5th Annual Jazz Composers Collective Festival

[robviti]

I just saw this great listing for next month at the Jazz Standard. It looks like an impressive group of musicians featured in a number of interesting ensembles that you don't often get to see, including The Herbie Nichols Project, Ben Allison's Medicine Wheel, and The Lucky Thompson Project.

Tuesday-Sunday April 12-17

FIFTH ANNUAL JAZZ COMPOSERS COLLECTIVE FESTIVAL

TUE APRIL 12

Frank Kimbrough / Joe Locke Duo (7:30 pm)

Frank Kimbrough – piano

Joe Locke – vibraphone

Ron Horton Septet (9:30 pm)

Ron Horton – trumpet

Tony Malaby – saxophone

John O'Gallagher – saxophones

Frank Kimbrough – piano

John Hebert – bass

Masa Kamaguchi – bass

Michael Sarin – drums

WED APRIL 13

Ted Nash Double Quartet (7:30 & 9:30 pm)

Ted Nash – saxophones

Frank Kimbrough – piano

Ben Allison – bass

Tim Horner – drums

Joyce Hammann – violin

Paul Woodiel – violin

Ron Lawrence – viola

Tomas Ulrich – cello

Erik Charlston – vibraphone

THU APRIL 14

Ben Allison & Medicine Wheel (7:30 pm)

Ben Allison – bass

Michael Blake – saxophones

Joel Frahm – saxophones

Frank Kimbrough – piano

Michael Sarin – drums

Ron Horton Quartet (9:30 pm)

Ron Horton – trumpet

Tom Beckham – vibraphone

Michael Blake – saxophones

Ben Allison – bass

FRI APRIL 15

Frank Kimbrough Trio (7:30 & 9:30 pm)

Frank Kimbrough - piano

Ben Allison - bass

Jeff Hirshfield – drums

The Herbie Nichols Project (11:30 pm)

Frank Kimbrough – piano

Ben Allison – bass

Michael Blake – saxophones

Ted Nash – saxophones

Ron Horton – trumpet

Jeff Hirshfield– drums

SAT APRIL 16

Ben Allison New Quartet (7:30 & 9:30 pm)

Ben Allison – bass

John Sneider – trumpet

Steve Cardenas – guitar

Michael Sarin – drums

The Lucky Thompson Project (11:30 pm)

Michael Blake – saxophones

Ted Nash – saxophones

Ron Horton – trumpet

Frank Kimbrough – piano

Ben Allison – bass

Michael Sarin – drums

SUN APRIL 17

Michael Blake Quartet (7:30 & 9:30 pm)

Michael Blake – saxophones

Jay Rodriguez – baritone saxophone

Gary Versace – Hammond B3 organ

Michael Sarin – drums

[AllenLowe]

excellent musicians - I have to admit, however, that I think there should be a moratorium on "projects" that are designed as tributes to individual musicians- something about these seems to be a negation of the creative purpose, and a repeat of old gestures -

[bertrand]

Nonsense.

The only way I can understand your making this statement is if you have never heard the music of the Herbie Nichols Project (my statements below probably also apply to the Lucky Thompson project, but I need to find out more about them).

The Herbie Nichols Project is most definitely not some sort of dusty 'ghost band', repeating old gestures for several reasons:

1. Much of the material they are performing was never recorded, and only some of the unrecorded music was even performed by Nichols in his brief career. The charts came for the most part from the Copyright Deposits at the Library of Congress, plus a few from friends of Herbie's to whom he may have given some charts (Roswell Rudd, Sheila Jordan etc.).

2. Even in the case of compositions that were recorded by Nichols, the arrangements are new and highly personal to the members of the group, while retaining the spirit of Herbie's musical vision. This is obvious in light of the fact that the arrangements are for sextets or septets. Nichols was never given the opportunity to record any of his originals with horns.

I'm the first to be annoyed at half-baked tributes that barely dig into the repertoire and appeal to the more nostalgia-oriented audience base. But this critique most definitely does not apply to the Herbie Nichols Project.

What's wrong with revisiting music that was barely explored the first time around? Michael Cuscuna pointed out to me years ago that he is always astounded at how few of the great original compositions from the Blue Note heyday were ever performed live by their composers. One studio date with a pick-up group, and that was it.

There's a thread out there in the musicians' forum, where some posters expressed the preference to dig into obscure, seldom-performed originals then the same tired standards. I agree.

Bertrand.

Edited March 21, 2005 by bertrand

[Michael Fitzgerald]

The other thing to consider is that these folks do a lot more than just the Herbie Nichols Project - that's ONE thing they do. Like Lacy/Rudd and Monk -

Mike

[bertrand]

Good point.

I am curious as to what the Lucky Thompson project is. I didn't know it existed. I suspect it's hardly a faithful recreation of his originals. Plus how many of these tunes are actually 'done to death'? That's right - none.

There's some Thompson charts in the Library of Congress. I wonder if they are of any interest.

Bertrand.

[relyles]

I am going to make an effort to get down one of the nights to see Ron Horton (probably Tuesday or Thursday), who I have been meaning to catch up with for a while because of some of the help he has given with the Andrew Hill discography.

[marcello]

Good point.

