Before hitting Anthology Friday, Grammy-nominated pianist Eldar talks respect, Radiohead and Virtue.
–
Jazz is considered America’s classical music, and it may take a 23-year-old former San Diego resident to keep it alive for the next generation.
His name is Eldar Djangirov, better known as Eldar, and this Russian-born graduate of Francis Parker High School in La Jolla has quickly earned an international rep for both his classical and his jazz recordings.
In fact, he signed a recording contract with Sony Masterworks at the age of 17 to do a classical album and his 2008 album “Re-Imagination” was nominated for the Best Contemporary Jazz album.
To have that impact at that young an age takes a lot of focus and dedication, but to keep the ball rolling – especially in a genre like jazz that rewards originality — requires a willingness to stretch your boundaries and keep exploring new ground.
Eldar, who performs at Anthology on May 7, is ready and able to do that. Whether the audience is ready to go with him is something he thinks about deeply.
“Jazz in 2010 is a misnomer,” he said. “The label limits the music at least where press is concerned. People think that jazz has to sound a certain way for it to be jazz, but the vocabulary has changed – even in the last 10 years.”
To Eldar’s way of thinking, jazz, as he knows it, should be affected by the contemporary world the same way other forms of popular music such as hip-hop or rock are. But not everybody who considers them a jazz fan feels that way.
“Music should effect an edge of what’s around,” he said. “Someone who hears my new album, ‘Virtue,’ will hear a jazz record, but it also has elements of classical, rock and hip-hop because that’s where I’m coming from.”
The title “Virtue” was deliberate and seriously thought out, much like everything Eldar does.
“To me, the word ‘virtue’ means a certain honesty or excellence that reflects personality and character, and that’s what I strive for.”
To that end, he made sure to record with other top younger jazz musicians such as sax giant Joshua Redman, trumpeter Nicholas Payton and sax great Felipe Lamoglia.
However, much of the key to his musical growth in recent years hasn’t necessarily come from the musicians, but the engineers who press play on the tape deck.
“Talking with a lot of sound engineers has been a big influence because they know exactly how things should sound, and that’s been important,” he said.
Eldar was born in Kyrgyzstan in the former Soviet Union, in 1987 and started playing when he was 3, mostly classical. However, at the age of 9, he was discovered by Charles McWhorter, an American jazz supporter who arranged for him to attend a summer camp at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan (where Jewel is also an alum).
Eldar ended up staying in the U.S., first in Kansas City and then in San Diego. He remembers the area fondly, and his parents still live in Rancho Bernardo.
However, when asked a provincial question such as “What in this city inspires you musically?” he demurs, preferring to answer in the big picture.
“I’ve performed in hundreds of cities all over the world for audiences between 30 and 3000 people and all the meeting and talking with the people … all those elements affect the music.”
Back to the music: Eldar’s piano style is considered hard bop and is heavily influenced by pianists like Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk. Still, he also is fond of Bjork and Radiohead.
Still, he admits that it is hard sometimes to remain current with music “because a lot of what I hear doesn’t sound like music.”
That’s not something he wants to say, because he realizes that in order to keep jazz relevant, he must attract folks in his age bracket. Therefore, Eldar can’t sound like his elders.
Still, it goes back to the fundamental argument facing the artist: Do you play jazz to please folks who fell in love with the music 50 years ago, or do you accept the music that has come along since then.
He’s hoping that rather than having to, say, record jazz versions of popular hits, there is a way to get the folks into indie music that jazz – especially since he agrees with the idea that the bebop he really loves – is the original indie music.
By David Moye
–
WHAT: Eldar
WHEN: Friday, May 7th, 2010, 7:30pm
TICKETS: $10 - $35 BUY TICKETS
MORE INFO: Artist Profile
He was 9 years old when he was discovered, not-quite 18 when he signed his first recording contract, and at 23 is considered one of the brightest stars in the jazz piano galaxy. Eldar sure has come a long way since his days as a Russian protege from outback of Kyrgyzstan.
If you’re a “fan” of Frogger Dogger’s Facebook Page, you can win free tickets to catch this rising star at San Diego’s most elegant music club, Anthology on India Street in Little Italy. Go to Frogger Dogger’s Facebook Page and click the “Like” button, then send the Dogger your name and e-mail address to tickets@froggerdogger.com. That automatically puts you in the running for two free tickets to Eldar’s Anthology show this Friday, May 7, at the club.
Free tickets are just one of the perks for being a Frogger Dogger fan. We’ll be giving away several pairs of tickets to San Diego County venues each month. Any fan of the Dogger’s Facebook Page qualifies, but you need to send that e-mail to let us know you’re interested. The deadline for Eldar tickets is noon Thursday, May 6, and we’ll notify the winners by 3 p.m. Your name will then be added to the Guest List the night of the show.
The Dogger also is offering readers ticket discounts to select shows around the county, so click on the Dogger’s Fan Page and become a Dogger. As a Facebook fan of Frogger Dogger you’ll be notified when new stories are up to read, and news on ticket giveaways and discounts.
