THE DETROIT JAZZ PRESERVATION CONCERT SERIES CELEBRATES MILT JACKSON

 

Milt Jackson

Can a tribute to the great jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson be successful without including a vibraphonist equal to Jackson's skills and jazz acumen? I pondered that Sunday evening at Schaver Music Recital during the Milt Jackson tribute presented by the Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series. The series founder, trombonist Vincent Chandler, answered the question soon after the performance commenced, explaining to the near-capacity audience there's a shortage of jazz vibraphonists in Michigan. Then Chandler demonstrated beautifully for 90 minutes that Jackson's compositions fit any assortment of instrumentation. For this second concert of the DJPCS's second season, Chandler adhered to a formula that made the inaugural season a rousing success, assembling a cross-generation of top Detroit jazz musicians. Pianist Scott Gwinnell, drummer Louis M. Jones III, bassist Ralphe Armstrong, and tenor saxophonist Stephen Grady were the Detroiters Chandler selected to honor Jackson. Jackson was one of the native Detroiters who cultivated a legendary career suffused with accolades and classic recordings. Most jazz people know him as the pulse of the celebrated Modern Jazz Quartet. The concert opened with Jackson's "Put Off." A time-tested move from Chandler's playbook as a bandleader is allowing each bandmate to swing unfettered. Throughout the concert, it felt as if Jackson wrote the compositions with an intimate familiarity of each bandmate's soloing and improvisational prowess in mind. Armstrong, a colorful bassist, and a closet comic, walked holes in the soles of the bass on "Namesake" and "Ignunt Oil." On "The Spirit-Feel," trumpeter John Douglas showed that he was a cold swinger with traces of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's improvisational expertise. Jones, the youngest band member, was tasked with the timekeeper's responsibility. Throughout the concert, he drummed like being in Chandler’s outfit was one of his chief aspirations. The drummer played with self-assurance and a command of the drumkit that belies his age. Yes, Jones is still moist behind the ears, but he's developed rimshot by rimshot into a fine jazz drummer. The always-consistent Stephen Grady blew brilliantly. He's meticulous, and embodies an alluring, lover-man's tone on the tenor saxophone. Chandler only selected six of the many compositions Jackson penned over his five-decade career. I bet that was an arduous undertaking for Chandler. I was disappointed the band did not call "Bag's Groove," Jackson's most famous composition. The Jackson tribute was well attended, and the band rendered his music as if individually blessed by his spirit.

THE LATE JAZZ TRUMPETER MARCUS BELGRAVE ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS PREMIERES AT THE BLUE LLAMA

The late trumpeter Marcus Belgrave and Vocalist Joan Belgrave

The late jazz trumpeter and educator Marcus Belgrave had a storied career known globally as a mentor to jazz titans such as saxophonist Kenny Garrett, violinist Regina Carter, and bassist Robert Hurst. Belgrave spent the bulk of that storied career swinging in landmark ensembles and mentoring generations of jazz musicians, but few were aware of another piece to his overall genius. He was a prolific original music composer inspired by renowned jazz composers such as pianist Horace Silver. Belgrave's widow, the vocalist Joan Belgrave, has been on a mission to put out Belgrave's music for the world to enjoy and learn from. Part of that mission is to have Belgrave's music taught globally at conservatories and universities; a vast undertaking given the severe health concerns that she recently overcame. Belgrave's music has now been collected in a handsome 153-page book, titled the "Marcus Belgrave Songbook." Saturday at the Blue Llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a capacity audience received the first dibs of Belgrave's original compositions. Joan Belgrave assembled a regional and multi-generational group to present the music. Saxophonists Stephen Grady and Kasan Belgrave and trumpeters Don Hicks and Dwight Adams shared the frontline responsibilities, and drummer Gayelynn McKinney, bassist Marion Hayden, and pianist Mike Malis had the rhythm section on lock. Malis was entrusted with the formidable task of transcribing Belgrave’s composition and saxophonist Cassius Richmond wrote all the arrangements. The evening had to be nerve-wracking for Belgrave, given the musician's limited exposure to the original music and only committing to a day or two of rehearsal. However, the meticulous handling of the music by each musician should've assuaged any concerns Belgrave harbored about the successful outcome of finally putting out Belgrave's work. The group was on fire from start to conclusion. They swung through Belgrave's "Brownie Town," "All My Love," "Glue Fingers," and "Space Odyssey" as if each musician had been raised musically from birth to perform Belgrave's music exclusively. McKinney was the crowd favorite. She was all over the drumkit like an overbearing supervisor. And Adams's earthy and sophisticated trumpeting resembled Belgrave's signature style. Adams was comfortable as a fat man at a breakfast buffet in both the upper and lower register of his horn. The only notable shortcoming was that Joan Belgrave only sang once. She owns one of the world's loveliest voices, and the evening would've been even more special had she performed more. This time, she seemed more comfortable serving as the concert’s MC, explaining the genesis of the music and egging on the musicians. The concert was too short, I complained to myself. Midway through, I hoped the band would perform every composition in the songbook. But isn't wanting more the sign of a well-crafted concert? At the concert’s end, I felt privileged to have first dibs at experiencing Belgrave’s music. Fortunately, Belgrave has scheduled another show on June 15th at Trinosophes in Detroit for those who missed the Blue Llama performance.

