THE DETROIT JAZZ COMMUNITY PAID TRIBUTE TO JAZZ PROMOTER JAMES RUFFNER

Bassist Marion Hayden organized tribute to jazz promoter James  Ruffner

Sunday afternoon at the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church in Detroit, MI. family, friends, and Detroit jazz musicians bade goodbye to a royal figure in Detroit’s jazz community concert promoter James Ruffner. Last week, Ruffner, 73, died of prostate cancer.

Ruffner was a tireless advocate of Detroit jazz. Through his annual concert series the Jazz Forum held at the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church, he showcased the genius of many Detroit jazz musicians. He began the series in 1990 and over the years, it became popular. 

A few years after he began the series, Ruffner opened a mom-and-pop record label Alembic Records. Detroiters Don Mayberry, Ange Smith, Steve Woods, Kate Patterson and Shahida Nurrullah were signed.

Bassist Marion Hayden organized the tribute and saxophonist Steve Woods was the master of ceremony. Many Detroit jazz musicians who benefited from Ruffner selfless advocacy performed and shared their personal recollections of Ruffner. 

When the musicians spoke about how Ruffner impacted their careers, they painted him as a jazz humanitarian  comfortable operating behind the scene, making sure they always had an outlet for their music. Ruffner largess extended to the musician’s family members. Pianist Gary Schunk's and Hayden's sons worked at Ruffner's production company.

The musical part of the memorial ran two hours and felt like one of Ruffner’s Jazz Forum concerts. Vocalists Barbara Ware, Kate Patterson and Shahida Nurullah voices gave the attendees goose bumps. Saxophonists Vincent Bowen, Russ Miller, and George Benson rocked the church.

A native of Grosse Pointe, MI, Ruffner grew up in a musical family, but he never aspired to be a musician. He developed an interest in jazz as a teen. At Ohio State University, he promoted jazz concerts. He served in the Air Force and attended graduate school.  

Ruffner believed jazz would fit anyplace. He even convinced the pastor of Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church to start a jazz series. As a bigwig at the Greystone Jazz Museum, he helped raise funds to put on jazz concerts in schools, libraries, senior living centers and Hart Plaza. . 

Toward the end of the tribute, Schunk summed up Ruffner's impact on Detroit’s jazz community. Schunk said jazz musicians aren’t good at promotion so they needed a man like Ruffner.

GERALD CLAYTON'S LATEST ALBUM IS A LETDOWN

Gerald Clayton is a talented under 30 jazz pianist with a growing body of work as a sideman and as a session leader. On albums co-led by his dad and uncle bassist John and saxophonist Jeff Clayton, the young Clayton has proven he can stomp with the big boys. No one familiar with his work would dispute he's undeserving of the accolades and press he’s received at this leg of his development. 

As a session leader, Clayton is laid-back and he likes to cook original music. And he's comfortable playing at a cruise-control tempo, which is fine and works. Clayton plays beautifully, and stylistically he’s indebted to the jazz pianist Brad Mehldau. The downside to being infatuated over one player or one particular style is it’s hard to break. Clayton is stuck in this Mehldau phase. 

Clayton’s albums “two-shades” and “Bond the Paris sessions” were excellent but not breakthroughs. Last month, Concord Records released Clayton’s debut for the label “Life Forum,” which many who had their eye on Clayton for a while hoped would be that breakthrough. 

Sadly, “Life Forum” is a letdown. Clayton borrowed from the pages of the pianist Robert Glasper's and the bassist Esperanza Spalding's playbook. Two players of Clayton's class restless with pure jazz. They are into deluding jazz with other genres. “Life Forum” is all over the place, or an experiment gone awry. 

It’s within Clayton’s rights to stretch out or to challenge himself by experimenting with bigger groups. Honestly, Clayton was coming along swimmingly with his trio bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Justin Brown. It's  hard these days to fine a good down to earth jazz trio album. Clayton had the right mix. 

“Life Forum” has some special guests. There’s several cuts with vocalists Gretchen Parlato and Sachal Vasandani. Both are wonderful and have impressive works as leaders. Unfortunately, Clayton didn’t give them anything exciting to do. 

