Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Mario Rivera was born on July 22, 1939 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and learned to play during his childhood. Moving to New York City in 1961 at 22 he started working with singer Joe Valle as his accompanist. He spent two years with bandleader Tito Rodríguez. During his career he worked with Mongo Santamaria, Eddie Palmieri, and Machito.

From the 1970s to the 1990s he worked with Tito Puente. Both appeared in the films Calle 54 and The Mambo Kings. In 1988 he became a member of the United Nations Orchestra led by Dizzy Gillespie. He was also a member of the Afro-Cuban Jazz Band led by Chico O’Farrill. His only solo album, El Commandante, was released in 1996.

He recorded seventy-six albums as a sideman with Willie Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Dizzy Gillespie, Kip Hanrahan, Conrad Herwig, Giovanni Hidalgo, Chico O’Farrill, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Típica 73, Africando, Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, Soledad Bravo, George Coleman, Junior Cook, Rafael Cortijo, Tito Gomez, Jerry Gonzalez, Juan Luis Guerra, La Lupe, Machito, Arturo O’Farrill, Pat Patrick, Bobby Paunetto, Daniel Ponce, Louie Ramirez, Paquito D’Rivera, Alfredo Rodriguez, Mongo Santamaria, Laba Sosseh, Juan Pablo Torres, Stanley Turrentine, Dave Valentin, Fernando Villalona, and Pete Yellin.

Saxophonist Mario Rivera, who also played trumpet, flute, piano, vibraphone, congas, and drums, died from cancer on August 10, 2007 in New York City.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Matthew Mitchell was born July 19, 1975 and grew up in Exton, Pennsylvania. He first played the piano aged six, and composed from the age of 10. He had lessons in jazz and theory at a university from the age of twelve and at this stage he was influenced by pianists Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock.

He attended Indiana University for three years and then completed a master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music in the late Nineties before settlling in New York City. After holding down several jobs in the city Matt decided to move to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he worked in a library at The University of the Arts for nine years before leaving when he had too many gigs to fit in.

2011 saw him leading the sextet Central Chain, the following year he introduced a new trio with bassist Chris Tordini and Dan Weiss on drums. During this decade Mitchell was also part of Berne’s Snakeoil band, and John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble and Claudia Quintet. He joined and recorded with saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa’s band.

Mitchell was awarded a Pew Fellowships in the Arts in 2012. He has released fifteen albums as a leader or co-leader and recorded as a sideman on thirty albums.

Pianist and composer Matt Mitchell, who is a faculty member at New York’s Center for Improvisational Music, continues to expand his jazz catalogue through performance, composition and recordings.

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Requisites

The Trio ~ The Oscar Peterson Trio | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s record from the library is a live album featuring three jazz giants. The Trio (Pablo Records 2310 701) is aptly named because it captures Oscar Peterson on piano, Joe Pass on guitar, and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass in performance during three nights at the Chicago jazz club, London House. What makes this album unique is the exceptional chemistry between each musician. Oscar Peterson’s virtuosic piano playing, Joe Pass’s innovative guitar techniques, and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen’s melodic bass lines all shine through in this album. My copy is the 1973 U.S. Stereo release.

Side One starts with the first of two tunes by Oscar Peterson. Blues Etude begins at a brisk clip, with Joe and Niels-Henning firing on all cylinders before Oscar joins them for the melody. Oscar reveals his broad range in the song’s only solo, enhanced by Joe and Niels-Henning’s accompaniment. Chicago Blues is a delicious dish of soul food beginning with a lengthy piano introduction ahead of the trio’s slow-paced melody. Oscar opens with a tasty invitation for everyone to come to the table. Joe takes charge with a delicious second course next. Oscar adds another scrumptious dish to the meal, and then Niels-Henning provides the final course with a succulent solo preceding a luscious ending.

