JAZZ CULTURE
The New York Jazz Project
In These Pages: Review 1‐2 Rome Event by L. Fabris 23 Mastering Guitar by R. Stone 3‐
5
Dr. Frank Foster by C. Bridgewater 5‐8 Billie Holiday Tribute 9‐11
Contact: Tel.: 646-312-7773 info@newyorkjazzproject.com
REVIEW
Rossano Sportielo, Pianist Harry Allen, Tenor Saxophonist Have a Musical Conversation
April 12, 2012 Just by accident happened into the cd release party
of Rossano Sportiello, pianist and Harry Allen, tenor saxophonist at Smalls. Their new cd Conversations features the lyrics in the Johnny Burke Songbook. That a musician should do a cd featuring songs by a lyricist is a statement in itself. Knowledge of the lyric can augment a performance, as lots of old timers can testify to. They played among other songs, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “Like Someone in Love,” “What’s New,” “Did He Call Her Today?,” Sportiello often playing walking bass to great effect. Both played evocative solos, with excellent techniques, with a couple of paragraphs lapsed in their stories where technical facility obfuscated on fast tunes. Each tune was about 7-9 minutes long with extensive variations. Mr. Sportiello, from Vigevano, Italy, is a prodigy, who married an American and moved to New York—plays stride like the old timers with brilliance and his own color palette. He absorbed harmony from Barry Harris and others, and evolved into Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
p.1
a pianist resonating colors of the impressionists like Claude Monet and his own brand of tenderness, warmth, and humor. Mr. Allen, from Washington, DC, displayed a couple of virtues that all instrumentalists should think about. He knows the lyrics and he uses a lot of vibrato on ballads, to relaxing, intimate effect. He is also kind of shy, and occasionally seemed to be channeling others in the tradition (though he has his own sound, a lovely woody sound that emphasizes the middle register) a bit self consciously. Of course many famous musicians say that they are channeling a higher power. Allen & Sportiello swing, each with certain delights for fans of the swing era, who had an engaging conversation and happy musical event.
ROME EVE T
Luciano Fabris, pianist
From March 19-23, 2012 at the Felt Club in Roma, Italy, there was an international masterclass featuring Barry Harris with 90 students from 19 different countries, including Europe, the United States, Canada, Israel, Syria, Russia, Japan, and Cyprus. The highlight of the event was on Friday, March 23, when Barry Harris played also a memorable concert with Luca Pisani on bass and Oreste Soldano on drums. This was the 11th time a unique event of this kind has been produced in Rome by the Roma Jazz Workshop Cultural Association. Over 600 students have had the possibility in the last seven years to study with this great teacher, composer, and performer of jazz music. Besides being the foremost musician in the world with knowledge of Charlie Parker and Bud Powell's music, he is recognized worldwide as an innovator, also because of the great contribution to musical theory of his sixth/diminished scales. Barry Harris has a unique way of teaching. He believes that the best place to learn how to play is a class, where people of p.2
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
different levels come together and can improve. Seeing Dr. Harris at work, sitting in front of a bunch of horn players ready to play scales and phrases at really fast tempos and challenging them to play faster is a remarkable experience. For many years Barry Harris has traveled all over the world to teach young people and spread his message and his passion for jazz. In Rome, the brilliant pianist Andrea Papini collaborates with Dr. Harris as translator. Also every night, passionate jam sessions were held until late in the night, conducted by different piano players. Italian audiences had the chance to listen to some great players as Richard Clements from USA and Kuno Kurner from Germany, beside the Italians Fausto Ferraiolo and the above mentioned Andrea Papini. After the class was over, as always we received a lot of messages of joy sent for days from students and audiences alike, filled with gratitude. Things like that can happen when somebody's heart is touched. Mastering Guitar by Rick Stone
Chris Drukker: Photo
A person can obviously become a GREAT jazz guitarist without going to a music school (countless examples exist) but the problem we face now is a lack of working situations and bands for a young musician to learn in. If you look back at the early history of jazz, most musicians got a lot of their training from playing in bands, learning on the job. But now people are so used to canned music, that in most cities, only
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
p.3
