JULY 2016

VOLUME 83 / NUMBER 7

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Á
 JULY 2016

ON THE COVER Kamasi Washington (center) performs with his father, Rickey Washington (left),
and Ryan Porter at Webster Hall in New York City on Feb. 24.

24 Kamasi
Washington
‘All the Doors Opened’
BY JOSEF WOODARD

The 35-year-old saxophonist,

bandleader and newly anointed
jazz star speaks at length about
©JACK VARTOOGIAN/FRONTROWPHOTOS

his collective of players, as well

as matters of musical integrity

24
and jazz lineages.

FEATURES

30 25 for the Future

Melissa Aldana Miho Hazama Cover photo of Kamasi Washington shot by Paul Wellman in Los Angeles on March 8.
Sullivan Fortner Aaron Parks
Cyrille Aimée Justin Brown
Ben Williams Jacob Garchik vie
w
vie
w
Re + Re +
tar + tar +
Marcus Gilmore Marquis Hill 5-S ++ 5-S ++
+ +
Marius Neset Becca Stevens
Kris Bowers Gerald Clayton
Aaron Diehl Mark Guiliana
Tyshawn Sorey Etienne Charles
Matthew Stevens Jamison Ross
Kris Davis Bria Skonberg
46 Daniel Freedman 46 Brian Bromberg 49 Melissa Aldana 59 Theo Croker
Julian Lage Joey Alexander

SPECIAL SECTION

DEPARTMENTS 61 Guitar School 70 Master Class

BY ERIC DIVITO

8 First Take 62 Bridging the Gap 72 Pro Session

The Evolution of the BY FRED RANDOLPH
10 Chords & Discords Semi-Hollow Guitar 74 Transcription
BY KEITH BAUMANN Christian McBride Bass Solo
13 The Beat
43 Reviews 76 Toolshed

82 Blindfold Test
Sherman Irby

e
Vintag
Artstar
6 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016 Ibanez
 First Take BY BOBBY REED

Futuristic Vision
REGINA CARTER, DAVE DOUGLAS, STEFON HARRIS, INGRID
Jensen, Brad Mehldau, Matthew Shipp, Ken Vandermark, Matt Wilson.
What do these jazz artists have in common? Seventeen years ago, they
were dubbed “rising stars” when they were included in the cover feature
“25 For The Future” in the June 1999 issue of DownBeat.
That article included an amazing parade of talent, and it offered a
prescient look at artists who would go on to have great careers.
As you can see in the image below, the cover for the June 1999 issue
was an aerial portrait depicting Carter, then a promising young violin-
ist, and Mehldau, who was riding a wave of acclaim for his Art Of The
Trio discs and whose latest work was the solo piano album Elegiac Cycle.
Jason Koransky (then
DownBeat’s associate editor)
described the premise for the
story: “We feature 25 musi-
cians in this issue with the
specific intent of not examin-
ing which artists will perpetu-
ate the sounds of Phil Woods’
alto saxophone, Ray Brown’s
bass, Milt Jackson’s vibes or
Miles Davis’ trumpet. That’s a
boring read: A magazine full
of imitators wouldn’t tell us
anything except for the fact
that past generations of jazz
musicians developed their
own voices. Rather, we turn
our attention to the sounds of
a new generation.”
Fast-forward to 2016. The DownBeat editorial staff has enthusiasti-
cally revisited the “25 For The Future” theme. For this issue, we have
compiled a list of 25 young artists—all of whom have made fantastic
music and who have shown tremendous potential.
Leading our parade is Kamasi Washington, whose three-CD set The
Epic (Brainfeeder) became the most talked-about jazz album of 2015.
That sprawling work continues to be the subject of many debates (and
downloads), thanks to its originality, its unusual length and its connec-
tions to jazz history. Also adding to the buzz surrounding Washington is
his tireless touring aesthetic, his onstage rapport with his bandmates and
his penchant for playing massive rock festivals.
Following our feature on Washington are brief profiles of two dozen
other musicians who have made their mark. One thing these artists have
in common with those in the 1999 roundup is a wholehearted commit-
ment to pursue their artistic vision—without fear, without compromise.
But artists nowadays are navigating a jazz industry that is a far cry
from the one in 1999—back when physical CDs and major labels played
much different roles in the big picture. Today’s jazz artist has to be
resourceful in a completely different way, thanks to shifting digital tech-
nology and social media.
In assembling this issue, our impulse was not to answer the question
“Who’s going to become a big star?” Instead, the motivation was to
explore a more important question: Which artists have the potential to
significantly shape the direction of jazz in decades to come? We’re not
implying that these players are the 25 best young jazz musicians on the
planet; we’re merely shining a spotlight on an intriguing array of ascend-
ing artists. These are musicians to watch. Welcome to the future. DB

8 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

th-
nd

ent
ted
for
mo
Chords Discords
sch

um
Pelting DownBeat

GULNARA KHAMATOVA
I wish to express my extreme disappoint-
vor
ment in the story written about me in the May
ho
issue of DownBeat. While I’m appreciative of
m)
a feature on me, I feel like this was a wasted
usi- opportunity.
ver While a portion of the story did deal with
nd- my latest HighNote release, #JIVECULTURE, a
ro- sizable portion had more to do with my ap-
s— pearances with Joe Farnsworth and Ben Alli-
son, and sideman work in general.
I have been leading bands successfully for
Jeremy Pelt
over 10 years. The feel of the story is that I’m
still a sideman. I’ve been a part of this music
story that has to with my work. We all have our
scene for nearly 20 years, I have 13 releases to
heroes—and I can wax poetic about all of the
date, and I have appeared on over 100 record-
past icons—but those are questions that you
ings. In short, I have a legitimate body of work.
ask someone who’s fairly new to the scene, not
Also, it’s just lazy journalism (and border-
someone with the experience I have.
line disrespectful) to keep giving life to the
I expected more.
Miles and Freddie comparisons and in general
JEREMY PELT
having discussions about past jazz icons in a NEW YORK CITY

Heartfelt Tribute

BOBBY REED
The Gretsch family joins everyone in the
drum and percussion industry in mourning
the passing of Remo Belli on April 25. As a vet-
eran of that industry myself, I had the pleasure
of knowing Remo for many years on a person-
al and professional basis. My wife, Dinah, and I
shared visits with him at trade shows and oth-
er drumming events, and we always enjoyed
our time together.
But Remo’s connection to the Gretsch
family goes back much further. My uncle, Fred Remo Belli
Gretsch Jr., was a little more than 20 years old-
er than Remo. When Remo was touring as the heads are still factory-installed on Gretsch
drummer for Anita O’Day and bandleader Billy drums today.
May in the 1950s, Uncle Fred was running the Fast-forward to when I entered the drum
Gretsch business. He welcomed Remo into the business 50 years ago. Returning the favor
fold as a Gretsch drum artist. that my uncle had done for him, Remo (who
In fact, Remo’s smiling face graces the was a little less than 20 years older than I am)
cover of the 1954 Gretsch drum catalog—right served as a mentor to me, offering sound busi-
next to Louie Bellson, and in the company of ness tips and valuable personal advice.
other drum greats like Art Blakey, Jo Jones and Over the ensuing years I came to cherish
Shelly Manne. his friendship, his guidance and his unparal-
Just a few years later, when Remo went leled professional example. I will miss those
into business himself, Uncle Fred supported things—and Remo himself—tremendously.
his efforts by becoming a major customer for FRED W. GRETSCH
his Weather King synthetic drumheads. Remo PRESIDENT, THE GRETSCH COMPANY

End of a Purple Reign What.” Prince told the thousands in atten-

dance at the Minnesota North Stars’ hockey
I have been a jazz fan since the early ’70s. I
arena that it was the “sexiest line ever.” Prince
lived in Minneapolis during the ’80s and ’90s,
and Miles recorded a tune together; you can
and I am also a Prince fan. I’m sure I’m not the
check it out online. It sounds good to me, and
only jazz fan who misses Prince. Please include
it probably would have been on Miles’ album
a piece on him in a future issue.
Tutu if Prince hadn’t pulled it.
If you need a jazz connection, there are
Additionally, Prince wrote a tune for Miles
three that I can think of, all involving Miles
called “Penetration,” which is online as well.
Davis. When my future wife and I saw Prince
BOB ZANDER
perform in 1988, his horn section quoted “So PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

Have a Chord or Discord? Email us at editor@[Link]

or find us on Facebook & Twitter.

10 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 News Views From Around The Music World

The
Inside
16 / New Orleans
Jazz Fest
18 / International
Jazz Day
19 / Jeff Lederer
21 / Adam O’Farrill
22 / Sarah Vaughan

Hiromi’s Joyful
Journey
O
n “Spark,” the opening song (and title track) on
Hiromi’s new Telarc album, she plays a snippet of
faint, delicate solo piano that conveys a sense of
anticipation. Her goal was to create the musical equivalent
of the first page of a book.
“It sounds like the orientation to everything,” she said
during a recent conversation at Yamaha Artist Services
Inc. in Manhattan. “It’s the beginning, the sparks that
made me write all these songs.”
Hiromi’s fourth Telarc album with her Trio
Project—drummer Simon Phillips and contrabass
guitarist Anthony Jackson—debuted at No. 1 on
Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart. The Japanese pianist/
keyboardist is reaching more and more listeners by
injecting her monumental compositions with accessi-
ble melodic ideas, executed with ferocious energy.
“I always look for something singable, melody-wise,”
Hiromi said of her composing approach. “Some melodies,
when you go to live performances, just stick in your head. That’s
what I look for when I write music.”
In addition to being a major star in her native country, this
37-year-old pianist has long been a huge draw on the global festi-
val circuit. Her current world tour includes shows at the Montreal
Jazz Festival (June 30), Rotterdam’s North Sea Jazz Festival (July 9)
and Germany’s Palatia Jazz Festival (July 22). By the end of the year,
she and her group will have visited North America, South America,
Europe, Asia and Australia.
Synthesizing jazz, classical and rock and aided by near-telepathic com-
munication, Hiromi, Phillips and Jackson have helped expand the definition of
“power trio.” The group’s tunes typically feature dazzlingly interwoven riffs and
complex time signatures.
On Spark, Hiromi plays a Yamaha CFX concert grand piano—exhibiting a rich,
resonant tone—and a Nord Lead 2 synthesizer. Phillips, who has played with The Who
and Toto, performs on a massive rock drum kit that includes two bass drums, seven tom-
toms, a gong drum, octobans and three snare drums. Jackson, a veteran who has worked
with Paul Simon and Steely Dan, is famous for playing a six-string contrabass guitar, an
instrument he pioneered decades ago.

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 13

 Riffs

FRANK STEWART

Joe Temperley (1929–2016)

Hiromi often plays piano

Final Bar: Joe Temperley, whose virtu- and synthesizer in concert.
osic skill on the baritone saxophone and
bass clarinet boosted numerous big band Produced by Hiromi and Michael Bishop you can say exactly the same thing about music.
recordings, died May 11 at age 86. Born in and recorded at Power Station New England Sometimes you feel you really want to listen to
Scotland, Temperley achieved his first ac- Studio A in Waterford, Connecticut, over four this music today. Or sometimes you are not
claim in the United Kingdom as a member days last year, Spark (Hiromi’s 10th album as a really looking for music that much. But what
of Humphrey Lyttelton’s band. After mov- leader) was conceived as a journey with a narra- can the chef do? So I just keep cooking and do
ing to New York in 1965, he performed and tive arc, much like a book, play or film. my best.”
recorded with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis The album’s nine original songs reflect Her main goal in music, she said, is to
Orchestra, Jazz Composer’s Orchestra and
the emotional states a reader or view- “make people happy.” Pleasing listeners is an
the big bands of Woody Herman and Bud-
dy Rich. In 1974, Temperley joined the Duke
er might encounter while engaging with a experience that dates back to her childhood.
Ellington Orchestra, replacing Harry Carney. story, according to Hiromi. Titles such as “In “I was always surrounded by smiles when-
He went on to hold the baritone saxophone A Trance,” “Take Me Away” and “Wake Up ever I played the piano,” Hiromi said. “I started
chair in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra And Dream” represent conditions into which with my grandparents and my parents and my
for nearly 30 years. A strong advocate of the viewer or reader might slip at particular brother. Whenever I played, they were always
jazz education, Temperley joined the faculty moments in the work. smiling.”
of The Juilliard School in 2001. The song “Wonderland” illustrates how As an emerging player, Hiromi was men-
More info: [Link] Hiromi composes material that exploits her tored and praised by the likes of Ahmad Jamal
trio-mates’ specific strengths. This song’s mel- and Chick Corea. Yet she was also deeply influ-
Festival Grants: The Doris Duke Charitable
Foundation (DDCF) has recognized five
ody was specifically written to be played on enced by an idol from afar: Erroll Garner (1923–
jazz organizations and related festivals Phillips’ octobans—a set of high-pitched, ’77), whom she discovered in video clips when
that will receive grants totaling $1 million. melodically tuned tom-toms. The album’s rol- she was a precocious 8-year-old studying classi-
The Leadership Grants for Jazz will go to licking final track, “All’s Well,” is designed as cal piano (and intrepidly superimposing alter-
City Parks Foundation of the Charlie Parker the musical equivalent of a film’s closing credits. nate chords on works by Bach and Mozart).
Jazz Festival ($75,000), Detroit Jazz Festival Spark reflects the trio’s “biggest growth” as “The first time I saw Erroll play on a video,
Foundation of the Detroit Jazz Festival a group since it released Voice, its debut Telarc he was smiling so much, it really was striking;
($200,000), Jazz Institute of Chicago of the CD, five years ago, Hiromi said. “There is a way it really spoke to me,” Hiromi recalled. “And
Chicago Jazz Festival ($225,000), Monterey of playing with Simon and Anthony here that the audience [members] were smiling. It’s like
Jazz Festival ($400,000) and Newport
I’ve never heard before.” universal communication. It goes beyond all
Festivals Foundation of the Newport Jazz
Festival ($100,000). More info: [Link]
Phillips, reached at his home in Los Angeles, the boundaries, and people become as one. It’s
agreed. “Hiromi’s compositions have matured amazing what music can do.”
Kirk Documentary: Rahsaan Roland Kirk, beautifully,” the London native said. “She A preponderance of joy (along with plenty
the late reedist and social justice activist knows exactly what we can do and she can still of athletic maneuvers) is part of a typical
who built a reputation on his ability to manage to find ways of pushing us, technically Hiromi concert. During her March 30 show
play multiple horns at once, is the subject and creatively.” with the Trio Project at New York’s Highline
of a documentary that will be available The overall sound is more cohesive than in Ballroom, Hiromi augmented her audience
on iTunes May 31. Featuring archival the past, according to Phillips: “It really sounds dialogue with a panoply of athletic moves from
footage as well as interviews and animated
like a band playing.” the piano bench, ranging from side leg kicks to
sequences, Adam Kahan’s The Case of the
Three Sided Dream will present a look at a
While Hiromi has been a hit with audienc- spinal twists to stand-up squats.
musician who persevered through partial es worldwide, critics haven’t always praised her During “All’s Well,” the concert finale, she
paralysis resulting from a stroke to pursue work. In the May issue of DownBeat, two of The turned from a reclining position on the piano
his passion for jazz. A DVD release is sched- Hot Box reviewers gave Spark a 2-star rating. bench to face the audience with a big smile. She
uled for the fall. Screenings are planned Hiromi responds to criticism from both seemed to enter a trance even while continuing
for later this year in New York, Los Angeles, ordinary listeners and professional detractors to work the keys. As she explained later, “I do
Toronto and Europe. More info: [Link] pragmatically. “I think music is like food,” she look, but I am not really looking. I am feeling the
said. “Everybody has different tastes. I think energy from the audience.” —Michael Barris

14 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 ADAM MCCULLOUGH
Caught

Nicholas Payton performs a set at the New Orleans Jazz &

Heritage Festival on April 29.

Jazz Legends Provide Bright Spots

in Soggy New Orleans Festival
FOR DECADES, THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & As Hancock pressed on, seemingly anchor-
Heritage Festival presented by Shell has been ing much of the music’s direction, Shorter bend-
dogged by criticism of its pop-heavy program- ed his approach, shifting timbre and power to
ming. The trend began when the Jazz Tent simultaneously play up and build out the narra-
began being pushed from a more central loca- tive Hancock was creating.
tion to its current home on the edge of the Fair For most of the first, nearly 50-minute-long
Grounds Race Track. It seemed to worsen after tune, Hancock alternated between intense-
AEG Live came on board as a producing part- ly cerebral figures, cascading harmonies and a
ner in 2004. That the festival’s website url spells use of time and space that said as much through
out “no jazz fest” hasn’t helped matters. silence as his more virtuosic moments said
This year, festival producer Quint Davis through sound. Shorter, meanwhile, mixed
and his team made a concerted effort to change swirls of color with vaults into unexpected reg-
the “no jazz” bad rap. Davis felt he owed jazz isters that seemed as if they could lift the top of
and blues fans more than the festival had been the tent off and send it careening skyward.
giving them. He implied that he spent twice as Hancock moved to his Korg Kronos, and a
much as usual on that programming for the series of extraterrestrial sounds wafted out over
2016 edition, which ran April 22 through May the crowd. Slowly at first and then building in
1. And it showed—particularly on April 24, intensity, he hammered out a sparse beat, alter-
when one afternoon in the Jazz Tent featured nating it with sheets of low, spaced-out sound-
Herlin Riley, a Herbie Hancock/Wayne Shorter scape waves. Shorter added restrained improvi-
duo set and Terence Blanchard’s E-collective. sations to the top of the mix, which by then had
The stack of stars drew a massive audience, more in common with the EDM-meets-jazz feel
filling the Jazz Tent to capacity and leaving of Hancock albums like Future 2 Future than
a slew of fans relegated to listening from out- with the pair’s 1997 duo recording, 1 + 1.
side the tent for Riley’s set, a hard-bop-fueled Another highlight came in the form of an
performance that drew from material fea- unofficial focus on jazz drummers. One day
tured on his latest recording, New Direction. before Riley’s performance, Jack DeJohnette’s
Once Riley closed with a bouncing rendition trio with Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison
of Danny Barker’s “Tootie Ma,” the aisles filled played an ethereal set of music that ranged from
with Hancock and Shorter fans hoping to score spiritual to groove-minded.
a seat for their performance. Among the headliners at the festival’s sec-
After a long welcome via standing ovation, ond weekend, which was unfortunately marred
Hancock and Shorter began to play, launching by rainouts and flooding, was Joe Lovano’s
the meditative set with a pair of extended, mel- two-drummer-centric Us Five ensemble.
low soprano saxophone lines. Hancock echoed Though Lovano’s music selections for the set
his longtime collaborator’s introspective vibe as hewed more toward a note-heavy approach
he dug in on piano. Even when he engineered that feels slightly out of place in New Orleans,
a series of fast, dark motifs with his left hand, the spirited exchanges between drummers
things remained contemplative as the two Francisco Mela and Otis Brown III consistently
indulged in 75 minutes of musical exchange. pushed the music forward. —Jennifer Odell

16 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 Caught

President Obama Hosts

Icons for ‘Jazz Day’ Concert Al Jarreau (left) Michelle Obama, Kurt Elling,
BITTERSWEET MOMENTS SEEPED INTO THE tures—a product of the diversity that would President Barack Obama, Terence Blanchard, Dianne
Reeves and Lionel Loueke celebrate International Jazz
International Jazz Day Global Concert held forever define our nation’s greatness.” Day in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Steve Mundinger)
in Washington, D.C., on April 29. After host- After Franklin’s performance, jazz’s New
ing the all-star event in Istanbul, Osaka and Orleans origins came alive onstage as the
Paris in previous years, UNESCO and the Rebirth Brass Band delivered an exhilarating
Thelonious Monk Institute brought the event rendition of “Saint James Infirmary,” fronted by
back to the United States—this time at the powerhouse vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and
White House. Kurt Elling. Both singers delved into the song
After President Obama greeted guests, with panache.
announcing that with this concert the White Elling injected some lyrics about Chicago
House would become the “Blues House,” Aretha and later slyly invoked the U.S. Treasury
Franklin commenced with an impassioned ren- Department’s recent plan to replace the image
dering of Leon Russell’s “A Song For You.” of President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill Herbie Hancock (left) and Aretha Franklin perform a duet.
(Photo: Steve Mundinger)
Accompanying herself on piano and aided with Harriet Tubman’s image. Bridgewater
by Brian Blade on drums, Christian McBride added some theatrical flair and traded vocalese
on bass and Herbie Hancock on keyboards, banter with Trombone Shorty.
Franklin summoned her gospel and jazz roots, Another milestone of Obama’s presidency
transforming the song into an invocation that played out onstage when pianist Chucho Valdés
seemed dedicated directly to the Obamas. and reedist Paquito D’Rivera, both from Cuba,
The White House felt like an appropriate led a global-minded ensemble through a vigor-
setting for the International Jazz Day celebra- ous rendition Bebo Valdés’ early 1950’s descar-
tion, given that the Obamas have been ardent, ga “Con Poco Coco.”
vocal supporters of American music. Before they took the stage, Obama noted Chick Corea (left), Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard
perform on the White House South Lawn on April 29.
During the lead-up to the 2012 election, his commitment to rekindling diplomatic rela- (Photo: Steve Mundinger)

graphic artist JC Pagán issued a series of strik- tions with Cuba. As for the performance, the
ing digital images that superimposed Obama’s cosmopolitan makeup of the ensemble—bassist Reeves accompanying guitarist Pat Metheny
image onto classic Blue Note LP covers. In June (and Washington, D.C., native) Ben Williams, during an explorative romp through his
2009, First Lady Michelle Obama opened the Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke, Australian Brazilian-inflected composition “Minuano
White House’s East Room to 150 high-school trumpeter James Morrison and Indian tabla (Six Eight),” and an oblique reading of Shorter’s
jazz students from Washington, D.C., New player Zakir Hussain—re-emphasized Cuba’s classic “Footprints” on which the reedist and
York City and New Orleans—and such jazz musical significance and cultural interaction 12-year-old pianist Joey Alexander goaded
stalwarts as Paquito D’Rivera, Eric Revis and with other nations. each other with antiphonic deconstructions of
the Marsalis family—to launch a White House Under the guidance of musical director the melody while Esperanza Spalding’s probing
music workshop series that would later that John Beasley, a rotating cast of musicians— acoustic bass lines spurred them forward.
year feature country and classical music. including International Jazz Day mainstays Pianist and UNESCO Goodwill
Certainly, the Obamas aren’t the first to drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, saxophon- Ambassador Herbie Hancock told the crowd
bring jazz into the White House. President ist Wayne Shorter, bassist Marcus Miller and that he had originally wanted to demonstrate
Jimmy Carter did so famously in 1978 (with trumpeter Hugh Masekela—gave way to an his dual interests in jazz and hip-hop, but he
the help of Newport Jazz Festival impresario intriguing program that aimed for a balance changed his mind. Even though he did feature
George Wein), as did President Bill Clinton in between mainstream appeal and noteworthy pianist Robert Glasper, saxophonist Terrace
1993 (in celebration of Newport’s 40th anniver- surprises. Martin and female MC Rhapsody, Hancock
sary). But under the aegis of International Jazz A few moments seemed intended to retain decided to turn his attention to Prince. Prior
Day at the White House, the genre enjoyed its the interests of jazz novices: Al Jarreau leading to the performance, he reminded the audience
grandest celebration yet, with a distinguished a delightful rendition of Dave Brubeck and Paul of the artist’s sad, untimely passing the previ-
host, actor Morgan Freeman, and highlights Desmond’s “Take Five”; the jazz-informed pop ous week. “Prince epitomized the word music,”
packaged into a hourlong prime-time TV superstar Sting crooning his 1987 tune “Sister Hancock said.
broadcast on ABC on April 30. Moon”; an ensemble with McBride, Blade, The ensuing medley of Prince hits—“1999”
During his welcoming remarks, President pianist Chick Corea and trumpeter Terence and “When Doves Cry”—became notably mel-
Obama said, “There’s something fearless and Blanchard burning through the mid-’60s post- ancholy when Franklin, America’s “Queen of
true about jazz,” before comparing the music to bop standard “Straight Up And Down”; and Soul,” returned to the stage to lead the crowd
“the story of our nation’s progress.” He went on electric guitar hero John McLaughlin tearing in a heartfelt rendition of the chorus to “Purple
to acknowledge that the music was “born out into a jangly solo on Miles Davis’ early fusion Rain,” while the lighting backdrop turned
of the struggle of African-Americans yearning nugget “Spanish Key.” appropriately purple as rain gently drizzled.
for freedom” and “forged in a crucible of cul- Other highlights included singer Dianne —John Murph

18 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 Jeff Lederer’s album Brooklyn Blowhards was
inspired by sea shanties and Albert Ayler.
Caught
ROB LOWELL

Lederer Creates Avant-Nautical Mix

REEDIST JEFF LEDERER HAS OFTEN CREAT- expressive and digestible—and in some ways,
ed bold sounds borne of bizarre musical jux- simple. If you listen to Love Cry, [drummer]
tapositions. Lederer’s album Shakers N’ Bakers Milford Graves has this churning quality in
matched Shaker religious “vision” songs with addition to the way he vocalizes. The beat isn’t
klezmer, swing and creative improvisation. His driven by pulse, though it has momentum and
bawdy Dixieland confection, Swing N’ Dix, was is driven by something. The beat moves more in
expressed with tongues firmly in cheek. a feeling of waves than in beats.”
So when Lederer had the idea to combine The seed of the Brooklyn Blowhards project
the music of iconic free-jazz saxophonist Albert came about while drummer Matt Wilson was
Ayler with 19th century sea shanties, some- playing Ayler’s Love Cry at his mother’s home
how it made sense. Critics’ and listeners’ feel- in Knoxville, Illinois. She remarked, “Matt, that
ings about sea shanties may have dimmed over music reminds me of sea shanties.”
the years, but in the decades since Ayler’s trag- And Lederer has been studying nauti-
ic death in 1970—apparently drowning after cal-themed tunes lately. Last year, Knuffke
jumping off the Statue of Liberty ferry—the brought Lederer the Smithsonian/Folkways
appreciation for his work has only grown. album Foc’sle Songs And Shanties, sung by Paul
“I have a history of putting things together Clayton and the Foc’sle Singers, whose rep-
that don’t fit,” Lederer explained from his ertoire came mostly from field recordings of
Brooklyn home. “We’ve also done Los Sazones, English shantymen.
a salsa version of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons per- “There’s a mystical element to how Ayler
formed by trombonist Jimmy Bosch’s 11-piece and sea shanties merge,” Lederer said. “I defi-
salsa band and a baroque chamber orchestra.” nitely hear the sound of the ocean in Albert’s
Lederer and his latest group performed at playing on Love Cry. When his body was found
Joe’s Pub in New York in April to celebrate of washed up in the East River in 1970, there were
Brooklyn Blowhards, issued by his label Little many theories. One was that he was murdered
(i) Music. The octet’s performance of Ayler’s by the CIA. His girlfriend, Mary Maria Parks,
soaring sounds alongside doleful sea shanties said Albert committed suicide. Albert once said
was an act of inspired genius. he had to ‘shed his blood’ to save his brother.”
With Lederer playing saxophones and his The Brooklyn Blowhards’ performance at
wife, Mary LaRose, on vocals, the Brooklyn Joe’s Pub often erupted into a New Orleans-
Blowhards consisted of John Irabagon, sax- like gumbo of rumbling rhythms and deep-
ophones; Kurt Knuffke, cornet; Brian Drye, gut tones, partially created by the nearly sub-
trombone; Art Dailey, accordion; Ches Smith, sonic frequencies of concert bass drum, trap set
drums; and Stephen LaRosa, ship’s bell, chains and chains resonating under accordion, wood-
and concert bass drum. The ensemble blew and winds and brass.
howled, thundered and quaked, as Matt Kish’s At press time, the Brooklyn Blowhards
illustrations of Herman Melville’s epic sea tale were planning concerts at the Nantucket
Moby Dick were projected on a screen. Historical Association, the New Bedford
“Albert’s music is very folk-like in its direct- Whaling Museum and Woodlawn Cemetery in
ness,” Lederer said. “The melodies are really the Bronx. —Ken Micallef

