NEA JAZZ MASTER RANDY WESTON TO RECEIVE HIS MAJESTY KING MOHAMMED VI’S HONOR FOR HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO MOROCCO’S GNAOUA MUSIC TRADITION ON MAY 11

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York’s premiere French cultural center, welcomes leading Moroccan cultural and intellectual figures for a series of talks from May 1-21 on the occasion of the fourth edition of its annual World Nomads Festival, which this year celebrates the arts and culture of Morocco. On May 11, Randy Weston will receive His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s honor for his lifelong engagement with Morocco and deep commitment to bringing Morocco’s Gnaoua music tradition to the attention of the Western world. His collaborator of over 50 years, Gnaoua maestro Maleem Abdellah El Gourd will be present for the occasion and will also be honored. Mr. Azoulay will represent His Majesty the King for this occasion.

The great NEA Jazz Master, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship winner, and Chevalier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters Randy Weston has contributed six decades of musical direction and genius to the world. He remains one of the world’s foremost pianists and composers today, a true innovator and visionary. Encompassing the vast rhythmic heritage of Africa, his global creations musically continue to inform and inspire. He has had a deep commitment to Morocco and the Gnaoua culture since the 1960s when he was introduced to the world of the Gnaoua by maestro Maleem Abdellah El Gourd who represents the Tangiers Gnaoua tradition. Maleem Abdellah El Gourd and Mr. Weston have collaborated together in concert presentations throughout the world including at an unprecedented concert at the Canterbury Cathedral in England.

In African Rhythms: The Autobiography of Randy Weston (Duke University Press, 2010), Mr. Weston recounts his experiences living in Morocco for seven years, where he ran the African Rhythms Club from 1967 to 1962, and describes the beauty of Morocco and its people. Weston’s latest CD, The Story Teller (Motéma Music), was released in November 2010.

More Information: http://www.motema.com/press/thestoryteller/

Back in the early 80s, when hip hop was in its nascent stage, a young man who grew up in Brooklyn – definitely one of the root beds of the form – named Fred Brathwaite, Jr. was making his moves on that cutting edge. Originally an aspiring graffitti artist, young Fred immersed himself in those early experiments, basment-rapping with an aspiring DJ friend in the rawest sense of what became hip hop.

According to Freddy Brathwaite’s Wikipedia entry: “As a teen in the 70s he was a member of the Brooklyn-based graffiti group The Fabulous 5. He got his name for consistent graffiti “bombing” of the number 5 train on the IRT [subway line]. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was an unofficial bridge between the uptown graffiti and early rap scene and the downtown art and punk music scenes.”

Eventually Freddy Brathwaite made some pioneering moves that elevated what was originally designated rap music, then morphed into a global form of its own known as hip hop. But long before that he’d come under the spell of jazz music, a form which was never far below the surface of his music consciousness as rap music was blossoming and coming into its own.

Freddy grew up in Brooklyn’s fabled Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in a household where jazz music was king. And besides the influence of jazz platters constantly spinning on his mom and dad’s turntable and wafting out of home radios, young Fred’s godfather was none other than than the great drum pioneer Max Roach.

During the course of our many interviews for his autobiography African Rhythms on his growing up in Brooklyn and all the people who influenced him in the borough – musicians and lay people alike – Randy Weston often spoke of Freddy’s dad, Fred Brathwaite, Sr., Max Roach, sculptor Jimmy Gittins, and jazz enthusiast-photographer Jimmy Morton. And Randy mentioned on several occasions that one of the younger keepers of that legacy, one who had collected many of Jimmy Morton’s Brooklyn jazzlore photographs, and one who as a youngster had really paid attention to the influence of jazz music around his home and neighborhood was, as Weston characterized him “the rapper, Fab 5 Freddy.”

About 18 months ago when I was blessed by the Weeksville Heritage Center with the opportunity to conduct oral history interviews with Brooklynites – interviews which for The Independent Ear have yielded priceless insights into such Brooklyn venues as the East and the current successor Sista’s Place (scroll through the archives contents) – interviews largely focused on the borough’s rich tradition of jazz venues, clearly I had to catch up with Fab 5 Freddy. What follows is part one of excerpts from our interview with the loquacious brother with a keen memory. One gorgeous fall afternoon we caught up with Fab at his Lower Manhattan studio.

