Saturday, April 28, 2012

Armstrong in Retrospect

 LOUIS ARMSTRONG and his ALL STARS - Live concert in Turin (Italy) (May 1959) remembered.
Music is a common denominator. Jazz fans are the same all over the world (Quote Louis Armstrong)
Girish Trivedi - Hans Koert


The year 1959 was a hectic year for Louis Armstrong.  At the 26th of June 1959 he had to perform in Spoleto (Italy) but was suffered with a heart attack or pneumonia ... The doctors disagreed whether it was pneumonia or a heart attack, Steven Brower says, but Louis knew better .... They called it pneumonia, I just ate too much. (Source: Satchmo - The Wonderful World and Art of Louis Armstrong - Steven Brower) 
In 1959 Louis Armstrong retuned to Europe with his All-Stars  with a lot of success. The concert in Berlin ( February 1959) was sold out and in London (March) they performed at a standing-room-only crowd. He came to Holland twice ( February and May 1959) for concerts at the Kurhaus (The Hague) and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and at the Blokker veilinghal. He gave a  concert in Antwerp (Belgium) which was recorded on film. In Geneva the youth became besieged by the music, ..... they broke lose and besieged Armstrong at the end of the show. In May 1959 Louis Armstrong and his All Stars performed in Milan and Turin and Girish from Mumbai (India) who was in the audience loves to share his passion for Louis Armstrong and his remembrances to the Turin concert with the visitors of the Keep Swinging blog. (Hans Koert)
Louis Armstrong at the Teatro Alfieri in Turin (Italy) 1st of May, 1959. ( f.l.t.r.: Billy Kyle (piano) - Trummy Young (trombone) - Louis Armstrong (trumpet - vocal) - (invisible: Danny Barcelona (drums)) -  Peanuts Hucko (clarinet) - and Arvell Shaw (double bass) (Thanks to Girish)
The memory I have of the eventful Armstrong concert in 1959, is that Satchmo, after his opening number It's Sleepy Time Down South, played, among other compositions Muskrat Ramble, When the Saints Go Marching In and Tiger Rag.

A 'jaded' Armstrong at 59 was electrifying and the majestic tone of his trumpet and his interpretations were never in doubt; however, his playing did not equal his Hot Fives and Sevens recorded in the twenties.


 Louis Armstrong at the Teatro Alfieri in Turin (Italy) 1st of May, 1959. ( f.l.t.r.: Billy Kyle (piano) - Trummy Young (trombone) - Louis Armstrong (trumpet - vocal) - (invisible: Danny Barcelona (drums)) - Peanuts Hucko (clarinet) - and Arvell Shaw (double bass) (Thanks to Girish)


When Armstrong made his first trip to England, Nat Gonella, the English Dixieland trumpeter was 'surprised' to see Armstrong's small compact physical size and wondered how such a 'small' trumpet player could have such Herculean tone on the trumpet.

Others examined Armstrong's trumpet to see if there were any hidden devices that made his trumpet sound so loud and of mythical proportions in all registers.

In later years Satchmo was called Uncle Tom by Miles Davis and some others; however, given the realities and tenor of the times when the Blacks were brutally segregated, Armstrong had little choice but to play up to his white audiences and to his enterprising manager Joe Glaser (white) who promoted him but also fleeced him.

This was uncharitable and unworthy of Miles Davis and Armstrong's other detractors.

Before being exposed to Armstrong recordings in the early fifties, I was already listening to hard-boppers, like Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Howard McGhee, Fats Navarro and others.

 Later, when I witnessed Armstrong perform 'live', it opened up a whole new vista of Dixieland and Chicago style playing of trumpet players like Bobby Hackett, Jimmy McPartland, Oran Hot Lips Page and Swingers Bill Coleman, The Paris brothers and others.
 Still of a recorded TV-program at La Bussola, Focette (near Viareggio), Italy (7th of May, 1959) That said, it is quite clear that Roy Eldridge came out of Armstrong, Gillespie out of Eldridge and a whole host of trumpet players out of Gillespie.

 Armstrong was a simple charitable man and his life revolved around his music, his ladies, his food and his 'reefers'.

It is a crying shame that playing 'one-nighters' for 45 to 50 weeks annually all over the world, Armstrong, at his death left behind a 'piddle' estate of less than half a million dollars including his house in Corona, Queens, New York.

 By a sharp contrast, Benny Goodman (another jazz giant), rising out of impoverished Chicago slums died a very wealthy man on his own (although he married into the well-heeled Hammond family). In my opinion, Armstrong 'invented' the trumpet and was the Greatest Grand Daddy of them all. Inventive, noble and soulful.


