike Griot, Kelton Cooper
7/12 (6:30 pm) MPACK with Clarence Conover, Patricia Walton
7/19 (6:30 pm) Radam Schwartz
7/26 (6:30 pm) Dre Barnes Quartet with Lance Bryant , G Earl GriceTavern on George (New Brunswick, NJ) tavernongeorge.com
7/2 (7/8:30 pm) Caleb Heinz Quartet
7/9 (7/8:30 pm) Kyle Courter Sextet
7/11 (7/8:45 pm) Kate Curran Quartet
7/16 (7/8:30 pm) Logan Bogdan Quartet
7/18 (7/8:45 pm) Cameron Campbell Quartet
7/23 (7/8:30 pm) Andrew Rosenkilde Quartet
7/25 (7/8:45 pm) Adrian Cunningham Quartet
7/30 (7/8:30 pm) Nate Tota Quartet

LTV Station-East Hampton (Wainscott, NY) tveh.org
7/1 (6 pm) Michael Wolff
Lydia’s Café (Stone Ridge, NY) lydias-cafe.com
7/6 (7 pm) Rob Scheps Core-tet
7/13 (7 pm) The Professors
7/20 (7 pm) Roland Vazquez Nonet
7/27 (7 pm) Rene Bailey

Caramoor Jazz (Katonah, NY) caramoor.org
7/5 (11 am) Mariel Bildsten Trio
7/6 (7:30 pm) Kiki Valera y su Son Cubano
7/13 (7:30 pm) Sutton Foster
7/18 (7 pm) René Marie & Experiment in Truth with Etienne Charles,
Andrae Murchison, Xavier Davis, Dan Wilson, Rodney Jordan,
Quentin E Baxter
7/27 (12:30 pm) Caramoor Jazz Festival: Matthew Whitaker; Julius Rodriguez;
Charles Overton; Francesca Tandoi; Ekep Nkwelle; Bruce Harris
The Falcon (Marlboro, NY) liveatthefalcon.com
7/5 (7:30 pm) Mokoomba
7/12 (7:30 pm) Glen David Andrews
7/14 (7:30 pm) Eric Person Quartet with Tim Regusis, Adam Armstrong,Peter O’Brian
7/18 (7:30 pm) Mahavishnu Project with Gregg Bendian, Neil Alexander,
Jongyoon Lee, Brian Mooney
7/21 (7:30 pm) Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
7/25 (7:30 pm) Club D’Elf feat. Reeves Gabrels with Adam Platt, Eric Kalb,
Mister Rourke, Mike Rivard
7/28 (7:30 pm) East Axis with Gerald Cleaver, Kevin Ray, Scott Robinson,
Matthew Shipp

Jazz at The Lodge (Ossining, NY) jazzatthelodge.com
7/11, 7/25 (7/8:30 pm) Organ Groove with Matt Dickey, Paul Connors, Jon Doty
7/18 (7/8:30 pm) Organ Groove with Jon Doty, Tom Kohl, Mike Dopazo,
Bob Gingery
Jazz Forum Arts (Tarrytown, NY) jazzforumarts.org
7/5, 7/6 (7/8:30 pm) Billy Harper Quintet
7/7 (4/6 pm) Guilherme Monteiro Quartet
7/12, 7/13 (7/8:30 pm) Boss Baritones with Gary Smulyan, Frank Basile,
Steve Ash, Mike Karn, Matt Wilson
7/14 (4/6 pm) Tamuz Nissim Brazilian Quartet
7/19, 7/20 (7/8:30 pm) Stella Cole
7/21 (4/6 pm) Susan Pereira & Sabor Brasil
7/26, 7/27 (7/8:30 pm) Karrin Allyson Quartet
7/28 (4/6 pm) Matt King’s Brazilian Party!
