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Jazz Articles about Rodney Whitaker
Tim Mayer: Keeper of the Flame
by Jack Bowers
On Keeper of the Flame, Tim Mayer, a Bostonian who now calls Mexico home, leads a sharp, swinging group of like-minded amigos on a (mostly) octet studio date enriched by Diego Rivera's colorful arrangements. Mayer plays tenor sax on half a dozen tracks, soprano sax on “Bye Bye Blackbird" and “Get Organized," alto flute on “Elusive." Mayer's tenor spans a bridge from early John Coltrane to George Coleman, Joe Henderson, Bob Mintzer and other post-bop patriarchs with a dash of ...
Continue ReadingRodney Whitaker: Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Paul Rauch
Bassist Rodney Whitaker grew out of the Detroit jazz tradition, paying dues along the way on the road with the likes of Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis and Kenny Garrett. His hard-driving style personifies modern post-bop jazz, with his dedication to tradition acting as a catalyst rather than a deterrent from innovation. On Outrospection, Whitaker continues his work with under-the-radar, Michigan composer Gregg Hill. The two first collaborated on Whitaker's Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill ...
Continue ReadingRodney Whitaker with the Christ Church Cranbrook Choir: Cranbrook Christmas Jazz
by Troy Dostert
Bassist Rodney Whitaker has been a huge presence in Michigan jazz for decades, with his leadership of the Michigan State University jazz program complementing his many other projects and giving him the opportunity to mentor upcoming generations of jazz talent. He has become a crucial ambassador for the music as well, with community outreach being a critical aspect of his mission. One of his most essential endeavors has been his status since 2015 as Artist in Residence at Christ Church ...
Continue ReadingSencalar/Glassman Quintet: Realization
by Hrayr Attarian
Altin Sencalar and Chris Glassman were classmates in graduate school at Michigan State University (MSU) where they were both trombonist MIchael Dease's proteges. When they decided to release their debut, the exciting Realization, their mentor produced the record, contributed a tune and made a guest appearance on the opening track. For this bop-based session Sencalar and Glassman recruited a band of both up-and-coming and established musicians. The result is a very cohesive quintet/sextet which effortlessly, and with supreme ...
Continue ReadingRodney Whitaker: When We Find Ourselves Alone
by Dan Bilawsky
Bassist Rodney Whitaker is often cited for his affiliations rather than his own work. That's a shame, as it takes attention away from some wonderful music that he's put out under his own name, but it's easy to understand why that's the case. He anchored trumpeter Roy Hargrove's band for a while, ballasted and buoyed Wynton Marsalis's Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra during his stint with that acclaimed organization, and connected with drummer Carl Allen for a pair of exciting ...
Continue ReadingRodney Whitaker: Winter Moon
by John Kelman
Bringing together three like-minded artists who are leaders in their own right, bassist Rodney Whitaker delivers Winter Moon , his most assured and focused release to date. With a sense of swing that permeates the entire session, this is post bop that is reverential but still manages to say something new.
Having left the Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra to pursue his own career, Whitaker is clearly developing as a composer and band leader. Bringing back saxophonist Ron Blake, ...
Continue ReadingVarious: Thank You, Joe!
by AAJ Staff
Arkadia has a good thing going for it: tribute albums. Interestingly, Thank You, Joe! is Arkadia's first CD of appreciation extended to a living jazz legend. Previous honorees have included John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Gerry Mulligan.Thank goodness that Arkadia had the insight to honor Henderson. Such a tribute raises the question, however, of how many other living jazz innovators should be honored: Lucky Thompson, Ray Brown, Dave Brubeck, Jon Hendricks, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Horace Silver, Roy ...
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