Our recent experience at the 44th annual Umbria Jazz reaffirmed the excellence of this annual event, as reported in this review in DownBeat magazine: http://downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=news&subsect=news_detail&nid=3368

But the experience was so excellent we simply couldn’t leave it at that! This was our fourth experience at Umbria Jazz, though the earlier trips had come in the late 80s/early 90s, certainly time for significant change in the event. It should be noted that Umbria Jazz founding artistic director Carlo Pagnotta has consistently been a tall, stoic, keenly observant spectator at many of the great festivals in the U.S., including Newport, Monterey, and Chicago. Just how keen his observations was apparent as soon as we arrived at the top of the hill in Perugia, the lovely old provincial capital of the Umbria region.

After crossing the Atlantic from JFK to Rome, and a two hour bus ride to Perugia, the first stop was our eagerly anticipated residence for the ten days of Umbria Jazz. Previous trips to the festival included lodging in the comfort of Hotel Brufani, one of two hilltop Umbria Jazz headquarters hotels. Breathtaking hilltop vistas on all sides is part of the experience of Perugia, and here we’re talking about a city to rival Pittsburgh and San Francisco in its elevation. For this trip we had carefully selected an Airb’nb residence, one that we hoped would provide a more expansive sense of the city and more of a “home” environment than most hotels can offer. Once we met our very agreeable host landlady, we were delighted not only to find that our Umbria Jazz residence was a mere 5-minute walk (albeit uphill with loaded suitcases and carry-ons – burdens lightened by a quickly-hailed taxi) from the bus station, which itself was just steps away from the escalator over the hill to the center of Perugia. Even more delightful, our residence was in a beautiful secure building in a quite lively but quiet neighborhood chock full of inviting cafes, good restaurants (is there a bad restaurant in Italy?), and enticing boutiques. Once inside our doors we quickly surmised that we had indeed bowled a strike with this residence; spotless, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, full kitchen, living room area and balcony-with-a-view… all for less than the price of a hotel night!

The immediate impulse was to climb on that escalator and experience anew the anticipated delights on Corso Vannucci, the beautiful pedestrian street at the top of Perugia which serves as Umbria Jazz central. But first let’s check out our little balcony, with its inviting folding chairs and small table perfect for some relaxing arrival beverages! Needless to say the surrounding hill vistas were splendid, with a birds eye view of the surrounding streets, and the hilltop Etruscan-era architecture. Not to mention the fact that upon opening the balcony doorway we were greeted by the agreeable sounds of jazz wafting down from the garden stage at one end of Corso Vannucci above; so clear and resonant was the music that it became apparent upon hearing a lead singing voice that we were experiencing the agreeable sounds of our old friend and soulful baritone Allan Harris, whose band was slated for a festival-long residency. Here’s that view:

Gazing up the hillside at the distinctive Etruscan-era doorways of an ancient building just off the Corso, the mind wandered back to part of the original motivation for coming to Umbria Jazz back in 1987. I recalled having been charmed by a deeply poetic account in the Village Voice of Stanley Crouch’s mid-80s Umbria Jazz experience, vowing immediately to add this festival in the fabled “Green Heart of Italy”, a part of the country about which I knew little – compared to age-old tales of Rome – but which sounded so splendid in Crouch’s telling. Adding to that motivation, my mother in-law is a first generation American born of Sicilian parents who’d landed at Ellis Island. So the motivation towards Italy seemed inevitable. And now here we were on our fourth occasion, this time more deeply imbedded into the actual community courtesy of our comfortable rental.

