Rachelle Ferrell Comes to Yoshi's

My good friend, bassist Liza Albright first turned me onto the pianist, composer and vocalist Rachelle Ferrell, via her fantastic "Individuality" CD, her third effort and a very fine release. I was completely blown away with her song, "Why You Wanna Mess It All Up?". When Ferrell burst onto the contemporary jazz scene in the early nineties, she provided not only one of the most powerful and unique new voices in music, but also an important bridge between R&B and jazz. Equally at home singing contemporary R&B soul or straight-ahead jazz, Rachelle Ferrell is a musical anomaly — not so much because she can do both — but because she does both so well. Rachelle's musicianship, songwriting, intuition and astonishing six-octave vocal range set her apart from her contemporaries. With her sophisticated melodies, smooth grooves and stunning voice, Rachelle Ferrell and her R&B band launch their debut performance at Yoshi’s.

Richard Skelly of the "All Music Guide" wrote that, "Ferrell is a recent arrival on the contemporary jazz scene, but her visibility on the pop / urban contemporary scene has boosted her audience's interest in her jazz recordings. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Ferrell got started singing in the second grade at age six. This no doubt contributed to the eventual development of her startling six-and-change octave range. She decided early on, after classical training on violin, that she wanted to try to make her mark musically as an instrumentalist and songwriter. In her mid-teens, her father bought her a piano with the provision that she learn to play to a professional level. Within six months, Ferrell had secured her first professional gig as a pianist / singer. She began performing at 13 as a violinist, and in her mid-teens as a pianist and vocalist. At 18, she enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston to study composition and arranging, where her classmates included Branford Marsalis, Kevin Eubanks, Donald Harrison and Jeff Watts. She graduated in a year and taught music for awhile with Dizzy Gillespie for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Through the 1980's and into the early '90's, she'd worked with some of the top names in jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, George Benson and George Duke.

Ferrell's debut, 'First Instrument', was released in 1990 in Japan only. Recorded with bassist Tyrone Brown, pianist Eddie Green and drummer Doug Nally, an all-star cast of accompanists also leave their mark on her record. They include trumpeter Terrence Blanchard, pianists Gil Goldstein and Michel Petrucciani, bassists Kenny Davis and Stanley Clarke, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter and keyboardist Pete Levin. Her unique take on now-standards like Sam Cooke's 'You Send Me,' Cole Porter's 'What Is This Thing Called Love,' and Rodgers & Hart's 'My Funny Valentine,' captured the hearts and souls of the Japanese jazz-buying public. In 1995, Blue Note / Capitol released her Japanese debut for U.S. audiences, and the response was similarly positive. Her 1992 self-titled U.S. debut, a more urban pop/contemporary album, was released on Capitol Records. Ferrell was signed to a unique two-label contract, recording pop and urban contemporary for Capitol Records and jazz music for Blue Note Records. For four consecutive years in the early '90's, Ferrell put in festival stopping performances at the Montreaux Jazz Festival.

"Any musician worth her weight in gold records will tell you that the struggle between expressing one's creativity and personifying the image that label executives create is often frustrating." Ferrell, in a 2000 interview with Essence magazine, spoke about how her 1992 self-titled debut was marred by a battle for control over her career. Eventually the singer became completely disillusioned with the music business and stopped recording and writing for a while: "I was prepared never to record again," she says. Ferrell says that the central theme of that eight-year hiatus was "individuality--giving myself permission to be who I am." Ferrell got back on the scene with a new attitude, a revamped look and the aptly titled album Individuality (Can I Be Me?). "This entire album was written from the space of personal experience," Ferrell says proudly. "I'm so grateful to be able to express these things. It's beautiful to be in a daily state of gratitude."

Although Ferrell has captured the jazz public's attention as a vocalist, she continues to compose and write songs on piano and violin. Ferrell's work ethic has paid off, and Gillespie's predictions about her becoming a 'major force' in the jazz industry came true. Her prolific songwriting abilities and ability to accompany herself on piano seem only to further her natural talent as a vocalist.

'Some people sing songs like they wear clothing, they put it on and take it off,' she explains in the biographical notes accompanying 'First Instrument'. 'But when one performs four sets a night, six nights a week, that experience affords you the opportunity to present the song from the inside out, to express its essence. In this way, a singer expresses the song in the spirit in which it was written, the songwriter then translates emotion into words, the singer's job is to translate the words back into emotion.' Rachelle Ferrell has made her mark not as a straightahead jazz singer and pianist, but as a crossover artist who's equally at home with urban contemporary pop, gospel, classical music and jazz. Expect more great vocal albums, both jazz and pop, from this one-of-a-kind vocalist, arranger, songwriter and instrumentalist."

