anthologysd.com

By JIM TRAGESER - jtrageser@nctimes.com | North County Times

Anyone who ever saw the great Cannonball or Nat Adderley in concert, or who heard the late jazz icons’ live recordings with their between-song patter, would immediately recognize the voice of another Adderley —- in this case, that of Nat Adderley Jr.

More than the familiar voice, though (in this case, at the other end of a telephone interview) what should excite jazz fans is that Nat Jr. has returned to the jazz that his father and uncle made their careers and reputations with, and that he’s now performing the family classics with his own combo (including a show Wednesday at Anthology in San Diego).

Not that this is imitation: Nat Jr. plays piano. Dad Nat Sr. was a trumpeter, while Uncle Julian (better known to fans by the popular nickname “Cannonball”) was a saxophonist.

Despite the strong family presence on the international jazz scene, and having his uncle record one of his songs while he was still in junior high, Nat Jr. spent most of his adult life in the world of R&B as the arranger and musical leader for the late Luther Vandross, whom he met in college.

Now in his mid-50s, Nat Jr. said he always planned to come back to the jazz.

“I knew I had it in the back of my mind,” Adderley said during a recent phone interview from his home in New Jersey.

“A big part was I didn’t want to do the R&B anymore —- I did all those records with Luther. And not that there aren’t young artists I like, but I never wanted to be the old guy trying to stay young and current and have hits.”

It’s not as if he was ever that far from jazz. Adderley said that even during his years with Vandross, there were times he’d be gigging on piano.

“I always played, all through my life. As I was leaving college, I decied I most wanted to make hit records and be in the Top 10. But all the way through there were long periods when Luther wasn’t working or in the studio, and I would play the jazz clubs in Manhattan.

“I did want to get going at some point in my 30s. But every time I’d get going, I’d get the call to go in the studio or on the road —- so I’d just cut it short. That was the story of my career until Luther passed” in 2005.

“Then it became a ‘let’s hurry up and get started.’ I figure I gotta do it now!”

Adderley also said that a big part of the delay in returning to music he loves were his struggles with being the son of a famous musician.

“I went to college and told everyone my name was Eddie —- I took my middle name. My last name was Adderley, that was an uncommon name, and my name is Nat, and when I got introduced, everyone knew who I was, and I got sick of that.”

While he is friends with jazz and R&B drummer T.S. Monk, son of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, Adderley said they’ve never really talked about the experience of growing up in the shadow of a famous parent.

“I needed to have some conversations with children of the famous; that might have helped me. I was a little strange with that; I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

Further, while in college Adderley said he drifted toward pop and R&B because of his own expectations of how a jazz pianist should sound.

“I was practicing jazz and decided I was never going to be good enough —- that was some pressure I put on myself. I should have continued, but I got myself into a mental block because I didn’t feel I was progressing fast enough.”

It was only in September that Adderley began leading his own band, under his own name. But he said the reception has been so positive that he’s already busily planning for a future full of possibility and promise.

“I’ve always preferred to be in the background in jazz —- I always wanted to be a sideman. That’s what I did all through high school and jazz. I did a lot of writing and all the arranging, but there was always somebody else as the leader.

“This is all brand-new to me —- I can’t believe it’s blossomed so quickly. People have been after me for years to do a record —- I’ve been hearing that for 30 years.

“I will get in the studio —- I have some ideas. I have some tunes for Luther that we didn’t take all the way, and they actually work better as instrumentals.”

Nat Adderley Jr.

When: 7:30 p.m. March 17

Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., San Diego

Tickets: $16

Info: 619-595-0300

anthologysd.com

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Via North County Times

By Ronaldo Oregano | jazzpolice.comThe John Scofield quartet with Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ben Street on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums will be hitting the west coast from north to south in a week. Scofield is taking a break from his Piety Street tour to hit the west coast with this fine jazz quartet. They will perform on March 9th and 10th at Jazz Alley in Seattle. Then on Tuesday, March 11th through Sunday, March 14th they are at Yoshi’s in Oakland. For a siingle night each they play the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz on March 15th and at Anthology in San Diego on Tuesday, March 16th.

John Scofield is considered one of the “big three” of current jazz guitarists — along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. His influence began in the late 70’s and is going strong today. Possessor of a very distinctive sound and stylistic diversity, Scofield is a masterful jazz improviser whose music generally falls somewhere between post-bop, funk edged jazz, and R & B.

Born in Ohio and raised in suburban Connecticut, Scofield took up the guitar at age 11, inspired by both rock and blues players. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After a debut recording with Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker, Scofield was a member of the Billy Cobham-George Duke band for two years. In 1977 he recorded with Charles Mingus, and joined the Gary Burton quartet. He began his international career as a bandleader and recording artist in 1978. From 1982-1985, Scofield toured and recorded with Miles Davis. His Davis stint placed him firmly in the foreground of jazz consciousness as a player and composer.

