February 2025

CELEBRATING THE JAZZTET

Buster Williams, Billy Hart, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Art Farmer (pianist unknown). Photo by Brian McMillen

BY CYDNEY HALPIN

We have exciting news … thanks to the generosity of Board Members Cynthia Feketie, Mike Katz, and Jackie Wetcher, we have added an additional category— Jazz Vocal Performance—to the NJJS 2025 Juried Scholarship Competition.

The 2025 Competition will award three $1,000 and three $500 prizes in each of the three categories: Jazz Instrumental Performance, Jazz Vocal Performance, and Original Composition. The Competition is accepting entries.

The competition is open to all students currently enrolled in a New Jersey college undergraduate music program, as well as to Jersey residents currently enrolled in an out-ofstate college undergraduate program. Proof of residency is required for Jersey applicants in out of state schools.

Along with the cash award, winners will receive guidance, mentorship and the opportunity to

perform with an industry profes-

sional, and coverage in Jersey Jazz.

This competition will once again be judged by our prestigious panel of professional musicians, educators and industry leaders comprised of:

Don Braden » World class tenor saxophonist, flutist, composer and educator

Mariel Bildsten » Trombonist, bandleader, sidewoman, and educator

Ted Chubb » Princeton University Lecturer of Music - Jazz Trumpet, composer, educator, and arts administrator

Jason Olaine » Vice President of Programming, Jazz at Lincoln Center

Submission deadline is Friday March 28, 2025, 11:59 p.m.. Visit njjs. org/competition for complete details.

The Board and I would like to thank Nan Hughes Poole and NJJS Board Members Cynthia Feketie, Mike Katz, and Jackie Wetcher for their generous support of this initiative.

If you’d like to support the growth of our prize offerings, donations can be made via our website njjs.org/Donate. Please note “Scholarship Fund” where indicated. Donations can also be mailed: NJJS, 382 Springfield Ave., Ste. 217, Summit, NJ 07901.

Don’t hesitate to contact me at pres@ njjs.org if you have any questions.

Plan to join us Sunday, February 2nd at 3:00PM for Jersey Jazz LIVE! as we honor Black History Month with a Centennial Tribute to Gigi Gryce, presented by NJJS member and Gryce Scholar Noal Cohen, and featuring music by the Bruce Williams Quintet. This program is generously sponsored by Noal Cohen. The Board and I thank him for his support.

Admission is $10 members/$15 non-members/$5 children/students (w/ID). Doors open at 2:30 p.m., concerts begin at 3:00 p.m. Refreshments are available for purchase.

Madison Community Arts Center, 10 Kings Road, Madison, NJ. Free street parking is available. Advance tickets available at: artsintrinsic.ticketleap.com/njjs-bhm-02-02-25

For more information on this LIVE! event, please visit our website njjs.org/february-jerseyjazz-live-tribute-to-gigi-gryce

If you’d like to support a LIVE! program—in part or in full—providing performance opportunities for the next generation of jazz musicians as well as seasoned musicians, please contact me at pres@ njjs.org or at (973) 229-0543.

Please note: There will be a price increase for LIVE! events starting April 2025—$15 Members/$20 non-members/$5 children/student(with ID).

Save the date: Sunday, March 2nd as we celebrate Women in Her-story Month featuring two fierce, fabulous female pianists—

Champian Fulton and Karen Xie. Xie will open the concert with a quartet made up of Montclair State’s Cali School of Music students, and the Champian Fulton Trio will feature music that pays tribute to the female vocalists of the Big Band Era. This special event is sure to be well attended so plan accordingly. For more information about this event, please see page 09. For advance tickets please visit artsintrinsic.ticketleap.com/ njjs-champian-fulton-03-02-25

Additional funding for this concert has generously been provided by Lynne Mueller. The Board and I thank her for her patronage. Thank you to Board Member James Pansulla for his continued patronage of the Rising Stars initiative.

While NJJS is very grateful for program funding, in part, from Morris Arts, the

majority of our operating expenses and initiatives are financed by membership dues and donations.

The Board and I would like to thank all the donors who’ve supported our 2024 “Charting the Future … with YOU!” annual appeal campaign to date. So many of you are patrons who’ve generously supported our work year after year, and your commitment to NJJS has both sustained us through difficult times and fostered growth. We truly can’t do what we do without YOU!

If you haven’t yet contributed to this campaign, please consider helping NJJS continue its performance and educational initiatives by donating today either by mail, or anytime online at njjs.org/donate There’s also a red “Donate” button conveniently located on our home page for easy giving.

Would you like to maximize the impact of your gift? Many of you work for employers that have a matching

gift program that will double the impact of your gift for free by completing and submitting a simple form.

Check with your Human Resources Department for further information.

You can also make a tax-efficient gift from your IRA today! Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), also known as IRA Charitable Rollovers, are the savviest way for individuals age 70½ or older to use their IRAs to maximize their charitable giving. Your IRA donation is a generous way to fulfill your required minimum distribution for the year. Gifts generated directly from your IRA will save you on taxes while helping NJJS fulfill its mission to promote and preserve jazz.

We can’t do what we do without YOU! Members are the heart and soul of this organization, and we’d like to thank everyone who renewed their membership

this past year, we’re very grateful for your continued patronage.

If you joined NJJS this past year, we’re delighted to welcome you into this jazz community. If you have any questions about your membership, please contact me at membership@njjs.org.

Music Heals! I recently met New York Times bestselling author Susan Magsamen (Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us) who shared the following information: Music reduces anxiety by up to 44%, pain by 29% and a resulting reduction in the need for relevant drugs by 24%. Clearly, we should all be spending more time listening to music. I hope we see you at an NJJS LIVE! event soon … it’s good for your health. You’ve got to learn to leave the table when love’s no longer being served. Nina Simone

BY SANFORD JOSEPHSON

Celebrating Thelonious Monk at the Paper Mill Playhouse

If the world had all but forgotten Thelonious Sphere Monk, no one told the over 1,000 people who tried to cram into St. Peter’s Church on Lexington and 54th Street to attend his memorial service,” wrote Robin D.G. Kelley in the Postlude of his book, Thelonious Monk The Life and Times of An American Original (Free Press: 2009).

“On Monday morning, February 22 (1982),” he continued, “the musicians arrived in full force, and many contributed to what turned into a musical celebration of Monk’s life and work.”

Thelonious Monk is, without doubt, one of the giants of jazz and American music, and, as we celebrate Black History Month, the Paper Mill

Playhouse in Millburn, NJ, is celebrating Monk’s musical genius and legacy with a special visual presentation:

“The Space Between Notes: Dualities and Emotions Beneath Thelonious Monk’s Brim.” Portraits of Monk by 12 visual artists will be exhibited in

the Paper Mill’s Renee Foosaner Art Gallery from February 3-February 28 from noon-6 p.m. There will also be an exhibit of family archives and an accompanying playlist to go with the exhibit. An opening reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, February 3. Tickets are not required for the exhibit or the reception.

The goal of the presentation is to “interpret Monk’s emotional depth, dualities in music, and strategic use of silence through visual art.” (One of the art pieces, “Thelonious Monk Portrait”, oil on canvas by Louiza Albastova, is shown on this page).

Another important event occurring this month is the annual Charles Mingus Festival and High School Competition, to be held February 14-16 at The New School in New York. The Festival celebrates the music of the late bassist/com-

poser Charles Mingus and also hosts competition among high school student jazz musicians from several states. New this year is an invitation for international schools to compete.

Last year, Montclair’s Jazz House Kids won eight awards, and The New School $15,000 Scholarship Winner was drummer Alex Kavlakian of Rahway High School, who later also won Jazz House Kids’ $10,000 James Moody Scholarship. Kavlakian performed as part of the Rising Stars opening act at NJJS’ Jersey Jazz LIVE concert on June 4, 2024.

The Mingus Festival includes workshops and masterclasses run by Mingus repertory musicians and educators and a full day of competition performances on the last day, Sunday, February 16. Those students selected as Outstanding Soloists will be invited to sit in on Sunday with the Mingus Big Band at Joe’s Pub.

ABOUT NJJS

Founded in 1972, The New Jersey Jazz Society has diligently maintained its mission to promote and preserve America’s great art form—jazz. To accomplish our mission, we produce a monthly magazine, Jersey Jazz ; sponsor live jazz events; and provide scholarships to New Jersey college students studying jazz. Through our outreach program Generations of Jazz, we provide interactive programs focused on the history of jazz. The Society is run by a board of directors who meet monthly to conduct Society business. NJJS membership is comprised of jazz devotees from all parts of the state, the country and the world.

MEMBER BENEFITS

You become an integral part of the NJJS community, and the history and future of jazz

Access to 11 Digital Issues of our Award Winning Jersey Jazz Magazine

— Featuring Articles, Interviews, Reviews, Events and More

Discounts to our Jersey Jazz LIVE! Sunday Concerts

Discounts at NJJS Sponsored Concerts & Events.

MUSICIAN MEMBERS

FREE Listing on NJJS.org “Musicians List” with Individual Website Link

FREE Gig Advertising in our Monthly eBlast

THE RECORD BIN

Visit www.njjs.org or email info@njjs.org for more information on our programs and services

A collection of used CD’s & LP’s available at reduced prices at specific events and through mail order njjs.org/shop

JOIN NJJS

Family/Individual $45

(Family includes to 2 Adults and 2 children under 18 years of age)

Family/Individual 3-Year $115

Musician Member $45 / 3-Year $90 (one time only, renewal at standard basic membership level.)

Youth $15 - For people under 21 years of age. Date of Birth Required.

Give-A-Gift $25 - Members in good standing may purchase unlimited gift memberships. Applies to New Memberships only.

Fan $75 - $99

Jazzer $100 - $249

Sideman $250 - $499

Bandleader $500+

Corporate Membership $1000

Members at Bandleader level and above and Corporate Memberships receive special benefits. Please contact Membership@njjs.org for details. The New Jersey Jazz Society is qualified as a tax exempt cultural organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, Federal ID 23-7229339. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. For more Information or to join, visit www.njjs.org

Magazine of the New Jersey Jazz Society

VOLUME 53 • ISSUE 02

Jersey Jazz (ISSN 07405928)

is published monthly for members of The New Jersey Jazz Society

382 Springfield Ave., Suite 217, Summit, NJ 07901 973-229-0543 • info@njjs.org

Membership fee is $45/year.

All material in Jersey Jazz, except where another copyright holder is explicitly acknowledged, is copyright ©New Jersey Jazz Society 2025. All rights reserved. Use of this material is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the NJJS.

