Howard Wiley Quartet @ 57th Street Gallery
Only sax man Howard Wiley can open with a swinging ass rendition of “Three Blind Mice” and take you right into “Take The ‘A’ Train.” I think the mice were swinging so hard they just jumped on the train. I think there was just a little “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” in there too!!! Howard on sax, Sista Kee on piano, Ron Belcher on bass, and Malachi Whitson on drums. Special guest on trumpeter John Turk on “My Funny Valentine.” They are cooking it nice and slow. Wiley called it a “Shirley Horn style of ballad. Next up, John Turk played piano and was joined by his very young son, Miles, on drums on Musiq Soulchild’s “Just Friends.” This kid can play the drums. Howard followed with a Latin-flavored “Autumn Leaves” with amazing rhythms with an assist from Lorin Benedict with his very unique scat vocals. Wiley closed jamming Stevie Wonder’s “Master Blaster.”
Wiley will be playing at 57th Street Gallery every Friday in August. – Live from 57th Street Gallery in Oakland #jazzlives
Photo of Howard Wiley at Intersection for the Arts by James Knox