Climbing the escalator to the top on day one, the eyes inexorably wandered all ’round taking in whatever unimagined changes had occurred in the ensuing years to the wonderful vista of Corso Vannucci. Befitting such an old place, thank goodness the changes were purely cosmetic – a new boutique here, a couple of street side cafes there, and mainly a number of Umbria Jazz alterations since our previous journey. It didn’t take long to be impressed by changes Carlo Pagnotta and his colleagues had made to the overall Umbria Jazz design. As I remarked in that DownBeat review, Umbria Jazz has now fully embraced the sensibility of a true people’s festival. Corso Vannucci had always been a teeming pedestrian street during festival time in our experience, but the effect has been heightened by several aspects. In addition to the nightly concerts, now there was a stage in the garden park area right at the top of the escalator. Additionally the park had been invitingly festooned with refreshment vendors, one of two Umbria Jazz merchandise boutiques on the Corso, a midway with a historic retrospective of Umbria Jazz posters, with the performance stage at one end of the garden park, Hotel Brufani at the other. At the other end of the Corso, in the piazza adjacent to its striking, ancient fountain, was another free stage with afternoon and evening performances for the people. Not certain how long this evolution had been underway but the change of feeling was remarkable from our most recent visit in the mid-90s.

In our past experiences each early evening – which in those times was the start of Umbria Jazz concert time – had been ushered in by a strolling brass band, including several traditional imports from New Orleans. As evolution will have it, Umbria Jazz now has its own Italian brass band for those daily 6:30pm marches, a raucous unit known as Funk Off. And when they weren’t parading, entertaining buskers were playing sets at several ports in and around the Corso, keeping the street vibe lively throughout the day and evening.

Part of our routine on several evenings included attending 5:00pm performances at Teatro Pavone (including a couple of rich performances by the 13-year old piano phenom Joey Alexander and the brilliant Italian trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, and a rewarding Italian conservatory orchestra performance of Duke Ellington‘s “Such Sweet Thunder” suite (all reported in my DB review), replete with some strikingly dramatic Shakespearian readings. Following the 5:00 concerts we’d cop a table at the street side cafe just outside the theater entrance for some refreshments (highly recommended on a summer evening: Campari & soda), just in time for Funk Off’s promenade. Two of the Corso’s traditional venues were the venerable Teatro Pavone, a post-war era opera house seating about 500 midway down the Corso, and Teatro Morlachi at the other end. Added to those two familiar Umbria Jazz venues are not only the two free stages at each end of the Corso, but also matinee museum performances and assorted restaurant performances, including at the highly-recommended Ristorante Taverna (order the ravioli with truffle sauce), which hosted a couple of Tuck & Patti’s week of performances.

The afternoon/evening free offerings represented a delightful Umbria Jazz people pleasure, with inviting performances which engendered quite the joyous daily/nightly scene. Early one evening a group of us following one of his week of performances, vocalist-guitarist Allan Harris and his lovely wife-manager Pat, and his fine drummer Shirazette Tinin joined us at Dempsey’s tavern for some refreshment. As we were leaving one of the bartenders, who’d been introduced to us as an Afghan immigrant, told us he couldn’t wait to get off work so he could experience the festival, shoot some video and post it to friends & family back home in Afghanistan. Asked who he planned on seeing that evening, he said it didn’t really matter, on the street it was all good; the glories of a free jazz festival experience!

The next day, exiting our exceedingly pleasant rental, instead of heading slightly down the hill to climb the escalator to the Corso, we determined to take a back street, encountering numerous inviting shops, restaurants and scores of afternoon strollers climbing the ancient steps of the street. We quickly made a mental note to check out one particularly inviting restaurant full of street side tables, happy patrons and lovely plates of food. Here’s that restaurant – which has a literary theme, replete with menus craftily inserted in antique books, and just below that one of its scrumptious dishes: since we were in prime truffle region, several plates of pasta with truffle sauce were consumed on this trip!

Much love emanated from the music, as reported in my DownBeat report (link above), most of which detailed exceptional nights at the Arena Santa Giuliano. The Arena, a 6,000 capacity open air space which in ambience resembled the feeling, though not in terms of the physical space, of being in the Arena at Monterey Jazz Festival. In fact, the evening billed as “Funk Night” and featuring George Clinton and Cory Henry & the Apostles followed the only downpour of the week, eliciting chill winds that carried one back to equally brisk nights in the Arena on the Monterey Fairgrounds. Each evening’s main event was a ticketed 9:00pm hit on the Arena stage, a mere five minute stroll down the hill from our rental. Highlights, again as reported previously in DownBeat, included a Ron Carter-Pat Metheny duo performance, the trio of John Scofield, Brad Mehldau and percussionist Mark Guilliana, blues night with Buddy Guy, Kamasi Washington, Branford Marsalis Quartet with Kurt Elling, Cory Henry (the skies were threatening and sans umbrellas we missed George Clinton), and a Chick Corea performance billed as “Homage to Heroes” with a heroic quintet featuring Kenny Garrett, Wallace Roney, Christian McBride, and Marcus Gilmore, and we were quite impressed with the Nigerian-British vocalist Ola Onabule, who opened for Diana Krall. Here’s the Arena scene in between nightly sets (that’s Suzan Jenkins standing to the right in the foreground).

