Bill Bruford's Earthworks Returns to the U.S.

This weekend, I'll find myself at New York City's Iridium Jazz Club, to see Britain's famed jazz drummer, Bill Bruford. Since the events of 9/11, it has become increasingly difficult to see many of Europe's finest musicians. Visa restrictions and mounting costs have limited many to performing only as far as New York City. Last year at the Iridium, Bruford and his most recent collaborator, saxophonist Tim Garland dealt with that dilemma by hiring several of New York's top jazz musicians to perform, and released the live CD entitled, "The Earthworks Underground Orchestra". Joining Bruford and Garland for this tour however, are Earthworks' newest members, bassist Laurence Cottle, and pianist Gwilym Simcock.

Bill Bruford's career is like his drumming sound — inimitable. Known for his ringing metal snare drum, crisp cymbal work, and knack for complex time signatures, a young Bruford came to prominence in the late '60s with Yes. The drummer completed his British art rock trilogy by briefly joining Genesis in the 1970s and spending a quarter-century with King Crimson through the late '90s. In between King Crimson dates, Bruford led a dazzling self-titled jazz fusion solo band from 1978 to 1980 that featured guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassist Jeff Berlin, and keyboardist Dave Stewart. And even as he leads his visionary jazz band, Bill Bruford's Earthworks, he maintains a career as a session drummer (with artists like guitarists Al DiMeola and David Torn, bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and keyboardist Patrick Moraz).

During one of King Crimson leader Robert Fripp's several lineup-shifting hiatuses in Bruford's 1972-1997 tenure, the drummer formed his self-titled Earthworks band in 1986. On its 1987 Earthworks debut album, Bruford often used electric Simmons drums to contrast acoustic horn players Iain Ballamy and Django Bates and upright bassist Mick Hutton, achieving the opposite of the standard lineup where drums are the only acoustic instrument. Subsequent releases like 1989's Dig? and 1991's All Heaven Broke Loose continued this forward-thinking trend, blending acoustic and electric instrumentation and jazz ideology with classical undertones. But by 1993's live Stamping Ground, Bruford had replaced Hutton with electric/acoustic bassist Tim Harries and was using keyboard-pitched electric chordal drums, the combined result being a more muscular and fuller sound. Bruford continued recording and touring with King Crimson through 1997, releasing the Earthworks compilation Heavenly Bodies just as he quit the venerable rock band with which he'd had his longest tenure. It would prove to be a transitional year, as Bruford recorded a jazz chamber trio solo CD called If Summer Had Its Ghosts with legendary jazz figures Ralph Towner (guitar/piano) and Eddie Gomez (acoustic bass).

Between explorative electric recordings with bassist and fellow King Crimson alum Tony Levin, Bruford kept Earthworks closer to the chamber jazz mode on the 1999 CD A Part and Yet Apart. Likewise, the lineup of Bruford, saxophonist Patrick Clahar, pianist Steve Hamilton, and bassist Mark Hodgson started the new millennium with the 2001 CD The Sound of Surprise, an outstanding blend of jazz tradition and forward-thinking transition. Bill Bruford grew up with jazz. As an amateur drummer in the 1960s, and after a handful of lessons from Lou Pocock of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, he began his professional career in 1968. He was a guiding light in the so-called British "Art Rock" movement, touring internationally with Yes and King Crimson from 1968-74. There then followed several years spent observing and participating in the music making processes of, among others, Gong, National Health, Genesis and U.K., until Bill felt ready to write and perform his own music with his own band Bruford, recording four albums from 1977-80. The late 90s saw Bruford underlining his commitment, and return, to jazz and 1997 saw two major releases.

The Earthworks "best of" compilation, Heavenly Bodies, taken from all four albums and including previously unreleased material was released in May on Virgin Record, U.K. Then a late summer release of fresh material with jazz titans Ralph Towner (guitars and piano) and Eddie Gomez (bass) entitled If Summer had its Ghosts, appeared on King Crimson's Discipline Records in September. Touring internationally with the second edition of Earthworks, featuring Steve Hamilton (keyboards) and Patrick Clahar (saxophones), the band's live work led to the release of a sixth C.D. "A Part and yet Apart" in 1999. Electronic percussion made way for the warmer looser style of the more conventional sax-piano-bass-drums line up, and Bruford continued to bring the best of the young British players to the attention of a rapidly growing international audience. The new millennium saw a live album release by Bruford Levin’s Upper Extremities entitled B.L.U.E. Nights, and the augmentation of Earthworks with the celebrated jazz guitarist Larry Coryell for the 2000 summer jazz festival season.

Following an extensive 22 date tour of the U.K., Earthworks recorded it’s seventh C.D. in November entitled “The Sound of Surprise”. Spring 2002 saw the imaginative simultaneous release of a) a Live Double CD from London called “Footloose and Fancy Free” and b) a full-scale DVD from New York entitled “Footloose in N.Y.C”, and the replacement of Clahar with the multi-talented Tim Garland fresh from Chick Corea’s recent group. The new CD was awarded the coveted "5 Stars" in Downbeat magazine.

Weat coast jazz fans are often cheated out of seeing many of Europe's finest musicians, so Bruford's tale is not a unique one. His performances with the original Earthworks band at the Great American Music Hall in the 1990's, and the later incarnation at Yoshi's in 2004, (which resulted in the fabulous CD, "Random Acts of Happiness, Live at Yoshi's"), are just a few of his now legendary bay area shows. Perhaps we will get another chance to see England's greatest jazz drummer here, when the new Yoshi's opens on Fillmore in 2008.

Toshiko Akiyoshi Comes to the Florence Gould

Many years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin big band, and this weekend, you too will have a chance to see this legendary musician in the most intimate of settings. This Saturday afternoon’s SFJAZZ Members-only concert provides just that, presenting a solo recital of renowned big band arranger and pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi at the exquisite Florence Gould Theatre.

Akiyoshi’s history as a jazz pianist dates back to the late ‘40s in Japan. The postwar era in full swing, young Akiyoshi had no trouble finding piano gigs at the many nightclubs catering to American soldiers. A chance encounter with Oscar Peterson, touring Japan with the famed Jazz at the Philharmonic band, garnered her a record date with Verve Records impresario Norman Granz. Soon after she enrolled as the first-ever Japanese student to study jazz at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where she pursued her nascent interest in composition. Her first marriage to alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano was a creative partnership that yielded a string of quartet recordings in the ‘60s. Akiyoshi formed her first big band in Los Angeles with her second husband, tenor saxophonist and flutist Lew Tabackin, in the early ‘70s, and then moved cross-country to New York City a decade later, where she’s lived ever since.

Though most of her accolades have come via her work as a composer and arranger, solo jazz piano has remained a lifelong passion—one documented on the classic album Toshiko Akiyoshi at Maybeck and on display tonight in this very special Members-only engagement. With a heavy influence of the classic bop style of Bud Powell, her solo playing, like everything else Akiyoshi turns her prodigious skill to, is truly one of a kind.

Manchurian-born Akiyoshi's interest in the piano started at age six, and by the time her family had moved back to Japan at the end of World War II. Toshiko had developed a real love for music. She soon began playing piano professionally, which eventually led to being discovered by pianist Oscar Peterson in 1952 during a Norman Granz Jazz at the Philharmonic tour of Japan. On Peterson recommendation, Toshiko recorded for Granz, and not long after, she went to the U.S. to study at the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

Her years in Boston, and later on in New York, developed her into a first class pianist. Her interest in composing and arranging came to fruition when she moved to Los Angeles in 1972 with Tabackin. The following year they formed the world-renowned big band that is now known as the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. The band, which began as a vehicle for Toshiko's own compositions, grew in stature during its 10 years on the west coast and gained a reputation as one of the most excellent and innovative big bands in jazz. In 1976 the band placed first in the Down Beat Critics' Poll and her album, Long Yellow Road, was named best jazz album of the year by Stereo Review. The late Leonard Feather, eminent jazz critic and author, summed up the brilliance of Toshiko Akiyoshi big band in his review of that album, " ... greatness is greatness, whether on the East Coast, the West Coast in Tokyo or anywhere else in the world. I think you will find it in this magnificently variegated, consistently exciting example of one of the outstanding orchestras of our time." In 1977 the recording Insights was named as record of the year by Down Beat magazine.

In 1982 the couple returned to New York, where Toshiko reformed her band with New York musicians, In 1983 the new Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, (again featuring Tabackin), had a critically successful debut at Carnegie Hall as part of the Kool Jazz Festival. That same year a documentary film by Renee Cho depicting the Akiyoshi/Tabackin move from L.A. to New York was released, entitled "Jazz is My Native Language" (Rhapsody Video).

There have been a plethora of fantastic pianists making their way to the Bay area lately, Ahmad Jamal, Joe Zawinul, McCoy Tyner, just to name a few, don't miss another one of these original greats, Toshiko Akiyoshi.


Toshiko Akiyoshi, solo
Saturday, October 28 • 2pm
Florence Gould Theatre, Legion of Honor
Tickets: $30 General Admission

Sonny Rollins Opens SF Jazz Festival Tonight at the Masonic

One of the true immortals of 20th-century jazz, the legendary “Saxophone Colossus,” Sonny Rollins, continues to amaze fans and critics alike in jazz’s second century. In the words of critic Gary Giddins: “Rollins looms as an invincible presence after fifty years: one of the most cunning, surprising, and original of jazz visionaries and one of the very few musicians whose (infrequent) concert appearances and recordings generate intense expectations and heated postmortems.” Rollins returns to the SF Jazz Festival on the heels of his first studio CD in five years, "Sonny, Please".

