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Los Angeles Jazz Scene
CD REVIEWS FROM THE JANUARY 2010 ISSUE OF THE LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE
Memphis Nighthawks
Jazz Lips
(Delmark)
In 1977, a period of time when a group of young musicians coming up with their own take on 1920s jazz was quite
rare, the Memphis Nighthawks burst on the scene. The quintet, comprised of trumpeter Steve Jensen, trombonist
Joel Helleny, Ron DeWar on clarinet, soprano, and C-melody sax, Mike Miller on banjo and guitar and bass
saxophonist Dave Feinman played vintage jazz without using a piano, string bass or (on over half of the selections)
drums. They did not copy the past but seemed to relive it, with fresh new solos, frameworks and arrangements that
were full of both youthful enthusiasm and high musicianship.
The reissue of their lone record, Jazz Lips, is a reminder of the exciting playing and constant creativity of the
Memphis Nighthawks. The group, consisting of members of the University of Illinois Jazz Band, does wonders with
such songs as “Jazz Lips,” “Changes,” “Don't Forget to Mess Around,” “Shreveport Stomp” and “Some Of These
Days.” Drummer Bob Kornacher, who was just on two of the original 11 songs, can now be heard on five previously
unreleased selections, which expand the group's slim discography while keeping the same high quality.
Fans of 1920s jazz will find much to enjoy here, particularly Dave Feinman's spots on bass sax. While only the late
trombonist Joel Helleny became well known in mainstream jazz circles, all of these musicians proved to be brilliant
in their roles.
Jazz Lips is essential for classic jazz collections and is available from www.delmark.com.
Ralph Carney
Serious Jass Project
(Akroncracker)
Ralph Carney, a versatile saxophonist and flutist, is serious about both playing jazz and having fun. On the Serious
Jass Project, he overdubs on a variety of reeds (including soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, flute and
bass clarinet) and creates music that is sometimes hilarious, occasionally extreme, and always displaying his love
for several idioms of jazz.
With the accompaniment of Michael McIntosh on piano and organ, bassist Ari Munkres and drummer Randy Odell,
Carney explores overheated 1950s r&b (“Backtrackin',” “Jay's Frantic” and “Blow Big Ralph”), lesser-known early
Duke Ellington (“Dancing On The Stars,” “Rexatious” and Clouds In My Heart”), some 1920s jazz (including a
tongue-in-cheek “Futuristic Rhythm”) and even a bit of free jazz (“Ralph And The Boys Go Nutz”). Karina Denike
takes a guest vocal on “Mississippi Dreamboat” that makes one wish there were more of her on the project.
Serious Jass Project is a perfect gift for listeners who think modern jazz is way too serious or overly intellectual.
Ralph Carney is not afraid of being entertaining while at the same time being educational, and he is a very
talented musician. Get this one, available from www.myspace.com/seriousjazzproject.
Duke Robillard
Tales From The Tiki Lounge
(Blue Duchess)
Best known as the founder of Roomful Of Blues, Duke Robillard is a versatile guitarist who has recorded swing with
Scott Hamilton and Jay McShann, worked with the Legendary Blues Band, toured with the Fabulous Thunderbirds,
and been featured on many solo projects. But even in his large discography, Tales From The Tiki Lounge is a
unique recording.
Dedicated to Les Paul, this CD has Robillard and singer Sunny Crownover purposely recalling Les Paul and Mary
Ford in stretches but without just duplicating Paul's recordings. While “Bye Bye Blues” and a few swing standards
are here, so are such unlikely numbers as “Occidental Woman” (made famous by Mae West), “Sway,” “Put The
Blame On Mame” and “Crazy.” Ms. Crownover is a very good singer who does not have Mary Ford's country twang
and, while Robillard is an admirer of Les Paul, he has long had his own sound. Bassist Marty Ballou and
percussionist Mark Teixiera are strong assets on this continually intriguing set.
While Robillard calls some of these performances “lounge music,” that term sells it short. The renditions range
from swing to mood music and dramatic pieces, all of it performed with affection and understanding by the potent
team of Duke Robillard and Sunny Crownover. Hopefully there will be more collaborations in the future. (available
from www.dukerobillard.com.
