JAM Magazine: February/March 1998 Issue: Profile- Scrapple From The Apple

by Russ Dantzler

Educating the Next Generation
After a hundred or so musicians had performed eight sublime jazz tunes, a couple hundred public school kids joined them on stage, enlarging the chorus for the next few numbers at Symphony Space in Manhattan on November 29. The children covered a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Dr. Barry Harris, an established Pied Piper in jazz, emerged from behind the piano and, with his hands reaching toward the edges of the massive stage, said, "This is New York." New York, where, according to Harris, "there's little music in schools these days. The first thing cut out of school budgets is music; and it shouldn't be that way."

"The main thing about jazz is that we aren't given an ample chance to be disliked," Harris continued. "If we were more exposed, say on TV, people could at least say 'I like you or I don't like you.' I'm going to grab kids off the streets and say, 'Here, come on, play!'" He did just that beginning in 1978, and for the most part has ambitiously assembled a massive jazz love-fest annually. And each time, he brings new young people into his own faithful family of regular musicians.

This year's concert was named "A Rose, A Wishing Well (With Love to Cast A Spell)." In 1989, I had attended "The Breeze's Song," and wish I had not waited so long to go again. In each case, guest soloists included saxophonists Jimmy Heath and Charles Davis, and inventive bop pianist Chris Anderson. Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson again conducted the strings, chorus and horns. This time vocalist Teri Thornton gave me goose bumps singing "East of the Sun." Clark Terry was a surprise guest, and he mumbled as eloquently as ever. In the audience was Harris' old friend from Detroit, Berry Gordy, founder of Motown.

"We're the children, we look to you to show the way," the Barry Harris Ensemble sang. Kids, who might assume they did not like jazz unless someone exposed them to it, were really swinging and enjoying themselves. Barry Harris did not control them, he just led them with a smile. The choruses had begun practicing in August, but this appeared to be pure joy rather than work.

Dr. Barry Harris' piano playing evokes the spirits of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell so effectively that he would never need to do anything but play to make a comfortable living. His contagious devotion to advancing jazz is something to be grateful for.

Please keep grabbing them off the streets, Dr. Harris!

Claude Williams used to take Charlie Parker aside in the 1930s and show him correct chord changes. His last New York visit in November simply had him passing through on the way to classroom work in the upstate area of Utica. Musician and educator Monk Rowe had worked with the Central New York Community Arts Council's Arts in Education Institute and Hamilton College -- where he will open a new jazz archive next year -- to present Claude to students in eight different settings in three days.

In each classroom, the students had learned something about Claude and his music before meeting him. In every situation, the teachers raved about the way the students responded to the music. Playing along with Claude were Monk Rowe on saxophone or piano, Mark Copani on guitar, and an acoustic bassist you are likely to hear a lot about, Genevieve Rose.

"Doesn't that hurt your fingers?" asked a junior high school girl after intently watching Genevieve constantly plucking bass strings during Claude's presentation. "It used to, when I first started playing," this 20-year-old role model answered. Rose had her work cut out for her, as the budget did not allow for a drummer, which caused her more work in the band. Genevieve began playing classical guitar as a child, but found that "you can put a lot of personal expression into jazz. In a way, you try to play a piece of music that's been composed by someone else, but you try to play it as if it's your piece."

Young Genevieve Rose speaks and plays with wisdom that belies her age. Her solos are more interesting than most professional bassists. And she appreciates the fact that she is learning right on the band stand from Claude Williams and others.

Responses or comments: (212) 586-8125, 328 West 43rd St., Ste 4FW, New York, NY 10036. E-mail: hotjazz@soho.ios.com. Artist info web site: http://soho.ios.com/~hotjazz/HOTJAZZ.html

RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1998 MAIN INDEX

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






	Search our site:		by Russ Dantzler Educating the Next Generation After a hundred or so musicians had performed eight sublime jazz tunes, a couple hundred public school kids joined them on stage, enlarging the chorus for the next few numbers at Symphony Space in Manhattan on November 29. The children covered a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Dr. Barry Harris, an established Pied Piper in jazz, emerged from behind the piano and, with his hands reaching toward the edges of the massive stage, said, "This is New York." New York, where, according to Harris, "there's little music in schools these days. The first thing cut out of school budgets is music; and it shouldn't be that way." "The main thing about jazz is that we aren't given an ample chance to be disliked," Harris continued. "If we were more exposed, say on TV, people could at least say 'I like you or I don't like you.' I'm going to grab kids off the streets and say, 'Here, come on, play!'" He did just that beginning in 1978, and for the most part has ambitiously assembled a massive jazz love-fest annually. And each time, he brings new young people into his own faithful family of regular musicians. This year's concert was named "A Rose, A Wishing Well (With Love to Cast A Spell)." In 1989, I had attended "The Breeze's Song," and wish I had not waited so long to go again. In each case, guest soloists included saxophonists Jimmy Heath and Charles Davis, and inventive bop pianist Chris Anderson. Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson again conducted the strings, chorus and horns. This time vocalist Teri Thornton gave me goose bumps singing "East of the Sun." Clark Terry was a surprise guest, and he mumbled as eloquently as ever. In the audience was Harris' old friend from Detroit, Berry Gordy, founder of Motown. "We're the children, we look to you to show the way," the Barry Harris Ensemble sang. Kids, who might assume they did not like jazz unless someone exposed them to it, were really swinging and enjoying themselves. Barry Harris did not control them, he just led them with a smile. The choruses had begun practicing in August, but this appeared to be pure joy rather than work. Dr. Barry Harris' piano playing evokes the spirits of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell so effectively that he would never need to do anything but play to make a comfortable living. His contagious devotion to advancing jazz is something to be grateful for. Please keep grabbing them off the streets, Dr. Harris! Claude Williams used to take Charlie Parker aside in the 1930s and show him correct chord changes. His last New York visit in November simply had him passing through on the way to classroom work in the upstate area of Utica. Musician and educator Monk Rowe had worked with the Central New York Community Arts Council's Arts in Education Institute and Hamilton College -- where he will open a new jazz archive next year -- to present Claude to students in eight different settings in three days. In each classroom, the students had learned something about Claude and his music before meeting him. In every situation, the teachers raved about the way the students responded to the music. Playing along with Claude were Monk Rowe on saxophone or piano, Mark Copani on guitar, and an acoustic bassist you are likely to hear a lot about, Genevieve Rose. "Doesn't that hurt your fingers?" asked a junior high school girl after intently watching Genevieve constantly plucking bass strings during Claude's presentation. "It used to, when I first started playing," this 20-year-old role model answered. Rose had her work cut out for her, as the budget did not allow for a drummer, which caused her more work in the band. Genevieve began playing classical guitar as a child, but found that "you can put a lot of personal expression into jazz. In a way, you try to play a piece of music that's been composed by someone else, but you try to play it as if it's your piece." Young Genevieve Rose speaks and plays with wisdom that belies her age. Her solos are more interesting than most professional bassists. And she appreciates the fact that she is learning right on the band stand from Claude Williams and others. Responses or comments: (212) 586-8125, 328 West 43rd St., Ste 4FW, New York, NY 10036. E-mail: hotjazz@soho.ios.com. Artist info web site: http://soho.ios.com/~hotjazz/HOTJAZZ.html RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1998 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.