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 19

 European Scene / BY PETER MARGASAK

Strandberg

©MICKE KEYSENDAL
Pursues
Sonic Poetry
Swedish trumpeter Emil Strandberg is a
staunch devotee of improvisation, and over
the last decade-and-a-half he has created
some extraordinary music without any sort of
written material. He’s made a pair of surpris-
ingly tender, tuneful recordings of free im-
provisation with veteran pianist Sten Sandell
(one of Sweden’s most ardent abstractionists)
and bassist Patric Thorman. But as much as
Strandberg loves playing without a net, he’s
a melodist first and foremost, with an abiding
appreciation for composition no matter how
loose or free.
Nothing has demonstrated those inter-
ests and strengths with as much clarity and Emil Strandberg
power as his agile group with guitarist Da-
vid Stackenäs and bassist Pär-Ola Landin, I could write for, but still, I wanted it to be
where plush balladry collides with raw about improvisation first and foremost,” he
dissonance and lines of gorgeous lyricism explained. “I wanted to work more on ap-
abut passages using extended technique. plying some aspects of free improvisation
The group’s recent album &c. (ES) stands as on tonal material, and I thought David and
one of the year’s more arresting releases. Pär-Ola might be the right persons for it. To
Strandberg, 36, grew up about 60 simplify, Pär-Ola comes from lyric post-bop,
miles from Stockholm in the industrial town while David is best known as a free impro-
of Eskilstuna. He began playing trumpet at viser.”
age 9 and gravitated from studying Euro- Despite the investment in open forms,
pean classical music to falling for jazz. He there’s no missing the group’s interest in
played in marching band, brass ensembles, jazz history. As Strandberg noted, his com-
a symphony orchestra and various jazz position “Konish,” from the trio’s excellent
ensembles, but he also spent hours check- 2014 album More Music For Trumpet, Guitar
ing out jazz records from the local library. And Bass (ES), is based on a phrase from a
The person in charge of the library’s music Lee Konitz solo. On the album &c., Landin’s
collection introduced him to free improvis- opening bass figure on “Känd och Uppskat-
ers such as Evan Parker and Axel Dörner tad I Jazzens Underjord” twists around the
as well as contemporary composers like opening phrase of Cannonball Adderley’s
Helmut Lachenmann. 1958 version of “Autumn Leaves.” Addi-
In 2001, Strandberg moved to Stock- tionally, Strandberg pointed out that his
holm to study at the Royal College of Mu- work with the adventurous Paris-based
sic, but he left after one year, choosing Umlaut Big Band has allowed him to bring
instead to study literature at Stockholm out touches of Rex Stewart and Bix Beider-
University. “I think I just wanted to work on becke in his playing.
my music independently, but I also missed Equally striking in the trio is the re-
the analyzing of form, the discussion of straint at work. “I’ve got sensitive ears and
aesthetics, the contextualization of a work don’t enjoy loud music too much,” Strand-
of art—which was all we did studying liter- berg said. “But taking some heat off the
ature and never did studying jazz,” he said. music is good for me. Slowing things down
But music remained a key obsession, and keeping lower dynamics make me
and he began making a name for himself in more alert to what the other musicians play
various projects, including recordings with and to new ideas that arise in the course
pianist Jonas Östholm and participation in of the music. You should react fast to what
the quintet Seval, which applied free im- the others do, but playing fast is a different
provisation to loose pop-art songs written thing—I tend to play more mechanically
by American cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and then. Sometimes I feel musicians are ex-
sung by Sofia Jernberg. pected to be more athletes than poets. In
That approach clicked with the trum- any case, I think having more space and a
peter. “I wanted to lead a jazz group that slower pace helps bring out the poet.” DB

20 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

Adam O’Farrill Forges His Own Path
EVEN WHILE SITTING IN THE FAMILY LIV- ing-room-only crowd, O’Farrill delivered an
ing room—filled with memorabilia and awards intriguing program of music that included
of his father, Arturo O’Farrill, his grandfather, such incongruous tunes as Kenny Dorham’s
Chico O’Farrill, and his classical piano play- 1961 hard-bop gem “Sunset,” Gabriel Garzón-
ing mother, Alison Deane—Brooklyn-based Montano’s electronica ballad “Pour Maman”
trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, 21, shows no signs and a traditional Mexican song, “Siiva Moiiva.”
of being pressured to carry the weighty torch O’Farrill pens beguiling compositions, too.
of his namesake in any strict idiomatic fashion. But he only played two of them: “Monochrome
“I feel like I need to know where I come Fantasies,” a sardonic play on the harmonic and
from,” O’Farrill said while lounging on the rhythmic repetitiveness of some of today’s pop
sofa. “But that doesn’t need to define me; it just music, and “Survival Instincts,” a probing piece
needs to inform me.” marked by an implied 12/8 Afro-Cuban motif.
Perhaps the reason why Adam is comfort- The latter tune—oddly enough—was the only
able in his own musical skin is because his one in the set that came from O’Farrill’s new dependent of the piano,” O’Farrill said, citing
father encouraged him to be creative instead of solo debut album, Stranger Days (Sunnyside). Ornette Coleman’s late-’60s LPs New York Is
replicating the past. As with the concert at C’mon Everybody,
Now! and Love Call as significant touchstones.
Evident by his late-March concert the night Stranger Days prospers not only because of
“I needed to give myself a challenge.”
before at Bed-Stuy’s hipster club, C’mon O’Farrill’s compositions (like the raptur-
The trumpeter’s love for film shapes how he
Everybody, O’Farrill is resolute to embark on ous “The Cows And Their Farmer Walt,” the
his own artistic path. He guided his quartet— composes and launches into intricate, overlap-
pensive “The Courtroom” and the episodic
which features older, drum-playing broth- “Alligator Got The Blues”), but also the frolic- ping conversations with his cohorts. “In film,
er Zack providing the ensemble’s combustible some interaction he engages in with his brother, there’s dialogue between the characters—but
drive—through an exploratory set that show- bassist Walter Stinson and tenor saxophonist there’s just as much dialogue among the story,
cased his plangent trumpet tone, his pithy Chad Lefkowitz-Brown. Adding more suspense the score, the cinematography and the editing,”
sense of melodic improvisation and his fond- is the absence of a pianist. O’Farrill said. “That greater dialogue is what
ness of vigorous group interaction. With both “A lot of my writing and playing before really transfixes me about good film.”
of his parents in attendance in the stand- Stranger Days and this band were heavily —John Murph

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 21

Set Preserves ‘Divine’ Legacy

©TOM COPI/SAN FRANCISCO

DURING HER LIFETIME, SARAH VAUGHAN, evidence of Vaughan’s drawing power.
who died at age 66 in 1990, ranked among The new album, two CDs with 22 tracks in
the most celebrated of singers, earning the total, reveals how Vaughan exercised that
appellation “The Divine One” for her heaven- power. Backed by her longtime trio—Carl
ly way with a musical phrase. While her star Schroeder on piano, Walter Booker on bass
faded a bit after her death, it has been burning and Jimmy Cobb on drums—she works her
more brightly of late, with the issuing of both way wittily through a diverse array of tunes,
a stamp in her honor and a first-rate collection including “I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good),”
of tunes representing her small-group sound: “East Of The Sun,” “I Remember You” and “My
Sarah Vaughan—Live At Rosy’s (Resonance Funny Valentine.”
Records). And while the selections tend toward the
The new album features Vaughan onstage pre-’60s material for which Vaughan became
at Rosy’s, the short-lived, long-lamented New famous, she gives songs of later vintage their
Orleans club, on a night in May 1978. In two due, offering a propulsive “Watch What
thoroughly swinging sets, Vaughan displays Happens” and a tender “Send In The Clowns.”
the improbably wide vocal and emotional There is no shortage of drama, pathos—or,
A new album from Resonance documents
range that earned her a designation as an NEA for that matter, brilliant improvisation—on the a Sarah Vaughan concert from 1978.
Jazz Master in 1989, four years after she gained Resonance album, which was largely the initia-
entry into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. tive of producer Zev Feldman. A Vaughan afi- only some of which was heard on the radio
“She would have been in top form,” said cionado, Feldman said he was offered access program, whose host, Billy Taylor, is heard in
Carrie Jackson, a singer and, like Vaughan, to the archives of National Public Radio’s Jazz brief—the package includes a 36-page book-
a native of Newark, New Jersey. Jackson—a Alive! in 2012 after connecting with the show’s let with essays, photos and interviews. All of
Vaughan expert who was not involved with the producer, Tim Owens. Among the multi-track which, Feldman said, is intended to provide a
album—appeared on March 29 at Newark’s tapes he unearthed, he said, the Vaughan sets detailed portrait of Vaughan for present and
Symphony Hall in an event marking the release immediately stood out. future generations.
of the stamp. The event, which attracted more “I felt very passionate about the recordings,” “It’s how I want to remember Sarah
than 2,500 people to Symphony Hall’s Sarah Feldman said. Vaughan,” he said.
Vaughan Concert Hall, provided continuing Along with nearly 90 minutes of music— —Phillip Lutz

Title Goes Right here!

XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXX

22 DOWNBEAT APRIL 2016

24 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016
newly anointed jazz star Kamasi Washington was out to meet the press.
Donning a colorful dashiki and with his ample complement of an Afro tucked
into a knit cap, he sat in a conference room in the offices of his management
firm, Atom Factory. The occasion? A DownBeat cover story. The 35-year-old
saxophonist and bandleader spoke at length about his collective of play-
ers, who go by the moniker the West Coast Get Down, and of matters
of musical integrity and jazz lineages. He emphasized how the jazz
world has not fully appreciated the long tradition of serious jazz in
inner-city L.A.—the scene from whence he sprang, nurtured by his
father, the reedist Rickey Washington.
Relevant to Washington’s meteoric rise in the past 14 months
is the fact that Atom Factory is based in a building locat-
ed just a few blocks away from the massive Sony Pictures
compound in Culver City, California. It’s also a mere five
crow-flying miles—yet a cultural chasm away—from
The World Stage, a grassroots jazz club and communi-
ty hub in the Liemert Park area of South Central Los
Angeles. Owned by the late, great Billy Higgins, The
World Stage was, in the ’90s, a vibrant training ground
for the young Washington and many of his dedicated
musical friends now touring the world with him.

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 25

 same references and gig experiences. We don’t
have to do much talking. It’s more intuitive, as
far as how me might interpret a line or phrase
it. Once you’ve got two guys focused on the
importance of that sound, the blend works.”
Porter notes that the connective thread in
the coalition of players in Washington’s band,
and the local scene itself, ends up informing the
content of the material as well. “When Kamasi
sat down and wrote for The Epic,” Porter says,
“he had those guys in mind and [knew] what he
wanted to do and how they would take certain
parts. Once he put the music in front of us, it
jelled so well, because we had such strong com-
munication. Right now, we just want to com-
municate, so that we can have a conversation.
Once we can focus on that as a whole, that’s
when we just make magic.”
Obviously, that magic and a conveyance of
energy to the crowd has led the band into some
unexpected places and turned some heads
toward the lure of jazz. At shows, says Coleman,
“We go out and meet people and sign auto-
graphs and see what people are about. A lot
of these people haven’t even heard of George
Duke or Herbie Hancock, whereas we grew up
on that. It’s like, ‘What is this?’ That is a big part
of the appeal.”
Washington’s charismatic ability to intro-
duce fans of rock and hip-hop to the world of
jazz is one of the reasons he’s the hottest artist
in jazz today. Another is the way that hardcore
jazz fans see a deep connection between him
and John Coltrane.
A funny thing happens when you experience
The Epic in the manner intended, as a three-hour
Washington was a collaborator on rapper Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning album,
To Pimp A Butterfly. tour: A whole identity begins to emerge from the
many parts, and you’re left wanting even more.
Washington, whose star has risen precipi- Butterfly, on which Washington and others It’s almost a subversive statement in the brevi-
tously based on the power of his distinct- from his collective also play important roles. ty-centric culture of our time.
ly uncompromising three-disc set, The Epic, Musicians in Washington’s crew bring to DownBeat spoke with Washington during a
is one of the more surprising and artistical- the table a dizzying wealth of experience. break from his itinerant lifestyle, just before he
ly respectable “overnight sensations” in recent Their resumes include work with Rihanna, was scheduled to take off to New Zealand and
jazz history. In 2016, he’s already played the mas- Snoop Dog, Chaka Khan, Lauryn Hill, Raphael Hawaii—two places he had yet to visit.
sive Coachella rock festival, and he’ll bring his Saadiq, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder.
jazz message to other high-profile events, such Keyboardist Brandon Coleman, a dedicated
as Bonnaroo (June 10), the Ottawa Jazz Festival member of the West Coast Get Down ensem-
(June 22) and the Newport Jazz Festival (July 29 ble, spoke about the sense of musical rightness
and 31), as well as riding the groove of the fest cir- in the group, going back a decade. “I already
cuit in Europe, including the Lowlands Festival knew, from the git-go,” he asserts, “that this Yeah. It’s like being in a room with all these
in the Netherlands (Aug. 20) and the Dimensions music was going to be as big as it is. I think all doors that have all been locked, and all of a sud-
Festival in Croatia (Aug. 25). These bookings are of us kind of knew. We just didn’t know exactly den, they’re all open. I’m just walking around
a far cry from the L.A. venues where he and his how to facilitate it, how to get it out to the peo- saying, “Oh, I guess I’ll go through here now
collective honed their music over a 10-year peri- ple. We were literally strategizing. Once we all and see what that’s like.”
od before the world came calling. got together and recorded, that’s when we knew I always felt like we had something to give,
Recorded over a creatively dense month we had something, for sure.” but we just didn’t have a chance to give it. I
with a dozen musicians, including vocal- One hallmark of the band’s sound is the always felt that if we had an opportunity to play
ists and strings, The Epic was released on the taut yet relaxed interplay of Washington’s our music for people, it would speak to them.
Brainfeeder label, owned by Flying Lotus, aka tenor saxophone and Ryan Porter’s trombone I could feel it from playing with other artists,
Steven Ellison. It came out May 5, 2015, in fate- parts, a key benefit of their long stint as collab- and I could feel where people were at. It seemed
ful, cosmic sync with the critical and com- orators. As Porter says of his connection with like we were doing something that people were
mercial buzz surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s Washington, “Knowing somebody as a friend searching for.
jazz-infused hip-hop masterpiece To Pimp A and then trading records, we have a lot of the It’s like the door is locked and you have

26 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 27
these big buckets of water, and you hear people Washington performs with bassist

ADAM MCCULLOUGH
saying, “I’m thirsty.” You think, “I would give Miles Mosley (left) at the Okeechobee
Music & Arts Festival on March 4.
it to you, but I don’t know how to get it to you.”
You run around to each door and try to open it
up. Brainfeeder came along; that was the first
door to open up. When that opened up, all the
doors opened up, and we could go around say-
ing, “Here’s the water, here’s the water.”
Now we’re thinking, “Where else do we
want to go with this?” Maybe we’ll put some ice
in the water, or make some lemonade, some-
thing new and interesting.

Yeah, that’s how I like to listen to it. When I

finished it, I heard it several times from begin-
ning to end. That’s when you get the best expe-
rience, because things are inter-related. You can
hear the connections, the styles and the musi-
cians. … You can break it up a little bit, but I a lot of different places. That’s true of most of
think you get a clearer sense of what it is when the things in my music. There are a lot of con-
you listen to it all the way through. nections between things, which people might
But everyone has different attention spans. I not always see or expect—with Max Roach
have a pretty long attention span. I can listen to and Stravinsky, for instance. That’s a pretty big
music all day. block of culture that connects.

Absolutely. But at the same time, there are

new things going on. There are new experienc-
es that people didn’t have in the past, and there It’s funny. When I made that decision and
are old experiences in the past that we don’t told Flying Lotus about it, it was hard to think
necessarily have now. Like taking a train tour. of comparisons. You have Keith Jarrett’s 10-LP
In the ’30s or the ’40s, people went on tour and set [Sun Bear Concerts], and John Coltrane’s
were riding a train the whole time. In the past, The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings
people wouldn’t have experienced the modern or Miles Davis’ The Complete In A Silent Way
tour bus. Sessions, all those reissues. I wasn’t trying to
That whole hour is its own thing. The first If you see a human skeleton, it’s pretty hard sneak a fast one. I just told him the story and
part has songs I wrote a long time ago, during to tell one from the next. Past, future, present, let him listen to the album in sequence. After I
a time in my life when I was pushing towards they all kind of look the same. But once you brought up those other examples of albums that
something. The next album of songs I wrote start adding the meat, the skin, the organs, the did well, and were more than a single disc, he
while I was on the road, while I was playing facial features, then you can see where they’re said, “We’ve got to do this.”
with other people. You can kind of get the con- from. In music, there are parts that are univer-
nection between where you’re trying to get and sal, that are the same as they were thousands of
where you end up being. years ago. But there are other parts that weren’t
With the last part, I wanted to show the present 10 years ago. Sometimes, you don’t know what you want,
connection that we have with music that came but a part of you does know. Dreams can inform
before, with “Cherokee” and “Claire De Lune,” that. I already knew what I wanted to do, but was
two really old songs, and with “Malcolm’s kind of fighting it. I’m a comic book, anime kind
Theme.” It’s a bit of a time warp. I wanted to of person anyway, so my having that story helped
take songs and deal with them in a way that me find my groove. It definitely loosened me up
might show the connection between the past to that idea. I knew, “This is it.”
and the present. “Cherokee” is taken in a differ- I’m weird. I’m very indecisive until I decide;
ent direction, but it still sounds like “Cherokee.” For me, it didn’t necessarily come from any but once I decide, it’s hard for anyone to change
“Claire De Lune” sounds like this solemn, soul- one place. I’m a big fan of Max Roach, the my mind. We talked about staggering the
ful kind of thing, but you can’t always hear the Freedom Now Suite and Percussion Bitter releases and not putting them all out at once,
original in the context of the solo piano. Sweet, and Abbey Lincoln. There is stuff that but we thought, “No, this is one thing—it’s not
I tried to pull on that connection that is Donald Byrd did with voices, and then there’s different things. It doesn’t make sense to put
inherent between what is being done in the past Symphony Of Psalms, by Stravinsky. I also grew them out separately.”
and in the present. Sometimes, you can look at up playing in choirs, so that aspect of the music
it like they’re separated, but they’re really not. has also always been in there. It comes from

28 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 Where else in L.A. could you go where there
were four jazz clubs, poetry, a blues club and
people playing in the park—all in a two-block
I am really a second-generation musician. area? Definitely, people like Horace Tapscott
My dad and his friends were so good. I remem- and Gerald Wilson, that whole dense scene—
ber being a kid. I liked Lee Morgan and Wayne that is the sound.
Shorter and Herbie, the generation before When most people think of South Central
him. I always used to wonder why people like L.A., they think of gangsta rap. That was a part
my dad, [drummer] Sonship Theus, [pianist] of it. We heard that. That is in the music, as well,
Horace Tapscott, [pianist] Nate Morgan and that aspect of life, for sure, but Liemert Park was
people like them weren’t better known. They a big part of it, too. That energy was not just the
used to come to my house and play. I got a little jazz clubs, but the people who lived there. There
older and realized how good they were. was a social consciousness and a great sense of
[“Change Of The Guard”] was a song I community.
wrote a long time ago, when I was 19 years old. People embraced us when we played music.
It was written for my dad, for the generation of They’d get mad at us if we played too loud, too
musicians who didn’t necessarily make albums fast, too long, but still they loved the fact that we
or get out there in a way that people would real- were there. Billy Higgins was always encourag-
ly know about them. It was almost like a gener- ing us and Horace Taspcott was encouraging us.
ation lost, that generation of guys who graduat-
ed from high school in the ’70s.
The generation after them, with Wynton and
those guys, got the spotlight. That’s why I wrote
“Change Of The Guard”—for that generation of
musicians in L.A. Usually, the whole world sees
this passing of the baton, but nothing like that Hip-hop and jazz have a more entangled
happened here. All of us who grew up around history than some people think. At one point,
them, we knew them and respected them. hip-hop was dealing with jazz in terms of
jazz samples of older records. The thing with
Butterfly is that it is fused with jazz, but [with]
new jazz musicians playing on the record. It’s
not samples at all, but people actually playing.
I think that was the beginning of a homog- That’s what’s really different about it.
enization of music, if you think about music
coming out of New York. New York is definite-
ly the center of jazz, but people have been doing
it in other places, too. You have the Art Farmers
of the world who did it from somewhere else. Yeah, the funny part is that we did [The
If you think about Los Angeles, in particu- Epic] in 2011. And a lot of those songs are older
lar, that is when Hollywood really explod- than that. For me, I’m looking forward to get-
ed, in the ’70s. That’s when the identity of L.A. ting back to where we were. And since we’ve
became that. People thought, “Los Angeles? been touring, we’ve been writing new tunes
That’s Hollywood.” But the style of jazz in L.A. and had new ideas of what we can do. I want to
has often been avant-garde and not commer- move along to different approaches to writing
cial like that, so it doesn’t really match the ste- and harmony. I have all these songs now. I want
reotype. People’s idea of Los Angeles is not that to record them.
kind of music: dense, avant-garde, heavy music. What’s next is where we are now. It’s kind of
simple: You always just do what you’re doing,
and not do anything else.
It has always been there. People like I’m writing out a story that I did. That’s one
Mingus, Dolphy and Ornette, and [others] of those things with doors opening up. I’ve had
from California in general. They were all from a lot of stories that come to me over my life. This
the deep end. story, I want to write it out maybe like a graphic
novel and put it out there.
There is other music that was recorded
when I was recording mine. I want to help
those guys find a place and a vehicle to get it
out to the world. Miles Mosley is putting out
one of his songs in April. [Pianist] Cameron
Graves is close to putting out his stuff. Terrace
There is a huge scene, geographically. That Martin is putting out his record in April.
whole area of Liemert Park and South Central There is all this music right there on the dock,
L.A. is an older jazz scene, especially in the ’90s. waiting to get out there. DB

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 29

 uch as visual artists conclude a period of to focusing on her process. That’s why, when
intensive investigation with a gallery pondering what to present on her 2014 album
exhibition, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana for Concord, she decided to document her trio
regards her new album, Back Home music rather than do “the commercial thing.”
(Wommusic), as denoting a transition. Even before the Monk Competition,
“This marks the end of a period with my Aldana—who had already recorded two
trio,” said Aldana, who sustains conversation- albums for Greg Osby’s Inner Circle label—
al simpatico with bassist Pablo Menares and was making an impression in New York,
drummer Jochen Rueckert through four of where she relocated in 2010, the day after grad-
her originals, two apiece by her partners, and a uating from Berklee College of Music.
rendition of Kurt Weill’s “My Ship.” On her two trio albums, Aldana tells a
“I started playing trio to hear different story that’s deeply connected to jazz history.
things than with piano or guitar, to strength- Although she might operate on her forebears’
en my harmony and melody,” she said. “I’ve terms of engagement, the rhythmic and har-
learned a lot, but now I’ll also be exploring monic language is decidedly in her own argot.
more quartet and even some sextet things.” “It’s important to know where you come
Aldana rose to fame when she won the from to find what you like, or what you want to
2013 Thelonious Monk International say,” she noted. “That’s why some of my music
Saxophone Competition, earning $25,000 and is strongly rooted in tradition—as part of a
a contract with Concord Records. A native of process to go to whatever is next. These days
Santiago, Chile, whose father (Marcos Aldana) it’s so hard to define what’s next. But the whole
and grandfather (Enrique “Kiko” Aldana) meaning of jazz is that it’s constantly changing
are virtuoso saxophonists, she’s habituated in relation to the times.” —Ted Panken

ince winning the American Pianists Arts. Fortner graduated as class valedictori-
Association’s prestigious Cole Porter Jazz an, going on to study at Oberlin Conservatory
Fellowship in 2015, Sullivan Fortner has found and the Manhattan School of Music, where he
himself in new and unfamiliar situations. A earned a master’s degree in jazz performance.
case in point was a recent duo gig at New After years of playing with such masters as
York’s intimate club Mezzrow where the Roy Hargrove, Fortner released his acclaimed
29-year-old pianist was paired with singing debut, Aria (Impulse!), last fall. Fortner’s got
sensation Cécile McLorin Salvant. post-bop technique to burn. Better yet, he’s
“Man, I was so nervous, my teeth were got ideas—as exemplified by his adventurous
sweating,” he said with a laugh. Nevertheless, version of Thelonious Monk’s “I Mean You”
he did well enough that when DownBeat and his originals, which range from frenet-
reached him for an interview, Fortner was ic (“Aria”) to lyrical, like the lilting “Ballade.”
in Santa Barbara, California, subbing for Fortner is inspired by artists like Monk,
Salvant’s regular pianist, Aaron Diehl (the Bud Powell, and the great stride players James
APA’s 2011 Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz), during P. Johnson and Willie “The Lion” Smith.
a series of West Coast dates. “With them it was more about a feeling,” he
©MARK SHELDON

The New Orleans native was an 11-year- said. “There’s a certain level of expression that
old piano prodigy when he came to the atten- goes beyond accuracy and articulation. It was
tion of Ellis Marsalis, who approved his admis- muddy—‘ugly beauty.’ A certain rawness, but
sion to the New Orleans Center for Creative it was still right. It’s human.” —Allen Morrison

30 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 ccording to 31-year-old acoustic

JATI LINDSEY
bassist Ben Williams, there’s no rea-
son to fret about the future of jazz, because
it is actively expanding to reach new
audiences.
“There’s a very strong wave of musicians
in my generation making intense state-
ments,” he said. “There are no gatekeepers in
the music anymore; we can make the music
we want. The tree is really branching out. It’s
jazz but it’s growing outside of the ‘jazz’ box.

