May 2006 – “Jazz Now”

Published in Worthies Magazine, May 2006

JAZZ  NOW!!

“Playing jazz is like talking from your heart. You don’t lie.” –Bunk Johnson

Jazz – the word conjures up images, emotions & sounds. Names, faces – Count, Duke, Kenton, Holiday, and Goodman… Swing Street, Vanguard, Birdland, Bluenote … Brazilian, Latin, Fusion…. A complex, on-going list of names, places, dates.  Memories of basement clubs, college quartets, smoked filled rooms, lounges, dates, all night sessions. An American indigenous art form.

You either like it or not. Nothing in between. Its history follows our nations’ – slave roots of the African Spiritual, segregation, isolation, banning, white audiences black bands. Diversification, European and Latin American acceptance. Duke Ellington receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Carter and jazz on the South Lawn.

It brings together such a mixed audience as no other art can. Enthusiasts without a common language, social or political agenda. People who just want to enjoy, feel the music; share the moment and the memories. Follow its progress, its growth and evolution –ragtime, Dixieland, big band, New Orleans, bebop, fusion – the schisms, the debates.

Jazz, the word itself, its origin is obscure, but when first applied, contained some sexual vulgar meaning. Around 1915 the word was first used to describe the music. Blues, like Jazz, in imprecise. It refers to a musical form of African-American origin and not a sad or melancholy mood. More on Jazz history next issue.

Today, jazz competes not only with other music agendas, but also with the electronic age of the X-box, Internet, PCs & cable.  Some of which may aid in its exploration for new listeners, but all of which are grabbing for a piece of the crowd within the constraints of time of the 24-hour day. Three decades ago, we weren’t pulled and pushed. There were less competing elements for the conscience and sub-conscience of our minds.

Jazz is here, real jazz – not the piano accompaniment during dinner, and once you find it you will find it holds up in this multi-media age. You will find it on Park Avenue at the Kitano Lounge, in the Village – the Vanguard, the west side at the Garage and of course in Harlem at the Creole. You will also find it in Queens, SUNY – Purchase, the School of Music, The Library Green, Tarrytown, WBGO, CD101.9…

And through WVOX 1460AM, where Mike MacAgnone hosts an Air-Worthies, a weekly Jazz Program on Wednesdays 12 noon till one. Also streaming at www.wvox.com. Past guests included Alfa & Tinker Barfield, Kenny Coleman, Steve Kroon, and Ms. B. Brown. Future guests include saxophonist Dave Pietro, booked for December 21st.

Here’s some hot tips: Appearing at the Tarrytown Music Hall on May 6, 2006 are Dave Brubeck and on May 17th Gato Varvieri. Call now 631-1000 or 888-89BEBOP. Also appearing at Aperitivo @ 147 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont is Mark Morganelli who has produced over 40 compact discs & recently celebrated the sixteenth anniversary of the Riverside Parks Arts Festival which he started.  For three years he also produced a jazz concert series at the Emelin Theater in Mamaroneck.

The Performing Arts Center in Purchase has various shows including Rob Mathes on Sunday the eighteenth of December, the Latin Jazz Orchestra on April 5th and the Purchase Jazz Orchestra on May 3rd. For more info call 251-6200 or see their web site.