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“Jazz is not background music. You must concentrate upon it in order to get the most of it. You must absorb most of it. The harmonies within the music can relax, soothe, relax, and uplift the mind when you concentrate upon and absorb it. Jazz music stimulates the minds and uplifts the souls of those who play it was well as of those who listen to immerse themselves in it. As the mind is stimulated and the soul uplifted, this is eventually reflected in the body.” - Horace Silver

Thursday, 08 January 2009

Jazz for All, Love for Jazz: The 29th Annual Detroit Jazz Festival

Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor

Monday, 08 September 2008

Artist in Residence, Christian McBride ©Andrea Canter

“Throughout the annual Labor Day festival... there were six- to seven-hour shifts during which you could only throw up your hands and laugh at the orgy of overlapping talent on the menu. The point is not so much that bigger is better but that better is better.” – Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press

Detroit is not a destination city. Its depressed economy, high unemployment, and reputed urban crime rates have served to separate Motor City from more appealing centers of Midwest tourism and conventioneering. But consider the origins of jazz, a music that rose like the Phoenix from the ashes of adversity, swathed in a spirit of hope in the future and simply joy in living another day. Jazz of course was not born in Detroit, but the city nevertheless embraces this music as if it is indeed its native tongue, and when Labor Day weekend comes around, Detroit is no longer Mo’town. It’s Bop City.

A Festival of Community

This was my first Detroit Jazz Festival, and the massive gathering at the continent’s largest free jazz festival, one of the world’s largest jazz happenings, offered a striking contrast to the typical attention paid to America’s own music in our own country. From the first scatted verses from Dianne Reeves on Friday’s opening night to the last hot notes of the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Band in the final hour of Labor Day, more than half a million eager listeners flocked to six stages to see and hear more than 100 jazz acts representing the full range of the genre. And of course, this is Detroit, there had to be a smattering of the Motown Sound, most notably the opening night tribute to hometown legend Marvin Gaye (and featuring Twin Cities’ native Jose James blowing out the field on vocals). But unlike some big festivals and many “jazz” clubs today, the Detroit Jazz Festival is thoroughly focused on jazz. This year, the theme was “Brotherly Love,” connecting the jazz legends of Detroit and Philadelphia. Native Philadelphian and honorary Detroiter Christian McBride, a bass legend-to-be, served generously and intelligently as Artist-in-Residence.

Metro Detroit is home to about 5 million residents. Labor Day Weekend, about 15% spent their free time at the jazz festival. Of course there were many visitors, like me, from out of town, but given the cost of travel these days, it is a fair guess that the vast majority on Hart Plaza were more or less local. And it is not as if there was nothing else to do in Detroit this weekend. In neighboring Pontiac, an even bigger “Arts, Beats and Eats” festival enticed about a million; the famed Belle Isle Grand Prix drew its share of car racing fans. And given those options, as well as the usual array of family picnics, over half a million chose jazz.

Now in its 29th year, the Detroit festival nearly folded up its tent a few years back due to lack of funding and an erosion of its “real jazz” lineup. But the DJF now has something missing from many would-be jazz centers—community support through the newly formed Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. The Foundation is largely supported by a ten million dollar endowment from Detroit’s Mack Avenue Records Chairperson, Gretchen Valade, as well as a growing membership base of corporate and private donors. Like Monterey and other major festivals, DJF is a year-round operation. After spending four days not only listening to some of the best jazz on the planet but watching the well-oiled machine of festival operations, I wonder where our Twin Cities Jazz Festival would be if, say, a 3M or Target heir decided to invest in the future of American music?

Fulfilling the Festival Mission

The Detroit Festival has a three-pronged mission: 1) foster the history and nurture the development of jazz; 2) perpetuate Detroit’s significant jazz legacy through educational and collaborative opportunities accessible to all; and 3) present a world-class signature event that makes Detroit a tourist destination. The 2008 event succeeded on all dimensions.

Throughout the weekend, we learned and heard about the many influences of Detroit and Philadelphia on the development of the music. Philly native Benny Golson told stories about playing as a teen with fellow Philadelphia John Coltrane. Ravi Coltrane (embodying the merger of Detroit and Philadelphia) led a transcendent tribute to his mother (and Detroit native) Alice Coltrane. Detroit natives Gerald Wilson (who at nearly 90 was perhaps the oldest performer and certainly the oldest big band leader on site), iconic pianist/educator Barry Harris, legendary guitarist Kenny Burrell, superstar vocalist Dianne Reeves, elegant pianist and composer Geri Allen, alto sax star Kenny Garrett, the brash man of many reeds, James Carter, and many more helped us trace the development of jazz from early bop to modern avant garde, as did their compatriots from Philadelphia, saxman Sonny Fortune, piano lyricist Kenny Barron, tireless composer and bandleader Jimmy Heath, inventive trombonist Robin Eubanks... and of course host Christian McBride.

