Last Topeka Jazz Festival a bittersweet affair

By Tom Ineck

TOPEKA, Kan.—Knowing that we likely were witnessing the “swan song” of the Topeka Jazz Festival made for a bittersweet experience, but the high quality of most performances May 27-29 kept our minds focused on the bright moments.

What follow are my impressions of the festival’s highs and lows.

Several hundred people who arrived for the Friday Yard Party scrambled into the Topeka Performing Arts Center when the rains came, creating the critical mass, festive atmosphere and enthusiasm on which jazz artists thrive.

Longtime TJF fave Ken Peplowski fronted a six-piece outfit that performed the standards “Old Folks,” “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” and an outrageously fast rendition of Sonny Rollins’ bop classic “Oleo.”

Area high school musicians were featured in a well-received session with professional clinicians. Saxophonist Rob Scheps led the band on “C Jam Blues,” and with trumpeter Claudio Roditi, percussionist Norman Hedman, and guitarist Rod Fleeman joined them on “Blue Bossa.”

Hedman’s “Gypsy Caravan” was a vehicle for a septet that also included Roditi, saxophonist Bobby Watson, pianist Misha Tsiganov, vibraphonist Alexei Tsiganov, bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Victor Lewis. Gifted vocalist Giacomo Gates joined the band on “Four,” “Straight, No Chaser,” “How High the Moon/Ornithology,” and “Night in Tunisia.”

Illustrating the broad range of the 2005 festival, The Hot Club of San Francisco offered up a rousing set of “gypsy jazz” to finish the free concert. Leader Paul Mehling and his young cohorts delivered on “The Man I Love,” and “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” among others. At evening’s end, I returned to my hotel room in high spirits, hoping that the performances had been just enough of a tease to entice returning, paying customers.

Saturday’s marathon began with a session featuring singer Kathleen Holeman, whose talents are more impressive in live concert than on her debut CD. With a band consisting of Kansas City’s finest, she scatted through “Exactly Like You,” soared on a soprano flight on “Mood Indigo,” preached gospel style on “Get Happy,” and again scatted impressively on “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” featuring Mehling on guitar. Holeman was especially effective on “Don’t You Wonder?” the ballad of a tragic relationship.

Mehling kept the stage and was joined by the Interstring quartet—guitarists Danny Embrey and Rod Fleeman, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Todd Strait. They took “Body and Soul” as a Latin-style ballad, also performing “Whispering” and Django Reinhardt’s “Daphne.” Mehling lacked the assertiveness of his swinging companions and seemed out of his “gypsy jazz” element during the first two numbers, but regained his poise for the Reinhardt classic.

Trombonist Paul McKee was the nominal leader of a strong ensemble that featured tenor saxophonist Rob Scheps assuming the true leadership role. Scheps’ inspired solo on Sam Rivers’ “Beatrice” dominated the performance, as did his solo on “It’s You or No One.” Joe Cartwright on piano and Stan Kessler on trumpet and flugelhorn also contributed notable solos. Kessler and bassist Jay Leonhart joined for a stunning duo passage on “Invitation.”

The annual return of young pianist Eldar Djangirov has become a festival tradition, awaited for with eager anticipation as fans wonder just how much better he can get. Now 18, we can say that Djangirov has exceeded the promise that was evident at age 11, when his precocious talent may have seemed little more than a freak of nature.

With longtime sidemen Gerald Spaits on bass and Todd Strait on drums, Djangirov now exhibits even greater confidence as a composer and soloist. The original opener, “Point of View,” was taken at a hair-raising clip, while his breezy composition “Raindrops” combines classical and folk influences in an irresistible riff.

Standards, however, still play an important role in the trio’s performances. Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’” included a piano-drums dialogue; Thelonious Monk’s “’Round Midnight” received a balanced ensemble reading that relied largely on lush arpeggios and chords; “Fly Me to the Moon” was given a Latin treatment with the keyboard wizard doubling and subdividing the time; and “What Is This Thing Called Love?” was taken at an insane tempo that had Spaits sitting out much of the tune as Djangirov and Strait went head-to-head.

