DRUM SOLOS: WHAT MAKES A GOOD ONE?

TOP PLAYERS WEIGH IN

BONUS!
Brian Picks Favorites
from His First 25
Years on Record
JAZZ
EDUCATION
GUIDE

Blade
VIBES
ROUNDTABLE
WITH STEFON HARRIS,
JOE LOCKE, WARREN
WOLF, AND JOEL ROSS

TONY ALLEN
AN AFROBEAT
PIONEER RETURNS
TO HIS JAZZ ROOTS

+
Tyshawn Sorey
NOVEMBER 2018 • $5.95
Nate Smith
Allison Miller
Kendrick Scott
Adam Nussbaum
 KANDACE SPRINGS
INDIGO
Singer and pianist KANDACE SPRINGS returns with
her second album which swirl classical composition
with quiet-storm cool, jazz poise with hip-hop swing,
tropical warmth with soulful depth, and earthen
groove with airy psych. Produced by drummer-
producer KARRIEM RIGGINS—the living bridge
spanning Oscar Peterson and Diana Krall to Erykah
Badu and J Dilla—Indigo creates a vibe as familiar
as it is previously unheard featuring special guests
including trumpeter ROY HARGROVE and guitarist
JESSE HARRIS.
R+R=NOW
COLLAGICALLY SPEAKING
One of New York Times’ 12 best bands
at SXSW 2017, the Manchester-based trio
conjure richly atmospheric music that draws
from their grounding in classical conservatoires
and jazz ensembles, while merging acoustic
and electronic techniques. Their latest album
builds on the momentum of its acclaimed
predecessors, the Mercury Prize-nominated
V2.0 and Man Made Object, and transports it
to new realms.
CHARLES LLOYD & THE MARVELS
+ LUCINDA WILLIAMS
VANISHED GARDENS
CHARLES LLOYD & The Marvels — BILL
FRISELL, GREG LEISZ, REUBEN ROGERS, and
ERIC HARLAND — add a new dimension by
collaborating with revered singer-songwriter
LUCINDA WILLIAMS to pioneer a new genre
of Americana Jazz that draws on the musicians
many influences with reimagined versions of
Williams’ favorites, new Lloyd originals, and
covers of Jimi Hendrix and Thelonious Monk.

New triple album featuring the

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 MARCUS MILLER
LAID BLACK
Bassist extraordinaire MARCUS MILLER
follows up Afrodeezia, his expansive exploration
of music from the African diaspora, with a return
to funk on his vibrant new album Laid Black.
Marcus brings the party with special guests
including TROMBONE SHORTY,
KIRK WHALUM, and TAKE 6.
DAVE MCMURRAY
MUSIC IS LIFE
On his Blue Note-debut, the Detroit native
delivers a cohesive program of modern jazz that
bristles with soul. Joined by IBRAHIM JONES
(bass), RON OTIS and JEFF CANADY (drums),
Life consists of 7 originals along with covers of
songs by fellow Detroiters – George Clinton’s funk
anthem “Atomic Dog” and the White Stripes’
rock hit “Seven Nation Army.”
BlueNote.com
© Blue Note Records
JOSÉ JAMES
LEAN ON ME
Singer-songwriter JOSÉ JAMES releases a
Bill Withers tribute album including 12 of
his most beloved songs recorded in Capitol’s
legendary Studio B with a dream team: PINO
PALLADINO (bass), KRIS BOWERS (keys),
BRAD ALLEN WILLIAMS (guitar) and
NATE SMITH (drums) including features from
TAKUYA KURODA and LALAH HATHAWAY.
THE NELS CLINE FOUR
CURRENTS, CONSTELLATIONS
Following the release of Nels Cline’s Blue
Note debut Lovers, the Wilco guitarist pares
it down to The Nels Cline 4. The 4 features
Cline alongside fellow guitarist JULIAN
LAGE, bassists SCOTT COLLEY and drummer
TOM RAINEY, on a set of seven originals
plus one piece by composer Carla Bley. It’s
a showcase of Cline’s versatility that veers
from rollicking rock energy to ballads of
serene beauty.
JAMES FRANCIES
FLIGHT
The 22 year-old pianist, composer and one of
the brightest young stars in Jazz, presents a
bold new vision with his debut album which
features special appearances by saxophonist
CHRIS POTTER and vocalists YEBBA and CHRIS
TURNER, along with a cast of Jazz youngbloods
including vibraphonist JOEL ROSS, guitarist
MIKE MORENO, bassist BURNISS TRAVIS II, and
drummers JEREMY DUTTON and
MIKE MITCHELL.
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
ORIGAMI HARVEST
The acclaimed trumpeter breaks new ground
with a study in contrasts that pits contemporary
classical wilding against deconstructed hip-hop,
with bursts of left-field jazz, funk, spoken word,
and soul with help from the MIVOS QUARTET and
art-rap expatriate KOOL A.D., along with pianist
SAM HARRIS, drummer MARCUS GILMORE,
and saxophonist WALTER SMITH III.
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inside NOVEMBER 2018
VOLUME 48 | NUMBER 9

7 JT Notes

8 OPENING CHORUS
8 Hearsay Alan Braufman’s Valley
of Search reopens a door to ’70s
NYC, Tyshawn Sorey produces an
epic, Allison Miller and Carmen
Staaf co-lead, Nate Smith, news
and farewells

Tony Allen and the sticks he sings with 14 Before & After Adam Nussbaum
18 Overdue Ovation Eliot Zigmund

46 SOUND ADVICE
46 AudioFiles Brent Butterworth samples
20 BRIAN BLADE the burgeoning market of vinyl acces-
Twenty-five years and going on 150 albums into his recording career, sories
Blade is inarguably one of the most talented drummers working today. 50 Chops Kendrick Scott, Chris Dave,
For this Bright Moments feature, he took David R. Adler on a tour and other drummers define what it
through a back catalog that’s as impressive as it is eclectic, including means to be from Houston
music by Kenny Garrett, Wayne Shorter, Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell,
and Bob Dylan.

52 REVIEWS
26 VIBRAPHONE SUMMIT
Let’s make sure we’ve got this straight: Warren Wolf plays in a duo 52 CD Reviews Gilad Hekselman,
with Joe Locke, who used to teach Stefon Harris, who in turn used to Miguel Zenón, Kandace Springs,
teach Joel Ross. So what happens if you put all four of these great and more
vibraphonists in a room together? As Lucy Tauss learned, you get an 64 Artist’s Choice Barrett Martin selects
engaging conversation, with an emphasis on music education techniques tracks with a distinctive balance of
and glockenspiel jokes. melody and rhythm

32 TONY ALLEN
Alongside Fela Kuti in the ’60s, he helped create Afrobeat—a polyglot
style deeply rooted in jazz. Now the celebrated Nigerian drummer is
delving even further into the music with tributes to his heroes Art Blakey
and Tony Williams. In a chat with Geoffrey Himes at the Newport Jazz
Festival, Allen covered all the above, as well as dynamics, hi-hat pedals,
and Christmas parades.
38 DRUM SOLOS
Some people love them, others wish they could fast-forward through them.
What’s the point of a drum solo anyway, and how do you define a good
one? Shaun Brady asked these questions to some of jazz’s top drummers—
Andrew Cyrille, Rudy Royston, Nasheet Waits, Sherrie Maricle, and Billy
Hart among them—and got a fascinating range of responses.
outside AT J A Z Z T I M E S . C O M
AUDIO & VIDEO
Premieres of Stefon Harris + Blackout’s “Gone Too
Soon” and the Count Basie Orchestra’s “Sent for You
Yesterday,” MP3 downloads from Maria Muldaur, Mark
Winkler, Roseanna Vitro, and others
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Reviews of the Detroit and Chicago Jazz Festivals;
our weekly JazzTimes 10 list; plus photo galleries,
giveaways, polls, festival and concert announcements,
news on upcoming releases, and much more

Cover image of Brian Blade by Lurah Blade

Table of Contents image by Bernard Benant

4 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

 At the core of it all is McBride’s trademark soun
d,
Han has staked her claim as a fresh new voice on jazz piano. robust and embracing, agile and inventive.

conniehan.com christianmcbride.com

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of
“A pianist of imperial command, possessed
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mackavenue.com
 Editor ART & PRODUCTION
Mac Randall | mrandall@jazztimes.com
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6 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018 JAZZTIMES FOUNDER: IRA SABIN (1928-2018)

 [JT]Notes
In Pursuit of
Learning
By Mac Randall

N
ovember is traditionally the
month when JazzTimes focuses
on percussion, and that’s one rea-
son why Brian Blade is on the front cover.
Another reason: he last time he was on
our cover, it was November 2000. Having
been a fan of his drumming ever since I
irst saw him in Daniel Lanois’ band back
in 1993, I ind this 18-year gap—during
BRIAN MCMILLEN

which he’s played on close to 100 albums,

many of them superb—close to unfath-
omable. Under the circumstances, it only • Art Blakey’s road cases, San Francisco, 1982
seemed right to have him tackle a Bright
Moments feature. Usually we reserve these I played guitar in when I was 12. We had us which degrees of each mode were lat or
catalog-surveying pieces for older players, some knowledge, but only a little, and sharp in comparison to a standard major
but given Blade’s track record over the past that, as the saying goes, is a dangerous scale, and which modes matched up best
quarter-century, there was way more than thing. We thoroughly enjoyed running with particular chords. It was a mini-
enough to talk about. through tunes by Duke Ellington, Freddie course in improvisational music theory,
Elsewhere in the issue, Geofrey Himes Hubbard, and McCoy Tyner, but most of given to us in about an hour.
contributes a perceptive story on the us had only the vaguest idea of how to play hat one hour changed everything—
Nigerian skinsman Tony Allen; a panel solos. hat sure didn’t keep us from taking bolstered, of course, by years of subsequent
of experts give the drum solo some due them, though. he result was cacophony. practice. Suddenly I could understand
respect; and we check in with kitmasters One day, our teacher inally had what I was doing, and what other players
like Adam Nussbaum, Eliot Zigmund, and enough. He sat us down in front of a were doing. And that, as anyone quoted
Allison Miller. Acknowledging that there’s blackboard and instructed us to take notes. in this issue could tell you, is the value of
more to percussion than just drums, we On the board, he wrote out all the diferent learning. Kudos to all who pass it on, in
also got four of jazz’s leading vibraphonists modes for major and minor scales, plus a the classroom, on the bandstand, and even
together for an in-depth chat. few extras like the altered mode. He told on the magazine page. JT
Looking through these pages, though,
I see another theme that goes beyond the
musical striking of objects (as profound as
that can be). he not-so-hidden leitmotif
here is the value of learning. You can sense
it in the way Chris Dave talks about Craig
Green, his beloved middle-school drum
instructor; or in how Nate Smith identi-
ies his time in Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead
program as having changed his whole
outlook; or in Joe Locke’s words about
the greater responsibility that he feels his
more gited students need to embrace. he
concentrated acquisition of knowledge, we
are reminded again and again, is of vital
importance. And so it’s appropriate that
November is also the month when we pub-
lish our annual Jazz Education Guide—the
second half of this issue.
When I think of music education, I im-
mediately lash back to the jazz ensemble
 OPENING
CHORUS
• Alan Braufman in 1974
A Valley
Worth
Searching
THE NYC LOFT-JAZZ SCENE
OF THE ’70S LIVES AGAIN
ON A REISSUED ALBUM
BY SAXOPHONIST ALAN
BRAUFMAN
I
n the 1970s, New York City tee-
tered on the edge of bankruptcy
and collapse. Crime was rampant,
 drugs and prostitution ravaged
the streets, and piles of garbage lined
the sidewalks. But even as the city
descended into crisis, downtown
Manhattan, speciically the deso-
late then-industrial section known
as SoHo (South of Houston Street),
served as the epicenter of a creative
8 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
music boom like no other. It was there
that the movement known as lot jazz
took shape. Inside sprawling, unde-
rused, and dirt-cheap live-in/work
spaces, forward-thinking musicians
steeped in the do-it-yourself (DIY)
ethos found their community-minded
sanctuary. From Sam Rivers’ Studio
Rivbea and (Rashied) Ali’s Alley to
Chris and Danny Brubeck’s Environ,
lot jazz’s chief hubs are now the stuf
of legend, immortalized in books like
Michael C. Heller’s recent exhaustive
study, Lot Jazz: Improvising New York
in the 1970s.
Now a reissue of a rare 1975 album—
alto saxophonist Alan Braufman’s
Valley of Search—has shed new light on
the underground movement. Originally
released by producer Bob Cummins
on his India Navigation label in an
extremely limited run, Valley of Search
is a seminal document in the spiritual-
leaning jazz canon, and it adds another
hallowed address to the lot-jazz map:
)) Stay in tune ) )
Inside
8 Hearsay
Alan Braufman, Tyshawn Sorey,
Nate Smith, Allison Miller
and Carmen Staaf, news and
farewells
14 Before & After
Adam Nussbaum
18 Overdue Ovation
Eliot Zigmund
Column: Gary Giddins on loft jazz
BOB CUMMINS
501 Canal Street, the unheated wreck of
a building where it was recorded.
For Braufman, 501 Canal—where he
moved from Boston in 1973 ater his
friend, pianist Cooper-Moore (then
known as Gene Ashton), secured the
whole building for a measly $550 per
month—was a creative hotbed. Perfor-
mances were a regular occurrence in
the building’s ground-loor storefront;
Braufman and his saxophonist pal
and roommate, the late David S. Ware,
could also woodshed there when-
ever they weren’t working odd jobs.
“David and I paid $70 a month each
for the loor,” Braufman, now 67 and
a longtime resident of Salt Lake City,
recalls. “He got a job delivering lunches
on Wall Street and he got me in on
that. So we just walked down there and
worked for two-and-a-half hours, four
or ive days a week. We didn’t have to
do anything else for money to pay the
rent, so we could practice all day while
we weren’t doing that.”
Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long
Island, Braufman had been schooled
on jazz at a young age. As a teenage
saxophonist he was a city staple, hop-
ping on the train, crashing at his sister’s
 OPENING CHORUS
downtown apartment, and becoming a
regular at clubs like Slugs’ and the Vil-
lage Gate. In 1968, he moved to Boston
for school, where he crossed paths with
Ware, Cooper-Moore, bassist Chris Am-
berger, and drummer Marc Edwards.
Ultimately they all wound up at 501
Canal, as tenants, regular storefront
players, or both. Braufman’s group and
Apogee (Ware, Cooper-Moore, Am-
berger, and Edwards) were the building’s
principal players; they mostly lew under
the lot-jazz scene’s radar, but Braufman
has no regrets about how they operated:
“Rivbea, Ali’s Alley, and Studio We put
on a lot of artists, and we basically just
did our own thing.”
Today, thanks to Braufman’s nephew
Nabil Ayers, a music-industry veteran
who spent his toddler years at 501 Canal
banging on the drums of the late Tom
Bruno, the saxophonist’s own singular
“thing” is experiencing a resurgence.
When Braufman found a few copies of
Valley of Search’s original pressing and
sent one to his nephew, Ayers made it
his mission to give the album a second
life on his own independent label, he
Control Group. “I was born in 1972
and this record came out in 1975 and I
remember it really well,” Ayers says. “I
remember all these songs. ‘Nabil’s Little
March’ was a song I used to play drums
on with Alan. I’ve known this album
pretty much as long as I’ve been alive.”
Heavily inluenced by Braufman’s
hero Pharoah Sanders, Valley of Search
is cosmic jazz of the highest order.
Accompanied by Cooper-Moore (on
piano, dulcimer, and recitation), bassist
Cecil McBee, drummer David Lee,
and percussionist Ralph Williams,
Braufman knocked out its nine ecstatic
compositions at 501 Canal over two
sets, all irst takes, using just a few
microphones. A powerhouse player, he
breathes ire from start to inish. “What
I remember is an alto player who played
big,” Cooper-Moore says today. “Al-
most like, ‘He should get a bigger horn
to blow all that air.’ I had been playing
in a band that had David S. Ware on
tenor. Alan played big like that on alto.
And just like Ware, Alan had a voice
that was distinctly his own.”
From the primal clang and clatter
Hearsay
and bow-scraping salvos of “Rainbow
Warriors” to the haunting “Chant,”
complete with majestic scorched-earth
Braufman wails that probably shook
the crumbling foundation of 501 Canal,
Valley of Search never pauses—most of
its songs melt into one another seam-
lessly. As Braufman tells it, that was
no accident: “I was inluenced by Don
Cherry’s concept on Complete Com-
munion, Symphony for Improvisers, and
Eternal Rhythm that music shouldn’t
stop ater every tune with people clap-
ping and talking. It should just low and
keep it going.”
Braufman is keeping it going himself.
In August, he and Cooper-Moore
celebrated the reissue of Valley of Search
with a performance at the Brooklyn
experimental music venue National
Sawdust; as Alan Michael, he continues
to play in Salt Lake City. “I don't know
what happened, but about four years ago
I got really inspired and started writing
again, practicing a ton and getting it
back together. I’m actually pretty happy
with where I’m at right now.”
BRAD COHAN
 OPENING CHORUS
Feature: Tyshawn Sorey
Of Epic Proportions
PROLIFIC POLYMATH TYSHAWN SOREY CAPS OFF HIS BUSY
COMPOSING YEAR WITH A THREE-DISC EXTRAVAGANZA
T
he clock had barely hit 7 a.m. when
I phoned up avant-garde composer
and multi-instrumentalist extraor-
dinaire Tyshawn Sorey, and he
sounded as if he’d already been up hours.
He was preparing for a day of teaching at
the Banf International Workshop in Jazz
& Creative Music, where he’s been a staple
every summer for the last six years. But
for Sorey, this year’s edition was special.
Not only were two of his pieces premiered
as part of Banf’s Summer Music Series,
but he was also appointed the workshop’s
co-artistic director, in tandem with his
longtime collaborator, composer/pianist
Vijay Iyer. Given this turn of events, the
headline of JazzTimes’ last feature on
Sorey—“he Maestro,” published two
years ago—seems even more appropriate
now than it was then.
“It seems like 10 years has passed,” So-
rey says when that November 2016 article
is brought up. “It’s a very busy time on so
many levels, mostly since the MacArthur
thing happened”—meaning the MacAr-
thur Fellowship, commonly referred to as
a “genius grant,” that he received in 2017.
“Now I’m doing a lot more writing than
performing, which is ine for me because
this is what I’ve always wanted to do:
exclusively focus on my own music. I’ve
always felt that that was necessary for me
to move forward in my work.”
10 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
• Sorey and batterie
his change has afected Sorey’s once-
packed schedule as a sideman. Although
he has shown up on a few recent albums
by other artists—Roscoe Mitchell’s
Bells for the South Side and Iyer’s Far
from Over, for example—and performs
“sometimes here and there” with Iyer’s
sextet, those gigs are rarer now. (he
38-year-old’s day job as assistant profes-
sor of music at Wesleyan University plays
a role here too.) “he sideman thing was
cool and there’s parts of it that I miss,”
he says. “But at the same time, I feel like
I’m in, I don’t want to say a better place,
but I’ve arrived at a point with my own
music where I want to continue to pres-
ent from now on.”
And present he has: In 2018, Sorey’s
creative output has ballooned. Besides
the two Banf premieres in July (one a
collaboration with lutist Claire Chase,
the other written for a program called
“EQ: Evolution of the String Quartet”),
there was Autoschediasms for Crash
Ensemble, composed for the Irish new-
music collective Crash Ensemble and
performed earlier this year at Cincinna-
ti’s MusicNow Festival, founded by Bryce
Dessner, guitarist and composer for the
National. (Sorey’s link to that acclaimed
rock band doesn’t end there; Autosche-
diasms can be streamed on PEOPLE,
the artist-directed listening platform
Hearsay
co-founded by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver
and Aaron Dessner, Bryce’s twin brother
and fellow National guitarist.)
Now Sorey has upped the ante with
what is arguably his most ambitious work
to date: the meditative, droning Pillars, a
nearly four-hour marathon separated into
three hour-plus parts (for CD and digital
formats; the double-LP version, which
he calls “an alternative listening experi-
ence,” is a mere 90 minutes long). Pillars
irst took shape nearly a decade ago at
the Brooklyn experimental music space
Roulette. “It goes back to 2010 when I irst
JOHN ROGERS
presented it as the second installment of
Koan,” Sorey says, referring to his 2009
sophomore album as a leader. “A lot of that
music was quite diferent from what I did
on Koan. I imagined it as being [played by]
a ive-piece mini-orchestra.”
he group he originally had in mind
has since morphed into an eight-piece
ensemble, featuring players both old and
new to his fold: cornetist Stephen Haynes,
trombonist Ben Gerstein, guitarist Todd
Neufeld, and the four-pronged double
bass crew of Carl Testa, Mark Helias,
Zach Rowden, and Joe Morris (who also
contributes guitar). Besides conducting
the group, Sorey plays drums, a Tibetan
horn called the dungchen, percussion, and
trombone. “For me,” he explains, “the idea
was to have a collective of musicians who
doubled, tripled, or quadrupled on difer-
ent instruments, just like what I’m doing
with my own percussion station.”
As usual, Sorey’s sound-world shatters
classiications and is rooted in many
inluences. “Bill Dixon’s probably the big-
gest,” he notes, before also naming Roscoe
Mitchell, Anthony Braxton, George Lewis,
and Frank Zappa. “When I think of these
individuals, I’m thinking of orchestras,
and I’m thinking of the very wide palette
of sound that all of these people use.”
Pillars is deep, dense, and imposing;
Sorey doesn’t expect listeners to tune into
it from start to inish, but rather in doses.
Sublimely hypnotic and ritualistic, with its
array of instruments driting in and out in
swirls and rumbles, it requires concentrat-
ed listening in order to absorb its labyrin-
thine textures, patterns, and tones. “Pillars
is one of the hardest things I’ve done, from
a conceptual and compositional point of
view, because it’s a polyvalent structure,”
he says. “here’s so many diferent layers
 to it, and so many diferent layers of listen-
ing and types of listening that go into it.”
With Pillars now out in the world, don’t
expect Sorey to take a break. A duo project
with pianist Marilyn Crispell will have
premiered at the Kitchen in Manhattan by
JOHNALYNN HOLLAND
Q&A: Nate Smith
Taking Jazz Ahead
PROJECT-JUGGLING DRUMMER NATE SMITH LOOKS
TO THE FUTURE
A
t the Newport Jazz Festival in
August, drummer Nate Smith
is seemingly everywhere at
once. Most artists are proud
to do one set at the storied festival, but
Smith is playing three: two with singer
Jose James doing the material of Bill
Withers, and one leading his own band,
Kinfolk. No matter the context, Smith
is a dynamic presence on the stage, an
athletic drummer who can shit almost
seamlessly from in-the-pocket funk to
hard-bop swing.
Born in Norfolk, Va., Smith grew up
a little farther north in Chesapeake. His
father and brother turned him on to the
the time you read this. He’s also writing
a piece for the L.A. Philharmonic New
Music Group’s “Green Umbrella” series
in December, and two more new Sorey
compositions will be premiered by the
International Contemporary Ensemble
music and instrument that would reso-
nate with him for years aterward. “My
dad had a great record collection and
I would listen to his stuf,” he explains.
“He listened to a lot of the R&B and
jazz of the time—like the Crusaders,
David Sanborn, Grover Washington,
and Bob James. My brother’s 10 years
older than me and he was a drummer in
high-school marching band, so I would
watch him and try to mimic what he
was doing. hat was my way in. I didn’t
really start playing [drums] until I was
about 10 or 11.”
In 1995 Smith was playing in the Dis-
ney Grammy big band along with trom-
and JACK Quartet at Columbia Univer-
sity in 2019. “I look forward to presenting
these diferent things,” he says. “here’s
deinitely a lot going on writing-wise.”
Understatement, thy name is Tyshawn.
BRAD COHAN
bonist Andre Hayward, who had just
done Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead educa-
tion program. Hayward told Smith that
he should introduce himself to Carter
because she would love his playing. hat
introduction came to pass less than a
year later at an IAJE conference, where
the singer heard Smith playing with the
James Madison University jazz ensemble
and invited him to Jazz Ahead. It was
a formative experience for the young
drummer, who returned to the program
in 1998, its irst year at the Kennedy
Center, the year that Carter died.
“Being from Virginia, it was my irst
time being around a concentration of
musicians my age who were really deal-
ing,” Smith remembers. “It also put me
in this network of musicians [including
Eric Harland, Rodney Green, Jason Mo-
ran, and Casey Benjamin]. hose guys
are people that I still work with today.
When I think back to how Jazz Ahead
set me up, I feel very lucky to have
participated in it. And it really forced
me to step it up.” He came back later as a
teacher in 2013 and 2014.
One of Smith’s key drumming men-
tors was a teacher at Virginia Com-
monwealth University named Howard
Curtis, who not only taught Smith
technique but also introduced him to
the recorded history of the instrument,
going beyond the Mount Rushmore of
legendary drummers and playing him
more contemporary players like Lewis
Nash, Kenny Washington, and Victor
Lewis. “I started to think, ‘Man, there’s
a universe of language out here on these
drums.’ he drum set’s a pretty young
instrument but there’s so much that’s
been done on it since it’s been recorded,
so many innovations.”
Smith later followed Billy Kilson into
Dave Holland’s group, and he points
to Holland as an important role model
in bandleading: “he best lesson I got
from Dave early on was, ‘I hire you for
you.’ He never wanted me to try to cop
Kilson’s thing, or try to cop any other
JAZZTIMES.COM 11
 OPENING CHORUS
drummer. He was like, ‘Man, I want to
hear your thing.’” Smith went on to work
with fellow Holland veteran Chris Pot-
ter’s Underground band. “Chris was the
irst bandleader who created a band with
me in mind,” he says. “hat’s a huge vote
of conidence.” He ended up recording
ive albums and touring for more than 10
years with Underground.
Although he had worked as a leader
intermittently, the creation of Kinfolk
proved to be a tipping point. Smith had
a speciic concept in mind for the group’s
premiere at Rockwood Music Hall on
NYC’s Lower East Side. His idea was
to bring together seemingly unlikely
partners and see what the results would
be. he group originally included Kris
Bowers on piano and keyboards (later
replaced by Jon Cowherd), Jeremy Most
on guitar, Jaleel Shaw on saxophone,
Fima Ephron on bass, and Amma Whatt
on vocals. “Taking the lesson from Dave,
you hire people for the sound they bring,
and write for the sound,” he says. “he
other thing that I learned from Chris was
to keep your hands of the process and
The New
Science of
Sharing
Roles
DRUMMER ALLISON MILLER
AND PIANIST CARMEN STAAF
MAKE THEIR FIRST ALBUM AS
CO-LEADERS
A
llison Miller and Carmen Staaf
met serendipitously. Miller,
drummer and leader of the
quartet Boom Tic Boom, had
booked her band at the 2014 Reykjavik
Jazz Festival but then discovered that its
pianist, Myra Melford, couldn’t make it.
“I called Todd Sickafoose, the bassist in
the band, and said, ‘Hey, do you know
anybody who’s exciting you right now on
piano?’” Miller recalls. “He said, ‘Oh, I was
just at a Monk Institute performance in
L.A., and this young pianist was by far the
12 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
just let people play.” he result is funky
and freewheeling, a sound with as many
inluences as band members.
Postcards from Everywhere, the
group’s subsequent album, released
on Ropeadope in 2017 and promoted
largely by Smith himself, went on to be
nominated for two Grammys, for Best
Jazz Album and for Best Jazz Composi-
tion. Although he didn’t win either one,
it was a remarkable accomplishment
and validation for a relatively unknown
artist. “I think the Grammy experience
has helped me professionally,” he notes.
“With this new project that I’m doing—
a solo drums record—it’s the same
process. I’m using my socials, I’m using
my shows to plant the seed to let people
know that the record is coming out, and
then when it comes out, hopefully it
makes an impact.”
Smith says that the idea for the solo
project, called Pocket Change, came in
part from fans on social media who
responded to his drum-speciic clinics
and posts. “here are drum fans who
just want to hear drum solos, and just
Feature: Allison Miller
most amazing thing happening onstage.’”
“She sent me a message, saying ‘Hey, I
have this gig in Iceland and I need a piano
player. Do you want to do it?’” Staaf says.
“I had been a fan of her music, and I said,
‘Yeah, I totally want to do that!’”
hat sound-unheard hire began a fruit-
ful collaboration. Staaf, 37, became the
irst-call substitute for Boom Tic Boom;
Miller, 43, also involved her in other proj-
ects; and they regularly look for reasons
to work together. hat continues today, as
documented on Science Fair (Sunnyside).
Hearsay
want to hear this development of playing
themes inside of a groove,” he explains. “I
didn’t have any triggers, I didn’t have any
electronics … it was just drums. I was
trying to tell as many stories as I could
with the kit.”
One thing’s for sure: The audience
for the solo drum work will be quite
different from Kinfolk’s, which has
turned out to be younger and more
diverse than any of Smith’s jazz bands.
“One of the most ingenious things that
Sly Stone ever did,” he says, “was that
he wanted to see an integrated audi-
ence, so he made an integrated band.”
Smith approached Kinfolk in much the
same way: “As long as people see people
who look like them making the music,
then people can relate to the music in
that way. But as long as it feels far away,
so in the past and so distant, it’s hard
for people to relate to that. Kinfolk’s
audience is a mixed audience. It’s men,
women, black, white, and brown. It
makes me hopeful, not just for the
future of the music, but the future of us
as people.” LEE MERGNER
CHRIS DRUKKER
• Staaf (left) and Miller
It’s a postbop quintet session featuring
a front line of Ambrose Akinmusire on
trumpet and Dana Stephens on tenor
saxophone (with whom Miller and Staaf
had worked at Stanford Jazz Workshop in
Palo Alto), along with Matt Penman on
bass. Miller and Staaf co-led the recording
(produced by clarinetist Ben Goldberg),
composing and arranging all of the tunes.
Miller wrote ive to Staaf ’s four; one of
those ive, however, is the introduction to
her closing tune “Skyway,” making it really
a four-and-four combination.
 “We came up with the concept of both
of us contributing equal amounts of com-
position, and then we spent probably six
months rehearsing in New York,” Miller
says. “We would try to get together once a
week, even if it was just duo, and develop
the music in a way that would make our
diferent composition styles low together.”
Miller and Staaf readily agree on their
stylistic common ground: hey share
rhythm as their top priority, and both
players try to leave their music open to
experimentation. he diferences they
needed to mesh, however, are a bit harder
to pinpoint.
“hat’s a really good question,” Staaf
says thoughtfully. “I’m thinking that the
tunes of mine that are on the record are
less through-composed than hers. She’s
very narrative-oriented, has some long,
epic-type tunes that are really like a
journey. So there was an element of her
looking at my tunes and saying, ‘Oh, what
if this part were the intro?’ Or, ‘What if
another line came in here and took it to
another place?’ It brought them into a
longer story that connected to her more
through-composed tunes.”
“I’m very type-A and like to move
fast, and Carmen is very thoughtful and
moves slower,” Miller adds. “We had this
interesting chemistry: Sometimes I’d want
to move too quickly, and her slower, more
intellectual approach would help pull me
back a little bit. And then sometimes my
fast type-A approach would pull her back
to the side of reality too.”
It was that mix of approaches, says
Miller, that made their work together feel
like “a science project.” Hence the title
Science Fair.
he weekly rehearsal sessions that long
nourished Miller and Staaf ’s collaboration
are no more. Staaf, in particular, is on the
road more oten than not these days, play-
ing behind singer hana Alexa, hanging
with saxophonist John Ellis’ Double Wide,
and holding down piano and musical-
director duties for vocalist Dee Dee
Bridgewater. Miller also tours regularly,
both at the helm of Boom Tic Boom and
in various freelance situations. “Both of
us have pretty much been out of town all
summer,” the drummer says.
hat said, they do gig together increas-
ingly oten. Staaf has performed many
times with Boom Tic Boom, and both
musicians play with a tap dance company
of which Miller is musical director and for
which one of Science Fair’s tunes, the 5/4
opener “What?!,” was originally written.
“hen there’s this new band we have,”
the pianist says. “It’s Allison and me with
Jenny Scheinman on violin and Tony
Scherr on bass; that’s called Parlour Game.
We did a couple of tours this year, and
now we’re going into the studio.” (Parlour
Game’s recording date was scheduled for
September, with a planned 2019 release.)
Last but not least, Miller has recorded a
duo session with Staaf as part of a tribute
to Shelly Manne’s seminal West Coast al-
bum “he hree” & “he Two.” It’s clearly a
musical relationship that both artists value.
“I feel like that’s just how it is in jazz,”
Miller says. “You have to ind some other
spirits that you like playing with to do the
music.” MICHAEL J. WEST
 OPENING CHORUS
ADAM NUSSBAUM GROOVE WAVES, LEAD BELLY, AND
A PLETHORA OF PUNS By Ashley Kahn
O
ne of the most impressive things about Adam
Nussbaum is the stylistic range of the music he’s
made. He played with James Moody for many
years, with George Gruntz and Michael Brecker
each for a few, and continues to work in various diferent
groups led by Dave Liebman. He’s been with Gil Evans, John
Scoield (they’re both from around Norwalk, Conn., and
knew each other as teenagers), and Joe Sample—“just a piano
trio, but we did funky Crusaders stuf.”
he many recordings that Nussbaum’s heard on also tend
to impress: Joey Calderazzo’s debut In the Door and John Ab-
ercrombie’s organ-trio album Tactics, to name just two. hen
there’s the fact that 40 years on from the time Nussbaum irst
hit the scene—supporting singers Joe Lee Wilson and Sheila
Jordan in 1976—he’s inally recorded his own album as a
leader, and it’s a welcome surprise.
The Lead Belly Project is a fun, melody-focused album
dedicated to a first love from his parents’ record collection:
Huddie Ledbetter—Lead Belly—the white-haired 12-string
bluesman who sang his way out of prison and left a legacy
of folk songs, many from a time before the blues. Eleven
are interpreted here, including “Grey Goose,” “Black
Betty,” and “Bring Me a Little Water, Sylvie.” What makes
this recording most surprising is how Nussbaum treats the
music—not simply stretching out its structures but, with
air and a sense of innocence, letting the melodies lead the
way, rendered by an unusual lineup: drums, two guitars
(Steve Cardenas and Nate Radley), and tenor saxophone
(Ohad Talmor).
Another thing to know about Nussbaum: He hangs on
to puns, one-liners, and malapropisms like nuts for a long
winter—and he’s happy to share them (“Please keep me
deformed,” “Is this aqueduct for your porpoises?”). his, his
irst Before & Ater, took place in one of the studios at New
York University’s Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music.
14 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
Before & After
ALAN NAHIGIAN
Review: Adam Nussbaum’s The Lead Belly Project
1. Roy Haynes and the Fountain
of Youth
“My Heart Belongs to Daddy” (Whereas, Sunnyside). Jaleel
Shaw, alto saxophone; Robert Rodriguez, piano; John Sullivan,
bass; Haynes, drums. Recorded in 2006.
BEFORE: Nice take on “My Heart Belongs to Daddy.” First of all,
I like the atmosphere they’re creating, the drummer’s keeping
it under it because he’s giving himself somewhere to go. You
don’t want to give it up right away. hey’re still expounding the
melody, so that’s got to be the irst priority. It’s not one of the
elders—it could be one of the cats like maybe Eric Harland. It’s
not Jabali [Billy Hart]. Maybe he’s older—Michael Carvin?
AFTER: It’s Haynes, fantastic. When I hear Roy Haynes I always
think he was born in the future. I’ve told him that. He’s so time-
less with what he does—and his ability to play in the cracks is
fascinating for me. What I mean is he has that ability to put his
ideas anywhere he wants to, not necessarily on the upbeat or the
downbeat. And he’s so quick. What we’re hearing is spontane-
ous reactivity. When you hear his ideas, he’s always dancing
around that core, and he always has a strong bass player, which
frees him up to bob and weave. He’s always sounded modern
and you’re never hearing a lot of worked-out licks or vocabulary.
His knack, like with all the greats, is to orchestrate the music
so that it elevates it to so many beautiful places. You fooled me.
But this was a live recording, and with him usually the sound
thing is distinctive and that was not easy to hear, especially his
cymbal. Roy Haynes—forever young. God bless him.
2. Joe Dukes
“Soulful Drums” (he Soulful Drums of Joe Dukes and the Jack
McDuf Quartet, Prestige). Red Holloway, tenor saxophone;
George Benson, electric guitar; Jack McDuf, organ; Dukes,
drums. Recorded in 1964.
BEFORE: [Immediately] hat’s “Soulful Drums.” It would be Joe
Dukes, with [Jack] McDuf. his was a great hit—such attitude
and commitment to everything Jack did, and drama from the
drummah. When was it, ’67? Okay, ’64. What a quartet. It
sounds like one organism. Any band that has a great combina-
tion of people and creates a unique sound is something we have
to appreciate. here was McDuf, Red [Holloway], Dukes, and it
was either Benson or Pat Martino.
here’s no pussyfooting around here; everything is clear,
deinite. It’s really got that street command. his is so visceral.
here’s no science going on, it’s not trying to be cute. he Ham-
mond [organ]’s got so much power, so Joe had to hit it, the way
he paces the solo and uses the space is great and it grabs your at-
tention because it’s not just a barrage of notes. I’m not sure what
happened to Joe Dukes, but the organ trio was the main thing
that he was known for. I don’t know him in too many contexts
outside of being in this scene.
3. Paul Motian and the Electric
Bebop Band
“We See” (Play Monk And Powell, Winter & Winter). Chris
Potter, alto saxophone; Chris Cheek, tenor saxophone; Steve
Cardenas, Kurt Rosenwinkel, electric guitar; Steve Swallow,
electric bass; Motian, drums. Recorded in 1998.
BEFORE: Okay, this is Motian and it’s Swallow, his is one of the
most distinctive sounds there is. “B Bach,” I call him, because
everything he plays is so clear and in a row. Swallow’s one of my
favorite musicians and I’m very grateful to have had him in my life
for almost 40 years. hat probably could be Chris Potter, maybe
[Chris] Cheek, and I’m not sure who was on guitar. hat’s Motian’s
Electric Bebop playing a Monk tune—I can’t remember the title.
I like the feel of this. hat’s what I’m attracted to irst of all:
How does it feel, what’s the feel of the swing and of the time? I
hear how Paul and Steve work together—a good team, people
of similar age who have both kept their ears open. hey’re still
looking but they’re really grounded in a tradition. If you notice,
when he plays it’s this [mimics upstroking motion across bass
strings], it’s not this [downward plucking motion]. Like playing
the upright. I do listen to other drummers but you don’t usually
play with other drummers, so it’s bass players I hear most. I
learned about time mostly with bass players, trying to ind that
“kumbaya” and create that good foundation for everyone else in
the band. hat’s why it’s been so valuable for my development
playing with Steve Swallow, who’s 15 years my senior, and with
Ron McClure, Eddie Gomez, Ron Carter, George Mraz, Niels-
Henning Ørsted Pedersen, George Duvivier. Drummers got
to understand bass players, just like bass players have to learn
about the drummers’ time and our cymbal beat. As I like to say,
we gotta get that spiddle-a-ding to go with the ickity-boom.
4. Ginger Baker Trio
“Ramblin’” (Going Back Home, Atlantic). Bill Frisell, electric
guitar; Charlie Haden, bass; Baker, drums. Recorded in 1994.
BEFORE: he drums have a rock sound more than a jazz
sound and I kinda have a feeling it’s Ginger Baker, Charlie
[Haden], and [Bill] Frisell. Sonically I could tell right away—I
never heard this record but I heard about it. his is cool.
Ginger’s rocking, man, he’s happening. I like it too because
there’s a clarity and openness in what he does.
Ginger wants more than anything to be considered a jazz
drummer and he’s one of the great drummers in the zone
that he created. What he brought to the Cream with Jack
Bruce was pushing Eric Clapton big-time. It wasn’t them just
playing a steady little groove behind him, they were hitting.
I thought it was incredible because they really played like a
jazz band—taking a lot of risks. When I was 13 or 14, they
had a heavy efect on me. hey were part of what was hap-
pening at the time: the Cream, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, [Led]
Zeppelin. It knocked me out then, it still knocks me out.
How many times have I heard A Love Supreme? It knocks me
out more now.
5. August Greene
“Swisha Suite” (August Greene, self-released). Common, raps;
Robert Glasper, keyboards; Karriem Riggins, drums, samples.
Recorded in 2017.
BEFORE: Is it real or is it Memorex? here’s some of that
going on here. I like that. I’m enjoying the layers of human-
ity coming in besides all the process—the keyboard came in,
the voice came in, I liked hearing the real sounds mixed in
with the samples and machines. I don’t know who it is but
there’s this thing that’s going now, maybe a drummer trying
to sound like a machine? It used to be the machines trying
to sound like people, now people are trying to sound like
machines. It’s interesting, not knowing if it’s a loop or some-
one playing like that. Whoever it is, they’re really into the
processed sound of the drum. It could be a handful of people
who are into this zone now—Mark Guiliana, Zach Danziger,
Chris Dave, I guess.
AFTER: It’s Karriem, fantastic. What I like about it is you can
still snap your inger and tap your feet. It’s not like one of those
vamps in 17 [time] where it’s like, “I Got Arrhythmia…”
Who could ask for anything more?
hat’s actually a joke—Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. You
know that one? It’s interesting because this is what’s hap-
pening now—a balance of human and machine sounds, and
to me music always has to have a balance: on and of the
beat, high and low, sound and space, acoustic and electric.
It would easily become tiresome to the ear if it was only that
processed sound. You have to remember Karriem played with
Ray Brown, so he’s got an actual connection to the founda-
tional honesty of this music.
And his father played with Grant Green.
hat was his father? I didn’t know that. Far out. So he’s deep in
there. It’s in the blood.
JAZZTIMES.COM 15
 OPENING CHORUS
6. Jeff Hamilton Trio
“Serpent’s Tooth” (Symbiosis, Verve Forecast). Tamir Hen-
delman, piano; Christoph Luty, bass; Hamilton, drums.
Recorded in 2009.
BEFORE: One of those mid-’50s piano trio … I do like the
accelerando, it’s cute. No, wait. his is my single-cell
amnesia. I think it’s Jef Hamilton. First because there’s the
clarity of his swing and his execution, and also because the
fact that I think it’s his trio—they usually dot every i and
cross every t. You can hear they’ve got it happening. I know
this tune [scats melody]. Is that a Miles tune—’50s? Right!
“Serpent’s Tooth.”
I saw this trio at Dizzy’s earlier this year and I was
knocked out. Jef’s so assured. Great command of the
instrument, great luency of ideas. It’s swinging and it’s
conident, but it’s not too tight. Firm, but there’s some
lexibility in there. here’s a fun factor. You deinitely hear
he’s got an understanding of everyone who’s come before, of
Max [Roach], Philly Joe [Jones], Mel [Lewis], Shelly [Manne],
and he’s been able to put it together and he takes no prison-
ers. Can’t forget one of his mentors, the great John Van
Ohlen. his is not about changing the world like what
Karriem did, but this is truthful in its own way—the quality
of it is so high. It’s like a great little big band with these nice
arrangements.
7. The Crusaders
“Stomp and Buckdance” (Southern Comfort, Blue humb).
Wilton Felder, electric bass, tenor saxophone; Wayne Hen-
derson, trombone; Larry Carlton, electric guitar; Joe Sample,
keyboards; Stix Hooper, drums. Recorded in 1974.
BEFORE: I like how the drummer’s just holding that groove
right in there and I like the feel, I like what’s going on with
it. here’s a little bit of playfulness, and as the tune is going
on he’s starting to expand the density of what he’s playing.
He’s really pacing himself and holding it in check, building
the tension. his is deinitely from that whole wave of groove
that took over jazz in the late ’60s and ’70s. Part of the thing
evokes [Bernard] Purdie. Stix [Hooper] is in my mind too,
because I’m hearing some of the stuf with the keyboard and
it reminds me of Joe [Sample] because I played a few years
with him. Of course I was aware of some of those Crusaders
tunes, but we were just playing trio acoustically.
AFTER: Where is Stix these days? I have this record. hese
guys were coming from such a diferent vibe than a New
York street kind of vibe. Joe was always talking about
the Mississippi delta and Texas and stuf like that. I was
irst aware of the Jazz Crusaders—records like Live at the
Lighthouse [‘66] with Leroy Vinnegar. When they made the
shit to the Crusaders, they got more into the groove and
the blues and the backbeat thing, which seemed to be more
of their unique heritage. But Stix, man, he had that certain
bounce in his groove and the fact that he held it like he did,
just keeping it in there, was great.
16 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
Before & After
8. Bill Frisell
“Goodnight Irene” (East/West, Nonesuch). Frisell, electric guitar;
Tony Scherr, bass; Kenny Wollesen, drums. Recorded in 2004.
BEFORE: I like the little robo thing going on with the guitar.
“Goodnight Irene.” I’m getting a Frisell-ian vibe here and that
sounds like Joey [Baron] in part, but I don’t think it is Joey.
here’s a certain swampiness to it. Maybe [Brian] Blade, but
if it was him, it’d be more staccato. I don’t think it’s [Johnny]
Vidacovich, I don’t think it’s Herlin [Riley]. But I’m getting the
vibe of that world…
AFTER: It’s Kenny? Fantastic. hen this is the trio with Frisell
and Tony Scherr. Kenny can cover a lot of territory in a very
convincing manner and it all sounds honest when he plays.
He’s got the bass drum sound kind of like Joey, so loose. I
heard him with Sexmob in Israel last year and that band cov-
ers so much terrain and what I liked about it was whatever it
was, he was playing it, not playing at it. Kudos to him, man.
I had to play you some Lead Belly…
I liked what Bill did with this. At the end of the day people
remember a melody, and it doesn’t have to be complicated,
and I keep remembering that line from somewhere—that
simple is not easy. My parents had those Folkways 10-inch
Lead Belly records; one had a cover with this image of him
wearing a suit and playing his 12-string guitar and the other
one was him wearing overalls and a bandana. I remember
thinking how he was both urban and rural, and listening to
those records all the time.
When I was deciding on a project to do, which is really
the irst thing I’ve done under my own name, I went back
to this music and listened. I remembered every tune, every
little nuance, because I heard them so much in those pre-
Wonder Bread years and it really had burned deep into me.
So I just wrote some of these arrangements out and then
igured out how to put some diferent grooves on them
to give each a unique character, because there’s nothing
complex with the changes, they’re simple melodies and all
pretty straight-ahead. I didn’t use a bass because Lead Belly
played a 12-string guitar, so instead I got two six-string
guitars, and I got cats who really know how to listen and
complement each other well. I didn’t give them much direc-
tion. I just said, “Well, if somebody is going to be uptown,
somebody should be downtown.” I like this combination of
people, and nobody loves a bass more than me but I found
that was a challenge—and I welcomed that. It pulled me out
of my comfort zone. he challenge now is trying to igure
out what I’m going to do for the next album with the same
instrumentation.
I’m just grateful I’ve been documented in a lot of nice
situations, and it’s very stimulating when I go out and I hear
the people who inspired me and are still with us, playing
strong and still looking. JT
Read the complete Adam Nussbaum Before & Ater listening
session at jazztimes.com.
 NEW MUSIC FROM CONCORD JAZZ

News from JazzTimes.com

• Tidal, the music streaming and entertainment platform, is
collaborating with the New York City-based not-for-proit JazzReach
on a 12-episode “Jazz Club” video podcast that launched on Aug.
22. Hosted and produced by Hans Schuman, JazzReach’s executive
and artistic director, the series, according to an announcement,
“features in-depth conversations and live-performance segments to
introduce viewers to some of the most creative, visionary jazz artists
on the world stage today and offer a glimpse into their lives, how
they think, what they value, what fuels their creative process, informs
their musical sensibilities and inspires their relentless pursuit of artistic
self-realization.” Podcast guests thus far include trumpeter/composer
Terence Blanchard (on the premiere episode), pianist Joey Alexander,
and saxophonist Donny McCaslin. Tidal members can access the
podcast at tidal.com/jazzclub.