Meanwhile, just up the escalator on the Garden Stage a rotating cast of bands and artists kept the revelers happy. Performing on that and the huge stage on the piazza at the other end of the Corso were such bands as the Italian ensemble Sticky Bones, the Dutch singer-guitarist Vincent Van Hessen (who was actually granted an Umbria Jazz stage shot after impressing as a street busker), and of particular note were Fred Wesley and his funkateers the New JB’s, and the 21st century Afro-Cubano of conguero Pedrito Martinez. For his part Allan Harris proved a consistent crowd-pleaser. No stranger to Umbria Jazz audiences, Harris has been afforded the opportunity to build up a strong following at this festival, bolstered by his daily performances on the garden stage and in the piazza, with sets that varied from his funk infused intro to a fresh arrangement of “Fly Me to the Moon”, to his guitar slinging blues exploits, to a bit of reprise from his black cowboy saga “Cross That River.” One of the real treats on this splendid Umbria Jazz experience was returning from the nightly performances at the Arena and enjoying nightcaps on our balcony while catching Pedrito, Fred, or Allan’s late sets wafting down from the garden stage as if we were right there in the thick of the action. Umbria Jazz… you owe it to yourself to experience this event!

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Allan Harris delivered a sophisticated brand of jazz & soul through his voice and guitar work, and a touch of his black cowboy immersion to the people on the Umbria Jazz free stages. (photo by Tim Keller)

In all my years writing about music, dating back to early 70s Kent State University undergrad days, its been a pleasure interacting with many exceptional photographers, none finer than Cleveland’s own legend, Janet Macoska. A true master of the photographic art form, Janet Macoska stands as living testament to why the shoreline of Lake Erie is such an apropos home for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where she currently serves as official photographer. Another of Janet’s stations is Cuyahoga Community College, home of the Rock Hall’s archives and the Hall’s principle education institution. During my 18 years as artistic director of Tri-C JazzFest we could always count on some of the sweetest images from every festival coming from the sharp orbs of Janet Macoska, whose eye for the nuances of jazz musicians is just as sharp as her vision for her first love, rock & roll. Recently I was delighted to receive a copy of Janet’s new book All Access Cleveland and clearly some Independent Ear questions were in order for my friend and colleague.


Ace photographer Janet Macoska with Rock Hall of Famer Smokey Robinson

When did you have your ‘aha’ moment and realize that photography was your calling?
Janet Macoska: As early as ten years old. Because the Beatles came to America when I was 10 years old in 1964 and I knew I wanted to be close to the music I loved and be able to tell the story of those artists as told by the photojournalist publications of the day….LIFE and LOOK. My Mom subscribed to LIFE and I loved how the photojournalists were able to “hang” with the artists offstage and tell their story through photographs. It was intimate and revealing. That’s what I wanted to do.

When you shoot a performance, what elements most interest your intrepid eye?
My “mission” at a live performance is to capture the soul of the performer. Native Americans back in the day were wary of photography because they claimed it stole their spirit. In many ways, that is true. I don’t believe we “steal” their spirit, but we
certainly reveal the spirit of the invidivual we focus upon….if all the energies are in alignment. The best way to do that, for a photographer photographing a musician in performance, is to be still, let the music fill your soul, and shoot when the moment is right. You only know that by losing yourself in the music and letting a higher power show you the way (sorry to sound so crazy about this). It’s just getting out of the way, and letting the music flow through you. When you do that you inherintently know the micro second to shoot. It is a 60th of a second moment. It’s reacting to the performer, the movement and the lighting.

