Performance Review

Hersch interprets Whitman in jazz suite

By Tom Ineck 

LINCOLN, Neb.—It was only a matter of time before the riffing, daring and energetic free verse of Walt Whitman, that most American of “modern” bards, was interpreted in the riffing, daring and energetic art form known as jazz, that most American of modern musical genres.

Indeed, it was exactly 150 years from the publication of Whitman’s 600-page masterpiece “Leaves of Grass” to the current tour by the Fred Hersch Ensemble, which performed its Whitman homage March 31 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in conjunction with a University of Nebraska-Lincoln symposium on the famous collection of poems.

A jazz pianist-composer in the lyrical, impressionist tradition of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, Hersch has built a reputation on solo and trio renditions of jazz standards in the recording studio and in concert. This is his most ambitious project, as he leads a 10-piece ensemble featuring vocalists Bradley Fox and Kate McGarry through a two-part suite of pieces he composed.

Hersch’s music served to elevate and enhance Whitman’s timeless words, eschewing long solos for an emphasis on the ensemble: Ralph Alessi, trumpet; Mike Christianson, trombone; Bruce Williamson, clarinet, alto sax and bass clarinet; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Gregory Heffernan, cello; John Herbert, bass; John Hollenbeck, drums and percussion; and Hersch at the keyboard.

In the instrumental overture, “A Riddle Song,” expansive brass harmonies and dense colors vibrantly set the stage for the bold lyrics that followed.   

McGarry leaped into the fray with shimmering vocal flights on “Song of the Universal.” Brief instrumental breaks marked the segues between the many stanzas of “Song of Myself,” but the operatic Fox, substituting for jazz singer Kurt Elling, was more effective in his tenor vocalizing than in his occasionally awkward recitation and stilted phrasing.

Hersch used his gifted instrumental soloists to good effect—creating tension, conversational repartee and appropriate sound effects to further enliven Whitman’s words. Like the “talkers” to which the poet refers in “Song of Myself,” the trumpet and clarinet “chattered” at each other. Hollenbeck used sizzling brushes to keep time with the rhythmic recitation. At the moment of Whitman’s “dazzling sunrise,” Alessi’s trumpet leaped into a soaring solo statement.  

The poet’s ear certainly was tuned to music, repeatedly emphasized by his phrases “bravuras of birds,” “all sounds ring together,” and “I hear the violoncello, the keyed cornet.” Those references beg for musical accompaniment, and Hersch and his ensemble provided it tastefully and effectively.

McGarry returned for an emotionally resonant reading of “The Mystic Trumpeter,” pairing her vocal instrument with Alessi’s trumpet before the entire ensemble joined in a lovely brass chorale. “At the Close of the Day” was an instrumental ballad, introduced by Hersch in his most Evans-like mood, then adding bass and brushes.

Fox stumbled over the words during his sung recitation of “To You / Perfections,” but he quickly recovered his poise. Hersch on piano and Malaby on tenor sax teamed up with Fox for “The Sleepers.” McGarry lent her lilting, soulful voice to “Spirit That Form’d This Scene,” punctuated with a bass solo.

“On the Beach at Night Alone” was a Coplandesque brass chorale that led to the final piece, “After the Dazzle of Day,” featuring Fox singing the words, followed by Fox and McGarry on wordless vocals and returning to the timeless theme “I celebrate myself. I sing myself.”

For the 300 people in attendance, the performance served as a reminder of how far Whitman was ahead of his time. It also should inspire in listeners a return to that yellowed, dusty edition of “Leaves of Grass” for another glimpse of the author’s provocative genius.

The entire “Leaves of Grass” suite of nearly 70 minutes was released earlier this year on Palmetto Records and features Elling and McGarry on vocals.

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By Tom Ineck

BROWNVILLE, Neb.—Early in her April 16 cabaret-style concert at the Brownville Concert Hall, singer Tierney Sutton endeared herself to the audience by revealing that she was born in Nebraska.

