Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bill Carrothers was born July 13, 1964 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He began playing piano at age five, studying with his church organist before learning jazz from pianist Bobby Peterson. By age 15 he was performing in jazz clubs, and in 1982 he briefly attended North Texas State University.
After a year at North Texas, Carrothers was a member of Irv Williams’ band before a move to New York City in 1988. He performed at the Knitting Factory, The Village Gate, and Birdland as well as Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. He has worked with Buddy DeFranco, Curtis Fuller, Billy Higgins, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Gary Peacock, Dewey Redman, Charlie Rouse, James Spaulding, Terell Stafford, Toots Thielemans, and Prince.
He has performed in France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In 2009 Bill played a week-long stand at the Village Vanguard with his European trio Nicolas Thys and Dre Pallemaerts, which resulted in a 2011.
He performs solo piano concerts, made his Monterey Jazz Festival debut and is a regular on the Chicago scene. He is an adjunct professor at Lawrence University in Wisconsin. Carrothers was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for Jazz in 2004 and was nominated for the Les Victoires du Jazz, twice.
Pianist and composer Bill Carrothers, who has cited Clifford Brown, Shirley Horn, and Oscar Peterson as influences on his development as a musician, continues to perform without shoes to better feel the piano pedals, sitting in a chair to achieve his preferred seating height.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Eric Soleil was born July 9, 1961 on the wind-swept plains of the Kansas prairie and began his musical career in elementary school where he was forced to play the trumpet that was handed down from his older brothers. He infuriated his band instructor by making up his own parts instead of playing the fourth-chair lines intended for him. He also began to compose little pieces on the family’s upright piano. In high school, Eric pursued concert choir and the thespian arts, earning a theater scholarship to college. At 19 years of age, he began studying the electric bass.
Deeply rooted in classical music, he also had an adoration for American jazz, which led to incorporating classic orchestral voices with some neo-Baroque, jazzified idioms that became Jazz-Symphonia. He later played the baritone, french horn, trombone, finally settling on the tuba where he remains an inveterate bass clef performer.
A unique blend of symphonic instruments with jazzy undertones, JasmPhonia is the nom de guerre of Eric, a gifted multi-instrumentalist/composer who utilizes acoustic symphonic voices and midi composition to create a rich mixture of chamber music and Nu-jazz styling. Eric has compiled his first CD, “Ad Astra Per Aspera” (To The Stars Thru Difficulty).
Tubist Eric Soleil continues to pursue a career in music, writing from the keyboard, drums, and bass, and performing his own unique original compositions. He is also continuously developing his skills as an artist, producer, and engineer.
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Requisites
Live! ~ Brother Jack McDuff | By Eddie Carter
Three cherished family members inspired this morning’s discussion. My mom, Merlyn Carter, introduced my sister and me to Brother Jack McDuff during our Sunday dinners when we were younger; my uncles, Benjamin and Emmanuel Curry, often featured this album at their weekend jazz gatherings. Offered now for your consideration is his 1963 release and first concert performance, Live! (Prestige PRLP 7274/PRST 7274). (Prestige PRLP 7274/PRST 7274). This album captures the organist igniting a lively crowd at The Front Room in Newark, New Jersey, joined by his stellar quartet: Red Holloway on flute (track B1) and tenor sax (tracks A1 to A3, B2, B3), George Benson on guitar, and Joe Dukes on drums. My copy of the album is the 1964 U.S. stereo reissue.
The announcer’s introduction gets the set off to a roaring start with Rock Candy by Jack McDuff. The quartet’s infectiously spirited theme segues into Red’s vigorous opening statement. A swinging interlude is succeeded by George’s lively solo ahead of the foursome’s second interlude. Brother Jack states his case in fine form before the theme’s closing chorus, and Jack speaks to the crowd. The tempo eases as the foursome takes on George and Ira Gershwin’s It Ain’t Necessarily So. Benson and Dukes’ soulful warmth paves the way for McDuff’s down-home melody that whets the appetite for more. George pays his respects in the opening solo, then Red compliments him with a bluesy, slow-cooked groove, preceding McDuff’s theme reprise fading softly into Jack’s introduction of the next tune.
