Diana Krall live tonight @ the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

After two sold-concerts for 1,700 people (each night) at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, in Calgary, Diana Krall had a day-off yesterday but resumes, tonight, the Canadian leg of the "Quiet Nights Tour" with another sold-out performance at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, Alberta. And let's go back on the bus!

"Stunning set of favourites highlights Krall concert" was the title of a review, written by Lisa Wilton for the "Sun Media", about the opening concert (on March 14). "Since she was last in town, Krall has given birth to twin boys Dexter and Frank, but you'd would never know it by how great she looked when she walked onto the stage wearing a gorgeous little black dress. Krall's 90-minute concert wasn't exactly invigorating, but it was probably one of the best jazz performances Calgary will see all year," added Wilton.

CD of the Day - "Return To Forever: Returns"

CD of the Day
Return To Forever: "Returns" (Eagle Rock/ST2) 2008

Due to their performances on "Returns", all the RTF members - Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White and Al DiMeola - were voted among the best musicians of the year in our 2008 Jazz Station Poll. For details, please take a look on the link below:

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2008/12/29th-annual-jazz-station-poll-best-jazz.html

The 2008 reunion of Return to Forever's classic mid-1970s line-up marked an extraordinary event for fans of progressive jazz fusion. It was really the jazz event of the year, generating a long sold-out tour. The mind-boggling chemistry of the band proves as explosive as ever 20 years after the second incarnation of the group first dazzled audiences with their complex, rock-influenced hybrids, boasting such jazz-rock classics as "No Mystery," "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy," "Romantic Warrior," "Song to the Pharaoh Kings" and "Vulcan Words," the latter being the first song that I, Arnaldo DeSouteiro, selected when preparing the "Jazz Rock" compilation I produced for Verve also in 2008.

This 2-CD set was recorded live mostly on July 31st, 2008 at Ruth Eckerd Hall (Clearwater, Florida), except for three tracks: "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" (live at the Bank of America Pavillon in Boston on August 6th, 2008), "500 Miles High" (at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland, on July 18, 2008) and an alternate version of "Romantic Warrior" cut when RTF received the BBC Lifetime Achievement award presented by Sir Gorge Martin in a date not specified on the CD booklet).

All the solo spots are equally great, specially Corea's acoustic piano improvisation that leads to a subtle rendition of Miles Davis' "Solar", with Clarke on acoustic bass and White showcasing his impeccable brushwork. There is, as one might guess, no shortage of stretching out from each of these four jazz luminaries. Like the "JazzTimes" reviewer wrote: "This two-CD set delivers all the impossibly tight unisons, cascading streams of 64th notes and virtuosic soloing that longtime RTF fans have come to expect from their heroes."

The "RTF Live at Montreux 2008" DVD is scheduled to release in the USA on May 12, 2009, by Eagle Vision.

Diana Krall: cover story in the DownBeat May issue

Diana Krall is the cover story in the May 2009 issue of DownBeat, mailed yesterday to subscribers.

"Diana Krall -- Brazil inspired the pianist/vocalist’s new album, which teams her with Tommy LiPuma, Al Schmitt and Claus Ogerman. Between motherhood and a continued refinement of her sound, Krall has continued to mature as an artist, demonstrated by her seductive new takes on Brazilian and American standards."

What else is inside the May issue? Here's a glimpse ...

The 10 Best Saxophone Interviews in DownBeat’s History
To celebrate DownBeat's 75th anniversary, the magazine has scoured the archives and found the truly classic interviews with the saxophone legends. From talks with Coltrane and Hawkins to Rollins and Getz, they rank 10 amazing interviews with the legends.

Finding Your Saxophone Voice
From Ron Blake and Seamus Blake to Marcus Strickland and Donny McCaslin, DB talk to a number of saxophonists about the challenges of being a modern jazz saxophonist - of finding your creativity, dealing with so much history on the horn while still paving a new path.

Wayne Shorter
Having just turned 75, Shorter continues to mine new veins of creativity, including work with his long-standing quartet and his recent project with Imani Winds. An insightful interview with the DownBeat Hall of Famer.

George Garzone & Claire Daly master classes

Transcription: Paul Desmond on “Desmond Blue”

Southside Johnny & La Bamba’s Big Band -- The music of Tom Waits inspired trombonist Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg--leader of the famous Asbury bar band The Jukes--to record his new big band album with vocalist Southside Johnny, an ambitious DIY project the likes of which are rarely seen or heard in jazz.

SPECIAL SECTION: Summer Festival Guide
In addition to listing more than 150 international festivals by region, they have stories on how festivals interact with their locales to integrate into the community, great festival videos, and a number of pieces on individual festivals in each region.

PLAYERS
Helio Alves (piano)
John Black (guitar)
Chie Imaizumi (keyboard)
Denman Maroney (piano)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Vijay Iyer

THE BEAT
• Jazz @ Lincoln Center co-hosts an inaugural event in D.C.
• Update on status of Festival Network festivals
• Jazz vinyl: classic titles and new releases on the format
• Bill Henderson celebrating his 50th Anniverary in the business.
• David “Fathead” Newman, Hank Crawford and Blossom Dearie obits
• The Question; Vinyl Freak; Backstage With .. Bobby Hutcherson
• Caught: Brad Mehldau’s Carnegie Hall classical commission; Ray Brown Tribute at L.A.
Philharmonic; Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lewis Nash re-create Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite at
Symphony Center

REVIEWS
Hot Box
Theo Bleckmann/Kneebody, Twelve Songs By Charles Ives (Winter & Winter)
Denny Zeitlin Trio, In Concert (Sunnyside)
Marco Benevento, Me Not Me (Royal Potato Family)
Tom Harrell, Prana Dance (HighNote)

Reviews
Fat Cat Big Band, Meditations On The War ... (Smalls)
Fat Cat Big Band, Angels Praying For Freedom (Smalls)
Gary Husband’s Drive, Hotwired (Abstract Logix)
Ali Jackson, Wheelz Keep Rollin’ (independent)
The October Trio + Brad Turner, Looks Like It’s Going To Snow (Songlines)
Melissa Morgan, Until I Met You (Telarc)
Colleen McNabb, Don’t Go To Strangers (Zucca)
Jorma Kaukonen, River Of Time (Red House)
Aki Takase/Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Iron Wedding (Intakt)
Alex Heitlinger, The Daily Life Of Uncle Roger (independent)
Mark Masters Ensemble, Farewell Walter Dewey Redman (Capri)
Gene Ess, Modes Of Limited Transcendence (Simp)
Steve Herberman Trio, Ideals (Reach)
Jazzmob, Flashback (Jazzaway)
Mark Colby, Reflections (Origin)
Ken Hatfield and Friends, Play The Music Of Bill McCormick (M/Pub)
Peter Bernstein Trio, Monk (Xanadu)
The Flatlands Collective, Maatjes (Clean Feed)
Gerald Cleaver, William Parker, Craig Taborn, Farmers By Nature (AUM Fidelity)
David Fiuczynski, KiF Express (Fuze)
The Dorf, The Dorf (Leo)
Van Morrison, Astral Weeks: Live At The Hollywood Bowl (Blue Note)
Count Basie Orchestra, Mustermesse Basel 1956 Part 1 (TCB)
Peter Zak, Seed Of Sin (SteepleChase)
Marshall Vente Trio, Marshall Arts (Chicago Sessions)
Chick Corea & Hiromi, Duet (Concord)
Rokia Traoré, Tchamantché (Nonesuch)
Al Di Meola World Sinfonia, La Melodia Live In Milano (self-released)

