Feature Articles Articles 2002 Doug Talley Quartet Talley Workshop Westport Art Ensemble Ivan Paduart Phil Woods Darryl White Interview Friends of Jazz Latest KC trip NJO continues strong season Charlie Burton

January 2003 Feature Articles Artist Interviews/Concert Previews/Concert Reviews Artist Interview Distinguished bass-voice due to perform   By Tom Ineck   Lincoln jazz fans had their first opportunity to bask in the warmth of Cameron Brown's bass when he appeared with pianist George Cables and drummer Victor Lewis at last summer's memorable Jazz in June performance. Brown returns to Lincoln Feb. 8, this time to perform a duo concert with legendary jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan. It's a 7:30 p.m. show at Westbrook Music Hall, 11th and R streets on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln city campus.   The singer had a long relationship in a similar duo setting with bassist Harvie S. Brown reconstructed Jordan's bass-voice history in a recent phone interview.   "The first time she did the bass and voice was with (Charles) Mingus," Brown said. "Later, she worked a lot with Steve Swallow, before he switched over to only play electric bass. She was working with a band with (pianist) Steve Kuhn, Harvie and (drummer) Bob Moses, and the duo kind of evolved out of that."   The Jordan-Harvie S duo was to last more than 17 years, suggesting compatibility between the human voice and the deeper tones of the stringed instrument. Brown has his own idea of what makes the marriage work so well.   "To me, there's always been something special about the power of the human voice," he said. "There's something about the transparency of the sound. Obviously, the two instruments don't come into each other's ranges at all, so you have this very transparent thing of the two-part harmony of the melody and the bass line. It's also a lot what Sheila brings to it, and the little arrangements that she works out, and the medleys. It's a very intimate ensemble. Sometimes, we're playing and I'll look up and realize that she's so close to me. It's almost like she crawls into the bass sometimes."   Brown's personal rapport with Jordan is another, more obvious factor in the duo's success. The two met in 1974 and have performed together in other group settings, but the recent merger as a duo is especially exciting for Brown.   "For me personally, on a lot of different levels, it's a huge thrill," he said. "The thing about Sheila is that she goes back to a very personal relationship with Charlie Parker, as well as a profound musical relationship with Charlie Parker. Playing with Dannie (Richmond), I got to sort of have a bridge to Mingus. Playing with Sheila, I feel like a have a more authentic bridge to Bird. It's so exciting. She has absorbed so much of his tradition. A lot of the tunes that she sings are songs that Bird played. We do 'If I Should Lose You,' for example, which is a song that Bird played. Your have the lyric and the meaning of the song, but you also have the scatting and the thing that Bird brought to that music, improvisationally."   Jordan's singing style is unique and more closely related to the phrasing of horns than it is to more conventional crooners.   "She feels like she was more influenced by horn players, in terms of the way she phrases," he explained. "Even though she's absolutely singing the song and delivering the lyric and thinking about the lyric, the way she does it is coming more from the way horn players played, rather than the way other singers might have done it."   Brown and Jordan have released "I've Grown Accustomed to the Bass" (reviewed in the Summer-Fall 2002 issue) and are working up tunes for a second recording. They also are preparing for a two-week European tour.   Born in December 1945, Brown began his career in the mid-1960s, recording with trumpeter Don Cherry and composer, arranger and music theorist George Russell, creator of the Lydian mode. Over the course of the next three decades, Brown worked with a wide range of jazz musicians in many different styles, including trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist Archie Shepp and drummers Beaver Harris, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Ed Blackwell, Idris Muhammad and Joe Chambers.   "The critics have a tendency to pigeonhole styles and compartmentalize the music too much," Brown said in a recent phone interview. "I really hear the music as one whole cloth. It feels, to me, very organic to play all those different styles. My early influences, interestingly enough, were the so-called avant garde. I got a chance to be around Don Cherry quite a bit when I was 19 years old, which was very inspiring. He was such a charismatic guy. He just lived and breathed music."   Of course, growing up in Motor City had a big impact on him, as well.   "When I was a kid in Detroit, I got to hear Miles and Blakey and Coltrane come through, and they'd play a whole week in Detroit. I worshipped at the altar of (bassist) Paul Chambers. My dad loved Dixieland, so I listened to Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Sidney Bechet."   Brown also performed or recorded with trumpeters Donald Byrd, Chet Baker, Ted Curson and Terumasa Hino, saxophonists Booker Ervin, Lee Konitz, Jane Ira Bloom and Dewey Redman, vocalist Betty Carter, and the John Hicks Trio.   But it was at the mere mention of his 8 -year tenure with the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet featuring pianist Pullen, saxophonist Adams and drummer Dannie Richmond that Brown was quick to acknowledge that association as a career high point.   "This was the band of my life. To get to stand next to Dannie Richmond for 8- years and just absorb the depth and breadth of his musicality was just incredible." The quartet continued until Richmond's death in March 1988. A sporadic composer, Brown wrote "Lullaby for George, Don and Dannie" and "For Dad and Dannie," dedicated to Richmond and Brown's father, who also died in 1988.   In addition to his collaborations with vocalist Sheila Jordan, Brown in recent years has worked with saxophonist Joe Lovano, Lou Donaldson and Houston Person, singer Etta Jones and pianists George Cables and Marc Copland, as well as his own ensemble, Cameron Brown and the Hear and Now. He has appeared on more than 80 recordings.   "I've Grown Accustomed to the Bass," the Feb. 8 performance by Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown, is a collaboration of the BMF, Aging Services PEAK and the Seniors Foundation. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 if you're age 60 or older. Call (402) 441-7158 to reserve seats.   top Performance Review Talley Quartet cultivates common ground   By Tom Ineck   Eight years and three full-length recordings have done wonders for the Doug Talley Quartet, honing the group’s sound to a fine edge and liberating the soloists to attempt more adventurous flights within the security of a long-standing relationship. The Kansas City quartet’s veteran status is a rarity in jazz, where musicians shift allegiances with the seasons, moving as stylistic or economic needs dictate. Saxophonist Talley and his cohorts—pianist Wayne Hawkins, bassist Tim Brewer and drummer Keith Kavanaugh—are the exception, four talented artists who have cultivated a common ground where all are able to express themselves and continue to grow as a team. That was apparent in their Dec. 5 appearance at P.O. Pears in downtown Lincoln. Whether performing original music or unique interpretations of familiar standards, the rhythm section was always in the pocket and everyone effortlessly followed the often-difficult changes. Vincent Youmans’ “Without a Song” kicked things off with an impressive tenor sax statement by Talley. Shifting to a Latin mood, the quartet launched into a mid-tempo reading of Clare Fischer’s “Pennsativa,” with Hawkins delivering a stunning solo on his versatile Kurzweil keyboard. By contrast, they attacked the standard “Autumn Leaves” in an unconventionally fast tempo, propelled by Talley’s driving tenor statement, full of interesting twists and turns, building in momentum and spinning off variations on the theme while Brewer and Hawkins deftly traded interweaving lines. With a mid-tempo rendition of Charlie Parker’s “Billie’s Bounce,” they proved their ability to play the blues with feeling. Cole Porter’s classic “Night and Day” accelerated from a medium tempo, moving from an opening tenor statement to a brilliant keyboard solo by Hawkins. Throughout the tune, and throughout the evening, the transitions were flawless. Again drawing from their 1998 Cole Porter tribute CD, Night and Day: Musings on the Cole Porter Songbook, the group played a Hawkins arrangement of “I Concentrate on You,” with Brewer stating the melody on bass, followed by Talley on soprano sax and Hawkins on piano. Talley and Brewer took brief solos, with Talley exhibiting a lovely “cool” tone on soprano. Porter, the favored composer of the evening, got another nod with an up-tempo “I Love You,” arranged by Kavanaugh. After solo statements from Hawkins, Talley (on tenor) and Brewer, Kavanaugh brought it all together with a solo that demonstrated his ability to easily change direction while keeping the time constant. Hawkins was the star on an up-tempo version of Porter’s “Just One of Those Things.” Talley’s unaggressive—almost passive—playing on tenor was overwhelmed by the pianist’s two-fisted Tyneresque style. “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” got a delicious reading with Talley on tenor, shifting from a ballad to a medium tempo. Another outstanding piano solo was followed by a tenor/bass finale. Dipping into their most recent recording, 2001’s original Kansas City Suite, Talley and company belted out the swaggering “Pendergast,” a