The Jazz Culture
DAVID COSS's 17th Year Anniversary at Garage; below, Renaud Penant, Murray Wall, & Pasquale Grasso at Jules
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David Coss, at his 17th anniversary ofhis gig at Garage, recalled that Dakota Staton, Harold Ousley and Virginia Mayhew used to stop by in bygone days; now, unfortunately, many ofthem have passed on. Veteran pianist Danny Mixon, bassist Bryce Sebastian, and talented drummer Aaron Kimmel gave strong support to Mr. Coss.
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DAVID COSS QUARTET by L. Hamanaka
Caught the David Coss Quartet at Garage on Sunday night, celebrating his 17th year at that gig. Danny Mixon was on piano, Bryce Sebastian on bass, and Aaron Kimmel on drums. The first song heard was, “Sunday in New York,” delivered in an open, gracious style, a nice welcoming song. The next tune was “In a Mellow Mood,” (Duke Ellington) at an easy swing. Mr. Coss sang in a mellow tone and then scatted a swinging chorus, and after the bass solo, traded 4’s with the drummer, with good articulation and phrasing and his pitch consistent on long tones, which few singers can do. “Little Girl Blue” (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) followed, with Mr. Coss in a tender rendition, with a lot of dynamic variation, sometimes using mordents. Danny Mixon rolled some chords to simulate those teardrops and raindrops, and threw in some blue notes. David Coss ended the song with a suspension, and then some long tones in his falsetto. “Day by Day,” (Paul Weston, Axel Stordhal) as a fast bossa (at about 150=quarter note), giving the song a bright propulsive feeling, where Mr. Coss’s voice was like a rhythm instrument. The band led by Danny Mixon gave In these Pages strong support, making it sound David Coss Quartet at Garage 1‐4 like a festival song, and Aaron May Listings 5‐6 Kimmel used sticks on toms and John Watson Ad then split the sound to half Kuni Mikami Ad cymbals. Mr. Coss knows how to "How To" for Singers use his voice as a rhythm from Billie Holiday 8 instrument; and his ability to England Event: 10‐12 anticipate the beat made his John Watson on Salena Jones rendition lively. Photos at Jules 16 The Jazz Culture, V.III:117
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“Let’s Get Lost,”(Jimmy McHugh) made famous by Chet Baker, done at about 106=quarter note), was next, with Mr. Coss sounding lyrical. He started in a duo with Mr. Mixon, the lyrics kind of clever “Let’s get crossed off everyone’s list”…and then the band came in, very effectively augmenting the impression of the song. Mr. Mixon’s solo was melodic, effective by using a few notes to maximum effect, with some repetition, right on top of the beat; he is a powerful dramatic player; and Mr. Bryce soloed close to the melody in a warm tone, using the rhythms of the song. Ms. Coss then did a duo with Mr. Bryce. Mr. Coss is a swinging jazz singer who scats, has good intonation and long tones, and ought be heard in many other contexts. “Day in, Day Out” at about 145=quarter note, was the last tune of the set, which Mr. Coss delivered with a triplet feel. He is one of the few singers who uses triplets well, he also expanded the melodic line with some notes from the chords. He mentioned that on past anniversaries Dakota Staton used to come by, Harold Ousley, Virginia Mayhew and other musicians. Many of them have unfortunately passed away. The band played a chorus of a funky blues as a finale, ending sharply on a downbeat.
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The Jazz Culture Newsletter 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 76 countries. Brian McMillen is a contributing Photographer. Connie MacNamee and Arnold J. Smith are contributing writers." Countries: US, UK, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Burma, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam
May Listings Robert Anderson‐ Every Saturday, University of the Streets 10:30 Clarence Banks‐ Swing 46 most Thursdays with Felix and the Cats, 346 W. 46 St. Ray Blue: Greenwich House in Greenwich Village. May 9-
Mothers Day the Bean Runner Cafe May 8 private event in Connecticut;l Jazz Foundation in Bushwick
Richard Clements‐ Pianist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, Tues., Sun. some Sats.‐ High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5‐9 p.m.
