Pacific Jazz

Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense

2009-04-13T15:53:00.001-07:00

Fans of jazz documentary will be interested in "Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense." Here's a video preview for "Icons Among Us".

The series features performances and interviews with legendary jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis and many more.

“Icons Among Us,” directed by Michael Rivoira, Lars Larson and Peter J. Vogt examines the jazz music scene today by focusing the spotlight on many current jazz icons including The Bad Plus, Terence Blanchard, Jason Moran, Ravi Coltrane, the Benevento-Russo Duo, Robert Glasper, Charlie Hunter, Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Medeski Martin and Wood.

The series makes its television debut on The Documentary Channel, April 20, 2009 and four consecutive Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT.

25th Annual Herb Patnoe Memorial Jazz Festival

2009-03-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

(March 7, 2006) - Yes, this concert did take place a few years ago, but I've been meaning to post something on this annual event put on by DeAnza College. The great aspect of this show was/is something that never gets old: Teaching.

There's something terriffic about musicians who move beyond the essential (but limiting) "ME, ME, ME" phase of expression. These people understand the vital importance of providing wisdom, training, and inspiration to the youth.

The Herb Patnoe Memorial Jazz Festival was established shortly after the untimely death of "Doc" Patnoe in 1981. It has since become an annual tribute to the internationally revowned jazz educator and founer of the jazz programs at Foothill and De Anza Colleges. Patnoe produced some of the most outstanding jazz ensembles in the nationa at De Anza College in the 1960s and 70s. Many of his students went on to perform professionally with jazz leaders such as Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman."

Trumpeter Marvin Stam and Pianist Bill Mays were the two featured teachers in the 25th annual Patnoe Jazz Fest.

Marvin Stamm was a trumpet soloist and a member of the Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Duker Perason and American Jazz orchestras. For 23 yeras a major New York City studio musician, Stamm currently travels much of the year as a Jazz artist in duo with pianist Bill Mays of with his quartet.

Bill Mays begain his recording career as musical director for Sarah Vaughan and went on to work with such legendary performers as Frank Sinatra, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Clark Terry and Sonny Stitt, among others. Since moving to New York City in the mid-1980s, Bill has led his own quintets, trios, and duos at Birdland, the Blue Note, Bradley's, the Knickerbocker, the Village Gate, Visiones and many other of the city's noted venues.

Set List:
Berceuse for Mallory, Steve Spiegl
Delta City Blues, Michale Brecker/arr. Dave Eshelman
This Space for Rent, Jeff Bunnell
Kingfish, Bill Holman
Walking Ovation Blues, Alf Clausen
Samba de Oro, Bill Prince
Play Song, Bill Mays
Greetings and Salutations, Thad Jones
Just Kidding, Elaine Elias/arr. Bob Brookmeyer
So What, Miles Davis/arr. John La Barbera
Cherry Juice, Thad Jones
Who's 'at Talking'?, Marvin Stamm/arr. Jack Cortner
Ballad, Jack Cortner
Secret Love, Webster & Fain/ arr. Jack Cortner
A Tribute to Art Fern, Rob McConnell

* I quote liberally from the well-written festival program.

Herb Alpert: Music For Your Eyes

2009-02-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

Most folks know about Herb Alpert via Tijuana Brass, or maybe from his 80's pop hit "Keep Your Eye on Me." But did you know the renowned trumpeter is also an accomplished painter and sculptor? It's all true! Read on...

THE DOCUMENTARY CHANNEL HIGHLIGHTS THE INSPIRATION OF MUSIC WITHIN ART IN THE EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE OF
“Herb Alpert: Music For Your Eyes”
ON monday, March 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

The Documentary Channel® (DOC) will present the exclusive premiere of “Herb Alpert: Music For Your Eyes,” written and directed by Tom Neff, showcasing abstract paintings and sculptures by legendary trumpet player Herb Alpert on Monday, March 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT as part of the network’s tribute to its founder, Neff, in recognition of “Founder’s Month.”