Alvin Alcorn
Southland Sessions
(American Music)
Alvin Alcorn was one of the finest New Orleans jazz trumpeters who was active in the 1950s. He was with Don
Albert's orchestra for a period in the 1930s and found some fame when he toured with Kid Ory's popular band
during 1954-56. Otherwise, he spent most of his life living and playing in New Orleans. Alcorn had a mellow tone, a
knack for gradually building up ensembles, was reliable, and he was very effective both as a lead player in
freewheeling groups and as a soloist.
Southland Sessions features Alcorn with four different groups during 1952-54, shortly before his association with
Ory. Alcorn leads a pair of overlapping all-star groups that include the legendary clarinetist Raymond Burke and
trombonist Jack Delaney, is featured in a similar band under Delaney's leadership, and is heard on four alternate
takes from a date headed by pianist Octave Crosby that also features clarinetist Albert Burbank.
The musicianship heard throughout this CD is impressive and the versions of such tunes as “Over The Waves”
(heard by two different groups), “Gettysburg March,” “Original Dixieland One Step,” and “Roses Of Picardy” rank
with the best. This is very infectious music that is expertly played (no one slips out of tune), quite joyful, and
impossible to resist. It is recommended and available from www.jazzology.com.
Bing Crosby
The CBS Radio Recordings 1954-56
(Mosaic)
A jazz singer during his early years when he was part of the Rhythm Boys and featured with the Paul Whiteman
Orchestra, Bing Crosby became an extremely popular and influential crooner in the 1930s. His relaxed style
(influenced by Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden) and jazz-inspired phrasing fit comfortably into the pop music
of the era, forever changing it. A phenomenal success on radio, records, movies and live appearances, Crosby
never lost his popularity.
However by the 1950s, many considered Crosby to be a bit behind the times. Younger fans of ballad singers had
gravitated towards Frank Sinatra, Crosby's connections with the jazz world were only occasional and wrapped in a
love for New Orleans jazz and nostalgia, and while still an imposing force on radio, that medium was rapidly losing
ground to television. His movie career was doing well but Crosby was worried that he could not sing as well as he
used to, and he was tempted to leave radio altogether.
Instead, he returned in late-1954 with a daily 15-minute show, much of which featured him singing songs while
joined by pianist Buddy Cole's quartet. The series was popular and lasted two years, serving as a transition for
Crosby's move to television.
This seven-CD limited-edition Mosaic box set is filled with the best performances recorded for the radio series.
Only 17 of the 160 recordings had been issued before and the existence of most was previously unknown.
Because Crosby had just ended his association with the Decca label, he was forbidden for a time to record any of
the numbers he had made for Decca during the previous 20 years. So instead he reached back to the 1920s for
some vintage material, featured some newer tunes, and seized the opportunity to perform songs that he had
missed along the way. The fresh repertoire served Bing Crosby very well and vice versa.
Crosby is joined throughout by Buddy Cole, guitarist Vince Terri (who occasionally plays banjo), bassist Don
Whitaker and drummer Nick Fatool. Cole can be a bit of an acquired taste. He had excellent technique and is
usually fine on the faster pieces although his use of a dated organ (reminding one of ice skating rinks), celeste or
harpsichord on some of the slower numbers sometimes ranges from sappy to a bit corny. However his piano
playing is excellent and Crosby definitely enjoyed singing with him.
One session that resulted in 14 songs has a dixieland ensemble added (clarinetist Matty Matlock, trumpeter Clyde
Hurley, trombonist Abe Lincoln and tenor-saxophonist Fred Falensby) although they only get to cut loose in a few
spots.
Most of the performances on this box are two or three choruses, concise renditions that allow Bing Crosby to sing
the melody straight and with slight variations, swinging all the way. He sounds quite happy in this format and with
the “new” songs. Bing's his voice is heard throughout at the peak of its powers, showing that even as he turned
50, he remained one of the greats.
Essential for Bing Crosby fans and lovers of the American popular song, this Mosaic box is as classy as usual and
available from www.mosaicrecords.com.
The Trio
Live @ Charlie O's
(Fuzzy Music)
“The Trio” is pianist Terry Trotter, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Peter Erskine. The three very well
respected veteran musicians have each been on a countless number of sessions and recordings through the
years.
On this CD, Trotter, Berghofer and Erskine find inspiration in each other's musical company and show that they
are very much in the middle of their prime years. They perform “Charlie's Blues” and six jazz standards, none of
which have been overrecorded through the years.