Concert: May 31 , Sat. 8 p.m.
Bertha Hope ‐ Minton's on 206 W. 118 Street, every weekend George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, every Tues, most Fridays 9:30 Loston Harris: 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
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St., New York, NY 10021 (76th St. & Madison Ave.) 212‐744‐1600 Kim Clarke: May 12 at For My Sweet, Brooklyn Mike Longo: Tuesdays Gillespie Auditorium in the NYC Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street 8:00 and 9:30 Joe Magnarelli/Akiko Tsuruga at Memorial Hall, Medford Lakes, NJ
John Mosca & Michael Weiss, Vanguard Orchestra every Monday at the Village Vanguard 8 p.m. David Pearl‐ Mondays at the Thalia, 95 St. bet. B'way & West End 8 p.m. Valery Pomoronov‐ Zinc Bar on May 7, 9:30 p.m. Bill Saxton: Every Friday and Saturday Bill’s Place 133 Street Murray Wall, bassist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 p.m. Leroy Williams, drums: Minton's Sun & Tues 2‐6 W. 118 St. ENGLAND: John Watson Trio at the Palm Court, Langham Hotel, London, 1c Portland, Regent St. 207‐636‐1000 Fri‐Sat George Gee‐May 23, Frankie Manning's 100th, Edison Ballroom, NYC
Happy Birthday May Babies Jack Walrath, Bob Albanese, Mark Morganelli, David Coss, Nabuko Jazz, Rhonda Hamilton, Lafayette Harris, Ellen Martin, Rodney Kendricks Thank You for Bringing Beauty & Love to the World LEEE JOHN LIVE AT HIDEAWAY MAY 2014 featuring John Watson on piano/vocal/keyboards!
IMAGINATION LIVE AT EPIC DALSTON - 3RD MAY 2014 Featuring John Watson on keyboards/vocal John will be performing with Leee John & Imagination at Epic in Dalston on Saturday 3rd May. Indalston is proud to present
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Imagination Live for first time in the Dalston area... supporting djs on the night include Sancho panza head honchos Matt Brown & Jimmy K Tel, Mr Shiver, Sophie Lloyd and Fabulous Franc. This is a presale Ticketed event only - There will be no tickets bought on the door and no admission after 11pm. Doors open at 7pm and the band perform at 9.30pm - tickets £17.50. To purchase your E-Ticket visit: https://www.rsn-tickets. com/events/1442/indalston-pres-imagination-feat-leee-john-live LIVE VIDEO OF LEEE JOHN & HIS JAZZ QUARTET featuring John Watson on piano Enjoy the video Leee John - Lady Sings The Blues/Strange Fruit filmed at John's recent show with Leee John & His Jazz Quartet at the award-winning jazz club Hideaway in Streatham or, for more videos ofJohn, visit his YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/johnpianoman
KUNI MIKAMI, Pianist is also an acclaimed, talented Videographer Special Introductory Sale: Five Minute Edited (with music) Video Resume for Performers $300 Contact Kuni @: 123mime@gmail.com
Artist must provide: • Good quality HD video on computer file • Good recorded audio sound • A photo of yourself • Text you want to see on the video
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BILLIE HOLIDAY: "HOW TO" by L. Hamanaka Billie Holiday was an innovator that jazz singers can learn from in their quest to find their true selves through the music. Billie Holiday never went to music school but she worked, collaborated and rehearsed with the greatest jazz musicians of her time. Her evolution followed the model of the old country, either in Africa, Asia or a European guild, where people learned by ear, imitation, rote or by modeling themselves on their masters. The ear is always King in music. Billie Holiday first learned by listening as a girl, to records of Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong, two of the great jazz singers. Bessie Smith was a powerful, down to earth, unique blues artist. Louis Armstrong was a virtuoso trumpet player and one of the main innovators in jazz, called “Pops,” a towering creative genius, thus proving that getting a good aural concept of the music by listening is a basic requirement for any musician. Ms. Holiday was subbing for Monette Moore who John Hammond came to hear; and he signed Billie Holiday to do a couple of sides. Hammond said, “she was the first girl singer I’d come across…who actually sang like an improvising jazz genius.” Before that, Ms. Holiday teamed up with a tenor saxophone player and worked in small combos in Harlem. Whereas Billie Holiday does not insert licks between lines of lyrics the way Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan did, she changed melody notes, improving the songs she was singing, and created variations of 8