Which artists have you found to be endlessly fascinating subjects for your photography?
I have to say that I love musicians who are performers. There are musicians, serious ones, who are dead intent on the music but show very little soul and emotion. That’s cool. Great for the audience that loves the sound. Not great for a photographer who wants
to see emotion and soul and expression. Some of my favorite performers to shoot have been David Bowie (who was trained as an actor), Bruce Springsteen (who shoots out energy to the audience the entire time he is on stage….a blast to watch…and its the Wimbeldon of rock and roll watching the energy and love bounce back between the audience and the stage) and Paul McCartney (Paul understands the music and the performance and the connection between audience and performer….which goes all the way back to The Beatles in 1964). Jazz performers wear their art on their sleeves, for the most part, and do understand visual performance as a part of their total performance. I have always found jazz performers a treat to photograph. Because jazz and blues are so pure, I always feel that jazz and blues performers should be photographed in B&W; to show them at their most stripped down authenticity.

Since we tend to focus mainly on jazz and jazz-related subjects in the Independent Ear, in your various photography stints for Tri-C JazzFest, what differences have you found in shooting jazz performances from your extensive work in rock photography?
Just as I’ve said, jazz and blues are authentic music. The performers are authentic. their performances are down to earth. When I photograph them I get the most authentic depiction of the artists. I like to see them in B&W. Of course, when I now shoot digital, I will shoot them in full high resolution digital….in color…but often convert them into B&W because that is how I feel and see them. Rock and roll is a blast of crazy energy from the stage, bigger than life, and the performers often are projecting that into a coliseum/stadium type venue. They are cult tilt color, as they should be. There are VERY boring rock artists who don’t feel their music matches this template and don’t perform in this manner. It is a struggle for photographers. At this point I often use the high tech computerized stage lighting to create a more interesting environment, and a more interesting photograph of the artist. Hey, but thats my job….to make it visually interesting.

Have you had any particular favorites among the jazz artists you’ve photographed, and what is is that makes any one particular jazz artist a favored subject over others?
Wow….I’ve loved so many!!! [Cleveland’s own] Jimmy Scott jumps to the front. Emotive, raw, real, singer. George Benson makes his guitar sing and you can see the emotions in his face and movement. Horn players are fun. Really, I’m a kid in a candy store!!!! Love them all.

How has the digital landscape changed – if at all – how you approach your subjects?
In the days of film, you had a limited number of frames on a roll of film, so you moved VERY SLOWLY. You watched and waited. You had the time to do that too because you had an entire show to shoot. Not any more. You are usually given the first three songs to shoot of a performance. So, as a photographer you suss out the energy and movement of a subject….its shorthand for a photographer (which is why it helps to have been doing this for so long)…and work out how to show that performer at his/her best. The lighting is now run by computers, so it is quicker. The photographer has to make everything in their soul and reaction time quicker. Figure out the performer. Look for the best angle. Follow the pattern of the lights in time to the music….and make magic. It’s a challenge, but its really fun. Helps if you’ve been doing it for awhile….as I tend to figure it out quicker than most.

When you were putting together your latest book, what were you going for in terms of the images you pored over and eventually selected as demonstrative of your art?
Choosing the images for this book was tough in that I have shot for 42 years now……more than one million images, I’m sure. To cull that down to 152 pages was difficult. We ended up with 340 images, and obviously that was a small selection. I started with the favorites that kept popping up in my mind and heart….the artists I loved best too. My co-author Peter Chakerian, and I looked to find a cross section of selections that would cover the 70s, 80s, 90s and onward. Also I wanted to focus on particular spotlight stories. I think we gave 12 pages to the birth of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. I was shooting the process of Cleveland campaigning for and winning the Rock Hall, as well as the opening and early days through the days when I became the Rock Hall’s official photographer. As a native born Clevelander, I feel it is one of my greatest accomplishments to be the photographer documenting the artists and the history that moves through the Rock Hall. That kid in the candy store thing again….I’m the kid and the Rock Hall is the candy store!

