Detroit JazzStage - World Class Jazz From Motown

Detroit Jazz Fest Executive Director Terri Pontremoli visits Detroit JazzStage – 2008

jazzstage — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:11:47 +0000

This month on Detroit Jazzstage,Terri Pontremoli, the Executive Director of the Detroit International Jazz Festival, sat down to discuss this year’s lineup.

For more than a quarter century, the Detroit Jazz Fest has entertained millions of fans with jazz legends ranging from Herbie Hancock to Yusef Lateef and Ron Carter. Today, it ROARS on six stages over four days, with blues, gospel, R&B, and one of the finest jazz lineups on the planet. The festival also offers educational events, daily second-line parades, fire works, and rare opportunities to meet the artists. And it’s all FREE!

In 2008, the Detroit Jazz Fest will celebrate the rich musical traditions of Philadelphia and Detroit and the “Trane” that connects them.

Billed as A Love Supreme: the Philly/Detroit Summit, the festival will feature Philadelphia native and renowned bassist Christian McBride as artist in residence. Other featured artists include Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson, Geri Allen, along with Philly stalwarts Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Roy Hargrove, Sonny Fortune, Pat Martino and many more.

The festival takes place in Downtown Detroit over Labor Day Weekend, August 29th through September 1st 2008.

For more information on the 2008 Detroit International Jazz Festival, go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com

Music heard on this show

Viva Tirado – The Gerald Wilson Big Band – Recorded live at the 2007 Detroit International Jazz Festival.

Bossa J.C. – James Carter – From the CD Present Tense

Trumpet – Dwight Adams
Saxophone – James Carter
Guitar – Rodney Jones
Piano – D.D. Jackson
Percussion – Eli Fountain
Bass – James Genus
Drums – Victor Lewis

Blue Horizons – Sean Dobbins and The Modern Jazz Messengers – From the ‘Modern Jazz Messengers’ CD.
Saxophone – Dean Moore
Vibes – Robert Pipho
Piano – Steve Richko
Bass – Marion Hayden
Drums – Sean Dobbins

Buhaina – (comp. Kenny Cox) The Marion Hayden Sextet- Recorded live at the 2007 Detroit International Jazz Festival
Trumpet – Dwight Adams
Saxophone – Wendell Harrison
Trombone – Ron Kischuk
Piano – Buddy Budson
Bass – Marion Hayden
Drums – Sean Dobbins

A Good Man Is Hard To Find – Maria Muldaur and James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band – Recorded live at the 2007 Detroit International Jazz Festival

Go to www.jazzstage.us for links to these and the other great artists featured on Detroit JazzStage

Acknowledgments -
Opening Music – Mark Byerly’s Marks Mood available on the self titled CD Bop Culture
Closing Music – Mark Byerly’s Erroenious available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P.
Go to bopculture.com for more information.

A special thanks goes out to Mack Avenue recording artist Sachal Vasandani for supplying us with our introduction. Go to http://www.mackavenue.com for more information on Sachal and their many other great artists.

This episode is sponsored by the 2008 Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

DJS Jazz Spotlite Featuring The Legendary Dr. Yusef Lateef

jazzstage — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:27:30 +0000

This DJS Jazz Spotlite features the legendary Dr. Yusef Lateef.

Known for his innovative blending of “Eastern” music with American jazz, Lateef’s main instruments are tenor saxophone and flute, but he is one of few to play oboe or bassoon in jazz, and also plays various world music instruments.

Dr. Lateef came up in a very fertile period in Detroit. Some of the Detroit musicians he performed with include vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Elvin Jones, and guitarist Kenny Burrell.

By 1960, after already playing a year with Dizzy Gillespie’s orchestra, he began performing with Charles Mingus, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, and obtained a BA in music and a MA in music education from Wayne State University.

This true renaissance man has continued to write music that crosses stylistic and artistic boundaries. He has taught at the Borough of Manhattan Community College and the the Manhattan School of Music. He has toured the world with his ensembles and other musicians performing in concert halls and music festivals. Dr. Lateef continues to perform, record and expand the boundaries of music.

