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1Jazz Culture at �YJP, VI:9

JAZZ CULTUREThe New York Jazz Project

In These Pages‐Review 1‐2England Event‐J. Watson 3‐4

How To Make a CD that MayOutlive You J. Magnarelli 5‐6

"The Unforgettable Hamptons" 7-1 0

An Emmy Winning Film about theHampton Family Jazz Heritage

Let's Link 11

[email protected]://newyorkjazzproject.com

The Rick Stone Trio at �oon

Concert on 47th Street Plaza

REVIEWThe Rick Stone Trio

Caught The Rick Stone Trio at 47th Street Plaza, between 2-3

Avenues, at a Public Concert in Plaza on June 14, Noon. Rick

Stone, guitar, Marco Panascia, bass, Tom Pollard, drums. Luckily

this trio, together about three years, has a unit sound. On a sunny

June day, they presented jazz standards by piano masters and Mr.

Stone’s originals.

The Rick Stone Trio changed the noonday crowd's workday

mood, starting with “Windows,” by Chick Corea. Mr. Stone and

Mr. Panascia soloed well on the lovely waltz with a searching

quality.

“Nascimento” by Barry Harris followed, a ‘catchy tune’ (as

Leroy Williams calls it) at about 145=quarter note, with a built in

arrangement, the song has an optimistic quality. Mr. Stone playing

one chorus on changes and then throwing in some whole stone

exploration. Mr. Pollard played crisply on drums, Mr. Panascia fell

to scalar musings with a marcato touch. Mr. Pollard and Mr.

2 Jazz Culture at �YJP, VI:9

Panascia have a fine technique, with color palettes that balance

each other out, Mr. Pollard’s being higher pitched, and Mr.

Panascia a dark baritone sound on bass.

Bill Evans’ “Turn Out the Stars” was next, a bit up from a

walking ballad, with Mr. Stone’s fine articulation in short motifs

on the solo expanding to longer lines that flowed lyrically, tenderly

and relevant to the original melody, at about 1 12=quarter note. Mr.

Panascia had a different take, sounding like a solitary walker on

city streets in fall. The melody has a curious affirmative quality.

By choosing for the most part, songs without words, this trio draws

its emotional interpretation mainly from the rhythmic character

and melody of the songs.

Monk’s “Play Twice” was next, the theme stated by the bass,

with Mr. Stone following, the rhythmic angularity at home with

Monk’s playfulness at about 1 32, full ofwhole tone triplet ideas

taking off from the theme that expanded to short runs. Actually

Mr. Panascia has a color on bass that really suits this song. Mr.

Pollard did some soloing, the snare conversing with cymbals with

bass ornamentation, short rolls that led to popped accents, melodic

drumming.

The entire group has a fine technique, lyric beauty, melodic

inventiveness and a positive sound that bridges the gap between

mainstream jazz and modernism in terms of harmonic leaps to

modes or scales fitting the architecture of the city and art work in

the Museum ofModern Art.

They then played Rick Stone’s originals, tucking in a Berlin

tune “The Best Thing for You” at about 200. Mr. Stone hummed

as he played a sunny solo without arrogance (no showoff he) over

this brisk tempo, keeping in touch with his inner life. The originals

had a wide range, from “Blues Enough,” a medium blues with a

march-like quality where he displayed knowledge of the blues

tradition, his humorous “Key Lime Pie,” (“Since it’s lunchtime,”

he joked with the audience), played over a Latin beat, with nice

breaks, and Mr. Panascia finding short, zestful comments on bass.

On “Nacho Mama’s Blues,” a blues in a medium groove, bridging

modern and traditional harmonies, Mr. Stone started with short


quarter note licks that he then

subdivided rhythmically and

opened to longer scalar lines,

Pollard playing interesting and

sensitive intertwinings on drums,

Mr. Panascia showing great

deftness.

A mysterious quality was

reflected in three songs, “The

Phrygerator” on the Phrygian

mode, the Phrygian mode

starting on the third step of the

major scale, through which he introduced folks to a normal view

of the world turned slightly askew (is it the world or is it you),

swinging on his solo, one of the few who can wrest familiarity out

of a modal cast. Mr. Panascia played fluently, sometimes using

wide intervals, a futuristic tune.

On “Rainforest” a lush song with a rainbow of surprising

colors, the trio played in 4 stepping on quarter notes together like

explorers over a bridge to the untouched zones of nature that still

exist in this world. This unique song evoked a strangeness far from

concrete, glass and steel, with melodic solos singing the praises of

a green, purple, orange world of tropical splendor. The trio seemed

to speak with one voice.