• Katie Webster, an 18-year-old saxophonist from Seattle, has been

named the 22nd recipient of the Jimmy Lyons Scholarship to Berklee
College of Music. She will receive a four-year, full-tuition award
The legendary Count Basie Orchestra celebrates their 80th
presented in conjunction with the Monterey Jazz Festival. Webster is
anniversary as the premiere big band in jazz with a collection
the irst female recipient of the Lyons Award, but this is not her irst
of classic material and a twist on a few modern hits (Adele,
such honor; she was awarded Outstanding Alto Saxophone by
Leonard Cohen, Stevie Wonder, and others). Special guests
Wynton Marsalis and a panel of judges at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s
include: Stevie Wonder, Carmen Bradford, Kurt Elling, Take 6,
Essentially Ellington 2018 competition, and at the 2018 Monterey Next
Jamie Davis, Jon Faddis, Wycliffe Gordon, Joey DeFrancesco,
Generation Jazz Festival she received the Outstanding Soloist award.
Eric Reed, Rickey Woodard, and Gregg Field

• BBE Music and 180 Proof Records have unearthed what are thecountbasieorchestra.com
described in a press release as “long-lost intimate concert tapes” from
Charles Mingus. The tracks, cut in 1973 at Detroit’s Strata Concert
Gallery and originally broadcast live on WDET-FM, will be released
as Jazz in Detroit/Strata Concert Gallery/46 Selden on Nov. 2.
Recorded shortly after the release of Mingus’ orchestral work Let My
Children Hear Music, they feature a band that includes saxophonist
John Stubbleield, later to become a key igure in the Mingus Dynasty
and Mingus Big Band. This recording is the only known documentation
of Mingus and Stubbleield on stage together.

Farewells
Randy Weston, an NEA Jazz Master pianist, composer, and
bandleader who dedicated his career to exposing jazz’s extensions
of African lineage and tradition, passed away in his sleep on Sept.
1 at his home in Brooklyn. He was 92. Beginning in 1960 with
Uhuru Afrika, featuring lyrics by Langston Hughes, African inluences
took center stage in Weston’s music; his interest in the traditions of
the continent he called “The Motherland” spurred his relocation to
Morocco for five years, from 1967 to 1972. “All this music has the
African pulse,” he said on his final recording, 2017’s The African
Nubian Suite. “You can call it hip-hop, you can call it jazz, you can Arianna Neikrug – winner of the Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocal
call it whatever you want to call it; it’s Mother Africa’s contribution.” Competition – releases her debut album Changes. The album
finds Neikrug blending the right amount of reverence for
Ira Sabin, the jazz drummer, promoter, and record store owner who the jazz tradition with a knowing glance to modern pop and
founded this magazine, died of cancer on Sept. 12 at an assisted R&B classics. Produced by the GRAMMY®-winning pianist and
living facility in Rockville, Md. He was 90. Sabin’s Discount Records, arranger Laurence Hobgood, the album features 10 tracks
the Washington, D.C. store he took over from his brother-in-law in composed of covers and two original compositions.
1962, soon became the largest jazz record retailer in the United ariannaneikrug.com
States. In 1970 Sabin began distributing a newsletter, Radio Free
Jazz, to customers; it evolved into JazzTimes, of which Sabin was
concord.com
publisher until 1990 and owner until 2009. He also inaugurated
the magazine’s annual convention in 1979, which evolved into the
JazzConnect conference and most recently into the Jazz Congress.
AVAILABLE NOW
JAZZTIMES.COM 17
 OPENING CHORUS
Video: The Eliot Zigmund Quartet live at Smalls
ELIOT ZIGMUND
AFTER DECADES OF PLAYING WITH LEGENDS,
AN UNDERRECOGNIZED DRUMMER WORKS TO
ESTABLISH HIS OWN NAME
By Matthew Kassel
“I
was kind of worried that the irst set would be underat-
tended,” Eliot Zigmund deadpanned to a packed room
at Smalls, the basement jazz club in the West Village, on
a temperate evening in early July. “Reminds me of the
Village Vanguard when I used to play there, too many years
ago to tell you.”
If Zigmund, now 73, seemed anxious about the crowd size—
or his age, for that matter—it didn’t show in his performance
as the leader of a quintet he had assembled just for the night.
hroughout the set, calling tunes and arrangements on the ly,
he delivered forceful, swinging rhythms at the drums, punc-
tuating each song with satisfyingly deliberate hits on his dark
cymbals and low-tuned toms. At one moment, just ater he had
switched to brushes at the beginning of a bass solo, Zigmund
paused for a moment to reposition his glasses behind his ears,
casually maintaining the beat with his hi-hat pedal. It was the
kind of move that only a drummer with supreme conidence
would make.
Still, Zigmund’s words betrayed a certain hard truth about
his career. hough he has played with some of jazz’s biggest
names, including Bill Evans and Michel Petrucciani—both of
whom he accompanied at the Vanguard in the 1970s and ’80s—
Zigmund has struggled to earn a level of recognition equal to
his stellar résumé.
Not that he doesn’t have many admirers. “Eliot has that real
splang-a-dang in his ride cymbal,” the bassist Mike Richmond,
who has played with Zigmund, said. “here’s just a little space
between the splang and the dang that makes the whole thing
work, and he knows that space, and you can’t write it down.”
18 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
Overdue Ovation
But Zigmund’s story provides a useful illustration of the
ways in which an inveterate sideman makes do on the sidelines.
hroughout his professional life, Zigmund—who is one of the
rare drummers to play as a true lety, with the hi-hat positioned
on the right and the ride on the let—has found steady work
in a number of estimable groups and sessions, but because he
had a family to support, he oten had to take on other jobs to
supplement his income.
In the 1960s and ’70s, for instance, he drove a cab, and for
around 10 years beginning in the mid-’90s, he worked as a
freelance X-ray technologist—a job, he said, that gave him the
latitude to gig when he wanted to. “It was a more legit, stable
way of being a cab driver,” Zigmund, who sports a trim white
beard, told me wryly in an interview at his home in Teaneck,
N.J. He is perhaps the only X-ray technologist in the history of
the trade to have backed Neil Sedaka, Dionne Warwick, Vince
Guaraldi, Art Pepper, Fred Hersch, Chet Baker, and Stan Getz.
If not for his association with Bill Evans, though—in whose
CHRIS DRUKKER
trio he played from 1975 to 1978—Zigmund might have had
to do a lot more cab driving. hat’s because he’d never really
thought of himself as a jazz musician, at least not exclusively.
Born in 1945, at the height of the bebop era, he grew up in the
Bronx, listening to Symphony Sid and Mort Fega on the radio.
At 12, he chose the drums, because it was an expedient way to
jam with his brother, an ardent jazz fan who played guitar.
His primary inluence was Philly Joe Jones, and during his
high school years, Zigmund oten made his way into Manhat-
tan to frequent the many jazz clubs then in operation. He ab-
sorbed it all, taking mental notes on the stylings of drummers
like Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, and Pete La Roca. “You learn
drumming through listening,” he mused, “but you also learn a
lot just through observing—it’s such a physical instrument.”
In 1969, Zigmund graduated from City College with a
degree in classical music, but the time he had spent watching
his idols perform on stage had primed him for a life outside the
conservatory. here were many gigs to be had, and he jumped
into the fray, doing session work, playing on commercials, and
taking whatever jazz shows came his way. Near the end of 1974,
though, his career went into high gear.
At the time, Zigmund was playing a nightly gig with a cock-
tail trio in the Plaza Hotel’s opulent Persian Room. He had
gotten word that Evans was recruiting a new drummer, and so
he went down to the Vanguard one evening and tried out for
the band in front of a live audience. Evans hired him a day or
two later. Zigmund believes he got the gig because his chops
were in particularly good shape, but whatever the reason,
Evans’ imprimatur was a sign that Zigmund had, on the eve of
turning 30, arrived—and other musicians began to take notice.
he pianist Peter Malinverni, now the head of jazz studies
in the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in New York,
remembers seeing Zigmund perform with Evans in Bufalo in
the mid-’70s. “He struck me then,” Malinverni told me in an
email, “as someone who was supremely focused and intimately
involved in what was happening onstage in a supportive—and
inspiring—way.”
Zigmund describes his three-year run with Evans as one of
the most creatively satisfying periods of his life. “I was just in
awe of him,” he said. Evans was a guarded man, but Zigmund
recalled some instances in which the master pianist opened up
about his past, going into detail about his drug addiction and latest trends in jazz and more interested in establishing his own
his relationship with Miles Davis. Eventually, however, Zig- voice as a drummer.
mund let the band. he intense touring schedule was too much “he older I get, the more I realize that I’m very, very emo-
for a family man to manage—but also, musically, he felt he had tionally involved with the music from the ’50s and ’60s,” he told
said all he wanted to say as a member of the Bill Evans Trio. me matter-of-factly. “he music that excites me the most is be-
By the late ’70s, Zigmund had established himself as a sensi- bop and post-bebop: Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie
tive accompanist, and he found loads of work, playing with Hancock, young Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette. I ind great
Don Friedman and then Petrucciani, with whom he toured levels of musicianship today, and knowledge, but emotionally
extensively for ive years and recorded a live album at the Van- the music just doesn’t grab me the way the music from that
guard. “I was pretty well-known at that point,” he said. period did. And I think I’ve just come to accept that and to play
But the ’90s were more trying—a period during which that way.”
he found more meaningful work abroad than he did in the He paused for a moment. “hat’s the way I want to play.” JT
United States. In 2004, Zigmund had
a kidney transplant, and although he’s
now in ine health, he was forced to retire
from his medical side job because of a NEW
FOR
weakened immune system. He has played
201
in a number of groups since then, though 8
none as high-proile as those of Evans and
Petrucciani—and even though, he says
somewhat wistfully, it has become increas-
ingly diicult to ind work, as the com-
mercial infrastructure of jazz has withered
considerably. Introducing our most innovative
trumpet design in the world today Our
In his living room in Teaneck, Zigmund newest PHAETON trumpet PHT-LV
looked back on his 50 or so years in music 1200 LAS VEGAS model designed
and said he has few regrets about his by Trumpet virtuoso, David Perrico,
famed Las Vegas performer, created
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wishes he’d studied piano at an earlier age,
though acquaintances say he is more than
proicient. “I think, in a certain way, I’m a
frustrated piano player,” he observed.
He also says that, if he could do it all
over again, he would have learned to play
drums as a righty. According to Zigmund, This revolutionary design is a conical bore Oversized solid brass finger rings, Amado
being let-handed has stiled him some- from .460 at the valve section with a gradual type water keys, fast taper lead pipe, short
increase to .470 at the 1st valve exit and slot stroke Monel pistons, plus a gold plated
what, partly because, at jam sessions, he ultra light weight design. Perrico custom mouthpiece.
has to reorient the drum kit, which inter- Superior response, slotting, intonation and This model comes standard in our exclusive
rupts the onstage low. “It’s a total pain in power are yours with ease when playing “Brush Brass finish” coupled with bright
the ass,” he said. However, some musi- PHAETON Las Vegas trumpet. matte brass contrasting trim.
cians who have played with him believe
that it actually enhances the group sound;
because the ride cymbal on a lety set is Also, if you’re looking for a matching Flugelhorn,
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usually positioned farther away from the in the same finish/trim and bag.
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But aside from those leeting worries,
Zigmund believes he’s playing better now
than ever. Last year, he released a couple of
self-assured albums under his own name,
including a live recording with his quartet
at Smalls. It’s a smooth, post-bop outit,
and Zigmund is trying to secure more gigs
for the group, at least locally.
Having worked as an accompanist for
the majority of his career, Zigmund is
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 Bright Moments:
Brian Blade

20 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

LURAH BLADE

The acclaimed (and frequently

recorded) drummer takes stock
of his career on disc so far.
By David R. Adler

Q&A: Brian Blade

JAZZTIMES.COM 21
1
D
rummer, composer, bandleader:
the words seem inadequate. Brian
Blade is an experience. Leaving
his creative imprint on a wide swath of
jazz and pop over the last 25 years, the
Shreveport, La., native surrenders bodi-
ly to everything he plays, moving freely
and joyfully in and around the beat,
whether taking part in the stratospheric
invention of the Wayne Shorter Quartet
or ofering exquisitely restrained accom-
paniment with the likes of Emmylou
Harris, Beth Orton, or Rebecca Martin.
As leader of the Fellowship Band, he has
made music of folk-like beauty and great
cathartic power—qualities that also
inform his sometime work as a singer/
songwriter (on 2009’s Mama Rosa).
It’s hard to pick highlights from the
embarrassment of riches that make up
Blade’s discography, but he graciously
indulged us, speaking to JazzTimes from
his home in Shreveport. “It’s funny to
look back and think of a list that spans
so many years,” he said. “It’s comfort-
ing, and it puts my relective hat on.
I start reeling at the good things that
have happened—such a blessing!” It is
indeed, for him and all of us. he words
that follow are Blade’s own, edited as
necessary for concision and low.
Kenny Garrett
Pursuance: The Music of
John Coltrane
1 (Warner Bros., 1996)
Garrett, alto saxophone;
Pat Metheny, guitar; Rodney
Whitaker, bass; Blade, drums
he irst time I recorded with Kenny
was Black Hope (Warner Bros., 1992).
You walk into the room and there’s Joe
Henderson! Kenny Kirkland! Oh my
God. Ricky Wellman also played drums
on some tracks—he came in on the ses-
22 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
sion and played my little drums! I think
I saw my drums go down into the earth
a little bit [laughs]. Wow, the power and
groove that guy plays with.
hen came Triology (Warner Bros.,
1995) and Pursuance. With Pursuance
we did quite a bit of touring, with Nat
Reeves on bass, and that was truly deep.
I’d been such a fan of Pat’s for so long,
and to have it be a tribute to Coltrane on
top of it all made it that much deeper.
Kenny’s thing can be so ecstatic and
elevating—when he’s playing, walls start
moving. He’s one of those people who
changes frequencies and moves things
when he plays.
Yaya3
Yaya3 (Loma, 2002)
Joshua Redman, tenor and so-
prano saxophones; Sam Yahel,
organ; Blade, drums
I’ve been a part of Joshua Redman’s
life for so long and he’s involved me
in so many of his projects, it’s hard to
cite just one. But this was a very fertile
period with Sam Yahel, who’s such a
great organist and pianist, and out of
that, the Elastic Band became what it
became. I even contributed a couple of
songs to Yaya3, including the last one,
“Confronting Our Fears.” And they
both wrote beautiful songs. he album
sums up a little window and connects
those relationships that happened
underground. We’d play at Smalls back
in the day, before it closed and reopened
again. And later the trio did another
record (Truth and Beauty, Origin,
2007). Of course, Moodswing (Warner
Bros., 1994), that was really my irst one
with Joshua, with Christian McBride
and Brad Mehldau, and later [pianist]
Kevin Hays on tour. here are so many
periods with Joshua, and now too with
12
Still Dreaming (Nonesuch, 2018), so I’m
spoiled for choices here. Joshua’s still
reaching as well.
David Binney & Edward Simon
Afinidad (Red, 2001)
David Binney, alto saxo-
phone; Edward Simon, piano;
Adam Rogers, guitar; Scott
Colley, bass; Blade, drums;
Adam Cruz, percussion; Lucia
Cruz, voice
Again there was this fertile period: I
was living in New York, playing oten
with David Binney at the 55 Bar. We
had this annual September residency
and man, it was special. It went on for
about six or seven years with Scott Col-
ley and Craig Taborn, Adam Rogers,
Chris Potter. Dave is so proliic and
I love his writing and his saxophone
expression, his vibe, the dreamy, imagi-
native, powerful way he writes. And Ed
Simon as well.
Afinidad represents a special period
for me being in New York, having
let New Orleans. I wasn’t leaving to
conquer anything, I just had this desire
to move. here’s a certain risk you have
to take to leave your comfort zone and
then you ind what you can bring to
something else. If you don’t leave, you
won’t discover these other layers. And
Binney’s music speaks to that.
I’ve also loved playing trio with Ed,
and he just did a record called Sorrows
and Triumphs (Sunnyside, 2018), which
is masterful. It’s the Afinidad quartet
with Dave Binney and Scott Colley
along with the Imani Winds. So we’re
still together, even if it manifests itself
diferently.
Wayne Shorter
Footprints Live!
 (Verve, 2002)
Shorter, saxophones; Danilo
Pérez, piano; John Patituc-
ci, bass; Blade, drums
he session for Alegría (Verve, 2003)
actually happened before Footprints
Live! was recorded [in July 2001], and
Alegría was when the quartet was all in
the room together for the irst time play-
ing. And I think Wayne felt like, “Okay,
I’m going to run with these guys for a
while.” So we started touring.
Footprints Live! is a great representa-
tion of our initial time together on the
road. It was thrilling to play “Juju” or
“Masqualero” or any of these master-
pieces, and try to ind our own voice
within them. Whatever he wanted to
play, or “play from nothing” as he called
RONNIE WRIGHT
it, “zero gravity,” “let’s make a movie”—I
was so into that. I think the album cap-
tures that spark, that unknowing, that I
certainly had in me. It took a while for
the quartet to congeal and become that
one organism, because I didn’t have a
clue and I was a little scared [laughs].
You step out there with the master and
it’s like, I’m not Tony Williams, I’m not
Art Blakey, I’m not Joe Chambers. So
who am I? What am I made of? here’s
a lineage, a spiritual line, that you step
into and become a part of.
hat record ties together so much of
Wayne’s history but also points a lash-
light into the future. He’s still looking
for another door. I hope we have some
juice in us that can carry us into our
eighties like that.
Joni Mitchell
Travelogue (Nonesuch, 2002)
Mitchell, vocals; Herbie
Hancock, piano; Billy Pres-
ton, organ; Wayne Shorter,
soprano sax; Plas Johnson,
tenor sax; Kenny Wheeler,
flugelhorn; Chuck Berghofer,
Larry Klein, bass; Blade,
drums; Paulinho da Costa,
• The Wayne Shorter Quartet (left to right: Danilo Pérez, Shorter, John Patitucci,
and Blade) at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J., March 8, 2002
percussion; plus orchestra
(Vince Mendoza, arranger/
conductor)
Taming the Tiger (Reprise, 1998) was
supremely important to me because it
was my irst meeting with the heroine.
I started listening to her at 16 and it
changed my whole view. he beautiful
destiny of somehow coming into the
sphere of your heroes in this way—you
just don’t know what’s coming in your
life. Taming the Tiger was essentially
born out of duo playing, me and her.
I was watching her come up with the
storyline right in front of me. It was just
beyond my dreams really.
hen we made Travelogue. She’d
already made one grand orchestral al-
bum, Both Sides Now, of songs she loved
[recorded in 1999, with Peter Erskine
on drums—Ed.], almost like songbook
recordings. hen she applied that to her
own music with Travelogue. It was just
beautiful to be in London, her at the
microphone, a great group of musicians,
and to hear her render these songs that
she recorded 40 years before, to hear
her tone now, with a little more story
around those lines—it just gets deeper
as time goes on.
We all recorded together—Chuck
Berghofer, great bassist, I can see him
right now to my right. But I was looking
to Joni: How do I dot the i’s and cross
the t’s? Yes, we’re going to play with
brass and strings, but I want that rhyth-
mic underpinning to be all about what
she’s doing. With Vince Mendoza, of
course, it was all written so beautifully,
so I knew I could step into that palette
and hopefully give what was needed for
JAZZTIMES.COM 23
 her to feel like she was standing on solid
ground.
Daniel Lanois
Belladonna (ANTI-, 2005)
Lanois, pedal steel guitar;
Brad Mehldau, piano; Daryl
Johnson, bass; Blade, drums;
others
I met Daniel in New Orleans around
’92. We became fast friends and went on
the road for three months, like almost
immediately. We felt a kinship, an abil-
ity to make music without having to
think, “Oh, what’s my role in this play?”
Belladonna was just a chapter in his
constant rolling pursuit to capture the
spark. hat’s his git—
he imparts his passion
to everyone in the
room. He’s looking for
that unknown thing
to reveal itself. And
his songwriting, the
personal aspects of it,
whether it be instru-
mental or lyrical, it
speaks to his virtuosity
but also his heart, his
trip as a Canadian son,
making his way down
the Mississippi River.
A lot of Belladonna
happened when he was
holed up in a studio
in Oxnard, Calif., a
former movie theater
called the Teatro [now
vacant—Ed.], where
the irst Fellowship
record was made,
which he produced. So
we were doing sessions
there but not with the
thought of it being
one recording. Maybe it would be a
soundtrack idea, or a suite, or “check
out this steel melody I’m working on.”
He was always recording for the sake
of recording. Some of those things be-
came Belladonna. I think it happened
within six months to a year, whenever
people were free we’d get together.
Daniel doesn’t like to work behind
the glass. He likes it all right there in
the same bowl, in the room. And he
knows how to direct that air traic.
He’s always sculpting the sound as an
artist. We’re not waiting for, “Oh yeah,
24 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
let’s put it down and we’ll ix it later in
the mix.” No, no, no. Daniel wants to
hear it right now. And maybe later we’ll
do something else. But that “right now”
that existed very well might be the one.
So get it in the moment.
Bob Dylan
Time Out of Mind
(Columbia, 1997)
Dylan, guitar, harmonica,
piano, vocals; Cindy Cash-
dollar, slide guitar; Jim
Dickinson, keyboards; Tony
Garnier, bass; Blade, Jim
Keltner, drums; others
• The Fellowship Band (left to right): Chris Thomas,
Myron Walden, Blade, Melvin Butler, Jon Cowherd
Daniel told me he might be doing a
session with Bob and asked if maybe
I’d be into coming to play. Are you
kidding?
Jim Keltner and I played together the
whole time, he was 10 feet away from
me. He’s brilliant: You turn around and
he’s got maracas strapped to a mallet,
hitting a tambourine. You listen back,
you feel that groove, the genius of his
vibe and what he brings to records. So I
just had to ind my knit in that blanket.
It was quite thick.
Bob is looking for the mystery to
reveal itself too. He’s so open—“Let’s go
to this key, try it this way”—he didn’t
have his ingers tightly gripping this
precious thing, it was more like let’s get
it out in the air and see where it loats.
And he’d ask our opinion. It’s Bob
Dylan. “I think it’s great!” [Laughs]
I wouldn’t say I changed my ap-
proach playing with Bob, but some-
thing diferent happens when you have
words being sung. I make that adjust-
ment to make sure that nothing is be-
ing eclipsed. Everybody wants to feel it
and you want the music to be powerful,
but at what expense? If you can’t hear
what Dylan’s saying, something’s not
right [laughs].
Wolfgang
Muthspiel &
Brian Blade
Friendly
Travelers
(Material, 2006)
Muthspiel,
guitars, voice;
Blade, drums,
guitar, voice
Wolfgang and I
made several trio
recordings with [bass-
ist] Marc Johnson, and
we were in New York
around the same time,
but we irst met at a
school in Denmark and
became fast friends
playing Beatles songs at
night. We felt kindred.
he duo playing was
his idea, and it’s great
that he can employ all
JOHN ABBOTT
of these in-the-moment
loop concepts. here’s
a space that comes into
that intimacy. It’s really a blast. We just
inished a little trip together with Scott
Colley’s trio and everything he wrote
was just … he keeps digging deeper.
he title track “Friendly Travelers”
is mine—he told me to bring in a song
and I said, “Okay, I’ve got this little
song,” and I brought in my acoustic
guitar. He just wrapped it in a bow,
playing with me but then illing in all
these moments with commentary in
a perfect way. Because he has a high
regard for songs.
I was hesitant having Friendly
Travelers be the title of the record, but
I acquiesced because I think it honors
why I wrote that song: here’s a group
in New Orleans, a gospel band called
the Friendly Travelers, and I wrote that
song thinking about them. It’s a tip of
the hat, hopefully.
Brian Blade & the
Fellowship Band
Season of Changes
(Verve, 2008)
Blade, drums; Jon Cowherd,
piano, keyboards; Kurt
Rosenwinkel, guitar; Myron
Walden, alto saxophone, bass
clarinet; Melvin Butler, ten-
or saxophone; Chris Thomas,
bass
Jon Cowherd’s songs for this record,
“Season of Changes” and “Return of the
Prodigal Son,” we’re still playing that
music and still digging into it. It still
has so much fruit and nourishment in
it. And we still play my songs “Alpha
and Omega” and “Stoner Hill.” Jon is
so important a friend to me, and really
the birth of the Fellowship Band came
with our meeting back in 1988 when I
went to Loyola in New Orleans, where
he already was.
here was an eight-year gap between
Perceptual (Blue Note, 2000) and Season
of Changes. We did a lot of playing dur-
ing that time but we just didn’t docu-
ment it. So we’re sort of in catchup mode
right now. here’s a lot of compositions
that we never recorded. We’re hoping to
step up the frequency of output. I’ve re-
alized that certain things take a moment
to come to light.
Chick Corea
Trilogy
(Concord/Stretch, 2013)
Corea, piano; Christian Mc-
Bride, bass; Blade, drums
his trio came out of an opportunity
I had to sub for Vinnie Colaiuta in the
Five Peace Band, again with Kenny Gar-
rett. Chick thought we should do some
trio playing ater that experience. We’re
hopefully going to make another record
of that trio.
Chick is one of my all-time heroes.
I remember my brother—it’s not quite
like he gave it to me, I took it from
him—in his collection of Bob Marley
and the Isley Brothers was Chick Corea’s
Friends, with the Smurfs on the cover.
hat opened the door to Chick for me.
He’s just such a champion.
He’s a great drummer too. He’s got
a laser rhythmic sense and he was al-
ways watching me, he’s literally look-
ing for that contact with the cymbal
and the drum. He always wants that
conversation to happen. He’s watching
every move.
I was so glad to have the challenge of
playing standards. It can be humbling,
like, “Ooh, I didn’t quite grab that
one.” But by playing that body of work,
whether it’s Scriabin or whatever Chick
wants to step into, it challenges him.
To say, “Okay, what do I have to say on
‘Everything Happens to Me’?” And to
make it beautiful and brilliant as if he
wrote it himself.
Ron Miles
Circuit Rider
(Yellowbird, 2014)
Miles, cornet; Bill Frisell,
guitar; Blade, drums
I’d been such a great fan of Bill
Frisell through Paul Motian’s trio with
Joe Lovano. And Bill was so gracious
to invite me to be on he Sweetest
Punch [a collaboration between Frisell
and Elvis Costello, released by Decca in
1999—Ed.]. Ron Miles was on that ses-
sion, and I loved him and his expres-
sion immediately. Ron and Bill go way
back, they share a history growing up
in Denver.
You can’t coast on Ron’s music. You
have to be present, and you really have
to get inside of his melodic line, which
is simultaneously horizontal and verti-
cal. It’s moving in all directions in a
beautiful way.
Ron’s I Am a Man (Yellowbird,
2017), which involved [bassist] homas
Morgan and [pianist] Jason Moran, was
an extension of that Circuit Rider trio,
also beautiful. It’s deep that Ron keeps
imagining and challenging himself to
compose for these diferent groupings.
When we play trio without a bassist,
there’s never a sense that something’s
missing. It’s the three of us, and it’s
whole. here’s a great freedom in it.
And it requires a lot of trust. We’re
each other’s beacon out there in the
sea of a song, which can be complex.
Sometimes it’s like, “Here we are, we’re
at the B section!” Or Bill saves me for
the hundredth time on this form that
I can’t get right. Or Ron plays that
melody at just the right time that lets
me know we’re going to the top.
Brian Blade
Mama Rosa
(Verve Forecast, 2009)
Blade, guitar, vocals, pi- 12
ano, drums; Daniel Lanois,
guitar, pedal steel, bass;
Greg Leisz, pedal steel,
lap steel guitar; Geoffrey
Moore, Kurt Rosenwinkel,
guitar; Jon Cowherd, Aaron
Embry, piano; Chris Thomas,
bass; others
I had been recording these four-
track diary entries by myself at home
for quite a few years. Sometimes I
write and suddenly I’m hearing words,
and I just let it unfold. A lot of songs
become more story- or memory-
oriented, and I knew I needed to
acknowledge this part of who I am too
and put it down.
Mama Rosa is special because I’m
thinking about my family a lot, I’m
traveling a lot, I’ve been away from
home for 20 years … there’s the annu-
al visit at Christmas but it’s different
now, and you’re missing people. That
record, particularly “Mercy Angel,”
was the reason why I’m married right
now. It’s the reason why I found my
first love again. Which connects to
the first Fellowship Band record and
the song called “If You See Lurah.”
Man, it’s this thread that happens over
decades. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody
because it requires you not knowing,
and you being patient, and you leaning
on the trust that God is working this
out. I just need to stay in the process
and don’t fear.
So you can’t keep this on your tape
machine at home and not share it with
other people. I mean, you can, but
there’s some completion, a fullness
that has to come from you releasing
it. That’s what I learned by making
Mama Rosa. And there’s a lot of things
I learned from Joni that manifest
themselves on the record. There’s
more songs of that nature piled in the
corner waiting for me to pay attention
to them. I’m moving back to that focus
in my life as soon as this next Fellow-
ship Band record is completed. JT
JAZZTIMES.COM 25
 Bar

Profile: At home with Stefon Harris

Before & After Listening Session: Joe Locke

Feature: Warren Wolf

• Left to right: Joe Locke, Stefon Harris, Joel Ross, and Warren Wolf at the Jazz Gallery, NYC, August 10, 2018
Four
By Lucy Tauss
Photography by
Alan Nahigian

WARREN WOLF, JOEL ROSS,

JOE LOCKE, and STEFON HARRIS
trade tales about their chosen instrument:
the vibraphone.
 On a hot August day they
gathered at the Jazz Gallery club in New
York City: four of jazz’s foremost vi-
braphonists—Stefon Harris, Joe Locke,
Joel Ross, and Warren Wolf—who
had agreed to sit down together with
JazzTimes and discuss the state of their
instrument (along with whatever else
was on their minds).
hree of the four came into this sum-
mit with soon-to-be-released albums.
Harris says Sonic Creed, his September
release with his band Blackout, “is
about paying tribute to the cultural val-
ues associated with this art form.” It’s
his irst album as a leader in nine years.
Nowadays, Harris spends a lot more
time on campus than in the record-
ing studio; he’s the associate dean and
director of jazz arts at the Manhattan
School of Music, and his other academic
credentials include leading curriculum
development at the University of the
Paciic’s Brubeck Institute—where Ross
was one of his students—and co-found-
ing the Melodic Progression Institute,
which has developed an ear-training
app called Harmony Cloud. Locke’s album, Subtle Disguise, is out this month. He says its title track “is about
the ways that we hide ourselves from one another—the masks that we wear.” He also
notes that the title track is a disguised version of an old Miles Davis tune, adding, “I
don’t mention in the liner notes what that is. It’ll be interesting to see what people
think that song is.” He’s a member of Harris’ faculty at the Manhattan School of
Music, as well as a visiting professor at London’s Royal Academy of Music.
Ross’ new album was untitled and without a release date at press time. He says he
and his band recorded the music in December 2016, and “I’m still happy with what
came out of it because it was a perfect picture of where that band was at that time.”
Wolf—who plays in a duo with Locke in addition to his work as a leader—re-
leased his latest solo album, Convergence, in 2016. He’s now thinking about his next
one, which he expects will take him in a diferent musical direction. “he plan is
to do a record more in the Roy Ayers style,” he says. “Not when Roy was swinging
more, but more in when he was doing his pop and soul fusion/R&B groove.” Wolf
teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Temple University in Philadel-
phia, and the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
Most important, Harris, Locke, Ross, and Wolf are all friends who clearly hold
one another in high regard as musicians and as people, and their camaraderie was
palpable. (Dare we say there were great vibes?) When JazzTimes arrived at the club,
Harris was already there playing the piano onstage, and as the others arrived they
immediately gathered around him. Everyone eventually settled around a small table
for a wide-ranging conversation in which they swapped stories, bantered with each
other, grew relective about their lives and work, and shared a lot of laughs—only
some of which were at the expense of glockenspiel players.
his discussion has been edited for length.

28 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

JazzTimes: How did you come to
choose the vibraphone?
HARRIS: Most of us did not come
to the vibraphone from percussion.
We all come from the piano. I have a
background in classical percussion but
I started at the piano, and probably 90
percent of the time that I spend working
on music, it’s at the piano, not at the
vibraphone.
LOCKE: It’s the same for me. I think
of the instrument deinitely being in the
piano family. I always say that someone
who plays the piano has a better chance
of speaking on the instrument quickly
than someone who comes from drums.
When you’re composing or arranging,
how do you envision the vibraphone?
Do you irst think of it as carrying the
melody? Do you think of it as a rhythm
instrument? Do you let it organically
happen?
ROSS: When I’m composing spe-
ciically for an ensemble, I’m not really
thinking of what the instrument is
going to do. I might start of thinking of
a melody, but I’m never thinking, “Oh,
the vibraphone will do this at this point
in time.” It’s either melody, harmony,
rhythm—whatever comes irst.
LOCKE: I always write at the piano.
Of the hundreds of pieces that I’ve writ-
ten, maybe two or three were composed
at the vibraphone. Same as Joel, usually
it starts with an idea, an emotion, a feel-
ing inspired by a phrase or something
that made me want to sit at the piano,
and [I’ll] just sit and some chords will
come, and a melody will grow from that.
WOLF: I can say sometimes my writ-
ing … maybe it won’t come from the
piano. he majority of the time it does,
but sometimes you never know—you
could be sitting at a set of drums and
have some rhythm going on. So while
you’re playing your beat at the drums,
you’re sitting there thinking, like,
“Hmm, what bassline can come under
this?” [he others assent] And from the
drums, you build from the bottom up to
the top.
HARRIS: he other thing I would
add to that is that essentially the vibra-
phone is a tool. It’s a bunch of metal
and wood used to manifest an artist’s
individual expression. So although we
may not be thinking speciically about
the vibraphone when we’re writing,
we’re probably expressing our authen-
tic voices, which are most naturally
expressed, I think in most of our cases,
through the vibraphone.
Did you have vibraphone heroes?
WOLF: My irst hero was my father.
Warren Wolf, Sr. [All laugh] I’m the
junior. Although we don’t go by that. He
was the irst person that I’ve seen play
the instrument. And ater that, when
we started looking at old videos, I think
Milt Jackson was irst, followed by Lio-
nel Hampton, and then so forth.
HARRIS: If you ask me who my he-
roes were, most of the people I’m going
to name are people I had direct interac-
tion with. So my irst artistic hero would
have been the black church. My mother’s
a Pentecostal minister, so my irst
exposure to the role of art in society, in
terms of amplifying people’s individual
narratives, was in the black church. And
then I met someone in classical music
who became a mentor for me. His name
is Richard Albagli [percussionist for
the Albany Symphony Orchestra and
conductor of the Empire State Youth
Orchestra], and he’s an absolute genius
who took me in and did for me what was
the most important thing for me as an
eighth-grader, and that was treat me as
an individual. Because in this society,
being an African-American, many times
I ind myself being prejudged. his guy
said, “I see something really special in
you. I’m going to dedicate the next ive
years of my life to helping you realize
your potential.” And he challenged me
in ways that no one else had ever chal-
lenged me in my entire life.
I really didn’t hear the vibraphone
much until I got to college and someone
started to show me some jazz records. I
heard Charlie Parker for the irst time,
and there was this amazing record
with Milt Jackson and Cannonball
Adderley. It’s called hings Are Getting
Better [Riverside, 1959]. And that record
completely changed my life.
LOCKE: I started playing drums
when I was a little boy, and my mother,
who was very smart—she was not a
professional musician, but she said to
me, “If you’re going to play drums, I’ll
get you a drum set, but you have to take
piano lessons.” So I took lessons with
her, because she could sight-read music
at the piano. And she wanted me to
play the glockenspiel in the marching
band, because I guess she was a sadist
or something. [All laugh] Because the
glockenspiel player in the marching
band was who the nerds beat up ater
school!
She came into my room one day and
she said, “Joe, I saw an ad in the want
ads for something called a vibraphone.
I think that’s like a glockenspiel. Let’s
go have a look at it.” And we bought this
vibraphone. It was a Jenco vibraphone
for $400, and it sat in my room for a
year. And one boring rainy Saturday
when none of my friends were around
and there was nothing on TV and I had
clothes piled on top of this Jenco vibra-
phone—dirty clothes and books—I was
so bored, I said, “Let me take this stuf
of this instrument and see what’s—”
and that was the beginning for me. I
didn’t realize that that boring, rainy
Saturday aternoon was going to change
the whole path of my life.
HARRIS: hat’s deep. He remembers
the day.
LOCKE: Yes.
HARRIS: And now that you say
that out loud, I even remember the
day that I irst connected with a mallet
instrument. I taught myself to read
music when I was six, so when I went
to school, I could read already. I was
more advanced than the other students,
JAZZTIMES.COM 29

so the teachers would just keep giving
me instruments. I played all the band
instruments: clarinet and trombone. I
played string bass in the orchestra in
middle school. And I remember walking
into the band room in seventh grade …
and there was this marimba in the back
of the room. And it had a cover on it,
and I uncovered this thing and picked
up some mallets and started hitting it,
and pretty quickly I just felt physically
connected to it. I don’t know why, but I
was able to absorb the technical require-
ments of playing that instrument faster
than any other instrument.
It’s almost like it was waiting for you to
ind it. Joel, how did you start out?
ROSS: I have a twin brother and we
both started out playing drums when
we were about two or three years old.
My father led the choir at church, and
we listened to music at home. One of my
brother’s godparents played drums at
church, and so we would go sit up in the
front pew and just watch him play. hat
was the beginning of us getting into
playing drums.
We went to elementary school, where
we irst joined band. We were in percus-
sion, and my brother made me play the
mallet instruments, because he didn’t
want to. Because he’s the older twin! [he
others laugh] hat’s why I learned how
to read. hat’s why I learned how to play
xylophone, marimba, also timpani—al-
though he would steal that too, because
it was a drum. I deinitely was only doing
the mallet instruments. I learned to play
the glockenspiel and everything.
30 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
LOCKE: See, he actually was a glock-
enspiel player! [All laugh]
ROSS: Once we started the elemen-
tary school concert band, we auditioned
for the All-City concert band and we
got into that program. But they also
suggested we try for the jazz band. We
both auditioned on drums. My brother
got in—he was the better drummer.
And they told me to audition on vibes
because I knew how to play xylophone,
I knew my scales and chords, and that’s
all they needed to start with 10-year-
olds. I didn’t want to do it, but my father
was like, “You’re going to play the vibra-
phone because that’s going to be your
ticket”—or something along those lines.
Since we’ve now had multiple refer-
ences to glockenspiels, does everybody
here have experience in marching
bands or percussion ensembles?
HARRIS: I played trombone and sou-
saphone in the marching band. But I did
play in classical percussion ensembles in
college and in high school.
Did that afect your approach to your
instrument?
HARRIS: Studying classical music
did help me a lot with regard to phras-
ing. Because in classical music, the mo-
mentum of the music is generally driven
by the melody, whereas a lot of times in
other art forms—particularly art forms
derived from African culture—it’s driv-
en by rhythm. I spent years focusing on
arias and learning how to phrase. When
I did come around to focusing on jazz, I
was pretty good at phrasing, and it was
more about backwards-mapping into
rhythm, which wasn’t foreign for me
because I grew up in the black church.
I also have to mention that I studied
with Joe Locke when I was in college.
When I came to New York I was run-
ning around asking everybody to help
me, and a lot of other people were like,
“Yeah, kid, whatever, I don’t have time.”
Joe said, “Come by the house.” And he
opened up his CD collection. He has
stacks and stacks of notebooks. [To
Locke] I’m telling your business, broth-
er! [Locke laughs] Stacks and stacks of
notebooks, a deep dive into the world of
harmony that he never hesitated to open
up and share with me. So you talk about
heroes—this is one of mine right now,
sitting right there.
When you decided that you wanted
to be a jazz musician and play vibra-
phone, how did you envision that
career? Did you see yourself as a
bandleader? Did you see yourself as a
member of an ensemble?
ROSS: I’m still iguring that out
[laughs].
LOCKE: So am I!
ROSS: I deinitely have fallen in love
with composing. I love to perform be-
cause I also love to connect with other
musicians and other players—singers,
anything. I like to perform, but I have
a preference to compose, which does
not have to include me being a part of
the performance.
HARRIS: I have lots of notebooks
where I write down thoughts. And years
ago I wrote in one of my notebooks,
“I am not a musician. I have a git,
which happens to manifest itself well
in music.” So I started to backwards-
map from there to igure out what is
my actual git. I don’t have perfect pitch
and perfect rhythm and all that stuf. I
think my git has always been for com-
munication. And once I started to zero
in on that—and that’s one element of
it—I gave myself permission to begin to
dream of the bandstand. I started to do
things like give presentations in corpo-
rate America. I created an app company.
I’m now the dean of the jazz department
at Manhattan School of Music. So my
perspective on my career became much
broader when I started to not think so
one-dimensionally about the career path
of being a musician.
Everybody here is involved in teach-
ing to some degree. Do you teach only
vibraphone or do you range farther?
WOLF: I probably can speak for
most of us. We probably have a few
vibraphone students, actual, in school,
but you never know. It could be
ensembles. It could be guitar play-
ers—whoever wants to learn about the
music in general. It’s not necessarily
about the instrument.

What’s the most important thing that

you want to impart to these students
about the life of a professional musi-
cian—and what are you learning from
them about what it takes to be one?
ROSS: I’ve only started giving a
few lessons to some cats, and I already
know that what I want them to take
away the most from whatever I can
tell them is how to attain their own
personal understanding of whatever
information I give them, so that they
can use whatever I give them to express
themselves completely.
LOCKE: I’m completely self-taught. I
don’t come from a classical background,
and I think it’s ironic that I’m a visiting
professor at the Royal Academy of Music.
And I don’t work with the jazz students
there, I work in the classical department.
Because Neil Percy, who’s the head of
percussion at the Academy, saw a real
lack of understanding of how to play the
vibraphone, how to dampen and pedal
and phrase. hese students play marimba
literature that I couldn’t—if you put a
gun to my head and said, “Play it,” I’d
say, “You just have to shoot me because
I can’t play this.” But when it comes to
playing the vibraphone, it’s been a really
gratifying thing to help the classical
players understand how to better relate to
that instrument. And a big part of that is
being okay with your shortcomings. So
I try to … not to give them a break to be
lazy, but to say, “here are some things
that you should have in your toolbox and
some things that it’s okay if you don’t.”
he other thing that I think is really
important to share: Sometimes I see stu-
dents who seem—because they’re maybe
more gited, maybe they have a sense of
entitlement—that “I’m anointed because
I’m so talented.” And I look at that
and I say, “Man, if you are more gited
than another student, hold the door
[gets emotional].” And I get choked up
even talking about it—because it’s your
responsibility, if you’re more gited or
talented, to hold the door for the brother
or sister that’s struggling a little bit.
Do you have people coming up to you
asking about how to get into the busi-
ness or how to play something?
WOLF: All the time. he question
that I have the majority of the time
when I’m teaching somebody is, “How
do you play that lick?” “What note was
that?” “What phrase was that?” And
I don’t like that because it’s not really
true to who they are, what’s coming out
of them. Because all they want to do is
take that lick and transcribe it into 12
diferent keys and they think they’ve got
it. But that’s not the case. hey should be
playing what really speaks to them. JT

JAZZTIMES.COM 31
 Feature: An excerpt from
Tony Allen’s autobiography

• Tony Allen prepares for liftoff at

the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival.
 Alongside Fela Kuti in the 1960s, he
helped create Afrobeat—a polyglot
style that was deeply rooted in
jazz. Now the celebrated Nigerian
drummer TONY ALLEN is delving
even further into the music with
tributes to his heroes Art Blakey
and Tony Williams. By Geoffrey Himes
“I’m a half-caste,” Tony Allen says in his
trailer dressing room at the Newport
Jazz Festival. “Do you know that word,
‘half-caste?’ My father was Nigerian,
and my mother was Ghanaian; they
spoke diferent languages and came
from diferent cultures. So I had a mix-
ture of inluences from the start.”
His band has just inished its set, and
the drummer has changed out of his
black porkpie hat and black shirt with
red lowers into a gray baseball cap and
black Zildjian T-shirt. At 78, the man
who altered African music forever by
co-founding the Afrobeat style with Fela
Kuti moves deliberately and measures
his words before he speaks. He protests
that he doesn’t know how to explain his
music—neither his landmark work with
Kuti nor his dance-trance solo records
nor his recent straight-ahead jazz—he
just plays it. But he’s wrong; he proves
quite articulate on the subject.
He explains, for example, how he
transformed his half-caste status from
a liability into an asset. In the Nigerian
city of Lagos, where he grew up, each
of the nation’s many tribes has its own
neighborhood, and each neighborhood
sponsors its own Christmas parade.
Because the young Allen didn’t belong
to any one tribe, he felt free to follow
every procession.
“Every Christmas Day, I would hear 20
diferent ethnic rhythms,” he remembers.
“I’d follow one parade for two blocks,
then follow another parade. Even the
Muslims celebrated Christmas with us.
If I were a stagnant person, I would have
stayed with just one culture and never
ALAN NAHIGIAN

have changed my way. But I couldn’t do

that, because that would mean I’d stop
learning, and I enjoy learning.”