What have you got up next?
(Maybe Janet Macoska’s take on the 2016 Miracle Cavaliers :))
I am the house photographer for the Rock Hall, which is always fun and rewarding and humbling. i also shoot all the live concerts at the Hard Rock Rocksino LIVE venue, which means I photograph about 80 shows a year and I have the most fun shooting these live performances!!!! The Hard Rock is family and they treat me quite well. They threw the kick off party for my book in 2015, and we produced a Hard Rock calendar. We will do another one for 2017. AND, Peter Chakerian and I have started work on a Volume Two of my book. Obviously, I have a lot more photographs and stories to share; so I’m looking forward to
assembling that book and look for publication in mid 2017.

ALL IMAGES BY & COURTESY OF THE KEEN EYE OF JANET MACOSKA

Absolutely one of the best jazz festival trips is to South Africa for the annual Cape Town Jazz Festival (“Africa’s grandest gathering”), which remains the signature such event on the continent. Although the actual Cape Town Jazz Festival, which is held in late March at the beginning of what for the Southern Hemisphere is the equivalent of their Fall season, is a long-weekend event, prospective CTJF festival goers are urged to extend their stay in-country to sample one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. After all, from the U.S. northeast its a 17-hour flight on average – and that’s just to Johannesburg, Cape Town is another couple of air hours south – and who wants to travel that far for just a weekend! Occasional Independent Ear contributor Ron Scott, jazz correspondent for the historic Amsterdam News, traveled to the CTJF for this year’s event, his first trip to South Africa, and here’s his report.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2016 CAPE TOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL
By Ron Scott
Covering the 2016 Cape Town International Jazz Festival was an emotional experience that broadened my concept of South Africa during this maiden voyage visit. It was more than musical I was in South Africa, the country that enacted apartheid with the same shameless hatred as America enforced racism, segregation and lynchings.

South Africa the home of the ANC. The home of Nelson Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada, and Stephen Biko (died in police custody 1977) like their U.S. black brothers (Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) they were committed to freedom and willing to die.

Being home in the motherland was an opportunity to witness through my lens and examine the myths and truths of South Africa. To dispel American propaganda and that dastardly slight of hand routine that always tries to stir one from the truth.

On arrival at the festival site, proceeding into the huge state-of-the art Cape Town Convention Center amongst the bustling music fans it was clear to comprehend the black emancipation but through the look in their eyes and conversation it was clearly understood the struggle continues in full force on both continents. This on-going struggle is held together by a music connection; the excitement of improvisational movements, a rhythmic flow that draws all of us together to dance in its most spirited moments taking relief from the noisy sounds of life’s struggles.

Nomsa Mdhluli, a festival publicist stated there were over 35,00 people on hand for the two-day festival (April 1-2). Like all jazz festivals it was a matter of so much music, so little time. Over 100 artists performed in the Convention Center’s five venues.
One of the weekend’s most lauded performances was South Africa’s own Legendary Ladies in Song: Dorothy Masuka & Abigail Kubeka featuring Lemmy “Special” Mabaso. They performed in the Kippies venue, which seemed to be the size of a football field (with three large video screens) holding at least 2,000 people mostly standing and dancing to every groove. The actor Idris Elba made a stage cameo for the introduction.

Masuka is known as a jazz singer but her fusion of swing and Zulu melodies gave another perspective to the sound of jazz. Early on her political commentaries, primarily through her song “Dr. Malan” got her exiled by the apartheid government for over 31 years, and every copy of the song was destroyed. Kubeka is more of a cabaret singer but just as swinging. She was discovered by Miriam Makeba and has performed alongside Eartha Kitt and Sarah Vaughan. “Special” played a mean saxophone and broke out his penny whistle. One of the most rousting performances of the festival with a band kicking feverishly throughout.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 02: (SOUTH AFRICA OUT): South African veteran artists; Dorothy Masuka and Abigail Kubeka perform during the 17th annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival on April 02, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) referred to as ‘Africa’s Grandest Gathering’ is the largest music festival in sub-Saharan Africa. (Photo by Lerato Maduna/Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

For straight ahead jazz with skating African rhythms Benjamin Jephta Quintet followed the tradition of jazz with their South African roots. Jephta is one of South Africa’s young guns, an electric bass and acoustic bass player. The composer grooved with his able comrades; pianist Kyle Shepherd, trumpeter/flugelhorn, saxophonist Sisonke Xonti and drummer Sphelelo Mazibuko. Their repertoire includes songs like Homecoming (Jephta), the name of their current CD. It’s a mid-tempo blend somewhat blues oriented that allowed the band to branch out on a mellow track with a haunting saxophone solo along the lines of a stimulated Coltrane prayer, rousing drums on the back drop, piano riffs.

