T he Jazz Culture
The KENNY BARRON QUARTET The Jazz Culture, V.III:33
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The Kenny Barron Quartet by L. Hamanaka
Caught the Kenny Barron Quartet at the Jazz Standard on Thursday, July 31, with Kenny Barron, piano, Jonathan Blake, drums, Kyoshi Kitagawa, bass, Stefon Harris, Vibes and marimba. The first song was “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise,” ( Sigmund Romberg, Oscar Hammerstein ) at about 200=quarter note. Mr. Harris started soloing on the marimba and then went to the vibes, with a full tone, good percussive attack. Sometimes on a two note lick, then breaking loose, in a quasi running pace of a scalar line that peaked, then striking a single note per measure followed by some whole tone ideas. Mr. Barron’s ideas were sometimes Bachlike and accented the upbeat, hi solo dominated by scalar lines and interesting ideas-sometimes repetitive, as in a pattern, and then cutting it loose, playing with abandon and freedom, as if compelled. Then his idea was chordal, choosing a minor idea that was catchy and repeating it. The bass solo was stark with curving lines, a good contrast in his use of space. He used octave jumps and leaps with wide intervals, then started strumming chords. This this point the drums came in in a vivid interlude, with nice counterbalance coloring from the bass. The drummer built a thunderous solo that peaked. Mr. Harris traded 8’s with the drummer using chord patterns that ascended, giving an orchestral sound to the group as his chords were on top of Mr. Barron’s. Mr. Harris added rolled chords on top of Mr. Barron’s, giving a fresh look at a jazz standard, with coloring that suited Mr. Barron’s elegant melodicism. The most striking element in this performance was Mr. Barron’s original works, first heard in “Phantoms” which has a moving and exquisite melody. The pianist wove wild phantasmagoric lines strewn together with a run at one end, with obbligato spires leading up to pivotal notes in the melody, sort of like a jazz rhapsody in a minor mode. Messrs. Barron and Harris 2
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In these pages chorded on 1 and, chilling the blood, played intriguing counter melodies with Kenny Barron Quartet 1‐3/8‐10 August Listings 5‐6 the drums adding color; the bass John Watson Ad strumming in tandem with the piano, in a Kuni Mikami Ad bluesy reverie worthy of Ellington. The Roma Jazz Workshop Ad bass underpinned the vibes solo based Eugene Ghee/Evans Thompson mainly on seconds and scalar runs in Concerts minor. In wailing waves with peaks that kicked the beat ahead, the bass repeating the same lick as the group built intensity in a syncopated groove. Then they doubled the tempo with mostly chords and Mr. Harris executed a series of minor runs, with a funky sound, humming along with his lines. He quoted the melody and subsided. Mr. Barron played an intricate line with perfect articulation, sometimes doubling into 16th note runs, inventing a stream of consciousness as if having a waking dream, and circular motifs that sometimes crept up to a key note, and tumbled down the piano keyboard. He added rhythmic groups with a driving quality, choosing many subdivisions of the feel of the song, sometimes attacking the chords in a dissonant cluster, and attacking on the upbeat, then tumbling on a mountain of blues. The bass solo had a lovely tone quality, using two quarter notes followed by quarter note triplets leading to an accented note, utilizing space well. He knows how to fall off an accented note and is skillful in using dynamics as well. Mr. Barron and Mr. Harris re-entered using trills and played the melody together. Mr. Barron played a delicate suggestive line up the blues scale high in the upper register of the piano, fading into nothingness, with chords ascending the upper register. This piece would also do well orchestrated for a classical symphony orchestra.
Another of Mr. Barron’s originals, “South Africa,” was played solo. It is a lovely lyric ode (quiet); the solo piano evokes landscapes from the South African countryside. The solo piano provided a tender contrast to the tumult and power of the ensemble pieces, as there is a pretty and charming melody with a lilt to it The Jazz Culture, V.III:33
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Jonathan Blake and Victor Lewis at the bar, Kenny Barron above
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cont. p. 8 The Jazz Culture, V.III:33
The Jazz Culture Newsletter Jazz Tours in NYC are available; also music teachers in various countries for students & jazz lovers. email: info@thejazzculture.com. Ads are available in The Jazz Culture Newsletter. The Jazz Culture Newsletter has been read in 79 countries. Brian McMillen is a contributing Photographer. Connie MacNamee and Arnold J. Smith are contributing writers." Countries: US, UK, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Burma, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam
August Listings Robert Anderson‐ Saturdays, Univ of the Streets 10:30 Clarence Banks‐ Swing 46 w/ Felix and the Cats, 346 W. 46 St. Ray Blue: Germany tour Bertha Hope: pianist/quintet every Thurs, Fri & Sat at Mintons Restaurant,116th&St Nicholas Av. Reservations strongly recommended. 212‐243‐2222 Richard Clements: Pianist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 Luciano Fabris‐Rome George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, every Tues, most Fridays 9:30 Lafayette Harris: Aug 1 & 2 Sankofa Aban107 Macon St. Brooklyn Bedstuy $30 includes fish fry. Café Loup Sunday 3rd 6:30pm ‐ 9:30pm 105 W 13th St. Aug 4th Antique GarageSolo Piano 7‐10pm 41 Mercer St. Corner of Grand St. Aug 5th Little Branch 22 7th Ave corner of Leroy Aug 6th Guess Senior Center 2070 Clinton Ave E 180 Bronx 1:30 Aug 13th The Garage Corner Christopher and 7th Ave S. Aug 14th Antique Garage Solo Piano/Aug 19th
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Loston Harris: Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle; Tues ‐ Thur 9:30pm ‐ 12:30am, Fri‐Sat 9:30pm‐1:00am The Carlyle, 35 East 76th St., New York, NY 10021 (76th St. & Madison Ave.) 212‐744‐1600 Mike Longo: Tuesdays Gillespie Auditorium in the NYC Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street 8:00 and 9:30 Joe Magnarelli: July 6, Sun. leads Small’s late session John Mosca & Michael Weiss, Vanguard Orchestra every Monday at the Village Vanguard 8 p.m. David Pearl‐ Mondays at the Thalia, 95 St. bet. B'way & West End 8 p.m. Valery Pomoronov‐ Zinc Bar on the first Wednesday in August, 9:30 p.m. Bill Saxton: Every Friday and Saturday Bill’s Place 133 Street Rick Stone:Sunday, August 3rd from 7:30‐10pm Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Rd., $10 cover. August 8th the Rick Stone Trio at the Bar Next Door. Shows at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30pm. 129 MacDougal St (between W3rd & W4th), NYC. $12 cover. Call: 212‐529‐5945 August 21st from 6‐10pm the Rick Stone Trio the Garage, 99 7th Avenue South (at Grove Street), NYC. Evans Thompson, pianist, concert on August 2, Original, Rumba, Jazz, and Bebop,All Stars Project / Castillo Theater 453 W.42 St.10‐11th Ave ‐Aug. 2‐ 1 PM Free Murray Wall, bassist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 p.m. Leroy Williams, drums: Minton's Sun & Tues 2‐6 W. 118 St.
