“A GREAT NIGHT IN THE FILLMORE”

Benefit Concert for The California Jazz Foundation

John Handy, NEA Jazz Master 2010: Bobby Hutcherson, Tuck & Patti, Denny Zeitlin, The Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir

Hosted by Rita Moreno, Academy Award, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner, legendary singer, dancer, and actress

Master of Ceremonies: Chuy Varela (KCSM)

Sunday, February 21, 2010 7-10pm
Yoshi’s
1330 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415.655.5600
$45 in advance / $50 at the door

VIP TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE! For $75 you can now purchase VIP tickets, receive VIP seating, and invitation to the VIP party and a free one-year membership with California Jazz Foundation. Please click the button below to buy VIP tickets now. If you want to purchase more than 1 ticket, you may adjust the quantity on the shopping cart page.

Sponsors: Sonoma Valley Jazz Society – Mesa Boogie – Napa Valley Jazz Society – Jazz Heritage Center – San Jose Jazz – JazzWest.com – Studio D Recording – The Recording Academy , SF Chapter – Whole Foods – Amoeba Music – Maria Maria – SIR, Studio Instrument Rentals -

For more information, please contact Roberta Donnay – rainforest@robertadonnay.com

For ticket information, http://www.californiajazzfoundation.org/bayarea.htm

Joe Sample – acoustic piano
Lalah Hathaway – vocals
Nick Sample – acoustic bass
Xavier Breaker – drums

Where were you in October 1999 when Joe Sample and Lalah Hathaway appeared together at Yoshi’s Oakland performing song from their The Song Lives On album?

I was there in the crowded audience sitting really close to the stage. It was an excellent concert. Fast forward 10 years to November 2009 and Joe and Lalah were back again bringing their magic.

Joe opened the set with “The Freedom Sound” which he originally recorded with the Jazz Crusaders in 1961. He followed with the title track from his 1988 Spellbound album. Joe tells such great stories about the music. He told us how “Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You” was a classic blues versus a rural blues where you moan your troubles away. The rendition he played was inspired by Nat King Cole’s 1940 rendition of this gem. It was riveting. The rhythm section included Nick Sample on bass and Xavier Breaker on drums. Lalah joined the trio and swung on “It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie” and she did some wonderful runs on “Fever.” They slowed the world down on “When Your Life Was Low” and “For All We Know” and warmed our souls with “Street Life.” Lalah playfully reminded us that name of the song was “Street Life” not “Street Lights.” They closed out their set with “When The World Turns Blue” with Joe on solo piano and Lalah laying down beautiful vocals. This was a special night that was definitely worth the wait. We just hope we do not have to wait another 10 years to see them together again.

A few days after their concert, I got to interview Lalah. We talked about music, her Grammy nomination, new projects, and even Shirley Horn. Please listen.

Concert photos by James Knox. Additional photos can be seen here.

I am so excited about seeing Patti Austin tomorrow night at Yoshi’s San Francisco. See you there!

Vocalist/songwriter Lizz Wright is bringing her sweet music to the Bay Area.

9/18 Dizzy’s Den stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival at 8:30pm
9/19-20 Yoshi’s Oakland – Shows at 8 and 10pm

Photo Credit: James Knox

Rare Feet Light Up San Francisco Nights:

The Six Limbs of El Negro

by Wesley Watkins

http://doctorsafewes.blogspot.com/

When Eddie Palmieri, “The Sun of Latin Music”, shines his signature sound on the San Francisco Yoshi’s June 18^th – 21^st, show-goers will be treated to an exclusive assembly of Latin Jazz luminaries. Among them is one star whose light seldom shines on the Bay Area. Like a comet orbiting the gravitational pull of Palmieri’s 50 years in the business, the Yoshi’s audience will have a rare opportunity to see one of the greatest Afro-Cuban drummers of all time: Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, master of the left foot clave technique.

“He’s one in a million,” says Walfredo Reyes, Sr., another Cuban drum pioneer. Reyes was the first to incorporate Cuban percussion instruments into the traditional jazz drum kit starting in the early 50s. This makes him El Negro’s predecessor in a long line of Cuban rhythmic innovators that includes Candido Camero, the first to trigger the clave pattern on a cow bell by using a foot pedal. Though Reyes has a left foot clave rig on the practice kit in his Bay Area home, he acknowledges El Negro as the foremost expert.

“There are people that try clave on the left foot all over the world, but Negro is exceptional. His clave is so beautiful. Negro maintains that rumba clave so nice and soft–it’s like a dream.”

Even though he is widely considered the reigning king of the left foot clave, try running the word “master” by El Negro and you will be met with a humility truly fitting of the title.

“How can I say I mastered it? It’s so endless–forget about it,” says Hernández. “The beauty of it is that the more you advance the longer you can see. So, you advance this little bit and you see that there’s another mile out there. And then a little bit more, and then four more miles! The more you go, the farther it gets. Forget it!”

