IMER SANTIAGO PREMIERES 'HIDDEN JOURNEY,' HIS FIRST SHOT AS A SESSION LEADER

This is Imer Santiago’s first album as a bandleader. And he heaped a lot on his plate. The jazz trumpeter is, 37, a native of Ohio and was educated at the University of Ohio and the University of New Orleans. He built his name in Nashville where he is a key player. “Hidden Journey,” due out the 24^th of September on Jazz Music City-based in Nashville-is a mix of blues, post-bop and Latin Jazz.

The album epitomizes what is happening on Nashville’s growing jazz scene. The album is loaded with guest spots from some of the city’s top jazz musicians. Trumpeter Rod McGaha and saxophonist Rahsaan Barber are probably the most well-known. Santiago did not use this first outing as a dry run. He went all out, and it paid off.

“Hidden Journey” works in part because of the excellent production work of Rahsaan Barber, the owner of Jazz Music City. Santiago and Barber co-arranged the 11 cuts on “Hidden Journey”. It appears Santiago and Barber locked themselves in a studio and vowed not to leave until they had made a flawless album. If that was their goal, they achieved it because this album is free of any imperfections.

Santiago blew the safe door open on “Girls’ Night Out,” a blues he wrote. On it, he played as if he took pointers from drummer Art Blakey’s how-to-swing-playbook. That cut is followed by two other destroyers “Fourthcoming,” and “Flat 2176”. 

After the third cut, you have to turn off the album to catch your breath. Yes, it is that highly charged. But you will not want to keep it off for long. Santiago is a gifted and a self-assured trumpeter. “Hidden Journey” is a superior jazz album you would expect from a veteran session leader not a first-timer.

KENNY GARRETT MAKES ANOTHER TRIBUTE, PLUS NEW MUSIC FROM AHMAD JAMAL, THE JEFF HAMILTON TRIO & GREGORY PORTER

Chances are saxophonist Kenny Garrett will claim his forthcoming album “pushing the world away,” his  seventeenth overall and third for Mack Avenue Records, is not another tribute album. It sure as hell sounds like one. That is perfectly fine because Garrett makes wonderful tribute albums. “Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane” and “Sketches of MD Live at the Iridium” are two gems in his body of work. “pushing the world away,” due out nationwide September 17^th is not a nod to any particular jazz musician.

Garrett wrote songs for some of his idols such as Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, and Chucho Valdez. On the album Garrett is the same ball-busting, swing crazed saxophonist his fan base adores. On “Brother Brown,” a nod to the album’s producer Donald Brown, one of Garrett’s longtime friends, Garrett sent his regular piano player Benito Gonzalez on a coffee and doughnut run while Garrett played piano. How is he on the instrument? It is not his natural habitat. Nonetheless he played competently. The albums prom queen is the closer “Rotation”. On it, he used two pianists Vernell Brown and Gonzalez, both gobble up the changes like freshly baked pastries.

Ahmad Jamal has made another flawless jazz album “Saturday Morning”. That is not a big surprise given the pianist has been making albums well over 50 years. Jazzbook Records let loose “Saturday Morning” the 10^th of September. It has his bodacious working band the bassist Reginald Veal,  the drummer Herlin Riley and the percussionist Manolo Badrena. It’s hard to go wrong with that kind of backing. Of the 11 cuts on “Saturday Morning,” Jamal wrote seven, the others are standards. The band burned the town down on the title track “One,” which is a crowd favorite at Jamal’s live shows. This album’s odds on favorites are “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good” and “I’m In The Mood For Love”. There is nothing like hearing Jamal gussying up the old standards.

Wilford Brimley is a known character actor who has performed in classic films such as “Absence of Malice” and “Cocoon,” and who has been in a shitload of television commercials. He has developed an alter ego as a jazz singer with a fondness for the great American Songbook. Brimley’s first album backed by a road-tested jazz trio is “Wilford Brimley with the Jeff Hamilton Trio” is due out the 17^th of September on Capri Records. It is pretty special for a vocalist pushing 80 with low mileage in jazz. How did Brimley hook up with the jazz drummer Jeff Hamilton?

