Wayne Shorter Quartet Comes to SF Jazz

In a legendary career spanning more than half a century, saxophonist Wayne Shorter just keeps getting better and bolder. Indeed, his longevity as a creative force isn’t as astounding as the fact that he’s spent the past decade leading his most prodigious and consequential band. At 80, Shorter often appears as the calm center of a roiling maelstrom, a mystical presence exulting in the improvisational lightning strikes emanating from pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade, all virtuosos and bandleaders in their own right. Of course, the quartet is fueled by music from jazz’s most influential composer after Thelonious Monk, still keen to venture into uncharted territory. Shorter’s new Blue Note album, Without a Net, is his first for the label in over four decades and is an astounding document of an artist reaching and exploring, still very much at the peak of his powers. The session netted Shorter 2013 DownBeat magazine Critics Poll wins for Jazz Album, Jazz Group, Soprano Saxophone and Jazz Artist of the Year, as well as a GRAMMY for Best Improvised Solo on "Orbits."Shorter and his quartet return to the Bay Area tonight for several sold out shows.

Shorter's website noted that he'll will be entering his 81st year in 2014—first recorded for Blue Note in 1959 as the precocious 26-year-old tenor saxophonist (and prolific composer) in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, which brought him to the attention of label founder Alfred Lion who eventually signed him to his own recording deal. Shorter went on to make a spectacular run of classic albums for Blue Note between 1964-1970 including Night Dreamer, Juju, Speak No Evil, Adam’s Apple, Schizophrenia, and Super Nova during a period of time that also paralleled Shorter’s years with Miles Davis, first as a member of the trumpeter’s trailblazing quintet, and later as a part of Davis’ early fusion masterpieces.

“Wayne Shorter is one of the greatest musicians and composers of our time,” said Don Was, President of Blue Note Records. “At age 80, we witness him at the height of his powers and performing with one of the most incredible bands he's ever assembled. Although welcoming him back to Blue Note Records after 43 years is a romantic notion, Wayne's enduring appeal is rooted in his steadfast refusal to trade in such nostalgia. In fact, it is Mr. Shorter's determination to constantly move forward that makes his new album, Without A Net, such an essential listening experience.”

Reflecting upon his perpetual path of musical discovery, Shorter expounded that The challenge we as artists face today is to create a ‘singularity’ or an ‘event horizon’ so that as human beings we will break the cycle of ego dominated actions which through repetition keep us bound to stagnation which denies us entrance to the Portal of Life's Ultimate Adventure!

Without A Net is a 9-track musical thrill ride that consists of live recordings from the Wayne Shorter Quartet’s European tour in late 2011, the one exception being the 23-minute tone poem “Pegasus” which features the quartet with The Imani Winds recorded at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The album features six new Shorter compositions, as well as new versions of his tunes “Orbits” (from Miles Davis’ Miles Smiles album) and “Plaza Real” (from the Weather Report album Procession). The quartet also reinvents the title song from the 1933 musical film Flying Down To Rio, which film buffs (such as Shorter) know as the first on-screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers."

Wayne Shorter Quartet at SF Jazz Center, March 27-30; (sold out, however turnback tickets may be available)
Wayne Shorter tenor and soprano saxophones
Danilo Perez piano
John Patitucci bass
Brian Blade drums

Simon Phillips Comes to SF Jazz and Yoshi's

One of the world's best percussionists is the Englishman Simon Phillips; an ambidextrous drummer who follows in the footsteps of jazz greats Billy Cobham and Lenny White who helped to popularize that musical approach. Phillip's first came to this writer's attention via his work with Brian Eno and Phil Mazenera's group "801", and later, Peter Townsend and the Who. Phillips has continued to perform and record with a who's who of the musical world; he makes his return to the Bay area later this month, supporting Hiromi and Anthony Jackson in a sold out show at the SF Jazz Center of Franklin, before returning to Yoshi's in Oakland on April 1st with his own group, "Protocol II"- a sequel to his first solo group of the same name.