Willard Jenkins: Since your father was so heavily involved in jazz, what’s your earliest recollections of jazz music?

Fab 5 Freddy: My earliest recollections were [of] jazz being played all the time in the house, along with fiery discussions about everything affecting us as a people. I’ve got vivid memories of jazz being played in the house going way, way back. The jazz station that I can recall was WRVR with Ed Beach, who was a hipster with a massive collection of the music. I remember as a young kid wondering how they could know who a guy was just by the instrument that was playing! I would later learn to do that myself.

My dad and Max Roach were friends from teen years at [Brookyn] Boys High School. Max played in drum & bugle corps as a kid and then he became this young whiz kid drummer playing with big bands. He quickly rose in the 40s to be one of the architects, and my dad was right along with him. There was a group of friends who had formed a social group that referred to itself as The Chessmen; they developed a love of chess during World War ll.

Max lived in a big, kind of old mansion at 212 Gates Avenue. This house, I understand, had a huge living room and a huge baby grand piano and they would have these sets. As Max became prominent he would bring other Brooklyn jazz guys to come and hang with my dad and his friends. Hence that became a scene of jazz hipsters and frontrunners in Brooklyn.

(Editor’s note: Read about those days from Randy Weston’s perspective in Chapters 2 and 4 in African Rhythms, and also in Robin D.G. Kelley’s extraordinary Thelonious Monk bio An American Original, about Monk’s days performing in Brooklyn when loss of his cabaret card prohibited his playing Manhattan clubs.)

Was it your sense that this group of guys, the Chessmen, was hanging in clubs in Brooklyn?

Fab: Yeah… There was the Putnam Central, which I heard a lot about. Along with having these gatherings – sets as they called them – at the house on Gates Avenue there was a period of time where my dad and his friends were promoting their own [jazz performances] at this place called Tony’s Grand Dean, which was on Grand and Dean Streets in Brooklyn. I’ve got a series of photos [from Jimmy Morton’s collection] which I let Robin Kelley use for his Thelonious Monk book which document that scene.

The interesting thing about these pictures [displays one with Monk, Mingus, Miles, and Max on the bandstand in Brooklyn] – [they were] in color, one of the first 35mm slide cameras, the beginning of that technology, and Jimmy Morton had one. Its very rare to see color shots of jazz guys from the early 50s, everything is always in black & white. These slides that Jimmy has given me over the last 20 years document this scene. I’ve heard stories about countless times when the vibe would hit the right pitch at our house and the music was right, my dad and his friends would always go back to things that happened at Tony’s. It was always exciting to hear these guys get real geeked up talking about what happened and I would often be a little kid playing in the room with my toys and things, but would tune in to these stories.

During a critical period for Monk when they had taken away his cabaret license, which as you know was his ability and legal right to play in clubs… he couldn’t feed his family. So these particular gigs [primarily at Tony’s] were gigs that helped keep Monk alive. Robin even found a little ad in the Amsterdam News archives of one of those gigs at Tony’s that Jimmy Morton blew up and I framed.

You talked about those sessions the Chessmen used to have at Max’s house on Gates Avenue; what were they like?

Fab: That was more like jam sessions. The musicians would come and play and it was just like a scene. The thing that was infectious to me was the enthusiasm and the energy they would have when they would get into those conversations. Jimmy Gittins, who I would say was such a huge influence on me and what I even do now, was like a big brother/uncle to me. It was Jimmy Gittins, Lefty Morris, my dad, and [drummer] Willie Jones. Willie was always there, and Willie was an activist. He was at my house three days of every week until I was an early teenager; he was like a fixture at my house, along with at least three other [jazz] guys.

At what point did you become more conscious of what they were about?

Fab: I was always conscious; as a little boy I was aware of these things and I would hear these tapes, but I was pretty much still a kid playng with army men and stuff that kids would do. I’m a kid with all my issues being taken care of by my parents, so I didn’t get to experience what they knew as black men you had to experience at that time. Especially when musicians went on the road and how they had to live, the situations these young, intelligent men were forced to deal with when they went out into these different environments and were very actively concerned with making change. I’m saying all that to say that I also realized later in life that my dad was a big part of Max [Roach]’s consciousness and awareness at that time.

How so?

