Yep! It’s great to be back on the road again! Well, at least it’s great to be back to work and playing. The first gig of the year was a Valentine’s Day concert in Houston at the Trinity Episcopal Church. The pastor who came to Trinity Episcopal a couple of years ago from Austin conducted jazz services there, and on coming to Houston, he instituted a small Jazz festival, this being its second year. The headliners were my quartet on the Friday concert and David “Fathead” Newman on Saturday’s concert.

Because the festival is in its growing stages, the church was not able to import all the members of my usual quartet, but they did fly in drummer Ed Soph from Dallas. We completed the group with two fine young Houston musicians, Gary Norian on piano and David Craig on bass.

The concert opened with the Marsha Frazier Trio comprised of Marsha, bassist Erin Wright and drummer Marci Chapa. Marci was a young student of Jose Diaz’ at MacArthur High school when I first met her about eight years ago, and her musical passion and drive have only grown in the years since. The group sounded excellent.

Opening with Cole Porter’s I Love You – it was Valentine’s after all - the quartet leaped into a musical journey whose motion surged forward from that point onward. It had been a long time since I played with David Craig, and his talent has grown as he has matured in the intervening years. Gary Norian is a pianist to be reckoned with – his rhythmic and harmonic imagination is fresh and extremely interesting – and very musical! As for Ed Soph – what can one say? He’s just so aware, so musically sensitive to all that is going on around him; yet he drives the group from within with such taste, never being obtrusive – always remaining part of the whole. It was a lovely concert.

I flew back to NYC the following day to perform in duo with pianist Bill Mays on a concert at the 92nd St. Y, performing opposite Dick Hyman’s trio. Dick is the artistic director of the Jazz and piano series at the “Y.” For those unfamiliar with the “Y,” it is a marvelous cultural center where concerts, both Jazz and classical, are presented as well as lectures given by many of the world’s great minds from all fields of endeavor. It also serves as a community center for the neighborhood.

The theme of the concert was “The Film Music of Michel Legrand” and featured the two groups above sharing halves of the concert. The concert hall at the “Y” is a wonderful acoustic venue in which to perform. No amplification is needed, and the sound qualities of the hall allow for the complete spectrum of textural qualities of the instruments to be employed. It also allows for maximum use of dynamics and, for me, the ability to express my music from the softest soft to the stronger dynamics is a privilege not afforded in many venues. To say the least, I savored the moment.

As for Bill Mays – again – what can one say? In comparison - for my taste - most other pianists pale. Not from just the technique, but from the vastness of his imagination and depth of his creative powers. His broad experience allows a myriad of ideas to come from everywhere, steeped in musical history from all the eras of Jazz and classical music. He is inspiring in any setting and supportive in every musical situation. What a joy to play with this person!

The following weekend brought a concert with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra (KJO), a big band led by the talented trumpeter and composer/arranger, Vance Thompson. I have to credit the bringing about of this concert to my very dear friend for many years, Dr. Howard Horn and his brother Ronnie. I have known Howard, one of this country’s finest cardiac diagnosticians and teachers, since high school, and he is one of my biggest fans. He buys and distributes to his friends and colleagues more of my CDs than any other entity, and over the years, his family has become part of mine.

Ronnie Horn, who became the number one fan of the KJO, has been working with them in   the PR and marketing areas to help “spread the word.” Howard was formerly an excellent trombonist and brother Ronnie a very fine trumpet player, once having competed and won on the Horace Heidt Radio Show (for those of you who are in the “older” segment of my readership).

The performance with the KJO took place in the concert hall at the University of Tennessee. The band was excellent, and the rhythm section, comprised of pianist Bill Swann, bassist Rusty Holloway and drummer Keith Brown, was exceptional. There were also excellent soloists throughout among who were altoist Don Aliquo, tenor players Bill Scarlett and Jimmy Mann and of course, leader Vance Thompson. All the section work was tight and swinging, and the brass was “happening,” especially the trombones. The band’s performance was exciting, and their library, mostly written by Vance, was a pleasure to listen to – very musical and swingin’ hard!