JAZZTIMES.COM 33

By the time he was a teenager, he
had a working knowledge of rural West
African village music in dozens of varia-
tions. hat music was almost always
played with drums and voices alone. he
challenge was to translate what the three
or four drummers in each village were
playing to a single drum kit in the urban
dance bands that brought guitars and
horns into the mix. hese highlife bands
ruled the live music scene along the
West African coast, and Allen with his
extensive vocabulary of rhythmic pat-
terns soon became a star in that world.
But he wasn’t satisied.
34 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
• Onstage at Newport
“I get bored listening to the same
thing again and again,” he says. “I
knew that the drummers were doing
something wrong, because they didn’t
use the hi-hat pedal, only the bass
drum pedal. It was like trying to ride a
bicycle using only one pedal. Why was
that? Because they didn’t know what it
was there for. So I went looking for a
solution, and in an issue of DownBeat
I found two pages of Max Roach teach-
ing how to use the open hi-hat sound
and the closed hi-hat sound.”
his was long before videos, of course,
and American musicians rarely made it
to Nigeria. But Allen was sharp enough
to translate the magazine article into a
new kind of highlife rhythm, not pure
jazz but unlike any other highlife drum-
ming around. Suddenly, he was the most
distinctive drummer in West Africa.
And he hadn’t even met Kuti yet.
“In 1960,” he explains, “I let my job
and said, ‘It’s drums I want to play.’ I
told myself, ‘If you want to play like a
professional, you should listen to the
professionals.’ he irst one I heard was
Gene Krupa, who I heard on NBC [the
Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation]
and VOA [the Voice of America]. I liked
him and tried to play like him.
“hen Blue Note records started
coming to the radio, and I heard Art
Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. his
was drumming that touched me deep
in my roots as an African. his was
drumming that opened my mind and
exercised my brain waves. I said, ‘How
many guys are playing on this record?
Two? hree?’ hey said it was only
one guy. I had to study those records
and igure out how he did it. his was
beyond highlife, which is music for
dancing at parties; this was talking to
me on a deeper level.”
The Art in His Style
Jazz never stopped talking to Allen,
and he never stopped responding to
jazz. When he joined Kuti’s jazz band
Koola Lobitos in 1964, it was Allen’s
fusion of highlife and jazz drumming
that deined the new Afrobeat sound
ALAN NAHIGIAN
as much as Kuti’s singing and horn
playing. he key was this: Allen viewed
everything he learned not as a substitu-
tion for what he already knew but as an
addition to it. His new love for Blakey
didn’t replace his old love for highlife;
it supplemented it.
Last year Allen inally moved that
Blakey inluence from the background
of his music to the foreground. he
Nigerian had signed with his hero’s
old label, Blue Note Records, and ater
years of making vocal records he inally
recorded an instrumental jazz album,
he Source. he inluence was so obvi-
ous that, in the midst of those Paris
sessions, Allen also recorded a four-song
EP, A Tribute to Art Blakey & the Jazz
Messengers, which was released irst as a
teaser for the album.
 “I didn’t want to sing anymore,” Allen
says of his move to Blue Note. “I wanted
to do some albums where the horns take
over the singing. On the Blakey records,
the horns handle the melody; I wanted
to do that. When I started to compose
the music, I didn’t preview it in my
mind; I just sat down at the drums and
played until I created some things that
hadn’t been there before. Only then did
I move to the keyboard to write the bass
part, the guitar part, the keyboard part,
the horn parts.”
“he tribute made sense,” says Blue
Note president Don Was. “You can trace
both Art’s and Tony’s roots way back
to the African traditions of rhythm as
a means of mass communication. Jazz
telegraphs a message relating to the
many aspects of freedom; it doesn’t mat-
ter if it’s Blakey’s ‘Free for All’ or Fela’s
‘Black President.’ It’s an expression so
eloquent and universal that, although
spoken primarily in an African musi-
cal dialect, it’s understood all over the
world. It was profoundly understood by
the founders of Blue Note, who escaped
oppression and came to this country
from Germany in 1939 in pursuit of
freedom and jazz. hese themes have
underpinned Blue Note’s greatest re-
leases over the last 80 years.”
At Newport, Allen leads a quintet
in the classic Jazz Messengers format:
saxophone, trumpet, piano, bass, and
drums. hey play three songs from he
Source, two from the Blakey tribute,
and one new number. As in the Jazz
Messengers, the horn section (Roman
Filiú on tenor and alto and Albert
Leusink on trumpet) play the vocal-like
chants of the head, while the rhythm
section (Allen, bassist Mathias Al-
lamane, and keyboardist Jean-Philippe
Dary) rumble forward with a beat that’s
both swinging and funky.
Allen controls everything from his
drum stool. He chokes up on his sticks so
the bottom two inches extend beyond his
ists. Like Blakey and West Africa’s village
drummers, Allen emphasizes the lower
register of the kit, minimizing his use of
cymbals and maximizing his use of the
earthy toms and kick drum. He doesn’t
play beats so much as he plays bar-long
phrases, combinations conceived as a
single thought. his provides a luidity to
his playing that surges and ebbs through
his remarkable use of dynamics.
“Dynamics are not easy for drum- did you learn your drumming? Did you
mers,” he says. “hey know they have to study in the States? Did you study in
hit the drum, but their teachers forget England?’ And I said: ‘No, I did every-
to teach them about nuances, about how thing here.’ And he says: ‘It’s incredible.
to play sot. Without that, you don’t With the style you play, one wouldn’t
have dynamics. I don’t beat my drums; even need a percussionist.’”
I caress them. If you beat somebody up, he two men played jazz for a while,
they can’t be your friend; they’ll run but Kuti soon grew envious of the
away from you. If you beat up your wife, highlife bandleaders who were living in
she’ll be your enemy even if she stays big houses and driving big cars. So he
with you. But if you caress her every expanded his jazz quartet into a bigger
time you come back from work, she’ll be dance band with guitar, horns, and
your everlasting friend.” percussion. But it didn’t sound like the
“His approach at Newport was other highlife ensembles, because Kuti
pretty consistent with the early Afrobeat sang about topics other than romance
work,” says Was, who and lust and because
watched the entire Allen played the
set from the wings “If I were a stagnant person, drums with a lex-
and from beneath I would have stayed with ibility that kept the
his black cowboy hat. music ever-shiting,
“Fela’s band had a just one culture and never always moving for-
phalanx of percus- have changed my way. But I ward. hat enabled
sionists who freed Kuti’s band, eventu-
Tony from the more couldn’t do that, because that ally renamed Afrika
prosaic responsibili- would mean I’d stop learning, ’70, to extend songs
ties that keep the mu- to 15 or 20 minutes
sic percolating. his and I enjoy learning.” on records and 25 or
enabled him to both 30 minutes on stage.
go exploring and to play melodically; When the irst Afrika ’70 recordings
he’s actually singing on the drums. made their way to Europe in the early
he thing that’s incredible about the ’70s, they had a tremendous impact,
quintet is that, even without the aid of especially in African and Caribbean
other percussionists, he’s propelling the neighborhoods. Jean-Philippe Dary,
groove forward while still playing in the Allen’s keyboardist for the past 20
most unconventional spots. He’s playing years, was a young kid living near St.
in all of the spaces that drummers never Tropez in France when he irst heard
ill and, conversely, leaving all of the Allen and Kuti.
conventional spots wide open.” “It was huge,” he remembers. “It
was crazy; we’d never heard music like
that. All the funky music we knew was
Afrobeat and Beyond short, like singles, but these long tracks
Kuti became infatuated with American just kept going and going and put you
hard bop at the same time as Allen. In in a trance. But they never got boring,
1963, Kuti returned home to Lagos ater because it was both 4/4 and 6/8 at the
a ive-year stay in London, where he had same time. When the emphasis moved,
studied music as a trumpeter, and got the music seemed to go from one to the
a job disc-jockeying for the Nigerian other. And the aterbeat was not where it
Broadcasting Corporation. He soon was supposed to be. It used to be on the
decided that rather than play records, he two and four, but now it might be on the
would form a band that could play the one and three or anywhere.”
same music live. here was one problem: “he village bands played those
He couldn’t ind the right drummer. rhythms with three or four hand drum-
Finally someone suggested he call Tony mers,” adds trumpeter Leusink, “but
Allen in for an audition. Tony was the irst to do it on a single
“He took his irst four [bars] and I drum kit. It was like a bouncing ball the
took my irst four,” Allen explained in way the groove moved around. he dy-
a 2007 lecture in Toronto, “and then he namics too were new; they would be re-
went for his second four, and I took my ally sot and then the horns would come
second four, and he said: ‘Stop! Where in and the whole band would explode.”
JAZZTIMES.COM 35
 Learning to play in Allen’s band re-
quires an adjustment, Dary admits, but
the drummer is a patient bandleader. He
takes his time to “put you in the vibe,”
and only when you’re comfortable does
he start to push you.
“You have two rhythms going at
once,” Dary explains, “and they mesh
only if you play them right. To do that,
you always have to know where the one
is—and it’s not always obvious. But if
you feel the vibe and let it carry you, you
can feel the others in the band and how
all the pieces it together. To have those
drums behind you makes it possible;
you feel as if you have wings.”
Dary played on both he Source and
the Blakey tribute as well as Allen’s new
tribute to Tony Williams. he latter re-
cording is being released as part of Blue
Note Review: Volume Two — Spirit &
Time, the second in a series of subscrip-
tion boxed sets from the label. Focusing
on material from the ive solo albums
that Williams released for Blue Note
between 1986 and 1992, Spirit & Time is
performed by current Blue Note drum-
mers, such as Brian Blade, Kendrick
Scott, Eric Harland, and Allen.
Allen tackles “City of Lights” from
Williams’ 1989 Native Heart. It opens
with an unaccompanied, lightly played
drum shule before Dary’s keyboard
rif brings in a dance beat. But the
rippling pulse of Allen’s drumming
continues, keeping the bottom of the
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dancers dizzy from guessing where the
accent might fall next.
“Ater Art Blakey and Max Roach,”
Allen says, “Tony Williams was a big
inluence. He had a completely difer-
ent style. I listened to the jazz guys, the
drummers from the villages, and the
highlife groups in the city; I learned
from them all. But in the end, I just
wanted to be myself.”
Looking Ahead
Now that he’s released the instrumental
jazz album he always wanted to make,
the always-restless Allen is ready to
move on to the next project. his winter
will see the second release from the Brit-
ish supergroup the Good, the Bad & the
Queen, featuring Allen, Blur’s Damon
Albarn, the Clash’s Paul Simonon, and
the Verve’s Simon Tong, this time with
Tony Visconti, David Bowie’s longtime
right-hand man, as producer.
Allen’s next album, due this fall, will
be Tomorrow Comes the Harvest, a trio
collaboration with Dary and elec-
tronica pioneer Jef Mills. he three • (Top) Allen’s tribute EP to Art Blakey;
musicians had met in Paris, and Allen (bottom) Blue Note Review Vol. 2: Spirit
was intrigued to ind out if he could and Time, which features Allen’s version of
interact with a drum machine the Tony Williams’ “City of Lights”
same way he interacts with a guitarist
or horn player. On the recording, the the give-and-take easy to follow.
contrast between Allen’s miked drums Mills made this more interesting by
and Mills’ direct-input machine makes creating a new way to handle his
Roland TR-909.
“I developed a way of playing the
drum machine that could meet the
way Tony plays the drums,” Mills says,
“a way of actually playing the drum
machine, not just programming it to
play a pattern. Using the stop/start but-
tons on the machine, I can improvise
almost the same way a drummer would
create accents, turnarounds, breaks,
etc. By sliding the volume faders, I can
play the drum sounds with the same
inlection of a drummer. It’s not an easy
task to do this because every sound you
hear requires two movements, but I’ve
learned to handle the machine to suit
my character.”
“I love to face challenges,” Allen
says. “I thought playing with a machine
would be a good challenge. When I’m
doing a project, I’m doing it. When I’m
done, it’s gone from my mind, and I’m
ready for the next one.” JT
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 Giving
the
Drummer
Some
Top players
discuss the place
of the drum solo
in jazz.
By Shaun Brady

Feature: 40 Essential Solos

L
ast October, JazzTimes surveyed a number of musicians and contribu-
tors to come up with a list of 40 Essential Solos. he results ran the
gamut of styles and eras, but the article had one (not uncommon)
shortcoming: Only a single drummer from the entire history of jazz
managed to make the cut. (hat would be Elvin Jones on “Monk’s
Dream” from Larry Young’s Unity, for those keeping score.)
No one would argue that drummers aren’t an integral component of jazz ensem-
bles, so why do their turns in the spotlight get neglected so oten? Are drum solos
simply about muscle, technical exercises meant to wow the suckers in the audience
with a pyrotechnic display? We suspected that some of today’s top drummers would
make the pro-solo argument better than we could, so we spoke to several of them to
get their thoughts on what makes a great drum solo (or a terrible one), where a drum
solo its into a set of music and where it should be held in reserve, and some favorites
that perhaps should have made our list. he following commentary is in each artist’s
own words, edited for space and clarity.
JAZZTIMES.COM 39

Andrew Cyrille
Before any other solo—other than the
voice—you had the drums. Drums have
always been used by cultures around the
world for births, deaths, marriages, po-
litical situations, whatever it was where
you needed to bring people together. So
as far as drums being solo instruments,
I think that has always been the case.
A long time ago, in the late ’50s or
’60s, when it was time for a drummer to
take a solo, a lot of people would get up
and go to the bathroom or do something
else. People would think some of the
drummers who were playing weren’t
40 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
making good music, which is not alto-
gether true. Sometimes people think of
drums as being the noisemaker of all the
instruments because it’s not diatonic. It
doesn’t have a deinite pitch. But it all
depends on who’s playing it and how it’s
being played. You can tune drums and
make them sound marvelous, like the
conga drummers, and great drummers,
musical drummers, can get great sounds
out of a trap set.
People are not stupid, for the most
part. If they like something, they’ll
applaud for it; if they don’t like it, they
won’t applaud. You have to learn how to
ALAN NAHIGIAN
• Art Blakey at the Village Gate, 1986
make music from whatever your drum
setup is. It isn’t necessary for a drummer
to solo on a ballad, but drummers can
play solos where you have rhythms that
are played very slowly, which are just as
stimulating as any other instrument.
Favorites: Philly Joe Jones,
“Gone,” Miles Davis, Porgy and Bess
(1959)
Max Roach, “Mildama,” Cliford
Brown / Max Roach, Brown and Roach
Incorporated (1955)
Joe Morello, “Take Five,” he Dave
Brubeck Quartet, Time Out (1959)

Cindy Blackman
Santana
I love playing drum solos because I love
hearing the sound of the drums, I love
the feel of playing drums, and I think
it adds to the music. Drum solos add a
depth of dynamic that is really power-
ful, with all the diferent textures and
colors that you can create. Regardless of
your style, it’s rooted in Africa because
that’s where we get the drum set from.
So for me, it’s a special position to be
in. When they call it the drum throne,
they’re not kidding. It’s a seat of honor.
he irst thing to think about is the
context of the piece of music. I’d rather
hear less notes, a beautiful tone, and
“I love soloing. I feel
like it’s the one time I
don’t have to be com-
pletely considerate of
everyone on the band-
stand.”—Eric Harland
musical playing than a bunch of fast
notes with ugly sound and no sensitiv-
ity to the music. If you’re just spurting
out big words and stringing them all
together and it doesn’t mean anything,
it’s not enjoyable for me. I don’t want to
hear anybody talk like that and I don’t
like hearing someone play like that
either. It doesn’t satisfy my heart.
It’s a very old concept that the drum
is supposed to be in the back and only
takes the last solo. hey used to say,
“We’ve got 17 musicians and a drum-
mer.” But drummers like Art Blakey,
Kenny Clarke, Max Roach, Philly Joe
Jones, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, and
Tony Williams changed that concept.
hey brought the drums from being
a background timepiece, just hold-
ing it down for everybody, to being an
integral part of the music where they’re
conversing with the soloists, making
mood changes, directing the dynamics
as well as being creative within what the
song is.
Favorites: Any and every Tony
Williams solo. Emergency!, Spring, Life
Time, Believe It, the stuf he did with
V.S.O.P., “Dual Mr. Anthony Tillmon
Williams Process” with Miles—there’s
not one solo that I’ve heard that I don’t
like.
Nasheet Waits
here’s a few diferent templates that
they try to it the drum solo into. Nowa-
days, soloing over a vamp at the end of
a tune seems to be the
favorite go-to area, not
so much unaccompa-
nied or playing over the
form. hat can pigeon-
hole the drummer into
doing the kind of inter-
pretation that gets the
people up—“I’m gonna
play some fast, loud
shit”—which doesn’t
necessarily represent
the music that well. It’s
a tired template that’s
been used too much,
and I feel turned of by
it. It’s like handing you
a menu but telling you
what to order. You see
all the other options,
but you don’t really get
the opportunity to enjoy them.
In the minds of most, the drum solo
seems diferent from a piano solo or
a horn solo, but I don’t think of it like
that. When Max Roach played with
Cliford Brown, he was soloing over the
forms of those tunes. It wasn’t like he
was using a diferent set of standards.
It was inclusive, in a sense. I prefer to
work within the musical context. It’s
when it gets into that corny, contrived
area than I’m not as motivated to create.
he trajectory becomes known before
you even start, so there’s no mystery in
what’s going to happen.
My father [drummer Freddie Waits]
was really a masterful soloist. I remem-
ber seeing him on quite a few occasions
where all the other musicians would
leave the stage and my father would
have an extended time, almost a concert
within a concert. Billy Higgins and
Rashied Ali would do the same thing. It
would become almost a master class in
theme and development: using an idea,
developing it, inverting it, twisting and
turning it and then coming back to it.
Favorites: Max Roach, “For Big
Sid,” Drums Unlimited (1966)
Philly Joe Jones, “Gone,” Miles Davis,
Porgy and Bess (1959)
Freddie Waits, “Inner Passions Out,”
Lee Morgan, he Last Session (1972)
— My father takes his solo at the end of
the tune, but it doesn’t serve the purpose
of being the big, climactic drum solo.
he bass solo ends and then the drum
solo emerges out of the tapestry of the
rhythm section. It weaves like a cloth
throughout the whole song, and it’s not
like somebody takes a shear and cuts
the cloth and now it’s your turn. You get
that sense of a seamless transition.
Matt
Wilson
Drummers are usually [relegated to]
trading fours, but you try playing four-
bar solos all night. We want to have
time to develop ideas and breathe and
explore, and that usually doesn’t happen
within four bars. I think they should be
given as much room as the other solo-
ists. It all depends on balance.
I’m still pretty marveled by the physi-
cal drum solos, where it’s just a display
of prowess. here’s always going to be
that part of me that gets thrilled, but as
I get older that’s a very small percent-
age. I’ve always loved the solos where
you can really hear the tune, and where
there’s real surprises. Leaving space is
one of the scariest things. he problem
is the sustain aspect. We can’t hold
notes. So when we have to leave space,
we have to really welcome the space.
For me, composition is always the
thing. Dewey Redman used to have me
improvise on everything, especially the
ballads. Most drum solos tend to be on
fast songs, aggressive songs. But I really
like playing on slow tunes. Just because
there’s not distinct pitches on the drums
doesn’t mean it’s not melodic, and just
because you’re playing piano doesn’t
mean you’re playing melodically. Roy
Haynes is one of the greatest improvis-
JAZZTIMES.COM 41
 ers on the planet on any instrument, as
far as playing over songs. Bill Stewart,
too. I always remember John Scoield
saying, “It’s embarrassing when the
drummer plays better solos over the
changes than everybody else does.”
Favorites: Roy Haynes, “Snap
Crackle,” Out of the Afternoon (1962)
Billy Higgins, “When Will the Blues
Leave?,” Don Cherry, Art Deco (1989)
Joe Morello, “Take Five,” he Dave
Brubeck Quartet, Time Out (1959) —
When it’s on the radio I still listen to it.
here’s one spot where he plays these
bass drum hits and he spaces them out
just right.
Eric Harland
I love soloing. I feel like it’s the one time
I don’t have to be completely considerate
of everyone on the bandstand. It’s just a
free moment of me being able to express
myself, whatever ideas that are coming
to me, and allowing them to just low
through. It’s a diferent crat when you
have to take all the information that’s
coming to you and ilter it through
what’s happening on stage.
A really great solo, one that honors
the form of the song, has to do with
storytelling. When I listen to a drum-
mer play a solo, I want to hear where
he’s coming from. It mostly has to do
with the purity of the moment—what-
ever feels most authentic to that player.
he solos of my own that I feel just fall
apart come when I’m not honoring the
moment. A lot of times drummers can
get too much into their own heads.
hey stop listening to what’s happening
and try to reconstruct something that
they’ve already done in their practice
routine. I speak from experience—you
lose the context. It’s like jumping from
one song to another without having any
type of segue so that people can go on
that journey with you.
Favorites: To be honest, I don’t
intimately know that many drum solos.
When I solo, I try to sound like horn
players and piano players, so I know
more piano and horn solos than I know
drum solos: John Coltrane, Johnny Grif-
in, Miles Davis, helonious Monk.
Jeff Hamilton
Earlier this year I was interviewed by a
German critic who asked me about the
importance of Gene Krupa playing the
irst drum solo that was brought to the
masses. I think they were looking for my
take on how wonderful that was, but in-
stead I said that it opened a lot of doors
for drummers to solo when they weren’t
capable of doing it. A lot of times the
drummer doesn’t have anything to say,
and I’d like to fast-forward through to
the head.
My favorite soloists didn’t ex-
hibit a lot of technique for the sake of
technique exhibition. I like drummers
that think like a horn
player and utilize the
rudiments of drum-
ming to get that
across. So many solos
don’t have dynamics,
don’t have phrasing. I
prefer to hear people
play melodies and tell
me what kind of day
they’ve had. I think
every jazz musician
plays their personal-
ity. If you’re a tough
guy, you’ve got to look
for the gentle side; if
you’re a quiet person,
you’ve got to look for
the iery side.

Favorites: Max
Roach, “he Drum
Also Waltzes” and
“For Big Sid,” Drums
Unlimited (1966)
Shelly Manne, “Un
Poco Loco,” Shelly
Manne & His Men,
FRANCIS WOLFF/MOSAIC IMAGES

Swinging Sounds
(1956)
Mel Lewis, “Wind-
lower,” Mel Lewis and
Friends (1977)
• Tony Williams at Grachan Moncur III’s Evolution session,
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1963

42 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

 Rudy
Royston
here’s a certain type
of tune that drums
always get to solo on,
but I think drummers
should be able to solo
at any moment on
any tune. Why not a
medium bossa? A great
solo is just like a great
movie or poem. You
have to give it in its
purest form. If you do
that, it will translate to
people. hey say it’s not
a melodic instrument,
but it’s not the instru-
ment that’s melodic;
it’s your idea that’s
melodic. With that
intention behind it and
making small refer-
ences to the rhythm of
the melody, people will
hear the notes. hey’ll
hear the tone. It’ll hit
FRANCIS WOLFF/MOSAIC IMAGES

them while you’re play-

ing. It’s about how we’re
translating that mes-
sage and how people
are receiving it. Or we
can just beat a bunch
of impressive drums. I
think I’m just getting
old and I’m tired of doing that.
You can get the same result from
playing a solo that’s based in something
that people can feel and understand as
something that’s impressive to see and
hear. You could play one snare drum
hit and if it has meaning and content, it
will give you the same result as that last-
song-of-the-night, “give the drummer
some” thing. Let me give you something
that you can feel, and that’s going to feel
better when the song is over.
Favorites: Art Blakey, “Bu’s De-
light,” Art Blakey & he Jazz Messen-
gers, Buhaina’s Delight (1963)
Jack DeJohnette, “Straight, No
Chaser,” Keith Jarrett at the Blue Note
(1995)
Brian Blade, “Jazz Crimes,” Joshua Red-
man, Elastic (2002)— It’s rhythmic and
simple and not too much. here’s no drum
point to it. here’s a music point to it.
• Freddie Waits at Donald Byrd’s Mustang session,
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1966
Sherrie Maricle
I always like to make the joke that one of
the reasons I became a bandleader was
so I could play more solos. I ind myself
quite disappointed when I hear groups
where there’s maybe one drum solo in a
set. We’re in a time when the drummer
should be considered, in most cases,
equal to the horn players.
One of the key things is to really pay
attention to the song you’re playing. I
ind it funny when it comes time for
a drum solo or trading fours and it
sounds like John Bonham in Led Zep-
pelin. It’s like song, song, song, DRUM,
song. he drum solo should not sound
like it’s totally foreign to the vibe being
created by the group you’re working
with. I’ll be bored very quickly if it’s just
pyrotechnics, no matter who’s playing.
Listening to someone practice études is
not exciting.
Drummers, especially in a big band,
are also soloing in the context of ills.
Whether it’s kicking a big band or
leading into a new chorus—we call
them ills, but they’re really short solos.
Papa Jo Jones’ very famous two quarter
notes, the incredible way Buddy Rich
kicked the band. Shadow Wilson had
that famous ill on “Queer Street” that
all drummers know. hat’s an example
of striking creativity in the context of a
straight-ahead swing tune.
Gene Krupa and Chick Webb and
people like that pulled the drums to the
forefront, but what Ari Hoenig is doing,
to have the drum set as a full-ledged
melodic instrument, has really changed
the instrument. I don’t understand why
he’s not on the cover of Time magazine.
Favorites: Buddy Rich, “West Side
Story Medley,” Swingin’ New Band
(1966)

JAZZTIMES.COM 43
 Mel Lewis, “Greetings and Saluta-
tions,” had Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz
Orchestra, New Life (1976) — he tune
is funk but with an almost hip-hop vibe,
a very subtle swing to it. Mel’s solo,
where you think he’d be playing funk, is
the purest acoustic, creative, subtle solo.
hat was a lesson for me.
Ari Hoenig, “Anthropology,”
Inversations (2006)
Justin Faulkner
All solos should have a certain level of
logic. he idea of theme and varia-
tion is a very important factor. Pick a
theme that’s indicative of the melody,
then dissect it and igure out ways to
manipulate it so that it tells a story.
Baby Dodds has been called the inven-
tor of the modern drum set, and he
would play the most simplistic phrases,
the kinds of rhythms that children’s
nursery rhymes are based on. here’s
a reason why they stuck with people:
because it feels familiar. It has a vocal
quality to it. It’s honest. When I’m
playing a solo, I’m sometimes think-
ing about the way that Lester Young
or Charlie Parker approached playing
a melody. Drum solos are set apart
when there’s a melody, there’s func-
tion, there’s logic, and there’s intensity.
hose are my pillars.
he intensity of an Art Blakey solo,
especially when he’s playing the bass
drum on a four-on-the-loor thing, is
so incredibly powerful because there’s
this push and energy that’s propelling
the solo. Some people are very big on
playing the “jazz vocabulary” but they
forget that this is music,
too. I think we’ve lost
the entertainment fac-
tor. Don’t get me wrong,
I don’t want to be a
comedian on stage, but
drum solos are at times
the most exciting parts
of a record or a show.
And if there’s no point
to what you’re doing, it’s
like you’re telling a joke
without a punchline.
Vernel Fournier’s ap-
proach to playing each
[Ahmad Jamal Trio]
song, if we took out Ah-
mad Jamal and Israel
Crosby, would probably
44 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
be some of the greatest drum solos in
the world. His approach to playing a
song has a singular element, but it’s
always in service of the music. If drum
solos could have the foresight that he
has, people would enjoy them a bit
more. I also like giving love to people
who are alive. Nasheet Waits plays the
drums in a way where it’s a voice, it’s
not just a beat-keeping mechanism.
He’s someone that could take multiple
drum solos and he’s going to approach
each one based on the song and the
overall tone of the set. He understands
drama.
Favorites: Baby Dodds, “Drum
Improvisation #1,” Baby Dodds Trio,
Jazz A’la Creole, (recorded 1946, re-
leased 2000)
Elvin Jones, “Summertime,” Elvin
Jones/Richard Davis, Heavy Sounds
(1967) — hat was one of the irst drum
solos that really hit me. He’s playing
the form. You can hear each section of
the song. If you were to sing the melody
along with whatever he was playing at
that time, it’s clear that he’s spelling it
out to you.
Andrew Cyrille, “Places Birds Fly
From,” Søren Kjærgaard/Ben Street/
Andrew Cyrille, Open Opus (2010)
Billy Hart
he drum solo should be done as clearly
as possible. In other words, it should be
interesting and musical. Interesting to
yourself, irst of all, and hopefully that
interest transfers to whoever is listening
to it: the guys in the band and the audi-
• Ari Hoenig in Vancouver, 2011 all be Max Roach.” JT
ence. Improvisation implies composi-
tion, so all of the drummers that I grew
up adoring were composers, from a
rhythmic perspective.
When I think of the drummer, I
think of him more like a conductor in a
European classical ensemble. How does
a conductor keep perfect time for 80
musicians? He does it from his knowl-
edge of the piece and the enthusiasm
that knowledge produces. hat’s what
the “multiple percussionist,” as Max
Roach called the drum set player, does:
He provides that kind of guidance and
enthusiasm. hat’s what I try to do with
my solos: it’s dynamics, it’s musicality,
it’s multicultural, it’s democratic.
In America, this one country has all
of these diferent cultures in one place.
We’ve agreed to share our ethnicities,
so what we’ve come up with involves all
these diferent contributions from all
these diferent cultures. From the Euro-
pean perspective, we deal with the har-
monic movement. hen Charlie Parker
and Dizzy Gillespie and those guys
began to embrace the Afro-Caribbean,
so that creeps into your vocabulary also.
Improvisation includes representation,
so it implies the possibility of world
peace as we get rid of our nationalistic
instincts. I think the kind of solos I want
to take relect as much as I know about
all these diferent cultures.
Favorites: Most drummers, at
least from my generation if not from
all of the post-bop generations, relate
to the drum solos that Max Roach
played on the Max Roach/Cliford
Brown recordings.
I’ll put it in Elvin
Jones’ words. I went
to see Elvin around
the time he’d been
with Coltrane for
about a year and I
was perplexed by
him. I was standing
there watching him
take his drums down
and I couldn’t move.
So he called me up to
the drums and said,
“Now, don’t ask me to
PETER GANNUSHKIN
show you anything.
Because if I could
show you, we would
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 Sound
advice
AudioFiles
Controlled Spin
COOL ACCESSORIES THAT CAN MAKE VINYL RECORDS SOUND
BETTER—WITH LESS HASSLE
By Brent Butterworth
C
ontrary to almost all predic-
tions, vinyl record sales
just keep on growing: up 9
percent in 2017 versus 2016,
capping 12 years of sales growth for a
format that was once declared dead.
Not only has this growth inspired the
production of countless new vinyl
records, turntables, and cartridges, but
it’s also spawned a whole new genera-
tion of accessories to help make your
records cleaner, longer-lasting, and
better-sounding. And thanks to eicient
OTTO LINK VINTAGE
BY JJ BABBITT
You asked for the playability and sound
of the early Otto Links and we listened.
With structural changes both
inside and out “the sound” of
yesteryear has been recaptured.
www.jjbabbitt.com
AudioFiles: A guide to keeping your records in top condition
overseas manufacturing, many of them
cost no more now than they might have
when vinyl sales peaked in 1978.
Here are some of the coolest new
vinyl accessories, all as suitable for
newbies as they are for veteran enthusi-
asts—and a couple of them priced about
as low as a typical new 180-gram record.
Pangea Audio Vulcan TT
turntable stand/rack
You pretty much have to have a tradi-
tional stereo system to use a turntable,
because few wireless speakers and
headphone amps offer the necessary
connections for one. The Vulcan TT
is the perfect home for a vinyl-focused
stereo. The top is 27.5 inches off the
ground, ideal height for a turntable.
There’s a shelf below to hold an in-
tegrated amp or stereo receiver, and
room at the bottom for more than 100
records. At just $99.95 in black and
$129.95 in wood or carbon-fiber finish,
it comes in at a price that neophytes
will especially appreciate.
Record Doctor record clamp
A record clamp is one of the simplest
and most cost-efective ways to make
your records sound better, because it
presses them lat against the mat of the
turntable to minimize or eliminate the
efects of minor warps in the record.
You can spend as much as $1,000 for
one, but the Record Doctor clamp more
than gets the job done for $29.95. Just
place the record on the spindle, put
the clamp on top, and give the knob a
gentle twist to lock it down and keep the
record lat and in place.
Music Hall Mat
he thin felt platter mats that come with
most afordable turntables are like the
strings that manufacturers put on new
guitars: hey’re only there to get you
started, and it’s assumed you’ll change
them out quickly. A higher-quality mat
helps the platter get a better grip on the
record while absorbing minor vibrations
coming up through the turntable stand.
One of the best is the $50 Music Hall
Mat, which supports the record on 12
small cork discs surrounding a larger
cork disc in the center. It’s like hav-
ing 13 mini-shock absorbers for your
records.
Onzow Zerodust stylus
cleaner
Most jazz record collectors I know spin
everything from pristine new 180-gram
special releases to decades-old Prestige
and Blue Note sides they found at a lea
market for $1. he older and more beat-
up the record, the more likely it is to
clog the stylus (or needle) with dirt and
tiny bits of vinyl. Cleaning this debris
of the fragile stylus with a brush can
be daunting, but the Onzow Zerodust makes it easy. Just
lower the stylus onto the Zerodust’s special ultra-sot
plastic, then raise it again, and the dust stays on the
Zerodust. he company says an occasional gentle wash
with soap and water is all that’s needed to keep the $39
Zerodust working for years.

Record Doctor V record cleaning

machine
Record cleaning is especially vital for jazz fans who
dig through bargain bins for used sides of question-
able condition, but unless you have a record-cleaning
machine, it’s a labor-intensive task. At $199, the Record
Doctor V is one of the least expensive record-cleaning
machines, but it still does a great job; the big diference
between it and higher-priced units is that you have to
turn the record manually. To clean a record, place it on
the Record Doctor V, apply the supplied cleaning luid,
lip the record over, and spin it a few times. he machine
will clean the grit out of the grooves, then vacuum up
the cleaning luid so you don’t have to lean your records
against the wall to dry.

SweetVinyl Sugarcube SC-1

he Sugarcube SC-1 is probably the most revolutionary
vinyl accessory in history because it eliminates vinyl’s
most annoying problem: those pops, clicks, and crackles
you can hear even on clean, lightly played records. he
SC-1 uses digital audio processing to scan the audio
signal coming of a phono cartridge; analyze that signal
for clicks and pops; and then subtract them in a way that
doesn’t afect the music. he SC-01 connects between
a phono preamp and a preamp, or via a preamp’s tape
loop. he process can be controlled through a front-
panel display or a smartphone app. At $1,999, the SC-1 is
a long way from inexpensive, but if it elevates a stack of
beat-up yet cherished original releases from intolerable
to enjoyable, it’s probably worth it. JT
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 Sound
advice
Chops
Before & After Listening Session: Kendrick Scott
Houston Pride
KENDRICK SCOTT, CHRIS DAVE, AND OTHERS PRAISE
THEIR HOMETOWN MENTORS AND INSTITUTIONS FOR
FOSTERING A UNIQUELY TEXAN DRUMMING STYLE
By Evan Haga
L
ast December, the drummers Chris
Dave, 44, Eric Harland, 41, and
Kendrick Scott, 38, found them-
selves on old stomping ground,
milling about the hallways of Houston’s
High School for the Performing and
Visual Arts (HSPVA). hey had returned
for the annual holiday-season “DocFest”
beneit, which raises money for a music
scholarship fund, and decided to take a
surreal detour down memory lane.
“We all went to the band room and
just stood in there and looked at each oth-
er—like, ‘Wow,’” Scott recalls, chuckling.
“And then everybody looked at the [wall
of] plaques, and I’ll tell you the truth:
I remember seeing each of their names
on there, but I never made all-state. …
To this day, that’s one of my motivating
factors. hat always irked me. I don’t even
think I made all-region band.”
he absurd thought that the Kend-
rick Scott—Blue Note recording artist,
rhythmic anchor for Terence Blanchard
50 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
• Kendrick Scott
and Charles Lloyd—couldn’t cut it has
an air of inspirational lore. But this is
Houston, arguably America’s premier
incubator for game-changing drum-
mers. Survey forward-looking jazz, not
to mention neo-soul and hip-hop, over
the past couple decades and you’ll notice
that several of the most luidly virtuosic
sticksmen have Houston roots. And as
stylistically divergent as HSPVA alumni
like Dave, Harland, Scott, Jamire Wil-
liams, Mark Simmons and Reggie Quin-
erly can get, an aesthetic through line
does emerge—namely, that their mastery
of syncopation, odd time, and rhythmic
iligree always feels grooving and lowing.
So where does it come from?
“What we kind of call the Houston
bloodline,” Dave tells me, “starts with this
cat named Craig Green.” Now 64, Green is
a renowned educator whose own mentor-
ship came via another Houston great,
Conrad O. “Prof” Johnson. As a teenager,
Green powered Johnson’s Kashmere Stage
Band, the strikingly precocious R&B
and jazz ensemble featured in 2011’s
award-winning, Jamie Foxx-produced
documentary hunder Soul. A thought-
ful man with a irm but gentle demeanor
in conversation, Green began teaching
Harland when he was six, but inherited
most of his famous pupils as their middle-
school drum instructor and band direc-
tor. To hear him expound is to go down a
checklist of what makes Houston’s all-star
drummers so soulfully state-of-the-art.
First there’s the mission statement:
“[he drum kit is] an instrument that
MATHIEU BITTON
needs to be studied and respected as
much as any other instrument,” he says.
Concepts of polyrhythm and four-way
coordination are bolstered by the fact that
Green is a let-handed musician who can
play and teach right-handed with ease.
“hat started the whole thought, in sixth
grade, of ‘Anything you do with your right
hand, you should be able to do with your
let,’” Dave says, and Green adds that that
dictum extends to feet. He also encour-
ages students to accent and respond to the
hidden nooks and pockets of 4/4 time. “I
used to say, ‘It’s always good to play of the
offbeat,’” Green explains. “‘Try to ill in
that space that’s not common.’”
But even more important than any
speciic musical instruction is a general
desire to empower, something else he
inherited from Johnson. “My philoso-
phy that I got from Conrad was to never
underestimate the capabilities of young
people,” he says. “Don’t expect them
to sound like middle-school kids just
because they’re middle-school kids.”
When asked why Houston is such
a fertile jazz breeding ground, Green
underscores a comprehensive system
of formal instruction that follows
gited students from elementary school
through junior high, Houston’s vener-
ated Summer Jazz Workshop and HSP-
VA, which functions like four years of
elite college prep. “Once I got to New
York, once I got to the New School,
I was like, ‘Oh, this is just like high
school for us,’” Williams says. Over
the years, Green has told his promising
students that they might need to leave
Houston for better opportunities—with
some stipulations. For one, they should
continue to respect the kit and develop
their skills. “My greatest concern for
them was that they’d get to New York
and get snatched up [for a gig] and
stop growing,” he says. And his other
request: “Remember to leave me tickets
at will-call, because I know y’all are
going to blow up.”
Alongside that intensive public-school
education was another institution that
nurtured outstanding musicianship while
building community. “We had to play in
church,” Harland says, starting to laugh.
“It was like, ‘Mom said you gotta come
to church and you gotta play.’” “Gotta” is
an understatement; Harland, like Scott
and Williams, grew up with a mother
who worked as a celebrated gospel choir
and music director, making church and
family life inextricable. “For me, music is
always about purpose,” Scott says. “Play-
ing music in the church gave us insight
into what the music is about—before we
even learned what we were doing.”
“here’s a lot of diferent music go-
ing on [in Houston]. But we all come up
through gospel, and being able to support
the band and choir,” Williams says. In-
deed, Houston has long been a scene with-
out the sort of musical/political baggage
that separates one genre from another,
and the contemporary gospel that fostered
these drummers pulled from a wide range
of idioms. Underneath it all lies the notion
that feel is paramount. Playing in church,
Harland explains, formed a “founda-
tion of just knowing how to groove.” he
techniques behind that, he argues, have
created jazz drummers who approach
swing from within the kit rather than
relegating it to one cymbal. “I think we
hear swing like a style,” he says. “It doesn’t
have to necessarily come from the ride. It’s
an interpretation of the groove.”
“We deinitely have an openness to
our sound, a way of embodying a bottom-
up mentality,” Scott says. “A lot of drum-
mers jazz-wise think cymbals down. We
still do think that way, but we [also] think
drums up. hat’s the way it feels when I
hear cats from Houston, because you can
hear the gospel inluence, which is pretty
much like drums from the bottom up.
From the top down doesn’t have the same
weight, and I think Houston drummers
play with a lot of weight.”
When I told Scott that Harland
expressed nearly identical thoughts
earlier that day, he laughed but also
seemed genuinely touched. “Really?” he
asked. “My big brother said that? I’m on
the right path then.” Which points up
yet another integral element of Houston
excellence: a constant creative rapport,
laced with wisecracking tough love,
that’s shared among peers or with drum-
mers slightly older or younger. “It’s ‘Each
one teaches one,’” Scott says.
Dave recalls revelatory hangs with
Sebastian Whittaker, a legendary Houston
drummer who passed in 2016 at 49,
and whose sightlessness allowed him to
develop otherworldly ears—enabling him,
for instance, to narrate the movements in
Art Blakey concert footage with precision,
based solely on what he was hearing. Whit-
taker could play “swing to where you’d
think he never did anything else but just
swing,” Dave remembers. “If he wanted to
play reggae, he’d play it as if he only likes
reggae. … I took that [concept] and kind
• Craig Green in a sequence from Thunder Soul
of amped it up.” Likewise, Dave would
shed with Harland, his cousin, when the
former came home from college on breaks.
Harland in turn worked with Scott.
Even beyond Houston, the city’s her-
itage has found ways to carry on. Case
in point: Williams’ irst teacher, Lester
Grant, told him stories about Houston
swing authority Michael Carvin, who’d
let his hometown decades ago for the
jazz life in New York. “So once I got to
the city,” Williams says, “it was only
right that we connected.”
Back in the band room at HSPVA,
Scott still felt the sting of not seeing his
name on those all-star plaques. hat
shortcoming inspired him to double
down on practice coming out of high
school, and ater gigging three nights a
week while studying at Berklee, things
began to click. hen, as now, the plaques
represented a lineage of greatness he
aspired to join. “When we went back to
the room, it hit me again. And of course
I had to be standing with [Harland and
Dave]. So it refocused me.
“And then one of the young
drummers, Joshua Green, had just
walked in the room,” Scott continues.
“I looked at him, like, ‘This is crazy.’
[laughs] Because he’s about to come to
Manhattan School of Music, where I’m
teaching. So it’s really cool to see the
continuum. It’s incredible.” JT
JAZZTIMES.COM 51
Reviews
• “Tuneful gentleness”: Gilad Hekselman
GILAD HEKSELMAN
ASK FOR CHAOS (Hexophonic Music/Motéma)
Despite its title, Gilad
Hekselman’s Ask for
Chaos has a tuneful
gentleness that may tempt
some to presume the
music is all surface and not listen any
deeper. It’s an understandable reaction,
given the amount of electronic efects
applied here, but equating processing
with a lack of depth is a mistake,
because there’s quite a lot going on
beneath those burnished textures.
Hekselman fronts two trios here,
which requires some adjustment. he
irst is the gHex Trio, with double-
bassist Rick Rosato and drummer
Jonathan Pinson. Presumably the name
stems from the hexaphonic pickup used
for guitar synthesis; certainly Heksel-
man presents an unusually wide array
of timbres and textures with the group,
52 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
as when the head to “Milton” seems to
suggest the addition of piano. But the
interplay, particularly between guitar
and bass, is surprisingly free, with
plenty of prodding from Rosato.
he other trio is ZuperOctave, with
Aaron Parks on piano and electronic
keyboards and Kush Abadey on
drums. As with Parks’ own fusion-
ish band Little Big, the textures and
grooves draw heavily from R&B, but
the melodic and harmonic content is
much more complex, oten manag-
ing to be as demanding as it is pretty.
hat’s particularly the case with the
prog-inlected “Home to You,” but
both “VBlues” and the sci-i-titled
“Prologu00001101” demonstrate that
these three can put teeth into the mu-
sic when needed. Still, those with an
aversion to ’80s-style clap samples will
probably want to skip “Clap Clap.”
J.D. CONSIDINE
MIGUEL ZENÓN FEATURING
SPEKTRAL QUARTET
YO SOY LA TRADICIÓN (Miel)
he evolution of Miguel
Zenón has been unpre-
dictable and intriguing.
Along with being the lone
remaining charter
member in the SFJazz Collective octet
and the longtime leader of a whirlwind
postbop quartet, the altoist has
developed a fertile catalog of work
blending jazz with the folkloric roots of
his native Puerto Rico. Originally
goosed along by funding from the
Guggenheim and a MacArthur “genius
grant” fellowship, he’s targeted speciic
genres, composers, and themes related
to the island, variously utilizing a large
woodwind and brass ensemble, a big
band, and spoken-word interviews to
help mine this vein over the course of a
half-dozen discs.
Now comes Yo Soy La Tradición (I
Am the Tradition), comprising eight
JOSH GOLEMAN
Zenón originals for alto saxophone
and string quartet, both creatively and
structurally inspired by the mores and
rhythms of Puerto Rico’s religious,
cultural, and musical traditions. he
relative absence of improvisation
makes it an acquired taste for jazz fans,
but Zenón’s frequently beautiful scores,
woven through Chicago’s Spektral
Quartet, are an arresting, increas-
ingly accessible blend of simplicity and
sophistication.
he eight pieces clock in at just over
an hour and most of them contain
memorable highlights worth revisiting.
Inspired by the jibaro music tradition
as pioneered by mid-20th-century sing-
er German Rosario, “Yumac” features
multiple pizzicato strings gamboling in
a dart-and-parry fashion, then extend-
ing into long unison lines that course
alongside Zenón’s alto until he departs
on a glorious solo. he celebration of
hree Kings Day provokes Zenón’s in-
est writing on “Promesa,” a gorgeous,
cello-laden swirl of bucolic buoyance
reminiscent of Maria Schneider’s work
for larger ensembles. “Viejo,” based
on the oldest example of the jibaro
tradition, is a perfectly timed, sparse,
and somber change of pace at the
album’s midpoint. “Rosario” (based
on the Catholic rosary) seems to quote
Copland’s Appalachian Spring, and
“Cadenza” moves from a stately intro to
some of Zenón’s most clarion, birdlike
passages before closing with handclaps
and a dollop of pizzicato.
Yo Soy La Tradición is another
gemstone in the ever-evolving mosaic
of Miguel Zenón’s musical and cultural
identity—better appreciated in context
than standing alone, but possessing
enough daring and insight to demon-
strate how his inner diversity is a tonic
for his artistry. BRITT ROBSON
DON ELLIS
THE LOST TAPES, VOL. 2 (Sleepy Night)
As a 1960s and ’70s
trumpeter, Don Ellis is
practically without
parallel. Possessed of a
clear, powerful tone, he
wrote challenging compositions for his
sophisticated big band that frequently
employed odd meters. Ellis’ soundtrack
for he French Connection took home a
Grammy. Eight more soundtracks,
including he Seven-Ups and French
Connection II, further documented his
unique sound, equal parts musical
experimentalism and mournful trumpet
within oten atmospheric arrangements.
Where it all would have led no one can
say; he sufered a fatal heart attack on
December 1, 1978, at the age of 44.
Ellis’ 20-plus albums span stylistically
from avant-garde to jazz-rock. Highlights
include Live in 3⅔/4 Time, Don Ellis Live
at Montreux, and Soaring (featuring
“Whiplash,” recently heard in the ilm of
the same name). he Lost Tapes, Vol. 2
adds to his canon, including live record-
ings that feature the equally brilliant
pianist, Milcho Leviev.
“A Rock Odyssey” opens the program
with Ellis and orchestra exploring one of
his trademark moody, dissonant pieces.
His large-scale works sometimes reach
bombastic levels of jazz-rock grandeur,
but their vibrance, dynamic breadth, and
groove are undeniable. “Without Joan”
is one such groover, pounded out to a
Wesleyan University audience in 1972.
“Cross Currents” is announced as being in
12/4, 6/4, 5/4, and 6/2; the intro to “Head
Quarters” conjures a lock of crazed
seagulls; “heme from French Connection
II” is a tense revelation, while “Go Back
Home” is brooding and powerful. he
Lost Tapes, Vol. 2 helps solidify Ellis’ place
as a composer, musician, arranger, and
American treasure. KEN MICALLEF
BARRE PHILLIPS
END TO END (ECM)
First, the bad news: In the
candid liner notes
accompanying his latest
(and, apparently, inal) solo
album, Barre Phillips tells
writer Steve Lake that this release
represents “the end of a cycle—not a
summing up, but the last pages of a journal
that began 50 years ago.” And the good
news? he renowned 83-year-old double
bassist, composer, and improviser brings
this career chapter to a compelling close.
Best known for his acclaimed collabora-
tions with a roster of ECM artists—Dave
Holland, John Surman, Terje Rypdal, et
al.—Phillips has also distinguished himself
in a series of inluential solo recordings
over the past half-century. he remarkable
skill set he displayed early on continues to
serve him well, as evidenced throughout
the three textured “movements” that com-
prise End to End. It’s all here: the deeply
resonant tone; the stirring arco lights; the
signature use of space, intervallic skips,
and harmonic overtones; the juxtaposition
of skittish sprints and elegantly tapered
resolutions; the steady low of appealing
motifs and evocative touches—ominous
minor seconds, anyone? Add to that some
vibrantly percussive interludes that will
likely delight fans of slap-bass funk, and
the introduction of alternately serene and
forbidding soundscapes. While the mix
of composed and improvised pieces was
sequenced post-session, the three group-
ings cohere, ofering vivid contrasts and
common threads. In the end, let to his
own gits and devices, Barre once again
leaves us wanting more. Here’s hoping.
MIKE JOYCE
AARON SHRAGGE & BEN
MONDER
THIS WORLD OF DEW (Human Resource)
Because the dewdrop is
both beautiful and
leeting, it has been used in
Buddhist teaching as a
metaphor for the
impermanence of existence. In the haiku
that gave his World of Dew its title, the
Japanese poet Kobayashi Issa makes a
similar point but adds, “and yet, and
yet”—a comment that speaks to the sense
of loss the human heart can feel even as the
mind tries to transcend its attachment to
the material.
hat’s a very deep thought to hang an
album on, and yet it perfectly its the mix
of paciic calm and unresolved longing that
sufuses the music here. For his World of
Dew, trumpeter Aaron Shragge and guitar-
ist Ben Monder expand on the haunting
electro-acoustic soundscapes of their
previous collaborations, not only layering
in additional levels of texture but intensify-
ing the rhythmic content through looping
repeated igures. “here Is Always One You
Follow,” for instance, balances a chiming,
chordal line from Monder’s guitar against
wispy electronics that alternately evoke
high strings and chanting monks. Burbling
beneath it, however, is Shragge’s eight-note
shakuhachi ostinato, a gentle pulse that
somehow makes the music seem both
meaty and transcendent.
hen again, these two are expert at
such dualities. Shragge’s “dragon mouth
trumpet”— a customized horn that boasts
both valves and slide—is a shape-shiting
delight, bending notes, stretching phrases,
and occasionally sounding like an anxious
kettle. Monder, meanwhile, sometimes
sounds like a guitarist, sometimes like an
orchestra, and occasionally like both at
once. Perhaps that’s how the music can
suggest such depths within its quiet, and
such harmonic richness within its lean
melodies and chords. As with haiku, it’s all
about using a little to say a lot.
J.D. CONSIDINE
BOBBY SANABRIA
MULTIVERSE BIG BAND
WEST SIDE STORY REIMAGINED (Jazzheads)
Drummer Bobby
Sanabria was born in the
South Bronx in 1957, the
same year West Side Story
opened on Broadway. As a
native New Yorker of
Puerto Rican descent who irst experienced
that musical through its 1961 ilm
adaptation, Sanabria was most transixed
by how well composer Leonard Bernstein’s
instrumental themes captured the Puerto
Rican lavor of New York’s Upper West
Side during that period. To celebrate the
JAZZTIMES.COM 53
 Reviews

show’s 60th anniversary last year, and what Trumpeter Kevin Bryan’s whistling and the Heisho) dig into the seminal rhythms that
would have been Bernstein’s 100th birthday ensemble’s inger snaps introduce the rival helped deine Latin jazz.
this year, Sanabria’s 22-piece Multiverse Big gangs during “Prologue,” which includes Disc two opens with Sanabria and
Band impressively recorded the double-disc a horn-heavy swing midsection between Abrantes chanting in Spanish about
West Side Story Reimagined in a single its strutting, percussion-driven main “Maria,” the production’s central female
night in late 2017 at Dizzy’s Club Coca- themes. he 6/8-timed “America” likewise character, leading to an accelerated,
Cola in Manhattan. spotlights the 13-piece horn section (plus intense percussion breakdown. Indeed, it’s
his is not an abridged medley like that lute)’s power, with stellar solos by pianist Sanabria’s percussive concept that most
of the Buddy Rich Big Band. Sanabria and Darwin Noguera and bassist Leo Traversa. reimagines West Side Story, as he, Abrantes,
company capture the feel of the entire pro- And on “Gym Scene - Blues/Mambo” and Gonzalez, and Heisho add congas, bongo
duction, from the Sharks-versus-Jets gang “Gym Scene - Cha Cha Cha,” Sanabria and and bata drums, cowbells, claves, guiros,
battles to the familiar, Romeo and Juliet-in- the band’s trio of percussionists (Oreste maracas, and more to strong readings of
spired cultural divide bridged by romance. Abrantes, Matthew Gonzalez, Takao “he Rumble/Rumba” and “Somewhere.”
Perhaps the only thing more powerful than
the music is the fact that a portion of the
release’s sales beneit the Jazz Foundation of
KANDACE SPRINGS America’s Puerto Rico Relief Fund, which
INDIGO (Blue Note) aids Sanabria’s ancestral island’s rebuilding
here is a tremendous less-is-more majesty to vocalist and pianist efort ater Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Kandace Springs’ sophomore release, its 13 tracks rarely featuring BILL MEREDITH
more than four players, yet each incredibly atmospheric. Apart
from drummer/percussionist Karriem Riggins, who produced or NOW VS. NOW
co-produced all but two of the cuts and plays on seven, there are THE BUFFERING COCOON (Jazzland)
no core bandmates. Instead, various conigurations were assembled to custom- Keyboardist Jason
tailor the mood and vibe. Citing Nina Simone as her inspiration, Springs Lindner irst gained
evinces a similarly powerful beauty, a satin ’n’ sinew verve, though her soul- notice leading a big band
infused sound more strongly suggests Cassandra Wilson by way of Whitney at Smalls nightclub in
Houston. New York. He has a solid
here are covers: “People Make the World Go ’Round” and “he First Time résumé backing singers, playing Latin
Ever I Saw Your Face,” both respectfully true to the Stylistics and Roberta Flack jazz, and being an integral part of
originals; a swirling, gypsy-infused take on Jesse Harris’ “Black Orchid,” fueled various small, adventurous postbop
by the twin guitars of Harris and Anthony Wilson, and a passionate, lute- ensembles. Chick Corea once described
kissed interpretation of Gabriel Garzón-Montano’s “6 8.” But the focus is on him as “a musical universe.”
new compositions, including eight co-crated by Springs, exploring love’s many But as he nestles into his mid-forties,
facets, from obsession (the distinctly Adele-esque “Fix Me”) and codependence Lindner has increasingly purveyed his
(the lush “Breakdown”) to refuge (the anthemic, two-part title track, which to- widespread tastes through electronic
tals just 67 seconds). Heartache and romantic complications drive “Piece of Me,” instrumentation. Most notably, his
“Unsophisticated,” featuring trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and the opening “Don’t membership in Donny McCaslin’s
Need the Real hing,” written by Janelle Kroll and Jimmy Harry. To close, band landed him on David Bowie’s
Springs unites with her dad (and co-writer) Scat Springs, for “Simple hings,” a Blackstar album—producer Tony
sweet, tender nod to love’s unadorned pricelessness. CHRISTOPHER LOUDON Visconti called him “a godsend,” add-
ing, “We gave him some pretty far-out
chords and he brought a jazz sensibil-
ity to revoice them.”
For nearly a decade, the trio Now vs.
Now has been the paramount ensemble
with which Lindner has engaged his
personal muse through the various
permutations of electronic music. he
group’s third album, he Bufering Co-
coon, explores those rabbit holes more
than ever. For those who don’t know
darkwave from dubstep, or Aphex
Twin from Flying Lotus, it can be an
JEFF FORNEY

acquired taste.
Like the previous two records, the 10
songs and three “Bufering” interludes
• “Satin ’n’ sinew verve”: Kandace Springs on he Bufering Cocoon comprise a
parable related to science iction, social

