RVANews

RVAJazzfest Update

Dean Christesen — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:05:27 +0000

This heinous snow storm has taken its toll. After monitoring Delta airlines and @Flack4RIC all day, we've found out that Ray Anderson's flight has been canceled. Additionally, Charlottesville-based Adam Larrabee (leader of the event's second band) is seeing some of the worst of the storm and is snowed in. We've promised that the show will go on regardless of weather, and that it will.

We were really looking forward to seeing Ray Anderson -- and before that, Tim Berne -- perform with the local musicians whom we have gotten to know so well. But now, more than ever, RVAJazzfest will really be a spotlight on Richmond's brilliant music scene.

I've chosen these bands not because they would just make a good complement to a featured artist (whether Berne or Anderson), but because they're able to stand on their own as amazing and forward-thinking musicians. So the new last-minute line-up? Not too shabby, if you ask me:

Ombak
Jones+Kuhl [Brian Jones & J.C. Kuhl duo]
Trio of Justice

We hope to see you at The Camel tonight for what should still be an incredible night. Music starts at 9pm sharp.

RVAJazzfest featuring Ombak, Jones+Kuhl, and Trio of Justice takes place on Saturday, February 6, 2010, at 9pm at The Camel, 1621 W Broad St., Richmond VA.

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The show will go on!

Dean Christesen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:26:13 +0000

RVAJazzfest will happen! Yes, the weather is treacherous and schools and businesses around the area are all closing. However, after much deliberation, we've decided that the show will go on regardless of Saturday's weather.

You may recall that our featured performer is trombonist Ray Anderson, who will be flying into Richmond from New York City. We're hoping for the best, but we will have the final update tomorrow. In the event that flights into RIC are canceled and Anderson can't get here, RVAJazzfest will proceed.

We hope this won't deter you -- if you can pass the snow -- from enjoying a night of fine Richmond music.

In case you need to be caught up on all of the RVAJazzfest info that has been going up in the RVAJazzfest Guide in the past two weeks, look no further.

The musicians and bands:

Ray Anderson, A taste of
Ombak: On record and in collaboration
Adam Larrabee Trio: Modern brew
Trio of Justice: Without hesitation

The sponsors:

Modlin Center for the Arts
Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen
Richmond Jazz Society
VCU Arts Department of Music
Curated Culture
Plan 9
WRIR

Other news:

Tim Berne cancels due to emergency, Ray Anderson set to headline RVAJazzfest

Curated Culture & First Fridays Art Walk

Dean Christesen — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:00:08 +0000

Curated Culture is a sponsor of RVAJazzfest. For more information on Curated Culture, visit curatedculturerichmond.com, or visit firstfridaysrichmond.com to learn more about First Fridays Art Walk.

Pictured: One man band Gull, a regular street performer at First Fridays Art Walk.

The First Fridays Art Walk is a celebrated occasion in Richmond. Once a month, tons of downtown galleries open their doors and visitors flock to take part in the energy that encapsulates the city. When people call Richmond an "arts-friendly" town, it's largely thanks to the efforts of Curated Culture, which oversees First Fridays Art Walks. Curated Culture director Christina Newton -- who can often be spotted enjoying a Brian Jones or Fight the Big Bull show around town -- gave me the lowdown on the Art Walk via email.

What do you hope someone's experience is like visiting the Art Walk, say, for the first time?

Hopefully a new visitor to First Fridays will stop by a variety of the participating locations and really take in the exhibitions and support the local businesses. Although we're promoting arts and culture, we're also encouraging economic development, which means shopping local. We also hope that visitor comes back on days other than First Fridays and starts making Downtown part of their shopping routine. We've got not only galleries and cultural venues, but boutiques, restaurants, and many hotels that are open all week long. First Fridays is a great entry to rediscovering Downtown, but the key to seeing the galleries and restaurants stay in business is supporting the neighborhood frequently.

Why include music at the Art Walk?

First Fridays Art Walk is a multidisciplinary event that showcases the diversity of the arts, so including music is a nice element to have. We initially hosted a free outdoor concert as a way to attract visitors to our event, and continued to do so through 2007, as weather allowed. We'd like to do this more often, but we just can't afford to do so. There's also live music and DJs along the street as well as inside galleries at times and these activities are usually handled by the individual locations although we help place performers too. Sometimes, performers set up on their own on the street and while that adds to the festive nature, we prefer that they engage a local business to ask for permission or contact us, to keep within the law and not block pedestrian traffic and entrances.

