Trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval performing live in the KPLU Seattle studios on January 13. Photo by Justin Steyer.

By Kevin Kniestedt & Justin Steyer

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE STUDIO SESSION

“If you’ve got music in your heart, you’re gonna be a happy person, no matter what.”

That’s what trumpeter Arturo Sandoval told me, as he recalls growing up in rural Cuba and having a trumpet teacher tell him (at age 10) that he had no talent and should not pursue music.

Obviously, Sandoval, who is now known as one of the world’s foremost jazz trumpeters, didn’t listen to the teacher and it’s a pure delight to hear him tell the story in this latest installment of KPLU’s Studio Sessions.

Along with his band (pianist, Mahesh Balasooyria, saxophonist, Zane Musa, bassist, John Belzaguy and drummer, Johnny Friday), Sandoval blew us away by performing two solo-heavy musical selections: There Will Never Be Another You and Clifford Brown’s Joy Spring.

Related Posts:

‘A student kind of mind:’ One on one with Chick Corea at KPLU

Sophie Milman: A young jazz singer on the move

Grace Kelly Blows the roof off at Earshot

A Tour of Treme with Donald Harrison and Glen David Andrews

An Interview With Dr. John

John Levy. By Tom Pich / NEA

Jazz businessman John Levy died on Friday. His wife, Devra Hall Levy, announced the news on Saturday in a press release available on John Levy’s website, Lushlife. He was nearly 100 years old.

Levy was once a musician of some renown — he played bass with Billie Holiday, Stuff Smith, George Shearing and many others — but he’s primarily remembered for his advocacy. He was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2006 for representing dozens of musicians as a manager, and also produced concerts and recordings.

Read more at KPLU.org.

 “People wanted to vent. People wanted to tell me about what was going on in their piece of New Orleans. And people wanted to talk about saving the New Orleans they knew and loved and the traditions they felt were being lost.”

Treme Life turned into a love letter to New Orleans.

 “Native New Orleanians are people you can never forget. Once they start talking to you it’s like being with someone you love. Even if you just met.”

New Orleans, and the Treme neighborhood in particular, is the cradle of the unique culture of music and food and joy that couldn’t have happened anywhere else in the world.

Demaria has crafted a stylish, informative and touching documentary, which features:

Trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, the “feel-good ambassador.”  For Kermit, it’s all about music, barbecue and having a good time – New Orleans style. He speaks with concern about post-Katrina changes in the city that are causing its residents to lose touch with the history and traditions of the Treme.

Dancing Man 504 (Darryl Young), a second-line dancer who has taken it upon himself to spread the tradition of second-line as a step in healing the damaged city.  As he says, New Orleans “… needed to be more than rebuilt, she needed to be enjoyed!”

Comments from such New Orleans stalwarts as Dr. John, Rev. Goat Carson, Ken “Afro” Williams and the truly delightful Lolet Boutte all contribute to a picture of an irreplaceable community.

The filmmaker even takes some New Orleans culture home to New York, with a funeral parade for Coney Island, and a second-line over the Brooklyn Bridge. A visit to the Louis Armstrong House museum in Queens with trombonist Glen David Andrews is especially moving.

James Demaria is passionate about New Orleans.

He has lived in New Orleans, and now is a frequent visitor, calling it:

“A place to feel at home. A place to take a rest and recharge. A place to bask in the warmth and kindness of some of the most terrific folk on God’s green Earth.”

If you’ve been there, you know how true that is.

Let’s all do what we can to keep it that way.

Treme Life is available for download at

http://www.filmbaby.com/films/5943

DVDs will be available at some time in the future.

More information about the film and James Demaria’s work here:

• www.tremelife.com

• www.jamesdemariaproductions.com

• www.jamesdemariaphotography.com

Remember that there is no ranking system here, and if you don’t see your favorite jazz album yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t show up.

Hopefully these lists will inspire you to seek some of these albums out that perhaps you haven’t heard before, or revisit an old favorite. And as always, we want your thoughts on any or all of these albums. Either way, let’s get started with this week, and in no particular order, albums 831 through 840.

