MARCH 2011 • $5.00
THE JAZZ EDUCATOR'S MAGAZINE
Delfeayo Marsalis A Responsibility to the Music…
Basic Training: Yoruban Game Focus Session: Principles of Twelve-Tone Writing The Official Publication of
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
21 Highland Cir. Ste. 1 Needham, MA 02494 Change Service Requested
At North Central College, being well-rounded doesn’t mean losing your musical edge. When we say music is central at North Central College, it means that we expect you to build a full and complete life around your music studies.
Performing Opportunities at North Central College
Concert Choir Women’s Chorale Women’s Chamber Ensemble Opera Workshop Music Theatre Productions Vocal Jazz Ensemble Gospel Choir North Central College Express Show Choir Concert Winds Chamber Winds Percussion Ensemble Brass Quintet Big Band Jazz Combos Chamber Jazz Pep Band Naperville Chorus
Students choose from majors in Music, Music Education, Musical Theatre or Jazz Studies—but they also dance, act, explore, study abroad, volunteer, mentor, pole vault and pursue countless other passions. Our location, in downtown Naperville, is only 40 minutes by train from Chicago and makes it easy to enjoy, perform and do great works. Call 630-637-5800 to discover more about our programs in music.
z
30 N. Brainard Street
z
Naperville, IL
For more information visit, northcentralcollege.edu/ audition.
Jazz Faculty Janice Borla - Voice Mitch Paliga - Saxophone Doug Scharf - Trumpet Joel Adams - Trombone John McLean - Guitar Frank Caruso - Piano Jim Cox - Bass Jack Mouse - Drum Set/ Program Coordinator
Or visit us online at northcentralcollege.edu.
northcentralcollege.edu
Music Scholarship Audition Day: Saturday, March 5, 2011
z
630-637-5800
DELFEAYO MARSALIS
“That, to me, is jazz at its finest – when you don’t know what’s written and what’s improvised.”
contents
STAN KENTON ALUMNI BAND 22
MARCH 2011
We check in with one of the last touring big bands, celebrating it’s 20th anniversary in 2011, under the capable leadership of Mike Vax.
REPORT: APAP/NYC 30
JAZZed contributor Eugene Marlow, Ph.D. summarizes the vibe and events at the gathering in NYC presented by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, held this past January.
BASIC TRAINING: RHYTHMIC HARMONY 34
Acclaimed percussionist and music education advocate Billy Martin, of Medeski Martin & Wood, explains “Yoruban Game” – a rhythmic exercise he uses, himself, when teaching at Camp MMW.
DELFEAYO MARSALIS – A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE MUSIC 36
JAZZed speaks with acclaimed producer, writer, and performer, Delfeayo Marsalis about effective teaching techniques, trends in students’ approach to understanding jazz, and his thoughts on being a member of one of the most distinguished families in popular music.
WPI’S JAZZ HISTORY DATABASE 44
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is neither a large school, nor one typically known for its jazz program – however, with the guidance of Richard Falco, director of Jazz Studies, WPI is doing its part to keep alive the rich history and legacy of jazz.
FOCUS SESSION: PRINCIPLES OF TWELVE-TONE WRITING 50
In this issue of JAZZed, Lee Evans shares his thoughts on twelve-tone technique – using all twelve tones of one octave of the chromatic scale as the melodic theme of a composition.
™
2 JAZZed March 2011
ROUNDTABLE: SUMMER CAMPS & WORKSHOPS 54
We get some feedback from three experienced instructors on the ins and outs of sending students to jazz camps and workshops…
™
MARCH 2011
Volume 6, Number 2 GROUP PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHER Richard E. Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Editorial Staff EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com
22
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com Art Staff PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Advertising Staff ADVERTISING MANAGER Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED & Display Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Jason LaChapelle jlachapelle@symphonypublishing.com
54
10
departments PUBLISHER’S LETTER 4 NOTEWORTHY 6 GORDON GOODWIN: WHAT’S ON YOUR PLAYLIST 10 JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK SECTION 15 • PRESIDENT’S LETTER • JEN CONFERENCE REPORT • JOIN THE CONVERSATION! • SAVE THE DATE: JEN CONFERENCE 2012
GEARCHECK 57 CD SHOWCASE 60 CLINICIANS CORNER 61
CLASSIFIEDS 62 AD INDEX 63 BACKBEAT: GEORGE SHEARING 64
Cover photograph: Keith Major.
Business Staff CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com Symphony Publishing, LLC CHAIRMAN Xen Zapis PRESIDENT Lee Zapis lzapis@symphonypublishing.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Rich Bongorno rbongorno@symphonypublishing.com Corporate Headquarters 26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300 Westlake, Ohio 44145 (440) 871-1300 www.symphonypublishing.com Publishing, Sales, & Editorial Office 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1 Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310 FAX (781) 453-9389 1-800-964-5150 www.jazzedmagazine.com
Member 2011
RPMDA JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
JAZZed™ is published six times annually by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494, (781) 453-9310. Publisher of Choral Director, School Band and Orchestra, Music Parents America, and Musical Merchandise Review. Subscription rates $30 one year; $60 two years. Rates outside U.S. available upon request. Single issues $5. Resource Guide $15. Standard postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing ofces. Postmaster: Please send address changes to JAZZed, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. © 2011 by Symphony Publishing, LLC. Printed in the U.S.A.
JAZZed March 2011 3
publisher’s letter
RICK KESSEL
Making History
T
he history of jazz is a subject that many accom- ers, clubs, and the “second tier people, the one plished writers and producers have tackled, some who actually helped create a scene in a town or with significantly greater success than others. Be- region.” Falco hit upon an idea of documenting sides actual recorded performances, there have interviews, with players, family members, and been numerous methods of documenting this art, others related to the which can be expanded from books, periodicals, and essays, to movies upon around the country, and perhaps around and documentaries. Some of the great efforts in the world that will help to preserve and provide this area have included Ted Gioa’s seminal book, greater understanding of the various styles of jazz Roy Carr’s A Century of JAZZ, Paul F. Berliner, that formed in different regions which added to Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation, the great diversity of this music. The site, which is known as the Interactive Jazz HisThe History of Jazz, and of course, tory Multimedia Museum (www. Ken Burns’s quintessential 10-part, “A great amount of jazzhistorydatabase.com) is a multi19-hour documentary, Jazz. Gomedia database of recordings, viding beyond these formats, one of jazz history eos, photographs and much more. the greatest successes is the Smithresides in the But, it is the concept that Falco has sonian’s oral history project which towns and cities initiated that is an idea that can be features recorded interviews of over one hundred jazz legends in order where musicians duplicated and replicated in regions across the USA that would bring to to “document a generation of jazz plied their trade life the grassroots level artists and musicians, performers, relative, and business associates” according their and toiled in small their contributions to the jazz idiom. You’ll find an insightful article website. They’ve done an extraordiclubs, restaurants, about this essential database in this nary job at interviewing some of the and studios.” edition of JAZZed. most seminal figures in the history On another very exciting note, of jazz, much of which is available kudos to the Grammy awards for for free on the Smithsonian web site. However, a great amount of jazz history re- honoring former JAZZed cover-subject Espesides in the towns and cities where musicians plied ranza Spaulding as the Best New Artist of the their trade and toiled in small clubs, restaurants, Year. She sums it up on her website with great and studios that couldn’t possibly be covered by clarity : “Jazz artists aren’t typically nominated in this category, so that alone is special about any single organization. Richard Falco, the directory of jazz studies the award this year. Bur, mainly I hope this will at WPI an engineering college in the mid-size illuminate more than just an edge of the HUGE New England city of Worcester, Massachusetts, breadth of all that is happening in jazz music as a launched a project in 2001 to look below the sur- whole right now.” The potential for this award face of the jazz world and delve into the history to influence a new generation of jazz listeners is of the local jazz community, its roots, perform- extraordinary…
rkessel@symphonypublishing.com 4 JAZZed March 2011
Juilliard
JAZZ
Summer 2011 Workshops Florida • Georgia • Utah • Melbourne, Australia
Jazz camps for students who are dedicated, disciplined, and passionate about jazz. June 13-17
Grades 6-12
Bak Middle School of the Arts West Palm Beach, FL
June 13-17
•
(561) 882-3870
10-18 years of age
Georgia Academy for the Blind (GAB) for visually impaired students only Macon, GA • (478) 751-6085
June 20-24
Grades: 6-12
North Atlanta High School, Atlanta, GA (212) 799-5000 ext. 365
June 27-July1 Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
for hearing and visually impaired students who are residents of Florida Saint Augustine, FL 8 (904) 827-2200
July 1-9
High School students, ages 15-18
Juilliard Winter Jazz School, Australia
July 10-16
High School and College
Snow College Ephraim, UT
•
(435) 283-7472
Applications dates vary • Information at www.juilliard.edu/summerjazz
Photos: Brent Cline
Trinity College, University of Melbourne Parkville, Victoria • 61 (3) 9348 7486 • jazz@trinity.unimelb.edu.au
noteworthy Turkish Embassy partners with JALC for Ertegün Jazz Series
I
n late Janary, the Embassy of Turkey was joined by representatives from Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Boeing Company to announce their partnership in the “Ertegün Jazz Series,” a six concert series created in honor of the late Ahmet Ertegün, founder of Atlantic Records, member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Board of Directors, son of the second Turkish Ambassador to the United States, and staunch music advocate. The invitation-only concert series will be curated by Jazz at Lincoln Center and sponsored by the Boeing Company. The first concert, featuring Grammy nominated pianist Orrin Evans, is scheduled for March 1, 2011. Pianist Helen Sung performs with her quartet on April 12, 2011. During their father’s tenure as the Turkish Ambassador (1934-1944), Ahmet and his older brother Nesuhi hosted jam sessions in the music room of the Turkish Embassy Residence – the same site that will host the Ertegün Jazz Series more than seventy years later. Current Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan stated, “Nesuhi and Ahmet Ertegün established deep roots with the jazz community of Washington, DC. Though Washington was segregated at that time the Ertegün brothers brought cultures together with one common objective, celebrating music.”
Harlem Jazz Shrines This spring a new jazz festival “Harlem Jazz Shrines” will shine the light on local talent, as well as Harlem’s historic clubs and venues.
Jazzmobile, Harlem Stage and The Apollo Theater are presenting “The Harlem Jazz Shrines festival” May 9th through the 15th with a lineup of talent at historic Harlem locations including the Apollo. The festival takes place at seven locations with dozens of different performers. The cost of admission is $10 for every single event. For more information visit www.harlemjazzshrines.org.
6 JAZZed March 2011
Cape Town Intl. Jazz Fest Lineup Announced
P
roducers ESP Afrika recently announced during the festival’s launch in Rosebank, north of Johannesburg, that DSTV’s Mzansi Magic had been secured as the broadcaster of the March 25 and 26 festival in the mother city. South African Tourism’s Jermaine Craig said the festival “has earned its stripes” and compared it to other international festivals like the New Orleans Jazz, Heritage Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival. The launch was attended by artists like legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela, singers Naima McLean, Simphiwe Dana, Tumi Molekane from Hip-hop band Tumi and the Volume and Botswana’s Citie, who will all perform. Other performers confirmed for the festival include Christian Scott (USA), Hanjin (China), Lisa Bauer, Dave Koz (USA), Gang of Instrumentals, Patricia Barber (USA), Ivan Mazuze (Mozambique/South Africa), Monique Bingham (USA), Sandra Cordeiro (Angola), Esperanza Spalding (USA), Youssou N’Dour (Senegal), Earth Wind & Fire (USA), Don Laka, Bebe Winans (USA), Feya Faku, Tortured Soul and Cindy Blackman (USA).
Š2010 Avedis Zildjian Company
zildjian.com
noteworthy
Say What?
The Jazz 100
“Jazz is neither specific repertoire, nor academic exercise... but a way of life.� —Lester Bowie
Jazz24.org has released their list of “One Hundred Quintessential Jazz Songs,� as chosen by listeners and staff. To view and comment on the results, visit www.jazz24.org.
THE JAZZ EDUCATOR'S MAGAZINE
Esperanza Spalding
This Music Should be Known Educator Roundtable: Saxophone Mouthpieces Focus Session: Characteristic Mode Tone
The Official Publication of
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
21 Highland Cir. Ste. 1 Needham, MA 02494 Change Service Requested
At this year’s Grammy awards, former JAZZed cover subeject Esperanza Spalding shocked most by beating pop star Justin Bieber in the category of Best New Artist. In the immediate aftermath, everyone not familiar with one of jazz’ brightest young talents was online, trying to figure out who Esperanza Spalding was: the next morning, her name was the top search on Google. Spalding told CBS’ “Early Show� co-anchor Erica Hill in early March, “For a split second, I thought maybe [the award presenter] was kidding. I thought it was a joke. I was just totally shocked. Nobody really expected that. We were, like ‘What?’ And then, excited, of course.� As to whether it’s all sunk in yet, Spalding said, “I think so. I mean, I don’t know what it is yet, exactly. I’ve never been there before. But you know, we’re doing our daily sort of playing, practicing, touring, and my mind is more focused on that. Every once in awhile, someone goes ‘What does it feel like?’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, I don’t know, I hadn’t thought about it. Yeah. It’s great.�’ As for Bieber? Spalding said, “He was very gracious, and we met right after the show and exchanged hair touches. He was very sweet and gracious and he didn’t seem upset. Very kind young man.�
SEPTEMBER 2010 • $5.00
Spalding on Bieber, Grammy Win‌
JAMEY AEBERSOLD’s 2011
JAZZ
SUMMER WORKSHOPS 2 GREAT WEEKS OF JAZZ! July 3rd - July 8th OR July 10th - July 15th ALSO
2-DAY
WORKSHOP PRIMERS
GUITAR/BASS/DRUMS
July 2 & 3 July 9th & 10th nd
rd
SEMINAR W/JAMEY!
July 2nd & 3rd
University of Louisville Lou., KY
s !,, !'%3 s !,, ,%6%,3 s !,, ).3425-%.43 s *!:: )-02/6 #/-"/3 s -!34%2 #,!33%3 s *!- 3%33)/.3
s 35--%2*!::7/2+3(/03 #/8 JAZZed March 2011
What’s on Your Playlist? If Gordon Goodwin never wrote, performed, or arranged music again, he’d already have made his mark. As a successful Hollywood composer, Goodwin has racked up eleven Grammy nominations (winning an award in 2006 for his Instrumental Arrangement of “Incredits” from the film, “The Incredibles”) and three Emmy Awards. As a performer (keyboards, woodwinds) he’s collaborated with the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme, Quincy Jones, John Williams, and Christina Aguilera, to name just a few. Happily, he’s not one to rest on past achievements and with the 18-member Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Gordon is bringing large ensemble jazz to whole new audiences by infusing the music with his wideranging tastes. 1. John Williams – Catch Me if You Can, Soundtrack John Williams leaves them all behind. He is still writing music at a prolific rate, and this score is a great example of his jazz chops. Maybe you can argue that other composers could have written “Star Wars,” but to have the skill set to write dramatic orchestral music and a score like this one? Only J.W. 2. Take 6 – So Much to Say They have learned the lessons of the Hi-Los and The Singers Unlimited but also of Earth, Wind and Fire. They are still at the top of their game, singing complex vocal arrangements with impeccable pitch, time and feel. Got to love my guys in Take 6. 3. Thad Jones Mel Lewis – “TipToe” This might be my all-time favorite big band arrangement. It is simply sublime, with the great Snooky Young playing that awesome plunger solo. And I love that sax section, lead by Jerome Richardson. Thad was an original, one of my biggest influences as a writer.
