JAM Magazine: April/May 1999 Issue: Contemporary Jazz

by Jeff Charney

Jazz and the '99 Grammys:
No Shortage of Diversity
Congratulations to the following who picked up Grammy awards on February 24.

Pat Metheny Group (2 awards) -- Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Shirley Horn -- Best Jazz Vocal Performance
Chick Corea, Gary Burton -- Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
Herbie Hancock -- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group
Count Basie Orchestra -- Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance
Arturo Sandoval -- Best Latin Jazz Performance
Bela Fleck, Future Man, Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones) -- Best Instrumental Composition
Herbie Hancock, Robert Sadin, Stevie Wonder -- Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s).
Bob Belden, Todd Coolman, Michael Cuscuna -- Best Album Notes (Miles Davis Quintet 1965-1968)

(Trivia question: Who has received the most Grammy nominations in the history of the award? Clue: it's a jazz guy.)

News From the World of Contemporary Jazz
An all-star band called Virtue has been formed by bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White, both formerly with the legendary fusion group Return To Forever. Joining them is keyboardist Rachel Z, with three solo CDs to her name, guitarist Rechie Kotzen, who once played with the rock band, Poison, and violinist Karen Diggs. Virtue will most likely record for 550 Music, Clarke's current label. They are working on a debut album as we go to press.

A jury in L.A. recently awarded Wayne Henderson and Wilton Felder exclusive rights to the name "The Jazz Crusaders." Joe Sample had sued the two former bandmembers three years ago for performing under the name beginning in the early '90s. Sample claimed that the rights to the name were owned by Crusaders Productions, Inc. (CPI), a company of which he is president. The jury disagreed. Meanwhile, Henderson and Felder -- as The Jazz Crusaders -- have released a new CD called Break'n Da Rulz. Sample, on the other hand, is scheduled to release an R&B-leaning vocal album in April featuring singer Lalah Hathaway.

Coolest album so far this year comes from pianist Scott Wilkie. Boundless is the title. Wilkie is an L.A.-based composer (originally from Detroit) and has penned music for Disney and the NHL team, The Might Ducks. He has also performed internationally for the Roland Corporation, one of the world's premier manufacturers of electronic instruments. Boundless features guests Russ Freeman, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jeff Kashiwa, John Patitucci and Steve Reid. It's uptempo, fresh and full of memorable compositions. Great for the car.

Another surprise comes from the East L.A. Latino group El Chicano, absent from the studio for the last 20 years. After playing the Apollo Theater in 1970, a first for a Chicano band, the group was signed by George Wein to appear at the Ohio Jazz Festival. They then went on to share the stage with such diverse artists as Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, ZZ Top, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Santana and War. Two years ago the band resurfaced on the Thump label with a live recording; four prior releases with MCA and one with CBS have now been reissued on Bomba records. The new CD, Painting The Moment, is Latin jazz at its best. Of special note is "Cosa Mia," featuring Steve Salas on vocals plus some good trumpet and flugelbone work by Bobby Loya. There's also a nice cover of Horace Silver's classic, "Song For My Father." The song "Inolvidable" (Unforgettable) will make you go, "o-yeah!"

Kansas City keyboardist Max Groove is set to release his newest (and 10th) group CD in time for summer. Look for Seagulls In Topeka in June. Guitarist Max Berry is back with the band -- and on the CD -- after a five year hiatus. Max has also released his first solo project, which just happens to be called Solo. It's reviewed in this issue of JAM.

And, finally, another Kansas Citian of note has been back in the studio. Guitarist/KC native Norman Brown's newest CD, Celebration, originally scheduled to be released in March, will be in the stores May 25th. It's Brown's fourth.

Cyber C-Jazz
Into checking out c-jazz stations from other cities that also broadcast on the web? Here are a few worth clicking on to:

KTNT - 97.9 (Oklahoma City, OK)
KWSJ - 105.3 (Wichita, KS)
WFSJ - 97.9 (Jacksonville, FL)
WHCD - 106.9 (Syracuse, NY)
WJJJ - 104.7 (Pittsburgh, PA)
WJZF - 104.1 (Atlanta, GA)
WJZF - 100.7 (Tallahassee, FL)
WLVE - 93.9 (Miami, FL)
WSJT - 94.1 (Tampa, FL)
WWOZ 90.7 (New Orleans, LA)

For an easy way to connect, point your browser to:
http://www.broadcst.com/radio/jaz

(Trivia question answer: Quincy Jones is the all-time most nominated Grammy artist with a total of 76. He has gone on to win 26 times.)

R.I.P.
On a sad note, the jazz world has lost several more notable performers.

Pianist/arranger Jaki Byard was found shot to death in his New York apartment on February 11. He was 76. Byard's career included a lengthy stint as pianist with Charles Mingus, as well as several years (as a tenor saxophonist) with the original Herb Pomeroy big band in Boston.
Betty Roche, the first vocalist featured in Duke Ellington's epic suite, "Black, Brown and Beige" when it premiered in 1943, died February 16 at 81. Roche also sang with the Ellington band in 1952 and '53.

And Horace Tapscott, a pianist and composer whose unique approach to avant-garde jazz earned him legendary status despite his lack of name recognition, died of cancer on February 27. He was 64.

Feel free to email comments and questions to: jeffrey@tfs.net. And check out my web site at: www.kprs.com/jeff.html.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Catch "The Sunday Jazz Brunch" with Jeff Charney, 9 am to 3 pm, on KPRS-FM, 103.3 on the dial.