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rhythmic ideas within the meter of the song. Billie Holiday did this seamlessly, so seamlessly, that what was always primary was the meaning,the spirit of the song and making the song the vehicle for her interpretation. The cliche “You have to live the song to sing it” was inspired by artists like Billie Holiday. She was fulfilling her mission. Another musician cliché, “Play as though it’s the last chance you’ll get,” undoubtedly comes from artists of her caliber. Music as a healing force, “you are all healers” comes to mind; and nobody comes to mind more forcefully than Lady Day. By letting go of her own tears, she lets us let go of ours. One of the most famous torch song singers of all time, even as her sometimes harsh sounds reflected her hardships, Lady Day sometimes sings in an unbearably honest way. How many singers can say, we really dig deep to use our deepest experiences to interpret the lyric? Whereas, few suffer as much as Billie Holiday did in real life, she was one of those performers who connected to and used music to express her deepest needs and feelings, whether tragic, happy, sexual or her POV re the issues of the day, such as “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” “I Been Down so Long Feels Like Up to Me,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” This is something most people have to really work at to be consistent. It seemed to come naturally to Billie Holiday. When Billie Holiday worked with Count Basie’s Orchestra, she had to know the 90 tunes in their singer’s book. So by example, she demonstrated that you can’t stop learning the standards, and those outstanding originals that are good for one’s voice and style, or just the ones that the bandleader wants you to sing because he’s got arrangements . Billie Holiday could sing at any tempo. Though the ballads of the day were usually done as “walking ballads,” because jazz was related to dancing at the time and that tempo was very danceable. She did songs like “What a Little Moonlight Can Do To You,” very fast, in a relaxed, swinging style. Singing at fast tempos requires The Jazz Culture, V.III:117
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always knowing where “1” the first beat is, but also, a sense of form, and subdividing the beat. Every good musician knows that you must feel not just the beat, but the subdivisions of the beat, at least up to 16th notes. This creates vibrancy and life in your performing. Listening to Billie Holiday, you get the sense that Billie Holiday felt that beat and could float on top, syncopate, and come in or leave off at different parts of the beat. Her ability to hear different parts of the beat is what allows her to swing at ballad tempos. Any singer who wants to hear what Billie Holiday is actually doing, should know how to conduct in 4/4 like the diagram on the right. Then player her record and check it out. You should hear different rhythmic ideas; "1", the whole note, half note, eighth note, triplets of different values; and subdivide each quarter note into 16ths. You have to practice this, sitting there and conducting for yourself. Sometimes you can sit with a leadsheet, without singing a pitch, try out and count different rhythmic combinations conducting 4/4; and invent many different rhythmic ways of applying the lyric and melody of the song you are singing. Back in the day vocalists as well as instrumentalists had “battles” at jam sessions where they sang the same song in chorus after chorus, perhaps 20 ways. In a famous jam session duel with Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday went 8 choruses of "I Cried For You," and finally won that particular battle--she said "it was her song." The next time you listen to a Billie Holiday song, try counting in time and seeing where she places the accents, and where she puts in triplets, etc. Jazz singers place accents on different beats than other genres of singers. Jazz singers are supposed to sound like horns, but most of today’s jazz singers don’t listen to horn players. Also brilliant was her application of word stress. [Word stress is a device that you can hear from any news commentator making a report on TV.] Word stress is the accents you place on a word that makes the musical line pop. 10
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These are just a few things and examples of how Billie Holiday, a great artist and world famous diva, excelled and created her own audience and style. Please respond with your own ideas to: info@thejazzculture.com Pub. Note: The prior comment Jazz Culture made that "we should respect Billie Holiday more than princesses or heiresses" was not to disparage others: nobody chooses their parents but to point out she was a self made artist with immense obstacles to greatness.