Since that time Scofield has prominently led his own groups in the international Jazz scene, recorded over 30 albums as a leader (many already classics) including collaborations with contemporary favorites like Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Eddie Harris, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Bill Frisell, Brad Mehldau, Mavis Staples, Government Mule, Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano and Phil Lesh. He’s played and recorded with Tony Williams, Jim Hall, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Dave Holland, Terumasa Hino among many jazz legends. Throughout his career Scofield has punctuated his traditional jazz offerings with funk-oriented electric music. All along, the guitarist has kept an open musical mind.

Touring the world approximately 200 days per year with his own groups, Scofield is an Adjunct Professor of Music at New York University, a husband and father of two.

Renowned jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller has recorded with almost every known Jazz artist in the scene, from Joe Lovano to Nicholas Payton. In fact, he remains one of the most recorded pianists in the scene today (second only to Kenny Barron), with over 400 recording sessions to his credit. Miller will appear with his trio at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago on Wednesday, July 15th through Sunday, July 19th.

Mulgrew Miller professional career started, aged twenty, with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, led by the late Mercer Ellington. During his formative years as a sideman, Mulgrew also worked with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Woody Shaw’s Quintet and Betty Carter’s group. He was also one of the founding members of Tony Williams’ Quintet.

In 1995 Mulgrew toured Europe and the US sharing the stage with fellow pianist Kenny Barron. Mulgrew has also been noticed in various all star groups, such as The New York Jazz Giants, One Hundred Golden Fingers or the early editions of Jazz at the Philharmonic Revisited. In 1999 Mulgrew started working with virtuoso bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. Together they recorded Duets, a wonderful CD for Bang & Olufsen featuring the music of Duke Ellington and Jimmy Blanton.

Mulgrew Miller’s latest releases on MaxJazz include: The Sequel (2003), featuring his sextet Wingspan; Live at Yoshi’s volume 1 and 2 (2004 & 2005), with Derrick Hodge and Karriem Riggins; and Live at Kennedy Center volumes 1 and 2 (2006 & 2007), featuring Derrick Hodge and Rodney Green.

On May 20, 2006, Miller was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Performing Arts at Lafayette College’s 171st Commencement Exercises. As of 2006 he is the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University.

A highly original composer, Mulgrew has moved, as an interpreter, from such influences as McCoy Tyner, Oscar Peterson and Wynton Kelly to become very recognizably his own man, powerful, lyrical, and imaginative.

John Scofield quartet tour schedule

March 9 - 10 Seattle, WA Jazz Alley
March 11 - 14 Oakland, CA Yoshi’s
March 15 Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa
March 16 San Diego, CA Anthology

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Via jazzpolice.com

By Jamie Freedman | SF Music Examiner

Saturday night I was down in San Diego for work and wanted to take my 16-year-old cousin out for a nice evening. Going to the movies didn’t seem special and she’s not the kind of kid I would take to an all-ages punk show. And lets face it, I didn’t want to go to a punk show either. I saw that Anthology is all-ages and that the Count Basie Orchestra was rocking the house for two nights. This legendary Kansas City big band is swinging towards San Francisco and will be performing on May 30th at Davies Hall with Kurt Elling as part of the SFJAZZ spring season.

Celebrating their 75th anniversary, the Basie Band has never sounded better. It’s obvious from the smiles, the goofiness, mutual encouragement and choreography (the trumpet section has it down) that these guys thoroughly enjoy themselves on stage. And with songs titles like “Fun Time,” “Way Out Basie,” Right On Right On” and “Cute” a good time is guaranteed.

Some members of the Basie Band are new, yet the majority of the sound still swings from musicians handpicked by Count Basie himself. I would guess that at least 75 percent of the band is over 50 years old. Bill Hughes is the current director and has been in the band since 1953. That’s pretty incredible if you ask me. Basie hired singer Carmen Bradford in 1982 by when she was 22.

“It was like traveling with your grandpa and great-grandpa,” she said from stage, “but they swing just as hard.”

Anthology is a “classy” (my 16-year-old cousin’s description) establishment unlike any other club I’ve ever been to. The way it’s designed with its stacked four level seating reminds me of theaters and opera houses of past centuries. Everyone in the club has a good seat. And if you’re not quite close enough to see details and the faces of performers, there is a gigantic screen above the stage.

