Gig Talk 3/20-23

The snow is melting, the daffodils are pushing up through the puddles alongside the house, and the Spring 2015 Concert Series at Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street in New Haven, begins this Friday March 20.  Bassist/composer Ben Wolfe brings his Quartet to the performance venue; his new Posi-Tone recording "The Whisperer" features 3 of the 4 musicians on the CD including Wolfe, saxophonist Stacy Dillard and drummer Donald Edwards. Pianist Orrin Evans, who is celebrating his 40th birthday playing in Philadelphia, can't make the show but Anthony Wonsey, an equally talented person at the keys, will join the proceedings.  The music on the CD is absorbing, with Dillard's soprano sax work exhilarating at times.

The Ben Wolfe Quartet plays 2 sets - 8:30 and 10 p.m. - for ticket information, go to firehouse12.com or call 203-785-0468.

On Friday night, the Hartford Jazz Society presents the duo of Ethan Iverson (piano) and Ron Carter (bass) for an evening of standards, jazz classics and originals from the bassist. Many people know Iverson from his work with The Bad Plus and his informative blog Do The Math but he is also a student of the music he plays with such gusto. The pianist also enjoys working with musicians who have left their mark on contemporary African American as one can hear in the trio he co-leads with drummer Alfred "Tootie" Heath and bassist Ben Street plus his work with drummer Billy Hart. As for Ron Carter, he has been playing for for over 50 years, working with trumpeter Miles Davis's mid-1960s Quintet and appearing on nearly 2,500 recordings! He leads with a Trio and a Big Band and is great demand for workshops and seminars.

The concert takes place at the Polish National Home, 60 Charter Oak Avenue in Hartford. Opening the show at 7 p.m. will be the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Jazz Ensemble.  Messrs. Carter and Iverson should begin at 8 p.m.  For more information, go to www.hartfordjazzsociety.com/2015-iverson-carter.html.

To call Thana Alexa a singer-songwriter is to diminish her talents.  She's also a vocal instrumentalist, a poet, and an arranger. Her debut recording "Ode To Heroes" (Jazz Village/Harmonia Mundi) is out now (nearly 3 years after the tracks were recorded) and she will celebrating the release this Friday (3/20) at The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme. 3 of the musicians on the recording will be supporting her, including drummer/producer Antonio Sanchez, bassist Jorge Roeder and pianist Sergio Salvatore; also appearing will be saxophonist Ben Flocks.

Ms. Alexa is a native of New York City yet was raised in Croatia. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music from the New School in New York City. She has recorded with Sanchez on his critically-acclaimed "New Life" CD and with guitarist Gene Ess on his "Fractal Attraction" album.  Ms. Alexa has also worked with guitarist Julian Lage, pianist Junior Mance, and drummer Brnard "Pretty" Purdie among many others.  Her new CD is a delightful blend of original pieces, recognizable instrumental tunes that Ms. Alexa had written lyrics for ("The Wanderer" uses the melody of Charles Mingus's "Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat" while "Trace Back Your Footprints" uses Wayne Shorter's "Footprints") and fine arrangement of Paul Desmond's "Take Five" with lyrics by Dave & Iola Brubeck.  Several of the songs are so rhythmically exciting, led by the the drummer's super drumming. Her vocals, at times, remind this listener of the work of Gretchen Parlato.   One of the best parts of this music is how Ms. Alexa interacts with the band, especially with Sanchez.

That interaction should be on display at The Side Door. The doors open at 7:30 and the first set begins at 8:30 p.m.  For more information, call 860-434-0886 or go to thesidedoorjazz.com.  

On Saturday, The Side Door welcomes bassist and Hartford native Dezron Douglas (pictured left - no, it's not Red Sox slugger David Ortiz) and his talented quartet. Douglas, who has appeared on numerous recordings the past several years and is a member of the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, is joined by pianist David Bryant, alto saxophonist Lummie Spann and drummer Jeremy "Bean" Clemons.  One should expect this music to be swinging and fun as Mr. Douglas has a big, thick, tone, the saxophonist a lively sound and Bryant is an exciting young pianist.

