August20a

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The Jazz Culture Feature

Richard Clements Trio at A Gathering ofthe Tribes with John Marshall, trumpet, and Murray Wall, bass Celebrating Bird

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RICHARD CLEMENTS TRIO by L. Hamanaka

Caught Richard Clements Trio at a Charlie Parker celebration at A Gathering of the Tribe, at 285 East 3rd Street, with John Marshall trumpet, and Murray Wall, bass. Part art gallery and spoken word venue, A Gathering of the Tribe is a multicultural group formed by poet Steve Cannon in the late 90’s in the brownstone he bought in 1962 after returning to New York after living in Europe. The spare environment with avant garde art work on the walls worked well for the evening of bebop. This writer entered on “Quasimodo,” a beautiful bebop song composed by Bird, they played at 120=quarter note. John Marshall has a fat sound, centered in his mid-upper register with command of all registers, fine articulation and spirit. Mr. Marshall is one of the few jazz players alive who can express a lot of the rhythmic aspect of Bird's playing. Mr. Clements’s solo sounded more like a saxophone player who thinks in emotional and magnetic waves, organically infused with triplets, both 8th note and 6th note triplets, which enlarge shapes and dimensions of his lines. “Tenderly was next, as a ballad about 96=quarter note, which happened to be an excellent choice. Mr. Marshall displayed a big sound with adventurous melodic ideas, with the romanticism of a bygone era. They then double-timed the song. Mr. Clements's solo had balance and a kind of musical magnetism. Quoting the melody, bassist Murray Wall did a scalar solo through all registers, with some licks that began at the top of his instrument, and deep lusty notes from below. At 175=quarter note, “Anthropology” was fast enough to bring up the heart rate, and with a crisp attack and always feeling the subdivisions of the beat, the group swung easily and consistently without a drummer, which says a lot for Murray Wall’s professionalism. Mr. Wall never dragged, never changed tempos,

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never rushed; he was like a rock. Mr. Marshall made his “rhythm” phrases fresh and varied, and also inserted blue notes on the 7th chords. Mr. Clements played very philosophically, which he had noted was inherent in the title, “Anthropology,” maintaining a triplet feel as he romped over the keyboard. Please note that this group is a good example of “Anthropology” in action: Mr. Wall hails from Australia, and Mr. Marshall is a transplanted Long Islander, who now lives in Germany but comes to New York twice a year because he is devoted to his following and roots in the New York jazz scene. Mr. Wall provided strong support and then in his solo treated everyone to John Marshall some octave leaps; he also kicked the beat ahead by sometimes hitting the upbeat of 4. They traded 8’s and found some provocative things to say. “Parker’s Mood,” the stirring slow blues that everyone knows was next, and these days so few can play a slow blues it was an enjoyable interlude. The first three choruses of John Marshall’s solo he inserted some whole tone phrases mixing it up with the blues scale and later did some 16th note runs. Clements inserted some triplet phrases daringly using wider intervals, giving them a wailing quality as he develops his own dramatic style. Mr. Wall started with a few simple four note licks, leading to some bass poetic thoughts, with twangs, bent notes in his good solid blues solo. “Bouncing with Bud,” at about 145=quarter note was next, light and swinging with the ethereal beauty that was Bud Powell at his best, Interwoven triplets distinguish Richard Clements from most The Jazz Culture, V.II:4

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other pianists, along with his warm, personal sound, he expresses his lyric inventiveness in a charming way. Not all musicians are charming; some are forbidding. Mr. Marshall is so fluent at bebop he finds hidden corners in the language and here he tied together 16th note triplets, using up to a 6th interval, and scalar lines delightfully phrased. Murray Wall built lines from the bottom up, Murray Wall taking a trip across a mountain range devised by Powell, a bop seer. “Round Midnight” the favorite ballad of many, by Monk, at a walking ballad pace. Mr. Marshall gave a monumental, dramatic reading, starting an octave below a melody note and bellowing up, or soaring, using chromatic falls, sculpting lines that had a 21st century sound. Technically impressive, he was a bit shy emotionally like Miles but his style contradicts the shyness and sometimes does not give himself access to his tragic palette, which given his maturity and varied life, exists. Seeming alone on an ocean of despair, Mr. Clements revealed a generous and romantic spirit in his interpretation of the song, swinging his phrases. Mr. Wall found some bass lines that were an apt reflection of Monk’s masterpiece. The theme was classically played going out-ending on a trumpet trill. “Groovin’ High,” that epic Diz tune at about 175=quarter note was next. Only a genius like Dizzy Gillespie could have written an intricate, challenging song like “Groovin’ High” over “Whispering.” The trio swung hard without a drummer on this joyous song, Marshall was hitting the upbeats and threw in a lot of

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The Richard Clements Trio, with John Marshall, trumpet, and Murray Wall, bass, in action

triplets, as Diz did on the original, and accented different parts of the triplet notes. Mr. Clements showed a charming intimacy, and though his solo was short, showed mature use of space and melodic wit. Using the Call and response device, Mr. Wall offered spontaneous bursts of bass thought. All three musicians are exciting, add a lot to the scene, and proved that Bird lives!

