JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

THE JAZZ EDUCATOR’S MAGAZINE jazzedmagazine.com $4.99

SNARKY PUPPY’S

‘Art Always Comes First’

INSIDE
Jazz Pedagogy: Learning to Play Using
Authentic Jazz Articulations
Jimmy Heath: Picture Perfect
Th e Wo r ld’s #1 Ja z z Im p ro v i s a t i o n M e t ho d
fr o m
Jamey Aebersold
Do w n l o a d As

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View The Complete Selection of Available Titles at:

jazzbooks .com
 I like developing things. To me, it’s also
a creative process. It’s as creative to me as
composing or playing on stage.
- Michael League

12

STELLA K
Contents JA N UA RY/ F E B R UA RY 2 02 0

features
LESSONS LEARNED
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD BAND BETTER 8
Effective rehearsal techniques and teaching insight for jazz
educators to help your students level up
SPOTLIGHT
SNARKY PUPPY’S MICHAEL LEAGUE: ‘ART ALWAYS
COMES FIRST’ 12
League’s story is one where talent, drive, vision, and
serendipitous circumstances all came together in just the
right ways, even though at the outset there was no grand
plan
FOCUS SESSION
JAZZ PEDAGOGY: LEARNING TO PLAY USING
8
AUTHENTIC JAZZ ARTICULATIONS 18
Tips for how to correctly articulate in a jazz swing
departments

style, greatly enhancing performance skills and overall Editor’s Note ........................................... 2
understanding of the jazz idiom Noteworthy ............................................. 4
OUTLIER’S BLUES
What’s On Your Playlist? ......................... 6
JIMMY HEATH: PICTURE PERFECT 24
Picture of Heath wasn’t indicative of jazz circa 1975; rather, Jazz Festivals Worldwide...................... 17
it was a work for the ages. You’d expect nothing less from a Hot Wax ................................................ 21
genius like Heath
Gearcheck ............................................. 25
GUEST EDITORIAL
THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC: 201 26 Classifieds ............................................ 27
Every musical marketplace is different, from New York to Ad Index ................................................ 27
San Francisco, and from to Milan to Tokyo. Here’s how to
navigate booking jazz shows in any area Backbeat ............................................... 28
Cover Image by Stella K
JAZZed® Volume 15, Number 1, January/February 2020, is published six times annually by Timeless Communications Corp., 6000 South Eastern Ave., Suite 14-J, Las Vegas, NV 89119, (702) 479-1879, publisher of Musical Merchandise Review, School
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January/February 2020 • JAZZed 1

editor’sletter CHRISTIAN WISSMULLER

Sailing Into Destiny JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

A
Volume 15, Number 1
s you read this editorial, I fully expect some of you to
throw your hands up in disgust and frustration, thinking:
“What does this have to do with jazz?!!?” Be patient – I’ll
PRESIDENT Terry Lowe
get there. [email protected]
I am a Rush fan. I’m not the biggest acolyte and my interest
sags considerably after 2112 and almost completely after Moving Pictures, but the band’s PUBLISHER Greg Gallardo
[email protected]
– and late drummer Neil Peart’s – influence on my “musical life” really can’t be overstated.
I learned to listen to music like a musician thanks to Rush. Editorial
By ninth grade I was already a fully formed music geek – of the hard rock variety. I reg- EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christian Wissmuller
ularly got detention for drawing my favorite groups’ logos on school desks, I poured over [email protected]
articles in Hit Parader, Rolling Stone, Circus (fun fact: I later wrote for Circus!), Maximum-
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Victoria Wasylak
rocknroll, and Flipside, and I had taken up guitar. It wasn’t until a buddy of mine introduced [email protected]
me to Rush in ninth grade, however, that I turned a significant page in my fandom – and,
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mike Lawson
more importantly, as a musician and music aficionado.
[email protected]
“Did you hear that

I can’t over-estimate the

drum fill?” asked this Art
friend as we listened to ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Mike Street
number of fellow students I met
All the World’s a Stage
[email protected]
that fall.

while at Berklee for whom Rush

Did I hear it? Well, I SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Angela Marlett
mean, I know there were [email protected]

was the gateway drug to prog and

drums there and, yes, I
heard it, but… what? Advertising

jazz.
Again: I was already a ACCOUNT MANAGER Matt King
[email protected]
bigtime music fan (snob,
even!), but the act of ACCOUNT MANAGER
parsing out what individual instruments and components were doing in a particular song Jeff Donnenwerth
[email protected]
or passage – this was new stuff for me and it opened up an entirely larger comprehension.
In subsequent decades I’ve been told (frequently) by significant others, friends, ACCOUNT MANAGER Matt Huber
co-workers that when I say something along the lines of, “That bass line right there – Oh, [email protected]
man!” they have no idea what I’m talking about (and, more often than not, find it eye-roll
GREATER CHINA
worthy). As it turns out, “close listening” to music does not equate to “listening as a mu- Judy Wang
sician” and the latter is a skill (or curse. Ask my ex) that I owe almost exclusively to Rush. Worldwide Focus Media
C: 0086-13810325171
There is a lot of talk amongst those in the music industry and involved in music educa-
E: [email protected]
tion about “Where are all the guitar gods now?” and “When’s the next truly big band going
to come around?” to drive interest and sales. Bands like Rush and musicians like Neil Peart Business
create the true, life-long music makers that we also are so often seeking out – but in this VICE PRESIDENT William Hamilton Vanyo
specific case, musicians who often find their way to jazz. [email protected]

I can’t over-estimate the number of fellow students I met while at Berklee for whom CIRCULATION MANAGER Naomi Crews
Rush was the gateway drug to prog and jazz. Unlike those excellent musicians, I’m not [email protected]
someone who – after absorbing the virtuosity of Peart, Lee, and Lifeson – went on to
spend the hours upon hours required to hone my chops to near-perfection.
I am someone who was introduced to Rush and the playing of Neil Peart as a youngster
and learned how to hear and understand the language and nuance of music in an entirely
new and bigger way, which has enhanced my life immeasurably. 6000 South Eastern Ave., #14-J
In the weeks since he died, it’s become clear – albeit in no way surprising – that many Las Vegas, NV 89119
others shared that experience. 702-479-1879
Fax: 702-554-5340
Thanks, Neil.

RPMDA
Christian Wissmuller
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK

[email protected]

2 JAZZed • January/February 2020

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 noteworthy
South Arts Opens Applications
Charleston Jazz for Touring Musician Grants
Announces New South Arts is now accepting applica-
tions for the second cycle of Jazz Road
kets or secure engagements in parts of
the country that rarely see touring jazz

Executive Director Tours, offering grants of up to $15,000 to

support tours by emerging and mid-ca-
artists, and Jazz Road aims to make tour-
ing possible.”
Charleston Jazz has announced reer jazz artists. Artists can apply for funds This cycle of Jazz Road funding will
Tatjana Beylotte as their new execu- to build tours that include three to six support tours occurring between August
sites, with an emphasis on bringing jazz 2020 and August 2021. Recipients will be
tive director. She was originally hired
to rural, isolated, and underserved parts able to use the funds to pay for necessary
in July 2018 as the director of devel-
of the country. aspects of touring, including travel, lodg-
opment at Charleston Jazz. This national program, funded by the ing, meals, and artist fees.
Beylotte has Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with ad- To apply, artists must submit infor-
held a variety ditional support from The Andrew W. Mel- mation about themselves and any other
of leadership lon Foundation, is led by South Arts in part- artists in their ensemble, samples of their
roles and has nership with the five other U.S. Regional Arts work, the structure of the tour, and offer
19 years of Organizations (Arts Midwest, Mid-America letters countersigned by the performance
experience in Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, venues. Artists living anywhere in the U.S.
fundraising for New England Foundation for the Arts, and may apply.
arts organiza- Western Arts Alliance/WESTAF). Applications for this round of Jazz Road
“This year, we have simplified the ap- Tours are due by April 21, 2020. Artists se-
tions. Before coming to Charleston
plication process for artists,” said Sara lected for funding will be informed in July.
Jazz, she was the deputy director at
Donnelly, director of jazz with South Arts. Full guidelines, program information, and
the Halsey Institute of Contempo- “We recognize how challenging it can be additional details are available on www.
rary Art at the College of Charles- for artists to gain footholds in new mar- jazzroad.org and www.southarts.org.
ton. Prior to that role, Beylotte was
executive director of 1708 Gallery, a
non-profit space for contemporary Advocacy in Action Award Winners Announced
art in Richmond, Virginia. She also
Over 40 school music programs across porters can get practical and inspire each
worked as arts education grants
America have been recognized for their other.”
coordinator for the Virginia Com-
outstanding music advocacy initiatives One of the winning projects brings
mission for the Arts, and director as recipients of Music for All’s 2020 Advo- music education into a juvenile detention
of development for International cacy in Action Awards. This year’s award center in San Diego, using music to teach
Arts and Artists in Washington, D.C. winners are recognized online at advoca- math, as well as encouraging pro-social
Beylotte holds a master’s degree in cy.musicforall.org. behavior and healing. While participat-
museum studies from George Wash- The Music for All Advocacy in Ac- ing in Project Confined Redefined, these
ington University and a Bachelor’s tion Awards recognize music programs, young men are able to better regulate
degree in arts management from schools, and communities across the themselves and express their feelings
the College of Charleston. United States that demonstrate outstand- through music.
“I couldn’t be more honored and ing achievement in local efforts to pro- “No matter what the future holds for
vide access to music education for all stu- these students, they will always remember
excited to have the opportunity to
dents. From community arts fairs to stellar the magic of music making and will forever
lead this important organization and
recruitment videos to all-female jazz fes- remember how music provided an outlet
keep jazz alive and thriving in our tivals, this year’s winning programs not for their own frustrations, anger, remorse,
community,” she says. “As the only only represent innovative and effective and acknowledgement,” says James Ste-
organization solely dedicated to the approaches to music advocacy nation- phens, director of Advocacy and Educa-
presentation of jazz performance wide, but also highlight the power of mu- tional Resources for Music for All.
and education in our community, in sic education to address some of the most Another winning project serves as a
addition to the deep roots of jazz in pressing issues in today’s headlines. bridge between marginalized first gen-
the Lowcountry, Charleston Jazz is “For too long music advocacy has eration and immigrant communities and
fundamental to the arts ecosystem leaned mainly on research-based justifi- the local community. INTEMPO provides
and cultural life in Charleston and cations,” says Eric Martin, president and a year-round music school, after-school
CEO of Music for All. “Music for All’s Advo- programming, and a summer camp, all
beyond.”
cacy in Action Awards collect and share providing choral and string education in
ideas so music programs and their sup- Stamford, Connecticut.

4 JAZZed • January/February 2020

 arizona state university

Inspiring...empowering...transforming

RAVENSCROFT JAZZ RESIDENT ARTIST PROGRAM AT ASU

The Ravenscroft Jazz Resident Artist Program at ASU (RJRA) is a mentorship and community
engagement program that connects renowned jazz artists/mentors with the community and
outstanding ASU Ravenscroft Graduate Jazz Fellows on full scholarship to fulfill the school’s
mission of enriching the Greater Phoenix community through music. Come work with:

Wycliffe Gordon Jason Palmer

Roxy Coss Rufus Reid

Bob and Gretchen Ravenscroft Learn more!

Lewis Nash Professor of Practice music.asu.edu/degree-programs/jazz-studies

Copyright © Arizona Board of Regents. All rights reserved. 1019

music.asu.edu
playlist JASON YEAGER

WHAT’S ON YOUR PLAYLIST?