While the virtuosic Trotter gets the majority of the solo space, Berghofer has his chances to shine while Erskine is
primarily heard in support of the lead voices. An extensive exploration of “Put Your Little Foot Right Out” begins a
program that also includes “Afternoon In Paris,” “How Deep Is The Ocean” and J.J. Johnson's “Lament.” While
most of the songs were originally ballads, the trio varies tempos and moods while paying close attention to
dynamics and close communication.
The results are as inventive and satisfying as one would expect from the three masterful musicians. This set is
available from www.fuzzymusic.com.
Lou Gold
It's Tight Like That
(Rivermont)
When listening to or discussing jazz from the 1920s, it is easy to just stick to the big names like Louis Armstrong,
Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Bix Beiderbecke and Duke Ellington. But in reality a great deal
of music was recorded during that era. The average listener of the time was not necessarily aware of the jazz
giants, and was mostly concerned with getting music that was hot, melodic, full of pep and danceable.
Lou Gold, who was born in 1890, was a professional pianist long before jazz was first recorded. He kept up with the
times and during 1924-32 recorded over 750 selections at the head of a dance orchestra and for a large variety of
labels. While his music would never be considered pacesetting, Lou Gold's recordings fit the mainstream of the era
and sold well.
27 selections from Lou Gold have been made available on It's Tight Like That by Rivermont, which has quietly
become one of the top American labels for reissuing 1920s and early '30s recordings. While the personnel is not
totally known on Gold's recordings, such notables as cornetist Red Nichols, trombonists Miff Mole and Eddie
Edwards, and Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and alto are on some of the performances. The vocalists tend to be run-of-
the-mill and the lyrics are not too inspired, but each of the 27 numbers have their hot moments, whether by the
ensemble or in the many brief solos. And since the music (dating from 1925-30) has been programmed in
chronological order, one can hear the quick evolution of both hot dance music and recording equipment.
Even veteran collectors probably do not own many of these performances, making Lou Gold's It's Tight Like That
(available from www.rivermontrecords.com) a real treat.
Mort Weiss
Raising The Bar
(SMS Jazz)
During the eight years since his return to playing clarinet after a 40 year “vacation,” Mort Weiss has established
himself as one of the best in his field. He has recorded duets, trios, quartets and in a quintet with Sam Most. But
Raising The Bar, his eighth recording, is something quite different for it features Weiss as an unaccompanied
soloist.
This is not the first full set of solos by a horn player. Anthony Braxton, Lester Bowie and Sonny Rollins are among
those who did it before. But Raising The Bar might very well be the first solo recording by a clarinetist who is not
part of the avant-garde. Mort Weiss is a bop-oriented soloist who considers this CD to be the culmination of his
career. After hearing it, I cannot disagree.
A great deal of practice took place before this project but the results sound pretty spontaneous. Weiss performs
19 standards and two originals. Although it would have been easy for him to stick to slow ballads, Weiss explores
pieces at a variety of tempos. On the uptempo numbers, he creates some outstanding lines and creative ideas,
going for the fences and usually connecting. His interpretations of ballads are warm and thoughtful while also
containing their own subtle surprises. And this CD is a major feat when one realizes that there is not a slow or dull
moment on the entire recital. Highlights include “My Shining Hour,” “Tea For Two,” “Dear Old Stockholm,” “Love Is
A Many Splendored Thing” and “It Could Happen To You.” The closing “My Way” has Weiss overdubbing his voice
as he talks about his life.
Mort Weiss says that this will most likely be his final recording. Hopefully he will change his mind and there will be
several more, for he clearly has a great deal to contribute to the music world. Raising The Bar, a classic of its kind,
is one of the best jazz recordings of the past year. It is available from www.smsjazz.com.
Jacam Manricks
Labyrinth
(Manricks Music)
Jacam Manricks is an altoist whose cool tone and quietly adventurous style sometimes recalls Lee Konitz although
he occasionally plays with a great deal of passion. On Labyrinth he is also heard on soprano, flute, clarinet and
bass clarinet but perhaps his most important role is as a composer.
Utilizing a quintet that includes guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer
Tyshawn Sorey plus, on two of the eight selections, a chamber orchestra, Jacam Manricks has created
unpredictable performances that are influenced not only by advanced jazz but contemporary classical music. In his
liner notes, Manricks cites Debussy, Schoenberg and Ravel while “March And Combat” is obviously a tribute of
sorts to Gil Evans' writing on Sketches Of Spain. With titles such as “Micro-Gravity,” “Cloisters” and “Aeronautics,”
it is not surprising that some of the performances sound like the soundtrack to an outer space journey.