Once you’re a fan, check your Facebook news feed daily or log on to froggerdogger.com and keep an eye out for more stories and more discounts and free tickets. See a Frogger Freebies you’re interested in? Simple, just send an e-mail and you’re entered. Remember, only fans of the Dogger’s Facebook Page qualify for freebies.
This swanky Little Italy supper club is making your life easy this Mother’s Day by offering two ways to celebrate mom that will leave her singing your praises. A specialty brunch will be served from 11am – 2pm, and during brunch, the Anthology House Band will be performing a musical tribute to female R&B legends – featuring all the favorites from Billie to Aretha and Beyonce. Goodies on the brunch menu include Carpaccio of Hawaiian Pineapple with mango and strawberry crudo, honey infused yogurt and toasted coconut; Dungeness Crab Benedict with poached cage free organic eggs, crab salad, Crows Pass Farms bordeaux spinach, roasted rosemary potatoes schaner and Farms citrus hollandaise; and House Fried Chicken and Waffles with pure maple syrup, vanilla bean cream, rosemary and apple buerre blanc; among many more dining options. For dessert, make sure to save room for the Buttermilk Panna Cotta with strawberry and lemongrass coulis, dried fruits and toasted rosemary. If you can’t make it to brunch, then treat mom to Anthology’s dinner and show duo with a multi-media presentation by Luscious Noise starting at 7:30pm. Dining options are a la carte; brunch show tickets are $10 and dinner show tickets are $15. For details and reservations, please call or visit Anthology in Little Italy. Get more details here
–
Via DiscoverSD.com
Rock Mom’s world with a tribute to female R&B legends performed by The Anthology House Band. Dine on upscale comfort food such as Dungeness crab Benedict, house fried chicken and waffles, and pastries including gooey raisin brioche cinnamon rolls.
1337 India Street, Little Italy. (619) 595-0300; Brunch is $24; cover charge $10.
For more info: click here
–
Via sdnn.com
By T. Loper | Owl and Bear
Philadelphia-born saxophonist and composer Benny Golson will play Anthology tonight.
Golson, who was born in 1929, is known for writing in the bebop/hard bop styles, and he has a long history with jazz. For starters, he went to high school with John Coltrane and other Philly greats. In a 2009 interview with NPR, Golson said of Coltrane, “John and I were like blood brothers … we spent our time in my living room, listening to lots of 78 [rpm] records, trying to figure out what was going on. And we had a beat-up piano in the corner…. We really annoyed the neighbors.”
After college, Golson joined Bull Moose Jackson’s rhythm and blues band, an experience that would shape his writing for the rest of his life. He went on to work with legends like Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. As a composer, Golson is probably best known for writing “I Remember Clifford,” a eulogy to his friend and former bandmate Clifford Brown, who died in a car crash in 1956. In the 1960s, Golson took a break from jazz and focused on composition, penning the scores for television shows like M*A*S*H and The Six Million Dollar Man.
Golson’s talents have not gone unrecognized: He has received the Jazz Masters Award of the National Endowment for the Arts, he’s been inducted into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame, and he even appeared with Tom Hanks (as Hanks’ character’s musical hero) in the film The Terminal.
In 2009, the 80-year-old Golson also released a new album, called New Time, New ‘Tet. For the album, he recreated the setup of his legendary 1960s band — the Jazztet — with new members. The critically acclaimed album debuted at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums.
Check him out at Anthology on April 23 at 7:30. It should be worth your while. Get your tickets here.
T. Loper is a writer for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.
–
Via Sound Diego
By By Robert Bush | San Diego Reader
Golson is the composer of at least eight jazz classics that are played every night by jazz musicians all over the world. At age 81, he looks and plays like someone 20 years his junior. A solid crowd gathered to catch his performance.
As he reminded the audience several times, Mr. Golson enjoys talking. Indeed he spent almost as much time introducing the tunes as he did actually playing them. You pay attention because he’s earned the right to do as he pleases — but also because his stories are entertaining. This is a guy who could count the entire pantheon of jazz as true friends. Golson performed and provided the backstory on “Whisper Not,” “Along Came Betty,” and a poignant “I Remember Clifford.”
The man can also play the saxophone. He was sublimely aided in that pursuit by an all-star band. Local legends Mike Wofford on piano and Bob Magnusson on bass provided support and offered breathtaking solos. Ex-Cannonball Adderly drummer Roy McCurdy kept the time rock-steady and traded fours and eights with aplomb. The combo finished their 90-minute set with an up-tempo romp on Coltrane’s “Mr. P.C.”
–
Via San Diego Reader
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
–
By Ronaldo Oregano | jazzpolice.com
The 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
–
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.
–
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.
–
Squirrel Nut Zippers performs tonight as Anthology. Two shows: 7:30 & 9:30pm! $10 V-tix available for the 9:30pm show!
–
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
–
Click here for the original article in the North County Times.
