JerseyJazz - GENERATIONS OF JAZZ Bill Crow, Leonieke Scheuble, and Nick Scheuble - New Jersey Jazz Society
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THE MAGAZINE OF THE NEW JERSEY JAZZ SOCIETY JerseyJazz JUNE 2021 VOLUME 49 ISSUE 06 3 GENERATIONS OF JAZZ Bill Crow, Leonieke Scheuble, and Nick Scheuble
IN THIS ISSUE ARTICLES/REVIEWS COLUMNS 08 Jazz History: Erroll Garner 03 All That’s Jazz 13 Three Generations of Jazz 05 Editor’s Choice 18 Melissa Aldana 33 From the Crow’s Nest 22 Talking Jazz: Ed Cherry 48 Jazzwords 29 Rising Star: Lucy Wijnands 49 Not Without You 36 Remembering Curtis Fuller, Norman Simmons CORRECTIONS In “Carnegie Hall Youth Ensemble Will Have a New and Bob Koester Jersey Cadence This Summer” (JJ May 2021), composer/arranger/bandleader Jihye Lee composed a piece for the 2020 NYO Jazz Orchestra, not this ON THE COVER _ Leonieke Scheuble & the Generations of Jazz Trio 42 year’s. Also, one of the NYO Jazz faculty members is PHOTO BY CYDNEY HALPIN. Book Review: Sax Appeal trumpeter Erica von Kleist; her name was misstated. In “Remembering Andy Fusco” by Walt Weiskopf, the last 44 sentence in column 3, should have read: “A real artist Other Views is never satisfied for long with an accomplishment. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 02
ALL THAT’S JAZZ BY CY DNE Y HA LPIN J ersey Jazz magazine is a won- of communicating with our members the Louis Armstrong Internation- cades—establishing it as the world’s derful benefit of NJJS member- is via email. Make certain you have al Continuum 2021 Virtual Sym- preeminent archive for jazz, taught ship and, after several months New Jersey Jazz Society’s email ad- posium and Concert program: jazz history at the Peabody Institute of transition with our new website, dresses—eblast@njjs.org and Born October 24, 1929, in Ger- at Johns Hopkins University, Brook- it has been password protected membership@njjs.org—in your Con- many, Morgenstern was reared in lyn College (where he was also a vis- with FULL accesses available once tacts File and that you mark corre- Austria and Denmark, before his iting professor at the Institute for again to NJJS MEMBERS only. spondence from NJJS as “not spam.” move to the United States in 1947. His Studies in American Music), New At the beginning of each month, passion for jazz was born in Copenha- York University, and the Schweitzer I you’ll receive an eBlast containing t’s with great pride and privilege gen. Shortly after his arrival in New Institute of Music in Idaho; served the new password and the link to that the Board of Directors and York City, he gravitated to 52nd street, on the faculties of the Institutes in the current month’s issue. You’ll be I announce that Dan Morgen- known as “Swing Street,” where he Jazz Criticism, jointly sponsored by prompted to input the password af- stern — longstanding Jersey Jazz ensconced himself into the jazz world. the Smithsonian Institution and the ter you click on the “View Digital contributor—has been bestowed Few are more beloved in the jazz Music Critics Association, faculty of Issue” tab. Once you’ve accessed the two Lifetime Achievement Awards, community than Dan Morgenstern. the Masters’ Program in Jazz History magazine, you’ll be able to down- one from the Association for Re- His extensive career and and Research at Rutgers University, load it to your computer or other corded Sound Collections in recog- accolades are as follows: former Vice President and Trustee personal device for ease of access nition of his life’s work in recorded Editor of DownBeat magazine, the of the National Academy of Record- throughout the month. If you pre- sound research and publication, last editor of Metronome, the first ing Arts and Sciences, co-founder of fer not to download the issue, keep and the other from the Louis Arm- editor of Jazz Magazine, stints as the Jazz Institute of Chicago, served the monthly password handy so you strong Educational Foundation. jazz reviewer for the New York Post on the boards of the New York Jazz can continue to access the issue For those who may not know and record-reviewer for the Chicago Museum and the American Jazz Or- online. If you have any questions, Dan, he’s one of the jazz world’s Sun Times. He was Director of the chestra, former Director of the Louis please contact me at pres@njjs.org. greatest living treasures! Institute for Jazz Studies (IJS) at Armstrong Educational Foundation Please Note: NJJS’s primary way The following is excerpted from Rutgers University for over three de- and the Mary Lou Williams Foun- NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 03
ALL THAT’S JAZZ dation, and member of Denmark’s Companion, The Duke Ellington plans, alongside Managing Artis- dition and would make a great addi- International JAZZPAR Prize Com- Reader, The Miles Davis Compan- tic Director Wynton Marsalis. tion to your music collection, with mittee since its inception in 1989. ion, and The Lester Young Reader. As NJJS looks to bolster our ed- proceeds helping NJJS continue to Morgenstern has received sev- Jazz advocate, producer, writer ucational programming and part- promote and present jazz. For more en Grammy Awards for Best Album and scholar, he has mentored gen- nerships, we’re very excited to have information on the titles for sale Notes, The National Endowment for erations of writers, educators, and Jason bring his nearly 30 years of and prices, please visit our website the Arts (NEA) the A.B. Spellman musicians, been embraced by artists jazz club and festival programming, www.njjs,org/Donate/Merchan- NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz from Louis Armstrong to Ornette record label and artist management dise or contact via email Merchan- Advocacy, DownBeat magazine Life- Coleman, and has shaped the way and GRAMMY® winning production dise@njjs.org. DON’T MISS OUT time Achievement Award, the Legacy we hear and think about music. skills and enthusiasm to future en- on this incredible opportunity!! Award by The Recording Academy, deavors. Please join me in welcom- A A and three Deems Taylor Awards. s I’ve said before, one of the ing Jason to the NJJS community. s the “Lights Go on Again” in He is also the prolific author of greatest privileges of serving as our part of the world, I hope “I’ll M hundreds of articles, and co-au- NJJS President is the opportu- osaic™ Box Sets for Sale Be Seeing You” at the outdoor thor or contributor to numerous nity to meet and collaborate with jazz NJJS has received two in- events being held at the Morris Mu- jazz books: author of Jazz People visionaries, be they musicians, teach- credibly generous donations of seum - Jazz on the Back Deck series, (Abrams, 1976) and Living with Jazz ers, scholars, cheerleaders, or patrons, used Mosaic™ Limited Edition Box Shanghai Jazz, and farther afield at (Pantheon, 2004), contributor to and often they are all of these things Sets, one from Robin Sinkway, the reopened clubs Maureen’s Jazz Cellar reference works including the New combined. Such is the case with Jason niece of the late, devoted NJJS mem- in Nyack and The Jazz Forum in Tar- Grove Dictionary of Jazz, Dictionary Olaine who I’m pleased to announce ber Jack Sinkway, and the other from rytown. Please check their websites of American Music, African-Ameri- has joined the NJJS Advisory Board. Jean Field. We thank both families for more details. We need to do all we can Almanac, and Encyclopedia Bri- Jason is the Director of Pro- for their kindness and stewardship. can safely and enthusiastically to sup- tannica Book of the Year; and to such gramming and Touring for Jazz at Prized by collectors for their su- port artists, venues and ongoing and anthologies as Reading Jazz, Setting Lincoln Center, developing JALC’s perior audio quality, most of these new streaming events, as we work to- The Tempo, The Louis Armstrong long-term strategic programming CD sets are in mint to very good con- gether to bolster the jazz community. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 04
