Publicity Director Ella Presiado publicity@wkcr.org
Business Manager Solène Millsap business@wkcr.org
Department Directors
Jazz Stephen Park, Emma Lacy, & Hadassah Weinmartin jazz@wkcr.org
New Music
Phi Deng newmusic@wkcr.org
Classical
Charlie Kusiel King classical@wkcr.org
American
Stephen Dames american@wkcr.org
In All Languages
Jayin Sihm ial@wkcr.org
Latin Damaris Lindsay latin@wkcr.org
News & Arts
Macy Hanzlik-Barend & Ian Pumphrey news@wkcr.org
Sports Mason Lau sports@wkcr.org
Dear Listeners,
May is here, which means another month of exciting programming is here! Stay tuned on May 4th for a new 24-hour Ron Carter Birthday Broadcast. On May 7th, hear the return of our Tchaikovsky-Brahms joint Birthday Broadcast. On May 8th, we celebrate Keith Jarrett and, of course, we will celebrate the Sun Ra’s Arrival Day on May 22nd, again with a 24-hour broadcast.
Last month was a successful month of fundraising, and we appreciate your support so much! It continues to keep us going, and we can’t bring any of this music to the airwaves without your generosity. Truly, thank you.
In this On-Air Guide, read pieces on live performances at the Village Vanguard, Ron Carter, Keith Jarrett and the Köln Concert, in addition to an interview with our former Director of Operations (and once Jazz Director) Zachary Vanderslice, along with many other great articles.
I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of the On Air Guide and this wonderful month of programming as the weather gets warm!
Radio on,
Casey Lamb Station Manager
Cover photo by Jean-Pierre Roche
Month On Air
by Charlie Kusiel King CLASSICAL
WNo More Unalike: Brahms and Tchaikovsky
hether Beethoven ever played for Mozart as a teenager or Schubert really visited Beethoven on his deathbed, we will never know. What is no classical music myth, however, are the meetings between Brahms and Tchaikovsky—two titans of the romantic style—three times around New Year’s of 1888, and again on March 12th of the following year.
It was no secret that the two were critical of each other’s work. In a concert review published in 1872, Tchaikovsky noted on Brahms’ “String Sextet No. 1” that he was not only a “mediocre composer” whose work lacked “the slightest gleam of original talent,” but that Brahms had “not justified the hopes that were placed on him by Schumann and consequently by all of musical Germany.” In his own perceptive fashion, Brahms apparently fell asleep during a rehearsal of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. Today, it is largely thanks to Tchaikovsky’s extensive letters, his Autobiographical Account of a Tour Abroad in the Year 1888, and the
writings of people around Tchaikovsky and Brahms, that we know the details of the two crossing paths. During a three-month tour of Western Europe, Tchaikovsky first encountered Brahms (as well as Edvard Grieg) at the Leipzig home of violinist Adolph Brodsky, a mutual friend. I have written the following passage using excerpts from various sources to reconstruct a narrative of the scene:
On Christmas Day, 1887, the day after Tchaikovsky arrived in Leipzig, he made two new acquaintances. “At around 1 pm,” he recalled, “as I walked into Brodsky's house, where I had been invited to dinner, I heard the sounds of a piano, violin, and cello. It turned out that this was a rehearsal for a performance, scheduled for the following day, of a new trio [Op. 101] by Brahms in which the piano part was to be played by the composer himself… The man has a short stature, with an imposing portliness and a most likeable appearance, like that of a benign, handsome elderly Russian priest.”
Image Courtesy of Charlie Kusiel King
It would have been difficult to find two people less alike: Tchaikovsky, a nobleman who wore elegant suits and carried a delicate politeness, and Brahms, who was opposed to good manners and wasn’t seen without cigar ash mixed in his bushy beard.
At first, Tchaikovsky was reluctant to walk into the room where the rehearsal was taking place; however, Adolph Brodsky, their host and the trio’s violinist, convinced him to join. When he introduced them, Tchaikovsky asked, in a soft voice, “Do I not disturb you?”
“Not at all,” said Brahms with his peculiar hoarseness, “but why would you want to hear this? It isn’t interesting in the least.” Tchaikovsky sat down and listened attentively. Throughout the piece, he actually made several suggestions regarding the tempo, which Brahms amiably took into consideration. Otherwise, Tchaikovsky remained quiet, preferring to say nothing than provide any dishonest compliments.
Soon, in walked another couple. Short, with a frail complexion and uneven shoulders, was Edvard Grieg, accompanied by his wife (and first cousin) Nina Grieg. The two brought an air of lightness into the room, easing the awkward tension between the two composers. Unlike with Brahms, Tchaikovsky was quite taken with the Norwegian composer, whose music he had already enjoyed for some fifteen years.
