Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Peter Curtis was born on April 24, 1970. His formal education bestowed a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music, a Masters of Music from Yale University, and a Doctor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance and Literature with minor fields in Ethnomusicology and Music History from Indiana University.
He has performed or recorded with Claudia Acuna, Lynn Arriale, Seamus Blake, Don Braden, James Carter, Freddy Cole, Barbra Morrison, Eldad Tarmu and Ron Westray of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Peter has played the top jazz clubs in Los Angeles, California, New York’s Carnegie Hall, and on Black Entertainment Television.
Having been to Europe, Curtis has been on club stages in Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Florence, the Hague, Milan, Paris, Prague and Zurich. With his group, the Peter Curtis Quartet, he recently released his debut album Swing State. His classical chops have sent the guitarist recitals throughout the U.S. and Canada and was awarded the Andres Segovia memorial scholarship from the Banff Centre for the Arts.
Guitarist and composer Peter Curtis, a tenured professor of music at Riverside Community College in Riverside, California, continues to compose, perform and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Frank Meester was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands on April 14, 1970 and studied philosophy and general literature at the University of Amsterdam and Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 2010 to 2016 he was assistant lecturer in Philosophy and Professional Practice at The Hague University of Applied Sciences .
He went on to become the youngest of the writing duo Gebroeders Meester and wrote columns in Filosofie Magazine and de Volkskrant, among others. With Stine Jensen, they also wrote two books together about parenting and toured the country in 2018 and 2019 with the theater performance Het opvoedcircus.
Meester also plays in the Hot Club de Frank, founded in 1990 when he was just 20 years old. Two years later they expanded to a quartet and played in local cafes. In 1994 personnel changes took a turn at vocal swing and became a permanent salon band at the Amstel Hotel and the Amerstadam Bamboo Bar. They dropped their debut cd in 1996, De Heren van het Circus, to critical acclaim, and expanded once again to a quintet. Their sophomore release in 1999 hit success again being broadcast across the radio waves.
Another personnel transition has the band currently consisting of Meester, solo guitarist Harold Berghuis, violinist Jelle van Tongeren and saxophonist Wim Lammen. The band creates a new sound within gypsy jazz with different rhythms, other instruments and special arrangements. They have played festivals and European tours.
Double bassist Frank Meester, who has been published thirteen times, continues to perform with his sons Midas and Gilles in The Maestros.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Dave Mosick was born on April 12, 1967 and raised on Long Island, New York. He got into rock music very young, and went on to play in bands all through high school and college. While attending American University he was deeply inspired by a jazz history class taught by the great jazz historian Rusty Hassan, and was bitten by the bug.
Eventually Mosick settled into the Washington D.C. jazz scene where he studied with guitarists Paul Bollenback and Paul Wingo. He also studied ear training with Asher Zlotnik.
2002 saw Dave releasing his debut album Amalgamation to widespread critical acclaim. The next year he was the featured jazz guitar clinician at The Washington Jazz Academy. His unique concepts in Jazz Improvisation have been published in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine.
Guitarist Dave Mosick maintains a busy performance schedule as both a leader and sideman, as well as being an in demand jazz educator, regularly hosting clinics and giving private lessons.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Morris Acevedo was born April 8, 1966 in Texas and started playing guitar in 6th grade. During his high school years he mostly played progressive Rock and Jazz Fusion in high school. After graduating he became a music major at North Texas State University and studied Jazz Performance and Music Education but a move to Boston, Massachusetts set his course to transfer to Berklee College of Music, earning a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging. After earning his bachelor degree, he played full time in professional bands in Boston, and studied improvisation in New York City with Lee Konitz, Richie Bierach and Jerry Bergonzi before relocating to California in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In addition to his regular jazz and fusion group performances, he became smitten with teaching guitar and improvisation he taught for years in the Bay area. He currently holds the position of music director at Cardinal Newman High School. He has also held positions as the Jazz Guitar and Improvisation at the University of California at Berkeley’s Young Musician’s Program and guitar at his Berklee alma mater during summers.
He has performd with Joshua Redman, Jim Black, Ken Vandermark, the Either Orchestra, the Charlie Kolhase Quintet, organ Trio Be-3, Matt Wilson, Richie Cole’s Alto Madness Orchestra, Dam East, Scott Amendola, among others.
Guitarist and composer of new jazz and electronic ambient music Morris Acevedo, who has twice received a Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to Jazz, continues to perform, compose and educate.
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Requisites
Little Johnny C ~ Johnny Coles | By Eddie Carter
It happened like this: after listening to Bass on Top, my memories of my mom led me to another of her favorite jazz albums. Little Johnny C (Blue Note BLP 4144/BST 84144) by Johnny Coles is the trumpeter’s second release as a leader and his only Blue Note session. It was recorded in 1963 and released the following year. Johnny’s joined on this hard bop date by Leo Wright on alto sax (tracks: A1 to A3, B2, B3) and flute (B1), Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Walter Perkins (A1 to A3), and Pete La Roca (B1 to B3) on drums. My copy is the 1990 Toshiba EMI Japanese Stereo reissue sharing the original catalog number.
Little Johnny C is the first of five tunes by Duke Pearson. It kicks off Side One at a fast tempo with Duke’s brisk introduction to the front line’s lively theme. Leo comes out cooking first; then Johnny steps swiftly into the second statement. Joe wails in the following solo; then Duke shows his impressive skills into the group’s climax. Hobo Joe by Joe Henderson is a Latin-flavored blues that opens with the trio’s introduction, ahead of the sextet’s easy going melody. Coles begins this pleasant trip; then, Pearson picks up the next part of the journey. Wright continues the leisurely caravan, and Henderson concludes the trek in a fine finale ahead of the theme’s return and the trio’s fadeout.
Jano picks up the beat to end the first side with the ensemble’s medium melody. Leo sets the scene in the opening solo. Johnny takes over for a lengthy reading; then Joe builds the third statement exquisitely. Duke provides the closing remarks before the group returns to take the song out. My Secret Passion is a pretty ballad taken at a medium bounce, with Johnny leading the sextet in the melody and Pete La Roca taking over on drums. Coles opens the solos with a warm tone. Henderson displays delicacy and sensitivity in the following reading. Wright comes in next on the flute and gives a heartwarming statement. Pearson’s soulful interpretation brings us back to the reprise and ending.
Heavy Legs delivers an upbeat invitation to relax and enjoy the sextet’s ride through the opening chorus. Johnny is concise and to the point in the first reading. Joe follows with an equally enjoyable solo; then Leo steps in next for a rousing interpretation. Duke brings the solos to a happy conclusion ahead of the sextet’s theme restatement, slowly dissolving into nothingness. So Sweet My Little Girl is Pearson’s tribute to his then seven-year-old daughter, Cynthia. Johnny starts the melody softly with the saxes in the background. It sets the scene for the pianist’s tender performance as the song’s only soloist, leading to the front line’s return for a gentle climax.
Alfred Lion produced Little Johnny C and Rudy Van Gelder was the man behind the dials of the recording. The album sounds amazing, with a stellar soundstage that’s so good you’ll think you’re in the studio with the musicians as they are playing. Toshiba EMI did an excellent job with this reissue and the record is also very quiet until the music starts. Johnny only recorded five albums as a leader but has an extensive discography as a sideman. If you’re a hard bop fan and unfamiliar with Johnny Coles, I invite you to look out for Little Johnny C on your next record shop visit. It’s simply a great jazz album that I’m sure would make a perfect addition to any library and become a favorite on your turntable!
© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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