MUSICMAN MAGAZINE ©
Jesse Jones, Jr.
Melton Mustafa, Jr.
Emerging from the shadow of his father and uncle in the Jazz Tradition! Spring 2020
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Volume 1
A 'SWEET RETURN' FOR FREDDIE HUBBARD FANS - I believe when Hubbard made this session he had finally given up on rock and roll. Hence the title, "Sweet Return." It's about time someone finally dug out these tapes and made them available again. A really great session. Submitted by a reviewer in Stephenville, TX
Frederick Dewayne Hubbard was born on April 7, 1938, in Indianapolis, Indiana was first introduced to Jazz by his older brother, Eamon Jr., a piano player who loved Bud Powell. Freddie played the mellophone and trumpet in his high school band and continued his studies at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music with Max Woodbury. While studying, Hubbard performed with a local group Jazz Contemporaries with Larry Ridley, James Spaulding, Walt Miller, and Paul Parker. Also, during this time, Freddie performed with Wes Montgomery and his brothers who also lived in Indianapolis. The first recording Hubbard played on was ‘The Montgomery Brothers and Five Others’ while he was still a teen. Freddie moved to New York when he was twenty in 1958 and began playing with the likes of Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, Philly Joe Jones, J.J. Johnson and Quincy Jones. Hubbard made his first record as a leader in 1960 called ‘Open Sesame’ with Tina Brooks, McCoy Tyner, Sam Jones and Clifford Jarvis. He followed that by recording on Ornette Coleman’s album ‘Free Jazz’ in the same year. In 1961 he recorded on two of John Coltrane’s albums; ‘Ole’ and ‘Africa/Brass’. Freddie also made one of his most popular albums called ‘Ready for Freddie’ with Wayne Shorter. Hubbard joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers as well in 1961 and remained with the band through 1966 appearing on some of their most well known albums including ‘Ugetsu’, ‘Caravan’, and ‘Free for All’. Freddie was well established already even at his young age and appeared on several legendary records in the 1960s including Oliver Nelson’s ‘The Blues and the Abstract Truth’, Eric Dolphy’s ‘Out to Lunch’, Herbie Hancock’s ‘Maiden Voyage’, Wayne Shorter’s ‘Speak No Evil’ and John Coltrane’s ‘Ascension’. Hubbard recorded eight albums as a leader and twenty-eight as a sideman during this period. Freddie was successful in the 1970s and recorded a series of albums for CTI Records including Red Clay, First Light, Straight Life, and Sky Dive. His album First Light won a Grammy in 1972. In the late 1970s, Hubbard formed a band with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams called VSOP and they released several albums together. Freddie was also featured on Billy Joel’s 1979 Grammy winning album 52nd Street. In the 1980s, Hubbard led his groups and touring worldwide, performing with musicians including Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Benny Golsen,
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Elvin Jones, Benny Green, George Duke and many more. In the 1990s Freddie began to have issues with his lip that prevented him from playing at the level he and the audience had grown accustomed to but Freddie continued to perform as he could. In 2006 Hubbard was given the NEA Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment of the Arts. Freddie passed away at the end of 2008.
Joan Cartwright, Freddie Hubbard, Jerry from Allotria in Munich, Jeff Chambers, Guest, Ronnie Matthews (Munich, Germany, 1993)
Freddie Hubbard goes down in history as one of the most important Jazz trumpet players helping to move the music into hard bop and post bop/free. Freddie contributed to several of the most important albums in Jazz history in 1960s and truly was a master of his instrument and the music. Hubbard remains a favorite and idol of trumpet players coming up today and will for a long time. “Dizzy used to tell me that I am playing too hard. He used to say to not give everything. Miles used to tell me that too.” “Eric (Dolphy) was different. He would get up and practice with the birds in the morning on his flute. I thought that was different because it would be early in the morning and most of the cats were getting home from any jobs that they had at three or four in the morning. Eric was up bright and early.” “I had heard Ornette a couple of times, but I didn't really know where he was coming from until we started the record and it was beautiful, Fred. It opened up my mind.” - Freddie Hubbard (April 7, 1938 December 29, 2008).
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"Lou was the first notable saxophonist I sang with in 1980 at a bar in the Bronx, The Galleon. I sang with him a few times in Florida and once at the Village Vanguard. When Lou called me up to do a tune, I was on the balcony where the tables were. I had to walk down a staircase from a catwalk. I was so tickled to be on stage with them, I almost flew down the stairs. "We did a Bb blues, starting slowly with my song, "No More Tears". I love singing with Lonnie and the drummer, Fukushi, was kicking the blues. Randy didn't play, I don't think, but Lou took a solo and then I came back and finished out the blues with "Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On - Oh, Baby!" Now, most people who know me well will tell you I always do the same song, when I sit in, if we're doing the blues. Well, there's a reason for that. With the blues, I can engage the audience. So, I start out with a blues I've written or with something like "Route 66" or "Stormy Monday Blues", then I finish it with "Meet Me. . .Oh, Baby!" By the time I walk off the stage, everyone in the whole room is saying "Oh, Baby!" I just love it. No matter where I go, it happens, especially if the musicians are really blues players and Lou Donaldson and Dr. Lonnie Smith are at the top of that list. As far as the local scene, we did a show at a place called Venue Shebu with some young musicians who listened to our CDs and played "A Night In Tunisia", which I sing with my lyrics; and my song, "Loneliblue". Then, they played "Burnin' Hot" and "Urban Commando" with Caustic Dames. I scat with them on the latter. The place was burning hot! Great reception from the crowd and I feel like I made some more friends for life. DJ Lonyo M.C.'d the evening, featuring us, and the owner, Pete, ran the soundboard. There's a nice stage and the seating and bar area are very comfortable. It was open mic, after we performed. We sold a bunch of CDs and made some good contacts for future dates in London and elsewhere. Being there is 90% of the business! Joan's latest CD, IN PURSUIT OF A MELODY, contains three tracks with Dr. Lonnie Smith. www.drlonniesmith.com
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Joe Lee Wilson was born on December 22, 1935, near Bristow, Oklahoma. His parents were farmers. "We kids would get up in the morning, kill a rabbit, and bring it to my mother. Then we'd bring the cows in, milk them, and by then breakfast would be ready. We'd have rabbit, rice and biscuits," he said. "Music is a healing force," said Wilson, as he stood waiting to perform at the second floor theatre of the Greenwich Music School on Sunday night, September 30, for a tribute to Greenwich Village firemen who died at the World Trade Center attack. Jazz pianist Fiona Bicket and the singer Zoe organized the event. Joe Lee, as he is known, affectionately, came to New York to promote his new CD Feelin' Good, (Candidrecords.com) just before September 11th. That night he sang "Goin' Home," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," "Jazz Ain't Nothin' But Soul," and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," with his beautiful baritone voice sculpting sounds like a horn player, beating riffs out like a drum. Wilson transitioned on July 17, 2011, in Brighton, United Kingdom.