“Herb Alpert: Music For Your Eyes,” explores Alpert’s abstract paintings and his more figurative bronze sculptures, focusing on the first major retrospective of his work given at the Tennessee State Museum. Written and directed by Neff and produced in cooperation with the Tennessee State Museum, it showcases trumpeter Herb Alpert and the infusion of music in his paintings and sculptures through color, concept, and form.

DOC is available on DISH Network (Channel 197), and several broadcast stations in major markets including NYC TV (Channel 25) throughout the greater New York metropolitan area.

Charlie Hunter - Baboon Strength

2009-01-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

I recently heard parts of Charlie Hunter's new album, Baboon Strength. It's alright! Definitely funky. I like that he's consciously trying not to overplay. If you joing his mailing list, you get a get a free MP3 of the Charlie Hunter Quartet performing Bob Marley's "Talkin' Blues", which also appears on Hunter's 1997 album Natty Dread.

1997 - that was the year when Charlie made his move to NYC and the Bay Area jazz scene lost one of its marquis players -- kind of like when Shaq left the Magic for the Lakers. Anyway, Charlie comes back to play here often. Right now, he's on tour with the personnel from Baboon Strength, Eric Deutsch on keys and Tony Mason on drums. They just finished a run at Yoshi's in December '08. Hunter's next gig in the Bay will be at Cafe Du Nord for Scott Amandola's Birthday Bash on February 6, 2009.

New York Jazz

2009-01-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

I visited New York City over the holiday. It was bitter cold, but I had fun riding the subway around Manhattan and Brooklyn. New York is a huge city (and the music scene there is equally big), but something about the place reminds me of San Francisco. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to hear much music on this trip.

Over the years, a few notable Bay Area jazz musicians have relocated to New York. Maybe it doesn't qualify as a trend, but I first started noticing it back in 1997, when Charlie Hunter moved to Brooklyn. Since then, it seems that other folks have pulled up stakes and gone East, like Jim Campilongo (in 2002) and Dred Scott. I can see the allure of New York -- there's a palpable energy there that you don't really find other places. Anyway, it'd be cool if someday they all moved back to S.F. and started a revival, circa 1993.

In other New York jazz news: Have you heard of Cleve Douglas? After a decade and a half of tours in Japan, Cleve is returning officially to the New York night club scene. Check it out: http://www.clevedouglass.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/clevejazz

CD Release Party for Valerie Minh's "Meridians"

2008-12-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

Just in case you're in the San Francisco Bay Area area during the holidays, I'd like to invite you to my CD Release Party & performance on Dec. 28, 8pm at Anna's Jazz Island in downtown Berkeley! It's a cute jazz club, very welcoming atmosphere, located at 2120 Allston Way. I'll be performing with my trio (myself on piano, Eric Marshall on bass, Andre Custodio on drums) with special guests Alex Yeung on electric guitar, and my jazz mentor Eddie Gale, a legendary trumpeter who recorded with Cecil Taylor and Sun Ra. It should be a great evening of music!

Warm wishes for the holidays, Valerie Minh

John Pizzarelli at Yoshi's SF, Nov. 9, 2008

2008-11-09T21:13:00.000-08:00

The John Pizzarelli Quartet gave a high energy performance at Yoshi's San Francisco on Sunday, November 9, 2008. John and the Quartet were promoting their latest album With a Song in My Heart, a collection of tunes from the "American Songbook."

John worked the crowd with humor, verve and tons of guitar mastery. He plays an incredible number of notes when soloing. Amazingly, John simultaneously sings the notes produced by his guitar, so the notes are not accidental, but premeditated.

The band really swings, too. Fuller's adept piano work provides solid support for the guitar (as opposed to doing battle with it). Aside from having that musical blood connection, John and Martin have an amusing big brother-little brother dynamic on stage. And Tony Todesco's drum work was subtle, complex and unpredictable - no mean feat when playing standards.

Players

John Pizzarelli - guitar, vocals
Martin Pizzarelli - bass
Larry Fuller - piano
Tony Todesco - drums

Set List

1. Will You Still Be Mine - Words & Music by Tom Adair & Matt Dennis

2. I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket - From South Pacific

3. I'm in the Mood for Love - Words & Music by Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields for the film Every Night at Eight
John introduced this number by quoting a critic's description of his vocal stylings: "A cross between two classics - Chet Baker and Alfalfa." During his solo, John did an impressive tapping technique on his guitar.

