"DownBeat" - August 2010

COVER
Joe Lovano -- Saxophonist and bandleader Joe Lovano celebrates three big victories in DownBeat's 58th Annual Critics Poll: Jazz Artist of the Year, Jazz Group of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. DB talked to the reedman about the success of his highly acclaimed young ensemble Us5 as well as his recovery from injuries sustained while on tour late last year.

FEATURES
Muhal Richard Abrams -- DB welcomes the revolutionary avant-garde composer and improviser into the DownBeat Hall of Fame.

Keith Jarrett -- The Pianist of the Year is an international concert star whose fans come from jazz, classical and pop backgrounds to hear a man who shuns trends and gimmicks.

Darcy James Argue -- This New York-based ringleader and his Secret Society are Rising Stars on the international Big Band scene, according to the critics, and judging by the success of last year's CD Infernal Machines.

Vijay Iyer -- The pianist and trio leader has turned a lot of heads lately with his unconventional approach to jazz repertoire and his tasteful command of the instrument.

58th Annual Critics Poll -- Complete results in over 60 categories.

PLAYERS
Dan Weiss (drums)
Jason Adasciewicz (vibes)
Pharez Whitted (trumpet)
Whitney James (vocal)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Shemekia Copeland

THE BEAT
Miles Davis art exhibit opens in Montreal
New documentary/CD pays tribute to Arif Mardin (Nunoise Records)
European Scene
Caught: Vocalist Theo Bleckman starts new Kate Bush project at New York's Joe's Pub; Abyssinian Baptist Choir performs with Italian jazz musicians in Harlem; Gilmore Keyboard Festival

WOODSHED
Master Class: Dr. JB Dyas on Learning Tunes, Part 2
Transcription: Slide Hampton's trombone solo on "My Blues"
Jazz On Campus: Jazzschool in Berkeley, CA launches jazz & blues camp for girls

REVIEWS - Hot Box
Bill Charlap/Renee Rosnes, Double Portrait (Blue Note)
Lee Konitz & Minsarah, New Quartet Live At The Village Vanguard (enja)
One For All, Incorrigible (Jazz Legacy Productions)
Dr. Lonnie Smith, Spiral (Palmetto)

CD Reviews
Avishai Cohen, Aurora (EMI)
Vertical Voices, The Music of Maria Schneider (ArtistShare)
Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django, Last Train To Hauteville (The Guitar Label)
David Binney, Aliso (Criss Cross)
The Claudia Quintet, Royal Toast (Cuneiform)
Matt Marantz, Offering (self)
Ernesto Cervini Quartet, Little Black Bird (Anzic)
Keith Jarret/Charlie Haden, Jasmine (ECM)
Vince Guaraldi, Peanuts Portraits (Concord)
Ken Peplowski, Noir Blue (Capri)
Ralph Towner/Paolo Fresu, Chiaroscuro (ECM)
Jaroslav Jakubovic, Coincidence (VMM Records)
Sandro Dominelli, The Alvo Sessions (self)
Dan Moretti, Tres Muse (Foundation Jazz Records)

Jazz
Christine Wodrascka/Ramon Lopez, Momentos (Leo Records)
Nicola Negrini/Achille Succi/Phillipe Garcia/Antonio Della Marina, Materiale (Leo)
John Wolf Brennan, The Speed Of Dark (Leo Records)
Joe Maneri/Masashi Harada, Pinerskol (Leo Records)
Lull, The Zipper (Leo Records)
Superimpose, Talk Talk (Leo Records)
Anthony Braxton/Joelle Leandre, Duo (Leo Records)
Ivo Perlman, Mind Games (Leo Records)

Blues
Janiva Magness, Devil Is An Angel Too (Alligator)
Beth McKee, I'm That Way (Swampgirl)
Cee Cee James, Low Down Where The Snakes Crawl (FWG)
Mia Vermillion, Alone Together With The Blues (Vermillion Music)
Laurie Morvan Band, Fire It Up! (Screaming Lizard)
Christine Ohlman, The Deep End (Horizon)
Debbie Davies, Holdin' Court (VizzTone)
Pat Pepin, In It For The Long Haul (self)
Shakura S'Aida, Brown Sugar (Ruf)
Meredith Borden-Willlie McBlind, Bad Thing (FreeNote)
Karen Carroll, Talk To The Hand (Delmark)

Beyond
Wilson Pickett, Funky Midnight Mover Box Set (Rhino)

Historical
Stan Getz, Kenny Barron, People Time: The Complete Recordings (Sunnyside)

DVD Reviews
Mika Yoshida, Marimba Madness (Big Round)
Panos Vassilopoulos, Acoustic Sessions (self-release)
Jean Michel Pilc, A Portrait (Living Jazz Archive)
Hiromi, Live In Concert (Telarc)

Book Review
Nat Hentoff, At The Jazz Band Ball (University of California Press)