April 2024—ISSUE 264

YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE NYC JAZZ SCENE

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DARYL
SHERMANNYCJAZZRECORD.COM

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FRANK
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BLOSSOM
DEARIE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

April 2024 – ISSUE 264
NEW YORK@NIGHT

Laurence Donohue-Greene:ldgreene@nycjazzrecord.com

INTERVIEW: DARYL SHERMAN

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

ARTIST FEATURE: MICAH THOMAS

Advertising:advertising@nycjazzrecord.com

ON THE COVER: AHMED ABDULLAH

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

ENCORE: FRANK TUSALEST WE FORGET: BLOSSOM DEARIE

Suzanne Lorge (VOXNews):
voxnews@nycjazzrecord.com

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Staff Writers
Matty Bannond, Fred Bouchard,
Stuart Broomer, Daniel A. Brown,
Marco Cangiano, Brad Cohan,
Tom Conrad, Ken Dryden,
Phillip Freeman, Paul Gaita,
Kurt Gottschalk, Tom Greenland,
Jason Gross, Andrew Hamlin,
Keith Hoffman, Terrell Holmes,
Marilyn Lester, Suzanne Lorge,
Jim Motavalli, Russ Musto,
Mike Shanley, John Sharpe,
Elijah Shiffer, Anna Steegman,
Ken Waxman
Contributing Writers
Clifford Allen, Sophia Valera Heinecke,
George Kanzler
Contributing Photographers
Rob Davidson, Eric Stephen Jacobs,
Antoine Jaussaud, Dave Kaufman,
David Laskowski, Marc Millman,
Luciano Rossetti, Robert Sutherland-Cohen,
Jennifer Taylor

nycjazzrecord.com

VOXNEWSFESTIVAL REPORTALBUM REVIEWSEVENT CALENDARCLUB DIRECTORY
IN MEMORIAM

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by anna steegmann
by matty bannondby clifford allen
by jim motavalli
by marilyn lesterby ken waxman
by suzanne lorge
by john sharpe

by MARILYN LESTER

Letter from the Editor
Spring has sprung: even when there was more than a month of winter to go, daffodils were noticeably getting a
jumpstart on the season. In a microcosm, and metaphorically, the sprouting daffodils might reflect the state of manymindsets and realities among us. Certainly, for much longer than a single season we’ve been witness to heavy goingin the world on many fronts. One has to believe that hope springs eternal and that change for the better is imminent—
it’s in our very human nature, our DNA. Yet, as we look forward, compounding what already looks to be another bitterpresidential campaign and November election here in the States, there’s still the ongoing war and conflict in Ukraine
and in Gaza, making for as dark, chilling and long-lasting a permafrost imaginable—winters that sadly and tragicallyhave no end in sight. We take solace in music, and for good reason: music has the capacity to uplift and to heal.
If there is any single musician who best represents the concept and spirit of unity and community building, there
might not be a better example than trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah (Cover Story), a veteran of the Sun Ra Arkestra anduntil recently, longtime music curator for the Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn venue/community center Sistas’ Place. We can alllearn a valuable lesson of coming together for the common good by lending an ear to what he has to say and play.
And is there a more uplifting, positive musician (in voice and name) who encapsulates and represents the season ofhope and renewal than the late Blossom Dearie (Lest We Forget) whose centennial is being celebrated this month?
Perhaps Daryl Sherman (Interview) who counts Blossom as a big (in her words “the ultimate”) influence. Speakingof blossoms, pianist Micah Thomas (Artist Feature) has been like a wildflower super bloom in a mere few years,
appearing with a wide cross-section of collaborators (from Billy Drummond to Immanuel Wilkins and Zoh Amba)
and celebrating a new album release, his third and most impressive to date.
If only jazz could solve all the world’s woes. Because given the chance, its musicians just might: jazz is, after all,a functioning democracy at its most ideal, with collective discourse and understanding being its very foundation.
Here’s to more music, more peace and less of… the “other” stuff. Onwards and outwards and see you out at theshows. Happy Jazz Appreciation Month.
On The Cover: Ahmed Abdullah (photo by Dave Kaufman)
All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. All material copyrights property of the authors.

2 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDNEW YORK @ N IGHT

Always tuneful, Souza meets this jabbering,
ecstatic trio with all her musical intelligence on
display. You come away sensing that any real
distinctions between Brazilian music and jazz
are strictly academic. —PopMatters

IN CONCERT @ DIZZY’S CLUBApril 11 to April 14

Linda May Han Oh’s The Glass Hours (Biophilia) was
one of the outstanding musical achievements of 2023, as
the bassist and composer took another stunning leap inher musical evolution. She somehow assembled the allstar cast from that album for a remarkable night of musicat Columbia University’s Miller Theater (Mar. 1). Whilecorralling life-mate Fabian Almazan (the fantastic Cubanborn pianist) was relatively simple, she also gathered
together West Coast-based Mark Turner (tenor), ObedCalvaire (drums) and Sara Serpa (vocals), all among themost in-demand performers on the scene today. And it
was well worth the effort. From the jagged opening notesof “The Imperative”, the audience was in the hands ofmasters of modern genre-less music of the highest order.
Oh wrote complex rhythmic overlays throughout thework, and pieces such as “Chimera”, for example, would
be impossible to execute without an expert drummer.
Calvaire managed to ratchet up tension and intensity,
while keeping his volume low to prevent overwhelming
the room’s acoustics. While Serpa might be the technicallymore agile singer, the leader is accomplished in her own
right as a vocalist, and the harmonic blending of theirwordless voices in many passages was by turns lovely andfrightening. When Serpa did use words, they were very
effective. In “Jus Ad Bellum”, questioning the concept of
the “just war,” she sang a melody that sounded ancient,with the lyric: “…Hungry enough to eat our own.” Oh
writes and performs music that feeds the mind, body andsoul.
— Keith Hoffman
ROB DAVIDSON (FOR MILLER THEATRE AT COLUMBIA U.)

SSC 1696 / UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE

R.I. SUTHERLAND-COHEN/JAZZEXPRESSIONS.ORG

LUCIANA SOUZA & TRIO CORRENTECOMETAIn contrast to the controlled classical elegance of Cuban
Gonzalo Rubalcaba (see review below), Panamanian
Danilo Pérez is a trickster, a shapeshifter, with a uniqueapproach to “Latin jazz.” His trio concert at Queens
College’s Kupferberg Center for the Arts’ LeFrak Concert
Hall (Mar. 8) with fellow Wayne Shorter quartet alumnus
John Patitucci (bass) and Adam Cruz (drums) was
the prelude to a two-week European tour. To inspire
spontaneity, the trio started with “Whistle ThroughAdversity”, a never-before-played piece based on Pérez’
whistled theme. “Rediscovery of the Pacific” merged
blues-rock bass with a Middle Eastern mode and modernsounding symmetric harmonies, the group smoothly
steering through contrasting sections on the pianist’s cues,with Patitucci soloing like a guitarist. “Alternate Reality”
contained some of the concert’s tastiest shape-shiftings,
akin to weather patterns seen in time-lapse photography,
where storm clouds rapidly morph into sunny skies.
It was sometimes hard to tell which parts were precomposed and which were improvised, because solos
often sounded like songs, and vice versa. “Beloved” wassimilarly protean, the leader toggling between piano andsynthesizer, or both at once. Patitucci’s short soliloquy,“Wayne”, prefaced a 7/8 cover of Shorter’s “Witch Hunt”.
Pérez’ “Point of No Return” ended with a tight-knit,
three-way climax. “Lumen” (by Shorter bandmates Pérez,Patitucci and Brian Blade), the animated encore, drove theaudience to its feet to dance and sing imitative responses
to Perez’ deliberately tricky calls.
— Tom Greenland

Danilo Pérez @LeFrak Concert Hall

Linda May Han Oh @Miller Theater

Stopping mid-way into his solo piano set at Blue Note Bar Bayeux in Brooklyn is a premier spot for improvised

FRANK CARLBERG
LARGE ENSEMBLE

ELEGY FOR THELONIOUS
SSC 11716 / UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE

The album highlights Carlberg’s orchestration
capabilities and the quality of his compositions.
The positive result is a consequence of themasterful execution by the talented players on
this recording. —Jazz Trail

IN CONCERT @ DIZZY’S CLUBApril 2www.sunnysiderecords.com(Mar. 7) to address the audience, Gonzalo Rubalcaba
confessed his concern that we might miss bass and drums.
No need for that. As his fingers traversed the full widthof a stunning sounding Bösendorfer, left hand playing
low-end montunos, contrapuntal lines, vamps and‘bombs’, his percussive attack both delicate and decisive,
it was obvious a rhythm section would be superfluous.
Playing old and new standards from his recently released
Borrowed Roses (Top Stop Music), he soon solicited ahushed respect for his maestroful renderings of Sting’s“The Shape of My Heart”, Billy Strayhorn’s “Chelsea
Bridge”, upping the tempo for Cole Porter’s “Night andDay” to deliver jaw-dropping runs in the outro. The
theme of Chick Corea’s “Windows” only materialized atthe very end of a long, convoluted improvisation, while
Paul McCartney’s “Here, There and Everywhere” wassoon recognized, eliciting an appreciative “aha” fromlisteners, Rubalcaba adding a few choice harmonies toan otherwise straightforward interpretation. For Moisés
Simons’ son “Peanut Vendor”, he turned on the pasión,“slapping” keys like a calloused conguero, hammering out
fast-filled octaves. More jaw-dropping moments came on
Paul Desmond’s “Take Five”, where Rubalcaba sustained
a tricky five-beat left hand vamp while superimposing
dazzling variations with the right. For the encore, Charlie
Haden’s hymn-like “Sandino” set the stage for a muy
sabrosa reading of Rubalcaba’s grandfather Jacobo’s
clever 1920s danzón “El Cadete Constitucional”.
(TG)

4 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

music in the world’s premier city for improvised music. And
the recent spectacular sets by saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock(Mar. 7) illustrated why. With family and friends, barowner and bassist Jeremy Stratton literally built the venue’s
wooden bar and, in turn, onstage built the foundation thatanchored Laubrock all night. Master drummer Tom Rainey
is an expert dynamician, and can play free or swing likea mofo, while Adam Kolker provided the second horn fora (mostly) chordless two-horn front line, deftly switchingamong bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones,
suggesting the attack of the Elvin Jones Live at the Lighthouse
lineup. The night began with that combination of an Italian
funeral march and deep Texas blues that Ornette Coleman
named “Law Years”. It was an indigo, Monk-ish night, as
the band played both a wildly deconstructed “Misterioso”
and a playful “We See”. The heart of the set, though, wasa long, fascinating telling of John Coltrane’s “India”, bothanchored and driven by Rainey’s mastery of the tune’scomplex polyrhythm, which simultaneously contains
an African rhythm-influenced 12/8 and a ferociously
swinging four. Throughout the night, the interplay between
the horn players was astonishing. Sometimes Laubrock led
on tenor, with Kolker slashing through on soprano; othertimes, it was Kolker on bass clarinet, with Laubrock onsoprano, crying in the background. They also played lovely
harmonized figures, contrapuntal lines and sometimes
jagged but measured dissonance, all of it improvised in thatspace at that time.
(KH)

Thanks to modernist pianist Jason Moran, pioneering Few artists performing today have so fully integrated

the harmonic and rhythmic inventiveness of Andrew Hill
as Vijay Iyer. So it was fitting to find the pianist at thehelm of an eclectic ensemble, with Nicole Mitchell (flute),
Milena Casado (trumpet), Mark Shim (tenor), Yuhan Su(vibes), Reggie Workman and Devon Gates (basses) andNasheet Waits (drums) at Harlem Stage (Mar. 2) for theconcert Eternal Spirit: Vijay Iyer & Friends Celebrate theMusic of Andrew Hill. The music started with “Black Fire”(the title track of Hill’s debut Blue Note album), which
Iyer initiated with a soft piano prelude before the band
leaped in full force playing the quirky melody, after
which Mitchell, Casado and Shim each soloed boldly.
Mitchell and Casado traded engaging voice-like choruseson the lilting “Dusk” and Shim’s cavernous tenor
playing was out front on “Refuge”. The pianist let loose
with explosive virtuosity on “Smokestack”, propelled bydual basses and drums, as Hill was on that title track of
his fourth Blue Note release. The mood turned ominouson the darkly impressionistic “Premonition”, horns
blowing eerily over rumbling piano, bowed basses andmalleted drums. The band hard-bopped into the beyondon “Euterpe”, then on “Gone” the trio of Iyer, Mitchelland Workman took the music on a heavenly journey,with Su, Gates and Waits joining them on the beautiful“Golden Sunset”. The ensemble slipped into a Latin
groove on “Siete Ocho”, the horns joining in at the end
and remaining for the funky finale, “Soul Special”, whichmore than lived up to its title.
— Russ Musto

MARC MILLMAN© JENNIFER TAYLOR

musician, bandleader, composer and activist James Reese
Europe is getting deserved respect. Celebrating his album of
the same name, Moran presented James Reese Europe and theHarlem Hellfighters: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes
Records) at Zankel Hall (Mar. 9) with his Big Bandwagon
tentet. For those familiar with Reese Europe, the concert
was a fitting ode to greatness; for the uninitiated, it wasa revelation. Moran began with a little history: Reese
Europe brought early jazz to Carnegie Hall in 1912. During
World War I he fought with his 369th Infantry Regiment,
the Harlem Hellfighters, and later toured in France—and
there’s so much more. With drum major Noble Sissle, hewrote songs from the front, including the launch point forthe concert, “On Patrol in No Man’s Land”. What followed
was essentially a tone poem, dedicated to his legacy,
reimagined by Moran, against projected images and video.
Reese Europe’s best-known tunes were fused with motifs
from other composers; “Flee as a Bird to Your Mountain”
was linked to Albert Ayler’s “Ghosts”, while “Ballin’ theJack” was intertwined with Geri Allen’s “Feed the Fire”.
Updated “Memphis Blues”, “Castle House Rag“ and “SaintLouis Blues” were featured among others. The penultimate“Zena’s Circle” (Pauline Oliveros), a breathing meditation
with all musicians circling the centrally-placed piano, led
into the leader’s own composition and closer, “For James”.
With Moran’s encouragement, active, stirring audience
participation was fostered, creating an “all is one” bonding
with the Reese Europe legacy.
— Marilyn Lester

Jason Moran Big Bandwagon tentet @Zankel Hall

Vijay Iyer @Harlem Stage

George C. Wolfe’s 1992 original Broadway production of The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton
Jelly’s Last Jam aimed to spotlight Black genius. In Jelly Roll
Morton, Wolfe had the perfect character: a historical figureof complexity who led a life full of drama. In New York
City Center’s encore production of the musical (Mar. 1),
director Robert O’Hara galvanized a terrific cast of triple
threat performers. A sharp-as-tacks onstage jazz band
was in the pocket playing Morton’s music (“King Porter
Stomp”, “Pretty Lil”, “Salty Dog”) and originals by Luther
Henderson (with updated lyrics by Susan Birkenhead).
Less tap-heavy than the original, fine dancing in this goround was choreographed by tap queen, Dormeshia. The
musical begins with the death of Morton, who ascends
to the Jungle Inn nightclub for a life-review. As Morton,
Nicholas Christopher is a star in the making—one towatch. But Billy Porter as the terrifying Chimney Man,
Morton’s afterlife guide, was nothing short of electrifying.
The top-notch cast also included Joaquina Kalukango(Anita), Leslie Uggams (Gran Mimi) and original castmembers Mamie Duncan-Gibbs, Stephanie Pope Lofgren
and Allison M. Williams as the Hunnies. Much credit
goes to book writer Wolfe for unsparingly capturing theessence of Morton in a surprisingly accurate retelling—from his Creole childhood, to Nola’s Storyville, the road,and arrogant prideful success and downfall. But there isredemption. At the musical’s end, to a second line funeralmarch, Chimney Man dramatically announces: “Go forth
Armstrong! Go forth Ellington! Go forth Basie, Bolden, n’
Bechet! Go forth Morton!” Jelly Roll has arrived.
(ML)

Marsalis kicked off the second night of its Wayne Shorter
Celebration at Rose Theater (Mar. 9) by reaching back into
the revered saxophonist-composer’s capacious songbook.
“Yes or No” (arranged by the band’s veteran saxophonist/clarinetist, Victor Goines) opened up with a rousing
orchestral fanfare, then modulated into a forceful swing
mode, with Abdias Armenteros (the reed section’s newest
member) delivering an exciting tenor solo in a brawny
tone that harkened to Shorter’s own muscular sound. Theband got on its feet to greet the night’s first special guest,
band alumnus Walter Blanding, who played stirring tenor
on Sherman Irby’s lush orchestration of “Contemplation”
and a searing soprano on Carlos Henriquez’ pulsatingtake of “The Three Marias”. The evening’s second guest
saxophonist, Joe Lovano, was up for Marcus Printup’s
brisk arrangement of “Armageddon”, soloing withinspired abandon along with the trumpeter-arranger.
Marsalis’ take on Jazz Messengers anthem “Free For
All” had him blowing tough with spirited unbridled
virtuosity, alongside Blanding, and propelled by ObedCalvaire’s inexorably swinging drums. Henriquez’dynamic adaptation of “Angola” put Goines, Marsalis
and Calvaire in the spotlight. Shorter’s esotericism cameto the fore on Ted Nash’s impressionistic version ofOdyssey of Iska’s “Storm” (Lovano featured on soprano),
while his alluring lyricism was evident on “This Is For
Albert” and “Diana”. Blanding and Lovano returned forthe hard-swinging two tenor closer, “Mama G”.
(RM)

W H AT ’ S N E W S
Happy birthday to the non-profit, publicly-funded arts and cultural
institution 88.3 WBGO FM (Newark Public Radio), which celebrates
its 45th b-day at Newark Symphony Hall (Apr. 12). For more info
visit wbgo.org.
Presented and curated by Harlem Late Night Jazz, the Harlem
Jazz Club Revival will feature 40+ events and 100+ musicians atnearly 20 different Harlem venues this month (Apr. 12-21).
Performers will include saxophonists James Carter and Wayne
Escoffery, pianists Willerm Delisfort and Arcoiris Sandoval, bassists
Alex Blake and Reggie Workman, drummers Camille Gainer Jonesand T.S. Monk, organist Greg “Organ Monk” Lewis plus manyothers. For more info visit harlemlatenightjazz.org.
Last month harpist Brandee Younger received the NAACP Image
Award for “Outstanding Jazz Album” (Brand New Life, Impulse!).
For more info, nominees and winners from the 55th NAACP Image
Awards, visit naacpimageawards.net.
Two jazz street markers: one in Indianapolis, one in Philadelphia!
Legendary jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery (Mar. 6, 1923 – Jun.
15, 1968) was recognized last month on his birthday (exactly a year
after his centennial) with a public dedication of a two-sided historicalmarker in his hometown of Indianapolis, IN, presented by the
Indiana Historical Bureau. It is located near the Indianapolis
Cultural Trail on 10th and Belle-fontaine Streets, close to where theMontgomery family lived on Cornell St. (before their home wasrazed for construction of the interstate). For more info visit
in.gov/history/state-historical-markers/find-a-marker. Also, on theafternoon of Apr. 30 (International Jazz Day), a dedication ceremony
will be held for a Lee Morgan (Jul. 10, 1938 – d. Feb. 19, 1972)
historical marker unveiling, in dedication to the jazz trumpet legend.
The sign will be placed at the corner of 52nd and Chancellor
Streets, the former location of the Aqua Lounge where Morgan had
a week-long engagement in Oct. 1971 (his final hometown
performance before he was shot and killed four months later). For
more info visit phmc.pa.gov/Preservation/Historical-Markers.
Two jazz documentaries being released: The Best of the Best:
Jazz from Detroit, the jazz documentary based on Mark Stryker’s
Jazz from Detroit (University of Michigan Press, 2019) andco-produced by Stryker, will debut at Detroit’s Freep Film Festival(Apr. 13-14). Directed (and edited) by Daniel Lowenthal, the filmdelves deeply into the city as a jazz center and industrial power, andincludes a wonderful cross section of Detroit jazz natives, from living
legendary figures such as bassist Ron Carter, drummer Louis Hayes
and vocalist Sheila Jordan, to major but since-deceased Motor City
jazz royalty such as pianist Barry Harris and trumpeter Marcus
Belgrave. Also included: violinist Regina Carter, bassist (andDirector of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University) Rodney
Whitaker, drummer Karriem Riggins, et al. For more info visit
jazzfromdetroitfilm.com. The Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
documentary (directed by Johan Grimonprez), about jazz,
decolonization, the CIA and the Cold War, contrasts the eerie
parallels and timing of trumpeter Louis Armstrong’s months-longAfrican tour (sponsored by the U.S. State Department), Africa’s
decolonization and the 1960s expansion of the United Nations(which included many African countries that joined after achieving
their respective independence) as well as the 1961 assassination ofCongolese leader Patrice Lumumba (murdered within the first twomonths of Armstrong’s tour). The latter event led musicians such as
Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach to a protest at the U.N. Security
Council’s chambers. For more info visit johangrimonprez.be.
If you don’t already have your ticket to the free, sold-out event, besure to tune into the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) Jazz
Masters ceremony via live webcast and radio broadcast (Apr. 13)
from John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington,
D.C. In addition to a tribute concert, the ceremony honors the 2024
class of Jazz Masters: alto saxophonist Gary Bartz, trumpeter
Terence Blanchard, pianist-organist-vocalist Amina Claudine Myersand author-jazz critic Willard Jenkins (recipient of the A.B. Spellman
NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy). For more info
visit arts.gov.
TNYCJR bids farewell to NYC’s Sam Ash local locations whose
doors are being shuttered. The music instrument chain of stores is
closing 18 of its locations nationwide, including locally in Forest
Hills, Queens and at 34th Street, Manhattan. Founded in Brooklyn,
Sam Ash (which ironically celebrates its centennial this year) has
an international reputation as a well-respected go-to destination formusicians and instrument makers from around the world. New
Yorkers are sure sorry to have to say goodbye to this institution. For
more info visit samash.com.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 5

ERIC STEPHEN JACOBSI NTERVIEWDARYLSHERMANrhode island is famous for you
BY ANNA STEEGMANN
Rhode Island-born singer-pianist Daryl Sherman is equallyat home in jazz and cabaret, and has delighted audiencesin New York, as well as nationally and internationally foralmost a half-century. Witty, charming and vivacious, she is
known for her girlish voice and is often compared to Blossom
Dearie. She brings new life to old standards, makes themher own, revives forgotten tunes and writes her own uniquesongs. Sherman has released 14 albums, performed withmany notable musicians and won three MAC (Manhattan
Association of Cabarets) Awards. This month, she will also
be inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.
The New York City Jazz Record: Congratulations on
your induction into the Rhode Island Music Hall of
Fame later this month on April 28.
Daryl Sherman: I was surprised because I thought,
well, isn’t that for old people? That was my firstthought: oh, gosh, I guess I’m getting older. But I
was, of course, delighted. Two of my piano heroes arefrom Rhode Island. We’re a small state. But we havebig contributions. Dave McKenna was one of the best,and he had an interesting stylistic way of playing thatmade it sound like he had three hands. He could play amillion songs, and they all sounded like masterpieces.
He had great rhythm, and he loved a lot of different
songs. Then, Mike Renzi (who died in 2021) was one of
the finest accompanists for singers in the world and in
the country.
TNYCJR: You will be in good company.
Sherman: My father, Sammy Sherman, did not get into
the Hall of Fame. He was a trombone player.
TNYCJR: Tell us about his influence on your musicaldevelopment.
Sherman: He played keyboard and organ first, thentrombone. We had what I called a junky upright. He
would sit me down and teach me to make chords, what
we call triads, and then read the melody. I started totake piano lessons and accompany myself on piano.
Through the years, he was a collector of sheet music,
and at that time, they were beginning to have what wecall fake books. That means the melody is written out
but not an accompaniment. It’s the chord symbols. It’san easier way. I spent my childhood going throughthese books. My father played gigs on weekends inplaces where there was dancing. People wanted to hear
the current show tunes, stuff from The King and I, plus
all the old standards. And that’s what I was weaned
on. From my 13th birthday on, I sometimes sang withhis band.
TNYCJR: You came to New York in 1974. Later, you
performed in most major Manhattan jazz and cabaret
venues and hotel lounges and toured. You have worked
with many notable musicians, including Houston

Sherman: Indeed. Not that the songs that I learned
were the things that people requested. But I did
play his songs on his piano. I mean, that’s the mostwonderful thing to feel inspired. Cole Porter’s songs
are magnificent. And he lived in the Waldorf. I evengot a chance to visit his hometown in Peru, Indiana.
And you can’t imagine how someone so sophisticatedas he would be from this town. Unbelievable. They
have a Cole Porter Festival on his birthday every year,
and I got to do two or three of them. These are thethings that make me so happy, and they give me suchjoy.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 39)

Person, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jay Leonhart and McKenna.
Artie Shaw called you a “first-rate singer-musician.”
How did you achieve such success?
Sherman: I was new; I was lucky enough to go (toclubs) by myself, and not feel threatened, usually to aplace called Michael’s Pub on 55th Street. They had two
trios. One was a jazz trio, and the other played pop
songs for people to dance. Many of these places had
mobsters, and I declare that this is what the businessis missing now. Because that’s who had the clubs; theyknew good music and let musicians play.
I got started by going and listening. I felt so grateful.
I see this as an important start just to be able to listen
to music. At Michael’s Pub, I sat at the bar and started
to get to know some musicians and even the bartender,
who used to be a drummer. Because I was so young, hewould take care of me. He put a check in front of me so
the owner would think I was buying all these drinks.
And my hometown hero McKenna was booked there.
He invited me to sit in and sing with him. He took me
to places where all the musicians were hanging out.
So that was how I started: getting to know musicians.
And then they asked me to come to jam sessions. That
was my success: getting to meet these musicians. I wentaround to hear people, and if I had a chance to meetthem, I would tell them, “I came from Rhode Island
and am here to learn.”
TNYCJR: …An attitude that led to success.
Sherman: I didn’t have any set idea of what I wanted
to do. I did a lot of solo playing but also had a chance
to work with bass players. It is quite a lesson to learn.
And again, I was lucky because I met a famous bass
player named George Duvivier along the way. Whena particular gig came up, this friend said, “Well, why
don’t you call George Duvivier?” But, why would I
call him? Why would he want to work with me? I wasshaking when I called. He came on and said, “Okay,
when is it? Where is it? Let me check my book.” Thiswas formative. I mean, he’s one of the most famous
bass players ever. So, I played with him a lot. He had
this big Cadillac because he liked to drive. We had a
gig in California; he would drive there.
I played in a steakhouse called Gatsby’s. They had
a great piano. There were many of these places, andthey all had somebody playing and sometimes singing.
The businessmen, their wives safely home, would takeus out for dinner and drinks. A lot of people wereasking me for songs and who wrote them. At that time,
I wasn’t so savvy about theater composers. I knew
George Gershwin and Cole Porter, but I never reallyassociated them with all those songs. It made me moreaware and put me on my toes.
TNYCJR: You played Cole Porter’s piano at the
Waldorf Astoria, where you had an incredible 14-year
run—the gig of gigs.

6 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

HAPRIL 2ND – APRIL 7THH

JOHN PATITUCCI TRIOCHRIS POTTER – BRIAN BLADE
HAPRIL 9TH – APRIL 14THH

BILLY HART QUARTETWALTER SMITH III – ETHAN IVERSON – BEN STREETHAPRIL 16TH – APRIL 21STH

GERALD CLAYTON QUINTETDAYNA STEPHENS – MARQUIS HILL
MATT BREWER – MARCUS GILMORE
HAPRIL 23RD – APRIL 28THH

AARON PARKS TRIOTHOMAS MORGAN – NASHEET WAITS
HAPRIL 30TH – MAY 5THH

JOHNATHAN BLAKEMY LIFE MATTERS

DAYNA STEPHENS – JALEN BAKER
FABIAN ALMAZAN – LARRY GRENADIERCOMING IN MAYHDONNY MCCASLINHHKURT ROSENWINKELHHDAVID MURRAYH
HBRAD MEHLDAUHMONDAY NIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR

THE VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRAANTOINE JAUSSAUDARTIST F EATURE

If there’s a blueprint for constructing a jazz pianist, it

seems to follow one key “architectural” principle: start‘em young. Micah Thomas was just two years old when
he first sketched a melody on a keyboard. Since carving
out those foundational notes—“It was the Bob the Builder
theme song that I played… (and) I still get that tune stuckin my head a lot!” he admits (regarding the music to thechildren’s TV series that first aired in 1999)—Thomas
has taken a skyward trajectory. Brick by brick, the now
26-year-old has added layers of insight and experience
to his playing. Now he gets invited to collaborate
with acclaimed musicians such as pianist Jason Moranand trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, whose albums
captivated him as a teenager. During that time, Thomas
spent five formative years as a member of the Columbus
Youth Jazz Orchestra in his hometown in Ohio. He thenearned a prestigious Jerome L. Greene scholarship toattend Juilliard in 2015.
“It wasn’t really until I moved to New York that
I started feeling like I was developing relationships
with the actual musical tradition,” he says. “I’m still
getting used to this place. But what I really loved about
New York was just, you know, Roy Haynes lives here,
Harold Mabern and Roy Hargrove lived here. Gettingthat connection was awesome. There are some amazing
collaborators in the city right now and I just want
to play with as many of them as I can.” Very quickly,
the pianist formed a close friendship with Juilliard
classmate and saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins. Both of
Wilkins’ studio albums to date (on Blue Note) feature
Thomas, while the pals will take the stage together again
in Georgia and California this month. “Micah is a real
force on the piano,” Wilkins says. “The creativity andcontrol he has while improvising has inspired me over
the years.” Thomas has also served as foreman on threeprojects. His debut release, Tide, was captured live at
Jazz at Kitano, the hotel jazz club in Manhattan’s Murray
Hill neighborhood which ceased its jazz programming
since the pandemic. On this release, a trio performs
eight original compositions that showcase Thomas’
range of musical and emotional vocabulary. Restlesscontemporary concepts and moody ballads are arranged
alongside “Grounds”, a major-key frolic.
Most recently, Reveal (Artwork) adopted the same
instrumentation with a change of drummer. The album
has a lighter atmosphere and its ballads are more wistfulthan melancholic. It was recorded in a single seven-hourtake and highlights in-the-moment interactions. “Thetrio format has a history of people exploring ways tointeract together, and it’s cool to draw on that,” Thomassays. “Trios offer a level of spontaneity that you can’t
often get from a larger band.” Between that pair of trio
albums, he released Piano Solo (LP345). His deep affection
for the music’s tradition is in sharp focus on the twelve
standards, which include “April in Paris”, “Over the
Rainbow” and “Ruby, My Dear”. It’s a patient and gentle
performance that lets the standards’ melodies emerge on
their own time, unforced. By contrast, there are wrecking
balls and jackhammers in the pianist’s contributions to

MICAH
THOMASFor more info visit micah.io. Thomas is at Manhattan West
with Kalia Vandever Apr. 3, Bar Bayeux Apr. 10, and Harlem
Stage as part of “Pianos for Duke Reimagined” Apr. 26-27.
See Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Micah Thomas—Tide (s/r, 2019)• Immanuel Wilkins—Omega (Blue Note, 2020)• Micah Thomas—Piano Solo (LP345, 2021)• Zoh Amba—O, Sun (Tzadik, 2021)• Billy Drummond & Freedom of Ideas—
Valse Sinistre (Cellar Music, 2021)• Micah Thomas—Reveal (Artwork, 2022)

yes, he can

BY MATTY BANNOND
two releases from tenor saxophonist Zoh Amba (O, Sun
on Tzadik and Bhakti on Mahakala Music). His left handpunches hard and often, while his right hand races from
one idea to the next. “Micah’s music fills my heart withsweet tears,” Amba says. “He’s one of the most beautiful
souls and it’s been one of the greatest blessings to plunge
deep into sound together.”Upcoming performances around New York will
present Thomas in a variety of constellations. At Bar
Bayeux in Brooklyn, he returns to the three-player
framework. The show will bring together long-time
co-improvisers David Leon (alto) and Lesley Mok (drums)
to push and pull each other around two sets that emphasize
free interplay. Also this month, at Harlem Stage, Thomas
will participate in Pianos for Duke Reimagined, whichcelebrates the 125th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s birth(April 29, 1899). It also marks the 40-year presence of
this performing arts center, which aims to perpetuate theartistic legacy of Harlem and its indelible impression on
American culture. The two-day all-star event additionallyfeatures Abdullah Ibrahim, Bertha Hope, Joanne Brackeen,
Matthew Whitaker and Jason Moran—the latter who iscurating the concerts. “Micah is an incredible pianist,
fusing incredible technique with ingenuity,” Moran says.
“It’s rare to hear all of this so comfortably held within
his hands. He seems to always find a new plateau in themusic, both shocking and comforting. I wanted to put him
in conversation with other pianists, as it was one of thegreat things Harlem Stage did for me when celebrating
Ellington’s 100th birthday in 1999.”
Shortly after this high-profile engagement, Thomas
will get his own chance to act as host. For a concert at
Roulette in Brooklyn (May 2), he’s teaming up withfamiliar colleagues for the first performance of a new
body of work: the pianist has devised compositions tofacilitate the creative languages he has been investigating
lately. He’ll be joined by Wilkins and Mok, as well as
trombonist Kalia Vandever and bassist Thomas Morgan.
“This project is very dear to my heart,” Thomas says.
“I’ve been preparing for it since November. It represents
a way of improvising that I’ve been developing with thesemusicians in a range of different projects. There’s somereally strong common ground between the performers
and I’m trying to write vehicles to inspire a sound that
I’ve been starting to hear in the last few years.”
Looking ahead, Thomas is surveying fresh structuresthat would take his future work in new directions. “I’mgaining more confidence in my compositions,” he says.
“The way I hear music is like a sequencer, where you candial certain variables back. Now, I want the music to soundthree-dimensional, so it feels like a big world that you canmove around in different ways.” Building that big world
is an ambitious venture with no blueprint. However,Thomas has already conducted deep excavations of the
jazz tradition and laid strong groundwork. Together
with skillful artists across New York, he is stacking newlevels to his playing. To paraphrase the old tune stuck in
the young pianist’s head: can he fix a three-dimensional
world of sound? Yes, he can.

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THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 7

ON THE COVER

Ahmed Abdullah
LUCIANO ROSSETTI

Eternal Spiraling Spirit

by clifford allen
From Louis Armstrong’s early recordings as a bandleader

and soloist, unspooling cadenzas across three or so minutesof shellacked grooves; to the crackling energy of bebop
cutting contests, to Coltrane’s chordal recombinant vortices,
jazz has long been a music of unfettered personalities who
push against the grain. For trumpeter, composer, author,
educator and organizer Ahmed Abdullah (b. May 10, 1947,
in Harlem), the forward motion of individual attainmentand collective understanding is the central focus of his
art and life. His is a trajectory in keeping with this musicas a reflection of the struggles of African Americans—
one that spurs commonality through its focus on group
growth and collective action. There’s a dialectical tension
between rugged individualism (a quintessentially American
ideal) and communal cohesion that, through its constanttoggle, energizes the music, its landscape and its linguistic
fundamentals.
Abdullah’s first book, A Strange Celestial Road: My Time in
the Sun Ra Arkestra (Blank Forms, 2023) is both a monumental
memoir and presentation of a rich and often difficult artistic
and personal environment. In an interview that took placein the Brooklyn home Abdullah shares with his wife of 32
years, the writer, poet, vocalist Monique Ngozi Nri (who isalso a member of his group Diaspora and his closest artistic
and spiritual collaborator), he observes that in community
work, the development of strong individuals is key to theprocess, subsequently “moving from the individual to thecollective because you’ve gotta build people who can workwith others and not feel threatened or challenged by thatwork.”In addition to teaching in Brooklyn public schools andthe university level at The New School, Abdullah has beenheavily involved in programming and workshops at Sistas’
Place, the Bed-Stuy venue/community center in Brooklyn
at which he was musical director from 1998-2023. Sistas’
was founded by activist Viola Plummer in 1995; despite her
death early this year, Plummer’s work has ensured that itremains a vital part of New York’s creative music scene.
Abdullah relates that “John Coltrane wanted to build a Blackinstitution and that was his dying wish. He played at the
Olatunji Center, for example, and that was one of his lastconcerts. Viola actually did build an institution that haslasted for 29 years.” Promoting the notions of “Jazz: A Musicof the Spirit and Culture as our Weapon” (as the Sistas’ Placewebsite reads), Nri says that “building those institutions
has been instrumental in terms of the way that we work,
the balance between the individual and the community.
Our center is strong and we can work more effectively witha wider community. We take that energy into Sistas’ Place,
into the schools, and we tend to complement each other interms of the arenas that we enter.”
Abdullah’s musical journey started as a teenager; hebegan playing trumpet after the sudden and tragic death of
his sister Marilyn when he was 13, taking lessons throughout
high school at Brooklyn Tech and at Queens College in the’60s. Some of Abdullah’s comrades at that time included
trumpeter Arthur Williams and drummers Charles Downs(known then as Rashid Bakr) and Eric Brown with whom
he shared musical interests. After instruction from Chris
Capers, his most concentrated studies were with Carmine
Caruso and the Brooklyn-based trumpeter and composer Cal

Massey (Abdullah was Massey’s only non-familial student).
Massey bolstered Abdullah’s conviction in projecting his
melodic lines as a player and nudging him in the directionof concert production, building up a do-it-yourself sense of
spirit. To that end, he was a part of the early ’70s Collective
Black Artists, which produced concerts at Bed-Stuy cultural
center The East.
As a performing and recording artist during this time,
Abdullah emerged at the height of the loft jazz movement,
an “underground” of musician-run concert and rehearsal
spaces, self-produced recordings, publications andcollaborative projects. The list of Abdullah’s collaborators inthis movement includes such names as multi-instrumentalist
Sam Rivers, saxophonists Arthur Blythe and Kazutoki“Kappo” Umezu, drummer Ed Blackwell and cellist Muneer
Abdul Fataah. The units Abdullah was part of included theLegendary Master Brotherhood, the Melodic Art-Tet andSeikatsu Kojyo Iinkai (tr. “Life Improvement Committee”).
The trumpeter’s bands under his own adopted name,
Abdullah (he was born Leroy Bland), with which he debuted
as a bandleader, include the Solomonic Quartet/Quintet, as
well as later outfits such as The Group, New Dimensions inMusic, NAM and the currently active Diaspora (Dispersionsof the Spirit of Ra), where contributions from all parties
become equal and each voice is enhanced by the musicand energy of others. As Abdullah writes in his book, “Theproblem of individualism versus collectivity is one that arose
frequently in the 1970s. If you could pinpoint any cause that
continually affected the Loft Movement from within… it was
the failure to comprehend the need for collective sensibility
in order to work interdependently.”
It was the Melodic Art-Tet that piqued Sun Ra’s interest.
In addition to Abdullah and saxophonist Charles Brackeen,
the band also featured ex-Arkestra members in bassist
Ronnie Boykins and drummer Roger Blank. After intense
rehearsals, Abdullah officially joined the Arkestra in April
1975 and played one of their several concerts at The East as a
shakedown run. Traveling in Europe and through the States,
as well as participating in the Second World African Festivalof Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in Lagos, Nigeria, Abdullah
left the Arkestra for a time starting in 1978 as his own work
as a bandleader came into focus. But he returned in 1988 andstayed until Ra’s 1993 ascension.
Ra’s influence is reflected in Abdullah’s commitment to
Sistas’ Place: “(It) was a natural evolution of what Sun Ra
left us with and what we could do on a community level.
The very first gig I did with him was at The East, and hehad in his understanding that we should always be givingback to the community that we came from. That was partof the way he taught.” Abdullah continually maintains thatRa’s dictum was “to make the impossible possible,” whether
through music, poetry, the visuals of costume and dance, orother means. Nri adds that “part of his institution-building
was also the fact that the musicians lived together and he
was very strict about the music in terms of rehearsals andthat focus.” Abdullah adds, “we were musical warriors; thatis what we were supposed to do.”
The title, A Strange Celestial Road, references a 1979 Sun
Ra album; the manuscript was begun in 1997, completed in2001 and edited for publication in 2023. Written with thehelp of Nuyorican poet Louis Reyes Rivera (1945-2012), the8 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

process as Abdullah recalls was: “I’d write, he’d critique, I’dgo back and write and invariably, I’d do another draft. He
was a very good mentor and it took four years of slow work.”
At 536 pages, this massive undertaking covers Abdullah’slife in the band as well as his life and work, reflecting onfamily struggles, traumatic deaths, relationships, drug use,
scene politics and the author’s process of going to therapy
and spiritual healing.
One major aspect of the book, and of Abdullah’sphilosophy in general, is the concept of the Third
Reconstruction. As he relates, “For me it means all of thepeople who were left out of the Second Reconstruction:
women, people who are gay, people who have different
ideas that you cannot tolerate, they all have to be part ofthis… the Creator didn’t make any mistakes. All of us are
perfect in who we are; we just have to find that perfection.”
In terms of recognizing women in the music, the concept of“Jazz: A Music of the Spirit” has nine progenitors: Coltrane,
Ellington, Armstrong, Sun Ra, saxophonist Jackie McLean,
reedist Yusef Lateef, vocalists Betty Carter, Nina Simone,
Abbey Lincoln and pianist Mary Lou Williams (the latter four
included at Nri’s behest). A Strange Celestial Road recognizes
the many contributions of women to this music, culture andto Abdullah’s life, supporting the Third Reconstruction andhis work reframing his own path and position on the planet.
Circling back to community and collectivism, family
is a huge part of this concept, whether the family one isborn into or that one builds (cf. the Sun Ra Arkestra). In
Abdullah’s words, “my immediate thing in growing up wasto try and stay away from my family because there was somuch pain and heartache attached to losing my sister at a
young age; and I never really understood how it affected
my decisions until Monique came into my life much later.
She was not going anywhere no matter what I was doing
and I needed that. This whole society and the enslavementof our people is all about destroying families because of thefamily’s inherent strength. There’s always been this fight tomake sure one has people around who are supportive. When
we came together, we came together under the idea that wewould try to change this karma.” Building community andunderstanding oneself is a lifelong, often difficult journey,
but Ahmed Abdullah has foundational support and iscommitted to the process—and his life’s work is also now
fittingly documented for generations to come.
For more info visit ahmedian.com. Abdullah is at Soapbox Gallery(presented by One Breath Rising) Apr. 13 and Abdullah’s Diaspora
is at Sistas’ Place Apr. 27. See Calendar.
Recommended Listening• Melodic Art-Tet (Charles Brackeen, Ahmed Abdullah,
William Parker, Roger Blank, Tony Waters)—
Melodic Art-Tet (NoBusiness, 1974)• Abdullah—Life’s Force (About Time, 1979)• Ahmed Abdullah Quartet—Liquid Magic (Silkheart, 1987)• Sun Ra Arkestra—Mayan Temples (Black Saint, 1990)• Ahmed Abdullah’s Ebonic Tones—Tara’s Song
(TUM, 2004)• Diaspora Meets AfroHORN—
Jazz: A Music of the Spirit (Out of Sistas’ Place)(Melchizedek Music Productions, 2019)samarajoy
jun 23

Two-time GRAMMY® winnerSamara Joy — breakout starof the Sassy Awards vocal jazzcompetition — returns to NJPAC.
Prudential presents North to Shore is sponsored by
Prudential, NJEDA, NJM Insurance, United Airlines,
CRDA, Outfront, and NJ Travel and Tourism

alvin ailey
americandance theater

njpac arts education

may 10 – 12

Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater
returns to NJPAC
with three
performanceson Mother’s Day
weekend.

jul 14 – 20
upright bass players | ages 14 – 18
Dive into an immersive week of masterclasses, performances, small ensemble work,
studio sessions, lectures and workshops on
the Montclair State University campus.
To learn more,email artseducation@njpac.org.

