Lazaro Vega

"As I have written before, [Jazz's] roots were partly in Africa and partly in the West, and it is best seen as a form of African-influenced Western music, created by blacks, to whose century-long development both black and white musicians have made major contributions. [5]" Or a Western influenced African music? Art Blakey didn't think so.

John Szwed's Sun Ra book, Space is the Place

p.s. Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Hey, looking forward to it -- in the back waters of Monk Tail, lookout! Here comes the Reptet.

This came across the desk from Adam Rudolph. New book release: “Pure Rhythm” by Adam Rudolph Please click on the link below for details and to view sample pages: http://www.metarecords.com/pure_rhythm.html "As open and generous as the author himself, Pure Rhythm is an excellent and essential introduction to world rhythms. Presented step by step in a clear, intelligent and systematic format, this is a long overdue classic in the field.” John Zorn "Pure Rhythm provides an excellent and useful tool for those who wish to advance their knowledge of rhythm." Jack DeJohnette "This book is a critical introduction to much of the important creative insight into the whole feeling of movement in music, with a strong implication of both regularity and differentiation. I recommend this book highly for musicians, on all levels, as a means of nurturing their rhythmic creativity." Dr. Yusef Lateef

A recording would be cool, but this is basically to back up the release of the new recording. What would be even better, IMHO, is a TOUR! Firefly in Ann Arbor, Jazz Showcase in Chicago, the Dakota in MN...

David Weiss -- best of luck. Must be enlightening to delve so deeply into the inner workings of Wayne's music then come up with "assignments" for a larger instrumentation. And please give my best to Xavier Davis. He's from back here in Grand Rapids.

Earl Hines? Eddie Russ, a pianist who settled in Michigan and was well known in these parts.

You think Mary Lou was thinking of Ellington and Mingus when she wrote "Taurus"? Heh.

Yes. Are you in Iowa? He played live on Blue Lake Public Radio last Wednesday after having been in Cleveland doing clinics, then drove to Blue Lake, and left the next day for Iowa. The majority of the radio program was dedicated to music from "It's Mostly Residual." In retrospect I should have asked him, "What's mostly residual?" Great group of musicians. Had a lot of fun with their mix of styles. There is some commentary in the "Jazz Radio" section of the board. http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=25053

From the New York Times: Andrew Hill "Time Lines" (Blue Note) The pianist and composer Andrew Hill made his best and most bracing recordings on Blue Note in the 1960's, a time when it was possible to conduct public investigations of the alchemy between hard-bop and the avant-garde. "Time Lines" is only his third Blue Note album since then, and his first for the label in more than 15 years. Happily, it does right by its pedigree: Mr. Hill has worked fruitfully outside the Blue Note nexus, notably for Palmetto Records, but never in his recent career has he sounded more in tune with his original line of inquiry. It helps that "Time Lines" reunites Mr. Hill with the trumpeter Charles Tolliver, another re-emergent post-bop veteran. They're joined by some diligent inheritors — the saxophonist and clarinetist Greg Tardy, the bassist John Hebert and the drummer Eric McPherson — who sound fully at home with Mr. Hill's variety of disciplined abstraction. The quintet wrings dark mystique out of a stuttering melody on the title track, and elasticizes a jagged melody on two takes of "Ry Round." Book-ending the album is a ballad called "Malachi," rendered first as an ensemble lament and then, more poignantly, as a solo piano reflection. NATE CHINEN

I think Bethany went to Michigan State. He's mentioned one of his daughter's did.

How about an Organissimo/Cuong Vu trio double bill at The Intersection, or the Creole Gallery?????? He wants to come back and play at Schulers, though a club would be ideal with their volume level.

Note from the tenor: Hello Friends: I am writing to let you all know that I will be performing with my long-standing trio (with Jesse Dulman-Tuba and Ravish Momin-Percussion) at the prestigious Tel Aviv Jazz Festival on Saturday, Feb. 18th. Thank you all for your support, past and present. Peace and Blessings, Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre http://www.aacmchicago.org/members/kalaparush_bio.html

Yes, that was music from "It's Mostly Residual," Cuong Vu's recent recording. Randy Marsh called from the road to say tonight's live broadcast was like a black belt kung fu battle. Anyone else happen to catch the program live? Cuong said, "I sweat blood for you tonight." Drummer Ted Poor with low tuned loud kit playing off inspiration from Jack DeJohnette in hard driving rock vocabulary morphing through into free improv. Are those fat Art Blakey size sticks double AA's? Electric bass and effects by Stomu Takeishi sounding like multiple overdubs. He is gone to his own world, with an eye on how it contributes to the ensemble effect. And his speaker case will survive next to the roaches. Thing weighs a ton. Three instrumentalists playing music of gradual but extremely varied ensemble textures and dynamics hung on Vu's compositionally suggested moods. Special thanks to the grapes of Argentina and the Luberon region of France.

Nice Klook discography included, too. A meaningful addition to the library.

John J: by all means go see Ornette. You won't forget the experience.

