Tomfoolery

Winter hibernation soon to bear jazz fruit

By Tom Ineck

Here in the Heartland of America, we are deep in winter jazz hibernation, when live performances are in short supply and we hunker down in front of a warm fire with favorites from our own jazz libraries, which offer spiritual warmth and sustenance. For recommended listening, see the numerous CD reviews in this issue.

Even so, we like to look ahead for the spring thaw on the live jazz horizon. What follows is a brief overview of what we have to look forward to.

Thankfully, the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra continues straight through the winter doldrums, with four more concerts in its 2007-08 season. Trombonist Matt Niess of Washington, D.C., is the featured soloist Jan. 12. For this year’s “Learning from the Master” concert, Niess will perform with both the NJO and the 2007 Young Lions All-Star Band. He is director of jazz studies, associate trombone professor and director of The Criterions Jazz Ensemble at West Chester University. He also is a founding member of The Capitol Bones jazz trombone ensemble.

Scott Wendholt, acclaimed trumpet soloist for New York’s Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, will join the NJO April 20 for a tribute to the music of Nebraska native Neal Hefti, a concert that also will feature the UNL Jazz Ensemble. Finally, the Berman Music Foundation will sponsor a May 23 concert featuring some of Kansas City’s finest jazz musicians joining the NJO in a tribute to the music of late Kansas City icon Russ Long. Among the special guests who will perform compositions by Long are bassist Gerald Spaits, drummer Ray DeMarchi, keyboardist Roger Wilder and versatile reedman Charles Perkins.

Guitarists Larry Carlton and Robben Ford will team up for a March 5 performance at the Rococo Theatre in downtown Lincoln. Carlton is best known for his smooth fusion sound and for his playing on recordings by Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland and dozens of others. Ford combines jazz technique with a sure feel for the blues.

Even the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra is getting into the jazz act, presenting vibraphonist Joe Locke April 12 at Kimball Recital Hall on the UNL campus. Locke returns to Lincoln after a highly-acclaimed performance with the NJO at Lincoln’s 2005 Jazz in June series, bringing with him a set of music arranged for orchestra by saxophonist Tim Garland. Local jazz musicians also will join Locke on stage.

Speaking of Jazz in June, the Berman Music Foundation returns to that series as a sponsor in 2008. The schedule includes The Dynamic Les DeMerle Band, with drummer DeMerle and vocalist Bonnie Eisele. See Butch Berman’s review of their latest live release in this issue of the newsletter. The Dan Thomas Quintet, another BFM favorite, will travel from Kansas City, where Thomas is professor of jazz studies in the music department at the University of Missouri—Kansas City (UMKC). Also on the Jazz in June bill are the local Darryl White Quartet, with the trumpeter accompanied by pianist Tom Larson, bassist Rusty White and drummer Brandon Draper; and the Los Angeles-based Lao Tizer, a contemporary jazz keyboardist originally from Boulder, Colo. Tizer’s sound is influenced by Spyro Gyra, the Yellowjackets, and David Sanborn.

About 200 miles south of here is Kansas City’s acclaimed Folly Jazz Series. Beginning in October with the Joshua Redman Trio, the current series also featured the Bill Charlap Trio in November (see the review in this newsletter), and singer Kurt Elling in December. It continues Jan. 12 with the Bobby Sanabria Latin Jazz Band, Feb. 29 with the Terell Stafford Quintet, March 28 with emerging artist singer Rachael Price and May 10 with the Monty Alexander Trio.

A little further east is the always adventurous, non-profit “We Always Swing” Jazz Series, based in Columbia, Mo., where the Karris Allyson Group will perform Jan. 27 at the LRW Ballroom at Stephens College. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis makes an appearance Feb. 10 at Jesse Auditorium. At Murray’s jazz club in Columbia, the calendar includes the Terell Stafford Quintet on Feb. 24, the Heath Brothers Quintet (only saxophonist Jimmy and drummer Albert “Tootie” are still alive) on March 30, the Brad Mehldau Trio on April 13 and the Ray Brown Tribute Band, featuring bassist Christian McBride, pianist Benny Green, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson on April 27. For more information, visit www.wealwaysswing.org.

Speaking of non-profit jazz organizations, the newly founded Metheny Music Foundation, based in Lee’s Summit, Mo., the hometown of brothers Pat and Mike Metheny, will present a kickoff fundraiser featuring the Pat Metheny Trio (with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Antonio Sanchez) March 7 at Unity Village, Mo. According to its mission statement, the MMF “preserves, promotes and perpetuates an informed appreciation for all styles of music, honoring the history of the Metheny family through four generations and the rich musical heritage of the city of Lee’s Summit, the state of Missouri, and the surrounding region.”

The March 7 concert will raise money for the foundation’s educational and historical endeavors, which include summer music camp scholarships for Lee’s Summit high school students.

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