Summer Listening 2011

 I was recently asked by a writer in Italy to write something for All About Jazz Italia; he wanted me to write short blurbs about 10 CDs I am currently listening to. This is what I sent him. I figure it's not redundant; maybe this will be the only English version! Anyway, here are 10 CDs that I've been trying to check out, when I'm not singing the Elmo's World song to my son Liam.....

Becca Stevens Band- Weightless ( Sunnyside Records 2011)

Becca Stevens is a brilliant up-and-coming singer/songwriter. Her influences include many genres of American music, but this album and the previous one, Tea Bye Sea, have her unique stamp, especially her way with lyrics. And the fact that she keeps and develops her band really gives a cohesiveness to the sound.

Carlo De Rosa-Carlo De Rosa's Cross Fade: Brain Dance (Cuneiform Records 2011)

Carlo De Rosa is a bassist who I wish I could play with more frequently. He's got ridiculous chops on the instrument, but this album shows that he's got a big musical vision as well. Great input from pianist Vijay Iyer, saxophonist Mark Shim, and drummer

Justin Brown.


Jack DeJohnette-The Jack DeJohnette Complex (Milestone Records 1969)
This is one of my current employer's first albums as a leader. It's cool that DeJohnette asked Roy Haynes to fill in on drums while DeJohnette plays the melodica. There is a lot of late 1960's energy on this one.

Jimi Hendrix- Axis Bold As Love ( Track Records 1967)

Is there a piano equivalent of Jimi Hendrix? I don't think so. Which is why I'm trying to study Hendrix as one of the gateways into Jazz Fusion. Jimi Hendrix was more of a jazz musician than people think. Which is why many jazz musicians choose "Little Wing" from this album as a cover tune.

McCoy Tyner- Horizon (Milestone Records 1979)

Tyner can do no wrong, in my opinion. The 1970's recordings of McCoy Tyner are super powerful, and at this point, he had really solidified his concept. I used to play "One For Honor" with bassist Charles Fambrough.

 Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green-Apex (Pi Recordings 2010)

 I had only listened to Bunky Green once many years ago, but I was aware that many alto players were influenced by him. And now I really see why; he sounds incredible! And Rudresh Mahanthappa is also amazing; this a real alto saxophone summit.

Sting- Bring On The Night  ( A&M Records 1986)

I saw this band live in 1985. I still love some of this music. Kenny Kirkland takes some amazing solos.

Tom Harrell- Wise Children  ( RCA Records 2003)

 Harrell is a genius, and there is some great writing on this CD, wonderful orchestration. "Snow" is a beautiful composition with vocals.

Eddie Harris- The In Sound ( Atlantic Records 1965)

 I transcribed Cedar Walton's solo on "The Shadow Of Your Small". And Eddie Harris is super soulful and brilliant on this CD, just a great feel to this recording.

John Coltrane -Blue Trane ( Blue Note Records 1957)

I'm re-investigating this recording; I believe a jazz musician could learn how to improvise from only listening to this recording for 6 months to a year. Everyone takes great solos, and all of these compositions are classics.

Ambrose Akinmusire: When The Heart Emerges Glistening

The trumpet, as great a jazz instrument as it is thought to be, can actually be very unmusical. The technical and physical requirements for sounding good on the trumpet can become an end in itself. Some trumpeters get so caught up in range exercises, technical studies, and long tones, that they forget why they play the trumpet in the first place: TO MAKE MUSIC! Even the best, most musical trumpet players, have to address these things. The lip and face muscles and flesh are very delicate. (This is why Freddie Hubbard couldn't play for the last 15 years of his career: for so many years, he had a natural ability to pick up the horn with no warm up and wail as hard as he could. Well, one day, his "chops" said, "Freddie, we've had enough."

And this has actually happened to a lot of trumpeters, famous and not. Which is why trumpeters who are smart will address the important yet non musical aspects of the trumpet. However...when I hear music, I want to hear MUSIC, not TRUMPET. Just like any other instrument. (Maybe this is why I ended up playing piano. I worked hard on trumpet technique. There was never any time for MUSIC!)

When I was listening to Ambrose Akinmusire's When The Heart Emerges(Blue Note), this was my first thought. The whole album is so dang musical! There is a concept that comes through from the first note to the last. Akinmusire has a beautifully, dark, modern tone, and can seemingly do anything he wants on the horn. And there are so many great ideas and grooves and moods on this CD: there are no "trumpet jock" moments or "I've got something to prove" events. It's very mature for such a young player.

Akinmusire's playing reminds me of one of my all time favorite trumpeters: Ralph Alessi.  Alessi actually has influenced a lot of players: some of them were his students at the Eastman School of Music, or perhaps from Alessi's Center for Improvisational Music. I'm guessing that maybe there's a connection because both Alessi and Akinmusire were members of Steve Coleman's band. I've been known to be wring when I try to guess people's influences, but I hear Alessi, as well as some more obvious influences, like Terence Blanchard, or Wallace Roney. But everything I've just said is not that important, because Akinmusire pretty much has his own sound.

"Confessions To My Unborn Daughter" begins the album with solo trumpet. Pianist Gerald Clayton times his entrance perfectly and beautifully.  Bassist Harish Ragahvan and drummer Justin Brown come in with some surprising drama. Tenor Saxophonist Walter Smith plays some inventive, post-Mark Turner lines with great confidence. ( I think I hear somebody on the CD during Smith's solo go " Wooo!". It reminds me of the Art Blakey recording Free For All, where on the title track, during Wayne Shorter's incredibly inspired solo, somebody is audible on the tape "woooing" with encouragement.)

"Jaya" is a mixed meter labyrinth of rhythm and harmony. Impressive and musical solos are traded by Akinmusire and Smith. Akinmusire almost out-does Smith, which is rare, because of the limitations of the trumpet. (I always feel like tenor players are playing the hippest stuff. That's what they tend to do.)
Justin Brown drops some drum things at the end of this tune that range from Ralph Peterson to Daniel Weiss.

Oscar Grant

"My Name Is Oscar" is a hip spoken word/drum feature which refers to Oscar Grant, a young black man recently shot and killed by a white policeman in the BART train station in Oakland. I always like to see jazz musicians bring political statements back into fashion. I think many in the jazz biz these days are too afraid of offending people. Akinmusire is obviously not. Jazz is inexorably linked to politics: Mingus, Max Roach, Trane, even Louis Armstrong eventually spoke out against oppression and discrimination.

When The Heart Emerges Glistening has everything a serious jazz listener needs. It's a really "modern" CD. Although, if you are suspiciously looking for more tradition, check out "What's New", where Akinmusire almost out "Wyntons" Wynton Marsalis on an old fashioned version of this standard. Congratulations to Akinmusire for a damn-near perfect debut for Blue Note.

http://www.ambroseakinmusire.com/home.htm

And if you don't believe that the trumpet can be unmusical, do a search for "Double C" on Youtube. Let me know how it turns out.....

