JAM Magazine: April/May 1998 Issue: Contemporary Jazz

by Jeff Charney

Live From San Diego...
I have a fun job. I get paid to play contemporary jazz CDs on the radio and talk jazz.

Once a year I also get to go out of town and meet with other people who do what I do at other radio stations. Plus, I get to hobnob with record industry promoters and musicians. It's called the Gavin Convention, and this year (February 4-7) it took place in San Diego.

Since the '98 convention was in California, more musicians attended than have at past conventions in other locales. All were approachable and extremely friendly. They included Dave Koz, Boney James, Rick Braun, Jeff Golub, Patsy Meyer, Jeff Lorber, Thom Rotella, Kevin Mahogany, Bob James, Kirk Whalum, Diana Krall, Jesse Cook, Bryan Savage, Candy Dulfer, Mindy Abare, Jonathan Butler, Peter White, James Moody, Bela Fleck, Marc Antoine, Dean James, Richard Smith, Chuck Loeb, Craig Chaquico, Marcus Miller, Charlie Haden, Gabriela Anders, Michael Paulo, Hiroko Kokubu, Chieli Minucci, Slim Man, Brain Tarquin, Alto Reed, Steve Nieves, Roger Smith, Ndugu Chancelor and Eddie M.

Several of the musicians performed, including Bryan Savage who focused on tracks from his new CD produced by Rick Braun. Braun even got up and played a tune with the band. Candy Dulfer, Jonathan Butler and Swamp Boogie Queen performed at another session that dealt with the future use of the Internet and how it will relate to radio as well as the consumer. Each performed two songs that were broadcast live over the Internet.

Diana Krall played a long and invigorating set at the awards banquet where A Twist Of Jobim won "Album of the Year" and Rick Braun won "Artist of the Year." Also, Thom Rotella performed at one of the convention's breakfast sessions -- you really need to check out his latest (and excellent) CD, Can't Stop.

There were special surprises at a meet-and-greet party put on by Warner Brothers. A majority of Warner's roster was paraded out before Bob James spoke. Not only is James a musician, but he is also a VP of the company. Among many things, he talked about his group, Fourplay. (By the way, Lee Ritenour has left the band and has been replaced by Larry Carlton.) According to James, Fourplay has been working on a new album that will be out in either late May or early June. Only one cut had been mixed so far, a song written by bassist Harvey Mason, but James thought it would be nice if we got to hear a preview. (While we were listening, a photographer was there to take our pictures with the artists of our choice.) There was also another nice surprise: Bob James and Kirk Whalum played a duet, and then made it a trio when Kevin Mahogany came up to belt out a beautiful ballad.

On the last day of the convention Brian Tarquin did a track date at the breakfast session. He has a new CD out on Instinct Records called Last Kiss Goodbye. And at the last regular session of the convention there was a jam with Chili Minucci, Steve Nieves, Roger Smith, Ndugu Chancelor, Eddie M and Hiroko Kokubu.

While I was in San Diego I had the good fortune of attending the Joyce Cooling/Jonathan Butler/Candy Dulfer show. The concert was held in an 800 seat venue called 4th & B, formerly a bank, now a hall for jazz and rock shows. Joyce Cooling opened the evening with a 45 minute set of her own compositions featuring all but one from her debut CD. Her band was solid, but the sound man didn't have her vocals or guitar mixed loud enough. It was hard to hear her, even sitting in the fourth row.

If you saw Jonathan Butler at the Grand Emporium last November, I can tell you that the show in San Diego was the same. Exactly the same! Same songs, same order, same musicians. Butler even wore the same outfit. But both shows were great. The band kicked off the set with "Deliverance" (the title track from Butler's fabulous 1990 CD) and followed with an audience participation song, "Going Home." "Reunion," another instrumental, got the audience moving before Butler began hitting the vocal cuts from his new CD, Do You Love Me. "Lost To Love" was followed by the title track, which was also an audience participation song. A highlight of the band was the gorgeous saxophonist Mindy Abare. I've heard her play two other times (with Butler and with John Tesh) and can tell you that she is very good. The band was tight, upbeat and full of energy, and the crowd was enthusiastic and into the audience participation portion of the program. The encore, of course, was "Sarah Sarah."

