Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Lawrence Benjamin Bunker was born November 4, 1928 in Long Beach, California. At first he played primarily drums, but increasingly he focused on vibraphone. He was later highly regarded for his playing of timpani and various percussion instruments.
Bunker is a dependable and in-demand studio drummer and vibist who achieved distinction recording with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Diana Krall, and many other jazz greats. In 1952, he was the drummer in one of Art Pepper’s first groups. The next two years he played drums in some of the earliest of Gerry Mulligan’s groups.
In the 1950s and 1960s he appeared at Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, and performed with Shorty Rogers and His Giants and others. The Sixties had him intermittently drumming in the Bill Evans trio and played timpani with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra.
His work in movie soundtracks spanned over fifty years, from Stalag 17 in 1953 and Glengarry Glen Ross in ‘92) to The Incredibles in 2004. Larry’s work included soundtracks by John Williams, Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, Miklós Rózsa, Jerry Goldsmith, Johnny Mandel, Lalo Schifrin and many other composers.
Drummer, vibraphonist, and percussionist Larry Bunker, who was a central figure on the West Coast jazz scene, transitioned from complications of a stroke in Los Angeles, California at age 76 on March 8, 2005.
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DJAVAN
After a 13-year hiatus, one of the greatest icons of Brazilian music announces his return to the US for a major tour. Four-time Latin GRAMMY winner Djavan will present a brand-new show with his full band, featuring songs from his twenty-fifth studio album “D”, as well as major hits from his 45-year career. Aside from new hit songs like “Iluminado” and “Num Mundo de Paz”, the set list will also include major classics from Djavan’s legendary career, such as “Se”, “Flor de Lis”, ““Eu te Devoro”, “Samurai” and many others.
Djavan was born in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil to a white father of Dutch descent and a black mother. He later formed the group Luz, Som, Dimensão (LSD – “Light, Sound, Dimension”), playing Beatles’ material. In 1973, Djavan moved to Rio de Janeiro and started singing soap opera soundtracks. His first album, A Voz, o Violão e a Arte de Djavan, was recorded in 1976 and included the hit song “Flor de Lis”. Stevie Wonder was a guest on the album Luz.
In 1999, his album Ao Vivo sold 1.2 million copies. In 2016, he was nominated for the 2016 Latin Grammy Awards in the Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Portuguese Language Song and Best Singer-Songwriter Album categories. Djavan’s compositions have been recorded by numerous musicians, including Al Jarreau, Carmen McRae and The Manhattan Transfer. His album Vesúvio was ranked as the 35th best Brazilian album of 2018 by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone magazine.
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The Jazz Voyager
I’m off to Alpharetta, Georgia to see one of my favorite bassists at The Velvet Note located at 4075 Old Milton Parkway. I enjoy this venue for its coziness and superb sound system. No matter where you sit you are perfectly positioned to hear clearly. There’s no columns to obstruct the view and they even have a sofa if you want to feel like you’re in your living room.
This week it’s the Curtis Lundy Trio with pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Victor Jones. These three in-demand musicians will bring the heat as they do individually when leading their trios or quartets. This promises to be a heavyweight treat. Two nights, two sets each evening at 7:30 and 9:30 pm
As always, coming in a day early to the ATL will give me time to hang out and break bread with friends and relatives. For more information, the number is 855-583-5838 or thevelvetnote.com.
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OJEDA PENN
Ojeda Penn is an accomplished Jazz artist from Montgomery, Alabama. Since moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1967 he has become a well~known and respected figure in the city’s Jazz scene for over 40 years.
Joe’s Jazz Joint is a Joseph Jennings Production and held in the Paul Roberson Theater | Sundays through November 2022
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Daily Dose OF Jazz…
Mark Kramer was born November 3, 1945 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His prelimonary tutelage came from members of the Philadelphia Orchestra who mentored him on violin from the age of five. His early jazz performances in his teens and twenties included Michael and Randy Brecker, Charles Fambrough, Stanley Clarke, and Eric Gravatt.
Over the next decades his trio went on to record a series of specialty productions including the largest known body of jazz renditions of complete Broadway shows, jazz versions of principal themes from the John Williams score of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and a compilation of jazz renditions of the music of The Rolling Stones.
Kramer has mainly been an arranger and leader of his own trios throughout his career. His numerous recordings/productions are often listed under The Mark Kramer Trio. Many works from the late Eighties with bassist Eddie Gómez are listed under Eddie Gómez and Mark Kramer or simply Eddie Gómez.
A far-ranging catalog of duo and trio recordings included the Art of the Heart on Art of Life Records. Pianist, composer, arranger, and producer/engineer Mark Kramer continues to pursue his creativity in music.
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