Book Report: "The Jazz Piano Collection" ed. arr.by David Pearl We know David Pearl as a pianist/arranger: but he has written a number of music books, one of them The Jazz Piano Collection, Amsco Publications (seen on the web under Hal Leonard) $16.95. The following songs are in the book:
Anthropology-Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie Donna Lee, Charlie Parker Now’s the Time, Charlie Parker Scrapple from the Apple, Charlie Parker So What, Miles Davis Waltz for Debby, Bill Evans Perdido, Ervin Drake, Harry Lenk and Juan Tizol Ruby My Dear, Thelonious Monk Spain Chick Corea St. Thomas, Sonny Rollins Epistrophy, Kenneth Clark and Thelonious Monk Goodbye Porkpie Hat, Charles Mingus LadyBird, Tad Dameron Cherokee- by Ray Noble Bye Bye Blackbird, Mort Dixon and Ray Henderson Girl from Ipanema, Antonio Carlos Jobim Desafinado, Jobim Lullaby ofBirdland, George Shearing The Jazz Culture, V.III:17
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Lush Life, Billy Strayhorn Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Joe Zawinul Manteca, Dizzy Gillespiem Gil Walter Fuller and Luciano Gonzales Poinciana Nat Simon and Buddy Bernier
What are the contents of t his book? Arrangements of eight bebop tunes by Bird, Diz, Monk and Tad; one Miles Davis tune, a tune by Bill Evans and by Billy Strayhorn, several swing tunes (“Perdido”, “Bye Bye Blackbird”) a few bossa novas by Jobim, one Latin Jazz classic, “Manteca, and ”Goodbye Porkpie Hat,” by Charles Mingus. Mostly beautiful classic jazz, all songs we have heard and love. Mr. Pearl shows creativity in writing interesting counterpoint lines, voicings that bring out new colors and complement the spirit of the song. This book would be extremely valuable to any musician who is a single line player and has piano as a second instrument, or any singer who can sightread. The pianists who are primarily jazz pianists will probably develop their own style of arranging, but it would be good as a springboard for someone starting to arrange. Mr. Pearl has written some books simplifying the classical masters, and parts of some of the arrangements are stark in style, although in a becoming way. The only part of a song my personal taste would have preferred to be slightly different was “Now’s the Time,” where the second chorus sounds like some older blues styles than bebop—in recordings, the intros to these tunes were sometimes a bit simple, but it did not strike the ear because after the intro, Bird played the head and the music took off into a forward thinking, more advanced stylistic realm. Also, in “So What” this listener prefers less 4ths in the voicings, but that is the taste of an orthodox bopper. and the title is "So What?" after all. All told, Mr. Pearl is a delightful and poetic arranger who adds something of his own vision to these songs which once played will present a polished, well hewn surface to the audience of these jewels of the jazz repertoire. 12
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ENGLAND EVENT Salena Jones & Her Sextet at The Pheasantry, London - 10th April 2014 Review by John Watson Salena Jones vocal Will Bartlett piano/musical director Jules Jackson bass Matt Skelton drums Hugh Wilkinson vibes/percussion Richard Shepherd tenor/soprano sax Martin Shaw trumpet/flugelhorn
John Watson by Max Garr
The Pheasantry is located in London’s famous Kings Road in Chelsea and is part of the Pizza Express group of music venues. Like Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho, the music room is in the basement. Art Deco style black and white tiles dominate the stairs down to the room. Large canvas pictures of jazz musicians are on several of the walls plus a striking statue. A sweeping staircase leads down to the stage area at the top of which is a balcony. The baby grand piano, double bass and drums filled the stage area so the trumpet, sax and percussion players were set up on the balcony. The unusual set-up only added to the anticipation of the performance. The musicians took their places and, as the lights dimmed, a voice introduced the Will Bartlett Sextet. Will directed the musicians from the piano with confidence and precision and their swing number was a good aperitif for the evening with concise solos from each musician. Will immediately counted in the next number and, over the intro, we were asked to welcome Salena Jones to the stage. Salena looked elegant and glamorous in a white beaded dress and calmly took command of the stage. The first song was Lionel Richie’s Hello but, after a The Jazz Culture, V.III:17