@NJPAC • 1.888.MY.NJPAC • njpac.org
One Center Street, Newark, NJ

JazzRecord_color_9.5x12_Apr.indd 1

Major support for the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass is provided by theDavid G. Berger Family Foundation.

3/22/24 9:18 AM

COURTESY OF ARTISTENCOREFRANKTUSA

AT THE CORE OF LOOKOUT FARMBY JIM MOTAVALLI

Bassist Frank Tusa (who celebrates his 77th birthday
on the first of this month) clears up a mystery that’s
almost 45 years old: why did he, circa 1980, relocate to
San Francisco from New York, where he was an on-callmusician for greats such as Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard,
Larry Coryell, Art Blakey, Lee Konitz and many others,
plus a valued member of saxophonist Dave Liebman’s
progressive Lookout Farm aggregation? “In New York
then, I was a pick-up bass player, working with a lotof musicians for engagements of a week or two, (like)trumpet players Chet Baker and Art Farmer, to nametwo,” Tusa says. “But my wife, Valerie Mabel Tusa,
was from San Francisco and she wanted to move backthere to start a family.” Out on the West Coast, Tusa’s
profile certainly hasn’t been as high as it was in New
York, but he regularly played the Keystone Korner
there and worked in a trio with the late pianist Buddy
Montgomery (Wes’ brother) and drummer Eddie
Moore. He also helped develop the jazz curriculum at
San Francisco State University, and with his late wife
(a dancer) created a children’s music and movement
program called “Whippersnappers”.
Tusa, pianist Richie Beirach and Liebman all grew
up in the same Queens, NY neighborhood. “We first
knew each other as teenagers,” he reveals. “I’m Italian
on both sides, with a grandfather who played violin. I
was persuaded to study guitar so I could accompany
him, but in high school I realized I loved the soundof the bass and switched to it.” The head of his highschool music department (Francis Lewis High School
in Fresh Meadows) was Milton Fink, a bass player Tusa
would study with at Juilliard. “He saw I had sometalent and let me use the practice rooms and helped mewith fingering and bowing,” Tusa remembers. He wasfortunate with most his teachers, as he next studiedclassical bass at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
with Homer Mensch (who had worked with Leonard
Bernstein). “He really taught me the bass, and I studied
with him for three years on and off,” Tusa says. “A
lot of cats took lessons from him—I would see George
Duvivier going in for a refresher. He (Mensch) wasn’t ajazz person, but he didn’t hate it.” Blessed with a goodear and the ability to hear the changes, at age 17, Tusa
started playing weddings and bar mitzvahs, sometimes
with a crooner “who had a voice like Sinatra’s.”
Within a year, the bassist landed a gig with a touring
production of the Broadway musical Half a Sixpence,
traveling the country as part of its pit orchestra. Then,at the height of the Vietnam War in 1967, Tusa wasdrafted. Instead of being sent off to war—he’d alreadygone through advanced infantry training—a fortunate
set of circumstances saw him assigned to the 77th
Army Band at Fort Sill, OK. “You couldn’t march witha double bass, so I had to learn the bass drum and thetuba very quickly,” he recalls. “I practiced my ass off topass the audition with, among other things, a Wagner
piece. I passed, but I hardly played the tuba in theband.”
After the Army it was straight to 21st Street in
Manhattan, where Tusa reconnected with Liebman
and Beirach, both of whom lived nearby. “There werea lot of jam sessions, a lot of learning, and driving a cabalso,” Tusa says. In 1972, Lookout Farm was formed
with an idea to merge what was best from both rockand jazz. “Richie, Dave and I were the core of the group.
Richie played electric piano and I played electric bass,
and we all loved [tabla player] Badal Roy—he was oneof the sweetest guys I ever met. We toured constantly,
all over the world [Jeff Williams was the drummer].”Beirach’s take is that Tusa “just got tired of the New
York scene and wanted a change. He is very Italian,very tough, but also very sensitive. As a bass player, he
has great time and great feel, and is 100 percent there.
I loved playing with him. We toured India, Japan andall over America and Canada in a Dodge van.” Tusa
played on three Liebman albums, Lookout Farm (1974),
Sweet Hands (1975) and the ferocious Pendulum (1978),the latter a live at the Village Vanguard date withdrummer Al Foster and trumpeter Randy Brecker.
He also made EON (1974), Methuselah (1975) andSunday Song (1975) in duo with Beirach, plus his firstsession as a leader, the free-jazz-influenced Father
Time (1975) with members of Lookout Farm. It was
an intense period. Says Liebman, “It’s very clear—thebass is the place! With a great bass player anythingis possible. Frank was like Gibraltar, steady and solidand allowing Lookout Farm the opportunity to reachfor the stars. I owe Frank a lot.” Says Brecker, “He isa fine bassist and individual. Those were good days.”
And drummer Bob Moses (aka Ra Kalam) adds, “Frank
Tusa is an excellent creative bass player and a sincere,
down-to-earth spirit. When we played he was all in,
totally committed to the music.”
The Lookout Farm band had a coming back
together of sorts with the 1997 recording of Reunion of
Old Spirits, a tribute to Tusa’s late wife Valerie. Beirach
and Liebman are on the album, with guitarist John
Abercrombie and Tusa’s son, Scott, playing drums.
Today, at 76, a heart condition has curtailed Tusa’s
bass playing. “I don’t have the strength to pick up
the double bass anymore,” he says. But he’s “foolingaround on a keyboard,” and perhaps a new album as
leader will take him in an entirely different direction.

including fellow pianist-singer Bob Dorough. She
also met Belgian flutist and saxophonist Bobby
Jaspar, to whom she was briefly married. David
Amram, who played with Jaspar in Paris, noted andwrote that Dearie was “a veritable encyclopediaof American popular music, with a repertoire ofhundreds of tunes.” Bassist Herb Bushler, whoplayed with both Amram and Dearie, said of her,
“Most musicians don’t like working with singers
because most singers have to hear the music played
exactly the same way. Not so with Blossom Dearie.
She enjoyed a new approach to a song, and since she
played the keyboard so well, she was ultra-secure in
her ability. She had an impeccable choice of chords
and perfect vocal intonation.”
The early encounter with Granz yielded a sixalbum deal for Verve; she recorded Blossom Dearie(1956), Give Him the Ooh-La-La (1957), Once Upon a
Summertime (1958), Sings Comden and Green (1959), My
Gentleman Friend (1959) and Soubrette Sings Broadway
Hit Songs (1960). In 1964 she sang and played with afull orchestra on the pop collection May I Come In?
(Capitol). But that style wasn’t her preference; Dearie
was at home mixing standards, jazz songs and witty
novelties, which the freedom of supper clubs allowed.
Precociously taking control of her recording destiny,
she formed Daffodil Records in 1974 (continued by
Jaime Smith after her death). Blossom Dearie Sings, her
first release on the label, was comprised solely of her
own tunes.

From 1966 on, Dearie traveled between London
and New York, playing Ronnie Scott’s there, andvarious clubs here. Pianist-singer Champian Fulton
observes, “One of my favorite aspects of her music
is her tune and tempo selection. She finds the best,
most interesting tunes and then plays them at the best
tempos to really highlight the lyric and her feelingabout the songs. In this way, she reminds me of Count
Basie.” Pianist-singer Daryl Sherman, who has often
been compared to Dearie, says that she was meticulous:“She carefully chose each song and made it a miniature
portrait with clearest diction and her own canny wayof voicing chords… (she was) the ultimate influence!”
As a songwriter, her collaborations included Johnny
Mercer, with whom she wrote “I’m ShadowingYou”. She was also known for her long association
with Dorough and Dave Frishberg; their witty “I’mHip” was a solid and timeless part of her repertoire(Frishberg also wrote another of her staples, “Peel Me
a Grape”.) Her final album (released in 2000), Blossom’s
Planet (Daffodil), and her final single, the ballad “It’s
All Right to Be Afraid”, was dedicated to the victims
and survivors of 9/11. Dearie would continue to playinto her 80s.
Vocalist Roberta Donnay released her Blossom-ing!
tribute in 2022 and says with unequivocal admiration,“She was one of the most unique voices in jazz.” Jaye
Maynard, a long-time performer of Dearie’s work,says “her forthright, and uncompromising personality

For more info visit franktusa.com
Recommended Listening:• Open Sky—Open Sky (PM, 1972)• Richard Beirach—EON (ECM, 1974)• Frank Tusa, Dave Liebman, Badal Roy, Richard
Beirach, Jeff Williams—Father Time (Enja, 1975)• Richard Beirach/Frank Tusa—Sunday Song(Trio, 1975)• Badal Roy—Passing Dreams (Adam, 1975)• Karl Berger, David Friedman, Tom van der Geld,
Wolfgang Lackerschmid—Vibes Summit (MPS, 1978)

COURTESY OF BLOSSOM DEARIE FAMILY

LEST WE FORGETBLOSSOM
DEARIEA PERENNIAL LEGACY
BY MARILYN LESTERI n 1956 record producer and promoter Norman Granz
took a trip to Paris where he heard Blossom Dearie
singing at a jazz club. Several months later she madeher eponymously titled Verve record debut; the rest,as they say, is history. Dearie is universally acclaimed
as a musician’s musician in a genre all to herself.
“Unique” is the term most frequently applied to her,as she is widely acknowledged as a vocalist who’s an
ace at inhabiting a song from the inside out.
Born Margrethe Blossom Dearie in East Durham,
NY, this month marks Blossom’s centennial (b. April
28, 1924 – d. February 7, 2009). She originally studiedclassical piano but in high school became enamoredof jazz, eventually moving to New York City in the
mid ’40s to pursue a music career. Dearie quickly
found work as a vocalist with the Woody Herman
band’s Blue Flames singers. A solo career followed,
and she relocated to Paris in 1952. There she would
form the vocal group Les Blue Stars (which later
evolved into The Swingle Singers), with members

10 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD(CONTINUED ON PAGE 38)

L ABEL SPOTLIGHT

KONVOJ RECORDSGRASSROOTS SWEDISH CONVOY
BY KEN WAXMAN

Celebrating its 10th anniversary last year, Konvoj
Records is a textbook definition of a grassroots label.
Located in Malmö, Sweden, and though connected bya bridge a short distance to Copenhagen, Denmark,its focus is resolutely local. Saxophonist Ola Paulson,
who heads up the label’s operations and is featured on
many of its releases, affirms that “The Malmö scene,with its strong, authentic and raw sound, is a major
inspiration for our existence.”
So far the label (whose name translates to “convoy”
in English) has released 21 albums, most pressed in
editions of 200-500. “I started the label to manage andtake control of a growing number of recordings andto form a base for the music in and around Malmö,”
Paulson adds. “The improv scene is very communitybased and small independent labels and collectives
have a significant role as organizers, driving forces anddocumenters for the future.” Begun with government
funding and unpaid work from Paulson plus a collectiveof others, some costs are now recouped through sales.
Computer processor Jakob Riis (who shares artistic
director duties with Paulson and plays on somereleases) helps with recording, mixing and mastering.
Artists and graphic designers are also involved. “Noneof us are employed by the label,” states Paulson. “It’smainly a non-profit commitment to music and art. If

Colors Of
Konvoj Ensemble (feat. Evan Parker & Sten Sandell)there’s money in a project, we get paid. If there’s not,we’ll probably do it anyway.”
Virtuous Mondays, 2020’s five-CD boxed set, plus
2016’s Mindfulness, stand out in the Konvoj catalogue,
since both feature Halster (guitarists Anders Lindsjö,
Adam Persson and Mattias Nihlén). The discs present
the trio improvising with guests. “Halster is Malmö,”
asserts Paulson. “Their sound and weekly evenings in
the Allmogen studio are an underground institution
in the city.” Since the trio was formed more than adecade ago, participation in what the band calls“open rehearsals” is spread by word of mouth. Manymusicians from elsewhere with Malmö concerts end up
improvising alongside the trio as well.
One musician on Virtuous Mondays, as well as
several other of the label’s releases, is saxophonist
Martin Küchen, who lives in Lund, north of Malmö.
The saxophonist, who has recorded for numerous
labels over the years, is affiliated with Konvoj because:“I know Ola well and it’s a local label. These days I
think it’s important to nurture both musical friendships
and the local scene.” His “smooth experience” working
alongside locals has made him eager to record for it
again. Küchen is another non-resident whose presence
expands Paulson’s stated aim to document local talent.
Another is Stockholm-based pianist Sten Sandell.
Besides appearing on the Konvoj Ensemble discs, he ison The March, a record from one of the 25th anniversary
concerts in 2005 by Gush, with saxophonist Mats
Gustafsson and drummer Raymond Strid. “We’refriends and colleagues with Mats, Raymond andSten and I arranged the Malmö anniversary concert,”

The Stork & The Chimp
Martin Küchen/Anders Lindsjö

Mira
Konvoj Ensemble

recalls Paulson. “Since it took place at a venue withan in-house studio we decided on the spot to record.
The music sounded so brilliant, we wanted to makesomething more out of it. I had the recording in myhand and happened to have a label.”“Ola Paulson and I have had collaborations when
the Evan Parker/Sten Sandell Duo participated intours and record releases,” notes the pianist. “So whenbassist Johannes Nästesjö, who lives in Malmö, and I
started our duo a couple of years ago it was natural
to collaborate with Ola’s record company.” The result
was the recent DUO akt I-VII, Nästesjö’s fourth Konvoj
release besides a solo set and two with Catalan pianist
Agustí Fernández. Adds Sandell, who has recorded formany imprints, “I hope this is the beginning of longterm collaboration with Ola and Johannes.”
Other so-called all-star discs were almost as easy
to organize as Gush’s. There’s the the septet Konvoj
Ensemble, which besides Paulson and Sandell, features
U.K. saxophonist Parker. Despite being an establishedfree musician, having him participate was relatively
easy, says Paulson. “The global improv community is
actually quite small,” he remarks. “So if you keep at
it, perform at some form of higher artistic level, you
eventually have connections to the pioneers of thegenre. This creates a situation where we strive to play
across generational boundaries and experience levels.
With Evan, Jakob and I had an idea for a graphic
score and I could hear the sound of mighty Evan init. I sent an email to him and asked. He got curious(CONTINUED ON PAGE 38)

Agustí Fernandez & Johannes Nästesjö
Agustí Fernandez/Johannes Nästesjö

Seagull Sonatas
Ola Paulson/John Tilbury

VOX NEWS

BIRTHDAYSBY SUZANNE LORGE“I’ve been writing forever, but this album is my realbirth as a songwriter,” writes Dominican/French jazz
singer Cyrille Aimée in the notes for A Fleur de Peau,
her Whirlwind debut released last month. The album
represents a departure for Aimée, not just for its
originality and new business relationship, but for its
personal backstory and strong message.
Throughout the aughts Aimée made her name asa scatting master with a disarming French accent anda native’s understanding of gypsy jazz. Attention andaccolades came early in her career: she took top honors inboth the Montreux Jazz Festival competition (2007) andthe inaugural Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal
Competition (2012); later, she would record for Mack
Avenue, collaborate with Broadway legend Stephen
Sondheim and earn a 2019 Grammy nomination.
But Aimée also felt creative ties to her mother’s
Spanish-speaking Dominican heritage, and in 2021 shebuilt a home for herself in the Costa Rican forest. It wasthere that she began crafting the material for A Fleur dePeau—meaning, “on the surface of the skin,” or one’s
sensitivity to the lightest of touches. Her writing does
have a delicacy to it, as on the utterly charming “Again
Again” (Aimée on guitar); “Back To You”, a seductive,

contemporary pop-jazz gem; and “Beautiful Way”,
with its happy, dance-driven hook. Most touching is“Inside and Out”, about the vocalist’s decision to delay
motherhood when faced with its possibility; the lyrics
here speak to her desire for a solid foundation on which
to build a future before undertaking parenthood. Aimée
doesn’t want the album takeaway to be one of fragility,
though—rather, the opposite. “I want to inspire womento create—with their hands, their wombs, their voices,
whatever inspires them,” her notes explain. She officiallyreleases the album at Birdland (Apr. 23-27).
José James’ 12th album takes the singer/songwriter/
producer back to the soul sound so popular in the yearof his birth: the nine originals on 1978 (Rainbow Blonde)
reverberate with retro feels even as they benefit fromthe vocalist’s modern, hip-hop approach to jazz. He pits
bongos and close vocal harmonies against synth andstrings on “Let’s Get It”, uses a distinct backbeat to drive
sweet neo-soul vocals on “Black Orpheus (Don’t Look
Back)” and descends into agitating polyrhythms andbeseeching lyrics on “38th & Chicago”. But the standout
track is the most straight-forward both compositionallyand production-wise: the ballad “For Trayvon”, where
the gutting melody and well-placed dissonances packa hard punch. James unveils the release at Blue Note
(Apr. 25-28).
Archival imprint Jazz Detective adds another neverheard Chet Baker studio recording to its growing collectionof retrieved Baker treasures. Recorded in Los Angeles in
1972, In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album differs from otherhistoric Baker releases in that it features the collaboration
between the famous crooner and another trumpeter/
vocalist, Jack Sheldon, as they take turns soloing on theirhorns and singing lead. Much of the repertoire is from
Baker’s wheelhouse (“Just Friends”, “Not For Me”, “I’m
Old Fashioned”), but Sheldon brought along his favorites
as well (“Historia de un Amor”, “You Fascinate Me So”).
Notable on the session is pianist Dave Frishberg; later hewould write and Sheldon would sing “I’m Just A Bill”
for the Schoolhouse Rock! franchise. The limited-edition
Baker/Sheldon LP will hit stores on Record Store Day(Apr. 20), followed by a regular CD release.
This past March saw the 100th anniversary ofSarah Vaughan’s birth. To honor the woman and her
contributions to jazz, JALC presents The Sarah VaughanCentennial (Apr. 19-20), hosted by vocal icon Dee Dee
Bridgewater. The evening will feature several pastwinners of the Sassy Competition, including Aimée,Gabrielle Cavassa and Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso.
This month sees the birthday anniversaries of threeother enormously important jazz singers: Billie Holiday(Apr. 7, 1915), Ella Fitzgerald (Apr. 25, 1917) and Blossom
Dearie (Apr. 28, 1924). As we ponder their contributions
to jazz history, perhaps we might step out to hear somesingers who are furthering their legacy. In this effort, theTNYCJR listings should be your guide given the sheer
number of great voices hitting NYC stages this month(e.g. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Charenée Wade, Kurt Elling,
Paul Jost, Daryl Sherman, Melanie Charles, Allan Harris,
Jaye Maynard, et al.).

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 11

F ESTI VAL REPORT

3 DAYS OF MUSIC DEDICATEDTO PETER BRÖTZMANNDAWID LASKOWSKIBY JOHN SHARPEJoe McPhee @Cafe Oto

Cafe Oto, an unassuming space tucked into a back street
in North London held a special place in the affectionsof German saxophone icon Peter Brötzmann (Mar. 6,
1941 – Jun. 22, 2023), and vice versa. The intimacy withthe crowd there allowed unalloyed appreciation, andthe dedication of the staff meant that after his firstengagement (not long after the venue first opened in2010) he returned multiple times in the ensuing years.
His final performance before his untimely death wasa two-night residency there in February of last year.
How appropriate then, that Cafe Oto (with generous
support from the Robert D. Bielecki Foundation)
was able to present a three-day tribute to the master(Feb. 8-10) featuring a mouthwatering cast of alumni ofassorted vintage from across the saxophonist’s career.
Each night, and in a Saturday afternoon matinee,
the musicians appeared in a sequence of short sets
drawing on different permutations from the assembled
company.
Notable among the cast were Brötzmann peers:
pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach and drummers
Sven-Åke Johansson and Han Bennink wrote thestory of European free jazz alongside him in the’60s. Although all three looked frail away fromthe bandstand, once installed the years fell away.
Both Swede Johansson and Dutchman Bennink
paired with British pianist Pat Thomas, who waxed
percussive and minimalist while the former deployed
trapset rudiments to devastating effect. In contrast,with Bennink behind the kit, Thomas drew on jazzrepertoire including standards and Monk, albeit witha heavy dose of dissonance to offset the drummer’s
manic swing. Von Schlippenbach demonstrated that
he had lost none of his bite in a quartet completed
by his frequent partner and near contemporary Evan
Parker (tenor) as well as John Edwards (bass) and Paal
Nilssen-Love (drums). You could call this an all-starmeeting, but in fact that epithet would apply to almost
every grouping that performed. Suffice it to say thatthe pianist’s off-kilter blend of comping, commentaryand combustion helped fuel a powerhouse set in which
the bassist’s physicality meshed with the drummer’s
piledriving pulse, to whip up a storm-tossed expanseover which corkscrewed the saxophonist’s scurrying
runs. Almost the same crew, this time with Bennink
in place of the Norwegian, opened the second night.
Parker and von Schlippenbach again displayed apalpable chemistry, with the pianist tracking the
drummer like a hawk, always alert to his sudden
attacks and impish humor.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 39)

12 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

24-04-29_FIMAV_NYCJR_Page_co.pdf

12024-03-12

19:25

13 TO 19 MAY 2024
ONE WEEK OF CONCERTS,
SOUND ART INSTALLATIONS IN PUBLIC SPACES,FILMS, AND VISUAL ART

40

th

FESTIVALINTERNATIONALMUSIQUE ACTUELLE
VICTORIAVILLE
CONCERTS FROM THURSDAY 16
TO SUNDAY 19 MAY 2024
ROSCOE MITCHELL SOLOSÉLÉBÉYONE
NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY« Community Ensemble with Ari Brown »JOËLLE LÉANDRE
MAT MANERICRAIG TABORN« hEARoes »BILL ORCUTT GUITAR QUARTETQUATUOR BOZZINIPASCAL GERMAIN-BERARDI« Basileus »KAVAIN WAYNE SPACE /XT TRIO
KIM MYHR« Sympathetic Magic »BAZIP ZEEHOKNICOLE RAMPERSAUD SOLO
THE DWARVES OF EAST AGOUZA« Jürg Frey: String Quartet No. 4 »SAKINA ABDOU SOLO

SOPHIE AGNEL / JOHN BUTCHERSPLENDIDE ABYSSE

NATE WOOLEYSTÉPHANE DIAMANTAKIOU« Columbia Icefield »« Le Double »DON MALFON SOLO

AMMA ATERIAFULL SCHEDULE HERE

fimav.qc.ca« CONCUSSSSION »ALBUM REVIEWS

Flesh and Bones
William Hooker (Org Music)
by Andrew Hamlin

Drummer William Hooker, noted Simon Adams in
Grove Music Online, often did not play with bassists,
owing to his “intensity and volume.” But times andbold, curious, evolving artists change. This set (andHooker’s LeWitt Etudes, from 2022), both feature twobassists each (given, not the same two), and though
the leader smashes through any passage where he sochooses, Flesh and Bones manifests an admirable strainof respect.
Listened to from start-to-finish, Flesh and Bonessuggests a tour through the wide and rich varietiesof emotion and emotional expression, to which wehumans find ourselves prone. Hooker knows he canmake noise, but he leaves room—for Hilliard Greene
and Luke Stewart (basses), Ras Moshe (tenor, flute), On
Davis (guitar) and Charles Burnham (violin). And eachmember contributes vividly to the timbres at hand.
“Illustrious Posterity” sounds off with what
appears to be Burnham fiddling through a wah-wah
pedal, tones wavering at their edges like a sunnypond’s refraction. Nobody else joins in; nobody needs
to. There’s plenty of full-blast, locomotive energy
in the classic free jazz manner, but “Reveal a Truth”,
featuring some more wah-wahed violin, settles into aclassic swing feel, jump-started by the others throughhandclaps and foot pats. A bass anchors the pulse;then Hooker steps in with his subtle knack of playing
the negative space between cymbals, hi-hat and snare.
He builds to a boil, then lets the sound ebb, the way
a conversation might sometimes end informally, withsomeone simply dropping the thread. Davis finds his
spot with “True Dat”, another solo excursion, thisone folding in on itself as distortion and speed build
momentum. Hooker audibly laughs excitedly, then tests
how much feel he can get out of a single tom-tom hit.
“Talk to me!,” he shouts, amongst his many passionate
exclamations throughout. And his sidemen respond bymusically embodying communication. The sextet stakesout full-blown passion on one side and near-silence on
the other, but the group devotes considerable time andconsiderable energies to the richness of gradations.
For more info visit orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com. Hooker
is at Nublu as part of Cadence Magazine Fest Apr. 11 andSaint Peter’s Church Apr. 21. See Calendar.

Silent, Listening
Fred Hersch (ECM)
by Ken Dryden

O ver his long career, pianist Fred Hersch has exploreda variety of styles, creating a distinctive, immediately
recognizable sound. His occasional solo recordings
have given listeners an opportunity to savor therichness of his voicings, much like experiencing a finevintage wine—yet there are always new dimensions
to discover within his interpretations and moving
originals. One has the feeling of being a privateeavesdropper in the studio as Hersch alternates
between playing standards, compelling originals or
how he spontaneously creates brand new melodies.
The mood throughout much of the session is mellow,
as if the pianist is reflecting at the end of a day as hewinds down, though there are moments of drama,
especially with his deft hand muting the bass stringsin spots. Hersch’s stunning improvised introduction to
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s “The Star-crossed
Lovers” leads into a luxurious, leisurely unveilingof the melody, a rendition that would captivate theattention of any size audience.
The late pianist Russ Freeman’s “The Wind” wasa twisting, peppy bop vehicle when he recorded itwith Chet Baker in the ’50s, but Hersch transforms itwith a more deliberate tempo, adding a long, haunting
improvisation before briefly and sparingly hinting at
its theme near its conclusion. The pianist approaches“Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise” in a more conventionalmanner, though his darting bass notes and surprising,
strident right hand unveils new possibilities within
this oft-played chestnut. Stylistically diverse composer
Alec Wilder wrote a number of ballads championed byjazz artists, although “The Winter of My Discontent”
has rarely been recorded. Hersch captures its
melancholy air with his unique voicings, which mix a
bit of playfulness to its somewhat somber setting. The
pianist’s originals prove equally compelling, including
a tense “Arkasia”, which has an air of mystery worthyof use in a film soundtrack, possibly due to the fact
he improvised much of it after the opening. There’s
a dissonant, eerie quality to the title track, whichsimilarly makes it sound like an improvisation.
Fred Hersch reaffirms his mastery of solo pianoand composition with this certainly formidable release.
For more info visit ecmrecords.com. Hersch’s album release
concert is at Merkin Hall Apr. 26. See Calendar.

New York Jazz Stories/Billy’s Birthday BashDavid Haney (s/r)
Live at Earshot
David Haney/Julian Priester (Cadence)by Mike Shanley

Although Billy’s Birthday Bash comes from the “NewYork Jazz Stories” series presented by the Public Theaterat Joe’s Pub, the album doesn’t actually contain tales
from any musicians, at least not in the verbal sense. The
2016 set features about 45 minutes of improvisations
that flow like conversations without worrying about acentral point in the discussion. The “Stories” programis helmed by pianist David Haney, and the title refers todrummer Billy Martin (of Medeski, Martin and Wood),
who was indeed celebrating a birthday the week of theperformance. Bassist Adam Lane completes the rhythm
section over which multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter
adds an array of colors from his various horns. Whenhe first enters with a muted trumpet, his spare but
arresting sound can’t help but evoke the open qualitiesof ’60s era Miles Davis. He later switches to clarinet
before some solo space is taken by Martin (moving allover the kit rapidly, adding chimes for good measure)then Lane (utilizing a bow for sustained intensities andhigh harmonics). Haney sets the scene throughout,with descending figures and dynamic variations. Alongwith his angular on/off playing in the final track, flutist

14 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Yael Acher KAT Modiano joins the frontline for somemuscular interplay with Carter’s saxophone playing.
Anyone familiar with trombonist Julian Priester,
primarily from his work with Herbie Hancock or
his many sideman sessions for Blue Note, might
be surprised by this Live at Earshot set with Haney,
recorded in 2010 at Seattle’s Earshot Jazz Festival.
The high brass squeals that launch the album, behindrumbling prepared piano, sound closer to George
Lewis. Of course, Priester’s experience also includes
stints with Sun Ra and Sam Rivers, and more recently,
heavy rockers Sunn 0))), so his flexibility cannot be
underestimated. Near the top of the album, Haney andPriester begin to engage each other in rapt discussion.
Sometimes the sound is spare and subdued, but it always
feels focused—and sometimes they sound like they’re
ready to pause (“Earshot Jazz Fest B”), but inspiration
calls for one final rumble of sound. The pianist likes
to play out of tempo, but frequently introduces briefmusical motifs, which he delivers utilizing the sustain
pedal, allowing notes to ring out and create a scenescape. Even when he plays in the lower register, Haney
never gets heavy handed; in fact, his touch feels pretty
agile, especially when he teases by continually pullingout a bluesy riff (“Earshot Jazz Fest D”). Together with
Priester, who ranges from quick tart notes to sustained
tones that sound like they’re cuing a ballad, the duo
reveals how understatement and subtlety are alsoessential in free improvisation. Some incidental stage
noise sounds like Haney’s feet moving on and off ofthe pedals. While this is a bit distracting, it thankfully
doesn’t spoil the experience.
For more info visit davidhaney1.bandcamp.com. Haney isat Nublu as part of Cadence Magazine Fest Apr. 11. See
Calendar.

Bordenave—The Blue Land (ECM)
R •• Matthieu
Tomasz Dabrowski &Individual Beings—Better (April)e • TheDave Douglas—Gifts (Greenleaf Music)
Genovese, John Lockwood,c • LeoNat Mugavero—The Art of Not Playingo (577 Records)
Glover—Plays (Savant)m •• Nicole
Mary Halvorson Amaryllis—Cloudwardm • (Nonesuch)
Helias—Snapshot (Radio Legs Music)e • Mark
I Am Three (Nikolaus Neuser,
Eberhard, Christian Marien)—n SilkeIn Other Words (Leo)
Itabashi—Watarased • Fumio(Denon-Wewantsounds)e • David Leon—Bird’s Eye (Pyroclastic)
Lateef—Atlantis Lullaby: The Concertd • Yusef
From Avignon (Elemental Music)• Charles Lloyd—The Sky Will Still Be There(Blue Note)n • Tomorrow
Tim Motzer/Gregg Bendian—The Eternale (1K Recordings)
Ensemble—Hold That Thoughtw • NRG(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s

• Baden Powell—The girl from Ipanema:
Live in Liege (Fremeaux & Associes)• Dave Rempis, Pandelis Karayorgis,
Jakob Heinemann, Bill Harris—Truss(Aerophonic/Driff)• Brandon Ross Phantom Station—
Off The End (Sunnyside)• Angelica Sanchez/Chad Taylor—
A Monster Is Just An Animal You Haven’t
Met Yet (Intakt)• Terton (Louie Belogenis, Trevor Dunn, Ryan
Sawyer)—Outer, Inner, Secret (Tzadik)• Fay Victor Herbie Nichols SUNG—
Life Is Funny That Way (TAO Forms)

Perpetual Void
Marta Sánchez (Intakt)
by Matty BannondI n the city that never sleeps, Marta Sánchez

could not sleep—for two and a half years. Acuteinsomnia arrived in late 2020 when her mother died
unexpectedly. Nighttime hours crawled past in grief’s
twisting vacuum. The Brooklyn-based pianist from
Madrid now captures the character of those desolatemonths in Perpetual Void, her fifth album as leader.
Sánchez’ recordings as leader have most frequently
featured a pair of saxophonists, but Perpetual Void isa piano trio with Chris Tordini (bass) and Savannah
Harris (drums). Eleven original tracks showcase thecompositional intricacy and emotional candor thatmark her previous albums. But there’s more freeplaying here, with deeper interactions and higher
tolerance for turmoil.
The album includes the topsy-turvy “29B”, with
its right-hand runs leading listeners around a maze ofEscher-like staircases. Subdued bass and percussion
try to cool the fire, but Sánchez refuses to listen
until a late drop-out where Tordini is permitted
to speak uninterrupted. Reviews of Sánchez’ workoften overlook the spirit of fun that shines throughher playing. Look no further than “3:30 am”, with
its restless foot-tapping rhythm, or the contrasting“The End of That Period” and its quieter and gentler
flow, shadows burned away and corners of themouth trending upwards. Harris’ overall rhythmic
contributions are an asset to the album, and especiallystand out on each of these tracks. Two short solo pieces(improvised after the group session) serve as ballad
preludes and Sánchez displays an assertive approachto the keyboard that sounds closer to a firmly plucked
harp than piano. Both feature cyclical passages thatevoke a trapped feeling, but there’s a more pronounced
sense of exhaustion and loneliness here.
Perpetual Void may deal with dark subject matter,but it also audibly offers pockets of brilliant lighttoo. Without saxophones monopolizing center stage,
listeners will get to better observe and appreciate
Sánchez, unobscured. The pianist takes big risks whileexerting rigorous control—and her expressive powers
never sleep.

noisy, free-for-all mindset. The two lead the bonkers
no wave-meets-metal foursome Sweet Banditry, while
as The Home of Easy Credit, the pair team up forelectronics-manipulated space jazz. And that’s naming
only two of their many adventurous projects. Ephemeris
can now be added to that list.
For those expecting the kind of skronky wallop
the husband and wife are known for, say in Sweet
Banditry, you may be in for a bit of a shock. The band’s
eponymously titled album finds the Denmark-based
Jensen and Blancarte joining forces with New York
City-based Carol Liebowitz (piano, vocals) and John
Bernard Wagner (drums), forming a cooperative freeimprovisational quartet which leans more towards
control over chaos. Upon its inception in 2010, thegroup first made their mark as an occasional live outfit
locally in NYC. Fourteen long years in the making, theirdebut recording has finally arrived and it’s a blissedout masterstroke of 21st century improvised music.
One can argue that in this day and age, improvised
recordings are a dime a dozen. That may be true, but
Ephemeris is the real deal. The set’s five marathonlength pieces showcase four distinct voices centralizing
each of their strengths and emerging as one single,
laser-focused unit. Blancarte and Wagner provided thebass and drums on Thousandfold (2009) in the Adam
Caine Trio, so a rhythmic kinship was already in place
and that deep-seated rapport continues here—albeit
with a more delicate restraint. The two combine as thepulsating heart who guide each dazzling and spiritedimprovisation. With relative ease, this quartet conjures
a meditative and healing aura. Sure, there are plentyof moments that are busy but there’s something about
Jensen’s warm tone and entrancing patterns on altoand soprano saxophones and flute, and Liebowitz’
lilting piano lines, that provide beauty and catharsis
throughout the set. “Gnomon”, the stunning 17-minutelong opening track, is worth the price alone: frenetic yet
breezy, it features Jensen and Liebowitz in call-andresponse mode. One long passage finds Jensen blowing
gorgeously thoughtful muses on alto and flute while
Liebowitz reacts with dizzying and melodic phrases.
What is gleaned from the dynamic listening
experience Ephemeris provides is Jensen, Liebowitz,
Blancarte and Wagner are musical kindred spirits
complete with an overtly expressive language only theyseemingly share.

play historical instruments from the 17th and 18th
centuries): Christina Bouey (first violin), Rhiannon
Banerdt (second violin), Colin Brookes (viola) andGrace Ho (cello). The movements begin and end withan andante (moderately slow), two scherzos (fast) and aslow adagio in the middle. The first movement borrows
the chord progression favored by Dizzy Gillespie;
Nicolas discovered that he wrote his strongest melodies
in eighth notes, much like bebop tunes. The adagio
stands out for its melancholy tone, beautiful melody
and gorgeous ending. And the upbeat “Scherzo II”
reveals many unexpected, delightful twists and turns.
Daniel Yvinec, the album’s producer, suggested
adding jazz elements to the recording, and so Nicolas
wrote new variations for a jazz quartet, inviting
Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Sullivan Fortner (piano) and Bill
Stewart (drums). The jazz tracks mirror the structureof the multi-movement “Le Miroir”, as the bassist
takes over some cello parts, establishes the heartbeat
and rhythm and creates a warm, reverberating sound.
Pelt improvises on the melody played by the first
violin, inviting complexity. Fortner adds flow andspontaneity, while Stewart imparts a solid, often
tender foundation. The energetic and playful “Parallels
to Andante Moderato” allows for bouncing bass
rhythms and sparkling piano runs, while the trumpeter
provides a lovely melody and improvisation. “Shadowof Adagio” is the most compelling track: gorgeous
and warm in tone, it contains a beautiful section for
Fortner, responding to the bassist, before Pelt comes inand takes the lead.
The Contrapuntist’s classical and jazz versions are
sure to equally captivate listeners.
For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com. The Clovis
Nicolas Quartet is at Smalls Apr. 9. See Calendar.

