Donald Harrison • Nouveau Swing

 

Review by William Ruhlmann
On his Impulse! Records debut, Donald Harrison mixes his usual straight-ahead work with rhythmic elements from tropical climates. Albert Wonsey plays appropriate piano on all tracks, though Harrison employs two different rhythm sections, Christian McBride and Carl Allen for the more conventional tunes and Ruben Rogers and Dion Parson for the others. The others include "Bob Marley," twhich borrows its rhythmic feel from such later Marley songs as "Exodus"; "Little Flowers," which also has a Caribbean lilt; "Septembro," the requisite samba; and "Duck's Groove," the requisite New Orleans second-line number. The concept is slight and inconsistently applied, as if Harrison was looking for something distinctive, but not too challenging. As ever, he is a proficient alto player with a comfortable retro style. But one might have expected more from producer Tommy LiPuma, who is usually able to make things lively even if not impressive, and one certainly hoped for more from Harrison, who is too old to be a young turk yet still shows no signs of mature mastery.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/nouveau-swing-mw0000020678


Biography by Thom Jurek
A celebrated New Orleans-born jazz saxophonist, Donald Harrison is an adept performer known for a hard-swinging improvisational style that touches upon acoustic post-bop, traditional New Orleans jazz, and R&B. Harrison initially emerged as a young lion in the '80s, playing in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers alongside trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Harrison and Blanchard then signed with Columbia Records and issued several highly regarded albums, including 1987's Crystal Staircase and 1988's Black Pearl. On his own, the saxophonist has displayed an innovative knack for mixing New Orleans second rhythms, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B on albums like 1992's Indian Blues and 1997's Nouveau Swing. Having lived through Hurricane Katrina, he appeared in Spike Lee's HBO documentary When the Levees Broke, and issued his own homage to the city with 2006's The Survivor. While he splits his time between New York and New Orleans, Harrison (who was named Big Chief of The Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans cultural group in 1999) remains a vital proponent of his birth city's music and cultural heritage.

Born in New Orleans on June 23, 1960, Harrison is the son of the late Donald Harrison, Sr., a legendary New Orleans folklorist and, during his lifetime, the Big Chief of four different NOLA tribes. The younger Harrison began his education at the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and studied with Ellis Marsalis. After graduation, he attended the Berklee College of Music. Though he began playing as a professional while in high school, Harrison gained recognition for his tone and acumen on both alto and tenor horns, playing in the bands of Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff, and most famously, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers along with trumpeter and future musical partner Terence Blanchard -- they succeeded Wynton and Branford Marsalis.

The pair left Blakey's band and began recording as the Terence Blanchard/Donald Harrison Quintet. Between 1983 and 1988, they issued five albums, including New York Second Line (1984) and Discernment (1986), both for Concord, and Nascence (1986), Crystal Stair (1987), and Black Pearl (1988) for Columbia. While with the unit, Harrison also took part in recording sessions in the jazz vanguard: in 1985, he played on the avant The Sixth Sense (Black Saint) with Bobby Battle, Olu Dara, and Fred Hopkins, and in 1986, he recorded with Don Pullen. The Quintet split in 1989.

As a bandleader in his own right, Harrison issued the hard bop Blakey tribute album For Art's Sake on Candid in 1991, and followed it with the historic Indian Blues. It was the first time that Harrison actively engaged his New Orleans musical heritage on a large scale. It wedded Mardis Gras Indian tunes and chanting (courtesy of the Guardians of the Flame Mardi Gras Indians, with his father on vocals), to funky Crescent City rhythm & blues and modern jazz. The session featured Dr. John, Cyrus Chestnut, Carl Allen, Phil Bowler, Bruce Cox, and Howard Smiley Ricks. Harrison also recorded the smooth jazz date The Power of Cool, which was released in Germany in 1991, and in the States in 1994.

In 1993, he signed to GRP/Impulse. His first album for that label was Nouveau Swing, the album -- and concept -- that gave Harrison his nickname "the King of Nouveau Swing." That set employed straight-ahead jazz concepts on half the set, and Caribbean rhythms on the remainder. His follow-up went even further afield, establishing the nouveau swing concept by including Latin rhythms, more rhythm & blues, smooth jazz, and even hip-hop. In 1999, Harrison officially became a Big Chief and founded the Congo Nation Mardi Gras Indians to honor his father and further New Orleans African roots culture. To close out the century, he recorded The New Sounds of Mardi Gras, which merged New Orleans traditional music with hip-hop.

In 2000, Harrison issued the landmark Spirits of Congo Square album, recorded with his New Orleans Legacy Ensemble. The album featured parade rhythms -- and hard bop solos -- whether the tune was a traditional NOLA number or a jazz standard by a modern composer. In 2002, he issued his first collaboration with nephew Christian Scott in a quintet setting of newly arranged jazz standards called Kind of New. In 2003, he recorded a pair of albums for Nagel Heyer Records. The first, Free Style, may have been a thorough jazz date, but it was entirely inspired by hip-hop rhythms. The second, Heroes, with Ron Carter and Billy Cobham, was more conventionally post-bop, but offered extremely inspired playing by each of the trio's members. In 2004, Harrison also issued Paradise Found, his second quintet offering with his nephew.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Harrison began to immerse himself in New Orleans' life as an educator as well as a musician and Big Chief. He began employing high school students in his bands and had them play dates with other professional musicians in order to foster New Orleans' musical heritage and to give the younger players more professional exposure. Many musicians had left the city in the aftermath of Katrina, and Harrison saw it as his duty to keep the flame alive.