The group migrated to the lunch table, where Brahms displayed his tendencies to drink heavily—a “frightful tippler,” as Tchaikovsky called him—but charmed the group with his jovial banter and warm modesty. Tchaikovsky, having only been familiar with the German’s more conceited, celebrity persona up until this point, was taken aback, and enjoyed his company. Still, Brahms’ quick wit at times claimed authority over the table. “I can see Brahms now taking hold of a dish of strawberry jam, and saying he would have it all for himself and no one else should get any,” Anna Brodsky later wrote. “It was more like a children's party than a gathering of great composers.” In fact, it resembled a gathering of children so much that, as they smoked and enjoyed coffee after
eating, Adloph brought a collection of magic tricks to the table. The trio of composers was amazed. Following each demonstration, Brahms demanded to know Adolph’s secrets.
Tchaikovsky and Brahms had two more encounters during the former’s stay in Leipzig, which lasted thirteen days. On January 1st, 1888, Tchaikovsky was in the audience for the premiere of Brahms’ “Double Concerto (Op. 102).” It was performed by violinist Joseph Joachim, cellist Robert Hausmann, and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, with Brahms at the podium. Though it left little impression on the Russian critic in the audience, it seems that Tchaikovsky felt less inclined to explicitly badmouth Brahms after getting to know him personally. “It is impossible in listening to Brahms’ music to say that it is weak or unremarkable. His style is always elevated,” he wrote. “Unlike all our contemporary musicians, he never attempts to astonish us, to strike us by some new and brilliant orchestral combination; nor do we meet in his music with anything trivial or directly imitative. I deeply revere the artistic personality of Brahms. I bow to the actual purity of his musical tendencies, but I do not care for his music.” Also featured on the program were a motet by Bach and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Tchaikovsky was moved by the quality of both the choir and orchestra, but was unsatisfied with the slow tempi throughout.
The next morning, January 2nd, at 10 o’clock, Tchaikovsky’s “Orchestral Suite No. 1 (Op. 43)” was rehearsed by the same ensemble. Tchaikovsky, conducting the orchestra, was anxious, though he quickly overcame his nerves and soon felt comfortable in the hall. Sitting in the near-empty auditorium were both Brahms and the German composer Carl Reinecke. It is from this rehearsal that we draw the greatest insight into whatever Brahms may have made of Tchaikovsky in 1888, though ironically this impression is once again noted in Tchaikovsky’s own writings: “Brahms, too, seemed to instinctively feel, or perhaps even knew, that I was not on his side [musically], and he did not for his part take any steps towards
MEET A MEMBER
TAn Interview with Zachary Vanderslice
by Ted Schmiedeler
ed Schmiedeler: Zachary is great to be with you on this fine afternoon. Do you want to briefly run us through what your involvement at KCR has looked like?
Zachary Vanderslice: It's been, what, almost four years now. I joined KCR my freshman fall. It was kind of the first group of people of my year who were joining after COVID. I started as Chief Engineer, after Benny (Magid, CC ‘23) convinced me to do it, along with some push from Red (Stein, CC ‘22). A little later, I became the head of the Jazz Department and did those two jobs until I started doing Director of Operations, and at the same time, I started doing a show called Jazz Alternatives on Wednesdays. I've been doing the show for about two years now, since September of my sophomore year. And now I'm just back to being Chief Engineer. It's been a long run.
TS: You mentioned alumni Benny and Red. What do you think the state of the station is that you're leaving to the people that are joining right now?
ZV: I mean, I think for those who have not been around for long, it may be hard to tell that the station has changed a lot in the last four years. I think pre-Covid it was much smaller, much more insular, maybe more toxic. It's become more open, much larger. I think also the [2024 protest] coverage really changed the appeal of the station to the Columbia audience as a whole. It feels like the last ties to the pre-Covid times because I think my group is the only people left who were trained by Red and Sam and people who were still here when [Phil] Schaap was
around. I think the real shifting point in the culture is between those two different groups.
TS: Jazz Alternatives! Tell me a little bit about what it means to host that show.
ZV: Well, I started out doing Daybreak, which is I think the way any good jazz programmer should start.
Daybreak was always nice, but, you know, I'd be half asleep during most of the show. I mean, I was trying my best, but I was falling asleep as I did it. I started doing Jazz Alternatives because Benny had a class and couldn't do the show anymore. I started off doing it pretty randomly; I was just picking records up from the library and playing them. Sometime in September, I think Stephen Park or Sam (Seliger, CC ‘24) pointed out to me that it was Sonny Rollins's birthday and so I did a Sonny Rollins show. I was like, oh, this is great! What if I focused on someone a little bit more concretely in my show. I think that makes a better show but also makes it a lot easier for me to prepare a thing. I can focus my research or focus my listening in the week and over the past few years, the show has become more focused to maybe a two or three year span of a musician, trying to get a sense of their changing or developing as a musician. For me as a jazz listener, when I first started listening to jazz when I got to KCR, I'd heard, you know, the most famous Miles records. Maybe I knew who Red Garland was. I'd heard some Bill Evans. But I was pretty young. And KCR spurred a very quick transformation. Okay, I just heard, Kind of Blue; who's this Paul Chambers guy? Oh, I should check this out. Oh,
Drawing by McCartney Garb.
