THE DETROIT JAZZ PRESERVATION CONCERT SERIES FINALLY CELEBRATES ITS FOUNDER, TROMBONIST VINCENT CHANDLER

Trombonist Vincent Chandler

After three years of outstanding programming, Trombonist Vincent Chandler, the founder of the Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series, finally took the stage himself with a concert celebrating his own music. The 90-minute concert featured nine of his lesser-performed compositions, such as “Transformers,” “Hidden in Plain Sight,” and “Praying Hands.” His compositions are multidimensional and demanding, and you must be an exceptional musician to play them, his wife, opera vocalist Kimwana Doner-Chandler, stressed, while introducing him. Unfortunately, he decided against including some of his signature works like “The Beast,” “Deciduous,” and “Embraceable,” gems that surely many attendees were hoping to hear. He also didn’t invite any of his former Urban Transport bandmates, Sean Dobbins, Dean Moore, and Josef Deas, musicians who were next to him when he built his chops brick by brick, to join him. Chandler performed with his current group, which includes saxophonist Kasan Belgrave, pianist Jordan Anderson, drummer Tariq Gardner, bassist Michael Abbo, and guitarist Max Bowen. This group differs significantly from many of the other straight-ahead acoustic bands Chandler has traditionally led. This new ensemble leans strongly toward fusion and smooth jazz. I tried to understand why, at this point in his career, he chose this direction. Of all the bands I’ve seen him lead, this one resonates the least with me, mainly because fusion and smooth jazz are so far removed from the music that originally drew me to him. For the first time in the history of this remarkable concert series, I left wondering if we would lose Chandler to these weaker forms of jazz. I left the previous tribute concerts he organized feeling inspired. Days passed before I could stop thinking about the performances. Over the years, I have honestly and proudly written about his music and his contribution to Detroit’s vibrant jazz culture. His monthly concert series has been one of the brightest developments in Detroit’s jazz scene in a long time. My discomfort with his new direction isn’t due to any shortcomings on his part but stems from my own long-standing dislike of fusion and smooth jazz. That’s not his fault. He’s been a hero of sorts to me, a musician whose work ethic and the beauty of his playing reaffirm my commitment to acoustic jazz. Still, that’s what made Sunday night’s performance seem so off-putting. The concert opened with “The Professor,” and I quickly sensed something was different. His trombone tone sounded processed, as if there were a sound system issue. Only later did he tell the audience that he’d bought a new device that expands the sonic possibilities of the instrument. The group moved through “Reverie,” “Lion King,” and “The Journey,” the latter sung magnificently by Chandler’s wife. “Reverie” embodied the complexity of compositions by McCoy Tyner and Wayne Shorter. There were some standout moments from Bowen and Belgrave. Especially, Belgrave, whose blowing demonstrated an old-soul strength and intensity that far exceeded his age. Anderson is typically a rock-solid pianist, but he reduced himself to a lot of unnecessary horseplay on the electric keyboard. The concert wasn’t poor by any means, but it didn’t quite feel like a tribute. Instead, it seemed as if Chandler was giving his fascination with fusion and smooth jazz a test run. Here's the truth that I struggle with often: I find it hard to watch jazz musicians I admire drift away from the music that shaped their cultural identity. As a long-time fan of Chandler’s music and cultural significance, I can only hope that his venture into fusion and smooth jazz is short-lived.