4. Pat Williams – Aurora So great to see Pat get this record out there. His ability to combine orchestral and jazz influences in an organic way is impressive, and the band is clearly having a blast playing his great charts. 5. Earth, Wind & Fire – “In the Stone” Man, back in the day pop music had melodies as well as some serious grooves! I went to school taking those grooves apart and checking them out. That band had such a sense of joy in their tunes, too, and was totally infectious! Still is. 6. Sinatra at the Sands with the Count Basie Orchestra – “Luck Be A Lady” One of our greatest singers and our greatest big bands, both at their prime, man I would have loved to be there back at these concerts! Just completely swinging stuff, with Marshall Royal and his great alto sound leading the saxes with great charts by Quincy and Billy Byers. Love that Basie band!
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band’s newest album, How We Roll (Telarc International) comes out April 12, 2011. www.gordongoodwin.com 10 JAZZed March 2011
7. Hiromi – “I’ve Got Rhythm” Simply astonishing playing. And a really cool arrangement, too. Hiromi’s great technique is obvious enough to hear, but she also has great stylistic range and is wonderfully spontaneous as an improviser, open to any direction the music might go. Her joy in playing music is a pleasure to behold.
8. Victor Wooten – “U Can’t Hold No Groove” Victor is an infectious talent and has a pocket that won’t quit, along with an instantly identifiable sound and style. The guy plays like crazy, writes music, novels, you get the feeling he could do pretty much whatever he wanted to. 9. William Walton – “Variations on a Theme by Hindemith” This piece is so totally happening, and I’ve loved it for years. It’s very hip rhythmically, essentially tonal, but with some unexpected harmonic moves and a playful sense of fun throughout. I’ve learned a great deal over the years from studying the score. 10. Cannonball Adderley – “Who Cares?” Here I am at the end of this thing and am reminded why I hate lists like this – I haven’t gotten to Steve Wonder or Oscar Peterson or Michael Brecker or well, anyway, let’s just close out with my favorite alto player, playing with Bill Evans, also a big influence for me. Cannonball’s sound is full of life, his time rock solid, his sense of soul and groove, unsurpassed.
12 JAZZed March 2011
JamesCarter James and P. Mauriat share an unbridled passion for excellence that is fueled by a deep respect and intimate knowledge of the jazz tradition. P. Mauriat’s commitment to producing the world’s best
saxophones is truly realized by amazing musicians like James. Their role in helping to propel jazz into the future is our driving force to produce exquisite instruments capable of accompanying them on their journey.
James Plays:
Distributed exclusively in North America by St. Louis Music, a division of U.S. Band and Orchestra Supplies Inc. to find your nearest P. Mauriat dealer please visit www.stlouismusic.com
System - 76 2nd Ed.
PMXT - 66R UL
PMB - 300 UL
Find out more at www.pmauriatmusic.com
Jazz
at the Music for (ll Summer Symposium, presented by
NEW LOCATION! Ball State University Muncie, IN
June 20-25, 2011 Ball State University Muncie, IN Leadership Weekend Experience June 18-20 4\ZPJ MVY (SS PZ YLKLÄUPUN [OL Z\TTLY JHTW L_WLYPLUJL 0TTLYZL `V\YZLSM HUK PU[LYHJ[ ^P[O [OL ILZ[ VM [OL ILZ[ [V IYPUN V\[ `V\Y ILZ[ -ULL J(AA ENSEMBLE M(S;E9 *L(SSES WI;/ N(;I6N(L -(*UL;@ J(AA /IS;69@, IM796=IS(;I6N ;(2E @6U9 J(AA S2ILLS ;6 ;/E NE?; LE=EL
In cooperation with
-9EE +irectors!
Learn more and register online
www.musicforall.org
5atPonaS 7resentPnN Sponsor
6MÄJPaS <nPMorT Sponsor
6MÄJPaS ;ra]eS 7artner
Bring 6 students, attend tuition-free Bring 12 students, attend -9EE
6MÄJPaS ,X\PpTent Sponsor
Corporate Sponsor
Corporate Sponsor
Corporate Sponsor
Our network is growing JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
A MESSAGE FROM JEN PRESIDENT LOU FISCHER “Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.” – Jean de La Fontaine As I write to you today, I have to say how much FUN I had at the 2nd Annual JEN Conference recently in New Orleans! It was great to see the family come together for such a happening. Old friends, new friends, long time business acquaintances, long lost college buddies… all in the same house sharing our collective stories and jazz understanding with each other and enjoying the fruits of everyone’s labors. From the youngest school group to the oldest pro group, and all in between, every concert and clinic was truly representative of the BEST of the BEST as we hoped! The following pages are just a snapshot of some events and hopefully will allow those of you that could not join us this year to read a bit about what you missed! As we look forward to the 3rd Annual Jazz Education Network Conference January 4-7, 2012, we will be Developing Tomorrow’s Jazz Audiences Today in the vibrant community of Louisville, KY! However you pronounce it, whether it is Looaville, Louavul, Luhvul, Loueville, Loueyville…Louisville IS the Possibility City! This conference, again ALL UNDER ONE ROOF!...all within a days drive of 24 major U.S. cities, promises to be another first rate presentation by the organization and it will be held at the wonderful Galt House Hotel on Fourth Street in the heart of the city. Louisville affords our JEN membership an opportunity to visit the heartland of America, home of “Stop thinking in the Kentucky bluegrass, the Kentucky Derby, the Louisville Slugger, 4th St. Live! The Urban Bourbon Trail…and much much more. terms of limitaIt is important to realize that JEN is not just a once per year conference. tions and start JEN is people working in your interest ALL YEAR ROUND! We are exploring thinking in terms more initiatives now than ever before during our brief history, as the nuts and bolts of the organizational structure are now in place and we are in what I call of possibilities.” Stage Two of JEN’s organizational development. On the horizon, new initiatives include launching a K-8 web page that – Terry Josephson will be geared toward providing specific links for helping those interested in teaching jazz at that level. And speaking of the website, as of February 1, we rolled over to a dedicated server, which will speed up the site. Further, we have hired the expert team at AudioWorks Group Ltd./JazzCorner.com as our new webmasters. We hope to unveil a new, user and social friendly template by the end of March. We are working on a partnership to present technology interest clinics, and are formulating ideas for a research interest area of the organization, along with a mentoring program we hope to be able to announce soon. We are in the third year of a Strategic Partnership with Music For All, co-presenting the Summer Jazz Camp and the National Honors Jazz Band of America, and also in the third year with Symphony Publishing, publisher of JAZZed magazine as the Official magazine of JEN. We unveiled the new Jazz Composition Showcase at the recent conference, and will continue the Conference Program Book Cover Design contest to include those interested in the Visual aspect of Jazz. We are interested in your ideas, your concerns, and building membership involvement as the organization matures, and if you have specific skills you wish to Volunteer to JEN, please DO contact us via the CONTACT JEN button online or by telephone at the number listed. In closing, please remember to vote in the upcoming JEN Board of Directors election in April. The voice of the membership IS important to us as we forge ahead.
Bass-ically Yours; Dr. Lou Fischer JEN Co-Founder, President lfischer@JazzEdNet.org
JEN Board of Directors (2010-11): Ruben Alvarez, Paul Bangser, John Clayton-Vice President, Orbert Davis, Jose Diaz-Secretary, Dr. Lou Fischer-President, Monika Herzig, Willard Jenkins, Rick Kessel-Treasurer, Mary Jo Papich-Past President, Paris Rutherford, Bruce Silva, Bob Sinicrope, Terell Stafford, Andrew Surmani-President Elect. Office Manager: Larry Green; Bookkeeper: Mindy Muck Webmaster: AudioWorks Group, Ltd./JazzCorner.com
JAZZed March 2011 15
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
Jazz Education Conference Grows and Evolves
I
f you thought the evolution and growth of the JEN Conference was an impossible notion, then think again.
JEN Board Members Orbert Davis, Lou Fischer.
JEN Board Member Ruben Alvarez, NEA Jazz Master David Baker. Jim Widner, JEN Past President Mary Jo Papich.
The second annual JEN Conference, held January 2011 in New Orleans, grew more than 50% in attendance over the inaugural event held less than eight months prior. Plentiful in attendance were musicians, both student and educators, worldwide jazz media and fans, along with record label executives and even Congressman John Conyers from Michigan. With over four times the exhibitors from the initial event, the conference quickly sold out exhibit space and tabletops to instrument manufacturers, higher learning institutions and publishers. Actual attendance is not the only area of growth for the 2nd Annual JEN Conference. According to JEN President and Co-Founder Dr. Lou Fischer, the event grew in “submissions for clinics / performances, accompanied by professional and school / community groups. Therefore, offerings at the conference grew; (New Orleans) attendance reached upwards of 2,300 versus 1,300 in St. Louis (during 2010).” Suffice it to say, the annual JEN Conference is becoming well-known within its industry. Response to the event continues to expand in both domestic and international markets as far reaching as South Africa and Japan. To date there’s been exciting coverage in Asia’s ATN and BrassTribe, JAZZed Magazine, AllAboutJazz.com, Downbeat, Jazz Times and the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) News, etc. In the Crescent City, WWOZ broadcast interviews and streamed select Blue Room concerts “live” from the Roosevelt Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Additional jazz media (broadcast, print and online) took notice with pre and post conference coverage, sending representatives to report on the trade gathering that brings together everyone in the jazz music community.
Bassist Gene Perla entertaining at the piano/President’s Reception.
Trumpeter Mike Vax.
16 JAZZed March 2011
Caleb Chapman and Christian Wissmuller.
Jim Widner entertains in the sponsor area.
From hashtags to videos, links and twitpics gone by, a social media frenzy ensued on JEN’s Facebook and Twitter locations during the NOLA conference. This new media was key for up-to-date coverage in rooms where S.R.O. audiences were not uncommon. The “Jazz Video Guy” Bret Primak shared videos on Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp All Stars, while Basin Street Records executive posted information referencing his involvement. A resourceful organization, JEN has done an excellent job leveraging its constituents of board members, volunteers and musicians after only 2.5 years. “As long as we focus on our mission of advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences, there is unlimited growth potential,” said Andrew Surmani, JEN President-Elect. Current JEN President and Co-Founder Dr. Lou Fischer says, “we are just continuing to do what we believe the membership has requested of the organization, through the various surveys we have ran and comments heard.” The Jazz Studies Chair at Capital University in Ohio said, “I’m excited we are in stage two of JEN’s development (working now on “initiatives” rather than so many governance nuts and bolts).” Mary Jo Papich plans to focus on student programs – throughout the year – for the organization in her role as JEN Past President and Co-Founder. As the JEN Conference continues to evolve, watch for a theme of “developing tomorrow’s jazz audiences today,” at the third annual JEN Conference in Louisville, KY from January 4-7, 2012. Not only will JEN develop into a complex network of educators and industry types, but also more jazz fans and enthusiasts. In effect, the 2012 conference will be the third in a three prong approach, where each annual conference focuses on one aspect of the network’s mission.
Rusty Scarberry, Emily Fischer, Mary Ann Fischer.
Gary Armstrong, Frank Alkyer, Roseanna Vitro.
John Clayton leads a group discussion. About the Author: Dawn DeBlaze is an active JEN member who manages entertainment media campaigns at DeBlaze and Associates with an emphasis on jazz. The errand girl for rhythm and media matchmaker edits “Jazz News” and remains busy with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Jazz Journalists Association (JJA),) and Advancement of Jazz Study & Performance Advisory Council. Visit www.deblaze.com to learn more.
Congressman John Conyers.
MIke Tomaro & John Wilson Arranging Clinic.
Lee Mergner, Eulis Cathey.
JAZZed March 2011 17
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
“
The JEN conference had many highlights for me. Performances day and night by students and pros; clinics that showed you specific instrument, vocal and jazz techniques; eye-opening presentations for musicians about what’s going on in the business end of the jazz business. It seemed endless at times, just because you couldn’t take in enough of the offerings. But the thing that permeated the conference for me was witnessing and hearing the bonding of so many people involved in the music I love. It’s almost as if our Jazz Village is becoming whole again. – John Clayton johnclaytonjazz.com
18 JAZZed March 2011
”
JEN would like to thank all of the musicians who performed during the conference.
Congratulations to all!
Selected List of School/Community Ensembles • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
American River College Vocal Group Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp All Stars with special guests Jonathan Batiste, Edward “Kidd” Jordan, and Bobby Sanabria Bellevue College Vocal Jazz Ensemble “Celebration” Berklee Global Jazz Institute Combo Booker T. Washington High School Combo I Caleb Chapman’s Little Big Band Caliente! - Latin Jazz/Salsa Big Band EastBaton Rouge All Parish Middle School Jazz Band Fountainebleau HS Jazz Band HBCU Honors Alumni Big Band Louisiana All State Jazz Band, Rick Condit-director Loyola Jazz Band 1 The Thelonious Monk Institute Instrumental Combo Mt. Hood Community College”Genesis” Vocal Jazz Ensemble New Collection Community Vocal Jazz Acappella Ensemble New England Conservatory Combo - Ro Sham Beaux New Trier High SchoolJazz Ensemble & Swing Choir Northwestern High School Combo Pensacola State College Jazz Ensemble San Francisco JAZZ High School All-Stars The Louisville Leopard Percussionists The Mid Atlantic Collegiate Jazz Orchestra The University of Memphis Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra The University of Miami Frost Concert Jazz Band The University of Miami Jazz Vocal Group The University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band The University of New Orleans Jazz Guitar Ensemble The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music Jazz Honors Combo
Selected List of Professional Ensembles/Soloists • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Rubén Alvarez Latin Jazz Pro Jam Lynne Arriale Highlights of Nuance & Convergence Jonathon Batiste Alan Baylock Big Band Andrew Bishop Group Randy Brecker Topsy Chapman with Solid Harmony Jeff Coffin and The Mu’tet Evan Christopher Tony Dagradi and Astral Project Clockwork Dirty Dozen Brass Band Donald Harrison Jr. Group with a special appearance by Congo Square Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans HighTIME featuring Ndugu Chancler John Fedchock John Fedchock Sextet Aaron Goldberg Trio Aaron Jensen Vocal Group Aubrey Johnson Combo Dave Liebman John Mahoney Big Band Junior Mance Quintet Matt Marantz Quartet Thomas Marriott Jazz Quintet Delfeayo Marsalis’ and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra Kerry Marsh Vocal Jazz Quartet Chuck Owen & the Jazz Surge Ali Ryerson Jazz Quartet Bobby Sanabria Cindy Scott Mark Shilansky Sextet Terell Stafford University of North Florida Faculty & Alumni Jazz Group University of Southern California Thornton School of Music Faculty Jazz Quartet U.S.Air Force Airmen of Note U.S. Army Blues Swamp Romp Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders Dr. Michael White Quartet The Buffet Crampon Saxophone Section
JAZZed March 2011 19
Join the conversation!