Talk about some of the bands you've featured on First Fridays in the past, and why you chose them.

I've leaned toward scheduling music that's really creative, unique, and multicultural. If it's something the audience hasn't heard before, hopefully it'll open their ears to something new and they'll be curious to experience it again. Our first outdoor concert was with Klez'Or'Ami'm, a great local Klezmer ensemble, which had people dancing in the streets, which was incredibly exciting taking into consideration how small the Art Walk was at that time.
Over the years, we've also featured Bio Ritmo, Hotel X, Johnny Hott's Piedmont Souprize, and a brass ensemble of the Richmond Symphony. No BS Brass has performed twice, including healing for a collaborative effort with CenterStage Foundation celebrating their groundbreaking. The guys lead a New Orleans style processional of over 100 visitors from the Carpenter Center to the First Fridays area, which was really cool. People just kept joining the parade; their energy was the perfect complement to engage visitors to take in everything that was going on that evening.
And on top of these great acts, we've been extremely fortunate to have partnered with the Modlin Center for the Arts at the University of Richmond, who as our former presenting sponsor, brought world-renowned groups eighth blackbird and the Hot 8 Brass Band to perform at First Fridays in both indoor and outdoor settings during the past two seasons. Through our relationship with Modlin and UR's Department of Music, we've also featured local jazz musicians, the Doctors of Jazz, plus UR's World Music Ensemble, which presents the music of Bali, Ghana, and Brazil, whom we hope to have back this spring. So to say the least, we're indebted to UR for their continued support because we could never afford to present such caliber of artists.

Who are some of your favorite bands and musicians to see in Richmond?

My musical tastes are pretty diverse, but I love jazz and world music. It's really hard to narrow down favorites in such a great music town, but my favorite band is Rattlemouth since they combine my favorite musical elements and feature Danny Finney on sax, but full disclosure is that it's my husband's band. I'm grateful to be able to hear them often and experience the creative process. I also love Bio Ritmo, anything that Brian Jones does, No BS Brass, Fight the Big Bull (and other projects of Matt White), plus Jonathan Vasser. I also respect the work of Roger Carroll, Pippen Barnett, Marty McCavitt, and especially Paul Watson, whose current And The Wiremen ensemble lead by Lynn Wright of Brooklyn is amazing. I had the extreme pleasure to hear Paul and Lynn as a duo last summer at this outdoor July 4th party, where Jonathan also performed, and it was magical. Certainly one of my favorite musical experiences of last year.

You've said to me in the past, "I'm such a big jazz fan and am really excited to be living in, and experiencing, such an important time in Richmond's music history." Why is it an important time to you?

You can just feel that something special's happening. Even though I missed a lot of great musical moments in Richmond's history, I've been here long enough to see its ups and downs, and it's satisfying to see it on the rise again, and jazz at the forefront especially. Students have always been a driving force of our music scene, and it's improving due to the caliber of artists coming out of VCU's Jazz Program in particular. It wasn't long ago that art school graduates would hit the road for somewhere bigger and more glamorous, taking their talents with them, but more often than not, they're making RVA their home, contributing to the community, and creating incredible music here. It's crazy to consider that we can have superb jazz shows booked 4 nights out of the week, sometimes with more than one hot band on the same night!

The First Fridays Art Walk takes place on the first Friday of every month, like tomorrow night, Friday, February 5. Visit firstfridaysrichmond.com for more info on the wheres and whats.

Trio of Justice: Without hesitation

Bryan Hooten — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:00:44 +0000

The other day, I ambushed Trio of Justice (formerly R2DToo), a relatively new band comprised of Reggie Pace, Reginald Chapman, and Devonne Harris, after one of their rehearsals. We got to talking about the band, their music, their new name and what makes Richmond such a trombone-friendly city. Devonne even talks a little smack, ensuring his place in the RVA Trombone mafia for years to come. They all speak with the same humor, spontaneity and sophistication that inspire their music. Trio of Justice will perform at RVAJazzfest this Saturday along with the Adam Larrabee Trio and Ombak+Ray Anderson.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/8870703[/vimeo]

View more photos of Trio of Justice on Flickr

RVAJazzfest featuring Ray Anderson & Ombak, Adam Larrabee Trio, and Trio of Justice takes place on Saturday, February 6, 2010, at 9pm at The Camel, 1621 W Broad St., Richmond VA. Click here to purchase tickets.