It was the second of three performances by the Los Angeles-based vocalist and her trio at the intimate, rustic venue April 15-17. Just an hour's drive from Lincoln, this modest concert hall has hosted dozens of great music artists in its 15-year history. I’ve made the trip for concerts by saxophonist Bobby Watson (1997), cornetist Warren Vache (1994) and KC pianist Joe Cartwright (1992) and for a classical piano recital by Ian Hobson (1993). The hall's performance series frequently includes top-notch cabaret singers, and Sutton proved herself one of the best.

Casually dressed in slacks and a camisole with bright flowers and sequins and accompanied by her longtime trio of pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Kevin Axt and drummer Ray Brinker, Sutton sang with a relaxed assurance that immediately put the audience at ease. Beginning with a hauntingly slow version of “Blue Skies,” she showed her penchant for unconventional interpretations. Her great sense of time was obvious as she picked up the pace on “Cheek to Cheek.”

Introducing the next tune, Sutton explained how a local fan, Merle, had loaned the band his Cadillac for three days with a CD player and his collection of Miles Davis discs. With Miles in mind, she scatted the intro to “Bye Bye Blackbird,” which also featured a Miles-inspired piano solo. Sutton next leaped into a full-speed, a cappella scat intro to “I Get a Kick Out of You,” aided and abetted by Jacob and drummer Brinker using brushes to great effect. Charlie Chaplin’s greatest hit, “Smile,” received a slow, heart-rending duo reading by Sutton and Jacob.

Again playing against type, Sutton and the band performed a haunting arrangement of “Fly Me to the Moon,” usually taken at a flying tempo. Introducing the next tune as the best song about lost love, Sutton backed up her claim with a wonderful rendition of “Haunted Heart.” Not to end the first half of the concert on a depressing note, the band tore through “Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead” at a scarifying speed, with Sutton scat-singing the entire verse to introduce tornadic solos by Jacob, Axt and Brinker.

The hot tempo continued in the second set with “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise,” featuring shifting tempos from shuffle to bop and baroque vocals. Their arrangement of Bill Evans’ “Blue in Green” transformed the familiar tune with a bass pedal pulse. It was among the music that Sutton and Jacob recorded for the critically acclaimed independent film “Blue in Green.”

Sutton’s versatile vocalizing was in full flower on a rapid-fire rendition of “East of the Sun (West of the Moon).” She and Jacob slowed things down with a vocal-piano duet of “I Could Have Told You” before the band settled into a bluesy, mid-tempo groove on “Route 66.” Sutton and Axt performed duo on “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.”

Jacob took a solo ballad turn on “All the Way,” setting the stage for a raucous, risky scatting rendition of “Caravan,” which again illustrated Sutton’s knack for perfect intonation. Finally, the band combined Dizzy and Bach on Gillespie’s “Con Alma,” with an a cappella fugue section.

Sutton clearly is capable of scat-singing virtuosity, but she also possesses the essentials of intonation, subtle swing and the ability to persuasively tell a story.

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By Tom Ineck

LINCOLN, Neb.—The frequent return of the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra to the Jazz in June stage has become somewhat of a mixed blessing. While the NJO is comprised of many fine jazz musicians, they often sound complacent, trotting out the same tunes with the same arrangements year after year.

What brings out the best in these accomplished players is a dose of outside inspiration, such as the motivating kick in the proverbial pants provided by virtuosic vibraphonist Joe Locke at the June 7 performance. Locke’s astounding licks and stylistic versatility urged the NJO to new heights.

But it was not only Locke’s technical proficiency and wonderful improvisations that moved the NJO and the listeners. It was his ability to front the orchestra with confidence and good humor, addressing band members and crowd members as an intimate friend.

As Locke wandered backstage, warming up with his mallets in the air and chatting with people, the NJO warmed up with a short set that included Stan Kenton’s “A Little Minor Booze,” an NJO staple. Locke entered the fray on an uptempo version of Gershwin’s “Summertime,” taking an extended solo that put set everyone on their heels.