©MARK SHELDON
I’m proud to be part of this generation that is
writing its own rules.”
Since winning the Thelonious Monk
International Jazz Bass Competition in
2009, Williams’ career has hit warp speed,
Cyrille Aimée had just returned from her native
France, where the singer played to overflow crowds at the as evidenced by two genre-spanning leader albums, State Of Art and Coming
Paris club New Morning. So it was fitting that, as she sat Of Age (both on Concord); membership in Pat Metheny’s Unity Band and
in a café in her adopted home of Brooklyn in April, the Group; and sideman work with Herbie Hancock, Jacky Terrasson, Stefon
gypsy jazz of Frenchman Django Reinhardt provided the Harris, Dhafer Youssef and Christian McBride’s big band.
recorded backdrop to her conversation.
Aimée, 31, came to the United States a decade ago to Williams recently scored an interpretive work, Dearly Beloved—The Music
absorb jazz in the country where it was born. In recent Of Prince, for a 13-piece ensemble to be performed at New York’s Harlem Stage.
years she reconnected with the sensibility of her free-spir- A fall tour will take Williams on global travels with Etienne Charles, Billy
ited youth, when she visited the gypsy encampment in Childs and singer-songwriter Somi. The bassist is also focused on confirming
her hometown of Samois-sur-Seine, the onetime home
dates for his own group, Sound Effect. But challenges abound.
of Reinhardt. With the help of hard-pumping acoustic
guitarist Adrien Moignard, that sensibility has informed “There’s a disconnect between the people who want to see us and the pro-
her two latest albums—It’s A Good Day and Let’s Get Lost, moters who want to book us,” Williams said. “The promoters should evolve
both on Mack Avenue. with us and understand the audiences we are speaking to.” —Ken Micallef
But the scope of her oeuvre is wide, and Aimée was
quick to point to the Dominican influence, reflecting her
mother’s heritage. “I feel like the Latin part is even deep-
er,” she said. “It’s not something you can put your finger
on, but to me it’s the groove. For me, dance music and
dancing are one and the same.”
The very French purr with which she made her asser- hen drummer/composer Marcus
©MARK SHELDON

tion seemed to belie it. But any concertgoer who has seen
Aimée’s shoulders grab the downbeat as she performs Gilmore is on the road or in the
Latin love songs like “Estrellitas y Duendes” would not dis- studio with the groups of Vijay Iyer, Chris
pute the claim. Potter or Chick Corea, he doesn’t separate
Aimée’s diverse multicultural influences make the their music by genre.
singer hard to categorize. Drawing on sultry chansons,
“When I make music, I’m trying to be
hip originals, pop and bop standards as well as the Latin
repertory, she has garnered victories in major competi- as sincere as possible and make personal
tions from Montreux to Newark; raves on Broadway from music,” the 29-year-old said. “A lot of peo-
Stephen Sondheim in a revue of his music; and plaudits in ple believe for music to be jazz it has to deal
clubs from Tokyo to New York, where long lines are com- with a certain amount of improvisation.
mon at her performances.
What draws people to her—beyond the azure eyes I can see that. My own music deals with
and disarming smile—is a vocal quality that is at once in- improvisation and spontaneous composi-
nocent and worldly, with an uncanny facility for mining tion. The only constant with all the people I
a musical phrase, extrapolating from it the kind of im- play with is a strong rhythmic foundation,
provisation that is both risky and relevant to the material
from Gonzalo Rubalcaba to Vijay Iyer.”
at hand. Look no further than her duo turn with bassist
Shawn Conley on Oscar Pettiford’s “Laverne Walk,” an ex- Gilmore—the grandson of Roy Haynes—has developed a streamlined,
tended scat that’s a highlight of Let’s Get Lost. multi-directional, multi-sourced approach that places him in the vanguard of
She also has an intimate way with a lyric, one that improvising, creative drummers. Gilmore will spend time in late 2016 and early
she—along with Moignard, Conley, Michael Valeanu on 2017 on tour and in recording sessions with Corea, Potter and Taylor McFerrin.
electric guitar and Dani Danor on drums—will, into 2017,
be bringing to stages in the United States and Europe, in- Gilmore is also busy writing material for his own group, Actions Speak,
cluding a nostalgic stop at a Reinhardt festival in Samois. which includes pianists David Virelles and David Bryant, guitarist Rafiq
Precisely how Aimée’s future will unfold is unclear, Bhatia and bassist Burniss Earl Travis II. The group is currently recording
and she likes it that way. What is clear is that a free spirit compositions by Gilmore that originated on the drum set.
will guide her, much as she hopes it will shape the future
“I’m taking melodies, harmonies and rhythms from the drums and then
of jazz as an art form.
“Jazz has a connotation that it is a music just for old composing to that—as opposed to composing from a harmonic point, such as
people or only for people who understand it,” she said. the piano,” Gilmore explained. “Some of the music is based on improvisation,
“That’s why I want to break the jazz box.” —Phillip Lutz and there will be solo drumming pieces as well.” —Ken Micallef

32 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 ©MARK SHELDON
t last summer’s Ystad Jazz Festival in Sweden, Marius Neset
delivered a spellbinding set. The bright and powerful tenor sax-
ophonist led his group through tricky but emotionally enriched musi-
cal routes of his devising—mostly on themes from his 2015 album
Pinball—in a show at once energetic and controlled, innately
progressive and naturally melodic.
Finding the elusive balance of energy and control
has been at the core of what makes the dynamic
Neset—raised in Bergen, Norway, but long based in
Copenhagen, Denmark—one of the most exciting
artists in jazz. At 31, he’s still young but already
well established, having released a handful of
albums for the Edition label (Golden Xplosion,
Birds) and ACT Records (Lions, Pinball). On
Whether he’s on tour with his own
April 29, ACT released the intriguing album trio or leading the band for vocalist
Sun Blowing, recorded by Neset with bassist Cécile McLorin Salvant, 30-year-old pi-
Lars Danielsson and drummer Morten Lund. anist Aaron Diehl has enjoyed a mete-
Neset’s discography reveals not only an impres- oric rise in recognition and popularity.
sive technician but also a formidable composer. Studying Mentored by Wynton Marsalis, who
took him on the road in Europe at the
with the witty virtuoso Django Bates at the Rhythm Music age of 17, Diehl has recorded four al-
Conservatory in Copenhagen and playing in Bates’ vivid bums as a leader and has been branch-
and brainy projects has instilled in Neset a sense of musi- ing out on different projects, including
cal seriousness and a serious sense of play. a performance of George Gershwin’s
Concerto In F with the New York Phil-
Neset strives for deep originality in his music. “I harmonic at Lincoln Center’s David Gef-
try to think like a classical composer when I compose,” fen Hall on Sept. 21.
he said. “What’s difficult is to integrate freedom and sponta- Envisioning what jazz will look like
neity in a natural way, but when it works, it gives an incredible in the near and far future, Diehl said,
energy and freshness to the music.” —Josef Woodard “It’s impossible to tell. The beauty in
this day and age is that there are sever-
al resources on the Internet to access a
copious amount of recordings and live
performances.” For Diehl—who has dis-
tinct memories of trekking to a store to
buy CDs as a high school student—the
advent of streaming music became a
t this year’s Winter Jazzfest in game-changer.
New York City, pianist and “Exposure to the music is so essen-
composer Kris Bowers displayed tial,” he said. “You type in a few key-
his cinematic flair, complementing words and the whole world comes to
you. That’s critical for the art form to
his set with various loops, samples survive and attract more musicians to
and ambient sounds that meshed learn to play the language. There’s no
with kaleidoscopic video images. longer any excuse not to investigate.”
The multimedia performance fea- Diehl doesn’t put much stock in
the notion of trends in jazz. “I look at it
MICHAEL JACKSON

tured transfixing versions of dispa-

more as a broader connecting thread,
rate material ranging from the jazz like seeing common ground from Jelly
standard “Caravan” to Tune-Yards’ Roll Morton through Chick Corea,” he
2011 rock tune “Gangsta.” said. “Art is eternal.”
Cinematic images have long Diehl feels that a strong work ethic,
perseverance and business savvy are
been a passion for the 27-year-old Bowers. He earned a master’s degree at Juilliard in jazz perfor- keys to breaking the old paradigm of
mance with a focus on film composition. Even before Concord Records released his 2014 debut, how to make it in jazz.
Misfits + Heroes, he’d already scored two documentary films—Chiemi Karasawa’s Elaine Stritch: He cited the sibling saxophone
Shoot Me and Sandy McLeod’s Seeds of Time. Since then, he’s scored seven more, three of which team of Peter and Will Anderson, whom
are Showtime documentaries on famous athletes: Kobe Bryant’s Muse; I Am Giant: Victor Cruz; he ran into recently in his hometown
of Columbus, Ohio. They told Diehl
and Play It Forward (about Tony Gonzalez). Also coming to movie theaters soon are the docu- that they were embarking on a 30-day
mentary Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You and Rob Meyers’ dramedy Little Boxes, which tour. “I thought, Wow, when I play with
respectively premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival. Cécile, we tour maybe three weeks and
While Bowers acknowledges differences between penning music for film and jazz perfor- have nights off,” he explained. “But
these guys were hustling in remote
mances, he believes that one informs the other. “Whether I’m writing, performing or even impro- areas of the country and playing at
vising, it’s very hard for me do something that’s void of context, reasoning or emotion,” Bowers random places like pizza parlors. They
explained. “There are a lot of musicians, especially those who come through music conservato- were taking a risk just so that they
ries, who don’t do that. For them, it’s more about the notes and technique. Oftentimes, they lose could play. I think doing that breaks
the emotions of the storytelling.” —John Murph that old paradigm.” —Dan Ouellette

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 33

 JOHN ROGERS
rummer Tyshawn Sorey is perpetually on the move
these days. He’s got another “crazy writing deadline,”
as he put it, but that’s par for the course for the 36-year-old
who topped the category Rising Star–Drums in last year’s
DownBeat Critics Poll. While he’s got a new trio album, The
Inner Spectrum Of Variable, with three string players ready
to launch on Pi Records, he’s also making plans for another
trio recording that he’ll track in the studio this fall.
Additionally, Sorey has worked on new adaptations of
Josephine Baker songs (Josephine Baker: A Portrait). The
world premiere will be performed by the International
Contemporary Ensemble with soprano Julia Bullock at the
70th edition of California’s Ojai Music Festival on June 11.
Sorey has received a George Wein/Doris Duke Artistic
Programming Fund commission for a piece that he and his
trio will perform at the 2016 Newport Jazz Festival on July 29.
“Right now, it’s exciting for the creative music community,” Sorey said, noting Steve
Coleman’s MacArthur Fellowship and Henry Threadgill’s Pulitzer Prize. “We’re getting recogni-
tion for music that doesn’t fit into a jazz box. I’m hoping this will open up more opportunities for
the current generation of artists creating great works. The scene is changing as to what is accept-
ed as the norm. Artists want to be challenged and also challenge the listener.”
Sorey likes the linkup of jazz and hip-hop, but he noted, “I love to listen to that as long as it’s
personal and honest and not superficial. I appreciate that connection—but not in my music.”
More in his wheelhouse is the exploration of electronic music created by artists like Evan
Parker, Peter Evans and Mark Dresser. “I’d like to see more work done in that area—exploring
electronics beyond beats and sequencing,” he said. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with
electronic musicians.” —Dan Ouellette

ince working as the de facto MVP in the mak-

ing of Esperanza Spalding’s genre-defying
disc Emily’s D+Evolution (Concord) and its sup-
porting tour, 34-year-old guitarist Matthew Stevens
has been taking notes as he readies the follow-up to
his debut 2015 disc, Woodwork.
“Being on this tour with her gives me the oppor-
tunity to really investigate a lot of my early musical
influences, which are based in rock and blues, but
as a more experienced and proficient musician than
what I was 15 years ago,” Stevens said while rest-
ing on a tour bus parked outside of the 9:30 Club
BILL DOUTHART

in Washington, D.C. “My interest in playing more

electric guitar is reignited.”
Spalding’s commitment to her brazen if polar-
izing new material also inspired Stevens to follow
his own vision without reservation. “Ultimately, you have to be completely fearless in following
through with your ideas,” Stevens said. “You need to be able to tune out all the other white noise
and move forward. That’s where’s it at for me right now.”
For his sophomore disc, Stevens pares his ensemble to a trio with drummer Eric Doob and
bassist Vicente Archer. In addition to focusing more on electric guitar, he is experimenting with
electronica beats and textures, and embracing more pre- and post-studio production. “We’re con-
tinuing with somewhat the same harmonic and melodic landscape that I’ve been developing since
the last disc,” Stevens explained. “But the new record will have a heavier sound.”
As he continues to map out his solo career, Stevens will keep collaborating with other band-
leaders. In some situations, like the forthcoming albums by trombonist Corey King, saxophonist
Chet Doxas and pianist Jamie Reynolds, he will also function as producer. “I love being involved
with the overall sound of a project and contributing to the larger idea.” —John Murph

34 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 oft-spoken and modest, pianist Kris Davis has quietly built a reputation as one of
the most critically acclaimed players in jazz. The Vancouver native has displayed
a remarkable versatility, with 11 albums that range from minimalist solo meditations
to thorny ensemble pieces with collaborators like clarinetist Ben Goldberg, violist
Mat Maneri and drummer Tom Rainey. She is also a highly in-demand contributor to
other artists’ projects, including Michael Formanek’s Ensemble Kolossus, Ingrid
Laubrock’s band Anti-House and Eric Revis’ trio.
Davis’ new quartet, with guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Drew Gress and
drummer Tyshawn Sorey, has a number of engagements this year to perform some of
John Zorn’s Bagatelles, a collection of 300 short pieces he composed in 2015.
At press time, Davis was preparing to launch her own label, Pyroclastic Records.
The first release will be Duopoly, an album of duets featuring Davis and musicians
such as keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Bill Frisell, reedist Don Byron and drum-
mer Marcus Gilmore. In the fall, Davis and Taborn will tour North America, play-
ing piano duets (thanks to funding from the Shifting Foundation, the Salt Lake City-
based organization that previously has commissioned solo compositions from her).
The duo is booked for Chicago’s Constellation on Oct. 5.
Davis has other entrepreneurial ventures beyond her own label in mind for the
longer term, including the possibility of curating a concert series or collaborating
with other artists to create a small music festival. She would also like to compose for
other projects, including a vocal group and string ensemble.
With a deep background in classical piano that began at the age of 6 in Calgary,
Davis is also interested in returning to the symphonic realm—something she doesn’t

DANIEL SHEEHAN
consider a huge step away from her recent work.
“The lines are really blurring in jazz now, and I think that’s going to continue,” she
said. “Everyone I work with is mixing and matching different styles and influences. It
seems like a free-for-all, and I find that refreshing.” —James Hale

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 35

 ANDREA CANTER
azz history is filled with artists who thought dif-
ferently, defied expectations and took listeners to
places they’d never been. Pianist-composer-
bandleader Miho Hazama, 30, follows that tradition,
while simultaneously blowing apart the musical tra-
dition her forebears created. She grew up in Japan,
where she studied and wrote symphonic music. Then
she moved to New York City to learn jazz composi-
tion, but she encountered a hurdle. “My brain didn’t

SHITOMICHI (VALE.)
work that way,” she said. In her mind she heard
strings, French horn and vibraphone instead of the
standard brass, and she envisioned jagged, cinematic
movements and thorny harmony. The result was the
compelling new approach to jazz orchestration heard
The word gifted is often—and ap- on her first two albums, 2012’s Journey To Journey and last year’s Time River (both on Sunnyside).
propriately—used to describe guitarist
Julian Lage. He was the subject of a
“I want to build a jazz chamber sound, take stimulus from everything I hear and apply it to my
documentary film when he was merely own music,” Hazama said.
8 years old, he’s been on the faculty at Though Hazama is determined to steer her own course, she also has a pragmatic side. To sup-
the Stanford Jazz Workshop at Stan- plement the income from her jazz ventures, she works as a copyist, arranges music for Japanese
ford University since he was 15, and he orchestras and writes pop music for TV shows in her native country.
was commonly referred to as a child
prodigy while growing up in Santa In addition, she’s revising her chamber orchestra compositions for more traditional big bands
Rosa, California. and plans to publish the scores this year. She’s currently juggling several roles in the Big Apple,
Now based in New York, Lage, 28, including associate director of the New York Jazz Harmonic and organizer of a jazz composers’
has recorded four albums under his showcase at the Jazz Gallery. Plus, she’s writing a couple of big band commissions.
own name, including his latest, the
celebrated Arclight (Mack Avenue), as
Hazama is also preoccupied with developing social media networks to promote her music:
well as his Grammy-nominated debut, “Today, it’s essential to get people to know about you, to get them interested in what you’re doing.
Sounding Point (EmArcy, 2010). By the time I make my next recording I plan to have a way of doing that.” —James Hale
Lage maintains ongoing collabo-
rations that span musical genres with
artists such as vibraphonist Gary Bur-

MICHAEL JACKSON
ton, pianist Fred Hersch and guitarist
Nels Cline, with whom he recorded
2014’s Room (Mack Avenue).
Classically trained and a graduate or much of the past decade, pianist
of the Berklee College of Music, it’s Aaron Parks spent more time traveling
hard to peg Lage to any one style, as
his love of and fluency on both electric to engagements around the world than
and acoustic guitars sends him off in enjoying the comforts of familiar venues in
many directions, from solo and duo New York. But on Dec. 13, four nights into a
work to various group ensembles. 10-day tour with Russian alto saxophonist
“In light of the new album,” Lage
said, “my focus has been to go out
Zhenya Strigalev, Parks passed out before
on the road with Kenny Wollesen and the second set at London’s Vortex. After four
Jorge Roeder, and do some stuff with days in the hospital, he returned directly to
Scott [Colley] and some other people. New York, where he has stayed put ever since, working hard, as he puts it, at “keeping it mellow.”
Beyond that, Chris Eldridge and I have “Since I got back, I’ve been trying to cultivate a sense of community,” Parks said. Toward this
this bluegrass-related project, and we
are working on a new record. We’ll be end, he’s held “salons” at his apartment with many young musicians. “For so long I was the young-
recording this summer. So, my spare est guy in most of the bands I played in. I enjoy getting this next generation’s dose of adrenalin.”
time is devoted to writing for that. Parks, 32, frequently hops between numerous New York venues nowadays, playing with a
“Nels and I are working on a strat- diverse array of bands, welcoming the challenge of “unfamiliar circumstances that force me to call
egy for our second record. Then there
are two John Zorn projects I’m a part
upon resources that I may or may not have access to.”
of, and we’re slated to play festivals for In addition to a Jazz Gallery-sponsored mentoring program with vibraphonist Joel Ross,
the next couple of years: Sarajevo, Mi- Parks’ explorations include a deconstructed standards trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and
lan, Victoriaville, Paris and Germany. drummer Tyshawn Sorey; a “mostly improvised project focusing on duos and trios” with vocal-
I want to find an even keel, because ist Jen Shyu, Prophet 5 synthesist Pete Rende, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, electric bassist
everything has been a new, upstart
project, which has been fabulous. But I Stomu Takeishi and drummer Ben Perowsky; and a rock project called Little Big.
want to commit to a few things and do An October 2015 recording with bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart will become
them as thoroughly as possible.” Parks’ second release for ECM, and he will begin touring again this fall with oud player Dhafer
Because he plays in so many different Youssef, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Mark Guiliana.
genres—but remains rooted in jazz—Lage
has an open mind about where jazz is
“The biggest trend I see is cross-pollination, regardless of style,” Parks said of the current jazz
headed: “It’s kind of anyone’s game, and scene. “Things are blurring together. It’s easy to be a dilettante who knows a little bit about a lot
that’s exhilarating.” —John Ephland of things, but doesn’t work on mastering any particular recipe. Still, every generation has diligent
folks who work hard to learn different traditions and piece them together.” —Ted Panken

36 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 t 29, with the top spot in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz
Trumpet Competition—and its attendant Concord Records
recording contract—under his belt, Chicago native Marquis Hill is jus-
tifiably optimistic about the future.
Even nagging doubts about how artists will get their music
into the hands of listeners in the future don’t put him off

DENEKA PENISTON
his game. He’s keeping his eye on various technologies,
including download cards, which give fans who pay a fee
a code to access the music.
In parallel with developing his technique and build-
ustin Brown is an erudite musician who has recorded with New York ing performance experience, Hill pursued an under-
City’s elite while carving out his own identity. graduate degree at Northern Illinois University and then
The 32-year-old drummer frequently gigs with trumpeter Ambrose a Master of Music degree in jazz pedagogy at DePaul
Akinmusire and bassist Thundercat, two extended poles of Brown’s own University in Chicago. Teaching holds a place in his
plans for the future.
diverse musical message. He can play any style, as evidenced by his work
“Eventually, I’d love to get a position leading a jazz
with pianist Gerald Clayton, vocalist Gretchen Parlato, saxophonist Steve
program somewhere,” he said. That might surprise
Lehman and vibraphonist Chris Dingman.
some who know Hill’s love of hip-hop and his
Brown’s group, Nyeusi (Swahili for “black”), is as compositionally interest in combining it with improvisation.
provocative as its members are instrumentally brilliant. “I often hear “One of the most important things that
compositions from a drummer’s standpoint,” Brown said. “I’ll be at the we’re losing in music education now is the oral
drums playing beats to chords and melodies in my head.” tradition,” he said. “We’re losing that authentic
Brown’s music clearly acknowledges the past while stepping into the part of going outside the classroom and playing.”
future. “The reason jazz sounded vibrant in the past is because it was the Right now, Hill is focused on promoting his new
music of the now in that time period,” Brown said. “Those musicians were album, The Way We Play (Concord). He and his
influenced by the turmoil, the issues, day-to-day life. Maybe there was a ensemble, the Blacktet, will play the Iowa City Jazz
time when jazz was derivative of the past, but today’s influence of hip-hip Festival on July 2, as well as dates in Chicago, Los
or techno will make people realize that you can be yourself in the now. Angeles, New York and Europe. —James Hale
That jazz might not necessarily have a swing beat, but the musicians are
truly reflecting their influences. People relate to honesty.” —Ken Micallef
ELIZA MARGARITA BATES

or trombonist Jacob Garchik, neither

instrumentation nor genre—nor even
instrument—is predetermined.
The Brooklyn resident’s longtime trio
features two of his Manhattan School of
Music classmates—pianist Jacob Sacks and
drummer Dan Weiss. Garchik recorded his
latest album, Ye Olde (Yestereve), with gui-
tarists Mary Halvorson, Brandon Seabrook
and Jonathan Goldberger, drummer Vinnie
Sperrazza and himself on trombone and alto and tenor horns.
“I like to put together groups based on people that I know: I know
their playing, and I admire their playing,” he said. “And that doesn’t
always translate to a conventional ensemble. As an arranger/composer,
you’re able to bridge the gap that might be felt without a bass player.”
The 39-year-old San Francisco native grew up immersed in both the
jazz and classical worlds. He attended summer jazz camps in Northern
California and was a member of the prestigious San Francisco Symphony
Youth Orchestra. Additionally, he studied arranging at Tanglewood in
Boston and at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Tuba is also a part of Garchik’s instrumental arsenal, and his other
main group is the Mexican brass band Banda de los Muertos.
“Everything is equally important and meaningful,” he said. “That’s
really the future for musicians—to be incredibly flexible and open to
many different things.” —Yoshi Kato

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 37

 t 32, Gerald Clayton happily finds him-
self a free agent again after recording
two albums for Decca/Emarcy and one for
Concord. The pianist is currently finessing
new tracks he’s recorded as an intriguing
expansion of his trio—with horns and vocals.
“I’m sitting on them right now and figur-

ANDREA CANTER
ing that I’ll self-release them next year,” he

ANDREA CANTER
said. “I’m open to the idea of working with a
record label, but it just doesn’t feel like a good

Becca Stevens fit anymore, especially with artists who have

an established fan base. So I think it’s going to
be a good experiment to do everything myself.”
Singer-songwriter Becca Stevens
In the meantime, he’s working on a commission project from Duke University after con-
had a breakout year in 2014, when she
appeared on two of that year’s most ducting a master class there. “They wanted me to compose after researching the Piedmont
highly praised albums: Billy Childs’ Blues tradition,” he explained. “It has a language and history that was foreign to me. It’s been
Map To The Treasure: Reimagining illuminating—tapping into the essence of the blues.”
Laura Nyro (Sony Masterworks) and When asked what’s in store for the future of jazz, Clayton turned the question on its head.
Ambrose Akinmusire’s The Imagined
Savior Is Far Easier To Paint (Blue Note). “Shouldn’t we be questioning the notion of the word jazz in the first place?” he asked. “As
The Becca Stevens Band’s third al- musicians, we prefer a bigger umbrella than most people see. I feel jazz represents the freedom
bum, 2015’s Perfect Animal (Universal of expression and improvisation. It’s the human instinct to experience the expression of suf-
Music Classics), confirms that she is fast fering and pain and joy. The creative form will forever be there; I’m not worried about listen-
becoming one of the most sophisticat-
ers following the narrative of changes as long as the gatekeepers don’t control the narrative.”
ed and original songwriters of her gen-
eration. Her music blends jazz phrasing As Clayton has toured the world, he’s taken note of social changes—and how new audiences
and harmonies with elements of indie are finding him. “We just played a show in Kiev and it was our youngest crowd. It was an intense
rock, acoustic folk, Appalachian, Irish audience of youth in a country going through intense revolutionary and social change. But, wow,
and West African music, and even elec- what a soulful audience in tune with what we were doing” —Dan Ouellette
tronica. She marries them to piquant,
allusive lyrics, sung with an ethereal,
pure soprano that projects a mysteri-
ous inner light.
Stevens grew up in North Caroli-
na, often performing with her family’s
band. After studying classical guitar at
North Carolina School of the Arts, she ark Guiliana is the exception
moved to New York, where she gradu- to the stereotype that it can be
ated from The New School with a bach-
elor’s degree in vocal jazz and composi-
difficult for drummers to get steady
tion. That’s where she met bandmates gigs as bandleaders. He has assem-
Liam Robinson (accordion, keyboards bled and maintains two working
and vocals) and Chris Tordini (bass, vo- bands, in addition to playing in
cals). Berklee-trained drummer Jordan other high-profile settings.
Perlson arrived shortly after. The band
has become integral to Stevens’ unique On the acoustic side, the Mark
sound, both as a singer and composer. Guiliana Quartet features tenor
Her songs are full of melodic and saxophone plus a rhythm section ANDREA CANTER
rhythmic surprises and unusual chords that includes double bassist Chris
that just feel right. “Obviously, study-
ing jazz has influenced that,” she said.
Morrissey. For Guiliana’s elec-
“But growing up with different kinds of tro-acoustic Beat Music, Morrissey
music around me made weird harmony switches over to bass guitar in an
sound normal to me.” ensemble that includes keyboards and electronics.
Stevens’ current dance card is full: “One of my singular goals is to support the music as best I can in each moment,” Guiliana said.
Her writing partners include musical
polymath Jacob Collier and folk-rock “Each of those groups provides a different landscape musically but also sonically.”
legend David Crosby. She has collab- The tirelessly creative Guiliana is best known for his work in three groups: saxophonist Donny
orated with Snarky Puppy, Esperanza McCaslin’s dynamic quartet; trumpeter Dave Douglas’ modern unit High Risk, which incorpo-
Spalding and pianist Taylor Eigsti’s rates electronics; and as half of the keyboard-drums duo Mehliana with pianist Brad Mehldau
group Free Agency with fellow singers
Gretchen Parlato and Alan Hampton.
(who was included in the “25 For The Future” feature in the June 1999 issue of DownBeat).
Lately, she’s been rediscovering jazz As likely to cite drum ’n’ bass pioneers Goldie and Photek as he is to reference Elvin Jones or
standards. “My songwriting has been Tony Williams, Guiliana often channels the programmed precision of electronic drum tracks
more inspired than ever by these per- when he plays in Beat Music and High Risk (and to an extent, the Donny McCaslin Group and
fect pearls,” she said, citing numbers by Mehliana). But that’s only when he’s not straight-up swinging.
Ellington, Gershwin and others. “They
have gorgeous melodies that span your “Aesthetic aside, genre aside, styles aside, taste aside, I think something that’s universal and
entire vocal range.” —Allen Morrison really difficult to deny is energy—and commitment to the moment,” Guiliana said. “With every-
one I play with, that’s very important.” —Yoshi Kato

