Deb Ryder impresses right off the back with "It Ain't Gonna Be Easy," the opening track of her third album, "Grit Grease & Tears." As she shouts on this hot jumping blues, it ain't gonna be easy but its gonna be a helluva lot of fun, and that is what this album is, a helluva lot of fun. Ryder cites Etta James and Koko Taylor, and she has captured not only the powerful approaches they employed, but also their expressive abilities and nuanced aspects of their singing. Add to this her abilities as a songwriter (she contributed all the songs here) and the production of Tony Braunagel, Johnny Schell's engineering, and a fine studio band including her husband Rick on bass, Braunagel on drums, Schell on guitar, Mike Finnigan on keyboards with Kirk Fletcher adding guitar to half the twelve songs, Albert Lee to one and harp added by Pieter Van Der Pluijm or Bob Corritore, and one has some hard hitting blues and rocking R&B.
Deb Ryder has a presence that the musicians enhance throughout the variations in mood and songs. Sugaray Rayford duets with her on a funky blues "Get a Little Steam Up," while the guitars of Schell and Fletcher and Van Der Pluijm's harmonica create a swampy feel for the powerful title track where she prays for a miracle as "you can't try anymore and I can't cry anymore," as she sings about being "a moth to your flame," with the band adding an insistent backing. It is followed by "Sweet Mary Anne," a song recalling the summer of 1968, and sweet Mary Anne who everyone loved but who wanted to leave that town with crisp, punchy horns from Jim Sublett and Darrell Leonard adding to the flavor of this retro-soul rocker, while "Lord Knows I Do," is a terrific slow blues with some scintillating B.B. King styled guitar set against a stop-time accompaniment. The consistency of the performances here is noteworthy including the "River's Forgiveness," with Schell's guitar and Corritore's harp adding to the flavor of this moody performance contrasting with the frenzied boogie of "Prisoner of War," but even at this tempo, Ryder's vocal does not sound hurried or rushed.
The easy rocking shuffle "Right Side of the Grass" closes this recording. Special kudos to Finnigan's keyboards and Braunagel's solid drumming throughout this strong latest striking effort from Deb Ryder, who certainly has more than fulfilled the promise of her excellent earlier recordings.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369). Here is a promotional video for this recording.
A member of the celebrated Snarky Puppy, Cory Henry has been filmed and recorded at Brooklyn's Greater Temple of Praise on a mostly solo performance on the Hammond B-3, for a new album "The Revival." Henry performs mostly solo on a program of old gospel classics, rhythm and blues, jazz and soul. he is joined on the recording by drummer James Williams and his godfather, Bishop Jeffrey White, who sings on one song.
The gospel element is predominant among the songs selected for this performance opening with A simple rendition of "Lord's Prayer" where he is pulling out all the stops (pun intended) as this stately performance builds in intensity. In contrast to the sober opener, "He Has Made Me Glad (I Will Enter His Gates)," is a more spirited and ebullient performance, but both pieces illustrate his masterful use of dynamics and tone. After a sober "Precious Lord," with Williams adding some accents, Bishop Jeffrey White sings powerfully on another old gospel classic, "Old Rugged Cross." After a playful "NaaNaaNaa," with Williams on tambourine and the audience having fun singing the title track, there is a lively devotional number, "That is Why I’m Happy," followed by the fun (and audience clapping) of "If You’re Happy (and you know it)." Coltrane's "Giant Steps" opens in somewhat restrained manner but the heat builds with Henry's marvelous improvisation. After a musical deconstruction and reconstruction of "Yesterday," the performance closes with the exultation of "I Want to Be Ready."
"The Revival" is a wonderful display of Cory Henry's masterful B-3 playing, sometimes mesmerizing but always full of fervor and humor. I received as a download from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here Cory Henry is performing "NaaNaaNaa."
Conversations In Jazz; The Ralph Gleason Interviews Edited by Toby Gleason Foreword and Introductory Notes by Ted Gioia New Haven: Yale University Press 2016:276 + xvi pages
It has been several decades since Ralph Gleason passed away. Gleason was a pioneering jazz and music journalist, host of a legendary television show "Jazz Casual," and one of the founders of "Rolling Stone" magazine. "Conversations In Jazz; The Ralph Gleason Interviews" brings together interviews Gleason conducted in the early 1960s, the time he was producing the "Jazz Casual" series, although these interviews were conducted at home, separate from the conversations he had with performers on that show, with the exception of the one with Duke Ellington.
As Ted Gioia observes in his Foreword, these interviews take place at a most interesting period of time as 1959 saw the release of so many classic jazz recordings. John Coltrane is interviewed at the time he is stepping forth as a leader, while Sonny Rollins was interviewed a few weeks before he took his sabbatical from playing while Philly Joe Jones is interviewed during the most productive time of his career and the conversation with Bill Evans was less than a year after "Kind of Blue" and when he was working with his most influential trio.
These conversations are quite fascinating. For example Coltrane notes he had only played in three big bands as of 1961 (Dizzy Gillespie, King Kolax and Jimmy Heath), that one thing he likes about being the only horn in his own group is that he likes to play long, that he plays different tempos with different horns, how he went about writing tunes, and various thoughts relating to playing in clubs or concerts. His interview with Quincy Jones opens with Gleason asking why can't they record a big band so it sounds like the big band does live, before getting into the issues with running a big band, contrasting what he will be doing with Count Basie and other points such as touring Europe. With Dizzy Gillespie, Gleason explores at first how Dizzy first heard jazz and his development as a musician.
Gleason interviewed all four members of the Modern Jazz Quartet opening with John Lewis who provided a history of the MJQ along with some of the lessons learned as they developed their 'quiet' mode of jazz. Milt Jackson recalled his experiences as well a discussed challenges playing with the MJQ as opposed to other settings while discussing some of his other recording projects. Percy Heath tells about growing up with other musicians in the family, not adopting the bass until after coming back from the Service is own while Connie Kay recalls playing with Lester Young replacing Roy Haynes and then starting with the MJQ when Kenny Clarke left the group. A couple common threads are in the four interviews here such as how the nature of the MJQ restricted what they played. It is fascinating to read the thoughts of all four (and their acknowledgement of their common ties to Dizzy Gillespie).
Other chapters are devoted to Sonny Rollins, Philly 'Joe; Jones, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Duke Ellington, Les McCann and Jon Hendricks. The discussions of how they started, influences, what motivates what they play and like, made for intriguing conversations and fascinating reading. This is an invaluable addition to the jazz literature. There is no index which is the only flaw in this wonderful volume.
I purchased this. Here is a video clip from "Jazz Casual" of Ralph Gleason speaking.