Editorial Staff

EDITOR

Sanford Josephson, editor@njjs.org

ART DIRECTOR

Michael Bessire, art@njjs.org

CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR

Mitchell Seidel, photo@njjs.org

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Bill Crow, Joe Lang, Jay Sweet

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jacob Blickenstaff, Scott Chernis, Chris Drukker, Antonio Narvaez-Dupuy, Joel Ginsburg, Sanford Josephson, Brian McMillen, Todd Rosenberg, Geoff Shelton, Ken Weiss, Anna Yatskevich

WEBMASTER

Christine Vaindirlis

WEBSITE DESIGN

Prism Digital

Advertising

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Cydney Halpin, advertising@njjs.org

ADVERTISING RATES

Full Page: $135, Half Page: $90, 1/3 Page: $60, 1/4 Page: $30

For reservations, technical information and deadlines contact advertising@njjs.org or visit njjs.org/Magazine/Advertise . Make a payment online at njjs.org/advertise via the red Submit Payment button, or via check made payable to NJJS, 382 Springfield Ave., Suite 217, Summit, NJ 07901.

New Jersey Jazz Society, Officers 2024

PRESIDENT

Cydney Halpin, pres@njjs.org

EXECUTIVE VP vicepresident@njjs.org

TREASURER

Mike Katz, treasurer@njjs.org

VP, MEMBERSHIP membership@njjs.org

VP, PUBLICITY

Sanford Josephson, sanford.josephson@gmail.com

VP, MUSIC PROGRAMMING

Mitchell Seidel, music@njjs.org

RECORDING SECRETARY

Irene Miller

CO-FOUNDER

Jack Stine

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Mike Katz

DIRECTORS

Jay Dougherty, Cynthia Feketie, Paul Flexner, Pete Grice, Carrie Jackson, Caryl Anne McBride, Robert McGee, James Pansulla, Stew Schiffer, Elliott Tyson, Jackie Wetcher

ADVISORS

Don Braden, Mariel Bildsten, Ted Chubb, Al Kuehn, Jason Olaine

Jersey Jazz LIVE!

Women’s History Month: Champian Fulton Celebrates Female Vocalists of the Big Band Era

Concert Will Honor “the Legendary Women Who Shaped the Jazz Genre

...”

In March 2024, vocalist/pianist Champian Fulton released an album called Flying High: Big Band Canaries Who Soared (Jazz at the Ballroom), paying tribute to female vocalists of the Big Band Era. Featuring several guest vocalists, it included such standards as “On the Sunny Side of the Street” (closely associated with Ella Fitzgerald); “I Don’t Know Enough About You” (Peggy Lee); and “Sweet Georgia Brown” (Anita O’Day).

At 3 p.m. on March 2, at the New Jersey Jazz Society’s Jersey Jazz LIVE! concert held in Madison, NJ’s Community Arts Center, Fulton’s trio

will celebrate Women’s History Month by featuring some selections from that album and her related live shows, recognizing “the legendary women who shaped the jazz genre, showcasing their remarkable talent and the timeless classics that defined the era.”

Fulton “will talk about the great female jazz musicians who began their careers as band singers, such as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday; and I’ll perform songs closely associated with them.” She will be accompanied by bassist Hide Tanaka and drummer Aleksi Heinola.

When Fulton presented her “Fly-

Champian Fulton

JERSEY JAZZ LIVE!

ing High” show last March at Birdland, the guest vocalists were Jane Monheit and Lezlie Harrison. Reviewing it for Broadway World, Rebecca Kaplan singled out Fulton’s “silky rendition” of ‘I’ve Heard That Song Before’ (originally sung by Helen Forrest); Harrison’s “masterful command of rhythm” on ‘The One I Love Belongs to Someone Else’ (Doris Day); and Monheit’s “stunning version” of Jo Stafford’s ‘You Belong to Me’.” Fulton will be back at Birdland with guest vocalists in late March.

Other activities for the vocalist/ pianist this year include a new duo album with Swedish jazz clarinetist/saxophonist Klas Undquist, to be released in May on Turtle Bay Records, and a second Flying High album due out around Christmas.

Last May, Fulton and saxophonist Cory Weeds recorded an album on Cellar Music called Every Now and Then. Reviewing it for DownBeat,

Ted Panken wrote: “Fulton self-accompanies and solos on piano with harmonic sophistication, impeccable chops, a risk-friendly attitude, and an idiosyncratic conceptual range spanning Bud Powell, Erroll Garner, and several other way stations, refracted into her own argot.”

The Champian Fulton Trio will be preceded by a Rising Stars opening act featuring a quartet led by pianist Karen Xie, who is studying for her Masters Degree in Jazz Studies at Montclair

State’s John J. Cali School of Music.

The other members of her quartet, all Cali students, will be bassist Dominic Carnival and drummer Benjamin Barham-Wiese, from New York City; and tenor saxophonist Will Travis, from Hollis, ME. Xie was the Jersey Jazz December 2024 Rising Star.

Before arriving at Montclair State, Xie, who grew up in NYC, studied at Hunter College where trombonist Ryan Keberle is Director of the Jazz Program. He described her as “one

of the most talented musicians I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my 21 years-plus of leading the program.”

: The Madison Community Arts Center is located at 10 Kings Road in Madison, NJ. The Jersey Jazz LIVE! concerts begin at 3 p.m. Admission is $10 for NJJS members and $15 for non-members. Student admission is $5 with valid ID. There will be light refreshments for purchase. To order tickets in advance, log onto artsintrinsic.ticketleap.com/ njjs-champian-fulton-03-02-25.

: Funding for Jersey Jazz Live! has been made possible, in part, by funds from Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of The National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding for this LIVE! concert has been generously provided by Lynne Mueller.

Gigi Gryce

Karen Xie

NJJS Adds Jazz Vocal Performance Category

Deadline for Applications is March 28

The New Jersey Jazz Society is adding a Vocal Performance category to its 2025 Juried Scholarship Competition. The deadline for this year’s applications is no later than March 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET. There are now six awards:

» $1,000 for Jazz Performance

» $1,000 for Original Composition

» $1.000 for Vocal Performance

» $500 for Jazz Performance

» $500 for Original Composition

» $500 for Vocal Performance

The competition is open to all New Jersey college students currently enrolled in a college undergraduate music program and to New Jersey residents currently enrolled in an out-of-state college undergraduate program. For the latter, proof of residency is required.

Along with the cash award, winners will receive guidance, mentorship, the opportunity to perform with an industry professional, and coverage in Jersey Jazz Magazine. For more details, applicants can visit njjs.org/competition for details.

Judges will again be: Don Braden, tenor saxophonist/flutist, composer and educator; Ted Chubb, Lecturer of Music; Jason Olaine, Vice President of

Top: 2024 $1,000 Jazz Performance winner, Lasse Corson, at November 2024 Jersey Jazz LIVE! concert. Above: From left, 2024 $500 Jazz Performance winner Isaac Yi, $500 Jazz Composition winner Gabriel Chalick, and $1,000 Jazz Composition winner Joseph Foglia.

Programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center; and Mariel Bildsten, trombonist/ bandleader and educator. Winners will be announced in early May and will be profiled in the June issue of Jersey Jazz. Last year’s winners were:

» $1,000 prize for Performance: Pianist Lasse Corson, Minneapolis, William Paterson University

» $1,000 prize for Composition: Saxophonist Joseph Foglia, Raleigh, NC, William Paterson Univesity

» $500 prize for Performance: Saxophonist Isaac Yi, Leonia, NJ, Princeton University

» $500 prize for Composition: Trumpeter Gabriel Chalick, Naples, FL, Princeton University

The New Jersey Jazz Society (NJJS) is a non-profit organization of business and professional people, musicians, teachers, students and listeners working together for the purpose of advancing jazz music. The competition is generously supported by Nan Hughes Poole, Cynthia Feketie, Mike Katz, and Jackie Wetcher.

Jerry Weldon Salutes The Jazztet, a Band That Sounded ‘Arranged and Loose at the Same Time’

“We’ll

Play Some of the Classics and

Some

of

the Lesser Known Things as Well”

BY SANFORD JOSEPHSON

The 1962 Mercury album, Here and Now, was one of the final recordings made by The Jazztet, a sextet founded in 1959 by tenor saxophonist Benny Golson and trumpeter/flugelhornist Art Farmer. It was one of tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon’s favorite LPs when Weldon was studying at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in 1969. “I just fell in love with that record,” Weldon told me. “My friend, trombonist Frank Mallah, and I would go to his dorm room and play it. It made a big impression on me.”

At 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, Weldon will lead a sextet playing tribute to the music of Golson and Farmer as part of William Paterson’s winter/ spring 2025 Jazz Room series, held in the Shea Center for Performing Arts. “I just loved the sound of The Jazztet,” Weldon said. “I loved that straight ahead sound, especially with the tenor and trumpet on the front line. It was one of my favorite bands ever. I loved the writing. The band sounded arranged and loose at the same time. It wasn’t over arranged, but the har- Benny Golson

monies were so hip and swingin’.”

The original Jazztet had Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (Art’s twin brother) on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums. On Here and Now, Fuller was replaced on trombone by Grachan Moncur III, Harold Mabern was on piano, Herbie Lewis was on bass, with Roy McCurdy on drums. Weldon’s sextet at William Paterson will feature Joe Magnarelli on trumpet and flugelhorn, Peter Lin on trombone, George Cables on piano, Mike Karn on

“

bass, and Jerome Jennings on drums.

Thirteen years after listening to

The Jazztet on records, Weldon was able to see a reunion of the band in person. “I was in Lionel Hampton’s band in 1982,” he said, “and that summer, as he always did, Hamp would play the festivals in Europe. Hamp was a huge star—in France and Germany he was like a superstar, so no matter what festival we were at, he would always close the show. For guys like me that was cool. I could go over there early and see everyone else. We were

ONE OF THE TOP

HARD BOP CONTINGENTS OF

THE ‘50 s AND ‘60 s . ”

at the Nice Jazz Festival, and on the schedule was a Jazztet Reunion. They put the band back together—Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, plus Mickey Tucker on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums.”

Years later, Weldon said, “I got to know Benny a little better. Art Farmer played with Hamp in the ‘50s. He was part of the great trumpet section with Clifford Brown and Quincy Jones. Art lived in Vienna when I was with Hampton so, we’d go to Germany, Swit-

zerland, and France, and sometimes Art would be a guest star with the band.” Weldon was still working on the William Paterson program when we spoke, but he said, “We’ll play some of the classics, and we’ll play some of the lesser known things as well.” Among Weldon’s favorite tracks on Here and Now were Golson’s “Whisper Not” and Mabern’s “Richie’s Dilemma”.