reference to the tough boss who ruled Kansas City as mayor in the 1920s and early 1930s. Hawkins’s piano solo and comping was pounded out in an aptly two-fisted style. Also from the KC suite came “City of Fountains,” shifting from waltz tempo to a straight 4/4 and back again. Well-named, the tune had a bright, shimmering, bubbling major-key optimism about it, which was reflected in Hawkins’ upbeat solo. Brewer’s tribute to his son, “For John,” was a tender waltz that received an especially creative solo from Hawkins. Porter returned with a wonderful, buoyant rendition of “Love for Sale,” that featured an intriguing Hawkins solo. Porter’s great ballad “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” followed, with Brewer stating the melody line, which was then taken up by Talley on tenor. Sending everyone home with a smile was a very fast rendition of “Cherokee,” building from tenor and drums, then adding bass and keys to finish with a grand finale. Again, the quartet exuded a confidence that results from years of working together—in long hours of rehearsal and in heat-of-the-moment improvisation.   top Talley Workshop Talley and crew lend personal insights   By Tom Ineck   Saxophonist Doug Talley and his longtime bandmates are as engaging in the classroom as they are on the performance stage. That became clear when the Kansas City quartet attended a Dec. 6 session in front of Tom Larson’s jazz history class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A couple of hundred students gathered to hear the quartet in the lecture hall at Westbrook Music Building. They were treated to a well-chosen clutch of tunes, both old and new, as well as some personal insights into the world of the professional jazz musician. The Talley quartet began with a bit of Kansas City jazz history entitled “Basie and the Pres,” an original piece from the quartet’s CD Kansas City Suite. The bluesy swinger, of course, pays homage to Count Basie and tenor saxophonist Lester Young (also known as “Pres”), whose careers were launched in the musical hothouse of 1930s Kansas City. Switching to a Latin rhythm, the quartet evoked the Spanish architecture of KC’s Country Club Plaza in “Plaza Lights.” The stark rhythmic contrast between these two tunes sparked a discussion about the importance of time in jazz music. With examples, pianist Wayne Hawkins expertly delineated the differences between samba, salsa, montuno and Afro-Cuban styles. Talley’s arrangement of Cole Porter’s “Love for Sale” served as another excellent example of time changes, smoothly moving from 6/4 to 4/4. The subject then turned to the musicians’ backgrounds and what led them to jazz. When Talley was growing up, for example, his father, while not a musician himself, loved to play Dixieland-style recordings at home. Like many who grew up in the 1960s, Hawkins was a Beatles fan, but had loved music in general from a very early age. Bassist Tim Brewer, whose dad was a drummer, began playing in rock bands when he was just 13. Drummer Keith Kavanaugh turned from rock to jazz in high school. Finally, the subject of income reared its ugly head. Most jazz musicians, even in Kansas City, can’t make a living at music alone. Of the four, only Hawkins is a fulltime musician, but he supplements jazz performances with composing and arranging jobs, commercials and documentary films, jazz and classical symphony gigs. Talley is a music teacher and conducts youth camps. Brewer is a dentist, and Kavanaugh is a graphic artist specializing in designing CD covers. In its music and its commentary, the Talley quartet shed new light on the agony and the ecstasy of following the jazz muse.   top Performance Review Westport Art Ensemble even better live   By Tom Ineck   In concert, the Westport Art Ensemble (wae) generates an excitement level that transcends even its extraordinary recording debut. The wae’s highly anticipated performance Oct. 10 at P.O. Pears in downtown Lincoln exceeded all expectations, providing a showcase for the Kansas City quintet’s artful composing, arranging and playing skills, as well as its symbiotic and adventurous interplay. Perhaps the youthful vitality can be attributed to the fact that saxophonist Josh Sclar, guitarist Jake Blanton and drummer Ian Sikora are all in their 20s, and keyboardist Roger Wilder is in his 30s. At age 44, the eldest by a decade is veteran bassist Gerald Spaits, who sounds particularly inspired in such young company. In “Seascape,” a Spaits composition, the musicians’ individual contributions were not so much solos as statements in an ongoing discussion. Sclar’s cleverly titled “Dot of Oz” paired Sclar’s tenor sax with Blanton’s shimmering guitar lines in an ominously spiraling melodic line expertly anchored by Spaits’ bass. Wilder contributed “Labyrinth Therapy,” another complex composition with an incessantly pulsating rhythm and percussive flourishes. In his solo