Flugelhorn master Claudio Roditi fronted an eight-piece band that included trumpeter Stan Kessler, allowing the two to mix and match brassy statements in good-natured repartee. “Samba de Orfeu” by Luiz Bonfa was a logical tune for the Latin-tinged ensemble. Roditi, Kessler and Bobby Watson improvised group riffs behind trombonist Paul McKee on “C Jam Blues,” which also featured outstanding solos by Kessler, pianist Joe Cartwright and bassist Gerald Spaits. “Milestones” was highlighted by Roditi’s solo and a set of trades between drummer Ray DeMarchi and conga master Norman Hedman.

Scheps led a quintet with his usual authority on “Fantasy,” a Danny Embrey original called “Ergo,” with the composer playing acoustic guitar and bassist Bob Bowman contributing a wonderful solo. An uptempo version of “Lover” brought out the best in everyone. Using brushes, Todd Strait set the manic pace for outstanding solos by Roger Wilder on keys and Scheps on tenor sax. Never one to rely too heavily on standards, Scheps finished with Kenny Wheeler’s obscure “Kayak,” which provided an excellent basis for solos by Embrey, Scheps and Wilder.

The vocal pyrotechnics of Giacomo Gates were in full flight during a set that featured prominent contributions by Ken Peplowski on tenor sax and Rod Fleeman on guitar. Tadd Dameron’s “Lady Bird” beautifully illustrated Gates’ trademark sonority, while Gershwin’s “Oh, Lady Be Good” (lyrics by Eddie Jefferson) exercised his highly developed rhythmic impulses. Singer Kathleen Holeman joined the fray for “All of Me,” matching Gates scat for scat. Roditi made a guest appearance on “Speedball,” which also had the singer slyly trading bass licks with Jay Leonhart.  

By comparison, Saturday evening’s lineup was somewhat disappointing. Ahmad Alaadeen and Group 21 delivered a lackluster performance, the leader’s Coltrane-inspired tenor and soprano sax styles occasionally clashing with the rhythm section’s funk tendencies. A slow vocal on the old blues warhorse “Driving Wheel” and the band’s listless take on the ballad “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing” did nothing to improve things, although pianist Christopher Clark contributed some inspired playing throughout the set.

Norman Hedman’s Tropique, always more impressive for their ensemble sound and intricate arrangements than for their solo excursions, struggled through a set that lacked the cohesion of past performances. Bassist Ron Monroe shouted out the changes as his colleagues attempted to achieve the fine audio balance for which Tropique was known under the past musical direction of percussionist Willie Martinez.

Ada Dyer delivered a nice vocal on “Angel of the Night,” and leader Hedman and his new percussionist teamed up for a wonderful conga duo on “Flight of the Spirit.” Eventually, 11 musicians crowded the stage as trumpeter Roditi and saxophonists Watson, Alaadeen and Bill Wimmer rotated through the solo spotlight on “Hed-Theme.”

The day ended on a sweeter note as an intimate late-night jam session in TPAC’s lower level established a relaxed mood among the most avid fans. Pianist Eldar Djangirov initially assumed the role of maestro, with trumpeter Stan Kessler, trombonist Paul McKee, vibraphonist Alexei Tsiganov and bassist Gerald Spaits backing him on “Alone Together.”

Giacomo Gates, however, quickly put the impetuous young piano player in his place. Gates counted off “Five Spot Blues” at a slower tempo. Joining them in a wonderful rendition of the Monk tune were Bobby Watson on alto sax and Bob Bowman on bass, in addition to Kessler, McKee and Tsiganov. For the bop classic “Confirmation,” Victor Lewis made a rare appearance on drums. On Gershwin’s “But Not For Me,” Watson on alto sax and Scheps on flute squared off, ending in Watson’s hilarious extended quote of the 1960s pop hit “Downtown.”

As the audience began to file out, Kessler and pianist Roger Wilder performed a duo flugelhorn-piano rendition of Jobim’s “Pele.” As if to top that, Roditi at the piano and Tsiganov at the vibes explored variations on Jobim’s “Triste.”

