CBS News covers David Pierre-Louis returning to Haiti
Amazing story on CBS News about Lucid’s David Pierre-Louis returning to Haiti last week.
Downbeat CD Review: Tom Varner
from the February 2010 issue of Downbeat Magazine
Tom Varner – Heaven And Hell
OMNITONE 12210
4 Stars
It’s usually a good idea to avoid programmatic interpretations of music. The ear of the beholder can be made of tin in detecting intended meanings, assuming there are any. But when a work is as powerfully rooted in a cultural and political moment as Heaven And Hell, French hornist Tom Varner’s extended piece for tentet, it’s difficult not to assume the images you see in your mind’s eye and the emotions you feel are ones the artist is seeing and feeling as well.
Heaven And Hell was largely inspired by 9/11. Varner witnessed the attacks and their aftermath as a New Yorker. Now based in Seattle, where he and a predominately local cast recorded the album (his first in eight years), he is still coming to terms with the tragedy. A mournful uncertainty defines the opening “Overview,” with its constrained melody and irregular ensemble patterns. As the music builds to the operatic, Greek chorus-like effects and eerie descending tones of “Structure Down,” it draws hope from happier events in Varner’s life, notably the adoption of his Vietnamese son and starting a new life in Seattle. But making stirring use of grouped and clustered horns and sparing use of drums, Varner is nagged by unresolved questions.
For all its darkness, Heaven And Hell unfolds with the easygoing, open clarity that is a hallmark of his music, striking a rewarding balance between bold modern jazz harmonies and austere modern classical voicings. Connected by brief pensive interludes, the longer individual compositions unfold deliberately. But there’s no lack of peak moments, as witness the lively solos over Phil Sparks’ limber walking bass on “Queen Tai” by the brilliant East Coast trumpeter Russ Johnson, the Konitzian altoist Mark Taylor and the virtuosic Varner.
More than ever, Varner’s warmly expansive but tough-edged playing rescues the French horn from the “miscellaneous” instrument category. The voice of conscience on Heaven And Hell, he also bestows its greatest pleasures.
—Lloyd Sachs
Boxley’s February Music Schedule
WEDNESDAYS: PIANO @ NIGHT
3rd: Bob Hammer, piano; Chris Clark, bass
10th: Craig Hoyer, solo piano
17th: Randy Halberstadt, solo piano
24th: John Hansen, solo piano
THURSDAYS: STABLEMATE HORNS
4th: Jay Thomas Trio
11th: Gary Shutes Quartet
18th: Greg Williamson Trio feat Alexey Nikolaev
25th: Pete Petersen Quartet
FRIDAYS: Cuban and World Jazz
“OCHO PIES” 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th.
Cuban and World Jazz with guitars, vocals and percussion
*new CD coming out next month – first release onto Pony Boy for popular Olympian based group.
SATURDAYS: KELLY EISENHOUR QUARTET
KELLY EISENHOUR QUARTET: 6th, 13th, 20th
Saturday, Feb 27th: Special Vocal Summit Night w/KELLY EISENHOUR and guest vocalists
SUNDAYS: DANNY KOLKE TRIO
*re-release of DK’s 1990 CD “A New Meaning” new this month
TUESDAY, Feb 16th: Mardis Gras “OUTSIDE NEW ORLEANS” BIG BAD GROOVE SOCIETY JAZZ SEXTET
Special 5:15pm show for Mardis Gras Parade
This Sunday on Jazz Northwest
Photo by Daniel Sheehan
Tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman leads a quintet in an Art of Jazz concert at the Seattle Art Museum on 88.5 KPLU on Sunday, January 24 at 1 PM Pacific Time. The recorded concert is presented as part of the regular series of on-location recordings presented on Jazz Northwest. The performance includes several selections from the new CD “Straight Ahead” (Origin Records). Joining the veteran saxophonist are Thomas Marriott, trumpet, Eric Verlinde, piano, Chuck Kistler, bass and John Bishop, drums.
Hadley Caliman grew up in Los Angeles where he played on the fabled Central Avenue. His associations range from the Gerald Wilson Orchestra to Santana, and he has been a major influence on young musicians, teaching for over 20 years at The Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.
The Art of Jazz series is presented by Earshot Jazz on the second Thursday of each month in the Brotman Forum at The Seattle Art Museum with the support of KPLU and The Weekly. The next concert in the series will feature the Dawn Clement Trio on February 11.
Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5, KPLU. The program airs Sundays at 1 PM Pacific Time and streams to the internet at kplu.org. A podcast of the program is also available after the air date at kplu.org.
Listen to the audio preview below
Friday Jazz
IS THAT JAZZ? – Sunship and Sun Ra Tribute Band
The Chapel Performance Space, 4639 Sunnyside Avenue North, 8pm
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Stephanie Porter Quartet
BAKE’S PLACE: Greta Matassa -Tribute to Overton Berry
SERAFINA: Fred Hoadley Trio
LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio
TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM:
5:30: Birch Pereira
9:00: Tiger’s Wood
BOXLEY’S: Susan Pascal Trio
NEUMOS: Rebirth Brass Band
EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio
HIROSHI’S: Greg Williamson Quartet
LOMBARDI’S: Marcus Brothers Trio
Bellevue High Band Director Vince Caruso strikes a national chord
The management and musical abilities of Bellevue High School teacher Vince Caruso have struck a chord with a national publication, which recently named him as one of the nation’s 50 band directors who are making a significant difference in music education.
Caruso was chosen for the honor by School Band and Orchestra magazine, which annually selects one director who deserves the honor from each U.S. state.
“I’m very proud to be on the list,” Caruso said. “Other directors I know who have been honored in the past all are excellent teachers. ”
The selection team said Caruso and the other notable directors represent “a reason to have confidence that music will find its way through the dark and twisting maze of funding and bureaucracy and into the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s leaders.”
More than 20,000 music directors read the monthly magazine, which focuses on the management aspects of running a successful music program.
Caruso has taught at Bellevue High School for nine years of his 15-year career. He leads 115 students involved in Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Band and Pep Band – as well as an after-school Jazz Club. Caruso told the magazine he tries to be a person students “can trust and a musician they can follow. Hopefully, those things lead to a musical experience that is memorable for them.”
Continue reading at Bellevue Reporter.com
Is That Jazz? – Complete Schedule
All performances at: The Chapel Performance Space
(4639 Sunnyside Avenue North, Seattle – SW corner of 50th and Sunnyside in Wallingford).
Festival Website: www.isthatjazz.org
Friday, January 22 – Sunship and Sun Ra Tribute Band
SUNSHIP
Sunship reunites Brian Heaney, one of Seattle’s most creative guitarists, with the amazing New York saxophonist Michael Monhart, both formerly of the band Stinkhorn. Add in a fantastic rhythm section – David Revelli on drums and Andrew Luthringer on bass – and top it all off with the inimitable Stuart Dempster (trombone, didjeridu, conch, etc.) and this swinging “intergalectric” ensemble is ready for lift-off.
SUN RA TRIBUTE BAND This all-star dectet reunites to pay tribute to the
inspirational iconoclast Sun Ra by playing many of his compositions from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Expect sparkly robes, processions, group vocals, flying objects and planetary alignment. The cast of characters includes Stuart Dempster: trombone, Bill Smith: clarinet, Tom Baker: guitar, Greg Sinibaldi: saxophone, Michael Monhart: saxophone, Jim Knodle: trumpet, Lynette Westendorf: piano, Greg Campbell: percussion, horn, Dan O’Brien: bass, Bill Moyer: percussion.
Saturday January 23 – Bill SmithTrio and Threat of Beauty
BILL SMITH TRIO Master composer and clarinetist Bill Smith leads this impressive jazz trio (with Brian Cobb on bass and Greg Campbell on drums) through his original compositions and improvisations. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear a musical legend in this profoundly intimate setting.
THREAT OF BEAUTY Seattle’s most prolific young jazz lion, Evan Flory-Barnes, takes the stage with his big band, Threat of Beauty, for a set of astonishingly beautiful and modern compositions. Featuring voices, braensemble reunites for this special festival performance.
Friday, January 29 – Jesse Canterbury’s Vertigo and Bad Luck
ESSE CANTERBURY’S VERTIGO Seattle clarinetist Jesse Canterbury leads an all-acoustic ensemble in a strikingly original mix of chamber music, improvisation, and tune-oriented melodic material informed and inspired by the music of clarinetists Louis Sclavis and Michael Moore. The group includes guitarist Tom Baker, cellist Joanne DeMars, and trombonist Chris Stover.
BAD LUCK Co-led by drummer Chris Icasiano and saxophonist Neil Welch, Bad Luck is about sound art, slowly developed loops and pedals used to propel the music into new aural fields. Tight-knit original compositions meet sonic mosaics in a musical relationship cultivated by years on the bandstand.
