Jazz Police

Home

More Cities

Main Menu

"The difference between composition and improvisation is that in composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in fifteen seconds, while in improvisation you have fifteen seconds.” -Steve Lacy

Friday, 09 January 2009

David 'Fathead' Newman and the Dr Lonnie Smith Trio at Dizzy's December 19-24

Written by Ronaldo Oregano

Sunday, 17 December 2006

Before he heads to Chicago to close the Jazz Showcase, David Fathead Newman joined by the Dr. Lonnie Smith trio featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein at will play a week at Dizzy's in Manhattan, December 19th through the 24th.

David 'Fathead' Newman, who plays both tenor and flute, is a solid mainstream jazz player who is best known for his long association with Ray Charles. Newman was born in Corsicana, Texas on February 24, 1933. After high school, David found gigs in local bands. He received a scholarship to Jarvis Christian College where he studied theology and music. After two years of college, David decided to go on the road full time with Buster Smith (Charlie Parker's mentor). On one of those tours, David met Ray Charles. They immediately bonded, both musically and as friends. When Ray started his own band, he called on David to be part of his group. In 1954, David began a twelve year association with the Ray Charles Band. David b egan as the baritone player and soon became the star tenor soloist.

In 1959, David recorded his first album as a leader titled, "Fathead: Ray Charles Presents 'Fathead'" on Atlantic records. It included Newman's dramatic and now famous rendition of Hard Times. He returned to Dallas for a short time and led his own bands. Then he moved to New York City where his career took off in many directions, recording many albums for Atlantic records, as well as Warner Brothers and Prestige, and gigging with Lee Morgan, Kenny Drew Sr., Billy Higgins, Kenny Dorham and so many other of the great jazz musicians hanging out on the New York scene.

In 1980, Newman recorded several mainstream jazz albums for the Muse label. Artists such as Cedar Walton, Jimmy Cobb, Buster Williams, Louis Hayes, and other fine NY musicians, helped round out the rhythm sections. David returned to Atlantic Records in the late eighties to record several albums. Newman's next recordings were on the Kokopelli label, owned by Herbie Mann. David recorded a beautiful CD in tribute to Duke Ellington, titled Mr. Gentle, Mr. Cool. David produced the next one on Kokopelli, titled Under A Woodstock Moon. The late nineties brought David to the High Note label where he recorded I Remember Brother Ray, was released in 2005 and became the #1 Most Played Jazz Album nationwide.

David Newman has appeared on many television shows including Saturday Night Live, David Sanborn's Night Music, David Letterman, and various featured news segments. David appeared in Robert Altman's film Kansas City and did a national tour with the Kansas City Orchestra, for Verve Records.
Dr. Lonnie Smith © John Whiting

Dr. Lonnie Smith performs with passion and skill, and has been thrilling audiences since the 1960's. Smith's 1968 debut with Bluenote, Think is solid soulful jazz. His long association with Lou Donaldson resulted in some of the most iconic soul-jazz statements of the era (including Alligator Boogaloo). Dr. Lonnie Smith was born in Buffalo, N.Y. into a musical family. His family had a singing group and a radio show. Smith credits his mother as a major influence in his musical career, introducing him to gospel, classical and jazz music.

"I can take it anywhere it goes, right? I love to play inside, outside...but the organ swings best when it swings, doesn't it? That's what that organ is good for. You could try to play hip all you want, but when you swing that thing, there's no other feeling like it." - Doctor Lonnie Smith
Dr. Smith also has a Jack McDuff connection. He sat in with Jack's group in th early 60's and met George Benson, and shorty after that formed a successful group with Benson. After recording several albums with George Benson, Lonnie became a solo recording artist and developed a career that has produced over 30 albums under his own name. Several legendary jazz artists have joined Dr. Lonnie Smith on his albums, including Lee Morgan, David "Fat Head" Newman, King Curtis, Blue Mitchell, and Joe Lavano among others. Lonnie has performed at the major world jazz festivals with Dizzy Gillespie, Grover Washington, Jr., Ron Carter, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy McGriff, Frank Foster, Leon Thomas, Willis Jackson and other prominent jazz artists. His extraordinary range has also included performances with the rhythm and blues greats Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Etta James, Esther Phillips, the Impressions and the Coasters.

Peter Bernstein

Guitarist Peter Bernstein has been playing the New York Jazz scene for over a decade where he has established himself as a consummate leader, a highly cooperative sideman and a gifted composer. He studied Jazz music at Rutgers University with influential coaches Ted Dunbar and Kenny Barron and also got a degree of music from The New School in New York City. While at The New School, Peter studied with Jim Hall who became one of his most influential mentors. In 1990 Jim asked Peter to join him in his Guitar Invitational Concert at the JVC Festival. A recording on the Music Masters label resulted, and Peter proceeded to duet with Jim Hall on a number of occasions including a 1994 European tour.

Peter has joined ranks with many Jazz notables, both in live and recorded sessions. As a sideman Peter's discography surpasses 30 recordings. He has worked with Joshua Redman, Lou Donaldson, Jim Hall, Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano, Roy Hargrove, Larry Goldings, Maceo Parker, Javon Jackson, Lee Konitz, Walt Weiskopf, Jack McDuff, Charles Earland, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Eric Alexander among others. To date, Peter has recorded four CD's as a leader for the Criss Cross label. His 1993 debut was Somethin’s Burning, featuring legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb, followed by Sings of Life (1995), (starring the formidable cast of Christian McBride, Greg Hutchinson and Brad Mehldau) then Brain Dance (1997), featuring Larry Goldings, Blly Drummond, Steve Davis and Eric Alexander; and finally, the critically acclaimed trio romp, Earth Tones, featuring Larry Goldings and Bill Stewart. Peter’s Quartet was also one of five groups featured on RCA Victor’s CD Live at Birdland (1999).

Peter Bernstein has become known for his melodic, bluesy tact and warm-tone. His personal style is influenced by Jazz greats Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Charlie Christian, and Jim Hall. Peter can currently be spotted in a number of settings: he is simultaneously a member of Jimmy Cobb’s Mob, the Lou Donaldson Quartet, The Melvin Rhyne Trio, and a trio featuring Larry Goldings and Bill Stewart. Having toured as a member of Joshua Redman’s Band for two years (1995-1997) he has been seen at all the popular New York Jazz venues and Jazz Festivals worldwide, including the Newport Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Mount Fuji Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, and Umbria Jazz Festival. In January 1999, Peter performed as a leader of his own Trio at the Blue Note,

Join David Fathead Newman with the Dr. Lonnie Smith trio featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein at Dizzy's in Manhattan, December 19th through the 24th. www.jalc.org/dccc

Comments

Add New