Jazz
Paul Carr, Musically Yours (PCJ)
Generations, Tough Guys (ICA)
Todd Coolman, Perfect Strangers (ArtistShare)
Alex Graham, Brand New (Origin)
Vitaly Golovnev, To Whom It May Concern (Tippin’)
Jonathan Voltzok, More To Come (Kol Yo)

Blues
Harry Manx, Live At Glenn Gould Studio (Dog My Cat)
John Nemeth, Love Me Tonight (Blind Pig)
Saffire, Havin’ The Last Word (Alligator)
Nighthawks, American Landscape (Powerhouse)
Root Doctor, Live At Cadillac Club (Big O)
Michael Chapman, Time Past (Electric Ragtime/Ryko)

Beyond
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, The Tiffany Transcriptions (Collectors’ Choice)

DVD
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, Standards I/II (ECM)
Fred Hersch, Let Yourself Go (Aha!)
Freddie Hubbard, One Of A Kind (Arkadia)
Don Ellis, Electric Heart (Sleepy Night)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Live! (Heads Up)

Book
John Broven, Record Makers And Breakers (University of Illinois Press)

Kristin Korb @ Hilton Glendale

The gorgeous bassist/vocalist is finally back in town!Saturday - April 18, 2009
Hilton Glendale
Glendale, CA - [map it]

6:00 PMFree, Drink Cover, All Ages

Happy Hour specials are extended to 9 pm.

The Hilton has $5 appetizers and all beer, wine or well drinks will also be only $5.

"This is a casual hang for me as I'm sitting in to sing a few tunes with Mark Stevens and Todd Johnson. Bring your friends!" invites Korb.

DVD of the Day - "Go Ride The Music / West Pole"

DVD of the Day
"Ralph J. Gleason Presents Go Ride The Music & West Pole" (Eagle Vision/ST2) 2008

Essential document of the Bay Area psychedelic rock scene of the late 60s. This 2-DVD set brings together two TV programs produced noted music critic Ralph J. Gleason, covering the San Francisco psychedelia scene of the late 60s and early 70s. DVD #1 features the program "Go Ride the Music," featuring 2 giants of the era: Jefferson Airplane perform at an intimate indoor venue while Quicksilver Messenger Service are filmed in the open air. There are also cameo appearances from David Crosby and Jerry Garcia.
DVD #2, "West Pole," features a diverse range of acts including Ace of Cups, Steve Miller Band, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Sons of Champlin, performing live in various settings. There are detailed footage of venues where the SF rock was born, many of which no longer exist, like The Matrix, the Avalon Ballroon and Bill Graham's Fillmore West, where giants like Miles Davis and Santana also loved to perform.
Extensive liner notes by John Swenson and Toby Gleason, Ralph's son.

CD of the Day - "Grover Washington, Jr.: Feels So Good"

CD of the Day
Grover Washington, Jr. : "Feels So Good" (Kudu/Verve) 1975/2008

A digipack CD reissue supervised by Harry Weinger for the Verve "Originals" series, it's another storming round up of quality grooves for your consumption. Cut at Van Gelder Studio, on May & July 1975, while "Mister Magic" (recorded in November 74 and released in February 75) was still exploding in the airwaves and dancefloors, the fifth and much-sampled album that Grover recorded for Creed Taylor's Kudu label yielded the hit "It Feels So Good", a massive tune (with the leader on tenor) written by Ralph MacDonald & Bill Salter - not coincidently, the same composers of "Mister Magic," a song later covered by Esther Phillips (also for Kudu, on "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes," her best-selling album ever) and Tony Bennett.
"Feels So Good" came out on October 15, 1975, but its title track shall not be mistaken with the mellower "Feels So Good" smash that Chuck Mangione would write around two years later.
To enjoy Grover's own "Moonstreams" (featuring, besides Grover's silky soprano sax, Eric Gale's sensual guitar and Sidney Weinberg's English horn on an exquisite Bob James score), make yourself a nice drink and sit back and check out some seriously sexy music coming at ya.
The cinematic "The Sea Lion" is typical of James, reminiscent of "The Golden Apple". The two other extended funky originals by Grover, "Knucklehead" and "Hydra" are powerful too. Say thanx to people like bassists Louis Johnson & Gary King, drummers Kenneth "Spider Webb" Rice (his only date ever for Creed Taylor - amazing, hum?), Steve Gadd & Jimmy Madison, plus the men (Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, John Frosk, Barry Rogers, among others) on the smokin' horn section. I know I did it.
Oh, "Feels So Good" reached #1 in both the Jazz and Black Charts in Billboard, peaking # 10 among the Pop Albums, while "The Sea Lion" peaked at #1 in the Disco Singles chart, something unpredictable for such an intrincate track.
By now, three other Grover's albums for Kudu ("Inner City Blues," "All The King's Horses" and "Soul Box") have been already revived on the "Originals" series. So, let's hope Verve could also reissue "Mister Magic," "A Secret Place" and "Live at the Bijou" in a near future.

Diana Krall - The "Quiet Nights Tour" in Canada

Diana Krall live, tonight and tomorrow, with symphony orchestra at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Performance Time: 8:00 pm

GRAMMY Award winner and multi-platinum selling jazz artist Diana Krall is set to return to the road in support of her new release "Quiet Nights' (Verve). Krall will be joined on stage tonight and tomorrow, April 14 & 15, by her quartet (with a new bassist and a special guest percussionist, in love with the GOHD) and a 45-piece orchestra at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. A press conference about "Quiet Nights" and the influence of bossa nova on the new album is scheduled for 3PM at the Jubilee Conference Hall.

The building, along with its twin facility in Edmonton, is owned and operated by the Government of Alberta. The departments of Infrastructure and Transportation, and Community Development work in partnership to operate the facilities.
In 2004, renovations were started to revitalize both community icons. Improvements focused on patron comfort and performance enhancements, including acoustics, seating, climate control, and more. The venue has a new look, yet has maintained its historic charm. The reopening of the buildings occurred in September, 2005 to commemorate the Jubilee Auditoria’s 50th and Alberta’s 100th anniversaries.