38 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 rowing up in Trinidad, Etienne Charles often heard the sound of steel drums.
Yet by the time the trumpeter and bandleader came to the United States at age
19, he had absorbed a slice of North American culture, courtesy of Trinidadian radio,
which played r&b hits by Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder along with local fare.
“It was a very vast pot of culture,” he said. Today, at 33, Charles has mined that
culture with regularity. Drawing on personal experience as well as field research
that has taken him back to old haunts and beyond, he has fashioned a distinctive
jazz aesthetic—one that promises to yield distinguished work well into the future.
His debut album, 2006’s Culture Shock, offered a vivid introduction to the evoc-
ative melodies and compelling rhythms that would mark his oeuvre. The title
tune, begun as an assignment from his mentor at Florida State University, Marcus
Roberts, announced the theme of the outsider—“the culture shock of being a
Trinidadian in the deep South of the United States of America,” as he put it—and
gave his record label its name.
The work that followed explored his heritage explicitly (Folklore, which con-
jured up legendary characters and “got me in touch with who I am as a Trinidadian”)
and implicitly (lending a Trinidadian twist to tunes like Thelonious Monk’s “Green
Chimneys,” on Creole Soul). Sometimes Charles searched slightly far afield, draw-
ing on the Sephardic Jewish contours of Trinidadian bandleader Lionel Belasco’s
“Juliana” on Creole Christmas.
All of which prepared him for San Jose Suite. Supported by a grant from
Chamber Music America, this suite for sextet took him to Costa Rica, Trinidad
and California, where he gathered information from indigenous peoples and mem-
bers of the Africa diaspora and translated their experiences into music.
The music ranges widely but has a thematic consistency. The piece, which
Charles said will have its premiere in 2017, filters the sounds of a “rapidly diminish-
ing” history through the prism of jazz convention—as interpreted by the descen-
dants of those who made that history. In doing so, it suggests a template for a jazz
future tied to the art form’s past. —Phillip Lutz

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 39

 ANDREA CANTER

TOM CONCORDIA
he town of Chilliwack, British Columbia,
isn’t exactly the center of the jazz universe.
But for trumpeter and singer Bria Skonberg, it
was the launching pad for a double-threat career.
By the time she enrolled at Vancouver’s Capilano
University, she was already hustling gigs up and
down the Pacific Coast.
New York beckoned and, after a period of
intermittent trips to the city, she made the move
in 2010, quickly establishing her bona fides in
clubs and concert halls. A 2013 booking at the
swank Café Carlyle—titled “Brass and Belles,”
the show found her playing the parts of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, Clifford Brown and
Sarah Vaughan, Roy Eldridge and Anita O’Day—affirmed her potential as a cabaret performer.
But, like so many musicians who play an instrument and sing, she has undergone something of

Jamison Ross
an identity crisis. Is she a trumpeter who sings? A singer who plays trumpet? Does it really matter?
Skonberg has addressed these questions head-on.
“It’s been a process—and a welcome challenge—to figure out where the two voices intersect and
As a singing drummer, Jamison complement each other,” she explained. “With my trumpet voice, I love gritty, plunger, growly
Ross lives in rarified air. With the ex-
ception of Grady Tate and Terri Lyne sounds. But vocally I love Anita O’Day—a raspier but definitely softer sound. Part of the fun has
Carrington, few jazz timekeepers have been finding vehicles or writing for both of those sounds.”
made the leap from behind the drum Parallel to that challenge has been broadening her appeal beyond the traditional-jazz
set to in front of the microphone, and community from which she has emerged. In a couple of albums—So Is The Day (most-
even among the aforementioned com-
pany, Ross, at 28, is a standout.
ly originals, from 2012) and Into Your Own (mostly covers, from 2014), both on Random
“Hey, even Grady Tate got up from the Act—she has begun to do just that, showing new depth throughout.
drums,” he said. “To actually sit behind Building on that progress, she has signed with Sony Masterworks, which will release her new
the drums and continue to play, that’s album on its Portrait Records imprint on Sept 23. Titled Bria, the album makes full use of an urbane
what makes me push the music ahead.” set of gifted accompanists: Aaron Diehl on piano, Stefon Harris on vibraphone, Evan Arntzen on
Ross, who resides in New Orleans,
has been steadily advancing his music clarinet and tenor saxophone, Reginald Veal on bass and Ali Jackson on drums. —Phillip Lutz
since first making a splash as the win-
ner of the Thelonious Monk Interna-
tional Jazz Drums Competition in 2012,
a victory that netted him a contract
with Concord Records.
But when the drummer first ap-

REBECCA MEEK
etween May 12, 2015, when his debut album (My
proached the label with the idea of Favorite Things on Motéma) was released, and
making a mostly vocal album, they were
wary. “They didn’t even know I could April 29, 2016, when he played at the White House as
sing,” he recalled. “So they definitely part of International Jazz Day (a performance that
took some risks.” was broadcast to millions on ABC TV), the astound-
Those risks paid off. Jamison, Ross’ ing pianist Joey Alexander has ridden a rocket ship to
Concord debut, was nominated for a
fame in the jazz world. His triumphant appearances
Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal album in
2015. Though surprised at the album’s in 2015 included a showcase at the Newport Jazz
success, Ross never doubted his vocal Festival and a gala encounter with Wynton Marsalis
abilities. For him, singing is a deeply and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at Town
personal form of expression. Hall. Then, in January 2016, he was profiled for the
“Singing is a very vulnerable thing,”
he said. “You’re out there with your voice, CBS TV show 60 Minutes (a piece done by Anderson Cooper entitled “Little Man Jazz”).
your instrument, your body. The same To say that Alexander is a rising star of the future is an understatement. What is most prom-
thing that comes out of my mouth—I try ising is not how much he has accomplished at such a young age (he turns 13 on June 25) but rath-
to relate that on the drums. Sometimes er how much he has already grown as a player, composer and improviser since he hit the scene
that leads me to very cool places.”
at the ripe old age of 11. To witness Alexander taking liberties with the harmony and melody of
For Ross, those places are as much
geographical as they are musical. The Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” at the White House in an expansive and freewheeling trio perfor-
success of Jamison has taken the young mance with bassist Esperanza Spalding and Shorter himself was to see a gifted technician blos-
drummer to countries around the world. som into a bold improviser who can confidently swim in the deep waters.
Though Ross’ touring schedule can be Alexander takes all the newfound attention in stride. “I’m thankful to God for all the
demanding, he’s currently assembling
music for a new project, which he hopes opportunities that I had in 2015 and grateful for the people who believed in me and those who
to start recording over the summer. have given their love and support,” he wrote in an email interview. He added, “I will perform
“The stuff I’m writing now is about quite a lot this year with Ulysses Owens on drums and Dan Chmielinski on bass.”
being as open as possible” he said. “I can On his second Motéma release, due out in September and tentatively titled Countdown,
guarantee that the next album will be a
Alexander pushes the envelope a bit further. He offered some advice for aspiring young jazz
very transparent project—it’ll be more of
who I am.” —Brian Zimmerman musicians who might want to follow his own example: “Keep playing, keep exploring and do
it because you love it.” —Bill Milkowski

40 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 41
42 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016
 Masterpiece +++++ Excellent ++++ Good +++ Fair ++ Poor +
Inside
49 / Jazz
50 / Blues
53 / Beyond
55 / Historical
57 / Books

Larry Grenadier (left), Brad Mehldau and Jeff

Ballard of the Brad Mehldau Trio
Brad Mehldau Trio
Blues And Ballads
NONESUCH 554678
+++½
In jazz, where do ballads end and blues begin?
That’s the question Brad Mehldau raises on this
somber, deeply felt rendering of seven tunes,
only one of which is formally a blues, though that
genre’s pain and loss constantly seep through the
cracks of the ballads’ tenderness and romance.
Mehldau distills each melody to its aching essence,
sometimes leaving it just so. Elsewhere, he rips into
brilliant, open-ended variations on a motif.
The album is bookended by some of the
bluesiest piano Mehldau has ever record-
ed, starting with a sexy, achingly slow ver-
sion of “Since I Fell For You” in which the pia-
nist seems to have channeled the staccato alto
saxophone of Hank Crawford and the rum-
bling tremolos of pianist Gene Harris, but with
Beethoven on board.
At the end of the set comes a similarly thrill-
ing exploration of Paul McCartney’s recent-
ly composed minor-key ballad “My Valentine.”
Mehldau gets bluesy here, too, but also develops
a repeated note into an impassioned climax. He
takes “These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)”
at a late-Billie Holiday tempo, offering a similar
rubato excursion that cuts to the heart of the song’s
pathos. By contrast, Lennon and McCartney’s “And
I Love Her” feels vapid, like the instrumental filler
on the A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack.
Also disappointing is the trio’s take on Jon
Brion’s faux-naif melody “Little Person,” which
features subtle interplay between the three instru-
ments, but never gathers steam. Perhaps because
it feels like such a changeup, one of the stron-
gest tracks is Charlie Parker’s classic bebop blues
“Cheryl,” which showcases Mehldau’s wit, light
touch and dazzling speed.
This is the first album by Mehldau’s trio in
four years. Despite some conceptual misfires, the
return of its magic, sympatico blend is welcome.
—Paul de Barros
MICHAEL WILSON

Blues And Ballads: Since I Fell For You; I Concentrate On You;

Little Person; Cheryl; These Foolish Things; And I Love Her; My
Valentine. (55:24)
Personnel: Brad Mehldau, piano; Larry Grenadier, bass; Jeff
Ballard, drums.
Ordering info: [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 43

 claim that the blues is the “gateway” to all
American music), that seems to be his point.
And the performances he pours into these piec-
es offer more than enough to install life and
identity into the form. His sound has a stur-
dy warmth about it, but with none of the opti-
mistic sentiment of the great romantic tenors.
Instead, there’s a kind of tough love at its center
that no post-Coltrane player has entirely evaded,
yet smaller in mass and without spiritual intent.
“Sugar Free,” “Bigger Thomas,” “Lightnin’”
and “Lillie Mae Jones” are moderately fast blues
that roll with a driving and elegant flounce. All
but “Lillie Mae,” which swings from the first
beat, delight in alternating the tensions and
rationing the intervals of a straightahead 4/4
JD Allen feel. “Another Man Done Gone” has a stark- Yellowjackets
Americana: Musings On Jazz ly contemplative piety about it, with a slow Cohearence
And Blues and nomadic bowed bass solo. “Americana” MACK AVENUE 1108
SAVANT 2155 is a softer ballad piece. The one non-blues, “If +++
+++½ You’re Lonesome, Then You’re Not Alone,” is an
In 1969 saxophonist Eddie Harris brought a
ever more tactile performance that could be an
Eight of these nine tunes are simple 12-bar typically snaky tune called “Cold Duck Time”
accompaniment to Sinatra’s “In the Wee Small
blues. This tells you little, of course, because to the Montreux Jazz Fest for a set with pianist
Hours.” Allen showcases his skills in fine form
the blues is nothing more than a form. It lacks Les McCann. The song is all about coiled funk,
in this pianoless trio.
the literary content and exclusive character of steadily unfurling itself while digging its own
—John McDonough
a unique composition. It is an empty glass of a groove. On Cohearence, the Yellowjackets glide
certain shape and measurement waiting to be Americana: Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil; Another Man Done through a tune called “Eddie’s In The House,”
Gone; Cotton; Sugar Free; Bigger Thomas; Americana; Lightnin’; If
filled in a performance. You’re Lonesome, Then You’re Not Alone; Lillie Mae Jones. (45:59) a stylistic echo of the Harris nugget. Instead of
Personnel: JD Allen, tenor saxophone; Gregg August, bass; Rudy pulsing with heat, the jazz outfit colors inside
If I understand saxophonist JD Allen’s brief Royston, drums.
note of explanation correctly (and ignore his Ordering info: [Link]
the lines, rationing its ardor and ultimately
becoming a victim of its own meticulousness.
Call it a battle between precision and volition.
The Claudia Quintet Like several tracks on Cohearence, “Eddie’s
Super Petite In The House” is well designed and nota-
CUNEIFORM 427 ble for its possibilities. The group—pianist
Russell Ferrante, saxophonist Bob Mintzer,
+++½ drummer Will Kennedy and new bassist
After eight albums, the Claudia Quintet has Dane Alderson—keeps everything percolat-
forged its own special nook in creative music, ing with just enough steam to entice, but they
somewhere between post-minimal classical never really cut loose. “Inevitable Outcome”
music, prog-rock and jazz. Led and composed is a twisty romp with funk lines folding in on
for by drummer John Hollenbeck, the five- themselves, but ultimately it’s all pastels and
some has maintained a steady lineup, swap- polish. “Trane Changing” bends the maestro’s
ping in Red Wierenga for original accordi- “Giant Steps” inside out, and while Mintzer’s
onist Ted Reichman a few years ago, otherwise authority is right up front, the rhythm sec-
holding strong for nearly two decades. No tion’s gleam neuters the verve. Some of it has
mean feat. to do with production choices: The band is
Planning for Super Petite, Hollenbeck occasionally on the cusp of ferocity, but their
sought to focus on more compact pieces, which adherence to smooth aesthetics just won’t let
on “Philly,” a track based on a Philly Joe Jones
in this case means that the rhythmic complexi- them step into true abandon.
lick, or the smeary open section at the outset of
ties—the band’s forte and one of its defining fea- Accept that, and you’ll find Cohearence is
“Rose Colored Rhythm,” the album’s longest
tures—are even more concentrated. At just over flecked with cool nuances: Ferrante’s touch on
and best cut. With rapid-fire shifts and unex-
a minute long, “Pure Poem” feels like a fife and “Anticipation,” the shifting pulses of “Golden
pected repetitions, this is the Claudia Quintet
drum fed into a computer, with an unrelent- State,” the MJQ-esque articulation of the title
at its finest, defiantly propulsive but at the same
ing roll and static harmony underpinning con- track. Subtlety is this unit’s strong suit. Maybe
time hyper-arranged. In Hollenbeck’s case,
stant shifts in a simple accordion-and-clarinet focusing on the micro is the way to go with this
concise isn’t necessarily better.
line. At its outset, “Mangold” evokes Morton record. The macro leaves a bit to be desired.
—John Corbett
Feldman, though it’s more expressive and freely —Jim Macnie
lyrical, until the trademark overlapping chords Super Petite: Nightbreak; JFK Beagle; A-List; Philly; Peterbor-
ough; Rose Colored Rhythm; If You Seek A Fox; Pure Poem; Newark Cohearence: Golden State; Guarded Optimism; Anticipation;
and kaleidoscopically shifting colors emerge, Beagle; Mangold. (47:28) Inevitable Outcome; Trane Changing; Eddie’s In The House; Fran’s
bringing Mike Oldfield more to mind. Personnel: John Hollenbeck, drums, percussion; Chris Speed, Scene; Child’s Play; Shenandoah; Coherence. (59:44)
clarinet, tenor saxophone; Red Wierenga, accordion; Matt Moran, Personnel: Russell Ferrante, piano, keyboards; Bob Mintzer, tenor
The looser moments are relatively scarce, vibraphone; Drew Gress, bass. saxophone; Will Kennedy, drums; Dane Alderson, electric bass.
and welcome, like Chris Speed’s soft tenor solo Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

44 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

The

Critics John McDonough John Corbett Jim Macnie Paul de Barros

Brad Mehldau Trio ++++ ++++ ++++ +++½

Blues And Ballads

JD Allen +++½ ++++½ ++++ ++++

Americana

The Claudia Quintet +++ +++½ ++++ +++½

Super Petite

Yellowjackets +++ +++ +++ +++

Cohearance

Critics’ Comments

Brad Mehldau Trio, Blues And Ballads

There is a soft and smoky after-hours quality in this leisurely mix of saloon classics and emergent
standards. Mehldau achieves a quiet freedom of reaction where the intentions of romanticism
and modernism can converge in comfort. —John McDonough
Mehldau’s always explored the elasticity of form, so it’s intriguing to hear him work the most
familiar form we have in the American musical repertoire. The trio ricochets from directness to
obliqueness, turning the known into something unfamiliar and new. —John Corbett
Love the way the rambling reveries blossom from the straightahead firmament. Also love the
way the rhythm section gives Mehldau enough support and leeway to guide those reveries
toward eloquence. —Jim Macnie

JD Allen, Americana: Musings On Jazz And Blues

Allen’s been making great records one after the other, this one perhaps the finest. The trio is a
marvel, the tenor a constant pleasure. A real meditation on source material. —John Corbett
There’s more grit in his horn with each new disc. Allen’s dedication to the process of digging
deep pays off in the design of his lines and the purpose that drives them. —Jim Macnie
Allen applies his piping, soulful tone and deliberate intelligence to a timely project—asserting
the primacy of the blues in a popular music genre usually associated with bluegrass or string
band music. Love the hoedown feel of “Sugar Free.” —Paul de Barros

The Claudia Quintet, Super Petite

These manifestly enigmatic and fragile chamber compositions offer a whimsical and capricious
Third Stream eccentricity. The music’s soft-sell froth wraps adventurousness in a charm that
makes it intriguing in a brainy sort of way. —John McDonough
Hollenbeck is fascinated with the opportunities that repetition provides, and the echoes of
minimalism that drive a few of these pieces bloom radiant abstractions. Pulse as rhythmic thrust.
—Jim Macnie
Hollenbeck’s creative chamber quintet spins quirky rhythmic cells into colorful balls of yarn.
When Claudia combines math with elemental folksiness, it captures something unique, but
sometimes the music feels overly cerebral. —Paul de Barros

Yellowjackets, Cohearance

A rather lightweight but well-put-together program. Mintzer, the quartet’s principal jazz voice,
delivers the group’s cleverest, most engaging tracks, but the music still has the gloss of top
session guys at play. —John McDonough
Not nearly as “lite” as the Yellowjackets of three decades ago. Mintzer is consistently impressive,
and there’s not much of the pop-synth pablum of “Child’s Play” spread across these 10 tracks.
—John Corbett
This jazz-rock quartet’s brittle, glossy chatter usually sounds like a Los Angeles cocktail party, but
on this album Yellowjackets interweave counter lines in an often sophisticated, playful conversa-
tion that lives up to the album’s punning name. —Paul de Barros
 New York City scene, Freedman and his
group—guitarist Lionel Loueke, keyboardist
Jason Lindner, bassist Omer Avital and per-
cussionist Gilmar Gomes—play as one, the
music coalescing as if from a single mind.
The spirit alights on different musicians as the
album progresses, but possession is total.
The power of Imagine That comes from a
place of silence. Even when the band is wail-
ing, delicacy permeates. “Determined Soul”
bubbles forth from Lindner’s electric piano and
Loueke’s shimmering guitar, the band gleam-
ing over an infectious Fela-worthy groove. The
jewel-like melody of “Baby Aya” recalls a lost
standard, Loueke’s guitar elevating the song’s
trance, while guest vocalist Angelique Kidjo’s
Daniel Freedman vocal adds the icing. Lindner’s “Love Takes
Time” releases the music to the light, followed
Murray/Allen/Carrington
Imagine That by the prayerful “Eastern Elegy” and triumphal
Perfection
ANZIC 0054 MOTÉMA 193
closer “The Sister’s Dance.”
+++++ Throughout Imagine That, Freedman’s
++++½
In recent years, drummer Daniel Freedman chattering hands and stomping feet exhila- While all-star collaborations between older
has quietly, almost surreptitiously, become a rate the senses. First, Matt Wilson’s Beginning musicians like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter
primal force, creating a kind of people’s music Of A Memory (which received a 5-star review and Jack DeJohnette have proven to be popu-
built on rustling folk rhythms, ethnic melo- in DownBeat’s June 2016 issue), now Daniel lar draws on the festival circuit—and sources
dies and joyous performances. Imagine That Freedman’s masterpiece, Imagine That. for some compelling recordings—younger gen-
is an offering of Freedman’s creativity and —Ken Micallef erations have been slow to adopt the approach.
intellect, expressed by musicians that share Imagine That: Determined Soul; Baby Aya; Big In Yemen; For 61-year-old saxophonist David Murray,
Codex; Mindaho; Love Takes Time; Eastern Elegy; The Sisters
his mission. From first note to last, the album Dance. (49:00)
though, the format is old hat. After all, he’s one
emanates from the heart and captivates the Personnel: Daniel Freedman, drums; Lionel Loueke, guitar, vocals; of the founders of that enduring supergroup,
Jason Lindner, keyboards; Omer Avital, bass, oud; Gilmar Gomes,
mind, body and soul. percussion; Angélique Kidjo, vocals. the World Saxophone Quartet, and during his
Players with a collective history on the Ordering info: [Link] most prolific period he recorded and performed
with a raft of other artists without seeming to
have a permanent group of his own. His co-op-
Brian Bromberg erative venture with pianist Geri Allen and
Full Circle drummer Terri Lyne Carrington came togeth-
ARTISTRY MUSIC 7047
er for the 2015 version of Winter Jazzfest in
+++++ New York City, and coalesced on this album
Bassist Brian Bromberg’s first instrument was around the deaths of Ornette Coleman, Charlie
the drums. This album showcases a return Haden, Marcus Belgrave and Peter O’Brien, the
to the traps, but—via overdubbing—doesn’t Catholic priest who was the longtime manager
neglect his bass. And while the material may of Mary Lou Williams.
be close to something of a personal statement, Coleman’s “Perfection”—a composition
he’s joined by some of the most gifted and hard- from the early ’60s the saxophonist never
charging jazz players in Los Angeles for a galva- recorded—is the cornerstone, with the trio
nizing display of ensemble playing. filled out by three musicians with Ornette con-
The disc is replete with marvels of technical nections. The inclusion of the 17th-century
and musical engineering. Bromberg dubs his Scottish ballad “Barbara Allen” was inspired by
bass onto a 78-r.p.m. record of “Jazz Me Blues” Haden’s version of it, and “Samsara,” composed
and “Washington And Lee Swing” that his Bromberg’s triumph here is not that he by Carrington for Wayne Shorter, gives each
late father had recorded in Tucson, elevating makes a prodigious statement by himself, but member of the group an opportunity to explore
the sides while staying in musical character. that he excels among such righteous company. a beautiful song with distinct, parallel parts.
And on “Sneaky Pete,” what sounds like Wes —Kirk Silsbee The bass-free configuration works well,
Montgomery’s guitar is actually Bromberg’s with Carrington’s particularly resonant bass
Full Circle: Jazz Me Blues; Full Circle; Sneaky Pete; Saturday Night
piccolo bass—a neat trick. In The Village; Boomerang; Havana Nights; Bernie’s Bop; Don’t Stop drum filling the role usually played by a string
’Til You Get Enough; Naw’Lins!; Susumu’s Blues; Washington And
His original tunes are all attractive and Lee Swing. (62:56) instrument. Let’s hope this all-star lineup will
swinging, so it’s no surprise that saxophon- Personnel: Brian Bromberg, acoustic bass, piccolo bass, nylon stick around for longer than just the summer.
piccolo bass (6), steel-string piccolo bass (9), drums; Charlie Bis-
ists Doug Webb and Bob Sheppard are bril- harat, violin (9); Jimmy Saunders, trumpet (1, 11); Lee Thornburg (3, —James Hale
6, 8, Arturo Sandoval, trumpet (6); Phil Washburn (1, 11), Nick Lane,
liantly engaged throughout. Likewise, Arturo trombone (3, 6, 8, 9); Bob Sheppard (2), Kirk Whalum (9), tenor sax- Perfection: Mirror Of Youth; Barbara Allen; Geri-Rigged; The Da-
ophone; Doug Webb, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone vid, Geri & Terri Show; The Nurturer; Perfection; D Special; Samsara;
Sandoval’s sterling trumpet and Alex Acuña’s saxophone; Randy Waldman, piano; Mitch Forman, accordion (9), For Fr. Peter O’Brien; Cycles And Seasons. (57:36)
percussion make “Havana Nights” move along piano (2, 3), Hammond B-3 organ (3, 9); Otmaro Ruiz, piano (6); Personnel: David Murray, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Geri Al-
Craig Fundyga, vibraphone (6, 10); Howard Bromberg, drums (1); len, piano; Terri Lyne Carrington, drums; Wallace Roney Jr., trumpet
at a nice clip, while pianist Randy Waldman Alex Acuña, percussion and congas (3, 6, 8). (6); Craig Harris, trombone (6); Charnett Moffett, bass (6).
demonstrates a genre-encompassing style. Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

46 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

Melissa Aldana Snarky Puppy
Back Home Culcha Vulcha
WOMMUSIC 0006 GROUND UP MUSIC
++++ ++½
As on her self-titled major label debut There’s something that cannot survive
from 2014—her reward for winning in an overly produced jazz record:
the Thelonious Monk International space. You can keep adding paint to
Jazz Saxophone Competition in a canvas, but rarely will the paint-
2013—Melissa Aldana exhibits excep- ing improve after a certain point.
tional technique on her sophomore Eventually you’re left with a puddle
recording, but reveals something else, that takes forever to dry.
too. Check out that passing nod to Gioachino Rossini on “Alegría,” or her Snarky Puppy bassist and bandleader (and occasional keyboardist)
breezy athleticism on the title track: Sonny Rollins’ influence rules. Michael League wrote many of the compositions for this disc, but his
Along with her father—a second-generation jazz saxophonist him- tunes too often feel like intricate genre exercises: technically precise
self—Rollins was Aldana’s major inspiration on tenor when she was but lacking soul. The dozen-year-old band has been heralded for its live
developing her sound in her native Chile, and his scope and sense of shows, and many of the compositions leave lots of room for stretch-
adventure seem to guide her throughout Back Home. ing out, but in the studio those exploratory opportunities are cut short.
Like Rollins in his greatest years, she continues to work without the League’s cracker-jack ensemble can play a wide variety of genres, but here
net of a chordal instrument, confident in her ability to carry the freight they wind up sounding like a studio orchestra with too much material at
on challenging pieces like Kurt Weill’s “My Ship” and her own “Before their disposal. Want some bossa nova? Want some George Duke-style
You.” Her rhythm section—bassist Pablo Menares and drummer Jochen funk? Need a score for a ’70s-style police chase? It’s all here, but it floats
Rueckert—provides a particularly broad soundscape behind her, push- by like the wind, with many of the most jagged edges worn smooth.
ing her assertively on Menares’ “Desde La Lluvia” and shifting artful- —Sean J. O’Connell
ly behind her on the aptly titled “Obstacles.” Let this album serve as a Culcha Vulcha: Tarova; Semente; Gemini; Grown Folks; Beep Box; GØ; The Simple Life; Palermo; Big
reminder of how far she’s advanced at the age of 27. Ugly Jefe. (74:27)
Personnel: Michael League, bass, Moog bass, ukulele bass, keyboards, nylon-string guitar; Justin
—James Hale Stanton, Bill Laurance, Cory Henry, Bobby Sparks, keyboards; Shaun Martin, vocoder, talkbox; Bob Lan-
zetti, Mark Lettieri, Chris McQueen, guitar; Jay Jennings, Mike “Maz” Maher, trumpet, flugelhorn; Chris
Back Home: Alegria; Desde La Lluvia; Obstacles; En Otro Lugar; My Ship; Servant #2; Before You; Time; Bullock, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute, keyboards; Bob Reynolds, tenor saxophone;
Back Home. (53:07) Zach Brock, violin; Nate Werth, Keita Ogawa, Marcelo Woloski, percussion; Justin “J.T.” Thomas, Robert
Personnel: Melissa Aldana, tenor saxophone; Pablo Menares, bass; Jochen Rueckert, drums. “Sput” Searight, Larnell Lewis, drums.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

