DownBeat September 2007 issue

DownBeat
September 2007

Special Insert: Pianos & Keyboards
Back To School Issue
Bonus Distribution: 10,000 high school jazz musicians
4,000 End of Summer Festival goers
(Chicago and Monterey Jazz Festivals)

Cover Story - Phil Woods:
One of the great lions of jazz, the legendary alto saxophonist pulls no punches in his interview with Ted Panken, discussing his health, race in jazz, nurturing a band, the ills of substance abuse as well as the music and meaning behind his new album American Songbook II.

FEATURE:
RESURRECTING A MASTERPIECE: CHARLES MINGUS’ “EPITAPH”
When Gunther Schuller agreed to re-create the great Mingus masterpiece, the project loomed immense. His task included incorporating lost sections of the music that were recently discovered. Geoffrey Himes delivers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the history, challenges and joy of presenting the infamous opus.

SPECIAL SECTION/PIANO SESSIONS:
MCCOY TYNER
One of the greatest jazz pianists on earth does a GUITAR album? It’s true! Tyner delivers the unexpected with an album of collaborations with some of the world’s best guitarists (as well as a live album documenting on his annual Yoshi’s stand) on his new record imprint, McCoy Tyner Music. Dan Ouellette gets the scoop.

Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
Former DownBeat editor John Ephland catches up with the two virtuosos as they tour and perform music from The Enchantment, a stunning duo project!

Bruce Hornsby
The thinking man’s pop star turns to jazz. He’s enlisted the help of Christian McBride and Jack DeJohnette to produce an interesting trio date called Camp Meeting. Ken Micallef gets the story.

LAFAYETTE GILCHREST
A Master Class by Gilchrest on incorporating hip-hop rhythms with jazz chops.

PIANO BLINDFOLD TEST — Ethan Iverson

PLAYERS
Sonny Fortune (Saxophone) Ted Hogarth (Baritone Sax)
James Andrews (Trumpet) David Oswald (Tuba)
THE BEAT
• Arturo Sandoval Miami club anniversary
• Carnegie Hall Oscar Peterson tribute
• Big Jay McNeeley returns to Chicago for Blues Fest
• Vinyl Freak; The Question
• Backstage With ... Joshua Redman
• Caught: Lee Konitz 80th birthday celebration at JVC festival; Playboy Jazz Fest; Guillermo Klein Big Band at the Village Vanguard

REVIEWS
Hot Box
David Murray Black Saint Quartet: Sacred Ground (Justin Time)
Matthew Shipp Trio: Piano Vortex (Thirsty Ear)
Paquito D’Rivera Quintet?: Funk Tango (Paquito Records/Sunnyside)
Tord Gustavsen Trio: Being There (ECM)

Recording Reviews
Jeff “Tain” Watts: Folk’s Songs (Dark Key)
Trio Of Doom: John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius, Tony Williams (Columbia/Legacy)
Marco Benevento: Live At Tonic (Ropeadope)
Nublu Orchestra Conducted By Butch Morris (Nublu)
Spyro Gyra: Good To Go-Go (Heads Up)
Waverly Seven: Yo! Bobby (Anzic)
Michael Bublé: Call Me Irresponsible (143/Reprise)
Stefano Battaglia: Re:Pasolini (ECM)
Steve Kahn: Borrowed Time (Tone Center)
Rufus Reid Quintet: Live At The Kennedy Center (Motéma)
Sam Yahel Trio: Truth And Beauty (Origin)
Niño Josele: Paz (Calle 54)
Carole Sloane: Dearest Duke (Arbors)
Exploding Customer: At Your Service (Ayler)
Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble: Fujin Raijin (Victo)
Abbey Lincoln: Abbey Sings Abbey (Verve)
Andrew Bishop: Hank Williams Project (Envoi)
Rob Wagner Trio: Featuring Hamid Drake & Nobu Ozaki (Valid)
Ella Fitzgerald: Love Letters From Ella (Concord)
Various Artists: We All Love Ella (Universal)
Buselli/Wallarab Jazz Orchestra: Basically Baker (GM)
Bill Holman Band: Hommage (JazzedMedia)
Weather Report: Live At Montreux 1976 (Eagle Rock, DVD)
Kenny Davern/Ken Peplowski: Dialogues (Arbors)
Judi Silvano: Women’s Work (JSL)
Maynard Ferguson: The One And Only (Maynard Ferguson)
Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights: If Dreams Come True (Memphis International)

Jazz
George Colligan: Blood Pressure (Ultimatum)
Gilad Barkan: Live Sessions (New Step Music)
Darrell Grant: Truth And Reconcilliation (Origin)
Mark Soskin: One Hopeful Day (Kind Of Blue)
Bruce Hornsby, Christian McBride, Jack DeJohnette, Camp Meeting (Columbia)
Kálmán Oláh Trio: Always (Merless)

Blues
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones: My Life, My Friends, My Music (Severn)
Joan Armatrading: Into The Blues (429)
Papa Mali: Do Your Thing (Fog City)
Laurie Morvan: Cures What Ails You (Screaming Lizard)
Ed Gerhard: Sunnyland (Solid Air)
John Platania: Blues, Waltzes And Badland Borders (Train Wreck)

Beyond
James Brown: Singles 1960–’63 (Hip-O)
Jerry Butler: The Ice Man Cometh/Ice On Ice ( Collector’s Choice)
Betty Davis: They Say I’m Different (Light in the Attic)
Fats Domino: Sentimental Journey—Live At University Of New Orleans (SPV)
Marvin Gaye: Midnight Love (Legacy)

Historical
Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy: Cornell 1964 (Blue Note)
Charles Mingus: In Paris—The Complete America Sessions (Sunnyside)
Charles Mingus: Tijuana Moods (Columbia/Legacy)

Book Review
Iain Anderson, This Is Our Music (University of Pennyslvania Press)