Tour Promoted by PMC Entertainment Ltd. with CBC Radio 2.

Tickets may be purchased by visiting http://www.ticketmaster.ca/ or in person at all Ticketmaster Locations or by phone 403-777-0000.

Dave Brubeck is recuperating at home

The 88 year old pianist Dave Brubeck, who was taken in early April to the hospital due to a viral infection, went out of the Yale New Haven Hospital yesterday and is now recuperating at his beautiful home in Wilton, Connecticut. He is to rest for the next month, at least. The good news is that the greatest jazz living legend, whom I have the honor to be as a friend and a partner (Arnaldo DeSouteiro wrote the lyrics to Brubeck's "Broadway Bossa Nova" and other songs, at Brubeck's request) is progressing in the right direction, but he still needs regain strength after he lost 15 pounds. It was a bad siege, but things are looking up. We all hope to see him back on stage soon. The Unisphere deserves it!

Kurt Elling's new album and tour celebrating Coltrane & Hartman

Kurt Elling is doing the mix sessions of his new album, "Dedicated to You," scheduled for release in June on the Concord label. It's a live recording made in concert at Lincoln Center's Allen Room with arrangements of music associated with John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman on their legendary LP for Impulse! as tailored by Laurence Hobgood. The concert features special guests Ernie Watts (tenor) and the new Ethel String Quartet. Watch below for the limited touring dates this Spring and Summer:

April 16, 2009

KE sings Coltrane/Hartman

Featuring Ernie Watts and Ethel String Quartet and Laurence Hobgood Trio

Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, MI

Tickets click here

April 17 -18, 2009

KE Quartet with Ernie Watts

The Green Mill

Chicago, IL

May 1, 2009

KE Quartet (Opening for Brubeck)

Tri-C Jazz Festival Cleveland, OH

May 3, 2009KE Quartet

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

New Orleans, LA

May 22, 2009KE Quartet

Bellvue Washington Jazz Fest

Seattle, Washington

May 23, 2009

KE Quartet

Manitoba Theatre

Winnipeg, Canada

June 16- 20 2009

KE Quartet

Birdland

New York, NY

June 30, 2009

KE Quartet

West-Can Festival

Edmonton AB, Canada

CD of the Day - "Grover Washington, Jr.: Soul Box"

CD of the Day
Grover Washington, Jr.: "Soul Box" (Kudu/Verve) 1973/2008

One of the most ambitious projects in the history of CTI, along with the even more expensive Don Sebesky's "Giant Box", Grover's third album for CTI's subsidiary Kudu label was recorded in March 1973 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio and released as a 2-LP set. After the mellow opening with David Gates' pop ballad "Aubrey," featuring Jay Berliner on acoustic guitar and Airto Moreira on percussion, what follows is a symphonic funk-soul-fusion mission accomplished by arranger & conductor Bob James leading 60-piece orchestra.

This late 2008 CD reissue, supervised by Harry Weinger for the Verve Originals series, comes in digipack format, reproducing the original Bob Ciano cover art (the cover painting is by David A. Leffel), even including the original liner notes, the Kudu logo and the original catalog number. All these aspects, plus the pristine sound of Kevin Reeves' digital remastering, make this new "Soul Box" sound (and look) much much better than any of its previous CD releases.

In 1973, at the time of "Soul Box," Washington, Jr. possessed a tone that was as soulfully gritty as it was gregarious and tender. Some of the very best fusion players with a feel for funk are present here - powerful drummers Idris Muhammad & Billy Cobham, keyboardists Bob James (mostly on Fender Rhodes) & Richard Tee (Hammond organ), and ace guitarist Eric Gale, the second main soloist - and the orchestral scores actually enhance the small group performances rather than sweeten them. Most tracks are eight minutes in length and longer, giving everybody enough room to stretch-out and shine while still maintaining the groove.

Ron Carter is heard on both acoustic and electric bass, groovin' in a very funky way specially on The Temptations' "Masterpiece" and Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" (btw, I just remembered of the fantastic Ahmad Jamal take on the latter, recorded on his "Jamalca" LP, misteriously never reissued on CD not even in Japan!) Billy Cobham plays only on his own "Taurian Matador," really a killer track, and there's an intriguing dark-tinged arrangement of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain," on which Bob James added a lugubrious choir. Barbara Massey, from the cult Barbara & Ernie duo, is one of the vocalists. The horn section includes such luminaries as Hubert Laws, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Wayne Andre, George Marge and Romeo Penque. Harry Lookofsky is the concertmaster of the string section, on which Ron Carter overdubs on arco bass alongside Richard Davis. A massive set!
********
A rave review written by jazz fusion historian Thom Jurek for the All Music Guide website follows:
"The early work of alto saxophonist and composer Grover Washington, Jr. is a rare and beautiful thing to behold. His entire Kudu period, marked by the albums Inner City Blues, All the King's Horses, Soul Box, Mister Magic, and Feels So Good, is brilliant, solid urban groove jazz played with grace, mean chops, and slippery funkiness. Soul Box, a double LP recorded in 1973, has Creed Taylor's production enhanced by a symphony orchestra and full-blown jazz band arranged and conducted by Bob James. Some of the session men include Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Eric Gale, Idris Muhammad, Airto, and Richard Tee. Soul Box only contains seven cuts. Among them are truly innovative reads of "Taurian Matador," Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," a side-long jam on Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" (the album's centerpiece and masterpiece), and the deep funk of Norman Whitfield's "Masterpiece."

"Trouble Man," however, is the cut on which all the contradictions of the session come to bear and are resolved due in large part to Washington's deeply lyrical improvising and James' ability to layer an orchestra into a groove. There are cadenzas written in after choruses that bring the orchestra in to accent the sketchy funk in the tune and bring out its deep blue hues. When Washington gets to the front of it all, he lets go like he's crying from the heart. On other tracks, the orchestra adds the right drama or sweetness — as it does on Wonder's cut — but Washington makes them grittier, with soloing that sidles up to the melody before reinventing it. For its length, Soul Box is a modern classic for its instrumental and arrangement invention and for its deeply emotional bounty."

Diana Krall: the best part of making a record

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2009/04/14/diana.krall.cnn?iref=videosearch

Diana Krall talks to CNN's Shanon Cook about the bossa nova spin on her new album, "Quiet Nights."

"One of the best parts of making a record is the dinner after where you all you go to the restaurant, you decompress, have some great wine and just tell stories and listen to Claus and Tommy and [engineer] Al Schmidt and all these people telling amazing stories," says Krall.
Diana Krall recently sat down with CNN to share some stories of her own about a teenaged letter to Oscar Peterson, idolizing Harry Connick Jr. and Mickey Mouse pancakes.