INTERPRETATIONSSEASON 34 2024

For more info visit marsken.com. Ephemeris’ album release
concert is at Ibeam Brooklyn Apr. 6. See Calendar.

DAVID BEHRMAN

For more info visit intaktrec.ch. Sanchez’ album release
concert is at The Jazz Gallery Apr. 27. See Calendar.

APR 11THU

The Contrapuntist
Clovis Nicolas (Sunnyside)by Anna Steegmann

Ephemeris
Ephemeris (Marsken)
by Brad Cohan

F or those wise to the often-intersecting musical pathsof Danish-American saxophonist Louise Dam Eckhardt
Jensen and Texas-born bassist Tom Blancarte (partners
in life and creativity) know they’ve operated with a

If you love classical music and jazz, this Grammynominated album is for you. A jazz bassist from his early
beginnings, Clovis Nicolas’ style is steeped in post-bop
and modern jazz. At Juilliard, he studied bass with Ron
Carter and classical composition and counterpoint withKendall Briggs. He has since become a valued first-callmusician in his native France as well as New York andhas recorded with some of the best in the jazz world.
In The Contrapuntist, Nicolas has assembled astellar group of collaborators in both genres for this,his fourth album. Adding a unique beauty and emotion
to “Le Miroir” (five movements he wrote for string
quartet), he invited the Ulysses String Quartet (who

BEN NEILLTHOMAS BUCKNER

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Concert begins at 8:00pm.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 15

DROP THE NEEDLE

By Myself (Solo Cello)
Abdul Wadud (Bisharra-Gotta Groove)
by Kurt Gottschalk

The late cellist Abdul Wadud (who would have turned 77
this month) made his only solo statement on record in 1978
with By Myself (Solo Cello), the first album under his name.
By that time, he’d already recorded in groups led by Julius
Hemphill, George Lewis, Frank Lowe and Charles “Bobo”
Shaw, as well as with the Black Unity Trio. He had also
earned a master’s in music performance from Stony Brook
University and toured with Stevie Wonder, conducting
the orchestra for live performances of Wonder’s The SecretLife of Plants. He was on the rise and taking with him an
instrument which was an anomaly in jazz.
In an era when free expression, stream-ofconsciousness playing and uninhibited abandonmentof the trappings of genre were the avant garde vogue,
and when solo instrumental albums were almost a derigueur announcement of personal identity, Wadud’s By
Myself is often unabashedly melodious, even at times(and meant without the damnation of faint praise) quite
pretty. His arco pulls at the heartstrings. Some passages
are harp-like, others veritably swing. There’s boogie andblues in his fleet-fingered playing. Released on Wadud’s
own imprint, Bisharra (the name taken from the Arabic
word for “good news”), in a run of less than 1,000, it
hadn’t been reissued until the current pressing by
Gotta Groove, undertaken at Wadud’s initiative before
his death in August 2022 (the label, based in Wadud’s
hometown of Cleveland, also reissued the sole Black
Unity Trio album, 1969’s Al-Faithah, in 2021.)
Wadud started on saxophone, but picked up thecello, which became his primary instrument, when
he was in fourth grade. It remains an anomaly in jazz,
although maybe a little bit less so now. But, if so, it’sto his credit. In a multiple-author piece headlined “5Minutes That Will Make You Love the Cello”, which ran
in The New York Times last year, fellow cellist Tomeka
Reid selected the track “Camille” from By Myself. “I lovethe freedom and creativity in his playing,” she wrote.
“He uses the whole range of the cello and moves between
lyrical, free playing and groove with ease, something I
strive to do in my own work.”
Wadud left the music industry in 1992, living thefinal 30 years of his life away from the stage. In hindsight,
it’s a narrow window of recorded documentation we
have of his particular, and genuinely touching, artistry.
By himself, Wadud made music that was utterly unique,and without fear of embracing the past.
For more info visit gottagrooverecords.com

NYC 1978
Evan Parker (Relative Pitch)
Etching The Ether
Trance Map+ (Intakt)
by Mike Shanley

Evan Parker (who celebrates his 80th birthday thismonth) was on his first U.S. tour when he performed
alone at Environ over 45 years ago in October 1978, with
only his soprano and tenor saxophones at his disposal.
If it wasn’t clear at the start of the evening, his NYC
debut represented an artistic arrival, cemented when
he finished just over an hour later. The raw, in-theroom sound on NYC 1978 hints that Environ’s natural
reverb could add to acoustic performances. If that was
the case, Parker’s frequent altissimo choices must havetested the ears of anyone sensitive to high frequencies
that night. From the moment the saxophonist takes his
first circular breath, his soprano unleashes a brutal
wave of manic notes in “Environ 1”, with the fury of atorrential downpour.
Throughout the set, the speed of Parker’s delivery
can feel equal parts spellbinding and assaultive. Variety
comes in subtle reshaping of sounds that create bullet
fire and bird noises; his technique often creates thesound of duets with a ghost saxophonist. Brutal as it may
be, beauty can also be found in the unrelentling focus of
his playing. When a piece ends, the silence almost feels
more jarring than a growl produced by some flutter-

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tongued technique. The final track, perhaps tellingly,
sounds the closest to “standard” soprano blowing, withfragments that betray a John Coltrane inspiration. It’s
not an easy listen but a deep one.
Parker’s approach hasn’t exactly mellowed in thenearly half century since NYC 1978, yet his performancefeels more cautious and thoughtful in the company of
his Trance Map+ comrades. The production on Etching
the Ether places Parker in the right channel, while
trumpeter Peter Evans resides in the left, making theirreactions to one another stand out in higher relief,
while Matthew Wright’s electronics and sound design
lurk behind both players. Percussionist Mark Nauseef’scontributions were added to these three tracks after
the trio’s improvisations, along with more treatments
to the electronics—not that listeners can easily detect
what was amended later. Nauseef’s bells and chimes
move in tandem with Wright’s drones, making theirpresence known slowly at the start of each piece. The
20-minute “Drawing Breath” features an ever-changing
array of textures and exchanges. Evans and Parker bothsound inquisitive at first, with trumpet approximating
both a saxophone and a kitten, while the soprano enterssounding like a flute. When Wright builds in structure,
Parker blends in with a drone and Evans cuts loose ina wild flurry of notes. The electronicist’s sonic brew
in “Engaged in Seeking” sounds, at one point, likeeither a choir of angels or security alarms going off.
Throughout it all, the music maintains a flow that eachplayer accents and shapes with precision.

would befit a DIY noise music festival, a drone
performance or a classical music concert hall. Sonically,
Mattrey embraces a wide musical spectrum where hersound-worlds can fit in a variety of settings. It’s her useof prepared viola, a technique used to achieve uniqueresonances from the strings with myriad objects andcontraptions, that creates the feeling that there’s morethan one individual playing. Mattrey is a multi-tasker,
masterful at filling and layering the spaces and crevices
with dissonant chimes, clanging and clatter. The intense
physicality of which she plays viola and the tromba
marina (a triangular bowed instrument built specificallyby guitarist Webb Crawford) results in rapid-fire salvos
and ear-splitting tones. The experiments throughout
are also very percussive due to Mattrey’s object rattling.
“Sing Out”, “Beginnings” and “Always” nearly capture
the feel of a drummer improvising along, providing
fractured and banging rhythms.
Soulcaster may pierce some ears but it’s pureexhilaration.
For more info visit noticerecordings.bandcamp.com. Mattrey
is at Roulette Apr. 18. See Calendar.

For more info visit relativepitchrecords.com and intaktrec.ch

Novoa/Gress/Gray Trio, Volume 1
Eva Novoa (577 Records)
by Fred Bouchard

SoulcasterJoanna Mattrey (Notice Recordings)
by Brad Cohan

New York City just might well be the string instrument

capital of music, especially considering the groundswellof boundary-crushing violists and violinists who aretaking the strings to whole other levels of deconstructedmajesty. Just to name a few, Jessica Pavone, Erica
Dicker, gabby fluke-mogul and Sana Nagano represent
a contingent of the radical heavyweights making
indelible marks in the string scene.
Joanna Mattrey is another noteworthy player
blazing new and exciting trails in the experimental
and new music pantheon. A composer, improviser
and sound artist, her unorthodox techniques findher pushing the limits of the viola with take-noprisoners force. Mattrey yields a boundless paletteof textures, tones and patterns that are free from any
and all compromise. That ostensible modus operandi
is evidenced by the like-minded company she keeps:
collaborations include recordings with cutting-edge
luminaries such as cellist Leila Bordreuil, violinist
Biliana Voutchkova and multi-instrumentalist Elliott
Sharp. On her first two solo sets, veiled (2020) and Dirge(2021), Mattrey challenged listeners with a bracing
confluence of classical contemporary and noise music
fused with forms of folk. Soulcaster, her third solo
album, also probes similar sonic planes but pushes thesound envelope even further towards the cosmos. It’s
just as punishing, if not more so, than previous efforts
as she ups the ante with a high-octane strings picking,plucking and tapping onslaught that is mind-bendingly
virtuosic. In other words, Mattrey shreds.
The eleven pieces that make up the new album

Barcelona-born, Brooklyn-based pianist, Eva Novoa’s
latest release features a deceptively gentle, genial
session with savvy veteran bassist Drew Gress andfeather-light drummer Devin Gray. Novoa typicallywrites all her material; hear her five albums on Fresh
Sound New Talent, or her prior trio album, Novoa/
Kamaguchi/Cleaver Trio, Volume 1 (also on 577 Records).
Here on Novoa/Gress/Gray Trio, Volume 1, the trio
executes six pieces (two takes of serene waltz “Indigo
Blue” bookend the release) with a formal deliberationthat belies their melodically exploratory and deadpan playful nature. Every note rings bell-clear andintentional. Frills and pyrotechnics have no space.
Measured pace and pleasing symmetry characterize
this seasoned ensemble’s ease in evoking an ideal orderand aplomb associated with the music of the spheres.
The leader presents her themes with fresh
directness, often in emphatic, intricate unisons with
Gress, as well as Gray. Tunes built on these angularlines launch probing, sometimes free-form, digressions.
“Lapsus” (etched cameos for bass and drums) and“Miss Celebrity” (blues-ish out-bound piano all theway) invoke the spiky ruminations of Lennie Tristano(Novoa studied with his acolyte Sal Mosca), as Tempe
Hernández’ rough-cut collage cover art takes us backto ’50s Prestige LPs. Effects are few, beyond electronic
whispers spun by the bassist’s modular synth thathovers like space dust around the austere, majestic“Rocket Man”. Yet mock seriousness creeps into “TheDrama of the Stolen Bouquet”, a semi-formal minuet
showcasing Gress’ archaic arco, poetically pedaled
piano, starchy trills and abrupt ending. And sly humor
pervades “Sushi at 6” with Gray’s breezy cymbal
whooshes. A reprise of the opener may remind us of thehushed lyricism of Catalan composer Frederic Mompou(1893-1987). Looking forward to the trio’s Volume Two,and Novoa’s regional engagements.
For more info visit 577records.com. Novoa’s album release
concert is at Ibeam Brooklyn Apr. 24. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 17

“Bonga” and “Moonbow” (all from Ellington’s suite,
Afro-Bossa) in which the nonet sounds just as massive
as any full-size big band.

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Harmolodic Duke
Matt Lavelle (Unseen Rain)
Hodges Front and Center, Vol. Two
Owen Broder (Outside In Music)
Blues To Be There (A Salute To Duke Ellington)
Planet D Nonet (Eastlawn)
by Elijah Shiffer

There are seemingly infinite ways to interpret a catalog
of music as vast as Duke Ellington’s, who composed
about 3,000 titles and whose 125th birthday anniversaryis this month. And each of these tribute albums takes
a very different approach, though all three wellencapsulate the composer/bandleader’s trademark
elegance and nuance in their own way. One of the few
threads that unite these albums is their focus on lesserknown repertoire from the universe of Ellingtonia.
The most unusual of the three, Harmolodic Duke, bymulti-instrumentalist Matt Lavelle, explores Ellington
themes through the lens of Ornette Coleman’s harmolodic
concept. Lavelle, here playing trumpet, alto clarinet
and piccolo clarinet, is joined in a unique trio lineup of
Claire Daly (baritone) and Chris Forbes (piano). Though
this is certainly an avant garde album, it is never merely
experimental for the sake of experimentation. The
harmonic and melodic abstraction adds an extra layer;
the source material is never far away. In songs including“Dusk Piece” (based on “Dusk”, Ellington’s 1940 moodpiece that has echoes of “Mood Indigo”), these players
show a reverent depth of feeling for the original melody,no matter how wild their lines get. The album’s wideopen sound recalls small-group Ellington recordingssuch as Money Jungle. In an alto clarinet/baritone duoversion of “Prelude to a Kiss”, Lavelle plays the bridge
as a countermelody to the main theme stated by Daly—amischievously clever bit of rearranging that shouldn’t
work but somehow does.
Ellington’s superstar alto player, Johnny Hodges ishonored in Hodges Front and Center, Vol. 2, a satisfying
example in which saxophonist Owen Broder continues
to pay homage to Hodges, whose magical tone has
never been replicated. Most of the songs here are
originally from Hodges’ small-group recordings,
with and without Ellington. Though this is not anadventurous album per se, it’s nice to hear new versionsof obscure Hodges compositions such as “Used To Be
Duke” and “Big Smack”. Broder (alto, baritone) andRiley Mulherkar (trumpet) form a tight front line over a
hard-swinging rhythm section of Carmen Staaf (piano),
Barry Stephenson (bass) and Bryan Carter (drums). The
most exciting soloist here is the pianist, who digs in with
an Ellington-esque attack, particularly on the album’s
three blues. The leader cuts loose on the blues as well,especially in an arrangement of W.C. Handy’s “SaintLouis Blues”, based on Hodges and Ellington’s sextet
recording (Back To Back, 1959). The leader channels that
Hodges smoothness on alto for Billy Strayhorn’s “TheStar-crossed Lovers”; on baritone he gets into a Gerry
Mulligan bag for “Back Beat” and “Shady Side” (which
Hodges originally recorded with Mulligan).
The Detroit-based Planet D Nonet salutes theDuke with Blues To Be There, a collection of mostly rare
Ellington compositions from the ’60s and ’70s, with afew old chestnuts thrown in. This miniature big bandhas an exuberant, blues-drenched sound, a little rougharound the edges but full of exciting personalities.
Tenor saxophonist Chris Tabaczynski stands out as
an extroverted soloist in the vein of Ellington’s Paul
Gonsalves, whose astounding performance at Newportin 1956 revitalized the Ellington band’s popularity; healso contributes spicy New Orleans-flavored clarinet
on the title track. Latin grooves are where this band
really comes together, especially on “Purple Gazelle”,

18 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

For more info visit unseenrainrecords.bandcamp.com,
outsideinmusic.com and eastlawnrecords.com. Ellington
125th birthday tributes are at Harlem Stage Gatehouse with
“Pianos for Duke Reimagined” Apr. 26-27 and Dizzy’s Club
with Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra Apr. 29. See Calendar.

Elegy for TheloniousFrank Carlberg Large Ensemble (Sunnyside)by Fred Bouchard

Shakespeare’s

Marc Antony, eulogizing Julius
Caesar, declaimed: “I come to bury Caesar, not topraise him.” Composer/leader Frank Carlberg, in
two Large Ensemble tributes to Thelonious Monk,
first flipped his wig and now flips the script. Monk
Dreams, Hallucinations and Nightmares (Red Piano, 2017)ebulliently and often playfully celebrated the quirky
legacy of The Monastic One, while this sequel, Elegy for
Thelonious, as much furious rant as mournful, slams thecrypt door shut. Personnel remains almost the same; themain shift is Carlberg replacing himself with brilliant
pianist Leo Genovese, who offers staggering keyboard
solos, mostly electronic, and rich piano filigree. Longtime vocalist/collaborators Christine Correa and Priya
Carlberg chant as spectral Furies limning doom. Whatelse changed? Did COVID-19 cloud Carlberg’s rearview mirror? Is he experiencing Kubler-Ross’ Stage #2
of grief, anger as the specter of death looms?
Carlberg’s obscurantist vision kicks in at the get-gowith a mashup of “Tea for Two” and “Skippy” (Monk’s
tricky tack, its title anagrammed). Correa funereallydrones Caesar-Youmans’ cheery verse, conjuring Irene
Aebi—deadpan Sybil and Steve Lacy muse—then launches
the chorus only as the saxophone section superimposes
Monk’s wild 32-bar spin, followed by Adam Kolker’s
ripping tenor, David Adewumi’s uproarious trumpet anda rip-snort tutti. Raw materials throughout are snippetsof Monk’s rare, difficult, underperformed pieces.
Charts get buried in dense orchestrations: spiked with
impatient ostinati (“Brake’s Sake” fluttering under HeryPaz’ incandescent tenor) or brooding phantasmagoria(“Gallop’s Gallop” under Kirk Knuffke’s musing cornet).
Hard to winkle out is Monk’s spiraling melody in“Wrinkle on Trinkle [Tinkle]”, but Jeremy Udden (alto)
and John Carlson (trumpet) shine forth. A somewhat
straight-ahead “Locomotive” has Correa chop the foursyllables into a frenzied mantra as Nathan Reising steamson alto, Rahul unleashes sibilant station sounds, and theband stutter-steps into head-on collision.
Centerpiece “Elegy” rears up from a poem to
Monk (with quiet horn licks) into William Monk’s 1880
hymn “Abide With Me”—a single horns-only chorale
on Monk’s Music (Riverside, 1957)— with muted hornscrolls building into a layered beast of hammering
horns, and Genovese’s eerie keyboard fantasia an
insistent, warning death-knell by piano. From a black
cover, Carlberg stares out sternly to remind us: “Monkhas been dead 40 years. We miss him.” We get it, Frank;
we miss Monk, too. I hope that, to complete a trilogy oftributes, Carlberg may rekindle Monk’s cerulean corpus
into his vision of a sanctified if surreal resurrection.
For more info visit sunnysiderecords.com. Carlberg’s album
release concert is at Dizzy’s Club Apr. 2. See Calendar.

DANCE CLARINETS
plays the music of

HOWARD JOHNSON’S GRAVITY
and highlights from past Greenwich House Music School
jazz clarinet concerts including compositions by:

Joseph Daley
James Jabbo Ware
Todd Marcus
Horace Silver
Thelonious Monk
Julius HemphillWed, April 24
7:30 pm$20 at the door
Directed by J.D. Parran
Greenwich House Music School
greenwichhousemusicschool.org
46 Barrow Street, NYC
212-242-4770

Manhattan
School of Music

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Jazz, Culture & Social Justice:Soundtrack of America’s Art Form
Dr. Pascal Bokar Thiam(ABG Enterprises Publishers/CDP)
by Sophia Valera Heinecke

Jazz, Culture & Social Justice: Soundtrack of America’s
Art Form is a unique historical review that connects thecultures of West Africa’s great medieval empires (Ghana,
Mali and Songhai) to their influences on America’s jazzart form. Using sections/categories/designations such as
period, historical context, artistic movements, backlashes,
the book focuses on the mysteries of jazz by creating a“human and cultural map for jazz.” This map has noborders, but all its original roads radiate from Africa. The
late Malian guitar legend Ali Farka Touré explained in
1990: “...in anthropology, Black Americans… that does
not exist, but they are Blacks in America, which meansthat they came with their culture.”
The book traces the richness of this idea byilluminating the mycelial network of people, groups andmovements reciprocally influencing both the action andreflection of the conceivers and receivers of the music.
The author does not shy away from discussing thespiritual roots that impact the rituals of the creation of a
new culture (jazz in the American context) and rhythm.
“It is paramount that we understand that African
communities are ternary in rhythmic expression... What
does that mean? It means that in African communities, allsubdivisions of time are a functional and physical realityof a feel of 3 against 2 as triplet over 2, or 6 against 4, or 6
against 8, or 12 against 8 but never binary.” The rebellious
spirit of jazz needs to mirror defiance and resistance,
freedom in restraint, making it a spirited symbol of socialchange. Thiam is a musician and historian first and awriter second. This text can be utilized as a history of jazz
greats, but is best taken in as the story of peoples moved
across the world, by force, by choice or in rebellion.
The conclusion is striking: “In most urban parts of
the USA, jazz was an integral part of African American
culture, known for its rich history and artistic expression.
It no longer is.” It’s not a spoiler to state the reasoning:a “rupture from the Blues would have been unthinkable
thirty years ago since the Blues reigned as the supreme
cultural aquifer.” As the story of jazz is yanked further andfurther away from Africa, from Blackness, Jazz, Culture, &Social Justice: Soundtrack of America’s Art Form implores us
not to forget that jazz, is an “art form emanating from theAfrican American communities [that] lifted this nation to
the status of a cultural superpower.”
For more info visit pascalbokar.com

Truth to PowerBlack Art Jazz Collective (HighNote)by Jim Motavalli

T he Black Art Jazz Collective (BAJC) was foundedin 2012 by Wayne Escoffery and Jeremy Pelt. Truth toPower is the group’s fourth release in its mission to
draw attention to social and political concerns throughan African American lens and jazz. In this pursuit, thegroup (composed of nine members) makes its strong
statement with bristling but accessible straight-aheadbop, respectful of the tradition it builds upon. BAJC
also specifically aims to honor and preserve the art ofsome of the progenitors of jazz who inspired, hired
and mentored them. The band, with past compositions
such as Escoffery’s “Involuntary Servitude” and Pelt’s“For the Kids” (both from Ascension, the band’s prior
HighNote release), thus exemplifies the mission thefounders set out to accomplish.
The ten tracks of Truth to Power begins withpianist Xavier Davis’ “Black Heart”, featuring an
introduction that recalls Stanley Cowell’s “Waiting
for the Moment”. Escoffery and Pelt play theattractive head, before the saxophonist digs in with
dense, melodic tenor. The trumpeter’s solo dances
on top of the rhythm section, followed by trombonist

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Stephen Sorokoff, Broadway World

Antonio Ciacca
April 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 17, 19 & 20
Jill McCarron
April 4, 11, 18 & 25
Adrian Galante
April 24, 26 & 27

Wednesday through Saturday
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20 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

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James Burton III, who delivers an open-hearted
turn. Drummer Johnathan Blake’s “The Fabricator”
showcases Davis’ Fender Rhodes which convincingly
helps bring the carbon back a half-century to the ’70s.
Escoffery’s title tune (informed by George Floyd’s
murder) is a gem of a track; it passionately cooks
while spotlighting the composer as well as trumpeters
Josh Evans and Wallace Roney, Jr. who together havesome fine escalating interactions over Davis’ fluidlines on the Rhodes keyboard. Pelt’s “It’s Alright”,
carried by the trombone playing of Burton, lopes
along nicely, while Escoffery’s “Lookin’ for Leroy”,
played at a running pace, is about dealing with thegroup’s many handlers as they pass through airports.
Blake’s forceful drumming near the end of this takedeserves special mention.
At just over an hour, Truth to Power is a bountiful
feast of purposeful music from what has become an
enduring ensemble with an underlying message andmission.

(including a sumptuous solo on “Cora’s Tune” and ascintillating one on “Sin Filtro”), other musicians also
shine: Billy Test (“Back in the Groove”), vocalist Sabeth
Pérez (“All the Pretty Horses”, Gilkes’ interpretationof the traditional lullaby), flugelhornist Andy Haderer(Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “This Nearly Was Mine“,
on which his playing is achingly lyrical) and tenor
saxophonist Paul Heller (“Sugar Rush”, on which heromps through a quicksilver tempo).
For more info visit alternatesiderecords.weebly.com. Gilkes
is at Birdland with Ryan Keberle’s All Ears Orchestra
Apr. 14. See Calendar.

LIVE ATLPR

FOR TICKETS AND INFOVISIT LPR.COM
SCAN THE QR CODE FOR ALL
UPCOMING JAZZ SHOWSFor more info visit jazzdepot.com. Black Art Jazz Collective’s
album release concert is Minton’s Apr. 18 and Smalls
Apr. 19-20. See Calendar.
Monash Sessions
Ingrid Jensen (Monash University)
by Ken Dryden

LifeSongs
Marshall Gilkes and the WDR Big Band
(Alternate Side)by George Kanzler

L ifeSongs is the third album Marshall Gilkes hashelmed with the WDR (West German Radio) Big Band,an organization he was formerly a member of from2010-2013. A virtuoso trombonist, Gilkes is also an
ambitious, demanding composer-arranger, creating
intricate, complex charts that require astute execution(an ethic he gets from the WDR Big Band). It would be
hard to imagine an album this complex and this well
executed from a pick-up band in the U.S. The heydayof the big bands here is arguably long over (perhaps
with the notable exceptions of the Jazz at Lincoln
Center Orchestra, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Afro
Latin Jazz Orchestra and Vanguard Jazz Orchestra).
In Western Europe, however, big bands continue tothrive; resident bands such as the WDR are funded
and supported by national cultural institutions,which include state-run or public radio stations. This
dynamic is why much of the best large-ensemble jazz
being produced and released in this century emanatesfrom Western Europe.
Many of the nine tracks (seven originals by Gilkes)
unfold like mini-suites or mini-concertos, with multiple
sections, often including passages sans rhythm section.
“Fresh Start”, the opener, is one of those mini-concertos,
with Gilkes’ trombone leading, soloing and interactingwith sections of the band, including dialoguing withhorns a cappella. The longest and most impressive
selection is “Middle Ground”, a feature for trombones
and orchestra. Adding a fifth trombone (Andy Hunter),the piece begins with a stately chorale from the five,segueing into a mid-tempo introduced by full orchestra
with trombonists Ludwig Nuss and Raphael Klemm
soloing singly and in tandem. Another brass chorale,with solos erupting, morphs into an Afro-Latin rhythm
for alternating solos from Gilkes and Hunter, and a
big-band finale and closing brass chorale. Although
the leader is the main soloist and is consistently
inventive and authoritative on the majority of tracks

I ngrid Jensen is one of the top trumpeters of her
generation. She’s not only a skilled improviser, but
has honed her craft as a composer, bandleader andarranger, producing colorful, often dense works thatleave a lasting impression. For The Monash Sessions,
the NY-based Canadian performs four of her originals
with two different small ensembles of students from
Melbourne, Australia’s Sir Zelman Cowen School ofMusic and Performance at Monash University; it’s animpressive jazz program that has accompanied visiting
guests including bassist (and former Australia resident)
Linda May Han Oh, pianist Kenny Werner, trumpeter
Ralph Alessi, guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Mike
Nock and others. One unusual facet is that the guest
soloist and the bands were recorded separately due to
Melbourne’s extended COVID-19 lockdowns, although
the result sounds as if they performed together, largely
due to the perceived interaction between them.
Ensemble 1 consists of trombone, flute andtenor with piano, bass and drums, while Ensemble
2 includes two altos, trombone, guitar and rhythm
section. Jensen judiciously uses electronics, especiallyin her introductions. Ensemble 1 backs her on “Speech
Bubbles”, a multifaceted work that keeps switchinggears, beginning with a reggae-like cadence thenquickly shedding it to showcase her trumpet, buoyedby her colorful arranging of the horns, while thesoftness of the electric piano is the perfect backdrop.
The same group is heard on “Blues for the Birds”,
with one change being the switch to grand piano andelectric bass. Jensen soars and seems to converse withthe other horns, while strong solos by Jason Lambrau(piano), Max Raz-Liebman (bass), Yael Zamir (flute)and the bluesy playing of Caderyn Stonehouse (tenor)
add to its appeal. Ensemble 2 is added for the othertwo tracks. Jensen’s swirling, wistful playing is thecenterpiece of her contemporary sounding “Missing”,
though its sudden shift into a turbulent setting—with
the alto saxophones, guitar and trombone taking
the foreground—adds a touch of drama. The finale
is “Landings”, a driving post-bop vehicle wherein
Jensen seems to fade into the background and give thestudents room to blow.
Monash Sessions is another important (though all
too brief) addition to Ingrid Jensen’s discography.
For more info visit arts.monash.edu Jensen is at Birdlandwith Ryan Keberle’s All Ears Orchestra Apr. 14 and Dizzy’s
Club with Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra
Apr. 16. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 21

Find Letter X
Kate Gentile (Pi Recordings)
by Ken Waxman

I n a bold statement that’s two-thirds metal andone-third
melodic,
Brooklyn-based
drummer/
vibraphonist Kate Gentile has created a challenging
paradigm with Find Letter X. Gentile, who works with
innovators such as Tim Berne and ICE (International
Contemporary Ensemble), is joined by Kim Cass(acoustic and electric bass), Jeremy Viner (tenor,
clarinet, bass clarinet) and Matt Mitchell (piano,
Prophet-6, synthesizers, electronics). That lastelement is crucial in expanding sonics on many of the
41 tracks on this three-CD set. The percussionist andkeyboardist collaborated in shaping Gentile’s notes
and tones, plus Mitchell’s layered electronic samples
into transformative sequences that evolve alongside
the live playing. These elements are particularly
prominent on Iridian Alphabet and Senselessness(the first two discs), although Viner’s acoustic reedelaborations are somewhat lost amid the manipulated
electronics. Saxophone tones are most apparent when
he propels altissimo honks and screams. Assertive
reed contributions are more integrated on The Cosmic
Brain, the more acoustic third disc.

Not that there aren’t acoustic elements on the firsttwo discs, even on an early track like “subsurface”
explosive saxophone honks and wavering pianocomping harmonize before pivoting upwards to reed
triple tonguing and into a downward waterfall of
keyboard textures. More often, however, processed,
synthesized and manipulated whooshes and drones
are emphasized. This is particularly prominent on
the second disc with the interconnected “zislupmetnilyive tsoam ath”, “clovd 8” and “smother”. Stacked
wave forms on the first produce an exposition thatbriefly detonates rocket-launching-like roars andslide-whistle-like peeps before moving through thebrief second track to negate the meaning of “smother”.
Keyboard throbs and electric bass thumps join drum
ruffs to approximate heavy metal. But improv jazzroots are maintained when clarion clarinet tones waft
through the narrative.
Gentile’s percussion skills are constantly present
during these variations, with pounding drum
backbeats, heavy cymbal shakes or concise metal bar
shimmers. Often this outreach is in tandem with reedsmears or bell-like keyboard echoes. But it’s only the
final disc that Cass gets to assert himself, as when his
repeated bass string stops introduce “spectrescope”.
To affirm these acoustic variations, double bass
movements are coordinated with flowery pianoslides, linear clarinet peeps and restrained drumpops. Different harmonizations take into accountMIDI-shaped and manipulated sound samples,but they’re integrated rather than dominating thenarratives. Because of this dynamic, there’s more
space for sophisticated call-and-response among
the instruments, as well as cascading high notes
and methodical expositions from the acoustic
piano, clarion tongue flutters and squeaks from theclarinet and unprocessed drum pops and rumbles,
plus, on “blankeye”, one minute of unaccompanied
vibraphone shimmers.
Unlike electronic interfaces, the extended“quantum exits” could almost be a notated prelude.
The airy emphasis is created by split-tone reed fluttersthat constantly ascend, swift key piano key clips andvibrating drum and cymbal motions.
With Gentile having packed so much of her many
identities into this set, perhaps an examination of one
disc at a time is necessary. No matter how Find Letter
X is consumed, in total it adds up to a major musicalproclamation.
For more info visit pirecordings.com. Gentile is at Rizzoli
Bookstore with Dave Douglas Apr. 28. See Calendar.

The Magician: Live in Jerusalem
Alon Farber’s HAGIGA (with Dave Douglas)(Origin)
Gifts
Dave Douglas (Greenleaf Music)
by Jim Motavalli

F ew musicians are as prolific as Dave Douglas, andunder review here is the great American trumpeterwith two vastly different projects, recorded continents
apart, one as sideman, one as leader on his own label.
Jazz albums recorded in New Jersey, that’s
pretty common, but we don’t see many coming out
of Jerusalem. The Israeli jazz scene is unquestionably
continuing to grow, and the talent there is top-notch.
For The Magician: Live in Jerusalem, saxophonist
Alon Farber has put together a great septet, onethat sounds like a much larger band. And a visit

22 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

from American trumpeter Douglas—who loves
international sounds—is certainly a big bonus: it’s,in essence, HAGIGA plus one. “Hagiga” meanscelebration, and that’s what this fine Israeli groupdoes with their American visitor. The collaboration,
recorded live (and very well, studio quality, might
I add), was part of the Jerusalem Jazz Festival at
the city’s Israel Museum last year. The trumpeter’s“Persistence of Memory” starts things out at a lope,then Farber (on soprano) enters with sinuous Middle
Eastern overtones, intertwining with Yehonatan
Cohen (clarinet). Following its strong theme,
Douglas takes it in a straight-ahead direction withenergized, unwavering high notes that are spot-on.
Oded Meir (trombone) displays a well-rounded tone,
propulsively pushed by Assaf Hakimi (bass) withcolorful support from Katia Toobool (piano). The
title composition is sleight of hand from Farber’s pen,reminiscent of Mingus in its writing and maybe evenRahsaan Roland Kirk (e.g. “Volunteered Slavery”).
Drummer Roy Oliel’s ticking affects build tension
under Douglas’ forthright trumpet solo. Halfway
in, the tempo picks up with a fiery alto saxophonefeature from the leader. “Farbalak” (written by Farberwith Yonatan Albalak) is taken at a mid-tempo andfull of call-and-response, while the leader’s “Minuet
for Maya” benefits from his extended excursion on
soprano saxophone. Kicked off by bassist Hakimi,“Spring Ahead” (another of the trumpeter’s originals)
is a marvel of collective improvisation, revealing that
this is a marvelous ensemble capable of telepathic
musical communication within intricate passages,
while never allowing any one piece to ever lose its
coherence.
The trumpeter’s Gifts (recorded in Brookyn lastyear) features James Brandon Lewis (tenor on five
tracks), Rafiq Bhatia (guitar) and Ian Chang (drums),
the latter two from the post-rock trio Son Lux. Bass?
No need. The group tackles four Billy Strayhorn
songs, plus six Douglas originals. The album’s
title track, also Gift’s longest cut, is brooding,with Bhatia and Douglas up front jointly building
tension, before Lewis emerges from the ensemble
halfway in. The leader’s solo is reflective, andwhen the band returns in full, there’s a continuing,
inviting elegiac quality. “Kind of Teal” (inspired byMiles Davis and originally called “Teal in Green”)
is a nice albeit loose nod to Kind of Blue’s “Blue inGreen”, credited to Davis but sounding like andspeculatively attributed to his pianist at the time,Bill Evans. There’s some melancholy, but Chang
gives it an attractive rhythmic bounce. The strong
Strayhorn reinterpretations start with “Blood Count”(written by its composer who was dying of cancer inthe hospital), which Douglas says, when he heard
Charles Lloyd play it, it was like a punch “in thegut.” Here, Sun Ra’s lovely take on swing tunes alsocomes to mind. It retains the spirit of the original
but updates it too. Though it could have ended after
five minutes, that’s where guitarist Bhatia comes inwaving his John McLaughlin electric flare gun. “Takethe ‘A’ Train” travels far from its familiar Ellington
moorings, though it still swings and convincingly
lets you know the fastest way to get to Harlem,
while “Rain Check” thrives off its backbeat and coolguitar/trumpet interplay. Douglas’ “Seven YearsAgo” emerged from the author as Donald Trump
took office: the mood suggests something dark on
the horizon, evoking William Butler Yeats’ line about
the “rough beast, its hour come round at last” andslouching towards Bethlehem to be born. Listeners
who want something more mood-enhancing might
check out the trumpeter’s “Third Dream”, thepenultimate track, a spare melody embedded withchildlike goodwill (and crying out for lyrics).
For more info visit originarts.com and greenleafmusic.com.
Douglas is at Rizzoli Bookstore Apr. 28. See Calendar.

Friday, April 26 at 9 PM
Zankel Hall

Antonio Sánchez
Special Quintet
Antonio Sánchez is a masterful drummer, bandleader,and orchestrator of all manner of jazz-rooted musicalfusions. He debuts a brand-new all-star quintet in thisperformance, featuring saxophone giants Joe Lovano
and Chris Potter, and a dream-team rhythm section
completed by pianist Joey Calderazzo and bassist
Larry Grenadier.

Antonio Sánchez

Joe Lovano

Chris Potter

Joey Calderazzo

Larry GrenadierThis concert and The Joyce and George T. Wein Shape of Jazz series are made possible by the Joyce andGeorge Wein Foundation.
Presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Absolutely Live Entertainment LLC.

carnegiehall.org | 212-247-7800
Box Office at 57th and Seventh

Artists, programs, dates, and ticket prices
subject to change. © 2024 Carnegie Hall.
Photos: Lovano by Aquapio Films, Ltd.; Potter
by Dave Stapleton; Calderazzo by ChrisCharles; Grenadier by Juan Hitters.

GhosT Train OrchestRa
AND
Kronos QuARteT
PLAY
with special guests

DAVID BYRNE
JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN
KAREN MANTLER
MARISSA NADLER

Tuesday
April 16, 2024

123 W 43RD ST NYC | THETOWNHALL.ORG
CONNECT: @TOWNHALLNYC

800-745-3000

Moving On
Jacky Terrasson (Naive/Believe - Earth Sounds)
by Keith Hoffman

Y ears before she bore him or even met his father,
French pianist Jacky Terrasson’s Georgia-bornmother Rhunette worked in New York with aninterior decorator. In the late ’50s, the decorator wascontracted to overhaul the large Upper West Side
apartment of a wealthy New York musician, whichhappened to be Miles Davis. A jazz lover, Terrasson’s
mom loved to listen to the trumpeter and his
bandmates rehearse every day, although she wasn’t
thrilled too much by the attention from his bassist.
After he understood all this better, the Berlin-born
Terrasson jokingly said to his mom: “Wait, what? My
dad could have been Paul Chambers?”
Immersed in this music his whole life, Terrasson
is now in the fourth decade of a storied career. His
newest recording, Moving On, is the work of a mature
artist confident in his repertoire, surrounded by someof the finest musicians in the world. He requires
only one thing of all the music he plays: “It has tosing,” the pianist told me recently. And sing it does,from beginning to end. Terrasson eschews multichorus, self-indulgent soloing for shorter, punchierand denser tunes. Of the album’s 15 tracks, eight are
Terrasson originals (and none of them filler). “Est ceque tu me suis” (“Do You Follow Me”) is co-writtenby the pianist with the marvelous French virtuoso
vocalist Camille Bertault. The precision and speed ofher attack is just stunning. This track also features
his “French Trio” members: Sylvain Romano (bass)and Lukmil Perez (drums).
The simple, inviting “R&B”, recently released
as a single, features a hummable melody; Terrasson
unleashessomebluesandfunk-drenchedpyrotechnics in his technically and emotionallyremarkable solo, with expert support from his“American Trio”: Kenny Davis (bass) and Alvester
Garnett (drums). You might think there was nothingleft to do with Erroll Garner’s “Misty”. You would
be wrong. Add the eminent Jabali Billy Hart andhis expert brush work on drums, and the swing is
infectious. Asked why he quoted Bird’s “Au Privave”
at the beginning of the melody, Terrasson was ever
the artist who believes utterly in his choices: “Did
I?,” he laughed, “I’m sure, because I heard it in thereat that moment.”
Moving On is an accessible, lovely recording by avirtuoso, with the depth and heft to hold up to a lotof listening, always revealing something more witheach spin.

to Wayne Shorter, sounds like something he could
have written—its stark melody bedded on rich,non-functional chords. “A Story” and “Unconscious
Whispers” are similarly surreal, the quintet exploding
into activity mid-way through the latter. Lund, whose
ethereal accompaniment is an essential ingredient of
the quintet’s sound, contributes his liveliest solo on
his tune “I Know You Know”. The bassist’s tightly
themed “Ritual” and the colorful harmonies of “A
Purpose” and “Cone of Silence” all serve as platforms
for some of Aldana’s most expressive tone-sculpting,her formerly hard-bop edge softened into slurs andsirens, her extensive vocabulary parsed to sparse,
succinct statements, making more with less means.
Where the road less traveled goes remains to beheard, but Aldana is to be applauded for valiantly
venturing down it in search of a sound of her own.
For more info visit bluenote.com. Aldana’s album release
concert is at Dizzy’s Club Apr. 9-10. See Calendar.