Cheryl Bentyne
Lost Love Songs
SUMMIT RECORDS 675
++++
Cheryl Bentyne has always had pro-
found, if sometimes under-appreci-
ated, skills as a jazz vocalist. In addi-
tion to her 30-plus year career as The
Manhattan Transfer’s high sopra-
no, Bentyne released 10 previous
solo albums before landing on the
Summit label. She won a Grammy for her stunning arrangement (with
Bobby McFerrin) of “Another Night In Tunisia” on the Transfer’s Vocalese
album.
On Lost Love Songs, Bentyne is in typically fine voice: Her singing is
classy, understated and appropriately torchy. Curated from three albums
previously released in Japan but not in the U.S., the program includes famil-
iar tunes like Gordon Jenkins’ “Goodbye” and Rodgers and Hart’s “He Was
Too Good To Me,” as well as rare gems like Jimmy Webb’s heartbreaking
“Shattered.” Most of the material is arranged by Bentyne’s longtime produc-
er (and former husband), pianist Corey Allen, who makes excellent use of
L.A. studio cats like bassist Kevin Axt and the late percussionist Don Alias.
A standout track is an Afropop treatment of Chuck Mangione’s “Land Of
Make Believe,” arranged in 12/8 time with an African-inspired men’s chorus.
—Allen Morrison
Lost Love Songs: This Masquerade; The Lights Still Burn In Paris; Land Of Make Believe; Black Coffee;
If Ever; He Was Too Good To Me; Shattered; Blue Prelude; You Taught My Heart To Sing; Love’s River;
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow; Goodbye. (51:35)
Personnel: Cheryl Bentyne, vocals; Corey Allen, piano, keyboards; Kevin Axt, bass; Don Alias, percus-
sion; Dave Tull, drums, percussion, vocals; Van Dyke Parks, accordion; Grant Geissman, guitar, mando-
lin; Gannin Arnold, guitar; Tom McCauley, guitar, percussion; Doug Webb, saxophone, recorder; Roger
Treece, Mark Kibble, vocals; Nico Cani, Steve Scharf, violins; Armen Ksajikian, cello; Ray Tischer, viola.
Ordering info: [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 47

Alan Ferber Nonet Instant Composers
Roots & Transitions Pool
SUNNYSIDE 1452 Restless In Pieces
++++ ICP 054
Roots & Transitions is a suite of com- ++++
positions inspired by the birth of Restless In Pieces is an apt a title as
trombonist Alan Ferber’s first child. any for a new Instant Composers
And it’s hard to say which is more Pool recording. With nifty cover
impressive—that Ferber has deliv- art by a central figure in the ICP
ered such thematically unified, dra- crew—drummer/percussionist Han
matically coherent work, or that he Bennink—the album comes to life
was able to do so despite having a newborn in the house. over and over again with their typical zeal. Part of the reason for that
These eight pieces were commissioned by a grant from Chamber aliveness is the ICP’s ongoing search for new approaches to music. Each
Music America, and there’s definitely a chamber music aesthetic at work. track brings the expectedly unexpected.
Listen to how “Quiet Confidence” slowly unspools, voices accumulat- ICP favorites Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk are visited with
ing until Ferber attains an almost choral deployment of the horns. Then swinging, gently idiosyncratic renditions of “Blue Chopsticks” and
there’s “Cycles,” which opens with an itchy, improvised counterpoint “The Lady Sings The Blues” (Nichols) and the rare Monk chestnut
between muted trombone and alto, then gradually expands to reveal the “Locomotive.” Arrangers, ever an essential ingredient with the ICP,
melodic structures that informed the initial improvisation. Of course, include reedist Michael Moore and Misha Mengelberg, with bassist Ernst
Ferber leaves plenty of room for straightahead blowing, particularly on Glerum and reedist Ab Baars also contributing.
the boppish “Wayfarer” and the rhythmically dynamic “Flow,” with its It’s Baars who contributes the album’s centerpiece: an 11-minute-long
searing exchange between trumpeter Scott Wendholt and guitarist Nate medley of music by Charles Ives. It’s classical, ruminative and drenched
Radley. But as great as the playing is, it’s the depth and ambition of writ- in a dreamy blend of New Orleans funk, folk antics and Ellingtonian spice.
ing that makes this album worthy of repeated spins. —John Ephland
—J.D. Considine
Restless In Pieces: Restless In Pieces; Rear/Murmurs; Blue Chopsticks; Kwijt; Lady Sings The Blues;
Samba Zombie; C.E.I.: Where The Sunflowers Grow, Rambling Rake, Yon Horizon; Rollo I; Locomotive;
Roots & Transitions: Quiet Confidence; Hourglass; Clocks; Wayfarer; Flow; Perspective; Echo Rollo II; One Thing All At Once; Jojo Jive; Anatole. (60:24)
Calling; Cycles. (57:20) Personnel: Ab Baars, Tobias Delius, clarinet, tenor saxophone; Wolter Wierbos, trombone; Mary
Personnel: Alan Ferber, trombone; Scott Wendholt, trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 4-7); Shane Endsley, trumpet Oliver, violin, viola; Tristan Honsinger, cello, vocals; Ernst Glerum, bass; Michael Moore, clarinet, alto
(tracks 3, 8); Jon Gordon, alto saxophone; John Ellis, tenor saxophone; Charles Pillow, bass clarinet; Nate saxophone (4); Thomas Heberer, cornet, trumpet; Guus Janssen, piano; Han Bennink, drums; Mattijs
Radley, guitar; Bryn Roberts, piano; Matt Clohesy, bass; Mark Ferber, drums. van de Woerd, vocals.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

Nik Bärtsch’s Rudd/Saft/

Mobile Dunn/Pándi
Continuum Strength & Power
ECM B0024627 RARENOISE 060
++++ ++++
Nik Bärtsch’s Mobile is a unique This record can accurately be
acoustic group that creates shapely billed as a congress of genera-
and pristine chamber jazz. The eight tions. Trombonist Roswell Rudd
tracks on Continuum are marvels is 80, which makes him 32 years
of control and tension—as much older than the next oldest member
atmosphere as groove. At the same of this quartet. He cut his musical
time, these deeply worked cuts are intensely rhythmic, if irregular. This teeth playing Dixieland before falling in with Archie Shepp and Steve
is an album of edgy beauty. Lacy, while the rest of the band—pianist Jamie Saft, bassist Trevor
Continuum is sonic sculpture; contour and form are always para- Dunn and drummer Balázs Pándi—grew up with rock ’n’ roll before
mount. You can relax to the album’s low-key, subliminal music, but best gravitating to various forms of the avant-garde. This may explain the
keep your eyes wide open, as this is an album of edgy beauty. breadth one hears throughout this generously dimensioned album.
The eight “moduls”—there are no song titles for Mobile or Ronin, The session that yielded Strength & Power may be the first time
Bärtsch’s electric group—delivered by Bärtsch and his core quartet (aug- the four have recorded together, but whether stretching out on a lan-
mented on three tracks with a string quintet) gain power through repe- guid ballad or clambering a bold, brash Escher-meets-Monk edifice,
tition, rhythmic dislocation and nuance. While several are so subtle they they interact with understanding and respect. Saft’s production leaves
threaten to fade into the background, others, like “Modul 4,” “Modul space around each musician’s sound, but not so much that you miss the
8_11” and the bright-eyed opener, “Modul 29_14,” build dramatical- balancing assertiveness evident in Rudd’s pithy utterances, Pandi’s swag-
ly, ultimately releasing the listener into wonder. What begins as reverie gering grooves or Dunn’s undertow of low tone. By turns flowing and
becomes a race as thrilling as it is disquieting. swaggering, this album feels less like any sort of meeting than a perfor-
—Carlo Wolff mance by a solid, empathetic band.
Continuum: Modul 29_14; Modul 12; Modul 18; Modul 05; Modul 60; Modul 04; Modul 44; Modul —Bill Meyer
8_11. (68:19)
Personnel: Nik Bärtsch, piano; Kaspar Rast, drums, percussion; Nicolas Stocker, drums, tuned percus- Strength & Power: Strength & Power; Cobalt Is A Divine; The Bedroom; Luminescent; Dunn’s Falls;
sion; Sha, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet; Etienne Abelin, violin; Solme Hong, cello; Ambrosius Huber, Struttin’ For Jah Jah. (64:38)
cello; David Schnee, viola; Ola Sendecki, violin. Personnel: Roswell Rudd, trombone; Jamie Saft, piano; Trevor Dunn, bass; Bálazs Pándi, drums.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

48 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

Jazz / BY JOHN EPHLAND

Lina Nyberg
© MIKI ANAGRIUS

Voices Across the Ocean

Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” begins Lundin’s natural delivery might have you
Danish singer Caecilie Norby and Swedish thinking she was reared Stateside.
guitarist/bassist/cellist Lars Danielsson’s Ordering info: [Link]
Just The Two Of Us (ACT 9732; 51:02 Gabriela Martina’s Swiss roots of-
++++). Danielsson’s acoustic bass en- fer an incredible range as she practically
hances the song’s wistful lyrics, and Norby’s yodels her way through “Narcissus” en
seasoned voice is close to perfect. The al- route to her mostly originals program on
bum’s an intimate, charming peek through No White Shoes (Self Release; 55:42
lesser-known standards (by Abbey Lincoln ++++). Her delivery is a blend of jazz with
and Leonard Cohen, for example) and sat- pop improvisation, and her creative, invest-
isfying originals. Their “Double Dance” dou- ed covers of Wayne Shorter’s “Witch Hunt”
bles down on this series of 13 songs that, at (stunningly sung as overdubbed a cappel-
times, feels like a folksy campfire gathering. la) and Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night In Tunisia”
Ordering info: [Link] (a flat-out rocker featuring pianist Jiri Ne-
Camille Bertault’s En Vie (Sunny- doma) uproot convention.
side 1438; 48:32 +++½) is straight-up jazz, Ordering info: [Link]
and here her band—pianist Olivier Hutman, Somehow Life Got In The Way (Lady-
bassist Gildas Boclé and drummer Antoine bird 79556835; 63:42 ++++½), the latest
Paganotti—is an extension of her sweet, from Sweden’s Isabella Lundgren, is a mix
pixie-ish voice. The album begins with Her- of (mostly) lush ballads. At 28, her maturity
bie Hancock’s “Empty Pockets” (rendered shows with heart-heavy material, including
here as “Quoi De Plus Anodin”), sung in “Everything Must Change” and “While We’re
her native French. Elsewhere, she engages Young” followed by strong originals, all sung
in some serious scat on the swinging waltz in English. Her delivery is patient and potent,
“Course” and animates Wayne Shorter’s “In- recalling Judy Garland in her prime. “Why
fant Eyes” with lively articulation. An emo- Was I Born” and “Down With Love” offer juicy,
tional uptempo version of Jimmy Rowles’ free-spirited swing.
“The Peacocks” (here called “Cette Nuit”) Ordering info: [Link]
and Ellington’s “Prelude To A Kiss” round Lina Nyberg’s Aerials (Hoob Jazz
out a program that contains six originals. 057; 44:19/46:11 +++++) follows anoth-
Ordering info: [Link] er double-CD, The Sirenades, from 2014.
Sweden’s Carin Lundin delivers What Featuring 17 tracks split between jazz quar-
Now My Love? (Prophone 157; 40:05 tet (disc one, Space) and half string quartet
+++) a standards reboot featuring songs (disc two, Birds), Aerials is a theme-based
played true to form with her jazz quintet. gem on which standards like “Skylark” and
Her alternating feathery/hefty voice might “Fly Me To The Moon” (both sung as bal-
recall your favorite lounge singer as she lads) share company with unconventional
visits the boogaloo of “Get Happy,” the arrangements, original music and fiction-
tenderness of “Second Time Around” and al stories. The Swedish vocalist’s writing
the sassiness of “Peel Me A Grape.” Pianist is stunning, especially for strings, and her
Mathias Algotsson and trumpeter Johan singing is more personal than ever. DB
Setterlind are encouraging bandmates, and Ordering info: [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 49

 Blues / BY FRANK-JOHN HADLEY

Finding Their Way Home

Janiva Magness, Love Wins Again (Blue

JEFF DUNAS
Elan 1017; 42:45 ++++) Janiva Magness is
one lucky woman: Her semi-scorched singing
voice is intimate and soulful. On the fifth al-
bum overseen by guitarist David Darling, and
her 12th overall, she isn’t the least bit shy in
presenting a personal bias for the power of
carnal love. Delivering emotional weight to
original tunes of mainly high worth, the singer
retains possession of her aura even when the
band sounds automated.
Ordering info: [Link]
Luca Giordano Band, Off The Grid (GG
Records 002; 60:57 +++½) Italy is a minor
hot spot for talented homegrown guitarists,
and 35-year-old Luca Giordano belongs to
this group. His work on his second outing is
authentic and vibrant at any tempo. There’s
no shame in lacking the crisp inventive-
ness of his mentor, the Chicago bluesman
Otis Rush. Two tracks feature an organ trio,
while eight others use a full band with a
horn section including itinerant saxophon-
ist-arranger Gordon Beadle.
Ordering info: [Link]
Guy King, Truth (Delmark 843;
71:08 ++++) Israel-born Chicagoan Guy
King, a vocalist with charm in reserve and a
guitarist in control of his craft, presents his
smooth soul-blues take on gems hailed for
their association with titans like Percy May-
field, Ray Charles, Johnny “Guitar” Watson
and B.B. King. His updates are well done,
though of course he’s facing strong head-
winds. Like those covers, “My Happiness” and
two more King compositions (written with
music biographer David Ritz) are hallmarked Janiva Magness

by an infallible sense of purpose.

Ordering info: [Link] cades. His streak continues here, and this
Various Artists, The Rough Guide To time, unlike on previous albums, he’s show-
Bottleneck Blues (Rough Trade 1346; ing off his gift for songwriting. (Long-trusty
74:28 ++++½) More than two dozen slide sidekick David Duncan and others help
guitarists of the 1920s and ’30s are en- out.) Forays into funk and reggae aren’t so
shrined for perpetuity through this fine col- productive.
lection. Blind Willie Johnson confesses his Ordering info: [Link]
transgressions on the eve of Judgment Day Stone The Crows, Stone The Crows/
on “It’s Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and Son Ode To John Law (Angel Air 463;
House laments over the Delta’s barren cot- 61:33/52:05 +++) Maggie Bell’s vocals
ton fields with “Dry Spell Blues.” These two flared with an intensity almost rivaling Ja-
dignitaries, along with others of equal rank nis Joplin’s in 1970, and the proof is heard
like blues legends Tampa Red and Lead Bel- in parts of two blues-rock records she made
ly, find their way to the crux of pained or with undervalued guitarist Les Harvey (later
euphoric human experience. electrocuted onstage) and the Scottish-En-
Ordering info: [Link] glish band Stone the Crows. The ghost of
Curtis Salgado, The Beautiful Low- Bessie Smith stands tall at Bell’s shoulder
down (Alligator 4970; 47:53 +++½) At when she tackles “Blind Man,” and she
once ardent and disciplined, Curtis Salgado shows full understanding of Percy May-
has shown the strong voice, narrative skill field’s “Danger Zone.” Several of the other
and musical instinct to stay near the top songs, though, have aged poorly. DB
of the soul-blues field for the past few de- Ordering info: [Link]

50 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

Pat Metheny Meets Pat Metheny serves to remind us of this
guitarist’s unceasing curiosity and versatility,
The Unity Sessions not to mention collaborative spirit.
NONESUCH 554569
—John Ephland
++++½
Cuong Vu Trio The Unity Sessions: Disc One: Adagia; Sign Of The Season; This
Belongs To You; Roofdogs; Cherokee; Genealogy; On Day One;
Medley. (59:39) Disc Two: Come And See; Police People; Two Folk
Meets Pat Metheny Songs (#1); Born; Kin; Rise Up; Go Get It. (56:32)
NONESUCH 554650 Personnel: Pat Metheny, guitar, guitar synth, electronics, Orches-
trionics; Chris Potter, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; bass
++++ clarinet, flute, guitar; Antonio Sanchez, drums, cajon; Ben Williams,
bass; Giulio Carmassi, piano, flugelhorn, whistling, synth, vocals.
Meets Pat Metheny: Acid Kiss; Not Crazy (Just Giddy Upping);
In the past, Pat Metheny’s Unity Band has flirt- Seeds Of Doubt; Telescope; Let’s Get Back; Tune Blues. (53:23)
ed with perpetual clutter. At times it’s been Personnel: Cuong Vu, trumpet; Stomu Takeishi, bass; Ted Poor,
drums; Pat Metheny, guitar.
hard not to get tied up in knots with some of
Ordering info: [Link]
the arrangements, which leave little breathing
room for the unexpected. There’s still some of
that on The Unity Sessions, but the band seems
to have come into their own in ways that let that
breathing include a few more exhales.
Taken from a filmed performance (which is
available on DVD), this two-CD set definitely
has a “live” feel to it. Hard to believe, but when
Metheny brought saxophonist Chris Potter on
board in 2013, it marked the first time the gui-
tarist had collaborated with a saxophonist since
Michael Brecker and Dewey Redman joined
for his 80/81 album. On The Unity Sessions,
some of that energy is revisited with “Two Folk
Songs (#1),” Potter’s tenor playing reaching for
the stars as Metheny madly strums his acoustic
guitar. Antonio Sanchez’s drumming sounds
even more ferocious than Jack DeJohnette’s
from that 35-year-old release.
Part of the charm to this followup of Kin,
the band’s initial release in 2013, is Metheny’s
knack for pacing. Following the serene acous-
tic guitar intro “Adagia,” the gradually building
“Sign Of The Season,” the relaxed “This Belongs
To You” and jaunty, blazing “Roofdogs,” Potter
and Metheny proceed with the left-field inser-
tion of Ray Noble’s standard “Cherokee.” There’s
also the tender, intimate “Medley,” a solo piece in
which the guitarist revisits more catalog, includ-
ing parts of “Minuano (Six Eight),” “Midwestern
Nights Dream“ and “Last Train Home.”
Metheny delves into freer material with
former bandmate/trumpeter Cuong Vu on
Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny. With bass-
ist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Ted Poor,
this date includes five by Vu and one each by
Metheny and saxophonist Andrew D’Angelo.
Vu takes sonic freedom into his own hands
with searing overdubs before Metheny’s synth
soars in on “Acid Kiss,” the loose-limbed
funkiness provided by Poor and Takeishi
reinforcing a measured sense of pulse. On
the boppish blues “Not Crazy (Just Giddy
Upping),” Metheny reverts back to his more
straightahead voice, while Vu’s fleet phras-
ing recalls a blend of Don Cherry and Miles
Davis. Vu’s parched tone also soars in tandem
with Metheny’s on the soft-spoken “Seeds Of
Doubt” and restless “Tiny Little Pieces.”
In tandem with The Unity Sessions, Vu’s

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 51

Donald Edwards Michael Blake
Prelude To Real Life Fulfillment
CRISS CROSS JAZZ 1386 SONGLINES 1615
++++ +++½
Donald Edwards’ music possesses a Michael Blake is stretching his con-
subtle originality, and something ceptual legs. The Montreal-born
else that’s harder to pin down. His saxophonist created a warped past-
music, like his drumming, has meets-present tribute to tenor mas-
depth as well darkness, even a sense ters Lester Young and Coleman
of danger, the unknown. Recorded Hawkins on 2014’s exquisite Tiddy
in Brooklyn, Prelude To Real Life Boom, and now he’s mining a his-
inhabits an older New York City. I’m thinking late 1980s: graffiti-cov- torical event for a futuristic amalgam of acoustic and electronic textures.
ered subways, all-night diners, a seedy Times Square—a pre-Disney The inspiration for Fulfillment is the refusal, in 1914, of Canadian
Manhattan that was truly gritty. officials to allow a shipload of economic migrants from India to claim
The album presents Edwards’ adventurous original compositions, refugee status. Blake, stunned to learn that a relative had played a role
and while a suite form isn’t spelled out, it’s nonetheless there. The in refusing the migrants, decided to compose an eight-movement suite.
hop-scotching “Apple Street” is as humid as a city block in summer, the His writing here is characterized by strong rhythmic motifs, which shift
winding melody performed by saxophonist Walter Smith III and guitar- from a galloping tempo paired with a stalking bass/guitar combination on
ist David Gilmore with heated intensity. “King” ricochets off a booming, “Perimeters” to a floating, Coltrane-esque feel on “Battle At Baj Baj” and a
tumbling groove and Gilmore’s torrid sci-fi guitar, quickly subsumed slow, rolling tabla groove on “Exaltation.” Vancouver mainstays Peggy Lee
by “Queen And The Princess,” with its darting melody and splintered (cello) and Ron Samworth (guitar) both fill important roles, with Lee playing
shapes. Edwards includes Benny Golson’s classic “Stablemates,” but the a beautiful, mournful lead on “Arrivals” and the guitarist adding distorted
hard-bop standard is altered by a kind of steaming inner-city swagger. counterpoint to “Exaltation” and “The Soldier And The Saint.”
—Ken Micallef —James Hale
Prelude To Real Life: Taking Shape; Incantation; Hop Scotch; Apple Street; Way To Her; King, Fulfillment: Sea Shanty; Perimeters; The Ballad Of Gurtid Singh; Arrivals; Departures; Battle At Baj Baj;
Queen And The Princess; Stablemates; Beautiful Intuition; Thought For The Day; Skippy; Prelude Exaltation; The Soldier And The Saint. (54:47)
To Real Life. (67:12) Personnel: Michael Blake, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; J.P. Carter, trumpet, electronics;
Personnel: Donald Edwards, drums; Walter Smith III, tenor saxophone; Antoine Drye, trumpet Peggy Lee, cello; Chris Gestrin, piano, MicroMoog; Ron Samworth, guitar, banjo; Aram Bajakian, guitar
(12); David Gilmore, guitar; Orrin Evans, piano; Nicholas Payton, Fender Rhodes, piano, organ (1, 3, (1, 6, 7); André Lachance, bass; Dylan van der Schyff, drums, percussion; Neelamjit Dhillon, tabla (7);
6); Luques Curtis, bass; Vivian Sessoms, vocals (3, 5, 10). Emma Postl, vocals (1, 3).
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

Bill O’Connell/The Avataar

Latin Jazz All-Stars Petal
INSOUND RECORDS 003
Heart Beat
SAVANT 2154 +++½
++++ Blending jazz and traditional Indian
From its surging beginning to its music, Avataar’s Petal might be an
aspirational finale, pianist Bill acquired taste, but such is to be expected
O’Connell’s Heart Beat delivers rich, from an album that so nimbly combines
layered work. On seven originals and idioms of the East and West.
covers of Wayne Shorter’s openheart- The album is saxophonist
ed “ESP” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Sundar Viswanathan’s project,
yearning “Waters Of March,” O’Connell and some of his favorite musicians which offers a ripe story unto itself. The Canadian-born artist’s resume
play as one. Standouts in this dream band are woodwind authority Steve points to serious jazz encounters and obvious connections with so-called
Slagle, trombonist Conrad Herwig and bassist Luques Curtis. world music, and the 10-track program evinces as much. “Banda Aceh”
O’Connell, who has written arrangements for bands led by conguero offers jazz-inflected music with vocals and tabla, Viswanathan’s solo
Mongo Santamaria and Puerto Rican flutist Dave Valentin, composes meandering through the song’s contours as Michael Occhipinti’s gui-
with freedom and authority. The title track and the brooding “The Eyes tar voice gently plucks and probes. Clearly, this band—with tabla master
Of A Child” may best illustrate O’Connell’s diversity. “Eyes” is partic- Naimpally adding vocals—has an intimate group sound.
ularly entrancing, thanks to its rhythmic nuance, O’Connell’s caress- Simple and unassuming, “The Long Dream” anchors Petal with its best
ing piano and the braid of Herwig’s ruddy trombone with Slagle’s rip- mix of East and West, the groove implied more than stated, while “Infinite
pling flute. “Heart-Beat” literally sets the pulse racing. Propelled by Open,” on the other hand, provides a subtle yet uptempo groove, Naimpally’s
Richie Barshay’s drums and the triple bata-drum attack of Roman Diaz, tabla and Occhipinti’s guitar attaining just the right amount of edge. “Petal
Clemente Medina and Diego Lopez, it starts hot and gets hotter. (Ephemerata)” invokes the spirit of universal harmony to conclude what is a
—Carlo Wolff mixed bag of stellar compositions executed by surging talent.
—John Ephland
Heart Beat: Vertigo; The Eyes Of A Child; Awani; Waters Of March; Tabasco; ESP; Heart-Beat; Wake
Up; Peace On Earth. (56:33) Petal: Agra; Banda Aceh; Monsoon; The Long Dream; Infinite Open; Raudra; Petal (The Space
Personnel: Bill O’Connell, piano; Steve Slagle, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, flute; Richie Between); Ishwar; Annapoorna; Petal (Ephemerata). (61:38)
Barshay, drums; Luques Curtis, bass; Roman Diaz, congas, percussion, bata drums, vocals (9); Conrad Personnel: Sundar Viswanathan, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, bansuri, flute; Felicity Williams,
Herwig, trombone; Diego Lopez, bata drums (2, 9), Clemente Medina, bata drums (2, 9); Melvis Santa, vocals; Michael Occhipinti, guitar; Justin Gray, bass, mandolin, taus; Ravi Naimpally, tabla, percussion;
vocals (3, 6, 9). Giampaolo Scatozza, drums; Robi Botos, piano (7, 10), Fender Rhodes (8); Samidha Joglekar, vocals (6).
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