Dr. Lateef participated in a panel discussion held in the Jazz Talk Tent at the 2007 Detroit International Jazz Festival. The discussion focused on the Dr. Lateef’s life and his many accomplishments. In the segment featured in this Spotlite, Dr. Lateef discusses how he started exploring non-western musical instruments. The other participants in the discussion included Detroit Saxophonist Steve Wood, author Herb Boyd, and producer/educator/author/jazz historian Ira Gitler

To learn more about this amazing musician, and human being, go to yuseflateef.com

Music
Cry Tender

Musicians
Trumpet - Lonnie Hillyer
Piano - Hugh Lawson
Bass - Herman Wright
Drums - Frank Gant

Acknowledgements:
Opening Music -Riff3 – Tim Brockett**
Motor City Horns (motorcityhorns.com)
Trumpet – Ben Toman
Trumpet - Mark Byerly
Alto Saxophone - Dave Luther
Tenor Saxophone – Keith Kaminski
Trombone – John Rutherford

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

A special thank you to author Herb Boyd for acting as liason between Dr. Lateef and JazzStage Productions. Make sure to check out the book he coauthored with Dr. Lateef called The Gentle Giant. It is a highly recommended read.

The photo comes courtesy of Hans Speekenbrink Podiumfotografie. His many other fine works can be found at http://hansspeekenbrink.nl

This Spotlite was sponsored by the Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

**Past DJS Jazz Spotlite’s have wrongly credited Dave Luther as the Riff3 composer. JazzStage Productions stands corrected and would like to apologize to Mr. Brockett for this oversight

DJS Jazz Spotlite Featuring Mack Avenue Artist Sachal Vasandani

jazzstage — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:46:49 +0000

Your guest for this DJS Jazz Spotlite is the New York-based vocalist-songwriter-bandleader and Mack Avenue recording artist Sachal Vasandani. This fresh, young talent displays a singular, deep-brewed voice and possesses an uncanny sensibility to straddle the fine line between jazz and pop. You will hear a cut from his latest CD, Eyes Wide Open.

Vasandani is in the company of his established trio comprised of Pianist Jeb Patton, Bassist David Wong and Drummer Quincy Davis.

Guests on the CD include Vibraphonist Stefon Harris, Trumpeter Marcus Printup and Guitarist Doug Wamble. The album is produced by esteemed Bassist/Bandleader John Clayton and veteran staff producer Al Pryor, engineered by Joe Ferla and mastered by Bob Ludwig.

For more information on Sachal visit sachalvasandani.com.

Music
Send ‘Em Up To Heaven

Musicians
Vibes – Stefon Harris
Piano - Jeb Patton
Bass - David Wong
Drums - Quincy Davis

Acknowledgements:
Opening Music -Riff3 – Tim Brockett
Motor City Horns (motorcityhorns.com)
Trumpet – Ben Toman
Trumpet - Mark Byerly
Alto Saxophone - Dave Luther
Tenor Saxophone – Keith Kaminski
Trombone – John Rutherford

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

This Spotlite was sponsored by the Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

For more information on the many fine Mack Avenue Records artists, go to mackavenue.com

DJS Jazz Spotlite Featuring Trumpeter Sean Jones

jazzstage — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:45:59 +0000

Mack Avenue Records Recording artist Sean Jones has revealed himself as among the most immensely expressive, versatile and gifted players of his generation. With each new project, the Warren, Ohio native has peeled back another layer to show us a fresh peek at his soul. His 2004 solo debut, Eternal Journey (recorded when he was 25) introduced Sean as a deft expressor of modern bop for the 21st century via originals and standards in a quintet format. Saxophonist/Composer Tia Fuller’s composition Gullyism will be presented in this Spotlite.

Sean joined moderator W. Kim Heron and fellow panelists Charlie Gabriel, Howard Mandel, Lajoie Butch Gomez in the Jazz Talk Tent at the 2006 Detroit International Jazz Festival for a discussion on New Orleans Brass Bands. Here Sean discusses the resourcefulness of late 19th Century New Orleans musicians learning to play the many instruments left over from the U.S. Civil War, and how they developed playing techniques that have an impact still to this day.

Information on Sean Jones can be found at http://www.seanjonesmusic.com

Music
Gullyism – Tia Fuller

Musicians
Sean Jones - Trumpet
Charles Fambrough - Bass
Ralph Peterson - Drums
Tia Fuller - Saxophones, Flute
Mulgrew Miller, Orrin Evans - Piano

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

This Spotlite was sponsored by the Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

For more information on the many fine Mack Avenue Records artists, go to http://www.mackavenue.com

DJS Jazz Spotlite Featuring Pianist Rick Roe

jazzstage — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:07:59 +0000

This DJS Jazz Spotlite features multi-award winning pianist Rick Roe. He is a respected educator and one of the Professors of Jazz at Michigan State University. Rick has served as an educator/clinician at the University of Arizona, North Texas University, the University
of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Michigan, and the Montreaux/Detroit Jazz Festival. He has performed with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Belgrave, Donald Walden, Rodney Whitaker, Frank Foster, Gerald Cleaver, Louis Smith, and many others.