statement, Wilder explored the electronic keys in spirit kindred to Herbie Hancock. Even the cover tunes proved imaginative and even provocative. Lennon and McCartney’s “I’m Only Sleeping” again paired Sclar on tenor with Blanton’s fleet-fingered guitar passages in an intriguing reconstruction of the Beatles song. Wilder’s “Haenehmehr” accelerated rapidly out of the gate, launching Sclar into the tenor stratosphere and allowing the composer to respond with a brilliant piano solo, all held together by Sikora’s solid drumming. Despite the recent loss of the group’s founding drummer—the ubiquitous Kansas City timekeeper Todd Strait (who has moved to Oregon)—Sikora is an admirable successor in a setting that demands an advanced sense of time and varied percussion talents. One of the highlights of the evening was a guest appearance by percussionist Norman Hedman, who was visiting from his home in New York City as a BMF consultant. Hedman first joined the quintet on Sclar’s “Theme for This American Life,” a Latinesque ramble that was a perfect vehicle for Hedman’s virtuosity on congas. His percussive statements gradually grew in intensity and complexity, obviously amazing and inspiring his bandmates. He took another conga break during “Elisha’s Safari,” a Todd Strait composition for his son. Guitarist John Abercrombie’s moody “Arcadia” was an interesting choice for a cover tune, and the quintet created an appropriately stately, even solemn atmosphere. By comparison, the Spaits composition “Worlds Past” was bright and optimistic, featuring an inventive and hard-blowing tenor solo by Sclar. Sclar was back in the spotlight for his own tune “Eden or Lucas, Kansas.” Playing fast and loose with the changes, the saxophonist took listeners on a captivating excursion to the outer limits before turning it over to solo statements by Wilder and Blanton. Perhaps the most interesting performance of the evening was the quintet’s version of the Byrds’ late-‘60s hit “Eight Miles High,” whose soaring lines purportedly were inspired by the tenor flights of John Coltrane. Led by Sclar’s saxophone, the group quickly got to the essence of the melody, then Hedman took a spirited solo on congas as Blanton and Wilder provided lush harmonies. Another inspired cover was a Spaits waltz-time arrangement of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Wilder sat this one out while Sclar and Blanton took the spotlight. Interestingly, many of the quintet’s arrangements end with a slow fade, instead of the usual, clichéd finales. Hedman again contributed his considerable skills on congas to Sclar’s “Late Call,” a slow tune again featuring the combination of tenor sax and guitar. In a humorous vein, the wae brought the show to a close with a wildly careening blues number, the aptly titled “Almost Hit That Lady.” Throughout the evening, it was the young saxophonist Sclar who most impressed this listener with his composing and playing skills, his wit and sense of adventure. It came as no surprise when it was announced that he had just moved to New York City to pursue a career in the jazz capital of the world. Since then, guitarist Blanton also has made the eastward move, leaving the remaining trio to pick up the pieces. The seeds of greatness are in the Westport Art Ensemble. Let’s hope they continue to grow, even in the care of new “gardeners.” The quintet’s Lincoln performance was funded by the Berman Music Foundation.   top Performance Review Pianist Paduart benefits from K.C. stalwarts   By Bill Wimmer   Belgian pianist Ivan Paduart appeared Sept. 12 at P.O. Pears in Lincoln as part of the Berman Music Foundation’s local concert series. When I arrived, the trio was well into “It Could Happen to You,” with some spirited trading of fours bringing it back to the head. Paduart was lucky to be accompanied by the ever-supportive Bob Bowman on bass and drummer Todd Strait, two of Kansas City’s finest. The group then launched into Fred Hersch’s “Rainwaltz,” a nice mid-tempo waltz with a sparse, pretty melody. Paduart, showing his Bill Evans and Hersch influence, was enjoying the beautiful rhythm section, and I was enjoying Bowman’s fat tone finding his way on new material, with nice rhythmic diversity and dynamics. Next up was the standard “Like Someone in Love,” with Strait on the brushes and Bowman laying down a loping two-beat groove. Paduart ate up the changes in a solo marked by double-time flourishes. Bowman was impressive in his turn and Strait followed with a very tasteful display of brushwork. “The Mood Is Due” was a pretty waltz from pianist Enrico Pieranunzi that Paduart used to feature lush chordal statements. A direct Herbie Hancock-inflected solo from Paduart showed more of his broad influences. The band then took a break, and while discovering that Ivan’s limited English and my complete inability at French wouldn’t give me any extra insight to his playing, I had the most