|
Pianist Larry Willis was one of the stars with the Jimmy Cobb band
Sept. 24 at the Congressional Black Caucus Jazz Forum concert
at the Washington Convention Center.
|
Basically, all about the bass
For the last couple of years you’ve been able to walk into Columbia Station in Adams Morgan, sit down and enjoy a large slice of jazz history and study the artistry of jazz bass playing when DC’s own Butch Warren is there with his group.
Warren, who played with and inspired many jazz greats, is one of our area’s bass masters, who, along with a few others like Steve Novosel and James King – and Keter Betts until he passed in 2005 – have entertained us in area venues over the years. This month, the legacy of the bass will be celebrated at the Thelonious Monk Jazz Bass Competition Oct. 10 at the Kennedy Center, and two of DC’s own are in the running for the top prize.
Corcoran Holt, one of the semifinalists in the competition, grew up here, began studying classical bass at the age of 10, performed with the DC Youth Orchestra and attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where he began focusing on jazz and studied with Novosel and Betts – hard to believe it’s been four years since this giant of jazz, a superb musician, mentor and hero of the community, left us.
Another semifinalist is Ben Williams, born in DC and also a product of Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Williams then went to the Michigan State University School of Music, according to Monk competition information. Williams also performed in the Fish Middleton Jazz society scholarship competition at the East Coast Jazz Festival in Rockville, the late Ronnie Wells’ festival that is sadly no longer with us.
Among Williams’ awards already are the Duke Ellington Society Annual Scholarship Award and first place in the jazz category of the 2005 International Society of Bassists competition.
Warren’s bass harmonies at Columbia Station no doubt take many of us back to the day when we played those old Blue Note records, with Warren having starred with, among others, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley – and Thelonious Monk himself.
And the Monk affair at the Kennedy Center features the Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary Gala Concert, showcasing the label’s artists past and present, including Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and McCoy Tyner.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are serving as honorary chairs of the competition and the gala concert, and Bruce Lundvall, president and CEO of EMI Music's Blue Note Records, is to receive a special award.
The Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition each year features a different musical instrument and major scholarships and prizes, with this year, 15 of the “world's most outstanding young jazz bassists” competing before a panel of jazz experts like David Baker, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland and Christian McBride.
Scholarships and prizes totaling over $100,000 will be awarded to finalists with a first place award of a recording contract with Concord Records and $20,000 scholarship, second place award of a $10,000 scholarship, and third place award of a $5,000 scholarship. See www.monkinstitute.org.
Caught/Jimmy Cobb
Speaking of masters, many fortunate listeners stayed late the night of the Congressional Black Caucus jazz forum at the convention center last month to hear the “Remembering the Miles Davis Classic, Kind of Blue @ 50 – Jimmy Cobb’s So What Band.” Cobb, Wallace Roney and Larry Willis and others delivered a stirring set, with Cobb (born in DC), a sprightly 80, displaying the verve reflective of his legendary career behind the drums.
A Spicy ‘Spellbound’
One of our more intriguing vocalists, Karen Lovejoy, has come out with an intriguing recording, “Spellbound,” by The Lovejoy Group. Lovejoy, who says she was influenced a lot by Carmen McRae, has her own way of delivering a song, sometimes beguiling, always engaging, often entrancing, with touches of McRae, Abbey Lincoln and even Betty Carter at times.
October Highlights: Monty Alexander, Oct. 8-11, Blues Alley … Thelonious Monk International Jazz Bass Competition and Gala Concert, Oct.10-11, Kennedy Center … Lenny Robinson, Orrin Evans, Oct. 13-14, Bohemian Caverns … Benito Gonzalez Quartet with Azar Lawrence, Oct. 16-17, Twins Jazz … Terence Blanchard, Oct. 22-25, Blues Alley … Allyn Johnson & Divine Order, Oct. 23, Westminster Church … Randy Weston’s African Rhythms Trio, Oct. 29-30, Blues Alley … Supernova with Joe Ford, Oct. 30-31, Bohemian Caverns …Buck Hill, Oct. 30-31, Twins Jazz
October Birthdays: Dave Holland 1; Howard Roberts 2; Ronnie Laws 3; Jo Jones, Larry Young 7; Pepper Adams 8; Abdullah Ibrahim, Kenny Garrett 9; Thelonious Monk 10; Art Blakey, Billy Higgins 11; Art Tatum, Ray Brown 13; Roy Hargrove 16; Anita O’Day, Wynton Marsalis 18; Jelly Roll Morton 20; Dizzy Gillespie 21; Jimmy Heath 25; Zoot Sims 29; Clifford Brown 30; Illinois Jacquet, Booker Ervin 31. |