Robert Glasper: The Nu Jazz

Robert Glasper

I always tell my piano students to check out the masters: the historical greats such as Fats Waller, Bill Evans, Bud Powell, Theolonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, and so many others. However, I think it is also important to check out the players of today. Jazz is a living music, and if we ignore those who are playing jazz now, aren't we,in a sense, discrediting ourselves?

In a recent lesson, I had one of my students listen to some Robert Glasper. Who is Robert Glasper?
Glasper is a young pianist from Houston, Texas. He went to New York to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and he has had a meteoric rise to success in the jazz world. He was signed to Blue Note in 2005, after having worked as a sideman with people like trumpeter Nicholas Payton and rapper Q-Tip. Glasper is a piano virtuoso: he has a ferocious right hand, which can blaze solo lines of impressive complexity, but also deliver soulful melodic statements. Glasper represents a different point of departure in his influences: I hear more Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, and also some modern Gospel influence. His rhythmic phrasing comes more from hip-hop than be-bop. (Although, I don't think hip-hop would have existed without be-bop, but that's another discussion.)

Glasper's most recent disc is called Double Booked , which refers to, in this case jokingly, the occurrence of a musician who is slated for two different concerts in two different locations in the same night. (Hey, it happens!)This premise is used here to feature two of Glasper's bands on one disc: The Robert Glasper Trio, and the Robert Glasper Experiment, respectively. The former is a perhaps more traditional jazz trio, and the latter is a more blatant vehicle for jazz hip-hop fusion. The Experiment features the great Casey Benjamin, who plays alto saxophone, but also does wonderful things with the vocoder (a vocoder is a device which essentially synthesizes the voice. It almost sounds like a singing robot. But trust me, it's hipper than that!)

Back to my lesson: my student and I had been talking about rhythm. I usually urge students to listen to  Wynton Kelly to learn how to swing. But jazz rhythm has changed a lot since the 1950's and 1960's. It has incorporated all of the trends in American popular music, including rock, soul, funk, and hip hop. Glasper does some beautiful behind-the-beat hip-hop phrasing on "Yes I'm Country(And That's OK)". I wanted my student to try to emulate Glasper's approach in order to have a wider perspective, and to make his rhythmic approach more organic.

I highly recommend you check out Robert Glasper if you want to hear a soulful, modern spin on jazz piano concepts.

http://robertglasper.com/

Janek Gwizdala:The Space In Between

Bassist Janek Gwizdala

I recently did a gig with the Randy Brecker Sextet. The concert was in, of all places, a high school in  Wyoming! It was my second gig with Randy's group;the last gig was in August of 2009. I was a little rusty, but I tried to prepare as well as possible, which included making sure I had my sounds cued up on Mainstage (a computer program that basically runs synthesizer sounds using a MIDI keyboard for live performance). I was excited to play with legendary trumpeter Brecker . However, the other cats in the band were no slouches:Ada Rovatti on tenor saxophone, Mitch Stein on guitar, Rodney Holmes on drums (who performed brilliantly on two of my recordings; Mad Science and Realization. We played together for years with David Gilmore and other various projects. He's one of the baddest drummers out there.). I was also looking forward to playing with Janek Gwizdala, a London-born electric bassist who is an up-and-coming virtuoso musician, composer, and producer.

Gwizdala's latest recording is called The Space In Between; the title, judging from first listen, is quite apropos. Gwizdala's previous work as a bandleader was either more funky, jam bandish stuff, or very heady compositional New York modern jazz. This new CD is as wide open as the Wyoming sky. It's all about sound-scapes and unhurried themes. "To Begin", the opening track, starts with the ethereal trumpet of Audun Waage and Gwizdala playing low and  sparsely, perfect for a film noire soundtrack. Gwizdala solos might make you think of Pat Metheny if he was a bass player. He's got a lot of chops and a lot of flowing, lyrical ideas. Guitarist Tim Miller creates expansive textures and spare, thoughtful contrast to Gwizdala's intensity. Saxophonist Bob Reynolds has a pretty tone and takes a nice solo on the way out.

I would describe the track" Bethany" as driving music! Miller strums away, while Gwizdala plays a soaring melody in tenor register. The track eventually moves into a jazzier mode, with drummer JoJo
Mayer turning up the heat. His playing here is reminiscent of Jack Dejohnette, but with a bit more fire.

"Twice" is a slow, postmodern bluesy tune featuring guest vocalist Doug Wamble. Musically, it's in chillout mode, but Wamble's singing is very soulful. The title tune," The Space In Between" has a melody which reminds me a little of saxophonist Billy Harper's music, in that it's a compact, intense melody that repeats with urgency.

Airto is another guest on "Carrot Juice." The master percussionist does some great atmospheric sounds and vocals while Gwizdala improvises. Gwizdala and crew finally turn on the funk with "Four Brothers": guest Mike Stern, whom Gwizdala has worked with frequently, provides some energetic guitar screaming. Trumpeter Waage goes into a Miles Davis/Bitches Brew vibe, but perhaps more leaning towards a Tomasz Stanko/ Cuong Vu type of restraint. It's like if Chet Baker used effects pedals! A great way to end a CD which has a little something for all types of jazz listeners.

http://janekgwizdala.com/home/

Trio Bembe:Oh My Soul

Trio Bembe: Scott Senior,Amber Epp, and Rodrigo Muñoz

If you know the Winnipeg jazz scene, you most likely know vocalist/ pianist Amber Epp. I first met and heard Epp two years ago at the Monday Night Hang (the local weekly jazz jam session, which is now known as the Wednesday Night Hang, since the Orbit Room changed it to Wednesdays). She struck me immediately as a natural performer, brimming with confidence and energy. Epp is from Steinbach, Manitoba, which apparently has a jazz scene so small it fits in a thimble(meaning there is no jazz scene!). Consequently, Epp never heard any jazz or Latin music until she was 15 years old. However, being the driven, precocious person she is, she immersed herself in the great jazz singers, studied hard in the University of Manitoba Jazz program, and has become an young artist with a bright future.

Amber Epp

Amber Epp, in addition to being a great jazz singer, is also quite steeped in Afro-Cuban and South American music. She spent three months studying in Cuba, and has worked with a Winnipeg-based salsa group called Papa Mambo for a few years. Her own band is an offshoot known as Trio Bembe. The group features Epp on vocals, Chilean musician Rodrigo Muñoz on guitar, and Canadian native Scott Senior on percussion. I had the good fortune to work with them in Winnipeg last year as a guest and I enjoyed myself immensely.

a cajon which Scott Senior plays in Trio Bembe

Trio Bembe has two CDs currently available: the first is self titled, and features many Afro-Carribean standards and some originals by Epp and Muñoz. What's amazing about the group is the powerful groove and fullness coming from merely a trio. It's a nice change of pace to hear Muñoz' guitar as the heart of the band, since most music of this type (at least what I am most familiar with) features brass and piano. Epp has a voice that is full of character and emotion; she sings well in English and Spanish. The grooves, well provided by Senior on various instruments (including the cajon, which is seen a lot in Spanish flamenco music), are influenced by traditions, yet also convey a certain modern funkiness. My favorite song on Trio Bembe is Epp's original entitled "Victory", a bluesy tune with optimistic lyrics which is perfect for airplay.