the best musicians get to play even on little bar or cafe jobs that barely pay. This leaves very few opportunities and so the schools have kind of come in to fill that void by providing a place where young musicians can learn from (and sometimes perform with) their elders and perform with their peers. A degree is really only necessary if one is going to teach or have any sort of job in an academic setting. Teaching is really a different art from playing. Early on in my life I had some great teachers who inspired me to want to follow in their footsteps, but I also wanted to be a player. So I've kind of followed a split path; I've tried to grow as a player AND as a teacher. You have to really make a study of that and observe the lessons that you yourself have learned, and whether those things translate to your students. Every student is different as well, so to be a good teacher, you have to learn how you can get through to that person in a way that effects them positively. It takes a TREMENDOUS amount of patience and can be really frustrating at times. Not every musician has the temperament to be a great teacher. Most jazz guitarists prefer an arch-top guitar. Of those, there are two main varieties: A carved top (in which the top is carved from a single piece of spruce) is much more responsive acoustically acoustically, but also much more expensive and fragile. Good examples of these are the Gibson L-5 and many guitars handmade by luthiers like Benedetto, Buscarino and Comins (which is what I play). A "laminate" (or plywood top) on the other hand, has a top that is arched by molding the wood on a form. The laminate is cheaper to build and much sturdier, so it's often the choice for a "road" guitar, even for musicians who prefer a carved top at home and in the studio. The Gibson ES-175 is a good example and there are many laminate instruments being made by Asian companies now that fall easily into the beginners’ budget. It should also be noted that when played electrically, a laminate is often less prone to feedback, so some players prefer them in live situations for that reason. p.4
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
I should also note though that ANY guitar can be used to play jazz and the choice of instrument can be a really personal thing. Some players (thinking now especially of the great Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert) even prefer solid body instruments like the Fender Telecaster, which believe it or not, can be a really great sounding jazz guitar (in the right hands of course!). I personally use several guitars regularly; I use two Bill Comins "Classic" models, both carved archtops (one is a 17" and the other an 18"). I also use a D'Angelico SS which was redesigned for the company by Bill Comins a few years ago. The SS is a laminate with a smaller body (14.75") and is very comfortable to play. I also use a Vestax nylon string guitar that was made as a prototype for the NAMM show about 10 years ago. It's different from a traditional classical in that it has a smaller body (15") and an arched top. The neck is also narrower than a traditional classical guitar and meets the body at the 14th fret (as opposed to the 12th) so it feels more like my jazz boxes. I've got a closet full of other instruments, but the ones I described are kind of my "go to" instruments for almost everything.
JAZZ HERITAGE
Photo: Bruce McMillen
Dr. Frank Foster
by Cecil Bridgewater Part II
[Frank Foster] He had several bands, the big band for festivals concerts that also played dances. He had another group called Swing Plus, a smaller group, more of a dance group, with fewer horns and a rhythm section. He also had the Non Electric Company, a small group – quintet/sextet.
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
p.5
Cecilia his wife took over the booking and management and PR and all that. She was as much a part of the band as he was. She was behind the scenes, taking care of the business stuff. It was a great partnership. It took a lot of work to get rehearsals, trying to transport and house that many people. Festival people or concert people don’t want to put out that much money. It is a lot harder for bands to travel now days. I remember Max Roach told me that bands used to stay in a city for 8 weeks at a time. Nowadays you travel to a venue, do the concert/engagement and return home until the next concert. A lot of concerts are in colleges or schools. In Europe you’re doing festivals, so you during the festival season. It’s a little more difficult, in terms of financially making it viable not only for the artist but the venue. Frank did all kinds of other things as well, commissions. He just finished writing the “Nippon Lament,” for the people of Japan tsunami victims, which had its premiere at his memorial on September 23, 2011. He also taught at Jazzmobile and several Colleges and Universities around the world. [Now you have a] General public [who] doesn’t hear jazz. Unless you seek out WBGO or some other jazz stations so there is less awareness and appreciation for the music. You have to seek it out. Going to Europe and Japan someone would come up to and say, “I remember a recording you made for so and so..” often something that I had forgotten. There is a different level of knowledge of the music. A lot of people in this country don’t know who Frank Foster is. We don’t remember the ancestors whose shoulders we are standing on, we’re always looking for the next new thing, we don’t give them the respect their due until after they’re dead and gone, whether it is in fashion or music. It’s very very young country… this country is very young like a little kid, and so the music is the same way. We’re so used to throwing away stuff, so we toss it aside. It has to be termed monumental for something not to be built in its place…in another place they wouldn’t think of doing. Jazz has withstood the test of time for 100 years, but that’s still a very short time. p.6