Not only did the many performances and commentary nurture appreciation for the legacy of jazz, but on the Here and Now and Stage, rising stars like Sachal Vasandani, Esperenza Spalding and the Brubeck Institute Quintet, as well as a wide sampling of college ensembles, gave us a taste of the vitality of the present and promise of the future, as did some of the true innovators of the current day on the Mack Avenue Records Pyramid Stage--Robin Eubanks’ EB-3, the high energy Arts and Crafts Quartet led by Matt Wilson, and the exciting compositions of pianist Gerald Clayton.

Heard in Detroit (L-R): James Carter, Buster Williams, Slide Hampton (Photo composite © Andrea Canter)

The festival was not just about performance but about promoting jazz as local culture, across generations. The Pepsi Talk Tent provided student workshops and “Meet the Artist” opportunities to hear from the legends that performed throughout the weekend. The Kid Bop stage provided a variety of performances and demonstrations aimed at the youngest jazz fans, complete with colored chalk and other appealing activities. The Jazz Garden stage presented middle school and high school bands throughout the weekend, and many area college jazz bands were featured on main stages well, often in the company of such heroes as John Faddis, Terrel Stafford and Jimmy Heath.

And finally, without a doubt, Detroit presented a world class event. The sea of red-shirted volunteers covered the festival grounds like an army of ants, answering questions, directing traffic, supervising and supporting the artists, and maintaining a safe and orderly routine. They were a genuinely friendly bunch, some clearly jazz aficionados, some curious to learn more. The food vendors were busy and lines long, but everyone seemed in good humor and committed to making this festival a showcase for Detroit hospitality. Swirling cadenzas to Artistic Director Terri Pontremoli and Artist-in-Residence Christian McBride!

Music Highlights

Dianne Reeves©Andrea Canter

Detroit Free Press writer Mark Stryker summed it up best when he noted (September 2nd) that “aficionados had scheduling conflicts all weekend long. The chance that you had to mortgage one can't-miss act for another was perhaps the highest in the festival's 29 years.” There was an apparent effort to stagger the high profile sets across the major stages, with the three venues on Hart Plaza only a short distance apart. Walk fast, think ahead, and you could take in at least half of most offerings, but it was challenging not only to one’s physical stamina but also one’s aural capacity. And to reach the young artists on the Here and Now or Jazz Garden stages, you needed to power walk the two blocks up Woodward Avenue, assuming you could ignore the enticement of the rows of street vendors, the towering puppets on stilts, and squeals of delight at the Kid Bop stage. Given that context, what follows are just some of the highlights from just one perspective.

Diane Reeves (August 29). I saw Detroit native Dianne Reeves a few months ago at Minnesota Orchestra Hall, singing tunes from her spring release (When You Know), but I much preferred the more personal feel of the opening night show—even if it was much the same in song selection and commentary. On her home turf, kicking off one of the biggest jazz events in the universe, Dianne projected just a bit more of that inner energy. Or maybe it was because she was just back from (current home) Denver and celebrating Obama’s nomination? Like her new recording, this was a set of mixed pleasures, one that perhaps even better fit the audience that overflowed the designated seating area at the Chase Stage. Outstanding were her jazz treatments of “Triste,” “Once I Loved,” “Social Call,” “Love Is The Hardest Thing When It Goes Away” and particularly her elegant scatting on Thad Jones’ “A Child Is Born.” And the crowd seemed to love her R&B turns on “Just My Imagination” and her own “Testify.” Sometimes she seemed to cover jazz, soul, blues and gospel all in one tune. Her band was solid in support and often equally soulful in soloing—pianist/arranger Peter Martin, guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Robert Hurst, and drummer Herlin Riley. It was a fitting start to a festival dedicated to the musical heart and soul of Detroit.

Ted Nash Mancini Project (L-R): Frank Kimbrough, Ted Nash, Ben Allison, Matt Wilson. Photo composite © Andrea Canter

Ted Nash, Mancini Project (August 30). My only previous experience with saxophonist/flautist Ted Nash was in 2005 when he had composed a score for the Zenon Dance Company of Minneapolis, and performed it with the Jazz Is Now ensemble. When I saw the list of musicians in his new Mancini Project quartet, it was clearly a must-see: pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Ben Allison, and drummer Matt Wilson. Talk about dream bands. Ted’s dad and uncle were both members of Mancini’s band, and between tunes, we heard stories of the famed composer and bandleader. “Solider in the Rain” was a quiet, lyrical showcase for Ted’s flute and Kimbrough’s elegant piano, which at times was overpowered by the big band at the adjacent Carharrt Amphitheater, an unfortunate “sound bleed” situation that occasionally repeated over the weekend. One of Mancini’s favorites, “Two for the Road” featured Wilson’s experiments in rhythm, splashy cymbals and rumbling toms. A funky “The Party” offered Wilson another playground, while Kimbrough revved the Steinway like a B-3, and here the wails of trumpets blowing in from Carhartt seemed to fit. Nash proved versatile throughout, on flute, alto or tenor, an accessible improviser who kept the music flowing, never bogging down in self-indulgent musings, always honoring the melody. He paid special tribute to his uncle, including the senior Ted Nash’s alto sax bridge on Dreamsville. Uncle Ted, as well as Mancini, would be proud. The Mancini Project will be officially released September 8th on Palmetto. Buy it.