The band performed my music beautifully – two new pieces by Greg Pascuzzi, an arrangement of my composition, Samba du Nancy, written for my wife, and an original that Greg wrote for the 2002 ITG Conference, Psalmus, both were quite exciting. Jack Cortner’s chestnut, Secret Love was given special treatment as was Jerry Ascione’s beautiful rendering of My Foolish Heart and Jack Cooper’s excellent Alone Together. I also performed Vance’s beautiful arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael’s Skylark. It was a wonderful concert – great music with great players!

The last weekend of the month was spent with the quartet – Bill Mays, Ed Soph and Chicago bassist Kelly Sill – at the Pittsburgh Jazz Society’s Winter Jazz Fest. Having the quartet together is always something I look forward to and this was no exception. Because all the members of the quartet are busy, the personnel sometimes varies, and one must have a kind of repertory pool to work with, Fortunately for me, I have a magnificent group of players from whom to choose.

We narrowly missing the predicted snowstorm that might have prevented our arriving in time for the first night’s concert, but the weather worked in our favor, and we opened the evening’s concert. Kevin Mahogany closed, accompanied by a trio comprised of Bill Mays, bassist Dave Pello and drummer Roger Humphries, two fine Pittsburgh musicians. Kevin - always excellent - is such a joy to listen to, and the trio highlighted Kevin’s voice beautifully.

We opened our set with a medium tempo How Deep Is the Ocean, a burning rendition that set the level of intensity of what was to follow. It’s difficult to convey with words what transpires on a concert like this because words don’t suffice to exhibit the freedom of creativity that a group of musicians such as these desire - even more - insist upon exhibiting. If this was not permissible, none of us would be on the stage performing this music!

We followed with Bill Mays’ Gemma’s Eyes, a charming waltz and Miles Davis’ Nardis - opened by Kelly Sills’ thoughtful musings. Performing this composition in 12/8 meter with the openness of this rhythmic pulse, it impels the group to creatively “stretch the envelope,” something the audience becomes immediately aware of. Again turning to Bill’s composing; we performed the lovely Judy, a composition dedicated to his wife. Bill’s new Palmetto Records CD, Going Home, opens with this piece and is one of Bill’s best. My composition Two As One followed next, as always an exercise in lyrical exploration.

We closed our set with a combination of Ravel pieces – Bill performing a portion of his piano masterpiece, Miroirs, which introduces The Lamp Is Low, a popular piece adapted from Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess. Programming is always something I pay close attention to and the device by which a musical group playing any style of music holds its audience’s attention. I find it most interesting to see the musical direction we take these compositions we perform and observe how people respond. This audience was extremely responsive and the group responded in kind and just soared! Man! I love playing with these guys!

On Saturday, we each gave clinics, followed in the evening in a concert that featured everyone again plus the Duquesne Univ. Jazz Ensemble led arranger/composer Mike Tomaro. Our set was comprised of three pieces, a medium tempo Stella By Starlight, the beautiful Willard Robison tune, Old Folks and my composition, Samba da Nancy which featured Ed Soph. Ed, reluctant to indulge in long drum solos, always plays compositionally rather than showing a display of technique. The festival was great fun with lots of great playing from everyone, making for a musically fulfilling weekend.

March began with a weekend performing with the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band at Birdland, one of the most excellent Jazz clubs in NYC. The band was burnin’ and received enthusiastically. Rarely playing in NYC, one wonders why since the band is filled with international all-stars such as Michael Mossman, Jack Walrath, Matthieu Michel, Chris Hunter, Dave Bargeron, Luis Bonilla, Sal Giorgiani, Scott Robinson, Adam Nussbaum, Jay Anderson and others. In any event, it was another memorable time with the band and, for me, even more special as it resulted in my being booked there in September with my quartet of Bill Mays, Ed Soph and Rufus Reid with special guest guitarist John Abercrombie.

The following weekend was spent performing at a high school Jazz festival just outside of Charlotte in Rock Hill, SC. This was a special weekend in many ways, all of which will be the subject of the next issue of Cadenzas.

