Archives for June 13, 2011

Reaction to the death of Ray Bryant keeps coming in. Dubliner Colm (Red) O’Sullivan writes from Rio de Janeiro, where he is immersing himself in Brazilian music. He alerts us to video of a fellow Irishman, guitarist Louis Stewart, playing a Bryant composition. Stewart has been an important player in the UK for decades. He has occasionally appeared in the US. In The New York Times in 1981, John S. Wilson wrote, after hearing Stewart, “he spins out single-note lines that flow with an unhurried grace, colored by sudden bright, lively chorded phrases.” That has not changed.

Here are Stewart and his frequent partner, pianist Jim Doherty, playing Ray Bryant’s “The Bebop Irishman.” Following the tune, a BBCish announcer gives a bit of Stewart’s bio.

Sorry for the early out. That’s all there was.

The staff is back at Rifftides world headquarters after joining other Jazz Journalists Association members for the JJA’s 2011 award event. We assembled on Saturday at Egan’s Ballard Jam House in Seattle to watch the ceremony by satellite feed from New York. It was one of several satellite parties around the country. John Gilbreath of Earshot Jazz was among us and received one of the nine Jazz Hero awards, a new category this year. Applause, shouts and whistles for John were as deafening as our mighty handful could make them.

These are the winners of a few of the top awards:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN JAZZ: Jimmy Heath

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR: Sonny Rollins

COMPOSER OF THE YEAR: Jason Moran

ARRANGER Of The Year: Bill Holman

UP AND COMING ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Ambrose Akinmusire

RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Bird Songs /Joe Lovano Us Five
(Blue Note)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN JAZZ JOURNALISM: Bill Milkowski

BLOG OF THE YEAR: Patrick Jarenwattanon.

The Rifftides staff sends hearty congratulations to Patrick for his excellent A Blog Supreme.

For the complete list of winners, go here.