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
[Frank Foster] He is one of America’s great composers, along with Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, his contributions have been as a saxophonist, mentor, composer, arranger and organizer. Those are things Cecil Bridgewater at 25th he…excelled in from the time Anniversary of ew School Jazz he left Cincinnati, from the rehearsal time he left college. Some [people] are great instrumentalists, or great innovators, [e.g] John Coltrane was great innovative, saxophonist, but Frank was known for all of those things, and revered for all those things. He was a great teacher. I first encountered him as a teacher at Jazzmobile, Diz and Jimmy Heath used to teach there. He went on to teach at several universities. Within the band he was always challenging us, making us experience the difficulty in his music. As a composer, arranger, saxophonist, as a mentor, all of those things... We are going to do the best we can to keep the music going and let people know who Frank Foster is. He was one of the few people who had a hit, like “Shiny Stockings,” his music was in a couple of Jerry Lewis films; Dizzy commissioned him to write for London Philharmonic. He was commissioned to do a piece for double big bands, in Ohio, Sean Jones’ Big Band, and Byron Striplings Big Band. That’s a very rare happening. Lincoln Center Orchestra commissioned him-- he wrote for everybody. His great sense of humor and curiosity came through and gave life to everything. He fought through his illnesses. Taking on having your own big band is a huge task as well, to try to keep it working. Frank’s life was a big part of the history of the music, from the era of Basie right on up to last year. A simple thing, never give up your dream. Whatever you think you want to do, don’t shrink that for an easier route. Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
p.7
Something you really want to do, put in the effort and it’ll happen. He would come to rehearsals in a wheelchair and conduct the band, the band was his instrument. You felt the energy he was putting into it, you could do no less. He was the kind of person that overcame all the obstacles, no matter what it was.
BILLIE HOLIDAY TRIBUTE
Michael Morgan
Frank Robinson Connie Mc amee & Jim Malloy
Jo Marchese & Maggie Malone
p.8
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
Joe Gimpel & Lana Sokolov
April 7, 2012
The First Tribute to Billie Holiday by the New York Jazz Project took place on Saturday afternoon, from 2-6 at The Rum House, a midtown gourmet drink establishment that is elegantly decorated with art nouveau light fixtures, dark wooden paneling, in the Edison Hotel. About 24 singers took part in the festivities, featuring a trio with Kuni Mikami, pianist, Clifford Barbaro, drummer, and Jon Roche, bass. Singers and audience alike exclaimed their love for Billie Holiday, one of the jazz greats we all idolize and try to learn from, as she was a great innovator and natural genius. Overcoming a horrific childhood, she became at the age of 18 one of the biggest jazz stars in New York and later in world history, recorded by John Hammond, who declared her "an improvising jazz genius." Critics like Nat Hentoff proclaimed her to be "the best and most honest jazz singer." Kumiko Yamakado
and Sonia Perkins
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
p.9
Lionelle Hamanaka & Mary Rocco
Lisi Pakulski & Maki Motatsu
Anthony Maxwell Richard Williams
p.10
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
Mike Sergio
Ron Saltus
Attending but not photographed were Tom Breuer, Joyce Deyo, Sybil Evans. Belonging to the jazz world is a blessing, where we are blessed with recordings and memories of stars like Billie Holiday, who filled our heartbreak, happiest moments, solitude and memories and joy, with some of the greatest music the world has known belongs to everyone who claims it.
Tamiko
Three generations ofjazz lovers listen up. Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3
p.11
Letters to Jazz Culture:
I will keep my students in the loop! Thanks, Mike Dana, Jazz Studies & Music Industry Fresno City College, CA * ** Hi,The newletter looks great! Very easy to read and its nice the way you can shuffle through the pages, both forward and back. It really feels like you are flipping through the pages of an actual magazine. Tim *** I clicked on the link and saw the work...it's very nice and it gives an insight on what's happening beside the usual venues and gives voice to other important musicians often ignored by the other media. Dado Moroni, Italy *** Thank you. We are happy to share with our students. We are also happy to include event listings on our facebook page when possible. https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Setnor-School-ofMusic/165581576854656. Michelle Taylor, Syracuse University, NY *** I like the newsletter and will post it‌ Best wishes with the newsletter, Harold Danko, Dir. Eastman School of Music Jazz Dept., NY The Billie Future editions will Holiday feature upcoming Events Tribute was a in NYC and other places family Affair
p.12
Jazz Culture by YJP v1, n3