ON HIS WAY

Gerald Clayton will be a great jazz pianist someday. Right now, Clayton sounds a lot like his idol  pianist  Brad Mehldau. Which is fine because many great jazz musicians went through an imitative phase before discovering their own thing. Clayton isn't an exception. DD Jackson imitated his idol Don Pullen. Jason Moran imitated Jaki Byard. At some point, Clayton’s dad, jazz bassist John Clayton, imitated the great Ray Brown.

Gerald Clayton is an awesome pianist. Jazz writers have had their eyes on Clayton for sometime now. And for good reason. Clayton's first album “Two-Shade” was nominated for a Grammy. And he’s worked for some important jazz musicians Lewis Nash, Diana Krall, and Roy Hargrove. Clayton star rose playing in Roy Hargrove’s band from 2006-2008 before Clayton formed his own trio..

I caught Clayton live three times. The first time, at the 2008 Detroit International Jazz Festival with Hargrove’s band. Then, a year later, I caught Clayton's solo set at the Detroit Groove Society’s home concert series. The next time, I heard Clayton bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Justin Brown at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café. The club was noisy, which it usually is, but Clayton stayed composed. 

Clayton was terrific in each situation. Clayton was tasteful. Not the sort of jazz piano player who strikes the piano keys as if trying to release bottled up hostility. I did notice, however, an inhibition. Clayton has an “inner swinger” begging to be set free. Occasionally, Clayton has let his "inner swinger" loose. Clayton did so on the Clayton Brother’s albums “Brother to Brother” and “Same Song and Dance”. Clayton’s new album “Bond the Paris Sessions,” which Decca/Emarcy made available today, frees up his "inner swinger" more than he ever has on a recording.

“Bond the Paris Sessions” is an earnest jazz trio album with 15 songs. Most of them Clayton wrote. That’s a lot of material. But Clayton’s trio Joe Sanders and Justin Brown know how to captivate listeners. Obviously, they entered the studio with a bulletproof game plan.“Bond the Paris Sessions” starts with a restyling of “If I Were a Bell”. Clayton’s arrangement opens up space for plenty risk taking, which the trio is prepared for. Clayton came up with lovely melodies for “Major Hope,” ”Sun Glimpse” and “Round Come Round.

A few things on “Bond the Paris Sessions” irks me. The sound effects Clayton uses on “Bond: The Release” gives the song a spooky feeling. I don’t get the purpose of the human voice sound effects near the end of “Bootleg Bruise”. The sound effects are unnecessary. 

“Bond the Paris Sessions” isn’t Clayton’s breakthrough album. The one that will finally solidify Clayton as a household name like his idol Brad Mehldau. “Bond the Paris Sessions” is an indication Clayton is on course for greatness.

NAIMA'S BIG DAY

Jazz vocalist Naima Shamborguer

Sunday was jazz singer Naima Shamborguer’s big day. At the St. Matthews & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, Shamborguer unveiled her new album “’Round Midnight”. Barbara Cox—the late jazz pianist Kenn Cox’s widow—sponsored the concert. Concertgoers paid a $20.00 cover, and Shamborguer gave each a copy of “’Round Midnight,” and a dazzling two hour performance. Shamborguer also gave the church a cut of the proceeds.

The "Round Midnight" concert was the first time Shamborguer performed publicly with acclaimed jazz pianist   Larry Willis, known for his work with Jackie Mclean, Carmen McRae and Blood, Sweat, & Tears. Off and on, for years, Shamborguer and Willis tried to hook up. They got close once.

Shamborguer's husband best friend, Bob Colley, a jazz booking agent, believed pairing up Willis with Shamborguer would work because their backgrounds and styles are similar. Colley booked them at a popular club in New Jersey, but the owner cancelled the show. Shamborguer and Willis never gave up hope. And in 2010, they finally made it happen, collaborating on “’Round Midnight”. 

Shamborguer used the same band that played on "'Round Midngiht". The band buttered up the audience, opening with “Brother Ed” from Willis’ album “Sanctuary”. After the opener, tenor sax great Vincent Bowen escorted Shamborguer to the pulpit. Shamborguer handed her mom a flower. Then Shamborguer dove head first into “Speak Low”, the lead song on “’Round Midnight”. Toward the end of “Speak Low,” the microphone went haywire. But, Shamborguer kept her cool, finishing “Speak Low” with a nifty obbligato. Shamborguer followed up with her original, “I Will Never Walk Away”.

Shamborguer’s band was incredible. Bassist Marion Hayden was superb as always. Drummer George Davidson had a few choice solos. And Vincent Bowen got a piece of the action during the second set. Violinist Tia Imani Hanna and cellist Eugene Zenzo made cameos.

The second set Shamborguer spent some quality time with Willis. They played together on “Here’s to Life”. Willis had the piano crying. Willis’ phrasing is like Shamborguer’s pure voice. That makes them the perfect  pair. “I Remember April” is often played up-tempo. Shamborguer and Willis played the song at a lover’s tempo.

Many jazz singers turn their live shows into a comedy routine. They poke fun at their band-mates. They preface songs with off-the-wall stories. But, not Shamborguer. Shamborguer will occasionally say something that’s amusing. She made the audience laugh, asking if it was okay to sing a blues song in a church.  Shamborguer is straight-laced. Concertgoers  can always bank on a well thought out show. Recently Shamborguer, told a jazz report, she always wants to leave her audience with a piece of herself. At the “’Round Midnight” concert, Shamborguer accomplished that.

WHEN NAIMA MET LARRY

Mother’s Day, jazz vocalist Naima Shamborguer makes available her new album "‘Round Midnight’". To celebrate, Shamborguer is throwing a big album release concert at 4:00pm at St. Matthew & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Detroit. Shamborguer teams up with the acclaimed jazz pianist Larry Willis known for his work with Jackie McLean, Hugh Masekela, Carmen McRae and Blood, Sweat & Tears. Willis is the album’s musical director. On “’Round Midnight” Shamborguer performs some standards and some originals. Of her four albums, Shamborguer says “’Round Midnight” is her best.

Shamborguer was raised in Detroit and she graduated from Cass Technical High School. She refuses to say when, but jokingly acknowledges she’s been around a long time. Shamborguer is from a family of singers and musicians that’s heavily into classical and gospel music.

During Shamborguer girlhood, she performed in a group with her aunts Gloria, Georgia, and Evelyn. Her sisters became accomplished classical singers. And Shamborguer went the jazz route, making a name working with Donald Townes, Teddy Harris, Jr. and Marcus Belgrave. and a long list of internationally acclaimed jazz musicians.

Willis says teaming up with Shamborguer was destined to happen. They met through a mutual friend, Bob Colley, a jazz booking agent. Colley felt they would be the perfect match. For years, Colley tried to get Shamborguer and Willis to perform together. They were set to play a popular club in New Jersey, but at the last minute the show was cancelled. In 2010, they finally hooked up to record “‘Round Midnight”. Recently, I Dig Jazz had a telephone conversation with Shamborguer and Willis to discuss the making of “‘Round Midnight”.

I Dig Jazz: When did “‘Round Midnight” start to come together?

Shamborguer: The actual putting together started last year around the spring. A friend of our, Bob Colley, who passed away in November had been trying to get Larry and I together for 6 years to do a CD. We’re going to work at a club in New Jersey, but the owner of the club decided to stop featuring jazz.

IDJ: Why did Bob believe you and Larry would be good musical companions?

Shamborguer: Bob said Larry and I had a lot in common. My phrasing and Larry's voicing on the piano were alike. So, Bob felt that Larry and I would just gel. Bob and my husband were best friends. Bob used to say Naima has to play with Larry because Larry will play all the right things to suit her voice.”

IDJ: Unfortunately, Bob died before you and Larry finally hooked up.

Shamborguer: My husband and I went to visit Bob when he was very ill. After that, we decided to visit Larry. After that visit, my husband decided that we’re going to do this recording, so we asked Larry to be our musical director. We went to Larry’s home to put the project together. Then Larry came to our house. Larry was our guest for a week, and we had a ball getting the music together. Every morning Larry would play a spiritual on the piano. He’s a very spiritual person.

IDJ: Did you and Larry click as Bob expected?

Shamborguer: It was natural. When I went to Baltimore to see Larry, he sat at the piano and started playing, and I started singing. Our relationship was natural.

IDJ: How much input did Larry have selecting songs for "‘Round Midnight’"? By the way, you did a splendid version of “Here's to Life”.

Shamborguer: I gave Larry a list of songs I wanted to record. And I gave him “Here’s to Life”. He asked me to sing it. I did, and Larry broke down because Larry was close to Shirley Horn, who immortalized that song. Larry said, at Shirley’s funeral that he didn’t even stay in the church. So, We decided to the record the song.

IDJ: Larry, over the years, you've have work with some brilliant vocalists Carmen McRae, Miriam MaKeba, and Vanessa Rubin. How does Naima measure up?

Jazz pianist Larry Willis

Willis: Naima is among the top jazz vocalists as far as I am concerned, but Naima hasn’t received the recognition she's due.

IDJ: You encouraged Naima to include some of her original tunes. Why was that important?

Willis: Because it is a statement of her voice and her story. Some of the best advice I every got came from Miles Davis. He said you have to have your own sound. When you play like others you also play their mistakes. Naima is an extremely talented songwriter, and she needs to expose that.

IDJ: Naima, you sing a song by Horace Silver, Charlie Parker, and of course, Thelonious Monk, but the best songs on the album are your originals “I Will Never Walk Away,” “Everyday’s Yesterday,” and “Ms. Sarah”. Despite Larry’s encouragement, were you initially reluctant to include those songs?

Shamborguer: Larry asked me why I wasn’t including those originals on the recording. He said my originals were pretty good. So, coming from a world-renowned jazz pianist like Larry that meant something to me. You know, with originals you never know how they’re going to turn out.

IDJ: You have a unique style of singing as if you’re half-jazz singer and half-opera singer. Plus, you don’t rely on scatting.

Shamborguer: Some singers scat too much where it’s appears to be a gimmick. I would rather sing the whole song. If you are going to scat, you have to know the whole song. Some singers just start scatting. They don’t know the tune. I think a lot of singers scat because they think they’re supposed to. I’m not a scatter. Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan were scatters.

IDJ: ‘Round Midnight is your fourth album. How would you rank it?

Shamborguer: It’s my best album. I’m older and I’m into life more, and the way I feel about music. I have more of a grip on my music.

SHOW-WOMANSHIP

Jazz vocalist Kate Patterson

Jazz singer Kate Patterson closed out the 22nd Jazz Forum Concert series at the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church Wednesday evening. For 20 years, Patterson has performed at the Jazz Forum, and her concert is the most anticipated. This time, Patterson dedicated the concert to her buddy the late jazz bassist Don Mayberry. The bassist passed away in April of a massive heart attack. Patterson and Mayberry worked together off and on for 28 years. Some of Mayberry's relatives were on hand.

The concert began at 8:00pm sharp. Patterson made a grand entrance, gliding down the aisle blowing a harmonica in a white dress that looked hand-stitched by Valentino. When Patterson reached the bandstand, she guided her band—Steve Woods, Dan Pliskow, Johnny Trudell, Jim Wyse, Robert Tye, Chuck Shermetaro and Dave Taylor—throw “If I Had You”. The band was decked out in black tuxedos. The band's playing was also sharp. All evening, Patterson voice was robust, which was surprising because she's been ill lately. That didn't slow her down. Patterson had a field date with the standards she sung.

The two-hour concert had three unforgettable moments. The first was saxophonist Steve Woods' duet with clarinetist Jim Wyse on “Petite Fleure”. The second was Patterson's duet with guitarist Robert Tye on the lullaby “Little Man You Had a Busy Day”. She sung it slowly and softly like trying to lull a child to sleep. The third memorable moment occurred while Patterson performed Don Mayberry’s favorite Roger and Hammerstein song “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. Patterson broke down. When she pulled herself together, Patterson said: “If it’s raining after the concert it’s Don crying tears of joy in heaven”. 

Patterson has stagecraft. Patterson prefaced songs with humorous stories, made off-handed jokes, and  egged on her sidemen like a soccer mom. For 16 years, Patterson has battled leukemia. Lately, she’s been in and out of the hospital, undergoing experimental treatment. Wednesday evening, Patterson was robust, was  dancing and was singing up a storm.

FULL-BLOWN STAR

Rene’ Marie got her start on Max Jazz Records. She was among a fine group of singers the label featured in its vocal series. Along with LaVerne Butler, Mary Stalling, Carla Cook, and Phillip Manuel, Marie made Max Jazz a formidable record company. When Marie was starting out, I scored an interview with her for the Metrotimes, a weekly newspaper in Detroit. I also caught her shows at the Serengeti Ballroom, a jazz spot on Woodward Ave. run by concert promoter Bill Foster. Marie's live shows are dynamic like her recordings.  And she's also a wonderful songwriter. I kept an eye on Marie's career.

Marie made four outstanding dates for Max Jazz “How Can I Keep From Singing,” Vertigo,” Live at the Jazz Standard,” and “Serene Renegade”. Between recording projects, Marie toured nationally and internationally, and she was lauded in important jazz magazines such as Jazz Times and Down Beat. Marie worked hard, and now she's a full-blown star. Early last month, Marie birthed her first offspring for Motema Records “Voice of My Beautiful Country,” This album is her most intriguing yet.

Marie divided the album into two parts “Imagination Medley,” and “Voice of My Beautiful Country Suite”. This album is best consumed whole. Marie covers a lot of territory. And her arrangements of “Just My Imagination,” “Drift Away,” and “John Henry” are striking. Marie reworded the Temptation's jewel "My Imagination" so it appears as though a girl is talking about her beau. Hands down, it's the best track on Marie's album.

She culls the best from her rhythm section piano player Kevin Bales, bass player Rodney Jordan and drummer Quentin Baxter. Throughout “Voice of My Beautiful Country”, the rhythm section is tighter than banjo strings. Marie didn’t sing on “Drum Battle” and “Piano Blues”. She gave the floor to Baxter and Bales. Marie turns “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” into a blues number. Then she combines “Life Ev’ry Voice and Sing” and the "Star-Spangled Banner” into a jazz ballad. Marie is complete jazz singer incapable of mediocrity. Her projects are always intriguing.

HEADS UP

I receive advance copies of new jazz albums daily. I want to share with the readers of I Dig Jazz some   attractive jazz albums that will be available soon.

Pianist Gerald Clayton is the offspring of the great Clayton clan. His dad is bassist John Clayton. Alto “sax-smith,” Jeff Clayton, is the pianist’s uncle. “Bond the Paris Sessions” is Gerald Clayton’s second album as the boss, and first for Decca/ Emarcy Records. As a sideman, Clayton earned a bulletproof reputation. “Bond the Paris Sessions” is a straight up jazz trio date, and it goes public May 10, 2011.

Trumpeter Sean Jones is Mack Avenue Records’ franchise player. This is Jones’ fifth outing and one of his best to date. Jones steps outside of his hard-bop comfort zone on several songs. Which gives his fans a sample of the new direction he’s contemplating. “No Need for Words” street date is May 24, 2011.

One of the top jazz singers on the planet Roseanna Vitro is signed to Motema Records. The company has a lineup of stellar jazz musician Geri Allen, Marc Carey, and Rene Marie are ones with household reputations. For her Motema debut, “The Music of Randy Newman,” Vitro chose to honor the songwriter Randy Newman. Newman’s songs have a literary quality and the ones Vitro selected suit are voice perfectly. Motema releases “The Music of Randy Newman May 17, 2011.

Many solo piano recordings are an exercise in self-indulgence. I’ve come across some that could cure insomnia. Neither applies to “Faith,” the new solo offering from Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Technically Rubalcaba is a genius and he’s a discreet improviser. 5Passion Records is Rubalcaba's new home. “Faith” will be available June 1, 2011.

In less than a decade, Mack Avenue Records has become a big time record company. Ron Blake, Tia Fuller, Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride, The Yellow Jackets, Gerald Wilson, and Terry Gibbs work for the company. A few months ago, vibraphone apostle Gary Burton joined the company. Burton inaugural album for the company is “Common Ground”. Burton is still sharp, and he’s found a soul partner in guitarist Julian Lage. “Common Ground” hits the streets on June 7, 2011

WORLD STEW

Pianist Omar Sosa

For the past half hour, I’ve searched my dictionary for the perfect adjective to describe Omar Sosa Afreecanos Quartet’s show last night at the Jazz Café. I’ve had no luck so far. Those overused adjectives--wonderful, terrific, outstanding, amazing, magnificent and remarkable— are inadequate. Sosa’s quartet had a lot of things happening on the stage at the same time. The sets were mind-boggling.

The Jazz Café is the right place to hear live jazz. People pay good money to hear top national acts. At other jazz clubs in Detroit, people go to drink, to eat and to socialize. They could care less about the music. That’s not the case at the Jazz Café. The audience respect the musicians and the bands. And last night the crowd gave Sosa’s band a lot of love.

The first set began when Sosa walked on the bandstand decked out in a bright red African getup. Sosa played a brief solo. The guitarist Childo Tomas, saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum and drummer Marque Gilmore joined him.The quartet mixed Afro-Cuban,  jazz, world music, Latin jazz, classical and funk music. If that wasn’t enough, they used various sound effects, too. I even noticed some elements of smooth jazz during Apfelbaum’s first solo. One unforgettable moment occurred when Tomas spoke Spanish and Yoruba while Sosa improvised.

Sosa hogged most of first set. He bounced from the piano to the Fender Rohdes with energy and excitement of hip-hop deejay. At one point, he put the microphone close to his face. Then he slapped his jaws as if they were percussions. Sosa would’ve sound good beating his chest. On some of his solos, Sosa also mimicked the way the late Don Pullen’s right hand used to move along the piano keys like a rolling pin.

The second set had a more avant-garde jazz and funk feel. More people showed up. I guess they saw the Music Hall rocking and wanted to know why. The set belonged to Apfelbaum. He played the tenor, the soprano, the flute and several odd-looking instruments. Apfelbaum improvising was precise as a diamond cutter. Midway, through the set Apfelbaum played the tenor and the soprano simultaneously. After that stunt, Sosa hugged him. The boss validating you on the spot is a sign you kicked ass.

The audience gave Omar Sosa’s Afreecanos Quartet a well-deserved ovation. And the guys seated near the stage begged for a third set. Sosa was under contract for only two, but he agreed to an encore. Had he not a riot would’ve ensued. A lady seated near the rear of the club yelled: “Play something soft”! I wondered if Sosa could. He played a ballad featured on his first album softly as an ant gliding across a piece of cotton. Omar Sosa’s Afreecanos Quartet’s show was a memorable conclusion to the Jazz Café’s 2010-2011 jazz series.