The Ron Carticle
by Teddy Wyche
As I emerge from the 1 train on 59th Street, I regret not bringing a coat. The wind is biting, and I try to adjust my suit as my brisk walk turns into an awkward jog towards Carnegie Hall. It’s the evening of March 13th. After finally locating the box office, I am possessed by the ticket in my hands: RON CARTER & ETHEL: REFLECTIONS ON MONK & BACH. In my rational mind, I’m sure the use of all capital letters is nothing special, but I can’t help but feel like the ticket is yelling at me, sharing my excitement for the night ahead. Shuffling to my seat, I try my hardest not to look out of place—though it feels like my fellow concertgoers are doing the same. “This audience is hard to place,” I think to myself, noticing the pensive air in the room. I know jazz audiences, and I have my assumptions of classical audiences, but this was something different.
The murmuring of the crowd swells. A short line of performers walks onto the stage when suddenly, the maestro emerges from stage right. There’s a noticeable increase in decibel level as the most recorded jazz bassist in history takes the stage. His movements are quiet, even humble, yet his presence is immediately felt as the room readily welcomes him. As the quartet’s cellist eagerly introduces the group, I try my best to listen, but I have tunnel vision on the towering figure before me (figuratively and literally). Seeming to end as quickly as it began, the introduction concludes, and the lights
dim. With a swift count-in, the hall is filled with the kaleidoscopic sounds of Monk.
An impressive production, the Monk Suite was a lively fusion of jazz and classical as the arrangements made by Carter and the Kronos Quartet were finally played live for the first time. However, as magical as the music was,
Ron Carter, 1980. Photo by Brian McMillen.
the true magic of the night had to be from none other than the maestro himself—a title bestowed upon Carter by the quartet that I can’t help but be infatuated with. Maestro was a word that rang throughout the concert hall many times that night, with every repetition carrying more weight than the last. In every piece, his virtuosity was on full display. Even more palpable, however, was the generosity emanating from his bass. One could spend eons discussing his mastery of articulation, his sweeping plucking technique, or his effortless arranging skills. Underneath the technique and the sounds that cascaded through the hall was a deep and genuine love for the music, the people making it, and the people listening to it. He would rub his bass how one would rub one’s belly during his quote of “You are my Sunshine,” and move the room during his rendition of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” His jovial account of how he met Monk set the room filled with laughter. Reading the faces of my fellow concertgoers and the performers onstage, there seemed to be a strong sense of gratitude. Yet somehow, there seemed to be no one more grateful than the maestro himself. Despite being rejected by the classical world in his youth on account of his race, there seemed to be no resentment in his playing at all. He could play Bach and love Bach, while also living off the 2 and 4. Each time he waved to the crowd, took a bow, and made sure to wave to the people in the upper rows, the crowd erupted in applause.
The climax of the night came with Carter’s solo piece, where for ten minutes the world stopped, consumed by pure excellence. He jumped eras, swung emotions, and left the room stunned—until the ovation came. For what seemed like another 10 minutes, the crowd got to its feet and gave the maestro his flowers. Within the span of that 2-hour concert, it was like we all knew him; he certainly treated us like old friends. Looking around that room, what I once thought was a disjointed hodgepodge became a beautiful mosaic. Suddenly, it didn’t matter where we came from before or where we were going after. We were
all here, being taught what it meant to show humanity through music. Still being showered with applause, the group exited the stage brimming with smiles, and the hall began to clear. Retracing my steps back to Columbus Circle, the weather had only gotten colder, yet my spirit was ablaze. Through the wind, all I could think was, “Thank you, Maestro.”
Teddy Wyche is the Director of Operations at WKCR and a regular program for the Jazz Department.
Special Broadcasts
SPECIAL BROADCASTS
Ron Carter
Sunday, May 4th, all day
This month begins with a very special celebration of prolific bassist Ron Carter. A true virtuoso on the instrument, Carter made his name in Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet and has been one of jazz’s most in-demand sidemen ever since. He also records and tours as a leader; educates the next generation of musicians; and has authored several books including his autobiography, “Finding the Right Notes” (which was turned into an audiobook––with his narration––and a documentary). Ever active in the New York scene, the Maestro has given interviews for WKCR since at least 1979.
Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Wednesday, May 7th, all day
Two legends of the Classical idiom, Brahms and Tchaikovsky share a birthday. In their honor, we will present twelve hours of nonstop Johannes Brahms (from midnight until noon) followed by twelve hours of nonstop Tchaikovsky (from noon until midnight). German Romantic composer and pianist Brahms is remembered for his ability to balance traditional forms with harmonic innovation. The most popular Russian composer of all time, Tchaikovsky is beloved for his ability to convey wonder, passion, and tragedy through the music. Listeners can look forward to a program that includes both familiar favorites and rare recordings.
Keith Jarrett
Thursday, May 8th, 5 AM - 3 PM
WKCR’s celebration of Keith Jarrett may be our first interdepartmental birthday broadcast on record. Occupying the slots of Daybreak Express, Birdflight, Cereal Music, and Out to Lunch, this special broadcast will celebrate Jarrett’s contributions to both the jazz (5-9:30 AM, 12 noon-3 PM) and classical idioms (9:30 AM-12 noon). Time will be devoted to Jarrett’s time as a sideman (with the Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis, among others), as a solo artist (including the iconic Köln Concert), and as the leader of The Standards trio (with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette).
Sun Ra
Thursday, May 22nd, all day
We will honor jazz visionary Sun Ra with a 24hour birthday broadcast on the day he arrived on this planet from outer space: May 22. Ra is known for his experimental music, cosmic and Afrofuturist philosophy, and theatrical performances. His ensemble The Arkestra is still active on the jazz scene today, led by centenarian Marshall Allen. Once a visitor to WKCR, he enjoyed either ice cream or yogurt in our studio––immortalized in the photo on our website. He even performed a set of solo piano works for us on July 8, 1977.
THEMED SHOWS
TBD May 11th, 2:00 - 7:00 PM
Host: TBD
TBD May 18th, 2:00 - 7:00 PM
Host: Sid Gribetz
TBD
May 25th, 2:00 - 7:00 PM
Host: TBD
Show Listings
JAZZ
Daybreak Express, weekdays 5-8:20am
Out to Lunch, weekdays 12-3pm
Jazz Alternatives, weekdays 6-9pm
The core of our jazz offerings, these three programs span the entire range of recorded jazz: everything from New Orleans jazz, jazz age, swing era, bebop, hard-bop, modal, free, and avant-garde. Hosts rotate daily, offering an exciting variety of approaches, some of which include thematic presentation, artist interviews, or artist profiles.
Birdflight, Tues.-Thurs. 8:20-9:30am
Archival programs from the late Phil Schaap, one of the world’s leading jazz historians, who hosted this daily forum for the music of Charlie Parker for about 40 years.
Now's The Time*, Fri. 8:20-9:30am
The newest show from WKCR Jazz is dedicated to jazz as a living art form, providing a weekly space to listen to the young and current musicians pushing the genre forward.
Traditions in Swing, Sat. 6-9pm
Archival programs from the late Phil Schaap, this awardwinning Saturday night staple presents focused thematic programs on jazz up until about World War II. Schaap presents the music, much of it incredibly rare, from the best sound source, which is often the original 78 issue.
Phil Lives*, Mon. 3-5am
Archival broadcasts of longform programs from late NEA Jazz Master Phil Schaap.
CLASSICAL
Cereal Music, Mon.-Thurs. 9:30am-12pm
An entirely open-ended classical show to start your weekdays. Tune in to hear the most eclectic mix of classical music on the New York airwaves!
The Early Music Show, Fri. 9:30am-12pm
Dedicated primarily to European medieval, Renaissance, and baroque music, all from before 1800 (±50 years).
Extended Technique*, Wed. & Thurs. 3-6pm
WKCR’s first interdepartmental show (in the New Music and Classical departments) dedicated to contemporary classical music. You’ll hear everything from 12-tone and minimalist compositions to film and video game scores, and all things in between.
Afternoon Classical, Fri. 3-6pm.
Similar to Cereal Music, most of Afternoon Classical has no restrictions on what type of classical music to play. The last hour of the show, however, is dedicated fully to the music of JS Bach.
Saturday Night at the Opera, Sat. 9pm-12:30am.
One of NYC’s longest running opera shows, Saturday Night at the Opera is a 3.5 hour show that allows operas to be played in their entirety, with room for commentary, descriptions, and some history.
NEW MUSIC
Afternoon New Music, Mon. & Tues. 3-6pm
Our daytime new music program features a wide variety of music that challenges boundaries and subverts categorizations. Shows include everything from seminal new music compositions to the most challenging of obscure deep cuts and new releases.
Transfigured Night, Tues./Thurs./Sat. 1-5am
Our overnight explorations into the world of new music, Transfigured Night rewards our late night listeners with a wide range of sounds and experimental music.
Workaround*, Fri. 9-10pm
WKCR presents live DJ sets from Columbia students and local artists.