52 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

Beyond / BY CARLO WOLFF

Caetano Veloso (left) and

Gilberto Gil

Beyond Bossa: Brazilian Jazz

A slate of new albums of Brazilian music Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil’s
prove that no matter how deep the country’s Dois Amigos, Um Século de Música:
economic and political doldrums get—as of Multishow Live (Nonesuch B01D-
this writing, Brazilian President Dilma Rous- 2B2H3G; 42:25/56:37 +++½) finds two
seff had been suspended by the Senate to masters of Brazilian music in fine form,
face an impeachment trial—Brazilian jazz is unplugging 28 tunes for a rapt audience
diverse and thriving. far louder than they are. The setting is sim-
Vocalist Renato Braz shines on Sau- ple, with just two voices and two guitars.
dade (Living Music 48; 72:34 +++), a The concert was recorded for television in
star-studded album also featuring Paul Brazil last year, and the audience is clear-
Winter, a smooth, sensitive saxophonist ly familiar with the work of these touch-
whose mellow style fits Braz’s yearning stones, who invented the genre known as
vocals well. Braz sings beautifully, and Tropicalia.
tunes like “Acqua Marcia” and “Sodade, Veloso and Gil are such natural sing-
Meu Bem, Sodade” speak to the album ers, they seem to be talking to each other,
title, which, roughly translated, means switching leads every verse or so to keep
“yearning” or “longing.” The musicianship the texture dynamic and interesting. As
is impeccable, the arrangements are nu- might be expected, this album is multi-
anced and Braz’s voice is hypnotic. More lingual, befitting the cultural range these
rhythmic variety would have helped, how- legends offer: “Tres Palabras” and “Tonada
ever; 12 tracks on, what was once enthrall- De Luna Llena” are sung in Spanish, “Nine
ing turns sleepy, and what was previously Out Of Ten” in English and “Come Prima”
rooted in jazz takes on the slick veneer of in Italian. A sweet, preternaturally swing-
New Age. ing souvenir of a tour these two have been
Ordering info: [Link] on for a while now, and seem only happy
Catina DeLuna, too, has a gorgeous to prolong.
voice—and a great collaborator in her hus- Ordering info: [Link]
band, Otmaro Ruíz, the fabulous pianist The Rough Guide To Brazilian Jazz
and arranger who gives their fine album (World Music Network RGNET1345;
Lado B Brazilian Project (Self Release; 68:02 ++++) is above all great party
63:10 ++++) such buoyancy and grain. music. The rowdy rhythms and stabbing
The tracks are flowing and melodic, from brass of Fernando Moura and Ary Dias’s
the bright, colorful opener to “Fotografia,” “Mexidão,” the supercharged hip-hop of
the sultry Antônio Carlos Jobim tune that Tássia Reis’ “Meu Rapjazz,” the guitar-lad-
brings the album to a fortifying close. The en saunter through Juçara Marçal’s“Pena
tunes span “Garota De Ipanema,” Ruiz’s re- Meis Que Perfeita”—it’s all designed to
imagining of the watershed song “Girl From drive you off your seat. The flavors are
Ipanema,” the lovely “Contrato De Sepa- international and time-spanning: Funk,
ração” and “Chovendo Na Roseira,” Jobim’s salsa, dancehall and dub pepper these vi-
mini-symphony about a rain forest. That brant selections, not the folk or West Coast
last one serves as a testament to the depth cool that informed so much Brazilian jazz
and daring of this album, a keeper bringing in the past. Like the Veloso/Gil set, Rough
the traditional into modern line. Guide is great music to drive by. DB
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 53

Colin Stetson Mala Waldron
Sorrow Deep Resonance
52HZ 001 SOULFUL SOUND 22247
+++½ +++
Reedist Colin Stetson has carved a Mal Waldron was a prolific but
niche for himself over the last overlooked pianist who record-
decade or so, masterfully applying a ed countless albums with Prestige
slew of extended techniques to cre- Records in the ’50s and ’60s. His
ate moody, sometimes cathartic work with Charles Mingus and
instrumental pop music. Eric Dolphy were essential contri-
His latest project, a reimagining butions to the expansion of the pia-
of Polish composer Henryk Gorecki’s Third Symphony, arrives as some- no’s range, employing gnarled harmonies and unique textures. His daugh-
thing of a surprise. His choice to interpret the material—a masterpiece ter Mala has a far less dissonant approach to her music, performing on this
from 1976 famously recorded by soprano Dawn Upshaw and the London album in a singer-songwriter vein. She accompanies herself on piano with
Sinfonietta in 1992—isn’t that shocking, but the fact that he enlisted help is. sparse help from a handful of other musicians and sings on every track.
The “reimagining” of the title is a bit misleading, as Stetson didn’t The positive sentiments written and sung by Waldron ring with a
mess with the score, but instead brought a modern edge to his interpre- New Age vibe. Her tone is clearly influenced by Joni Mitchell, whose
tation by changing the instrumentation. Although there is a small com- “Jericho” she covers rather faithfully, but it is on the following track, “I
plement of strings, including Sarah Neufeld of Arcade Fire on violin, the Know,” where she sounds most Joni-esque, aided by bassist Maurizio
bulk of the sound features billowing horns and searing electric guitar Rolli doing his best Jaco imitation. Ideas fully coalesce on the last track,
sounds that move easily between jazz, new music and rock. His arrange- “Feelin’ For You,” on which Waldron pipes in some overdubbed vocal
ments are lush and powerful, a salute both respectful and individualistic, and harmonies that would have been welcome on every track. With a run-
an exciting look at his talent as an arranger. ning time under a half an hour and minimal production, the album feels
—Peter Margasak a little unfinished. Just when things start to pay off, it all ends. Another
Sorrow–A Reimagining Of Gorecki’s Third Symphony: I. Lento—Sostenuto Tranquillo Ma day in the studio could have opened up even more promising ideas.
Cantabile; II. Lento E Largo—Tranquillissimo; III. Lento—Cantabile—Semplice. (52:23) —Sean J. O’Connell
Personnel: Colin Stetson, contrabass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass saxophone,
lyricon; Megan Stetson, voice; Sarah Neufeld, violin; Rebecca Foon, Gyda Valtysdottir, cello; Matt Baud- Deep Resonance: Life Is Now; Mon Amour; Jericho; I Know; Free As The Wind (Margot’s Song); Feelin’
er, clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone; Dan Bennett, clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone For You. (27:56)
saxophone; Justin Walker, keyboards, EVI; Ryan Ferreira, Grey McMurray, guitar; Shahzad Ismaily, Personnel: Mala Waldron, vocals, piano; Vincent Gardner, trombone; Allen Won, bass flute; Akua
synthesizer; Greg Fox, drums. Dixon, cello; Jonathon Peretz, percussion; Maurizio Rolli, bass.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

Leslie Pintchik Ark Ovrutski

True North Intersection
PINTCH HARD 003 ORIGIN 82709
+++ +++
Jazz pianists aren’t scholastic slouches There are some nifty passages that
by any means. Many have aca- emerge on bassist Ark Ovrutski’s
demic credentials. But a Master of new album, a collection of origi-
Philosophy in 17th-century English nals mixed with a few covers. The
Literature? Let’s take a wild guess that playing is top-notch, and the inter-
Leslie Pintchik might be the only jazz action between group members is
pianist with that achievement. at a consistently high level, making
It wasn’t until college that Pintchik decided to become a professional Intersection a fine acoustic jazz outing.
musician, leaving a career in academia to study piano with Bruce Barth. Starting with Bill Evans’ “Waltz For Debby,” the mood is framed
You can read all about this unusual decision in this album’s liner notes, within a straightahead paradigm, with trombonist Michael Dease and
but suffice it to say that Pintchik was a genuine late bloomer. reed player Michael Thomas offering stimulating counterpoint. But
She’s also a pianist who favors thoughtfulness and melody over daz- Intersection is notable in the democratic way in which all members get
zling keyboard forays. Generally she plays with a light touch, but picks solo space, leaving ample room for individual statements from the accom-
her spots to get more rambunctious. On True North, her five band- plished Brazilian pianist Helio Alves and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca.
mates—Steve Wilson (alto and soprano saxes), Ron Horton (trumpet), There’s an undeniable mid-1960s Blue Note feel to this music, origi-
Scott Hardy (bass), Michael Sarin (drums) and Satoshi Takeishi (percus- nals like “Twister” pointing to the quintet’s obvious facility with differ-
sion)—enliven several exciting tunes. ent styles. This uptempo swinger offers the band a blowing platform, over
A highlight of the album is a sensitive reading of Henry Mancini’s which Dease and Thomas engage in a lively conversation full of modern
“Charade,” on which Pintchik’s understated playing embellishes a wonderful phrases. Along other lines, “Good And Terrible,” with its quasi-rock feel,
melody. And the program ends with a lovely reading of “For All We Know,” suggests something Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers might pull off. Perhaps
that finds Pintchik offering a subtle and deeply personal performance. the titular “intersection” is simply a convergence of past and present.
—Bob Protzman —John Ephland
Intersection: Waltz For Debby; Tom Thumb; La Mesha; Manhattan Style; The Craft; Twister; Bolero;
True North: Let’s Get Lucky; Tumbleweed; Just Sayin’; Imagine; Crooked As A Dog’s Hind Leg; True
Good And Terrible. (47:30)
North; Falling In Love Again; Charade; Discreet; For All We Know. (63:21)
Personnel: Leslie Pintchik, piano; Steve Wilson, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Ron Horton, Personnel: Ark Ovrutski, bass; Michael Dease, trombone; Michael Thomas, alto saxophone, soprano
trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Hardy, bass; Michael Sarin, drums; Satoshi Takeishi, percussion. saxophone; Helio Alves, piano; Duduka Da Fonseca, drums, percussion.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

54 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

Historical / BY KIRK SILSBEE

Song Birds
Great singers need to sing in front of audienc-
es. They can get it letter-perfect in the studio,
improving on successive takes—and remov-
ing audio blemishes or dropping in edits via
the engineer’s hand—but singers worthy of
the title are trained to perform, eager to show
what they can do. Two new discs offer vital
live performances by a pair of the greatest
jazz singers ever, giving listeners a chance to
compare their respective gifts.
Ella Fitzgerald’s live sets from Jazz
at the Philharmonic established her as
something other than the pop and novel-
ty song mill of her Decca recordings. The
legendary 1949 Carnegie Hall sides cast
her as a great improviser with world-class
scat ability and a grasp of bebop. Jazz At
The Philharmonic: The Ella Fitzgerald Set

DOWNBEAT ARCHIVES
(Verve 24612-01; 60:05 +++++) shows a
vocal innovator worthy of standing toe-to-
toe with the big boys on the tour (Charlie
Parker, Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Flip Phil-
lips and others). Much of this material has Ella Fitzgerald
been released over the years, but this is the
most complete grouping of the Carnegie A ludicrous request for “A-Tisket, A-Tas-
material and a 1954 JATP set from Hartford, ket” nudges her competitive nature, so
Connecticut. she gamely tears off a quick romp. A fast,
She’s a young woman in ’49, almost scatted “Sarah’s Blues” shows she could
giddy with the musical possibilities before comfortably rifle off hornlike improvisa-
her—in the songs and the interaction with tions with the band—even moving up half
Hank Jones on piano, then-husband Ray steps—and stay in tune.
Brown on bass and Buddy Rich on drums. Sarah’s set piece of the period, “Send
She swings at all tempos, but the sponta- In The Clowns,” is among her greatest live
neous invention displayed on “Old Mother offerings on record. She flies her gossamer
Hubbard” is awe-inspiring. falsetto off the trapeze, with Schroeder to
Though never an effective blues sing- catch her every time. The purity of her held
er, Fitzgerald invests credible blues feeling notes (“losing my timing this late in myyyyy
into “Black Coffee” and “Why Don’t You Do career”) conjures chapels and cathedrals.
Right.” And while deeply emotional ballads Such a capacity for understated drama was
weren’t her strong suit, the rarity “Bill” and a hole card that Fitzgerald was never dealt.
a touching “The Man That Got Away” pres- If Vaughan was a well-oiled precision
ages her best songbook efforts for Granz. instrument on the first disc, she can be a
She impressively mixes pop, bebop, r&b little too loose on disc two. The set is mar-
and swing on Tiny Bradshaw’s “Later,” all bled with her ever-more-daring redesigns
the while swinging joyously. of songs—from “The Man I Love” to the ’70s
Ordering info: [Link] favorite “Everything Must Change.” She
Sarah Vaughan is heard with her 1978 can seemingly do anything that comes to
road trio of pianist Carl Schroeder, bassist mind: navigate any rhythm, calibrate her
Walter Booker and drummer Jimmy Cobb vibrato at will, inject any amount of melis-
at a New Orleans nightclub. This previous- ma to a word, jump octaves while scatting,
ly unreleased set, Live At Rosy’s (Reso- scat effortlessly, gliss up the scale and drop
nance 2017; 38:45/44:58 ++++½ ), is a down into her mahogany chest tones in a
stunning document, originally recorded for heartbeat.
the National Public Radio-syndicated radio But her superlative instrument and her
program Jazz Alive with host Dr. Billy Taylor, sure-footedness bring out her Baroque ex-
some of which has never been aired before. cesses: letting the vibrato wave, phrasing
Vaughan is playful, though some of her so far behind the beat, slurring her melis-
sharper asides fly under audience radar. ma and devaluing the lyrics in favor of her
After introducing the bearded Schroeder as gymnastics. Even at that, it’s a magnificent
“Abe,” for example, she clarifies: “He freed recording. DB
us, fool!” Ordering info: [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 55

Peter Zak Conrad Herwig/
Standards Igor Butman
STEEPLECHASE 31815 Reflections
+++ CRISS CROSS JAZZ 1385
The bar for piano trios that take on a +++
set of standards sits so high that it An easy rapport and unforced musi-
might as well be the high jump com- cal camaraderie prevades on this
petition at the Olympics. Not only fine collaboration by trombonist
does Keith Jarrett’s rapturous stan- Conrad Herwig and Russian-born
dards trio come immediately to mind, tenor saxophonist Igor Butman. A
but close behind are pianists as diverse quarter century ago, the fifty-some-
as Bill Charlap, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch and Ethan Iverson, to say noth- thing players met in Moscow—Moscow, Idaho, that is, home of the Lionel
ing of the legendary trios led by Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and many others. Hampton Jazz Festival—and what they bring to the expressive table is a
The obvious question is: What are you going to bring the party? sturdy example of unabashedly mainstream jazz wisdom.
For veteran pianist Peter Zak, the approach is truly unique, if not It helps that the album features a stellar complement of players, with
brave, given the format and the material. Zak put the band together spe- Russian-born trumpeter Alex Sipiagin completing the classic sax/bone/
cifically for the recording, and had never even played with bassist Jay trumpet front line, and a turn-on-a-dime rhythm section of drummer
Anderson (drummer Billy Drummond rounds out the trio). He held Jeff “Tain” Watts, pianist David Kikoski and bassist Kenny Davis. Apart
no rehearsals, picked some songs that weren’t in his own repertoire and from Gershwin’s “Who Cares?,” the material is penned within the group,
recorded everything in one afternoon. mostly by Herwig, and consciously heeding an ever-shifting stylistic man-
The results, particularly considering that background, are quite good, if date: No two tunes heed a similar vein. From the semi-brooding balladic
not spectacular. Here, Zak steers a center course, sticking close to the melo- nature of the title track, “Reflections,” to the intricate, Shorter-esque designs
dies and not throwing his unfamiliar bandmates any surprising rhythmic or of “King Of The Mountain,” esprit de corps and artfully directed chops flow
harmonic curveballs. These are solid, interesting pieces—things of beauty on easily here, as does the reflective instinct.
their own, and things of beauty in this trio’s capable hands. —Josef Woodard
—James Hale
Standards: Moon And Sand; I Loves You Porgy; The Night Has A Thousand Eyes; I Had The Craziest Reflections: Falling Out; King Of The Mountain; Wingspan; Reflections: Olvidame; Who Cares?;
Dream; So In Love; The Star-Crossed Lovers; I’m All Smiles; The Very Thought Of You; Wives And Lovers; Samba De Igor; Big O’s Blues. (60:17)
Indian Summer. (68:57) Personnel: Conrad Herwig, trombone; Igor Butman, tenor saxophone; Alex Sipiagin, trumpet,
Personnel: Peter Zak, piano; Jay Anderson, bass; Billy Drummond, drums. flugelhorn; David Kikoski, piano; Kenny Davis, bass; Jeff “Tain” Watts, drums.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

Brandee Younger Luis Perdomo

Wax & Wane Montage
REVIVE MUSIC HOT TONE MUSIC 109
+++ ++½
Some albums are destined to Pianist Luis Perdomo can burn—
become cult classics—albums that no doubt about it. Check YouTube
hardly garner massive mainstream for his solo on “Giant Steps” with
attention but nevertheless make Ravi Coltrane, impeccably con-
lasting imprints. Harpist Brandee ceived, building momentum and
Younger’s latest disc is one of them. intensity nonstop. It’s the kind of
Wax & Wane is undeniably solo that launches audiences to
aware of its historical lineage, particularly on the soul-jazz continuum. their feet, which makes Montage puzzling.
Younger explicitly pays homage to her lodestar, harpist Dorothy Ashby, Whether playing someone else’s tune or something of his own,
twice. She opens the disc with a makeover of “Soul Vibrations,” a late- there’s no sign here of that intensity and focus. For example, Perdomo
’60s Richard Davis-composed gem that Ashby featured on her classic interprets two standards without any dynamic variation: a rather quickly
Afro-Harping. Younger’s version is less trippy than the original, but it’s sinking“Thinking Of You” and a version of “Body And Soul” that seems
anchored with rugged funk by way of Dezron Douglas’ electric bass line more sleepy than passionate.
and Dana Hawkins’ hip-hop-centric drumming, which underpins a bil- Several original tracks are flagged by the word “montage.” My guess
lowing melody by Younger and flutist Anne Drummond. is that these are free improvisations, perhaps based on the words that
Younger retains a level of retro-chicness on the originals, too. The follow “montage” in the title. Thus, “Montage: Fleeing” opens with two
alluring “Essence Of Ruby” sounds like an obscure, mid-’70s collabora- wandering lines in the lower register, and “Montage: Angst” is essentially
tion between Alice Coltrane and the Mizell Brothers, while the upbeat a sequence of rumbling clusters. This is slender evidence on which to base
title track could easily pass as an outtake from Stevie Wonder. any conclusions, but it does suggest that an ability to tear through a per-
If Younger continues to evolve as an improviser, bandleader and formance with other musicians doesn’t necessarily promise similar suc-
composer, a masterpiece will surely be in her future. cesses at driving alone with only a minimal roadmap.
—John Murph —Bob Doerschuk
Wax & Wane: Soul Vibrations; Essence Of Ruby; Ruby Echo; Afro Harping; Wax And Wane; Ebony Montage: Montage: Fleeing; Monk’s Dream; Montage: Sleepwalker; Mambo Mongo; Amani; Mon-
Haze; Black Gold. (27:00). tage: Angst; Cal Massey; Si Te Contara; Thinking Of You; Montage: Air; The Sky Beyond: La Revuelta De
Personnel: Brandee Younger, harp; Anne Drummond, flute; Chelsea Baratz, tenor saxophone; Mark Don Fulgencio; The Boundary Law; Montage: The Ascent; Body And Soul. (57:36)
Whitfield, guitar; Derzon Douglas, bass; Dana Hawkins, drums, percussion; Chargaux, violin, viola. Personnel: Luis Perdomo, piano.
Ordering info: [Link] Ordering info: [Link]

56 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 Books / BY BRIAN ZIMMERMAN

All Ears
“We are listening in the time of the cloud,”
writes Ben Ratliff in his new book, Every Song
Ever: Twenty Ways To Listen in an Age of
Musical Plenty (Farrar, Strauss and Gir-
oux). “Now we can hear nearly everything,
almost whenever, often for free: most of the
history of Western music and a lot of the rest.”
Ratliff isn’t exaggerating. At the time
of this writing, the streaming service Apple
Music had more than 43 million songs in its
library. Though some might find this unher-
alded proliferation of music overwhelming,
signaling a shift to haphazard, unfocused
listening, Ratliff believes that with unlimit-
ed access to music comes unlimited power.
Music fans are permitted opportunities for
greater reflection and scrutiny. They can
recall a song at anytime, on any number of
devices, for as long as they want to hold on
to it. The time is ripe for close listening. But on other occasions, the organizing
In this regard, Ratliff’s approach to mu- principle backfires, and the book suffers
sical analysis is akin to that of the New Crit- because of Ratliff’s hazy codification. Chap-
ics, those early 20th-century literary schol- ters on Audio Space, Wasteful Authority
ars who, in a radical turn, insisted that texts and Memory and Historical Truth struggle
should be understood as intrinsic works, against cohesiveness, and it’s in these chap-
studied in isolation of their social or histori- ters that Ratliff’s philosophizing meanders
cal context. “This book is about the listening into obscurantism and hyperbole, as in his
experience, and therefore about resisting multi-paragraph assessment of Miley Cyrus’
factual descriptions of what the composer 2009 hit “Party In The U.S.A.,” which he calls
desires you to know regarding a piece of “a song about listening: one of the greatest
music,” Ratliff writes. As a jazz and pop crit- ever made.” The same is true for his descrip-
ic for The New York Times, whose expertise tion of an Elvin Jones and John Coltrane
comprises everything from Bach fugues to duet on Live At The Half Note: One Down,
Blind Willie Johnson bootlegs, Ratliff may One Up, which he says achieves a state of
be our generation’s leading New Critic of “bicameral consciousness.” Compelling as
music. Though his is hardly the first work of that duet may be, the analysis seems over-
pop musicology (last month’s Books column blown.
featured another, How To Listen To Jazz, by Still, the book brims with important and
Ted Gioia), it is no doubt among the most challenging ideas, most of them eloquently
conceptually engaging. articulated, and none more central than the
Much of the book’s theoretical intrigue frequently cited notion that genre, in this
derives from its organization. Instead of ar- age of musical aplenty, is an almost obso-
ranging his chapters around specific artists lete term. In fact, Ratliff’s overarching thesis
or types of music—a method he says would seems to be that in order to fully engage
be too limiting and subjective—Ratliff with the current abundance of digital mu-
chooses to anchor his theories to properties sic, one must do his or her best to shed any
and concepts inherent in all music, includ- predisposition for personal taste: “Genre is a
ing Loudness, Softness, Repetition, Slow- construct for the purpose of commerce, not
ness and Speed. Most of the time, this meth- pleasure, and ultimately for the purpose of
odology yields juicy philosophical fruit. listening less,” he writes.
In a chapter on virtuosity, for example, Again, like the New Critics, Ratliff makes
he finds a portal into the metaphysics of lis- the case for a methodology of listening that
tening: “Music opens up a door, moves you examines a song as a thing unto itself—a
through the alternative time-grid parallel to wonderfully complex, slippery, multifac-
the life of obligations and immediate needs. eted thing—rather than in relationship to
And so music can be a relief, or a corrective things you’ve heard before. Ratliff doesn’t
balance. You can see what role virtuosos just want you to listen to your favorite songs
have in society: they are gift givers. … When more closely. He hopes that you will to listen
you are listening, you are a virtuoso your- to more, closely. DB
self.” It’s a staggering statement. Ordering info: [Link]/fsg

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 57

58 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016
Ralph Peterson Trio Several tunes later, the trio launches into a
Triangular III capricious reading of Davis’ “Backgammon”—
ONYX another tune written for Blakey and the
Tucked inside this effervescent 2015 live date is Messengers—and Luques initiates the fantas-
a miniature tribute to unsung pianist and tic romp through “400 Years Ago Tomorrow,”
composer Walter Davis Jr. He served as an the final Davis composition, which is greatly
early mentor to powerhouse drummer Ralph animated by Zaccai’s spry reading of the Afro-
Peterson, who steers this third edition of his Latin melody and Peterson’s tussling yet never
Triangular group. This time, the trio showcas- intrusive rhythmic interjections.
es the burgeoning talents of siblings—bassist —John Murph
Luques Curtis and pianist Zaccai Curtis.
Triangular III: Uranus; Beatrice; Inner Urge; Backgammon;
The disc kicks off with a barreling reading Manifest Destiny; Skylark; 400 Years Ago Tomorrow; The Art Of
of Davis’ “Uranus,” a delightful hard-bop num- War; Moments, Blues Cooch. (60:07)
Personnel: Ralph Peterson, drums; Zaccai Curtis, piano; Luques
ber with transient bossa nova turnabouts, writ- Curtis, bass.
ten for Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Ordering info: [Link]

Theo Croker
Escape Velocity
OKEH/SONY MASTERWORKS 88875107562
++++
Theo Croker is a trumpeter of splendid contrasts,
his tone warm but piercing, his phrasing gentle
but insistent. His latest album, Escape Velocity, is a
declaration of these fruitful juxtapositions, inhab-
iting the fascinating intersections of thought and
action, passion and politics, melody and groove.
While the governing aesthetic is instrumental
r&b, the album’s conceptual range is vast.
Several songs touch on Croker’s commitment to
social issues, including the poignant “We Can’t
Breathe,” which he wrote in response to the trag-
ic deaths of Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin, and
“It’s Gonna Be Alright,” his life-affirming anthem
of hope. In these and a number of other fine com-
positions, Croker, a young man with a strong jazz
lineage (his grandfather was New Orleans trum-
pet legend Doc Cheatham), has hit upon a power-
ful message, one that is entirely his.
—Brian Zimmerman
Escape Velocity: Raise Your Vibrations; Transcend; This Could
Be; In Orbit; No Escape From Bliss; The Right Time; A Call To The
Ancestors; Meditations; We Can’t Breathe; It’s Gonna Be Alright;
Because Of You; Real Episode; Love From The Sun; Changes;
Respect (Amen). (55;45)
Personnel: Theo Croker, trumpet; Kassa Overall, drums; Irwin Hall,
alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet; Michael King, keyboard; Eric
Wheeler, bass; Anthony Ware, baritone saxophone; Ben Eunson,
guitar; Femi Temowo, guitar, Dee Dee Bridgewater, vocals (13).
Ordering info: [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 59

Eric D Vito
BRIDGING
Master Class
Page 70

Fred
Randolph
Pro Session
THE GAP
The Evolution of the
Page 72 Semi-Hollow Guitar
PAGE 62
Christian
M Bride
Transcription
Page 74

