WINNING SPINS BY GEORGE
kanzler
Allan Harris is a jazz singer who also plays
guitar and likes to ride horses. His latest album, Cross That River (ArtistShare),
is a work of historical reclamation and imagination, a group of songs
celebrating the lives of African-American cowboys in the bygone days of
the great cattle roundups and drives in the mid-19th Century.
If you've ever seen the HBO TV series "Deadwood," you've heard the kind
of music Harris employs for his songs, especially that bittersweet
fiddle with its mournfully sentimental tones. Besides fiddle and his own
guitars, Harris also uses mandolin, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, bass and
percussion, as well as backup singers, creating a bluegrass/country
blend informed by his jazz voice and sensibility. In other words, don't
try to pigeonhole Harris in a musical genre.
The title, and opening, song is the self-told story of Blue, a slave who
knows "there's a free place/ Way across that river/ Where the wild
ponies run and play/ One day I'm gonna get there/ If it takes me a
lifetime/ A lifetime of being a slave." Female voices croon the title
phrase behind that last verse as if encouraging Blue. A jump beat
informs "Blue Was Angry," an ominously prophetic song about the coming
Civil War, in which Blue steals his master's horse and crosses the Red
River to become a cowboy in Texas. Harris captures a martial cadence for
"Buffalo Soldiers," a song celebrating the black cavalry regiments that
were posted on the Western frontier after the Civil War. "Mail Order
Woman" is an affectionate portrait of the women who went west to become
the wives of cowboys. Harris' lyrics nicely balance the romantic and
realistic: ""Well she's not much to holler/ But fit as a dollar … She's
a mail order woman/ And her beauty is sometimes unseen."
"Diamond Jimmy," propelled by a fast honky-tonk beat and a rhythmic
chorus joined by a female voice, is in the murder ballad tradition. But
this time it's the woman who does the shooting. Harris draws on the
Spanish musical traditions of the Mexican border, and employs castanets,
on "Dark Spanish Lady," a lovely ballad employing his most sensual,
crooning voice. "Mule Skinner" is a song providing a tragic back-story
for the anonymous wagon driver of the title, who lost his Native
American wife to marauding cowboys. The song deftly juxtaposes two
melodies and moods to contrast the man's current hard life with his more
idyllic past.
"Black Seminoles" tells another little known story of the American South
and West, that of runaway slaves who lived with Native Americans in the
Everglades and later moved to the Southwest. And what album about
cowboys would be complete without a song about a gunslinger? Harris'
take on that traditional subject, "One More Notch," is melancholy,
reflected by the mournful melody carried by fiddle and dobro, and the
resigned tone of the singer/gunslinger's voice. The album ends on the
upbeat, with a Bo Diddley-like rhythm buoying Harris' celebration of the
itinerate "Dat Dere Preacher."
Like good bluegrass or country music, this album grows on you, becoming
more likeable with each listen. Harris has created a fine album that
also tells a story that needed telling.
Allan Harris performs at Jazziz on April 7 and at the Cocoa Beach Jazz
Festival the 22nd.
spotlight by
paul blair, MARK SACHNOFF AND BOB WEINBERG
HILARY KOLE
ROYAL ROOM/APRIL 4-8 AND 11-15
New York Times writer Stephen Holden described this singer's approach as
"swinging…sultry…sexy, with a sharp-edged hint of brass in her voice."
Rex Reed terms her "a musical marvel." And another critic praises her
for "torch singing at its apex." Ms. Kole has most recently won
raves for her performance in "Singing Astaire," a revue (which she
cowrote) that's been packing them in at Birdland. Early on, she was the
youngest singer ever to perform at New York's Rainbow Room. She's done
lots of network TV, too, along with special appearances at political
fundraisers, award shows, cabaret showcases and the toniest of parties.
PB
JAMES "SUPER CHIKAN" JOHNSON
SUSHI BLUES/APRIL 14
Not your typical Delta bluesman! This Mississippi native puts his own
stamp on tradition, whether he's singing about his love for his home
region, recounting hilarious stories from childhood or reporting on drug
traffic that's transformed the area recently. The nephew of blues great
Big Jack Johnson, Super Chikan started playing bass in his
uncle's band. Later, working as a trucker, he began writing songs based
on his experiences on the road. He's also renowned for his colorful
home-built guitars made from gas cans. For these shows, he'll be backed
by an all-female band that includes former South Floridian Heather
Tackett on bass. BW
EDDIE PALMIERI
LYRIC THEATRE/APRIL 23
Pianist Palmieri has been prominent on the Latin jazz scene ever
since his early recordings with Tito Rodriguez, the Fania All-Stars and
his own La Perfecta ensemble. Like his older brother Charlie, Eddie
started playing at an early age and studied the classics as well. One
thing setting him apart from his peers is the strong influence that
non-Latin pianists like Monk, Tyner and Hancock have had on his style.