Fab: You hear it in [Max’s] music. It was all further explained o me when I grew up and as an adult Max would explain things to me himself. One of my earliest remembrances of a Max Roach record is the “Freedom Now” suite, “We Insist” – that record. One of those records has a photo on the cover of Max and some men sitting at a lunch counter, and as a very small boy I always wanted to know what this was about. My dad and them would explain this to me. I destroyed a lot of my parents’ records as a kid playing with them, but the images on those records… there was great photography at that time, abstract art, etc. I would later see records and I’d be like “Oh my God’!…

My mother had all the jazz singers – Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, etc., ec. and my dad had a nice collection of a lot of the bebop records and they would listen to them both. But my mother was always into the singers. My mother hung out a little bit with Dinah Washington, she hung out a little bit with Etta Jones, and I remember the imagery from those records. So if I see them now I’m like “Oh my God, I’ve seen this, I know this…”

I have a little collection of photos and I think I was developing my visual sense at that time through looking at and playing with these records, but particularly the “Freedom Now” suite. As I grew up and got to understand a little bit more about Max I realized that was one of the first protest records; the beginning of the 60s, the beginning of anti-war protests, the whole cultural revoltution that transpired at that time. I realize that Max was at the forefront, and my dad’s influence [was important], because when they came to my house my dad pretty much held court. He had read the complete works of Mao, Marx, and Lenin – all this stuff.

When you say that your dad had an influence on Max Roach as far as his political consciousness, explain that.

Fab: My dad had read all the works of Mao, Marx, Lenin and also African nationalists; my dad wanted my middle name to be Lumumba but my mother wasn’t going for it [laughs]. But later I learned who Lumumba was and how incredible these guys were and how a lot of my dad’s ideas were right in terms of alternatives that were much more viable – whether they worked or not in other countries – 30 or 40 yeas later we can see that those things didn’t pan out as well as they were sketched out in those books… But that’s what went on at my house. These guys would roll up and do their thing, listen to music, and have these intense discussions and debates. Often my dad would have the most insight because he had read the most and had this kind of broader understanding of what was going on in Africa, what was going on in China… as all these African countries were getting their independence.

What’s your recollection of how the music interacted and spurred some of that discussion, because the music was obviously more than a soundtrack for those discussions?

Fab: Yes, absolutely! My dad’s den/study was in the basement where the real shit would go down. Thelonious Monk… as I’m growing and becoming a young teen I’m beginning to now discern who the musicians are that I like, that I’ve been hearing forever and ever. Monk becomes that musician; I became fascinated about this whole thing with Thelonious. One day I looked in my father’s phone book and I saw Thelonious’ phone number, and I call his house and I speak to Nellie [Monk, Thelonious’ wife].

How old were you at the time?

Fab: Twelve, maybe a little younger. Remember, I’m still kinda little boyish because when I look back to that I think ‘God, that’s such a kid thing to do!’ She could tell it was a little boy calling and I said ‘hi, I’m Freddy Brathwaite’s son and I want to talk to Monk, I know my dad knows you.’ She was really sweet and I started talking to her and I guess I was telling her that Monk was a musician that I really liked and in the course of discussing that she said, “you know Freddie, jazz is like a conversation, and in the beginning of the conversation somebody makes a point and then they go on to explain that point.”

I’d been listening to this music all the time and from that I now get what’s going on: the song starts off, the theme is stated, and then these guys all go off and do their own interpretation and you could still hear the theme going through there, like that’s the point. And I get it now, this became really apparent to me and I was like ‘wow, yes…’ and now when I’m hearing songs I could understand them and see how different guys do their thing as they get into the improvisation and all that stuff. But I guess I also began to understand that the guys making this music were really intelligent and they were really aware of their times, so the music was a reflection of this, therefore the music was an articulation of the intelligence and point of view of these very sophisticated and modern musicians.

I knew that Max and my dad were in synch with a lot of the same thoughts, and then once I got older I figured out a lot of these things for myself. You just realize that these are very intelligent men and they’re very concerned. I’m not trying to say that all jazz music had this protest, let’s make revolution thing but it clearly was an affirmation of us as these modern individuals, which I guess is the thing that had the most impact on me because I always saw them in that light. Those conversations that went on, I realize that these particular individuals had a lot of conversations like this.