The Jazztet’s first album, Meet the Jazztet (Argo: 1960) included Golson’s “I Remember Clifford” and

Art Farmer

JAZZ AT WILLIAM PATERSON

“Killer Joe”, along with standards such as Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and Cole Porter’s “It’s All Right With Me”. Reviewing a reissue for AllMusic, Stephen Cook called the band, “One of the top hard bop contingents of the ‘50s and ‘60s. The Art Farmer and Benny Golson co-led group featured some of the best original charts and soloing of the entire era. While the group was only in existence between 19591962, its excellent reputation could rest on this stunning disc alone.”

DownBeat’s Ira Gitler, in his review of Meet the Jazztet, wrote that “Farmer shines on ‘I Remember Clifford’ and ‘Ain’t Necessarily’, and the whole group digs in on (Golson’s) ‘Blues March’ ... Farmer is piquant on Golson’s heretofore unrecorded ‘Petite’ (‘Park Avenue Petite’), and Benny himself is extremely convincing in his Lucky Thompson-

out-of-Don Byas groove on (Ralph Rainger’s) ‘Easy Living’. ‘Mox Nix’ by Farmer is the high point of the set.”

The Jazztet was formed after Farmer left the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and was planning to put together his own band. The name “Jazztet” initially surfaced on a 1959 Savoy album called The Curtis Fuller Jazztet with Benny Golson. Lee Morgan, not Farmer, was the trumpeter. The Jazztet with Farmer first performed at New York’s Five Spot in November 1959. That appearance was recalled by Farmer in an interview with percussionist/ethnomusicologist Dr. Anthony Brown, excerpted on the Art Farmer website. “We opened opposite Ornette Coleman,” Farmer said, “and everybody who was anybody was down there because they had heard about Ornette being the new thing. Monk was down there, Leonard Bernstein, Miles Davis, all kind of guys ...

Jerry Weldon: “I loved that straight ahead sound, especially with the tenor and trumpet on the front line.”

We got kind of lost in the shuffle because, compared to what Ornette was doing, what we were doing was done well, but it was more conventional ... looking back on it now, if we had opened there not opposite Ornette, we would’ve made more noise.”

Golson, who died last September at the age of 95, joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1958, and four of his compositions were on Blakey’s groundbreaking Blue Note album, Moanin’. They were: “Along Came Betty”, “Blues March”, “Are You Real”, and “Drum Thunder Suite”. Golson left Blakey to form The Jazztet.

In the 1970s, Golson spent time in Los Angeles writing music for television programs such as Mannix, M.A.S.H, and Mission Impossible. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 1996 “for his distinctive compositions and arrangements and innovative tenor

saxophone playing, notable additions to the jazz canon, his work in film, and television studios, and his contributions to jazz education.” He taught at several universities including the Berklee College of Music, Rutgers, and William Paterson.

Farmer’s first album as a leader was Work of Art (Prestige: 1953). In addition to co-leading The Jazztet in the ‘50s and early ‘60s, Farmer succeeded Bob Brookmeyer in the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and co-led a quartet with guitarist Jim Hall. In the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, he often played with tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, one of Weldon’s favorite saxophonists. “They (Farmer and Jordan) had a special kind of hookup,” he said. Farmer passed away in October 1999 at the age of 71.

After leaving Hampton’s band in 1988, Weldon has played with bands led by organists Jack McDuff and Joey DeFrancesco, pianist/vocalist

JAZZ AT WILLIAM PATERSON

Jerry Weldon’s favorite Jazztet album was Here and Now; the group’s first album was Meet the Jazztet.

Harry Connick, Jr., and Count Basie. Having Cables on piano at the William Paterson concert, Weldon said, is “special. I saw George with Freddie Hubbard in the ‘70s, and with Dexter Gordon at the Vanguard when Dexter came back from Copenhagen.”

Cables played briefly with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1969,

toured with Sonny Rollins and Hubbard before joining Dexter Gordon. He has also played with alto saxophonist Art Pepper, drummers Roy Haynes and Max Roach, and trumpeters Woody Shaw and Dizzy Gillespie, among many others. His 1985 Contemporary album, Circle, was notable for its long solo on Benny Golson’s “I Remember Clifford”.

The Art Farmer website points out that,”The partnership of Art Farmer and Benny Golson spanned over 40 years. Although these two musical giants shared a love of strong melodies and rich harmonies, their approaches to improvisation were quite different. Farmer was the essence of lyricism and subtle intensity. Golson was much more aggressive, especially in his later years when the Don ByasLucky Thompson influence acquired aspects of John Coltrane’s explorations. Yet, this combination worked

beautifully and provided contrast in their performances and recordings.”

: The ‘Celebrating the Music of Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet’ concert is sponsored by Lynne Mueller, leader and manager of artfarmer.org and significant friend and manager to Farmer in the last years of his life. Mueller brings live jazz to the Metuchen,

NJ, community, based on her more than 30 years of jazz event and concert production in New York City.

The Shea Center for Performing Arts is located at 300 Pompton Road on the campus of William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. For more information or to order tickets, log onto sheacenter.vbotickets.com or call (973) 720-2371.

2025

WINTER/SPRING JAZZ ROOM SERIES CONCERTS

MAR 09 » Saxophonist Chris Potter with the William Paterson Jazz Orchestra

APR 06 » Saxophonist/Vocalist Camille Thurman

APR 16 » Vocalist/Percussionist Chico Alvarez with the William Paterson Latin Jazz Ensemble

APR 27 » Bassist Christian McBride and pianist Bill Charlap Duo

MAY 09 » Vocalist Will Downing (8 p.m.)

Pianist Luther Allison Brings the Music of New Orleans to Audiences Across the Country

“There’s A Lot We Have to Offer That People Haven’t Heard”

James Black was a New Orleansbased jazz drummer, little known outside of the Crescent City. James Carroll Booker III was called the “piano prince of New Orleans.” Harold Battiste was a reedist and composer who worked closely with such artists as Ellis Marsalis, Sam Cooke, and Dr. John.

Those are some of the “lesser known” musicians—along with such household names as Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton—whose music is featured in “New Orleans Songbook”, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 49city tour that began on January 22 in Spokane, WA. The tour will come to Kean Stage in Union, NJ, on February 23 and the McCarter Theatre

in Princeton on February 28. The concerts will be led by pianist Luther Allison and vocalists Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs. They will be joined by a septet including trumpeter Brandon Woody, trombonists Gina Benalcazar Lopez and Mariel Bildsten, saxophonist Markus Howell, bassists Jonathon S. Muir-Cotton and Liany Mateo, and drummer Marcus Grant.

“We really want to highlight a lot of what New Orleans has to offer,” said Allison. “In addition to Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton, there’s James Black, James Booker, Allen Toussaint, the Preservation Hall Band, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Henry Butler, Harold

Battiste, and Jon Batiste. There’s so much incredible music that has come out of New Orleans. I’m really delighted to present the music that has come out of such a powerful city. There’s a lot we have to offer that people haven’t heard.”

The 29-year-old Allison is one of the emerging talents on the current jazz scene. Last month, he was

scheduled to be a guest artist at

JALC’s ‘Cool School” and “Hard Bop” concerts presented in New Jersey and New York (January 2024 Jersey Jazz cover story), premiering his composition, “Milk Route”. The Morristown, NJ, performance was postponed due to a snowstorm and will now be presented June 19 at the Mayo Performing Arts Center.

Growing up in Charlotte, NC, Allison began taking classical piano lessons in the fourth grade. “I had always played around with the songs my teacher would give me,” he said. “I would make little adjustments. I wasn’t always the best sight reader. I would find stuff that I messed up that I would like. I think that’s one of the fundamental elements of jazz music—express yourself through a preexisting composition and how that can change over time. That is something I was starting to notice a little bit when I was younger.”

In addition to piano, Allison also plays drums. By the time he reached his junior year at Northwest School of the Arts, he was participating in a program called the Jazz Arts Initiative (now called Jazz Arts Charlotte). “I was one of the first people to come through there. Shortly after me was my good friend, Sean Mason (October 2021 Jersey Jazz Rising

Star).” Others who have been in the program were alto saxophonist Veronica Leahy (November 2024 Rising Star), and saxophonist Gustavo Cruz, currently a student at Juilliard.

“I owe a lot to Lonnie Davis (JAC President/CEO/Founder),” Allison said. “She changed my life. I met a lot of other musicians in and around Charlotte. I was just learning from them. People would call me for gigs. I owe so much to them because they were the first people to believe in me when I made the switch (from classical) into jazz.”

In 2017, Allison earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Music & Jazz from The University of Tennessee and, in 2019, received his Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University. While at MSU, he was recruited by trombonist Michael Dease, a Michigan State faculty member, to play drums on Dease’s Posi-Tone Records album, Father Figure. The other band members were bassist Endea Owens,

From left, Milton Suggs, Luther Allison, Quiana Lynell

saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins and Markus Howell, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, and pianist Glenn Zaleski.

“It’s funny thinking back on that day in the studio,” Allison said, “and thinking where everybody is now.” In January, Allison and Dease played together with vocalist Kurt Elling at Birdland. Dease, Allison said, “was one of the first people to take me under his wing and take me on the road with him.”

Dease remembered meeting Allison in 2014, “when he was recommended to work at my summer jazz camp, the Jazz Institute at Brevard Music Center in Brevard, NC. He was 19 and literally bursting at the seams with talent and joyful enthusiasm. He was such a dynamic example of practice and passion meeting performance that I publicly promised the entire student body that I’d bring him to New York City and put him to work gigging and recording. He started on drumset with me, then replaced

Glenn Zaleski as my pianist for several years and projects. It culminated in a Master’s Degree at Michigan State where he received mentorship from our entire musical family. I am immensely proud of the person and musician he has become and honored to have a supporting role in his journey.”

Toward the end of his time at MSU, Allison was asked by bassist Rodney Whitaker to join a few other musicians in a performance during Whitaker’s master class at Brevard. The other musicians, Allison said, were trumpeter Brandon Lee, and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr., along with Whitaker and Dease. “I was playing piano,” Allison recalled, “surrounded by all these guys who were 10 to 12 years older than me—the who’s who in the jazz world. At the time, I was this 21-year-old no name from North Carolina that nobody knew anything about. We had an amazing time playing together.

