The New York saxophonist and composer Tim Berne harbors what must surely be a compulsive need to form fresh bands and to give them new identities. It's as if he latched onto the DJ/producer fetish for juggling numerous aliases, long before such a practice became commonplace. The key difference is that Berne usually ensures that his own name is visibly attached to each new playing entity. Berne's Snakeoil is at Rubin Museum Feb. 17th.
Interview: ROY HARGROVE
By Russ Musto; photo by Jack Vartoogian
Roy Hargrove burst onto the national jazz scene at the end of the '80s as a teenaged trumpeter with prodigious firepower and infectious exuberance. During the following decade he established himself as a bandleader while recording ubiquitously as a sideman. At the turn of the century he was a first-call trumpet man, not only for fellow jazz players, but also with neosoul artists such as Erykah Badu and D'Angelo, establishing a solid reputation outside the jazz world that was solidified with his crossover group RH Factor. Hargrove began 2012 the same way he finished the previous year, as newly-named conductor of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. Hargrove's Big Band is at Blue Note Feb. 7th-12th.
Artist Feature: RENE MARIE
By Marcia Hillman; photo by Crush Boone (courtesy of Motéma Music
René Marie has carved out a unique niche for herself in the music industry as a vocalist, entertainer, producer and songwriter - using elements of jazz, gospel, blues and soul to display her talents and distinctive personality. Marie is at Dizzy's Club Feb. 14th-19th.
Encore: PETE LA ROCA SIMS
By Ken Dryden
Pete La Roca Sims was one of the most talented drummers of the '60s, appearing on record dates by Sonny Rollins, Art Farmer, Stan Getz and Jackie McLean, along with working in John Coltrane's first quartet. He also made two memorable albums as a leader during the decade. Yet by 1968, he disappeared from the jazz scene, returning in the '70s with a law degree and practice to provide steady income.
Lest We Forget: JAMES REESE EUROPE
By Donald Elfman
James Reese Europe was the man who brought serious music by African American composers to the attention of the world. As a ragtime and early jazz composer, arranger and orchestra leader he was most influential from 1910 until his death in 1919. A Europe tribute is at Tribeca Performing Arts Center Feb. 25th led by Randy Weston.
Megaphone: Another Jazz
By Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris
Jazz, blues and gospel have driven Western music of the 20th century literally from one end to the other and they have given birth to many offspring, reinventing themselves time and again. No matter how many times Jazz has evolved, it has always been a medium for individual expression and collective interaction with its own characteristic spirit, which is the 'essence of swing'. Born from the elements of historical continuance, collective expression, intuition, spontaneity, propulsion/momentum, combustion, ignition, communal interaction, transmission, transformation and communication (among the many), this essence has been called the 'extra dimension'. Morris' New Music Observatory is at The Stone Mondays.
Record Label Spotlight: OUTNOW
By Ken Waxman
"Search for the sound you never stop hearing" is the motto of OutNow, a label launched last summer by three young Israel-born musicians, releasing six CDs simultaneously. The idea is to record innovative music, whether improvised or notated, electric or acoustic and by younger or older creators. Artists performing this month include Yoni Kretzmer at Brooklyn Lyceum Feb. 1st, The Backroom Feb. 3rd with Shayna Dulberger and 22nd with YYZ.
CD Reviews
(this month's performance venues in parentheses):
Jason Stein -- The Story This Time Delmark (Barbes)
Ernesto Cervini -- There Anzic (Smalls)
Noah Kaplan -- Descendants hatOLOGY (Douglass Street Music Collective)
Marc Copland/John Abercrombie -- Speak to Me Pirouet (Birdland)
Peter Bernstein/Larry Goldings/Bill Stewart -- Live at Smalls smallsLIVE (Smalls; New School; The Kitano)
Gerry Mulligan -- Western Reunion Music Center The Netherlands (Juilliard School Peter Jay Sharp Theater)
Various Arists -- Once Upon A Time in Argentina Slam
Dino Saluzzi/Anja Lechner/Felix Saluzzi -- Navidad de Los Andes ECM
Tango Negro Trio -- No Me Rompas Las Bolas Felmay
Metta Quintet -- Big Drum/Small World Jazzreach-The Orchard (Aaron Davis Hall)
Ali Jackson/Aaron Goldberg/Omer Avital -- Yes! Sunnyside (Jazz Standard)
Harry Allen -- Rhythm on the River Challenge (Feinstein's; The Kitano; 92nd Street Y)
Gerry Beaudoin -- The Return Francesca
Stan Killian -- Unified Sunnyside (55Bar; Somethin' Jazz Club)
Pete Robbins -- Live in Basel Hate Laugh Music (Cornelia Street Cafe)
Miguel Algarin/Albey Balgochian -- Soul to Sol Ruby Flower (ABC No-Rio; Bowery Poetry Club; 5C Cafe)
Francois Grillot -- Contraband s/r (The Local 269; Downtown Music Gallery)
Christian McBride -- Conversations with Christian Mack Avenue (Dizzy's Club; Blue Note)
Vic Juris -- Listen Here SteepleChase (New School Arnhold Hall)
Nate Wooley -- [8] Syllables Peira (The Stone)
Nate Wooley -- The Almond Pogus Prod. (The Stone)
Enrico Rava -- Tribe ECM (Birdland)
Hendrik Meurkens -- Live at Bird's Eye ZoHo (The Kitano)
Dave Liebman/Richie Beirach -- Unspoken Out Note (Cornelia Street Cafe)
Juhani Aaltonen/Heikki Sarmanto -- Conversations TUM
Eric Watson/Christof Lauer -- Out of Print Out Note
Matt Wilson -- An Attitude for Gratitude Palmetto (The Kitano; Dizzy's Club)
Ochion Jewell -- First Suite for Quartet Mythology (Antique Garage)
Ergo -- If Not Inertia Cuneiform (Cornelia Street Cafe)
Gabor Szabo -- The Sorcerer/More Sorcery Impulse-Verve
Ornette Coleman -- Something Else!!!! (OJC Remasters) Contemporary-Concord (Jazz at Lincoln Center)
Yoni Kretzmer -- Overlook OutNow (Brooklyn Lyceum; The Backroom)
Brian Settles -- Secret Handshake Engine (Cornelia Street Cafe)
Sonny Stitt/Paul Gonsalves -- Salt and Pepper Impulse-Universal (Sistas' Place)
Art Blakey -- Jazz Messengers!!!!!/A Jazz Message Impulse-Verve
Ben Wendel -- Frame Sunnyside (The Jazz Gallery)
Fabian Almazan -- Personalities Biophilia (Village Vanguard; Jazz Standard)
Matthew Shipp -- Elastic Aspects Thirsty Ear (Jazz Standard)
Gianluca Petrella -- Coming Tomorrow - Part One Spacebone (Birdland)
Gianluca Petrella -- Slaves Spacebone (Birdland)
Andrea Centazzo -- Moon in Winter Ictus
Peter Paulsen -- Goes Without Saying... SquarePegWorks
Brad Mehldau -- The Art of The Trio Recordings: 1996-2001 Nonesuch (Smoke)
...and Plenty More!
Look for other sections like On This Day, In Print, On DVD, Listen Up!, VOX News, NY@Night, Recommended New Releases, Birthdays, In
Memoriam, and our invaluable Event Calendar.
Thanks so much for reading The New York City Jazz Record, the city's only homegrown gazette devoted to the music.