4. This Can't Be Love - Words & Music by Richard Rodgers and Lorenzo Hart from The Boys from Syracuse. This song appears on JP's current CD With a Song In My Heart.

5. Happy Talk - Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Nice brush work by Tony here.

6. I Like to Recognize the Tune - Rodgers & Hart. JP told a story about how this number was written in reaction to unconventional jazz arrangements of their songs, such as those by Peggy Lee. JP's version of the tune had snippets of a lot of different songs, like Blue Moon, Sleigh Ride and the Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm.

7. No Body's Heart Belongs to Me - Rodgers & Hart

8. Poor Johnny

9. The Waters of March - Antonio Carlos Jobim
JP: It took me a while to learn all the lyrics for this one. Someone told me, if you forget the words, just look around the room and start naming things.

10. Everything Happens to Me - Dennis & Adair

11. Lemon Twist - Bobby Troup, George Shearing
The band played this in homage to a group of martinis with a twist of lemon sitting on a front row table.

12. If Dreams Come True - George Shearing

13. Whether You're Hear or Yonder

14. Medley/Finale:
It Had to Be You
As Time Goes By
The More I See You
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Just In Time

15. Encore:
Can't Buy Me Love - McCartney & Lennon

Kenny Burrell at Yoshi's SF

2008-10-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

Legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell and his Jazz Heritage All Stars played at Yoshi's San Francisco on August 14, 2008. I caught the 10pm set.

Kenny played a beautiful Heritage tobacco sunburst guitar. At first, I thought he was playing a Gibson archtop, but after some research, I realized that he is a sponsored Heritage artist. Incidentally, Heritage instruments are made in the same Kalamazoo, MI factory where Gibson guitars were initially made. After Gibson closed its Michigan factory in 1984 and moved operations to Nashville, 3 former Gibson craftsmen stayed on to establish Heritage.

But back to Kenny Burrell. Kenny is very particular on stage. Even as he played, he kept adjusting his guitar strap, mic stand, chair, amp, B-string and volume knobs to get everything just so.

Even though most of the audience was there to see and hear Kenny, he didn't want to overshadow the others by being too loud or overstepping his boundaries while comping. Kenny did solo masterfully, but he didn't showboat. His chops were controlled, measured, precise. That night, he seemed most comfortable playing a quiet supporting role to the rest of the Jazz Heritage All Stars.

The Jazz Heritage All Stars personnel included:
Tivon Pennicott - sax
Bobby Rodriguez - trumpet
Roberto Moveeda - bass
Ernie Andrews - vocals

Set List (Somehow I didn't catch the first three titles):

1. A piece by Eddie Harris

2. A Duke Pearson tune

3. A Dizzy Gillespie joint

4. In a Sentimental Mood - Duke Ellington
Pennicott took a nice solo, Univ. of Miami style.

5. Hub Cap - Freddy Hubbard
Rodriguez really drove this tune. It also appears on his Latin Jazz album Celebration!

6. A tune Burrell composed for bassist Ray Brown.
This number begins with a pensive guitar intro, and Kenny was at his finest of the evening.

In between songs, Kenny relayed a story of how he and Brown worked together in New York with drummer Zutty Singelton, who would call everybody "face."

Ernie Andrews, wearing a black Kangol, joined the group on stage for the remainder of the set. Kenny hailed him as the "world's greatest vocalist."

7. I'm Just a Lucky So and So - Duke Ellington

Andrews: "I'm 80 years old, standing up here doing this bullshit. Isaac Hayes, Gerald Wiggins, Bernie Mac - they're all dead and here I am at 80. . . and I haven't made a dime! This is Kenny Burrell's gig, but I'm taking it over!"

8. Kansas City - Albert King, Jimmy Witherspoon

Kenny: "Ernie can sing anything. If he had a telephone book he could sing that and make it sound good."