Jazz reviewer Jim McElroy wrote of Rollin's latest effort, "Rollins has a new label and a new recording and those of us who love to listen to jazz can now rejoice for in all the world there is but one Sonny Rollins, and on Sonny, Please, he proves he is still at the top of his game. From the very first song, the title track "Sonny, Please", Rollins and his group are off and running and there is no let up. "Sonny, Please" has a very strong bass line provided by Bob Crenshaw and this is backed up beautifully by the drums of Steve Jordan who with the rest of the band play with a style that lets you know that they more than just play music they live it. Rollins tears into the song full tilt and the result is breathtaking. Add in the percussion work of Kimati Dinizulu and a healthy dose of Clifton Anderson on trombone and you have the best of the best at work here, it rarely gets any better.

Rollins,who shows no signs of slowing down, not only demonstrates his immense power on the saxophone but also as a composer, having created four out of the seven tracks on this recording, each with its own unique flavor and style. He still finds the time to give new life to an old classic , such as his soulful rendition of Noel Coward's "Someday I'll Find You". I am sure the Coward would have been impressed for this is a flawless recording, the players here are the masters of their craft and with Rollins as their leader reach amazing new heights.

"Nishi" is a straight ahead jazz number that has a real gift in the duel horn playing of both Rollins and Clifton Anderson , backed up by the bass of Bob Crenshaw and the guitar of Bobby Broom. "Nishi" swings and if you listen hard enough you can hear the calling out of the musicians themselves, this is music so good you cannot help out shout about it all.

"Stairway to the Stars" is a love ballad that is Rollins gift to his fans, it allows him to just soar above it all, the sound is so deep and so ingrained in him that you wonder how one person could get that much sound from just one instrument. From the high notes to the low, Sonny Rollins has complete and total control of his instrument and shows us all how it should be done. With the gentle added percussion of Kimati Dinizulu, who knows exactly where to fill in the little gaps that appear and does so without you even knowing. Dinizulu is a craftsman of the highest order as are his band mates and they provide us with an amazing joy ride of sound.

"Remembering Tommy" is a generous and beautifully played number that again combines the effortless playing of Bobby Broom on guitar and Steve Jordan on drums capped off with the virtuoso playing of Rollins and Clifton Anderson. "Serenade" (Ballet Les Millions D"Arlequin) introduces us to a new band member Joe Corsello on drums and to a number that sounds pretty much like its title, there is a kind of light and airy sound to it all almost as if a ballerina was dancing right in front of the bandstand. The song sways and seems to be lighter than air.

The album closes out with "Park Place Parade" a sort of lighthearted tribute to the city of New York complete with whistles and a real jaunty beat that makes you want to get up and dance around your room, (not recommended if you are listening to this while driving however). On the whole Sonny, Please is a welcomed return by one of the legends of jazz and it shows that this is someone whose talent and artistry knows no bounds or limits, welcome back Mr Rollins."

"Opening Night Concert" with Sonny Rollins
Friday, October 20th, 8pm
Tickets $85, $65, $47, $37, $25

The Joe Zawinul Syndicate Comes to the Palace of Fine Arts

One of my all-time favorite jazz keyboardists, the truly legendary Joe Zawinul, comes to the Palace of Fine Arts on November 2nd. I've seen Zawinul many, many times, mostly with his co-leader and Miles Davis alum, saxophonist Wayne Shorter in Weather Report. Zawinul is a true visionary, who once compared jazz to boxing (“the footwork, the jab, the constant setting up and reacting to your opponent), and now at the tender age of 73, continues the good fight of plumbing the intersection of jazz, rock, and world music with his always-fresh Zawinul Syndicate.

Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky Hit "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" which reached the top on the Billboard magazine Pop Charts in 1967.

Zawinul then moved on to a brief but fateful encounter and collaboration with Miles Davis, just at the time Miles was moving into the electric arena. It was Zawinul’s tune "In a Silent Way”, in fact, which served as the title track of Miles’ first electric foray, and Zawinul had a potent impact on Bitches Brew, as well. He is one of a bare handful of synthesizer players who actually learned how to play the instrument, to make it an expressive, swinging part of his arsenal. Prior to the invention of the portable synthesizer, Zawinul’s example helped bring the Wurlitzer and Fender-Rhodes electric pianos into the jazz mainstream.

After releasing his debut solo album on Atlantic in 1970, Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter put together what was to become the most important jazz group of the ‘70s and beyond, Weather Report. Drawing on the power and theatricality of rock and R&B, while maintaining allegiance to jazz and the pure spirit of improvisation, they tapped into the so-called "fusion” movement of that decade while carving out their own unique niche. Bandmembers came and went, including Miroslav Vitous, Airto Moriera, Alphonse Mouzon, Dom Um Romeo, Ndugu "Leon" Chancler, Alphonso Johnson, Jaco Pastorius, Narada Michael Walden, Alex Acuna, Manolo Badrena, Chester Thompson, and finally, Victor Bailey, Peter Erskine, and Omar Hakim, but the band spirit prevailed over the course of 17 albums, including the ground-breaking album Black Market and the massively popular Heavy Weather, with Zawinul’s infectious song "Birdland". That song, in versions by Weather Report, Manhattan Transfer and Quincy Jones, won separate Grammy awards in three successive decades, and Weather Report itself won a Grammy for their momentous live album, 8:30.

In 1985, after he and Shorter finally agreed to go in separate musical directions, Zawinul continued to create adventurous new grooves in the group known as Weather Update and then the Zawinul Syndicate, whose albums have included the Grammy-nominated My People in 1996 and the two-CD, Grammy-nominated World Tour in 1998. Other special projects have included an adventurous solo album, Dialects (1986), and work as producer and arranger on Salif Keita’s landmark album, Amen (1991). Meanwhile, as another tributary of his creative life, Zawinul has also pursued classical composition, writing his ambitious "Stories of the Danube" in 1993 and working with renowned classical pianist Friedrich Gulda. His special solo project, "Mauthausen" released in Europe in 2000, is a memorial for the victims of the Holocaust, and was performed on the site of the Austrian concentration camp it is named after.

Among his prizes and awards, Zawinul has won the "best keyboardist" in Down Beat 28 times. Weather Report was a perennial winner in the "Best Band" category in Down Beat, Swing Journal and other magazines around the world. He has honorary doctorates from Berklee School of Music, and is the official Austrian goodwill ambassador to 17 African nations. In January, 2002, Zawinul has received the first International Jazz Award, co-presented by the International Jazz Festival Organization and the International Association of Jazz Educators.

Joe Zawinul is deservedly renowned for his pioneering role in the Jazz world combining the elements of world music rock and jazz. In fact, many of the worldbeat sounds we take for granted today, simply wouldn't exist without his revolutionary compositions and performances with Miles Davis in the late 60s, Weather Report in the 70 - 80s, and The Zawinul Syndicate in the 90s evolving into the new millenium. Don't miss one of rare oppotunities to see one of the truly greatest musicians of our time.

The Joe Zawinul Syndicate
Thursday, November 2nd @ 7:30pm
Tickets: $58, $38, $32, $25

Planet Drum Comes to the Masonic

World Percussionist and Grateful Dead co-drummer Mickey Hart returns to the Masonic Auditorium, Saturday, September 23rd, with his legendary Planet Drum group. This latest incarnation, as part of a SF Jazz Festival special event, Hart reunites his fellow percussion virtuosos; Indian tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain, conga maestro Giovanni Hidalgo and African percussionist, Sikiru Adepoju. This latest incarnation of Planet Drum builds on the legacy of the group that won 1991’s first-ever “Best World Music Album” Grammy Award (for the self-titled record that held the #1 spot on Billboard’s World Music chart for 26 straight weeks).

Hart is best known for his nearly three decades as an integral part of an extraordinary expedition into the soul and spirit of music, disguised as the rock and roll band the Grateful Dead. As half of the percussion tandem known as the Rhythm Devils, Hart and Bill Kreutzmann transcended the conventions of rock drumming. Their extended polyrhythmic excursions were highlights of Grateful Dead shows, introducing the band's audience to an ever-growing arsenal of percussion instruments from around the world. Exposure to these exotic sounds fueled Hart's desire to learn about the various cultures that produced them.

His tireless study of the world's music led Hart to many great teachers and collaborators, including his partners in Planet Drum. Planet Drum's self-titled album not only hit #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart, remaining there for 26 weeks, it also received the Grammy for Best World Music Album in 1991-- the first Grammy ever awarded in this category. Planet Drum is one of twenty-nine recordings released on Hart's the WORLD series on Rykodisc Records. The WORLD offers a wide variety of music from virtually every corner of the globe with releases like Voices of the Rainforest from Papua, New Guinea and Living Art, Sounding Spirit: The Bali Sessions.

Hart's experiences have paved the way for unique opportunities beyond the music industry. He composed a major drum production performed by an assembly of 100 percussionists forthe opening ceremony of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games along with Zakir Hussain, Giovanni Hidalgo and Philip Glass. Additionally, Hart has composed scores, soundtracks and themes for movies, television, and home video including Gang Related, Hearts of Darkness, Apocalypse Now, The Twilight Zone, Vietnam: A Television History and The Next Step.