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Dr. Nelson E. Harrison is a clinical psychologist, educator, composer, archivist, lyricist, arranger, playwright, speaker, photographer; veteran trombonist of the Count Basie Orchestra featuring Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Helen Humes, Joe Turner, Eddie Vinson, Dennis Rowland (‘78-80 incl. Japan tour); played with Dionne Warwick, The Supremes and The Temptations (’64), James Brown (’67-68); Lena Horne & Tony Bennett (‘74), Billy Eckstine and Earl "Fatha" Hines (1975), Kenny Clarke (‘79), Liberace (’77), Nancy Wilson and Melba Moore (’78), Sammy Davis, Jr. and Aretha Franklin (’79), Perry Como and Johnny Mathis (‘80), Bobby Vinton (’81), Ginger Rogers and Glenn Campbell (’82), Jay McShann (‘87), Slide Hampton (‘86), Nelson Riddle (’84) Marvin Hamlisch (’97) and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans (’98) to name only a few; inventor of the "Trombetto," a compact brass instrument with four valves that plays a chromatic range of six octaves with a trombone mouthpiece; played at festivals in New Orleans, London, Edinburg, Sacramento, New York City, Seattle; clinics and lectures in Santa Cruz and San Jose, CA, Quebec City and Montreal, Canada, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, New York and Toronto; scores written to movies by Georg Sanford Brown and John Russo and plays by Richard Wright, August Wilson and Rob Penny; nationally recognized expert on Pittsburgh jazz history. jazzburgher.ning.com/profile/NelsonHarrison Musicman Magazine Spring 2020 - 18
Giovanni Mazzarino was born May 26, 1965, in Messina, Sicily. At five, he began playing piano, without instruction. He demonstrated a remarkable musical talent. From 1973 to 1975, he played classical music but abandoned that for Swing. In 1986, he pursued courses in orchestration in Perugia. He performed at the Festival Umbria Jazz with excellent reviews. In 1990, his collaboration with important musicians began. Italian musicians included Enzo Randisi. Between 1990 and 1991 Mazzarino worked with dell'Orchestra Sicialian Jazz, making two tours for the agency promoting Jazz Music of the Maximum Theatre of Palermo. From 1992, Giovanni worked as a leader and sideman with many Italian and foreign musicians touring with Franco Cerri, Joan Cartwright, Low Gianni, Enzo Randisi, Enrico Rava, Flavio Boltro, Gege' Telesforo, Joy Garrison, Hal Crook, Mike Goodrick, Bob Mover, Maximum City, Maurizio Giammarco, Mark Murphy, Eddie Henderson, Lester Bowie, Eliot Zigmund, Dusko Goykovich, Silvia Droste, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Valery Ponomarev, Bucky Pizzarelli, Tony Scott, Randy Brecker, Steve Grossman, Tom Kirkpatrick, Erwin Vann, and Tom Harrell. He recorded his first CD, with trumpeter Flavio Boltro, one of the best European soloists. Silence Please, (Splasch Record 1990) received great reviews. In 1993, Jazz Italian All Stars performed at the International Festival of the Republic of San Marino, recording live with Lino Patruno and Romano Mussolini. In 1994, he recorded Thinking Miles (Ram Records 1994) with the Ettore Fioravanti. Mazzarino was the pianist and musical director for vocalist Joan Cartwright (USA) on five tours in Europe, and her CD Feelin' Good (Modern Times 1995). Since 1997, he worked with the Conservatory of Caltanissetta Armonia and Pianoforte Jazz. In October 1997, he presented a new CD - Giovanni Mazzarino Trio Remember Miles (Anaglyphos Records). In May 1998, he tour with Randy Brecker for a CD Live At Brass Jazz Club. Randy Brecker & Giovanni Mazzarino Trio performed for Brass Group Records. In November 1998, his East Quartet toured Italy with Eddie Henderson, Mike McGuirk, and Eliot Zigmund. In March 1999, he released the CD, Giovanni Mazzarino Quartet Plays Ballads (Philology). In March 2000, he made an Italian Tour with Tom Harrell. Currently, Mazzarino performs all over Europe. Also, he conducts workshops and produces festivals in Sicily. www.giovannimazzarino.it
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