9. Take the A-Train - Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington
"Take the A-Train to get to Sugar Hill in Harlem"

10. All Blues - Miles Davis
Rodriguez!

11. Outro - Jazz Heritage All Stars theme

Getting Away With Music

2008-10-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

Jerry Harrison, of Talking Heads and Modern Lovers, spoke at SanFran MusicTech Summit on February 28, 2008. Here's something interesting he said:

Today, artists must become more and more extreme in their expression in order to break through the noise of the soundfloor. The Internet has exacerbated and increased this noise because so many amateurs are able to make music. So many people are getting away with music.

Anthony Brown & the Asian American Jazz Orchestra at Yoshi's SF

2008-10-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Anthony Brown and the Asian American Jazz Orchestra celebrated their 10th Anniversary with a show at Yoshi's San Francisco on September 11, 2008. I went to the 10pm show.

That night's performing AAO ensemble included 13 musicians playing an array of exotic and domestic instruments, including (forgive my spelling):

Yong Chin Zhou, hammer dulcimer (the lady at center stage)
Hong Wang, several traditional Chinese instruments, including the erhu, banhu (Chinese fiddle), guanzi, sheng, flutes, and percussion
Gichi Taylor, trumpet, flugelhorn
Henry Hwang, trumpet
Wayne Wallace, trombone ("a cornerstone of Bay Area music")
Dave Martel, trombone
Danny Bitker, alto flute
Masaru Koga, saxophone
Marcia Miget, saxophone
Maleeso Magdaluyo, reeds and flute
Mark Izu - bass
Terrence Brewer - guitar
Anthony Brown - drums and percussion

At the outset, Brown announced that Orrin Keepnews, producer of Thelonious Monk and many others at Riverside Records, had just passed. The AAO's repertoire contains many works produced during the Monk-Keepnews years, and the show was dedicated, in part, to the memory of the classic jazz producer.

Set List:

1) Tang - Duke Ellington
This piece from Duke's epic Afro-Eurasian Eclipse began with Brown bowing an unusual percussion instrument that looked like a hubcap suspended by a series of wires to a central axle.

Brown then explained how the hammer dulcimer came to China via the silk road. "Yong Chin" means foreign instrument, and coincidentally it's the dulcimer player's name. It is very possible that I have some aspect of this story incorrect, as my handwriting is messy to begin with and it's hard to take notes in a dark jazz club after a beer on a weeknight.

2) Crepuscule With Nellie - Thelonious Monk

3) Anthem from the Never Again suite
Composed in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Japan. This piece featured nice flute, sax and dulcimer solos.

Brown: "Don't play jazz unless you have to play jazz."

4) Mysterioso - Thelonious Monk
The AAO played this number in a deliberately lumbering fashion, not unlike some of Rashaan Roland Kirk's bands from the 70s. Koga took a nice solo here.

5) Little Rootie Tootie - Thelonious Monk
Another from Monk's Riverside years.

6) Jackie-ing - Thelonious Monk
Monk wrote this piece for his sister. Wayne Wallace and Marcia Miget take solos here.

Brown: Jazz is a democratic process. Everyone solos, and it takes place in a collective. We're getting loose here in the second set.

7) Bread and Bowie - Anthony Brown
This piece combined the tune Shortnin' Bread adapted for the large ensemble. It was written in homage to Lester Bowie, founder of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Brown spoke of a Trickster spirit that went from Dizzy Gillespie to Lester Bowie, and this composition certainly embodied a tongue-in-cheek quality as the Shortnin' Bread motif reached a cacophonic crescendo at the finale.

Robert Stewart Experience - Yoshi's SF

2008-09-30T00:31:00.001-07:00

The Robert Stewart Experience performed to a full house this evening at Yoshi's San Francisco... on a Monday night!

The R.S. Experience remembers that live music should keep the audience moving, tapping their feet, engaged. Stewart, born in 1969, is a self-proclaimed child of the 60's, and the evening's set list reflected his musical origins in the decade of classic funk, soul and blues tunes.

Set list:
1) A piece by Stanley Turrentine.
The band really went off in this out opener. In his solo, Stewart employs a unique circular breathing technique that sounds like a cross between a swarm of bees and a whale bellowing. This was the "free jazziest" of all the numbers, and afterward Stewart announced that the rest of the evening wouldn't be as crazy.