I am curious as to what the Lucky Thompson project is.  I didn't know it existed.  I suspect it's hardly a faithful recreation of his originals.  Plus how many of these tunes are actually 'done to death'?  That's right - none.

There's some Thompson charts in the Library of Congress.  I wonder if they are of any interest.

Bertrand.

I know that Frank Kimbrough has been working on this for more than a year and I believe there was a performance last year at the same event.

Knowing Frank's work, I'm sure that it is something special; in fact, the whole festival is.

My kind of players; thoughtful, intelligent and rooted.

Edited March 21, 2005 by marcello

[AllenLowe]

I know all about the Herbie Nichols project - I was the one who connected Ben Allison with Roswell Rudd to initiate the project, FYI - and my objections are not to dusty ghost renditions. I just think the "project-tribute" has been done to death. Even if done well, it's really primarily a marketing tool for musicians (trust me- I've done the same myself) - it's time to move on, IMHO -

Edited March 21, 2005 by AllenLowe

[AllenLowe]

let me add - it is one thing to do that older, under-performed music as part of a larger personal repertoire - I'm just real tired of the use of the ghost name to draw attention to the performance, worthy as it is. Been there, done that - you never heard of Bird doing "the Duke Ellington project," or Bud doing the "James P. Johnson Project." This is a large part of the reason that jazz has lost some of its edge -

Edited March 21, 2005 by AllenLowe

[AllenLowe]

"some posters expressed the preference to dig into obscure, seldom-performed originals then the same tired standards. I agree."

I do too - but if a musician can't come up with some kind of original music/perspective that doesn't rely upon repertory of one kind or another, he or she is in the wrong profession -

[AllenLowe]

Mike - hope it's ok with you to take your response to another thread and bump it over here: "Transcribe yourself a whole book of "unplayed" things - then to make your set lists, combine these with standards, originals, and completely improvised pieces."

this is a different and philosphically less reactionary idea than doing specific, single-composer "projects" - and I approve -

[RudyC]

what do you mean i am confused!

[bertrand]

Don't bother trying to figure it out. It's his opinion and he's entitled to it, but he is so wrong it hurts.

By the same argument, no classical performer should perform a program consisting solely of Bach.

Whatever.

Bertrand.

[marcello]

Allen, with all due respect to you and these artists; they don't make their living doing just this type of project. All of these artists have a long history of personal projects that are individual and forward.

I think you must also consider, in regards to your comments about Bird and Bud not doing this sort of project, is that they both died very young ( younger that most of the artists at this festival) and that 50 years of Jazz history has passed to be mined and considered.

Now if your talking about the dreadful Marsalis Ellington Programs, that another problem.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Just wondering if the "Charlie Parker Plays Cole Porter" album should be brought in at this point.

My other comments (which I do stand behind) obviously refer to "non-project" groups/gigs. If a musician has something to bring to one particular composer's work, then great. I will go along with Allen that too much of anything isn't a good thing - so my moderation idea fits there as well. And one could easily see that the HN Project folks DO have the moderation thing going in their own careers.

Whatever - it's mainly just taste at this point. And everyone knows that if I like it, it's good and if I don't, it's bad and you'd better get with the program if you don't agree.

Mike

[AllenLowe]

I like repertory - but have an an aversion to single-composer programs. It may be that I've hit my limit on these projects - good as many of them are - I realize it seems very odd to some of you reading here, but it has begun to violate some deep and ancient artistic principle - possibly a psychological retention from caveman days (or at least the bebop days) - but my mother, on her death bed, said to me - "Allen, please, no more single-composer tributes." I must honor her memory.

Edited March 22, 2005 by AllenLowe

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Allen - you misunderstood. She was expressing her desire to hear more tributes to married composers.

Mike

[AllenLowe]

NOW YOU TELL ME

[Guy Berger]

Is anyone else planning to attend one of the evenings? I might be going to the night with Medicine Wheel (Thursday?).

Guy

[ghost of miles]

Kimbrough posts here on occasion, and I did a Night Lights program with him last autumn on the Herbie Nichols Project. My sense is that while these guys still enjoy performing Nichols' music (and indeed, most of it never recorded by Nichols himself), they would rather be promoting and playing their own work these days. The HNP has been mildly successful, enough so that promoters often ask if the "group" can be included as part of a performance package.

Frank could probably elaborate much more (and more accurately) than I can; I'm just saying that I don't think they're exploiting or milking the HNP concept. I do think that single-artist tribute CDs have been done to death (please, no more Billie Holiday salutes!).

[relyles]

Is anyone else planning to attend one of the evenings? I might be going to the night with Medicine Wheel (Thursday?).

Guy

Guy,

Right now I am planning to take the ride down on Tuesday. Too bad we are not planning to go down the same day. I could use the company.

[Guy Berger]

Ron,

How was the gig on Tuesday?

Guy

[relyles]

Ron,

How was the gig on Tuesday?

Guy

I was exhausted and did not have the energy to drive down. I was very disappointed.

[bertrand]

That's too bad, but I know how you feel: I was tempted to try to go up to NYC tomorrow night to see the Herbie Nichols project, but I was just too tired to make any plans. I've had an unbelievably stressful month at work. I need a vacation big time.

Bertrand.

Edited April 14, 2005 by bertrand