Berkshire Jazz Fest: Sweet Sounds in the Mountains

Imagine it’s nestled in a beautiful mountain range in the middle of the summer and it’s pretty affordable. In this utopia, with its naturally relaxed style and presentation, it’s impossible for attendees not to unwind. Hell, if you want to camp out on the grounds and catch the music the next day, you’re invited for a nominal fee. You can also attend workshops by some of the artists, and kids can enjoy entertainment tailor-made for them

You’ve just imagined the Berkshire Jazz Festival at the Butternut Ski Basin in Great Barrington, MA. The third annual event took place July 25-27 with its usual array of outstanding performances. But light attendance threatens future editions. Attendance has suffered at various festivals and concerts across the board, not just jazz. Perhaps it’s a sign of the economic times. But it would be more than a pity if this festival, produced wonderfully by Jazz Forum Arts , died as a result. Mark Morganelli, Jazz Forum Arts executive director, is disheartened by the attendance. Without writing the obituary yet, here’s hoping little miracles are possible for this not-so-little gem, and the caring, respectful, congenial and genuine staff that is behind it.

The 2003 version of the fest was fun and cool and hip nonetheless, with singers as diverse as Giacomo Gates, Stephanie Nakasian and Roberta Gambarini, sax stalwarts like Jimmy Heath, Houston Person, Lou Donaldson and Donald Harrison, and trumpeters Claudio Roditi and Leroy Jones. Chico Hamilton’s band roared, sounding bigger than it was, and big band sounds came from Charlie Persip’s Big Band Bash.

It’s fitting this third edition was kicked off by the Richie Hart Trio, dubbed by Morganelli as the “hardest working group at the fest,” which is an understatement. Over the three years the group has capably backed singers and other musicians, doing a seamless job. Hart is a swinging and sweet mainstream guitarist with a bright sound. Bassist Rick Petrone is a hot bassist with a great tone and an fabulous ear for support, who can solo his ass off. Drummer Joe Corsello is a mirthful metronome, always on the money, tossing off interesting rhythms to suit whoever is out front.

The group kicked off the fest with “Days of Wine and Roses,” then stepped back to support bebop vocalist Gates and his bebop-influenced stylings, sort of Bob Dorough meets Jon Hendricks. Gates had never played with the trio, but the fit was right. “Route 66” was done very bluesy at a medium tempo and was very cool and slick. “Fly Right,” a restructuring of Monk’s “Epistrophy” was swinging and he nicely combined “Blue Skies” with “In Walked Bud.” “I Love You, Now Get Out” hit a humorous note. Gates bebop phrasing was savvy and seductive.

Houston Person’s set was typical, which is to say sweet. His syrupy tone and sexy phrasing are a nice change from today’s penchant for playing everything on the horn. Fat and mellow, his sound suited the afternoon. Another sax great, Jimmy Heath, played smooth, soulful bebop and blues. Heath may have lost some speed, but still plays with great style and taste. “I’m Glad There is You” was typical of how a musician has been around can still tell a story, with feeling and conviction. “Autumn Leaves” was reworked to a song called “Winter Sleeves” which Health poetically noted was done “So I can collect the royalties... For my melodies... Please.”

Donald “Duck” Harrison’s set was strange in that the band came out without their drummer. Harrison proceeded to explain that during his time with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, there were a few times when the leader didn’t make the gig on time if he was perhaps having too much fun the night before. He would call the nightclub and say, “Tell Duck to play until I get there.” Harrison then sat down and played drums for the band, with 20-year-old trumpeter Christian Scott holding down the front line – and in good fashion. The young trumpeter is a burner with a bright future. The band rolled through the classic “Moanin’” and some other tunes before Steve Jones sat in on drums, allowing Harrison to blow some alto. When drummer John Lampkin finally arrived, the band sailed through the rest of the set, which included some scat singing from Harrison. The group finished with what he called “bebop swing,” a scat/hip-hop funky and fun tune that melded some of today’s pop sounds with jazz, all to good effect.

In the ski lodge, 14-year-old Christian Sands led his piano trio, playing mainstream tunes with good touch and a nice feel for swing and the jazz dialect. There’s a lot of promise there, but young artists are usually hyped up too soon, leaving many to crash and burn at an age when they should still be discovering who they are. Youth may draw some attention, but hopefully the jury will disband and let this youngster try and fulfill some of the promise he now shows.