Click on the above link to watch an edited version of the interview!

DVD of the Day - "From The Basement"

DVD of the Day
"From The Basement" (Eagle Vision/ST2) 2009

Featuring: Radiohead, PJ Harvey, The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, Beck, Laura Marling, Damien Rice, Thom Yorke, José González, Autolux, Super Furry Animals, Jamie Lidell, The Shins, Albert Hammond Jr., Eels, Neil Hannon et al. 130 minutes!
It is rare to be able to watch raw live performances that are stripped of everything except the artists and music. From The Basement, the new series on IFC has done just that. Without any small talk or a live audience, and feeding only off of the energy the music itself delivers, viewers receive the opportunity to experience the music at the forefront in its rawest, most intimate form. From The Basement is a compilation of the best performances from the show's first season, including performances by Radiohead (and solo performances from Thom Yorke), The White Stripes, Super Furry Animals, Sonic Youth, Eels, Albert Hammond Jr., PJ Harvey, and Beck.
The IFC music series "From the Basement" strips out the nonsense that typically stands between the performers and the TV audience: gone are the chatty host, in-studio onlookers, and ritzy stagecraft. Instead, the musicians - ranging from superstars (Radiohead, White Stripes) to cult favorites (Super Furry Animals, Laura Marling) - set up gear in an intimate space and play powerful, engaging sets.

Antoinette Montague @ Gillespie Auditorium, April 14

Antoinette Montague’s $15 Vacation from the Economic Blues
Call 203-820-8819 or 212-222-5159 and mention the "Vacation Plan" to get $1 off each ticket!

Antoinette Montague
Tues. April 14, 2009
The New York City Baha'i Center
53 East 11th Street (between Broadway & University Place)
NYC 212-674-8998
Two Sets: 8:00 & 9:30 PM
www.bahainyc.org

Cynthia Layne updated concert list

Upcoming Shows
(view all)

Apr 18 2009, 2:00PM
WICR Jazz Fest @ Univ of Indpls
Indianapolis, Indiana

Apr 23 2009, 7:00PM
Sangiovese Restaurant
Indianapolis, Indiana

Apr 24 2009, 7:00PM
The Stutz Annual Art Show
Indianapolis, Indiana

Apr 24 2009, 9:00PM
The Conrad Hotel
Indianapolis, Indiana

Apr 25 2009, 4:00PM
The Stutz Annual Art Show
Indianapolis, Indiana

Apr 25 2009, 9:00PM
The Conrad Hotel
Indianapolis, Indiana

Apr 30 2009, 7:00PM
Sangiovese Restaurant
Indianapolis, Indiana

CD of the Day - "Manny Oquendo:

CD of the Day

Manny Oquendo & Libre: "On The Move" (Milestone) 1996

Recorded live on May 24, 1996 at Bimbo's 265 Club in San Francisco, produced by Todd Barkan, it's my personal favorite among many Manny Oquendo's delightful albums. 70 minutes of intoxicating grooves and fantastic solos, making it an irresistible ball. Manny's own montuno "Chaquilla Ideal" and the mambo version of Lester Young's "Lester Leaps In" are both massive tracks, showcasing Willie Rodriguez's infectious piano playing.

Also featuring: bassist Andy Gonzalez (who also served as Musical Director for the band and as co-producer of the album), vocalists Herman Olivera & Frankie Vazquez, conguero Roberto Carrero and trombonists Dan Reagan (lead), Angel "Papo" Vazquez (a former member of Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra, Leonard Pollara & Wayne Wallace.

R.I.P.: Nick Jerret

R.I.P.: Nick Jerret
(born Nick Bertocci on July 29, 1921, Somerville/MA;
died January 30, 2009, Boston/MA, USA))

The obituary at the Boston Globe follows:
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/apr/11/noted-jazz-clarinetist-bandleader-dead-at-90/news/

Noted jazz clarinetist, bandleader dead at 90

THE BOSTON GLOBE
Published: April 11, 2009

BOSTON - As a premed student in his second year at Boston University, Nick Bertocci had a good future in the late 1930s, except for two problems: He wasn't much interested in becoming a doctor, and he had no background in what he really wanted to pursue.

"As he explained to me, he went to talk with a guidance counselor," said his brother, Louis of Medford, Mass. "The guidance counselor said, ‘What do you want to do?' Nick said, ‘I want to get into music, and the counselor said, ‘Well, you ought to do that.'"

Playing first on a borrowed saxophone, then moving to clarinet, Bertocci adopted a stage name and in a few years went from beginner to bandleader, playing jazz clubs in New York City and Boston. Bertocci died of pneumonia Jan. 30 in the Phillips House unit of Massachusetts General Hospital. He was 90.

At 19, Bertocci had never played an instrument when he went home to explain that his calling was music, not medicine. "My father said, ‘You'll be happy, but you'll never make any money,'" Louis said.

At first, a brother-in-law let Bertocci use his saxophone, and he studied harmony and instrumentation to swiftly make up for lost time. Then Bertocci picked up a clarinet, which has some similarities to the saxophone. "The minute he hit the clarinet, that was it," his wife, Marsha, said.

Nicholas D. Bertocci performed as Nick Jerret, though it's unclear why he chose that surname. He put together a sextet and, in his early 20s, headed to New York.

He also helped launch the careers of two musicians he brought with him from Boston. His sister Chiarina used the name Frances Wayne to perform with big bands led by Charlie Barnet and Woody Herman. Pianist Ralph Burns went on to play with Herman and won Academy Awards for adapting music for the movies Cabaret and All That Jazz.

R.I.P.: Manny Oquendo

R.I.P.: Manny Oquendo

(born January 1, 1931 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, USA;

died March 25, 2009, in Bronx, NY, USA)

Manny's obituary on The New York Times follows:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/arts/music/13oquendo.html?_r=2&scp=5&sq=jazz&st=nyt

Manny Oquendo, Latin Band Leader and Stylistic Innovator, Dies at 78
Published: April 12, 2009

Manny Oquendo, the Latin band leader, timbale player and percussionist who was an expert with the típico Cuban rhythmic style and later infused it into Latin jazz, died on March 25 in the Bronx. He was 78. The cause was complications from a kidney operation, said Andy González, his musical director of 35 years in their band, Libre.

Mr. Oquendo’s involvement with Cuban rhythms on the timbales and bongos dated back to his childhood. Born in 1931 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to parents from Puerto Rico, Jose Manuel Oquendo spent most of his formative years in Spanish Harlem, where he lived above Almacénes Hernández, the area’s early famed Latin record store, and later on Kelly Street in the Bronx. Also nearby on Kelly Street were Arsenio Rodríguez, the celebrated master of the tres, the Cuban guitarlike instrument, and future music stars like Joe Cuba, the Palmieri Brothers and Little Ray Romero.