Ernestine Anderson Ernestine Anderson Swings The Penthouse HighNote
With the recent passing of the wonderful singer, Ernestine Anderson, the release in 2015 of "Ernestine Anderson Swings The Penthouse" should not be overlooked. This live performance comes from a 1962 Seattle performance long before Carl Jefferson added her to his Concord Records artist roster when Ray Brown had been championing her. Of course when this was recorded she had already worked with Johnny Otis, toured with Lionel Hampton, recorded with Gigi Gryce and recorded an album in Scandinavia that was licensed to Mercury. She was at the first Monterey Jazz Festival, named DownBeat's New Star Jazz Singer and recorded other albums for Mercury.
Of course her early career is overshadowed by her later day career in terms of the quantity of her recordings. But here, backed by a sterling trio of pianist Dick Palombi, bassist Chuck Metcalf and drummer Bill Richardson, she brings a vibrancy to a number of standards with her own swinging delivery, impeccable phrasing and vocal dynamics making for terrific renditions of such timeless classics as "You Make Me Feel So You," "On Green Dolphin Street," Little Girl Blue," "Just in Time," "This Can't Be Love," "There Will Never Be Another You," and "Honeysuckle Rose." There is no poor tracks here as she is completely in control of the material and the trio swings hard backing her.
Ernestine Anderson certainly swung The Penthouse back when this is recorded, but the music is still fresh and vibrant and this is a wonderful addition to her recorded legacy.
I purchased this. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here she is in Europe in 1967 singing Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'."
San Francisco based vocalist Nicolas Bearde has hit the musical home run with his new recording "Invitation." This was produced by Nat Adderley Jr., who plays piano on most of this with a variety of others present, the best known being saxophonist Vincent Herring who is heard on 3 of the 9 songs. Its a nice selection of standards that should be familiar to most listeners including "My One and Only Love," "Lush Life," "Nature Boy,'" I Want To Talk About You," "Maiden Voyage" and "Save Your Love For Me."
From the first note of the swinging Lerner-Lane standard "Come Back To Me" to the closing moments of "Save Your Love For Me," the warmth of Bearde's voice along with his phrasing impresses. The likes of Billy Eckstine, Al Hibbler, Johnny Hartman, and Freddie Cole are suggested by Bearde who places his own stamp on these performances. The delight of his treatment of Jobim's "Dindi," is followed by the romanticism of "My One and Only Love," and while it is inevitable comparisons with be made to the Hartman-Coltrane classic recording, Bearde's first-rate rendition (and Adderley Jr is marvelous in his accompaniment) stands on its own. Herring's adds some choice alto to the fresh performance of "Nature Boy."
Bearde also more than capably sings "Lush Life," another performance that will inevitably be compared to Johnny Hartman, but again the manner he delivers the lyrics set against just Adderley Jr.'s piano stands out. I have not heard lyrics to Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage," so Bearde backed by a piano trio (one of two selections Adderley Jr. is not heard on) was a surprise and pleasure to listen to. This performance may be the highlight of these marvelous vocals. I received my copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2016 issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 366). Here is Bearde performing "Lush Life."
Curtis Salgado The Beautiful Lowdown Alligator Records
The latest recording from veteran singer-songwriter and harmonica player Curtis Salgado, "The Beautiful Lowdown" is a solid collection of soul and blues numbers. It was co-produced with Marlon McClain and Tony Braunagel who helps him weave together a range of moods and settings from the driving Memphis Soul feel of the opening "Hard To Feel The Same About Love," the North Mississippi Hill Country one-chord groove (and brash slide guitar backing) of "I Know A Good Thing," to the reggae groove of "Simple Enough." Braunagel and some of his fellow Phantom Blues Band members, Johnny Lee Schell, Mike Finnigan and Larry Fulcher are among the players supporting Salgado along with Jim Pugh, and others.
I must confess often being less enamored with lyrics like "Walk A Mile In My Blues," but his tale of losing a brother to the needle and his girl to his best friend makes it powerful with punching horns and simple hard-edged guitar riffs and runs is a very strong musical statement which contrasts with the folk-soul feel of "Healing Love," with acoustic guitar and understated organ backing. "I'm Not Made That Way" is a solid blues performance with biting guitar and an insistent quality in his vocal followed by the a powerful, and very soulful, duet with Danielle Schnebelen, "Is There Something I Should Know." "Ring Telephone Ring" is a bouncy West Coast styled shuffle with Igor Prado's guitar and riffing horns. The album closes with Johnny Guitar Watson's love song "Hook Me Up," with some nice harp on a Watson number that is not often covered by blues acts. Salgado pulls it off.
Salgado explains how the album title came about. , "During a recent show, I turned to my guitarist and said, 'Play something lowdown. But make it beautiful.' Then I thought, 'Keep that.'" he not only kept that but certainly made a recording that lives up to its title "The Beautiful Lowdown."
I received my review copy from Alligator. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 366). Here is Curtis Salgado performing "Walk A Mile In My Blues."
Its a marvelous program of jazz numbers that were part of early sixties jazz and left a deep impression on him when he was becoming a professional musician. With his band, he approaches these from a Brazilian perspective, being samba for all but one selection. In addition to the five standards, he also has four originals included. This is a recording that strikes the listener from the opening notes of "Killer Joe" to the closing original "Luar Da Bahia," with the vivacious grooves, the sinuous horn solos and the clean, lively arrangements. Benny Golson's "Killer Joe" is a crackling good performance with focused, concise solos from Serginho, Sadoc, Martins, Amuedo before the leader himself set against the percolating rhythm and followed by a pepped up tempo transforming another Golson classic "Whisper Not," with fire from Martins, and sparkling piano although, despite the originality of this rendition, loses some of the character of the haunting, classic Lee Morgan recordings. The hot groove suits better Adolfo's own "Cascavel," with punching horns accenting the driving theme set forth by piano-bass with some boisterous playing from Serginho. A lovely tribute to Adolfo's mother "Yolanda, Yolanda," features some wonderful flugelhorn and lithe soprano sax.
A particular highlight for these ears is the performance Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments," whose tempo is pretty close to Nelson's classic with Bill Evans, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard and Roy Haynes with a slight rhythmic accent in the backing and standout playing from Martins and Amuedo (very nice use of chords in his solo). Trumpeter Sadoc provides plenty of fire on Horace Silver's "Song For My Father," while Serginho's growls and slurs provide smoldering heat. After a delightful samba "Partido Leve," with delightful piano and flugelhorn, Barata takes a spectacular drum solo set against the ensemble. The standard "All the Things Your Are," again brings together a sonorous arrangement (or re-imagining of the harmonies) from Adolfo along with a marvelous solo followed by Amuedo's inventive serpentine single note guitar runs.
"Luar Da Bahia" ("Moon Over Bahia") has an evocative and enticing melody with lyrical playing from the leader along with Martin's soprano before Helder's marvelous bass solo, concluding a throughly splendid record of fresh, original takes on jazz classics, superb arrangements and fascinating new compositions that are superbly played.