54 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

justice, and the natural order. But for
electronic-music neophytes looking
for an organizing principle, the more
granular individual song titles are a bet-
ter guide. For example, “Cloud Fishing”
features delicately pooled notes from
an analog synthesizer, splash efects,
and an overall ambience that both wats
and loats. “Motion Potion” bumps up
from a jabbing, staccato intro into a
proto-’80s dance song via blocky, cheesy
keyboard chords and rifs reminiscent
of that era.
Other tracks are just pleasant fun on
their own terms. “Glimmer” layers a
prevailing drum rif (from newcomer
Justin Tyson, who has the tall task of
replacing Lindner’s McCaslin/Blackstar
and former Now vs. Now cohort Mark
Guiliana) with doodles from bassist
Panagiotis Andreou, and laccid timbre
keyboard efects from Lindner. “he
Scarecrow” has a relatively sturdy song
structure festooned with handclaps and
helium vocals from Lindner’s partner in
the group Oscillations, Sasha Masa-
kowski. “Silkworm Society” stands out
for its textural range—sot keys, bulbous
bass, chiming bell samples. Feel free to
hum along. BRITT ROBSON
MARK WINKLER &
CHERYL BENTYNE
EASTERN STANDARD TIME (Café Pacific)
Five years ago, Mark
Winkler teamed with
Manhattan Transfer’s
Cheryl Bentyne to shape
West Coast Cool, a
terriic salute to the chill jazz vibe that
poured forth from California in the late
’50s and early ’60s. hey’ve now shited
their focus to the same era’s New York
scene, with equally scintillating results.
Manhattan’s then-hippest tunesmiths,
Fran Landesman and Tommy Wolf, are
given the most play, alongside compa-
rably dynamic duos Cy Coleman and
Carolyn Leigh, Howard Dietz and
Arthur Schwartz, and Broadway
stalwarts Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Seven of the 11 tracks are duets,
including a breezy take on Peggy Lee’s
“Things Are Swingin’,” a sizzling
bossa treatment of Bob Dorough’s
“Devil May Care,” a laidback read-
ing of Wolf ’s playful “You Smell So
Good,” and a superb blending of the
Wolf/Landesman masterpiece “Ballad
of the Sad Young Men” with Franc-
esca Blumenthal’s sagely contempla-
tive “The Lies of Handsome Men.”
Most unexpected, and most intrigu-
ing, is their saunter through “Walk
on the Wild Side,” Lou Reed’s homage
to the f lamboyant denizens of Andy
Warhol’s studio.
Bentyne goes solo for a swing-
ing “he Gentleman Is a Dope” and
another Wolf/Landesman gem, “Spring
Can Really Hang You Up the Most.”
Winkler winningly navigates Dietz and
Schwartz’s wonderfully witty “Rhode
Island Is Famous for You.” If there’s
an outlier, it’s his “I Could Get Used
to his,” based on “Bumpin’.” Like
the Wes Montgomery original, it feels
more coolly let-coast. Still, there’s
no faulting the clever lyrics added by
Winkler, rich with romantic anticipa-
tion. CHRISTOPHER LOUDON
ALICE COLTRANE
SPIRITUAL ETERNAL: THE COMPLETE
WARNER BROS. STUDIO RECORDINGS
(Real Gone Music)
Alice Coltrane departed
from her corporeal
form in 2007, 40 years
ater the passing of her
more famous husband
and musical partner, John Coltrane.
And the inevitable reassessment and
enriched appreciation of her artistry is
belatedly underway.
Even if Alice hadn’t been slandered in
Yoko Ono-like fashion for supposedly
JAZZ STUDIES
PRESENTS
JAZZ
@THE SANDBAR
WEDS: 7-8:30 PM | UNO-THE COVE
10/03 Ellis Marsalis: Pianist
10/10 Don Byron: Clarinetist
10/17 Mark Turner: Saxophonist
& Ethan Iverson: Pianist
10/24 Danilo Pérez: Pianist
10/31 Ashlin Parker: Trumpeter
11/07 Phil Degruy: Guitarist
11/14 Jeremy Pelt: Trumpeter
For more information: www.nojc.org/sandbar
catalyzing the breakup of the hallowed
John Coltrane Quartet, most jazz fans
and pundits would still have been
woefully unprepared for her next act.
Her husband’s (and her own) rapturous
bent toward Eastern religious music led
her to create an intoxicating mélange
that included jazz, Euroclassical, funk,
and, most prominently, chant-songs
that melded Hindu devotional hymns
with the gospel blues testimony of her
Detroit roots.
Spiritual Eternal encompasses the
three studio albums Coltrane made for
Warner Brothers over a two-year period
ater leaving her husband’s label, Im-
pulse!, in 1975. She was in the midst of
an extraordinary transition, relocating
across the country to California, receiv-
ing divine inspiration in 1976 to re-
nounce secular life and become a Hindu
swamini, and founding the Vedantic
Center, which still stands today as the
Sai Anantam Ashram. he collection
underscores Coltrane’s most remark-
able feat: She became a master musician
and a spiritual guru in the same way, by
presenting all her accumulated wisdom
in a welcoming synthesis.
Eternity, recorded in the summer and
fall of ’75 as the irst Warners album
on Spiritual Eternal, is a confounding
pastiche, only partially grounded by the
rhythm section of bassist Charlie Haden
and drummer Ben Riley. An open-
ing blues in 12/8 (“Spiritual Eternal”),
complete with orchestra, yields to the
glissando harp of “Wisdom Eye,” fol-
JAZZTIMES.COM 55
 Reviews

lowed by a 12-minute Afro-Cuban funk he other two albums, Radha-Krsna Coltrane plays harp. “Om Namah
workout with Coltrane on Wurlitzer and Nama Sankirtana and Transcendence, Sivaya” unfurls a wonderful 19-minute
an uncredited Carlos Santana on tim- beneit from both the organizing clar- exchange between her Wurlitzer and
bales (“Los Caballos”). “Om Supreme” is ity and pervasive ecstasy of her divine drums by John Jr.’s drums.
a disastrous early chant song; Coltrane intervention. he former, recorded in Transcendence, from May 1977,
learned later to deploy her students August 1976, features incredibly happy again sweeps the stylistic spectrum.
on such material, instead of using pro songs fueled by sparkling keyboards Coltrane’s musicianship elevates the
vocalists who proved to be too stif for and spirited vocals and handclaps music throughout, from her dreamy yet
it. “Morning Worship” is free-form jazz (“Govinda Jai Jai” and “Hare Krishna”), emotionally infused harp over a string
anchored by the Eastern drone of a tam- some rare and beautiful acoustic piano quartet on the title song and “Radhe-
boura. And her original rearrangement from Coltrane on “Prema Muditha,” Shyam” to organ lines that could have
of “Spring Rounds,” from Stravinsky’s and better-than-you’d-imagine duets been copped from Booker T. during the
Rite of Spring, brings the orchestra back with her children. “Ganesha” inds call-and-response singalong on “Ghana
for a thrilling inale. her daughter Sita on tamboura while Nila.” “Vrindavana Sanchara” is a solo
opus with Coltrane on harp, chimes,
tambourine, and tamboura.
he live album Transfiguration ap-
DAYRAMIR GONZALEZ peared on Warners in 1978, but for the
THE GRAND CONCOURSE (Machat) next 26 years, new studio music from
he Grand Concourse is a major statement from pianist Dayramir Alice was only available through the
Gonzalez. It makes the most of the increasingly endangered Vedantic Center. Now all of it is more
70-plus-minute album format, featuring an overture, a thoughtful widely available, and like much of
musical dialogue between turn-of-the-20th-century Havana and Spiritual Eternal, it transcends the test
2010s New York (the album’s title is ater the Bronx’s main thor- of time by nourishing the soul, without
oughfare), and an escalating rhythmic aggression. It’s quite an achievement. judgment or preaching.
Indeed, that “Sencillez,” a delicate and remarkably authentic circa-1900 danza BRITT ROBSON
with string quartet and vocal chorus, can sit in close quarters with the iercely per-
cussive (thanks to guests Pedrito Martínez and Yosvany Terry) and contemporary STEVE TURRE
“Iyesa Con Miel” in a way that makes any sense at all is an achievement in itself. THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU (Smoke Sessions)
Rodriguez manages it simply by using the clave as a through-line, even as it shits Steve Turre is oten
tempo; he also lets loose with a lyrical, though still heavily syncopated, piano solo commended for his
on “Iyesa Con Miel” that serves as a tie-in to the gentle singsong lilt of “Sencillez.” ability to blow breakneck
(Another tour-de-force solo follows on “Blood Brothers,” sealing the package.) runs on the trombone
he other tracks aren’t minor considerations, either—not even the opening with the intricacy and
“Smiling,” despite its running under two minutes. In that short span, it manages agility of a trumpeter or alto saxophonist.
to squeeze in every aesthetic consideration from home-island vamps to jazz drum- Oten overlooked is the subtlety and
ming to electronic efects. (It’s followed by the much longer “Moving Forward,” a warmth he musters up when he’s not in a
sort of secondary, funkier overture.) he hard-edged “Two Makes the Diference” hurry, and it’s that side that’s the focus of
bears down with the intensity-of-groove of a Horace Silver composition, seem- most of this ballads-dominated set,
ing almost recorded live in the studio with an
to dare the impeccable core cast consisting of pianist
listener into a Kenny Barron, bassist Buster Williams,
standof … if and drummer Willie Jones III.
only it could Turre alternates here between stan-
stop wiggling dards and originals, incorporating a string
its shoulders. octet (four violins, two violas, two cellos,
he Grand arranged and conducted by Marty Sheller)
Concourse is on four tracks. hose, beginning with the
a conident album-opening Ray Noble-authored title
statement of cut, are about as sweet as can be—amid
Cuban-ness, the swells of orchestration, Turre keeps his
within and solo to the basics, avoiding the tempta-
without Cuba, tion to veer too far from the melody. “he
that belongs Shadow of Your Smile,” which features
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

in your ears. both the string section and guitarist Rus-

MICHAEL J. sell Malone (one of four tracks on which
WEST he guests), might have turned schmaltzy
• “A confident statement of Cuban-ness”: Dayramir Gonzalez in lesser hands, but Turre and Malone
know instinctively how and where—and

56 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

just how much—to assert themselves,
and when to hold back. Malone also
shines on the Harry Warren/Al Dubin-
composed standard “September in the
Rain,” putting serious swing into the
midtempo reading and giving the leader
a chance to rev things up a bit.
George Coleman is the other special
guest, dropping his tenor saxophone into
two tunes, including the other non-bal-
lad highlight, Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird
Suite.” No strings on this one, no guitar,
just a hell of a quintet iring it up. As
tender and sensual as Turre’s balladeer-
ing may be on the bulk of the album—
and for more of that, the “Danny Boy”
inale is one beautiful tearjerker—the
Bird blowout arrives at exactly the mo-
ment in he Very hought of You when
something with a bit more velocity is just
what’s called for. JEFF TAMARKIN
ORRIN EVANS AND THE
CAPTAIN BLACK BIG BAND
PRESENCE (Smoke Sessions)
he big Orrin Evans news
of the past year has,
undoubtedly, been the
pianist’s induction into
the Bad Plus following
the decision of that trio’s co-founder,
Ethan Iverson, to leave ater a decade
and a half. Fortunately, Evans’ new
endeavor still afords him enough time
to pursue creative outlets outside of
TBP, including the Captain Black Big
Band, which he founded in 2009.
Presence is their third album in all, and
irst in four years. he band now
features nine players at any given time,
half of what it once did, but it packs no
less of a punch.
Naturally, Evans’ duty as leader of a
nonet is decidedly diferent from serv-
ing as an equal component of a trio,
but he relishes both equally. He’s happy
to share the compositional and ar-
rangement roles with other band mem-
bers, and more than generous in doling
out the solo slots. From the swinging
show opener, “he Scythe,” contributed
by David Gibson (one of three trom-
bonists here), Evans is supported by a
simpatico crew that’s equally adept at
honoring big-band traditions and toss-
ing them aside. When Gibson’s ’bone
spotlight gives way to Evans’ own solo
late in the tune, the rhythm section of
bassist Madison Rast and drummer
Jason Brown has already turned in the
direction Evans is heading.
On “Flip the Script,” the title track
of one of Evans’ own trio recordings,
the pianist doesn’t temper the sham-
bolic nature of the original, but rather
gives the full big band his blessing
to take as much liberty as the tightly
framed arrangement allows them. he
frantic title track, authored by trum-
peter Josh Lawrence, also inds the
ensemble navigating a comfy balance
between playing as a team and bolting
from that very notion.
he nine tracks on Presence were
recorded live at two diferent Philadel-
phia venues, South Kitchen & Jazz Par-
lor and Chris’ Jazz Café, and they’re all
imbued with the kind of camaraderie
that comes only from tearing loose in
front of an adoring hometown crowd.
JEFF TAMARKIN
MARK TURNER/ETHAN IVERSON
TEMPORARY KINGS (ECM)
MIKKEL PLOUG/MARK TURNER
FAROE (Sunnyside)
Each of
these
two
duet
albums
features tenor saxophonist Mark Turner
working with someone with whom he
normally plays in a quartet. In the case of
Temporary Kings, that someone would be
pianist Ethan Iverson, who works with
Turner in drummer Billy Hart’s quartet;
Dafnis Prieto
Big Band
BACK TO THE SUNSET
“a 17-piece big band... alternately playing with heat and heart”
OUT
NOW!
Live! Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, Saturday, November 10
GO TO carnegiehall.org
on Faroe, it’s Danish guitarist Mikkel
Ploug, who invited the saxophonist into
the Mikkel Ploug Group in 2005. In both
cases, Turner’s distinctive sound is a key
part of the music’s appeal, but how it its
in is quite diferent on each.
Temporary Kings, recorded in Lugano,
Switzerland, is the more ethereal session,
drawing on the austerely cerebral legacy
of Lennie Tristano and Warne Marsh as
well as the intimate dynamics of chamber
music. Hard-swinging it’s not, but neither
does it sidestep jazz tradition. Instead, Iver-
son and Turner employ understatement,
suggestion, and artful feints to transform
the blues in “Unclaimed Freight” or boil a
chord progression down to its essence, as
with Marsh’s “Dixie’s Dillemna.”
Iverson’s playing draws freely from
the classical tradition; there are moments
in his solo piece, “Yesterday’s Bouquet,”
that would sit nicely next to a Debussy
Prélude. But it’s the exquisite sweetness
of Turner’s tenor, particularly as it arches
into altissimo register, that truly makes
this album sing. Indeed, the stunning, un-
accompanied irst minute of his “Myron’s
World” may be some of the best saxo-
phone playing you’ll hear this year.
Turner is also the lyric center of Faroe,
although for diferent reasons. Where
Iverson answers Turner’s questing phrases
with equally haunting melodicism, Ploug
oten holds up his side of things with in-
gerpicked arpeggios, answering melody
with harmony and rhythm. Playing either
steel-string acoustic or lightly ampliied
electric, Ploug’s guitar takes on a rippling,
—JAZZTIMES EDITOR’S PICK
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Reviews
percussive aspect that, on tunes like “Neu-
kölln,” follows Turner’s melancholic lines
like a wake on a smooth pond. Ploug’s role
isn’t strictly supportive; he gets in some
lovely counterpoint on the samba-inlect-
ed “Como,” and leads Turner through the
busy, near-unison leaps of “Steps.”
If there’s a complaint to be made about
Faroe, it’s that Ploug is too self-efacing in
his contributions. Sure, he wrote all the
material and no doubt takes pleasure in
hearing what Turner brings to the music,
but ater hearing the sweetly swinging
guitar solo in the middle of “Sea Minor,”
it’s hard not to wish for more.
J.D. CONSIDINE
WALKING DISTANCE
FEATURING JASON MORAN
FREEBIRD (Sunnyside)
No, we’re not talking
Lynyrd Skynyrd
requests here. Walking
Distance—the charm-
ingly cheeky and
technically adept combination of alto
saxophonist Caleb Curtis, tenor
saxophonist Kenny Pexton, bassist
Adam Coté, and drummer Shawn Balt-
azor—is freeing Charlie Parker’s music
from the shackles of its comfort zone.
Bird is most certainly the watch-
word throughout, but a deftly jumbled
one. Rather than play to past conven-
tions and crank out paint-by-numbers
covers, this brazen brotherhood opts
to use Parker’s compositions as in-
spiration, seed material, and spring-
boards. The results are indebted to the
totemic alto hero but proudly stand far
apart from his renderings.
Many if not most of these song
titles betray their compositional inf lu-
ence, but the music often keeps up a
serious poker face. On the comfortably
walking “Ghilnooorty Classic” and the
throbbing “Simple Ghilnooorty,” for
example, it’s difficult to suss out the
inf luence of “Ornithology” beyond the
anagrams. And despite the adoption
of a tone row taken from “Moose the
Mooche,” the fragmented “Lost &
Found” operates in its own hip orbit.
Half of the album’s 12 tracks
focus on the core band, but featured
guest Jason Moran juices up the rest
in various ways. The charged “Wil-
liam” finds him adding a wonderfully
woolly statement, the Coté-buttressed
“Feather Report” highlights his dy-
namic and insistent playing, and “Big-
ment” gives him an opportunity to put
some gleeful avant-stride into action
in a cyclone of a setting.
Bebop has its place here—on
“Pexterity” and “Donnalise,” to cite
two notable spots—but the music that
proves most intriguing is that which
moves beyond it. Parker was nobody’s
copycat, so why should Walking
Distance be hemmed in by his visions?
DAN BILAWSKY
CHRIS LIGHTCAP
SUPERETTE (Royal Potato Family)
Chipping away at musty
genres and sculpting the
scraps to suit a recombi-
nant vision has been a jazz
strategy for decades now,
but occasionally, a record comes along
that nails the art of the blend with
enough inspiration to sound truly novel.
Should’ve igured that Chris Lightcap
would be one guy who could pull it of.
he bassist is an ace sideman, bringing
smarts to every band he works with; he’s
also the det leader of Bigmouth, a
two-reeds-’n’-rhythm outit that spent
the last 15 years exposing how attractive
a blend of counterpoint and consonance
can be. Superette (the name of the band
as well as the album) is a two-guitar-and-
rhythm afair, and like its predecessor, its
inclusive purview syncs past and present
with pop and jazz. he resultant mélange
is wildly entertaining.
With Superette, Lightcap uses surf
rock as a very pliable base, but adds
dollops of prog, funk, math rock, and
other intricate string lingos, including
the glistening swirl of African outits.
he detailed interplay between guitar-
ists Curtis Hasselbring and Jonathan
Goldberger is simultaneously tight and
loose; drummer Dan Rieser works closely
with the bassist/leader, bringing a lilt to
even the densest passages. Echoes and
references ly by without belaboring their
individual import—leeting images from
the window of a fast-moving train.
he Surfaris’ “Wipe Out” provides
the DNA for “Ace of Spades,” and guest
Nels Cline rides its gallop into the
stratosphere. John Medeski’s insightful
organ antics decorate a handful of tracks
as well. But the core group rocks this
stuf with a bar band’s informal aplomb.
Whether it’s a nod to John McLaugh-
lin’s raunchy strums from Miles’ “Right
Of” on “Frozen Bread” or the wist-
ful dreamscape of an overlooked Skip
Spence nugget, the program comes of
as both foreign and familiar. Call it vivid
twangadelica with a grin on its face.
JIM MACNIE
JAN HAMMER
SEASONS PT. 1 (Red Gate)
Miami Vice was both
the best and worst
thing ever to happen to
Jan Hammer. For 15
years, starting in the
early ’70s, the Czech musician was
one of the most respected fusion-
rooted keyboardists around, building
an impressive résumé that included
work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra,
Jeff Beck, Al Di Meola, John Aber-
crombie, and many others, as well as a
string of albums as a leader. Then
came the lucrative, high-profile gig
scoring 90 episodes of the popular TV
crime series, leading to a 1985 No. 1
hit single and a pair of Grammys with
its theme song. Now a pop star,
 Hammer found plenty of work The song titles—“Winter Solstice,” beat one might hear on those steamy
scoring, but his cred in the jazz world “Ocean Drive,” “April”—usually offer streets today. Like several of the other
largely evaporated. easy hints of what to expect. Several tunes here, it’s pleasant enough but
Seasons Pt. 1, Hammer’s first album tracks evince the feel of the cinematic mostly bland; neither particularly
as a leader in a decade, seems like soundscapes Hammer has spent so stimulating nor innovative, it’s a far
an attempt to tie the various threads long crafting: “Suite European,” not cry from the fiery work Hammer rou-
together and bring him back into unexpectedly, runs toward the tradi- tinely turned out in his prime.
focus. A patchwork, it includes both tional orchestral while a companion JEFF TAMARKIN
recently cut and leftover tracks, all of piece, “Suite Latin,” incorporates f la-
them recorded—with Hammer playing menco runs that succeed in generating MAKO SICA & HAMID DRAKE
all the instruments (among them a the intended Iberian ambience. But RONDA (Feeding Tube/Astral Spirits)
couple of Korgs and some vintage key- the opening “Miami: Night” suggests Since 2007, the free-im-
boards)—at his home studio in upstate neither the music from the TV pro- prov-minded rock trio
New York. gram that put Hammer on top nor any Mako Sica has been a vital
cog in Chicago’s eclectic
avant-garde scene,
meandering through similar astral
MND FLO planes to the ones that beguiled John
FROM TIME (self-released) Coltrane, Sonny Sharrock, and
Exploring analog synths and a modern production approach, Mnd hometown heroes the Association for
Flo create one of the greatest amalgams of jazz ability, winning the Advancement of Creative Musicians
compositions, and stylistic coherence heard in ages. A globally based (AACM).
quartet, they consistently produce compelling, tuneful, forward- The cosmic kinship that guitarist/
thinking jazz. Not oten do jazz musicians collaborate in a manner trumpeter Przemyslaw Drazek, vocal-
that constitutes a literal group—a term that’s more frequently reserved for rock ist/guitarist Brent Fuscaldo, and per-
bands sweating it out in garages—but Mnd Flo unfailingly play as one. Whether cussionist Chaetan Newell share with
using acoustic piano or electronic keyboards, acoustic or electric bass, or treated those aforementioned icons scaled
drums that recall electronic beats, they draw in the listener with emotion, wit, and new heights on Invocation, Mako
dazzling improvisations. Sica’s excellent set from 2017. Like
he second coming of the Headhunters or Weather Report? Perhaps. Simon Coltrane’s “Spiritual,” the entrancing
Moullier, vibraphone, synthesizer; Sharik Hasan, piano; Alexander L.J. Tóth, grooves of Joshua Abrams & Natural
basses, keyboards, sound design; and Anthony A. Tóth, drums, are all excep- Information Society, and the six-string
tional musicians, each contributing to the silky Mnd Flo mindset. Recorded at pyrotechnics of James “Blood” Ulmer
WGBH’s Fraser Performance Studios in Boston, From Time consists of eight wrapped into one but led by North
tracks but plays out as a grand suite, thoughtfully conceived and seamlessly African-leaning twin-guitar heroics,
performed by an inspired quartet. Invocation remains an overlooked gem
he pieces within that well worth seeking out.
suite range from acoustic For the followup, Mako Sica adds
piano-driven vamps to bal- a new dimension of textural beauty
ladic journeys to jazz-funk to its its blissed-out, string-bending
blowouts, each delivered guitarscapes. On Ronda (its title taken
within a subtle, cocoon-like from a town in southern Spain with a
sheen. Mnd Flo play like famous 18th-century bridge crossing a
they formed their bonds deep gorge), they’ve welcomed a guest
in the womb. From the into the fray: Hamid Drake, the pio-
skipping, dreamlike opener
“Odyssey” and the dynami-
cally subtle “Jack O’Lantern”
to the moving “SMDAMA,” RAMPONE
the textured Afro-Cuban & CAZZANI
rhythms of “EMS,” and HANDMADE ITALIAN
the hypnotic earth-orbiter SAXOPHONES
“Planet Hunter,“ Mnd Flo Bare Metals...
deliver a fantastic, mind- Human Touch...
bending debut. Raw Beauty.
DENEKA PENISTON

KEN MICALLEF
You’ll Fall In Love.
• “Play like they formed their bonds in the womb”: Sharik Hasan (left), Anthony
Tóth, Alexander Tóth, and Simon Moullier For Information,
Dealer Locations,
& Dealer Inquiries
Call 443.798.2133
info@ramponecazzani-usa.com
www.ramponecazzani-usa.com
 Reviews

neering percussionist and improviser The collaboration came at the sug- out to be a perfect union as Drake’s
whose Chicago lineage runs deep, via gestion of a mutual friend, resulting in global-centric percussive touch
his extensive work with Fred Anderson, live dates and, ultimately, two studio complements Mako Sica’s feathery
Ken Vandermark, William Parker, and sessions that have yielded the heavy ritual music well.
Peter Brötzmann. fruits of Ronda. The pairing turns These brothers-in-arms of spiritual
playing embark on lengthy (three of
Ronda’s songs clock in at over 14 min-
utes) spaced-out trips into hypnotic
STEVE COLEMAN AND FIVE ELEMENTS territory, and it’s easy to fall under
LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, VOL. 1 (THE EMBEDDED SETS) (Pi) their spell. Airy and atmospheric, the
According to many who witnessed them in action, King Oliver and quartet’s free-rock jams are things
Louis Armstrong were so locked into one another on the band- of beauty, a unique kind of sorcery
stand that they could devise complex, spontaneous improvisations that easily draws the listener in with
in perfect unison—so in synch that listeners couldn’t believe they tangled but beautifully melodic webs
hadn’t been written in advance. (Armstrong himself later con- of guitar lines.
irmed that they had, indeed, been created extemporaneously.) Steve Coleman and Behind the kit and also adding
Five Elements are engaged in something similar on Live at the Village Vanguard, tablas, frame drum, and hand drums,
Vol. 1: blurring, even further than jazz musicians usually do, the distinction Drake is the guiding force, freeing up
between “improvising” and “composing.” Newell to sprinkle sounds from his
To be clear, this music is not exactly the kind of post-Ascension “free” improvi- stash of instruments including congas,
sation oten associated with collectives such as the AACM, BAG, and their musical organ, piano, and Native American
progeny. For the most part, it sounds tightly structured, based on recognizable f lute, while Fuscaldo’s wordless chant-
melodic and rhythmic motifs that recur, in various permutations and diferent set- ing and subtle howls top the open-
tings, over the course of the two live performances documented here. he melody ing track, “Dance with Waves,” and
of “Embedded #1", the set’s centerpiece, was “composed in one extemporaneous the trumpet-streaking “Emanation.”
moment, without any editing,” Coleman’s notes tell us, explaining that his mis- Here’s hoping this isn’t a one-off.
sion here is to “creat[e] a personal language comprised of musical words . . . and BRAD COHAN
phrases that mutate in various ways to form dynamic conversations.” A method
of spontaneous composition, in other words, in which the “conversations” among LORRAINE FEATHER
composer and bandsmen are so intimate as to result in a fully realized work MATH CAMP (Relarion)
created in the moment, not unlike those seemingly miraculous locked-in duets Released just after her
between Armstrong and Oliver roughly a century ago. 70th birthday, Math
In most cases, Coleman’s alto states a theme that the others use to shape their own Camp continues
contributions until a fully realized ensemble work has emerged. At times, though, a vocalist and lyricist
unison passage that does sound prearranged (though no doubt arising from an ear- Lorraine Feather’s
lier improvised solo, remembered and codiied) initiates a piece; in a few instances— reign as one of the sharpest word-
Bunky Green’s “Little Girl I’ll Miss You,” Doug Hammond’s “Figit Time”— others’ smiths in jazz. Feather’s latest is
compositions are used as platforms for the another wellspring of cleverness that
group’s improvisational lights. All of which bounces between sweet, sardonic,
means that this is a challenging, complex poignant, and mirthful. Her talk-sing
set that combines a sophisticated, serious- style remains bracing and her
minded aesthetic vision with an equally, bandmates are as diverse as her
and paradoxically, serious-minded sense playlist, with 10 players weaving in
of mischief —we can never be entirely sure and out, including pianists Fred
how truly “spontaneous” all of these com- Hersch, Russell Ferrante, and Shelly
positions are. Berg; guitarists Eddie Arkin and Gilad
Nonetheless, the exhilarating imagina- Hekselman; and drummer Terri Lyne
tive prowess of Coleman, trumpeter Jona- Carrington. Of the disc’s 10 originals,
than Finlayson, guitarist Miles Okazaki, six feature music by Arkin, four by
bassist Anthony Tidd, and drummer Sean Berg. Arkin and Berg also share
Rickman ensures that we’re captivated arranger credit.
throughout, and the acuity with which As always, Feather’s wordplay
these “ive elements” listen, respond to, and is dense and complex, dotted with
play of one another is such that the spirits references to Einstein, Neil deGrasse
of Armstrong and Oliver must be looking Tyson, Richard Feynman, Stephen
down and smiling upon what their legacies Hawking, Sir Arthur Eddington, and
DIMITRI LOUIS

have wrought. DAVID WHITEIS the Nobel Prize. Think of it as an

• “Serious-minded sense of mischief”: Steve Coleman intellectual jazz lab dedicated to the
dissection of the human condition.

60 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

“Hadron, Meson, Baryon” delves into
the mysterious power of subatomic
particles while “In a Hot Minute”
traces the inevitability of evolutionary
change to the dawn of time. “I’ll See
You Yesterday” views how the over-
lapping of past, present, and future
can shape an enduring relationship,
“Euphoria” arcs the entire emotional
spectrum, and the peppy “It All Adds
Up” bubbles with sage romantic glee.
Alone with Hersch on “Random Ac-
tivity,” Feather examines the jumble of
differences and similarities that define
any partnership and the enriching
power of happenstance. Finally, genius
is both parsed and celebrated in both
“Some Kind of Einstein” and the de-
lightfully frisky, mating-of-nerds title
track. CHRISTOPHER LOUDON
MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO
LIVE (ECM)
As this review is written,
sad news of the death of
Tomasz Stanko is still
fresh. he Marcin
Wasilewski Trio, with
bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drum-
mer Michal Miskiewicz, was introduced
to the world in 2002, on Stanko’s ECM
album Soul of hings. hey were young
and unknown then. Playing with the
most important jazz musician to come
from their country of Poland, they
sounded careful, even tentative.
Over two more Stanko albums,
Suspended Night (2004) and Lon-
tano (2006), it became apparent why
Stanko believed in them, and what
he had taught them. These three, like
Stanko, understood that the darkness
of silence can be as much a part of
the music as the light that musicians
selectively impose upon silence.
They have now made five albums of
their own for ECM, and have become
one of the most creative and stable pi-
ano trios in jazz. They are all in their
early forties but have been together for
25 years. Live was recorded in 2016 at
a concert for 4,000 people at the Jazz
Middelheim festival in Antwerp, Bel-
gium. It contains an epic engagement
with the Police’s “Message in a Bottle.”
For this trio’s generation, songs by
Sting are standards. Upon his catchy
ditty of 1980-pop consciousness, they
unleash jazz energy in torrents: wildly
skittering piano, drum detonations, a
swirling bass solo.
There are tracks here, like “Three
Ref lections” and “Austin,” that con-
tain the haunting fragmentary lyri-
cism and pensive, nocturnal Stanko-
esque atmospheres of their previous
four ECM albums. But more often,
before a large, loud crowd, they choose
to burn. This trio is no longer tenta-
tive. Pieces like “Night Train to You”
and Herbie Hancock’s “Actual Proof ”
display their chops and cohesion, but
not their magic. In current jazz, chops
and cohesion are not in short supply.
Magic always is. THOMAS CONRAD
BRIAN BROMBERG
THICKER THAN WATER (Artistry)
Bassist Brian Bromberg’s
30-plus-year solo career
crested with a 2002
release, Jaco, on which he
detly paid tribute to bass
great Jaco Pastorius’ otherworldly
combination of compositional skills
and musical athleticism. Bromberg’s
new CD, hicker han Water, like much
of his catalog, primarily displays the
latter. Recorded with 11 diferent
basses, the 13-song release—featuring
all Bromberg compositions—is akin to
a smooth-jazz decathlon.
Bromberg is on the short list of bass-
ists with skills comparable to Pastorius,
yet even that late bass icon used horns
and strings in his compositions rather
than assuming his bass could be a lead
melodic instrument. hicker han Wa-
ter’s leadof track, “Is hat the Best You
Can Do?,” features breathtaking slap-
ping and tapping passages, yet cloaks
them in a midtempo funk vehicle that
sounds like a series of ’70s funk cliches.
he subsequent “Minneapolis, 1987”
employs guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. and
drummer Franklin Richardson III to
create an homage to Prince, but Brom-
berg’s 16th-note lurries come across as
self-indulgent.
he title track features Bromberg
adding guitar-mimicking solos on a
hollow-body piccolo bass amid nephew
Zach Bromberg’s loops and keyboard
programming and Najee’s tenor sax,
resulting in hot-tub soundtrack music.
Bromberg even blends strings and
horns on one track, “Trials and Tribu-
lations,” yet its reach exceeds its grasp.
hings improve during the less
formulaic inal selections. A legiti-
mately funky “Uh-Huh” features one of
the inal recorded electric piano solos
by the inimitable late George Duke.
“Your Eyes” features a rare memo-
rable melody courtesy of the bassist’s
additional piano playing, along with
percussionists Lenny Castro and Alex
Acuña; “Land of the Rising Sun” is
Bromberg’s ode to Japan, aided by the
Rising Sun Orchestra’s strings, Mark
Hollingsworth’s bamboo lutes, and
Hiroshima’s June Kuramoto on koto.
BILL MEREDITH
“Judy knows how to beguile
onstage and in the pages of
this book, which you’ll lap up.”
– Blythe Danner Golden Globe, Tony and
Emmy-winning Actress
“She is a masterful storyteller
with a stinging wit that will
make you LOL.”
– Felix Contreras,
Host/Jazz Producer, NPR
Order your autographed copy
at JudyCarmichael.com
 Reviews

last year’s well-received Hybrido:

HOUSTON PERSON & RON CARTER From Rio to Wayne Shorter. Leading
REMEMBER LOVE (HighNote) his Orquestra Atlantica, a group of
he phrase “age before beauty” does not apply to the duet partner- Rio-based musicians that he assem-
ship of tenor saxophonist Houston Person and acoustic bassist Ron bled in 2012, Adolfo turns in an often
Carter. Sure, Remember Love is the irst of their six pairings on dazzling set of nine originals and a
record to occur when both are octogenarians. Yes, seven of the eight reworking of “Milestones.”
covers are more than 65 years old, and the other, Luis Bonfá’s bossa Miles’ tune, its up-and-down
nova “Gentle Rain,” was written in 1965. Yet all that history is mere backdrop to melody given extra buoyancy, gains
better admire the beauty, the organic profundity of their musical conversations. from an unexpected color, a quick-
A particularly notable charm of their combination is that Carter, the ostensible moving solo by accordion player
“rhythm” player, is the alpha igure. Houston Person will forever be recognized Marcos Nimrichter, also heard on the
for his enveloping sound and reliably melodic approach, the plush tone and slyly strolling “Delicada Jazz Waltz.” It’s
inventive romanticism he derives from his horn. It’s as majestic and roomy as a one of the two most familiar tracks on
yacht, providing Carter the space to roam freely while piling up detly sophisti- the disc. The other one is the closer, a
cated incisions and counterpoints to both his partner’s robust saxophone phrases reworking of “Sa Marina,” co-written
and the venerable songs at hand. in the late ’60s with Tiberio Gaspar
On “Day Dream,” the Ellington/Strayhorn vehicle for Johnny Hodges, Person and recorded by more than 200 art-
limns his breathy, extended notes with a purposeful wheeze. When Carter starts ists, including a vocal version titled
to quicken the pace and then notably bends a plucked note, Person pauses a beat, “Pretty World.” Here, in a seven-
then ventures a shard of the melody, quickly echoed by Carter, who starts scam- minute run through the song, Adolfo
pering while Person lowers his volume but continues to pave the song forward. takes the affecting melody, with the
here are literally dozens of these gloriously intimate exchanges. horns coming in on the bridge. Later,
Sometimes their dual engagement perpetually holds sway—the entirety of “he baritone saxophonist Levi Chaves and
Way You Look Tonight” has the sprightly élan of parents of the bride giddily sum- trombonist Aldivas Ayres turn in du-
moning their most acute dance instincts at a wedding reception. Sometimes one eling solos on a trading-fours section.
or the other, but mostly Carter, seizes the reins for an imaginative light that is an he album ofers other treasures,
object lesson on how crat becomes art. Conservatory professors of the acoustic too, including “Partido Samba-Funk,”
bass could play Carter’s something of a mash-up of 12-bar blues
nearly six-minute solo with samba and Brazilian funk; the
rendition of “You Are My warm balladry of “Atlantica,” one of
Sunshine” to their students several tracks featuring Adolfo’s adroit
and take the rest of the soloing; the samba-driven “Luizao”;
week of. And yet on Per- “Saudade,” with its varying shades of
son’s original, “Why Not,” melancholy and exuberance under-
Carter plays the same, scored by Jessé Sadoc’s lugelhorn im-
penetrating, three-note provisation; and “Africa Bahia Brasil,”
rif eleven straight times, with the grooves suggested by the title,

a totally diferent, more
unexpected, creative gam-
bit. Nothing is of limits.
BRITT ROBSON
• “Slyly inventive romanticism”: Houston Person
ANTONIO ADOLFO
ENCONTROS – ORQUESTRA ATLANTICA
(AAM)
Brazilian big-band
music is relatively
rare, at least in
comparison with its
Afro-Cuban and—ob-
viously—swing kin. With Encontros
– Orquestra Atlantica, pianist and
composer Antonio Adolfo realizes his
dream of recording his music with
just such a large ensemble, after more
than 25 albums as a leader, including
URKO DORRONSORO
and a notable sax turn by Danilo Sinna
on alto. hey all make for memorable
cross-cultural encontros.
PHILIP BOOTH
CHARLIE SEPÚLVEDA
AND THE TURNAROUND
SONGS FOR NAT (HighNote)
he Nat in question is
not Adderley (nor, for
that matter, “King”
Cole), but rather the
trumpeter’s wife Nata-
lia, and these nine songs, written by
Charlie Sepúlveda in the wake of the
devastating storms that knocked out
his native Puerto Rico (but without
directly addressing that situation
either), were inspired by her. Not that
any of this backstory is essential for an
appreciation. What matters is that

62 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018

Sepúlveda and his longtime band—
tenor saxophonist Norberto Ortiz,
pianist Bienvenido Dinzey, bassist
Gabriel Rodriguez, drummer Fran-
cisco Alcalá, and conguero Gadwin
Vargas—have cooked up a particularly
steamy set of contemporary Latin jazz
that bucks convention while honoring
the institution.
Sepúlveda is a veteran of Eddie
Palmieri’s band (Mr. EP, the leader’s
Grammy-nominated previous release,
was a tribute to same), and he’s worked
with many Latin-jazz giants over the
years. But he’s also contributed to
recordings by rock/pop innovators
like David Byrne and Paul Simon, and
that lexibility has served him well in
his own music. he irst seconds of
“Exit 4,” Songs for Nat’s opener, could
easily have rocked a Steely Dan jam,
and “Nat’s Blues,” the only number for
which Dinzey moves over to Ham-
mond B-3 organ, pounds steadily to a
purposefully metronomic drum beat
that wouldn’t have been out of place at
an ’80s dance club.
For the most part though, Songs for
Nat is all about smart arrangements
of cratily performed original tunes
that nod to the Latin side of things. For
“Estampas,” Sepúlveda and Ortiz tease
melodic rings around one another’s
horn, while the set-closing “Liberty”
gives conga man Gadwin the opening
to let loose that he’s been itching for
all along. “Natalia,” the album’s only
ballad, meanwhile, allows Dinzey’s
piano, Rodriguez’s bass, and Sepúlveda’s
resolute, note-perfect trumpet a little
breathing room. It’s a welcomed inter-
lude in an otherwise relentlessly hard-
hitting procession.
JEFF TAMARKIN
VARIOUS ARTISTS
THE SAVORY COLLECTION 1935-1940
(Mosaic)
Certain collections of
music are so rich and
deep that it feels like a
listener could almost
swim in them. This
six-disc, 108-track set feels bottom-
less. It also represents one of the
greatest provenance accounts in all of
jazz. Someone ought to write a short
story about it.
Bill Savory was a reticent New York
recording engineer in the 1930s and
1940s who had a cool nocturnal habit:
While transcribing radio broadcasts
for foreign distribution, he liked to
multitask, flipping on his recorders
and capturing what was going out over
the airwaves from live jazz-club per-
formances that were only meant to be
heard once. That is, if there had been
no Bill Savory.
We could order a lot of beers and
have a lot of passionate talks about
what’s best and most valuable here.
Here’s a whistle-wetter: a version
of Coleman Hawkins’ “Body and
Soul” cut seven months after its jazz
epoch-shaping studio counterpart,
and frankly better. At the earlier date,
Hawkins had hit upon something,
but now what was hit upon has been
refined, sacrificing none of its im-
mediacy as it extends its domain, roots
plunging deeper into soil.
Given where jazz was played and
where Savory was at, most of the
recordings come from NYC, but there
are others from the nightclub temples
of Boston and Chicago. Fats Waller
blazes at the charmingly billed The
Yacht Club, as if a regatta were simul-
taneously unwinding outside. He had
no idea this was being recorded, he’s
playing only for the patrons of the eve-
ning, but his set selections underscore
an epiphany central to the artistry of
these men and women: The workaday
gig is also the all-timer gig, the next
entry in a progression of them. Noth-
ing is throwaway, all can last. That is
some doozy art.
Speaking of which: A WNEW
jam session features Basie tenor sax
stud Herschel Evans a mere month
before his death, and when you hear
the power coming through his horn,
you wonder how the Reaper got up
the balls to approach him. Rival/
partner Lester Young, meanwhile,
blows a blues so pure on “Lady Be
Good” with the Basie band that you
just about giggle that these two cats
were somehow in the same unit. These
players always belong to their moment
entirely even as they transcend it, with
Savory acting as recording scribe for a
kind of jazz Bible.
Swing is the ostensible core of the
collection, but what we’re hearing is
jazz morphing, nightly. Drummer
Chick Webb’s case as a sticksman
and prime mover par excellence is
furthered, Ella Fitzgerald is moving
swing singing into an era of vocal
Modernism, and if you don’t think the
John Kirby sextet could hold its own
in a battle of the bands versus Col-
trane’s quartet or either Miles quintet,
well, let’s line up these recordings with
theirs and have everyone throw down.
Thank you, Mr. Savory, for your hob-
by. You have provided a plunge into a
lost sea of history. And you have done
every corner of our human condition a
massive solid. COLIN FLEMING
 ARTIST’S CHOICE
MELODY + RHYTHM =
SPIRIT + EARTH
When I was growing up in rural Washington state in the
1970s, my first set of records—big-band 78s—came from my
grandparents. That’s when my love of jazz began, and the two
things that always caught my ear were soaring melodies and
the undercurrent of powerful rhythms. Decades later, when I
studied drumming in West Africa, one of my teachers said that
melody represented the “Spirit” and rhythm represented the
“Earth.” Now that I’m in my fifties, I see that timeless truth in all
classic songs, and that’s because the mark of any great song,
regardless of the genre, is its ability to convey a great melody
with a powerful rhythm. Here are some instrumental songs
in chronological order that greatly inluenced me as both a
composer and drummer, largely because of these two qualities.
Benny Goodman
“SING, SING, SING”
Two-part single (Brunswick, 1937)
his is one of the irst songs I remember hearing with my
grandparents, and it’s immediately infectious because of Gene
Krupa’s archetypal tom-tom rhythm and the growling brass-
section melody. When you add in Benny Goodman’s clarinet
piercing through the roar of the band, you have a perfect
combination of rhythm and melody, which is as timeless as
any song ever written.
Cal Tjader
“INVITATION”
Latin Kick (Fantasy, 1956)
I am admittedly very late to the Cal Tjader party, but I discov-
ered his music in the mid-1990s when my A&R at Epic Re-
cords turned me onto a greatest-hits album. I was blown away;
although Cal could rip like any of the vibraphone greats, he also
had an uncanny sense of melody. “Invitation” is a gorgeous,
exotic tune over a simple conga pattern. Of all the diferent ver-
sions that people have done, it’s Cal’s shimmering vibraphone
that captures that melody best.
John Coltrane
“NAIMA”
Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
In graduate school I was in a piano trio where I played both
drums and vibraphone. I absolutely loved to play “Naima” on
vibes, because the melody is so mystically beautiful, espe-
cially the remarkable coda. Jimmy Cobb’s brushwork is totally
sublime. I could say this about several of Coltrane’s songs (like
“Resolution,” from A Love Supreme), but for me, “Naima” is the
gold standard for jazz melodies.
The Meters
“CISSY STRUT”
Single (Josie, 1969)
“Cissy Strut” is of course one of the best-known instrumental
funk tunes, and I’ve played it numerous times as a drummer
64 JAZZTIMES • NOVEMBER 2018
BY BARRETT MARTIN
• Cal Tjader
Artist’s Choice: Drummer Duduka da
Fonseca picks his favorite Jobim covers
(although I’m not sure I’ve ever mastered Zigaboo Modeliste’s
supremely greasy groove). What’s equally impressive is the
guitar melody that Leo Nocentelli plays right at the start of the
song. It’s incredibly catchy, simple in its form, but totally recog-
nizable as soon as you hear it.
Miles Davis
“SPANISH KEY”
Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970)
I inally heard Bitches Brew in about 1985, ater I started
formal college music education. “Spanish Key” immediately
destroyed me, because I had never heard a groove so dirty and
infectious. he double drums of Lenny White and Jack De-
Johnette are staggering; it’s the signature groove of the album.
Miles plays that repeating, ascending melodic loop—it’s like
Gabriel’s call to arms.
Wayne Shorter/Milton Nascimento
“LILIA”
Native Dancer (Columbia, 1974)
I’ve worked in Brazil of and on for almost 20 years. I met Mil-
ton Nascimento there, and instantly became a fan of his angelic
voice. he album that hit me hardest is his collaboration with
Wayne Shorter on Native Dancer (which is technically a Wayne
Shorter album, but it’s all Milton’s songs). Lilia is Milton’s
mother’s name, and his use of non-lyric “vocables,” combined
with Shorter’s soprano sax, creates an incredibly dark, mysteri-
ous melody, which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest songs in
Brazilian history.
For more of Martin’s picks, visit JazzTimes.com
Barrett Martin is a percussionist based in Seattle. In
the 1990s, he was the drummer for the alternative-
rock band Screaming Trees. He has since played
CHARLES PETERSON
with numerous artists, including Tuatara, Queens
of the Stone Age, and Nando Reis. In 2018 his
own jazz-inspired ensemble, the Barrett Martin
Group, released its sixth album, Transcendence, on
Sunyata Records.
JAMEY
AEBERSOLD
JAZZ
2018-19

EDUCATION

GUIDE
and the History of
Play-Along Technology

ASHLEY KAHN
THE JOURNALIST
AS TEACHER
JAZZ AFTER
COLLEGE
TRACING
ALUMNI
CAREER
PATHS

+
Low-Cost
Audio Options
for Students

ANNUAL JAZZ
EDUCATION
DIRECTORY
 Manhattan
School of Music
JAZZ ARTS PROGRAM
STEFON HARRIS, ASSOCIATE DEAN AND DIRECTOR

MSMNYC.EDU

OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID

it all happens here

MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC
130 CLAREMONT AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10027
917-493-4436 ADMISSION@MSMNYC.EDU
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
BOYER COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND DANCE

Temple University Jazz Band at the Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of the Temple University
Jazz All-Star concert (2018) featuring the Terell Stafford Quintet and special guests Jimmy Heath,
Dick Oatts, Jon Faddis, Joe Lovano, René Marie and John Clayton.

