Here it comes – I love it every year – jazz festival season. Each year new and established bands come to Edmonton to play and share their music and artistry. Jazz legend Wayne Shorter is on my list this year. How about you? Anyone else I should be checking out?
Latest Entries »
A while ago I posted a piece on the Juno awards. It is no secret that there is a disenfranchised feeling in the west surrounding the awards – and I wrote to that end in my post (you can find it in the archives). However – I was wrong about a few very important points, and am happy to be corrected – Phil Dwyer is mentioned in the article as a deserving candidate and winner of the award. Where I made a misstep was in saying his project was “decidedly Toronto”. He has commented on the blog post and it turns out I am lame at research (to my defense – I bought the album from itunes and credits are not mentioned). I encourage you to check out his comments – I still hold by my statement that jazz in Canada is missing an important element – the future – comments anyone?
http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/interview/caruso/
Over 13 years ago I was introduced to the concept of the Carusos. John McNeil was one of my teachers at the New England Conservatory and he decided that my playing could be better (much better) so we embarked on what would become a lifetime of study. John studied with Carmine – we did not use books or other resources. John is an amazing brass player, great improviser and a really funny guy. Regardless, I feel like I got the goods from a credible source, once removed from the master. Carmine played violin and saxophone as John tells it. He played a lot of weddings and social events, and he noticed that the brass players couldn’t keep up. Being a thoughtful guy, he developed a system in which brass players could develop the stamina to play longer, higher, faster, articulate better, split less notes if any, and have a more beautiful centered tone. His method caught on and many many musicians use it. I would say that it is one of the more popular brass methodologies – but it does have its detractors. All I know is that it works for me.
My routine is 48 minutes – everyday – a combination of the Carusos, Chas Colin lip slurs and a few articulation exercises. My routine has not changed in 13 years and it won’t for the next 13.
Ok – last week I had a mini-rant about the juno awards. One of many that I have had over the years. I got a few responses which were generally in agreement. But in that rant was what I thought was a good question. Where are the next generation of Canadian jazz musicians? Who is the up and coming trumpet player? trombone? alto? Drums? et al.
So let’s hear it. My Toronto friends are strongly encouraged to respond (jules!).
Fine – Phil Dwyer won – great player, great arranger, good guy etc . . .but come on people – you could have called that one a million miles away. Yes – he deserved it – he has had a long career and is still putting out great quality albums – and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for the guy – really. But do we need another Juno for an established Toronto musician? (I know he lives in BC but the album is decidedly Toronto). My students talk about the center of jazz in Canada being Toronto and they are probably right – I guess it is – OK – I admit it – it is. But I still think it is lame. Where are the new names? The envelope pushers, the rising talent making us pay attention? Who is the new tenor sensation? Where are the killer young brass players? Where is the drummer that is beating the s**t out of the drums? Do I have to resign myself to the juno’s being a lifetime achievement award?
Man – blogs are tough. We here at the fake office are finding the time and topics difficult to procure. Life has been good though. Keep your ears open for the new Jim Brenan project coming soon. Better yet – check him out at www jimbrenan.com
It was the summer of 1997 – I was living at my Mom’s house as I had just completed my first year of grad school at the New England Conservatory. I was sitting around the kitchen table and my mom brings me the phone saying someone wanted to talk to me. Not unusual at all, until I answer the phone and the voice on the other end says “Hi, this is Bob Brookmeyer calling…” crazy! I had been a huge fan for a long time, having been introduced to him through fellow trombonist, Kurtis Pivert. I saw him perform at the IAJE in Washington DC (1990 I think) and had several of his albums in my collection – needless to say I was blown away to have him call and even more astounded when he hired me for a residency he was hosting in Lake Placid NY. Two weeks in Lake Placid, performing the music of Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider and Jim McNeely – Heaven!
Over the next two weeks I studied with Brookmeyer and we spent most of our time playing standards and trading 4′s, 8′s and choruses. Now and then he shared portions of his story, to this day I remember almost every word. After Lake Placid, Bob came to the New England Conservatory, he stayed for ten years – our paths crossed often during my time in Boston – he had a way of making you feel important, not to say he wasn’t brutally honest – but somehow he listened and accepted what you were trying to do and at the same time – clearly told you how to do it better -I miss that and I miss Bob.
Late 90′s was an awesome time for jazz, especially new forms and newer more creative ensemble instrumentation – I really think of this time as the incubator for all the jazz I really love now. Having said that – it still has to swing and in order to get a bit more free there needs to be a grounding or connection to the past. I believe Ornette had/has it – Dave Douglas has it – as do many others. The best place to get it in my opinion is from the all time master of jazz pedagogy Jerry Bergonzi. I spent two years with him and I will probably be mining those lessons for a lifetime. Check out the new series at www.jazzheaven.com – or check the video below – enjoy.
We are starting a new thread this chilly winter and it is somewhat related to the last thread. If you recall – the death defying artists have been commenting about the first album that got them started on the path. This thread is about the album that has always been there – the one that you return to over and over – here I go -
I stole a jazz album when I was 15 years old from my high school’s library. Guilty definitely, however at the time I am not sure it was pure theft or just laziness that kept the album in my collection. Regardless, I feel no guilt about this. ‘Thinking About You’ by Frank Rosolino was the record and doing the time would have been worth it. Transcendental jazz, the kind of jazz I think all jazz should sound like – stellar playing, interactive, patient, emotional etc. . . Ed Bickert on guitar, Don Thompson on bass and Terry Clarke on drums – the elite of the Canadian jazz community recorded a live album over several nights. Rumor has it that the recording was just Don Thompson trying out a new portable recorder on the floor near his bass. Regardless, it is outstanding in every way. Check out ‘Round Midnight at 8:36 for a truly inspired moment.
I listen to this album in a different way than I used to. Now I will go months without it and then I will play it over and over for weeks – I have transcribed every solo, all the bass lines, the comping rhythms, I sing along, play along (the parts that I can) and find it creeping into my playing – it never disappoints.