Both are a bore on this album. On “Dusk Baby,” Vasandani sounds like smooth jazz vocalist Michael Franks, a career bore. And Clayton teaming Parlato and Sachal on “Like Water” seemed sensible on paper but the result would make a caffeine junky drowsy. On other cuts, Clayton relegated them to nothing more than background vocalists. 

AT 88, ROY HAYNES STILL KNOWS HOW TO WIN OVER AN AUDIENCE

Drummer Roy Haynes

The jazz drummer Roy Haynes résumé’ is thicker than a collegiate dictionary. Haynes has been involved in every development in jazz which includes swing, bebop, hard bop, free jazz, and jazz fusion. Haynes officially stepped into the limelight in 1947 when he joined the swing era tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Haynes has been in the limelight since. 

As a sideman, Haynes has played with many greats Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughn, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, and Chick Corea. The bandleader section of his résumé’ is also astonishing. To date, Haynes has released roughly three dozen albums.  "We Three," "Cracklin'," "Out of the Afternoon," and "Cymbalism" are jazz masterpieces. As far back as memory serves, Haynes has always been a flashy drummer, and a noted fashionista. 

At 88, the same holds true. Haynes is jazz’s oldest living ham. That was on full display Friday evening at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, Michigan. Haynes’ current band the Fountain of Youth played the second to last concert of the 2013 Paradise Jazz Series. 

At times, the hour plus concert was messy. But the jazz series audience overlooked that. Haynes is the consummate showman, big on audience participation. Besides, Haynes knows how to win over an audience. The young musicians Haynes currently run the streets with saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, pianist Martin Bejerano, and bassist John Sullivan who subbed for David Wong were competent. 

Haynes began the set with Thelonious Monk’s gem “Trinkle Tinkle”. Then before Haynes called the next number, he broke into a tap-dance routine. Surprisingly, Haynes was good at it. 

Normally, Haynes waits until the end of a concert to put on a drum exhibition. Last night, Haynes did so for the third number. It was lengthy, flashy, and Haynes displayed the energy and anticipation of a horny teenager on prom night. 

The evening belonged to Jaleel Shaw as much as it did to Haynes. Shaw is indebted to the great alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. Shaw’s Parker-like manner may explain Haynes attraction to Shaw. On  Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing," Shaw roared like a blood thirsty lion. On the ballads “Star Eyes” and “My Romance,” Shaw played softly as snow landing on cotton. 

Martin Bejerano was off. His solos were a bore. Somehow, he managed to suck the life out the piano. Although the concert was messy in spots, the audience was pleased. They lavished Haynes with a long ovation. They didn’t calm down until Haynes obliged them with an encore. 

At the end of the encore, Haynes did another tap-dance routine. Even though Haynes is nearly 90, he’s still spunky and still able to captivate an audience. Few jazz fans will disagree Haynes remains one of the flashiest jazz drummer out there, and is jazz’s oldest living ham.   

THE 2013 DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL LINEUP ANNOUNCED

Macy Gray and David Murray

 At the Detroit Athletic Club Tuesday afternoon, organizers of the Detroit Jazz Festival announced the 2013 lineup. It was an important conference more so than previous years. It’s Chris Collins’ second year as the festival’s artistic director. Many in attendance were anxious to see if Collins had top the lineup he put together in 2012. Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, and Kenny Garrett were some of the national headliners Collins booked last year.

The 2012 festival was a test for Collins, marking his debut at the helm of an internationally recognized music festival. Collins surpassed expectations, serving up a pure downhome jazz festival many longtime DJF supporters felt was the best in its history. 

According to many DJF goers, Collins returned the festival to its pure jazz roots, and included more Detroit jazz musicians. For many years, a contingent of Detroit jazz musicians felt they had been unfairly excluded from the festival. The criticism was how can you have a festival based in Detroit and have an inadequate representation of hometown musicians.

Judging from the mix of legends and young lions and the various jazz genres in this year’s lineup, Collins’ goal was for 2013 to be more inclusive. Grammy winner and Mack Avenue recording star pianist Danilo Perez is the 2013 DFJ artist-in-residence.