FACULTY PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Terell Stafford JAZZ ARRANGING TRUMPET BM: Jazz Performance
Director of Jazz Studies Todd Bashore Joe Magnerelli (Instrumental, Keyboard or Voice)
Norman David Nick Marchione BM: Jazz Composition and Arranging
PIANO Mike Natale
Bruce Barth DRUMS BM: Music Education with Jazz Component
Steve Fidyk Jon Shaw
Tim Brey Terell Stafford
Tom Lawton Rodney Green
John Swana
BM: Music Therapy with Jazz Component
Josh Richman Byron Landham
Dan Monaghan TROMBONE MM: Jazz Studies
Elio Villafranca
VOICE Joe McDonough
BASS Mark Patterson AUDITION DATES
Mike Boone Carla Cook
David Wong Sachal Vasandani VIBRAPHONE Tuesday, December 11
Najwa Parkins Tony Miceli
GUITAR Saturday, January 19
Craig Ebner SAXOPHONE VIOLIN
Eric Alexander Zach Brock Monday, January 21 (no winds or brass)
Greg Kettinger
Mike Moreno Todd Bashore ORGAN Sunday, February 17
Tim Green Lucas Brown
Chris Oatts Pat Bianchi Saturday, March 2
Dick Oatts
Tim Warfield, Jr. Sunday, March 3

For more information:

215.204.6810
music@temple.edu
temple.edu/boyer
@boyercollege facebook.com/boyercollege
 Wynton Marsalis, Director
Aaron Flagg, Chair and Associate Director

Developing musicians versed in the Jazz

continuum and its American vernacular roots
Undergraduate and graduate degrees Now accepting applications
and diplomas for the masters program in
Jazz voice, beginning Fall 2019
World-renowned faculty
Performance opportunities in New York Apply by December 1
City and abroad juilliard.edu/jazz

Photo: Claudio Papapietro

Study Music Like
There Is a Tomorrow
At the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music,
legendary musicians become your mentors
and award-winning faculty guide you through
an audaciously progressive curriculum. Be part
of exciting ensembles and rare performance
opportunities throughout NYC, challenge
tradition and experiment with contemporary
sounds, and find your original voice as a
forward-looking artist. Notable faculty include
Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Reggie Workman
(bass), Jane Ira Bloom (saxophone), Matt Wilson
(drums), and Darcy James Argue (composition).

Learn more about the College of Performing Arts

at The New School—home to Jazz, Mannes,
and Drama.

newschool.edu/jazz
 The PEABODY CONSERVATORY connects
you with today’s most respected performers,
rooted in the rich history of jazz in Baltimore.
With experience in jazz, gospel, R&B, hip-hop,
Sean Jones joins the Peabody faculty
as chair of the jazz department.
pop, funk, world, Latin, and classical music,
Peabody’s jazz department faculty are a
Our world-class jazz formidable team of teachers invested in your
studio faculty includes:
growth as a musician and a citizen-artist.
Nasar Abadey, percussion
Alex Brown, piano
Kristopher Funn, bass peabody.jhu.edu/jazztimes
Tim Green, saxophone
Sean Jones, trumpet
667-208-6600
Richard and Elizabeth Case
Chair in Jazz Studies
Quincy Phillips, percussion
Matthew Stevens, guitar
Charenée Wade, voice
Warren Wolf, vibes/instrumental
 YOUR FUTURE
STARTS HERE
Jazz Studies at Pacific
BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN JAZZ STUDIES:
– Performance and Composition tracks
– Accelerated three-year (honors) degree option
JAZZ MINOR
SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID
go.Pacific.edu/JazzStudies | 209.946.2418

2018–19 BRUBECK INSTITUTE

PERFORMANCES AND GUESTS
Brubeck Fellows at 10th Annual Jazz Education
Network Conference | January 11
Brubeck Fellows at California All-State Music
Education Conference | February 14 – 17
Brubeck Fellows at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,
Jazz at Lincoln Center | March 11

Isaiah Collier ’20 (BM Jazz Studies), a current member of

the DownBeat award-winning Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet
 EDUCATION GUIDE
2018/2019

Ashley Kahn with Hermeto Pascoal and students

at the JazzUp! Summer Camp in Vienne, France

INSIDE 88 GREAT SOUND ON A

STUDENT BUDGET
It’s a simple, age-old fact of life that students don’t
74 PLAY-ALONG TECHNOLOGY have the space or the cash to get themselves a decent
In 1967, Jamey Aebersold started a jazz-education sound system. Or is it? Recent advances in technology
revolution with the first volume of his Play-A-Long have put clear and realistic audio within reach of just
series. Today, the play-along concept has been adopted about anyone. JT’s resident audiophile takes a look
and expanded by web-based software and mobile app at the best inexpensive options for young people who
developers. With help from Eddie Palmieri, Christian care about the fidelity of the music they listen to—or
Scott, Jim Snidero, and others, we look back at what make for themselves.
BY BRENT BUTTERWORTH
happened along the way and attempt to predict where
the technology may go from here.
BY JENNIFER ODELL
DEPARTMENTS
78 MEET THE PROFESSOR
Most JazzTimes readers know Ashley Kahn best
91 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY BAND
as an author of books on Miles Davis and John CD ROUNDUP
Coltrane, among others, and as a frequent contributor BY KEN FRANCKLING
to this magazine. What they may not know is that
he’s also been a college professor for 15 years, 94 DIRECTORY OF
teaching students at NYU and elsewhere how to SCHOOLS & PROGRAMS
better appreciate jazz. In this essay, he discusses his
instructional approach and reports on some recent 120 FINAL EXAM
educational events abroad. BY ASHLEY KAHN
JT's Lee Mergner talks to saxophonist/clarinetist
Oran Etkin about his Timbalooloo program, which
84 JAZZ AFTER COLLEGE brings jazz education to the very, very young
College jazz education programs are turning out more
well-qualified musicians than ever before. But what do
they do with themselves after graduation? We spoke
with recent alumni from some of America’s most
highly regarded jazz schools to see where their career
OUTSIDE AT J A Z Z T I M E S . C O M
paths have taken them so far. The stories they told
us underscore the traditional value of being ready for Bonus features on distance learning and copyright,
anything. BY MICHAEL J. WEST plus expanded school listings

72 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
BRILLIANCE
AWAITS.
BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN
Performance • Education • Composition • Theory

MINOR
Pedagogy

AREAS OF EMPHASIS
Jazz & Improvisational Music • Collaborative Piano

DOUBLE DEGREE
Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Arts

LAWRENCE.EDU/CONSERVATORY
 ← Jamey
Aebersold,
creator of the
Play-A-Long
series, which
now runs to
133 volumes.

COURTESY OF JAMEY AEBERSOLD JAZZ

HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU PLAY ALONG?
50 years after Jamey Aebersold launched his revolutionary series of books and LPs,
technology has blown the options for interactive music education wide open.
By Jennifer Odell

T
hinking back to his early
days as a curious young
musician, Eddie Palmieri
remembers hours of close
listening to records. he
Cuban bands of the ’50s
held a particular fascina-
tion for the percussionist-
turned-pianist; he’d dissect every detail
of the music to learn how the various
parts worked together and, ideally, how
to play with them. here were, of course,
limits to what could be gleaned from
listening to a large ensemble on a 78.
his was well before Jamey Aebersold
launched his seminal Play-A-Long series,
ater all, and the genres central to Palm-
ieri’s sound had nary a foothold in music
education programs, DIY or otherwise.
Some six decades later, Palmieri has
landed at the forefront of technology
designed to give today’s music students
access to the kind of instructive listening
experience he wishes he’d had back then.
Created in collaboration with Christian
Scott aTunde Adjuah’s Stretch Music app,
the Palmieri Salsa Jams app serves as a
platform for interacting with and learn-
ing from the pianist’s 2018 album, Full
Circle. It allows listeners to mute, solo,
pan, or fade any instrument on the re-
cording, control tempos and loop certain
parts, all while following the sheet music
on their screen.
“Imagine if this was done when I
started out,” Palmieri marvels. “It is just
so exciting for the student that has no
idea how to comprehend our musical
genre. his is a chance for him to really
dig in with his own instrument, to have
the music and to play along with the
orchestra.”

74 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
 In the 50-plus years since Aebersold
released his irst Play-A-Long LP, the
music and education industries have
evolved alongside an ever-expanding
tech world. he types of products de-
signed to address students’ practice needs
have diversiied exponentially to accom-
modate a widening range of priorities.
While Palmieri and Adjuah’s apps ofer
a customizable approach to learning the
inner workings of speciic albums in any
environment where a screen and audio
are available, interactive classroom-based
programs now allow teachers to connect
with their students both on campus and
of. Other, more well-traveled platforms
like PG Music’s Band-in-a-Box have
become increasingly lexible to support
musicians’ development as improvisers,
composers, and arrangers. Meanwhile,
changing genre trends and an unpredict-
able market for recorded music continue
to inluence what students, teachers,
and professionals want music education
technology to be capable of.
hrough all of these shits, however,
one demand has remained constant:
the demand for high-quality play-along
music, recorded by the most skilled and
experienced musicians possible.
“I REMEMBER TRYING to play along
with Miles, but Miles kept getting in
the way,” Adjuah says with a laugh. On
the other hand, he adds, playing along
with remade versions of the music he’d
fallen in love with instead of the actual
recordings felt limiting at best. “here’s
so much going on with a great album,” he
says, “but you can’t really understand any
of it until you get inside it.”
He dreamt of giving other musicians a
way to “get inside” actual, original great
albums. In 2012, the guitarist, educator,
and sotware developer Darren Hof-
man told Adjuah about a new tool he’d
created called the Tutti Music Player.
Devoted to “[enabling] all communities
to engage with the world’s best artists,”
according to its mission statement, the
program ofers a guided, video-focused
practice platform featuring performances
by the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Astral
Project’s Steve Masakowski, and bassist
Roland Guerin. Adjuah quickly teamed
up with Hofman’s company, now called
Spectrum Interactive, to create an app
that would allow his Stretch Music album
to be completely customized depending
on the listener’s needs.
he resulting Stretch Music app wasn’t
just educational. Pointing to the ongoing
sales slump for recorded music brought
on in part by the advent of cheap and
free streaming services, Adjuah says his
app also incentivized listeners to actually
purchase a download of the music rather
than just stream a version on Spotify. He
has since started his own Stretch Music
label in partnership with Ropeadope—
which is also the parent company of
Palmieri’s new Uprising Music label—
where his artists all have the opportunity
to record interactive app versions of
their albums. As of August, he expected
Stretch Music to release up to eight such
albums in the coming year.
When Adjuah told his friends saxo-
phonist Louis Fouche, bassist Luques
Curtis, and pianist Zaccai Curtis about
the app, the three musicians—two of
whom play in Palmieri’s band—thought
it would be an interesting way to present
Palmieri’s music. “I’ve been in the band
for eight years now and even growing
up I was always very intrigued by Eddie
and his music, especially the rhythmic
aspect of it,” Fouche says. “And I’ve met
• The first volume of the Aebersold
series, published in 1967
a lot of folks, especially drummers, who
are super-intrigued by how to play in
that style and how the rhythms interlock
to create that sound.” hey brought the
idea to Uprising Music’s Frank Abena-
nte as well as Palmieri, who jumped at
the chance to try it. In July 2018, the
Palmieri Salsa Jams app released Palm-
ieri’s Full Circle.
hinking back to his own experience
using play-alongs, Fouche, who co-pro-
duced Full Circle, recalls using Aeber-
sold’s Play-A-Long tapes as a kid.
“Aebersold was deinitely a point of
reference for [the app],” he says. “And
Jamey Aebersold was great. I just think
there’s something exciting about being
able to take an album that you love and
deconstruct it, as opposed to something
that’s just made for students to be able to
learn and play along with.”
THE PREDOMINANT THINKING at
Aebersold’s Jazzbooks headquarters
in Indiana is a bit diferent. Simplicity,
clarity, and a straightforward, familiar
approach to learning jazz, speciically
improvisation, have been hallmarks
of Aebersold’s method since he began
teaching music as a young saxophonist
in the ’60s. As he explained in a phone
conversation in August, he launched his
Play-A-Long series in 1967 with the same
goals he brought to the classroom.
“I basically wanted to give people
songs that I thought were good jazz
vehicles to play at home,” recalls Ae-
bersold, 79, who has announced that
2018 would be his inal year helming
the Summer Jazz Workshops that have
brought him as much renown as his
Play-A-Longs. “I think the fact that I
was an educator in addition to being
what you may call ‘a businessman’ re-
ally helped, because I was still trying
to learn to play better myself back then
and trying to develop my students. If
something worked, I might incorporate
it into the next Play-A-Long record.
“It was basically something to
practice with, and something for band
directors to give their students to take
home and learn the art of jazz. And then
as we kept putting more and more out,
I searched for more songs that the main
jazzers were playing. So we did the main
pedagogical ones … and the various
theoretical applications that are in the
Great American Songbook.”
Today, Jazzbooks continues to sell all
133 volumes of the Play-A-Long series,
having graduated from LPs to cassettes
to CDs through the years. Digital tracks
from the albums are available, too, but
the company’s been cautious about going
entirely digital or changing a formula
that’s remained popular for half a centu-
ry and helped garner an NEA Jazz Mas-
ter honor for Aebersold. About 10 years
JAZZTIMES.COM 75
 ago, for example, Jazzbooks planned based play-along and practice platforms there was a play-along solution on the
to release its entire collection digitally makes it easy to see the appeal of adding [digital] market.” he MIDI-generated
via BAMTracks. hat collaboration has complexity. accompaniment of Vivace stopped and
since been put on hold. “Technology- Today, the company MakeMusic ofers restarted in tandem with the musician
wise, it works great,” Jazzbooks president sotware with a classroom environment playing along, thanks to a semi-intelli-
Matt Eve says. “You can isolate every in mind, giving teachers the ability to gent accompaniment feature that was
instrument and get exactly what you manage their students’ progress interac- able to follow that person in real time.
want mix-wise, but [the developer] has tively through the program itself. Called Around that same time, the market
had some licensing diiculties.” SmartMusic, the sotware uses a digital for jazz education play-alongs began to
Eve hopes to unveil a new digital plat- sound processing tool to give students blossom beyond Aebersold and in a dif-
form for the Jazzbooks ferent direction than
collection by the end of the Vivace platform.
the year, but he admits In 1996, Jim Snidero
that it’s been a balanc- debuted his mas-
ing act to maintain the sively popular Jazz
integrity of the Play-A- Conception collec-
Long series while tak- tion of books and
ing advantage of the play-alongs, which
changing technology have since graduated
available in the music- from their analog
education sector. “You beginnings to apps
invest money into available on multiple
researching a platform devices for a wide
and then have it be variety of instru-
obsolete or have one ments (as well as
of the major operat- vocals). Like Adjuah
ing systems decide it’s and Fouche, Snidero
not going to support it was always con-
anymore,” he says. cerned with giving
Jazzbooks has also students the chance
been cautious about to interact with
keeping the Play- some of the most
A-Longs relatively skilled musicians
straightforward out of in jazz. “My main
concern that what Eve focus was the quality

EARL AND SEDOR STUDIOS

describes as “overdone
products” ofer too
many options for a
user who should be
focused on one aspect
of his or her practice.
“he needs are very simple: hey want a
good rhythm section to play along with. If
they can change the tempo and still have
it sound good, that’s a plus. If they can
change the key and work on separate keys,
that’s deinitely a plus. … When you get
into too many settings and all the diferent
options, I can see if you were a designer
you would have a lot of fun with it, but for
the user it just becomes overwhelming.”
In the end, Eve worries that, as he puts
it, “innovation is great but sometimes
innovators are the ones who are stuck
holding the bag.”
AT THE SAME TIME, looking back at
early incarnations of the original, MIDI-
• Jim Snidero founded the Jazz Conception series in 1996.
feedback in real time too—but it took de-
cades for developers to get to that point.
Like the irst versions of Band-in-a-Box,
released in the early ’90s for PC and
Atari ST machines, the essence of what
eventually evolved into SmartMusic was
a somewhat clunky, MIDI-only accom-
paniment tool.
Greg Dell’Era, MakeMusic’s VP of
education technology, notes that the
company, then called Coda Music, in-
troduced Vivace Studio in 1994. Vivace
was an external box that came with
cartridges featuring an assortment of
songs and sounds. “It was very basic and
you had to switch cartridges every time
you wanted to switch pieces,” Dell’Era
explains. “But that was the irst time
of musicianship,”
he explained in an
email, “so we were
able to have historic
igures such as Frank
Wess, Slide Hamp-
ton, and many others on the play-alongs.”
Soon MakeMusic, which was more fo-
cused on formal classroom environments
for classical players than jazz and blues
instruction, began to catch up. First,
loppy disks replaced cartridges. hen in
2001, onscreen sheet music was added,
a move Dell’Era says was “a big shit for
the market.” Competitors were starting
to make major advancements, too. By
2007, Band-in-a-Box ofered RealDrums
and RealTracks, which featured actual
instrument recordings that replaced the
MIDI sounds initially employed by the
program, while remaining controllable
by the user. Later updates focused on
improving elements like sound quality.
Over at MakeMusic, similar changes

76 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
COURTESY OF MAKEMUSIC
were underway. In 2007, the company
added its irst SmartMusic MP3 audio
recordings to replace the MIDI sounds of
years past. hat same year, the company
began working with publishers to get
their music, make digital versions of it,
and incorporate it into the sotware.
In 2015, MakeMusic acquired the
company Dell’Era had started in his
native France. “We were making pretty
much the same thing as SmartMusic
... digital sheet music with play-along
tracks, but we were making that online,”
he explains. “And the reason they ac-
quired our company was that in the U.S.,
starting in 2014 and 2015, you started to
see a big growth in Chromebooks for the
education market.”
Chromebooks only run web-based ap-
plications. To keep up with the changing
education market, MakeMusic brought
Dell’Era to the U.S. here, he proceeded
to redesign their entire tool so it would
be compatible with web browsers while
maintaining a strong catalog (today
SmartMusic ofers just over 600 jazz
tracks), giving users the ability to play
along in synch with the application and
get feedback on their playing in real time.
he company also worked on developing
compatibility for other tools to operate
in conjunction with SmartMusic, such as
the music notation sotware Finale.
In the near future, Dell’Era says Make-
Music hopes to incorporate interactive
video functionality and to start record-
• High tech, mid-’90s style: the Vivace Studio
ing instrumentalists separately to allow Adjuah, meanwhile, is currently work-
students and teachers to control the mix ing on a 2.0 version of the Stretch Music
they’re hearing—not unlike what Adjuah’s app. he current version, he says, has
app and Hofman’s Tutti Player already of- changed his thinking about everything
fer. hose programs, along with Band-in- from the way he composes to how else
a-Box and iRealPro, however, are designed he might push tech boundaries to make
with the individual student in mind versus users feel like they’re actually interacting
SmartMusic, which bases its development with the band.
updates on the needs of the U.S. music
education market—and that market re-
mains predominantly classical in focus.
LOOKING AHEAD AT the larger future
landscape for play-along technology,
Dell’Era, Adjuah, Fouche, and others
predict more video components and
greater interactivity. Ultimately, though,
trends suggest we’re heading toward
technology that feels less like sotware
and more, well, human. It may not be
that distant a future, either.
In 2013, trombonist Jef Albert devel-
oped a program called the “Interactive
Musical Partner” for his Louisiana State
University dissertation. It’s designed to
improvise with a human musician by • Uprising Music’s Eddie Palmieri
making choices based largely on a “Musi- Salsa Jams app
cal Personality Settings” feature, a set of
algorithms that allow the user to pro- When asked what advancements
gram what Albert describes as “personal he’d like to see in his own app, Palmieri
experience and taste.” He admits that responded: “As long as we have the spirit
the machine can’t improvise; it can only of investigation and we’re interested in
follow instructions that a human gives everything that can help the student,
it. But programming musical experience the technology will lead us to unknown
and taste makes it come pretty close. territory.” JT
JAZZTIMES.COM 77
 FRANCESCO MARTINELLI
• Ashley Kahn gives a lecture to students in Siena, Italy.

MEET THE PROFESSOR

inding connections to and parallels in
today’s music scene.
his was music that had to be listened
to, commented on in class, and written
Author and regular JazzTimes contributor ASHLEY about; the word “survey” did not apply
to my teaching approach. It’s still that
KAHN spends a lot of time in the classroom these way with the courses I’ve created and
days. Here he looks back at the 15-year evolution continue to teach, most oten at New
of his teaching approach and recounts some recent York University’s Clive Davis Institute of
Recorded Music (NYU calls them “Top-
educational adventures on two continents. ics in Recorded Music” courses), but also
in other institutions, conferences, and
By Ashley Kahn festivals in the U.S. and Europe.
Written assignments range from
writing weekly diaries responding to the
readings and music, to tightly focused

T
hese days, the name for students alike—players and non-players, research papers: a single artist, a single
what I teach is either jazz-focused or not—were speciic to art- inluence, a single recording. One re-
Non-Performance Stud- ists and styles: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, corded solo can be enough for this kind
ies or Emergent Media. and Modern Jazz. Paul Simon, Grace- of examination, if the student has sui-
When I started teaching, land, and “World” Music. John Coltrane, cient sources and a desire to delve into all
only 15 years ago, it was Spirituality, and A Love Supreme. Led that’s been said and written to generate a
simply Music History and Zeppelin, Electric Blues, and Hard Rock. 10-page expository essay.
Criticism. A big part of he syllabi consciously balanced con- An A+ example from this past year was
the challenge and the fun—if one cares temporaneous articles and reviews with an in-depth analysis of Ella Fitzgerald’s
to look at it that way—of being a music more contemporary views. I employed seven-minute, tour-de-force treatment
instructor is riding the waves of change video clips of historical performances, of “How High the Moon” from Berlin
that continue to wash through the world excerpts from recent documentaries, 1960. he well-written paper considered
of music instruction and academia in and lots of music, old and new. I treated the singer’s embrace of bebop ideas,
general. the artists and albums as doorways into the general structure of her improvisa-
he university courses I irst created more expansive perspectives, considering tion, a listing of other melodies quoted,
for music majors and general college creative triumphs and controversies, and and the BPM (beats per minute) of the

78 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
 performance. It ended with a perfect Dom
Cerulli downbeat: “here are times when
[Fitzgerald] seems to be unaware there are
things the human voice just doesn’t do,
[because] she does them.”
“Don’t be the expert,” I like to tell my
students. “Take the time to ind the right
quotes from the right experts, weave
them together to tell a story, and you’ll
get the A.” I could be describing my
own research approach: drawing from
collective wisdom, from historians and
journalists and musicians. Especially
musicians. “Prioritize interviews with the
musicians who made the music, at the
time they made it. Look at the liner notes
on reissues.”
“Liner notes?” they now ask, and I re-
ASHLEY KAHN
mind myself how much more of the past
needs explaining since I started teaching.
Enough has changed in just 15 years—in
technology, in recorded music formats, in
attitudes and habits—that an instruc-
tor cannot assume any research will be
done with anything physical: a book, a
magazine, an LP, or a CD. I’ve noticed
other things, too. One cannot expect
full attention and participation in the
classroom unless phones and laptops are
of and closed. Almost all music listening
is done privately, through laptop speak-
ers or headphones, playing compressed,
digital iles that have lost signiicant sonic
detail. And the triumph of the internet—
instant connectivity, one-click informa-
tion searches that immediately bring up
• The Associazione Siena Jazz
“Don’t be the expert,” I like to tell
my students. “Take the time to find
the right quotes from the right
experts, weave them together to tell
a story, and you’ll get the A.”
• Perugia, Italy
Wikipedia entries—ofers a downside
as well: an unfortunate curtailing of the
kind of curiosity that can send one down
a tantalizing rabbit-hole of sounds and
information.
As an instructor still in love with all
that is music, its legacy as well as its latest
twists and lavors, it can be a challenge
to avoid being dispirited by such things.
hat’s why it’s necessary to remember
that the positives outweigh the chal-
lenges. Among the most valuable lessons
I’ve learned in growing as an educator
is this: Although students go through
generational changes, their connection to
music—especially if they’re performance
or music business majors—does not. It
remains consistently, deeply dedicated.
An instructor can do a lot with that.
Another lesson: Learn to push even
harder on the idea of generational con-
nection. To better understand John Col-
trane’s singularity, as well as the derision
he faced, I’ll ask students to nominate
a modern-day parallel, in jazz or R&B
or hip-hop. To grasp Kind of Blue and
Miles’ genius for isolating, then weav-
ing together distinct elements and ideas
from other music, I’ll suggest similar
habits in the current era of cut-n-paste
and sampling. In praising great scenes of
the past—some of which I had the good
fortune to experience irst-hand—I’ve
made it a point to say that there’s always a
golden age of music and it’s right now.
What I mean by that is that whatever
music my students will experience and
JAZZTIMES.COM 79

absorb between their teens and twenties,
whatever its genre might be, that’s the
music they hear with full freshness and
clarity and that they will keep with them
for life. he trick for the instructor is to
help them keep that connection at full
lame, and let it spread to music of all
styles and from all time periods.
In recent years I’ve also added to my
educational arsenal lessons in career-
building, the practicum of professional
musicianship today: courses in self-pro-
motion and marketing, in stagecrat and
bookings. I’ve dug into my own profes-
sional experience to develop lectures
on writing biographies, promotional
materials, and press kits; on program-
ming festivals and nightclubs; and on ar-
ranging and budgeting tours. In even the
most conservative conservatories, these
have become necessary components
of professional music instruction. he
16-year-old Clive Davis Institute was in
fact created with the notion of efectively
balancing study in performance, produc-
tion, history, and business.
his is where I am today, wearing
many hats. Along with my other roles
as journalist, author, and producer, I am
80 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
• A student saxophone choir performs at the Conservatorio di Musica di Perugia.
a proud professor of non-performance
music studies, focusing on the “why”
of music-making more than the “how,”
although it would be inaccurate to not
acknowledge that the two are forever
linked. Inevitably, it seems—especially
when the classroom is illed with music
majors—lessons drawn from the lives
of the legends serve as examples for the
modern-day musician.
One happy outgrowth of this expand-
ing range of teaching experiences is that
in the past 10 years, I’ve developed a
European network of music educators
and event producers who regularly invite
me to guest-lecture in classrooms and at
music festivals and conferences in such
countries as Italy, Holland, France, Spain,
Belgium, Finland, and Great Britain. I’ll
arrive with an overnighter and backpack,
plug in the laptop, project slideshows,
play music and videos, and discuss a
wide variety of topics—most oten jazz-
related but frequently touching on other
styles. When possible and if appropriate,
I’ll invite local or visiting musicians to
participate, and the lecture will take on a
workshop aspect.
Of course, I consider myself fortunate
ASHLEY KAHN
to do this in locales steeped in cultural
lavor and history, like Nice, Perugia,
or Barcelona. (And don’t get me started
about the food and wine!) But to be able
to visit these storybook cities with a sense
of purpose and the chance to connect
with student musicians is, for me, the
most valuable payback—why I keep my
passport at the ready.
What follows are three snapshots of
recent teaching engagements at music
education programs in Europe, two in
Italy this past June and one in France in
July, explaining how they came together
and what took place in these cross-cul-
tural classroom encounters.
Associazione Siena Jazz—
Siena, Italy
he Fortezza Medicea, where once a
medieval garrison force kept Siena’s citi-
zens in check, sits atop one of this town’s
highest points, overlooking the rolling
Tuscany countryside. It now houses the
Associazione Siena Jazz, the 42-year-old
school that began as a group of friends
teaching themselves to play instruments
in a local garage. Today it’s one of Eu-
 rope’s leading jazz-focused institutions,
fully accredited by the Italian govern-
ment and ofering bachelor’s degrees in
music performance and music education;
they’re working on a master’s-level de-
gree program in the same ields. Author
and historian Francesco Martinelli
oversees the school’s history curriculum,
teaching most classes himself and bring-
ing in scholars and speakers as well.
Martinelli irst invited me to partici-
pate in Siena Jazz’s summer program
back in 2004; this year I visited during
the school’s regular semester, just before
summer break. I delivered ive hour-long
lectures on one day and was pleased to
see that word seemed to have spread
through the student body as time went
on; by the inal class the room that could
comfortably hold 30 was overlowing.
My lecture topics, chosen with Mar-
tinelli’s assistance, included separate
sessions on Kind of Blue and A Love
Supreme (my books on each of these al-
bums have been translated and published
in Italy) and on the overlap of hip-hop
and jazz (which preigured a course
I’m co-teaching on the same topic with
legendary rapper Q-Tip at NYU this fall
semester). On Martinelli’s suggestion, I
emailed PDF iles of readings for each of
the topics—around 10 pages for each lec-
ture—that he distributed to the students.
We igured that even if a few gave it only
a cursory read, it would help familiarize
them with the topic and spark interest.
hough the Italian educational system
ASHLEY KAHN
does not prioritize learning English as
those in some other European countries
do, we decided to trust the students’
familiarity with the language and not
use a translator. Martinelli sat in on all
lectures and was available if needed, and
I made sure to begin each lecture by ask-
ing students to stop me if anything was
unclear or needed explanation. (In non-
English-speaking countries, I consciously
use a slower, more pronounced way of
speaking that I developed when hosting
college radio programs: favoring shorter
statements and avoiding compound sen-
tences and idiomatic expressions.)
I like to open my presentations with a
participatory question to help break the
ice, and to link the topic to something cur-
rently relevant. It’s an efective way to both
grab attention and take the temperature
of the students. In Siena, for example, I
opened the A Love Supreme presentation
asking about “spiritual jazz”—who of
today’s players they consider part of that
legacy (Kamasi Washington and Shabaka
Hutchings were both mentioned) and
what musical ideas or devices might be
considered typical to the style (modal
forms; slower, oten rubato tempi; ostinato
bass patterns; relaxed, meditative feel;
etc.). Before we began to investigate John
Coltrane’s career path, a number of stu-
dents had contributed to the conversation
and were even exchanging ideas among
themselves—a sure sign that they were
engaged. I could tell, as the saying goes, I
was preaching to the choir.
• Students in the JazzUp! Summer Camp meet Tank and the Bangas in Vienne, France.
Not knowing which moments of the
presentation will engender more inter-
est is also part of the fun, and I noticed
during the hip-hop/jazz lecture that for
any track I played (Kendrick Lamar,
Robert Glasper, Common, A Tribe
Called Quest), many students would jot
down the title and artist, while others
would hold up their smartphones—either
recording or Shazam-ing, I wasn’t sure.
Either way, another positive sign from
the instructor’s perspective.
Conservatorio di Musica
“F. Morlacchi” di Perugia—
Perugia, Italy
Perugia is home to the Umbria Jazz Festi-
val, one of Europe’s leading jazz-focused
events every summer. Yet the jazz pro-
gram in the town’s historic conservatory
(its roots reach back to 1788) struggles to
maintain its stature—administrative sup-
port, adequate funding—in that primar-
ily classical institution. hat’s the hard
truth in Italy; jazz can still be looked at
sideways by the entrenched music educa-
tion establishment.
At the Perugia conservatory, though,
I discovered a positive side: a small,
intensely enthusiastic student body and
a similarly dedicated pool of instructors,
including Mario Raja, who teaches both
classical and jazz saxophone; guitarist/ar-
ranger Angelo Lazzari; and pianist/com-
poser Alessandro Bravo, who heads the
JAZZTIMES.COM 81
 jazz program. It was Raja who irst invited
me to lecture at Morlacchi Conservatory,
and I witnessed him guiding his students.
In the school’s sonically resonant chapel,
he rehearsed a saxophone choir beautiful-
ly interpreting compositions by a mixed
bag of composers: Ellington, Mingus,
Albéniz, and Tchaikovsky. he same day,
in their vaulted auditorium, he guided a
formidable rotating ensemble (including
ive vocalists and three each of guitars,
clarinets, saxophones, and trumpets)
through mostly Monk material.
Raja has invited me to
lecture to the jazz stu-
dents for two years run-
ning. He explained that
many of his students have
yet to be exposed to dif-
ferent ways of integrating
jazz and classical studies
with popular music, and
to consider the role of
musicians in general. As
such, we decided to do
four lectures—the irst
to introduce myself and
my writing, the second to
discuss the social goals
of musicians, and the last
two to look at the careers
of Miles Davis and John
Coltrane. As in Siena, we
trusted my paced English
to be understandable
to the students, though
some asked for transla-
tion at times. It being
summer, the classes
were held in an open- • Ashley Kahn (left) and Hermeto Pascoal talk to students in Vienne. tival director Benjamin
windowed classroom
with students clustered around a large
conference table, giving it an intimate
and informal vibe.
I based the opening lecture on read-
ings from Il rumore dell’anima (he
Sound of the Soul), an anthology of my
music writing recently published in
Italian; the various chapter introduc-
tions, I’ve found, are particularly useful
academically, as they encapsulate my
thoughts about music genres, taste, arts
journalism, and how music listening
changes over time. I emailed PDFs of
these short excerpts to be distributed,
and asked for students to read them out
loud in class. Each served to introduce
a diferent idea, with an audio track to
match. A case study in the blues that
82 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
quoted Carlos Santana referenced the
power of the individual “voice” in music,
and then we played a Stevie Ray Vaughan
track as an example. I later used a recent
Kendrick Lamar tune to talk about the
need to resist the tendency to be limited
by stylistic categories, or to consider one- continuum—like the 2016 tune “Refugee”
self inished with musical exploration by
a certain age. Naturally, a discussion on
personal music preference followed this
last point, which I welcomed and added
to with questions like: What is the beneit
to hearing music without prejudice? Is
that even possible ater years of intense
musical study?
I opened the presentation on the social
role of musicians with a recent online
interview in which an academic and
a journalist—both well-versed in soul
music of the 1960s—discussed retro-soul
singer Leon Bridges and the lack of po-
litical message in his music. I explained
the complaint and asked the students to
consider whether music-making held
a responsibility to comment or at least
report on social realities, especially if the students with the same degree of gravity,
style of music was historically associated
with that purpose.
I then ofered a brief overview of how
diferent eras and thinkers have ap-
proached this question—from the days
of Plato to modern social theorists like
Jacques Attali—and traced the rise of soul
music: its sound, its name, and its role
in the ’60s, delivering messages of hope
and protest. We considered more recent
examples of “message music” in the same
by Gregory Porter, with Common and
Keyon Harrold—and returned to the
opening question. Of the four lectures in
Perugia, this one seemed to have the most
impact, generating a number of post-class
questions and emails for a few days ater.
JazzUp! Summer Camp
at Jazz à Vienne—
Vienne, France
Organized in conjunc-
tion with the renowned
Jazz à Vienne summer
festival in the Rhône river
area south of Lyon, the
relatively young JazzUp!
camp—this was only its
third year—is expanding,
adding Canadian and
Brazilian students to the
primarily French pro-
gram, and now conducts
all classes in English.
While past years focused
solely on performance
instruction, guiding en-
sembles through a 10-day
period to eventually play
ALEX TERRIER
on a festival stage, this
year I was invited by fes-
Tanguy to help develop
the program’s non-performance side:
lectures, discussions, and get-togethers
with professional musicians.
Speaking to music students of
high-school age (which the 29 JazzUp!
participants are) might seem to ask for a
diferent, more hand-holding approach
than I use when dealing with music
majors in university programs. But other
than providing a little more contex-
tual information on the topics chosen
for them, I prefer to address younger
with the certainty that music is indeed
their career path. In Vienne at the Lycée
Ella Fitzgerald (that’s its name!) I was
given the irst 45 minutes of the morning
to speak to all the students before they
 broke up into various classes to study
with either saxophonist Alex Terrier,
pianist Cedric Hanriot, or percussionist
Zaza Desiderio. On the irst day, I intro-
duced myself with a spontaneous sermon
on what I regard as the impending joys,
beneits, and heavy responsibility of be-
ing part of a worldwide music commu-
nity—and welcoming them to it.
Clearly, one of the beneits of a music
program embedded in a major jazz
festival is access to top-level music
performances. I dedicated the rest of my
morning sermonizing to focusing on the
programming for that particular eve-
ning, playing videos and explaining, for
example, why the choice of artists on the
African music night (Youssou N’Dour,
Rokia Traoré, and Mulatu Astatke)
proved how diverse their sounds were,
and why categorical terms like “African
music” can be almost useless. On the
Jazz and Hip-Hop evening, I noted that
Black Star performing with the Hypnotic
Brass Ensemble represented an important
reunion (Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey) as
well as a irst-time chance to hear them
doing legendary material with live music
accompaniment—and how a big part of
the meeting between jazz and hip-hop
was a negotiation between the idea of live
performance and studio (or laptop) sound
construction. he following morning, the
students would report back on what they
experienced and what they thought.
I was most proud of two meetings
with musicians that I was able to ar-
range for the JazzUp! students. he irst
brought them to the festival’s primary
venue—Vienne’s ancient, still-used
outdoor Roman amphitheater—to meet
the New Orleans funk/hip-hop group
Tank and the Bangas, to witness their
soundcheck, and to ask questions of the
various members about their music and
their professional path. he second get-
together saw Brazilian musical legend
and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pas-
coal visiting the classroom the morning
ater his concert and, with translation
from Portuguese to English and French,
regaling the students with stories of the
irst time he played music using kitchen
utensils and silverware, hearing jazz for
the irst time, and why that opened the
door for him to a world of sounds and
styles. At one point he took the plastic
top from my water bottle and used it to
blow the melody of “Happy Birthday”
for one of the students, improvising
a two-chorus solo; a better example
of pure musical spirit could not have
walked through the doors.
For my last day in Vienne—and of the
summer teaching gigs—I led a full day of
non-performance classes. I decided to re-
turn once again to John Coltrane, A Love
Supreme, and spirituality, which led to an
enthusiastic discussion among the stu-
dents about musicians (primarily French
pop and hip-hop, from what I under-
stood) who address God and touch upon
religion in their music. he day ended
with a screening of the recent Coltrane
documentary, Chasing Trane, and a inal
sermonette wishing them well in their
respective journeys and hoping that our
paths would cross again. And I meant it.
As much as I enjoy being around that raw
teenage passion for music, I’m equally
inspired if, years later, I run across a
more polished, accomplished version of a
student I once lectured—which I usually
don’t recall unless he or she reminds me.
It’s already happened a few times, and
it makes me truly appreciate what I am
given the opportunity to do. JT

To save you time, here’s a complete list

of all the independent, accredited schools in this guide,
100% devoted to the study and performance of jazz:

The California Jazz Conservatory

Berkeley, California
510.845.5373
cjc.edu

• Dan “Chimy” Chmielinski (Juilliard, 2017) performs with Joey Alexander at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in New York.
JAZZ AFTER COLLEGE
What do the alumni of America’s most prestigious
jazz programs do after graduation? We talked with
a few of them and got some interesting answers.
By Michael J. West
A
college degree is no guaran-
tee. It’s a cliché, but it only
becomes truer as time goes
on. It’s truer still in the mu-
sic world, and perhaps in the
jazz world most of all.
“here’s this kind of falla-
cy that you get a jazz degree
and all of a sudden you’re supposed to be
gited gigs,” says Dan “Chimy” Chmie-
linski, a bassist who graduated from
the Juilliard School in 2017 and toured
extensively with Joey Alexander. “It’s
not a golden ticket. I’ve never once been
asked to do a gig and asked where I went
to school or how many degrees I had.”
To some extent, though, a degree
84 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
isn’t so much ignored as it is assumed.
New York and Los Angeles are full of
musicians competing for the next open
booking or ensemble chair; more of them
have music degrees than don’t. “We are
oversaturated with qualiied people,” says
Alkis Nicolaides, a native of Cyprus who
got his bachelor’s from Berklee College
of Music in 2015, just completed his mas-
ter’s at California Institute of the Arts
(CalArts), and is about to begin his Ph.D.
there. “It’s the same kind of deal with any
degree, really.”
Where, then, does a jazz studies or mu-
sic degree take you? What do the degree
holders do, especially in the irst few years
ater graduation? here’s no one answer,
SARAH ESCARRAZ
of course; every jazz studies alum’s story
is diferent. However, in conversations
with over a dozen recent (within ive
years) graduates of the top collegiate jazz
programs in the United States, certain
patterns do emerge. Luck plays no small
part; resourcefulness also has a major role.
he connections formed at institutions of
higher learning are crucial.
he most common observation taken
from jazz degree holders, though, is this:
What you get out of your immediate
post-collegiate career is what you put
into it.
School Ties
As Chmielinski notes, there are few
stories of people needing to show their
academic credentials at jam sessions or
calls for a gig. Sometimes schools come
up as a curiosity, a way to ascertain who
one’s teachers or classmates would have
been. Nobody, though, gets asked about
their grade point average.
“here are people who have great
careers and didn’t do that well at school,”
says Nicolaides. “At Berklee, I had Roy
Hargrove as a teacher. He said that when
he was a student, he would miss all of his
classes to go to New York and gig. So he
obviously wasn’t prioritizing academics.”
Yet nobody questions the value of
the college experience. It’s a time when
creativity can be a top priority, and where
lessons can be channeled into projects
and collaborations that continue to bear
fruit ater graduation. Hayley Lam, a
2016 Berklee graduate, won several com-
position contests, including one spon-
sored by the Jazz Education Network
(JEN). When she moved to New York,
she says, “I actually
decided to enter more
competitions, just to
put myself out there.”
Garrett Wingield,
a saxophonist and
composer who earned
his master’s degree at
the University of North
Texas in 2016, decided
to stay in the Dallas-
Fort Worth area for a
year aterward. “I used
that time to continue
some projects that I
had started while I was
in graduate school,” he
recalls. “I was working
out these things and re-
hearsing with as many
bands as I could.”
Ater his extra year
in Texas (which burned
him out), Wingield
moved to Los Angeles,
where three erstwhile
bandmates lived, which
points to the most wide-
ly cited beneit of music
school: networking
connections. Another
North Texas alum,
vocalist Tahira Clayton,
moved to New York—
where she worked with
an established pianist
and classmate, Addison Frei, to establish
herself. “He’s the constant factor in my
music here,” Clayton says. “I had one
great musician, in Addison, who under-
stood who I was.”
he connections need not be so imme-
diate either, says Lam, a pianist: “here
are a lot of Berklee alumni in New York.
So I went to a couple of events to make
connections and to just keep searching
for work and gigs. Most of them I got
through the Berklee network.”
Moreover, connections beget con- obviously had a network there, and had
nections, as pianist Mark G. Meadows also played there as a sideman (with both
learned when he moved to Washington, classmates and saxophonist and program
D.C. from Baltimore, where he’d at- director Victor Goines), he had to put
tended the Peabody Conservatory (earn- in work to get work. “Pretty much right
ing his degree in 2013). “I was able to play ater school I was focused on building my
with key people, who got me connected own brand,” he says. “I had one album
to other key people,” Meadows says. “And out, and I’d built a presence on social me-
I was able to then very quickly ind my dia, so I was able to pitch myself.” When
inner circle … the people that kept call- he got called as a last-minute substitute
ing me.” on a gig at Andy’s, one of Chicago’s top-
tier jazz clubs, he was
able to parlay that into
bookings of his own.
Two years later, Tukes
has his own slot at the
Chicago Jazz Festival.
Clayton, however,
sets an astonishingly
high bar for proac-
tive pursuit. Upon her
arrival in New York
in January 2016, she
spent the irst few
days researching every
venue in the ive bor-
oughs that she could
potentially play—then
started emailing them.
“I would say that I
wrote probably a hun-
dred emails [in my irst
week],” she says. “hey
basically consisted
of ‘Here’s what I do,
here’s my music, here’s
my website, here’s my
bio, here’s every bit
of information that I
think you might wanna
know about me before
booking me.’ I would
drop MP3s, I would
drop music videos that
• Hannah Truckenbrod (Western Michigan, 2017) landed
a singing gig with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. I’d done; pretty much
everything that show-
cased my artistry, that I
could make easily accessible for them, I
Stepping Up would put it in my email.
“It was terrifying,” she adds. “hat
Even these kinds of associations, how- sort of cold-call atmosphere of being
ever, require some active efort on the brand-new to the city and having a lot
parts of recent grads; knowing people of more established people around, and
doesn’t mean sitting back and waiting for sort of, ‘Well, who am I to any of these
the gigs to come to them. people?’ But it was a great way to lay my
haddeus Tukes, a vibraphonist who foundation for what I would be doing
graduated from Northwestern Univer- in the city…. Of those hundred emails,
sity in 2016, planted himself back in I heard back from maybe ive. But those
his hometown of Chicago. But while he are venues that I’m still playing now.”
JAZZTIMES.COM 85