I received my review copy from a publicist. For a sample, here is "Cascavel" from "Tropical Infinito."
Chicago guitarist Andy Brown's third Delmark album "Direct Call," is his first with his own quartet of pianist Jeremy Kahn, bassist Joe Policastro and drummer Phil Gratteau that regularly play's at Andy's Jazz Club in downtown Chicago City (a fine room that I have been to in Windy City visits). After prior albums which included one shared with fellow guitarist Howard Arden and the other a solo effort, this one is a delightful set of swinging straight-ahead recording. The recording's flavor is set with the bright opener, a piece of Ellingtonia with "The Jeep Is Jumpin'," with sparkling, lively guitar and a nice drum break. Contrast with this driving performance is provided by the lovely rendition of "Prisoner of Love," with some sublime fretwork as he squeezes every bit of feeling out of each note complemented by Kahn's short solo and fruity Arco bass from Policastro. Johnny Mandel's "El Cajon" features more scintillating Brown as well as Gratteau's nice brush work and followed by a solid performance of Hank Mobley's hard bop "Funk In Deep Freeze," with strong solos from Kahn and Policastro. The CD title comes from Django Reinhardt's "Appel Direct," with its evocation of busy city life and blistering guitar runs with more of Gratteau's deft brush work. In contrast, "Relaxing" comes from a classic Hank Garland album and showcases Policastro in addition to the leader's lovey lyricism here which is also heard on Jobim's "Ela É Carioca." There are lively renditions of Hoagy Carmichael's waltz, "One Day In May," and Joe Pass' "Catch Me." On both Brown displays his warm tone, with clean and deft playing and ability to take unexpected twists and turns. A bouncy rendition of pianist John Coates Jr.'s blues, "Freak of the Week," closes this, straight-ahead album of swinging guitar music. Brown and his quartet play with taste and panache making "Direct Call" such a delight.
I received a review copy from Delmark Records. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here is a video of Andy Brown playing solo jazz guitar.
This is an all
instrumental rendition of this classic work with the late William
Warfield, the great concert artist who arguably was the most famous
actor to portray Porgy, providing narration linking the performances.
Cullum leads his classic jazz band (think about traditional New Orleans
and Chicago jazz) through such memorable numbers as "Summertime," "My
Man's Gone Now," "I Got Plenty of Nuthin'," "Buzzard Song," "Bess, Your
My Woman Now," "It Ain't Necessarily So," "I Loves You Porgy," and "Oh Bess, Where's My Bess."
At the conclusion of the
performance there is an interview with William Warfield dealing with the
admitted stereotypes as well the Metropolitan Opera's resistance to
using an all-black cast (they wanted white performers in black face)
which led Gershwin to stage this originally in a theatre. There is
plenty of charm and lively classic jazz to be heard on this release that
provides a different jazz take on an American classic.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 366).
Whisper Not: The Autobiography of Benny Golson Benny Golson and Jim Merod Philadelphia:Temple University Press: 2016; 336+xvi pp.
Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing the marvelous saxophonist and composer Benny Golson, has been treated to not simply marvelous music but also his storytelling in introducing the tunes performed, whether recollections about growing up with John Coltrane, or the origins of some of his classic compositions such as "Along Came Betty," "I Remember Clifford," "Stablemates," and so many more. Now, Benny has put some of these stories and more in this new volume that was written with Jim Merod.
This is not a usual autobiography where the person provides a chronicle of his life. Instead the book is more of a systematic organization of vignettes of the manner he would tell in performance, except perhaps he gets into more depth about some and a number of them are matters that would not normally come up unless he was being interviewed.
The book is organized into eight parts and it would give an overview of the contents to describe each of the parts and some of the contents of that part. After Merod's preface, which provides an overview of Golson's life and contribution, while his own introduction is an indication of the positive, as opposed to negative, messages he hopes to provide in detailing his story.
Part 1 is entitled John Coltrane and in its three chapters discusses his interactions with Coltrane including John and him meeting Bird and Diz and then being the musical dynamo. Part II is entitled "The 'Hood' and Youthful Reckonings" and includes some of his early musical adventures as well as his Uncle Robert and Benny's first visit to Minton's, early musical experiences and then hard times. Part 111, entitled "Great P People," takes us to his experiences with the likes of Bull Moose Jackson and Earl Bostic, Art Blakey, Tadd Dameron, Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro, Jimmy and Percy Heath, Betty Carter, Art Farmer, and others. as well as discussing going to Howard University and further matters. Part IV, "Hollywood," was a revelation for me as I was unaware he had left the jazz world to spend several years scoring for film and TV. Included are his recollections of what was musically involved along with his three years with the show, "M*A*S*H."
Part V, "Amazing Friendships," has his recollections of Quincy Jones, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Dizzy Gillespie, Philly Joe Jones (who he went back with to his youth), Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, Dinah Washington and Curtis Fuller as well as tells the story of The Jazztet that he and Art Farmer co-led. Part VI, "Music and Writing," includes his discussion of how his approach to writing music developed along with discussions of "Stablemates," his first recorded song, "Along Came Betty," and "I Remember Clifford." He was (and still is) not happy with changes Miles Davis made in his composition in the first recording of "Stablemates" (which included John Coltrane in Davis' Band). Elsewhere he recalls very sad circumstances of learning of Clifford Brown's passing that led to one of his most famous compositions. The last chapter in this part, "The Ballad and 'Weight,'" is one of the most thought provoking, as Golson considers playing of ballads such a great factor in the music's art and the import of the ballad as almost a genre in itself while in playing ballads, emphasis is on the weight given to each specific note played.
Part VII, "Icons," has his recollections of persons he had met that stand apart from simply great musicians. Included is his recollections of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, and performing in the film, "The Terminal." There are also recollections of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Coleman Hawkins, Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Peggy Lee, Diana Ross, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Milt Jackson, Charles Mingus, Benny Goodman, Gigi Gryce, Larry Young, Mickey Rooney, Redd Foxx, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Muhammad Ali amongst those disccussed. Part VIII, "Verses And A Coda," includes how he resumed his musical performing career after his Hollywood hiatus, the centrality of the blues and the Coda which is a brief discussion of his becoming a Jehovah Witness.
The text is clean and readily accessible as a Golson melody and a photo album includes a number of memorable images. Golson is such a positive person, and that is conveyed throughout his graceful telling of his story. This is an important addition to the body of jazz biographies and autobiographies.
I purchased this. Here is Benny talking about John Coltrane.