Trio Bembe's sophomore recording is called Oh My Soul, and it is a continuation of the previous CD, but with some special guests on selected tracks(such as Jimmy Green on tenor saxophone,Victor Hugo López on guitar and the tres, and yours truly on keys), and also more of Epp's compositions. Epp's singing and Spanish has improved even more, and the music has more intensity. The opening cut, "Donde Estabas Tu?" sounds straight out of Cuba.  A surprisingly fast version of the Cuban lullaby  "Drume Negrita" is also quite convincing.

the Cuban tres guitar

I was honored and delighted that Epp asked me to lay down a track on Tania Maria's classic funk anthem "Come With Me." It's a version which is not as heavy- sort- of- disco oriented as the original, but it has a nice relaxed feel. But the album picks up again with a lively version of "Guararey de Pastorita" which features the wonderful tres stylings of Victor López.(The tres is a Cuban type of small folk guitar,with three doubled strings.It's primarily used for rhythm, but it's not really strummed, it provides rhythmic counter-melodies. It's a lot like the calvaqhinho in Brazilian music.) Throughout the album, Epp's vocal style is not concerned with heavy virtuoso melismas;her voice has a distinctive, buoyant, compact quality, with just enough vibrato to keep it interesting. Her singing is accurate and intense.

When I hear cuts like "La mucura", which is an Antonio Fuentes tune from the late 40's, and "Yerbero  Moderno", a Celia Cruz hit, I get a sense of high authenticity. Trio Bembe knows their history. But also, with originals like "Oh my soul," and "Olhos de luz", I get a look into the future. I see great things for this band. If you live in Winnipeg, you can catch them (and me!) at their CD release party on April 15th, 8pm, at the West End Cultural Centre.

Check This Out

Liam, settle down, I'm trying to blog!

Some of you out there probably have lives....children....maybe even a job! I find myself using the phrase "there are only so many hours in the day" quite frequently. (Gotta be careful though. When I used that line on my accountant when he asked me why I hadn't organized my receipts, he didn't see the humor in it...)So he's a segment I'm calling Check This Out. It's just some short bits on what I've been checking out lately. And just to be clear, "Check Out" in this context is jazz slang for "listen to" or read about" or "observe".

Drummer Chris Massey has a new CD called "Vibranium". Massey has been on the scene for the better part of the last decade, having performed as a sideman with veterans like Donald Harrison and Joe Lovano. He features a quintet of musicians who I was completely unfamiliar with, but who are all clearly quite skilled in the art of New York Jazz. I say New York Jazz because I grow weary of the labels like Straight Ahead, Post-Bop, and Modern Mainstream. These guys play jazz like New Yorkers do:it's swinging, it's got an edge to it, and it's tied to the jazz tradition without sounding hackneyed. Massey is part of the lineage as a drummer and also a drummer-composer-bandleader. His time is solid, his drums have a full, warm sound. But he doesn't showboat;he's accompanies his sidemen well. Massey plays a wonderful solo on "Change" which is a composition unto itself, with a consistent technical control but also using dramatic dynamics.

Donald Malloy is a strong trumpeter, reminiscent of early Terence Blanchard. Benjamin Drazen is a fine alto player; I'm certain he's checked out Jackie McClean and Antonio Hart, but I wondered if he had ever listened to Arthur Blythe or Joe Ford? Pianist Evgeny Lebedev plays a great solo on the tune "Galactus", a 7/4 vibe (which seems to me "borrowed" from a Jeff Watts tune from the Charles Fambrough album "Thunder and Rainbows", if I'm not mistaken. Hey, like they say, good composers borrow, great composers steal. I don't know where I would fall in that. I rent....). "Vibranium" is a great debut from Massey and his quintet. http://www.chrismasseyjazz.com/

Next up is Esperanza Spalding, a bassist-vocalist-composer from Portland, Oregon, who, unless you've been living under a rock, you know has taken the music world by somewhat of a storm. (She won a Grammy for Best New Artist, I believe the first "jazz" artist to ever do so. This sent Justin Bieber fans into a murderous rage! How dare they give a Grammy to a real musician!)I first heard Esperanza and her highly accomplished band at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2009 and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Part of me can't help but think that much of the hubbub is due to Spalding's image; an attractive, female bassist who simultaneously sings and plays- and also sports a huge afro. I think one would be foolish not to acknowledge that, in today's superficial society, that this kind of unique image would help one get a career started. All that being said, I've been going back to listen to Spalding's music in more detail.

Her self titled CD, "Esperanza" is full of music that draws on many influences, yet feels highly personal. Honestly, it's the kind of CD I wish I could make:it's got a little bit of everything mixed in a visionary way. It's a boiling melting pot of influences;samba, latin, fusion,jazz,funk,blues, R&B. In terms of pushing jazz, or music, in a new direction, this is an example of a project which transcends style. Even the jazziest cut on the CD," If That's True", is at least half hip-hop, or neo-soul, or whatever you want to call it. " I Know You Know" is part funk, part samba, but the vocals have a kind of hip-hop/pop rhythm to them, almost R. Kelly-ish. All in all, this is what music is supposed to; EVOLVE. (Just like humanity. I have more hope in the evolution of music, personally.)I really enjoy this CD, but I would like to see what Spalding is doing in 10 years. With all of her precociousness, she still has room to develop as a musician and composer. Which is a good thing. http://www.esperanzaspalding.com/

Fraser Hollins

Speaking of composing bass players, I'm listening to a disc by Canadian bassist Fraser Hollins. I met him on a gig with saxophonist Christine Jensen recently at the Upstairs Jazz Club in Montreal, where Fraser is based(no pun intended). Fraser is a bass player who has tons of technique and tons of creativity. His new CD entitled "Aerial" features his flawless bass playing and composing. Much of this CD makes me think that there might be a "Canadian" style of modern jazz, in that much of the young Canadian musicians write music with extremely colorful melodies and harmonies. These melodies and harmonies might hint every once in a while at things like hard bop or Tristano-style jazz, but that's never the concern. The concern is to create a feeling. But Hollins' group here has all the rhythmic sophistication of a New York band, which makes the "listening picture" (oxymoron?) feel complete to me. Check out Hollins' bowed bass work on "Vyana"; it's gorgeous. Saxophonist Joel Miller is strong and endlessly inventive on this album. Pianist Steve Amirault is also very solid in his comping and improvising. http://www.fraserhollins.com/home.html

Woody Shaw

And finally, you need to check this out: a video from a blog called "Brilliant Corners";this is Woody Shaw, the late master trumpeter, playing in a courtyard in Boston in the late 80's with a band of pianist Stanley Cowell, bassist David Williams, and a very young Terri-Lynne Carrington on drums. It's a little weird to see world class musicians playing in what seems to be some kind of hotel gig for passing pedestrians. But Woody, although ailing, is clearly killin'. Shaw is arguably one of the last important innovators of jazz trumpet. Enjoy!

http://brilliantcornersabostonjazzblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/ginseng-people-woody-shaw-quartet.html#links

Charles Tolliver: Paper Man Revisited

Charles Tolliver

Trumpeter Charles Tolliver is one of those musicians that frequently gets overlooked by writers and listeners. I think of Tolliver's trumpet playing as smack dab in the middle of Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw; he has wonderful vocabulary in his playing, and a lot of passion(Hubbard), but also a very clean articulation and technique, and also logic in his solos(Shaw). Above all, he is a very musical player, and at times, I liken him to saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who improvises like a composer. And Tolliver is a prolific composer. He is also a pioneer in the music business, if you consider that he and Stanley Cowell were some of the first jazz artists to start their own label in the 70's(Strata East).