BY CHRISTIAN WISSMULLER

O
riginally from Boston, Jason Yeager is a New York-based pianist and compos-

SIMON YU
er who creates music that is deeply expressive and multi-faceted, defying
convention while reveling in the traditions of jazz, blues, 20th century clas-
sical music, and Latin American folk rhythms. An adroit and sensitive accompanist
as well as an imaginative bandleader, his newest album, New Songs of Resistance
(Outside in Music), features chamber-jazz arrangements of songs by nueva canción
icons like Victor Jara, Violeta Parra, and León Gieco, as well as original compositions.
The Boston Globe calls the record a “musical reflection of troubled times and a search
for affirmation nonetheless.”
As a soloist and bandleader, Yeager has performed at such venues as Carnegie
Hall, the Blue Note, and Smalls Jazz Club, as well as internationally at festivals and clubs in Latin America and Asia. He’s performed
and collaborated with artists like Luciana Souza, George Garzone, Ran Blake, Ayn Inserto, Jason Palmer, Noah Preminger, Sean
Jones, and Jason Anick, among others. A committed educator, he is assistant professor of piano at Berklee College of Music.
Yeager is an honors graduate of the Tufts University/New England Conservatory Double Degree Program, and holds a master of
music from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

1. Chick Corea Trio – Trilogy 2 her own personal, 21st-century treatment, at once accessible and
This album feels full circle for me. I fell modern. A beautiful, moving solo version of the Tomás Mendez
in love with Chick’s playing and writing song “Cucurrucucu Paloma” closes the album, a lovely little coda
when I was first getting serious about jazz to a record of grand orchestrations and ambitions.
in high school, and only recently have I
returned to really digging into his music. 3. Tatiana Parra & Vardan Ovsepian, Fractal Limit – Lighthouse
A follow-up to the 2014 live album Trilo- I’ve recently been checking this first al-
gy, this live double CD reflects an astounding connection among bum by the duo “Fractal Limit,” comprised
three master performers and improvisers: Chick Corea, bassist of pianist Vardan Ovsepian and singer
Christian McBride, and drummer Brian Blade. It’s fiery cham- Tatiana Parra, from 2014. Most of the mu-
ber music of the utmost sensitivity, with a lot of deep listening. sic is wordless, with some pieces in Por-
All three musicians are virtuosos on their instruments, but they tuguese. Each piece is like a vignette or
also display profound patience and an unerring commitment to meditation exploring a particular mood.
groove. Among my favorite moments is Christian McBride’s bass I love how Vardan will spin a kaleidoscope of colors in his right-
solo on the first track, Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is the Ocean,” hand lines, juxtaposed with a repetitive rhythmic vamp in his left
where Corea and Blade’s comping has this incredible freshness hand. His approach to composition feels rooted in a kind of min-
and vitality, as though anything could happen, actively respond- imalism to me, with exciting twists and turns that emerge during
ing to McBride’s rhythmic ideas but never getting in the way of the improvisational sections. Tatiana’s voice is a lovely and expres-
his solo. sive instrument that blends perfectly with the piano – her vocal
control is astounding on virtuoso pieces like “Joist 2.” What’s more,
2. Camila Meza & the Nectar Orchestra – Ambar she and Vardan have an incredible rapport, breathing together
From the very first notes of “Kallfu,” the as one, much as a chamber ensemble might. This duo brings the
first track on Ambar, you feel this wave of heat live, too, as I discovered at the 2nd annual Festival Interna-
energy, especially from the string section cional de Jazz en Costa Rica this past August, when we shared a
that accompanies Camila Meza’s voice double bill. Turns out they are awesome people as well, and have
– it’s profoundly alive. Camila Meza has a new duo record on the way!
been around the New York scene for sev-
eral years now, but I first heard her live, as 4. Various – The Finest of Folk Bluesmen
a bandleader, at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival in May. I was im- I recently found this on vinyl at West-
pressed with her vocal and guitar prowess to be sure, but also with sider Records in Manhattan, and it reveals
her songwriting and use of folk music and rhythms from her native what a vast universe the blues is. There’s
Chile and beyond. Of particular power is the very moving “This Is perhaps less acoustic, “Mississippi Delta”
Not America,” which is certainly apropos given the troubled times blues than I expected, but some outstand-
we are experiencing right now. In fact, this track is a cover of a Pat ing piano and vocals from Memphis Slim,
Metheny-David Bowie collaboration from the 1980s! Meza gives it grunge-y electric guitar work from John Lee Hooker, and a couple

6 JAZZed • January/February 2020

swinging “jump blues” tracks. The compilation was released by Another highlight is alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón’s dialogue
Bethlehem Records in 1976 and is a solid survey of mid-century with drummer Jeff Ballard on the track “Nos Mirarán Pasar.”
blues masters, some of whom are new to me. I’m always deeply
moved by the blues, in all its multi-hued expressiveness, and keep 9. Violeta Parra – Gracias a la Vida
coming back to it. Violeta Parra is a founding mother of
the “Nueva Canción” (“New Song”) Move-
5. Ray Barretto – Rican/Struction ment, which began in Chile and Argentina
An ode to his native Puerto Rico, per- in the 1950s and 1960s. This survey of her
cussionist Ray Barretto and Fania Records songs is powerful and moving, featuring
put out this landmark salsa-Latin jazz re- lots of traditional folk forms and rhythms,
cord in the late 1970s. It’s full of catchy most prominently the 6/8 cueca. Check out how her singing floats
coros, incredible grooves, and infectious effortlessly over the groove on the iconic title track, “Gracias a la
montunos from pianist and arranger Os- Vida” – it’s almost like how the Delta bluesman Robert Johnson
car Hernandez. “Ya Vez,” with its slap-bass allusion to ‘70’s funk, would elongate or shorten sung phrases according to how he felt
features a stellar piano solo by Hernandez. The last cut, “Tumbao in the moment, changing chords not according to a pre-planned
Africano,” has a catchy chorus and genius horn arrangement. form, but only according to his feeling. As a result, there is this or-
ganic, spontaneous feeling to Violeta’s singing that is very alive for
6. Gesualdo – Complete Sacred Music for Five Voices me – a sort of Andean blues! I arranged “Gracias a la Vida” on my
Performed by the Oxford Camerata newest album, and Parra’s sense of rhythmic freedom and unique
under the direction of Jeremy Summer- phrasing of the melody inspired the musical choices I made.
ly, these pieces by Gesualdo are utterly
beautiful. At first listen, they might seem a
typical outgrowth of the Gregorian Chant Jason Yeager’s latest disc, New Songs of
tradition, albeit with greater harmonic Resistance (Outside in Music), dropped on
complexity. But Gesualdo was unique October 4, 2019. www.jasonyeager.com
among Renaissance composers, using a
high degree of chromaticism and unusual harmonies that take
you unexpected places emotionally. I can definitely feel the com-

JAZZ.
poser’s connection with the eternal when I listen to this music.
Well over four hundred years after it was written, this music feels
fresh and alive.

7. Ella Fitzgerald – The Intimate Ella

This melancholy duo record of bluesy
ballads is unlike most other Ella Fitzger- Whisper it. Scream it.
ald recordings I know. The record is also
known by another name, “Let No Man Interpret it. Reimagine it.
Write My Epitaph,” which was a 1960 Explore it. Honor it with...
movie (based on a novel) that featured
Ella singing a number of these songs. Pianist Paul Smith provides
ingenious and unassuming accompaniment parts that perfectly
complement Ella’s phrasing. He never solos and plays only what is
necessary to color the mood and support the lyric that Ella always
delivers with deep feeling and swing.

8. Guillermo Klein and Los Guachos – Cristal

I love Guillermo Klein’s newest al-
bum with his longstanding band, “Los
Guachos.” The record features Klein’s
trademark polyrhythms, invigorating
odd-meter grooves, and distinctive brand
of Latin Jazz-minimalism. I am deeply in-
spired by Klein’s combining modern jazz
vocabulary with folk rhythms from his native Argentina. I also love
the way Klein can make an eleven-piece band sound bigger and
more orchestral. And every soloist in this group breathes fire! Fer-
nando Huergo, who also plays bass on my new record, is a long-
time member of this group and plays a fantastic solo on “Volver.” Patents. See website • www.rovnerproducts.com
January/February 2020 • JAZZed 7
lessonslearned

M
How to Make
any of our tion is to start a student
students are playing by ear and then
drawn to add the jazz component
jazz because of the as a separate skill. Have
complex rhythms young students learn
and the excitement of simple melodies and
the live performance transpose them through
experience. Beyond various key areas.
the aesthetic level, Many jazz teachers
the performance of find success with teach-
jazz requires a keen ing the entire band
ear and balancing tunes by ear. These
a musical intuition tunes could include
with knowledge of various blues heads or
theory and an ability tunes like “Blue Bossa,”
to play an instrument “There Will Never Be
well. Jazz occupies a Another You,” or “Little
unique place in so- Sunflower.” A helpful
ciety as a genre of activity would be a call
music pioneered by and response with the
African-Americans teacher playing a two

a Good Band Better

and one could assert bar phrase and the band
that the music is a re- responding in tempo.
flection of civil rights In general, call and re-
– specifically, the in- sponse starting with
herent equality and BY DR. JARED SIMS two or three notes using
individuality of each of the performers. The music, itself, presents a minor pentatonic scale is a great starting point.
unique challenges in the classroom because of the interaction The best bands not only have good soloists, but more impor-
and interpretation that is required of the students. tantly a full band of students that understand the idiomatic con-
cepts of jazz style. The entire band needs to know how to take a
The Teacher’s Homework solo even if the strongest players are featured more often in the
Teachers need to have some specific skills in order to be effec- concerts.
tive as a conductor of a jazz ensemble. First, and perhaps most
importantly, teachers have to have a strong grasp of the swing Effective Rehearsal Techniques
style. This comes from listening to many recordings and knowing Many bands make a mistake before the rehearsal begins. For
how to demonstrate the style on his or her instrument. This can whatever reasons, big bands often set up incorrectly. The rhythm
be a very difficult process for some people, so I recommend the section needs to be in close proximity in order to hear one anoth-
Lennie Neihaus Jazz Conception books and the Jim Snidero Jazz er, be able to see one another, and to lock up and play together.
Conception books can be very helpful, as well. Specifically, these Horn players need to be lined up to hear one another and cre-
books are a good reference for articulation, which is an integral ate a unified sound. Teachers need to realize that setting up a big
part of jazz style. band incorrectly is analogous to having an band with tubas in the
In addition to knowing elements of jazz language, teachers front row and flutes in the back. For strictly rehearsal purposes, an
need to know at least a few simple jazz tunes (preferably by ear) alternative to a traditional setup would be to have the students
and they need to know how to read lead sheets. Teachers need set up in a box facing inward with one side being the rhythm
to know jazz harmony well enough to spell the chords and have section while the three other sides would be the sax section, the
the rudimentary knowledge necessary for providing simple piano trombones, and the trumpets. The advantage to rehearsing in a
voicings or bass lines to students. The teacher needs be prepared box is that the trumpets and trombones can better hear the sax-
to coach both horn sections, as well as rhythm sections. Ideally, a ophones, which results in the brass better understanding the full
director needs to be able to play well enough to demonstrate how composite of the music that is being played.
to play phrases in a jazz style. Directors also need to know and The role of the director of a jazz ensemble is much different
understand the rhythm section and the roles of each instrument. than a concert band or orchestra conductor. After the count off,
the bands will play better if the horn players are listening to the
Teaching Improvisation rhythm section instead of watching the teacher conduct a pat-
Jazz improvisation can be overwhelming for the beginner be- tern. Most bandleaders tend to only give a four beat conducting
cause it is really two different skills: the first is playing by ear and pattern when the band gets extremely loud or other times when
the second is creating jazz phrases using an idiomatic jazz style. the players cannot easily hear the rhythm section (playing in a
One of the most helpful approaches to learning jazz improvisa- room with bad acoustics!). The most important duties of a jazz