	Search our site:		by Jeff Charney Jazz and the '99 Grammys: No Shortage of Diversity Congratulations to the following who picked up Grammy awards on February 24. Pat Metheny Group (2 awards) -- Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Best Rock Instrumental Performance Shirley Horn -- Best Jazz Vocal Performance Chick Corea, Gary Burton -- Best Jazz Instrumental Solo Herbie Hancock -- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group Count Basie Orchestra -- Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance Arturo Sandoval -- Best Latin Jazz Performance Bela Fleck, Future Man, Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones) -- Best Instrumental Composition Herbie Hancock, Robert Sadin, Stevie Wonder -- Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s). Bob Belden, Todd Coolman, Michael Cuscuna -- Best Album Notes (Miles Davis Quintet 1965-1968) (Trivia question: Who has received the most Grammy nominations in the history of the award? Clue: it's a jazz guy.) News From the World of Contemporary Jazz An all-star band called Virtue has been formed by bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White, both formerly with the legendary fusion group Return To Forever. Joining them is keyboardist Rachel Z, with three solo CDs to her name, guitarist Rechie Kotzen, who once played with the rock band, Poison, and violinist Karen Diggs. Virtue will most likely record for 550 Music, Clarke's current label. They are working on a debut album as we go to press. A jury in L.A. recently awarded Wayne Henderson and Wilton Felder exclusive rights to the name "The Jazz Crusaders." Joe Sample had sued the two former bandmembers three years ago for performing under the name beginning in the early '90s. Sample claimed that the rights to the name were owned by Crusaders Productions, Inc. (CPI), a company of which he is president. The jury disagreed. Meanwhile, Henderson and Felder -- as The Jazz Crusaders -- have released a new CD called Break'n Da Rulz. Sample, on the other hand, is scheduled to release an R&B-leaning vocal album in April featuring singer Lalah Hathaway. Coolest album so far this year comes from pianist Scott Wilkie. Boundless is the title. Wilkie is an L.A.-based composer (originally from Detroit) and has penned music for Disney and the NHL team, The Might Ducks. He has also performed internationally for the Roland Corporation, one of the world's premier manufacturers of electronic instruments. Boundless features guests Russ Freeman, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jeff Kashiwa, John Patitucci and Steve Reid. It's uptempo, fresh and full of memorable compositions. Great for the car. Another surprise comes from the East L.A. Latino group El Chicano, absent from the studio for the last 20 years. After playing the Apollo Theater in 1970, a first for a Chicano band, the group was signed by George Wein to appear at the Ohio Jazz Festival. They then went on to share the stage with such diverse artists as Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, ZZ Top, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Santana and War. Two years ago the band resurfaced on the Thump label with a live recording; four prior releases with MCA and one with CBS have now been reissued on Bomba records. The new CD, Painting The Moment, is Latin jazz at its best. Of special note is "Cosa Mia," featuring Steve Salas on vocals plus some good trumpet and flugelbone work by Bobby Loya. There's also a nice cover of Horace Silver's classic, "Song For My Father." The song "Inolvidable" (Unforgettable) will make you go, "o-yeah!" Kansas City keyboardist Max Groove is set to release his newest (and 10th) group CD in time for summer. Look for Seagulls In Topeka in June. Guitarist Max Berry is back with the band -- and on the CD -- after a five year hiatus. Max has also released his first solo project, which just happens to be called Solo. It's reviewed in this issue of JAM. And, finally, another Kansas Citian of note has been back in the studio. Guitarist/KC native Norman Brown's newest CD, Celebration, originally scheduled to be released in March, will be in the stores May 25th. It's Brown's fourth. Cyber C-Jazz Into checking out c-jazz stations from other cities that also broadcast on the web? Here are a few worth clicking on to: KTNT - 97.9 (Oklahoma City, OK) KWSJ - 105.3 (Wichita, KS) WFSJ - 97.9 (Jacksonville, FL) WHCD - 106.9 (Syracuse, NY) WJJJ - 104.7 (Pittsburgh, PA) WJZF - 104.1 (Atlanta, GA) WJZF - 100.7 (Tallahassee, FL) WLVE - 93.9 (Miami, FL) WSJT - 94.1 (Tampa, FL) WWOZ 90.7 (New Orleans, LA) For an easy way to connect, point your browser to: http://www.broadcst.com/radio/jaz (Trivia question answer: Quincy Jones is the all-time most nominated Grammy artist with a total of 76. He has gone on to win 26 times.) R.I.P. On a sad note, the jazz world has lost several more notable performers. Pianist/arranger Jaki Byard was found shot to death in his New York apartment on February 11. He was 76. Byard's career included a lengthy stint as pianist with Charles Mingus, as well as several years (as a tenor saxophonist) with the original Herb Pomeroy big band in Boston. Betty Roche, the first vocalist featured in Duke Ellington's epic suite, "Black, Brown and Beige" when it premiered in 1943, died February 16 at 81. Roche also sang with the Ellington band in 1952 and '53. And Horace Tapscott, a pianist and composer whose unique approach to avant-garde jazz earned him legendary status despite his lack of name recognition, died of cancer on February 27. He was 64. Feel free to email comments and questions to: jeffrey@tfs.net. And check out my web site at: www.kprs.com/jeff.html. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catch "The Sunday Jazz Brunch" with Jeff Charney, 9 am to 3 pm, on KPRS-FM, 103.3 on the dial. RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 1999 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.