September marks the unofficial beginning of concert hall season. 2005-2006 seasonal highlights include performances by Willem Breuker’s Kollektief, Don Byron’s Ivey-Divey trio and the piano duos of Paul Bley-Frank Kimbrough and Uri Caine-Jason Moran at Merkin Hall; Zankel Hall’s jazz includes a tribute to Billie Holiday ("Billie and Me"), Dave Douglas’ Nomad, Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts and Bill Frisell’s 858 Quartet; while Jazz at Lincoln Center’s (JALC) large performance spaces - the Allen Room and Rose Hall - honor historic jazz metropolises Detroit, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and late this month Kansas City appropriately featuring Basie alum Frank Wess. And speaking of Basie and JALC, this month the second round of jazz masters are inducted into the Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame: Count Basie, Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Earl “Fatha" Hines, Johnny Hodges, Papa Jo Jones, Charles Mingus, King Oliver, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins and Fats Waller join the 13 already inducted.We also mark the anniversaries of two significant NYC jazz clubs. Jazz Gallery’s 10th celebrates with performances through December, getting off to a brassy head start with “The Trumpet Shall Sound" Festival with Roy Hargrove, Tom Harrell, Nicholas Payton and Marcus Belgrave. Sweet Rhythm’s 3rd year is marked with September appearances by Rashied Ali, Sonny Fortune, Robert Glasper, Curtis Fuller, Buster Williams and Don Byron.
So much to celebrate this month, though we certainly shouldn’t forget those who have recently passed, this year being heavy in that department - two legends in Lucky Thompson (see Lest We Forget, pg. 11) and Albert Mangelsdorff (see In Memoriam Tribute, pg. 12) recently left us their legacies. In addition, our well wishes go out to Shirley Horn and Michael Brecker, both who are ailing.
In the meantime, enjoy our “Drummer Issue", as we present to you three distinct stylists - Paul Motian (Cover Story), Louis Hayes (Interview Feature) and John Hollenbeck (Artist Feature), all of whom perform this month in our fair jazz metropolis.
See you at the shows...
Laurence Donohue-Greene & Andrey Henkin
For more information contact All About Jazz.