• Reggie Bowens (Howard, 2011) appeared on NBC’s The Sing-
Off, got his master’s at Indiana, and now teaches in Cleveland.
Day Shifts
Even with that kind of initiative, how-
ever, Clayton encountered some speed
bumps. She’d saved some money before
moving to New York, but it went fast—
faster still once she started gigging and
had to pay her accompanists for both
rehearsal and performance. Within a
few months, she was working as a cash
register in her neighborhood grocery
store. (Within a month she’d lost the
job; she was so happy to engage with
customers, as she would with an audi-
ence, that she’d hold up the line while
she talked to them.)
Having to take a day job to make ends
meet is commonplace for new music-
school graduates. “I’m doing odd gig
work here and there,” Wingield says,
“but the vast majority of my income is
from working in cofee, and I’m doing
tutoring and other side hustles.”
Unsurprisingly, teaching is the most
frequent day job. (It’s also one outlet
where they do want to see your degree.)
According to Berklee—which graduates
more jazz studies majors than any other
school in America—29 percent of its
alumni work in performing arts as their
86 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
primary occupation, and 25 percent work
in education. Meadows’ move to D.C. was
facilitated by an ofer to join the faculty
at Duke Ellington High School for the
Performing Arts. Lam gigs as a pianist
and composes for commissions, but calls
piano lessons “my income source.” Reg-
gie Bowens, who competed with Howard
University’s a cappella jazz ensemble
Afro-Blue on the NBC TV program he
Sing-Of before receiving his master’s
degree from Indiana University, is now
an adjunct professor of voice and piano at
a community college in Cleveland.
Cesar Orozco spent 14 years as a
sought-ater jazz pianist in Venezuela
before coming to the U.S. to study at Pea-
body. (He graduated in 2014.) Even with
that impressive résumé to go with his
degree, though, Orozco got to New York
and found that performance wasn’t viable
as a primary profession. “I realized that
playing $100 gigs was not a way to make
it,” he says. “I saw that all my friends were
living in little rooms, with many room-
mates—some of them have been living in
the city for 20 years, and they’re still, all
the time, not knowing how they’re going
to pay the rent next month. I have a fam-
Extremes of Fortune
Some alumni experiences
underscore the value of being
ready for anything
Planning for a postgrad career is
an important thing, but one also
shouldn’t downplay the role of sheer
luck in a young musician’s successes
and failures. here are examples of
this on both ends of the continuum.
Hannah Truckenbrod graduated
from Western Michigan Univer-
sity in the spring of 2017; by that
time, she had already been hired as
the female vocalist for the Glenn
Miller Orchestra. “I was visiting my
grandpa in Florida, and he always
goes to this little pub, and the
drummer in the trio that night was
CEO of the company,” she says. “He
COURTESY OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
set me up with an audition. his
was in the spring of my junior year
as an undergrad.
“Later in the year I got the op-
portunity to sub for the current
female vocalist, and when she put
in her notice that she was going to
be leaving, I got the call. It’s a pretty
right-place-at-the-right-time story.”
Truckenbrod’s good fortune is
hard to overstate. he Glenn Miller
Orchestra is the only one of the
swing-era tentpoles that tours as
heavily now as it did in its prime:
about 46 weeks a year, with ive or
six shows a week. Calling it “the
company,” as she does, is appropri-
ate; she’s a salaried employee, with
beneits. She’s automatically plugged
into a network of musicians—
“Currently the band is pretty young,
younger than it has been in previous
decades,” she says—and forging
connections with industry profes-
sionals all over the United States.
he range of possibilities is vast.
“It’s a goal to get my master’s one
day in performance, and hope-
fully someday even a doctorate. I’m
interested in arts administration, or
teaching, or both, at the university
level,” she says. “[But right now] I’m
just dedicated to the hustle.”
On the opposite side are those
who aspire to be dedicated to the
hustle. Jackson Laskey lives in New
York and has a career, of sorts: He’s
a professional poker player, on a
ily! hat’s impossible—that’s not a life.”
Ater six months, Orozco took a job at a
private elementary school in Jersey City.
But he’s a happy man. he job is lex-
ible, still allowing him to gig; the faculty
and students love him; and he composes
fun melodies for the kids, making their
lessons more interesting and giving him
a creative outlet.
his type of satisfaction with teach-
ing is a common refrain. Bowens has
also “come to love teaching at the col-
legiate level.” Clayton now teaches in
low-income NYC schools through an
outreach program at Brooklyn Conserva-
tory of Music, which she’s found to be
transformative. “I’ve stuck with teaching
and I probably will for the remainder of
my time on earth,” she says. “It’s a sort of
fulillment that you don’t get with perfor-
mance sometimes.”
hose whose primary work
isn’t musical oten make their
peace with that, too. Wingield
doesn’t love being a barista, but
he appreciates not depleting his
musical energy during the day,
so he’s fresh for the jam sessions
at night. Nicolaides relates an
anecdote about an L.A. friend
and Berklee classmate. “He actu-
ally became the manager of a pet
shop,” he says. “And so he goes
to the pet shop at 5 a.m. to set up
the store, and then he practices
his saxophone in the store until
it opens, and then he closes and
he can do whatever he wants.
And he’s probably the happiest
person I know! He’s balancing
life and creativity, and I think
that inding this balance is key
ater you graduate.”
Notes of Wisdom
he takeaways from these young
musicians’ stories are as varied
as the stories themselves. In my
conversations with them, I asked
if they had advice for fresh or
soon-to-be jazz studies gradu-
ates. hree of their answers were
particularly pertinent.
“Make a plan,” haddeus
Tukes says. “hat plan is gonna
change, but it means you do
have a plan. Recognize it’s
gonna take time; you’re gonna
hit a lot of walls, especially if you’re
trailblazing, and that’s not a reason to
become complacent.”
Reggie Bowens ofers a counterpoint
to Tukes. “Of course preparation is key,
but we do still have to be open-minded
and lexible,” he says. “I remember a
professor at Howard told us, ‘If you want
to be a band director, be open to the idea
of being a choir director. You never know
what you’re going to be needed for.’”
Garrett Wingield’s advice is in some
ways the opposite, but on scrutiny works
in harmony with Tukes’ and Bowens’
words. “You just have to be persistent
with your own projects and your own
music, and you have to buy into it and
believe in it,” he says. “Even if it’s not
making any money, if it’s not doing what
you want it to do—just keep doing it.
“Otherwise, you did all this for what?”JT
• Tahira Clayton (North Texas, 2015)
performs and teaches in New York.
level high enough that he spent
much of summer 2018 at the World
Series of Poker in Las Vegas (“I
did well,” he says) and co-hosts the
popular podcast Just Hands Poker.
He also works as a consultant to a
cryptocurrency irm. hese were
Laskey’s plans C and D, respec-
tively; he graduated from Oberlin
in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in
jazz piano, and moved to New York
to be a musician. “I probably play
on average about one to two gigs a
month, although probably at least
one of those would not be in New
York,” he says.
His other revenue streams have
largely removed Laskey from the
cutthroat competition of the New
York jazz scene. “I’ve sunk a good
amount of time into other ways of
trying to sustain myself while living
here. And so it’s just oten not been
possible to do what I do during the
day and have the energy to go out at
night for a fairly late jam session, to
probably play one song that I may or
may not know.”
Laskey earned a second degree
in computer science, hoping that
he could sustain himself that way.
He quickly found that ield to be as
competitive as music, but it’s helped
him a bit in the crypto work. Simi-
larly, his studies with Billy Hart at
Oberlin have allowed him to work
on occasion with the drummer.
He’s lately found himself in a much
more stable inancial position, and
says he’s now beginning to immerse
himself in the jam and social scenes
he’d previously been isolated from.
However, Laskey’s experience to this
point has given him a somewhat
bleak outlook.
“I do think having some skills
outside of music is really useful in
this stage of your life,” he says. “And
I think this stage, unfortunately,
depending on how aggressive,
talented, and lucky you are, seems
to last for a while for a lot of people.
… If you can’t come and expect to
get good work now, I would [tell an
aspiring musician] not to come to
New York.”
It is between these two ex-
tremes that most music majors are
likely to land.
GREAT SOUND ON A STUDENT BUDGET
Study up on these stereo recommendations and you won’t
have to settle for bad audio in your school years.
By Brent Butterworth
I
n the battle for better sound, no
one has it tougher than students.
Most are on limited budgets—
and if they’re music students,
their reeds, strings, or cymbals
come irst. Most live in small
bedrooms or dorm rooms, oten
shared with others who might
resent a late-night exploration of Head
• Status Audio CB-1
Headphones: The Place to Start
I recently attended the Lynn Seaton Jazz
Double Bass Camp at the University of
North Texas, where many of my fellow
students—most of whom were starting
college in the fall—asked me what kind
of stereo gear they should get. I told them
all that by far the most important piece
of audio equipment for music students
is a natural-sounding set of closed-back,
over-the-ear headphones. You can use
them not only for music listening, but
also for mixing and monitoring your
own recordings, and the closed-back
design blocks out most of the noise your
roommates are making.
Hunters or Bitches Brew.
he good news is that there’s more
excellent-sounding, afordable audio
gear now than ever before. hanks to
technological advances and more ef-
icient manufacturing, today’s 18-year-
old saxophone student may well have a
better, more versatile audio system than
her father did when he went to college,
If you’re listening for fun, there’s no
better bargain than Sony’s MDR-7506
($99), which for two decades has been
a standard ixture in audio production
facilities. Much as I love listening to the
7506, its bass is boosted a bit—which
means that if you mix with it, you’ll
probably turn the bass down to compen-
sate, and get complaints that your mixes
need more bottom end. So for mixing
and monitoring recordings, I’ve switched
to the Status Audio CB-1 ($79), which has
a more natural-sounding balance of bass
to midrange to treble.
Speaking of keeping out noise, don’t
buy noise-canceling headphones with the
thought that they’re going to isolate you
• An assortment of
AKG Y20Us
for less than a third of the inlation-
adjusted price.
In this guide, I’ll explain what audio
gear students—especially music stu-
dents—need to own, and make speciic
recommendations for products that
not only sound great for the money, but
might even sound better than what your
parents have at home.
from your cohabitants’ chatter. hey’re
mostly designed to cancel the low-
frequency noise from jet engines, and
they rarely do much to block voices, TV
sound, or squeaky clarinet playing.
Of course, you probably don’t want
to stroll around campus wearing studio
headphones. A better bet would be a
set of in-ear headphones, which some
people refer to as earbuds. Fortunately,
there are some great in-ears at bargain
prices. My favorite set is the AKG Y20U
($29), which sounds more musical than
some models that cost 10 times as much.
However, the Y20U is a wired design,
which is complicated to use with recent
Apple phones because they don’t have a
headphone jack. he wire also tends to
get tangled during jogging and workouts.
If you want a Bluetooth wireless model
that’s built to survive such activity (and
work with any phone), try the Jaybird X3
($129), which is rugged, sweatproof, and
great-sounding.

• Edifier R2000DB
The Best Option: A Real Stereo
All-in-one wireless speakers have become
the audio system of choice for average lis-
teners. But anyone who’s serious enough
about music to be reading this magazine
will appreciate a real stereo system with
separate let and right speakers. A stereo
system can create a convincing illusion
that the musicians are right there in the
room with you, and it’ll also produce
more realistic sound than most all-in-
one audio systems can. And by the way,
it doesn’t necessarily cost more than an
all-in-one.
he irst thing to consider in a stereo
system is the speakers, and the best-
known designer of great budget speakers
is Andrew Jones. When he worked for
Pioneer, Jones designed the SP-BS22-LR
speaker ($129/pair), which any audio
critic will tell you is the best sound you
can get for less than $150. Jones has since
moved on to a company called Elac,
where he has designed more advanced
speakers, including the Debut B4 ($179/
• Elac Debut B4
pair). While I’m hesitant to make blanket
recommendations in audio, I haven’t yet
heard an Andrew Jones-designed speaker
that didn’t impress me, and the models
listed above are compact enough to it
into a small room. If you do have more
to spend, consider stepping up to Jones’
Elac Uni-Fi B6 ($499/pair), which has an
even more natural sound than the Debut
B4, in part because of an extra driver
dedicated only to the midrange.
Some students can’t spend even $100
for speakers, and for them, I recommend
the Dayton Audio B652. Its price tag
changes oten, but it’s usually around $32
per pair. At that price, it can’t work sonic
miracles, but it has a clearer midrange
and a lot more bass than most all-in-one
wireless systems do. hat’s because it has
a separate woofer for low frequencies and
tweeter for high frequencies, a feature
many wireless speakers lack.
You may also want to consider a pair
of powered speakers, which have ampli-
iers (and oten Bluetooth)
built in. What’s great for music
students is that most of these
are designed at least partially
for use as recording monitors,
so they’re suitable tools for
mixdowns. One great example
is the Ediier R2000DB ($249),
a smooth-sounding set of
powered speakers that has
analog and digital inputs in
addition to Bluetooth. A less
expensive alternative is Sam-
son’s MediaOne BT4 ($119), a
Bluetooth-equipped set that
doesn’t perform quite as well
as the Ediier but still delivers
satisfying sound.
• NAD D 3020 V2
Adding Power
Unless your
speakers are
powered, you’ll
need some sort
of ampliier to
drive them. A
great choice for
a dorm room is one of the new compact
ampliiers with Bluetooth built in, such
as Dayton Audio’s DTA-120BT ($76).
Even though it’s just 2 by 3½ by 7½
inches, the DTA-120BT puts out 40 watts
per channel into 8-ohm speakers, plenty
of power for a small space. You can use
its built-in Bluetooth to hook up wire-
lessly to your phone, tablet, or computer,
or connect to its line input with a wire.
If you want something more capable,
check out NAD’s D 3020 V2 ($399). At 30
watts per channel, it’s a little less power-
ful than the DTA-120BT, but it adds a
phono input for connecting a turntable,
and digital inputs for connecting a TV
or an audio streamer such as Google’s
Chromecast Audio.
• Pro-Ject Juke Box E
Students who want to be able to play
records in their bedroom or dorm room
now have a fantastic option: the Pro-Ject
Juke Box E ($499), which is basically one
of Pro-Ject’s excellent budget turntables
with an ampliier, Bluetooth, and a line
input built in. Add a pair of speakers and
you’ll have a complete system that’s as
ready for a vinyl copy of Kind of Blue as it
is for Internet jazz radio stations.
JAZZTIMES.COM 89
 The Most Affordable Option:
Bluetooth Speakers
Although wireless speakers generally
have a bad rep for sound quality, they’re
oten the only option if space and budget
are tight. And there are some that sound
pretty good.
Students living in dorms are best of
sticking with Bluetooth speakers. Speak-
ers that rely on a WiFi connection, such
as Sonos speakers and the smart speakers
from Amazon and Google, are oten
OBERLIN
CONSERVATORY
OF MUSIC
YOUR LEGEND
STARTS HERE.
Oberlin’s jazz faculty don’t just teach the
music: They live the music, through their
interaction with students in Oberlin’s
unsurpassed facilities and on stages
around the globe. They learned their craft
from jazz’s legendary performers, and they
revel in sharing their insight and passion—
in shaping the legends of tomorrow.
They are Jay Ashby, Gary Bartz, Peter
Dominguez, Bobby Ferrazza, Jamey
Haddad, La Tanya Hall, Billy Hart,
Eddie Henderson, Paul Samuels,
and Dan Wall.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
39 West College Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
440-775-8413 | www.oberlin.edu/con
impossible to get working with the WiFi
network in a dorm. Because Bluetooth
is a direct wireless connection to your
phone or tablet, it’ll work with no hassle.
For the last year, my personal favorite
Bluetooth speaker has been the Sony
SRS-XB30, which has amazingly good
bass for a speaker measuring 9 by 3.2 by
3.4 inches. It’s been recently replaced by
the very similar, slightly improved SRS-
WALTER NOVAK
• Sony SRS-XB31
XB31 ($129). he SRS-XB31 won’t give
you real stereo sound, but it has a natural
tonality that’ll let you enjoy your down-
loaded music and streams from Spotify
and YouTube at a volume loud enough to
ill a dorm room.
If you like the convenience of a
Bluetooth speaker but want to step up in
sound quality, try the Marshall Stan-
more ($349, but oten discounted $100 or
more). Like Marshall’s legendary guitar
amps, the Stanmore plays loud, but un-
like the guitar amps, it has a full, natural
sound with all instruments and voices.
Top-mounted tone controls make it easy
to tune the sound to your taste. RCA
analog inputs let you connect a turntable,
provided you use a phono preamp or a
turntable with a built-in preamp.
Whether you’re living in a (literally)
closet-size individual dorm room, shar-
ing a larger space with multiple room-
mates, or looking for the audio system
that’ll nurture your passion for jazz
through your high-school years, you can
deinitely get very good audio gear even
with severe budget restrictions. But when
you upgrade someday, don’t sell that old
gear. Take it from me: Just as people oten
love the music of their youth the best,
they also develop a strong nostalgia for
the audio equipment they used in college.
No matter how much you might eventu-
ally spend on a nice system, you’ll never
love it as much as you loved your irst
decent stereo. JT
• Marshall Stanmore
 CDROUNDUP
← The University of Toronto 12tet with director Terry Promane (third from left)
UNIVERSITY OF
CENTRAL FLORIDA
FLYING HORSE BIG BAND
THE BAT SWINGS (Flying Horse)
Holy bebop, Batman!
UCF jazz director Jef
Rupert decided to turn
the school’s premier
student jazz ensemble
loose on classic 1960s TV-superhero
music. his CD focuses on the energetic,
quirky stuf that Nelson Riddle and
others wrote for Batman, with a nod to
Spider-Man for good measure.
Rupert, fellow saxophonists Harry
Allen and Mark Taylor, trumpeter Mi-
chael Philip Mossman, and pianist/UCF
faculty member Per Danielsson arranged
the material for this narrowly focused
big-band project. he band sounds in-
spired and tight throughout, augmented
on a couple of tracks by faculty members
Richard Drexler on Hammond B-3 and
Marty Morell on varied percussion.
Baritone saxophonist Saul Dautch
contributes excellent solos to the opener,
“Batman to Airport” (chart by Moss-
man), and to Allen’s arrangement of
COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
“Batman Blues.” Mossman also arranged
quirky snippets that segue between
most tracks, as well as “Murcielago en
la Cueva,” a clever Latin-tinged piece
built from the action cues heard in the
Batman series that blossoms into Neal
Heti’s “Batman heme.” Tenor saxo-
phonist Andy Garcia, alto saxophonist
Dylan Young, and trombonist Christian
BY KEN FRANCKLING
Herrera are featured on “Kitka,” a Riddle
tune exploring the Caped Crusader’s
relationship with Catwoman. Guitar-
ist Ryan Waszmer turns in memorable
performances on several tunes, including
the rif-charged “Spider-Man heme”
and “Holy Hole-in-the-Doughnut,”
which Danielsson cleverly built from
sidekick Robin’s exclamations.
he project closes with Rupert’s ar-
rangement of “Amazing Grace.” he
hymn is the traditional concert closer for
multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, who
has been a UCF guest artist.
UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH TEXAS
ONE O’CLOCK LAB BAND
LAB 2017 (North Texas Jazz)
LEGACY: NEIL SLATER AT NORTH TEXAS
(North Texas Jazz)
his is a
milestone—
the 50th
annual
release
from UNT’s premier jazz performance
unit. And there’s even more reason to
celebrate: he 2016-17 academic year was
also the 70th anniversary of the North
Texas jazz program.
he One O’Clock Lab Band’s 2017
recording features the always-tight, al-
ways-robust big band performing three
jazz warhorses, four student-penned
pieces, one each from new director Alan
Baylock and longtime UNT composi-
tion professor Rich DeRosa, plus a
spirited inale from the Don Menza
songbook. Tenor saxophonist Brandon
Moore wrote one track, arranged three
more, and is featured soloist on DeRo-
sa’s gently swinging “Roundabout.” Bay-
lock’s original, “Old School,” features an
old-fashioned tenor sax battle between
Moore and Brian Stark.
he most ambitious tune is Stark’s
three-section “Myself When I Am
Mingus,” which stretches more than 13
minutes and is as exuberant and funky as
anything in the Mingus Dynasty book.
Its intimate adagio section showcases
pianist Henry Dickhof and alto player
Kyle Bellaire. Undergraduate jazz major
Kyle Myers wrote “Tomorrow Morn-
ing,” and its soaring musical panorama,
enhanced by the wordless vocals of Kara
Walton, has a beautiful Pat Metheny feel.
Dickhof’s B-3 organ work on Moore’s
arrangement of “I’m Beginning to See the
Light” underscores this smoking Duke
Ellington piece. Guitarist Jack Roben
is featured on a Stefon Harris arrange-
ment of Chick Corea’s “500 Miles High.”
Menza’s “Dizzyland” is a high-octane
showcase for the band’s ive trumpet-
ers: Josh Kaufman, Brian Fincher,
Nick Owsik, Evan Templeton and Luke
Wingield, who do both Menza and tune
namesake Dizzy Gillespie proud.
he lavish four-disc boxed set Legacy is
ambitious and then some. It contains, in
chronological order, all 35 compositions
and two arrangements that Neil Slater
wrote for the One O’Clock Lab Band dur-
ing, and for ive years ater, his 27-year
tenure as leader of the group and Head
of Jazz Studies. He “retired” in 2008,
ater which UNT split his job into two
separate positions; he remains a professor
emeritus. he set concludes with “Neil,”
DeRosa’s Grammy-nominated tribute
composition that appeared on Lab 2015.
Slater’s writing is marked by both
elegance and swing, no matter what its
inspiration, and the top-notch band
adds ire through crisp section work
and the solos of its many members over
the years (a large number of whom have
gone on to pro music careers, includ-
ing drummer Ari Hoenig, trumpeter
JAZZTIMES.COM 91

Justin Stanton, bassist Tony Scherr,
guitarist Pete McCann, and saxophon-
ist Dave Pietro). One of the inest tracks
is “Values,” written for the university’s
centennial in 1990 and recorded in 1991;
a bridge between classical, jazz and
blues forms, it features Steve Williams
on tenor saxophone and Kevin Watt on
lugelhorn. Slater’s arrangements of “My
Foolish Heart” and “Lead On, O King
Eternal” were part of a 1994 recording
project honoring Gene Hall, who was
hired in 1947 to start UNT’s jazz degree
curriculum, then known as a “dance
band” program. “My Foolish Heart”
features Luis Hernandez, now with the
Airmen of Note, on alto sax, while Jami
Dauber (the One O’Clock Lab Band’s
irst female trumpeter) and Scott Harrell
are the soloists on the gospel-infused
“Lead On….”
As part of the 70th-anniversary
UNT Jazz celebration, the program also
released three other sets. Perseverance
features eight of DeRosa’s compositions
and arrangements, recorded by the One
O’Clock and Two O’Clock Lab Bands
between 2011 and 2016. he three-CD set
Airstream Artistry features 40 selections
that the Two O’Clock Lab Band recorded
under Jim Riggs from 1991 to 2008. Nice!
is a 2-CD set compiling Jay Saunders’
work as the Two O’Clock Lab Band
leader from 2008 to 2014.
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
2017 JAZZ ENSEMBLE
A TRIBUTE TO GERI ALLEN (HUJE)
he late pianist Geri
Allen, who died in June
2017 at age 60, was one of
the irst graduates of
Howard’s jazz program
and a member of HUJE during the late
’70s; she later became a Howard faculty
member as well. his project honors her
adventurous and conident spirit. First
the 2017 ensemble digs into six wide-
ranging standards, mostly from the
bebop canon. hen the CD goes into
lashback mode by showcasing the 1989
band’s exploration of Ornette Coleman’s
beautiful “Kathelin Grey,” before closing
with a three-tune segment that captures
Allen herself performing early composi-
tions with the 1977, 1978, and 1979
editions of the band.
he 2017 ensemble puts a strong stamp
on Monk’s “Bye-Ya” before strolling at
92 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BANDS
mixed gaits through Billy Taylor’s “Easy
Walker,” Hank Mobley’s “his I Dig of
You,” Bobby Hutcherson’s “Little B’s
Poem,” Horace Silver’s “Doodlin,’” and
Johnny Griin’s teasing “he JAMFs Are
Coming.” Pianist Tristan Benton is a
featured soloist on all six tunes. He and
guitarist heodros Alemu set the tone
on “his I Dig of You,” while trombonist
Jarvis Hooper is co-featured on the Grif-
in piece. he full ensemble adds splendid
accents with solid section work.
he Allen segment shows what a musi-
cal force she was, even as an undergrad.
She plays piano and sings with a sot,
light sound over Arthur Dawkins’ sopra-
no sax on HUJE 1977’s Latin-tinged take
on “A Communion of My Soul.” Allen
sticks to the keyboard on 1978’s “For Real
Moments” and 1979’s “Give the Band a
Hand,” a robust closer whose featured so-
loists include trumpeter Wallace Roney, a
frequent musical partner to whom Allen
was married from 1995 to 2008.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
ON THE ROAD (Mark)
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
MEGA-SAX ENSEMBLES
STINKIN’ 3.0 (Mark)
he
University of
Kentucky’s
various jazz
bands have a
distinctive musical swagger, ofering
explosive energy from their many horns
and surprises at every turn, along with a
zest for tongue-in-cheek material. hese
projects only reinforce that fact.
On the Road opens with eight tracks
that the 2017 ensemble recorded in
preparation for its appearance at the
50th annual Elmhurst College Jazz Fes-
tival. he other ive were recorded just
before the 2011 band went to Europe for
Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festival
appearances. he opener, “When Ya
Gotta Go, Ya Gotta Go!,” is a tenor
battle for saxophonists Jonathan Barrett
and Angela Ortega, while Bill Holman’s
“Film at Eleven” and Rick Hirsch’s
“Metroliner” feature high energy and
well-crated delicacy. Matt Catin-
gub’s “Blues and the Abcessed Tooth”
provides more of the same, as well as a
whimsical title. Subtleties abound on
“Caravan,” featuring Ortega on vocals
and graduate assistant Ian Cruz on
clarinet. he session’s most intriguing
moments come during Barrett’s extend-
ed bassoon solo on “he Peacocks” and
Cruz’s EWI feature on his arrangement
of Russell Ferrante’s vintage Yellowjack-
ets tune “Goin’ Home.”
Classic and a few contemporary big-
band charts dominate the 2011 tracks:
Frank Foster’s “Blues in Hoss’ Flat,”
Hirsch’s “Catch Me If You Can,” Gordon
Goodwin’s strutting “he Phat Pack,”
Holman’s “Any Dude’ll Do,” and Don
Menza’s burning “Time Check.” “he
Phat Pack” features contrasting sax solos
from Dieter Rice on tenor and Cruz on
baritone. Faculty member Raleigh Dailey
wrote and plays guest piano on a mys-
terious gem called “Stalking the Dread
Moray Eel.” Credit the rhythm section’s
plodding pace if this one has you looking
over your shoulder at times.
Stinkin’ 3.0 is the third in a series of
recordings by UK’s Mega-Sax ensembles,
who were once told by a festival judge,
“You guys don’t need no stinkin’ rhythm
section,” hence the title—though the al-
bum could just as easily have been called
he Joy of Sax, for that’s what emerges
here on tracks featuring anywhere from
four to nine saxophonists. Four cuts fea-
ture percussion, but the rest are all sax,
with intricate arrangements and soulful
solos. A quartet with Cruz (soprano and
alto), Ortega (alto), Kirby Davis (tenor),
and Jared Sells (baritone) is featured on
a beautiful exploration of “Lush Life,” as
well as Mike Mower’s “Ford Fiasco” and
spirited “Kentucky Roastup”—Mower,
who led the defunct sax quartet Itchy
Fingers, has been a frequent contributor
to UK jazz director Miles Osland’s Mega-
Sax projects.
Guests Jef Coin, Jef Driskill, and
Tony Dagradi brought several original
tunes for the Mega-Sax bands to explore.
Coin’s “Tall and Lanky”—arranged by
Cruz, who earned his doctorate at UK
last year and directed Mega-Sax 2—is a
feature for Coin (tenor) and Davis (alto).
Driskill’s pieces include the laid-back
“Blues and the Bent Side Key,” teasing
“Straight Jacket,” and the premiere of his
“A Change in the Gospel.” Dagradi’s “So-
hana Sha Kirpal” is the session’s most ro-
bust track, with eight reed players and two
percussionists supporting his plaintive
tenor solo. He also contributed Stinkin’
3.0’s up-tempo closer, “Sweet Faced Lie.”
CDROUNDUP
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA-
LAS VEGAS JAZZ STUDIES
PROGRAM
FASCINATING RHYTHM & LATIN JOURNEY
IV (TNC JAZZ)
here’s an abundance of
riches on this two CD-set
from UNLV’s jazz
program. It includes six
distinct groups, plus one
solo piano track featuring Patrick Hogan,
who frequently appears elsewhere on the
project as a player, arranger, composer,
and/or singer.
he irst eight tracks spotlight the
talented Jazz Ensemble I. Trumpeter
Jorge Machain wrote the Latin gem “Por
Ahora” (For Now), a feature for guest horn
man Gilbert Castellanos. Machain also
arranged the band’s teasing take on the
Gershwin brothers’ “Fascinating Rhythm”
and turned in beautiful solos on “Tadd’s
Delight” and UNLV tenor saxophonist Mi-
chael Spicer’s vibrant original “Fake Blues.”
he band’s exploration of Rob McCon-
nell’s take on “Bye Bye Blues” showcases
Hogan’s piano work amid a relaxed swing
feel reminiscent of the Basie band; other
soloists spotlighted in this segment include
guitarist Nick Lee, saxophonists Jake
Yansen and Ganiyu Danda, and trombon-
ist Nick Veslany. he irst disc winds down
with the 11-member UNLV Contem-
porary Jazz Ensemble’s performance of
Spicer’s extended panoramic composition
“Patchwork,” a crystalline beauty featuring
lutist Daniel Egwurube, and three tracks
from the Honors Jazz Quartet. he latter
are originals: bassist Dave Ostrem’s funky
“Blue Brew,” saxophonist Rick Keller’s
ballad “For Pat,” and pianist Hogan’s
hard-driving “Mythos.” Drummer Angelo
Stokes rounds out the group.
UNLV’s 12-member Latin Jazz En-
semble is featured on most of disc two.
It opens with band director Uli Geis-
sendoerfer’s “Tango,” arranged by pianist
Bennett Mason and featuring guitarist
Sam Ramirez and the ethereal vocals of
Gary Fowler. he ensemble also tackles
Chick Corea’s “Spain,” another feature
for Egwurube; Francisco Torres’ breezy
Latin arrangement of Duke Ellington’s
“he Feeling of Jazz”; Michel Camilo’s
iery “Caribe,” featuring James Whiting on
vibes; and two strong features for Fowler,
the Latin dance staple “Bilongo” and Tania
Maria’s “Yatra-Ta.” hen there’s Yansen’s
robust arrangement of the Budos Band’s
“Scorpion” and a Latinized version of the
Stylistics hit “People Make the World Go
Round” showcasing Cirque du Soleil singer
Marjana Sobol, who’s enrolled in the
UNLV masters-level program. Ater the
Latin segment, the disc features UNLV’s
Honors Trio (Hogan, bassist Ruben Van
Gundy, and drummer Michael Hof-
man) on the pianist’s toe-tapping “Oasis.”
Hogan’s solo spotlight—piano and Chet
Baker-like voice—on Ellington’s “I Didn’t
Know About You” precedes two tracks
by keyboardist Estrella Yun’s Electric
Band. hat fusion trio, with bassist Dave
Ostrom and drummer Stokes, performs
her spirited original “City of Lights” before
closing with a stunning “500 Miles High”
that features the leader on acoustic piano.
It’s a great closer for this wide-ranging
compilation.
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
12TET
AS DAY SLIPS INTO NIGHT (U of T Jazz)
Here’s proof that less can be
more, with a range as broad
as a full-blown big band yet
retaining the subtleties and
expanded solos of a much
smaller unit. hat approach works well for
Terry Promane’s University of Toronto
12tet. On its latest project, the band puts a
modern spin on a few jazz classics and digs
into both originals and some newer pieces.
Seven of the nine tracks were written or,
more oten, arranged by 12tet members
and other undergrad and grad students in
U of T’s composing/arranging segment.
Ben Edgecombe arranged Cedar
Walton’s “Bolivia,” on which the sprightly
piano work of Noah Franche-Nolan sets up
a lush ensemble horn segment and alto sax
solo from Brandon Tee. Nathaniel Jenkins’
chart for Tom Harrell’s soaring ballad “Sail
Away” showcases trumpeter Michael Hen-
ley and guitarist Julius Clegg. he band’s
version of “Perdido” gets a similar update,
featuring tenor Kieran Murphy and trum-
peter Kaelin Murply (no relation). Tenor
player John Nicholson wrote and arranged
“Eventide,” which has a beautiful panoram-
ic feel. Promane arranged U of T faculty
member Mike Murley’s “Extra Time” as a
feature for the 12tet’s horn players, which
segues into a funky piano section.
he contemporary fare includes Snarky
Puppy’s “Ready Wednesday,” which is fre-
netic at times and pulses with the power of
a big band at others. Baritone saxophonist
Russell Matthews provides its pulse, set-
ting up a thundering solo from Franche-
Nolan. Singer Brooklyn Bohach is featured
on three numbers: the dance-inspired
“Isaya,” sourced from the Dutch band Big
Bizar Habit; Promane’s skillful arrange-
ment of Klaus Gesing’s “Dance Without
Answer” (with bittersweet goodbye lyrics
by Norma Winstone); and a hypnotic
planetary wake-up call that is the disc’s
pièce de résistance: Henley’s arrangement
of “(Ocean) Bloom,” a song that Radio-
head reworked with ilm composer Hans
Zimmer. Bohach’s ethereal tone dominates
here, and has the inal word. JT
 2018-19 DIRECTORY OF
SCHOOLS & PROGR AMS
Community College
U.S. COLLEGES
2626 E Pecos Rd., Chandler, AZ 85225
www.cgc.maricopa.edu
& UNIVERSITIES
Primary contact: Randy Wright,
480-732-7290, randy.wright@cgc.edu
Jazz contact: Ted Goddard, 480-857-5182,
ted.goddard@cgc.edu
ALABAMA
Mesa Community College
Auburn University Music Department
217 Goodwin Hall, 320 W. Samford 1833 W. Southern Ave., Mesa, AZ 85202
Auburn, AL 36849 Primary contact: Fred Forney,
https://cla.auburn.edu/music/ 602-963-2032, forney@mc.maricopa.edu
Primary contact: Dr. Mike Pendowski,
334-844-3164, mjp0023@auburn.edu Northern Arizona University
Jazz Studies Ofice
Jacksonville State University PO Box 6040, Flagstaff, AZ 86011
700 Pelham Rd. https://nau.edu
North Jacksonville, AL 36265 Jazz contact: Joel Di Bartolo,
https://jsujazz.webs.com/ 928-523-3496, joel.dibartolo@nau.edu
Primary contact: Andy Nevala,
303-859-3589, andy@andynevala.com University of Arizona School of Music
UA College of Fine Arts
University of Alabama School of Music Tucson, AZ 85721
PO Box 870366, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 www.music.cfa.arizona.edu
https://jazz.music.ua.edu Admissions contact: Ms. Ruth Szabo,
Jazz contact: Chris Kozak, 520-621-1454, rszabo@u.arizona.edu
205-348-6333, ckozak@ua.edu Jazz contact: Jeffrey Haskell,
520-621-1341, jhaskell@u.arizona.edu
Wallace State College
801 Main St, Hanceville, AL 35077
www.wallacestatehanceville.edu CALIFORNIA
Primary contact: Ricky Burks,
205-352-8277 x277 American River College
4700 College Oak Dr.
Sacramento, CA 95841
ARIZONA web.arc.losrios.edu/~music/
Jazz contact: Dyne Eifertsen,
` Arizona State University School of Music 916-484-8676, eifertdc@arc.losrios.edu
PO Box 870405, Tempe, AZ 85287
www.music.asu.edu/jazz ` Brubeck Institute
Jazz contact: Michael Kocour, 480-965- 3601 Paciic Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211
5348, Michael.Kocour@asu.edu www.brubeckinstitute.org
See ad, pg. 121 Primary contact: Simon Rowe,
209-946-3970, srowe@paciic.edu
Chandler-Gilbert See also: University of the Pacific
94 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
Cabrillo College
Music Dept.
6500 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA 95003
www.cabrillo.edu
Primary contact: Jon Nordgren,
831-477-5653, jonordgr@cabrillo.edu
Jazz contact: Ray Brown, 831-479-6228
Cal Poly State University
Music Dept., Jazz Studies
1 Grand Ave.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
www.calpoly.edu
Jazz contact: Paul Rinzler,
805-756-5792, prinzler@calpoly.edu
California Institute of the Arts
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355
www.calarts.edu
Admissions contact: Kurt Isaacson,
661-253-7841, kisaacson@calarts.edu
Jazz contact: David Roitstein,
661-255-1050, x2235, roit@calarts.edu
` California Jazz Conservatory
2087 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
www.cjc.edu
Admissions contact: Jesse Rimler,
510-845-5373, jesse@cjc.edu
See ad, pg. 83
California State University at Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Hwy.
Bakersield, CA 93311
www.bakersieldjazz.com
Primary contact: Doug Davis,
661-664-3093, ddavis@csub.edu
California State University at Chico
Music Department
2nd & Normal PAC #105
Chico, CA 95928
www.csuhico.edu/muta
Primary contact: Rick Winslow,
530-898-4655
California State University at Fullerton
800 North State College
Fullerton, CA 92834
www.fullerton.edu
Primary contact: Marc Dickey,
714-278-3511, mdickey@fullerton.edu
Admissions contact: Nancy Dority,
657-278-2350, ndority@fullerton.edu
Jazz contact: Chuck Tumlinson,
Bill Cunliffe, 657-278-5523,
ctumlinson@fullerton.edu,
bcunliffe@sbcglobal.net
831-582-4085, mpa@csumb.edu Primary contact: Matt Harris,
Jazz contact: Prof. Richard Bains, matt.harris@csun.edu
richard_bains@csumb.edu or Prof. Ray Admissions contact: Lea Clara,
Drummond, 831-582-4085, ray_drum- lea.clara@csun.edu
mond@csumb.edu Jazz contact: Gary Pratt,
818-677-2743, jazz@csun.edu
California State University,
Northridge Jazz Studies Columbia College
and Improvisational Music Jazz Studies
18111 Nordhoff St. gocolumbia.edu
Northridge, CA 91330 11600 Columbia College Dr.
www.csunjazz.com Sonora, CA 95370

California State University at Long Beach

Bob Cole Conservatory of Music
1250 Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90840
www.csulb.edu/~music/
Primary contact: Beth Peregrine,
562-985-4781, music@csulb.edu
Jazz contact: Jeff Jarvis, 562-233-9811,
jjarvis2@csulb.edu

California State University

at Los Angeles
Department of Music
BILLY DRUMMOND JOHN SCOFIELD
5151 State University Dr. CHRIS POTTER

Los Angeles, CA 90032

www.calstatela.edu
Admissions contact: Dr. William Belan, Talent is everywhere,
323-343-4067, wbelan@calstatela.edu but opportunity is here!
Jazz contact: Dr. Jeffrey Benedict,
323-343-4099, jbenedi@calstatela.edu MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS PROFESSIONS

David Schroeder, Director of Jazz Studies

California State University,
East Bay at Hayward
Music Department JAZZ STUDIES AT NYU
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94542 › Study in Greenwich Village, New York City › Broad range of elective choices
http://class.csueastbay.edu/music/ › Be mentored by internationally renowned › BM, MM, and PhD offered
Primary contact: Dann Zinn, jazz artists on faculty
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION.

