The JAZZ CULTURE
The Kenney Gates Organ Trio, Kenney Gates, organ, Pete Chavez, saxophone, Joe Brown, Jr., drums at Sweet Thing in Brooklyn
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REVIEW KENNEY GATES ORGAN TRIO with MICHAL BECKHAM
by L. Hamanaka
Caught the Kenney Gates Organ Trio at “For My Sweet,” a cultural center at 1103 Fulton Street in Brooklyn on Monday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m., with Pete Chavez, saxophones, Joe Brown Jr., drums, and Michal Beckham, vocals. The song first heard was “Sweet Thing,” by Eric Alexander, a blues at about 140=quarter note. A dynamic and passionate player, few of his contemporaries equal Mr. Gates’ storytelling talent, and ability to wring the utmost out of every note. After a powerful drum solo by Mr. Brown, the trio went on to play “Indian Summer,” (Victor Herbert & Al Dubin) a lovely standard whose melody was played by Mr. Chavez on soprano saxophone, who found emotional extensions of the theme. The organist, Mr. Gates, exuded subtle shadings on fluent bebop lines combining phrases of lyric beauty followed by blues passages. The song ended with a rhythmic lick repeated in unison by organ, saxophone and drums. Kenney Gates brought the Philadelphia spark (that certain something that made the Philadelphia branch of the jazz tree great) to New York, revving the engine of jazz and offering an exciting and creative show. Mr. Gates announced that “You Can’t Stop Bebop” was the theme of the evening, and the audience voiced strong support. The site “My Sweet Thing” has an art gallery in front, with a garden walkway to the music space, both large spaces reflecting a higher consciousness and devotion to the community. The audience was large and did not utter a peep during the performance, but it was boisterous at intermission. The group did “Sidewinder” by Lee Morgan, at about 148=quarter note, with the percussive theme repeated in a kind of musical loop, and Mr. Chavez showed his versatility in playing other styles of jazz and fusion. Mr. Gates knows how to create maximum compression and release of rhythm, and he played 2
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Review 1‐5 several variations, some half note The Why of Good Nutrition and quarter note triplet figures by P. Moreo 6‐8 that were strong counterpoint to How To Be A Jazz Trumpeter the drums. Despite Kenney Part II by Mark McGowan 9‐12 Gates’ dramatic personality as a player, he is not a hard bop guy Barry Harris Birthday Party 13‐15 England Event by J. Watson 17‐19 but really a bebop man, as he showed several times by flecking Cobi Christmas Party Photos 20 Is Jazz a Relic? Comments 21 off intricate, brilliant musical Let's Link 24 thoughts spontaneously. Mr. info@thejazzculture.com Gates is one of the piano stars of his generation (playing organ as http://theJazzCulture.com © 2012 the venue did not have a piano) and deserves to be on the world stage, with his musical creativity, perfect time, and within his perfect time, his crafted nuances and Zing!, that kick the band ahead and recalls the verve of a prior generation. On his solo on “Sidewinder,” Mr. Brown created a palette of intense contrasts and colors and has to be
CobiJazz's jam sessions Every Friday Night at Zeb's 6-9 p.m.
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cont. from p. 3
one of the most dynamic young drummers in the country.
Ms. Michal Beckham came forward, announced by Mr. Gates as “the Nancy Wilson of Philadelphia,” and indeed Ms. Beckham is lovely and sophisticated with a vocal style that projects both jazz and on certain tunes, rhythm and blues. She is a mezzo with a secure lower and upper range, and a unique sound, bringing to mind at times Dinah Washington with pizzazz, zest and soulfulness. She sang “I’ll Remember April” at about 200=quarter note, flying through the tune, using her voice as a percussive instrument and feeling the slow tempo underneath, then tackled “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” singing it like a horn and with good showmanship, projecting strong stage presence, and creating a sort of vocal cadenza at the end of the tune. Kenney Gates has always had perfect time, and most pianists could learn something from listening to the great phrasing he displayed in his solo on this standard.