The final act of the night was saxophonist Candy Dulfer. Backed by eight pieces (sax, trumpet, bass, drums, guitar, organ and two keyboard players, one of whom doubled as featured vocalist) the band gelled like pieces of a puzzle. A "Tower Of Power" sound that rocked. The band was highlighted more than Dulfer herself, it seemed. She mostly played small runs, sang and danced around a bit. I even recall thinking at one point that if she weren't gorgeous and didn't play so nicely (when she did play), the band would be the main attraction. I was proven wrong! For its last song the band played an energetic version of "Pick Up The Pieces." And, in the middle of it, Dulfer brought out Jonathan Butler who began jamming with Dulfer and playing Wes Montgomery-style jazz guitar for the first time all evening. He pushed her away and started scatting and trading licks with his own guitar. But Dulfer played over him, and the crowd went bonkers. Dulfer then brought out Mindy Abare who was also up to the challenge. The two women went at it, trading riffs for a good five minutes, even playing the same notes at the same time. Smoking! The crowd went triple bonkers. Truly electric! Then to make matters even more interesting, Butler changed to a Stratocaster and joined in the fun at the end. It left everyone in the audience exhausted. And that wasn't even the encore. For that, Dulfer picked "Pass The Piece," a song she said she'd been playing since she was a little girl. Butler stuck around to play on that one, too. The only disappointment for me was that Dulfer didn't play "Lily Was Here."

More News from the World of Contemporary Jazz:
JVC/JMI Records' American operations have closed up shop. Sources at the label said the decision was made primarily by the Japanese partners at JVC Electronics, who were dissatisfied with the record group's financial performance. This has had an immediate impact on quite a few jazz artists who had just signed or were ready to release product, artists like Jeff Lorber (who ended up going to Discovery Records), Kevin Toney, Eddie M, Steve Nieves and Mark Johnson. Also looking for a new home are Chieli Minucci, Roger Smith, Hiroko Kokubu, Paul Hardcastle, Jazzmasters and Lou Pardini.

Bruce Lundvall has been named President Of Angel records, and will also maintain his role as head of Blue Note and Capitol's east coast operations. Lundvall became head of Blue Note in 1984, and has been a driving force to help promote jazz alongside other more commercial genres of recorded music.

Congratulations to the following Grammy winners:

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ PERFORMANCE -- Into The Sun, Randy Brecker
JAZZ VOCAL PERFORMANCE -- Dear Ella, Dee Dee Bridgewater
JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL SOLO -- Stardust, Doc Cheatham and Nicholas Payton
JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE -- Beyond The Missouri Sky, Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny
LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE -- Joe Henderson Big Band, Joe Henderson Big Band
LATIN JAZZ PERFORMANCE -- Habana, Roy Hargrove's Crisol

Congratulations to Kenny G for winning "Outstanding Jazz Artist" at the 26th Annual NAACP Image Awards. Others nominated were Fourplay, Grover Washington, Jr., Patrice Rushen, and Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Also, congratulations to Boney James for wining the Soul Train Music award for "Best Jazz Album" of the year for his CD, Sweet Thing.

The 1st Annual New York Jazz Awards will take place at Lincoln Center on June 15 in conjunction with the New York Jazz Festival. This premier musical event will feature Eric Bogosian as Master of Ceremonies as well as celebrity presenters and live performances. Categories will include "Best Debut Artist/Band/Composer," "Best Male Vocalist," "Best Female Vocalist," "Recording Of The Year," "Lifetime Achievement Award" and 14 others. For more information, check out their web site at www.nyjazzfest.com.

On February 19, Miles Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame with Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones in attendance. The Walk started in 1958 with Joanne Woodward receiving the first star. Today, about two stars a month are awarded. Meanwhile, Jazz Central Station has announced that it will launch the official Miles Davis web site in May. The site -- www.milesdavis.com -- is intended to be the most complete Internet site devoted exclusively to the life and work of Davis who died in 1991. It is set to debut on May 26, on what would have been Miles' 72nd birthday.

