JAM Magazine: February/March 1998 Issue: Contemporary Jazz

by Jeff Charney

A New Year's Contemporary Jazz Potpourri
I greet you in this new year with tidbits of information in no particular order.

Billboard has released its year-end charts and, for the seventh year in a row, Kenny G is the best selling contemporary jazz musician of the year. The top five best-selling c-jazz albums of 1997 were (in order): The Moment, Kenny G; Sweet Thing, Boney James; Dream Walk, Keiko Matsui; Que' Pasa, Gato Barbieri; and A Twist Of Jobim, Various Artists. The top five best-selling traditional jazz albums were: Tony Bennett On Holiday - A Tribute To Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett; Beyond The Missouri Sky, Charlie Haden and KC's Pat Metheny; Quartet, Pat Metheny Group; New Moon Daughter, Cassandra Wilson; and the soundtrack from Leaving Las Vegas.

Also, congratulations to jazz Grammy nominees Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden (Beyond The Missouri Sky), Randy Brecker (Into The Sun), Lee Ritenour (Alive In L.A.), Patrice Rushen (Signature), Joe Sample (Sample This), and Grover Washington, Jr., (Breath Of Heaven). Grover's single, "Soulful Strut" was nominated for "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" as was Kenny G's single "Havana." The 40th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 25.

KC's Max Groove is looking to have a good 1998. The pianist/composer is slated to tour Germany for six weeks starting in mid-June, and he is currently working on two new CDs. Groove and the band have already recorded nine songs for the first, and he tells me the second will be all solo piano. Both projects are untitled for now. I've heard four songs from the first project and know that you'll like them. One track has more of a Yellowjackets feel, another a Spyro Gyra flavor. There is a possibility that both projects could be packaged together as a double CD. We'll see. Look for "Sunset Grill," a song I begged Max to put on his last CD, to be included. And look for Groove to play at the Grand Emporium February 5 and March 26, at the Brass Ring at 57th & State in KCK every other Sunday in February, and at 39 On Main every other Friday in February and March. Max will also perform in concert in St. Louis with Bloodstone on February 14.

Kevin Mahogany, another local favorite, is off to a good start in 1998. He'll be playing the John Coltrane tribute at Carnegie Hall in New York on February 12, and then will tour Europe for the month of March, stopping in five countries. Mahogany's latest CD Another Time Another Place reached #11 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz charts in January, and his prior, self-titled Warner Brothers release held steady at #40. Mahogany tells me the January feature with Billy Taylor on CBS's "Sunday Morning" really helped.

Tuck & Patti (where have you been?) are back. The married musical duo is currently on the road with Windham Hill's "Winter Solstice Tour." They have re-signed with WH and will release an album in the next few months. Speaking of Tuck & Patti, Windham Hill Jazz released a 16-track collection of contemporary jazz in January, mostly from the TV series "Melrose Place." Included on the album is music by Tuck & Patti, The Rippingtons, Tom Scott, Earl Klugh, Diana Krall, Jim Brickman, Boney James, Don Grusin and the Braxton Brothers. Tom Scott contributes three tracks including a funked-up version of the show's theme song. The tracks by Klugh, Grusin, and the Braxton Brothers appear for the first time on this collection. As regular viewers will already know, "Melrose Place" features a jazz club and has included appearances by jazz musicians throughout the current season. Tuck & Patti will appear on February 9; Klugh will guest on the February 23 episode.

"Quincy Jones: The First 50 Years" will air on ABC in the near future. The broadcast was originally scheduled for November 26 but was postponed. The two-hour show celebrating Jones' contributions to entertainment and music, was taped on November 1. Dozens of musicians showed their appreciation for Jones, including several whose careers he helped launch and develop, musicians like Tevin Campbell, Patti Austin, and Tamia. Also appearing are Nancy Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Smokey Robinson, and Ashford & Simpson.

(One more thing on Quincy. He is producing a brand new musical called "Sammy" to honor the life of legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. It's scheduled to debut on Broadway in 1999.)

Pianist Keiko Matsui recently taped a TV special called "Keiko Matsui: Light Above The Trees." It will air on PBS this spring and KCPT has already confirmed that they will broadcast it. The hour-long show reportedly includes footage filmed at an 800 year old shrine in Japan. Matsui's new album Full Moon And Shine will hit the stores on April 7, about the same time the special airs.

A Miles Davis movie is in the works. According to Reuters, producer Marvin Worth (who knew Davis from his, Worth's, early days as a jazz promoter) has gotten the film rights to Davis' 1989 autobiography. The movie will also include Worth's own memories of the controversial trumpeter.

Saxophonist, composer and educator David Liebman recently received an honorary doctorate from Finland's renowned Sibelius Academy Of Music. He's the first jazz musician to be so honored by the Academy. "The recognition of jazz by such an institution bodes well for all of jazz," noted Liebman.

