DRUMS AND THE PEOPLE WHO PROPEL THE MUSIC

DRUMS and THE PEOPLE WHO PROPEL THE MUSIC
By Dee Dee McNeil – Jazz Journalist

FRANK DEVITO: HISTORIC, LEGENDARY DRUMMER GOING STRONG AFTER SEVEN DECADES
August 1, 2017

The month of June challenged my health and patience. I broke my baby toe. Never mind! All you can do is tape the poor thing to the toe next to it. It takes about a month to heal. My computer was infected with a malware and my tape recorder broke during a long-distance interview with a popular jazz artist. I had to cancel my gig in Huntington Beach because of my broken toe. So today, July 23rd, I’m looking forward to returning to my singing job. I’m excited about my band because, today I’m working with Rick Olson on piano, Luther Hughes on bass and the legendary Frank DeVito on drums.

Have you ever tried to lift that big black case that drummers lug around to all their gigs? Well I have. I couldn’t budge it and I wondered, how do they do it? Frank DeVito is small of stature, but strong as a locomotive pulling a freight train. When I take a look at his accomplishments over the past sixty-plus years, I am in absolute awe. He’s been lugging that case all over the planet. DeVito has worked with so many legendary music figures and jazz icons, that I’m both mesmerized and astounded. In fact, I’m humbled to have had the opportunity to work with Frank DeVito.

A few days after this gig, I took an opportunity to chat with Frank about his life and accomplishments. Here is an eye-opening interview that gives you a peek into the life and times of a legend.

FRANK DEVITO: “At first, I didn’t know that my family was into music at all. Starting out as a kid, hanging around Utica, New York, there was a group of young actors from New York City; a group of young neighborhood guys called ‘The Dead End Kids.’ I saw the movie called “Blues In the Night” and they had these kids in there, The Dead End Kids. I was fascinated by watching one of the guys banging on the drums and looking like he was having a good time. So, I thought, wow – that looks like fun. I started playing shortly after that and was in the band at school. Then, one day my father said, ‘Oh my brother used to play the drums. He was a big Vaudeville entertainer who spent a lot of time in Europe and touring all over the world under the name of DeVito and Denny.’ Who knew? My uncles name was Al DeVito. Then dad told me his mother, my paternal grandmother, had four brothers who were all musicians. This was the Zito side of the family. Torrie Zito has passed away now, but he was a very well-known writer/composer. He conducted and wrote for Tony Bennett for a while; Tony Bennett and Paul Anka. He went to New York in his early twenties and became very successful. His slightly younger brother, we grew up together. I ended up in New York a little before him. He came down to the city from Utica. Torrie’s brother is in New York now. He’s about ten years younger than I am and he plays in the show, “Chicago” on Broadway. Ronnie Zito. They’re going into their twentieth year. He’s the drummer. There were four Zito brothers and they were all musicians. One was Frankie Zito, a trombone player, who played with Stan Kenton and a bunch of people. He’s gone now.

“We grew up in a section of Utica, New York called “Little Harlem.” We were an Italian family and like many Italian families, we all lived together in one place. When my grandparents first came over to America, they spoke no English and all they knew how to do was work hard. They came over from the Southern part of Italy near Naples. My grandparents had a little apartment inside the house and my parents and I had another little apartment on the second floor and my uncle had the attic apartment. My uncle Tubby and his wife lived up top and he was a book maker and a Purple Heart recipient from World War II. I idolized my uncle Tubby. He was a sharp guy. He loved nightclubs and I loved hanging out with my uncle Tubby. He was a book-maker, a gambler, and he always had a new Cadillac that he rode me around in and a big wad of money in his pocket. He was a beautiful guy and he was a war hero. He always clowned around, but he was tough. The American Italians were highly decorated in World War II. Live bands would come perform in Utica at the Stanley Theater. Count Basie’s band would come in and we’d go sit there all evening and watch these bands.

“I was in New York, just a kid scufflin’ around. And there was a little band and the leader was Benny Ventura. He was Charlie Ventura’s brother. Charlie Ventura was very famous. Well, I joined that band and guess who our girl singer was? Morgana King. She was our singer and we’re the same age. I haven’t seen her in years. She played Mama in The Godfather movie. A nice Italian girl. So, here’s what happened. We’re booked in Baltimore, Maryland, I think for a week or two, and Billie Holiday is the star; (the headliner). She didn’t bring a drummer or a bass player. It was very intimidating. She didn’t really talk to us. She’d look around at us and she was great. She had this big dog with her. The dog’s name was ‘Mister’ and he was like a big police dog. And he would be in the dressing room in between shows and she always had some friends around. It was fun. I was only eighteen or nineteen years old and I learned how to be an accompanist and how to play for a singer starting with her. I learned how to get a little stronger and how to build the tension on the drums; how to play with brushes behind her and use legato strokes. She did all those tunes, “Strange Fruit” and she was singing good. She was drinking quite a bit, but it didn’t seem to affect her singing. That’s the only time I ever worked with her. So, Morgana had to just hang out. She couldn’t sing because of Billie being there. So, at any rate that was a great experience.
“I was with Buddy DeFranco’s first band. I worked with him from the age of eighteen off and on for years and years. You know who we worked with a lot? Nat King Cole. The first gig we had was at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C. It was our band and the star was Nat Cole. And we were young guys; inexperienced. But I’ll never forget how he (Nat Cole) was so patient and such a beautiful guy. Before the show he says to me, ‘What’s your name again?’ and I say Frankie. He says, ‘Look Frankie, when Buzzy is introducing me I want you to look over at this side of the stage, look at me, and I’m going to be giving you the tempo. Just watch me.’ Because Buddy wasn’t always calling the tempos right. So, I end up watching Nat and then giving Buddy the cue. I still remember the song we opened with.”

He sings, “That’s my girl, take a look at her, she belongs to me.”

We both break into easy laughter. Frank has flashed back to that memory and that moment with happiness that radiates through the telephone. He has a pretty good voice too. I feel honored that he’s sharing the memory with me.

“Nat was beautiful,” he continues. “Years later, when I was working with Sinatra, I would do a lot of work with Nelson Riddle. Nelson would go out and conduct for Nat and he was writing a lot of stuff and conducting Nat’s records. I don’t recall recording with Nat, but I sure worked a lot of gigs with him. I’d go out with Nelson’s band too, you know. We’d go out to Phoenix or up to San Francisco on tour.

“There was a lot of work back then. One of the first jobs I had when I settled in L.A. in my twenties, I worked six nights a week with a very famous tenor (saxophone) player, Georgie Auld. Anybody in the music business would know who he was. He played with all the big bands like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman; those kind of bands. We had a five-piece band. Do you remember the movie with Robert Deniero and Liza Minelli, New York New York? Well, in the movie, Deniero plays a tenor sax player. My friend, who I worked with, Georgie Auld, coached Deniero for that part. I was playing in a club in Hollywood and Georgie Auld comes in one night with Deniero. I was playing there with Terry Gibbs.

