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Paris Vacation, Recap: Centrum Jazz Camp and Festival, Ted Rosenthal's "Images of Monk" in the Berkshires, Concerts with Bill Cunliffe and Harvey Mason, Ann Hampton Callaway at Dizzy's in NYC,
Downbeat Review of Matt Wilson's "Honey and Salt - Music written to Carl Sandburg Poems", Chicago Jazz Festival
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Paris Vacation
Usually I try to keep the contents of this newsletter limited to my musical activities, but in this case, I decided to make an exception: in the middle of July, I took my wife Maria and my two sons Christopher and Alexander to Paris to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We had an incredible week there walking and exploring for hours and hours. Highlights included the Louvre (get your tickets online in advance!), Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Le Jardin Du Luxemburg, La Conciergerie, the Pompidou Museum and - the favorite site of our sons – the catacombs that contain the remains of 6 million Parisians!
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Recap: Centrum Jazz Camp and Festival
Shortly after returning from Paris and a short detour to my hometown of Flensburg, Germany it was time to travel to Port Townsend, Washington again, about 2 hours Northwest of Seattle for my favorite jazz camp, the Centrum Jazz Camp and Festival.
This was my fourth time there and I learned so much again being around camp director and bass brother John Clayton and all the other amazing faculty members.
Again I'd like to mention a few highlights: a faculty concert with Joe La Barbera on drums and the discovery of the week - Sullivan Fortner on piano, Adrian Cunningham on tenor sax, Jeff Clayton on alto sax and Wycliffe Gordon on trombone. The second club gig was wonderful, too: Bill Cunliffe on piano, Matt Wilson on drums, Bruce Forman on guitar and the front line of Terell Stafford and Sean Jones on trumpet, Adrian on tenor and Gary Smulyan on baritone sax.
On the last day of the festival, I got to witness Bruce Forman's one man show
"The Red Guitar": what a beautiful, moving, thoughtful and swinging presentation - I absolutely loved it!
And then there was the set on the main stage dedicated to Louis Armstrong...here you can see me with leader Wycliffe Gordon and one of my idols - Jeff Hamilton on drums.
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Photo w/ Wycliffe and Jeff Hamilton – Photo by Jim Levitt
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On top of all that great music and wonderful companionship the weather was absolutely gorgeous!
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Matt Wilson, Gary Smulyan
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Ted Rosenthal's "Images of Monk" in the Berkshires
The first short road trip coming up will take me to the town of Lee, Ma in the Berkshires for their annual summer festival for Ted's wonderful program of unique Monk arrangements. This will be our second time playing this music this year since we presented it at the Riverdale Y in March. I always look forward to hearing that incredible front line of Michael Rodriguez and Joel Frahm!
Ted Rosenthal's "Images of Monk" featuring Ted Rosenthal (piano), Michael Rodriguez (trumpet) Joel Frahm (tenor and soprano saxophone), and Jimmy McBride (drums)
Saturday, August 12, 7:30 pm
Lee Meeting House (Lee Congregational Church)
25 Park Place, Lee, Ma
http://berkshiresjazz.org/
Concerts with Bill Cunliffe and Harvey Mason
I've been playing with pianist Bill Cunliffe for a long time, and we just got to share some music at the festival part of the Centrum camp; Harvey Mason, on the other hand, I have never performed with, and I'm so much looking forward to the experience...he played on the original recording of Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" and has been a part of the cult band "Fourplay" for years...here are the details:
Bill Cunliffe Trio featuring Bill Cunliffe (piano) and Harvey Mason (drums)
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Thursday, August 17, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
(with singer Kathy Wade) Smale Riverfront Park, Cinncinati, OH
Visit website for tickets and more information
Friday, August 18, 8:30 pm
Nighttown Jazz Club
12387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, OH
Visit website for tickets and more information
At this engagement, I will be playing a duo set with opening act guitarist
Joshua Breakstone.
Saturday, August 19, Baltimore, MD - 8pm
"An Die Musik"
409 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21201
Visit website for tickets and more information
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Bill Cunliffe - Photo by Jeff Dunn
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Ann Hampton Callaway at Dizzy’s in NYC
It’s been way too long since I've worked with the wonderful vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway. At the end of the month we will be appearing at the happening club "Dizzy's Club Coca Cola" for a couple of nights:
Ann Hampton Callaway and band featuring Ann Hampton Callaway (voc) featuring Ted Rosenthal (piano) and Tim Horner (drums)
Wednesday and Thursday, August 30 and 31; sets at 7:30 and 9:30 pm
http://www.jazz.org/dizzys/events/184339/ann-hampton-callaway/
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Matt Wilson's "Honey and Salt"
Downbeat Review of Matt Wilson's "Honey and Salt - Music written to Carl Sandburg Poems", Chicago Jazz Festival
In the August issue of Downbeat Magazine, my dear friend Matt Wilson just received yet another five-star revue: this time for the "Honey and Salt - Music written to Carl Sandburg Poems" project.
This new band consists of Matt, singer and guitarist Dawn Thompson, Ron Miles on cornet, Jeff Lederer on reeds and me for the first time on the Warwick "The Alien" acoustic bass guitar!
Reciting Sandburg poems are jazz icons such as John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Rufus Reid, Christian McBride, Joe Lovano, Carla Bley and ...actor Jack Black!
Here is the review in the August 2017 Issue of Downbeat:
http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2017/DB1708/single_page_view/67.html
In support of the new release, we will be on tour in the fall starting with a set at the Chicago Jazz Festival on Sunday, September 3 rd!
http://jazzinchicago.org/jazzfest/matt-wilsons-honey-and-salt/
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