Hart's lifelong fascination with the history and mythology of music is documented in three books: Drumming at the Edge of Magic (written with Jay Stevens and Fredric Lieberman), Planet Drum (with Fredric Lieberman and D.A. Sonneborn) and his 1999 offering, Spirit into Sound: The Magic of Music (written with Fredric Lieberman). The three books are published by Grateful Dead Books. In August of 2000, an extensive exhibit of Hart's percussion collection, A Journey Into the Spirit of Percussion, opened at the San Francisco Airport Museum in the United Airlines Terminal.

Several years ago, Hart was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the American Folklife Center atthe Library of Congress where he heads up the sub-committee on the digitization and preservation of the Center's vast collections. This has evolved into "Save Our Sounds," and the Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center conferred an honorary doctorate of humane letters upon Hart for his work in advancing the preservation of aural archives.

I had the pleasure of working with Hart and one of his previous versions of Planet Drum, featuring drummer Ron Molo, following their show at Woodstock in 2000. His hearing wasn't what it once was, (the result of too many Dead shows), however his energy, and the music of Planet Drum remains as viable and vibrant as ever.

Planet Drum with Mickey Hart,
Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju, Giovanni Hidalgo
Saturday, September 23 • 8pm
Tickets: $80, $60, $47, $37, and $25

The Yellowjackets: Celebrating 25 Years of Jazz

In 1981, a small crew of talented musicians led by guitar virtuoso Robben Ford dedicated themselves to pushing the boundaries of jazz with a deceptively intense, distinctive sound that incorporated elements of bebop, funk, R&B and rock. They called themselves the Yellowjackets, and the buzz was instantaneous. That was 25 years ago, and a few of the names and faces have changed since then. What remains is a powerhouse quartet - including original members Russell Ferrante on keyboards and Jimmy Haslip on bass - that's still fiercely dedicated to that original vision of improvisational jazz that draws from a vast range of musical sources and yet defies categories. That initial buzz is no less intense today than it was a quarter century ago.

The Yellowjackets are celebrating this landmark anniversary with the release of "Twenty-Five", a combination CD/bonus DVD package that captures two electrified live performances by the Yellowjackets during their European tour in the fall of 2005. In addition to the live performances themselves, the DVD portion of the two-disc release offers an array of behind-the-scenes material: interviews with band members (past and present) and session players, and a variety of other background and retrospective footage. The project offers a snapshot of where the Jackets are today, and a look back at where they've been.

"The basic foundation, that initial spark of innovation, is still there," says Haslip. "We're very open minded and are always looking to the horizon to see what's up ahead. We're very dedicated to our craft, and we're constantly trying to progress. That ultimately is a motivating factor in keeping a band like this going. It's a laboratory, in essence, where some great experiments have taken place."

Recorded at The New Morning concert hall in Paris in October 2005, the CD is essentially an eight-song retrospective of some of the band's finest work - as interpreted by the current lineup of Haslip, Ferrante, saxophonist Bob Mintzer and drummer Marcus Baylor. The songs connect to every period of Yellowjackets' evolution - from the uplifting "Revelation" (1986) to the free-spirited "My Old School" (1992) to the intricate rhythms of Marcus Baylor's "Freeday" (2005).

"Our intention was to include some of the earlier tunes, but to play them in the way we play now," says Ferrante. "Paris was one of the strongest shows on that tour. Live performances in general are always very much in the moment, and the results can be hit-or-miss sometimes. Some nights are better than others, but everything came together on this particular night."

Bridging the old with the new has been a smooth process for Baylor, the relative newcomer to the band who joined the lineup in 2000. He's discovered that success with the Jackets is not about rank or tenure, but about being positive, open-minded and willing to grow. "When a new piece is added to the puzzle, the band automatically takes on a new personality without even thinking about it," says Baylor. "But these guys are just so open minded. They just say, 'Hey, let's just play, not necessarily this way or that way, but let's just play and find a way to connect the pieces of the puzzle together.' And when we do play, we are of one mind. Personally, that's what I want people to see, more than just this guy who plays great or that guy who plays great. I just want people to see four guys who work well as a unit and move in the same direction to make positive music for our listeners to enjoy."

The DVD performance, filmed at the Naima Club in Forli, Italy, includes a set list that digs back even further. "Imperial Strut" and "Matinee Idol" are taken from the Jackets' eponymous 1981 debut album, while Ferrante's devotional "Geraldine" and the environmentally conscious Ferrante/Haslip composition "Greenhouse" are representative of the Jackets' late-1980s and early-1990s groove. "Time Squared," a rhythmically complex piece penned by Mintzer and first heard on the 2003 album of the same name, is in part a tribute to the courage and perseverance of New York and its residents in the aftermath of 9/11.

The group considers the free bonus DVD as a way for them to give something back to their loyal fans. The DVD was directed and edited by Tony Zawinul, son of the multi-faceted jazz keyboardist Joe Zawinul. "Tony came to Los Angeles and we talked for hours at various locations, including the studio where we recorded with Robben Ford," says Ferrante. "We went to the house where we all first met. We traveled around to different studios in L.A. where we recorded. He interviewed a number of musicians that we worked with along the way. There are archival videos, mostly from Europe. A lot of the festivals there are televised, so there's documentation of a lot of those performances."

And yet, for as gratifying as milestone anniversaries can be, Yellowjackets continue to look to the future. "I think we could be together for another 25 years," says Mintzer. "It's the kind of band that could thrive for a long time, because of the democratic philosophy, and the level of commitment to what we do. There's a long-standing bond that we share, and I don't think it will ever go away. It's just something that developed over the years of playing together and making music together."

The Yellowjackets line-up with William Kennedy, on the fabulous "Wildlife" from their "Four Corners", release will always remain my personal favorite, however, whether you've been on board since the very early days or you've just discovered the Jackets in recent years, Twenty-Five is a big enough number to accommodate everyone. Experience the sublime magic that comes from a quarter century of innovation and exploration.

Remembering "LJ" Lawrence

The tragic death of "LJ" Lawrence, one of the regions' best loved bassists, has sparked an out pouring of love and support from far and wide. LJ was a close friend to me personally, and an inspiration to countless others with her generousity, music and spirit. I have been overwhelmed by the many emails and phone calls I've received in this time of grief, and in a way of coming to grips with a life cut way too short, I'd like to share just a few of the moving letters and tributes to the woman I affectionately called "LL Cool Girl". Sam Fallo, and members of the Musician's Union of Reno, will be holding a memorial tribute and jam session in her honor, Sunday, September 24h.

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Doc,

Your article about LJ's life and her work with Don (Evans), brought back a lot of good memories of the Golden Age of blues in Reno, much of which was due to LJ's hard work every Tuesday at the old Hacienda. Thanks for that portrait in words, it was a great tribute to the woman that so many of us have loved over the years. I can't wrap my mind around the tragedy of her death yet or accept that she's gone - it's the kind of pain you can only let in a little at a time lest it flood in and destroy you. But your article called back memories of many, many hours that I spent in late night casinos around Nevada hanging with Don and LJ to enjoy who they were as people, as much as to enjoy their music. A spark of happiness through the tears.

She loved the music so much that when she played you felt the music was coming across somehow from the other side, that her love of the music was able to make thin and transparent that veil between here and heaven, to give us a hint of what the Real music is. Now she is part of that Real music. I know I'm only one of many, many people who can honestly say that LJ's love of the blues changed my life by letting me really hear the music one beautiful note at a time, till it all came together as something more than just a performance; and that knowing her made me a better person than I otherwise could have been. Wherever she is now is part of that mystery we all will eventually face. I hope that mystery will somehow bring us all together again, eventually, where the music is pure love, and has its own quality outside of space and time.

With grateful respect,

Ed Hanley, Reno

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Doc,

So sad about LJ... Rene Best forwarded your email to me. Of course we are all shocked here in Reno. LJ was one of my first musical friends when I moved here 12 years ago.

Genie Webster, Reno

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Guitarist Don Evans and "LJ" Lawrence

Hey Doc,

Thanks for the heads-up about LJ... I haven't responded until now because I haven't known quite how to. This was indeed a shocking event, and I'm sure there is much yet to unfold. I spoke to Genie at length about it yesterday... and so far, one can only sit back and await further information on what-the-fuck-over...

Marty Bolin, Southern Oregon Blues Band

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Hi Doc,

Thanks for the wonderful article on our dear friend LJ Lawrence. Of all the reports that have been written this is absolutely the one that tells it like it is. My wife and I have known LJ for over 10 years and just played a blues fest with her 2 weeks ago. Everything you said about her totally summed it up.... It is beyond belief how such violence can end the life of a person so wonderful. Thanks again for the great article.

Kari and Jerry Shurtleff, The Kari and Jerry Duo

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Doc,

I will send light and love… Thank you for letting me know!!!!