“I was on the road with Terry Gibbs for two-years. You’re from Detroit, right? Our piano player was Terry Pollard from Detroit. She was brilliant. We were together for two years. She was married to a bass player from Detroit, Ernie Farrow, I think his name was. We had a quartet with Herman Wright on bass and it was great fun. We played a club in Atlantic City. It was owned by a Black Couple and the clientele was 90% black and it was a swinging joint. We started at Midnight and we’d play until four or five in the morning. It was a regular club and It was legal back then and not after-hours. We worked there with Terry Gibbs, Terri Pollard, myself and Herman Wright. With Terry Gibbs Quartet, we worked a lot at Birdland. We worked there a lot opposite folks like Count Basie, Dizzy (Gillespie), Bird (Charlie Parker), and I got to know Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, Max Roach, all these great drummers. So, I’m playing with Terry Gibbs and one-week, Roy Haynes is playing with the Birdland All-stars. That week it was Charlie Parker, Budd Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, the bass player was Tommy Potter or Curley Russell. Those were the two bass players that worked a lot with Monk, Bird and the rest. This particular time, Roy Haynes said, ‘Hey. I’m gonna be late tomorrow. I’ve got a record date. Can you play the first set with Bird?” I said, yeah. Ok. But Charlie Parker was the nicest man. Like Dizzy, he was beautiful. Those guys were class acts. When you see the movies about them, …well, I didn’t like their depiction of them. I worked on the movie about Bird, but I wasn’t happy with it. You know, Clint Eastwood, who’s a lover of jazz … produced it. But at any rate, Charlie Parker, even though he was into drugs and alcohol, he always appeared clean. When I say clean, I mean he never looked stoned. Never. Nobody could figure out where he got this vocabulary and there was this eloquence about him. He came from Kansas City and he wasn’t highly educated, but he had this wonderful vocabulary. … He and Dizzy were so nice to the young players back then. They would offer their suggestions and encouragement. … We worked opposite them in Chicago too and we were all staying at the same hotel. Charlie Persip was playing with Dizzy at the time. Charlie and I would hang out. We’d go out to the drum factory together. We all stayed at the Croydon Hotel on Rush Street in Chicago. The Eckstines, the Basie Band, everybody stayed there.

“We came out here (to Los Angeles) in the summer of 1954. We worked our way across the country, playing jazz clubs. In fact, we used to work in 1953 and 1954, fifty weeks a year.”

Dee Dee: How was it working with Mel Torme?

FRANK DEVITO: “Oh it was great working with him. A very nice guy; very talented. He wrote all his arrangements and he played drums really well. I worked with him in the 50’s at the Macombo on Sunset Strip and I worked with him in Vegas.”

Dee Dee: What musicians inspired you the most?

FRANK DEVITO: “I was inspired by Charlie Parker and Dizzy. Max Roach was an amazing drummer. Early on, growing up in my formative years, Gene Krupa was my idol. I got to know Gene. He was a great guy. He came from a Polish family in Chicago who were very religious. And Gene was studying, at the beginning, for the priesthood. He was a sweetheart. A very nice man and they made him look like a dope fiend in the press. His band boy was going back stage or something and he had a couple of joints in his pocket and they said, where you going with that? He was a kid, you know. The press blew it all out of proportion.
“For me, the world’s greatest drummer of all time, as far as every drummer that ever lived, was Buddy Rich. Max was great, but Max was a little reserved. He was a more conservative guy. Whereas Art Blakey was a down-home cat.

“Then there’s Roy Haynes. You know Roy Haynes is ninety years old and still playing. Roy is a little short guy, shorter than me, and the world’s greatest dresser. Back then the guys had suits and ties and everything. We’d be standing out in front of Birdland. All the musicians would come over to Roy and say, hey – what you got on today? Where’d you buy that? Roy would look at them and say, well – there’s a place uptown where I purchased this suit. Look at this, he’d say. You like this shirt? Look at the collar. Back then, you know, we used to wear the Mister B collars. That’s what we called them. That referred to Billy Eckstine. I don’t know if you know this, but he was a great guy. I worked with Eckstine for a week, downtown L.A. at the convention center. That was a lot of fun. He was the nicest man. Remember Billy Daniels? I worked with him for a month or six weeks at the Stardust in Las Vegas.”

Dee Dee: I know Earl Palmer was a friend of yours.

FRANK DEVITO: “Earl Palmer! He got me started in the recording business. He and his wife had a beautiful home in Studio City. My wife and I had a house in studio city too and they would invite us over all the time. Red Callendar and his wife would be there. You remember the great bassist, Red Callendar? Red goes way back to the thirties. He pre-dated Earl. I was playing down on LaBrea for a while. There was a little theater where they did jazz. I was playing there one week with Buddy DeFranco and Earl came in. He was in the audience. I had never met him, but I had heard about him, of course! And he came around back stage later. Right away, we became friends. A very nice guy. No ego, you know, even though he was one of the top guys. Sometimes I’d be in a record date next to his” (in the studio next door), “and somebody would say Earl’s next door recording with so-and-so. And during our break, he would take me by the arm, up to the bandleader or the contractor, and introduce me. He’d say this is my friend Frankie Devito. You should use him in case I’m busy.
“Irv Cottler was a great drummer and he also recommended me for a lot of dates. The drummer who did most of the work for Capital Records was Alvin Stoller. Those guys were very, very busy in the studio. They didn’t travel. But I was young. So, if I go a call to go out with Frank Sinatra, I was gonna go. I had a ball. I toured with Frank Sinatra for three years. Then, when I was home, I got referrals and got to record in the studios. With Frank, we were at the Sands and a lot of weekends we were on the road. Guitar player, Nick Bonny was from Buffalo and worked with Frank about a year before me. He wasn’t on the record dates and I wasn’t on Frank’s record dates either. So, this one day, I go up to Frank. I said Frank, Nick and I would love to be on the next recording date. Next thing I know, we got the call. I got to play on the session when we recorded, Witchcraft and others on Capital Records. I was also recorded on the Live Album, Sinatra ’57. It wasn’t released on CD until 1999. Later, in the 1960’s, I played on “Summer Winds” which was part of the Strangers in the Night album. It was Hal Blaine’s record date, but he contracted me to play on a few tunes also. It was on the Reprise label.”

Dee Dee: What about Phil Spector?

