Jimmy Heath Love Letter

Jimmy Heath
Love Letter
Verve

Gary Giddins relates in the liner notes for "Love Letter," its origin arose from a query, friend, and photographer, Carol Friedman, who asked if Jimmy Heath would record an album of ballads. The answer is this recording, which Giddins scribes as "Heath's stunningly elegant last testament." On this, his final recordings, Heath is supported by a fabulous backing band of pianist Kenny Barron, guitarist Russell Malone, vibraphonist Monte Croft, bassist David Wong, and drummer Lewis Nash. Augmenting the group on separate tracks are vocalists Gregory Porter and Cécile McLorin Salvant, and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

Giddins quotes, from conversations with Friedman, Heath about saxophonists playing ballads, "Ben Webster would play in the lower register of the saxophone and you could hear his breath. But Coltrane found a way to play in the high register of the tenor. Having played alto before, he could hear up there and he learned the altissimo range of the tenor. When he played a melody of a ballad it was ethereal. It was like heaven. Coltrane would play up in the heavens. Ben and Coleman Hawkins and everybody would be downstairs—they'd be down here on earth! Trane found a way to Trane found a way to sing in the high register that I found was unique." Heath has incorporated some both approaches as he often plays in the tenor sax's lower register but without Webster's pronounced vibrato or Hawkins relatively harsh sound.

This splendid recording opens with Heath's "Ballad from Upper Neighbor's Suite," on which Heath  exhibits his nuanced tone and phrasing set against an exquisite, delicate quartet backing with Barron being especially outstanding. One should not be surprised by the superb singing by Cécile McLorin Salvant ("Left Alone") and Gregory Porter ("Don't Misunderstand"). There is a purity in Ms. Salvant's voice with the airy backing by Malone, Croft, Wong, and Nash, before Heath's gorgeous solo. Porter's romanticism on "Don't Misunderstand" is enhanced by Barron's sophisticated elegance as Heath sings with his tenor sax.

There is a gentle warmth exhibited when Heath, with Malone and Croft in support, provides a lyrical reading of Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma." Wynton Marsalis joins Heath, Barron, Croft, and Nash for a winsome rendition of Kenny Dorham's ballad, "La Mesha." In addition to the sublime beauty of the horns, Barron's solo is one of elegant sophistication. There is a reflective quality to Heath's playing on "Inside Your Heart," the one track on which he employs the soprano sax.

The album closes with Heath's poignant performance of "Don't Explain," a song that Barron, Croft, and Nash recorded with Heath, later overdubbing a solo of considerable beauty and feeling. As Carol Friedman stated about Heath, "His mastery is such that you could swear that the rhythm section—Kenny in particular—is following Jimmy's lead." It is the coda of a remarkable recording, and career belies the fact that Jimmy Heath was 93 at the time. There is nothing in the robustness of his playing and impeccable pitch and timing that suggested any diminishment of his talent. Gary Giddins closes his liner notes, "Farewell, Jimmy, and welcome back. Consider this the second *rebirth*, because people are going to be talking about you all over again." Indeed, with this outstanding recording, people will be talking about Jimmy Heath for many more years.

I received a  download to review from a publicist. Here is "Con Alma" from this recording.

Take 5 With Some Jazzy Holiday Music

Yesterday we had a brief playlist of Blues Holiday Music. Today with have a brief selection of Jazz Holiday Music. We open with a Christmas 1948 radio broadcast of Charlie Parker from the Royal Roost playing "White Christmas."

Next up is Louis Armstrong with 'Christmas in New Orleans."

I wonder if the same folks who claim "Die Hard" isn't a Christmas movie, would argue "Good Morning Blues" by Count Basie isn't a Christmas song, even though Jimmy Rushing wants to see Santa Claus.

Here is Duke Ellington with "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen."

  Finally, we have Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performing "Jingle Bells."