The very popular D.C. area vocalist Mary Ann Redmond, often reminded me of Ferrell when I first heard her, but Ferrell's six-octave voice is nothing short of mind-bending, and could even give the great Tuvan throat-singer Ondar, a run for his money. No, there is no one quite like Ferrell, so do yourself a favor, and don't miss this weekend's debut. Thanks for turning me on to her Liza, and I'll see you both at Yoshi's!

Rachelle Ferrell
Yoshi's at Jack London Square, Oakland
Friday, April 28 – Sunday, April 30 Fri & Sat 8:00pm & 10:00pm Shows $30
Sun 2:00pm Matinee, $5 Kids, $15 Adult W/One Kid, $30
General Sun 8:00pm Show $30

"Zappa Plays Zappa" Coming to the Warfield

Dweezil Zappa, son of the legendary composer/guitarist Frank Zappa, will be bringing his own brand of rock music compositions and "arrangements of complex nature", to the Warfield this June, as he and some of his father's greatest sidemen, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy Brock and drummer Terry Bozzio, re-create the "ironic sense of humor in both music and personality" the Zappa name has become known for.

"Zappa Plays Zappa", will feature the music of his father, as well as the music of Dweezil Zappa's newest CD, aptly titled "Automatic". It's his first release under his own name in nearly a decade and marks a return to his roots as a guitarist. It's also the first predominately instrumental guitar album of his career.

Operating under the musical credo "anything at anytime for any reason at all" gave Dweezil the freedom to explore new territory. The album features thick layers of multi-tracked guitar textures, all perfectly executed and combined with wild rhythms and intriguing improvisations, adding nicely to the Zappa Family legacy which has provided alternative entertainment for those who have embraced it for over thirty years.

At 31 years of age, Dweezil has found himself involved with a plethora of wide ranging projects throughout his career. It has sometimes been difficult even for Dweezil to define what he really does. Besides being regarded as a world class guitarist, he has hosted various television shows (including MTV and Happy Hour with his brother Ahmet). He has acted in film (The Running Man, Pretty in Pink, Jack Frost), television (Normal Life with his sister Moon, The Chris Isaak Show, Mad TV) and done voice-over work for the animated series Duckman (role of "Ajax"). He has been a frequent guest on television shows such as Politically Incorrect and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He was nominated for a Grammy for his work with Herbie Hancock on the surf-classic "Wipe Out" for the Back of the Beach soundtrack. He has since worked on other soundtracks, having recently recorded a hard-rocking version of the Britney Spear's classic "Baby, Hit Me One More Time". He has composed television themes for The Ben Stiller Show and Roseanne, and has scored episodes of Pee-Wee's Playhouse, performed as a session guitarist, and has recently been collaborating with partner Lisa Loeb as a songwriter and co-producer on her upcoming release.

If you asked Dweezil "what do you really do?", his reply would be "all kinds of stuff. People probably only know me because of my name and they've heard that I play guitar, but more than likely they've never actually heard me play. Ultimately, I'm a guitar player/songwriter/composer/producer/TV entertainer/golf enthusiast! Plus, I like to cook when I have time."

One more thing Dweezil found time to do on "Automatic" was his own engineering. "It was fun for me to do. I've spent a couple of years noodling around with recording equipment, and felt I could get the sounds I was hearing in my head on tape for this project". Although Dweezil spent most of the time working on his own on the album, he was not completely alone. He was joined by several talented musicians, including one of his father's greatest drummers, Marin's Terry Bozzio, and bassist Scott Thunes.

Reflecting on the album, Dweezil says "I was lucky to have access to great players to record with. It keeps you inspired. This record has some material that was recorded during the 'Shampoohorn' sessions back around '95, as well as things that were just finished in August '00. There somehow seems to be some conceptual continuity between all the music on this record."

