The JAZZ CULTURE
Andrea Papini, pianist, above, Fausto Ferraiuolo, pianist, Luca Pisani, bass, & Oreste Soldano, drums, Concerts at 2012 Roma Jazz Workshop Association
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Vince Benedetti, pianist with Luca Pisani, bass, Oreste Soldano, drums, above, below 105 collaborators of Adriano Mazzolletti who helped him write the famous Encyclopedia of Jazz
REVIEWS of Three Italian Pianists in Rome: Andrea Papini, Fausto Ferraiuolo, & Vince Benedetti
by Doodlebug
The Bear went over the mountain to see what she could see at the Rome Jazz Association, and caught Andrea Papini, Pianist featured at the Felt Club on September 17. The concert was produced by President Anna Pantuso, assisted by Luciano Fabris in Rome. Mr. Papini played with Oreste Soldano, drums, and an 2
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unknown handsome bassist sporting a goatee. Mr Papini was notable for his fluency in bebop and for staying close to his heart. Mr. Papini kept the flame alive with vivacity and an original sound (close to the sound of a Mason Hamlin, but on a Petrossian). Among the songs Mr. Papini played were “Barbados,” a Bird blues played as a calypso, (155=quarter note). He swung, and was full of surprising ideas starting with a three note motif and scalar lines.
Review 1‐6 Adriano Mazzoletti on Italian Jazz 7‐15 England Event by J.Watson 16‐ 17 How To Direct a Jazz Improv by H. Danko 18‐20 Jazz Heritage 21‐25 Wilburr Ware by G. Ware Rome Photojournal 26‐27 Let's Link 28 info@newyorkjazzproject.com info@thejazzculture.com
Mr. Papini played “I Should Care” sensitively, with knowledge of the lyrics, and knows how to play a melody as if he were singing it, and accented the important notes, at 72=quarter note. Mr. Papini chose “On A Misty Night,” by Tad Dameron, a rarely played tune, and displayed exquisite taste and good articulation on long lines, starting with a four note motif that he then expanded. On “Broadway,” Nicoletti Manzini sat in on alto, quoting from Bird fluently with a lovely tone. Then Mr. Papini played “Dig” (on Sweet Georgia Brown) and revealed his talent at building interesting and complex lines. The bassist played light skipping lines in his solo with good articulation. The Drummer Mr. Soldano had a crisp swinging sound on drums. Following this, an interesting bass solo played close to the melody. Fausto Ferraiuolo, Pianist, was featured on Tuesday night September 18, with Oreste Soldano on drums and Luca Pisani on bass. This writer stepped in on them playing “This is the End of a Beautiful Friendship,” where the pianist showed his lyric gift by voicing with crystal transparency the colors of spring and fall a a medium swing (138= quarter note). Luca Pisani, an excellent The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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bassist with his own sound, started his solo on a four note motif and exchanged 8’s with the drummer, Mr. Soldano, who was always supportive and enthusiastic. Pianist played fanciful variations before restating Andrea Papini & icolette Mazzalett theme and ascending on on Alto triplets to the finale. Next was “Everything I Love” with beautiful flower like chord under the melody played as a ballad. Bassist, the first soloist played dynamically with wide intervals using the idea 1+2, 1+2, accenting upbeats in the lower middle register. Pianist used some whole tone extensions accenting the + of 2 with dramatic chords, and interspersing chords in a scalar pattern and ending in Spanish sounding triplets leading to an upward crescendo. “Prelude to a Kiss” followed with an evocative weaving of melodic inversions hiding chromatic harmony in a pastoral arrangement of sound Ellington would have liked, with sensitive counterpoint by bassist. “I Remember You,” the Vernon Duke song was next at 144=quarter note, with scalar ideas accenting higher notes of the chord; a 6 note motif modulated through keys and the trio traded 8s with drummer. “Pannonica” by Monk was beautifully realized by using simple counterpoint with chord clusters at turning points. Drums played brushes. Piano did some rolls, crunches and glisses in a poetic rendition. The bass did pretty counterpoint on out chorus. The bass solo showed originality and quoted from Robin's Nest. Mr. Ferraiuolo showed off his original, “Quiet Now,” played as a ballad a pretty well voiced song in a simple arrangement with ascension on whole tone scale chords with sensitive counterpoint by Mr. Pisani on bass. Vince Benedetti played “Sophisticated Lady” (Duke Ellington) with Luca Pisani and Oreste Soldano, drums, a portrait in chromatics with prettily voiced chords like baubles strung on a 4
