November 2002

Philly Jazz
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By Donald True Van Deusen

The jazz picture brightens up Philadelphia with on-going shows at the Kimmel Center and various club dates all over town for the next two weeks. The Terence Blanchard Septet along with the Jason Moran Trio were at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater, Broad and Spruce Streets Nov. 2 and Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis are at its Verizon Hall Nov. Nov. 8. Tickets for Nov. 2 show, at 7:30 p.m. were $40 and for Nov. 8, at 8 p.m., are $18 to $62 (215.893.1999).

Marian McPartland was back at the Pa. Convention Center, 13th and Cherry Streets, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. for just $20 (215.569.8080). The Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet was at Chris¹ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, Nov. 2 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. for a $12 admission (215.568.3131) and played to a packed house. And, Jimi Odell, a sweet singing jazz guitarist from Virginia who hangs his hat in Philadelphia these days is at the Manayunk Brewery on Main St. in Manayunk Nov. 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for Sunday brunch. Blanchard, a modern jazz trumpet titan from New Orleans, worked with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, provided the music soundtrack for films such as "Mo' Better Blues" and worked on stage with jazz great Sonny Rollins. He was cited by Down Beat's 2000 poll as artist of the year and his new widely praised new CD Let's Get Lost features such top level jazz vocalists as Diana Krall and Cassandra Wilson. He loves working concerts and is looking forward to appearing at the Kimmel. He said in a phone interview from New Orleans, "It's a chance to express yourself musically, working with great musicians and entertaining an audience, all at the same time." He noted that his CD with songs by nearly forgotten pop music creator Jimmy McHugh came about when he, "wanted to do a record of standards" and noticed the appealing tunes, "all had the same composer." His show at the Kimmel Center could have used a bit more of McHugh.

Jason Moran is a young jazz piano man whose distinctive style has been deservervedly praised by various jazz critics including Garry Giddins in the Village Voice Oct. 17, 2001, who wrote, "At 26, he's good news for jazz's future." His performance at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall was a delightful joy with touches of Ellington, Brahms and some avant garde excursions that still swung with the best of them. For someone just out of high school 12 years ago, he does indeed give you faith in the future of jazz.

Vocalist Nancy Wilson and pianist Ramsey Lewis are well established major jazz stars as is pianist and NPR jazz radio hostess, Marian McPartland, appropriately called "Queen of the Keyboard." She will be working with Gary Mazzaroppi on bass and Glenn Davis on drums.

Rosenwinkel, a Mount Airy native, worked with Paul Motions Electric Be Bop Band and toured with the late Joe Henderson and alto sax man Joshua Redmond. He will be backed at Chris' by Ethan Iverson, piano¹ Ben Street, bass and Jeff Ballard on drums. Odell has worked most of the Philadelphia area clubs for the past dozen years. He is at the Trax Cafe in the commuter train station on Butler Pike in Ambler from 6 to 9:30 p.m. every Thursday and scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10 appearances at the Cape May, N.J. Jazz Festival.