Michael Beckham, vocals, Kenney Gates, organ, Pete Chavez, tenor saxophone
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Ms. Beckham then sang “Save Your Love for Me,” a soul song where she was very good at adding obligato, blue notes and raising the pitch at the end of a note, or adding scale notes to create mood or depth, when she was wailing. She then offered,” I’ve Got the World on a String,” by Harold Arlen, at times singing the lyric naturally and using word stress to great effect. At times she focuses most of her accents on the downbeat. A natural singer who fuses a classic standard style with jazz and rhythm and blues effects, and lovely to look at, Ms. Beckham is a welcome addition to the roster of jazz singers who would be popular abroad and throughout the country. Altogether Mr. Gates’ group is one of the most energetic recently heard, and stands on solid and committed musical territory and now only needs to expand that territory. Jazz as a world music certainly could use some of that right now. See KenneyGates.com, or Kenney Gates on All About Jazz (Note: Open the Gates cd) & Google.
Mrs. Gates, a preacher, in audience with Kenney Gates' sister, a leading gospel star, listen as Kenney Gates makes a point JAZZ VIEW IN EAST VILLAGE 11th Street Bar features Richard Clements Combo on Jazzy Mondays
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YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
NUTRITION & INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS Pub. ote: for the many Jazzers who Focus on Health To Bring Their Best to the Scene
Peter V. Moreo, Jr., C.N., R.Ph.
Peter V. Moreo is a sought after certified nutritionist and pharmacist with over 25 years experience.
Diet is different for each person. Some people should be vegetarians, some not. There is a blood type book out, “Eat Right for Your Type,” which I have found out to be about 70% viable based on my experience. To find out what blood type you are, look up your blood type. You can get a blood test, or donate blood and they will let you know. If your doctor has a record of your blood type he or she can let you know. However, this blood test is not done by your doctor automatically. You have to ask your doctor for a blood type test. For example, blood type O is not congenial to vegetarianism. Any blood Type O that I met, whether positive or negative, who became a vegetarian, eventually got sick. Blood Type O should eat green vegetables and red meat. Cow, buffalo; or fish. Any blood type can eat fish. Small saltwater fish like salmon or sardines would be good. JC: What about the other 30%? Mr. Moreo: It depends on the person. O- O’s: 6
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The first thing you should avoid are things like fried foods. Fried foods clog up arteries and cause an increased incidence of cancer, and premature aging. Fried food creates free radicals, the things that damage tissue of the body. No one should eat French fries, fried chicken, potato chips, or any vegetable that is fried. Any time you heat food in oil except for coconut oil, you convert the food to bad saturated fat. No soda. MI IMUM PROTEI PER DAY: To know the number of protein grams you need every day, look at your weight. For a person 100 pounds, divide it by 2.2 and you get the kilograms. A kilogram is weight in grams. 2.2 pounds is one kilogram. That’s the amount of protein grams you need. A man of 160 pounds needs 72.7 grams of protein per day. If you’re a woman you would multiply the kilograms you get after the above division by .8, 20% less than a man. A woman of 160 pounds, would subtract 7.27 from 72.7 grams and need 65 grams of protein per day. ORGA IC FOOD: JC: Do you recommend organic food? Mr. Moreo: Absolutely. Because there’s no pesticides or hormones in them. Food that is not organic can increase chances for cancers and suppress your immune system. Fruits that don’t have a skin will absorb pesticides quicker, like strawberries are the worst. Meat should be organic also. Milk is the same as meat. I don’t recommend drinking milk. It clogs up the cleansing mechanism of the body. Soy milk is not recommended. Recommended: rice milk, coconut milk or almond milk. GOOD FATS TO EAT: The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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Fats: Coconut oil, fish oil (oil they take out of fish), flaxseed oil. GOOD GRAI S TO EAT: Grains: Brown rice, no wheat. Wheat is no good because most people are sensitive to gluten. You can tell if you are sensitive to it, if you’re not allergic, it clogs up the body, it is like a glue. Rice bread is okay. It is better to avoid even sprouted wheat bread. In some people it causes constipation, (in others) some diarrhea; it is a problematic grain, and puts on belly fat. Part II will be in the next issue.