In 2006 he issued Survivor, a straight-ahead jazz date with Mulgrew Miller and others. He also released the first volume of a projected three-album series entitled 3D (one volume to showcase each of his playing styles). This first entry focused on the commercially viable side of Harrison's musical identity in smooth jazz, urban rhythm & blues, and funk. (Vols. 2 & 3 will be dedicated to straight-ahead jazz and hip-hop, respectively.) In 2008, he released The Chosen in Europe only. In 2009, he released three titles on Nagel Heyer: The Ballads, The Burners, and Two of a Kind with Christian Scott. In 2010, Harrison became an occasional member of the cast of the HBO television series Treme, playing himself. The saxophonist then reunited with Carter and Cobham for a live date entitled This Is Jazz: Live at the Blue Note, playing a program of originals and standards. It included a new Harrison composition entitled "Treme Swagger." He then issued the concert album Live at Jazzfest 2018.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/donald-harrison-mn0000184406

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Reseña de William Ruhlmann
En su Impulse! Records Debut discográfico, Donald Harrison mezcla su habitual trabajo directo con elementos rítmicos de climas tropicales. Albert Wonsey toca el piano apropiado en todas las pistas, aunque Harrison emplea dos secciones rítmicas diferentes, Christian McBride y Carl Allen para las melodías más convencionales y Ruben Rogers y Dion Parson para las demás. Los otros incluyen "Bob Marley", que toma prestada su sensación rítmica de canciones posteriores de Marley como "Exodus"; "Little Flowers", que también tiene un toque caribeño; "Septembro", la samba necesaria; y "Duck's Groove", el número obligatorio de segunda línea de Nueva Orleans. El concepto es leve e inconsistentemente aplicado, como si Harrison buscara algo distintivo, pero no demasiado desafiante. Como siempre, es un alto intérprete competente con un cómodo estilo retro. Pero uno podría haber esperado más del productor Tommy LiPuma, que generalmente es capaz de animar las cosas aunque no sea impresionante, y ciertamente esperaba más de Harrison, que es demasiado viejo para ser un joven turco y aún no muestra signos de dominio maduro.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/nouveau-swing-mw0000020678


Biography by Thom Jurek
A celebrated New Orleans-born jazz saxophonist, Donald Harrison is an adept performer known for a hard-swinging improvisational style that touches upon acoustic post-bop, traditional New Orleans jazz, and R&B. Harrison initially emerged as a young lion in the '80s, playing in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers alongside trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Harrison and Blanchard then signed with Columbia Records and issued several highly regarded albums, including 1987's Crystal Staircase and 1988's Black Pearl. On his own, the saxophonist has displayed an innovative knack for mixing New Orleans second rhythms, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B on albums like 1992's Indian Blues and 1997's Nouveau Swing. Having lived through Hurricane Katrina, he appeared in Spike Lee's HBO documentary When the Levees Broke, and issued his own homage to the city with 2006's The Survivor. While he splits his time between New York and New Orleans, Harrison (who was named Big Chief of The Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans cultural group in 1999) remains a vital proponent of his birth city's music and cultural heritage.

Born in New Orleans on June 23, 1960, Harrison is the son of the late Donald Harrison, Sr., a legendary New Orleans folklorist and, during his lifetime, the Big Chief of four different NOLA tribes. The younger Harrison began his education at the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and studied with Ellis Marsalis. After graduation, he attended the Berklee College of Music. Though he began playing as a professional while in high school, Harrison gained recognition for his tone and acumen on both alto and tenor horns, playing in the bands of Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff, and most famously, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers along with trumpeter and future musical partner Terence Blanchard -- they succeeded Wynton and Branford Marsalis.

The pair left Blakey's band and began recording as the Terence Blanchard/Donald Harrison Quintet. Between 1983 and 1988, they issued five albums, including New York Second Line (1984) and Discernment (1986), both for Concord, and Nascence (1986), Crystal Stair (1987), and Black Pearl (1988) for Columbia. While with the unit, Harrison also took part in recording sessions in the jazz vanguard: in 1985, he played on the avant The Sixth Sense (Black Saint) with Bobby Battle, Olu Dara, and Fred Hopkins, and in 1986, he recorded with Don Pullen. The Quintet split in 1989.

As a bandleader in his own right, Harrison issued the hard bop Blakey tribute album For Art's Sake on Candid in 1991, and followed it with the historic Indian Blues. It was the first time that Harrison actively engaged his New Orleans musical heritage on a large scale. It wedded Mardis Gras Indian tunes and chanting (courtesy of the Guardians of the Flame Mardi Gras Indians, with his father on vocals), to funky Crescent City rhythm & blues and modern jazz. The session featured Dr. John, Cyrus Chestnut, Carl Allen, Phil Bowler, Bruce Cox, and Howard Smiley Ricks. Harrison also recorded the smooth jazz date The Power of Cool, which was released in Germany in 1991, and in the States in 1994.

In 1993, he signed to GRP/Impulse. His first album for that label was Nouveau Swing, the album -- and concept -- that gave Harrison his nickname "the King of Nouveau Swing." That set employed straight-ahead jazz concepts on half the set, and Caribbean rhythms on the remainder. His follow-up went even further afield, establishing the nouveau swing concept by including Latin rhythms, more rhythm & blues, smooth jazz, and even hip-hop. In 1999, Harrison officially became a Big Chief and founded the Congo Nation Mardi Gras Indians to honor his father and further New Orleans African roots culture. To close out the century, he recorded The New Sounds of Mardi Gras, which merged New Orleans traditional music with hip-hop.