EDITOR’S CHOICE BY SA NFO RD JOS EPHSON Jazz Education Series video recordings to explain why “the man called Pops still remains tops.” ing with Napoleon in the 1950s at Herb McCarthy’s Bowden Square, an up- Reborn: Louis Armstrong 101 Coincidentally, one of Arm- scale restaurant in Southampton, L.I., strong’s pianists, the late Marty Na- that was frequented by such celebri- poleon, would have turned 100 years ties as the Duke and Duchess of Wind- E arly last year, the Metuchen Arts of Louis Armstrong”. It will be a live of age on June 2. Napoleon, who sor, Gary Cooper, and Ginger Rogers. Council announced an ambi- streamed event at 3 p.m., available on passed away on April 27, 2015, at the Napoleon was known for his sly sense tious new educational series, the NJ Jazz Society website, njjs.org, age of 93, was not as well known, of of humor. “Marty would sing ‘The End “Metuchen Jazz -- Education Series as well at the NJJS Facebook page and course, as another pianist whose of a Beautiful Friendship’,” Odrich 2020”, dedicated to enlightening the YouTube channel. The presentation 100th birthday is being celebrated this recalled, “but he would substitute public about jazz. It was originally is free, but donations are encouraged. month (See Erroll Garner’s Centenni- pornographic lyrics. He was so good scheduled to launch in March 2020 To register, log onto www.eventbrite. al, page 08), but in addition to playing at it that Gary Cooper and the other with a live, in-person presentation on com/e/jazz-education-series-by-nj- with Armstrong, Napoleon was also stars and starlets wouldn’t notice.” Louis Armstrong by Ricky Riccardi, Di- jazz-society-and-metuchen-arts- part of bands led by Benny Goodman, Riccardi’s Armstrong presenta- rector of Research Collections for the council-tickets-154416448755 Gene Krupa, and Charlie Barnett. tion will be followed by my program Louis Armstrong House Museum and “Countless fans know Louis Arm- His first gigs with Armstrong were in on Gerry Mulligan on July 18; music author of two books about Armstrong. strong as the beloved singer behind 1952 and 1953, rejoining him in the writer Will Friedwald, presenting on The pandemic canceled the series, iconic recordings such as ‘What a late 1960s and playing on and off with Nat King Cole, September 19; baritone but, beginning June 13, it will resume Wonderful World’ and ‘Hello Dolly’,” him until Armstrong’s death in 1971. saxophonist Frank Basile looking at virtually as a collaboration between Riccardi recently told me. “But, he The New York Times’ John S. Wilson the “Great Baritone Saxophonists” on Metuchen Jazz and the New Jersey was also arguably the most influential once described Napoleon’s piano October 18; and author David Hajdu Jazz Society. As originally planned, musician of the 20th century.” Riccar- style as “driving propulsive playing.” discussing Duke Ellington and Billy Riccardi will kick it off with “Louis di will tell the story of Armstrong’s in- Periodontist and part-time clari- Strayhorn on November 21. One addi- Armstrong 101: The Wonderful World fluence by using many rare audio and netist Dr. Ron Odrich remembers play- tional program will be announced later. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 05
ABOUT NJJS F ounded in 1972, The New Jersey Jazz Society MEMBER BENEFITS JOIN NJJS has diligently maintained its mission to promote 10 FREE Concerts Annually Family/Individual $45 and preserve America’s great art form—jazz. To at our “Sunday Socials” (Family includes to 2 Adults and 2 children under 18 years of age) accomplish our mission, we produce a monthly Monthly Award Winning Jersey Family/Individual 3-Year $115 Jazz Magazine - Featuring Articles, magazine, Jersey Jazz; sponsor live jazz events; and Interviews, Reviews, Events and More. Musician Member $45 / 3-Year $90 (one time only, renewal at standard provide scholarships to New Jersey college students Discounts at NJJS Sponsored basic membership level.) studying jazz. Through our outreach program Concerts & Events. Youth $15 - For people under 21 years of age. Date of Birth Required. Generations of Jazz, we provide interactive programs Discounts at Participating Give-A-Gift $25 - Members in Venues & Restaurants focused on the history of jazz. The Society is run by a good standing may purchase Support for Our Scholarship and unlimited gift memberships. board of directors who meet monthly to conduct Society Generations of Jazz Programs Applies to New Memberships only. business. NJJS membership is comprised of jazz devotees Fan $75 - $99 MUSICIAN MEMBERS Jazzer $100 - $249 from all parts of the state, the country and the world. Sideman $250 - $499 FREE Listing on NJJS.org “Musicians Bandleader $500+ List” with Individual Website Link Corporate Membership $1000 FREE Gig Advertising in our Monthly eBlast Members at Jazzer level and above and Corporate Membership receive special benefits. Please THE RECORD BIN contact Membership@njjs.org for details. The New Jersey Jazz Society is qualified as a tax A collection of CDs & LPs available exempt cultural organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, Federal at reduced prices at most NJJS ID 23-7229339. Your contribution is tax- Visit www.njjs.org or email info@njjs.org concerts and events and through deductible to the full extent allowed by law. For for more information on our programs and services mail order www.njjs.org/Store more Information or to join, visit www.njjs.org NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 06
