The Jazz Culture Feature
Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Keith Balla and Chris Byars at Jules
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Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Keith Balla & Chris Byars at JULES BISTRO by L. Hamanaka
Caught Pasquele Grasso (g), Ari Roland (b), Keith Balla (d) and Chris Byars (a) at Jules Bistro at a Saturday jazz brunch-one of the few jazz brunches in the city. A moderately priced entree, starting at $7.50-$13 for the Croques Monsieur, (well made; satisfying with or without the fried egg, with prompt and well mannered service) accompanied by some of the best jazz musicians in the country. The combo started off with medium swing about 150=quarter note, Bird’s “Dewey Square” a lovely song. Pasquale Grasso, recently from Italy, played his hand made guitar of dark wood, almost a dark plum colored, with a unique mellow and warm tone, his sound centered in the middle register. Mr. Grasso has secure time and his solo was replete with triplets, a bop flight sounding authentically in the bebop style. Mr. Byars, who is also a noted arranger, played with a fat tone in the upper middle register with a tinge of whisperiness with interesting accents, relaxed and occasionally double timing into 16th note runs. Ari Roland did one of his signature arco solos, melodic, instead of 2
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double timing, he invented counter melodies with swinging time. Mr. Keith Balla supported well with brushes. They then traded 8’s. Although this was the only bop tune they did in this set, it was obvious that the musicians had devoted decades to acquiring the ability of improvising and interpreting bebop, and possessed a rare degree of skill in this genre. There is an international demand within certain jazz circles of listeners for musicians capable of playing this way. The décor at Jules is sort of 40’s Nostalgia, it has the look of a club that Django Reinhardt might have played at. The backdrop wall of the bandstand is Van Gogh yellow and dark red with a sort ofToulouse Lautrec like sense of design. The next song they chose was “How Deep Is the Ocean” (Irving Berlin) at about 132=quarter note. Byars played the melody The Jazz Culture, V.II:5 3
with a lyric tone, and his solo was close to the melody with a light touch. He actually has a lot of Bird’s sound in a certain part of his middle-upper register, though not as driven a personality. The rhythm section kept a groovy feel at this tempo, and Pasquale went to scalar variations here. Ari Roland’s solo went to variations on the melody based on the rhythmic ideas of the song. The song ended on a mellow note with cymbals from the drums. Next, with the virtuosity demanded of beboppers, they played “All Through the Night,” by Cole Porter at about 300=quarter note. Gamboling easily through the changes, Pasquale Grasso played a very long, intense phrase and then came up for air; it would have been impossible for a wind player to do so. The drummer enjoyed the tempo-of course-and the alto was able to maintain the speed and played independent phrases over it, giving variety to his rhythmic phrases. Mr. Roland did some fast scalar runs with hip percussive accents. He varied the lengths of his phrases from one to four measures and also bowed long tones. This all in arco, which gives his own niche in jazz bassists-being able to bow 8th notes at 300. The primary effect of using the bow is that Mr. Roland sounds like a horn player because of the connected legato of his lines. In this also he is unique among bassists. The group then traded 8’s and 4’s, to which the drummer added interesting comments. It is this ability to play at top speed that bebop demands that enthralls many musicians and forces them to keep their chops up, or lose their virtuosity through lack of practice. Following was “I’m in the Mood for Love,” (Jimmy McHugh) about 106=quarter note. Mr. Byars played the theme with a warm tone reminiscent of Bird, though not as fat in the lower register. Mr. Byars’ solo had a midsummer night’s dreamlike quality to it. A poetic solo by Pasquale who suited the melody very nicely, and who sounded like he had absorbed a lot of Django Reinhart and Joe Pass’s influence, with a full and unique romantic tone. Mr. Grasso’s tone quality does not get thin in any register; it is even 4
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throughout his range. Ari Roland played arco, a lot of long tones and variation on the melody; similar to what a classical composer might have done in creating variations on a theme. This group would also be very good for dancing, because the rhythm section was strong, supportive and swinging. Because of an extension that Mr. Byars insisted on, the energy rose for the 3625 ending. “I Get a Kick Out ofYou” at about 184=quarter note, was another lovely standard by Cole Porter very apropos for New Yorkers. Swinging easily at a bright tempo, Mr. Grasso reveled in this song balancing his solo lines on the crests of triplets, which he inserts more than any other guitarist certainly of any age. He fell into the faster groove’s accents with anticipation of the beat. Byars played a rhythmically accurate and varied solo generating some heat. Sometimes he started at the top of his register and played long pealing lines downward. Mr. Roland phrased very well with good articulation with a hornlike concept unusual on the base, attacking key notes strongly and giving rhythmic variety and excitement. The rhythm section was good and subtle, with musical ideas. Jules Bistro is at 65 St. Mark’s Place and has jazz seven nights/two brunches per week: (212) 477-5560. The artists can be googled at their various websites; recordings are available online: Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Chris Byars and Keith Balla.