VCU Music showcases two trumpeters

Dean Christesen — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:00:17 +0000

VCU Arts Department of Music is a sponsor of RVAJazzfest. The concert schedule for the 2010 spring semester is full and varied, but here we focus on concerts by trumpeters Rex Richardson and Dave Douglas. For more information on VCU Music, visit vcumusic.org.

Each semester, VCU Music's concert schedule is unique, featuring different guest artists, faculty and student recitals, student ensembles, and chamber groups through the Mary Ann Rennolds series. It just so happens that this semester, two trumpeters -- Rex Richardson and Dave Douglas -- are the highlights and the performers of absolute must-see concerts.

Dave Douglas will be in Richmond to rehearse and perform with VCU's Jazz Orchestra I in mid-April. We'll be covering that one when the time comes. (View event details)

VCU trumpet professor Rex Richardson's recitals are some of the most exciting recitals and the ones that usually draw the biggest crowds. All year long, students and non-students alike get to hear of Richardson's world travels, from jazz club dates in Greece to residencies in Austria, Mexico, and London. If his recitals are not technically homecomings, they sure feel like they are.

From the road, he found a couple minutes to email me about his two upcoming recitals this semester.

One of your recitals that stands out in my memory was your Michael Brecker tribute in 2007. Can you talk a little bit about your other recitals and what some of your favorites were?

I've done about thirteen or fourteen recitals at VCU since I started in 2002, I think. We've done tributes to Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard - probably my two biggest trumpet heroes; and to Joe Henderson and Charles Mingus - two of my biggest all-around music heroes. With Joe it was particularly special because I toured with him in the late 1990s and pulling out his music brings back very personal associations. One of my recitals was designed to feature my great trumpet colleagues at VCU - Mary Bowden and Brian Strawley of the Richmond Symphony, and jazz phenom Taylor Barnett. That was particularly fun. We were all featured and we played in various combinations of duets, trios and quartets. It's always fun to pick a theme. In 2008 we had a great time doing Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale - it involved like nine of my colleagues, including Susanna Klein, who was brand new that year, and new conductor Daniel Myssyk. Having John Guthmiller narrate was wonderful, and everyone played great. Certainly, bringing together lots of people to play - despite the logistical headaches it can create! - is ultimately always a blast.

What are your plans for the recitals?

The first one in February will be a jazz recital, the second one in April "classical." I don't always like to separate them by idioms-it's often fun, and kind of liberating, to just mix the different styles, but these each have a theme. We've been doing these tribute jazz recitals - just a chance to feature a prominent artist's work and present it to the VCU community - since I came here but we skipped it last year due to scheduling problems. I wanted to get back into that this semester. The "tributee," for lack of a better term, has not yet been decided! Part of that will depend on who's in the lineup. As to the classical recital, I'll be focusing on the music of a great young composer and great friend, Jim Stephenson. Jim has agreed to compose his second trumpet concerto for me, to be premiered with orchestra in Sydney, Australia this July at the International Trumpet Guild Conference. I thought it'd be a great idea to really immerse myself in his musical language, as well as to collaborate with some great VCU colleagues (pianist Dmitri Shteinburg, violinist Susanna Klein, and percussionist Peter Martin), on his work.

Where are you right now, by the way?

Haha, great question! It's been a crazy week - earlier I had a rehearsal in Philadelphia, then back to Richmond to teach, then to D.C. to play a concert; yesterday I was in Los Angeles meeting with some folks at Yamaha, and today I'm in Fresno. It's the UC Fresno Trumpet Festival and I'm the guest artist. It's all kind of nuts, but at least the weather is nicer here!

Richardson has also been busy completing his CD, Magnum Opus, which is set to be released on Summit Records in May. The album is in three parts: Concerto for Trumpet and String Orchestra (A Meditation on Yeats) composed by Dana Wilson is performed by Richardson and Ensemble instrumental Appassionata, conducted by Daniel Myssyk; Richardson's composition 016 Fantasy for Trumpet and Piano is performed by himself and pianist Dmitri Shteinberg; and finally, Doug Richards's massive Intercontinental Concerto for Trumpet and Jazz Orchestra is performed by Richardson on slide trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, Eb soprano cornet, trumpet, and the Great American Music Ensemble, conducted by Richards (check out Richards's in depth conversation about the piece on RVAJazz back in June 2009).

