"DownBeat" - August 2008

DownBeat
August 2008
Bonus Distribution: 1,000 Litchfield Jazz Festival
1,000 Various Summer Festivals, Conferences & Camps

COVER STORY
Return To Forever -- They’re back! Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola and Lenny White have reunited for the most anticipated tour of the summer. Before they bring a heavy dose of ’70s fusion to venues around the world, we are planning to catch up with them in Austin, Texas as they prepare for the tour—as well as catch their first show back—to report on what the fans can expect from this reunion.

FEATURES
Joe Zawinul -- Hall Of Fame: The keyboardist and bandleader may have died all too young this year, but his musical legacy will live on for generations.

Jimmy Blanton, Harry Carney, Erroll Garner, Jo Jones and Jimmie Lunceford -- Veteran’s Committee Hall of Fame Inductees: For the first time, we used a Veterans Committee to vote deserving artists into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. These five legends are our first Veterans Committee inductees.

Herbie Hancock -- Jazz Artist and Keyboardist of the Year: For sure, the biggest jazz news of the year was Hancock’s Album of the Year Grammy for River: The Joni Letters. Hancock reflects on this, as well as what plans he has to continue the career momentum that this win created.

Maria Schneider -- Jazz Album (Sky Blue), Big Band, Composer and Arranger of the Year: We covered the making of Sky Blue with a cover story last year. Now, we check in with Schneider to learn what she might have in store for the coming year.

ECM Records/Manfred Eicher -- Record Label and Producer of the Year
It’s a special double win for Eicher’s German label, which has captured Record Label of the Year for the first time in the same poll that he wins Producer of the Year.

Cassandra Wilson -- Female Vocalist of the Year
Top vocalist discusses her return to jazz standards with her new album, Loverly.

Donny McCaslin; The Claudia Quintet/John Hollenbeck; Hadrien Feraud
Profiles of a few of the Rising Star winners!

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Christian McBride (Acoustic Bassist of the Year)

PLAYERS
Dana Leong (trombone/cello)
Christian Wallumrod (keyboard)
JD Allen (saxophone)
Janiva Magness (voice/guitar)

THE BEAT
• Riffs—Jazz News From Around The Globe
• Where Does IAJE Go From Here?
• Jimmy Giuffre obituary
• SFJAZZ Celebrates 25th Anniversary
• Playboy and Marcus Miller launch new jazz cruise
• Insider: Musicians rally for Andrew D’Angelo
• Living Jazz, European Scene
• Backstage With ... Luciana Souza
• Caught: Victoriaville; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival; Moers Festival

WOODSHED
Jazz on Campus: 20 Years of San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music Program
Master Classes: Antonio Hart on the art of transcribing
Transcription: Vincent Herring’s saxophone solo on “Straight Street”

REVIEWS
Hot Box
Ahmad Jamal, It’s Magic (Birdology/Dreyfus)
Marc Ribot, Ceramic Dog (Pi)
Avishai Cohen, Gently Disturbed (Razdaz/Sunnyside)
Martial Solal Trio, Longitude (CamJazz)

Reviews
Dr. Michael White, Blue Crescent (Basin Street)
James Hunter, The Hard Way (Fantasy)
Theo Bleckmann/Fumio Yasuda, Berlin (Winter & Winter)
Myriam Alter, Where Is There (Justin Time)
Neil Welch, Narmada (Belle)
Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Harriet Tubman (Noir)
Steve Turre, Rainbow People (HighNote)
Scorch Trio, Brolt (Rune Grammofon)
Ellis Marsalis Quartet, An Open Letter To Thelonious (ELM)
Moutin Reunion Quartet, Sharp Turns (Blujazz)
Derrick Garnder and the Jazz Prophets, A Ride To The Other Side (Owl Studios)
Houston Person, Just Between Friends (HighNote)
Scott Hamilton, Across The Tracks (Concord)
Walter Becker, Circus Money (5 Over 12)
Ambrose Akinmusire, Prelude (Fresh Sound/New Talent)
Jamie Baum Septet, Solace (Sunnyside)
Carlos Cuevas, Uninhibited Realm (Cuevitas Music)
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Eclipse At Dawn (Cuneiform)
Bill Dixon, 17 Musicians In Search Of A Sound: Darfur (AUM Fidelity)
Cyro Baptista, Banquet Of Spirits (Tzadik)
Anthony Braxton, Trio (Victoriaville) 2007 (Victo)
Anthony Braxton, 12+1tet (Victoriaville) 2007 (Victo)
Fieldwork, Door (Pi)
Public Record, Public Record (High Two)
Bill Stewart, Incandescence (Pirouet)
John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet, Rediscovery (Sunnyside)
Buddy DeFranco, Charlie Cat 2 (Arbors)
Scott Robinson, Plays The Compositions Of Thad Jones (Arbors)

Jazz
Rosa Passos, Romance (Telarc)
Alma Micic, The Hours (CTA)
Cow Bop, Route 66 (Blujazz)
Kenia, Simply (Mooka)
Norma Winstone, Distances (ECM)
Cynthia Holiday, All The Way (Mile High)

Blues
Dave Specter: Live In Chicago (Delmark)
Albert Collins: Live At Montreux (Eagle Eye)
Big Daddy Stallings: Blues Evolution (Tai Jeria)
Neil Haverstick: Way Down By The Mississippi (Microstick)
Kenny Neal: Let Life Flow (Blind Pig)
Markus James: Snakeskin Violin (Firenz)

Beyond
Willie Nelson, One Hell Of A Ride (Columbia/Legacy)

Historical
Peggy Lee reissue collection on Collector’s Choice

Books
Joe Evans, Follow Your Heart (University of Illinois Press)