Whenever people ask me my top 10 favorite jazz albums, Charles Tolliver's Paper Man is always on that list. I first heard it when I was in college, and I'm still not tired of it. It's one of those magical lineups that is in some ways expected, but in this case, produced something extraordinary. Charles Tolliver is well featured and well recorded on trumpet, and all the compositions are from his pen. The one and only Herbie Hancock plays a piano which, for my ears, sounds almost like an upright at times, and perhaps not a well maintained one. Whatever the case, it's relevant for no more than a split second, because Hancock's playing seems extra inspired throughout the session. The great Ron Carter plays some rhythmic and harmonic ideas that are downright shocking. And the amazing Joe Chambers adds a superbly sensitive rhythmic foundation with his supple drumming. My former employer Gary Bartz appears on three tracks and is in great form as usual.

If you have Paper Man in your collection, I hope the following writing will inspire you to dig it out and listen along. If you don't have it, it's really hard to find. ( It was also released as Charles Tolliver and his All Stars on the Black Lion label.) For some weird reason, this masterpiece is not available on Itunes. What a shame!

The first track, "Earl's World", is a bold opening statement, a combination of heavy and light all at once. The tune is half 12/8 riff, half medium swing. I love tunes that get right to the point, and this one does. And it's a great vehicle for solos. Tolliver comes out with powerful ideas, and his solo is perfectly shaped, driven by the enthusiastic comping of Hancock and Chambers. Hancock's solo begins introspectively, with slick interpolations of 12/8, shifting into some ultra-slick metric modulations.

(One thing you'll notice about this recording is that the piano is one one side of the stereo image, and the bass is on the other. The trumpet and drums seems to be spread evenly. There is great clarity in the recording, and it only adds to the enjoyment of the interplay.)

Joe Chambers

Track Two, entitled "Peace With Myself", is a colorful waltz. Hancock's comping is extra-creative, and he and Carter share some humorous musical comments. It's amazing how strong the rhythm is on this track, and yet there is a lot of openess in the beat. At times, Chambers seems subdued, but when you realize how subtly musical his playing is, you just sit back and marvel at his tasteful musical reflexes.
Hancock ventures into 20th century impressionism, reminiscent of his work with Miles Davis. Hancock's approach to rhythm is so multi-layered. (Sometimes I almost laugh when I read something like "Jazz Rhythm is primarily eighth notes." Whomever takes that to heart would be highly confused by this Herbie Hancock solo.) Ron Carter brings us down to nothing while Hancock and Chambers sound as if they are faraway ghosts.

"Right Now", the third track, is a composition that originally appeared on a Jackie McLean recording(entitled Right Now.) I also recorded this tune on my third CD for the Steeplechase label back in the 90's. The form is basically a diminished scale line over an almost New Orleans type of syncopated rhythm. The bridge is a release into Bud Powell-like Bebop. This tension and release built into the structure makes it endlessly fun to improvise over. The melody statement in Tolliver's hands has a bold clarion call , like a call-to-arms, or maybe in this case, a call-to-play-some-jazz. Hancock's solo, combined with Carter's disruptively inventive hemiolas, and Chamber's perfectly swinging beat, is a thrill ride. Carter, quite a sober man personally, is almost comical in his comping here; at times, he almost sounds like he's in another room, it's that adventurous. This conflict continues on Tolliver's solo, building into a short but sweet Chambers drum solo. And the battle continues all the way to the vamp out.

"Household of Saud" is a song dedicated to pianist McCoy Tyner, and this fourth track is where Gary Bartz makes this a quintet. This is one of my all-time favorite tracks; the melody is almost a  Tyner lick harmonized in 4ths and made into a composition. It's hard swinging and intense. Tolliver sounds strong. Bartz's solo has a nonchalance about it; he's a master of sounding relaxed over intense rhythm sections.

"Lil's Paradise" is a rather inventive tune, very expansive. It uses long pedal point sections over a relaxed jazz bossa type groove. Again, the musical teamwork is great. Bartz takes a lyrically beautiful solo.

The title track, "Paper Man," is one of those sort of bluesy boogaloo tunes with a catchy riff. It's a great way to end the album. I'm listening to this and again wondering why this album is not widely available. If anybody finds a link or something, please let me know. Meanwhile, here is a link to Mr. Tolliver's website. http://charlestolliver.com/

East Coast Love Affair: My Trip To The Blue States

    It was good to be back in New York for a spell. As we rode away from La Guardia Airport in Queens, I took in the familiar sights, sounds and smells. Well, I wouldn't say the Tri-State area smells good, but it does have a plethora of distinct odors. Nevertheless, New York City still has it's charms, and having lived there for almost 15 years, it's nice to come back as a visitor from Canada. New York is still especially great for jazz, even if the scene is not as lucrative as it used to be for musicians. It's still inspiring to be around a multitude of world class players and fervent jazz fans.

My first musical stop was not The Big Apple, but Washington D.C., our recently reddened Nation's Capital, which is about a 4 or 5 hour drive from Manhattan. I had a weekend engagement with my trio at The Bohemian Caverns, a wonderful spot on D.C.'s recently revitalized U Street. (When I lived on Quebec Street in Northwest D.C. back in 1994, U Street was not a hip place to be. Now, it's almost like Greenwich Village in New York:  Hip Restaurants, Clubs, and Yuppies of all types out on the town.)

The inside of Bohemian Caverns

Bohemian Caverns is run by a young entrepreneur from Boston named Omrao Brown. He recently brought in a new Yamaha grand piano, which was really a pleasure to play. The look of the club is almost like a cave, but the overall vibe of the club is very comfortable. And the stage sound is quite good. In my opinion, it is THE club to beat in Washington D.C. We had a good turnout both Friday and Saturday nights; oddly enough, the Saturday night was kind of a mini-high school reunion for me. I was amused by the fact that many of my friends from the 80's didn't even know that I played piano. "Where's the trumpet?" was a frequent question from my former classmates.

