The European culture channel ARTE has recently dedicated a number of segments to the American saxophonist David Murray, one of the most interesting and spectacular artists of this instrument today. The cycle started with the documentary David Murray: I’m a jazzman written by Jacques Denis and Jacques Goldstein, and directed by Goldstein. It continued with two concerts of Murray recorded in the recent years – the first with Cassandra Wilson and the Black Saint Quartet at the Jazz a Vienne Festival and the second with the Gwo-Ka Masters group of percussionists from Guadeloupe.
Goldstein’s film is based on an extended interview-confession with the artist. It is of course by listening to the music that we do understand best a musician. Yet I wish we can hear more such testimonies from artists speaking about their lives, their influences, and the way they relate to their art. Listening to Murray we have the opportunity to know the man and the biography and understand better where his music is coming from. We meet a man who is sincere and true in what he does, who explores not only musical territories but also his own self. We meet an artist who tries to make music that is representative to his times and reflects the influences of the world around as well as his personal background.
Born in Auckland California, Murray was influenced by a combination of tradition and social revolution. He attended church, and a precious film fragment from his personal archives shows him accompanying a group of women singing gospels in church, but at the same time his father was close to the Black Panthers movement and their protest ideas. When he took the trip in New York, mandatory to almost any American jazz artist, it was at the time of the pick of the Loft Jazz trend, and his principal influences became Archie Shepp and Albert Ayler. He borrowed the style of the later, and the long circular breathing phrases became a print of his own personal style. After more than two decades of activity in New York, Murray took a trip to Europe about which he speaks largely in the film. It is here that he has the time to reflect on his own origins and discovers the need to go back to the roots of the African music. The story of his meeting with the work and biography of the Russian poet Pushkin who also had African ascendancy in his blood is interesting by itself, as is the music he composed on this occasion.
Best words about David Murray in this documentary are being said by jazz journalist Stanley Crouch. He describes Murray as one of these artists who are capable to combine in their music the flame of passion of the primitives with the relaxation of the sophisticated instrumentalists who master their means. The documentary is an open invitation to cross the gate of knowing better the man and his art.
The last concert of the current Hot Jazz season at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art auditorium was marketed as a Cuban jazz event which is misleading to say the least. This labeling was quite misleading, maybe intentionally trying to bring to this (optional) concert in the series an audience that is not usually part of the regular audiences, but taking into account the number of empty seats Friday night I am wondering if the tactics really worked. Maybe it would have been better to present the Rodriguez brothers as what they really are, a pair of young and solid jazz instrumentalists, with passion and talent. Yes, they happen to be of Cuban origin on the side of their father who was born in Guantanamo, Cuba of all places, but their mother is from Ecuador, and they refer to themselves jokingly as ‘Cubadorians’, but they are both born, raised, and educated in the USA, and the Cuban flavor is only one and not necessarily the most important influence on the sound of their music.
source: www.allaboutjazz.com
If there was an obvious Latin component in the sound of the Friday night concert it came from percussionist Gilad Dobretzky, whose variations and improvisations alone or in dialog with drummer Shai Zelman were all full of color and joy. Otherwise about half of the program included original compositions of the two brothers, very much under the shade and influence of great American song writers and musicians like Thelonious Monk or Dizzy Gillespie, to whom the other songs in the programs belonged. Just one song was a popular melody of Cuban origin. Overall it was not a bad evening, Mike Rodriguez is a good trumpet player, his brother Robert is an even better piano player, and we enjoyed a good jazz performance, maybe lacking sparks and passion, but this was certainly not one of the weakest in an uneven season at ‘Hot Jazz’. By the way the program of the next season seems very diverse and promising, and I have already renewed our subscription taking the maximal option of eight concerts.