I’ve known Robert Lockwood since the fall of 1970, my senior year at Case Western Reserve University when I interviewed him for a student newspaper. At the time Robert was driving a delivery truck for a Cleveland pharmacy, and playing music part time. The previoussummer he attended the second Ann Arbor Blues Festival, and was coaxed up on stage where gave a great performance that led to his first album Steady Rolling Man (on Delmark) as well as playing on a Roosevelt Sykes album, Feel Like Blowing My Horn (also on Delmark). In addition to my interview of Robert in the fall of 1970, I had him on my radio show on the CWRU station. WRUW‑FM in Spring of 1971, and I had the opportunity to interview him in a Buffalo hotel May 12, 1978 (which Jim O’Neal and Amy Van Singel transcribed for a Living Blues interview that never ran).
Robert Lockwood Jr at the 2005 Pocono Blues Festival
In a review of Robert Lockwood Jr.’s new recording, What’s the Score, in the first issue of Blues Revue Quarterly, Brett Bonner writes, “Robert Lockwood is one of the greatest guitarists the blues has ever produced. His music has, in its own subtle way, shaped the blues of the modern era.” Living Blues editor Peter Lee concluded an article on Lockwood in the July, 1991 Guitar Player, “Lockwood’s history is almost that of the blues. Yet he brought something more to the blues in both his style and in his playing. And in doing that, he can claim much more than most musicians could ever hope to.”
Robert Lockwood was born 20 miles from Helena in Marvell, Arkansas on March 27, 1915. He was raised on a farm outside town by his mother Esther Lockwood (Shannon). At the age of 7, he was taken by his mother to St. Louis, the first of many trips to that town, but this trip was a brief one and they soon returned South to live near Helena. Robert recalled growing up in Marvel, Helena, Memphis, & St. Louis. “Most of my schoolin’ was in Helena. And I dropped out of school when I was about 14, 13 ‑ something like 13, 14 years old. Started to work and try to take care of my mother.” His mother struggled to make ends meet as a cook for a white family, and Robert dropped out of school in 7th grade, finding work in the cotton fields and levee camps. He also started playing music as an additional way to make money.
Robert Lockwood Jr at 2005 Pocono Blues Festival
Recalling this time, Robert stated “That’s when I started to learn to play. Yeah. I was about 13 1/2 years old. During that time I was doin’ farm work. Going out with the cotton chopping trucks, cotton picking trucks‑things like that. But the women wasn’t makin’ no money at that time. Females worked for $3 a week and that kind of shit.... Whenever I could get a job, I’d make around $9. About $9‑10 a week. That was a lot of money at that time.”
Robert didn’t recall a lot of music around the area growing up. “ There was people who was trying to play but, I don’t know. I just didn’t find too many guitar players interesting. I didn’t have no desire to play no guitar. I Thought I was goin’ be a piano player.” Asked if there were a lot of good piano players he answered “There wasn’t a lot. But the piano, you could very well play it by yourself without any help. And that’s what I always wanted when I was beginning-to not have to depend on anybody to help me. As the years passed, I got used to trying to put things together and I got used to help. My ambition was at first to play by myself. But I found it a little boring and dull as the years passed ‑ running all over the world by yourself. I done that for about 10 years, you know about 10 or 11 years, or longer.”
Robert Johnson was the impetus for Robert Lockwood becoming a guitarist. “He was my teacher.” Recalling how he met Johnson, he stated “Oh Robert met my mother. He followed my mother home. He hung around there for, oh, a couple of months. I guess. And my mother at first felt like he was too young but Robert could talk that way‑back talk. He didn’t look like he was no older than me. But I guess he was about 4 or 5 years older than I am. But I met Robert through my mother. And when he found out I was so interested in music, he finally decided to teach me. So, I’m very grateful about that cause my very first beginnin’ was not bad.”
At the 2005 Pocono Blues Festival
Lockwood recalled that Robert Johnson was a “very good musician.... I never heard Robert try to play nothin’ like nobody else. Really I wondered where did he get his understandin’ and style from. I never heard nobody play like him.... Oh you can listen to his records today and you don’t hear nobody playin’ like him but me. Nobody but me.” When I asked about Johnny Shines Robert stated, “Johnny Shines come close. Johnny Shines do pretty good, but he doesn’t play like Robert. So I teaches Johnny Shines every time I see him. Well, we grew up together. You know that.”
Robert recollected travelling with his mentor. “I went quite a few places with Robert ... quite a few. But Robert usually liked to travel alone. That was something else that I didn’t quite understand. But he carried me to Mississippi with him two or three times and he went up into some parts of Arkansas ‑ Eldorado, Arkansas, Camden and different places. I made about three trips with Robert.” Robert remembered some of the other musicians playing at the time. “Oh there was quite a few people down there that’s been gone a long time now. There was a dude called Son Kelly, and one called Stormy Weather. There was two brothers ‑ the Britt brothers, Jim Britt and W.B. Britt. All these people had help. I mean there was always two guitars ‑ one playing lead and the other one playin’ background you know.”
Many of the musicians that would be a vital part of the Chicago blues of the 1950s and 1960s were in Memphis. Robert knew Big Walter Horton in Memphis in the thirties and was the first one to take Walter away from home. “Walter was playin’ what was bein’ recorded. Wasn’t nobody recordin’ then but Big Bill, Peetie Wheatsraw and Lonnie Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, Memphis Minnie. Walter was playin’ better then he do now.” When I asked Robert what was better about Walter’s playing then. “I don’t know, just seemed like [he was playing better] . . . maybe it was like a kind of new experience to me. Maybe he wasn’t, you know. But he was playin’ like hell then. See Walter and I had left Memphis and went down into a levee camp and came back with so much money Walter’s mother thought we’d done robbed somebody. Yeah, I picked Walter up in Memphis and carried him with me. And brought him back home. He could play. Walter was always a loner, too. You never see Walter, see him with nobody.”
Robert remembered Howlin’ Wolf. “Howlin’ Wolf? Yeah. When I first started playin’ Howlin’ Wolf was trying to play guitar. I used to run into Howlin’ Wolf when we were both runnin’ up and down the road. Howlin’ Wolf was tryin’ to play the guitar then. I didn’t know nothin’ about him playin’ no harp until ... I went down there, it was just after ’40, after ’41. I went back down South and he had a band in West Memphis and was playin’ the harp. I said, “Well I’ll be doggone.”
It was Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) who first took Robert Jr. to Mississippi. “I met Sonny Boy through Robert. Robert was always in Mississippi ‑ well Robert’s home was in Mississippi too. And Robert was steady goin’ to and from Mississippi and he would run into Sonny Boy and I think they would play some together. And Robert was steady tellin’ Sonny Boy about me. And as the years passed, Sonny Boy finally came to Helena looking for me. He came over and begged my mother to let me go to Mississippi with him. She never wanted me to go to Mississippi, but he finally convinced her. And she told me to go ahead. And I’d been goin’ all up and down the road by myself, you know, but she just didn’t want me to go in Mississippi. Well, Mississippi was pretty bad then on Blacks. And I went to Mississippi with Sonny Boy, and we made a lot of money. $100 was a lot of money then.”