In 2000, Harrison issued the landmark Spirits of Congo Square album, recorded with his New Orleans Legacy Ensemble. The album featured parade rhythms -- and hard bop solos -- whether the tune was a traditional NOLA number or a jazz standard by a modern composer. In 2002, he issued his first collaboration with nephew Christian Scott in a quintet setting of newly arranged jazz standards called Kind of New. In 2003, he recorded a pair of albums for Nagel Heyer Records. The first, Free Style, may have been a thorough jazz date, but it was entirely inspired by hip-hop rhythms. The second, Heroes, with Ron Carter and Billy Cobham, was more conventionally post-bop, but offered extremely inspired playing by each of the trio's members. In 2004, Harrison also issued Paradise Found, his second quintet offering with his nephew.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Harrison began to immerse himself in New Orleans' life as an educator as well as a musician and Big Chief. He began employing high school students in his bands and had them play dates with other professional musicians in order to foster New Orleans' musical heritage and to give the younger players more professional exposure. Many musicians had left the city in the aftermath of Katrina, and Harrison saw it as his duty to keep the flame alive.

In 2006 he issued Survivor, a straight-ahead jazz date with Mulgrew Miller and others. He also released the first volume of a projected three-album series entitled 3D (one volume to showcase each of his playing styles). This first entry focused on the commercially viable side of Harrison's musical identity in smooth jazz, urban rhythm & blues, and funk. (Vols. 2 & 3 will be dedicated to straight-ahead jazz and hip-hop, respectively.) In 2008, he released The Chosen in Europe only. In 2009, he released three titles on Nagel Heyer: The Ballads, The Burners, and Two of a Kind with Christian Scott. In 2010, Harrison became an occasional member of the cast of the HBO television series Treme, playing himself. The saxophonist then reunited with Carter and Cobham for a live date entitled This Is Jazz: Live at the Blue Note, playing a program of originals and standards. It included a new Harrison composition entitled "Treme Swagger." He then issued the concert album Live at Jazzfest 2018.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/donald-harrison-mn0000184406

donaldharrison.com ...

Donald Harrison • This Is Jazz

 

 

Review
by Thom Jurek  
The last time Donald Harrison, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham recorded together as a trio was on 2005's New York Cool: Live at the Blue Note. Carter and Harrison have worked together in a couple of episodes of the excellent HBO television series Treme, but the particular chemistry this trio puts forth has been missed because of its kinetic spontaneity, and even more, its sense of balance. This Is Jazz was recorded in March of 2011. It contains originals, covers, and standards. Carter's "Cut & Paste" opens the set with a beautiful knotty blues head in which the swing is built-in hard. Cobham keeps his playing tight, focused on Carter's bassline, as Harrison stops and starts in the melody before he takes off. Cobham drops out briefly and lets Harrison solo as Carter walks his bass furiously. When Harrison starts to sprint -- albeit elegantly -- Carter's right there as Cobham comes back and the fun begins in earnest. Harrison flirts with the outside but never quite goes there. This is post-bop playing at a high and imaginative level. On Carter's "MSRP," he and Harrison introduce a blues theme in unison before Cobham enters. His playing is so seamless and intuitive, and compared to the Cobham of old, quite restrained. He syncopates, shuffles, and connects with Carter on every level, never offering more than what's necessary, yet swinging like mad. The eleven-and-a-half minute reading of Miles Davis' "Seven Steps to Heaven" is presented with requisite fire and imagination, with Harrison pushing hard at the tune's margins and Carter finding something new in the architecture (he played on the original). In the reading of "I Can't Get Started," Cobham introduces a beautiful -- and unexpected -- bossa rhythm before Harrison goes over the top reaching for something on the horizon. Album closer "Treme Swagger" is a deeply funky, second-line fingerpopper by Harrison. Cobham has the breaks and bumps to make it jump, while Carter gets into the bottom end of his bass to make the groove pour out of it. Harrison punches up the melody, rhythmically and soulfully, strutting it from uptown to downtown capturing the essence of not only NOLA jazz, but its blues and R&B too. When Cobham pops his breaking solo and Carter follows, it's a certified dance number. This Is Jazz is the finest offering by this trio to date. Let's hope it isn't another six years before they record again.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-jazz-live-at-the-blue-note-mw0002186152

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Reseña
por Thom Jurek
La última vez que Donald Harrison, Ron Carter y Billy Cobham grabaron juntos como trío fue en el New York Cool: Live at the Blue Note de 2005. Carter y Harrison han trabajado juntos en un par de episodios de la excelente serie de televisión de HBO Treme, pero la química particular que presenta este trío se ha perdido debido a su espontaneidad cinética y, aún más, a su sentido del equilibrio. This Is Jazz se grabó en marzo de 2011. Contiene originales, versiones y estándares. "Cut & Paste" de Carter abre el set con una hermosa cabeza de blues con nudos en la que el swing está incorporado con fuerza. Cobham sigue tocando firme, concentrado en la línea de bajo de Carter, mientras Harrison se detiene y comienza en la melodía antes de despegar. Cobham se retira brevemente y deja que Harrison solo mientras Carter camina furiosamente con su bajo. Cuando Harrison comienza a correr, aunque con elegancia, Carter está justo allí cuando Cobham regresa y la diversión comienza en serio. Harrison coquetea con el exterior, pero nunca va allí. Esto es post-bop tocando a un nivel alto e imaginativo. En "MSRP" de Carter, él y Harrison presentan un tema de blues al unísono antes de que entre Cobham. Su forma de tocar es tan fluida e intuitiva, y en comparación con el Cobham de antaño, bastante restringida. Sincopa, baraja y se conecta con Carter en todos los niveles, sin ofrecer nunca más de lo necesario, pero balanceándose como un loco. La lectura de once minutos y medio de "Seven Steps to Heaven" de Miles Davis se presenta con el fuego y la imaginación necesarios, con Harrison empujando con fuerza los márgenes de la melodía y Carter encontrando algo nuevo en la arquitectura (tocó en el original). ). En la lectura de "I Can't Get Started", Cobham presenta un hermoso e inesperado ritmo de bossa antes de que Harrison se pase de la raya buscando algo en el horizonte. El cierre del álbum "Treme Swagger" es un fingerpopper de segunda línea profundamente funky de Harrison. Cobham tiene los quiebres y golpes para hacerlo saltar, mientras que Carter se mete en el extremo inferior de su bajo para hacer que el ritmo fluya. Harrison realza la melodía, rítmica y conmovedora, estructurándola desde el centro hasta el centro de la ciudad, capturando la esencia no solo del jazz de NOLA, sino también del blues y el R&B. Cuando Cobham hace estallar su solo de ruptura y Carter lo sigue, es un número de baile certificado. This Is Jazz es la mejor propuesta de este trío hasta la fecha. Esperemos que no pasen otros seis años antes de que vuelvan a grabar.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-jazz-live-at-the-blue-note-mw0002186152