View event details for jazz trumpet recital or view event details for trumpet recital

Adam Larrabee Trio: Modern brew

Joey Ciucci — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:00:19 +0000

Within the ever expanding catalogue of craft beers, beyond the basic definitions of IPAs and stouts, past the scholarly examinations of hops, malts, and yeasts, there is an entry for a saison brew. This revered style originated as thrifty brewers centuries ago salvaged spoiled batches simply by mixing it with good ones. Nowadays, the process is largely the same. Obsessive craft brewers, who follow the trajectory of each batch as if it were a developing child, steel themselves and allow their product to skunk. Later, when the same recipe is properly conditioned, the funky and the fine are mixed -- the result an eloquent contradiction, subtle and biting and memorable.

The Adam Larabee Trio will tackle an equally epic and classic ferment on February 6, as part of RVAJazzfest at The Camel. The group, which boasts Larabee on guitar, Brian Jones on drums, and Randall Pharr on upright bass, will feature adaptations from the classic Duke Ellington/Charles Mingus/Max Roach album Money Jungle, as well as other standards and originals. The trio's cover of Money Jungle ranges from faithful interpretations to Frisellian soundscapes and will be available for sale at the show.

Guitarist Adam Larabee, who graciously lacks the hipper-than-thou vibe of many less-pedigreed peers, says he stays inspired and relevant by teaching. He performs on mandolin and banjo in addition to guitar, and regards those corresponding styles with the same gusto as Ellington's hollowed changes. In the always unpredictable Jones and rock-solid Pharr, he's formed a group whose reverence for the classics is tempered by a propulsive modern musicality.

Significant artists, musicians and brewers included, exist to challenge our expectations of what is unique and good and important. Ellington confronted our notions of his dapper arrangements and polished composition style, just as brewers constantly reinvent and challenge our palettes. This weekend, as the Adam Larabee Trio offers a rare discussion of this odd, challenging, tumultuous album, there is little doubt that the jazz community in Richmond will reevaluate Money Jungle in a fresh, contemporary light.

A taste of Ray Anderson

Dean Christesen — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:59:03 +0000

With the news of our new RVAJazzfest featured performer yesterday, you may be wondering who this Ray Anderson guy is (unless, of course, you're already aware of his prolific career). Well, we scour YouTube so you don't have to. We've got three videos below that show off some different sides of the trombonist's playing: his ultra-rhythmicism, his balladic sensitivity (and incredible control over atmospheric high notes), and his ability to contribute to a creative improvised dialogue.

In other words, qualities that make him such a good match for Ombak.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuRr840pgUY[/youtube]

With saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, bassist Brad Jones, and drummer John Betsch

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSI8M_eR3Yk[/youtube]

Charles Mingus's "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" from Anderson's 1991 album Wishbone

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W4p7Vvihs4[/youtube]

Improvised duo with Marty Ehrlich at Amsterdam Bimhuis, June 2009

One of his most long-standing groups, BassDrumBone (with Gerry Hemingway on drums and Mark Helias on bass), has a noticeable absence of videos on YouTube with quality audio, so you should at least check this tune out: A Cuppa.

View event details or purchase tickets

Tim Berne cancels due to emergency, Ray Anderson now set to headline RVAJazzfest

Dean Christesen — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:25:53 +0000

Tim Berne has canceled his performance at RVAJazzfest on Saturday, February 6, 2010, in Richmond, VA, due to a death in the family that will see him flying to England during that time. Our condolences go to Berne and his family in this difficult time, and we wish them safe travels.

Ombak (who was set to perform with Berne), every musician involved with RVAJazzfest, music fans all over Richmond, myself, and the RVAJazz/RVANews team, were eagerly anticipating Berne's performance at RVAJazzfest and are saddened to hear of his family member's death. We look forward to his eventual visit to Richmond.

After many hours of consulting with one another, sending emails, and making phone calls to possible replacements, Ombak leader Bryan Hooten and I are excited to announce that trombonist Ray Anderson will now be headlining the event in a performance with Ombak.

Since the featured performer will be performing with Bryan and Ombak, I assisted Bryan today but ultimately allowed him to pursue Berne's replacement. This was a very personal decision for Bryan to make and we are extremely pleased that he and his band mates will have the opportunity to perform with one of his very first musical heroes.

Thank you for being flexible as we shuffle around these details within one week of RVAJazzfest.

For more information on Ray Anderson, please visit his website (http://www.rayanderson.org/)

Richmond Jazz Society celebrates women in jazz

Dean Christesen — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:00:19 +0000

Richmond Jazz Society is a sponsor of RVAJazzfest. They are a participating organization in Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts and will be recognizing and presenting women performers at their monthly Guest Educators Series held at Capital Ale House Downtown Music Hall. For more information, visit vajazz.org.