interesting chat with Todd Strait and Bob Bowman. My first comment to Todd was, “Too bad they couldn’t get you a drum set with a working high hat,” because he had to play most of the first set without the use of his sock cymbal, and no one else in the crowd noticed, or missed it. Chuckling, Todd informed me that they were his drums and not a borrowed set, and that the high hat broke so badly on the first song of the night that he just did without it. Many musicians would be really upset if their equipment failed onstage, but a great player with a beautiful attitude like Strait just shrugged it off and said it made it a little more of a challenge. Bowman told me that he didn’t even miss it! You’ve got to love these guys. The group came back with “I Hear a Rhapsody,” introduced by Paduart’s up-tempo solo introduction and a rousing solo with dashing runs up and down the keyboard, which was a nicely tuned baby grand provided by Dietze Music House. Bowman had a nice solo spot with a lot of quick double-stops, and the group traded fours with the drummer, who shone at this burning tempo, even without a high hat setting the beat. Paduart chose the ballad “I Fall in Love Too Easily.” It’s tough to play a ballad in a crowded bar, but he pulled it off pretty well. The bassist stole the spotlight on this one with a tasteful, melodic solo, without the pyrotechnics most bassists can’t resist when they get their chance to shine. They followed with a Michel Petrucciani tune that had a nice open A section in 2, a swinging bridge and nice, cascading changes. The group then explored the Chick Corea waltz “Windows.” Paduart, who obviously favors things in 3, gave Bowman a lot of space, which he used to great advantage in his solo statement. The trio finished with Benny Golson’s “Stablemates,” one of the great originals in jazz, which was arranged and somewhat reharmonized by Paduart. This is a beautiful song with a few twists and turns of its own and a rare harmonic beauty of its own, and while this version was musically correct, it really lacked some of Golson’s blues sensibility and came off a little European, if you don’t mind me saying so. The original release of this tune was with pianist Bobby Timmons and trumpeter Lee Morgan, after all, and I must admit, other than an interesting modulation of the ending with it going through 4 keys, this arrangement was lacking. You don’t need to reharmonize Benny Golson, OK? That being said, this concert was a big success, with a large crowd that included more adult listeners than usual and an unusually fine piano trio that you won’t hear the likes of here any time soon. These guys came to play and all in attendance were impressed with the results. This was an excellent show by all accounts and we will really miss Todd Strait, who recently moved to Oregon.   top Performance Review Woods brings youthful energy to The Folly   By Bill Wimmer   KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Saxophonist Phil Woods fronted a quintet as a part of The Folly Theater Jazz Series Oct. 12. I last saw Woods in 1977 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, so I looked forward to seeing this living legend perform again. Woods looked much as he did all those years ago, and his playing hasn’t lost a step, either.  Drummer Steve Goodwin and bassist Steve Gilmore have played with Woods since that time, and they anchor the rhythm section and breathe together as one. Pianist Bill Charlap has been playing piano for Woods for a few years now and also has developed quite a telepathic rapport with the leader. Jon Gordon, on alto sax, is a former student of Woods’ with some nice recordings of his own and a style that contrasts nicely with Woods. The band opened with a Woods original titled “All Bird’s Children,” featuring nice harmonies for the horns and a singing solo by Woods. Woods showed his obvious approval with the band’s support and with Charlap and Gordon’s solo statements. The saxophonist then told the story of how a couple from the area whose great Uncle had composed the song “We Could Make Such Beautiful Music,” and realized he was going to be in Kansas City, had e-mailed him. Woods said the couple was in the house, and that he would love to honor them by playing the song and meeting them after the show. Nice touch. The band played a nice arrangement with tight harmonies by the horns and a hot Woods contrasting with a little cooler, more studied Gordon and a fine Charlap solo. Gordon was featured on the standard “Invitation,” which he opened up a cappella, setting up the song’s Latin groove. He played an excellent solo, followed by a brilliant trip through the changes by Charlap. Gilmore quoted “Stranger in Paradise” in his turn, and Goodwin played an interesting drum solo with his hands for great dynamic effect. Saying that it was fitting to play a Charlie Parker tune in Kansas City, Woods tore into “Chasin’ the