HOW TO EXPERT ADVICE HOW TO BE A JAZZ TRUMPET PLAYER PART II
" ow there's a brilliant cat."-- Barry Harris
by Mark McGowan
I get a lot of satisfaction from practicing the trumpet and practicing jazz. There is something to be said for Mark McGowan on the way to a finally accomplishing a task concert that has literally taken years. Confidence and ease in performance is the result of many hours of practice and dealing with failed attempts. It is easy to get discouraged, but when the skill that you have worked on for years to acquire appears and you own it, it is its own reward. When inexperienced improvisers are confronted with a faster than medium tempo, it can be very discouraging. I remember when I first made the breakthrough of being able to improvise on up 8
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tempo tunes. This took years to accomplish, and sometimes when practicing it seemed as if I was not making progress. But extensive, determined practicing of scales and listening to masters play eventually brought it to pass and up tempo is no longer an issue for me. The upper register on the trumpet was another such accomplishment. Many trumpet players give up practicing high notes because of the difficulty of mastering this phase of trumpet playing, and I actually gave up the thought that I would ever be able to achieve this skill, but one day I could do it. The accumulated experience of many years of persistent determined practicing and gigs has finally resulted in a fairly consistent high register. Many failures preceded the success. It turns out that the key to both improvising up tempo and playing trumpet in the upper register is relaxation. One must relax the mind and the body (throat, fingers, etc.) while remaining alert and flexible enough to deal with the obstacles in front of you. But the only way to develop the ability to relax at a breakneck tempo or when confronted with a lot of ledger lines is intelligent, consistent practice and a determination and belief that one can eventually succeed. Failure is part of the process. No critic can discourage a musician that knows how to play. Of course, we always need to work on our weaknesses, every musician has them, but in a sense once a skill has been mastered one is invulnerable to petty, negative or harmful criticism to a large extent. All trumpet players will be subject to negative criticism and it is important to know how to deal with it and to examine the motives of persons offering their opinion of your playing. It is good to ask for objective criticism of your playing from both professionals and amateurs. When a player receives criticism, try to rise above the purely emotional initial reaction most people have. Examine the advice and see if there is something of value The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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that has escaped your notice or that you may have previously deemphasized in your practice, but now needs more focused work. It is impossible to work on everything at the same time, which is why it is so valuable to have a log and try to evaluate your practice and playing from time to time. Successful practicing involves short term goals, preparing for gigs in the near future, and long range goals of acquiring skills that require a greater investment of time to learn. You should try to record your practices and gigs occasionally and listen to what you are doing critically, as if you were an audience member listening to someone else. Being a musician is more a craft and study in correctness than an art, that is, one masters their materials and instrument first and the art comes later. Beyond just being satisfying, accomplishing skills in music that at first seemed impossible is both powerful and liberating. One can gain the confidence to tackle other profound learning in areas other than music. Very complicated things can be learned by breaking them down into digestible parts. Absorb a little knowledge everyday. Don’t miss a day of practice. Professor Harris said, “Don’t miss a day of practicing. The day you miss, might have been the day you would have made the breakthrough.” (Breakthrough from non-knowledge to knowledge, from nonability to ability). The key to learning anything is exposure and repetition. Barry Harris once said to me when I was a very young man,“If you can master bebop, you can master anything”. Over the last 30 years, I have evolved from hearing that casually offered statement with skepticism to embracing it as a profound truth, in fact, it was the greatest concept, musical or non-musical, that he has ever taught me. It changed me completely when I accepted it enough to apply it. I read something like it again in Musashi’s Book of Five Rings years later: “If you know one thing, you know ten thousand things.” 10