The festival’s final day began with bassist and comic genius Jay Leonhart teaming up with fellow musician and humorist Ken Peplowski. First, Leonhart reprised the solo bass-vocal performance of his hilarious composition “It’s Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass.” Peps, pianist Roger Wilder and drummer Tommy Ruskin (sitting in for Victor Lewis) followed with “Surrey With the Fringe on Top.” Roditi on flugelhorn joined them for “I’m Only Dreaming.” The obligatory “I Got Rhythm” changes were employed yet again for a tune featuring the front line of Peplowski on tenor sax, Paul McKee on trombone and Roditi on flugelhorn.

In the conspicuous absence of the world-class drummer, Peplowski jokingly referred to the “Victor Lewis Memorial Concert.” Leonhart followed that with a jab at the “Victor Lewis in-absentia set.” Lewis fans were especially disappointed that the drummer chose to sit out two consecutive set, including one for which he was the designated leader.

Featured players for this set included Scheps, Kessler, McKee, Cartwright, Bowman and Ruskin. Joe Cartwright wins accolades for the brilliant crab-like construction of his solo on Dave Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way.” Kessler, Scheps and Cartwright turned in great solo statements on an uptempo rendition of Weil’s “Speak Low.” Gates joined the rhythm section for “Summertime,” later matching his versatile voice with McKee’s trombone and his flute-like whistle with Bowman’s bass.

Interstring gradually reassembled for a set that eventually featured vocalist Kathleen Holeman. Guitarists Embrey and Fleeman began with twin acoustic guitars on Jobim’s “Triste,” adding bassist Bowman on the lovely Johnny Mandel waltz “Emily.” Drummer Strait slipped behind the trap set for “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon),” with Fleeman switching to electric guitar. Both guitarists took impressive solos, proving that their styles are both very different and very compatible in the context of the Interstring quartet. Holeman added a scatting Latin capper to the set with “That’s All.”

Bobby Watson and Claudio Roditi fronted a stellar quintet that also featured pianist Roger Wilder, bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Todd Strait. They wittily put “things” in a thematic context with a medley consisting of “What is This Thing Called Love?” “All the Things You Are,” and “These Foolish Things.” Wilder acquitted himself well with an outstanding solo on “All the Things.” Roditi soared on Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring,” and Watson matched the trumpeter lick for lick on a very fast rendition of Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee.”

A Stan Kessler-led quintet delivered a very nice reading of “Yesterdays,” then the twin trumpets of Roditi and Kessler fired a swingin’ blues take on “Moanin’,” the Bobby Timmons classic. Rod Fleeman and Jay Leonhart also delivered remarkable solos, as drummer Tommy Ruskin kept impeccable time.

Introduced with a personal testimonial by longtime fan and benefactor Liz Stratton, Eldar Djangirov’s final festival appearance was a pleasant surprise. Expanded from the publicized solo performance, it began with a piano-guitar duo with Rod Fleeman, and then continued with Djangirov’s very capable trio bandmates, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Todd Strait. Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” got things off to a rousing start. The pianist explored the outer reaches of the upper registers on “Nature Boy,” and infused his composition “No Regret” with a breezy, folk-rock drive. It was back to Hancock for the energetic closer, “Cantaloupe Island,” which included a piano-drums interlude that challenged both players to deliver the goods.

Interstring returned to open the evening set with the elegiac “Dearly Beloved,” followed by “Swifts,” a gently soaring piece reminiscent of Pat Metheny’s heartland jazz, with its evocation of open spaces. Using the same chords as “Someday My Prince Will Come,” the quartet played its original version, cleverly referred to as “The Song Formerly Known as Prince.”

The festival’s last set in the main hall was a very special one. The concert performance of Bobby Watson and Horizon had been anxiously anticipated all weekend by a large segment of the audience. With only slight changes in the personnel, the quintet has recorded and toured off and on for 15 years, and their deep mutual respect and musical chemistry is evident.

