Robert Blocker, Dean
ellington ja zz ser ies
The Wayne Escoffery Quintet featuring Jeremy Pelt
Thomas C. Duffy, Acting Artistic Director Friday, February 2, 2018 • 7:30 pm Morse Recital Hall
ellington jazz series
Delightfulee Morgan The Wayne Escoffery Quintet featuring Jeremy Pelt Wayne Escoffery tenor sax • Jeremy Pelt trumpet Carl Allen drums • Bruce Barth piano Yasushi Nakamura double bass
Edward Lee Morgan 1938–1972
“Yes I Can, No You Can’t,” from The Gigolo (1968) “Get Yourself Together,” from Taru (1968) “Morgan the Pirate,” from Search For the New Land (1966) Anguish (1965) Never recorded “Search For the New Land,” from Search For the New Land (1966) Temptation Bound (1967) Never recorded Par Lee Never recorded “Infinity,” from Infinity (1965) Smorgasbord (1968) Never recorded
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notes on the program
Edward Lee Morgan
another quintet in 1969 with Bennie Maupin, Harold Mabern, Merritt, and (b. Philadelphia, PA, July 10, 1938; d. Mickey Roker that represented a departure New York, NY, Feb 19, 1972). American from the hard-bop style with which he jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. had become synonymous. By 1971 he had One of the charismatic individualists to organized protests for the Jazz and People’s emerge in the late 1950s, he began playing Movement, joined Collective Black Artists, vibraphone at 12, but soon thereafter turned and taught trumpet and improvisation at to trumpet. He studied music at Jules E. Harlem’s Jazzmobile. During an engageMastbaum Vocational Technical High ment with his quintet at Slugs in New School and privately with the trumpeter York in 1972, Morgan was shot and killed Tony Marchione, but learned jazz by by his girlfriend of four years following playing in Philadelphia rehearsal bands, an argument during which he declared sitting in with visiting professionals, and his intent to leave her for another woman. leading his own combo from age 15. After graduation in 1956, Morgan played a week Brash and extroverted, Morgan conveyed with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, joined his personality in trumpet solos that Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, and made his balanced playfulness, strong feeling, and first recordings as a leader for Blue Note. hip swagger. He employed grace notes, He was a featured soloist on “A Night in slurs, half-valve effects, surprising rhythmic Tunisia” with Gillespie until the band accents, and bluesy figures in a speechdissolved in January 1958. After a short like, storytelling fashion. His approach, period of freelancing, he joined a revamped building on the influences of Gillespie, edition of the Jazz Messengers and stayed Fats Navarro, and Clifford Brown, until 1961, playing with Blakey, Benny epitomized jazz of the late 1950s and Golson, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, early 1960s often referred to as hard bop. Jymie Merritt, and Bobby Timmons. With His compositions were largely bluesthe Messengers he toured nationally and based, although he also had a penchant abroad, made numerous recordings, for minor-key waltzes and calypsos. composed and arranged for the band, Many of his recordings as a leader and a and consolidated his style as a trumpeter. sideman, especially those for Blue Note, After being sidelined for two years by have enjoyed lasting popularity and four drug addiction, he reemerged in 1963 are indisputable jazz classics: Candy with renewed purpose and artistic maturity, (1958, BN), The Sidewinder (1963, BN), recording an album of original compositions, John Coltrane’s Blue Train (1957, BN), The Sidewinder, whose title tune, a shuffling and Art Blakey’s Moanin’ (1958, BN). blues, achieved tremendous popularity. He worked again briefly with the Jazz McMillan, Jeffery S. “Morgan, (Edward) Messengers in 1964, but preferred making Lee.” Grove Music Online. 29 Jan. 2018. recordings for Blue Note and performing https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630. occasional gigs with his own quintet to article.A2276129 (accessed January 29, 2018). Blakey’s constant touring. He formed
Artist Profiles
Wayne Escoffery, tenor sax
Magazine. In addition to performing, Escoffery is dedicated to music education 2014 Downbeat Critics Poll Winner and and presents lectures and master classes Grammy© Award-winning tenor on jazz music. He is currently the saxophone saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is one of instructor for The New Jersey Performing the jazz world’s most talented rising stars Arts Wells Fargo Jazz for Teens program and in-demand sidemen. Since 2006 he and in the Fall of 2016 was appointed has been mostly associated with trumpet Lecturer of Jazz Improvisation and ensemble master Tom Harrell after securing one of coach at the Yale School of Music as part the most coveted gigs in jazz: a frontline of Yale University’s new Jazz Initiative, position in Harrell’s working quintet. For the first of its kind for the University. the past decade Escoffery has toured the The vast array of contributions Wayne globe with the trumpeter, recorded seven Escoffery has made to the jazz world in CDs with The Tom Harrell Quintet and such a short time leads seasoned industry co-produced four of those releases. He professionals like Niel Tesser to write: has also been a member of The Mingus “Pay special attention to tenor man Wayne Dynasty, Big Band, and Orchestra since Escoffery, whose rapid development – 2000 and has made several recordings from album to album (and seemingly with the group. Over the years he has solo to solo) – has given us a jazz hero