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necklace of music. He played “Mohawk,” a blues by Bird, at about 138=quarter note. Floating and swinging through some 16 note lines, playing the bebop language easily, with grace and intimate knowledge. The bass solo switched registers using triplets, making statements with good articulation. The trio then traded 4s. Before playing “Lolita,” he paid homage to Barry Harris by playing his tune at about 143=quarter note. Mr. Benedetti made the song exciting depicting an adventurous romantic attraction creating a tapestry amplified through a simple melody. Bassist Pisani sounded classically informed as he easily morphs within a song to contrasting tempos and moods. The pianist then traded 4s and sprinted up the keyboard expressing surprise and delight of a man confronted by a Lolita. On “Dexterity” by Bird, (rarely played) at about 168=quarter note. Mr. Benedetti delighted Bird lovers by showing advanced bird vocabulary grasp and inserted rolls, blues licks and triplets, and quoted John Lewis's “Afternoon in Paris,” sometimes using a double fisted technique and satisfying the enthusiastic crowd of bop lovers. President of Rome Jazz Association, Anna Pantuso
At the Felt club in Rome, Italy, The Jazz Workshop Association (President Anna Pantuso and assisted by Luciano Fabris) produced concerts, workshops and jam sessions and showed jazz is a world music, for musicians from many countries gathered to pursue their mastery over the art form. A number of famous and emerging talents came from France, Spain, England, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, the US, to focus from Monday, September 17 to Friday September 21, on improvisatory, singing, and piano workshops led by Jazz Master Dr. Barry Harris.There was also a concert featuring Richard Clements from New York that Doodlebug could not attend for business reasons. Mr. Clements is one of the few pianists of his generation that has The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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carved his own immediately recognizable sound. At night, there were concerts followed by jam sessions where new, young, and mature artists with a lot of experience dived in. The following are a few examples: Nobuo Watanabe, a pianist with a lyric gift obviously married to his instrument, played with Pierluigi, a sensitive and responsive drummer and Claudio Ottaviano on bass, Roger Crosland on Tenor sax from the UK on “What is This Thing Called Love?” Then Richard Clements from the US stepped in on “Taking a Chance on Love” and “Just in Time”, with his singular sound and warmth, e.g. on “Just in Time” using the song's orientation to the interval of a second to his advantage by widening the intervals, arpeggiating chords and playing his musical identity. Luciano Fabris, pianist, played well in his accompaniment of the singer Hiromi on “Body & Soul.” Hiromi was emotionally forthright with a pretty sound. Mr. Fabris then expanded his horizons on the blues “Billie's Bounce,” playing a passionate and intricate rendering using the chromatic passing tones and bebop sound in well articulated phrases. Connie McNamee of NY sang “Do Nothin till you Hear From Me” with mystery in a tone reminiscent of Bix Beiderbecke. The musicians were exhausted, enchanted and fulfilled after their week of a busman's holiday in Rome, making new friends and enjoying the scenery and the hospitality of Italian people. To obuo Watanabe and Claudio Ottaviano
checkout the Roma Jazz Association, please contact: Annapantuso@hotmail.com
Left, Fabian Marcoz, bassist from France, Big Al from Staten Island, unknown singer, and Dr. Barry Harris
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obuo, Piano, Dutch Singer Ellen, Roger Crosland, from the UK on Tenor saxophone playing "Four" & French bassist Fabian
EDUCATION FEATURE:
Adriano Mazzolletti on Italian Jazz & The Encyclopedia of Jazz September 19, 2012 Pub. Note: Adriano Mazzoletti has been one of the key people in the history of jazz in the past century who produced, expanded the audience of jazz and helped jazz artists get heard. Adriano Mazzoletti was the head of the European Broadcasting Union (the union of all public radio stations in Europe) for the Jazz Section for 25 years (from about 1960 to 1990). He oversaw the spread of jazz and its cross pollination in many countries. When he was 19 he organized a concert with Louis Armstrong's All Stars. He produced thousands of concerts, more than 100 records, including those of his company Riviera Jazz Records. He wrote the definitive (according to Leonard Feather) Encyclopedia of Jazz, and brought to light the history of Italian jazz in three books soon to become four. Thus Adriano Mazzoletti made a great, enduring contribution to the world jazz community and culture. Andriano Mazzoletti in his own words: “My father is from Genoa, The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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my mother is from Sicily. I was born in Genoa, with a brother who studied in the States in his youth. I studied clarinet and piano, but I played the drums. At that time in Italy they did not have music in the Adriano Mazzolletti, a major figure in the world schools. When I was jazz community, holds a record he produced of American jazz artists 7 or 8 years old, I heard on the radio a music that I liked very much, but I didn't know what it was. I found out