By Donald True Van Deusen
A gang busters gathering of great jazz guys was featured March 30 from 9
P.M. to 1 A.M. at Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street (Phone 215-568-3131)
for $8. The Bootsie Barnes-John Swana Quintet including the legendary
baritone sax man Cecil Payne will be demonstrating once again how exciting
live jazz can be. Payne worked with Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Illinois
Jacquet, Tadd Dameron and J.J. Johnson during the glory days of jazz in the
'40-50s era.
Bootsie is a Philadelphia tenor sax star of national note who blows bop
, blues and ballads with equal facility. One of the finest rhythm sections
going today--Sid Simmons, piano; Mike Boone, bass and Byron Landon on drums,
round out this stellar group.
Tall, blond, clean-cut and a notably gentle man, Swana is described by
jazz writer Mark Gardner as "one of the most exciting trumpeters to arrive in
a decade." He combines the clean, crisp sounds of Chet Baker, whom he
clearly loves, with the towering technical technique of Dizzy Gillespie, one
of this first great influences.
Although an expert bop musician with such influences as Lee Morgan and
Freddie Hubbard, he also admires such traditional jazzmen as Bobby Hackett.
Reminded that Hackett provided great back-up horn for Lee Wiley, Swana
acknowledged that he had not worked much with vocalists so far which is too
bad in a sense. He could bring that same kind of lyrical support to a good
jazz singer.
Like Bootsie, he is another of the Philadelphia area's home-grown jazz
guys. He was born in Norristown, took up trumpet at 11, started listening to
Al Hirt Records, went on to Dizzy with devotion, and even Bix, graduated from
Temple University, where he studied with the famous alto sax man Lee Konitz
and worked various local jazz clubs. As he explains it, "I got to sit in at
Gert's" (Gert's Lounge-now closed) and eventually "got to work with Bootise."
They go together like coffee and cake, beans and cornbread, all those good
things.
Swana has recorded with Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Benny Green and worked
with Freddie Hubbard, Eddie "Lockjaw "Davis, Clark Terry and Johnny Coles. He
has released several CDs as a leader in the past few years and is working
now on one for Criss Cross that features mostly original tunes with Bootsie
and the same fine rhythm section he has on the set Saturday night.
The father of a cute little two year old who could pass for Shirley
Temple, Swana teaches at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He
says that he loves working with Bootsie and would really love to play with
Larry McKenna. Many worry that Swana will sooner or later be leaving here for
New York, but, as John explains the feeling he has for Philly, "I just like
the town."
Read Vic Schermer's interview with John Swana.