Wayne Shorter, James Moody and Ron Carter were honored by the National Endowment of the Arts at a concert January 9. The three jazzmen are the NEA's American Jazz Masters for 1998. Performing at the concert were New York Voices, The Mingus Band and the Billy Taylor Trio.

Trumpeter Chris Botti, who played at last year's Blues & Jazz Fest, has been named Gavin's "Smooth Jazz Artist Of The Year." Gavin, a radio trade magazine, chose Botti because "of his well-crafted musical vision. He has combined rock, funk, R&B, pop and jazz to create his own unique voice. His work helped elevate Smooth Jazz to a hipper level. His live band gives his performances an expanded edge. Yet tracks like 'Regroovable' and 'The Way Home' haven't veered over his audience's heads, either on stage or on the air."

Meanwhile Gavin also named Chieli Minucci as their "Smooth Jazz Breaking Artist" for 1997 and guitarist John Scofield as the "Jazz Breaking Artist" for 1997.

Saxophonist Candy Dulfer will begin touring the U.S. in February. I'll get a chance to check her out February 4th when she makes an appearance at the Gavin Convention is San Diego. I'll let you know how she does. Also appearing at the convention will be Jonathan Butler, Brian Tarquin, Jesse Cook, Diana Krall, Thom Rotella, Charlie Haden and Kenny Barron (in a duo), Chieli Minucci, Hiroko Kokubu and Roger Smith.

Roy Ayers was just in KC performing at the Dr. Martin Luther King Tribute held by the SCLC that I was privileged to host. Be looking for Ayers to return to Kansas City for a concert at the Midland Theater on February 28. Also on the bill will be Bobbi Humphrey, Phil Upchurch, Tom Browne and Ray Gaskin. It's a 22-city tour. Get your tickets through Ticketmaster.

Jazz musician, Johnny Coles, has died of cancer at the age of 71. Known for his soft, warm tone and technical sure-footedness, Coles was best known as a jazz trumpeter, but he also received acclaim for his mastery of the flugelhorn. Although he recorded fewer than a dozen records as a leader, he played on albums for such jazz notables as Duke Ellington and Herbie Hancock.

New albums due out in February include the Dave Weckl Band, Rhythm Of The Soul (2/3); Mark Ledford, Miles 2 Go (2/3); Eric Reed, Pure Imagination (2/10), Jackie McLean, Fire and Love: Jackie McLean and the Macband (2/10), Harold Mabern, Mabern's Grooveyard (2/17); Bob Belden, Tapestry (2/10); Marc Johnson, The Sound Of Summer Running (2/24); Lee Konitz, Self Portrait (2/24); Victor Lewis Trio, Three-Way Conversations (2/24); and Spyro Gyra, Road Warriors (2/24) which is a live CD recorded on last year's tour. Kansas City's show was recorded for possible use. We'll see.

Jazz from the vaults will also see February releases. They include: Coleman Hawkins, Jazz Tones (2/10); Sonny Criss, Saturday Morning (2/10); Jimmy Raney, Solo (2/10); Thelonious Monk, Live At The Village Gate (2/10); John Coltrane, Giant Steps and My Favorite Things (2/17); Charles Mingus, Blues and Roots (2/17); Roland Kirk, The Inflated Tear (2/17); Cannonball Adderley, Greatest Hits (2/17); and Standards Collections by Grant Green, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Clark, Three Sounds and Lee Morgan (2/17).

Guitarist Brian Hughes has a new release, his third, called One 2 One. After his 1996 CD Straight To You came out, the jazz bulletin boards on the Internet bashed the Canadian guitarist for being a "Pat Metheny wannabe." Well, the reaction to this album won't be much different. Hughes even mentions Metheny's name on the back cover. But that's not to say it's a bad thing. The first track "String Bean" comes out with an organ groove blues that makes you think Hughes might have been keeping an eye on what Jeff Golub was doing for his success. A similar up-tempo groove can be heard on the catchy "Oh Yeah!" which I dug a lot. The title track is a typical "smooth jazz" type of song. Track seven, "Nothing In This World" is a Metheny-type piece until the Spanish flavored measures kick in, really adding to the song. Track eight, "The Way It Is" also is the type of thing that brings criticism to Hughes; but I still liked it. Overall, this CD doesn't break any new ground, but it's enjoyable to listen to.

By the way, if you've listened to Pat Metheny's recent Imaginary Day you'll know that he has once again gone in another direction altogether. Always staying fresh!

As always, feel free to e-mail me with comments or suggestions at jeffrey@tfs.net.

Jeff Charney is the host of the "Sunday Jazz Brunch," 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., on KPRS, 103.3 FM.

RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1998 MAIN INDEX

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		by Jeff Charney A New Year's Contemporary Jazz Potpourri I greet you in this new year with tidbits of information in no particular order. Billboard has released its year-end charts and, for the seventh year in a row, Kenny G is the best selling contemporary jazz musician of the year. The top five best-selling c-jazz albums of 1997 were (in order): The Moment, Kenny G; Sweet Thing, Boney James; Dream Walk, Keiko Matsui; Que' Pasa, Gato Barbieri; and A Twist Of Jobim, Various Artists. The top five best-selling traditional jazz albums were: Tony Bennett On Holiday - A Tribute To Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett; Beyond The Missouri Sky, Charlie Haden and KC's Pat Metheny; Quartet, Pat Metheny Group; New Moon Daughter, Cassandra Wilson; and the soundtrack from Leaving Las Vegas. Also, congratulations to jazz Grammy nominees Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden (Beyond The Missouri Sky), Randy Brecker (Into The Sun), Lee Ritenour (Alive In L.A.), Patrice Rushen (Signature), Joe Sample (Sample This), and Grover Washington, Jr., (Breath Of Heaven). Grover's single, "Soulful Strut" was nominated for "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" as was Kenny G's single "Havana." The 40th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 25. KC's Max Groove is looking to have a good 1998. The pianist/composer is slated to tour Germany for six weeks starting in mid-June, and he is currently working on two new CDs. Groove and the band have already recorded nine songs for the first, and he tells me the second will be all solo piano. Both projects are untitled for now. I've heard four songs from the first project and know that you'll like them. One track has more of a Yellowjackets feel, another a Spyro Gyra flavor. There is a possibility that both projects could be packaged together as a double CD. We'll see. Look for "Sunset Grill," a song I begged Max to put on his last CD, to be included. And look for Groove to play at the Grand Emporium February 5 and March 26, at the Brass Ring at 57th & State in KCK every other Sunday in February, and at 39 On Main every other Friday in February and March. Max will also perform in concert in St. Louis with Bloodstone on February 14. Kevin Mahogany, another local favorite, is off to a good start in 1998. He'll be playing the John Coltrane tribute at Carnegie Hall in New York on February 12, and then will tour Europe for the month of March, stopping in five countries. Mahogany's latest CD Another Time Another Place reached #11 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz charts in January, and his prior, self-titled Warner Brothers release held steady at #40. Mahogany tells me the January feature with Billy Taylor on CBS's "Sunday Morning" really helped. Tuck & Patti (where have you been?) are back. The married musical duo is currently on the road with Windham Hill's "Winter Solstice Tour." They have re-signed with WH and will release an album in the next few months. Speaking of Tuck & Patti, Windham Hill Jazz released a 16-track collection of contemporary jazz in January, mostly from the TV series "Melrose Place." Included on the album is music by Tuck & Patti, The Rippingtons, Tom Scott, Earl Klugh, Diana Krall, Jim Brickman, Boney James, Don Grusin and the Braxton Brothers. Tom Scott contributes three tracks including a funked-up version of the show's theme song. The tracks by Klugh, Grusin, and the Braxton Brothers appear for the first time on this collection. As regular viewers will already know, "Melrose Place" features a jazz club and has included appearances by jazz musicians throughout the current season. Tuck & Patti will appear on February 9; Klugh will guest on the February 23 episode. "Quincy Jones: The First 50 Years" will air on ABC in the near future. The broadcast was originally scheduled for November 26 but was postponed. The two-hour show celebrating Jones' contributions to entertainment and music, was taped on November 1. Dozens of musicians showed their appreciation for Jones, including several whose careers he helped launch and develop, musicians like Tevin Campbell, Patti Austin, and Tamia. Also appearing are Nancy Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Smokey Robinson, and Ashford & Simpson. (One more thing on Quincy. He is producing a brand new musical called "Sammy" to honor the life of legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. It's scheduled to debut on Broadway in 1999.) Pianist Keiko Matsui recently taped a TV special called "Keiko Matsui: Light Above The Trees." It will air on PBS this spring and KCPT has already confirmed that they will broadcast it. The hour-long show reportedly includes footage filmed at an 800 year old shrine in Japan. Matsui's new album Full Moon And Shine will hit the stores on April 7, about the same time the special airs. A Miles Davis movie is in the works. According to Reuters, producer Marvin Worth (who knew Davis from his, Worth's, early days as a jazz