Girish


Love to share with you a fragment of an Italian concert recorded a week after the Turin concert at La Bussola, Focette (near Viareggio), Italy the 7th of May, 1959. a few days before the Blokker concert. Enjoy: It's Sleepy Time Down South



Hans Koert
keepswinging@live.nl
Twitter: #keepitswinging Facebook: Keep (it) Swinging

For Louis Armstrong the year 1959 would become a rather hectic year, as he had to stop his European tour early due to health problems.  In May 1959 Girish joined a concert by Satchmo in Turin. He loved to share his passion for Armstrongs musical heritage and the remembrances of that 1959 Turin concert. Keep (it) Swinging loves to point you to this kind of concerts. If you joined such a legendary concert in the past and you love to share photos and a retrospect with the visitors of the keep (it) Swinging blog, please let me know.  If you don't want to miss any contribution feel free to ask its free Keep (it) Swinging newsletter ( keepswinging@live.nl)  

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Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Michael Treni Big Band - Boy's Night Out

MICHAEL TRENI'S 4th ALBUM SINCE HIS COMEBACK.
The arrangements soar, the soloists sizzle, the ideas flow, and the band is a winner! ( George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon's Jazz Scene )
Hans Koert

The Michael Treni Big Band recently released its fourth album, entitled Boy's Night Out. Michael Treni started his career in the 1970s as a young trombonist in, as he labels it, a cadre of brilliant young improvisers. He had studied at the Boston's Berklee College of Music, where he founded the band Kaleidoscope, featuring his class mate Pat Metheny. During the 1970s he performed with musicians like trumpet player Tom Harrell, Paul McCanless and Earl Gardner. In 1977 he was part of the Bobby Watson Orchestra, which recorded a Roulette album entitled Estimated Time of Arrival - a group which featured the Russian trumpet player Valery Ponomarev, which became part of the Art Blakey band during the late 1970s.
 
Michael Treni ( photo courtesy: Christopher Drukker) 
In the late 1970s Art Blakey heard Michael Treni in concert and was fascinated by the way he played his trombone and asked him to join him for his European tour, but, sorry for Michael, Curtis Fuller heard about the intended tour and ask Art is he could join ..... Know that Curtis Fuller had played with Blakey's Messengers before (1961-1965) and that he was a guest player for several times during 1970s. Art Blakey seized the opportunity with both hands and selected Curtis Fuller for his tour ....... In 1985 Michael left the jazz scene as an active musician for some decades, to return mid 1990s in the jazz scene, now retired as a succesful businessman, teaching music and brought jazz music and theatre arts in the New Jersey public schools for 13 years. He is also a gifted author and has his own publishing company Bell Production Company ...... and founded his Michael Treni Big Band.
The Michael Treni Big Band - Boys Night Out ( Photo and graphic design Christopher Drukker)
The band features 18 musicians ( two tracks have strings added), who all have won their spurs, like saxophone player Jerry Bergonzi, who played with Dave Brubeck during the 1970s and had his own trio / quartet during the 1980s; toured with the Gil Evans Orchestra / George Grunz Concert Band (featuring Miles Davis) to Europe and played with Joey Calderazzo. Jerry Bergonzi can be heard on 100s of albums ........
Michael Treni ( photo courtesy: Christopher Drukker)
The title tune, Boy's Night Out, shouldn't be misunderstood. Michael wrote it late 1970s for one of his first bands, the Jazz Horizons Orchestra. The whole idea is, he explains in the liner notes, Guys going out and playing in the club for fun. When I wrote it 30 years ago you didn't have all the wonderful female musicians that you do now.

Enjoy a fragment of this title tune: Boy's Night Out, as played by Michael Treni's Big Band.

The album contains eight tracks, three own compositions and five tracks composed by great composers like Leonard Bernstein ( Something's Going - part of the West Side Story), George Shearing's Lullaby of Birdland and the well known Billy Strayhorn composition U.M.M.G.( = Upper Manhattan Medical Group), which belongs to my favorites, as it has some good solos played by piano player Charles Blenzig and tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. All eight compositions were arranged by Michael Treni.
The Michael Treni Big Band ( photo courtesy: Christopher Drukker)
Two tracks have strings added - Michaels composition, the ballad In My Quiet Time and the well known standard Here's That Rainy Day, with a great role for Michael on the trombone. A big band album which surprised me and a must-have for all those jazz fans who like the music of the great orchestras, like Thad Jones, Woody Herman or Count Basie ( to list some).
The album can be ordered at Mike Treni's website.
Hans Koert
keepswinging@live.nl
Twitter: #keepitswinging
Facebook: Keep (it) Swinging
For some jazz fans Big Bands are monstrous antique artifact of a bygone time: Duke Ellington - Count Basie - Woody Herman - Gil Evans or Thad Jones. Nothing is further from the truth .... Big Bands are still breeding grounds and centre for creative jazz composers and arrangers. One of those orchestras is Michael Treni's Big Band. Recently Michael released his fourth album since his comeback in jazz mid 1990s, entitled Boy's Night Out: The arrangements soar, the soloists sizzle, the ideas flow, and the band is a winner, the booklet quotes George Fendel about the band. If you're a lover of well arranged big band music, try to get yourself a copy of this great album. Keep (it) Swinging loves to point to this kind of great albums. If you don't want to miss any contribution, ask for its (free) Keep (it) Swinging newsletter: keepswinging@live.nl
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Monday, April 23, 2012