later it was jazz. I discovered this music. I liked it very much; many bands, the Tommy Dorsey Band, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Benny Goodman and many Italian bands. At the time, Italian radio had house bands with a little bit of commercial sponsorship. RAI-- would pay the band. They played very, very good jazz with arrangements from American records and [also] written by Italians. “My father played piano and my grandfather played the flute, they played written music. Every Sunday afternoon, my grandparents played at home classical music for their friends. When I was 11 or 12 I studied classical piano although I was not interested in classical music--I was into jazz. I would ask my teacher, what chord is this, but he knew nothing. Afterwards I studied clarinet--I played a little, but after I played only drums, but never professionally. “Later, beginning in the '50's, in night clubs and bars, all the bands played jazz, because jazz was the only music for dancing. The bands played solos and improvised, sometimes played a tango or waltz, but all the time played jazz, in America and Europe. 8
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“But in 1965 (rock and roll format of)--two guitars, drums and bass--finito jazz! No trumpet, saxophones, (no horns)--finito! JC: What percentage of people now like jazz? Adriano Mazzoletti: “In Italy, the word "jazz" is well known but often used improperly: it is used to publicize concerts which in effect are not concerts of jazz or to publicize the most different items: cars, perfumes, after shave...even a bath tub! People say 'I love jazz' and many go to festivals. But a small percentage of them buy records, magazines, books. They go to the festivals just to meet people or they go when there are the big names and the concert becomes an event not to be missed. But nowdays the well known musicians left are few (Ornette Colemam, Keith Jarrett, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau a.s.o.) so the big festivals like Umbria Jazz, in order to create an event by all means, are able to invite Elton John or other rock stars. This is the problem today. “Nevertheless, there are many youngsters who are willing to study jazz and to play an instrument. There are four schools in Rome, among them the Saint Louis College (where I teach) or the Felt Club.
Musicians at the Felt Club in Rome taking Barry Harris' class in improv
JC: When did you start producing jazz? Adriano Mazzoletti: “I began working in radio when I was 20 and stopped when I was 65. Music and show biz-mainly jazz. Now I live in Rome; when I stayed in Perugia I organized in the fifties the first jazz concert with Louis Armstrong at Teatro Morlacchi. I organized the Hot Club of Perugia, and after we presented Chet Baker and some other French and Italian The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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musicians. In the same time I had an idea: to organize a jazz festival around the whole region of Umbria. The administration of the city was very much interested; it was very important for tourism. Perugia is the capitol of the Umbria region. When I left Perugia to go to Rome, after two or three years, Carlo Pagnotta, the producer who made of Umbria Jazz a great festival, took it over. JC: Who publishes your books? Adriano Mazzoletti: “EDT of Mr. Mazzolletti holds two of Turin, which is known for his books on Italian jazz classical music and jazz. They have published also the books of Gunther Schuller. JC: Can you tell me more about the Encyclopedia you have directed and the EBU Union? Adriano Mazzoletti: “With the Encyclopedia of Jazz, (1991-92), there were attached 100 recordings. For 25 years, I was the President of the Jazz and Light Music Section of the European Broadcasting Union, union of all public radios and also Canada. Every year 2 or 3 events took place, the most important jazz artists of each country were featured at concerts by their national radio organization. Every radio (from each country) sent a soloist, the most important, to a concert. They were asked to compose, to write music, and every year the composers wrote for big bandsfive, trumpets, five trombones, a really big band. Part 2, each soloist was featured in a small combo. The EBU also sponsored jazz festivals and every country sent groups. I sent many musicians, for example, Gian Luigi Trovesi, a very important musician, I sent him to play in France, Finland, Austria, and people began to know him and to invite him at jazz concerts and 10
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festival in all Europe. In my third book about Italian jazz, the last chapter is devoted to the EBU. It's the first time that a book about that important period for jazz is being written. For Italian radio I organized live concerts for 15 years. On that period I invited many European, Italian and American musicians like Dexter Gordon, Lionel Hampton, Ornette Coleman and many, many others. Also I had a radio jazz show for 2- years, from 9-12 p.m., where all the musicians played live.