Close to home was a gig on March 21 with drummer Frank Ferreri’s quartet at Sage, a fine restaurant on Staten Island that features Jazz on the weekend. Frank is a an excellent musician and a very good friend of Ed Soph’s. The quartet beside Frank included bassist Steve LaSpina, pianist Jill McCarren and saxophonist Tom Botts. The following day I critiqued several bands at a high school Jazz festival organized by John Choon, the band director at Greenwich High School in Connecticut. Also critiquing was Justin DiCioccio, the director of Jazz Studies at the Manhattan School. We heard some interesting groups, including one from a high school with no music program, The kids wanted so much to form a band and play that they did it themselves with just some amateur coaching from an advisor. Hearing them play was worth the whole day because they were doing it for the sheer joy of music!

March concludes with a concert and workshops at Indiana Univ. of PA (IUP). The professor of trumpet and leader of the Jazz ensembles is Kevin Eisensmith, another excellent teacher and very fine trumpet player! Kevin and I have worked together in the past, and I know what to expect of his students. This will be a well-prepared and musical weekend. I look forward to it very much.

February and March brought an auspicious beginning to my performance year, and if things continue in the manner, it will prove to be one of the most fulfilling periods of my career.
 
 

Rufus Reid is one of the most important bassists and teachers on the scene today and has been so for a number of years. He is respected and loved by all who know him – and play with him! He is one of the most delightful of human beings, and I have never known anyone to whom his presence does not bring a smile.

Whether on the concert stage, in the studio or on the band stand, he is a delight to work with. In my quartet, he provides us with his marvelous solo work, but as important, he loves to allow pianist Bill Mays and drummer Ed Soph the freedom to “take it out” rhythmically and harmonically; he does this by “stayin’ home,” that is maintaining the foundation – the time and the harmonic base from which the rest of us can soar. This allows us to take the most familiar materials and re-weave them into unique set-pieces. His generosity in the music garners him all our love and respect.

Later – “hangin’ out” after work for a bite to eat or relaxing over a glass of wine or even traveling cross-country on a plane - all of us enjoy the warmth, the humor and the openness of this gentle, giant. He makes everyone feel special and comfortable in the marvelously positive feelings he conveys to all. Another delightful thing working with Rufus is that he often travels with his lovely wife, Doris – herself a unique individual. When this is the case, she “hangs” with us guys too, making it even more special by her presence among us. They are an exceptional pair, loved and respected by everyone.

Rufus was born February 10, 1944 in Atlanta, GA, but raised in Sacramento, CA. He received his Associate Arts Degree from Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington, in 1969 and continued his education at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, graduating in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music Degree as a Performance Major on the Double Bass. Rufus studied formally with James Harnett of the Seattle Symphony, Warren Benfield and Joe Guastefeste of the Chicago Symphony.

One of the most in-demand bassists in the world, Rufus began his professional career in Chicago, later moving to New York, where he has traveled, performed and recorded with most of the Jazz Masters.  He was privileged to share a moment of music with some that have passed on--Booker Ervin, Gene Ammons, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Don Byas, Philly Joe Jones, Kenny Dorham, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Harold Land, J.J. Johnson and Joe Henderson.

He continues performing and recording with Benny Golson, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Ray Bryant, Benny Carter, Kenny Burrell, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Heath to name just a few.

Rufus Reid has recorded over two hundred albums and has performed and recorded with everyone including Andre Previn, Kathleen Battle and the St. Lukes Chamber Orchestra. Rufus has also twice performed Benny Golson’s "Two Faces", a Concerto for Solo Double Bass, Jazz Trio and Orchestra. This was debuted at William Paterson College and also had its New York premiere in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

In 1990, Rufus joined in partnership with drummer Akira Tana to form the quintet, TANAREID.  They have made five recordings and continue to travel, performing and teaching around the world. Rufus has also made three albums under his own leadership - "Perpetual Stroll", "Seven Minds", and "Corridor to the Limits" – and a fourth - “Double Bass Delights” a duo recording with bassist Michael Moore.  In 1998, Warner Bros. produced a video of their recording

Rufus began working in education in 1971, presenting clinics, adjudicating and performing and has become probably the foremost bass clinician in Jazz. He was for twenty years on the faculty of William Paterson College as the Director of the Jazz Studies and Performance Program.  He developed the curriculum for this degree program wherein he coached both small and large jazz ensembles.