8 JAZZed • January/February 2020

 the band to create backgrounds for solos and
teach even more difficult tunes to more ad-
vanced bands.
Some of the best band programs teach stu-
dents to read lead sheets and to understand
the harmonies of the pieces. Challenge the
students to learn the scales and arpeggios.
Many high school band teachers neglect to
require students to play scales but this is a
fundamental key to musicianship and musical
awareness that students need to have in order
An example of a stage plot for a full jazz ensemble
to succeed and to become better players. Also,
in addition to major scales, we need to chal-
band director include starting and ending the tunes, outlining the lenge our best students to know other scales or modes that are
forms of the tunes, and efficiently managing rehearsal time. necessary for jazz such as dorian, mixolydian, locrian, harmonic
One of the most important aspects of leading a band is finding minor, altered, diminished, et cetera.
tempos for various tunes and counting off with the energy that Many teachers are frustrated that their students are not listen-
reflects how the band will play – either to count off in a delicate, ing to recordings outside of school. Perhaps we need to reinforce
aggressive, or other manner. There is no “correct” tempo – the our listening expectation by playing recordings for students in
band should play at a speed that allows for all of the parts and the class. Listening to a recording while sitting with the corresponding
articulations to be clear. During the tunes the director needs to sheet music can be engaging. Often when a band is not sounding
be engaged with the entire ensemble in order to help cue forms great on a chart, a good solution is to play the original recording,
(especially during solo sections) and to do things like check the have the students follow along, then invariably the performance
balance and police the accuracy of the individual parts. of the chart is immediately better.
Many bands spend too much time in rehearsal just playing Another great rehearsal technique is to record the band, listen
charts from top to bottom. Directors need to oscillate between back, and have students offer constructive feedback. Students
running small chunks of music and running large swaths of ma- learn the importance of playing things correctly every time (not
terial. The horn players respond well to repeating an eight or 16 just in the live performance) and they hear their parts within the
bar passage of music because of the inherent difficulty of playing context of the entire band. The balance of the entire ensemble is
passages within sections with accuracy. Rehearsing short seg- just as important as the precision of the parts. We need to hear
ments of music allows the horn players to tighten up the sections, the rhythm section balanced such that all of the instruments are
nuance the balance of the parts, refine the precision of the tech- heard clearly. In addition, the rhythm section needs to play dy-
nical passages, and to better hear the composition. The rhythm namics that reflect the dynamics that the horn players are playing.
section needs longer passages of music to understand the overall Simply put, the drums should only be loud if the brass section is
arc of the music dynamically and in order for the players to be playing high and loud, and we need to be able to hear all of the
fully aware of the context of the various parts of the composition horn parts supporting the lead players.
and for the drummer to know how to set up the horn players. The A really wise thing for a director to do is to watch the clock, so
band will sound best on a traditional chart if the rhythm section it is possible to end the rehearsal with a strong piece that leaves
has a clear grasp of where the climax of the tune happens, how to the band feeling great at the end of an exhausting rehearsal. This
arrive there dynamically, and how to resolve. leaves the band confident that their hard work is paying off and
In addition to just rehearsing scores, directors also need to con- ending a rehearsal well can set a positive tone for the start of the
template other ways to learn music during rehearsal time. The activ- next rehearsal.
ities might include working on improvisation skills, addressing jazz
theory and how it relates to improvisation, listening to recordings, Choosing Music
as well as recording the band and listening back. Many band teachers simply do not have students playing
There are tunes that young ensembles could learn by ear such enough music. There are many high school bands that play three
as “C Jam Blues,” “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be,” “Manteca,” tunes at a festival and spend much of the year working on those
“Now’s the Time,” “So What,” and others. Teachers/directors could three tunes. The students (and the teachers!) get tired of the
play the pieces and teach the band note-by-note and phrase-by- tunes and earning a high score (or “winning”) can become the
phrase. Challenge the strongest and most experienced players in primary focus of the ensemble.

“Teachers need to know jazz harmony well enough to spell

the chords and have the rudimentary knowledge necessary for
providing simple piano voicings or bass lines to students.”
January/February 2020 • JAZZed 9
lessonslearned
The WVU Big Band rehearsing in a square
Our students will play better, un-
derstand the music better, and be
more excited if we simply have them
play more music. Students will gain
more of an understanding of jazz
style and phrasing learning several
charts instead of over-rehearsing a
small handful of tunes. Also, to ex-
pand the students’ knowledge, the
band could learn music in rehearsal
that would not be played in a con-
cert or a band could sight read an
easy chart just to have a well-round-
ed understanding of phrasing and
an overall aesthetic.
In addition to overall difficulty,
some of the things to think about
when selecting charts to perform
include: brass ranges, instrumenta-
tion, possible featured soloists, and the music and to excite a lot of students and teachers, but I
a variation of grooves and tempos. When students audition, in would recommend to have students explore several different
addition to ordering the players in chairs, we need to figure out big bands and be able to draw comparisons between record-
which brass players have lead chops and we need to know an ings. Some records that students should hear include:
idea of what the brass ranges are. When picking up a big band • Basie Straight Ahead (Count Basie)
chart for the first time, we should immediately peruse the lead • And His Mother Called Him Bill…. (Duke Ellington)
trumpet part to determine the feasibility of executing the parts. • All Smiles (Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland)
Similarly, it does not make sense to play a chart that features a • Basle 1969 (Thad Jones/Mel Lewis)
player that is new to jazz if there are more experienced players • This One’s for Basie (Buddy Rich)
in the ensemble.
Many bands struggle with an imbalance of parts, which often Students need to hear combo recordings as well to investi-
means that we have too many saxophone players and too few gate how instrumentalists build their solos. Young jazz players
trombonists. An instrumentation that is unbalanced leads to an also need hear how rhythm sections fulfill their individual roles
overall sound that is not reflective of the traditional big band and how the rhythm section and soloists interact musically.
sound and ruins the integrity of the sound of the charts. We have Some records that exemplify great grooves and strong solos in-
to recruit more trombonists at every level and we simply need clude:
to cap the number of saxophone players in a big band. Some • Soul Station (Hank Mobley)
schools rotate the saxophone sections in and out for each tune • Four (Wynton Kelly Trio with Joe Henderson)
when there are more than five players and the director does not • Walkin’ (Miles Davis)
want to turn students away from the program. • Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio
Many band teachers ask about where to find music and what • The Sidewinder (Lee Morgan)
to choose. I suggest ejazzlines.com, J.W. Pepper, and Marina Mu-
sic and a combination of their posted recordings and/or a quick Challenges and Recommendations
YouTube perusal can help a band director decide whether the In addition to maintaining a standard instrumentation, a
chart is right for their band. Some of my favorite composers for serious challenge is simply having female students in jazz pro-
young bands are Dean Sorenson, Gregory Yasinitsky, Rick Hirsch, grams. As it stands, the low percentage of young women in high
Mike Tomaro, Matt Harris, Terry White, and Bob Washut. school and college jazz ensembles is completely unacceptable.
We need to start kids playing jazz at a young age, we need to
Listening encourage young women to play all of the various instruments,
Listening should be motivation for all of us to practice, learn, and we need to feature young women as soloists and lead play-
and expand our skills as musicians. Students appreciate having ers.
a playlist for listening to the repertoire from class because this Another tough challenge is cultivating a strong rhythm sec-
gives them a chance to hear the overall sound of the pieces, tion. Many public school music programs are still operating in
the inflections, the solos, the grooves, the balance, and how the the 20th century music model in which everything is band-cen-
melodies are played. I have experimented with sharing YouTube tric, which results in jazz being relegated to extra-curricular sta-
and Spotify playlists and this has been beneficial for students to tus. There are still high schools that still adhere to the prepos-
better understand how their parts should sound as well as what terous notion that pianists, guitarists, bass players, and drum
they need to practice. set players should be required to participate in a high school
The Essentially Ellington competition has served to promote marching band in order to participate in the school jazz band.

10 JAZZed • January/February 2020

Students that play rhythm section instru- to a barrage of daily listening, we should Dr. Jared Sims is the
ments often do not participate in high bring in special guest artists to perform current director of
school band programs and the jazz band and to share their approaches to music jazz studies at West
rhythm section suffers. making. We also need to seek out con- Virginia University.
As a matter of fact, many schools have certs that we can bring students to see. His seventh solo
egregious scheduling that relegates the The live music experience is at the core record of original
jazz ensemble to extra-curricular status of jazz and understanding the meaning compositions will be
because the ensemble meets before or of the music. Seeing live jazz music un- released in 2020 on the MCG Jazz label
after school. Teachers and administra- fold is like watching a visual artist create and features Matt Wilson, Rufus Reid,
tors need to prioritize jazz as a legitimate a masterpiece in front of our very eyes. Reggie Watkins, and Cliff Barnes. He has
learning activity and not just a perform- We need to find ways to continually find, performed throughout the United States,
ing ensemble. celebrate, and share the magic of music Europe, South America, India, and South-
Around the country, many music ed- making! east Asia.
ucation degree programs do not address
jazz whatsoever, so public school teachers
are deemed qualified despite having an
embarrassing lack of skill in the jazz area.
College students need to anticipate this
discrepancy and listen to recordings, par-
ticipate in jazz ensembles, and take private
jazz lessons. Struggling music teachers
need to go back and do their homework to
develop rudimentary improvisatory skills,

over
study the roles of the various instruments
within the music, and figure out how to
communicate concepts to the students.
In general, we need to rethink what
virtuosity means. In classical music, vir-
tuosity is clear: a display of technique
and an ability to perform rapid passag-
es with great precision. Within the jazz
style, virtuosity is different because it
The FL Otto Link
represents the connection between the Vintage Sound.
instrument, the ear, and the mind. Virtu- Quick Response.
osic jazz players might play very quickly
at times, but additionally are expected to Powerful.
have the melody and chords committed
to memory and have the ability to hear This limited production tenor sax model lets
chord tensions and advanced harmony. you reproduce the dark, powerful sound of
In order to normalize improvisation a vintage Link, while delivering quick top-to-
in the classroom, we have to give the bottom response and a warm, rich sound,
students permission to make mistakes with just the right amount of edge.
as they work to connect their ears with
the instrument. In my opinion, students
are afraid to make errors because their
core educational curriculum and the as-
sociated standardized testing penalizes
them for errors. We have to create an
atmosphere in which students embrace
the musical mistakes that they make as
a means of moving forward in their own
learning process.
Most importantly, our biggest chal-
lenge is to keep the students loving jazz jjbabbitt.com
Features 24K
and music making. We know that regard- gold plating Celebrating OVer 100 years Of Making MusiC
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January/February 2020 • JAZZed 11

jjb FL Otto Link.indd 1 11/15/19 2:47 PM
 spotlight
“I was just sitting right in front of profes-
sional musicians with no sound system, and
s just watching them play really made a huge
py’
impact on me,” recollects League. “Just the
power of music to move people, and also the
ability of a human being to do something at
SnarkyPup

that level, was really special. The duo was prob-

ably bummed out that they came all the way
from D.C. to play for just a few kids who were
pretty disinterested, but it had a huge impact
on me.”
A military brat, League spent the first seven

League
years of his life in Southern California, the next
three in Montgomery, Alabama, and the follow-
ing eight in Clifton, Virginia during his junior
high and high school years. He started playing
guitar at age 13 but did not pick up bass until
17. He joked that he was the worst bass player in
his class. It’s funny how, 22 years later, he is one
of the busiest people in jazz. (He calls JAZZed via
K
LLA
Skype during a European tour.) He was original-
STE

ly self-taught on acoustic guitar, and his older

ael
brother (by five years) was a jazz musician who
drew him into that world. By age 15, League
was playing in his high school jazz band and
ch
also formed a classic rock covers band.
“I was going more towards the song-based
stuff like Zeppelin, Cream, and Steely Dan,” re-
Mi

calls League of his rock jazz tastes. “There’s rock,

there’s blues, there’s the influence of American
music and jazz also, but done through this

‘Art Always Comes First’ compositional filter. Whereas most of the jazz
that we listened to when we talk about jazz is
less maybe about the composition and more
BY BRYAN REESMAN about the interpretation and the freedom
within it. Not always, but generally. I was al-

E
clectic collective Snarky Puppy and their leader Michael ways a song-based person.”
League are proof that music and commerce can click. They By his senior year at Centreville High School, League had been
have released over a dozen studio and live releases, drawn taking guitar lessons with a private teacher named Dan Leonard
acclaim for their vibrant and off-the-cuff live shows around the in Virginia for two years – “he just helped me immensely” – then
world, and won three Grammy Awards. While they are general- he switched to bass. While there were several guitarists in his high
ly labeled as jazz, the large ensemble siphons everything from school band, there was no bass player and they needed one. (Fun-
world music to rock to R&B and revels in changing things up at nily enough, one of those guitarists is currently Snarky Puppy’s
every concert. tour manager.) Dave Detwiler ran the jazz program at Centreville,
The man at the heart of this musical outfit is bassist Michael and on top of his duties in school, he invited League to weekly
League, who has actually called Snarky Puppy a pop group that rehearsals with the Georgetown University jazz band.
likes to improvise with mostly instrumental tunes. He formed the It turns out that League fell in with bass and decided to study it
group in college and has seen it grow through his open-mind- in college, although he had to learn double bass there. Previously,
ed approach, strong business sense, and the multiple members’ he had taken one or two double bass lessons in high school from
ability to create musical synergy. (The current album features 19 his orchestra director Cheryl Cooley. “She was very generous and
musicians.) His story is one where talent, drive, vision, and seren- invited me over to her house and taught me the basics of reading
dipitous circumstances all came together in just the right ways, and the basic positions – bow handling and all this stuff,” recalls
even though at the outset there was no grand plan. League. “But when I went to University of North Texas, I really got
Looking back at a profound musical moment in his life, League my ass kicked for sure.”
recalls when a double bass player and a violinist from a military Although League attended the University of North Texas (in
ensemble visited his high school and played a duo concert for Denton, near the Dallas-Fort Worth area) for four years, he did
only a handful of students after school. The budding artist went not finish the music program. As he jokes, you could finish in four
at the insistence of his choir director. if you took the right classes. But shrugging off a history or math

