Rifftides

Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...

Portland Jazz Festival, Take One: Chuck Israels

(Portland, Oregon) The Portland Jazz Festival’s two-week extravaganza has been filling this Columbia River city with music since February 17. For the duration, concert halls, restaurants, hotel lounges and Portland’s flourishing year-‘round jazz clubs ring with music. Concerts, seminars, workshops and jam sessions run from shortly after dawn until the wee hours. To see the schedule, go here. Dedicated festival pass holders who have attended nearly everything tell me that highlights in the early days included performances by two trumpeters, the audacious Italian Enrico Rava with his band called Tribe, and Thara Memory, the veteran educator being honored as 2012’s Portland Jazz Master. There is lingering excitement about alto saxophonist Charles McPherson’s Monday concert in tribute to Lester Young and Charlie Parker.

Name performers from elsewhere are booked into the big theaters and performance halls. Musicians from the Pacific Northwest, some of whom have developed followings outside the region, play in clubs like Touché, Jimmy Mak’s, Brasserie Montmartre and Ivories. Portland’s jazz clubs seem to be flourishing—at least staying afloat—despite the lousy economy that has sunk counterparts in bigger cities. That is an indicator of the high degree of Oregonians’ interest in the music. The enthusiasm for jazz has attracted notable musicians to move here, most recently the New York pianist George Colligan. Pianist-songwriter Dave Frishberg, pianist Randy Porter and drummer Todd Strait have lived here for years. Bassist, composer and arranger Chuck Israels chose Portland as home base not long ago.

Israels, the bassist in the Bill Evans Trio for nearly six years, came here after 20 years as director of jazz studies at Western Washington. He has put together an eight-piece band primarily dedicated to playing his arrangements of pieces written by Evans or strongly associated with the Evans trio. My introduction to this edition of the Portland festival was the Israels band’s performance last night at a new club, Ivories, in the Pearl District. The octet is composed of some of the city’s most accomplished players. Cryptically, Israels told the packed house about the challenge of moving Evans’ music to an ensemble setting: “One man; lots of fingers. Eight men; many more fingers, many brains.”


Translating the music from Evans’ fingers through eighty fingers and eight brains requires more than technical ability in playing and writing, although it requires plenty of that. It demands an understanding of and feeling for the underlying impulses and emotions in the music. Last night was one of those occasions on which an audience’s concentration and approval is palpable well beyond its applause. We were feeling what the musicians felt in the profundity, beauty and joy of Evans’ music. After a demanding baritone-tenor-alto sax soli recreating Evans’ solo on “Show Type Tune” tailed off into a quiet conclusion by piano and cymbals, there was a collective intake of breath before the applause began. Earlier in the piece, trombonist John Moak executed the melody of the tune’s bridge section with exuberance so pronounced, so right, that it lit the room with smiles. “Beautiful Love,” “Elsa,” “Waltz For Debby,” “Israel” and “My Foolish Heart” were among the pieces in which Israels translated the rhythmic and harmonic complexities in Evans piano solo into intricately crafted ensembles for five horns. Israels’ daughter Jessica sang “Waltz For Debby” and his wife Margot Hanson “My Foolish Heart,” in arrangements made so that although the lyrics were perfectly clear, their voices were integrated into the ensemble sound, to great effect.


The photos, provided by Diane Mitchell and her iPad, show the band at Ivories. The second one finds the leader exulting following a performance that pleased him.

Emphasis may be on arrangements based on Evans solos, but Chuck Israels’ Jazz Orchestra is also a soloists’ band. There were impressive solos by all members. They are Chuck Israels, leader, arranger, bass; Dan Gaynor, piano; Todd Strait, drums; Robert Crowell, baritone sax and bass clarinet; David Evans, tenor sax and clarinet; John Nastos, alto sax and flute; Paul Mazzio, trumpet and flugelhorn; John Moak, trombone. This band is worthy of being on a festival main stage.