 

THE DETROIT JAZZ PRESERVATION CONCERT SERIES ENDS INAUGURAL SEASON WITH A TRIBUTE TO DONALD BYRD

Trumpeter Donald Byrd

Jazz trombonist and founder of the Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series, Vincent Chandler, had good reason to cancel the series' final concert, a tribute to trumpeter Donald Byrd Sunday afternoon at Schaver Recital Hall on the campus of Wayne State University. Chandler told the near-capacity audience that his younger brother had passed away. Chandler was understandably emotional while introducing his bandmates and the concert's setlist, cautioning the audience that he might not make it through the concert. However, like the consummate professional jazz musician Chandler is respected for being, he went on to serve one of the best concerts of the DJPCS inaugural season. He assembled another superb cross-generational jazz group of regional Detroit jazz musicians, drummer Gaylelynn McKinney, saxophonist Kasan Belgrave, bassist Ralphe Armstrong, pianist Wesley Reynoso, and trumpeter Dwight Adams. The setlist included Byrd's original compositions. The 90-minute set opened with Byrd's "Cat Walk," right away, Adams established himself as the group's centerpiece. During his solo, it sounded like Byrd was on the bandstand whispering what notes to play in Adams's ear. He seemed hellbent on channeling Byrd's spirit all concert long. He cites Byrd as one of his biggest influences. After the band burned rubber through the opener, they modernized Byrd's "The Third." Belgrave kicked the tempo in the ass and then went about weaving in and out the chord changes like a traffic cop. For a young swinger still finding his way, he has developed a surprisingly sophisticated tone on the alto sax, peculiar to a saxophonist with decades more life experience. The concert got better and better with each selection Chandler called. Although his mind was on his brother's passing, He was in perfect sync with the band the entire concert, with his spirits being uplifted by each solo his bandmates played, especially Reynoso, the crowd favorite. This concert was the first time I've experienced Reynoso. When he soloed on "Fly Little Bird Fly" and "The Blues Medium Rare," I felt like I was listening to Bud Powell at his pinnacle. McKinney and Armstrong have been musical soulmates for years. Armstrong was his customary animated self, picking the bass clean as a fat man's breakfast plate, and McKinney rimshots shook the recital hall foundation. In just a short year, the DJPCS has become a rousing hit, and Chandler's hard work has resulted in more funding for a second season.

 