Alison Crockett

Despite feeling a little rusty, the gig was fun. I've been playing with Josh Ginsburg on bass and E.J. Strickland on drums for a few years. We hadn't worked together in some months, but it all fell musically back into place. Also, we had two surprise guest vocalists; D.C.'s own Heidi Martin joined us for a few tunes on Friday night, and Saturday night we had Alison Crockett give us a rousing rendition of "Stella By Starlight". I remember thinking during the performance, "If only Victor Young could have heard what we did to his song!"

Maria Neckam

Back in New York, my wife and I stumbled onto a wonderful vocalist named Maria Neckam at Small's on a Tuesday night. Neckam, born in Austria,  has a very unique style of singing; it kind of reminded me of Bjork mixed with Astrud Gilberto mixed with Inara George(the singer with a band called The Bird And The Bee ). She performed all of her own music (except for two Charles Ives compositions).Her music has jazz elements, but also has a Third Stream quality to it, making it not so easy to classify (which I think is a good thing). I got an interview with her after the show, which will be in an upcoming blog entry.

I stayed for a while after to see an old friend of mine named Dave Stoler perform with a trio consisting of John Weber on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums. They did a wonderful version of "Only Trust Your Heart", which is one of my favorite tunes. Dave Stoler has been based in Madison for many years; we met at a jazz piano competition in Indianapolis in 1992. He's a very thoughtful, studied musician. I'd like to get a conversation with him at some point.

Next on the bill was my trio at Small's the following night. The turnout was pretty good, and the performing was fun. I finally got up the nerve to pull out the melodica on a few ballads. While I'm suspicious as to whether my band will tolerate more than one song a set on the melodica, I enjoyed playing it so much on the ballads; it has a sustain that is just impossible on the piano... It kind of makes me feel like a horn player, without the agonizing pain and suffering of the trumpet! I think the audience enjoyed it...

Cameron Brown

Ronnie Cuber

The next morning, I had to rise early to meet veteran bassist Cameron Brown in Tarrytown, N.Y., in order to catch a ride to Boston. We had a one-nighter at Sculler's with Baritone Saxophonist Ronnie Cuber. Cuber is a legend on the Bari Sax; he was THE studio cat in the 70's and 80's. I was rather pleasantly surprised to get the call from his manager for this gig.. I had only performed with Ronnie within the confines of the Mingus Big Band. It was a true inspiration to hear Ronnie stretch out on some Coltrane tunes, such as "Spiral" and "Miles' Mode". Rounding out the ensemble was the great Joe Farnsworth on drums. Farnsworth's drumming at times reminded me of Louis Hayes and Art Blakey with some Elvin Jones thrown in for good measure. It was a pretty energetic set, with a good crowd response.

I drove back the next morning with Cameron Brown and, in the car, we listened to a good portion of a box set edition of Miles Davis' Live At The Blackhawk. Brown told me that he was fortunate enough to have seen the same band when he was a kid in Detroit. " Miles, Hank Mobley, Jimmy Cobb, Paul Chambers, and Wynton Kelly...I used to stand behind Wynton and light his cigarettes for him..." Brown reminisced. I had heard some of this recording before, but this version is four sets of music with no edits. This album reminded me of something my friend Jed Levy had said once:"When you hear jazz musicians in the studio, oftentimes it's just the tip of the iceberg of what they can really play." Live At The Blackhawk is a great example of that notion, because the solos go long and are so inventive it's scary. I think they get into some things that just wouldn't end up happening if they were limited by the constraints of the studio.The swing on the CD is amazing; when Miles solos, you get the feeling that he doesn't want to stop, propelled by the unwavering intensity of Jimmy Cobb's ride cymbal beat and Paul Chamber's insistent quarter note pulse. I'm planning on downloading the album soon so I have have another closer listen.

I have two gigs to go: an engagement with my trio at a house concert series in Baltimore called Jazzway 6004. http://www.jazzway6004.org/home.html (Tickets are still available if you are in the area.) And we're finishing up the east coast tour with a trio performance at Fat Cat in NYC on Monday night. Soon I'll be back in Osborne Village in Winnipeg, wondering if it was all a dream...

Pastorius,Milkowski,and Rosenwinkel: Not A Law Firm

My son Liam, giving me some lessons

First of all, my apologies to fans of jazztruth. Ever since my wife and 9-month old son have arrived in Winnipeg, I have, shall we say, had other things to attend to besides the state of the jazz world. And keep in mind I am teaching full time at the University of Manitoba and the fall semester has just begun. All that, plus minor gum surgery, has kept me from updating my precious blog. However,  I assure you I have a plethora of ideas and recorded interviews waiting in the wings. So don't despair, gentle readers: I will post as much as physically possible. Even if it means just posting pictures of my son banging on his toy xylophone every week! And yes, my son can already play Coltrane's solo on Giant Steps, but not up to tempo. Plus, he usually needs a diaper change afterwards. (I'm sure you've been in the same situation after you've played Giant Steps.)

Some of my previous posts have been quite lengthy and verbose. This time, I thought I would just give you the highlights of what I have been checking out. I admit, it can be hard to stay focused in this youtube- itunes-futuristic-information-superhighway kind of world we live in. Not to mention my students are always reminding me of some album or musician that I haven't listened to in a while, or perhaps some prog rock band that I need to check out. So at times, I find I'm all over the map when it comes to my "research". But here are a couple of things that I found some time to focus on more this week.

Jaco Pastorius

Jaco Pastorius is and was thought of by many (including himself, R.I.P) as " The World's Greatest Bass Player." I think without question he should be regarded as an important innovator of the electric bass and an icon in jazz fusion. He is frequently compared to bebop sage Charlie Parker,  not only because he revolutionized the bass technically and conceptually (as did  Parker with the alto saxophone), but he also had a tormented, drug addicted personal life which led to his demise much too early. His short burst of life is well documented by Bill Milkowski, one of my favorite music journalists, in Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius. This book came out about 15 years ago; I had read parts of it before, but I finally got to read the whole thing cover to cover. It's a fantastic read (I read it in about a day, which is a good sign regarding whether I like a book or not. Let's just say I have NOT finished Paris Hilton's Confessions Of An Heiress, although I plan on sitting down to read it as soon as HELL FREEZES OVER!).

author Bill Milkowski

Many times, I couldn't help but wonder if anyone ever considered writing a screenplay based on this compelling biography. Milkowski writes not only as a knowledgeable, experienced journalist and music lover, but he was actually friends with Pastorius, which gives the book a very intimate mood. (I also enjoy reading about the musicians and haunts of the New York Jazz scene in the mid 1980's, a good ten years before I moved to the city.)  The consensus, especially from those who were interviewed by Milkowski, seems to be that Pastorius was a colorful character, to say the least; indeed, colorful characters bring their share of positives and negatives. Jaco, at the height of his power, was a musical god, with huge success as a solo artist and a member of legendary fusion band Weather Report. At his lowest, he was panhandling, sleeping on basketball courts and hanging out with the bums and drug addicts on West 4th Street.