831. I Play Trombone – Frank Rosolino (Bethlehem High Fidelity, 1956) CLICK HERE TO BUY

832. The Complete Set: 1923-1926 (compilation) – Freddie Keppard (Hot and Sweet, 1923-1927 recording date, 2000 compilation release date) CLICK HERE TO BUY

833. Sounds of Synanon – Joe Pass (Toshiba EMI, 1962) CLICK HERE TO BUY

834. The New York Scene – George Wallington (New Jazz/OJC, 1957) CLICK HERE TO BUY

835. 1933-1941 (compilation) – Joe Sullivan (Classics, 1933-1941 recording dates, 1995 compilation release date) CLICK HERE TO BUY

836. Hollywood Madness – Richie Cole (Muse, 1979) CLICK HERE TO BUY

837. Musics – Dewey Redman (Galaxy/OJC, 1980) CLICK HERE TO BUY

838. Heroes – Donald Harrison (Nagel Heyer Records, 2004) CLICK HERE TO BUY

839. Tenderly – Kenny Burrell (High Note, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

840. Something Cool – June Christy (Blue Note, 1955) CLICK HERE TO BUY

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die (821-830)

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die (811-820)

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die (801-810)

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The First 750

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The First 500

Vocalist Etta James, best known for her hit At Last, died this morning at a Riverside, California hospital due to complications of leukemia, according to her manager Lupe De Leon.

From NPR.ORG:

Remembering Etta James, Stunning Singer

Johnny Otis, Pioneering R&B Singer & Bandleader, Dies at 90

Although white, he lived his life as an African-American

By Jeff Tamarkin

Johnny Otis, the white child of Greek immigrants who aligned himself with black culture and became a pioneer of rhythm & blues music, died Jan. 17 in the Los Angeles area at age 90. A cause of death was not reported. Best known as the author of the R&B staple “Willie and the Hand Jive,” Otis’ career as a singer, musician, bandleader, songwriter, producer, arranger, talent scout, author, impresario and disc jockey spanned more than six decades.

Read the full article at jazztimes.com

Review by Robin Lloyd

The Film:

Award-winning Canadian documentary film maker John Walker was a rock drummer in the late 1960s, until the I-Ching told him to choose another career.  Beautifully filmed in the Canadian wilderness, Walker’s A Drummer’s Dream documents the gathering at a summer drum camp, staffed by some of the top performers in rock, jazz and latin music.

Mr. Walker was so inspired by this camp, he picked up drumsticks for the first time in decades.  You’ll see him at the drumset in the jam session finale.

The Players:

Montreal-based drummer/composer Nasyr Abdul Al-Khabyyr spent 4 years touring the world with Dizzy Gillespie’s band.  He’s also worked with pianist Oliver Jones and most recently, saxophonist Kenny Garrett. Nasyr is currently a Professor in the music faculties of both Vanier College & Concordia University in Montréal.

For his drum camp idea, Nasyr reached out to the drummers he’d met and befriended on his tours with Dizzy, as well as a few well-known clinicians.  Many also have connections with Carlos Santana.

Boston’s Mike Mangini is best known as a metal drummer and is currently with Dream Theatre.  His many honors include “Boston’s Best Drummer”  “Best Clinician” and “World’s Fastest Drummer”—which he demonstrates for the students.  His love for teaching is obvious in the film.

One of the most prominent Cuban drummers, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez shares his love of drumming, his realistic attitude toward practice and dedication, and provides some laughs as he stages a “get-away” from the camp via rowboat.

Giovanni Hidalgo, the power-house Puerto Rican conguero, lives for drumming and spreading joy.  His credits include work with every Latin jazz star from Tito Puente to Eddie Palmieri.  He is always a delight to see and hear.

Raul Rekow is Santana’s percussionist, and has been since 1976.  This film shows him to also be a thoughtful, respectful teacher, and he offers some insight into the minds and hearts of drummers everywhere.

Groove master Dennis Chambers (Santana, Maceo Parker, John Scofield) is a proudly self-taught drummer, known for his impressive speed and technique.  He’s an imposing figure, not one you’d expect to get emotional about much of anything.  But you’ll see him do just that in the film as he talks about drummers playing from the heart.