I remember later, when I became a young man and spent a lot of time with Max and things that we would do together. I remember Max telling me how when Olatunji first came over [from Nigeria] how him and Dizzy were so excited about this new thing going on. And I remember Max explaining this to me because Max was a very big, early supporter of me being involved in hip hop music and culture. So Max essentially instigated us having gigs together.

STAY TUNED TO THE INDEPENDENT EAR: IN PART TWO FAB HIPS MAX ROACH TO HIP HOP’S INCUBATOR STAGE AND THEY FORGE A COLLABORATION.

NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston has been announced as a 2011 recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim fellowship award. This particular award is a purpose-driven honorarium and Randy does indeed have big plans for his Guggenheim. I spoke with Weston recently on this subject after he’d surprised me with the great news in the midst of a plethora of activities in the Washington-Baltimore area celebrating his 85th birthday (April 6).

Randy excitedly detailed the fascinating archealogical discovery in recent years of the human remains now known as “Ardi Pithicus” — the oldest human ancestral discovery at 4-1/2 million years old, older even than the previously known human remains archealogical discovery, the legendary “Lucy”. He chuckled at the irony of these two ancestors being of the female gender, saying “The woman represents the earth.”

With his Guggenheim fellowship Weson intends to craft a new African suite based on the origins of the human species, pointing out that Ardi Pithicus disputes the chimpanzee lineage theory because she apparently walked in an upright position. To accomplish and inspire the composition of this new long-form piece Weston intends to travel to five African countries in a process of ancient discovery research. “I’ll be seeking communion with the traditional music masters of each country, spending time with traditional masters for 2-3 months,” towards the end of 2011-beginning of 2012. Included among those traditional musicicians is likely to be such masters as drummer-soothsayer Dou Dou N’diaye Rose of Senegal.

The culmination of this deep research and process of ancestral/spiritual immersion and resulting discovery is envisioned as a major large ensemble concert (or series; venue tbd), though as Randy is quick to point out “not a traditional [jazz] big band,” quite likely to include traditional, ancient African instruments and musicians alongside jazz musicians. And if you know anything about Mr. Weson’s history you know that this will be much more communion than any sort of fusion.

Stay tuned to The Independent Ear for news as this exciting journey unfolds for Randy Weston.

Randy Weston’s autogiography “African Rhythms” (Composed by Randy Weston, Arranged by Willard Jenkins – Duke University Press – is a nominee for a 2011 JJA Jazz Award as book-of-the-year.

Last weekend was a great one to be in DC! Friday evening at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History’s Baird Auditorium, it was Bay Area percussionist John Santos (see his earlier Independent Ear Q&A feature on his recent folkloric exploration “La Esperanza”) speaking the truth about Afro-Caribbean music and it’s multi-hued expressions as filtered through the jazz experience (which after all owes much of its root source to the Caribbean). The occasion was another of the Smithsonian’s Jazz Appreciation Month (its the 10th anniversary of that excellent development!) presentations and despite sound reinforcement challenges, Santos’ sextet truly represented the quintessential small ensemble aspect of that expression, from a decidedly west of the Mississippi perspective. Their performance was made all the more remarkable by the fact that all but the trap drummer were doublers — including a mid-set switchup of the trumpeter and the pianist, who wielded a highly demonstrative flute, while the trumpeter played authoritative piano.

Next stop was the Bohemian Caverns on U Street, one of the music hubs of that bustling corridor of the city. Dig the web site for their complete and quite expansive schedule; in coming weeks they’ve got folks ranging from the exquisite Moroccan singer Malika Zarra to Pharoah Sanders; not to sleep such weekly hangs as their Monday night Bohemian Caverns Big Band hits. Young proprietor Omrao Brown is fast becoming a very impressive and savvy jazz club presenter. On this particular weekend the attraction was the subtle, modern artistry of vocalist Gretchen Parlato, on the cusp of her highly-anticipated new date for Obliq Sound “The Lost and Found”. Parlato’s understated approach and soft-textured voice really reached the packed, multi-kulti audience, starting from the second selection reprising her clever arrangement and treatment of Herbie Hancock‘s “Butterfly.” Parlato is also blessed with a certain Brazilian sensibility in her artistry.