FRANK DEVITO: “Yeah. I got to play with Phil Spector. Sometimes he had three or four drummers all banging away at the same time. Most of the time it would be Hal Blane, Earl Palmer and then the other guys played. Sometimes, I’d play percussion. On a record date with that crazy guy, Phil Spector, He had me playing castanets on his recording and he kept yelling at me, louder, louder. Consequently, the instrument broke, because it wasn’t made very well. So, the next day, I knew we were scheduled to do the same thing. I took the castanet home and tried to repair it and make it better. It worked so great after my improvement that I brought it down a week or so later to the drum shop on Vine Street. I showed it to the owner. He said oh, that’s great man. You should make a bunch of those and sell them. Years later, when I wasn’t that busy in the studios, I started to get busy into some of that creativity. It was nothing gigantic, but it was nice. I had a small company that made those, but I never let anything get in the way of my playing. It always came first.”

It’s obvious that Frank DeVito’s passion for his instrument came first. If you’ve heard Frank Sinatra crooning “The Summer Wind” or the Mills Brothers singing their 1952 hit record, “Glow Little Glow Worm” then you’ve heard the skillful accompaniment of Frank DeVito on drums. A percussive jazz icon, DeVito’s diversified talents also held the beat down for the Beach Boys on their “Surfin’ USA” record. He toured three-years with Sinatra and is on the 1999 CD release of the historic, “Sinatra ’57 In Concert.” As part of, ‘Baja Marimba Band’ he made ten television appearances on Johnny Carson’s legendary “Tonight Show” and he played with Herb Alpert’s famed, Tijuana Brass, on their, “Whipped Cream” album. Also, that’s him playing behind Cher on her hit record, ‘Bang Bang.’ He’s worked with everyone from jazz vocalist Billie Holiday to actress Betty Hutton; from Charlie Parker to Buddy DeFranco; from Nat King Cole and Nelson Riddle to Elvis Presley. I couldn’t wait to ask this legend what he thought about the jazz scene in Los Angeles today?

FRANK DEVITO: “Well, we’ve got all of these great young players, so many, but there’s not that much work. No place to play. We used to have all these places like Zardis and The Peacock and a whole lot of other clubs. At least you could get booked for a week or two. Jazz City was another club back then. There really weren’t that many players, but there was a lot of work. It’s opposite today. There are plenty of players and singers, but not enough clubs. And with the advent of simplistic music, popular on radio, like rock and roll and rap, that really helped to kill jazz.

“When I was coming up, teenagers did not control the business. My friend, Remo Bailey, who invented the plastic drum head; he’s gone now, but he said something very wise one time. He was talking about what happened to jazz and so forth. He said jazz had a certain amount of fans for many years and they were very devoted fans. But it wasn’t popular with the majority of American people. It’s an art form. When something came along with the rhythm section and the drums simplifying everything. He said, something came along that anybody could do. The Rock and Roll thing. It was simplistic rock. Boom-bap – Boom-Bap. It was simple. You didn’t have to be a great player to do that. It’s sad because it’s the only pure American art form we have. Also, what I am really unhappy about is that for so many years, our government never gave it its due. Let’s talk about the music called jazz and talk about the early jazz guys; Kenton, Dizzy, Bird, Ellington and all those creative people who came along. Our government ought to keep jazz on the airwaves and jazz ought to be played in the clubs. Let’s keep jazz alive.

See more at http://www.FrankDeVitodrummer.com

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BILLY JONES – 3’S A CROWD
Acoustical Concepts
Billy Jones, drums; EAST COAST MUSICIANS: George Young, alto saxophone; John Vanore, trumpet; George Genna & Mick Rossi, piano; Tony Micelli, vibraphone; Tyrone Brown, bass; WEST COAST MUSICIANS: Scotty Wright, vocal; Kenny Stahl, flute; Stu Reynolds, bass clarinet; Gary Meek, tenor saxophone.
Billy Jones had a concept. He wanted to record a complete CD by using the interaction of two instruments; his drums and one other. Thus, the title, “3’s A Crowd”. The ten songs on this CD all feature Jones and various musicians playing as a duo and feeding off of each other in the improvisational way that jazz music demands.
Billy Jones explained it this way: “The challenge now is to raise the drums from its traditional role of accompaniment, to that of partner to that other voice.”
Opening with George Young on alto saxophone, they have composed the title tune. This is an unusual concept album, deserving of a listen simply because of its unique nature. The first thing I noticed was that whoever mixed this project forgot to turn the drums up. After all, it is the Billy Jones project. There are only two instruments on every track, so why is it difficult to properly showcase the main artist? George Young’s saxophone and Billy Jones’ drum set are playful and engaging. They tease and mimic each other in the most musically prolific way. I enjoyed “Song for Meg” with Tony Micelli on vibraphone. Jones was very creative, although his percussive chops were totally outweighed in volume by the ‘vibes.’ Shame on the mixologist.

John Vanore’s beautiful trumpet on “The Call” encourages Jones to explore rhythm and he lays down an African 6/8 groove beneath the rich trumpet solo. Pianist, Mark Rossi, brings a more Avant Garde spark to light Billy Jones’ fire. This freedom continues when tenor saxophonist, Gary Meeks and Jones celebrate John Coltrane and Elvin Jones on a song titled, “For John and Elvin.” I was particularly taken with Stu Reynolds very creative bass clarinet duo with Jones. Vocalist, Scotty Wright, offers a “Chant of the Soul” that scats with the drums, a’capella and without words. As a vocalist myself, I know that was hard work. One of the few jazz voices I’ve heard who can do that successfully is Bobby McFerrin. Wright is up for the challenge and performs well in this unique situation.
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IGNACIO BERROA TRIO – “STRAIGHT AHEAD FROM HAVANA”
Independent Label
Ignacio Berroa, drums; Martin Bejerano, piano; Josh Allen & Lowell Ringel, upright bass; SPECIAL GUESTS: Conrado “Coky” Garcia, percussion; Ruben Blades, lead vocal.

