February 2003 Archives

Bumptown Alert!!!

Songtress Anita Baker is bringing her sweet love to the Paramount Theatre in Oakland on Friday, 4/4 at 8pm. Tickets go on sale at Ticketmaster on Friday, 2/28 at 12:00pm. Tickets are $49.50 and $77.50. A second show has been added for Saturday, 4/5 at 8pm.

From The Kansas City Star, "Anita Baker eases back into performing"

This Just In......

"It appears that Anita Baker is close to signing a brand new record deal. The Grammy award winning singer has been without a label since her departure from Atlantic Records four years ago. One rumor claims that Anita is in negotiations with Def Soul Records, a predominately Hip-Hop and Rap record label. Artists currently signed to Def Soul include Kelly Price, Dru Hill and Sisqo. Anita has already contributed her talents to the upcoming album for Soul singer Foxy Brown's upcoming CD. Foxy is signed to Def Jam Records, a sister company to Def Soul. In the meantime, Anita is currently putting together a brand new tour. Cities already confirmed include Atlantic City, Cleveland and Seattle." [SmartJock]

From the SF Chronicle, "Jazz at Pearl's fails to renew its lease." The jazz club will be closing its doors on 4/30.

Special shout out to Gotham Jazz, an authoritative weblog on the New York jazz scene. Thanks for the link.

The March 2003 issue of The Atlantic Monthly has an interesting article on Wynton Marsalis written by David Hajdu.

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Grammy Awards are what they are. I have been checking out winners on the Grammy Awards website. Below are winners are of the categories that are close to my heart. You will instantly notice that Diana Krall beat out Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, and Etta Jones for the Best Jazz Vocal category. While I will admit it is a good album, I was really, really hoping that Patti Austin would finally get Grammy nod for her excellent tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, "For Ella". In happier news, India.Arie picked up a couple of awards . Stevie Wonder and Take 6 won for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. Chaka Khan and The Funk Brothers won for their excellent contributions to the "Standing In The Shadows of Motown" documentary soundtrack. Etta James, Johnny Mathis, and Tito Puente received Lifetime Achievement Awards. Maya Angelou won for Best Spoken Word Album.

The really good thing about Norah Jones winning 5 awards is that the real jazz artists and vocalists over at Blue Note Records can keep making good music.

By the way, you can search on the Grammy Awards website to see how many awards your favorite artists have won.

Found a couple of interesting commentaries on the Grammy Jazz category entitled "Safe choices dominate the jazz noms" in the Miami Herald and "Outstanding and overlooked in jazz" in the Orange County Register.

Best Contemporary Jazz Album

Speaking Of Now
Pat Metheny Group

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Live In Paris
Diana Krall

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo

My Ship
Herbie Hancock, soloist
Track from: Directions In Music (Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove)

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group

Directions In Music
Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove

I don't know if I will do this every Friday but right now it's fun so here is the Friday Five:

1. What is your most prized material possession?

This one is easy. My music collection.

2. What item, that you currently own, have you had the longest?

I think it is the Hubert the Lion bank that my brother gave me for Christmas 1973. Close second is my clock radio that I have had for at least 23 years and my mom has the same one.

3. Are you a packrat?

Hmm.....Just a bit at times. It is time for a good cleaning around here.

4. Do you prefer a spic-and-span clean house? Or is some clutter necessary to avoid the appearance of a museum?

Years ago, my friends used to tease me about my house looking like a museum but life brings about change. Let's just say I can make the place look decent when company comes but I have not received the good housekeeping seal of approval in years.

5. Do the rooms in your house have a theme? Or is it a mixture of knick-knacks here and there?

As I look around, there is no particular theme other than blue in the kitchen and other fun things I have collected or acquired over the years.

Ahhhh...the joy of coming home and finding new music on my doorstep or a yellow slip in my mailbox letting me know new music is waiting for me at the post office. Yes, I am a audiophile, which is the polite way of saying "music junkie." Buying music is my guilty pleasure and while I enjoy combing through racks and racks of new and used CD's in the stores, I have also been checking out some of the online music stores. I have definitely found some gems and learned a few good lessons. Below are the website that I for my online music treasure hunting and a couple of wisdoms about each one. A.J., this is for you!!!

Tower Records

I think the mighty Tower was the first place I ever bought music online. Tower has good customer service and they turnaround the orders quickly. They are great for CD singles but their new CD's are a little pricey but decent prices on the oldies. A good place to search for new releases. I often find it on Tower and get it for a better price elsewhere.

Amazon

I better be nice since I am an Amazon associate. Great prices on used CD's but the new ones are a little pricey. Usually a good turnaround on the orders. Also a great reference for music.

