The Jazz Culture Feature
MIKE LONGO TRIO at the BAHAI' CENTER
The Jazz Culture, VII:5
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THE MIKE LONGO TRIO by L. Hamanaka
Caught the Mike Longo Trio at the Baha'i Center at 53 east 11th Street, on Tuesday, September 24, 2013, with Mike Longo, piano, Paul West, bass, and Ray Mosca, drums. Dizzy Gillespie was a Baha'i, and the Baha'i Center has a beautiful 150 seat theatre with upholstered seats, stage, grand piano, red velvet curtains, and two sound engineers. Mr. Longo’s Jazz Series has performances every Tuesday night honoring the memory of Dizzy Gillespie, and on October 22, Dizzy Gillespie’s 96th Birthday Celebration will take place featuring Jimmy Owens and Annie Ross. “Every Tuesday night we have jazz here,” said Ms. Longo, introducing the band. There are usually two sets, one at 8:00 p.m. and one at 9:30. “Work Song” by Cannonball Adderley at about 138=quarter note, with Mr. Longo playing the melody with two hands, giving nice contrast against the rhythm section, which strolled for a chorus. Scratch any true jazz player and you will find a reverence for the blues, and Mr. Longo’s style, with impeccable phrasing, secure in the blues, a player who balances equally the rhythmic and melodic aspects and whose chording was complemented by the signifying drums and the swinging warm pulse of the bass. A stark, stirring solo by Paul West, with beautiful autumnal color, and then trading 8’s with the drummer. Mr. Longo told a story about himself and Cannonball Adderley. It seems they are both from the same home town, Ft. Lauderdale, and Cannonball was Mike Longo’s Band Director when he was in high school. At that time, Cannonball had a piano player named Pick Gordon, who got busted when Cannonball and his combo had a gig at one of the local clubs. Mr. Longo recalled vividly one night at 10:00 p.m. when his mother got a call from Cannonball Adderley, asking her to please let her son finish out the 2
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week with his group. Since then, Mr. Longo has become a composer, pianist, arranger, big band leader, educator, publisher and writer. Mr. Longo has done his utmost to fulfill every aspect of what he can contribute to jazz, and he has even opened up a new venue in New York City, the Baha'i Center. As his wife said, “I can’t believe it’s almost ten years (2004) since we opened this.” Mr. Longo went to one of Norman Granz’s “Jazz at the Philharmonic” Concerts with a pal when he was in 10th grade in Florida, and the concert featured Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown. It was then that he fell in love with jazz, and so this concert was dedicated to Oscar Peterson, who was his teacher for about six months in Canada, in the days when Mr. Longo was practicing 13 hours a day. “Love You Madly,” by Duke Ellington was next at about 106=quarter note. Nice chording with a unique set of voicings in the lower register, with the Bridge of the song played elegantly in the higher register of the piano. Paul West was playing the very bottom of the bass strongly, and the tempo was one very few The Jazz Culture, V.II:5
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younger players can swing at. Mr. Longo’s solo was infused with triplets with expertly tailored soulful licks that revived and inspired the audience. Mr. Mosca played cymbals adding fullness without being overbearing. Mr. Longo’s solo proved it is love indeed that makes the world go round, his message expressed through the language of jazz , while Mr. West covered the bottom layer of music. Paul Mrs. Dorothy Longo West’s solo was with a fat tone, warm scalar lines twanging and groovy. Mr. Mosca played brushes deftly with sympathetic color. “Sweet Georgia Brown,” at about 184=quarter note, was brightly, playfully, done, Mr. Longo playing beautiful 8th and quarter notes. The focus of the group was intense and all were in the same groove as they caught the emotional rhythm of the song and uplifted the audience. During his solo, Mr. Mosca’s feather light touch on the high hat, and then using the toms and snares to express power and the vitality of whatever “Sweet Georgia Brown” he recalled. Mr. Longo regularly anticipated with accents, on the upbeat on the important notes of his melodic and improvisatory lines. Mr. Longo then announced that he would attempt a feeble arrangement of “Tenderly,” recalling Mr. Peterson’s version. With the melody in the upper register of the right hand, Mr. Longo played a poetic version of the melody, and then broke into swing at 116=quarter note. A musician who has compiled innumerable ways to express his ideas, knowledge of styles, rhythmic ideas, tone differential, (this one was like a sparkling wave seen by starlight or moonlight), in the slow easy swing that the support of the rhythm 4
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section helped him maintain, rolling between sections, he broke into fervent lines in a breathtaking arrangement of the standard. Mr. Longo played with great phrasing, his ideas flowing over and through bar lines, with the whole performance securely rooted in time, took flight. He then broke into block chording statements with perfect articulation. Mr. Longo is a master of textures from sublime to earthy and heart pounding, and he also knows how to contrast these textures in an artistic way; in addition, he has lost none of his passion for music since he was in the tenth grade and got to sit in with Cannonball Adderley. Also, his tone quality is unique. It is not overly emotional in itself, but has the quality of water: full, moving, and clear. In this way he is like classical musicians who change their tone quality according to the era and master composer they are interpreting. The song by the way ended in runs up and down the eight octaves of the keyboard. “A Child Is Born,” by Thad Jones followed. Possessing his own color palette, expressing the sacred and pure relationship of parent to child, evoking the sense of wonder and awe that all parents feel at having created a child, and the new world that unfolds with endless possibilities, heard through his delicate touch, primarily in the upper register. Paul West gave voice in the tenor range, with beautiful tone and melodic ideas where the key notes were surrounded, or lines that ran up to a pivot note and turning, using bass techniques like the pedal point. Taking the tune out, the pianist went back to a mezzo piano dynamic in a graceful and lyrical ending, keeping his focus on playing from the heart. Although Mr. Longo was heavily influenced by Mr. Peterson as a younger, he has gone farther in harmonic terms, voicings. diversity of rhythmic ideas, (after all he did work with the great Dizzy Gillespie), and deeper lines. “Love for Sale,” by Cole Porter was next, at about 138=quarter note, with a Latin intro by the drums. The melody was stated in the right hand and echoed by the left hand in the lower middle register. Some nice spicey drumwork over the bridge The Jazz Culture, V.II:5
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segued back to Latin in the A section. Mr. West kept close to Mr. Longo. The pianist played succinct melodic ideas, sometimes overflowing into 16th note triplets, and later into 16th note runs. The pianist used the Call and Response concept to great effect. Mr. Longo knows how to build a solo from the ground up, and add layers, contrasting textures, counterpoint to maximum intensity and then—let go. A rush of memories must have flooded through Ray Mosca’s subconscious, because ideas kept rolling out, with both toughness and spark. Clifford Brown’s “Daahoud” was last, a rarely played bebop tune written by the great trumpeter. The Trio played the song at about 300=quarter note. Mr. Longo played bright dramatic lines and accents. Starting in a sparse and minimalist style, following the musical ideas of his mind, capturing the effervescent, ethereal quality of the fearless and heroic “David” facing Goliath in scalar lines that never repeated, the song swept through like a fresh breeze of music. Mr. Mosca played a precise and dynamic solo. The audience was delighted.
