Infinite Spirit Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band

Infinite Spirit
Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band
FMR Records

Pianist Bob Gluck authored "You’ll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band” (University of Chicago Press, 2012), and in the course of writing the book had conversations with the members of this legendary band. This was inspiration for Infinite Spirit, a quartet that includes Gluck on piano and electronics, Christopher Dean Sullivan on bass, and members of the Mwandishi Band, Eddie Henderson on trumpet and Billy Hart on drums on three songs from that band, one number that is interlaced with a Gluck original and an original from Sullivan.

There have been a number of recent recordings that have reexamined similar music of this period in an acoustic manner. This release is partly (and most successfully) in that manner. Hancock played an electronic piano (Fender Rhodes) on some of the originals from this period, while Gluck adds to this an array of electronic sounds. It is a combination that to my mind is not completely successful. I mean listening to the wonderful development of Hancock's motif's on "Sleeping Giant" from Gluck on piano along with the haunting playing of Henderson as well as Hart's superb drumming (and Sullivan is a rock on bass) gets mesmerizing until about three/fourths of the way through one is assaulted with electronic effects that overwhelm the listener. Much better is the poignant performance of "You'll Know When You Get There," as well as "Quasar" in which there are sound effects layered among the performance, but do not overwhelm Henderson's marvelous playing over the ostinato bass, Gluck's chords and Hart's shifting groove. The electronics sound more integrated into the opening of "Spirits Unleashed," another display of Henderson's ability to paint a mood, and then some musical fireworks between him and Gluck with the electronic effects at the end again not overwhelming the musicians. And while the original "Water Torture" employed electronics, it was employed more successfully on the original where it was employed like an instrument and not simply sonic effects.

An intriguing recording but the electronics at times is a distraction and even unlistenable, particularly on the first of the five tracks. This is unfortunate because there is much here that is compelling.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 365). Here is a promo video for this album.

Dick Oatts/Mats Holmquist New York Jazz Orchestra
A Tribute To Herbie +1
Summit/Mama Records

Dick Oatts/Mats Holmquist New York Jazz Orchestra is a band comprised of some of the finest New York players along with several distinguished Scandinavian players. Oatts is a lead player and artistic director of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra while Holmquist currently serves as Artistic Director for the JZ All Star Big Band in Shanghai. Holmquist suggested a big band tribute to Herbie Hancock and with John Mosca's expertise as contractor and lead trombone to bring together a formidable cast of musicians that include Walt Weiskopf on tenor saxophone, Frank Basile on Baritone saxophone, Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, and Adam Birnbaum on piano. Holmquist provided all the arrangements on this as well as contributed an original, "Stevie R," reflected in the "+1" in the recording's title, "A Tribute To Herbie +1."

These are some impressive interpretations of some of Hancock's iconic compositions including "Cantaloupe Island," "Chameleon," "Dolphin Dance," "Maiden Voyage" and "Watermelon Man." Influenced by minimalist composer Steve Reich, Holmquist which he describes in his arrangement of Chameleon." "In :Chameleon," I use a technique inspired by Steve Reich's famous composition "Drumming," starting with one note, adding one more, and another one, etc., until the thread of notes becomes a whole musical phrase." On this number he changes tempos as well as recompose and reharmonizes the theme with tenor solos from Walt Weiskopf and Robert Nordmark standing out. Oatts on soprano sax and pianist Birnbaum are featured on "Dolphin Dance," while the uptempo "Eye of the Hurricane," has blistering trumpet from Joe Magnarelli, along with hot tenor sax from Weiskopf, soprano sax from Oatts and a drum solo from John Riley. Magnarelli is featured with on "Stevie R.," Holmquist's original which also illustrates his construction of complexity from simple elements, and again on the marvelous "Maiden Voyage" with more marvelous trumpet and soprano sax, while there is a playfulness in the reworking of "Watermelon Man" that showcases Weiskopf's tenor sax and Basile's baritone sax along with some terrific support from the rhythm section.

Herbie Hancock's music has produced some of the most compelling performances of the past half century, particularly under his own name. The marvelous music on "A Tribute To Herbie +1," reflects the freshness that Hancock's music along with the marvelous Holmquist arrangements and superb playing of the Oatts/Holmquist Big Band.

I received from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the September-October Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 368).

Los Angeles Hosting Monk Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition and All-Star Gala Concert

Happening this weekend, the following appeared in the November-December Jazz & Blues Report.

