A Night In Harlem: A Great Night, A Greater Cause

By I Oct. 10, 2002

Billed as “A Great Night In Harlem,” the Jazz Foundation of America’s second annual benefit supported an even greater cause.

Patron’s packed New York’s hallowed Apollo Theater in late September to hear one of the most eclectic jazz shows of recent times, and to help the Jazz Musician’s Emergency Fund.

Hosted by Bill Cosby, with co-hosting help from Gil Noble, Joe Piscopo, and James Carter, the program kicked off with a number of “pre-show surprises” as attendees made their way into the Apollo.

One surprise came in the form of Tri-Factor, featuring Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Billy Bang on violin and Kahil El’Zabar on percussion. The trio delivered earthy, African-rooted world jazz including a tune sang by El’Zabar called “In The Spirit.”

Cosby, the ever glib master of moving things along, complimented El’Zabar on the tune right after joking, “Two Chicagoans in Harlem. How wonderful. Now get your stuff and get out.”

El’Zabar and Bang are Chicago natives.

Other surprises included a combo featuring Pete Cosey on guitar, John Stubblefield on tenor saxophone and rapper Baba Israel, while guitarist Mark Whitfield brought his son, Mark Jr., onstage to play on drums as part of his trio.

When showtime hit, a parade of some of the biggest names in jazz graced the stage: Jim Hall, Ron Carter, Joe Lovano and Lewis Nash; Abbey Lincoln and Hank Jones delivered a stirring duet on “The Nearness of You;” Ray Barretto and his Latin Ensemble; Clark Terry and Friends; George Benson and a group featuring Lennie White on drums, James Williams on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Bobby Sanabria on timbales and the legendary Candido on Conga.

One other act took center stage for the cause when the Freddie Hubbard Octet blew through a fiery version of his “Red Clay” with Benson and White sitting in. While Hubbard, himself, sputtered and struggled to demonstrate the trumpet sound that made him famous, he dazzled simply by taking the stage. Just last December he narrowly escaped death from congestive heart failure. “I couldn’t breathe,” he told Down Beat two weeks after the incident. “I had 10 more minutes to live.”

Since then, Hubbard has been rehabilitating and getting back to work. He told the Apollo crowd about the importance of the Jazz Musician’s Emergency Relief Fund, noting that the fund paid his mortgage for four months while he recuperated.

Hubbard is one of hundreds of jazz musicians who have been helped by the Fund, which is administered by The Jazz Foundation. The Fund is geared to help musicians, especially older musicians overcome hard times.

“They don’t come in to us on their own,” Wendy Oxenhorn, executive director of The Jazz Foundation, told the audience. “I have to hear about it from someone else. I hear someone’s having a hard time and can’t pay their bills. It usually takes two or three calls just to get them to come in and get the idea of taking some help. These are beautiful, proud people who have worked hard all their lives. …You get sick for a little while and all of a sudden you’ve got an eviction notice because you’ve got a rent controlled apartment on 15th street and the landlord can rent it for a lot more.”

Oxenhorn said what the Foundation really needs is a musician’s residence, one of the organization’s long-term goals. On the short term, the organization needs to fill a $50,000 budget gap due to a major sponsor going out of business.

“So, if anybody’s got deep pockets, save me from having to get married,” Oxenhorn laughed.

To help the Jazz Foundation and the Jazz Musician’s Emergency Relief fund, go to www.jazzfoundation.org, or call 212-245-3999.