Find the Jazz Education Network on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Jazzednet.org
“
I enjoyed my time at the JEN conference last month. Without being too hectic or overwhelming, there was a lot of interesting music and ideas to digest. The locations - not only New Orleans but the hotel itself- were ideal. I had a lot of fun meeting old and new friends in and around the conference. As the Jazz Education Network grows and expands its mission, I hope it retains the intimate and accessible vibe. Except for the one hour when the 26 piece afro cuban ensemble rehearsed in the room adjoining my voice and bass master class, I had a brilliant time : ). – Sachal Vasandani New CD, Hi-Fly will be released on Mack Avenue Records June 21. www.svjazz.com @k1mothy Lost thought from a crazy week: What is it about some artists that makes them identiable from just a handful of notes? #NOLAJEN #PDesmond
GREAT CONFERENCE EVERYONE... Even though we changed our name...I was very happy to be part of the “family reunion”... Here’s to Louisville! – Sherrie Maricle
@thomasjwest: Great ideas at JEN on online teacher resources from, Caleb Chapman #nolajen
@CarriBugbee RT @kirkhamilton: cool to hear a congressman talk so passionately about jazz. Right on, Rep. Conyers. #nolajen < YES!!
@SAVSwingCentral RT @RicardoOchoa: Compose your own solos in order to learn structure. G.goodwin #nolajen
20 JAZZed March 2011
”
@k1mothy Wow. The conference is already over? What a week. How long until the next one? Goodbye New Oleans #NOLAJEN #PDesmond
@kirkhamilton Amazing to see Jose Diaz pause to teach his kids even as they tear into this sala stuff. Ndugu just came onstage too! #nolajen
@alfredmusic Goodbye,
Louie Armstrong! See you soon! http://twitpic.com/3ogxoz#nolajen
Presenting JEN in New Orleans was a perfect choice. All the history and the vibe made this year a memorable experience for all that attended. Walking through the quarter and seeing tap dancers and hearing wailing blues made me feel at home. There were many great teachers and acts performing for the convention. -Roseanna Vitro
SAVE THE DATE
January 4-7, 2012
3rd Annual JEN Conference • Louisville, KY Visit www.JazzEdNet.org for Information and Application Details
• EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION - $125 Individual Members. A savings of $50 off of regular registration - available through October 15th. Spouse/Partner, and Student rates are also posted. • PERFORMER/CLINIC/PRESENTER APPLICATIONS: Available online March 1st -May 15th Midnight EST. • VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS: JEN needs YOUR special skills! If you would like to volunteer, log on today and complete the Volunteer Application...a must to be considered. Volunteers will be selected based on unique skill sets and needs and are being asked to work a minimum four hours per day, during each day of the conference. Each volunteer will receive credentials for the entire conference. • MEDIA: If you are a member of the Press and wish to attend and cover the 2012 Conference, visit out Online Newsroom for the most up to date conference information and complete the Media Application. You will notified of your acceptance in the near future. • CONFERENCE HOUSING: The Galt House, located in downtown Louisville has been selected as the host for the 2012 Conference. 1300 rooms at reasonable rates, and event space to accommodate all we can produce! • EXHIBITING: The Galt House Exhibit Hall and Grand Ballroom include noisy, semi-noisy and quiet locations for your promotional needs. Exhibiting is open to universities, instrument manufacturers, music publishers, record labels, tour companies, military bands, music dealers, individual artists, arts organizations, jazz festivals and more. We have a space to fit your needs and budget. • STUDENT COMPOSITION PROJECT SHOWCASE: JEN announces a new initiative that is a Student Composition Showcase and your talented students will want to be involved! Open to instrumentalists and vocalists, and in two age brackets. • JOHN LaPORTA AWARD: Berklee and JEN are collaborating together to present the John LaPorta Educator of the Year Award to a deserving elementary or secondary education jazz teacher. Make your recommendation online today. • COVER DESIGN COMPETITION: Get your students to show us their artistic flair! Enter the JEN Program Cover Design Contest and have their artwork grace the cover of the Third Annual Conference! Open to ages 12-18. • HOSTING A SPECIAL MEETING OR RECEPTION? If you are in need of a location to hold your own Special Event meeting or Reception during the 2011 JEN Conference, we are able to pass on special low rates on a per hour basis to you as a JEN member benefit. Want to bring your alumni together? Want to bring your constituency group together? Reserve your space soon. • SPONSORSHIPS: Want to become a JEN sponsor? Various levels of sponsorship for the 2011 Conference are currently available to you and/or your organization. • SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Several scholarship opportunities are available to deserving students. Visit the JEN website for details.
Visit www.JazzEdNet.org
“EVERYBODY IN THE BAND IS REALLY COMMITTED TO JAZZ EDUCATION.”
22 JAZZed March 2011
S
tan Kenton Alumni Band
20 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG…
2011 marks the 20th anniversary of one the last touring big bands. “It was originally started as the Mike Vax Big Band featuring alumni of the Stan Kenton Band,” says the group’s leader, Mike Vax. “Stan actually put in his will that he didn’t want a ghost band traveling around playing the hits of the ‘40s. But, twenty years ago was the 50th anniversary of the Kenton Band and De Anza College in Cupertino, California wanted to do something special for it, so they had me put together an alumni band to play a concert for their festival.”
JAZZed March 2011 23
The guys in the band realized that Stan’s name was starting to fade from public consciousness and wanted to do something to keep it alive. “We thought, ‘What can we do to try to keep it going and still stay within his wishes about not having a ghost band playing all the old hits,’” says Vax. “We ended up deciding that if we had a band of alumni that could play all those old things but we also started writing new music in the Kenton style, it would be more in line with what his wishes would have been so that’s what we started doing.” In 2010, with the knowledge and good wishes of the Kenton family, the name of the band was changed to “The Stan Kenton Alumni Band directed by Mike Vax.”
Friends of Big Band Jazz Kim Richmond and Alex Morzyn during a saxophone clinic.
24 JAZZed March 2011
At first, the group did just a few dates here and there, but after a few years the band members started to suggest the idea of going on tour for a few weeks. “I started working on booking tours a little over ten years ago and now we all get on the bus and do some touring almost every year,” says Vax. “Each year we pick an area of the country, I fly everybody in – the alumni come in from all over the place – and get on a bus for two to three weeks.” To offset the costs associated with hiring a full big band, Vax founded a non-profit. The undertaking is funded by the non-profit called Friends of Big Band Jazz. (www.bigbandjazz. net) “Many of the schools we play at could not afford to bring the band in,” Mike explains. “So we actually raise money through donations and grants and we’ve raised enough money to the point where we can lower the price for all of the schools that we perform at.” In addition to funding The Stan Kenton Alumni Band, Friends of Big Band Jazz has given scholarships for students to attend summer jazz camps, donated funds to youth orchestras, donated money to school music programs, and provided financial support for the Prescott Jazz Summit – a festival in Arizona that includes students as well
July 10 - 15, 2011 Advanced Jazz Track
Develop your jazz performance skills in a weeklong mentoring environment. Work directly with CSU Jazz Faculty in both combo and big band performance settings, as well as jazz-related masterclasses; private lessons are available.
Register at CSUSummerMusicCamp.com JAZZed March 2011 25
as pro musicians. FBBJ also supports the Al â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jazzbeauxâ&#x20AC;? Collins Memorial Scholarship Fund with proceeds from its CDs.
Anniversary Year 2011 is the 100th anniversary of Stanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday and incidentally it is also the 70th anniversary of his orchestra, and the 20th anniversary of the Kenton Alumni Band, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very
important year and the band will be doing more touring this year than ever before. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The road beckons! In April we will be touring in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, then in the fall we will be touring on the East Coast. We have also been invited to perform at the new Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as some other things that are in the works. We are hoping to perform in Los Angeles
In concert on the main stage of the Hollond Ameriza ship, Oosterdam.
around the actual date of Stanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday in December.â&#x20AC;? Everything the band does in 2011 will be in celebration of Stan Kentonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centennial.
Have Band Will Travel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Recording on the Road
#C 536.1&54 t $ 536.1&54 t #C " 1*$$0-0 536.1&54 '-6(&-)03/4 t 10$,&5 536.1&54
EXCELLENCE - EVERY HORN - EVERY TIME
Seeing & Playing is Believing!
SAXOPHONES AS EXTRAORDINARY AS OUR FULL LINE OF ALTOS/ TENORS/SOPRANOS AND BARITONES....CAN BE YOURS...BUT ONLY IF YOU ARE READY TO BE ASTONISHED, IMPRESSED AND PREPARED TO EXPERIENCE A TRULY THRILLING PERFORMANCE.
THE PHAETON TRUMPET COMPANY www.pjlamusic.com/phaeton.htm
THE SAX DAKOTA COMPANY www.pjlamusic.com/saxdakota.htm
22159N PEPPER ROAD, PO BOX 550, BARRINGTON, IL, 60011 USA 5PMM 'SFF r 1I r 'BY r F NBJM QKMBCJ[ !BPM DPN
26 JAZZed March 2011
In addition to touring, The Stan Kenton Alumni Band has released five albums. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent album, Have Band Will Travel, was released in 2010 on Summit Records. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we do is sort of interesting,â&#x20AC;? says Vax. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We record each night and at the end of the tour we listen back and see what cuts would be good. On some cuts the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing great and the hall sounds horrible and sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice versa. Our 5th CD is by far the best one weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever done.â&#x20AC;? Although a lot of the tunes are from the Kenton bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hey-day, The Stan Kenton Alumni Band is constantly writing and arranging new music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a great arranging staff that has been doing stuff for us over the years,â&#x20AC;? says Vax. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lenny Niehaus, Kim Richmond, Dale Devoe, Joel Kaye, Scott Whitfield â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a lot of the arrangements come from within the band. The only guy that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually playing in the band who has done arrangements is Lenny Niehaus but most of the other arrangements are all coming from guys that are playing with the band and most of them at one time or another wrote charts for Stan.â&#x20AC;? The band will always do some of the old tunes. One of Stanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest
hits back in the day was “Intermission Riff.” “On the new CD, Kim Richmond did a chart where it’s basically the old chart of Intermission Riff, but in the middle he voiced out Carl Fontana’s trombone solo from ‘Kenton in Hi Fi’ for the whole band,” explains Vax. “The band also did Johnny Richards ‘Artemis and Apollo’ from the Adventures in Time album, an arrangenment by Lenny Niehaus on the old standard ‘Long Ago and Far Away,’ and Mike had Dale Devoe do an arrangement of ‘Softly as I Leave You.’ We’re definitely staying in the Kenton style but we do some original things too.” One of the originals off their latest record is “El Viento Caliente,” which is a piece that Paul Baker wrote to feature Vax’s trumpet playing. “There are some things that are really from the old book, some things that are new but are really in the style of Stan and some of them are completely new tunes,” says Vax. One of their more interesting selections is a tune called “Five and Dime” which was written by a trombone player who is an heir to the Woolworth fortune. “They ran all of the old five and dime stores from many years ago. So he wrote us a tune in 5/4 for us – ‘Five and Dime’ – and the tune is actually partly in five and partly in ten. The new CD is a really nice combination of arrangements of standards and brand new compositions, but everything is pretty much done in the Kenton style.”
Keeping the Flame Alive “About 95 percent of our jobs are at high schools and colleges,” Vax notes. “Stan was really the father of jazz education and he really believed in having the band play in schools and do clinics, so a majority of our jobs are in educational institutions. Anytime we do a concert at a high school or college we do a free afternoon clinic for all the young people in that area. We’re really trying to keep the jazz education part of what Stan believed in alive, as well as his music.” Vax continues, “The big band has been such an important idiom in the history of American music and even today there are thousands of big bands in junior highs, high schools, colleges and even rehearsal bands all over the country. The JAZZed March 2011 27
idiom is still there but the traveling bands are almost completely gone and the only way that young people get a chance to hear what the music was like is through CDs or maybe YouTube. We feel that getting on the bus – which very few bands do anymore – and actually traveling and playing live concerts, gives the kids an opportunity to hear the real deal. When we play these concerts the kids just go wild, because they’ve never heard anything like what we do in a live situation before. We feel that not only are we keeping Stan Kenton’s name from dying, but we’re helping to keep the big band idiom alive. “A couple years ago we did a tour of the Midwest and at one of our stops the school band, had done an arrangement of Malagueña for their fall football show,” continues Vax. “When they found out we were coming one of the questions was ‘Can you guys play Malagueña?’ Well, that’s our closing tune of every concert because it’s just one of the greatest charts ever written for the Kenton band. It’s a real killer arrangement and of course the average age of our band is about 64 so they’re not young kids. All these guys really played with Stan or Woody or Count Basie or Maynard when those leaders were alive! So we ended with Malagueña and the band director came up afterwards shaking his head and said, ‘How do nineteen old guys play louder than my two-hundred-piece marching band?’ When the young people hear the energy that comes out of the band and they’re looking at the stage and a 28 JAZZed March 2011
of education, performance, and jazz stewardship will bring the music of Kenton, and the big band idiom to many generations to come.
If any educators are interested in booking the band during their 2011 tours (or beyond), please contact Mike Vax at vaxtrpts@aol.com or (925) 872-1942. Information on the band can be obtained at www.bigbandjazz.net.
Jim Widner Summer Jazz Camps 2011 Celebrating 24 Years!
June 12-17, 2011
lot of the guys in the band are old enough to be their grandfathers, they just can’t believe it,” says Vax. “What we’re trying to do is really an important cog in the wheel of keeping jazz music and the big band idiom alive. One of the real challenges is getting young people turned onto the music so that the idiom will continue to survive.” To help turn on the younger generation, Vax & the Orchestra do free clinics at every high school and college where they perform. “The clinics are a little bit of everything,” he explains. “Typically, we’ll play a couple of tunes for the kids so they can hear what the band sounds like and then we break off into individual rooms for sectionals. All the trumpet players will go with our trumpet section, all the bone players with the bone section, all the reed players go together and then the rhythm section. So we end up breaking it up into four separate rooms and we really get into the nuts and bolts of not only jazz playing, but also how to play their individual instruments. At the end, we’ll sometimes go to the main room and talk about jazz history, or let them ask questions. The guys in the band are really good about letting the kids ask questions and often many of the kids come up after the clinic or the show asking for pointers. The guys are happy to spend the extra time with these young people. Everybody in the band is really committed to jazz education.” With hope, Vax’s model
University of Missouri–St. Louis Jazz Combo/Improv Camp – St. Louis, MO For information contact Steven Smith at 314.516-5948 or smithss@umsl.edu ce.umsl.edu/jazzcamps
June 19-24, 2011
Omaha Jazz Workshop Summer Camp – University of Nebraska, Omaha For information contact Dr. Pete Madsen at 402-554-2297 or petermadsen@unomaha.edu www.unojazzcamp.com
July 10-15, 2011
San Jose State University – Jazz Camp For information contact Dr. Aaron Lington at 408.924-4636 or aaron.lington@sjsu.edu
Big Bands Combos Clinics Improvisation Master Classes Daily Concerts Featuring such artists as: Dave Pietro, Chip McNeill, Kim Richmond, Scott Whitfield, Dave Scott, Mike Vax, Gary Hobbs, Rod Fleeman, Wayne Wallace, Mary Fettig, Aaron Lington, Pete Madsen and others
www.jimwidnerbigband.com
JAZZed March 2011 29
report
APAP/NYC
Jazz: Not Just Another Four-Letter Word At APAP/NYC
A
t APAP/NYC 2011 – a global conference presented by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP), January 7-11, 2011 at the Hilton New York, and themed “Vision 2021”– jazz, “America’s classical music,” as the late Dr. Billy Taylor coined it, was very present: among jazz journalists and APAP members at several sessions, with jazz agents/exhibitors in the three-tiered exhibit hall, and by hundreds of jazz musicians at a plethora of performance venues in downtown New York attended by thousands of people. For five days in New York City, at least, jazz achieved a meaningful, cultural critical mass. For educators this is encouraging news.