Readers of my previous column will recall Hiromi's spectacular show at the newly minted SF Jazz Center last year; her return on March with Jackson and Phillips shouldn't disappoint fans either. Fourteen years ago, Phillips released the first Protocol album, and he deemed it was the "right time to record something new..." 

"I had been writing and recording some material over the last few years but was not excited enough with the outcome. I wanted to do something very live and organic so as the NAMM show was coming up in January I was hoping that perhaps Andy Timmons would be attending. I called him and put my idea to him and he was way up for it and changed his plans to stay in LA a few more days. My next call was to Steve Weingart as, having worked with him on his last two solo CDs, I had formed a wonderful working relationship with him. He was also very excited by the project. Next was the question of who should take the seat of holding down those low notes. I had heard a lot about Ernest Tibbs and had spoken to him a few years earlier about some live shows, which he could not make. I gave him a call and he was also way up for it. So I booked time at Phantom Recordings – a week after the NAMM show – to see what we could do..."


"I had a bunch of demos ranging from ideas to complete compositions that I was not totally sure they were the direction I wanted to go in so I compiled those and sent MP3s to Andy, Steve and Ernest. My concept was that we would write in the studio and if any parts of these tunes worked we could use them. I was curious and eager to get playing to see how the chemistry of the four of us would work. The first tune we recorded was “Moments of Fortune” and I knew immediately this was a great band – great chemistry – a deep pocket and a relentless supply of musicality..."

"As it turned out most of the compositions were usable and only a few sections were omitted. We arranged the tunes on the fly and everyone contributed and it made for some very organic and vibe-y music. The days were long and tiring but the energy and creativity were amazing. We played live and only a few repairs, punches and overdubs were done.

As we were recording this felt to me as though the Protocol concept was coming full circle and it was also 25 years since I released my first solo effort so it seemed perfect to be titled Protocol II. This project was a joy to work on and I want to thank Andy, Steve and Ernest for their wonderful energy, groove and improvisation captured on this recording...."


Here are two clips of Phillips with Hiromi and Protocol II...

"Taming the Dragon" - Mehliana's Debut Album

After several recent tours around the U.S. and Europe, the musical duo of keyboardist Brad Mehldau and drummer Mark Guiliana, aka "Mehliana", have at long last released and album of their improvisational and inspiring music. Their debut effort is entitled, "Taming the Dragon", a collection of some of their best forays that will be familiar to fans of their live shows, as well as some material not heard or seen live. Mehliana's use of vintage synthesizers, and their incredible grasp of both jazz and modern electronica is a joy to witness live, (They performed at both SF Jazz and the Independant recently); happily, their new album captures those moments and more.

Released on the Nonesuch Record label, Taming the Dragon's origins were revealed, "Mehldau and Guiliana have been performing for several years, with Mehldau playing Fender Rhodes and synthesizers and Guiliana on drums and effects, as they are on the record. Mehliana comprises 12 original tunes—six written by the duo and six written by Mehldau—and was engineered and mixed by Greg Koller (Jon Brion, Kanye West). The vinyl edition of the album, due March 18, includes two 140-gram LPs pressed at Pallas MFG in Diepholz, Germany, and a CD of the album."

The reviews so far have been favorable: "Mehliana: Taming the Dragon is "astonishing," exclaims Jazzwise magazine, "one of the best albums of 2014." Mehliana earned four stars from the Guardian and from MusicOMH, which calls the album "wholly absorbing, as Mehldau’s playfulness and Guiliana’s taut, interwoven grooves create an inescapable tension. Pieces such as the delightful, slow building 'Hungry Ghost even seem to draw from the approaches of post rock acts such as Sigur Rós or Tortoise." The album, concludes MusicOMH reviewer Daniel Paton, offers "an intuitive, compelling dialogue between the two musicians, and between the musicians and their machines..." "Ranging from lush dreamscapes to febrile urban funk workouts," says MOJO, "the album resonates like an imaginary '80s film score..."