Jazz Forum Arts Summer Concerts @Henry Gourdine Park (Ossining, NY)
jazzforumarts.org
7/15 (6:30 pm) Nilson Matta
7/29 (6:30 pm) Judi Silvano Quintet
Jazz Forum Arts Summer Concerts @Lyndhurst (Tarrytown, NY)
jazzforumarts.org
7/11 (6:30 pm) Craig Holiday Haynes Quartet
7/18 (6:30 pm) Miho Nobuzane-Elijah Quartet
7/25 (6:30 pm) Giacomo Gates Quartet
Jazz Forum Arts Summer Concerts @Pierson Park (Tarrytown, NY)
jazzforumarts.org
7/12 (6:30 pm) Kenyatta Beasley Quintet
7/19 (6:30 pm) Mary Ann McSweeney
7/26 (6:30 pm) Judy Niemack Quartet
Jazz Forum Arts Summer Concerts @Tarrytown (Tarrytown, NY)
jazzforumarts.org
7/12 (5:30 pm) Kenyatta Beasley Quintet “Salute to Frank Foster”
Jazz Forum Arts Summer Concerts @Waterfront Park (Dobbs Ferry, NY)
jazzforumarts.org
7/10 (6:30 pm) Debora Watts Brazilian Group
7/17 (6:30 pm) Ron Jackson Quartet
7/24 (6:30 pm) Mark Kaufman & The Horizon Project
7/31 (6:30 pm) Ed Bettinelli & MEG Organ Trio
The Jazz Loft (Stony Brook, NY) thejazzloft.org
7/3 (1 pm) Young At Heart Jazz Loft Trio with Keenan Zach
7/11, 7/12, 7/13 (7 pm) Jazz Loft Big Band
7/18 (7 pm) Bad Little Big Band
7/25 (7 pm) Interplay Jazz Orchestra
7/26, 7/27 (7 pm) Jazz Loft Nonet: Miles Davis’ Birth of The Cool tribute
Jazz on Main (Mt. Kisco, NY) jazzonmain.com
7/6 (7 pm) Natalie Hamilton
7/7 (12 pm) Carson Young/John Lind-Bass
7/11 (7 pm) Scott Robert Quartet
7/12 (7/9 pm) Melinda DeRocker Quartet
7/13 (7 pm) Kathryn Farmer

7/18 (7 pm) Bomin Kim Quartet
7/19 (7 pm) Davide Cerreta
7/21 (12 pm) Altus with Isaac Levien, Dave Adewumi, Neta Raanan,
Nathan Reising, Ryan Sands
7/25 (7 pm) Benno Marmur Trio
7/27 (7 pm) Maria Corsaro
7/28 (12 pm) Straight Ahead Jazzz Trio with Luke Johnson, Eric Marshall,
Glenn Hoagland

Pocantico Center (Tarrytown, NY) rbf.org/pocantico
7/18 (7 pm) Ben Wendel/Kevin Hays
PS21 Pavillion Theater (Chatham, NY) ps21chatham.org
7/7 (5 pm) Kiki Valera y su Son Cubano
St. Andrew’s & St. Luke’s Church (Beacon, NY) beacon-episcopal.org
7/19 (8 pm) Matthew Shipp Trio
Tilles Center at LIU Post (Brookville, NY) tillescenter.org
7/20 (1 pm) Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble with Tia Fuller, Dawn Clement,
Mimi Jones, Jeff Lederer
Uncle Cheef (Brewster, NY) unclecheef.com
7/5, 7/6 (7:30 pm) Rodney Jones
7/7 (12 pm) Matt King
7/11 (7:30 pm) John H. Smith
7/12 (7:30 pm) Lance Bryant
7/13 (7:30 pm) Grease Patrol
7/18 (7:30 pm) HiT Whispering Tree
7/19 (7:30 pm) Brian Newman
7/20 (7:30 pm) Guillermo Klein
7/21 (12 pm) Dennis Bulhoes
7/25 (7:30 pm) Jay Prince
7/26 (7:30 pm) Eduardo Belo
7/27 (7:30 pm) Jerry Vivino
