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Bird
Lives! Interesting how something can stay in your mind lifelong. Each
person has been touched by the genius of Charlie Parker in different
ways. So many different inspiring stories I've heard and I've read. Not
to mention all the amazing music. I always wish I could of heard Bird
live, also wish I could of heard him on tenor live as that's something
Don Lanphere spoke of to me a lot.
Around 1970… I saw this movie
in Cambridge Massachusetts called "Murmur or the heart".. there is some
nice Bird playing in the soundtrack, and the movie itself.. I thought
I'd bring it to a few peoples attention- whether or not they know about
it or have any interest in checking out the movie, I've seen it on and
off on YouTube too. But in any case now you know about it.
The
other aspect of Charlie Parker that always stuck in my mind… was his
interest to study with Edgar Varese. That always stuck in my mind, had
it materialized one can only imagine were music would've went. He was
obviously more than familiar with Varese. What drove the point home even
further, and I think about this a lot, was at one point saxophonist (
and one of pioneers of the jazz oboe) Dick Hafer had relayed a very
interesting story. Dick Hafer known Parker, from various things that he
did with Woody Herman ( Bird with the Herd) and of course just being on
the scene at that time.Dick told me the story about a conversation that
he was a part of with Bird and Varese after a gig, hanging in NYC. Dick
also told me Bird dug Stefan Wolpe It seems Charlie Parker had a
real interest in those free forms and expanded composition directions
combining a structure and freedom together. Hafer was also a woodwind
player-who played or oboe and English horn as well as saxes, flute and
clarinet. He's on Mingus records like " Black Saint and The Sinner
Lady". ( there's various double reed solos on Anthony Ortega records
& some dub's that Dick gave me that never made it onto the vinyl.)
it seems like as history has it that Birds life was cut short sadly and
this project never materialized. Many times I think of what could've
happened had this went down. Where could of this music would've went?
Talk about imagining the sound right?
Basically I heard from
another artist from the same era named Gil Melle that Varese was
looking forward to this with Parker. It is a known fact that sadly never
materialized. Many of us who understand what both men were about
musically- it's kind of overwhelming to think that that kind of point of
departure never happened. For what it's worth-Dick Hafer was a friend
of mine who is from the same hometown is me. My original saxophone and
flute teacher knew him-hence the connection. When I first moved to New
York in 1973 I would go to jam sessions on Ave A to sit in with Dick and
Joe Chevadone on trombone.He repeated this same story to me when home
visiting his brother in Reading, Pa after he spent the night sitting in
with Al Grey and me.
To have heard a story like this come right out
of someone's mouth in front of you was mind blowing- I thought I would
pass it along again as food for thought and also document something I
heard from somebody who was on the inside, like Dick Hafer. Something
pretty deep, sad it never happened. Thanks for reading this.
BIRD LIVES!
Tim Price Blogging For D'Addario Woodwinds August 2017
In the name of Trane....in the spirit of the great artist John Coltrane I'm
very proud to be part of a very select number of musicians in the Philadelphia
jazz project that pays tribute yearly to this great master.
Last
year I played directly across the street in the park from the Coltrane
House in Philadelphia. Once with my own trio- and later in the day with
Sam Reeds tenor madness. Sam's band contains some of the most profound
saxophone players in the Philadelphia area, jazz legends like Sam Reed or
Charlie Cunningham or George Barron or Larry McKenna, Julian Presley, Gilberto Cruz in addition to so
many others in the rhythm section like Philly drummer Jeffrey Johnson and more. ( Larry is not on this gig- by the way- take note) Below is the historic ...COLTRANE HOUSE in Philadelphia, Pa.
This year Sam's
band is playing at the Clef Club September 20 at 7 o'clock for this
event. It's a beautiful event and everybody really gets to blow and stretch
out and play-different guys will be featured throughout the gig as well
in a quartet or trio fashion as well as Sam's saxophone ensemble with rhythm section. George Baron and I are playing a quartet
segment of the show and playing " Soul Trane" and " 26 -2 ". Julian Presley is going to be playing an amazing version of Duke
Ellington's " In a sentimental mood"… Just to give you some teasers.
This is a
gig that you're not gonna want to miss, it's worth the drive even if
you're coming from Baltimore and New York, what the heck why don't I
just throw Copenhagen or Miami in as well! LOL😎 The focus is the music and love of all things Trane. We are having a ball too- stop by!