Bird,” a seldom heard Parker blues line that gave the band a chance to stretch out on the blues. After a Gordon solo, the band traded a spirited set of fours that brought the first set to a rousing end. The band opened up after a break with the Oscar Pettiford bop anthem “Bohemia after Dark.” Woods took an incredible solo on this one, featuring a series of call-and-response phrases with himself and showed that he is a master of nuance and dynamics. Charlap really impressed me as he backed up other soloists and on his own flights. Charlap was featured next on Parker’s famous version of the Gershwin tune “Embraceable You,” and he played the ballad for all it was worth. Parker’s original improvised melody is considered one of the most pure melodic statements in jazz, and it was really worth hearing in the hands of a master like Charlap. The piano was turned up louder in the second set, which had been the only drawback of the sound earlier in evening. It was a treat to hear Charlap at a time when his career has skyrocketed to the point of having Tony Bennett appear on his last CD. The group then returned to feature the leader on Billy Strayhorn’s “Bloodcount,” one of the prettiest and most dramatic ballads in jazz. Dedicating it to Johnny Hodges, Woods showed why he is still the greatest living exponent of the alto with his steaming and streaming glissandos and ability to wail one second and whimper the next. The eldest on stage, Woods made old men out of the others all night long. After an interesting arrangement of “If I Should Lose You,” the concert changed gears a little when hometown favorite David Basse came onstage. Basse is a singer/entertainer who has a lot of stage presence and charisma but tends to take it a little too far for his own good. Although Basse sounded fine on a couple of numbers, his onstage mannerisms and delight with his own utter hipness took away from the music. I longed for Kevin Mahogany, who wouldn’t have to rely on his hat for a stage prop like this guy to get his message across. The band finished up with the same closer that Phil has been playing for years, a tune that combines a medley of about 10 songs you recognize and makes you laugh as they fly by. This was a great concert by one of the true masters who has stayed at the top of his game for many years. The Folly has an excellent jazz series this year and is a great place to hear a concert. It’s disappointing that we have virtually nothing going on at the Lied Center when just up the road The Folly has Phil Woods, Rene Marie, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jimmy Cobb’s Mob featuring Randy Brecker, the John Pizzarelli Trio, The Dave Brubeck Quartet and James Moody all in one year!   top Tomfoolery Darryl White reveals complex personality   By Tom Ineck   I recently had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Darryl White, trumpet professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a growing favorite trumpeter among jazz fans throughout the Midwest. The interview was recorded for future broadcast on “Live and Local,” engineered, produced and edited by Craig Lowe for KZUM Community Radio in Lincoln. In the course of the hour-long interview, White revealed a complex personality, containing both a bold, uncompromising musical vision and a tender, sentimental feeling toward his family, his friends and his art. A Cleveland, Ohio, native, White lived in Chicago, Grand Junction, Colo., and Denver before moving to Lincoln six years ago to take the professorship held for many years by the revered Dennis Schneider, who was retiring. White’s first job as a professional musician was actually in the classical realm, with the Denver Brass and its off-shoot, the Aries Brass Quintet, a group-in-residence at the University of Denver. “From that, I made a lot of connections, and shortly after I started with that group, I established a little jazz group, which was the beginning of what I have now.” What he has now is a first-rate, straight-ahead jazz quintet that since 1995 has maintained a consistent lineup also featuring Nebraska native Jeff Jenkins on piano, Dave Pietro on alto sax and flute, Matt Houston on drums and Artie Moore on bass. Bassist Kenny Walker of Denver also has become one of White’s first-call colleagues and is featured on White’s current release, "In the Fullness of Time" (reviewed elsewhere in this issue). As they are booked into venues throughout the Midwest, the band members gather from their respective homes to join their talents. “It’s interesting. When we do gigs, we don’t get a chance to rehearse much. We pull everybody together, throw ‘em on a plane and we show up an hour before the gig and talk about the music. But they’re all great musicians.” They have to be. White’s own compositions and the tunes he chooses to cover are not simple ditties with changes that can be learned during a 10-minute rehearsal. Even the