On the tables was a flier (also on their website) congratulating a wide range of 2010 Grammy Nominated artists that have performed on Anthology’s stage including pop acts Death Cab for Cutie and Jason Mraz, jazz acts like Kurt Elling and Jake Shimabukuro and gospel/R&B singer Mavis Staples. With variety like that and the opportunity to come by on Tuesday nights for $5 and check out the Anthology House Band where everything on the menu is $20 or less, this is the perfect all-ages venue for an nice evening out.

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Via SF Music Examiner

by T. Loper | NBC Sound Diego blog
Longtime Count Basie colleague and trombonist Bill Hughes will bring the swing to Anthology for a two-night stand January 29-30.

For those who aren’t already familiar with the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, flash back to Kansas City, Mo., in 1935: An understated man from south Jersey who had always dreamed of life on the road started a band. One year later, William “Count” Basie, now leader of “the swingingest band in all the land,” had forever changed the face of what many call America’s only art form. Basie would go on to see the world many times over.

A lot of talented musicians have come and gone since then — the Count himself passed away in 1984 — but that doesn’t mean his band can’t still swing like it’s 1935. They’ve won 17 Grammys and 20 Downbeat and JazzTimes polls, more than any other big band in jazz, and they’re about to celebrate their 75th anniversary. Past members include some of jazz’s true greats, including Lester Young, Joe Williams, Buck Clayton and many others.

Bill Hughes, trombonist and director of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, was born in Dallas in 1930. He joined the orchestra in 1953 and assumed its leadership after the 2003 passing of Grover Mitchell, who had directed the band since 1995. Evidently, directing Basie’s band is like a Supreme Court appointment — you’re there for life if you want to be.

Hughes is a self-styled rarity in jazz, having eschewed numerous opportunities to gain personal celebrity in favor of a career dedicated largely to the Count Basie Orchestra. His only deviation from that path has been to spend time with his family, so the band is clearly in his blood. Someone who has been there so long is bound to interpret Basie’s vision in just the right way, and — just as important — keep things lively.

…

Read the full article on the NBC Sound Diego blog.

Click here if you have trouble watching the video above.

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Squirrel Nut Zippers performs tonight as Anthology. Two shows: 7:30 & 9:30pm! $10 V-tix available for the 9:30pm show!

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The Mads Tolling Quartet performs at Anthology on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. Click here for tickets.

Former local returns home
By JIM TRAGESER | North County Times

The guy’s lived all over the world —- Kyrgyzstan, Kansas City, Mo., Los Angeles, New York City.

But for jazz pianist Eldar Djangirov (playing Oct. 17 with his trio at Anthology), coming to San Diego is probably as close to homecoming as it gets. He spent two years here, attending Francis Parker School, a performing arts magnet school. And his parents still live in the same house in Rancho Bernardo (and will be in the crowd Oct. 17).

While family and memories are obviously important ties to the area, Eldar (he performs and records under his first name only) said the weather is also something he misses about San Diego.

“I’ve been missing it for a few years now!” he said by phone Oct. 13 from his New York City home. “Living in New York City, you go through four seasons and you get the most extreme of the four seasons. It’s getting colder now.”

His latest CD, “Virtue” —- his ninth —- has him hopping.

“I’ve been traveling a lot, especially with the new record release —- it’s been quite intense. … It’s been pretty tremendous traveling, but I’ve been enjoying it.

“I just got back from Tokyo yesterday. I played two shows with my band earlier in the month, then (bassist) Ron Carter asked me to stay.”

Eldar said “Virtue” is the album he’s most proud of so far, and said it represents the pinnacle of his career to date. (It might be pointed out, however, that’s he’s only 22.)

“I think this release marks a certain chapter that in many ways I’ve most proud of.”

He said he managed to accomplish several things he felt that he hadn’t done with previous recordings, at least not to the level he wanted: “The presentation of the music; the composition of the music. The group chemistry —- putting this band together, writing the music specifically for these musicians, knowing their logic. The language we developed as a band after I wrote the material.”

To get this album the way he wanted it, Eldar said he took a different approach.

“The preparation for this record took two years of conscious effort. … When you want to push yourself, when you want to challenge yourself, when you want to create a langauge, it takes research.

“That’s why I consider this a culmination.”

Growing up in Kyrgyzstan, Eldar said, he was turned on to music by his parents.

“My dad has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, so he would travel all the time for different projects. What he did was collect jazz records over a period of three decades.

“One of the things I remember capturing my ear was listening to Oscar Peterson. That was the first introduction, consciously, where I said to myself, ‘I really enjoy this.’”

“When I started playing, my mother was the typical Russian piano teacher in many ways —- but she was very supportive, and gave me a solid foundation.”

