October 2024

Features

• Nubya Garcia

  Thinks Big

  By Ammar Kalia

• Michael Dease

  From ’Bone to Bari … and Back!

  By Allen Morrison

• SPECIAL SECTION

  Where to Study Jazz 2025

  By DownBeat

Blindfold Test

Drum king Billy Cobham, who, believe it or not, turned 80 in May, ruled the roost at January’s Panama Jazz Festival. As the XXIst PJF’s Colon-born laureate, he didn’t spare the horses, conducting a masterclass, performing in a Panamanian super trio with bassist Alex Blake and festival founder Danilo Peréz, delivering an epic, sold-out set with his epochal Spectrum 50 plus the stellar Global Jazz Big Band directed by Guy Barker.
This was his first DB Blindfold Test, conducted at Villa Agustina, a hip venue in the heart of Panama City’s picturesque old town. It was sparsely (but enthusiastically) attended due to a scheduling clash with the festival’s ambitious finale. But that didn’t bother the balanced, witty Cobham in the least, who responded with deep critical insights to a dozen drum-heavy tracks. Here are the edited highlights.

• Allison Miller: “For the Fish” from Rivers in our Veins (Royal Potato Family, 2023)
• Yusef Lateef: “Water Pistol” from Into Something (Prestige/OJC, 1961)
• Paul Bley/Gary Peacock/Tony Oxley/John Surman: “Spe-Cu-Lay-Ting” from In The Evenings Out There (ECM, 1993)
• Peggy Lee: “You’ve Got Possibilities” from Big Spender (Capitol, 1966)
• Joe Lovano: “Powerhouse” from Folk Art (Blue Note, 2009)
• Max Roach: “Dr. Free-Zee” from Max Roach + Four (Emarcy, 1956)
• Chico Hamilton: “My Panamanian Friend” from My Panamanian Friend, The Music of Eric Dolphy (Soul Note, 1994)
• Dafnis Prieto Big Band: “The Triumphant Journey” from Back to the Sunset (Dafnison, 2018)
• Tony Williams’ Lifetime: “Proto-Cosmos” from Believe It (Columbia Records, 1975)
• Big Sid Catlett: “Rose Room” from The Esquire Metropolitan Opera House Jam Session New York 1944 (V-Disc New York 1944 V-Disc )

Also in this Issue