Vuyolwethu Sotashe at 2014 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

The Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition will be held November 14-15 in Los Angeles. This year’s Competition features some of the world's most outstanding young jazz vocalists who will sing before a judging panel that includes Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Freddy Cole, Al Jarreau and Luciana Souza. The Jazz Vocals Competition Semifinals will be held on Saturday, November 14 from 12 to 5 p.m. at Schoenberg Hall on the UCLA campus. Each of the eleven semifinalists will perform for 15 minutes, accompanied by pianist Reginald Thomas, bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Carl Allen. Three finalists will be selected for the Finals on Sunday, November 15 at 7 p.m. at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. They will vie for scholarships and prizes totaling more than $100,000 including a $25,000 first place scholarship and a guaranteed recording contract with Concord Music Group.

The 11 semifinalists are: Liam Burrows, Sydney, Australia; Christie Dashiell, Greenville, North Carolina; Jazzmeia Horn, Dallas, Texas; Sirintip Phasuk, Stockholm, Sweden; Walter Ricci, Naples, Italy; Lena Seikaly, Falls Church, Virginia; Vuyolwethu Sotashe, Butterworth, South Africa; Veronica Swift, Charlottesville, Virginia; Katie Thiroux, Los Angeles, California; Danielle Wertz, Falls Church, Virginia; and Lucy Yeghiazaryan of New York, New York and Armenia. This writer has been privileged to have seen several of the semi-finalists perform including Vuyolwethu Sotashe, the winner of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival's 1st Vocal Competition in 2014.

Christie Dashiell at 2014 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

Immediately after the Competition Finals, The All-Star Gala Concert on Sunday, November 15 will bring together some of the most renowned artists of our time. Legendary producer, composer, bandleader and humanitarian Quincy Jones, will receive the Institute’s 2015 Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award. Herbie Hancock, Seth MacFarlane, Andy Garcia, Jeff Goldblum and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will host the event. Artists will include Patti Austin, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terri Lyne Carrington, Freddy Cole, Dave Grusin, Jimmy Heath, Paul Jackson, Jr., Al Jarreau, Hubert Laws, Gretchen Parlato, Arturo Sandoval, Wayne Shorter, Luciana Souza, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ben Williams and others. John Beasley will serve as the evening’s musical director.

The Thelonious Monk Institue International Jazz Competition, is regarded by many as the most prestigious jazz competition. Each year, the Competition features a different instrument, and major scholarships and prizes are awarded to talented young musicians. For 28 years, the competition has launched the careers of a number of major jazz artists including saxophonist Joshua Redman; vocalists Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jane Monheit and Gretchen Parlato; pianist Marcus Roberts; bassist Ben Williams; and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. Cécile McLorin Salvant was the winner the last time the competition focused on vocals and the other two finalists, Charenée Wade and Cyrille Aimée, have also led successful solo careers.

Lena Seikaly at 2014 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

Proceeds from the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition and All-Star Gala Concert will support the Institute’s public school jazz education programs across the U.S. and around the globe. In recent years, the performances of the semi-fianls have been broadcast over the world-wide web, and one should check the Monk Insitute's website to see if they web-cast this round this year. Tickets for the gala start at $40 and are available at dolbytheatre.com. For more information about the competition and the Monk Institute’s other programs, visit monkinstitute.org.

(In addition to the Monk Institutes press release, this writer also used Nate Chinen's New York Times story for background).

On Facebook, The Monk Institute gave more details about the webcast of the semi-finals. 

"This year's MonkCompetition features Semifinalist vocalists from Australia, Italy, South Africa and Sweden as well as the United States. No matter where you are, you can watch the 2015 Semifinals round at UCLA - with all 11 of our unbelievable competitors - LIVE on monkinstitute.org. Webcast starts at 12:00 Pacific Time on Saturday, November 14. Don't miss it!"

A Couple of Blue Notes

Carla Marciano

I believe it was a link to a free download on allaboutjazz.com that turned me on the Carla Marciano, an Italian saxophonist from Salerno, Italy. Listening to the download immediately led me to download on itunes (and its available elsewhere) her new recording Stream of Consciousness (AlfaMusic). She elads a quartet of her on saxophone; Alessandro La Corte on piano; Aldo Vigorito on bass and Gaetano Fasono on drums. I ahve seen her referred to as John Coltrane's daughter and listening to this recording it is immediately evident from the opening God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, which certain will evoke Coltrane's rendering of Greensleeves, to the title three-part suite where she and her combo will make some wonder if this is a previously unissued Coltrane recording. What's interesting is that the suite is akin to some of Trane's freer recordings. Anyway this lady has certainly left a strong impression on me and this is well worth checking out.