titles reflect his thoughtfulness. “Chronophage,” for example, is Greek for “time-eater,” a phrase used by one of White’s mentors, trumpeter John McNeil, to describe someone who wastes his time. “In the Fullness of Time” is a Biblical reference. South African Bishop Desmond Tutu used it in a speech that White attended at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. Not long after that, White heard it in a sermon at his church. “I felt like it was inevitable that I needed to use that title. That phrase kept popping up in different situations.” Thematically, philosophically and musically, White challenges his listeners. More than anything, he wants his music to convey sincerity. “I have no intention of watering down my music so that you can have a nice dinner around it. I’m trying to be as artistic and as creative as possible. It comes out of a lot of my experiences, a lot of listening.” He mentions trumpeters Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard as two of his most profound influences. His hope is to expand on their contributions to the music. While readily acknowledging his desire to push the musical envelope, White also admits to a more tender side. That side is revealed quite openly on his compositions “Nanpet (The Called of God),” which is dedicated to his wife, Rose, and “Lil I,” named for his son, Isaiah, both from his current CD. Similarly, his debut recording, Ancient Memories, contains a memorial to his father called “The Tree Has Fallen… but the roots will live forever” and “Be Sweet,” written for his mother. “I want people, when they hear the music—since there are no lyrics—I want to convey as much emotion as possible. Some day I think I would like to do a recording session of some of my favorite lullabies and ballads. I think probably my biggest strength is playing in that style. But I also have a more aggressive side,” White said, laughing. His life as a professional player complements his career as a teacher, he said. “My teaching is so enhanced by my performance experiences. I don’t think I could be an effective teacher if I didn’t have all the tools and experiences to share with my students.” Already White has plans for future recordings, including a collection of classical pieces. Here’s hoping we hear much, much more from the talented Lincoln-based trumpeter.   top   Friends of Jazz Music once again proves its healing power   By Butch Berman   Music is a healing tool. Either on the playing end or the listening... the power of this age-old medium is endless. Now the stepfather-to-be of a strapping 19-year-old boy-man named Bahji Gandu, I recently witnessed this theory take wings. Angel wings, no less, belonging to a piano teacher named Julie Felzien, who my massage therapist Kassi Riordan referred me to. Bahji, you see, was born autistic and requires much controlled, supervised stimulation. Little did I know when I purchased a piano for my fiancee Grace Gandu's household from Gourlay Brothers that it would have such a definitive impact.   Now... let me back up a long way, to my early 20s. I met a sagelike gentleman named Daniel McCurdy who turned me on to his (at the time) far-out concept of how music affects us, in much more depth than I'd ever imagined before. He felt that each note not only had a distinctive tone and sound vibration, but that to each tone a color is generated that affects us internally. Consequently, certain chords could be constructed to alter the mood of whomever the sound waves envelope. The ability to render relaxation to sleep, or excitation to anger could be utilized as an educational and/or therapeutic massage. Therefore, music could more naturally and more gently replace medication or controlled substances that would produce the same effects.   Given this background, Julie is starting to develop a program to enable Bahji to use the piano as a positive tool to help balance his neurological challenges. Music is transformed into almost a mantra to help calm and smooth him out.   In the future, we will continue to chronicle this fascinating saga of Bahji's development and share them with you, our concerned readers interested in mental health issues.   top Travel Story Latest KC trip was both social and musical By Butch Berman Grace and I set out upon our third sojourn to my adored "second home," K.C., and had the usual royal blast.   My main focus on this occasion was twofold. After checking into our lovely suite at the Heritage House at Sixth and Central (I highly recommend this fab, cozy, but spacious New York loft-style accommodation, with free breakfast and lots of amenities, including off-street parking and oh, so close to all the chosen venues) we prepared ourselves for another excellent dining experience at the Majestic on Broadway.   