Having seen and heard Mehliana both live and online, I was extremely pleased to see some of my favorite pieces from those live performances appear on the album; the haunting "Elegy for Amelia Earhardt"; "London Gloaming", (Mehldau would often quote John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" live on this tune); the rollicking "Sassyassed Sassafrass", "Just call me Nige", and "Sleeping Giant"; "Swimming", a great tune where Guiliana is in his percussive element; and perhaps my favorite, "Hungry Ghost", a beautifully eerie vamp that both grooves you and rattles your chains. Those tunes were incredible live and sound simply fantastic on this recording.

There are other interesting tunes on the album as well; "Taming the Dragon", the spoken word piece title piece, conjured memories of Adrian Belew's dialogue in King Crimson's "Thela Hun Jingeet"; and "Luxe", a pierce borne from an improvisational idea right before their performance in Luxenbourg.

I have been a huge fan of the great keyboard and drum duo's; from the world music of the late, great Joe Zawinul and Trilok Gurtu; Patrick Moraz and Bill Bruford, (who incidentally considered Guiliana one of the most refreshing drummers he'd heard in years); and Marco Benevento and Joe Russo's "Duo". Mehliana is the real deal, and "Taming the Dragon" is a worthy addition to the pantheon of those previous men.

The Music of "OoN"

Two of the Bay Area's best musicians have joined forces in a most fabulous duet, quite unlike any I have ever heard. A fantastic bassoonist, Paul Hanson first came to my attention while touring with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and performing alongside the legendary Paul McCandless of Oregon and saxophonist Jeff Coffin; their work as a trio simply had to be seen to be believed. No one plays the bassoon like Hanson; his dexterity and marvelous use of effects was nothing short of brilliant. Bassist Ariane Cap is of course no stranger to this writer; as she's honed her skills at the elbows of such bass luminaries as the virtuoso Victor Wooten of the aforementioned Flecktones, the incomparable Kai Eckhardt, and one of the founders of the Bay Area's solo bass scene, the one and only Michael Manring. Together, Hanson and Cap have created the duo known as "OoN, a unique blend of fresh sounds at times meditative and peaceful at times passionate, raging and distorted; always groovy always melodic…" Their new album, "Polaris" is an amazing romp that defies categorization, and is guaranteed to both soothe and groove you.

OoN's website states that "People often say they don't know what to expect from a bass and bassoon duo. Well, think melodic and groovy music. OoN with its unlikely combination of bass and bassoon creates beautiful melodic Chamber Jazz. Sometimes peaceful and meditative, at other times passionate, raging or groovy, the musical bandwidth these two instrumentalists cover on their respective 'tools' is surprising. Utilizing virtuosic and unusual playing techniques as well as effects and harmonizers, the musicians put the song first and musicality front and center.

When Hanson and Cap met they found they had a lot in common: both had just returned from tours from outside the country and found themselves in new and unexpected life situations. They got together initially to 'just jam' but were immediately struck by the compatibility of their instruments as well as their similar approaches to playing. Both fans of unusual playing techniques and the use of effects they were both at home taking on various responsibilities of playing, be it accompanying, grooving, soloing or playing melodies. More than anything, however, they found kinship in loving a wide variety of styles of music, from Classical to Jazz, to Rock, Pop, Funk, and Fusion, and for being most concerned with beautiful melodies and accessible and moving grooves. On Polaris, the two do many of their own compositions, but also a Beatles cover and their favorite Jazz standard. They even go on some Jimi Hendrix infused adventures. A fresh and exciting sound that will delight, entertain and uplift you, make sure to expect the unexpected.

As a bassoonist over the last 20 years, Paul has been one of a select few setting new standards for what is possible on this most classical of woodwind instruments. As one reviewer puts it, “But he simply transcends technique to a point where the listener no longer has in mind that it’s a BASSOON that he’s playing.” From his roots as an award-winning classical bassoonist and jazz saxophonist-Paul has enjoyed a truly diverse musical career.

