The Jazz Culture Feature
BARRY HARRIS Birthday Party at GRATA December 15
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Photos from Barry Harris's Birthday Party at Grata on December 15
In These Pages Barry Harris Birthday 1‐3 Obituary Jim Hall 4‐5 Birthdays and Ads 6 Gabrielle Stravelli/Pat O'Leary by Connie MacNamee 7‐9 December listings 10‐12
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BARRY HARRIS BIRTHDAY PARTY by L. Hamanaka
Barry Harris's birthday celebration party took place at Grata Restaurant this year and was packed with people, musicians, singers, dancers, jazz fans sharing the night at Grata, on 59th Street and First Avenue right next to the Roosevelt Island tram. Dr. Harris who has done so much to continue the heritage of jazz improvisation and piano playing, has followers around the world and continues to tour annually. Pianists galore, including Bertha Hope, Randy Noel, Richard Clemens, James Austin, Lafayette Harris, the Clone (see photo page 1) Rossano Sportiello, and many more, guitarist Pasquale Grasso, and a number of horn players including Ira Jackson, Kiano Zuwadi, one of the Klein brothers, about 50 singers, and others wished Dr. Harris many more and made music well into the night. Richard Clemens was the MC.
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OBITUARY
JIM HALL by L. Hamanaka
Jim Hall, guitarist, passed away at the age of 83 in New York City on December 10, 2013 (born in Buffalo, December, 1930) of heart failure in his sleep, said his wife, Jane. He was a noted composer, arranger, educator and player who worked with leading jazz artists from the 1950’s to the present. “His impeccable technique…distinctive touch…finely developed sense of melody..made him an important…and influential…musician…” (NY Times, 12/10/13). Mr. Hall, a sensitive, swinging guitarist who used silence well and whose tone captures secret moments of the heart, went to the Cleveland Institute of Music. He transcribed Charlie Christian and Barney Kessel guitar solos but also Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Paul Gonsalves and Lucky Thompson. One of his better known albums was “The Bridge” with Sonny Rollins. Moved to LA briefly where he worked with Chico Hamilton. He toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic, and worked with Jimmy Guiffre, Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, Sonny Rollins, Art Farmer and toured with Ella Fitzgerald in Europe in 1960. In New York he worked with Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, Red Mitchell, Pat Metheny and John Scofield, with whom he hosted the JVC Jazz Festival, Joe Lovano Mr. Hall recorded on Telarc, Artists Share and A&M. Mr. Hall recorded a classical album with George Shearing and Itzhak Perlman. He was in the house band of the Merv Griffin Show with Bob Brookmeyer, Benny Powell, Bill Berry, Art Davis and Jake 4
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Hanna. Jim Hall taught at The New School Jazz Department for many years. Mr. Hall recorded with Bill Frisell, one of his students.In the 90’s he worked with Larry Goldings, Billy Stewart In 1997 he was awarded the NY Jazz Critics Award for composition/arranging. He received the NEA Jazz Masters Award. His work, composed for a number of different instrumentations, including a concerto, was played by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, in other classical settings internationally as well as jazz venues. Up till 2012 Mr. Hall gigged at the Blue Note and worked at jazz festivals around the world. Guitars: With Chico Hamilton he used a Les Paul Custom; later he used a Gibson ES-175, a D’Aquisto, and a Sadowsky.