Rudy Colombini, The Unauthorized Rolling Stones

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Eric,

I knew L.J. reasonably well. She had played in a Tahoe band called Shameus before I took over the bass spot. She was kind and lovely, and a totally badass musician. Just the weekend before last I was up in Tahoe celebrating a friend's bachelor party, and we drunkenly found our way to Harvey's, where I knew Cool Black Kettle often played. I sat in front of the stage, blew a kiss to L.J, and went on my way. That was the last time I saw her. The whole Lake is reeling. I found your article on line and just wanted to pass along how fitting and wonderful a tribute you wrote for her. She will be missed,

Sincerely, David Bole

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July 4th, 2006, LJ Lawrence and Mira Musser

Doc,

My Husband David Musser a long time player and founding member of Cool Black Kettle was absolutely beside himself when he heard of LJ’s death. We were scheduled to play a gig on Saturday night here in Los Angeles, and had to cancel due to the sadness we both felt! She did not deserve this end.

I was fortunate to get to meet her and play with her at a 4th of July gig in Tahoe this year, In a few words she inspired me immensely, and David and I both cried over the news…We pray for her family and her soul as the world has lost a beautiful woman!

What could her supposed Boyfriend have been thinking when he “took out” an Angel like L.J.?

Sincerely, Mira Wilder Musser

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Doc,

So sorry to hear of your friends fate. Keep that music coming as a way of keeping her memory close.

Wilbur Rehmann, The Wilbur Rehmnann Quartet, Montana

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Bassists Kate Aragon and LJ Lawrence
Kauai, 2004. Photo by E. Doc Smith

Eric,

Thanks for the sensitive and insightful article.

Kate Aragon, Oakland

"LJ" Lawrence, 1964-2006

Laurie Jean "LJ" Lawrence, bassist of the Reno/Lake Tahoe groups "Cool Black Kettle", and her own "Sierra Blues Tribe", was found murdered Saturday morning in Reno, Nevada, the apparent victim of a dispute with her ex-boyfriend. Reno police arrested Denver Dean Pullin, 44, of the same address, and booked him into the Washoe County jail on suspicion of murder with the use of a deadly weapon. Authorities did not specify when they found the body or where the body was found at the home. Detectives will not release the cause of death until after an autopsy which was scheduled for Sunday. Officers discovered the body while responding to a report of a suicidal person at the residence.

LJ, had been bringing great blues to the Bay Area, Reno and Lake Tahoe, for well over a decade. One of the hottest female bass players on the scene today, she was a wonderful singer and front person, bringing energy and enthusiasm to the stage, while sharing the limelight with a talented and creative band. Her first recording, a collection of songs she wrote and recorded with acclaimed guitarist and long time music partner, Don Evans, was entitled "Heart Of The Tribe." Ranging from full-force funky to hauntingly introspective, their CD embraced open-souled expression while showcasing her unique talents.

Originally from the East Coast, LJ came to Reno from the San Francisco Bay area where she'd been the bass player for the Bay Area Blues Society out of Oakland, CA, backing up artists such as the late greats Bobby Day and Cool Papa, as well as playing with what was to evolve into the Caravan Of All Stars. Previously a guitar player and more of a rocker, she'd always enjoyed the blues, but developed a deep appreciation of the blues audiences and tradition in the Bay area. LJ studied privately and majored in music at Laney Community College and the Contra Costa System where she studied with D'Amante and pianist Ed Kelly and received an Associate Degree. She toured Japan, Korea, Canada and the Western United States playing a wide range of music with various bands before landing in Reno.

There, her band initiated the original jam sessions at the old Hacienda in 1991 before she left to tour Alaska. Seasoned guitarist Evans wound up in the Hacienda's house band while she was gone. Upon returning, she and Evans teamed up, and together reformed a group which evolved into the Sierra Blues Tribe. The two also formed a hardworking commercial band and played all kinds of music. During this time period, Evans and LJ were inseparable, working six and seven days per week, and offstage, working up harmonies, exchanging music, going to shows, stockpiling equipment, backing up other artists, and both were very involved with different aspects of the music community. In addition to playing countless clubs, festivals and concerts, the Sierra Blues Tribe continued to host one of the most successful jam sessions in the region.

Largely defined by musical camaraderie and love of the blues, the band was influenced by the variety of musicians they came in contact with as well as their own diverse taste. In addition, Evans, already a successful recording engineer in Los Angeles and Reno, was still involved in mixing projects and doing live sound. This contributed to the band's already eclectic mix. One night, while Evans was recording some tracks for Kim Wilson's "That's Life" CD, Wilson took a break and demonstrated harmonica techniques for the two of them while discussing his Texas musical days. "Baby, Please," a song from "That's Life" remains one of Evan's signature covers. LJ & Evans also became fans of the group, the Subdudes, after hearing a broadcast over Idaho while on the road. Back in Reno, Evans was actually hired to mix the band at their Hacienda concert and 'All the Time in the World' turned up in their repertoire.

Considered by many, one of the most sought after and respected female bassists in the area, LJ's recent and victorious battle with thyroid cancer, makes her untimely death, all the more tragic. Her voice had returned, and her bass playing was better than ever. LJ's heart, and the warmth she displayed both on stage and off, was a rare commodity in today's music world. Her death sadly, is another in a long line of absolutely senseless crimes against women. LJ was one of the most beautiful and sensitive persons I have ever known, a true friend, and a fantastic bassist. I will miss her terribly.

Robert Anbian's "We3" Comes to the Madrone Lounge

This Wednesday night, September 6th, San Francisco poet and writer Robert Anbian, and myself, will bring Anbian's political and thought provoking poetry, with electronics, jazz and the music of my invention, the "Drummstick" to the Madrone Lounge, Divisadero and Fell Streets. Also performing with us will be legendary Bay Area musicians, saxophonist Charles Unger, and keyboardist Sam Peebles.

Anbian's critically acclaimed "We" series, and his "Bush Hiaku" from writer Gene Stone's best selling anthologies, the "Bush Survival Bible", and subsequent "Cheney Survival Bible", will be put to the music of Bobby Hutcherson, Miles Davis, and Thelonius Monk, among others, and performed electronically by Unger, Peebles and myself, in a debut of our self described group, "UFQ", the Unidentified Flying Quartet.

Anbian's "We" series, have been hailed as a "psycho-social poem-object of the contemporary world," and “A passionate virtuoso steeped in these times and deep with tradition — hiply linguistic turns of natural originality, rhythmically brimming with a tempestuous taste of ecstasy, reason, and love.” — Oxygen. “Anbian is a raw mixture of poet, preacher, seer and rebel...(his) poems are unlike anything else on the market.” — Choice.

Anbian and I have been long time friends, and following the success of our July show at CounterPULSE, we decided to continue the project, with Unger and Peebles. The idea of putting Anbian's writings and poems to the music of Miles Davis and others, had sprung from some of the 1990 recordings of the late William S. Burroughs, John Giorno and Laurie Anderson. Burroughs had successfully added the music of jazz fusion greats like Weather Report, Return to Forever, and Billy Cobham, to his poems and works, and Giorno took it one step further by adding a live band, which would add the complex vamps of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, or the punk rock grooves of Fugazi.

Laurie Anderson's use of voice enhancing electronics was another motif both Anbian and I had experienced in those heady NYC/DC days of the 1980s and '90s. I was no stranger to the use of that technology, a skill honed from my years of work with the pop diva, Madonna. After remembering those performances during one of Anbian's legendary Christmas parties, we thought, "Hey, that's some thing we could try!" Once Robert started reading, I noticed right away, that he had a kind of rhythm that would work nicely with jazz.


Charles Unger, Sam Peebles, and "Doc" Smith on his "Drummstick"

Unger and Peebles have been seen regularly at Haight Street's Club Deluxe Tuesday Poetry Night, joining fellow Unger band mate Andy Marquetti, and sitting in with a host of local jazz artist and poets. After visiting with Unger one Tuesday night, I saw how well the mucisians played with the poets, and enlisted the legendary Unger and Peebles right away. My use of the guitar-like drum controller, the "Drummstick", had been thrilling audiences for over a decade, and for this combo, I've even got jazz legends Unger and Peebles to dust off their respective electronic instruments, a MIDI saxophone and keyboards, which allow all three of us to play a variety of chords, melodies, samples and other-worldly sounds. The UFQ is a sort of an electronic Modern Jazz Quartet. We don't know who may be in the group at any given time. It could be me, Unger, Peebles and even a laptop, or perhaps a guitar/synth player like John Moremen. We only know that it's electric, fun and it's got some elements of jazz.

Not unlike the "Beat" poets of the 1950s and their jazz counterparts of the past, Anbian's "We3" with myself, Unger, Peebles and their "Unidentified Flying Quartet", promises to be a very interesting show. A recently finished studio recording of this ensemble, as well as a live CD should be released this fall.


A Night of Live Music
Robert Anbian's We3,
featuring E. "Doctor" Smith, Charles Unger & Sam Peebles
$5
Madrone Lounge
Wed Sep 6 (6pm-2am; show begins at 9pm)
500 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
cross street: Fell -- Tel. 415-241-0202

Kai Eckhardt's "Area 61" Comes to the Capoiera Arts Cafe

Last weekend at San Jose's Jazz Festival, I saw the amazing bassists, Marcus Miller and the legendary Abraham Laboriel take the stage. This Saturday night, during Berkeley's Downtown Jazz Festival at the Capoiera Arts Cafe, I will see another one of those extraordinary bass players, the phenomenal Kai Eckhardt and his new "Area 61" ensemble. Eckhardt is widely considered to be one of the most influential electric bassists alive today, and is best known for his work with the John Mc Laughlin Trio, Indian percussion sensation Trilok Gurtu, and the band Garaj Mahal. Unbelievably, Eckhardt's musical career spans almost 3 decades.

