Open Ears
January 2002

Open Ears
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By Laurence Donohue-Greene

It's been another great year of releases, with indie labels taking the honors of real music of substance that is sure to withstand the test of time. Dave Douglas is certainly an exception in that his "power of attorney" so to speak, in regards to the music found on his last recordings in particular, maintains his solid individuality and creativity through the control and elbowroom his major label affiliation with BMG allows him. Mixed into this year's Top 10, you'll also find several veterans of the music who are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance as they continue to push the music boundaries as senior citizens like they have since first coming onto the scene-amongst them pianist Ran Blake and Chicago tenor man Fred Anderson.

And speaking of veterans, with another year we have again unfortunately lost another group of individuals who have contributed their voices and compositions that will forever ring in our ears through recording technology. For some of us, we can look back and feel fortunate if we were actually able to witness the memorable moments that some of these individuals even shared in a live setting. Therefore, before my TOP 10 of 2001, let me leave you with this seemingly larger than normal, and certainly larger than life, list of some of those musical souls who passed away within this last year:

Big band leader Les Brown (leader of his Band of Renown whose big hit was the classic WW II homecoming theme for soldiers, "Sentimental Journey" with vocalist Doris Day); guitarist/Bossa-Nova giant Luiz Bonfa (composer of "Manha de Carnaval" and "Samba de Orfeo"); multi-instrumentalist Norris Turney (who was Ellington's first-ever flute soloist, not to mention eventual replacement for Johnny Hodges after Hodges passed away); jazz funk and soul organ grinder Captain (once "Brother") Jack McDuff; pianist Lou Levy (a favorite accompanist used by many vocalists including Ella, Peggy Lee, and Anita O' Day); trombonist J.J. Johnson (the trombone playing equivalent of what Charlie Parker did for the alto sax); Texas tenor Buddy Tate (the longtime Basie alum); the eccentric and experimental guitarist and innovator John Fahey; modernist classical composer Iannis Xenakis; pianist/composer John Lewis (co-founder of the Third Stream movement, as well as the MJQ); diverse guitarist and string musician of extended works Sandy Bull; vocalist Al Hibbler (who sang with Ellington in the 40's, replacing Herb Jeffries); Detroit tenor man Billy Mitchell (who played and recorded with the likes of Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Basie, Ray Charles, and Sarah Vaughan); woodwind player and respected teacher Joe Viola (who held the Founding Chair of Berklee School of Music's Woodwind Department and whose students included Toshiko Akiyoshi, Charlie Mariano, Quincy Jones and Joe Lovano); drummer "Smiling" Billy Higgins (who played and recorded with just about everyone worth mentioning in the history of jazz since the 50's); multi-instrumentalist Makanda Ken McIntyre; blues legend John Lee Hooker; Cuban-born composer and bandleader Chico O'Farrill; tenor sax giant Joe Henderson; West Coast tenor legend Harold Land (who preceded Sonny Rollins in the great Max Roach/Clifford Brown band); harmonica player of non-Blues material Larry Adler; tenor saxist Flip Phillips (of Woody Herman and Jazz at the Philharmonic solo fame); jazz guitarist Cal Collins (once considered the "house" guitarist of Concord Records); guitarist John Collins (who since the 20's, was associated with Mildred Bailey, Nat Cole, Billie Holiday, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, and Art Tatum amongst others); vocalist Etta Jones (whose vocal-tenor pairing tunes with her husband, Houston Person, will remain timeless); drummer Panama Francis (member of one of the swinging-est bands ever, the Savoy Sultans); Babik Reinhardt (son of the virtuoso legend Django); Detroit-born pianist Tommy Flanagan (the elegantly refined jazz interpreter and long-time accompanist to Ella); pianist/composer/arranger Ralph Burns who wrote for Woody Herman's first two Herds; a quarter of the Beatles George Harrison (who had the most influence of so-called "World" and Eastern music); Norman Granz (legendary record producer and impresario who founded Verve Records and Jazz at the Philharmonic); and most recently the passing of West Coast trumpeting star Conte Candoli.

Try spending the remainder of this year listening to recordings in remembrance of the above, in conjunction with your Holiday music selection (if such is the case), not to mention the new music that continues to be created for the sake of acknowledging the past and looking ahead to the future. To help you with the latter, here is my TOP 10 list for the year of 2001, in no particular order except alphabetical:

Ben Allison & Medicine Wheel – Riding The Tiger (Palmetto)

Robert Barry/Fred Anderson – Duets 2001: Live at the Empty Bottle (Thrill Jockey)

Ran Blake Trio (with Ed Schuller & George Schuller) – Sonic Temples (GM)

Marilyn Crispell/Gary Peacock/Paul Motian – Amaryllis (ECM)

Dave Douglas – El Trilogy (Bluebird-BMG)

Dave Douglas – Witness (Bluebird-BMG)

Satoko Fujii Trio (with Mark Dresser & Jim Black) – Junction (Ewe)

William Parker/Hamid Drake – Piercing the Veil (AUM Fidelity)

Matthew Shipp (with Wadada Leo Smith, William Parker, & Gerald Cleaver) –Matthew Shipp’s New Orbit (Thirsty Ear)

Vandermark 5 – Acoustic Machine (Atavistic)

Hope you had a happy Holiday Season and here’s to a peaceful and Happy New Year of 2002…and, as always, remember to keep your ears open to the music (what good would open ears otherwise serve?)!