The following afternoon it was back to the Bohemian Caverns second level venue Liv Nightclub for “Sacred Conversations,” a triologue between bari master Hamiet Bluiett, wordsmith Dr. Acklyn Lynch, and Ghanaian percussion Okyerema Asante. Each spoke and in turn played dialogues about coming up in villages — Bluiett in Illinois outside East St. Louis, Lynch on the island of Trinidad, and Asante in Ghana 50 miles outside the capital Accra. Spirits were high in the company of a slice of the African American cognoscenti of DC as the refreshing triologue wove itself through Bluiett’s baritone saxophone, flute and notably his clarinet, which he’s engaging with greater frequency these days. Asante essayed on a variety of hand and mallet drums, bells, gongs and assorted “toys” of his trade. He spoke about how as a pre-teen drummer he used to accompany the great Kwame Nkrumah on his various political missions as Ghana’s first President.

Then it was on to Twins Jazz (see our earlier Indy Ear Q&A with Twins young proprietor Love-Leigh Beasley) to participate in a performance and dialogue — call it an informance — between the young student musicians of the Dave Brubeck Institute (other delights of that weekend’s garden: the patriarch himself was in the midst of a weekend of performances across town in Georgetown at Blues Alley) and myself. This was yet another aspect of the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Appreciation Month, presented in conjunction with the Twins Jazz Foundation. As I said, it was a great weekend to be in the Nation’s Capital!


Joann Stevens, the coordinator of the Smithsonian’s annual Jazz Appreciation Month (April), is also the sister of trumpeter-composer Eddie “Ghetto Music” Gale…

TRI-C JAZZFEST JUMP STARTS SPRING WITH A LEGENDARY LINEUP
32 Annual Festival Showcases the Best in Jazz from April 28 – May 8

CLEVELAND (March 31, 2011) – The 32nd annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland jump starts spring with a stellar line-up of jazz, blues and R&B artists from around the corner and across the globe. Iconic R&B singer and songwriter Smokey Robinson, the King of Motown, plays JazzFest for the first time, crooning selections from his seemingly endless arsenal of Top 40 hits.
Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Cleveland Orchestra salute Ella Fitzgerald, the First Lady of Song, plus Orchestre National de Jazz, straight from France, pays tribute to drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt.

From April 28 to May 8, JazzFest heats up Cleveland with a dizzying array of the best in jazz.

The always popular Smooth Jazz All-Stars return with an award-winning cast, including Dave Koz and Brian Simpson, and “avant-groove” group Medeski, Martin & Wood highlight a jam- band evening of free jazz, funk and hip hop. New Orleans legend Trombone Shorty564 and his group Orleans Avenue kick off the festival with their rollicking “Supafunkrock” sound at the House of Blues.

JazzFest continues its tradition of spotlighting up-and-coming artists with the “Debut Series,” this year featuring trumpet players Ambrose Akinmusire and Maurice Brown and saxophonist
Tia Fuller.

“Women in Jazz” salutes singer Betty Carter, the Godmother of Jazz, while local great Ernie Krivda and an all-star band of Midwestern artists pay homage to jazz from the Heartland. For the young, and young at heart, Joe Hunter reprises his “Jazz for Kids” series at the Children’s Museum of Cleveland, while MOCA hosts versatile pianist Robert Glasper, who effortlessly connects jazz and blues to contemporary urban sounds.

Tickets are on sale now. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are available at 216-987-4444 or www.tricpresents.com. For groups and special packages, call 216-987-4444.
For artist photos, contact Phil Barr at pbarr11@roadrunner.com. Here’s the 2011 Tri-C JazzFest lineup (free performances are in red):

Wednesday, April 27, 8:00 p.m. – Special JazzFest Preview for the Community: The Eddie Baccus Organ Summit with Special Guest Bobby Floyd, Karamu House
Cleveland’s legendary Hammond B-3 virtuoso Eddie Baccus, Sr. returns to Karamu House with special guest Bobby Floyd for a rollicking organ duel. Baccus is hailed as a bridge between legends Jimmy Smith and Larry Young; Columbus, Ohio native Floyd has played with the best in the business, including David “Fathead” Newman, Bobby Watson and Billy Hart, among others.

