Sixth Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Stands Up For Real Jazz

Paul Carr

The Sixth Annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival returns Presidents’ Day Weekend to the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Put on by the Jazz Academy of Music, the motto of Mid-Atlantic Festival is “Standing Up For Real Jazz.” In this vein, the focus is on hard, swinging jazz with a number of national headliners mixed in with some of the finest musicians in the Washington DC area. The featured performers for this year include vocalists Tierney Sutton, Allan Harris and Carmen Lundy and instrumentalists including trumpeter Sean Jones; saxophonists James Carter, Jimmy Greene, Craig Handy and Marcus Strickland; bassist Rufus Reid; trombonists Delfaeyo Marsalis; and pianists Kenny Barron, Ellis Marsalis and Patrice Rushen. Local jazz favorites include vocalists Sharon Clark and Janine Gilbert-Carter; saxophonist Paul Carr; pianist Eric Byrd, and vibraphonist Warren Wolf. Performances are held both on the Ronnie Wells Main Stage as well as smaller club settings.

Sharon Clark

Friday night, February 13, the Ronnie Wells Main Stage opens with tenor saxophonist Paul Carr, head of the Jazz Academy of Music, and a marvelous player leading a group with vocalist Sharon Clark. Clark, arguably DC’s leading female jazz singer. Writing in the New York Times, Stephen Holden wrote that she “evokes not Holiday but rather a less operatic Sarah Vaughan fused with the more animated side of Shirley Horn, a singer who also liked to take her time. Ms. Clark’s voice is rich, her phrasing unfussy, her jazz embellishments minimal.” They will be followed by another terrific singer Tierney Sutton, with trumpeter Sean Jones closing the evening with his group.

Main Stage activities resume late morning Saturday February 14 with the Mid-Atlantic "Jazz Voice"--Vocal Competition with six semi-finalists competing for a $2000 Grand Prize. Shortly afterwards an afternoon session features DC drummer Samuel Prather and Groove Orchestra with the marvelous vocalist Christie Dashiell. They are followed by Chelsey Green and the Green Project, led by the talented violinist. Saturday Evening’s Main Stage performance opens with a Tenor Saxophonist Summit with three of today’s most compelling tenor players: James Carter, Craig Handy and  Marcus Strickland. After their set, vocalist Allen Harris will captivate the audience followed by Ellis Marsalis and son Delfaeyo, on The Last Southern Gentleman Tour.

Craig Handy

Sunday on the Main Stage, Vuyo Sotashe, the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Vocal Jazz Competition winner, opens the afternoon show followed by the great bassist and composer Rufus Reid leading his Quartet. Craig Handy and Second Line Smith closes the session. Handy’s latest project mixes New Orleans grooves with a tribute to the great organist Jimmy Smith.

Sunday evening’s final Main Stage session opens with one of this writer’s favorite vocalists, Janine Gilbert-Carter backed by a trio that includes pianist Eric Byrd with a saxophonist to be named. Carter brings plenty of warmth and a touch of Dinah Washington to a varied selection of material. Next is  tenor saxophonist Jimmy Greene whose backing group includes the legendary Kenny Barron on piano and will focus on music from Greene's latest album, “Beautiful Life” on Mack Avenue Records. Greene is a masterful saxophonist with a robust tone and this recording is part of his ongoing grieving process at the sudden and tragic loss of his 6-year old daughter, Ana Marquez-Greene, who fell victim to the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass murder in Newtown, CT. After this performance, vocalist Carmen Lundy will close out the Main Stage with the great Patrice Rushen on piano and keyboards.

Marcus Strickland

Throughout the festival, there will be plenty of music in the MAJF Club and the MAJF Juke Joint rooms. Friday night the Marcus Strickland Quartet performs two sets in the MAJF Club while David Cole will be laying down blues in the Juke Joint. Saturday shows in the MAJF Club include the Terry Koger Sextet, vocalist Chad Carter, and the great drummer Winard Harper, while Memphis Gold will be in the Juke Joint. Sunday evening Shirletta Settles, Anthony Compton, and Sarah McKenzie are among the MAJF Club room performers while Anthony “Swamp Dog” Clark will be blowing his harmonica and shouting the blues in the Juke Joint.

