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.

A Day With Lady Day

by | May 30, 2021 | Vocal

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’!

The Fifties Ferguson

by | May 21, 2021 | Big Band

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.

What's New

by Maynard Ferguson | Band Ain't Draggin'

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!

The Final Concert – Stan Getz

by | May 3, 2021 | Sextet

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.

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!

The Incomparable Joe Williams

by | Apr 17, 2021 | Big Band, Vocal

Above, Joe Williams sings Alright, Okay, You Win, an old chestnut from his Count Basie days at the Ella Awards in December of 1990.  Then, at the end of the evening in a wonderful mayhem, all the singers plus honoree Frank Sinatra join in a reprise of the tune … more fun than anyone ought to be allowed to have.  It sure must have been a blast to be in that room, that night!  Below, simply some down and dirty blues as Count Basie’s “number one son” Joe Williams [here in his prime] sings Five O’Clock In The Morning on television’s Judy Garland Show.

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.

Steppin’ Out With My Baby – Fred Astaire

by | Apr 4, 2021 | Big Band, Holiday, Soundtrack

Here’s a scene from the 1948 movie Easter Parade that is guaranteed to please any Fred Astaire fan and make a fan out of anyone who isn’t already!  Astaire was unquestionably one of the greatest entertainers of all time, but as you watch him perform you realize that, as a dancer, he also had to be an extremely well conditioned athlete. Along with Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow Peeps … Easter Parade, Fred Astaire and Judy Garland are musts for your Easter Holiday basket.  Though loosely defined as jazz, this bit of cinema magic demands that we toss away the dictionary, at least for one day every year!