12 JAZZed • January/February 2020

class for an Afro-Brazilian ensemble meant that the process took Puppy after his first year in college, “three to four years before
longer. The bassist still enjoyed his time there, making use of the this kind of major period in which the band started playing in
school’s resources in the way he saw fit as opposed to following a on the black scene and we started accumulating members of
structured curriculum. He believes there are a lot of great and bad the band, like Shaun Martin and Bobby Sparks,” explains League.
things about higher music education. “They started playing with and became members of the band.
“There’s something intrinsically disjunct about teaching street Suddenly our heroes and our influences were playing alongside
music in school and grading it,” believes League. “There’s some- us. It was cool.”
thing disjunct about grading music. There’s a cognitive disso- From the first rehearsal of Snarky Puppy, League brought in
nance there. Music school is just like a government or a nation or songs that he had written or arranged that were printed out on
a society. You don’t just submit yourself to everything that every- sheet music. His bandmates came to his house, and the group
body says you should do or wants you to do. You come up with a started as an outlet for his compositions. Then when they played
plan and use the resources available to you to live the life that you some gigs and had fun, they decided to keep on playing. They
want to live and make the decisions that you want to make.” kept writing songs, kept adding things, and made “a little record
That is what League did in college. He took the classes that in a local studio, did a little tour,” according to League, who is the
he was interested in and shirked the ones he wasn’t. But he kept group’s central composer. “So in that way, there wasn’t this grand
himself open to different things, like 18th century counterpoint vision of Snarky Puppy will be playing Royal Albert Hall and Car-
and music history classes. The bassist played in the acclaimed negie Hall in 15 years.”
One O’Clock Lab Band ensemble and in the Brazilian ensemble. League loves bringing people together, and he loves com-
He played with the jazz singers and also took classical dance les- bining different musical elements to see what might happen. “I
sons. “I did a lot of stuff that was outside of the normal kind of jazz feel like I have an addiction for doing things like that,” he says. “I
path,” he says. “But the whole time I was trying at least to be aware like developing things. To me, it’s also a creative process. It’s as
of what it was I wanted to gain from music school.” creative to me as composing or playing on stage. When I look at
The bassist admittedly had few music fundamentals down great producers [like] Quincy Jones or Clive Davis, they have this
when he arrived at North Texas, so his main priority was “to get ability to see a person and say: ‘Okay, this artist with this band in
the nuts and bolts together,” he explains. “Get the scales, get the this studio, this set of songs.’ Then it’s magic. I really admire and
modes, get the harmonic knowledge, get the ear training, get the get that disposition, but on a much lower level.”
technique on the instrument, spend all day practicing, expose League’s transition from high school in Virginia to music col-
myself to new ideas and new music, talk with my friends about lege in Texas also had a through line which helped in the forma-
things, have them show me records I’ve never heard of. There was tion and evolution of Snarky Puppy. While in high school, League
a moment in school where I didn’t have to make a decision, but played at First Baptist Church in Vienna, Virginia, which is a black
it seemed clear that if I keep pursuing things the way that I want Baptist church near D.C. “It definitely exposed me to a bunch of
to pursue them, then I wasn’t going to be doing what the school things, but I didn’t really do a deep dive into that tradition un-
wanted me to do, which was get my modern jazz thing together, til I had dropped out of university, until I was 21,” he says. “I did
be an unbelievable reader, and play in the One O’Clock Lab Band. four years at North Texas and then through I dropped out. Then
There were also professors that were encouraging me to write in through this kind of a bizarre twist of fate, I ended up in the mid-
a very different way than I wanted to write. Of course, my writing dle of Dallas’ gospel and R&B scene, just from playing a jam ses-
was not super developed, but at the same time I think their rea- sion that someone asked me to play at their church.”
soning was largely [due to the fact that] they That church house band was essentially
weren’t aware of the music that was members of the late Roy Hargrove’s
influencing me.” RH Factor, and the sax-
The musician ophone player
formed Snarky asked League

January/February 2020 • JAZZed 13

spotlight
to join his band after that night. Another player that night, Ber- oping and leading a group like Snarky Puppy, but being a part
nard Wright from Jamaica, Queens, became League’s mentor and of it. While there are Snarky Puppy members in other states and
introduced him to all of the mainstays of the Dallas gospel and R even countries, a set group goes out on each tour and knows all
& B scene, including band members of Kirk Franklin, Fred Ham- the songs in the band’s current setlist. Lately, that includes 42
mond, Marcus Miller, Roy Hargrove, Snoop Dogg, and Erykah songs from their repertoire. League says that their live playing
Badu. “Then I brought my band from Denton, 40 minutes north philosophy has always been: Make the band happy and the au-
of there,” says League. “I told them about all that, and they start- dience will be happy.
ed coming down and the scene started mixing. They were very “We don’t feel the pressure to play a certain song every night
separate. We were very ignorant of what was going on in Dallas because we know the crowd wants, and I find that you definitely
while we were at school.” make your own bed,” explains League. “People say you choose
The world of Snarky Puppy blossomed from there and your audience, your audience doesn’t choose you. I would
has certainly been a grand adventure for League and say you create your audience. You create what they
his bandmates. But the large group was formed want. When you say you choose your audience,
through the efforts of talented, knowledge- you’re implying there’s a bunch of people out
able musicians who created the right kind of there, in our case, that are dying to go to a
musical mind meld that allowed them to gig and hear a bunch of songs they’d never
mature and evolve. Music education heard before and don’t already love. And I
certainly played a part in that. don’t think that’s the case. I think we made
Despite the fact that he did not our audience want that by doing it over
finish college, League found the and over. We’ve conditioned our audi-
process very helpful for his mu- ence to expect certain things, and one
sical career. of the things they expect as a differ-
“The bottom line is that ent set list every night and each song
knowledge is never a bad played differently.”
thing,” stresses League. “It’s Now based in Brooklyn after three
better to know X amount years in Dallas post-college, the bass-
and use 10 percent of it on ist and bandleader believes that one
every gig than it is to know X must take risks, even potentially alien-
amount and need 10 percent
K

more. You can always use less

It’s better to know X amount
LLA

of what you have, but you can

STE

never use more. The beautiful and use 10 percent of it on every

thing about school is it gives you
not only access to lots of knowl-
gig than it is to know X amount
edge, but if you have four years of and need 10 percent more. You can
your life in which your main priority
and your main responsibility is improv-
always use less of what you have, but you
ing at music, you’re probably going to ex- can never use more.
pend more time working on music than you
will be if your major is government. Then music ating longtime fans at times. He feels that ultimately musicians
is a thing that you do in your spare time, and when you have want people to support them in doing what they want to do. “I’d
to choose between priorities and you’re in a time crunch, you’re rather keep the audience small and open-minded than huge and
probably going to go with your major.” chained to this idea of what they think we are,” says League. “Be-
He feels that the “blessing of music and higher education” is cause sometimes we don’t even know what we are. It’s just un-
that it forces students “to live, breathe, eat, sleep, think music all realistic to expect that any audience is going to love everything
day long”. It also allows for discourse and debating different as- you do. So you have to do what you love.”
pects of music from other people. He finds that to be probably the Outside of Snarky Puppy, League is involved with many mu-
most important part of the educational process, “hearing different sical projects, including a “world blues band” called Bokanté for
points of view on the same thing and judging for yourself what which he also plays guitar and oud. They have an album out
you find to be true or what serves you or what inspires you. A lot of in collaboration with the Metropole Orkest called White Heat.
people talk badly about music college, and I could definitely pick League is also guitarist and musical director for David Crosby’s
apart a lot of things that I don’t like about it. But on the whole, do acoustic group The Lighthouse Band (for whom he has recorded
I believe it’s better than not existing? Definitely. More personally, with and produced two albums, Lighthouse and Here If You Lis-
did it serve me in the way that I needed to be served? 100 percent. ten). He has a record label called GroundUP music (founded in
It was exactly what I needed because it put me on the fire to get 2012), and he is also the artistic director for the annual Miami
my basic knowledge of music together. I don’t know that I would Beach festival of the same name, which is four years old.
have done that had it not been my daily responsibility.” “Mostly what I’m doing now is producing different artists,
Such knowledge is certainly important when not only devel- largely [those] from around the world who are seeking to com-

14 JAZZed • January/February 2020

bine their musical traditions with more made some big steps in terms of delega- So now he accepts letting certain things
modern stuff,” says League. “That’s where tion within the band and putting people go. Funnily enough, perhaps too much
I feel most comfortable and most use- in positions that he previously held. He so, according to some colleagues.
ful because I have a passion for folkloric notes that he allows them to fail and will “The last couple of years I’ve actually
music, but also a perspective that’s more not immediately take the reins back. been accused several times of being too
contemporary than a lot of people in the “As I think about the reason why I feel comfortable with it,” he admits. “[I’ve had]
folklore scene. And I’m going to make a like I’m going to do a better job, it’s not people telling me ‘you need to take the
solo record hopefully in the next couple because I’m better, it’s because I failed reins back on the situation’ or ‘you need
of years.” so many times that now I know what to to do this’ or ‘you need to make this call,’
Since 2016, The Lighthouse Band ex- look out for,” explains League. “And now instead of trusting the person who has
perience has been different for League. I know, if X then Y. If I do this, this thing’s been tasked with it. That’s been inter-
He plays a little bass but has focused going to happen. And that new person esting. I’m just not good at doing things
more on playing acoustic and electric doesn’t know that thing. But the only way halfway. I’m either a workaholic or on va-
guitar and singing. “It’s funny because it they’re going to really know it is by doing cation.”
took me back to those early years, like 13 it and failing exactly the way that I did. So Outside of his various band endeav-
to 16, when I was basically just playing really, I’m not saying that I’m better when ors, League loves to conduct master
guitar and singing songs, which I love,” I’m being a control freak. I’m just saying classes and not only impart his knowl-
remarks League. “I wouldn’t say it sharp- I’ve had that experience before.” edge to other musicians and students,
ened those skills. I would say it brushed Another thing that League has learned but to learn from the experience as well.
off the heavily accumulated dust of some is that doing everything in the way that His approach to education is to give stu-
of those skills. I learned a lot.” one likes is less efficient and effective dents what they want from him. Thus, if
When asked how he handles all of than having other people do them in attendees at one master class are inter-
these different roles without losing his ways that one might not like and making ested in learning how to improvise, he
mind, he quips, “iCal, a really good assis- mistakes or failing that way. Through that will not deliver a lecture about music
tant, and feigning responsibility most of process, other members can develop the business. His priority is transparency and
the time.” confidence and experience to perform being totally truthful with them, whether
The Snarky Puppy bandleader admits such tasks. Further, doing everything they are asking about money, band lead-
that in the last couple of years he has oneself means one’s quality of life suffers. ing, or composing.

regina carter, artistic director

jul 5-11
Young women refine their
instrumental or vocal skills with
acclaimed jazz musicians!

