Updated Forecast: In Excess of 8" of Snow, Plus Wind
And Now, 10-20 Inches
Federal Govt. Closed Tuesday
Snowmaggedon 1.0 in Time Lapse
At the close of last night's concert at the 2007 Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, Executive Producer Charlie Fishman said his friend and mentor, the great Dizzy Gillespie (pictured), who was the focus of this year's proceedings, chose to name his last big band the United Nation (in the singular) Jazz Orchestra to show the oneness of humanity. Fishman went on to say that Dizzy often told his colleagues that human beings all share two characteristics: the color red, because of the blood flowing through our veins, and the beat, because of the beat of our hearts.
Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes also noted the unifying power of jazz. Just prior to last night's performance, a tribute to Voice of America jazz disc jockey Willis Conover, who in the 1970s was the second most well-known American in the Soviet Union next to Richard Nixon, she cited how Conover's broadcasts brought the true essence of America to people who were on the other side of the Iron Curtain. This uplifting sense of unity and pride in this nation's most democratic art form is the reason that Duke Fest '07 was an unqualified success. We can only hope the powers-that-be were paying attention to this gentle yet powerful message that art and culture can be as effective in diplomacy as guns and bombs.
DCist has already described the artists who played at this year's festival at length, so there is really no purpose in giving a standard reporter's description of this weekend's concerts. To that end, we invite readers who attended the concerts to give us their thoughts of the performances. Though we attended several shows, the music is not the most important thing the audience took away from this year's event, and this is an opportunity to reflect on the broader purpose it might serve.
With musicians from over twenty countries and ranging in age from 12 to 89, the sheer diversity of the talent at this year's festival reflected Dizzy's "One World" ethos. We witnessed jazz's elder statesman Hank Jones, an African American who has played with such luminaries as Ella Fitzgerald and even accompanied Marilyn Monroe in her famous "Happy Birthday, Mr. President," share the stage with Roberta Gambarini, an Italian-born chanteuse whose classic delivery and sense of swing totally mask her roots. Twenty-year old Maryland native Alex Brown, a pianist whose star is on the rise, accompanied the great Paquito D'Rivera, a native of Cuba, in a setting that seamlessly appropriated the musical histories of Europe, the United States, and Latin America.
Image by Herb Ritts from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts website
The way in which the organizers staged the festival also showed their commitment to inclusiveness. The decision to stage events at venues as varied as the venerable Lincoln Theater as well as new venues along the H Street corridor made the festival a thread that might eventually serve to connect residents of different parts of the city. Jazz presenters around the world should also take note of Saturday's events that were designed to provide entertainment for the whole family, a rarity in this genre of music. Though there were many fantastic young musicians on stage, there seemed to be a dearth of young people in the audience, and the former cannot survive without the latter.
The festival was brilliantly mounted and featured world class musicians, but in terms of the music itself, the important message was the feeling behind the performances. The most memorable aspects of these shows were the genuine respect and palpable affection that existed between the musicians, their art, and the audience. While Danilo Perez wowed us with his amazing talents, his sheer enthusiasm was just as impressive. Roy Hargrove's performance was dazzling, but it was his dedication and commitment to his craft that was truly an inspiration. Likewise, the longevity and vitality of the elder NEA Jazz Master's proved as poignant as their melodies.
Next year's festival, for which dates will be announced in coming weeks, promises to be even more impressive. The festival's theme will focus on New Orleans, the city America forgot, and the musical agenda promises to be even more ambitious. For example, festival artistic adviser D'Rivera hopes to make the National Symphony Orchestra a featured player. Given the ambition and effectiveness of the festival's organizers as well as the timeliness of their themes, there's no reason why Duke Fest should not be on its way to becoming one of the premier jazz festivals in the country.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I never understood that guys career. Learning trombone as a kid, one of the first things we were taught is NOT to puff your cheeks. I've heard Dizzy a bit, and to me he sounds muffled and and imprecise, exactly what happens when you puff your cheeks because you don't have control of the air and puffing out shapes your lips incorrectly
The show at the Lincoln Theatre on Friday was a tale of two sets. The first half, had big names like Danilo Perez, David Sanchez and Steve Turre, but as can be the case, they sounded like the one rehearsal they admitted they'd had. Pretty much fell flat. Even Danilo's Trio alone seemed to be on auto pilot. This is a guy who can be absolutely captivating (see Wayne Shorter's album 'Footprints Live'), but this one seemed pretty phoned in to me. Maybe his numerous extra-musical obligations have kept him from being his sharpest.
The Roy Hargrove quintet on the other hand, bristled with style and confidence in every aspect. Hargrove wears the mantle of Miles more honestly and completely than just about anyone (in his posture, stage presence, music and fashion). Every note (and there weren't very many in this minimalist performance) was perfectly framed and dripping with verve. Modern jazz, standard ballads, and hip hop and latin-inspired pieces felt at home next to one another, tied together nicely by a very tight and talented band. First half notwithstanding this concert was easily worth $25 on the strength of the final set alone.
Wow, I thought the Friday show was a tale of two sets, but the other way around. The first set, with Danilo Perez, Steve Turre, and others, bristled with spirit and energy. The musicians took chances and made good on them.
By contrast, I found Hargrove's performance sterile and boring. I thought a lot of his solos verged on smooth jazz, and I was never convinced he was feeling the music. There was none of the creative tension that marked the first set.
I even heard Hargrove play some flat notes. I wouldn't remark on that if he had taken some risks, but given his by-the-numbers performance, it stood out.
To each their own, I guess!
Puffed cheeks was the first thing I learned in band as well. It's impossibly hard to play like that so there must be a reason for him to do that.. for photos maybe?