Playing Yamaha drums, Sabian cymbals, Evans drum heads and Vic Firthsticks, Berroa surrounds himself with outstanding equipment and musicians. Pianist, Martin Bejerano, has a terrific style and technique. He exhibits this on the very first song, “Alma Con Alma”. His arrangement flies speedily into a double-time, straight ahead excitement and this song introduces us to some of his talented group of musicians. Josh Allen takes an impressive bass solo on his double bass that sounds amazingly electric. Berroa’s drum solos, during a spirited cycle of trading fours, are impressive and energetic.
Berroa has chosen a repertoire from tunes that resonate with him from his Cuban youth in Havana. For years, the drummer dreamed about taking seasoned Cuban songs that he heard in his youth and reinventing them into straight ahead jazz arrangements. This project seems to have propitious consequences.
Drummer, Ignacio Berroa started exploring his arrangement dreams during his tenure with Dizzy Gillespie that began in 1981, when Berroa arrived in New York and joined the Gillespie quartet. It took decades of planning and growth to finally approach the moment of conception. Berroa maintains the integrity of each composition, reflecting his cultural roots, while using his sticks and brushes to paint every arrangement with straight ahead jazz and a colorful standard of excellence. This is an album of wonderful music and expressive musicians. Together, they cover the spectrum of Latin culture and reinvents it with serious jazz flavors, infused greatly by the stellar arrangements of pianist, Martin Bejerano.
Special guest, Ruben Blades, offers smooth vocals that glide atop Allen’s rich bass notes and enhance the “Negro de Socredad” tune, along with Afro-Cuban chants as background. Guest bassist, Lowell Ringel, offers an appealing solo on cut #6, “De Ja Que Siga Solo,” by Maria Valdes. Other favorites on this outstanding production are: “Los Tres Galpes” with the expert percussive addition of Conrad “Coky” Garcia and Berroa sounds amazing when he cuts loose on seven minutes of “Si Me Puderas Querer.”
This music is scheduled for an August 5th release.

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JULIAN GERSTIN SEXTET – “THE ONE WHO MAKES YOU HAPPY”
Independent Label

Julian Gerstin, tanbou bélé/congas/tupan/ percussion/segunda/percussion; Eugene Uman, piano/Nord keyboard; Wes Brown, bass; Ben James, drums; Ricky Aguilar, paila/shekere; Jesus Gonzalez, tumba/quinto/chorus; Philip Pasmanick, chorus; Anna Patton, clarinet; Don Anderson, trumpet/flugelhorn.

The notable thing that makes this music swing are the percussive accents. Mixed out-front & prominent, they drive this production relentlessly. No wonder. The star of this show is Julian Gerstin. It’s his sextet and he’s written every song and he’s the dynamic percussionist who adds the tanbou Bélé, congas, tupan and other percussive instruments to this self-produced mix. Instead of being just the salt and pepper on this hot dish of music, he and a few other percussion players become the thick gravy that soaks it with delicious spices and flavor. His trio is stalwart and I found Eugene Uman to be exploratory and interesting on his piano and keyboard solos. Anna Patton on clarinet seems to bring a Middle Eastern influence when I hear her solo work. She and Don Anderson blend their horns well, and Anderson’s trumpet skills are commendable. On the whole, this CD feels more easy-listening, World Music than jazz. The disconnect could be in the lack of strong composition skills. However, the participating musicians bring technical dexterity and energy to Gerstin’s recording session and on tunes like “Child Left Behind” they give it their all and cross the threshold of an interesting blend of jazz and Latin improvisation. Other favorite songs are “Apprendiendo Como Amar” with vocal chants that clearly define a melody. This was co-written by Phillip Pasmanick, who adds his voice to the track over a rich percussive background; and I enjoyed their interpretation of Gerstin’s “ Dig It Deeper”.

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CELEBRATING JOHN COLTRANE AND OTHER JAZZ INNOVATORS

CELEBRATING JOHN COLTRANE (SEPT 23, 1926 – JULY 17, 1967)
& OTHER JAZZ INNOVATORS
July 17, 2017
By jazz journalist, Dee Dee McNeil

On this day, July 17th, fifty-years after the death of our beloved jazz legend, John Coltrane, I wanted to review music that shines in the category of great jazz and music that applauds innovative artists. I was pleased to review DAVE LIEBMAN and JOE LOVANO’s new Resonance Records album, “Compassion – The Music of John Coltrane.” ARUAN ORTIZ brings Avant Garde arrangements to the table. The MICA BETHEA BIG BAND absolutely astonished me with arrangements that span the gamut of funk, fusion and Straight-ahead jazz and finally, DAVE STRYKER releases his 28th CD as a leader and celebrates jazz standards composed by Strayhorn, Wayne Shorter and more, arranging them in his own unique way.

DAVE LIEBMAN/JOE LOVANO – “COMPASSION: THE MUSIC OF JOHN COLTRANE”
Resonance Records

Dave Liebman, tenor & soprano saxophones/C flute; Joe Lovano, tenor saxophone/autochrome/alto clarinet/Scottish flute; Phil Markowitz, piano; Ron McClure, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

On July 17, 1967, the great John Coltrane passed away. It is appropriate to remember and celebrate his amazing talent this month, as well as his contributions made to jazz music and peace on earth. The thing that wrapped so many up in the music of ‘Trane’ was his ability to connect with us spiritually. He could transport us to a higher place mentally, spiritually and emotionally with his music. His style is still mimicked and contemplated today. Consequently, I was eager to hear what Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano had brought to their current CD release titled, “Compassion – The Music of John Coltrane.”

They open with “Locomotion,” from the ‘Blue Train’ Blue Note album that I used to own. Boy, did I love that album. “Locomotion” is propelled by an all-star rhythm section. Billy Hart’s drums are like a mix-master in cake batter, whirling the sweetness around at a relentless pace. Markowitz on piano leaps to the forefront, making extraordinary statements on piano and McClure on bass never waivers. His strong, solid foundation holds the rhythm together impeccably. Liebman and Lovano blend horns, similar to the Coltrane arrangement, then each one ventures out on independent paths of improvisation. I enjoy their tribute to Coltrane, but I have to say I truly miss the Lee Morgan solo sound on trumpet and Curtis Fuller’s stellar contribution on trombone from the original recording. Never mind! These two iconic players bring their own spicy reeds to the mix.

This album was recorded back on June 22, 2007 at the Clinton Recording Studios in New York City. The recording was made for a BBC Radio Program called “Jazz on 3.” It was a Somethin’ Else Production and recorded a decade ago to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Coltrane’s transition. Half a century later, his music is still alive, well and relevant.

Grammy award winning, Joe Lovano, expounded on the Saxophone Summit that first started in 1999 as a collaboration between him, Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker. They played in New York at Birdland, developing their repertoire as a group, with overtones and influence from the later period of John Coltrane’s recordings and freedom of expression. Perhaps he explained his fascination with the Coltrane era best when he said in the liner notes, “…the ensembles that he had and the way they played together … It wasn’t just what they were playing, it was how they were playing, and we tried to capture that. … “Locomotion” was one of his famous tunes … it’s blues with a bridge. It has intervals in it that are in a lot of his compositions. There’s a lot of spiritual things that happen that are very mysterious in Coltrane’s music.”

Billy Hart kept it simple when he proudly shared with interviewer Zev Feldman, “ John Coltrane is still my major reason for playing this music. He’s my major inspiration. We’re all just unbelievable Coltrane fans.”