Catherine Russell vierde album uitgebracht: Strictly Romancin'

Amerikaanse zangeres bezoekt in mei ons land  ... ..... but in person she convinced me - she's the greatest singer alive! ( Allen Lowe in Organissimo.org)
Hans Koert
 Catherine Russell latest album Strictly Romancin' released (English) | Catherine Russell vierde album uitgebracht: Strictly Romancin' ( Nederlands)
Catherine Russell bracht onlangs haar vierde album uit sinds ze een tien jaar geleden besloot om solo te gaan zingen .... In 2004, ze was toen 48 jaar jong, besloot ze het roer drastisch om te gooien en niet langer in achtergrondkoortje te wilen optreden, letterlijk verscholen, achter grote namen als David Bowie en Paul Simon. In 2006 bracht ze haar eerste soloplaat uit, eenvoudigweg getiteld Cat, gevolgd door Sentimental Streak (2008) en Inside This Heart of Mine.  Haar vierde album  is genoemd Strictly Romancin' en bevat een veertiental nummers, begeleid door haar vaste kwartet, dat bestaat uit Matt Munisteri (gitaar en banjo) - Mark Shane (piano) -  Lee Hudson (bas) en Mark McLean (slagwerk) en aantal gastspelers - Een beleidingsgroep, die weet hoe te swingen .....
Catherine Russell tijdens een zgn. in-shop concert in de Drvkkerij in Middelburg (oktober 2010) ( foto: Hans Koert)
Catherine Russell groeide op in een muzikale gezin, dat haar wortels in de jazzscene van de jaren dertig had. Pa was immers de beroemde bandleider Luis Russell en dit vind je dan ook in alle recensie breed uitgemeten, dus ga ik Luis Russell's wapenfeiten hier niet nog een keer herkauwen.  Over haar moeder, Carline Ray, weten de meesten niet meer te vertellen dat ze gitarist was in de populaire damesband uit de jaren veertig: The  International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

Catherine Russell tijdens een zgn. in-shop concert in de Drvkkerij in Middelburg (oktober 2010) ( foto: Hans Koert) Catherine vertelt, dat ze droomde ooit nog eens een duet met haar moeder te kunnen opnemen, die, behalve gitarist in the International Sweethearts of Rhythm ook een goede stem had. Later ging ze bas spelen en zat in het achtergrondkoortje van Hammond B14 virtuoos Jimmy Smith, en speelde in bands als die van Red Richard en Ruth Brown. Deze droom ging in vervulling op dit album.  Het gospelnummer He's All I Need vind je terug als een-na-laatste nummer op dit album en Catherine zingt hier dit fraaie nummer uit het repertoire van Sister Rosetta Tharpe, met haar moeder Carline Ray. Caterine laat zich in dit album inspireren door vocalisten uit de jaren dertig en veertig, zoals bijvoorbeeld Mary Lou Williams, waarmee haar moeder nog opgetreden heeft begin jaren zeventig en ze Mary Lou haar met het nummer Satchel Mouth Baby!, dat Mary Lou met haar Chosen Five opname in maart 1944 voor Asch.
Mark Shane tijdens een zgn. in-shop concert in de Drvkkerij in Middelburg (oktober 2010) ( foto: Hans Koert)
Je vindt een kort interview met Catherine in het volgende fragment waarin ze vertelt over wat en wie haar inspireerde voor dit fraaie album.