donaldharrison.com ...

The Chartbusters • Mating Call

 

Review by Steven McDonald
Something of a jazz superstar collective, the Chartbusters are rooted in Dr. Lonnie Smith's swirling Hammond B3 and Idris Muhammad's nimble drumming, giving the album a solid rhythmic foundation from which the players seem reluctant to move -- the album has something in the way of swing, but never falls sincerely into the looser improvisational areas that might have provided some real spice. Still, the horn work from Craig Handy, Donald Harrison and Randy Brecker is solid, enjoyable playing, while guitarist David Fiuczynski takes a couple of opportunities to show what he can do. Pleasant enough, but it could really have used a few teeth. 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/mating-call-mw0000186535

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Reseña de Steven McDonald
Los Chartbusters, una especie de colectivo de superestrellas del jazz, se basan en el vertiginoso Hammond B3 del Dr. Lonnie Smith y la ágil batería de Idris Muhammad, lo que le da al álbum una sólida base rítmica de la que los músicos parecen reacios a alejarse: el álbum tiene algo de swing, pero nunca cae sinceramente en las áreas de improvisación más libres que podrían haberle dado un toque realmente especial. Aun así, el trabajo de los instrumentos de viento de Craig Handy, Donald Harrison y Randy Brecker es sólido y agradable, mientras que el guitarrista David Fiuczynski aprovecha un par de oportunidades para demostrar lo que sabe hacer. Es bastante agradable, pero realmente le habría venido bien un poco más de garra. 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/mating-call-mw0000186535


thechartbusters-jazz ...

VA • 70 Sax Classic Jazz - CD#6

 

Stanton Moore • With You In Mind

 

Review
by Thom Jurek  
Galactic drummer Stanton Moore is a busy man. Besides working with NOLA's funky sons, he teaches, does a copious amount of TV and film work, and works on solo projects. One of the latter is his acclaimed trio with organist David Torkanowsky and bassist James Singleton. The three had booked studio time in the fall of 2015 to cut a follow-up to the previous year's celebrated Conversations. That was put on hold when Crescent City icon Allen Toussaint died suddenly after a concert in Spain. Moore's trio didn't feel right proceeding on their own without acknowledging the artist's passing. Moore had done studio work with Toussaint, and the shadow of his influence on the trio looms large.

Instead of cutting an original record, the three assembled a host of NOLA luminaries for this masterful presentation of Toussaint's multi-faceted compositions. Vocalist Cyril Neville fronts the band on half the set's tunes, including the raucous "Here Come the Girls" (with a burning solo by Trombone Shorty). Neville's also there on the syncopated, second-line funk of "Life," whose horn section boasts solos by trumpeter Nicholas Payton and saxophonist Skerik, as well as a killer backing chorus comprised of Erica Falls and Jolynda Chapman. The latter of these two fronts the trio on the soulful ballad "All These Things." There are excellent instrumentals to boot. "Java," a famous Toussaint jazz tune synonymous with Al Hirt, is realized with Torkanowsky laying down his most "humid" piano lines amid a knotty, hard-swinging horn section comprised of Big Chief Donald Harrison, Jr., Payton, and Shorty, with Moore and Singleton driving the rhythm home. The altoist and trumpeter also join the trio on the bluesy, nocturnal "Riverboat," with its gospel overtones and shimmering atmospheric vibe adorned by gently rolling snare, tom-toms, and electric piano. On the deep funk tip, there's the eternal "Everything I Do Gon' Be Funky from Now On" that joins Moore's trio to sax players Maceo Parker and Skerik, trumpeter Eric Bloom and trombonist Mark Mullins. Neville and the backing vocalists emphasize the Mardi Gras Indian-styled chant in the refrain as the groove thunders. Toussaint was nothing if not a supreme melodist. In the title track, Singleton lays down a gorgeous solo before Moore and Torkanowsky follow to improvise on the harmony with grace and elegance. Actor Wendell Pierce guests on the classic "Southern Nights." He speaks the lyric with a jazzman's swing and a rapper's sense of time. Then Payton takes over the unmistakable sweet soul melody on a B-3 while Torkanowsky adds fills with an electric piano; Singleton and Moore frame it all with a laid-back groove. The icing on the cake is Payton's Louis Armstrong-inspired trumpet solo to carry it out. It's likely that other tributes to Toussaint's genius will follow, but it's just as likely that few will be as heartfelt and discerning as the Stanton Moore Trio's With You in Mind.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/with-you-in-mind-mw0003047826

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Reseña
por Thom Jurek
El baterista galáctico Stanton Moore es un hombre ocupado. Además de trabajar con los funky sons de NOLA, da clases, hace una gran cantidad de trabajos para televisión y cine, y trabaja en proyectos en solitario. Uno de estos últimos es su aclamado trío con el organista David Torkanowsky y el bajista James Singleton. Los tres habían reservado tiempo en el estudio en el otoño de 2015 para hacer un seguimiento de las celebradas Conversaciones del año anterior. Eso quedó en suspenso cuando el ícono de Crescent City, Allen Toussaint, murió repentinamente después de un concierto en España. El trío de Moore no se sentía bien procediendo por su cuenta sin reconocer el fallecimiento del artista. Moore había trabajado en el estudio con Toussaint, y la sombra de su influencia en el trío cobra mucha importancia.

