JAZZ CULTUREThe New York Jazz Project

In These Pages‐ReviewEngland Event‐J. Watson 2‐3

Singers: ABCs' 4‐5Jazz Heritage

Chris Anderson, B. Harris 6‐7Let's Link 8

info@newyorkjazzproject.comhttp://newyorkjazzproject.com

REVIEWJimmy Cobb Sextet

Caught the Jimmy Cobb Sextet at Smoke, Sunday June 3, and

with him were Mike LeDonne, piano, John Webber, bass, Vincent

Herring, alto saxophone, Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, Eric Alexander,

tenor saxophone, the leadoff group in a month long Miles Davis

tribute. Starting with an up tempo, swinging “Four,” the horn

soloists all created melodic and relevant versions of the well

known standard by Miles with Mr. Cobb maintaining an astute

mezzo forte. The band seemed overjoyed, a bit in awe with the

opportunity to recall the magic of “the old days,” with the rhythm

section under Mr. Cobb’s masterful leadership, the only living

member of the original "Kind ofBlue."

“Francing” was next, a blues by Miles Davis, played at a

groovy tempo, Mr. Cobb signifying with his clearly recognizable

sound and making the band swing with crisp assurance. Mr.

Herring played a very passionate and melodic solo coloring with

the blues scale extensively. Eric Alexander has a singular sound,

primarily in his middle register, projecting the loneliness andJazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7 p.1

Jimmy Cobb with John Webber at

Smoke

alienation ofmodern life and sort of a sculpting effect as he carved

out lines with good articulation, and just as it appeared he would

avoid 16th notes, he doubled up with long lines. Mr. LeDonne

took a small, two triplets phrase with call and response effect, and

built a tasty solo reminiscent ofHerbie Hancock, with some pretty

triplet combinations, crescendoing into a 16th note passage and

then some percussive chording. Webber has a nice meaty sound on

bass, and did a syncopated tasteful solo.

“Oleo” was played at about 350=quarter note, or a drummer’s

dream tempo. Mr. Cobb’s So What band has worked around the

world, probably building an audience for this event; Vincent

Herring was the only one of the original band there for some

reason, and was adept with the repertoire and the leader of course.

On “Oleo” Mr. Herring with his distinctive tone, very bright,

intense, pretty all at the same time, was assured enough to hear the

slow under the fast tempo, and picked notes with rhythmic

punctuation and built melodies on them. Mr. LeDonne started with

double hand unison, which was fun. On this song we were able to

hear Mr. Cobb let loose and develop ideas, with a flurry of

dynamics ranging from piano to double forte, from fluttering stick

work to a wide scope of rhythms, rising like a pyramid into a fiery

well structured solo.

“Someday My Prince Will Come” was nice for dynamic

variety; it was soft. Jeremy Pelt played the melody, with his own

sound. His mute was on and he played a pretty and charming solo.

Herring was rapturous and melodic; Alexander, cool and

modernistic. LeDonne sometimes played single notes per

measure, developing into a long 16th note passage into a chordal

segue, with the bass playing lyric descending lines, the tune ending

the song on a pedal tone that faded into a soft flutter on drums.

“Well You Needn’t” was very bright, Alexander comfortable

with hard bop/post progressive Monkish attitude, whole tone

patterns with some leaps into the upper register, and small motives

rhythmic in the chromatic section with crisp attack. Mr. Herring

created motifs that extended into cascading melodic lines and the

chromatic section was not evident; Pelt likewise solved the

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7p.2

difficulty of the chromatic section seamlessly. Mr. LeDonne had a

crisp solo with good attack appropriate to the Monk style. Thanks

to drum master Mr. Cobb's leadership, the tribute was a smash hit.

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7 p.3

ENGLAND EVENTby John WatsonA jazz musician's life in

London is probably quite

similar to New York in that

it is full of contrasts. One

night you are playing for

peanuts in a jazz club or bar

(hopefully to an

appreciative and

demonstrative audience)

and the next night you are in

the lap of luxury.