B-3 burner Bobby Floyd

Thursday, April 28, 5:00 p.m. – Kick Off Day: Mardi Gras Parade, Tower City Center
Voted “Best Marching Band” by Cleveland Magazine in 2009, The Shaw High School Mighty Cardinals piled on the acolytes in 2010 and even performed at a rally for President Barack Obama at Cleveland State University. This popular, high-energy group helps kick off the 32nd annual Tri-C JazzFest with a rousing parade through Tower City and into Public Square where they will delight fans with their special musical artistry. Joining Shaw to create a true Mardi Gras parade is New Orleans’ own Stooges Brass Band.

Thursday, April 28, 7:00 p.m. – Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, House of Blues
New Orleans legend Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and his band Orleans Avenue mix rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop and soul to create their signature “Supafunkrock” sound. The kind of player who comes along once in a generation, Andrews is equally adept at trumpet, trombone and a host of other instruments. The group’s latest album and first national release, “Backatown,” bottles the 200-proof intensity of their high energy performances, which have earned them a rabid and growing following.
Opening for Trombone Shorty is the Stooges Brass Band, winner of New Orleans’ Red Bull King of the Streets Brass Band Battle.
Tickets $25; call 216-987-4444.

Friday, April 29, 7:00 p.m. – Orchestre National de Jazz: Around Robert Wyatt, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Created by the French Ministry of Culture in 1986, Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJ) is a collaborative laboratory under the artistic direction of Daniel Yvinec involving musicians, composers and arrangers. The performance pays homage to English drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt, a member of the venerable band Soft Machine, who pushed progressive rock into the direction of jazz-inspired improvisation. In a review of ONJ’s 2009 album “Around Robert Wyatt,” All About Jazz described it as “witty, accomplished and fun.”
Tickets $10; call 216-987-4444.

ONJ’s Robert Wyatt recording

Friday, April 29, 8:00 p.m. – A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald with Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Hall
Two-time Grammy Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Cleveland Orchestra pay tribute to the First Lady of Song Ella Fitzgerald with a night of hidden gems and beloved classics. Since her New York debut in 1970 with Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Bridgewater has piled up the accolades, including a Tony Award and France’s top honor, Victoire de la Musique, which recognizes the best musical artists of the year. She currently reigns over NPR’s “JazzSet,” which presents live jazz performances by artists around the world.
Tickets $82/63; call 216-231-1111 or 800-686-1141.
This performance is co-presented by the Cleveland Orchestra’s “Celebrity Series”and Tri-C JazzFest.

Saturday, April 30, 1:00 p.m. – Women in Jazz – A Tribute to Betty Carter, Olivet Baptist Church
With its unique sound, Betty Carter’s voice is thought of as more a musical instrument than just a set of vocal cords. The first woman to write, produce, record and distribute music under her own recording label, Carter re-wrote the book on musical self management and is remembered as the “Godmother of Jazz” for cultivating young musical talent. Singers Evelyn Wright and Charenee Wade, backed by the Dominick Farinacci Quartet, interpret Carter classics in this special tribute performance.

Saturday, April 30, 8:00 p.m. – Smooth Jazz All-Stars Featuring Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Dave Koz, Kenny Lattimore, Ray Parker, Jr. and Brian Simpson, State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare
This all-star gig, featuring multi-Grammy nominee Dave Koz, includes an award-winning cast of vocalists and instrumental favorites. Brian Simpson, touring keyboardist for stars including Janet Jackson and Koz, received rave reviews for his 2010 release “South Beach.” Also on the bill are trumpeter Rick Braun, whose “RnR” album hit #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart; Mindi Abair, who has performed with some of the biggest names in popular music; Ray Parker, Jr., who has won numerous awards for his solo hits; and singer Kenny Lattimore, whose Top 20 hits include “Never Too Busy” and “For You”.
Tickets: $45/$35/$25; call 216-241-6000 or 1-866-546-1353.

Sunday, May 1, 4:00 p.m. – Debut Series with The Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet and The Tia Fuller Quartet, East Cleveland Public Library
Before he was 18, Oakland native Ambrose Akinmusire had already played with jazz greats Joe Henderson, Joshua Redman and Billy Higgins. Hailed by the New York Times as a “rising star,” the trumpet player won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2007 and garnered rave revues for his debut album “Prelude . . . to Cora” the same year.
A member of the band for R&B star Beyoncé, saxophonist Tia Fuller performs regularly with the T.S. Monk Septet and the Nancy Wilson Jazz Orchestra, among others. Hailed by All About Jazz as “one of the finest new musicians on the scene,” Fuller’s new Mack Avenue release “Decisive Steps” is the long-awaited follow-up to her acclaimed label debut in 2007.