It is fair to say that none of these pieces are performed at jam sessions! The playing throughout is brilliant, the
intriguing structures keep one guessing and, while not simple to digest at first, this music is worth several close
listens. It is innovative in its own way and available from jacammanricks.com.
Nancy Harms
In The Indigo
(NH)
From the first notes of “Bye Bye Blackbird,” it is obvious that this is a very different jazz vocal album. Nancy Harms
creates a modernized, sometimes gloomy, and definitely atmospheric interpretation of the ancient standard. She
recalls Cassandra Wilson and Patricia Barber a little on this track while utilizing her own spaced-out phrasing. With
commentary supplied by Kelly Rossum's muted trumpet, pianist Tanner Taylor, bassist Graydon Peterson and
drummer Jay Epstein, the results are quite haunting.
Nancy Harms, who is based in Minnesota, is clearly a singer with a potentially significant future. The other
performances on In The Indigo display her versatility. “I Wished On The Moon” is taken uptempo (much faster than
the famous Billie Holiday version), “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” is conversational and quietly expressive (hinting
at Madeline Peyroux), and “On A Clear Day” is swung in 6/4 time. In addition to a few other standards (such as a
more conventional “Cry me A River”), Ms. Harms performs two originals (including the folkish “In The Indigo”) and
John Mayer's “Great Indoors.”
An intimate vocalist who sounds as if she is singing directly at each listener, Nancy Harms takes a major step
forward with the release of this memorable CD, available from www.nancyharms.com.
Buddy DeFranco
Meets Martin Taylor
(Hep)
This CD is a reissue of an Lp recorded in 1984. At the time, Buddy DeFranco had already been a major clarinetist
for over 40 years and was at the top of his field, showing that, at least in his hands, the clarinet fit comfortably into
bebop. Martin Taylor, a young Scottish guitarist, was at the beginning of his career and had impressed DeFranco
so much two years earlier that DeFranco went on a couple of tours with him.
25 years later, DeFranco is still in his prime (after 65 years) and Taylor has become quite famous in the jazz world
without significantly changing the style that he displayed in 1984.
With fine support from the late Alex Shaw on piano and electric piano, bassist Ronnie Rae and drummer Clark
Tracey, DeFranco and Taylor inspire each other on a variety of material. “Just Friends,” “I Got Rhythm,” and a
medley of “Whispering” and “Groovin' High” are real cookers. In addition to a few ballads, the set also includes two
Taylor originals: “Manhattan Tea Party” and the joyfully funky “Angels Camp.”
Only Shaw's occasional use of electric piano makes the music sound as if it is from another decade. Otherwise, the
set could have been recorded this year for Buddy DeFranco and Martin Taylor are still timeless masters. This CD
is easily recommended and available from www.hepjazz.com.
Wadada Leo Smith
Spiritual Dimensions
(Cuneiform)
Listeners who are accustomed to hearing trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith play in avant-garde settings where he
makes innovative use of space, creates unusual sound textures, and improvises freely, have probably been
surprised by some of his projects of the past few years. In Yo' Miles, he teamed up with guitarist Henry Kaiser to
explore the music and style of 1970s Miles Davis. Spiritual Dimensions is a continuation of that idea.
This two-CD set features Smith in two settings. The first disc has his Golden Quintet, a group that includes Vijay
Iyer on piano and synth, bassist John Lindberg and both Pheerak AkLaff and Don Moye on drums The five
selections, three of which are lengthy, have some similarities to Davis' music, particularly “South Central L.A.
Kulture,” although they are not derivative. The performances, which usually include grooves, also makes more use
of space and are less crowded while still being passionate.
The second CD has Wadada Leo Smith's Organic with Smith joined by three or four guitarists (Michael Gregory
Jackson, Brandon Ross, Nels Cline and sometimes Lamar Smith) plus cellist Okkyung Lee, both John Lindberg
and Skuli Sverrisson on bassrd and Pheeroan AkLaff. It is much more in the Miles Davis vein from an era when
fusion was dangerous and unpredictable. Leo Smith is in the lead much of the way during these four long tracks
and keeps the music continually intriguing.
40 years after Miles Davis recorded Bitches Brew, his music from that era is still worth exploring. Leo Smith does
not sound like Miles Davis but he utilizes some of Davis' ideas, twisting them into his own conception. This set,
available from www.cuneiformrecords.com, is well worth exploring.