SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter - December 16th- Happy Birthday Barry Harris!

SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter

December 16th, 2019

12/16/19

Dear Friends:

My thoughts are with my teacher and hero Barry Harris, who turned 90 years yesterday. There was a huge gathering at the Borgardus Mansion in his honor. Barry's birthday has become an institution in the last 15 years or so if not longer. The Jazz Cultural Theater people that are his students, friends, admirers and minions gather in huge groups to eat home cooked food and celebrate the life of their beloved Barry Harris. Last night was no exception. Plates of home cooked food upstairs and then below the music and the throngs there to shake the hand of Barry himself. Barry's been in poor health recently and had to be hospitalized earlier this month. But he made to his own party and sat as friends lined up to congratulate him. His eyes were gleaming. What his thoughts were at this very moment of his long and great life were for him alone but the love in room was palpable.

As I surveyed the scene, I marveled at the crowd - the real Jazz People of New York gathered once again, older, of course. I had grown up with these people from my first days at Barry's class when I was but 18 years old. I had seen them through the years, at Barry's classes, at the different night clubs and often at the memorial services that used to be held at St. Peter's Church for Jazz Musicians when they passed. I called them the Jazz Cultural people. The Jazz Cultural Theater was Barry's own club. More of an old theater converted into a workshop and performance space. It was a gathering place for the Jazz People with Barry at the center of it all. Once, at the tender age of 20, I played a bit of "Crepescule With Nellie" for Tommy Flanagan, who was there to visit his old friend Barry and hang a bit. There was an entire Jazz Cultural movement around Barry Harris and it exists to this very day. I witnessed it again in all its beautiful and warm glory last night. Like a church gathering of the faithful, greyer and stouter but warmer and denser. Such love! It's a society of people, united in Jazz Music and its great traditions and with their own hero at the helm, pianist Barry Harris.

I owe him so much - my life has been so influenced by his presence. I'm sorry for musicians that never got the chance to be involved with him, his theory of harmony, his ideas about lines and melody, his love for Charlie Parker and Bud Powell and the great songs and the role of the singer in that tradition. Real New York stuff. I'm glad to have known it and I am the product of it. If I can, I will continue as far ahead into the future as I can. Thank you to Barry Harris, the bearer of the flame, as they call him, and that flame is his great heart.

Regards,

Spike

Monday - 12/16
Richie Vitale, Samara Joy, Steve Ash & Paul Gill

Trumpeter Richie Vitale returns to Mezzrow with his band featuring vocalist Samara Joy, pianist Steve Ash & bassist Paul Gill
Doors @ 7 PM
Seatings at 7:30 and 9 PM
Pasquale Grasso @ 10:30 PM

To advance purchase a reserved seat click:
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

Tuesday - 12/17
Mike Lipskin, Dinah Lee, Dan Levinson & Kevin Dorn

Stride-pianist Mike Lipskin is the last living student of Willie "The Lion" Smith. He has a comprehensive knowledge of Tin Pan Alley and Stride piano. He is joined by trad jazz vocalist Dinah Lee, the great clarinetist Dan Levinson, and hard-hitting Kevin Dorn on drums.

Doors @ 7 PM
Seatings at 7:30 and 9 PM
Lucy Yeghiazaryan @ 10:30 PM

To advance purchase a reserved seat click:
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

Wednesday -12/18
James Weidman, Harvie S & Vince Ector

Pianist James Weidman is a veteran player with a long list of credentials including the great Joe Lovano. With him in trio is bassist Harvie S & Vince Ector on drums.

Doors @ 7 PM
Seatings at 7:30 and 9 PM
Nick Masters @ 10:30 PM

To advance purchase a reserved seat click:
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

Thursday -12/19
Nir Felder & Matt Penman

Guitarist Nir Felder returns to Mezzrow for an evening of duo with bassist Matt Penman.

Doors @ 7 PM
Seatings at 7:30 and 9 PM
Spike Wilner @ 10:30 PM

To advance purchase a reserved seat click:
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

Friday & Saturday - 12/20-12/21
Rossano Sportiello & Marion Felder
Rossano Sportiello is a tasteful and consumate pianist with a lyrical feel. He has invited Marion Felder on drums for a weekend of duets.