Eckhardt has performed an average of 100 shows a year internationally since he graduated Berklee College of Music in 1987. Highlights include engagements with: Billy Cobham, Stanley Clarke, Wayne Shorter, Patrice Rushen, Dewey Redman and Donald Byrd. Locally Eckhardt was a member of San Franciscos's Alphabet Soup, appeared with singer Rhiannon and recently recorded with the Meter's Zigaboo Modeliste.

Eckhardt was born on June 15, 1961 in Mainz, Germany. Being the son of a German mother and a Liberian father, he was raised in Germany and West Africa. He began to study the bass guitar at age 15 and went on to establish himself as a well known and respected musician. Eckhardt left Germany in 1983 to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. While still in school, he became a member of the Bob Moses Group and Tiger's Baku. At the same time, Boston served as a home base for the launching of various international tours. It was during this period that his special talent first received international recognition. Eckhardt was the bassist for Steve Smith's Vital Information, Alphonse Mouzon, Randy Brecker, and Stanley Clarke.

Eckhardt graduated from Berklee in 1987 with honors and was offered a teaching position at the college. In the same year, Gary Burton recommended him to guitarist John McLaughlin. Eckhardt joined the John McLaughlin Trio, which featured percussionist Trilok Gurtu, in December 1988. The Trio toured extensively throughout the world and recorded two albums. The acclaimed 'Live at the Royal Festival Hall', recorded in London during 1989, documented a new direction in McLaughlin's music. This recording has been described by many as historic for its outstanding musicianship and unique stylistic blend. Between 1990 and 1993, Eckhardt's focus shifted towards composition. After a period of study, he began to write for a variety of different musical settings. Some of his work as a composer and arranger has been performed by the vocal ensemble, SoVoSo, formerly known as Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra. In 1994, the government of the United States granted Kai the status of a US resident, based on his extraordinary abilities as an artist. He then went on to work with Billy Cobham's International Quartet, touring the US and Canada.

Meanwhile, Eckhardt's career as a recording artist and live performer continued to develop in a multicultural direction. The Aziza Mustafa Zadeh recording project brought together the folk music of Eastern Europe and jazz. This 1995 release for Sony Germany features Eckhardt, along with Al Di Meola, Bill Evans, and Omar Hakim. The production was followed by a successful tour and the album reached number one on the German jazz charts.

In the summer of 1995, Eckhardt performed in Europe with the New York based band Steps Ahead and received a jazz award from Sony records. 1996 began with the Vibe Tribe tour of Germany, which included Patrice Rushen, Larry Williams, and Teri Lynne Carrington. In the same year, Eckhardt recorded 'Native Dreamer' with Brazilian percussionist Dudu Tucci. Eckhardt is also featured on Maria Joao's album entitled 'Fabula', with the help of Ralph Towner, Mario Laginha, and Manu Katche. Another 1996 project combined Spanish, Indian, and North American music when the Colorado based band Curandero recorded their second album with Eckhardt and Bela Fleck.

A year later Eckhardt conducted a series of master classes at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the Bass Collective in New York City, and the Anton Bruckner Conservatory in Austria. He also held a master class with Journey drummer Steve Smith at the Musician's Institute of Technology in Los Angeles. Shortly after he joined the band Glimpse, led by percussionist and three-time Downbeat poll winner Trilok Gurtu. Over a period of two years he performed with this ensemble worldwide. This formation produced two albums, one in 1998 and one in 1999. Eckhardt's first solo project, 'Honour Simplicity, Respect the Flow', was released in the U.S. in early 2001 and features Courtney Pine, Zakir Hussain, Aydin Esen, and Sean Rickman.

Eckhardt also teaches music in schools and conservatories worldwide. Notable engagements incude: The Anton Bruckner Conservatory in Austria, Victor Wooten's Bass and Nature camp, the Amsterdam Conservatory in Holland, Berklee College of Music in Boston and the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, India. Currently, Eckhardt tours with Garaj Mahal and the permier Indian Jazz band Summit (featuring George Brooks, Steve Smith and Zakir Hussain) as well as the European based Timucin Sahin Trio. His "Kaizone" was founded in January 2006 and represents a fresh vehicle for Eckhardt's new music.

"Area 61"

Vocalsist Daria Nile began training in the arts at age five studying ballet, tap and ja dance. Her main areas of artistic expression are in vocals, dancing and painting. She is a graduate from the School of the Arts in San Francisco where she specialized in dance. She also trained with the San Francisco Ballet and danced in several productions of that company. As a singer she had training in vocals for two years with ACT in Tucson Arizona. She has performed professionally as a singer for the last six years and has had the opportunity of performing in some of the most popular and prestigious clubs in the Bay Area including Kimbles West, Café Du Nord, Plush Room, Heart and soul and others. She has recorded with the popular Bay Area group "Midnight Voices" as well as two CD's with the Idris Ackamoor Ensemble.

Gail Muldrow on vocals and guitar, is known for her work with Sly and the Family Stone and Graham Central Station. She is currently touring internationally with the band "Family Stone" BORN November 23, 1955 San Francisco, California “ Gail is a multi talented entertainer, singer guitar player. Her vocal versatility is amazing, reminding us of the time when singers all had a distinct difference to one another. Gladys, Aretha, Etta are obvious influences in her vocal style. Gail grew up at a time when rock and roll was forming. Artist such as Ray Charles, Magalia Jackson, Duke Ellington, Nancy Wilson and many more were the background sounds of her youth. Her parents encouraged her to play music at a young age. Participating in church choir, honor choir, band, and theater throughout school. At age 17 Sly took her in and put her on a hit record “I Get High On YOU” “My parents played the music that influences me to this day. ”“A ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PURE SAN FRANCISCO BORN SENSATION”

Tennessee native Darian Gray has already made quite a name for himself in the Bay Area and is currently performing regularly with the world-renowned Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and several other Bay Area ensembles. Darian Gray is a gifted young drummer with an incredibly natural and funky feel. No matter what kind of tune and no matter how complicated the rhythm, Gray always find a way to make it funky and tight. Darian is also a very talented hip hop artist who leads his own band, fluently integrating the spoken word with his drumming.

Kit Walker is a keyboardist and composer best known for his two Windham Hill Jazz releases, “Dancing on the Edge of the World”, and “Fire in the Lake”, which both received international top ten airplay, and critical acclaim. He has also toured the world and recorded with Kitaro, and has recorded and composed music for Steve Smith’s Vital Information, as well as on Journey guitarist Neal Schon”s album “Electric World”. He is the keyboardist with Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, appearing on their latest two albums, “Shiva Station”, and the Grammy-nominated “Mondo Rama”. Kit was the original keyboardist in the band Garaj Mahal, for years and member of "Three of Worlds" with Kai and Paul Mc Candless.

More recently, Kit has turned to producing, including the two best-selling albums of the devotional singer Deva Premal, “Love is Space” and “Embrace”, as well as his own world/jazz release “Freehouse”. He also currently works with the Brazilian world jazz percussion master Airto Moreira and his wife, vocalist Flora Purim.

I have seen many of the greatest electric bass players up close and personal, spanning the last 30 years; Stanley Clarke, Alphonso Johnson, the late Jaco Pastorius and Victor Wooten. Kai Eckhardt also belongs in that rarified company, and deservedly so. So if you want to see one of the best, both locally or globally, now would be a very good time indeed.

Kai Eckhart's Area 61
Downtown Berkeley Jazz Festival
Capoeira Arts Cafe
2026 Addison Street Berkeley, CA 94704
School phone:(510) 666-1255
Cafe phone: (510) 666-1349
www.capoeiraarts.com

The 17th Annual San Jose Jazz Festival

This weekend, I'll be among the thousands of fans at the 2006 San Jose Jazz Festival, which opened last night on Santana Row, and runs through August 20th. The Festival promises to pay respect to the genre’s deep roots in New Orleans with a full line-up of superstars, including the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Sonny Landreth, and more. Some of my personal favorites, reknown bassist Marcus Miller, and drummer Will Kennedy of the Yellowjackets fame, will also appear. The Festival will take place on nine stages, each dedicated to a flavor of jazz: Blues, Latin, Salsa, Big Band, Youth and Straight Ahead.

“The Jazz Festival is our biggest fundraiser of the year, which helps serve more than 8,000 school children through our music and education programs,” said Geoff Roach, executive director of the San Jose Jazz Society. “So many jazz fans live in the Bay Area and nostalgia for New Orleans is particularly strong this year, given the turmoil experienced in the region. We want to pay respect and homage to the birthplace of Jazz with this year’s lively lineup and we expect this year’s event to draw an enthusiastic crowd.”

This year’s artists range from world-famous jazz legends to up-and-coming stars. Additional headline artists include the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Bud Shank, pianist Eldar, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Other artists performing at the festival include pianist Bill Mays, Hiroshi Kamekura from Japan, Anton Schwartz, and Roger Smith and Tom Politzer of “Tower of Power.”