Mr. Mazzolletti shows one Volume ofthe Encyclopedia of Jazz
JC: How did find the time to do all this? Adriano Mazzolletti: “For me, work is not a problem. I like to work, very much. Now, e.g., I am teaching at the College of Saint Louis in Rome, a social history of jazz, I am writing new books and I'm making a radio program.
JC: What was the situation of jazz in the past? Adriano Mazzolletti: “When I speak of Italian jazz, I explain the reason why Italian jazz for 20 or 30 years, was not as popular as jazz in France, because for twenty years we had fascism. [According to] the ideology of fascism, Italy had to be the center of the culture in every aspect: music, literature, architecture, a,s,o. As Jazz was not Italian but American, it was not accepted. Fascism did not like jazz or other musics from other countries. In Germany the situation was the same. They did not like Jews, because the master race was German. Anyway it is important to say that fascism did not forbid jazz. At a certain moment, when in 1935 Mussolini made war in Africa, the Fascism forbade songs in English or to play music of English authors. In 1938 it was forbidden to play any work, music or theatre piece written by Jews The Jazz Culture, VI:213
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because of the horrible racial laws. In 1941 when Italy declared war to the United States, it was forbidden to play compositions written by Americans. But in none of these State decisions was the word Jazz mentioned. In fact from 1942-43 Italian jazz musicians recorded and played jazz. They played, for example, “Stompin at the Savoy,” and the title was translated into Italian and they changed the name of the composer. 'Honeysuckle Rose' became 'Pepe sulle Rose' and the author was not Fats Waller but an Italian. So Italian composers got royalties for this political stupidity. JC: When did jazz in Italy start? Adriano Mazzolletti: “After the end of the First World War, syncopated music arrived in all Europe and also in Italy. Immediately small groups and musicians interested in this music started to appear, all over in Rome, Genoa and Milan. The first musicians were the banjo player Vittorio Spina and Michele Ortuso, the violin player Cesare Galli and Agostino Valdambrini, the drummer Arturo Agazzi called Mirador and pianist Amedeo Escobar who was a close friend with Giacomo Puccini. “Do you know Puccini? JC: Yes. Adriano Mazzolletti: “Every night he went to hear the jazz band of Escobar who composed 'Nervous Day'. JC: How many songs did he write? Adriano Mazzolletti: “A lot. JC: Why were you so interested in Italian jazz? Adriano Mazzoletti: “I realized that Italian music was good as good as the jazz played in other countries. None of the 12
Mr. Mazzolletti spent years on researching jazz in the US, Italy, and other countries
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The famous Trio Vocale Lescani and other stars of Italian jazz available on Riviera Jazz
Italian magazines had a story about this. I made research, and then I began to write a book. But nobody knew then -- the records were old. [So] I decided organize a little record company, “Riviera Jazz Records,” to publish old Italian records of these musicians. We made 18 records of Italian jazz from 1920-1950. During the war all masters of the 78 rpm were destroyed. I found commercial records but the sound was no good. Each time, I went to Paris and found good engineers. “[For example] Gorni Kramer born 1911, was famous, not as an accordionist, but as a band director, composer of pop songs Few fans remembered him as an accordionist from the 1930's. After doing some research, I found vintage old 78 rpm. Fantastic! I heard these records and thought, it is incredible ... in 1935 nobody played accordion in that style. Kramer was the only accordion player who did solo artistic work. “When I began to write the book on Italian jazz, I was always interested in American jazz but also in European jazz . Stéphane Grappelli was a very close friend of mine. In 1957 he came to Rome to play piano in a hotel. Django died in 1953 and when he died, Stéphane did not want to play with a rhythm section. He liked to play piano and played at the hotel lounges. One day a French friend called me to meet Stéphane Grappelli at his home. Armando Trovajoli, a very good pianist loved Stéphane and Django. I asked him, "Do you want to play a radio concert?" The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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Trovajoli wrote the arrangements in two days. Stéphane played the violin--all the people were very enthusiastic. From that time, according to the words of Stéphane, he returned to play mostly the violin. Perhaps not everybody knows that Stéphane was of Italian origin. Adriano Mazzolletti: “When Dizzy died, I was in San Antonio, invited by the IAJE to give a conference of Italian jazz. Joe Venuti, Joe Albany, one of the first bop players, Eddie Lang, Nick La Rocca, about the contribution of Italian-Americans to jazz. I wrote two books of biographies of American musicians who came to Italy, including Frank Guarente and Arthur Briggs two trumpet players, the first American jazz musician to come to Europe. Pub. Note: [Mr. Mazzoletti] then picked up a book of drawings, original drawings from France bound in a special volume given to him by André Clergeat. Drawings of people like Django Reinhardt and other important French and American musicians. The author is Charles Delaunay, the most important organizer of jazz in France for 40 years, he was… “the son of Robert Delaunay, an important painter around 1890,” Mr. Mazzolletti said. Mr. Mazzoletti then shared photographs of himself at 19 when he produced a concert with Louis Armstrong, one with Miles, Two of the Riviera Jazz Company's cds covering Jazz in Italy from 1930-40