“Fractals” the title of an acclaimed recent cd, (see fractals on

Wikipedia) was played at medium swing with intervallic patterns

that are metaphors for patterns (sometimes visual and beautiful) in

math and nature. If that sounds abstract, it is, like a Jackson

Pollock painting, expanded in Mr. Stone’s cityscape style, a solo

starting in short motifs that double in size and open to scalar

pensive ideas, with Mr. Panascia cavorting on bass, and Mr.

Pollard throwing in drum rolls and accents. Mr. Stone’s work

forms a nice bridge between the modal concept and the earlier

boppish sound. One audience member, a business man working

nearby, said “I love it.”

Rick Stone, Photo: C. Drukker


by John WatsonA jazz musician's life in

London is probably quite similar

to New York in that it is full of

contrasts. One night you are

playing for peanuts in a jazz club

or bar (hopefully to an

appreciative and demonstrative

audience) and the next night you

are in the lap of luxury.

The DorchesterThe latter applies to my night

at The Dorchester performing

with a quartet featuring Alex Garnett on sax, Steve Rose on bass,

Helder Pack on drums and yours truly on a grand piano (hired in

for the occasion). We were booked by a rich, jazz-loving client to

perform for about 100 guests in the Gold & Silver Rooms. We

performed mostly straight ahead jazz numbers such as 'Killer Joe'

with some Latin numbers such as "Song For My Father" to

showcase Mozambique (via Portugal) drummer Helder Pack's

style. It was great to work with Alex Garnett again. We recently

bumped into each other at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (when I was

performing there with Mica Paris) as Alex is a regular member of

the house band; "The Ronnie Scott's All Stars". Alex became well

known as a member of "Ray Gelato's Giants" (a Louis Prima style

swing band) but left to pursue his own projects including his début

album "Serpent" recorded in famous Brooklyn studio "Systems

Two". Completing the line-up on bass was Steve Rose who has

played with the likes ofBenny Golson and Joe Lovano. This was

not my regular line-up but playing with such a great collection of

musicians always draws something new out of you.

Mica Paris at Ronnie Scott’s, March 29-31, 2012Ronnie Scott’s is the most well known club in London.

E�GLA�D EVE�T

John Watson

Photo: Max Garr


Located on Frith Street, right in the heart of Soho,it plays host to

the best ofBritish and US blues, jazz and soul artists. The original

club was opened by British modern jazz sax player Ronnie Scott,

and fellow tenor player Peter King in 1959 inspired by Ronnie’s

trips to 52nd Street in New York.

At the end ofMarch, I had the privilege of performing at

Ronnie Scott’s as musical director (piano/keyboard/vocal) for

British soul artist Mica Paris. We did five sell-out shows over

three nights (one show on Thursday and two shows on Friday and

Saturday). Like most jazz clubs, the layout is intimate, with some

tables right in front of the musicians. Tables further away are on

raised sections (to the right and left) for better viewing whilst other

customers sit or stand by the bar at the back of the club.

The audience was extremely receptive but I did feel sorry for

the support band on Friday and Saturday (which featured Carl Orr

on electric guitar) who did a set from 7:1 5 and 8 pm, and then had

to wait until after our second show before starting their second set

at 12:45! If you are planning a trip to London, Ronnie Scott’s is

well worth the visit!

* * *

John Watson is a gifted English jazz pianist who has a steady

gig at The Langham, a premiere London hotel with an exquisite

restaurant where for a drink or soda, you can hear the John Watson

Trio every weekend. Surpassing New York, London’s hotel

industry supports jazz events and groups. John Watson also serves

as musical director for various singers, and has a growing

discography and popularity. A graduate of the Guildhall School of

Music and Drama, John Watson has performed in many different

situations, from hotels to jazz clubs, from festivals to parties.

These include: Four Seasons Hotel London, The Dorchester

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Club Soho, Hammersmith

Apollo, JVC Jazz Festival Paris, Grand Hotel du Cap Ferat Music

Festival and St. Regis Hotel New York. John is a “triple threat”--

singer, pianist and keyboardist, accompanist and long time music

director ofLeee John and legendary 80’s group Imagination.

Through popular demand, he has recorded and released several


albums. Most recently the JW3 Live at the Langham, (available for

download) features his jazz trio and was recorded at the Palm

Court,-The Langham, London, where John is currently resident

pianist and musical director. www.johnpianoman.co.uk

Myspace.com/johnawatson; youtube.com/johnpianoman;

twitter.com/johnpianoman;facebook.com/john-

watson/78494720527

by JoeMagnarelli

My Old Flame:

Songs: My Old

Flame, I’ ll Be

Seeing You,

Highbridge,

eracism, The

Duke, Blues for

‘Skee” (Dennis

Irwin), When

Your Lover Has Gone, Bilbao, McChesney Park.