For more info visit jackyterrasson.com. Terrasson’s album
release concert is at Smoke Apr. 24-28. See Calendar.
Crossings Four
Ned Rothenberg (Clean Feed)by John Sharpe

R eedman Ned Rothenberg assembles a cast of

Echoes of the Inner Prophet
Melissa Aldana (Blue Note)by Tom Greenland

S ince her arrival on the New York scene in 2009, a time
when it was easier to hear her roots in Sonny Rollinsinspired hard-bop, santiaguina tenor saxophonist
Melissa Aldana has sought a road less traveled. Her
early trio work, documented on her first four albums,
featured well-digested vocabulary and a penchantfor extended but highly logical and lyrical phrases,
as well as a palpable generosity towards her rhythm
section. Her quartet, formed in 2017 with Lage Lund
(guitar), Pablo Menares (bass) and Kush Abadey(drums), documented on 2022’s 12 Stars, reveals an
overt shift towards a more intuitive, introspective
and impressionistic approach. On this year’s Echoesof an Inner Prophet (her sophomore album as leader
for Blue Note), she unfolds and expands what she
started on her previous two albums: playing fewer
notes, but with more nuanced shadings, eschewing
hard attacks for breathy swells, sliding/smearing/
scooping through pitches like a slide guitarist.
The group interactivity is even more extreme: inpart due to Lund, who co-composes, arranges andadds electronic enhancements, accompanying theleader with sparse, muted arpeggios. Pianist Fabian
Almazan, like Lund, prefers understatement toexaggeration, and finds spaces to add subtle touches
to the tenor saxophonist and guitarist’s interlaced
movements. Abadey is one of those drummers who
can create a lot of energy with just a few well-placed
punctuations, as he does on “The Solitary Seeker”.
And Menares, a santiguino who’s been with Aldana
since the beginning, ties it all together.
The album segues from track to track like a walkthrough a dreamscape. The title track, dedicated
24 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

downtown familiars under the banner Crossings Four.
The cat’s cradle of linkages between them goes far
and deep. Suffice it to say that Sylvie Courvoisier(piano), Mary Halvorson (guitar) and Tomas
Fujiwara (drums) are not only some of the best in
the business, but fully in sync with the leader’sschemes, and ready to supplement them with theirown considerable flair.
This group combines on a varied program ofthree Rothenberg compositions: a joint credit for
him and Courvoisier and two group inventions. But
even so, the charts allow ample scope for unscripted
expression. Sunny and upbeat, “Seersucker” opens
the album with an infectious bass clarinet riff, offset
by a shimmering guitar and piano counterline. As
the traces slacken, Rothenberg unleashes a series ofbeseeching, descending phrases, underpinned by
off-kilter piano, until further escapades lead to acircular drone that segues into the drifting ambienceof the collective “Sheets To The Wind”. Other pieces
retain that looseness, including “Quarantina”, where
brief written elements suddenly appear, coloring
the mood of the subsequent exchanges such as themarvelously bustling duet between the guitarist andpianist later in that same number.
“Tangled Tangos” lives up to its name with atension between impulse and improv, while still
making space for Fujiwara’s chatteringly propulsive
drum feature. However, even such unaccompanied
passages are not really grandstanding, more a caseof taking sole responsibility to move the narrative
forward. That choice also applies on the other groupconcoction “Breather”, notable for the restraint of its
interplay, which naturally integrates the solo spots
such as the cascades of Courvoisier’s introduction
and the bluesy, even klezmer tinges in Rothenberg’s
clarinet outro. To complete a neatly balanced
package, the leader’s “Bob And Weave” alternates
jaunty swing with mournful dirge to fine effect.
For more info visit cleanfeed-records.com. Rothenberg is
at Roulette with Jeffrey Schanzer Apr. 14. See Calendar.

SONYHALL.COM
212.997.5123
235 W 46 ST
BTW 7/8 AVE

Tenorlee
Lee Konitz (Candid)
Music for people, birds, butterflies &mosquitos
Jimmy Giuffre 3 (Candid)
by George Kanzler

M ined from the Candid Records 1970s catalog, thispair of albums feature two of the mid-20th century’s
most distinctive reed stylists: alto saxophonist Lee
Konitz (his four-year deathaversary is this month: hepassed away Apr. 15, 2020 at age 92) is heard here
in a rare (and first) recorded appearance on tenor
sax; and Jimmy Giuffre (he passed away 16 years ago
this month just shy of his 87th birthday), an original(Woody Herman) Four Brothers tenor saxophonist
who would embrace a panoply of reeds, most notably
clarinet and flute.
Tenorlee is basically a duo recording, with
Konitz’ tenor and Jimmy Rowles’ piano. Bassist
Michael Moore joins in on four of the 11 selections.
The repertoire is the American Songbook. Konitz
couldn’t have chosen a better pianist for the datethan Rowles, whose knowledge of standards wasencyclopedic—he had played most of them withthe likes of Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae andElla Fitzgerald. Between the first (duo) and second(trio) recording sessions for the album, West Coasttenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca (a friend of both
Konitz and Rowles) died, hence why Konitz decided
to make this an all tenor album; two trio tracks, “I
Remember You” and “Thanks for the Memory”
specifically honor the fallen tenorman. The former isnotable for Rowles’ unique solo, built on arpeggiatedscales and the emotional sax and piano codas. The
latter conjures the mood of West Coast swing. The
rapport between Konitz and Rowles is elegant, thetwo embracing the melodic nuances of standards
such as “Skylark”, “You Are Too Beautiful” and“’Tis Autumn”, as if the lyrics were embedded intheir instruments. An exception is the title trackthat begins with a solo tenor improvisation, which
segues into Lester Young’s 1936 version of “Lady
Be Good”—Konitz and Rowles (one whose first gigs
was with Young) remembering Prez’ solo in perfectunison.
Jimmy Giuffre returned to the recording studiofor the first time in a decade in late 1971 (his only
other recordings were live concert dates in Europe)for Music for people, birds, butterflies & mosquitos,
leading a trio with Kiyoshi Tokunaga (bass) andRandy Kaye (drums, percussion), his then working
trio. Giuffre had been developing a concept hedubbed “blues-based folk jazz” as well as modes
of interplay that presaged free jazz, while alsosuggesting minimalism. Only four of the twelve
tracks are longer than four minutes. The shorter
tracks often consist of a minimalist, folksy melody
or chant (two even include “chant” in the title). The
album’s longest piece, “Mosquito Dance” (whichclocks in at 5:40) features Giuffre’s flute (as dohalf of the tracks). “Dervish” is one of the album’s
more striking numbers, with Tokunaga slapping his
strings for overtone effect as Giuffre’s tenor swirls
and Kaye’s brushes rattle. The last track is genuinely
climactic: “Feast Dance” features wailing, Middle
Eastern clarinet undulations over arco bass, thebow adding percussion to the strings, while Kaye’s
cymbals shimmer.

For more info visit candidrecords.com

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Considerando
Ryan Keberle’s Collectiv do Brasil (Alternate Side)
Shooting Star – Étoile Filante
Reverso (Alternate Side)
by Keith Hoffman

W hen Whitworth University freshman Ryan Keberle
was in a physics lab writing code he had a revelation.
Months later he was 3,000 miles from hometown
Spokane, WA, enrolled at the Manhattan School ofMusic, playing trombone under the tutelage of Steve
Turre. Twenty-five years later—and now an eclectic
and accomplished musician whose C.V. includes
Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society,
Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project, Dave Douglas, Joe
Fiedler’s Big Sackbut and many others—it can safely
be said that Keberle made the right choice.
After a leap of faith like that, immersing himself inthe culture and music of Brazil was easy. Considerando(honoring the great Brazilian composer, singer andguitarist Edu Lobo) is his second release with theCollectiv do Brasil, with Keberle and three leading
lights of the São Paulo jazz scene: Felipe Silveira (piano),
Felipe Brisola (bass) and Paulinho Vicente (drums).
Keberle’s lovely tone and fluidity, and his melodic
sense, are perfectly suited to the beauty and complexityof Brazilian music, which like its American cousin injazz, has its rhythmic roots in the African diaspora.
Seven of the ten tunes are Lobo’s, including the samba-

JOHN MINNOCK
A DIFFERENT RIFF
MINNOCK SINGS SHIRE

influenced opener “Zanzibar”, perfectly illustrating theparallel rhythmic influences leading to both samba andsecond line. There is nothing quite as deep and moving
as the Brazilian ballad. This record has three of them,
two penned by Lobo (“Toada” and the title track) plus
one by Vicente (“Be”, which begins as a rhythmic balladand evolves into something different altogether). Allfeature the leader’s emotive communication and pianist
Silveira’s uncluttered, simple beauty.
Not content with encompassing the entire New
World, Keberle has also released music with firmroots in the Old. Shooting Star – Étoile Filante is thefifth release from the chamber jazz unit Reversothat the trombonist co-leads with French pianist/composer Frank Woeste, and which includes French
cellist Vincent Courtois. Jazz has a long and storied
history of incorporating European classical elements,from Ellington and the Modern Jazz Quartet to Paul
Winter and Oregon. Jazz composers also have a
special affinity for the aesthetic and harmonic sense ofFrench 20th century composers, especially Milhaud,
Ravel, Debussy and Satie.
For their latest, Reverso chose as their muse
Frenchwoman Lili Boulanger, who in her tragicallyshort life produced a substantial oeuvre of delicate,strange beauty. The album’s tunes are grouporiginals, all informed by Reverso’s love for andstudy of Boulanger. Woeste’s “En Avant” is especiallyeffective, building in a short time from a beautiful
opening statement to a rollicking, wildly syncopatedclimax and then back to a gentle denouement. Also
outstanding is the Keberle-penned opener, “LaMuse”. The trombonist and cellist share the melody(Keberle even sings a wordless section in harmony
with Courtois), with Woeste’s strong rhythmic
underpinning driving the music forward.
These albums are both excellent additions to thealready substantial and wide-ranging recorded workof Ryan Keberle, an unquestionably outstanding
musician and composer.
For more info visit alternatesiderecords.weebly.com. Keberle’s
All Ears Orchestra is at Birdland Apr. 14. See Calendar.



Outer, Inner, Secret
Terton (Tzadik)
by Phil Freeman

The thrill and challenge in this album is taking
songs I’ve loved and performed for years, writtenby the extraordinary composer David Shire, with
Maestro Shire’s active involvement, and then to
marry the songs and interpretation with the finest
jazz players working today, led by NEA Jazz Master
Dave Liebman.
-John Minnock
John Minnock - Vocals
Dave Liebman - Soprano Sax
Sean Mason - Piano
Mark Lewandowski - Bass
Pablo Eluchans - Drums

visit dottimerecords..com for more info

S axophonist Louie Belogenis has been a fixture on
the New York scene since the early ’90s, though his
association with John Zorn goes back to the late ’70s.
He also played extensively with former Coltrane
drummer Rashied Ali, first in the group Prima Materia
and then as a duo and a trio with bassist Wilber Morris.
He’s performed with drummer Sunny Murray, andas part of the Flow Trio with bassist Joe Morris anddrummer Charles Downs (fka Rashid Bakr).
Fundamentally, the tenor saxophonist is anecstatic free jazz player somewhat in the vein of thelate David S. Ware, though there’s a deeply meditativeside to his playing even at its most squalling—he’s got
a gentler, more down-to-earth spirit than is typicalfor a musician of the post-Ayler school. His styleis made clear on Rings of Saturn (the 1999 duo withAli) and the self-titled 2015 album by Blue Buddha (aquartet featuring trumpeter Dave Douglas, bassist Bill
Laswell and drummer Tyshawn Sorey) that had thehushed feel of ritual music.

26 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Terton is a new project for Belogenis, a trio
featuring Trevor Dunn (bass) and Ryan Sawyer(drums). The music is largely improvised, but
improvised by players who know each other wellenough to achieve cohesion; none of the usual improv
gambits (“1-2-3-go!”; “no, please, after you”; “I don’tknow, a blues, I guess?”) are present here. On tenor,
Belogenis’ lines are drawn-out and gritty, while on
soprano, he quacks and snake-dances. Dunn, playing
upright throughout, is a strong presence, offering aconsidered second opinion rather than mere support,
and Sawyer’s drumming is full of clattering tom rolls,
skittering snare and unexpected bells, a cross between
Ali and Tony Oxley. There are raucous, eruptive
moments, but they’re short. For the most part, this trio
is pursuing a deeper, calmer sort of rapture.
For more info visit tzadik.com. Terton’s album release
concert is at Columbia University’s St. Paul’s Chapel
Apr. 16. See Calendar.

Bird’s EyeDavid Leon (Pyroclastic)
by John Sharpe

R eedman David Leon has assembled an extraordinary

trio for Bird’s Eye, his second leadership outing
following his assured debut release, Aire De Agua
(Out Of Your Head). Joining him here are DoYeon
Kim (gayagum, voice) and Lesley Mok (percussion),a member of Myra Melford’s blue chip Fire and Water
Quintet and in whose ensemble Leon plays (The Living
Collection, 2023).
The leader establishes a singular group identity,
which integrates aspects of jazz, Korean tradition,
improv and microtonality into a program of ten
compositions that almost inaugurate their own genre.
But it is Kim’s gayagum (Korean zither) that gives
the date its distinctive character. In her hands, while
the instrument sometimes retains its customary sonicsignature conjuring a waft of exoticism to Westernears, it can also occupy the role of a bass or cello to
lay down riffs, evoke the haunting strains of a pedal
steel guitar or deliver a harp-like shimmer. Kim
also sings on the episodic “A Night For Counting
Stars”, breathy and ethereal to begin, but building toanguished wails by the end. Mok fits in wonderfully:
propulsive, attentive and timbrally aware. Her feature
on “To Speak In Flowers” manifests as a tone poemof wooden clacks, gongs and cymbal strikes, until
subsumed by a folky alto/gayagum refrain.
Leon proves a supremely gifted player, able toeffortlessly bend notes in unison with Kim, while alsousing the full range of the saxophone. Just listen to theunaccompanied soprano passage in “Nothing Urgent,
Just Unfortunate”, where he makes trills, quacks,
murmurs and multiphonic flourishes all ingredientsof a coherent musical statement. Not only in thisinstance, but such elements also frequently form partof the regular fabric of Leon’s intricate charts—often
built from repeated figures, whether spiraling phrases
or staccato plosives, but always allowing space inwhich the crew can interact. Even the airy ballad“Palmetto”, which closes proceedings, comes adorned
with curlicues and flamboyant detail.
For more info visit pyroclasticrecords.com. Leon is at
Barbes Apr. 4. See Calendar.

24,15 x15,25cm

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50+ CONCERTS THROUGHOUT BROOKLYNIC

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Joe Henderson (Milestone-Craft Recordings)
by Phil Freeman

FRANK CARLBERG LARGE ENSEMBLE:“ELEGY FOR THELONIOUS”
APR 3–4

BENNY GREEN: ALL BY MYSELFAPR 5–7

BUSTER WILLIAMS & SOMETHING MOREAPR 8YALE JAZZ ENSEMBLE:
CELEBRATING MAX ROACH WITH NASHEET WAITSAPR 9–10

MELISSA ALDANA QUARTET
APR 11–14

LUCIANA SOUZA AND TRIO CORRENTE: COMETAAPR 15

PURCHASE JAZZ ORCHESTRASAPR 16MSM JAZZ ORCHESTRA: HONORING WAYNE SHORTER
APR 17DIZZY’S CLOSEDAPR 18LUISITO QUINTERO’S 3RD ELEMENT
APR 19–20

G. THOMAS ALLEN QUINTET:SARAH VAUGHAN CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONAPR 21

SONGBOOK SUNDAYS: RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN
APR 22

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY JAZZ BAND FEAT. AKIKO TSURUGAAPR 23MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson (who passed away
at the age of 64 in 2001 and would have turned 87 thismonth) recorded five brilliant albums for Blue Note
between 1963-66; the following year he would signwith the brand-new Milestone label and kept right onrolling with eight more albums for the label. On his
second Milestone session, Power to the People (recorded
and released in 1969, and recently given the 180-gramvinyl reissue treatment as part of Craft Recordings “Jazz
Dispensary Top Shelf Series”), he is joined by a topshelf band: Herbie Hancock (piano, electric piano), Ron
Carter (upright and electric bass), and Jack DeJohnette(drums), plus the somewhat forgotten Mike Lawrence(trumpet), who serves as an excellent foil for the leader,though only plays on the opener and the title track.
Hancock is key to the entire recording. His Fender
Rhodes is a shimmering, reverberant cloud, bolsteredby Carter’s booming electric bass, while his acoustic
piano clanks and clangs. The music can actually be
divided into two general categories: the Rhodes-driven
pieces, which simmer until they boil over, while theacoustic numbers swing hard. The seven selections
start off with “Black Narcissus” (an effervescent ballad
Henderson would name a whole album after a few
years later), followed by a number of other memorable
originals, including: “Afro-Centric” and the title track(two uptempo pieces with very late ‘60s titles, thelatter on which Hancock takes a long electric solo); are-recording of “Isotope” (originally from Henderson’s
Inner Urge, from 1964, one of the saxophonist’s mostforceful albums from his Blue Note catalog); Ron
Carter’s “Opus One-Point-Five”; and—following
a swinging, bluesy rendition of the jazz standard“Lazy Afternoon”—album closer “Foresight andAfterthought”, a totally improvised but introspective
acoustic post-bop piece structured like a three-partsuite.
For more info visit craftrecordings.com. “Ode for Joe:
Celebrating the Music of Joe Henderson”, featuring Ralph
Moore, is at Smoke Apr. 17-21. See Calendar.

APR 24

BRANDON GOLDBERG TRIO
APR 25

THE MUSIC OF NAT KING COLE
APR 26–28

MANDLA MLANGENI AND SAUSA EXPERIENCEAPR 29AYN INSERTO JAZZ ORCHESTRA: DUKE AT 125

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SUNDAYS 5PM & 7:30PM

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BROADWAY AT 60TH ST.

Indestructible
Ray Barretto (Fania-Craft Recordings)
by Tom Greenland

The breakup of Ray Barretto’s Afro-Cuban orchestra in
the early ’70s was both a discouragement and inspiration,
leading him to pick up the pieces with a new group ofmusicians with whom he recorded the jazz-leaning The
Other Road, followed by the salsa-centric Indestructible.
The latter (back in print on 180-gram blue vinyl, intime for its 50-year anniversary last year) reenergized
the Brooklyn-born bandleader’s career as conguero,28 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

songwriter and producer. Its three trumpets-cum-flute
front-line (played by Roberto Rodriguez, Joseph “Papy”
Roman, Manny Duran and Art Webb, respectively) wasa first in salsa instrumentation, packing a markedly
treble-pitched punch. Vocalist Tito Allen, pianist Edy
Martinez, bassist Julio Romero, timbalero “Little” Ray
Romero, bongosero Tony Fuentes and Barretto fill out
the new orchestra. The arrangements sizzle and roilwith spritely rhythmic modulations and dramatic shifts
between full brass tuttis and lithe, lean rhythm section
breakdowns. The percussionists, panned left to rightin the mix, interleave claves/shaker, conga, timbales
and bongos/cowbell parts into loosely-locked accentpatterns.
The group’s remarkable collective agility is notablyenhanced by Webb’s ubiquitous flute, adding a fourthharmony to the horn section or improvising obligato
parts that function as musical connective tissue.
Martinez’ piano makes similar connections with tight
yet tensile two-handed montunos that provide rhythmic
stability without becoming predictable. His rhapsodic
solo on “Ay No” reveals a jazzier, more Ellingtonian,
aspect to his musical personality. Improvisations areterse, typically inserted as responses to pre-composedorchestral calls. Two of the most ear-popping solos
occur on the opening track, “El Hijo de Oblatá”, when
Barretto’s congas sprint off the starting blocks in aburst of speed, sustaining momentum in bursts andfits; and on the closing, title track, where Ray Romero’s
precipitous timbales sticks scoot headlong across thetuned toms.
Although Barretto would rise to even greater
prominence as music director of the Fania All-Stars
and as a prolific studio musician, Indestructible remains
a testament to his remarkable talents. The legendary
conguero would have celebrated his 95th birthday thismonth (he passed away in 2006 at age 76).
For more info visit craftrecordings.com

Being Guided By The Light
Mamiko Watanabe (JoJo)
by Marco Cangiano

Mamiko Watanabe is a Japanese-born, Berkleegraduate pianist with an impressive resume. She has
gained quite a few awards for piano and composition
to date, including as a two-time semi-finalist at theMontreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition (2002,
2003). Her style is grounded in a modern post-hard bopaesthetic, although it has evolved into a more personal
dynamic since her 2005 debut album One After the
Other. Her new release, Being Guided By The Light, is
her fifth and her most personal, perhaps even spiritual,
recording to date.
From the opening title track, Watanabe exerts acertain authority in leading this outfit as her own trio,
even with the intimidating resumes of Santi Debriano(bass) and Billy Hart (drums). This leadership is asign of maturity, further confirmed by Watanabe’s
consistency in choice between originals, including
the bassist’s quintessential boppish “Nigeria” (withan explosive solo by Hart), seldom-played standards
and pearls such as John Hicks’ “Pas de Trois”. Jimmy
Rowles’ “The Peacocks” is interpreted at a deliberately
slow pace with a lovely touch digging into the sheer
beauty of the melody, much in the way Bill Evans andStan Getz did together (But Beautiful, 1974). DeBriano

For more info visit jojorecords.com. Watanabe is at Mezzrow
Apr. 10. See Calendar.

For more info visit cygnusrecordings.bandcamp.com.
Weiss’ album release concert is at The Jazz Gallery
Apr. 30-May 1. See Calendar.

DARYLSHERMAN
Tuesdays APRIL 9 & 16, 2024
"Born To Swing:
Celebrating Mildred Bailey"withLoren Schoenberg,
piano & tenor sax
James Chirillo, guitar
Boots Maleson, bass

shows at 5:30 PM
www.birdlandjazz.com/calendar
Birdland Jazz Club 315 W. 44th St. NY, NY 10036
212-581-3080

Even Odds
Dan Weiss (Cygnus)by Thomas Conrad

Dan Weiss’ Even Odds is a surprising, intriguing,
challenging project. The surprises include the ensemble
format, the personnel and the recording process. For his
new band, Weiss added only alto saxophone and piano
to his own drums. But not just any alto saxophone andpiano. Miguel Zenón is one of the most decorated sax
players in jazz on his instrument, and rarely appears as
a sideman. Pianist Matt Mitchell is a major presence on
New York’s left-of-center jazz scene. But the news hereis the recording process. While six of the twenty tracks
are Weiss compositions that the trio plays “live,” theothers all involve a prerecorded drum part that Weisslaid down before the recording session. Weiss describes
these drum parts as “composed, to varying degrees.”
Zenón and Mitchell overdubbed improvisations while
listening to these parts.
This unusual approach took several forms. On
three pairs of tracks, Weiss first provides his drum partalone, then follows it with the final version, includingthat part (mixed lower) plus the contributions of thesaxophonist and pianist. On others, Weiss reverses theorder. “Peculiar Pathos of Self Importance” contains thefull trio, but the following “Conversing with Stillness”
strips away Weiss’ drums midway. The other two
players suddenly find themselves alone in space, free
to wander together and dream. The leader’s recording
approach results in short tracks, some under a minute.
His playing partners are such special improvisersthat they often come up with striking, if necessarily
abbreviated, responses to diverse drum stimuli. But
some of the more traditional, full-length composed
pieces are so strong they make you wish for more.
(“Traditional” is a relative term with this band.) “TheSOLIDARITY

F rancisco Mela is a powerhouse drummer who haslent a relentless vitality to a wide variety of settings,
both composed and improvised. As heard on theserecent releases, he is particularly versatile in freeimprov contexts. All three recent releases here show
Mela’s sensitive side; there is a lot of listening going on.
His playing is always keyed into what his bandmates
are doing—though he never sacrifices his trademark
intensity.
Music Frees Our Souls is a set of trio albums by Melaand bassist William Parker, each with a different pianist.
The second volume features Cooper-Moore on piano,
and in its two tracks (each over 20 minutes in length),these three seasoned improvisers explore a vast rangeof collective soundscapes. Cooper-Moore sets the pacewith his focus on brief thematic cells, molding theminto every possible combination as he repeats them. He
can get crashy (always matched by Mela at his mostbombastic), but even in climactic points, bold blocks
of melody come peeking through. Parker is equally
melodic throughout; the bass and piano lines help tohold the listener’s attention in many stretches with nosteady tempo. The start of the second track, “Mental
Scenario”, is riveting, with Cooper-Moore’s gorgeous,almost Ellingtonian harmonies followed closely byParker. Both tracks have an unusual dynamic profile:
long sections of high energy punctuated by only brief
quieter interludes before the trio dials things back up
for the next chapter.
The pianist on Music Frees Our Souls, Vol. 3 is Leo
Genovese, a frequent collaborator of Mela’s (the twohave played together extensively with Esperanza
Spalding). This album has an altogether different
group sound from Vol. 2. Genovese, a much moretextural improviser than Cooper-Moore, plays broad,abstract gestures with few directly repeated ideas.
Mela is a bit more playful here, and Parker again
anchors the trio with melodicism, but with so much
abstraction that there are few aural handles to grasp.
In more subdued sections it is difficult to decide which

For more info visit 577records.com. Mela is at Roulette with
Mimi Chakarova and Kris Davis Apr. 5. Cooper-Moore
is at The Stone at New School with Matt Motel Apr. 19.
Genovese’s Chupacabra is at Bar LunÀtico Apr. 25. Reisin
is at Main Drag Music Apr. 24. See Calendar.

Children of Uvalde”, with only the three musicians,
succeeds in rendering the emotional and spiritualdevastation inflicted by the mass school shooting in
Uvalde, TX, in 2022. Zenón and Mitchell proceed insolemn unison over the dark finality of Weiss’ slow
drum beats. It is a funeral procession bearing theweight of 21 coffins.
One of the miraculous paradoxes of art is that the
portrayal of sadness and pain, when deep and true, canprovide a path toward healing.

ZACH RICH

Music Frees Our Souls, Vol. 2
Francisco Mela, Cooper-Moore, William Parker(577 Records)
Music Frees Our Souls, Vol. 3
Francisco Mela, Leo Genovese, William Parker(577 Records)
Earthquake
Francisco Mela/Jonathan Reisin (577 Records)
by Elijah Shiffer

instrument to focus on. Genovese even doubles ontenor saxophone on “Earth”, the first of the album’s
three tracks; he keeps up a hard-blowing rawness evenwhile playing “solo unison” with himself on piano. His
tenor histrionics are cathartic, but this track arguably
goes on a bit too long.
On Earthquake, Mela collaborates with up-andcoming saxophonist Jonathan Reisin. In this wide-open
duo setting, both players get a lot of different sounds
out of their instruments. Reisin presents a polished,light-colored sound on both tenor and soprano; his lines
have a slippery wildness but never get too edgy. Mela
is particularly exuberant here, often boiling over in solo
passages. This is a tight duo, following each other inevery switch of texture. Density and volume are often
independent, especially in the nearly 27-minute title
track, and some soft moments are much busier thanthe louder ones. This track is flanked by four shorter
episodes, of which “Flourishing” is the most fascinating.
Here Reisin and Mela begin with an intimate dialogue
before the drums set up an effortless groove for thetenor to sail over. “Thunderclouds”, a fitting final track,is four minutes of concentrated intensity, winding down
only at the last possible moment.

photo ERIC STEPHEN JACOBS

and Hart distill an almost allusive support, proving
once again that less can indeed be more: the bassist’s
brief arco solo is a delight. The pace picks up with aneffervescent version of Tadd Dameron’s “The Scene
is Clean”. The leader’s “Atomic Space” is the mostesoteric, if not ethereal, tune, from the session, withthe trio coming together as a unit through numerous
twists and turns; it is the album’s longest piece andsuggests future avenues and potential for Watanabe’s
composing skills. After a hymn-like intro, McCoy
Tyner’s influence is felt in “My Grandfather’s Clock”,
particularly in the unaccompanied central section, andthe ensuing “Island Birdie”, with its Caribbean feel, isenriched by another energetic Hart drum solo.
Oddly, the streaming version of the album
concludes with an exhilarating solo effort, “The MusicGame”, which for some reason did not make the final
album cut. It, like the rest of the album, is not to be
missed.

"Stunning creative ingenuity. Brilliant
arranging utilizing a perfect balance of
Jazz and strings. Zach Rich's Solidarity is
one of the best large ensembles of 2024..."-Michael Ambrosino, 33 Third.org"The soloists as well as the strings weave
everything together like a Raphaeltapestry. Check this one out!"-George W Harris, Jazz Weekly"Rich's gutsy soloing illuminates therecord in lots of places ,especially the title
track and shows how spirited and tendera player he is. Trumpeter Shane Endsley'sguest spot on 'Broken Mirrors' also
resonated with us and its arrangement
integrates the strings and jazz quintet
best of all."-Stephen Graham, Marlbank (UK)
Available on all streaming platforms
More info at https://originarts.com/oa2/

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 29

eek!
Open 7 Days a W

Quartet Music, Vol. 1: LuMiSong
Michaël Attias (Out Of Your Head)
Un Ruido de Agua
Nataniel Edelman Trio (Clean Feed)
Live at Sowieso
Jeff Platz, Michaël Attias, Meinrad Kneer,
Michael Griener (Modern Sounds Music)
by Ken Waxman

Presenting

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

2 Sets of Shows—7:30pm & 10:30pm Every Week!
MON
4/1

Shane Allessio Quartet
Liam Sutcliffe Quintet

7:30PM
10:30PMTUE
4/2

AC Lincoln Quintet
Rick Germanson Trio

7:30PM
10:30PMWED
4/3

Benito Gonzalez Trio
Wilfie Williams Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PMTHU
4/4

Ron jackson Trio
Yotam Silberstein Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PM

FRI
4/5

Steve Davis Quintet
High and Mighty BRass Band

7:30PM
10:30PMSAT
4/6

Jason Marshall Quartet
Sarah Hanahan Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PMSUN
4/7

Carolyn Leonhart Quintet
Antonio Ciacca Trio

6:30PM
9:30PM

MON
4/8

Rico Jones Quartet
Robert Papacica Trio

7:30PM
10:30PM

TUE
4/9

Loston Harris Trio
Richard Baratta Quintet

7:30PM
10:30PMWED
4/10

Dave Stryker Quartet
Todd Herbert Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PM

THU
4/11

Wayne Escoffery Quartet
Sam Dillon Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PM

FRI
4/12David Gibson Quartet
Ed Cherry Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PMSAT
4/13

Judith Owen
Tommy Campbell Trio

7:30PM
10:30PMSUN
4/14

Craig Handy Quartet
Michael Kanan Trio

6:30PM
9:30PM

MON
4/15

Tony Song Trio
Marty Scott Quintet

7:30PM
10:00PMWED
4/16

Nicki Di Maria Quintet
Kieran Brown Quartet

7:30PM
10:30PMWED
4/17

Eric Alexander Quartet
Dan Aran Band

7:30PM
10:30PM

THU
4/18

Jonny King Trio
Dave Schumacher and Cubeyé

7:30PM
10:30PM

FRI
4/19

Erena Terakubo Quartet
Hector Martignon’s Foreign Affair

7:30PM
10:30PM

ViEe-wUPLIN

THE DJANGO N YC

Reserve
RESY

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th
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2 av ericas
m
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evel

Cellar L

DINNER,DINNER, LIBATIONSLIBATIONS && LIVELIVE JAZZ!
JAZZ!
IN
THE
OF
TRIBECAIN THE OF TRIBECA

B usy on both sides of the Atlantic, Brooklyn alto
saxophonist Michaël Attias has finally released
LuMiSong, his first leadership date in seven years,
with Santiago Leibson (keyboards), Matt Pavolka(bass) and Mark Ferber (drums). But he hasn’t beennecessarily quiet during this time period as two
recently released Berlin-recording dates can attest:
Un Ruido de Agua (with Argentinean pianist Nataniel
Edelman and American bassist Michael Formanek)
and Live at Sowieso (with U.S. guitarist Jeff Platz
and Germans, bassist Meinrad Kneer and drummer
Michael Griener). Each album follows an individual
concept. Un Ruido de Agua contains languid,
impressionistic tracks, while Live at Sowieso’s
improvisations are rugged freeform.
LuMiSong embraces studio synthesis with live
playing supplemented with samples, mixes andoverdubs, some by cellist Christopher Hoffman.
On “Hexway Liner”, the cellist’s swift stops fit
organically among other textures, with Leibson’s
keyboard
playing
successively
resemblinghonkytonk and bop asides while drums splash andreed tones flutter. Overdubbed multi-reed harmonies
and cut-and-paste sonic variables confirm studiomanipulation, although artificiality is avoided. Thisis especially true of “NME”, projecting a ghostly
calm intensified with hesitant key compression
and resonating bass strings meeting overdubbed
electrified keyboard tremolos and faux horn section
riffs at varied tempos. Still the head is recapped.
Un Ruido de Agua reflects some of this similar
atmosphere, as tracks include sympathetic moods
set up by Edelman’s isolated key clusters and timesuspension matched by Formanek’s in-sync stops
and pacing. As for Attias, from the beginning, andespecially during “Un recuerdo nuevo”, his trills andcursive extensions reflect Cool School moderation.
Moreover, the pianist’s formalism skirts overt
prettiness due to Formanek’s stentorian thrusts.
Climax is a polyphonic blend of distinct voices.
Simultaneously animated interludes confirm steel
beneath the downy narratives as the bassist unveils
sul ponticello bowing while Attias’ propels mewling
trills that ascend to sinewy squeaks. At points
Edelman eschews measured pulses for keyboard
clips and pedal point pressure. “Three Beats” is thebest example. Piano pacing is challenged by thinreed peeps and bass pulses. Sprinkling light anddark notes from all frequencies, Edelman builds up
to cascading glissandi, adding to Attias’ straightahead expression until parallel lines come to asudden stop.
The note bending and extended techniques
missing from Un Ruido de Agua are prominent on
Live at Sowieso. Attias has space to let loose. But
while he puffs out circular vibrations, irregulartrills and emphasized split tones, he never neglects
ongoing communication. The guitarist’s hardclangs and metallic twangs follow similar patterns,
while bassist Kneer squeezes out a steadying
pulse as Griener’s drums rumble. “Tethering”
moves through varied tempos with an andanteinterlude emphasizing guitar plucks, bass strokes
and shredding saxophone drones. From there it’s a

30 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

return to linear motion with supple chiming bass, thedrummer’s press rolls and guitarist Platz’ connective
comping. Mixing multiphonics and moderation ismost prominent on “Obliquity”. As bass string jabs
and strained reed vibrations introduce the sequence,warm contrapuntal guitar licks arise. Althoughcowbell clangs and bass string thumps preserve thecontinuum, Attias and Platz switch roles, with theguitarist projecting jagged runs and the saxophonist
creating horizontal patterns. At midpoint the otherplayers hit a groove, while the saxophonist vibrates
altissimo split tones. Bowed bass lines move to asmooth conclusion.
Embedded within three sets of partners, Attias
demonstrates his creative reflexes and how musicalmaturity allows him to propel each program to aunique end.
For more info visit michaelattias.bandcamp.com andcleanfeed-records.com. Michaël Attias Quartet is at
Barbes Apr. 22. See Calendar.

Duality
Sanah Kadoura (s/r)
by Sophia Valera Heinecke

D uality, by Juno-nominated drummer and composer
Sanah Kadoura, helps us to remember paradox isdivine. This is not a work of juxtaposition but analbum that asks us to reckon with dueling capacities
that dwell inside us all: to plead for what we feel
is right and remain stoic in the face of adversity,
accept our possession of both anima and animus,
to let comfort accompany unease. The album openswith a feeling of ascension leading into the second
track, “The Seer, The Soarer”, which includes arousing drum breakdown that sonically evokes
Kadoura’s inspiration for the song: witnessing theworld in all its contrasting truths to evolve the inner
truth of the self. “This is not a normal jazz show,”
Kadoura clearly stated, not quite in the backgroundbut not in the foreground of the stage at her recent
Dizzy’s Club engagement (Mar. 7). There is an airof hospitality and giving of self even in this broader
moment of harrowing duality in Kadoura’s life:
her album made DownBeat’s Best of 2023 list as her
family in Lebanon and Palestine continues to faceheightened jeopardy.
Kadoura is very clear about what will andwill not work for her, which attracts an incredible
ensemble for both the recording and the live show
last month. Everyone is happy to be in her presence,
which is good since the album’s themes, notably
from the opening track “The Gemini’s”, get a literalwhistle and nod from bassist Jon Michel as he packs
up after laying it all out. He can’t get the first riff outof his head. Live and on the album, Michel’s presence
and precision leave mouths agape as bass ripples out
under Arcoiris Sandoval’s galloping piano. On therecording, the duality feels more oriented towards
gender, with the male and female voices audibly
different, but united. In concert, Stacy Dillard’s
saxophone duos with vocal on the most captivatinglines bring us to reckon with the unity and duality ofhumanity and the tools we need to connect, survive
and express in the modern world.
Kadoura describes the incredible synchronicityof putting the album together: “one call to get themusicians, one call to get the studio.” At Dizzy’s
Club, she led in with hand work on the drum kit,
feeling it out, watching the audience watching her
explore. Special guest Parhām Haghighi engulfs theselection “Zaytoon” with emotion and hope alongwith the addition of his ethereal Farsi lyrics, which
the recorded version of the song does not include.
Equally involved in the crowd and the kit, Kadoura isfull of awareness. She leads with intention and makes
it count, denoting a soft acceptance of harsh realities
but never relinquishing power, dancing in her seatas the show ended. In private aftewards, she sharedthat she did not set out to become a bandleader. She
just wanted to drum, but discovered drums help us
commune and call us together, whether in the clubor in life, reminding us that if we are available tolisten, that is what we need most to bring people
together.
For more info visit sanahmusic.com

The Hard Way
Sexmob (Corbett vs. Dempsey)by Kurt Gottschalk

L eave behind any preconceived notions about

Fletcher Henderson and then dispel any held about
the quartet Sexmob, who might be too funky to be a
jazz band (and who sometimes spell their name as twowords). Leave that to saxophonist Lou Donaldson to
adjudicate. The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra gave
rise to the Sun when one Herman Poole Blount left
the organization to begin building his own Arkestra.
Sexmob’s been adding guests (e.g. keyboardist John
Medeski, percussionist Mike Dillon, et al.) and
exploring pianist Martin Denny’s work, and musicfrom James Bond and Fellini films, for a good little
while. But put set expectations aside.
The Hard Way is a new ride. The album—a happy
surprise after a few years away—is presumably,
named for super-producer Scotty Hard (Scott
Harding), who deepens the bass end, filled as usual
by Tony Scherr. Hard produced earlier Sexmob
albums (Dime Grind Palace, Din of Inequity, Solid
Sender, Sex Mob Does Bond) and has done studiowork for De La Soul, Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd andMedeski, Martin and Wood. For this encounter, hebrings double bass and synth bass, electronic beats
and sonic ambience—and what he brings to the fold
is apparent from the opening track; named for thefamed bandleader, “Fletcher Henderson” is, at sevenand a half minutes, the longest track on the album.
That introductory track begins with a few quick
processed beats, then a couple of descending lines
from Steven Bernstein’s trumpet and Briggan Krauss’
alto saxophone, setting a theme. The rhythm andhorns come together, pushed by drummer Kenny
Wollesen, setting off like a train, with the slidetrumpet whistle announcing their departure. It’s afresh approach, while still honoring its dedicatee.
Also aboard The Hard Way express are Medeski(with organ and Mellotron in tow), pianist Iyer
and DJ Olive, bringing turntables, synths and moresonic atmosphere. The album is available as a digital
download and in a smart LP edition with two more
tracks on a 12” 45rpm (they’re also included in thedownload). The physical maxi-single is a nice nodto the dance floor that Sexmob borrows a bit from.
“Club Pythagorean” is built around Hard’s balafon
samples and imagines a cross-cultural nightlife ofglitched West African rhythms, horn harmonies andpsychedelic washes. The flip, “Dominion”—with
DJ Olive stretching a big sonic canvas, dropping
demonic laughs, looping horns and drums andpushing heavy dub reverberation—is a highlightof a 50-minute party. It’s only a shame Sexmob
didn’t take full advantage of the 12” single format.
“Dominion”, in particular, with its abrupt stop,
would have worked well as a bonus-beats remix.
For more info visit corbettvsdempsey.com. Sexmob is at
Nublu Apr. 9-11. See Calendar.

