Sweet Georgia Brown / This Masquerade – Gene Harris

by | Sep 23, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

Gene Harris had the unique ability of combining traditional jazz piano with the blues and creating an absolutely distinctive style that set him apart from every other pianist.  Every time you hear Gene play is just like the first time!   The old chestnut Sweet Georgia Brown is from a 1998 performance at The International Jazz Festival in Bern, Switzerland. The quartet combines Gene Harris with Jim Mullen on guitar, Andrew Clayndert on bass and Martin Drew at the drums.

This Masquerade was recorded at a live 1994 performance for PBS in San Diego.  It features a quartet made up of Gene Harris at the piano, Ron Eschete on 7-string guitar, Luther Hughes playing bass, and Paul Humphrey on drums.

Monk Music

by | Jul 18, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

PLEASE NOTE: This will be the last new weekly posting on the site until mid to late September, at which time we expect to resume business as usual.  In the meanwhile, please be sure to explore the many other features on our website, especially the more than 4 years of great PAST PERFORMANCES dating all the way back to February of 2017.  Thank you for visiting and especially for following Mark Of Jazz.com.

In April 1966 Thelonious Monk and his quartet performed a live television concert in Oslo, Norway.  The quartet included Monk playing piano, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, Larry Gales playing bass and Ben Riley on drums. They performed a number of Monk standards including Blue Monk (Above) and Monk’s own ‘Round Midnight (Below).  Monk’s playing style is positively unique, using sparse voicings and omitting notes to add dissonance.  His music is almost its own genre, often seeming to inhabit its own musical universe.  Thelonious is something of an acquired taste … one well worth acquiring!

Jitterbug Waltz / Old Folks – Bobby Hutcherson

by | Jul 3, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

In 2007 at Jazz Baltica, Bobby Hutcherson and his quartet introduced their exciting arrangement of Fats Waller’s Jitterbug Waltz to the audience in Salzau, Germany.  The players were Bobby on vibes, Joe Gilman playing piano, Dwayne Burno on bass and Eddie Marshall at the drums.  The complete 1 hour 25 minute concert is available on YouTube.

On Old Folks, Hutcherson added Joe Locke, also on vibes … rounding out a quintet with Don Friedman on piano, Martin Wind on bass, and Andi Haberl playing drums.

More Flute By Laws

by | Jun 18, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

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.

Hubert Laws – The Rite Of Spring

by | Jun 13, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

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.

The Virtual Patrice Rushen

by | Jun 7, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

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.

Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet

by | May 16, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet, Sextet

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.

On Green Dolphin Street

by Mies Davis | Kind Of Blue

In Your Own Sweet Way

by Miles Davis | Workin' With The Miles Davis Quintet

Blue And Bluesy – Joe Temperley

by | May 7, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

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!

2021 Jazz Masters Virtual Concert

by | Apr 25, 2021 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

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!

Straight, No Chaser / We’ll Be Together Again – Chick Corea – Pt. 2

by | Apr 12, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

Chick Corea and his Freedom Band played a 2010 concert in Marciac, France.  Two weeks ago I posted Part 1 from that landmark concert with a performance so compelling that I had to offer two more attention getting tunes.  Add trumpeter Roy Hargrove and Straight, No Chaser is a Thelonious Monk composition that really allows The Freedom Band to stretch out … while the old standard We’ll Be Together Again takes on new meaning with a potent sax solo by the great Kenny Garrett.