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Big Band Holidays II

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Big Band Holidays II
Blue Engine Records

Among the new recordings to help folks celebrate the winter holidays is "Big Band Holidays II" by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. This celebrated Orchestra brings big band swing to some holiday favorites and some lesser-known tunes for this time of year. The musicians contributing to these performances from the Orchestra's annual Holiday programs are: Reeds - Sherman Irby –  alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute; music director (2015-2016); Ted Nash – alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute; Victor Goines – music director (2018); tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet; Walter Blanding (2015–2017) – tenor saxophone, clarinet, shaker; Paul Nedzela – baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; *Camille Thurman (2018) – tenor and soprano saxophones; Trumpets - Marcus Printup; Kenny Rampton; Wynton Marsalis (music director, 2017/18); *Ryan Kisor (2015, 2017-2018);*Greg Gisbert (2016); *Bruce Harris (2016);*Tatum Greenblatt (2017); Trombones - Vincent Gardner; Chris Crenshaw; Elliot Mason (2015-2016, 2018); *Sam Chess (2017); *Eric Miller (2018); and Rhythm Section - Dan Nimmer – piano; Carlos Henriquez – bass; Ali Jackson (2015-2016) – drums; *Marion Felder (2017) – drums; and *Charles Goold (2018) – drums. Those named marked with an asterisk are substitute orchestra members. Guests on this release include Aretha Franklin – vocals and piano; Audrey Shakir – vocals; Denzal Sinclaire vocals; Catherine Russell – vocals; Veronica Swift – vocals; James Chirillo – guitar.

Anyone who has seen the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) knows what a superb band it is whose members are excellent session players and also fabulous soloists. It is a terrific big band in the Count Basie or Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Bands vein. The JLCO members contributing the arrangements for these eleven wonderful performances that open with Wynton Marsalis' arrangement of "Winter Wonderland," where Marsalis' trumpet is only one of the exceptional soloists. Catherine Russell is present for three vocals with her singing on Steve Allan's "Cole Yule" standing out. Sherman Irby arranged this, and he soloed brilliantly. Denzel Sinclaire is heard singing on an animated "We Three Kings" and a bluesy arrangement of "Silent Night." The former number was arranged by Carlos Henriquez and also features Paul Nedzela's superb baritone sax. Victor Goines arranged "Silent Night," which has James Chirillo's bluesy guitar solo. Aretha Franklin is stunning on "O Tannenbaum," accompanied only by her piano. Vocalist Veronica Swift shines on "(Everybody's Waitin' for) The Man with the Bag," with Vincent Gardner's trombone (quoting "Frosty the Snowman") in the spotlight. Walter Blanding is responsible for the swinging arrangement.

The other performances are similarly first-rate, including the buoyant Latin groove of "Brazilian Sleigh Bells." Wynton Marsalis makes the announcements and salutes the various soloists on these excellent, vibrant, toe-tapping, brassy performances. "Big Band Holidays II" will undoubtedly bring plenty of holiday cheer to any holiday celebrations.

I received a download to review from Jazz at Lincoln Center/ Blue Engine Records. Here is the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performing "Sleigh Ride."

Wynton Marsalis' Musical Masterworks

Wynton Marsalis may at times be a figure of controversy but there can be little doubt he is one of the few performers in jazz today that members of the general public would recognize his name. Still relatively young, he had a performing and recording career that extends back 30 years, He has in this time distinguished himself as a virtuoso of great technique and imagination as well as a composer. Like one of his musical inspirations, he is not simply beyond categories but established himself not simply in the world of jazz but also Western classical music.

MasterworksJazz has just issued a two-disc compilation The Music of America that emphasizes as much the rich legacy of his composing as it does his playing. In the liner booklet, Greg Thomas states that Wynton’s “achievement as a composer for large and small groups has not been given due consideration by so-called serious music critics.” This anthology in part would serve to display that and also perhaps answer another question raised by Thomas, “Who has the depth to plumb the entire American jazz tradition as if its all good and new, and then connect it with music from Africa, Spain, France as well as the spicy flavors of the Mediterranean?” Thomas’ last question does ignore Wynton’s dismissal at times of significant parts of the American jazz tradition which is one reason he has been a controversial figure. If Marsalis’ approach has been a classicist towards the jazz tradition, it has been one of distilling from the past to create fresh and vibrant works.