Thanks to a deal with the Concord label, he's now reaching a far wider
audience with CDs like La Perfecta II, Ritmo Caliente, and last year's
Listen Here. We can recommend them all highly. PB
LINCOLN
CENTER JAZZ ORCHESTRA
KRAVIS CENTER/APRIL 23
Formed in 1988 and directed by Wynton Marsalis since 1991, this 15-piece
ensemble spends half of each year touring and its remaining time on
programs staged at J@LC's plush new premises in New York. Among its
personnel, Wynton's name is the best known by far to most audiences. But
these ranks are full of other talented young players and writers, among
them, trumpeters Marcus Printup and Ryan Kisor; trombonists Vincent
Gardner and Ron Westray; and reedmen Ted Nash, Victor Goines and Wess
Anderson. The orchestra's concert repertoire is likely to include both
newly commissioned pieces and chestnuts from across decades of jazz
history. PB
WENDY PEDERSEN
VAN DYKE CAFÉ/APRIL 14 AND15
Wendy Pedersen is a singer whose mixture of sensual jazz and high
energy blues has made her a South Florida favorite. She was awarded the
Southern Bell Pace jazz artist of the year, as well as being named best
female vocalist by the New Times. Wendy's album credits include Jennifer
Lopez, Marc Anthony, Shakira and Enrique Iglesias. She also has her own
cd called Me + Three Wendy has a Christmas music album full of great old
traditional Christmas songs titled Ho Ho Ho. Wendy infuses her music,
whether it be jazz, blues or funk with her own blend of earthy and raw,
powerful vocals. MS
DAN HICKS & THE HOT LICKS
BAMBOO ROOM/APRIL 1
In the late 60s, rather than ply the amped and distorted sounds of the
times, Hicks harked back to the Texas swing of Bob Wills and the
hot jazz of Django Reinhardt. Wry delivery of tunes like "How Can I Miss
You When You Won't Go Away" and "I Scare Myself" earned him critical
acclaim plus a cult following. His Beatin' the Heat CD boasted guests
like as Rickie Lee Jones, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits; while Selected
Shorts had Jimmy Buffett and Willie Nelson sitting in. His live shows,
replete with backup singers, excellent pickers and a steamer trunk full
of humorous tunes, shouldn't be missed. BW
OMAR SOSA
ARTURO SANDOVAL'S CLUB/APRIL 26 AND 27
Cuban-born Sosa blends Latin, Caribbean and modern jazz
ingredients into a heady and mystical mixture. Rooted in the religious
traditions of Santeria and more than familiar with the composers of his
native region, Sosa remains thoroughly forward-looking. In fact, his
most recent release features American and European DJs reworking tracks
from his 2004 recording Mulatos, Grammy-nominated for Best Latin Jazz
Album. A tall, striking figure, the bearded Sosa takes the stage in a
flowing white robe, his power and charisma as riveting as as his
animated performance at the piano. Joining him at the Deauville will be
ex-James Brown saxist Pee Wee Ellis. BW
EVAN CHRISTOPHER
JAMS/APRIL 25
Clarinetist Christopher is one of the emerging bright lights in
traditional jazz. After relocating from California to New Orleans - so
as to be nearer the music's roots - he gigged with Al Hirt and plenty of
other Crescent City notables. Ten years ago, he moved again to join the
Jim Cullum Jazz Band based in San Antonio. After several years of work
with that popular ensemble (featured on weekly NPR broadcasts), he's
back in Louisiana and heavily involved in teaching, playing and archival
research on Creole clarinet style. Happily, he's now recording for
Arbors Records, so expect more top-flight Evan on disc soon. PB
BENNY GOLSON: NEVER JUST A POSER by Paul Blair
"When we posed for that photo, nobody thought it would ever become
famous," recalls saxophonist Benny Golson. He's remembering the
celebrated 1958 Art Kane shot taken on the steps of a Harlem brownstone
for inclusion in an Esquire feature on jazz. Arguably the most
significant single frame of film in jazz history, it shows 56 of New
York's finest musicians, casually dressed and haphazardly posed, taking
a moment to look into the camera lens before returning to animated
catching-up conversations with one another. Poster-size reproductions of
that group portrait are now hanging on walls around the world.