Hart continued, “I was out in Los Angeles with Jimmy Smith, but I had the day off and I went to hear Coltrane’s band with Rashied Ali. The music was even a little advanced for me and when Coltrane got off at the end of the set. To my amazement, he walked over to my table. I was so excited. I can’t tell you. It was like my hero came and sat down. I never expected to have a conversation, but I said, John, your music is so advanced. What are you gonna do … about how people feel about your music? He said, you know, Billy, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I know I can’t stop. And that was like a rally to me. … I began to tear. I felt like I was going to follow this guy to the ends of the earth. So, I said, John, you’re really beautiful. And he said, I’m just trying to clean up. You can imagine if you didn’t take a bath for twenty years how dirty you would be. I’m just trying to clean up.

“I just wanted to follow this man, and a lot of my training and self-study was to eventually play with him or somebody like him.”

You will find this CD a fine tribute piece to our great legend, John Coltrane. I enjoyed Ron McClure’s bass solo on the end of Olé. When he spoke about his love of John Coltrane, he remembered that ‘Blue Train’ album release in 1957. The one that greatly affected me. He was just sixteen years old and McClure says it changed his life. He said that album and Coltrane’s work with Miles Davis, from “Workin” to the “Kind of Blue” recording (another favorite of mine and millions of others), hooked him and helped to form a kind of concept of jazz for the young bassist.

Phil Markowitz expressed his opinion of Coltrane by noting that like the legendary saxophone artist, he too was in search of beauty and expression in the music along with the constant exploration of the unknown.
You can read various comments and quotes from this album’s participants in the small, CD-size, twenty-four page booklet included with this release and enjoy the photographs too. Perhaps Dave Liebman summed it up best when he said:
“To musicians of our generation, Coltrane raised the bar in so many ways. As a bandleader and improviser; technically, as a tenor saxophonist and in bringing the soprano sax back into vogue. … And, as so clearly evidence on this recording, as a composer who created improvisational formats that were constantly evolving and challenging.”

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ARUAN ORTIZ – “CUB(AN)ISM”
Intakt Records

Aruan Ortiz, solo piano/composer.

Free form; Avant Garde; these are the terms that come to mind as I listen to Aruan Ortiz performing solo on this, his second CD release.
From the very first tune, the left hand of Aruan Ortiz is playing as if it’s separate from his body; as if another pianist is seated at a different piano next to his. He keeps perfect time with that left hand, pumping out phrases, chords and rhythm, while the right-hand races over the keys, playing inspirational melody and unexpected chordal harmonies. You won’t find much to sing along with on this recording. Ortiz is exploring his inner feelings, using music as the translator. His CD is arcane and fat with phantasmagoria. Solo piano is demanding. His technique is obvious, but this is a piece of art that presents visceral compositions. The Ortiz eidetic music sounds like a film score.

On the fifth cut, “Monochrome (Yuba),” his technique is interesting as he strums the piano strings like a guitar. Although his first love was playing the violin, and later the viola, after winning several prizes for his orchestral viola concertos as a teen, he was drawn to the piano in 1992. At the age of nineteen, he buried himself in developing a piano style that blended his Cuban roots with his world travels. In Cuba, piano lessons were an obligatory part of music education, so he was already familiar with the instrument from childhood. In Barcelona, Spain, Ortiz garnered his formal jazz degree. His first released production was in 1996, recorded in Madrid and titled, “Impresion Tropical”.
According to the liner notes, “Cub(an)ism” is the result of an in-depth conversation with a range of musical idioms and styles, and various experiences from the phases of Ortiz’s life, in Cuba, Spain, France and the USA, which have formed his eclectic concept of music.”

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THE MICA BETHEA BIG BAND – “STAGE ‘N STUDIO”
Independent label

Studio Personnel: Aaron Lehrian, Piano/string synthesizer; Josh Bowlus, piano/Rhodes; Ryan Slatko, vides/percussion/piano; James Hogan, guitar; Stan “Piper” & Dennis Marks, bass; Terry “Doc” Handy, percussion; John Lumpkin, Jr., drums; Mike Emmert, bari sax/bass clarinet; Eric Riehm, tenor sax/clarinet; Jose Rojas, Tenor Sax/flute/clarinet; Juan Carlos Rollan, tenor saxophone/flute; Daniel Dickinson, alto saxophone/ flute/clarinet; Todd DelGiudice, alto & soprano saxophones/flute/clarinet; Gina “Badeedu” Benalcazar, bass trombone; Trombone section: Ryan Bricknell, Corey Wilcox, Lance Reed & Michael Nunez. Trumpet section: Greg Balut, Ray Callender, Jay Forman, Dave Champagne, Jonathan Ward & Robert Vandivier. Linda Cole, vocals.

Stage Personnel: Josh Bowlus, piano/Rhodes; Dennis Marks, bass; John Lumpkin Jr., drums; Terry ‘Doc’ Handy, percussion; Jonah Pierre, vibes/percussion; Steve Gallatin, guitar; Mike Emmert, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet; Jose Rojas, tenor saxophone/flute/clarinet; Juan Carlos Rollan, tenor saxophone/flute; Daniel Dickinson, alto saxophone/flute/clarinet; Todd DelGiudice, alto & soprano saxohones/flute/clarinet; Gina ‘Badeeduh’ Benalcazar, bass trombone; Trombone section: Ryan Bricknell, Wyatt Thomas, Lance Reed. Trumpet Section: Greg Balut, Dave Champagne, Scott Dickinson, Jonathan Ward, Ray Callender. Linda Cole, vocals.

The first disc I listen to is the studio recorded big band. It opens with Herbie Hancock’s, “Hang Up Your Hang Ups.” The funk leaps off the first tune like sweat from an active boxer. That bass guitar intro jabs you right in the face. Then the drums punch the rhythm forward and the horns fight back, in unison and harmonically, never giving an inch to the powerful players swinging on bass, piano, guitar and drums. Oh, that drummer who enlists the two and four beats like a Joe Louis knock-out combination, has my undivided attention.

The idea of merging contemporary funk-fusion jazz with big band arrangements was questionable in my mind at first, until I heard this marvelous recording. It’s well-executed, with phenomenal arrangements and distinguished players. That baritone saxophone solo by Mike Emmert is breathtakingly beautiful on Herbie’s tune. I was hooked right from the opening cut.

“Birth Rite” quickly becomes another favorite of mine. It’s a Mica Bethea composition and features Joshua Bowlus on piano, opening this arrangement like a Thelonious Monk composition. It quickly drifts into an ethereal space, becoming other-worldly with distinctive horn harmonies and descants. That lovely piano solo by Bowlus and the luscious arrangements on this tune unexpectedly pulled tears to my eyes. It’s a very moving composition.