Doors @ 7 PM
Seatings at 7:30 PM and 9 PM
12/20 - Marc Devine @ 10:30 PM
12/21- Jon Davis @ 10:30 PM

To advance purchase a reserved seat click:
12/20 - CLICK HERE TO RESERVE
11/30 - CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

Sunday -12/22
Solo Piano Salon with Spike Wilner

Join pianist Spike Wilner for an afternoon of solo piano, there is no cover charge for this performance.

Doors @ 4:30 PM
Spike Wilner from 5:00 PM until 7 PM

Sunday - 12/22
Sullivan Fortner, Marty Jaffe & Aaron Kimmel

Sullivan Fortner is a wonderfully original improvisor. Recognized widely by his peers, he is considered one of the most creative voices of his generation. He brings his band to Mezzrow for an evening of jazz trio.

Doors @ 7 PM
Seatings at 7:30 and 9 PM
Panas Athanatos @ 10:30 PM

To advance purchase a reserved seat click:
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

12/16
Ari Hoenig Trio
Sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
with Ari Hoenig - drums, Shai Maestro- piano, Rick Rosato - bass

Monday - 12/16
Joe Farnsworth Trio
Sets at 10:30 PM & 12 AM
with Joe Farnsworth - drums, ELew - piano, Peter Washington - bass

Monday - 12/16
Sean Mason "After-hours"
1 AM to close
with Sean Mason - piano, Butler Knowles - bass, Malcolm Charles - drums

Tuesday -12/17
Spike Wilner Trio
Sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
with Spike WIlner - piano, Tyler Mitchell - bass, Anthony Pinciotti - drums

Tuesday - 12/17
Abraham Burton Quartet
Sets at 10:30 PM & 12 AM
with Abraham Burton - tenor sax, David Bryant - piano, Dezron Douglas - bass, Eric Mcpherson - drums

Tuesday - 12/17
Malik Mclaurine "After-hours"
1 AM to close
with Malik Mclaurine - bass

Wednesday - 12/18
Tim Ries Group
Sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
with Tim Ries - tenor sax, George Cables - piano, Ron Carter - bass, Al Foster - drums

Wednesday - 12/18
Ray Blue Quintet
Sets at 10:30 PM & 12 AM
with Ray Blue - tenor sax, Sharp Radway - piano, Jeff Barone- guitar, Santi Debriano - bass, Tommy Campbell - drums

Wednesday - 12/18
Neal Caine Trio "After-hours"
1 AM to close
Neal Caine - bass, Andrew Fisher - piano, Donald Edward - drums

Thursday - 12/19
Ron McClure Quartet
Sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
with Ron McClure- bass, Rich Perry - tenor sax, Michael Eckroth - piano, Pete Zimmer - drums

Thursday - 12/19
Michael Stephans: Quartette Oblique
Sets at 10 & 10:30 PM
with Michael Stephans - drums, David Liebman - tenor sax, Marc Copland - paino, Drew Gress - bass

Thursday - 12/19
Davis Whitfield "After-hours"
12AM to close
with Ben Solomon - tenor saxophone, David Gibson - trombone , Will Slater - bass ,
Jongkuk Kim - drums

Friday & Saturday - 12/20-12/21
Jerad Gold Quartet
Sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
$20 for this show
with Jerad Gold- Organ Dave Stryker- guitar, Joseph Doubleday - vibraphone, Mcclenty Hunter - drums

Friday & Saturday - 12/20-12/21
Steve Davis Quintet
Larry Willis: 77th Birthday Celebration
Sets at 10:30 PM & 12 AM
$20 for this show
Steve Davis - trombone, Mike DiRubbo - alto sax, Anthony Wonsey - piano, Gerald Cannon - bass, Jonathan Barber - drums

Friday - 12/20
Corey Wallace DUBtet "After-hours"
1 AM to close
Corey Wallace - trombone

Saturday - 12/21
Mimi Jones and The Lab Session
1 AM to close
Mimi Jones - bass

Sunday - 12/22
Nick Hempton Trio
sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
with Nick Hempton - tenor sax, Kyle Koehler - organ, Jason Tiemann- drums

Sunday - 12/22
David Gibson Quintet
Sets at 10:30 PM & 12 AM
with David Gibson - Trombone, Freddie Hendrix - trumpet, Davis Whitfield - piano, Joseph Lepore - bass, Jason Brown - drums

Sunday - 12/22
Hillel Salem Group "After-hours"
1 AM to close
with Hillel Salem - trumpet

Photo credit : Williams Brown, Jimmy Katz, Michelle Watts, Till Bronnen and others