Editorial Staff New Jersey Jazz Society, Officers 2021 EDITOR PRESIDENT Sanford Josephson, editor@njjs.org Cydney Halpin, pres@njjs.org ART DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE VP Magazine of the New Jersey Jazz Society Michael Bessire, art@njjs.org Jane Fuller, vicepresident@njjs.org VO LU M E 49 • I SSUE 06 INTERNATIONAL EDITOR TREASURER Fradley Garner Dave Dilzell, treasurer@njjs.org fradleygarner@gmail.com NJJS org CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR VP, MEMBERSHIP membership@njjs.org Mitchell Seidel, photo@njjs.org VP, PUBLICITY CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sanford Josephson, sanford.josephson@gmail.com Bill Crow, Schaen Fox, Lin Josephson Joe VP, MUSIC PROGRAMMING Lang, Alex Levin, Dan Morgenstern, Jay Sweet Mitchell Seidel, music@njjs.org CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS RECORDING SECRETARY John Abbott, Lucas Asensi, Irene Miller Fanny Delsol, Christopher Drukker, Pablo Valle, Harrison Weinstein CO -FOUNDER WEBMASTER Jack Stine Jersey Jazz (ISSN 07405928) Christine Vaindirlis IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT is published monthly for members Mike Katz of The New Jersey Jazz Society Advertising DIRECTORS P.O. Box 223, Garwood, NJ 07027 908-380-2847 • info@njjs.org DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Jay Dougherty, Cynthia Feketie, Pete Grice, Membership fee is $45/year. Jane Fuller, advertising@njjs.org Carrie Jackson, Mike Katz, Caryl Anne McBride, Periodical postage paid at West Caldwell, NJ ADVERTISING RATES Robert McGee, James Pansulla, Stew Schiffer, Postmaster please send address changes Full Page: $135, Half Page: $90, Elliott Tyson, Jackie Wetcher to P.O. Box 223, Garwood, NJ 07027 1/3 Page: $60, 1/4 Page: $30 ADVISORS All material in Jersey Jazz, except where another For reservations, technical information and Don Braden, Ted Chubb, Al Kuehn copyright holder is explicitly acknowledged, deadlines contact advertising@njjs.org or visit is copyright ©New Jersey Jazz Society 2020. All njjs.org/Magazine/Advertise. Make payment at rights reserved. Use of this material is strictly PayPal.com: payment@njjs.org, or via check made prohibited without the written consent of the NJJS. payable to NJJS, P.O. Box 223, Garwood, NJ 07027. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 07
JAZZ HISTORY Erroll Garner’s Centennial Appreciating His Unpredictability and Innate Improvisational Spirit BY AL E X L E V I N “Under his fingers, the most obvious tunes are deconstructed, reimagined, restructured, reharmonized, reconstructed, and reanimated.” S ome jazz pianists are so stylis- meant when he said of Garner, “The tically coherent that the mere man was complete. He could do it mention of their names evokes all.” The smile on my face as I sit here their sound in our imagination. It’s a writing this and listening to Garner’s rare achievement to play so individ- catalog of recordings attests to the ualistically that your name evokes ways in which he did, in fact, “do it all,” your sound, your touch, the joy and and what a joy and an honor it is to sparkle of your playing. Erroll Garner listen and learn from this giant of jazz. is the rarest of birds: a true, innate, Born on June 15, 1921, in Pitts- ceaselessly ‘deelightful’ genius of mu- burgh’s Hill District, Garner was gifted sic. Perhaps this is what Clark Terry with innate talent. He took piano les- NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 08
JAZZ HISTORY sons from the age of six, although he really know what world you’ve wan- ner—like his rollicking take on George had demonstrated proficiency on the dered into at the very beginning of a Gershwin’s “S’Wonderful” from his instrument by the age of three. By age song. Garner builds suspense in his masterpiece of a record, Concert by 11, he was playing on Allegheny river introductions—you know the swing the Sea (Columbia Records: 1955). boats. This bit of biographical informa- is coming, but you don’t know if he’s Those introductions, by turns, set the tion is perhaps most interesting when coming in with a luxurious ballad scene for his listeners and mislead you imagine the chugging, rhythmic tempo (a left hook, metaphorically us: they are a Wonka-esque world of heart of a river boat engine and com- speaking), a hopping medium tempo imagination, limitless and infinite. pare it to the rhythmic pulse of Gar- (Garner’s right hook—his dominant As his bassist, Ernest McCarty, once ner’s music, whether as a solo pianist mode and, arguably, his most swing- explained, “Erroll never said what or with his unbeatably burning trio. ing place), or one of those faster tem- he was going to play or what key, just As a pianist, I am most excited pos that nobody plays like Erroll Gar- started playing the intro. He was un- to talk about Garner’s concept—by predictable.” Listening again to Gar- “ which I mean the unique approach to ner’s records, it’s that unpredictability his instrument as well as the stylistic and innate improvisational spirit that traits of his playing. For jazz musi- cians, their concept is the summation ERROLL NEVER SAID makes everything feel so fresh and free. There’s also something quite fun- of their art—their unique, idiosyn- cratic language. Famously, many of Garner’s recordings begin with rhap- WHAT HE WAS GOING TO PLAY ny about the contrast between some of the enormous, classically-influenced rhapsodies that Garner improvises as sodic and sometimes wittily arch solo introductions. Like the opening pages OR WHAT KEY, JUST STARTED introductions to familiar standards. From a conceptual perspective, of novels by Toni Morrison, James Joyce, or William Faulkner, you don’t PLAYING THE INTRO.” Garner is also a master of humor. Lionel Hampton’s “Red Top,” one of NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 09
JAZZ HISTORY the tunes he plays on Concert by the Mercury album, Solitaire, and see Sea, is full on pastiche: Garner’s solo if you can hold still when he moves is loaded with quotes from Charlie into the swing sections. His trade- Parker’s solos and melody lines, along mark playful interactions between with a few measures of “All Around his left and right hands, sometimes the Mulberry Bush,” both of which referred to by critics and fellow mu- he plays to audible laughter from sicians as “Russian Dragon” or “Gas the audience. As much fun as those Pedal” time, accentuate the tempos quotes are, it’s Garner’s incredible while revealing the supreme inde- dynamic control on this recording pendence of his hands. As we like PHOTO COU RT ESY O F LOUIS A R MST RO N G H OUSE MUSE UM that really tickles the ear and the to say in my own jazz piano trio, we heart. We know how loudly Garner is play dance music, and whether he’s capable of playing, but his dynamic playing solo or with his trio, Garner’s restraint is, to me, just as exciting. His music is always danceable, under- playing ranges from the fortissimo scored by a consistent, propulsive to the pianissimo, sometimes in a pulse—the riverboat? The heart? matter of seconds. Every one of Gar- My last thought about Gar- ner’s recording features exceptional ner’s concept is about the way he use of dynamics in his storytelling. approaches standards. Under his Notably, Garner’s solo recordings fingers, the most obvious tunes are are as grooving, swinging, and oc- deconstructed, reimagined, restruc- casionally funky as his trio’s. Check tured, reharmonized, reconstructed, out his version of Sammy Fain’s and reanimated His playing tran- “That Old Feeling” from his 1955 scends songwriting, in a sense. He Erroll Garner with Louis Armstrong in 1957 in Washington, D.C. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 10
