tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75605896889752040462024-02-06T18:55:36.853-08:00Hub JazzMonthly commentary focusing on jazz in Boston and New EnglandHubJazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05513355183638856372noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560589688975204046.post-84753796167937401762013-03-05T23:10:00.000-08:002013-03-05T23:10:02.619-08:00March Round-UpMarch brings several jazz sets worthy of note to The Hub. On Friday, March 8, bassist <b>Ben Allison</b> performs at <b>Regattabar</b> in Cambridge. Later on this month, the R features saxophonist <b>Chris Potter</b> (Thursday, March 14), while drummer <b>Billy Hart</b> anchors a set with tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Ethen Iverson, and bassist Ben Street (Wednesday, March 27).
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Wednesday, March 20, <b>Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band</b>, throws down at <b>Scullers</b>, while legendary blues harp <b>James Cotton</b> can be heard on March 29 & 30.
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On the local scene, <b>Amy Bowles</b> and <b>Aaron Bellamy</b> -- the Funky ABs -- are gonna make some stank shake Monday, March 11 at the <b>Beehive</b>. Berklee instructor <b>Greg Hopkins</b> leads a <b>Cannonball Adderly</b> tribute on Wednesday, March 20. And how many times have you heard Cannonball's music played live?
HubJazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05513355183638856372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560589688975204046.post-72393841880718448102012-12-20T15:15:00.000-08:002012-12-20T15:24:39.388-08:00Newport Sneak Peak - Wayne ShorterWord has it that the <b>2013 Newport Jazz Festival</b> will include an 80th birthday celebration for saxophonist <b>Wayne Shorter</b>! The dates for next year's festival are Saturday August 3 and Sunday August 4. Details will be posted as they become available.
<div class="center"><img src="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/media/medium/6/0/d/ec905871292fc0a6cdd947a9476fc.jpg" width=450 title="Wayne Shorter (sax) on Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2008, Copenhagen, Denmark - © 2012 Svend Withfelt" width="320" /></div>HubJazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05513355183638856372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560589688975204046.post-9882026679658249042012-09-23T05:26:00.000-07:002012-09-24T04:22:36.151-07:00Boston Closes September with Two Jazz Events<br />
On Thursday, September 27, vocalist Patrice Williamson performs at the <b>Newton Wine and Jazz Festival</b>. As described on the event's <a href="http://www.newtonjazzfest.org/calendar.html" target="_blank">official website</a>, "It's not a stuffy event, it's a party!" The Nate Aronow Trio kicks off the music.<br />
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Saturday, September 29, Berklee College of Music's <b>Beantown Jazz Festival</b> takes place at the intersections of Mass Ave and Columbus Ave. Medford native, and prolific jazz drummer, <b>Terri Lynn Carrington</b> is the event's Artistic Director. Carrington's Mosaic Project, described on the event's <a href="http://www.beantownjazz.org/schedule.html" target="_blank">official website</a> as "a celebration of female artists" who are "...coming together to support and celebrate each other from a musical and social perspective" is just one of nearly twenty free performances comprisng the event.<br />
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<b>Jason Palmer</b>, Boston mainstay and notable trumpeter, opens the Berklee Stage. Palmer takes a solo in this clip from Jack DeJohnette's set at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />HubJazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05513355183638856372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560589688975204046.post-46191088030057471212012-09-03T07:42:00.001-07:002012-09-03T20:28:01.961-07:00Sultry September - Boston is stacked with Jazz!This month, two of the city's jazz clubs that draw national talent are hosting numerous performers worthy of note - this city is stacked with jazz in September!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwWsB8pkveoJursgW-eyV6CBeESeWh4qQLPvKoFR7N-YVShPrWFKsNXUPswjw4zUdiSqmNeQWFd0KvqzmSW75uoYK-pNbEqi5Und7bvgFjrJ6AauatOookE94_W4BptJhU36kZufttw/s1600/aaron_newport_2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron Goldberg</td></tr>
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On September 13th & 14th, the Grammy award winning saxophonist and Berklee instructor <strong>Joe Lovano</strong> anchors performances at <strong>Scullers Jazz Club</strong> with his group Us Five. Joining Lovano is bass phenom Esperanza Spalding.<br />
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Pianist <strong>Fred Hersch</strong> appears in trio format on the 19th, while trumpeter <strong>Jeremy Pelt</strong>'s Quintet has a gig on the 20th. Joining Pelt is tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen, who threw down a memorable set with his own trio at the 2010 Newport Jazz Festival.<br />
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On September 15th, the <strong>Regatta Bar</strong> hosts pianist <strong>Aaron Goldberg</strong>, who played last month with the Three Cohens at the Newport Jazz Festival. Goldberg brings an engaging trio comprised of bassist Matt Penman and drummer Eric Harland - this one promises to be a treat! On September 20th and 21st, electric guitar icon <strong>John Scofield</strong> also brings a trio to the R. Scofield will be accompanied by bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart. <br />
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On September 20th, <b>Wayne Krantz</b> also brings an electric guitar trio set to Johnny D's in Somerville.<br />