Westchester Collaborative Theater (Ossining, NY)
wctheater.org/music-in-the-box
7/13 (7:30 pm) Doug Munro
PENNSYLVANIA
Chris’ Jazz Café (Philadephia, PA) chrisjazzcafe.com
7/2 (7:30/9 pm) Keith Chasin NYC Connection with Bryan Cowan,
Pat Oberstaedt, Drew Wilson
7/3, 7/10, 7/31 (7:30/9 pm) Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra
7/5 (7:30/9:30 pm) Webb Thomas Quartet with Curtis Weaver
7/6 (7:30/9:30 pm) Bruce Klauber/Mary Ellen Desmond
7/9 (7:30/9 pm) Nate Hook 4tet with Lucas Brown, Shane Aaserud,
Doug Hirlinger
7/12 (7:30/9:30 pm) Chronicles
7/13 (7:30/9:30 pm) April Varner Quartet with Luther Allison, Stanley Ruvinov,
Ahmad Johnson
7/16 (7:30/9 pm) Ross Bellenoit Sextet with Victor North, Marvin Toussaint,
Morgan Walbridge, Jordan Berger, Joe Truglio
7/17 (7:30/9 pm) John Dimase Band
7/18 (7:30/9 pm) Robert Boyd Jr Quintet with Charles Washington,
James Santangelo, Dan McCain, Khary Abdul-Shaheed
7/19 (7:30/9:30 pm) Pat Bianchi Trio with Troy Roberts
7/20 (7:30/9:30 pm) Kieran Brown Quintet
7/23 (7:30/9 pm) Ryan Devlin Trio with Ian Ashby, Caleb Montage
7/24 (7:30/9 pm) Sarah Hanahan Quartet
7/25 (7:30/9 pm) Hudson River Band
7/26 (7:30/9:30 pm) Hailey Brinnel Quintet With Summer Camargo
7/27 (7:30/9:30 pm) Laura Orzehoski Quintet
7/30 (7:30/9 pm) GROUP 4 with Norman David, Tom Lawton, Jason Fraticelli,
Don Monaghan
Deer Head Inn (Delaware Water Gap, PA) deerheadinn.com
7/4, 7/11, 7/18, 7/25 (7 pm) Bill Washer & Friends, and Jazz Jam
7/5 (7 pm) La Cuchina with Vinny Bianchi, Bill Washer, Paul Rostock,
Danny Gonzalez, Ruben Ariola
7/6 (7 pm) Max Siegel Nonet feat. Jay Rattman
7/7 (5 pm) Tullamore Duo & Friends: Denny Carrig, Bill Washer, Skip Wilkins,
Paul Rostock
7/12 (7 pm) Emily Braden
7/13 (7 pm) Jim Snidero Trio with Ugonna Okegwo, Jason Tiemann
7/14 (5 pm) Erin McClelland Band with Spencer Reed, Tony Marino,
Daniel Gonzalez
7/19 (7 pm) Corinne Mammana Quartet with Tom Kozic, Paul Rostock,
Vernon Mobley
7/20 (7 pm) Viktorija “Vik” Gečytė with Gene Perla, Jesse Green
7/21 (5 pm) Hot Takes Trio with Patrick Kerssen, Erica Golaszewski,
Ron Bogart
7/26 (7 pm) Peter & Will Anderson Quartet with Daniel Duke, Alex Raderman
7/27 (7 pm) Minas Brazilian Jazz with Patricia King, Orlando Haddad,
Andrew Neu
7/28 (5 pm) Joanie Samra Trio with Skip Wilkins, Paul Rostock
7/29 (7:30 pm) Water Gap Jazz Orchestra with Matt Vashlishan

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | July 2024 41

C LU B D I RE C TO RY• 140 Broadway 140 Broadway
Subway: A, C to Fulton Str.
140broadway.com• 1803 NYC 82 Reade Str.