These is the kind
of things I'm talking about, that are of the ultimate important
musically in a level that steps out of just the normal and approaches
some great jazz- played by people who have played
this art form for decades. There's a big difference if you come and hear
something like this musically then let's say going to a jazz festival
and hearing some of the same old stuff that is shopworn. With that in
mind some of these players have roots that grew up with people actually
Morgan and Jimmy Heath. Charlie Cunningham is almost 90 and he knew Trane. Charlie also played in the 70s with Philly Joe Jones the great
drummer. Below is Charlie and me playing at last years festival!
I'll be saying more about this prestigious event cause
I'm very proud to be a part of it but also bring it to the worlds
attention in these weekly blogs. These are things that should be being
talked about and they're also a great form of respect to a master like
John Coltrane.
Also- credit and respect and love to our friend and source of great forward motion Homer Jackson. It wouldn't be happening without you sir.
I'll be keeping you posted-thank you for reading this
and I see you all next week.
In the name of Trane indeed! ~ Tim Price
~ In
today's world as a creative musician, teacher, recording artist and
student you got to learn to hang in there. Music is a beautiful thing,
something very important to life and all within. But just like anything
else, nobody gives you something for nothing.
You have to understand that...
luck
is where your lifelong preparation will join the opportunity. It's not
easy either- don't expect because you can play " Giant Steps" or know
the inner world of the " Creston Sonata" or have played every bar in the
Jersey Shore that you deserve anything.
Before anything, you must love what you do. As Charles Bukowski said," You gotta have the guts." Do what you do and do it to the absolute best of your ability. Bukowski also said, " It’s no good quitting, there is always the smallest bit of light in the darkest of hells." This life can be
a roller coaster. Sometimes you will make money,maybe great money.
Often very little money and will struggle to get by. A strong work ethic is needed, as well as a strength of will. You also will have to be prepared when opportunity appears. Again- HARD WORK.The
ethos behind lateral action is creativity coupled with productivity as
the route for success, which also means creatively looking at our
productivity. Perhaps sitting and squeezing out every drop of
inspiration by sheer force isn’t the best way to get results.Like any productive creative process it’s all about balance and finding a way. The picture below- Is me with Philly jazz royalty Sam Reed- Sam is one of the legends in Philly jazz- we play with Phila Jazz Project a lot and he has played with everyone. One of the true tenor legends in this life. Great arranger too.
Nobody is entitled anything, remember that, it's HARD WORK to make a living as a musician. You must embrace the music with the pursuit of excellence.You earn it every cent you make. You'll get there by experience, and
we ALL pay dues. These are things only time and a two thousand stupid
gigs will teach you , or teaching a few days of fourth grade students
for a few years. Don't complain-learn from every situation you find yourself in. We're only human- accept criticism without taking it personally. If you have an open mind, you'll learn and grow. You will never know all there is to know,always will be something new to learn.
Know this is a beautiful thing music, but it's also a business.Hang in
there-it's no good quitting and your not entitled, but you have a vision
in mind. Don't cheat yourself out of something you love.
Back in the day...As a teenager I heard a tenor saxophonist ~
~
The tenor players name was- Billy Mitchell! I saw him through a dirty
bar room window in my home town in Reading, Pa as a kid. He wa splaying
with trombonist Al Grey.That left a huge impression on me as a young
player. Every week I'd go stand
outside & look thru the dirty
glass window on 7th street ( which is where the railroad is...Eg-Reading
Railroad for all you Monopoly fans ) And dig the bands. One time I
heard Billy Root with Al Grey.Another time this guy FRANK HAYNES, who
was like a Trane -grits type line player with a chitlins' Gene Ammons
sound.
Frank later recorded with Lee Morgan & Grant Green.
AS time passed...I started to work on the next street at the C.P Club on
weekends and Sundays. ( C.P means Colored Political ) So I got
to
meet some of those sax players while I was still in high school.We'd
play a lot of soul music with jazz instrumentals as covers. It gave all
of a chance to play but also meet some of these guys at an early age.
After all- jazz did not start with " Giant Steps" and " Love Supreme".