PIANIST KYLE SHEPHERD IS ONE OF THE LEADING CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICAN JAZZ ARTISTS

These musicians were in an intuitive mode never playing too many notes but allowing the audience to bask in the groove. They proved to be no strangers to the hard bop context with drummer Mazibuko wailing from the Elvin Jones school of drumming.
“I want to give the listener a musical biography of my life by using the harmonies and melodies associated with my upbringing,” said Jephta. Don’t be surprised if these talented jazz cats show up playing gigs in New York.

Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia known as (Amadou & Mariam) are known internationally as traveling exponents of the blues, their combined voices along with Amadou’s blues guitar are a force in Africa and worldwide. They had a hypnotic magic that captured the audience from the first song to their encore.

AFRICAN BLUES TROUBADOURS AMADOU & MARIAM

The eclectic composer, singer, bassist and keyboardist Meshell Ndegeocello performed on the large outdoor stage Manneberg before over 1,000 dancing and singing fans. She noted, “I try to create a set that flows well and feels well.” Her latest CD is a tribute to Nina Simone: Come To Me.

The surprise of the festival came on the final evening during the performance of BADBADNOTGOOD (BBNG), a young quartet (keyboardist Matthew Tavares, drummer Alexander Sowinski, bassist Chester Hansen, and saxophonist Leland Whitty), who mixed jazz, hip hop, rock and off-the cuff improvisation into their own brand of swing which was heavy on jazz improvisation. As they were finishing up their set the poet, actor, and hip hop icon Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) stepped on stage and intoxicated the surprised audience for 45 minutes.

Roberto Fonseca the Cuban pianist who combines classical, jazz and his Afro-Cuban roots never disappoints. His classical improvisational riffs, hard-hitting jazz crescendos and ever-winding rhythms were seamless. “I will try to play my two-hour concert in one hour, said Foneseca.” Of course he didn’t but it was a pleasure watching him make such an enjoyable effort.

Cassandra Wilson performed before a sold out audience in Rosies with her accomplished band; bassist Lonnie Plaxico, violinist Charles Burham, pianist Jon Cowherd, guitarist Brandon Ross and drummer Davide Direnzo. One could hear a pin-drop as Wilson performed her tribute to Billie Holiday with songs like “Good Morning Heartache.”

Shiela E, a protege of Prince performed with a large ensemble with her father Peter Escovedo on a few tunes. She was a ball of high energy performing “Baby Take Some Time” among other tunes.

Mark Turner one of my favorite tenor saxophone players held court with his group consisting of trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Marcus Gilmore.

TopDog an Afro jazz band focusing on the Cape Town sound featured the leader pianist Camillo Lombard along with musicians offering another perspective on the sound of jazz.

Victor Wooten known for his creativity on the electric bass kept the audience on the edge with guitarist Regi Wooten and drummer Derico Watson.

The press conferences I attended included young journalists who participated in the 17th CTIJF Arts Journalism course. Seeing them involved asking pertinent questions of the artists was very inspiring. Yes, music is a link that brings us together.

Simon Rowe is a facile pianist from Australia who, after years on the St. Louis scene where he worked frequently with the late local tenor sax legend Willie Akins, has been directing the Dave Brubeck Institute program at the University of Pacific in Stockton, CA. I had the great privilege and pleasure of twice participating in humanities programs there as part of their annual festival, once on a collaboration with friend and jazz journalist colleague Howard Mandel and NEA Jazz Master Gunther Schuller, both times with friend and jazz author Ashley Kahn. On each occasion Simon Rowe was our informative and gracious host; clearly here was a man who had found a welcoming, fertile home.