As above, the first set commences at 8:30.  As I have stated before, The Side Door is an intimate space and allows a great view into the creative process.  And, you should take the time to meet the musicians.

photo by Eric LaCour 

Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, who spent his formative years in New Haven, returns home this Saturday night (3/21) to perform at the 9th Note, 56 Orange Street.  Mr. Escoffery, who is a member of the Mingus Big Band and has been a member of trumpeter Tom Harrell's Quintet, has been celebrating his 40th birthday with a series of gigs throughout Europe.  Not sure who's in the group (he usually plays with a quartet) but the music begins at 8 p.m. He's both a lyrical and muscular player plus he writes very involving music.  To find out more about the 9th Note, go to www.the9thnote.com.  To learn more about Wayne Escoffery, go to www.escofferymusic.com.

On Monday March 23, the Uncertainty Music Series welcomes the trio of Jack Wright (saxophone), Zachary Darrup (guitar) and Michael Evans (percussion) to Never Ending Books, 810 State Street in New Haven. Mr. Wright has been involved in improvised music for over 4 decades (with time out for a lengthy sabbatical during which he painted and wrote) while Mr. Evans leads the Swirling Lotus Blossom Bandits Band, a sextet dedicated to playing Kwela music from South Africa as well as the music of Sun Ra and Howlin' Wolf.  Zack Darrup has been working with the saxophonist for several years, blending his amplified guitar sounds with the visceral playing of his mentor.

Opening the show at 8 p.m. will be a solo set featuring clarinetist Matt Ingalls.  Not only is he a fine improvising musician (having worked with Anthony Braxton, Meredith Monk and a host of San Fransisco Bay Area improvisers, Mr. Ingalls is a noted software designer.  To find out more about him, go to mattingalls.com.

For more information about the Uncertainty Music Series, go to uncertaintymusic.com.

3 Trios Live This Weekend

Bill Charlap, son of vocalist Sandy Stewart and composer Mark "Moose" Charlap (best known for writing the music for the Broadway production of "Peter Pan"), is one of the most articulate pianists on the contemporary jazz scene.  In 1997, he formed a Trio with Kenny Washington (bass) and Peter Washington (drums) and has recorded 6 albums with them, everything from the songs of Leonard Bernstein to George Gershwin and many standards.  (It should be noted that the pianist records for Japan's Venus Records with bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Stewart with a similar repertoire.)  He has also released 2 CDs with his Mother plus 1 with his wife, fellow pianist Renee Rosnes. He has such a lovely touch, his ballad work second-to-none, plus he can swing with the best of them.

Bill Charlap and the Washingtons (they are not related by blood but by their mastery) come to The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme this Friday (3/13). If you love piano trios, do not miss the opportunity to see and hear this ensemble in action.  Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the first set at 8:30.
For more information, go to thesidedoorjazz.com or call 860-434-0886.

On Saturday, The Side Door welcomes the Bobby Broom Trio.  Broom, a native of New York City, has performed with saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Stanley Turpentine as well as with Dr. John but has been touring with his own group for several decades.  He's recorded for Criss Cross and Premonition Records but, since 2007's "Song and Dance", he has been on Seattle's Origin Records (he also created the Deep Blue Organ Trio, an ensemble with 2 recordings on Origin, but they disbanded 2 years ago).

His Trio includes long-time associate Dennis Carroll on bass and new member Greg Artry on drums.  Their material covers lots of musical territory; lately, the group has been focussing on the work of great guitarists such as Kenny Burrell.  Call the number above for ticket reservations.

Keyboard artist Brian Charette, who hails from Meriden, CT, will be close to home this Saturday night (3/14) when he brings his Mighty Grinders trio to the 9th Note Jazz Supper Club, 56 Orange Street in New Haven.  Charette is a wonderful organist who started out as a pianist but, upon moving to New York City, discovered he could get more gigs as an organist.  So, he bought a Hammond and locked himself in his apartment until he had figured out the instrument; now, he is one of the most in-demand players on the scene.  Besides the Grinders - guitarist Will Bernard and drummer Eric Kalb - Charette leads his Organ Sextette, an ensemble with organ, drums and 4 reed players.  His most recent CDs are on Posi-Tone Records (2014's "Square One" is highly recommended) and on Steeplechase (there are 2 CDs by the Sextette plus a solo date and a Trio CD).

To find out more about the organist and his music, go to www.briancharette.com.   For reservations to the gig, call the 9th Note at 203-691-9918.  You can also check them out at www.the9thnote.com.