Here is an unprecedented pairing of two of our greatest living jazz singers and a Gershwin classic. Backed by Bill Charlap on piano, Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington at the drums, They Can’t Take That Away From Me is a memorable moment that isn’t likely to fade for a mighty long time.
Dat Dere is from the 2016 Zipper Hall Concert. Hubert Laws plays piccolo on this one with David Budway (p), Rob Mullins (kb), John Leftwich (b) and Clayton Cameron (d).
At Jazzwoche Burghausen in 2010, Laws gently combines Duke’s Sophisticated Lady with Corcovado, to create a wonderfully comfortable, laid back feeling. Russell Malone is featured on guitar with Lan Doky on piano.
Igor Stravinsky’s controversial ballet “The Rite Of Spring” caused a near riot with its introduction in 1913. More recently, Hubert Laws’ jazz interpretation of the score has become synonymous with Laws himself and his willingness to innovate with classical music as well as more traditional jazz and even pop.. This performance was recorded at Zipper Hall in Los Angeles during November of 2016. The players were Hubert Laws on flute, David Budway at the piano, Rob Mullins on keyboards, John Leftwich on bass and Clayton Cameron playing drums. Next week we’ll feature a pair of more traditional tunes that also demonstrate Hubert’s ability to move around comfortably within the jazz idiom.
In 2020, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, pianist Patrice Rushen together with a trio of jazz giants doffed their masks and socially distanced in order to bring you a virtual jazz concert in a salute to The 25th Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival in Los Angeles. It’s a bit strange not hearing any cheers or applause … but the artistry and energy of the performers leaves no doubt that a live audience would have torn down the house! The first song is Home Light, an original tune by Ernie Watts. The bottom video is Shorty’s Portion, written by Patrice herself.
Both performances from the concert feature the dazzling Patrice Rushen at the piano, Reggie Hamilton on bass, Ernie Watts playing sax and Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums.
God Bless The Child was written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. in 1939. It was first recorded in May 1941 by Billie and released in 1942. Her version of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1976.
After being heard by producer John Hammond, who liked her voice, Holiday signed a contract with Brunswick Records in 1935. Collaborations with Teddy Wilson produced the standard What a Little Moonlight Can Do.
Billie Holiday’s best-selling record Strange Fruit was a sombre blues account of racism in the South. In 1939 Time Magazine derided the song as propaganda for the NAACP. ironically, 60 years later Time selected it as ‘song of the century’!
Maynard Ferguson went through several musical transitions during his more than 40 years on the jazz scene but one of my favorite periods was during the 1950s when he was first introduced to the general public. Newly arrived from Canada, while he was only 22 years old and playing with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Maynard’s introductory appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show established him as one of the premier trumpet players of the era. He was fearless during those years. The video below is from that appearance. A year later, in 1951, he recorded What’s New … not only one of my favorite tunes but one that truly demonstrates his ability to play notes which, theoretically, can’t be played on a trumpet.
Green Dolphin Street is from the landmark album Kind of Blue, which has been regarded by many critics as Davis’s masterpiece and one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. It is a studio recording cut in 1959 featuring saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, pianist Bill Evans, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb.
The Dave Brubeck composition In Your Own Sweet Way is part of the album Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet. Although recorded in 1956, it wasn’t released until January 1960. Miles, of course, played trumpet, John Coltrane was on tenor sax, Paul Chambers on base, and Philly Joe Jones played drums. To my ear, these were Miles Davis’ finest years.
Although Joe Temperley’s name recognition is not as great as Gerry Mulligan or Pepper Adams, he is generally regarded to be one of the top ten greatest baritone sax players of all time. Joe performed with everyone from Duke Ellington to Wynton Marsalis, and was an original member of “Jazz At Lincoln Center”. For 25 years, the baritone saxophone chair of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra was held by this ‘son of Scotland’, until his passing in 2016. Temperley posted tons of credits to his Curriculum Vitae, especially with big bands: Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Clark Terry and — most notably — the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Blue And Bluesy places him in a more intimate small group setting … in front of a large group audience!
The Amorous Cat and the other two videos are from Stan Getz Final Concert in 1990, at the Munich Philharmonic Hall in Germany. The entire live recording is available on Eagle Records
As on all 3 videos, Miles Davis’ Seven Steps To Heaven has Stan on tenor, Kenny Barron playing piano, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Alex Blake bass, with Eddie DelBarrio & Frank Scottili on synthesizers.
Yours And Mine features the warm, lyrical sound Getz fans will mostly remember. In June of 1991 cancer finally silenced Stan’s tenor but his extensive and varied legacy is eternal.
On April 22, 2021, the National Endowment for the Arts, in collaboration with SFJAZZ, presented a virtual tribute concert celebrating the 2021 NEA Jazz Masters. Topsy, originally written for the Country Basie Orchestra is performed in the top video. It featured Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Dan Nimmer playing piano, Vince Giordano on both guitar and bass, and Jason Marsalis playing drums. For more background and the complete concert, click the link above.
Below is the Irving Berlin standard Cheek To Cheek, swung by Dee Dee Bridgewater, backed by the SFJAZZ High School All Stars Big Band. Yes, High School!
To join our Mark Of Jazz Facebook discussion group.
For more posts and to leave comments on Twitter.
As well as follow and download the Jazz Scene Podcast on iTunes, too!