Bud Shank: A Voice for the Ages

Jack Bowers

Senior Contributor since 1997

A former newspaper writer / editor who has been writing about big-band Jazz for more than fifteen years.

Recent articles (1,749 total)

Published: April 29, 2009

Also upcoming, the 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival celebrates the Joy of Jazz with legendary artists, classic tributes and young upstarts September 18-20, headlined by artists-in-residence Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Also, the Dave Brubeck Quartet celebrates the 50th anniversary of the album Time Out, Conrad Herwig's Latin Side All-Star Band plays the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane to mark the 50th anniversary of Kind of Blue and Giant Steps, while folk-singing legend Pete Seeger makes his MJF debut. Others set to perform include Joe Lovano, Hank Jones, John Patitucci, Jason Moran, Brian Blade, Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, John Scofield, Kurt Elling, Russell Malone, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and the Monterey Bay Jazz Orchestra. For more information, go to www.montereyjazzfestival.org

One Last Fond Farewell

Having opened this month's column with a salute to the great Bud Shank, we are saddened to end it with news of the passing of another superb alto saxophonist, Charlie Kennedy, who died April 3 at age eighty-one. Kennedy was a star in the 1940s with bands led by Gene Krupa, Louis Prima and Chubby Jackson. He was the featured soloist on such Krupa hits as "How High the Moon," "Disc Jockey Jump" and "I Should Have Kept on Dreaming," with Prima on "The White Cliffs of Dover," and with Jackson on "Flying the Coop," "Why Not" and "Father Knickerbopper." After moving to the West Coast in 1950, Kennedy played with Med Flory, the Bill Holman Band, and, most notably, with the Terry Gibbs Dream Band (1959-62). He was also active in the studios, playing on a number of films including My Fair Lady and West Side Story.

And that's it for now. Until next time, keep swingin...'!

New and Noteworthy

1. Mike Barone Big Band, Class of '68 (Rhubard Recordings)
2. Dutch Jazz Orchestra, Moon Dreams (Challenge)
3. Bob Mintzer Big Band, Swing Out (MCG Jazz)
4. National Youth Jazz Orchestra, When You're Ready (NYJO)
5. Vaughn Wiester, Dreams Come True (CoJazz)
6. Stan Kenton, Road Band '67 (Tantara Productions)
7. University of Toronto, Progression (UofT Jazz)
8. Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Song for Chico (Zoho)
9. Sound Assembly, Edge of the Mind (Beauport Jazz)
10. Central Washington University Jazz Band 1, In a Mellow Tone (Sea Breeze Vista)
11. Doncaster Jazz Orchestra, And Friends (DYJA)
12. Mike Holober & the Gotham Jazz Orchestra, Quake (Sunnyside)
13. Drake University Jazz Ensemble One, Across the Pond (Sea Breeze Vista)
14. Tom Dossett, Visiting Old Friends (no label)
15. Kutztown University Jazz Ensemble, The Best Is Yet to Come (Sea Breeze Vista)