With Quintet & 16 Strings. Quintet Personnel: Joe Magnarelli,

T, Jimmy Wormsworth, D, Rick Germanson, P, David Wong, B,

Dick Oatts, S, Peter Bernstein, G, Vince Cherico, D, Wilson

“Chemo” Corneil & Daniel Sadownick, Percussion. Arranger:

Marty Sheller. Released in 2010.

My Old Flame, a recording with strings, was about a two year

process. Being a fan ofClifford Brown with Strings, and of course

Charlie Parker with strings, I had imagined myself in that context

for many years. But, actually thinking about making it happen

started in 2008, I have a good friend who plays violin, Efrat

Shapira, she started turning me on to the Emerson String Quartet,

and Bartok string quartets, and she was encouraging me to do

How To Make a CD that May Outlive You

Joe Magnarelli


something with strings.

My Old Flame was a project that took about two years to

complete.

I was studying ( and still am) out of orchestration books at the

time, 2008, and was putting some 'pads' down on paper to a couple

ofmy favorite ballads. I realized then that my own writing would

not be ready for many years. That's when I called Marty Sheller,

my friend, and someone I had worked for in the recording studio.

A great orchestrator and composer, and very well known in the

Latin jazz genre.

I also thought a cd of just ballads was not what I wanted, [and]

Marty agreed, so we included 2 ofmy originals, and, Marty did a

great thing with Dave Brubeck's " the Duke," making it a Cha-Cha.

Overall I think there is a good variety ofmoods on the cd.

I contacted violinist Genice Grice, the wife ofmy good friend

Tony Reedus. She helped organize the string players, since I knew

only a couple, and we did the date all in two days with one day of

rehearsal.

Marty's writing is so beautiful, he created beautiful settings for

all the tunes. We had the easy part, just play and have fun.

The months preceding the recording, I spent a lot of time

practicing, and memorizing the string parts. Not only did I feel

more connected at the date, but I learned so much about

orchestration.

It was a learning experience, producing, contracting, playing

and composing. See JoeMagnarelli. com

Memorial Tribute to WadeBarnes, drummerJune 18th at St. Peter's on 54 St. & Lex.Ave.

Three Live Bands________________

Person at left, Lionelle Hamanaka, Publishersee lionellehamanaka.com

[email protected]


JAZZ HERITAGEDr. Frank Foster

Photo: Brian McMillen

We Remember Dr. Frank FosterListen to his "Nippon Lament"

QUOTATION:"Practice a Million Hours."‐Junior Cook, Saxophonist

"You can't take off without alaunching pad."

‐Lonnie Hillyer, Trumpeter

“The UnforgettableHampton Family”Part I: Note: The African

American territory bands from the

1920’s-60’s disseminated jazz

throughout the Midwest. There

were Caucasian territory bands but

not primarily in that section of the

country. There were a few

integrated bands like The

Sweethearts ofRhythm. In the

1920’s, territory bands travelled by

station wagon with another vehicle

behind. There were 900 dance

bands in 1924, providing jobs for

7,200 musicians. The Hampton

Family Band has produced 80

years ofmusicians, spanning

blues, swing, bebop. The father, Deacon Hampton, was a self

taught musician. The mother Laura played piano. “The

Unforgettable Hampton Family” breaks away from many

Dawn Hampton holding Emmy

Award with Director Julie Cohen

Jazz Culture by �YJP, VI:9 9

commercial films in the past, in

which scripts portrayed African

Americans only in subservient

roles and not depicting their

contributions to history. Director

Julie Cohen, an experienced prize-

winning documentarian, shared the

story of the making of “The

Unforgettable Hampton Family:”