Ravi Coltrane Tribute to Alice (L-R): Charlie Haden, Geri Allen, Ravi Coltrane, Brandee Younger, Jack DeJohnette (Photo composite © Andrea Canter)

Ravi Coltrane/Tribute to Alice Coltrane (August 31). Although very reluctant to identify any single set as the jewel in the DFJ crown, this one deserves the honor on multiple levels. Shouldering the weight of legacy in double time, tenor/soprano saxophonist Ravi Coltrane has earned his rightful place as a superlative artist on his own merits. DNA aside, he has evolved into one of the most exciting performers and composers of his generation; his usual quartet with Drew Gress, Luis Perdamo and EJ Strickland is one of the tightest working bands on the scene. But the DFJ provided a platform for a different ensemble, gathered by Ravi in tribute to one of the unsung heroes of the Detroit jazz caldron, late mom Alice Coltrane. For this occasion, young Coltrane assembled a cast including two of Alice’s cohorts on her last release, living legends bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Jack DeJohnette, along with native Detroit pianist Geri Allen, harpist Brandee Younger and percussionist Ed Feldman. Alice’s final Translinear Light seemed an apt description for this set: The late afternoon light, the soaring music, Ravi’s commentary merged as a transluscent, epic hymn to Alice, rooted in rhythms of Latin, African, East European and Middle Eastern origins. The sounds were global, the solos from Coltrane, Allen, Haden and DeJohnette among the most intriguing and intense of the weekend. And we seldom hear the harp in jazz, although Alice Coltrane was a bright example. On the Carharrt Amphitheater stage, Brandee Younger created exquisite cascades on Haden’s “For Turiya;” Ed Feldman commanded magic from the tables on “Jagadishwar;” “Blue Nile” was Ravi’s offering to the Gods. If only the offering had been captured for eternity.

Kenny Barron Trio (L-R): Francisco Mela, Kenny Barron, Kiyoshi Kitagawa. (Photo composite © Andrea Canter)

Kenny Barron Trio (September 1). One of the most inspiring, intimate jazz performances I have enjoyed in the past decade was a matinee outing of the Kenny Barron Trio at the old Jazz Showcase in Chicago. There were a mere dozen present on that Sunday afternoon and it was like having one of the greatest living artists of the keyboards in your own living room. In Detroit, the intimacy was far more challenging on the Waterfront Stage before a crowd of hundreds, but with his working trio of Kiyoshi Kitagawa on bass and Francisco Mela on drums, Barron managed to enthrall nevertheless. Covering a wide range of sonic turf from Eubie Blake to Monk to his own compositions, Barron demonstrated on tune after tune why the Village Voice once dubbed him “one of the glories of jazz piano.” He rendered an exquisite “The Very Thought of You,” then switched gears for a hard boppish, Monkish frenzy on his own “New York Attitude,” moving into an extended series of four-bar exchanges with Mela before reassembling the furious energy of his opening verse. And an outdoor crowd listening intently to a bass solo? Kitagawa did not disappoint this serious audience! Both Barron’s own “New Samba” and “Cooks Bay” exposed his love of Latin rhythms, and surely this trio would be comfortable in Rio. Barron chose to go solo on Eubie Blake’s “Memories of You,” initially emulating Blake’s stylish flourishes and embellishments, but then transforming the tune with a more abstract improvisation to bring Blake into the 21st century. A little Eubie Blake carried into the next tune with the trio, Monk’s “Well You Needn’t” dissolving into explorations that covered the melody with layers of new ideas from each artist, the theme finally emerging intact in the closing phrases. This was Kenny Barron’s second DJF visit in two years... let’s go for three!