Additionally there will be free performances in the Hotel Atrium including Big Band and Combo competition performances. There will also be interviews with a number of the artists and workshops for students that are led by some of the performers. One can see how packed the weekend will be. For more information with fuller artist biographies, information on accommodations and tickets along with special features on several of the performances visit, http://www.midatlanticjazzfestival.org.

2013 Rosslyn Jazz Festival

2013-0907 Rossylyn Jazz Festival-9070294, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.
James Carter joining Pancho Sanchez during his set at the 23rd Annual Rossyln Jazz Festival capped a wonderful day of Jazz on a late summer day at Gateway Park in Arlington, Virgina. After opening with three wonderful samples of Latin Jazz (including a dedication to Willie Bobo), Sanchez was joined by the great saxophonist Carter on some songs associated with John Coltrane that started with a spicy rendition of Duke Ellington's The Feeling of Jazz.

This collaboration ended an afternoon that opened with trumpeter Kenny Rittenhouse's Sextet for some strong hard bop (to use a weak analogy). Rittenhouse's band included a marvelous trombone player, Reginald Cyntje, along with saxophonist Lyle Link and pianist Allyn Johnson. Link was exceptional in this excellent company as the band played selections from Rittenhouse's 2013 recording New Your Suite. 

After Rittenhouse set, Naomi Shelton and The Gospel Queens came from Brooklyn to take us to church a day early. It was enjoyable change of pace. The Soul Rebels came on for a set of New Orleans Brass band music that had the crowd really up and dancing. It was a Crescent City party for an hour with that brash and funky sounds.

What an afternoon, with the music even better than the glorious sunny weather.  Congratulations to the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, all the staff and volunteers who made this Festival happen and Arlington County, Virginia for its support of this event and the arts.

Rosanna Vitro's Delirium Blues Project Has To Serve Or Suffer

A project conjured by vocalist Roseanna Vitro and pianist/arranger Kenny Werner, the Delirium Blues Project is succinctly described by producer Jeff Levenson as ”a celebration of the blues as the basis of much popular music.” Anyway, they spent a week in August, 2007 at New York’s Blue Note and this living recording, Serve or Suffer (Half Note), was the result.

In addition to Vitro and Werner, the Delirium Blues Project features a genuine all-star horn line-up of Randy Brecker, trumpet; James Carter, tenor sax; Ray Anderson, trombone; Geoff Countryman, baritone sax; Adam Rogers, guitar; John Patitucci, acoustic and electric bass; and Rocky Bryant, drums. Bringing together the marvelous Werner arrangements with Vitro’s singing and the terrific musicians, one has a intriguing recording that provides a different take on some blues and bluesy material.

While horn dominated one should not short-change the fine playing of guitarist Rogers, yet the real musical fireworks are provided by Brecker, Carter and Anderson. The material is fresh from the opening piece of jive, What Is Hip, followed by a Tracy Nelson number, Goodnight Nelda Grebe, The Telephone Company Has Cut Us Off, with a fine vocal (Nelson was an influence on Vitro) and a choice Brecker solo. Blue is an indigo ballad with a marvelous solo from Carter while he apparently is on soprano with some serpentine playing behind the vocal on Joni Mitchell’s Be Cool, with Rogers employing a bluesy tone on his solo. Lil Green’s In the Night, may be the most familiar number here but Patitucci’s bass is the sole accompaniment for Vitro’s intimate vocal.

A funk groove underlies the rendition of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham’s ‘Cheater Man,’ on which Vitro takes a wordless solo, while on Mose Allison’s Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy, Ray Anderson growling plunger mute work would make Tricky Sam Nanton proud. Most of the players get to stretch out on the closing, Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down, a tune by Eric Bibb, C. Hoglund and Maria Muldaur, whose bass line is a cousin to Green Onion/ Help Me.