Subway: 1, 2, 3 to Chambers Str.; A, C to Chambers Str.
1803nyc.com• 449 La Scat in Harlem 449 Lenox Ave.
Subway: 2, 3 to 135th Str.
• 92NY Lexington Ave. at 92nd Str.
(212-415-5500) Subway: 6 to 96th Str.
92ny.org• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Str.
(212-675-6879) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
arthurstavernnyc.com• Asia Society 725 Park Ave.
(212-288-6400) Subway: 6 to 68th Str.
asiasociety.org• Bar Bayeux 1066 Nostrand Ave.
(347-533-7845) Subway: 2, 5 to Sterling Str.
barbayeux.com• Bar LunÀtico 486 Halsey Str.
(917-495-9473) Subway: C to Kingston-Throop Ave.
barlunatico.com• Barbès 376 9th Str. at 6th Ave., Brooklyn(718-965-9177) Subway: F to 7th Ave.
barbesbrooklyn.com• Bill’s Place 148 W. 133rd Str. btwn. Lenox and 7th Ave.
(212-281-0777) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
billsplaceharlem.com• Birdland/Birdland Theater 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.
(212-581-3080) Subway: 7, A, C, E, F, N, Q, R, to 42nd Str.
birdlandjazz.com• 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, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th Str.
bluenotejazz.com• Brooklyn Museum of Art 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn(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• Bushwick Inlet Park Kent Ave. btwn. N. 7th and 12th Str.s, Brooklyn
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
• Café Erzulie 894 Broadway, Brooklyn
Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Ave.
cafeerzulie.com• Cellar Dog 75 Christopher Str. at 7th Ave.
(212-675-6056) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str. /Sheridan Sq.
cellardog.net• Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield 72nd Str.//Fifth Ave.
(212-36O-2777) Subway: B, D to 72nd Str.
summerstage.org• Close Up 154 Orchard Str.
(646-410-2307) Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Str.; F to 2nd Ave.
closeupnyc.com• Columbus Park Johnson Str., Brooklyn
Subway: 4, 5 to Borough Hall
• Dada Bar 60-47 Myrtle Ave., Queens
Subway: M to Forest Ave.; M to Fresh Pond Rd.
dadabar.nyc• David Rubenstein Atrium Broadway at 60th Str.
(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
atrium.lincolncenter.org• The DiMenna Center 450 W. 37th Str.
(212-594-6100) Subway: A, C, E to 34h Str. -Penn Station
dimennacenter.org• Dizzy’s Club 33 W. 60th Str., 11th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• The Django 2 Sixth Ave.
(212-519-6600) Subway: A, C, E to Canal Str. ; 1 to Franklin Str.
thedjangonyc.com• 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• First Unitarian Church 50 Pierrepont Str., Brooklyn(718-624-5466) Subway: M, R to Court Str.
fuub.org• Flushing Town Hall 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing(718-463-7700) Subway: 7 to Main Str.
flushingtownhall.org• Gantry Plaza State Park 49th Ave. and Center Blvd.
Subway: 7 to Vernon-Jackson Boulevard
liveatthegantries.com• Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Str., Brooklyn(718-768-7300) Subway: D, N, R, W to Prospect Ave.
green-wood.com• 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• Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 881 Seventh Ave.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th- Seventh Ave.
carnegiehall.org• Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning 161-04 Jamaica Ave., Queens(718-658-7400) Subway: E to Jamaica Centerjcal.org• The Jazz Gallery 1158 Broadway, 5th fl(212-242-1063) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 28th Str.; F, M to 23rd Str.
jazzgallery.org• Jazz Museum in Harlem 58 W. 129th Str. btwn. Madison and Lenox Ave.
(212-348-8300) Subway: 6 to 125th Str.
jazzmuseuminharlem.org• Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Str.