To register visit njpac.org/geriallenjazzcamp sponsored by

[email protected] • 973.353.7058

6.95x5_Jazzed_Jan_Feb.indd 1 January/February 2020 12/18/19

• JAZZed4:36 PM15
spotlight
“It’s important to not project this idea residencies where each student comes phy is ever wasted. I don’t regret any of
of yourself that’s hero-like by obscuring with a song and forms a new ensem- that because those things will stay with
or glossing over the ugly parts of the an- ble. We rehearse the song throughout them forever as they improve. However, I
swers, and at the same time not being the week. I love being put in different think sometimes it needs to be said that
so self-effacing that you don’t let them formats because it challenges me as a you must know how to play your instru-
know that you have something to share teacher and as a student of music, which ment and must have a firm and funda-
with them,” advises League. “I really like I’ll be until I die.” mental understanding of tempo, time,
the question-and-answer format for mas- Music is the key to it all. League has rhythm, groove, feel, tone, sound – all of
ter classes. That’s generally how we start. noticed that a majority of the questions these essential building blocks of music
Also, I tend to be pretty tangential, so I he receives at master classes revolve before you really employ deeply con-
warn them in advance always – there will around survival – how to form a band, ceptual things. And definitely before you
be lots of tangents. But I feel that’s where how to promote it well, how to maintain start thinking about branding.”
the real kernels of truth and experience good relationships within it, and how to Simply put, before the commerce
come out, rather than just the direct an- make a career as a musician. comes the art. In all of his master classes,
swer to your question. I really like that “Lots of deep questions about musi- he drives home that all of the business,
because [at] some masterclasses, based cal philosophy, a lot about why we make the decisions about branding, and the
on a question, I end up playing them music and how to communicate it most media dissemination and content cre-
demos from my laptop or voice notes effectively,” he adds. “We’ll spend an hour ation, has to come out of the art.
that I made in the bathroom six years ago and half talking about that stuff, and “You can’t just look at Instagram and
that became songs. Other times, I end oftentimes I feel like there’s real prog- see what people are doing that’s getting
up bringing people up to play and doing ress made and see that the students like hits and then just do that to your music,”
rhythm experiments. I want to go in with thinking about things in a different way remarks League. “Everyone’s music is dif-
a game plan that allows lots of flexibili- and challenging their preexisting beliefs.” ferent and therefore everyone’s approach
ty and creativity over the course of the Following the Q&A, particularly if he is to branding their music and publicizing
session and also humanity because that’s somewhere for a more extended residen- their music should be different like a fin-
what music’s about to me.” cy, he will be faced with the revelation gerprint. We have had success, I believe,
Beyond clinics, League has also done that the students’ level of playing is often in that we found ways of broadcasting our
ensemble coaching “where two groups very low. music that play to the music’s strengths,
will play two songs and I’ll work with “We just spent 90 minutes talking that play to the art’s strengths. It’s why
them,” he explains. “Not doing a Q &A about like super heavy, deep stuff that similar bands use the exact same thing.
thing, just working with them as playing I could talk about with Wayne Shorter, They make live recording sessions video-
as an ensemble. I’ve done composition but this person can’t play blues,” notes ed with people wearing headphones and
things where I work on students’ compo- League. “No conversation or no informa- recording studios, and it doesn’t do what
sitions with them. I’ve done week-long tion about musical concept or philoso- our videos did. It’s because their music is
different.”
League says he is empathetic towards
musicians in terms of moving their mu-
sicianship and business forward at the
same time, and he acknowledges the
difficulty in doing both at the same time.
“At the end of the day, would I prefer a
world full of musicians who can’t play and
brand themselves well, or a world full of
musicians who can really play but have
trouble surviving?” he muses. “It’d be great
to be in the middle, but I’d rather the sec-
ond one because at least with the second
one, someone can show up in your life and
help you. A record label can do something
for you, a management company can do
something for you, or a powerful person
or a patron can step in and do something
for you with your musical talent. But if you
have the first situation where you’re tal-
ented at branding, but the musicianship
isn’t there, no one can just come in and
make you a great musician. So I think it
should get precedence.”

16 JAZZed • January/February 2020

jazzfestivalsworldwide
Ella Fitzgerald Competition Announces Details For 2020 Over at the Guild-
The fourth annual Ella Fitzger- hall in Moorgate, Dick
ald Competition will take place on Oatts brought his
Saturday, April 25, 2020 at Lisner academic credentials
Auditorium on the grounds of the to an afternoon mas- jazzfestivalsworldwide.com
George Washington University in terclass, advising the
Washington, DC. art of space when playing jazz standards in a trio – education in the
The theme of this year’s com- form of interaction is always an enjoyable additional experience to
petition will be the 1964 recording standard performances, and gives those interested a look beneath
“Ella Sings Mercer” with complementary lead sheets provided by the surface, a tour of the engine room of jazz, an insight into how
accompanist Wayne Wilentz. The competition will coincide with the the magic is put together. Any masterclass is a valuable experience
16th Annual BIG BAND JAM!, which will take place April 24-26, 2020 because a knowledge and appreciation of the work of the presenter
at the Sylvan Amphitheater on the National Mall. The competition is not by any means essential – education in this form is always stim-
and the BIG BAND JAM! are free and open to the public. ulating and valuable for everyone attending.
Second only to listening to a top musician and educator, is playing
The EFG London Jazz Festival BY ANDY HUGHES with one. Over at Wood Green is Karamel, a funky vegan restaurant
Festivals represent a wonderful opportunity to catch a large num- that includes regular live jazz shows for discerning music fans. Now
ber of artists over a (reasonably) small area in a compact time frame, included as an LJF venue, Karamel hosted pianist/organist Noah
and the EFG London Jazz Festival (November 15-24, 2019) is a fine Stoneman, a new talent on the British jazz scene, Stoneman was a
example. Using a pleasing variety of venues and playing spaces from finalist in the BBC Young Musician of The Year competition and plays
new restaurants to regularly around London and the UK.
venerable concert For the Festival, Stoneman arranged two sets, a standard quartet
halls, and although workout of jazz standards first, but most exciting was his second set,
spread over a wider when he invited audience members to sit in with their instruments
area of its host city and jam along with the band.
than its counterpart, This is the sort of rare but valuable interaction, where young and
the peerless Mon- learning players can gain so much in terms of observing, but also
treal Jazz Festival, playing alongside professional musicians and enjoying the experi-
the LJF presents an ence of a concert setting in front of an audience. It’s musical educa-
equally eclectic range of music and venues spread across the En- tion at its very best – the joy of playing with other people, it gives an
gland’s capital, adding colour and sound to an otherwise drab winter inspirational glimpse into the world of jazz music that all that practise
atmosphere. and theory can actually lead into. Today’s young players are tomor-
Limitations of space prevent a full in-depth analysis of the huge row’s professionals, composers and innovators, and it’s wonderful to
variety of musical experiences available for the discerning jazz fan, see the EFG London Jazz Festival including this type of experience in
but a highlight has to be the mesmerising Herbie Hancock perfor- its program.
mance at the majestic Barbican venue. Still at the very top of his After another hugely successful year, it’s time to block out the
game, Hancock played like the virtuoso showman that he is, and 2020 dates and start looking forward to one of the world’s premier
reminded everyone of the possibility to take tunes from decades jazz festivals next winter. With education and entertainment on offer
ago and breathe new vibrant life into them. Some musicians with a here, it almost makes the British winter weather worthwhile.
50-year-plus career plateau out and go through the motions. Herbie
Hancock continues to explore and develop his music and his craft, to
the delight of his fans on his London visit.
Blending the expected with the seriously unexpected is the de-
light of any great festival, and the LJF embraced the serious dem-
olition of musical barriers by inviting U.S. punk legend Iggy Pop to
perform. Gone are the see-through strides, the razorblades, peanut
butter and suicidal stage diving, replaced by the quiet dignity and
presence of a musician comfortable enough in his legend and skin DC Jazz Festival Announces Initial Lineup
to draw in a sold-out crowd of old and new fans to his musically ex- The DC Jazz Festival (DC JazzFest), has announced its initial list
panding world. Of course, Iggy is utterly incapable of remaining still of artists set to perform at the 16th annual event, DC JazzFest pre-
behind a microphone, and he is soon whirling and leaping around sented by Events DC, June 12-21, 2020 in Washington, DC. The first
the stage as he always has, but the difference is the measured and at- round lineup includes: Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett, Cyrus Chest-
mospheric jazz-based sound he now croons over, as opposed to the nut, Lakecia Benjamin, Pedrito Martinez, Eubanks-Evans-Experi-
industrial cavity-worrying racket that crated his performance legend. ence, Donald Harrison, Antonio Hart, T.K. Blue, Matt Wilson’s Honey
“Do not go gentle into that good night…” growled Iggy as he left the & Salt, Shabaka & The Ancestors, Warren Wolf, The Smithsonian Jazz
stage. Clearly there remains absolutely no danger of him doing any- Masterworks Orchestra, Jamie Baum & Short Stories, Matthew Whita-
thing but abiding by that philosophy. ker, Laurin Talese, The Washington Renaissance Orchestra, and many
As with a similarly career-evolving musician Marianne Faithfull, more domestic and international musicians yet to be announced.
Pop embraces his age and experiences and weaves them into inti- “Our exceptional artist lineup – with more to come - represents
mate and involving musical moments. This is what a festival is about a truly remarkable, extraordinarily diverse sampling of the immense
– a musician exploring new worlds and creating memorable new stylistic diversity of jazz, including a new slate of what we like to refer
music. When Wayne Shorter told me “Jazz means, I dare you …” Iggy to as the International Language of Jazz,” said DC JazzFest artistic di-
Pop must have heard it, too. rector, Willard Jenkins.
January/February 2020 • JAZZed 17
focussession
Jazz Pedagogy
Learning to Play
Using Authentic
Jazz Articulations
BY TRACY HEAVNER

W
hen performing jazz music, especially jazz in the swing Learning to Swing
style, utilizing authentic articulation is essential. The use When initially practicing swing eighth notes, the performer
of proper articulation is very important because it as- should first count and then slowly play three triplet eighth notes
sists the musical lines with clarity, improves the swing feel, and to establish an even triplet feel.
provides intensity and interest to the performance. When com-
paring professional jazz artists to that of advancing performers,
one of the most dramatic differences between the two, in addi-
tion to note and rhythm selection, is articulation.
In many jazz arrangements, specific articulations are not no-
tated in the ensemble parts. In addition, when performing impro-
vised solos, ensemble members must create their own articula-
tions based upon their knowledge of articulation style, the tempo When this rhythm feels comfortable, performers should count
of the tune and the rhythms they choose to play. Unfortunately, and play the actual swing eighth note pattern of tri-plet, tri-plet
many musicians do not have the knowledge and skill necessary to with the “tri” getting two thirds of the beat while the “plet” gets
perform authentic articulations when playing their jazz ensemble one third.
parts or when improvising solos. The purpose of this article is to
teach musicians how to correctly articulate in a jazz swing style,
greatly enhancing their performance skills and their understand-
ing of the jazz idiom.

What is Swinging?
Some musicians easily grasp the concept of swinging while
others seem to struggle. In reality, swinging is not a difficult con- Once this basic swing feel has been developed, the performer
cept to understand if explained correctly. However, applying this should practice performing a variety of scales, patterns, exercises
concept to performance may be more difficult. When reading and etudes in the swing style at a variety of tempi.
pairs of eighth notes in classical music, the beat is divided equally
between the two. When reading music in a swing style, the per- Swinging at Different Tempi
former will see pairs of eighth notes written in the same manner Perhaps the most difficult aspect of swinging and the problem
as in classical music. However, somewhere on the written page that troubles many performers is the ability to swing at a variety
will be directions for the performer to swing these notes. This of tempi. When performing at a slow tempo, musicians will play
requires the musician to interpret the notation actually playing eighth notes using the triplet division discussed earlier. However,
rhythms that are not written on the page. When playing a pair of as the tempo becomes faster, the eighth notes must be played
eighth notes in a swing style, the performer is actually perform- more evenly to retain a legato, flowing jazz style. At very fast tem-
ing the rhythm of three triplet eighth notes with the first two tied pi, swing eighth notes do not actually swing at all, but are divided
together. The tying of the first two triplet eighth notes allows the and played evenly. This concept of playing the eighth notes more
rhythm to swing by dividing the beat into two unequal divisions. evenly as the tempo increases causes problems for multitudes
The first eighth note is worth two thirds of the beat while the last of performers. Many times, musicians will try to retain the triplet
eighth note is worth one third of the beat. division used at a slow tempo for faster tunes producing an awk-
ward, unnatural, overly swung style. Other times performers will
play eighth notes too evenly at a slow tempo causing the tune not
to swing as much.
The ability to know how much to swing eighth notes at a vari-
ety of tempi and to get the musical line to swing hard and sound

