Who Knew? Jazz History in An Unlikely Place

The wonderful thing about jazz is that you never know when you will have the opportunity to witness history. It can be at a concert, or a setting as routine as a jam session. Even a simple conversation can be very enlightening.
I consider myself reasonably familiar with the jazz happenings globally, and uniquely familiar with jazz happenings locally in Cincinnati and the Midwest. So, clearly I did not expect history at the Sunday jam session at Ballet-Tech Cincinnati this past Sunday.
First, some background. I have described the Sunday jam session at the Ballet-Tech Cincinnati in a previous blog (Kids: The Future of Jazz). On this Sunday, the moderators announced that there would be local Cincinnati jazz legends in attendance.
The usual scene was present; great local players playing with the group and several incredibly talented youngsters holding court. A very nice happening overall.
However, during this session, a Cincinnati Jazz legend was called to the stage. What was unusual was that this particular lady, Jay Albright, was a national jazz icon living anonymously in Cincinnati!

Ms Albright grew up in Harlem, NY. She told personal accounts of Billie Holiday befriending her; helping her gain admission to the Apollo Theater, and helping her career in the early days. She also told of her group "Three Dukes and a Duchess"; how this group and the players were helped and encouraged by Max Roach and others in the Harlem jazz scene at the time; and how Charlie Parker and other luminaries were common fixtures in their life.
And then...she sat down at the keyboards and played! Her daughter accompanied her on the drums. It was abundantly clear that she had distilled all the influences and experiences in her playing. Her phrasing; her nuanced, logical, intuitive playing; not flashy, but compelling nonetheless, was quite revealing. Thoroughly wonderful!
The duo played an unknown original, and two standards: "Summertime" and "Take The A Train". These two songs were punctuated by her daughter "Punky" doing a superb job on drums and vocals. The duo joined the jam session group for "Now's The Time".
At the end of their time on stage, I asked her daughter "Punky" where they were playing locally; she explained they mostly do private parties in town....
Someone with such compelling history, talent, and still so much to give being relegated to the cocktail party circuit is sad indeed. Perhaps that will change soon.

This episode reminds me of my time in college at The University of Virginia several (LOL) years ago. At the time, I was the director of jazz music for the campus radio station WUVA; I had a Sunday afternoon jazz show for three years. During one of my many forays to the local record shop (Back Alley Records), I met a gentleman named George "Big Nick" Nicholas. He was the man John Coltrane wrote the song about. Big Nick was living in obscurity in a small apartment on Jefferson Avenue in Charlottesville, Va. We used to listen to many records; he was particularly fond of a singer named Mabel Mercer. He told me great stories about Dizzy Gillespie's big band, Billie Holiday, and others during that time.
I eventually did an interview with him on my radio show; he began to play the Tenor sax again and was invited to give a seminar in my jazz studies class at the university. Much later I learned he eventually went back to New York, and recorded again! He influenced another generation of Tenor sax players....
Jazz history, in obscurity in Charlottesville Va. Who knew?

So, if you have the opportunity to go to a jam session, visit a record store, or go to a concert, you just might be exposed to jazz history!

The Art of The Jazz Trio

Jazz music historically has been played by musicians in a variety of group configurations, from individual solo performances and duos, to large orchestras, and big bands. The main tenets of the music throughout the years have been preserved in true jazz regardless of the configuration of the group or the variation of the musicians involved. The key determining factor has been the ability for the musician to interpret the song in their own voice; through improvisation or unique stylistic expression.
In the largest groups (big bands, for example) group identity is recognizable, although individuals are celebrated as well. In the best jazz trios, there is also a "group sound", but it is more heavily influenced by the individual performers.
When most jazz aficionados think of a jazz trio, the piano/bass/drums configuration comes to mind. However, there are many other types of trios that produce compelling music; the Eddie Bayard trio, with Eddie Brookshire on Bass, and Mark Lomax on Drums performed a wonderful concert a couple of years ago at the Hyatt jazz series. Late Tenorist Jimmy McGary had a wonderful trio with Wayne Yeager on Organ and Bobby Scott on Drums.
More recently, (two weeks ago), the Deep Blue Organ Trio performed a wonderful set at The Redmoor.
The Organ trio concept is unique in the fact that two out of the three instruments featured are traditionally used in jazz for chord structure and melody, not rhythm or pace. The organist supplies the bass lines; this provides for expanded possibilities for the organ and guitar to contribute.
Willie Smart, the drummer from the Ballettech Sunday jazz jam session said it best about the Deep Blue Organ Trio: "look in the dictionary for the definition of the jazz trio and you will see The Deep Blue Organ Trio".
Well, what makes a good true jazz trio? There are a lot of trios that sound like three individual musicians playing individually. The best trios are by musicians who first understand the concept of the group, and are able to mesh their individual brilliance within the confines of the group. Yet maintaining their individuality. Like any cohesive working group, there must be a general familiarity with each member, and there must be trust in the ability and decision making of each member. There also must be a willingness to provide support for each other; that translates to a "good vibe" for the listener. A disjointed trio sounds fractured; even the most casual listener can determine when there is friction within the group.
This was what was so great about the Deep Blue Organ Trio; their collective sound and the way the members worked together (Bobby Broom, Chris Foreman, and Gene Rockingham), it was clear they possessed all of the best attributes of a great working trio. It was a beautiful show; the music was as complex and rewarding as any show that I have heard.

In my opinion, the organ trio concept produces some of the most compelling music, regardless of size of the group, in jazz today.

There have been many organ jazz trio groups in the history of jazz; some of the best groups were led by very familiar organists; Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Dr Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, and Joey DeFrancesco to name a few.
Here is an example of the Jimmy Smith Trio playing "The Sermon":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqSLoxwkCYE
Quentin Warren, Guitar; Billy Hart, Drums.
Very complex music from a trio.

This is The Deep Blue Organ Trio in performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZflF4c7Mdk

So, the next time you have the opportunity to hear a great organ trio, don't miss it. you will be glad you took the time!
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