THE INDEPENDENT EAR
Insights, Reviews & Interviews
By Willard Jenkins
Vol. 2 No. 1
Independent Ear: Artist's P.O.V.
Paquito D'Rivera
11/30/06
Columbia, MO
Amidst an impending (and unusually heavy according to the local folks) snowstorm Paquito D'Rivera and his quintet touched down in Middle America, Columbia, MO, for a 2-day engagement sponsored by the ambitious We Always Swing organization. Getting to Columbia is a purposeful journey. In most cases you fly into St. Louis and drive down I-70 two hours to this tranquil burgh, home to the University of Missouri. Paquito was in the midst of a several-day Midwest swing, with Cedar Rapids, Iowa next on their itinerary.
On the evening of our arrivals We Always Swing hosted a very warm reception at the university, where we learned that this engagement is part of their annual Latin American program honoring a late patron of Cuban descent who was a university professor. The next afternoon, with ominous snow clouds gathering, Paquito and the band gave a clinic for a group of aspiring university music students and several casual observers. When one of the students requested a Jelly Roll Morton tune Paquito feigned ignorance and invited the student onstage to demonstrate. Eagerly accepting the challenge the student bounded onstage to deliver some credible stride, graciously joined by Paquito halfway through on clarinet. Later that evening in the same university theater a half-house braved what forecasters were predicting would be the worst snowstorm in a generation, enthusiastically gobbling up Paquito's musical journey around Latin America.
Upon exiting the theatre afterwards, sure enough the white stuff was coming down in sheets. All of us - the band needing to get to the next engagement in Iowa, your correspondent heading back to DC - had arranged early wake-up calls in order to journey back to the airport in St. Louis, wake-up calls which we all reluctantly moved up a couple of hours to accommodate the inclement weather. At the unkind hour of 4:00 a.m. my dreaded wake-up call came, whereby I sleepily inquired about the current condition of I-70 which was literally adjacent to our hotel. Informed that I-70 was closed, somehow logic kicked in at that early hour and I dialed the airline's 800 number to inquire about my flight and make a change since the appointed time was clearly out of the question.
Little did I know how prescient that 45-minutes on hold at 4:00 a.m. would prove to be. After endless syrupy hold-button music and cheery airline announcements an operator finally came on and switched my return flight to much later in the day. By the time I finally slogged my way up I-70 to the St. Louis airport around noon - you have never seen so many 18-wheelers as you'll encounter on that highway! - and gone through countless twists and turns to return the rental car, as I entered the terminal the long lines of weary, stranded travelers were ridiculous. But I was in great shape, reservation in hand! So consider this a travel tip and let that be a lesson to you - always call ahead, no matter how ungodly the hour or the weather conditions!
Oh, amidst all that cautionary conversation, I forgot to mention: Paquito D'Rivera's Quintet was an absolute delight, as were the good folks of Columbia, MO and especially Jon Poses and We Always Swing!
Willard Jenkins: How many of these NEAJMOT projects have you done?
Paquito D'Rivera: A bunch of them already…
WJ: And how have they turned out so far?
PD: Fantastic, very well-organized. They've attracted a lot of people interested in the art form; it's great, the organization is working very well. We have been complaining for so many years that there is not a serious jazz organization in the country that this music was created.
WJ: So the whole notion of this kind of recognition is great?
PD: It's fantastic, it's the way it's supposed to be but it's kind of amazing because on many occasions things are not the way they are supposed to be; it is working right so far.
WJ: Do you think you've been to places that you might not have gone if it hadn't been for this program?
PD: Yeah, for example here in Missouri. Jazz music is getting to places I've never been before.
WJ: Would you say this NEA Jazz Masters program has helped that?
PD: Yes, a great deal.
WJ: What's your overall feeling about having been named a jazz master?
PD: I am very proud to be part of this with Jimmy Heath, Nancy Wilson, George Wein, James Moody… Sometimes I feel a little ashamed to say that I have been a part of this because those people have been my idols for so long, so being part of this is a real honor and I feel very humbled. Instead of putting too much smoke in my head it made me more humble. And I think that's the way it is supposed to be because there are so many great names of people who have received this [recognition].
WJ: Has your career changed in any way since you were named a NEA Jazz Master?
PD: Especially spiritually, yes. I am proud to be part of such a great organization as [the NEA] that pays respect to an art form that was created [in the U.S.], especially for me since I was not born here.
WJ: Were you aware that you're the youngest to have ever been named?
PD: Yes that I do know. I think it is a very positive environment that we are surrounded by and we keep learning more and more from these jazz masters that are older than us.
WJ: Your band comes from all over the Americas. Is that purposeful?
PD: Yes and no, they come to me, they find each other in a very spontaneous way. We are learning from each other; I don't know everything, I just put together the band and choose the people. I try to enhance and expose the contributions of Latin American people to jazz music.
WJ: That's one of your primary desires?
PD: Yes, the contributions of the Americas to the Afro American music. Every day I try to learn more and more, even in these clinics where you learn a lot from the questions of the kids. It's a great career, like Louis Armstrong said "It's a Wonderful World" the world of jazz music.
WJ: Do you feel the term Latin Jazz is an inadequate term?
PD: It's inadequate but in my opinion the language is something to communicate so Latin Jazz is appropriate to communicate; it's incomplete to use the word Latin, but it's understood, so if you understand what I'm talking about it's all about.
The Fans post-performance…
WJ: Tell me your thoughts about this organization We Always Swing bringing Paquito here.
Fan #1: It's fabulous… here we are in the heart of Missouri and we're getting to hear fabulous musicians from all over, not just the Americas but all over the world; influencing new cultures, new sensations… I love it!
Fan #2: My father was in New Orleans, LA and he talks about all of the great music that's available there. He saw the lineup for this organization's concerts and said "you can't beat this as far as bringing in consistent top quality", so it's just fantastic that this kind of music comes here to Columbia.
Fan #3: This is the first time that I've come to one of these concerts and it was just fantastic, and with Columbia being a smaller venue it is really, really helpful to our community to have musicians and artists of this caliber. It was really a wonderful experience.
Fan #4: I enjoyed it thoroughly, it's amazing that they can come to mid-Missouri to perform and people here can see them live. We thoroughly appreciate it.
that's a great thing.
Fan #6: We are so lucky in Columbia to have this organization which has just brought the world to Columbia. And it started from a one-man show to a small organization and it has brought so much to Columbia, in terms of education and a musical life that we haven't had until now.
Fan #7: It was a tremendous concert and one of many tremendous concerts that they have brought and I agree, we are just so lucky to have them and to have these opportunities here.
Fan #8: It's great, it saves us thousands of dollars since we don't have to go to New York City to hear these guys… and we can park, we walked here… its great!
Fan #9: I am so inspired, all I can say is thank you, this is the best music I've heard all year to come to our little itty, bitty town of Columbia, MO in the middle of nowhere. Actually Columbia is the vortex of the universe!
Latest Release: The Jazz Chamber Trio, Chesky
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