Kenwood Dennard is the drummer from another planet–a very rhythmic and happy planet, I’m sure, and one that I wouldn’t mind visiting.  He’s worked with Maceo, Miles, Dizzy and Pat Martino.  His mission is to make everyone feel as good as he does when he’s playing the drums, and he does create many, many smiles in the film.

The Mystic Brotherhood of the Drum

I’m always curious about why musicians and artists do what they do.  A Drummer’s Dream reveals some common threads:  All the drummers showed musical interest and ability early in life, 3-5 years of age.  All remember in intricate detail the first time they played a drum.  Most felt that drumming was a calling, and that it made them part of “something bigger” than themselves.  All agree that talent is fine, but it is dedication, practice and hard work that makes a great drummer.

Highlights:

• Hidalgo and Rekow making each other laugh, and finishing each other’s sentences.  They are truly in tune with each other.
• Watching the students start to understand what they’re in for at drum camp.  One student speaks about the rhythms of nature, and it’s quite touching.

The Lesson:

Here’s what I hope the students took away from their time at drum camp:

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have the fastest, most impressive technique, the best and the most drum gear, the fame and recognition of a master drummer.  But if you’re not having fun, expressing yourself and playing from the heart, you’re missing the whole point.

Actually, that’s not a bad philosophy for your life’s work, whatever it may be.

A Drummer’s Dream plays at Northwest Film Forum in Seattle Friday January 20th through Sunday January 22nd with three showings daily. For more information, visit http://nwfilmforum.org/.

“Nicholas (Payton) is a force to be reckoned with. The most powerful thing he can do is just keep playing that horn.” – Bobby Watson from an article in the Kansas City Star

I’ve had a pretty difficult week as a writer. I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to figure out not only how to respond to trumpeter Nicholas Payton’s blog post On Why Jazz Isn’t Cool Anymore, and the primary reason is because I honestly can’t come up with a concluding thought on the issue in the slightest.

Well, that isn’t entirely true. I have a few thoughts, but I have yet to figure out if Payton is right, wrong, both, neither, or anything in between.

While I invite you to read Payton’s post (at your own risk, as some of the language could be considered controversial), my best effort to summarize it by saying that Payton suggests that the word “jazz” is racist (he mentions that here, among other places), that jazz died in 1959, and “Jazz is a marketing ploy that serves an elite few. The elite make all the money while they tell the true artists it’s cool to be broke.”

Since then, Payton has decided to take a 90-day sabbatical from using the word jazz. And he isn’t the only musician with similar opinions. Payton recently moderated a discussion held at Birdland in New York (which is ironic, since Birdland is called “the jazz corner of the world”), with musicians Gary Bartz, Marcus Strickland, Ben Wolfe, Orrin Evans, and Touré. In a review of the evening from an article in the villagevoice.com, a few quotes were shared:

Nicholas Payton: “If we look back, [jazz] was a white characterization of black music, and there was a blackface version of the serious black art of guys like King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Freddie Keppard, Louis Armstrong.”

“Louis Armstrong was the world’s first pop star. He was the Michael Jackson of his time.”

“Kind of Blue is the record that we all have to vie against for attention. If our records do well, we’ll be at No. 1 for a while, and here comes the ghost of Kind of Blue coming to kill us. We need to separate from that. Miles was not in support of this.”

Gary Bartz: “Max Roach would have a fistfight for calling it [jazz]. It’s insulting, it’s like calling it the N-Word… because there’s an image. You say, “He’s a j-musician” and people see an image: Drugs, no money…”

There have been some thoughtful reactions in blogs from the likes of Marc Rosenfeld Antunes, Nate Chinen, and Ian Carey. And yesterday, the Kansas City Star posted an article featuring thoughts from a variety of musicians who have interacted directly with Payton, who expressed surprise at Payton’s tone, but supported him in ways as well.

“I think he is very divisive with his comments. Even though I believe he means well for the music and all who play it, his stance, which he’s completely entitled to, comes across as very angry.” – Clint Ashlock, trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator, from an article in the Kansas City Star

Even during the time I’ve spent composing this post, my opinions seem to change and continue to develop. What I can say is that Nicholas Payton is an extremely intelligent person, and an extraodinary trumpet player. I appreciate and respect his passion and dedication to the issue. I wish Nicholas Payton the best of luck with his campaign.