30 JAZZed March 2011
BY EUGENE MARLOW, PH.D. For those not familiar with APAP, here’s a little background: • Almost 4,000 performing arts professionals and artists from 49 states in the U.S. and 30 countries attend APAP|NYC, making it the largest performing arts industry event. • Attendees represent the entire breadth and depth of the field worldwide – including presenters, producers, agents, managers, artists, educators, consultants, vendors, funders, donors, foreign government and cultural institution representatives, volunteer leaders and more. • 49 percent of attendees are leading decision makers or performing arts programming specialists and 54 percent of attendees are in senior management. Organized and produced by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, the Washington, D.C.-based industry association for the performing arts presenting field with nearly 2,000 members worldwide, APAP/ NYC is the annual conference for the APAP membership and the gathering place for emerging to established field leaders to contemplate the issues, the opportunities, and the future for this industry. More succinctly, APAP/NYC is a place for soliciting business, creating business, and making business.
report Jazz Journalism
Simultaneous with APAP-member sessions, the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA), under the ongoing and able leadership of its founding president Howard Mandel, organized several discussions dealing with the state of jazz journalism, particularly in light of the so-called new media, or social media. Several sessions involved discussions between JJA and APAP members. Another session, this one organized by APAP on the last day of the conference was a jazz forum that brought together artists, agents, managers, and presenters. All were lively conversations. Clearly, jazz journalists are dealing with the advent of new media, particularly blogs and tweets, and the response has been several. But one theme emerged consistently: reporting on jazz still requires the basic journalistic skills as before, but what has changed is the speed with which it can now be reported, the tools available (such as flip cameras, laptops, and the Internet), and the impact these electronic media have on the structure and compactness of the reporting. The impact of so-called new electronic media on jazz journalism, let alone journalism in general, was paralleled by APAP CEO Sandra L. Gibson. At the conclusion of an APAP-organized session for new colleagues and international members, I asked her what she felt was the most pressing issue facing the “live performing arts” presentation business. Her immediate response was directed at new media. For her the issue was not about whether it was good or bad, but how to deal with it. Similar to the tone of discussions among jazz journalists, Ms. Gibson expressed a concern that new media are changing the live performing arts landscape. She was concerned audiences could now access the performing arts in new ways, and that implies audiences not necessarily sitting in a venue to experience the performance. On the other hand, new media also means new ways of reaching extant and potential audiences to bring them to the live performance. For jazz journalists and APAP executives alike the “new media” situation is clearly formative. Jazz Agents/Exhibitors
The three-tiered exhibit hall at the Hilton provided ample space for the seemingly never-ending array of “live performance” agent representatives and booking agents. All manner of the performing arts exhibited their wares: dance, music, musical theatre, comedy, the circus, lecturers/speakers, magicians, mime, poetry, and puppetry – around 400 exhibitors in all. The music category was broad and included: jazz, classical (new music), classical (symphonic), classical (western), contemporary folk, country, electronica/techno, gospel, hip-hop, instrumental, jam band, lounge, musical theatre, pop, rock, singer/songwriter, vocal recital, and world music (Afro-Pop, Celtic, Flamenco, Gypsy, Indian, Latin, Reggae, Taiko Drum).
In this category jazz, by far, had the largest listing, not only in terms of representation, but also in terms of showcases: 120+ in all; some groups showcased at the Hilton, many others presented their talents at the various Winter JazzFest venues (see below). Numerous names were familiar, others up-and-coming. Yes, jazz was well represented. Jazz Performers and Performance Venues
The headline of Ben Ratliff’s New York Times in-print and online article of January 10, 2011 said it all: “Jammed Sessions Abound at a Village Jazz Festival.” The “festival” organized in conjunction with the APAP conference was titled New York Winter Jazzfest. Five jazz venues—Le Poisson Rouge, The Bitter End, Sullivan Hall, Zinc Bar, and Kenny’s Castaways, all within a few blocks of each other—hosted a smorgasbord of jazz performers over a period of several evenings starting at 6 p.m. and concluding at 3 a.m. The multievening event boasted dozens of bands that attracted not a few hundred, but thousands of people. Ratliff described it as a “Wall of Backs.” An apt description. One event I attended was Anat Cohen and her quartet at Le Poisson Rouge. I arrived perhaps 10 minutes into the performance. As I entered the main room I was awed by the fact that it was packed: it was S&SRO – Standing and Sitting Room Only. In preparation for the performances, they had removed all the tables and chairs. People were sitting on the floor in rapt attention listening to the performance. The atmosphere was more like the Monterey or Newport Jazz Festivals than a sophisticated New York jazz club scene. A Blip or a Trend?
Was this a very well organized and publicized anomaly? Perhaps. Yet an observation out of the APAP context provides a telling picture. The December 2010 issue of All About Jazz, New York lists over 150+ jazz clubs in its multi-borough directory. All of them are booked with performers every month.
JAZZed March 2011 31
report prison. There’s more of this happening. In fact, several grantmaking organizations are encouraging this. This is just more evidence that jazz has not disappeared. It has just diffused into our cultural and social ecology. A Vision of the Present and the Future for Jazz Creators
It could be argued, “Well, yes, of course, this is New York City. It is expected that there should be dozens of jazz clubs here!” The counter-argument is that regardless of locale, motivated performers will find a venue to play in, whether it’s an “official” jazz club, or a non-traditional venue, such as a religious institution, a medical facility, a school, a library, a street corner, a park, a retirement home, the subway, even a
32 JAZZed March 2011
For several years now the American jazz scene has been funky, and not in a good way. The dramatic demise in April 2008 when the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) filed for bankruptcy alone was a blow to an industry seemingly in a downward spiral. Jazz, as a genre with respect to physical CD sales, lags behind even classical music, not to mention rock, country, and rap. The shrinking number of jazz radio stations nationally gives the impression of diminishing impact. The number of jazz clubs nationally “seems” to be falling. Overall, before the end of World War II jazz was America’s mainstream music. Since the end of World War II, jazz appears to have gone underground, vanished. On the other hand, the number of high schools and colleges offering jazz as a course of study has risen. However,
report
RONDI CHARLESTON Who Knows Where the Time Goes
for many years numerous jazz journalists and educators have bemoaned the fact that while they are turning out betterschooled, highly skilled players, there are fewer places for them to play and perform. To quote Dr. Billy Taylor once more, he said, “We all know who the good players are.” While there are thousands of jazz players coming out of the several hundred schools that offer jazz programs, not all these players have the chops to perform at the highest level. Not all these players should have a top venue in which to perform. But it doesn’t matter really. What matters is that these students went through a program that exposed them to America’s classical music. It’s not just a matter of performance. It’s also a matter of understanding the culture in which you are born and brought up. You cannot talk about jazz, or compose it, or play it, without bumping into the history of American culture and all that implies. And these days you cannot talk about jazz without dealing with world music and all that implies. Fact is, while it “appears” jazz has been diminished as a cultural presence in the United States since the end of World War II, jazz is actually everywhere: in radio and television commercials, in film scores, in television soundtracks, in classical music, in musical theatre, in rock and rap, in dance, paintings, photography, and in our language. From the ashes of the now defunct IAJE has risen the Jazz Education Network (JEN), which boasted over 3,000 attendees at its January 2011 conference in New Orleans. It can also be argued that, globally, jazz is an expression of democracy at work, and where there is jazz in some form, there is also the hint of a democratic process at work, as Kabir Sehgal so articulately argued in his 2008 book, Jazzocracy. From discussions and information sharing between jazz journalists and APAP members, from the enthusiasm (albeit somewhat biased) expressed by the many exhibitors representing jazz artists of various stripes, and from the several nights of performances by jazz musicians attended by thousands of people, you could not participate in the 2011 APAP/ NYC conference without coming away with a more positive view of jazz’s presence and its potential future. For jazz educators and students alike this is good news going forward. Eugene Marlow, Ph.D., is an award-winning composer/arranger, producer, presenter, performer, author, journalist, and educator. He has written over 200 classical and jazz compositions for solo instruments, jazz and classical chamber groups, and jazz big band. Under the MEII Enterprises label, he has produced six CDs of original compositions and arrangements. His big band chart, “El Aché de Sanabria (en Moderación),” appears on Bobby Sanabria’s Grammy-nominated album Big Band Urban Folktales (2007 Jazzheads). Marlow is senior co-chair of the Milt Hinton Jazz Perspectives Concert Series at Baruch College (The City University of New York), now in its 19th season, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in media and culture.
Rondi Charleston writes and sings with full engagement and zero pretense on transfixing originals, brilliantly re-invented Brazilian and pop classics with an All Star band that includes SNL bassist James Genus, Dave Stryker, Lynne Arriale and Clarence Penn. Her Motéma Music debut, Who Knows Where The Time Goes, is marked by honest words, skillfull writing and wonderfully accessible jazz inspired songs. Spend some time with Rondi Charleston and you’ll know why she’s creating such a powerful connection with audiences everywhere. Charleston is one of those rare artists for whom a song’s meaning is as important as its melody. Her personal, thought provoking, original songs slow the heartbeat and raise the mental senses with a documentarian’s acuity. - DOWNBEAT
Blending her diverse careers, this collection of tunes, are marked by honest words, skillful writing and intelligent music. - ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Rondi’s excellence as a vocalist shines with her ability to convincingly tell the story behind the song because of her heartfelt phrasing and emotional nuance. - SOUNDS OF TIMELESS JAZZ
Performing music is as natural as storytelling for the Juilliard-trained Charleston - JAZZ CORNER
Here she has valiantly earned the title of songwriter - UNRATED NYC
BUY NOW at amazon.com and
motema.com
See Rondi at: JOE’S PUB NY MAY 26, 7:30pm visit rondicharleston.com for SPRING TOUR DATES
basic training
RHYTHMIC HARMONY
Yoruban Game
T
BY BILLY MARTIN
his is a topic I discuss often at Camp MMW and on my latest educational DVD, LIFE ON DRUMS (Vongole Films). Not only do we (Medeski Martin & Wood) stress this as a practice method in our music workshops, but we also use “Yoruban Game” for composing and improvising as a band. Conceptually: when two or more complimentary rhythmic patterns are playing together we call this “rhythmic harmony.” More common terms used are “counterpoint” and “polyrhythm.” This idea of two rhythms sounding together suggests a feeling. When we change one of the rhythms the perception and feeling changes with it. This is similar to the concept in tonal harmonic movement. So, if we have three or four rhythms at once the feeling is more complex and changing up the single lines within the combination creates a myriad of perception and feeling. This is much more musical and “conversational” in approach to performing, practicing, improvising or composing. All musicians need to be aware of this in order to have a deeper interplay and connection with one another whether improvising or just accompanying each other. Yoruban Game is one of my “Stridulation” compositions for percussion, but can be applied to any instrument or ensemble as a rhythmic guide or study. Yoruban culture has it roots in West Africa and has influenced many other cultures, especially Cuba, Haiti, Brazil and most African American musical traditions. My book Riddim: Claves of African Origin (Music in Motion) explores this concept for drummers or any musician interested in deepening their rhythmic sophistication. The graphic notation for Yoruban Game consists of two symbols: x (= sound) and . (= rest/space). Both symbols have equal time value. I created this notation so any person can participate and there is no emphasis on time signatures. Initially, we have all instrumentalists play woodblocks or bottles – each with a slightly different tone. Later, we apply Yoruban Game to our instrument of choice in an ensemble and work out the tonality in a collective manner. This is a collective effort. There is no leader, per se. Sometimes, you may need a prompter as initial guidance but the ensemble should govern itself collectively.
34 JAZZed March 2011
basic training Here is a list of the rules and definitions: X = sound . = space â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lockedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mode = everyone plays one tempo, share the same downbeat. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tradingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; = players can jump from one pattern to another in any order or combination. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;master claveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; = the key rhythm that defines tempo and dictates where the beginning of the phrase is. This part is usually the first pattern (clave) listed on the page. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;master clave performerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; enters first with top line and determines tempo for the entire performance of this composition.
Yoruban Game
by Billy Martin
;p;p;;p;p;p; ;;p;;p;;p;;p ;;;p;;;p;;;p ;p;;;p;p;;;p
Each instrument uses one unique pitch within the ensemble. The ensemble may also collectively decide on a mode or tonal concept adding another level of tonal expression. Most West African musicians hear patterns like these as multiple timelines and each rhythm listed may suggest timelines pulsating in 2, 3, 4, 6, et cetera.
;p;pp;p;p;pp
6281' )$0286
Players should not use dynamics in order to focus on this counter-rhythmic dynamic. The group acts as one organism and complements each other by choosing the pattern that compliments the whole. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to leave some space. Everyone does not have to play constantly. Space is the place! For video examples of the percussion class using Yoruban Game, visit: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=QxaLzUVvDdo For more about Billyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, Riddim: Claves of African Origin, checkout: www.billymartin.nnet/Riddim/Riddim_book.html and www.youtube com/watch?v=lANpWdO5rmE In addition to his acclaimed work with Medeski, Martin, & Wood, Billy Martin has also performed with Pe De Boi, Bob Moses, John Zorn, Iggy Pop, John Scofield, and Maceo Parker, among many others. He is a staunch advocate of music education and takes an active roll in Camp MMW: www.mmw.net/campmmw.
9<9E D9JKGF G> F=O QGJC HD9QK :9JA K @9J< JM::=J$ EGML@HA=;=K
;p;;p;p;;p;p ;ppp;p;p;ppp
<28 '21¡7 +$9( 72 %( )$0286 72
For more headlines and breaking news, sign up for the JAZZed e-newsletter on www.jazzedmagazine.com.
ZZZ EDULZRRGZLQG FRP
ZZZ P\VSDFH FRP EDULZRRGZLQG %DUL :RRGZLQG 6XSSOLHV //& $ 'LYLVLRQ RI WKH &DYDQDXJK &RPSDQ\
MADE IN THE USA
JAZZed March 2011 35
“That, to me, is jazz at its finest – when you don’t know what’s written and what’s improvised.”
Delfeayo Marsalis A Responsibility to the Music…
B
By Christian Wissmuller
eing driven around the neighborhoods of the Crescent City, discussing jazz with one of the Marsalis clan for an hour or so – not a bad way to spend an afternoon, right? This past January, while at the JEN Conference, that’s the situation I was lucky enough to find myself in.
