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September 2006
Tribute to Russ Long at Jardine's
proves a most wonderful
night in KC
By
Butch Berman
KANSAS
CITY, Mo.--Being
sent to Wentworth Military Academy for
my high school and junior college days
in the mid-1960, only 40 miles from
Kansas City, I was privy to some
wonderful musical acts at a wide variety
of venues.
Feeling
a little like Perry Mason with his
trusted secretary and assistant Della
Street at his side, I took Ruthann
Nahorny to
accompany and assist me on this soulful
sojourn. My dear wife, Grace, had not
yet returned to the states after nearly
six weeks visiting her African homeland,
family and friends she hadn’t seen in
many years. She knew Ruth and I had our
act together, and insisted we go when
Tom Ineck had to pull out due to other
commitments.
In all,
the horn arrangements came off so well
that Russ even mentioned re-recording
some of his tunes with this lineup and
new charts. Drummers Ray
DeMarchi and
Tommy Ruskin split sets with Gerald
remaining on bass, and Paul Smith on
piano played his ass off as always.
Ruth and
I were sitting within earshot of these
legendary songstresses, which was a trip
in itself, seeing everyone from so many
eras having such a good time, together
all at the same time. Each artist had
her own little thing
goin’,
remembering all the gigs with Russ,
often resembling a roast, as the
laughter and tears flowed like the wine
that night…in abundance.
By the
time you read this, my foundation will
have wined, dined and met with Gerald
and the rest of the Nebraska consultants
to discuss our involvement in
seeing that
all of Russ’ compositions are
copyrighted, published and
professionally charted to stand the test
of time.
Even
though the years and some health
problems have taken some of the starch
out of Russ Long, he’s still the hippest
of hip and the coolest of cool. The
Berman Music Foundation will be
eternally grateful to Gerald
Spaits for
getting us involved with helping to
produce Russ’ dynamite “Never Let Me Go”
CD and, now, this tribute…a night to
remember always.
Snapshots of Russ
Long tribute at Jardine's
Marilyn Maye and
Karrin Allyson
Julie Turner and
Tommy Ruskin
Russ Long and
fans
Leslie Spaits
Karrin Allyson in
conversation
Russ Long signs
autograph
Ginny Coleman
Guitarist
reunites with Twin Cities "home boys"
By
Tom Ineck
Transplanted from Minneapolis to Lincoln
a couple of years ago, guitarist Luke
Polipnick reunited with a couple of
“home boys” June 3 at the Zoo Bar, when
the trio—under the name Luke Polipnick
and Volcano Insurance—showcased some of
the guitarist’s many jazz compositions.
The
concert was presented with the support of
the Berman Music Foundation.
I caught
up with Polipnick while he and his wife
were traversing rural Iowa by car
recently. From behind the wheel, he
chatted by cell phone about his musical
ongoing journey. At the tender age of
25, it already has evolved through
numerous styles as he seeks a medium of
musical expression.
A
student of classical piano as a child in
Minnesota, he first was drawn to the
guitar by the sounds of late ‘60s icons
Jimi Hendrix and Cream-era Eric Clapton.
His ears were first opened to jazz in a
big way when he got a copy of John
Coltrane’s “Blue Train” at age 15.
“That
was a big revelation for me. From that
point on, I started doing my own
research. I got into a lot of the greats
of the ‘50s and ‘60s, kind of by
trial-and-error. I didn’t have a lot of
people telling me, ‘Oh, you should check
this out.’” Among his serendipitous
discoveries were Charles Mingus and the
entire Miles Davis oeuvre, but jazz
still was a “foreign language” to the
musician in Polipnick.
“I
always had a fair amount of facility,
but trying to figure out what was going
on with the harmony and how they would
develop the melodies” took time, he
said. “It was a really organic process.
I didn’t start trying to do it until I
was ready. It’s been a really slow
process to get where I am now, and I’m
still really working on it.”
Polipnick moved to the Twin Cities area
while still in high school to attend St.
Cloud University, majoring in trumpet.
He later transferred to Hennepin
Technical College in suburban
Minneapolis to study audio recording.