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Rossano Sportiello at Small's with Harry Allen at their cd release party
StĂŠphane Grappelli and him at the Pompei Pianist Dado Moroni in Festival where he produced concerts from ew York recently 1980-1992, and one photo of him with Dizzy. He invested a lot of his personal fortune in producing records and concerts. JC: Could you name the Italian jazz artists you consider the best? Andriano Mazzolletti: “Dado Moroni is one of the best in European jazz. Some others are: Rossano Sportiello, piano, Giorgio Cusciito, piano, Fabiano Pellini, baritone. These people play in the mainstream style . Other musicians like the new idiom. A month ago the Jazz Festival at Marseille invited me to do a conference, and Paolo Fresu was there. He began his career in Sardinia and for his 50th birthday, organized 50 concerts in 50 days in Sardinia. Besides Paolo Fresu, trumpet, the excellent Italian jazz musicians are, in my opinion, Flavio Boltro, trumpet; Rosario Guiliani and Francesco Bearzatti, Maurizio Giammarco sax; Gianluigi Trovesi bass clarinet, Stefano Bollani, Enrico Pieranunzi and Danilo Rea, piano, Rosario Bonaccorso and Enzo Pietropaoli, bass, Antonello Salis and Gianni Coscia, accordion. Anyway there many other very good musicians, all the Italian jazz is of high level, they play everywhere in the world. JC Note: Adriano Mazzoletti is now writing his third book on
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Italian jazz, from 1968 to today. To inquire about Mr. Mazzolletti's Riviera Jazz Records or his books, please email: info@thejazzculture.com
ENGLAND EVENT
GIG REVIEW
By John Watson
Band: Barry Harris Trio Venue: Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho, London, UK Date: Thursday 16th August 2012 Thursday night at the famous Pizza Express Jazz John Watson, Pianist Club Soho and the room is Photo: Max Garr pretty full. Over the sound system I hear the distinctive French accent of Luc Saint-Martin, house sound engineer, politely asking everyone not to talk during the performance before introducing the man I have come to see: Barry Harris. There is a warm reception as Barry approaches the stage and takes his position at the grand piano. The room falls silent as he gently goes into his opening number, a George Shearing song entitled She. I can’t help but notice how the spotlights seem to catch Barry’s white hair and the odd glint from his glasses. It is if they are saying, “Listen up now. Here is one of the old masters”. After the first chorus, bassist Dave Green and drummer Steve Brown smoothly glide in and I know it is going to be a tasteful evening of first class musicianship. Dave and Steve have played with Barry many times on his trips to the UK and the empathy is apparent. This is the first of Barry’s four nights at Pizza Express and yet, with no charts and no rehearsal, you would think that the trio had been playing together all week. 16
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After the first number, Barry takes to the microphone and immediately engages with the audience which justs adds to the warmth already in the room. He begins to tell (or make up) a story about a couple which leads him into the next song. After each song, he resumes the story and the audience realizes this is how Barry will take us on a musical journey. Bebop numbers such as Charlie Parker’s Barbados and Tea For Two (in the style of Bud Powell) are juxtaposed with beautiful ballads such as Johnny Mandel’s A Time For Love and A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square. Swinging standards are not neglected with Harry Warren and Mack Gordon’s There Will Never Be Another You and Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar’s I Want To Be Happy to name a couple. One of the things that I enjoyed most about Barry’s playing was the feeling that he really loves what he is doing and is still searching for possibilities. In fast numbers, he would often sing his solo lines (off the mike) and you could often see him thinking through phrases to find a different turn here and there rather than just rattling off licks. It was the same in the ballads where he relished in finding just the right altered chord or progression. Dave and Steve supported him sensitively; keeping the accompaniment cool but really swinging out when required and their