Mr. Oquendo began playing a trap drum set at 15 and later took lessons, alongside the future jazz drummer Max Roach, from Sam Ulano, a well-known teacher. By the late 1940s, he was playing with New York’s top bands along with Chano Pozo and Juan Torres, known as El Boy. When Mr. Oquendo joined Tito Puente’s orchestra as a bongo player he often used his sartorial and musical talents to attract the attention of the surging seas of dancers in places like the Palladium ballroom. In 1962, he joined Eddie Palmieri’s seminal band, La Perfecta, which challenged the big band scene with a smaller, conjunto lineup that called for fewer players and more improvisation.

Those familiar with the traditional dance hall rhythms of Cuban mambos, guarachas and rumbas could see that Mr. Oquendo’s approach to his instruments was intentionally understated. “First of all, you shouldn’t overplay,” Mr. Oquendo said in an 1997 interview with Latin Beat magazine.

“The timbales are for providing accompaniment, backup for the group; and a good timbalero must have a strong left hand to play the tumbao and pailas or cascara,” he said, referring to different rhythmic patterns in a measure. “The timbalero must always keep the beat.”

While playing in La Perfecta, where he met Mr. González, his future musical director and a bassist, Mr. Oquendo picked up and adapted the complex carnival rhythm called Mozambique, made popular in Cuba by Pello El Afrokán, and reworked it for the timbales, introducing a hypnotic African beat to the dance halls of New York. In 1974, he and Mr. González began Libre, creating a sound outside traditional parameters.

Libre has released 12 albums, including the popular “Mejor que Nunca. ” In a review of a 1983 concert in The New York Times, Jon Pareles called Libre a traditionalist band with infusions of modal Afro-Cuban jazz that made it progressive. “But when Libre charges into its arrangements, which unite three trombones, Dave Valentin’s nimbly assertive flute, two singers and a sizzling rhythm section,” Mr. Pareles wrote, “those categories are lost in the beat.”

In his 1997 interview with Latin Beat, Mr. Oquendo said: “It’s important to develop the ear and get a deeper knowledge of the music, and once you become good at the instrument, you must always remember to try to be original, be yourself. You can borrow, you can take, you can even steal, but you do not imitate.”

Among Mr. Oquendo’s survivors are two sisters, Jean Vega and Lydia Crespo. Mr. González said Libre would continue and said he was planning a tribute concert on May 30 at the Bronx Museum of the Arts for Mr. Oquendo, who played with the band until January.

"Creed Taylor Tribute Party" tonight in London!

Info from "The CTI Never Sleeps"! http://www.cti-kudu.blogspot.com/
IF MUSIC's 6th BIRTHDAY PARTY
Presenting the Music & Inspirations of CREED TAYLOR,
the legendary producer and founder of CTI Records
Tonight, April 9, from 9PM to 2AM, FREE ENTRY!
with Marc Marc, Aaron Jerome & Jean-Claude
PLASTIC PEOPLE
147 Curtain Road
Old Street, London
www.ifmusic.co.uk

CD of the Day - "Harvey Wainapel: The Hang"

CD of the Day
Harvey Wainapel: "The Hang" (JazzMission) 2003

Although I've been fortunate to have been exposed to some excellent albums by Harvey Wainapel (pronnounced "wine apple"), I must confess that "The Hang", recorded in 1998 in NY and released in 2003, remains my personal favorite of all his CDs.
Produced by Ray Lucas, engineered by Michael Marciano & Cookie Marenco, "The Hang" is an impeccable 5-star project featuring Wainapel's dexterity in several reed instruments (clarinet, soprano, alto & tenor saxophones). He is surrounded by a top-class team, including Kenny Barron (acoustic piano), Larry Grenadier (bass), Kenny Wollesen (drums) & Phil Grenadier (trumpet).
The album sounds perfect from the first bars of the opening tune (a classy, sophisticated & seductive take of "Beautiful Love", showcasing Wainapel's warm tenor sax tone a la Joe Henderson) to the closing theme, Carlos Oliveira's "Choro da Gafieira", done as a clarinet/piano duet that escapes from the "sound of museum" often achieved by jazz musicians when trying to play Brazilian choro style.
Two other delightful tunes confirm Wainapel's affinity for Brazilian music: the samba jazz "Bueno y Perfecta" and the subtle bossa "La Lausanneoise" (The Lady from Lausanne), with trumpeter Phil Grenadier revealing the influence of Claudio Roditi. Both were written by the leader, who also signed two striking originals: "The Buzzard" and "Hadd Apple Beach" (dedicated to drummer Jamey Haddad). Btw, the CD is dedicated to the memories of Duke Dubois and Gil Evans' favorite trumpet player, Johnny Coles.
Inspired versions of Jimmy Heath's "CTA" (with Wainapel on soprano sax) and Wayne Shorter's "Pinocchio" ("an excellent pianist named Bert Seager composed the 16-bar interlude between choruses", notes HW) complete the program.

Single of the Day - "Herbie Hancock: Bring Down The Birds"

Single of the Day
Herbie Hancock: "Bring Down The Birds" (MGM) 2009

Side A - "B-Boy edit"
Side B - "original version" produced by Pete Spargo
Available at: http://www.juno.co.uk/products/337679-01.htm

Arnaldo DeSouteiro's compilations released in France

"Jazz Rock" (featuring such fusion masters as The Brecker Brothers, Tony Williams' Lifetime with Larry Young & John McLaughlin, Return To Forever, Jaco Pastorius, Don Sebesky, Deodato, George Duke and Alphonse Mouzon, among others) and Chick Corea's "Electric Chick" with guests Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, Joe Farrell, Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Airto Moreira and Anthony Jackson - two compilations produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for the Verve Music Group in 2008 - were released in France on January 26, 2009 by Universal Jazz and are now available also through http://www.chapitre.com/
To order, please click on the links below:
http://www.chapitre.com/CHAPITRE/fr/MUSIC/compilation/jazz-rock,22305448.aspx
http://www.chapitre.com/CHAPITRE/fr/MUSIC/corea-chick/electric-chick,22305444.aspx
Three other compilations produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for Verve's JazzClub series - Bossa Nova Singers" (featuring Nara Leão and João Gilberto), "Do It Again: The Fantastic Jazz Funk of Eumir Deodato" and "Summer in the City: The Soul Jazz Grooves of Quincy Jones" - also remain available on the same webstore.

Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" is #3 on Billboard Pop 200 and tops the jazz charts in Japan!

"Quiet Nights," the new Diana Krall CD, reached the top of the jazz charts in Japan, according to HMV webstore and Swing Journal. The most incredible thing is that, on HMV, "Quiet Nights" appears on the #1, #2 and #3 positions, since there are different issues in the market. Besides the best-selling SHM-CD issue (a 2-disc set which includes a promo DVD), the "normal" Japanese pressing and the U.S. imported CD are also topping the jazz chart.
In the USA, "Quiet Nights" entered the Billboard Pop 200 chart at No. 3 this week!

