“Woody Witt continues the
tradition of great 'Texas Tenors' with a big fat sound, fresh ideas
and a decidedly modern and original approach to improvisation and
composition. A perfect combination of building on the past and
searching for the future." – Randy Brecker
 Woody Witt
A few months ago the Dakota Jazz Club
in downtown Minneapolis initiated a new series of performances
featuring innovative musicians to attract a late-night audience.
Curated by Jeremy Walker (Brilliant Corners, Jazz Is Now!), Later at
the Dakota offers sets from 11:30 pm to 2 am with bar and food
specials similar to Happy Hour. But the main event is the music, and
this weekend will feature back-to-back guest performances by
Houston-based tenor saxophonist/composer/educator/club owner Woody
Witt. Friday night, catch Witt with the Jazz Is Now! Nonent; on
Saturday he returns to share trumpet duties with Kelly Rossum and
Rossum’s Quartet.
Woody Witt
A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Woody Witt
has been committed to music since age eight. Influenced by a wide
range of genres from classical to pop to jazz, Witt earned a BA in
music at the University of Houston, then a Masters degree in Jazz
Studies from the prestigious University of North Texas, where he
taught saxophone and jazz methods. In 2000 he earned a Doctorate in
Musical Arts (saxophone performance) at the University of Houston
Moores School of Music. Currently Witt teaches fulltime at Houston
Community College and is an affiliate artist at the University of
Houston. Woody is also the manager/artistic director of one of Houston's few jazz clubs, Cézanne.
As a versatile artist, Woody Witt has
performed with the Houston Symphony Exxon-Mobil Pops Series backing
such headliners as Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, and Tony Bennett; his
credits also include tours with Broadway productions of 42nd
Street and Tommy Tune. He’s performed or recorded with a
long list of jazz artists including Tim Hagans, Louis Hayes, James
Moody, Conrad Herwig, David Liebman, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker,
Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell, and Branford Marsalis. Woody’s second
recording as leader, Round Peg/Square Hole (Apria, 2005),
features the all-star line-up of Randy Brecker (trumpet), David
Kikoski (piano), Johannes Weidenmueller (bass) and Ari Honig (drums).
With 8 original compositions (and one more from Brecker), Round
Peg/Square Hole belies its name with an ensemble cast that fits
together perfectly, be it on uptempo surges, contemplative ballads,
or soulful blues (See
Jazz Police review here).
Witt’s tenor voice is distinguished
by the fat tone of tenor legends and the innovative approach to
melody and harmony of modern-day lions. Noted Frank Rubolino in
Cadence, “There is nothing academic about his approach. It
is all soul and emotion and his solos ring out with authority.”
And it’s Witt’s musical accessibility wrapped in high-spirited
invention that makes him a perfect collaborator for Jazz Is Now and
the Kelly Rossum Quartet.  Photo by Andrea Canter
Jazz Is Now! Nonet with Wood Witt
(January 6, 11:30 pm).
Jazz Is Now!
is a nonprofit organization founded by Jeremy Walker and Marsha
Palmer (named City Pages’ “Best Local Impresarios”
of 2003),
whose first venture was the acclaimed but short-lived St. Paul club,
Brilliant Corners. Through educational affiliation with Jazz at
Lincoln Center and support from JLC Artistic Director Wynton
Marsalis, Jazz Is Now! today features several ensembles, with the
nine-piece band at the heart of its program. Swinging with the
spirit of the historic territory bands of the 1930s and the creative
intensity of the groups of Charles Mingus, JIN received a 2005 Jerome
Foundation Grant to commission new works, which have been featured in
performances over the past year. Jazz Is
Now! includes the full Nonet as well as smaller Jazz Ensemble. Recent
guest performers have included saxophonists Ted Nash and Wessell
Anderson of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. JIN initiated the
Later at the Dakota series and generally performs on the first Friday
of each month.
Performing
with JIN for the January gig will be saxophonists Chris Thomson, Dean
Brewington, Scott Fultz, and guest Woody Witt; trombonist Matt
Hanzelka; trumpeters Greg Paulus and Kelly Rossum; bassist Jeffrey
Bailey; drummer JT Bates; and pianist Peter Schimke, with Jeremy
Walker conducting.
Kelly
Rossum Quartet + Woody Witt (January 7, 11:30 pm).  Photo by Andrea Canter One of the most eclectic and innovative
musicians in the Twin Cities, trumpeter Kelly Rossum and his quartet
never fail to create an evening of challenging, exciting music,
blending classic jazz rhythms with modern innovations in sound and
composition. Wisconsin native Rossum was first attracted to jazz when
he heard Dizzy Gillespie’s performance on an episode of Sesame
Street. He cites as his primary (and very eclectic) influences
Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, and J.S. Bach. After completing high
school in Omaha and undergraduate studies at the University of
Nebraska, Rossum earned a Master’s degree at the University of
North Texas in classical trumpet and is
working toward completing his doctorate at the University of
Minnesota with a specialization in baroque trumpet. But jazz is
central to his musical existence. Since moving to the Twin Cities in
1996, Rossum has freelanced in rock, swing, jazz and classical
ensembles and performed with the Lyra Consort; he is on the faculty
of the MacPhail Center for Music as a trumpet and jazz instructor.
With his own jazz bands, Rossum released the all-acoustic Party’s
Over/Begun (2002, Yebo). Last year he released Renovation (612
Sides), named one of the top 20 local albums of 2004 by the Star
Tribune and one of the top 10 by City Pages. Noted
Courtney Lewis in Minnesota Monthly, Renovation “solidifies
what the local jazz scene has come to love about him: studious
authority and the knowledge necessary to pull off unconventional
compositions and instrumental choices.” Rossum’s quartet
includes three stellar area musicians, Chris Thomson (saxophones),
Chris Bates (bass) and J.T. Bates (drums). Add guest Woody Witt (whom Rossum met at a jam session at Kilgore’s in Omaha in the mid-80s) and
you have one heckuva quintet. And soon, there will be a recording
documenting Witt’s interactions with Rossum’s ensemble—the
recording studio is also on the agenda for Witt’s visit to
Minneapolis.
Later at the Dakota sets begin at
11:30 pm with a meager $3 cover. It’s the weekend and you don’t
have to get up for work in the morning! For more information about
Woody Witt, visit
www.woodywitt.com.
More on Jazz Is Now can be found at
www.jazzisnow.org;
visit Kelly Rossum’s site at
www.kellyrossum.com.
For complete schedule for the Dakota, visit
www.dakotacooks.com
|
Wednesday, 07 January 2009
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