En lugar de grabar un disco original, los tres reunieron una gran cantidad de luminarias de NOLA para esta presentación magistral de las composiciones multifacéticas de Toussaint. El vocalista Cyril Neville encabeza la banda en la mitad de las melodías del set, incluida la estridente "Here Come the Girls" (con un ardiente solo de Trombone Shorty). Neville también está allí en el funk sincopado de segunda línea de "Life", cuya sección de vientos cuenta con solos del trompetista Nicholas Payton y el saxofonista Skerik, así como un coro de acompañamiento compuesto por Erica Falls y Jolynda Chapman. El último de estos dos encabeza el trío en la conmovedora balada "All These Things". Hay excelentes instrumentales para arrancar. "Java", una famosa melodía de jazz de Toussaint, sinónimo de Al Hirt, se realiza con Torkanowsky estableciendo sus líneas de piano más "húmedas" en medio de una sección de viento con nudos y duros compuesta por Big Chief Donald Harrison, Jr., Payton y Shorty. , con Moore y Singleton llevando el ritmo a casa. El contraltoísta y el trompetista también se unen al trío en el "Riverboat" nocturno y de blues, con sus matices de gospel y su vibra atmosférica reluciente adornada con una caja, tom-toms y piano eléctrico que se balancean suavemente. En la punta del funk profundo, está el eterno "Everything I Do Gon' Be Funky from Now On" que une al trío de Moore a los saxofonistas Maceo Parker y Skerik, el trompetista Eric Bloom y el trombonista Mark Mullins. Neville y los coristas enfatizan el canto de estilo indio de Mardi Gras en el estribillo mientras el ritmo truena. Toussaint no era más que un melodista supremo. En la canción principal, Singleton establece un magnífico solo antes de que Moore y Torkanowsky lo sigan para improvisar la armonía con gracia y elegancia. El actor Wendell Pierce es invitado en el clásico "Noches del Sur". Habla la letra con el swing de un músico de jazz y el sentido del tiempo de un rapero. Luego, Payton se hace cargo de la inconfundible melodía de soul dulce en un B-3, mientras que Torkanowsky agrega rellenos con un piano eléctrico; Singleton y Moore lo enmarcan todo con un ritmo relajado. La guinda del pastel es el solo de trompeta inspirado en Louis Armstrong de Payton para llevarlo a cabo. Es probable que sigan otros tributos al genio de Toussaint, pero es igualmente probable que pocos sean tan sinceros y perspicaces como With You in Mind de Stanton Moore Trio.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/with-you-in-mind-mw0003047826

www.stantonmoore.com ...

Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra • The Offense of the Drum

 

Dr. Lonnie Smith • Rise Up

 

Review by Thom Jurek

Who says you have to slow down as you get older? The honorable B-3 master, Dr. Lonnie Smith, has been on a renaissance tear since the beginning of the 21st century. Rise Up! is the fifth new recording since 2000, and there have been a number of reissues of his older work to boot. Given that some artists issue a record a year, this may not seem like such a terrific feat -- but appearances are deceiving. Smith recorded only 13 albums between 1966 and 1996, so five in nine years is actually prolific. It's not only the quantity, however, it's the consistency of the quality of the records Smith has been releasing that is outstanding, and Rise Up! is no exception.
Ever since 2000's Turbanator and 2003's Boogaloo to Beck: A Tribute, Smith has packed his records with covers and originals that accent the "soul" in the deep, wide tradition of soul-jazz. Sure, he's funky, he's got chops, grooves, and tricks, and he's surrounded himself with compelling musicians from Jimmy Ponder to David "Fathead" Newman to great effect. Since 2003 he's been working with guitarist and producer Matt Balitsaris and the results have been, and remain, electrifying. This set, with guitarist Peter Bernstein, saxophonist Donald Harrison, and drummer Herlin Riley -- with extra help on a couple of cuts from Balitsaris and percussionist James Shipp -- is one of his most realized, funky, and resonant dates yet. The set jumps off with Smith's original "Matterapat,"showcasing the smoking Latin percussion of Shipp and taut, off-kilter breaks from Riley, the front line is all knotty soul and blues. The theme is greasy and in the pocket; Harrison's solo moves effortlessly from post-bop to soul. The cover of the Beatles' "Come Together" that follows is even nastier, with Smith's below-the-basement vocal growl on the first verse all but indecipherable except as a snarling rap. It's another instrument in this band's arsenal. This is a slow bump and funky grind with a big payoff. "Pilgrimage" begins as a ballad but quickly asserts itself as a cooker thanks to Riley playing counterpoint breaks to Smith's B-3. Other covers that appear -- and are reinvented in Smith's musical vocabulary -- are the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," which commences, seemingly, as an astral afterthought but finds a deep percussive bottom end and a spooky articulation of the melody that is all rhythm based. One can guarantee that the version of "People Make the World Go 'Round" found here is unlike any other that exists. It's the longest cut on the set and builds itself right from a lithe, breezy funk groove with a poppin' set of rimshot breakbeats from Riley. Harrison is the perfect foil for Smith because of his lyric sensibility; it is the perfect counter to the percussive groove quotient of Smith. The solos here are wonderfully complex and sophisticated and the use of harmonic extension in the ensemble's reading is pure magic. The set ends on an atmospheric blues tip with Smith's "Voodoo Doll," where Harrison's alto plays it straight out of the noir-ish dark and into the shadows where traces of light emerge. Smith's comping and eventually structural form for the tune transforms it into a swirling, shimmering heat with Bernstein's guitar erecting a pulsing bridge for Riley. It's a killer way to end a record. For B-3 fans, Rise Up! is nothing but solid in terms of tunes, arrangements, and heat.