Eight Freddie Hubbard albums to be reissued on CD in the USA for the first time!

Nothing less than eight Freddie Hubbard albums from the 70s will be reissued on CD here in the USA, next June 9, by the Wounded Bird label, which licensed all titles from Sony Music. Six albums belong to the Columbia catalog ("Bundle of Joy," "High Energy," "Liquid Love," "Skagly," "The Love Connection" and "Windjammer"), while the two remaining discs were originally released on CTI ("Polar AC" and the compilation "The Baddest Hubbard").

All titles will be released on CD for the first time, except for "Polar AC" and "The Love Connection," previously available on this format only in the Japanese market. (see details about the Hubbard/Ogerman masterpiece here:http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2008/12/cd-of-day-freddie-hubbard-love.html)

CTI All-Stars Band 2009 will perform in Montreux!

News from jazz historian Douglas Payne's fabulous website about Creed Taylor's CTI Records

(http://www.dougpayne.com/cti.htm):

"The CTI All-Star Band is scheduled to perform a three-week concert tour in Europe, beginning in July 2009. The first concert will be recorded and filmed in high definition at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The line up is scheduled to include Hubert Laws on flute, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Bill Evans on sax, Russell Malone on guitar, Mark Egan on bass, Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums, Airto on percussion, Flora Purim on vocals and Niels Lan Dokey on piano.
Later concerts are planned for the United States and Canada as well as Japan and Korea. Stay tuned for more news here."

Tickets for the CTI All-Stars Band 2009 gala concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival, next July 7, are already available here:

http://www.montreuxjazz.com/index.php?lang=en&cat=tickets&subcat=vip_corporate_packages

According to Wax Poetics magazine, "Creed Taylor and Sebesky are trying to reunite the surviving CTI All Stars to record an album and tour Europe." However, there are rumors that Todd Bashore will be doing the arrangements.

Creed Taylor: "We had a dynamite band line up including Airto and Pachito. The rhythm section would just be killing. But the European concert promoters were trying to get into the act. They wanted to book the CTI band, but they wanted to see all dead or alive members back in the CTI band. Of course, the economy isn't helping. Things change though."

Ron Carter: "Tell Creed to give me a call. My price has gone up since then. But I'm available."

Don Sebesky: "We're trying to go back and do it just like we used to - the same format, the same outlook, the same standard of excellence that Creed stood for. That's what really made CTI so great."

Hubert Laws: "I've been talking to Creed about this. I hope it happens. For me, it's not even the money. I'd just do it for the sake of the music."

CD of the Day - "CTI All Stars: Live in Munich"

CD of the Day
CTI All-Stars: "Live in Munich" (CTI) 1972/2009

Produced by Creed Taylor
Featuring: Bob James, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Hubert Laws, Joe Farrell, Hank Crawford, Grover Washington, Jr., Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Esther Phillips, Jackie & Roy.
A stunning 3-CD set hosted by radio DJ Frankie Crocker, and recorded live at Munich's Kongresshalle on August 20, 1972, as part of the "Jazz Now! Festival" that took place in Germany, coordinated by Joachim Ernst Berendt, during four days as part of the art program of the Munich Olympic Games. Thus the title of the original (and unofficial) vinyl issue, "CTI Olympic Jazz."
Gabor Szabo and Airto Moreira were also scheduled to appear, but had to cancel because Gabor's father was dying in the hospital and Airto's daughter (with Flora) was borning that week in NY. Curiously, Bob James plays acoustic piano in several tracks, but also solos on Fender Rhodes sometimes, in tunes he had not recorded in their original studio versions ("Sugar," "Red Clay," "Impressions" etc). Anyway, I miss Hancock's heavier grooves. It's very interesting to listen to the original pre-Deodato version of "Zarathustra", arranged by Bob James with a different funky bass line, used as opening theme of the CTI All-Stars concerts since 1971 (for details, please refer to his interview to the October 11, 1973 issue of DownBeat scanned below).
There are many other surprises throughout the night, such as Turrentine and Hubbard soloing on Grover Washington's feature "Inner City Blues/Mercy Mercy Mercy" (it used to be a tour-de-force only for Grover, as documented on the "CTI Summer Jazz Live at Hollywood Bowl Vol.1" LP, captured less than three weeks earlier on July 30, 1972) and Bob James using the Hammond organ when backing Esther Phillips.
Also loved Jack DeJohnette's killer drum solo on a 25-minute massive version of Joe Farrell's "Sound Down", from "Outback". Hank Crawford plays a soulful rendition of Erroll Garner's "Misty", while Hubert Laws takes the spotlight on Chick Corea's "Windows." Grover plays his ass off on the above mentioned Marvin Gaye medley repeated as the concert outro. Two vocal numbers by Esther Phillips and three by Jackie Cain & Roy Kral are also brilliant, notwithstanding the negative audience reaction to Jackie & Roy's more conservative and non-funky approach.

Single of the Day - "Esther Phillips: 'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone"

Single of the Day (45rpm, pic sleeve)
Esther Phillips: "'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone / Scarred Knees" (CTI) 1972

The first single from Esther's debut album on CTI's subsidiary Kudu label, recorded in December 1971 at Van Gelder Studio.
Featuring Hank Crawford, Richard Tee, Gordon Edwards, Bernard Purdie, Airto Moreira, Cornell Dupree & Eric Gale.
Both tracks were arranged by Jack Wilson: Eddie Floyd's "Til My Back..." (a radio-edit favorite in early 72) and J.W. Tyrone's soulful blues "Scarred Knees", on which Esther does a fantastic solo, and a song she often performed during her live shows with the CTI All Stars, like happens on the "Live in Munich" set with solo spots to sax masters Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine.

DVD of the Day - "Paul Simon: Live from Philadelphia"

DVD of the Day
Paul Simon: "Live from Philadelphia" (Eagle Vision/ST2) 1980/2009

This concert was filmed at Upper Darby's Tower Theater, in Philadelphia, back in 1980 and it was originally released on VHS in '81. It was restored for DVD in 2008 by Eagle Vision and i'ts now available on this format through ST2.

"Live from Philadelphia" captures Simon in fine form with an all-star backing band: late keyboardist Richard Tee (with his unmistakable Fender Rhodes sound), brothers Pete Levin (synths) and Tony Levin (King Crimson's bassist), Steve Gadd (the most-in-demand drummer at that time), CTI/Kudu house guitarist Eric Gale (God knows how I miss u Eric!) and a horn section featuring saxophonist/flutist George Young (the future star soloist of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet with whom I had the honor to work in NY on Yana Purim's "Harvest Time" album) plus trumpet player Ron Tooley, and reedmen J.D. Parran & Howard Johnson on saxophones.