18 JAZZed • January/February 2020

natural is one of the most difficult tasks jazz musicians have to
perform. To develop this ability, performers should first listen to If a series of eighth notes begins on the beat, the performer
recordings of master jazz musicians improvising at a variety of should tongue the first two eighth notes in the series, the first
tempi paying close attention to how the eighth notes are played eighth note on the beat to start the series and also the second
and what changes are made from one tempo to another. To assist eighth note, since it is on the upbeat, and then slur to the next
in this process, musicians should either transcribe or attain a tran- note on the beat.
scription of the solos being listened to. Next performers should
imitate these jazz artists trying to perform the musical lines in
exactly same manner including dynamics and articulations. Final-
ly, the performer should play along with the recordings of these Back-accent tonguing assists the musical phrase in swinging
artists to get a feel for how the lines are phrased. If possible, per- because all upbeat notes are being lightly tongued while all notes
formers should record themselves performing these solos and on the beats are being slurred. It should be emphasized that when
compare their performance to the original. By practicing this way, using this style of articulation, the musician should lightly tongue
the ability to swing at a variety of tempi will be developed and each upbeat eighth note and play in a legato style. Notes should
become a natural part of a musician’s playing style. be sustained at all times producing a continuous flow of sound.
When players incorrectly perform back-accent tonguing, the
Types of Jazz Articulations two most common problems are tonguing to hard and allowing
There are five basic types of jazz articulations used when play- the tone to stop between the slurred note on the beat and the
ing jazz swing music. They are back-accent, hard, slurring, half tongued note on the following upbeat.
tonguing, and doodle tonguing. These articulations can be used Since the concept of back-accent tonguing is easy to under-
separately but are most commonly played in combination with stand and produces authentically articulated phrases, it is also a
each other to provide the most authentic jazz articulation style. great tool to use when performing in sectional playing of a jazz
The most common mistakes performers make when incorrectly ensemble. If each member of the section understands and cor-
articulating jazz swing music are tonguing every note when per- rectly uses back-accent tonguing, the section will have a consis-
forming tunes at slower tempi, slurring every note at faster tempi tent articulation that promotes hard swinging lines but with a
and randomly tonguing or slurring notes when improvising solos. minimum amount of practice.
These common errors impede a player’s musical performance and To practice back-accent tonguing, performers should first prac-
also result in a performance that is not an authentic representa- tice a variety of scales and modes used for jazz improvisation to
tion of the jazz swing idiom. get accustomed to using this style of articulation. Then this artic-
ulation can be incorporated into playing ensemble parts and im-
Back-Accent Articulation provisation. After back-accent tonguing has been mastered, play-
When playing jazz in the swing style, back-accent tonguing is ers may want to vary their articulation, customizing it based upon
the most commonly used articulation when playing swing music. the notes and specific rhythms being played and also through
Back-accent tonguing is very easy to understand and will quickly imitation of articulations performed by prominent jazz players.
improve the performer’s ability to perform
clean lines and authentic sounding musi-
cal phrases. When using this articulation,
the musician lightly tongues each note
JOHN FEDCHOCK
AVAILABLE FOR CONCERTS, CLINICS, COMMISSIONS
on the upbeat and slurs to the note on
the beat. For example, in a series of eighth “Fedchock’s playing is simply phenomenal.”
notes starting on the upbeat, the per- – INTERNATIONAL TROMBONE JOURNAL
former should tongue the first eighth note
“...dazzling trombone virtuosity.”
in the series and then slur to the note on – THE NEW YORK TIMES
the beat. This pattern should be repeated
until the series of eighth notes ends. “Fedchock’s band commands your
attention and holds it.” – DOWNBEAT
Dr. Tracy Lee
Heavner is a profes- SOLOIST & BANDLEADER JOHNFEDCHOCK.COM
sor of saxophone, • John Fedchock New York Big Band
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music education, and
• John Fedchock Quartet
director of jazz stud-
ies at the University CLINICIAN
• Clinics, Masterclasses
of South Alabama. He is an accomplished & Residencies
author, music educator and distinguished • XO Brass Trombone Artist
multi-instrument performance artist COMPOSER & ARRANGER
for Cannonball, Yamaha, Beechler, and • Two-Time Grammy Nominee
D’Addario music corporations. He is also a • Published by Jazzzlines Publications,
recording artist for LiveHorns.com whose Walrus Music & Kendor Music
projects have earned two Grammy nomi- [email protected] | (718) 626-0434 | 2270 46TH ST. ASTORIA, NY 11105
nations and a Dove Award.
January/February 2020 • JAZZed 19
focussession
Hard Articulation tonguing is basically a tool for muting spe- A jazz articulation pattern that is com-
Hard articulation consists of tonguing cific notes in a jazz phrase using the tongue monly used in running eighth note lines
all notes in a particular passage. This is instead of manipulating the air stream. combines half tonguing with back-accent
a common articulation pattern in many Muting specific notes at key points in a tonguing to produce a clean, hard swing-
styles of music but is used somewhat spar- musical phrase allows the phrase to swing ing phrase. In this pattern, back-accent
ingly in playing jazz swing, especially when harder and also brings more attention to tonguing is used to start a series of eighth
performing music at faster tempi. However, the melodic notes enhancing the melod- notes but on the fourth note of the series,
many performers use combine this type of ic line. Also, this method of muting notes the note is half tongued instead of being
articulation combined with back-accent, is much more efficient than using the air slurred. When performing this articulation
slurring and half tonguing to produce an stream since when performing fast, articu- pattern the performer should think of the
authentic articulation style. lated lines, it is very difficult to manipulate syllables Doo-Doo-Oo-N.
single notes by adjusting the air flow.
Slur Articulation To develop the ability to half tongue,
Slurring is a style of articulation in performers should first think and say the
which only the first note in a group of syllables Doo-N, Doo-N. This will simulate
notes is tongued. The rest of the notes the tongue movement that occurs when Another common jazz articulation
are played in a connected, legato style actually performing the half-tongued combines half tonguing with back-accent
in which there are no breaks in the air articulation. Next, the performer should tonguing using the same basic pattern
stream. Since jazz is played in a legato attempt to half tongue a note in the mid- previously discussed but in this articula-
style, this articulation works well, howev- dle register of the instrument by initially tion, the second note in the series is half
er slurring to many notes in a row will not playing and holding the selected note. be tongued instead of the fourth. Syllables for
give the jazz phrase enough clarity. There- pulled away and the process started over. this pattern are Doo-N-Oo-Doo.
fore, most jazz performers combine the After half tonguing has been mastered
slurring articulation with other types of on notes in the middle register, the per-
articulations to provide clarity and more former can expand this articulation to
variety to the melodic line. notes in the upper and lower registers. The
next step is to half tongue notes of short- The process of half tonguing may feel
Half Tonguing er duration and to develop coordination strange in the beginning but after a short
Half tonguing is a style of articulation between the tongue and the fingers. One period of time, the tongue will become
used in the performance of jazz that adds exercise for doing this is to slowly play a G accustomed to this technique and it will
much expression to a musical phrase and major scale in eighth notes, tonguing the become a commonly used articulation pat-
also promotes a swing feel. It is used by notes on the beat and half tonguing the tern.
many jazz masters as well as prominent notes on the upbeats. After this pattern be-
professional musicians and will greatly comes natural, it can be performed using Doodle Tonguing
enhance a performer’s playing style. Half other major scales. Doodle tonguing is a jazz articulation
used by brass players that allows them to
play fast, legato, articulated musical lines
with little effort. This technique is called
Doodle Tonguing because when properly
executed, the performer’s tongue moves as
if saying doo-dle, doo-dle, doo-dle, or do-ul,
do-ul, do-ul. When mastered, jazz perform-
ers will be able to legato articulate every
note in a musical line at an extremely fast
tempo, allowing them to have great facility
on their instrument.

Summary
To properly perform jazz swing music,
utilizing authentic articulation is very im-
portant to the jazz swing style. It is hoped
that the information presented in this arti-
cle will assist jazz musicians to incorporate
authentic combinations of the five basic ar-
ticulations, back-accent, hard, slurring, half
tonguing, and doodle tonguing, into their
solo and ensemble performance allowing
them to perform jazz swing music at the
highest level.

20 JAZZed • January/February 2020

 albumreviews hotwax
ideation to work together in harmony. had similar formative experiences com-
Jeff Denson, Romain Beyond that aforementioned opening ing up through the invaluable training
triptych, further wonders await in this grounds of the big bands, with first hand
Pilon, and Brian Blade betwixt-and-between state. “Nostalgic exposure to the most influential tenor
Between Two Worlds (Ridgeway
Farewell” wins over with its winsome saxophonists of the Swing Era including
Records)
charms and a cool current. “Listen Up” Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben
Jeff Denson – double bass
finds Blade’s dynamic drumming lead- Webster, and Don Byas, among others.
Romain Pilon – guitar
ing the way and filling some gaps before You can hear glimmers of all these giants
Brian Blade – drums
the spotlight pans to the leader. “Madrid” in the playing of the two acolytes, but
bounds along on Spanish streets paved both men were also thoroughly steeped
You just nev- by Denson’s wide beat. And the title track in bebop practices. Applying the hefty
er know what presents with astral allure while position- tones of the swing greats to the rhythmic
you’re going to ing Denson’s arco work as a central ele- explorations of Charlie Parker (much as
get from bass- ment. This music may exist between two the pioneering Dexter Gordon did in the
ist Jeff Denson. worlds, but this trio is truly of one mind. late 1940s) Griffin and Davis each formed
With a dis- (Dan Bilawsky) a vibrant style that sampled much of the
cography that best of both worlds. Griffin may sound a
includes a duologue concerned with bit more fluid than Davis who has more
spirituals, a string trio nod to The Beat- Johnny Griffin & Eddie touches of earthy R&B in his conception,
les, meet-ups with the legendary Lee but birds of a feather they most certainly
Konitz, vocalized spins on the music of
“Lockjaw” Davis were.
Ow!: Live at the Penthouse
Soundgarden and Peter Gabriel (among (Reel to Real Recording) While the mutual respect between
others), and post-modern pastiche as Johnny Griffin – tenor sax the bandleaders is obvious, the sense of
presented by the band Minsarah, di- Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – tenor sax ravenous competition is never far from
versification seems to be the norm. It’s Horace Parlan – piano the surface. On storming versions of Diz-
perfectly clear that Denson delights in Buddy Catlett – bass zy Gillespie’s “Ow!,” “Blues Up and Down,”
the opportunity to broaden his outlook Art Taylor – drums and the Swing standards “Second Bal-
and expand the borders of his very being cony Jump,” “Tickle Toe,” and “Blue Lou”
with each and every project. He’s simply the tenors dive in quick and just never
a restless seeker, and his search contin- They were let up on themselves or each other. (The
ues to yield positive results. called “The Latin-tinged “Bahia” provides a bit of a
With Between Two Worlds, the bassist Tough Tenors” breather) Exhilarating it all may be, but
forms an alliance built on history and and rarely was a admittedly it’s also a bit exhausting – by
chemistry. Joining forces with guitarist moniker so apt. the time Griffin takes a ballad feature
Romain Pilon, a friend and musical as- Tenor saxophon- on “Sophisticated Lady” you may feel as
sociate for two decades, and in-demand ists with tones winded as the two tough guys.
drummer Brian Blade, a newer acquain- as wide as Park Avenue, and aggressive Stars of the show, Griffin and Davis are
tance who shares Denson’s appreciation streaks that could make a streetwise dog stoked from note one, but drummer Art
for space, groove, and sensitivity, com- cower, Johnny Griffin and Eddie “Lock- Taylor is right behind them. As part of
municative bonds are apparent. This jaw” Davis matured in an environment a steaming rhythm section that also in-
all-original program showcases material when a jazz musician seemingly had to cludes the pianist Horace Parlan and the
from both Denson and Pilon, who con- prove himself against all rivals every time bassist Buddy Catlett, Taylor is simply un-
tribute five songs apiece, but there’s no he hit the bandstand. These two musical relenting in his swing – precise and in to-
split in terms of preferred expressive lan- gladiators obviously respected each oth- tal command of tempos that might have
guage and trio dynamics. Regardless of er’s immense talents, but make no mis- gotten the best of even the most formi-
who wrote what, these three are locked take, with each encounter they were out dable of drummers. Catlett, in another
into the same frequencies. for blood. Forming a band in 1960 that difficult role, is a solid timekeeper, while
Capable of delivering on multiple lasted a brief but potent two years, Grif- the ever swinging Parlan, for his part,
levels – artfully balancing gravity with fin and Davis made consistently exciting makes the most of his short spots. Let’s
grace, power with restraint, and passion music that also simply dismissed any pre- put it this way, these three men earned
with poise – this music thrives in the tense of their making nice together. their pay.
titular limbo. Whether adding a funky Recorded at two separate sessions at Ow! provides a time capsule view of
undercurrent to the sweet post-bop of Seattle’s Penthouse club at the tail end an era when musical machismo was still
“Sucré,” playfully working over a ballast- of the partnership, Ow! captures both part and parcel of the jazz experience.
ing bottom on “Song of a Solitary Crow,” players in peak form, tearing into chord To make it you had to be tough, and it
or tunefully waltzing along on “En Trois changes with frightening force on tem- sounds like Griffin and Davis would have
Temps,” Denson and company always pos that are way up. Although Davis was wanted it no other way. (Steve Futter-
manage to allow impulse and strict six years older than Griffin, both men man)