Het album bevat standards, zoals I'm in the Mood for Love en No More, ooit gezongen door Billie Holiday in de jaren veertig en composities, zoals het gedateerde Dixielandnummer, Everybody Loves My Baby, dat ik iedereen zou afraden op te nemen, maar juist onder de handen van Catherine Russell en haar band aan een nieuw leven begint, alsof het nummer vanmorgen gecomponeerd werd. Dit is, volgens mij, de kracht van Catherine Russell, die zich in haar repertoire keuze niet laat leiden door de veilige ankerpunten uit het The All American Songbook, maar terug durft te grijpen naar nummers, die in de tijd dat haar vader furore maakte, bekend waren en ze thuis vaak gehoord zal hebben. Hiermee bereikt ze een grote groep vergeten jazzfans mee.
Catherine Russell en Mark Shane op de achtergrond tijdens een zgn. in-shop concert in de Drvkkerij in Middelburg (oktober 2010) ( foto: Hans Koert)
De generatie, die opgroeide met swingmuziek en deze muziek allen nog maar door professionals kan horen spelen op krakende langspeelplaten, vind in Catherine Russell een jazzvocaliste, zoals die er nog maar zelden te horen zijn in ons land met dit soort muziek. Het nummer Everybody Loves My Baby is daar op dit album zo'n goed voorbeeld van, net als Fats Waller's nummer We The People, Struttin' with Some Barbecue of Kitchen Man, die ze op haar eerdere albums zong ......
Catherine Russell tijdens een zgn. in-shop concert in de Drvkkerij in Middelburg (oktober 2010) ( foto: Hans Koert)
Eén van mijn favoriete nummers op haar laatste album is I'm Checkin' Out, Goom' Bye, oorspronkelijk een nummer gezongen door Ivie Anderson, waarin de goede luisteraars tijdens de eerste maten een kort maar fascinerend dialoogje kan horen tussen Catherine en trombonist John Allred. Luister maar eens naar deze vrij onbekende compositie van Billy Strayhorn:

Ik hoorde Catherine tijdens een kort optreden in de Middelburgse boekhandel en platenwinkel The Drvkkery in oktober 2010, samen met haar vaste pianist Mark Shane en daar pakte ze me volledig in met haar stem, haar charisma en haar repertoire, dat in haar handen herboren werd .......  

I  saw her in Boston - her recordings are fine, but in person she convinced me - she's the greatest singer alive ( Allen Lowe) ( op Organissimo.org, auteur van That Devilin' Tune - A Jazz History 1900-1950)

In mei zal Catherine in Nederland op verschillende plaatsen te horen zijn, dus laat je die kans niet ontgaan, anders zul je 't alleen met haar nieuwe album moeten doen: Strictly Romancin’ .
Catherine Russell tijdens een zgn. in-shop concert in de Drvkkerij in Middelburg (oktober 2010) ( foto: Hans Koert)
De plaat kan besteld worden via de website van Harmonia Mundi. 
Catherine Russell zal in mei op de volgende Nederlandse podia optreden met haar trio (Mark Shane – piano - Matt Munisteri-gitaar - Lee Hudson-bas).

Vrijdag 18 mei - Amsterdam - Bimhuis
Zaterdag 19 mei - Breda - Breda Jazz Festival (ook op zondagmorgen 20 mei)
 Zondag 20 mei - IJmuiden – Thalia Theater
Donderdag 24 mei - Rotterdam - Lantaren Venster
Vrijdag 25 mei - Heerlen – Parkstad Limburg Theater
Zaterdag 26 mei - Almere – Schouwburg Almere

Hans Koert keepswinging@live.nl
Twitter: #keepitswinging - Facebook Keep (it) Swinging
Catherine Russell gooide zo'n kleine tien jaar geleden drastisch het roer om en begon aan een solocarriere als jazzzangeres, na tientallen jaren in achtergrondkoortjes van beroemde popsterren gezongen te hebben. Opgegroeid in een gezin, waar de traditionele jazz en swing elke dag te horen was, werd ze gefasineerd door jazzzangeressen als Ivie Anderson, Mary Lou Williams of Abbey Lincoln ..... Onlangs verscheen haar vierde album: Strictly Romancin', een swingende plaat, die een grote groep (vergeten) jazzfans zal boeien. Keep (it) Swinging wijst graag op dit soort platen, die hun wortels in de klassieke jazz en swing hebben, zonder die klakkeloos te imiteren. .. Als je geen bijdrage wilt missen volg haar dan via de maandelijkse Keep (it) Swinging nieuwsbrief: Vraag'm: keepswinging@live.nl

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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Catherine Russell latest album Strictly Romancin' released

A jazz singer with a husky tone but a bright temperament ( New York Times)
American jazz vocalist visits Europe in May
Hans Koert


Catherine Russell latest album Strictly Romancin' released (English) | Catherine Russell vierde album uitgebracht: Strictly Romancin' ( Nederlands)


