NOVEMBER2009

South Florida Jazz Orchestra

Janiva Magness

Eliane Elias

Willie Green

Tom Scott

Lucky Peterson

Buddy Guy Dr. John

Rick Rossano Miami Saxophone Quartet

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WINNING SPINSSITUATED BETWEEN GAINESVILLEand Ocala, Cross Creek draws nature loversand anglers with its abundance of wildlifeand freshwater fishing. The rural town alsocan lay claim to one of Florida’s most-renowned literary figures, Marjorie KinnanRawlings, as well as an acclaimed restaurantnamed for her masterwork, The Yearling. Onmany weekend nights, the insistent strum ofcountry-blues guitar and the keening wail ofharmonica emanate from the rustic eatery,which opened in 1952 and for the past decadehas provided a steady gig for another Floridatreasure—Willie Green.

Green, who just celebrated his 75th birthday,moved to Florida from his native Alabamamore than 50 years ago. A byproduct of hisjuke-joint experiences, his ability to keep acrowd up and dancing can be heard on his mostrecent release, Blues Project. Unlike previousrecordings, Blues Project finds Green’s emotivevocals and textured harp-blowing out front ofa full band on electric and acoustic tracks.

The opening slowburner, “To the End,”kicks off the album with a sultry swagger.You can almost picture sweat-slicked bodiesgrinding on the dance floor to the humidgroove, which is expertly provided by a superbrhythm section, and guitarist Rick Levy’sheated yet understated leads. Green’s sinus-ysinging bears a resemblance to Jimmy Reed’s,but he’s in no way imitative. Likewise, hishaunting harmonica calls up blues greatssuch as the original Sonny Boy Williamsonand Little Walter, but remains his own.

Green’s mix-and-match approach to estab-lished blues lyrics can be maddening. It musthave been a nightmare for drummer-managerRick Ambrose to come up with song titles andattributions on the CD liners, as Green’s ren-ditions of classics by Little Walter, JuniorParker and Muddy Waters collage several dif-ferent tunes. A bit of “Rockin’ Robin” straysinto Little Walter’s “Crazy ’Bout You.”Junior Parker’s “That’s Alright” is renamed“Who Told You Baby?” and the Green original“Tell Me Mama” borrows nothing but the titlefrom Walter’s hit record. Often, Green seemsto be free-associating. And yet, his delivery isso heartfelt and the music so well-played,

that to argue over song dominion or lyricsmisses the point.

The jumping “Crazy ’Bout You” finds theband firing on all cylinders. Green truly seemsto be enjoying himself, even letting out a JamesBrown-like “ow!” inspired by Levy’s fierylicks. On the original “Since the Sun WentDown,” Green tips his hat to Jimmy Reed,calling up the late blues master’s signaturegroove with stompdown acoustic guitar andchugging harmonica. Acoustic guitar also helpsfuel the stop-time funk of “Tell Me Mama,” atune tailor-made for booty-wagging.

Green is in terrific voice on “Who Told YouBaby?” which begins with just his countrifiedharmonica and vocal. He invests deep feelingin the heartbroken lyric of romantic rejection,which is echoed in his harp playing. Clearly,the distinction between country and city blueshas been a blurry one since before MuddyWaters trekked to Chicago from Clarksdale,with influences flowing both ways along theMississippi.

Helping make that point, a few Muddy foot-prints appear on Blues Project. Full of swampymenace, an outstanding acoustic rendition of“Don’t Say You Don’t Love Me” (actually,“Don’t Say I Don’t Love You”) features somesubdued slide guitar and beautifully showcasesGreen’s sinuous harp. The album concludes

Willie Green

By Bob Weinberg

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with a live version of Muddy’s “Hoochie Coochie Man,” thefull band captured earlier this year at St. Augustine’sBluzfest. Adding Hammond organ to the mix, Green andcompany perform an extended jam that allows listenersto enjoy the band’s instrumental prowess—or just to getup and do the butt dance with someone they know reallywell or would like to.

From start to finish, Blues Project, which Green ded-icates to Florida author and folklorist StetsonKennedy, is a celebration of life from a man who hasseen his share of hard times. Fortunately, his legacyhas been documented on some fine recordings, andGreen sounds like there’s nothing he’d rather dothan play music to make people dance and forget their troubles for awhile. That he continues to do so at an advanced age is a gift to Florida blues fans.

Willie Green performs Nov. 6-7 at the 29th annual Lincolnville Festival, FrancisEvents Field, St. Augustine. Call 904-540-0645 or 904-501-8299 or visit Myspace.com/lincolnvillefest for more information. For more information on Green, visitWilliegreenblues or Myspace.com/Williegreenbluesman.