(212-539-8770) Subway: N, R to 8th Str. -NYU; 6 to Astor Pl.
joespub.com• The Keep 205 Cypress Ave., Queens(718-381-0400) Subway: L to Jefferson Str.
thekeepny.com• Klavierhaus 549 W. 52nd Str., 7th Floor(212-245-4535) Subway: C, E to 50th Str.
klavierhaus.com• Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 33 University Pl. at 9th Str.
(212-228-8490) Subway: N, R to 8th Str. -NYU
knickerbockerbarandgrill.com• Kupferberg Center 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing(718-793-8080) Subway: E to 71 - Continental Avs - Forest Hills• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Str.
(212-228-4854) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Str.
lepoissonrouge.com• Lincoln Center Plaza 66th Str. and Broadway
Subway: 1 to 66th Str.
lincolncenter.org• Lincoln Center: Underground at Jaffe Drive Jaffe Dr.
Subway: 1, 2 to 66th Str.
lincolncenter.org• Lowlands 543 Third Ave., Brooklyn(347-463-9458) Subway: R to Prospect Ave.
lowlandsbar.com• Madison Square Park 5th Ave. and 23rd Str.
Subway: R, W to 23rd Str.
• Mezzrow 163 W. 10th Str.
(646-476-4346) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallslive.com• Minton’s 206 W. 118th Str. btwn. St. Nicholas Ave. and Adam Clayton
Powell Jr. Blvd
(212-243-2222) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
mintonsnyc.com• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Pl. at McDougal Str.
(212-254-1200) Subway: A, B, C, E, F, V to West 4th Str.
northsquareny.com/about-jazz.php• Nublu 151 151 Ave C
Subway: L to 1st Ave.
nublu.net• One Manhattan West 395 9th Ave.
Subway: A, C, E to Penn Station
manhattanwestnyc.com• Ornithology Jazz Club 6 Suydam Str., Brooklyn(917-231-4766) Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Ave.
ornithologyjazzclub.com• The Owl Music Parlor 497 Rogers Ave.
(718-774-0042) Subway: Subway: 2 to to Sterling Str.
theowl.nyc• P.I.T. 411 South 5th Str., Brooklyn(347-763-0333) Subway: J, M to Hewes Str.
propertyistheft.org

42 July 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD• Pangea 178 Second Ave.
(212-995-0900) Subway: L to First Ave.
pangeanyc.com• Patrick’s Place 2835 Frederick Douglass Boulevard(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• The Record Shop 360 Van Brunt Str.
(347-668-8285) Subway: Bus: B61to Van Brunt Str./King Str.
360recordshop.com• Red Rooster Harlem 310 Malcolm X Blvd.
(212-792-9001) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
redroosterharlem.com• Riverside Park 97th Str.
Subway: A, C, B, D to 96th Str.
riversideparkfund.org• Room 623 at B2 Harlem 271 W. 119th Str.
(212-280-2248) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
b2harlem.com• Rufus King Park 150-29 Jamaica Ave, Jamaica(212-639-9675) Subway: E, J to Jamaica Center
nycgovparks.org/parks/rufus-king-park• The Rum House 228 W. 47th Str.
(646-490-6924) Subway: N, Q, R to 49th Str.
edisonrumhouse.com• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Str.
(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Str.
saintpeters.org• ShapeShifter Lab 837 Union Str., Brooklyn(646-820-9452) Subway: D, N, R, W to Union Str.; B, Q to 7th Ave.;
shapeshifterplus.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• Sisters 900 Fulton Str.
(347-763-2537) Subway: C to Clinton-Washington Ave.
sistersbklyn.com• Smalls 183 W 10th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-252-5091) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallslive.com• Smoke 2751 Broadway btwn. 105th and 106th Str.
(212-864-6662) Subway: 1 to 103rd Str.
smokejazz.com• Soapbox Gallery 636 Dean Str.
Subway: 2, 3 to Bergen Str.
soapboxgallery.org• Sony Hall 235 W. 46th Str.
(212-997-5123) Subway: N, R, W to 49th Str.
sonyhall.com• The Stone at The New School 55 West 13th Str.