They talked after a Hamilton concert in Vail, Co. Brimley sent Hamilton several recordings. After listening to his work, Hamilton began mulling over the trio collaborating with the actor. Hamilton and Brimley thumbed through the American Songbook, deciding on songs that suited Brimley’s thick, conversational voice. “Wilford Brimley with the Jeff Hamilton Trio” has 15 standards some are jumpers others are slow jams. Brimley sounds best on some of the slow jams they picked  “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face,” “I Have Dream” and "This Love of Mind”. 

As for the Jeff Hamilton trio-pianist Tamir Hendleman and bassist Christopher Luty-understood Brimley has limited experience as a jazz singer. So they did not imposed unrealistic expectations on him. Neither did they go easy on him. Brimley pulled through mostly on his own merit. He is no Mel Torme or Tony Bennett but for a veteran character actor pushing 80, he sounded damn good with a big name jazz trio.

Before Blue Note Records unveils Gregory Porter’s new album “Liquid Spirit” nationwide Tuesday, the label should issue a Public Service Announcement, warning people they might get hooked on his voice immediately after listening to the album’s opener “No Love Dying”. Of course, the warning does not apply to those are already fans of his mighty baritone voice. 

Porter just has it like that. He is a freak of nature, but not an overnight sensation. He worked hard and deserves all the accolades and praise his fans and music critics have lavished on him. “Liquid Spirit” is his third album, his first debut for Blue Note. The Harlem New York based record label Motema Records put out his others “Water” and “Be Good”.

“Liquid Spirit is borderline perfect. Porter is stretched thinly performing up-tempo songs, covers and love songs. Midway through you wish he would have stuck with singing the love songs. He is at his absolute best on them. The love songs he chose for “Liquid Spirit” are not the baby-making variety but they seduce the heart. “Hey Laura” will make any woman melt and a Sumo wrestler feel all tingly inside. He gives the “Lonesome Lover” and “I Fall In Love Too Easily a thorough airbrushing. It is hard to categorize Porter because he sings many styles beautifully.

MEMORIES OF THE 2013 DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL LINGER ON

Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis

A week has passed since the 2013 Detroit Jazz Festival. I still think about the choice performances I saw plus the ones I missed. I made some hard choices. I decided, for example, to catch the McCoy Tyner with special guest Savion Glover set instead of saxophonist Charles Lloyd featuring guitarist Bill Frisell. McCoy and Glover put on the most awe-inspired set I saw all weekend. At, 74, Tyner is still a barnburner. He pushed Glover like he used to push saxophonist John Coltrane decades ago. Wonder if Glover had to buy new feet after the set because he wore his old ones out.

There were unforgettable sets by the all-star jazz band The Cookers, vocalist Gregory Porter and, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. The Marsalis set, of the three, is the one that stuck to my ribs the longest. Marsalis loves Duke Ellington it seems more than any other iconic big band leader and composer. Marsalis played the music of “Such Sweet Thunder,” Ellington’s and Billy Strayhorn’s shout out to Shakespeare.

Marsalis’ band shone like new hardwood floors. Drummer Winard Harper was the rhythm section's muscle, and his solos would have given a pit-bull goose bumps. I felt as if I were in a graduate seminar on Shakespeare, listening to Marsalis explain the inspiration behind each songs. On “Circle of Fourths,” Marsalis took the melody through more key and tempo changes than an erotic dancer changing costumes.

The Detroit acts were not-to-be-forgotten as well. Saxophonist James Carter blew a new hole in the Ozone during his tribute to tenor saxophonist Don Byas at the Absopure Pyramid Stage. At the J.P. Morgan Chase Main Stage, pianist Geri Allen put on a first-rate tribute to Detroit. Allen pulled the set off with drummer Karriem Riggins and bassist Robert Hurst.

Allen’s specials guests were former Detroiters trombonist George Bohanon, vocalist Sheila Jordan, and saxophonists Dave McMurray (McMurray is still a Detroiter) and JD Allen. Some of Allen’s previous Detroit oriented projects have been overcooked. But this one was cooked perfectly. The trio itself was satisfying enough.  

Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave’s "Trumpet Call" presentation was not as exciting as the "Trumpet Summit" he staged for the 2003 Detroit jazz festival where festivalgoers saw trumpeters Chris Jones, Corey Wilkes, and Sean Jones before they hit it big.  