“I was actually planning to move to Chicago to work in ministry, as my faith is very important to me. Ulysses took my hand and said, ‘What are you doing after school?’ I told him, ‘I’m still kind of figuring it out.’ In the back of my mind, though, I was decided. He told me, ‘Man, you need to move to New York.’” Allison did move to New York, and a couple of months later when Owens was forming his Generation Y

band, he texted Allison and asked him to join it. “I went ahead and accepted,” Allison said, “and the rest is history.”

When asked about that conversation at Brevard, Owens said, “Luther has that IT factor. He was too talented to go the conventional route of ministry, and I told him the way he plays is ministry. There are certain people, when you hear them play, you realize that there is nothing else that

Clockwise from left, James Carroll Booker, Harold Battiste, and James Black. They are some of the “lesser known” musicians whose music will be featured in New Orleans Songbook.

they are supposed to be doing but music because the impact they create when performing is so palpable. Luther Allison is the complete package, and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to acknowledge this truth.”

In 2022, Allison received an email from vocalist Samara Joy’s manager, Matt Peterson, asking him if he was available for a whole month of gigs in November. “I had never met her,” he said. “I don’t think she’d ever heard

me play live. I think she saw me online and heard about me from some of her friends. I did that month of gigs just off the strength of recommendations and Instagram videos she saw of me. I guess I passed the test, and I played with her for another year. That was a beautiful experience.”

Last year, Allison’s Posi-Tone Records album, I Owe It All To You, spent 20 weeks on the JazzWeek chart, peaking at Number 8 and fin-

ishing Number 49 for the year. In a DownBeat review, Michael J. West wrote that, “Listening to Luther Allison play piano is like watching Simone Biles do floor exercises. He turns effortless, physics-defying technical wizardry into evocative, involving art

... I Owe It All To You is a portrait of a straightahead pianist who seems to have no weak points in his arsenal.”

Looking back on his piano influences, Allison said his Number 1 person is Donald Brown, an Associate Professor at The University of Tennessee. “He taught me everything I know,” he said. “Donald opened me up to the Memphis piano lineage— Mulgrew Miller, Harold Mabern, James Williams, Phineas Newborn, Charles Thomas. So many pianists have come through Memphis.” Other important piano heroes are Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, and Kenny Barron. And, “more recently,” he added, “I’ve been dealing with a lot of

the stride pianists. I’m really falling in love with Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith, James P. Johnson, and Earl Hines.”

Quiana Lynell won the Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition in 2017. On the night of the finals, before she sang her last song, she told the New Jersey Performing Arts Center audience: “I’m about to turn this [hall] into a juke joint, if you don’t mind.” Michael Barris, writing for DownBeat, recalled what happened next. “Lynell then ripped through ‘Hip Shakin’ Mama’, a 12-bar blues that one of her musical heroes, New Orleans soul icon Irma Thomas, had covered years ago. But Lynell didn’t simply grind out a blues; she painted a picture, shading and coloring the lyrics with strong vocal technique honed through her classical training. When the song concluded, she owned the room—and was on her way to being No. 1 on the judges’ scorecards.” Lynell has performed and/or re-

Luther Allison at the piano with Generation Y. From left, Erena Terakubo, Ryoma Takenaga, Benny Benack, and Ulysses Owens, Jr.

JAZZ AT KEAN STAGE & M c CARTER THEATRE

corded with Nicholas Payton, Patti Austin, and Herbie Hancock, among others. As an educator, she helped establish Loyola University New Orleans’ popular music program and created “Made in America: Lyrically Speaking”, a clinic exploring jazz and blues. Reviewing her 2019 Concord album, A Little Love, Carlo Wolff of DownBeat wrote, “The album effectively showcases a vocalist comfortable and commanding in styles including pop, jazz classics and the blues.”

Milton Suggs combines the influences of Joe Williams, Donny Hathaway, and Nat King Cole. He has performed with such artists as pianist Orrin Evans and trumpeter Marquis Hill and has sung with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Jazzwise’s Peter Quinn, reviewing Suggs’ 2023 Imani Records album, Pure Intention (with pianist Michael King), praised Suggs’ “newly penned lyrics to music written by some of his

favorite musicians and composers including Mulgrew Miller, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Buster Williams, and more ... The music-making from Suggs and King is never less than sublime, with the former’s rich baritone and compelling way with a lyric perfectly matched by the latter’s soulful playing and beautiful reharmonizations.”— SANFORD JOSEPHSON

: Kean Stage is located at 1000 Morris Ave. in Union, NJ. The New Orleans Songbook concert will begin at 7 p.m. on February 23 in the Enlow Recital Hall. For more information or to order tickets, log onto keanstage. com or call (908) 737-7469.

The McCarter Theatre Center is located at 91 University Place in Princeton, NJ. The New Orleans Songbook concert will begin at 7:30 in the Matthews Theatre. For more information or to order tickets, log onto mccarter.org or call (609) 258-2787.

New Jersey Jazz Society

The New Jersey Jazz Society is pleased to announce the

2025 JURIED SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

This competition will award three $1000 prizes and three $500 prizes in three categories: Jazz Instrumental Performance, Jazz Vocal Performance, and Jazz Composition. The competition is open to all New Jersey college students currently enrolled in a college undergraduate music program, as well as to New Jersey residents currently enrolled in an out-of-state college undergraduate program. Proof of residency required. Along with the cash award, winners will receive guidance, mentorship and the opportunity to perform with an industry professional, and coverage in Jersey Jazz.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, March 28, 2025, 11:59 PM Eastern Time Visit   NJJS .org/Competition  for details.

This competition is generously supported by NAN

HUGHES POOLE, CYNTHIA FEKETIE, MICHAEL A. KATZ, and JACKIE WETCHER

Collaboration with Arranger Brent Wallarab Developed During Work on a Wes Montgomery Documentary

“There Have Been Plenty of ‘Jazz Goes to the Movies’ Records Over the Years, But We Wanted to Put Our Spin on It”

BY JAY SWEET

Dave Stryker has long been regarded as one of the most respected jazz guitarists and teachers. His playing is celebrated for its soulful expression, rich tone, and boundless creativity. Most recently, he released what may very well be his most ambitious project to date, Stryker With Strings Goes To The Movies (Strikezone Records:2025). The idea for the album developed while Stryker was teaching at Indiana University. “I was asked to be part of a PBS special called Wes (Montgomery) at 100,” he recalled. “It was

filmed in Bloomington, Indiana, at the university’s studio. It featured a big band and orchestra arranged by Brent Wallarab, the Big Band and Arranging Instructor at Indiana. We collaborated on the project and it did very well—it won an Emmy! They say it will go national, so you’ll probably be able to catch it on PBS.

“We performed all of Wes Montgomery’s music, which came with its own pressures. I memorized everything, and it turned out great. There was a live studio audience of about 150 people, and the studio was dec-

STRYKER WITH STRINGS

orated with these giant pictures of Wes Montgomery, which added to the atmosphere—and the pressure! But in the end, it all came together beautifully. After the performance, I told Brent his writing was incredible and that we should collaborate on another project. He was very open to the idea and mentioned he had some backing from the Indianapolis Entertainment Foundation.

“We started brainstorming ideas, and I suggested doing movie themes. Brent loved the idea, saying that movies and music were two of his favorite

things. Of course, there have been plenty of ‘Jazz Goes to the Movies’ records over the years, but we wanted to put our spin on it. The concept involved featuring the guitar upfront and playing the melodies, with the arrangements structured like a jazz quartet surrounded by horns and strings. We opened up the themes so we could improvise over them, giving the project a fresh and dynamic feel.”

Wallarab and Stryker started making lists for the material. “We had to narrow it down,” Stryker said, “but it became a combination of our ideas. I

“ WE STARTED BRAINSTORMING IDEAS, AND I SUGGESTED DOING MOVIE THEMES. ”

liked the James Bond theme ‘You Only Live Twice.’ I wanted to include ‘Cinema Paradiso’ because it’s one of my wife’s favorite movies. ‘In Your Eyes’ from Say Anything was something Brent suggested, while the Taxi Driver theme is just iconic—a true classic. I also had to throw in the ‘Theme from Shaft.’ We included a couple of tunes from Duke Ellington’s score for Anatomy of a Murder. ‘Moonglow’ interestingly, was suggested by one of our backers; many people don’t realize it originated in the movie Picnic.

‘Dreamsville’ is an excellent tune by Mancini from Peter Gunn, and ‘Edelweiss’ comes from The Sound of Music, another request from a backer. I ended up recording that as a quartet piece.”

For the first recording session, Wallarab and Stryker had 11 musicians: five trombones, an alto saxophone, two trumpets, Sara Caswell on violin, and the rhythm section. “A couple of weeks later,” Stryker said, “we brought in 18 string players from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to layer their parts over the initial

From left, Stryker, Jared Gold, and McClenty Hunter

STRYKER WITH STRINGS

recordings. It was an incredible experience to work with such talented musicians and to bring this project to life.” Reviewing the album for Jersey Jazz, Joe Lang wrote: “Stryker is front and center throughout, while impressive solos are contributed by violinist Sara Caswell, alto saxophonist Greg Ward, trombonist Jim Pugh, and flugelhornist Mark Buselli.” At

presstime, the album had debuted on the JazzWeek chart at Number 34.

The music from the recording will be played live on May 3 at Indiana University during its Jazz Celebration Concert. “We’ll have a slideshow featuring some movie-related visuals,” Stryker added, “and I’m excited about it. The liner notes for the project were written by David Brent Johnson, a ra-

dio DJ and writer based in Bloomington. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, and he’ll also be emceeing the event. This is the one chance we have to perform the music live for now. Organizing something like this takes a lot of effort, but I’m thrilled we at least have this one concert to look forward to.”

Playing with Brother Jack McDuff, Stryker said, was “trial by fire. But it was always about the music.”

Before Stryker with Strings, many of the guitarist’s previous recordings and experiences were connected to organ groups, including last year’s release, Groove Street, which paired his working trio (organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter) with saxophonist Bob Mintzer.

“My trio,” said Stryker, “has been together for almost 15-20 years now— time really flies! My first big gig was with Brother Jack McDuff, the organist. From 1984 to 1985, I was on the road with him. During that time, I had the incredible opportunity to play with organ jazz legends like Jimmy Smith and Lonnie Smith. After those

experiences, I took a break from playing with organists and focused on other projects. For a while, I led a group with Steve Slagle—a quartet with saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums— and recorded extensively for SteepleChase Records. They gave me the creative freedom to explore whatever I wanted, and for about 20 years, I recorded one album a year with them. Along the way, I made a couple of organ records, one with Larry Goldings and another with Joey DeFrancesco.

