"DownBeat" - February 2012

COVER STORY
Phil Woods -- In celebration of Phil Woods' 80th birthday, DownBeat presents an exclusive excerpt from the legendary alto saxophonist's memoir. Woods won the Alto Saxophone category in the 2011 DownBeat Readers Poll.

FEATURES
Dafnis Prieto -- This 2011 MacArthur Fellow is one of the most exciting percussionists on today's jazz scene. He's also an influential composer and educator.

Gary Smulyan -- DB catches up with the unique artist who has won the Baritone Saxophone category for five consecutive years in the DownBeat Critics Poll.

Stanley Jordan -- The virtuoso guitarist has a new Mack Avenue album titled Friends. His amazing list of collaborators for this CD includes Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett, Charlie Hunter, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Mike Stern, Russell Malone and others.

Special Section: Great Places To See Jazz -- Returning for its second year, Great Jazz Rooms 2012 is our detailed guide to over 150 music venues where you can experience jazz, blues and beyond.

PLAYERS
Rick Drumm (drums)
Dimitri Vassilakis (vocals/saxophone)
Franco D'Andrea (piano)
Darius Jones (saxophone)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Jeff 'Tain' Watts live at the Detroit Jazz Festival

THE BEAT
* WBGO Champions of Jazz Benefit Concert
* Q&A with Pablo Aslan
* European Scene
* MCG Jazz label profile
* Caught: Wadada Leo Smith, Berlin Jazz Festival, Barcelona Jazz Festival

WOODSHED
* Master Class: "Sax Solos Over Standards," by Toni Dagradi
* Transcription: Dave Liebman's saxophone solo on "Port Ligat" from the 2010 CD Quest For Freedom

REVIEWS - Hot Box
* Keith Jarrett, Rio (ECM)
* Curtis Brothers, Completion Of Proof (Truth Revelation)
* Joel Frahm Quartet, Live At Smalls (SmallsLive)
* Bill McHenry, Ghosts Of The Sun (Sunnyside)

CD Reviews
* Christian McBride, Conversations With Christian (Mack Avenue)
* The Nick Mazzarella Trio, This Is Only A Test (self release)
* Mike Longo Trio +2, To My Surprise (Consolidated Artists)
* Pablo Aslan Quintet, Piazzolla In Brooklyn (Soundbrush)
* Us3, Lie, Cheat & Steal (The Orchard)
* John Escreet, Exception To The Rule (Criss Cross)
* David Binney, Barefooted Town (Criss Cross)
* Chris Thomas King, Antebellum Postcards (21st Century Blues)
* Motian Sickness, For The Love Of Sarah (Grizzley Music)
* Eddie Daniels/Roger Kellaway, Live At The Library Of Congress (IPO)
* Bob James & Keiko Matsui, Altair & Vega (EOne)
* Dead Cat Bounce, Chance Episodes (Cuneiform)
* Dan Tepfer, Goldberg Variations (Sunnyside)
* Jacques Loussier Trio, Schuman:Kinderszenen Scenes From Childhood (Telarc)
* Andy Statman, Old Brooklyn (Shefa)
* Lalah Hathaway, Where It All Begins (Stax)
* Michael Cain, Solo (Native Drum)
* Dan Blake, The Aquarian Suite (Brooklyn Jazz Underground)
* Lauren Henderson, Lauren Henderson (self-release)
* Stefano Battaglia Trio, The River of Anyder (ECM)
* Neil Cowley Trio, Radio Silence (Naim)
* Oz Noy, Twisted Blues (Abstract Logix)
* Ran Blake & Dominique Eade, Whirlpool (Jazz Project)
* Allan Harris, Open Up Your Mind (LPR)
* Gilson Schachnik/Maurico Zottarelli, Mozik (self release)
* Tigran Hamasyan, A Fable (Verve/Universal)
* Paul Motian, The Windmills Of Your Mind (Winter & Winter)
* Kate Bush, 50 Words For Snow (Anti-)
* Jason Adasiewicz's Sun Rooms, Spacer (Delmark)

Jazz Column
* Dave Douglas, Bad Mango (Greenleaf)
* Carol Morgan Quartet, Blue Glass Music (Blue Bamboo)
* Dan Jacobs Quartet, Play Song (Metro Jazz)
* Mike Cottone, Just Remember (self release)
* Peter Evans and Nate Wooley, Amplified Trumpets (Carrier)
* Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard, Chano Y Dizzy! (Concord Picante)
* Hayden Powell, The Attic (Inner Ear)

Blues Column
* Samba Toure, Crocodile Blues (World Music Network)
* Fiona Boyes, Blues For Hard Times (Vizztone)
* Paul Geremia, Love My Stuff (Red House)
* John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Crusade (Sundazed)
* Duke Robillard, Low Down & Tore Up (Stony Plain)
* Mary Flower, Misery Loves Company (Yellow Dog)
* Morgan Davis, Drive My Blues Away (Electro-Fi)

Beyond Column
* Various Artists, This May Be My Last Time Singing (Tompkins Square)
* Alexis P. Suter Band, Two Sides (Hipbone)
* Staple Singers, Be Altitude-Respect Yourself (Stax)
* Black Academy Concert Choir, Medicine (MCG)
* Eddie Robinson, This Is My Story (Sirens)
* Rance Allen Group, The Live Experience II (Tyscot)
* McCrary Sisters, Our Journey (McCrary Sisters Productions)

Historical Column
* Ray Charles, Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles (Concord)
* Ray Charles, Live In France 1961 (Eagle Rock/Reelin' In The Years)

Book Review Column
* Preston Lauterbach, The Chitlin' Circuit And The Road To Rock 'N' Roll (Norton)