Art Farmer, Lee Konitz, Benny Golson, Bill Evans, Pat Metheny, some of the cats Jim Hall played with
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Please Support Jazz Culture Subscriber Lafayette Harris's Kickstarter Dec. Campaign "Bend to the Light". See Kickstarter.com
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! December Babies Many More with Love Saxophonist Todd Bashore Bassists Cameron Brown, Bill Crow, Bob Cunningham, Joe Fonda, Paul Gill, Chris Haney, Trumpeter, Flugelhorn player, Composer, Arramger, Educator Jimmy Owens Pianist/ Composer Larry Vukevich
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Gabrielle Stravelli, Kenny Washington & Pat O'Leary Quintet
by Connie MacNamee Tonight I heard master bass player, arranger, and composer Patrick O'Leary, and vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli, with Oakland vocalist Kenny Washington. The band members were Art Hirahara, piano; Eric Halvorson, drums; Pat O'Leary, bass; Saul Rubin, guitar (sometimes). People had started coming in at 8, but it didn't start until 9, giving everyone a chance to mingle, drink some wine, maybe run downstairs for some food, remark on Marianne Solivan's beautiful makeup (she was just coming from a photo shoot to take the money at the door). It is a community of singers, after all. The band meanwhile was setting up. So at 9 on the nose, Gabrielle called for Kenny to join her onstage as the band started the familiar background of Miles Davis's "So What." Gabrielle began singing Buddy Holly's lyrics to "Oh, Boy!" over the "So What" riff, then Kenny came up in full-on scat mode, sounding like an instrument and clearly able to sing anything that occurs to him, swooping up and down octaves, hitting each note square in the middle like a piano. Saul Rubin stunned the rest of the band with his rhythmic inventiveness, then Art had some beautiful two-handed chords along with the expected long lines in his solo, Pat brought it back, then Gabrielle and Kenny wrapped it up and it was over. A very satisfying beginning. Gabrielle had the next song to herself: "Dream Dancing," one of the lesser-done Cole Porter melodies. She began in her rich lower register(it does go high) that sounded quite sensuous over the Latin swirl from the band. She stayed that way for the whole time. Pat took a solo, then Saul, then it was full throttle, very sexy, The Jazz Culture, V. II:12 7
on the last chorus, with Gabrielle practically dancing as she sang the lyrics, her right foot, (in those impossibly high trendy patent leather red heels), tapping right and left. Kenny came up then to sing "The Shadow ofYour Smile." He began quietly, singing it straight over a slow Latin beat, then at the end of the song, where the lyrics go "I will be remembering the shadow of your smile," the band played a three-chord vamp buildup and he sang some trickier phrases, micro notes in the style of Stevie Wonder. Art Hirahara did a nice solo, then Kenny came back to sing it with more passion, then the band ended with a major chord (we were taught in school to call it a tierce de picardie). Kenny Washington is a compact, serious-looking man who happens to be a world-class singer. The singers came together to perform a composition by Ray Gallon called "Bicycle Blues" with words by Gabrielle. They read off the lyrics, then began a long trading session. Art played a solo, then they were back with the words, ending with a sudden stop. Together again for the next song, 'Sitting on the Dock of the Bay," Otis Redding. Gabrielle started, sang the first chorus like somebody who loves the tune, but Kenny had the second chorus that starts with the line "I left my home in Georgia," which he performed with such authenticity, between the bluesy turns and the pronunciation of the word "Georgia," that the rest of the song belonged to him. They sang together on the third chorus and I wrote down "He's loosening up a little." For the last chorus, Kenny was singing "Rollin', rollin',rollin'" under Gabrielle, then again they stopped short. Next, Gabrielle announced "A little bit of a schmedley" putting together two songs. The first was one that she liked from a group called Peter, Bjorn and John, "Young Folks." New to me. She said it could be heard on "Grey's Anatomy" and commercials. The lyrics were interesting and there was again the driving Latin 8 The Jazz Culture, V. II:12
tempo, on the order of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing." It suddenly, but nicely, changed into "All Blues" for Kenny, but Gabrielle was still singing some of the previous song over the new changes--"Nothing would surprise me" "All we care about is talking." Back to "All Blues," Kenny did an energetic chorus, moving his body for the first time (Gabrielle never stops). His high register sounds like her singing. Art played a solo, then Kenny took all the choruses, Gabrielle waved for him to do so, they finally got back together, then stopped on a dime again. Gabrielle went far out of her comfort zone to sing "All Too Soon," Ellington's somber ballad, as her solo. She sang it legato until the bridge, when the other musicians came in with a beat, however slow. She handled it beautifully, again bringing her lower register into play. Kenny's solo was the waltz, “Pure Imagination,� It was wonderful to hear this sugary-sweet waltz spun to perfection by Kenny's impeccable taste. Another duo number: a tune by Ray Bryant that Gabrielle put words to, formerly known as "Tonk," now "My Goose Is Cooked." It was light and fun, like a Dave Frishberg song. Time for the big guns. "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone." Kenny started humming along with maracas, then "I feel a groove" and they got into the song. He inhabited the song so fully, you could see the house and the girl. Art played something that made Kenny smile--a classical fugue on the part that goes "I know, I know, I know.." Kenny came back after that in full voice, and after he himself had done the "I know"part, he absolutely killed everyone with "gotta leave that young thing alone, ain't no sunshine when she's gone." I had to wave my arms in the air, something I never do. He went out the way he came in, with maracas, and a beautiful soft high note. Some people stood. The Jazz Culture, V. II:12
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Gabrielle did a fast samba, Chick Corea's "You're Everything," that segued into a slow Stevie Wonder, "You and I" with Kenny, then they were back for the fast samba again. Juan Tizol's "Caravan" was the last song. Finally. Good, because the audience was exhausted from being in the presence of such excellence, between the quiet mastery of Kenny Washington and the exuberant beauty of Gabrielle Stravelli. “Fred and Ginger.� Well, "Caravan" in this arrangement began out of time with wild accompaniment from the band, playing desert scales, loud, fireworks. Kenny started with scatting, then sang the song along with Gabrielle, then Saul Rubin came back for a great solo, then Art, then drums, then the singers were scatting to what was by then a fast samba. Standing ovation! Zeb's is Saul Rubin's establishment at 223 West 28th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, up a flight of stairs.