But at age 19 he was ready to pursue his
growing jazz impulses. He already had
done some transcription, but had not
devoted himself entirely to the effort
until then. He soon dropped out of
school, and made some important
connections with like-minded musicians.
“I got
in with a crowd of musicians when I was
about 20. That’s when I dropped out of
college to just practice. I was working
in a restaurant and practicing all day.
It was kind of the young Minneapolis
vanguard,” he recalled. “They inspired
me to take it really seriously. It was
the first time I really had someone to
hang out with. They encouraged me to
listen to everything.” It was, as
Polipnick says, a “real-world music
education, rather than a conservatory
education.”
Among
that Minneapolis vanguard that helped to
shape the young guitarist’s direction
were bassist Chris Bates and drummer
Joey Van Phillips, who joined Polipnick at the Zoo as Volcano
Insurance. Bates, a decade older than
Polipnick and a first-call player in the
Twin Cities, first performed in Lincoln
with The Motion Poets in an October 1997
concert at Westbrook Recital Hall,
sponsored by the Berman Music
Foundation. He returned last year
with trumpeter Kelly Rossum for a
BMF-sponsored performance Nov. 10 at
P.O. Pears. Polipnick and Phillips are
near-contemporaries who have been
friends since their teens.
Minneapolis remains a music hotbed that
welcomes all styles of jazz, from the
most accessible mainstream sounds to the
free-jazz fringes.
“There’s
always been a strong patronage of the
arts there,” Polipnick said. “I don’t
know if it’s because the winters are
really harsh or what. There’s always
been a scene. It’s a really hot spot
right now because of bands like The Bad
Plus,” referring to the popular trio
blending jazz with pop, hip-hop and rock
influences for crossover success.
It was
the Twin Cities-inspired freedom of
expression that impressed Polipnick.
“That
was the real fire for me, getting to see
these guys on a nightly or weekly basis,
who were really pushing it, that were
working in all aspects, from the
traditional to the avant-garde.”
When
Polipnick landed in Lincoln, word got
around quickly that a talented young
guitarist was in town. He met some of
the city’s longtime jazz players,
including guitarist Peter Bouffard and
pianist John Carlini, with whom he
landed a few duo gigs. He joined the
local funk outfit Electric Soul Method,
appearing frequently in the area and
playing on the band’s debut CD. He has
since left the ESM, but still explores
musical ideas with some of the former
bandmates.
Playing
opportunities in Lincoln are rare, but
Polipnick likes the city and makes the
most of it. He does not consider himself
a prolific writer, but 90 percent of the
tunes in the Volcano Insurance
repertoire are originals and, of those,
90 percent were penned by him. Asked to
describe the trio’s music, he called it
“really eclectic. It’s modern jazz, for
lack of a better handle on it, but we
have some stuff that’s fairly rocking.”
The band draws on dub, funk, blues,
Latin and other influences, for a mix
that’s sure to keep listeners
interested.
Among
his favorite jazz guitarists Polipnick
named modernists Bill Frisell, Wolfgang
Muthspiel and Ben Monder, as well as the
legendary Jim Hall.
Luke
Polipnick and Volcano Insurance
appeared Saturday, June 3 at the Zoo Bar
in Lincoln.
Reminiscences of a
jazz patriot
By Dan Demuth
Author’s note: Jean Reldy, as of this
writing, is a friend, historian of both jazz and WWII, jazz writer, jazz
booster, and a jazz record and memorabilia collector, all at 87 years
young. He has had numerous articles and photos published in jazz
publications. In the last few years I have had the pleasure of many
great conversations with Jean as they relate to the above topics and at
my suggestion he agreed to let me put some of them in writing with which
to share with others.
Colorado Springs,
CO.—With bullets and shells exploding all
around, a young man seeks a safe haven during the Japanese battle
against the Americans’ push to retake Manila. While running to safety,
he is hit in three places with grenade fragments but survives, only to
see hundreds of other men, women and children ruthlessly shot and killed
by the retreating, angered Japanese soldiers.