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

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

Music Promotions: Scott Thompson PR
scottthompsonpr.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 31

Music Minus One
Die Enttäuschung (Two Nineteen)
Aphelia
Lina Allemano/Axel Dörner (Relative Pitch)
BeingFive
Yorgos Dimitriadis, Axel Dörner, Lori Freedman,
Andrea Parkins, Christopher Williams(Relative Pitch)
by John Sharpe

APR 12–13 THE APPEL ROOMJOURNEY THROUGH JAZZ PART V:
THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA

Featuring Music Director Carlos Henriquez and co-hosted
by trumpeter Mike Rodriguez, pianist Robert Rodriguez,and conguero Bobby Allende, part V of this fascinating
Journey Through Jazz series will have you dancing inyour seat. Including tunes like Dizzy Gillespie’s Manteca,
Machito’s Tanga, and Paquito D’Rivera’s Mambo Influenciado,
this installment of the popular series presents all thecaptivating musical elements that coalesce in the broad
and influential category of Latin Jazz.
Part of the Lynne and Richard Pasculano Jazz Series.

APR 17 ROSE THEATER

CELEBRATING TONY BENNETT
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER’S ANNUAL GALA
A vibrant, not-to-be-missed evening that brings together
jazz lovers, extraordinary musicians, and emerging artists,
this year’s Gala pays tribute to the iconic Tony Bennett
through live performance, featuring the Jazz at Lincoln
Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special
guests Rubén Blades, Bernadette Peters, Bill Charlap,
Kristin Chenoweth, Jared Grimes, Robbie Lee, Norm Lewis,
and Ekep Nkwelle.
Concert-only tickets and table packages available for purchase.

APR 19–20 ROSE THEATER

THE SARAH VAUGHAN CENTENNIAL
HOSTED BY DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER

Jazz at Lincoln Center and host Dee Dee Bridgewatercelebrate Sarah “Sassy” Vaughan, whose formidable vocal
range, sublime musicianship, and daring interpretations
have inspired all subsequent generations of jazz singers
and instrumentalists. Special guests include Jazzmeia Horn,
JAZZ HOUSE Legacy Band and many past winners of the
Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, theannual festival presented by our community partner NJPAC.
Part of the Ertegun Jazz Concert Series.
Leadership support provided by Mary G. Herms and Ryan J. MarshallCARLOS HENRIQUEZ

Photo by Lawrence Sumulong

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

I t’s something of a shock to realize that German
trumpeter Axel Dörner (b. April 26, 1964) will only
be turning 60 this month. It seems as if he’s beenaround for much longer than his years. Dörner has
been such a ubiquitous figure on the Berlin scene
and appears in countless collectives, as well as
playing with the likes of the Globe Unity Orchestra,
Sven-Åke Johansson, Ken Vandermark and Joshua
Abrams. While his natural tendency veers towards
the experimental end of the spectrum (he hasdeveloped an array of innovative techniques as
can be heard on a string of solo releases), he is also
notable for his slightly oblique input to more insidedates.
One of his longest running outlets is Die
Enttäuschung (“the disappointment”), where hehelms a front line unchanged since its inception
20 years ago with bass clarinetist Rudi Mahall.
Completing the band is the super-flexible rhythmteam of Jan Roder (bass) and Michael Griener(drums). It’s clear that these musicians love thetradition (after all, they also tackled the entire Monk
oeuvre under the moniker Monk’s Casino, with pianist
Alexander von Schlippenbach), but there’s always
a sting in the tail. Their eighth album Music Minus
One presents 17 tracks packed with incident, eventhough only one breasts the six-minute mark. The
cuts range from cheerful swing, often deconstructedwith artful discontinuities, to something nearer
contemporary classical practice. Each tune isdistinguished by top-notch musicianship, cannysolos and playful interaction, especially between
Mahall’s bass clarinet and Dörner’s trumpet. Even
though it’s fairly obvious that Dörner knows his
hard bop antecedents, he infuses everything withimprov attitude. Serious fun.
Dörner dons his adventurous hat for Aphelia,
where he’s joined by another equally out-there
trumpet practitioner, Lina Allemano, who splits
her time between Toronto and Berlin. Yet, thisstudio recording includes not only duets, but also
selections with multiple over-dubbed trumpets,
creating a brass choir, sometimes bristling,sometimes droning. Attribution is impossible asboth stretch the instrument’s accepted parameters
beyond breaking point. By naming the eight tracks
after lesser-known objects in the solar systemthat circle around the sun, they serve notice ofthe otherworldly nature of much of this music.
Conventional chops shine through on occasion(though rarely conventional phrasing), but more
often the exchanges of timbre and texture recall
chuntering locos, steam escaping a pressure cooker
and electronic hums. That they can make this agripping experience for listeners is testament to the
responsive musicianship that goes into their adroit
placement of sound.
The trumpeter sports the same headgear on
BeingFive, a 2022 session from the German capital,
convened by Canadian bass clarinetist Lori
Freedman, which also features Yorgos Dimitriadis(percussion), Andrea Parkins (accordion) andChristopher Williams (bass). Together the five

32 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

musicians generate constantly morphing soundworlds, comprising selfless individual contributions.
That approach attains its apogee on “Miniatures”, asequence of ultra-concise vignettes linked by silent
pauses, as much part of the kaleidoscopic fabric as
the sounds. The extended techniques wielded by
all involved are rendered yet more indeterminate
by the electronics utilized by Dimitriadis, Dörner
and Parkins, such that the question of who does
what becomes irrelevant. Not that the trumpet is
inaudible—its strident skitter and breathy smears
can be readily discerned at times on “Amusic”, a cut
like its near namesake “Amusic Bis”, which almost
has a rhythmic dimension thanks to Williams’
pizzicato and Dimitriadis’ regular pulsation.
For more info visit axeldoerner.org, dieenttaeuschung.org
and relativepitchrecords.com

Most Peculiar
Lage Lund Quartet (Criss Cross Jazz)by Tom Greenland

J ust as Andrés Segovia was first to champion
acoustic guitar as a “legitimate” interpreter ofthe Western European classical canon, NorwegianLage Lund was first to champion electric guitar
in the hallowed halls of The Juilliard School ofMusic. His tone-print, produced by a combinationof pick and fingers with sparingly applied soundprocessors (mostly reverb/delay, volume/sustain
and graphic equalizer), is very different from thatof the late Spanish maestro, yet shares a similar
singing quality. This rich resonance is the cynosureof Most Peculiar, Lund’s sixth Criss Cross release.
The record features Sullivan Fortner (piano), Matt
Brewer (bass) and Tyshawn Sorey (drums), andserves as a companion to 2019’s Terrible Animals(also featuring Fortner and Sorey) in having an alloriginal set, matching album art and employing asimilar approach to composition, improvisation andrecording/mixing. Most of the compositions were
written while Lund was homeschooling his two
daughters in Skien, Norway during the COVID-19
pandemic: short, usually two-part, with relatively
bare-boned themes, they are more suggestive thanprescriptive. The recording, following a day of
rehearsal, was completed in a single session, one
or two takes per song—a practical methodology
designed to foster spontaneity. The mixing issimilar to the guitarist’s work on Animals and on
tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana’s just-released
sophomore Blue Note album, appending various
effects in post-production and adding an extra
dimension in the emergent soundscape.
On Most Peculiar, Lund overdubs guitar partsof contrasting timbres, often using them to shadeand shadow the themes or thicken the outros. Someof his most beautiful, Segovian passages, occur on“Stone Age”, “Antarctica” and “Horses”, where heapplies plastic pick to nylon-string acoustic, andon “Circus Island”, “Lost in Your Hometown” and“Bad Acrobat”, where he churns out melodic triads
in smooth, fast-flowing streams with occasional
chromatic ‘bumps’ to keep things interesting; it’sa restless rush of ideas spilling out and stumblingover themselves. Fortner is similarly ebullient,playing before and behind the shared pulse,expressing himself in broad gestures with intricate
textures, notes and phrases, skimming along
effortlessly like an airplane’s shadow crossing overland formations far below. Sorey’s accompanimentis marvelous, especially his responses to Fortner’s
ambidextrous improvisations, wherein the trio (sansLage) temporarily assumes a new identity. Brewer
mostly functions like a tendon, connecting muscle
to bone, but shows his tensile strength on “Horse”,
with bass-defying mechanics and mobility.

swift and flawless melodic transitions might bematched but certainly not surpassed. Solo Game isa masterful blend of styles by one of our finest andmost gifted jazz pianists.
For more info visit ffm.to/sfsologame. Fortner is at 92NY
with Cécile McLorin Salvant Apr. 13. See Calendar.

For more info visit crisscrossjazz.com. Lund is at
Manhattan West Apr. 10 with Peter Bernstein, Dizzy’s
Club with Melissa Aldana Apr. 9-10 and The Jazz
Gallery Apr. 12-13. See Calendar.

Stop Time (Live at Prince Street, 1978)
Barry Altschul/David Izenzon/Perry Robinson(NoBusiness)by Stuart Broomer

There are few sounds as heartening as a lost

Live at Ronnie Scott’s, 1964
Johnny Griffin (Gearbox)
by Jason Gross

Solo Game
Sullivan Fortner (Artwork)by Terrell K. Holmes

P ianist Sullivan Fortner has gained worldwide

acclaim for his playing, notably with vocalist
Cécile McLorin Salvant. Solo Game is an ambitious
two-disc album that will place him even more
prominently among the jazz vanguard. Album
producer, pianist Fred Hersch, a fair to middlin’
pianist himself (insert wink emoji here), challenged
Fortner by insisting that there be only one takeof each tune to discourage overthinking and to
stimulate spontaneity—a gambit that has resulted
in an assured, inspired work.
The solo pieces that comprise the first discdisplay Fortner’s deftness and exploratory
approach immediately with his rendering of Stevie
Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”. His
ruminative introduction to the evergreen “I Didn’t
Know What Time It Was” uncovers sonorous
treasures concealed in its contours. Repeated single
notes on Randy Weston’s optimistic “Congolese
Children” vibrantly capture the simplicity of achild’s world. Fortner tips his cap to Bill Evanson the bluesy waltz “I’m All Smiles”. His quickwittedness on “Invitation” will drop some jaws,
as will his replication of blistering flourishes fromArt Tatum’s dazzling rendition of “Yesterdays”,
on “This Is New”. A lovely version of Ellington’s“Come Sunday” ends the disc with an amen.
The second disc, Game, is a different kind ofsolo venture. Fortner plays various instruments
himself, most of which are electronically enhanced.
It makes sense, then, that the Latin-charged
percussive computerized riot, “It’s A Game”, leads
off. The ominous-sounding electronic single notes
and eerie vocalizing on “Snakes and Ladders”
sound like an introduction to an infernal nursery
rhyme. The organ sermon, “King’s Table”, is a tour
de force that has Fortner’s most impassioned andpowerful playing. The archaic pops and hisses on
the straight-ahead piano piece “Stag” commentironically on the relationship between the two discs
and, perhaps, perceptions of the current relevanceof classic jazz. “Cross and Circle” is a smooth jazz
blueprint with textbook synths and vocals, andalbum closer “Valse du petit chien“ is a vivacious
post-modern riff on Chopin’s “Minute Waltz”.
Fortner’s fluency and creativity are beyond
question. His formidable harmonic sophistication,
facility with internal dialogue and skill in making

UNEARTHED GEM

B y the time he moved to Europe—just before thispreviously unheard date from the storied U.K. jazz
venue Ronnie Scott’s—Johnny Griffin’s tenor had
already made an impression on Art Blakey, Lionel
Hampton and Thelonious Monk, as he recorded
and toured with all of them, among many others.
This now-historic recording, Live at Ronnie Scott’s,
1964 (released as a 3-sided deluxe double-LP on
180-gram vinyl), chronicles a turning point in thetenor saxophonist’s career, pairing him with the
club’s impressive house band, which included
pianist Stan Tracey (later famous for his Jazz Suitesoundtrack), bassist Malcolm Cecil (who would
become a pioneering synthesizer player) anddrummer Jackie Dougan.
While “The Girl Next Door” started out as a
dreamy pop vocal showcase for the likes of Judy
Garland and Frank Sinatra, Griffin (whose 96thbirthday would be this month) respectfully rolls
through the melody before stretching it out towilder places for the first six minutes. Tracey thenlays down a sweet, sympathetic solo which hammers
into modal territory, allowing Cecil to dance aroundthe theme before the tenor saxophonist returns fora soaring finale. From there, it’s pedal-to-the-metaltime with a 21-plus minute take of “(Back Home
Again In) Indiana”, which manages to even outpace
more raucous versions, such as those by Bud
Powell and Louis Armstrong. For a stunning nine
minutes, Griffin leads off in such fiery, high-speed
fashion that you might be more out of breath than
he is just by listening; by comparison, the elegant
rhythm section’s middle segment is a chance forthe listener (and maybe Griffin, too) to have abreather before the leader comes back roaring in ata breakneck pace for the last five minutes, Dougan
ending with an extended series of resoundingrolls. By comparison, Griffin’s “Blues in Two” isan enjoyable R&B-inflected piece (given not quite
as extraordinary as the numbers that precede it),though excitement builds as the drummer chases
after the tenor saxophonist a few minutes in. The
closer is an ultra-brief take on Miles Davis’ “The
Theme”, taken at high speed and making one wish
that there had been more. In all, this mid ’60s set isa vivid reminder of Griffin’s hallmarks: stunning
range and versatility.
The tenor saxophonist’s career would stretch
on for several more decades, including working
again with Monk as well as Wes Montgomery, Nat
Adderley, Horace Parlan, Martial Solal and manyothers, performing right up to the time that he diedin 2008, including a return to Ronnie Scott’s (Live at
Ronnie Scott’s, In+Out), at age 80.
For more info visit gearboxrecords.com

recording by a previously unknown band possessedof collective and individual brilliance. This 45-yearold tape is an exceptional showcase for an underrecognized master, clarinetist Perry Robinson (whopassed away just over 5 years ago at age 80). He’s
heard here in Stop Time (Live at Prince Street, 1978)
in an ideal context with as gifted a drums/bass
pairing as one could hope for in Barry Altschul andDavid Izenzon (whose last name is unfortunately
misspelled as “Izenson” on the release), matchingand stimulating Robinson, resulting in some of his
more extended improvisations on record. The project
hardly sounds like a trio at all, often suggesting amuch larger band. Altschul sometimes drives asmuch time as two good drummers might (consider
his contemporaneous work with his own trios andAnthony Braxton) while Izenzon, from his first
appearance with Ornette Coleman, sounded like Scott
LaFaro’s most conscientious successor. Robinson wasboth a technical master and musical anarchist of thefirst order, covering klezmer to chaos (this writer firstheard him holding his own ground in a Sunny Murray
nonet with saxophonists Marion Brown, Bennie
Maupin and Charles Tyler). His solos are a dance
between virtuosity and squall, his lowest registersuggesting the abrasive honk of an alto clarinet while
his lines shoot between registers, timbres and moods
with hints of the aleatoric, at times suggesting Eric
Dolphy had he emphasized soprano rather than bass
clarinet.
The recently-turned 81-year-old Altschul (thesurviving member of this trio), who came across thetape, can’t recall them ever rehearsing tunes, and linernote author and co-producer Ed Hazell wonders if anyof the themes are compositions recorded elsewhere,
welcoming input from any listener who might spot a
composition. I can’t assist, though it sounds at times
like individuals are developing touchstones; thus, therelatively brief “Untitled II” is distinctly Izenzon’s
lamentation, a keening melody that he develops
sufficiently to suggest a string section. Elsewhere, thedrummer initiates compound Latin rhythms at various
points, connecting or inviting multiple perspectives.
Clarinetist Robinson, for his part, caps off the album
with a 10-minute passage on the 20-minute “Untitled
IV” that travels from Marrakech to New Orleans, seems
to reference “Tennessee Waltz” and “Ramblin’”, andeventually connects blues approaches from Johnny
Dodds to Ornette Coleman. The cumulative effect of
the three musicians is as impressive as some great
saxophonists’ minimalist trios, just as virtuosic but
more egalitarian too, with Robinson’s thinner, higher,
clarinet lines enhancing the almost orchestral breadthof his partners.

For more info visit nobusinessrecords.com. Barry
Altschul is at The Stone at New School with Jon Irabagon
Apr. 26. See Calendar.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 33

B OXED SE T
Innerpause
Joel Futterman/Michael Wimberly (JDF)
Infinite Dimensions
Joel Futterman/Ike Levin(Charles Lester Music/JDF)
Perspicacity
Joel Futterman (Soul City Sounds)
by John Sharpe

Four Compositions (Wesleyan) 2013
Anthony Braxton, Roland Dahinden,
Hildegard Kleeb (Prague Music Platform)
by Kurt GottschalkA nthony Braxton was slow to bring electronics

into his compositions even though he’d performedin the ’70s with Richard Teitelbaum and Bob
Ostertag who both used computer-generated
sounds in their work. But it wasn’t until the early
2000s that Braxton took these tools into his own
hands. The resulting interface has been fascinating,
if only occasional. He doesn’t try to simulatefamiliar sounds but lets the machine, operating
independently, perform in its mechanistic voiceof prolonged, wavering tones, deep pulses andmetallic scrapes.
It had been only a handful of years spent
with Supercollider processing when Braxton
convened the sessions documented on Four
Compositions (Wesleyan) 2013. On these fourpieces—incorporating eight source compositions
that leave generous room for interpretation andimprovisation—Braxton and computer are joinedby Roland Dahinden (trombone) and Hildegard
Kleeb (piano) in an ever-shifting triangle-cumparallelogram. The three musicians play fromdifferent scores but follow common graphic
suggestions (painted brushstrokes by the Czech
artist Vladimir 518) for approaches to theirimprovisations. Braxton’s Falling River Musicsystem, employed here, relies on the musicians
to discover a structure as they’re playing.
Successfully finding a common coherence seems
to be the goal. It requires significant empathy andgroup-think, something these three players findquite adeptly. Swiss spouses Dahinden and Kleeb
had established considerable history together, andalready had recorded in trio with Braxton (Roland
Dahinden Trios, Naima, 1997) when these sessions
were recorded at Wesleyan University in 2013.
Kleeb had worked in other Braxton ensembles
when she was a visiting scholar at Wesleyan
University during Braxton’s tenure there andhad recorded a four-disc set of Braxton’s piano
compositions: Piano Music (Notated) 1968-1988,
released in 1996.
The generally (certainly not always!)monophonic trombone and saxophone blend
well with the electronic tones, often generating
spontaneous concerti featuring Kleeb. The pianist
has given premieres to works by John Cage, Alvin
Lucier, James Tenney and Christian Wolff (among
many others) and is well adept at traversing such
topographies as Braxton likes to chart. Her playing,
and the recording of it, are just remarkable. The
three hours and forty minutes contained within
this set—a laudable first release for the fledgling
Prague Music Platform imprint—are less dense
than much of Braxton’s work of recent decades,
but no less intense, perplexing and mesmerizing.
For more info visit praguemusicplatform.com. Braxton
is at Le Poisson Rouge Apr. 16. See Calendar.

W hile grounded in traditional and classical study,
pianist Joel Futterman quickly graduated to freermeans of expression in a career largely pursued
out of the limelight, having moved to Virginia fromhis native Chicago back in 1972. But that hasn’t
held him back as he has followed his muse withstellar collaborators such as saxophonists Jimmy
Lyons, Joseph Jarman and Kidd Jordan, as well as
alone. Celebrating his 78th birthday this month(b. April 30, 1946), he has amassed a discography that
numbers over 75 entries, showcasing a style in which
his imaginative atonal discourse, independence of
movement between hands and affection for older
styles are given full rein.
Piano/drum duets have become a classic freejazz trope ever since Don Pullen and Milford Graves’
iconoclastic Nommo (SRP, 1966). Futterman too has
utilized the form, previously in tandem with the likes
of Alvin Fielder, Steve Hirsh and Avreeayl Ra, andnow with New York stickman Michael Wimberly.
Innerpause presents two extended improvisations froma 2023 studio encounter. Wimberly establishes himself
as a sensitive accompanist, not in the sense that heholds back, more that he carefully tracks Futterman’s
trajectory, taking care not to crowd the sonic space.
That’s especially the case on “Part 1” where the bounceand drive of his malleted tattoo recalls the great Ed
Blackwell. The pauses of the title are a recurring
element, allowing moments of reflection between
Futterman’s dancing staccato, resounding storm
and unfettered skittering. “Part 2” contains further
passages of fury as well as rhapsodic high drama, but
is more conversational with Wimberly foregrounding
snare and cymbal chatter. It’s instant composing at its
best.
Tenor saxophonist Ike Levin has been a regularsparring partner for Futterman for over two decades:
Infinite Dimensions is their 15th album together. On
the first of two lengthy inventions, they indulge
in energetic, fast-moving repartee in which Levinproves equal to all of his partner’s gambits, drawing
on a litany of falsetto squeals, gruff middle registerruns and reiterated figures, often in a throaty
searching Trane-like tone. The pianist feeds him arapid succession of rhythmic material, at the sametime maintaining a thunderous bottom end rumble,
which sporadically erupts. This approach offers aparticularly pleasing combination when juxtaposed
against Levin’s ripe cries. At the outset, “Part 2” resets
the dial, as Futterman simultaneously balances dark
chords with shrill flute, before his palette warms tocoax melodic rejoinders from Levin. Thereafter, theymorph between helter-skelter interplay and rubato
swirl, in a display of emotional volatility.
Futterman‘s debut release, Cafeteria (JDF, 1979),
was an unaccompanied excursion—and it’s a format
he has returned to repeatedly, with some 20 albums
to date. However, he continues to find worthwhile
avenues to explore, as his latest outing Perspicacity,
testifies. It comprises five spontaneously-generated
pieces that afford light and shade at the macro, as
well as micro, scale. Thus his tightly-coiled flurriesof clipped notes expand into thickly-voiced legato
streams on “Part 1” and “Part 3”, in contrast to a

34 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

Monk-ish ballad distinguished by a string of dazzling
glissandos between a stride, evoking a bass pivot
on “Part 2”. Throughout, Futterman celebrates thedetours as much as the destination with a panoplyof digressions, from gospel-infused lyricism to blues
inflections, low-pitched vamps and post-Cecil Taylor
angularity, which make listening an entertaining aswell as immersive experience.
For more info visit joelfutterman.com, charleslestermusic.com
and soulcitysounds.bandcamp.com

You And The Night
Steve Ash (Cellar Music)
by Marilyn Lester

P ianist Steve Ash has declared that for him, the trio
is the ultimate format for creative expression. In You
And The Night that proposition is well-supported.
Ash is basically a traditional player, a melodist withan airy touch and enough creative ideas to support
engaging improvisation. He’d be equally at home ina hotel piano lounge as in a jazz room. For his newrelease, the pianist partners on this trio project with
Harvie S (bass) and Alvester Garnett (drums),
providing nuanced and mostly background rhythm.
Recorded by the bassist in Ash’s New Jersey livingroom, it makes for an organic sound in which the threeplayers share an empathic link of musical interplay.
The one deficit of this venture: the bass sounds muted,
though still present enough to be effective.
The album’s eight tracks are standards—jazzand American Songbook—all solidly and pleasantly
delivered, mostly in a gentle uptempo. “For Heaven’s
Sake”,
theMeyer/Bretton/Edwards
standard,features the ballad’s intended lushness and lyricism
front and center. A bass bonus comes with a calland-response on McCoy Tyner’s “Effendi”, while
the harmonic structure leaves room for the leader tostretch out and play his most improvisationally on
the album. The synergy of the three musicians mosteffectively comes to the fore here; with a little morecreative freedom than on the tighter structures ofthe other selections, Ash, Harvie S and Garnett are
in a swingy groove, which is similarly replicated on
Charlie Parker’s “Cheryl”. There’s fun to be found in“Una Noche Con Francis” (Bud Powell’s homage toFrancis Paudras): with its joyful Afro-Cuban calypso
rhythm, the temptation to get up and dance is almost
irresistible. The quick tempo also showcases Ash’s
flexibility on the keys and gives Garnett a chance toshow his chops on the kit in a splendid spotlight that’smuch too short. Admirably, in the almost boundlessworld of Ellingtonia, Ash selected a tune not often
heard with “I’m Just A Lucky So-And-So”. Ellington
was exceedingly fond of the blues (this number reflectsthat love), and Ash and the trio perfectly capture thejaunty, hipster mood of the piece. Playout of Wayne
Shorter’s “United” also gives a delightful, but seldom
heard tune, a voice.
For a bright, clear and “real” sound, You And
The Night offers lovers of piano trio music, especiallyperformed in a traditional mode, a sweet and satisfying
listening experience.
For more info visit cellarlive.com. Ash is at Don’t Tell
Mama Apr. 13, and Smalls with Ryo Sasaki Apr. 7 and 28.
See Calendar.

Criss Cross Jazz latest / upcoming releases

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ON SCREEN

Omar Sosa’s 88 Well-Tuned Drums
Directed by Soren Sorensen (Otá Records)
by Paul Gaita

T here is much to be said about Omar Sosa, andthe documentary Omar Sosa’s 88 Well-Tuned
Drums (now available on VOD). Director Soren
Sorensen addresses nearly every aspect of theGrammy-winning composer and jazz pianist’s
life and art in sprawling, animated (both literally
and figuratively), appropriately soulful terms.
Sorensen begins in Sosa’s present, as a hardworking and oft-touring musician, and works its
way back to his past: Sosa’s upbringing in Cuba,
where his classical training in percussion led to his
pointillist approach to piano (and gives the film
its title); the dichotomy of his formative years aspart of Cuban vocalist Xiomara Laugart’s band;the various elements that formed his unique sound(everything from Afro-Cuban rhythms, Americanfunk and, as ‘Soundcheck” host John Schaefersays in the film, post-classical constructs); and his
collaborations with musicians who travel similarly
eclectic paths, from Senegalese kora player
Seckou Keita, Indian tablas player/drummer/
percussionist Trilok Gurtu, Puerto Rican Weather
Report percussionist Manolo Badrena and Italian
trumpeter Paolo Fresu. Above all of this is Sosa
himself, a lively figure whose candid observations
are frequently detailed in vocalized rhythms that
underscore the idea that music is alive and electric
under his skin.
Sorensen, who co-produced 88 Well-Tuned
Drums with the pianist’s manager, Scott Price,echoes his subject’s exploratory nature by
employing different visual styles to tell the story.
Archival video and audio bump alongside lo-fi
animation and a framing device involving a fable
about the orisha Elegua, a trickster figure in Latin
American and Yoruban religions, who connects thehuman and divine worlds in various ways. Someof these choices are effective, while others areless so: the folk tale is spread so thinly across thefilm that the impact of its conclusion is lessened.
The film works best when it sidesteps its artistic
ambitions and puts Sosa’s music in the spotlight.
He is a captivating figure in both conversationand performance, the latter of which can be both
thunderous (as glimpsed in a performance at
Helsinki Club Hudson that suddenly blooms intoa dance party), and elegantly sparse, like his duetwith Fresu that floats on small but complex pianomeasures and the trumpeter’s astonishing breath
control.
As a film on a singular musician, 88 WellTuned Drums offers a thorough look at its subject’s
life and offers plenty of testimony to his talentsfrom the likes of Chucho Valdés, John Santos andothers. As a showcase for Sosa’s music, the film
has the good sense to step back and let the manplay.
For more info go to omarsosa.com. Sosa is at Birdland
Apr. 9-13. See Calendar.

Duke At His Very Best(The Jimmy Blanton-Billy Strayhorn-Ben Webster
Sessions): Legendary Works 1940-1942
Duke Ellington (Fremeaux & Associes)
by Marilyn Lester

E xact figures may vary according to sources, but

it’s widely acknowledged that Duke Ellington, oneof America’s greatest composers and music legends,
wrote about 3,000 compositions credited to himself.
Duke At His Very Best is the latest release to peck away
at this vast legacy. It’s a glorious feast of musicalselections, wisely chosen for variety, mirroring themany parts of Duke and his ethos. With 94 tunes
total, this beautifully-presented 4-CD set cuts a wideswath through the Ellington catalog at a specific point
in time, the two years (1940-42) in which the Duke
Ellington Orchestra (DEO) had come to be known
as “The Blanton-Webster Band.” During this period,
the new additions of pianist-arranger-composer Billy
Strayhorn and revolutionary bassist Jimmie (note:correct spelling) Blanton to the roster, along with themighty tenor saxophone of Ben Webster, created asound that many agree was the bandleader’s finest,
never really replicated thereafter (despite all of the
top-tier performers on the bandstand then and tocome). This exalted triumverate was in the companyof the likes of Johnny Hodges (alto), Harry Carney(baritone), Juan Tizol (trombone), Barney Bigard(clarinet, tenor), Ray Nance (trumpet, violin) andmany other soon-to-be legends, and all virtuosos intheir own right. What’s more, Duke composed witheach band member in mind. The results were tailoredcompositions, realized in Ellington’s genius forarranging.
Eighty-two of the tracks are direct transfers from78rpm masters; the others from secondary analog
sources. A minimum of filtering was decided upon toconvey the dynamic range and musicality of the DEO.
Careful listening reveals some small degree of surface
noise and slight occasional distortion, technicalities ofsmall consequence for listening enjoyment. Notably,
it was during this era that two other historic eventsin Ellington history took place: the November 1940
live recording of the band in the Crystal Ballroom atFargo, ND; and the 1941 creation of the revue Jump for
Joy, which had a run at Los Angeles’ Mayan Theater.
About racial matters, Ellington always claimed what
he had to say about civil rights was contained in hismusic. In Jump for Joy, that point was addressed in a
production that he called his “first social significanceshow.” Featured here and from the show are theswinging title song, the bluesy “Rocks in My Bed”
(sung by mainstay vocalist Ivie Anderson) andthe quirky “Bli-Blip” (with Blanton shining forth).
There are also many standards written by others of
the Great American Songbook. Unlike today, bands
in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s played for dancing, notconcertizing; hence, the set lists were often varied inauthorship. Among the non-ducal tunes are the 1940
hit “Flamingo” (voiced by Herb Jeffries); it’s a great
window into the DEO as a “backing band,” a function
honed when Anderson joined the roster in 1931 (sheleft in 1942 for health reasons).
Features written by band members abound: there
are the Latin rhythms of Tizol’s “Perdido” and “MoonOver Cuba” and a few Mercer Ellington composed
during the 1941 ASCAP boycott when Duke’s

36 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

composing hands were tied. “Jumpin Punkins” (withshort features for drummer Sonny Greer) and “Things
Ain’t What They Used to Be” resulted, although some
Ellington scholars detect the strong hand of Strayhorn
in both. Cornetist Rex Stewart brought Duke themelodic riff that became “Morning Glory” and so thenumber was arranged for him (although this rendition
appears to be the only recorded version of it). And,of course, as to Strayhorn, his own catalog is repletewith masterworks, many of which are featured on thisset. Considering that this output of Strayhorn’s wascreated in the course of only a few years, the feat isamazing. Among these works is the now iconic “Takethe ‘A’ Train”, in its finest version, which became
the DEO’s theme song. There’s also the well-known“Chelsea Bridge”, as well as “Raincheck” and “My
Little Brown Book”.
The work of Ellington himself represents aplethora of fascinating origins. Many of the big hits
were instrumentals that lyricists took hold of after
the fact. “Sentimental Lady”, with the irreplaceable
Hodges’ alto solo, became “I Didn’t Know About You”.
“Concerto for Cootie” (written for trumpeter Cootie
Williams) transformed into “Do Nothing Till You
Hear From Me”. Like many jazz composers, Ellington
was into contrafacts (way before the beboppers
jumped on that bandwagon). The jumpy “Cottontail”
was based on the chord changes of George Gershwin’s“I Got Rhythm”. In fact, a large chunk of Ellington’s
genius was his constant evolution of composing andoften reinventing older material. “Sepia Panorama”,
begun by Strayhorn, based on “Tuxedo Junction”, andabandoned by him, was completed by Duke as a vehicle
for Webster; the tenor saxophonist, who particularly
excelled on ballads, is also in the limelight on “AllToo Soon”. And along with the evergreens, such as“Sophisticated Lady“, are a wealth of much lesserknown works, such as “The Giddybug Gallop” and“That’s the Blues, Old Man”. With such an abundanceof Ellington, as this collection offers, there is also theopportunity to listen carefully to his piano skills. Dukeis often underappreciated as a pianist, and that’s a
tragedy. His artistry ranks among the best, especially
if you’ve heard him play stride—breathtaking.
More than a work of history and a snapshot in
time, Duke At His Very Best presents work that’s asvital and relevant now as when originally recorded all
those many decades ago. Like all greats in their fields,
Ellington is immortal.
For more info visit fremeaux.com. Ellington 125th birthday
tributes are at Harlem Stage Gatehouse with “Pianos for
Duke Reimagined” Apr. 26-27 and Dizzy’s Club with Ayn
Inserto Jazz Orchestra Apr. 29. See Calendar.

Destiny CallingCharlie Apicella & Iron City meet The Griots Speak(OA2)
by Marco Cangiano

B y merging the soulful Iron City trio with The Griots

Speak quartet he founded in 2022, Charlie Apicellahas created one of the most original outfits on today’s
scene. The guitarist has established himself as one of
the key interpreters of the guitar-organ-drums trio
tradition. A devotee of Pat Martino and Yusef Lateef(particularly with regards to the latter’s composing),
Archie Shepp, B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix, Apicellahas blended these influences into a unique free-,post-rhythm-and-blues style. The addition of ’70s
NYC loft scene veterans—bassist William Parker,
percussionist Juma Sultan (who played extensively
with Hendrix, including at Woodstock in 1969) andmulti-instrumentalist Daniel Carter—plus Iron City
organist Brad Whiteley and drummer Austin Walker,
has here produced a musical palette that goes backto Miles Davis’ early electric period, Hendrix’ Electric
Ladyland and late-era Grant Green.
Against this background, the music is surprisingly
soft, almost contemplative, yet exciting, with the ninepieces flowing in a unified groove. From the start of“As the Sun Rises” (Carter’s bass clarinet reminiscentof Davis’ “Pharaoh’s Dance” from Bitches Brew), to theensuing “Titan vs Sphynx” (with its Weather Reportfeel, thanks to Carter’s soprano playing in homage
to Wayne Shorter), the effect is suite-like. Carter’s
reeds and Whiteley’s organ blend well over the multilayered rhythmic pattern laid out by the bassists andvarious percussion, Apicella John McLaughlin-like in
his approach. “Juma Speaks” follows seamlessly while
continuing the reeds/organ dialogue, interspersedwith the leader’s clever chordal punctuations. Carter(on trumpet) adds to the depth of the music with broad
strokes à la Wadada Leo Smith in “We Are All Here in
Spirit”. A guitar riff introduces and supports “I Heard
in Passing”, along with Parker (on piano) and Carter(on pocket trumpet), against the freely improvisedcollective. Returning to bass, Parker sets the tone for“If You Know” by providing a hypnotic anchor overwhich Carter (on flute) floats, before his languid tenor
saxophone feature on “Where Do You Find These
People”. Carter’s versatility across all instruments ismind-boggling and provides an overall valuable asset
through the course of the entire album.
The adventurous Destiny Calling is an enjoyable
listen of universal music which points back into the
future.
For more info visit originarts.com. Apicella is at Nublu
as part of Cadence Magazine Fest Apr. 11 and Arthur’s
Tavern Apr. 28. See Calendar.

Standards
Yotam Silberstein (JoJo)
by Ken Dryden

Y otam Silberstein has blossomed as a guitarist in
recent years with each new recording. The Israeli
native is a skilled bop interpreter, his musical palette
not only drawing from his homeland, but SouthAmerica and North Africa as well. Joined by veteranbassist John Patitucci (who utilizes the guitarist in
his small group) and master drummer Billy Hart,
in Standards, Silberstein has put together a varied
playlist that ranges from light classical to popular
standards, classic jazz compositions and a Brazilian
gem infrequently recorded by jazz artists.
Leroy Anderson was known for his light classicalfare (often not exceeding two or three minutes inlength) such as the Cuban-flavored “Serenata”.
Silberstein transforms it into a straight-ahead swinger
with his playful approach, supported by Patitucci’s
inventive bass line and Hart’s driving percussion.
Brazilian guitarist Nelson Cavaquinho penned thegorgeous samba “Beija-Flor” and the late guitarist
Jim Hall fell in love with it, recording it on severalof his albums. Here, Silberstein’s lyrical treatment
is wide open and understated, no doubt influenced
to a degree by Hall’s terrific use of space, though
he reveals new facets within it and without losing
sight of its sense of desire. “If I Loved You” waswritten by Rodgers and Hammerstein for the musicalCarousel and the guitarist embraces its character byplaying it slow and allowing the song’s message tobe conveyed even without the benefit of hearing the

lyric. The leader’s skill as an improviser is best heard
in his interpretation of Tommy Flanagan’s calypso“Eclypso”, an overlooked tune that certainly deserves
to be a jazz standard. Patitucci’s solo and Hart’s
marvelous breaks add to its appeal. Miles Davis’“Little Willie Leaps” is an intricate bop vehicle that
opens with a delightful octave unison played by theleader and bassist, while the engaging interplay in the
body of the arrangement provides ample fireworks.
The subtle bossa nova setting of “Stella by Starlight”
provides a suitable conclusion to the outstanding
session. As a bonus, octogenarian tenor saxophonist
George Coleman is added for two songs, providing asoulful touch to Joe Sample’s roller coaster bop gem“Lo Joe”, and a gritty element to the ballad “Never Let
Me Go”, which keeps the standard from being overly
sentimental.
For more info visit jojorecords.com. Silberstein’s album
release concerts are at The Django Apr. 4 and Zinc Bar
Apr. 9. See Calendar.