Pictured: Richmond-based jazz vocalist Ernestine Jackson, by LaMont Crawley

Since 1979, Richmond Jazz Society has been dedicated to the presentation and preservation of jazz in Richmond. Their Guest Educators Series, which highlights some of the best names in jazz, is the cornerstone of what they do and fulfills each aspect of their mission: the education, preservation, and advancement of jazz.

Closing out 2009 and beginning this year, RJS is one of the groups participating in Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts. "Jazz has been pretty much male dominated," RJS co-founder and executive director B.J. Brown said, "but there have always been women associating with jazz. It's also about respecting women as more than vocalists, but as musicians. That's our key."

As the only woman on the original RJS board of directors, Brown experienced the adversities that women are faced with, both in jazz and in the office. Through the organization's preservation project that includes interviews with Richmond's jazz pioneers, she has learned about other women who have excelled in jazz. "It's been good learning that there were Virginia women and Richmond women who have been part of the jazz scene from the very beginning," she said.

She tells stories of women like Aurethia Green Winfree, a tiny woman who would stun people with her energetic piano playing. Brown met Winfree around 1982 and learned a lot from her about women in Richmond who were well known around the time that Jackson Ward was called the Little Harlem of the South. "She was a little dynamo," Brown said. "We were just so happy to have met her."

Another woman to leave a mark on Brown is Altevia "Buttercup" Powell, the wife of pianist Bud Powell. Buttercup came back to Richmond in the 1980s to take care of her mother and would do lectures at schools with Brown on her signature topic: MAAM - Musicians Ain't Always Men. Buttercup was a strong woman as Bud Powell's business manager, the owner of her own jazz establishment in Paris called Buttercup's Chicken Shack, and an accomplished jazz singer and pianist.

Virginia "Sunshine" Keels Hartman was a big band singer and a RJS board member. "She had a beautiful voice, a huge voice so big that she did not need a microphone," Brown said. Another vocalist, Ernestine Jackson, sang at all the local clubs including Bogart's Back Room, accompanied by pianists like Skip Gailes and Bob Hallahan. "She was really one of the top jazz vocalists in town when Richmond Jazz Society got started," said Brown. "We presented her often at our club. It was always a packed house whenever Ernestine sang."

More recently, The Jazz Ladies band was evidence that women could be more than singers. The band included Marsha Meekins on flute, Pearl White on tenor saxophone, Juana Thompson on piano, and Michelle Hammond on drums, and the RJS booked their gigs and helped promote the band.

While Minds Wide Open officially takes place between March and June 2010, Brown and RJS are going above and beyond to present women in jazz, beginning in December 2009 with singer and Newport News native Eve Cornelius. In January, the Guest Educators Series featured the Butterbean Jazz Quartet, a Richmond band fronted by singer Terri Simpson. Brown said, "Terri did, I thought, an excellent repertoire of traditional jazz, standards, and all the way up to contemporary favorites like Sade and Joni Mitchell."

The celebration of women continues in February with Charlottesville-based singer Stephanie Nakasian. She will be performing with her husband, pianist Hod O'Brien, and daughter, vocalist Veronica Swift. Nakasian is a "very versatile singer," said Brown. "It'll be interesting to see the program that she brings."

Amina Figarova will be the star in March. The Azerbaijan-born and Netherlands-based pianist's group has a unique sound that Brown looks forward to sharing with Richmond. "I really want Richmond audiences to enjoy her musicality and how she composes and how she approaches jazz," Brown said. "She's from Europe and so she comes from a different point of view in a sense, but it's almost the same. She has soul when she's playing."

Booking artists for April, May, and June are still in the works, but they will continue to feature women performers.

Richmond Jazz Society's Guest Educators Series takes place on the second Tuesday of each month at the Capital Ale House Downtown Music Hall. For more information, visit vajazz.org.

The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen

Dean Christesen — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:33 +0000

The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is a sponsor of RVAJazzfest. For more information, visit artsglenallen.com.