“Later, I started playing at a club in West Orange called Cecil’s, which had an organ on-site. On jam session nights, I met a young organist named Jared Gold. As soon as I heard him, I was blown away. Jared had his own harmonic approach and a unique sound. I wasn’t interested in doing the traditional organ jazz thing anymore—I felt like I’d already done that with the best. But with Jared, we could explore organ music in a fresh

STRYKER WITH STRINGS

way. I’ve known McClenty Hunter for years, and he’s been a key member of my main group.” Saxophonist Bob Mintzer is a long-time friend of Stryker’s “and I invited him to be a special guest on Groove Street. We went into the studio and recorded the album in just a few hours.”

Stryker grew up in Nebraska, which is not exactly a jazz hub. “I’m from Omaha, and like any town in the country, there was a local jazz scene,” he said. “You’d find older musicians who could really play, even if they weren’t well known, and Omaha was no exception. I started playing music at a young age and performed in bands in my early teens. Initially, I was into rock, then transitioned into bluesbased music like Santana and the Allman Brothers. That’s where I started exploring solos—not just learning them from records but improvising. I credit Santana and the Allman Brothers for opening that door for me.

“I’ll never forget going to a jazz jam session at the (Musicians) Union. They were playing ‘Song for My Father’ and I thought, ‘I can do that!’ So, I showed up with my telecaster (bass guitar), and long hair and started ripping rock licks over the tune. One of the players stopped me and said, ‘Hey man, this is jazz—you can’t play all that rock stuff!’ The next day, I went to Homer’s Records and asked where the jazz section was. Somehow, I walked out with John Coltrane’s My Favorite Things and George Benson’s Beyond the Blue Horizon. Those were my introduction to jazz and are still two of my favorite albums. That jazz jam experience lit a fire in me. I even attended Jamey Aebersold’s jazz camp for a few summers in Wichita, Kansas. One year, my combo teacher was Joe Henderson, which was incredible. I was hooked.

“Eventually, my band started getting gigs at places like the top of

the Hilton, where we’d play two sets of standards and two sets of Top 40. That forced us to learn standards and dig deeper into jazz. I kept going to jam sessions, and a local sax player took me under his wing, mentoring me along the way. From there, I was all in. I moved to LA for a couple of years in 1978, then headed to New York—and I’ve been at it ever since.”

Stryker, who lives in West Orange, NJ, received his true introduction to

the jazz community when he joined McDuff’s band. “Jack had previously worked with guitarists like Grant Green, George Benson, and Pat Martino,” he recalled, “so being the guitarist in his band was a hot seat. You can imagine the expectations. The arrangements were cool, though— real worked-out harmonies between the sax and guitar. You can hear it on those old records with Jack and George Benson. But it wasn’t all just about the charts. Jack also played standards, blues, and other material. He wasn’t afraid to yell at you if something wasn’t right. It was trial by fire. But it was always about the music.”

Another legend Stryker worked with regularly was tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.

“When I was with Jack McDuff, we had a steady three-night-a-week gig at Dude’s Lounge in Harlem, located on 148th Street. Later, it became St. Nick’s Pub. If we weren’t on the road, we’d

STRYKER WITH STRINGS

play there every week. A lot of great musicians came through that place. George Benson, Lou Donaldson, Lon nie Smith, Jimmy Smith—you name it. Stanley Turrentine was one of those people. That’s where I first met Stan ley. After I left Jack McDuff’s band, I got called to sub in Stanley’s band. He liked how I played and hired me, so I was with Stanley for 10 years. We played all over the world and recorded together. It was an amazing opportuni ty, and I’m still grateful. Playing night after night with someone like Stanley—one of the legends of the music, whose sound you could recognize in just two notes—was an incredible ex perience. Having to follow his solos, which were always so in the pocket, really pushed me to rise to the occa sion. If you couldn’t, you wouldn’t last.”

As with many jazz artists, Stryker maintains a balance of recording, writing, performing, and teaching

Jazz at McCarter!

Chief Adjuah (Formerly Christian Scott)

Post-Modern Jazz Visionary Thu, Feb 13 at 7:30PM

The 7x Grammy Nominee Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah is a revolutionary force in jazz, renowned for his dynamic live performances and genre-defying blend of styles and cultures.

“Ushers in a new era of jazz" - NPR

Meshell NdegeocelloNo More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin

Co-Produced by Jill Newman Productions In Partnership with the Humanities Council at Princeton University Sat, Feb 15 at 7:30PM

No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin is a profound musical journey that channels the timeless words of James Baldwin through Ndegeocello’s soulful artistry.

New Orleans Songbook

a Jazz at Lincoln Center PRESENTS Production featuring Luther Allison, Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs Fri, Feb 28 at 7:30PM

Jazz at Lincoln Center comes to Princeton, bringing the soul of New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras to this amazing evening.

Buy your tickets today!

Pictured: Chief Adjuah

Photo Credit: Jati Lindsay

Trumpeter Skylar Tang: ‘A Sense of High Artistry, Skill, and Profound Leadership’

“Sean Jones Helped Me So Much. His Wisdom and Expertise, the Thought and Care He Puts into This Band, is Extraordinary”

BY SANFORD JOSEPHSON

Every now and then,” said trumpeter Sean Jones, “a musician comes along who has a vision and focus that you just know will affect the world—a sense of high artistry, skill, and profound leadership. Skylar Tang is one of the ones in her generation who fits this description.”

Jones is Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz, a musical ensemble that invites 22 high school students from across the country each summer to be part of a residency, studying with world-class jazz musicians on the campus of Purchase College in Purchase, NY, performing a concert at Carnegie Hall with a celebrated guest artist, and embarking on a tour.

Trumpeter Skylar Tang, who will turn 19 this month, was invited to be part of NYO Jazz three years in a row—from 2022 to 2024. Tang, who grew up in the San Francisco area, began playing classical piano at an early age. She was exposed to jazz by

RISING STAR

listening to her father’s albums, such as Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Live at Minas (DRG Records: 2007), Joshua Redman’s Mood Swing (Warner Bros: 1994). and several Bill Evans recordings. “When I was about nine,” she recalled, “my dad encouraged me to learn things by ear.” That’s when she switched from piano to trumpet.

“I attended the Stanford Jazz Workshop the summer before middle school,” she said. “I played in a big band and in a combo. Ever since then, I’ve been playing jazz.” Tang also began studying and playing at the SF JAZZ Center, an organization that provides jazz education and training to students across the Bay Area. “In high school, I played with SF JAZZ’s Jazz All-Stars,” she said. “It was a great program.”

According to Rebeca Mauleon, SF Jazz Director of Education & Community Engagement, “We had no doubt as to Skylar’s promise and

potential the moment we heard her when she was still a middle-schooler! She embodies the true nature of a complete musician. She is endlessly curious, deeply committed, fierce in her advocacy and love for the music and for her fellow musicians; and is always striving to improve her skills and understanding.”

Paul Contos, Conductor of the SF JAZZ High School All-Stars Big Band, recalled that, “We selected Skylar into the band as an eighth grader—a very rare occurrence in SF Jazz All-Stars history. Even as an eighth grader, Skylar already possessed a command of the jazz language, a prodigious jazz technique, an extraordinary verve for the music, and a creative passion and resolve for generating exciting and meaningful works far into the future.”

In April 2022, Tang won the Dr. J. Douglas White Composition and Arranging award at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington com-

petition. Her composition, “Kaleidoscope” was performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and she received a $1,000 cash prize and a public composition and arranging lesson with JALC saxophonist Ted Nash.

Two months later, playing with the SF JAZZ High School All-Stars, Tang soloed alongside Wynton Marsalis at the SF JAZZ gala. It was part of a performance of “Back to Basics”

from Marsalis’ 1997 Pulitzer-winning jazz oratorio “Blood on the Fields.”

In January 2024, several of the SF JAZZ students were in New Orleans for the Jazz Education Network Conference, and, according to Mauleon, “Terence Blanchard (SF JAZZ’s new Executive Artistic Director) “hosted a gathering at his home, and our students played with him.” Marsalis and Blanchard, Tang said, “are two of my musical he-

Wynton Marsalis and Skylar Tang at 2022 SF JAZZ gala.

RISING STAR

roes. Getting to meet them and play with them was a dream come true!”

NYO, Tang recalled, “was super exciting for me. I’d never been in a musical setting as intense as this was. Every day, it was like seven hours. It was the first time I delved into the repertoire of a particular set so deeply.

Sean Jones helped me so much. His wisdom and expertise, the thought and care he puts into this band is extraordinary. I learned so much from him.” In 2022, the NYO Jazz ensemble toured several U.S. cities; in 2023 the group toured Europe; and last summer the band performed in sever-

al locations throughout South Africa.

Last fall, Tang joined two of her fellow NYO Jazz members—drummer Ben Schwartz from Maplewood, NJ, and bassist Ruby Farmer from Brooklyn—as freshmen at Columbia University. “I knew I wanted to be in New York for college,” she said. “I had my mind set on New York for a long time. I went to a really academically rigorous high school (Crystal Springs Upland School in Hillsborough, CA). Although music is first and foremost in my life, I felt there was so much to learn. So, I really wanted to go to a university, not a music conservatory. That really narrowed it down, so I applied early decision to Columbia.”

Every day in New York, Tang said, “is an adventure! One time, I got to sit in with (saxophonist) Joshua Redman at Lincoln Center. He’s one of those guys I’ve been listening to since I was four years old. I’m a huge fan of his work. That was

like a highlight of the semester.”

Columbia has an exchange program with Juilliard, so Tang is currently studying with trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt at the Juilliard Conservatory. Greenblatt said Tang “has one of the most highly developed musical minds of anyone I’ve seen at her age. I first became aware of her playing as the tape judge for Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz program. Even as a sophomore in high school, her playing displayed the harmonic and melodic maturity of a fully developed artist. The following year, I heard her play at the Charles Mingus High School competition, leading a combo for which she had arranged all of the music. I was floored by her writing—the creativity and sophistication of her pen was so far beyond what anyone would expect of even an advanced high school student. Skylar’s potential is truly limitless, and I hope she gets every opportunity to bring her music to the world.”

Tang and Terence Blanchard during the JEN Conference in New Orleans.

Juilliard’s Artist Diploma Musicians to Present

‘The Sound of Bebop Jazz’

“We’ll

Definitely Play Music by These Four Composers: Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Elmo Hope”

When pianist Dabin Ryu released her debut album, Wall, on the CD Baby label in June 2021, Jazziz Magazine wrote that it, “showcases her talents as a player, composer, and arranger throughout the course of 10 original tunes that span settings from nonet to duo to solo piano.” Ryu, originally from Seoul, South Korea, holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Berklee College of Music and a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music.