recorded and performed internationally for the coming decade.” with the who’s who in jazz including Ron Carter, Ben Riley, Abdulah Ibrahim, Eric Reed, Carl Allen, Al Foster, Billy Hart, Jeremy Pelt, trumpet Eddie Henderson, Rufus Reid, Wallace Roney, and Herbie Hancock. Escoffery Jeremy Pelt has become one of the preleads his own groups which tour intereminent young trumpeters within the nationally and has made several highly world of jazz. Forging a bond with the acclaimed studio recordings with said Mingus Big Band very early on, as his groups. His current working quartet career progressed, Pelt built upon these features pianist David Kikoski, bassist relationships and many others which Ugonna Okegwo, and drummer Ralph eventually led to collaborations with some Peterson, and has a release on the Smalls of the genre’s greatest masters. These Live Record label. Escoffery is also a projects include performances and recordfounding member of a collaborative ings with Cliff Barbaro, Keter Betts, Bobby group called Black Art Jazz Collective “Blue” Bland, Ravi Coltrane, Frank Foster, which is comprised of fellow rising star Winard Harper, Jimmy Heath, Vincent musicians of his generation and is dedicated Herring, John Hicks, Charli Persip, Ralph to celebrating African American icons Peterson, Lonnie Plaxico, Bobby Short, through originally composed music. Cedar Walton, Frank Wess, Nancy Wilson, and The Skatalites. The group’s most recent recording, Black Art Jazz Collective Presented By The Side Pelt frequently performs alongside such Door Jazz Club, in Old Lyme, received 4.5 notable ensembles as the Roy Hargrove stars in the October 2016 issue of Downbeat Big Band, The Village Vanguard Orchestra,
Artist Profiles
and the Duke Ellington Big Band, and is a member of the Lewis Nash Septet and The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band featuring Louis Hayes. As a leader, Pelt has recorded ten albums and has toured globally with his various ensembles, appearing at many major jazz festivals and concert venues. Pelt’s recordings and performances have earned him critical acclaim, both nationally and internationally. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal by legendary jazz writer and producer Nat Hentoff, and was voted Rising Star on the trumpet five years in a row by Downbeat Magazine and the Jazz Journalist Association. Pelt is currently touring throughout the United States and Europe in support of his latest release, Make Noise! (Highnote, recorded 2017). Carl Allen, drums With over 200 recordings to his credit, the gifted Milwaukee-born, New Yorkbased drummer, sideman, bandleader, entrepreneur, and educator, Carl Allen’s profound and propulsive percolations provided soulful and syncopated support for nearly three decades. Born on April 25, 1961, Allen grew up on gospel, R&B, and funk, but later turned to jazz after hearing an LP by the legendary saxophonist Benny Carter. He studied with drum instructor Roy Sneider and band director Robert Siemele. His first hometown gigs were with sax greats Sonny Stitt and James Moody. Allen studied at The University of Wisconsin at Green Bay from 1979 to 1981, and transferred to William Patterson College
in New Jersey, where he graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies and Performance. Allen joined trumpeter Freddie Hubbard a year before his graduation, served as his Musical Director for eight years, and recorded several recordings with the trumpeter, including Double Take and Life Flight. Allen also played with Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Jennifer Holliday, J.J. Johnson, Rickie Lee Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, Lena Horne, Ruth Brown, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Mike Stern, Nellie McKay, Terence Blanchard, Phil Woods, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Joe Henderson, Billy Childs, and many others. Allen’s phenomenal sideman discography also includes Jackie McLean (Dynasty), Donald Harrison (Indian Blues, Noveau Swing), Donald Byrd (A City Called Heaven), and Art Farmer (The Company I Keep). Bruce Barth, piano Jazz pianist and composer Bruce Barth has been sharing his music with listeners the world over for more than twenty-five years. In addition to traveling widely performing his own music, he has also performed with revered jazz masters, as well as collaborated with leading musicians of his own generation. In a recent review in the Newark Star-Ledger, Zan Stewart writes: “No one sounds quite like Barth. His solos are characterized by robust swing, his ability to tell a story, and by his rich, beguiling sound.” Bruce has performed on over one hundred recordings and movie soundtracks, including fourteen as a leader. He is equally at home playing solo piano
Artist Profiles
