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Pablo Ziegler and Nestor Torres

 

Los Lobos

 

Wayne Bergeron, Willie Murillo and NJO

 

George Winston

 

Summit Jazz Festival

 

January 2010
Performances

Concert reviews

 

Concert Review

Ziegler Quartet & Torres bring tango to Lied

 

Tom Ineck

 

LINCOLN, Neb.—In its 20-year history, the Lied Center for Performing Arts has presented few concerts as exhilarating, inspired and virtuosic as the Nov. 13 appearance of the Pablo Ziegler Quartet for New Tango, with special guest artist flutist Nestor Torres.

 

Pablo Ziegler (piano) and Hector del Curto [Courtesy Photo]Pianist Ziegler earned his reputation as an interpreter of the Argentine song form during a decade-long stint with the master of Nuevo tango, composer and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla. Since Piazzolla’s death in 1992, Ziegler has continued to expand its scope and influence with worldwide touring and recording, adding his own compositions and arrangements to the growing canon of tango classics.

 

His current ensemble maintains the high level of technical proficiency, dramatic stage craft and exciting interplay essential to the music. Hector del Curto is an astounding bandoneon player, guitarist Claudio Ragazzi alternates between a percussive accompaniment and single-note forays, and bassist Pedro Giraudo anchors the whole group with effortless confidence. Ziegler, of course, directs the entire proceedings with consummate authority from the keyboard.

 

The quartet accomplished seamless transitions, from three-way unison passages through-written in classical style to free-form improvised solos, romantic runs on the piano and two-way dialogue between Ziegler and del Nestor Torres [Courtesy Photo]Curto. The foursome warmed up the action with a couple of tunes, including “Just around the Corner” and “Milonga.”

 

Torres, a native of Puerto Rico and a relative newcomer to the tango esthetic, added his Latin and jazz chops to the mix on the Piazzolla composition “Michelangelo 70,” a delicious blend of intricate and intense rhythms, often created by del Curto and Giraudo tapping out polyrhythmic passages on their instruments. Ziegler’s “Buenos Aires Report” surged with an insistently repetitive bandoneon riff and on “Blues Tango” Ragazzi churned out a stinging guitar solo on his hollow-bodied Gibson.

 

Torres warmly dedicated the classical tango “Fuga Y Misterio (Fugue and Mystery)” to John Bailey and the flute program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ziegler and Ragazzi performed a duo rendition of “Elegante Canyebquito.” Piazzolla’s brilliant “La Muerte del Angel (Death of the Angel)” was simply stunning in its flawless execution (no pun intended). Ziegler Pablo Ziegler [Courtesy Photo]introduced a new milonga with classical elements and dedicated to composer Alberto Ginastera, who mentored Piazzolla.

 

In a very personal vein, Ziegler introduced the achingly beautiful ballad “Muchacha de Boedo” by describing the young girl who inspired it. Torres returned for “Chin Chin,” a dazzling workout for the whole band. The second half of the concert also featured Torres stating the lovely melody of “Introduction to the Angel,” and the exquisite rendition of that most famous Piazzolla composition, “Libertango (Freedom Tango),” with Torres turning in an amazing flute solo of great skill and passion.

 

The audience of some 900 demanded—and received—an encore, which began as a stately Bach sonata before moving into the jazz realm with soaring flute improvisations by Torres.    

 


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Concert Review

Los Lobos unplugs for most of Lied concert

 

By Tom Ineck

 

LINCOLN, Neb.—As though a concession to the high-brow confines of the Lied Center for Performing Arts, the ordinarily rockin’ Americana of Los Lobos was somewhat more subdued in the band’s Oct. 30 appearance. After more than 30 years of recording and performing on the road, they have plenty of material for any occasion, so the largely unplugged, folk-heavy choice of tunes was actually a welcomed contrast.

 

Los Lobos [Courtesy Photo]The 90-minute, two-part program drew from the entire Los Lobos catalog and featured everyone in the band, beginning with a set of Spanish-languish songs played on traditional Mexican instruments and including the title track from the band’s 1988 release, “La Pistola y el Corazon,” with Steve Berlin on tenor sax.

 

Louie Perez sang “Saint Behind the Glass,” from 1992’s “Kiko,” and Cesar Rosas delivered a heartfelt version of “Maricela” from “Colossal Head,” the band’s 1994 release. David Hidalgo showed his versatility, moving easily from accordion to various acoustic and electric guitars. Especially enjoyable was a fine treatment of the familiar Cuban folk song “Guantanamera,” which appeared on the very first Los Lobos release in 1978. Bassist Conrad Lozano handled the vocals and Berlin switched to flute.