Dweezil says "the idea for the record started with 'The Grinch'." His guitar rendition of the Dr. Seuss classic features his brother Ahmet performing the lead vocal in all of its baritone splendor. "When I finished that song I thought, hmm... I should probably make a collection of songs to go around this and release it around Christmas. So I did. Prior to that, I had lost interest in releasing any of my music. I was disappointed by the lack of interesting musicianship in most popular music, so I just stopped playing. Some close friends encouraged me to reverse my decision and now I'm happy to be playing again. I was really disenchanted with the industry at large and in fact, I still am. I just see so much bad behavior and posturing being rewarded out there. 'Mediocrity is King and creativity is a liability'. But that's just the way it is, regardless of what I think about the industry. I've learned that I shouldn't let it deter me from making the music that I would like to hear. There has to be a few other disenchanted guitar music fans out there, and this record is for them".

The recent release of some of Frank Zappa's final recordings of his arrangements of his childhood idol, avant garde composer Edgar Varese, and Dweezil's "Automatic", should give Zappa fans something to cheer for. His legacy as one of the greatest guitarist and composers of our age, most certainly lives on through the efforts of his wife Gail, (who battled to obtain the tapes of the Varese recordings), and his sons Dweezil and Ahmet. After over 30 years, we're still "Just Hungry Freaks Daddy", for the music of Zappa.

SF Jazz Collective Comes to the Herbst

SFJAZZ's all-star octet returns for its third annual home season in San Francisco, tonight, (members only night), Saturday and Sunday, with an all-new repertoire including original compositions and fresh arrangements by Grammy-winner Gil Goldstein of classic works by modern jazz master Herbie Hancock. The 2006 line-up includes returning members Joshua Redman (saxophones, Artistic Director), the great Bobby Hutcherson (vibes/marimba), Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Miguel Zenón (alto sax, flute), Renee Rosnes (piano), Matt Penman (bass), and Eric Harland (drums), plus newcomer Andre Hayward on trombone. The SFJAZZ Collective's first two seasons featured the music of Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane, to rave reviews. This year's edition should be no less of a treat.

The SFJAZZ Collective is an all-star jazz ensemble comprising eight of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today. Launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ—the West Coast’s largest non-profit jazz institution and the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival—with invaluable start-up funding from the James Irvine Foundation, the Collective has quickly become one of the most exciting and acclaimed groups on the American and international jazz scenes. As The New York Times hailed the Collective upon its debut: “A serious jazz band rises in San Francisco.”

"As impressive a debut as we've heard in recent years, by a band who not only play like one, but who respect the jazz tradition enough to actually extend it with creativity, vision, and sensitivity in the current millenium."

— All Music Guide (on 2005 Nonesuch release)

In addition to its outstanding line-up, the SFJAZZ Collective has been praised for its innovative approach to repertoire. Each year, the ensemble performs an entirely new list of works, consisting of compositions by a modern jazz master (in new octet arrangements by Grammy-winner Gil Goldstein) and one new piece by each of the eight Collective members (commissioned by SFJAZZ). Through this pioneering approach, simultaneously honoring jazz’s recent history while championing the music’s up-to-the-minute directions, the Collective embodies SFJAZZ’s organizational commitment to jazz as a living, ever-changing, and ever-relevant art form.

The SFJAZZ Collective also stands out among all-star ensembles for the cohesion among its members, including renowned saxophonist and Artistic Director Joshua Redman and vibes legend Bobby Hutcherson. As Redman explains: “This is why we chose the name ‘Collective.’ Beyond each member’s individual credentials as a world-class instrumentalist, composer, and band leader, I believe everyone shares the essential values of spontaneity, flexibility, and empathy, along with a firm commitment to an integrated group sound.”

To cultivate its distinctive sound, the SFJAZZ Collective convenes in San Francisco each spring for a three-week residency. Throughout this extended rehearsal period—a rarity in today’s jazz—the octet workshops the season’s new repertoire and interacts with the Bay Area community through SFJAZZ’s education programs for youth and adults. The Collective then takes to the performance stage, including home season concerts under the auspices of the SFJAZZ Spring Season and a national and international tour, with stops in a number of the world’s most prominent concert halls. Following each year’s season, SFJAZZ Records releases a deluxe, limited-edition CD set (available through sfjazz.org) representing the Collective’s full annual repertoire in concert. The Collective’s music is available in wide distribution on the prestigious Nonesuch label, which releases a single-disc edition of each year’s concert highlights.

These are the final concerts of the collective's 2006 season. I know I don't want to miss Bobby Hutcherson!