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Reseña de Thom Jurek

¿Quién dice que hay que bajar el ritmo al envejecer? El honorable maestro de la B-3, el Dr. Lonnie Smith, ha estado en un momento de renacimiento desde el comienzo del siglo XXI. Rise Up! es la quinta grabación nueva desde el año 2000, y además ha habido varias reediciones de sus trabajos más antiguos. Teniendo en cuenta que algunos artistas publican un disco al año, esto puede no parecer una hazaña tan grande, pero las apariencias engañan. Smith sólo grabó 13 álbumes entre 1966 y 1996, por lo que cinco en nueve años es realmente prolífico. Sin embargo, no es sólo la cantidad, sino la consistencia de la calidad de los discos que Smith ha ido publicando lo que es excepcional, y Rise Up! no es una excepción.

Desde Turbanator, de 2000, y Boogaloo to Beck, de 2003: A Tribute, Smith ha llenado sus discos de versiones y originales que acentúan el "alma" en la profunda y amplia tradición del soul-jazz. Claro, es funky, tiene chops, grooves y trucos, y se ha rodeado de músicos convincentes, desde Jimmy Ponder a David "Fathead" Newman, con gran efecto. Desde 2003 ha estado trabajando con el guitarrista y productor Matt Balitsaris y los resultados han sido, y siguen siendo, electrizantes. Este set, con el guitarrista Peter Bernstein, el saxofonista Donald Harrison y el baterista Herlin Riley -con ayuda extra en un par de cortes de Balitsaris y el percusionista James Shipp- es una de sus fechas más realizadas, funky y resonantes hasta ahora. El set arranca con "Matterapat", original de Smith, mostrando la humeante percusión latina de Shipp y las tensas pausas de Riley, la primera línea es toda alma nudosa y blues. El tema es grasiento y está en el bolsillo; el solo de Harrison pasa sin esfuerzo del post-bop al soul. La versión de "Come Together" de los Beatles que sigue es aún más desagradable, con el gruñido vocal de Smith en la primera estrofa, casi indescifrable, excepto como un rap gruñendo. Es otro instrumento en el arsenal de esta banda. Se trata de un tema lento y funky con una gran recompensa. "Pilgrimage" comienza como una balada, pero rápidamente se impone como una cocina gracias a que Riley toca pausas de contrapunto a la B-3 de Smith. Otras versiones que aparecen -y que se reinventan en el vocabulario musical de Smith- son "Sweet Dreams" de los Eurythmics, que comienza, aparentemente, como una ocurrencia astral de última hora pero que encuentra un profundo fondo percusivo y una espeluznante articulación de la melodía que se basa totalmente en el ritmo. Se puede garantizar que la versión de "People Make the World Go 'Round" que se encuentra aquí no se parece a ninguna otra que exista. Es el corte más largo del conjunto y se construye a sí mismo a partir de un groove funk ágil y ligero con un conjunto de breakbeats de Riley. Harrison es el complemento perfecto para Smith debido a su sensibilidad lírica; es el contrapeso perfecto para el cociente percusivo del groove de Smith. Los solos aquí son maravillosamente complejos y sofisticados y el uso de la extensión armónica en la lectura del conjunto es pura magia. El conjunto termina en un punto de blues atmosférico con "Voodoo Doll" de Smith, donde la contralto de Harrison la toca directamente desde la oscuridad noir y hacia las sombras donde emergen rastros de luz. La composición de Smith y, finalmente, la forma estructural de la melodía la transforman en un remolino de calor brillante con la guitarra de Bernstein erigiendo un puente pulsante para Riley. Es una forma excelente de terminar un disco. Para los fans de la B-3, Rise Up! no es más que sólido en términos de melodías, arreglos y calor.

www.drlonniesmith.com ...

 

Eddie Henderson • Be Cool

 

Biography by Matt Collar
Balancing a career in psychiatry with his love of forward-thinking post-bop and fusion, trumpeter Eddie Henderson has cut a distinctive path in modern jazz. Mentored by Miles Davis in his teens, Henderson emerged as an original member of Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band in the 1970s, appearing on the landmark jazz-funk album Sextant. From there, he embarked on a solo career, issuing several of his own cross-pollinated funk and disco-infused albums for Capricorn, Blue Note, and Capitol Records. These albums, and especially his breakthrough U.K. hit "Prance On" from 1978's Mahal, were influential touchstones for later hip-hop, electronic, and acid jazz musicians. A licensed psychiatrist with a degree from Howard University, Henderson often split his time playing jazz and working in medicine. From the late '80s onward, he has remained a vital presence on the New York City jazz scene, releasing a bevy of well-regarded acoustic jazz albums like 2010's For All We Know and working as a member of the hard bop supergroup the Cookers. He made his Smoke Sessions debut with 2018's Be Cool and joined fellow Hancock band veteran Mike Clark for 2023's Kosen Rufu.

Born Edward Jackson Henderson in New York City in 1940, Henderson grew up in a family steeped in the jazz tradition. His mother was a professional dancer at the Cotton Club, while his father was a member of the legendary Charioteers vocal group. Encouraged to play music, he first picked up the trumpet around age nine, and famously received an early lesson from Louis Armstrong, whom his mother knew from her days in Harlem. During his teens, Henderson moved to San Francisco with his family, where he continued to progress as a musician. A driven, highly disciplined student while in high school, he balanced his music practice, with studying, playing sports, and participating in competitive figure skating. It was during these years that he first met his longtime idol Miles Davis, who stayed at his parent's house when playing in the Bay Area. From the late '50s on, Davis was a heavy influence on the trumpeter's approach to jazz. It was also through Davis that Henderson first met future boss and bandmate Herbie Hancock.