While the brutal, honest portrayal of Jaco's substance abuse and mental illness is sad and unflattering (and I am aware, controversial to some), it doesn't diminish Jaco's greatness or importance: I came away from the book inspired to search for my own innovations, and to channel my own inner Jaco, so to speak. I also can't help but think that if Jaco had come up more recently, maybe he wouldn't have been as tempted by drugs or alcohol; since musicians are generally living healthier lives these days-not to mention that there is much more awareness of mental illness like Jaco's. (My own experience with people with these kinds of conditions is that they tend to self medicate if they are undiagnosed.)

Milkowski's final paragraph, regarding which song he thought of first after Jaco's untimely death, is particularly touching to me; Three Views Of A Secret is, for Milkowski is " the one song that best captures the complexity of Jaco's character and the depth of his soul. In the course of six minutes,[this tune] reveals more about Jaco's character than any other piece he ever wrote. It's as if he had composed his own requiem." I've been a fan of that piece for a long time, and I actually play a solo piano arrangement of it. (I recorded it on my second Criss Cross release, Past Present Future.) I believe it has many emotional layers, and composing like that elevates Jaco from merely a bass prodigy up higher to the level of true artist.

Moving on: speaking of true artists, the great jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel has a new CD out entitled Our Secret World. If you are already a fan of Rosenwinkel, you will delight in hearing this virtuoso composer and improviser in a surprising context: in front of a big band. The Orquestra Jazz De Matosinhos (OJM) from Portugal does a fine job in backing Rosenwinkel, and the arrangements definitely do justice to the original compositions. The sound is quite lush and modern-highly appropriate for this cross section of Rosenwinkel's music. While some might lament the lack of small group interaction, I compare it to Herbie Hancock's Speak Like A Child or Inventions and Dimensions; albums which seem to truly feature Herbie and his writing more than any other players. If you are a first time Rosenwinkel listener, hopefully this enjoyable collection will inspire you to investigate his many earlier recordings.

Mulgrew Miller: Classic Perfection

Mulgrew Miller

A friend of mine, pianist Dave Stoler, recently facebooked me (can I use facebook as a verb?) regarding a new solo recording from the great pianist Mulgrew Miller, one of the great living jazz musicians. Miller has always been a favorite player of mine. I have listened to him in many contexts; as a sideman on the countless sessions he has recorded, as a leader in trio and quintet, in duo with Kenny Barron, in a group with three other pianists (the Contemporary Piano Ensemble, featuring James Williams, Harold Mabern, and Geoffrey Keezer). I've gotten to hear him live many times over the years, mostly with his own groups. I even got to play opposite him at the Blue Note a few years ago; he was with the Ron Carter Golden Striker Trio, while I was with the Christian McBride Trio featuring Billy Hart. I've spoken to Miller on a number of occasions, and he once confided that he was hesitant to do a solo recording, and joked that "maybe if he was drunk one night" he would head over to a favorite studio and lay down some tracks. So when I heard about this live solo recording, I dropped everything and downloaded it immediately.

Miller has a quiet confidence in his piano playing. It's unapologetic traditional meat-and-potatoes straight-ahead jazz, with a maturity that comes from countless experiences as an accompanist to everyone from Wallace Roney to Art Blakey. But within that is a rich approach to harmony and melody. There is a tendency for lesser solo pianists to descend into virtuosic show-off territory when they are alone, mostly because they are uncomfortable with the space of having no bassist and drums to hide behind. This is never the case with Miller, who is totally at ease with the "man-on-the-highwire" aspect of solo piano playing. There is also a tendency for the inexperienced pianists to let the tempo drift. Nevertheless, Miller's time is impeccable. His right hand lines on "Jordu" are driving and and clear. But the left hand is stoically solid. You don't miss a rhythm section one bit. It's very Bud Powell-ish in approach, but the double-time lines are signature Mulgrew Miller.

Furthermore, Miller can also be rubato and lyrical with the best of them. Case in point: I remember my favorite recording of "Old Folks" used to be from a cassette tape I had of Miller playing a solo version from some live Art Blakey recording. Similarly here, his intro to Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" is beautiful and flowing, and he eventually finds a kind of contrapuntal straight eighth groove. His original composition "Carousel" is also introduced in a sensitive way, but eventually the waltz tempo is set. (I find that this is the mark of a real professional pianist; they make a strong distinction between a grooving time and rubato. It's never wishy-washy.)

Mulgrew Miller always has a very distinct,dark, consummate type of piano touch; it's round, it's got a pop to it, but it's dependable. I love the sound of the piano on this CD; it sounds alive, perhaps very close-miked, so you can really hear the sound of the strings, not just the hall sound. Every note he plays is a crystal glass, shining in the sunlight. And there is never a moment of insecurity. Sometimes, I like to hear musicians take a risk and play some wrong notes. However, on this disc, Miller is incapable of missing anything, which is also satisfying to listen to.

"Dreamsville" is one of my favorite  Henry Mancini tunes (I learned it from saxophonist Jed Levy) and Miller interprets it delightfully. His version of "Yardbird Suite" is quite magnificent. Here the musical language is bebop, but in Miller's hands, it sounds contemporary enough to be an exceptionally enjoyable performance. "Body and Soul" shows his mastery of thirds, inner voices, arpeggios, and alternate passing harmonies. "Giant Steps" is also quite masterful; the melodic lines are impeccable, and the left hand supports the right hand perfectly. Again, Miller puts his unique linear "stamp"on this performance.

If you want to hear modern mainstream at it's finest, check out this Mulgrew Miller "Solo" piano CD. It's a clear representation of a seasoned artist at his powerful musical peak.

Much Ado About Fred Hersch

Fred Hersch

I've been a longtime fan of the great pianist Fred Hersch. I remember the first time I saw him live was at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. in the early 90's. Fred was a sideman with the legendary tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson. I recall that the gig started about an hour late. But at last Henderson arrived, and the concert began as if they were warmed up from already playing a few hours. The repertoire was old chestnuts of the Henderson book:"Recorda-Me", "Invitation", "Beatrice", all tunes which are ripe for virtuosic exploration. Henderson did not disappoint, but the highlight was Hersch: he took apart every tune and put it back together as if he had written those tunes himself.

I met Fred for the first time at a concert being given by the then-unknown pianist Ethan Iverson (of The Bad Plus fame.). And over the years I ran into him a number of other times. I always admired the sound that he produced from the piano: always clear, ringing, and beautiful, even, consistent, and warm. I always felt that, as a relatively untrained pianist (my previous instruments were trumpet, then drums), I would never be able to approach that type of pianistic tone. I came up playing with loud drummers and playing on crappy pianos and not-so-crappy-but-still-less-than-authentic keyboards, so my approach to sound production was bang, bang harder, and then bang as hard as you can until you have tendonitis. However, it was suggested to me by a colleague that a lesson with Fred Hersch might actually do wonders for my technique. Indeed, his teaching studio has included great young pianists like Iverson, Sam Yahel, and Brad Mehldau.