The Dorchester

The latter applies to my night

at The Dorchester performing with a quartet featuring Alex

Garnett on sax, Steve Rose on bass, Helder Pack on drums and

yours truly on a grand piano (hired in for the occasion). We were

booked by a rich, jazz-loving client to perform for about 100

guests in the Gold & Silver Rooms. We performed mostly straight

ahead jazz numbers such as 'Killer Joe' with some Latin numbers

such as "Song For My Father" to showcase Mozambique (via

Portugal) drummer Helder Pack's style. It was great to work with

Alex Garnett again. We recently bumped into each other at Ronnie

Scott's Jazz Club (when I was performing there with Mica Paris)

as Alex is a regular member of the house band; "The Ronnie

Scott's All Stars". Alex became well known as a member of "Ray

Gelato's Giants" (a Louis Prima style swing band) but left to

pursue his own projects including his début album "Serpent"

recorded in famous Brooklyn studio "Systems Two". Completing

the line-up on bass was Steve Rose who has played with the likes

John Watson

Photo: Max Garr

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7p.4

ofBenny Golson and Joe Lovano. This was not my regular line-up

but playing with such a great collection ofmusicians always draws

something new out of you.

Mica Paris at Ronnie Scott’s, March 29-31, 2012

Ronnie Scott’s is the most well known club in London.

Located on Frith Street, right in the heart of Soho,it plays host to

the best ofBritish and US blues, jazz and soul artists. The original

club was opened by British modern jazz sax player Ronnie Scott,

and fellow tenor player Peter King in 1959 inspired by Ronnie’s

trips to 52nd Street in New York.

At the end ofMarch, I had the privilege of performing at

Ronnie Scott’s as musical director (piano/keyboard/vocal) for

British soul artist Mica Paris. We did five sell-out shows over

three nights (one show on Thursday and two shows on Friday and

Saturday). Like most jazz clubs, the layout is intimate, with some

tables right in front of the musicians. Tables further away are on

raised sections (to the right and left) for better viewing whilst other

customers sit or stand by the bar at the back of the club.

The audience was extremely receptive but I did feel sorry for

the support band on Friday and Saturday (which featured Carl Orr

on electric guitar) who did a set from 7:1 5 and 8 pm, and then had

to wait until after our second show before starting their second set

at 12:45! If you are planning a trip to London, Ronnie Scott’s is

well worth the visit!

* * *

John Watson is a gifted English jazz pianist who has a steady gig at

The Langham, a premiere London hotel with an exquisite restaurant

where for a drink or soda, you can hear the John Watson Trio every

weekend. Surpassing New York, London’s hotel industry supports jazz

events and groups. John Watson also serves as musical director for

various singers, and has a growing discography and popularity. A

graduate of the Guildhall School ofMusic and Drama, John Watson has

performed in many different situations, from hotels to jazz clubs, from

festivals to parties. These include: Four Seasons Hotel London, The

Dorchester Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Club Soho,

Hammersmith Apollo, JVC Jazz Festival Paris, Grand Hotel du Cap

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7 p.5

Ferat Music Festival and St. Regis Hotel New York. John is a “triple

threat”-- singer, pianist and keyboardist, accompanist and long time

music director ofLeee John and legendary 80’s group Imagination.

Through popular demand, he has recorded and released several albums.

Most recently the JW3 Live at the Langham, (available for download)

features his jazz trio and was recorded at the Palm Court,-The Langham,

London, where John is currently resident pianist and musical director.

www.johnpianoman.co.uk Myspace.com/johnawatson;

Singers' ABCs'

by Lionelle Hamanaka

What are the differences between a singer and every other

musician?

The voice is in the body. That so, it figures a singer must take care

of his or her body. You cannot go out and buy a Stradivarius or

Steinway. You are stuck with what you’ve got. Of course, the

right technique can develop every aspect of the voice including

intonation. But even a virtuouso must take very good care of him

or herself and not do or take anything that will keep them from

performing at the top of their game. So, give your voice a chance.

Diet, exercise, and sleep are ABC’s to create a good environment

for your voice.

Sleep comes first. No one is happy without sleep, and

sometimes you can’t help not getting enough sleep. A sick child, a

late night, an early morning. But in general, you must insist on

getting enough sleep or your mind will get distorted and singing is

as mental as it is physical.