Alto saxophonist Patrick Hill, who grew up in Dallas, has shared the stage with such veteran jazz musicians as trombonists Conrad Herwig and Wycliffe Gordon, organist Joey DeFrancesco, and drummer Quincy Davis. While earning his Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz

Studies at the University of North Texas, he was mentored by alto saxophonist Brad Leali; and while obtaining his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and

Artist Diploma Duke Ellington Ensemble, from left: Guillermo Lopez, Jerome Gillespie, Dabin Ryu, Patrick Hill, Derek Duleba.

“ THE CONCEPT IS ALMOST LIKE A GRADUATE GROUP — THEY’RE AMBASSADORS OF THE MUSIC. ”

Dance, he studied with saxophonists Dick Oatts and Tim Warfield, Jr., and trumpeter Terell Stafford. After Temple, he toured with vocalist Michael Buble’s big band.

Bassist Guillermo Lopez is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance at Juilliard after studying with bassist Lynn Seaton at the University of North Texas. Lopez has performed with such artists as vocalist Kurt Elling, drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr., and pianist Helen

Sung. While attending Montwood High School in El Paso, Texas, he was named an All-State Musician by the Texas Music Educators Association, and he was selected as first chair bass guitar in the All-State Jazz Band.

Drummer Jerome Gillespie, Jr. has collaborated with alto saxophonists Vincent Herring and Mark Gross and trumpeter Philip Harper, among others. After graduating from Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, he earned a Bach-

elor’s Degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Master’s Degree from the University of Iowa.

Ben Wolfe: “You’ll never see this group ever read music on stage.”

Guitarist Derek Duleba has performed at the International Jazzfestival in Berne, Switzerland; the Chicago Jazz Festival; and Dizzy’s Club in New York. He has received his Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Northern Illinois University where he studied with guitarists Fareed Haque and Bobby Broon. These five young professional musicians are part of the Juilliard School’s two-year Artist Diploma program, its most advanced non-degree track, which “provides focused studies for young artists in the pre-professional stages of their careers.” At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, they will present a concert called “The Sound of Bebop Jazz From Juilliard” on the Union County Performing Arts Center’s

Municipal Auditorium

Hamilton Stage in Rahway, NJ.

The Artist Diploma musicians are the members of Juilliard’s Duke Ellington Ensemble, coached by bassist/composer Ben Wolfe, a member of the Juilliard faculty. The concert, as its name indicates, will focus on bebop. At presstime, the five musicians were beginning their last semester at Juilliard, and the March 1 concert content hadn’t been finalized, but, said Wolfe, “We’ll definitely play music by these four composers: Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Elmo Hope.”

The program, Wolfe explained, consists of “two-hour rehearsals twice a week.” The AD students, he said, mainly take private lessons. “It’s a different schedule than the other students in the school. The concept is almost like a graduate group—they’re ambassadors of the music. They’re all professional musi-

cians. It’s intense and fairly demanding.” For example, “You’ll never see this group ever read music on stage.”

As a composer, Wolfe is a twotime recipient of Chamber Music

America’s New Works Creation and Presentation Program Grant through the Doris Duke Foundation. The New York Times’ Ben Ratliff once described him as, “Mingus and Miles Davis meet Bartok and Bernard Herrmann.” His early career included Grammy award-winning collaborations with Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall on Connick’s 1988 Columbia soundtrack album When Harry Met Sally, and Krall’s 1999 Verve release When I Look in Your Eyes.

: UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage is located at 360 Hamilton St. in Rahway, NJ. For more information or to order tickets to the Sound of Bebop Jazz concert, log onto ucpac.org or call (732) 499-8226.

Terell Stafford as Music Director Emmet Cohen Trio with Georgia Heers and Terell Stafford Tony Monaco with Eric Alexander Marcus Miller

FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION visit: www.sarasotajazzfestival.com or scan

Gustav Viehmeyer Trio featuring Joscho Stephan, MJR Latin Project led by Mauricio J. Rodriguez, The Thomas Carabasi Quintet, Jazz Pub Crawl and much more!

FROM THE CROW’S NEST

BY BILL CROW

When I was a little boy, we had an Edison cylinder record player. No electricity. You cranked up a spring and it played the records. One of them was a World War I song called the “Last Long Mile”. The lyrics I remember are:

Oh, it’s not the pack that you carry on your back, Nor the Springfield on your shoulder, Nor the five-inch crust of khaki colored dust That makes you feel your limbs are growing older, And it’s not the hike on the hard turnpike, That wipes away your smile, Nor the socks of sister’s that raise the blooming blisters, It’s the last long mile.

Bill Crow is a freelance musician and writer. His books include Jazz Anecdotes, Jazz Anecdotes: Second Time Around, and From Birdland to Broadway. This column is reprinted with permission from Allegro , the monthly magazine of AFM Local 802.

The song was written by Emil Breitenfeld. Paul Desmond’s birth name was Breitenfeld. Emil was Paul’s father. I wish I had discovered this before Paul passed away. I would have sung the song for him, and he would have laughed

Iwas listening to Duke Ellington’s band at Birdland one night many years ago. Paul Gonzalves saw Duke’s old tenor man Ben Webster at the bar and waved to him to come and play. Ben came up and took Paul’s tenor and sat down next to Johnny Hodges, who sat looking at him with his arms folded, giving him no greeting.

Duke said, “Well, Ben, what would you like to play?” Ben thought a bit, and then said, “’In a Sentimental Mood’.”

Duke gave him an arpeggio, and Ben played it beautifully, with the band adding some backgrounds. Hodges continued to stare without playing. Ben took a bow and returned to his

barstool. When Gonzalves sat back down in the sax section, Hodges said to him, “That was MY tune. (pause) The man KNOWS that was my tune.”

Many years ago, at a very crowded press party in New York, I was standing next to pianist Randy Weston, who was very tall. He was chatting with dancer Geoffrey Holder, who was also very tall. They were about 20 feet apart, but their heads rose above the throng, making it easy for them to converse.

When bassist Red Kelly lived in Olympia, WA, he had a bar of his own. When he found out that you could run for office in Olympia with just 100 signatures, he organized a grand put-on. He and his waitress, and his mother-in-law all ran for office as the OWL party (Out With Logic). Red was running for Governor, and his mother-in-

law ran for Secretary of State. (She said it would be a change to have a secretary who could type). Red’s slogan was, “Unemployment isn’t working.” Everyone loved it except the professional politicians.

Bob Alberti sent me this:

“Back in the 1950s when I lived in New York, I was called upon to replace pianist-bandleader Chauncey Gray who had an eightpiece hotel band at the swanky long gone Hotel Ambassador. This was a medical emergency for him, so I took on this gig pretty much as a lark. The old Ambassador Hotel was an upper crust place that drew New York’s elite, such as the Romanovs.

“The restaurant was famous for its pageantry of a parade of waiters marching through the premises in a line, with the lead waiter holding

a flaming sword with what I believe was shashlik (shish kebab), to an eagerly-awaiting table. One evening, as I was leaving the bandstand, a dowager asked me what that was. As a snarky 20-something, my reply was, “It’s the remains of a patron who left a 25-cent tip!” The expression on her face was priceless!”

Frank Pedulla was carpooling with two trumpet players on the way to a July 4th gig at West Point. Their names were Omar Kabir and Sharif Kales. Not knowing if they knew each other, Frank asked, “Have you met Omar, Sharif?” They looked at each other with delight, and everyone had a good laugh.

Many years ago, I was playing a wedding reception at the Plaza Hotel with Lester Braun’s

society band. He started the first medley at a brisk two-beat tem po, the rhythm that the musicians called “the businessmen’s bounce,” but after we had played a few mea sures, Braun waved frantically at the drummer and cried, “Slow it down! Slow it down!” The drum mer asked, “Why?” Brown said with urgency, “I just remembered, these people are from New Jersey!”

While I was once rehearsing with Eddie Bert for a record date, Eddie pulled out a Shorty Rogers tune, and we ran it down. Our tenor man, J. R. Monterose, said to Eddie, “You take the solo on this one, I don’t want a solo.” Eddie said, “It’s just the changes to ‘I Got Rhythm.”’J. R. said, “I have nothing further to say on ‘I Got Rhythm’.”

The Rhythm of Unity: A Jazz Musician’s Lifelong Journey Beyond Black and White

By Mike and Dorothy Longo

REDWOOD PUBLISHING, LLC, ORANGE COUNTY, CA 2023, 237 PAGES, $15.99

BY JOE LANG

The Rhythm of Unity relates the remarkable story of Mike Longo, an outstanding jazz pianist with a deep commitment to his music, his Bahá’í Faith, and the life partner with whom he shared the final 32 years of his life, Dorothy Longo. Dorothy has combined writings from more than 200 pages of notes that Mike wrote about his life and experiences to present a detailed and moving tribute to her husband. Mike was born in Cincinnati where he started playing the piano.

When he was eight years old, he moved to Ft. Lauderdale where he developed a fascination with and love for jazz. By the time he was in high school, he was playing paying gigs. He eventually enrolled at Western Kentucky University and earned a degree in music there.

Following graduation, Longo ended up playing in a Dixieland band, eventually performing with them at the Metropole in New York City. He found the music too limiting and wanted to go in the direction of bebop. Through perseverance, he

stayed in New York and began to find gigs where he could play the kind of music that was in his heart.

Two things from his youth had a profound influence on his life:

While still in Cincinnati, he had a short-lived friendship with three youngsters from the Black neighborhood adjacent to the Italian neighborhood where he resided. After a few days of playing with his new friends, he was informed that they could no longer play with their new white friend because their mother said that

he was “better than them.” Longo was devastated and decided at this early stage in life that he would never judge people based on race. Throughout his life, enhanced by his acceptance of the Bahá’í Faith, he looked upon all people as just other people, regardless of their race, religion, sex, sexual preference,or any other attributes on which many judge others. It was a belief that he applied consistently throughout his life no matter the circumstances or how it might affect him adversely in certain situations.

The other moment that left a lasting impression was a note that he heard Dizzy Gillespie play on a radio broadcast he was listening to as a teenager. That night he dreamt about that note and about his future as a jazz pianist. As he was leaving for school the next day, he stopped by his piano and played that note. It made him feel different. It was a

transforming moment for him, as his playing took off from there.