Undergraduate Liberal Arts Education

510-885-3135, jazz@csueastbay.edu › Dedicated jazz facility with state-of-the- › Study abroad at NYU Paris
Admissions contact: Mariko Abe, art rehearsal and practice rooms and Prague
510-885-3135, music@csueastbay.edu › Faculty and students play regularly at › Minor and double majors available
landmark NYC jazz clubs
› Music industry internship
California State University Sacramento
6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819
www.csus.edu/music/jazz
FACULTY Trumpet Piano Composition
Admissions contact: Mark Allen, Michael Rodriguez Alan Broadbent Alan Broadbent
Saxophone
916-278-6543, mallen@csus.edu Billy Drewes
Alex Sipiagin Gil Goldstein Alan Ferber
Kevin Hays Gil Goldstein
Jazz contact: Steve Roach, Ralph Lalama Trombone
Rich Shemaria
Joe Lovano Alan Ferber Bass
916-278-7987, roach@csus.edu Rich Perry Drew Gress Percussion
Guitar
Lenny Pickett Ron McClure Billy Drummond
Peter Bernstein
California State University, Chris Potter
Wayne Krantz
Mike Richmond John Hadfield
Dave Pietro Martin Wind Ari Hoenig
Monterey Bay Mark Turner
Adam Rogers
Tim Keiper
John Scofield
100 Campus Ctr., Bldg 30 Brad Shepik
Tony Moreno
Adriano Santos
Seaside, CA 93955 Lenny White
www.music.csumb.edu
Primary contact: Shirlene Campbell,
Visit steinhardt.nyu.edu/2019nyu-jazz, call 212 998 5446 or email ds38@nyu.edu.
 Primary contact: Dr. Rod Harris, Admissions contact: Gail Newman,
209-588-5211 925-439-2185, x 3250
Jazz contact: Dr. Michael Zilber,
Cuesta College 925-439-2185, x3284,
Jazz Studies mikezlmc@aol.com
PO Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
https://www.cuesta.edu MiraCosta College
Primary contact: Ron McCarley, One Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056
805-546-3195, rmccarle@cuesta.edu http://music.miracosta.edu
Primary contact: Matt Falker, 760-795-
Diablo Valley College 6679, jazz@miracosta.edu
321 Golf Club Road Jazz contact: Steve Torok, 760-757-2121
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 x6438, playjazz@miracosta.edu
www.dvc.edu
Primary contact: Glenn Appell, Monterey Peninsula College
925-685-1230, x2510, 980 Fremont St.
gjappell@dvc.edu Monterey, CA 93940
www.mpc.edu
Fresno City College Primary contact: Kathleen Baker,
Jazz Studies 831-645-1336, kbaker@mpc.edu
1101 E. University Ave., Fresno, CA 93741
www.fresnocitycollege.edu Mt. San Antonio College
Primary contact: Michael Dana, Walnut, CA 91789
559-442-4600 x8463, www.mtsac.edu/instruction/arts/music/
mike.dana@fresnocitycollege.edu Primary contact: Jeff Ellwood,
909-594-5611 x4305,
Fullerton College jellwood@mtsac.edu
321 E. Chapman Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92832 Musicians Institute
www.fullcoll.edu 1655 McCadden Pl.
Primary contact: Dr. Greg Woll, Hollywood, CA 90028
714-992-7296, gwoll@fullcoll.edu www.mi.edu
Primary contact: Steve Lunn,
Idyllwild Arts Foundation 800-255-PLAY, admissions@mi.edu
52500 Temecula Road
PO Box 38, Idyllwild, CA 92549 Occidental College
www.idyllwildarts.org 1600 Campus Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90041
Contact: admission@idyllwildarts.org, http://departments.oxy.edu/music
951-468-7223 Admissions contact: Tiffany Wright,
323-259-2700, twright@oxy.edu
Laney College Jazz contact: Tim Emmons,
Music Department 323-259-2785, temmons@oxy.edu
900 Fallon St., Oakland, CA 94607
https://laney.edu/music/ San Bernardino Valley College
Primary contact: Jay Lehmann, Music Department
510-834-5740 701 S. Mt. Vernon Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92410
Los Angeles College of Music (LACM) www.valleycollege.edu
370 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Primary contact: Paul Kardos,
Pasadena, CA 91105 909-888-6511 x1515,
www.lacm.edu pkardos@sbccd.cc.ca.useee.org
Admissions contact: Marcos Villa,
626-568-8850 x205, marcos@lacm.edu San Diego State University
Jazz contact: Willie Murillo, School of Music and Dance
626-568-8850, wmurillo@me.com 5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182
Los Medanos College http://jazz.sdsu.edu
2700 E. Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Admissions contact:
www.losmedanos.net Shirley Valencia Guitterez,
619-594-6032, svalenci@mail.sdsu.edu
Jazz contact: Bill Yeager,
619-594-4680, yeager1@mail.sdsu.edu
San Francisco State University
School of Music and Dance
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132
https://music.sfsu.edu
Primary contact: Dee Spencer,
415-338-1566, deejazz@aol.com
Jazz contact: School of Music and Dance,
SFSU, 415-338-1431, smd@sfsu.edu
San Joaquin Delta College
5151 Paciic Avenue, Stockton, CA 95207
www.deltacollege.edu
Admissions contact: Charles Jennings,
cjennings@deltacollege.edu
Jazz contact: Jon Nordgren,
209-954-5294,
jnordgren@deltacollege.edu
San Jose State University
1 Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192
www.music.sjsu.edu
Admissions contact: Recruitment Ofice,
408-924-1377, music@email.sjsu.edu
Jazz contact: Aaron Lington,
408-924-4636, Aaron.Lington@sjsu.edu
Sierra College
Music Dept./Jazz
5000 Rocklin Rd., Rocklin, CA 95677
www.sierracollege.edu
Primary contact: Greg McLaughlin,
916-789-2780
Simpson College
2211 College View Dr., Redding, CA
96003
simpson.edu/music
Jazz contact: Dr. David Coy,
530-226-4717
Sonoma State University
1801 East Cotati Ave.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
www.sonoma.edu/music
Primary contact: Brian S. Wilson,
707-664-2468, brian.wilson@sonoma.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Doug Leibinger,
707-664-4149, leibinge@sonoma.edu
Stanford Jazz Workshop
Box 20454, Stanford, CA 94309
650-736-0324; www.stanfordjazz.org
Primary contact: Jim Nadel, 650-736-

96 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
0324, info@stanfordjazz.org
Admissions contact:
Shen Weiss,
650-736-0324 x303
registrar@stanfordjazz.org
Thelonious Monk Institute
of Jazz
UCLA Herb Alpert School of
Music
445 Charles E. Young Drive
East
Los Angeles, CA 90095
www.monkinstitute.org
Primary contact: Daniel Seeff,
310-206-9700, dseeff@
monkinstitute.org
University of California – Los
Angeles (UCLA)
2539 Schoenberg Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095
www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu
Primary contact: Erika
Rycina,
310-206-9593, erycina@arts.
ucla.edu
Admissions contact: Brenda
Galvez,
brenda.galvez@arts.ucla.edu,
310-206-5002
University of California at
Berkeley
72 Cesar Chavez Centre
#4280
Berkeley, CA 94720
www.ucjazz.berkeley.edu
Primary contact: Ted Moore,
510-642-5073, tmoore@
ucjazz.berkeley.edu
University of California at
San Diego
9500 Gilman Avenue, La
Jolla, CA 92024
https://music-cms.ucsd.edu
Jazz contact: David Borgo,
Ph.D.,
858-534-3230, dborgo@
ucsd.edu
University of California at
Santa Cruz
1156 High Street, Santa Cruz,
CA 95064
www.arts.ucsc.edu/music
Jazz contact: Karlton Hester,
hesteria@cats.ucsc.edu
University of La Verne
1950 Third Street, La Verne,
CA 91750
www.ulv.edu/music
Admissions contact: Steven
Biondo,
909-593-3511 x4917,
biondos@ulv.edu
Jazz contact: Reed Gratz,
909-593-3511 x4915,
gratzr@ulv.edu
` University of the Pacific
Conservatory of Music
3601 Paciic Ave., Stockton,
CA 95211
www.paciic.edu
Jazz contact: Patrick Lang-
ham, 209-946-3222
See ad, pg. 71
University of Redlands
School of Music
PO Box 3080, Redlands, CA
92373
www.redlands.edu/study/
schools-and-centers/school-
of-music/
Primary contact: Dr. Dan
Murphy,
909-793-2121
` USC Thornton School of
Music
Jazz Studies Program
3450 Watt Way, TMC 118
Los Angeles, CA 90089-
0851
http://music.usc.edu/
Admissions contact: USC
Thornton Ofice of Admission,
800-872-2213 or
213-740-8986,
uscmusic@usc.edu
Jazz contact: Thornton Jazz
Studies Department, 213-740-
3119,
uscjazz@usc.edu
See ad, pg. 101
Yuba College
2088 North Beale Rd.
Marysville, CA 95901
www.yuba.cc.ca.us
Primary contact:
Dr. Allan Miller,
530-741-6783, amiller@
yuba.cc.ca.us
November 2018
Dianne Reeves Marcus Miller
Sheila E.
Gregory Porter
dianne reeves
& gregory porter
Thu, Nov 8 @ 8PM
Two of the greatest vocalists in jazz—Gregory Porter & 2018
NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves—share an evening of song.
congas
y canto
Sheila E., Eddie Palmieri & Tito Nieves with the Christian
Mcbride Big Band
Fri, Nov 9 @ 8PM
An all-star evening of Latin jazz.
marcus miller
david sanborn
& lalah hathaway
Sat, Nov 10 @ 8PM
Jazz master Marcus Miller presents world-class jazz with
special guest David Sanborn. Featuring Lalah Hathaway &
her band.
Django Festival All-stars Count Basie Orchestra
with special guest Edmar with Kurt Elling, Jon Faddis,
Castañeda Stefon Harris and
Sun, Nov 4 @ 3PM Catherine Russell
Thu, Nov 15 @ 8PM
Antonio Sanchez:
BiRDMAN LiVE Cécile McLorin Salvant
Thu, Nov 8 @ 7:30PM Fri, Nov 16 @ 7:30PM
Guitar Passions with Sharon Dorthaan’s Place Jazz
Isbin, Romero Lubambo & Brunch:
Stanley Jordan Eric Alexander Quartet
Fri, Nov 9 @ 7:30PM Sun, Nov 18 @ 11AM & 1PM
Look for the Silver Lining: Sarah Vaughan International
A Tribute to Jerome Kern Jazz Vocal Competition
with Daryl Sherman Sun, Nov 18 @ 3PM
Sat, Nov 10 @ 3PM
Terri Lyne Carrington’s
Money Jungle
Joni Mitchell’s Mingus
featuring Luciana Souza,
Kate McGarry and Jo Lawry
Sun, Nov 11 @ 3PM
Sponsored by:
For tickets & full schedule visit njpac.org/moodyjazz
or call 1.888.GO.NJPAC Groups 973.297.5804
One Center Street • Newark, NJ
 COLORADO Jazz contact: Brian Torff, Washington, DC 20059
203-254-4000 x2458, www.howard.edu
Colorado Christian University brian@briantorff.com Primary contact: Fred Irby III,
8787 W. Alameda Ave. 202-806-7066, irby@howard.edu
Lakewood, CO 80226 ` The Hartt School, Jazz contact: Connaitre Miller,
www.ccu.edu University of Hartford 202-806-7097,
Primary contact: Steven Taylor, 200 Bloomield Avenue millerconnaitre@hotmail.com
303-963-3138, music@ccu.edu West Hartford, CT 06117
Admissions contact: Janet Serfoss, www.hartford.edu/hartt University of the District of Columbia
303-963-3135, music@ccu.edu Admissions contact: Ofice of Admissions, Jazz Studies Program
Jazz contact: Mark Dorn, 860-768-4465, harttadm@hartford.edu 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW
303-963-3133, mdorn@ccu.edu Jazz contact: Javon Jackson, Washington, DC 20008
860-768-5797, javjackso@hartford.edu www.udc.edu
Naropa University See ad, pg. 115 Primary contact: Judith Korey,
2130 Arapahoe Avenue 202-274-5803, jkorey@udc.edu
Boulder, CO 80302 Hartford Conservatory Jazz contact: Allyn Johnson,
www.naropa.edu 834 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT 06105 Director of Jazz Studies,
Primary contact: Mark Miller, www.hartfordconservatory.org 202-274-5811, arjohnson@udc.edu
303-546-5282, markm@naropa.edu Primary contact: Jerry Prell,
860-246-2588 x12,
University of Colorado Boulder jprell@hartfordconservatory.org FLORIDA
College of Music
301 UCB, College of Music University of Connecticut Broward Community College
Boulder, CO 80309 Department of Music 3501 S.W. Davie Rd., Davie, FL 33314
http://music.colorado.edu/departments/ 1295 Storrs Road, Unit 1012 www.broward.edu
jazz Storrs, CT 06269 Primary contact: Jason Hainsworth,
Admissions contact: Fred Peterbark, www.music.uconn.edu 954-201-6696, jhainswo@broward.edu
303-492-8468, peterbar@colorado.edu Admissions contact: Christina Quental,
Jazz contact: Dr. John Gunther, 303-735- 860-486-3731, music@uconn.edu Florida Community College
1492, john.gunther@colorado.edu Jazz contact: Earl MacDonald, at Jacksonville
860-486-3728, music@uconn.edu 11901 Beach Boulevard,
University of Denver Jacksonville, FL 32246
Lamont School of Music Western Connecticut State University www.fccj.edu
2344 E. Iliff Ave. Department of Music Primary contact: Matt Vance, 904-646-
Denver, CO 80208 181 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810 2113, mvance@fccj.edu
www.du.edu/lamont/ www.wcsu.edu/music
Primary contact: Lynn Baker, 303-871- Primary contact: Debbie Pontelandolfo, Florida International University
6400, mbaker@du.edu 203-837-8350, pontelandolfod@wcsu.edu School of Music
Admissions contact: Stephen Campbell, Admissions contact: 203-837-9000, 11200 SW 8th Street, WPAC 12
303-871-6973, colby.carson@du.edu admissions@wcsu.edu Miami, FL 33199
Jazz contact: Steve Wiest, 303-871-6400, Jazz contact: Jimmy Greene, http://music.iu.edu/
steve.wiest@du.edu 203-837-3931, greenejs@wcsu.edu Primary contact: Gary Campbell,
305-348-2896, campbelg@iu.edu
University of Northern Colorado
Jazz Studies Program DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Florida Southern College
501 20th St. Campus Box 28 111 Lake Hollingsworth Rd.
Greeley, CO 80639 Georgetown University Lakeland, FL 33801
www.uncjazz.com Music Department www.flsouthern.edu
Primary contact: Kelsey Shiba, 37th and O Streets, NW Jazz contact: Brian S. Brink,
970-351-2577, kelsey.shiba@unco.edu Washington, DC 20007 863-680-4574
Jazz contact: Dana Landry, https://performingarts.georgetown.edu/
970-351-2577, jazzstudies@unco.edu music Florida State University
Admissions contact: Prof. Anthony Del School of Music
Donna, 202-687-3838 122 North Copeland St.
CONNECTICUT Jazz contact: Prof. David Detwiler, Tallahassee, FL 32306
202-687-3838, detwiled@georgetown.edu www.music.fsu.edu
Fairfield University Primary contact: Dr. Ted Stanley, 850-644-
1073 N. Benson Road, Fairield, CT 06824 Howard University 3424, tstanley@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
www.fairielduniversity.edu 2455 6th Street NW Admissions contact: Kristopher Watson,

98 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
850-644-6102, krwatson@fsu.edu
Jazz contact: Leon Anderson, Jr.,
850-644-1048, Landers2@fsu.edu
Miami Dade College
Wolfson Campus
300 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33132
www.mdc.edu
Primary contact: Dr. Michael Di Liddo,
305-237-3930, mdiliddo@mdc.edu
University of South Florida
School of Music
4202 E. Fowler Ave., FAH 110
Tampa, FL 33617
www.music.arts.usf.edu/jazz/
Admissions contact: Linda Honey,
813-974-2311, honey@arts.usf.edu
Jazz contact: Associate Prof. Jack Wilkins,
813-974-4810, wilkins@arts.usf.edu
GEORGIA
Atlanta Institute of Music
2875 Breckinridge Blvd., Suite 700,
Duluth, GA 30096
www.atlantainstituteofmusic.com
Admissions contact: Erica Shantzeck,
800-886-6874,
admissions@aim-music.com
Jazz contact: Nite Driscoll,
800-886-6874, info@aim-music.com

New World School of the Arts

300 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33132
www.mdc.edu/nwsa
Primary contact: Dr. Jeffrey Hodgson,
305-237-3539, jhodgson@mdc.edu
Admissions contact: Pam Neumann,
305-237-7007, pneumann@mdc.edu
Jazz contact: Jim Gasior, 305-237-7759,
jgasior@mdc.edu

Seminole State College of Florida

JAZZ STUDIES
Music Department
100 Weldon Blvd.
Sanford, FL 32773
https://www.seminolestate.edu/arts/music
Primary contact: Dr. Michele Cuomo, 407-
708-2558, cuomom@seminolestate.edu

University of Central Florida

4000 Central Florida Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32816
http://music.cah.ucf.edu
Primary contact: Jeff Rupert, 407-823-
5411, JeffRupert@ucf.edu
Admissions contact: John Parker, The Conservatory Welcomes Dr. Mitch Butler,
407-823-2869, John.Parker@ucf.edu Assistant Teaching Professor of Jazz, Fall, 2018
` University of Miami
Frost School of Music
PO Box 248165, Coral Gables, FL 33124
www.music.miami.edu
2019 CONSERVATORY Bobby Watson &
Admissions contact: Karen Kerr, AUDITION DATES Mitch Butler
305-284-6168, kmkerr@miami.edu Feb. 2, Feb. 18, Mar. 1 Jazz Studies Co-Chairs
Jazz contact: John Daversa,
305-284-5813, j.daversa@miami.edu Application Deadline Dec. 1 UMKC Conservatory: Celebrating
See ad, pg. 13
America’s indigenous art form.

` University of North Florida Full audition/application DEGREES OFFERED

Music Flagship Program information
UNF Drive, Fine Arts Center,
B.M. Jazz Studies
Building 45, Room 2004
conservatory.umkc.edu (all music content is
Jacksonville, FL 32224 Admissions | 816-235-2900 jazz focused)
www.unf.edu/coas/music cadmissions@umkc.edu
Contact: Lois Scott, Ofice Manager,
M.A. Music
904-620-3834
See ad, pg. 113 Relay Missouri, 1-800-735-2966 (TTY)
80.&LVDQHTXDORSSRUWXQLW\DIÀUPDWLYHDFWLRQLQVWLWXWLRQ
 Augusta University Valdosta State University Primary contact: Heather McCowen,
2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904 1500 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698 312-341-6735, music@roosevelt.edu
www.augusta.edu/pamplin/music/ www.valdosta.edu/music/jazz
Admissions contact: Primary contact: Dr. Doug Farwell, College of Lake County
Katherine Sweeney, 706-731-7979, 229-333-5804, dfarwell@valdosta.edu 19351 W. Washington St.
ksweeney@augusta.edu; Admissions contact: Walter Peacock, Grayslake, IL 60030
Scott Argo, 706-737-1632, 229-333-5791, www.clcillinois.edu
admissions@augusta.edu admissions@valdosta.edu Primary contact: Bruce Mack,
Music department contact: Jazz contact: David Springield, 847-543-2566
Dr. Angela Morgan, 706-737-1453, 229-333-5805, daspring@valdosta.edu
amorgan1@augusta.edu Columbia College Chicago
Jazz contact: Dr. Robert Foster, 600 South Michigan Ave.
706-667-4875, rfoster@augusta.edu IDAHO Chicago, IL 60605
www.colum.edu/music
Clayton State University College of Southern Idaho Primary contact: Everlidys Cabrera,
School of Arts & Sciences, Music Dept. 312-369-6149, ecabrera@colum.edu
Department of Music 315 Falls Avenue, Twin Falls, ID 83301 Jazz contact: Scott Hall, Director of Jazz
Morrow, GA 30260 www.csi.edu Studies, 312-369-6322, shall@colum.edu
www.clayton.edu Primary contact: George Halsell,
Primary contact: Stacey Houghton, 208-732-6767, ghalsell@csi.edu ` DePaul University School of Music
770-961-3609 Admissions contact: CSI Admissions Ofice, 804 W Belden Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Jazz contact: Dr. John Schuster-Craig, 208-732-6231, kdrown@csi.edu http://music.depaul.edu
schuster-craig@gg.clayton.edu Jazz contact: Brent Jensen, 208-732-6765, Admissions contact: Ross Beacraft,
bjensen@csi.edu 773-325-7444, rbeacraf@depaul.edu
Columbus State University Jazz contact: Dana Hall,
4225 University Ave. University of Idaho 773-325-7260, dhall1@depaul.edu
Columbus, GA 31906 Lionel Hampton School of Music See ad, pg. 111
www.colstate.edu 875 Perimeter Drive MS 4015
Admissions contact: Beverly Johnson, Moscow, ID 83844-4015 Eastern Illinois University
706-568-2035, Johnson_Beverly www.uidaho.edu/class/music Department of Music
@Colstate.edu Jazz contact: Vern Sielert, 208-885-4955, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, IL 61920
Jazz contact: Paul J. Vander Gheynst, verns@uidaho.edu www.eiu.edu/music
706-649-7298, Primary contact: Sam Fagaly,
VanderGheynst_Paul@Colstate.edu 217-581-6628, cfswf@eiu.edu
ILLINOIS
Georgia State University Elmhurst College
School of Music Augustana College 190 Prospect, Elmhurst, IL 60126
PO Box 4097, Atlanta, GA 30302 639 38th Street, Rock Island, IL 61201 www.elmhurst.edu
www.music.gsu.edu www.augustana.edu Admissions contact: Gayle Bisesi,
Primary contact: GSU School of Music, Admissions contact: Margaret Ellis, 630-617-3524, bisesig@net.elmhurst.edu
404-413-5900, music@gsu.edu 309-794-7333, muellis@augustana.edu Jazz contact: Doug Beach,
Admissions contact: David Smart, Jazz contact: Joseph Ott, 309-794-7233, 630-617-3518,
404-413-5900, josephott@augustana.edu dougb@elmhurst.edu
SOMadmissions@gsu.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Gordon Vernick, Benedictine University Illinois State University
404-413-5913, gvernick@gsu.edu 5700 College Road, Lisle, IL 60532 Campus Box 5660, Normal, IL 61790
www.ben.edu https://inearts.illinoisstate.edu/music/
Kennesaw State University Primary contact: Luis E. Loubriel, D.M.A., Admissions contact: Janet Tulley,
471 Bartow Ave NW 630-829-6000, lloubriel@ben.edu 309-438-3566, Janet.Tulley
Kennesaw, GA 30144 Admissions contact: Enrollment Center, @IllinoisState.edu
www.kennesaw.edu/music 630-829-6300, admissions@ben.edu Jazz contact: Tom Marko,
Jazz contact: Sam Skelton, Jazz contact: Alicia Cordoba Tait, 309-438-2541, tjmarko@ilstu.edu
770-423-6554, sskelton@kennesaw.edu 630-829-6324, atait@ben.edu
Kennedy-King College
University of Georgia School of Music Chicago College of Performing Arts 688 S. Wentworth, Chicago, IL 60621
Athens, GA 30602 at Roosevelt University www.ccc.edu/colleges/kennedy
www.uga.edu 430 S. Michigan Avenue Primary contact: Virgil Hemphill,
Primary contact: Suzanne Caruso, Chicago, IL 60605 773-602-5541
706-542-3737 www.ccpa.roosevelt.edu

100 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
Knox College
Box 44, Galesburg, IL 61401; knox.edu
Primary contact: Nikki Whittaker,
309-341-7265, nwhittak@knox.edu
Millikin University
1184 W. Main, Decatur, IL 62522
www.millikin.edu
Admissions contact: Lin Stoner,
217-424-6210, lstoner@mail.milikin.eduh
Jazz contact: Randall Reyman,
217-424-6319,
rreyman@mail.milikin.edu
North Central College
30 N. Brainard Street
Naperville, IL 60540
www.northcentralcollege.edu
Admissions contact: Ashley Chubirka,
630-637-5800, aechubirka@noctrl.edu
Jazz contact: Jack Mouse, 630-416-3911,
jmousedrum@aol.com
Northern Illinois University
School of Music
DeKalb, IL 60115
www.niu.edu/music
Admissions contact: Lynn Slater,
815-753-1546, lslater@niu.edu
Jazz contact: Reggie Thomas,
815-753-0643, reggiethomas@niu.edu
North Park University
3225 W. Foster Avenue – Box 21
Chicago, IL 60625-4895
www.northpark.edu
Primary contact: Rebecca Ryan,
773-244-5623, rryan@northpark.edu
Jazz contact: Joe Lill, 773-244-5634,
jlill@northpark.edu
Northwestern University
Bienen School of Music
711 Elgin Road, Evanston, IL 60208
music.northwestern.edu
Admissions contact: Marcus E. Turner,
847-491-3141,
musiclife@northwestern.edu
Jazz contact: Victor Goines, 847-491-3141,
vgoines@northwestern.edu
Olive-Harvey College
10001 S. Woodlawn, Chicago, IL 60628
www.ccc.edu/colleges/olive-harvey
Primary contact: Joseph Scully,
773-291-6100
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
School of Music
Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siu.edu
Primary contact: Robert Allison,
618-536-8742, concerts@siu.edu
Southern Illinois University
at Edwardsville
Department of Music
Box 1771 SUIE, Edwardsville, IL 62026
www.siue.edu/music
Primary contact: Brett Stamps,
618-650-2026, dstamps@siue.edu
University of Illinois at Chicago
Department of Music
1040 W. Harrison, MC255
Chicago, IL 60607
www.uic.edu
Primary contact: Jordan Kamps,
312-355-1735, music@uic.edu
Jazz contact: Andy Baker,
312-996-2368, andybakr@uic.edu
University of Illinois
School of Music
1114 W. Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC

RETHINK
VIRTUOSIT Y
JAZZ STUDIES FACULTY
Bob Mintzer, chair Thom David Mason
David Arnay Ronald C. McCurdy
Peter Erskine Roy McCurdy
Russell Ferrante Vince Mendoza
Sara Gazarek Darek Oles
Jason Goldman Alan Pasqua
Kathleen Grace Aaron Serfaty
Alphonso Johnson Bob Sheppard
Edwin Livingston Michael Stever
Andy Martin John Thomas

STUDIO GUITAR FACULTY

Nick Stoubis, chair Frank Potenza
Adam del Monte Richard Smith
Bruce Forman Steve Trovato
Tim Kobza

MUSIC.USC.EDU
 www.music.illinois.edu Purdue University Bands & Orchestras 800-726-2585, x1836,
Admissions contact: Music Admissions, 712 Third Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 David.Sharp@indianhills.edu
217-244-7899, www.purdue.edu/bands/
musicadmissions@illinois.edu Primary contact: Jaclyn Heinz, Iowa State University
Jazz contact: Chip McNeill, 765-496-6785, heinzj@purdue.edu 245 Music Hall, Ames, IA 50010
217-333-9703, chipmc@illinois.edu Jazz contact: Dr. Mo Trout, 765-494-9110, www.music.iastate.edu
mttrout@purdue.edu Jazz contact: Dr. Jim Bovinette,
Western Illinois University 515-233-2982, trptboy@iastate.edu
Dept. of Music University of Evansville
122 Browne Hall, #1 Univ. Plaza Department of Music Northwestern College
Macomb, IL 61455; www.wiu.edu/music 1800 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville, IN 47722 101 7th St. SW, Orange City, IA 51041
Jazz contact: Dr. John Cooper, music.evansville.edu www.nwciowa.edu
309-298-2186, JB-Cooper@wiu.edu Admissions contact: Eva Key, 812-479- Primary contact: Nora Verburg,
2742, music@evansville.edu 712-707-7062, nverburg@nwciowa.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Edwin Lacy, 812-479- Admissions contact: Mark Bloemendaal,
INDIANA 2252, el2@evansville.edu 712-707-7130, markb@nwciowa.edu
Jazz contact: Timothy McGarvey,
American Conservatory of Music University of Indianapolis 712-707-7066, mcgarvey@nwciowa.edu
252 Wildwood Road 1400 E. Hanna Ave.
Hammond, IN 46324 Indianapolis, IN 46227 The School for Music Vocations at
www.americanconservatory.edu www.music.uindy.edu Southwestern Community College
Primary contact: Dr. Steven J. Reid, Primary contact: Harry Miedema, 1501 W. Townline St., Creston, IA 50801
219-931-6000, 317-788-3385, hmiedema@uindy.edu www.swcciowa.edu/academics/areas-of-
registrar@americanconservatory.edu study/professionalmusic
Valparaiso University Primary contact: Jason Smith,
Ball State University Department of Music 641-782-1466, jasonasmith49
Muncie, IN 47306 1709 Chapel Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383 @hotmail.com
www.bsu.edu/music www.valpo.edu/music
Primary contact: Rebecca Braun, Primary contact: Chair Department of University of Iowa
765-285-5501, ribraun@bsu.edu Music, 219-464-5454, music@valpo.edu 1006 Voxman Music Building
Admissions contact: Brian Meekin, Jazz contact: Jeffrey C. Brown, Iowa City, IA 52242
765-285-8300, bmeekin@bsu.edu 219-464-5479, jeffrey.brown@valpo.edu www.uiowa.edu
Jazz contact: Mark Buselli, 765-285-5436, Admissions contact: Pauline Wieland,
mbuselli@bsu.edu 319-335-1604, pauline-wieland
IOWA @uiowa.edu
Butler University Jazz contact: Professor John Rapson,
4600 Sunset Ave., Clarke University 319-335-1662, ira-rapson@uiowa.edu
Indianapolis, IN 46208 1550 Clarke Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001
www.butler.edu www.clarke.edu University of Northern Iowa
Primary contact: Amy Dunker, School of Music
DePauw University 1-800-383-2345, amy.dunker@clarke.edu Cedar Falls, IA 50604
School of Music Jazz contact: David Resnick, www.uni.edu/jazzstudies
605 S. College Ave., Greencastle, IN david.resnick@clarke.edu Admissions contact:
46135 Dennis Hendrickson,
www.depauw.edu/music Coe College 319-273-2281,
Primary contact: Ms. Toni M. Robinson, 1220 First Ave. NE dennis.hendrickson@uni.edu
765-658-3118, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 Jazz contact: Chris Merz, 319-273-3077,
schoolofmusic@depauw.edu www.coe.edu/bands merz@uni.edu
Jazz contact: Steve Snyder, 765-658-4382, Primary contact: William Carson,
stevensnyder@depauw.edu 319-399-8521, bands@coe.edu
Admissions contact: Bob Benson, KANSAS
Indiana University 319-399-8521, rbenson@coe.edu
Jacobs School of Music Jazz contact: Steve Shanley, 319-399- Baker University
1201 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN 47405 8639, sshanley@coe.edu 406 8th Street, Baldwin City, KS 66006
music.indiana.edu/jazz www.bakeru.edu
Admissions contact: Espen Jensen, Indian Hills Community College Primary contact: Susan Baker,
812-855-7998, musicadm@indiana.edu 525 Grandview Ave, Ottumwa, IA 52501 susan.baker@bakeru.edu
Jazz contact: Tom Walsh, 812-855-7560, www.indianhills.edu Admissions contact: Kevin Kopf,
jazz@indiana.edu Primary contact: David Sharp, 800-876-4282, admissions@bakeru.edu

102 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
Jazz contact: J.D. Parr, 785-594-4507, University of Kansas Primary contact: Brad Merryman,
jd.parr@bakeru.edu School of Music 785-670-1511,
1530 Naismith, Room 460 bradmerryman@washburn.edu
Bethany College Lawrence, KS 66045 Admissions contact:
Department of Music https://music.ku.edu/jazz admissions@washburn.edu
335 E. Swensson, Lindsborg, KS 67456 Primary contact: Dan Gailey, 785-864- Jazz contact: Craig Treinen,
www.bethanylb.edu 4389, dgailey@ku.edu 785-670-1520, craig.treinen
Admissions contact: Tricia Hawk, @washburn.edu
785-227-3380 x8344, Washburn University
admissions@bethany.bethanylb.edu 1700 SW College, Topeka, KS 66621 Wichita State University
Jazz contact: Prof. Doug Talbott, www.washburn.edu/cas/music 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260
785-227-3380 x8135,
music@bethanylb.edu

Emporia State University

Box 29, Emporia, KS 66801
www.emporia.edu
Primary contact: James South, 316-343-
5326

Hutchinson Community College

1300 N. Plum Street
Hutchinson, KS 67501
www.hutchcc.edu
Primary contact: Bryce Luty, 316-665-3500
Jazz contact: Daryl Batchelor,
batch@midusa.net

Kansas City Kansas Community College

7250 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66112
www.kckcc.edu
Jazz contact: Jim Mair, 913-288-7149,
jmair@kckcc.edu

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 66506
www.k-state.edu
Jazz contact: Wayne Goins, 785-532-
3822, weg@k-state.edu

Pittsburg State University

Music Department
1701 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 66762
www.pittstate.edu/music/
Primary contact: Dr. Susan Marchant,
620-235-4466, smarchan@pittstate.edu
Admissions contact: 620-235-4251,
The jazz program at WEBSTER UNIVERSITY is headed by master teacher/
psuadmit@pittstate.edu
Jazz contact: Robert Kehle, 620-235-4474, composer/performers. You gain a wealth of solo experience in the primary
rkehle@pittstate.edu small combos, in addition to recreating classic jazz charts in the Jazz
Collective. And you are part of the lively Saint Louis jazz scene!
Sterling College
125 Cooper Road, Sterling, KS 67579
www.sterling.edu/departments/music Jazz ensembles include: Jazz Combos, Jazz Collective and Jazz Singers.
Admissions contact: Dennis Dutton, Nurturing, friendly, real… these are words that describe music study
620-278-4275, ddutton@sterling.edu at Webster.
Jazz contact: David Hodges,
620-278-4384, dhodges@sterling.edu
webster.edu/music
http://webs.wichita.edu
Primary contact: Geoffrey Deibel,
316-978-6273,
geoffrey.deibel@wichita.edu
Admissions contact: Leann Karr,
316-978-7091, Leann.Karr@wichita.edu
Jazz contact: William Flynn,
316-978-6198, william.flynn@wichita.edu
KENTUCKY
Cumberland College
7525 College Station Drive
Williamsburg, KY 40769
www.cumberlandcollege.edu
Primary contact: Jeff Smoak,
606-539-4332,
jsmoak@cumberlandcollege.edu
Admissions contact: Shelleigh Moses,
800-343-1609,
smoses@cumberlandcollege.edu
Jazz contact: David Threlkeld,
606-539-4334,
dthrelk@cumberlandcollege.edu
Morehead State University
Baird Music Hall
150 University Blvd.
Morehead, KY 40351
www.moreheadstate.edu/music
Primary contact: Dr. Donald Grant,
606-783-2473, music@moreheadstate.edu
Admissions contact: Jeffrey Liles,
606-783-2000, j.liles@moreheadstate.edu
Jazz contact: Glenn Ginn, 606-783-2499,
g.ginn@moreheadstate.edu
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41099
www.music.nku.edu
Primary contact: Dr. Kurt Sander,
859-572-6922, sanderk@nku.edu
Admissions contact: Annette Pendery,
859-572-6399, penderya@nku.edu
Jazz contact: William Brian Hogg,
859-572-5885, hoggw1@nku.edu
University of Kentucky
School of Music
105 Fine Arts Building
Lexington, KY 40506
www.uky.edu/inearts/music/
Admissions contact: Dr. Joanne Filkins
(Graduate), 859-257-8181,
joanne.ilkins@uky.edu
Jazz contact: Miles Osland, 859-257-8173,
miles.osland@uky.com
University of Louisville School of Music
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program
Louisville, KY 40292
www.louisville.edu/music/jazz
Admissions contact: Laura Angermeier,
502-852-1623, gomusic@louisville.edu or
laura.angermeier@louisville.edu
Jazz contact: Mike Tracy, 502-852-6032,
miketracy@louisville.edu
LOUISIANA
Grambling State University
Conrad Hutchinson Jr. Performing Arts
Center, PO Box 4238
Grambling, LA 71245
www.gram.edu
Admissions contact: Dr. Larry Pannell,
318-274-2254
Jazz contact: Leroy Hawthorne, Jr.,
318-274-2166, lhawth8013@hotmail.com
Loyola University
Music Dept., 6363 St. Charles Ave. Box 8
New Orleans, LA 70118
www.music.loyno.edu
Admissions contact: Anthony Decuir,
504-865-3037, decuir@loyno.edu
Jazz contact: Gordon Towell,
504-865-2164, gltowell@loyno.edu
McNeese State University
PO Box 93175, Lake Charles, LA 70609
www.mcneese.edu
Primary contact: Royce Tevis,
337-475-5000
Jazz contact: Rick Condit,
rcondit@mcneese.mail.net
Southern University and A&M College
Music Department
PO Box 10215, Baton Rouge, LA 70813
www.subr.edu
Primary contact: Frank White,
225-771-3440
Admissions contact: Dr. Joyce W.
O’Rourke, 225-771-3440,
jorourke@subr.edu
Jazz contact: Herman Jackson,
225-771-3440, rthomas@subr.edu
University of New Orleans
Department of Music, 2000 Lakeshore Dr.
New Orleans, LA 70148
www.music.uno.edu
Admissions contact: Ms. Roslyn Sheley,
800-256-5UNO, admissions@uno.edu
Jazz contact: Edward Petersen,
504-280-7493, epeterse@uno.edu
University of Southwestern Louisiana
PO Drawer 41207, Lafayette, LA 70504
www.usl.edu
Primary contact: Dr. Robert Lucky,
318-482-6016, ral5337@usl.edu
MAINE
University of Maine
College of Arts & Humanities
5788 Class of 1944 Hall
Orono, ME 04469
www.umaine.edu/spa
Primary contact: Dan Barrett, Catonsville Campus
207-581-1238 Dept. of Music, 800 S. Rolling Rd.
Catonsville, MD 21228
University of Maine at Augusta www.ccbc.cc.md.us
College of Arts & Humanities Primary contact: Willis Keeling,
46 University Drive 410-455-4109, wkeeling@ccbc.cc.md.us
Augusta, ME 04330
http://uma.edu/jazz.html Goucher College
Primary contact: Anita Jerosch, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd.
207-621-3179, anitaann.jerosch Baltimore, MD 21204
@maine.edu www.goucher.edu
Admissions contact: Sheri Fraser, Admissions contact: Mr. Corky Surbeck,
207-621-3185, uma@maine.edu 410-337-6100,
1-800-468-2437 x6100,
University of Southern Maine admissions@goucher.edu
School of Music Jazz contact: Dr. Lisa Weiss,
37 College Avenue 410-337-6148,
Gorham, ME 04038 1-800-468-2437 x6148,
www.usm.maine.edu/music/ Lweiss@goucher.edu
Admissions contact: Chris Alden-Kinne,
207-780-5265, ckinne@usm.maine.edu Montgomery College
Jazz contact: Chris Oberholtzer, Department of Music
207-780-5126, oberholt@usm.maine.edu 51 Mannakee St., Rockville, MD 20850
www.montgomerycollege.org
Primary contact: Rick Ensminger,
MARYLAND 301-251-7552
Jazz contact: Ward Harris,
Community College of Baltimore wharris@mc.cc.md.us
Jazz Lives Here
At Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), we know jazz. Come study this music with world-class instructors
at cutting-edge facilities in Cleveland, Ohio. Save money on a quality education before heading to one of our
partner schools like Berklee College of Music, The Hartt School and more.
Tri-C Jazz Studies | Steve Enos, Director | stephen.enos@tri-c.edu | 216-987-4256 | www.tri-c.edu/music
` Peabody Conservatory
of The Johns Hopkins University
1 East Mount Vernon Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
www.peabody.jhu.edu/jazz
Admissions: 667-208-6600,
admissions@peabody.jhu.edu
See ad, pg. 70
Towson University
8000 York Road, Towson, MD 21252
www.new.towson.edu/music/jazz/
Admissions contact: Mary Ann Criss,
410-704-2143,
mcriss@towson.edu
Jazz contact: Dave Ballou,
410-704-2831,
dballou@towson.edu
` University of Maryland
School of Music
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
College Park, MD 20742
www.music.umd.edu
Admissions contact:
Jenny Lang/David Powell,
301-405-1313;
301-405-5031,
18-0844
 music-admissions@umd.edu Harvard University
Jazz contact: Chris Vadala, Cambridge, MA 02138
301-405-5519, cv@umd.edu www.harvardband.org
See ad, pg. 118 Primary contact: Yosvany Terry,
yosvanyterry@fas.harvard.edu
University of Maryland
Baltimore County ` Longy School of Music
1000 Hilltop Circle, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Catonsville, MD 21043 www.longy.edu
www.umbc.edu/music Admissions contact: Katherine Drago,
Primary contact: Dr. Michael Richards, 617-831-1790, katherine.drago@longy.edu
410-455-2942, emrich@umbc.edu Jazz contact: Peter Cassino,
Admissions contact: Connie Bailey, 617-831-1788, peter.cassino@longy.edu
410-455-2942, cbailey@umbc.edu See ad, pg. 116
Jazz contact: Matt Belzer,
410-455-2942, belzer@umbc.edu Merrimack College
315 Turnpike St.
University of Maryland North Andover, MA 01845
Eastern Shore https://www.merrimack.edu/academics/
One Backbone Rd. liberal_arts/visual-and-performing-arts/
Princess Anne, MD 21853 Primary contact: Chris Gagne,
https://www.umes.edu/arts/music 978-837-5000, gagnec@merrimack.edu
Admissions contact: Mr. Nicholas Boyd,
410-651-6180, Naboyd@umes.edu New England Conservatory
Jazz contact: Dr. Brian Perez, 290 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115
410-651-6571, bnperez@umes.edu www.necmusic.edu
Primary contact: Alex Powell,
617-585-1101, alex.powell@necmusic.edu
MASSACHUSETTS Jazz contact: Ken Schaphorst,
617-585-1388,
Amherst College ken.schaphorst@necmusic.edu
Amherst, MA 01002
www.amherst.edu ` University of Massachusetts Amherst
Admissions contact: Nancy Ratner, Department of Music & Dance
413-542-2328, admission@amherst.edu 267 Fine Arts Center
Jazz contact: Bruce Diehl, (413) 542-8308, Amherst, MA 01003
bpdiehl@amherst.edu www.umass.edu/music
Admissions contact: John Huling,
Berklee College of Music 413-545-6048, jhuling@music.umass.edu
1140 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02215 Jazz contact: Professor Jeffrey W. Holmes,
www.berklee.edu 413-545-6046, jwholmes@music.umass.
Primary contact: Damien Bracken, edu
800-BERKLEE, 617-747-2222, See ad, pg. 109
617-747-2650 (international),
admissions@berklee.edu University of Massachusetts at Lowell
College of Fine Arts
Boston Conservatory Durgin Hal, 35 Wilder Street
Ofice of Admissions Lowell, MA 01854
8 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02215 www.uml.edu
Primary contact: 617-912-9153 Primary contact: Dan Lutz,
978-934-3850
Fitchburg State University
160 Pearl St., Fitchburg, MA 01420 Westfield State University
http://www.itchburgstate.edu/academics/ Department of Music
academic-departments/humanities-dept/ 577 Western Ave.
music Westield, MA 01086
Jazz contact: Michele Caniato, 978-665- www.westield.ma.edu/music/
3278, mcaniato@itchburgstate.edu Admissions contact: Katelyn Shea,
413-572-8534, kshea@westield.ma.edu
106 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
Jazz contact: Edward Orgill,
413-572-8196, eorgill@westield.ma.edu
Williams College
Williamstown, MA 01267
www.williamstownjazz.com
Admissions contact: Richard Nesbit,
413-597-2211,
Richard.L.Nesbit@williams.edu
Jazz contact: Andy Jaffe, 413-597-4049,
andrew.w.jaffe@williams.edu
Worcester Polytechnical Institute
100 Institute Rd.
Worcester, MA 01609
www.wpi.edu
Primary contact: Professor Richard Falco,
508-831-5794, rfalco@wpi.edu
MICHIGAN
C.S. Mott Community College
1401 E. Court St., Flint, MI 48503
https://www.mcc.edu
Primary contact: 517-432-2880
Central Michigan University
162 Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
www.music.cmich.edu
Primary contact: Randi L’Hommedieu,
lhomm1r@cmich.edu
Admissions contact: Mary Beth Minnis,
989-774-3519, musicadmit@cmich.edu
Grand Rapids Junior College
143 Bostwick NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Jazz contact: Duane Davis, 616-771-3945,
ddavis@post.grcc.cc.mi.us
Oakland University
Department of Music Theatre and Dance
302 Varner, Rochester, MI 48309
www.oakland.edu/jazz
Admissions contact: Muriel Mader,
248-370-2030, mader@oakland.edu
Jazz contact: Miles Brown,
248-370-2805, brown239@oakland.edu
Hope College
127 E. 12th Street, Holland, MI 49423
www.hope.edu
Jazz contact: Brian Coyle,
616-395-7653, coyle@hope.edu
Michigan State University
College of Music
333 W Circle Dr., Rm. 253
East Lansing, MI 48824-1043
www.music.msu.edu
Admissions contact: Benjamin
Ebener,
517-355-2140, admissions@
music.msu.edu
Jazz contact: Rodney Whitaker,
517-432-2194,
whitak22@msu.edu
University of Michigan
School of Music, Theatre and
Dance
1100 Baits Dr., Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2085
www.music.umich.edu
Admissions contact: Emily Per-
ryman,
734-763-7558, emilycp@umich.
edu
Jazz contact: Ellen Rowe, 734-
647-6297, elrowe@umich.edu
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
www.wmich.edu/jazzstudies
Admissions contact: Margaret
Hamilton,
269-387-4672,
margaret.hamilton@wmich.edu
Jazz contact: Tom Kniic, 269-
387-4710,
thomas.kniic@wmich.edu
Wayne State University
Department of Music
4841 Cass Ave., Suite 1321
Detroit, MI 48202
www.music.wayne.edu
Primary contact:
Norah Duncan IV,
313-577-1775
Admissions contact:
Danny DeRose,
313-577-1783, danny.derose@
wayne.edu
Jazz contact:
Christopher Collins,
313-577-1780, jazz@wayne.edu
MINNESOTA
McNally Smith College of Music
19 Exchange Street East
St. Paul, MN 55101
www.mcnallysmith.edu
Primary contact: Joe Elliott, 800-
594-9500,
joe.elliott@mcnallysmith.edu
Admissions contact: Matt
Edlund,
800-594-9500,
admissions@mcnallysmith.edu
Jazz contact: Pete Whitman,
651-361-3600, Pete.Whitman@
mcnallysmith.edu
Saint Mary’s University of
Minnesota
1700 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 055987
www.smumn.edu
Admissions contact:
Joanne Frahm,
507-457-1700,
jfrahm@smumn.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. John C. Paul-
son, 507-457-1596, jpaulson@
smumn.edu
St. Olaf College
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northield, MN 55057
www.stolaf.edu
Admissions contact: Mary
Hakes,
507-786-3297, music@stolaf.edu
Jazz contact: Dave Hagedorn,
507-786-3196, hagedord@
stolaf.edu
University of Minnesota –
Duluth
1201 Ordean Ct., Duluth, MN
55812
www.d.umn.edu/music
6
Primary contact: Ryan Frane,
218-726-8208, rfrane@d.umn.
edu
Admissions contact: Kathy Neff,
mu@d.umn.edu
University of Minnesota –
Twin Cities
Music Dept., 2106 4th Street S.,
Room 100
Minneapolis, MN 55455
music.umn.edu
Primary contact: Dean Soren-
son, 612-624-5093
Admissions contact: Anabel
Njoes, 612-624-2747,
anabel@umn.edu
Jazz contact: Dean Sorenson,
612-624-2334,
soren048@umn.edu
 University of Central Missouri Admissions contact: UG: Jennifer
MISSISSIPPI Dept. of Music Andonoff, 314-968-7001, andonoff
108 W. South Street @webster.edu;
Alcorn State University Warrensburg, MO 64093 GRAD: Glen Bauer, 314-968-7037,
1000 ASU Drive #29 www.ucmo.edu/music bauerga@webster.edu
Alcorn State, MS 39096 Primary contact: David Aaberg, Jazz contact: Paul DeMarinis,
www.alcorn.edu/academics/schools/ 660-543-4909, aaberg@ucmo.edu 314-968-7039, demaripa@webster.edu
school-of-arts-and-science/inearts/ See ad, pg. 103
jazz-festival/index.aspx ` University of Missouri – Kansas City
Jazz contact: Dr. David C Miller, 601-877- UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
6602, 4949 Cherry Street MONTANA
millerd@alcorn.edu Kansas City, MO 64110
http://conservatory.umkc.edu/ University of Montana
Jackson State University Admissions contact: Dr. James Elswick, Music Department
Dept. of Music 816-235-2900, cadmissions@umkc.edu 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812
PO Box 17055 Jazz contact: Prof. Bobby Watson, www.umt.edu/defrancojazz
Jackson, MS 39217 816-235-2900, watsonr@umkc.edu Primary contact: Anne Marie Brinkman,
www.jsums.edu See ad, pg. 99 406-243-5071
Jazz contact: Dr. Russell Thomas, Jr., 601- Admissions contact: Julie Cahill,
979-2141, russell.thomas@jsums.edu University of Missouri School of Music 406-243-5844, julie.cahill@mso.umt.edu
135 Fine Arts Building Jazz contact: Lance Boyd, 406-243-5071,
Columbia, MO 65211 lance.boyd@umontana.edu
MISSOURI https://music.missouri.edu/ensemble/jazz
573-882-2604, music@missouri.edu
Lindenwood University NEBRASKA
209 S. Kingshighway University of Missouri – St. Louis
St. Charles, MO 63301 One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63121 Northeast Community College
www.lindenwood.edu www.music.umsl.edu 801 East Benjamin
Primary music industry program contact: Jazz contact: Jim Widner, 314-516-4235, Norfolk, NE 68702
Dr. Matt Hoormann, 636-949-4740, widnerjl@umsl.edu www.northeast.college.com
mhoormann@lindenwood.edu Primary contact: Jim Boullion,
` Webster University 402-644-2020
St. Charles County 470 E. Lockwood Avenue Jazz contact: Linda Boullion,
Community College St. Louis, MO 63119 lindab@northeast.college.com
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive http://www.webster.edu/music
St. Peters, MO 63376 Primary contact: Dr. Jeffrey Carter, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Primary contact: Elke Overton, 314-968-7033, jeffreycarter67 UNO Dept. of Music
eoverton@chuck.stchas.edu @webster.edu Omaha, NE 68182
http://music.unomaha.edu/
Primary contact: Pete Madsen, 402-554-
You know how when 2297, petermadsen@mail.unomaha.edu
you dated a really
University of Nebraska
great person when you Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music
were in high school, 113 Westbrook Music Building
and then you run into 1104 R St.
them years later and Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
they’re even MORE http://music.unl.edu/jazzstudies/
jazz-studies
amazing than you
Admissions contact: Janet Sievert,
remember? 402-472-2503, music2@unl.edu
Playing a new Rovner Jazz contact: Paul Haar, 402-472-5672,
phaar2@unl.edu
ligature? It’s like that.

