The Jazz Voyager

From Nashville to Bern the Jazz Voyager is crossing the pond once more to sit in the audience at Marians Jazzroom. The venue’s 126 seats offers a guarantee of a musical experience in authentic ambience within the harmonious interior reminiscent of a New York jazz club.

Catching Grammy winner Bill Charlap on the third evening of his five-day engagement will be a treat, especially witnessing for the first time the talents of saxophonist Nicole Glover. She’s a member of Ursa Major led by bassist Christian McBride and leads her own quartet. This isn’t the first time these two have paired up for this

The jazzroom is located at Engestrasse 54, 3012 Bern, Switzerland. For more information contact the venue at https://www.mariansjazzroom.ch.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Jerzy “Duduś” Matuszkiewicz was born on April 10, 1928 in Jasło, Poland and began playing jazz as a youth. He founded a jazz club at the YMCA in Kraków, Poland at age 20. and played with the orchestra of Kazimierz Turewicz.

A music enthusiasts club, Melomani, was founded in 1947 at the Łódź YMCA, a hang-out of nonconformist thinkers during the late 1940s. Moving to Łódź, Poland to study at the new Łódź Film School, he became part of the club and joined the sessions. After only a few concerts, the YMCA was closed due to promoting imperialist ideology using jazz music.

Jerzy founded and led a band in 1950, playing saxophones and clarinet with Marek Szczerbiński-Sart, trumpeter Andrzej “Idon” Wojciechowski, drummer Witold “Dentox” Sobociński, Marian and Tadeusz Suchocki  and pianist Andrzej Trzaskowski and bassist Witold Kujawsk. Being separated from Western jazz by the Stalinist regime, they played a repertoire that did not compare to Western standards.

The band was offered space to practise at the Film School, performed informal concerts at the Film School, as well as in bars and private events, once a week. When they received an invitation to play a concert in Warsaw, Poland at the Academy of Fine Arts, they named themselves Melomani.

In 1952, pianist Krzysztof Komeda joined the band and expanded their performance reach. They played at the first jazz festival in Sopot, Poland in 1956. 1958 saw them as the first Polish jazz band invited to perform at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. The group disbanded that same year.

Until 1964 he performed both in Poland and abroad. The following year he began to mainly compose and conduct music for movies and commercials. Moving to Warsaw with his wife, Grażyna, saxophonist, pianist, composer and bandleader Jerzy Matuszkiewicz died on July 31, 2021 at 93.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Michael James Hashim was born on April 9, 1956 in Geneva, New York. He began playing saxophone while in elementary school, then played with Phil Flanigan and Chris Flory as a high schooler. He worked with both into the middle 1970s.

In 1976 he toured with Muddy Waters and played with the Widespread Depression Orchestra, which he would later lead. Michael formed his own quartet in 1979, which has included Dennis Irwin, Kenny Washington, and Mike LeDonne as sidemen. In 1980 he toured with Clarence Gatemouth Brown.

Hashim played in New York City in the early 1980s with Roy Eldridge, Jo Jones, Brooks Kerr, Sonny Greer, and Jimmie Rowles. From 1987 he worked often with Judy Carmichael. The Nineties saw him touring China in 1992, and was one of the first jazz musicians ever to do so.

He worked with Flory through the 1990s, and toured North America and Europe regularly. In 1990 with his quartet he recorded Lotus Blossom, an album of Billy Strayhorn songs. In 1998 expanded this ensemble into 11 members as the Billy Strayhorn Orchestra.

Alto and soprano saxophonist Michael Hashim has been a member of the Raymond Scott Orchestra, a mainstay in the George Gee Orchestra, performs with The Microscopic Septet and continues to record as a leader and sideman..

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Requisites

Still Hard Times ~ David “Fathead” Newman | By Eddie Carter

David “Fathead” Newman, a versatile multi-instrumentalist, enters this morning’s spotlight with his vastly underrated album, Still Hard Times (Muse Records MR 5283). This musical feast delights any jazz aficionado, offering a satisfying blend of David’s proficiency on the alto sax (track: B2), flute (B1, B3), soprano sax (A3), and tenor sax (A1, A2, B1). On his second Muse Records date, he joins forces with an talented ensemble of musicians: Charlie Miller on trumpet (A1, A2, B1, B2), Hank Crawford on alto sax (A1, A2, B1 to B3), Howard Johnson on baritone sax (A1, A2, B1, B2), Steve Nelson on vibraphone (A3, B3), Larry Willis on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. My copy is the 1982 U.S. Stereo release.