Sunday, May 1, 8:00 p.m. – Debut Series with Maurice Brown, Nighttown
Chicago-bred trumpet virtuoso Maurice Brown has shared the stage with numerous jazz legends, including Clark Terry, Johnny Griffin, Curtis Fuller and Ellis Marsalis. Brown’s critically hailed 2004 debut album featured his soulful melodies and infectious personality uniquely marrying traditional be-bop to hip-hop sensibilities. Brown’s latest release, “The Cycle of Love,” got a Best Album of 2010 nod from Huffington Post.

Monday, May 2, 6:30 p.m. – Celebrating the Music of Tito Puente with Sammy DeLeon y su Orquesta, State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare
The International Children’s Festival and Tri-C JazzFest are teaming up to present Sammy DeLeon y su Orquesta, celebrating the music of Tito Puente, the King of Latin Music. A timbales player, DeLeon has performed in New York, Chicago, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as locally, and has opened for Tito Puente, earning his praise. DeLeon is joined by his 15-piece Latin jazz ensemble and professional dancers performing a varied selection of dance numbers, including Latin jazz, salsa, and meringue.
Tickets: $14; call 216-241-6000 or 866-546-1353.

Monday, May 2, 7:00 p.m. – The Dave Sterner Quintet and the Tri-C Jazz Studies Performance Combo, Brothers Lounge
Projecting the uncontainable enthusiasm of Cannonball Adderly, saxophonist Dave Sterner channels those be-bop roots with the modern accessibility of Joshua Redman. The Cleveland native has played with Ernie Krivda’s venerable Fat Tuesday Big Band, and with jazz legends David Sanborn, David “Fathead” Newman and Buddy DeFranco, among others. Sterner’s latest
album, “Sidetracked,” features his quintet playing new compositions in a dizzying variety of styles.
The Tri-C Jazz Studies Performance Combo, under the direction of Ernie Krivda, opens the show.
Tickets: $10; call 216-987-4444.

Tuesday, May 3, 7:00 p.m. – Ernie Krivda’s “Thunder from the Heartland”, The Hermit Club
In a career that spans almost 50 years, tenor saxophonist and Cleveland legend Ernie Krivda has played with the best in the business, including Cannonball Adderley, Ella Fitzgerald and Jackie Wilson, among others. A recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize in 2009, Krivda has garnered praise for his distinctive improvisational style and his unique compositions, which have been documented on over 30 recordings. This performance features an all-star band of jazz artists from the Midwest, focusing on the great jazz history of one of its cities.
Ernie Krivda – Saxophone, Cleveland; Pharez Whitted – Trumpet, Chicago; Steve Allee – Piano, Indianapolis; Marion Hayden – Bass, Detroit; Joshua Breakstone – Guitar, Cincinnati; Roger Humphries – Drums, Pittsburgh
Tickets: $20, call 216-987-4444.

Cleveland stalwart Ernie Krivda plumbs the heartland with his latest project

Wednesday, May 4, 8:00 p.m. – The Robert Glasper Trio, MOCA Cleveland
Houston-born pianist Robert Glasper impressed critics and audiences when he burst onto the jazz scene with his first two Blue Note albums, “Canvas” (2005) and “In My Element” (2007). New York Magazine calls him “direct, forceful (and) inventive,” while Time praises his “improvisational creativity and technical skill.” The versatile performer makes waves as leader of both the acoustic Robert Glasper Trio and the electric, hip-hop-infused Robert Glasper Experiment, always connecting jazz and blues to contemporary urban sounds.
Tickets: $25, call 216-987-4444

Thursday, May 5, 8:00 p.m. – “Miles & Trane @ 85 – Re-Imagined” TCJF Soundworks with special guests NEA Jazz Master Benny Golson and drummer Ndugu Chancler, Tri-C Metro Auditorium
Now in its third year, TCJF SoundWorks, under the direction of saxophonist Howie Smith and bassist Glenn Holmes, welcomes NEA Jazz Master Benny Golson and others to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the birth of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. An American bebop and hard bop tenor sax legend – plus composer, arranger, lyricist and producer – Golson grew up in Philadelphia with Coltrane and his 1996 album, “I Remember Miles,” covers five Miles Davis book standards.
Pre-Concert Live Interview, 7:00 p.m., Tri-C Metro Auditorium
Join the Round Table discussion and hear first-hand what it was like to work with Miles Davis and John Coltrane from NEA Jazz Masters Benny Golson and George Avakian.