NEVADA
Community College of Southern Nevada
Platinum 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave.
Gold Patent. See Website..
Van Gogh Versa-X www.rovnerproducts.com
N. Las Vegas, NV 89030
www.ccsn.nevada.edu
Primary contact: Dr. Tom Ferguson,
702-651-4110,
ferguson@ccsn.nevada.edu
` University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 South Maryland Pkwy.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89154
www.unlv.edu
Admissions contact: Department of Music,
702-895-3332, gounlv@ccmail.nevada.edu
Jazz contact: David Loeb, 702-895-3739,
dave.loeb@ccmail.nevada.edu
See ad, pg. 107
University of Nevada, Reno
Department of Music/226
1664 N. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557
www.unrjazz.org
Primary contact: Louis Niebur,
775-784-6145, lnieber@unr.edu
Jazz contact:
Peter Epstein, 775-784-1501,
pepstein@unr.edu
NEW HAMPSHIRE
University of New Hampshire
Music Department, Paul Creative Arts
Center
30 Academic Way, Durham, NH 03824
www.unh.edu/music
Admissions contact: Alexis Zaricki,
603-862-2418, alexis.zaricki@unh.edu
Jazz contact: Nathan Jorgensen,
nathan.jorgensen@unh.edu, 603-862-2404
NEW JERSEY
Montclair State University
Cali School of Music
1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043
www.montclair.edu/music
Admissions contact: JaNeen Vinson,
973-655-7610,
musauditions@mail.montclair.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Jeffrey Kunkel,
973-655-7215, kunkelj@mail.montclair.edu
New Jersey City University
Dept. of Music
2039 Kennedy Blvd.
Jersey City, NJ 07305
www.njcu.edu/mdt
Jazz contact: Ed Joffe, 201-200-3091,
ejoffe@njcu.edu
Princeton University
Department of Music
Woolworth Center of Musical Studies
Princeton, NJ 08544
www.princeton.edu/jazzprogram
Admissions contact: Greg Smith,
609-258-6078, gsmith@princeton.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Anthony D.J. Branker,
609-258-2219, branker@princeton.edu
Rowan University
Music Dept., Lab Band
Glassboro, NJ 08028
www.rowan.edu
Admissions contact: Robert Rawlins, 856-
256-4500 x4557, rawlins@rowan.edu
Jazz contact: Denis DiBlasio, 856-256-
4500 x3528, diblasio@rowan.edu
` Rutgers University
Mason Gross School of the Arts
Music Department, Marryott Music Bldg.
81 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901

STUDY JAZZ AT

BM: Jazz, Music Education, History, AUDITIONS FOR 2019 ADMISSION

Performance & Theory/Composition January 26, 2019
February 2 & 16, 2019
BA in Music: ideal for double-majors
Information/Admissions/Visits:
MM: Jazz Composition/Arranging, Conducting, 413 545 6048 or musicadmissions@umass.edu
Music Education, History, Performance & Theory umass.edu/music

Faculty: Jeffrey W. Holmes, Catherine Jensen-Hole, Felipe Salles, Fumi Tomita, Tom Giampietro
 www.masongross.rutgers.edu Primary contact: Marla Alexandre, http://www.esm.rochester.edu/jazz/
Primary contact: Peggy Barbarite, 212-650-5411, malexandre@ccny.cuny.edu Primary contact: Sheryle Charles,
732-932-9190, Admissions contact: 585-274-1440, scharles@esm.rochester.edu
pbarbarite@masongross.rutgers.edu Alan Sabal, 212-650-6554 Admissions contact: Dr. Matthew Ardiz-
Admissions contact: Mandy Feiler, Jazz contact: Steve Wilson, 212-650-5411, zone, 800-388-9596, 585-274-1060,
848-932-5208, mfeiler@masongross. swilson2@ccny.cuny.edu admissions@esm.rochester.edu
rutgers.edu
Jazz contact: Marc Stasio, 848-932-1894, Colgate University Five Towns College
marc.stasio@rutgers.edu 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346 305 N. Service Road, Dix Hills, NY 11746
See ad, pg. 117 www.colgate.edu www.ftc.edu
Jazz contact: Glenn Cashman, Admissions contact: 631-656-2110,
William Paterson University 315-228-6688, admissions@ftc.edu
Shea Performing Arts Center gcashman@mail.colgate.edu Jazz contact: Jeff Lipton or Jill Miller-Thorn,
300 Pompton Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470 631-656-2122 or 631-656-2142
www.wpunj.edu The Collective School of Music
Admissions contact: Carlos Cano, 541 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Floor Fredonia College (SUNY)
973-720-3466, New York, NY 10011 Fredonia, NY 14063
musicadmissions@wpunj.edu www.thecollective.edu www.fredonia.edu
Jazz contact: David Demsey, Jazz contact: John Castellano, Primary contact: Harry Jacobson,
973-720-2268, demseyd@wpunj.edu 212-741-0091 x103, 716-673-3248, jacobson@fredonia.edu
johnc@thecollective.edu
NEW YORK Hunter College (CUNY)
College of Saint Rose Department of Music
Audrey Cohen College 432 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021
75 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 www.strose.edu http://music.hunter.cuny.edu
www.audreycohen.edu Admissions contact: Jeremy Bogan, Admissions contact: Prof. Ruth Deford,
Primary contact: Pazit Levitan, 800-637-8556, boganj@strose.edu 212-772-5537,
212-343-1234, x3412, Jazz contact: Paul Evoskevich, ruth.deford@hunter.cuny.edu,
plevitan@audreycohen.edu 518-454-5195, PaulE@strose.edu huntermust@aol.com
Jazz contact: Ryan Keberle,
Binghamton University (SUNY) Columbia University 212-772-5020,
Music Department Music Department ryan@ryankeberle.com
PO Box 6000 621 Dodge Hall, 2960 Broadway
Binghamton, NY 13902 New York, NY 10027 Ithaca College
www.binghamton.edu www.columbia.edu 3322 Whalen Center for Music
Primary contact: April Lucas, Primary contact: Beth Pratt, Ithaca, NY 14850
607-785-4346 212-854-1257, bp2413@columbia.edu http://ithaca.edu/academics/school-music
Admissions contact: Finn Figeland, Admissions contact: Townsend Plant,
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 212-854-1585, 607-274-3366, tplant@ithaca.edu
Brooklyn Campus inn.igeland@columbia.edu Jazz contact: Mike Titlebaum,
58 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 Jazz contact: Dr. Chris Washburne, 607-274-1283, mtitlebaum@ithaca.edu
www.brooklynconservatory.com 212-854-9862, cjw5@columbia.edu
Primary contact: Jennifer Newell, ` The Juilliard School
718-622-3300, jln2@aol.com Conservatory of Music 60 Lincoln Center Plaza
Jazz contact: Earl McIntyre, 718-622-3300 of Brooklyn College New York, NY 10023
2900 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11209 www.juilliard.edu
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music www.bcmusic.org Primary contact: Janet Kessin,
Queens Campus Primary contact: Arturo O’Farrill, 212-799-5000, jkessin@juilliard.edu
42-76 Main Street, Flushing, NY 11355 718-951-1176, pianitis@aol.com Admissions contact: 212-799-5000 x223,
www.brooklynconservatory.com Admissions contact: Shanice Spear, admissions@juilliard.edu
Primary contact: Kenneth Murphy, 718-951-1178, See ad, pg. 68
718-461-8910 MusicAdvisement@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Lehman College (CUNY)
City College of the City University Cornell University Music Department
of New York Ithaca, NY 14853 250 Bedford Park West, Bronx, NY 10468
Music Department, SH72 http://jazz.arts.cornell.edu/ www.lehman.edu
160 Convent Ave. Primary contact: Bernard Shockett,
New York, NY 10031 Eastman School of Music 718-960-8247
www.ccny.cuny.edu 26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, NY 14604

110 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
LIU Brooklyn
1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.liu.edu/brooklyn/music
Admissions contact: Danielle Mebert,
718-488-1084, Danielle.Mebert@liu.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Gloria Cooper,
718-488-1450, Gloria.Cooper@liu.edu
LIU Post
Department of Music
720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, NY 11548
www.liu.edu/cwpost
Primary contact: Dr. Gloria Cooper,
516-299-2474, gloria.cooper@liu.edu
Admissions contact: Michael Lockhart,
516-229-2900
Jazz contact: Prof. T.K. Blue,
516-299-2930, music@cwpost.liu.edu
` Manhattan School of Music
120 Claremont Avenue
New York, New York 10027
www.msmnyc.edu/instruction-faculty/
academic-departments/jazz
Admissions contact: Christan Cassidy,
Director of Admissions, 917-493-4446,
ccassidy@msmnyc.edu
See ad, pg. 66
“The DePaul School of Music is
one of the premiere music programs
in the Chicago area. Its jazz
department, led by world-renowned
drummer Dana Hall, emphasizes
tradition while still allowing students
the opportunity of self-exploration.
Beautiful program!”
MARQUIS HILL
` The New School for Jazz
and Contemporary Music
55 West 13th Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10011
http://newschool.edu/jazz/
Primary contact: 212-229-5896 x4589,
jazzadm@newschool.edu
See ad, pg. 69
` New York University
Steinhardt School
Music and Performing Arts Professions
35 West 4th Street, Suite 1077
New York, NY 10012
www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/jazz-nyu2019
Music industry program contact: Dr. Paul
Horan, 212-998-5424, pgh1@nyu.edu
Admissions contact: John Myers
(Graduate Admissions),
212-998-5030,
steinhardt.gradadmissions@nyu.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Dave Schroeder,
212-998-5446, ds38@nyu.edu
See ad, pg. 95
Orange County Community College
115 South St., Middletown, NY 10940
www.sunyorange.edu
Primary contact: Chris Parker, 845-341-
4791, cparker@sunyorange.edu
` Purchase College (SUNY)
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
www.purchase.edu/music/jazz
Primary contact: Beatriz Martin-Ruiz,
914-251-6700
beatriz.martin-ruiz@purchase.edu
Admissions contact: Lori Djivre,
914-251-6300,
purchaseadmissions@purchase.edu
Jazz contact: Pete Malinverni,
914-251-7985,
peter.malinverni@purchase.edu
See ad, pg. 93
Queens College (CUNY)
Aaron Copland School of Music
Flushing, NY 11367
www.qc.cuny.edu
Admissions contact: Mario Caruso,
718-997-5200,
graduate.admissions@qc.cuny.edu
Jazz contact: Michael Philip Mossman,
718-997-3823,
michael.mossman@qc.cuny.edu
music.depaul.edu
 773-325-7444
 musicadmissions@depaul.edu
MASTER OF MUSIC, 2012
depaulschoolofmusic
JAZZ TRUMPETER, RECORDING ARTIST AND WINNER OF DePaulSOM
THE 2014 THELONIOUS MONK COMPETITION DePaulSOM
 Roberts Wesleyan College 252-328-6851, bairn@ecu.edu
2301 Westside Drive
Rochester, NY 14624 Elon University
www.roberts.edu/music Music Department
Jazz contact: Mike Van Allen, Campus Box 2800
vanallen_michael@roberts.edu Elon, NC 27244
www.elon.edu/music
SUNY Fredonia Admissions contact: Kimberly Rippy,
Mason Hall, School of Music 336-278-5600, krippy@elon.edu
Fredonia, NY 14063 Jazz contact: Jon Metzger, 336-278-5683,
www.fredonia.edu jmetzger@elon.edu
Admissions contact: Barry Kilpatrick,
Barry.Kilpatrick@fredonia.edu Mars Hill College
Jazz contact: Department of Music
Dr. Linda Neil Phillips, Mars Hill, NC 28754
716-673-3151, linda.phillips@fredonia.edu www.mhc.edu
Admissions contact: Susan Bryson,
Syracuse University 866-642-4968, sbryson@mhc.edu
200 Crouse College Jazz contact: Dr. Jim Sparrow,
Syracuse, NY 13244 828-689-1433, jsparrow@mhc.edu
www.vpa.syr.edu
Admissions contact: Brade Ethington, North Carolina Central University
315-443-5892, bpething@syr.edu 1801 Fayetteville Street, c/o Jazz Studies
Jazz contact: Joe Riposo, 315-443-2191, Program, Department of Music
jriposo@syr.edu Durham, NC 27707
www.nccu.edu
Contact: Dr. Ira Wiggins,
NORTH CAROLINA Director of Jazz Studies, 919-530-7214,
iwiggins@nccu.edu
Brevard College
400 N. Broad Street, Brevard, NC 28712 North Carolina School for the Arts
www.brevard.edu 1533 S. Main St.
Primary contact: Todd Tucker, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
828-884-8116, tuckertt@brevard.edu www.ncarts.edu
Admissions contact: Admissions contact: Julie Hammarback,
Laura Franklin, 828-884-8112 336-760-3260, music@ncarts.edu
Jazz contact: Ronald Rudkin,
Davidson College 336-770-3356, rudkinr@ncarts.edu
Music Department
P.O. Box 7131, Davidson, NC 28035 University of North Carolina Asheville
www.davidson.edu One University Heights
Primary contact: William Lawing, Asheville, NC 28804-8510
704-894-2354, bilawing@davidson.edu music.unca.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. William Bares,
Duke University 828-250-2312, wbares@unca.edu
105 Mary Duke Biddle Music Building
Durham, NC 27708 University of North Carolina
https://music.duke.edu/ensembles/ at Chapel Hill
jazz-program Department of Music, Hill Hall, CB#3320
Primary contact: John Brown, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
919-660-3385, jbrown@duke.edu www.unc.edu/depts/music/
Admissions contact: Jeffrey Fuchs,
East Carolina University School of Music 919-962-5695, jfuchs@email.unc.edu
Fletcher Music Center Jazz contact: James Ketch, 919-962-7560,
Greenville, NC 27858 jketch@email.unc.edu
www.ecu.edu/music/jazz
Admissions contact: Dr. Jeffrey Ward, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
252-328-6851, wardj@ecu.edu 9201 University City Boulevard
Jazz contact: Dr. Jeff Bair, Charlotte, NC 29223
Jazz contact: Dr. Will Campbell,
704-687-4402, wlcampbe@uncc.edu
University of North Carolina
at Greensboro
Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program
PO Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402
http://jazz.uncg.edu
Admissions contact: Amanda Hughes,
336-334-5789, arhughes@uncg.edu
Jazz contact: Steve Haines,
336-256-0105, sjhaines@uncg.edu
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Music Department
1 University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372
www.uncp.edu/music
Primary contact: Timothy Altman,
910-521-6230, altman@uncp.edu
Admissions contact: Ms. Jackie Clark,
910-521-6264, jackie.clark@uncp.edu
Jazz contact: Professor Aaron
Vandermeer, 910-521-6404,
aaron.vandermeer@uncp.edu
University of North Carolina
at Wilmington
Department of Music
601 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
http://www.uncw.edu/music
Jazz contact: Frank Bongiorno,
910-962-3395, bongiornof@uncw.edu
Western Carolina University
Music Department
253 Coulter Building
Cullowhee, NC 28723
www.music.wcu.edu
Admissions contact: Will Peebles,
828-227-7242, wpeebles@wcu.edu
Jazz contact: Pavel Wlosok,
828-227-3261, pwlosok@email.wcu.edu
OHIO
Baldwin Wallace
University Conservatory of Music
275 Eastland Rd., Berea, OH 44017
www.bw.edu
Primary contact: Susan Van Vorst,
440-826-2362, svanvors@bw.edu
Admissions contact: Anita Evans,
440-826-2368, thecon@bw.edu
Jazz contact: Greg Banaszak,
440-826-2097, gbanasza@bw.edu

112 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
Bowling Green State University www.tri-c.edu 1866 College Rd.,
College of Musical Arts Primary contact: Stephen Enos, 216-987- Columbus, OH 43210
Moore Musical Arts Center, 1031 4256, stephen.enos@tri-c.edu www.arts.ohio-state.edu/music
Bowling Green, OH 43403 See ad, pg. 105 Jazz contact: Dr. Ted McDaniel,
www.bgsu.edu mcdaniel.2@osu.edu
Admissions contact: Dr. Kathleen Moss, ` Oberlin Conservatory of Music
419-372-8577, kmoss@bgnet.bgsu.edu Con Annex - 39 W. College St. Ohio University School of Music
Jazz contact: Chris Buzzelli, 419-372-2181, Oberlin, OH 44074 440 Glidden Hall,
cbuzzel@bgsu.edu www.oberlin.edu/con Athens, OH 45701
Admissions contact: Michael Manderen, www.inearts.ohio.edu/music
Capital University 440-775-8413, conservatory.admissions@ Admissions contact: Andrew Trachsel,
Conservatory of Music oberlin.edu 740-593-4244,
2199 E. Main St., Columbus, OH 43209 Jazz contact: Bobby Ferrazza, 440-775- trachsel@ohio.edu
www.capital.edu 6633, robert.ferrazza@oberlin.edu Jazz contact: Matt James,
Primary contact: Bob Breithaupt, See ad, pg. 90 740-593-0957,
614-236-6234, admissions@capital.edu jamesm1@ohio.edu
Ohio Northern University
Cleveland State University 535 South Main Street Otterbein College
Black Studies Program Ada, OH 45810 Department of Music
2121 Euclid Avenue, UC 103 www.onu.edu 1 Otterbein College
Cleveland, OH 44115 Admissions contact: Westerville, OH 43081
www.csuohio.edu/blackstudies 419-772-2260, www.otterbein.edu/music
Primary contact: Ruth Reese-Carter, k-condeni@onu.edu Primary contact: 614-823-1508
216-687-5461, jazzhorch@csuohio.edu Jazz contact: Dr. Edwin Williams, Admissions contact: Meghan Sparks, 614-
419-772-2151, e-williams@onu.edu 823-1279, msparks@otterbein.edu
` Cuyahoga Community College Jazz contact: Ben Huntoon,
2900 Community College Ave. Ohio State University Gayle Walker, 614-823-1408,
Cleveland, OH 44115 School of Music 614-823-1318, gwalker@otterbein.edu
 University of Akron 100 North University Drive 724-938-4242, gonano@cup.edu
School of Music Edmond, OK 73034
Gozzetta Hall, Akron, OH 44325 www.ucojazzlab.com Duquesne University
www.uakron.edu Admissions contact: Laurie Flewwellin, Mary Pappert School of Music
Primary contact: Roland Paolucci, 405-974-5004, lflewwellin@uco.edu 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282
330-972-6910, Jazz contact: Brian Gorrell, www.duq.edu/music
jazeroland@aol.com 405-359-7989 x278, Primary contact: Troy Centofanto,
briangorrell@ucojazzlab.com 412-396-5983, musicadmissions@duq.edu
University of Cincinnati Jazz contact: Mike Tomaro,
College-Conservatory of Music University of Oklahoma 412-396-5867, tomarom@duq.edu;
Cincinnati, OH 45221 School of Music Mark Koch, 412-396-4939, koch@duq.edu
www.ccm.uc.edu/jazz 500 W. Boyd, Rm. 138
Admissions contact: Norman, OK 73019 East Stroudsburg University
Andrea Fitzgerald, Primary contact: Jay Laging, of Pennsylvania
513-556-9479, ccmadmis@uc.edu 405-325-3803 Music Dept. F&PAC, 200 Prospect St.
Jazz contact: Scott Belck, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
513-556-9447, Scott.Belck@uc.edu www.esu.edu
OREGON Admissions contact: Alan Chesterton,
University of Dayton achesterton@po-box.esu.edu
300 College Park Mt. Hood Community College Jazz contact: Patrick Dorian,
Dayton, OH 45469 26000 S.E. Stark St. 570-422-3171, pdorian@po-box.esu.edu
www.udayton.edu Gresham, OR 97030
Jazz contact: Dr. Willie Morris III, www.mhcc.edu Indiana University of Pennsylvania
937-229-3994, wmorris1@udayton.edu Primary contact: Dave Barduhn, Music Dept., 1011 South Drive
503-669-6969, barduhnd@mhcc.edu Indiana, PA 15705
University of Toledo Admissions contact: Judy Froehlich, www.iup.edu/music
Department of Music MS605 503-491-7392 Primary contact: Gary Bird, 724-357-2899
Toledo, OH 43606 Jazz contact: Susie Jones, 503-491-7158,
www.utoledo.edu/comm-arts/music/ jones@mhcc.edu Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
degrees/jazz_studies.html Department of Music
Admissions contact: Norm Damschroder, University of Oregon Kutztown, PA 19530
419-530-2966, School of Music and Dance, Jazz Studies www.kutztown.edu/acad/music/
Norman.Damschroder@utoledo.edu 1225 University of Oregon Admissions contact: Christine Quinter,
Jazz contact: Gunnar Mossblad, Eugene, OR 97403 610-683-4550, quinter@kutztown.edu
419-530-4555, jazz@utoledo.edu www.music.uoregon.edu Jazz contact: Kevin Kjos, 610-683-1583,
Admissions contact: SOMD Ofice of kjos@kutztown.edu
Youngstown State University Admissions, 541-346-5268
1 University Plaza somdadmit@uoregon.edu Lehigh University
Youngstown, OH 44555 Jazz contact: Steve Owen, 541-346-2137 Music Department
www.ysu.edu sowen@uoregon.edu Zoellner Arts Center, 420 East Packer Ave.
Admissions contact: Sue Davis, Bethlehem, PA 18018
330-941-2000, enroll@ysu.edu Western Oregon University https://music.cas2.lehigh.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Kent J. Engelhardt, 345 N. Monmouth Ave. Primary contact: Gene Perla,
330-941-3636, kjengelhardt@ysu.edu Monmouth, OR 97302 610-758-3835, gep3@lehigh.edu
www.wou.edu Admissions contact:
Primary contact: Keller Coker, Dana Stowe, 610-758-3000
OKLAHOMA 503-838-8276, cokerk@wou.edu Jazz contact: William Warield,
610-758-5192, wlw2@lehigh.edu
Southwestern Oklahoma University
100 Campus Drive PENNSYLVANIA Millersville University
Weatherford, OK 73096 POB 1002, Music Dept.
www.swosu.edu/depts/music/ Bucknell University Millersville, PA 17551
Admissions contact: Mr. Bob Klaassen, Lewisburg, PA 17837 www.millersv.edu
580-774-3201, klaassba@swosu.edu www.bucknell.edu/music Primary contact: Keith Wiley,
Jazz contact: Dr. Terry Segress, 717-872-3460, keith.wiley@millersv.edu
580-774-3708, segrest@swosu.edu California University of Pa.
250 University Ave., California, PA 15419 Moravian College
University of Central Oklahoma www.cup.edu 1200 Main St., Bethlehem, PA 18018
School of Music & Jazz Lab Primary contact: Max Gonano, www.moravian.edu/music

114 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
Admissions contact: Erika Mondok,
610-861-1320, admissions@moravian.edu
Jazz contact: Neil Wetzel, 610-861-1621,
nwetzel@moravian.edu
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
219 Swope Music Hall
Slippery Rock, PA 16057
www.sru.edu
Admissions contact: Ms. Mimi Campbell,
724-738-2110, mimi.campbell@sru.edu
Jazz contact: Jason Kush,
724-738-2443, jason.kush@sru.edu
` Temple University
Boyer College of Music & Dance
2001 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
www.temple.edu/boyer
Admissions contact: James Short,
215-204-8598, music@temple.edu
Jazz contact: Terell Stafford,
215-204-8301, tstaffor@temple.edu
See ad, pg. 67
University of Pittsburgh
4337 5th Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
www.music.pitt.edu www.ccri.edu/music
Primary contact: Jazz Studies Ofice, (412) Primary contact: Steve Lajoie,
624-4187, musicdpt@pitt.edu 401-825-2168, slajoie@ccri.edu
University of the Arts School of Music University of Rhode Island
250 South Broad St. Music Department
Philadelphia, PA 19102 105 Upper College Road
www.uarts.edu Kingston, RI 02881
Admissions contact: Barbara Elliott, www.uri.edu
215-717-6049, admission@uarts.edu Jazz contact: Professor Joe Parillo,
Jazz contact: Marc Dicciani, 401-874-2431, jparillo@uri.edu
215-717-6342, mdicciani@uarts.edu
West Chester University SOUTH CAROLINA
School of Music
Swope Hall College of Charleston
West Chester, PA 19383 54 St. Phillips St.
www.wcupa.edu/cvpa Charleston, SC 29424
Primary contact: Peter Paulsen, www.cofc.edu
610-436-2547, ppaulsen@wcupa.edu Jazz contact: Robert Lewis,
Admissions contact: Dr. John Villella, 843-953-5169, lewisr@cofc.edu
610-436-2495, jvillella@wcupa.edu
Furman University
Department of Music
RHODE ISLAND 3300 Pointsett Highway
Greenville, SC 29613
Community College of Rhode Island www.furman.edu
400 East Avenue, Warwick, RI 02886 Admissions contact: Marcella Frese,

THE HARTT SCHOOL

MUSIC • DANCE • THEATRE

JAVON JACKSON, DIVISION DIRECTOR

Bachelor of Music: Jazz Studies, Composition, Music Management,
Music Production and Technology

NOW OFFERING A MASTER OF MUSIC IN JAZZ!

hartford.edu/hartt
864-294-2086, furmanmusic@furman.edu 803-323-4515, 865-974-3241, music@utk.edu
Jazz contact: Matt Olson, thompsonp@winthrop.edu Jazz contact: Mark Boling,
864-294-3284, Matt.Olson@furman.edu 865-974-3241, music@utk.edu

University of South Carolina SOUTH DAKOTA

School of Music TEXAS
Columbia, SC 29208 Black Hills State University
www.music.sc.edu 1200 University, Spearish, SD 57799 Amarillo College
Admissions contact: Jennifer Jablonski, www.bhsu.edu PO Box 447, Amarillo, TX 79178
803-777-6614, jjablonski@mozart.sc.edu Primary contact: www.actx.edu/music
Jazz contact: Bert Ligon, 803-777-6565, Dr. David Berberick, 605-644-2641, Primary contact: Jim Laughlin,
bligon@mozart.sc.edu david.berberick@bhsu.edu 806-345-5572, laughlin-je@actx.edu
Admissions contact: Beth Oaks,
University of South Carolina Upstate beth.oaks@bhsu.edu Brazosport College
800 University Way Jazz contact: Dr. Christopher Hahn, 500 College Dr., Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Spartanburg, SC 29303 christopher.hahn@bhsu.edu www.brazosport.edu/programs/Music
www.uscupstate.edu Primary contact: Rodney Mason,
Primary contact: Nolan Stolz, 864-503- 979-230-3316,
5263, nstolz@uscupstate.edu TENNESSEE Rodney.Mason@brazosport.edu
Jazz contact: Richard Birk,
Winthrop University Belmont University 979-230-3272,
Department of Music 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212 Richard.Birk@brazosport.edu
Rock Hill, SC 29733 www.belmont.edu
www.winthrop.edu/music Primary contact: Keith Mason, Coastal Bend College – Beeville Campus
Admissions contact: 615-460-6274, keith.mason@belmont.edu 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX, 78102
Donald Rogers, 803-323-2255, Admissions contact: http://coastalbend.edu/beeville/
rogersd@winthrop.edu Maren Bishop, 615-460-8307, Primary contact: Charles Davis,
Jazz contact: Phil Thompson, SOMauditions@belmont.edu 512-358-3130
Jazz contact: Dr. Jeff Kirk, 615-460-8107, Jazz contact: Jim Lee, jimlee@cbc.cc.tx.us
jeff.kirk@belmont.edu
College of the Mainland
LeMoyne-Owen College 1200 Amburn Road, Texas City, TX 77591
MAKE 807 Walker Ave., Memphis, TN 38126
www.loc.edu
www.com.edu/ine-arts/music-program
Admissions contact: Kelly Musick,
YOUR Jazz contact: Dr. Jorge Sosa,
901-435-1310
409-933-8264, kmusick@com.edu
Jazz contact: Sparky Koerner,
MUSIC Middle Tennessee State University
409-933-8347, skoerner@com.edu

MATTER PO Box 47, Murfreesboro, TN 37132

www.mtsumusic.com
Admissions contact: Connie Bowrey,
615-898-2469, Connie.Bowrey@mtsu.edu
Jazz contact: Jamey Simmons,
615-898-2724, James.Simmons@mtsu.edu
Collin County Community College
2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy.
Plano, TX 75074
www.ccccd.edu
Jazz contact: Kris Berg,
972-881-5108, kberg@ccccd.edu

Study traditional University of Memphis Houston Community College

and new techniques
spanning jazz and Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, Westchester Campus
contemporary Jazz and Studio Music Division 901 Yorkchester, Houston, TX 77079
genres in 129 Music Building, Memphis, TN 38152 www.hccs.cc.tx.us
Longy’s Jazz and www.memphis.edu/music, Primary contact: Joe LoCascio,
Contemporary
Music program.
music@memphis.edu 713-718-5620
Jazz contact: Jack Cooper,
Begin your journey at 901-678-2547, jcooper1@memphis.edu Lamar University
Longy.edu/apply Department of Music, Theatre & Dance
University of Tennessee, Knoxville PO Box 10044, Beaumont, TX 77710
Natalie L. Haslam School of Music www.lamar.edu
1741 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37916 Jazz contact: Dr. Wayne Dyess,
www.music.utk.edu/jazz dyessjw@earthlink.net
Admissions contact: Lori Brown,
Saint Mary’s University
1 Camino Santa Maria
San Antonio, TX 78228
www.stmarytx.edu
Admissions contact: Prof. John Moore,
210-436-3421, eortega@stmarytx.edu
Jazz contact: Prof. John Rankin,
210-436-3011 x1386,
jrankin@stmarytx.edu
Stephen F. Austin State University
Dept. of Music
Nacogdoches, TX 75962
www.sfasu.edu
Primary contact: Ron Anderson,
409-468-4602
Texas A&M University Kingsville
Music Department, MSC 174
Kingsville, TX 78363
www.tamuk.edu/music
Jazz contact: Paul Hageman,
361-593-2806, kfpmh00@tamuk.edu
Texas Christian University
School of Music
Box 297500, Fort Worth, TX 76129
www.music.tcu.edu
Admissions contact: Karen Scott,
817-257-7490
Jazz contact: Joe Eckert,
817-257-5576, j.eckert@tcu.edu
University of Texas at Arlington
Music Dept.
Box 19105, Arlington, TX 76019
www.uta.edu/music
Primary contact: Tim Ishii,
817-272-1205, tishii@uta.edu
Admissions contact: Linda McQuaid,
817-272-2485, McQuaid@uta.edu
Jazz contact: Dan Cavanagh,
817-272-1107, cavanagh@uta.edu
University of Texas at Austin
School of Music
Austin, TX 78712
www.music.utexas.edu
Admissions contact: Sarah Borshard,
512-471-0504, uga@mail.music.utexas.
edu (Undergraduate), Dan Seriff, 512-471-
5496, mga@mail.utexas.edu (Graduate)
Jazz contact: Jeff Hellmer, 512-471-0744,
jhellmer@austin.utexas.edu
Weatherford College
225 College Park Dr.
Weatherford, TX 76086
www.wc.edu
Jazz contact: Cal Lewiston,
817-598-6338, clewiston@wc.edu
UTAH
Brigham Young University
School of Music
C-550 Harris Fine Arts Ctr.
Provo, UT 84602
www.music.byu.edu
Primary contact: Mike Ohman,
801-422-3149, mike_ohman@byu.edu
Jazz contact: Mark Ammons,
801-422-4824, mark_ammons@byu.edu
University of Utah
Admissions Ofice, 201 S 1460
E Room 250S, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
www.music.utah.edu
Primary contact: Henry Wolking, 801-581-
7281, henry.wolking@music.utah.edu
Utah State University
4015 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
https://music.usu.edu/area-of-study/jazz-
studies
Admissions contact: Cary Youmans,
435-797-3015, cary.youmans@usu.edu
Jazz contact: Jon Gudmundson,
435-797-3003, jon.gudmundson@usu.edu

Texas State University

601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
www.txstate.edu/jazzstudies
Admissions contact:
Deborah Soward, 512-245-1932,
dgsowards@txstate.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Keith Winking,
512-245-2651, kw09@txstate.edu

University of Houston
Moores School of Music
Houston, TX 77204
http://uhjazz.com
Primary contact: Noe Marmolejo,
713-743-3191
Admissions contact: Kelly Ibarra,
713-743-5934, kibarra@uh.edu

University of North Texas

Division of Jazz Studies
1155 Union Circle #305040
Denton, TX 76203
www.jazz.unt.edu
Primary contact: John Murphy,
940-565-4344, john.murphy@unt.edu
 VERMONT VIRGINIA undergradadmission@virginia.edu
Jazz contact: John D’earth,
Goddard College Christopher Newport University trumpetdearth@aol.com
Plainield, VT 05667 Ferguson Center for the Arts
www.goddard.edu 1 Avenue for the Arts Virginia Commonwealth University
Primary contact: Don Glasgo, Newport News, VA 23606 Department of Music
800-468-4888, glasgod@goddard.edu www.fergusoncenter.org 922 Park Ave., Richmond, VA
23284-2004
Johnson State College George Mason University www.jazz.vcu.edu
337 College Hill 4400 University Drive, MS 3E3 Admissions contact: Erin Patterson,
Johnson, VT 05656-9464 Fairfax, VA 22030 804-828-1167, apply4music@vcu.edu
www.jsc.vsc.edu http://music.gmu.edu/jazz-studies/ Jazz contact: Prof. Antonio J. Garcia,
Admissions contact: Drew Farrell, Primary contact: Dr. Darden Purcell, 804-827-0699, ajgarcia@vcu.edu
800-635-2356, jscapply@jsc.vsc.edu 703-993-1380, dpurcel2@gmu.edu
Jazz contact: Steve Blair, Virginia Tech
802-635-1314, blairs@jsc.vsc.edu Hampton University Mus. Dept., Jazz Studies
Department of Music Squires Bldg.
University of Vermont Hampton, VA 23668 Blacksburg, VA 24061
Southwick Music Complex www.hamptonu.edu www.vt.edu
384 S. Prospect St. Primary contact: Dr. Sheila Maye, Admissions contact: Barbara Townley,
Burlington, VT 05405 757-727-5237, sjmaye@hamptonu.edu 540-231-5704, btownley@vt.edu
802-656-3040 Jazz contact: James Miley, 540-231-1879,
www.uvm.edu/cas/music/ James Madison University jmiley@vt.edu
Jazz contact: Patricia Julien, School of Music
patricia.julien@uvm.edu; 800 S. Main Street, MSC 7301 Virginia Union University
Alex Stewart, astewart@uvm.edu; Harrisonburg, VA 22807 1819 Sunnyside Ave.
Ray Vega, rvega@uvm.edu www.jmu.edu Hopewell, VA 23860
Admissions contact: www.vuu.edu
Dr. Michelle Kirkdorffer, 540-568-3851, Primary contact: Kevin Teasley,
kirkdomm@jmu.edu 804-257-5665
Jazz contact: Dr. Charles Dotas,
540-568-6180, dotascj@jmu.edu
WASHINGTON
Degrees Offered: Shenandoah Conservatory
Masters in Jazz Studies - Instrumental Performance 1460 University Dr. Central Washington University
Bachelor of Arts - Instrumental Jazz Emphasis
Winchester, VA 22655 400 E. University Way
Bachelor of Music - Instrumental Jazz Studies
Music Education Degree - Instrumental Jazz Studies https://www.su.edu/conservatory/areas- Ellensburg, WA 98926
of-study/bachelor-of-music-in-jazz-studies/ www.cwu.edu/music/jazz
Faculty: Admissions contact: Adam Schuster, Primary contact: Chris Bruya,
Chris Vadala - Director of Jazz Studies, 540-432-2266, aschuste08@su.edu 509-963-1426, bruyac@cwu.edu
Saxophone/Woodwinds, Large Ensemble Jazz contact: Robert Larson,
Conductor, Improvisation 540-665-4557, rlarson@su.edu Cornish College of the Arts
Gerry Kunkel - guitar, Improvisation, combos
1000 Lenora Street
Chuck Redd - drumset, vibes, percussion masterclasses

Jon Ozment - piano University of Richmond Seattle, WA 98121
Chris Gekker - trumpet Music Department www.cornish.edu
Tom Baldwin - bass, combos Booker Hall, Richmond, VA 23173 Admissions contact: 206-726-ARTS,
Tim Powell - Jazz Theory, Jazz Arranging / www.richmond.edu 206-726-5016, admissions@cornish.edu
Composition Instructor
+PIO
.PSHBO - trombone

+B[[
)JTUPSZ
Admissions contact: Pam Spence, Jazz contact: Tom Baker, 206-726-5030,
804-289-8640, pspence@richmond.edu music@cornish.edu
Curriculum oferings: 3 Jazz Ensembles (Big Bands), Jazz contact: Dr. Michael Davison,
4 Combos and Advanced Improvisation/Pedagogy/
Theory courses, Jazz Theory, Jazz History, Jazz Arranging/ 804-289-8281, mdavison@richmond.edu Eastern Washington University
Composition, Independent Studies. 119 MUS
MM assistantships available
University of Virginia Cheney, WA 99004
McIntire Department of Music www.ewu.edu/music
Recent and Upcoming Clinicians/Artists:
Wayne Shorter • Roy Haynes • Dave Holland P.O. Box 400176, Old Cabell Hall Admissions contact: Colleen Hegney,
Branford Marsalis • Christian McBride Charlottesville, VA 22904 509-359-2241
Brad Meldau • Maria Schneider • Phil Woods www.virginia.edu/music Jazz contact: Jenny Kellogg,
Terell Staford (UM alum) • McCoy Tyner • Joshua
Redman Chick Corea/ Bobby Mc Ferrin • Kenny Garrett Admissions contact: Arts Supplement 509-359-7421, jkellogg1@ewu.edu
Coordinator, 434-982-3200,
301-405-5519
cv@umd.edu
Seattle Central Community College
1701 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
www.seattlecentral.edu
Admissions contact: 206-587-3800
Jazz contact: Brian Kirk, 206-587-6338,
bkirk@sccd.ctc.edu
Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98133
https://www.shoreline.edu/music
Admissions contact: 206-546-4101,
sccadmis@shore.ctc.edu
Jazz contact: Doug Reid, 206-546-4759,
dreid@shore.ctc.edu
University of Washington School of Music
Box 353450
Seattle, WA 98195
www.music.washington.edu
Admissions contact: Julia Tobiska,
somadmit@uw.edu
Jazz contact:
Cuong Vu, wcuongvu@uw.edu
Washington State University
Jazz Studies Program
PO Box 645300
Pullman, WA 99164-5300
https://music.wsu.edu
Admissions contact:
Wendy Jo Peterson, 888-468-6978,
https://wsu.edu/admission/
Jazz contact: Brian Ward, 509-335-7934
brian.ward@wsu.edu
Western Washington University
Department of Music
MS-9107
516 High Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
https://cfpa.wwu.edu/music
Primary contact: Kevin Woods,
360-650-2689, kevin.woods@wwu.edu
Whitworth University
300 W. Hawthorne Road
Spokane, WA 99251
www.whitworth.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Dan Keberle,
509-777-3280, dkeberle@whitworth.edu
WEST VIRGINIA
Marshall University
1 John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25755
marshall.edu/somt/music/jazz-studies/
Admissions contact: Dr. Adam Dalton,
800-642-3499, 304-696-3117,
daltona@marshall.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Martin W. Saunders,
304-696-4316, m.saunders@marshall.edu
Shepherd University
Department of Music & Theatre
P.O. Box 3210
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
www.shepherd.edu/musicweb
Primary contact: Mark McCoy,
304-876-5555, mccoy@shepherd.edu
Admissions contact: Barbara Spicher,
304-876-5711, bspicher@shepherd.edu
Jazz contact: Dr. Mark Cook,
304-876-5115, mcook@shepherd.edu
West Virginia University School of Music
1 Fine Arts Dr., Morgantown, WV 26505
http://music.wvu.edu
Admissions contact: Jodie Lewis,
Jodie.Lewis@mail.wvu.edu
Jazz contact: Prof. Paul Scea,
304-293-4549, PScea@wvu.edu
West Virginia Wesleyan College
59 College Ave.
Buckhannon, WV 26201
www.wvwc.edu
Admissions contact: John Waltz,
304-473-8510, admission@wvwc.edu
Jazz contact: Prof. James H. Moore,
304-473-8052, moore_j@wvwc.edu
WISCONSIN
` Lawrence University
Conservatory of Music
711 E. Boldt Way, SPC 29,
Appleton, WI 54911
www.lawrence.edu
Admissions contact: Katie Seidel,
800-227-0982, katie.s.seidel
@lawrence.edu
Jazz contact: Jose Encarnacion,
920-993-6629,
jose.l.encarnacion@lawrence.edu
See ad, pg. 73
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Music Department
121 Water Street, Eau Claire, WI 54702
www.uwec.edu
Admissions contact: Mr. Robert Lopez,
715-836-5415, admissions@uwec.edu
Jazz contact: Robert Baca, 715-836-4371,
bacarj@uwec.edu
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
1725 State St., La Crosse, WI 54601
www.uwlax.edu/jazzstudies
Admissions contact: 608-785-8939,
admissions@uwlax.edu
Jazz contact: Karyn Quinn, 608-785-6727,
kquinn@uwlax.edu
University of Wisconsin – Madison
School of Music
455 N. Park St., Madison, WI 53706
www.music.wisc.edu/jazz
Admissions contact: Jared Jellison,
608-263-5986, admissions@music.wisc.edu
Jazz contact: Johannes Wallmann,
917-992-9101, jazz@music.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
1209 Fremont Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481
www.uwsp.edu/music/jazzstudies
Admissions contact: Bill Jordan,
715-346-2441; bjordan@uwsp.edu
Jazz contact: Mathew Buchman,
715-346-4054, mbuchman@uwsp.edu
University of Wisconsin – Whitewater
Music Department
800 West Main, Whitewater, WI 53190
http://music.go.uww.edu/
Admissions contact: Jeff Blahnik,
262-472-1440, blahnikj@uww.edu
Jazz contact: Matt Sintchak,
262-472-5710, sintcham@uww.edu
WYOMING
Casper College
125 College Drive
Casper, WY 82601
www.cc.whecn.edu
Primary contact: Tracy Pfau, 307-268-
2100, tpfau@wind.cc.whecn.edu
Northwest College
Music Department
231 W. 6th St.
Powell, WY 82435
www.northwestmusic.org
Admissions contact: West Hernandez,
307-754-6103,
west.hernandez@northwestcollege.edu
Jazz contact: Neil Hansen,
307-754-6425,
neil.hansen@northwestcollege.edu
For more detailed information,
visit JazzTimes.com/schools
JAZZTIMES.COM 119
 FINAL EXAM
Music as Child’s Play
With his Timbalooloo program, Oran Etkin is introducing
jazz to hundreds of very young children BY LEE MERGNER
• Oran Etkin (right) with buddies
L
ots of jazz artists and presenters like
to talk about reaching a younger
audience. But few go as far as clari-
netist and saxophonist Oran Etkin,
who regularly teaches and plays music to
infants. Etkin created his Timbalooloo
teaching method in order to reach poten-
tial music students before life, language,
and thinking get in the way.
As he explained by phone from Turkey,
where he was performing and recording
new material, Timbalooloo isn’t about
learning to play an instrument, but rather
learning to speak the language of music
intuitively. “[When] we teach a foreign
language to older students,” he explains,
“we teach all the rules of grammar, and
maybe they study for several years, but
then they go abroad and can’t speak lu-
ently because they’re thinking about how
to conjugate every verb. A little kid just
learns how to speak luently. hey end up
being able to conjugate every verb, but
they don’t know what the word ‘conjugate’
means. If they have a thought, they just
express it without thinking. We all know
musicians who are like that—whatever
comes to their mind, they play it. hat’s
what I hoped to do with kids.”
Ater completing his M.A. at Man-
hattan School of Music, Etkin taught
preschoolers part-time in NYC’s Tribeca
neighborhood. “hey said, “Do whatever
you want,’” he recalls. “On those two days,
120 J A Z Z T I M E S • E D U C AT I O N G U I D E 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9
I had 12 classes, so I started to bring in all
the music I love, like Herbie Hancock and
Tito Puente, thinking, ‘How can I present
it to really little kids—three-year-olds,
four-year-olds—and get them excited?’ I
started telling stories about the musicians
and I started thinking about what did I re-
ally want the kids to learn—those essential
things that I wished my older students
knew at that age. I started a real method
around it. Having 12 classes a day, it’s just
like practicing. I reined it and reined it
to the point where the kids were talking
about Herbie Hancock. And parents got
interested in it, and they asked me to do
more and more.”
Unlike the early music programs many
of us experienced, which used the record-
er, Timbalooloo has the glockenspiel as
its bridge instrument. Every kid gets their
own, but with a catch: he instrument
starts as just one note “old.” hey then add
a second note, a third note, and the instru-
ment grows up. “Each time they get a new
note, they learn how to write that note on
the page,” Etkin says. “And they learn a
song. All the songs they learn are with a
story. here’s a story about Duke Ellington
and Princess Ella and Curious George
Gershwin, who was curious about Duke’s
music and goes to Duke’s castle and inds
rhythm in the basement, and that’s how
they end up doing ‘I Got Rhythm.’”
Besides the stories, there’s a strong vi-
sual element. “he way we get a two-year-
old to understand pitch is through birds
and cows. Birds ly up high, they’re small,
and they make high sounds. Cows are
big, live down low, and make low sounds.
We have a game where one kid points up
to the bird and the other kid plays the
bird sound on the piano. And they point
down to the cow and the other kid plays
the cow sound. What they’re doing, even
at the age of two, is responding to what
they see and hear and playing the correct
notes. Basically it’s the fundamentals of
reading music.”
In Timbalooloo, instruments are
turned into characters—like the Kenyan
drum Ngoma, Clara Net, and her mother
Big Momma Tuba—all of whom talk, with
a lot of call and response. Etkin wants
children to understand that they can
make an instrument speak, and use it to
express emotions and ideas. He’s working
hard to put the play back in playing music.
Most remarkably, he’s even expanded
the program to reach children as young
as three months old. “You can see that
they can tell the diference when harmony
changes or something changes in the
rhythm,” Etkin says. “hey can’t speak yet,
but they’re making sense of all the sounds
they hear.” Because his method is based
on non-verbal cues, it translates well to
other languages and cultures. Etkin has
been doing clinics and workshops around
the world and inds little diference in the
response: “Kids are kids everywhere. hey
laugh at the same points, they get teary-
eyed at the same points. It’s amazing to see
how kids react to things universally.”
Ater sending teaching artists into
schools, community centers, and even
homes for several years, Etkin recently
took the plunge and now has a physical
space in Soho where Timbalooloo classes
are taught by himself and a staf, many of
whom have been with the program since
2010. Ultimately, his goal isn’t to produce
an army of musicians. “he idea is that
they really understand the language of
music. hey speak it, they have fun with
it, they understand that they can play with
it and that it’s something that belongs
with them. And when somebody else is
expressing themselves, they can get ex-
cited about the nuances of that expression
rather than just sitting back and saying,
COURTESY OF TIMBALOOLOO
‘Oh, that sounds nice.’” Maybe someday
he could expand the program further—to
include jazz critics. JT
You can learn more about Timbalooloo at
timbalooloo.com.
school of music

Arizona State
University
music.asu.edu | 480-965-5069

To inspire and empower students to become creative leaders who

transform society through music.

Arizona State University’s School of Music in

the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
is proud to welcome Lewis Nash to the Jazz
Studies faculty.

Learn more! music.asu.edu/degree-programs/jazz-studies

Copyright © Arizona Board of Regents. All rights reserved. 1118

JAZZTIMES.COM FE
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BONUS

EXCLU SIVE FOR OUR

PHO TOS
FAREWELL TO
DIGITAL
READERS

RANDY WESTON
“I COME TO BE A STORYTELLER,” Randy Weston wrote in the introduction
to his 2010 autobiography, African Rhythms. “I’m not a jazz musician. God is
the real musician. I’m an instrument.” On Sept. 1, 2018, one of God’s finest
instruments—a lauded pianist, bandleader, and composer, and the man who
arguably did more than anyone in the world to draw attention to jazz’s roots
in the culture of Africa—left this plane of existence at the age of 92. Ten days
later, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, family, friends,
colleagues, and fans gathered to honor Weston’s memory and celebrate a life
well lived, both in words and, of course, in music. JazzTimes’ ALAN NAHIGIAN
was there to document the event in images.

The funeral procession, led

by Weston’s grandsons,
with his daughters and
wife Fatoumata Mbengue-
Weston (in checkered gown)
following close behind
FAREWELL TO RANDY WESTON

Percussionist Neil Clarke speaks to the crowd

The Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir

JAZZTIMES | NOVEMBER 2018
Impulse! Records’ Jean-Philippe Allard (left) with Weston’s friend and biographer Willard Jenkins

Left to right: T.K. Blue, Robert Trowers, and Billy Harper

JAZZTIMES | NOVEMBER 2018
FAREWELL TO RANDY WESTON

Gnawa musician Hassan Ben Jaafar plays the guembri Chinese pipa player Min Xiao-Fen

Rodney Kendrick
JAZZTIMES | NOVEMBER 2018
Actress/producer Kim Weston Moran, one of Weston’s three daughters

Monty Alexander
JAZZTIMES | NOVEMBER 2018
FAREWELL TO RANDY WESTON

Lewis Nash

Left to right: Alex Blake, Lewis Nash, T.K. Blue, Robert Trowers, Neil Clarke, and Billy Harper
JAZZTIMES | NOVEMBER 2018
Cándido Camero

Roy Haynes
JAZZTIMES | NOVEMBER 2018