(212-229-5600) Subway: F, V to 14th Str.
thestonenyc.com• Swing 46 W. 46th St. bt. 8th & 9th Ave.
(212-262-9554) Subway: A, C, E to 50th Str.
swing46.nyc• Town Hall 123 W. 43rd Str.
(212-997-1003) Subway: 7, B, D, F, M to 42nd Str. -Bryant Park
thetownhall.org• Venus Over Manhattan 39 Great Jones Str.
Subway: B, D, F, M to Lafayette Str.
venusovermanhattan.com• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Ave. South at 11th Str.
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Str.
villagevanguard.com• Wave Hill West 249th Str. and Independence Ave., Bronx(718-549-3200)
Subway: 1 to Van Cortlandt Pk./242nd Str.
wavehill.org• Wilson Live! 637 Wilson Ave.
(609-879-2794) Subway: L to Wilson Ave.
wilsonlivebk.com• WTC North Oculus Plaza Church Str.
Subway: N, R, W to Cortlandt Str.
• 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 MORIAM
ANGELA BOFILL (May 2, 1954 - Jun. 13, 2024) The
soul, jazz and R&B singer died at her daughter’s homein Vallejo, CA, at age 70. She had suffered several
strokes since 2006, resulting in paralysis on her left
side in addition to aphasia. Bofill’s career began
as a teenager, a protégé of producer/record label
executive Clive Davis, who signed her to the fledgling
GRP label; she also released albums on Capitol, Jive
and Shanachie. Her first chart hit was a cover of “ThisTime I’ll Be Sweeter”, followed by “Tonight I Give In(Somebody Walked into My Life)”, “Still in Love” and“Angel of the Night”. Born in NYC of Cuban/Puerto
Rican heritage, Bofill is considered to be one of thefirst Latin singers to find stateside success in R&B andjazz markets.
EDGAR ALAN BRIGHTBILL (Jul. 8, 1960 - Jun. 12,2024) The artist died unexpectedly in West Chester,PA, at age 63. He was a graduate of the Universityof Alabama and the Hallmark Institute-Photography
in Massachusetts. Brightbill produced album coverart for various labels, including Rastascan (OluyemiThomas/Gino Robair—Unity In Multiplicity), Balance
Point Acoustics (Peter Kowald/Damon Smith—
Mirrors – Broken But No Dust) and 482 Music (John
Butcher, Miya Masaoka, Gino Robair—Guerilla
Mosaics).
RODGER FOX (Jan. 7, 1953 - May 27, 2024) The New
Zealander, born to musician parents, and who wasproactive in bringing the American art form of jazz to
his native country, died at age 71. The trombonist, who
initially played trumpet, was also a dedicated educator,
teaching at the New Zealand School of Music at
Victoria University of Wellington, and founder/leaderof the Rodger Fox Big Band in 1973. First intending
to pursue a classical career, Fox realized opportunity
could be best realized in his own musical pursuits.
With Alan Nelson, he formed the predecessor to his
own big band, the Golden Horn Big Band. He also coled the Wellington Jazz Orchestra and was a member of
NZ Trading Company, The Quincy Conserve and Raw
Deal. Since the ’80s, he released over a dozen albums
on Circular, Ode and T-bone, and had credits with Lyn
Williamson, Gordon Brisker and various pop, rock andcountry artists as well.
MANFRED FREI (Jul. 30, 1940 - May 31, 2024) The
Berlin-born producer, Dr. Manfred Frei, who founded
Munich’s Piano Summer jazz festival (as well as
various other small concert series), died at age 83. In
1970 he became marketing director of the agriculturalgroup Baywa, but at 39 turned his passion for music
into a career, founding the concert agency and music
production company Loft with Karlheinz Hein. Overthe course of his career, he had credits on Deutsche
Grammophon, Philips, Geneon, Enja and other labels.
