Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Moto Fukushima was born in Kobe, Japan on February 23, 1978 and received the Outstanding Performer Award before graduating Summa Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music. His musical style is a unique combination of Western classical music, Japanese traditional music, and African-inspired music of South America, which is evident in his jazz improvisation. His playing is characterized by a remarkable blend of finesse, subtlety, and power.
He is a co-leader of the Brooklyn-based power trio, House of Waters. The band has released two albums on the Grammy Award-winning group Snarky Puppy’s GroundUp label, with the first album reaching #2 on the iTunes World Music chart, and the second album hitting #4 on the iTunes Jazz chart.
His music has been featured in the Sports Emmy Award-winning piece on ESPN’s E60, and he won 3rd place in the International Songwriting Competition in 2014. He has also been the recipient of the ASCAP Plus Award.
Moto has collaborated with Mike Stern, Leni Stern, Karsh Kale, Dave Weckl, Dave Eggar, Big Apple Circus, Alex Skolnick, and Gil Goldstein. Six-string bass player, composer, and shamisen player Moto Fukushima, currently based in New York City, continues to perform and record.
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Requisites
The Meeting, Vol. 1 ~ Jackie McLean Featuring Dexter Gordon | By Eddie Carter
I was looking for something to listen to after dinner a few nights ago when I came across a title I hadn’t heard in a while by two of my favorite saxophonists, Jackie McLean and Dexter Gordon. This morning’s record from the library is The Meeting, Vol. 1 (SteepleChase SCS-1006). It hit the Danish and Japanese stores in 1974 and is the first of two live albums recorded a year earlier on July 20 and 21 at Montmartre Jazzhus in Copenhagen. The front line is Jackie McLean on the alto sax and Dexter Gordon on the tenor sax. The supporting cast for both sets is a magical rhythm section: Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. My copy is the 1976 U.S. Stereo reissue (Inner City IC 2006).
Side One opens with Jackie’s introduction of the quintet ahead of the rhythm section’s introduction to All Clean by Dexter Gordon. Both horns enter next to introduce the vibrant melody. Dexter goes to work first on a lengthy opening solo. Jackie checks in next and keeps the flame burning. Kenny makes a vigorous contribution next, and then Niels-Henning takes a brisk walk in the following reading. Dexter and Jackie return to have a spirited conversation, leading to the song’s conclusion. Rue De La Harpe by Sahib Shihab begins with the ensemble’s mid-tempo theme. Jackie has the opening chorus and takes command effectively. Dexter flies straight ahead into the following solo, and Kenny keeps things moving with considerable passion until the theme’s climax.
Side Two starts with Sunset, a hauntingly beautiful ballad by Kenny Drew that he initially recorded on Everything I Love. Both horns introduce the song, proceeding to the ensemble’s delicately tender melody. Jackie begins the opening statement gently. Dexter follows with an extremely personal interpretation, and Kenny adds a meaningful comment preceding the theme’s restatement. On The Trail by Ferdé Grofé is the third of five movements in his Grand Canyon Suite. Jackie kicks off the theme’s first chorus. Dexter takes the baton in the second chorus and then makes a distinctive impression on the first solo. Jackie speaks with captivating inspiration in the following reading. Kenny executes a rewarding performance in the closer ahead of the finale.
Nils Winther did double duty on this release. He produced and recorded The Meeting, Vol. 1. The reissue’s sound quality is excellent, with a superb soundstage that transports the listener to a front-row seat in the Montmartre audience as the musicians are performing. Since I have this album in my library, I’ll be on the lookout for its companion, The Source, Vol. 2. If you’re a fan of Jackie McLean and Dexter Gordon, I invite you to attend The Meeting, Vol. 1 on your next record shopping trip. It’s a stellar lineup with great playing from each member of the quintet and a wonderful document of a live set that anyone can revisit anytime the album is on the turntable!
~ Everything I Love (SteepleChase Records SCS-1007), The Source, Vol. 2 (SteepleChase Records SCS-1020) – Source: Discogs.com
~ On The Trail – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Andrés Thor was born on December 27, 1974 in Hafnarfjordur, Iceland, a little harbour town near Reykjavík, Iceland. He began his musical studies at age 12 and his initial influences were glitter and hippie rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and Bon Jovi.
During his teens was when he first heard the music of John Coltrane and Pat Metheny which led him to become more fascinated with jazz. He soon started studying with some of Iceland’s finest jazz educators at the FIH music school and after graduating his musical quest brought him to study at the Koninklijk Conservatorium (The Royal Conservatory) in The Hague, The Netherlands in 2000.
Finishing his Bachelors and Masters degrees by 2006 he went on to study under the guidance of Wim Bronnenberg, Peter Nieuwerf, Eef Albers, John Ruocco and Hein v/d Geyn as his main teachers. He also attended workshops and masterclasses lead by Michael Brecker, Kurt Rosenwinkel, John Abercrombie and Avishai Cohen, as well as performing with the late Michael Brecker and the Royal Conservatory Big Band in concert.
Living and studying in the Netherlands lead to the first recording featuring Andrés as a co-leader of the organ trio Wijnen, Winter & Thor. The band featured songs by all members of the trio. Since then he has been based and working in and out of Iceland and has released five albums under his own name and a handful of albums in collaboration. He has been active in various collective projects and as a sideman with bands like ASA trio, Icewegian, The Viking Giant Show, BonSom, Andreas Dreier quartet and Music with Z to name a few.
Thor has been an active performer in Scandinavia, Europe and America, as well as a session musician in studios and educator in Iceland. He doubles on the mandolin, banjo and steel guitars. Guitarist Andrés Thor continues to record and perform blending his positively ambrosial tonal palette with the elegant harmonic substance and incisive, ornamented cross-rhythms.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
J. D. Allen III was born John Daniel Allen III on December 11, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan. His apprenticeship was anchored by his lengthy tenure with jazz vocalist Betty Carter.
After moving to New York City, Allen played with George Cables, Betty Carter, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Frank Foster, Butch Morris, David Murray, and Wallace Roney. Closer to his generation, he has played with Lucian Ban, Cindy Blackman, Gerald Cleaver, Dave Douglas, Orrin Evans, Duane Eubanks, Marcus Gilmore, Russell Gunn, Winard Harper, Elisabeth Kontomanou, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jeremy Pelt, and Eric Revis.
His debut solo album, In Search Of, released in 1999, garnered his selection as Best New Artist in Italy. In 2002, his second album was chosen a top ten album of the year by Jazziz magazine. Ten years later he was named best composer and best tenor saxophonist in the DownBeat Critics’ Poll.
He also works under the pseudonyms Bigger Thomas and Cross Damon. Tenor saxophonist and composer J.D. Allen continues to perform and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Cory Weeds was born and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia on December 5, 1975. His interest in jazz began in secondary school, and then chose to pursue his post-secondary education by attending Capilano University and the University of North Texas.
>At the age of 26, Weeds purchased a jazz club which would become the Cellar Jazz Club. The venue was selected by DownBeat named Cellar to its list of the world’s greatest jazz clubs. Thirteen years later in 2014 the Cellar Jazz Club shuttered its doors.
Remaining vital in the jazz community of Vancouver, British Columbia he books musicians at Frankie’s Jazz Club and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby.
In 2023, Cellar Music Group was awarded their first Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. The Grammy was awarded to Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson’s Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra for their album Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra.
Weeds has performed alongside musicians including Christian McBride, Joey DeFrancesco, Peter Bernstein, Eric Alexander, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth.
Alto and tenor saxophonist and impresario Cory Weeds, who is the founder and owner of the Cellar Music Group record label, continues to perform and record.
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