Erica Hoffer este una dintre prietenele pe care le-am invidiat cel mai mult in aceasta primavara. Desi am avut ocazia sa vizitez de doua ori New Orleans-ul si sa-mi petrec ore si seri greu de uitat in cluburile de blues, jazz, cajun, zydeco ale orasului, niciodata mu m-am gasit acolo in perioada festivalului anual de jazz. Erica a avut aceasta sansa, de fapt si-a creat-o si programat-o ea insasi, si acum a avut bunavointa de a permite impartasirea impresiilor sale si cu cititorii blogului.
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M-am intors de curand din calatorie, si cum stiu ca printre listeni se afla cativa iubitori de jazz, de calatorii si de gastronomie va povestesc impresiile mele de la New Orleans. Orasul, istoria si specificul cred ca e cunoscut de toti. Ceea ce il caracterizeaza printre altele este muzica de jazz gen dixieland care s-a nascut acolo, iar abundenta cluburilor de muzica de toate felurile si atmosfera deosebita, as zice usor frivola datorita consumului inalt de alcohol fac ca New Orleans-ul sa fie sinonim cu muzica, petrecere, good time si de aceea e un loc natural pentru un festival de jazz cu totul deosebit. Numele festivalului este de fapt “Jazz and Heritage Festival” iar genurile de muzica sunt toate asociate cu New Orleans: blues, gospel, Afro-Carribean, rock, country, Cajun si tot ce exista intre ele.
(source http://www.nojazzfest.com/)
Festivalul a inceput sa se tina anual din 1970 si traditia e de doua weekends, unul de trei zila ultimul din Aprilie si urmatorul de patru zile la inceputul lui Mai. Locul este un stadion enorm de curse de cai aflat cam la marginea orasului in care sunt instalate 12 scene si corturi cu posibiltatea de concerte simultane care au loc intre 11 dimineata si 7 seara. Un bilet simplu de $50 (care nu ofera posibilitatea de sedere in jurul scenelor – acolo se sta in picioare, sau se sade pe iarba sau pe scaune pliante) te lasa sa asculti tot ce exista intr-o zi. In corturi exista scaune ca la un stadion, dar artistii vestiti apar pe “scene”.
Cum nu am fost inca niciodata la asa un festival am fost uimita in prima zi de ordinea desavasita in care au intrat un numar enorm de oameni in incinta festivalului. Totul era organizat extraordinar, transportul (shuttle, taxi ieftin, parcare), toalete chimice, doua zone de bufete, zone de vanzare de artizanat. S-au publicat acum numarul de oameni care au fost la festival: 375.000 in 7 zile!!
In speranta ca nu va plictisesc va povestesc ce mi-a placut din tot ce am ascultat in cele doua zile de festival. Primul spectacol care mi s-a parut grozav a fost grupa lui Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes care m-au molipsit cu energia lor frenetica. Am incercat apoi muzic Cajun care m-a lasat cam rece, dar am fost cucerita de muzica traditionala dixie la care,ca sa fie atmosfera completa, marsaluiau in ritmul muzicii o serie de oameni imbracati ca in Sudul de demult, cu palariile si umbrelutele respective. Cativa din ei nu erau in prima tinerete…
Grupele dixie pe care le-am ascultat au fost: Treme Brass Band si Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble
M-am indreptat apoi spre scena cea mai mare la care trebuiau sa apara Simon si Garfunkel. Ca sa nu stau prea departe am stat la tot spectacolul celor de dinaintea lor, grupul Funky Meters, care nu m-a emotionat. Simon si Garfunkel au cantat frumos, era emotionant sa-i vezi pe scena, dar cam asta era tot. Impresia generala din prima zi a fost in primul rand publicul, atmosfera de convivialitate a la Woodstock, buna crestere generala a participantilor.
A doua zi m-a impresionat cantareata Marcia Ball si iarasi muzica dixie cu atmosfera extraordinara. La cortul gospel am cazut peste un dirijor care cu tot dinadinsul a vrut sa ne bage in trans religios si asta era pacat.
Cateva cuvinte pentru gastrosoful nostru: dupa umila mea parere, in dorinta de a gusta din bucataria cajun renumita am mancat la “Mr B Bistro”, “Paul K” si “The Commander’s Palace”. Ultimul e pe departe cel mai bun restaurant din cele trei la care am fost.