Festival Gala and Concert at Santana Row
The Festival kicked off with a bang Thursday Night at Santana Row with a Marti Gras themed Gala event and concert. The opening night Gala has been a sold-out event the past four years, helping to raise funds for the San Jose Jazz Society’s year-round education and performance programming. Details of this event will be announced at a later date.

Cool Creole, Cajun and lots of Concerts
Friday through Sunday brings the Festival back to downtown San Jose with three days of non-stop jazz events. From Friday night’s high octane opening at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez to the much-anticipated appearance by Festival headliners the Neville Brothers on Sunday evening, the San Jose Jazz Festival has something for everyone. Saturday and Sunday performances begin at noon and continue after hours with the Festival’s newest stage “Jazz Beyond.” Arts and crafts, photography exhibitions, jazz films, and even a Silicon Valley CEO jazz jamsession will be featured during this year’s Festival.

Performer highlights include:

Saturday, August 19
• Eldar Main Stage
Hailing Eldar as a "remarkably advanced jazz artist," JAZZIZ magazine wrote, "The pianist's incredible hands already have him sounding like a young Art Tatum." When he was nine years old, Eldar began to explore and pursue jazz seriously. One can hear in Eldar's music influences from the classic, the inspired drive of Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, the exuberance of Dave Brubeck, and the intensity and introspection of Bill Evans.

• Dr. John – Main Stage
Dr. John is universally celebrated as the living embodiment of the rich musical heritage exclusive to New Orleans. Adorned with voodoo charms and regalia, a legend was born with his breakthrough 1968 album Gris-gris, which established his unique blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, rhythm & blues, psychedelic rock and Creole roots.

• Dr. Lonnie Smith – Main Stage
Dr. Lonnie Smith is internationally known as one of the premier jazz keyboardists in the history of the idiom. A dominant talent and pace-setting proponent of the Hammond B3 Organ and widely recognized and gifted pianist, Lonnie has been at the forefront of the jazz scene since 1969 when Downbeat Magazine named him Top Organist

• Bill Mays -- Smith Dobson Stage
The artistry of Bill Mays is beyond category. With deep roots in jazz, gospel, pop and classical music his eclectic, prolific career as pianist, composer and arranger spans four decades.

• Anton Schwartz – The Rep Stage
Jazz saxophonist Anton Schwartz has been drawing listeners in with the power, spirit and subtle complexity of his music since he bounded onto the San Francisco jazz scene in 1995. San Francisco Chronicle described him has having a "warm, generous tone, impeccably developed solos and infectious performance energy."

• Roger Smith and Tom Politzer from Tower of Power – Blues Stage
Roger's talents are something recording artists have known for years. From his early days on the Austin, Texas music scene, Roger has been a sought after musician and music producer. Tom Politzer joined Tower of Power on Lead Tenor Sax in March on 2002. Tom is well known in the Bay Area for his work in several bands, most notably Spang-A-Lang.

Sunday, August 20

• Spanish Harlem Orchestra – Main Stage
Two trumpets, two trombones and a baritone sax make up the bracing brass sound of this band dedicated conga, bongo and timbale players round out the percussion and the upright bass and acoustic piano are the icing on this salsa flavored cake. With a sound both modern and historic and a swing that could revive the dead, Spanish Harlem Orchestra is the signature sound of 21st century Latin music.

• Bud Shank – Main Stage
Bud Shank has been an integral member of the international jazz scene for 60 years. A respected saxophonist, composer, and arranger, his soaring dynamic performances have enlivened countless concerts, festivals, nightclubs and recording sessions.

• Sonny Landreth – Blues Stage
Considered one of the more unique slide guitarists, Landreth’s marriage of blues and zydeco has morphed into the “king of slydeco.” Landreth has been working steadily for decades, amassing a devoted following among his fans and peers. Eric Clapton said he is “probably the most underestimated musician on the planet and also probably one of the most advanced.”

• Neville Brothers-- Main Stage
The essence of New Orleans, the 4 Neville Brothers, Art, Charles, Aaron and Cyril are convocation of each of their unique souls. Each breathes their own personalities into a union funk, soul, fusion and blues.

See you there!

Bill Bruford's "Rock Goes To College" Now on DVD

My first trip to London was in 1977, during the Queen's "Silver Jubilee". During that visit, I was able to catch many of my favorite European musicians of the day, Genesis, Gong, Jean Luc Ponty, and the incredible drummer Bill Bruford. In those days, the BBC also produced the critically acclaimed "Rock Goes to College" series, at Oxford's Polytechnic Institute. Now, some 30 years later, comes the release of one of the best of those concerts, a Special Edition copy of the brand-new Winterfold Records DVD, "Bruford : Rock Goes To College."

This classic 42 minute all-regions concert DVD was filmed at Oxford Polytechnic March 7th 1979. The band only made two appearances in its short life, both on national UK TV shows, with this being the second of the two. It was a groundbreaking electric rock group four of whose members- Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Berlin, Annette Peacock and Bill Bruford- already possessed or went on to develop, individual voices within jazz. Keyboardist Dave Stewart subsequently achieved substantial success in the pop singles world with Barbara Gaskin.

This DVD is released initially as a Special Edition, limited to 500 copies, and only purchaseable by mail-order at www.brufordrockgoestocollege.co.uk , before reverting to general release. Special Edition copies only will be numbered, autographed by all five members of the group, and come in Special Edition artwork. "Bruford organically fuses jazz's harmonic and melodic breadth with the rhythmic impetuosity and electric bite of rock. Bruford's concepts take a backseat to no-one; not Weather Report, Gary Burton, Terje Rypdal or John McLaughlin...", wrote Downbeat Magazine, Sounds UK called it "...brimming with some of the most creative talent in contemporary improvisational music..."

"For ten years, through sojourns with King Crimson, Yes, Genesis and other bands, Bruford has steadily increased his reputation as one of the world's most intelligent and accomplishes percussionists," wrote the Sunday Times UK back in 1979.

Bruford and his group first came to the United States in 1978, in it's first incarnation, called "U.K.", with guitarist Holdsworth of the Soft Machine, bassist John Wetton of King Crimson and keyboard/violinist Eddie Jobson, who replaced Brian Eno in Roxy Music. Recording on Robert Fripp's E.G. label, Wetton and Jobson ultimately parted ways with the jazz oriented Bruford and Holdsworth, who didn't want to continue in a rock vein.

In a compromise, Fripp gave Bruford the green light to continue under his own name, and the group with Stewart, Berlin and Peacock was born. Holdsworth recorded only two albums with the band, "Feels Good to Me", and the amazing "One of a Kind". With Holdsworth's fame spreading, and tours with Jean Luc Ponty and the late, great drummer Tony Williams looming, Holdsworth departed for good. When the band finally arrived in the U.S. for the 1980 tour, Holdsworth had been replaced by the guitarist jokingly referred to as, the "unknown" John Clark. A live album, "The Bruford Tapes", and their final studio album, "Gradually Going Tornado" would follow, and signal the end of one of jazz rock's greatest ensembles.

I was fortunate to see the original "U.K.", (which opened for jazz guitarist Al DiMeola), at the old Painter's Mill in Maryland in 1978, the "Bruford" band in 1980 at the now defunct Bayou in D.C., and one of the first to own a signed, limited edition copy of this quite unique band in concert, (after years of seeing all the horrible copies and bootlegs floating around on ebay), however more unsigned copies will be available. For clips from the DVD, more information and purchase details go to www.brufordrockgoestocollege.co.uk.

The 2006 Edgetone Music Summit Comes to Oakland's 21 Grand Gallery

Tonight, I'll have the privilege of performing at the Edgetone Music Summit, an artist organized event founded in 2001 with fiscal sponsorship from 21 Grand Gallery, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization in Oakland. The Summit exclusively features independent artists most of whom are practitioners in music and sound of improvised and or experimental nature. In association with the Summit there are two year-round music series’, The Luggage Store Gallery New Music Series and the S.I.M.M. Series at the Musicians Union Hall. Both series serve as local stages for residential artists as well as for touring artists from all parts of the globe. The summit opened last night at the Luggage Store with the amazing Pamela Z, and moves to 21 Grand Gallery in Oakland tonight. Billed as a "Night of Inventions Played by the Inventors", I'll be joining Boston trumpeter Eric Dahlman, on his most unusual "Trident Trumpet", and inventors Bob Marsh, Steven Baker, Tom Nunn, Krystyna Bobrowski, and Larnie Fox's "Crank Ensemble".

The Edgetone Music Summit began as a festival event to support the D.I.Y. artists of Edgetone Records, an artist operated recording label for improvised and experimental music. Edgetone Records was founded by saxophonist and concert producer Rent Romus. Edgetone began as a place for artists who needed a home for their recordings while finding support and growth within a community. In their fourth year, the 2005 Edgetone Summit was held at The Luggage Store Gallery, 21 Grand Gallery, and The Oakland Metro Theater, three Bay Area venues known for supporting independent experimental music throughout the year. The next Summit will be held July 27-30, 2006.

The Edgetone Music Summit reflects the Bay Area multicultural diversity of discovery and new ideas associated with the region. Historically dating back to the inception of the Barbary Coast of San Francisco in the early 20th century, the S. F. Bay Area is one of the multicultural, politically and socially aggressive, artistically experimental centers of California.