THE BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET DELIGHTS SOLDOUT AUDIENCE AT THE PARADISE JAZZ SERIES

The Branford Marsalis Quartet

Friday evening at the Branford Marsalis Quartet concert at the Paradise Jazz Series, either of the eight compositions performed could have been regarded as the concert's high point. Pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis, drummer Justin Faulkner, and Marsalis burn rubber on the stage for 90 minutes, which honestly is not surprising, given the quartet has been swinging together three decades now with only one change in personnel, Faulkner replacing the great Jeff "Tain" Watts in 2009. One noteworthy thing about this quartet is that when you attend one of their concerts, it feels as if you are experiencing two concerts for the price of one, especially when Calderazzo and Faulkner are trading. The Friday night concert opened with Calderazzo's original "Conversations," with each member drag-racing through the changes. The quartet maintained the same take-no-prisoner momentum on Keith Jarrett's" Long as You're Living Yours" and the legendary big band leader Paul Whiteman's "There Ain't No Sweet Man Worth the Salt of My Tears." On the latter, the quartet appeared to have the most fun, Calderazzo's fingers dancing about the piano keys and his feet flopping under the piano like a fish out of water. Faulkner soloed with such raw force I feared his body would explode at any moment. I catch Marsalis's quartet whenever they perform in Detroit, and Calderazzo and Faulkner have always been the standouts. I joked with a jazz friend once that Marsalis might have to rename the band the Joey Calderazzo and Justin Faulkner trio featuring Branford Marsalis. However, Marsalis was the focal point Friday night, proving he is the finest saxophonist and improviser in the game. On Revis's original "Naliste," the quartet showed a cohesive virtuosity that can only be pulled off by a quartet that has been together for decades. They showed they were intimately in touch with each other's musical psyches. Again, the takeaway from this terrific 90-minute concert was that all of the selections the band stretched out on were showstoppers.

 

 

PIANIST SULLIVAN FORTNER & TRUMPETER AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE SORT OF RECREATE THE LANDMARK WEATHER BIRD AT THE UMS CONCERT SERIES

Pianist Sullivan Fortner & Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire

Sitting in Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Friday evening, listening to pianist Sullivan Fortner and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire perform their "Weather Bird" project, I could not help wishing the musicians discuss the making of the landmark record released in 1928 by Louis Armstrong and Earl "Fatha" Hines. If you wanted to know about the historical collaboration, there were a few remarks about the collaboration by Seton Hawkins in the program notes. The University Musical Society billed the concert as a re-creation of "Weather Bird." However, the 90-minute concert came off as two contemporary A-league swingers showing off their considerable chops, and the audience was ecstatic. Both musicians are accomplished. Fortner won the Cole Porter Fellowship from the American Pianists Association in 2015 and is currently the pianist for Grammy-winning vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant. In 2007, Akinmusire won the coveted Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and has well-received albums on Blue Note Records. They never discussed why Armstrong and Hines collaborated and its historical relevance. Chances are they did not know what inspired the collaboration. There were four songs in their set before they addressed the audience, sharing that they had just performed music by Fats Waller, Hines, and three originals. Then Fortner talked about the breadth of Akinmusire's musicianship and poked fun at him before they resumed playing. Aside from the musicians not letting on about why they decided to do this project or putting the original "Weather Bird" into any historical context, the music that Fortner and Akinmusire performed was exceptionally pleasing. The audience witnessed two of jazz's leading players showing what complete virtuosos they are, particularly Akinmusire, who dazzled with every note he played. Fortner came off as Akinmusire's accompanist, which Fortner seemed comfortable with. He had a goosebump-inducing moment near the concert's end when Akinmusire stepped aside, and Fortner stretched out on Hines's "Rosetta," Fortner's fingers danced and dashed along the piano keys as if possessed. Overall, the concert was packed with good music and memorable soloing. However, it is still worth noting that it could have been more pleasing had Fortner and Akinmusire put the landmark offering "Weather Bird" into some tangible context or what pushed them to try to recreate it.

 