Live Constructions, Sun. 10-11pm
This weekly program features a live in-studio performance or a performance pre-recorded specially for the show.
AMERICAN
Honky Tonkin’, Tues. 10-11pm
One of WKCR’s longest-running American music programs, Honky Tonkin’ lands in the harder side of Country music. Emphasizing the greatest voices in the genre, Honky Tonkin’ is a country music dance party every Tuesday night.
Tuesday’s Just as Bad, Tues. 11pm - Wed. 1am
Tuesday’s Just as bad explores the world of blues prior to World War II. Shows weave their way through the first decades of recorded music history and turn to the postwar years in the final half hour.
* Indicates show was created after January 2022
NEW MUSIC
Moses Sumney: Where Language Fails Me
by Eva Arroyo
"I spent the past month in Brazil just focusing, thinking about these lyrics. And I realized that language is a failure. Sometimes what you need to express can be best said as”… and then a luxurious, wordless vocal run.
This insight is from Moses Sumney at their April 7th show at Pioneer Works, where they debuted songs from an unreleased album. The crowd was high fashion, especially for a Monday night, which was somewhat predictable given Sumney’s model status and frequent couture looks. However, Sumney is also a once-in-a-generation vocal talent, and they hold the unique position of being an aesthetic icon in poetic tension with lyrical prowess. In this performance, they continued their exploration of our implicit expectation that they, as a performer, are to be consumed.
Sumney’s career has been marked by shrugging off the structures that labels and audiences expect. For example, after attracting attention from major L.A. labels, they withdrew to North Carolina, saying they found that the labels often typecast them. I consider the album that followed this departure, grae, to be one of the best albums of 2020.
They frequently develop music as a part of their live performance, making for an unusually vulnerable experience as the audience watches them play half-finished works. Sumney confessed that a reason for their frequent, luxurious, wordless vocal runs was that they didn’t always completely know the lyrics. However, the audience found we didn’t much miss words. By breaking the performer-audience contract, Sumney made us more willing to give part of ourselves back to them, having us sing trills and lyrics along with them.
The album in progress has a lyrical depth in the words we did hear. It felt built for single people—for those of us still wandering the world, continually
perplexed and compelled by the people we take as lovers. From “Babygirl,” where Sumney asks, “Did you want a dom/who would make you a babygirl?” to lyrics from a song tentatively titled “Icon,” where they sing, “Pain glory/I’ll never tell my story.” The rhymes would sound cheap with another voice; however, Sumney’s prodigious range and breath control, alongside their impressive use of three microphones with different modulators, rendered these lyrics profound.
Sonically, the album sounds most like the Cocteau Twins, which Sumney admitted to listening to frequently during composition. There’s a breathy, ethereal nature to this music. The lyrics are present but blur together, the words emerging from the music as if from dreams. The songs have surprising textural shifts, from soul to psychedelic rock. Sumney’s voice shifts alongside the musical changes: sometimes crooning, sometimes whispering, sometimes growling.
Sumney has yet to set an album release date, and perhaps as it comes into shape, the lyrics will solidify. Even so, I expect to spend my New York evenings in the company of this music, whether I can understand the lyrics or not.
As of publication Sumney has released a new song titled, “I like I like it” with Hayley Williams
The Legend of the Köln Concert
by Rachel Smith JAZZ
2025 is a special year for fans of jazz and classical master pianist Keith Jarrett. On January 24, his iconic album The Köln Concert celebrated its fiftieth birthday, and on May 8, Jarrett will celebrate his eightieth birthday. On that occasion, I’d like to revisit the legend of the Köln Concert.
We are lucky to have The Köln Concert because it almost never happened. It was one recorded performance on a European tour Jarrett undertook in January 1975, arranged by ECM Records founder Manfred Eichner. The constant traveling of a tour is neither restful nor comfortable, and after a five-hour drive from Zürich, Jarrett arrived in Köln tired, hungry, and in pain. He sat down for a meal and was rewarded with a terribly upset stomach. Feeling physically low, Jarrett headed to the Cologne Opera House for sound check.
At this point, versions of the story diverge. One thing is clear: when Jarrett arrived, the concert piano he had requested was nowhere to be found. (Some report that the intended piano was a Steinway Grand, others that it was a Bösendorfer 290 Imperial.) Perhaps there was a strike at the piano supply company; perhaps the opera staff simply confused the request. Either way, the only piano available was a baby grand used for opera rehearsals. The piano was in poor shape: it was completely out of tune and the sustain pedals were malfunctioning.