AXEL KÜHN (Apr. 12, 1963 - Jun. 11, 2024) The German
saxophonist/composer/arranger, born in Darmstadt,
died in Munich at age 61. He attended the Richard
Strauss Conservatory in Munich and in 1993 released
an album with trumpeter Claus Reichstaller andthe jazz quintet Conception (followed by Conception
Live, 1998). He would co-lead a record for Enja (VeryKühn—On The Run, 2012) with another Axel Kühn,
the bassist (no relation), and he was a regular memberof the Thilo Wolf Big Band (since the early ‘90s),
with which he prolifically recorded. He also worked
with Harald Rüschenbaum Jazz Orchestra (his 1988
recording debut), SDR Big Band (with guest Frank
Foster) and SWR Big Band (including on separate
occasions with guests that included Rob McConnell,
Toshiko Akiyoshi, Sammy Nestico, Frank Foster,
Don Menza and John Beasley). He led the Big Band
Jazz Association in Munich and taught at Munich
University of Music as well as the Freiburg Universityof Music.

BY MARILYN LESTERJOE MALINGA (Jul. 13, 1949 - Jun. 2nd, 2024) The
South African saxophonist, who died at age 74, wasborn in Mpumalanga and educated at Waterford
College in Eswatini. His first job was as a journalist at
Swaziland’s Times. Malinga’s leader debut, Tears for theChildren of Soweto (Canova Music, 1980), was with hisband Mandala, featuring legendary free jazz trombonist
Clifford Thornton in what would be Thornton’s final
recording (nine years before he passed away). Malinga
spent 27 years in Europe, then returned to South Africa
and became involved in education, earning a Ph.D. in
his mid 60s and developing an accessible, affordable,
music teaching system that could sustain that heritage
for South Africa’s resource-poor schools.
RAY MOSCA (Jul. 26, 1932 – Jun.12, 2024) Drummer
Ray Mosca, a protege of Papa Jo Jones, died at age 91.
His presence on the bandstand was wide-ranging. In
late 1955, he worked at Miami’s Saxony Hotel, which
led to a meeting with Cy Coleman and full-time workwith the composer at Waldorf Astoria New York.
Mosca gigged with bassist Nabil Totah for three
years, playing dates in the ‘50s with pianists George
Wallington, Hampton Hawes, Eddie Costa and Sonny
Clark, guitarists Jimmy Raney and Jim Hall andsaxophonists Bobby Jaspar and Zoot Sims. In the ’60s,
he joined pianist Teddy Wilson’s unit and, in the ’70s,
played with Hazel Scott. Many other A-list associations
included: pianists Mary Lou Williams, Lennie Tristano,George Shearing, Billy Taylor, Monty Alexander, Earl
Hines, Dave McKenna and Mike Longo; bassists Oscar
Pettiford and Aaron Bell; and trumpeters Chet Baker,
Bobby Hackett and Doc Cheatham.
IRIO O’FARRILL (Mar. 27, 1960 - May 31, 2024) The
freelance bassist, a veteran of the New York Latinjazz scene, died at age 64. He earned a B.A. in musicfrom New Jersey City University and furthered his
studies at Manhattan School of Music and New York
University. He performed with Juan Carlos Formell,
Bobby Sanabria and Ascención, Ray Mantilla, The AfroLatin Jazz Orchestra, Daniel Ponce, The Bronx Horns,
Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra and the Latin Jazz
Coalition. O’Farrill was also a frequent pit musician
in Broadway shows, including Cats, Grease, Footloose,
The Rocky Horror Show, Hairspray, Mamma Mia, Priscilla
Queen of the Desert and the Grammy-winning (2009cast album) In The Heights. He was a faculty member
at The Collective School of Music, The New School for
Jazz and Contemporary Music and Stevens Institute ofTechnology, and co-authored the instructional bookAfro-Caribbean & Brazilian Rhythms for the Bass (andauthored or co-authored several others).