Friday, May 6, 7:00 p.m. – “Tri-C JamFest” – Three Bands-One Jam: Medeski Martin & Wood, the Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio, and Will Bernard, State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare
Formed in Brooklyn in 1991, jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood (MMW) draws on influences from a number of musical traditions, from free jazz to funk to hip hop, and is known for an unconventional style sometimes described as “avant-groove.” Praised for the exploratory nature of their live performances, the group was voted #1 “Beyond Artist or Group” in the 75th Annual DownBeat Magazine Reader’s Poll in 2010. Hailed by the Jazz Journalists Association as “Organ Keyboardist of the Year” from 2003-2005, Hammond B3 master Dr. Lonnie Smith has built a worldwide following over 50 years and more than 70 albums, playing with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Ron Carter and Grover Washington, Jr. Berkeley, California native Will Bernard plays in a variety of styles, ranging from jazz and hip hop to world music, and was called “one of the best-kept jazz guitar secrets on the planet” by Billboard Magazine.
Tickets: $45/35/25; call 216-241-6000 or 1-866-546-1353

Saturday, May 7, 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. – Jazz for Kids, Children’s Museum of Cleveland
Now in its fifth year, the “Jazz for Kids” concert is an entertaining and educational performance for families with young children led by pianist Joe Hunter. A Cleveland native, Hunter is the co-host with Bill Rudman of the very popular “The Song is You” series and a frequent contributor to Ernie Krivda’s Fat Tuesday Big Band.
Tickets $5 for members of the Children’s Museum; $10 for nonmembers (children under 11 months admitted free). Tickets can be purchased exclusively at the Children’s Museum or by calling 216-791-KIDS.

Saturday, May 7, 3:00 p.m. – Gospel Jazz with Present Day and special guest Sean Jones, Antioch Baptist Church
Under the direction of Chris Anderson and Theron Brown, the group Present Day explores the richness of American culture through gospel and jazz music with a fresh approach. This event, the first of its kind for JazzFest, will feature special guest Sean Jones on trumpet and a 50-voice gospel youth choir.

Saturday, May 7, 8:00 p.m. – Smokey Robinson, State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare
Iconic R&B singer, songwriter and producer Smokey Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown Records, second only to the label’s founder, Berry Gordy. Robinson’s
consistent commercial success and creative contributions earned him the title “King of Motown.” As a member of the label’s first vocal group, The Miracles, and as a solo artist, he delivered 37 Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1987. In 2007 Robinson sang his classic “Tracks Of My Tears” at the Grammy Awards in a tribute to R&B music. He is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a Kennedy Center Honors recipient.
Tickets: $50/$40/$30; call 216-241-6000 or 866-546-1353.

Sunday, May 8, 10:30 a.m. – Oikos Ensemble – Jazz Vespers, Pilgrim United Church of Christ
Named after a Greek New Testament word meaning “spiritual dwelling place,” the Oikos Ensemble is a highly acclaimed jazz and world music group that has performed at venues coast to coast. Led by saxophonist Reverend Cliff Aerie and pianist Christopher Bakriges, Oikos is a consortium of gifted musicians who use jazz to illustrate stories of transformation, enlightenment and spiritual renewal, painting vibrant soundscapes with the brushstroke of jazz improvisation.

Sunday, May 8, 3:00 p.m. – Regina Carter’s “Reverse Thread”, Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art
In her relatively short career, multi-talented jazz violinist Regina Carter has spanned fusion, avant-garde and mainstream jazz, and returned to her classical upbringing to perform improvisational versions of Ravel and Debussy on a world-famous violin. In 2006 she was awarded a MacArthur Fellows Program grant – also known as a “genius award” – and with it developed her critically acclaimed “Reverse Thread Project,” seamlessly merging contemporary American jazz with traditional African folk melodies.
Tickets: $30, call 216-987-4444.

Regina Carter will close TCJF ’11 with her ancient/future project “Reverse Thread”

All artists and programming are subject to change.