What goes into a jazz life? Few can answer better than nonagenarian saxophonist Jimmy Heath (On The Cover). Among the ingredients are membership in one of the most storied jazz families (brother to bassist Percy and drummer Albert "Tootie" and father to James Mtume), a discography of hundreds of sessions, including almost 20 as a leader since 1959, songs like "Gingerbread Boy" and "C.T.A." and NEA Jazz Mastership. Lest you think Heath is slowing down, this month finds him teaming up with Benny Golson at 92nd Street Y, co-leading The Heath Brothers at Village Vanguard and presenting his big band at Summerstage.
Our other features have their own vibrant jazz lives. Drummer Denardo Coleman (Interview) got his start at 10 when he recorded alongside his father Ornette in 1966, continuing to work with him, mother Jayne Cortez and others in the decades since. This month he takes part in the Lincoln Center celebration "Ornette Coleman: Tomorrow is the Question". Young vibraphonist Warren Wolf (Artist Feature) already has three well-received albums for Mack Avenue, been a part of that label's Superband as well as Christian McBride's Inside Straight and SFJAZZ Collective. He pays tribute to mentor Bobby Hutcherson at Smoke for three nights.
There are hundreds of thousands of jazz lives out there. Celebrate yours today and every day.
On the Cover: JIMMY HEATH
By Russ Musto; photo by Alan Nahigian
"Every day is Memorial Day. I'm 90 years old. That's a memorial," Jimmy Heath says with characteristic good humor, scheduling an interview for the Monday holiday, just after getting back to his Queens home following a trip to North Carolina. Time has not slowed down the NEA Jazz Master saxophonist, who is preparing for a busy summer schedule. Heath is Springfield Park Jul. 8th, Village Vanguard Jul. 11th-16th and 92nd Street Y Jul. 19th as part of Jazz in July.
Interview: DENARDO COLEMAN
By Anders Griffen; photo courtesy of the artist
Denardo Coleman is a producer and drummer best known as the son of musicians Ornette Coleman and Jayne Cortez. He made his first appearance on record with his father in 1966 on The Empty Foxhole (Blue Note) when he was just ten years old. He continued to make music with both of his parents and, after studying political science at City College of New York, began managing his father's music business while still in his 20s. Coleman is at Alice Tully Hall Jul. 11th and Jul. 14th as part of Ornette Coleman—Tomorrow is the Question.
Artist Feature: WARREN WOLF
By John Pietaro; photo by Jimmy Katz
Warren Wolf fits uniquely into the continuum of jazz vibraphonists: like Lionel Hampton before him, Wolf is a respected drummer, perfectly at home driving a band. And akin to Milt Jackson, he's also a strong pianist. His ability to fit into both schools of vibraphone lore—from roots of percussion or piano—is a distinction few others can boast. Wolf is at Smoke Jul. 21st-23rd as part of a tribute to Bobby Hutcherson.
Encore: BOBBY KAPP
By Clifford Allen
Drummer Bobby Kapp was a frequent collaborator with '60s heavies like trombonist Grachan Moncur III, pianist Dave Burrell and saxophonists Noah Howard, Marion Brown, Pharoah Sanders and Gato Barbieri...Kapp has recently reappeared in New York with a cast of contemporary improvisers including pianist Matthew Shipp, saxophonist Ivo Perelman and bassist William Parker. Kapp is at The Brooklyn Commons Jul. 17th.
Lest We Forget: DON REDMAN
By Scott Yanow
Don Redman was the first significant big band arranger in jazz to have his works recorded. Also a fine composer, saxophonist, clarinetist and singer, he made many valuable contributions to jazz of the '20s-30s. A Redman tribute with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks is at Dizzy's Club Jul. 19th as part of Redman's induction into the Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame.
Record Label Spotlight: EDITION LONGPLAY
By Ken Dryden
When a jazz record label comes into being, the founder is usually someone passionate about the music, like Rainer Haarmann, owner of the small German label Edition Longplay. Haarmann has released limited editions of 180-gram audiophile LPs several times a year, drawing critical praise, both for their performances and artwork. Artists performing this month include Alan Broadbent at Mezzrow Jul. 30th. Jonathan Kreisberg at Jazz Standard Jul. 1st-2nd with Dr. Lonnie Smith and Bar Next Door Wednesdays; Romero Lubambo at Jazz Standard Jul. 25th; and Gary Smulyan at 92nd Street Y Jul. 20th as part of Jazz in July.