Rick won First Place in the Great American Jazz Piano Competition in 1994, was twice a Semifinalist in Thelonius Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, in 1993 and 1999, and has been a featured performer in the Jacksonville (Florida) Jazz, Savannah (Georgia) Onstage International Arts, Montreaux/Detroit International Jazz (now the Detroit International Jazz Festival), Birmingham Jazz, Lansing Jazz, Flint Jazz, and Hawaii Jazz (with Frank Morgan) Festivals.

This DJS Jazz Spotlite will feature the title track from Rick’s latest album, Minor Shuffle. The album also features the great, young bassist Josef Deas and smokin’ drummer Thaddeus Dixon.

To learn more about Rick or to purchase any of his superb recordings please visit his Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/rickroe.

Acknowledgements:
Opening Music -Riff3 – Dave Luther
Motor City Horns (motorcityhorns.com)
Trumpet – Ben Toman
Trumpet - Mark Byerly
Alto Saxophone - Dave Luther
Tenor Saxophone – Keith Kaminski
Trombone – John Rutherford

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

DJS Jazz Spotlite Featuring James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band

jazzstage — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:08:03 +0000

Jim needs little introduction in the jazz world. Professor of Music at the University of Michigan for over 40 years, he has led his Grammy-nominated Chicago Jazz Band for over 31 years, touring across North America and releasing numerous acclaimed records and C.D.s, including a project backing up the legendary Maria Muldaur in an album of early blues classics.

He is the author of Jelly Roll Morton- The Collected Piano Music and in late 2002 took on the task of reconstructing the great jazz pianist James P. Johnson’s lost opera, De Organizer, which was given packed performances in Ann Arbor at the Power Center and in Detroit at Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall. In 2005 he completed reconstruction of Johnson’s other opera, The Dreamy Kid. The two operas were performed together, as Johnson had planned,over several evenings in March 2006, by University of Michigan forces conducted by Kenneth Kiesler and with Dapogny at the piano. The performances took place at the university’s Mendelssohn Theater in Ann Arbor. Recordings of the operas are being edited for issue. Dapogny was also voted Ann Arbor Current Entertainment Monthly’s 2004 and 2005 “Jazz Artist of the Year”.

Jim’s piano playing is powerful, rich, sophisticated and inventive. His cornet playing (popping up in P.O.R.K.’s small group, the Wolverines) alludes to Bix Beiderbecke while being completely “in the moment”.

Dapogny’s countless transcriptions of classic jazz music and numerous masterful arrangements give the Rhythm Kings a true world-class library to play from. Jim’s musical direction gives P.O.R.K. a unique and profound sound and keeps alive the true spirit of early jazz and dance music.

Listen in as Jim discusses his early influences and the relevance this music still holds today.

Additional information on James Dapogny can be found at http://pkorecords.com, and All About Jazz.

Music
Way Down Yonder In New Orleans – Recorded live at the 2006 Detroit International Jazz Festival

Musicians
Clarinet - Mike Jones
Tenor sax - Jim Wyse
Trumpet - Paul Finkbeiner
Trombone - Chris Smith
Piano - Jim Dapogny
Guitar, Banjo - Rod McDonald
Bass – Kurt Krahnke
Drums - Pete Siers

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

This Spotlite was sponsored by the Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

A DJS Jazz Spotlite Featuring Pianist Hal Galper

jazzstage — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:46:52 +0000

We are thrilled to present to you an original composition, plus commentary from Hal Galper. With over 82 recordings to his credit, 20 as a leader in his own right, pianist, composer, publisher, educator, author and touring artist, Hal Galper is best known for his work with Chet Baker, Cannonball Adderley, John Scofield and the Phil Woods Quintet. His recordings as a leader with Mike and Randy Brecker are considered among the best. Listen in as Hal talks about the development of his recently conceived rubato concept of playing technique followed by the composition Waiting For Chet from his Agents Of Change CD

For more information on Hal go to http://www.halgalper.com

Musicians
Hal Galper – Piano
Tony Marino – Bass
Billy Mintz – Drums

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

A DJS Jazz Spotlite Presenting Pianist Steve Richko

jazzstage — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:23:12 +0000

Pianist Steve Richko lives in Dearborn, MI. He is a 27-year-old prodigy who fell in love with the music of Oscar Peterson at the age of 12. Since then, Steve has made a thorough study of Oscar’s piano artistry and career. Today, Steve Richko is regarded as one the finest young pianists on the Detroit jazz scene. Steve’s virtuosic piano technique is astounding and his understanding of ensemble playing and trio arranging makes for a spectacular presentation. He plays with great feeling and charisma, at once lush and rhapsodic, then bluesy and greasy, then lightning fast bebop! Steve Richko’s musical star is just now rising and the sky is the limit for this amazing jazz sensation!