Arts and Crafts (L-R): Gary Versace, Terell Stafford, Matt Wilson, Martin Wind (Photo composite © Andrea Canter)

Matt Wilson’s Arts and Crafts (September 1). Emcees loved repeating the New Yorker’s description of drummer Matt Wilson, “As whacky as he is smart.” And whacky he is, from his odd-ball combinations of percussive phrasing to his use of unconventional props to his menagerie of facial expressions that seem to provide an instant mirror of the inner workings of one of the most complex brains in modern music. His quartet work has involved combinations of strings, voice and horns; his Carl Sandburg Project a futuristic approach to the epic works of one of America’s most beloved poets. But his acclaimed Arts and Crafts Quartet is surely his most fun ensemble, combining blues, funk and hard bop. With the passing of long-time bassist Dennis Irwin last year, Wilson’s A&C now boasts bassist Martin Wind, a very compatible addition to keyboardist Gary Versace and trumpeter Terell Stafford. Some of the set list on the last day of the festival was drawn from the highly regarded Scenic Route, and Wilson took us along on a trip through Monk, Ornette Coleman, Pat Metheny, and of course, Matt Wilson. Monk (“We See”) is perfect for Arts and Crafts, particularly Wilson who never met a rhythm he couldn’t pull and twist. Dedications included Metheny’s “The Bat” for Dennis Irwin, featuring the majestic flugelhorn of Terell Stafford and hymnal organ of Gary Versace; Martin Wind proved worthy of carrying on Irwin’s deep and steady timekeeping. Dewey Redman, one of Wilson’s early employers, was remembered with the drummer’s jerky-rhythm, percussive shower, “In Touch With Dewey.” Stafford somersaulted through Coleman’s “Rejoicing,” and elegance touched with humor again prevailed on Wilson’s tribute to small town life, “25 Years of Rootabagas.” But you could be stone deaf and enjoy Matt Wilson. The man of a thousand faces and a hundred percussion antics never plays a dull set.

Horns a Plenty: Seemed every where you turned your ear, there were great horns, as soloists, as ensembles. Roy Hargrove’s Quintet cooked on high, as did Detroit native sons Kenny Garrett with his electrified quartet and the man of every reed, James Carter, here with a smokin’ sextet. Elder statesmen Sonny Fortune, Benny Golson and Jimmy Heath not only led their own bands but popped up with big bands throughout the weekend. Slide Hampton directed Heath and James Moody with the younger denizens of the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Band, and trumpeter Lee Morgan was remembered by a trio of young hornheads, Jeremy Pelt, Dominick Faranacci and Brandon Lee. Trombones were in the spotlight and then some when Robin Eubanks brought his EB-3 project to the Mack Avenue Records stage, at one point looping no less than four solo lines as well as his own percussion, then accompanying himself as a sextet. I missed Bone-a-rama which I understand was a serious transgression on my part. Two young saxmen to watch are the Brubeck Institute Quintet’s horns, Ben Flocks and Chad Lefkowitz.

Key Personalities: Starting off with Peter Martin’s support to Dianne Reeves, there was one stellar pianist after another throughout the weekend. Geri Allen made multiple appearances, but you can never hear too much of Geri Allen, one of the most accessibly inventive practitioners of the instrument. And I never tire of Geoffrey Keezer in any context, be it duets with Jim Hall (sadly canceled this weekend), with his own quartet, or in large or small contexts with Christian McBride. This weekend he played dueling keyboards, Steinway and Rhodes, backing the Marvin Gaye tribute band and serving his usual role with McBride’s working quartet, showing his range from the electric wizardry of the bassist’s “Techno Nightmare” to the acoustic lyricism of his own “Hibiscus.” Rick Germanson, a frequent visitor to St. Paul’s Artists Quarter, has been touring with Pat Martino, and held court with dazzle and dexterity with the guitarist’s quartet. There were bright halos around some of the younger pianists as well, including Twin Citian Javier Santiago, starting his second year with the Brubeck ensemble, and star-in-the-making Gerald Clayton, who more than held his own with Roy Hargrove and later pulled out the stops with his own trio. And it was a real treat to finally see Detroit senior executive and NEA Jazz Master Barry Harris in action.

Too Much Music, Too Little Time, Way Too Much Fun

If this account seems like it comes from a kid turned loose in the world’s biggest candy store, that’s not far off the mark. It reminds me of the feeling of taking a budgeted amount into my favorite music store during the annual sale, seeing appealing titles at every turn, knowing I have to limit myself to a handful. I have failed to mention the many magnificent bassists (headed by a personal favorite, Buster Williams, here with Benny Golson); the array of volcanic drummers (try Montez Coleman, Carl Allen, Justin Brown, Terreon Gully...); the living legends of guitar—Pat Martino, Kenny Burrell; the voices of now and tomorrow—Sachal Vasandani, Roberta Gambarini, Nnenna Freelon. Gerald Wilson, a day before turning 90, led a battle of the bands against the Basie Orchestra, and a long list of big bands kept challenging the breeze.

A four-day annual event will not by itself make Detroit a tourist destination. But at least for Labor Day Weekend, the Detroit Jazz Festival should be on the top of the list –worldwide—for jazz destinations. Next year will be the 30th anniversary celebration. It’s hard to imagine how Detroit will top 2008, but I suspect they will find a way.

In part adapted from Andrea Canter’s blog (September 3rd) at www.jazzink.blogspot.com

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