It is amazing to see where we are in this final month of 2021. Last month we were able to come together with family—in person, not peering at a computer screen—for Thanksgiving. And now the city resounds with tourists in for the holiday season, which means oodles of concerts dedicated to Christmas music and big shindigs for New Year's Eve. New York had to work harder than Santa's elves to get to this point and we all have earned ourselves plenty of eggnog and gingersnaps. The rest of the country and the world are not so lucky, some because of Christmas-ham-headed ignorance. Ebenezer Scrooge would have been an anti-vaxxer. Don't be Ebenezer Scrooge.
As we do every year, we present our Holiday Gift Guide, filled with holiday music, books, boxed sets and miscellany for your jazzy loved-ones (including yourself). And while you are flush with generous spirit, buy selections from our Album Reviews and attend shows from our Event Calendar. Musicians and venues are still hurting from the past year-plus and can really use your support.
We wish you a Happy New Year and best wishes for much better 2022. Thank you for your continued readership and engagement with this music we all love.
On the Cover: JOHNATHAN BLAKE
By Russ Musto; photos by David Ellis / courtesy of Blue Note Records
Drummer Johnathan Blake's latest release, his Blue Note label debut Homeward Bound, features his group Pentad, which he founded with bassist Dezron Douglas and includes their Ravi Coltrane rhythm section mate David Virelles, along with saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins and vibraphonist Joel Ross. Blake is at The Jazz Gallery Dec. 3rd-4th, Lowlands Dec. 7th, The Django at Roxy Hotel Dec. 9th and Village Vanguard Dec. 14th-19th and 21st-26th with Kenny Barron.
Interview: MARS WILLIAMS
By Jason Gross; photo by Peter Gannushkin
Mainstream rock and free jazz are two sides of a coin for saxophonist Mars Williams. He played in Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble and Peter Brötzmann's Tentet alongside his longtime gig as a member of New Wave denizens The Psychedelic Furs and studio sessions with Billy Idol and '80s supergroup Power Station. His Albert Ayler tribute band, Witches & Devils, has evolved into a collision of the legend's tunes with holiday songs for the last four years (and four albums), with a fifth edition released last month. Williams' An Ayler Xmas is at Zürcher Gallery Dec. 5th.
Artist Feature: MILES OKAZAKI
By George Grella; photo by Dimitri Louis / courtesy of the artist
Guitarist Miles Okazaki is central to three new releases this fall: Mise En Place (Intakt), where he is part of saxophonist Ohad Talmor's Trio along with drummer Dan Weiss; Hive Mind (Tzadik), a fully improvised session with Okazaki and Weiss joined by bassist Trevor Dunn; and Music for Drums and Guitar (Cygnus Recordings), which pairs the guitarist with Weiss once more. More than just the same name appearing on each release, the underlying tie that binds them together is the specificity of Okazaki's clear and compelling voice. Okazaki is at The Jazz Gallery Dec. 10th in duo with Dan Weiss.
Encore: PHIL RANELIN
By Michael Cobb
Trombonist, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader and educator Phil Ranelin has worked with many of the biggest names in jazz and popular music and studied with highly respected jazz and classical educators including David N. Baker, Larry Ridley, Nathan Davis, Bunky Green and Dr. Louis Smith.
Lest We Forget: MICHEL PETRUCCIANI
By Marilyn Lester
French pianist Michel Petrucciani (Dec. 28th, 1962 - Jan. 6th, 1999) spent a mere 36 years on this planet, but left a profound impact with his talent, grit and determination to practice his art. He was three feet tall, his growth inhibited by a rare genetic disease, osteogenesis imperfecta, which also causes brittle bones that break easily. Because of his size he required aids to reach the piano pedals and sometimes had to be carried to and from the stage. Despite this disability and almost constant pain, he was an extraordinary optimist, considering aspects of his disability an advantage.
Special Feature: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Jazzy gift suggestions, from books and boxed sets to Christmas albums and miscellany, for you and your loved ones.
CD Reviews
(this month's performance venues in parentheses):
Christian McBride Inside Straight—Live at the Village Vanguard Mack Avenue(VIllage Vanguard)
Derek Bailey/Mototeru Takagi—Live at FarOut, Atsugi 1987 Chap Chap-NoBusiness
Mototeru Takagi—Live at Little John, Yokohama 1999 Chap Chap
Didier Petit, Josh Berman, Jason Stein, Edward Perraud—The Bridge Sessions 13: The Way Through The Bridge Sessions
Jim Hall—Jazzpar Quartet + 4 Storyville
Jeff Kaiser/Nicholas Deyoe—Chimney Liquor pfMENTUM
Franco Ambrosetti—Lost Within You Unit
Sam Rivers—Sam Rivers Achive Project, Vol. 5: Undulation NoBusiness
Kat Edmonson—Holiday Swingin! A Kat Edmonson Christmas Vol. 1 s/r(Le Poisson Rouge)
Jeff Hamilton—Merry & Bright Capri
Oddgeir Berg—Christmas Came Early Ozella Music
...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.