18-year-old Vera Brandes, who was Germany’s youngest concert promoter at the time, had arranged for the concert and desperately wanted to see it through. She convinced Jarrett to stay as piano tuners struggled with the rehearsal baby grand; indeed, some notes were too far gone to be tuned at all. Jarrett ultimately decided to go through with the concert, and, by his own account in Jazzwise, “I knew something special was
happening once I started playing…Sometimes when your resistance is low ideas come, and the piano being a different instrument than I would normally play, I played it differently.” Eichner expressed a similar belief about Jarrett’s expressive force that night, saying “Probably [Jarrett] played it the way he did because it was not a good piano. Because he could not fall in love with the sound of it, he found another way to get the most out of it.”
But that is not the end of the Köln concert legend: not only was the concert almost canceled, but the recording of the concert was also almost canceled. Because Jarrett’s day had gone from bad to worse, he and Eichner were tempted to send the recording engineers home. But they had already set up, so Eichner allowed them to record. On the road to the next concert, Jarrett and Eichner listened to the tape on repeat. This was the first time they realized that they had something special. Later, Eichner would mix the recording in the studio to try to compensate for the sound of the piano.
Jarrett confided to Stuart Nicholson in 2010 that he has a complex relationship to The Köln Concert. On this album, he can hear the seeds of some musical ideas that would come to fruition in future albums––his output for ECM, which includes many live solo recordings, is impressive by anyone’s standards––but is bothered by the technical aspects of the performance. Indeed, The Köln Concert is just one in a whole sequence of improvised concerts. (Jarrett had been improvising since his first solo piano recital at age 8; at the Cologne Opera House as for many other performances, he walked on stage with neither musical expectations nor prepared material.) The audience perspective on the record is simpler: The Köln Concert is the best-selling solo album in jazz history and the best-selling piano album of all time.
JAZZ
Artemis at the VanguardVillage
by Emma Lacy
I’ve been a fan of the Blue Note-signed supergroup Artemis for years now. I’ve seen them twice previously: at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC) in January 2023, when Alexa Tarantino held the alto saxophone chair, and at Birdland in October 2023 with Erica von Kleist subbing for Alexa. Both performances featured the current all-star quintet of Ingrid Jensen on trumpet, Nicole Glover on tenor saxophone, Noriko Ueda on bass, Allison Miller on drums and cymbals, and bandleader Renee Rosnes on piano. So, when a friend from high school texted me that they were in town with an extra ticket to see Artemis at the Village Vanguard on March 8th celebrating the release of their new record, Aboresque, I eagerly accepted the invitation. The performance was magnificent. Firstly, there could not be a more appropriate venue for this quintet and the nature of their music than the Village Vanguard. While the BPC is an impressive theater holding over 1,200 attendees thanks to its very vertical design, unless you’re seated in the first few rows, the musicians are so far away that it feels like they’re on a pedestal. If you’re seated in the balcony, the high altitude makes it feel like you’re breathing entirely different air than them. Birdland does not boast the same verticality, but the bright
lights, red curtains, and dinner tables segregate audience from band all the same.
Not that the Village Vanguard needs my approval, but I doubt there is a better venue for Artemis. The musicians walking through the audience to the stage, the tight seating that forces you to make friends with your neighbors, and the room layout—where you’re either right next to the stage or farther back, where the employees have mentioned the acoustics are actually the best—all contribute to the magic of the shows here. Everyone walks into the Vanguard with the knowledge that they’re about to hear jazz legends, yet the venue is an equalizer between audience member and performer. It’s a very human concert experience, suiting Artemis’s very human music.
The group kicked things off with the first track of their new album, Donald Brown’s “The Smile of the Snake.” Above all else, it showcased Artemis’s masterful interaction. It feels wrong to claim that this track included “solos” when all the textures—especially behind the lyrical, geometric, and exceptionally creative trumpet playing of Ingrid Jensen—were completely collaborative and colorful thanks to all five contributors. Anyone who wandered into the Vanguard that night without having heard of
The Village Vanguard. Image by Zhang Yu.
Artemis immediately knew that they were in for a treat.
The next tune, “Komorebi,” is the second track on the album. Written by bassist Noriko Ueda, it translates from Japanese to “the light filtering through the trees in the forest.” Though Ueda did take a solo, the intent, support, and vibrance of her bass playing were on full display throughout the whole tune. Listeners can often leave the bassline unconsidered, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful—much like the light she has chosen to compose about.
This early in the night, the entire band had already demonstrated their abilities to float over, between, and with each other after the hard-hitting groove of the first tune. They had so much dimension just two tunes in, making it hard to nail them down. Can their music be categorized as hard-bop? Is it contemporary? Are they most like one of Miles’s quintets, or maybe Blakey’s Jazz Messengers? They won’t tell you, and you soon realize it doesn’t matter when their music is unquestionably beautiful and they are unequivocally themselves.
Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing” followed, featuring the imaginatively powerful yet sensitive melodies of Nicole Glover on tenor saxophone (it should be a surprise to no one that she will be returning to the Village Vanguard with her own trio at the end of May). This was the only tune that they’ve played all three times I’ve seen them, and it’s no secret why. It hit particularly close to home for me as someone who has spent a lot of time studying Strayhorn’s music and researching his commonly unsung story as the primary collaborator of Duke Ellington. It feels almost sacrilegious to verbalize the wonder of this performance. All I’ll say is I know Strayhorn would’ve loved it. Though this composition appears on Glover’s 2021 album, Strange Lands, it is most “itself” played live. If you haven’t yet seen Artemis live, this arrangement should be all the motivation you need.
Next was Lyle Mays’s “Slink,” the first track from their 2023 record, In Real Time. This tune is drivingly energetic without much speed, thanks in great part to the drumming and cymbal
playing of Allison Miller. It would be difficult to play a “bad” solo with Miller in the driver’s seat; she gives a wonderful balance of colorful encouragement and rhythmic suggestion to everyone she plays with. She’s a musician’s musician, and a masterful instrumentalist in her own right.
After the following round of applause, Renee Rosnes emerged with an intriguing cadenza before her original composition, “Olive Branch.” Rosnes generally maintains a supporting role from the piano bench despite being the formal bandleader of Artemis. I was fortunate enough to interview her at the end of last year about the release of her newest album, Crossing Paths, and her humility both as a musician and person shines like no other. There is immense care, intentionality, and truth in everything Rosnes does, whether it be composing, accompanying, soloing, leading, or speaking. How lucky we are to witness such a wonderfully led ensemble in our lifetimes. Artemis closed out their set with a lovely version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “What The World Needs Now Is Love,” followed by a playfully personalized rendition of Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints.” Rosnes’s introduction of the penultimate tune perfectly captured the greatness of this set: “We’re going to continue now with Burt Bacharach and Hal David…this is ‘What The World Needs Now Is…’”
“Love!” the audience shouted, finishing for her. We can talk about great music all day, but concertgoers today would agree that love is what truly makes a performance great. Even more profound is the shared understanding that the world needs more of it—an especially powerful feeling when an audience and band collectively supply it one night at the Village Vanguard.
Emma Lacy is a Jazz Department Director.
Preston Pressoir, Programmer: Terry Date, producer on the first three Deftones albums and Limp Bizkit’s album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, arguably one of the most innovative modern rock albums of all time.
Tanvi Krishnamurthy, Former Publicity Director: The Mizell Brothers…completely defined the jazz fusion and jazz funk sounds (among other genres) of the 70s! So many great albums wouldn’t have sounded the way they do without them.
Francisco Javier Reyes, Programmer: John Congleton, the producer—just about every artist he works with ends up making magic.
Ella Presiado, Publicity Director: Duke Reid, producer, and founder of Treasure Isle Records, which is named after the liquor store he ran his sound system out of in Kingston, Jamaica. He produced SO MUCH great ska (which in my opinion is one of the more influential genres...). We have him to thank for lots of great music!
Perry Wakatsuki, Programmer: Everything Madlib touches turns to gold (Pinata, Madvillainy need I say more). On a personality basis, Kenny Beats has great vibes. His series The Cave is a must-watch for modern hip-hop fans.
Rachel Smith, Program Director: The "jazz detective" Zev Feldman is always finding unreleased tapes from the masters of music––people like Bill Evans, Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Albert Ayler, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, and even Patsy Cline. The sound quality is always top-notch. The LP or CD itself is approached as a work of art, with beautiful high-def photos so holding his releases in your hand feels luxurious.
Charlie Kusiel King, Classical Head: Pedro Winter (aka Busy P) is the founder of Ed Banger Records. He’s a big reason we listen to electronic greats like Daft Punk, Justice, Cassius, and DJ Mehdi. French Touch and EDM as a whole wouldn't be the same without him!
Ted Schmiedeler, Head Archivist: Chris Manak, the founder of Stones Throw Records. Stones Throw has done a fantastic job supporting underground, envelope-pushing hip hop going back to the 90s and released classics like MF DOOM & Madlib’s Madvillainy and J Dilla’s Donuts.
AROUND THE
Who's your behind-the-scenes music contributor
Georgia Dillane, Former Program Director: Charles Stepney! Producer for Chess Records in Chicago (Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, etc), also arranged some of the first pieces for ‘Rotary Connection’ fronted by Minnie Riperton. In 2022, his three daughters released Step on Step, a posthumous LP featuring home recordings from the Stepney home, featuring many of his under-appreciated solo works. The album is sweet, tender, and instrumentally excellent.