On The Road

Tomorrow, the Rifftides staff is headed south, then west through the magnificent Columbia River Gorge to Portland, Oregon, one of my favorite former hometowns. The occasion is the Portland Jazz Festival. As usual, PDX Jazz is packed with far more music than anyone can take in. I will try to choose carefully and carve out enough time to blog about some of what I hear. My preliminary list includes Roy Haynes, Bill Frisell, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chuck Israels and Vijay Iyer, among others. It appears that I may be on the radio with Lynn Darroch. If so, I’ll provide time and coordinates.

Recent Listening: Ellington 1932-1940

This wraps up discussion of the albums I voted for in the 2011 Rhapsody critics poll.

The Complete 1932-40 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington And His Famous Orchestra (Mosaic)

This magnificently produced and remastered set of 11 CDs covers the Ellington era from roughly the end of his Cotton Club years to the beginning of what has come to be called the Blanton-Webster band.

As Steven Lasker notes at the end of his invaluable essay for this set, Duke Ellington’s 1940-41 band is “widely considered to be the greatest orchestra in jazz history.” Listeners should ignore any inclination to take that assessment as encouragement to dismiss what came before. The last tracks in this magnificently produced and remastered box of 11 CDs encompass the beginning of the Ellington edition later named informally for the advent of bassist Jimmie Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. The set covers the Ellington era from roughly the end of his Cotton Club years to the earliest four pieces recorded by the Blanton-Webster band on February 14, 1940.

The sophistication, complexity and subtlety in Ellington’s work were to become more advanced, but they were well established in the 1920s and finely honed by 1932. To single out a few of the earlier tracks, we hear all of those maker’s marks in “Lazy Rhapsody,” “Blue Tune,” “It Don’t Mean A Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing” and the celebrated collaboration with Bing Crosby on “St Louis Blues.” Ellington’s writing supported soloists so integrated into the band that they and the Ellington ethos became inseparable. Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Barney Bigard, Joe Nanton Cootie Williams, Ivie Anderson, Arthur Whetsel and the others were on a voyage of discovery with Ellington through the 1930s. His hit recordings brought Ellington wide acceptance without the band’s locking into predictable patterns of sound or style. “In A Sentimental Mood,” “Sophisticated Lady,” “Caravan,” “Prelude To A Kiss” helped bring the orchestra fame, but the public also accepted the innovations in “Black Butterfly,” “Boy Meets Horn,” the merry agitation of “Harlem Speaks” and the daring four-part “Reminiscing In Tempo.”

Many reissue projects suffer from their comprehensiveness, presenting a succession of three-minute recordings that were conceived as 78 rpm singles to be heard a side or two at time. That is not a problem with this Ellington set. There is remarkable variety in these 12 hours of music, and alternate takes are wisely saved for the ends of discs rather than following the master takes.

In addition to writing the notes, Steven Lasker, with Scott Wenzel, produced the reissue and did the restoration that presents this music from seven decades ago in sound that is bright and fresh. It has details that have gone unheard in previous reissues. Lasker has won awards for this kind of work. He deserves another one.

Is this essential Ellington? It is, if you think Ellington is essential.

Prez On Presidents Day

Today is Presidents Day in the United States. It falls between the birthdays of two of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and George Washington (February 22). Many years ago, there was a movement in the Congress to consolidate the two observances into one holiday that would honor all US presidents. The effort never resulted in an official national holiday, but department stores and automobile dealerships liked the idea so much that they declared it a holiday and celebrate it by having huge sales to increase their profits and buy advertising that results in Sunday newspapers weighing five pounds. To read the confused history of Presidents Day, go here.

Among jazz blogs and websites, it has become a cliché to take advantage of Presidents Day as a reason to mention Lester Young. Clichés get to be clichés because they strike a chord and are repeated so often that they become a part of the collective consciousness. When Billie Holiday declared that Lester Young was the president of the tenor saxophonists, she planted the seed of a cliché that I am happy to perpetuate. Ladies and gentlemen—on Presidents Day we present Lester Young in one of his greatest recordings. This was 1943. Prez with Johnny Guarnieri, Slam Stewart and Sid Catlett.