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brief ballad section, the arrangement swiftly moved into a bluesy medium swing; a nice twist showing the arranging skills of Keith Mansfield. Keith has arranged for musical luminaries ranging from Dusty Springfield to Maynard Ferguson and it was great to hear what he could achieve with just a sextet.! Rodgers and Hart’s This Can’t be Love swiftly followed and Salena was noticeably enjoying her band and the warm, receptive audience. Salena then moved into Michael Franks’ Antonio’s Song (which she recorded on her Melodies Of Love album). This really got the audience into a mellow latin mood with a great flugelhorn solo by Martin Shaw and subtle but effective percussion from Hugh Wilkinson. It was back to the standards with Imagination (Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke). Salena once said to me that you should really speak to the audience with the lyrics and she certainly showed how you do that. Although she always sang the words, you felt as though she was “speaking” to you. Subtle word stresses and glances got her message over to the audience and showed her command of her craft.! !An upbeat version of Day By Day cleared the palate before Salena returned to the latin theme with a medley of three Jobim songs: The Boy From Ipanema, Dindi and Agua De Beber. She explained how she had recorded an album in Rio with the Jobim family. The bossa nova genre really suits Salena’s voice and the sextet delicately and suitably supported her. The mood turned more bluesy with Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson’s Save Your Love For Me; a great showcase for Salena’s mastery of phrasing and set ended with I Love Being Here With You. The second set opened with a great swing arrangement of Cole Porter’s Night And Day followedby an interesting musical marriage of Neil Diamond’s Hello Again (in a slow 3/4 time) moving seamlessly into a jazz waltz version of Hello Young Lovers. Billy Paul’s Me And Mrs. Jones became Me and Mr. Jones and there were nice renditions of standards such as All Or Nothing At All, I’ve Grown Accustomed To His Face and Cole Porter’s From This Moment On but the real flavour of this set was 14
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the blues. Salena really connected with the audience with numbers such as Since I Fell For You, In The Dark, Someone Else Is Steppin’ In and Every Day I Have The Blues. Salena used a more forceful style of singing for these numbers and, in Every Day I Have The Blues, the last song of the evening encouraged the musicians to take extended solos.! !Salena was radiant and at ease with her band. Keith Mansfield’s arrangements perfectly showcased Salena’s vocal style and, with excellent musicians, made for a slick and well-crafted performance which would work just as well in a theatre. As it was a jazz club, and from a jazz musician’s point of view, I would have liked to hear more extended solos from all the musicians but, from an audience’s perspective (some who were there just to see Salena Jones the singer) the balance was right. After the show, I spoke to Keith Mansfield and he explained how, especially in the first few numbers, he had written pretty tight arrangements that ensured the show got off to a good start but, later on, some arrangements allowed for more personal interpretation by the musicians. The beauty of a venue like the Pheasantry is that you get the opportunity to see artists like Salena Jones in an intimate setting where you can enjoy every subtlety of the performance. For more information on Salena visit: www.salenajones.com and for information about the Pheasantry visit: http://pizzaexpresslive.com/popList.aspx
when in England, catch the John Watson Trio at one ofthe most elegant venues in London: The Langham The Jazz Culture, V.III:17
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Pasquale Grasso, a guitarist with a warm, full and cultured dark burgundy sound who is fluent in bebop, awaits the rest ofthe band and warms up at Jules. He came to New York because he wanted to grow as a musician: he is a popular jazz star in Europe. Below: Renaud Penant, drummer, Murray Wall, bass.
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