David Benoit is writing the score for the CBS TV-movie "Cadillac Jack" which will star country music star Clint Black. Fans of the pianist's early work can now get their hands on a new 14-track album called The Artist's Choice. The CD is on the Hip-O label, will feature some of Benoit's hard to find pre-GRP songs, and was scheduled to arrive in stores on March 24. Benoit was also featured on Direct TV with a special pay-per-view concert on March 28. The concert was taped last year with the L.A. Philharmonic at the Palos Verdes Music Fair in California. David played several selections from his latest CD, American Landscape.

Grover Washington, Jr. is in the all-star jam at the conclusion of the new motion picture, "Blues Brothers 2000." Others in the band include Joshua Redman, Eric Clapton and Isaac Hayes.

Jazz guitarist Zachary Breaux made a lasting impression on all of us. And Lasting Impression is an album now being put together to include previously unreleased recordings and tracks from Breaux's last two live performances before his death last year. The release is scheduled to be out sometime this summer.

R.I.P.
Nick Webb of Acoustic Alchemy died in London February 4 after battling pancreatic cancer for a year. Webb was working on the band's forthcoming (and tenth) album, Positive Thinking. Webb was 43.

Thomas Chapin, former musical director for Lionel Hampton's Orchestra, died of leukemia on February 13 at the age of 40. Chapin, a saxophonist, had recorded 15 albums as a leader and was Hampton's musical director for six years.

And saxophonist George Howard died of lymphoma on March 22 in Atlanta, GA at the age of 41. Diagnosed in February he went in for surgery on February 10, but his condition deteriorated. Howard was buried in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA and is survived by two sisters and a daughter. A new, but last CD for longtime label GRP had just been released, and another new release for the Blue Note label titled Riot Going On is due out in April.

As always, feel free to e-mail me with questions and comments at jeffrey@tfs.net or visit my web site at www.kprs.com

Jeff Charney is the host of the "Sunday Jazz Brunch," 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., on KPRS, 103.3 FM.

RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 1998 MAIN INDEX

------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		by Jeff Charney Live From San Diego... I have a fun job. I get paid to play contemporary jazz CDs on the radio and talk jazz. Once a year I also get to go out of town and meet with other people who do what I do at other radio stations. Plus, I get to hobnob with record industry promoters and musicians. It's called the Gavin Convention, and this year (February 4-7) it took place in San Diego. Since the '98 convention was in California, more musicians attended than have at past conventions in other locales. All were approachable and extremely friendly. They included Dave Koz, Boney James, Rick Braun, Jeff Golub, Patsy Meyer, Jeff Lorber, Thom Rotella, Kevin Mahogany, Bob James, Kirk Whalum, Diana Krall, Jesse Cook, Bryan Savage, Candy Dulfer, Mindy Abare, Jonathan Butler, Peter White, James Moody, Bela Fleck, Marc Antoine, Dean James, Richard Smith, Chuck Loeb, Craig Chaquico, Marcus Miller, Charlie Haden, Gabriela Anders, Michael Paulo, Hiroko Kokubu, Chieli Minucci, Slim Man, Brain Tarquin, Alto Reed, Steve Nieves, Roger Smith, Ndugu Chancelor and Eddie M. Several of the musicians performed, including Bryan Savage who focused on tracks from his new CD produced by Rick Braun. Braun even got up and played a tune with the band. Candy Dulfer, Jonathan Butler and Swamp Boogie Queen performed at another session that dealt with the future use of the Internet and how it will relate to radio as well as the consumer. Each performed two songs that were broadcast live over the Internet. Diana Krall played a long and invigorating set at the awards banquet where A Twist Of Jobim won "Album of the Year" and Rick Braun won "Artist of the Year." Also, Thom Rotella performed at one of the convention's breakfast sessions -- you really need to check out his latest (and excellent) CD, Can't Stop. There were special surprises at a meet-and-greet party put on by Warner Brothers. A majority of Warner's roster was paraded out before Bob James spoke. Not only is James a musician, but he is also a VP of the company. Among many things, he talked about his group, Fourplay. (By the way, Lee Ritenour has left the band and has been replaced by Larry Carlton.) According to James, Fourplay has been working on a new album that will be out in either late May or early June. Only one cut had been mixed so far, a song written by bassist Harvey Mason, but James thought it would be nice if we got to hear a preview. (While we were listening, a photographer was there to take our pictures with the artists of our choice.) There was also another nice surprise: Bob James and Kirk Whalum played a duet, and then made it a trio when Kevin Mahogany came up to belt out a beautiful ballad. On the last day of the convention Brian Tarquin did a track date at the breakfast session. He has a new CD out on Instinct Records called Last Kiss Goodbye. And at the last regular session of the convention there was a jam with Chili Minucci, Steve Nieves, Roger Smith, Ndugu Chancelor, Eddie M and Hiroko Kokubu. While I was in San Diego I had the good fortune of attending the Joyce Cooling/Jonathan Butler/Candy Dulfer show. The concert was held in an 800 seat venue called 4th & B, formerly a bank, now a hall for jazz and rock shows. Joyce Cooling opened the evening with a 45 minute set of her own compositions featuring all but one from her debut CD. Her band was solid, but the sound man didn't have her vocals or guitar mixed loud enough. It was hard to hear her, even sitting in the fourth row. If you saw Jonathan Butler at the Grand Emporium last November, I can tell you that the show in San Diego was the same. Exactly the same! Same songs, same order, same musicians. Butler even wore the same outfit. But both shows were great. The band kicked off the set with "Deliverance" (the title track from Butler's fabulous 1990 CD) and followed with an audience participation song, "Going Home." "Reunion," another instrumental, got the audience moving before Butler began hitting the vocal cuts from his new CD, Do You Love Me. "Lost To Love" was followed by the title track, which was also an audience participation song. A highlight of the band was the gorgeous saxophonist Mindy Abare. I've heard her play two other times (with Butler and with John Tesh) and can tell you that she is very good. The band was tight, upbeat and full of energy, and the crowd was enthusiastic and into the audience participation portion of the program. The encore, of course, was "Sarah Sarah." The final act of the night was saxophonist Candy Dulfer. Backed by eight pieces (sax, trumpet, bass, drums, guitar, organ and two keyboard players, one of whom doubled as featured vocalist) the band gelled like pieces of a puzzle. A "Tower Of Power" sound that rocked. The band was highlighted more than Dulfer herself, it seemed. She mostly played small runs, sang and danced around a bit. I even recall thinking at one point that if she weren't gorgeous and didn't play so nicely (when she did play), the band would be the main attraction. I was proven wrong! For its last song the band played an energetic version of "Pick Up The Pieces." And, in the middle of it, Dulfer brought out Jonathan Butler who began jamming with Dulfer and playing Wes Montgomery-style jazz guitar for the first time all evening. He pushed her away and started scatting and trading licks with his own guitar. But Dulfer played over him, and the crowd went bonkers. Dulfer then brought out Mindy Abare who was also up to the challenge. The two women went at it, trading riffs for a good five minutes, even playing the same notes at the same time. Smoking! The crowd went