22 • October 28, 2021 - November 3, 2021
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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS & E N T E R T A I N
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DARIUS JONES, MCLEAN @ SISTA’S, BREATHE, SWEET LOU 95, ARTURO O’FARRILL Reeves, drummer Will Calhoun, and spoken word artist Kewulay Kamara. “I am looking forward to playing at Sista’s. It’s my favorite place: they understand the music and culture and they give Big love,” said McLean. Alto saxophonist Darius Jones whose There will be two sets at 9 p.m. and performances and recordings find a way 10:30 p.m. Admission is $20 in advance. to ignite emotions while bringing aware- For reservations call 718-398-1766. ness to the mind will perform two nights Two sets, 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., $20 in on Oct. 27 and 28, at The Green Wood advance, Call (718) 398-1766. Cemetery’s Catacombs in Brooklyn. He will be performing pieces from his soonOn October 31, at Mt. Olive Baptist to be released album, “Raw Demoon Church (201 Malcolm X Blvd., 120th Alchemy (A Lone Operation).” The per- Street), at 3 p.m. Thure trombonist, formance will draw upon the work of composer, arranger and community musical icons, including Sun-Ra, Ornet- activist Craig Harris will perform with te Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, and Geor- BREATHE, a 12-piece string ensemgia Anne Muldrow. “I wanted to capture ble and his trombone. There is a mesa moment in time,” said Jones. “To crys- sage in their music and an urgency to talize the beginning of something and listen and activate your action chord. the end of something else.” “BREATHE is a sonic statement in reAttendees will ride on Green-Wood’s sponse to the long term and current trolley to and from the Main Entrance injustices inflicted upon African Amer(25th street and Fifth Avenue) and the ican people. BREATHE is offered to Catacombs. There are two 50-minute support the community in staying reconcerts per evening: 6:30–8:00 p.m. silient and persistent in fighting for and 8:00–9:30 p.m. Visit the website justice.” Free admission with Eventwww.green-wood.com.0 brite invitation. This is the link for tickets. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ On Oct. 30, Rene McLean and Music breathe-were-still-stand-strong-tickof the Spirit Band will return to one ets-196521720757. NY State CDC of New York City’s most historic jazz guidelines will be observed. clubs, Sista’s Place (456 Nostrand Ave.) in Brooklyn. Now in its 26th season. On November 2, the legendary inMcLean, who like his mentor pianist novative alto saxophonist and comand composer Randy Weston, brings poser Lou Donaldson, fondly known spirited rhythms of the ancestors to as “Sweet Lou” Or “Papa Lou” will celeach set with hard swinging riffs rem- ebrate his 95th birthday at Dizzy’s jazz iniscent of his father alto saxophonist club (Jazz at Lincoln Center 60th Street Jackie McLean. and Broadway). He is known for his The multi-reed instrumentalist, com- blues approach with a kick of funk. His poser, band leader offers a surprise nickname “Sweet Lou,” is because he element when it comes to what instru- plays those ballads oh, so sweet somements he may play. Of course, his alto is one in the audience yelled out dam always at hand but then again, he may “Sweet Lou.” Without hesitation he go to his tenor or soprano saxophones, says, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker or flute and perhaps the indigenous was his “greatest influence.” instruments the ney (middle Eastern Donaldson, a native of Badin, North flute) or shakuhachi (Japanese flute). Carolina, attended North Carolina The Spirit Band includes percussion- A&T State University in Greensboro, ist Baba Neil Clarke, the explosive South where he was a member of the band African trumpeter Lesedi Ntsane, pi- but his main interest was baseball. He anist Humbert Eaves III, bassist Nat was a star on the A&T team with hopes
4th annual ‘Autumn in New York Jazz Fest’ in Harlem Oct. 30 On Saturday Oct. 30 from 2-5:30 p.m., the New York State Jazz Literacy and Art Society will livestream its 4th annual Autumn in New York Jazz Festival live on YouTube from Harlem Heritage Tours, located at 104 Malcolm X Blvd, between 115 And 116th Streets. The broadcast will feature Dr. John ’Satchmo’ Mannan’s Easy Street Band, featuring Dr. John Satchmo
Mannan, vocalist; Terri Davis, vocalist; saxophonist Al Flythe; Misha Tysiganov on piano; Larry Roland on bass; and Rusell Carter on drums. This free, live event is supported by the Jazz Foundation of America. Listeners can tune in for free on Saturday at 2 p.m. at www.youtube.com/channel/ UCJhOImcp1ed_3JXkfrQ-gOQ.