Update: Somewhere along the way CD Now and Amazon.com have merged. Good or bad? You be the judge!!

eBay

Now this is a music buyer's paradise and since my mom is not reading my blog, I can admit that I spent $50.00 for the new Incognito release last year. It was my first auction and I got a little overzealous. I bid cautiously and carefully and know when to throw in the towel. You can find some rare gems here but it all depends on how much you are willing to spend. Shirley Horn's first release sold for $137.51 recently. I have won auctions for under $10 and spend as much as well, you know that already. If you bid, be sure to check up on your item during the last few hours before the bidding closes. Someone could easily sneak in and outbid you. My best gem was Patti Austin's 1984 self-entitled release which was really hard to find.

half.eBay.com

So you say you don't like playing the auction game? There is some really good stuff here and you could easily spend your whole paycheck. Just as with eBay, you just never know what people are willing to unload from their music collections. This place is like the K-Mart for online music shoppers with great deals on good music. The orders are turned around quickly. I was quite happy because I was able to find music by Mica Paris, Carmen McRae, and Roberta Flack that I had been searching for in the stores for years.

The Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre makes their annual return to Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley for 10 performances from 2/21 to 3/2. Tickets are available from the Cal Performances box office.

For the Patrice Rushen fans, the "Patrice" (1978), "Pizzazz" (1979), "Posh" (1980), and "Now" (1984) albums will be reissued on CD on 2/25. These are some wonderful classic albums from this very talented singer/musician/producer/music director. I had a chance to see her in concert for my first time last year and she was phenomenal.

Ashford & Simpson's 1973 "Gimme Something Real" and 1981 "Performance" releases are now available on the www.soulmusicsite.com website.

Three Mo' Tenors are coming to the Paramount Theatre in Oakland on 3/19. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.

The Jill Scott remix of "He Loves Me" takes local San Francisco DJ Jay-J to the Grammys. Thanks Tubba!!

Christian McBride's new release "Vertical Vision" hits the stores on 2/25.

Just a little more Lizz....the song titles, musicians, and producers have been listed for her upcoming debut release "Salt." I am really glad to see that Kenny Banks is playing piano on several of the songs. He is an amazing musician. No, I am not president of the Lizz Wright west coast fan club. At least, not yet!!!

Who could ask for anything more? I am there.

Update: Ledisi performed an outstanding tribute to Ella Fitzgerald Friday evening, 2/23, with the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra as part of the 2nd Annual SF Black History Celebration sponsored by SFNoir. Ledisi brought her unique vocal stylings to such time tested Ella classics as "Perdido", "Don't Mean A Thing", "A Tisket-A-Tasket", "Goody Goody" and a beautiful rendition of "Someone To Watch Over Me." She also performed the Monk classic "Straight No Chaser." Later in the evening, Ledisi performed with her band, Anibade. They performed songs from her current releases and upcoming release "Soulsinger Revisited" which is the repackaging of her successful "Soulsinger" album for national distribution by Tommy Boy Records. There were will be new songs included on the album and it will be in stores on 4/22.

For Immediate Release

VERVE TO RELEASE SALT, THE EXCITING DEBUT RECORDING FROM VOCALIST/SONGWRITER LIZZ WRIGHT ON MAY 13, 2003

Throughout its existence, Verve has particularly excelled in recording most of the fiercest chanteuses on the planet. Billie, Ella, Sarah, Dinah, Nina, Betty, Abbey, Shirley, Dee Dee, Cassandra, Diana— so off-the-iconoclastic-genius-meter that we refer to them on a strictly first-name basis. These are the true chanteuses; the rare ones who could sing anything (jazz to blues to pop) and who owned everything they sang.

It's 2003 and fierce young chanteuses are hard to find. Fittingly, Verve has signed 23-year-old Lizz Wright. The most promising of a very short list, this Georgia native has been singing since childhood. A minister's daughter, Ms. Wright naturally started out singing gospel in church. By the end of high school, she was heavily into '70s black pop and drum 'n bass. For the last three years, the artist has been polishing her star in Atlanta's vibrant neo-soul/jazz underground scene.

On May 13th, Verve will release Ms. Wright's debut album, Salt produced by Tommy LiPuma, Brian Blade, and Jon Cowherd. Ain't no half-stepping here: The backing musicians including Blade, Danilo Perez, and Chris Potter are Gen-X all-stars; the repertoire, an eclectic blend of jazz/pop standards, five Lizz Wright originals, one song written for her by Blade, and one Broadway showstopper. Salt reveals Ms. Wright to be uniquely blessed with a mellifluous, full-bodied contralto, emotionally-nuanced phrasing and an intuitive ability to swing.