Watson and drummer Victor Lewis are especially close. The alto saxophonist told me in an interview more than a decade ago that he considers Lewis the group’s essential co-leader, and his rhythmic contributions certainly play an integral role in Horizon’s very advanced and propulsive sound. Trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Edward Simon and bassist Essiet Essiet are the other key ingredients.

Among the superb offerings that evening were “Quiet as It’s Kept,” Jimmy Heath’s “Gingerbread Boy,” a dirge-like version of “The Look of Love,” and Lewis’ raucous original “Hey, It’s Me You’re Talkin’ To,” with an astounding drum solo introduction leading to bop time and solos by Stafford and Watson. Similarly, Essiet introduced “Heckle and Jeckle” with an incredible bass solo.

The lovely ballad “The Love We Had Yesterday” was written by Watson’s wife, Pamela Watson. From the criminally out-of-print “Post-Motown Bop,” Horizon’s 1991 debut record on the Blue Note label, came “The Punjab of Java Po,” a rousing tune that embodies all the creativity and technical virtuosity of this masterful aggregation of musicians.

After witnessing this transcendent performance by Horizon, we floated downstairs for the final “after-hours” session. Giacomo Gates was holding court on “Stolen Moments,” also featuring Joe Cartwright, piano; Gerald Spaits, bass; and Rod Fleeman, guitar, the cream of Kansas City-based players. Gates also turned in a wonderful reading of “I Got the Blues,” a vocal variation on Lester Young’s “Lester Leaps In” with lyrics by Eddie Jefferson.

Kathleen Holeman joined Gates for a vocal duo on “Centerpiece” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” with Roger Wilder at the piano. Bassist Bob Bowman took the stage for “Over the Rainbow,” and bassist Jay Leonhart paired off with Gates on a hilarious version of “You Go to My Head,” with Leonhart vocalizing in harmony with the bass line and leading Gates astray with his late-night antics.

It was a fitting end to the 2005 Topeka Jazz Festival. Sadly, it was the last of its kind.

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More photos from the 2005 Topeka Jazz Fest

TJF lost a long-shot gamble for survival

By Tom Ineck

TOPEKA, Kan.—We knew going in that the 8^th Annual Topeka Jazz Festival might be the last. Advance ticket sales—having never achieved a level that would sustain the three-day Memorial Day weekend festival—were so low that Monday’s performances had been cancelled.

The only thing that would allow the event to survive another year was a burst of paid attendance for individual sessions on Saturday May 28 and Sunday May 29. Friday evening’s free “teaser” concert was forced indoors due to rain and drew a significant audience, but not enough of them returned with money in their pockets to recoup expenses. Our worst fears had been realized.

In the final analysis, attendance and revenue figures for the 2005 Topeka Jazz Festival were insufficient, the expenses too high. It is impossible to say if anything could have saved the TJF. In its eight-year history, perhaps it had simply run its course, its aging audience irrevocably depleted by attrition and apathy.

Like so much arts programming nationwide—from jazz to classical music, from live theater to classical ballet, the Topeka Jazz Festival failed to attract a younger audience, despite an effort to expand beyond the staid swing-style format to incorporate the gypsy jazz of The Hot Club of San Francisco, the post-bop inventiveness of Bobby Watson & Horizon and the Latin jazz of Norman Hedman’s Tropique. Without an infusion of new blood, the fine arts will die of arteriosclerosis.

Even under the best conditions, jazz festivals are a gamble that few are prepared to risk. In recent years, both the longstanding Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival and the KC International Jazz Festival folded their tents. If a metropolitan region of nearly two million people can’t support an annual event, what hope is there for Topeka, a city of less than 125,000?

It is especially sad that some jazz festivals—and free concerts such as the Jazz in June series in Lincoln, Neb.—have attracted many people who couldn’t care less about the music, who are there to exploit the social aspect of these gatherings with little or no financial support for the music, which is so desperately in need of funding. These dilettantes, dabblers, and amateur jazz fans do nothing to increase the survivability of the art form.