A Strange Celestial Road with Ahmed Abdullah
Saturday April 13th 7:00 pm
Soapbox Gallery Brooklyn$10 live or livestream

www.onebreathrising.org

G LO B E U N I T Y

Alla Mina Kompisar
Orkester Omnitonal
Den Sämsta Lösningen Av Alla
Per “Texas” Johansson (Moserobie)
by Daniel A. Brown

F or this month’s Globe Unity, we turn our attention
to Swedish reedsman Per “Texas” Johannson (whorecently celebrated his 55th birthday). Since the late’80s, Johansson has appeared on a variety of albums
documenting his worthy blend of DIY sensibilities—asavvy merger of jazz and contemporary classicalmusic, and a nuanced approach to various
woodwinds, including clarinet and saxophone,
as well as oboe and flute. After honing his chops
as a sideman with notables including pianist/
vibraphonist Thore Swanerud, vocalist Lina Nyberg
and the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, he then venturedout as a soloist and collaborator with fellow players
from the potent Scandinavian free music scene. Here
we delve into three recent releases by Johansson: afirst-time (and overdue) reissue of a 1998 session
and two recent records released on the same day—all containing unique elements that highlight his
distinct approach toward jazz.
Now available as a limited-edition double vinyl,
the reissue of Alla Mina Kompisar boasts a wholeside of unreleased music from the original session
released on EMI Sweden. Opener “Tunnelseende”
finds Johansson and saxophonist Fredrik Ljungkvist
offering bluesy, angular commentary over thesolid swinging of Dan Berglund (bass) and Mikel
Ulfberg (drums). In contrast, “Snabbis” is a free-bop
workout, with Ljungkvist and Johansson volleying
unison lines, split-notes, even whistling, all atop
the front-burner sizzle cooked up by Berglund andUlfberg. In total, the album from 25+ years ago still
has legs and is a great document of where Johansson
would be heading.
Inspired by early 20th-century classicalcompositions written by Stravinsky and Bartók that
had been commissioned by Woody Herman and
Benny Goodman, the seven-song Orkester Omnitonal
features works by Viktor Skokic, Johan Lindström
and Johansson, performed by a large-scale ensemble.
Johansson dips into tasty versatility on “Klarinet
3”. After a playful opening duet with vibraphonist
Mattias Ståhl, the pair are met by the full force of theband, moving through the song’s alien, syncopatedtime signature and unpredictable changes that evoke
the denser works of Henry Threadgill and Butch
Morris. Album closer “Livet i tre delar” is a hypnotic

tributary to the potential of Third Stream music:
shifting tonalites of clarinets, trumpets and arco
double bass shimmer and retract. At the halfway
point the band introduces an eerie unison melody,
while the sum total splits the difference between
the bucolic mysticism of Olivier Messiaen and themoodiest furies of Charles Mingus.
The nine tracks of Den Sämsta Lösningen Av Alla(“The Worst Solution of All”) are contemplative,
short-form songs where Johansson guides his
sextet through esoteric arrangements. Opening
ballad “Mardrömmen” features a five-note motifthat the band uses for subdued solo passages that
invite silence into the performance. Pedal steel
guitarist Lindström coaxes weeping lines from his
instrument, keyboardist Johan Graden interjects
hushed intervals, and drummer Konrad Agnas andbassist Petter Eldh offer just a flicker of rhythm tomaintain a ghostly pulse through the performance.
“Var är musiken” kicks in with a muscular freeform
bass line by Eldh, evoking 1960s Alan Silva andCharlie Haden, the band responding in kind witha lilting, eerie swing. Violinist Josefin Runsteen
and Lindström dart through the song with howling
melodies, Johansson adding low-register notes,
urging his band to keep pushing the song to just thisside of the precipice.
For more info visit moserobie.bandcamp.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 37

CELEBRATE 45 YEARSOF WBGO 88.3 FM
NEWARK PUBLIC RADIO

ANNIVERSARY

88.3 FMBIRTHDAYCELEBRATION

PM-8 PM VIP RECEPTIONFRIDAY 68 PM-MIDNIGHTDANCE PARTY
04/ 12 /24 NEWARK SYMPHONY HALLSPECIAL GUESTSDJANGÉLIKA TYREEKPRINCE BEENER MCDOLEHAKIMQUINTETTICKET INFORMATIONWBGO MEMBERS SPECIAL PRICES$100 VIP Reception+ Dance Party$45 Dance Party 2 for 1$30 Dance Party 1
NON WBGO MEMBERS$125 VIP Reception+ Dance Party$45 Dance Party(LEST WE FORGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)
and her musicianship was extraordinary for a womanof her time… As a young adult I stumbled across her(first) Verve [album]… she was hip and fresh and sangin French. Then I got to meet her after a performanceat the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco... I
was hooked. Her material is smart and sassy, and sexy.
I love to sing it. I never imitate. But it fits me like a
glove.”In her final years Dearie had a residency atDanny’s Skylight Room, stopping in 2006 when
she became too ill to continue on. Three years later,
Dearie died peacefully in her sleep at age 84. Afterher passing, previously unreleased music from thelate ‘60s was discovered in the family home, and 27
unheard tracks were subsequently included in lastyear’s Universal Music release, Discover Who I Am: The
Fontana Years (London 1966-1970), a 6-CD boxed set that
also comprehensively compiles Dearie’s four Fontana
albums in addition to several singles.
“Bird Amongst the Blossom: A Tribute to the Blossom
Dearie Songbook” with Jaye Maynard featuring Jon Weberis at Chelsea Table + Stage Apr. 28. See Calendar.
Recommended Listeni:• Blossom Dearie—Blossom Dearie (Verve, 1956)• Blossom Dearie—Give Him the Ooh-La-La(Verve, 1957)• Blossom Dearie—Once Upon A Summertime(Verve, 1958)• Blossom Dearie—May I Come In? (Capitol, 1964)• Blossom Dearie—Discover Who I Am:
Blossom Dearie in London (The Fontana Years)(Fontana-uMe, 1966-1970)• Blossom Dearie—Needlepoint Magic Vol.V(Daffodil, 1979)(LABEL SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11)
about the project and came to Sweden.” Cooperationis one thing, but extra-musical situations also affectproductions. Konvoj’s most recent discs have beensolos or duos. Due to the extended lockdowns during
the COVID-19 pandemic it was impossible to financelarger ensembles. However, forced isolation allowed
many players to experiment with the singularprograms creating these sessions.
Economics plays a large part in the label’s release
schedule and pressing needs. In some years there isn’t
enough revenue to produce even one disc; duringothers the label is flush enough for several releases.
CDs are the preferred format according to Paulson,
because they provide the best combination of soundquality and flexibility. There have been some LPs,
but he stays away from what he terms “ridiculous
production costs.” Although some sessions are onother streaming services, the entire catalogue is on
Bandcamp. Sales, he adds, are even between physicalproducts and downloading/streaming. Despite 2023
being the label’s decade anniversary, no dedicatedreleases have been planned, except perhaps for a final
Konvoj Ensemble album.
Meanwhile, the plan is to re-press discs in
response to demand, which so far has involved thesolo Paulson release, Return serene Skoarkki, andKonvoj Ensemble’s Colors of. “We don’t want large
archives to administer,” the saxophonist explains.
“We give a large part of the discs to libraries and thelike, to preserve the music for the future. The rest we
sell out”, which could be a credo for most boutiquegrassroots labels. As Paulson insists: “It’s a special
and rare thing to own a Konvoj record. It’s definitely
not a mass product.”
For more info visit konvojrecords.bandcamp.com

38 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

www.GothamJazzFestNYC.com

(INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)TNYCJR: Who are your favorite pianist-vocalists fromthe past?
Sherman: Barbara Carroll, Sylvia Syms, and, of course,
Blossom Dearie. She sounds so simple. It isn’t. The
last show I did at Birdland was a Blossom tribute. If
anyone thinks I sound like her, I’m very proud of it. At
the very end, when she was ill, I visited her a coupleof times in her home. She was listening to music withearphones, and I wondered who she was listening to.
And I took the earphones and put them to my ears, andshe listened to herself. Oh, well: the best!
TNYCJR: Who are your favorite contemporary pianistvocalists?
Sherman: Diana Krall. I had a six-day-a-weekengagement in California and visited Clint Eastwood’s
steakhouse on my days off. A jazz trio was playing. I
was obsessed with Eastwood and always missed him
whenever I went there. The wait staff said, “He shouldhear you. He’ll like you.” Then he found Diana Krall,and it was all over for me. I like her, her happening
sound and her piano playing. Dena DeRose is excellent.
She’s a fine pianist and didn’t start singing until muchlater.
TNYCJR: And your favorite composers?
Sherman: Johnny Mercer. I love his stuff. I’ve done atribute record. (And) Cole Porter because his songs are
magnificent.
TNYCJR: How do you breathe new life into beloved
standards and make the older material feel so fresh andcontemporary?
Sherman: I play to my own strengths, which are
weaknesses in some way. Sylvia Syms mentored me.
She had one leg in theater and one leg in jazz, andshe was very close to Frank Sinatra. And she had agravelly voice. She said, “Stop listening to the soundof your voice. There’s no reason to be nervous; stopworrying about yourself. The most important thing
you can do is pick a really good song. If you have awell-composed song with a wonderful melody thatwill get you through; you’d have to be really horrible
to mess up a fine song like that.” So that was thebest advice. Jazz singers today study phrasing. Forme, it’s more. It’s what makes sense when you’re in
a conversation about what you want to emphasize. I
don’t have a huge voice to hammer away at somebody.
So, I try to make less more. And I think that’s what I
learned from her and from experience of what works
for me and what’s in my heart. When you’re involvedin the song, it brings out emotions, and that comesout.
TNYCJR: You will be at Birdland this month. The clubannounces you as “taste, style, charm, singing, playing
as good as it gets.” So, what can we expect?
Sherman: I will celebrate one of the late ’20s and ’30s
singers, Mildred Bailey, the first singer to stand in frontof a band. Mildred, a Native American, had a unique,high-pitched but girlish sound, which I can relate to.
She wasn’t a scat singer, but she had her own senseof rhythm and phrasing. It’s very musical and very
hip. After she died, she got lost in history. Recently,
there’s been a revival of interest in her. I started
listening to Mildred and my recordings again and said,“Oh, come on, Daryl. You both deserve at least one
more.” I decided to make a party out of it. If I wait any
longer, who knows? I want to share the songs. Loren
Schoenberg will play saxophone, James Chirillo guitarand Boots Maleson bass.

TNYCJR: Does your stage persona, the charming,
witty person, differ from the private Daryl Sherman?
For example, Eartha Kitt, the sultry, seductive stage
performer, raised chickens in the yard of her California
home.
Sherman: I’m not raising chickens; I’m eating chickens.
I cook them, sometimes. I’m living alone, and I like it. I
find humor in the craziest things, and I sometimes talkto myself and make myself laugh.
TNYCJR: You seem to be the same bubbly person on
the stage as at home.
Sherman: Not always. When I’m not emoting on stages,
I soothe myself with repeats of Law and Order. I do likethe camaraderie of people working together; I miss thecamaraderie of the hotels—the waiters, bartenders,customers. Working alone, you know I do miss that.
With Dave McKenna, we would all go out after ourgigs or even during our gigs, and there were moreplaces like that back then.
TNYCJR: Any advice for younger women embarking
on a career as jazz singer-pianists?
Sherman: When you’re playing with a band, and theband takes over, the band singer has to walk backward
to sit on the chair again gracefully, which is the hardest
part of the game.
For more info visit darylsherman.com. Sherman is at Park
Avenue Plaza Mondays through Fridays. Sherman’s “Born
To Swing: Celebrating Mildred Bailey” is at Birdland
Theater Apr. 9 and 16. She is also at North Square Loungeas part of the “Carol Fredette Remembrance” Apr. 21. See
Calendar.
Recommended Listening:• Daryl Sherman—I’m A Dreamer, Aren’t We All(Tropical Belt, 1981/83)• Daryl Sherman/John Cocuzzi—Celebrating Mildred
Bailey and Red Norvo (Audiophile, 1996)• Daryl Sherman—A Hundred Million Miracles(The Music of Richard Rodgers) (Arbors, 2002)• Daryl Sherman—New O’leans (Audiophile, 2007)• Daryl Sherman—Mississippi Belle:
Cole Porter in the Quarter (Audiophile, 2011)• Daryl Sherman—My Blue Heaven (Muzak, Inc., 2015)(FESTIVAL REPORT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12)
Although born three years before Brötzmann,saxophonist Joe McPhee only became a regularcollaborator with the advent of the German’s acclaimed
Chicago Tentet in 1997. His presence onstage guaranteedsoul and class. He shone in two separate trios. The firstwith William Parker (bass) and Hamid Drake (drums)
offered a masterclass in mutating, never-ending
grooves, against which McPhee waxed alternately
abstract and lyrical. With the beats more jagged in thesecond with Edwards (bass) and Steve Noble (drums),
the saxophonist’s rejoinders edged ever further toward
the extremes, from gut-wrenching skronk to somber
gospel-tinged melody. In another set, vibraphonist
Jason Adasiewicz’ combination of reverberation,
chimes and jangles, adroitly accompanied McPhee’s
poetic recitations, paying moving homage to his
inspirations, including not only Brötzmann, but
Coltrane and Ken Vandermark. McPhee was also partof the group that hatched the most beautiful refrainof the three days: hauntingly initiated by frequent
Brötzmann collaborator Heather Leigh (pedal steel),given an uneasy undercurrent by Fred LonbergHolm (cello) and Camille Emaille (percussion), before
McPhee weighed in to fashion an aching dirge.
If McPhee was an indicator of excellence, thenPaal Nilssen-Love’s presence signaled visceral power
although, paradoxically for their set together, thesaxophonist chose to play a series of ballads whichcalled on his phenomenal capacity for extemporization.
Tender and delicate, sometimes so exquisite it hurt,
his performance was another of the festival’s manyhighlights. Elsewhere the drummer mixed timbral
diversity with a polyrhythmic maelstrom. He drove
the foursome completed by the incendiary reedsof Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson and electricbass of Farida Amadou to a fever pitch. Gustafssonroared and shrieked on baritone, while Vandermark
co-opted R&B shouts into buttressing counter lines,
as Amadou picked out a dirty riff. Time and again
they found varied routes to the peaks of high-octane
excitement. Here as elsewhere, the reservoir of sharedexperience paid dividends, often more so than the ad
hoc groupings. Earlier in the day Vandermark andNilssen-Love exhibited a highly polished dynamic inrevisiting their long-established and well-documented
duo. Whether sustaining tension or detonating into
blessed release, neither was afraid to take the lead or
prolong a fertile gambit.
But as if to assert the potency of impromptu
encounters, the first-time meeting of tenor saxophonist
Zoh Amba with Emaille and Edwards furnishedanother festival highpoint. Amba’s first blast was amind-melting bellow as if exorcising a recalcitrant
spirit. On a customized kit supplemented by an array of
implements, Frenchwoman Emaille kept up a clanking
rattle while Edwards maintained a throbbing strum. Allenergy but also all ears. There was an astonishing levelof responsiveness on show, including an electrifying
passage where the percussionist bowed wood andcymbal to accentuate Amba’s altissimo squeal, an
ambience heightened further still by Edwards taking
up his bow. Among other standouts was the trio ofThomas, Parker and Drake, in which the drummer
mediated between the pianist’s percussive hail,playful vaudeville stylings and prancing reiterations,and the bassist’s relentless rhythmic tracery, for a set
that was joyous and inspired. Brötzmann’s son Caspar
Brötzmann, as uncompromising as was his father,created a curtain of industrial noise on electric bass ina solo set on the last evening. Fred Lonberg-Holm’s
conduction of his Lightbox Orchestra constituted
the grand finale, as he guided a ten-strong squadthrough assorted combinations with flashing lights
and instruction cards to add structure to what mightotherwise have been a succession of blowouts.
With 14 musicians playing their hearts out eachday, there was just so much great music, far more thancan be encompassed here.
For more info visit cafeoto.co.uk/events/archive

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 39

CALENDAR
Monday, April 1êGilad Hekselman Trio with Matt Brewer, JK Kim Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Musics with Ilusha Tsinadze, Gocha Tsinadze, Chris Tordini, Jason Nazary

Barbès 7 pm $20• Linda Purl & DIVA Jazz Orchestra: “Big Band Romance” Birdland 7 pm $30-40êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40êMelanie Charles
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Mike Kanan Trio
• Ted Nash Big Band with James Zollar, Brad Mason, Chris Rogers, Anthony Hervey,
Matt McDonald, James Burton, Jacob Melsha, Steve Kenyon, Veronica Leahy,
Daniel Cohen, Chris Lewis, Carl Maraghi, Adam Birnbaum, Jay Anderson,
Domo Branch, Kristen Lee Sergeant Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-55• Shane Allessio Quartet; Liam Sutcliffe Quintet The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Iridium 8:30 pm $50-60• Lee Ritenour• Kenny Wollesen, Tim Lefebvre, Joshua White Justine’s On Hudson 7 pm
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Diego Figueiredo Trio
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya KnoelleêJohn Zorn, Christian McBride, Steve Coleman, Ches Smith Roulette 8 pm $30-35
Jacob
VarmusQuartet;RandomStrangers
Jam; Vector Field Shrine 7, 8, 10 pm•êGeorge Colligan Quartet with Steve Wilson, Alexander Claffy, Kush Abadey
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• Roni Ben-Hur Trio with Harvie S, Jason Tiemann Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35

Tuesday, April 2

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• New Moon Acoustic Blues• Leo Genovese, Sean Conly, Diego Voglino and Jam Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Wayne
Tucker&The
Bad
MothasBar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10•
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Chad LB Quartet• Christine Lavin & Julie Gold: “April Fools”; Will Bernard Quartet with Allison Miller,
Ben Allison, Kenny Brooks

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êFrank Carlberg Large Ensemble with Sam Hoyt, John Carlson, David Adewumi,
Alexandra Ridout, Brian Drye, Chris Washburne, Caleb Smith, Max Seigel,
Nathan Reising, Jeremy Udden, Adam Kolker, Hery Paz, Andrew Hadro,
Rahul Carlberg, Kim Cass, Michael Sarin, Christine Correa, Priya Carlberg
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-60• AC Lincoln Quintet; Rick Germanson Trio The Django7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Cameron Campbell, Conway Campbell, Jr., Kabelo Mokhatla; Copenhagen Quartet
with Louise D.E. Jensen, Tom Blancarte; patrick brennan, Ken Filiano, James
Ilgenfritz, Michael TA Thompson Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm
Iridium 8:30 pm• Lee Ritenour
Jazz Museum in Harlem 7 pm
• Luther S. Allison QuartetêAnna Webber Trio with Eivind Opsvik, Tom Rainey Lowlands 8 pm $10• Marcos Varela, Paul Cornish, Eric McPherson; Michael Kanan Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pmêZoh Amba Sun Quartet with Lex Korten, Caroline Morton, Miguel Marcel Russell
Roulette 8 pm $25-30
Silvana 8 pm
• Aidan Siemann Quartet• Alaara & Qasim Naqvi; Chris Williams Sisters 8 pm
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Idris Frederick Trio
• Marshall Trammell; Milena Casado Union Pool 8, 9 pmêJohn Patitucci Trio with Chris Potter, Brian Blade Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
York College 7 pm
• Josue Lahens• Erik Charlston JazzBrasil: “The Music of Hermeto Pascoal” with Ted Nash,
Vitor Gonçalves, Eduardo Belo, Café, Mauricio Zottarelli Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35• Chloe Flower• Ehud Asherie Trio

Wednesday, April 3• Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group; Adriel Vincent-Brown’s The Force

Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
BAMCafé 7:30 pm $35-165
êJosh Sinton Predicate Quartet with Sam Newsome, Chris Hoffman, Tom Rainey
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Chad LB QuartetêDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with
Nicole Zuraitis, Warren Vache Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Chloe FlowerêBrandi Disterheft Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êInternational Contemporary Ensemble: “World Premieres & Recent Works”
Chelsea Factory 7:30 pm
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Benny Green• Benito Gonzalez Trio; Wilfie Williams Quartet The Django7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êWilliam Parker, Fred Moten
Fridman Gallery 7 pm
Lee
RitenourIridium
8:30 pm•• Tyrone Allen Quartet + Strings with Neta Raanan, Lex Korten, Samantha Feliciano,
Kayvon Gordon
The Jazz Gallery7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êMax Kutner, Ben Stapp, James Paul Nadien; Louise D. E. Jensen, Lena Watson,
Tom Blancarte, Harry Kay; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Colin Hinton;
Patrick Golden Ensemble; Noah Becker, Anthony Pearlman, Henry Fraser,
Henry Mermer
Main Drag Music 7 pm $15êKalia Vandever/Micah Thomas Manhattan West 12:30 pm
Dan
Cray
Trio
with
Matt
Pavolka,
StevenCrammer; Kate Cosco Trio•
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ben Cassara, Josh Richman, Yoshi Waki, Sarah Caswell and Tim Horner:“Ben Cassara 70th B’day Bash” Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Eli Wallace, Kyle Motl, Nick Neuburg; Samantha Kochis, Sabrina Salamone,
Anna Abondolo; Kevin Murray Record Shop 7:30 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20
êHear in Now Expanded with Tomeka Reid, Silvia Bolognesi, yuniya edi kwon,
Chad Taylor; QWANQWA
Roulette 8 pm $25-30
Shrine 7 pm
• Gil Schwartz
Peter
Glynn
Silvana
8 pm•• Amos Hoffman Quartet with Elam Friedlander, Asaf Yuria, Eric McPherson;
Evan Sherman Quintet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êNabaté Isles Sextet with Don Byron, Paul Bollenback, Manuel Valera Jr.,
Eric Wheeler, Johnathan Blake Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-45
êAdam Rudolph/Peter Apfelbaum The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êJohn Patitucci Trio with Chris Potter, Brian Blade Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êJohn Rogers book release featuring Tim Berne solo Village Works 6 pm

• Caetano Veloso

Thursday, April 4• Terry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm
BAMCafé 7:30 pm $35-165• Caetano Veloso

ê = Recommended Shows
êHarvey Diamond/Anthony Pinciotti with Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Gili Lopes Quintet• Culomba with Lysander Jaffe, Adam Simon, Sophie Michaux, Lexi Ugelow,
Sora Harris-Vincent, Daniel Fridley; Alex Asher’s Slow Motion with Joel Matteo,
Julia Chen, Mike Lavalle
Barbès 6, 10 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• Chad LB Quartet• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band with Conal Fowkes, Simon Wettenhall,
Tom Abbott, Harvey Tibbs, Josh Dunn, Brian Nalepka, Kevin Dorn; Jive Aces
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Kenny Garrett• Philip Harper Quintet; Ai Murakami Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5êBenny Green
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50êRon Jackson Trio; Yotam Silberstein Quartet The Django7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êCamila Meza/Aaron Goldberg
Greenwich House Music School 8 pmêRoy Hargrove Big BandThe Jazz Gallery7:30, 9:30 pm $40-50• Leila Adu with Jon Toscano, David Frazier Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $20• Kenny Wollesen, Greg Ulmann Justine’s On Hudson 7 pmêJamie Baum Quartet with Carmen Staaf, Tony Scherr, Allison Miller;
Soyoung Park Quartet
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
Minton’s 11 pm• AB Trio
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Towner Galaher
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Jill McCarron
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington• Ka Baird with gabby fluke-mogul, Henry Fraser, Joanna Mattrey, Chris Williams
Roulette 8 pm $25-30• Kaisa Mäensivu Quintet; Benito Gonzalez Trio and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êWalter Smith III Quintet with Matt Stevens, Brad Mehldau, Harish Raghavan,
Kendrick Scott
Smoke 7, 9 pm $40-65
êDave Liebman/Adam Rudolph
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êJohn Patitucci Trio with Chris Potter, Brian Blade Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, April 5• Denton Darien

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
Albert’s Bar 3 pm
• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
Bar Bayeux 5:30 pm• Freddy Banker• Jim Whitney’s Trip Around the Sun with Brad Shepik, Bennett Paster, Adrian
HarphamBarbès 8 pm $20
Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Birdland Big Band; Chad LB Quartet Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Sasha Dobson
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Kenny Garrett
Cellar
Dog
All
Stars;
RaphaelD’Lugoff
Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10
•
Yola
Nash
Chelsea Table + Stage 7 pm $50•
êBuster Williams and Something More with Steve Wilson, George Colligan,
Lenny White
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-65• Steve Davis Quintet; High and Mighty Brass BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows with Greg Robbins, Julia Easterlin,
Danielle Wertz, Alejandro, Lucas Pino, John Lowery, Carl Maraghi, Tony Kadleck,
Matt Holman, John Lake, John Raymond, Mike Fahie, Alan Ferber, Jasim Perales,
James Borowski, Alex Goodman, Max Light, Martha Kato, Dan Montgomery,Peter Kronreif
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45
Joe’s Pub 9:30 pm $20• Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez
Miho
Sasaki/Matt
Snow
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm•
• Vanessa Rubin Quartet with Brandon McCune, Kenny Davis, Winard Harper;
Freddie Bryant Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Minton’s 11 pm• Michael CruseêRan Blake
National Sawdust 7:30 pm $20• David Blake Quartet with Chris McCarthy, Warren Louie, Ari Hoenig;
Eden Har-Gil Quartet with Dave Pietro, Lo Wood, Noam Tanzer, Eden Har-Gil
Nublu 151 7, 8:30 pm $22.66• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Louise D.E. Jensen, Tom Blancarte, “N P A-K”, “H A-K”; TJ Borden/Louise D.E.
Jensen; Sabrina Salamone, Shogo Yamagishi, James Paul Nadien
Record Shop 7:30 pm• Tessa Souter; Markus Howell Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20
êKris Davis with Jen Shyu, Roni Eytan, Doyeon Kim, Edmar Colón, Lim Yang,
Francisco Mela
Roulette 8 pm $25
Shrine 10 pm• Manny’s Boogaloo Crew
Silvana 7 pm
• Caleb Davis• Mike Rodriguez Quintet; Ken Fowser Quintet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êWalter Smith III Quintet with Matt Stevens, Brad Mehldau, Harish Raghavan,
Kendrick Scott
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $40-65
êAdam Rudolph Sunrise Quartet with Alexis Marcelo, Kaoru Watanabe, Stephen
HaynesThe Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êJohn Patitucci Trio with Chris Potter, Brian Blade Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Charu Suri: “The Art of Raga Jazz & American Songbook”
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall 8 pm $35-50
êEric Person Organ Trio

Saturday, April 6

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• Seydurah & Her Avecmoi Band of Blues; Jenn Jade 4tet Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm• David Berkman/Adam Kolker Bar Bayeux 6 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Fred Thomas of The JB’s
• JEFF RUM with Ryan Dugre, Jeremy Gustin, James Buckley Barbès 6 pm $20
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Quintin Harris Trio; Chad LB Quartet Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Sasha Dobson
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Kenny Garrett• James Austin Quartet; Tad Shull Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10
Chelsea Table + Stage 7 pm $42• Vanessa RacciêBuster Williams and Something More with Steve Wilson, George Colligan,

Lenny White

Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-65• Jason Marshall Quartet; Helio Alves Quintet The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Drom 7:30 pm $30-40• Mike SternêCarol Liebowitz/Nick Lyons; Ephemeris with Louise D. E. Jensen, Carol Liebowitz,

Tom Blancarte, John Wagner

Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
ê“Armstrong Now: Louis at Newport” with Marquis Hill, Bruce Harris, Anthony Hervey
LeFrak Concert Hall 8 pm $30• Vanessa Rubin Quartet with Brandon McCune, Kenny Davis, Winard Harper;
John DiMartino Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êCurtis Lundy Quintet; Kevin Oliver, Jr. Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm• Keith ‘The Captain’ Gamble and the Nu Gypsies Patrick’s Place 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Silvana 8 pm
• Jackie MessinaêJimmy Owens Quartet
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $25• Miho Sasaki/Nori Naraoki

40 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORDêMike Rodriguez Quintet; Lew Tabackin Trio and Jam

Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40

êWalter Smith III Quintet with Matt Stevens, Brad Mehldau, Harish Raghavan,

Kendrick Scott

Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $40-65

Stephen Haynes

The Stone at The New School8:30 pm $20

êAdam Rudolph Sunrise Quartet with Alexis Marcelo, Kaoru Watanabe,êJohn Patitucci Trio with Chris Potter, Brian Blade Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, April 7• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam 449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm
92NY 7:30 pm• Pat Metheny Dream Box• Eri Yamamoto Duo; Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band; Stew Cutler and Friends
Arthur’s Tavern 3, 7, 10 pm

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Trio Catarina• Giancarlo Vulcano; Cosmo with Jesse Harris, Will Graefe, Jeremy Gustin,

James Buckley, Kenny Wollesen; Daisy Castro with Max O’Rourke, Brad Brose,
James Robbins
Barbès 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Purchase Latin Jazz Orchestra; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Sasha Dobson
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Kenny GarrettêMike LeDonne Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êBuster Williams and Something More with Steve Wilson, George Colligan,
Lenny White
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-65• Carolyn Leonhart Quintet; Antonio Ciacca Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Teri Roiger Cellar Jazz Trio with Steve Berger, John Menegon Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêWelf Dorr with Shoko Nagai, Dmitry Ishenko, Kevin Shea The Keep 8 pm
• Jane Irving Trio with Joshua Richman, Yasushi Nakamura;
Lucy Wijnands Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Kirk Bailey Next Level Band; Tyreek McDole Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Janis SiegelêMatt Munisteri/Jake Eddy; Charlie Burnham/Joanna Sternberg
The Owl Music Parlor7:30 pm $12• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis and Friends Patrick’s Place 12 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am• Nate Lucas All-Stars• Marcus Goldhaber; Mimi Jones and Jam Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20
êPatricia Brennan, Adam O’Farrill; Patricia Brennan’s SeVeN with Adam O’Farrill, Jon
Irabagon, Mark Shim, Kim Cass, Dan Weiss, Mauricio Herrera Roulette 8 pm $25-30
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Noa Fort/Chad Taylor
Shrine 8 pm
• Shrine Big Band
• Judy Dunaway; Devin Gray; Louise D.E. Jensen, Lena Watson, Tom Blancarte,
Harry Key
Sisters 8 pm
• Nick Green Quintet with Bruce Harris, Jeb Patton, Mike Karn, Peter Van Nostrand
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êWalter Smith III Quintet with Matt Stevens, Brad Mehldau, Harish Raghavan,
Kendrick Scott
Smoke 7, 9 pm $40-65
êRalph Samuelson; Steve Gorn Soapbox Gallery 4 pm $25
êJohn Patitucci Trio with Chris Potter, Brian Blade
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, April 8• Grove Street Stompers

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm

• Stella Cole

Birdland 7 pm $30-40• Eddie Palmieri• Our DelightBlue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5“Celebrating Max Roach”

Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45

êSteve Cardenas/Peter Bernstein Quartet Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40êYale Jazz Ensemble with Nasheet Waits, Wayne Escoffery:• Rico Jones Quartet; Robert Papacica Trio The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Cobbs with Ben Freidkin, Julia Chen, Alex Frondelli, Ben Tiberio; Kadawa with Tal

Yahalom, Almog Sharvit, Ben Silashi Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm
Shrine 8 pm
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êDave Sewelson/Ava Mendoza; Fusebox Trio with Ras Burnett, Dafna Naftali,
Gwen Laster; History Dog with Shara Lunon, Chris Williams, Luke Stewart,
Lesley Mok
Sundown Bar 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 pmêVanguard 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• Freddie Bryant Trio with John Benitez, Francis Benitez Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35• Ahmaya Knoelle• John McNamara Trio
• Bruce Harris Quintet

Tuesday, April 9• Ben Monder, Gary Wang, Diego Voglino and Jam Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Los CielitosêOmar Sosa Quarteto Americanos with Sheldon Brown, Josh Jones,

Ernesto Mazar Kindelán

Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDaryl Sherman: “Born To Swing: Celebrating Mildred Bailey”

Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êMelissa Aldana Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45
LostonHarrisTrio;RichardBaratta
Quintet The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25•
êBeyond Flute Group with Cheryl Pyle; Devin Gray, David Mirarch, Aaron Rubinstein;
Patrick Golden, Matt Hollenberg, Rick Parker Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pm• Kevin Sun’s ROSEFUL with Henry Fraser, Jon Starks, Kayvon Gordon
Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10• Alex Goodman, Rick Rosato, Gary Versace; Larry Browne Quartet with
Richard Clements, Caleb Tobocman, Joe Strasser
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êNublu Orchestra Conducted by Graham Haynes with Brandon Ross,
Jonathon Haffner, Shakoor Hakim, Michael Kiaer, Mauro Refosco, Doug Wieselman,
Kenny Wollesen, Ilhan Ersahin Nublu 151 10 pm $22.66• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Gil Schwartz; (L)os Ritmicos Shrine 7, 8 pm
Silvana 8 pm
• Ryan Huston QuartetêLester St. Louis/Luke Stewart: “Assembly #16” Sisters 8 pmêBilly Hart with Walter Smith III, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Yotam Silberstein Trio with Alexander Claffy, Rogerio Boccato: “Tribute to Jobim”
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35• MonoNeon• Vanderlei Pereira Trio

Wednesday, April 10• Eri Yamamoto Trio

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêMicah Thomas Trio with David Leon, Lesley Mok Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Eden Bareket & ZAMAN• Mitra Sumara with Yvette Massoudi, Ben Rubin, Jack Gruber, Kaveh Haghtalab,Joe Giordano

Barbès 7 pm $20

êOmar Sosa Quarteto Americanos with Sheldon Brown, Josh Jones,

Ernesto Mazar Kindelán
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night with
Stefano Dogliano
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• MonoNeon
êEd Cherry Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êMelissa Aldana Quartet
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45• Dave Stryker Quartet; Todd Herbert Quartet 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, Eugene Ghee, Michael Rorby, James Zollar,
Ryo Suzuki, Bruce Edwards, Danny Mixon, Mimi Jones, Alvin Atkins + Antoinette
Montague, et al.
Interchurch Center 7 pm
• Louis Armstrong Legacy Jam with Carol Sudhalter Flushing Town Hall 7 pm
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Paul CornishêTrevor Bajus Ensemble; Main Drag Conduction Orchestra with Yuma Uesaka;
Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane, Kevin Shea; Devin Gray, Hery Paz, Kenneth Jimenez;
Sally Gates, Sana Nagano, Aaron Edgecomb Main Drag Music 7 pm $15êLage Lund/Peter Bernstein
Manhattan West 12:30 pm• Tom Dempsey, Rick Germanson, Paul Gill; Mamiko Watanabe Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êNublu Orchestra conducted by Graham Haynes with Brandon Ross,
Jonathon Haffner, Shakoor Hakim, Michael Kiaer, Mauro Refosco,
Doug Wieselman, Kenny Wollesen, Ilhan Ersahin Nublu 151 7:30 pm $22.66• Jonathan Saraga Quartet with Aki Ishiguro, James Robbins, Jay Sawyer
Ornithology Jazz Club 6:30 pm• Ken Greves with Francesco Pollon and Yoshi Waki Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20
êGeorge Coleman, Emmet Cohen, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth: “Smoke 25th
Anniversary Celebration”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êSanity with Fred Frith, gabby fluke-mogul The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBilly Hart with Walter Smith III, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, April 11êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pmêJacob Sacks with Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Anwar Marshall GroupBar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10êOmar Sosa Quarteto Americanos with Sheldon Brown, Josh Jones,

Ernesto Mazar Kindelán
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band with Conal Fowkes, Simon Wettenhall,
Tom Abbott, Harvey Tibbs, Josh Dunn, Brian Nalepka, Kevin Dorn; Craig Davis Triowith Darmon Meader
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• MonoNeon with Eric Gales• Richard Clements Quintet; Mariel Bildsten Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5
êWu Fei and Shanir Blumenkranz David Rubenstein Atrium 7:30 pm• Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55
êWayne Escoffery Quartet; Sam Dillon Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Greenwich House Music School 8 pm
• Queen Esther• Emilio Solla & La Inestable de Brooklyn with Alejandro Aviles, Tim Armacost,
John Bailey, Mike Fahie, Sara Caswell, Rodolfo Zanetti, Emilio Solla, Edward Perez,
Rogerio Bocatto
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35
êHuntertones with Akie Bermiss, Victoria Victoria, Charlie Hunter
Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $25-30• Glenn Zaleski, Dezron Douglas, Willie Jones III; Alex Minasian Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Simona Daniele; Patience Higgins Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pmêCadence Magazine Fest Marathon: Bass Bridge Quartet with Dave Sewelson,
Michael Gilbert, Dave Hofstra, Che Chen; William Hooker Trio; Adam Lane Group;
Cheryl Pyle/Kirk Knuffke; This World-That World with Charlie Apicella,Daniel Carter; Billy Martin Solo/Duo with David Haney; David Haney’s Vishnu
In New York with Art Baron, Ken Filiano, Nora McCarthy + very special mysterygroup!
Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Mick Young’s Soul Guard
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Jill McCarron
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington
Roulette 8 pm $25• David Behrman/Ben Neill• Justin Robinson Quartet; Joseph Doubleday Quartet and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êGeorge Coleman, Peter Bernstein, Michael Weiss, John Webber, Carl Allen:“Smoke 25th Anniversary Celebration” Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 8 pm $60• Al Di Meola
êAM/FM with Ava Mendoza, gabby fluke-mogul
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êBilly Hart with Walter Smith III, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, April 12• Denton Darien

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pmêEric Person Organ Trio
Albert’s Bar 3 pm
ê“In the Same Tongue” with Dianne McIntyre, Diedre Murray

Apollo Theater & Music Café 8 pm $20• Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra: “Journey Through Jazz Part V”
The Appel Room 7, 9 pm $10-75• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• SugarTone Brass Band
Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem AllstarsêBirdland Big Band; Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos with Sheldon Brown,

Josh Jones, Ernesto Mazar Kindelán Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40

êSteven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• MonoNeon with Eric Gales• Abraham Burton Quartet; Jihee Heo Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente with Fabio Torres, Paulo Paulelli,
Mauricio Zottarelli

Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55

êDavid Gibson Quartet; Ed Cherry Quartet The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êLage Lund Quartet with Lex Korten, Matt Brewer, Johnathan Blake

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• Ray Gallon/Caleb Tobacman Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
• Gary Versace Trio; Caelan Cardello Trio Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25• Arcoiris Sandoval; TC III• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca

êTony Malaby
Record Shop 7:30 pmêDayna Stephens; Emmanuel Michael Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Phil’s House of Blues

Silvana 6 pmêBilly Harper Quintet with Eddie Allen, Francesca Tanksley, Dezron Douglas,

Aaron Scott; Philip Harper Quintet and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40

êGeorge Coleman, Peter Bernstein, Michael Weiss, John Webber, Carl Allen:“Smoke 25th Anniversary Celebration” Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
Sony Hall 9 pm $61• Al Di MeolaêXXE with Tcheser Holmes, Mara Rosenbloom, gabby fluke-mogul

The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20• Star Rover with Kenny Wollesen Union Pool 7 pmêBilly Hart with Walter Smith III, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Saturday, April 13• Denton Darien

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pmêCécile McLorin Salvant: “Book of Ayres” with Sullivan Fortner, Emi Ferguson,