Oscar Peterson liked Young’s final eight bars so much that he incorporated it whenever he played “Sometimes I’m Happy,” as in this long version.

Jack Brownlow, who played piano with Lester in the 1940s, wrote a lyric for that ending.

I can find a ray
On the rainiest day.
If I am with you,
The cloudy skies all turn to blue.
My disposition really changes when you’re near.
Every day’s a happy day with you, my dear.
(©Jack Brownlow)

Happy Presidents Day.

Other Matters: The Owl

Toward evening yesterday, we heard a raucous disturbance among the flock of blue jays occupying a blue spruce at the edge of the yard. We looked out to find the jays dive bombing a row of arbor vitae. About halfway up one of the shrubs was what we later concluded was a western screech owl. It wasn’t screeching, just peering out of its refuge looking unconcerned and, of course, wise. Owls are so infrequent in our neighborhood that I took a picture through the window with an inadequate point-and-shoot camera. Digitally enlarged, the section of the photo with the owl in the bush took on a sort of pointillist character. Posting this, I considered finding appropriate music to go with it: “Owl Be Seeing You” or “Owl Be Around,” perhaps. But that would be unforgivably corny, wouldn’t it?

Odds And Ends

Correspondence

Rifftides reader George McCord writes:

..I was wondering..I read that Brubeck put in a contract that whilst Desmond was playing with the group he could not record with another piano player…I find that hard to believe..

Brubeck and Desmond had no written contract. They had a handshake agreement throughout the life of the quartet. As a practical matter, they concluded that if Desmond recorded with another pianist, it would confuse matters. After the quartet disbanded, Desmond recorded with other pianists, including Herbie Hancock, Bob James, Roland Hanna and Kenny Barron.

 

Sympathetic Reaction

This is one of the anecdotes in the current edition of Bill Crow’s The Band Room column in Allegro, the New York American Federation of Musicians Local 802 newspaper.

Tim Wendt used to sub on Bill Holman’s band in Los Angeles. Bill rehearsed at the Local 47 union hall every Thursday. At one rehearsal, jut before counting off the first tune, Bill announced that the band would be taking a few weeks off. “I was at my doctor yesterday for an exam, and I need to get a pacemaker installed because, apparently my heart occasionally skips a beat.”

Pete Christlieb quickly said, “Gee, that’s too bad. Well, guys, let’s play. Ready? Here we go…One, two, FOUR!”

Tim says they couldn’t play for the next ten minutes.

This month, Bill includes a remembrance of his friend Bob Brookmeyer. To read the entire column, go here, click on “Allegro,” and scroll down.

 

Brookmeyer Service

We have had inquiries about memorial services for Brookmeyer. His friend and colleague Bill Kirchner is making arrangements and sent this announcement.

As many of you know, valve trombonist/composer/arranger Bob Brookmeyer died on December 15, 2011, four days short of his 82nd birthday.
A memorial will be held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church (E. 54th St. between 3rd and Lexington Avenues) in New York City on Wednesday, April 11, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. A reception will follow immediately afterward at the church.

That evening, Bob’s music will be played by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (for which he wrote for over 40 years) and a couple of small groups. There will also be a number of distinguished speakers.

I’m the coordinator of this event, so any inquiries can be directed to me: kirch@mindspring.com

 

Weekend Listening Tip From Jim Wilke

Thomas Marriott Quartet on Jazz Northwest, Sunday, February 19. (1 PM on 88.5 KPLU)

Seattle trumpet player and band leader Thomas Marriott has established an international reputation, toured widely, played on dozens of albums and led seven of his own. Several of his Origin CDs have landed in top ten lists and are played by radio stations across the US. His hometown appearances are always popular, too, and this Sunday at 1 PM PST on Jazz Northwest (88.5 KPLU) his quartet can be heard in a performance recorded at Tula’s in Seattle last week.