His earliest recollections go back to
1924, living in his native France, and listening to English dance bands
such as Jack Hylton and Ambrose via the BBC. His first record was a copy
of Louis Armstrong’s “Take It Easy” b/w “Jubilee Stomp” (on the English
Parlophone label), where his affinity for jazz and Louis in particular
had its start. This record remains in Jean’s extensive collection. His
serious study of jazz was encouraged upon acquiring a copy of Hugues
Panassie’s “Le jazz hot” and their paths were to later cross.
He was also able to attend several jam
sessions, some organized by the Hot Club de France and featuring such
musicians as Django Reinhardt, Frank “Big Boy” Goody, Bill Coleman,
Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins, musicians who were currently touring
or living in Europe.
But around 1936, Jean began his
Philippine odyssey. A brief interruption in 1939 found him in the French
Army in Saigon prior to returning to Manila, during which time he had
his first jazz article published—of which he still has a copy.
Curiously, during the occupation, the
Japanese allowed the showing of American movies, as well as jazz
performances by local musicians. Jean recalls attending a jazz program
sponsored by the Red Cross (a black revue named “Drum Boogie”). He
recognized Bill Coleman and met up with him afterward at a party that
lasted until those fabled wee hours.
Manila was eventually liberated and
around 1950 Jean immigrated to the states, living in California, then
Texas and finally settling in Colorado Springs. Once in the states, he
quickly took advantage of the music available at live performances,
while continuing to enhance his burgeoning record and book collection.
In L.A., he met up again with Benny
Carter, and as a guest at his home he was surprised to find out that
Carter was also an excellent pianist. Guitarist T-Bone Walker was
another of the first musicians he recalls meeting, followed shortly by
some personal meetings with Duke Ellington, a man he describes as an
absolutely extraordinary and beautiful person.
In 1954 he attended a concert in Texas
and met Armstrong for the first time. He relates that the band included
Trummy Young, Billy Kyle and Barney Bigard. 1957 found Jean living in
Houston. Also there at the time was Lightning Hopkins, to whom Jean gave
a guitar as a gift. Arnett Cobb was another acquaintance who frequently
had Jean as a house guest.
“Freedom” still had a price at this time
for some less-fortunate citizens. One of Jean’s earliest recollections
has him and a visiting friend from France attending a Lavern Baker
performance in Houston. The audience was racially mixed, but with
segregated seating—unbeknownst to the new citizen and his guest. With
the program ready to begin and some seats closer to the performers in
the “colored” section still empty, Jean and his friend attempted to move
to them, only to be told by a burly bouncer that “… they weren’t allowed
to sit with the niggers.” But, the intolerance shown in situations such
as this didn’t dim his enthusiasm for this country.
As Jean reminisces, names of other jazz
celebs with whom he socialized are casually mentioned—Clark Terry, Jo
Jones, orchestra leader Milton Larkin, Ray Bryant (at Arnett Cobb’s
home), Milt Hinton, Billy Taylor, Ellington introducing Jean to Freddie
Jenkins. Trumpeter Willie Cook, who was working in a music store, was
another acquaintance.
Blues are also a part of Jean’s life as
evidenced by his meeting such luminaries as Cleanhead Vinson, Gatemouth
Brown (who became a good friend), John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Big
Mama Thornton and Koko Taylor. His tastes defy his age—Roomful of Blues
is another favorite.
In 1978, Jean moved to Colorado Springs,
promptly joining the Broadmoor Jazz Club and the Pikes Peak Jazz and
Swing Society. He has lent his recordings and knowledge of Ellington’s
music to local radio stations for programs commemorating Duke’s birth
date. During this period, he again caught up with former Basie sidemen
Sweets Edison, Lockjaw Davis, Jimmy Forrest and Al Grey, resulting in
another published interview for the Hot Club Jazz Bulletin.
During one of the Dick Gibson jazz
parties at the Broadmoor Resort Hotel, Jean and his charming wife,
Georgette, hosted at their home, Jackie Williams, George Duvivier, Doc
Cheatham, Scott Hamilton, Al Grey and Johnny (Otis) Johnson. Others he
met at these parties included Jay McShann, Vic Dickenson, Ruby Braff,
Ralph Sutton, Gus Johnson, Kenny Davern, Joe Newman, Zoot Sims, Teddy
Wilson, Peanuts Hucko and Trummy Young. A subsequent interview with
Young was published. Gibson also presented a series of programs at the
Paramount Theatre in Denver during the winter months, which Jean would
attend. He has dozens of cassette tapes recorded at these
sessions—perhaps surreptitiously.