Delfeayo Marsalis (www.dmarsalis.com) doesn’t (yet) have the name recognition of his older brothers, but he’s already earned a stellar reputation as a musician and producer, and current undertakings (the recent Sweet Thunder, for one) suggest even greater things to come. A stellar J.J. Johnson-inspired trombonist, Marsalis has performed with the likes of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Ray Charles, and Abdullah Ibrahim, as well as touring and recording as a bandleader. He’s also maintained an active role as a powerful advocate for music education and the perpetuation of jazz – the music and the culture. Along with his father and brothers, Delfeayo recently was honored as a recipient of the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award.
JAZZed March 2011 37
Here are some thoughts that Marsalis shared during that afternoon in New Orleans on the importance of listening, keeping an open mind, hard work, and respecting the responsibility that jazz scholars have to the music, itself… JAZZed: First off, thanks for taking the time to speak with me – and thanks for the impromptu tour of New Orleans! Delfeayo Marsalis: My pleasure! JAZZed: Let’s dive right in: I know you are very dedicated to spreading the word of jazz and are a strong advocate for music education. In your dealings with younger students, what are some trends that you’ve noticed? DM: A lot of what concerns me about students today is there seems to be a trend towards not really checking out the entire history of the music. It feels like a lot of the essence, the phrasing, the nuance, the meat of the music is being glossed over.
JAZZed: Is it a lack of exposure, or more of a “willful ignorance” type of thing? DM: I think it’s impossible to know everything, obviously. But, as an example, I recently worked with a young lady who played tenor saxophone and I was suggesting to her, “You should be able to use vibrato, you should know how to play like Coleman Hawkins” and she replied, “Well, I like the more modern guys like Michael Brecker.” I was trying to get her to understand, I’m not trying to suggest you shouldn’t like Michael Brecker – I’m saying you should know the styles that came before. There’s a big difference between being able to use vibrato and choosing not to use it, and not knowing how to do it. Having that knowledge, that skill – it’s not going to ruin your sound. JAZZed: When discussing some more modern, contemporary artists, do you find yourself getting roped into the “What is jazz?” conversation? DM: We know what it is [laughs]. Come on. If I play Kenny G. and Charlie Parker – if I play those two individuals for anybody on the street, they’re going to know which is jazz. So for me to have to say, “This is jazz and this isn’t jazz” – that’s not important to me. I think that jazz is so wide-ranging and, for me, the ideal group has an older school musician, maybe a guy who’s not a heavy reader but only improvises, a guy who likes Coltrane, a guy who likes Ben Webster, another guy who’s influenced by Maria Schneider’s group – you know? Another important element is the avant-garde musicians of the ’60s weren’t just influenced by themselves – they were influenced by Ellington and Basie. Nowadays people who don’t play straight-up traditional jazz are not only not well versed in the traditions of the music, but it’s almost frowned upon. I think the funny trend in music is we’re going higher and faster and louder. The meat and potatoes of the tenor saxophone is the lower register, you know? It’s not just a clever name – it’s a tenor saxophone. That’s why when it hits those higher notes, it has emotional impact, it’s captivating. It’s the same thing with a lot of trombone players – they really want to play trumpet.
“You run across these students who, at age 16, already think they know what’s worth listening to and what isn’t.”
JAZZed: It’s a good point – the need to have an awareness of your own specific role within a group. DM: You really need to understand what your instrument sounds like. A musician should have as much technique and be able to play as fast as possible and have as much range as possible, but you have to understand the role of your instrument and be able to create spontaneous polyphony. That’s what’s so special about New Orleans music and jazz. That, to me, is jazz at its finest – when you don’t know what’s written and what’s improvised. 38 JAZZed March 2011
JAZZed: You’re a big proponent of understanding improv and hearing the music that’s being made, in real time. Any successful methods you’ve employed that help students embrace that approach? DM: I’ll tell you – we recently worked with about 300 kids in the Davis/Sacramento area in California. The students were provided with a six-song CD they were allowed to learn as many tracks as they wanted, but the stipulation was that they had to do it without writing it out. They had to learn by ear. The interesting thing was, the “top school” in the region didn’t really follow the assignment. You know immediately whether a performer has written out the material. It was the kids who understood how to play in a relaxed fashion, with nuance, who really got it. JAZZed: Societal shifts and emerging technologies all play roles in how younger people attack music, though. DM: No question. We’re less comfortable, now, talking about race relations than maybe we were in the past. Branford and Winton kind of came from that first generation where you had true access to as much information as possible. Back then, it was really less about the music and more about getting all the opportunities as possible and developing a work ethic. That’s certainly changed. JAZZed: Other than your family, who were some early influences on your playing? DM: I studied with the symphonic players in my developing years. Greg Miller – who’s with the Louisiana Philharmonic now – was a huge influence on me. Also I studied with Ron Barron who’s in Boston at Tanglewood. JAZZed: It’s always bizarre to me when people – players or otherwise – just assume either that jazzers don’t know the classical canon, or don’t need to have any awareness of it.
Catch Our
SEVENTH
SENSATIONAL
SEASON
Attend Our Workshops, Jams & Concerts Our faculty includes international jazz artists and professors from many universities. Adult amateurs, semi-pros and educators attend and give us an “A” Rating year after year. We’re young enough to innovate and old enough to know what works in a jazz camp!
Session I July 20-22 Session II July 27-29 In Rockville, MD near Washington, DC
Maryland Family & Military Discounts S u m m e r Scholarships • 410-295-6691 J a z z 2 0 1 1 www.marylandsummerjazz.com JAZZed March 2011 39
DM: No, no, no – it’s so important to understand all of that stuff. The irony of Wynton and Branford’s first band was that these jazz players were all classically, conservatory trained. JAZZed: Talk a little about the musical dynamic within your family. I think there’s a suspicion that when you and your brothers get together at Thanksgiving or whenever, you have epic jam sessions. DM: Not really, no [laughs]. And when we do, to me, it’s not even that good! I mean, Branford and Wynton have “the thing.” They’re like different sides of the same brain, they spent so much time together growing up, they lived in the same room...
“It can be dangerous when students are only playing for competitions… The music doesn’t really have a function.”
AT Z Z JA
h 12t
LI
O NC
T
G BI
S
my
e
ad Ac
H EC
NI
E QU
S ity
kC LT Yor A w S Ne AR 11 · E 0 2 H 27, RE 4– D 2 e N Jun BA
or
ect r i dD
an
B ual
nn
A
LN
N CE
’ ER
d orl y w g.’ m had pirin n; I ry ins o i t Ve ma for class. s n tra ach as a r in e P A N T w I A ve IC ‘BD ped o P A R T p A i fl BD 20
10
ig nb g o ses nin ocu lear o f y n t em ds-o lied d a n p c a p rA hh ya n cto roug diatel rso e r e i h p e t D s m per hips and nique be im 0 B s 5 s $3 cholar er’ l tech t can N m s a a m rs IO nd IT s th s su ea ts a le! TU n u Thi d reh nique . co lab Dis avai ban tech room are and class the jalc.org/bda
40 JAZZed March 2011
bda@jalc.org
212-258-9810
The role of the trumpet in jazz, especially New Orleans jazz, is to take the lead, really. The role of the trumpet is actually to have no regard for the other instruments, so Wynton is perfectly suited to that [laughs]. The role of the saxophone or the clarinet is to make the trumpet sound good and Branford’s scope of musical understanding is so great – that’s why he’s able to collaborate with so many different artists and enhance their music. The role of the trombone is to connect all of it. The trombone is really the bridge between the rhythm section and the horns. While the trumpet and the sax are going through their thing, we’re smoothing it out. JAZZed: When did you really make the shift in focus and zero in on jazz? DM: For me it was when I got to Berklee. So many musicians were familiar with Branford and Wynton by that point, so there were a lot of assumptions about music that all these people figured I knew. I wound up spending a lot of time in the library checking out all these older artists. Scott Robertson, a great teacher, was another guy who opened my ears and my eyes. I realized I kind of had a responsibility to know all this music. That’s what we call, to me, “good peer pressure.”
DM: That’s so crazy, because you also went to BU, didn’t you? JAZZed: Our resumes are really similar – except that I’m not an award winning, in demand jazz musician. Otherwise, we’re pretty much the same. DM: [Laughs] Exactly. Well, with recording, it started early on, making demo tapes and recording recitals.
Branford was really into technology, so I learned a lot from him. He really had a sense of production and gave me the first sense of actually being able to produce something. Wynton contributed because he wanted his audition tapes to sound like Maurice Andres records. Here I am in 6th grade, 7th grade and I don’t know anything about reverb or consoles and he’s saying, “Man, why doesn’t
“The Sound”
as requested by you.
You asked for the playability and sound of the early Otto Links. We listened. With structural changes both inside and out, “the sound” of yesteryear has been recaptured.
JAZZed: How was it you wound up at Berklee? DM: I was originally going to go to Boston University. I was in the McDonald’s All American band and Chris Holliday’s brother Rich was like, “You don’t want to go do that classical thing. Come to Berklee!” I called Branford and asked him what he thought and he said, “Yeah, go to Berklee. Why not?” And I literally made the choice in August prior to freshman year. JAZZed: You and I both went to Berklee for Music Production & Engineering and you went on to produce a number of projects, notably for your brothers. When did you first get interested in that side of the process?
Otto Link Vintage for tenor sax.
www.jjbabbitt.com
MOUTHPIECES FOR CLARINETS AND SAXOPHONES
JAZZed March 2011 41
it sound right?” [laughs] But it was great, because I wound up learning a lot about acoustics and physics and recording through trial and error. JAZZed: You also recorded Connick, right? DM: I worked with Harry Connick early on, it’s true. What I realized very quickly was that there wasn’t really anyone of my generation who really wanted to record jazz. People wanted to go into pop – it made sense, it’s a more lucrative path.
“I realized I kind of had a responsibility to know all this music.” Graduate Jazz/Commercial Music Doctor of Musical Arts D.M.A. Concentrations in: • Composition & Arranging • Music Performance • Music History & Literature • Music Education
Master of Music M.M.
Concentrations in: • Composition/Arranging • Music Education • Music History • Music Performance • Music Technology • Choral Conducting
Summer Graduate Institute
July 5 - August 12, 2011
Earn Your Masters Degree in Three Summer Sessions One & Three Week Credit Courses
631.656.2110
In Service Music Courses & Housing Available
Open Houses
Saturday, April 9 & May 14 at 1 pm
305 N. Service Road Dix Hills, New York 11746
42 JAZZed March 2011
email: admissions@ftc.edu
www.ftc.edu
JAZZed: What’s your preferred method for instructing: masterclass, one-on-one, lectures? DM: I think larger ensemble teaching or a masterclass format is most enjoyable for me. One session, we had two big bands and they were set up opposite one another and that felt really effective. We set up a competition of sorts between the two groups and I really feel you gain the most from competition. You have to have some sort of competition, even if it’s only with yourself. It becomes more real than just looking at a sheet of music. Again, we’re trying to hopefully get more students to not be afraid of using their ears. The benefits are so great. It’s like anything else – if you’re on the football team, the coach doesn’t say, “Well, look – you can’t run laps well, so we all just won’t run laps anymore.” If you’re dealing with a student who really doesn’t hear well, who just doesn’t discern the language as quickly as others – well, he or she is going to have to work harder, but there’s still benefit.
JAZZed: Similar benefits to actually playing gigs, instead of just going to class.
who, at age 16, already think they know what’s worth listening to and what isn’t.
DM: Oh, yeah and I also try and encourage the students to get out there and gig because you learn so much about the function of the music. It can be dangerous when students are only playing for competitions, because then you either win or come in second or whatever, but then that’s it. The music doesn’t really have a function. Whereas, when you’re playing for someone’s party or a wedding, these are things where the music has a function. The requirements of a gig are very different then just the proficiency. So many kids who are in jazz ensembles aren’t really taught to love this music. They’re taught to learn the music and play in the competition and that’s it. But jazz is so fun, it’s playful, it’s cool – we really need to share that more effectively. People always ask what it is about New Orleans and that is what it is. We’re out there playing for the people.
JAZZed: Any words of advice to instructors out there?
take these older recordings and have the students really listen, sing along – it really makes a big difference. And don’t be afraid because the students aren’t going to learn it, or appreciate it right away. It’ll be hard, but it’s worth it.
DM: You should spend some time dedicated to listening and learning directly from the CD. You should
Summer Jazz at UArts
Music is Your
JAZZed: What are your current teaching affiliations? DM: I’m adjunct at University of New Orleans, as well as Tulane. I work with the private trombone students or I’ll sit in on a couple of full classes a couple times a semester. JAZZed: What’s the best part of being a teacher? DM: It would be when the student makes that breakthrough and really understands. There was a guitar student at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts where I was teaching one semester and he really got it, because he actually listened to what I was instructing the students to do. Moments like that are great. JAZZed: What’s the most frustrating part? DM: When [the students] are closeminded. You run across these students
It may even shape your future. Get one step closer to your dream by enrolling today in the University of the Arts Pre-College Summer Institute Jazz program July 11 - 23.
IN PHILADELPHIA PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
To request your free brochure visit cs.uarts.edu/precollege, call 215.717.6006 or email cs@uarts.edu JAZZed March 2011 43
WPI’s Jazz History Database: AN ACTIVE AND GROWING LIBRARY
P
BY CHAIM BURSTEIN
ulling up to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, I wasn’t quite sure what a small tech school had to offer in terms of jazz education. Two days ago I wasn’t even aware that WPI had a jazz program at all. It might not be the biggest jazz program – there is only one professor – but in terms of passion for the music, the students and faculty at WPI have it going on. Within the first five minutes of meeting Richard Falco, the director of Jazz Studies and his students, I realized that they had something extraordinary happening.
44 JAZZed March 2011
Falco, who has been teaching jazz history since the early 1980s, started bringing in internationally acclaimed artists to campus for concerts, lectures and master classes. “The students were really inspired by the contact with these artists,” says Falco. “Of course, the questions would always be the same. ‘How did you learn this language of jazz?’ ‘What inspired you to get going and how did you first enter into this whole jazz scene?’ They were the same questions I always had. As a result, I became interested in getting to know how people first learn the language and then how it gets disseminated in specific geographic areas. So, I put together a group of students and we went out into the field. The first thing we tried to do was to determine how this city of Worcester, Massachusetts got started with jazz and we actually worked our way back to the very first jazz ensemble in the city - Mamie Moffitt and her Five Jazz Hounds. “By going into the field, my students were able to meet with her grandchildren, we found hand-written family histories, we got photographs of her birthplace, her death certificate, and audio interviews as well. The band didn’t record – which is often the case in the twenties, of course – but we did get a lot of her family members to talk to us.” From Mamie’s band, Falco and his students were able to trace the history of jazz in Worcester. “One of the musicians in the Five Jazz Hounds was John Byard – Jaki Byard’s father,” says Falco. “We began to see how one led to the next – Jaki Byard was part of a little co-op here in Worcester called the Saxtrum Club. When the big traveling bands would finish their gigs at night, they’d go and do jam sessions at the Saxtrum Club. So here’s little Jaki Byard, 16 years old, learning from these masters who were coming in to town and they would jam all night long in this little store front.”. The knowledge that Jaki Byard gained while jamming at the Saxtrum club was put to good use when Mamie Moffitt retired. “She started
her band in 1922 and by 28 or 29, she had pretty much had it. But, she passed it on to others in the group including Byard and so the second generation took off. The fact that we were actually able to trace all the way back to that ancestry was very hip,” Falco continues. “My students were extremely excited about it and I wanted to share this information with others. So, we decided the best way to do that was to create an online museum. We edited all of the audio interviews, compiled photos and put it all up on a website. My students love the fact that they get to meet the artists, they get data that no one has – it’s completely unique to our site – and they’re creating this Web where there’s this ability to understand how the language gets disseminated.”
