david weiss

Well Bertrand, I haven't read the book but I certainly heard some stories and was read some passages along the way. My impression is that the family stuff perhaps kept Wayne from taking a bigger role in the running of the band type of things (something he probably didn't want to do anyway) and that all that fell to Zawinul. The bandstand is the bandstand, where you forget about everything else and play music and I think that Wayne took the role he thought was best suited for the overall sound of the group, especially after Jaco came along. If the bass player is taking on the role that is perhaps more suited for a front line guy someone has to take a more supportive role. Just speculation on my part perhaps but I think it is in part valid at least. Is there a story in the book about the band being on the road and they have to fire someone and Zawinul, sick of this role, asks Wayne to do it and Wayne sends the person a telegram instead of confronting him in person.

You know Greg, I find myself using sports analogies a lot when talking about music but not in the cutting contest sort of way, more in the role player sort of way. Like when a team like the Pistons beats a star-studded team like the Lakers in the Finals and it's because on one team every player knows their role and how to execute it. Sometimes I think the most successful bands are the same way, a band of superstars doesn't always necessarily work but a band where everyone know their roles can be a monster. Take Weather Report for instance, I always believed Wayne took the role that he though best suited the band and the music even if it meant not being the focus of attention all the time and some have criticized him for it because they didn't understand what he was doing. It sort of like criticizing a point guard for not scoring 40 points a night

Jeremy is to me quite the original voice on his own projects. He is a great composer and has a unique vision as a bandleader. He has absorbed a lot of the history of this music as well including learning a lot of Freddie Hubbard music. So I guess if you put him on a stage with James Spaulding and Pete LaRoca and play those tunes....those Freddie influences might come through a little more than usual. I don't know about the mannerisms though, didn't really see that (well maybe once). As for Freddie himself, he's doing well. He's playing in LA today at Drew University (I think that's what it's called) with a West Coast version of the octet including Bob Hurst, Billy Childs and Marvin Smitty Smith. That should be interesting. He also was recently awarded the National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters award which I think is well deserved no matter what I saw some of you say on another thread. We are working on a couple of projects, a new recording, a trumpet method book and of course some tours. I'll keep you posted when I can.

Where can tour info be found? Do you have a website? Greg ← Greg, No, sorry, no web-site. I'm hopelessly behind the times in such matters but have been looking into it for myself and for Freddie. The Cookers thing will be at the Cork Jazz Festival in Ireland on October 29 with Billy Harper, Charles Tolliver, myself, Craig Handy and Kirk Lightsey. Beyond that, we are looking to do a couple of things here and there next year and will keep you posted. For now though, those of you in New York who are free tonight can try this.... Iridium Jazz Club Presents The New Jazz Composers Octet with Special Guests Charles Tolliver and Billy Harper- Sunday October 2 The New Jazz Composers Octet David Weiss- Trumpet Myron Walden- Alto Sax Craig Handy- Tenor Sax Issac Smith- Trombone Norbert Stachel- Baritone Sax George Colligan- Piano Dwayne Burno- Bass Gene Jackson- Drums Sets at 8 and 10 pm Iridium Jazz Club 1650 Broadway at 51st Street (212) 582-2121 Sorry for the last minute notice

Thank you all for your well wishes and hopefully I can get this thing to a venue near you in the future.

I get a kick out of it at times as well though mentioning salaries is going way over the line.

I never said he was wrong, just wondered in the back of my mind why someone would bother to say such a thing. I usually am the weak link on these things (though I think I do bring other things to the table like making the gig happen in the first place, writing arrangements and picking material etc, etc) and I wouldn't have it any other way. Nothing like being challenged by some of the best musicians out here.

I've become quite the one armed typist (almost two months of practice at this point) so it's not so painful. Hopefully it will go well this week out there and we can try it again in the future with the full band and you get the best of both worlds.

This is trumpeter David Weiss' gig, who is the groups weakest link. ← Thank you

Hey everyone, I'm going to try to clear a few things up here for whatever it's worth. I've asked the Organissimo guys to remove any references to monies paid etc on this thread because it is simply no one's business and should never have been posted here. For those of you who saw that and responded to it, hopefully you can erase it from your minds and certainly never discuss it. We are working on a European tour but as to who is going or not going, that has not been definitively decided yet. I suspect I know who youmustbe is but don't know how he gets all this information, some of which was correct and some not so much. I guess the jazz world is small and everyone talks, one would hope there are some secrets. The idea to put this Cookers thing together was indeed mine and my main reason for it was that James Spaulding and Pete "LaRoca" Sims are two of my favorite musicians in the world and I thought they should be out here much more than they are and if I could do anything about it, I should. I don't think there is an alto player out there now I would rather hear than James Spaulding and would just like more people to hear what I've been hearing. Pete "LaRoca" Sims is one of the greatest drummers ever to me and that he hardly plays at all anymore is criminal to me. I also wanted to play with them as often as I could; my own little selfish motivation. I can't go into the reasons why James didn't make this gig, it's not my place to say, but if he indeed feels "ripped off by Yoshi's" I feel horrible about that because I believe this would fall on me, not Yoshi's who has been fair from the outset and very understanding and sympathetic about having two guys drop out. I can tell you why I didn't make it. I have a broken arm and just had surgery this past Friday to have the 5 pins removed from my arm that had been in for 6 weeks. One of the fractures (out of 4) did not completely heal and besides the intense pain and not being able to walk more than a block without even more pain, I have to keep the arm immobile and in a sling for two more weeks in the hopes that this last fracture heals. I was really looking forward to this gig. I'm sure this gig will still kill and I hope all you guys in the Bay Area go check it out. I heard it was fantastic last night.

Thanks Montg for the support and kind words. We just started recording our next CD last month and will finish it in March. When it will come out, who knows but what we've recorded so far has made me happier than any record I've been on.

Yes, there is definitely alto on the Melting Pot. I have another one for you guys, on the Wayne Shorter's The All Seeing Eye on the track Genesis, do you hear a second trumpet or Flugelhorn? I know Alan Shorter is on his tune at the end of the record but it sounds to me like he's playing some parts on this one as well. Any one else hear it?