As Long progressed through his career, he had a couple of special mentors. A meeting with Oscar Peterson, one of his musical heroes, led to his studying with Peterson.

In late 1966, Longo finally met the man who was his most significant in-

fluence, Dizzy Gillespie, who dropped in to hear him playing with his trio at The Embers. Gillespie asked Mike to meet him the next day and offered him the piano seat in his band when he returned from Europe toward the end of the year. That began a seven-year period during which Longo was Gillespie’s pianist, serving most of this

time as the Musical Director of the band. With Gillespie, he learned much about specifics of many musical techniques, especially about rhythm. They developed a close personal friendship, strengthened by their shared commitment to the Bahá’í Faith. Eventually, Longo left Gillespie and followed his own career path, although there were many times when they became musical associates again as situations presented themselves. Longo began recording albums as a leader and as a sideman in a variety of settings, as well as performing live shows. He began teaching other musicians on a one-on-one basis. He wrote several instructional books and began a record label, Consolidated Artists Productions, originally to release his own work, but eventually including albums by other artists. Longo became aware of the many ways in which record companies took unfair

advantage of musicians, so he wanted to offer them a label where they controlled their content and were given an honest, upfront accounting of what was due to them. He was often called upon to supply arrangements for other players, and his big band, Mike Longo and the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, featured the cream-of-the-crop of New York musicians playing Longo’s fine charts, often of original compositions. Dorothy’s writing portrays a man committed to constant growth as a musician, a man of intense belief in the oneness of mankind, a loving life partner, and someone who placed adherence to his principles over fame and monetary success. To those who had the privilege of knowing Longo as an artist of exceptional creativity, and as a friend, revisiting his story will bring back memories of special days with a special individual.

Mike Longo

Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions

BY JOE LANG

It is a rare occurrence when you receive a seven-CD set, listen to the first disc, are anxious to hear more, and keep playing each disc until you have listened to them all. Such is likely to be your experience if you obtain Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions (Mosaic – MD7-280).

Vanguard was initially established as two classical labels in 1950, Bach Guild and Vanguard, by Seymour and Maynard Solomon. In 1953, they decided to expand their output to include jazz, and engaged legendary music producer John Hammond to create a series of jazz recordings. The result was a succession of albums released

between 1953 and 1958 that featured many of the premier mainstream jazz players on the New York scene. While some of the original albums have been rereleased selectively on CD, this initial Mosaic box set and an anticipated second set will make much of this music available for the first time since it was initially produced.

The first disc in this set features 10 tracks by two septets led

by trombonist Vic Dickenson. The players include Dickenson on trombone, Edmund Hall on clarinet, Ruby Braff or Shad Collins on trumpet, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Steve Jordan on guitar, Walter Page on bass, and Les Erskine or Jo Jones on drums. It features songs such as “Russian Lullaby,” I Cover the Waterfront,” “Keeping out of Mischief Now”, and “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”

Disc Two has two tracks by the Dickenson Septet, plus eight selections by the Ruby Braff Sextet with Braff on trumpet, Dickenson on trombone, Sam Margolis on clarinet or tenor sax, Nat Pierce on piano, Page on bass, and Jones on drums. Among their selections are “Romance in the Dark,” “Ghost of a Chance,” Sweet Sue, Just You” and “Linger Awhile.”

On Disc Three there are tracks by the Charles Thompson Sextet, Joe Newman on trumpet, Benny Powell

on trombone, Thompson on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums for four tunes; an octet led by Thompson with Emmett Berry on trumpet, Benny Morton on trombone, Earle Warren on alto sax, Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Thompson on piano, Jordan on guitar, Aaron Bell on bass, and Johnson on drums; plus a septet led by Joe Newman with Newman on trumpet, Matthew Gee on trombone, Frank Wess on flute or tenor sax, Frank Foster on tenor sax, Johnny Acea on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Johnson on drums.

Trumpeter Buck Clayton is the leader for the two groups found on Disc Four, an octet of Clayton and Braff on trumpets, Morton on trombone, Buddy Tate on tenor sax, Jimmy Jones on piano, Jordan on guitar, Bell on bass, and Bobby Donaldson on drums; and a septet with Clayton on trumpet, Dickenson on

trombone, Warren on alto sax, Hank Jones on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bell on bass, and Jones on drums. The octet performs five tracks and the septet eight selections.

Jo Jones leads a septet for the first six selections on Disc Five with his band including Berry on trumpet, Benny Green on trombone, Lucky Thompson on tenor sax, Count Basie or Pierce on piano, Freddie Green on guitar, Page on Bass and himself on drums. The final seven songs are by the Jimmy Rushing All-Stars, Pat Jenkins on trumpet, Henderson Chambers on trombone, Ben Richardson on clarinet or alto sax, Tate on Tenor sax, Sammy Price on piano, Page on bass, Jones on drums, and Rushing on vocals.

Disc Six is all Jimmy Rushing. There are 10 tracks by Berry on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Rudy Powell on clarinet or alto sax,

Tate on tenor sax, Pete Johnson on piano, Green on guitar, Page on bass, Jones on drums, and Rushing on vocals. The final three selections are with Berry on trumpet, Dickenson on trombone, Tate on tenor sax, Clarence Johnson on piano Marlowe Morris on organ, Roy Gaines on guitar, Bell on bass, Jones on, and Rushing on vocals.

The latter group led by Rushing contributes the opening four tracks on Disc Seven. The balance of the disc contains an album, A Night at Count Basie’s. The players in various combinations are Berry on trumpet, Dickenson on trombone, Morris on organ, Bobby Henderson or Basie on piano, Bell on bass, Donaldson on drums, and Joe Williams on vocals. The album was recorded at Basie’s club in Harlem, and Basie provides the introductions throughout. Given that this was a local bar, there is much chatter evident throughout the

recording, but the music is sublime.

As you can tell from the personnel listed on each disc, Hammond gathered outstanding musicians for these recordings. While most of them were veterans of the Swing Era, Ruby Braff was relatively new on the scene, and he already demonstrates the magnificent artistry for which he became widely known. The vocals by Rushing and Williams give wonderful tastes

of the two great Basie vocalists. The music is consistently engaging, and the sound is terrific. The accompanying booklet by Thomas Cunliffe provides detailed information about each session, is well-researched and a joy to read. Once you listen to this music, you will be anxious for the release of the set to come, but will find yourself content until then enjoying this music over and over again. mosaicrecords.com

A Vanguard Group swing session

OTHER VIEWS

BY JOE LANG

It took five years for The Len Pierro Jazz Orchestra to follow up its wonderful debut album, The Third Quarter, but As I Was Saying (Walking Path Records –2024) is worth the wait. This Philadelphia-based 18-piece aggregation is tight and filled with excellent soloists. The program includes nine Pierro originals plus “You and the Night and the Music.” Unlike many contemporary big band albums, Pierro’s charts swing out, nicely paced and full of interesting turns, while the solos are well spread around. Tenor saxophonist Bob Howell, trumpeter Tony DeSantis, trombonist Alan Ferber, and pianist Jim Ridl are most prominent soloists. Pierro has the ability to produce music that is instantly welcoming to the listener. lenpierro.com

The 20-piece Nashville-based Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra has a swing-

ing new release, Tenor Madness (Ear Up Records - 0445). Middagh has arranged the six selections to emphasize the eight-piece saxophone section with most of the solo work coming from the saxes. There are six tunes, Middagh’s “Wiley Roots,” “Waiter, Make Mine Blues,” most notably recorded by Anita O’Day, Sonny Rollins’ “Tenor Madness,” “Cry Me a River,” “This Time the Dream’s on Me” and alto saxophonist Alex Gra-

ham’s “Wired.” Fine vocals are added by Jenna McLean on “Waiter, Make Mine Blues” and “Cry Me a River.” Middagh’s charts are well-conceived and sharply executed by the band. He provides plentiful space for his soloists and limits the solos to no more than two per selection. This is a welcome relief from so many current big band albums that sacrifice ensemble playing for too many note-filled solos. Tenor Madness hits the right spot! ryanmiddagh.com

As a complement to Will Anderson’s book, Songbook Summit, reedmen supreme Peter and Will Anderson have released an album also titled Songbook Summit (self-produced) containing eight selections composed by some of the songwriters covered in the book, plus one original by each of the Andersons. Joining them in this effort are Chuck Redd on vibes,

Jeb Patton on piano, David Wong on bass, and Paul Wells on drums. The standards are “As Long as I Live,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business”, “That Old Black Magic,” “My Romance,” “The Tender Trap,” “In the Still of the Night,” “I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” and “I’m Old Fashioned.” The Andersons always devise interesting arrangements for their programs. Peter on tenor sax, soprano sax and clarinet, and Will on alto sax, clarinet and flute produce excellent tone on all of their instruments, notably influenced by one of their mentors, the late Joe Temperley. Songbook Summit proves to be well-titled. peterandwillanderson.com

A trio of two reedmen and a guitarist is not a typical jazz combo, but Peter and Will Anderson have used the format to fine advantage. Their latest recorded example is Wind Power

OTHER VIEWS

(Gut String Records – 035) with Felix Lemerle adding his guitar artistry. They address a baker’s dozen of tunes including “My Favorite Things,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” “Rhapsody in Blue,”, “Clair de Lune.” Particularly noteworthy is their rendering of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” a daring version of a piece usually played by a large orchestra. It highlights their creative approach to all of the music that they play. The Andersons, having played together since their formative years, balance each other with a depth that comes from experience. Lemerle proves to be an effective partner who is a fine rhythm accompanist with fine solo chops, adding string power to their Wind Power. peterandwillanderson.com

When the New Jersey Jazz Society’s JazzFest was presented at Fairleigh Dickinson almost 20 years ago, the

leader of one of the youth bands was a student at New Jersey City University, Joe Elefante. Elefante went on to form the Joe Elefante Big Band that performed regularly at Cecil’s Jazz Club in West Orange for several years. He is a man of many talents -playing piano and sax, singing, composing, arranging and leading groups of various sizes. Elefante eventually settled down to raise a family, teach, and play occasional gigs. Last year, he lost his wife to cancer and, realizing the fragility of life, decided to turn to his love of jazz. He formed a quintet with himself on piano, trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, drummer Dave Heilman, alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo, and bassist Sameer Shankar. The band is called Wheel of Dharma, a reference to his passion for Buddhist teachings. The program on Joe Elefante’s Wheel of Dharma (self-produced) includes five Elefan-

te originals and one by Terakubo. The quintet is tight, fiery, and comes right at you. Hendrix, once a NJJS scholarship recipient, has become one of the first call trumpeters on the New York scene. Terakubo (October 2023 Jersey Jazz cover story) is a creative presence with a nice tone. Elefante did the arranging and shows that he has kept up his jazz chops through the years. His return to the jazz scene is welcome. joeelefantemusic.com