Eldar said his mother had to prompt him, like most kids, to practice when he began playing at age 5. But as he got older, he began to love playing more and more.

“I can’t say that at 5 years old that I knew this is what I wanted to do. It was so gradual. It was never whether I wanted to play or not play; it was something … that decision was almost made for me.”

Eldar

When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17

Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., San Diego

Tickets: $23

Info: 619-595-0300 or anthologysd.com

Web: eldarjazz.com

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Click here for the original article in the North County Times.

By Erick Pettersen | allaboutjazz.com

On July 26, at 7PM, at Anthology–a jazz club in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood–an ensemble of seven jazz performers, including jazz guitarist Peter Sprague and vocalist
Kevyn Lettau, will perform a tribute concert to Sergio Mendes–a Brazilian musician who plays bossa nova, which he crosses with funk and jazz. Mendes influenced modern jazz, as well as the seven people who will perform that evening.

In 1995, many years after he met Mendes, jazz guitarist Peter Sprague’s musical aspirations almost wore away like the ledge of a flood worn sandstone cliff. After almost two decades of playing guitar on the road, Sprague found himself on the road away from his wife Stefani and daughter Kylie more than he wanted. Then, doctors diagnosed the new father with Psoriatic Arthritis¹, and the direction of his musical career changed.

After that diagnosis, he decided he could no longer play guitar full time, so he opened his recording studio Spragueland–the west coast solution to Jimi Hendrix’ Electric Lady Land Studio. Sprague recalls of the choice to open Spragueland, “For your family to thrive, that’s your key right there. It’s just to be in the family, and not the stranger that reports back once a month or something.”

More than a decade after the first days of Spragueland, Kylie plays the piano and sings. Every year, Sprague and Kylie, along with friends and family, perform at the amphitheatre outside Del Mar’s Inn l’Auberge. Sprague opens his guitar case and sets it down for people to throw their tips in. It’s a tradition he began in 1978.

When Sprague gets away from the music, he takes his family on camping trips, practices yoga, and enjoys his family the best he can. For the most part, he and Kylie enjoy different music; though, they found common interests in The Beatles and an Irish folk-rock band called Solaf.

Before they discovered those common interests, when Sprague first noticed signs of Psoriatic Arthritis, he took six months off. He hoped the pain would end; though, it spread throughout his body. He explored holistic medicine and yoga, but the pain overwhelmed his body. For years, while he struggled to continue his music career, he suffered in silence.

Though, Sprague found comfort in the understanding of long time friend and jazz vocalist Kevyn Lettau– the original voice Kylie came to replace on that Christmas Eve stage. Sprague met Lettau in 1978 when he formed the band, “The Dance of the Universe Orchestra.” They needed a vocalist, and Lettau needed a musical outlet. After Lettau left the band, she toured with Sergio Mendes for eight years, and then found success in the U.S. and Asia.

When she recorded The Color of Love, Lettau came to the edge of her own flood worn cliff. After one record company declined to work with Lettau, they said to her lawyer, “She obviously is a good singer, but her voice is too healthy.” Her pianist, Russell Ferrante, told her the same thing Bobby Vincer of the Yellowjackets told him: “You’ve got to strive for tone.” Lettau realized Ferrante meant she had to work on maintaining flexibility and freedom in her voice. Devastated because “[She] really loved having a healthy voice” she learned from that advice.

Six years after the release of The Color of Love, Lettau sometimes feels inadequate. Speaking of her song “What is Enough,” she admitted, “I’ve never felt like I’ve been enough, as a woman or as a singer or as a human being”; though, she realizes “I’m not alone in that. There’s a lot of people like that.” That realization led Lettau to acknowledge if she had to choose any other career, she would become a family therapist and work with incest victims–other’s who often suffer in silence.

On Sunday, July 26, after more than three decades of collaborating with names like Chuck Correa, Al Jarreau, and others, the sum of Sprague and Lettau’s silent sufferings, difficult choices, and unbreakable friendship will bring them to the Anthology stage. Sprague commented of the many tribute concerts he and his band performs, “We love the challenge of saying we’re going to do a whole night of this music… What can we do to bring something new to it.” He added that by focusing on a certain jazz musician and learning from their music it improves his music. Of the audience’s opportunity to hear the illustrious sounds of Sergio Mendes, Sprague said, “It’s kind of a way for them to live in the moment of Sergio Mendes for a night.”

Alongside Sprague and Lettau, jazz enthusiasts will hear Leonard Patton and Carol MacFarland-Thuet on vocals, Tripp Sprague on sax and flute, Gunnar Biggs on bass, and Duncan Moore on drums. After years of making difficult choices and pushing through the pain, Sprague and Lettau will pay tribute to Sergio Mendes –a man whose music helped bring them through all of those hard times.