Robert Lockwood Jr honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at 2005 Pocono Blues Festival by Larry Hoffman
This was around 1936 or 1937. Sonny Boy wasn’t calling himself Sonny Boy at the time, but rather called himself “Boy Blue”. People were also calling him “Rice.” When John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson started making records, Rice Miller started calling himself Sonny Boy. “And Big Sonny Boy could play Little Sonny Boy’s material better than he could play it. So, the way I understand it, they knew each other somehow, but Little Sonny Boy got a chance to make those records. And I think he was a good song writer, Little Sonny Boy was. Both of ‘em was.... Anyway I remember when Little [Sonny] Boy came to Helena. Well when he came to Helena I had played with him. I played with Little Sonny Boy in 1938‑39.... 1939 and a part of 1938, played with Little Sonny Boy in St. Louis. We used to play a lot of house parties. So in 1942 he came to Helena. Well, the word had got around that Sonny Boy Williamson was down South. He came down there and they talked about it and Little Sonny Boy got on the same station ‑ KFFA. And he stayed on that station for about two months. And that really confused the people. Oh man, I’ve seen some things man."
Robert joined the King Biscuit Time radio show in 1941 a few months after it started with the second Sonny Boy. “I went down after I recorded those records for RCA Victor. And I went down and Sonny Boy grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I stayed with Sonny Boy down there for about two years. And me and the owner of King Biscuit Time, we never got along too well ‑ he’s still living‑ and so I finally split. Well what was really happenin’, then, they wasn’t payin’ nothing. But the publicity was gettin’ us a lot of work. Me and Sonny Boy was playin’ seven nights a week, you know. And those road engagements was really payin’ off, you know.” Responding to my observation that life on the road must have been rough, Robert Jr.. stated, “Nah, it’s not rough when you like it. You know, you just have to like it. You have to like it. There are a lot of people who don’t like it who just be out there for the money. Then it goes kind of hard with them so that’s why they get on all these old different kinds of drugs and dope and stuff‑ to be able to work.”
Longtime Lockwood band member, Maurice Reedus
By the late thirties Robert Lockwood was living and playing in St. Louis, a rich blues community which at the time was the home of Peetie Wheatstraw, Sonny Boy Willliamson I, Henry Townsend, Big Joe Williams, Lonnie Johnson, Dr. Clayton and others. It was with Dr. Clayton, that Lockwood got his first chance to record. “Well Dr. Clayton‑ ton and me and John Lee Williams, which was Little Sonny Boy, and Peetie Wheatstraw and Walter Davis and Elijah Williams and Booker T.. Washington - we all was runnin’ around there in St. Louis - playin’ on the street corners and different little towns in Illinois, you know, and Dr. Clayton and me would sit down and share ideas with each other. And we both was writing songs, you know. So Clayton had been to Chicago and he kept tellin” me, he said, ‘Well, let’s go to Chicago.” So I had a job parking cars, I was working at the Ninth and Chestnut garage. And I got that job down there and kind of got myself together‑ I bought me a lot of clothes, bought me a brand new instrument, and bought me a union card. So when we came to Chicago we came to Chicago to record for Decca. The talent scout was J. Mayo Williams and Mayo Williams was out of town so . . . during this process we ran into Lester Melrose and Lester Melrose and Mayo Williams was racin’ over talent, because at that time, the black musicians, blues singers, they wasn’t paying them a goddam thing ‑ you know about 15% of 1¢ royalty.... That’s what they promised you, know. So anyway, Dr. Clayton and me, I think we got better from Melrose than anybody else. Clayton really got paid ‑ he really got some money out of it. See well, I got $900 for playing with Clayton and for doing my own session. And at that time they was only paying $12.50 a side for a record and then a session was called two records. So that meant you made $50 for a recording session But I told Melrose to forget about the 15% and, oh, he hollered. He didn’t want to give me that much money. He told me, ‘I could record 10 people for what l’m payin’ and you’re askin’ for.’ But what made him record me was I told him, I said, ‘I didn’t come here to record for Victor in no way, you. I’ll just wait until Mayo Williams comes. And he didn’t want Mayo to get me. Oh, we went through a pretty bad time cause he was telling me that he didn’t know whether my material was goin’ to sell or not and ‘I’m taking a chance.’ And I started naming all the dudes who was playin’ for him which was Big Bill, Tampa Red and Johnny Temple.”
Both Big Bill and Tampa Red should be relatively well known to most blues listeners. Jackson, Mississippi born Johnny Temple may not have been a great instrumentalist but was a rather prolific recording artist of the thirties and forties. Robert kidded me about not knowing Temple’s biggest record, “Well, his best record was ‘Big Leg Woman.’ I can’t see how you missed that. But Johnny Temple and those dudes who was playin’ those guitars ... and Melrose, he really didn’t dig me too much because I’m kinda of straightforward about saying what I think. When I think I’m right, I mean you got a problem ‘cause I’m not goin’ be givin’ in, you know. So he was tellin’ me about how he didn’t know whether my stuff was gonna sell or not and I told him, I said, ‘You can line all them sons of bitches you got ‑ that play by themself ‑ and I’ll just walk right through them. I play what they play and play what they don’t play.’ And he really didn’t like that either. But he wouldn’t let me go. He wouldn’t agree and let me record for Decca. So he finally come up with the contract and I recorded for him.”
Robert recorded four selections that were released: Take a Little Walk With Me, Mean Black Spider, Gonna Train My Baby and Little Boy Blue. With the exception of Train My Baby, the songs became blues standards that were recorded by countless other blues artists. Muddy Waters recorded Take a Little Walk With Me for the Library of Congress and his reworking of Mean Black Spider as Mean Red Spider was among Muddy’s first recordings for Chess Records. Robert gave songs to Muddy and others including Glory for Man which Sonny Boy II recorded as All My Love in Vain, Elevator Blues for John Lee ‘Little Sonny Boy’ Williamson and That s All Right for Jimmy Rogers.
Video of Robert Lockwood Jr.
After the Bluebird recordings, Robert moved back down to Arkansas, joining the King Biscuit Time show with Sonny Boy. He remembered other musicians. “WelI in Helena there was Willie Love and Dudlow. That dude, he was nicknamed, was Robert Taylor. And Starkey Brothers. The Starkey Brothers used to be with me ‑ they was part of my first band. And a dude who used to live in Marianna named Jim Leake ‑ he had a string band. And an old man called Poppa Crump that played piano very good. And there’s somebody else who I know real good and I can’t think of him for nothing.” Robert formed his first band with the Starkey Brothers after leaving King Biscuit Time and started his own show for Mother’s Best Flour, a competing company to the Interstate Company that sold King Biscuit Flour and Sonny Boy Corn meal. This band was a much jazzier group than the band with Sonny Boy. As Robert Palmer chronicles in his excellent book, Deep Blues, Robert Lockwood was one of the first amplified guitar players in the Delta region and exerted considerable influence on numerous musicians including the late Joe Willie Wilkins who was one of the other guitarists that was associated with Sonny Boy and King Biscuit Time, the Murphy Brothers, Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, Louis Myers, Freddie King, and very significantly B.B. King.