Among the highlights again was Gambarini, the spectacular Italian-born singer who has been on the US scene for a few years, but is still on the fringe. It causes one to scratch one’s head in wonder as to why this lady with the beautiful vocal instrument is not better known. Not only is she a fine singer, she has the looks and charm that PR machines seem to like, since they spend a lot of time pumping up less-talented singers who look good, as if a sexy CD cover is going to make up for mediocre talent. (It doesn’t)

Gambarini performed in the lodge/club and on the main stage with the Richie Hart Trio doing their usual fine job. She doesn’t just swing, she sings bebop phrasing too, with interesting melodic and dynamic twists and turns. She sings with heart, like on “Lush Life,” and sweet innocence, like “Everything Happens to Me.” She can also burn (“Lover, Come Back to Me”) and scat intricate vocalese (“Sunny Side of the Street) including an uncanny trumpet imitation in which she “plays” intricate bebop runs as well as soft melodic passages. Her medley from Porgy and Bess, “Bess, You is My Woman Now,” and “I Love You Porgy” is poignant and passionate, leaving the audience hanging on the words and the feeling. Not an easy task.

On Day 2, the Gambarini group was joined by trumpeter Claudio Roditi, who blended in just fine and provided sweet fills that accentuated the vocals and gave a nice spark to the proceedings. Gambarini is a sparkling talent.

A trip up to the lodge found a jam session in progress that featured the Hart trio with Gates and the fine vocalist Stephanie Nakasian jamming on “How High the Moon” in a fun and swinging fashion. Jams like these add great spirit to the festival. Writers who witnessed the earliest days at the original Newport event speak as reverentially about jam sessions at parties, often started up by people like Gerry Mulligan, as they do the staged shows. The fun these two artists were having was infectious.

Roditi’s group opened Day 2, with the leader playing not only trumpet and flugelhorn, but also some piano. “Birks' Works” was a tip of the hat to Dizzy and Duke Jordan’s “No Problem” cooked with a Latin beat. There were other Latin numbers tossed in by the Brazilian, who played with intelligence and heart. He ended by having Morganelli sit in on flugelhorn as the two bounced around on “Speak Low.” Both are outstanding players and they deftly trading phrases and put a great finishing touch to the set.

Chico Hamilton’s group kept the fires going, cranking out different takes on tunes like “Freddie Freeloader,” “Angel Eyes,” and Duke selections like “Satin Doll,” “Caravan” and “A-Train”. His band often sounded bigger than two horns, guitar and bass. Guitarist Cary DeNegris showed supple fingers in bringing many of the tunes alive, and Evan Swan blew hot tenor sax. Hamilton always pleases. He puts just the right rhythms into each vehicle with a relatively plaintiff style.

Trumpeter Leroy Jones brought a young band, all from his native New Orleans, to the day, playing music largely from the Crescent City, or at least influenced by it. Most of it was retro swing – “Pennies from Heaven,” “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans.” It seemed too retro for a group that young and Jones trumpet was choppy. It might behoove a young man like Jones to lighten up on the old stuff, leave it to bands like the Preservation Hall Jazz Band which opened the festival on Friday night, and go check out fellow trumpeter Russell Gunn.

Altoist Lou Donaldson opened his fest-closing set with his well-known standard “Blues Walk” and never looked back. The set burned with bebop, bristled with blues and had a good dash of humor as well. Pianist Mike LeDonne and guitarist Richard Johnston were superb in support and in their solos, crisp and crackling. The band played Bird and other standards, including Donaldson originals, with the saxophonist eating up the material. He interspersed humorous commentary in between most numbers, including a comical take on Viagara leading into a spicy blues. As a guest, vocalists George Johnson provided a couple of vocalese numbers in an Eddie Jefferson-influenced style that included “Now’s the Time.” It was sassy and hip a the same time. It was a letdown for the set to end.

The future of this fine festival may be in jeopardy, but its artistic track record is one Morganelli, his hard-working wife Ellen, and the rest of the staff can be proud of. The group can also be proud that it brought a very different sense of relaxation and serenity, even family, to the event with its easy, yet professional approach to producing it. Jazz Forum Arts produces a myriad of other fine jazz events in the New York City area, and folks would do well to check them out.. Maybe they can catch a miracle for the future of the Berkshire event. Imagine that.

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