One thing about working in this music, those of us in administrative positions are always up for new challenges on behalf of jazz. So, though he always seemed firmly entrenched at Brubeck, it was no surprise when Simon wrote excitedly to tell me about his latest jazz education venture, one which will take him slightly west to the San Francisco Bay Area; but after learning more, clearly this was a green pasture Simon simply had to pursue. In what will be a new component of the ever-ambitious SFJAZZ organization, as Randall Kline and company continue to spread the SFJAZZ center’s tentacles in search of new ways to serve the music, in this case a partnership with the San Francisco Conservatory; Simon Rowe is headed to San Francisco. Clearly a few questions were in order for Simon.

How did this partnership between the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and SFJAZZ develop?
I believe that Randall Kline, founder and Artistic director of SFJAZZ had envisioned this potential partnership for some years.
When David Stull, former Dean of Oberlin Conservatory of Music was recruited as President of SFCM two years ago, Randall approached David and together they perceived the huge benefits to both organizations of establishing a “Roots, Jazz and American Music” Program……. and the wheels began to turn.

Somewhat in the manner of how Juilliard adopted its jazz studies program in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center, does this new jazz studies effort mark a new turning point for the Conservatory, and what do you suppose inspired the Conservatory to take this on?
I believe that David Stull has an expansive vision for what arts education in the 21st century should look like. High level performers need to embrace art from many vantage points… as advocates, innovators, entrepreneurs and citizens. A program in jazz studies allows students to pursue these values while embracing a music that is woven into the fabric of American (and world) culture, now for more than a century. Simply put, a music Conservatory that strives to be contemporary must create opportunities for artistry across many genres, expanding beyond the realm of Western European traditions.

It sounds like you will be developing a brand new curriculum for the Conservatory. What do you envision as some of the essential key elements of that curriculum?
I am still garnering input from many of our finest leaders in education, but some of the values to be pursued are as follows:
A strong emphasis on the small ensemble experience, using this ensemble as a laboratory for the development of concepts in improvisation,repertoire,composition etc. An innovative approach to the teaching of musicianship,theory and ear-training, focusing on the acquisition of skills and knowledge directly applicable to the contemporary improvising jazz musician. An Afro-centric approach to the learning of music history, embracing the influence of music and culture as it moved out of Africa and into folk music around the world (from Cuba through the Caribbean and into South and North America)

You have suggested that, inspired at least in part by the Randy Weston autobiography “African Rhythms,” you will be thinking more “holistically” about this project. How did that book affect your thinking on these matters and what’s your sense of this curriculum being developed along more holistic lines?
I was very taken with Randy Weston’s story, recounting the evolution of his understanding of Jazz Music as a result of his exposure to sacred African music and culture. I believe that jazz music at its best retains these roots and becomes a type of “secular church” in our modern global culture. I am convinced that “the music” should be taught with this orientation and perspective so that a young jazz musician might understand the ways in which African influences have manifested themselves in cultures around the world during the last four centuries, whether in Cuba or Brazil or… in New Orleans.

The press release on your appointment suggests that San Francisco Conservatory students “will have the opportunity to hone their craft directly with members of the SFJAZZ Collective.” Ideally how will the SFJAZZ Collective musicians be engaged in your program?
The SFJAZZ Collective will be involved as core faculty in the RJAM (Roots,Jazz and American Music) program and will be involved in all types and levels of learning within the program. We are also hoping to plan some side by side performance opportunities.
[Editor’s note: There’s a nice bit of synergy at work here: the new Pres of San Francisco Conservatory arrived at his post from Oberlin College, whose jazz faculty boasts the brilliant trombonist Robin Eubanks, also a longtime member of the SFJAZZ Collective.]

What did you learn from your Brubeck Institute experience that will positively affect your work on this Roots, Jazz and American Music project?
Over the last five years at The Brubeck Institute, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the most talented young jazz musicians in the country at the High School and College levels. I believe that I have a good understanding towards developing an approach rooted in strong fundamentals, yet flexible and challenging enough to nurture unique sensibilities within the individual.
It is important to find this balance and to foster a community learning environment that supports affection, trust and courage between peers and towards and among faculty… on and off the stage.