Here website biography is at http://www.carlamarciano.it/bio.asp

Miles Davis - The Complete Illustrated History

Miles Davis - The Complete Illustrated History, published by Voyageur Press of Minneapolis, Minnesota is a marvelous graphic overview of one of the most important, influential and original artists of the Twentieth Century. This coffee-table sized volume provides an overview of Miles Davis’ life accompanied not simply by wondrous and classic photography, but also short essays by his musical colleagues, jazz critics and  historians and cultural historians. The who package is quite well done and the various comments from those of his contemporaries like Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Lenny White, Ron Carter and Clark Terry and such noted jazz writers as Francis Davis, Ashley Kahn and Robin D.G. Kelley, certainly help flesh out a bit of his personality as well as his musical history. This is the second such book on Miles (We Like Miles came out two years ago to accompany a Miles Museum exhibit in Paris and Montreal) and is certainly a must for those who don’t have the prior volume, but also stands on its own for those (like myself) who have the earlier book. 

If you go to Barnes & Noble’s website or to amazon, you can get the flavor of this volume from the preview that is available. 

I purchased both of these items.

Freddie Hubbard's Straight Life

Straight Life is the latest reissue of Freddie Hubbard as part of Sony Music’s CTI Masterworks series celebrating 40 years of CTI. On this particular session Hubbard was joined by George Benson on guitar; Herbie Hancock on electric piano; Joe Henderson on tenor sax; Ron Carter on bass; Jack DeJohnette on drums; Richie ‘Pablo’ Landrum on percussion and Weldon Irvine on tambourine. The album has three songs that include two extended performances and one shorter interpretation of a standard.

There is a loose, jamming feel to the performances starting with the title track which is a Hubbard original on which Benson and Hancock take extended solos both built on repeated riffs with DeJohnette and percussion laying down the rhythm over which Hubbard seems to float above with his playing focusing on the middle. Irvine contributed Mr. Clean, is a mid-tempo cooker with a latin tinge as Henderson and Hubbard state its theme. Hubbard has a bit more heat in his playing and employing more of the upper register and is followed by some fervent playing from Henderson with Benson getting really gritty as well. The closing ballad, Here Comes That Rainy Day, is a lovely duet between Hubbard on flugelhorn with Benson on guitar. A nice conclusion to a reissue that may not be an essential part of Hubbard’s recorded legacy, but one with plenty of fire and cool.

I received a review copy from a publicist for the recording. Here is Freddie Hubbard at the DownBeat Awards performing Straight Life.

George Benson's Spanish Flavored White Rabbit

George Benson was already an established guitarist when he signed with Creed Taylor and CTI Records. As part of the 40th Anniversary of CTI Records, Sony has issued on CTI Masterworks White Rabbit, an album that situated the guitar in the flamenco-tinged arrangements of Don Sebesky. The musicians on this session included Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Airto on percussion. Hubert Laws was part of the larger band and added a solo to the title track.

The title track was a remarkable adaptation of the Jefferson Airplane song and sets the tone to the album. The underlying groove of Grace Slick’s original lends itself to the flamenco inspired setting as the trumpet conjures the bullring, and Benson’s guitar initial evokes the flamenco masters before he takes his solo. It is followed by Herbie Hancock who rips off a startling solo punctuated by the horns which is then followed by Laws' solo. The rendition provides an energetic start to this recording.

Of course White Rabbit is not the only pleasure to be heard here. Theme From 'Summer of 42' provides a quieter mood as Benson states the theme with Jay Berliner's acoustic guitar helping set the mood while Hancock's electric piano establishes a foundation for Benson's solo. Little Train (from Bachianas Brasileiras #2) has a lively Brazilian feel with Airto adding a wordless vocal in addition to percussion. California Dreamin' opens with a Flamenco flavor and a lush Sebesky arrangement that mixes in Harp with the woodwinds and brass over which Benson's agile, fleet solo rides as Berliner chording behind him.

This disc concludes with Benson's El Mar, which also has a similar Spanish (or perhaps Moorish) flavor. It is built upon a slightly dramatic motif and apparently was Earl Klugh's debut recording. Klugh plays acoustic guitar here. Like the rest of the album, this is wonderfully recorded and remastered so for example one can hear the sizzle and crackle from the drums and Airto's percussion as well as very clearly and distinctly. This was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder and while Van Gelder was apparently not involved with remastering these reissues, the clarity of the sound does justice to the wonderful music heard here.

My review copy was provided by a publicist.

