Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Frances Wayne was born Chiarina Francesca Bartocci or Clara Bertocci on August 26, 1924 in Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from Somerville High School. Moving to New York City in her teens she sang in an ensemble led by her brother, saxophonist Nick Jerret.

In the early 1940s she recorded with Charlie Barnet’s big band, and in 1943 sang with Woody Herman’s band. Marrying Neal Hefti in 1945, Frances soloed in her husband’s big band formed in 1947. In addition to her solo career she sang with Hefti into the 1950s.

She later sang with smaller ensembles featuring Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Jerome Richardson, Richie Kamuca, John LaPorta, Billy Bauer and Al Cohn. On The Woody Herman Show broadcasted on the radio, Wayne was his female vocalist.

On February 6, 1978, vocalist Frances Wayne, who  received the 1946 Esquire Award as Best New Female Vocalist, died after suffering from cancer over an extended period in her hometown at age 58.

BRONZE LENS

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RONI BEN-HUR QUARTET

While many of the compositions on Love Letters were written by giants such as Leonard Bernstein (“Lonely Town”), Benny Golson (“Fair Weather”), and Ben-Hur’s long-time mentor, the late, great Barry Harris (“To Dizzy with Love”), Ben-Hur once again showcases his formidable composing chops with four original compositions. With the Quartet on Love Letters, Ben-Hur creates an irresistible atmosphere of musical harmony and loving connection. Each of Ben-Hur’s compositions reflect an aspect of the love that has propelled the guitarist to ever greater heights in the life and in jazz. With “To Dizzy with Love,” he shares a memory of his friend Barry Harris with a buoyant rendition of a song they once played together at Birdland. In this interpretation we are treated to a joyous dance of swing and Caribbean rhythms. On “Seul `a Paris” (alone in Paris), Ben-Hur’s wistful strings and muted trumpet speak of what it is like to fly solo in the “City of Love.” With the composition, “Waiting for JH”, co-written with the late American pianist Chris Anderson,

Ben-Hur sends a “love letter” to the late Jim Harrison, one of the genre’s most indomitable advocates and promoters, who worked tirelessly for a “who’s who” in jazz. The voice of the unspeakable is heard in “The House that Yosef Built,” a love letter to Ben-Hur’s father. The tune evokes a rush of memories about the hardships his parents faced in their escape from Tunisia in the aftermath of World War II.  Guitar, bass and drum deftly lay a rhythmic foundation, and Jensen’s triumphant trumpet celebrates the family’s resilience and the sturdy house and home that Yosef Ben-Hur was determined to build for his family.

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KASAN BELGRAVE

Multi-woodwind-instrumentalist and Detroit native Kasan Belgrave is well-rounded within the Detroit music community. His musical heritage of passing down the knowledge and exposure of Detroit music to the youth; like his father, late trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. Kasan has worked with many greats in his young career such as the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis & Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Dee Bridgewater, Karriem Riggins, Theo Crocker, Etienne Charles, and many others. In his scholar years at University of Michigan he studied under Robert Hurst, pianist Benny Green, and Andrew Bishop, then continued his studies at MSU under the direction of Diego Rivera and Rodney Whitaker.

Deeply rooted in the tradition of Black American Music, Kasan is also congruently involved in parallel domains of the strong techno scene in Detroit; he appeared on the track “On My Own” with Jon Dixon & Moodyman; he has also performed with Scott Grooves, Carl Craig, Shigeto, and Kyle Hall.

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KIMMIE HORNE

Kimmie Horne is an international jazz vocalist, model, and actress and a native Detroiter, descendant of the legendary songstress and actor Lena Horne, and niece of the late great singer/songwriter Cleveland Horne of the Fantastic Four. She has left her mark in areas around the world, including, Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, LA, San Francisco, Jamaica, Ontario, Toronto, Puerto Rico, London, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and more.

In addition to live performances, she touts her cds High Standards, Loving This Jazz, and Live in Las Vegas. Her 2018 release of her new video, As Long as I Live, viewed by thousands, has received critical praise. Her songs, I Hope You Dance, and special arrangement of, I Will Survive, demonstrate her blend of talent and sophistication.

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BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Brian Blade established himself as a versatile, accomplished drummer early in his career, appearing on albums by Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett, and Bob Dylan. Blade released his first album, Brian Blade Fellowship, at the age of 27 in 1998 and followed two years later with Perceptual, both on Blue Note Records.

The Fellowship Band has been called “one of the most distinctive and long-running bands in Jazz in the 21st century.” Originating from the meeting of Blade and Jon Cowherd in 1988, while they were studying at Loyola University in New Orleans, the group has released seven albums from 1998 – 2023. Ten years after releasing the Brian Blade Fellowship, Blade returned with Season of Changes in 2008. A year later he released the solo Americana, singer/songwriter effort, Mama Rosa with songs dedicated to his grandmother and family.

From the beginning, The Fellowship Band created a sound of its own genre, encompassing jazz, gospel and folk music that continues to uplift and inspire listeners worldwide. NPR called The Fellowship Band “an all-star lineup that functions more like a harmonious congregation, ebbing and flowing as one … jazz-inflected, gospel-rooted music suffused with a glowing consonance.”

Always an in-demand sideman, composer, and collaborator, Blade continued to  work with a varied bevy of artists, including Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Christian McBride and Norah Jones.

The Band:

Jon Cowherd – piano
Myron Walden – alto saxophone and bass clarinet
Melvin Butler – soprano and tenor saxophone
Kurt Rosenwinkel – guitar
Roland Guerin – bass
Brian Blade – drums

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