“Tenderly” is beautifully arranged to showcase a swelling and rhythm that fuses it with Latin grooves, but still keeps the satin-smooth continuity of orchestration that makes big bands so exciting. Bethea’s arrangements are fresh, unpredictable and incorporate a taste of the old-school bands of the 1940’s with a fresh facelift, mixed with fusion funk that propels his music into the twenty-first century.

I’m impressed with Bethea as a composer as well as his arranging skills. He offers us comparison between a “Live” performance and a studio recording of his big band, including some of the same songs so we can balance our opinions of the band’s performance, using our own personal music scales. This is a double set recording with two unique discs. Everything about this music is enthralling and technically brilliant. There is such strength and power in this man’s arrangements. Then I read the bio on him that’s included in the Cd package and I see where his forcefulness and aggressive arrangements come from.
In 2005, Mica Bethea was driving back to his North Florida University in Jacksonville, when a big rig going 85 miles an hour plowed into his car. He was standing still, completely stopped in traffic. The result of this accident is that this amazing arranger/composer is now a quadriplegic. I only mention this because I believe it shows the character and resilience of this creative artist. This young music student had the courage and determination to return to school, three years later, and complete his Bachelor’s Degree and attain his Master’s Degree in Jazz. Both his parents were musicians. His father played trumpet and piano and his mother sang. His dad was also a radio disc jockey in the 70’s and Mica Bethea learned to love jazz at an early age. Proficient in both piano and saxophone, after the accident Bethea could no longer play, so he focused his talents on arranging and composition. He cites Gil Evans, Maria Schneider and Bob Brookmeyer as big influences in his big band arrangements. He explained his project this way:

“This was a very interesting experiment. On the studio CD, I could control the environment and get exactly the sounds I wanted. There’s a very pleasing, almost pristine quality to it. But on the live performance, you can hear that the musicians are more relaxed and stretch out more. The sound isn’t as clean, but that’s more than made up for by the vitality of the performance.”

This writer can honestly assert there is not one bad cut on these dual discs. I spent all week listening to them with excitement and infused pleasure. Not to mention, these are crème-de-la-crème musicians who interpret the compositions and arrangements of Mica Bethea with memorable gusto. For example, on the ‘Live’ recording, the cut titled “Self Defense” spotlights John Lumpkin Jr.’s amazing drum skills and also features reedman, Todd DelGiudice. I love the guitar wah-wah pedaled sound in the background. There’s just so much to hear in this CD, like exploring a treasure chest. You just keep finding unexpected and precious gifts.
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DAVE STRYKER – “STRYKIN’ AHEAD”
StrikeZone Records

Dave Stryker, guitar; Steve Nelson, vibraphone; Jared Gold, organ; McClenty Hunter, drums.

Stryker turns out albums like Ford Motor Company rolls cars off the assembly line. This is his twenty-eighth CD as a leader and once again, he features some of his favorite players. I always enjoy guitar and organ trios. For a second time, Stryker has added Steve Nelson’s excellent vibraphone talents, expanding his group to a quartet. Their last recording together in 2016 was called Eight Track II and previewed a jazz approach to pop and R&B standard tunes from the days of Eight Track tape recorders. This time, Stryker leaves no doubt that he is all about jazz. The tunes he’s picked make that perfectly clear; Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints”, Billy Strayhorn’s “Passion Flower,” and Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring”. You will find this recording a laid-back, re-harmonization of these standards as only Stryker can do. He enjoys giving familiar compositions a make-over. For example, on the second cut, “Footprints,” he switches the time to 5/4 and opens with a 5/4 melodic groove to introduce this familiar standard. At first, it’s unrecognizable, but then the melody kicks in and you get a smooth jazz kind of arrangement. “New You” uses the chord changes of “There Will Never Be Another You” with a distinctly different melody. It’s a nice ‘Swing’ piece, played at a moderate pace, that Stryker has composed. I enjoy Jared Golds bass line underneath Billy Strayhorn’s “Passion Flower” and the Latin groove McClenty Hunter lays down on the drums. Very nice indeed. As always, Dave Stryker shines with star qualities on guitar. At the same time, he is generous with his other magicians, giving them plenty of room to spread their improvised solos around, sweet as jelly on toast. Stryker is a fine composer. Both “Shadowboxing” and “Strykin’ Ahead” are energetic tunes that leave plenty of room for exploration and improvisation, while showcasing Dave Stryker’s competence and aesthetics on his guitar. “Blues Down Deep” delivers on its promise.

All in all, here is an album, produced by Stryker, that genuinely supports the title of this project, “Strykin’ Ahead” and holds true to its presumption of straight-ahead jazz, creatively arranged standards, and well composed original music.
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WOMEN IN JAZZ BRING CULTURE AND CREATIVITY TO DISC

July 6, 2017

WOMEN IN JAZZ BRING CULTURE AND CREATIVITY TO DISC
CD Reviews by Jazz journalist, Dee Dee McNeil

HYESEON HONG JAZZ ORCHESTRA – EE – YA – GI with Rich Perry & Ingrid Jensen
Mama Records

Hyeseon Hong, composer/arranger/director; Matt Panayides, guitar; Broc Hempel, piano; John Lenis, bass; Mark Ferber, drums; Ben Kono, alto/soprano saxophones; flute; Matt Vashlishan, alto saxophone/EWI/flute; Rich Perry, tenor sax; Jeremy Powell, tenor sax/clarinet; Andrew Hadro, bari/bass clarinet; Augie Haas, Ingrid Jensen, Jason Wiseman, Colin Brigstocke, Trumpets; Ron Wilkens, Daniel Linden, Ric Becker, Becca Patterson, trombones; EJ Park & Subin Park, vocalists.
Hyeseon Hong (pronounced hay-son-hong) migrated to New York City from Seoul, Korea pursuing an extended education in music education. From the ages of twelve to eighteen, she studied art in Korea, but that was her second passion. The first was music. As a child, her family realized she had perfect pitch and she studied and played piano in church and gave piano lessons to others when she was only nine years old. Her interest in music evolved to composition, arranging and a powerful urge to form and direct an orchestra. She could hear all the arrangements in her head.

Coming to America to further her music education, at New York University, she honed her composition skills and began arranging for her 10-piece band and gigging around the city. For a while, she returned to her native Korea and taught college classes. But she was bitten by the East Coast music bug. The energy and cultural diversity of NYC were infectious. Ms. Hong returned and over the past fifteen years, she has been a band leader/composer and arranger. This year, 2017, she was awarded a grant for this recording from the prestigious Aaron Copland Fund for Music. The results equal this work titled, “Ee-Ya-Gi.”