Dusan Balarin, Yasushi Nakamura, Keita Ogawa 92NY 7:30 pm
ê“In the Same Tongue” with Dianne McIntyre, Diedre Murray
Apollo Theater & Music Café 2, 8 pm $20• Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra: “Journey Through Jazz Part V”
The Appel Room 4:30, 7 pm $10-75êSantiago Leibson
Bar Bayeux 6 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Binky Griptite Orchestra• Michael Hearst with Allyssa Lamb, Saskia Lane, Dylan Thurston, Jackie Coleman;
JEFF RUM with Ryan Dugre, Jeremy Gustin, James Buckley; Brooklyn Qawwali
Party with Kenny Warren, Oscar Noriega, Brian Drye, Xavier Del Castillo,
Michael Gamble, Tony Kieraldo, Noah Jarrett, Conor Elmes, Brook Martinez
Barbès 4, 6, 10 pm $20
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Quintin Harris Trio; Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos with Sheldon Brown,
Josh Jones, Ernesto Mazar Kindelán Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êSteven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• MonoNeon with Eshu Tune-Hannibal Buress Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Samba de Gringo; Carol Morgan Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente with Fabio Torres, Paulo Paulelli,
Mauricio Zottarelli
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Judith Owen; Tommy Campbell Trio The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êSteve Ash with Don Shelden
Don’t Tell Mama 7 pm
• Kevin Norton’s Jazz Essence Project with Julia Sane Simoniello, Mike Baggetta,
Ken Filiano
Everything Goes Café 7 pm
• Slow Tiger with JP Schlegelmilch, Adam Schnite, Andrew Dow,
Nathan Ellman-Bell, Kenny Warren; Shawn Lovanto’s Biotic with Ingrid Laubrock,
Henry Mermer
Freddy’s Backroom 8 pmêLage Lund Quartet with Lex Korten, Matt Brewer, Johnathan Blake
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45• David Paige/Josh Rosenbaum Knickerbocker Bar & Grill 9 pm
Louis Armstrong House Museum 3 pm
• Eddie Barbash + Strings
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Gary Versace Trio
• Whitney Marchelle Jackson; Kevin Oliver, Jr. Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Ray Blue Quartet
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca• Leopoldo Fleming Band with Sharif Kale, Karen Joseph, Dinah Vero, Ray Martinez,
Emilio Valdés, Ray Ramos, Antoinette Montague: “Tribute to Leopoldo F. Fleming”
Point CDC 4 pmêWendy Eisenberg, Caroline Davis, Che Chen, Lesley Mok, Patrick Shiroishi P.I.T. 7 pm
• Annika Horne; Bill Warfield and The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra Shrine 7, 8 pm
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $25• Vanessa RubinêBilly Harper Quintet with Eddie Allen, Francesca Tanksley, Dezron Douglas,
Aaron Scott
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êGeorge Coleman, Peter Bernstein, Michael Weiss, John Webber, Carl Allen:“Smoke 25th Anniversary Celebration” Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
ê“A Strange Celestial Road” with Ahmed Abdullah Soapbox Gallery 7 pm $10êZeena Parkins/gabby fluke-mogul The Stone at The New Schoo 8:30 pm $20
êBilly Hart with Walter Smith III, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Reginald Chapman’s Chaphouse with Maxx Spinelli, Julia Chen, Ryan Easter,Mark McIntyre, Eli Rojas

Barbès 7 pm $20
Birdland 7 pm $30-40êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Infinity SongêChris Beck Trio
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Purchase Jazz Orchestra directed by Jon Faddis; Purchase Latin Jazz Orchestra
directed by David DeJesus
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45• Tony Song Trio; Marty Scott Quintet The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Talujon with Ian Antonio, Caitlin Cawley, David Cossin, Matthew Gold, Tom Kolor,
Michael Lipsey, Matt Ward
Roulette 8 pm $25
Shrine 8 pm
• Random Strangers Jam
Gian
Perez/gabby
fluke-mogul;
LesleyMok/Shara Lunon; Sonya Belaya•
Sisters 8 pm
• Eric Alexander Quartet; ELEW Trio and Jam 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• Pete McCann with Steve Wilson, Henry Hey, Matt Pavolka, Donald Edwards
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35• Stella Cole

Tuesday, April 16• Wayne Tucker and The Bad Mothas Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêBruce Barth, Ugonna Okegwo, Diego Voglino and Jam Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêKen Peplowski: “The Unheard Bird” Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $30-40êDaryl Sherman: “Born To Swing: Celebrating Mildred Bailey”; Andy Ezrin Trio with

Randy Brecker

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-35

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Infinity Song
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Organ Grooves• MSM Jazz Orchestra directed by Ingrid Jensen Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45• Nick Di Maria Quintet; Kieran Brown Quartet The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25• Kevin Sun Trio with Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Angela Roberts Trio
Public Records 8 pm $25-30• Emel• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Chris Williams, Kalia Vandever, Patrick Shiroishi: “Odu: Vibration II”
Roulette 8 pm $25-30

Silvana 8 pm
• Kirk Duplantis Quartet• Joey Yearous-Algozin/Bahaar Asan; Sam Weinberg Trio with Jason Nazary,
Henry Fraser

Sisters 8 pmêTerton with Louie Belogenis, Trevor Dunn, Ryan Sawyer

St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University 7 pmêKronos Quartet and Ghost Train Orchestra: “Play Moondog” with David Byrne,

Joan As Police Woman, Karen Mantler, Marissa Nadler + more
Town Hall 8 pm $60-95

êGerald Clayton Quintet with Dayna Stephens, Marquis Hill, Matt Brewer,

Marcus Gilmore• Shauna McCrea• Jim Ridl Trio

Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
York College 7 pm
Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35

Sunday, April 14• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam 449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm
ê“In the Same Tongue” with Dianne McIntyre, Diedre Murray
Apollo Theater & Music Café 3 pm $20• Eri Yamamoto Duo; Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band Arthur’s Tavern 3, 7 pm
• Maendros Ensemble with Lefteris Bournias, Megan Gould, Philip Mayer,
Mavrothi Kontanis, Umut Yasmut Barbès 6 pm $20
êRyan Keberle’s All Ears Orchestra with Erin Hogan, Alejandro Aviles,
Erica von Kleist, Troy Roberts, Lucas Pino, Carl Maraghi, Tony Kadleck,
Mike Rodriguez, Ingrid Jensen, Michael Dudley, Mike Davis, Marshall Gilkes,
Chris Komer, Marcus Rojas, Martha Kato, Ike Sturm, Jimmy Macbride;
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40êSteven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• MonoNeon with special guest Mike Stern Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Nick Biello Trio
• Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente with Fabio Torres, Paulo Paulelli,
Mauricio Zottarelli
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55• Craig Handy Quartet; Michael Kanan Trio The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Teri Roiger Cellar Jazz Trio with Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêWelf Dorr with Elias Meister, Dmitry Ishenko, Yuko Togami The Keep 8 pm
• Laurence Hobgood/Janis Mann; Naama Polite Jam
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êLew Tabackin Trio with Jason Tiemann, Yasushi Nakamura
Michiko Studios 7, 8:30 pm $20• Kirk Bailey Next Level Band; Tyreek McDole Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Kate Baker• Levon Henry; Yasmine Seale; Derrick Weaving The Owl Music Parlor7:30 pm $12• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis and Friends Patrick’s Place 12 pm
êRenku: Michaël Attias, John Hébert, Satoshi Takeishi; Ingrid Laubrock,
Brandon Lopez, Tom Rainey
P.I.T. 7 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am• Nate Lucas All-StarsêAnat Cohen Quartetinho with Vitor Gonçalves, James Shipp, Tal Mashiach
Resnick Education Wing at Carnegie Hall 5 pm
• Michelle Lordi; Mimi Jones and Jam Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Jeffrey Schanzer: “The Past Is Present” with Isabelle Ganz, Sylvia Bloom,
Brian McCorkle, Thomas Meglioranza, Laura Seaton, Joyce Hammann,
Ron Lawrence, Mary Wooten, Margot Leverett, Ned Rothenberg, Kevin Norton
Roulette 8 pm $25-30
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Tyler Blanton Trio
• Arlen Hart Ginsburg Trio; Evan Harris Sisters 8 pm
• Tony Moreno Trio with Gary Versace, Francois Moutin
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êGeorge Coleman, Emmet Cohen, John Webber, Joe Farnsworth: “Smoke 25th
Anniversary Celebration”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êJane Ira Bloom Trio with Mark Helias, Matt Wilson Soapbox Gallery 4 pm $25
êBilly Hart with Walter Smith III, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Monday, April 15

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Grove Street Stompers• Rodrigo Recabarren/Pablo Menares/Yago Vazquez Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 41

Wednesday, April 17• Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group; FMS feat Day Kornegay

Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm• Tivon Pennicott• Alberto Continentino Quartet with Stephane San Juan, Guilherme Monteiro,
Tony Mason

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Kurt Elling with Joey Calderazzo: “Celebrates Weather Report”
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50êDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Nightwith Olli Soikkeli

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

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Infinity Song
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Akiko Tsuruga Trio
• Eric Alexander Quartet; Dan Aran BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25

êMingus Big Band
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30
êMOCH with Ingrid Laubrock, Keisuke Matsuno, Noel Brennan, Patricia Brennan

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• TJ Borden, James Paul Nadien, Cosmo Gallaro, Brenna Rey;

Adam Caine’s Main Drag Guitar Orchestra; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane,
Colin Hinton; Alex Weiss, Dmitry Ishenko, Santiago Leibson, Vijay Anderson;
Kaelen Ghandhi, Jonathan Milberger, Michael Larocca
Main Drag Music 7 pm $15êFranklin Rankin Duo
Manhattan West 12:30 pm• Mathis Picard, Tyrone Allen, Joe Dyson; Kelly Green Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Chris Humphrey with Mark Devine, Hide Tanaka and Fukushi Tainaka:“The Voice of Clark Terry”
Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20• Rubén Blades; Bernadette Peters; Norm Lewis; Kristin Chenoweth; Bill Charlap;
Jared Grimes; Ekep Nkwelle: “Gala 2024 Celebrating Tony Bennett”
Rose Theater 7 pm $160-210êRodney Jones Quartet with Dabin Ryu, Lonnie Plaxico, Chris Beck
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êNicholas Payton, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington, Al Foster:“Ode for Joe: Celebrating the Music of Joe Henderson”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Matt Mottel with Loren Connors, Suzanne Langille, Yuko Otomo, Daniel Carter
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êGerald Clayton Quintet with Dayna Stephens, Marquis Hill, Matt Brewer,
Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, April 18êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Saha Gnawa• Kurt Elling with Joey Calderazzo: “Celebrates Weather Report”
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50

New York Percussion Series presents
Percussion People in Concert
With Special Guest Artist Jason Gianni
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 7p

The Players Theatre – 115 MacDougal Street NYC

www.ThePlayersTheatre.com
Special Guest Artist: Jason Gianni
Percussion People Artists:

Michael Sgouros - Artistic Director
Jack Mansager, Britton Matthews
Emily Sgouros, Sean Statser

Join us for an all-percussion evening of jazz,rock and funk on a collection of percussion
instruments including marimba, vibes,
xylophone, congas, and much more.

• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band with Conal Fowkes, Simon Wettenhall,

Tom Abbott, Harvey Tibbs, Josh Dunn, Brian Nalepka, Kevin Dorn;
Ava Paris Locknar
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Infinity Song• Duane Eubanks Quintet; Jinjoo Yoo Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5
Chelsea Table + Stage 7 pm $22-42• Laura Anglade Quartet• Luiso Quintero’s 3rd Element with Chris Ferrari, Felipe Fournier, Alex Pastrana,
Ricky Rodriguez, Yusnier Sanchez Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45• Jonny King Trio; Dave Schumacher and Cubeyé
The Django7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Drom 8 pm $30-35• Pedrito Martinez
Greenwich House Music School 8 pm
• AleaThe Jazz Gallery7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Julieta Eugenio• Snarky Puppy with Silvana Estrada, Silvia Perez Cruz, Gaby Moreno andFuensanta
Kings Theatre 8 pm $45-110êWolf Eyes & Anthony Braxton Le Poisson Rouge 8 pm $30• David Stoler Trio with Christopher Nolte, Joe Farnsworth; Thomas Linger Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êBlack Art Jazz Collective with Wayne Escoffery; Patience Higgins
Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Mick Young’s Soul Guard
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Jill McCarron
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington• Swoon with Joanna Mattrey, gabby fluke-mogul, Patrick Shiroishi,
Chris Williams
Roulette 8 pm $25-30• New Approach; Paul Austerlitz Band Shrine 8, 10 pm• Michele Polga Quartet with Sam Yahel, Massimo Biolcati, Jochen Rueckert;
Diallo House Trio and Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êNicholas Payton, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington, Al Foster:“Ode for Joe: Celebrating the Music of Joe Henderson”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55• Matt Mottel with Peter Gordon, Ernie Brooks, Tony Cenicola, Nicole Davis, Inju
Keum, Smoota, Aquilles Navarro, Angel Lau, Carter Thorton
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êGerald Clayton Quintet with Dayna Stephens, Marquis Hill, Matt Brewer, Marcus
GilmoreVillage Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, April 19

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton DarienêEric Person Organ Trio
Albert’s Bar 3 pm
• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Itai Kriss & Telavana• Mehrnam Rastegari; Habbina Habinnah with Amit Peled, Ran Livneh, Dani Danor
Barbès 8, 10 pm $20
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Birdland Big Band; Kurt Elling with Joey Calderazzo:“Celebrates Weather Report” Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Alexa Tarantino Quartet• Phony Ppl; Masego: “Jazz & Jokes” Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Bebop Collective Quartet; Jon Davis Trio Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• G. Thomas Allen: “Sarah Vaughan Centennial Celebration”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Erena Terakubo Quartet; Hector Martignon’s Foreign Affair
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êJihye Lee Orchestra with Ben Kono, Dave Pietro, Chet Doxas, John Lowery, Carl
Maraghi, Brian Pareschi, John Lake, Dave Smith, Stuart Mack, Matt McDonald,
Nick Grinder, Ryan Keberle, Max Seigel, Max Light, Adam Birnbaum, Chris
Tordini, Jared Schonig
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45
êBrian Charette, Paul Gill, Brian Floody Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êEugenie Jones; Trumpet Summit with James Zollar, Michael Cruse
Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca
êBertha Hope; Holly Bean
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20
ê“The Sarah Vaughan Centennial” Hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater with
Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Quiana Lynell, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso,
Tyreek McDole
Rose Theater 8 pm $40-175• Hahn Rowe/Doug Wieselman Roulette 8 pm $25-30• CompCord Festival: “CompCord @ 40” ShapeShifter Lab 8 pm
Silvana 8 pm
• Joe Pino QuartetêBlack Art Jazz Collective with Wayne Escoffery, Wallace Roney Jr,
James Burton III, Victor Gould, Rashaan Carter, Brian Richburg Jr
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êNicholas Payton, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington, Al Foster:“Ode for Joe: Celebrating the Music of Joe Henderson”
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55
êCyrus Chestnut Trio with Cecilia Chorus of New York and Orchestra:“Power in the Blood”
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 8 pm $25-95• Matt Mottel with Cooper-Moore, Jean Carla Rodea
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êGerald Clayton Quintet with Dayna Stephens, Marquis Hill, Matt Brewer,
Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Zankel Hall 7:30 pm• Hot Sardines

Saturday, April 20

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Denton Darien• JT Bowen & The Mighty Kings of Soul Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm• JEFF RUM with Ryan Dugre, Jeremy Gustin, James Buckley; Yotoco with

Sebastian Lopez, Natalia Perez, Gabo Tomassini, Rubén Coca, Geovani Caldero
Barbès 6, 10 pm $20
Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Anaïs Reno Trio with Michael Kanan, Sameer Shankar; Kurt Elling with
Joey Calderazzo: “Celebrates Weather Report”
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-50
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Alexa Tarantino Quartet• Phony Ppl; Masego: “Jazz & Jokes” Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• Wayne Tucker Quintet; Simona Premazzi Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• G. Thomas Allen: “Sarah Vaughan Centennial Celebration”
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Freddy Deboe Band; Nick Hempton BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êRalph Alessi Quartet with Matt Mitchell, John Hebert, Tim Angulo
The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $35-45
êBrian Charette, Paul Gill, Brian Floody
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40
êAlexandria DeWalt; Sax Summit with James Carter, Kevin Oliver Jr., James
Carter, Patience Higgins, Wayne Escoffery Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Rob Roberts Quartet
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Antonio Ciacca

42 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

ê“The Sarah Vaughan Centennial” Hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater with

Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Quiana Lynell, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso,
Tyreek McDole
Rose Theater $40-175• Firas Zreik Ensemble: “New Journeys in Arabic Music” Roulette 8 pm $25
Shrine 7 pm
• Keith Daniels QuartetêEugenie Jones
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $25
êBlack Art Jazz Collective with Wayne Escoffery, Wallace Roney Jr,
James Burton III, Victor Gould, Rashaan Carter, Brian Richburg Jr; Theo Hill Trioand Jam
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $40• Nicholas Payton, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington, Al Foster:“Ode for Joe: Celebrating the Music of Joe Henderson”
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55• Matt Mottel with Nicole Lattuca, Genevieve HK, Daniel Fishkin, Tcheser Holmes,
Matt Nelson, Jessica Cook, Moppa Elliott, Justin Frye, Jessica Paps
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êGerald Clayton Quintet with Dayna Stephens, Marquis Hill, Matt Brewer,
Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Ben Scholz with Hans Luchs, Kells Nollenberger
Williamsburg Music Center 8:30 pm $10

Sunday, April 21êJim Whitney: “Me, Myself and Eye” 440Gallery 4:40 pm $10• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam 449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm
• Eri Yamamoto Duo; Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band Arthur’s Tavern 3, 7 pm
• Juancho Herrera/Franco Pinna Barbès 6 pm $20• April Varner with Benny Benack III, Caelan Cardello, Shimon Gambourg, Ahmad

Johnson; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $20-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• Phony Ppl; Masego: “Jazz & Jokes” Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Greg Glassman Trio
• Coby Petricone-Berg, Endea Owens, Tedd Firth, Bryan Carter, Karrin Allyson,
Jenn Gambatese, Tyreek McDole: “Songbook Sundays - Rodgers andHammerstein”
Dizzy’s Club 5, 7:30 pm $25-55• David Hazeltine Quartet; Roberta Piket Trio
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Teri Roiger Cellar Jazz Trio with Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêWelf Dorr with Shoko Nagai, Dmitry Ishenko, Dave Miller The Keep 8 pm
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Gabrielle Stravelli TrioêJames Carter; Tyreek McDole Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25
ê“Carol Fredette Remembrance” with Ben Cassara, Addison Frei, Dean Johnson,
Daryl Sherman
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Igor Lumpert & Innertextures with Drew Gress, Ralph Allesi, Jeff Miles,
Kenny Grohowski
Nublu 151 8 pm $22.66• Samuel Torres with Bridget Kibbey Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church 5 pm
• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis and Friends Patrick’s Place 12 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am• Nate Lucas All-Stars• Julia Danielle; Mimi Jones and Jam Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20
êWilliam Hooker DuoSaint Peter’s Church 5 pm
• Minnie Jordan with Willis Edmundson, Evan Main, Charlie Lincoln; Lily Talmers
Sisters 8 pm
• Luke Carlos O’Reilly Quintet Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êNicholas Payton, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington, Al Foster:“Ode for Joe: Celebrating the Music of Joe Henderson”
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êGerald Clayton Quintet with Dayna Stephens, Marquis Hill, Matt Brewer,
Marcus Gilmore
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êAlexa Tarantino Quartet

Monday, April 22• Grove Street Stompers

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
Barbès 6 pm
Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Sami Stevens• Alice Ripley/John McDaniel Birdland 7 pm $30-40êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40êEddie Palmieri
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Mike DiRubbo Trio
• Temple University Jazz Band led by Terrell Stafford with Akiko Tsuruga
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• April Varner Quartet; Ace Williams Quartet
The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle
Silvana 10 pm• Dan Willis
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Joe Farnsworth QuartetêVanguard 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
êMichaēl Attias Kardamon 5

Tuesday, April 23

Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Cyrille Aimée• Naama Quartet with Jeb Patton, Dave Baron, Itai Kriss

Birdland Theater 5:30 pm $20-30

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Jose James
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Darrell Green Trio
• Montclair State University Jazz Band with Steve Nelson and Vocamotion
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-50• Lucy Wijnands Trio; People Of Earth The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25• Roger Blanc, Seth Boustead, John Chang, Luis Clavijo, Dan Cooper,

Zachary Gindi-Chiafullo, Arthur Dibble, Valerie Geffner, Debra Kaye,
Howie Kenty, Henny Kim, Andrés Marín, Kyle Miller, Carman Moore,
Gene Pritsker, Cheryl Pyle, Jay Rozen, Elias Swift, Emre Tetik,
Stephanie Susberich, Benjamin Yarmolinsky Drom 6 pm $30• CompCord Festival: Composers Concordance Marathon Drom 6 pm $20-30• Kevin Sun Trio with Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Evan Arntzen TrioêShabaka Hutchings
National Sawdust 7 pm $40• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm
Shrine 8 pm
• Jon Menges Quartet• New York Oud Festival: Brandon Terzic; Adam Good Sisters 8 pmêAaron Parks with Thomas Morgan, Nasheet Waits Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
Webster Hall 8 pm $40• Ibrahim Maalouf• Leslie Pintchik Trio Scott Hardy, Michael Sarin Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $30-35

Wednesday, April 24êEri Yamamoto Duo
Arthur’s Tavern 7 pmêJerome Sabbagh “Vintage” Quartet with Danny Grissett, Joe Martin, Kayvon

GordonBar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

• Duduka Da Fonseca & Brazilian Express Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Souren Baronian with Adam Good, Mal Stein, Paul Brown Barbès 8 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Cyrille AiméeêDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band; Frank Vignola’s Guitar Nightwith Sara Caswell
Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Jose James
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ehud Asherie QuartetêBrandon Goldberg Trio with Ben Wolfe, Aaron Kimmel
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $20-45• John 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
êDance Clarinets: “Howard Johnson’s Gravity”
Greenwich House Music School 7:30 pm $20
êEva Novoa, Drew Gress, Devin Gray Ibeam Brooklyn 8 pm $20
Joe’s Pub 7 pm $25• Dayramir González• Jonathan Reisin, Ceridwen McCooey, Nitzan Birnbaum;
Yoni Kretzmer/Juan Pablo Carletti’s BIGGISH; Stephen Gauci, Adam Lane,
Kevin Shea; Jonathan Goldberger, Matt Nelson, Tom Rainey;
James Paul Nadien Ensemble Main Drag Music 7 pm $15êYuhan Su Duo
Manhattan West 12:30 pm• Dred Scott Trio; Nadav Nazarathy Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Ronny Whyte with Sean Harkness, Boots Maleson Pangea 7 pm $25
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Adrian Galante
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Rodrigo Bonelli Trio
• Harlem Jazz Session with Peter Brainin
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 8, 9:30 pm $20
êRachel Therrien Quintet
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êJacky Terrasson Trio with Kenny Davis, Alvester Garnett
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êJon Irabagon/Brian Marsella
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAaron Parks with Thomas Morgan, Nasheet Waits
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Thursday, April 25êTerry Waldo’s Gotham City Band Arthur’s Tavern 10 pmêMarc Copland/Colin Stranahan with Adam Kolker, Jeremy Stratton

Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pmêLeo Genovese’s Chupacabra Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Brain Cloud with Dennis Lichtman, Tamar Korn, Raphael McGregor,
Skip Krevens, Kevin Dorn, Andrew Hall Barbès 8 pm $20
Birdland 7, 9:30 pm $40-50• Cyrille Aimée• High Society New Orleans Jazz Band with Conal Fowkes, Simon Wettenhall,
Tom Abbott, Harvey Tibbs, Josh Dunn, Brian Nalepka, Kevin Dorn
Birdland Theater 5:30 $20-30
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Jose James• Saul Rubin Quartet; Miki Yamanaka Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $5
ê“The Music of Nat King Cole” with Marion Cowings, Charenee Wade,
Charles Turner, Michael Howell, Reggie Thomas, Brandi Disterheft,
Vince Cherico
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-65
êChris Beck Quartet; Mark Whitfield The Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
Drom 7:30, 9:30 pm $30-35• Vinicius Cantuária• Guitar Masters Festival: Juanito Pascual; Kaki King Gillespie Auditorium at NYC
Baha’i Center 7, 8 pm $39-45
Greenwich House Music School 8 pm
• Mireya RamosêChampian Fulton, Hide Tanaka, Fukushi Tainaka; Andrea Domenici Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• NY Jazz Gypsies; Willerm Delisfort Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm• Ben Tyree’s Activator Trio with Leon Gruenbaum, Chris Eddleton; Teddy Kumpel& Nome Sane? with Bob Stander, Matt Miller Nublu 151 7, 8:30 pm $22.66
Patrick’s Place 7 pm
• Ray Blue Quartet
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Jill McCarron
Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Lynette Washington
Silvana 8 pm
• Harlem Jazz CircusêEric Person Quartet; David Gibson Quartet with Cameron Campbell, Joseph
Lepore, Jay Sawyer and Jam Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êJacky Terrasson Trio with Kenny Davis, Alvester Garnett
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êJon Irabagon with Ava Mendoza, Mike Pride
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAaron Parks with Thomas Morgan, Nasheet Waits
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Friday, April 26• Denton Darien

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
Albert’s Bar 3 pm
• Johnny O’Neal Trio; Bobby Harden with Off Da Hook
Arthur’s Tavern 7, 10 pm
Bill’s Place 7,9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Birdland Big Band; Cyrille Aimée Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50• Matt Munisteri Quartet with Joe Barbuto, Danton Boller, Ben Perowsky
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Jose James• Zaid Nasser Quartet; Jamale Davis Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Vladimir Cetkar Jazz-Soul-Funk Ensemble
Chelsea Table + Stage 9:30 pm $32-37• Mandla Mlangeni and Sausa Experience with Ronnie Burrage
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Jason Tiemann Quartet; JC Hopkins Biggish BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30, 12 am $25
êJason Moran, Abdullah Ibrahim, Bertha Hope, Micah Thomas, Joanne Brackeen:“Pianos for Duke Reimagined” Harlem Stage Gatehouse 7:30 pm $100
The Jazz Gallery7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• Miki YamanakaêGuitar Masters Festival: Thu Le; Ohad Niceberg; Steve Cardenas, Joel Harrison,
Brad Shepik, Max Light, Pete McCann, Grant Gordy
Klavierhaus 2, 6, 7, 8:30 pm $39-45
êFred Hersch
Merkin Concert Hall 8 pm $35
êVictor Gould Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Hanka G; Manny’s Boogaloo Crew Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm• Adriano Santos Brazilian Jazz Quintet with Misha Tsiganov, Gabriel Santiago,
Lívio Almeida, Eduardo Belo Nublu 151 7 pm $22.66• Jazz Jam with Patience Higgins Patrick’s Place 8 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Adrian Galante• “Brazil Night” with Chiara Izzi; Nilson Matta
Room 623 at B2 Harlem 7, 8:30, 10 pm $20• Peter Louis Octet; Steven Blane Silvana 7, 9 pmêEric Person Organ TrioêJacky Terrasson Trio with Grégoire Maret , Kenny Davis, Alvester Garnett• Bryan Eng Trio; Caelan Cardello QuartetêJon Irabagon Trio Plus Two with Ray Anderson, Uri Caine, Mark Helias,• BSA Gold; Warren “Trae” Crudup, Shara Lunon, Jenna Camille

Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55

Barry Altschul
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAaron Parks with Thomas Morgan, Nasheet Waits
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40
êAntonio Sánchez Special Quintet with Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Joey Calderazzo,
Larry GrenadierZankel Hall 9 pm $45-55
êGene Perla with Ryan Devlin, Danny Walsh, Griffin Woodard, Ravi Coltrane,
Rudy Royston: “Genesis Revisited” Zinc Bar 7, 8:30 pm $35

Saturday, April 27

449 La Scat in Harlem 8 pm
• Alvin Rogers
Arthur’s Tavern 10 pm• KJ Denhert & The NY Unit
• Kalí Rodriguez Peña’s Mélange Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• JEFF RUM with Ryan Dugre, Jeremy Gustin, James Buckley Barbès 6 pm $20
Bill’s Place 7, 9 pm $30• Bill Saxton Harlem Allstars• Anaïs Reno Trio with Michael Kanan, Sameer Shankar; Cyrille Aimée
Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-50• Matt Munisteri Quartet with Joe Barbuto, Danton Boller, Ben Perowsky

Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35• NYU Latin Music Ensemble with Mike Rodriguez; NYU Charles Mingus Ensemble
with Mike Richmond; Jose James Blue Note 12:30, 2:30, 8, 10:30 pm $25-35• Jade Synstelien Quartet; Kyoko Oyobe Quartet Cellar Dog 7, 8:30, 11 pm $10• Mandla Mlangeni and Sausa Experience with Ronnie Burrage
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-55• Marianne Solivan; Richard Cortez BandThe Django 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $25
êGuitar Masters Festival: Thu Le; Badi Assad Gillespie Auditorium at NYC Baha’iCenter 7, 8 pm $39-45
êJason Moran, Abdullah Ibrahim, Bertha Hope, Micah Thomas, Joanne Brackeen:“Pianos for Duke Reimagined” Harlem Stage Gatehouse 7:30 pmêMarta Sanchez Trio with Christopher Tordini, Eliza SalemThe Jazz Gallery7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35• CompCord Festival: CompCord Ensemble with Melanie Mitrano, Michiyo Suzuki,
Daniel Schnyder, David Taylor, Gene Pritsker, Jane Getter, Max Pollak,
Peter Jarvis
loft393 7 pmêVictor Gould Trio
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Eric Frazier; Kevin Oliver, Jr. Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm $25• Derrick Barnett’s Jamaican Jazzmatazz Patrick’s Place 7 pm
Pierre Hotel 6 pm
• Adrian GalanteêAhmed Abdullah’s Diaspora
Sistas’ Place 9, 10:30 pm $25
êJacky Terrasson Trio with Grégoire Maret , Kenny Davis, Alvester Garnett
Smoke 7, 9, 10:30 pm $35-55• Timo Vollbrecht with Brad Shepik, Steve Cardenas, Jerome Harris
Soapbox Gallery 8 pm $25
êJon Irabagon with Patricia Brennan, Matt Mitchell, Chris Lightcap, Dan Weiss
The Stone at The New School 8:30 pm $20
êAaron Parks with Thomas Morgan, Nasheet Waits
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40

Sunday, April 28

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

Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ahmaya Knoelle• Meredith Maloney: “Chant” Roulette 8 pm $25
Shrine 8 pm
• Random Strangers Jam• Kenneth Jiménez, Ingrid Laubrock, Christopher Hoffman; Jonathan Moritz,
Sean Ali, Carlo Costa

Sisters 8 pm
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
êGuitar Masters Festival: Pasquale Grasso Trio; Rodney Jones Quartet with
Lonnie Plaxico, Ronnie Burrage; Ed Cherry/Yotam Silberstein Quartet with
Gary Wang, Anwar Marshall Zinc Bar 7, 8:15, 9:30 pm $30-35• Ari Hoenig Trio

Tuesday, April 30• Wayne Tucker and The Bad Mothas Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Miki Yamanaka, Pablo Menares, Diego Voglino and Jam
Bar Bayeux 8, 9:30 pm

Bar LunÀtico 9, 10:30 pm $10• Richard Julian Band
Barbès 7 pm $20• Will Holshouser• Naama Quartet with Jeb Patton, Dave Baron, Itai Kriss; CASHINO

Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $20-35

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45• BJ The Chicago Kid
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5• Ehud Asherie Trio
• Joe Farnsworth Quartet; Jerome Sabbagh Quartet

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

êSally Gates, Trevor Dunn, Alex Koi; James Paul Nadien, Lao Dan, Joe Fonda;

Todd Capp, John Hagen; patrick brennan Downtown Music Gallery 6:30 pmêDan Weiss Even Odds with Miguel Zenón, Matt Mitchell

The Jazz Gallery 7:30, 9:30 pm $25-35

êBill Orcutt Guitar Quartet with Wendy Eisenberg, Ava Mendoza, Shane Parish

Le Poisson Rouge 7:30 pm $30• Kevin Sun, Walter Stinson, Kayvon Gordon Lowlands 8, 9:30 pm $10
Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Marcus McLaurine Trio
• Deborah Newallo Experience Red Rooster Harlem 6:30 pm• Ras Moshe Burnett, Payton McDonald, Chris Forbes, Georgia Wartel Collins,

Jeong Lim Yang, Philip Sirois; Lee Odom Trio
Scholes Street Studio 7, 8 pm
• Leo Yablans; Ewa Novel & Surreal Players Shrine 8, 10 pm
Silvana 8 pm
• Jon Menges Quartet• Almog Sharvit’s Coralition; Noah Rott Electric Quartet Sisters 8 pmêSteve Nelson Quartet with Rick Germanson, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Charles Goold
Smalls 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35
êJohnathan Blake: “My Life Matters” with Dayna Stephens, Jalen Baker, Fabian
Almazan, Larry GrenadierVillage Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Dariada David Jazz Brunch; Jazz Jam 449 La Scat in Harlem 1, 4 pm
• Eri Yamamoto Duo; Creole Cookin’ Jazz Band; Charlie Apicella & Iron City
Arthur’s Tavern 3, 7, 10 pm• Baklava Express with Josh Kaye, Daisy Castro, Max O’Rourke, James Robbins,
Jeremy Smit

Barbès 10 pm $20• Greg Ruvolo Big Band Collective; Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Birdland 5:30, 8:30, 10:30 pm $25-40
Birdland Theater 7, 9:30 pm $25-35
Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-35
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êJaye Maynard: “Tribute to Blossom Dearie”
Chelsea Table + Stage 7 pm $27-51• Mandla Mlangeni and Sausa Experience with Ronnie Burrage
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
êGotham Jazz Festival: Hot Sardines; Catherine Russell Quartet; Andy Schumm;
Bria Skonberg Hot Five; Jon-Erik Kellso & The Ear Regulars; Mona’s Hot Fourwith Dennis Lichtman; Alphonso Horne & The Gotham Kings; Conal Fowkes/Jay
Rattman; Charles Turner & Uptown Swing; Anderson Brothers with Molly Ryan;
Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists; Hot Toddies Jazz Band with Hannah Gill;
Stéphane Séva Swing Ondule 4tet; Charlie Roman Hot Club; Eyal Vilner Swing
Band; Cait & The Critters; Kayla Lewis Trio; Terry Waldo, Quintin Harris, Ramona
Baker, Dewitt Fleming Jr; NYHJC Faculty All Stars with Catherine Russell,
Mike Davis, Dan Levinson, Ron Wilkins, Cynthia Sayer, Rossano Sportiello, Tal
Ronen, Kevin Dorn DTA Down Town Association Club 1pm - 12am $35-125• Teri Roiger Cellar Jazz Trio with Steve Berger, John Menegon
Entwine Wine Bar 6 pmêGuitar Masters Festival: Oz Noy/Nir Felder; Gilad Hekselman
Gillespie Auditorium at NYC Baha’i Center 8, 9:30 pm $15êWelf Dorr with Shoko Nagai, Francesco Marcocci, Kevin Shea The Keep 8 pm
• April Varner/Caelan Cardello Mezzrow 7:30, 9, 10:30 pm, 12 am $35• Kirk Bailey Next Level Band; Tyreek McDole Minton’s 7, 9, 11 pm
National Sawdust 11 am $20• Oran Etikin• Paul Jost with Pete McCann, Mathew Parrish
North Square Lounge 12:30, 2 pm
• Jazz Brunch with Boncellia Lewis and Friends Patrick’s Place 12 pm
Red Rooster Harlem 10 am• Nate Lucas All-StarsêDave Douglas Gifts Trio with Ava Mendoza, Kate Gentile
Rizzoli Bookstore 5 pm
• Julia Danielle; Mimi Jones and Jam Room 623 at B2 Harlem 6, 8, 10 pm $20• Jostein Gulbrandsen, Dave Ambrosio, Adam Nussbaum
Saint Peter’s Church 5 pmêJacky Terrasson Trio with Kenny Davis, Alvester Garnett
Smoke 7, 9 pm $35-55
êAaron Parks with Thomas Morgan, Nasheet Waits
Village Vanguard 8, 10 pm $40• Ricky Alexander• Jose James• Brazilian Grooves

Monday, April 29

Arthur’s Tavern 7 pm
• Grove Street Stompers• Wendy Moten: “Sings Richard Whiting with a Splash of Soul”
Birdland 7 pm $40-50êVince Giordano and the Nighthawks Birdland Theater 5:30, 8:30 pm $30-40• Bilal: “Love for Sale”• Ned Goold Trio

Blue Note 8, 10:30 pm $30-45
Cellar Dog 7, 8:30 pm $5êAyn Inserto Jazz Orchestra: “Duke at 125” with John Fedchock, Jeff Claassen,
Bijon Watson, Dan Rosenthal, Matthew Small, Douglas Olsen, Randy Pingrey,
Chris Gagne, Garo Saraydarian, Jennifer Wharton, Allan Chase, Rick Stone,
Kelly Roberge, Mark Zaleski, Kathy Olson, Eric Hofbauer, Jason Yeager, Sean
Farias, Austin McMahon
Dizzy’s Club 7, 9pm $25-45

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 43

Wednesday, February 1

CONNECTICUT
333 Lounge 7:30, 9:30 pm
Bill’s
Seafood(Westbrook,CT)billsseafood.com
Douglas-Moore, Eric Wong, Dominic Coles; Seth Cluet			• Ian
		4/3, 4/17 (7 pm) Corinthian Jazz Band
411 K
4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26 (7 pm) Bill’s All-Star Jazz BandêMonte Croft Trio

Byram Shubert Library (Greenwich, CT) greenwichlibrary.org/byram-shubert
4/11 (7 pm) Peter Hand with Duane Eubanks, Peter Brainin, Harvie S, Steve Johns:“Tribute to Miles Davis”
Café Nine (New Haven, CT) cafenine.com
4/6 (4 pm) Michael Coppola Jam
4/9 (7 pm) David Chevan
4/13 (4 pm) Gary Grippo Jam
4/20 (4 pm) Tony Di Jam
4/23 (7 pm) Mike Carabello
4/27 (4 pm) Chervansky, Tappan & Ice Jazz JamFirehouse 12 (New Haven, CT) firehouse12.com
4/5 (8:30/10 pm) Mostly Other People Do The Killing with Moppa Elliott, Ron Stabinsky,
Kevin Shea, Sam Kulik
4/12 (8:30/10 pm) Caroline Davis/Wendy Eisenberg
4/19 (8:30/10 pm) Tim Berne Trio with Gregg Belisle-Chi, Tom Rainey
4/26 (8:30/10 pm) Matthew Shipp Solo
La Zingara (Bethel, CT) lazingara.com
4/3 (7 pm) Howie Carlough, Norman Plankey, Dan Elias, Jamie Doris
4/10 (7 pm) Michael Bard’s Jazz Collective with David Morgan, Brian Glassman,
Joe Strasser
4/17 (7 pm) Houston Person Quartet with Bill Crow, Roger Post, Andrew Wilcox
4/24 (7 pm) Jon Garcia & The C.L.A.V.E. Latin Jazz Quintet
Owl Shop (New Haven, CT) owlshopcigars.com
4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24 (9 pm) Kevin Saint James Band
Palace Theater Poli Club (Waterbury, CT) palacetheaterct.org/shows/jazz
4/12 (7/9 pm) Vanessa Racci
Ridgefield Playhouse (Ridgefield, CT) ridgefieldplayhouse.org
4/4 (8 pm) säje with Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick, Erin Bentlage
4/9 (8 pm) Pat MethenySide Door (Old Lyme, CT) thesidedoorjazz.com
4/5 (8:30 pm) Benny Green solo
4/6 (8:30 pm) Jamie Baum Quartet
4/12 (8:30 pm) Black Art Jazz Collective with Josh Evans, Wayne Escoffery,James Burton III, Victor Gould, Eric Wheeler, Brian Richburg Jr
4/13 (8:30 pm) Ed Cherry Quartet
4/19 (8:30 pm) Manuel Valera and the New Cuban Express with John Ellis, Boris Kozlov,
Jimmy MacBride
4/20 (8:30 pm) Clifton Anderson and Company with Antoine Roney, Edsel Gomez,
Belden Bullock, Steve Johns, Victor See Yuen
4/26 (8:30 pm) Alexander Claffy Quartet with Matthew Rotker Lynn, Aaron Goldberg,
Joe Peri
4/27 (8:30 pm) Nick Finzer: “JJ Johnson Tribute”
NEW JERSEY
Brothers Smokehouse (Ramsey, NJ) brotherssmokehousenj.com
4/5 (7 pm) Tommy Campbell Trio
4/12 (7 pm) James Gibbs III Quartet
4/19 (7 pm ) T.K.Blue
4/26 (7 pm) Ed Cherry
Candlelight Lounge (Trenton, NJ) candlelighteventsjazz.com
4/6 (3:30 pm) Rico Jones
4/13 (3:30 pm) Lynn Riley
4/20 (3:30 pm) Rob Henderson’s HFACTOR
4/27 (3:30 pm) Glenn Williams

100 MILES OUT
4/24 (7/8:30 pm) Olli Soikkeli Trio with Paul Sikivie, Joe Peri
4/25 (7/8:30 pm) Oscar Perez with Nathan Eklund
4/26 (7/8:30/10 pm) Rob Paparozzi Quartet
4/27 (7/9 pm) Good Stuff
4/30 (6:30/8 pm) Jerry Vezza with Rick Crane, John Vourtsis
South Valley BBQ (West Orange, NJ) southvalleybbqandlounge.com
4/7 (1/3/5 pm) James White Band
4/14 (1/3/5 pm) Nat Adderley Jr Trio
4/21 (1/3/5 pm) John Lee and Friends
4/28 (1/3/5 pm) JD Warren and the Rudiment
Tavern on George (New Brunswick, NJ) tavernongeorge.com
4/4 (7/8:45 pm) Behn Gillece Quartet
4/9 (7/8:30 pm) Logan Bogdan Quartet and Jam
4/11 (7/8:45 pm) Rudy Royston Quartet
4/16 (7/8:30 pm) Tristan Voitcu Quartet and Jam
4/18 (7/8:45 pm) Richard Cortez Quartet
4/23 (7/8:30 pm) Colin Duncan Quartet and Jam
4/25 (7/8:45 pm) Hendrik Meurkens Quartet
4/30 (7/8:30 pm) Sam Wilson Quartet and Jam
Wayne Public Library (Wayne, NJ) waynepubliclibrary.org
4/11 (7 pm) Altin Sencalar
NEW YORK
Alvin & Friends (New Rochelle, NY) alvinandfriendsrestaurant.com
4/5 (7 pm) Victor LaGamma Quartet with Bob Gingery, Jon Doty, Matt Garrison
4/13, 4/27 (7:30 pm) Leslie Pintchik Trio with Scott Hardy, Franco Pinna
Arts Westchester (White Plains, NY) artswestchester.org
4/4 (6 pm) Andromeda Turre
Bean Runner Café (Peekskill, NY) beanrunnercafe.com
4/5 (7 pm) Cuboricua
4/6 (6 pm) Ray Blue Quartet
4/12 (7 pm) Billy Badd
4/13 (6 pm) Pete Rodriguez Band
4/20 (6 pm) Matt Garrison Organ Band with Alex Smith, Tony Jefferson
4/26 (7 pm) Nate Liebert Band
4/27 (6 pm) Rhythm Rising with Victor Catanzaro, Doug Correllus, Ron Figueroa,
Tomas Martin Lopez
Blue Door Art Center (Yonkers, NY) bluedoorartcenter.org
4/28 (2 pm) Intergenerational Poetry and Jazz with Phylisha Villanueva, Golda Solomon
Caramoor Jazz (Katonah, NY) caramoor.org
4/19 (8 pm) Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix
Emelin Theatre (Mamaroneck, NY) emelin.org
4/18 (8 pm) Cyrille Aimée
The Falcon (Marlboro, NY) liveatthefalcon.com
4/5 (7:30 pm) QWANQWA
4/7 (7:30 pm) Steve Smith with Manuel Valera, Janek Gwizdala
4/10 (7:30 pm) Amy Helm
4/21 (7:30 pm) Joe Farnsworth Quartet with Sarah Hanahan, Micah Thomas,
Matt Dwonszyk
4/27 (2/7:30 pm) Ed Palermo Big Band
4/28 (7:30 pm) SAY WATT? Nonet with Richard Baratta, Billy Martin, Cyro Baptista,
Paul Rossman, Bill O’Connell, Steven Bernstein, Craig Handy,
Jae Young Jeong, Michael Goetz
Handbell Studio at The Shirt Factory (Kingston, NY)
creativemusic.org/category/cms-improvisers-orchestra
4/14 (1 pm) Swoon with Chris Williams, Patrick Shiroishi, Joanna Mattrey, gabby fluke-mogul
4/21 (1 pm) Cyro Baptista, Billy Martin, Tim Keiper

Clement’s Place (Newark, NJ) njpac.org
4/18 (7:30 pm) Jazz Jam with James Austin, Jr.

