Mar 4, 2025 1:29 PM
Changing of the Guard at Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
On October 23, Ted Nash – having toured the world playing alto, soprano and tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass…
“I’m certainly influenced by Geri Allen,” said Iverson, during a live Blindfold Test at the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival.
(Photo: David Moressi)Between last Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Ethan Iverson performed as part of the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival in Orvieto, Italy, presenting “Simply Cinematic,” a set of movie themes he had creatively reimagined for the UJ big band led by alto saxophonist Manuele Morbidini, plus bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Kush Abadey. The music featured tunes — some familiar, some not-so — composed by soundtrack giants Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams and others. On a Sunday morning, Iverson participated in his second DownBeat Blindfold Test, this time live, attended by more than 40 jazz-inspired early risers.
Dave Brubeck
“Someday My Prince Will Come” (Disney Jazz Volume I: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat, Disney Records, 2011) Brubeck, piano; Michael Moore, bass; Randy Jones, drums.
The song is “Someday My Prince Will Come” from the Disney movie Snow White — the first waltz jazz musicians played. Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans and Miles Davis all recorded this song in the ’50s and ’60s. I don’t think this is from then, though. This is a more recent recording. There are moments when there are out-of-key triads over the harmony, so that makes me think it is Mr. Brubeck. I have to say I am here right now because of Dave Brubeck. He was one of my first heroes. I think he has something that can reach out and touch anybody. There are many greater jazz pianists than Brubeck, especially many with a better groove — sorry, Dave — but he still has something so charismatic.
Charles Mingus/Hampton Hawes/Dannie Richmond
“Yesterdays” (Mingus Three, Jubilee, 1957) Hawes, piano; Mingus, bass; Richmond, drums.
Is this the Charles Mingus record with Hampton Hawes and Dannie Richmond? I never liked this record. Mingus was really worried about being a leader. Here he has Hampton Hawes, one of the greatest bebop pianists, and he’s stopping him from making a complete statement. It’s the same problem with Money Jungle — Duke Ellington and Max Roach and Mingus. But in that case Ellington fought back and the result was a masterpiece. Hawes didn’t fight back and this album is mostly bass solos. On this tune, “Yesterdays,” by Jerome Kern, you can hear how much Hampton Hawes loves Art Tatum. All of the great bebop piano players — Sonny Clark, Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Bud Powell, Barry Harris — loved Art Tatum and took a lot from him. A very important puzzle piece, Art Tatum.
Charlie Haden/Paul Motian featuring Geri Allen
“Shuffle Montgomery” (Etudes, Soul Note, 1988) Allen, piano; Haden, bass; Motian, drums.
This was easy. This is the album Etudes, originally billed as Charlie Haden and Paul Motian with Geri Allen, “Shuffle Montgomery.” I think this is a pretty magical record. At the time it was almost revolutionary to play a song by Herbie Nichols, a kind of a statement about the history. I saw Geri Allen first in 1990 with Anthony Cox and Pheeroan akLaff. I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever seen, the freshest sound. Today she is the No. 1 influence on jazz piano, at least among many critically acclaimed piano players: Kris Davis, David Virelles, Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer, Marta Sanchez, Jason Moran. [raises hand] And me, I guess. I don’t know if I’m critically acclaimed but I’m certainly influenced by Geri Allen. Now that everyone else plays like her, I try not to play like her anymore.
Jerskin Fendrix
“Bella” (Poor Things–Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Waxwork, 2023) Uncredited musicians.
I love it. That was a sentimental tune made creative through microtonality. This kind of microtonality is becoming part of a language modern musicians deal with. I am eager to hear the rest of the record. [afterwards] I asked my wife if she wanted to see the movie but she said no because she had read the book. I actually don’t know the name Jerskin Fendrix. Beautiful. I am looking forward to learning more.
Paul Bley
“And Now The Queen” (Closer, ESP-Disk, 1966) Bley, piano; Steve Swallow, bass; Barry Altschul, drums.
Fred Hersch has told me this was his favorite Paul Bley album. Paul Bley is one of my biggest influences and, as with Geri Allen, I have fought to not play like him. This is Closer by Bley with Steve Swallow and Barry Altschul. This is on ESP, and most ESP albums feature long free-jazz tracks. But on this one, the tracks are little pretty pictures. The tune is “And Now The Queen” written by Carla Bley, and I think almost the whole album is her compositions. Paul is playing exactly what Carla wrote in the melody. The piece is in G-flat but the colors around it are Carla’s very specific choices. I didn’t know her well, but now I wished I had asked her, “Who was the Queen?”
Franco D’Andrea
“Tenderly” (Something Bluesy And More, Parco della Musica, 2024) D’Andrea, piano; Gabriele Evangelista, bass; Roberto Gatto, drums.
The song is “September In The Rain.” No, it’s not. It’s “Tenderly.” Ha. The first four notes of those two songs are exactly the same. Amazing piano player. The control of harmony in the solo interludes is great. But this is a complicated trio arrangement of stops and starts, and I want them to be in the song. It’s not so much to my taste, as good as it is. My teacher Sophia Rosoff always talked about how once you start you shouldn’t stop. [afterwards] I know he’s a master musician and very important to Italian jazz.
Mary Lou Williams/Cecil Taylor
“Basic Chords (Bop Changes On The Blues)” (Embraced, Pablo, 1977) Williams, Taylor, pianos; Bob Cranshaw, bass; Mickey Roker, drums.
Is this the album with Mary Lou Williams and Cecil Taylor together? There’s been nobody else in the music like Williams. She could play it all. She was there at the beginning, and she stayed current until the end. DB
The “Blindfold Test” is a listening test that challenges the featured artist to discuss and identify the music and musicians who performed on selected recordings. The artist is then asked to rate each tune using a 5-star system. No information is given to the artist prior to the test.
As Ted Nash, left, departs the alto saxophone chair for LCJO, Alexa Tarantino steps in as the band’s first female full-time member.
Mar 4, 2025 1:29 PM
On October 23, Ted Nash – having toured the world playing alto, soprano and tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass…
Larry Appelbaum with Wayne Shorter in 2012.
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“You’ve got to trust that inner child, keep exploring, even though people think it’s wrong,” says Fortner.
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