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Anatomy of a Concert A

Tribute to Bird

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August Listings August: Joe Magnarelli: Italy tour August 1: Jim Malloy, Swing 46, 9:30 p.m. August 2: Ray Blue at S.O.B.'s in NYC. August 3: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, every Tuesday, Sunday and some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. August 4: Ray Blue-Cross-Cultural Connections in Peekskill Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia,at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. August 5: John Mosca & Michael Weiss with the Vanguard Orchestra at Village Vanguard August 6: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, (346 W. 46 Street bet. 8th/9th Ave.) Tuesday 9:30-free dance lesson beforehand. August 8: Ray Blue, Division Street Grill, Peekskill Lafayette Harris, Waterford, CT, Harkness Park, 6 p.m. Jim Malloy, Swing 46, 9:30 p.m. (see address below) August 9: George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, (46 Street between 8th and 9th Avenues) every Tuesday and some Fridays at 9:30-free dance lesson beforehand. August 9: Ray Blue The Division Street Grill in Peekskill, N.Y..7 p.m. August 10: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. Lafayette Harris, Woodstock, Kleinhart Art Gallery 8 p.m. August 11: Lafayette Harris, Mt. Vernon Community Church, 10 a.m. August 12: John Mosca & Michael Weiss with the Vanguard Orchestra at Village Vanguard August 13: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. August 15: Jim Malloy, Swing 46, 9:30 p.m. The Jazz Culture, V. II:4

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August 16: George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, (46 Street between 8th and 9th Avenues) every Tuesday and some Fridays at 9:30-free dance lesson beforehand. August 17: Ray Blue’s Birthday party at Showman’s, 125th Street August 18: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. Rick Stone, Cleveland, Nighttown, August 19: John Mosca & Michael Weiss with the Vanguard Orchestra at Village Vanguard August 20: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m August 20 Rick Stone Bettalona, NYC 8-11 August 22: Lafayette Harris, Birdland, NYC 6 p.m. Jim Malloy, Swing 46, 9:30 p.m. (See address below) August 23: George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, (46 Street between 8th and 9th Avenues) every Tuesday and some Fridays at 9:30-free dance lesson beforehand. August 24: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. August 25: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, every Tuesday, Sunday and some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. Lafayette Harris, Smalls, NYC, 7:30 p.m. August 26: John Mosca & Michael Weiss with the Vanguard Orchestra at Village Vanguard August 27: Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, every Tuesday, Sunday and some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m August 27 Rick Stone Bettalona, NYC 8-11 August 29: Jim Malloy, Swing 46, 9:30 p.m. (address below) August 30: George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, (346 St. 8th & 9th Ave)(212) 262-9554 check-some Fridays at 9:30-free dance lesson beforehand. August 31: Michael Weiss Quintet Detroit Jazz Festival Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m.

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ENGLAND: John Watson Trio at the Palm Court, the Langham

Hotel, London, 1c Portland, Regent Street 207-636-1000 every weekend

ROME: Luciano Fabris, pianist Saturday August 17 at Tien Kin,

Rome, Via Cassia 927 at 10:00 pm. Agostino de Giorgio Quartet, g, Nicola Borrelli b, Lucio Turco, d. Luciano Fabris, pianist August 31, Tien Kin, Rome, Via Cassia 927 at 10:)) with Tom Kirkpatrick Quartet, t, Nicoletta Manzini Alto, and Nicola Borrelli, b.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY some August Babies

JON ROCHE, bass OKARU LOVELACE, vocalist DANNY MIXON, pianist The Jazz Culture Newsletter Private Jazz Tours in NYC are available; also music teachers in various countries for students & jazz lovers. Further Info email: info@thejazzculture.com. Also, ads are available in the pages of The Jazz Culture Newsletter The Jazz Culture Newsletter has been read in the following 48 countries in the past year: USA, UK, Canada, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Chile, Colombia, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Holland, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Lionelle Hamanaka, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Publisher Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia,

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Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam

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BARRY HARRIS JAZZ WORKSHOP IN ROME Mon 23 to Fri 27 September 2013 Felt Music Club & School via degli Ausoni 84, Rome BARRY HARRIS (www.barryharris.com) BARRY HARRIS IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RESPECTED JAZZ PIANO PLAYERS AND TEACHERS, CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE FOREMOST INTERPRETER OF THE MUSIC OF BUD POWELL, TADD DAMERON AND THELONIOUS MONK. FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY, HARRIS HAS PLAYED WITH THE GIANTS OF JAZZ INCLUDING DIZZY GILLESPIE, MILES DAVIS, DEXTER GORDON, CANNONBAL ADDERLEY AND COLEMAN HAWKINS, TRAVELLING THE WORLD OVER AS AN AMBASSADOR OF JAZZ INFO AND REGISTRATION:

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ASS. CULT. ROMA JAZZ WORKSHOP annapantuso@hotmail.com +39 339 3383139 lucianofabris@hotmail.com +39 328 6748724

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FIVE DAYS MASTERCLASS FOR MUSICIANS & SINGERS Schedule: Piano and guitars 11:00 – 13:00 Singers 14:30 – 16:30 Horns & General Workshop 16:30 – 18:30 On Friday 27 classes last 1 hour and a half Fees: 160 € for the entire week /40 € for daily seminar Accomodation: b and b and private apartments for rent, from 15 € per night per person BARRY HARRIS TRIO CONCERT FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 9:30 pm Felt club Admission: 15 € Mon‐Thurs nightly JAM SESSION


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