The festival also pays homage to local as well as California’s central role in the development of invention and cutting edge ideas. The San Francisco Bay Area has been and still is the location where many of the founders of new ideas in sound live and have lived including Ives, Pauline Oliveros, Glenn Spearman, Lisle Ellis, and Terry Riley to name a few. Today The SF Bay Area, in the heart of California, is home to one of the most bustling and expanding new music scenes fostering the next generation of music pioneers.

The Curators

Musician and producer Rent Romus is the mastermind behind Edgetone Records, an artist-run new music label and its umbrella organization the Ultra Independent Recording Coalition, an artist-owned and operated distribution portal for new music. Rent also curates the San Francisco-based Luggage Store Gallery New Music Series, the SIMM Series, and Outsound Presents…, an artist collective for live performance. Rent sat on community advisory boards for the SF-ALT Festival, the Big Sur Experimental Music Festival and currently works on numerous other production events here and abroad.

Musician and sound installation artist Suki O’Kane plays locally in punk and experimental genres and was nominated for a 2004 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award in Sound Design and Original Score for her work with the Theatre of Yugen. In collaboration with Edgetone Records during the 2005 Summit Suki brought her latest incarnation of curated live music and film ensembles to Night Three of the Edgetone Summit: a panoply of Edgetone recording artists and other outstanding Bay Area musicians and performative projectionists using every available interior and exterior surface of the Oakland Metro in a night of public art, live music and performative projection. She continues to work with the Summit to bring her special style of curation for 2006.

The 2006 Edgetone Music Summit
Friday July 28th
Sonic Foundry
'a night of inventions played by the inventors'
21 Grand Gallery
416 25th St. @ Broadway
Oakland, CA 8pm
$12 general $8 students/seniors @ the door
$10 advance general only
http://www.edgetonemusicsummit.org/06/summit_schedule.html

The West African Highlife Band and Shumba Marimba Comes to Ashkenaz

Berkeley's famed Ashekenaz, has long been on my list of venues to visit, and now I'll finally have my chance with two great groups, The West African Highlife Band, led by Kotaja's Ken Okulolo, and the youthful "Shumba Marimba". Following a request by David Nadel, the late director of Ashkenaz, for a band to concentrate on Ghanaian and West African highlife dance music and rhythmic styles, the West African Highlife Band was created. With master musicians from several West African countries and the United States, the band draws on folk traditions combined with modern stylistic elements played with acoustic and electric instruments, and include the infectious classic highlife dance hits of Ghana and Nigeria. Along with Okulolo, the band features Soji Odukogbe, Nii Armah Hammond, Lemi Barrow, Rasaki Aladokun and Pope Flyne.

The West African Highlife Band

The Bay Area's own West African Highlife Band, led by Ken Okulolo, is renowned for reviving Nigerian "highlife" dance classics. By seamlessly fusing African and world music, the Band has garnered a strong fan base and praise from critics. Rich vocal harmonies, intertwining guitars, and exciting percussion characterize their unique music.

The Band consists of five talented members: Ken Okulolo, Soji Odukogbe, Pope Flyne, Nii Armah Hammond, and Lemi Barrow. Okulolo, the bandleader, is a bassist, percussionist, and vocalist who has been deeply influenced by traditional village music. First seen touring in the United States with King Sunny Ade's African Beats, Okulolo has been voted "Nigeria's Best Bassist" five times. He has worked with several other great highlife bands, including that of highlife master, Victor Olaiya. Okulolo also leads the modern Afro-beat band Kotoja and the acoustic group The Nigerian Brothers.

Soji Odukogbe was lead guitarist for five years for the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He draws on his extensive background in Nigerian Afro-beat, highlife, and spiritual music to bring a unique sensibility to his highlife guitar interpretations. Pope Flyne is a performer, composer, and educator originating from Ghana. He is best known as lead vocalist for the legendary Sweet Talks band. When not performing, Flyne contributes to his community by sharing his vast knowledge of African folk music, dancing, and percussion with his American students. Nii Armah Hammond is a present and founding member of the seminal Ghanaian group Hedzoleh Soundz, which has recorded several albums with famed Hugh Masekela. Tap drummer Lemi Barrow has gained great skill through his many years of experience performing with African, Brazilian, and African-American musicians. Together, this vastly talented group makes the West African Highlife Band a joy to listen to.

The Shumba Marimba Youth Ensemble



Opening the show at Ashkenaz, are the remarkable "Shumba Marimba Youth Ensemble", and I have it on good authority, that these kids are truly amazing. The youth that make up Shumba range in age from 9 to 15, and they have studied with their director, Sheree Seretse for at least 3 years, some as many as 8. The ensemble usually plays using eight marimbas; three sopranos, three tenors, a baritone, a bass and hoshos, or gourd shakers. These marimbas are hand-crafted xylophones made from various hardwoods, and the keys are fine-tuned to reflect the tones played in African societies. Each key sits above a resonator with a vibrating membrane to amplify the sound and add a unique "buzz" to the music.

In addition to private parties, Shumba has had the wonderful opportunity to play publicly with National Childrens recording artist Dan Zanes at the Moore Theatre, at the Folklife Festival in Seattle, the Paramount Theatre and the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York! They have also shared their music at educational events at our local schools, A.I.D.S. awareness workshops, and fundraisers for Zimbabwean orphanages.

This promises to be a really great show, and reminds me of one of my favorite Zimbabwean chants, "Nyama Yekugocha", which roughly translated means, "Now the meat is ready for roasting!"


The West African Highlife Band, and the Shumba Marimba Youth Ensemble
Ashekenaz, 1317 San Pablo Avenue (near Gilman St.) Berkeley
Saturday, July 15th. Doors at 8:30 pm; Show at 9:30 pm
African dance lesson with Comfort Mensah at 9:00 pm
$15 general/$12 student

"Spottiswoode and His Enemies" Coming to The Make Out Room

One of my favorite bands from the NY/DC area, “Spottiswoode and His Enemies”, will be performing next Thursday night, June 29th, at the Make Out Room, at 22nd and Valencia Streets. This will be a fine opportunity to see this amazing group, in what must be a rare west coast appearance, and following their shows in L.A., (and even a wedding at the Herbst!). The "Enemies", are led by the irrepressible Jonathan Spottiswoode, a Brit who whose talent and voice, conjures images of John Prine, John Mayall, and Tom Waits, all rolled into one. With long time partner, guitarist Riley McMahon, Spottiswoode and his fantastic “enemies” are fleshed out by some of New York and D.C.’s best musicians; bassist John Young, the charming Candace De Bartolo on sax, the ever crisp drumming of Tim Vail, Tony Lauria on accordian and keyboards, and Last Train Home’s absolutely fabulous Kevin Cordt on trumpet and assorted evening wear. Spottiswoode’s music is both raw and wonderful, and no one plays the kind of blues the Enemies do. Trust me, this promises to be one of those shows you’ll be talking about for years to come.

Spottiswoode’s latest album, a duet with McMahon, called simply “S&M”, has been called an “orgiastic smorgasbord of song, with stories of love, disillusionment, Ukrainians, Parisians, New Yorkers, Londoners, Scots, Cubans, Indians, Brazilians, children, parents, gypsies, and other more interesting stuff”, a “rich and seamless journey through women, continents and past lives”, and I couldn’t have put it any better myself. Spottiswoode and McMahon’s chemistry is undeniable here, and their partnership must be considered one of the truly great ones to come along in some time. A few of the “Enemies” also appear on the CD, along with an assortment of instruments like tablas, violins, and of course, a toy piano.

My favorite Spottiswoode CD, is their critically acclaimed, second recording, “Building A Road”, and is a must album for all Spottiswoode fans. Recently re-issued, their song “Drunk”, which opens the album is just awesome, and the ass-kicking, “I Get Blue” still plays regularly in my iTunes playlist. Recorded in 2002 with pianist Kenny White on the Kumpelstiltskin label, this gospel homage is one of Spottiswoode’s best efforts.



Spottiswoode’s earlier solo CD, "Ugly Love”, was called by the New Yorker, “Genius... astringently morose ballads about love", and the Enemies self-titled first album, “Spottiswoode and his Enemies”, was described as, "Nigh on impossible to categorize. They're brilliantly unreviewable, thick, disturbed and hanuted. This CD ranges from dark existentialist chaos to focused almost-pretty balladry without betraying its singularly smart, tormented vision. Music to champion”, by Performing Songwriter Magazine, and a “turn-of-the-millennium White Album”.

Spottiswoode and his Enemies are truly a one of a kind band, a band that also embodies Henry Kaiser's wonderful axiom, of performing with “people that you like, love and trust”. I can’t think of another band that combines the essence of the blues with fantastic music, humor and wit, as well as Spottiswoode and his Enemies. Keep your friends close, keep your "Enemies" closer, and dont' miss this!

Spottiswoode and his Enemies, Thursday, June 29th @ 10:00 pm
The Make Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, near Valencia, San Francisco, CA
http://www.spottiswoode.com

"High Vulture" Swoops Into The Luggage Store

Improvisational music is alive and well at Market Street's "Luggage Store Gallery". The gallery's long running experimental music series, hosted by Bay Area veteran improvisers/sound artists, Rent Romus and Matt Davignon, have brought some of the most critically acclaimed artists of the genre, from legendary guitarists like Henry Kaiser and Fred Frith, to the inimitable improv pianist, Cecil Taylor.

