Review: Lenora Zenzalai Helm | For The Love Of Big Band
For those of you who aspire to greatness, who challenge your status quo, and who dare to create something majestic, one must dig deep inside for the temerity. Whether you question the audacity of the idea, it takes confidence to even dare the monumental task of bringing nearly four dozen men and women together, producing a unique and innovative big band sound.
Under the auspicious name of The Tribe Jazz Orchestra, vocalist and bandleader Lenora Zenzalai Helm joins the ranks of Lil Hardin Armstrong, Kit McClure, Blanche Calloway, Valaida Smith, Lovie Austin, Sherrie Maracle, and In Ray Hutton among others.
Helm’s debut orchestra project, For The Love Of Big Band, was recorded live in concert over a two day period on March 26~27, 2019 and released on her own label, Zenzalai Music. This album brings new arrangements showcasing legendary composers and big band leaders ~ Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln, Mal Waldron, Victor Young, John Coltrane, George & Ira Gershwin, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Clifford Brown, and Duke Ellington to name a few.
This twelve composition compendium of classics illuminates the musical genius of those who charted the big band course, laid the foundation and set the standard for this talented vocalist and bandleader to follow in their footsteps. Choosing Blues For Mama, Bebop, Chega de Saudade/No More Blues, It Could Happen To You, Soul Eyes, Everything But You, I Didn’t Know About You, Sandu, But Not For Me, A Conversation With God (Dear Lord), Mississippi Goddam, and Stella By Starlight, she spans several decades, from the Thirties to the Sixties. The music is a mix of jazz standards, brought swingingly to life at the live concert. Helm guided the band through the new arrangements by Stanley Cowell, Cecil Bridgewater, Maurice Myers and Brian Horton
Lenora’s Tribe Jazz Orchestra is composed of twenty-four musicians that include her voice, piano, guitar, bass,drums, reeds, trumpets,trombones and saxophone and orchestra conductor. Her Tribe Jazz Orchestra Septet, pulls three from the orchestra, adds conductor to her voice, along with cello, tenor saxophone, acoustic bass and the NCCU Vocal Jazz Ensemble as guest artists. Other special guests are pianist Joey Calderazzo, Acoustic bassist Ameen Saleem, and Maurice Myers ~ Vocal Soloist on A Conversation With God.
This is a well thought out and produced program of music that will introduce the novice to big band jazz and delight the aficionado who is seeking to expand his/her horizons and include one more big bandleader to their arsenal, who just so happens to be a vocalist, conductor, bandleader, and educator and all woman. I charge you to engage and listen carefully to the maturity of expression that Lenora Zenzalai Helm has put into and extracted from herself and the talented musicians under her purview. This is a wonderful and soulful performance by all accounts and something you will enjoy for years to come.
carl anthony | notorious jazz | february 15, 2020
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Three Wishes
When inquiry of three wishes came from Nica to Paul Chambers, he responded with:
- “Fame.”
- “Fortune.”
- “Happiness.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats – Complied and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter”
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Requisites
The Amazing Shoichi Yui is a compilation album of songs recorded on the Blue Note label that was released in 1985.
There are only two tracks on the album with Side One being The Golden Age Of Modern Jazz with 25 songs and Side Two Jazz In Transition with 18 songs. Included is commentary by Shoichi Oilai and numerous performances of songs like Night Dreamer, Maiden Voyage, Old Devil Moon and Moanin for example.
Some of the musicians on this 42 song compilation include Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Cecil Taylor, John Coltrane, Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, Eric Dolphy, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Kenny Drew, among others.
Commentary is in Japanese but to listen to excerpts of the music copy and paste this link in browser: https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm19249586
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Three Wishes
When the Baroness questioned Walter Bishop , Jr. of his three wishes he answered:
- “Peace of mind.”
- “To make a contribution to jazz music.”
- “To help others.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats – Complied and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter”
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Requisites
Cedar! is the debut album by pianist Cedar Walton released on the Prestige label and recorded on July 10, 1967 in New York City. The session was produced by Don Sclitten and engineered by Richard Alderson.
Of the six songs recorded, four were composed by Cedar Walton. My Ship by Ira Gershwin & Kurt Weill, and Come Sunday by Duke Ellington. The Bonus track of Take The “A” Train by Billy Strayhorn was added on the CD reissue.
The tracks were recorded in the following order:
- Turquoise Twice
- Twilight Waltz
- My Ship
- Short Stuff
- Head and Shoulders
- Come Sunday
- Take the “A” Train
Pianist Cedar Walton brought in a stellar group of musicians that included trumpeter Kenny Dorham on tracks 1, 2 & 5-7, tenor saxophone Junior Cook on tracks 1, 5 & 6, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and rounding out the quintet was drummer Billy Higgins.
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