Years later at Berklee, in my apartment building, there was a guy who
lived in my building in Boston Gary Hammond. Came off the road in 1970
to study in Boston..he just left " The Ice Breakers". Hammond later
played with Patton and at times still does. Gary is a unsung player and a
sweetheart of a guy. I
love his playin'. He's on some Johnny Hammond Smith records and some Barbara
Donald
stuff on Cadence records. The picture below is yours truly and BETHLEHEM . . a Philly singer- artist of sonics that I have the pleasure to play with- and is a world class artist- Listen for her ok.
I got to mention two guys from Philly who
played in that bag-one was the late great Rudy Jones. He never left
Philly. He and I used to play a lot with Don Patterson in late 70's. Another Philly guy who never got credit was Vance Wilson. Great tenor player.
I always get concerned about these guys because they were the backbone
of tenor playing. Like Bergonzi said " The cats you never heard of".
They helped me in many ways...I get concerned because these environments
like the clubs etc are not around anymore. Even the audiences have
changed. And believe me these bands and players were an education unto
themselves. I worry that young players will miss the essence of
Fred
Jackson , Marvin Cabell, Rudy Rutherford,Rudolph Johnson, Tom Russell,
Weasel Parker, Leo Johnson in Newark,Miles Donahue,Sue Terry, Sam
Phipps, Arnie Krackowski, Bll Saxton in NYC, Patience Higgins and so
many more.With the loss of the record industry and the influx of
commercial sales- things have gotten worse.Yes- the " net" is somewhat
of a help but the players I'm talking about are of another era. These
guys have paid some real dues.Listen for them. AND THERE'S MORE....
TILL NEXT WEEK, Keep a light in the window and a chilled cucumber vodka martini ready for me- Tim Price
A MUST!! Fascinating read of some of the players and people that make this music go round.
In this 383-page reference treasure, famous singers such as Frank
Sinatra and Tony Bennett are profiled along with lesser known but
important contemporary improvisers such as Frank Catalano, Jerry
Bergonzi, and Joey Calderazzo. The authors point to several examples of
Sinatra’s and Bennett’s contribution to the civil rights movement as
well as their commitment to playing a vital role in the integration of
jazz.
Celebrating the Italian contribution to jazz are the stories of many
Italian-American musicians whose talents and determinations have
enriched one of America’s greatest art forms. This book profiles
musicians such as Tony Bennett, Joe Lovano, Flip Phillips, Louis Prima,
Frank Sinatra, and Lennie Tristano, and also features original
interviews with Louie Bellson, Sam Butera, Buddy DeFranco, Johnny Frigo,
Buddy Greco, and Bucky Pizzarelli—who, in the pursuits of their craft,
survived the immigrant experience, the Great Depression, poverty, and
other personal tragedies. As Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano
said, “Jazz has a specific root— the African American experience—but
it’s also about the branches of the tree. Jazz is about cultures coming
together, inspiring each other, which is what makes it so beautiful.”
"What a joy to see so many musicians I've worked with receive their
due. Dal Cerro and Witter have composed a chronicle of history, love,
joy and music that started in countless Italian American homes. A great
musical read!" —Gene DiNovi, bebop pianist and composer
In their recent book “Bebop, Swing, and Bella Musica: Jazz and the
Italian American Experience,” co-authors Bill Dal Cerro and David
Anthony Witter document “the many cultural barriers Italian-American
musicians faced in the pursuit of the American Dream.” They
also postulate that the importance of melody and harmony to those of
Italian extraction make for a common bond in their interpretation in any
music, be it opera, popular music, or jazz.
A perfect summer read- for the student of jazz and music who wants to get a broader picture of the depth of the magnitude of the music.Louie Bellson,
Lennie Tristano,
Tony Bennett,
Buddy DeFranco,
Flip Phillips and Joe Lovano: These are just some of the
hundreds of musicians of Italian descent whose talents have enriched jazz.
But Bebop, Swing and Bella Musica is
more than just a book about music, this
book documents the cultural barriers which Italians faced in their pursuit
of the American Dream.
It also profiles musicians like Joe Marsala who played an active role in the
integration of jazz music.
Bebop, Swing and Bella Musica features
original, in-depth interviews with many artists who overcame poverty, illness
and other personal tragedies.
In the end, they drew strength from the musical traditions of their
ancestors, bringing Italian passion to America’s greatest art form.
Do check this out...Highly recommended. Tim Price - D'Addario Woodwinds blogger ;
ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE. . . A blog about a universal innovative human being- Joe Lovano.