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Like many bands around the world who try to keep their level high by playing with musicians ofthe same taste, Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Keith Balla and also Chris Byars support each other's musical endeavors.
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BARRY HARRIS JAZZ WORKSHOP IN ROME Mon 23 to Fri 27 Sept 2013 Felt Music Club & School via degli Ausoni 84, Rome BARRY HARRIS (www.barryharris.com) BARRY HARRIS IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RESPECTED JAZZ PIANO PLAYERS AND TEACHERS, CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE FOREMOST INTERPRETER OF THE MUSIC OF BUD POWELL, TADD DAMERON AND THELONIOUS MONK. FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY, HARRIS HAS PLAYED WITH THE GIANTS OF JAZZ INCLUDING DIZZY GILLESPIE, MILES DAVIS, DEXTER GORDON, CANNONBAL ADDERLEY AND COLEMAN HAWKINS, TRAVELLING THE WORLD OVER AS AN AMBASSADOR OF JAZZ INFO AND REGISTRATION:ASS. CULT. ROMA JAZZ WORKSHOP annapantuso@hotmail.com +39 339 3383139 lucianofabris@hotmail.com +39 328 6748724 FIVE DAYS MASTERCLASS FOR ALL MUSICIANS/SINGERS Schedule: Piano and guitar 11:00 – 13:00 Singers 14:30 – 16:30 Horns & General Workshop 16:30 – 18:30 On Friday 27 classes last 1 hour and a half. Fees: 160 € for the entire week /40 € for daily seminar Accomodation: b and b and private apartments for rent BARRY HARRIS TRIO CONCERT FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 9:30 pm Felt club/Admission: 15 € Monday to Thursday every night JAM SESSION
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September Listings The Jazz Culture Newsletter Listings are according to artist,not venue. Ray Blue-White Plains Jazz Festival September 8,
Pro Am Ensemble Sept. 2 & 10 -with Ray Abrams Big Band at Swing 46 Sept.9-Cecilia Coleman Big Band at the Bahai Center Sept. 15-Peekskill Presbyterian Church, NY Sept.27- in Apex Jazz Festival, North Carolina Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, every Tuesday, Sunday and some Saturdays at the High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5-9 p.m. George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, (346 W. 46 Street bet. 8th/9th Ave.) Tuesdays; sm. Sat. 9:30-free dance lesson beforehand. Barry Harris- MEASURE- at LANGHAM PLACE 400 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY Lafayette Harris-Sept.11 1:30 am. Fat Cat Sept. 23 Garage at 10:30 p.m. Sept. 22 Mt. Vernon Out of Doors w/Tex Allen Sept. 28-University of the Streets Joe Magnarelli Japan tour, September 20, Magnarelli Quintet feat. Jerry Weldon, Unitarian Church, Schenectedy; Sept 22, Smalls Jim Malloy, Swing 46, 9:30 p.m. September 5, 12, 19 and 26. John Mosca & Michael Weiss: Vanguard Orchestra Every Monday night at the Village Vanguard Valery Pomoronov Orchestra足 Zinc, September 3, 9:00 p.m. Rick Stone: September 4th, 8-11pm: Sol Yaged (clarinet), Rick Stone (guitar) at Grata Restaurant & Wine Bar, 1076 1st Ave New York, NY 10022, (212) 842-0007, http://www.gratanyc.com/ September 19th, 6-10pm: Rick Stone Trio, the Garage, 99 7th Avenue South (at Christopher Street) Michael Weiss Trio- September 25 & 26 with Mike Karn and Jimmy Wormworth/MEASURE at LANGHAM PLACE 400 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY
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ENGLAND: John Watson Trio at the Palm Court,
the Langham Hotel, London, 1c Portland, Regent Street 207-636-1000 every weekend John Watson/Joe Leader at The Haven, playing Stevie Wonder,George Benson and Bill Withers plus some John and Joe originals. Doors open at 7.30pm - ÂŁ55 all inclusive (three course meal with wine) or ÂŁ20 a ticket to watch the show (2 sets). To make a booking call: 020 8445 7419 or email: jazz@haven-bistro.co.uk
John Watson, Dado Moroni, Rick Stone, Jim Malloy, Lafayette Harris, Clarence Banks, The Heath Brothers,
The Jazz Culture Newsletter Private Jazz Tours in NYC are available; also music teachers in various countries for students & jazz lovers. Further Info email: info@thejazzculture.com. Also, ads are available in the pages of The Jazz Culture Newsletter. The Jazz Culture Newsletter has been read in the following 50 countries in the past year: USA, UK, Lionelle Hamanaka, Canada, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Publisher Czech Republic, Chile, Colombia, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Holland, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Russian
Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam
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