The group ushers us into Jack McDuff’s Sanctified Samba, launching the soulful gathering with an irresistible, bossa-nova tinged beat that calls the congregation to worship. George begins with a lively, melodic progression that builds to a satisfying climax. Jack delivers a stream of inventive ideas with characteristic ease next. Red wraps up the readings, blending bluesy flair with smooth, expressive lines before the group unites for a rousing conclusion. Side Two starts with Whistle While You Work, by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey from Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Red opens the whimsical melody on flute, then steps aside for McDuff to take two happy solos with Benson’s cheery statement sandwiched in between them, leading back to the ending theme.
Jack shares the story behind his blues, A Real Good’un, and then the organist’s introduction segues into the quartet’s home cooking during the melody. Benson comes to the table first, serving up a platter of appetizing notes. After the first of several short interludes, Holloway brings the musical equivalent of red beans and rice to the table. McDuff adds a generous helping of fried chicken and mac and cheese before the group wraps up the song on a tasty note. The set concludes with Undecided, by Sid Robin and Charlie Shavers. The ensemble’s brisk introduction and catchy melody open the door for McDuff to deliver a swinging solo. Holloway maintains the momentum in a peppy interpretation. Benson plays with energetic finesse, then Dukes has the last word preceding the spirited closing chorus.
>Produced by Lew Futterman and Peter Paul, this live session captivates listeners from the very first note. Though the identity of the recording engineer remains a mystery, the album’s sound places listeners right in The Front Room, giving them the sense of being part of the lively crowd. The energy of the performances is infectious, and it’s nearly impossible not to snap your fingers, tap your feet or get up and dance along. Throughout his career, Jack McDuff masterfully fused hard bop, R&B, and soul jazz, drawing out the best from his fellow musicians at every turn. If you’re a jazz organ fan seeking an album that’s vibrant and uplifting, Live! by Brother Jack McDuff is a top recommendation for your library. It’s the perfect soundtrack to relax after a busy day or week, and is guaranteed to brighten your mood!
~ It Ain’t Necessarily So, Whistle While You Work – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2025 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Michel Benebig was born in Nouméa, New Calédonia, South-Pacific on June 27, 1964. He started playing bass guitar, accordion and keyboards in dancing bands at age 11. He studied classical piano from 16 to 26 yers old, at the Noumea Music-School, then in France at C.N.R de Besancon from 1990 to 1992.
Michel started playing the Hammond B3 organ in 1992. As a self-taught musician he taught himself how to play foot-pedal bass and jazz organ techniques. Meeting Jimmy McGriff in Atlanta, Georgia in 1995, Jimmy Smith in Oakland, California and Rhoda Scott in Nouméa the following year.
Michel has performed with guitarist Bruce Forman, drummer Lewis Nash, organist Tony Monaco, guitarist Randy Johnston and many more.
Organist, composer and bandleader Michel Benebig who is the founder of the Association des Musiciens de Jazz & Blues pour les Echanges et la Création Artistique, Artistic Director of YAARI, continues to perform and tour.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Joe Purrenhage was born on June 21, 1966 and grew up outside the Detroit, Michigan area where he picked up an interest in classic rock, jazz and blues. His formal training was minimal with only a couple of years of piano lessons at a young age and percussion in the high school band. However, he started to teach himself the bass, guitar, keyboards and synthesizer programming.
Enlisting in the Air Force he met many musicians with different infuences and styles. After the Air Force, Joe focused on starting an all original band with some friends and had some limited success with a pop/rock band called Earthbound. In the early 1990s Joe met drummer Marcus McGlown and a musical friendship was started that continues today.
Marcus and Joe started something that had a little more of the ’70s fusion flavor to it. Calling guitarist Craig Wisper they sowed the seeds to the modern fusion group Fuze. Their improvisational approach to music was heard at the Saturday Night Jam where all boundries were dropped for a unique blend of rock and jazz.
By 2000, Doug Nolls joined the band and after building a studio released their debut project across social media garnering 100,00 plus plays over three years.
Joe Purrenhage and Fuze continue to create new music and self-produces their works to keep the fusion spirit alive.
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