To function creatively in an art form like jazz one must think
creatively and also have a reference. Joe Lovano is an amazing example
and benchmark of that. I've known Joe since we were students at Berklee
around 1970! The rapport and the simpatico within the music was always
there and flowing. The beautiful part of it is all of us are still
playing and involved in something we love. As time has passed evolution
growth within the art form and also growth and development with the
internals of the music are moving forward constantly. This blog this
week is just some things I'm going to share about Joe… That you might
not read anywhere else… And also some things that I feel strongly about.
When
you hear Joe Lovano, you hear Joe Lovano.
Joe has very deep roots in the
music, he grew up in a musical family with the father that not only
knew all the musicians, but knew them personally and had played and
jammed with them. That is quite evident and I have always seen that as
something that was passed on to Joe at early age-that love and
fearlessness of just getting together and playing. Letting the music
flow and letting the personalities in the music blend in many sonic
directions within the notes and tones of the people creating it.
Jazz is a peoples music-jazz is the original social media and always will be.
The
reality happens when the music is played. Everything else after that
becomes evident and also becomes part of an atmosphere among friends and
fellow travelers.NOTE; The book below, About the Italian-American players- this is a must read! Joe is in there of course and if you want a book that you can't put down- this is it. I love it!
This last Sunday we spent a lot of time
talking about instruments and also doing some playing and hanging. I strongly urge
you if you haven't already to listen to some of the many
projects and recordings that Joe has done in his life. Each one
contains a very special energy and a very special message the only Joe
could do-it's like hearing somebody's voice on the telephone. Not only
is he a tower of power on the tenor saxophone but he plays Tarogato,
Alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinets and straight alto saxophone
and straight tenor saxophone ( made by Sax Dakota) as well as drums. And more!
In
playing with Joe Sunday, jamming as Joe played the drums it reminded me of
what a great drummer he also is. There are many saxophone players who
are great drummers there's also many saxophone players who are
incredible piano players to. Don't worry that will be subjects of other
blogs in the future to help you get a focus on that dear reader. The
authenticity of Joe's drumming is very inspiring also when somebody
plays drums at a level like that it also enhances what they're doing on
their woodwinds. That expansive creativity , and that search is something
that makes your main instrument even stronger.
Google Joe's name
and look at the multitude of things he's done from Woody Herman to Paul
Motian to projects with Michael Brecker .The list is endless-you might
find some recordings where he's playing alto clarinet you might find
some recordings where he's playing straight tenor saxophone. Then again
you might find recordings where he's playing standards with his
own special touch. This is a person who has to play music- A special
person who hears things in the music and moves forward and plays them!
The above picture is Joe playing my vintage Vito LeBlanc C melody saxophone, and the below is yours truly trying Joe's vintage Conn C melody saxophone. Something in the sound of these horns from the improvisational orchestral spectrum is inviting.
The picture to the right is Joe's dad Big T Lovano- a Cleveland legend and the key element in Joe's saxophonistic agenda. You can see on Big T's tenor the Selmer Varitone attachment, on the bell keys. Players like Sonny Stitt, Lou Donaldson and Eddie Harris were involved with these sounds as well- a huge part of a vital thriving jazz era. Joe's dad was a great tenor player!
Joe's wife Judi is one of the premier sounds and innovators in jazz
singing and voice. She literally is a sound that is so instrumentally
reassuring and inspiring that you have to just sit back and say-this is ...a true individual artist. She is also a vivid artist whose work on canvas no
matter pastel or oil. Multidimensional indeed for her. It's a beautiful
thing when you see a deep family laying down a benchmark like this-seek
out the recordings that Joe has with Judi, and also her own recordings, you're in for a real treat.
Again these are things that came from Joe's family in
Cleveland-values and being raised by parents who love and care. I had the
pleasure of hearing big T, Joe's dad in the 70s in Cleveland. He had a
huge saxophone sound and always swinging.
Check out- on you tube; Joe Lovano - Bass Space from SOLOS: the jazz sessions...If you want to hear some solo Tarogato- and some of the most beautiful sonic shapes and ideas.
So there you have it, a small part of what one of the most unique and
spiritual artists on today scene is about-put in the words by me who has
known him since 1970.
Joe's contribution to this music and also the
brotherhood that exists truly is, the sound of joy. Thank
you-stay tuned I'll see you next week. ~ Tim Price
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