University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival

[Free For All]

UNC Jazz Fest info

Featured artists will include Maria Schneider Orchestra, Jim McNeeley W/the UNC big band, Cedar Walton trio w/Steve Turre, New York Voices, extra guests Richie Perry and Greg Gisbert and a big band made up of participating artists, clinicians (yours truly included, they're playing a commissioned arrangement I just finished). Should be a good hang.

Anyone else going to be there?

[Rooster_Ties]

(they're playing a commissioned arrangement I just finished)

Of what? - if I might inquire. Sounds like a great festival!!

Sure wish there was a festival even half that good here in KC.

[Free For All]

I wrote an arrangement of a Milton Nascimento tune called "Don Quixote". It was on the MN recording "Miltons" and also the Charles Fambrough recording "The Proper Angle". Very nice tune.

[Free For All]

Sure wish there was a festival even half that good here in KC.

I feel your pain.

[Joe G]

If it wasn't such short notice, I would have tried.

Can you tell them that you need another plane ticket for the guy who carries your trombone case?

[Free For All]

OK, here's the report.

Cedar Walton quintet (w/David Williams, bass; George Fludas, drums (I used to play with him in Chicago); Vince Herring, alto/tenor and Steve Turre. Herring played mostly tenor! Never heard him play tenor before- he sounded very good, although I must say I prefer his alto. The group sounded great, and that was only the beginning of what was to be an amazing weekend of jazz.

Jim McNeeley w/UNC jazz band- A very, very good college band that was very well prepared to play McNeeley's challenging music. McNeeley's writing is great, a little more in the traditional big band context than Maria's. An excellent concert, very inspiring. Made me want to go write some new music.

Maria Schneider Orchestra- first time the whole group appeared at this festival. Several subs on this gig, but to my ears there was nothing missing from the music. Just astonishing writing, so orchestral (a totally different vibe than the McNeeley concert which I also loved)- she continues to blur the line between classical and jazz. She really draws from her personal experiences for subject matter, and she introduces each piece with a story about where it came from. It's so engaging watching her conduct the ensemble, and speaking of the latter, the musicianship required to bring this music to life is very impressive. Maria is lucky to have had the personnel remain fairly stable within the group, because it's obvious she's writing for specific players, much like Duke did. I did get to hang with Maria a bit, I've known her for about 20+ years. She's an absolute sweetheart. The concert was just fantastic- sometimes I wanted to laugh, a few times I almost became teary, just a roller coaster of emotional content. This music is seriously heavy.

After the concert there was a jam at the hotel bar, and I got the opportunity to jam with some of the band members including Greg Gisbert and Ingrid Jensen (trumpets), Jay Anderson (bass) and our friend and board member Frank Kimbrough, who is a very nice guy and, as you know, a MF of a musician! The drummer also sat in- I've spaced on his name, maybe if Frank checks in he can remind me. This was his first gig with the band, although you'd never have known it- he absolutely nailed the charts! He really played his ass off.

Big fun and major inspiration for ol' Free For All. A very affirming and inspiring weekend.

My new arrangement went really well, too.

EDIT: Forgot to mention Rich Perry, who played with Maria and did a quartet gig with the house trio on Friday night. He's a very nice guy, so humble, and he sounds fantastic. He really constructs thoughtful and cohesive solos, and has a gorgeous sound and a huge harmonic vocabulary. I could listen to him for hours, which is just what I did.

Edited April 24, 2006 by Free For All

[Aggie87]

Great report, Paul. Makes me wish I could have been there!

[fkimbrough]

Hi Paul - thanks for your kind words. We had a great time in Greeley, and it was a pleasure to meet you. The drummer in Maria's band was Kendrik Scott - he stepped in with just a few days notice and no rehearsal other than going over a few things at the sound check. Everyone in the band was amazed at the incredible job he did.....When I asked him how he did it, he told me he "hadn't gone out much" last week. He really did his homework and practically memorized the music. Folks here may have seen him on the PBS Hurrican Katrina benefit concert a few months ago - he was playing with Terence Blanchard's group in what I thought was one of the most meaningful performances of the concert - I could only describe the music they played as heroic.

[Free For All]

Thanks for the info, Frank. It was a pleasure to meet you too (and play a tune)!

Kendrik's performance was very impressive- memorizing Maria's music must have been a daunting task, more like memorizing a Stravinsky score! He played magnificently. The whole rhythm section sounded great (the only one not yet mentioned was John Hart on guitar, who had a great solo on El Viente).

The band is playing at the Reno Jazz Fest next weekend. Wish I could be there.

[DukeCity]

Yeah, yeah...Maria...McNeely...Kimbrough...Perry...whatever. Let's get to the point: which one of the school bands won, and how high did their trumpets play?