THE JOHN WATSON TRIO
LEEE JOHN & IMAGINATION LIVE AT JACK UP THE 80s-Saturday 9th August 2014 John will play with Leee John & Imagination on Saturday 9th August at the Jack Up The 80s Festival in Newchurch, Isle of Wight. For more information visit: jackupthe80s.co.uk John Watson/Tel: 01442 217825 /Mob: 07990 574562/ Website: www.johnpianoman.co.uk 6
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KUNI MIKAMI, Pianist is also an acclaimed, talented Videographer Special Introductory Sale: Five Minute Edited (with music) Video Resume for Performers $300 Contact Kuni @: 123mime@gmail.com
Artist must provide: • Good quality HD video on computer file • Good recorded audio sound • A photo of yourself • Text you want to see on the video
Luciano Fabris in Rome, David Pearl at Thalia, Mike Longo's Bahai Center on Tuesdays, Leroy Williams at Minton's,
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cont. from p. 4
Kyoshi Kitagawa, Bassist taking a break at The Jazz Standard
that seems to beckon the spirit with dark chordal contrast in the left hand, a contrasting somber tone color. The elegiac solo painted the scenery of South Africa with love, depicting the struggle of the people there and the cry of their spirit emerging through his solo, melodic and swaying, telling the story of yearning for freedom. Underpinning the textures of the right hand was a virile left hand ascending on the + of 2 and 4. Mr. Barron took note of drummer Victor Lewis at the bar, and said that he had recorded “Hey! It’s Me You’re Talking to” with Mr. Lewis some years ago. The combo then played it at about 184=quarter note, a dynamic, down to earth, cheerful percussive piece. Mr. Barron called Mr. Lewis “one of the all time great masters.” Mr. Harris played the melody with verve and spunk. He hit soprano notes and then descended in three note licks down his keyboard, showed cont. p. 1 0 8
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Links: Lionelleh.com, lostpuppyblues.com The Jazz Culture, V.III:33
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cont. from p. 8
his melodic inventiveness and played a swinging solo, with a supportive and festive rhythm section. Mr. Barron played some Latin movements and broke into a joyous solo that was punctuated with bright, short motifs. Mr. Blake on the drums laid a strong foundation. Mr. Barron played like the tidal wave of a generous spirit, showing the influence of the sheets of sound school in this piece. Mr. Barron built a spirited crescendo of chords and turned it over to the bass player, who had a spring like sound. Mr. Harris played a lively interlude using space well. The group took out the song with the same full toned spirit and the bass repeating the same catchy line over and over, While Mr. Barron played whole tone ideas and substitutions in his right hand, the combo went into a diminuendo and ended the song. The piano and vibes were a different combination and Mr. Harris adds some spice to Mr. Barron’s presentation, though sometimes the dynamic balance would have been better if he listened for it more. Mr. Barron presented some of his unique sound and style, which would be appropriate in a symphonic format as the quality of certain jazz originals expand and add freshness, spirit and depth to the oeuvre of American classical music.
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Kenny Barron unveiled stunning pieces at The Jazz Standard
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CAN ANYONE RECOGNIZE THE MUSICIAN IN THIS WATERCOLOR OR THE ARTIST? IF SO, EMAIL: info@thejazzculture.com
Eugene Ghee, Tenor Saxophonist, Bandleader, Educator who Subscribes to The Jazz Culture Newsletter, was featured in the FORT GREENE JAZZ FESTIVAL on July 26. Mr. Ghee has worked with everyone from Stevie Wonder, on Broadway, and many jazz stars. The Jazz Culture, V.III:33
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Some of the Cats: Photo courtesy of Lonnie Hillyer: The Brass Company Colors 1974: Clifford Jordan, Harry Hall, Lonnie Hillyer, Eddie Preston, Charles tolliver, Bill Hardman, Kamal Abdul Aim, Cliff Lee, Charles Stephens, Kiani Zuwadi, Bob Shepherd, Stanley Cowell, Bill Lee, Sonny Brown, Billy Higgins (D, dir)
Evans Thompson, Subscriber of The Jazz Culture Newsletter & Composer/pianist, was featured in a concert and also did a radio show on August 2, featuring original, Rumba, Jazz, and Bebop,All Stars Project / Castillo Theater 453 W.42 St.10‐11th Ave ‐Aug. 2‐ 1 PM Free
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