Worse yet is the increasing number of people who simply stay at home rather than patronizing live music and other performing arts. As vibraphonist Joe Locke said—in praising the popular Jazz in June concerts—Americans have “cloistered” themselves with their computers, televisions, CDs and DVDs to the point where the nation is losing its humanity, its sense of community.

Let’s raise a glass one more time and toast some of the great jazz artists who graced the stage of the Topeka Performing Arts Center with their magic since that first TJF in 1998: Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Bobby Watson, Terry Gibbs, Junior Mance, Nancy King, Jeff Hamilton, Ken Peplowski, Karrin Allyson, John Clayton, Bill Charlap, Jennifer Leitham, Rebecca Parris, Scott Hamilton, Bucky Pizzarelli, Victor Lewis, Bob Kindred, Oliver Jones, Jay Leonhart, Paul Smith, Tiger Okoshi, Bill Watrous, Joe Ascione, Gerry Wiggins, Jackie Williams, Eldar Djangirov and all the stalwart Kansas City players.

Regardless of the reasons for its demise, we mourn the passing of the Topeka Jazz Festival. At eight years of age, she was just too young to die.

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Workshop

Young jazz musicians learn from masters

By Butch Berman

TOPEKA, Kan.—Nine semi-nervous, yet jazz-hungry young men and one lone female graced the halls of the Topeka Performing Arts Center late on the morning of May 27. They were accompanied by the hardest-working guy on the TPAC staff, Assistant Director Mark Radziejeski, who led the jittery group to the large meeting room in the basement like a preacher taking the condemned to the gallows. But instead of getting hung, these eager stalwarts get to just hang out with a group of professional musicians armed with caffeine and the sole intentions of teaching these kids something about jazz.

Mark had already screened these youngsters from a variety of high schools in the Topeka area. Reading their essays on why they want to pursue careers in music took me back to my early days of hopes and dreams. Mark and I had judged them weeks earlier, and I couldn’t wait to see what the experienced teachers could do to help mold these pliable minds into some form of a group that in less than four hours would be performing on the TPAC stage. 

The clinicians were supposed to be chaired by N.Y.C. drummer Victor Lewis, but for some reason ended up in the hands of another New Yorker, bassist Jay Leonhart, who along with the other panel members—guitarist Rod Fleeman, vocalist Giacomo Gates, pianist Misha Tsiganov, reedman Rob Scheps, percussionist Norman Hedman and trumpeter Claudio Roditi—joined forces to become a forum that gave these students a lifetime of invaluable musical instruction and encouragement.

Everything from how to stand, breathe, think, focus, listen, study and market “all that jazz” had these juveniles’ heads spinning. After the brave hopefuls tried to play a tune for these cats, and were gently put in their proper places, the old pros took over their instruments and showed ‘em how to really do it. No pain, no gain, as the teachers and pupils split up into small groups, including one-on-one training. If these kiddies ever want to feel their music swing, they first had to get their bells rung.

All’s well that ends well, as their afternoon mini-set went over with no major snafus.  Teaching the young adults a taste of the blues led way to a near-perfect rendition of “C Jam Blues” that got the audience of jazz fans’, parents’, and high school peers’ toes a-tapping.

These youngsters hung around all weekend to soak up more of the incredible sounds their teachers were putting out. When one of them approached me to autograph the program and thank me, all I could do was grin and let this talented bunch know that they may be the next headliners of the future, and were already an inspiration to their friends and families. The future of the Topeka Jazz Festival is in doubt, but no doubt about it, some of the musicians in this group are going places. Mission accomplished.

Enjoy the pix from this session. The players’ names, instruments and schools are listed below in alphabetical order.

Allegra Fisher, Perry Lecompton High School, piano

Nathan Frost, Seaman High School, guitar

T.C. Gomez, Topeka High School, saxophonist

Fritz Helbert, Topeka High School, trumpet

Sam Hershberger, Topeka High School, bass

Chris Maxwell, Seaman High School, trumpet

Jason Pukach, Seaman High School, saxophone

Charlie Stern, Topeka High School, trumpet

Jordan Tennant, Seaman High School, drums

Galen Zachritz, Topeka High School, drums

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