Lou Donaldson at the Newport Jazz Festival, 2015 (Todd Van Hoosear; https:// c o m m o n s .w i k i m e d i a . o rg /w i k i / File:Lou_Donaldson_Quartet_2015_ (20259143008).jpg), „Lou Donaldson Quartet 2015 (20259143008)”, h tt ps : / /c re a t i ve co m m o n s.o rg / licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode)
of playing in the big leagues until an injury put him in the bleachers. During his long association with Blue Note Records, the NEA Jazz Master recorded his biggest hit “Alligator Boogaloo” (his good friend and Hammond B-3 organist Dr. Lonnie Smith also performed on the album), the title track from the (1967) album an anthem for jazzheads and R&B lovers. He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2012. The NEA Jazz Master’s performance includes a few jokes, “no rock and roll, no fusion, no Kenny G just straightahead jazz,” said in his distinctive highpitched voice, along with a few belted out blues tunes with humorous lyrics. Sweet Lou has been a mentor to six generations of musicians and the numbers keep rising. For reservations visit the website jazz.org/dizzys Recently, the pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill returned to midtown Manhattan’s Birdland jazz club after a forced 11-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This return engagement wasn’t related to his long running weekly Sunday evening residency with his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, it was to introduce the audience to his just released album “dreaming in lions….” (Blue Note Records). It is composed in 13 movements and features The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, a 10-piece scaled down version of his renowned Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.
The album encompasses two inspired multi-movement suites that O’Farrill conceived in collaboration with the Cuban Malpaso Dance Company: “Despedida,” a meditation on farewells, and “Dreaming in Lions,” inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s novella “The Old Man and the Sea.” “Hemingway’s book was a great inspiration in my composing the music for Dreaming in Lions,” said O’Farrill. “The old man felt alienated at the end of his life, he had lots of prowess but felt lost. He wrote the book off the coast of Cuba and experienced the shores of Africa.” As I recall the book the old man was early in life a strong proud fisherman, but time had become his enemy. “I want my music to evoke memories, to bring back sights and sounds and affect people’s lives,” added the composer. Two inspired multi-movement suites O’Farrill conceived in collaboration with “Despedida,” a meditation on farewells and goodbyes in five movements. “Del Mar” is mellow, “Intruso” picks up the pace with a swinging clarinet, trumpet blaring, percussions leaping and piano hittin, what a tremendous hip melodic rhythmic flow it’s all there the brass section gives it a big band sound in spurts. “Your Beauty Cocoon Is My Confusion,” flute low key, trombone smooth then in comes dancing Latin beat, the sounds, the rhythms are layered in a beautiful concerto, moves like a New York salsa Hotel Diplomat dancefest but no sweat, not rushed, a mix of rhythms dance worthy. “I am playing both piano and keyboards on this project. The keyboards allow me to create different textures and change colors which is very important,” explains O’Farrill. He combines the music traditions of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, and the African diaspora, leading some to describe his music as “Pan Latin.” He responds, “I have always been a firm believer, wherever enslaved people were, they brought along magic, it was bigger than hatred and that music continues to shape our lives. As Cornel West stated, enslaved people gave us love and culture.” The pianist has worked with the Malpaso Dance Company in the past and is friends with the Fernado Saez, executive director and dancer and co-founder Daileidys Carrazana. “Their dancing is very bluesy incorporating ballet, modern dance and they know all the Afro Cuban dances, as well,” noted O’Farrill. After years of recording some extremely important and memorable albums, the pianist releases this debut album on the legendary Blue Note Records label. “It’s a huge honor to be a part of this incredible record label, it shaped my musical life with my heroes like Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter.” He adds, “It is deeply meaningful to have my wife and two sons perform with me on this debut, this is a great moment to share with them.”