last names, Green and Brown, gave Barry the opportunity to acknowledge them by playing around with the words of Joe Raposo’s “Sesame Street” song "It’s Not That Easy Bein’ Green." This was the last song of the evening and the audience hung on his every word with a relaxed feeling of intimacy in the room. Oh, and by the end of the evening, the couple in Barry’s inventive story had fifteen children! If you would like more information on Barry Harris go to: http://www.barryharris.com/ and for more information on live music at Pizza Express go to: http://www.pizzaexpresslive.com The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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HOW TO-EXPERT ADVICE Harold Danko’s Role as a Mentor at Eastman: Part 1 – Jazz Performance
By Harold Danko
Jazz Performance Workshops at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY
For more than a century, inspired performances by countless jazz groups and soloists have shaped an Harold Danko impressive body of artistic heritage. Photo: Julia Radschiner Fortunately for students, much of this output is recorded and the subject of scholarly research. The challenge in jazz education is to retain the communal dynamic and sharing of information in a working ensemble, and also to somehow measure each individual player’s musical development. Despite the artistic successes of jazz, few if any ensembles have existed where the individual abilities of its members were evenly matched. Eastman's Jazz Performance Workshop curriculum, is answering this challenge and taking inspiration from bassist/composer Charles Mingus' varied "workshop" ensembles, provide Eastman jazz students with classroom study and performances from a comprehensive and continually expanding core repertoire, exploring traditions in the music as well as its future. 18
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JAZZ PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP CHECKSHEETS, by level/year were developed by me to provide a cumulative index of: A) improvisation study areas/content, B) necessary performance and improvisation skills, and C) repertoire and performance guidelines for each level of the JPW sequence. The checksheets may or may not be presented and/or studied in the order listed. Instead these inform students, private instructors and advisors of minimum expectations at each particular year/level to gauge musical development and good standing as a jazz major. The program of study is flexible and the list should suggest a multitude of projects for individual study as well as oral or written class presentations. It will be a quick reminder of things to address and re-address throughout one's study of jazz repertoire and improvisation. Each student has personal responsibility to acquire and demonstrating the appropriate improvisational skill level within the assigned Jazz Performance Workshop, regardless of the repertoire. All students are expected to maintain and demonstrate skills from previous levels as well as those on their current level. Deficiencies from lower level checksheets or as determined from the spring jury must be addressed within the first weeks of the following fall semester, with appropriate assignments in order to insure proper tracking, grading and good standing. The undergraduate JPW sequence is an eight-semester twocredit course meeting twice per week for two-hour periods. Generally, the class size is between six and eight students, constituting the instrumentation of a typical small jazz group. The fundamental relationship of improvisation and repertoire is addressed from many angles, with aural training, theory/analysis, solo transcriptions and writing skill exercises individually assigned The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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by the instructor. Much of class time is devoted to faculty-coached small ensemble rehearsals, utilizing the core repertoire as well as original and transcribed material, with relevant studies based on specific student needs. Rehearsals and performances are recorded and critiqued by jazz department faculty members to accustom students to the exacting demands of media work. Instructors may occasionally rotate during the school year so that each workshop group receives different viewpoints and input on the course content. Workshop students may also rotate, as opportunities arise for experimenting with and/or altering the instrumentation of ensembles. The weekly Jazz Department Forum provides a venue to showcase and record each of the JPW ensembles. Other performance opportunities exist both on and off campus, and students are encouraged to rehearse and gig on their own in various configurations outside of JPW classes. In addition, guest performer/clinicians are invited to work with JPW ensembles during their residencies. Harold Danko, piano, Ray Anderson, bass, and Jeff Hirschfeld, drums on recent cd Unriched. Harold Danko is a well known pianist with a singular modernist style, and the above is a course he designed at Eastman. See Harold Danko on google.com.