What I also feel is that the average person who listens to music is far less concerned about the cause and politics, and more concerned about, well, whether or not they simply like how it sounds. Does it make them smile, or cry, or dance, or think? Does it make them think about a particular person, place, or event that took place in their own life? Does it tug at the heartstrings or ignite some energy? Does it entertain?

That is not to say that what Payton is talking about is not important. In fact, I think it is. But my gut tells me that the simple fact of whether or not a listener likes the music or not will always outweigh whatever label or genre might be given to it.

Create a giant music store where CD’s are all filed alphabetically, with no designation to genre at all, for all I care. I am still going to find Payton’s Place, Gumbo Nouveau, nick@night, and Into the Blue (all Payton albums I purchased and highly recommend), just as I would find other albums that I have added to my collection by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Notorious B.I.G., Van Cliburn, Al Green, Jewel, Michael Brecker, and Outkast. Why? Simple. I liked the music.

I’m reminded of a quote from Art Blakey from an interview conducted by Ben Sidran:

“Music is supposed to wash away the dust of everyday life. So they’re (the audience) is supposed to come in and enjoy themselves. So if they start feeling like they need to be educated, then it’s not interesting any more.”

It is that quote that makes me think perhaps Bobby Watson was right in the quote at the very top of this post. Nicholas Payton is in fact a force, and his most powerful weapon is his trumpet.

In the fall of 1997, I entered my freshman year in college. One of the primary reasons I chose the university that I went to was because of its outstanding music school, and I was, at least for a few minutes, a very confident jazz trumpeter.

I prided myself on being able to play very high notes in high school, will little regard to tone or accuracy. I was sure that if that level of playing landed me a lead chair in my high school band, that at the very least I would land some chair, any chair, in the top band at the university.

Fast forward one week, and you would have found me three days in to practicing my audition music. I made the mistake of using the practice rooms in the music building my first day, where I heard the trumpet players that landed a full music scholarship effortlessly breezing through their audition music, and I decided that perhaps it would be best to practice in the dorm. At least that way I could struggle in an environment of non-musicians. By this third day, things hadn’t sounded any better, and my audition was approaching.

As it turned out, there was another freshman trumpet player living in my dorm, right down the hall. And as it turned out, he could hear me playing…and struggling. He knocked on the door, introduced himself (Matt Parker was his name), and asked how I was doing.

“Doesn’t it seem the the tempo we are required to play Birdlike at for our audition is faster than Freddie Hubbard’s original recording?” I asked. “Um, no. I think our audition tempo is actually a bit slower”, he replied kindly.

He saw the look of discouragement on my face, and said “Hold on. I’ve got just the thing for you.”

He went back to his dorm room and returned with a CD in his hand. “Track 4″, he said.

I put the CD in, and heard something that I had literally never heard before. The song was A Mis Abuelos by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, and it was as if in 5 minutes and 25 seconds, Sandoval had managed to record a song with literally everything a trumpet player ever wanted to do in it. A slow beginning that showed off some of the best tone I had ever heard.

Once the song picked up speed, so did Sandoval. Lightening fast fingers, unbelievable range that didn’t compromise the tone, and intense energy. Trumpeter and former Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen is quoted as saying “Who in the hell is this guy?” after hearing him play.

Me (left) and Matt Parker playing together at a "coffee house" in college

The song ended on one of the most ridiculously high notes I had ever heard, I looked at Matt awestruck. I couldn’t say anything, but he understood what I was feeling. He politely picked my jaw up off of the floor for me and told me I could keep the CD as long as I needed to.

While my audition didn’t end up going so great, I still ended up making one of the bands, and had brand new inspiration from Arturo Sandoval. I was given the belief as a musician that there wasn’t a wall that couldn’t be broken through, and that legitimate, painstaking practice could lead to great things. Every time I needed a kick in the pants to get motivated, I would put on A Mis Abuelos. I moved back to Seattle after college and have seen Sandoval just about every time he has performed in town. I would bring friends who didn’t even like jazz to the show, and their minds would be blown watching this man play.

Arturo and I at Jazz Alley years ago. Do I look nervous?