When I first met Robert, he mentioned the fact that he had been working with B.B. King at the outset of B.B.’s career, trying to help B.B. work on his time while working with B.B. as a sideman. Frustrated with B.B.’s apparent inability to pick up on this aspect, Robert wanted to quit but B.B. cajoled him to stay a while longer, and when he left told the record company that was going to record B.B. to use a big band to help cover some of B.B.’s timing mistakes. It was almost two decades after Lockwood left B.B. King’s band before B.B. hired another guitarist to play in his band, so deep an impression Robert left with the Blues King.
In the early fifties Robert moved to Chicago where he would stay until the early sixties. In Chicago he became a major part of the blues scene there, recording Dust My Broom for the J.O.B. label a few months before Elmore James’ classic recording, along with Aw Aw Baby (a version of Sweet Home Chicago) and the jazzy Sweet Woman from Maine as well as established as a session player on recordings by Sunnyland Slim, drummer Alfred ‘Fat Man’ Wallace, pianist Eddie Boyd and others. While none of these records were heavy sellers, they stand up today as small gems of postwar Chicago blues. They have been reissued on a Flyright CD, Johnny Shines & Robert Lockwood which also contains Johnny Shines earliest recordings.
When Louis Myers left Little Walter’s band, the Jukes (or the Aces), in a money dispute, Robert replaced him and ended up working with Walter for several years. Robert once told the story of travelling in the south with Little Walter, and they came across some place where the pace had a sign saying that Little Walter was playing. This fact was news to them, and they had problems convincing people there that Little Walter was the real Little Walter.
Another video of Robert Lockwood Jr.
Robert was a mainstay of the Chicago recording scene, being on numerous sessions for Chess Records until the sixties when Buddy Guy assumed a similar role. Robert’s carefully placed chords and immaculate sense of timing perfectly complemented Walter’s hard driving harp solos, Eddie Boyd’s uptown band blues or Rice Miller’s wry vocals. Robert also did sessions with Muddy Waters, Floyd Dixon, Willie Mabon and the Mooglows for Chess. In 1961 Robert Jr.. travelled with Otis Spann and St. Louis Jimmy Oden to record for Candid Records. At the time, the classic album Otis Spann is the Blues with four vocals each from Spann and Lockwood along with two instrumental from Spann. Lockwood once expressed his belief that the album should have been with a full band, yet there can be little disputing the superb playing by both, with Lockwood’s guitar being a perfect compliment for Spann’s piano. A small glimpse of what might have been with a full band was two songs Spann recorded for Chess with Lockwood, Walter Horton, Willie Dixon and Fred Below that were not even known to exist until they turned up on Japanese import some ten years ago, Chicago Pianology, presenting two powerful examples of classic Chicago blues.
Shortly after returning to Chicago, Robert went to Cleveland with Rice Miller to play a club called Gleason’s for a short gig. While the second Sonny Boy left Cleveland after about nine months, Robert settled in to what has become his home town and raised his family with his wonderful wife, Annie. Musically, he remains active and doesn’t rest on his past laurels or reputation; still writing songs and still developing his music as when he started focusing on a twelve string guitar over a decade ago. He has made a number of fine albums. His Delmark album Steady Rolling Man is on vinyl or cassette, while his two Trix albums, Contrasts and Does Twelve are unfortunately out of print as is a wonderful Live in Japan that he recorded with the Aces. Similarly hard to find should be two albums he collaborated with Johnny Shines that were on Rounder. More recently he recorded an album for the French Black & Blue label Plays Robert & Robert on which he played an acoustic 12 string guitar. This album was recently issued on cassette. Most recently he recorded the fine What’s the Score on his own Lockwood label which also spotlights second guitarist Mark Hahn and harmonica player Wallace Coleman, as well as show that Lockwood is the ideal blues accompanist. While some will go to se Robert initially because of the connection with his stepfather, (Robert Johnson), after hearing him they’ll understand why Bob Dylan was picking up a few pointers from him a decade ago. He is a Giant of the Blues.
This originally appeared in The DC Blues Calendar and Jazz & Blues Report, likely in 1991 or 1992,
Dane may not have the range as a singer she once had, but the jazzy accompaniment allows her to "explore entirely new ways of singing." Certainly this is evident in the opening rendition of Memphis Minnie's bawdy "I'm Selling My Porkshops," where her delivery evokes Helen Humes and Ruth Brown in their latter days, and followed by her take on Leonard Cohen's "Slow," with its humorous, half spoken vocal about her partner wanting to get their fast, but she wants to get it last, and that she always liked it slow because it is in her blood. There are a number of other gems including Abby Lincoln's song that provides the CD its title, and that sometimes it is best to let go; Paul Simon's "American Tune;" Duke Ellington's "All Too Soon" which she added lyrics and Hadlock's soprano sax suggesting Johnny Hodges; and the Lennon and McCartney classic, "In My Life."
There is plenty of humor here such as Lu Mitchell's "The Kugelsburg Bank," celebrating a little old lady that is enjoying her slice of the pie south of the border after years of being the bank's outstanding employee as well as her rendition of Mose Allison's "My Brain" (set to the "This Train"/"My Babe" melody). She does not ignore her progressive leanings whether in her environmentally conscious "King Salmon Blues" and her rendition of a Leroy Carr standard "Tell Me How Long" as he asks when we will get justice, tell me how long.
Not the singer of her youth perhaps, but her experiences have helped her shape these performances marvelously and Tammy Hall is a stellar accompanist and the rhythm rendering apt, complementary backing. "Throw It Away …" is a gem of a recording.
I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video associated with this release.
Alligator Records is not the only independent label to issue an anthology celebrating its catalog. "40 Years of Stony Plain," is the latest installment in such compilations from the Canadian label, apparently the oldest independent Canadian record company still with the same ownership. Stony Plain is much more than a blues label, although love of blues and jazz is at the core of Holger Petersen who has also hosted blues radio programs for nearly fifty years, helped found the Edmonton Folk Festival and so much more. The Stony Plain catalog spans folks and roots to jazz and blues and has issued 15 albums from Canadian Country Icon Ian Tyson (formerly of Ian & Sylvia) as well as 20 Duke Robillard releases along with over a half dozen he produced with other artists, eight CDs and one DVD by Ronnie Earl and six releases from Eric Bibb. Richard Flohil provides an overview of Stony Plain including excerpts from his notes to earlier compilations as well as song notes in the enclosed booklet.