ALEX RIEL (Sep. 13, 1940 – Jun. 9, 2024) The
Copenhagen-born drummer, a prolific sideman sincethe ‘50s, died at home at age 83 in Liseleje, Denmark.
Such was his reputation that on his 70th birthday (in2010), he was honored at Jazzhus Montmartre (thelegendary Copenhagen jazz club where in the early‘60s he was the house drummer) in “Celebration of a
Living Jazz Legend” for a live broadcast by the Danish
national television station TV2. His first group, theAlex Riel/Palle Mikkelborg Quintet won the 1968
Grand Prix Award at the Montreux Jazz Festival,
the same year he was also a founding member of theDanish rock group, The Savage Rose. Riel foundeda jazz ensemble with legendary Danish bass player
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and won a 1996
Danish Grammy award for his album The Riel Deal.
His many associations included performances andrecordings with many Americans including Kenny
Dorham, Bill Evans, Jackie McLean, Ken McIntyre,
Barney Kessel, Archie Shepp and expats Sahib Shihab,
Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Doug Raney, Johnny
Griffin, plus Europeans Toots Thielemans, Lars Gullin,
Jesper Thilo, Jens Winther, Thomas Clausen and many,
many others. With almost 500 recording credits assideman, Riel also recorded as leader and co-leader for
Fona, Red, Storyville, Stunt and Cowbell Music.
RICHARD M. SHERMAN (Jun. 12, 1928 - May 25,2024) The two-time Oscar-winning composer died atage 95 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills,
CA, due to age-related illness. With his brother Robert
B. Sherman (d. 2012), sons of a songwriter, the duo wasbest known for their songs written for various Disneyfilms, beginning in the late ’50s. Their work included
numbers for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The
Parent Trap and more. They also wrote “It’s a Small
World (After All)”, for the 1964/65 New York World’s
Fair. The two specialized in bouncy, positive melodies,
worked for other Hollywood studios and wrote forthe stage, including Victory Canteen, which became
the 1974 Broadway revue, Over Here. The brothers
garnered four Grammy award nominations (and twowins), plus 23 gold and platinum albums. Their catalog
of well-known melodic new songbook additions were
frequently covered vocally and instrumentally by jazzartists ranging from Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane,
Duke Ellington, Wes Montgomery, Hampton Hawes,
Count Basie, Julie London and Sun Ra, to Stacey Kent,
Eric Alexander, Bria Skonberg, Veronica Swift andmany others.
KIANE ZAWADI (Nov. 26, 1932 - May 20, 2024) Born
into a musical family in Detroit as Bernard Atwell
McKinney, the trombonist and euphonium player diedat New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn at age
91. Zawadi graduated from Wayne State University
where he majored in music composition and theory
and began gigging in Detroit clubs such as the Blue
Bird Lounge. His first paid gig was with pianist Barry
Harris and saxophonist Sonny Stitt. In the early ’50s,
he joined bassist Alvin Jackson’s band (brother ofvibraphonist Milt). Just before Art Blakey formed the
Jazz Messengers, Zawadi teamed with the drummer,
along with saxophonist Yusef Lateef and trumpeter
Donald Byrd. With Lateef, he moved to New York in
1959. McKinney took the name Kiane Zawadi during
the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, during whichtime be became an activist, committed to community
involvement. Zawadi was co-founder of the Central
Brooklyn Jazz Consortium and Collective Black Artists
and also worked with Jazzmobile as a performer
and music workshop instructor. DownBeat awarded
him 1964’s “Artist Deserving of Wider Recognition”
accolade, and over his career he appeared on almost
50 albums with a list of credits that would fill a jazz
who’s who: Archie Shepp, Carlos Garnett, Harold Vick,
Frank Foster, Illinois Jacquet, Slide Hampton, Pepper
Adams, Sun Ra, James Moody, Reggie Workman,
McCoy Tyner, Les McCann, Abdullah Ibrahim, Charles
Tolliver, Freddie Hubbard and many others.

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