(American Landscape on Satchmo Jazz Records), leading an all-star septet (East and West on MaxJazz), and composing for a variety of ensembles. His trio has recorded live at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City, and his duo recording with saxophonist Steve Wilson, Home, was chosen by Downbeat magazine as one of the best recordings of 2010. His current CD is Daybreak, on the Savant label. 2018 promises to be a banner year for Bruce, as he is anticipating the release of two new CDs. The first is Sunday, featuring tenor legend Jerry Bergonzi, recorded live in Spain. The second features Bruce’s trio interpreting music of the Grateful Dead. The trio will perform this music on the West Coast and at several major European jazz festivals this summer. Originally from Pasadena, California, Bruce arrived on the New York jazz scene in 1988, and soon started working in the bands of Stanley Turrentine and Terence Blanchard. While in Terence’s band, Bruce recorded his first two CDs as a leader, In Focus and Morning Call for the Enja label; both were chosen for New York Times top ten lists. These recordings displayed not only Bruce’s powerfully fluent piano playing, but also the scope of his own compositions and his imaginative arrangements of jazz standards. As a leader of his trio and larger ensembles, Bruce has performed at major venues in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has led bands at many major venues in New York, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and major festivals in UK, Spain, Sweden, and Portugal. Throughout his professional life, Bruce has had extended collaborations with Terell Stafford, Steve Wilson, Luciana Souza, Steve Nelson, and Tony Bennett. He has performed with James Moody,
Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, Branford Marsalis, Art Farmer, and the Mingus Big Band. Finally, Bruce is a dedicated teacher, currently on the faculties of Temple University and Columbia University. He has also given master classes around the globe. Yasushi Nakamura, bass One of the most commanding voices on bass today, Yasushi Nakamura is praised for imaginative, quicksilver bass lines that deepen the groove. His blend of guitar-like precision and gut-level blues has sparked collaborations with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Hank Jones, Dave Douglas, and Steve Miller. With his charismatic stage presence and artful, hard swinging melodic touch, Nakamura is a first-call performer capturing new audiences and fans around the world. Born in Tokyo, Nakamura moved to the United States at age 9, and considers both places home. He began with clarinet and tenor saxophone, but his older brother’s study of guitar and drums drove him to pick up the bass. His love of rock and funk aside, the music of Charlie Parker, Ray Brown, and Miles Davis were a potent influence on him. Nakamura received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Jazz Performance from Berklee School of Music in 2000, and was awarded a full scholarship to The Juilliard School for his Artist Diploma in 2006. He credits Myron Walden as an early champion, and keeps close ties to Juilliard mentors Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon, and Carl Allen, all of whom maintain him in their bands.
artist profile
Nakamura’s career is flourishing, with consistent engagements at premier jazz festivals including Tokyo, North Sea, Monterey, and Ravinia; and venues such as Birdland, Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, the Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. In 2014, he was honored to play the “NEA Jazz Masters Concert: Celebrating Jamey Abersold, Anthony Braxton, Richard Davis, and Keith Jarrett,” sharing the stage with Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman. A wide array of projects permits him to explore musical styles and collaborations. In 2016, he recorded with one of his longtime inspirations, Toshiko Akiyoshi, for her recent release, Porgy and Bess. His performance with Akiyoshi’s Jazz Orchestra was also broadcast as a documentary
film. Recent works include “For the Love of Duke” with New York City Ballet choreographed by Susan Stroman, and “Ellington at Christmas: Nutcracker Suite” with Savion Glover, Lizz Wright, the Abyssinian Baptist Choir, and David Berger conducting. In 2010, he toured the Middle East with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s “Kings of the Crescent City” project, and he toured Asia in 2008 with the Juilliard All-Stars. As an educator, Nakamura has led master classes and summer intensive courses at the The Juilliard School, New School, Koyo Conservatory, Osaka Geidai, and Savannah Swing Central.
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Upcoming Events Marc-André Hamelin, piano february 14 Horowitz Piano Series Guest artist Marc-André Hamelin, of whom The New York Times has asked, rhetorically, “Is it possible for a pianist to be too good?” performs an eclectic program that includes Debussy’s Images, Book I, music by Liszt, and more. Morse Recital Hall | Wednesday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $21 • Students $11 The Magic Flute february 16-18 Yale Opera The Yale Opera presents an innovative new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute that tells us to question truth, find love, and be human. Yale School of Drama alumnus Dustin Wills directs the cast and Israel Gursky conducts the Yale Philharmonia in this timeless tale of a hero’s journey to enlightenment. Shubert Theatre | Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm Tickets from $19, Students $10 Visit shubert.com or call (203) 562-5666
Philharmonia in Sprague february 23 Yale Philharmonia Conducting fellow David Yi leads the Yale Philharmonia in a program that includes Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19, with Szymon Nehring ’19AD; Wieniawski’s Légende, Op. 17, and Ravel’s Tzigane, M. 76, with violinist Sirena Huang ’19AD; and Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61. Morse Recital Hall | Friday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $10 • Yale Faculty/Staff $8 Students $5 Harp vs. Harp march 2 Ellington Jazz Series Edmar Castaneda, harp, and Grégoire Maret, harmonica A concert showcasing the musical range and imagination of two remarkable artists Morse Recital Hall | Friday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $20 • Students $10
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