I was struck by cut #3 on this 18-piece, orchestrated CD titled, “Para Mi Amigo Distante.” It begins with Ben Kono’s reed talents singing the melody sweetly on soprano saxophone. Then, the Bossa beat kicks in, thanks to Matt Panayides’ rhythm guitar licks and the orchestra supports the haunting melody that Ms. Hyeseon Hong wrote with ebullience. She says it is meant to celebrate Latin America and others who feel misplaced in another country. This composition recalls traveling to foreign shores, making new friends, then leaving and how those friendships come and go; how they inspire us and make memories that are ever-lasting. I also enjoyed the jazzy “Friends or Lovers” arrangement, which leant itself to Swing and Matt Panayides, once again, showed great competence on his guitar.

Cut #4 follows. It’s culturally rich with Subin Park as guest vocalist, opening the piece singing in Korean. “Boat Song” also features the tenor saxophone of Rich Perry. He brings jazz to the forefront in a lovely, unforgettable way with the orchestra oily-smooth in the background, laying down a royal foundation for his exquisite horn solo. Then Park’s voice re-enters, like raindrops on the rooftop, tinkling a different sound against the orchestration and sometimes singing in unison with the orchestrated melody.

I met Ingrid Jenson in Detroit, while reviewing her with her own ensemble. She was part of the Motor City’s historic Free Annual Jazz Festival and boy, could she swing! I was absolutely blown away by this lady’s tenacity on trumpet. She mesmerized the audience. So, of course I was eager to hear her with this orchestra, in a totally different setting. On the last cut, “Love Song: Story of the First Love,” she plays a pretty, legato solo, but I felt that the piece did not allow Jensen to stretch out into a place of freedom and improvisation, the way I witnessed her with her own group. I found the orchestration somewhat confining and very classical in format. Ingrid Jensen was also featured on “Trash Digging Queen: Story of Nica, the Dog,” which I found to be a fascinating title. On this composition by Ms. Hong, Jensen was given a lot more leeway to pursue self-expression on her instrument. I thought Andrew Hadro’s baritone saxophone added great depth and interest to this piece, while Rich Perry’s tenor brought jazz riffs and spontaneity to the tune. But the composition itself, is a strange combination of marching band influence mixed with orchestral whole tones and repetitive harmonics that just don’t necessarily bring jazz to my consciousness. On Cut #1, that opens this project, is titled “Harvest Dance,” and seems to signal a World Music vernacular, with hints of Asian influence. It also features the trumpet improv of Ms. Jensen. Perhaps this song demonstrates the point of this CD project. It weaves various cultures and styles together into a cohesive world musical exploration. The artist previews her composition skills, as well as her arrangements of self-expression and beauty during this Hyeseon Hong production.

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PEGGY DUQUESNEL – “LOVELY SKIES” – Piano Orchestrations
Joyspring Productions

Peggy Duquesnel, piano/keyboard/organ/composer/producer; Steve Hall & Steve Donovan, piano; Jeff Lorber, Andre Mayeux, & Edo Guidotti, keyboards/organ; David Patt, Michael Higgins, Michael Thompson & Grant Geissman, guitar; Jimmy Haslip, Ernie Nunez, Gordon Rustvold & Dave Stone, bass; Jimmy Branley, Gary Novak, Dave Owens, Tony Moore, Suzanne Morrisette & Sinclair Lott, drums/percussion; Dee Dee McNeil, background vocals.

Starting with “Rainy Days and Mondays” pianist Peggy Duquesnel sets the smooth jazz groove for an exceptional album of easy listening, contemporary music. This CD contains sixteen songs that are well- produced. Some are familiar and even Ms. Duquesnel’s original compositions sound like songs we’ve heard before and are pleasant to the ear, like “Bird on a Leash.”

Her piano talents are like delicate touches on a table full of delicious songs. It’s her simplistic way of delivering a melody that makes listening to this production so compelling. You find yourself humming along with her songs after just one listen. The rhythm sections are strong and super supportive, with appearances by bass man and former member of the famed Yellow Jackets, Jimmy Haslett, and keyboard master, Jeff Lorber. Also, long time bandmate of Duquesnel is bassist, Ernie Nunez, who plays with gusto on several of her original song productions. You will hear some of the top horn players in the Orange County/Los Angeles area including Greg Vail on saxophone and flute, as well as Tony Guerrero and Ric Braun on trumpets and flugel horns.

“When I Think of You” is a catchy original written by Lorber and Duquesnel, featuring Duqeusnel injection of that funky, blues feeling on her piano. She has a happiness that radiates off the keys. To add to the magic, Lorber is a master of grooves and delivers his special talents on keyboards. I also enjoy Guerrero’s muted trumpet solo. All in all, Peggy Duquesnel shares her composer/arranger/piano and production talents with us, featuring the double fisted talents of several musical friends.
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MICHELLE BRADLEY – “BODY AND SOUL”
Merry Lane Records

Michelle Bradley, vocals; Art Fristoe, piano; Tim Ruiz, bass; Jerre Jackson & Richard Cholakian, drums; Andre Hayward, trombone; Shelley Carrol, flue/saxophone; Brennen Nase & Greg Petito, guitars.

Michelle Bradley has a soprano voice with a great deal of judder to her tone; an appealing tremor similar to Beyoncé, but in an operatic way. I enjoyed the arrangement of “Body and Soul” as a Bossa/Swing combination and featuring an impressive guitar solo by Brennan Nase. Bradley’s band is supportive and her melodic ideas are stylized and obvious in “Misty”, where the melodic liberties she takes are lovely and sometimes unexpected. I felt she was reaching for an identity during the execution of this song and I look forward to hearing more from this artist in the future. The first thing that caught my ear was that Ms. Bradley employs a very opera-like vocal quality to her interpretation of jazz standards.

Sadly, so many people think singing jazz is easy, but it takes a certain ability, just as it takes serious practice and technical skill to sing Opera. When Ms. Bradley tackles “How High the Moon,” Her rendition, falls short of the copy she implemented by mimicking Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of “How High The Moon.” With her pitch and range, Ella Fitzgerald could have easily sung operatically, but her gift was that she could ‘Swing.’ Ella was a true jazz singer and you have to be able to ‘Swing’ to copy Ella. When Ms. Bradley repeats Ella’s ‘live’ performance of this song, she sings Ella’s improvised words “… We’re swinging it just for you …”. Unfortunately, Michelle Bradley does not ‘Swing’ and has not yet mastered the ability to ‘Swing’ the music. In her liner notes, I read that she is currently seeking jazz vocal coaching and that’s a good step forward.