Recently Catherine Russell released her fourth album since she decided to go solo .... In 2004, then 48 years young, she decided to stop as a background vocalist behind great names like David Bowie and Paul Simon and to change course. In 2006 she released her first solo album, simply entitled Cat, followed by Sentimental Streak (2008) and Inside This Heart of Mine.  Her fourth album is entitled Strictly Romancin' and contains more then a dozen songs, accompanied by her regular quartet, which includes Matt Munisteri (guitar and banjo) - Mark Shane (piano) -  Lee Hudson (double bass) and Mark McLean (drums) and several guest players.
Catherine Russell at an in-shop concert at the Drvkkerij - Middelburg (The Netherlands) (October 2010) ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
Catherine Russell was born and raised in a musical family, which had its roots in the jazz scene of the 1930s. In most reviews you can read about her roots, about the fact that her father was the well known band leader Luis Russell, is discussed detailed, so I won't  stir up that ..... Her mother, Carline Ray, however, was a guitar player in bands like the 1940s International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
Catherine Russell at an in-shop concert at the Drvkkerij - Middelburg (The Netherlands) (October 2010) ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
Catherine tells, that she dreamed to play a duet with her mother, who was one of the members of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm in the 1940s (she was the guitar player); Later she took the double bass and recorded with Jimmy Smith, and performed in bands with Red Richard and Ruth Brown. This dream came true in her latest album; He's All I Need is a traditional gospel, sung and dedicated to Sister Rosetta Tharpe.  The great vocalist Mary Lou Williams, another singer that inspired Catherine to make this album, did work with her mother during the early 1970s; Catherine honoured her in the great tune: Satchel Mouth Baby!, which was recorded by Mary Lou and her Chosen Five in March 1944 for Asch.
Mark Shane at an in-shop concert at the Drvkkerij - Middelburg (The Netherlands) (October 2010) ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
Enjoy a short trailer in which Catherine tells you about the singers and tunes, that inspired her for this great album:
The album contains standards, like I'm in the Mood for Love and No More, sung by Billie Holiday during the 1940s and compositions like the dated Dixieland tune Everybody Loves My Baby, which changes into the hands of Catherine into a fresh new tune, as if it was composed yesterday. This is, i.m.o., the strength of Catherine Russell selected repertoire and her surplus value, that makes her so popular to a forgotten group of jazz fans.
Catherine Russell and Mark Shane (in the background) at an in-shop concert at the Drvkkerij - Middelburg (The Netherlands) (October 2010) ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)

The generation,that was raised in a time when swing was popular music, ruminates the records from the past and seldom hear these songs played by a new generation of musicians, who play these famous standards as if they were written yesterday, instead of (half) a century ago .... The way Catherine sings Everybody Loves My Baby is a good example ... it gives the same sensation as in the 1920s the flapper wifes must have had when they heard these words for the very first time ......... When my baby kisses me upon my rosy cheeks, I have to let those kisses be. Don't wash my face for weeks .....
Catherine Russell at an in-shop concert at the Drvkkerij - Middelburg (The Netherlands) (October 2010) ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
One of my favorites is her swinging version of I'm Checkin' Out, Goom' Bye, originally sung by Ivie Anderson, which contains a small, but great dialogue between the vocalist and John Allred on trombone. Love to share with you part of this great rather unknown Strayhorn composition:

I heard Catherine singing at a short in-store concert at the Drvkkery bookshop and record store  in Middelburg (The Netherlands), October 2010, together with piano player Mark Shane and she surprised me and learned me that even the traditional jazz and swing repertoire can still fascinate and inspire, if it is performed by professional musicians, who know how this repertoire should be played ...... Catherine will be in this part of the world (Europe) next month, so try to join one of her concerts and if you are not around, you stil can enjoy her latest album Strictly Romancin’
Catherine Russell at an in-shop concert at the Drvkkerij - Middelburg (The Netherlands) (October 2010) ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
The album can be ordered at the Harmonia Mundi store. and all major online webshops.
Catherine Russell will visit Switzerland, Germany,France, The Netherlands and Luxembourg  between the 11th of May up to the 27th of May.

All shows are Catherine Russell + Trio (Mark Shane – piano, Matt Munisteri-guitar, Lee Hudson-bass) except On three shows add
*w/Duke Heitger – trumpet, Andreas Maile – sax, Jeff Hamilton – drums

Catherine Russell: Europe in May 2012
Fri 11 Buelach, Switzerland – JazzInn im Grampen
*

Sat 12 Stuttgart, Germany – Leiderhalle/ Mozart-Saal
*
Mon 14 Ascona, Switzerland – Jazz Cat Club
Wed 16 Luzerne, Switzerland – Grand Casino Luzern
*
Fri 18 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Bimhuis
Sat 19 Breda, Netherlands - Breda Jazz Festival (also Sunday morning 5/20)
Sun 20 Ijmuiden, Netherlands – Thalia Theater
Tue 22 Paris, France - Sunside
Thu 24 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Lantaren Venster
Fri 25 Heerlen, Netherlands – Parkstad Limburg Theater
Sat 26 Almere, Netherlands – Schouwburg Almere
Sun 27 – Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – All American Music Festival
Hans Koert
Twitter: #keepitswinging - Facebook Keep (it) Swinging