After a stint in the Air Force, Henderson enrolled for medical school, earning his undergraduate degree at the University of California, and later finishing his medical studies at Howard University where he graduated in 1968. During his time at Howard, he would often spend the weekends driving from Washington, D.C. to New York to study with Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. After earning his M.D., he then returned to the Bay Area where he served out a psychiatric residency and played jazz in his off-hours. While there, he was asked to join Herbie Hancock's innovative funk and fusion-based Mwandishi ensemble for a week-long run of shows in San Francisco. This led to a full-time appointment, and from 1970 to 1973, Henderson toured and recorded with the group, appearing on the influential 1973 album Sextant.

As a leader, Henderson debuted with two well-regarded albums on the independent Capricorn Records label, 1973's Realization and Inside Out. Produced by Skip Drinkwater, whom Henderson met via his work with guitarist Norman Connors, these albums essentially featured the Mwandishi band with Hancock on electric keyboards, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Patrick Gleeson on synthesizers, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. There were also contributions from drummers Lenny White and Eric Gravatt, as well as future-Headhunters percussionist Bill Summers. Both albums showcased a funky, avant-garde, electric fusion style similar to Henderson's previous work with Hancock. More Drinkwater-produced albums followed on Blue Note, including the psychedelia-dipped Sunburst with George Duke and 1976's Heritage, which featured a young Patrice Rushen on keyboards, sax, and flute.

Around this time, Henderson signed with Capitol Records and released three albums beginning with 1977's Drinkwater-produced Comin' Through. These productions built upon his previous efforts, but found him moving in even more of a cross-over direction with a less spacy, more dance-oriented approach to jazz-funk. In 1978, he scored a U.K. hit with the disco-infused "Prance On," off Mahal. His Capitol era culminated in 1979's equally disco- and soul-leaning Runnin' to Your Love. Although somewhat dismissed as "commercial" in the decades following the fusion era of jazz, Henderson's electric recordings enjoyed great popularity with hip-hop and electronic musicians, and are often cited (along with Miles Davis' and Herbie Hancock's work) as influential on the development of trip-hop and acid jazz.

Moving to New York full-time in 1985, Henderson's solo recordings slowed somewhat as he worked increasingly as a physician. Nonetheless, he stayed active, appearing on albums with Billy Hart, Leon Thomas, Gary Bartz, and others. With 1989's Phantoms, he returned to regular recording with a series of albums that found him embracing an acoustic hard bop sound. He presence continued to grow throughout the '90s with harmonically nuanced, hard-swinging albums like 1994's Inspiration, 1995's Dark Shadows, and 1999's Reemergence. These albums still found Henderson indebted to Davis, but displaying his own brand aggressive, post-bop lyricism. It was an approach that only deepened as he entered his sixties, delivering such albums as 2004's Time and Spaces, 2006's Precious Moment, and 2010's For All We Know.

Along with his own work in the 2000s, Henderson also played with the Mingus Big Band, Benny Golson, and others. He worked regularly with Billy Harper, eventually joining the saxophonist in the all-star ensemble the Cookers alongside longtime associates drummer Billy Hart, pianist George Cables, and bassist Cecil McBee, as well as trumpeter David Weiss and saxophonist Donald Harrison. A regular at New York's Smoke nightclub, Henderson has released several albums for their in-house label, starting with 2015's Collective Portrait. That same year, he celebrated his work with Hancock on 2016's Infinite Spirit: Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band. In 2018, he delivered his second Smoke Sessions date with Be Cool, featuring Cookers bandmate Harrison, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Mike Clark. A second Smoke Sessions date, Shuffle and Deal, arrived two years later. In 2023, he reunited with longtime-associate and fellow Herbie Hancock band alum drummer Mike Clark for Kosen Rufu.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-henderson-mn0000169948#biography

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Biografía de Matt Collar
Equilibrando una carrera en psiquiatría con su amor por el post-bop y la fusión con visión de futuro, el trompetista Eddie Henderson ha abierto un camino distintivo en el jazz moderno. Asesorado por Miles Davis en su adolescencia, Henderson surgió como miembro original de la banda Mwandishi de Herbie Hancock en la década de 1970, apareciendo en el histórico álbum de jazz-funk Sextant. A partir de ahí, se embarcó en una carrera en solitario, publicando varios de sus propios álbumes de funk e infusión disco de polinización cruzada para Capricorn, Blue Note y Capitol Records. Estos álbumes, y especialmente su gran avance en el Reino Unido. el éxito" Prance On " de Mahal de 1978, fueron piedras de toque influyentes para los músicos posteriores de hip-hop, electrónica y acid jazz. Henderson, psiquiatra licenciado con un título de la Universidad de Howard, a menudo dividía su tiempo tocando jazz y trabajando en medicina. Desde finales de los 80 en adelante, ha seguido siendo una presencia vital en la escena del jazz de la ciudad de Nueva York, lanzando un grupo de álbumes de jazz acústico bien considerados como For All We Know de 2010 y trabajando como miembro del supergrupo hard bop the Cookers. Hizo su debut en Smoke Sessions con Be Cool del 2018 y se unió al veterano Mike Clark de Hancock Band para Kosen Rufu del 2023.