 

Opening the second half, the band dipped into its latest CD, “Los Lobos Goes Disney,” for “I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song),” from the animated film adaptation of “The Jungle Book.” Yet another acoustic performance, this one featured Berlin on baritone sax. From their own extensive songbook came excellent versions of “Just a Matter of Time,” “One Time One Night” and “Kiko and the Lavender Moon.”

 

The night would not have been complete without “La Bamba,” the only tune that has come close to hit status for Los Lobos. Never satisfied with a conventional take, they worked variations that included a long quote from The Rascals’ “Good Lovin’” and infused the well-worn song with new energy.

 

The 15-minute encore alone was worth the price of admission. Beginning with the rockin’ rave-up “I Got Loaded,” it segued into the classic Buddy Holly tune “Not Fade Away,” with a heavy emphasis on the infectious Bo Diddley beat. With Hidalgo, Rosas and Perez wailing on guitars, it expanded into a full-blown Grateful Dead jam. It was a grand finale worthy of the Los Lobos tradition. 

 


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Concert Review

Bergeron doubles the pleasure at NJO concert

 

By Tom Ineck

 

Willie Murillo (left) and Wayne Bergeron [Photo by Tom Ineck]LINCOLN, Neb.—An audience of 400 got a two-for-one deal Oct. 29 at The Cornhusker hotel when featured trumpeter Wayne Bergeron brought along a “stunt double” to handle the high-note duties as guest soloist with the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra.

 

Still nursing a recent lip injury, the Lost Angeles-based Bergeron enlisted former student Willie Murillo, a 10-year veteran of the swinging Brian Setzer Orchestra. Meanwhile, Bergeron conducted the NJO and entertained the crowd with one-liners, inside jokes and general hilarity.

 

The kick-off concert of the NJO’s 34th year began with several tunes featuring young trombonist Karl Lyden, winner of the NJO’s 2009 Young Jazz Artist Doug Hinrichs on congas [Photo by Tom Ineck]Award, including the standard “Spring Is Here,” John Coltrane’s fast blues “Locomotion” and the Eric Richards samba “Noite de Tempestade (Evening Storm).”

 

The 16-piece NJO also ran through two typically difficult compositions by Rex Cadwallader, “Year of the Frog” and “Tactical Practicality,” which gave everyone a chance to work out, including another guest artist, Doug Hinrichs, on congas.

 

But Bergeron and Murillo were the night’s winning combination. Murillo immediately proved his chops with “Friend Like Me,” from the Disney movie “Aladdin,” a high-note extravaganza originally arranged for Arturo Sandoval. Bergeron briefly played the melody of a Tom Kubis tune written for him, the cleverly titled “High Clouds and a Good Chance of Wayne Tonight.”

 

Bergeron briefly plays with NJO rhythm secton [Photo by Tom Ineck]A Kubis arrangement of the ballad standard “You Go to My Head” allowed Bergeron to play the melody on flugelhorn before turning to Murillo, who delivered a piercing solo with the sax section.

 

Other favorites included a wonderful arrangement of “Besame Mucho” and an odd “Waltz of the Flowers.”

 


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Concert Review

Winston brings "rural folk piano" style to Lied

 

By Tom Ineck

 

LINCOLN, Neb.—The listener who expects to hear conventional blues rhythms or jazz improvisations from George Winston is apt to be flummoxed by his unusual approach to the keyboard, a style he accurately calls “rural folk piano.”

 

George Winston [Courtesy Photo]It’s a style steeped in tradition but pared down to its essence, as Winston proved Oct. 20 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. In a program oddly titled “The Summer Show,” Winston ranged freely over a variety of his favorite influences, including New Orleans great Professor Longhair, jazz composer Vince Guaraldi and the rock group The Doors.

 

Taking the stage in his unassuming style, wearing a simple work shirt and blue jeans, Winston immediately went to work with an uptempo version of Professor Longhair’s “Meet Me Tomorrow Night,” a rollicking Crescent City rocker. Almost totally devoid of blues dynamics, Winston’s approach is technically precise and totally original.

 

His composition “Spring,” a pastoral piece with ringing chords, included a section inspired by modernist Steve Reich that had Winston repeating a pattern with his left hand as he played variations with the right.

 

A Guaraldi medley included “It’s Been a Short Summer, Charlie Brown,” a typically lively, whimsical tune. Winston expertly alternated between bass and treble passages for dramatic effect. “Woods,” inspired by early autumn, evoked that pastoral imagery inherent in his rural folk piano.

 

As an example of the stride piano technique of Fats Waller and Teddy Wilson, Winston performed “Cat and Mouse,” where his mechanical keyboard attack was appropriate. The right hand soared into the upper registers as the tempo went from fast to very fast.

 

George Winston [Courtesy Photo]To finish the first half, he switched to guitar for a lovely performance of the Hawaiian “slack-key” style, with complex chords and delicate finger-picking.