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ANTHOLOGY
1337 India Street
San Diego, California 92101

BOX OFFICE
619-595-0300

World Class Sax

For over a half-century, his searing saxophone has placed Charles McPherson at the forefront of authentic jazz.

“I’m in love with what I do, so I think no matter what you are doing, if you have passion for it, you like doing it, that in itself is invigorating,” Charles said.

Charles was born in Joplin, Missouri.

“Then I moved to Detroit and started playing. When I was about 12, I got an instrument. Trumpet was first and then saxophone at age 13. Then I heard Charlie Parker, when I was about 14 and then that was it,” Charles said.

Charles McPherson gained a worldwide reputation for his work with Charlie Mingus. He is also recognized as one of the mainstays of the bebop movement. In 1978 Charles moved to San Diego and today his sound remains fresh, yet uncompromised.

“Art is its own reward. If you sign up for that kind of life and that kind of quest, then you have to be willing not to be having the world break down your door,” he said.

On Wednesday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Anthology, Charles McPherson will celebrate his 70th birthday by headlining an all-star band.

“I would do this in a room if there were not a soul in here, but if I can make other people feel good after they come out and hear me play, then I feel less selfish and I feel I’ve shared whatever it is I have to share,” Charles said.

Happy birthday Charles, and thanks for sharing.

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Via CBS 8 - San Diego

Please click here if you can’t watch the video below.

Arturo Sandoval performs again tonight as Anthology. Don’t miss this show!

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Weep for joy
Branford Marsalis’ march to immortality a mix of emotions
By George Varga
March 26, 2009

Since becoming an internationally acclaimed young lion of jazz in the 1980s, Branford Marsalis has worked tirelessly to master his instrument. Today, the multiple Grammy Award-winning saxophonist wants to master the music itself.

“One of the things I noticed as I hit my 30s is that, too often, we don’t differentiate between musicians and instrumentalists,” he said.

“And I’ve noticed that, too often, superior technique and virtuosity is misconstrued as musicianship, which it isn’t. It’s just superb technique. Because I spent so much time trying to achieve it, and failing, I’ve started to understand the power of sound and how you can use sound to create emotion. That’s the greatest challenge – and asset – an instrumental musician can have.”

Marsalis performs here with his quartet Tuesday and Wednesday at downtown’s all-ages Anthology, where he’ll be making his first San Diego appearance since 1999…..

Click here to read the rest of the article.

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When: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., downtown

Tickets: $29 and $35

Phone: (619) 595-0300

Online: anthologysd.com

Wynton Marsalis with Jazz at Lincoln Center performing John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” live at Anthology in San Diego - July 8, 2008!

Jane Monheit’s second set on March 13 should’ve been called “date night.”

Love was definitely in the air as there were many couples (and some wannabe couples in attendance).

Jane certainly helped with the love vibe. She is an engaging performer who not only sings like an angel, but she tells stories that help the audience relate to the songs and to her.

For instance, she recorded her latest album, “The Lovers, The Dreamers And Me” when she was five months pregnant (the lucky man who won this beautiful singer’s heart also happens to be her drummer) and her baby not only influenced the album but also the size of his tummy (which he pointed out on the big screen).

Some of the highlights included her opening number, a revisionist version of the Michael Buble pop hit, “Everything,” and her stunning take on “Tea For Two.” However, she really touched my heart with her song, “Love Dance,” and I must admit I felt melancholy because I wanted my wife there to hear this beautiful song.

One thing I really like about Jane: She has a great voice, but she doesn’t oversing. She actually trusts the melodies of the tunes she’s singing. When she does engage in some vocal pyrotechnics, they serve that song and don’t seem self-indulgent at all.

I must say her band was excellent, especially the drummer. I tried to stand over him on the second floor so I could see his brushwork, but was asked to go back to my seat.

Although I enjoyed Jane’s show, I am glad I showed up before the set because the big screen showed extensive footage of Steve Tyrell from his last Anthology show.

Man, he had a hot band and they were jamming over some excellent Burt Bacharach and Hal David songs (which Tyrell had a hand in producing when he was in his 20s). I couldn’t help but sing them and a guy from Milwaukee was impressed.

“You know these songs?”

“Well, yeah, they’re Dionne Warwicke songs.”

“Dionne Warwicke? Didn’t she have a Psychic Friends Network or something?”

“Yeah, but she had to do something to get famous enough to do that.”

“I’ll be darned.”

I saw him later and I think he enjoyed the show even more than I did.

- David

Click here for more photos of Jane Monheit live at Anthology