"DownBeat" - October 2008

DownBeat October 2008
Featuring 2009 Jazz Education Guide

Cover Story
Bill Frisell— For a week at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy, the guitarist held court with his longtime trio of bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen. The residency provided a window into the creative processes in which these three artists engage. But, of course, Frisell has many other groups and projects on his plate.

FEATURES
William Parker — One of the bedrock artists of New York’s experimental music scene, Parker has been particularly active on the recording front as of late, including the release of the two-part suite Double Sunrise Over Neptune.

Tomasz Stanko — When the Polish trumpeter came to New York in the spring to perform a tribute to Polish director Krzysztof Komeda’s film music at the Museum of Modern Art, he reflected on his country’s fertile underground jazz scene when he was coming of age, and how this is still reflected in his fascinating music.

Jeff Coffin — The saxophonist has one of the great sideman gigs in jazz, as one of Béla Fleck’s Flecktones. But he also is a leading jazz artist on the Nashville scene, fronting his Mu’tet and making sure that hardcore jazz finds a place next to country in Music City.

SPECIAL SECTION: Where To Study Jazz 2009
DownBeat annual guide to college and university jazz programs features listings on more than 150 schools, as well as features on competition in jazz education, vocal jazz programs, advice from pros on how to start a band with fellow students and much more!

PLAYERS
Mathia Eick (trumpet)
Anne Mette Iverson (bass)
Carl Craig (keyboard)
Edmar Castaneda (harp)

BLINDFOLD TEST — Randy Brecker

THE BEAT
• New Knitting Factory jazz initiative
• Quebec’s investment in Montreal Jazz Festival
• Buenos Aires’ Thelonious Club
• HDTracks jazz downloads
• Bix Beiderbecke revelations
• European Scene, Living Jazz
• Backstage With ... James Carter
• Caught: JVC and Playboy jazz fesitvals, Moutin Brothers at Green Mill

TOOLSHED
• Portable PAs: Roland Mobile Cube Portable Amp, Fishman SoloAmp, Samson Expedition EXL150/250, Yamaha StagePas 150/250
• AER Bottomline Amp One
• ProTools MBox 2

GEAR BOX
• Rico Elite New Soprano Saxophone Reeds
• Hal Leonard West Coast Jazz Piano book
• Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB recording system
• Vic Firth Lenny White signature sticks
• Korg Pitchjack and Pitchblack
• Digitech HarmonyMan Intelligent Pitch Shifter guitar effect pedal

WOODSHED
Master Class: Oscar Hernandez on bandleading
Transcription: Wayne Shorter’s saxophone solo on “El Gaucho”
Jazz on Campus: Neil Slater retires from North Texas

REVIEWS
Hot Box
Danilo Perez & Claus Ogerman, Across The Crystal Sea (EmArcy)
Corey Wilkes, Drop It (Delmark)
John Pizzarelli, With A Song In My Heart (Telarc)
Joe Lovano, Symphonica (Blue Note)

Reviews
Hot Club of Detroit, Night Town (Mack Avenue)
Fighting The Big Bull, Dying Will Be Easy (Clean Feed)
Cedar Walton, Seasoned Wood (HighNote)
Paul Bley, About Time (Justin Time)
E_L_B, Dream Flight (ACT)
NOMO, Ghost Rock (Ubiquity)
Michael Adkins Quartet, Rotator (hatOLOGY)
Marc Copland, Another Place (Pirouet)
Robert Balzar Trio & John Abercrombie, Tales (Sony, Czech Republic)
Barry Guy/Marilyn Crispell/Paul Lytton, Phases Of The Night (Intakt)
David Sanborn, Here And Gone (Decca)
Bob Mintzer Big Band, Swing Out (Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild)
Anat Cohen, Notes From The Village (Anzic)
Niladri Kumar, Zitar (Dreyfus)
U. Shrinivas, Samjanitha (Dreyfus)
Miguel Zenon, Awake (Marsalis Music)
Freddie Hubbard, On The Real Side (Times Square)
Particia Barber, The Cole Porter Mix (Blue Note)
Don Braden, Gentle Storm (HighNote)
Kate McGarry, If Less Is More (Palmetto)
Return To Forever, The Anthology (Concord)

Jazz
James Silberstein, Expresslane (Consolidated Artists Productions)
Gene Bertoncini, Concerti (Ambient)
Scott DuBois, Banshees (Sunnyside)
Trio Sud, Young And Fine (Dreyfus)
Jeff Barone, Open Up (Jazzed Media)
Nicolas Meier, Silence Talks (Naim)

Blues
Robin Rogers, Treat Me Right (Blind Pig)
Tony Joe White, Deep Cuts (Swamp)
Moreland & Arbuckle, 1861 (Norethern Blues)
Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Doin’ The Funky Thing (Zoho)
Johnny Rawls, Red Cadillac (Catfood)
Danny Caron, How Sweet It Is (DC)

Beyond
Frank Zappa, Wazoo (Vaulternative)

Historical
Mary Lou Williams, A Grand Night For Swinging (HighNote)
John Patton, Soul Connection (Just A Memory)
Sahib Shihab and the Danish Radio Jazz Group (Oktav)
Charlie Mariano, Helen 12 Trees (Promising Music)
Coleman Hawkins, The Hawk Flies High—Keepnews Collection (Riverside)
Willie “The Lion” Smith & Don Ewell, Stride Piano Duets (Delmark)

Book
Marybeth Hamilton, In Search Of The Blues (Basic Books)