Joining Thomas Marriott on this program are Bill Anschell, piano, Jeff Johnson, bass and John Bishop on drums. They play three originals composed by Thomas as well as two standards in this performance in front of a capacity audience at Tula’s in Seattle.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. The program airs each Sunday at 1 PM and is available as a podcast from kplu.org.

 

Kolakowski’s Chopin Scherzo Is No Joke

The bright young Polish pianist Mateusz Kolakowski is as devoted to Chopin as he is to jazz. He demonstrates in this performance combining his two loves.

 

Holiday And Basie

There is little film of Count Basie and Billie Holiday together. Here they are in 1950, Basie’s sextet days.

 

Have a good weekend

Zurke And Monk: A Discovery

Researching Thelonious Monk’s inspirations and examples, the Canadian composer and musicologist Andrew Homzy has turned up a connection that may seem unlikely—until you hear the evidence.

“It has been well documented,” Homzy wrote a group of fellow jazz researchers yesterday, “that Monk was inspired by Mary Lou William’s ‘Walkin’ And Swingin’’ (‘Rhythm-a-ning’) and John Kirby’s ‘Pastel Blue’ (‘Blue Monk’). 

This morning, I discovered that Bob Zurke’s performance of ‘Tea For Two’, with the Bob Crosby Band in 1938, is the genesis of Monk’s still-unique version of the same tune. Recorded in New York, March 10, 1938 for Decca.

Zurke’s spectacular reharmonization begins at 2:39.”

Notes: (1) Eddie Miller has the lovely tenor saxophone solo in the Zurke/Crosby version. Cannonball Adderley called Miller “The first of the cool tenors.” (2) At the end of the Zurke/Crosby version, and before the Monk, Adrian Gregg, the man who restored the sound of the Decca 78rpm disc, pops up to deliver a brief plug—DR.

Monk’s version is from his 1963 Criss Cross album.

Bob Zurke (1912-1944) was a gifted pianist who replaced Joe Sullivan in Bob Crosby’s band in 1937. He and Crosby had a hit record with their cover of Meade Lux Lewis’s “Honky Tonk Train Blues.” After he left Crosby, Zurke formed his own big band in 1940. He recorded, among other things, a new version of “Tea for Two,” of which Andrew Homzy says, “At 2:17, there begins an even more extensive, i.e. full chorus, reharmonization. Monk could have heard this version, as it was issued on Victor & was probably widely distributed.” Zurke’s 1940 “Tea for Two” is on this album, along with all of his other RCA Victors.

Zurke’s big band, Bob Zurke and his Delta Rhythm Boys, didn’t last long, largely because of the leader’s drinking and unreliability. After settling in Los Angeles, he spent his final few years playing solo piano at the Hangover Club. He collapsed there in early 1944 and died shortly after of pneumonia with complications. He had just turned 32.

New Recommendations

In the right column under Doug’s Picks, (and, for a time, directly below) please find recommendations of CDs by a trumpeter-arranger, an uncategorizable singer and a drummer who composes and plays piano. We also call your attention to a DVD meant to instruct—it certainly does that—and ends up entertaining. A new book pick will be along soon.

Weekend Extra #2: Play Like Tom Harrell

Psst, hey Bud, c’mere a minute. Wanna play like Tom Harrell? (that’s my Sheldon Leonard impression). All you gotta do is practice, then you’ll be able to play the blues in all 12 keys without missing a beat. (It helps to have a pianist who can play the blues in all 12 keys.)

Then you’ll sound like this:

Well, maybe not exactly like that.

Harrell was assisted by Jamie Aebersold, who in his mercantile life runs a play-along empire. Thanks to Angela Harrell for letting us know about that clip.

Weekend Extra: Spoon And Pepper Reunited

In 1981, Art Pepper sat in with Jimmy Witherspoon at The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California. Their acquaintance went back to the early 1950s when the Central Avenue jazz scene in Los Angeles was thriving.

Pepper died the following year at the age of 56, Witherspoon in 1997 at 77.