Strong enough to transform Flora Purim's high-stepping "Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly" into a sly 'n slinky, neo-soul groove. Fearless enough to remodel both Stephanie Mills’ immortal rendition of The Wiz's "Soon as I Get Home" and the late Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue." Open enough to flow from jazzy Latin-soul slo-drags ("Goodbye", "The End of the Line") to AC-friendly folk-rock ("Lead The Way", "Silence"). Genius enough to work her self-penned title song into a dope R&B/blues homage to Donny Hathaway.

Better start getting used to calling her just "Lizz".
Lizz Wright press release – page 2

Salt [314 589 933-2] available May 13, 2003 on CD.

For more information, contact:
J’ai St. Laurent-Smyth, 212.331.2047 [jai.stlaurent-smyth@umusic.com]
Lauren Fox, 212.331.2021 [lauren.fox@umusic.com]

www.ververecords.com
Images available at www.umvd.com

Week 1

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.

Below is my response to the JazzTimes website discussion of Ron Wynn's story in the January/February 2003 issue about the changing complexion of jazz concert goers over the last 10 years.

"Jazz has had a major imprint on my life because I grew up listening to jazz and a lot of other good music. I have been going to jazz concerts since I was in my early 20's and often I was the youngest person there. Amongst my peers, I am probably the only one who is deeply into jazz. I have seen changes in the concert audiences as well. I think that part of it is that some of the music that is being called jazz, is not really jazz and secondly, there is not enough exposure of the classic jazz artists in the mainstream media. In the beginnings of the smooth jazz era, there was a diverse mixture of jazz styles so there was something for everyone. Now there is more focus on the contemporary jazz artists, top sellers, and other music that is not even jazz but being called "smooth jazz." The really some good jazz radio stations in the larger cities have dried up or changed their formats. Fortunately, there are good jazz stations on internet radio. Cost can be a factor as well but there are many free jazz events that need our support as well. I finally attended the Monterey Jazz Festival last year for my first time. Yes, it was pricey but worth every penny because of the exposure I got to the jazz legends, jazz history, and the newcomers that will keep the traditions alive for years to come. I try to get out once or twice a month to see live jazz especially now that one of our local Bay Area jazz clubs has $10 tickets for the 10pm shows of selected performers. You cannot get a better deal than that for good music. We could easily ask why Shirley Horn does not get the same props and media exposure as Diana Krall? Also, have you noticed the same trend in audience at your local blues festval? What is really important is that all of us keep supporting the music so the good music can keep coming."

What are your thoughts/views?

By Tim'm West

I need my blackness close to me.
Snug tight like grandmama's quilt on a chilly mid-morning.
Black like the sediment when smell it.
Black like the safety of quiet under eyelids
during some beautiful daydream.
or like the graying blacklady dreadlock goddess
glance at you on BART
cuz whitefolk's kids are acting "typical"
and you are both grinding your teeth
underneath a polite smile, like:
"they so cute!"
when you know they bad asses
and kicking the back of your seat
and your trying sleep!
Real black like you or her gonna get if they don't quit.

Like the lack of it you sense
across the bridge in that city
with the black mayor
but fewer and fewer and fewer
black people.
Black like our mayor here ain't.

I need my blackness close to me.
Snug like the sunny smile I get from some
headwrapped sistah stridin' round the lake.
Black like the undercurl of my napps.
Like the rhythmic way we speak and gesture and laugh.

I need my blackness close to me.
Like mirrors reflecting my black back to me
or the depth of my baritone poem
Like history ain't in public schools.
Black like the inifinite universe
or like black art that has that scent and shine.
And like the ghetto girlz on the corner
That make your eyes roll back and tummy tight
cuz they look a mess and they babies
look worse
but they your peoples anyway
and this is Oakland
and the way you like it:
Snug     Tight      Black

This poem is printed under permission from the book Red Dirt Revival by Tim'm West.

My earliest memory of Ella Fitzgerald was when she was shattering glass in the Memorex commercials. It did not matter to me if she was "live or Memorex", I was fascinated. I saw Ella perform live when I was 18 at the Chicago Jazz Festival. I was totally captivated by magnificent voice. I was fortunate to see her perform again at the Chicago Jazz Festival in the early 90's before she went to sing with the angels in 1996.