This celebration of the label has three discs. The first is entitled "Singers, Songwriters and much more" and includes performances, from amongst others, Colin Linden, Spirit of the West, Doug Sahm, Harry Manx and Kevin Breit, Emmylou Harris, New Guitar Summit, Rodney Crowell, Ian Tyson, Jennifer Warnes, Steve Earl and Eric Bib featuring Taj Mahal, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Ruthie Foster. Highlights on this disc include is the acerbic roots-rock of Linden's "No More Cheap Wine"; the Irish flavored "The Crawl" from Spirit of the West; an unusual folky Doug Sahm performance; the atmospheric reworked blues of Manx and Breit, "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"; the revival of an Elvis Presley Arthur Crud-up cover by James Burton, Albert Lee, Amos Garrett, and David Wilcox; a hauntingly beautiful Emmylou Harris performance; Duke Robillard, Jay Geils and Gerry Beaudoin recorded a lightly swinging "Flying Home" as part of New Guitar Summit; the traditional country of Ian Tyson's "Cottonwood Canyon" and Tim Hus' "Wild Rose Waltz," and the Eric Bibb led gospel "Needed Time."
The second disc brings "Blues, R&B, Gospel, Swing, Jazz and even more," with performances by the likes of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne, Joe Louis Walker, Rosco Gordon, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Maria Muldaur with Taj Mahal, MonkeyJunk, Jay McShann, Jeff Healey, Billy Boy Arnold, Ruthie Foster, Sonny Rhodes and King Biscuit Boy. There is a rollicking "Bankrupted Baby" by the Blues Boss from his most recent recording; Joe Louis Walker's revival of a swamp rockabilly number "Eyes Like a Cat"; late Rosco Gordon and Jay McShann (both from Duke Robillard produced sessions I believe); Ronnie Earl's revival of Otis Rush's "It Takes Time" with vocalist Michael Leadbitter from his latest album; Muldaur & Taj doing an impassioned take of Blind Willie Johnson's "Soul of the Man"; Jeff Healey's amusing swing era jive of "Hong Kong Blues"; a terrific Billy Boy Arnold Chicago blues; Ruthie Foster's excellent Memphis Minnie interpretation from Stony Plain's Memphis Minnie tribute album; and the late King Biscuit Boy's Louis Jordan cover. There are also acoustic blues interpretations from Rory Block and Big Dave McLean on this.
The third disc contains "Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material" starting with a couple of Duke Robillard numbers including a Smiley Lewis cover; two tracks from Eric Bibb including a hauntingly beautiful "Wayfaring Stranger"; live performances by Maria Muldaur of songs from Memphis Minnie and Reverend Gary Davis; a lively acoustic guitar instrumental blues by David Wilcox; Colin Linden and Doc MacLean backing the legendary Sam Chatmon on two songs from the long defunct Flying Fish catalog; two Bob Carpenter's two folk numbers and a closing instrumental by Shakey 'Walter' Horton backed by Hot Cottage. The inclusion of these rare selections enhance the already considerable value of compilations such as this one.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the July-August Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367).
The Buenos Aires-based Gonzalo Bergara may best be known for his gypsy jazz quartet, Charlie Baty notes that when he first met the Argentinian, Bergara was developing as a blues guitarist. Then he changed gears and immersed himself in the gypsy jazz tradition (something Baty himself has done). Now Bergara has made a 'blues' recording, which also includes his vocals. Baty calls him "one of the most talented guitarists in the universe" and he certainly displays his chops and appealing vocals on an album of originals with the exception of a Jimmy Reed cover, backed in 2015 by his trio of Mariano D'Andrea on bass and Maximiliano Bergara (except for one track with Vince Bilbro on bass and Michael Partlow on drums that was recorded in 2003).
While Baty calls this Bergara's 1st 'Blues' album, it transcends the genre with a fair dose of blues-rock and country in the songs along with a focus on his guitar playing which incorporates doses of surf-guitar and country-billy that evoke a Danny Gatton or Tom Principato. The opening "Drawback" certainly dazzles, followed by some very credible singing on "Drinking," a nice rock-flavored song crisply played with more guitar fireworks that doesn't obscure how how inventive and logically he plays. "Singing My Song" is more of a classic rock styled song, but again one is impressed by his guitar playing, especially in his use of space and tone. Covering Jimmy Reed's "You Don't Have To Go," he opens sampling Reed's original but tearing into the performing with his vocal very much reflecting Reed's influence, even if his performance is a bit more emphatically done than the lazy Reed original.
"Dirty Socks" is another sampling of his blistering fretwork set against a funk groove, followed by "Gotta Go," a country-rockabilly romp followed by a driving shuffle groove on the original blues "No More." "Whoosh" is another brisk instrumental with some jazzy accents that was based on Charlie Baty's "Percolatin'", and which Baty not only felt Bergara captured his sound, but had a more interesting theme. Starting off as a lament, "Been Runnin'" is a dose of blues-rock and his playing explodes here (although likely my least favorite track). "Levi" is a nice medium tempoed-blues instrumental with a mix of restraint and explosive guitar followed by a lovely tone poem "Ines," another display of technique, taste and dynamics. The closing "Won't Stay With You" contrasts with understated accompaniment supporting his vigorous singing.
Listening to "Zalo's Blues," one is most impressed by the superb guitar work from Gonzalo Bergara and if not a great singer, he does deliver his vocals with a definite appeal. With his trio, he has provided a recording that will certainly have many take notice of his talent. I received a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in September-October 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 368). Here is a sample of him playing.
Trudy Lynn I’ll Sing the Blues for You Connor Ray Music Houston vocalist Trudy Lynn has to these ears been an under appreciated blues and soul vocalist. She has appeared in various contexts including the big blues band of the late Calvin Owens. Her latest album features her unique takes on songs from Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulson, Memphis Minnie and Johnny Copeland, among others, as well as the funky original, “Thru Chasin’ You.” Backing Trudy on the new album are a tight small group comprised of label president Steve Krase on harmonica, David Carter on guitar, Terry Dry on bass, Randy Wall on keyboards and Matt Johnson on drums. There is a good selection of material starting with the rollicking rollicking down home feel of her interpretation of a lesser known Big Mama Thornton number "Alright Baby," with Krase's harmonica along with Wall's piano adding to the fun. The Lowell Fulson hit "Black Night" has a different tenor to it with a nice guitar solo by Carter and restrained backing for her nuanced vocal. "Honky Tonk Song" is a song Koko Taylor recorded on one of earliest Alligator albums. Lynn's rendition is a bit cooler but equally satisfying. Other notable selections include her small group reworking of (and powerful vocal on) Big Maybelle's "Ramblin' Blues" with Krase's horn like harp solo. After her jaunty reworking of Memphis Minnie's "Kissin' in the Dark," the album closes with an instistent vocal on Johnny Copeland's "Down on Bended Knee," where she begs her man to please come back to me. A solid performance that ends another solid recording by this Houston blues queen.