Hendrick Hudson Free Library (Montrose, NY) henhudfreelibrary.org
4/7 (2 pm) Modernistics Trio: “Celebrating George & Ira Gershwin”

Collingswood Community Center (Collingswood, NJ) jazzbridge.org
4/4 (7:30 pm) April Mae and the June Bugs

Jazz at The Lodge (Ossining, NY) jazzatthelodge.com
4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25 (7/8:30 pm) John Smith, Paul Connors, Jon Doty: “Thursday Organ Groove”
4/6 (7:30/8:45 pm) Art Lillard’s Blue HeavenCount Basie Center’s The Vogel (Red Bank, NJ) thebasie.org
4/4 (7:30 pm) Lee Ritenour
Moore’s Lounge (Jersey City, NJ) winardharperjazz.com/moore-s-lounge
4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26 (8 pm) Winard Harper Hosts The Jazz Jam
4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28 (7 pm) Winard Harper Hosts The Jazz Jam
Mt. Zion AME Church (Millburn, NJ)
african-methodist-churches.cmac.ws/mt-zion-a-m-e-church/1594
4/28 (1/3/5 pm) Roberta Piket Trio with Caylen Bryant, Camille Gainer
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (New Brunswick, NJ) nbpac.org
4/12 (7 pm) Swingadelic
New Jersey Performing Arts Center @Bethany Baptist Church (Newark, NJ) njpac.org
4/6 (6 pm) Camille Thurman with Darrell Green Quartet
New Jersey Performing Arts Center @Prudential Hall (Newark, NJ) njpac.org
4/6 (8 pm) Caetano Veloso
Shanghai Jazz (Madison, NJ) shanghaijazz.com
4/2 (6:30/8:30 pm) John Bianculli with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
4/3 (7 pm) James Austin Jr. with Jeremy Warren, Ben Rubens
4/4 (7 pm) Bob Himmelberger with Dave Kingsnorth, Matt Kane
4/5 (7 pm) Jerry Vivino with Karl Latham, Dominic Cicchetti, John Arbo
4/6 (7 pm) Blues People with Kelton Cooper, Mike Griot, Gene Lake
4/9 (6:30/8 pm) Leonieke Scheuble, Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
4/10 (7/8:30 pm) Dan Levinson with Mark Shane, Kevin Dorn
4/11 (7 pm) Alex Laurenzi, Solomon Gottfried, Connor Parks
4/14 (6 pm) Ben Cassara
4/16 (6:30/7:45 pm) Tomoko Ohno with Hal Slapin, John Vourtsis
4/17 (7/8:30 pm) Warren Vache Trio with Earl Sauls, Eddie Monteiro
4/18 (7/8:30 pm) Mark Wade
4/21 (6/7:30 pm) Eric Comstock: “The American Songbook”
4/23 (6:30/8 pm) John Bianculli with Sue Williams, John Vourtsis

Jazz Forum Arts (Tarrytown, NY) jazzforumarts.org
4/5, 4/6 (7/9:30 pm) David Janeway Quintet with Billy Hart, Craig Handy
4/7 (4/6/8 pm) Sam Martinelli Trio with Chuck Redd; Jam Session
4/12, 4/13 (7/9:30 pm) Vincent Herring & Eric Alexander: “The Battle”
4/14 (4/6 pm) Joe Carter’s Samba Rio Quarteto
4/19, 4/20 (7/9:30 pm) Marcus Roberts Trio
4/21 (4/6 pm) Monika Oliveira & The Brazilians
4/26, 4/27 (7/9:30 pm) Ted Rosenthal Trio: “Rhapsody In Blue Centennial Celebration”
4/28 (4/6 pm) Adriano Santos Quartet
The Jazz Loft (Stony Brook, NY) thejazzloft.org
4/3 (1/7 pm) Young At Heart Jazz Loft Trio with Keenan Zach: “Tribute to Tony Bennett”; Jam
4/4, 4/5, 4/6 (7 pm) Jazz Loft Big Band Presents Charlie Parker with Strings
4/8 (7 pm) Collegiate Big Band Brawl
4/10, 4/17, 4/24 (7 pm) Jam Session
4/18 (7 pm) Bad Little Big Band
4/19 (7 pm) Dayna Stephens Quartet
4/20 (7 pm) Ben Rosenblum Trio with Laura Anglade
4/25 (7 pm) Interplay Jazz Orchestra
Jazz on Main (Mt. Kisco, NY) jazzonmain.com
4/3 (7 pm) Robert Kessler Quartet with Jeff Shapiro, Dan Potash, Dave Lada
4/4 (7 pm) Ray Blue Organ Trio
4/5 (7/9) Raissa Katona Bennett/Ian Herman
4/6 (7/9) Bianca Grooves
4/7 (12 pm) Cary Brown/Matt Garrison
4/10 (6 pm) Allyce Reina and Open Mike
4/11 (7:30 pm) Sarah Cion, Bryan Copeland, Bob Meyer
4/12 (7 pm) Daniel Glass Trio with Sean Harkness, Michael O’Brien
4/13 (7/9) Kate Baker Band with Sara Caswell, Pete McCann, Sam Bevin
4/14 (12 pm) Sunday Brunch Jazz with Kari van der Kloot

44 April 2024 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD

4/17 (7 pm) Roger Davidson Quartet
4/18 (7:30 pm) Abe Pollack Quartet
4/19 (7/9 pm) New Wonders
4/20 (7/9 pm) Veronica Martell
Lydia’s Café (Stone Ridge, NY) lydias-cafe.com
4/6 (7 pm) Teri Roiger
4/13 (7 pm) Jones Factor Light
4/20 (7 pm) Horton/Regusis Quartet
Maureen’s Jazz Cellar (Nyack, NY) maureensjazzcellar.com
4/5 (7/9 pm) Maucha Adnet/Duduka Da Fonseca
4/6 (7/9 pm) Jay Leonhart Trio with Tomoko Ohno, Vito Lesczak
4/13 (8 pm) Janis Mann/Laurence Hobgood
4/14 (1 pm) David Budway Quartet with Ron Affif, Cameron Brown, Tim Horner
4/20 (8 pm) Virginia Mayhew Quartet with Roberta Piket, Billy Mintz, Harvie S
4/26 (7 pm) Manuel Valera Trio with Hamish Smith, Jimmy Macbride4/27 (8 pm) Don Shelden: “Sinatra Jukebox”
Tubby’s (Kingston, NY) tubbyskingston.com
4/14 (7 pm) Wendy Eisenberg/Caroline Davis; Joanna Mattrey, gabby fluke-mogul,
Chris Williams, Patrick Shiroishi
Uncle Cheef (Brewster, NY) unclecheef.com
4/4 (7:30 pm) Grease Patrol
4/5 (7:30 pm) Chris Bergson, Brian Charette, Tony Mason
4/6 (7:30 pm) Akiko Tsuruga
4/13 (7:30 pm) Wayne Escoffery
4/19 (7:30 pm) Alexis Cole
4/20 (7:30 pm) Marianne Solivan
Westchester Collaborative Theater (Ossining, NY) wctheater.org/music-in-the-box
4/13 (7:30 pm) KJ Denhert
4/27 (7:30 pm) Lisa Gutkin
PENNSYLVANIA
Cheltenham Center for the Arts (Cheltenham, PA) jazzbridge.org
4/3 (7:30 pm) Sara Michaels
Chris’ Jazz Café (Philadephia, PA) chrisjazzcafe.com
4/2 (7:30/9 pm) Group 4 with Norman David, Tom Lawton, Jason Fraticelli, Dan Monaghan
4/3 (7:30/9 pm) Deborah Smith Septet
4/4 (7:30/9 pm) Nick DiMaria Band
4/5 (7:30/9:30 pm) Tony Miceli/Chris Farr Quintet with Paul Bollenback
4/6 (7:30/9:30 pm) Sasha Berliner Quintet
4/9 (7:30/9 pm) Nate Hook: “Plays Joe Henderson”
4/10 (7:30/9 pm) Olivia Perrin Quartet
4/11 (7:30/9 pm) Reed Bodenstein/Jake Kaplan: “A Night of Big Band”
4/12 (7:30/9:30 pm) Benny Benack III Quintet with Abdias Armenteros
4/13 (7:30/9:30 pm) Anaïs Reno with Michael Kanan, David Wong, Matt Wilson
4/16 (7:30/8:45 pm) Chris Oatts Quintet
4/17 (7:30/9 pm) Justin Farquhar Jazz Orchestra
4/18 (7:30/9 pm) Evan Kappelman Band
4/19 (7:30/9:30 pm) Aidan McKeon Quartet with Joe Block, John Murray, Jacob Smith
4/20 (7:30/9:30 pm) Jordan Williams Quintet with Stacy Dillard, Jeremiah Edwards,
Khary Shaheed, Imani Grace Cooper
4/23 (7:30/9 pm) Mike Talento Quartet
4/24 (7:30/9 pm) Voitcu-Bogdan Sextet: “Plays Mingus”
4/25 (7:30/9 pm) Hudson River Band
4/26 (7:30/9:30 pm) Ben Sutin Quartet with Ben Rosenblum, Chris Tordini, Dominic Palombi
4/27 (7:30/9:30 pm) Tyreek McDole
4/30 (7:30/9 pm) Ensemble Arts Jazz Collective: “Celebrates Max Roach At 100”
Deer Head Inn (Delaware Water Gap, PA) deerheadinn.com
4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25 (7 pm) Jazz Jam with Bill Washer
4/5 (7 pm) Good & Plenty Jazz with George Pierce, Jesse Green, Gene Perla,
Rudy Royston
4/6 (7 pm) Gabrielle Stravelli Trio with Michael Kanan, Pat O’Leary
4/7 (7 pm) Jeff Plotnick, Skip Wilkins, Bill Goodwin, Marty Wilson, Julian Rogai, Stan Slotter
4/12 (7 pm) Marc Copland Trio with Dominic Duval, Jr., Billy Drummond
4/13 (7 pm) Quartette Oblique with Marc Copeland, Drew Gress, Rich Perry,
Michael Stephans
4/14 (7 pm) Sizzlin’ Jazz Apples with Marti Lantz, Dave Lantz III, Jesse Green,
Danny Gonzalez
4/19 (7 pm) Alan Ferber Quartet with Gary Versace, Evan Gregor, Adam Nussbaum
4/21 (7 pm) Spencer Reed Group with Joe Michaels, Tyler Dempsey
4/26 (7 pm) EarRegulars
4/27 (7 pm) Giacomo Gates with Ron Drotos, Evan Gregor
4/28 (7 pm) Clarence Spady Band
4/29 (7 pm) Water Gap Jazz Orchestra
Solar Myth (Philadelphia, PA) arsnovaworkshop.org
4/11 (8 pm) Archer/Caroline Davis + Wendy Eisenberg
4/13 (8 pm) Qwanqwa
4/18 (8 pm) Setting/Basic
4/19 (8 pm) Wolf Eyes/Anthony Braxton
4/20 (8 pm) Wolf Eyes/Marshall Allen
4/26 (8 pm) Dave Douglas Gifts Trio with Ava Mendoza, Kate Gentile
4/29 (8 pm) Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet
South Jazz Club (Philadelphia, PA) southjazzkitchen.com
4/4 (7/9 pm) Bill Jolly
4/5 (7/9 pm) Steve Green & The Elevators
4/7 (6/8:30 pm) Milton Suggs
4/11 (7/9 pm) Eric Wortham II
4/12 (7/9 pm) String Queens
4/14 (6/8:30 pm) Tim Hutson/Will Brock
4/18 (7/9 pm) Charlene Holloway
4/19 (7/9 pm) Steve Turre Sextet with Andromeda Turre
4/21 6/8:30 pm) Fortune Vinson & Cruse with Brenda Smith, Fostina Dixon
4/25 (7/9 pm) Gerald Veasley: “Electric Mingus”
4/26 (7/9 pm) Jumaane Smith
4/28 (6/8:30 pm) Smooth Show

C LU B D I RE C TO RY• 440Gallery 440 Sixth Ave., Brooklyn(718-499-3844) Subway: F, G to Seventh Ave.
440gallery.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• Albert’s Bar 140 East 41st Str.
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to Grand Central
albertsbar.com• Apollo Theater & Music Café 253 W. 125th Str.
(212-531-5305) Subway: A, B, C, D, 2, 3 to 125th Str.
apollotheater.org• The Appel Room Broadway at 60th Str., 5th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• Arthur’s Tavern 57 Grove Str.
(212-675-6879) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
arthurstavernnyc.com• BAMCafé 321 Ashland Pl.
(718-636-4139) Subway: M, N, R, W to Pacific Str. ; Q, 1, 2, 4, 5 to Atlantic Ave.
bam.org• Bar Bayeux 1066 Nostrand Ave.
(347-533-7845) Subway: 2, 5 to Sterling Str.
barbayeux.com• Bar LunÀtico 486 Halsey Str.
(917-495-9473) Subway: C to Kingston-Throop Ave.
barlunatico.com• Barbès 376 9th Str. at 6th Ave., Brooklyn(718-965-9177) Subway: F to 7th Ave.
barbesbrooklyn.com• Bill’s Place 148 W. 133rd Str. btwn. Lenox and 7th Ave.
(212-281-0777) Subway: 2, 3 to 125th Str.
billsplaceharlem.com• Birdland / Birdland Theater 315 W. 44th Str. btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.
(212-581-3080) Subway: 7, A, C, E, F, N, Q, R, to 42nd Str.
birdlandjazz.com• Blue Note 131 W. 3rd Str. at 6th Ave.
(212-475-8592) Subway: A, C, E, F, V Grand Str. Shuttle to W. 4th Str.
bluenotejazz.com• Cellar Dog 75 Christopher Str. at 7th Ave.
(212-675-6056) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str. /Sheridan Sq.
cellardog.net• Chelsea Factory 547 W. 26th Str.
(917-281-6379) Subway: A, C, E to 23rd Str.
chelseafactory.org• Chelsea Table + Stage Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 W 26th Str.
(212-434-0499) Subway: C, E to 23rd Str.; R, W to 28th Str.
chelseatableandstage.com• David Rubenstein Atrium Broadway at 60th Str.
(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
atrium.lincolncenter.org• Dizzy’s Club 33 W. 60th Str., 11th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• The Django 2 Sixth Ave.
(212-519-6600) Subway: A, C, E to Canal Str. ; 1 to Franklin Str.
thedjangonyc.com• Don’t Tell Mama 343 W. 46th Str.
(212-757-0788) Subway: A, C, E, F, V to 42nd Str. -Port Authority
donttellmama.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• DTA, The Donwtown Association Club 60 Pine Str.
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Wall Street; J, Z to Broad Street; A, C to Fulton Street
gothamjazzfestnyc.com/festival• Entwine Wine Bar 765 Washington Str.
(212-727-8765) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, L to 14th Str.
entwinenyc.com• Everything Goes Café 208 Bay Str., Staten Island(718-447-8256) Subway: Bus: S51• Flushing Town Hall 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing(718-463-7700) Subway: 7 to Main Str.
flushingtownhall.org• Freddy’s Backroom 627 5th Ave., Brooklyn(718-768-0131) Subway: R to Prospect Ave.
freddysbar.com/eventswayoutfreddys@gmail.com• Gillespie Auditorium at NYC Baha’i Center 53 E.11th Str.
Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R, L to 14th Str. -Union Sq.
bahainyc.org• Greenwich House Music School 46 Barrow Str.
(212-242-4770) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
greenwichhouse.org• Harlem Stage Gatehouse 150 Convent Ave. at W. 135th Str.
(212-650-7100) Subway: 1 to 137th Str.
harlemstage.org• Ibeam Brooklyn 168 7th Str. btwn. Second and Third Ave.
Subway: F to 4th Ave.
ibeambrooklyn.com• Iridium 1650 Broadway at 51st Str.
(212-582-2121) Subway: 1,2 to 50th Str.
theiridium.com• The Jazz Gallery 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• Justine’s On Hudson 518 Hudson Str.
Subway: 1, 2 to Christopher Str.
justinesonhudson.com• The Keep 205 Cypress Ave., Queens(718-381-0400) Subway: L to Jefferson Str.
thekeepny.com• Kings Theatre 1027 Flatbush Ave.
(800-745-3000) Subway: 2, 5, Q to Beverly Road
kingstheatre.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• Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker Str.
(212-228-4854) Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th Str.
lepoissonrouge.com• LeFrak Concert Hall 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing(718-793-8080) Subway: 7 to Main Str. , The n bus
kupferbergcenter.org• loft393 393 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Subway: N, Q, R, W to Canal Str.
loft393.com• Louis Armstrong House Museum 34-56 107th Str., Queens(718-478-8274) Subway: 7 to 11th Str.
louisarmstronghouse.org• Lowlands 543 Third Ave., Brooklyn(347-463-9458) Subway: R to Prospect Ave.
lowlandsbar.com• Main Drag Music 50 S. 1st Str. btwn. Kent and Wythe Ave., Brooklyn(718-388-6365) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
maindragmusic.com• Manhattan West 395 9th Ave.
Subway: A,C,E to 34th St.
manhattanwestnyc.com• Merkin Concert Hall 129 W. 67th Str. btwn. Broadway and Amsterdam(212-501-3330) Subway: 1 to 66th Str. -Lincoln Center
kaufmanmusiccenter.org• Mezzrow 163 W. 10th Str.
(646-476-4346) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallslive.com• Michiko Studios 15 W. 39th Str. Floor 7(212-302-4011) Subway: N, Q, R, W to Times Squaremichikostudios.com• Minton’s 206 W. 118th Str. btwn. Str. Nicholas Ave. and Adam Clayton Powell
Jr. Blvd(212-243-2222) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
mintonsnyc.com• National Sawdust 80 N. 6th Str.
(646-779-8455) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
nationalsawdust.org• North Square Lounge 103 Waverly Pl. at McDougal Str.
(212-254-1200) Subway: A, B, C, E, F, V to West 4th Str.
northsquareny.com/about-jazz.php• Nublu 151 151 Ave C
Subway: L to 1st Ave.
nublu.net• Ornithology Jazz Club 6 Suydam Str., Brooklyn(917-231-4766) Subway: J, M, Z to Myrtle Ave.
ornithologyjazzclub.com• Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church 178 Bennett Ave.
(212-923-5757) Subway: A to 190th Str.
• The Owl Music Parlor 497 Rogers Ave.
(718-774-0042) Subway: Subway: 2 to to Sterling Str.
theowl.nyc• P.I.T. 411 S. 5th St., Brooklyn
Subway: M, J to Hewes St.
• Pangea 178 Second Ave.
(212-995-0900) Subway: L to First Ave.
pangeanyc.com• Patrick’s Place 2835 Frederick Boulevard(212-491-7800) Subway: B, D to 155th Str.
patricksplaceharlem.com• Pierre Hotel Fifth Ave. at 61st Str.
(212-940-9109) Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 59th Str.
thepierreny.com• The Point CDC 940 Garrison Ave., Bronx
Subway: 6 to Longwood Ave.
thepoint.org• Public Records 233 Butler Str.
(347-529-4869) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R to Atlantic Ave.
publicrecords.nyc• 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• Resnick Education Wing at Carnegie Hall 881 Seventh Ave.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th- Seventh Ave.
carnegiehall.org• Rizzoli Bookstore 1133 Broadway(212-759-2424) Subway: R, W to 28th Str.
rizzolibookstore.com• Room 623 at B2 Harlem 271 W. 119th Str.
(212-280-2248) Subway: B, C to 116th Str.
b2harlem.com• Rose Theater Broadway at 60th Str., 5th floor(212-258-9800) Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, B, D, F to Columbus Circle
jazz.org• Roulette 509 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn(917-267-0363) Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Atlantic Ave.
roulette.org• Saint Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Str.
(212-935-2200) Subway: 6 to 51st Str.
saintpeters.org• Scholes Street Studio 375 Lorimer Str.
(718-964-8763) Subway: L to Lorimer Str. ; G to Broadway
scholesstreetstudio.com• ShapeShifter Lab 837 Union Str., Brooklyn(646-820-9452) Subway: D, N, R, W to Union Str.; B, Q to 7th Ave.;
shapeshifterlab.com• Shrine 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. btwn. 133rd & 134th Str.
(212-690-7807) Subway: B, 2, 3 to 135th Str.
shrinenyc.com• Silvana 300 W. 116th Str.
(646-692-4935) Subway: B, C, to 116th Str.
silvana-nyc.com• Sistas’ Place 456 Nostrand Ave. at Jefferson Ave., Brooklyn(718-398-1766) Subway: A to Nostrand Ave.
sistasplace.org• Sisters 900 Fulton Str.
(347-763-2537) Subway: C to Clinton-Washington Ave.s
sistersbklyn.com• Smalls 183 W 10th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-252-5091) Subway: 1 to Christopher Str.
smallslive.com• Smoke 2751 Broadway btwn. 105th and 106th Str.
(212-864-6662) Subway: 1 to 103rd Str.
smokejazz.com• Soapbox Gallery 636 Dean Str.
Subway: 2, 3 to Bergen Str.
soapboxgallery.org• Sony Hall 235 W. 46th Str.
(212-997-5123) Subway: N, R, W to 49th Str.
sonyhall.com• St. Paul’s Chapel - Columbia 1160 Amsterdam Ave.
Subway: 1 to Cathedral Pkwy.; A, B, C, D to 125th Str.
events.columbia.edu/cal/event• Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall 881 Seventh Ave.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th- Seventh Ave.
carnegiehall.org• The Stone at The New School 55 West 13th Str.
(212-229-5600) Subway: F, V to 14th Str.
thestonenyc.com• Sundown Bar 68-38 Forst Ave., Queens(917-966-6078) Subway: M to Forest Ave.
sundownbar.com• Town Hall 123 W. 43rd Str.
(212-997-1003) Subway: 7, B, D, F, M to 42nd Str. -Bryant Park
thetownhall.org• Union Pool 484 Union Ave. at Meeker(718-609-0484) Subway: L to Lorimer St
union-pool.com• Village Vanguard 178 Seventh Ave. South at 11th Str.
(212-255-4037) Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 14th Str.
villagevanguard.com• Village Works 12 St. Marks Pl.
(917-749-0319) Subway: R, W to 8 St/NYU• Webster Hall 125 E. 11th Str.
(212-353-1600) Subway: 6 to 14th Str. -Union Sq.
• Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall 154 W. 57th Str. at Seventh Ave.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, R to 57th Str.
carnegiehall.org• Williamsburg Music Center 367 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY(718-384-1654) Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
• York College CUNY, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Queens
Subway: E to Jamaica Centeryork.cuny.edu• Zankel Hall 881 Seventh Ave. at 57th Str.
(212-247-7800) Subway: N, Q, R, W to 57th Str.
carnegiehall.org• Zinc Bar 82 W. 3rd Str.
(212-477-8337) Subway: A, C, E, F, V, Grand Str. Shuttle to W. 4th Str.
zincbar.com

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 45

I N ME MORIAMJIM BEARD (Aug. 26, 1960 – Mar. 2, 2024) The Grammywinning, long-time keyboardist for rock group Steely Dan,
died at a local hospital at age 63 following complications
from a sudden illness. He began his career in his native
Philadelphia, touring as a teenager with the American
Youth Jazz Orchestra. After jazz studies at Indiana
University, he moved to NYC, honing skills as a pianist,composer, producer and arranger. He worked with Wayne
Shorter, Pat Metheny, Bill Evans, Dave Liebman and John
Scofield, among others, and had albums on CTI, Intuition,
Sunnyside, Jazzline, etc. Beard’s last concert was with
Steely Dan Jan. 20 in Phoenix, AZ.
DONALD BALDINI (Dec. 5, 1940 – Mar. 4, 2024) The
bassist-educator died at home of cancer at age 83, in
Vermont. He had a career as a studio musician in L.A.,
where he played on film and television scores, and with
the Tonight Show band. Settling in Vermont, Baldini playedwith local groups including the Vermont Symphony andOpera North. He also taught bass at Dartmouth College
and was Artist-in-Residence at Keene State College formore than 25 years, where he conducted the jazz band andorchestra.
RALPH BEERKIRCHER (1967 – Mar. 5, 2024) The German
guitarist-composer-educator died in hospice at age 56 in
Cologne, Germany. He studied classical and jazz guitar
at the Cologne University of Music, followed by a careerin radio appearances and recordings. He was a lecturer at
the Open Jazz House School of Cologne for more than 20
years. Among those he worked with are Asgard, Novotnik
44 and Ensemble HKS, with credits including Sascha
Delbroux, Moritz Eggert, Matthias Broede, André Nendza,
Arnie Bolden, Carl Ludwig Hübsch and Peter Kahlenborn.
JEAN-PIERRE BOURTAYRE (Jan. 31, 1942 – Mar. 4, 2024)
The versatile French composer, who wrote for TV, films
and stage (and also production director for Warner Music
Group), died at age 82. In 1998 he served as vice presidentof The Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers ofMusic.
HELENE CANN (1945 – Mar. 6, 2024) The jazz polymathdied at age 79. Cann worked as a freelance publicist andserved as Associate Editor of the jazz sites gmn.com andjazzplus.com. She was also a consultant to the arts and cofounder (with husband Marty Khan) of Outward Visions,
Inc. Cann organized tours of the Art Ensemble of Chicago,World Saxophone Quartet and other jazz artists, and wasco-director of The Coltrane Project of Philadelphia and
The Transcendence Initiative (dedicated to the music
and spirit of Coltrane). She co-authored Straight Ahead:
A Comprehensive Guide to the Business of Jazz (Without
Sacrificing Dignity or Artistic Integrity).
RONALD CARTER (Jul. 5, 1953 – Feb. 24, 2024) An
educator and musician (saxophone, clarinet, flute), Carter
passed away at age 70. He was a high school band directorin East St. Louis, IL., as well as Director of Jazz Studies at
Northern Illinois University for 23 years. Carter also served
as an educational consultant and clinician, contributing his
expertise to Essentially Ellington at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
He founded the South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble andowned Carter’s Jazz Clinics, LLC. Recipient of the ConnSelmer Lifetime Achievement Award, The Jazz Instituteof Chicago William Dyette Lifetime Achievement Award,
The Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor and a Milken EducatorAward—Carter collaborated with Wynton Marsalis,
Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, The
Temptations, The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic and more.
ELEANOR COLLINS (Nov. 21, 1919 – Mar. 3, 2024) The
Canadian singer (née Elnora Procter), known as Canada’s“First Lady of Jazz”, passed away at age 104. Collins
worked with Ray Norris and Dave Robbins in the ’50s.
She performed with jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie
and Oscar Peterson, and hosted a ground-breaking 1955
variety series for the CBC—the first by a Black female

BY MARILYN LESTER
singer in Canada. Collins also appeared on numerous
TV and radio shows, and later worked with Chris Gage,
Tommy Banks and Fraser MacPherson. She contributed a
track to She Bop! A Century of Jazz Compositions by Canadian
Women (2003) and was featured on a 2022 commemorative
stamp from Canada Post.
ROB CROCKER (Nov. 1, 1945 – Mar. 7, 2024) Working
for over 40 years as a radio broadcaster and a passionate,enthusiastic lover of jazz, Crocker died at age 78 at his home
in NYC from coronary disease and complications fromasthma. The longest-running disc jockey in the history ofjazz radio in NYC, he worked at WRVR, WWRL, WBLS
and KISS FM and three-plus decades at WBGO, plus workin Japan for BAY-FM, FM Yokohama and INTER-FM, aswell as being a contributor of production and/or linernote credits for albums on MCA, Verve, Blue Note, Blue
Toucan, MCG Jazz and other labels. Crocker also produced
live shows over the years, such as the Bobby Hutcherson
tribute at Birdland jazz club in 2012.
ALICE DARR (Apr. 22, 1930 – Feb. 4, 2024) The singer/
pianist, who died at age 93 at Allegheny Health Nursing
and Rehabilitation Center in Cumberland, MD, wasdiscovered by Eddie Cole (Nat King Cole’s brother), wholaunched her professional career as a singer. Popular andunderrated, Darr was the first woman of color (in 1955) toappear in a national magazine wearing a bikini and had
success performing nationally, including many various
locations locally. She had a 1962 album on Charlie Parker
Records (I Only Know How To Cry: Music for Lovers andLosers) with musical direction by guitarist Mundell Lowe.
MIKE FACTOR (May 20, 1935 – Mar. 4, 2024) The
businessman and jazz radio host died at age 89 after alengthy battle with heart and kidney disease. A member of
the Sunshine Jazz Organization, Factor worked at WLRN
radio in Miami as a guest host for over 25 years. In July
2018, he was inducted into the South Florida Jazz Hall of
Fame as an entrepreneur and jazz historian.
ERNIE FIELDS, JR. (Jul. 29, 1934 – Mar. 8, 2024) The
baritone saxophonist, and son of musician Ernie Fields,
died in his sleep in Pasadena, CA, at age 89. Fields attended
Howard University, played with his father’s band during
school breaks, and in the ’90s began touring with James
Brown trombonist Fred Wesley. He worked with souland funk artists including B.B. King, Bobby Bland, ArethaFranklin, Rick James, Marvin Gaye and others. He also
wrote the score for the 1978 film Disco Godfather and wasa music contractor for TV, including American Idol and
The Voice.
BRAHIM FRIBGANE (Apr. 9 1965 – Mar. 5, 2024) The
Moroccan oud player and percussionist died at age 59. He
was a founding member of Club D’Elf and also worked
with David Rothenberg, DJ Logic, Adam Rudolph, Leni
Stern, William Parker, Leo Genovese, Uri Gurvich andothers. Frigbane played some of the first shows at The
Cooler and joined Moroccan bands that came throughNew York, including The Master Musicians Of Joujoka
and Hassan Hakmoun.
DAN HAERLE (Jul. 23, 1937 – Mar. 2, 2024) The pianist,
who died at age 86, was also a University of North Texas
professor and Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camp faculty member.
He had albums on Mark, NTSU Jazz, Blu Jazz and Seagull
and credits with the North Texas State University Lab
Band, UNI Jazz Band, numerous Aebersold play-alongs,
David Baker, The Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort, Bob
Ackerman and Janice Borla among others.
JOSÉ MARINO (1940 – Mar. 5, 2024) The Brazilian bassist
died stateside at age 84. Marino is considered a masterof the bass in Brazilian music, beginning with his firstpublic performance at age 10, playing the cavaquinho (asamba instrument with four strings). He later learned toplay guitar and discovered the double bass and electricbass and, like most Brazilian musicians, played several
percussion instruments. Marino played from 1962-65
with Johnny Alf, Lenny Andrade, Wilson Simonal, Pedro
Matar, Erasmo Carlos and Vanderleia. In 1965 he moved to
the U.S., playing with the likes of Walter Wanderley, Bola
Sete, Milton Nascimento, Claire Fisher, Laurindo Almeida,
Astrud Gilberto, Edú Lobo, Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample,
Urbie Green, Bucky Pizzarelli, Willie Bobo, Bud Shank,
John Pisano, Dori Caymmi, Oscar Castro-Neves and
Deodato, among others. He also led his own band, Velas.
JOHN MINNOCK (Nov. 19, 1959 – Feb. 26, 2024) The
vocalist and composer died at age 64 in Boston, MA, aftera brief illness. A classically trained musician, he earned adegree in music from Boston University. As a vocalist, his
style was both pop and jazz, with improvisation and scat
applied to the latter, while his repertoire spanned artists
from Ruth Brown to Bill Withers to originals. Minnock
performed weekly at Boston’s Encore Lounge and had
frequent gigs in NYC cabaret venues, including at 54Below
with Dave Liebman, who was featured on Minnock’s
recording debut (Herring Cove, 2020) for Dot Time. This
month the label posthumously releases Minnock’s A
Different Riff.
BILL RAMSAY (Jan. 12, 1929 – Mar. 2, 2024) The baritone
saxophonist who, died in Seattle at age 95, was a stalwartof that city and a founding member of the Seattle Repertory
Jazz Orchestra. He worked with Count Basie, Duke
Ellington, Benny Goodman, Les Brown, Quincy Jones,
Grover Mitchell, Maynard Ferguson, Frank Wess/Harry
Edison Orchestra, Jay Thomas, Bud Shank, Pete Christlieb,
the Stan Kenton Alumni Band and others.
FÉLIX SABAL LECCO (1959 – Mar. 3, 2024) The
Cameroonian-born drummer, who also had a short career
as an actor, died in Paris at age 64. Lecco taught at theConservatoire d’Amiens and played with many wideranging musicians such as Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock,Peter Gabriel, and Lenny Kravitz, as well as with African
artists including Youssou Ndour, Manu Dibango and Salif
Keita. He was the featured drummer on Paul Simon’s The
Rhythm of the Saints (1990), playing with his bassist brotherArmand Sabal Lecco.
WALLY SHOUP (1944 – Mar. 5, 2024) The alto saxophonist
died in Seattle at age 80. He was introduced to free jazz in thelate ’60s and, while living in Colorado, had a radio show on
KRCC playing jazz and experimental music. In 1983 Shoup
moved to Birmingham, writing for Improvisor magazine andperforming with Trans Duo. Two years later he moved to
Seattle where he helped create the long-running ImprovisedMusic Festival. He recorded two albums with Sonic Youth’s
Thurston Moore, and made two recordings with guitarist
Nels Cline on Strange Attractors Audio House. He formed
the Wally Shoup Trio in 2001 with bassist Reuben Radding
and drummer Bob Rees. Shoup had leader or co-leader
credits on Leo, Tone Action Family, Clean Feed, Monofonus
Press, Catalytic Sound and other labels, and collaborated
with David Solomonoff/Carola Von Hoffmannstahl, New
Art Orchestra, Doug Haire, Davey Williams, Project W, Rik
Wright, Daniel Carter and more.
ALAN TOMLINSON (1947 – Feb. 13, 2024) The trombonist
and Manchester, England native died in the U.K. at age 76.
He studied trombone at Leeds College of Music, passing
the audition in 1968, having taken up the instrument
only a year earlier. Tomlinson became interested in free
improvisation and experimental music in the early ’70s
after which he moved to London in 1973. There he becamea member of ILEA’s Cockpit Theatre Music Ensemble andperformed with drummer Tony Oxley’s Angular Apronand Barry Guy’s London Jazz Composers Orchestra. He
worked with Jon Corbett, Phil Minton, Steve Beresford,
Roger Turner and others, touring worldwide. His solo
album Still Outside was released in 1980 and he had several
recordings under his own name in addition to leading theAlan Tomlinson Trio the last five years.

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | April 2024 47

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