Perez is  a graduate of Berklee College of Music. As a bandleader, he's released some prime cut jazz albums dating back to his debut “Panama Monk,” As a sideman, he's held the piano chair in bands led by Dizzy Gillespie and Wayne Shorter. Perez spoke passionately at the press conference about how jazz could bridge social and political gaps while being a boon for public school education. 

Detroit’s mayor Dave Bing was on hand, and Perez put him on the spot, asking the mayor to consider making jazz a part of the public schools. Then Perez pledged to support the DJF in any capacity asked of him. 

The Opening night of the festival, Perez premieres his new work for Mack Avenue Records “Panama 500”. Saxophonist David Murray follows with special guest vocalist Macy Gray. Other national headliners performing are Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redmond, Ahmad Jamal, John Scofield, Shelia Jordan, McCoy Tyner, Ravi Coltrane, and Freddie Cole. 

There’re also sets by top young lions Cecile McLorin Salvant, Aaron Diehl, Gregory Porter, JD Allen, and Robert Glasper. The weekend would be incomplete without a handful of tribute acts. There're salutes to Pepper Adams, Miles Davis Dave Brubeck, Detroit Teddy Harris, and Don Byas.

AT ART X DETROIT, CHARLES MCPHERSON PLAYED BOP FAVORITES

Charles McPherson (Photo by Dr. Jazz)

The alto saxophonist Charles McPherson is one of the remaining authentic beboppers. Saturday evening he was in his hometown, Detroit participating in the bi-annual Art X Detroit festival sponsored by the Kresge Foundation. McPherson’s participation was billed as a "Evening with Charles McPherson," and it was held at the Detroit Institute of the Arts. 

Detroit Free Press jazz critic Mark Stryker organized it. There's a 45 minute one on one interview with McPherson conducted by Stryker, then a live set. McPherson was backed by bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Sean Dobbins and pianist Michael Weiss all Detroiters save for Weiss. 

(Weiss has performed enough in Detroit throughout his career and he knows enough about Detroit’s vast jazz history to be considered an honorary Detroiter. )

During the interview, McPherson talked mostly about how vibrant Detroit's jazz scene was during his youth, his hanging out at the storied Blue Bird Inn, studying with pianist Barry Harris, and how bebop pioneer Charlie Parker changed McPherson's outlook on music. 

Stryker kept the conversation about McPherson's memories of Detroit, which was fine, but surely some  attendees were curious about some of his other exploits and memories, for example, his stint with the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop. 

After a 20 minute break, the band opened with McPherson’s “Marionette,” and “Lonely Little Child”. McPherson was a teen when initially exposed to Charlie Parker's music. That was 50 plus years ago. He still hasn’t broken the spell Parker cast. That’s not a terrible thing. McPherson has had an illustrious career, and he’s one of the best interpreters of Parker’s style. 

That was clear as reading glasses when McPherson soloed on “Lover,” on “But Beautiful” and on “Anthropology”. There was a  suppleness to his blowing. On “Spring is Here,” he ground each note to a fine powder. It was McPherson’s evening, but drummer Sean Dobbins stood out. 

During one of Dobbins' solos, he wailed away so his drum kit nearly exploded. Dobbins is a serious and a respected jazz drummer, but he can be a ham at times. That was obvious last evening, but the audience enjoyed every bit of it. 

The showstopper came toward the end when McPherson called a blues. It got the audience worked up.  He blew as if Parker was on the stage whispering into his ear which notes to play.

THE MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL BAND LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

The Monterey Jazz Festival Band

As a jazz reporter, I've experienced my share of all-star jazz bands that fail to rise to their billing. In theory the star powered bands work, but in reality there’re often disappointing. The Monterey Jazz Festival band—Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chris Potter, Benny Green, Lewis Nash and Ambrose Akinmusire—is an all-star band the works theoretically and in reality. 

They proved that much song after song Thursday evening during their concert at Orchestra Hall in midtown Detroit. Whoever thought to put those jazz musicians in the same band knew what they’re doing. 

The two-hour concert opened with a cute duet with McBride and Bridgewater. They flirted with each other like puppy-love struck teens before they performed Billie Holiday’s number “My Mother’s Son-in-Law”. 