So I had the idea to take a lesson with Hersch as mental post-it note for a long time. But it wasn't until I ran into him one night at Small's that I decide to seize the moment."Are you sure you want to take a lesson?" challenged Hersch, in a friendly way. "Of course," I replied, "I'm always trying to improve, and I also want to have a different perspective on sound production for my students." Hersch agreed to meet me at his apartment in Soho for a lesson a few weeks later.

I will admit that even though I attempt to have a real perspective on my strengths and weaknesses as a pianist, I have been doing things a certain way for almost twenty years, and right or wrong, the habits are deeply rooted. Therefore, it took a lot to accept Hersch's judgment. Indeed, he was slightly reluctant, but I insisted that he should not pull any punches. Of course, once we got going, I felt the usual self-doubt and sense of being overwhelmed from all the information. But it was worth it. I hadn't taken a piano lesson in so long, so it was difficult to be critiqued, yet this is what we all need as musicians to move ahead; an honest look at what's working and what's not. We talked a lot about "getting the fingers off the key" and he had a lot of ideas for solo piano playing. I won't give you the entire lesson, because if you are intrigued, you might want to plunk down the clams yourself  and take a lesson from him. It was a great experience, and I recommend Fred Hersch highly as a teacher if you are interested in improving your sound and technique. I will definitely go for a follow-up at some point. (I should note that Fred only takes advanced students.)

Billy Hart

Luckily, I was able to see Hersch give a demonstration of the practical application of his techniques in the form of a set at the famous Village Vanguard Jazz Club.

John Hebert

The trio was fantastic: bassist John Hebert of Baton Rouge, who is now a regular in Hersch's group, and legendary drummer Billy Hart, who was subbing for the great Eric McPherson. I was amazed at the presence of the piano sound: no matter where the music went, the consistency and roundness of the piano voice was so warm yet still shimmering. Even when there was a lot of rhythm going on, Hersch had total control of the sound. Mr. Hart played tastefully yet interactively as always. I was mesmerized by Hebert, who played an acoustic bass with a low C string (instead of the usual E string). Hebert's darkly sustained sound and ultramodern approach sometimes reminds me of Drew Gress, another great bass player and a long-time associate of Hersch. But I think Hebert has come into his own style, and his command of the instrument is indisputable. I was surprised by some odd-meter standards that really gave the trio an opportunity to take rhythmic chances and emerge victoriously on the beat!

Eric McPherson

Since that night at the Vanguard, I've been checking out Hersch's two most recent CDs. One is called Whirl, featuring Hebert and McPherson back on the drums. A satisfying mix of standards and originals, the standards are well arranged and the originals are memorably melodic. "You're My Everything" begins with a beat by McPherson which is part Vernel Fournier, part Art Blakey, a bit of Jack Dejohnette; it's kind of latin-ish but swinging…it's not a beat, really, it's just an approach which feels solid, groovy and free all at once. Hersch starts out soloing as if they cut in mid-performance. As expected, ideas are abundant, and Hersch makes a minor third modulation (from G major to Bb major) part of the form. Fred definitely has some Bill Evans-ish vocabulary, but it's not forced; one phrase or texture or development easily leads to the next one. At last, the melody appears and the trio vamps out softly on EMaj7 with some light impressionism from Hersch.

"Snow is Falling" is a gorgeous waltz, which makes nice use of the effect of the piano in unison with the bassist using his upper register. The piece starts out swaying between two chords, B-G-D to C-G-D, which are more implications of harmony, giving the introduction a mysterious quality, possibly giving the listener the image of a dark snowy evening.  And then the melody leads us into some different, warmer colors. There is much theory behind jazz harmony, but Hersch, like most fully-actualized jazz musicians, writes and plays for the emotional quality of each chord. (Isn't that what music is supposed to be about? Sometimes telling students to used the altered scale on a dominant 7th  chord and a dorian scale on a minor 7 is so abstract because they don't feel anything from the harmony. There's so much "emotional content" in harmony.)

Charlie Parker

There's a lot of different influences on Whirl. There's some playful bebop on "Skipping" and "Mrs. Parker of K.C.", where the title and the tune reference the father of bebop, altoist Charlie Parker. "Mandevilla" uses the Cuban Habanera rhythm with some Herschian harmonic modulations. The title tune "Whirl" kind of reminds me of Schubert's famous lieder "Gretchen am Spinnrade"(Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel) but doesn't lose the intense jazz-waltz character. I'm impressed with how Hersch and the trio are able to channel all of these various influences and hone it into one complete performance. You'll want to sit down and listen to this CD straight through, as if you were hearing them do a set at the Vanguard, just to hear the cohesive variety.

Scott Joplin

But wait, there's more! Fred Hersch Plays Jobim is solo piano, a format in which Hersch excels. Here, you can really hear Hersch's full command of the piano and all of its tonal, rhythmic, and orchestral possibilities. The piano is the instrument that, of all the jazz instruments, has the deepest connection to Europe. Indeed, most of the great jazz pianists had some form of classical training, if not a serious grounding in classical piano (Scott Joplin, James P Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Herbie Hancock, the list goes on.). Hersch is no exception; however, I contend that even when playing rubato, a jazz pianist approaches the push and pull very differently from a pianist who only plays classical music. (I'm not trying to start a controversy-I said differently, not better than...)

Hersch has a great feel for the shape of the dynamics and timing in relation to the harmony. Pieces like
"Por Toda Minha Vida" and "Luiza" are absolutely breathtaking, especially the latter tune; I was so moved by the melancholy of this track that I think someone should write, cast, and produce a tragic French film solely around Hersch's performance of the song! (OK, let's not get carried away...) But at times I was thinking about two solo pianists who I love to listen to; Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett. In my humble opinion, Hersch gives them a run for their money with this collection.

Antonio Carlos Jobim

Antonio Carlos Jobim was a Brazilian composer who combined the harmony of Chopin with the rhythm of the Samba. One would be remiss to omit Hersch's rhythmic prowess on the samba tunes. This is no easy feat as a solo pianist; Brazilian music requires a certain bounce, especially from the bass, and it's hard to technically cover all the bases (no pun intended) and make it feel complete (believe me, I have tried...). When you listen to performances like "Meditacao", you never miss the band; Hersch covers it all, with a lot of rhythmic liberties but never letting the samba suffer. "Brigas Nunca Mais" is one of my favorite tunes (I got to hear Joao Gilberto sing it live at Carnegie Hall years ago), and Jamey Haddad joins Hersch on some gentle agogo bells, an originally African instrument but considered traditional in Brazilian music. A sensitive rendition of "Corcovado" ends the concert in a relaxed, mature way.

I think Fred Hersch really balanced the energy well on this CD; there's great samba energy, but also he captures the chamber music feeling of bossa nova. A masterwork like this makes me rethink my approach to piano playing. Maybe I'll have to go for another lesson next time I'm in New York.