Golson was just 29 at the time. "When I got there that morning, I sort
of wondered why I was there. The writer Nat Hentoff had asked me to
come. But I was a nobody. I think I really only knew four of those
people: Dizzy Gillespie, who I was playing with at the time, along with
Art Farmer, Johnny Griffin, and Sonny Rollins. I hadn't yet met Art
Blakey, who stands in front of me, even though I was soon going to play
in his band."
How the photo came to be shot is wonderfully documented in Jean Bach's
award-winning 1994 film, "A Great Day In Harlem," which has just been
reissued on two DVDs containing four hours of additional material. Only
about a half-dozen of those jazz notables are still one the scene today.
But none of them have remained as active as Golson.
Philadelphia-reared, Golson broke into music with Bullmoose Jackson in
1951. There were later stints with groups led by Tadd Dameron, Lionel
Hampton, Johnny Hodges and Earl Bostic. He went on to become one of the
better-known saxophonists of the 1950s and 1960s as a member of Blakey's
Jazz Messengers group, prominent even at a time when Rollins and John
Coltrane were winning most of the acclaim and polls. Along the way, he
also became one of the most oft-covered composers in jazz, for tunes
like "I Remember Clifford," "Blues March," "Stablemates, "Along Came
Betty," and "Killer Joe" that have all become standards.
Well-remembered, too, is the Jazztet, a six-member group he co-led with
Farmer after leaving the Messengers.
He's also done impressive scoring for TV and film. In fact, he's even
appeared in a Steven Spielberg movie - playing himself. The plot has an
Eastern European tourist (played by Tom Hanks) flying into the United
States to get the saxophonist's autograph. By the time he lands, though,
a military coup back home has made his passport worthless, rendering him
stateless. As a result, he's stuck in an airport for a whole year. You
won't get a fuller understanding of this unlikely story by listening to
Golson's 2004 Concord CD Terminal 1, but you will hear some superb
improvising from a tenor man still at the peak of his powers.
Has a man who's seen so much of jazz history at first hand written his
autobiography? "Yes," Golson responds. "I finished my memoirs about a
year ago: over 1,000 pages, with inside stuff on everyone you can think
of. Dizzy, Miles, Coltrane. But I don't know who's going to buy it."
Benny Golson, backed by pianist Eddie Higgins' trio, plays at the
Broward Center on April 12 for the Gold Coast Jazz Society concert.
Higgins’s trio also performs at the Riverwalk Sunday Jazz Brunch in Fort
Lauderdale April 2.
hot flashes by PAUL BLAIR
AND MARK SACHNOFF
festival watch
COCOA BEACH jazZ FESTIVAL, APRIL 22-23
The weekend gala actually begins with a Friday evening kickoff party at
Heidi's Jazz Club, offering festival-goers the chance to meet many of
the artists who'll be performing on Saturday and Sunday at the
Doubletree Hotel. Saturday's music begins with the Cook Trio playing the
music of Django Reinhardt, followed by the Abraham Baldwin College
Ensemble and Choir. That evening's sessions will feature the great South
Florida saxophonist/flautist Jessie Jones who combines the hard-bop
influence of Cannonball Adderley, the funk of Hank Crawford and the
sweetness of Paul Desmond. That evening's bill of fare highlights the
smooth vocals of Allen Harris. Starting off the show on Sunday will be
young Miami pianist Antonio Madrugo, who appeared at the two previous
Cocoa Beach festivals and proved to be a crowd-pleaser. The quartet led
by vibraphonist Christian Tamburr will be followed by Bill Allred's
Classic Jazz Band, a group whose repertoire includes favorites once
played by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billy May, Bob Crosby, King
Oliver, Bob Haggart, Matty Matlock and Billy Maxted. Closing out the
evening will be Michael Andrew & Swingerhead, an 18-member big band.
Annie Sellick, quite the sensational vocalist, will also perform during
the festival. Better be there! Check www.cocoabeachjazzfest.com or call
800-930-0089 for details.