Despite the fact that the running time is very short (52 minutes, counting the 3 encores), the musical quality is high. The set list ranges across his career up to that point and includes both Simon & Garfunkel and solo hits. Highlights: "Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" (the original 1972 studio recording had Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira playing cuica!), "Still Crazy After All These Years," "One-Trick Pony," "Jonah" (that sounds like a Michael Franks song) and "Late in the Evening". The three encores are "American Tune," "The Boxer" and the solo number "The Sound of Silence."

Diana Krall - "The Quiet Nights Tour"

Diana Krall - new dates for the "Quiet Nights" tour

date / time /venue /location / tickets

4/14/2009
Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Calgary, Alberta, CA
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4/15/2009
Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Calgary, Alberta, CA
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4/17/2009
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Edmonton, Alberta, CA
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4/18/2009
Conexus Arts Centre
Regina, Saskatchewan, CA
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4/19/2009
TCU Place
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CA
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4/22/2009
MTS Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA
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4/25/2009
RBC Theatre at the John Labatt Centre
London, Ontario, CA
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4/26/2009
Centre in the Square
Kitchener, Ontario, CA
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4/28/2009
Hamilton Place Theatre
Hamilton, Ontario, CA
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4/30/2009
Massey Hall
Toronto, Ontario, CA
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5/1/2009
Massey Hall
Toronto, Ontario, CA
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5/2/2009
National Arts Center - Southam Hall
Ottawa, Ontario, CA
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5/3/2009
National Arts Center - Southam Hall
Ottawa, Ontario, CA
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5/5/2009
K-Rock Centre
Kingston, Ontario, CA
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5/6/2009
Place des Arts
Montreal, Quebec, CA
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5/7/2009
Place des Arts
Montreal, Quebec, CA
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5/9/2009
Moncton Coliseum
Moncton, New Brunswick, CA
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5/10/2009
Halifax Metro Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia, CA
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5/13/2009
The O'Regan Files
5/13/2009
Orpheum Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia, CA
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5/14/2009
Orpheum Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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6/5/2009
The Palace Theater
Waterbury, CT
Ticket Pre-Sales Start Wednesday March 10 at 10:00

6/6/2009
Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center
York, PA
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6/7/2009 7:30 PM
Flynn Center For The Performing Arts
Burlington, VT
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6/9/2009
Stanley Theater for the Performing Arts
Utica, NY
Pre-Sale Starts March 18 at 3:00 PM Local Time

6/10/2009
Artpark
Lewiston, NY
Pre-Sale Starts March 18 at 3:00 PM Local Time

6/12/2009
Foxwoods Casino
LEDYARD, Connecticut, United States
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6/13/2009
Bank of America Pavillion
Boston, MA
Pre-Sale Starts March 11 at 10:00 AM Local Time

6/14/2009
Providence Performing Arts Center
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, United States
Pre-Sale Starts March 4 at 10:00 AM Local Time

6/16/2009
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Baltimore, MD
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6/17/2009
Filene Center - Wolf Trap
VIENNA, Virginia, United States
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6/19/2009
Mann Music Center
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, United States
Ticket Pre-Sales Start Wednesday March 10 at 10:00

6/20/2009
Borgata Spa and Resort
Atlantic City, NJ
Pre-Sale Starts March 18 at 3:00 PM Local Time

6/21/2009
nTelos Pavilion Harbor Center
Portsmouth, VA
Pre-Sale Starts March 18 at 3:00 PM Local Time

6/23/2009
Carnegie Hall
NEW YORK, New York, United States
Ticket Pre-Sale Starts March 30 at 11:00 AM EST

6/24/2009
Carnegie Hall
NEW YORK, New York, United States
Ticket Pre-Sale Starts March 30 at 11:00 AM EST

6/26/2009
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
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6/27/2009
Ravinia Pavilion
HIGHLAND PARK, Illinois, United States

6/28/2009
Riverside Theater
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, United States
Ticket Pre-Sales Start Wednesday March 10 at 10:00

6/30/2009
State Theatre
Cleveland, OH
7/2/2009

Cape Cod Melody Tent
Hyannis, MA
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7/3/2009
Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion
Gilford, NH
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7/4/2009
Tanglewood
Lenox, MA

7/7/2009
Fraze Pavillion
DAYTON, Ohio, United States
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7/8/2009
Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, United States
Ticket Pre-Sales Start Wednesday March 10 at 10:00

7/10/2009
Peace Center For The Performing Arts
Greenville, SC

7/11/2009
Chastain Park Amphitheater
ATLANTA, Georgia, United States
Pre-Sale Starts March 18 at 3:00 PM Local Time

7/12/2009
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, United States

7/31/2009
Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
Salt Lake City, UT

8/1/2009
Wells Fargo Theatre
DENVER, Colorado, United States
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8/2/2009
Vilar Performing Arts Center
Beaver Creek, CO
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8/5/2009
Dodge Theater
PHOENIX, Arizona, United States
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8/7/2009
Agua Caliente Casino
Rancho Mirage, CA

8/8/2009
The Pearl Concert Theatre
Las Vegas, NV
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8/9/2009
Pala Casino
Pala, CA

8/10/2009
Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay
San Diego, CA

8/12/2009
Davies Symphony Hall
San Francisco, CA
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8/13/2009
The Concerts at Wente Vineyards
Livermore, CA
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8/15/2009
Peppermill Reno Tuscany Ballroom
Reno, NV
Ticket Pre-Sales Start Wednesday March 10 at 10:00

8/16/2009
Kautz Ironstone Vineyards Theater
Murphys, CA

8/18/2009
The Mountain Winery
Saratoga, CA

8/19/2009
The Mountain Winery
Saratoga, CA
8/21/2009

Hollywood Bowl
LOS ANGELES, California, United States
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8/22/2009
Hollywood Bowl
LOS ANGELES, California, United States
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8/23/2009
Santa Barbara Bowl
Santa Barbara, CA
tickets

8/25/2009
Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
SANTA ROSA, California, United States

8/26/2009
Britt Pavilion
Jacksonville, OR
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8/28/2009
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
PORTLAND, Oregon, United States
Pre-Sale Starts March 11 at 10:00 AM Local Time

8/29/2009
Chateau Ste. Michelle
WOODINVILLE, Washington, United States

8/30/2009
Chateau Ste. Michelle
WOODINVILLE, Washington, United States

9/15/2009
Olympia Hall
Paris, FR
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9/16/2009
Olympia Hall
Paris, FR
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9/17/2009
Olympia Hall
Paris, FR
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9/19/2009
Falconer Theatre
Copenhagen, DK
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9/20/2009
Konserthuset
Stockholm, SE