Saturday January 30 – Tom Baker Quartet and Cuong Vu Trio
CUONG VU TRIO The brilliantly creative Cuong Vu brings his trio mates (Stomu Takeishi and Ted Poor) from New York to headline and close out the 2010 Is That Jazz? Festival. If you haven’t heard this scorching ensemble, do not miss this opportunity. In the words of one critic: “It’s pure art. There’s dark-darkenss, joyful lament… and everything about anguish and despair in flat, naked beauty… it will shake you.”
TOM BAKER QUARTET Led by Seattle guitarist and composer Tom Baker, this quartet (with clarinetist Jesse Canterbury, bassist Brian Cobb, and drummer Greg Campbell) weaves modern avant-jazz tunes with beautiful and haunting improvisations. Their music blurs the boundaries between notated music and free improvisation; the unique soundscapes that result are grounded in history, while pushing at the boundaries of jazz.
Thursday Jazz
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Sonando
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Daniel Adams with guest artist Dylan Morrison
9pm – Julie Gatz (vocals) with Andy Carr (piano)
NEW ORLEANS: Ham Carson Quintet
BOXLEY’S: Clark Gibson
LUCID: The Hang w/ The Teaching
SEAMONSTER: Hammond B3 Night
THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson and Tad Britton
Up-Coming Ben Thomas performances
from Ben Thomas:
I have several gigs this week with some great groups.
Thursday, Jan 21, 6 PM
I’ll be playing tango duets with Ludmilla Valershteyn at Dulce’s Latin Bistro.
We have a couple hours of beautiful piano/bandoneon duets and Dulce’s is one of my favorite places to play in Seattle.
http://www.dulceslatinbistro.com/
1430 34th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
Friday, Jan 22, 9 PM
Tangabrazo plays at Sonny Newman’s Dance Hall.
As always, we will mix tango classics with some original tango compositions.
Come dance to live music at one of the nicest dance floors around!
201 N. 85th St. Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.tangoseattle.com/
Saturday, Jan 23
TWO GIGS!
1) “In the Key of Cornish”, 7:45 PM at Bakes Place
I’ll be playing with Jovino Santos Neto, Randy Halberstadt, Chuck Deardorf and Mark Ivester at Bakes Place in Issaquah.
http://www.bakesplace.org/
2) Barrett Martin Group at Lo-Fi 10 PM at Lo-Fi
Opening trio at 9 PM
http://barrettmartin.com/
429 Eastlake Ave E Seattle, WA 98109
Monday Jazz
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jazz Jam with Darin Clendenin
NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Quintet
TOST: Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder
The week in review
With Seattle Jazz Scene offline to Comcast users, here is a brief review of the past week:
Site Problems
It appears anyone who is using Comcast Cable Broadband Internet is having problems accessing Seattle Jazz Scene.
We are working to fix the problem …
UPDATE: Fixed … a big thank you to Lyle at Spry Networks.
Sunday Jazz
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB:
3:00: Jay Thomas & Stimulus Package Big Band
8:00: Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra
SERAFINA:
11:00am: Conlin Roser Duo
6:30pm: Ann Reynolds & Tobi Stone
BOXLEYS: Tracy Knoop Quartet
MARTIN’S ON MADISON: Tim Kennedy
Seattle jazz artists head to Europe
As we had previously mentioned, Ray Vega’s East/West Trumpet Summit, featuring Seattle musicians Thomas Marriott, Jeff Johnson and Matt Jorgensen, just returned from a week in Switzerland performing at Marians Jazzroom. Next week will see more concerts throughout Europe featuring Seattle jazz musicians.
Trumpeter Chad McCullough has four up-coming shows (three of which feature John Bishop on drums).
Chad McCullough and Michal Vanouck
Sun, Jan 17: De Kombinatie, The Hague, Netherlands
Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters Quartet, Featuring John Bishop
Tue, Jan 19: Hot Club de Gant, Ghent, Belgium
Wed, Jan 20: Buster, Antwerp, Belgium
Thur, Jan 21: El Negocito, Ghent, Belguim
Drummer Matt Jorgensen is heading back to Europe for two performances at the Heidelberg Jazzhaus in Germany and a recording with the group Chamber 3.
