Spring Into Saxophones

This jazz season is a good time for a new game: proving the naysayers wrong. In his book, “Is Jazz Dead? (Or Has It Moved to a New Address),” British critic Stuart Nicholson makes a compelling argument that Jazz at Lincoln Center is a “black hole, sucking the life out of the beleaguered jazz community.” But that conclusion only holds true if you accept both halves of the equation. I think he’s wrong on both counts. The music presented at Lincoln Center and the overall vitality of the rest of the jazz world are in much better shape than Mr. Nicholson admits.For starters, Jazz at Lincoln Center is hardly the only game in town. Next week, the San Francisco Jazz Collective comes to Zankel Hall to show that regionally based jazz institutions are thriving across the country.The collective, led by star saxophonist Joshua Redman, is an eight-piece band also featuring trumpeter Nicholas Payton, vibraharpist Bobby Hutcherson, and pianist Renee Rosnes. Over three nights, the collective will spotlight the music of three great composerleaders – Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock – interspersed with its own new original works (March 28 to 30).Another New York-based institution that aims to take its place alongside Lincoln Center is the Jazz Museum in Harlem. It will stage two notable concerts downtown at the Rubin Museum of Art.The first program consists of unusual Ellingtonia on March 24, followed by a concert by the remarkable multi-instrumental virtuoso Scott Robinson on March 31.In late March and early April, several giants of postmodern jazz will be spotlighted at concert-level events presented at ambitious clubs. The Jazz Standard will devote a weeklong series to James Blood Ulmer – whose guitar solos are equally at home with the blues of the Mississippi Delta and with the avant-garde groupings of Mr. Coleman. He will work with various bands and perform solo (March 28 to April 2).The week after, the Blue Note presents the adventurous double bill of David Murray’s Quartet and Odean Pope’s Saxophone Choir (nine saxes plus rhythm and special guests). Both bands are appearing in support of new albums that are shoo-ins for everybody’s 10-best lists (April 4 to 9).Trumpeter Dave Douglas and tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano are seen in the city somewhat frequently, but that does not lessen the value of their performances here. Mr. Douglas is releasing two new albums this season: “Meaning and Mystery” (performed with his quintet, which is playing the Village Vanguard from May 2 to 7) and “Rue de Seine,” a set of duets with Martial Solal, the veteran French pianist for whom I do not hesitate to use the word “legendary.”Speaking of duets, Mr. Lovano is continuing his ongoing series of matches with the no-less-legendary Hank Jones. Their meeting at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in the last week of April is the first time the two have done a whole program of unaccompanied piano and sax duets (April 25 to 30).As for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the venue’s lineup includes a lot more than the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra – which should not be referred to as the institution’s “other”band – is giving a joint performance with Ballet Hispanico, the first dance program that the ALJO, under the direction of pianist Arturo O’Farrill, has mounted (April 21 & 22).Additional contemporary figures in small group settings are also on tap, most notably veteran bebop pianist Barry Harris and contemporary jazz violin star Regina Carter. They will perform for two evenings at Rose Hall (April 7 & 8).The musicians of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra aren’t always with the orchestra: This weekend, a few good gentlemen are playing in four different subsections of the larger big band. I’m looking forward to hearing horn players Andre Hayward, Marcus Printup, Walter Blanding, Vincent Gardner, and the wonderful baritone saxist Joe Temperley in combos with guest pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Mulgrew Miller (March 24 & 25).The full LCJO retinue reconvenes (May 4 to 6) to honor New Orleans, the city where it all began.Artistic director Wynton Marsalis has never been shy about waving the banner for his hometown, so expect him to pull out all the stops in his celebration of the Crescent City, which also will include a separate program of Louisiana gospel music, along with the preaching trombone of Wycliffe Gordon.Still, the majority of the music I’m looking forward to this spring is going to be heard