The
JAZZ HERITAGE
Gloria Ware’s on “Remembering Wilbur Ware”
Pub. Note: Wilbur Ware, bassist born September 8, 1923, in Chicago and died September 9, 1979 in Philadelphia. He died at the age of 56 of emphysema and according to Gloria Ware, Mr. Ware had previously suffered from tuberculosis and COPD. Wilbur Ware was famous for his dynamic, innovative style of bass playing, with rhythmic variety, sticking to the bottom register of his instrument, playing daring intervals in a breakthrough style. He taught himself Mrs. Gloria Ware banjo and bass, and was a veteran of World War II. Mr. Ware worked with Thelonious Monk from 1957-58. Mr. Ware played with Sonny Rollins on “Live at the Village Vanguard.” In Chicago he played with Johnnie Griffin, Stuff Smith and Junior Mance, among others. He worked with John Coltrane, Ernie Henry, Kenny Drew, Zoot Sims, Kenny Dorham and Matthew Gee and many others. In 1969 he worked with Elvin Jones and Archie Shepp. “Chicago Sound” was his sole recording as a leader. To learn more about donors and contributors, including Sonny Rollins, please visit the WilburWareInstitute.org website. Gloria Ware: “Since this concert was produced without sponsors or grants, we will attempt to cover production costs. Our primary aims were to present a world-class event and to gain public attention for our reorganized nonprofit, and I think we were successful. We want our mission and goals to become well known to those who love this music, and we want to invite membership: The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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Wilbur Ware and friend Bob Stoltenberg As you well know, the musicians we support are the primary sources of America’s gift to the world of music. Even though most innovators have passed on, many Jazz Masters remain. Theirs is a unique understanding of past practices and vision for future generations. We are dedicated to their full employment and encourage their sharing with and mentoring youth, especially the underserved and marginal, who will be eager to learn and grow as they are informed and touched by this musical genius. “Wilbur Ware brought a unique musical gift, an enormous personality, and a legacy that supports his charismatic character. He encouraged every musician to (a) study the basics and history or the music, (2) develop a unique voice, (c) learn to “paint a picture” and “tell a musical story” that utilizes technique but is not limited to nor enslaved by it. “As stated above, the younger generations must be exposed to the music. Once exposed, they will be interested because the creativity and genius inherent in the music will touch and 22
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challenge them at the deepest artistic level. They may study the history and learn about various traditions and periods of development in music schools and colleges, but the musicians themselves will have to clarify and interpret the basics for the youth, explaining the contexts, societal challenges, and cultural realities. Therein lies the challenge, to show them how this music is our National Treasure, America’s gift to the world of Sandra Jordan, graphic music, thus travel is vital to their education. artist They must see how the world loves and appreciates the musicians and respects and honors their talent. “I am delighted and encouraged by those who generously supported our effort, primarily the musicians themselves…: Our donors included Sonny Rollins, Wilbur Ware’s sisters (Barbara Yarbrough and Doris White), George Aprile, Dr. Albert Sutton, Dr. Robert Baker, Attorney Peter Collins, Patricia Vingo, Ed Williams, and bassist Richard Davis, among others. Drummer Alvin Fielder helped defray some of the CD costs (we will have an official CD Release Event in the near future). Our Officers, Board Members, and Volunteers were vital to making this performance event successful. despite dire weather predictions of tornado activity in our area. Our Secretary Sandra Jordan deserves special mention for her outstanding graphics (for the concert and the CD) and her unbridled enthusiasm. Those who helped with publicity and radio interviews must also be mentioned, including Jim Harrison, Dorthaan Kirk (Thurston Briscoe, Gary Walker) at WBGO, Cobi Narita, Arnie Perez (with Sharif Abdus-Salaam at WKCR), Dee Ramey WHCR, Ann Ruckert, and so many others. “I cannot thank the musicians enough, for most were extremely cooperative. Our original programming was for the concert to include two groups: Louis Hayes and Juini Booth. When our funds were rescinded, we began to invite other musicians to participate, The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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and most agreed to perform gratis, for we could only offer honoraria, and we will be forever grateful. We are presently planning for 2013 and beyond, so the work continues. “We have met many wonderful people who are willing to assist in the future, and that makes this extremely rewarding.”