Early in the show, Locke took over the microphone, graciously emceeing the concert, introducing the numbers, and praising the audience and the popular Jazz in June series. Such events, he said, bring a sense of community to a nation that has largely “cloistered” itself with its technology—computers, CDs, DVDs, television—while losing its sense of humanity and social contact.

Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” was set to a slow, bluesy Latin groove and featured impressive solos by Locke, trombonist Pete Madsen and Ed Love on flute. Locke went directly to the familiar theme of “Body and Soul,” with strong support from the rhythm section, including Tom Harvill on piano. Locke down-shifted the tempo, and ended the tune with a soaring cadenza on vibes. “On the Westside,” a favorite NJO blues tune by saxophonist Dave Sharp, received a much-need transfusion from Locke, who deconstructed the changes in every way imaginable. Also rising to the occasion were Scott Vicroy, baritone sax; Sharp, alto sax; Pete Bouffard, guitar; and Ed Love, tenor sax.

The NJO opened the second set with Jobim’s “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars,” before inviting Locke back to the stage for a Rob McConnell arrangement of “I Got Rhythm,” with shifting time signatures that stretched and contracted the song structure and allowed much freedom for improvisations by Locke and the rhythm section. Locke took the lead and first solo on the ballad “The Nearness of You,” which had the brass section interpreting the bridge before Locke’s return. A Don Menza arrangement of “Take the A Train” paired Locke with trumpeter Bob Krueger.

A world-class player at age 46, Locke proved both a consummate musician and an engaging and capable bandleader.

The evening’s ideal weather guaranteed a crowd of several thousand for the outdoor concert. The “critical mass” of the audience also assured an enthusiastic response.

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By Tom Ineck

LINCOLN, Neb.—A Jazz in June concert is rarely an unsatisfactory performance and even more rarely a distasteful experience that has listeners hurriedly folding up their lawn chairs and scurrying for the parking lot. The June 21 appearance of Kathy Kosins was just such an unfortunate evening.

Everything about that night seemed to work against audience enjoyment, but especially for the true jazz fan. The stifling temperature hovered somewhere in the mid-90s, but it was the musical climate that made the concert unbearable for some.

Kosins, who was inexplicably wearing a black dress in the direct sun, lacked a sense of swing, struggled with poor intonation, over-emoted on every tune—even the ballads—and told lame jokes. The band was over-amplified, and Kosins’ voice tended to shrillness, causing some listeners to run for the sidelines.

The Dionne Warwick hit “Walk on By” was introduced with an incongruous comment from Kosins about Warwick’s bust a few years ago for possession of an illegal substance. Apparently unable to control her tendency to belt out every tune, she murdered Russ Garcia’s ballad “Go Slow,” which is best remembered for Julie London’s sensitive and sensuous 1957 rendition.

“I Can’t Change You” is a mediocre Kosins composition from her 1995 recording, “All in a Dream’s Work,” a collection largely of her own tunes that is audaciously subtitled “A Collection of New Standards.” In fact, the only true standard on the CD is Miles Davis’ “Four.”

Like many others in the audience, I tuned out at this point, visited with some friends and headed home early.

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By Tom Ineck

LINCOLN, Neb.—Ahmad Alaadeen and Group 21 at their June 28 appearance for the final Jazz in June concert of the season sounded revitalized, working smoothly as a unit and playing inspired solos. Given two long sets rather than the rather brief one they performed at the 2005 Topeka Jazz Festival, they had time to warm up and to engage the audience. The choice of tunes was an excellent balance of familiar standards and original compositions.

Gershwin was the man of the hour, as the concert began with “Summertime” and “My Man’s Gone Now,” both from “Porgy and Bess.” But much of the performance was drawn from the band’s current release, “New African Suite,” which features Alaadeen’s Coltrane-like tenor and soprano saxophone excursions, often venturing into modal riffs with a distinctive African flair.