JAZZ HISTORY As for his “Misty”—What can I most frequent guests on talk shows, say that hasn’t been said? A com- especially those hosted by fellow jazz poser myself, I am always seeking to pianists like Steve Allen and Dud- discover a memorable and haunting ley Moore, who were eager to bring melody line. Garner’s tune, now in- Garner’s music to a wider audience. separable from his fame and legacy, I met up recently with some is the gold standard of standards. To friends, and we traded stories about think, you can ask any gigging pianist Garner and his records. Everyone to play “Misty,” and, unless they have has deep associations with his mu- played the song so, so many times sic. For those of us of a certain age, as to feel that they have exhausted his sound is so familiar, he feels like their creative resources, they will a member of our families. He passed inevitably smile and shake their away in 1977, but I turn back to his head as they recall the melody and recordings to remember that he is, harmonies in the song, and mutter, in fact, very much with us today. with co-mingled awe and jealou- could transform the Liberty Mutual sy, “Great tune …” He wrote and re- Alex Levin is Head of the En- jingle into a masterpiece of compo- corded about 200 such great original glish Department at Philadelphia’s sitional sophistication. Unfettered tunes over the course of his career. Germantown Friends School and a from the world of sheet music and We are lucky to live in the age of working jazz pianist. His most re- reading, Garner’s ears, his imagi- YouTube, where you can easily find en- cent self-produced album is A Sun- nation, and his heart lead the way tire concert performances by Garner, day Kind of Love, released last year. through infinite variations and as well as clips from television in the (See “English Teacher and Jazz Pia- landscapes of swing and sound. ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. He was one of the nist”, Jersey Jazz, January 2021). NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 11
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THREE GENERATIONS OF JAZZ A Special Musical and Personal Relationship N inety-three-year-old Bill Crow remembers when he first start- That Bridges a Seven-Decade Age Gap ed playing professionally and would attend a jam session. “I didn’t “I’m 19, and He’s in His 90s. That’s What I Love About Jazz; There’s No Age Discrimination.” own a bass,” he recalled, “so, I would BY SANFORD JOS E P HSON wait until the bass player was tired. Then, I would borrow his. The bass player would get tired because there was one bassist and 10 saxophonists.” “What I love most about play- ing with Bill Crow,” said 19-year-old keyboardist Leonieke Scheuble, “is that it’s 50 per cent playing and 50 per cent stories. He told me about playing with Stan Getz when the string on his bass broke, so he took one from under the piano. He also told me he knew Cy Coleman before he was a composer. He’s introduced PHOTO BY CY D NEY HAL PIN me to tunes from the ‘20s. These are experiences you can’t get anywhere.” Leonieke’s father, 58-year-old drummer Nick Scheuble recollects playing with Crow when Scheuble NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 13
THREE GENERATIONS OF JAZZ and his family lived in the Nether- yard in Rockaway, NJ, to play music lands in the early 2000s. In 2006, and, of course, to listen to Crow’s they played together with baritone stories. “We get together to play,” said saxophonist Carl Maraghi for a Ger- Crow, “to try to keep our chops.” ry Mulligan tribute at the Two River Nick Scheuble elaborated: “Most Theater in Red Bank, NJ. Two years of the arrangements from Bill are later, when Leonieke was six years trio arrangements. We’re also devel- old, she saw her father and Crow play oping quintet arrangements. Bill’s at the Cornerstone in Metuchen. In bass playing is really unique. I can’t November 2015, all three of them put my finger on it exactly. There’s performed together professionally a certain kind of drive he has to his for the first time at the Hyatt Re- bass playing. It’s a certain kind of gency Hotel in New Brunswick, NJ. conviction to the beat, a strong pulse. Billed as “A Night of Soul Jazz”, by Each note seems to have a forward the New Brunswick Jazz Project, it motion. There’s an almost percus- was Leonieke Scheuble & the Gen- sive attack to each note. Even slow erations of Jazz Trio with Nick on pieces have a life to them, they feel drums, Crow on bass, and special alive.” Added Leonieke: “When you guest Bill Easley on tenor saxophone. hear him, you know it’s Bill Crow. We PHOTO BY CY D NEY HAL PIN That was the beginning of a spe- treasure every minute with him.” cial relationship that bridges a gener- The role of the bass, in Crow’s ation gap of seven decades. During the opinion, “hasn’t really changed that pandemic, the three have been meet- much. But, starting with Scott La- ing in the Scheubles’ garage or back- Faro, the bass had the option of not NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 14
THREE GENERATIONS OF JAZZ playing 4/4 all the time. Bass players, proceeded to guide the group of sea- though, have gotten so much bet- soned veterans through a selection Leonieke Scheuble & the Generations of Jazz Trio ter. They’re finding a way to set the of hard bop standards from the 1950s bass up so they can play faster. The will be performing from 7-8 p.m. at the NJ Jazz Society’s including Bobby Timmons’ “Dat strings are closer to the finger board. June 26 Virtual Social, streaming on the njjs.org website as Dere”, Horace Silver’s “Senor Blues”, And, amplification has helped out.” well as the NJJS Facebook page and YouTube Channel. and Nat Adderley’s “Work Song”. The pulse of Crow’s bass play- “I grew up hearing Lee Morgan, ing, Leonieke pointed out, is partic- Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, ularly apparent on the 1960 Verve and Clifford Brown,” she told me. album, Gerry Mulligan And The hard. Some of them were really fin- that job,” Crow said. “I said, ‘’If you “Hard bop has a blues aspect, and Concert Jazz Band At The Village ger busters. All the musicians would go with Dave Brubeck, you’re going I’ve always gravitated toward tunes Vanguard. Nat Hentoff’s liner notes, come and hang out with us. Duke El- to become famous, and your price is that are bluesy.” Crow feels it’s “nice describing the performance of Art lington’s publicity man, Joe Morgen, going up, and no one’s going to be able to play with Leonieke,” not only “be- Farmer’s “Blueport”, wrote that, “Bill told the Hickory House he would get to afford you.’ That’s what happened, cause she’s so young,” but also be- Crow’s bass solo leads into a crack- them mentions in Walter Winchell’s but it worked out well for him.” cause “we all love the same music.” ling series of exchanges between column if the Ellington band mem- I first saw the Scheubles and The veteran musicians she plays Gerry Mulligan and Clark Terry.” bers could eat there (for free). So, Crow play together in August 2019 with, Leonieke said, “are legends. Another of Crow’s stories evokes we saw a lot of Duke, and sometimes at the Jazz Arts Project’s Jazz in the But one thing I’ve noticed is we’ve all his days in the 1950s, playing with pi- Marian would get him to sit in.” Park series in Red Bank. Leonieke had similar influences. It’s amazing anist Marian McPartland and drum- One night, Dave Brubeck and led a quintet that also included ten- to play with someone like Bill Crow. mer Joe Morello at the Hickory House Paul Desmond came into the Hick- or saxophonist Adam Brenner and He knew people like Billie Holiday on New York’s 52nd Street. McPart- ory House with the intent to recruit trumpeter Joe Maganarelli. “This is and Sarah Vaughan. I’m 19, and he’s land, he said, “liked to play in all the Morello for Brubeck’s quartet, which the first time playing with my own in his 90s. That’s what I love about keys, and some of them were really they did. “I advised Joe not to take quintet,” she announced, and then she jazz; there’s no age discrimination.” NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 15
THREE GENERATIONS OF JAZZ On July 1, the trio of Leonieke, bles, two of which are led by Charlap, William Paterson in 1991, having Nick, and Bill will be playing from 6-8 Director of Jazz Studies. “Six hours of studied under drummer/educator p.m. at 5 Eastman St. in downtown instruction with him!” she exclaims, Dr. John Riley. Throughout his ca- Cranford, NJ, and from 6-7 p.m. on “an unbelievable experience.” Add- reer, he has played with a long list of July 26, Leonieke will bring her hard ed Nick, “He’ll say stuff like, ‘Dick jazz luminaries including saxophon- bop/soul jazz quintet to the Jazz Fo- Hyman sent me this.’ He’ll tell her ists Don Braden and Eric Alexan- rum Summer Festival at Gourdine stories about composers. She loves der and keyboardist Mike LeDonne, Park in Ossining, NY. Adam Bren- it, and he knows she loves it.” Point- who is Leonieke’s private teacher. ner will be on tenor saxophone, and ing out Leonieke’s “love of the blues The sessions at the Scheuble Rick Savage will be on trumpet. and passion for swing,” Charlap add- home, according to Nick, have “turned Leonieke, said Savage, is “a very ed that she “always zeroes in on the into an event, a jazz hang. Everybody talented young pianist who has a rhythm section. She is a humble and wants to play with Bill.” Among those hunger to learn all about jazz music. dedicated student of the music, and who have dropped by: pianists David All musicians benefit greatly from it is exciting to witness the expan- Braham and Tomoko Ohno; guitarists acquiring mentors. Louis Armstrong sion of her artistic development.” Ilya Lushtak, Flip Peters, and Charlie had King Oliver; Freddie Hubbard other mentors, such as Bill Crow, As a teenager, Nick was drawn Sigler; percussionist Chuggy Carter; had Art Blakey. Leonieke has a Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Bill Charlap.” to the drumming of several musical and trumpeter Savage. Added Leo- whole stable of them, starting with Sometimes, Leonieke also plays with heroes including Gene Krupa, Buddy nieke: “Bill always comes an hour early. a highly talented jazz musician fa- bassist Tim Givens, a member of the Rich, Sam Woodyard, and Morello. We get pizza with meatballs. We play PHOTO BY CY D NEY HAL PIN ther in drummer Nick Scheuble and New York Electric Piano jazz band Later influences were Max Roach, tunes and talk. And, we have coffee. He an entire family that loves music. and the Cecilia Coleman Quintet. Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, and Tony likes a dash of Kahlua in his coffee.” Add that to the sublime musician- Finishing up her first year in the Williams, as well as the “groove ship, friendship, and jazz history Jazz Studies program at William drummers” such as Gus Johnson See Bill Crow’s “From the played in every note of Leonieke’s Paterson, Leonieke is in four ensem- and Grady Tate. He graduated from Crow’s Nest” on page 33 NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 16
METUCHEN ARTS COUNCIL partners with NEW JERSEY JAZZ SOCIETY presenting Jazz Education RICKY RICCARDI Louis Armstrong 101: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong PH OTO BY YO N I B RO O K Trumpeter, vocalist, actor Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), whose career spanned 50 years, was one of the most prominent, influential and commercially successful jazz musicians of the 20th Century. Presenter Ricky Riccardi is the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens and is the “World’s Expert” on Louis Armstrong. His new book is Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong. MetuchenArtsCouncil.com F R EE L I V E S T R EA M EV EN T New Jersey Jazz Society Sunday, June 13 - 3pm NJJS.org Donations Appreciated Register Here
MELISSA ALDANA T enor saxophonist Melissa Aldana was on a roll when the pandemic With Blue Note shut everything down in early Album on Horizon, 2020. She received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Improvised Solo Saxophonist’s on her composition, “Elsewhere”, from her 2019 Motema Music album, Career Continues Visions. AllAboutJazz’s Friedrich Kunzmann called Visions, “a highlight to Escalate of the year,” adding that Aldana’s playing “is subtle and elegant and of a “One of the Foremost Musician/ highly melodic nature ... ” And, Aldana Composers of Her Generation” was a charter member of pianist Renee Rosnes’ Artemis, the all- BY SA NFO RD JOS EPH SON female septet that caused a sensation at the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival, leading to a signing of the group by Blue Note Records for a 2020 album PHOTO BY HAR R ISON WE INSTEI N debut (Jersey Jazz cover story, March 2021). Artemis recently received a 2021 Jazz Journalists Association Award for Best Mid-Sized Ensemble. Now, as the jazz world eases out of the pandemic, Aldana is looking NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 18