Catherine Russell started a solo career as a jazz singer, after backing great pop singers for decades. Raised in a musical family she knows how to handle the jazz repertoire of great singers like Ivie Anderson, Mary Lou Williams or Abbey Lincoln ..... Recently her fourth album was released, Strictly Romancin', a swinging album which will fascinate a large group of jazz lovers. Keep (it) Swinging loves to point you to this album, which has its roots in the traditional and swing jazz music ..... If you don't want to miss any contribution, please ask for the free (monthly) newsletter: keepswinging@live.nl

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Monday, April 16, 2012

Deborah Brown - Eric Ineke's JazzXpress in Porgy en Bess

 Amerikaanse jazzzangeres presenteert nieuw album All Too Soon met  Eric Ineke's JazzXpress in Porgy en Bess
Melodies have a way of sticking with you ... (Deborah Brown)
Hans Koert

Aan stoppen denkt de twee weken jonge 65-jarige nog niet ..... Al sinds hij eind jaren zestig bij Henny Vonk en Ferdinand Povel achter het slagwerk aanschoof, speelt Eric Ineke, geboren in Haarlem, april 1947, een belangrijke rol in de Nederlandse jazzscene .... als begeleider en niet weg te denken slagwerker bij het Rein de Graaff Trio (sinds 1971) en tientallen andere groepen, besloot hij zo'n kleine tien jaar geleden een eigen groep te beginnen: JazzXpress ..... en met dit kwintet trad hij zondag 15 april 2012 aan op het podium van Porgy en Bess in Terneuzen, met als speciale gast: Deborah Brown.
Eric Ineke ( foto: Hans Koert) 
De Eric Ineke JazzXpress bestaat uit: Rodolpho Fereira Neves (trompet) - Sjoerd Dijkhuizen (tenorsax) - Rob van Bavel (piano), Marius Beets, de Mercedes Benz onder bassisten - the ultieme timekeeper ... op bas en Eric Ineke (slagwerk). Speciale gast de Amerikaanse zangeres Deborah Brown, die al een paar keer eerder in Porgy en Bess optrad ( met o.a. Horace Parlan en Red Mitchell; met de WDR Big Band o.l.v. Jerry van Rooyen - en met Roger van Haverbeke en Eric Vermeulen).