promoter) has gotten the film rights to Davis' 1989 autobiography. The movie will also include Worth's own memories of the controversial trumpeter. Saxophonist, composer and educator David Liebman recently received an honorary doctorate from Finland's renowned Sibelius Academy Of Music. He's the first jazz musician to be so honored by the Academy. "The recognition of jazz by such an institution bodes well for all of jazz," noted Liebman. Wayne Shorter, James Moody and Ron Carter were honored by the National Endowment of the Arts at a concert January 9. The three jazzmen are the NEA's American Jazz Masters for 1998. Performing at the concert were New York Voices, The Mingus Band and the Billy Taylor Trio. Trumpeter Chris Botti, who played at last year's Blues & Jazz Fest, has been named Gavin's "Smooth Jazz Artist Of The Year." Gavin, a radio trade magazine, chose Botti because "of his well-crafted musical vision. He has combined rock, funk, R&B, pop and jazz to create his own unique voice. His work helped elevate Smooth Jazz to a hipper level. His live band gives his performances an expanded edge. Yet tracks like 'Regroovable' and 'The Way Home' haven't veered over his audience's heads, either on stage or on the air." Meanwhile Gavin also named Chieli Minucci as their "Smooth Jazz Breaking Artist" for 1997 and guitarist John Scofield as the "Jazz Breaking Artist" for 1997. Saxophonist Candy Dulfer will begin touring the U.S. in February. I'll get a chance to check her out February 4th when she makes an appearance at the Gavin Convention is San Diego. I'll let you know how she does. Also appearing at the convention will be Jonathan Butler, Brian Tarquin, Jesse Cook, Diana Krall, Thom Rotella, Charlie Haden and Kenny Barron (in a duo), Chieli Minucci, Hiroko Kokubu and Roger Smith. Roy Ayers was just in KC performing at the Dr. Martin Luther King Tribute held by the SCLC that I was privileged to host. Be looking for Ayers to return to Kansas City for a concert at the Midland Theater on February 28. Also on the bill will be Bobbi Humphrey, Phil Upchurch, Tom Browne and Ray Gaskin. It's a 22-city tour. Get your tickets through Ticketmaster. Jazz musician, Johnny Coles, has died of cancer at the age of 71. Known for his soft, warm tone and technical sure-footedness, Coles was best known as a jazz trumpeter, but he also received acclaim for his mastery of the flugelhorn. Although he recorded fewer than a dozen records as a leader, he played on albums for such jazz notables as Duke Ellington and Herbie Hancock. New albums due out in February include the Dave Weckl Band, Rhythm Of The Soul (2/3); Mark Ledford, Miles 2 Go (2/3); Eric Reed, Pure Imagination (2/10), Jackie McLean, Fire and Love: Jackie McLean and the Macband (2/10), Harold Mabern, Mabern's Grooveyard (2/17); Bob Belden, Tapestry (2/10); Marc Johnson, The Sound Of Summer Running (2/24); Lee Konitz, Self Portrait (2/24); Victor Lewis Trio, Three-Way Conversations (2/24); and Spyro Gyra, Road Warriors (2/24) which is a live CD recorded on last year's tour. Kansas City's show was recorded for possible use. We'll see. Jazz from the vaults will also see February releases. They include: Coleman Hawkins, Jazz Tones (2/10); Sonny Criss, Saturday Morning (2/10); Jimmy Raney, Solo (2/10); Thelonious Monk, Live At The Village Gate (2/10); John Coltrane, Giant Steps and My Favorite Things (2/17); Charles Mingus, Blues and Roots (2/17); Roland Kirk, The Inflated Tear (2/17); Cannonball Adderley, Greatest Hits (2/17); and Standards Collections by Grant Green, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Clark, Three Sounds and Lee Morgan (2/17). Guitarist Brian Hughes has a new release, his third, called One 2 One. After his 1996 CD Straight To You came out, the jazz bulletin boards on the Internet bashed the Canadian guitarist for being a "Pat Metheny wannabe." Well, the reaction to this album won't be much different. Hughes even mentions Metheny's name on the back cover. But that's not to say it's a bad thing. The first track "String Bean" comes out with an organ groove blues that makes you think Hughes might have been keeping an eye on what Jeff Golub was doing for his success. A similar up-tempo groove can be heard on the catchy "Oh Yeah!" which I dug a lot. The title track is a typical "smooth jazz" type of song. Track seven, "Nothing In This World" is a Metheny-type piece until the Spanish flavored measures kick in, really adding to the song. Track eight, "The Way It Is" also is the type of thing that brings criticism to Hughes; but I still liked it. Overall, this CD doesn't break any new ground, but it's enjoyable to listen to. By the way, if you've listened to Pat Metheny's recent Imaginary Day you'll know that he has once again gone in another direction altogether. Always staying fresh! As always, feel free to e-mail me with comments or suggestions at jeffrey@tfs.net. Jeff Charney is the host of the "Sunday Jazz Brunch," 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., on KPRS, 103.3 FM. RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1998 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.