WINNING SPINS

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BUDDY GUY, DR. JOHN ARSHT CENTER, MIAMI/NOV. 6Blues icons Buddy Guy and Dr. John kick off the secondseason of Larry Rosen’s Jazz and Roots series. BothGuy and the good doctor, who was born Mac Rebennack,hail from Louisiana. Guy trekked to Chicago in 1957and made a name for himself as a dynamic performerand innovator. A pioneer of the West Side sound, Guycut classic recordings for the Chess label and lenticepick leads to the work of Koko Taylor and JuniorWells. In the late ’80s, Guy’s career soared with therelease of Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, which provedhe was still one of the most incendiary vocalists andinstrumentalists in the genre. Dr. John is as synonymouswith New Orleans as Guy is with Chicago. His bourbon-

and-gravel vocals androllicking piano conjureup images of FrenchQuarter revels and thedark, hoodoo elementsthat lie beneath theglittering façades. Thisduality is at the heartof his Nite Tripperpersona, which hedeveloped in the late’60s. In recent years,he’s been a spokesmanfor the revitalizationof New Orleans. Forthis performance, he’llbe accompanied by hisLower 911 Band. BW

S P O T L I G H TJANIVA MAGNESSMOJO KITCHEN, JACKSONVILLE BEACH/NOV. 6B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB, ORLANDO/NOV. 7ACE’S, BRADENTON/NOV. 8BOSTON’S, DELRAY BEACH/NOV. 10SUNRISE THEATER, FORT PIERCE/NOV. 12DOWNTOWN BLUES FEST, GAINESVILLE/NOV. 12BRADFORDVILLE BLUES, TALLAHASSEE/NOV. 14Just how beloved is Janiva Magness? Consider that thesinger’s trophy case bulges with Blues Music Awardsfor Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year for2006, 2007 and 2009, and the B.B. King Entertainerof the Year Award, which she collected this year, as well.Magness has earned every accolade with her soulfulvocals and leave-it-all-on-stage performances, and

first-rate assistancefrom bandmates likeguitarist Zach Zunisand keyboardist BennyYee. On her latest,What Love Will Do,she concentrates onfunk and soul. Mixingself-determined gritwith unabashed lust andvulnerability, Magnessgives the sense thatshe’s lived the life shesings about. The L.A.-based singer contin-ues a life on the roadwith this whirlwindFlorida schedule. BW

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LUCKY PETERSON WITH JAMES PETERSONBRADFORDVILLE BLUES, TALLAHASSEE/NOV. 6ACE’S LOUNGE, BRADENTON/NOV. 7Blues runs in Lucky Peterson’s veins. His dad, James,grew up in his father’s Alabama juke joint, and estab-lished himself as an exciting blues guitarist and vocalistwhen he moved to Buffalo in the 1950s. In turn, Luckygrew up in the blues club James opened, which hostedgiants such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, John LeeHooker and Jimmy Reed. Papa Peterson eventuallyrelocated to Florida, where he continued to run his cluband perform his fiery style of blues. The youngerPeterson, a wizard on Hammond B3 and guitar, touredwith Little Milton and Bobby “Blue” Bland before hisown solo career took flight. Personal demons derailed

a promising career, butLucky battled backand has three new discsof Hammond musicout under the headingOrgan Soul Sessions.James has recordedsome excellent albumsover the past decadeor so, showcasing hisflamethrower guitarlicks, gasoline-throatedroar and vivid song-writing. The father/son pairing can gener-ate sparks, judging bythe 2004 recording IfYou Can’t Fix It. BW

S P O T L I G H T

PHOTO BY VINCENT FLOURET

ELIANE ELIAS QUARTETMINIACI PAC, FT LAUDERDALE/NOV. 21Brazilian Eliane Elias became such an accomplishedpianist at an early age that she didn’t add her othertalent to the mix until a decade later. But her intimatevocals on the 1989 release Eliane Elias Plays Jobimmade for a double-threat that’s continued throughher recent hit recording Bossa Nova Stories (BlueNote). Elias’ mother was a classical pianist, whichobviously left an imprint on her daughter as she grewup in Sao Paulo. Elias’ technique, sense of harmonyand speed have blurred any lines between jazz andclassical music ever since. The pianist moved to NewYork City in 1981 and joined the group Steps Aheadthe following year, appearing on its debut release. Her

debut as a leader wasthe 1986 CD Illusions,and recordings likeOn the Classical Sidehave since displayed herinstrumental prowessin nonpopular form.Elias also won criticalacclaim with 2008’sSomething for You—Eliane Elias Singsand Plays Bill Evans.Her quartet is fea-tured in the SouthFlorida Jazz organiza-tion’s 18th anniver-sary concert. BM

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Log on to www.bostonsonthebeach.comfor our complete lineup, menus, photos and more!Located on the waterfront in Delray Beach, Boston’s is the ideal place

for casual dining, live music and sports viewing in our first-floor restaurant, The Beach. Or enjoy great cuisine and cocktails

upstairs at our fine dining restaurant, The UpperDeck. And be sure to check out our Back Bay Tiki Bar for a tropical cocktail

while listening to some of the area’s finest musicians on our outdoor stage. Boston’s… something for everyone!