CD Reviews
(this month's performance venues in parentheses):
Maureen Choi -- Ida y Vuelta BarCo (Terraza 7)
Aruán Ortiz -- Cub(an)ism Intakt (Cornelia Street Underground)
Gerald Cannon -- Combinations Woodneck (Smoke)
Riverside -- The New National Anthem Greenleaf Music (The Stone at The New School)
Ivo Perelman/Karl Berger -- The Hitchhiker Leo (The Stone)
Kevin Eubanks -- East West Time Line Mack Avenue (VIllage Vanguard)
Idrees Sulieman Quartet (featuring Oscar Dennard) -- The 4 American Jazz Men in Tangier Groovin' High
Kuhn Fu -- Kuhnspiracy Unit
EYOT -- Innate Ninety and Nine
Szilard Mezei -- Nem füstöl a zentaji gyár kéménye Slam
Avalon Jazz Band -- Je Suis Swing s/r (Summerstage)
New Orleans Swamp Donkeys -- Slightly Concussed (Live at De Melkbus) s/r (Louis Armstrong House; Blue Note)
Ryan Keberle & Catharsis -- Find the Common, Shine a Light Greenleaf Music (Jazz Standard)
Allan Holdsworth -- Eidolon Manifesto (Iridium)
Petros Klampanis -- Chroma Motéma (Bar Next Door; Cornelia Street Underground)
Nu Band -- The Final Concert NoBusiness (Legion Bar)
Nu Band -- Live in Geneva Not Two (Legion Bar)
Erhard Hirt -- New York Connection Klopotec
Greg Lewis -- The Breathe Suite s/r (Lucille's at BB King's Blues; American Legion Post; Bar Lunàtico; Fat Cat)
Burning Ghosts -- Reclamation Tzadik (The Stone; Alphaville)
Camille Thurman -- Inside the Moment Chesky (Ginny's Supper Club)
Henry Kaiser/Alan Licht -- Skip to the Solo Public Eyesore (Noise Workshop; Downtown Music Gallery)
Steve Coleman -- Morphogenesis Pi (The Stone at The New School)
Daniel Carter/George Lyle/Fritz Welch -- So Long Farewell Repair (Live at The Glad Cafe) Iorram (The Stone)
Jeff Platz/Daniel Carter/Dmitry Ishenko/Dalius Naujokaitis -- Neu Cabal Glitch (The Stone)
Daniel Carter/Watson Jennison/William Parker/Federico Ughi -- Vol. 1: Erie Live! 577 Records (The Stone)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band -- So It Is Legacy (Metrotech Commons)
Walt Weiskopf -- Fountain of Youth Posi-Tone (Smalls)
Louis Hayes -- Serenade for Horace Blue Note (Birdland)
Tim Daisy/Ken Vandermark/Michael Thieke -- Triptych Relay (The Stone at The New School)
DEK Trio -- Burning Below Zero Trost
Terrie Hessels/Ken Vandermark -- Splinters Artifacts/Audiographic (The Stone at The New School)
Brian Marsella -- Buer (John Zorn: Book of Angels, Volume 31) Tzadik (The Stone at The New School)
Joe McPhee/Damon Smith/Alvin Fielder -- Six Situations Not Two (Noise Workshop; The Stone at The New School)
Gary Smulyan -- Royalty at Le Duc Groovin' High (92nd Street Y)
Angelica Sanchez -- Float the Edge Clean Feed (The Stone)
Kevin Norton Breakfast of Champignon(s) -- Staten Island: All that is solid melts into air Barking Hoop (The Stone)
To Be Continued -- Poetry from the Future Line Art (The Stone)
Ben Allison -- Layers of the City Sonic Camera (Jazz Standard)
Tiziano Tononi and Southbound -- Trouble no more... All men are brothers (A Tribute to the Spiritual Unity of the Allman Brothers Band) Long Song
Jazz is PHSH -- He Never Spoke a Word s/r (The Cutting Room)
One for All -- The Third Decade Smoke Sessions (Smoke)
Rotem Sivan -- Antidote Aima (Blue Note)
Tony Malaby/Mat Maneri/Daniel Levin -- New Artifacts Clean Feed (Korzo)
Elliott Sharp (with Mary Halvorson and Marc Ribot) -- Err Guitar Intakt (VIllage Vanguard)
David Binney -- The Time Verses Criss Cross (55Bar)
Ornette Coleman -- Celebrate Ornette Song X (Lincoln Center)
...and Plenty More!
Look for other sections like In Memoriam, On This Day, In Print, On DVD, VOXNews, NY@Night, Recommended New Releases, Birthdays, and our invaluable Event Calendar.
Thanks so much for reading The New York City Jazz Record, the city's only homegrown gazette devoted to the music.