Located only a quick drive away from downtown Richmond, The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen (CACGA) provides opportunities to enjoy a vast array of performing arts. Currently halfway through their 2009-2010 season, the Center prides itself on booking a diverse list of performers. In the coming months alone, performances include a magic show, gospel choir, rock music for kids, modern dance, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

In June 2009, two years after the CACGA's first Center Season, the 2nd Stage was created to compliment the Center Season's program of international, national, regional, and local acts by focusing more on regional and local performers in a caberet-style venue. ComedySportz Improv Theatre was the first group to perform there, and the venue has also played host to bluegrass and acoustic rock bands. Upcoming events include bluegrass, Celtic music, a Cinco de Mayo concert, and An Evening of Jazz featuring Rhythmasters and Beast Wellington on February 5. All 2nd Stage tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Richard Koch, the Performing Arts Manager at CACGA, told me a little about the Center via email.

As the Performing Arts Manager, what exactly are your duties at the center?

My duties here at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen include the finding and booking of acts and performers for our Center Season and 2nd Stage series. I also handle our Arts renters, a variety of local arts organizations: some who have their "homes" here and some who use the space only when needed for classes or performances.

How long have you been with The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen?

I have been with the Center since June of 2007, coinciding with the debut of The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen's Center Season. The 2007-2008 Center Season was our first season of expanded offerings that included Music, Dance, Theatre and Family Fun performances. I am now in the booking stages of our fourth Center Season for 2010-2011. In June of 2009 we created our 2nd Stage series where we could highlight local and regional performers in a cabaret style environment.

This upcoming season really has something for everyone. How are the events chosen and season programmed, and is diversity something that the center strives for in a season?

I do my best to research, review and find entertainment that is international, national, regional and local. I work with artists and agents to find quality performances that are familiar and even perhaps unfamiliar to our greater Richmond audience. Yes, diversity is important and we do strive to provide entertainment that can reach many and hopefully inspire creativity and stimulate the senses.

What do you think makes The Cultural Arts Center special?

The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is the only place in the area where you can find quality performances, art galleries, art classes, professional arts rental space, community rental space and a first rate gift shop all in one place. Our facility is beautiful and our staff is dedicated to giving our patrons a wonderful experience. It is truly a Center full of Cultural Arts and more.

What's on your iPod / in your CD player / on your car radio at the moment?

Right now I am listening to a genre mix that plays a variety of musicians with styles similar to Vivaldi, Ralph Stanley, Django Reinhardt, The Beatles, Jackie Gleason and Alternative Pop/Rock.

For more information, visit The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen online at www.artsglenallen.com

Ombak: On record and in collaboration

David Tenenholtz — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:00:05 +0000

Ombak (pronounced "Ohm Bach") is our headlining band for RVAJazzfest. The quartet led by Bryan Hooten will be performing a set in collaboration with Tim Berne that we absolutely cannot wait to hear. Our guest writer David Tenenholtz dug into Hooten's mind. --Ed.

Ombak is trombonist/composer Bryan Hooten's band featuring guitarist Trey Pollard, bassist Cameron Ralston, and drummer Brian Jones. At the start, the quartet played songs that were written 100% written by Hooten. They involved mixed meters and long, complicated forms. Often, the material was through-composed, meaning that no sections of the song repeated from its start to finish.

The 2009 self-released album Framing the Void documents that phase in the group’s development. However, much of this recording will have you nodding your head, and some of the down-tempo grooves have a swagger all their own. “Aware” has a unisonal funky riff, followed by improvisation passed around quickly. "Odalisque" displays some severe interplay between Hooten's trombone (at times guttural and at others airy) and Pollard's visceral, hornlike tone. “As Rome Burns” reflects an image of Nero fiddling while his city burned. Musically speaking, there is a unison line that goes on while the bass and drums unleash frenetic bursts of mayhem.

In our recent conversation discussing the elements of Ombak's music, Hooten explained, "Most music is about rhythm first and foremost." In a much older conversation, he said that he's obsessed with music where an even pulse is somehow evident, but all the musical action shifts against it. After a little investigative reporting (i.e. typing "Bryan Hooten" into YouTube), I learned that he has been comfortable writing within this framework for some time. Just for fun, peep this clip of Hooten's alma mater playing his arrangement of Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon."

But seriously, back to Ombak.

With the collaborative minds making up this quartet, a push to get eclectic got the band focused on less composition, and more freedom and looseness. This led also to the inclusion of cover material such as Ornette Coleman’s staple “Lonely Woman” and “When Will the Blues Leave,” which is in a more straight-ahead swing style; a departure from the explosive rock influence heard throughout Framing the Void. A more recently penned tune, “Megatron Wants What’s In My Mind” has rhythmic cues, but otherwise a flexible structure based on spontaneity.