SF JAZZ Collective
April, 14th-16th, Herbst Theatre,
Friday 8pm, (Memebers Only),
Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm

"CitySessions" Tonight at Club Waziema

One of the best kept secrets in town, are the doings and goings on at "CitySessions", hosted by the Ethiopian restaurant, Club Waziema. The brainchild of Diana Gaffney and Dean Preston, CitySessions is a monthly acoustic music showcase in the Western Addition, featuring some of the Bay Area's best original music. The second Tuesday of each month, a large crowd of music lovers packs Club Waziema's back room to discover the incredible local talent in this small, intimate venue. Gaffney and Preston launched their first music showcase on August 12th, 2003, less than two months after the idea for CitySessions came together. With the overwhelming response to the showcase, this project is cultivating a rich new live music scene in the Western Addition.

Owned by the jovial Giday Beshue, Club Waziema was formerly known as Club Morocco, with artists such as Billie Holiday, James Brown and Tina Turner performing there in its heyday in the mid 70's. With Beshue's blessing, live music returned to this historic venue with the successful launch of CitySessions in August 2003.

The list of local talent is simply amazing, and CitySessions has amassed a loyal fan base. Artists like The Pine Box Boys, (fresh from an European tour), appear regularly. Michael Zapruder, "Ray's Vast Basement" and the popular Toshio, have also graced the Club.

The success of CitySessions has led to a compliation CD, "CitySessions: Volume One", featuring the regulars mentioned above, as well as Feller Quentin, Michael Hicks, Sean Laskey, "The Tami Show", Lisa Alice, Joel Murach, the hilarious "Tijuana Strip Club", Sean Corkery, Stuart Rosh, Mica Lee Williams, Anamude, and Christian Kiefer.

"We're proud to offer this compilation CD as a tribute to the musicians who have performed at our showcase, who have supported us and contributed their great music to this project.", wrote Gaffney and Preston. "We've had the great fortune to listen to and share their music live in an atmosphere that captures the heart of their work and their sound with styles ranging from dark murder ballads, pop, bluegrass to moody modern rock."

"Our goal at CitySessions was to feature the Bay Area's best musicians in a setting where their music would be truly appreciated. We never anticipated how successful this project would be. Musicians found a new audience in a unique intimate setting. Local music fans return month after month to discover great new music in a red velvet club that once hosted music legends like James Brown, Tina Turner and Billie Holiday."

CitySessions is a fantastic night of music on any given Tuesday. Their next session is on Aprill 11th, and features Rays Vast Basement, Aleta Diane and Garrett Pierce. So head down to 543 Divisadero between Fell and Hayes, and enjoy some good humor, and some great Ethiopian food. Some mighty fine pickin' awaits you!

Visit CitySessions at: http://www.citysessions.com

Paul Bollenback's "Brightness of Being"

One of my oldest friends, jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback, has released his latest CD, "Brightness of Being" , with yet another all star line-up. Saxophonists David "Fathead" Newman, Gary Thomas and Tim Garland, vocalist Chris McNulty, drummers Teri-Lynne Carrington and Ari Honnig, and bassist James Genus. "Being" is Bollenback's sixth album, and like a fine wine, he keeps getting better. "Luap", as I've affectionally come to know him, has out done himself once again wth this very fine effort. "Not one jazz virtuoso could put the definition of jazz into words, but all agreed that you know it when you hear it. That's the way it is with Paul Bollenback. It's bona-fide playing, unambiguous, up-front and powerful," summarized guitar master George Benson, a long-time supporter. Bollenback’s debut recording as a leader, "Original Visions", on Challenge Records, is one of the most creative efforts by a guitarist in recent memory. "Double Gemini", his second CD, features four of his own compositions and won the title of CD of The Month in Jim Fisch's distinguished jazz column in 20th Century Guitar Magazine.

It won the same award from the renowned jazz radio station WBGO in Newark, New Jersey. His 3rd release on Challenge, "Soul Grooves", won ‘Ndigo Magazines “Best Contemporary Jazz Album of 1999”. Challenge has since released “Dreams” and “Double-Vision”, and now Bollenback has released his 6th project as a leader, "Brightness of Being", on the Elefant Dreams label, in February 2006.

Bollenback's emotionally expressive style and eclectic approach is the result of a wide range of influences, including Carlos Santana, Yes, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and Lenny Breau. At the age of seven, he received a nylon-string guitar from his father, a scientist, classically trained trumpeter and lover of music. When Bollenback was eleven, his family relocated from Hastings on Hudson, New York, to New Delhi, India. It was there that he cultivated his life-long interest in exotic musical sounds and timbres, which is evident in even his most jazz-based work. When his family returned to New York, Paul's father bought him an electric guitar and he started to gig in rock and roll bands around the area. Then he heard Miles Davis and his world changed forever.

