The Jazz Project by Jean Keith Fagon

Project

by Jean-Keith Fagon

A brief synopsis of various music for your listening pleasure.

Out of the Shadows & Into The Spotlight ••• Tim Gordon, saxophone; David Shoff, keyboards

Lovers of contemporary smooth jazz will enjoy these new performances from two acclaimed musicians, most notable on “Short Life,” and “Do You Want Me” that bristle with robust melody as well as delicate scoring. This is clearly a highly charged occasion that gives the set its durability and its hold on one’s affections. The immediacy and clarity of sound, plus the saxophone’s rhythmic grasp, ensures that the effect of the music is still as smooth a jazz as you are likely to hear. Also appearing on this album are Chris Allen (drums), and Brad Wilcox (flugelhorn).

Lush Life ••• Heather Ferguson, vocals

On her new album, Canadianbased Heather Ferguson is heard here in peak form awash in the elegant and mesmerizing sounds of saxophonist Barrie Sorensen and trumpeter Miquelito Valdes. Ms. Ferguson is a forceful vocalist, perfectly lovely in the middle register of her voice, invariably poised on a variety of repertoire. Songs like “Body & Soul” and “At Last” are delivered beautifully with purity and intonation. It could not be more welcome when a recording transforms such popular songs, as this one does, setting it on a new plane. And as added bonus there is Barrie Sorensen (sax) and Miguelito Valdes (trumpet, flugelhorn) playing with subtle tonal shading that heightens the atmospheric evocation in the most engaging mix of exuberance and gravitas. Every change in mood of Ms. Ferguson’s voice is superbly crafted and judged by these musicians. The result is that the performance throughout the album is marvelously clean and the music itself can only be called luminous. Other standouts include the warm and tenderly moving “Stardust,” and “The Look of Love.”

Performers on Lush Life include Miguelito Valdes (trumpet, flugelhorn, congas), Barrie Sorensen (saxophone), Dr. Tony Genge (organ, piano), Jan Stirling (piano), Joey Smith (guitar, bass), Damian Graham (drums), and Kelby MacNayr (drums). Lush Life will be released worldwide on November 18th. The release will be celebrated with a performance at Hermann’s Jazz Club in Victoria, British Columbia, on the evening of November 18th.

We Never Stop ••• Candy Dulfer

After three decades of collaborations and world tours, plus chart-topping and high-selling solo career releases, Candy Dulfer is living proof of the title of her latest album, We Never Stop. The track “Convergency,” featuring three-time Grammy Award-winner Nile Rodgers (guitar), is richly imaginative and a truly heartfelt joy to listen to dance your summer away. This is smooth jazz with the music that is wonderfully ethereal with great verve and panache. Others can simply accept this performance as a thoroughly enjoyable romp. Also heard here on the album is Erich Cawalla (vocals and saxophone). u region is the collectors’ emphasis on living artists and by extension, contemporaneity—that is, the Rubells understand artmaking in real time. They have a track record of recognizing how the present connects to the future, in other words, they see trends before they happen. This could prove particularly beneficial for DC artists who have long struggled to find recognition locally and in many cases, have had to go elsewhere or worse, pass away, to find critical acclaim.

In that regard, Alma Thomas and Sam Gilliam come to mind. Thomas’ accolades came posthumously. She was the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. When Sam Gilliam moved to New York towards the end of his life, he started to receive the recognition he deserved. In his last days on earth (he passed away earlier this year), he had a long-overdue retrospective exhibition at the Hirshhorn.

With a brick-and-mortar presence in DC, will the Rubells recognize the talent of emerging and mid-career Thomases and Gilliams regionally? If the answer is an affirmative one, this could signal a welcome new era for DC artists as local museums and collectors scramble to purchase work before the Rubells scoop it for their collection!

Rubell Museum DC is located at 65 I Street SW, Washington, DC, 20024. Contact the museum by phone at 202-964-8254 or via email infodc@ rubellmuseum.org. Free for DC Residents. Hours of operation: Wed., Thu. & Fri.: 11:30 am - 5:30 pm; Sat. & Sun.: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. Visit dc.rubellmuseum.org for more information.

Phil Hutinet is the publisher of East City Art, DC’s art journal. For more information visit www.eastcityart.com. u