Last night's performance, amid the beautiful green walls and a fantastic musical art installation, found the debut of electro-saxophonist Jaroba, as well the highly anticipated debut of the Bay Area's "High Vulture". Led by the incinderary guitarist of the famed group MX-80, Bruce Anderson and his improv cohorts, drummer John Moremen, and bassist Bill Raymond, High Vulture, screeched, swooped, soared, and even soothed most effectively under Anderson's guidance and special effects. This music is not for the squeamish, however, if you are bold enough to take the journey with High Vulture, you may find them a trip well worth taking.

Their Thursday night performance began with Anderson, who seemed to find the most beautiful, yet dissonant harmonics, and then "loop" them, and build yet another soundscape, and yet another on top of that. Once Moremen and Raymond powered their way towards it, Anderson would shift yet again, and a wonderful sort of distorted game of hide-and-seek would begin again.

Anderson's ability to shift his textures from the dark-buzz-saw-like colors one moment, to an almost pastoral distortion the next, and then blend them again, only to shred them apart, was nothing short of amazing. Somehow, almost inexplicably, High Vulture would then grind to a halt, so quietly, as if stopping on a lonely roadside at night. As High Vulture continued to their small, but appreciative audience, there were even a few moments during their set, when the trio actually reminded me of the original Tony William's Lifetime, with John McLaughlin, Jack Bruce, and the late Larry Young. A friend sitting next to me said afterwards, "That was a workout..." High Vulture's new CD, is entitled "17", and can be found on the Curator label.

"Jaroba", aka James Robert Barnes, is a "musician, photographer, interviewer, and actor", all rolled into one. Newly relocated to Davis, Ca. from Nebraska, Jaroba has performed solo and improv collaborations with groups like, the Acme Improv Ensemble, (with Shane Schieder), the Liberation Surrealist Duo, the Micro-climate from New Zealand, and with the Lincoln, Nebraska based "Improve Ensemble Howloosanation", where last year they performed at the John Cage "MusicCircus" festival, at the museum of Modern Art in Chicago.

Jaroba's use of electronics, and his bass clarinet, allowed him to "loop" himself in real time, and create nice, and complex harmonies on the spot. Watching him conjured memories of another great improv saxophonist, Peter Broztman, of Bill Laswell's legendary "Material".

Improvisational music is often a rare commodity, even in many larger cities; Washington, D.C. once boasted the fabulous "D.C. Space" and the original "Madam's Organ" was home to the groups like "The Muffin's, and the "Bad Brains", Seattle's underground scene still thrives with groups like "Critter's Buggin'", and New York's "Knitting Factory", like it's predecessor, the famed "NY Loft" series, still manage to blend both jazz and improv on a regular basis. With the advent of ensembles like the "Bad Plus", and the face of Market Street evolving everyday, let's hope The Luggage Store Gallery, and it's forward thinking owners, Laurie Lazer and Darryl Smith, can continue this valuable outlet for the challenging and pioneering artists of San Francisco's "free" musical realm.

The Summer Solstice of Sol Horizon

Since their eponymous CD release in 2004, Sebastopol's Sol Horizon has blossomed, becoming one of the most popular and forward thinking bands of it's genre. The release of their latest CD, "First Light" and recent tours of California and Hawaii, as well as collaborations with England's rising reggae star, Pato Banton, should erase any doubt as to their authenticity and musical sincerity. Led by vocalist Michael Litwin, and his "party revolution" group, Sol Horizon are ably driven by lead guitarist Clayton Hunt, percussionist Peter van Gorder, and rounded out with bassist Frank Preuss, drummer Colin Menzies, rhythm guitarist Alexei Brown and keyboardist Jeremy Cooper. Sol Horizon continues to write and perform only their original music, a feat very few reggae groups would even attempt. No Bob Marley covers, no Peter Tosh, no Steel Pulse, no Melody Makers, just Sol Horizon! Their "conscious lyrics" and continued involvement in the sustainable living community by promoting global awareness and environmental issues, makes Sol Horizon a unique blend of fantastic music and planetary activism.

Sol Horizon continues to promote that movement, a movement borne of the "conscious struggle" of us all to save the planet, and in their case, via their music. Sol Horizon's green philosophy is clearly embodied in both Litwin's lyrics and Sol Horizon's music. Litwin's passionate and energetic singing, helps to convey that message, add the incendiary Hunt's guitar work, van Gorder and Menzie's grooves, and the textures of Brown, Preuss and Cooper providing the beautiful world sound-scapes, you begin to get an idea of what Sol Horizon is all about.

Their song "System", has the all the classic reggae flavor one comes to expect from a Sol Horizon song, and Hunt's guitar work is both subtle and supportive. Percussionist van Gorder's intro on "Ill Suffering", and his work with drummer Menzies on the "Naturalist" continue their infectious grooves and syncopated stops and to starts to great effect. "Hemp Revolution" has an almost Grateful Dead meets Bob Marley feel to it, I had to open my eyes at one point to see where I was. "Easy Road" is one of the best tunes in this effort. Hunt's guitar and Litwin's voice are well matched here, and I couldn't help think of Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" when I first heard it.

Pato Banton's influence on Sol Horizon has been both positive and mutually beneficial. In Sol Horizon, Banton has found a superb backing group in the U.S., and a supportive voice in teaming with Litwin. For Sol Horizon, access to an even wider audience, more credibility, and a maturing sound that keeps getting better are just the thing this group from Sebastopol needed. Just as jazz is no longer the sole province of the Americans, (having given way to many of their European counterparts), so too has reggae become an international musical movement. In the United States, reggae festivals in places as diverse as Burlington, Vermont and Northern California can boast some of the biggest crowds and greatest reggae stars. Montreal's "Festival du Afrique" is one of the best in the Hemisphere, and England as well as France's Caribbean influences continue to flourish. Sol Horizon's upcoming show at Santa Rosa's 28th Annual Harmony Festival, (June 9th-11th), promises to be another memorable performance.

There is no telling how far Sol Horizon can go, more collaborations with Banton, a vigorous Summer and Spring tour, festivals and plans for European shows, keep the group energized and focused on spreading their positive message of community building, planetary empowerment and love. Yeah Mon!

Sol Horizon, "Party Revolution"

Saturday, June 3rd @ Ukiah Brewery 102 S. State St Ukiah, CA
Thursday, June 8th @ Metro's Music in the Other Park,
St. James Park N 1st St & W St James St San Jose, CA
Sunday, June 11th @ 27th Annual Harmony Festival, Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, CA

The Bay Area Brazilian Beats of Brazuca Brown

My love of Brazilian music is no secret to those who know me, for years I performed with guitarist Carlos Augustus and his DC ArtBeat ensembles. In my youth, I would often journey to see such great artists like Dom Um Romeo, of Weather Report, Egberto Gismonti, Milton Naciamento, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Paulhino de Costa, and of course my favorites; the incredible Flora Purim and Airto Moriera, whose incendiary tamborine solos conjured images of Panamanian drummer Billy Cobham at his height.

In what could have been a catastrophe at the Rasselas Jazz Club last Sunday night for the Wilbur Rehmann Quartet show, (It seems the owner inadvertantly double booked the evening!), the gracious Caroline Chung of Brazuca Brown, stepped aside and wished us good luck. So moved was I by the group's generosity, that I endeavored to find out more about her and her band. Rehmann's show I might add, was a smashing success, and in the aftermath of that evening, I found another pleasant surprise in the wonderful and innovative Brazilian music of Brazuca Brown and it's offspring, the Brazuca Dub Quartet.

Considered the "Bay Area's most innovative Brazilian band", Brazuca Brown fuses traditional music with modern technology. The group came together in 2004, when they began combining percussion and complex Brazilian rhythms with the "post-tropicalia" musings of today's DJ culture. The result is a groove oriented "samba-electric" flavor, powered by the high energy drumming of the "bateria", the drum ensemble that powers the samba schools during Carnival.

Brazuca Brown is ably led by bassist Caroline Chung, Cris and Nick on drums and percussion, and the wonderful Antonio on vocals and guitar. Often Brazuca Brown can seen as an "orchestra", with Danny Cao on trumpet, Carlinhos Baiano and Sam Hicks, also on percussion, or in a smaller unit known as the "Brazuca Dub Quartet". Brazuca Brown has been a regular fixture at the Elbo Room, and has been seen at Bruno's, The Cigar Bar, The Make Out Room, Cafe Du Nord, and the Independent.

Their polyrhythmic textures on songs like, "Onde Anda" and "Avaio" stopped me in my tracks. The take no prisoners funk of "Descobrido dos Mares" and "No Caminho Do Bem", will make you want to get up dance, without a doubt. Antoino's vocals and guitar work is fantastic, and must bee seen to be fully appreciated. Chung holds down groove like nobody's business on bass, and the guys on percussion are just well, "disgustingly talented".

So if you are in the mood for some fiery samba, funky bass, ridicolously infectous percussion, don't wait for Carnival to see Brazuca Brown, in any of their incarnations. You will be glad you did.

Brazuca Brown
Sat. May 20th @
Club Anton
428 3rd Street
Oakland, CA
510-463-0165
http://www.clubanton.com/

Tues. May 23rd @
The Elbo Room
647 Valencia Street
San Francsico, CA
http://www.elbo.com/