Having relocated again in 1975, this time from New York to Washington, D.C., Bollenback continued to study and play jazz and fusion, (Our first D.C. jazz/fusion combo also featured the renown bassist Ed Howard and saxophonist Tim Chambers). Bollenback attended University of Miami as a music major, then later studied privately for eight years with Baltimore-based professor of Theory/Composition Asher Zlotnik. In 1987 he made his recording debut on saxophonist Gary Thomas’s Seventh Quadrant, for Enja records, and in 1990 made the acquaintance of organ legend Joey DeFrancesco, an association that lasted 16 years, and produced 14 recordings.

In 1991 his two compositions, "Wookies's Revenge" and "Romancin' the Moon" (featured on Joey DeFrancesco's Reboppin') earned him the SESAC award for original music. In 1993 while touring in Europe, Paul was awarded a grant from the Virginia Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts to compose and perform "New Music for Three Jazz Guitars". In 1997, Bollenback was named Musician of the Year at the Washington Area Music Awards.

In 1997 Bollenback returned to New York City, which he now makes his home. Since then, Bollenback has appeared on the Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Joan Rivers, The Today Show, and Entertainment Tonight. He has played with an impressive spectrum of musicians, including Stanley Turrentine, Gary Bartz, Joey DeFrancesco, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Joe Locke, Gary Thomas, Chris McNulty, Tim Garland, David “Fathead” Newman, Steve Wilson, Geoffrey Keezer, Terri-Lyne-Carrington, Grady Tate, , Shunzo Ohno, James Moody, Jack McDuff, Charlie Byrd, Paul Bley, Carol Sloane, , Melissa Walker, Carter Jefferson, Herb Ellis, Jimmy Bruno, and East Meets Jazz, with Sandip Burman, and Howard Levy.


The "Sandip and Friends" show with E. Doc Smith, Howard Levy,
John Wubbenhorst, Paul Bollenback, and Sandip Burman

In his review of "Being", All About Jazz editor John Kelman wrote, "While unequivocally mainstream, Brightness of Being is no retro relic. There’s nary a standard to be found, although Bollenback places some contemporary songs into straightahead but fluidly open contexts. Saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman appears on two tributes to the late Ray Charles: “Unchain My Heart,” which has a ‘60s Blue Note soul-jazz vibe; and “You Don’t Know Me,” which Bollenback relocates from country juke joint to late night smoky bar.

But Bollenback interprets even familiar material with an open-minded and unencumbered approach. He constructs his solos every bit as well as Pat Metheny does, but they somehow feel looser. He thinks fast on his feet, effortlessly shifting from clean lines to complex chordal passages, yet always relying on a clear conception and strong narrative development.

Bollenback reinvents Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” which also features saxophonists Gary Thomas and Tim Garland. Opening almost unrecognizably, the three players enter a heated exchange, ultimately finding their way to the complex chord changes that bridge the chorus and verse. They respect Wonder’s melodicism, but Bollenback proves adept at improvising in ways that might seem reckless if they didn’t make so much sense. The song ultimately ends as it began—Bollenback, Garland and Thomas in virtual free fall, with bassist James Genus and drummer Terri-Lyne Carrington offering intuitive and responsive support.

Bollenback’s ability to envision greater possibilities is especially vivid in his adaptation of Garcia de Leon’s “El Desierto,” which starts as a gentle tone poem but then picks up steam for his solo. Again, he skirts the edges of abandon but never loses focus—a characteristic equally applicable to Garland’s nimble soprano solo. Bollenback’s imaginative three-part adaptation of Puccini’s “Dark Eyes of Floria” from Tosca moves from freedom to form, temporal elasticity to loose swing, change-based improvisation to more open-ended modality.

Bollenback’s writing demonstrates similar adaptability. “Together” may sound straightforward, but its inherent complexity challenges everyone to find common melodic threads. The gently Latin-inflected “Breathe,” where Bollenback plays classical guitar, features Chris McNulty’s sultry tone in a Norma Winstone-like wordless vocal. The set closes with “Siberian Passages,” another deceptive piece where McNulty again mirrors Bollenback, who manages to make the elaborate flow with ease while retaining a simmering intensity.

No one album can tell the whole story on Paul Bollenback. But certainly more than any record he's led to date, Brightness of Being demonstrates an out-of-the-box thinker working freely in a compositionally refined yet wholly accessible mainstream context."

Right on "Luap"!