"Trumpet Call" was worthwhile just listening to Belgrave amuse the crowd with stories about his friendships with trumpet legends Blue Mitchell, Donald Byrd and Clifford Brown. Belgrave said Brown schooled him on the fine points of improvising. The standout moment of  "Trumpet Call" was Belgrave blowing on his original “Brownie Town”.

Of the Detroit acts that I saw, drummer Karriem Riggins set was the most eye-popping. The past three festivals, Riggins has presented jazz fusion projects. They were top-heavy with Detroiters, which was not a bad thing. He has an affinity for his homies. And he includes them in his projects. This time out, he hired musicians from the East Coast and the West Coast. The music Riggins spoon fed the crowd was a mix of jazz, hip hop, and techno. It comes off effortlessly and beautifully when he mixes genres. Each year, his projects have gotten tighter.

Did this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival top the 2012, which longtime attendees believed was the best in decades?  Last year’s felt more authentic, geared more toward jazz purists. Obviously, the festival’s Artistic Director, Chris Collins, aim was to expand the festivals scope, booking nontraditional jazz acts. It worked. 

SO FAR, SUNDAY WAS THE BEST DAY OF THE DETROIT JAZZ FEST

Jazz Vocalist Gregory Porter

Sunday, was the most exciting day of concerts at the Detroit Jazz Festival so far. At the J.P. Morgan Chase Main Stage, jazz vocalist Gregory Porter kicked the crowd's ass with some of the music from his 2012 album “Be Good” and his upcoming debut for Blue Note Records “Liquid Soul”. Porter is the hottest male jazz vocalist on earth right now with a mighty and a gorgeous baritone voice. On top of that, Porter has the stage presence of a hypnotist.

During his set, Porter put the men on the spot that have been in long relationships.“It times for you guys to lock it down,” Porter joked. Then he sang a version of “Good Hands” that would have melted a bear’s heart. One memorable moment was the protest song Porter belted about the Detroit riot that featured Detroit saxophonists Vincent Bowen and Kamau Kenyatta, Porter’s mentor. It was Porter’s debut at the Detroit Jazz Festival. It would be an injustice if he were not invited back.

At the Absopure Pyramid Stage, popular Detroit saxophonist James Carter paid tribute to the swing era saxophonist Don Byas. Last year, Carter purchased and reconditioned the tenor sax Don Byas played from 1950 to 1962. It was the same sax Byas used, according to Carter, to mop the floor with Coleman Hawkins and Stan Getz in a tenor sax battle in Europe.Carter is a master at pulling off tribute projects. 

His tributes to guitarist Django Reinhardt “Chasin' the Gypsy” and Billie Holidays “Gardenias for Lady Day” are two of his finest works. Carter played the Byas set with his longstanding band veteran hell-raisers pianist Gerard Gibbs, drummer Leonard King and bassist Ralphe Armstrong.

After Carter explained his fondness for Don Byas, the band jumped into two of Byas’ well-known tunes “1944 Stomp” and “Free and Easy”. Carter blew until he ran out of ideas on the latter tune. The winner of the Detroit Jazz Festival Trumpet Competition, Theo Croker was a special guest. On the standard “Star Dust,” the veterans put the zoom lens on him, and he did not choke.  

Later Sunday evening drummer Karriem Riggins, another popular Detroiter had  bodies sweaty at the Mack Avenue Waterfront Stage. The style of music Riggins is into currently is hard to classify. The past three festivals Riggins—who has worked with Mulgrew Miller, Ray Brown, Diana Krall, and who moonlights as a hip hop  DJ and producer—has presented some experimental projects.

The projects included some of Riggins' Detroit peers plus featured known hip-hop acts like Slum Village, Pete Rock and Common. This time out, Riggins’ shipped in musicians from New York, California, and Philadelphia. The music they performed was a mix of hip-hop, techno and bits and pieces of jazz. Nothing resembling the pure jazz that Riggins was raised on. But the music was danceable and sure as hell sounded good.

MCCOY TYNER & CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT HEADLINED THE FIRST FULL DAY OF CONCERTS AT THE 2013 DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Pianist McCoy Tyner

The 74-year-old jazz pianist McCoy Tyner walked on the Carhartt Amphitheater Stage at the Detroit Jazz Fest Saturday to an ovation deserving of a jazz musician of his stature. During his hour plus set with tap dancer Savion Glover, Tyner channeled the energy he possessed decades ago backing saxophonist John Coltrane. Tyner’s aggressive style was in mint condition like on some of the classic albums he made for Impulse Records.

