JAZZ SOULMATES MIKE MALIS & MARCUS ELLIOT CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF THEIR SECOND BALANCE PROJECT 'CONJURE'

 

Saxophonist Marcus Elliot and Pianist Mike Malis

Joel Peterson, the proprietor of, Trinosophes, the entertainment café in Detroit's Eastern Market, made a small mistake Saturday evening when he introduced pianist Mike Malis and saxophonist Marcus Elliot as up-and-coming jazz musicians. The duo known as Balance was at the café  for the release of their second recording, "Conjure." Peterson's statement was incorrect because Malis and Elliot passed the young lion stage long ago. Both are respected bandleaders and sought-after music educators. Recently, some of Elliot's musical achievements were profiled in the national publication JazzTimes. Elliot started perfecting his chops and cultivating a fanbase during his popular weekly residency at Cliff Bell's, where I first experienced the depth and richness of his playing. I surmised saxophonists Joe Henderson and Tina Brooks were influences. As for Malis, those familiar with this jazz blog know I think the world of him. He's daring and one of his generation's more musically diverse pianists to make their bones in Detroit. My point is Malis and Elliot aren't rising talent anymore. They're stars in Detroit. Their terrific album celebration started with a fantastic opening set by baritone saxophonist Kaleigh Wilder and drummer Nova Zaii. The opening set was a perfect warmup, with Wilder and Zaii performing improvised music. They had a magical connection, as if they'd been performing together since birth. Their improvisation was so expertly wrought that I was convinced they'd been rehearsed, not developed on the spot. Widler and Zaii prep the crowd's ears for Balance. Malis and Elliot fed the audience cuts chronologically, starting with "Conjure," which featured soul-awakening spoken words from poet Chace Morris. Malis and Elliot can swing with the force of a battering ram, which they demonstrated some on "MRA" and "Number Four," but the concert wasn't swing-driven. Instead, the central attraction was Malis and Elliot's virtuosity and how seamlessly it mixed. Witnessing the musical soulmate connection they've built reminded me of the classic duet dates by pianist Harold Parlan and saxophonist Archie Shepp. Or closer to home, the piano sax duet by the late Detroiters Kenn Cox and Donald Walden. 

JASON MARSALIS'S DIRTY DOG JAZZ CAFÉ RETURN WAS HEAVY ON LIONEL HAMPTON CLASSICS

Jason Marsalis

The last time vibist Jason Marsalis played the Dirty Dog Jazz Café, he unveiled a new band assembled to honor the music of Benny Goodman. Unfortunately, the set was underwhelming, partly because the band was still in its infancy and hadn't gelled. At Marsalis's return to the Dirty Dog, he presented classics the great Lionel Hampton wrote or popularized. Marsalis's hour-long set Saturday evening began and ended strong. This time, Marsalis was accompanied by bassist Noah Jackson, drummer Louis Jones III, and pianist Brendon Davis, jazz musicians who are household commodities in Detroit. The set opened with Lionel Hampton's "Airmail Special." Then, the band swam through "Sweet Sue Just You" and Eubie Blake's "Memories of You." Marsalis is a solid vibist who has a proclivity for dressing up classics. He's not as gung-ho as jazz vibists Steve Nelson or as showy and acrobatic as Stefon Harris. Still, there's an allure and savviness to Marsalis's approach, complemented by the excellent piano work of Brendon Davis. Davis's soloing was cutlery sharp, and the ghost of the late great Cedar Walton possessed Davis's left hand. Undoubtedly, Davis was the band's centerpiece. Marsalis prefaced each selection with a backstory, which wasn't surprising. A lot of jazz history is what you get at a concert by any Marsalis brother. The best moments happened near the conclusion. First, the band performed guitarist Pat Metheny's tune "So May It Secretly Begin" the way Marsalis imagined Hampton would've powered through it. Then, they spoon-fed the audience an ultra-modern version of Ellis Marsalis's gem "Tell Me," which was a fitting ending to a terrific hour of music.