The Jazz Culture Feature
GEORGE COLEMAN, TENOR SAXOPHONIST,
at The Jazz Standard with the 3rd Incarnation of his Octet. The Jazz Culture, V.II:12
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The George Coleman Octet by L. Hamanaka
Caught George Coleman and his Octet in its Third Incarnation at the Jazz Standard on Sunday, December 15, 2013, with Harold Mabern, piano, George Coleman Jr., drums, Leon Dorsey, bass, Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, (Bill Mobley on Dec. 11), Gary Smulyan, baritone saxophone, Adam Brenner and Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone, Alex McCabe, alto saxophone. The first song was “Nothin’ But the Blues,” by Ned Ottergrand, at about 145=quarter note. Eric Alexander played a floating bop solo extending up, climbing with arpeggio figures with some large intervals reaching to the top of his range, followed by tenor bellowing. The alto solo by Mr. McCabe was fluid, fast lines settling into low notes, mostly 16th notes. Mr. Pelt played fewer notes including some triplets, approached by grace notes, riding the beat leading to 16th note passages that started with triplet figures cushioned within 8th note phrases; after more rhythmic variation he played some 16th note phrases leading to high notes. The second tenor saxophonist, Mr. Adam Brenner, had a full tone, more pauses and sentences outlining his melodic ideas— still chasing them, he settled deep into his lower register and then played plaintive high note phrases. Mr. Smulyan, the baritone player, placed triplets in the middle of phrases with husky echoes, most phrases longer than two measures, sometimes ending in two clipped 8th notes and slowing to a more melodic approach based on 8th notes. Mr. Mabern started with simple 6 note motifs leading two block chording with melodic riffs on top, mostly based on seconds. There was some support from the horns playing backup licks that were conducted by George Coleman, the song ending on a long tone. The second song was “a wonderful original song” by Shirley 2
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In These Pages Scott, who “dedicated it to George George Coleman 1 -3 Coleman,” played up tempo at December Birthday 4 about 200=quarter note. There December listings 5-8 was a rhythmic figure and a lot of unison on the A Section accenting the third beat, and whole notes on the bridge in a triplet figure. Mr. Coleman played short fast phrases ending on the upbeat, creating a steeplechase effect and verve. He then alternated with long tones and two note melodic ideas expanding to four note and seven note phrases with horn backing. Mr. Smulyan on baritone plays well at a fast tempo, with good articulation using a five note motif, and going to scalar lines, creating a joyous sound. The second tenor Mr. Brenner had a warm tone with fluid lines, five and seven note phrases, mostly in the middle register, lines that flared up or descended from a high note. There was horn background under the solos. The alto, Mr. McCabe, played some long tones and whole note triplet phrases, and lots of 8th note phrases and scalar lines. Mr. Pelt, whose articulation has improved, played 6 note phrases, going to scalar 8th note lines with some 7 note motifs. Mr. George Coleman Jr. sounded crisp and swinging on drums and during his solo had nice interplay of registers, tasteful use of bass drum and maintained an even tempo throughout the set. Mr. Eric Alexander on tenor used angular wide intervals on his riffs on half note triplet figures, with clear articulation repeating motifs through the changes. The pianist Mr. Mabern played melodically with tasteful chording creating an arc with his right hand. The band renewed the theme with shimmering drums at the finale.
The next song was Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” which has been played by many jazz musicians. The theme is based on triplets, and lends itself to swing, which is how it was done by the Octet. The joyous occasion of a loved child expressed through a brilliant set of voicings by Mr. Coleman, a bright trio intro led by the pianist. Mr. Coleman played a lovely blues inflected solo, with doubling of triplet figures resolving to short melodic ideas growling into the lower register, then doubling he signature The Jazz Culture, V.II:12
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Mr. George Coleman prepares to go onstage at The Jazz Standard
articulation, using some substitutions for Mr. Wonder’s harmony, creating a vivid celebratory sound for the holidays. On the piano solo, Mr. Mabern used some arpeggiation, with figures leading to a locked chording that had pretty melodic ideas and very strong left hand counterpoint. On the return to the theme, they doubled the original figures, and there was a nice bass solo, which because it was so different from the horns, was a refreshing and sparse contrast to the horn backup. The drum solo used some military figures, marching to a crisp ending. “Body and Soul” was a feature for Mr. Coleman, first as a walking ballad with horn figures backing him. The A section had some varied voicings, sometimes using long tones. Mr. Coleman’s solo was diaphanous, brilliant, catching a lot of light in pursuit of an elusive ideal. After one chorus they doubled the tempo. As a soloist Mr. Coleman exploits every register, floating on substitutions, coming back to use elements of the melody, often repeating seconds in a post bop concept and using rhythmic 4
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variety. The next chorus they doubled the double time. Mr. Coleman’s solo was based on even smaller subdivisions of the beat than most musicians hear, showing he can carve out melodic lines at all tempos with superb phrasing and interpretation; and he was followed faithfully by his lifelong stablemate Mr. Mabern: with stunning telepathy they both stopped on a dime. Mr. Mabern did some scalar falls, triplet figures and 16th note lines high in the upper register and interesting rhythmic patterns. They went back to double time with graceful long tone extensions and clean group phrasing. Mr. Pelt took the bridge on the out chorus, outlining chords, then thinking up ideas extending from same, leading to a bass solo, that sounded impeccable, ushering in a lyric ending conducted by George Coleman, with long tones, and then a tenor cadenza including triplet figures by Mr. Coleman. “Pretty Blues” a pretty original by George Coleman was next at about 138=quarter note, a swinging original based on a triplet figures, a kind of “happy holiday” theme song. Pub. Note: Mr. Coleman, a world class player for over fifty years, is from Memphis, Tennessee, and taught himself alto saxophone because he was so inspired by Bird. From the Memphis branch of the Jazz Tree, he was in school with Harold Mabern, Booker Little, Frank Strozier, Hank Crawford and Charles Lloyd, worked with Ray Charles, and BB King in the 1950’s, when he switched to tenor saxophone. Mr. Coleman moved to Chicago and worked with Booker Little, Johnny Griffin, and Max Roach. He did five albums with Miles Davis, and Chet Baker, and also worked with drummers like Elvin Jones, bassists like Ron Carter and worked with Slide Hampton, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock. Lately, he recorded with Joey DeFrancesco. Verve, Timeless, Jazz House, Telarc recorded him and he played on some hits on the jazz charts. He has also been in films and received awards, from entities as diverse as the NEA to The Knight of Mark Twain Award. Mr. Coleman has resided in New York City for many years. The Jazz Culture, V. II:12
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Happy Holidays!!! from The Jazz Culture Newsletter. Embrace the ones you love!
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, Singer Dee Cassella Trumpeter, Flugelhorn player, Composer, Arramger, Educator Jimmy Owens 6
Pianist/ Composer Larry Vukevich The Jazz Culture, V. II:12
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. Ray Blue, Dec. 15 Peekskill Presb. Church, Dec. 16 Jazz Fdn Jam, Dec. 21 & 31 Showman’s Dec. 29 Bean Runner Café Peekskill Dec. 20 Division Street Grill in Peekskill 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
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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 10 a.m. 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. Leroy Williams, drums: Minton's on Sunday 2‐6 W. 118 Street 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
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The Jazz Culture, V. II:12