This Friday (1/13 at 12:15 PM PST), I get the opportunity to host Sandoval for a studio session here at KPLU. He’ll be sitting feet from me, performing live on the air, and answering my questions. While my trumpet has collected a little dust over the last few years as my priorities have shifted from playing jazz to listening, reading, and writing about it, I have the feeling that watching this virtuoso up close and personal could be what it takes to inspire me all over again.

1. Come Sunday by Charlie Haden (EmArcy – January 10, 2012) CLICK HERE TO BUY

Two jazz legends team up for an unforgettable and moving album of classic spirituals. Bassist Charlie Haden and the late pianist Hank Jones, follow up their 1995 classic duet recording Steal Away, with this album of great songs of power, including Duke Ellington s famous Come Sunday. Come Sunday was a last collaboration between these two longtime friends and colleagues. Hank Jones died in 2010 at the age of 91, shortly after completing this album. Jones is considered the consummate jazz pianist and renowned as a soloist, accompanist, composer and arranger. In a career spanning over 70 years, Hank Jones worked with nearly every major jazz musician from Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald to Diana Krall.

2. Further Explorations by Chick Corea/Eddie Gomez/Paul Motian (Concord Jazz – January 17, 2012) CLICK HERE TO BUY

The contributions of pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader Bill Evans to the language and appreciation of jazz continue to have a profound influence on musicians. Join master pianist Chick Corea as he leads original Evans alumni – bassist Eddie Gomez and the late drummer Paul Motian – on Further Explorations, a two-CD live set of 19 tracks. The spirit of Evans comes alive thanks to the vibrant simpatico shared by these three master musicians.

3. Conversations with Christian by Christian McBride (Mack Avenue – November 8, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

Christian McBride is a loquacious raconteur in addition to his finger-busting bass skills, though make no mistake about it- the only talk on this release is the musical kind two instruments make. Christian can converse with the best of them, as his Sirius/XM show will attest though these conversations sit him down in the studio with a diverse array of guests for unexpected and often amazing results. The resulting duets lay bare skill and emotion in the visceral tradition of real jazz improvisation.

4. The Monk Project by Jimmy Owens (IPO – January 3, 2012) CLICK HERE TO BUY

NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens debut as a leader on IPO features the legendary trumpeter & flugelhornist leading a stellar septet on a program of uniquely original arrangements of Thelonious Monk compositions that are deeply steeped in the blues. Jimmy Owens will receive the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy. The A.B. Spellman award is special recognition as an NEA Jazz Master. Longtime colleague and fellow NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron, well known for playing Monk s music with the group Sphere, heads the rhythm section. Robin Kelley, who wrote the prize-winning biography Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original, contributes extensive liner notes.

5. Black Radio by Robert Glasper Experiment (Blue Note – February 28, 2012) CLICK HERE TO BUY

On February 28, 2012, Robert Glasper Experiment will release Black Radio (Blue Note Records/EMI), a future landmark album that boldly stakes out new musical territory and transcends any notion of genre, drawing from jazz, hip hop, R&B and rock, but refusing to be pinned down by any one tag. The first full-length album from the GRAMMY-nominated keyboardist’s electric Experiment band—saxist Casey Benjamin, bassist Derrick Hodge, and drummer Chris Dave—Black Radio also features many of Glasper’s famous friends from the spectrum of urban music, seamlessly incorporating appearances from a jaw-dropping roll call of special guests including Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra), KING, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Stokley Williams (Mint Condition).

“Now in Stores” XV

“Now in Stores” XIV

“Now in Stores” XIII

“Now in Stores” XII

“Now in Stores” XI

“Now in Stores” X

“Now In Stores” IX

“Now In Stores” VIII

“Now In Stores” VII

Now in Stores (Late May, June, and July)

“Now in Stores” – 5/16/2010 to 5/22/2010

“Now in Stores” – 5/2/2010 to 5/8/2010

“Now in Stores” – 4/25/2010 to 5/1/2010

“Now in Stores” – 4/18/2010 t0 4/24/2010

“Now In Stores” – 5 Noteworthy Jazz Albums Released this Week (4/11/2010-4/17/10)