triple bonkers. Truly electric! Then to make matters even more interesting, Butler changed to a Stratocaster and joined in the fun at the end. It left everyone in the audience exhausted. And that wasn't even the encore. For that, Dulfer picked "Pass The Piece," a song she said she'd been playing since she was a little girl. Butler stuck around to play on that one, too. The only disappointment for me was that Dulfer didn't play "Lily Was Here." More News from the World of Contemporary Jazz: JVC/JMI Records' American operations have closed up shop. Sources at the label said the decision was made primarily by the Japanese partners at JVC Electronics, who were dissatisfied with the record group's financial performance. This has had an immediate impact on quite a few jazz artists who had just signed or were ready to release product, artists like Jeff Lorber (who ended up going to Discovery Records), Kevin Toney, Eddie M, Steve Nieves and Mark Johnson. Also looking for a new home are Chieli Minucci, Roger Smith, Hiroko Kokubu, Paul Hardcastle, Jazzmasters and Lou Pardini. Bruce Lundvall has been named President Of Angel records, and will also maintain his role as head of Blue Note and Capitol's east coast operations. Lundvall became head of Blue Note in 1984, and has been a driving force to help promote jazz alongside other more commercial genres of recorded music. Congratulations to the following Grammy winners: CONTEMPORARY JAZZ PERFORMANCE -- Into The Sun, Randy Brecker JAZZ VOCAL PERFORMANCE -- Dear Ella, Dee Dee Bridgewater JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL SOLO -- Stardust, Doc Cheatham and Nicholas Payton JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE -- Beyond The Missouri Sky, Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE -- Joe Henderson Big Band, Joe Henderson Big Band LATIN JAZZ PERFORMANCE -- Habana, Roy Hargrove's Crisol Congratulations to Kenny G for winning "Outstanding Jazz Artist" at the 26th Annual NAACP Image Awards. Others nominated were Fourplay, Grover Washington, Jr., Patrice Rushen, and Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Also, congratulations to Boney James for wining the Soul Train Music award for "Best Jazz Album" of the year for his CD, Sweet Thing. The 1st Annual New York Jazz Awards will take place at Lincoln Center on June 15 in conjunction with the New York Jazz Festival. This premier musical event will feature Eric Bogosian as Master of Ceremonies as well as celebrity presenters and live performances. Categories will include "Best Debut Artist/Band/Composer," "Best Male Vocalist," "Best Female Vocalist," "Recording Of The Year," "Lifetime Achievement Award" and 14 others. For more information, check out their web site at www.nyjazzfest.com. On February 19, Miles Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame with Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones in attendance. The Walk started in 1958 with Joanne Woodward receiving the first star. Today, about two stars a month are awarded. Meanwhile, Jazz Central Station has announced that it will launch the official Miles Davis web site in May. The site -- www.milesdavis.com -- is intended to be the most complete Internet site devoted exclusively to the life and work of Davis who died in 1991. It is set to debut on May 26, on what would have been Miles' 72nd birthday. David Benoit is writing the score for the CBS TV-movie "Cadillac Jack" which will star country music star Clint Black. Fans of the pianist's early work can now get their hands on a new 14-track album called The Artist's Choice. The CD is on the Hip-O label, will feature some of Benoit's hard to find pre-GRP songs, and was scheduled to arrive in stores on March 24. Benoit was also featured on Direct TV with a special pay-per-view concert on March 28. The concert was taped last year with the L.A. Philharmonic at the Palos Verdes Music Fair in California. David played several selections from his latest CD, American Landscape. Grover Washington, Jr. is in the all-star jam at the conclusion of the new motion picture, "Blues Brothers 2000." Others in the band include Joshua Redman, Eric Clapton and Isaac Hayes. Jazz guitarist Zachary Breaux made a lasting impression on all of us. And Lasting Impression is an album now being put together to include previously unreleased recordings and tracks from Breaux's last two live performances before his death last year. The release is scheduled to be out sometime this summer. R.I.P. Nick Webb of Acoustic Alchemy died in London February 4 after battling pancreatic cancer for a year. Webb was working on the band's forthcoming (and tenth) album, Positive Thinking. Webb was 43. Thomas Chapin, former musical director for Lionel Hampton's Orchestra, died of leukemia on February 13 at the age of 40. Chapin, a saxophonist, had recorded 15 albums as a leader and was Hampton's musical director for six years. And saxophonist George Howard died of lymphoma on March 22 in Atlanta, GA at the age of 41. Diagnosed in February he went in for surgery on February 10, but his condition deteriorated. Howard was buried in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA and is survived by two sisters and a daughter. A new, but last CD for longtime label GRP had just been released, and another new release for the Blue Note label titled Riot Going On is due out in April. As always, feel free to e-mail me with questions and comments at jeffrey@tfs.net or visit my web site at www.kprs.com Jeff Charney is the host of the "Sunday Jazz Brunch," 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., on KPRS, 103.3 FM. RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 1998 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.