Humble Beginnings “The project started in 2001,” says Falco. “I actually presented this database for IAJE at the New York international conference and they were absolutely astounded – right down to the very last person. They were thinking that this is the wave of the future. This is the new library. This is the new museum. This is how to do things as opposed to having to go to an institute. How many folks from Europe can fly into Rutgers? God bless them – they have a wonderful collection. However, I’m more interested in making it completely available to everyone online.” Falco’s original vision involved an online library or museum of sorts. “If you want to see video you can get it here, if you want the see audio and so forth you could get it here too,” he says. “We still kind of had that format but the technology wasn’t catching up quickly enough and it was incredibly cumbersome. Even today, if we edit a television show, it could be anywhere from ten to fourteen hours of legwork by the time we rip it, edit it, and digitize it. I have boxes of old television shows in various formats so it’s a lot of work just getting these things digitized.”
JAZZed March 2011 45
“MY STUDENTS ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY GET THE CHANCE TO MEET JAZZ MUSICIANS, AND THE MUSICIANS THEMSELVES ARE EXCITED BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEIR PERSONAL HISTORY IS NOT LOST FOREVER.”
Richard Falco and students.
46 JAZZed March 2011
While the work is tedious, Falco sees this as an opportunity to save the legacy of some of jazz’s unsung heroes. “The preservation is fabulous. We’ve preserved things that would have been gone forever and they’re archived in high resolution so that we’ve got them available for people doing research and the like.” Today the website has evolved from a pet project of Falco’s to an entire course at WPI. “This is actually a course that we offer here as a seminar and students get academic credit for doing this,” he explains. While WPI might not be the first school that comes to mind with respect to jazz education, Falco points out that his students’ technology background has really helped get the project to where it is today. “Our technological ability is something that we can bring to the table. Our students are required to have hands-on projects – it’s built right into the curriculum – and they love that. They’re tech savvy but they’re also really into jazz as well.” One of Falco’s students, Mike Drnek a WPI alumnus and curent Webmaster and designer for the database chimes in. “We started with limited technology and essentially had a raw database which was based on the ground work that was
laid from the original code,” says Drnek. Unfortunately, jazzers are not always the most tech-savvy individuals. “The big hurdle was in the user interface. The people that are interested in the materials themselves were not necessarily as hip to computers so we had to make a site that was able to present video, audio, photographs, and articles, efficiently and in a way that was easy to access and fun to use too. Converting it from its original incarnation of a raw database to a media rich website that’s very accessible to anyone has been a huge undertaking.” “The website is very unique,” adds Falco. “We have jazz poetry, paintings, over ninety television shows, interviews, photographs, hand written manuscripts – you name it, we got it. And, these are all regionally based artists. If you look out there, you’ll find that there’s a lot on the first tier people. You’d be able to find tons on Duke Ellington or Dizzy Gillespie but I’m not necessarily interested in those folks. I want the second tier people. I want the ones who actually helped create a scene in a town or region.” Falco’s point is not lost on us here at JAZZed. All too often, researchers can focus on the bigger artists without looking into the people who helped shape the growth of that artist. Jaki Byard is a prime example. With Falco and his students’ footwork, the world is a little bit better informed about one of the Jazz greats. “Jaki’s dad played in Mamie’s group and learned the jazz language through her,” says Falco. “You can really see that whole lineage which is very cool. Those are the people that I’m most interested in and those are the people that you’ll find on the website.” “Currently, we have teams of ten to twelve students go out under faculty supervision and actually collect the material right there,” says Drnek. So there’s a lot of hands on stuff, a lot of grunt work and a lot physical labor that needs to go into processing and that’s something that we’ve been doing inside here and why it’s primarily New
Prof. Rich Falco
MAJE Jazz Historian Director of Jazz Studies, WPI England based. The heart of this project is going out into the field and making that connection with the musician or with the families of the musicians. It’s an exciting feeling – becoming part of the history of it. It definitely has an impact on the local music community. You get to see the network and the connection between now and then – the past and present which creates a context for the language of jazz music.”
Evolution of a Dream Although their initial interest was New England based, Falco and his students hope with the launch of the new site, they’ll be able to accept contributions from anywhere in the world. “What it would amount to is having satellite institutions set up,” explains Falco. “That way, they become actively engaged by getting their students – or if it’s a jazz society, their membership – go out and collect materials and then bring them into this fold without having to have the technical savvy. We get contacted by folks from other areas of the country who would like to contribute – even Europeans.” Drnek informed JAZZed that out of the thousands of hits that the website receives each month, about a quarter of them are outside of the U.S. “Even though we’re focused on New England based artists, there’s a lot of international interest just for the materials on the site,” he notes. Although the site is currently live, Falco told us that within the next couple of months, they intend to relaunch the site so that others can contribute as well. “The first part of the site is a model,” says Falco. “That’s why were so psyched. Look what we’ve done! A little tech school going out with one – I’m the director of jazz studies – one jazzer on campus. Look what we’re able to do. If we can do this, certainly folks that have a department in a conservatory or music school that’s dedicated to jazz or African American studies or music in general can go out
Rich Falco joined the music faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1979 where he currently holds the full time position of Director of Jazz Studies. He has also served for a number of years on the jazz faculty of Clark University where he re-established their jazz program and taught jazz guitar. With the Worcester Public Schools and Mechanics Hall Association, Rich helped create the annual “Conversations in Jazz: Brown Bags for Kids” for which he was author, narrator and music director. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and was the co-founder and artistic director of the Jazz Worcester Music Festival and a past president of the Jazz Worcester Society. Ensembles under Rich Falco’s direction have performed in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Russia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Austria, Egypt, Spain, Greece, Canada, Italy, Poland, Hungary and the United States. As a guitarist, he has performed in concerts, on television, radio, recordings and festivals with the Rich Falco Quartet, the Jim Allard Quintet, Ten String Swing and other New England based jazz ensembles. Rich has produced and presented over 50 internationally acclaimed artists on the WPI campus for clinics, workshops and concerts, including such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Sun Ra, Cyrus Chestnut, Marcus Roberts, Delfeayo Marsalis, and guitarists such as Larry Coryell, Mark Whitfield, John Abercrombie, Ralph Towner, Emily Remler, Mick Goodrick and Joe Pass. Rich remains a popular festival adjudicator, clinician and music lecturer. He has presented at the annual MMEA (Massachusetts Music Educators Association) All State Conference on jazz guitar, big band directing techniques and jazz improvisation, the New England Jazz Alliance (NEJA) Annual Conference on the collection and preservation of historical data and, the IAJE Annual International Conference in NYC for the African American Caucus. He is a frequent adjudicator for the Rhode Island Music Educators Association (RIMEA) and was invited to be the All State Jazz Ensemble Conductor for RIMEA. In 1989, he was the recipient of the Henry “Boots” Mussulli Jazz Educator of the Year award. He was the 2004 recipient of the Jazz at Sunset Festival Award for “creative jazz performances of consistent excellence, artistic integrity, and the generous sharing of knowledge and understanding of music”. In April, 2006 Falco became the twelfth recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association for Jazz Education.
ENSEMBLES: CONCERT BAND CHORUS JAZZ COMBOS AND BANDS ORCHESTRA WORLD MUSIC
PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAMS: CELLO CLARINET DOUBLE REED FLUTE FRENCH HORN MUSICAL THEATRE ORGAN PERCUSSION PIANO SAXOPHONE TROMBONE TRUMPET VIOLA VIOLIN
JAZZed March 2011 47
SUMMER AT
EASTMAN 2011
Summer Jazz Studies For high school students in grades 9-12 HAROLD DANKO, JEFF CAMPBELL, DIRECTORS
JUNE 26 – JULY 8 This intensive, performance-based program is ideal for students considering collegiate jazz studies. Work directly with Eastman’s renowned jazz faculty, and enhance your improvisational and ensemble skills. đƫ */0.1)!*0 (ƫ /0!.ƫ ( //!/ đƫ +) +/ƫ đƫ %#ƫ * /ĥ 4+(+#5ĥ 1%0 .ƫ!*/!) (! đƫ +.1) đƫ +),+/%0%+*ƫ * ƫ0$!+.5 đƫ 2!*%*#ƫ )ƫ !//%+*/ Housing and meals available for this program only
Middle School Instrumental Jazz For students entering grades 7-10 HOWARD POTTER, PAUL HOFMANN, BILL TIBERIO
into the field and collect records. Last April we launched the site, and we have this enormous amount of contribution capability so you can send us your photos and they’ll be automatically uploaded.” “As Falco mentioned, it’s pretty tedious work to process all of that and put it on the Web site,” says Drnek. “So, rather than distributing the site as a model for other people to do all the legwork, we’ve created a framework where over the next few months, we could have people do some basic organization and collecting of materials and then just upload it and have everything automatically processed. It’s a real pivot point for the functionality of the site. It’s changed from something that we do all in house to something that can be readily scaleable for anybody and we have a lot of partnerships in the works with other schools in the area. Not only just music schools, but schools that are interested in African American studies or even American history. Essentially, any school where they go out and have research teams is a target. But, instead of having to do all of the technical processing, we now have the ability to have that automated. Now that we’re scaleable with this technology, it essentially reduces the amount of work that goes into processing and formatting for the web and it’s really taking off in a whole new direction.” “Everyone does jazz historical research but here we’ve got this hardcore tech background,” says Falco. “If we can
make it easy for others to collect and preserve that’s really what I’m most interested in. If we could just get a humanities department with maybe one historian that wants to take students out into the field for an oral history project – they don’t even need to be jazzers – what a way to engage students! What could be more exciting to have your students really hands on? The problem is – what do they do with the material and how do they process it? That’s the big deal. “The next area is getting others to contribute and make it as simple as possible for them to do so. This academic year, my primary area of focus is to set up these other organizations that will actively engage in research projects, go out into the field with their students, get them excited and we’ll take care of a lot of the processing problems. Hopefully, this is going to be really easy for people to access and be able to contribute and each satellite will have its own regional flavor.” “It will be under the same umbrella, and the site will be set up differently than it is currently,” notes Drnek. “The site’s been public for seven years but we’ve been building up material over this past class and now that we’ve got the momentum going in a few months we’ll essentially have a redesign and a re-launch which will add to the expandability and scalability of these satellite organizations that could be contributing through their own research projects but would also operate under the same umbrella as the current project.” “We also have a eb resource area on
JULY 25-AUGUST 5 NEW THIS YEAR!
Introduction to Jazz History Presented during the Rochester *0!.* 0%+* (ƫ 66ƫ !/0%2 ( PAUL HOFMANN
www.esm.rochester.edu/summer summer@esm.rochester.edu In NYS 585-274-1400 or 1-800-246-4706
48 JAZZed March 2011
Mike Drnek
Principle Design Architect WPI Alumni 2002-2007 Biomechanical Engineering While at WPI, Rich stressed the importance that his students, both past and present have had on the project. Mike Drnek, a WPI alumni who worked on the project as an undergrad, is the current Webmaster for the database. “I’ve been at the helm of this project for over 8 years, and I’m excited to see it’s continued growth that’s fueled by enthusiastic students at WPI.” The Jazz History Database is at a pivotal point in it’s development, as we’re on the cusp of launching a new design with the powerful ability for people around the world to contribute seamlessly. It’s my hope that the project serves as a creative conduit for historical jazz research that benefits the jazz community as a whole.”
our web site with links to jazz schools, jazz societies, and jazz libraries,” says Falco. “We ask for reciprocating links as well, so we’re trying to drive traffic, but we’re really just getting off the ground.”
Preserve or Perish Falco’s passion for preservation is one of necessity. “It’s kind of fallen to my generation to either document or lose,” he says. “By the time it gets to my students’ generation this stuff will be gone.” Falco recently received over ninety TV shows that were otherwise headed for the landfill. “We literally got a call saying ‘You want any of these tapes, cause we’re just going to toss them out, they’re just jazz shows.’ So part of it is that this stuff is just disintegrating, which is awful. If we don’t get our students engaged and interested in collecting and preserving, it’s not going to happen.” In addition to the need to preserve the rich history of jazz, part of the draw for Falco is how pumped his students are to help him with his cause. Several of the students who have taken the course now volunteer their time towards the project. “My students are extremely excited about the fact that they get the chance to meet jazz musicians, and the musicians themselves are excited because they know that their personal history is not lost forever. Maybe their family members will remember but there are some cats who were really heavy hitters who had an enormous impact on the region in which they live. Why not document these folks? Who were their students? What kind of an impact did they have? That’s what I’ve been doing. “These are people who have a very rich background and we have people do these kind of interviews all the time, so why not put it out there? I try to get as close to the primary source as I can. I’ve got a hundred and something telephone interviews that were conducted, and I just let it run. Why type it out or edit it? You don’t get to hear the artist’s voice, their accent, where they’re really
placing emphasis,” explains Falco. The city of Worcester serves as the host to several festivals throughout the course of a year and not being one to miss out on an opportunity, Falco brings his students to record every jazz artist they can. “Let’s see the cats in action,” he says. “This is how they played on the bandstand. You can’t get that in a sterile environment like a recording studio – you dig? I had Sun Ra here on campus, and he gave us permission to tape the entire thing. It’s on the Web site soup to nuts. He came on stage with his cape, sat down, played, sang – I’m not going to edit it! Cat gave it to me first hand and that’s as close to the primary stuff as you can get.” He continues, “This is just a labor of love on my part because initially, this was not something that was really school affiliated. My jazz history class really influenced all of this. Bringing jazzers on campus and having the students ask the right questions and be engaged and excited – that’s one thing. But to really go out and collect and to be able to say that you were a part of this preservation project, that’s a whole other story. Then, when they see it up online – that’s the buzz. They see it up online and say, ‘I did that and it’s preserved forever now and we’re not going to lose it’ – that’s a good thing. I find that my students become so passionate about this because they realize – as jazz musicians – the importance of preserving this history. They want to do preservation and they have the tech ‘know-how’ to do it and if we can make it easy for everyone else, imagine the possibilities!”