Jim Eigo has a promotional company which sends out press releases on a variety of jazz events and record releases. We get many such things at the radio station. I didn't even think of the commercial implications when posting that, it's just information flowing over the desk that I thought people might be interested in (and I have no time to re-write something like that to make it anything other than a press release). But Chuck is right: if Jim wants to reach this audience with his commercial activity he could buy an ad-banner or something. Otherwise I need to be cognizant of net-i-quette for this sort of thing. It isn't a controversy, it is Ann Landers.

p.m. arriving from the heliocentric world of cyberspace

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=7451

February 14, 2006 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, jazzpromo@earthlink.net IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121, www.iridiumjazzclub.com Sets at 8 & 10PM Weds. March 15, 22, 29 THE MUSIC OF WAYNE SHORTER WITH THE WAYNE SHORTER REPATORY ORCHESTRA “ENDANGERED SPECIES” UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DAVID WEISS Jeremy Pelt (March 15), Keyon Harrold (March 22 and 29), Taylor Haskins- Trumpets Myron Walden- Alto Sax, Jimmy Greene (March 15 and 22), Eli Degibri (March 29), Bill McHenry- Tenor Saxes Baritone Sax- tba, Josh Roseman, Joe Fiedler- Trombones, Xavier Davis- Piano, Dwayne Burno- bass, EJ Strickland- Drums The Iridium Jazz Club is pleased to present “Endangered Species” The Music Of Wayne Shorter With The Wayne Shorter Repertory Orchestra Under The Direction Of David Weiss for three Wednesday’s in March. Wayne Shorter is one of the most important composers of the post be-bop era and perhaps the greatest jazz composer alive. His all-encompassing work starts with the hard bop classic compositions he wrote for Art Blakey, on to his groundbreaking Blue Note records which featured many tunes that have become timeless jazz standards, his innovative, conceptual records like “The All Seeing Eye”, his fusion hits with Weather Report, his brilliant almost through composed work such as “Atlantis”, and his later orchestral reworkings of some of his classic tunes. It is very unlikely there has been another composer who has covered more musical territory more brilliantly than Wayne Shorter. The concept of the Endangered Species band is to pay tribute to one of jazz’ greatest composers while he is still alive and approach his work as he would, as an ever changing, always evolving body of work. The group will perform music from all eras of Mr. Shorter’s great career from the Blakey era (“Mr. Jin”), through music from “The All Seeing Eye”, up to his latest compositions from “Alegria” and “High Life”. Award winning composer (winner of the prestigious Chamber Music America Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project: New Works Creation and Presentation grant and the American Composers Forum’s Jerome Composers Commissioning Program.) and arranger (Down Beat Critics Award, Rising Star Arranger) David Weiss has reimagined Mr.Shorter’s work for a 11 piece mini big band that features many of the finest young players and rising stars on the jazz scene today including Jeremy Pelt, Keyon Harrold, Jimmy Greene, Eli Degibri, Myron Walden, Bill McHenry, Josh Roseman, Joe Fiedler, Xavier Davis, Dwayne Burno, EJ Strickland. ##### Edit per Chuck's suggestion.

I grew up loving Grover, Herbie's Headhunters, all the funk jazz crossover that reached millions of idiots in the 70's. Yes, if you're going to start somewhere you might as well start stupid. That's America. That's "crossover." Except it isn't far from "Headhunters" to "Maiden Voyage" and then into one of Miles great bands, so there was something there. With Kenny G you're Wile E. Coyote trying to run on air after moving off of the Kenny G. butte. Saw Grover on his Mr. Magic tour which was, you know since Grand Rapids is about a decade behind the rest of the world, like the cover of "On the Corner" come to life: cats dressed to the nines in 70's chic, giant Thomas McAnn shoes, furs or maxi black leather super fly double breasted leather coats, leather brimmed hats, and their women were all feathered up or in shiny mini's. It was great. Went with a drummer. We were both in high school and about the only two NOT fly people in the Aquinas College field house. Grover was a Philly man and though is music was melody based with a beautiful sound it was groovy as hell -- all about rhythm. Kenny doesn't have that part of Grover figured out which is why his music sounds so empty. Grover's recordings would include a Strayhorn number here and there, you know, Passion Flower. Grover had that tradition to play off of whereas, as Zerwin notes, Mr. G. sniffs his nose at the idea of ideas in evolution. Sanborn still gets traction with me, too, though I'm happy to say it isn't all nostalgia: he's great for a beer party prequil to the orgy dance party. Or just some hard driving rhythm playing. He and Maceo would make a hell of a record together.

As far as I can tell from recordings and his web site, yes, all original music. Maybe you can tune in and see what you think.

Cuong Vu Trio on tour right now: 2/13/2006 Philadelphia U of Penn Houston Hall/Bodek Lounge 3417 Spruce Street CV Trio 2/14/2006 Cleveland Passport Project 12801 Buckeye Road CV Trio 2/15/2006 Listen in live at www.bluelake.org FM 88.9 (Grand Rapids, MI), FM 90.3 (Musekgon, MI) CV Trio at 10pm 2/17/2006 Cedar Falls, IA UNI Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center CV Trio 2/18/2006 Cedar Falls, IA UNI Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center CV Trio 2/19/2006 Green Bay FIVE SIX 405 W. Walnut Street CV Trio 2/20/2006 Ann Arbor Kerrytown Concert House 415 North Fourth Avenue CV Trio 2/21/2006 Ann Arbor Univ. or Mich, Room 1321, School of Music CV Trio - Workshop 2/22/2006 Chicago HotHouse 31 E Balbo Ave CV Trio 2/23/2006 Buffalo Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center 341 Delaware Ave CV Trio 2/24/2006 Columbus, OH Acme Art Company 1230 Courtland Ave CV Trio 2/25/2006 Baltimore An Die Musik 409 North Charles St. CV Trio 2/26/2006 Syracuse Jazz Central - 441 E. Washington St. CV Trio 2/27/2006 Eastman School of Music 26 Gibbs St CV Trio Clinic 2/27/2006 Rochester BopShop Atrium 274 Goodman Street North CV Trio 2/28/2006 Boston Berklee College of Music CV - Artist in Residence

I see Nat Hentoff will be featured on "Piano Jazz" this week for those of you who have NPR stations who carry it. Blue Lake will broadcast the Hentoff program at 10 a.m. this Saturday morning. www.bluelake.org