Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Frank Deniz was born Francisco Antonio Deniz on July 31, 1912 in Cardiff, Wales. His father, an African born in Cape Verde, was a seaman, and his mother was of English and African-American descent. They were amateur musicians, father playing violin and mother playing piano. From the age of 15 he joined his father on sea voyages. In 1931 his father was taken ill and the lad was forced to leave him in hospital in Odessa, Ukraine where he died. Between voyages he played music, inspired by jazz guitarists Teddy Bunn and Eddie Lang.
He married pianist Clara Wason in 1936 and they moved to London, England and found work as musicians in Soho. In 1937 they played for a time in the orchestra of Ken “Snakehips” Johnson. Deniz later played at Adelaide Hall’s Florida Club in Mayfair, where he played with pianist Fela Sowande.
Joining the Merchant Navy in 1940, he played music in between voyages with contemporaries Eric Winstone and Edmundo Ros, and formed his own band, the Spirits of Rhythm. In 1944 he was wounded when his ship was torpedoed on approaching Anzio.
Stanley Black, leader of the BBC Dance Orchestra employed him regularly and introduced him to others in the music business. Deniz joined Harry Parry’s Radio Rhythm Club Sextet, which had a regular radio series. In 1953 with his brothers, he formed the Hermanos Deniz Cuban Rhythm Band, which gave regular broadcasts in the 1950s regularly through to the 1970s.
Deniz composed music with his brother Laurence for the 1959 film Our Man in Havana. He accompanied Hoagy Carmichael on a tour of Britain. In his later years he played with the Hermanos Deniz band at the Talk of the Town. This continued for many years until his retirement in 1980, when they lived in Málaga Spain during the summer, until Clara contracted Parkinson’s disease in the 1990s. At this point Deniz became her caregiver until her death.
Guitarist Frank Deniz transitioned on July 17, 2005 at his home in Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire, England.
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LIZZ WRIGHT
A steward of American music, acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright reclaims her legacy with the launch of an independent record company, Blues & Greens Records. Wright’s label venture is designed to forge an innovative business model where artists are positioned to build sustainable and wholesome careers. Blues & Greens Records launches with the June 15, 2022 release of Holding Space, a brilliant live album capturing a Berlin, Germany concert where Wright and her band close out their 2018 European summer tour. In a short film companion piece, Wright reflects with her bandmates about what it actually feels like to have the presence of a listening world in her life.
Rising out of the pandemic and returning to stages across the globe, Wright embraces her career through an inspired initiative where she is at the helm of her business. After 20+ years of major and indie label contracts, Wright sees the imbalances of power and unfairnesses in artistic ownership. Blues & Greens Records creates a healthy ecosystem for Wright, and inspires her to imagine and develop offerings for emerging artists. Her debut release, Holding Space, becomes the first master recording she owns.
THIS EVENT IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY
In addition to early access to tickets and Members-Only events, Members at the $80 Supporter Level and higher enjoy the following ticket discounts:
25% off select concerts
10% off orders of 10+ tickets
FREE Listening Parties
No Ticket Service Fees (up to $9.50 per ticket)
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Requisites
Catalonian Nights, Vol. 1 ~ Tete Montoliu Trio | By Eddie Carter
The Tete Montoliu Trio enters the spotlight with a 1980 live trio date, Catalonian Nights, Vol. 1 (SteepleChase Records SCS-1148). It came out a year later and is the first of three releases by the group from the Zeleste Club. Tete was born blind in Barcelona and learned braille music at age seven. His father was a professional musician, and his mother loved jazz, inspiring him to learn the piano. Montoliu attended the Barcelona Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu at age thirteen. Tete met a few jazz musicians and learned about jam sessions while studying at the music college. He’s joined here by John Heard on bass and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. My copy is the original U.S. Stereo album.
D & E is from the pen of Milt Jackson and gets the set underway with the trio’s medium melody. Everyone has a lengthy canvas to work on, and Tete lets his fingers do the talking on the lead interpretation. John follows, walking his bass as if on a Sunday stroll, then Albert converses with Tete ahead of the close. Montoliu showcases his swinging style on Lady Bird by Tadd Dameron next, beginning with a solo introduction that grows into the ensemble’s spirited melody. Tete’s opening solo is off to an adventurous start; then Heath joins the pianist for a vigorous exchange leading to the theme’s reprise and robust ending.
Autumn In New York by Vernon Duke begins with a beautiful piano introduction that blossoms into a gorgeous ensemble theme. Tete begins the opening statement quietly, then picks up the pace to improvise freely into a satisfying summation. John delivers the following solo with exquisite sensitivity, preceding the closing chorus and tender climax. Kenny Dorham’s Blue Bossa takes off with the trio’s bossa-nova melody. Montoliu makes his entrance with an intriguing interpretation that delivers the goods. Heard speaks his piece next, then Tete and Heath share the finale leading to the melody’s reprise and exit. The trio wraps everything up in short order with The Theme.
Freddy Hansson and Josep Maria Rodon recorded this live performance, and Nils Winther produced it. Catalonian Nights, Vol. 1, is an excellent recording with a superb soundstage that makes listeners feel like they are in the club audience as the trio performs. I first heard The Tete Montoliu Trio on Gentle Ben with Ben Webster and was immediately impressed by his playing. Now that I’ve discovered this album, I’ll be on the lookout for Catalonian Nights, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3. If you’re in the mood for an excellent live album, I offer for your consideration Catalonian Nights, Vol. 1 by The Tete Montoliu Trio. It’s a great release that I highly recommend and a welcome addition to any library!
~ Catalonian Nights, Vol 2 (SteepleChase Records SCS 1241), Catalonian Nights, Vol. 3 (SteepleChase SCCD 31433), Gentle Ben (Ensayo ENY-301) – Source: Discogs.com ~ Autumn In New York – Source: JazzStandards.com ~ Blue Bossa, Lady Bird – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2023 by Edward Thomas Carter
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SAMARA JOY
Samara Joy performs as part of the DC Jazz Festival along with Kenny Garrett and Sounds From the Ancestors, Dave Holland Trio feat. Kevin Eubanks and Eric Harland, Big Chief Donald Harrison, Isabella Olivier, Ludovica Burtone Quartet, Vinny Valentino feat. Marshall Keys, Frederico Pena, Dennis Chambers, Birckhead, and Mark G. Meadows.
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SAMARA JOY
Concert On The Lawn presented in collaboration with Jazz At Lincoln Center.
22-year-old Samara Joy makes her case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella, and Billie as the next mononymous jazz singing sensation recorded by the venerable label. Her voice, rich and velvety yet precociously refined, has already earned her fans like Anita Baker and Regina King, appearances on the TODAY Show and millions of likes on TikTok — cementing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star. On Linger Awhile, Samara will introduce that massive audience to a slew of classic standards several times older than she is through her timeless, irresistible sound.
Samara is still relatively new to jazz. Growing up in the Bronx, it was music of the past — the music of her parent’s childhoods, as she put it — that she listened to most. She treasures her musical lineage, which stretches back to her grandparents Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, both of whom performed with Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and runs through her father, who is a singer, songwriter and producer who toured with gospel artist Andraé Crouch. “Sometimes I catch myself when I’m singing — I’m like, ‘Whoa, that was a dad moment’,” Samara quips. Eventually, she did follow in the family tradition, singing in church and then with the jazz band at Fordham High School for the Arts, with whom she won Best Vocalist at JALC’s Essentially Ellington competition. That led to her enrolling in SUNY Purchase’s jazz studies program, where she fell deeply in love with the music.
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