During all of this time, Jean kept up a
correspondence with Hugues Panassie and in 1974 while in Marseille he
was invited to be a house guest of Panassie and his wife, Madeline
Gautier. This was just three months before Panassie’s death. Later, the
Hot Club of France was to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and
Jean suggested to the Montauban (France) civic leaders that a street be
named after Panassie and a plaque placed on the home where Hugues and
Madeline had lived for so long. They embraced the idea and invited Jean
as the keynote speaker at the dedication.
“This music (jazz) has occupied in my
life a tremendous place (and) permitted me to meet with jazz aficionados
in the Far East, in Indo-China, in the Philippines, in California, Texas
and of course here in Colorado,” says Jean.
As would be hoped and expected, Jean has
a vast collection of photographs taken during these events, of which he
is justifiably proud. He has written for jazz reviews in Spain and in
France (the Hot Club newsletter), as well as newsletters in Houston, New
Orleans, Denver and Colorado Springs.
As to the word patriot—Jean is as
serious, conscientious, unabashed and ebullient a patriot of the U.S. as
one will ever meet. He will long remember the Japanese occupation and
the subsequent liberation by American forces, which ultimately provided
him the opportunity to participate in this wonderful amalgamation of
talent we call jazz.
Blues legend Sam
Myers was multi-talented
Sam Myers died July 17 at his home in
Dallas, after recent throat cancer surgery. Myers was diagnosed with
cancer in February 2005 and had been unable to perform since December
2004. Fronting Anson Funderburgh's band since 1986, Sam was well known
for his brilliant harmonica playing and
unmistakable vocals. I was very proud to call Sam Myers my friend. I
enjoyed many enlightening conversations with this articulate, scholarly
man, whether at a blues venue or when I'd call him at his home in
Dallas. The blues world will miss Sam Myers for what he gave. I will
miss him because he was my friend. What follows is an article that I
wrote on Sam last year.
By Phil Chesnut
Texas guitar slinger Anson Funderburgh and his band, the Rockets,
are always a huge crowd pleaser during blues festival season. With
Anson's superb guitar, along with the tight ensemble playing of the
Rockets, this band by itself would be a treat for any blues fan. But the
band has a ringer. That ringer is Sam Myers.
Sam's harmonica is a
brilliant combination of Chicago and dripping Mississippi mud, which
complements the impeccable phrasing of his vocals. At 69, Sam is not
only sharp as a tack; he's also one of the truly nice guys in the
business.
Born in Laurel, Miss., in 1936, Sam
showed his musical talents early, earning him a scholarship to the
American Music Conservatory in Chicago. This move was the genesis of his
life in the blues. Sam was soon showing his multiple musical talents on
the south side with the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Hound Dog
Taylor and Robert Jr. Lockwood. It was, however, with the legendary
Elmore James that Myers first created blues history. These days, Sam is
the frontman, with his finely honed harp style and unmistakable vocals,
but back then, he was an equally adept drummer. From 1952 to 1963,
through the golden era of Elmore James' career, Myers was his drummer.
That's Sam's smooth shuffles that one hears on virtually all of Elmore
James' classic recordings. After Elmore's death in '63, Sam became a
true itinerant blues musician and fan favorite on the Chicago and
chitlin' circuits, until 1986. That's when Sam met Anson.
Phil Chesnut, a former Lincoln resident now
living in Seattle, is an occasional contributor to the Berman Music
Foundation newsletter.
Lincoln,
Neb.—Annette Murrell
and the survivors of
Hurricane Katrina have something in common. Both had their lives
destroyed by catastrophe.