What lessons have you learned from your experience as a performing jazz artist that you hope to bring to this new work?
I believe that the same human qualities that one experiences in a high-level ensemble… respect, trust, humor, courage, admiration, affection, tolerance, patience, integrity, etc. are necessary ingredients in any communal learning environment… on the stage or in the classroom.

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Miles Dewey Davis, here’s my up close & personal moment. Every journalist who had the unique experience of interviewing Miles has a story about that encounter, so here’s mine. Its fall of 1974 and the electric Miles, with Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas on guitars, Sonny Fortune on saxophone, Michael Henderson on bass, Al Foster on drums, Mtume on hand drums, and even a third guitarist, young Dominique Gaumont, flown in for what was apparently a week’s tryout, is holding court for a week at the old Smiling Dog Saloon in Cleveland. My good friend and fellow journalist Robert Fleming (scroll down for an interview on his new book project) and I simply must interview Miles! We spend one revealing evening at the Dog sizing things up. On the second evening we sense an opening and, hats in hand, make the big request.
Robert Fleming

We’re told to show up at a certain hotel on Euclid Avenue at an appointed time the next Saturday afternoon. When we arrive and politely knock on the door we’re greeted by Miles valet at the time, a gentleman who simply went by the name Finney, who ushers us in for a sit-down. Cassette recorders in hand we sit down in what was obviously an adjoining room or suite from the Master’s abode. Finney slips away to inform Miles that we had arrived for our interview appointment. And we sit…

And we sit… at one point the door to the adjoining room opens just a crack and we can spot a shadowy figure in the next room: the Master in his bathrobe! And we sit… one hour passes, a second hour passes… still no sign of progress. By this point the door has opened just a bit wider and we can intermittently spot what is now clearly Miles passing across the open doorway in the midst of some task or other, no words yet exchanged. A third hour passes and we’re stuck with a Saturday afternoon, late Fall NFL tilt on television; this being 1974 and the days of the Steel Curtain dynasty, naturally its the Steelers – erstwhile tormenters of our hometown Browns – on the tube. Paying partial attention to the television, but much more to the occasional passing of that dark figure in the adjoining room past the doorway and our field of vision for just a fleeting moment.

And we sit… That third hour clocked and, young guys that we are, we’ve grown impatient and have reluctantly decided to give up the ghost and try later. We informed Finney that we’d come back to the club that evening and see if we could set something up for either that night at the Dog, or the following Sunday afternoon at the hotel. We ease up out of our seats ever so deliberately, hoping that our movements might spark some recognition from that shadowy figure in the adjoining room. Approaching the exit door I reach for the doorknob and suddenly, from the next room, comes that familiar raspy voice… “What ya’ll wanna talk about?”

Had our luck suddenly changed? Indeed it had, clicking on Play/Rec on our trusty cassette recorders – we dare not miss even one pearl of Milesian wisdom – we sit down in the company of the Master. Once seated, for the next three hours(!!) Miles regales us on myriad topics, from why he was currently going without keyboard or piano in his band (“I don’t need ’em…”) – including a few pearls on some of his faves – Herbie, Chick, George Duke… – to the then current state of trumpet playing (his three faves at the time – Woody Shaw, Don Cherry, Lester Bowie… with a bit of obvious contempt for Freddie Hubbard) – to his recording exploits (at the time telling us he had what he estimated as audio footage in the can enough for “…about 80 albums…”, a fact so far substantiated by Columbia’s ongoing policy of cranking out endless unreleased Miles recordings), to a treatise on boxing, to… Needless to say we were mesmerized!

A post-script: Remember, I said this was 1974, at a time when I was just a year out of undergrad years and still quite green as a writer. Well, befitting those youthful days, the unfortunate aspect of this adventure – which both Robert and I later published on our own in separate outlets – I came to that interview armed with one of the world’s cheapest blank cassette brands. Needless to say, after all these years that precious tape is barely – if at all – audible, and knowing Miles legendary whispery voice, you can imagine what that sounds like! So if you know any good cassette restoration services… hit me back!