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Go Where the Pros Go

TOM SCOTTHIMMEL THEATER, WEST PALM BEACH/NOV. 16UM GUSMAN CONCERT HALL, MIAMI/NOV. 5Veteran saxophonist Tom Scott is one of those artistswho’s been heard by almost everyone. His 450 sessionrecording credits include Thelonious Monk, Joni Mitchell,Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan and ArethaFranklin. He’s also appeared on the soundtracks tothe movies Taxi Driver and Blade Runner, and the TVshows Family Ties and Starsky & Hutch. The three-timeGrammy winner, who helmed the popular L.A. Expressin the ’70s, has also released 29 solo recordings, the latestof which is Cannon Re-Loaded—A Tribute to CannonballAdderley (Concord). In town before and after the JazzCruise, which departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Scott performs

at the University ofMiami with the SouthFlorida Jazz Orchestra(see right), plus UMFrost School of Musicdean and pianist ShellyBerg and violinist MarkO’Connor. (O’Connoralso headlines showsNov. 19-20 at theAtlantic Music Centerin Melbourne). Scott’sHimmel show kicks offthe 10th anniversaryseason for the JazzArts Music Society ofPalm Beach. BM

S P O T L I G H TSOUTH FLORIDA JAZZ ORCHESTRALINCOLN ROAD STAGE, MIAMI BEACH/NOV. 7AMATURO THEATER, FT LAUDERDALE/NOV. 11Jazz orchestras made up of instructors often play alljazz classics and American songbook tunes. Not so theSouth Florida Jazz Orchestra, which is led by bassistand University of Miami instructor Chuck Bergeron.On the SFJO’s self-titled debut CD, Bergeron and altosaxophonist Gary Lindsay, also on the faculty of UM,contribute compositions. Even some of the standardsthe band selects, such as John Fedchock’s “Touch & Go”and Joe Zawinul’s gem “Midnight Mood,” aren’t obviouschoices. The orch boasts a deep bench, with talentssuch as pianist Brian Murphy, saxmen Gary Keller andMike Brignola, trombonist Dante Luciani and drummer

John Yarling. Guestvocalists on the discinclude Dana Paul on ahard-charging variationof Rodgers & Hart’s“This Can’t Be Love,”Kevin Mahogany onthe sultry “Nature Boy”and Nicole Yarling onthe soaring “Blame Iton My Youth.” SingerLisanne Lyons willguest at the AmaturoTheater performance.The band also willperform with sax starTom Scott at UM (seeleft). BM

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S P O T L I G H TRICK ROSSANOTHE ORANGE DOOR, LAKE PARK/NOV. 7This show is titled “Rick Rossano Plays the Blues,”and anyone who’s heard the longtime South Floridaguitarist and vocalist knows he can play anythingblues-based. He’s done just that for nearly 20 yearswith his group The Dillengers, mixing humorous orig-inals with covers ranging from rockabilly, surf andGeorge Jones to jazz standards, movie themes and theRamones. In 2000, Rossano was named one of“America’s 10 Best Unknown Guitarists” by Guitar Onemagazine, largely based on his work on The Dillengers’1996 CD Live at Elwood’s. The trio’s self-producedrelease Instro-Mania caught the attention of label-head and former Frank Zappa guitarist Steve Vai, who

reissued it on hisFavored Nations imprintin 2001. Rossano evenhas an instructionalbook/CD combo, Roots-Style Rhythm Tracks,available through MelBay. His blues playingis steeped in AlbertKing, Stevie RayVaughan and JimiHendrix. Expect ele-ments of all three,with twists, from thismaster of musicalunpredictability. BM

MIAMI SAXOPHONE QUARTETCHRIST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHPALMETTO BAY/NOV. 7Comprising some of South Florida’s top horn players,the Miami Saxophone Quartet combines jazz andchamber music for a bright, sophisticated sound all itsown. Gary Keller, Gary Lindsay, Ed Calle and MikeBrignola are the principals, combining their voices ontheir individual saxes, as well as their compositional gifts,talents for intriguing arrangements and varying back-grounds. The MSQ’s most recent recording, Fourtified,finds the group digging in on a set that includes nodsto Dave Brubeck and Paquito d’Rivera, as well as spot-lighting originals by Calle and Lindsay, the latter ofwhich includes the three-part “Jazz Suite for Double

Quartet,” played along-side the Bergonzi StringQuartet. As usual, thefoursome calls onfirst-rate South Floridacolleagues such asbassist Chuck Bergeronand pianist Jim Gasior,and kicks off the CDwith keyboardist RonMiller’s “Seventh Sign.”Keller, Lindsay andCalle are now back inthe classroom, thefirst two at UM’sFrost School of Music,the latter at MiamiDade College. BW

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