Set to play the RVAJazzfest event with saxophonist Tim Berne, the band is going to include their own material along with current originals by the guest artist. When we talked, Hooten related that much of Berne's writing employs a flexible instrumentation of two, three, or four parts on any set of horns covering the pitch ranges. This allows for a great deal of adaptability.

To read more about Berne, check out this fascinating two-part interview on Ethan Iverson's blog. Spoiler alert: Under a mentorship with saxophonist Julius Hemphill, Berne’s writing for his own bands was encouraged immediately. He thus has had a different career trajectory than the normal jazz player that starts mainly as a side-person, which shows not only his courage to do that, but also that he is "...a model of someone who’s just a natural artist and carves out space," as Iverson puts it.

And just as Berne believed from the beginning to play his own music, Hooten is similar in mindset. No doubt there will be some chemistry in the experiments that will happen on The Camel's stage on Saturday, February 6.

RVAJazzfest featuring Tim Berne & Ombak, Adam Larrabee Trio, and Trio of Justice takes place on Saturday, February 6, 2010, at 9pm at The Camel, 1621 W Broad St., Richmond VA. Click here to purchase tickets.

Visit Ombak on the web at ombakmusic.com

Modlin Center for the Arts presents the Luciana Souza Trio

Dean Christesen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:00:52 +0000

Modlin Center for the Arts is a sponsor of RVAJazzfest. On Monday, February 8, they will be presenting The Luciana Souza Trio featuring Romero Lumbambo on guitar and Cyro Baptista on percussion in Camp Concert Hall. For information on purchasing tickets, call (804) 289-8980 or visit modlin.richmond.edu.

Luciana Souza
Tide
(Verve Music Group, 2009)

If Souza's latest album, Tide, is any indication of how Souza works within small ensembles, the even smaller group of Souza, guitarist Romero Lumbambo, and percussionist Cyro Baptista should be intimate and extraordinary.

Tide kicks off with a bouncy samba, "Adeus America & Eu Quero Um Samba," played by the quartet, and Souza throws herself to the foreground with variety in dynamics and rhythmic excitement. Her voice is percussive like Jobim's fingers on the piano or Caymmi's plucked guitar strings, and behind her, Lumbambo's guitar is the rippling undercurrent.

Maybe it's in anticipation of the Trio show, but to me, it's Souza, Lumbambo, and Baptista who form the core of even the larger instrumentations on the album. Lumbambo's energy and Baptista's subtleties -- whether on a triangle or woodblocks or shakers -- are perfection. Creative and versatile, Souza is the star.

She is, after all, a Grammy award winning vocalist, and Tide is her fourth Grammy nomination. Since moving to America from her home country of Brazil, she has been a successful jazz singer and was even awarded Female Jazz Singer of the Year in 2005 by the Jazz Journalist Association. Her bachelor and master degrees from Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory led to her teaching at Berklee College of Music and, more recently, the Manhattan School of Music.

Souza's gentle vibrato follows a lingering straight-tone, like on the lovely harmonically shifting ballad "Love - Poem 65" based on a poem by e.e. cummings. Her tone is smooth like satin on ballads, frolicky on the livelier joints, and always warm. On Paul Simon's "Amulet," which is done here as a duet with guitarist Larry Koonse, Souza's contralto voice goes down, down to rich lows, and ascends to a falsetto that's suspended over all.

Some of the album's most thrilling moments are by Souza with Lumbambo, like their unison duet on Garoto's "Sorriu Para Mim." Lumbambo uses tons of techniques to set the tone for a piece, like his palm-muting and playing close to the bridge on "Chuva." When the vivacious guitarist sits out on the album's ballads, there's slack to be picked up, but Souza always carries the weight with assertion.

Tide is mostly original material with pop music edge to it. Traces of Brazilian music permeate it all, but songs like "Fire and Wood" are far from bona fide samba such as that represented at the beginning and end of the album. Call a penchant for modernizing a characteristic of Souza, because she has existed for long enough within the realm of Brazilian music to take the liberties she takes here. Whatever choices she makes, they're destined to work as long as it's her sweet voice singing them.

Tracks: Adeus America & Eu Quero Um Samba, Fire and Wood, Our Gilded Home, Love - Poem 65, Circus Life, Once Again, Tide, Sorriu Para Mim, Chuva, Amulet.

Personnel: Luciana Souza: voice; Romero Lumbambo: guitar (1,3,5,8-9); Larry Klein: bass; Larry Koonse: guitar (2,4,6-7,10); Larry Goldings: organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, estey, accordion; Vinnie Colaiuta: drums; Cyro Baptista: percussion; Rebecca Pidgeon: vocals.