More information on Steve can be found at http://pkorecords.com

Music
Title track from Steve’s CD – To Oscar, With Love: A Tribute To Oscar Peterson

Sales of this CD benefit ALS Foundations dedicated to finding a cure for Lou Gerhig’s Disease.

Musicians
Piano - Steve Richko
Bass - Paul Keller
Drums - Pete Siers

Background Music – Mark Byerly’s the resurrection available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

This Spotlite was sponsored by the Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

Detroit JazzStage Presents Saxophonist Alex Graham

jazzstage — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:16:53 +0000

Alto Saxophonist, and Origin Records recording artist Alex Graham has performed with several of today’s top jazz artists including Wessell Anderson, Nnenna Freelon, Louis Smith, Diane Schuur, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Mark Levine, Peter Bernstein, Steve Davis, Joe Magnarelli, Michael Weiss, Aaron Goldberg, Rodney Whitaker, Jim Rotundi, Sam Yahel and Dena Derose. He has performed at festivals and clubs in the United States, Europe and Japan and has appeared on several recordings.

In addition to writing arrangements for vocalists Diane Schuur and John Boutte, he has also composed and arranged for small group, big band and studio orchestra. He has taught and lectured at the college level, and is currently teaching “Jazz Performance Workshop” at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where he is pursuing his Doctorate in Jazz Studies. A resident of New York City for 10 years, Alex moved to Mackinac Island, Michigan after becoming the music director at Grand Hotel in 2001. Under his leadership, USA Today has praised Grand Hotel’s music as its best amenity. His latest CD, The Good Life, received significant national airplay in 2006 and was designated “chartbound” by jazzweek.com.

Alex discusses his career, soon to be released CD “Brand New”, and his upcoming performance at Music Hall in Detroit, MI on February 1st, 2008 with hosts Jim Gallert and Rodney Reeves

For more information about Alex, go to http://www.alexander-graham.com

Music heard on this show
Explosion - from The Good Life.
Alex Graham – alto sax, Rick Roe – piano, Rodney Whitaker – bass, Joe Strasser – drums.

Rocket Science - from Brand New
Alex Graham – alto sax, Jim Rotondi – trumpet, Steve Davis – trombone, David Hazeltine – piano, Rodney Whitaker – bass, Carl Allen – drums

Pig Pig - from Brand New

The Mole People - from Countdown
Alex Graham – alto sax, Louis Smith – trumpet, Joe Magnarelli – trumpet, Rick Roe – piano, Rodney Whitaker – bass, Joe Farnsworth – drums.

More Or Less - from Hi-Fi
Alex Graham – alto sax, Whitney Ashe – piano, Gary Wang – bass, Matt Jorgensen – drums.

Acknowledgements:
Opening Music – Mark Byerly’s Marks Mood available on the self titled CD Bop Culture
Closing Music – Mark Byerly’s Erroenious available on Bop Culture’s CD The E.P.
Go to bopculture.com for more information

This episode is sponsored by the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit, MI. For more information on the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts go to http://www.musichall.org/

Detroit JazzStage with Trumpeter/Composer Walt Szymanski

jazzstage — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:34:40 +0000

This month we are featuring trumpeter, composer, and arranger Walt Szymanski. Walt began his musical journey from a small home on the east side of Detroit that was constantly resonating with the sound of music. Listening to his mother play and sing the Broadway standards on the family piano and hearing the records of Nat Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Al Hirt as well as the constant refrains of the ever present Motown sound presented him a tremendous musical foundation upon which to build.

Walt discusses his career and the many wonderful personalities he’s encountered along the way.

For more information on Walt and where to purchase CD’s, go to http://www.waltszymanski.com

Music
Trippin’*
90º With 100%**
7th Avenue Slope*
Que Es Esto Mi Amor?*
Herbie’s Harem*
Campo Izquierda***
Loves Brief Departure*

Ensembles
*Motor City Jazz Quintet
Walt Szymanski – Trumpet
Scott Petersen – Tenor Sax
Phil Kelly – Piano
Paul Keller – Bass
Jon Knust – Drums

**Unity
Walt Szymanski – Trumpet
Alex Harding – Bari Sax
Andy Bemke – Piano
Massa Kamaguchi – Bass
Jon Knust – Drums

***Emergence
Walt Szymanski – Trumpet
Tino Derado – Piano
Wayne Batchelor – Bass
Gene Calderazzo – Drums

We’d also like to thank jazz vocal great Kurt Elling for introducing this episode. To learn more about Kurt and his music, go to http://ww.kurtelling.com

This episode is sponsored by the folks at www.allaboutjazz.com