The album opens with the septet’s introduction to Shana by David Newman, segueing into a mid-tempo melody that sets the mood. David indulges in delightful fun on a vibrant performance with playful energy and a lively tone. Larry adds an extra layer of excitement with a vibrant solo before the ensemble wraps up the song. Blisters by Hank Crawford opens with the rhythm section’s bluesy introduction, irresistibly getting your fingers snapping and your foot tapping. The theme starts as the front line launches this musical meal. Newman’s easygoing first course whets the appetite; then it’s on to Crawford, who delivers a splendid main course. Willis unfolds the perfect ending in a delicious treat for dessert, leading to the song’s conclusion.

Newman’s switch to the soprano sax for One For My Baby by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer is a moment of profound emotion. Larry introduces the jazz standard, ascending to David’s deeply poignant theme. He continues telling the melancholic story delicately. In the following tender presentation, Steve reveals the song’s melodic beauty, which precedes David’s serene fadeout. To Love Again is a beautiful ballad by Hank Crawford featuring “Fathead” in a heartfelt flute and tenor sax performance. Side Two opens with Newman’s flute introduction, followed by his gentle melody on the tenor sax with the ensemble in the background. In the song’s only solo, “Fathead” conveys heartwarming and precious thoughts in every note until the group returns for the gentle closing chorus.

The album’s title track, Still Hard Times by David Newman, places the leader on alto sax as the septet’s soulful theme begins. David leads off with an easy-flowing interpretation as enjoyable as something comfortable to wear. Larry brings a cheerful spontaneity to the second statement, complimenting David’s performance preceding the ending theme, which fades out gently. Percy Mayfield’s blues ballad, Please Send Me Someone To Love, receives a regal treatment by the sextet with Newman’s return to the flute, accompanied by Nelson’s vibes complementing the rhythm section as “Fathead” unveils the melody. The highlight is Crawford’s funky down-home performance until the group’s theme reprise and finale!

Still Hard Times was produced by Michael Cuscuna. Vince Traina was behind the dials of the recording, and Joe Brescio mastered the album. It has superb sound quality, with a rich soundstage transporting the listener to the studio as the musicians perform. David “Fathead” Newman’s versatility is remarkable, and the rhythm section’s steady foundation enhances the front line’s performance throughout each track. Whether you’re a soul jazz fan or discovering his music, I highly recommend checking out Still Hard Times by David “Fathead” Newman on your next record hunt. It’s a perfect album for a relaxing evening with friends or when enjoying the quiet, listening alone. It’s become a cherished part of my library, and I hope that after you hear it, it will become a treasured part of yours!

One For My Baby, Please Send Me Someone To Love – Source: Wikipedia.org

© 2025 by Edward Thomas Carter

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KENNY GARRETT

Newly named an NEA Jazz Master in 2023, saxophonist Kenny Garrett is one of the most powerfully expressive, uplifting, and influential instrumentalists and bandleaders of our time. Kenny’s fiery quintet swings into Keystone Korner Baltimore for 2 nights, Saturday & Sunday, April 26th & 27th, to celebrate his latest release, Sounds From The Ancestors, which reflects the rich jazz, R&B, and gospel history of his hometown of Detroit and deeply resonates with the Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Cuba, Nigeria and Guadeloupe.

With his illustrious career that includes hallmark stints with Miles Davis, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, as well as a heralded career as a solo artist that began more than 30 years ago, Kenny Garrett is easily recognized as one of modern jazz’s brightest and most influential living masters. And with the marvelous Sounds From The Ancestors, the GRAMMY® Award-winning Garrett shows no signs of resting on his laurels.

Kenny Garrett ~ saxophones
Keith Brown ~ piano
Corcoran Holt ~ bass
Rudy Bird ~ percussion
Ronald Bruner ~ drums
Melvin Santa ~ vocals & keys

Tickets: $45 – $55 | $4.16 – $4.86 Fees

Shows: Saturday ~ 6:00pm & 8:30pm | Sunday ~ 5:00pm & 7:30pm

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