Musician Remarks
Jimmy Cobb- "Wilbur Ware...a talented Bass player..he could play drums too! and friend." Barry Harris- “He was the only bassist I knew who could lead a pianist around to places unknown.” Ray Drummond- “I never heard Wilbur Ware play live,” But the things that I heard when I was coming up—“Sonny Rollins’ ‘Live at the Village Vanguard’…his incredible artistry; innovation that nobody has ever gotten to, [someone like] Bird or Prez or Diz… was very inspiring.” Rufus Reid -“He was a bass player that left us too soon.” Juini Booth-“In the winter of 1966 I was to meet Wilbur Ware at a place called Slugs on the Lower Eastside. I had just arrived to New York... I told him how much I liked his style of playing the Bass. So I followed him around the rest of the night listening to his stories about his life .. I felt a sincere fondness for Wilbur. He seemed to be a little burned out like most of the legendary Bebop players that were hanging or living on the lower eastside of Manhattan during this time. Nevertheless those guys were the reason that brought me to New York. For many great Bebop musicians sometimes money was not in the scheme of things. Wilber and I continued walking through the night with him telling wonderful stories of Monk and Bird he was a major encounter in my life … it was a special time when you'd had access to your heroes on a daily basis. When I hear Wilbur's bass playing on records suddenly I become a happier person. 24
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”Larry Ridley- “I think to acknowledge the fact that he was a natural born genius. He had his own concept and style that he introduced to the evolution of jazz. I knew him … I met him in the mid 50’s in Chicago when he was playing with [people like] Johnnie Griffin, Vaughan Freeman at the Flame. We were very close. We were hanging out, talking, playing at eachother’s gigs. I loved him because he had a very personal approach, the way he constructed solos, not trying to play like Pettiford or Blanton. Plus our birthdays...Mine is September 5, his was September 8th.” Ron Carter- "...I had never known Wilbur Ware to own his own bass.He seemed to always borrow what bass was nearby, and I was fascinated and amazed that he always sounded like Wilbur Ware." Jimmy Owens- “Wilbur was one of a handful of natural Jazz artists. He’d have lots of book knowledge about performing only the abilities that comes from Listening, repeating and learning how to do things direct from your heart and brain. He was a musician that worked the best-- with Monk. His natural feel always made the people he was performing with swing and project the highest sense of emotion. On this day, he would be 89. We all salute Wilbur Ware for his great contributions to JAZZ Music.” Subscribe Free to the Jazz Culture ewsletter on the website:
Lionelle Hamanaka, Publisher
http://thejazzculture.com. The Jazz Culture Newsletter has been seen in 33 countries around the world and across the United States. Copyright© 2012, The Jazz Culture, Ltd. PO Box 2003 700 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10025, Tel: 646312-7773.
The mission of the Jazz Culture Newsletter is to draw the world jazz community together. If you have any comments, criticisms or suggestions please email us at: http://info@thejazzculture.com The Jazz Culture, VI:23
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JAZZ ROMA ASSOCIATION Photojournal
Happy Memories at the Felt Club in Rome 9/12
Concert crowd at the Felt Club
Young Serbian pianist asks Dr. Harris question
Pierluigi, drummer, left, and Hiromi with Luciano Fabris singing "Body & Soul" at jam session
Ellen, singer from Holland, directs obuo Watanabe and Fabio Marcoz ofFrance, bassist, and above, Dr. Harris holds court; at left, workshop attendees chow down
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Richard Clements, left, right-Alexanderplatz, Rome's oldest jazz club, a band there, the decor, below, artists waiting to go on at the Felt, lunchtime
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Let's Link/Musician Friends of Jazz Culture
Joe Magnarelli in concert We remember Dr. Frank Foster Listen to his Nippon Lament Photo: Brian McMillen
Clarence Banks, Count Basie Trombonist, Clinics, Private Lessons, Seminars, call: 917428-6746 See RickStone. com
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KuniMikami.com@CD Baby�"Hamp's Boogie"
Singer Connie Mc amee QUOTATION:
"Practice a Million Hours." -Junior Cook, Saxophonist "You can't take offwithout a launching pad." -Lonnie Hillyer, Trumpeter The Jazz Culture, VI:23