 

Winston opened the second half with “Fragrant Fields,” a haunting tune by pianist Art Lande. He followed that with an equally compelling ballad called “Beverly” before launching into another New Orleans rocker, this time a tune by the legendary James Booker, a clear precursor to rock ‘n’ roll.

 

Again showing his versatility, Winston cupped a harmonica in his hands and played a long, old-timey piece, with variations, in a style all his own. The evening’s crowd pleaser was his “Variations on Pachelbel’s Canon,” utilizing a resounding bass-note counterpoint.

 

Finally, Winston’s attention turned to The Doors for a version of their “Riders on the Storm,” complete with the falling-rain effect that Ray Manzarek played on the original recording. Winston returned for an encore on guitar, playing The Doors’ sad ballad “You’re Lost, Little Girl.”

 


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Colorado Correspondent

Summit Jazz Festival swings in trad style

 

By Dan DeMuth

 

DENVER—Early October found us in Denver to attend another Summit Jazz Festival. Traditionally, these start on Friday evening with the finale on Sunday, and traditional as well is the style of jazz focused on for this event. There was the usual mix of name artists spotlighted for their solo efforts, along with some ensembles.

 

The Allstars [Photo by Dan DeMuth]In no particular order, the name players would include cornetist Duke Heitger, pianist and vocalist Jeff Barnhart (who also fronts the Ivory and Gold Trio) , drummer Joe Ascione, Jerry Krahn on guitar, bassist Paul Keller and Anat Cohen, known for her outstanding work on the clarinet but also capably doubling on tenor sax. The bands included the Jim Cullum group of San Antonio’s Riverwalk fame, the Ivory and Gold Trio, the Titan Hot Seven out of Nashville, and the Toronto-based Climax Jazz Band, a personal favorite (more on that later).

 

The Denver area contributed the Alan Frederickson Jazz Ensemble, led by the gentleman of the same name, who also co-produces this event. Featured also were two local bands who painted some numbers in an excellent frame. Both the University of Colorado at Denver "Claim Jumpers" and the "Jazz Cookers" put on outstanding shows. The latter is a group of young musicians most of whom were classmates in a high school group and have continued to play together. Thankfully, youth groups continue to be an important mainstay at most festivals.

 

As expected, there was a polished performance by the Jim Cullum Jazz Band. A very knowledgeable friend in attendance, who has seen them before, expressed an opinion prior to their performance that they Jim Cullum Jazz Band [Photo by Dan DeMuth]were almost too polished—no mistakes and very little improvisation. I found this to be an astute observation, akin to hearing the released cut on a recording, and one might surmise Cullum's purpose is to authentically recreate the older numbers as a rehearsed band would have played them in their day. Give them credit that they do not focus on the same time-worn songs in which other Dixie or trad groups often tend to immerse themselves.  

 

Anat Cohen's promo notes she is "idiomatically conversant with both modern and traditional jazz...." and having heard her perform in both environments it is certainly true (even if couched in language a bit highbrow for this old lowbrow). Her great talent belies her sometimes rather stiff stage presence and I guess that’s what it is really all about.

 

One could certainly put Jeff Barnhart at the opposite end of that spectrum; at times allowing the exuberant persona to almost overshadow the excellent technical skills. Bassist Keller is not only extremely proficient but adds humorous banter perfectly timed. Krahn's playing and demeanor remind me of Bucky Pizzarelli—not ostentatious, just great.

 

Heitger definitely lives up to his reputation for diversity, blowing both hot and cool numbers equally well. Further notes would have to include Ascione, who continues to courageously battle MS and yet performs flawlessly on any number called, an astute timekeeper who can also light 'em up when needed.

 

Climax Jazz Band [Photo by Dan DeMuth]The Climax Jazz Band uses a free-swinging, hard-driving approach, with improvisation definitely allowed and a great stage presence with a dose of British humor thrown in. We had the opportunity of enjoying a libation or two with some of the members in the hotel bar (not sure how that always seems to happen!) and were regaled with a few jokes and stories. Can you top this? Oscar Peterson politely asked if it was OK to sit in with them at a performance in Canada! The Titan Hot Seven (the “hot” aptly applied) feature some of the above artists, such as Barnhart and Krahn, as well as drummer Danny Coots providing inspiration.

 

A tip of the hat goes to all of the above musicians, who also perform well in other styles of jazz. The focus of this event just happened to be traditional.

 

The entire event is well run and for that, credit rightfully goes to Juanita Greenwood and partner Alan Frederickson, who have been involved in producing these for 30 years. Juanita is very adept at recruiting volunteers to aid in the production and adds a personal touch in assisting attendees in any way. To persevere that long in any business means you have to be doing something right!

 


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