Even if rhythmic possibilities are infinite, El Negro is miles ahead of all others who attempt the rhythmic feet (pun intended). What sets his technique apart is the independence of his remaining three limbs while his left foot keeps the clave pattern rock steady. “Other drummers will turn the rumba clave into the son clave [by displacing the third accent in the pattern], but when El Negro puts it in, it stays rumba–and on hard tunes, too! Even odd meters,” marvels Reyes.

In addition to playing the clave pattern, El Negro’s left foot will hop back and forth between the cowbell and hi-hat pedals, making it seem there is someone else playing the bongo bell on the down beats while the hi-hat claps together on two and four. The left foot–almost another member of the band–will also trigger the second bass kick pedal, adding an intense rumble to solos and grooves alike. All the while, El Negro’s other three limbs remain completely free.

But El Negro’s playing is no gimmick. No matter how complex a polyrhythm, each hit is executed with supreme touch. A bell pattern, for example, is played by his right hand as if there were a percussionist on the stand playing just that pattern, never mind the three other instruments that same hand might be hitting to complete the groove, and never mind the other three limbs. He’s also not one to grand-stand. El Negro plays only what the music calls for, and can slip into the background, propelling the music as much through feeling as with sound. This is Afro-Cuban or Latin Jazz, after all. It’s about communication–having a conversation. And to converse with anyone, you must hear them and respond.

This brings us to El Negro’s fifth limb: his ears. Amidst the flurry of magic hands and dancing feet, he is always listening and reacting to other musicians on the stand with the utmost precision, sometimes anticipating where they are headed before they have arrived at the crossroads themselves. El Negro equates this with the independence of his limbs:

“You see, that is coordination. Coordination is not just about your limbs, it is about your ears, too. I mean, you have to play, you have to learn, but it’s about freedom in the end. What we’re learning is freedom. Freedom to do anything you want to do, but you’re listening to what’s happening in the music.”

“There is a teacher, Gary Chester, who wrote an amazing book called The New Breed. He was the first one to create a system of singing on top of all the coordination exercises. So it’s like you are learning another limb, and that was very helpful to keep a channel open for your ears. It teaches you to play and also remain totally alert to anything that is happening around you–and not just listening to the music. You can be listening to the music, and watching a girl, and talking to somebody else about the movie last night, and keep on playing at the same time–keep on rocking it!”

El Negro has developed a book and demonstration DVD, Conversations in Clave, which break down the development of four-way independence in Afro-Cuban rhythms. But don’t think you can buy the book, practice for a while, and come out of the shed charging extra for your left foot at the next gig. It took El Negro five years to get comfortable with the clave as a pattern, and another ten years in order to develop freedom against the pattern. And we’re not talking a few hours a day, either. “You want to know the secret? Practice from eight [am] to eight [pm]!”

This brings us to what I consider El Negro’s sixth limb: his heart, or his love of playing drums. Not surprisingly, this was evident from a very young age. El Negro’s uncle bought him his first drum set when he was only four years old. “I played it so hard that I destroyed it in four days! I was having the best time of my life. I put it in front of the TV–I will never forget–I put the TV to the music program, and right there I put my drums. It was great!” He was gigging professionally as a teenager, and he took over the drum chair from Ignacio Berroa at EGREM Studios in Havana, where for years he recorded 24 hours a day, taking only cat naps on a mattress upstairs between sessions.

“I have never had to force myself to practice or to play–never. There is nothing for me more pleasant than having a coffee in the morning and getting into my studio. And maybe I don’t get into the studio and go to the drums straight away. Maybe I turn on the computer and sit down and listen to what I put down the last time, but sooner or later I say, ‘I wanna play my drums.’”

In fact, El Negro wants to play his drums in a way that no drummer ever has.

“You see, Giovanni [Hidalgo] can play a concert of one hour by himself–easy–and you will be on the edge of your seat the entire time! Zakir [Hussein] also can play for one hour. I think it’s time for us drummers now. Somebody has to make it there: to be able to sit down for one hour and make music like that.”

While Giovanni Hidalgo and Zakir Hussein, the world’s leading conga and tabla masters, respectively, play tuned percussion, El Negro does not see any melodic limitations with the drum kit. He views the piano as 88 drums, and he approaches playing drums as a melodic endeavor, not merely a rhythmic one.

“I like to make music with my instrument, not just use it to accompany somebody rhythmically, but to make melodic music out of it–which I believe is possible. And I know that the possibilities are right there in the drums. I know you can sing a song with just the drums. You have to be a bad mother in the best shape of his life, but it’s possible. It’s endless. All I wish is that I could be in my studio for one year without having to travel. I know that if I could just get in there for one year, I could come out like Einstein!”

El Negro’s rare genius only comes to town maybe once every two to three years. Do not miss this opportunity to see one of the all time drumming greats display his unparalleled ability.