For more on the Jazz History Database, visit www.jazzhistorydatabase.com. For Questions on how to become a contributing member to the database, or to become a satellite institution, please contact: Professor Richard Falco Director of Jazz Studies WPI 100 Institute Road Worcester, Mass. 01609 (508) 831-5794 rfalco@wpi.edu
JAZZed March 2011 49
focus session
T W E LV E - T O N E W R I T I N G
Another Color for Your Musical Palette PRINCIPLES OF TWELVE-TONE WRITING BY LEE EVANS
W
ith a tip of the hat to Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It” (“Birds do it, bees do it”, etc.), Bird (Charlie Parker) never did it, nor did the B’s (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms) ever do it. Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton Webern did it many times. And believe it or
not, jazzmen Leonard Feather and Bill Evans each did it once. What these musicians did was compose music that utilized all twelve tones - once each - of one octave of the chromatic scale, as the principal melodic theme of a musical work. Around 1910-1920, Schoenberg codified a system, called twelve-tone technique, also known as serial technique and dodecaphonic technique, in which those twelve tones were to be employed in a musical work in such a way as to prevent any one of them from sounding more prominent than any other. This music was said to be atonal, music not possessing a sense of key. (By contrast, music offering a sense of key, with one central fundamental tone acting as the musical focus, or center of musical gravity, is known as tonal music.) Schoenberg’s two genius students, Berg and Webern, adhered to his precepts to varying degrees of fidelity to his system, Berg somewhat less so, resulting in music that was sometimes less forbidding; Webern to a more extreme degree in certain respects, resulting in music that was sometimes even more abstract than Schoenberg’s. All three of these composers, collectively, composed a body of unusually influential atonal music. Incidentally, I have heard it said that Schoenberg’s preferred term was pantonality (all tonalities) rather than atonality (without tonality). Pantonality suggests the existence of all tonalities, music in which all tones are equal to one another (the
50 JAZZed March 2011
prefix “pan” meaning “all”); whereas atonality suggests the absence of any tonality at all (the prefix “a” meaning” “without”). But the term “atonality” was the one that caught on with musicologists and educators, and came to describe that entire genre of music. Jazz critic/composer/record producer Leonard Feather published an atonal composition in the 1960s, called “Twelve Tone Blues”, in an attempt to apply Schoenberg’s 12-tone composing method to a jazz context. But the work’s complexity proved that this compositional approach was too daunting to enable most other jazz composers and improvisers to follow in his footsteps. Nevertheless, jazz pianist/composer Bill Evans was inspired to compose “Twelve Tone Tune.” However, he harmonized the twelve tones in such a way as to make the piece sound tonal, which was the opposite of what Schoenberg had intended to accomplish with his compositional system. While not actually employing 12-tone technique, Algerian jazz pianist/composer Martial Solal’s jazz playing is replete with a high degree of unresolved dissonance ordinarily associated with 12-tone music. To this listener, Solal’s playing is often highly suggestive of Arnold Schoenberg’s expressionist compositional approach. Solal’s fall 2007 solo appearance at New York City’s Village Vanguard, where I last heard him, received high
focus session acclaim in the press. His playing, to me, is the jazz embodiment of the Schoenbergian ideal; undoubtedly for many an extremely challenging listen, but always fascinating, arresting and compelling.
Why Employ 12-tone Technique? A principal advantage of employing 12-tone compositional technique is to make one’s music sound contemporary. I have for quite a few years been an adjudicator of student original compositions, and have often been keenly disappointed by students who have written in a manner suggestive of 18th century musical influences, such as Mozart and Haydn, than of more modern ones. Employment of Schoenberg’s 12-tone system of composition would assure that one’s creative efforts would sound like the music of today, rather than the music of past eras – surely a goal worth aiming for. In his NY Times column on Sunday, January 9, 2011, speculating on which classical composers belong among the top ten of all time, chief music critic Anthony Tommasini states: “Schoenberg was arguably the most influential composer of the 20th century. That he pushed tonality past the brink and devised a technique to supersede it completely shook up the music of the era. Every composer in his wake had to come to terms with Schoenberg.” Let’s now examine the nuts and bolts of his compositional system. It will then quickly become apparent how accessible that approach truly is, and how successfully composition students will be able to compose with a musical sensibility reflective of contemporary rather than past times.
How The Twelve-tone System Works Schoenberg’s extremely novel idea was to create a 12-tone melody, called a tone row in 12-tone music, using
each pitch of one octave of the chromatic scale once each, but organizing their order in such a way as to prevent the suggestion of a tonal, or key, center. The tone row pitches could be played melodically (one at a time), or chordally (several at a time). Pitch equality was to be achieved by not playing any note a second time until the other eleven had been sounded. Each composition would be characterized by the exclusive use of one set of twelve different notes. The following 12-tone development treatments are based upon the tone row of my original piano solo Half-A-Minute Waltz (from my Hal Leonard book Three 12-Tone Waltzes plus Student 12-Tone Composing Outlines) which appears on the following pages in this issue. Tone Row – A twelve-tone melody using each pitch only once.
Retrograde – The pitches of the tone row appear in backwards order.
Inversion – The intervals between the pitches of the tone row move the same distance in the opposite direction; in other words, in mirror image to the intervals from pitch to pitch of the tone row.
Retrograde Inversion – Intervals from pitch to pitch of the retrograde are played in inversion.
All four of the above – tone row, retrograde, inversion, retrograde inversion – may be transposed to any chromatic scale step, thus creating 48 (12x4) different possibilities. Registers and octave position of any tone row pitch may also be changed.
JAZZed March 2011 51
focus session
52 JAZZed March 2011
focus session
Lee Evans, Ed.D., is professor of music at NYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pace University. His most recent solo-piano publications for the FJH Music Company are the late-beginner level Color Me Jazz, Books 1 and 2, and the intermediate/upper intermediate level Ole! Original Latin American Dance Music.
JAZZed March 2011 53
roundtable
JAZZ CAMPS & WORKSHOPS
Are You Ready for the Summer...? As we head into winter’s home stretch, JAZZed decided to speak with a few experienced instructors about the potential benefits for students who attend summer jazz camps. For those of you who haven’t yet done much with such programs, consider
this
roundtable
(imagine a very small “table” – we limited ourselves to speaking with three teachers) a brief introduction to the topic; those of you who are seasoned vets when it comes to summer workDave Sterner
part-time faculty Cuyahoga Community College Jazz Studies www.davesterner.com
54 JAZZed March 2011
Gunnar Mossblad
Director of Jazz Studies, The University of Toledo Musical Director the Dave Liebman Big Band & Manhattan Saxophone Ensemble
Wade Beach
Wade Beach Music. Professor, George Mason University School of Music
shops and the like – please get in touch! We’d love to hear from you.
roundtable From an administrative standpoint, are there any difficulties or challenges in “partnering” a school or independent teaching program with jazz camps or workshops?
a good match between the student and the camp.
How do you go about encouraging a student to consider participating in a jazz camp or workshop?
GM: If I hear a student that I believe would benefit from a camp or workshop, I try to communicate those things about the camp that will resonate with him or her. In some cases it might be the personal musical growth that the student can achieve. In other cases it might be the value of studying with a great jazz artist. For older students I might emphasize the chance to develop their playing quickly. And I always emphasize the fun they will have.
Wade Beach: If the student has set a goal that the camp could help him or her reach, I simply point this out, and the rest usually falls into place. I don’t suggest it unless I can see that there is
Dave Sterner: It depends on what the goals of the student are. Some students are motivated by the social experience (chance to get away from home, et cetera), but others are motivated by
Gunnar Mossblad: I have found very few problems. The biggest challenges are usually addressed early on in the process, and can include coordinating the schedule and facility needs with the partnering group.
2011 SUMMER JAZZ IMMERSION PROGRAMS
jazz camp
Ages 12-17 Week 1, July 17-22 Week 2, July 24-29
jazz residency Ages 18 and up Week 3 July 31-August 6
t 1FSTPOBMJ[FE DVSSJDVMVN t 'PDVT PO JNQSPW BOE DPNCP QMBZJOH t 'BDVMUZ JODMVEFT (FPSHF $BCMFT 5BZMPS Eigsti, Julian Lage, Madeline Eastman, +PF -PWBOP UIF #BE 1MVT #JMM 'SJTFMM the Heath Bros., and more For more information and to register online visit www.stanfordjazz.org or call 650-736-0324
the musical experience. I encourage the latter. Usually I try to encourage students who already show some success and would be further inspired by the opportunity. I am fortunate that I co-direct a local jazz festival that has 23+ high schools participate and I have the opportunity to recognize these students. Outstanding soloists/performers receive “citations” and in some cases summer camp scholarships. The Berklee School of Music sponsors five scholarships to their summer camps each year and Lakeland Community College (host for the event) sponsors eight scholarships for various activities. The citations and scholarships allow us to contact the students at a later date to encourage their participation in summer camps. It’s a great way to keep track of some of the area’s most promising young mu-
Jazz at Interlochen offers an all-encompassing experience where students rehearse, preform, develop improvisational skills and broaden their understanding of jazz.
SUMMER ARTS CAMP Grades 9-12 • June – August
FINE ARTS BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL Grades 9-12 • September – May
www.interlochen.org JAZZed March 2011 55
What do you feel are the biggest benefits for students?
sicians. Some of the success stories in this process have been musicians such as Sean Jones and Dominick Farinacci. Certainly we can’t take credit for their huge success, but hopefully in some small way we’ve contributed to their story.
DS: For some, not much more than the courage to try a blues scale solo in next year’s jazz band and maybe meet some new friends, but for others, may-
Great Basin
0D]] )DPS www.greatbasinjazzcamp.com
July
11 - 15, 2011
You gotta be there!
be the inspiration to practice harder, more diligently and with a purpose... to listen to the music they are trying to emulate... the realization that nothing will come out of your horn that you don’t put in it. These things can be very sobering to the aspiring musician, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Better they find out now rather than freshman year in college. WB: The main one is making music with like-minded people. In other words, “group participation.” Also hopefully they can be inspired by the instructors. GM: Most middle and high school teachers are not qualified to teach jazz, but a camp offers experts presenting the music in a proper manner, also offers the time to spend time on aspects of the jazz music that are normally hard to integrate in a jazz band class setting... like improvisation. It also fosters personal creative growth. Any potential drawbacks?
Professional Instructors for All Instruments COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO • Twin Falls, Idaho
Jazz Week 2011! • Jazz Band & Vocal Jazz for Middle & High School students • Prominent guest conductors lead exciting jazz choirs and big bands AT THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDEN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC CAMP - US
(701) 838-8472 (701) 838-1351 Fax info@internationalmusiccamp.com
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC CAMP - CANADA
(204) 269-8468 brent@internationalmusiccamp.com
$355
• Outstanding artist-teachers • Professional Development For Educators • Jazz Combos & Private Lessons • Jazz Theory & Ear-training • No Auditions Required!
July 17-23
All Full Week Programs Instruction, Housing & Meals
www.internationalmusiccamp.com 56 JAZZed March 2011
DS: They find out that they are not [as good as they thought they were], after all. There’s no magic scale that will make them solo better. Playing time is important. GM: None that I can think of. WB: If a student comes to a camp with unrealistic expectations, or for the wrong reason, they could go away unhappy. Additional thoughts? DS: Quite frankly, I wonder if there are simply too many camps? Maybe not. Or if camps need to be more “current.” I understand we’re trying to promote jazz, (and I’m sure they exist) but rock or pop camps I’m sure would fill up in a heartbeat. Even the mighty “high school” jazz isn’t cool anymore. It’s just the closest thing to a school sanctioned music activity that kids can “almost” identify with. Berklee has certainly figured that out. If schools put together “high school rock/pop” bands: Look out...
Gearcheck The Evolution of Jazz Drumming from Hudson
Hudson Musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Evolution of Jazz Drumming by Danny Gottlieb is an educational book/DVD package for drummers. The product presents the most complete and comprehensive historical analysis of the drummers who created and defined modern jazz drumming in print.