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JC: How do you rate jazz as a music? MM: Art Blakey always commented in his performances that "Jazz is the highest art form on the planet". Of course, not everything with the label of jazz is good, but when excellent and inspired musicians knowledgeable of the tradition play well arranged music, I agree with Mr. Blakey’s assessment. The trumpet is a very difficult instrument to master. Again, a good teacher would be helpful to save time. The most important rule to remember about trumpet playing is: do not hurt yourself in the process of learning how to play the instrument. Do most of your practicing at a mezzo piano- to mezzo forte-volume. Control of your air flow, developing a strong embouchure, and continually improving a smooth decisive tonguing attack are the most important elements. Again, if you hear a trumpeter complaining about his chops, he is practicing and playing too loud. Don’t do it. Treat the trumpet and your chops gently. De-emphasize high notes until you develop some strength and control. If you develop scar tissue on the vibrating part of your lips, you are risking permanent injury. If that happens, you may never properly learn and enjoy playing this difficult but ultimately satisfying instrument. Practicing soft long tones is a basic tool of development. As you gradually gain control, add crescendos and decrescendos to your long-tone practice. When you are more advanced, you can add long setting (practicing a series of long tones without disturbing the mouthpiece setting) and very slow interval drills to develop control and endurance. Practice long tones with breath attacks ("Hoo") and tongue attacks ("Tu"). Again, moderation and balanced practicing is extremely important. A good general rule is to rest as much as you play during a practice session. Practicing lip slurs, trills, and glissandos is also very important to gaining strength and control of the trumpet. Approximately one-fourth to one-third of a good practice session should be devoted to these The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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types of chop-building endeavors. There are some essential method books to help the player develop their chops. Arban’s Grand Conservatory is the most used (and arguably the best) of these books. You can practice out of Arban for your entire career and always improve. A similarly excellent book is Clarke’s technical studies. Most professionals swear by Clarke’s and its emphasis on soft playing and repetition of basic elements: chromatic scales, major and minor scales and arpeggios. The final third or half of a practice session should involve the above-mentioned transcribing of solos and practicing of scales. It is important to plan and budget your practice time carefully. Keep a practice log or journal. Guard your precious practice time jealously from distractions as much as you are able. Life is short. It is also extremely important to sight-read some music every day. The great John Stubblefield once told me that, in New York, making a living as a musician is largely determined by your ability to read and interpret different styles of music at sight and without hesitation. Finally, however, you must spend some time every day learning tunes and improvising on them. If what we want to learn is to be a jazz musician, then the ultimate objective is to find our own unique style of improvising, which will fit in with the collective music making of like-minded individuals. Get out there and find some like-minded people and organize some jam sessions. Get some business cards with your name, instrument and phone number on them. Go to already-organized jam sessions, meet and network with many people. Exchange phone numbers. Talk about music. Compare notes. Take every opportunity to play in big bands and exchange phone numbers with other trumpet players. Talk trumpet with them. Don’t compete as much as learn and appreciate your colleagues. Be generous. You will discover that no one can master everything about jazz or the trumpet. 12
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Trumpeters are all specialists to some degree. The road is long, but to paraphrase a famous Chinese philosopher, "The journey of ten thousand miles starts with a single step." Persevere.
MUSICIA S WHO WROTE FOR THE JAZZ CULTURE EWSLETTER
The Jazz Culture Newsletter Thanks Contributing Writers for the past 6 months: Clarence Banks, Cecil Bridgewater, Harold Danko,
Luciano Fabris, Barry Harris, Bertha Hope, Joe Magnarelli, Adriano Mazzoletti, Mark McGowan, Kuni Mikami, Dado Moroni, Paul Pace, Rick Stone, Gloria Ware, John Watson Contributing Photographers: Brian McMillen, Richard Williams Contributing Proofreaders: Connie MacNamee, Maggie Malone
BARRY HARRIS BIRTHDAY 2012
by Doodlebug
December 15, 2012 was Barry Harris’ birthday, eminent jazz pianist and international teacher, celebrated at the Brick at the Skyline Hotel on 10th Avenue and 50th Street in New York City. Hundreds of well wishes attended, including many pianists who studied with Barry Harris, students who specialize in other instruments, and the theme was love at the memorable musical evening, which was enjoyed by all.