Marius Beets (foto: Hans Koert)
Great that you're here on such a sunny day, verwelkomde Deborah Brown het Porgy en Bess publiek en ze begon een opsomming te geven, van wat men allemaal op deze zonnige middag had kunnen ondernemen ... But you didn't -  you're here and that's great .....
Deborah Brown ( foto: Hans Koert)
Deborah Brown werd geboren in 1953 in Kansas-City en groeide daar op in een muzikaal gezin. Haar moeder was een klassiek geschoold pianist en vader speelde trombone. Van hem moet ze haar liefde voor de jazz meegekregen hebben, want hij introduceerde haar in die muziek, door thuis de muziek van Art Tatum, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Parker en Clifford Brown te draaien, al was ze als tiener meer geboeid door zangeressen als Nancy Wilson, Roberta Flack en Dionne Warwick. In 1967 maakte ze haar debuut voor publiek met het nummer The Nearness of You. Ze ging zingen in allerei groepen en stijlen, van musicals tot optredens in de voorprogramma's van zangeressen als Flora Purim, Shirley Scott en Ernestine Anderson.
Marius Beets en Deborah Brown ( foto: Hans Koert)
Gefascineerd door de stem van zangeressen als Ella Fitzgerald en Sarah Vaughan had ze het liefst jazz gezongen, maar, ondanks lange weken met soms zes optredens per week, lukte het niet om in de populaire muziek in de VS echt door te breken. Op bezoek in Europa werd ze verrast door de hier aanwezige jazzscene, die veel minder hard was dan in haar geboorteland en haar hier met open armen verwelkomde en ze besloot in Europa te komen wonen, eerst in Brussel en twee jaar later in Baarn. Ze zou zo'n twaalf jaar in Nederland blijven wonen.
Marius Beets, Rodolpho Neves en Sjoerd Dijkhuizen (foto: Hans Koert)
Ze maakte hier platen met trombonist Slide Hampton, trompettist Benny Bailey en saxofonist Johnny Griffin, allen waren blijven hangen en ze kreeg nu de kans op te treden in alle uithoeken van de wereld met grote namen als Monty Alexander, Horace Parlan, Cedar Walton, Lou Donaldson, Red Mitchell en Roy Hargrove, om er een paar te noemen. De afgelopen vier weken trad zo op in Rusland ( I even performed above the polar circle, vertelde ze me), Zweden en Engeland en na dit concert stonden er nog optredens in Nederland en Duitsland op het programma - een lange vermoeiende tour van zes weken ... I'm looking forward to play at home with the boys again ... verzuchtte ze.
 Rodolpho Fereira Neves ( foto: Hans Koert)
Eric Ineke en zijn JazzXpress openden de eerste set met het instrumentale nummer The One and Only, waarna Deborah Brown haar optreden startte  met Light in Your Eyes en I'm Satisfied. Dit nummer werd in augustus 1933 door Duke Ellington and his famous Orchestra op Brunswick vastgelegd, met Ivie Anderson als zangeres en één van de nummers, samen met de bekende Ellington klassieker, het schitterende Mood Indigo, dat Deborah ook in Terneuzen vertolkte, eerder vastlegde met Eric Ineke's JazzXpress in hun tribuutalbum For The love of Ivie. In In a Sentimental Mood liet Deborah horen wat een geweldige stem ze heeft, ook in de langzame nummers.
Sjoerd Dijkhuizen ( foto: Hans Koert)
Eén van de mooiere nummers van de avond waren Evenin', bekend geworden door Mr. Five by Five, Jimmy Rushing met de Basie band en de klassieker Indian Love Call, oorspronkelijk opgenomen in 1924 door Leroy Smith's Dance Orchestra op het obscure Everybody's label, maar ook opgepakt door Paul Whiteman, die het op Victor tot een bescheiden hitje maakte. Uiteindelijk werd het de eerste musical show tune, die meer dan een miljoen keer over de toonbank ging in de versie van Jeanette MacDonald en Nelson Eddy, die de hoofdrollen speelden in de gelijknamige filmklassieker uit 1936. Deborah was heel blij met het arrangement dat Rob van Bavel voor haar maakte. When I heard this tune for the very first time – years ago I loved to sing it, but no-one ever made me such a great arrangement then Rob did …..  De eerste set werd afgesloten met de bekende All God's Chillun Got Rhythm, waarin chillun', legde Deborah uit, gewoon children, kinderen dus, betekent.
 Deborah Brown ( foto: Hans Koert)
Eric Ineke werd onlangs 65 jaar en eind van deze maand verschijnt zijn boek The Ultimate Sideman, dat hij samen met David Liebman samenstelde en dat eind van de maand tijdens een groot concert met David Liebman en The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw in het Bimhuis gepresenteerd wordt. Eric Ineke en zijn mannen speelden al vaker met Deborah Brown. In 2008 verscheen het album For the Love of Ivie, een eerbetoon aan Ivie Anderson, de zangeres, die bekend werd door haar vertolkingen bij o.a. het orkest van Duke Ellington. Vorig jaar maakte Eric Ineke met zijn JazzXpress opnieuw opnamen met Deborah in Kansas City en tijdens het Porgy en Bess concert werden zeven van de twaalf nummers van deze nieuwe cd, All Too Soon, vertolkt, die tijdens dit concert gepresenteerd werd.
Rob van Bavel ( foto: Hans Koert)
De tweede set werd geopend met Horace Parlan's Arrival, dat Deborah ruim 25 jaar geleden al eens met Benny Bailey, Johnny Griffin en Ed Thigpen (net als Deborah toen alle drie Americans in Europe - immigranten ( overigens met onze "emigrant" Hein van de Geyn op bas)) in Brussel opnam, waar ze toen woonde. Na All To Soon, het titelnummer van haar nieuwste cd opgenomen vorig jaar in Kansas City met the JazzXpress, volgde de klassieker, It Don't Mean a Thing ....,  een zin die elke serieuze jazzliefhebber moeiteloos kan afmaken, waarin Deborah liet horen goed naar The First Lady of Song geluisterd te hebben - Ella Fitzgerald, volgens velen De (met een hoofdletter D) onbetwist beste jazzzangeres van de vorige eeuw ...... en gekeken? Zelfs haar verschijning op het podium van Porgy en Bess doet denken aan een reïncarnatie van the First Lady of Song.
Deborah Brown (foto: Hans Koert) 
Na het tamelijk onbekende One Hundred Dreams Fom you, dat Deborah ooit opnam met het Jack van Poll Trio (juli 1987) volgde het schitterende The Peacocks, in de jaren zeventig geschreven door pianist Jimmie (eigenlijk Jimmy) Rowles. Het nummer I'm checkin' out, goom bye, oorspronkelijk gezongen door Ivie Anderson, eind jaren dertig bij Duke Ellington, staat ook op de tribute cd For The Love of Ivie, een album dat ik nog steeds eens moet beluisteren .... Het concert werd afgesloten met Falling in love with love, één van mijn favorieten. Een mooie afsluiter van een begenadigd zangeres, die de erfenis van de grote vocalisten als Ella Fitzgerald en Sarah Vaughan levend houdt ........