Nacido como Edward Jackson Henderson en la ciudad de Nueva York en 1940, Henderson creció en una familia impregnada de la tradición del jazz. Su madre era bailarina profesional en el Cotton Club, mientras que su padre era miembro del legendario grupo vocal Charioteers. Animado a tocar música, tomó la trompeta por primera vez alrededor de los nueve años, y recibió una famosa lección temprana de Louis Armstrong, a quien su madre conocía de sus días en Harlem. Durante su adolescencia, Henderson se mudó a San Francisco con su familia, donde continuó progresando como músico. Un estudiante motivado y altamente disciplinado mientras estaba en la escuela secundaria, equilibró su práctica musical con el estudio, la práctica de deportes y la participación en patinaje artístico competitivo. Fue durante estos años que conoció a su ídolo de toda la vida, Miles Davis, quien se quedaba en la casa de sus padres cuando tocaba en el Área de la Bahía. Desde finales de los 50, Davis ejerció una gran influencia en el enfoque del trompetista hacia el jazz. También fue a través de Davis que Henderson conoció al futuro jefe y compañero de banda Herbie Hancock.

Después de un período en la Fuerza Aérea, Henderson se inscribió en la escuela de medicina, obtuvo su título universitario en la Universidad de California y luego terminó sus estudios de medicina en la Universidad de Howard, donde se graduó en 1968. Durante su tiempo en Howard, a menudo pasaba los fines de semana conduciendo desde Washington, DC a Nueva York para estudiar con Freddie Hubbard y Lee Morgan. Después de obtener su doctorado, regresó al Área de la Bahía, donde realizó una residencia psiquiátrica y tocó jazz en sus horas libres. Mientras estuvo allí, se le pidió que se uniera al innovador conjunto Mwandishi de funk y fusión de Herbie Hancock para una serie de espectáculos de una semana en San Francisco. Esto llevó a una cita a tiempo completo, y de 1970 a 1973, Henderson estuvo de gira y grabó con el grupo, apareciendo en el influyente álbum Sextant de 1973.

Como líder, Henderson debutó con dos álbumes bien considerados en el sello independiente Capricorn Records, Realization de 1973 e Inside Out. Producido por Skip Drinkwater, a quien Henderson conoció a través de su trabajo con el guitarrista Norman Connors, estos álbumes presentaban esencialmente a Mwandishi band con Hancock en los teclados eléctricos, Bennie Maupin en las cañas, Patrick Gleeson en los sintetizadores, Buster Williams en el bajo y Billy Hart en la batería. También hubo contribuciones de los bateristas Lenny White y Eric Gravatt, así como del percusionista Bill Summers, futuro cazatalentos. Ambos álbumes mostraron un estilo funky, vanguardista y de fusión eléctrica similar al trabajo anterior de Henderson con Hancock. Más álbumes producidos por Drinkwater siguieron en Blue Note, incluido Sunburst con psicodelia con George Duke y Heritage de 1976, que contó con un joven Patrice Rushen en teclados, saxo y flauta.

Por esta época, Henderson firmó con Capitol Records y lanzó tres álbumes comenzando con Comin' Through, producido por Drinkwater en 1977. Estas producciones se basaron en sus esfuerzos anteriores, pero lo encontraron moviéndose en una dirección aún más cruzada con un enfoque menos espacioso y más orientado a la danza del jazz-funk. En 1978, obtuvo un éxito en el Reino Unido con la canción con infusión de disco "Prance On", de Mahal. Su era en el Capitolio culminó en Runnin' to Your Love, de 1979, igualmente disco y soul. Aunque un poco descartadas como "comerciales" en las décadas posteriores a la era de la fusión del jazz,las grabaciones eléctricas de Henderson gozaron de gran popularidad entre los músicos de hip-hop y electrónica, y a menudo se citan (junto con el trabajo de Miles Davis y Herbie Hancock) como influyentes en el desarrollo de trip-hop y acid jazz.

Al mudarse a Nueva York a tiempo completo en 1985, las grabaciones en solitario de Henderson se ralentizaron un poco a medida que trabajaba cada vez más como médico. Sin embargo, se mantuvo activo, apareciendo en álbumes con Billy Hart, Leon Thomas, Gary Bartz y otros. Con Phantoms de 1989, volvió a grabar regularmente con una serie de álbumes que lo encontraron adoptando un sonido acústico hard bop. Su presencia continuó creciendo a lo largo de los 90 con álbumes armónicamente matizados y oscilantes como Inspiration de 1994, Dark Shadows de 1995 y Reemergence de 1999. Estos álbumes aún encontraban a Henderson en deuda con Davis, pero mostrando su propio lirismo agresivo y post-bop. Fue un enfoque que solo se profundizó a medida que ingresaba a los sesenta, entregando álbumes como Time and Spaces de 2004, Precious Moment de 2006 y For All We Know de 2010.

Junto con su propio trabajo en la década de 2000, Henderson también tocó con Mingus Big Band, Benny Golson y otros. Trabajó regularmente con Billy Harper, y finalmente se unió al saxofonista en el conjunto de estrellas The Cookers junto al baterista Billy Hart, el pianista George Cables y el bajista Cecil McBee, así como al trompetista David Weiss y al saxofonista Donald Harrison. Habitual del club nocturno Smoke de Nueva York, Henderson ha lanzado varios álbumes para su sello interno, comenzando con Collective Portrait de 2015. Ese mismo año, celebró su trabajo con Hancock en Infinite Spirit: Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band del 2016. En el 2018, ofreció su segunda cita de Smoke Sessions con Be Cool, con Harrison, compañero de banda de Cookers, el pianista Kenny Barron, el bajista Essiet Essiet y el baterista Mike Clark. Una segunda cita de Smoke Sessions, Shuffle and Deal, llegó dos años después. En el 2023, se reunió con Mike Clark, antiguo asociado y compañero baterista de Herbie Hancock Band, para Kosen Rufu.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-henderson-mn0000169948#biography

www.oberlin.edu/eddie-henderson