Julie Cohen, Director [JC]: “I

did not know her [Dawn] well

when I started the project. I had

earlier done a documentary about

Frankie Manning and in the course

of doing that I saw great footage of the two of them dancing

together, and then I saw Dawn as one of a number of people who

danced at Frankie’s memorial service. And [Dawn] made a grand

entrance as only she knows how to do and seemed like such a

remarkable person…

“[Then] I went to a workshop she made on bhangra [dance] and

Dawn was so entertaining on that I knew she would make a

wonderful interview. I had not known until that point about her

wonderful siblings and the family band they had together as

children, and in fact, [that] a number of them had gone on to great

musical careers separately. On You Tube, I was able to find

footage of her sisters in Indianapolis, Aletra and Virtue, (who had

passed away by the time I started the project) on piano and bass

duets. They were extraordinary performers and it was quite

unexpected to see women in their 90’s play the bass with such

verve and style…I was not aware that her brother was Slide

Hampton the prominent trombonist. That and her own family

story seemed like a strong basis for a film. I was also producing

for a New York audience, and Dawn had spent had own her

history performing in Greenwich Village, and that opened the door

to an interesting world that I hadn’t known about -- the Gay music

scene in 60s and 70s, ofwhich she was a major part. So we spent

Dawn Hampton Dances at Swing

46 recently


some time trying to find a fan of hers

from that era, that we could interview

alongside her. There were three big sit

down interviews, one with her and (her

brother) Maceo, (one with) George Gee,

and one with a fan of hers from

Greenwich Village scene, Freeman

Gunter. Dawn is the sort of person who

has a skill for interacting with others, so

she was good to interview.

“I guess it was sort ofDawn in some

ways (who) suggested the theme in a

couple of interviews; in terms of

crediting, really, all of the success, both in

terms of public recognition, but also in

terms of personal satisfaction, tying [that] back to her

extraordinary father, (Clark Deacon Hampton) and his attitudes

towards his own life and family. Despite coming from extremely

difficult circumstances, having almost no money and being

African American at a time when that would raise huge barriers to

education, professionally, [in] almost every area of life, even

without any formal education, [Deacon Hampton] had an agenda

that he put forth himself for his wife and kids. ‘ I have a plan of

how my kids are gonna make it in this world, through becoming

performing artists.’ [Deacon Hampton] he did not take the time to

let the kids grow up, he just—‘One way we would lift the family

out of poverty would be through performing, that is one way

whites are able to accept blacks, that would be a way that I can

provide for my family and they can provide for themselves.’

“The father [Deacon Hampton] had extraordinary talent, but

the kids did not necessarily have it. Slide said he was not innately

talented, [it was that] he worked hard [at things] that seemed to

come easier to his other siblings’ pure musical talent.

“Dawn has extreme musical talent; now she does her whistling

and teaching dance, but she was a great singer, saxophone player,

[doubled on] other instruments, the kids had more than one, [so

Dawn Hampton before

her birthday party


Let's Link

they could spell each other] . Her real talent is as a performer,

which is evident from the fact that although certain parts have

dropped out of her performing, due to thyroid problems in the

60’s, as she grew older, singing was not an option, but it was easy

for Dawn to shift to teaching and dancing. Her stage presence was

her skill, captivating the audience onstage. And that goes back to

her father who was teaching her and Maceo (closest in age) how to

do vaudeville performing.

“[He taught them that] In front of an audience you have to give

them a full entertainment experience, and she has a great talent for

public speaking. [for example,] Since the film came out she and I

have done some Q&A’s. She is really good at that, she really

understands how to talk about things that would be of interest to an

audience. She stands up and gestures with her hands until people

really do give her a standing ovation. [Another example would be]

the way she dresses.” End of Part I , Part I I next week

See BarryHarris.com

Congratulations, Jazz Culture!

Kuni Mikami, pianist

see kunimikami.com

CD Baby "Hamp's Boogie"

Jim Malloy,

�YSinger Clarence Banks, Count Basie

Trombonist, Private Lessons,

Clinics, call 917-428-6746


Future issues of Jazz Culture will contain reviews by participants of theFriday night singers' jam at University of the Streets, an article by Dado

Moroni on world jazz, an article by Clarence Banks on tromboneplaying, an article by Kuni Mikami on jazz in Japan, and articles by

Ron Carter on jazz education and an article by Howard Rees on jazz inCanada. For a free subscription to Jazz Culture newsletter please sign

up at: http://newyorkjazzproject.comBenefit for Westpark Church on May 20, featuring "Seven

Stages ofWoman" by Joan Wile

Emily, DeeDee McCloskey and Joan Wile starring at original musical

by Joan Wile to benefit Westpark ChurchMUSICIAN CORRESPONDENTSBARRY HARRIS JAZZ

WORKSHOP I� ROMA

FROM 17 TO 21

SEPTEMBER 2012

I�FO:A��APA�TUSO

@HOTMAIL.COM

PHO�E +39 3393383139

Luciano Fabris, Pianist-

Producer

Maggie Malone,

freelance

singer, Left

Jazz Workshop Rome,

Right

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