January/February 2020 • JAZZed 21

hotwax
appropriately reflective “If Ever I Would psychedelic tone. Anna Webber contrib-
Leave You” and an unusually downcast utes some deeply soulful flute too, enrich-
Dick Hyman & Ken “On The Street Where You Live,” are ing the ensemble work and providing a
Peplowski equally agreeable in their own subtle counterpoint of sorts to Douglas’ laconic
Counterpoint Lerner & Loewe ways. Performing the work of Lerner & poignancy. “In It Together” features some
(Arbors Records) Loewe as we’ve never heard it before, wry, understated free passages, united
Dick Hyman – piano Hyman and Peplowski remind us of a under the leadership of Douglas’ muted
Ken Peplowski – clarinet, tenor truth rarely uttered yet always worth horn and the richness of Reid’s cello. The
saxophone noting: One great pair truly deserves urgent, restless, slightly Andrew Hill-rem-
another. (Dan Bilawsky) iniscent “Faith Alliance” uses slight gos-
pel strains more aggressively and finds
An earnest Parker’s guitar wailing in an agreeably
request from Dave Douglas dissonant (some might even say gnarly)
Emily Altman, Engage (Greenleaf Music) manner. The languorously bluesy “Free
president of The Dave Douglas – trumpet Libraries” reflects more sanctified shades,
Frederick Loewe Jeff Parker – guitar the close pairing of cello and horn espe-
Foundation, set Tomeka Reid – cello cially delicious here (and Parker’s vivid,
this imaginative Anna Webber – alto and bass flutes, tangy six-string statements don’t hurt
affair in motion. tenor saxophone either). “Heart Science” could be a pick-to-
Nonagenarian piano icon Dick Hyman, Nick Dunston – bass click radio hit – a deceptively easy-to-like
most willing and eager to take a deep Kate Gentile – drums groove, gently expressive solos (Douglas
dive into Loewe’s catalog, got down to pert ‘n’ slightly bittersweet, brittle strut by
business by constructing frameworks Parker), and rich ensemble playing (Park-
to house and support fantastical While he’s not er’s cello is like unto a one-person string
explorations; and multi-reedist Ken anywhere near section whilst Webber’s flute enriches the
Peplowski, one of Hyman’s favored household name ensemble passages).
duo partners, gladly signed on for the status, Dave While there are indeed inspired (and
journey. The rest, as they say, is history. Douglas is one of inspiring) solos a-plenty, Engage is very
Just don’t expect it to be laid out in black American jazz’s much a group effort. Solos are curt and
and white. Rather than simply perform premier trum- to the point while never abrupt. Chalk up
the music of the storied composer and peters. Since the ‘80s (before establishing another one in the “win” column for Dave
riff on the rhythmic cadences of his himself as a leader) Douglas played with Douglas. (Mark Keresman)
collaborator, lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, an impressive range of hepcats: Horace
Hyman and Peplowski deal in wondrously Silver, Jack McDuff, Vincent Herring, and
weaving contrapuntal interpretations. John Zorn; as a leader, his bands and al-
Carla Bley/Andy
The integrity of the originals – songs bum projects have included aces such Sheppard/Steve Swallow
from film classic “Gigi” and Broadway as Chris Potter, Andrew Cyrille, Uri Caine, Life Goes On (ECM Records)
masterworks “Brigadoon,” “Camelot,” and and a quintet co-led with Joe Lovano. Carla Bley – piano
“My Fair Lady,” among others –remains On his own and with others, Douglas has Andy Sheppard – tenor, soprano
essentially true, but those compositions recorded and performed in decidedly dif- saxophone
also prove to be positively pliable when ferent contexts – hard bop, fusion, Third Steve Swallow – electric bass
these two start winding around each Stream, avant-garde, Balkan folk, and
other. combinations thereof. He is a proud jazz
From the playful “Waitin’ for My player but not limited to/by it, openly and Born in 1936,
Dearie” opener right on through to the proudly embracing many influences in- just after the
caffeinated “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” cluding Joni Mitchell and Wayne Shorter. Swing Era kicked
sendoff, Hyman and Peplowski are in the (Douglas has albums devoted to the mu- into full gear,
zone and on the mark. Their instinctual sic/inspiration of both.) Carla Bley has
rapport, clearly displayed in the crafting Engage is politically inspired albeit in been making
of these variations on familiar favorites a somewhat conceptual manner – there’s unclassifiable
and off-the-beaten-path gems, is second no overt “protest” element about this and utterly personal music for the major-
to none. Whether taking on a jazz-friendly music. There are subtle gospel under- ity of her adult life. Utilizing ensembles
classic like “Almost Like Being in Love” or tones slightly recalling the ‘60s works of of all sizes, from big bands to duos, Bley
exploring and leveraging the wrinkles in Charles Mingus (who himself drew upon has devised compositions and arrange-
underexposed numbers like “I Talk to the sanctified sources to intertwine with his ments that, while drawing on the stylistic
Trees” and “A Jug of Wine,” they project a socio-political statements, such as his resources of whatever era she’s working
near-telepathic connection that lodges recordings for Impulse in the ‘60s). This in, somehow always maintain a typical-
comfortably within Loewe’s writing. is not angry but rather excited music, a ly skewed musical personality, one that
The high times in this portfolio wake-up call to all, if you will. “Showing speaks to her unmistakable idiosyncratic
turn out to be a real hoot – just listen Up” finds Douglas testifying in a languidly vision. By now she’s a jazz national trea-
to Peplowski’s clarinet navigating the sardonic manner over a soulful matrix of sure, who, nonetheless, wears her status
currents on “They Call the Wind Maria” Jeff Parker’s electric guitar and Tomeka lightly, as befits the occasional irreverent
for confirmation of that assertion – and Reid’s sinuous cello. Parker peels off a solo flavor of her work.
the more measured deliveries, like the with bluesy overtones and an ambiguous Bley, on piano, takes equal billing in a
22 JAZZed • January/February 2020
longstanding yet infrequently recorded interpreter of Bley’s masterful writing. beginning, Bergonzi and Grenadier make
trio with her husband and longtime musi- The playful moods of the concluding two it seem like the Apocalypse is nigh. The
cal compatriot, the bassist Steve Swallow, movements are indicative of Bley’s cun- rest of the band plays with a tense, seem-
and the British saxophonist Andy Shep- ning ability to effortlessly shift terrain. ingly cool contrast – pianist Carl Winther
pard, comprising a critically acclaimed Speaking in a soft yet authoritative has a sleek restraint akin to Grenadier’s,
outfit that recently celebrated its twen- voice, Life Goes On is a tribute to both an albeit tossing in some spiky dissonant
ty-fifth anniversary. Taking the consis- exceptional jazz ensemble, and a won- notes that go with the flow.
tently high quality of Swallow and Shep- drous polymath of jazz, Carla Bley. (Steve “3rd Ray: Creation” at first seems the-
pard’s work into account, the focus of Life Futterman) matically (slightly) similar to “1st Ray” but
Goes On, as well as the trio’s two previous Bergonzi’s solo after the theme is more
ECM recordings, always shifts back to Bley leisurely-paced but loaded with bluesy
thanks to the alternately tart, lyrical, stark,
Jerry Bergonzi undertones. Grenadier gives with some
and playful tone of her inimitable com- The Seven Rays (High Note) cool off-handedness until he slips in some
positions. Relying on Bley’s writing (rath- Jerry Bergonzi – tenor sax white-hot moments. The horns seem to
er than that of the talented Sheppard or Phil Grenadier – trumpet be carrying on a frenzied conversation –
Swallow, himself a renowned tunesmith), Carl Winther – piano they’re looking at the dawn of Creation
the trio makes quietly riveting chamber Johnny Aman – bass and it all seems to be good, ending with
jazz that finds its own firm place in the Anders Morgensen – drums a wry suddenness. “4th Ray: Harmony”
overall scheme of her distinctive oeuvre. seems loaded with blue-shaded content,
Divided into three suites, Life Goes as if the Creator realizes you got to have
On commences with the four-part title New York showers along with the sunshine. Win-
work, quickly establishing the under- City’s loss be- ther plays with set-‘em-Joe leisure, as if he
stated property of the entire album as came Boston’s carefully surveying the aspects of the big
well as the minimalist character of Bley’s gain when ten- project, with a wondering, tentative qual-
pared-to-the-bone keyboard work and or saxophonist ity. Bergonzi’s solo IS The Blues, almost
Sheppard’s similarly unfussy and equally (also composer sounding as if he were trying them out for
arresting blowing. We are also introduced and educator) the first time – expressing bluesy musings
to Swallows’ ear-grabbing playing. Pro- Jerry Bergonzi relocated from the former with a mix of insight and sorrow (as if he
ducing an instantly recognizable tone to the latter. His history includes stints knows the “harmony” is not going to last
on his instrument that can at various with Dave Brubeck (nine years), Richard very long). “6th Ray: Devotion” is perhaps
times evoke a plucked cello, a high strung Sussman, and Alex Riel. He’s been blaz- the standout/pick-to-click track herein – it
acoustic guitar, or at its most incongruous ing his own path as The Seven Rays ably has an insidiously catchy minor-key open-
moments, a whirring, yet highly musi- attests. ing melody and Bergonzi’s solo is perhaps
cal, household cleaning device, Swallow Bergonzi’s band this time out is a fu- his greatest on this session. He plays with
sounds like no other electric bassist. Al- sion (no pun intended) of his American an unfaltering sense of purpose, tossing
ways gracefully supporting Bley’s music and European accompanists – the fact in some free clusters along the way. Gren-
and his two compatriots, Swallow is also that these lads have history together con- adier gets all over his horn, some dynam-
capable of gorgeously lyrical and inven- tributes to the cohesion and consistency ic high-pitched trills that never sound
tive improvisations; his intelligent solos of this album. The Seven Rays is based on off-handed or gratuitous. Winther is spiky
are among the highlights of a recording several aspects of various (yet kindred) and somewhat McCoy Tyner-like here, let-
bursting with refined details. philosophies which are best explained in ting loose some free-ish flurries while nev-
“Beautiful Telephones” contain the this platter’s liner notes. The music, how- er losing a sense of forward motion. Near
most caustic moments of the project. ever, stands on its own – Bergonzi and the conclusion, Bergonzi and Grenadier
Evoking dark clouds on the horizon, company have fashioned a set that leans engage in some back-and-forth dual/du-
Bley’s dramatic writing for parts one and to that rare Ellington-ian plateau: Beyond el-ing, each echoing then diverging from
two provide Swallow and Sheppard with Category. then intertwining with from other – it’s
forums to display contained yet emphatic The opener, “1st Ray: Intention,” crack- exhilarating, the band provides a shifting
improvisations. Reflecting Bley’s pointed les out of the speakers like some of the matrix of subtle but firm swing. The con-
overt political mindfulness, the conclud- best Freddie Hubbard music of the ‘60s, clusion “Sun Worship Ritual” is a simmer-
ing movement of “Telephone” (inspired the horns rich with a blue-sharp intensi- ing near-ballad piece that subtly recalls
by the President’s comments on the ty, with assorted emotions – impatience, the entire work while suggesting that the
White House having “the most beautiful urgency, intent, and more. Bergonzi’s future is uncertain – Bergonzi lays some
phones I’ve ever used in my life”) finds big-toned tenor roars with great focus on slightly Albert Ayler-like squeaks ‘n’ wails.
Bley’s piano slyly slipping in quotes from getting out The Word, not unlike a clarion Throughout, bassist Johnny Aman and
“Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Yankee call. Bergonzi’s style is not easy to summa- drummer Anders Morgensen hug the
Doodle Dandy,” “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” rize – he has the hard, shiny tone of Son- background, providing vibrant and ev-
and “Hail to the Chief” – the point, with- ny Rollins but the language is all his own. er-shifting yet solid support to the com-
out words, is made. Trumpeter Phil Grenadier hugs the mid- positions. Solos never go on for too long,
The concluding “Copycat” suite is dis- dle register of his horn but with no less there’s always a sense of economy. Over-
tinguished by its opening movement, “Af- intensity – without ever coming off as imi- all the mood is thoughtful and somber
ter You,” an unabashedly beautiful tune tative, Grenadier captures – or to be more yet never oppressively doomy or gloomy.
with Sheppard exhibiting, by way of his precise, channels – the white-hot-ness of Terse, thoughtful ‘n’ hearty hard bop free
understated and evocative tenor playing, Hubbard and Booker Little through his of clichés – that’s the ticket. (Mark Keres-
that he is an uncannily complementary own experience. Playing in unison at the man)

January/February 2020 • JAZZed 23

 outlier’sblues

Picture Perfect
J I M M Y H E AT H
BY STEVE FUTTERMAN

L
ooking back nearly a half century to the gins; each, no matter what diverse directions they had
jazz scene of 1975, it could appear that the explored over the years, a bebopper to the bones. The
most radical move that an established jazz repertoire featured some of Heath’s most distinctive
performer could have made was to record a tra- bop-oriented originals (including “C.T.A.” “For Minors
dition-minded album. That year alone saw the Only,” “All Members,” and “Picture of Heath”) alongside a
release of such significant era-evoking record- standard (“Body and Soul”) that had become the yard-
ings as Agharta (Miles Davis), Bright Size Life (Pat stick for tenor playing prowess. The idea, it seems, was
Metheny), The Koln Concert (Keith Jarrett), and Five to remind astute listeners that amid all the brash and
Pieces (Anthony Braxton), each informed by either esoteric hub bub of the day, tradition-based beauty
rock sonics or formal ploys outside the strict realm was still being made, and that Heath, a man who lived
of the bebop tradition. Yet bebop was the terra fir- and breathed musical beauty, remained at the top of his
ma of Picture of Heath, a superb quartet session led game.
by the magisterial saxophonist Jimmy Heath who Schlitten’s instincts payed off. Each of Heath’s solos,
passed in January of this year at age 93. whether on his accustomed tenor or on soprano (a horn
It’s not that Heath, a jazz polymath who ex- choice that indicated that Heath had been keeping up
celled as an instrumentalist, composer, arranger, with the changes that John Coltrane had wrought),
bandleader, and educator, was behind the times, sings out with an electric excitement that, pointedly,
obstinately making a stand for the continuance had nothing to do with electricity itself. Proceeding with
of the good old ways. Heath was always an ambi- the inevitability that the best improvisations impart,
tious, forward-thinking musician whose previous Heath’s solos positioned his imposing technical abilities
albums of the ‘70s had already incorporated elec- and creative in-
tric instrumentation and shadings of R&B. But the genuity fully on