Favorite Ella Songs: "Lady Be Good", "How High The Moon", "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered", "Air Mail Special", "Mr. Paginini", and "Night and Day"

Favorite Ella Albums: "Like Someone In Love", "The Complete Ella in Berlin: Mack The Knife", "Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas", "First Lady of Song", "Ella and Louis", and "These Are The Blues"

The Ultimate Ella Box Set: "The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books" (The quintesessetial 16 CD box set)

Favorite Ella Documentary: American Masters Series: Ella Fitzgerald "Something To Live For"

Very gifted and talented vocalist Ledisi will be performing an 85th anniversary tribute to Ella Fitzgerald backed by the Marcus Shelby 15-piece orchestra on Friday, February 21 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco. The tribute is part of the second annual San Francisco Black History Month Celebration, an event presented by SF Noir, a Bay Area black arts and culture organization. For more details, please see the JazzTimes article or the SF Noir website.

Here is the Friday Five:

1. Explain why you started to journal/blog.

I have to thank e.j. for getting me started on this road about 5 months ago. I came back from the Monterey Jazz Festival filled with music information and reviews and needed a place to put them. We came up with a couple of names for the domain and j-notes kinda stuck. I had submitted a few reviews in the past to other places but later learned that no one will embrace your dream like you.

2. Do people you interact with day to day or family members know about your journal/blog? Why or why not?

Yes, my family does know about my journal/blog and they are very loving and supportive. They provide me some great feedback. My brother and nephew did not know I could write and I provide a resource for my niece to learn more about jazz. My friends just wonder what took me so long to do this. I recently printed out the weblog and sent it to my mom and she was quite impressed and proud. :)

3. Do you have a theme for your journal/blog?

My first love is jazz but in general, I love good music and that's what is featured here.

4. What direction would you like to have your journal/blog go in over the next year?

Life, as is this journal, is an everwinding road and we just never know where the road will lead us. I am thoroughly enjoying and it has been more of a blessing to me than I ever could have imagined. Providing good information about good music is my goal. Maybe a new layout later in the year.

5. Pimp five of your favorite journals.

Being a newbie to the weblog world, I have a few that I really enjoy and I am checking out new ones all the time. Check out My Blogging Homies list on the right.

Did you know that My Funny Valentine has a verse to it? Normally we only hear the refrain. Looking at the verse, I guess you wouldn't to call your loved one a "slightly dopey gent." I searched my music collection and found 7 versions of this song ranging from Etta James to Anita Baker to Sarah Vaughan.

My Funny Valentine

From Babes in Arms and Pal Joey (Film Version)
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers

VERSE

Be hold the way our fine feathered-friend
his virtue doth parade.
Thou knowest not my dim witted friend,
the picture Thou hast made.
Thy vacant brow and Thy tousled hair
conceal Thy good intent.
Thou noble upright, truthful, sincere
And slightly dopey gent- you are..

REFRAIN

My funny valentine
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart

You looks are laughable, unphotographable
Yet you're my favorite work of art

Is your figure less than greek
Is your mouth a little bit weak
When you open it to speak, are you smart?

Don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay

Each day is valentine's day

Make your own candy heart!! Thanks Gwen!!

New vocalist Lizz Wright has tour dates listed now on her Verve site. She will be playing the House of Blues in Chicago with Al Green on April 13 and the Cerritos Center in Cerritos, California on April 14. She is definitely a must see. You can hear a couple of her sample tracks on her Simblist Group webpage.

Jazz singer/pianist Shirley Horn is touring and will be coming to Yoshi's June from 5- 8. She also has a new album coming out later this year. Stay tuned!!

Vocalist Carla Cook has an updated website with new information and tour dates.

Legendary singer Roberta Flack, who turns 64 tomorrow, is working on a new album. More details as they become available.

Check out soul music ambassabor David Nathan's recent exclusive interview with Dionne Warwick and her website, www.dionnewarwick.com.

Vocalist René Marie has a new Maxjazz release "Live At Jazz Standard" coming out on April 22.

Vibraphonist Stefon Harris has a new Blue Note release "The Grand Unification Theory" coming out this week.

Vocalist Dianne Reeves is wrapping up work on her upcoming Blue Note release "A Little Moonlight" which is scheduled to be released on August 5. It will includes 11 tunes that range from standards like "Skylark," "Darn that Dream" and "You Go to My Head" to more modern songs like Stevie Wonder's "Make Sure You're Sure."

Legendary saxaphonist Wayne Shorter has a new Verve release "Alegria" coming out on March 25.

Verve Records will release "Paganini: After a Dream", a landmark album from the acclaimed violinist Regina Carter on April 22. This album was recorded from a December 2001 concert in Genoa, Italy on the 200 year old Guarneri violin belonging to classical violinist Nicol򠐡ganini (1782-1840). Regina is the first jazz musician and African-American to lay hands on this classic instrument. She said in a recent San Francisco concert that she played the violin with a room full of armed guards.