Toolshed
Page 76

The late Les Paul with “The Log,” his early semi-hollowbody electric guitar design JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 61
(Photo: Courtesy of the Les Paul Foundation)
  and in 1935, the Rickenbacker corporation decided to attach a
guitar—a popular choice for jazz musicians seeking the subtle- Spanish guitar neck to its Model B lap steel body, creating the
ty of an acoustic voice but with power enough to scream—pro- world’s first solidbody production electric guitar.
vided the missing link in the evolution of guitar design. It is interesting to note that guitars with solid bodies actual-
Over the decades, guitar design has been driven by vision- ly appeared before hollowbody electrics, which entered the mar-
ary manufacturers and highly skilled luthiers but navigated ket in 1936 with Gibson’s ES-150, the first in the company’s “new
by players whose needs are impacted by the popular music Electro-Spanish” line. Electrified hollowbody guitars continued
of the day. From early jazz through swing to increase in popularity throughout the late 1930s and ’40s, and
into bebop, blues, rock ’n’ roll, country, although they did provide the ability to perform at much higher
folk and heavy metal, there has always volumes and opened the door for single-note soloing styles, they
been a guitar built to meet players’ also suffered from feedback issues when pushed beyond a cer-
ever-changing musical demands. tain level. The solution came in 1951 in the form of the Fender
The quest for volume has Telecaster, the first in a lineage of new mass-produced solidbody
remained a key factor in the evolu- electric instruments that would literally “rock” the world.
tion of guitar design. Lloyd Loar’s Gibson responded to the Telecaster in 1952 with its Les Paul
L-5 acoustic archtop guitars, which model, named for the iconic guitarist and inventor who had pre-
he designed for Gibson in 1922, were viously developed his own innovative electric guitar design in
capable of projecting at impressive- 1941. Dubbed “The Log,” Paul’s design featured a solid wood
ly high levels and quickly replaced the plank running down its center, flanked by two hollow wings
tenor banjo in dance orchestras. The cut from an Epiphone archtop. His continuing experimentation
demand for louder instruments con- eventually led to the building of “The Clunker,” based on a high-
tinued with the introduction of larg- ly modified Epiphone Broadway. He recorded for many years
er-bodied archtops, but a major with his Log and Clunker until Gibson presented him with
turning point occurred with the its Les Paul prototype, which featured a solidbody design and
introduction of the magnet- bore little resemblance to Paul’s original vision. However, sev-
ic pickup, ushering in an eral years later, Gibson decided to revisit the “Log” concept, and
entirely new era and for- in 1958 the company introduced the ES-335 semi-hollow gui-
ever altering the musi- tar, which utilized a slimmed-down hollow archtop body with a
cal landscape. solid block of maple running through its center. The guitar was
The history of revolutionary and offered the best of both worlds, providing the
electrified instru- rich acoustic resonance of a hollow body with the strong feed-
ments begins in back resistance of a solid body.
1932, when the This hybrid design, commonly referred to as “semi-hollow,”
National Guitar successfully filled the gap between fully hollow electrified gui-
Corporation intro- tars and solidbody electric models. Gibson’s center-block ES-335
duced the “frying quickly gained a reputation as an extremely versatile guitar
pan” lap steel gui- capable of functioning in a wide variety of musical situations.
tar, the first elec- The huge success of the ES-335 has resulted in numerous
trified produc- copies over the years. Indeed, luthiers and guitar manufactur-
tion instrument. ers the world over have introduced their own versions of the
The popularity of semi-hollow guitar, with prices ranging anywhere from $500
Hawaiian music at the to $15,000. Many are simply clones of the original design, but
time drove the produc- others who have built upon the foundation established by
tion of these instruments, Gibson have added innovations and enhancements that take
the semi-hollow to the next level. We spoke with a select variety of luthiers and
manufacturers and asked them to share their experiences, insights and opinions
with us so that we may gain a deeper insight into the evolution of the semi-hol-
low guitar and the appeal this now-classic design has inspired in guitarists who
inhabit the realms of jazz, blues and beyond.
Eastman Music Company launched its guitar division in 2004 with a line of
hand-carved acoustic archtops that set new standards for quality at an affordable
price. After establishing a firm foothold in the jazz market, Eastman felt it needed to C
-D
EX
expand its horizons and offer electric guitars. According to Otto D’Ambrosio, o
lic
ge
guitar designer at Eastman Guitars, “A semi-hollow was a logical step into An
D’
the electrified world from the conservative acoustic jazz world.”
Eastman introduced its first thinline electric, the T-146, in 2005.
The terms thinline and semi-hollow are frequently confused, so let’s
take this occasion to define the two terms more precisely. Thinline
guitars in general are slimmed-down versions of archtops and can
either be fully hollow with a floating bridge or feature a solid block
to support the bridge, which is generally pinned into the block.
True semi-hollows use the full center block, which divides the
body into two separate tone chambers. Semi-acoustic is anoth-
er term that is frequently used to describe both types of designs.
Expanding further into the electric market, Eastman intro-
duced its first center-block semi-hollows, the T386 and T486, in
2012. The company currently offers nine models of semi-acous-
tic instruments in both laminate and solid woods, with about half
being center-block electrics. w
lo
D’Ambrosio said that the challenge for Eastman in building these ol
i-H
m
guitars was educating themselves in electronics and learning how Se
ky
pickups interact with the physical acoustic properties of the ws
ado
S
instrument. “The combination of the player, acoustic sound
and electric amplification create a trilogy that can tran-
scend the music,” he said. D’Ambrosio believes that the
market is growing because younger players are looking
for different sounds, and he sees semi-hollows cross-
ing over from jazz and blues into a wider variety of
music.
Yamaha entered the electric guitar world in
1966 with the SA5, a fully-hollow thinline guitar,
and followed up by adding several center-block
models to its Semi-Acoustic series in the late 1960s.
Currently, Yamaha offers only one semi-hollow,
the SA2200, which had previously only been avail-
able overseas or through select custom order but has
recently been reintroduced to the U.S. market due to
high customer demand.

Ibanez JSM100VT John Scofield Signature

 According to Armando Vega, marketing manager for Electric laminate that is about half the weight of what the 335 features. “I have
Guitars, Basses and Amps at Yamaha, it was changes in musical taste always focused on the wood and acoustic resonance as a primary factor
that originally prompted the company to expand from acoustics into in my guitars,” he said.
semi-hollow electrics. “It was a sign of the times,” he said. Vega noted Although the name Ibanez dates back to 1929, the company gained
that Yamaha’s 50 years of experience building guitars, coupled with the its foothold in the guitar market in the early 1970s by offering Japanese-
knowledge gained from 120 years manufacturing other instru- manufactured copies of classic American instruments. During this time,
ments and electronic components, has been a key factor in often referred to as the “lawsuit era,” Ibanez quickly gained a reputation
producing a quality product. among players for quality and value. Later branching out into produc-
Vega also pointed out that Yamaha has extensive ing its own guitar designs, Ibanez now features a full line of instruments
resources for quality wood due to its piano and marimba with numerous semi-hollow models available.
business. The company currently sees
a growing interest in semi-hollow gui-
tars among young musicians looking fur-
ther back for influences. “There is no way to
duplicate the sound of a semi-hollow,” Vega
said. “The combination of acoustic reso-
nance and amplification creates magic.”
Luthier Roger Sadowsky has been creat-
ing guitars since 1972, when he built his
flattop acoustic. In 1980 he moved into
solidbody electrics and later basses. A col-
laboration with jazz guitarist Jim Hall
resulted in his first archtop signature
model, released in 2003, and was fol-
lowed up by his second archtop artist
model, the Jimmy Bruno. Adding a semi-hollow to the line With several Japanese companies producing Fender and Gibson
was a natural step for Sadowsky, who felt that there was a clones in the ’70s, Ibanez was the company that altered our perception
demand for a guitar that could produce a traditional jazz of these import guitars by setting new standards and gaining the respect
tone but also be extremely versatile and comfortable with of the professional community. In fact, their hollowbody jazz boxes
a high level of feedback resistance. In designing his gui- were among the first Japanese instruments to break into the American
tar, Sadowsky said, “My semi-hollow has to jazz market with artists like George Benson and Pat Metheny. Ibanez
be a jazz instrument first.” With a strong currently offers a variety of semi-hollows in several lines with its John
conviction that the world did not need Scofield and Eric Krasno Signature models at the top, followed by their
another Gibson 335, his semi-hollow Artstar Prestige offerings. Known for its exceptional value, the Artcore
design features several innovations that series is the company’s standard line. As Ken Youmans, communications
separate it from the pack. and promotions specialist for Ibanez, put it: “You won’t find a better a
In order to reduce mass and increase guitar for the money.”
resonance, Sadowsky utilizes a fully ported Steve Marchione has been building fine guitars since 1990. He individ-
spruce center block design in his semi-hol- ually hand-carves each of his instruments in the tradition of Jimmy
low. Basically, there are openings cut in D’Aquisto and John D’Angelico. As with many luthiers, Marchione began
the block to allow vibration to pass his career making violins before moving into archtop guitars. His entry into
through the entire body. In con- the semi-hollow world was sparked by a customer request, and the result-
trast, the Gibson 335 uses a solid ing guitar has since become a regular model for the builder. Regarding his
maple center block, which semi-hollows, Marchione said that he strives for “the ring and feel of an
completely isolates the two acoustic instrument, but with a great controllable electric tone.”
bouts of the guitar. Sadowsky As a custom builder, Marchione applies the exact same hand-carving
also constructs his guitars techniques to his semi-hollows as
using a special with his archtops. He pro-
duces two models,
the Premium and
Standard. Both
are all solid wood,
as opposed to
the laminate construction common to many other semi-hollows. He also
does not utilize a center block but features a thinline-type bridge support
that is actually carved directly into the top and back, requiring no addi-
tional wood to be glued inside of the body. This results in an extremely
light and resonant instrument. Even his f-holes are custom designed to
maximize vibration of the top. Marchione pointed out that he uses only
hide glue in constructing his instruments and that all facets of his guitars
are built in his workshop, including the components.
D’Angelico is a name that needs no introduction among guitarists.
The handmade archtops built by John D’Angelico between the early
1930s and the late 1950s are among the most sought-after jazz instru-
ments in the world.
The D’Angelico legacy was given new life when the trademark was
purchased in 1999 and again when the company underwent a major
rebranding in 2011. The revitalized company entered the market by man-
ufacturing a reproduction of one of John D’Angelico’s most prolific arch-
top models, the EXL-1. According to Ryan Kershaw, who directs artist
relations at D’Angelico Guitars, they actually used MRI imaging to study
an original D’Angelico model. The company now offers a full lineup of
instruments, including flat-top acoustics, electric and acoustic archtops,
and basses.
“With strong roots in acoustic archtops, it is a very natural progres-
sion to go from fully hollow to semi-hollow guitars,” Kershaw said. He
noted that the company considers it important to reach an expanded
market and introduce their existing customer base to new options. The
D’Angelico line features a center-block semi-hollow, the EX-DC, and
a thinline hollowbody with only a post behind the bridge, the EX-SS.
Kershaw said that achieving a balance between weight, tone and shape
was a particular challenge on these guitars, which went through many
different prototypes during their development stages.
Masaki Nishimura of Westville Guitars in Japan began designing

Marchione Premium
 and building guitars in 2013 with two semi-hollow models that he calls
Butter and Water. Westville Guitars now offers a Kurt Rosenwinkel
signature semi-hollow as well. Nishimura, who was inspired to design
semi-hollows through his love for jazz, produces only about 20 to 30
hand-built guitars each year. While running a jazz guitar store in Tokyo,
he got the idea to build a semi-hollow using a fresh approach that would
set it apart from the Gibson 335.
Rather that using the standard laminate materials, Nishimura went
with a solid carved spruce for his guitar tops and solid hard maple for the
backs. Inspired by an archtop guitar built by luthier Tom Ribbecke,
Nishimura sensed that these materials produced a mellow-
er and richer tone than plywood. Borrowing from the Fender
Telecaster, he also routed the strings from the back of the body
up through the maple center block into an ebony tailpiece,
which helps increase the guitar’s overall vibration.
Nishimura said that the attraction to the semi-hollow
lies in its ability to produce the sustain of a solidbody while
providing the acoustic warmth of a hollowbody. Looking for-
ward, he said that although the 335 is a truly great design, he sees
opportunity to improve on the classics. And that, he believes,
will inspire players to explore new music.
Guild Guitars, which has been in the guitar business for
more than 60 years, offered its first semi-hollow, the Starfire, in
the early 1960s. Over the years, the company has been focused
mainly on its highly successful acoustic guitar line, eventual-
ly discontinuing the bulk of its electric offerings. However, in
the past few years, Guild has been reviving its electric guitar
line and reintroducing many of its classic Starfire semi-hol-
lows and thinline models.
According to Brandon Schmidt, product manager at
Guild Guitars, the original Starfire was introduced as a low-
er-priced competitor to Gibson’s 335. The evolving musical
scene of the ’60s drove the need for Guild to expand from
the jazz guitar market into the rapidly growing rock world.
Now, some 50 years later, the company has once again
sensed the need to expand its reach by bringing these
models back to life. The new laminate Starfires come in
a wide variety of configurations; some are center-block
models, while others are bridge-block models.
Guild refers to them as vintage reproduc-
tions with modern components.
“The challenge with these instru-
ments is setting yourself apart from
the 335 yet maintaining a certain level
of familiarity with the player, keeping
it unique, yet useable,” Schmidt said.
He noted that these guitars have a defi-
nite appeal among younger players look-
ing for a retro vibe. “These guitars feel
completely different than a solid-
body. You can feel the connec-
tion to the archtop world, you
can feel the DNA.”
Paul Reed Smith found-
ed his company, PRS
Guitars, in 1985, offering
custom-made solidbody
electrics. PRS later moved
into producing thinline
hollowbody archtops and
eventually added semi-hol-
lows to its roster. The compa-
ny now manufactures an exten-

66 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

sive variety of these guitars in several distinct
lines, with instruments built both overseas and
in the U.S. According to PRS, expansion into
the jazz and indie markets were two primary
reasons for bringing these guitars to market.
Although PRS does use the term semi-hol-
low on several of its models, the company typ-
ically does not offer a traditional center-block
style guitar (though some artist signature mod-
els and Private Stock one-off guitars are built
that way). Their usual/production version of
the semi-hollow is constructed by routing out
a chamber in a solid guitar body and then cap-
ping it with a separate piece of wood that has a
single f-hole cut into it. This proprietary design
results in a modified version of a solidbody with
reduced weight and added resonance. PRS also
offer its Hollowbody models, which are essen-
tially bridge-block thinline-style guitars with
a piezo pickup system built into the bridge for
added acoustic color.
“PRS Guitars believes that if a guitar looks
good, it makes you want to pick it up,” said Judy
Schaefer, marketing manager at PRS. “If you
pick it up, it feels good and it makes you want
to play it. If you play it, it will sound good, and
it will make you want to keep playing it and
make some music. When you plug a semi-hol-
low guitar into that thought process, the look
of the guitar changes pretty dramatically, and if
you’re like me, an f-hole just looks cool. When
you pick it up, it will be just as comfortable and
familiar as any solidbody guitar we make—
because the back carve is the same, not to men-
tion the care we take in our neck shapes. And
when you play it, even acoustically, the tone
simply has a nice, subtle warm and woody
overtone to it. It is resonant, but won’t feedback.
And that can be a great experience for players
from all walks.”
Quebec-based Godin Guitars—with an
impressive array of products that include its
innovative multiac and electro-acoustic mod-
els, archtops and solidbodies—is a company
that has mastered the art of building amplified
stringed instruments. Godin entered the arch-
top market in 2008 with the 5th Avenue acous-
tic, and quickly followed up with an electrified
version, the Kingpin. The company now offers
a full array of 5th Avenue laminate archtops,
which it lists as part of its semi-hollow guitar
line—but these guitars really fall into the fully
hollow archtop category.
Godin’s first entry into the semi-hollow
arena actually came in 2011 with the release of
its Montreal Premiere, the first model in what
the company now calls its archtop thinlines.
According to Andy Dacoulis, Godin employ-
ee and endorsing artist, “There was a need in
the market for a more affordable but North
American-made semi-hollow guitar.”
Godin felt that versatility, weight and ergo-
nomics were extremely important elements

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 67

 body and hollow- hollowbody and solidbody.
body electrics. The popu- Bill Collings of Collings Guitars, a name
larity of the Gretsch hollowbody that has become synonymous with impeccable
guitars exploded in the 1950s craftsmanship, has been building fine instru-
and ’60s, and their signa- ments since the mid-1980s. Gaining worldwide
ture tone made them the recognition for his flattop guitars, archtops and
axe of choice for many mandolins, Collings moved into electric gui-
early rock ’n’ roll, rock- tars in 2006 with three models: the 290 solid-
abilly and country artists. body, the CL carved-top solidbody and the I-35
Although they did produce some semi-hollow. Collings now offers a robust line
in the thinline models, Gretsch never built a cen- of electrics, with several semi-hollow options in
design of ter-block guitar, but instead featured a wood- the lineup.
its semi-hol- en soundpost support and also utilized a spe- For a company with such a strong acoustic
low and chose cial parallel “trestle” bracing system on select bloodline, it is understandable that a semi-hol-
to utilize a ported guitars. low would be among the first electric guitar
center block, which With such a strong hollowbody legacy, mov- models to be introduced. According to Aaron
it calls a “breathe-through ing into semi-hollow guitars was a rather deli- Huff, manager of electric guitars at Collings,
core.” This helps reduce weight and increase the cate move for the company, which was careful the company’s acoustic experience with arch-
acoustic response. The Montreal Premiere line not to alienate its existing fan base. The release tops and mandolins has played a significant role
is now available with a variety of pickup con- of the Center-Block series in 2013 offered a per- in creating these guitars. He also said that build-
figurations and tailpiece options. Dacoulis said fect compromise since it featured classic Gretch ing a semi-hollow was a bit more of a challenge
that these guitars are seeing an increase in pop- design and tone in a thinner, lighter, more ergo- than expected, with even the smallest chang-
ularity with musicians catching on to the true nomic and feedback-resistant package. es in design and materials making a noticeable
diversity of the semi-hollow and its ability to Jason Barnes, director of category manage- impact. Huff also mentioned that it took sever-
handle any type of gig. He also points out that ment at Gretsch Guitars, noted that the real al attempts to get the pickups voiced just right for
Godin always strives to build something a lit- challenge was in deciding what should stay the the guitars.
tle different and put its own stamp on every same and what needed to change on these new Collings produced only solid-top semi-hol-
instrument. semi-hollows. “It is hard for a legacy company lows at first but has now moved into lami-
Gretsch has been a family-run company in like us,” he said. “We had to build center blocks nates as well. In its solid-top line, the com-
the instrument business since the late 1800s. that look and sound like a Gretsch.” Barnes also pany utilizes the standard solid maple for a
Gretsch released its first Synchromatic archtops said that the new Gretsch Center-Block guitars center-block. But with its laminates, the com-
in 1939 and went on to develop a line of solid- produce a fresh voice that sits right between pany has developed a special laminate block
composed of maple sandwiched between two
layers of spruce. Collings found that this adds
warmth and provides better balance to the lam-
inate guitars.
When it comes to the use of CNC machin-
ery in guitar manufacturing, Bill Collings is
widely recognized as an industry guru who
has raised this technology to the level of a true
art form. According to Huff, “CNC machin-
ery allows us to get closer to the finish line so
we can focus more energy on the finer details
of the instrument.” He went on to say, “But in
the end, these are still handmade instruments
built with a perfect blend of human interac-
tion and automation.”
The semi-hollow holds a significant place
in guitar history, essentially appearing to fill
the large gap created by an industry that had
made the giant leap from amplified archtops
directly into solidbody electrics. The impact of
the Gibson 335 has been undeniable, inspiring
new music and generating countless devot-
ed fans. And although there will always be
those who seek the original, it appears that
the semi-hollow market is still very much alive
and well. As luthiers and manufacturers con-
tinue to explore new designs to accommodate
today’s generation of players, we can look for-
ward to exciting new innovations in the quest
for the elusive tone that sits perfectly between
acoustic and electric. DB

68 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 Woodshed MASTER CLASS
BY ERIC DIVITO

A
jazz musician might play the same tune literally thousands of
times during their lifetime. One of the most important things
about being an improvising musician and about jazz music in
general is being able to keep those tunes seeming new each time. While a
lot of that has to do with the musicians themselves, it can be a useful skill
to arrange tunes in new, creative ways to keep them fresh, unique and
interesting for both the listener and the performers.
Often, an interesting arrangement of a familiar tune can breathe new
life into it and motivate and inspire musicians to look at it from a fresh
and different perspective. Some of the areas of arranging standards I
would like to focus on include form, ensemble and solo texture, rehar-
monization, contrafact, variation and techniques idiomatic to the guitar.
Some tunes are so well known and so deeply ingrained into our
vocabulary that just the first few notes of the melody, or even just one or
two chords, can easily make them recognizable—without ever having to
play even a full measure of the tune itself. This can work to your advan-
tage when doing an arrangement. When changing things like harmony,
melody or form, the essential DNA of the tune is always there for us to
find, no matter how hidden or arranged it is.
Letter “A” shows a familiar tune set to some chord voicings that are
more unusual than the traditional changes but are very idiomatic to the
guitar. These voicings often utilize clusters of half or whole steps, or other
dissonant intervals such as major sevenths. Often open strings are used
to achieve this. These particular voicings lend themselves to having this
statement of the melody played as a chord solo without the rest of the
rhythm section, creating a very beautiful and often dark and haunting
setting. This treatment is very different than the original version. Letter
“A” can sort of function as an introduction to the tune as well, which Eric DiVito

is a good way to start rearranging the form and varying the ensemble
texture. almost exercise-like approach here is a nice contrast to the previous two
Letter “B” introduces an aspect of form that is often overlooked when sections, which have more freedom.
arranging tunes—ensemble texture—particularly the use of unaccom- Letter “D” keeps the alternating variation of form going with anoth-
panied solos. While it is optional to have the bass solo unaccompanied, er solo interlude, this time in the drums. Again, the bass and guitar have
the lack of any time or meter restrictions from the drums or harmonic the option of playing or laying out. They have the option to adhere to
restrictions from the guitar gives the bassist the freedom to follow, devi- or disregard tempo and meter and cue the ensemble back again at let-
ate from or completely abandon the harmony—or perhaps do all three. ter “E.”
Or, maybe the bass and drums play together without a strong sense of Letter “E,” another contrafact, is meant to be almost the extreme
tempo or meter and the guitar lays out. There are many interpretations opposite of the contrafact in letter “C.” This one is meant to sound
that can work to keep it fresh, and that is the point here. This adds an ele- almost as if it was an improvised solo, utilizing motivic rhythmic devel-
ment of freedom that can seem welcoming to a set of chord changes that opment, leaps of larger intervals and some diminished scale runs (bars
can often feel restricting and a tune that can at times feel stale. The big- 68 and 72). There is also another idiomatic guitar technique used here
gest challenge here is having the ensemble cue back together at letter “C,” of letting particular notes ring together to create a beautiful harp-like
where the time and harmony return. Iconic ensembles and rhythm sec- sound (bars 75–80) often used by guitarists such as Bill Frisell. Again,
tions do this in an almost telepathic way (Bill Evans Trio, Miles Davis’ the use of open strings helps to achieve this, much as in letter “A.”
second Quintet, Wayne Shorter Quartet, etc.), so be sure to give them a Letter “F,” which now has the same function as letter “B” and letter
close listen. “D,” keeps the varied alternating solo form consistent. Again, this can be
At letter “C,” we have the full ensemble playing together, in a very just guitar, certain members of the rhythm section or an entire ensem-
chromatic contrafact (a new melody overlaid on a familiar harmonic ble solo. Time, meter, tempo and harmony are just guidelines or sugges-
structure). The constant chromatic motion of the melody often chang- tions. Have fun with how you interpret this section and the others like it.
es the implied harmony but always works due to the strong and famil- The order of instrumental solos is open to change; guitar is offered here
iar harmonic progression. In terms of variation of form, the more strict, merely as a suggestion.

70 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 Letter “G,” the last section of this arrangement, is a chromatic rehar- original melody with the original chord progression. Reinventing the
monization of the main melody. This time the chromatic approach is tune this way breathes new life into it that might help players look at it in
applied to the bass line of the harmony rather than the melody as in letter a new way and not become tired of it. It also is a good way to reimagine a
“B.” Pretty straightforward, but with some interesting chord choices that tune and make it stand out from the usual way others might traditionally
again provide a unique setting of a familiar melody. perform it. Use the ideas and techniques presented here and apply them
Also added is an optional outro or coda at the last measure where the to other tunes—especially your own original compositions—to further
ensemble vamps on the last chord, treating it as a new section of the tune. develop your creative arranging skills. DB
This added section further plays with the form and elaborates on it in a
modal way (B m/C or C phyrgian), opening it up to either more soloing
Guitarist Eric DiVito has been active on the New York City music scene since 2003. He frequently
or ensemble playing. performs at jazz clubs and festivals as both a leader and a sideman, including several tours
While each section here can be looked at on its own as a useful in Canada and work for Carnival and Bateaux Cruises. DiVito also teaches music and directs
ensembles in the New York City public school system, and he maintains a private studio where he
arranging technique, they can also all be strung together to create an teaches guitar techniques, jazz studies and composition privately and via Skype. He has released
two albums on the Pioneer Jazz Collective (PJC) label: Breaking The Ice (2012) and The Second
interesting and flexible arrangement that experiments with melody, Time Around (2013). DiVito endorses Eastman guitars and Flite Sound Innovations speaker
rhythm, harmony, form and ensemble texture without once stating the cabinets. Visit him online at [Link].

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 71

 Woodshed PRO SESSION
BY FRED RANDOLPH

O ne of the most important—and most

neglected—skills a professional musi-
cian must develop is the ability to notate
compositions and arrangements clearly and effec-
tively. By giving proper attention to some basic
principles, you can create charts that will solve
many potential rehearsal and performance prob-
lems. As a guiding principle: When writing
charts, your biggest goal should be clarity.