McBride and Bridgewater proved to be a likable couple on McBride’s 2010 album “Conversations with Christian”. Bridgewater knows how to work a stage. She normally does it with sexual innuendo that would offend many churchgoers. 

To Bridgewater's credit the innuendo works. Her audience enjoys the teasing although it can be annoying at times. Bridgewater's voice was lovely, and she provided some comic relief. After the Holiday number ended and the near capacity audience was sufficiently buttered up, McBride introduced the rest of the band. 

Akinmusire, the youngest member was the butt of McBride’s jokes. The trumpeter, who shared his gift with the jazz world on his Blue Note debut “When the Heart Emerges Glistening,” took the ribbing in stride and played until his ass caught fire. 

The band served up outstanding versions of “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Shades of the Cedar Tree” and “ Tango”. All the members had their moments in the sun. Hands down, Green was the MVP. Green is a physical piano player. 

While playing he twisted his body like a college wrestler. Green is an unsung swinger with a body of work to prove it. All night he played like the devil possessed his fingers, especially on another Holiday favorite “God Bless the Child”. 

Between numbers some members talked about the history of the Monterey Jazz Festival, and how they figured into it. McBride is the official leader of the band, but Bridgewater behaved at times like she was the boss. 

Obviously, Bridgewater isn’t used to playing second fiddle to anyone even a musician of McBride’s accomplishments. McBride and the others were unfazed when Bridgewater hogged the spotlight. I think the audience figured it was Dee Dee being a diva. Bridgewater can be a ham. 

But undeniably, she’s one of the top jazz singers working. I’ve attended a half-dozen of her concerts. I’ve never left disappointed. She’s the consummate show-woman. But sometimes her antics and the sexual innuendo are overkill. Unlike too many all-star bands the Monterey Jazz Festival band works in theory, but most importantly it works in reality.  

DRUMMER SEAN DOBBINS PREMIERED NEW ORGAN QUARTET

Sean Dobbins

The jazz drummer Sean Dobbins has a lot of irons in the fire lately. He works regularly with his quintet the Modern Jazz Messengers, makes the rounds with his longstanding trio, holds the drum chair in the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra, and makes music for the new Mack Avenue Records imprint the Detroit Music Factory. When he isn't clubbing or in the studio. he teaches at a couple of colleges, and he runs the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Jazz program.

His debut “Blue Horizons” was released independently in 2009. The Mack Avenue imprint will reissue it in  April. If all that isn’t enough early this week he premiered his new organ quartet at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café. The band has a week long run there.

 He favors the hard-bop branch of jazz. So, it’s refreshing to see him in a more soulful and funk driven light. Organ player Chris Codish, guitar player Ralph Tope and sax player Marcus Elliot is the core of the band.    

I caught the set Thursday night. The band was above par. I was surprised how well the band connected. Codish and Tope gave the band its funkiness. Codish has been a marquee voice on the organ for many years now. Tope is a magician on the guitar. But  it was the excellent play of Elliot that propelled the band. 

The tenor sax has a lineage. I could hear some of it when Elliot soloed. On "Tenderly" and "So What," he sounded like a cross between saxophone players Joe Henderson and Donald Walden. Pure sax magic.  

Surprisingly, Dobbins’ chose to perform mostly standards instead of cuts from "Blue Horizons". I was a little disappointed. I've been playing  the album nightly the past month. So, I hoped he'd call a few numbers. Of course, there's the likelihood he will over the weekend. 

He should take this band into the studio fast. Each member is in high demand and they have their own pet projects. So, it'll be difficult keeping this band together. 

Over the years, Dobbins has matured into a great bandleader. Early in his career, he was a big time ham desirous of the spotlight. But he was always a joy to experience.  He leaves the showboating to youngsters in his outfits now. Dobbins can still be lively and colorful at times. Now, he's mostly business. 

The great thing about his new band is he can cut loose if he so desires. He did so only a few times Thursday evening. There aren’t many chances to cut loose in his other bands. He’s too busy being the guiding light. 

It’ll be interesting to see his new band after the band has worked regularly. That'll be challenging enough. Each member is a bandleader and is involved with other projects. Holding on to them may prove impossible.