Side Two opens with Easy Listening Blues by Nadine Robinson. The trio gets things started with a polite melody. Oscar begins the song’s only solo with a warm caress of the keys, creating a beautiful musical landscape. Meanwhile, Joe and Niels-Henning tail him closely until the theme’s restatement and conclusion. Come Sunday is a beautiful jazz standard by Duke Ellington that becomes the sole showcase of Joe Pass. The guitarist approaches the theme and song’s only solo with a simple directness, resulting in a wonderful expression of incredible beauty culminating with a tender ending and appreciative applause from the audience.

Secret Love by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster is a lively tune that will have you tapping your toes from the trio’s opening ensemble. Oscar is up first with a happy groove that makes a lasting impression on the listener. Joe steps up next and gives a splendid statement; then Oscar adds a few final comments ahead of the theme’s reprise and the audience’s approval. Norman Granz produced The Trio, and it’s unknown who supervised the live recording. However, the album’s sound quality is excellent with a soundstage that transports the listener to the London House audience as the trio is performing.

If you’re discovering the music of Oscar Peterson and are in the mood for a live album where you become part of the live audience at the London House. I invite you to check out The Trio by The Oscar Peterson Trio the next time you visit your favorite record store. It’s a fantastic album that captures three of the most renowned musicians at the top of their game. The Trio is a title highly recommended for a spot in your library, as it not only showcases the individual brilliance of each musician but also their exceptional chemistry, making it a must-have for any jazz enthusiast!

~ Come Sunday – Source: JazzStandards.com

~ Secret Love – Source: Wikipedia.org

© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter

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HIBIKI ENOMOTO QUARTET

Pianist and composer Hibiki Inamoto was born in Osaka, Japan in 1977. At the age of 3, he began piano lessons and at age 5 he made his stage debut with his clarinet musical father. He started his musical studies at age 18 where he gained the techniques of pianist master Alfred Cortot and interwined his own reform movement. During his studies, his European tour received high appraisal from Germany’s major newspapers.

Upon his return to Japan, he met concert tuner master Yu Takagi with whom a specialized piano (New York Steinway (Steinway & Sons)) was prepared which Hibiki transports wherever city he tours. He has performed with world top members in the renowned Berlin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and secured foremost applaud from the classic world.

As composer and music director, he has extended his great recognition in major Japanese films as “Nagai Sanpo” (A Long Walk) which received a Grand Prix Award at the Montreal World Film Festival, “Hoshi Mamoru Inu” (A Dog’s Star Protection), “Ikigami” ((from Manga Living God), etc. His creativity has also extended to his own inventions including a piano tinbre (piano mute) patent (No. 4572092) where it became possible to play various tinbre (instrumental sounds) as bass, cembello, and percussion on one piano.

The Band: Hibiki Enomoto ~ piano | Kosuke Sugiuchi ~ guitar | Junichi Sato ~ bass | Hiroshi Kimura ~ drums

Cover: ¥4950

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SAKI OZAWA

Born in Tokyo, Saki Ozawa began learning classical piano from the age of three, later inspired by Gene Harris’s album “Tribute to Count Basie” at the age of 15. She studied jazz piano at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, trained by Yuki Arimasa and started her professional career in the Tokyo area, appearing at a number of jazz festivals, then after graduation began regularly appearing as Saki Ozawa trio at the historical jazz club “Alfie” in Roppongi, Tokyo.
In September 2022, the piano solo performed live at the Hamacho Dining & Bar SESSiON, a restaurant established by Blue Note Japan, was quickly fully booked and she appeared at the grand-opening reception for the press of Ebisu’s BLUE NOTE PLACE, which is currently a hot spot. Since then Ozawa has continued to perform regularly at the club with her own trio.
In March 2023, she performed with sax player Adam Pieronczyk at the Polish jazz club Vertigo. Then in June 2023, the debut album “Cheers!” mainly composed of original songs was released by ReBorn Wood Label and in August 2023, the live performance at Cotton Club Tokyo met with great success.

The Trio: Saki Ozawa ~ piano | Yutaka Yoshida ~ bass | Jun Yamazaki ~ drums

Cover: ¥4950

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