September 12, 2007
This Week in Jazz: Duke Fest Edition, Part Deux
Last week we gave you an overview of all that's going on at the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. This week, we'll tell you a bit more about all the great music happening this weekend as well as our picks for those of you, which is probably all of you, who don't have time to make it out to every show.
>> Tonight's pick is Kurt Rosenwinkel, an inventive guitarist who is not to be missed. He is at Blues Alley along with his stellar band that features saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets available here. $25 + $10 food/drink minimum.
>> On Thursday, we recommend you check out a very special performance featuring 89-year old piano legend Hank Jones and young Italian vocal sensation Roberta Gambarini (pictured right). Jones has crossed paths with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and is the oldest brother of jazz icons Elvin Jones and Thad Jones. Gambarini is recognized as one of the top jazz vocalists in Europe. The 7:30 p.m. concert takes place at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Tickets are $35 and can be reserved by calling 202-783-7370 or sending an email to reservations@nmwa.org.
>> Also on Thursday night, powerhouse alto sax player Kenny Garrett begins a four night stint at Blues Alley. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are available here. $35 + $10 food/drink minimum.
Image of Jones and Gambarini by Rosetti
>> On Friday, any jazz lover should head over to the Lincoln Theater to see "In the Footsteps of Dizzy," a concert featuring some of the the last of Gillespie's proteges. The featured artists are pianist Danilo Perez, trumpeter Claudio Roditi, trombonist Steve Turre, saxophonist David Sanchez, and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. The sidemen for the evening include bassist Ben Street, monster drummer Adam Cruz, and others. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. $25-$35 + convenience charges. 8 p.m.
>> So far all of our picks are a bit hard on the wallet, but that changes on Saturday with the festival's FREE Jazz 'n Families Fun Day, which couples some outstanding concerts with activities for the whole family. The event features four concerts all over town, but if you can't make all of them, try to at least catch Sean Jones, the wavemaking young trumpeter who, at 1:30, will lead a trumpet summit at the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden along with his sextet and some of the area's finest horn players. At 4:00 p.m., try to head over to The Atlas Theater to catch veteran local drummer Nasar Abadey (pictured left) as he performs a memorable concert with his 15-year old son, Kush.
>> At 8 p.m. on Saturday, the Lincoln Theater will host the festival's National Endowments for the Arts Jazz Masters Concert. All the featured artists have been given this honor and this concert features those with a personal connection to Dizzy Gillespie. Noted performers include saxophonists James Moody, Paquito D'Rivera, and Jimmy Heath, trombonist Slide Hampton, trumpeter Clark Terry, and pianist Hank Jones. These legends will perform with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. 8 p.m. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. $25-$35 + convenience charges.
>> A less pricey option on Saturday night would be Johnny's Half Shell. Pianist Alex Brown, who blew us away at the festival's opening gala, will be performing there with his trio. Call 202-737-0400 for start time and cover information.
>> On Sunday, of course everyone should head over to the Sylvan Theater on the grounds of the Washington Monument to see "To Diz with Love," an all-day outdoor concert that runs from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Artists include local musician Sharon Clark (12 p.m.), pianist Eddie Palmieri (1 p.m.), vocalist Flora Purim with percussionist Airto Moreira (2:15 p.m.), South African bassist Sibusiso Victor Masondo, who will be playing a commissioned tribute to Dizzy (3:30 p.m.), Paquito D'Rivera with the United Nation Orchestra (4:45 p.m.), a group conceived for Dizzy by festival producer Charlie Fishman, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band with special guests (6 p.m.). If you can't stay for the whole day, we suggest you at least catch Purim/Airto and the two big bands. Free and open to the public.
>> D'Rivera returns to the festival for a concert he suggested as the festival's artistic adviser. During the Cold War, the sole source of jazz for those behind the Iron Curtain was Willis Conover's Voice of America Jazz Program. On Monday at 7:30 p.m., the Voice of America's Cohen Auditorium, will host a tribute to Conover (pictured above with Dizzy) by a group of musicians who spent their early years in communist bloc nations. In addition to D'Rivera, a native of Cuba, the band includes pianist Milcho Leviev (Bulgaria), bassist George Mraz (Czech Republic), trumpeter Valery Ponomarev (Russia), and drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (Cuba). 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Reservations required by Sept. 13 to (202) 203-4962 or via e-mail at publicaffairs@voa.gov.
Images from Nasar Abadey's website and the Voice of America website
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I'm considering going to the event on Saturday night at the Lincoln Theater. One question -- is this an awards show or a concert? Awards shows tend to have a lot of blah, blah, blah whereas concerts have people playing music. And I want music.
Your thoughts? To go or not to go?
This is NOT an awards show. It's a concert featuring artists who have been awarded the title of "Jazz Master" by the National Endowments for the Arts. Definitely go.
flying a bit under the radar is this, which is part of the Sonic Circuits fest rather than the Duke Fest:
Thursday, September 12 - Velvet Lounge - Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra
their album from last year got some great press and it'll be interesting to see if they can pull it off live.
Please note that DCist previewed Sonic Circuits last week.
On Thursday, in the Pickford Theater at the Library of Congress is:
Dizzy Gillespie on Film
Timex All-Star Jazz Show. The Golden Age of Jazz [Excerpt] (Lawrence White Productions/CBS, 1/7/1959). Dir David Geisel. Wrt George T. Simon. With Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong. (8 min, black & white, 16mm)
Dizzy Gillespie (1965). Dir Les Blank. With Dizzy Gillespie and His Quintet, Stan Kenton & The Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra. (22 min, black & white, 16mm)
U. S. A. : Music. No. 1, Jazz Goes Intellectual: Bop (NET, 1965). Dir John Desmond. Wrt Clair Roskam. Host Ralph Ellison. With Dizzy Gillespie, Martin Williams. (30 min, black & white, Digital Betacam video)
The Hole (1962). Dir John Hubley. Wrt John & Faith Hubley. Voices Dizzy Gillespie, George Mathews. (15 min, color, DVD)
A selection of film and TV materials celebrating trumpeter, composer and bandleader John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (1917-93), one of the most influential and best loved musicians in the history of jazz. His State Department tours and his incorporation of Afro-Cuban, South American and African rhythms helped spread appreciation for jazz around the world. Followed by a post-screening discussion with special guests.
This screening is made possible by the Library's Music Division, in conjunction with the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.
It may be true, that Roberta Gambarini is "recognized as one of the top jazz vocalists in Europe", but she's lived in New York City for a number of years, and has made hundreds of appearances around the country, earning a miriad of glowing reviews. She often performs with The Dizzy Gillespe All-Star Big Band, Roy Hargrove, and a host of others too numerous to list. She just released her second CD, "Roberta Gambarini and Hank Jones - You Are There". She's spectacular and the best female vocalist since Ella Fitzgerald. Let's claim her as our top female vocalist too!
Yes, you previewed Sonic Circuits, but didn't mention any specific acts in particular, and Exploding Star Orchestra is particularly pertinent to "the week in jazz" being, well, a jazz ensemble (unlike most of the Sonic Circuits performers).