In his introduction to the funky “Doin’ the Deen,” Alladeen joked that while New Orleans is the cradle of jazz, “when it came up the river to Kansas City, we made a man of it.” His vocal rendering of the blues chestnut “Driving Wheel” was heartfelt and contained just the right amount of ballsy wit.

“Grace,” Alaadeen’s loving tribute to Butch Berman’s Nigerian wife, contained the essence of that appropriate African feel so prevalent on “New African Suite.” It began with Donivan “Big’un” Bailey on drums and Ray Stewart (son of legendary bop drummer Teddy Stewart) on percussion setting the mood and the stage for Alaadeen’s graceful tenor sax. Like its subject, “Grace” was gentle, soulful and good-natured.

Pianist Christopher Clarke excelled on the soulful, mid-tempo “Wayne, Himself,” and Alaadeen exhibited his soprano sax style on “Beneath Where Rivers Flow,” also from the new release. The band returned to more familiar ground with a lively rendition of the standard “Secret Love,” launched with an excellent bass solo by Tyrone Clark.

With Group 21, Alaadeen has assembled a compatible coterie of musicians who are capable of creating some exciting music.

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Editor’s Note: The following article and photos were forwarded to the BMF by Mark Dalton of Seattle. Dalton writes, “Butch, when Harvey Mandel introduced Barry Goldberg by saying ‘I call him the Blues Rabbi,’ I thought ‘I wish Butch was here!’ Great show! Both Goldberg and Mandel sounded great. Corky Siegel is apparently doing an acoustic ‘chamber blues’ schtick these days, according to Gravenites, but he was a decent harmonica player and a good showman. Gravenites was great. “Buried Alive in the Blues” never sounded better, and Tracy Nelson can still belt them out.”

Story and Photos by Phil Chesnut

SEATTLE—Last Sunday (July 10) at Seattle’s Triple Door, I was among those in attendance for a very rare and special blues experience with the Chicago Blues Reunion.

In the mid ‘60s, during the golden era of Chicago blues, emerged a group of talented white blues musicians who became a force in creating the first American blues bands and a new era of blues music. The Chicago Blues Reunion is a stellar collection of Chicago music treasures who defined the sound of their generation in the 1960s.

Although this group of musicians took separate paths, forming such seminal white blues bands as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Electric Flag, Mother Earth, Big Brother & the Holding Company and Canned Heat, with many working with guitarist Mike Bloomfield, their paths have continued to cross through the years.

Among performers at the Triple Door from this special time and place were the following Chicago greats:

Barry Goldberg was keyboardist for Bob Dylan, Steve Miller, Mitch Ryder and The Electric Flag.

Harvey Mandel was the brilliant guitarist who worked for the likes of Buddy Guy, Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat and the Rolling Stones.

Tracy Nelson, whose voice just keeps getting better, was first signed to a Chicago label at age 18 and soon turned into a Filmore goddess with her band Mother Earth.

Corky Siegel, half of the 40-year-old Siegel-Schwall Band, this harp master’s range stretches beyond simply the blues, as he demonstrates with his new Chamber Blues project.

Sam Lay, considered everyone’s blues drummer, can be heard on those Chess classics from such legends as Howlin’ Wolf and Little Walter and white legends Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield. Sam has also been with Siegel-Schwall since ’65.

Nick Gravenites is truly every bluesman’s working-class hero. An alumni of many Bloomfield and Butterfield bands, Gravenites was also a founding member of The Electric Flag. Penning such blues classics as “Born In Chicago” and the group’s tour title “Buried Alive in the Blues,” Nick also wrote hits for Janis Joplin.

It was a great pleasure and honor for me to interview this fantastic collection of blues musicians who have done so much to influence the blues. It was also my chance to personally thank them for being such a huge influence on this old blues fan’s life, too. With only 14 dates on this rare tour, I’m grateful that the Triple Door had the only two-night booking.

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