You may have not heard about Eddie Jefferson. He was a idol in the 60s and 70s, an exquisite vocalist, but is almost forgotten nowadays. A moving in-between songs story told by Carla Cook during her concert in Tel Aviv brought him to my attention. A story about a teenager girl in Detroit, listening to a jazz radio station where Eddie, one of these musicians who could play the rich and solid classic jazz repertoire was a star, hearing that he comes in town and begging her parents to allow her to go and listen to him in a club, getting permission and getting little sleep for the night because of the emotion, waking up at morning with the news that Jefferson was killed that night and she will never listen to him live. That event happened exactly 31 years ago day by day. Now, Carla Cook tells this story at many concerts, and Jefferson lives in memory and gets to be known to people around the world because of her.
The direct style and the sincere interaction with the audience are the principal qualities of Carla Cook. Born in Detroit, she is a friend and sometimes works with violinist Regina Carter with whom she shared the dream to become a jazz musician since childhood. Nowadays beyond being a performer she also teaches jazz, and one of the funniest and nicest moments of the evening was the rendition of a standard in the style of her seven years old pupils (‘they really swing!’). Maybe she has not a great voice or the allure of a diva, but her sincerity, her joy in singing and sharing the emotions conquers the audience. The name of her last album (from 2002!) ‘Simply Natural’ describe quite well what she is about.
The program on Friday night (part of the Tel Aviv Museum Hot Jazz series) was mostly based on standards, and on lesser known songs of well known musicians that Carla loves to discover and bring back to the attention of the public. An old and little known Duke Ellington song was maybe the best of the evening. Out of the Israeli band pianist Nitai Herkowitz was the best, close to the singer, attentive and sensitive to her parts, with refined and interesting solos. Saxophonist Erez Bar-Noy had a few moments of quality, but his style closer to free jazz is not that fit with what Carla Cook does. Asaf Hachimi at bass was correct, and Shy Zalman, as many times could not refrain from being too loud and too extrovert, which sometimes is good, not always is needed.
Pe 4 martie se implines 35 de ani de cand Cornel Chiriac a fost asasinat la Munchen. Pentru generatia mea si generatiile apropriate Cornel a fost una dintre figurile formative si un simbol.
Dupa ce a incercat sa promoveze in Romania muzica rock si jazz cu emisiuni la radio si televiziune, cu activitati in cluburi si festivale studentesti Cornel a ales in 1969 calea libertatii. Scurta vreme dupa aceea vocea sa familiara a putut fi auzita pe calea undelor la Radio Europa Libera.
In emisiunile sale ‘Metronom’ si ‘Jazz a la Carte’ Cornel Chiriac a prezentat tot peisajul larg si variat al muzicii rock si jazz al acelei perioade. Spirit enciclopedic inzestrat cu o extraordinara cultura muzicala a deschis gustul pentru muzica buna si a educat generatii intregi de artisti si de iubitori de muzica. Se poate spune ca peisajul rockului romanesc ar fi fost altul daca Cornel Chriac si emisiunile sale nu ar fi existat in acei ani.
sursa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornel_Chiriac
Cornel insa a reprezentat pentru noi mai mult decat muzica. A fost o fereastra deschisa spre cultura generatiei noastre in lume de care eram izolati de cenzura regimului comunist. A fost un exemplu de gandire libera si un indemn de a refuza rutina, de a cauta sa intelegem tot ce este nou, de a accepta lumea in toata varietatea si frumusetea sa. Atragand tinerii acelor vremuri la Europa Libera, Cornel Chiriac a dus la cresterea semnificativa a popularitatii acestui post de radio, alternativa de informatie si de comentarii politice si opinii necenzurate fara echivalent pentru Romania acelor vremuri.
