Three Wishes

The Baroness asked Clarence “C” Sharpe what his three wishes would be if they could be granted:

  1. “That’s a big thing! Let’s see. My First wish is to have – this is going to sound rather square – love between all men.”
  2. “The second is musical success for my wife and myself.”
  3. “And for the third, I’d like to be able to leave something of musical validity to the world.”

*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter

SUITE TABU 200

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Nancy Harrow was born October 3, 1930 in New York City, New York and studied classical piano beginning at age seven, then decided to pursue careers in dancing and singing.

In 1961 Nancy released her debut album Wild Women Don’t Have The Blues for Candid Records. It featured Kenny Burrell, Buck Clayton, Dickie Wells, and Milt Hinton. Her sophpomore album for Atlantic Records two years later titled You Never Know featured John Lewis, Dick Katz, Phil Woods, Jim Hall, Richard Davis, and Connie Kay. She then left music to raise a family.

Since her return in 1975 she has worked with Katz and Woods, Clark Terry, Roland Hanna, and Bob Brookmeyer. She recorded albums based on The Lost Lady by Willa Cather, The Marble Faun by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Winter Dreams, based on the life of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Two of Harrow’s songs have been adapted, one to a puppet show and one to The Cat Who Went to Heaven, based on a story by Elizabeth Coatsworth. The latter had short New York City runs at the Mercer Street Theater, the Asia Society, the Harlem School of the Arts, the Kennedy Center and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Singer and songwriter Nancy Harrow, who has recorded eighteen albums as a leader on a collaboration  with John Lewis, continues to perform and record.

BRONZE LENS

More Posts: ,,,,,,,

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Kobi Yakob Arad was born on October 2, 1981 and raised in Haifa, Israel. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Tel Aviv University and became the first musician to earn a doctorate in contemporary improvisation and third stream from the New England Conservatory of Music.

While living in Israel, Kobi participated as a keyboardist in a trio with Asaf Sirkis and Gabriel Mayer in the 1990s. He collaborated with Stevie Wonder and his manager Stephanie Andrews at the Berklee Performance Center in 2005.

Between 2009 and 2015 Arad released Sparks of Understanding, The Experience Project, Webern Re-Visioned, and Superflow which is a collaboration with Roy Ayers, featuring bassist Jonathan Levy.

He went on to record a tribute album Ellington Upside Down with the Kobi Arad Band. The album’s mashup of “Take The ‘A’ Train” and “It Ain’t Mean a Thing” was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental at the 17th Independent Music Awards in 2019. His album Segments went on to win Best Jazz Instrumental in the album category at the same event.

In 2021 he won the Independent Music Artist award in Best Jazz for his performance of Thelonious Monk’s Bemsha Swing at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Pianist, vocalist, composer, and music producer Kobi Arad, who has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Cindy and Carlos Santana, and Jack DeJohnette, continues to perform and record.

More Posts: ,,,,,,,

Requisites

MOOD INDIGO | FRANK MORGAN

Mood Indigo is an album recorded by saxophonist Frank Morgan on June 26 & 27, 1989. It was released on the Antilles label. It was recorded at RCA Recording Studios, Studio C in New York City.

The altoist contributed two compositions among the twelve he selected among the array of standards by the best in the business. Being members of the quintet that Morgan put together for this date, Cables and Williams were also invited to contribute one song each.

Morgan chose not to drag out the album with lengthy solos, rather opting to deliver an honest and sensitive interpretation of these popular songs. This approach kept the album under an hour.

SONGS | 49:03

  1. Lullaby (George Cables) – 1:29
  2. This Love Of Mine (Hank Sanicola, Sol Parker, Frank Sinatra) – 6:36
  3. In A Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington) – 4:18
  4. Bessie’s Blues (John Coltrane) – 8:59
  5. A Moment Alone (Buster Williams) – 1:46
  6. Mood Indigo” (Ellington) – 5:59
  7. Up Jumped Spring (Freddie Hubbard) – 4:58
  8. Polka Dots and Moonbeams (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 4:29
  9. We Three Blues (Frank Morgan) – 6:55
  10. ‘Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) – 6:55
  11.  Lullaby (Cables) – 1:36
  12.  Gratitude (Morgan) – 0:35

THE BAND

  • Frank Morgan – alto saxophone, voice (tracks 1–4 & 6–12)
  • Wynton Marsalis – trumpet (tracks 4 & 6)
  • George Cables (tracks 1, 3, 8, 10 & 11), Ronnie Mathews (tracks 2, 4, 6 & 7) – piano
  • Buster Williams (tracks 2, 4–7, 9 & 10) – bass
  • Al Foster (tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 & 10) – drums

PRODUCTION

  • John Snyder – producer
  • Joe Lopes – engineer

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Johnny Meijer was born Jan Cornelis Meijer on October 1, 1912 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  Widely recognized as a virtuoso jazz accordionist not only did he play popular songs but also fast swing numbers. In 1974 he recorded the Dutch Swing College Band’s Johnny Goes Dixie LP, which went gold.

He will also be remembered for his proficiency with classical and folk music in his native city.  was typically seen during performances with a cigar in his mouth. He was a major influence on French accordionist Richard Galliano.

Unfortunately, due to his short temper and drinking, during the last years of his life, Meijer was rarely invited to play large performances, mainly in connection with his short temper and his drinking, the King of the Accordion saw out his final days mostly in silence, occasionally playing weddings and parties.

The subject of a film, Amsterdam erected a statue to the musician. Accordionist Johnny Meijer, who celebrated his 75th birthday at the North Sea Jazz Festival, transitioned on January 8, 1992 in Amsterdam.

BRONZE LENS

More Posts: ,,,,

       Newer Posts »
© Notorious Jazz 2024