Hurricane Katrina
survivors saw their lives destroyed by weather; Annette’s was destroyed
by illness. Yet this jazz stylist and blues woman, who is a fixture of
the Lincoln music scene, proclaims in the liner notes of her latest CD,
“May I testify that after the tempest, there is calm and hope among the
debris? . . . May I testify that at age 47, even though I live in the
eye of a whirlpool, it is well with my soul?”
Recorded Sept. 7, 2005, "Annette Murrell: Live at the Zoo
Bar!" celebrates Annette’s birthday and the inauguration of her arts
company, Dr. Diva Productions, which produced the CD. The occasion was
so special that Lincoln’s Mayor, Coleen Seng, proclaimed that date
Annette Murrell Day.
Annette’s CD puts the
listener right in the middle of her swinging birthday bash at the Zoo
Bar. Her band (consisting of local favorites Jim Williamson, Mac McCune,
Peter Bouffard, Ed Love, and John Scofield) rocks hard and soulful,
providing Annette the support she needs to belt out blues tunes such as
“Long John” and “Hey Bartender!” Annette and her fellas also know how to
deliver subtle and lyrical jazz ballads like “What Are You Doing the
Rest of Your Life?” and “Crazy He Calls Me.” However, the pièce de
résistance of the recording is Annette’s heartfelt, a cappella
rendition of the gospel standard “It Is Well with My Soul.”
Annette is donating a
percentage of her CD's profits to the Zoo Bar, KZUM Radio, and various
charities assisting the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. For more
information about Annette and how to purchase her CD, check out her
website: www.annettemurrell.com.
Feature Articles
March 2006
Articles 2005
Articles 2004
Articles 2003
Articles 2002
Feature Articles
Music news, interviews, opinion
![Butch outside Jardine's [Photo by Ruthann Nahorny]](media/706butch.jpg)
I
was diggin’
the likes of a very young
Stevie
Wonder, the Rolling Stones with Mick
Taylor, my first acid trip with
Jimi
Hendrix, Stevie
Ray Vaughan before anybody knew about
him, Tracy Nelson, Elvis Costello, Al
Green, etc. You get the picture.
Regardless of where I lived, my musical
ventures to KC continued through my rock
years to my current involvement with
jazz. The list is too long to mention,
as I tried to catch everyone I could
while living here in Nebraska—Joe
Henderson, Herbie
Hancock
and Wayne Shorter, Shirley Horn, Charlie Haden, J.J. Johnson plus current stars like
Karrin
Allyson and Bobby Watson, to name a
few. ![Ruthann Nahorny [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706ruthann.jpg)
With
this kinda
background, I knew the Aug. 6 tribute
for everybody’s beloved icon—pianist,
singer and songwriter extraordinaire
Russ Long—arranged by my dear friend,
BMF consultant, and one of the best
bassists anywhere, Gerald
Spaits, was
going to be a gasser, and how! The
magical evening of love and fabulous
jazz surrounding this ever-so-talented,
lovely man may have been one of the most
wonderful nights I ever spent in KCMO.
Special kudos goes out to the entire
staff of Jardine’s jazz club for working
with Gerald to make this blessed event a
reality.![Trumpeter Stan Kessler [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706kessler.jpg)
The
joint, as they say, was
rockin’,
swinging ‘n’ swaying, and packed to the
gills. It was standing room only for
the multitude of fellow players, fans
and friends assembled there that
evening. Click here for the
program
naming all of the tunes and astute cats
that gelled perfectly. Gerald rounded up
an interesting collection of musicians
to showcase 17 of Russ’ jazzy creations,
including a four-piece horn section led
by master of ceremonies and former KC
trumpeter Gary
Sivis, with his “musical son”
trumpeter Stan Kessler, new Westport Art
Ensemble sax player Dave
Chael,
trombone veteran Arch Martin and the
amazing reedman Charles Perkins, who I
had never heard live before. I was blown
away by his astounding chops.![Russ Long at the piano [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706long3.jpg)
Everyone
stood when Russ got up to do a few tunes
and reminisce about his 50-plus years in
show-biz. Even though Russ carries
oxygen with him when he leaves his home,
he played and sang with strength and
gusto, bringing his throng of teary-eyed
followers to their feet several times.