MELISSA ALDANA forward to her own first album with house, and they helped me get a full Blue Note. She started recording it scholarship to come to the States.” last month for an early 2022 release The scholarship was to the date. (Aldana has departed Artemis, Berklee College of Music in Boston; succeeded by tenor saxophonist Ni- she graduated in 2009. Aldana’s main cole Glover). When Don Was, Blue teacher there was saxophonist George Note President, announced Aldana’s Garzone. “I learned so much from signing, he described her as “one of him,” she said, “seeing him waking up the foremost musician/composers at 6, teaching all day, and then going of her generation. Her vibrant artis- to play a gig.” Garzone, like Perez, saw tic vision, mastery of her instrument, Melissa Aldana at the Jazz Standard Aldana play while on a trip to Chile. “I and her deep groove make Ms. Aldana could tell she had her act together,” he a perfect exponent of the Blue Note pline and patience.” Aldana started out level headed regarding her trajectory, said. “She was playing straight ahead ethos.” In a news release, Aldana said, on alto sax, and her early heroes were meaning she can roll with life’s punch- jazz. I showed her some extensions “It feels unreal that I was signed to Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adder- es. She’s got what it takes to succeed.” of what she was already doing. She Blue Note . . . I feel extremely honored ley. There are four tenor players who In 2005, Aldana met pianist Dani- was a hard worker and really into it. to be a part of the label and a part of “are the people who mean the most to lo Perez while he was on a tour in She stayed with me for most of her the legacy. It means so much to me.” me: Don Byas, Benny Golson, Sonny Chile, and he invited her to play at time at Berklee. She’s one of the most Born in Santiago, Chile, the Rollins, and Mark Turner.” Turner the Panama Jazz Festival. He also conscientious students I have met.” 32-year-old Aldana learned about jazz described Aldana to Jersey Jazz as “an helped her get auditions with music Aldana’s first album, Free Fall, was PHOTO BY PABLO VAL LE and the saxophone from her father, excellent saxophonist with a strong schools in the United States. “Dani- recorded on the Inner Circle label in Marcos Aldana, a professional saxo- work ethic and curiosity which can be lo Perez and his wife—those are 2010, followed by Second Cycle two phonist. “The most important thing my heard in her music. You can hear the the people who opened their doors years later. In 2013, she became the first dad taught me,” she said, “was disci- fight and the mystery in her. She is to me,” she said. “I stayed in their female instrumentalist and first South NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 19
MELISSA ALDANA American musician to win the Thelo- demic, Aldana has tried to stay as busy “ A DISTINCTIVE AND nious Monk International Jazz Saxo- phone Competition (Her father was a as possible. Last October, she was part of a virtual “Jazz For America” con- APPEALING VOICE. WE ARE SURE TO HEAR MORE OF HER.” semifinalist in 1991). A recording con- cert, a benefit for the Biden campaign, tract with Concord Jazz was part of the held at City Winery Hudson Valley in prize, resulting in her third album, Me- Montgomery, NY. Organized by pia- lissa Aldana & Crash Trio. Reviewing nist Aaron Goldberg, other perform- that album, London Jazz News called ers included guitarist John Scofield; Zenon; bassists Christian McBride and On May 16, she was part of the two- Aldana, “a distinctive and appealing vocalist Jazzmeia Horn; saxophonists John Patitucci; pianist Fred Hersch, day Downtown Jamaica Jazz Festival voice. We are sure to hear more of her.” Joe Lovano (her ensemble teacher at harpist Brandee Younger, and trum- on the lawn of the Jamaica Perform- Given the restrictions of the pan- Berklee), Ravi Coltrane, and Miguel peter Sean Jones. Co-hosts were vo- ing Arts Center in Jamaica, Queens. calist Dee Dee Bridgewater and future Coming full circle, Aldana is now second gentleman Douglas Emhoff. a jazz educator. She has joined the On April 23 of this year, Aldana led faculty of the New England Conserva- a quintet playing music from Visions tory Jazz Studies department for the as part of the Jazz Standard’s “The 2021-22 academic year. Her teaching, Flip Sessions” virtual concert series. she said, will just be “part-time be- That was followed by a performance cause I feel I am at a point in my pro- of McCoy Tyner’s “Passion Dance” cess where the most important thing as part of International Jazz Day on for me is to play and get that kind of PHOTO BY FANNY B ELSO April 30. Playing with her were drum- experience. And, also, I feel like the mer Antonio Sanchez, alto saxophon- experience of playing and growing ist Rudresh Mahanthappa, bassist as a musician is the most import- Massimo Biolcati, and pianist A Bu. ant thing I can give to a student.” NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 20
TALKING JAZZ A Jersey Jazz Interview with Ed Cherry BY SCHAEN FOX T he Dizzy Gillespie ‘alumni association’ is a large group, and one of the most prominent and esteemed members is guitarist Ed Cherry, who played with Gillespie for 14 years. In a review of Cherry’s 2016 Posi-Tone album, Soul Tree, DownBeat’s Bill Milkowski described him as “an irrepressibly swinging guitarist ... in that lineage that includes ... Pat Martino, George Benson, Grant Green, and Wes Montgomery.” NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 22
TALKING JAZZ JJ How did you get the ment, closed the door, pulled out JJ How much in a year gig with Dizzy? this wad of cash and gave me five would be with Dizzy? EC I moved to New York, when I was $100 bills. He said, “Go get yourself EC Most of it. For the first four or five 21, and I got the gig with Dizzy the some clothes. We’re leaving next years that I was in the band, we were same year. It was just that I knew week.” I had been starving in New working constantly. And when we Rodney Jones. Rodney had been York. I hadn’t seen $500 ever up to weren’t working, Dizzy would go off in the band for about two or three that point. That was it. I was in the and play with a college big band. doing years, then he decided to leave. I was band. My first gig was on his birth- a master class or whatever, wherever. surprised because Dizzy could have day, October 21, 1978. I figured I’d We’d go out for a month of one-night- anybody he wanted, but I got the be in the band a couple of weeks, ers, come home for maybe two or three call. I made about a 15-20-minute and then I’d be kicked out, but many days, and then go out for a week, come rehearsal with Dizzy; Mike Longo years later, I was still in the band. back for a couple of days, go out for the long-time pianist with Dizzy; another month, maybe come back for a “ and Ben Brown, Dizzy’s bass player. week, and go back out again. It was cra- When I walked into audition, Diz- zy. He was about 60 or so when I joined zy recognized my face, “Oh, yeah, I know, you.” He recognized me from MY DAD STARTED the band, and he never complained, so we didn’t either. He seemed to thrive hanging out backstage at the Vil- lage Gate or wherever they played. We played a couple of songs and that PLAYING GUITAR WHEN on the schedule and the traveling. He didn’t like to be home very long at all. was it. I think we played “Night in Tunisia,” and one other song, then I STARTED PLAYING GUITAR, JJ What was life like on the road? EC You get up at, like, seven in the Dizzy just cut it short. He brought me into the bathroom at the apart- LIKE, AROUND SEVENTH GRADE.” morning, go to the airport—that could be a 20-minute drive, it could be a NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 23
