Jazz Police - Eric Kamau Gravatt and Source Code at the Artists Quarter, October 24-25

“He had bounce in his rhythm that would bounce off the floor and carry the music up to the ceiling. He had this ethnic sound - the continent of Africa - but with grace. He has a dignity and the flavor of Africa, and of metropolitan cities, all with the element of surprise." –Wayne Shorter

Perhaps New York is the epicenter of jazz, no argument. But here in the Twin Cities reside some of the truly international figures of jazz, including Anthony Cox and Eric Kamau Gravatt, to name a distinguished pair. And this weekend at the Artists Quarter (October 24-25), we have the opportunity to hear Gravatt with his stellar ensemble, Source Code.

An alum of Weather Report and the bands of McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell and others, Gravatt essentially has had two careers in jazz with a couple decades of separation. Like John Coltrane and long-time associate McCoy Tyner, he is a native of Philadelphia. Originally a conga player, Gravatt taught percussion and music in Philadelphia and Washington, DC in the 1960s. Miles Davis invited him to join his band, but Gravatt turned down the Prince of Darkness to follow Wayne Shorter into Weather Report, with whom he toured and recorded. But Gravatt’s sound was not exactly what WR founder Joe Zawinul had in mind, and after a while Gravatt was replaced in favor of a more “bottom heavy” drummer. He moved on to the fusion band Natural Life (with Bobby Peterson and Bob Rockwell), a move that brought him to the Twin Cities some 30 years ago. Demands of family and a desire for financial stability took Gravatt out of fulltime music and into fulltime work as a guard at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Lino Lakes. “I had kids, and Corrections were the only thing being offered that paid that good, and they had (benefits) you couldn't get in jazz," Gravatt told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Only recently, after retiring from Lino Lakes, has Gravatt returned to his calling, again touring with McCoy Tyner and performing with his band, Source Code.

Dave Hagedorn©Andrea Canter

Source Code (taken from software lingo for a collection of instructions to generate the programs that run on our computers, PDAs, cell-phones and toasters) tackles the works of such heavyweights as Coltrane and Jackie McLean—and his own band has the power to handle the repertoire, with Dean Brewington on sax, Dave Leigh on trombone, Dave Hagedorn on vibes, and Ron Evaniuk on bass.

Artist in Residence in the Music Department at St. Olaf College, Dave Hagedorn’s percussion duties have included the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera, and regular jazz gigs with the Phil Hey Quartet, Maintime, the Pete Whitman X-Tet and the Out to Lunch Quintet. Dave has also studied and toured with the great George Russell. Notes Don Berryman, Hagedorn “brings an integrated knowledge of complex harmony and rhythm that never fails to swing or to move anyone with ears.”

Bassist with the Americana Classic Jazz Orchestra (devoted to the big band music of the 20s and 30s) and leader of his own quartet, Ron Evaniuk recorded with Twin Cities trumpet legend Gene Adams, in addition to his work with Source Code.

New editions to Source Code this fall include saxophonist David Wright and trumpeter Bernie Edstrom. Edstrom may be most familiar these days as the director of the Twin Cities Youth Jazz Camp, but his collaborations as performer are quite diverse, from work with Debbie Duncan, Adi Yeshaya and the late Bobby Peterson, to big band and quartet, with Mingus drummer Dannie Richmond, and with Mick Sterling and the Stud Brothers. He also appears frequently with the JazzMN Big Band.

We keep hearing rumors that Eric Gravatt plans to move back to the East Coast. That means we need to take advantage of every opportunity to hear one of the greatest, if lesser known, drummers who today plays with as much fire and finesse as in his early years with Weather Report. The forecast for St. Paul? Lots of heat and plenty of lightning and thunder on stage at the AQ, October 24-25.

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street in downtown St. Paul. Sets begin at 9 pm, cover $12. Visit www.artistsquarter.com