T-Rex Pedals
T-Rex Engineeringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has added new pedals of its growing line of boutique effects pedals. The new pedals include: Reptile 2, Twister 2, and Tonebug Sustainer. www.t-rex-effects.com
Jazz Port Townsend John Clayton, Artistic Director
Workshop & Festival July 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 31, 2011 Workshops, ensemble coaching, and public performances featuring Paquito Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rivera, Terell Stafford, Jeff Hamilton, Bill Holman, and many more! Make plans now to experience Jazz Port Townsend. Visit www.centrum.org/jazz
Fort Worden State Park Â&#x2021; Port Townsend, WA
Designed as a guide and workbook for the high school, college-level, and professional drummer, it is meant to be studied based on a typical 16-week college semester. A legendary and influential jazz drummer is studied during each of these weeks. Author Danny Gottlieb, known himself as a world-renowned jazz drummer with Pat Metheny, Stan Getz, Randy Brecker, and others, brings to bear his unique expertise as a professor of Jazz Studies at the University of North Florida. The Evolution of Jazz Drumming by Danny Gottlieb. Book (220 pages)/DVD Multimedia Package (1 DVD and 1 MP3 disc)sells for $29.99. www.hudsonmusic.com
TW\SZL 6XPPHU -D]] ,QVWLWXWH -XO\ IRU KLJK VFKRRO VWXGHQWV
$QGUHZ %LVKRS 8 0 )DFXOW\ 'LUHFWRU $ VXPPHU SHUIRUPLQJ DUWV FDPS RQ WKH $QQ $UERU FDPSXV FDUU\LQJ KLJK VFKRRO VWXGHQWV WR H[FLWLQJ QHZ OHYHOV RI H[FHOOHQFH
-VY TVYL PUMVYTH[PVU WSLHZL ]PZP[
T\ZPJ \TPJO LK\ TW\SZL TW\SZL'\TPJO LK\
(UKYL^ )PZOVW
JAZZed March 2011 57
Gearcheck AER’s Pocket Tools
AER’s Pocket Tools – editing tools for acoustic instruments – is a collection of three stomp box-sized units and includes two preamps and one EQ. Designed for sound optimization, these tools feature signal-to-noise ratio and boast the dynamic headroom found in all AER products. The collection includes: the Colourizer two-channel preamp/DI-box for mic or line signals with volume, gain, and DI level controls, plus three sound-shaping control sections; Dual Mix, a two-channel preamp/DIbox for mic or line signals, with four digital effect presets (short & long reverb, chorus, and flanger); and Dual Para EQ a dual-band parametric EQ with switchable frequency ranges. Each Pocket Tool includes a 24V DC power supply and convenient carrying case. www.musiquip.com
St. Louis Music’s Regent Series from Alvarez
Alvarez’s new Regent Series is made up of 23 models in a range of price points, colors, and body shapes. Each guitar features an electrostatic finish, spruce top, and a choice of mahogany or rosewood back and sides. Other appointments include a rosewood, bi-level bridge, rosewood fingerboard, and premium tuners. The Regent Series comes in dreadnought, folk, and classical body shapes, with electric/acoustic versions of each body style also available. The guitars retail for $169.99. www.stlouismusic.com
Fret-King’s Self-Tuning Guitar
The Fret-King Super-matic selftuning guitar features Wilkinson ATD HT440 self-tuning hard tail guitar bridge. Beginning in standard E tuning, the Super-matic can switch to open G, DADGAD, or open D, or even create up to five personal tunings. The Wilkinson ATD self-tuning bridge is a
58 JAZZed March 2011
low profile, real time electromechanical device utilizing hi-tech micro gearboxes, with a micro hex pickup, controls small enough not to notice, and an intuitive one-touch button controlling all the functions and features. Invisibly incorporating the microprocessor control circuitry, the ATD bridge allows the player, with just one touch of the function button to automatically tune the Super-matic to standard E-tuning. Tuning status is confirmed in the hi-visibility display, designed to be viewed while playing, and overall tuning is assured with the built in chromatic tuner. Press the function button again, strum, and let the ATD change the guitar’s tuning from standard E to open G, or change to DADGAD, then to open D – all in the space of just a few seconds, or recalibrate to five additional user created tuning presets in just a few seconds more. The 25 1/5” scale length, 24 fret, hard rock maple neck, with its classic ‘shallow C’ profile has been matched to a premium, close grain Indian rosewood fingerboard with a 10” radius. This has been topped off with a fret job using single cut, hand crowned medium jumbo nickel silver frets. The Super-ma-
Gearcheck tic features a Hum-Single-Hum pickup configuration, with Wilkinson WHHBZ33 offset pole piece Zebra humbuckers, wound to a Wilkinson WHSM vintage-voiced single coil middle pickup. www.fret-king.com
Aguilar’s Tone Hammer 500
Aguilar Amplification has created the Tone Hammer 500 - a 500 watt, versatile, bass amp that weighs only four pounds and easily fits into the accessory pouch of most gig bags. The sound in the Tone Hammer 500 is full-sized and is produced by the Tone Hammer preamp, the same preamp used in the Tone Hammer D.I./preamp pedal. The Tone Hammer 500 features bass, treble, and fully sweepable midrange controls. The Drive control utilizes Aguilar’s proprietary AGS circuit. The retail price is $699 www.aguilaramp.com
PRS SE Guitar Models
PRS’s SE Tim Mahoney model features an all mahogany body, a 24 fret 25” maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with bird inlays, stoptail bridge, nickel hardware, and SE HFS Treble and SE Vintage Bass pickups. The SE 245 offers a thicker single cutaway body for increased resonance, the PRS-designed stoptail, and four-knob layout offering more tonal options. The SE Custom 24 is now being offered in orange and tri-color sunburst. As follow-up to the 25th Anniversary version which debuted in 2010, the SE Custom now comes standard with birds as well. Offering the same mahogany body, maple top, and flame maple veneer as the SE Singlecut, the newest version of the SE Singlecut Trem features a PRS designed Tremolo Bridge and is now offered in scarlet red and black with bird inlays. www.prsguitars.com
Burns’ Sonic Limited Edition
The Burns guitar line’s Sonic Limited Edition electric guitar is now available in the U.S. market. The new Sonic features a slim design, a highly flamed Canadian maple neck, and Indian rosewood fingerboard. The neck also incorporates the Burns Gear-o-Matik truss rod for neck alignment. The alder body is contoured, and the two high output Burns Tri-Sonic pickups are controlled by one volume, one tone control, and a three-way pickup selector switch. The bridge is the Burns Rez-o-Tube style. Saga Musical Instruments is the exclusive USA distributor of Burns electric guitars and basses. www.sagamusic.com
ZT Amplifiers’ Ghost
ZT Amplifiers’ Ghost guitar amplifier is compact and features a customdesigned 6.5” driver in a solid MDF cabinet less than 7” high and 8” wide. The finish is gloss white. Despite the diminutive size, the Ghost is said to produce impressive output and tone. The Tone control offers a wide sweep, and the Volume and Gain controls allow the user to dial in clean output at high volumes or overdrive at low volumes. The retail price is $199. www.ztamplifiers.com
Dean Markley CD Series Amplifiers Reissue Dean Markley is reissuing two models: the CD30 and CD60 all-tube lead amplifiers. Features include two inputs; Channel Switching; Volume; Gain; Drive; Treble; Middle; Bass; Master Volume; Reverb; Presence; Overdrive Voicing; Drive; Mid-Boost switches; variable effects loop, Pre Amp Out, Power Amp In; and a specially designed 12” Celestion speaker. www.deanmarkleyamps.com
North Central College Jazz Studies Program presents the
23
rd
ANNUAL
JANICE BORLA VOCAL JAZZ CAMP July 17-22, 2011
JANICE BORLA Blujazz recording artist Instructor at North Central College
JAY CLAYTON Sunnyside recording artist Instructor at the New School
ROSANA ECKERT GEM Records Recording Artist Instructor at the University of North Texas
WITH
Dan Haerle, piano Bob Bowman, bass Jack Mouse, drums Art Davis, trumpet CURRICULUM / ACTIVITIES
Solo jazz Performance Vocal Improvisation Vocal Jazz History Music Theory for the Jazz Vocalist Nightly Faculty Concerts Student Jam Sessions Final Student Concert INFORMATION / REGISTRATION
www.janiceborlavocaljazzcamp.org janiceborla@mac.com 630-416-3911 JANICE BORLA VOCAL JAZZ CAMP NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE
30 N. Brainard Naperville, IL 60540
JAZZed March 2011 59
CDShowcase ⤠⤚⤙⤟ “The broad repertoire his groups encompass and the care with which he deals with musical details are a welcome exception in this age of super specialization and an obsession with quick results at the expense of real quality. – Bill Dobbins, The Eastman School of Music
TRI-FI MATTHEW FRIES KEITH HALL PHIL PALOMBI
1HZ PXVLF LQ WKH WUDGLWLRQ RI WKH FODVVLF MD]] SLDQR WULRV $YDLODEOH DV &' RU KLJK TXDOLW\ GRZQORDG DW
TRI-FI.COM
Don’t let the name mislead you. The only thing small about the Rick Holland/Evan Dobbins Band is its numbers. Everything else is super-size. – Jack Bowers, All About Jazz, NY
⤠⤚⤙⤟ Available at all MP3 outlets, including ITunes, Amazon, DigStation and many more!
www.rickhollandproductions.com
ƮŷŵŬŐũŬŃƌƖŃƄŃƚƌƑƑƈƕńƼ (G 7KLJSHQ ƮƓƒƗƈƑƗŃƅƕƄƑƇŃƒƉŃƓƌƄƑƒŃƗƕƌƒŃƐƘƖƌƆƼ $OO 0XVLF *XLGH ƮƳƄƚƏƈƖƖŃƌƑƗƈƕƆƒƐƐƘƑƌƆƄƗƌƒƑƼ $OO $ERXW -D]]
NOW BOOKING CONCERTS & CLINICS ŦƒƑƗƄƆƗŃƘƖŃƗƒŃƕƈƔƘƈƖƗŃƒƘƕőőő
:25.6+23 %52&+85( ƄƑƇ 35(66 .,7 TRI-FI.COM INFO@TRI-FI.COM
“…truly a great big band.” KAYAK: a brand new release of jazz tunes and standards, all arranged by
Ray Brown.
available on CD BABY RAY BROWN’S GREAT BIG BAND SAXOPHONES: Mary Fettig, Paul Contos, Paul
Tarantino, Bennett Friedman, Charlie McCarthy, Mike Young TRUMPETS: Rich Bice, Louis Fasman, Steve Campos, Erik Jekobsen, Don Beck TROMBONES: John Gove, Dave Eshelman, Dave Gregoric, Dave Martell, Derek James, Steve Barnhill RHYTHM: Steve Brown guitar, Eddie Mendenhall piano, John Shifflett bass, Steve Houghton drums, Gail Dobson vocals
60 JAZZed January 2011
MIKE VAX AND THE STAN KENTON ALUMNI BAND continue their series of superb recordings with HAVE BAND WILL TRAVEL. On Summit Records.
This one captures the excitement and the incredible musicianship of this stellar group of musicians and arrangers
www.bigbandjazz.net
CliniciansCorner
0HO 0DUWLQ
$YDLODEOH IRU &OLQLFV 0DVWHU FODVVHV DQG *XHVW 6RORLVW
0DVWHU :RRGZLQG -D]] 6RORLVW %LJ %DQG $UUDQJPHQWV $YDLODEOH 5LFR DQG <DQDJLVDZD $UWLVW ³$ JUHDW WHDFKHU ´ 6WDQ *HW] ³, DP PRVW LPSUHVVHG ZLWK 0HO 0DUWLQ¶V PXVL FLDQVKLS ´ %HQQ\ &DUWHU
³,I \RX¶UH ORRNLQJ IRU D JUHDW FOLQLFLDQ 0HO LV WKH PDQ ´ /\QQ %DNHU
KWWS PHOPDUWLQ FRP PHO#PHOPDUWLQ FRP
Feature Your CD on CD Showcase For Maximum Exposure! Call: 1800-964-5150 Sidney Davis x13 Richard E. Kessel x14 Maureen Johan x34 Iris Fox 954-973-3555
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN JAZZ
WOMEN IN JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011
SATURDAY, APRIL 9 2 PM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:30 PM SAINT PETERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHURCH 54th ST. AT LEXINGTON AVE. NYC
FEATURING ANTOINETTE MONTAGUE WITH TAMMY HALL & BILL EASLEY PERFORMANCES BY: TAEKO FUKAO ANDREA WOLPER LINDA PRESGRAVE TRIO LIL PHILLIPS TRIO IWJ HONOREES: PAUL ASH RHONDA HAMILTON REMEMBERING TRUDY PITTS SEMINARS, JAM SESSIONS & MORE! ALL DAY PASS - $20
CHILDREN UNDER 12 - $15
SUPPORT THE MUSIC SPONSORS AND ADVERTISERS WELCOME
Info: 212 560-7553 www.internationalwomeninjazz.com
JAZZed January 2011 61
Classifieds Accessories
iHearit
Merchandise Books
JAZZ SAXOPHONE ETUDES & DUETS BOOK & CD PLAY-ALONG SETS BY GREG FISHMAN
Slow Down, Loop, and Transcribe Music on your iPhone for
Endorsed by Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jerry Coker, James Moody, Mark Colby, Bob Sheppard, & Jamey Aebersold.
$4.99.
Visit: WWW.GREGFISHMANJAZZSTUDIOS.COM for free sample etudes and duets.
Available on the App Store, or go to http://ihearit.net for more info.
www.JAZZedmagazine.com
DVDs
For Sale
Merchandise
ESTATE MUSIC SALE
Arrangements (Dedrick, Leeds, Stocks, Combo). Music for piano, guitar, band instruments, Karaoke tapes and CDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. List available
(402) 729-5418
Instruments Schools joesaxwoodwinds@gmail.com
www.JAZZedmagazine.com 62 JAZZed March 2011
LEARN HOW TO PLAY BRAZILIAN MUSIC WITH ANTONIO ADOLFO Author of Brazilian Music Workshop and Phrasing in Brazilian Music, published By Advance Music.
www.antonioadolfo.net
AdIndex Company American Classic Festivals J.J. Babbitt Co. Inc. Bari Woodwinds BluJazz Productions Cannonball Music Instruments Centrum Colorado State University Daniel Smith Eastman School Of Music Five Towns College Great Basin Jazz Camp Guitar Intensives Interlochen Arts Camp International Music Camp International Women in Jazz Interplay Jazz Jamey Aebersold Jazz Aids Jazz at Lincoln Center Jody Jazz John Brown John Brown Juilliard School of Music MacSax Maryland Summer Jazz McNally Smith College of Music Mel Martin Mike Vax North Central College North Central College Pearl Corp. PJLA Music Products Randy Klein Rick Holland Sher Music Co. Stanford Jazz Workshop Suzi Reynolds & Associates Texas Christian University The Jazz Drama Program The Roberto Ocasio Foundation TRI-FI U.S. Band & Orchestra Supplies University of Illinois - Urbana University of Michigan University of Missouri/St.Louis University of North Texas University of the Arts - Continuing Unoversity of Toledo Vandoren Vermont Jazz Center Avedis Zildjian Co.
Email/Web www.amclass.com www.jjbabbitt.com www.bariwoodwinds.com www.blujazzbooking.com www.cannonballmusic.com www.centrum.org www.CSUSchooloftheArts.com www.danielsmithbassoon.com www.esm.rochester.edu www.ftc.edu www.greatbasinjazzcamp.com www.sambameetsjazz.com www.interlochen.org www.internationalmusiccamp.com www.internationalwomeninjazz.com www.interplayjazz.com www.jazz.books.com www.jalc.org www.JodyJazz.com www.jbjazz.com www.jbjazz.com www.juilliard.edu www.macsax.com www.marylandsummerjazz.com www.mcnallysmith.edu www.melmartin.com www.mikevax.com www.northcentralcollege.edu www.northcentralcollege.edu www.pearldrum.com www.pjlamusc.com www.randyklein.com www.rickhollandproductions.com www.shermusic.com www.stanfordjazz.org www.rondicharleston.com www.usc.edu/music www.thejazzdramaprogram.orgom www.robertoocasiofoundation.org www.KeithHallMusic.com www.usbandsupplies.com www.uiuc.edu www.music.umich.edu www.jimwidnerbigband.com www.music.unt.edu/jazz www.uarts.edu www.utoledo.edu www.dansr.com www.vtjazz.org. www.zildjian.com
Page # 11 41 35 61 12 57 25 60 48 42 56 24 55 56 61 32 8 40 1 32 25 5 45 39 29 61 60 cov2 59 cov4 26 61 60 42 55 33 27 60 49 60 13 47 57 29 28 43 58 9 27 7
JAZZed March 2011 63
Backbeat
George Shearing 1919-2011
George Shearing, who died of heart failure on February 14th at age 91, was the first signifcant postwar British jazz musician to move permanently to the U.S. and build a successful career. By 1949, he found worldwide fame, forming his quintet, later a sextet, with its trademark “Shearing sound.” Along the way he crafted at least one iconic standard, “Lullaby of Birdland.” One of the hottest jazz acts of its day, Shearing’s quintet toured endlessly, recorded prolifically, and played the best clubs in every major American city. Beauty and the Beat (1959), his album with the singer Peggy Lee, was another significant success. Shearing returned regularly to Britain, once with the ex-Count Basie singer Joe Williams, another time with the vocalist Carmen McRae and latterly in a duo with the bassist Neil Swainson, appearing with Mel Tormé and the BBC Big Band for a special 80th birthday show in 1999. He performed for three US presidents and for a royal command performance, and was honored when the George Shearing Centre, providing facilities for disabled people in Battersea, was named after him (Shearing was blind from birth). Following a fall in 2004, Shearing largely retired from public performance. He is survived by his wife Ellie, and his daughter, Wendy, from his first marriage, which ended in divorce in 1973.
64 JAZZed March 2011
Save The Date! In the immortal words of one of jazz’ most notable innovators, LOUIS Satchmo Armstrong…
To Jazz or not to Jazz… There is no question! Call it what you want, but by chance, through karma, serendipity, destiny, fate, providence, or luck…we are proud to announce the Third Annual JEN Conference in yet another city with LOUIS in the title... LOUISville, Kentucky… We think Three’s a CHARM! Come experience all Louisville has to offer, as we will be collectively…
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
Developing Tomorrow’s Jazz Audiences Today! Louisville, Kentucky January 4-7, 2012
The Jazz Education Network
is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences. For complete membership information/benefits please visit us at: www.JazzEdNet.org
Feel.
ROLANDO morales-matos
LIKE NO OTHER
The Adams Vibraphone family offers feel like no other instrument. Our advanced damper mechanism allows easy access to spring tension control for featherlike pedal feel and ďŹ nesse. This feature is standard thoughout our line from the student level Soloist Series to our professional Artist Series. The choice of international recording artist Rolando Morales Matos whether playing in the orchestra pit in the Broadway production of The Lion King or the intimate setting of a jazz quartet at Birdland. The nucleus of feel. Our feather touch See them all at pearldrum.com damping mechanism.
Artist Series AV-1
Adams instruments are proudly distributed in the U.S. by Pearl.