From left, Saul Rubin, Eric Halvorsen, Kenny Washington, Gabrielle Stravelli, Pat O'Leary, Art Hirahara
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The Jazz Culture Newsletter
Private Jazz Tours in NYC are available; also music teachers in various countries for students & jazz lovers. email: info@thejazzculture.com. Ads are available in The Jazz Culture Newsletter. The Jazz Culture Newsletter has been read in 62 countries in the past year. Brian McMillen is a contributing Photographer, and Connie MacNamee and Arnold J. Smith are sometimes contributing writers."
Countries: US, UK, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burma, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam Lionelle Hamanaka's single, "Lost Puppy Blues" is available on CD BABY for kids, with Richard Wyands, Ron McClure and Leroy Williams. see: lostpuppyblues.com
December Listings Clarence Banks, Trombone‐ Swing 46 most Thursdays with Felix and the Cats, 346 W. 46 St. Richard Clemens‐ Pianist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 p.m. Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, Tues., Sun. some Sats.‐ High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5‐9 p.m. Bertha Hope ‐ Minton's on 206 W. 118 Street Kim Clarke Dec. 23 & 30 ‐ Local 802 Jam Session Dec. 28, James brown show @ zinc George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, every Tues, most Fridays 9:30 Barry Harris Birthday Dec. 15 at Grata on 59 St. & First Avenue Lafayette Harris: Dec. 15 Community Church at the Circle Church 10 a.m.
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7 East Lincoln Avenue Mount Vernon, New York 10552 Dec. 17th Little Branch 7av South NYC Tuesday 10:30 2 sets Dec. 20th 8pm Sankofa Aban Brooklyn Brownstone www.sankofaaban.com/ Dec. 22 Community Church at the Circle Church 10 a.m.7 East Lincoln Avenue Mount Vernon, New York 10552 Dec. 24 Christmas eve concert Community Church at the Circle Church Loston Harris: Dec. 3 ‐ Bryant Park Tree Lighting ‐ 5pm Now thru Dec. 31: Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle; Tues ‐ Thur 9:30pm ‐ 12:30am, Fri‐Sat 9:30pm‐1:00am Bemelmans Bar Residency 12th year at The Carlyle, 35 East 76th St., New York, NY 10021 (76th St. & Madison Ave.) 212‐744‐1600 Jim Malloy with Felix & the Cats at Swing 46 every Thursday in December‐ check with club Joe Magnarelli‐New Year’s Eve at Small’s with Joe Magnarellli and Marion Cowings John Mosca & Michael Weiss, Vanguard Orchestra every Monday at the Village Vanguard 8 p.m. Bill Saxton; Every Friday and Saturday 133 Street as Swing Street. 2‐6 p.m. Bill’s Place Valery Ponomarev‐ Dec. 4.13 Wednesday, VPJBB a.k.a. Our Father Who Art Blakey will be appearing at the famous Zinc Bar 82 West 3rd Street Rick Stone‐ Dec.12 Rick Stone at Somethin' Jazz Club Dec.19 Rick Stone Trio at The Garage Restaurant Dec.31 Rick Stoneat the Tides Hotel (Asbury Park, NJ). Murray Wall, bassist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 p.m. ENGLAND: John Watson Trio at the Palm Court, Langham Hotel, London, 1c Portland, Regent St. 207‐636‐1000 Fri‐Sat
RUSSIA: Ray Blue Tour in Russia s Dec. 15 Peekskill Presb. Church Dec. 16 Jazz Fdn Jam Dec. 21 & 31 Showman’s Ray Blue Trio Dec. 29 Bean Runner Café Peekskill Dec. 20 Division Street Grill in Peekskill
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