Gary Bartz and Ntu Troop: A Look Back

Gary Bartz

My first real gig as a New Yorker was with Gary Bartz. In the late 80's and early 90's, I would go to listen to Bartz play at jazz clubs like The Closet and The New Haven Lounge in Baltimore, and the One Step Down and Twins in Washington D.C. So in 1994, when Bartz needed a sub in the piano chair, I already knew his repertoire, and I knew what he liked to hear from his accompanists (Baltimore- based pianist Bob Butta was a longtime associate of Bartz, and a huge influence on my piano playing). Soon after, when Bartz had a gig at Sweet Basil's in New York City, I got the call to join his band. As a member of the Gary Bartz Quartet, I got to record with him on his second album for the Atlantic label called "The Blue Chronicles: Tales Of Life". It was an unforgettable experience and one of the highlights of my career.

I think Gary Bartz is one of those artists like trumpeter Woody Shaw, or tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, who are overlooked by writers and historians simply because, during the 1970's, they didn't do the extreme fusion of bands like Mahavishnu Orchestra or Return To Forever. Those who are really in the know have much praise for Bartz, but I think he has been deserving wider recognition for years. He has played with all the greats: Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Max Roach, etc...Still, like many jazz greats who aren't young prodigies or ancient masters, Bartz doesn't get the critical acclaim he should.

Gary Bartz is a very humorous person; he can tell hilarious stories with a delivery which is reminiscent of master comedians like Richard Pryor or Redd Foxx. But he is also very socially and politically aware of things. There is a CD I picked up recently which shows his political side in detail. It's a remastering of two records, which were then combined on one CD: "Harlem Bush Music-Taifa" and "Harlem Bush Music-Uhuru" both feature a band which Gary led in the 70's called Ntu Troop. (Ntu comes from the African Bantu languages, which is a sub-branch of Niger-Congo languages, the most common being Swahili. According to Bartz' website, "NTU means unity in all things, time and space, living and dead, seen and unseen.) This group consisted of Bartz on alto and soprano saxophones and vocals, Andy Bey on vocals, Juni Booth on acoustic and electric basses, and Harold White on drums. Nat Bettis plays percussion at times. (On most of "Uhuru", Ron Carter substitutes on bass. Not too shabby!)

Malcolm X

The fact that the two "Harlem Bush Music" records were fused into one CD release could make one assume that both records were originally one studio session, but it seems that this is not the case. But there is a consistency to the sound and the spirit of the entire disc, which makes a complete listen-through totally satisfying. The sonic texture overall is very organic. Even with electric bass, you get a very acoustic, earthy feeling from the entire CD. The intention here is to channel Mother Africa as the basis for everything in jazz: blues, bebop, funk, free jazz, etc...Not to mention the unapologetic activist viewpoints exhibited, especially in songs like "The Vietcong"(This is 1970: the Vietnam War was in full swing, in case you forgot...) and also "The Warrior's Song", a very intense free piece, during which Bartz overdubs himself reading an excerpt from a speech by the Civil Rights Leader Malcolm X: 

                                   

                                            "I say bluntly that you have had a generation of Africans who actually believed that you could negotiate, negotiate, negotiate and eventually get some kind of independence. But you're getting a new generation that has been growing, right now, and they're beginning to think with their own minds and see that you can't negotiate up on freedom nowadays. If something is yours by right, then fight for it or shut up. If you can't fight for it, then forget it."

Bartz goes on to quote another of his inspirations, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane:

                                       

John Coltrane

                               "You know, I want to be a force for real good. In other words, I know that there are bad forces, forces put here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world, but I want to be the force which is truly for good."

I find this to be an interesting juxtaposition, which is probably a common inner conflict for revolutionary thinkers: We want change, but do we remain peaceful, or force change by any means necessary? Political messages in music are so rare now that I found this thread of protest in the music to be extremely enlightening.

We think of Bartz as an alto saxophone master. Bartz has claimed in interviews that his main influence was Charlie Parker; however, many of his fans see him as the post-Coltrane alto-and-soprano man. His tone quality is unmistakable; it's very dark and reedy, and Bartz can add a little edge to his tone for emotional effect, but it never sounds harsh. On this collection, he is very unabashedly playing the blues, but Bartz has always been able to mix many elements into a very cohesive improvisational concept. So there will be blues, but some bebop will occur, and also he might surprise you by quoting a few standards, maybe some folk melodies, perhaps some Coltranish saxophonistic vocabulary will jump out. But it's never forced; it always sounds natural. 

(I remember when we were recording "The Blues Chronicles", we were doing several takes of a Bartz original entitled "...And He Called Himself A Messenger". On one of the takes, during Bartz' solo, he quoted a sort of obscure song  called "Delilah"(that appears on a Clifford Brown/Max Roach record called "Jordu"). It was so unexpectedly beautiful, it worked perfectly with the changes, it was so inspired that people in the studio were looking at each other and laughing in disbelief! Even those who didn't know the tune were enthralled. Sadly, they didn't use that take on the CD. And the funny thing for me was that in the remaining years I worked in Bartz' band, I never heard him quote that song again!)

On "People Dance", Bartz gets into a vibe where he is almost literally talking or laughing with the alto, using micro tonality to get the effect of human speech. And as the clear bandleader, Bartz has always been expert using his saxophone to "set up" the groove of the song, or change the tempo, or even make a segue or transition into another song, as if he is the master storyteller with the village musicians gathering around him to listen. 

Andy Bey

The earthiness of the music here is enhanced by many vocals, a surprising number of them provided by Bartz; "Blue" features him in his "debut as blues pianist and as a blues singer". But without question, the vocal star here is the incomparable Andy Bey; his rich baritone has the slightest vibrato, and when he goes into his upper register, it's even more impassioned. And the alto and voice blend beautifully well. This brings me to the issue of harmony: due to the lack of a "chordal" instrument like piano (with the exception of "Blue") or guitar, you could call this a "chord-less" band. However, there are many implied harmonies, and much of it is pedal point based (meaning one constant bass note and chords moving above it, but always related to the bass). And there is some vocal overdubbing on songs like "Du(Rain)", where some interestingly dissonant counterpoint is created, and "Parted," the story of an enslaved African man separated from his lady, which has vocal harmonies that might remind one of the South African singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The intention here is to get back to the roots of the music, which means omitting the European structural harmonic influences for a moment. Speaking as a pianist, I am fine with it!

Gary Bartz is still out there playing better than ever: These days he is touring with the legendary pianist McCoy Tyner. He also has his own label, OYO Records( Own Your Own! -which refers to the fact that most musicians don't own the rights to their own material. Bartz, ever the revolutionary, is part of the shifting tide of musicians taking the reigns of their own destiny. Additionally, OYO is also a tribe in Nigeria). For more information about Gary Bartz, please go to his website:

http://www.garybartz.com

And "Harlem Bush Music - Taifa / Uhuru" is available here:

http://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Bush-Music-Taifa-Uhuru/dp/B000003L99