Tyner’s set lived up to its high billing. Before Tyner called up Glover, his trio had the crowd juiced and the stage hot as French fry grease. The trio and Glover clicked immediately. Tyner and Glover traded like tenor saxophonists in an old-school cutting contest. In all the years I have covered the Detroit Jazz Festival, I never witnessed the crowd go completely nuts midway through each number. Glover was tap dancing so fast I thought his tap-shoes were going to catch fire.

I lost count of the ovations Glover received. After the third number, the drummer, the bassist  and Glover left the stage. I figured to give his feet a must needed coffee break. Tyner played solo, settling down the crowd with a ballad played lovingly like the ballads he performed on his album “Nights of Ballads and Blues”. The performance was the most exciting performance I have experience at the Detroit Jazz Festival in years.

Vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant set at the Amphitheater was also highly anticipated. It followed Tyner’s performance.  In 2010, Salvant won the Thelonious Monk International Vocalist Competition. Since the win, she has received a lot of good press. “Woman Child,” her debut for Mack Avenue Records is glorious. It is the best jazz album by a vocalist I have experienced so far this year. I’m a fan of Salvant. It pains me to write her performance with the David Berger Jazz Orchestra was stiff.     

Berger is a seasoned arranger. He wrote the arrangements for the performance. It was Salvant’s first shot at an international jazz festival performing with an orchestra. Frankly, she seemed as if she could not get into the arrangements. I wondered if headlining an international jazz festival this early in her career was too much of an undertaking. At age 23, she has not accumulated a  lot of frequent flier miles as a bandleader or as a headliner. And her inexperience showed.

OPENING NIGHT OF THE 2013 DETROIT JAZZ FEST WAS A BUST

Vocalist Macy Gray

The 2013 Detroit Jazz Festival began Friday evening at the J.P. Morgan Chase Main Stage with a set by the festival’s artist-in-residence pianist Danilo Perez, and one by veteran free jazz saxophonist David Murray with pop vocalist Macy Gray. For a decade, opening night has been a high point of the four-day festival. But time around it was a disappointment.Perez performed first with his new group Panama 500.  

He premiered three songs “Rediscovery of the Pacific Ocean,” “Panama 500” and “Reflection in the South Sea”. The music did not win over the audience. The music was disjointed and way-out. The opening night crowd likes to cut loose. 

I have witnessed the crowd do so when Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride Stanley Clarke, and Tower of Power were opening night headliners. I admire Perez’s playing and his willingness to take risk. But, last night, I wondered if Perez had enough time to rehearse because the set, particularly the ending seemed spur-of- the- moment.  

Perez’s band caught fire on the last number. And the crowd came alive some. But it was too little too late. He had failed to capture them from the onset. Surprisingly, after his set, Perez received an ovation. I wondered if the crowd did so because deep down they felt bad for him, or if they were elated the performance was over. Dave Murray’s set was also disappointing.

Murray performed with his big band. It was loaded with topnotch musicians like bassist Jaribu Shahid and drummer Nasheet Waits. Murray is a jazz musician who does not have a comfort zone. He always thinks miles outside the box. His new album “Be My Monster Love” features pop singer Macy Gray. She is an oddball with a raspy cartoon-like voice. Before Gray walked on the stage in a purple silk dress, matching gloves and a bright red scarf made of feathers, Murray’s big band played a number with elements of free jazz, swing, and the blues.

Murray's set would have killed had he just played with his big band. Gray has stagecraft, and she tried her best to win over the crowd, but she failed. Most of the crowd seemed disinterested. Gray sang three songs. Then she left the stage, promising to return after the big band played a few numbers alone. Many people did not stick around. They bolted like there was a bomb threat. The past decade opening night readied festival goers for a weekend of world class jazz. This time around, opening night was a bust.

GARY BURTON TALKS ABOUT NEW BAND & NEW ALBUM 'GUIDED TOUR'

No matter how hard you press vibraphonist Gary Burton, he will not acknowledge “Guided Tour” is his best album in the last decade. Another thing Burton will not do is argue with the reviewers who believe the album is his most significant work. Eight of the 10 cuts on the album were composed by the members-drummer Antonio Sanchez, bassist Scott Colley, and guitarist Julian Lage. The quartet is tight as new shoes. Lage is the standout. His playing "Once Upon A Summertime" and "Monk Fish" will make your chest hairs dance. Obviously, Burton genuinely loved making the album. 

“Guided Tour” is an excellent follow up to “Common Ground,” his first album for Mack Avenue Records and which served as the official launch of his new band The New Gary Burton Quartet. The quartet is arguably his greatest band. That Burton is not reluctant to acknowledge.

Burton, 70, is one of the all-time great vibraphonists. He can make a great album in his sleep. To date, he has made 63, and he has been nominated for 15 Grammies. Last year, he won a seventh Grammy  for “Hot House,” with pianist Chick Corea. With his very first band formed in 1967, Burton was on the ground floor of the jazz rock fusion movement.

Fort 30 plus years, Burton taught at the Berklee College of Music. Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and  Julian Lage are star jazz guitarists Burton gave their start. I Dig Jazz emailed Burton about “Guided Tour,” his affinity for guitarists, and how his new band compares to his previous ones.

“Guided Tour” is your second album for Mack Avenue Records. How is it different from your debut “Common Ground”?

‘Common Ground,’ our first New Gary Burton Quartet recording captured the early stages of our group, we had been playing together for all of three weeks when we recorded then. Now after two years of touring the USA, Europe and Japan, the group has continued to evolve and expand on the rapport, which has become a hallmark of this current group. ‘Guided Tour’ is an important step forward for the band.

How does the New Gary Burton Quartet compare to your past bands?

My current group is in that rare category that only comes along a few times in your career. The chemistry between the musicians is incredibly balanced and interactive. It's a situation where we all can play at our best, and the total of our playing is greater than we manage individually. I've only been part of a group with this kind of communication a few times in my career. 

You unveiled the New Gary Burton Quartet last year, how did the quartet come to be, and how long did it take the band to click?

I assembled the New Gary Burton Quartet, kind of just for fun. The plan was to just do a three week European tour, nothing more was planned. But, almost immediately, the great chemistry of the group became obvious, and by the time we finished the tour, I couldn't wait to get us into a recording studio, so the New Gary Burton Quartet was launched.

What is the key to making great albums consistently?

I think the most important factors in making a good recording are choosing a productive concept, and sticking to it. One of my techniques is to choose, say, two songs that most demonstrate the style and concept I visualize for the recording, then all the remaining songs are chosen because they are compatible with the original song choices.  My two "anchor" songs for ‘Guided Tour’ were ‘Caminos’ by drummer Antonio Sanchez, and ‘Helena’, by guitarist Julian Lage.

The New Gary Burton Quartet wouldn't be as dynamic without Julian Lage. Do you agree, and how does he compare to the other great jazz guitarists you were associated with.

I consider Julian Lage to be one of my biggest discoveries. He is so talented as both a guitarist, with an original sound and style, and as a composer. That I have known him and played with him since he was 12-year-old  gives us a special dynamic, too. 

Will you explain your affinity for jazz guitarists?

I think there are two reasons for my long-running connection with guitarists.  First, the sonic blend of vibes and guitar works extremely well.  Both instruments are mellow-sounding and when playing in unison can blend together into a single deep sound.  Or the instruments can play separately and be heard distinctly. So, it is nice for arrangements and ensemble work.  And for some reason I don't really understand, guitar players and I seem to have a mutual affinity. I keep matching up with talented players in collaborations that sometimes last for years and years.

At this stage of your career, what keeps you going? 

After nearly five decades of being an international jazz star, I feel like one of the luckiest people on the scene. Having built up a body of work and experience, my goal now is to maintain it, and keep growing; there is always something more to be done. 

 Is "Guided Tour" your favorite Gary Burton album?

After 50 years of making records, and sixty-some releases, it's hard to describe any single one as a favorite.  They're a little like your children, you love each of them for different things. But I can truthfully say that ‘Guided Tour’ is certainly one of my best, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. A number of the early reviews have described ‘Guided Tour’ in superlative terms, the most recent being the NY Times describing it as my most significant work in the last decade.  I don't disagree with that.