In October 2023, trombonist Steve Davis led an all-star sextet at Smoke Jazz Club. The highlights of that gig are gathered on We See (Smoke Sessions – 2407). Davis on trombone, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Ralph Moore on tenor sax, Renee Rosnes on piano, Essiet Essiet on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums form a cohesive group filled with outstanding soloists and a dream rhythm section

that brings new life to a seven-song program of jazz classics. The tunes are “Milestones” and “All Blues” by Miles Davis, “We See” and “Ask Me Now” by Thelonious Monk,” “To Wisdom, the Prize,” by Larry Willis, “Up Jumped Spring” by Freddie Hubbard” and “Star Eyes” by Gene DePaul and Don Raye. Davis has established himself as one of the premier trombonists in jazz, technically brilliant and a creative master. Hen-

OTHER VIEWS

derson and Moore are equally accomplished. Rosnes is as good as it gets as both a soloist and a supportive member of the rhythm section, supportd by bassist Essiet and Nash, a drummer who is perfect keeping time and adding just the right accents. Together, they have produced an album that is a delight from start to finish. smokesessions.8merch.com

Brisket for Breakfast (self-produced) is a seven-tune program taken from two concerts in Georgia by pianist Joe Alterman featuring Houston Person. While decades apart in age, Alterman and Person are musical soulmates. With the other members of the Joe Alterman Trio, Kevin Smith on bass and Justin Chesarek on drums, the players present an eclectic program. They vary the tempo, opening with the easy swing of “The Second Time Around,” demonstrate Person’s peerless ballad touch

on “That’s All,” give a Latin feel to “Only Trust Your Heart,” give a nod to R&B on “Never Let Me Go,” romp a bit on “Namely You,” dig into the blues on “Since I Fell for You”, and close with a revivalist approach to “You Are My Sunshine.” No matter the tempo or genre, Person is at home. Alterman is among the brightest lights on the current jazz piano scene, full of imagination. Those who were at these concerts indicated with their enthusiastic applause that they appreciated what the musicians gave them, as will you when you listen to the album. joealtermanmusic.com

Singer/pianist Eric Comstock and his wife, vocalist Barbara Fasano, have performed together for more than 20 years and have made several separate albums. However, Painting the Town (Human Child Records) is their first duo recording. Both have exhibited exquisite taste in song

selection, relying mainly on Great American Songbook material with detours to rarities by Songbook creators. The selections are always gems, with a selective sprinkling in of some more contemporary material. They are joined by bassist Sean Smith and drummer Vito Lesczak. An added treat is the presence of tenor saxophonist Houston Person on six tracks. Fasano does the vocalizing on five tracks, Comstock on four, and the other six selections are duos. The opening track, “I Cannot Hear the City,” is from the score of the Broadway musical, The Sweet Smell of Success. They dug deep to find “Little What If,” a song by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh for an unproduced television show, The Wonderful O. A song by radio personality Jim Lowe titled “The Hamptons” is a bit of whimsy. Comstock has often picked out lesser-known songs from the world of Ellingtonia. Here, Fasa-

no sings Ellington’s “Brown Penny,” written with John LaTouche for the musical Beggar’s Holiday. “Still in Love” is a rarity by Billy Strayhorn that they perform as a duo to close the album. If you have had the pleasure of seeing this pair over the years, this album captures the kind of program that you would expect from them. If you are not familiar with their artistry, they appear regularly at Birdland and occasionally at Shanghai Jazz. This is New York jazz/cabaret at its best. ericcomstock.net

For her seventh album, No Wonder (Jewel City Jazz – 1215), vocalist Judy Wexler has opted to stick with a program of mostly standards. Her support comes from a trio of pianist Jeff Colella, bassist Gabe Davis, and drummer Steve Hass, with reedmen Danny Janklow and Bob Sheppard, guitarist Larry Koonse ,and trumpeter/flugelhornist Jay Jennings. Wexler is a con-

OTHER VIEWS

fident vocalist who lets her jazz passion shine through, especially in her distinct phrasing. The songs include “No Wonder,” “The Summer Knows,” “You Stepped Out of a Dream”, and “Never Will I Marry.” Wexler treats each song as an old friend given new life. After listening to No Wonder, there is no wondering why Wexler has been garnering fine reviews over the years. judywexler.com

I Want to Be Happy (self-produced) is the debut album from vocalist Liz Cole. Cole has been involved with music since her early years, but spent many years working away from the music business. Finally, she decided that her real passion was music and shifted her career path to jazz vocalizing. For this recording, she chose to sing an eclectic 10-song program that includes “I Want to Be Happy,” “Mean to Me,” “You’re Sensational”, “I’d Give a Dollar for a Dime.” Her support comes from Otmaro Ruiz or Jacob Mann on piano, Derek Oles, Edwin Livingston or Jonathan Richards on bass, and Aarón Serfaty on drums, with the guitar of Larry Koonse added on five tracks and vibist Jackson Irvine on one track. Cole sings with assurance and has a pleasant voice. I Want to Be Happy is a collection that demonstrates a maturity of style and confidence that exceeds that normally found on a debut album.

BIG BAND IN THE SKY

Joel Forbes: ‘A Huge, Beautiful Natural Bass Sound’

Remembered by Bandmates Harry Allen and Grant Stewart

Bassist Joel Forbes, who had multiple sclerosis, passed away on December 28, 2024, at the age of 68. He was a close friend of tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, who recalled that Forbes joined his quartet nearly 30 years ago. “He remained my regular bassist,” Allen said, “until his retirement due to MS. He was known for a huge, beautiful natural bass sound and a supremely great time feel.”

Forbes was born August 5, 1956, in New Haven, CT, and grew up in Lewisboro, NY. While attending Purchase College, earning a BFA in Visual Arts and studying furniture design, he became interested in the acoustic bass. What began as a woodworking

project ended up with Forbes buying a bass and learning to play. He studied with Yonkers bassist Lou Stelluti, moving to New York in 1980 and staying in the city for 10 years before settling in Goldens Bridge, NY, a small town near where he grew up in Westchester County, for the rest of his life.

During his career, he played with a long list of jazz luminaries including trumpeter Buck Clayton, alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson, and drummers Jimmy Cobb and Louis Hayes. Forbes loved the Great American Songbook, learning many of the songs from his father, who was a pianist. He credited his father for “putting the music in my ear, in my heart.”

Another tenor saxophonist, in addition to Allen, whom Forbes played with regularly, was Grant Stewart. Remembering Forbes on Facebook, Stewart wrote, “He had a huge sound and a great beat and was a force to be reckoned with on the bass. During one of our hangs, about some of the highlights of our gigs together, we both agreed that working with Jimmy Cobb was a

dream come true for both of us.”

Other Facebook tributes were posted by keyboardist Mike LeDonne and vocalist Barbara Rosene. LeDonne recalled jamming with Forbes at his apartment in Chelsea. “Joel,” he said, “had one of those big fat sounds that you just don’t hear anymore ... He was not only a wonderful player with a great sound and big beat, but he was a very kind and funny person. We became close friends.” Rosene, calling Forbes “a beautiful bass player,” remembered having him play on her 2010 CD Baby album, On the Brink. “He was talented, handsome, kind, and funny. Gone way too soon.”

Pointing out that Forbes was “loved by other musicians,” Allen added: “A steady stream of us regularly made the trek up to Goldens Bridge to visit him during his long steady slide due to illness.” Forbes is survived by his sister, Meg.

Harry Allen, left, and Joel Forbes

BIG BAND IN THE SKY

Canadian Guitarist Peter Leitch

“His Playing Separated Him from the Pack”

Guitarist David O’Rourke first heard of Canadian guitarist Peter Leitch while O’Rourke was still living in Ireland. It was a recording Leitch had made with five guitars. Posting on Facebook after learning of Leitch’s death, O’Rourke said he was, “playing Wes solos a la Supersax.”

Leitch, who had lung cancer, retired from playing guitar in 2015 and passed away December 30, 2024, at the age of 80. When O’Rourke moved to New York, he would see Leitch “on his gig on North Moore Street (He blanked on the venue name), with (bassist) Sean Smith and once in duo with (saxophonist) Gary Bartz. Then, there were the Bradley’s years. His playing separated him from the pack, ask any guitarist.”

After Leitch stopped playing, he began arranging for the Peter Leitch New

Life Orchestra. Jersey Jazz’s Schaen Fox caught an NLO performance in 2019 and wrote about it in the November/December 2019 issue: “Leitch gave the downbeat to begin an hour of music that, but for ‘Spring is Here’ and ‘Round Midnight’ ,were all his creations ... The closer was a joyous romp, ‘Fulton Street Suite’. It involved all the musicians and included a wonderful extended back and forth between (saxophonists) Steve Wilson and Jed Levy that caused (flutist) Mark Vinci to grin and bounce along happily as he turned to watch them. It was a great visual of a grand audio experience.”

In the early 1980s, Leitch had moved to New York from Canada and

played or recorded with pianists Jaki Byard and Oscar Peterson, baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, and trumpeter Woody Shaw, among many others. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia.

Radio Legend Bob Perkins

“He Carried A Lot of History, and He Was a Legacy Unto Himself”

Upon hearing of the death of Bob Perkins, bassist Christian McBride told Edivin Oputu of Philadelphia’s WRTI Radio that Perkins “always seemed like one of those voices that was omnipresent. He carried a lot of history, and he was a legacy unto himself, so he could play things and share things with the audience from a vantage point that most DJs don’t have.”

Twenty-five-year-old pianist

Joe Block added: “It’s very important to have people like Bob Perkins who are elders and have the experience and wisdom with the music

that they can bestow onto people like me that are up and coming.”

Perkins, who joined the Temple University non-commercial radio station in 1997, retired in 2022 as host of Evening Jazz at WRTI. He then began a podcast, Stay Tuned with Bob Perkins. He grew up in South Philly and began his radio career in Detroit in 1964, moving back to Philadelphia five years later to begin broadcasting at WDAS Radio. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Sheila Perkins.

THANK YOU and welcome to all who have recently joined or renewed their memberships. We can’t do what we do without you!

NOT WITHOUT YOU!

Your membership is vital to NJJS’s mission to promote and preserve America’s great art form— JAZZ!

NEW MEMBERS

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RENEWAL MEMBERS

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