Exercise is next. You must try to walk up every day or some

aerobic workout a few times a week. The minimum for adults is

about 100 blocks, so it’s good investment to buy a $1 1 -1 5

pedometer. Yoga, pilates, strength workouts, stretches or

meditation--there are exciting choices, even on dvd's.

Diet is what you are. Try to drink 8 glasses ofwater a day, two

before each meal, and eat 4 cups of vegetables, raw if possible, as

in salad. Vegetable protein can be eaten with a very small iron

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7p.6

supplement, so you do not get anemic. Depending on your blood

type, you may or may not be a natural grain eater. But if you have

8 glasses ofwater a day and 4 cups of vegetables, it will be hard to

stuff tons of pasta, meat, and dessert in your tummy because you

won’t have room, and you will have better health.

The second difference between a singer and other musicians is

that singers have lyrics. Try to create a nice communication with

your inner self. That is the inner self you will call on to interpret

lyrics and concentrate on the basics ofmusic. If you read the lyric

from beginning to end, who is singing this song? What happened

to this person to make them sing this song? And what about the

lyric relates to your experience. What is the outcome of the story

the lyric provides? It might recall the saddest experience in your

life. The story you tell should be clear to you before you perform.

You have to make choices and try them out. You can't just go out

and sing notes. Carve out the time to focus on the lyric; ask for

some private time. Although the ideal is to sing the words as if for

the first time, and react spontaneously, you will have to memorize

the melody, words and harmony. Along the way you will create

your story behind the words and notes. There are a million ways to

phrase the rhythm alone, but if your word stress, or long tones

cross into the next measure, check the harmony is not changing to

a different key so you can stick with the rhythm section. Please addyour thoughts on this on the Singers blog on the site.

Thalia Singers’ Jam Review by SingersThe Thalia’s Singers Jam

has been going on for just over

one year, on 95th Street.

Though one of the newer

singers’ jams, it has garnered

popularity due to its warm

host, D’Ambrose Boyd, and

fine musicians, David Pearl,

pianist and Rodney Harrison,

David Pearl and Rodney Harrison, at

the Thalia Cafe

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7 p.7

drums. At Thalia’s the singers are varied, some nights mostly

jazz, some Broadway or rhythm and blues. The evening starts with

instrumentals, moves to an open mike with a featured singer doing

several songs, and ends by including everyone who comes to sing.

On Monday, June 4, 2012, trumpeter Luis Camacho played a

lilting version of “Invitation” and David Pearl and Rodney

Harrison played “How About You,” and a vivid “Ma Cherie

Amour,” an arrangement by Mr. Harrison. For the first time in NY

history, a survey was taken of ten singers who are regulars.

They were asked only a few questions:

1 . Wait Time: for 8 of 10, this was only 1 -2 hours.

2. Quality ofMusicians: 6 of 10 voted “excellent,” 4 said “good.”

3. Service: 5 of 10 said “good”, 4 of 10 said “excellent,” 1 (one)

had no comment.

4. Ambience: 3 of 10 said “ok”, 1 (one) said “good,” 5 said

“excellent,” 1 (one) had no comment.

5. Do musicians play too many songs in front of singers: 1 (one) of

10 said “yes.” 8 of 10 said “no” and 1 (one) had no comment.

When asked where improvements could be made, four people

mentioned better soundproofing between the Café and the larger

theatre next door, as they sometimes had to lower their sound, and

four people asked for an acoustic piano, and also more musicians,

such as bassist and guitarist.JAZZ HERITAGEComments by BarryHarris

PART II: I think he

could play a tune 2-3 times

in a row and it would be

different. That’s the kind of

cat he was. Never did the

same thing twice on a song.

The way he did things, he

gave me changes. I wanted to

Chris Anderson at rehearsal

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7p.8

write an accompaniment for him. He was entirely different, [the

way] he gave me changes, [an] entirely different way to use the

harmony-his was more [correct] than what people play today.

They think Stella starts with a 2-5. Stella starts with a diminished

major 7th, that’s how it starts. He knew that. He didn’t believe in

2-5 for everything, he gave me changes that had nothing to do with

2-5.

It’s really funny. I couldn’t tell you the first time I heard him.

How we started with the concerts, what it was, I knew him cause

he stayed at Nica’s a couple of times, he stayed here.