Rufus Reid has two bass method books published.  The first, "The Evolving Bassist," an aid in developing a total musical concept for the double bass and electric bass, was published in 1974 and is now in a trilingual, international edition.  The second, "Evolving Upward--Bass Book II," an aid in developing thumb position technique for the double bass, was published in 1977.

From 1980 to 1985, Rufus served on the music panel of the National Foundation for the Advancements in the Arts. Another program, ARTS (Art Recognition and Talent Search), is designed specifically for graduating high school students across the nation and is now affiliated with the International Association of Jazz Educators. Rufus continues to work with both programs.

In January, 1997, the International Association of Jazz Educators awarded Rufus with the Humanitarian Award.  Down Beat Magazine’s May 1998 issue awarded Rufus the 1998 Jazz Educator Achievement Award. Both of these awards were most deserved by this exceptional musician and attest to warmth and humanity of this extraordinary man.
 
 

I just realized that I may not have ever written anything pertaining to playing the trumpet in Cadenzas. Now that’s not a bad thing; not at all! But it is a bit different than most trumpet players’ web sites or newsletters which seem to be filled with all kinds of trumpet advice. It must mean that the technical questions are being asked of someone else, and people would prefer I write of my feelings and/or opinions about music, music education and such. And, of course, this is my preference too!

That said, the recent clinics I have done have brought to the fore the anxieties and confusion that a lot of young trumpet players still experience due to the emphasis today on playing in the upper register of the horn – a la Maynard Ferguson, Jon Faddis and the many other players who have the ability to play in the extreme upper register of the instrument; so I thought I might at least give to the teachers and others who may be interested my thoughts on the subject.

Many developing trumpet players going through this experience realize that they can never hope to play as high as these other musicians whom they hear. They find that their range isn’t increasing even as quickly as other players in the groups in which they perform. And while they might feel that they play musically as well their fellow musicians, the fact that they possess less upper register than their peers leaves them feeling that they are being left behind. They ask how they might increase their range so they also can play higher and are even willing to do so at the sacrifice of any other excellent musical qualities they may possess.

While these young musicians might feel this is a dilemma, I feel, for the most part, that too much emphasis is placed on this area of playing. And though some are able to develop this ability more quickly than others, most are not. For the young musician, this emphasis on the upper register may come too soon, whether through music that is too difficult that their band directors insist on their playing or whether from their own desire to play like their heroes. Too many young musicians are so fascinated by playing in the upper register that they sacrifice good basic embouchure and musical development by concentrating solely on this one issue. It is very easy to lose sight of the basics and become lost in the quagmire this can produce. I believe it is most important for us to be aware that we all are different in many ways, and we need to realize what our talents are, We must learn to build on our strengths while also working to develop those areas that are weaker. And for most everyone, working with a fine teacher usually facilitates the process.

But for those of us lesser mortals to whom playing “double C’s” does not come naturally, we still can work to acquire better range by using a “common sense” approach and utilizing even the most basic of our materials such as the Arban’s Trumpet Method or any other comprehensive method. Taking any set of exercises in a book like Arban’s and first mastering them as written, we can then work to develop our range by starting these exercises again, this time extending them one step higher and practicing them until we can play them comfortably to that higher level. Having done that, we go back again and extend them a step higher, thereby continuing this process of developing the skills the exercises are meant for us to master while working them higher to develop our range. If we utilize this approach with a number of different exercises using any fine method directed to helping us develop many different skills, we do so while also working on our range in all registers - high, low and middle. This is a good approach to expanding our range as part of a program to develop our all-around musical and technical skills on the trumpet while not just focusing on the upper register.

While all of us wish we had the high register that Jon Faddis possesses, most of us are incapable of this. It is also very important for us to note that, even with his special gift, this ability was not a "given". Jon worked diligently as a young player to develop this talent under the tutelage of his teacher. I have heard Jon himself say that not everyone has the gift or the ability to develop the extraordinary upper register he possesses. So the significant thing each of us must try to realize is that we should strive to develop our own talents to the highest possible level, and while range is important, we ought not let it be the most important component for which we strive. Making music is still the greatest task a musician is called upon to do.