Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Han Bennink was born April 17, 1942 in Zaandam, Netherlands, the son of a classical percussionist. He began playing the drums and the clarinet during his teens. He also went on to learn to play the violin, banjo and piano, which feature him on some of his recordings.
Through the 1960s, while in his t,wenties he was the drummer with a number of American musicians visiting the Netherlands, including Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, Sonny Rollins and Eric Dolphy.
He subsequently became a central figure in the emerging European free improvisation scene. In 1963 he formed a quartet with pianist Misha Mengelberg and saxophonist Piet Noordijk which performed at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival. The following year Han co-founded the Instant Composers Pool with Mengelberg and Willem Breuker, which sponsored Dutch avant garde performances. Late in the decade he played in a trio with saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and Belgian pianist Fred Van Hove, which became a duo after Van Hove’s departure in 1976.
From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, Bennik collaborated closely with Dutch post-punk band The Ex, simultaneously playing through the 1990s in Clusone 3, a trio with saxophonist/clarinetist Michael Moore and cellist Ernst Reijseger.
He has recorded twenty albums as a solo or leader and recorded over a eight dozen albums as a sideman with the likes of Derek Bailey, Conny Bauer, Don Cherry and Alexander von Schlippenbach, Steve Lacy, Lee Konitz, Ray anderson, Gary Bartz, Jckie McLean, Paul Bley, Annette Peacock, Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown, Uri Caine, Myra Melford, and Sonny Rollins. (partial list)
His style is wide-ranging, running from conventional jazz drumming to highly unconventional free improvisation. Drummer Han Bennink is best known as one of the pivotal figures in early European free jazz and free improvisation, and he continues to push forward the envelope of his music at 80.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Charlie Smith was born April 15, 1927 in New York City and played locally in the city during the late 1940s before taking a position accompanying Ella Fitzgerald. Working briefly with the Duke Ellington’s Orchestra in 1951 before being replaced by Louie Bellson, he also played with Joe Bushkin, Erroll Garner, Slim Gaillard, Benny Goodman, Hot Lips Page, Oscar Peterson, Artie Shaw, and Slam Stewart.
He performed on television with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker in 1952, and later in the decade worked with Billy Taylor, Aaron Bell, and Wild Bill Davison. Relocating to New Haven around 1960, Smith played with Willie Ruff and Dwike Mitchell in a trio setting.
Drummer Charlie Smith, who was an educator late in his life, transitioned on January 15, 1966 in New Haven, Connecticut.
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The Jazz Voyager
Two years ago the Jazz Voyager commenced lockdown against a very serious pandemic that was taking lives without discretion. Though I am beginning to get out and experience life outside with talks, films and music in open air spaces, the airlines has sent another important message by extending my eCredit another year until December 2023. Still aware that the pandemic is not over, I remain vigilant with mask wearing and social distancing in enclosed spaces such as markets, doctor’s offices. It is our duty to keep others safe as well by doing our individual part.
This week we are traveling musically back and taking down off the shelves to listen to We Three, the 1958 recording led by Roy Haynes by a trio of players who made their mark on the genre. Though the group was short-lived, the trio made the best of the time they spent together and delivered this album.
The album was recorded on November 14, 1958 at the Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, produced by Esmond Edwards, and was released in May the following year on the New Jazz record label.
Track List | 39:29- Reflection (Ray Bryant) ~ 4:24
- Sugar Ray (Phineas Newborn, Jr.) ~ 6:25
- Solitaire (King Guion, Carl Nutter, Renee Borek) ~ 8:54
- After Hours (Avery Parrish) ~ 11:21
- Sneakin’ Around (Bryant) ~ 4:24
- Our Delight (Tadd Dameron) ~ 4:01
- Roy Haynes – drums
- Phineas Newborn Jr. ~ piano
- Paul Chambers ~ bass
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gerry Hemingway was born March 23, 1955 in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Foote School in New Haven and studied under Alan Dawson. In 2000 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his work in music composition.
He was a member of the Anthony Braxton quartet from 1983 to 1994. He has also performed with Ernst Reijseger, Anthony Davis, Earl Howard, Leo Smith, George E. Lewis, Ray Anderson, Mark Helias, Reggie Workman, Michael Moore, Oliver Lake, Marilyn Crispell, Christy Doran, John Wolf Brennan, Don Byron, Cecil Taylor, and Cuong Vu.
He has recorded on over one hundred albums for the labels Clean Feed, Enja, hatArt, Palmetto, Random Acoustics, and Tzadik. Avant~garde drummer and composer Gerry Hemingway, who owns his own record label Auricle,continues to pursue his musical endeavors.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Tommy Chase was born on March 22, 1947 in Manchester, England and was largely self taught. He turned professional in the mid 1960s and after working in night clubs and on cruise liners settled in London, England in 1973.
Through the 1980s and ’90s he led his own straight ahead hard driving bebop groups with some success in the clubs and at the first Soho Jazz Festival. He used young musicians, notably sax player Alan Barnes, guitarist Dave Cliff and bassiat Andy Cleyndert. He recorded as a leader and as a collaborator with Ray Warleigh. He worked with Art Themen and Harry Becket as well as accompanying visiting Americans including Al Haig, Jon Eardley and Joe Albany.
A forceful drummer very much in the hard hitting style of Art Blakey, many musicians commented on his skill and timing. Quitting the music scene early in 1999, he played his final gig at the Jazz Cafe in Camden.
Drummer and bandleader Tommy Chase, recorded seven albums as a leader, transitioned on December 2, 2018.
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