As an improvising bassoonist, Paul has recorded and/or performed with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Wayne Shorter, Peter Erskine, Cirque Du Soleil, David Binney, Dennis Chambers, Zenith Patrol, Billy Childs, Billy Higgins, Ray Charles, Charlie Hunter, Patrice Rushen, Alex Acuna, Abraham Laboriel, Medeski Martin & Wood, Bob Weir’s RATDOG, T. Lavitz from Dixie Dregs, Jeff Coffin, Jeff Sipe, Jonas Hellborg, Afro/Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, Bob Moses, Kai Eckhardt. Paul has lent his bassoon playing to The Klezmorim, St. Josephs Ballet, soloist with Napa Symphony, jazz bassoon soloist with Oakland East Bay Symphony, DAVKA.

As a saxophonist, Hanson has recorded and/or performed with Eddie Money (tenor sax soloist on the 1985 hit song “Take Me Home Tonight”), Boz Scagg, The Temptations, Tower of Power, Steve Smith, Tom Coster, Randy Jackson (pre-American Idol), What It Is, Omar Sosa, dobroist Rob Ickes, Bobby Blue Bland and others.

Cap is an Austrian multi instrumentalist, composer, music educator and bassist (upright, electric, fretless, mini bass), pianist, vocalist and flutist. She has turned out compositions for Karney Music and Sound, Somatone and Wolftrack audio, regularly teaches at the Berkeley Jazz School, The Wyoming Rock Camp Experience (10 years in residence), the Berkeley Jazz Workshop and her own Music School, Step Up Music.

Performing credits include the Celtic Rock Band Tempest, The Kid-punk rock band The Sippy Cups, the African Band The Palmwine Boys, the Guitar Virtuoso Muriel Anderson, the Austrian funk band The Mozart Band and Cirque du Soleil as well as many local Jazz, Wold and Rock/Funk artists. Recently Ariane recorded for star producer Keith Olsen. Current bands include Lara Price's Girls Got the Blues, an all-star female cast of Bay Area musicians including Janice Maxie-Reid, Pam Hawkins and Annie Sampson, as well as the platinum winning band Generation Esmeralda with Jimmy Goings, who she recently toured Brazil with. Cap is also working on a series of books and educational materials (audio and video) to bring her bass and music theory methods to a wider audience.

Here is a video of one of their most recent performances at Berkeley's Frieght & Salvage.

Remembering Pete Seeger, 1919-2014

The legendary Pete Seeger left us this week, leaving behind an amazing legacy of music and activism. " Dubbed "America's tuning fork" by poet Carl Sandburg, the banjo-player left behind folk classics like "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," "If I Had a Hammer," "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and "We Shall Overcome." Many will associate him with the 1960s, a decade of profound social and political change, when young Americans took to the streets to condemn the Vietnam war and demand civil rights for all races…" I was fortunate to work with him once, for a performance for WETA in Virginia back in 2000, when Seeger was a mere 81 years old.

For this performance, Seeger was joined by his grandson Tao Rodriguez-Seeger; a very popular duo in those days. Seeger entered the theater early afternoon, perhaps a little slower and older, yet remarkably energetic. I offered him a beer, a tour of the theater; and he gladly accepted. I reminded him that I was once onboard his famous Hudson River boat in early '80s. He laughed and said, "Oh that wasn't my boat, it belonged to a friend and a friend of the cause…" After the tour, I offered him another beer and he declined saying, "That will put me to sleep…" Seeger signed a banjo, remarked on his trip and headed off before the show.

The show went on without a hitch; Seeger and his grandson's hilarious, and playful musical retorts were really simply wonderful, a craft of musical storytelling that has been honed and passed down over the years. At the end, Seeger was next joined by the rest of the evening's performers; a stage filled a combination of folk trios, police quartets and fiddlers; a wonderful cacophony of sound.

When the show I was over I stood next to Seeger and his grandson, told them everything went fine. They smiled, and then I noticed a commotion near the front of stage. There were older men and women of various colors, heights and sizes, all chanting, "Pete, Pete… Pete, Pete!" Seeger looked at us, smiled and bade us goodnight. Seeger soon  made his way to the edge of stage, knelt down and was literally body-surfed to the floor. Tao looked at me and said, "There goes grandpa…" Indeed, Seeger disappeared in a flurry old friends and veterans of bygone battles.

