Swing Streets of New York
Drummer-leaders
Paul Blair
(correspondent Jazzmozaïek in New York)
In this installment, we’re heavy on
immensely talented drummer-leaders. And I’m about to send you three
times to the New York Times’ website at www.nytimes.com.
A
lthough Lewis Nash is a percussionist most
bandleaders are thrilled to have backing them
on recordings (he’s appeared on 300 albums already) and in clubs, he done remarkably little playing as head of his own groups. But he brought a terrific little band into Dizzy’s in June: Terrell Stafford
(t), Jimmy Greene (sax), Renee Rosnes (p) and Peter
Washington (b). Hopefully, some forward-thinking
record company will soon document this vibrant
configuration for posterity.
Living in New York presents a unique opportunity
to hear jazz groups play live, right around the time
when their most recent CDs are released. Pascal Niggenkemper, a bassist of merit, appeared at
Cornelia Street Café in June, heading up a trio that
included Robin Verheyen (sax) and Tyshawn Sorey
(perc). They’ve just recorded together as a unit on an
intriguing Konnex disc called Pasàpas. Also generating considerable buzz is guitarist Miles Okazaki’s
new Generations (Sunnyside), on which he features
no fewer than three altoists: David Binney, Miguel
Zénon and Chrisof Knoce. Miles’ seven-member
configuration played material from that invigorating CD at the Jazz Gallery for two evenings in June.
foto: © Jos Knaepen
The Strickland twins – Marcus Strickland the saxophonist and E.J. Strickland the drummer – have
just released a pair of equally
stimulating albums on their
own Strick label, Idiosyncrasies and In This Day. Marcus
heads up a trio, while E.J.
fronts a quintet; each plays
in the other’s ensemble. For
a rundown on how their August CD release gala at Joe’s
Pub went down, read Times
reviewer Nate Chinen’s writeup (on Times website type
in Search Box title: “Twin
Albums From Twin Bandleaders Inspire a Post-Bop
Celebration.” and Nate’s piece
will pop up).
Ali Jackson
28
Jazzmozaïek 3/2009
Ali Jackson, a drummer
heretofore best known for
his work behind Wynton
Marsalis, is now beginning
to emerge as a leader in his
own right. He brought an
outstanding five-piece outfit
into the Jazz Standard during August: Vincent Gardner
(trb), Wayne Escoffery (sax),
Aaron Goldberg (p) and Ben
Wolfe (b). The Times’ premier jazz writer Ben Ratliff
loved them, too. You can
find his insightful comments
on the paper’s website under
the title Bops, Hums and Pings, Turned Into Jazz.
And you can experience the same personnel cruising through Ali’s new album Wheelz Keep Rollin.’
Still better is a ripping version of What Is This
Thing Called Love, recorded by a Jackson quartet
at the Greenwich Village club called Fat Cat back
in 2003, with Wynton sitting in, and now available on an album entitled Big Brown Getdown. It’s
one of the most exciting tracks I’ve heard in years.
It’s positively Haynesian – and I can’t think of a
greater compliment.
Even though I’m not expecting peace to break out in
the Middle East any time soon, saxophonist Chris
Byars has been doing his best to make that happen.
His quartet recently returned from a tour though
that region, organized and sponsored, believe it or
not, by the U.S. State Department’s Rhythm Road
initiative. They played jazz arrangements of the
region’s traditional musics in Morocco, Jordan,
Oman, Syria, Bahrain and Kuwait – and also presented tunes from Chris’ terrific new Steeplechase
CD entitled Blue Lights: The Music Of Gigi Gryce.
You really ought to get hold of this one yourself.
Here’s what I’m looking forward to in coming
weeks: saxist Ohad Talmor at Cornelia Street Café
heralding the release of a new Auand album called
Playing In Traffic with the same compatriots heard
on the disc: Steve Swallow (b) and Adam Nussbaum
(d)…vibraphonist Mike Manieri at Iridium, along
with longtime colleagues Warren Bernhardt, David
Spinoza, Tony Levin and Steve Gadd, introducing
material from a new recording by the co-op group
they call L’Image…bassist Cecil McBee playing his
first NYC gig as leader in thirty years at the Jazz
Standard, in the company of George Cables, Victor
Lewis and tenor up-and-comer Noah Preminger…
and drummer extraordinaire Matt Wilson bringing
the same long-running quartet heard on his new
Palmetto release, That’s Gonna Leave A Mark, into
the Standard. Also featured will be Chris Lightcap on bass plus saxists Andrew D’Angelo and Jeff
Lederer. It’s a joyous album, a worthy successor to
Matt’s seven previous releases for the same label.
But wait a minute – isn’t jazz already dead? You
may have already read reports suggesting that it
is. But for an intriguing contrarian view, check
out an article by writer Nate Chinen recently published in the Times. Find it at nytimes.com under
Doomsayers May Be Playing Taps, But Jazz Isn’t
Ready to Sing the Blues. You’ll be both enlightened
and encouraged.
Onze correspondent Paul Blair woont in
Brooklyn, brengt maandelijks in New York
het jazz magazine Hot House uit en gidst
groepen langs minder bekende en historisch belangrijke paden door The Big Apple.
Voor meer info over de walking tours:
www.SwingStreets.com.