THE MARION HAYDEN LEGACY SEXTET CELEBRATES THE MUSIC OF ROY BROOKS AT THE BLUE LLAMA

Drummer Roy Brooks

The jazz trombonist Vincent Chandler and bassist Marion Hayden have striking similarities. Both are two of the finest jazz musicians Detroit has produced, and both have dedicated significant chunks of their careers to continuing the legacy of Detroit jazz greats such as Harold McKinney, Kenn Cox, Roy Brooks, and Donald Walden. Chandler is doing so with his terrific monthly Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series, and Hayden has been preserving the legacy of Detroit jazz greats for years through her group, the Marion Hayden Legacy Sextet, which always features a cross-generational helping of Detroit jazz musicians. Last night at the Blue Llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Hayden's sextet honored the late jazz drummer Roy Brooks, which she announced midway through the set was just a taste of a grander celebration in the works for the drummer. For 90 minutes, the sextet performed Brooks's compositions. Brooks made a name for himself internationally in the sixties as a key member of bands led by Horace Silver, Woody Shaw, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach. As a leader, Brooks put out classic jazz recordings such as "Beat," "The Free Slave,"" The Understanding," and "Duet in Detroit." His ensemble, The Artistic Truth, achieved national acclaim. Hayden opened the 90-minute set with Brooks's original "Uncrowned King," then they plunged headfirst without lifejackets into Brook's multi-tempo number "Forever Mingus." The sextet pianist Brendon Davis, trumpeter Tim Blackmon, saxophonist Vincent Bowen, and vocalist Robert McCarther were sharp throughout the set. Davis guided the sextet. His pianoing and soloing embodied a veteran marksman's precision and refinement. Three tunes in, McCarther joined the band. Male vocalists like McCarther are rare nowadays. His carriage is a throwback to Joe William and Johnny Hartman, and McCarther's voice melts over you softly like snow over cotton. Hayden has led many outstanding bands but has never hogged the spotlight. Last night, she soloed more than I have ever known her to in all the years I have attended her performances. Her soloing stuck to your ribs like a satisfying full-course meal. Blackmon and Bowen were a competent frontline gobbling up the changes to Kenn Cox's "Spellbound" and Geri Allen's "Unconditional Love," like baked goods. But the star of the set was the young drummer Tariq Gardner, who, like Brooks, has a rare combination of taste and dynamism. Gardner is still developing, but at a young age, he understands the mechanics of powering and pushing a band. The concert was a fitting tribute to Brooks's legacy in an intimate setting. Jazz musicians like Vincent Chandler and Hayden, who have dedicated time to perpetuating the legacies of Detroit jazz luminaries, deserve acknowledgment.

 

THE DETROIT JAZZ PRESERVATION CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS A TERRIFIC LONG OVERDUE TRIBUTE TO THE LATE SAXOPHONIST DONALD WALDEN

 

Saxophonist Donald Walden

Finally, after two postponements, one because of inclement weather and the other due to the Superbowl, the Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series tribute to the late Arts Midwest Jazz Master saxophonist Donald Walden took place Sunday evening at Schaver Music Recital Hall on the campus of Wayne State University. The hour-plus tribute organized by professor and jazz trombonist Vincent Chandler was befitting a jazz musician of Walden's achievements. Walden was a saxophonist whose musical acumen and blowing were on par with greats like Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, and Tina Brooks. Walden had a pristine national reputation and a big tone on tenor immediately recognizable after blowing a series of notes, but a modest discography of three tremendous recordings: "A Portrait of You, " A Monk and a Mingus Among Us," and "Focus." Chandler was the right musician to present this long overdue tribute to Walden, given Chandler was Walden's musical son of sorts. The concert opened with Walden's niece sharing with the audience how fashionable Walden was and, out of the public's eye, how kindhearted and giving he could be. The bandmates that Chandler assembled, saxophonist Jeffrey Trent, bassist Josef Deas, drummer Alex White, and pianist Roger L. Jones II, talked about Walden as a taskmaster and his musical perfectionism and how, as a mentor, he did not mince words. Deas talked about cutting classes to attend Walden's seminars while teaching at the University of Michigan. Chandler’s band never disappointed, performing seven of Walden's well-lauded compositions flawlessly. Opening the tribute concert with "Mr. Styx" from Walden's unappreciated album "A Monk and a Mingus Among Us, "moving effortlessly into "Signed: Dizzy, With Love," and then tearing the wood off the stage floor with "Soweto/Detroit," from Walden's debut album "A Portrait of You." What is worth pointing out about the band was their cohesion and ability to sound as if they had been running the streets together for years, adept at navigating each other's musical psyches. Roger L. Jones II's soloing on "Middle Passage" and "City Sister" were rendered so dreamingly; chances are you awoke thinking about them in the middle of the night. And the rising tenor saxophonist Jeffery Trent unknowingly channeled Walden's ghost while soloing on "Graciella" and "This Goodbye Could Last a Long Time." For a youngster still searching for his voice and place within the music, Trent has a creamy rich texture to his blowing, and it is apparent that he has spent considerable time listening to his tenor sax ancestors. If there was anything remotely disappointing about the tribute it was Chandler not including Walden's version of Thelonious Monk's "Ruby My Dear,” which was always an example of Walden at the apex of his crafmanship, and my favorite Walden composition, "A Portrait of You." Aside from those omissions, and the two postponements, Chandler put forth an outstanding tribute to a cultural giant who represented Detroit jazz with panache.