Here is one of my favorite songs by Pete and Tao, "Guantanamera"...

Kai Eckhardt's "Zeitgeist"

One of the greatest bass players on the planet, the Liberian/German expatriate Kai Eckhardt, has made his home in Berkeley, after thrilling audiences around the world. His resume features a veritable who's who of the fantastic jazz and world musicians; guitarist John McLaughlin, drummer Billy Cobham, percussionist Trilok Gurtu, Stanley Clarke, Wayne Shorter, Patrice Rushen, Dewey Redman, Donald Byrd, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten and his band Garaj Mahal, to name but a few. Eckhardt's latest album "Zeitgeist", is jazzy blend of funk, Indian ragas and straight-up, butt-kicking electric jazz. Eckhardt's band in fact released his new album at Yoshi's in Oakland a few weeks ago. For that performance, Eckhardt enlisted Baltimore's Dana Hawkins on drums, Australia's Chris Robinson on electric guitar and the North African keyboardist, Osam Ezzeldin. If you missed it, you can download it via his website.

Early fans of Eckhardt's will no doubt recall his work with Cobham, and his opening cut "Seven Cows Jumping Over the Moon" and "Chester the Pester" are masterful nods to those days;  If you liked those tunes, you will certainly enjoy  the organ flavored and rhythmic romp, "The Wake-Up Call" and the electric "Mary Poppins". Eckhardt certainly takes no prisoners on these cuts which are among my personal favorites.

Bassists will also enjoy his remarkable solo piece, "Giant Slaps"; an inventive and inspired take on the classic "Giant Steps by John Coltrane. The grooving and thoughtful tune "From the North to the South" and the album's closing cut, "KK Express", for this listener, conjured memories of another amazing show Eckhardt performed a few years ago at Yoshi's with Gurtu's "Glimpse" band.

Eckhardt shows no signs of slowing down and thankfully so; I'll be looking forward to his next live performance as well as recordings he appears on. Here is a clip of the aforementioned tune "Mary Poppins", from a recent performance in Sacramento, CA by one of the truly great "spirits of our time", Kai Eckhardt.

Hansford Rowe's "HR3"

Lately, I've been enjoying a variety of guitar, bass and drum trios, and one of my favorites is bassist Hansford Rowe's "HR3". This is a tasty trio based in Montreal, featuring two younger players, (guitarist Julien Sandiford and Max Lazich), who seem a little wise beyond their years. With HR3, Rowe has a gentle, yet wonderfully wicked sound; 'Scooby Goes to School", and the energetic "Voix Aciennes" are among my personal favorites.

HR3's website describes the group as "A wounded road warrior meets two young bucks. Together they confront the beast…."

You can’t create without destroying – that doesn’t mean scorched earth is HR3’s method. They kill you softly. They take you under slowly giving you time to visit musical subtleties along the way that require a moment. Bassist Hansford Rowe has scorched with quite a variety of characters along the rocky road; guitarists for example - Allan Holdsworth, Biréli Lagrène, Mike Oldfield, David Fiuczynski, Mick Taylor, John Martyn, micro-tonal maestro Jon Catler, David Torn, Jordi Torrens; or drummers - Gary Husband, Pierre Moerlen (Gong).

It has all cleared a path to the fountains of creative youth that are two twenty year old sages named Max and Julien. It couldn’t be predicted but you know it is right. Just like their music. Critics have begun talking about Julien’s playing with reference to some major jazz icons but that’s what they do… Julien sounds like Julien. And Max is just Max. No need to compare him to his idols Colaiuta or Tony Williams…

Journalist Frank Beacham had this to say, "Very rarely in this life does one get to see—up close and personal—an eruption of singular young talent that is both mesmerizing and thrilling. But last night, I had such a moment in a small New York City nightclub at the American musical debut of two 20-year-old Canadians—guitarist Julien Sandiford and drummer Max Lazich. Teamed with veteran American bass player, Hansford Rowe, this new trio is called HR3. What was barely contained on this small stage was a musical tour de force driven by three talented improvisational artists..."


Here's a clip of their tune from the album, "Barcelona".