One time he had gone to California with Billy Higgins, he

played a lot and came back and wasn’t doing nothin’ , had no gigs.

We were friends. He called me one day and said, “I was in

California and I come back here and don’t do anything.” I said,

“Don’t feel like that. We gotta find things for you to do, I’ ll put

you on my concerts.” I wanted to make him happy.. . Whenever I

thought of giving a concert I’d call Chris to give me the changes.

I’d write the changes, they’d always be right. He was my peer. No

way wrong. Show you things you didn’t know before.

A blind person listens to music differently, they listen different

than us. We look with our eyes. When [Chris] sat down at the

piano he couldn’t look at his hands. He had to look up with his

mind, of course his hearing was better. It shouldn’t be that way--

we should have our hearing as well developed, as properly.

[Sometimes] I would come to my house wake up and put a

blindfold on and learn so I couldn’t look at the keys. His senses

were more developed than ours.

The greatest thing I learned from Chris. This is hard to explain.

I used to take a chord and roll it upwards. But Chris rolled

downwards. I learned how to roll downwards, “Oh yeah, that’s the

way Chris would do it. That’s the way he played chords.

Lionelle Hamanaka, publisher

See Lionellehamanaka.com

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Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7 p.9

Dr. Frank Foster

Photo: Brian McMillen

We RememberDr. Frank FosterQUOTATION:"The connection

between onegeneration of jazz

musicians and the nextis stronger than a steelchain."-Junior Cook

Letters to Jazz CultureThanks, it was great reading about a great friend and mentor Frank

Foster. He was one of the greatest! thanks for the newsletter heads

up.

God Bless, Ronald Carter

--

Professor Ronald Carter

NIU Board ofTrustees Professorship

Director of Jazz Studies

School ofMusic

Northern Illinois University

* * *

I clicked on the link and saw the work.. . it's

very nice and it gives an insight on what's

happening beside the usual venues and gives

voice to other important musicians often

ignored by the other media.

Dado Moroni

* * *

Thank you. We are happy to share with our

MUSICIAN CORRESPONDENTSBARRYHARRIS JAZZ

WORKSHOP I!ROMA

FROM17 TO 21

SEPTEMBER 2012

I!FO:A!!APA!TUSO

@HOTMAIL.COM

PHO!E +39 3393383139

Workshop in Rome at Felt Club

Luciano Fabris

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7p.10

students. We are also happy to include event listings on our

facebook page when possible.

https://www.facebook.com/#! /pages/Setnor-School-of-

Music/165581576854656.

Michelle Taylor, Syracuse University

* * *

I will keep my students in the loop. Thanks!

Michael Dana

Jazz Studies and Music Industry

Fresno City College

* * *

I like the newsletter and will post it… Best wishes with the

newsletter.

Harold Danko, Director Eastman School ofMusic Jazz Dept.

* * *

What I have seen is nicely written. I am sure people will enjoy

this.

Jimmy Owens

Maggie

Malone, !Y

Singer

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7 p.11

See BarryHarris.com

Let's Link

Congratulations, Jazz Culture!

Kuni Mikami, pianist. See,

CD Baby "Hamp's Boogie"

See Lafayette Harris.com

private lessions, cds,

See RickStone.com

for cds, calendar

Clarence Banks, Count Basie

Trombonist, Private Lessons

Clinics, Call: 917-428-6746

L: Singer

Jim Malloy

at Rum House

R: Dancers @

Swing 46

Jazz Culture by !YJP Vol I:7p.12

JAZZ SCENE

Above left-!Y's Sheila Jordan waves hello

from the Healdsburg Jazz Festival in CA

Dawn Hampton's birthday party

June 8 will feature George Gee's

Swing Orchestra

JAZZ-support it

Future issues of Jazz Culture will contain articles by JoeMagnarelli on how to make a beautiful cd, an article by Dado

Moroni on world jazz, an article by Clarence Banks on tromboneplaying, an article by Kuni Mikami on jazz in Japan, and articlesby Ron Carter on jazz education and an article by Howard Rees

on jazz in Canada.Benefit for Westpark Church by !YJazz Project May 20, 2012

"7 Ages ofWoman" by Joan Wile

Starring

Emily

McCloskey

DeeDee

McCloskey

& Joan Wile