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Dizzy's Dream
by Nick Catalano
In 1945, after he and Charlie Parker had concluded the initial phase of the bebop revolution, Dizzy Gillespie fulfilled a lifelong wish by starting a big band. The time was certainly not propitious and, after a few months, Dizzy had to disperse his aggregation and return to small group club gigs. Once again he teamed up ...
Steve Kuhn and Nancy Wilson
by Nick Catalano
This month we salute two veterans of the jazz wars who are setting new standards after a lifetime of excellence. Steve Kuhn is one of those individuals who has never received his due despite associations (Miles Davis, Stan Getz, John Coltrane) which alone would have long ago placed him in the hall of fame. ...
The View from the Bandstand
by Nick Catalano
Much discussion has occupied the role of the jazz writer who is also a musician. Many have argued that writers who play have unique opportunities to contribute to the development of the music while others (usually those who don't play) steadfastly maintain that musicianship is definitely not a prerequisite for credentials as a jazz journalist. I ...
Memoirs: Mike Zwerin and Charles Cochran
by Nick Catalano
Two septuagenarian memoirs--a book by a Paris based jazz writer and a CD by a Palm Beach singer/pianist occupy us this month. Their retrospectives on American jazz and standards offer us much food for thought. Mike Zwerin gave up his status as CEO of a steel company to play jazz trombone, winding up in Europe eventually ...
Michel Camilo on a Blue Note Tour
by Nick Catalano
Well over 16 years ago I reviewed a young pianist from the Dominican Republic unknown to New York audiences. He was in an all-star concert at Town Hall and from the downbeat of the first selection I knew I was in for something special. By playing clever rhythm figures in unison with his bassist and drummer ...
Scott Joplin: The Evolution
by Nick Catalano
Although his work has received attention since his death in 1916, the full scope of Scott Joplin's genius has not been revealed. His enormous popularity as a Ragtime king from the 1890's through the 1st decade of the 20th century has been chronicled from time to time and his rag composition The Entertainer is still hummable ...
Los Angeles: Central Avenue Breakdown
by Nick Catalano
A few years ago I was talking to veteran L.A. tenormen Teddy Edwards and Harold Land while preparing to host a “Jazz Talk" show at Lincoln Center. Teddy, the elder statesman, was referencing old time musicians who worked in the clubs along L.A.'s Central Avenue and Harold mentioned that he had never heard of them. I ...
Tributes to Joe Henderson
by Nick Catalano
The legacy of tenor statesman Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937-June 30, 2001) has awakened considerable recent interest in Gotham as many musicians of note are busily re-examining his styles, compositions and recordings. Tenorist Javon Jackson led the latest group tribute to Henderson last week at the Jazz Standard. Another celebration will follow quickly on Feb.7 when ...
Paquito D
by Nick Catalano
The sound of Latin music reached well beyond the traditional salsa-based rhythmic stylings that jazz fans are used to in a unique, adventurous performance last week at Dizzy's Club Coca-cola. Paquito D'Rivera brought his latest aggregation “Panamericana to Gotham's hottest jazz room and scored a resounding triumph with music that dug deeply into classical-folk forms from ...
A Few Magical Days in the Life of a Jazz Writer
by Nick Catalano
I'm working on a new book, some contents of which involve my music writing during the past twenty years or so. Readers often ask me to describe the day to day activity of a music journalist here in Gotham and several chapters in this forthcoming book address these requests. What follows is a sampling of typical ...
