"DownBeat" - January 2009

COVER
Benny Golson -- The tenor saxophone legend turns 80 this year, and the composer of such classic songs as “I Remember Clifford,” “Killer Joe” and “Along Came Betty” is celebrating in style. From a new album with this Jazztet to a gala event honoring him at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Golson will show the world why few artists play jazz with such soul, elegance, virtuosity and swing as he does.

FEATURES
Ron Carter -- An excerpt from Dan Ouellette’s upcoming Carter biography that looks at the legendary bassist’s encounters with and influence upon hip-hop and various contemporary musicians.

Best CDs of 2008 -- Complete listings of all the new and historical CDs that received 5, 4 1/2 and 4 stars in DownBeat over the past year.

JAZZ SCHOOL -- A jazz conference in print packed with techniques, tips and inside information on the art of playing jazz and developing your career in the music. Stories include:
• The Art of the Piano Solo
• Comprehending the Method Behind John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” Solo
• The Internationalization of Jazz Education
• 10 Tips to Distributing and Promoting Your Music Digitally
• Legal Session: Current Issues when the Law Meets Jazz
• Master Class: Brian Lynch

PLAYERS
Gerald Cleaver (drums)
Michael Bates (bass)
Getatchew Mekuria (saxophone)
Mary Halvorson (guitar)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Cassandra Wilson Live at The Monterey Jazz Festival

THE BEAT
• Miguel Zenon Gets MacArthur Fellowship
• Chicago Sessions new subscription label
• “Soul Power” documentary presents 1974 r&b/jazz/Latin extravaganza in Zaire
• Guitarist David Kraus works despite near-crippling seizures
• Blue Note begins 70th anniversary tour with Blue Note 7 septet
• The Question, Vinyl Freak; Backstage With ... Javon Jackson
• Caught: Duke Ellington Fest, Hyde Park (Chicago) Jazz Fest; 2009 NEA Jazz Masters perform at Jazz @ Lincoln Center

WOODSHED
Jazz on Campus: W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville

REVIEWS
Hot Box
McCoy Tyner, Guitars (McCoy Tyner Music/Half Note)
Bebo Valdes & Javier Colina, Live At The Village Vanguard (Calle 54/Sony)
Donald Harrison, The Chosen (Nagel Heyer)
Arturo O'Farrill & Claudia Acuña, In These Shoes (Zoho)

Reviews
Al Foster Quartet, Love, Peace And Jazz! (Jazz Eyes)
KotKot, Alive At Tonic (AWDR/LR2)
Christian Scott, Live At Newport (Concord)
Jimmy Herring, Lifeboat (Abstract Logix)
Rudy Linka, Songs (Sony/BMG; Czech Republic)
Jacob Bro, The Stars Are All New Songs (Vol. 1) (Loveland)
Mario Pavone Double Tenor Quintet, Ancestors (Playscape)
Torben Waldorff, Afterburn (ArtistShare)
Curios, Closer (Impure)
Southside Johnny with LaBamba’s Big Band, Grapefruit Moon (Leroy)
Corey Combs and the Great Plains Ensemble, Fairfax In The Pacific (Evander)
Dorothy Donegan, Pandemonium (Arkadia DVD)
Corey Christiansen, Roll With It (Origin)
Tim Ries, Stones World (Tames/Sunnyside)
Khan Jamal, Cool (Porter)
Ted Daniel Quintet, Tapestry (Porter)
Francisco Mela, Cirio (Half Note)
Zuco 103, After The Carnaval (Six Degrees)
Sonantes, Sonantes (Six Degrees)
Russell Gunn, Love Stories (HighNote)
Michael Bates, Clockwise (Greenleaf Music)
Mark O’Leary/Kenny Wollesen/Jamie Saft, The Synth Show (Leo)
Ari Hoenig, Bert’s Playground (Dreyfus)
Lee Konitz and Minsarah, Deep Lee (enja)
Blink, The Epidemic Of Ideas (Thirsty Ear)
ICP Orchestra, Live At The Bimhuis (ICP)
SFJAZZ Collective, Live 2008 (SFJAZZ)
James Moody and Hank Jones Quartet, Our Delight (IPO)
Gilfema, +2 (ObliqSound)
Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze, Sira (ObliqSound)
Otis Redding, Live! In London And Paris (Stax)
Michael Moore Trio, Holocene (Ramboy)
Michael Moore, Fragile (Ramboy)
The Persons, Sweet Ears (Ramboy)

Jazz
Bob Mover, It Amazes Me ... (Zoho)
Aaron Irwin Group, Blood And Thunder (Fresh Sound/New Talent)
Eric Person, Rhythm Edge (Distinction)
Jimmy Greene, The Overcomer’s Suite (Nu Jazz)
Chris Greene Quartet, Soul And Science 2: Electric Boogaloo (self-released)
Mike Frost Project, Live (Blujazz)

Blues
Steve Guyger, Radio Blues (Severn)
Terakaft, Akh Issudar (World Village)
Scott Ainslie, Thunder's Mouth (Cat Tail)
Bobby Wayne, Soul Station (Bonedog)
Billy Boy Arnold Sings Sonny Boy (Electro-Fi)
Tony McPhee & Groundhogs, Live At The Astoria (Eagle Eye)

Beyond
Leonard Bernstein, The Original Jacket Collection: Bernstein Conducts Bernstein (Sony Masterworks)

Historical
Art Tatum, Art Tatum (Storyville)

Book
Ted Gioia, Delta Blues (Norton)