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Hang on Boston, September is gonna be a slippery ride!HubJazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05513355183638856372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560589688975204046.post-34606993039224442912012-05-11T11:04:00.000-07:002012-05-17T07:14:22.791-07:00Happy Birthday Miles Davis!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/media/large/b/f/b/bf81266e1b6f4f0ff0e5626162195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/media/large/b/f/b/bf81266e1b6f4f0ff0e5626162195.jpg" width="320" /></a>Even though it was more than two
decades ago, I still clearly remember parts of the day that I learned <b>Miles Davis</b> had died. I was
a freshman, and that memory starts while I was sitting at a table
having lunch. First, Cathy approached, set down her books, turned to
me and asked “Weren't you talking about that guy <b>Miles Davis</b> the
other day?” By freshman year, I was playing pretty intensely (or
so I thought). I had long since lost interest in the mainstream
sounds of the day, and Miles had become one of my favorite musicians. </div>
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“Yeah,” I answered, my voice rising, so as to trail off with a
question. I was surprised Cathy brought him up. “That's what I thought,” she said, her smile melted
into a very different expression. “I heard he died the other day.”</div>
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I'm not sure why, but I thought she
was kidding. Cathy said she'd be right back, and hustled off to grab
a sandwich. Within minutes, Cathy's roommate Becky found her way to
the same table and said to me “Did you hear that Miles Davis
died?” I chuckled. I mean, her roommate just laid this on me and
now she was too. It had to be a put on. They had schemed this up to
play a gag on me. I was certain of it.</div>
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No sooner had Becky finished uttering her words, when Tom raced over to me. “I've been looking for you everywhere for the last
three days," he said. "Did you hear that Miles Davis died?” “Alright, you almost got me that time," was my reply. "I was starting to believe it. First Cathy, then Becky, and now you." Tom paused, shook his head, and drew in a deep breath. “No, man, I'm serious, Miles died.”</div>
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I have been to hundreds of live
performances, but I never got to be in the same room as Miles and
hear that horn. It stung. I had plans, a promise
really, with a musician friend back in Boston – we would hear Miles
on his next tour, no matter what. </div>
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That tour never came.</div>
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The month of May marks Miles' birthday. May 26. Happy birthday Miles! Thanks for all the gifts. You know, those recordings you left for us.</div>
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This June will make 20 years since Davis' last studio album, <i>Doo Bop</i>, has been
released. It was a controversial release, as parts of it were finished after he had passed. Furthermore, the music marked a change in the trumpeter's direction by featuring synth bass, looped tracks, and assorted elements of electronica. In some ways, those sounds seem dated now. In others, they still seem relevant and fresh.</div>
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Like a lot of other people, Davis' music was a Gateway of sound for me. On one side stood mainstream music. On the other side, something different. The album that lured me through the portal, the first sounds of Davis' music that I heard were off <i>Four & More</i>. It had <b>Ron Carter</b> on bass, my instrument, and Boston native <b>Tony Williams</b> on drums. I remember Carter's big, round sound; his flowing style. I remember Williams' adaptive playing; his exploratory and rhythmic use of cymbals. I had never heard anything like that music - that was when I discovered <b>jazz</b>.<br />
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In the book <i><u>Jazz Styles</u></i>, musicologist
<b>Mark Gridley</b> states "Miles Davis is a jazz trumpeter and
bandleader who has played a pivotal role in the history of modern
jazz because he has been deeply involved in according and promoting
several styles well before they became widespread trends. Over a
fifty- year period of productivity, Davis has contributed
stylistically diverse body of music, parts of which defined jazz for
three different generations of listeners. His recordings have won the
near universal admiration of fellow jazz musicians. A significant
slice of modern jazz history is documented in Davis-led recording
sessions because he gathered the key innovators of the day for his
bands. Unlike most artists, Davis never became limited to one
particular band style.”</div>
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Gridley also discusses how Davis created an original trumpet style, participated in what writers
called cool jazz, worked with <b>Bill Evans</b> to pioneer modal and
improvisational approaches to music with the <i>Kind of Blue </i>recordings, and combined
elements of jazz, rock, and funk on works such as <i>In a Silent Way</i>,
<i>Bitches Brew</i> and <i>On The Corner</i> (which was recorded 40 years ago this
summer).</div>
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In short, Miles was a musical icon. In 1986, the New
England Conservatory bestowed an honorary doctorate of music upon
him. In 1990, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.</div>
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I never got to hear that horn played
live. I'll have to live with that. It still kind of burns me. </div>
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In the 1989 Autobiography <i><u>Miles</u></i>, Davis states: "The very first thing I remember in my early childhood is a flame." Ironic, I guess, so I've decided to use this reflection of Miles and his music, the same music that ignited my passion for jazz, as a simple way to begin this monthly blog. Welcome to <b>Hub Jazz</b>.</div>
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<br /></div>HubJazzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05513355183638856372noreply@blogger.com1