In accepting one of two Grammys this past February for his work with vibraphonist Gary Burton on Hot House (Concord), pianist Chick Corea gave an impromptu salute to musicians everywhere. "I know that we all have the same intention, which is to bring pleasure and beauty to people around the world," he said. This intention continues to motivate Corea well into his fourth decade as a solo artist and bandleader: Corea, now 72, tours relentlessly throughout the US and abroad, performing in all manner of venues, with all manner of musicians. Corea is at Rose Hall May 16th-18th with the JALC Orchestra. The Chick Corea Festival is at Allen Room May 17th-18th and Dizzy's Club May 15th-19th.
Interview: WILL CALHOUN
By Brad Farberman; photo by Bill Bernstein
Drummer Will Calhoun's playing is vivid. It's clear and forceful; you always know he's there. So when big names need a big beat, they call Calhoun; in addition to his many years as the fire underneath rock band Living Colour, the Bronx-based Calhoun has laid it down for Pharoah Sanders, Wayne Shorter, rapper Yasiin Bey (when he was still known as Mos Def) and Malian vocalist Oumou Sangare. In between Living Colour dates last month, Calhoun spoke to The New York City Jazz Record about his wide-ranging fifth jazz album as a leader, Life in This World. Calhoun is at Blue Note May 17th-19th.
Artist Feature: MIKE PRIDE
By Clifford Allen; photo by Jim Newberry
Drummer Mike Pride has certainly developed his art from personal difficulties that have resulted in as much celebration as pain. Pride's From Bacteria to Boys is at Greenwich House Music School May 22nd. He is also at ShapeShifter Lab May 8th with Mostly Other People Do the Killing.
Encore: STEVE WILLIAMS
By Marcia Hillman
There are drummers who are timekeepers and then there are drummers who go beyond and play the melody on their drums as well as keeping the beat going. Steve Williams belongs to the latter class. Williams is at Jazz at Kitano May 4th with Greg Abate, ShapeShifter Lab May 10th with Teri Roiger, 55Bar May 11th with Roz Corral, 55Bar May 20th with Sean Smith, Somethin' Jazz Club May 21st with Larry Corban, Birdland May 23rd with Sally Knight and Village Vanguard May 28th-Jun. 2nd with Joe Lovano.
Lest We Forget: REVOLUTIONARY ENSEMBLE
By Andrey Henkin
Unlike "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" James Brown, "Greatest Show on Earth" Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus or other self-adhered honorifics, Revolutionary Ensemble, the trio of violinist Leroy Jenkins, bassist Sirone (né Norris Jones) and drummer/keyboardist Jerome Cooper, deserved their name.
Megaphone: Cornet and Lineage: Ron and Butch
By Kirk Knuffke
You can go your own way on any instrument but I am also attracted to the whole idea of playing cornet because it is different from trumpet. Four years ago I made the permanent switch back to cornet and followed the sound in my head. I had the strength and opportunity to do this thanks to two amazing influences who always did their own thing: Ron Miles and Butch Morris. Knuffke is at The Firehouse Space May 4th with Stephen Gauci, 92YTribeca May 8th with Allison Miller, Sycamore May 13th and Korzo May 28th, both with Max Johnson, and Ibeam Brooklyn May 24th with Federico Ughi.
Record Label Spotlight: MUTABLE MUSIC
By Kurt Gottschalk
Singer Thomas Buckner has seen his sideline career as a producer of events and recordings through a number of changes over some 40 years and has been responsible for a number of remarkable recordings, spanning baroque to contemporary classical, jazz and improvised music and the realms between. He's shifted from a focus on local musicians and composers as director of the 1750 Arch record label and performance series in Los Angeles to an international focus with the Mutable Music label and Interpretations concert series in New York. And not incidentally, he has worked as a singer with many of the artists he has presented. Interpretations is at Roulette May 9th.
CD Reviews
(this month's performance venues in parentheses):
Cecilia Coleman -- Who Am I? Pandakat (Saint Peter's)
Steve Kuhn -- Life's Magic Black Hawk-Sunnyside (Birdland)
Monty Alexander -- Uplift 2 Jazz Legacy (Birdland)
Pat Smythe -- UK Live 1967, Vol. 1 & 2 Jazzhus Disk
Craig Taborn -- Chants ECM (Roulette)
Ron Carter Golden Striker Trio -- San Sebastian In + Out (Tribeca Performing Arts Center; Blue Note; Dizzy's Club)
Jon Irabagon/Hernani Faustino/Gabriel Ferrandini -- Absolute Zero Not Two (ShapeShifter Lab; Bar Next Door; Cornelia Street Café; Greenwich House Music School; Somethin' Jazz)
Iva Bittova -- Eponymous ECM
Uri Gurvich -- BabEL Tzadik (The Stone)
Burton Greene -- Live at Kerrytown House NoBusiness (The Firehouse Space; Spectrum)
Marzette Watts -- Marzette Watts & Company ESP-Disk
Dave Douglas -- Time Travel Greenleaf Music (ShapeShifter Lab)
Kelan Philip Cohran & The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble -- Eponymous Honest Jon's (Blue Note)
Nat Reeves -- State of Emergency! 482 Music (Smalls)
Phil Woods -- Right to Swing (with the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble) Jazzed Media (Saint Peter's; Allen Room)
Mike Reed -- Clean on the Corner 482 Music (Cornelia Street Café)
Wadada Leo Smith -- Ten Freedom Summers Cuneiform (Roulette)
...and Plenty More!
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