RVAJazzfest Guide

Dean Christesen — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:00:11 +0000

RVAJazzfest is almost here! The bands are prepping like crazy and the RVAJazz/RVANews alliance has been working around the clock to get ready for it, and it's time for you the reader, the concert attendee, the music lover to get excited. We've got tons of things to share with you in the 13 days between now and Jazzfest, and those things will be right here each day in the RVAJazzfest Guide. You'll get the lowdown on each of the bands that will be performing, a look at some of our very generous sponsors, as well as a look back at the 1st annual RVAJazzfest last year. After the Fest, you'll see the finest of photos, and who knows, maybe some other multimedia for nostalgia's sake.

Tickets also go on sale online today. Save $5 and purchase them here on RVANews, or stop by The Camel or the RVANews office starting tomorrow. Or you can be spontaneous and pay the full price at the door.

So let's recap:

RVAJazzfest 2010
Featuring Tim Berne & Ombak, Adam Larrabee Trio plays "Money Jungle," and Trio of Justice
Saturday, February 6, 2010, 9pm sharp
The Camel, 1621 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220. 804-353-4901
$15, $10 in advance

Purchase tickets online

Tickets are also available starting Tuesday, January 26, in person at The Camel or at the RVANews office (1520 W. Main Street, Suite 102. We're open from 9am to 5pm).

Tim Berne: RVAJazzfest Featured Performer

Bryan Hooten — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:59:30 +0000

Our RVAJazzfest featured performer is Tim Berne. Berne will be teaming up with Bryan Hooten's Ombak while in town to rehearse, perform at this event, and record an album. They'll be playing material by Berne and by Bryan and other band members (who, by the way, are Trey Pollard, Cameron Ralston, and Brian Jones). More recommended reading is my interview with Bryan from December in which we discussed Berne's influence on him. --Ed.

I emailed Tim Berne the following questions and he emailed back within a couple of hours. Actually, this was a rather slow response for him. He's like a quick-draw gunfighter with email. When putting together the details of his part in RVAJazzfest, only minutes, sometimes seconds would go by between messages. I think he has an iPhone. I asked about some of his early records, his career as a perpetual bandleader, his love/hate relationship with the New York Knicks and what he thinks of Richmond. When reading the responses, one can sense a zen-koan like economy, directness and humor, qualities that also pervade his playing and writing.

The first time I heard your playing was on Ray Anderson's Big Band Record, which featured the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band and home-state trumpet hero, John D'Earth. Can you talk about that sesson, which also included many of your current collaborators (Herb Robertson, Ellery Eskelin, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey)?

I love Ray and the others but I may have been the wrong man for the right job

Can you talk a little bit about the fact that you've spent the vast majority of your career as a band-leader, rather than as a sideman?

I started playing quite late and most of my heroes werte also composer/bandleaders so I thought that 's what everyone did. Kind of naive at the time

Throughout your incredibly varied projects, you seem to draw from a defined stable of musicians. How do you go about choosing players for each new band?

personality and and a big dose of individuality...sense of humor doesn't hurt either

You said about your early career and study that "The more I learned, the less confident I got." (From your interview with Ethan Iverson). Can you elaborate on that statement a little?

yeah I seem to become more insecure the more "established" I become....not sure why

What was it like working with Zorn at the Soho Music Gallery?

fun and educational

What's a day in the life of Tim Berne like?

Hmmm...starts with a lot of coffee after not much sleep.....lot's of dreaming about musical possibilities and hopefully acting on the dreams during the day....more coffee.....movies and `food

The story goes that you didn't pick up the saxophone until after hurting your ankle in an intramural basketball game while in college. Any interest in a pickup game while you're here?

oooh...bad knees

At the time of this writing, your team, the Knicks, are 16-22. What do they need to do to turn it around and make the playoffs?

get Dwyane Wade and GARnett....coach..Jabbar?

This is your second visit to Richmond. What's your impression of our fair city?

nice houses and people

A couple of other quotes for you to elaborate on, if you want.

"I always feel like I'm the worst player in the band." (From your trio workshop at VCU a while back.)

I think it speaks for itself

"I'm not really known for my on-stage banter."

wow

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waayvJrS_BY[/youtube]
Tim Berne with Tomasz Stanko

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CwYFDsHyhk[/youtube]
Tim Berne on Night Music