I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video of Trudy performing.
Julio Botti, Pablo Ziegler Producer Sax To Tango Zoho Music
"Sax To Tango" is the second CD collaboration between Argentine born, but New York domiciled saxophonist Julio Botti and his celebrated mentor and colleague, Nuevo Tango pianist, arranger and composer Pablo Ziegler. The prior recording, a Latin Grammy nominee, featured classic quintet settings with occasional string quartet accompaniment, while the present recording is more ambitious in its arrangements featuring The University of Southern Denmark Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Argentine conductor Saul Zaks in a selection of nine iconic Astor Piazzolla Nuevo tangos, one Tango standard, and three compositions by producer Ziegler who also plays piano. The recording sessions were scheduled in connection with a live concert of the material.
As Ziegler observes the saxophone was never a traditional tango instrument but he finds Botti able to express Nuevo Tango as if a tango singer and the orchestrations both frame his vocalized and passionate playing but add to the romanticism inherent in the music. This becomes clear on the opening "Primavera Porteña," part of Astor Piazzolla's "Los Cuarro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires)," which was inspired by Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" but composed at different times and not primarily intended to be performed together or in seasonal sequence. This composition is a celebration of spring and followed by "Invierno Porteño," a celebration of winter. Both compositions and the lovely orchestration allow plenty of space for Botti to sing on the soprano and dance through the orchestrations with various shifts in tempo and mood with Ziegler's piano itself adding to the music. Much the same can be said of the performances throughout.
The music is beautiful, passionate and invigorating with the orchestrations enhancing the many delights of Botti's voice as he brings life to the rest of Piazzolla's "Los Cuarro Estaciones Porteñas," along with the beautiful melody of Juan Carlos Cobian's "Nieblas del Riachuelo," the lively "Fuga Y Misterio," with sax dancing along with Ziegler's piano, the Piazzolla composition "Oblivion," with some hauntingly beautiful saxophone, and Ziegler's own "Rojotango," with its sense of drama in the orchestration. "Sax To Tango" is a remarkable recording full of many listening delights.
I received my copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the September-October Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 368). Here is a brief video clip to promote this recording.
The line up for the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, to be held February
16th through 19th , 2017 at the Hilton Hotel in Rockville, MD has been
announced with over 150 artists performing. Artist groups appearing on
our main stage include Rene Marie, Houston Person, Etienne Charles,
Vanessa Rubin, Kathy Kosins, Paul Carr, The Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Jazz
Orchestra with guest conductor Delfeayo Marsalis, Russell Malone, Bobby
Broom and Paul Bollenback and Steve Turre. A first this year for the
MAJF Event and its producer the Jazz Academy of Music, is the
pre-festival Mardi Gras fundraiser Gala featuring our own Jazz Academy
Youth Orchestra opening for Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz
Orchestra. This pre-festival gala offers a New Orleans theme with New
Orleans Jazz, New Orleans Cusines and New Orleans Fun. The Mardi Gras
Galla will be held on Thursday February 16th, 2017 starting at 6pm at
the Hilton. Proceeds from the Gala will support the Jazz Academy
Education Programs. Also new for this year will be a Discovery Stage for
which emerging artists can submit an application to Paul Carr,
Executive and Artistic Director of the Festival.
As stated this year opens with a Festival Gala on Thursday evening
February 16 and features Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz
Orchestra. Also appearing will be the Jazz Academy of Music under Paul
Carr's Direction. Friday Night opens on the Ronnie Wells Main Stage with
the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Collegiate Orchestra, conducted by Delfeayo
Marsalis followed by the wonderful vocalist Vanessa Rubin with tenor
saxophonist Houston Person closing this evening's main stage. Herb Scott
and Candice Bostwick will be performing in the MAJF Club and David Cole
and Main Street Blues will be laying down blues in the MAJF Juke Joint.
At Midnight, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the MAJF Midnight Jam Session
with the Wes Biles Trio takes place in the MAJF Club.
Rene Marie
Saturday Afternoon has the "Mid-Atlantic "2017 Jazz Voice" Finals," the Festivals annual jazz vocal competition on the Ronnie Wells Main Stage. Performing in the MAJF Club in the afternoon are vocalist Chad Carter, the Terry Koger Sextet and Iva Jean Ambush and Ambuscade. Vocalist Iva Jean Ambush will be doing a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.
Saturday evening Kathy Kosins Group opens the Ronnie Wells Main Stage, followed by a Guitar Summit featuring: Russell Malone, Paul Bollenbeck, and Bobby Broom. Etienne Charles and Creole Soul, featuring the marvelous trumpeter will lose the Main Stage this evening. Performers in the MAJF Club this evening include Tacha Coleman Parr and Anthony Compton; and Maija Rejman, while Anthony "Swamp Dog" Clark will be performing in the MAJF Juke Joint.
Sunday morning has the traditional gospel brunch and MAJF Women's Collective featuring Akua Allrich, Janelle Gill, Amy Shook, Savannah Harris are the first afternoon act on the Ronnie Wells Main Stage. Also in the Main Stage will be the Greg Hatza Organization and the Lavenia Nesmith Group who will perform a Tribute to Nancy Wilson. The Lovejoy Group and Petra Martin.
The Festival's last evening has a Tribute to Paul Carr Featuring the Paul Carr's Bantam Orchestra; the Steve Turre Quartet featuring the famed trombonist and conch shell player; and the terrific vocalist Rene Marie. The Festival concludes with the MAJF Midnight Jam Session with the Wes Biles Trio. There are likely some other performers that will be added including those at the Discovery Stage. There are also workshops, interviews with artists, screenings of film, a High School Big Band Competition and more.
Etienne Charles
The Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival continues the legacy of the East Coast
Jazz Festival that ran for 15 years starting in 1992. The ECJF
originated in honor of Elmore “Fish” Middleton, a Washington, DC jazz
radio programmer, whose commitment to promoting jazz music and
supporting emerging jazz artists became the guiding principle behind the
festival. The driving force of the ECJF was the late Ronnie Wells, a
Washington DC jazz icon. After her passing, so did the ECJF.
As
stated on its website “The Mid Atlantic Jazz Festival (MAJF) represents
an auspicious renewal of the spirit and intent of the ECJF, as a
showcase for some of the DC area’s finest established and emerging
artists, student ensembles, and a healthy dose of renowned touring jazz
artists as well. MAJF is designed to take the ECJF mid-winter jazz
festival tradition to the next level and to further enhance arts &
culture in the Washington, DC region.” Under the auspices of Washington
DC area saxophonist and educator, Paul Carr, the Festival has a focus on
not simply bringing some of the best local and national jazz performers
to the area, but to help nurture and support Jazz Education. As seen in
my brief description of the Festival performances, this remains true.
For more information on the Festival, including hotel accommodations, visit http://www.midatlanticjazzfestival.org/tickets.
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