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Andrew White is one of area’s master musicians, historians.

New Year’s and New Decade Wishes
The tumultuous decade that was 2000 to 2009, with its gripping events locally, nationally and worldwide, from unimaginable disasters to unimaginable joys, was eased by our artists who gave us another perspective to help us get by.

So, especially for our musical artists, may the new year and the new decade that began with 2010 bring new successes and achievements.

For masters like Buck Hill, Butch Warren, Andrew White and Larry Willis, Davey Yarborough and James King, to name a few, may the new year bring more venues, more decent paying gigs and wider acclaim.

For master percussionist, bandleader, composer, producer and Dad (see son Kush) Nasar Abadey, a special wish that the new year brings that long-awaited recording to follow up on the success of “Mirage” and his “Diamond in the Rough Suite” performance during the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival in June at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. May that venue, by the way, see more jazz in the new decade and more recognition as one of the area’s finest places to hear music.

For those venues and their owners and managers and booking agents that gave us fine jazz in the last decade, may the new one bring continued success, with special wishes for Tony and his crew at HR57, the Twins Jazz twin sisters, Omrao Brown at Bohemian Caverns, Blues Alley, the Kennedy Center Jazz folks, JoJo’s, and special wishes and blessings for the folks at Westminster Presbyterian Church, which is celebrating its 11th anniversary of the Friday Jazz Night series.

Happy new year’s wishes also for vocalists Sharon Clark and Chad Carter and Karen Lovejoy, among others.

A happy new year’s wish and more success especially is hoped for our younger vanguard, like Benito Gonzalez and Donvonte McCoy and the Carter Family and of course Kush Abadey, and Nathan and Noble Jolley, Jason Marshall, Corcoran Holt, Ben Williams, the Anderson Twins and others.

A very appreciative new year’s wish for Charlie Fishman and company who have brought us the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival the last five years and will be back again this year with the event renamed the DC Jazz Festival.

And welcome aboard and best wishes to the new festival on the block, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, taking shape for the first time next month in Rockville. Thanks to Paul Carr and others, the MAJF is a revitalization of the former East Coast Jazz Festival brought to us for many years by the late Ronnie Wells until her untimely passing in early 2007. See midatlanticjazzfestival.org for more information.

And, oh yes, a final happy new year’s wish for more jazz at the White House to follow up on the good start the Obamas brought us when they moved in last year.

Tex’s ‘Odyssey’
The title of bassist James King’s new recording could well have been “Tex’s Odyssey,” owing to the long journey of this musician’s impressive career leading finally to his first recording as a leader after many years of backing others.

The recording, “Allen’s Odyssey,” brings us nine originals by King, who, as told to us by W.A. “Bill Brower” in the album’s notes, is a native of Houston, who “has been a fixture on the Washington jazz scene since the late 1970s. ‘King James,’ a first-call bassist, is highly valued for his versatility, his sensitivity and his sumptuous, unimpeachable, impeccably swinging time. He is also a touring artist with a constantly expanding national and international resume.”

With superb musicianship by King’s bandmates, saxophonist Gary Bartz, pianist Larry Willis and drummer Nasar Abadey, highlights of the recording include the rollicking “Dez’s Dance” featuring King’s nimble work and Bartz’s searing, melodic charms; the hypnotic “Brick by Brick,” with Willis’ charms on piano and Abadey’s symphonic percussion work; and the gentle yet spicy “Paulette,” named for King’s wife, Terie Paulette King.

Another 2009 recording to note is “Long Street Charm,” a straight-ahead treat from drummer Tony Martucci. Featuring organist Bill Heid and saxman Lyle Link, highlights of the disc include “Wives and Lovers,” “Autumn in New York” and “Indian Summer.”


January Highlights: Mose Allison, Jan. 7-10, Blues Alley … Vince Evans, Antonio Parker, “11th Anniversary Celebration, Jan. 15, Westminster Church … Sharon Clark, “Tribute to Shirley Horn,” Jan. 22, Westminster Church … Luis Faife Quartet, Jan. 22-23, Twins Jazz … Gene Bertoncini Trio, Jan. 22-24, Blues Alley … “Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald: Film & Discussion,” Jan. 23, Kennedy Center … “Ella!” with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Janis Siegel, Al Jarreau, Jan. 24, Kennedy Center … Ron Sutton, Jan. 29-30, Twins Jazz.