Left, Dr. Harris listens carefully as Andrea from Italy plays, and Right, Gene Ghee enchants crowd in the Skyline Brick Restaurant The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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Taro Akomoto, drums, Murray Wall, & Paulino on guitar; Right, Lisi tries to hide from camera as Robert Buch smiles
Left, Famous Producer Jim Harrison has a good spot, Right, Great Drummer Leroy Williams in pensive moment
Left, Father & Son like two peas in a pod; Right, Singers Bob Fulton & Rahmina Payne, below left, student listens to Dr. Harris sing, while Miguel & Mom Vargas hang out
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Piano Master Barry Harris plays Monk with great depth and his signature sound (& sings) , Tenors Gene Ghee, Bill Saxton & John Weber, bass, U drummer
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Some ofBarry Harris's piano players: Miguel Vargas, James ___, Luciano Fabris, Andrea Papini, Geoff, Prince's hands, M. Ferghu & wife pay respects, Terrence Connolly talks to Kiani Zuwadi
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ENGLAND EVENT
LO DO JAZZ FESTIVAL REVIEW by John Watson Band: Janek Gwizdala Band Venue: Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho Date: Monday 12th ovember 2012
November is an important month in the UK jazz calendar as that is John Watson when the London Jazz Photo: Max Garr Festival occurs. There are countless jazz gigs from concert halls to pubs and, of course, in London’s jazz clubs. Being spoilt for choice, I decided to head for Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho as Louie Palmer (the regular drummer with my jazz trio) was performing with virtuoso bass player Janek Gwizdala. The evening started with support band Partikel featuring Duncan Eagles on tenor sax, Max Luthert on acoustic bass and Eric Ford on drums. I was particularly impressed by their interesting use of odd time signatures and great range of dynamics. Duncan Eagles’ smooth tone blended well with the sparse drumming of Eric Ford and Max Luthert, on bass, experimented with a delay effect and harmonics during some of his solos which created a great atmospheric soundscape. The lack of a piano or guitar only seemed to add to the intimacy of their music. Their arrangement of "Body and Soul" strayed far from what one might have expected, starting in 7/4, then into a funky 4/4 breakbeat style where Duncan played staccato lines in total contrast to some of the earlier tunes. Eric moved swiftly between sticks and brushes to add to the many changes of mood and intensity. Partikel are a tight The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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band who effortlessly move from full on jamming to quiet, mesmerizing sections with sudden changes of time signature. Their obvious commitment to the music, sensitivity and musical empathy was certainly rewarded by an appreciative and packed house. After a short interval it was time for the main act of the evening; the Janek Gwizdala Band featuring Janek on electric bass, Jason Rebello on piano, Louie Palmer on drums and Duncan Eagles (once more) on sax. They opened their set with "Ersko Man." Janek explained later that he thought of the title when he was recording with drummer Peter Erskine. After a bass introduction, Louie Palmer set up a great atmosphere on cymbals and then, after the tune had reached an epic climax, he changed to brushes as Jason Rebello started his solo then back to sticks as Jason’s solo developed. Duncan Eagles performed a sensitive solo followed by Janek starting delicately in the high register of the bass then building up his solo using the full range of the instrument with melodic phrases and more virtuoistic lines. The second tune was entitled "Cashasha" and started with a staccato bass line with touches of Hi-Life but it soon turned more rocky. Jason played a funky solo gradually using richer harmonies to add to the intensity. Janek played a rhythmic solo, even managing low chordal stabs (a bit like the left hand style of a modern jazz pianist). The head returned then the band went into a coda section with a breakdown riff allowing Louie to really solo to the delight of the audience. A ballad followed entitled "There was a Time" starting with Janek playing the melody and bass line together and sometimes even adding chords too. The tune then moved into a jazz waltz chord sequence which Janek set up on a loop machine allowing him to solo and scat over the top. Duncan then joined in followed by the rest of the band. At some point, Janek appeared to discreetly drop the loop out as the band developed the tune. When they 18