This time, we planned a dinner party with as many of our K.C. associates as were available. Included, besides Grace and myself, were sax great Ahmad Alaadeen and his manager, Fanny, and former co-organizers of the defunct but forever memorable K.C. International Jazz Festival John Jessup, radio and stage personality (and date, Kathy) and Steve Irwin of the Marillac Foundation and his wife, Jo Boehr (a fine singer in her own right), dear friends all.   We had planned to meet, eat and dig the sounds of one of my faves, drummer Tommy Ruskin, and his talented wife, songstress Julie Turner. Turns out Tommy had another engagement, so Julie, along with her guitarist son Brian and pianist-vocalist Mike Ning entertained and joined us for awhile.   Ning, one of the nicest guys I've ever met in the biz, gave me two CDs-one I've heard and the other still on deck. I think you'll enjoy "I Remember Mr. Evans," a tribute by Mike and his partner, Sherry Jones. In fact, when in K.C. stop by the Music Exchange in Westport and check out their amazing local CD selection. If you read 'bout it here and they got it there, just flat get it!   After leaving the Majestic, most of us, including late arrival bassist Gerald Spaits, adjourned to the Heritage House to discuss jazz and future potential collaborations into the wee, wee hours. In all, a grand evening of delicious food and drink, the usual top-notch K.C. sounds and the best friends and fans of jazz you could ask for.   The next evening, as expected, was just a gas. This was the CD-release party of the Westport Art Ensemble, with funding from the Berman Music Foundation. They performed in a theater-like atmosphere, with great stage, lights and sound housed beneath the Westport Coffeehouse in the heart of K.C.ís famed night-life hot spot on Pennsylvania Avenue.   A huge crowd of pals, families, jazz lovers and the curious just hanging provided the perfect foil for the terrific music awaiting them.   The band was in high gear that night, with everyone blasting on all cylinders. Bassist Gerald Spaits, saxophonist Josh Sclar, guitarist Jake Blanton, drummer Ian Sakura and keyboardist Roger Wilder make up the wae. There were lots of pix snapped, tons of CDs sold and a shitload of new and old fans to remember this evening for years to come.   Since then, only Gerald, Roger and Ian (who replaced the legendary Todd Strait, now residing in the Northwest) remain in K.C. as, like birds leaving the nest, Jack and Josh headed off to live 'n' learn more about it all in N.Y.C. Still, a band that caused such a stir in their jazzy community and whose CD was received favorably nationally, will at least regroup periodically to continue recording and sharing their creativity and evolution.   Stay tuned for K.C. trip No. 4 and our first totally online newsletter, coming to you this spring.   top NJO continues strong season   By Tom Ineck   The Nebraska Jazz Orchestra continues a strong season lineup with returning favorites and new guests appearing in January, March and May. Young Kansas City pianist Eldar Djangirov, whose stunning performance last year with the NJO was sponsored by the Berman Music Foundation, returns Jan. 22 in a program entitled "Learning from a Young Master." Aptly, he is billed along with this year's Young Lions All-Star Band, a hand-picked ensemble of some of the best high school jazz players in the area.   On March 25, saxophone great Don Menza fronts the NJO again, this time accompanied by another outstanding tenor player, Pete Christlieb, in a program showcasing these two "Tenor Titans."   Tony Gulizia, a longtime favorite in his hometown of Omaha and throughout the Midwest, is the special guest soloist May 6. A wonderful keyboard player and an equally talented crooner who now resides in Colorado, Gulizia will help the NJO present a program "Remembering Sinatra and Basie." Also scheduled is a guest appearance by the winner of this year's NJO Young Jazz Artist Competition.   top Charlie Burton & friends gather at Zoo Bar   By Butch Berman   Charlie Burton and I go back a long way. Sometimes bickering like feuding brothers and other times like... brothers. Two Jew boys with a fierce reverence for the roots music that we have played together and separately for more than half our lives. Charlie, a top composer and exciting performer, and myself, a guitarist/arranger, enjoy the sum of the parts of our craft. These days, I'm not a regular with Charlie Burton's band, but after years with The Megatones and Charlie Burton and Rock Therapy, etc., its still a gas even being the second-call guitar guy. This evening last October at the Zoo bar was special, with a rare collection of Lincoln's "old timers" backing Charlie and calling themselves Snakehead Fish. Dig this--fiddlin' with Dr. Dave Fowler, stellar guitarist Steve "Fuzzy" Blazek, Cutouts and Shithook rhythm section with the Daves--bassist Boye and drummer Robel--moi on guitar and, of course, Charlie. What a night! What a band! What a blast!   top

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