Hey!! Singer Lalah Hathaway has a website!! Hopefully, we will hear some new music from her soon.

Just as you were sitting there anticipating either the joys or anxiety of Valentine's Day, Verve Records comes out with a compilation of the love songs for the forlorn entitled "When Love Goes Wrong: Songs for the Broken-Hearted." This album features fifteen of the most thoroughly depressing songs ever recorded collected on one special CD. Throw in Aretha Franklin's "Drinking Again" and you could call it, "Drinking Music - The Sequel." I have a love for this kind of music but I could never quite figure out why especially since I don't drink.

Track Listing:

1. Good Morning Heartache - Billie Holiday
2. Born To Be Blue - Chet Baker
3. It Never Entered My Mind - Johnny Hartman
4. Everybody's Somebody's Fool - Little Jimmy Scott
5. A Woman Alone With The Blues - Peggy Lee
6. A Woman's Intuition - Beverly Kenney
7. Everything Happens To Me - Frank D'Rone
8. I Fall In Love Too Easily - Shirley Horn
9. Here's That Rainy Day - Helen Merrill
10. I'm Through With Love - Arthur Prysock
11. I'm A Fool To Want You - Dinah Washington
12. What Will I Tell My Heart? - Billy Eckstine
13. But Not For Me - Sarah Vaughan
14. Reaching For The Moon - Ella Fitzgerald
15. Gloomy Sunday - Mel Torme

Somebody pass me a bottle of Seagrams and the Krispy Kremes!!

This is probably one of the more challenging albums that I have reviewed merely because of its greatness. Last year, a friend from New York sent me a copy of Darius de Haas' solo release "Day Dream - Variations On Strayhorn". When I picked it up from the post office, I immediately played it in the car and have been enjoying it immensely ever since. Thanks John!!! Now making this even more interesting, about a month later, some friends were visiting and saw the CD and asked where did I get it since it was not a widely publicized release. We discussed how wonderful the album is and I also learned that Darius also sang on the "Dreamgirls in Concert" album which I recently purchased.

Darius grew up in my hometown of Chicago. His parents are quite accomplished in music as well. His father, Eddie de Haas, performed with Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Blossom Dearie. His mother, singer Geraldine Bey, was best known for her work with the highly regarded 60's vocal trio, Andy and the Bey Sisters. Jazz singer-pianist Andy Bey is his uncle. Darius is widely known in the New York theatre scene appearing in the Broadway productions of "Kiss of the Spider Woman", "Carousel", "Rent", and "Marie Christine." The inspiration for doing this solo project of Billy Strayhorn's music came from a desire to showcase the work of a composer who people should know better. From the times that I have sung "Lush Life" in the shower and heard other Strayhorn compositions, I know that his music is very challenging but beautiful.

Darius breathes new life into these classic and timeless Strayhorn works. He gives excellent treatment to popular Strayhorn favorites "Satin Doll", "Take the 'A' Train" and "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'." His vocals are jazzy, soulful, and playful on these songs. "Your Love Has Faded" is melancholy even though it tells the story of a romance that has lost its shine. The intertwining for "Passion Flower" and "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" is warm and passionate. Billy Strayhorn wrote "Lush Life" when he was in his teens and I first heard it on a Donna Summer album when I was in my teens. Over the years, I have heard many wonderful renditions of this song but none compare to what Darius brings to this song. Roy Nathanson's percussive sax intros and accompanies Darius' brilliant tenor vocals. You feel the poignancy of the song's sad lyrics in the still quiet. "My Love Is as a Fever" and "Takes All My Loves" are Strayhorn/Ellington compositions from the Duke Ellington album "Such Sweet Thunder" which paid tribute to William Shakespeare. My favorites are Darius' handling of "My Flame Burns Blue" as it gently winds into "Day Dream" and I also enjoyed the powerful reading of "Something to Live For" for it illustrates the complexity and beauty of Strayhorn's music and life." Darius is backed by masterful musicians Deirdre Rodman on piano, Brad Jones on bass, J.T. Lewis on drums, Roy Nathanson on saxophone, and Marvin Sewell on guitar and a host of orchestration. This album celebrates the work of one of the great composers of our time performed by one of a new generation of great vocalists. Congratulations Darius on your outstanding album and continued success to you.

Read an interview on Talkin' Broadway with Darius de Haas and check out his personal website, www.dariusdehaas.com.

Sample Tracks in Real Audio

"A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing"