Brian Nation
Oct 3, 2005, 07:27 PM
The show's on every Monday night 9pm to Midnight at 101.9 FM in Vancouver or visit the CITR web site (http://www.citr.ca/default.asp?id=19&mnu=19) to tune in via the internet. (RealAudio)
Here's this month's lineup of Jazz Features, heard at 11:
Featured albums:
October 3: “High Hope” The Elmo Hope Trio.
October 10: “Paris Concert May 1961” Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
October 17: “The Boss Men” Sonny Stitt (alto saxophone) with Don Patterson.
October 24: “Exploration” The Grachan Moncur Ensemble.
October 31: “The Freedom Book” The Booker Ervin Quartet.
October 3: Pianist/composer St. Elmo Sylvester Jr. better known as Elmo Hope was born in New York City of West Indian parentage on June 27, 1923 and died in that city at age 43 on May 19, 1967. Although Elmo grew up with and was best friends with Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell and as young men they checked out both jazz and classical music and exchanged ideas and musical discoveries Powell and Monk both achieved fame. Thelonious through his quirky style and unique compositions and Bud simply by becoming the all-pervasive influence on modern jazz piano. There are many reasons why Elmo Hope didn’t achieve the recognition or have the influence that Bud and Monk had: one was Hope’s drug addiction but more importantly was the fact that Hope was on the road making a living playing with Joe Morris’ Great little ‘rhythm and blues’ band (which also included “Philly Joe” Jones and Johnny Griffin) in the late forties and early fifties thereby not being in New York during those important times when he could have been playing gigs and recording with his peers. Elmo returned to “The Apple” in 1953 and made his first trio recordings for Blue Note playing his own tunes. Hope soon found himself very busy recording with Lou Donaldson, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean as well as doing his own dates on Blue Note and Prestige. However, drug debts and general health problems (Hope suffered from asthma) motivated Elmo to pull up stakes and head for Los Angeles where he spent four and a half unhappy years. He managed, despite his dislike of the L.A. scene to make some classic albums with like minded players such as Harold Land, Frank Butler, Dupree Bolton et. al. and came to Vancouver in November 1958 to the Original “Cellar” (rear of 222 East Broadway) with one of the best groups ever to play here.....Harold Land (tenor saxophone), Scott LaFaro (bass), Lennie McBrowne (drums) and Elmo but that’s another story. Hope finally packed his wife (pianist Bertha Hope) and their two children and headed back to New York. Hope was quoted as saying, referring to his L.A. Sojurn, that with the exception of Land and a few others that very few West Coast players could handle his music and added, “Man, there are fifteen year olds in New York that would make these L. A. cats look like complete clowns!”
The Jazz feature picks up Elmo’s music on his return to N.Y.C. and this wonderful trio date for the obscure “Beacon” label. “High Hope” (a rather ironic title considering Hope’s drug addiction) is a superior session of Hope originals with the pianist in top form backed by bassist Paul Chambers and Elmo’s close friend and favourite drummer “Philly Joe” Jones. This was his first recording (early 1961) upon his return to New York. Hope later recorded a very well known album for Orrin Keepnews’ Riverside called “Homecoming” and also a duet album for the same label featuring Elmo and his pianist wife, Bertha. A good recording done with a bunch of fellow inmates from Rikers Island where hope spent time for drug offences, is worth looking for on the “audio-fidelity label”. Elmo Hope died in poverty and obscurity of a heart attack on May 19, 1967. On tonight’s feature you’ll hear the individualism of Hope and his dancing, swinging style that is like no other and you’ll hear how he was able to combine the influences of his pals Monk and Powell and yet sound only like Elmo Hope, an unsung genius.
October 10: Tonight the Jazz Show celebrates the birthday of master drummer and bandleader and legend: Art Blakey. Blakey was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 11, 1919. So we are a day early but Blakey was one of the most inspiring and important figures in twentieth century jazz. Art would have been 86 years young. Blakey died of cancer at his home in New York on October 16, 1990 a few days after his 71st birthday. Blakey led many editions of the Jazz Messengers and employed so many players of importance that it would take hours to name them all. The messengers set standards and although some editions were more important than others they all swung hard, propelled by Blakey’s thunderous, African influenced drumming. When asked which version of the Jazz Messengers was his favourite, Blakey would smile and raise his eyebrow and say “all of ‘em”. However despite this answer Art Blakey did have a favourite edition of the Messengers and tonight’s feature focuses on this band.
Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone) at his early peak was also Blakey’s musical director and composed a lot of the band’s repertoire. Blakey thought of Lee Morgan as a son, an errant son but a son nonetheless. Morgan’s trumpet is sparkling and cocksure and his compositions expanded the band's’ tune library. Morgan was only 22 on tonight’s concert and had been with Blakey for three years. Bobby Timmons on piano also contributed to the band’s tune list. Timmons had been with the band since 1958 but left to join Cannonball Adderley’s hot new group in 1959 only to return to Blakey’s Messengers at a much reduced salary, obviously not for the money but because he enjoyed being in this band so much. Philadelphian Jymie Merritt was as solid and steady as any bass player could be with a driving beat and a huge sound and with enough chops and technique to keep up with Blakey. As Art often said when introducing Merritt..... ”and the workhorse of our aggregation our bassist Jymie Merritt”. Lastly is Blakey who plays so dynamically and respectfully shading and building behind each soloist. It’s obvious just by his playing that Blakey loved this band. The musical chemistry is evident on every selection. Tonight’s feature is from a concert in Paris before an animated and responsive audience. The band delivers some of it’s most inspired playing eclipsing some of it’s better known recordings. May 13, 1961 at the Theatre Olympia was a great night for the Jazz Messengers and it will be a great night for our listening audience. Happy Birthday Art Blakey!
October 17: Sonny Stitt was one of the finest improvisers and one of the best saxophonists on the planet and one of the most misunderstood musicians every to achieve prominence. Although Stitt was a master of the tenor and baritone saxophones (he stopped playing the big bari because it was simply too heavy to tote around to gigs) the alto saxophone was closest to his heart and was the major cause of his being misunderstood. His alto stylings superficially resembled those of Charlie Parker and critics and some musicians branded Sonny as a Bird imitator. Wrong! Stitt himself claimed that he developed his style independently of Parker and stated that “We were both headed in the same general direction”. Stitt’s rhythmic concept was much simpler than Parker’s. Parker’s was complex and always shifting but Stitt’s was “four on the floor” as it were. Tonally Stitt was closer to Bird on the alto but even then one could still tell them apart and if some of their ideas and phrases coincided so be it as they were playing essentially the same style of music. Stitt was every bit as technically proficient as Parker on the horn but Bird was the real innovator and Stitt was more the assimilator. But make not mistake.....Stitt was his own man.
Sonny was born Edward Boatner in Boston on February 2, 1924 and died in New York of Cancer on July 22, 1982. Sonny’s dad was a college music professor and Sonny’s brother and sisters were classical musicians. Young Edward soon was called “Sonny” and later took his mother’s maiden name (Stitt) as his own. Stitt’s recording career began in the forties with Dizzy Gillespie and after that continued mostly under his own name. Sonny recorded hundreds of sessions mostly in small groups some with “pick-up” bands and some with semi-permanent bands. Stitt’s repertoire or recordings were good standards by Porter, Gershwin, etc. “I’ve got Rhythm” type of originals by Sonny and blues at all tempos. That is what you’ll find on most Stitt albums regardless of who the sidemen are. Tonight’s feature follows the Stitt formula and Sonny sticks to the alto all the way and his sidemen are one of Sonny’s permanent groups. Don Patterson on Hammond organ is one of the great masters of the instrument and a pure ‘bopper’ and Billy James on drums swings everyone into bad health. Stitt is in inspired form and the Hammond makes this trio sound much larger than three players. Sonny Stitt never imitated anyone but most saxophonists would do well to try and imitate Stitt!
October 24: The name Grachan Moncur III will not register strongly with many younger fans but those who grew up in the 60’s and witnessed some of the major changes in jazz will recognize Mr. Moncur. Moncur was born in New York in 1937 the son of bassist Grachan Moncur II. Young Grachan studied trombone at The Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard then joined Ray Charles’ fine band and toured with them from 1961 to 1963. He was also a member of the Jazztet in 1962. It was when Moncur joined forces with alto saxophone master, Jackie McLean that his talents as an adventurous trombonist and an innovative composer came to light very strongly. His albums on Blue Note with McLean will attest to his multi-talents but his two records under his own name for Blue Note were his triumphs. One was “Evolution” and the other “Some other Stuff”. They are true modern classics. Later on in the sixties, Moncur worked with tenor saxophonist/composer Archie Shepp, and also formed a band with organist “Big John” Patton. In the seventies Moncur produced only one major work and that was “Echoes of a Prayer” with a 22 piece orchestra and an African percussions section and choir and was dedicated to the memories of Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Martin Luther King. It was issued on the ICOA Label. After that Moncur stayed below the radar where he was based in Newark, teaching, writing and dealing with health problems.
Moncur is back! His latest album is the jazz feature and it’s a major work. the trombonist has surrounded himself with a great band including trumpeter, Tim Hagans, alto saxophone giant, Gary Bartz, tenor saxophone heavy Billy Harper and Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone along with Ray Drummond on bass and the always astounding Andrew Cyrille on drums, plus others. The album called “Explorations” reprises some older works such as “Monk in Wonderland” and “Sonny’s Back” and “Love and Hate” and some formidable new works like ”New Africa”. This great album is sure to bring Grachan Moncur back to the front line so you be sure to listen to tonight’s feature.
October 31: Tonight we commemorate the birthday of one of the strongest voices of the tenor saxophone: Booker Telleferro Ervin Jr., who was born in Denison, Texas on this day in 1930.....”The Book” would have been 75. Booker passed away in his adopted city of New York on July 31, 1970 at age 39, from kidney failure. This great musician was one of Charles Mingus’ favourite players and worked with the great bassist on some of his most influential recordings. Ervin recorded many albums (all good) under his own name but his strongest statement came with “The Freedom Book” for the Prestige Label. Ervin was at the helm of one of the most powerful quartets, next to the Coltrane Quartet, in the history of modern jazz. Booker with Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass and Boston drum giant, Alan Dawson rivaled Coltrane’s band for sheer power and majesty. “The Freedom Book” was recorded shortly after the assassination of J.F.K. and contains Booker’s lament to that event called “A Day to Mourn”. The tunes range from Ervin’s “A Lunar Tune” and “Grant’s Stand” to Randy Weston’s mournful ballad “Cry Me Not”. This album represents the very best of Booker Ervin’s recorded output and remains one of the most important records in modern jazz history. Don’t miss this one!
Here's this month's lineup of Jazz Features, heard at 11:
Featured albums:
October 3: “High Hope” The Elmo Hope Trio.
October 10: “Paris Concert May 1961” Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
October 17: “The Boss Men” Sonny Stitt (alto saxophone) with Don Patterson.
October 24: “Exploration” The Grachan Moncur Ensemble.
October 31: “The Freedom Book” The Booker Ervin Quartet.
October 3: Pianist/composer St. Elmo Sylvester Jr. better known as Elmo Hope was born in New York City of West Indian parentage on June 27, 1923 and died in that city at age 43 on May 19, 1967. Although Elmo grew up with and was best friends with Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell and as young men they checked out both jazz and classical music and exchanged ideas and musical discoveries Powell and Monk both achieved fame. Thelonious through his quirky style and unique compositions and Bud simply by becoming the all-pervasive influence on modern jazz piano. There are many reasons why Elmo Hope didn’t achieve the recognition or have the influence that Bud and Monk had: one was Hope’s drug addiction but more importantly was the fact that Hope was on the road making a living playing with Joe Morris’ Great little ‘rhythm and blues’ band (which also included “Philly Joe” Jones and Johnny Griffin) in the late forties and early fifties thereby not being in New York during those important times when he could have been playing gigs and recording with his peers. Elmo returned to “The Apple” in 1953 and made his first trio recordings for Blue Note playing his own tunes. Hope soon found himself very busy recording with Lou Donaldson, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean as well as doing his own dates on Blue Note and Prestige. However, drug debts and general health problems (Hope suffered from asthma) motivated Elmo to pull up stakes and head for Los Angeles where he spent four and a half unhappy years. He managed, despite his dislike of the L.A. scene to make some classic albums with like minded players such as Harold Land, Frank Butler, Dupree Bolton et. al. and came to Vancouver in November 1958 to the Original “Cellar” (rear of 222 East Broadway) with one of the best groups ever to play here.....Harold Land (tenor saxophone), Scott LaFaro (bass), Lennie McBrowne (drums) and Elmo but that’s another story. Hope finally packed his wife (pianist Bertha Hope) and their two children and headed back to New York. Hope was quoted as saying, referring to his L.A. Sojurn, that with the exception of Land and a few others that very few West Coast players could handle his music and added, “Man, there are fifteen year olds in New York that would make these L. A. cats look like complete clowns!”
The Jazz feature picks up Elmo’s music on his return to N.Y.C. and this wonderful trio date for the obscure “Beacon” label. “High Hope” (a rather ironic title considering Hope’s drug addiction) is a superior session of Hope originals with the pianist in top form backed by bassist Paul Chambers and Elmo’s close friend and favourite drummer “Philly Joe” Jones. This was his first recording (early 1961) upon his return to New York. Hope later recorded a very well known album for Orrin Keepnews’ Riverside called “Homecoming” and also a duet album for the same label featuring Elmo and his pianist wife, Bertha. A good recording done with a bunch of fellow inmates from Rikers Island where hope spent time for drug offences, is worth looking for on the “audio-fidelity label”. Elmo Hope died in poverty and obscurity of a heart attack on May 19, 1967. On tonight’s feature you’ll hear the individualism of Hope and his dancing, swinging style that is like no other and you’ll hear how he was able to combine the influences of his pals Monk and Powell and yet sound only like Elmo Hope, an unsung genius.
October 10: Tonight the Jazz Show celebrates the birthday of master drummer and bandleader and legend: Art Blakey. Blakey was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 11, 1919. So we are a day early but Blakey was one of the most inspiring and important figures in twentieth century jazz. Art would have been 86 years young. Blakey died of cancer at his home in New York on October 16, 1990 a few days after his 71st birthday. Blakey led many editions of the Jazz Messengers and employed so many players of importance that it would take hours to name them all. The messengers set standards and although some editions were more important than others they all swung hard, propelled by Blakey’s thunderous, African influenced drumming. When asked which version of the Jazz Messengers was his favourite, Blakey would smile and raise his eyebrow and say “all of ‘em”. However despite this answer Art Blakey did have a favourite edition of the Messengers and tonight’s feature focuses on this band.
Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone) at his early peak was also Blakey’s musical director and composed a lot of the band’s repertoire. Blakey thought of Lee Morgan as a son, an errant son but a son nonetheless. Morgan’s trumpet is sparkling and cocksure and his compositions expanded the band's’ tune library. Morgan was only 22 on tonight’s concert and had been with Blakey for three years. Bobby Timmons on piano also contributed to the band’s tune list. Timmons had been with the band since 1958 but left to join Cannonball Adderley’s hot new group in 1959 only to return to Blakey’s Messengers at a much reduced salary, obviously not for the money but because he enjoyed being in this band so much. Philadelphian Jymie Merritt was as solid and steady as any bass player could be with a driving beat and a huge sound and with enough chops and technique to keep up with Blakey. As Art often said when introducing Merritt..... ”and the workhorse of our aggregation our bassist Jymie Merritt”. Lastly is Blakey who plays so dynamically and respectfully shading and building behind each soloist. It’s obvious just by his playing that Blakey loved this band. The musical chemistry is evident on every selection. Tonight’s feature is from a concert in Paris before an animated and responsive audience. The band delivers some of it’s most inspired playing eclipsing some of it’s better known recordings. May 13, 1961 at the Theatre Olympia was a great night for the Jazz Messengers and it will be a great night for our listening audience. Happy Birthday Art Blakey!
October 17: Sonny Stitt was one of the finest improvisers and one of the best saxophonists on the planet and one of the most misunderstood musicians every to achieve prominence. Although Stitt was a master of the tenor and baritone saxophones (he stopped playing the big bari because it was simply too heavy to tote around to gigs) the alto saxophone was closest to his heart and was the major cause of his being misunderstood. His alto stylings superficially resembled those of Charlie Parker and critics and some musicians branded Sonny as a Bird imitator. Wrong! Stitt himself claimed that he developed his style independently of Parker and stated that “We were both headed in the same general direction”. Stitt’s rhythmic concept was much simpler than Parker’s. Parker’s was complex and always shifting but Stitt’s was “four on the floor” as it were. Tonally Stitt was closer to Bird on the alto but even then one could still tell them apart and if some of their ideas and phrases coincided so be it as they were playing essentially the same style of music. Stitt was every bit as technically proficient as Parker on the horn but Bird was the real innovator and Stitt was more the assimilator. But make not mistake.....Stitt was his own man.
Sonny was born Edward Boatner in Boston on February 2, 1924 and died in New York of Cancer on July 22, 1982. Sonny’s dad was a college music professor and Sonny’s brother and sisters were classical musicians. Young Edward soon was called “Sonny” and later took his mother’s maiden name (Stitt) as his own. Stitt’s recording career began in the forties with Dizzy Gillespie and after that continued mostly under his own name. Sonny recorded hundreds of sessions mostly in small groups some with “pick-up” bands and some with semi-permanent bands. Stitt’s repertoire or recordings were good standards by Porter, Gershwin, etc. “I’ve got Rhythm” type of originals by Sonny and blues at all tempos. That is what you’ll find on most Stitt albums regardless of who the sidemen are. Tonight’s feature follows the Stitt formula and Sonny sticks to the alto all the way and his sidemen are one of Sonny’s permanent groups. Don Patterson on Hammond organ is one of the great masters of the instrument and a pure ‘bopper’ and Billy James on drums swings everyone into bad health. Stitt is in inspired form and the Hammond makes this trio sound much larger than three players. Sonny Stitt never imitated anyone but most saxophonists would do well to try and imitate Stitt!
October 24: The name Grachan Moncur III will not register strongly with many younger fans but those who grew up in the 60’s and witnessed some of the major changes in jazz will recognize Mr. Moncur. Moncur was born in New York in 1937 the son of bassist Grachan Moncur II. Young Grachan studied trombone at The Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard then joined Ray Charles’ fine band and toured with them from 1961 to 1963. He was also a member of the Jazztet in 1962. It was when Moncur joined forces with alto saxophone master, Jackie McLean that his talents as an adventurous trombonist and an innovative composer came to light very strongly. His albums on Blue Note with McLean will attest to his multi-talents but his two records under his own name for Blue Note were his triumphs. One was “Evolution” and the other “Some other Stuff”. They are true modern classics. Later on in the sixties, Moncur worked with tenor saxophonist/composer Archie Shepp, and also formed a band with organist “Big John” Patton. In the seventies Moncur produced only one major work and that was “Echoes of a Prayer” with a 22 piece orchestra and an African percussions section and choir and was dedicated to the memories of Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Martin Luther King. It was issued on the ICOA Label. After that Moncur stayed below the radar where he was based in Newark, teaching, writing and dealing with health problems.
Moncur is back! His latest album is the jazz feature and it’s a major work. the trombonist has surrounded himself with a great band including trumpeter, Tim Hagans, alto saxophone giant, Gary Bartz, tenor saxophone heavy Billy Harper and Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone along with Ray Drummond on bass and the always astounding Andrew Cyrille on drums, plus others. The album called “Explorations” reprises some older works such as “Monk in Wonderland” and “Sonny’s Back” and “Love and Hate” and some formidable new works like ”New Africa”. This great album is sure to bring Grachan Moncur back to the front line so you be sure to listen to tonight’s feature.
October 31: Tonight we commemorate the birthday of one of the strongest voices of the tenor saxophone: Booker Telleferro Ervin Jr., who was born in Denison, Texas on this day in 1930.....”The Book” would have been 75. Booker passed away in his adopted city of New York on July 31, 1970 at age 39, from kidney failure. This great musician was one of Charles Mingus’ favourite players and worked with the great bassist on some of his most influential recordings. Ervin recorded many albums (all good) under his own name but his strongest statement came with “The Freedom Book” for the Prestige Label. Ervin was at the helm of one of the most powerful quartets, next to the Coltrane Quartet, in the history of modern jazz. Booker with Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass and Boston drum giant, Alan Dawson rivaled Coltrane’s band for sheer power and majesty. “The Freedom Book” was recorded shortly after the assassination of J.F.K. and contains Booker’s lament to that event called “A Day to Mourn”. The tunes range from Ervin’s “A Lunar Tune” and “Grant’s Stand” to Randy Weston’s mournful ballad “Cry Me Not”. This album represents the very best of Booker Ervin’s recorded output and remains one of the most important records in modern jazz history. Don’t miss this one!