In fiecare an la 4 martie o parte dintre admiratorii lui Cornel se aduna la cimitirul din Bucuresti unde a fost adusa cenusa sa pentru odihna vesnica. Sunt si eu cu gandul alaturi de ei si cinstesc memoria celui care a fost pentru mine si pentru multi dascal in ale muzicii si ale libertatii. Fie-i memoria binecuvantata.
The 80s were the Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker rediscovery decade. In 1988 Clint Eastwood made Bird – a celebrated and Oscar-crowned biography of Parker with Forest Whitaker in the main role. It was actually one year after Gary Giddins brought to the TV screen the documentary Celebrating Bird inspired by his own book about Parker. I do not know what the relation between the two exactly is, but the documentary certainly is of great interest for jazz fans, and in perspective the two films – documentary and feature – are worth to be watched together.
The strong side of the documentary which I recently watched on the French music channel Mezzo are the interviews. During the 80s many of his colleagues in the generation that invented be-bop and constituted the backbone of the New York jazz scene in 40s and 50s were still around. Catching Dizzy Gillespie talk about the music and collaboration with Parker, or the two women in his life giving direct testimony about his private life are unique opportunities which were possible then. The interviews are combined with many fine musical pieces, all in perfect conditions which allow us see and listen to Charlie Parker playing with such artists as Louis Armstrong or Gillespie.
A musical roads opener through his style, and a poignant and impressive personality in life, Parker’s image was amplified by his early and tragical death which cut short his career. Here he seems to have anticipated the fate of many rock musicians in the 60s and 70s – Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison – which all have lived short and intense lives, and died consumed by their art and by their addiction. It is by the music they made that they survive and this documentary makes Parker a good service recording first hand details of his life and career.
Nascut in 1956 la Calais, Lockwood a fost inspirat in tinerete de Frank Zappa si colaborarea sa cu Jean-Luc Ponty, pentru a fi apoi descoperit si scolit de Grappelli insusi. Repertoriul si cautarile sale muzicale se intind de la underground-ul anilor 70 pana la jazz manouche.
Concertul prezentat de Mezzo a fost filmat la festivalul de jazz de la Marciac. Din trio-ul lui Lockwood alaturi de Taylor mai face parte si contrabasistul Jean Philippe Viret. In concert Lockwood i-a invitat pe scena pentru duo-uri electrizante pe alti doi colegi violonisti – Fiona Mombet si Costel Nitescu.
S-au implinit pe 23 ianuarie 100 de ani de la nasterea lui Django Reinhardt, una dintre cele mai interesante figuri ale istoriei jazzului european, si unul dintre cei mai importanti chitaristi ai tuturor timpurilor.
Originea sa gitana i-a marcat si muzica si stilul de viata. In 1929 caravana in care locuia a luat foc si ca urmare piciorul drept si doua degete de la mana stanga au fost in pericol de amputare. A refuzat amputarea, dar a ramas cu piciorul si cu degetele paralizate. A transformat handicapul la mana stanga intr-un avantaj, creand un stil unic in care canta practic cu doua degete si actiona coardele cu celelalte. In timpul razboiului a supravietuit in Parisul ocupat si a scapat de deportarile la care erau supusi tiganii datorita unui ofiter de aviatie german admirator si amator de jazz. Dupa razboi cand devenise deja celebru a revenit la stilul de viata nomad al gitanilor si mai ales la muzica lor. A murit in 1953, doborit de o congestie cerebrala la intoarcerea de la un concert intr-un club parizian.
Partea dinainte de cel de-al doilea razboi mondial a carierei lui Reinhardt a fost marcata de colaborarea cu violonistul Stephane Grappelli impreuna cu care a intemeiart in 1934 Quintette du Hot Club de France. Formula lipsita de baterie, cu vioara, chitare si contrabas a deschis un stil nou care combina traditia jazzului american cu cea a instrumentistilor europeeni si a muzicii tiganesti pe care Reinhardt o cunostea perfect. Stilul numit Gypsy Jazz, sau Gypsy Swing sau Jazz manouche este continuat si astazi in toata Europa (inclusiv in Romania) si a trecut oceanul si in America intr-o frumoasa reflexie culturala. In mainile lui Reinhardt chitara juca si rolul sectiei ritmice intr-un ansamblu in care lipsea percutia.
