Articles by Bill Donaldson
Meet Little Jimmy Scott
by Bill Donaldson
All About Jazz: You've been out of the country recently? Jimmy Scott: Yes, I was in France and Italy. I was there with my regular group. Hilliard Greene is on bass, Michael Keenan is on piano, and Victor Jones is on drums. Hilliard has been with me for twelve years, and the other two have been with me for at least four years. I organized a band in '85, and Hilliard was with me then. AAJ: ...
read moreAvram Fefer: Calling All Spirits
by Bill Donaldson
Even though Avram Fefer has been performing on the periphery of public consciousness, he actually has been in the center of several important jazz scenes. As a result, he has absorbed strong influences and contributed to the development of new forms in several jazz centers.Born in Seattle, moving to Harvard to receive a degree in psychology, going on to the New England Conservatory Of Music to study with George Russell and Ran Blake, moving to Paris for five ...
read moreThe Ganz Brothers: First Steps
by Bill Donaldson
Growing up in Greenboro, North Carolina, the Ganz brothers recorded “First Steps" in 1999, a year after guitarist Keith Ganz joined Steve in New York for a career in music. Now, in 2001, the CD finally is released on Steve's self-produced label, Extravaganza Records. The results are aurally illuminating.In their early thirties, the Ganz brothers share the compositional responsibilities for the CD, approaching each tune with a definite concept but without predetermined technique. Rather, the music flows organically ...
read moreJack Wilkins: Reunion
by Bill Donaldson
Reunion is just that.And for jazz listeners who missed Jack Wilkins' outstanding 1977 release, Merge, the first time out, or for those who are too young to remember it, Reunion brings back that group for a brief moment in time.It wasn't easy. Schedules conflicted and everyone was busy, but they found a slot when they could record. Try as they might, Wilkins and the producer weren't able to pin down saxophonist Michael Brecker for more than ...
read moreSteve Rochinski: Otherwise
by Bill Donaldson
A presence in the Northeast jazz scene, and certainly known by the students and faculty of the Berklee School Of Music, guitarist Steve Rochinski unfortunately was unable to scrape together the resources for more than a self-produced CD until recently. His “Until Further Notice" garnered the acclaim of those who heard it, but without distribution and marketing, the word about Steve Rochinski didn't spread too far his base in Boston.His first Jardis-released CD, “A Bird In Hand," all ...
read moreJohn Hart: Scenes From A Song
by Bill Donaldson
You can't keep a good guitarist down for long, in spite of the vagaries of the recording industry. John Hart, who has gained attention for his individualistic approach on a series of Blue Note and Concord releases in the past dozen years, has jumped to the HepJazz label, thereby extending his stream of self-assured and musically mature recordings. As one listens to the progression of Hart's work, it becomes evident that he has grown even as he presents a signature ...
read moreClark Terry: One On One
by Bill Donaldson
At the age of 80, Clark Terry finally is being acknowledged as one of the greatest trumpet players in jazz. The crescendo of recognition started for his 75th birthday, when he made the cover of Down Beat, when he earned “Lifetime Recognition" awards left and right, and as, although not signed to a single label, he continued to release distinctive recordings solely or jointly. In spite of infirmity and age, Terry still is touring heavily and spreading his optimistic influence ...
read moreBill Evans: Soul Insider
by Bill Donaldson
With the release of Soul Insider, saxophonist Bill Evans lays his own claim to the funk and groove that seems to be linear descendants from the work that Eddie Harris and Les McCann did in the 1960’s. Lest anyone mistake Evans’ intentions and the derivation of the music he honors, McCann contributes the vocals to two of the songs for which he wrote the lyrics, “Lose My Number” and “You Sure Look Good To Me.” While Evans wrote all of ...
read moreBenny Green: Green's Blues
by Bill Donaldson
Benny Green's talent is such that he can adapt to any situation, as proven by the ultimate testing grounds of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and Betty Carter's group, not to mention Ray Brown's trio--all of which Green joined. As the aggressive hard bop pianist or the unpredictable Carter's accompanist who slips from one thought to the next within a single phrase, thereby creating special demands for her exceptional pianists, Green could switch from one style to another. And when Green ...
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