“Heath was always an ambitious, forward

thinking musician whose previous albums
of the ‘70s had already incorporated electric
instrumentation and shadings of R&B.”
esteemed saxophonist, 49-years-old at the time of the display. Goaded
recording, had grown up as a child of bebop, dubbed by the vigorous
“Little Bird” as a young altoist in his native Philadelphia work of his equally inspired cohorts, Heath eats up the
in recognition of his command of Charlie Parker’s rev- changes yet remains calm and collected; ironically, it’s
olutionary message. By the early fifties, Heath, now on this very poise that may have kept him from greater
tenor, had established himself as a highly respected public attention.
player by collaborating with such peers as Miles Davis “Body and Soul,” has had horn competitiveness built
and Kenny Dorham. As the decades passed, Heath in- into its bones ever since Coleman Hawkins’s landmark
creasingly incorporated progressive formal elements 1939 performance was released, but Heath takes it in
into his playing, but bebop remained the bedrock of his stride. He charts the song’s solid architecture (on both
personal style. soprano and tenor) with the finesse and invention of a
Among Heath’s greatest champions was the producer veteran master. Not surprisingly, it’s a thing of beauty
Don Schlitten who, in putting Picture of Heath in motion, that remains as fresh and invigorating as the day it was
was also pushing against the tide. The recording was to recorded.
be an acoustic session making use of three of the most Picture of Heath wasn’t indicative of jazz circa 1975;
accomplished players of the day: the pianist Barry Har- rather, it was a work for the ages. You’d expect nothing
ris, the bassist Sam Jones, and the drummer Billy Hig- less from a genius like Heath.

24 JAZZed • January/February 2020

 gearcheck
PRINT & DIGITAL BRASS & WOODWIND
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Books in the Adaptable Trios series for wind and percussion are appealing for all on-stage settings. Its double handle wood case
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ACCESSORIES
RS Berkeley’s Chris Potter Elite the higher tip openings (6-10) are designed with a facing curve
Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece and higher baffle to enhance projection and brightness for jazz,
The Chris Potter Elite Series Alto Saxo- klezmer, Latin, and Eastern European clarinet styles.
phone Mouthpiece was developed with www.jodyjazz.com
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for all styles of music and is made from rubber in the USA. Tip Levy’s Right Height Line Straps with
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pany’s proprietary “CHR” Chedeville Hard Rubber it is D’Addario Accessories’ LokNob is the
constructed from. The new HR* Custom Dark Tenor also “set-it and forget it” knob for your am-
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piece. The profile and heft of this ring was inspired by inates the chance of accidentally hitting
JodyJazz’s popular Power Ring ligature. With significantly the knob and changing your settings.
more mass on the shank of the mouthpiece, the it enjoys The LokNob is available in three forms in various materials and fin-
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The new JodyJazz HR Clarinet mouthpiece model is dials and locks in your sound settings. Once in place, simply rotate
a free-blowing, warm-sounding and versatile mouth- the knob to click into the sound you need. For larger adjustments,
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symphonic, chamber, and pit orchestra settings, while www.daddario.com
January/February 2020 • JAZZed 25
guesteditorial

The Business of Music: 201

BY HARRY SCHNIPPER
AUTHOR DISCLAIMER: The Business of Music 201 is solely intend- There are two basic business models in the jazz music uni-
ed to be a basic business primer predicated upon my two previous verse: non-profit and for-profit. Knowing which one is which will
articles which appeared in this magazine, but it is not intended to help you to navigate your own performance profitability. Each of
encapsulate our entire entertainment industry. Also, I am neither an these two business models share the same operational expenses
attorney nor is this article intended to proffer legal advice. When in regardless of where or how they exist in that jazz music universe:
doubt always seek competent legal counsel. room rental, taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, and salaries.
These are all proprietary expenses that only the venue present-

T
he three themes of this article will touch upon are: (1) er and their talent buyer know, for which every artist must be
musical machinations, (2) the music industry as a machine, aware, and location really does matter. Every venue contains
and (3) that there is no business in this business. In my its own audience capacity and will vary upon whether one is
two previous articles I capitalized upon quantifiable solutions, negotiating a club, a concert, or a festival date. If you are a repeat
pragmatic problems, owning your own entrepreneurship, the performer (and lucky you!) then both presenter and performer
presenter as a silent partner, the artist as a creative commu- have access to prior analytical information.
nicator, building your own business plan, branding your own The first step in attaining financial profitability for both is
musical identity, and the transferability of the above precepts on negotiating an equitable term sheet prior to proceeding to
a market-by-market basis. Now we shall explore our own musical contract (the model outlines the basic economic outline and the
destiny. latter determines whether you will be getting red jelly beans in
The prevailing question that I have, as a veteran presenter, is your dressing room or not). The term sheet will reflect the price
not have you confirmed your performance date, but what exactly of admission, whether the artists and musicians will receive
are you going to do next? The number-one question a musician complementary or discounted food or beverage, the cost of
should be asking his- or herself is: “What exactly is my own self- any technical riders, whether selling product is permitted, and
worth or value as one relates to one’s performance contract in whether the artists’ guests will be allowed. The smaller the venue,
any particular market?” The number one question I then ask my- the more sensitive the price points.
self, as a presenter, is: “Will the artist pay for themselves relative The contract is a negotiable and irrefutable legal instrument
to our overall operational costs?” intended to enforce the terms and conditions between two con-

26 JAZZed • January/February 2020

 Classifieds
The prevailing question that I have, as a
veteran presenter, is not have you confirmed
your performance date, but what exactly are you
going to do next?
senting parties in a particular transaction. This mutually binding instrument is specifically
AdIndex
designed to maximize mutual profitability and cannot be unilaterally dissolved without ADVERTISER PAGE WEB
the express written consent by both contracting parties. Although, one contract size
does not fit all. Arizona State University 5 asu.edu
If you are scheduled to perform in a night club, or at a concert hall, or at a festival or
in a review with others, prices will be determined and can fluctuate according to your
value to that particular presenter or promoter. In a club venue, the presenter is specif-
ically identifying audience counts, food and beverage consumption, sales per person,
Cultural Tour Consultants 16 culturaltourconsultants.com
and the ratio of your income to their operational expenses. As a seasoned promoter I rely
upon past performance histories, the individual artists’ outreach via social media feeds
with their follower counts, and Pollstar reports to establish market valuation. As a festival
producer I perform all of the above due diligence and weigh that individual artist data
against the income derived from any outside underwriting. Festivals often allow the Dave Stahl 20 davestahl.com
promoter-producer to experiment with emerging talent alongside established musicians
but will not necessarily render their own financial rewards in the long run.
Every musical marketplace is different, from New York to San Francisco to Milan to
Tokyo, and every audience is drawn to each venue via a variety of successful strategies. F.E. Olds & Son, Inc. C4 feolds.com
The music industry is essentially an entertainment machine and timing that machine
is the key to one’s own financial success. In my previous articles I discussed designing
your own business plan and one’s own unique vision statement that will pave a path to
long-term profitability. The old adage, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” and its answer
“Practice, practice, practice” is especially applicable to today’s artist seeking fame and Hal Leonard Corp. 3 halleonard.com

fortune on the stage today as it was a century ago. Unfortunately, there is no magic key
to unlocking the jazz musical universe except through your own hard work and perse-
verance. Furthermore, there is no one music industry panacea. If there was, you would
not need my advice. J.J. Babbitt Co. Inc. 11 jjbabbitt.com
Finally, there is no business in this business. Every musician or artist is their own
individual brand and their brand is their reputation. I strongly recommend that artists
subscribe to individual venue website calendar updates, observe individual artist pricing,
whether aging or emerging artists are featuring guest soloists, identifying recurring artist
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Aids C2 jazzbooks.com
dates, and understanding each venue’s own particular business model to ensure your
own best negotiating practices. This approach will educate you to the symbiotic rela-
tionship between contracting parties, whether the artist can appease their audience and
ensure presenter profitability, to help insure your own musical destiny. If a venue cannot
earn enough revenue from providing quality entertainment at a reasonable price point Jazz Education Network C3 jazzednet.org
then they cannot afford to keep their doors open and their lights on. If owning and op-
erating a successful jazz club venue were so easy, I like to say, then there would be a jazz
club on every corner in America and I would not need to compose informational articles
or conduct educational lectures on this very same subject. Good luck and good gigs.
John Fedchock 19 johnfedchock.com

Harry Schnipper is the owner/operator of Blues Alley Jazz in Washing-

ton, D.C. Blues Alley Jazz is America’s oldest continuously operating
jazz supper club. In addition to acting as owner, Schnipper is the
executive director of its non-profit nightclub namesake. He is per- New Jersey Performing Arts Center 15 njpac.org

sonally responsible for the oversight of series, concerts, festivals, and

nightly performances. Blues Alley Jazz produces, promotes, or presents
performances at least once a day, every day of the year.
Rovner Products 7 rovnerproducts.com

January/February 2020 • JAZZed 27

Backbeat
Jimmy Heath 1926-2020
T
enor saxophonist, composer, and arranger Jimmy Heath in the studio more frequently as a
passed away on January 19, 2020 at his home in Loganville, leader and a sideman. He began
Georgia at the age of 93. His grandson Fa Mtume confirmed to work for Riverside Records as
this news. a staff arranger, and also free-
He is survived by his wife Mona Brown their daughter, Roslyn lanced arranging work, such as
Heath-Cammorto, a son from his first marriage, James Mtume, his writing charts for artists like Ray
brother Tootie, Fa Mtume and six other grandchildren, and seven Charles.
great-grandchildren. Outside the studio, Heath
Born James Edward Heath on October 25, 1926 in Philadelphia, joined Miles Davis’ group in 1959, and worked alongside Milt Jack-
Heath grew up with musical parents. His mother sang in a church son and Art Farmer. New decades brought new projects; in 1964, he
choir, and his father performed the clarinet on the weekend. Often was a founding faculty member at Jazzmobile, which brought class-
called “Little Bird” - a reference to Charlie Parker’s nickname “Bird” - he es and concerts to Harlem youth, and in 1975, he started the Heath
first played the alto saxophone, but then switched to the tenor sax. Brothers with his brothers and pianist Stanley Cowell.
His career began in the 1940s, when Heath toured the Midwestern On the educational front, Heath worked at the Aaron Copland
dance circuit with the Nat Towles Orchestra. By 1946, he had started School of Music at Queens College, City University of New York,
his own band, eventually bringing John Coltrane into the fold, but where he taught for 20-plus years, helped to create the Jazz Program
the group broke up in 1949 to give Heath the chance to become a at Queens College, and contributed to the Board of the Louis Arm-
part of Dizzy Gillespie’s band. strong Archives on campus.
In the mid-’50s, Heath was arrested and convicted twice on drug He was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the
charges, but this didn’t impede his musical bravado. While in jail, he Arts in 2003, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Human Let-
even composed Playboys, the 1956 record from Chet Baker and Art ters in 2004.
Pepper. Due to the nature of his probation terms, however, Heath Heath will be remembered as a staple of the saxophone and ar-
could not tour once he was released from jail, and started to work ranging worlds.

coming next issue t

ICA
ATION OF AMER
YAMAHA CORPOR

ch 20 20 is su e of JA ZZ ed will include an in-depth

The Mar
n w ith no te d dr um m er St eve Jordan, whose
conversatio
at ile ta le nt s ha ve fo un d hi m working with artists
vers
om Jo hn Sc ofi el d an d He rb ie Hancock to Keith
ranging fr
Richards and John Mayer.

STEVE JORDAN
28 JAZZed • January/February 2020
APPLY TO PERFORM OR PRESENT
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Jazz Education Network

12th Annual Conference Louisville, KY January 6-9, 2021

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