9/22/2009
Konserthus

Oslo, Norway
9/23/2009
Konserthus
Oslo, Norway

9/24/2009
Aarhus Music House
Aarhus, DK
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9/27/2009
Bozar
Brussels, BE
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10/6/2009
KKL
Lucerne, Switzerland
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CD of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: Rollin'"

CD of the Day
Freddie Hubbard: "Rollin'" (MPS) 1981/2009

High energy, highest level of musicianship, seven impeccable tracks, all the musicians (Freddie Hubbard, Dave Schnitter, Billy Childs, Larry Klein & Carl Burnett) in great shape.
Hubbard's second album for the German MPS label, now owned by Universal Music, was recorded live on May 2, 1981, at Theater Am Ring, during the Villingen Jazz Festival, and once again produced by legendary enterpreneur and writer Joachim-Ernst Berendt. Matthias Künnecke decided to produce this CD reissue for the JazzClub series soon after Hubbard's passing last December, and invited jazz historian Douglas Payne to write the liner notes.
*******
Mr. Payne's brilliant text follows:

"Something about jazz writing is like an obituary, a reflection on a life that's lived and regret for a life that's lost. Performances must be experienced. Recordings can be savored. But once they're done, they're done. One may reflect on it, yet no one can sustain or recreate the moment - certainly not in words. Just like a life. It's not for nothing that Miles Davis wanted to let the music speak for itself. Jazz is life. Talking about it may be like an obituary, but it helps us survivors to keep the music alive.

If the sadness of death - and the irony of this particular writer's position - seems to haunt these words, it is because the world lost Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938-December 29, 2008) shortly before the release of this exhilarating, too little-known recording of his. Even though he kept a low profile during the last 15 years of his life (due to a busted lip), Hubbard had become one of the greatest trumpet players jazz ever knew, able to swing easily and identifiably in bop, modal and free environs and successfully wed elements of soul, R&B and popular music into his work.

Freddie Hubbard contributed significantly to jazz during a half century of performance as a solo artist, a side man and even as a session player. He was a gifted improviser and participated memorably in some of the art's best and best-known recordings. Sample John Coltrane (Olé Coltrane, Ascension), Eric Dolphy (Outward Bound, Out To Lunch), Ornette Coleman (Free Jazz), Oliver Nelson (The Blues And The Abstract Truth), Herbie Hancock (Takin' Off, Maiden Voyage, Empyrean Isles) and classic recordings by Art Blakey, Randy Weston, Quincy Jones, Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon and many others.

Hubbard also recorded countless classics of his own during productive stays at Blue Note (1960-65), Atlantic (1966-70) and CTI (1970-73) and many that deserve significant reconsideration at Columbia (1974-1980). By the time of Rollin', Hubbard wasn't hitched to any one label, but he recorded and performed more frequently than ever before. He was also free to play pretty much whatever, whenever and wherever he wanted.

Originally recorded live in Germany's Black Forest at the Villingen Jazz Festival between Hubbard's American studio recordings Outpost (Enja) and Ride Like The Wind (Elektra Musician), Rollin' was the second of Hubbard's two MPS sets - 1969's The Hub of Hubbard was the first - and this one comes almost exactly at the mid-point of Hubbard's career. It was an awkward period in jazz and a somewhat mystifying time in the trumpeter's history. After a series of commercially unsuccessful - yet artistically redeeming - fusion albums the trumpeter made for Columbia (although the "straight ahead" VSOP albums Hubbard participated in are often forgotten in this period), there was a mistaken impression that Hubbard was searching to regain some sort of a foothold.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Rollin' shows no such sign of indecision or uncertainty. This is a leader very much in control, playing with passion and grace and collaborating with what turned out to be one of his best and most well-documented bands. MPS allowed Freddie Hubbard to pretty much roll as he wanted here, with his own band doing his own tunes. By this point, Hubbard had built up a sizeable back catalog of music he could pick and choose from. Rollin' offers a bountiful selection of just some of the goodies from Hubbard's cupboard.

The fiery "One Of Another Kind" was originally heard on a McCoy Tyner album featuring Freddie Hubbard, Together (1978), then on the VSOP album Live Under The Sky (1979). The song was, by this point, a staple of the trumpeter's performances, and also appeared on many subsequent albums. Hubbard's powerful delivery here calls one to stand up and take notice. It certainly roused this audience to rapt attention.

"Here's That Rainy Day" was one of those classic torch songs made famous by Frank Sinatra in the late 1950s and first recorded by Hubbard on his album Straight Life (1970). Here, Hubbard moves over to the flugelhorn, for which he shows a particularly beautiful hand, wreaking the most melodic of moods out of the song's melancholy maisma.

Bassist Larry Klein's "Cascais" first appeared on Hubbard's final Columbia album, Skagly (1979), featuring the same rhythm section heard here. Schnitter is on soprano and Childs switches to electric piano. Hubbard sounds positively inspired by Klein's slightly Latin textures and Klein himself delivers an outstanding solo on electric bass.

Hubbard's spritely "Up Jumped Spring" first appeared on Art Blakey's Three Blind Mice (1962) and was later revived for Hubbard's Backlash (1966). The ever-lilting, light-as-air waltz is now something of a standard. Here Freddie floats effortlessly like a butterfly over the warm waves his group generates for him here.

Hubbard debuted "Byrdlike" with a different spelling on Ready For Freddie (1961) and later revived the straight bop number with this spelling on the VSOP album The Quintet (1977). The song is said to be a tribute to fellow trumpeter Donald Byrd, but just one listen seems more accurately to reference Charlie "Bird" Parker. Maybe it's meant to immortalize both. Hubbard (on flugelhorn) and Klein (on upright bass) engage in a marvelous little pas de deux here, both soloing magnificently. It's clear that whatever winged thing Hubbard is referencing inspires him to take flight.

"Brigitte," written for Freddie's wife and widow, first appeared on Hubbard's Keep Your Soul Together (1973) and was the highlight of such later albums as The Love Connection (1979) and Ride Like The Wind (1981). Here, the group (less Schnitter) offers a most moving tribute to the trumpeter's special lady, with the trumpeter providing some of his loveliest declarative statements.

"Breaking Point," the title song to Hubbard's 1964 Blue Note album (showcasing his very first working group), didn't often feature in the trumpeter's performances. But here he revives this exciting number, bringing out its inherent calypso catchiness (indeed this rendition evolved into "Calypso Fred," heard on Hubbard's 1983 album, Sweet Return). Schnitter digs, appropriately, into his Sonny Rollins bag, inspiring both Hubbard and Childs, on electric piano, to deliver exceptional, crowd-pleasing solos. A fine exit indeed."

- Douglas Payne
January 2009
http://www.dougpayne.com/rollin.htm