Hans Koert
keepswinging@live.nl
Facebook: Keep (it) Swinging
Twitter: #keepitswinging

Deborah Brown en Eric Ineke's JazzXpress kennen elkaar al een aantal jaren en maakten samen een album, dat een eerbetoon was aan de Amerikaanse jazzzangeres Ivie Anderson, die tijdens de jaren dertig bij Duke Ellington zong - Hun nieuwste cd heet All Too Soon en werd vorig jaar opgenomen in Kansas City - afgelopen weekend werd deze gepresenteerd in de Porgy en Bess jazzclub in Terneuzen. Voor één keer herleefden oude tijden en leek de geest van The First Lady of Song Chatting' Ella door de Terneuzense jazzclub te zweven .... Keep (it) Swinging vertelt graag over dit soort bijzondere concerten. Als je op de hoogte wilt blijven dan kan dat via Twitter, Facebook of de gratis maandelijkse nieuwsbrief. Vraag hem aan: keepswinging@live.nl

RetrospectOscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Friends of the Keep Swinging blog Keep Swinging Contributions


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Saturday, April 14, 2012

Mark Sherman - The L.A. Sessions

Oldies given a fresh coat ...
Everything old can be new again (Mark Sherman)
Hans Koert


The vibraphone is not the most easy instrument to handle if you're a jazz musician touring. Like double bass, Hammond, vibes and piano players know, touring with such an unmanageable instrument is very hard. Piano players seem to be lucky guys in this small list, as most club or stage have its own piano, but what about the others? The vibraphone seems to be one of those forgotten, neglected instruments in modern jazz, restricted to a handful of inspired musicians, who love to travel with this unmanageable instrument. Of course, most of you can list some historical names like Red Norvo, who had his own big band during the 1930s or Lionel Hampton who is said to be one of the best vibe player ever. Adrian Rollini, who was known as an important baritone saxophone player during the 1920s and 1930s started to play the vibraphone mid 1930s. Since the 1950s you can't pass vibe players like Milt Jackson, Terry Gibbs and of course, still active nowadays, Bobby Hutcherson .... Mark Sherman is in good company and is active on the vibraphone since his 18th, when he graduated from the Juilliard School of Music. During his 30 years career, Mark started on drums, but changed soon to vibraphone, can be heard on more then a hundred albums, with great names like Peggy Lee, Larry Coryell, Rodney Jones, Liza Minelli and Lena Horn. Up to now Mark made a dozen albums under his own name and, recently, a new one was added to this list: The L.A. Sessions.
The Mark Sherman Quartet features Mark Sherman on vibes, Bill Cunliffe on Hammond B3, John Chiodini on guitar and Charles Ruggiers on drums.  This album was recorded in one of the best recording studios in the world, Mark explains. On a recent west coast tour I was fortunate to record in Berkeley Street Studios, the Apogee Electronics private studio along with world class engineer Roger Robinfore. This studio is nowadays recognized as the #1 digital audio solution in the world.
Mark Sherman, who is known as a sought after accompanists, who toured with vocalists like Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis jr., Jon Hendricks, Mel Tormé and Charles Aznavour, is also active in classical music and teaches as a professor in jazz studies at the Juilliard School of Music and the New Jersey City University. Although most of his previous albums contain mostly his own compositions, he dreamed making an album with standards, with the great well known tunes as played by the originators of bebop.  He asked Bill Cunliffe, John Chiodini and Charles Ruggiero to join him and selected ten tunes, like Dizzy's Woody n 'You, which opens the album. Other well known tunes are Miles Davis Serpent's Tooth, which was recorded in 1953 with Parker, Rollins, Percy Heath, Walther Bishop and Philly Joe Jones; Benny Golson's Whisper Not, Bud Powell's Celia and Coltrane's Moment's Notice ( Blue Train 1957) - all tracks belong to what could be labelled as the jazz canon. Far Away is the only own composition in this selection, but all the others are oldies given a fresh coat ........ in the belief that everything old can indeed be new again!
Love to finish with a great compilation of slides made during previous tours and projects by Mark Sherman, with some excellent vibes playing, that gives you an idea of this album.

A great album which offers you the great 1950s standards as fresh and new as if they were composed yesterday. An album you should have heard. It can be ordered at the Miles High Record site.  
Hans Koert
keepswinging@live.nl
Twitter: #keepitswinging
Join its Facebook group Keep (it) Swinging

Mark Sherman makes in the liner notes of his latest album, a public confession, that he loved to record those bebop tunes that inspired him when he started to play jazz years ago ........ For his latest album entitled The L.A. Sessions he selected ten standards that where vital to him in the early stages of music. Keep (it) Swinging loves to point you to this album which fascinated me .... If you don't want to miss any contribution of this Keep (it) Swingingblog, becaome a member of the Facebook group Keep (it) Swinging or ask its free monthly newsletter: keepswinging@live.nl

RetrospectOscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Friends of the Keep Swinging blog Keep Swinging Contributions

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