at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. While the winter program was heavy on pianists, the warmer months will bring “Saxophone Summit,” a season-long series that spotlights saxist-composer icons. There’ll be tributes to past masters like Cannonball Adderley, featuring Vincent Herring (April 4 to 9), and John Coltrane, led by trombonist Vincent Gardner and trumpeter Nicholas Payton and starring Walter Blanding on tenor (May 9 to 14). (Please see sidebar for a full listing.)In April, the DCCC will pay homage to club namesake Dizzy Gillespie and his musical partner Charlie Parker, with Charles McPherson and Tom Harrell (April 11 to 16). Parker colleague Frank Morgan will make a rare Manhattan appearance with his quartet (April 18 to 23). Joe Lovano’s duet with Hank Jones climaxes the series.As usual there’s more in the clubs than can be collated, except to note that Birdland and Iridium now seem to be locked into an ongoing battle of the big ghost bands. On West 44th Street, at “the jazz corner of the world” that’s in the middle of the block, the honorary orchestras of Chico O’Farrill and Duke Ellington hold forth on Sundays and Tuesdays. Seven blocks north, underground at the Iridium, there are bands in the names of Charles Mingus (Tuesdays) and now Wayne Shorter (Wednesdays in March) and Gene Krupa (April 7). Next week (March 28 to April 2), Birdland is also hosting the second annual Umbria Jazz Festival-sponsored week of contemporary Italian jazz.Much as I hate to disagree with my friend Stuart Nicholson, the current New York scene is a vital and vibrant one, with more great acts on any given night than you can shake a stick at – if, as Groucho Marx would say, that’s your idea of a good time.A Musical SummitI admit it. I’m a sax-o-fiend. I’ve got nothing against pianos, trombones, basses, or any other instrument, but to me it’s just not jazz unless there’s an alto, tenor, or baritone wailing in the middle of it. This spring I’m going to be spending even more time than usual at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, where my favorite ax will reign supreme during the Saxophone Summit.APRIL 4-9LOUIS HAYES & THE CANNONBALL ADDERLEY LEGACY BAND, FEATURING VINCENT HERRING AND PAULA WEST Adderley’s longtime drummer Louis Hayes heads up this tribute quintet, with the fine sax artist Vincent Herring and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt in their familiar roles as the Adderley Brothers. They’re also together on Mr. Herring’s new album, “Ends and Means.” I hope Paula West will sing some of the standards that Nancy Wilson sang with the Adderleys in 1961. Rick Germanson, on piano, and Gerald Cannon, on bass, will be the rhythm section.APRIL 11-16THE MUSIC OF BIRD & DIZ Charles McPherson is the usual choice to play the Parker role in tributes because no other living player comes closer to replicating Bird in full flight. The rhythm section includes several Gillespie veterans, and Tom Harrell is fully capable of capturing Dizzy in all his power and glory. The ensemble will include pianist Ronnie Mathews, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Jimmy Cobb.APRIL 18-23FRANK MORGAN QUARTET, FEATURING JOHN HICKS, CURTIS LUNDY, AND VICTOR LEWIS Frank Morgan, a younger contemporary and even prodigy of Parker, was one of the major jazz stories of the ’90s when he re-emerged free from drugs and playing better than ever. He hasn’t made it to New York in a few years, however, so this Dizzy’s debut should be a major event. He’ll be joined by John Hickson on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Victor Lewis on the drums.APRIL 25-30JOE LOVANO/HANK JONES DUO Although not the final event of the Saxophone Summit series, this mano-a-mano duet by two of the greatest living exponents of the music should be the climax. Joe Lovano takes on the tenor and soprano saxophones, while Hank Jones plays the ivories. Duets are a rare thing in the mainstream clubs, and this should be one for the ages.MAY 9-14BLUE TRANE: VINCENT GARDNER/NICHOLAS PAYTON SEXTET WITH WALTER BLANDING New Orleans trumpeter Nicholas Payton joins with two key players from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra – trombonist Vincent Gardner and tenor saxophonist Walter Blanding – to jump the gun on Coltrane’s 80th birthday celebrations next fall. Here’s hoping the program’s title is a tip-off that the sextet will focus on the rarely performed music Coltrane wrote for his classic 1957 album “Blue Trane.” Please note: May 10, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. sets are sold out.

Spring Into Saxophones

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