Sunflower is a Milt Jackson CTI Masterwork

Milt Jackson's Sunflower (CTI Masterworks) was among the initial batch of CDs to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of CTI Records. This recording dates from late 1972 and had the great vibes played joined by a band that included Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on Bass, Billy Cobham on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. In addition there is a string section and classically oriented horns (alto flute, English horn, oboe, piccolo) on some of the tracks with Don Sebesky's arrangements on a re-mastered, remixed and re-edited reissue.

Jay Berliner's flamenco-styled guitar sets the mood on Jackson's For Someone I Love, with Jackson and Hubbard playing with lovely restraint on this ballad. What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life, by Michel Legrand, and Alan and Marilyn Bergman also displays Hubbard melodic side with immaculate support with the strings creating a dreamy cushion. Hancock switches to electric piano for interpretation of The Stylistic's hit, People Make the World Go Round, providing a base for the solos by Jackson and Hubbard before taking a lengthy one himself. Hubbard contributed the lilting title track on which strings reappear and it is followed by a Milt Jackson blues, SKJ, the most straight-ahead performance here with plenty of heat generated. It is performances like this one that really get this writer’s juices going.

Sunflower may be a bit sweet at spots for this writer's taste, but it is strongly played and easy to listen to.


My review copy was provided by a publicist for the label.

Taeko's Intriguing Vocal Stylings

I have been listening to many jazz vocalists lately. the following is a review that first appeared in Jazz & Blues Report. 



Born in Japan, yet assimilating American Jazz and singing it with few indications of her origin, Taeko brings a variety of influences into a varied musical program for what is her second recording, “Voice” (Flat Nine Records). She is backed by a group led by co-producer, drummer Doug Richardson (he also is heard on melodica) with Greg Lewis on organ, Lou Rainone on piano, Kevin McNeal on guitar, and Gaku Takanashi on bass and wah wah guitar. Its a band that can lay down some funk as well as dreamy romanticism.

Opening up is a vocal adaptation of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” “Get Up,” with lyrics from Juanita Fleming, Taeko hiply delivers the lyrics against the familiar music, followed by her singing and scatting the Jon Hendricks lyrics for the Monk-Hawkins collaboration, “I Mean You (You Know Who).” “Soochow Serenade,” was a 1940’s hit in Japan and she delivers the Japanese in a lovely fashion with Rainone’s effective, spare piano. She whispers and cajoles the meaning out of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues,” in an understated manner. I should not imply she is a sultry singer, because she can belt out a lyric and moan, scat like a Rex Stewart trumpet solo with all sorts of half valve effects. She scats and trumpets out the lyrics of “A Clear Day,” before a swinging, rolling piano solo, followed by her original, “Spring Nocturne,” where she goes from a whisper to an all out delivery, followed by her cooing of the Doug Carn lyrics to the Brazilian samba tinged Wayne Shorter composition, “Infant Eyes,” as she entreats the one with infant eyes “To make your dreams come true,” with a lovely guitar solo. “Biwako,” a folk song about Japan’s largest lake and her home town is heard in both Japanese and English renditions is handled with a mid-tempo backing with Richardson taking a melodica solo. Greg Lewis’ organ sets the tune for Ted Daryll’s lyrics to Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” (with its refrain, “he’s sugar to me”), followed by an Ellington indigo ballad, “I Didn’t Know About You,” accompanied by McNeal’s lovely guitar. “Stand,” showcases her ability to provide a jazzy interpretation to the Sly Stone stone soul funk classic with her horn like scatting.

An intriguing recording by a vocalist who displays considerable vocal range as well as her choice of material.

The review copy for this was provided by the publicity firm handling this recording.

waxpoetics™ is Music Lovers Delight

Shout out to praise a publication I discovered this year at Barnes & Noble's magazine rack. waxpoetics™ is a magazine that certainly will appeal to those with eclectic musical tastes. I had the mistaken impression it was a hip hop magazine but actually reading the issue, there is a focus on beats, dee-jays, but also plenty on soul, funk, jazz and even blues. The most recent issue (No. 29) has Herbie Hancock on the cover and a feature on his Mwandishi Band along with stories on soul-blues singer Lee Fields; saxophonist-composer Sam Rivers, composer and pianist Lalo Schifrin, rapper Spoonie Gee along with rediscovery of rare vinyl 45s and albums. Prior issues I have purchased have had feature-interviews on Chuck Brown, Al Green and a similar mix of material that is lively and well-written and a refreshing change of pace from more genre-specific publications.

Wax Poetics has a nice website which includes a digital store as well.