"DownBeat" - April 2011

COVER
The Marsalis Family: The entire Marsalis family --pianist/patriarch Ellis, saxophonist Branford, trumpeter Wynton, trombonist Delfeayo and percussionist/vibraphonist Jason -- received a 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award this January. The grand prize comes on the heels of "Music Redeems" (Marsalis Music), a CD recording of the family's multi-generational performance at the Kennedy Center last year.

FEATURES
The Girls In The Band -- The Smithsonian's 10th Annual Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) spotlights Mary Lou Williams and the historic Sweethearts of Rhythm.

Kurt Elling -- DownBeat catches up with the poll-topping and Grammy-winning vocalist, whose latest Don Was-produced CD knows no stylistic boundaries.

Benny Green -- The brilliant pianist takes his artistry up a notch for an upcoming release on the up-and-coming label Jazz Legacy Productions.

Musicians' Gear Guide -- Great finds from the 2011 NAMM Show.

Special Section: Brass School -- A must-read for students of trumpet and trombone, includes Master Class, Transcription, Woodshed tips and Toolshed reviews of the latest gear.

PLAYERS
Adam Cruz (drums)
Ryuichi Sakamoto (piano)
Patrick Cornelius (saxophone)
Matthew Rybicki(bass)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Fred Hersch

THE BEAT
· David Amran's 80th Birthday Party.
· JEN Convention Coverage.
· Smithsonian puts together new jazz history collection.
· European Scene
· Caught: New York City Winter Jazz Fest

JAZZ ON CAMPUS
Music Institute of Chicago launches new jazz studies program.

REVIEWS - Hot Box
· Ambrose Akinmusire, When The Heart Emerges Glistening (Blue Note)
· Charles Lloyd, Mirror (ECM)
· The Cookers, Cast The First Stone (Plus Loin)
· Jim Hall/Joey Baron, Conversations (ArtistShare)

CD Reviews
· Jeb Bishop, 2009 (self-release)
· AfroCubism, AfroCubism (Nonesuch)
· Tom Moon Hotel Lounge Project, Into The Ojala (Frosty Cordial)
· Noah Preminger, Before The Rain (Palmetto)
· Matt Bauder, Day In Pictures (Clean Feed)
· Ellery Eskelin/Gerry Hemingway, InBetween Spaces (Auricle)
· Terrence McManus/Gerry Hemingway, Below The Surface Of (Auricle)
· Robert Hurst, Bob Ya Head/Unrehearsed Volume 2 (Bebob)
· Marcus Shelby Orchestra, Soul Of The Movement (Porto Franco)
· CLAZZ Ensemble, Adventures: Live At The Bimhuis (CLAZZ Music)
· Matt Haimovitz, Meeting Of The Spirits (Oxingale)
· Bill O'Connell, Rhapsody In Blue (Challenge)
· Matthew Rybicki, Driven (self-release)
· Eli Degibri, Israeli Song (Anzic)
· Anthony Brown's Asian American Orchestra, India & Africa (Water Baby)
· Mike Pride's From Bacteria To Boys, Betweenwhile (Aum Fidelity)
· Jeremy Pelt, The Talented Mr. Pelt (HighNote)
· Ralph Bowen, Power Play (Posi-Tone)
· Oliver Lake Organ Quartet, Plan (Passin' Thru)
· Gene Lake, Here And Now (Passin' Thru)
· Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans, Electric Fruit (Thirsty Ear)
· Ernestine Anderson, Nightlife (HighNote)
· Sonic Liberation Front Meets Sunny Murray (HighTwo)
· Lynne Arriale, Convergence (Motema)
· Luther Hughes and the Cannonball-Coltrane Project, Things Are Getting Better (Primrose Lane)
· Joe McPhee, Sound On Sound: Solo 1968-1973 (Corbett vs. Dempsey CD)
· Gerald Kleijn Group, Le Flirt De Satie (Boomerang)
· Diego Urcola Quartet, Appreciation (CamJazz)

Jazz
· Spike Wilner, Solo Piano (SmallsLive)
· Ari Hoenig, Punkbop (SmallsLive)
· Omer Avital Quintet (SmallsLive)
· Ben Wolfe Quintet (SmallsLive)
· Jimmy Greene Quartet (SmallsLive)

Blues
· Roy Gaines, Tuxedo Blues (Black Gold)
· Big Daddy Stallings, Blues Party (Tai Jeria)
· Charlie Parr, When The Devil Goes Blind (Nero's Neptune)
· James Kinds, Love You From The Top (Delmark)
· Wayne & Wildroot, One Hell Of A Ride (Reconciled)
· Damon Fowler, Devil Got His Way (Blind Pig)
· Kirsten Thien, Delicious (Screen Door)

Beyond
· Syl Johnson, Complete Mythologies (Numero Group)
· Tammi Terrell, Come On And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection (Hip-O)
· Percy Sledge, The Atlantic Recordings (Rhino)

Historical
· Teddy Wilson, Solo Big Band box set (Storyville)

Book Review
· Kevin Whitehead, Why Jazz? (Oxford)