This is the type of band that Al Kooper wishes he could have had thirty odd years ago with the original Blood Sweat & Tears while the sophistication of the music also suggests Steely Dan. One hopes that this aggregation was more than a one-shot deal, as this resulting recording whets the appetite for more delirium.

This review originally appeared in the July 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 306) and I likely received my review copy from that publication. Here is Ms. Vitro and Kevin Mahogany singing Blue Monk.

James Carter's Stirring "Present Tense"

One is almost tempted to use the word audacious to describe the music of James Carter. The virtuosity he exhibits on a range of saxophones, flute and bass clarinet goes beyond the simple label of novelty while at the same time playing with passion and thoughtfulness. He caresses a ballad as well as can get down in the alley with a gutbucket blues solo.

Present Tense on Emarcy is his most recent recording and has him supported by his terrific band of Dwight Adams on brass, D.D. Jackson on piano, James Genus on bass and Victor Lewis on drums with appearances on guitar by Rodney Jones and congas and percussion by Eli Fountain. I am familiar with the opening Rapid Shave, from a Shirley Scott recording with Stanley Turrentine on tenor. Carter and his group burn on this one with Adams taking the first solo followed by Jackson’s piano before Carter storms in on Baritone. Bro. Dolphy, is Carter’s tribute to the legendary multi-instrumentalist and has Carter taking a serpentine bass clarinet solo.

Carter has exhibited a great appreciation for the music of Django Reinhardt, and uses the soprano for his interpretation of Reinhardt’s ballad, Pour Que Ma Vie Demeure, which also has a nice bass solo. Song of Delilah, is best known from the classic Clifford Brown-Max Roach recording, and opens here with Carter on soprano evoking a snake charmer before Carter introduces the theme on baritone followed by Adams bright, pungent tone for a fresh and vibrant interpretation.

Carter displays his virtuosity on flute on Dodo Marmarosa’s Dodo Bounce, with Adams using a mute on his solo. Gigi Gyre’s Hymn of the Orient is another brisk tempoed number showcasing’s Carter on baritone, while he takes up the tenor for his original Bossa J.C. on which Jones adds a nice acoustic guitar break. He stays on tenor for some fine ballad playing on the closing Tenderly, exploiting the tenor’s full range and Adams’ excellent muted playing complements his playing.

Having been following Carter since his participation on the late Lester Bowie’s Organ Ensemble, it is satisfying to watch him continue to grow as a musician, composer and group leader. Backed by a superb band and mixing in strong originals with interpretations of material that with the exception of Tenderly, have not been interpreted often nor as well. Present Tense, is another brilliant addition to James Carter’s body of recordings.

This review originally appeared in the July 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 306). I believe I received my review copy from the publication. Now here is some James Carter with his organ trio.

Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards 200

The awards can be found on the Jazz Journalists Association's webpage, www.jazzhouse.org.

Some notable winners include:

Record of the year - Sky Blue - Maria Schneider Orchestra - Artists Share
Reissue/Historical release of the year - Cornell 1964 - Charles Mingus Sextet -Blue Note
Reissue/Historical Box Set of Year - A Life In Time: The Roy Haynes Story - Dreyfus Jazz
Arranger of year & Composer of year - Maria Schneider
Trumpeter of the year - Terence Blanchard
Tenor Saxophonist of year - Sonny Rollins
Soprano Saxophonist of year - Jane Ira Bloom
Baritone saxophonist of the year - James Carter
Clarinetist of the Year - Anat Cohen
Drummer of year - Roy Haynes
Pianist of the year - Hank Jones

A fairly amorphous group with some not so obvious winners.

Tenor sax Battle between James Carter and Joshua Redman

Nice video (from Carnegie Hall I believe) of the two backed by a big band ripping through Straight No Chaser, and Now's the Time. This has been posted to you tube several times, but this one benefits from some rather heated comments. I prefer James Carter a bit more (he sounds a bit more gutbucket and bluesy), but Redman is no slouch and both are major players.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FrVFihi_sI&feature=related#