Newport Jazz Festival 2010

As I write this I can still hear the muffled sounds of Chris Botti wafting over the bay from Ft. Adams into my living room. I am now relaxing after a marathon couple of days that I'll try to recount here...

What I Heard:

Darcy James Argue and the Secret Society

Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra

Chick Corea's "Freedom Band" with Roy Haynes, Kenny Garrett and Christian McBride

Anat Cohen

Ben Allison Band

Gretchen Parlato

and snippets of many others.

Also, as if the lineup on Saturday weren't enough, I trekked up to Acton to hear Jerry Bergonzi and Phil Grenadier on Saturday night.

What I (sadly) Did Not Hear:

Any real representation of the local New England scene.

Yes, there was a septet from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute on Saturday morning at 11:00, but in a region where a partial list of local cats includes:

Jerry Bergonzi

George Garzone

Hal Crook

Phil Grenadier

Greg Abate

Bruce Gertz

Rick DiMuzio

Jared Sims

The Fringe

and many many more, why no love for the local artists?

My only real frame of reference for big summer jazz festivals is the Chicago Jazz Festival in September. This has always taken place over several venues and stages (much like Newport), featured a great mix of local artists with national/international acts, even having a "local artist" stage for awhile (much unlike Newport), and was FREE (decidedly unlike the $75.00/day Newport festival).

Please let me be clear, the Newport Jazz Festival and George Wien is a blessing and an American institution. Consider the history: Duke's Crescendo and Diminuendo in Blue, Brubeck's many appearances, "Jazz on a Summer's Day" Trane's 1961 date...on and on. But, a festival that is considered to be the perfecter of the genre should, in this writer's opinion, do a bit more to support the "Blue Collar" jazz musicians who live and work in its shadow throughout the year.

Newport Up! 2010 Edition - Day 5

Tomorrow is the big day...here is a reprise of one of my favorite videos from the Newport Jazz Festival:

Newport Up! 2010 Edition - Day 4

Dave Holland Big Band

Newport Up! 2010 Edition - Day 3

Some great footage of Duke's band in 1962:

Follow the link or watch below:

Newport Up! 2010 Edition - Day 2

Here is a wonderful version of Sweet Georgia Brown by Anita O'Day.

For those of you reading on Facebook, follow this link

Newport Up! 2010 Edition

It's that time of year in New England...bright blue sky, sailboats, and miles of cars pouring into the city with exotic license plates like New York and Massachusetts...

The Newport Jazz Festival starts this Friday!!! I am especially looking forward to the performances by The Maria Schneider Orchestra and DJA's Secret Society. As I did last year, I will run up to the festival with videos of some of my favorite Newport moments: Here's a great bit from 1979, Brubeck with Bergonzi....

At Last!

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Dave Liebman. When I received his latest newsletter announcing that he has been awarded the NEA's 2011 Jazz Master award I was thrilled. Here is a link to Lieb's newsletter with the announcement and he speaks very eloquently about the award and the idea of being recognized by the country that created the music (he often garners many more accolades in Europe). To me, Lieb is a total inspiration. Absolute commitment to the art, more artistic courage than just about anyone I can think of, and an absolute dedication to teaching.

It is in this last area that I have had my closest relationship with him. Through studying with him, my own aesthetic solidified and I gained a very concrete path into researching and studying the saxophone and, more importantly, this music for which I will be forever grateful. Not to mention the spirit of brotherhood that he engenders. All who have studied with him will know what I mean. If you ever were his student, you are his family forever. Studying with Lieb really shaped my entire world view in a way few teachers do.

Congrats, Brother