Good sight-readers look first at “the big

picture.” Most Western music is constructed
in eight-measure phrases, with inner phras-
es of two or four measures. Therefore, a stan-
dard default of four bars per line is a good way
to start. Obviously, there will be occasion-
al phrases that are not even. When this hap-
pens, make the odd phrase obvious by writ-
Fred Randolph
ing it all on one line or splitting it up between
lines that reflect the phrasing. For example, if impossible to miss. Always specify whether the
you have a 10-bar phrase made up of a six-bar coda itself is to be taken before or after a repeat.
sub phrase plus a four-bar sub phrase, use one And always use a final double-bar to signify the
line of music for the six-bar phrase and anoth- ending of a piece.
er line for the four-bar phrase. This way, the
chart will flow in the same manner that the
music does. The key to good harmonic progression is
Proper notation of the form or “roadmap” the bass line. If you have a strong bass line, the
is critical to making sight-reading easy. Use harmonic contours tend to be clear. For exam-
carefully placed rehearsal-letter names such ple, when naming diminished chords, use the
“A,” “B,” “C” to denote the different sections of bass line to show direction and to name the
the chart. A good sight-reader will look over the chord in question. To illustrate, if you have
form first, so you want to make this clear. When the three-chord progression Gmaj7–Adim7–
using first and second endings, if possible put Ami7, the Adim7 leading to Ami7 should be
them both on the same line so that the section notated as G#dim7 (or G#°7) instead, because
following the second ending begins at the start it is built on the leading tone in the key of A
of the following line (see Example 1). minor. And although this chord could be con-
When a section ends, utilize a double bar to strued as Bdim7, Ddim7 or Fdim7 in various
add visual clarity. Try to start new sections at contexts, none of these reflect the bass move-
the beginning of a line of music rather than in ment of this progression, so stick with calling it
the middle of a line. If the tune has an intro, G#dim7 (see Example 2).
separate this clearly and label it, followed by the When writing out chord symbols for
first section of the main melody, which you’ll rhythm section players and soloists, keep in
call letter “A.” mind that this type of musical shorthand is not
Proofread your charts to be sure you have completely standardized. When distinguishing
things like D.S. and coda signs in the correct between major and minor chords, don’t simply
place on all parts. As a performer, there is noth- use “M” or “m.” The clearest way is to use “maj”
ing more frustrating than finding a D.S. sign or “mi.” Triangles (for major chords) and dash-
with no coda sign following it. Always put the es (for minor chords) are commonly used by
coda itself on a separate line, and indent that jazz arrangers, but spelling out “maj” or “mi”
line if possible. Since codas and their related leaves no dispute.
signs are so important, I use a Sibelius func- If the chord in question has complex alter-
tion that colors them bright red so that they are ations, putting parentheses around the alter-

72 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

ations makes them easier to “grab” visually. If space the notes correctly with regard to the beat
you want to specify the exact notes in a chord, and to leave enough room for the rhythms to be
spell the notes to the alterations. For example, clearly understood. Use beams to group notes
in a C7(#9 5) chord, use D# for the raised ninth; such as eighths and 16ths (write eighths in
use Gb for the flat five rather than F#; and use groups of four). Make sure that the sight-reader
Bb for the lowered seventh rather than A#. can see rhythmic subdivisions easily. This pri-
Also include a chord symbol above the chord marily involves “seeing” the middle of the mea-
even when writing the notes out. Reading fully sure. To do this, the writer should use ties if
notated chords is difficult at fast tempos, and going past beat 2 in a 4/4 measure.
the use of a chord symbol helps to give the pia-
nist or guitarist a fighting chance. Summary
Good chart notation is a critical element in
bandleading, rehearsing and performing.
Don’t overwrite rhythm section parts. Remember that while notation software can
Drummers, for example, don’t want to read make your job easier, it won’t teach you how
written-out parts other than that which is abso- to notate charts well. The best teachers are
lutely essential. You can specify a groove by your fellow professional musicians: Ask them
writing it out once, then use measure-repeat what works and what doesn’t. Learn from
symbols and the word “simile” to indicate that every mistake or criticism (assuming it is pos-
the player should continue in a similar man- itive or constructive criticism). Always ask
ner until the next musical event (see Example yourself, “How can I make this chart easier/
3). Bass players don’t need every note of a walk- simpler to read?” And don’t hesitate to con-
ing bass line written out. Just provide them sult reference books such as The Art of Music
with chord symbols and say “swing,” “walk,” Copying (Roerick), by Clinton Roemer, and
“two-beat,” etc., at the beginning of the sec- Music Notation, Theory and Technique (Berklee
tion. I have often seen complex 12/8 bass-line Press), by Mark McGrain. DB
notations that, unless they’re played in unison
with another instrumental part, could be better
Fred Randolph is a professional bassist, composer, arranger and
indicated by writing “afro 12/8” with the appro- educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has released
three CDs as a leader. His most recent, Song Without Singing,
priate chord symbols. is available through [Link]. Visit Randolph online at
In all the instrumental parts, be sure to [Link], or write to him at fredran@[Link].

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 73

 Woodshed SOLO
BY JIMI DURSO

Christian McBride

JIMMY KATZ

B assist Christian McBride has been on the

scene for a long time, and for this transcrip-
tion we go back 20 years to his second album
lar contour, making them sound more related.
In the very next measures, he does the same
thing with notes, going from a fifth to a fourth
as a leader, Number Two Express (Verve, 1996). in bar 5, and repeats the same notes in bar 6,
McBride’s composition “Grove” (for trumpet- only with variations on the rhythm. So he’s
er Roy Hargrove) is a medium swing number. gone from retaining the rhythm and altering
It’s a 16-bar form that moves through a handful the notes to repeating the notes with different
of keys in classic bebop manner. McBride does rhythms. In both cases we get a combination of
something unexpected with the arrangement variation and repetition, giving us ideas that are
by writing in half a shout chorus and soloing on related but also move forward. He even brings
the second half, doing this twice before taking a back the same motif in bar 13, but with a dif-
full chorus of his own. ferent rhythm. This adds more cohesion to his
McBride reuses other ideas, especially solo.
rhythms, intervals and phrasing contours, McBride’s second half-chorus starts out
paraphrasing himself as a means of creating with another triplet lick, but he implies a poly-
ideas that sound connected but also move in a rhythm by repeating two notes across the trip-
direction. Measures 3 and 4 are the first exam- let. These two notes are a whole step apart. After
ple. McBride sets up a rhythmic idea of two a couple of low notes, he plays an intervallic lick
triplets with a rest on the first beat of the first that goes down a minor third and up a whole
triplet grouping. He repeats this rhythm three step. In the next bar, McBride plays the same
times (and implies it at the end of bar 4). For intervals in the same rhythms, only moves the
the first two iterations, they even share a simi- whole thing down a fifth, with the exception of

74 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

the second two notes on beat 3’s triplet, keep- lic pattern, it doesn’t come across as jarring (the
ing those the same. Moving the lick down a fact that it’s in the middle of a bunch of 16th
fifth makes sense, since the chord moves down notes helps as well).
a fifth from C7 to Fmaj7, so it’s the same motif Another example of moving an idea around
modulated to fit the chord. And since there are happens in bars 29 and 30, where McBride plays
no sevenths in the lick, he doesn’t have to alter it up a major triad (from the third), does the same
at all to fit the new chord quality. thing down a whole step and then back up a
There’s another example of McBride doing whole step. It’s especially effective since these
this with intervals, only in a smaller time- triads are the actual chord changes. Also, he
frame. In bar 23, he plays a 16th-note run where couples the ideas of repeating an intervallic idea
each beat consists of descending major second– with repeating a rhythmic idea. He even uses
minor third–major second, and brings this the rhythm from the beginning, the back-to-
entire sequence down a minor second and then back triplets with a rest on the first beat. This
a major second. One curiosity is that the mid- helps bring his solo back around to the open-
dle iteration, F#–E–C#–B, doesn’t fit the sound ing, setting up the finish. DB
of the underlying harmony. The seventh of D7
is C natural, so the C# is an “outside” note, but Jimi Durso is a guitarist and bassist based in the New York area.
because the ear hears it as part of an interval- Visit him online at [Link].

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 75

 Toolshed

recommend a nylon guitar that Keith

Richards could play in a stadium environment.
The Electric Nylon was the perfect fit. Since then, Sadowsky’s
Electric Nylons have been well received by jazz musicians such as Pat
Metheny, John Abercrombie and John Scofield.
The Electric Nylon is part of Sadowky’s NYC line of guitars hand-built
in his New York shop. At first glance, the high-level craftsmanship is obvi-
ous. The guitar we tested had a beautiful figured koa top, but maple is also
available as an option. The body is constructed from two solid pieces of
African mahogany called okoume, which is then capped with the koa
wood. The bolt-on neck is made from maple and features a Strat-style peg-
head with Sperzel gold tuners. The bridge is Sadowsky’s own design, and
its flowing asymmetric shape really adds to the guitar’s “cool” factor.

Roger Sadowsky Picking up the guitar, I was immediately impressed by its light weight.
The second thing that hit me was how comfortable the instrument felt in

Electric Nylon
my hands. Classical guitars can be quite awkward for players who are not
used to them, and building a nylon-string that would fit into the hands of
a non-classical player was a priority for Sadowsky. “I designed it for some-
Professional-Grade Hybrid Guitar

I
one coming to it from the steel-string acoustic or electric world as opposed
n the late 1980s, luthier Roger Sadowsky began to hear complaints to classical,” he said. The guitar features a hybrid 1 7/8-inch neck width
from New York session musicians about the shortcomings of the that is slimmer than a traditional nylon but wider than a standard steel-
Gibson Chet Atkins solidbody nylon guitar. So, he decided to build a string guitar. In addition, the morado fingerboard has a slight radius to it
better one. In 1990, Sadowsky unveiled his Electric Nylon Guitar, a true as opposed to the typical flat board on classical guitars.
professional-grade hybrid instrument designed to offer the nylon string Although the Electric Nylon feels more like an electric than a classical
experience to non-classical players. guitar, the instrument definitely has its own voice. A customized Barbera
At the time, Gibson’s Chet Atkins model was the only option available transducer system is installed into the saddle under each string and con-
in the electrified nylon string category, but it had a few drawbacks in terms trolled by a simple volume and tone knob. Sadowsky’s onboard buffer pre-
of its excessive weight, intonation problems and issues with tone. Sadowsky amp insures that the guitar will sound good through a wide variety of
took all of this into consideration in building his nylon hybrid and went amplifiers and also when going direct into a PA system.
with a chambered body design to reduce the instrument’s weight and Overall, the Sadowsky Electric Nylon represents everything that a
increase resonance. This is accomplished by routing out numerous small good hybrid guitar should be: functional, comfortable, versatile, reliable
pockets in the guitar’s two-piece mahogany body. Upon completion of his and with great tone. Available for $4,700, it’s no surprise that this model
first Electric Nylon, fate stepped in when Sadowsky, who was then working has become popular among jazz and Latin jazz players. —Keith Baumann
with the Rolling Stones to prepare for their Steel Wheels tour, was asked to Ordering info: [Link]

Fishman TriplePlay FC-1 Controller

Versatile MIDI Guitar at Your Feet

W
hen Fishman released its TriplePlay wireless guitar USB con- FC-1 was the solution, and although it is a fairly simple device that stores
troller in 2013, MIDI guitar was forever changed for the better. very little actual data and mainly functions as a controller box, it offers a
Offering an affordable, highly accurate plug-and-play solution, significant boost to TriplePlay users in terms of added convenience and
TriplePlay has given guitarists access to an entirely new world previously increased possibilities.
dominated by keyboardists. Pushing the door open even further, Fishman The FC-1 appears as a fairly standard floor box with three momentary
has introduced the TriplePlay FC-1 Controller, a $199.95 floor pedal unit foot switches and an LCD display. Wireless connection to a TriplePlay-
that provides direct access and control of MIDI synths and sound modules. enabled guitar is accomplished by simply plugging a USB dongle direct-
Prior to the availability of the FC-1, use of the TriplePlay required con- ly into a port on the FC-1. The controller uses the same dongle that comes
nection to a computer or iOS device in order to trigger software patch- with the TriplePlay pickup and is hot-swappable between the controller
es. This could be done through the bundled TriplePlay software or via and computer. Once paired with the guitar, the FC-1 can be connected to
any MIDI-compliant application. Although the wireless USB connection any MIDI device such as a sound module or synth via a standard MIDI out
made things fairly easy, hauling an expensive computer to a gig or record- connection on the controller.
ing session can definitely be seen as a drawback. According to Triple Play For basic guitar synth capabilities, this simple configuration is all that
Product Manager Jason Jordan, Fishman wanted to eliminate this poten- is required, but the FC-1 is capable of a whole lot more. The unit also has
tial obstacle and provide access to MIDI sounds through a floor pedal. The a hardwire USB connection that allows it to connect to your computer for

76 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

control over the TriplePlay software or MIDI-compliant package.
In addition, the FC-1 can serve as a standalone USB MIDI con-
troller. For those planning to keep a computer in their rigs, the
FC-1 provides the advantage of allowing it to now be placed safe-
ly off stage.
The controller also features a guitar in and out connection, which
allows you to access your instrument’s standard signal in addition to
the synth sounds. There are a host of possible configurations here, and
apparently users are coming up with new ways to use the FC-1 every day. to the mix
According to Jordan, “People are using the FC-1 for a lot more than its offers even
original intention.” more potential,
I connected the FC-1 to an external sound module, and setup was allowing you to pro-
quick and easy. The LCD display provides configuration information such gram the controller’s indi-
as patch name and number, connection status, battery level and the state of vidual footswitches and pro-
the Guitar/Mix/Synth switch on the controller. There are three footswitch- viding access to the entire universe
es: two that control patch up or down, and one for controlling the assignable of software patches and MIDI-aware
hold feature within a patch. An onboard tuner is available, and an expres- applications.
sion pedal can also be connected to the FC-1. The unit even offers control With the addition of the FC-1 Controller, Fishman has taken yet
over individual string sensitivity, avoiding the need to adjust these settings another major leap forward in MIDI guitar technology and brought its
via the TriplePlay software. Overall, the FC-1 does its job very well and the TriplePlay product to a whole new level. —Keith Baumann
ability to perform without a computer is a huge benefit. Adding a computer Ordering info: [Link]

Spector CodaBass Pro

Punchy, Versatile ‘Jazz’ Bass

S
pector has been producing distinctive, quality instruments for bass- pickup blend, treble boost (+12db) and bass boost (+12db). While
ists and guitarists since 1976. Known for their unique contoured not traditional, the controls are intuitive and provide the player
design, the original NS-1 and NS-2 basses were designed by none with a wide range of tonal possibilities.
other than Ned Steinberger in collaboration with Stuart Spector out of I tested this bass in a number of performance situations and
his Brooklyn workshop. Those instruments became an industry standard through a few different rigs, including an Aguilar Tone Hammer
known for workmanship, playability and aggressive, powerful tone. 500 through a Bag End 4 x 10, Ashdown PiBass and GK 800RB
Based on feedback from their artists, back in 2009 Spector set out to through an Ashdown ABM 4 x 10 and/or a Schroeder 2 x 12.
create a bass with a more traditional design that remained consistent with In every situation, including one particularly difficult room,
the sound and superior playability that their instruments were known for. the Coda P4 Pro punched through the mix with its variety
Enter the CodaBass. of powerful and present tones. The treble and bass boost
The Spector CodaBass comes in a variety of styles and price ranges. controls give you the ability to go vintage-to-modern in a
The American-made basses were first made available in 2010 and are at a hurry. During solos, the bridge pickup showed off its tra-
price point consistent with the other American Spector basses. Demand ditional jazz punch (“Teen Town,” anybody?). I couldn’t
for a more affordable instrument led to the CodaBass Pro series, construct- help going into “Jaco” mode: The neck pickup when
ed in Spector’s Korean factory (same one since 1995). My test bass was the soloed was huge. Incredible richness and g rowl
four-string Coda P4 Pro featuring two Stuart Spector passive Jazz-style made it great for rock or r&b. Boost both
pickups. Other models, including five-strings, are available with either one the treble and bass and set the pickups
Precision-style pickup or in a P/J configuration. equally, and you get a superb, mod-
Out of the box, it was clear that this is no ordinary “Jazz” bass. This par- ern slap tone. Did I mention this
ticular Coda P4 Pro featured a gorgeous Tobacco Burst finish (new this bass was versatile?
year) on an equally impressive figured maple top. Also striking was At a street price of $839.99
Spector’s black hardware, including a locking, top-loading bridge and (five-string models available start-
modern tuning pegs. ing at $899.99), the Spector Coda
The select alder body was surprisingly light, and the one-piece maple P4 Pro is a strong contender if you
neck with rosewood fingerboard contributed to making the bass well bal- are considering a modern take
anced and comfortable. The fits and finishes of this instrument were top on a traditional instrument. It
notch, and playability out of the box was superb—fast and smooth. I did would be difficult to find supe-
not need to make a single adjustment before taking the bass “to work.” rior quality at this price point.
This is a testament to the new relationship that Spector has with distribu- With Korg USA support-
tor Korg USA, where each bass is inspected and adjusted before being sent ing Spector, you should
out to the public. be seeing more of these
Integral to the sound of the CodaBass Pro models is the Stuart Spector top-notch instruments
(SS) passive pickups and the Czech-made TonePump Jr. preamp. The on stages everywhere.
newly designed pickups were released last spring and feature a more tra- —Jon Paul
ditional look with exposed alnico pole pieces. Controls are master volume, More info: [Link]
 1

Toolshed GEAR BOX

1. Health Monitor
D’Addario’s Humiditrak is a climate-
monitoring system designed to decrease
damage to musical instruments with
real-time temperature, humidity and
impact updates via Bluetooth. By placing
the small Humiditrak device inside a
musical instrument or instrument case,
environmental updates can be viewed using
the system’s free smartphone application.
When Humiditrak detects that conditions are
less than ideal, a push notification is sent to the
owner’s phone, allowing them to take action
before damage occurs.
More info: [Link]

2. Melodic Harmony
Jamey Aebersold Jazz has published Jazz Guitar
Harmony: The Melodic Approach, by guitarist and
educator Zvonimir Tot. The book-and-CD package
explores the melodic possibilities that are inherent
to good harmonic voice-leading and aims to provide 3
creative yet systemized solutions for players who
frequently find themselves in a chord-voicing rut. Tot
gets straight to the heart of explaining the relevant
principles of harmony used in jazz and how they
apply to the guitar.
More info: [Link]
2
3. Guitar Hang
Ultimate Support’s Genesis Series GS-1000 Pro guitar
stand and GS-10 guitar hanger feature improvements
to the yoke mechanism from previous versions.
The new models have been engineered to work
better with guitars featuring unique shapes and
asymmetrical bodies. A dual-spring yoke design,
updated indentation shape and Santoprene coating
allow the mechanism to more effectively support
guitar designs that were once difficult to showcase in
a hanging stand format.
More info: [Link]

4. 6-String Solos
Hal Leonard has released 25 Great Jazz Guitar Solos,
a book and audio compendium that provides
solo transcriptions in standard notation and
tablature, as well as lessons on how to play them.
The accompanying audio (available online for
downloading or streaming) contains full-band
demonstrations of every guitar solo in the book
and allows players to set loop points, change keys,
pan left or right and slow down tracks without
changing pitch. Songs include “Days Of Wine And
Roses” (featuring Pat Martino), “I’ve Found A New
Baby” (Charlie Christian), “Like Someone In Love”
(Tal Farlow), “Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You
Be?)” (Joe Pass), “Nardis” (Mike Stern), “Nothing
Personal” (Pat Metheny), “Orange, Brown And
Green” (Herb Ellis), “Whisper Not” (Jim Hall),
“The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise”
(Django Reinhardt) and more.
More info: [Link]

5. Squeal-Free Pickup
Seymour Duncan has released the Apollo
Jazz Bass Linear Humbucker, available in
neck and bridge models for four- and five-
string electric basses. The hand-built pickup
is completely noiseless and can be purchased
individually or in matched sets.
More info: [Link]

78 DOWNBEAT JULY 2016

 For Rates: call (630) 941-2030. All ads are prepaid, no agency commission. Check, money order, and all major

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 DB Buyers Guide
ACT Music .............................. 29 Jazz Education Network ........ 69
[Link] [Link]
All Parts ................................. 73 Jensen Speakers ..................... 11
[Link] [Link]
American Pianists Association..41 JodyJazz ................................ 10
[Link] [Link]
BFM Jazz ................................ 59 Julia Miller Music .................. 74
[Link] [Link]
Blue Note Records ..................12 Legere ...................................... 7
[Link] [Link]
Cannonball Music .................... 9 Litchfield Jazz Festival............. 8
[Link] [Link]
Capri Records..........................16 Mack Avenue ......................... 35
[Link] [Link]
Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival ... 42 MacSax ...................................31
[Link] [Link]
Carlos Vega Music ................. 74 Mark Campellone .................. 66
[Link] [Link]
Chicago Jazz Festival .............60 Music Dispatch .......................17
[Link] [Link]
Collings Guitars........................5 Newport Jazz Festival ... 53, 55, 57
[Link] [Link]
Cuneiform Records ................ 20 NS Design .............................. 65
[Link] [Link]
Czech Ease ............................. 67 [Link] .............................. 83
[Link] [Link]
D’Addario .........................21, 84 Pacific Harp Project ............... 73
[Link] [Link]
D’Angelico Guitars..................15 Paul Van Kemenade Music .... 22
[Link] [Link]
Detroit Jazz Festival .............. 58 Rhino Entertainment ............. 39
[Link] [Link]
DownBeat .............................. 79 Roger Sadowsky .................... 67
[Link] [Link]
Eastman Music ........................ 2 Sabian.....................................51
[Link] [Link]/en
ECM Records ............................ 4 Sam Ash ................................. 50
[Link] [Link]
ESP-Disk ................................. 59 Sher Music ............................. 67
[Link] [Link]
Galaxy Audio .........................49 Smoke Sessions ...................... 45
[Link] [Link]
George L’s .............................. 68 Sony Music .......................37, 47
[Link] [Link]
Grestch .................................. 27 Sunnyside Records .................19
[Link] [Link]
Guitars Over Guns.................. 72 Suzi Reynolds & Associates .... 75
[Link] [Link]
Ibanez .................................... 23 Telluride Jazz Festival............ 34
[Link] [Link]
IMS Technologies .................. 66 Vandoren ................................. 3
[Link] [Link]

JULY 2016 DOWNBEAT 81

 JOE MARTINEZ
Blindfold Test BY TED PANKEN

Sherman Irby
E
leven years into his second stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center
Orchestra, Sherman Irby embodies the notion of the versatile
jazz musician; he’s widely celebrated for his skills as a soloist on
alto, soprano and sopranino saxophones, as a first-call section player,
as a composer-arranger and as a combo leader, as documented on four
albums released on his Black Warrior Records label.

Logan Richardson
“Slow” (Shift, Blue Note, 2016) Richardson, alto saxophone; Pat Metheny, guitar; Jason
Moran, piano; Harish Raghavan, bass; Nasheet Waits, drums.
Sounds like Eric Marienthal. This person has a lot of technique. Miguel
Zenón? I can’t tell who this is. It’s an interesting type of chaos—not in a
bad way; I think they’re going for that. I can’t pat my foot to it, but that
may be its purpose. There’s art in that, too. The guitar player is bad! Not
my thing, but it’s creative. 3 stars. Sherman Irby

David Binney
“Curious About Texas” (Lifted Land, Criss Cross Jazz, 2013) Binney, alto saxophone; Arthur Blythe
Craig Taborn, piano; Eivind Opsvik, bass; Tyshawn Sorey, drums. “Odessa” (Lenox Avenue Breakdown, Columbia, 1979) Blythe, alto saxophone; James
Newton, flute; James Blood Ulmer, electric guitar; Bob Stewart, tuba; Cecil McBee, bass;
There’s some Greg Osby in there. Playing with moods. Trying to create Jack DeJohnette, drums; Guilherme Franco, percussion.
colors. Double-time swing on top of slower time. I like how they get mad You said it’s [from] the end of the ’70s—I hear a lot of Kenny Garrett
now. Whoever it is, is creating drama with different colors and feelings, coming out of that! I’m stumped. Great alto saxophonist. This is sincere.
using different parts of the instruments to create different sounds, every- It’s not, “I’m going to do something just to sound like I’m doing some-
body communicating. The saxophone is not sitting on top of the band, thing.” That’s a blues guitar player. Bob Stewart on tuba? 4½ stars.
but is part of the whole tapestry, and, when he does step out, it creates
another type of drama. It’s not swinging, but this is art. It’s like impro- Rudresh Mahanthappa
vised classical music. I like it. 3 stars. “Talin Is Thinking” (Bird Calls, ACT Music, 2015) Mahanthappa, alto saxophone; Adam
O’Farrill, trumpet; Matt Mitchell, piano; François Moutin, bass; Rudy Royston, drums.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra This reminds me of Chris Potter, but Chris isn’t playing alto now. A lot of
“I Love You” (Forever Lasting: Live In Tokyo, Planet Arts, 2011) Dick Oatts, alto saxo- that style comes out of what Steve Coleman was doing in the 1990s, play-
phone solo; Billy Drewes, Walt Weiskopf, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, saxophones;
John Mosca, Luis Bonilla, Jason Jackson, trombone; Douglas Purviance, bass trom-
ing melodic and cold at the same time—but cold like Miles was cold. This
bone; Nick Marchione, Tanya Darby, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt, trumpet; Michael isn’t my thing, but it’s good, with a lot of emotion, drama, dynamics—
Weiss, piano; David Wong, bass; John Riley, drums. things that make good music. 3½ stars.
This person is playing the heck out of that ballad. I like the air in the
sound, the way it tapers so you can feel the emotion at the end of the Alan Ferber Nonet
“Clocks” (Roots & Transitions, Sunnyside, 2016) Ferber, trombone; Jon Gordon, alto sax-
note. Steve Wilson? The use of the mutes, the colors, made it sound like
ophone; John Ellis, tenor saxophone; Charles Pillow, bass clarinet; Shane Endsley, trum-
Maria [Schneider]’s band, but I can see it’s not. It’s “I Love You,” changed pet; Nate Radley, guitar; Bryn Roberts, piano; Matt Clohesy, bass; Mark Ferber, drums.
around a bit. He’s going for it, without worrying about cracking a note— The level of technique tells me this is strictly an alto player; you can’t
it’s all emotion. The vibrato is beautiful. Beautiful technique in the upper achieve that by touching the horn every so often. Listen to how clear the
register, too. 4½ stars. That was a treat. jumps are. It’s hard to identify the alto player. It’s a vibe kind of tune, with
a long melody, different movements, different statements, but not much
Maria Schneider Orchestra thought into what the soloist is going to play. 3 stars.
“Nimbus” (The Thompson Fields, ArtistShare, 2015) Steve Wilson, alto saxophone solo;
Dave Pietro, Rich Perry, Donny McCaslin, Scott Robinson, saxophones/woodwinds;
Tony Kadleck, Greg Gisbert, Augie Haas, Mike Rodriguez, trumpet/flugelhorn; Keith Donald Harrison
O’Quinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes, trombone; George Flynn, bass trombone; Gary “Cut & Paste” (This Is Jazz: Live At The Blue Note, Half Note, 2011) Harrison, alto saxo-
Versace, accordion; Lage Lund, guitar; Frank Kimbrough, piano; Jay Anderson, bass; phone; Ron Carter, bass; Billy Cobham, drums.
Clarence Penn, drums. “Rhythm” changes. Older cat? I wanted to say Lee Konitz. Bobby Watson?
This sounds like Maria’s writing. Charlie Pillow on alto? Ah, that’s Steve Oh, it’s Duck. He doesn’t articulate real hard. None of his stuff is done
Wilson. I thought he was playing the flute part. When you play together with bell tones; that’s just his style. What Ron Carter is doing on the
so much, you pull a lot from each other. 4 stars. bass is just about impossible for anybody. Very complex fingerings and
approaches. The drummer is Billy Cobham? I wouldn’t have guessed
Paquito D’Rivera him. 5 stars. DB
“Tojo” (Panamericana Suite, MCG Jazz, 2010) D’Rivera, alto saxophone; Dana Leong,
trombone; Diego Urcola, trumpet; David Samuels, vibraphone; Andy Narell, steel pans;
Alon Yavnai, piano; Oscar Stagnaro, bass; Mark Walker, drums.
Robin Eubanks on trombone? SFJAZZ? No? Mike Rodriguez on trum- The “Blindfold Test” is a listening test that challenges the featured artist to discuss and
identify the music and musicians who performed on selected recordings. The artist is
pet? That’s Paquito. The upper register. He has impeccable technique. then asked to rate each tune using a 5-star system. No information is given to the artist
Very aggressive. It’s tight. It has virtuosity, passion and soul. 4½ stars. prior to the test.

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