Eddie Palmieri and the Pan-Caribbean Summit featuring David Sanchez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Bryan Lynch, Carlos Henriquez, and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez

Exclusive engagement only at the San Francisco Yoshi’s

Thursday, June 18^th – Sunday, June 21^st

Thursday 8pm & 10pm shows $35

Friday and Saturday 8pm & 10pm shows $38

Sunday 2pm matinee $5 (children), $18 (adult with child), $38 (general adult)

Sunday 7pm show $38

www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a Vocal/Piano Improvisation Workshop at The Jazzschool taught by Clairdee and pianist Larry Vuckovich. The first half of the two-hour class was devoted to demonstrating the relationship between accompaniment and vocal styling and phrasing. The second half was for question and students got a chance to sing while being accompanied by fellow students who had never seen their music charts (notes for their songs) before. It was very exciting, inspiring, and educational. It gave me an opportunity to sharpen my ear as a reviewer. No, I did not get a chance to sing but I promised Clairdee that I would next time. See you at Yoshi’s tonight!

And now a review of the show…

Clairdee – Vocals
Ken French – Piano
Charles McNeal – Saxophones
Ron Belcher – Bass
Deszon X. Clairborne – Drums

There is something very special about Clairdee. She is kind, warm, gorgeous, and very personable. She is amazingly gracious as greets old and new fans before and after her shows. She definitely makes everyone feel right at home.

Both of her Yoshi’s shows were recorded for KCSM-FM91 and may be used for her next album. Clairdee opened her set with a soulful and mellow rendition of “I Only Have Eyes For You.” She added a little funk to the swinging on “You Can’t Take That Away From Me.” The Nat King Cole classic tune “L-O-V-E” began with a touch of Latin rhythm, then broke into a swing, and came back down to a gentle rhythm. She flowed effortlessly on every note. She soared on “Too Marvelous For Words” which featured Deszon on drums and Ron on upright bass. The Frank Sinatra classic “All The Way” was infused with a soulful groove and featured Charles on a soprano sax solo. She also sang wonderful arrangements of “This Can’t Be Love” and “What A Difference A Day Makes.” She kicked it up a notch on Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny” which featured Ken on the keys. Clairdee closed out the evening with an arrangement of “Alright Okay” that was reminiscent of Les McCann’s “Trying Make It Real Compared To What?” Now if you have not seen her in concert yet, you are definitely missing a great show.

And now an extra special treat…

Photo by j-notes.com

Tuesday evening, I had the honor of attending a reception and a web broadcast of Clairdee and her band. It was hosted by her record label, Declare Music and held in the Meyer Sound Performance Hall of the Ex’pression College for Digital Arts in Emeryville. The hall held about 30 people so it was very intimate but we made it sound like large concert venue with our cheers and applause. Her hour long web broadcast featured much of the music from her concerts the night before. She also included “Summertime” and “Comes Love.” It was a great evening.

Special thanks to Clairdee for inviting me to be a part of this event.

A review will follow after I go see her captivate the room again tonight with a spirit of tranquility, painting the room with magnificent colors and hues with each of her notes. Okay, I had better stop before I run out of words for my review.

Lizz Wright’s video of “Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly” directed by Spike Lee

“Meet Ms. Wright“

McCoy Tyner – Piano
Bobby Hutcherson – Vibraphone
Cecil McBee – Bass
Jack DeJohnette – Drums

McCoy Tyner’s two week residency at Yoshi’s has become a local and favorite tradition. For the past 10 years, for two weeks, the legendary pianist has played with some of the best and brightest talent in the jazz world. This year was no different. The first week performance, for the most part, was enjoyable but there were moments when it just sounded like noise. They did not always blend well in their music. Tyner’s and Hutcherson’s performances were outstanding and they played well together but McBee’s and DeJohnette’s solo’s seemed to be abstract and not fit with the songs. DeJohnette’s solo’s were a little too long and too loud which also detracted from McBee’s solo’s. I am hoping that maybe I just came on an off night and these talented musicians grooved better on their other sets.

Week 2

McCoy Tyner – Piano
Christian McBride – Bass
Lewis Nash – Drums

I am still rocking in my seat from the second week performance. The grooves were tight and everyone seemed to enjoy playing together especially Tyner who was magnificent. I think I like seeing Tyner in a trio setting the best for it really allows him to cut loose on the piano as he did on this night with the trio and in his solos. This was my first time seeing Lewis Nash perform but it definitely will not be my last for he is an incredible drummer. His solos were efficient and yet took the music to a whole new level. On one song, he and Tyner did a call and response that was fantastic. I saw Christian McBride last summer at the Monterey Jazz Festival and he just amazing on the bass. His solos were also efficient and you can see the love he has for the music in his playing. McBride is definitely a shining star among the young jazz lions. I look forward to seeing him again when he comes to Yoshi’s in April. They both accompanied Tyner very well and audience responded with so much applause that the trio came out an encore performance.