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returned to the head, Duncan and Louie dropped out leaving Jason and Janek to end the tune. The next tune was "Espana" starting with the whole band clapping a rhythm. Janek then added a bass riff and Louie joined in on drums. Duncan and Jason then played a minor melody with a Spanish/Cuban flavour. During his solo, Jason used some nice contrupuntal imitation between the hands. The feel then changed as Duncan played a staccato solo over a bass pedal note. Throughout, Louie played bass 8th notes on the bass drum giving a touch of reggae to the mix and yet keeping it firmly in fusion mode for Janek's solo. After all this intensity the tune ended with a diminuendo and slight ritardando. The "Goshman" was next, starting with a 16th beat shuffle feel and a bluesy melody which was a great vehicle for Jason's solo over two chords which soon built into a McCoy Tyner kind of modal development getting further away from the original basic harmony. It was back to cool and quiet for Janek's solo with the use of a slight delay effect and some off mike scatting. He again used the loop station to set up a bass line riff. The head returned without drums and the tune ended with a fade-out. Next tune was called "Erdnase" starting with a quirky melody over galloping bass line. The band moved into a more solid feel for Jason's solo and the sophisticated chord sequence, over an energetic uptempo beat, was a great vehicle allowing all to shine in their solos. A unison rendition of the melody allowed Louie to really open out with a great solo in the coda. "Bethany" (which Janek wrote for his wife) followed. The tune consisted of a simple four chord loop and an almost country style melody. However, the simplicity allowed Janek to then open out intricately during his solo. The whole band entered over the loop with an interesting cross rhytmn pattern from Jason. Then the rest of the band dropped out, leaving Jason, at first, maintaining the The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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intensity of the 16th note feel loop but then changing to a thoughtful, colla voce treatment and extemporizing away from the original harmony. The band then came back in (a tempo) with the head and the tune ended with another amazing drum solo from Louie in the coda. The band’s encore was a tune entitled "Stern Look" (a reference, I assume, to Mike Stern who Janek has also played with). After a rocky head, Jason dropped out while Duncan and Janek traded 4' s with a gradual crescendo intensified by Louie. Suddenly they were really opening out and trading in 32nd note phrases! Jason followed with a rhythmic solo moving into a more rhapsodic style. All in all, a great finish to a night of top class musicianship, virtuoso playing and great dynamics. For more information about Janek visit: http://janekgwizdala.com Pub. Note: John Watson is an English pianist, composer, arranger, singer and bandleader who has a steady gig at the Langham Hotel and works around England, but has toured in the States. John Watson is a “triple threat” singer, pianist and keyboardist, accompanist and long time music director of Leee John and legendary 80’s group Imagination. Through popular demand, he has recorded and released several albums. Most recently the JW3 Live at the Langham, (available for download) features his jazz trio and was recorded at the Palm Court,The Langham, London, where John is currently resident pianist and musical director. www.johnpianoman.co.uk Myspace.com/johnawatson; youtube.com/johnpianoman; twitter.com/johnpianoman;facebook.com/john watson/78494720527
A JAZZ CHRISTMAS PARTY
Christmas Party at Zeb's; Tapper Alex Cowings, right
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Organizers Tracy Mann and Al rejoice as packed crowd appears for their Christmas Party, produced by Cobi Jazz at Zeb's
Toes Tiranoff, Left and David Gilmore Right, Tappers waiting to go on The crowd at Zeb's-Mabel the cook on left, Cobi arita, right
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Special Coverage of Dr. Barry Harris Birthday
Gene Ghee, Tenor Saxophone, Leroy Williams & Kiani Zuwadi, the Conolleys, singers in the Choir, Dr. Harris conducts, dancers get down
Dr. Harris teaches a Blues
Tenors Gene Ghee & Bill Saxton face eachother, Kiani Zuwadi, right
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Bert Eckoff, Mr. & Mrs. Gene Ghee, Lela Keels & Friends, Mrs. Jill Williams, Four singers, including Jo Marchese and Kumiko, Dancers improvise, Ira Jackson & Dr. Harris
Dr. Frank Foster Photo:Brian McMillen The Jazz Culture, VI:35
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Frank Sr. & Katie; Maki; Raf D'Lugoff, Lala Moore;Patience Higgins; Dwayne Clemonds & Charles Davis; Lil Phillips; Rhett von Konigswarten; Linda Hudson & Gloria, Connie Mac amee
Subscribe Free to the Jazz Culture Newsletter: http://thejazzculture.com. t© 2012, The Jazz Culture, Ltd. PO Box 20023 Park West Finance Sta, NY 10025, Tel: 646‐312‐7773.
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