2) Living for the Love of You by Al Green
Bassist Joe Cyrus sang the lyrics to this soul classic by the Reverend Green. Something about this number reminded me of a gospel church (in a good way) - the subject matter, the soft syth and soprano sax notes. It also made me think lovingly about my wife.

3) Soul Dressing by Booker T. and the M.G.s
Guitarist Lloyd Gregory switches from his natural finish jazz box to a white solid body double-cutaway electric axe. Stewart's gutteral technique re-emerges. I look for some kind of electronic echo gate attached to his horn, but there isn't any... and just like that, he switches out of the abstract to solid funk lines on his tenor.

4) What You Won't Do For Love by Bobby Caldwell
On this tune, drummer Brian "Inferno" Collins (sp?) also sings. Stewart's solo is very slow and blue over the rhythm - it really echoes the melancholoy, hopeul heart of the song, if that makes any sense.

5) West Virginia by Robert Stewart
A "Gut Bucket Blues" written for Stewart's stepfather.

6) Shotgun by Jr. Walker & the All Stars
The finale!

David Benoit - Yoshi's SF

2008-09-09T04:57:00.000-07:00

Show date/time: September 4, 2008, 10pm

Personnel:
Piano / Keyboard - David Benoit
Drums - Jamey Tate
Saxaphone - Jeff Kashiwa (currently with The Rippingtons, current solo CD "Play")
Bass - David Hughes (played a 6 string electric and an upright bass "stick," an upright with the body removed for easy transport)

General comments: Although refinement and control are two hallmarks of "Smooth Jazz", Benoit and his touring group broke from the stereotype during their performance.

Set List:

1. Beat Street - Opening jam composed by Jeff Harper. Fierce drum solo by Tate.

2. Mountain Dance - From Benoit's Heroes. Kashua plays synth horn.

3. Heroes Medley - Elton John's "Your Song", into "Light My Fire" by The Doors. Hicks plays upright stick bass with no acoustic body. Benoit plays funky Manzarek organ riffs and piano simultaneously -synth keyboard is mounted on the Steinway.

Benoit announces: "What do you want to hear? I'll take any request as long as it's something I've played."

4. First day of School from Full Circle - Benoit wrote this for his daughter (adopted from Hiroshima Japan who is now entering the 3rd Grade). Superb cymbal work by Tate.

5. Waltz for Demi - a Bill Evans tune from Heroes. With a walking bassline, this felt like the most straight ahead jazz number of the evening. Kashiwa strolls.

6. A Twisted Little Five - a slight reworking Dave Brubeck's classic "Take Five." Kashiwa returns to the stage to blow on this number.

Break - Benoit gives a shout out to KKSF 103.7, San Francisco's Smooth Jazz station. "Linus & Lucy" is requested from the audience. Benoit tells of the recent passing of Bill Melendez, who (along with Charles Shultz) was instrumental in the creation of the Charlie Brown television and film specials.

7. Every Step of the Way - composed by Russ Freeman of the Riffingtons

8. Missed this one because I was ordering a drink when they announced the title, unfortunately. It was a swingin' number with funky bass solo from Hughes. "Castrofix"?

9. You're In Love, Charlie Brown - tune from Bill Melendez/Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts Valentine's Day Special.

10. Linus & Lucy - Vince Guaraldi's classic, the group rocked out in parts.

SF Jazz Reviews

2008-09-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

Pacific Jazz blog will be reviewing upcoming and past jazz shows in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

If you would like your show to be reviewed, please contact the Editor and invite him to your show!

Some artists who will be reviewed:

Kenny Burrell
Pharoah Sanders
James Moody
Jon Faddis
Mitch Ruff Duo
Tribute to Freddy Hubbard
Babatunde Lea
Mimi Fox
Roy Hargrove
Joshua Redman
Charlie Hunter
Hot Club of San Francisco
David Benoit
Sam Newsome & Lucian Ban
Kenny Washington
Marvin Stamm and Bill Mays
Stanley Jordan
Maceo Parker