TALKING JAZZ two-hour drive. Then you’re traveling had the whole top of a house. That all day, and you show up in time for a was nice. That Dizzy lived in En- soundcheck and maybe something to glewood, close by, was convenient. eat. Then you play the gig and you’re (Cherry now lives in the Bronx) usually done by 10 or 11 at night, if it’s a concert. Then you go back to your JJ What are your best memories hotel room, and you do it all again of your time with Dizzy? the next morning. That would last for EC Oh, just the general camaraderie in a month or a week at a time. Every the band. From 1978 until he passed, day. You ate what you could get. You I was always in the band. He changed try to pick the best food that you can drummers and bass players two or get while you’re traveling. But a lot of three times and added this or that, but times you can’t get good food stopping I was the one guy who was in the band at these roadside places. It’s usual- through the whole thing. There was ly burgers, bad steak or fish. You try a period from ‘83 until late ‘85 when to try to pick the best of the worst. I wasn’t in the band. He started using piano again and hired Walter Davis JJ Was it Dizzy’s influence that Jr. Walter was in for a couple of years got you to move to New Jersey? but then wanted to do more of his EC It was more about we got more own concerts. When Walter left, Diz- space for the money. My wife had a zy called me back in. So, it’s just like a daughter from a previous marriage, general memory of how everybody was and space was limited in New York. cool. All the guys in the band got along We moved to Fort Lee in 1983 and and tried to make the music happen. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 24
TALKING JAZZ And we enjoyed Dizzy’s compa- ny. Dizzy was a great band leader; he wasn’t a tyrant or got funny with the “ I HEARD THAT GEORGE BENSON PLAYED money or left us stranded. I hear all these horror stories about different WITH MILES DAVIS, SO MILES SMILES WAS THE FIRST MILES DAVIS RECORD I BOUGHT.” band leaders doing that to the guys, but Dizzy was not like that. He was very professional, and took care of his band. We didn’t have to worry about any of that. We just had a good time traveling. It was tough when you work concerts to hang backstage, or they for a little jam session, so that he could James Moody and Jon Faddis were that much, late nights, early mornings played with him on a couple of songs. play, and that was fun. Then after his coming in. They called and told me traveling all day, but it was fun. We health deteriorated even more, he got that after we left, Dizzy passed away. tried to have as much fun as possible. JJ Do you recall how you sent to the hospital. And that was it. Being a part of Dizzy’s band, you’d learned that Dizzy had cancer? The day that Dizzy died, my wife JJ Do you come from be in close proximity to other cats EC Just being on the road with him. and I went to visit him. He was sleep- a musical family? of Dizzy’s stature. They would either We saw the physical decline—losing ing in the easy chair in his room EC Well, let’s start with my parents. guest with the band or hang out back- weight, loss of balance. Then he was breathing very shallow breaths. We My dad started playing guitar when stage. I would have never been able to diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He didn’t want to wake him up. We were I started playing guitar, like, around meet Milt Jackson unless I was play- played for as long as he could, then there for about 10 minutes organiz- seventh grade. We both went to the ing with Dizzy. Milt Jackson, James the doctors kept him at home. On dif- ing his room. My wife brought flow- music store and had the half-hour Moody, Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey— ferent occasions, Mike Longo would ers, and we called Dizzy’s wife to let guitar lessons. He is still in that first all these guys had high respect for go play with him at home. A couple of her know that we were there, and grade book. Anyhow, he liked jazz. His Dizzy. They would either come to the times, I brought guys over to his home he seemed okay. As we were leaving, favorite guitar players were Grant NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 25
TALKING JAZZ Green and Kenny Burrell. He would fan of the music, and started collect- ter I saw those guys on TV, I started play those records when I was a kid. ing records when he was in college. slowly buying jazz records. I heard that He also liked Charlie Parker, Dizzy He went to Howard University. He George Benson played with Miles Da- Gillespie, and all the usual suspects. and his buddies would go see Char- vis, so Miles Smiles was the first Miles My mom played very little classi- lie Parker and all of those guys at the Davis record I bought. Then I heard cal piano. She could slowly sight-read Howard Theater. The Howard The- that Larry Coryell played with Gary her way through some stuff, but she ater was one of the big places to play. Burton. So, I bought Duster, one of the wasn’t really a strong player. She’d first jazz-rock records. They were play- liked music and took me to con- JJ Did you just get ing original music, but it incorporated certs—Broadway plays, operas and interested on your own or over-driven guitar and things like that. things like that when I was a young did someone prompt you? kid. At the time, I wasn’t really into EC I just started getting interest- JJ I read that Bruce Johnson it, but looking back, I’m glad that she ed on my own. Maybe I saw George was very significant for you. did because she made me aware of Benson on TV. Now, this is 1971 or Why didn’t he record much? these other kinds of music. No one ‘72, PBS had jazz on TV from time EC He didn’t really care about that else that I know played any music. to time, and they would play live. I aspect of the music business. He remember seeing George Benson, rarely gigged. He had a lot of students JJ I read where you said you and I think Earl Klugh was in his and made most of his money that “ didn’t really start listening to group. And, I remember seeing Lar- way. And, he did a lot of side hustle your dad’s record collection ry Coryell with his band and I was things to keep money coming in. He until you were in high school. EC Yeah, I started investigating his like, “Wow, that was interesting.” Up to that point I was playing R&B, I WANTED was a brilliant guy, very opinionated. He could talk about a lot of different Thelonious Monk 78s, Charlie Park- er LPs, stuff like that. My dad was a rock, blues, Jimi Hendrix and all that stuff. I wanted something more. Af- SOMETHING MORE.” subjects: music, photography, art; and he was a genius guitarist, He was NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 26