Dupa razboi Reinhardt trece oceanul si canta la Carnegie Hall impreuna cu big-band-ul lui Duke Ellington. A fost printre primii muzicieni europeeni care a inteles si iubit jazzul american si l-a asimilat in muzica europeana. In continuarea carierei sale va canta si inregistra si cu Dizzy Gillespie si Louis Armstrong printre multi altii.
In pofida vietii sale relativ scurte acest muzician autodidact a avut o influenta covarsitoare asupra multor generatii de chitaristi si instrumentisti de jazz din Europa si America. Postul de televiziune muzical Mezzo i-a dedicat cateva emisiuni cu ocazia centenarului nasterii printre care un documentar despre ‘copii lui Reinhardt’ -muzicieni de jazz care i-au urmat calea si inspiratia preluand si dezvoltand stilul sau. Despre doi dintre ei – chitaristul Martin Taylor si violonistul Didier Lockwood – pe care i-am vazut intr-un concert in care reluau peste ani dialogurile Reinhardt – Grappelli sper sa am ragazul sa scriu in curand.
The third concert in the ‘Hot Jazz’ series at the Tel Aviv Art Museum had as guest the American singer Vanessa Rubin.
Born in Cleveland, Vanessa Rubin moved in 1982 in New York and started a singing career, in parallel with a teaching and jazz evangelist path. She sang with Lionel Hampton, the Mercer Ellington Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, the Woody Herman Orchestra, and the Jazz Crusaders. Her teaching and coaching activities include music consultancy and student classes at such institutions as the Thelonious Monk Institute, Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center. Her repertoire includes many standards from the great female vocal American songbook, and works of composers such as Duke Ellington, Gershwin, and Dizzy Gillespie.
The show in Tel Aviv tonight was unfortunately partly spoiled by very bad sound engineering, one of the worst if not the worst in my memory in the many years since I watch this series of jazz concerts. The acoustic bass of Assaf Hachimi was almost permanently too loud, covering the rest of the players, and especially the the clarinet of Ilan Salem. For the clarinet to take the place of the saxophone in a jazz band, it needs not only instrumental talent and personality which Salem may have, but also clarity of sound and musical space, which was missing tonight completely. Young and gifted pianist Nitai Hershkowitz was the instrumental surprise of the evening. Shai Zalman did his usual gigs.
Vanessa Rubin tried her best in the given conditions, she slalomed valiantly through the technical difficulties in the first part, and succeeded to catch the attention and affection of the audience, with a series of standards which made good service to her vocal and emotional capabilities. After the break she seemed to be tired, tried to reconnect with the audience by telling some stories, but abandoned and cut short the performance after only another four or five songs. The few recordings that I found on youTube show that we missed the opportunity to know better a great singer, whose performance could have been memorable on a better night.
David Krakauer is one of the well known clarinetists of our times, an acclaimed artist expressing himself in traditional East European Jewish music, in jazz, and classical music.
Born in 1956 Krakauer and his band band Klezmer Madness! are promoting a style that is both true to the traditional origins of the Jewish music, and also takes the genre in new territories in fusion with jazz, rock, and even hip-hop. Here he is playing with his band in what is today the world capital of klezmer music – Krakow, home city of the famous klezmer trio Kroke.
See and hear him playing with local musicians in the synagogue in Dneipropetrovsk.
Here he is with a couple of more rock-oriented arrangements, and also saying a few words about his music.
Krakauer collaborated with famous chamber music ensembles including the the Tokyo String Quartet and the Kronos Quartet. in collaboration with jazz pianist Uri Caine. Krakauer performed music written for him by Osvaldo Golijov for a BBC documentary ‘Holocaust, A Music Memorial from Auschwitz’ which won an International Emmy in 2005. The film deals with the experience of the musicians who were forced by the German to play for the deportees during their last walk to the gas chambers.