And if this wasn’t
enough of a treat, 50 years’
worth of Kansas City’s greatest divas
were present to open their mouths and
hearts and sing to the man who has
provided such beautiful melodies and
stories for them to sing, as well as
accompany them, probably from coast to
coast, covering over a half
century—Karrin Allyson, Julie Turner,
Carol Comer and Marilyn
Maye.![Karrin Allyson, Julie Turner, Marilyn Maye and Carol Comer [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706singers.jpg)
![Marilyn Maye and Karrin Allyson [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706allysonmaye.jpg)
![Julie Turner and Tommy Ruskin [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706ruskins.jpg)
![Russ Long and fans [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706long2.jpg)
![Russ Long signs autograph [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706long.jpg)
![Karrin Allyson in conversation [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706allyson.jpg)
![Ginny Coleman [Photo by Butch Berman]](media/706coleman.jpg)
![Jean Reldy sits in his office in Colorado Springs surrounded by jazz memorabilia. [Photo by Dan Demuth]](media/706reldy1.jpg)
It
is January 1945. Just three short years earlier, Jean Reldy, a young
Frenchman living with his father in the Philippines, was enjoying what
had to have been one of the most sublime lifestyles anywhere in the
world. Linen suits, broad-brimmed hats, two-hour lunch siestas with
evenings alive with clubs, bars and shows. Lazy days enhanced by balmy
breezes, a now long-forgotten lifestyle that could be enjoyed by
everyone—not reserved for just the rich and famous. In 1941, with the
Japanese takeover, Jean becomes an unwilling guest of the Japanese for
the duration of the occupation. ![Reldy's poster of the Monterey Jazz Festival, bearing autographs of Duke Ellington, Al Grey, George Duvivier, Clark Terry, Ray Brown, Harry Carney, Cootie Williams, Harold Ashby, Rufus Jones, Paul Gonsalves, Joe Benjamin, Willie Cook, Russell Procope, Harold Johnson and Norris Turner. [Photo by Dan Demuth]](media/706reldy2.jpg)
He
again met up with Ellington, becoming friends with Russell Procope, and
recalls going to a night club with Ray Nance and Cat Anderson, who both
got up and played trumpet “….beautifully for a couple of hours.” Another
acquaintance was jazz writer and critic Stanley Dance, whom Jean
interviewed in Brownsville, Texas, for publication in the Hot Club
Bulletin newsletter. At another of Duke’s appearances, Jean met up with
Johnny Hodges and Russell Procope, chauffeuring them to the concert.
Buster Bailey and Tyree Glenn were also recipients of Jean’s “taxi”
service when all three attended a private party.
![Sam Myers [Illustration by Phil Chesnut]](media/706myers.jpg)
Sam Myers is a truly unique personality in the blues
community. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Myers is very articulate
and scholarly and is known as the "Deacon of the Delta." His mid-set
sermons are an experience in themselves. He's always been very free with
a story or with his own wisdom, including his encyclopedic knowledge of
the interstate highway system.
Playing the same venue in Jackson, Miss., Anson asked Sam to join his
band. Thankfully for the whole blues world, Sam said yes. This was the
beginning of one of the most prolific partnerships in blues history.
Since then, Sam and Anson have toured the world many times over,
spending 300 days a year on the road. I figure they've done close to
6,000 performances together! And they just keep gettin' better, as Sam,
Anson & the Rockets proved last year, winning a Handy Award (their 10th)
for best traditional recording for their CD "Which Way Is Texas?" on the
Bullseye label.
The Rockets, with a super solid rhythm section, and the hot B3 and piano
of John Street, along with Funderburgh's true blue guitar, set the
perfect groove for this legendary bluesman, Sam Myers. After a three
week tour of Europe, ending in June, this Texas-, Chicago-,
Delta-influenced band will begin another American blues festival tour,
to the delight of the many blues fans lucky enough to see them. Sam
Myers, along with Anson and his Rockets are a testament to how a band
can be successful and still true to the blues.
Editor’s Note:
At your request, we will mail a printed version
of the newsletter. The online newsletter also is available at this
website in pdf format for printing. Just click here: Newsletter