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JON HENDRICKS RECEIVES SATCHMO AWARD FROM LOUIS ARMSTRONG EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Jon Hendricks, L, Stanley Crouch, C, Unknown Photos courtesy ofFrank Stewart & JALC
by L. Hamanaka
Jon Hendricks, the innovative lyricist and singer who put words to jazz solos by major artists, and was part of Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross, one of the most important vocal groups in the jazz genre, received the Satchmo Award from the Louis Armstrong Foundation at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Thursday, September 19, 2013. “Jon Hendricks has spent the last 75 years learning and conceiving ways to make jazz and make listeners hear it better and more enjoyably,” said Stanley Crouch, President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. Born in Newark, Ohio, Mr. Hendricks’ father was an AME pastor, and the family lived a mobile life, following his pastoral assignments. Mr. Hendricks performed on the radio with the great pianist Art Tatum. A veteran ofWorld War II, Mr. Hendricks was The Jazz Culture, V. II:5
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pursuing legal studies when his GI Bill ran out. After receiving some encouragement from Charlie Parker, Mr. Hendricks moved to NYC. He, Dave Lambert and Annie Ross were in Lambert Hendricks & Ross, winning the “Best Vocal Group” from Melodymaker for 5 years in a row, and achieving international fame. Mr. Hendricks has penned some of the most imaginative, lyrical and hip lyrics ever written; and brought the international audience significantly closer to the art of jazz by providing the bridge of language, for example, the mysterious Monk, the immortal Ellington’s “Cottontail” (Ben Webster’s solo), whom Ellington chose as vocal soloist for his sacred concert, Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’” and many others. He also wrote jazz reviews for the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1970’s. “One of the most joyous performers I’ve ever seen,” said Stephen Holden of the New York Times…”an intrepid missionary of a difficult style that has its own set of complication but flexible rules…not only the same notes…the timbre, note-bendings and the
Jon Hendricks wails at Lincoln Center sounds of the instruments themselves.”
A poet who combined hip jazz vernacular, the language of the 8
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blues lyrics, using humor and everyday experiences to express the range of human emotion, and his own palette of images, and an artist with inexhaustible energy, Mr. Hendricks wrote “Evolution of the Blues,� a musical, which he took around the world. He has also led several vocal groups. He worked with the Four Brothers Vocal Group (Kurt Elling, mark Murphy, Kevin Mahogany), was appointed Honorary Professor by the University ofToledo, appeared in several movies, including a documentary in 2012 with his colleague Annie Ross. Mr. Hendricks has influenced thousands of jazz singers around the world. A drummer, and a singer who memorized the bass line and used his ear to create dynamic, swinging scat solos, Mr. Hendricks showed great leadership by raising the bar for generations of vocalists devoted to the art of jazz and inspiring them to virtuosity by example. The Jazz Culture, V. II:5
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ALL NITE SOUL ST. PETER'S CHURCH 54th Street & Lexington Avenue October 13, 2013 5:00 p.m. on
Honorees: Sheila Jordan & Barry Harris
Photos ofSheila Jordan & Barry Harris by Brian McMillen Sheila Jordan, a singer from Detroit, MI who moved to New York, has a unique sound, hip, soulful, plaintive, is part Native American and gerw up with the great Detroit bebop crowd; a leade, educator and world traveler with a combo or with Cameron Brown, Sheila Jordan has a number of cd's as a leader. Barry Harris, also from Detroit, has been an educator since his early years, and came to New York in 1960. He worked with Bean, Cannonball Adderly, and has made about 100 records and claims many famous musicians as his students; and hops around the world spreading the gospel of jazz. Artists include: Gene Bertoncini, Alan Broadbent, Alex Brown, Cameron Brown, Valerie Capers, Connie Crothers, Charles Davis, Billy Drummond, Ray Drummond, Peter Eldridge, John Ellis, Carol Fredette, Ray Gallon, Barry Harris and his Jazz Ensemble Choir, Howard Johnson, Sheila Jordan, Paul Knopf, Lee Konitz, Sarah McLawler, JeffNewell, Ben Riley, Harvie S,Kendra Shank and many others.
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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 Stanley Crouch,
National Jazz Museum on 126 St. Park Avenue,talk on opus "Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker" Sept. 26, 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- Sept. 18-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 Ave The Jazz Culture, V. II:5
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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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