In the same breath, Michelle Bradley has a beautiful voice and has made an impact as a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York City. Ms. Bradley also spent time as a featured singer at the legendary Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Bob Dorough was scoring a film and found a certain intoxication with Bradley rich, operatic tones. He and pianist, Art Fristoe, hired her to sing a tune he wrote with Fran Landesman titled, “A Few Days of Glory.” Bradley’s voice on this gospel tune, as part of the soundtrack, was released on Eulalia label and becomes one of her first recordings. She can only grow from this point forward.
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KELLYE GRAY – “RENDERING” ( A double disc release)
Independent Label

RENDERING: Kellye Gray, vocals; Pamela York, piano; David Craig, bass; Sebastian Whittaker, drums; Warren Sneed, saxophone; Andre Hayward, trombone.
STANDARDS IN GRAY Disc: Kellye Gray, voice; Dave Catney, piano; Tom Anastacio, bass; Sebastian Whittaker, drums; Warren Sneed, saxophone.

On “Don’t Explain,” the opening song on one of Kellye Gray’s dual disc set, the artist offers a compelling performance. Ms. Gray sings like she means it. She’s expressive and vocally demonstrative, using all of her range and power. This vocalist has a way of changing the melody of songs to suit her vocal arrangement. Most horn players and vocalists learn to sing the song down once as written by the composer, then improvise on the theme and chord changes. Still, the changes and melody adjustments sung by Kellye Gray are creative and not unlikeable. Jazz certainly gives you the freedom to find your own voice. That’s the whole point of singing jazz.

You can tell, this is a woman whose known pain, up-close and personal. It infects her vocals and colors her songs. One of the discs features a younger Kellye Gray, with dark, short cropped hair and innocent eyes. Her accompanying group on this CD labeled, “Standards in Gray” is stellar. Her interpretation of “The Island” is lovely. Although living for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area, this entire project was recorded ‘live’ over three days, at the Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas; her hometown. It was recorded on two-track analog tape, what we call old-school recording and before Sibelius and ProTools were available. I am attracted to the rich, warm sound the engineer manages to capture on tape and it transfers beautifully to disc. There’s no overdubbing here. So, congratulations are in order to Kellye Gray and her band for their musical competence in recording ‘live’.

On “All Blues” her vocals sound like a trombone, instead of a human voice. Dave Catney soars on piano. For my taste, this is clearly the better jazz ensemble with Anastacio on bass and Catney on keys. They seem more cohesive. You can hear Kellye Gray’s style developing on this project, recorded over two decades ago. At times, I hear shades of the great Morgana King in her alto tones.
Kellye Gray paints “Morning” by the late, great Clare Fischer, with a familiar face, but adds her own stylistic coloring to this musical portrait. “How Long Has This Been Going On” is one of those songs sung often. Gray knows how to sell a ballad and puts her spin on the song. One minute, with sweet whispery tones and the next, with vocal crescendos that sometimes soar over-the-top. She’s appropriately or inappropriately dramatic, depending on how you look at it. This is a seasoned vocalist who offers you her fledgling talents on one disc and her current, more mature style on another. Her repertoire is rich with emotion and her vocals definitely pack a punch.
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KATHY SANBORN – “RECOLLECTING YOU”
Pacific Coast Jazz

Kathy Sanborn, vocals/composer; Keerthy Narayanan, keyboards/bass; Aman Almeida, piano; Abhinav Khanna, drums; Wayne Ricci, trumpet; Rocio Marron, violin; Vito Gregoli & Ciro Hurtado, guitars.

Here is a smoky voice, with Peggy Lee character and contemporary jazz arrangements She has composed all the tunes on this, her eighth CD release. In partnership with Narayanan, her producer, keyboard man and bass player, they have a finished product that’s polished and smooth-jazz-friendly.

Sanborn has a comfortable style to her voice, cozy, soft and sexy like a favorite cashmere sweater. You slip into her music and curl up on the couch. This is romantic music, not only the artist’s voice, but her accompanying ensemble make her compositions come alive. Her music breathes, whispers and flows. Her poems have been put to music. They don’t always rhyme, but they are prose that capture the moment and tell vivid stories. Each original composition flows into the next, like lovers, breathing as one. Kathy Sanborn was a 2015 American Songwriting Award winner.

Wayne Ricci is simplistic, but strikingly present on his trumpet as he improvises around Sanborn’s vocals. Pianist, Aman Almeida, is mixed perfectly into the arrangements and adds his attentive accompaniment in all the perfect places, cushioning her warm tones. There is something ethereal and captivating about this artist, about her band and her stories. The freedom they personify is striking, both musically and lyrically. The producer, and multi-talented musician, Keerthy Narayanan, is to be congratulated. Thanks to the combination of his talent with hers, you’ll remember the Kathy Sanborn sound long after the last tune has finished.
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KRIS RUSSELL – “DOWN IN BRAZIL”
A single release – Independent Label

As soon as you hear the first strains of Russell’s mellow tones, you think Michael Franks. I look for the writer’s credits, and Voila! Michael Franks.
Russell sounds smooth and comfortable on this contemporary arrangement of the Frank’s tune along with her “mystery ensemble” (as she refers to her band). They are more than ample and lay down a fat, well-produced track.
I think it is both unfortunate and disrespectful to record music and not give your band members credit. That’s how folks used to do it years ago, but that behavior is frowned upon today. With the vocal artist, Kris Russell, taking all the credit, it made me less inclined to give her any credit at all.

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NOTE: Kris Russell responded to my review and I was happy to post her response.

—–Original Message—–
From: Kris Russell
To: ddmcneil
Cc: kris_russell_
Sent: Mon, Jul 10, 2017 4:32 pm
Subject: Kris Russell Down in Brazil

Hello Dee Dee …..I appreciate the kind words about my new single and I would like to answer the critical part about my self and not naming the musicians on the CD ….and just let you know that the contract/agreement between myself and the musicians for Down in Brazil my new release calls for that. The musicians don’t want their names/and or credit on the CD..for now…and there are very good reasons why! You are making assumptions that you shouldn’t be making and I have done nothing wrong in keeping with what the musicians themselves want and what the contract/agreement calls for! I thank you for the opportunity to answer what probably will concern other reviewers too. I hope I have answered your concerns and questions? I would have given them credit if not for other circumstances that they and I know about! Sincerely Kris Russell

On Monday, July 10, 2017 9:02 PM, Dee Dee wrote:

Hi Kris,

Thank you for reaching out. Having been in the business for some years, I understand that contractually some musicians are not supposed to record outside their labels. Perhaps this is the situation. I’m really happy to hear from you and that you would happily give the musicians credit if you could. That makes me feel a lot better. If you like, I can post your response and mine on the website.

Kris responded: Yes.. that would be great. I knew from your years in Jazz that you would understand the many problems in recording that can come up. I’m following you at LaJazz.com on twitter also. Thanks so much! Kris