Taylor Sierra-Ward Guidry, Programmer: One of my favorite behind-the-scenes contributors is audio engineer and mixer Neal H Pogue. He is most well known for his work with OutKast. However, he has worked with TLC, Lucy Pearl, Robyn, The Isley Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kaytranada, Stevie Wonder, Solange, Janelle Monáe, Aretha Franklin, Haim, Steve Lacy, The Marías, Leikeli47, and many more. What made me a fan of his audio engineering and mixing was his work on The Marías album Submarine. The audio engineering and mixing on the album is so crisp and clear to the point that you can hear the finer details of the production so well without headphones.
Taylor Sierra-Ward Guidry, Programmer: One of my favorite behind-the-scenes contributors is audio engineer and mixer Neal H Pogue. He is most well known his work with OutKast. However, he has worked with TLC, Lucy Pearl, Robyn, The Isley Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kaytranada, Stevie Wonder, Solange, Janelle Monáe, Aretha Franklin, Haim, Steve Lacy, The Marías, Leikeli47, and many more. What made me a fan of his audio engineering and mixing was his work on The Marías album Submarine. The audio engineering and mixing on the album is so crisp and clear to the point that you can hear the finer details of the production so well without headphones.
It is also personally one of my favorite produced albums that I have ever heard. His contribution to the album with the mixing is a big part of why the album flows so well and takes you on the submerged, sonic journey of the album. I also love his audio mixing with OutKast in general, but particularly in the songs “Hey Ya” and “SpottieOttieDopaliscious”.
It is also personally one of my favorite produced albums that I have ever heard. His contribution to the album with the mixing is a big part of why the album flows so well and takes you on the submerged, sonic journey of the album. I also love his audio mixing with OutKast in general, but particularly in the songs “Hey Ya” and “SpottieOttieDopaliscious”.
THE STATION
your favorite behind-the-scenes contributor and why?
In his mixing work with OutKast, he knows how to make each of the sonic influences stand out without feeling muddled or rushed. His use of mixing in balancing the sound of OutKast’s songs is a big reason why the experimental nature of their songs worked so well. Pogue’s greatness in mixing different genres to cultivate a unique sound can also be seen in his mixing of “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy!
his mixing work with OutKast, he knows how to make each of the sonic influences stand out without feeling muddled or rushed. His use of mixing in balancing the sound of OutKast’s songs is a big reason why the experimental nature of their songs worked so well. Pogue’s greatness in mixing different genres to cultivate a unique sound can also be seen in his mixing of “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy!
Ella Werstler, Programmer:
McCartney Garb, Programmer: I'm split on this one between Klaus Voormann and Erik Jacobsen. Klaus Voormann was a brilliant artist who is most famous for designing the Revolver album cover, which he won a grammy for in 1966. I think his oil paintings from the Beatles' Hamburg days are particularly striking, and he also was somewhat of a session musician, contributing bass tracks to a lot of artists' records in the seventies. I just love his black and white line work, I think the way that he renders hair is particularly stunning and love to incorporate it in my own work wherever I can. Erik Jacobsen (if I get a cheat second pick) was a producer in the sixties and seventies who worked on a lot of folk and folk-rock records, particularly for the Lovin' Spoonful, but also Sopwith Camel, Tim Hardin, and Dan Hicks. I don't know much about producing, but from a historical perspective I appreciate that Jacobsen has uploaded some of his earliest works on his website, which allows me to listen to rarer records from the early sixties Greenwich Village scene.
McCartney Garb, Programmer: I'm split on this one between Klaus Voormann and Erik Jacobsen. Klaus Voormann was a brilliant artist who is most famous for designing the Revolver album cover, which he won a grammy for in 1966. I think his oil paintings from the Beatles' Hamburg days are particularly striking, and he also was somewhat of a session musician, contributing bass tracks to a lot of artists' records in the seventies. I just love his black and white line work, I think the way that he renders hair is particularly stunning and love to incorporate it in my own work wherever I can. Erik Jacobsen (if I get a cheat second pick) was a producer in the sixties and seventies who worked on a lot of folk and folk-rock records, particularly for the Lovin' Spoonful, but also Sopwith Camel, Tim Hardin, and Dan Hicks. I don't know much about producing, but from a historical perspective I appreciate that Jacobsen has uploaded some of his earliest works on his website, which allows me to listen to rarer records from the early sixties Greenwich Village scene.
On Air 's editorial board is McCartney Garb, Ella Werstler, Jem Hanan, & Olivia Callanan.
The editorial team for this issue was Ben Erdmann, Charlie Kusiel King, CJ Gamble, Iris Wu, Izzy Rosales, Maya Resnick, Nadia Lam & Teddy Wyche.
Special thanks to Ella Presiado, Emma Lacy, Eva Arroyo, Francisco Javier Reyes, Georgia Dillane, Perry Wakatsuki, Preston Pressoir, Rachel Smith, Tanvi Krishnamurthy, Taylor Sierra-Ward Guidry, & Ted Schmiedeler.
