March came in like a lion in Albuquerque with no less than four blue-chip jazz concerts in the first five days, three of which I attended, passing on the first (the Charlie Christian Charlie Christian
1916 - 1942
guitar, electric Project featuring guitarist Michael Anthony Michael Anthony
and trumpeter Bobby Shew Bobby Shew
b.1941
trumpet at The Outpost Performance Space) because Betty and I had seen basically the same concert when it debuted last May. On March 2, I was at the Jazzbah nightclub in downtown Albuquerque to see and hear the superb alto saxophonist Bobby Watson and singer Lisa Henry Lisa Henry
, both from Kansas City, backed by a quintet of precocious teens from the New World School of the Arts in Miami, FL. Saturday evening was reserved for a performance at the acoustically friendly African-American Performing Arts Center by the University of New Mexico's Jazz Band 1 with guest trumpeter Tony Lujan Tony Lujan
, the following Monday, March 5, for a concert at Manzano High School by the spit-shined U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors. Betty and I used the Sunday "day off" to drive to the Guild Theatre for an afternoon showing of the marvelous animated film from Cuba, Chico and Rita, whose impressive score (by Cuba's legendary pianist Bebo Valdes Bebo Valdes
1918 - 2013
piano ) incorporates music by jazz greats from Charlie Parker Charlie Parker
1920 - 1955
sax, alto , Dizzy Gillespie Dizzy Gillespie
1917 - 1993
trumpet and Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk
1917 - 1982
piano to Woody Herman Woody Herman
1913 - 1987
band/orchestra , Tito Puente Tito Puente
1923 - 2000
band/orchestra and Ben Webster Ben Webster
1909 - 1973
sax, tenor .

Bobby Watson's performance marked the end of a week-long visit to Albuquerque and Santa Fe sponsored by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles during which Watson, Henry and their young companions presented a series of clinics and concerts at middle schools and high schools, accompanied by Dr. J.B. Dyas, vice president for education and curriculum development at the Monk Institute. The Institute sponsors a Jazz Combo program at the New World School of the Arts designed to help further the education of Miami's most gifted high school music students. At the Jazzbah, the NWSA quintet opened the program, appropriately enough, with Monk's "I Mean You" and continued with Lee Konitz Lee Konitz
b.1927
sax, alto 's "Subconscious-Lee" before introducing Henry who delighted the capacity audience with "Desafinado," Body and Soul" and "Summertime" (the last two accompanied only by bassist Jose Albizu-Campos). Watson, who doubles as director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, closed the first set (I couldn't stay for the second) with three of his own compositions ("Country Cornflakes," "Lemoncello," "ETA") and Duke Ellington Duke Ellington
1899 - 1974
piano 's "In a Sentimental Mood," showing clearly why he is one of the country's (and the world's) most celebrated alto saxophonists. Firmly concealing any sign of nerves, the students from NWSA more than held their own, backing Watson and Henry with poise and soloing capably when called upon. Besides Albizu-Campos (age 16), the group consisted of David Leon (18), alto and tenor sax; Harley Basadre (18), guitar; Antonio Madruga (17), piano; and Chris Edwards (18), drums. It was a memorable experience for them, and a splendid treat for those who came to see and hear them perform.

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