Marsalis himself has self-curated this collection of 24 tracks from a variety of compositions and recordings with over 2 1/2 hours of music. Several of the selections including the opening Jazz: 6 1/2 Syncopated Movements: Express Crossing (Astride Iron Horses), evoke the romance of trains (a theme found in several Ellington numbers) with spirited playing (nice use of mutes in the trumpets. Jazz: 6 1/2 Syncopated Movements: “D” in the Key of "F" (Now the Blues), also displays Ellington’s inspiration in how the performance builds around Wes Anderson’s alto sax (whose playing suggests Johnny Hodges). These selections along with the driving swing of Jump Start - The Mastery of Melancholy: Jump, a feature for the great Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, are from Jump Start & Jazz, a recording that will likely garner my future attention. More of Marsalis’ evocation of trains can be heard on a couple selections from the album Big Train, with the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra (JALC Orchestra).

The full range of Marsalis’ compositions is evidenced by Go, Possum, Go, a brief banjo-fiddle duet between Mark O’Connor and Mark Schatz that suggests old-time strong bands with a modern sensibility, his string quartet At the Octoroon Balls - String Quartet No. 1 *: Hellbound Highball, while The Fiddler’s March from A Fiddler’s Tale Suite, brings Marsalis together with the Chamber Society of Lincoln Center with Marsalis playing in the vein of a concert trumpeter, Also fascinating is the two movements (one edited) from All Rise, with the use of a choir and LA Philharmonic in addition to the JALC Orchestra and transitions from orchestral to improvised big band segments.

This hopefully provides some idea of the breadth and depth of the oeuvre of Wynton Marsalis compiled here. The performances in The Music of America; Wynton Marsalis, transcends genres and musical categories. The sampling here substantiates Marsalis’ significant and substantial achievements.

My review copy was provided by a publicist. Here is Wynton and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

After Katrina, Moving to a Higher Ground

In April 2006 I wrote reviews on several post-Katrina benefit albums. This is the second review of those I am posting. Here is the first which originally appeared in the April 2006 (issue 281) of Jazz & Blues Report as well as the April 2006 DC Blues Calendar, then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. I likely received a review copy, not sure if from the record company, a publicist or Jazz & Blues Report.

Jazz at Lincoln Center did one of the first TV benefit shows, Higher Ground, Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert, which has been made available on Blue Note. Given that the Artistic Director of Jazz From Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis Wynton Marsalis, is from New Orleans as well as the city’s seminal place in the history of jazz and American popular music, it is not surprising that they came out early to help try to help the cradle of jazz recover.

Despite being presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center, the music presented here includes much that is not strictly jazz including a marvelous gospel number by Shirley Caesar and lively number by Buckwheat Zydeco. Art & Aaron Neville revive Professor Longhair’s Go to New Orleans with Allen Toussaint on piano, Art Neville on organ, an uncredited guitarist, Wes Anderson on alto and Wynton Marsalis on trumpet on a spirited recording followed by Dianna Krall rendering Basin Street Blues, with a nice traditional jazz feel to the backing evoking Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

James Taylor’s simple solo rendition of his Never Die Young, and Dianne Reeves treatment of The House I Live In both give the lyrics special meaning in light of the performance context as does Norah Jones on a solo performance of Randy Newman’s I Think It’s Going To Rain Today. Terence Blanchard’s performance Over There may be the strongest straight jazz performance with its somber mode, whereas the music of New Orleans is celebrated by Marcus Roberts on Jelly Morton’s New Orleans Blues and Wynton Marsalis’ revival of Dippermouth Blues, from the first recordings made by King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band with a young second cornet player whose nickname was Dippermouth.

Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield plays a marvelous Just a Closer Walk With thee, just backed by pianist Ronald Markam, Bette Midler is marvelous on Is That All There Is, which some may be familiar of from Peggy Lee. The closing Come Sunday with Mark O'Connor on violin is a moving treatment of a composition originally part of Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown and Beige, and later done by another legend from new Orleans, Mahalia Jackson.

Like the city celebrated here, the performances contain a variety of styles, idioms and moods.