NEW ORLEANS’ JAZZFEST RETURNS ON APRIL 28-30 AND MAY
5-7
After the major devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf
Coast region, many assumed that the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage
Festival would not take place in 2006. Not so! In many ways, this year's
event is bigger and better than ever. Festivities run from Friday to
Sunday on two consecutive weekends. The performers this year is a who's
who list in the music business. Among the artists featured on April 28
are Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Keb' Mo', Ani DiFranco, Cowboy Mouth, Irvin
Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Anders Osborne, Cynthia and
Liggins Thomas. The April 29 lineup includes Juvenile, the Dave Matthews
Band, Etta James, Herbie Hancock, Hugh Masekela, Galactic, Darius Brooks
& SDM, Eddie Bo, the Subdudes, Terence Blanchard, C.J. Chenier & the Red
Hot Louisiana Band, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Snooks Eaglin, Luther Kent
& Trickbag and The Iguanas. Closing the weekend on Sunday will be the
Meters, Bruce Springsteen & the Seeger Sessions Band, Yolanda Adams,
Allen Toussaint (with guest Elvis Costello), Dave Bartholomew, the
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Rebirth Brass Band, Kermit Ruffins &
the Barbecue Swingers, Walter "Wolfman" Washington & the Roadmasters,
Sonny Landreth and Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys. Go to
www.nojazzfest.com for more information.
Waterside Jazz & Blues
Festival IN Fort Pierce, april 1
Get ready for a day filled with Jazz and Blues, dancing in the streets,
eating your favorite treats, non-stop music and fun! Guitarist award
winning Chris Beard, 14 year old Blues Guitar Wizard, Reggie Sears, The
Albert Castigilia Blues Band featuring the hard blowing saxophonist,
Terry Hanck, The Jazzmen featuring Eugene Johnson, Jorge Garcia's Latin
rhythm teaming up with the titan of the violin in The Frederico Britos &
Jorge Garcia Ensemble, and the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society Ensemble
will all be performing live! For additional information go to
www.jazzsociety.org or call 772-460-JAZZ.
GOOD NEWS FOR THE YOUTH
SCHOLARSHIP
Through a generous bequest from the estate of Jeanette M. Russell, the
Gold Coast Jazz Society grants scholarship awards to vocal and
instrumental music students wishing to pursue an education in music with
an emphasis in jazz studies. Awardees were selected through a
competitive review and audition process. Finalists have now been
selected and will perform in a live competition on March 18. Then those
winners will appear at the Jazz Stars of Tomorrow show on March 30 at
Artserve in Ft. Lauderdale. For contact and info go to:
www.goldcoastjazz.org.
REACH FOR THE STARS/APRIL 29
In line with its commitment to assist community educators in
developing young minds, the Kravis Center created the Student Arts
Enrichment Programs. It includes: a Teen Cabaret, a Holiday Showcase,
the Spotlight on Young Musicians program and a Reach for the Stars
Commemorative Art Contest. An evening of gourmet food, premium wines and
a silent auction to benefit the S*T*A*R* (Students and Teachers Arts
Resource) Series and education programs will be held at Kravis on April
29 beginning at 7:00 PM.
jazz anecdote by Bill Crow
Jazz bassist Bill Crow's popular book "Jazz Anecdotes"
has been released in a new edition, "Jazz Anecdotes, Second Time
Around," with added stories. It, and his second book, "From Birdland to
Broadway," can be found at your favorite bookseller, both published by
Oxford University Press.
Saxophonist Larry McKenna, a Woody Herman
veteran, was approached by a gentleman during a break on a gig. "How
long does it take to learn how to play one of those things, anyway?" the
man inquired. Larry modestly explained that he himself was still
learning, and that it depended on how much time one was willing to put
in on the instrument. "Oh, I don=t have a lot of time to devote to it,"
said the man, "but I'm not talking about anything complicated. You
know... just bebop."
At a restaurant one night, Wayne Wright was on his way to the
stage to do his show when a man at a table stopped him and said, "Wayne,
do me a favor before you go on. Could I have your autograph…and some
more butter?"
A foreign visitor was detained at a US airport when one of the customs
agents thought he said one of his cases contained a neutron bomb. What
he had said, with a heavy accent, was that it contained a new trombone.
