DownBeat - January 2008

DownBeat
January 2008

Bonus Distribution: 10,000 High School Music Programs (Future of Jazz)
1,000 IAJE Conference Toronto ‘08

COVER STORY
Dave Brubeck -- Alone. With a piano. In the studio. This is how we caught up with Brubeck, as he recorded his recent solo piano album, Indian Summer. After that, it wasn’t easy to follow up with the piano legend, as at 86 years old he continues to indefatigably tour. Here’s a portrait of an artist who continues to create, to flex his creative muse at every chance possible.

FEATURES
Best CDs of 2007 -- We remember the best new and historical releases of the past year, featuring the 5-, 4 1/2- and 4-star albums of the past 12 months. Includes a section on “CDs We Missed,” reviews of numerous reissued albums.

Paul Bley -- At 75, the pianist recently released a rare solo album on ECM. During a stand in New York, we caught up with him for a chat about his minimalist genius.

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews -- The 21-year-old trombonist sure has swagger. He has moved beyond his traditional New Orleans roots, taking his jazz-meets-funk music around the world, leading his own band and touring and recording with the likes of Lenny Kravitz.

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Gary Bartz

PLAYERS
Bill McHenry (saxophone)
Marvin Stamm (trumpet)
Amir ElSaffar (trumpet)
Jesse McBride (piano)

THE BEAT
• Riffs—Jazz News From Around The Globe
• Corey Harris gets MacArthur Fellowship
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Grants
• Columbia University (George Lewis) Hosts Jazz Media Forum
• 60-year broadcaster Leigh Kamman of Minneapolis leaves radio
• Things To Come, The Question, Vinyl Freak
• Backstage With ... Steve Coleman
• Caught: Martial Solal’s 80th birthday at Village Vanguard; Concert For Joyce (Wein) at Beantown in Boston

WOODSHED
• Jazz on Campus: Bruce Kaminsky devises new bass teaching method at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts
• Transcription: Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s solo on “Moon Ray” from Roy Haynes’ 1962 album Out Of The Afternoon
• Master Class: Alto saxophonist Mike Smith
• Pro Session: Alan Bergman legal column

REVIEWS
Hot Box
Carla Bley, The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu (ECM)
Marcus Strickland Twi-Life Group, Open Reel Deck (Strick Muzik)
Alan Pasqua, The Antisocial Club (Cryptogramophone)
Eddie Daniels, Homecoming: Live At The Iridium (IPO)

Reviews
Josh Roseman, New Constellations: Live In Vienna (Accurate)
Leni Stern, Africa (LSR)
Steve Lehman, On Meaning (Pi)
Andy Bey, Ain’t Necessarily So (12th Street)
Jimmy Bruno, Maplewood Avenue (Affiliated Artists)
Tyshawn Sorey, That/Not (Firehouse 12)
Josh Nelson, Let It Go (Native Language)
McCoy Tyner Quartet (McCoy Music)
Muhal Richard Abrams, Vision Towards Essence (Pi)
Pan-Asian Ensemble, Mujou (Leo)
Hope Waits (Radarproof)
The Peter Evans Quartet (Firehouse 12)
Mostly Other People Do The Killing, Shamokin!!! (Hot Cup)
Levon Helm, Dirt Farmer (Vanguard)
Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, Raising Sand (Rounder)
Charlie Haden/Antonio Forcione, Heartplay (Naim)
Marty Ehrlich/Myra Melford, Spark! (Palmetto)
Trio M, Big Picture (Cryptogramophone)
Youssou N’Dour, Rokku Mi Rokka (Nonesuch)
Jon Mayer, So Many Stars (Reservoir)
Steve Allee Trio, Colors (Owl Studios)
Deep Blue Organ Trio, Folk Music (Origin)
Bettye LaVette, The Scene Of The Crime (Anti-)
Simone Massaron, Breaking News (Long Song)
Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit, Smoke Inside (Long Song)

Jazz
The Karl Denson Trio, Lunar Orbit (Bobby Ace)
Harry Allen, Hits By Brits (Challenge)
Alex Kontorovich, Deep Minor (Chamsa)
Tineke Postma, A Journey That Matters (Foreign Media)
Timo Lassy, The Soul & Jazz Of Timo Lassy (Ricky Tick/ObliqSound)
Hayes Greenfield Quartet, Because Of You! (Dots & Lines)

Blues
Dennis Binder: Hole In That Jug (Earwig)
Bill Lupkin: Hard Pill (Blue Bella)
Lee Rocker: Black Cat Bone (Alligator)
Layla Zoe: Shades Of Blue (Layla Zoe)
Willie McBlind: Find My Way Back Home (FreeNote)
Duke & the Drivers: Harder Before (Groove International)

Beyond
Culture: Two Sevens Clash—30th Anniversary Edition (Shanachie)
The Heptones: Sweet Talking (Heartbeat)
Toots & Maytals: Light Your Light (Concord)
Ticklah: Ticklah vs. Axelrod (Easy Star)
The Pietasters: All Day (Red Eye)
Slightly Stoopid: Chronchitis (Stoopid)
The Revolutionaries: Drum Sound (Pressure Sounds)

Historical
Ben Webster, Dig Ben! (Storyville)

Book
Horizons Touched: The Music Of ECM (Granta Publications)