TALKING JAZZ The Grunin Center and Ocean County College Support the Arts very inspiring to me. When I first met pointed that I didn’t finish my school- Bruce, I was 19 or 20 years old. He was great to be around at that age. I studied with Bruce from about ing, but they saw that I was playing music, making decent money and traveling; so they were supportive. T H E 1976 until I joined Dizzy’s band in ‘78. A lot of different guys took lessons from him like Vernon Reid, the rock gui- JJ I didn’t expect to hear the name The Five Satins. SHOW tar player. Vernon Reid had this band called Living Color. And they were EC It was a great band. They sound- ed good, and they put on a good show. WILL GO ON popular in the ‘80s. Kevin Eubanks And, they didn’t get all crazy with took some lessons from him. So, we’re alcohol and drugs. They made a good all kind of coming from Bruce Johnson. impression for us, as the young back- up band. Plus, from time to time, we JJ I read that you almost attended would get to back up Bo Diddley or Berklee. How close was almost? Chuck Berry or The Drifters. These EC: Well, I was about to do my first guys oftentimes would just show up year, but I got a call to go on the road with no band, so we would back them with a band, and I decided to do that up for maybe three songs and then instead. I went on the road with an they’d go. I can’t say that I got to meet oldies group called Fred Parris and any of them for any length of time, grunincenter.org the Five Satins. They gave me my other than them telling us what key Grunin Center Box Office Hours Mon.-Fri. 10:00am-5:00pm first experience on the road, and I’m each song was in. That was it, but we 732-255-0500 glad I did it. My parents were disap- were all kind of starstruck. Bo Did- College Drive P Toms River, NJ Contact the Box Office two weeks prior to any show to arrange for disability and accessibility services. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ MAY 2021 27
TALKING JAZZ “ ALL THESE GUYS WERE FREE ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, SO THEY WOULD TEACH THESE CLASSES.” dley! Wow! It was a good experience. Dunbar—great guitar player—or Wal- I have nothing bad to say about it. ly Richardson, another great guitar player. I remember Jimmy Heath and JJ It was about six or seven Jimmy Owens were there. Bob Ne- years between high school and loms was the piano teacher. He played joining Dizzy. What else were with Mingus for a long time. All these you doing for those years? guys were free on Saturday mornings, EC I was with The Five Satins un- so they would teach these classes. I til about ‘75. Then I started going in know they put on concerts now. I and out of New York to Jazzmobile. don’t know if the school thing is still They had a Saturday afternoon pro- active, but it was a great situation. In gram where you could go for next to ‘76 I met Rodney Jones, so I started no money and study with masters of coming into New York even more to jazz music. I would study with Ted hang with Rodney or to see Dizzy. NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ MAY 2021 28
RISING STAR Lucy Wijnands, Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition Winner “I Knew She Was Special. There’s Depth in Every Note She Sings.” BY SANFORD JOS E P HSON C ontestants in the fourth annual Harry Schnipper, BAJS Executive Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Com- Director and Owner of Washington petition, sponsored by the Blues D.C.’s Blues Alley jazz club, allowed Alley Jazz Society, were asked to sing some flexibility. Once Wijnands three selections from the 1964 Verve began singing, the judges were cap- album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the John- tivated. Said Alison Crockett, Ad- ny Mercer SongBook. That request, junct Professor of Music at George said Lucy Wijnands, the winner, was Washington University: “I saw in “a gift from heaven. Johnny Mercer her a mature, confident sound with is absolutely my favorite composer.” a definitive musical outlook that PHOTO BY JO HN AB BOTT Her three Mercer selections had me singing with her. If I want to were: “Too Marvelous For Words”, sing with someone, that hooks me “Laura”, and “Dearly Beloved”. The every time.” Added Dr. Darden Pur- latter song was not on the album, but cell, Director of Jazz Studies, Voice, NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 29
RISING STAR at George Mason University: “Lucy was the 2019 winner of the New Jer- has an exquisite voice with impec- sey Performing Arts Center’s Interna- cable diction, and her interpretation tional Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competi- of the repertoire was highly musical. tion, also known as the Sassy Awards. She has a great career ahead of her.” “We will be singing their classics as Originally from Kansas City, the duets,” Wijnands said, “with Gadi Le- 23-year-old Wijnands graduated in havi on piano, Mikey Migliore on bass, 2020 from the Conservatory of Mu- and Itay Morchi on drums. Samara sic at SUNY Purchase where she was and I will also be doing an interview the Ella Fitzgerald Scholar and re- beforehand (about Ella and Sarah).” cipient of the President’s Award of They previously recorded a YouTube Achievement. In 2016—her freshman duet of Lerner and Loewe’s “Almost “Juicy Fruit” by Lucy Wijnands year—she appeared in concert at Jazz Like Being in Love”, which was re- at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room. She corded by Fitzgerald on the 1963 also completed a five-month residency Verve album, Ella Sings Broadway. Bram Wijnands, and art historian, vinyl/catalog.” Her goal is to release with the Birdland Big Band, directed Wijnands is also working on a new Lisa Smith, Wijnands always painted a single of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by David Dejesus, and has performed self-produced album entitled You’ll in addition to singing, and her visual in July or August and the album by with trumpeter Jon Faddis and tenor Never Walk Alone, inspired by the art “picked up during the pandemic. the end of the year or in early 2022. saxophonist Joe Lovano, among others. Rodgers and Hammerstein song from My mom said to me, ‘Why don’t you “After a year of nothing going on, Now settled in Brooklyn, Wijands the musical, Carousel. The album is start throwing some paints?’ I became I look forward to doing live perfor- is collaborating with vocalist Samara “still very early in the works,” she said, obsessed. Now that I’ve been painting, mances again,” she said. With the Joy on a June 6th performance at New “but my plan is to make it an interdis- it has brought me closer to my music. album, her goal “is to remind artists York’s Cutting Room based on the ciplinary album related to my paint- The album will have a catalog with that they have a place in this unsta- music of Ella and Sarah Vaughan. Joy ings.” The daughter of stride pianist, sketches and lyrics. So, it will be CD/ ble world. It can be easy to feel lost or NJJS.ORG JERSEY JAZZ JUNE 2021 30
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