Wed, Jan 20: with organist Thomas Wind, Heidelberg Jazzhaus
Fri, Jan 22: with Chamber 3 featuring Christian Ecker and Steffen Weber, Heidelberg Jazzhaus
Ed Thigpen Jazz Drummer Legend Dies Aged 79
Ed Thigpen, Chicago-born drummer with the Oscar Peterson Trio during the famed jazz pianist’s popular early-’60s period, died on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at the age of seventy-nine in Kingdom Hospital in Copenhagen after being ill for a long period of time.
Besides appearing on dozens of albums with Oscar Peterson, Thigpen recorded and performed with many other jazz greats, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Kenny Drew, Johnny Hodges, John Coltrane, and Dinah Washington, as well as pop artists including Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone, Peggy Lee, and K.D. Lang.
Friday Jazz
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Marc Seales Trio
TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Tarik Abouzeid Organ Trio
SERAFINA: Kiko De Freitas
BOXLEY’S: Susan Pascal Trio
BAKE’S PLACE: Marilyn Keller & Greta Matassa
LATONA PUB: Clark Gibson Trio
EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio
HIROSHI’S: Marcus Brothers Quintet
LUCID: Bridgid Roney
LOMBARDI’S: Carolyn Graye
GALLERY 1412: Gust Burns and Tyler Wilcox; John Houx; Birds Fled From Me; Le Systeme Solaire; White Buffalo Black Madonna
Haiti earthquake touches Seattle jazz scene
UPDATE via Jason Parker: We sent David off this morning with about $2000 cash and about $700 in supplies, i.e. water tablets, first aid kits, etc. It was nice to see the outpouring of support.
********************
We got this too late last night to post, but David Pierre-Louis, owner of Lucid Jazz Lounge, has family in Haiti and is heading out this morning with cash and supplies raised at a fundraiser last night at Lucid.
There are plenty of ways to help:
American Red Cross: https://american.redcross.org/
Unicef: http://www.unicefusa.org/
Doctors Without Borders: http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
And musician Wyclef Jean and his Yele Haiti Foundation has been helping Haiti for years. With this disaster they are at the forefront of getting relief to the area.
The Yele Haiti Foundation, begun by Haiti native Wyclef Jean, is collecting donations to help those affected by the Haiti earthquake.
Jean said in a statement:
“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.”
Jean urged people on his Twitter account to help in the Haiti disaster relief effort by texting “Yele” to 501501. This donates $5 to the Yele Haiti Foundation, automatically charged to your cell phone bill.
People can also donate to the Yele Haiti Foundation online here.
Thursday Jazz
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM: Hadley Caliman Quintet featuring Thomas Marriott
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jose Gonzales & Oghale
NEW ORLEANS: Ham Carson Quintet
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – First Circle with Michael Cosgrove (guitar), Larry Messer (guitar), Jeff Fiorini (bass) and Lars Larson (drums)
9pm – Joe Jencks and Wes Weddell
BOXLEY’S: Marcus Brothers Quartet
LUCID: The Hang w/ The Teaching
SEAMONSTER: Hammond B3 Night
THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson & Tad Britton
Up-coming Hiroshi’s schedule
Come out and have some fresh food and catch some live jazz. Lots of friends coming by tonight to sit in…
Pony Boy Records Presents JAZZ and SUSHI
Friday Nights – Hiroshi’s Restaurant
2501 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, WA
ph: (206)726-4966, no cover, 7:30 – 10:00
Sushi master Hiroshi and his gang prepare a full menu of Japanese cuisine that is fresh, tasty, and full of flavor – all matched with some very special sake and beverages (try the plumb wine) Favored by local Japanese and music lovers, Hiroshi’s has been featuring live jazz on Friday nights for over three years – presented by the Pony Boy Records stable of artists. Come by for some fine food, and see who will be sitting in with the band – Fridays have become a ‘happening’ on Eastlake! Cheers!
Friday, Jan 15 – Marcus Brothers Re-convergence
A musical family reunion form all over the globe!
Dan Marcus, trombone & low horns
Michael Marcus, bass”Papa” Marcus, clarinet
Bill Anschell, piano
Greg Williamson, drums
Friday, Jan 22 – Greg Williamson Quartet Happy Birthday Bash
Alexey Nikolaev, sax
John Hansen, piano
Jon Hamar, bass
Greg Williamson, drums
Friday, Jan 29 – Ocho Pies – Cuban & World Jazz
New CD coming soon!
Paul Hjelm, guitar
Steve Luceno, guitar
Michael Olson, percussion
Connie Bunyer, vocal & percussion
Photos: Andy Clausen Group at Seattle Drum School
photos by Jim Levitt
