Jan 21, 2025 7:54 PM
Southern California Fires Hit the Jazz Community
Roy McCurdy and his wife had just finished eating dinner and were relaxing over coffee in their Altadena home, when he…
Joel Ross says that Warren Wolf has the best mix of instrumental technique and a deep understanding of multiple types of music.
(Photo: Lauren Dresberg)Joel Ross was touring Europe last summer with his group Good Vibes in support of his new Blue Note album, Nublues. On the same day of a performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival, he made time for a live Blindfold Test — his first — on the festival’s Central Park talk stage.
Christian McBride & Inside Straight
“Gang Gang” (Live At The Village Vanguard, Mack Avenue, 2021) McBride, bass; Steve Wilson, alto saxophone; Warren Wolf, vibraphone; Peter Martin, piano; Carl Allen, drums.
I saw them play this song live at the Vanguard. It’s Warren Wolf. It sounded like an etude, so I heard some classical training. Warren’s touch is pretty distinctive to me, and then once he played the blues, he played something I just know sounds like Warren. He has the best mix of both actual technique on the instrument as well as a deep and profound understanding of multiple types of music. His dad had him playing the vibes at a super early age, like 2 or 3! I’m pretty sure he had to stand on a box.
Bobby Hutcherson
“Even Later” (Cirrus, Blue Note, 1974) Hutcherson, vibraphone, marimba; Woody Shaw, trumpet; Emanuel Boyd, Harold Land, tenor saxophones; Bill Henderson, piano; Ray Drummond, bass; Larry Hancock, drums; Kenneth Nash, percussion.
It feels like Bobby. Same vibes and piano sound from his Happenings album, the one with Herbie, where they play “Rojo.” Now he’s on marimba. That’s a Bobby Hutcherson roll. I was at the Brubeck Institute and a teacher of mine, pianist Joe Gilman, drove me down to Bobby’s house in Montara where I got to spend an afternoon with him, to play for him, and we just talked. He gave me the advice to write music every day, write about my life.
Patricia Brennan
“Sizigia (Sizygy)” (More Touch, video, 2021) Brennan, vibraphone, marimba, electronics; Kim Cass, bass; Marcus Gilmore, drums; Mauricio Herrera; percussion.
Patricia Brennan. The way she’s incorporating electronics into the music and onto the instrument is very unique. Extremely rhythmic and cultural. I know that was my good friend and inspiration Marcus Gilmore on drums, so that also gave it away. I think she has such a refreshing voice and is also still technically profound. We actually played together with Ben Wendel for his Jazz Gallery commission.
Charlie Hunter
“Turn Me Loose” (Return Of The Candyman, Blue Note, 1998) Hunter, 8-string electric guitar; Stefon Harris, vibraphone; Scott Amendola, drums; John Santos, percussion.
The language they’re using while soloing sounds more contemporary than older vibraphonists. They sound similar to my mentor Stefan Harris, a little bit. So now I’m wondering if it’s Juan Diego Villalobos. No? There’s a clarity in harmonic ideas that I hear from musicians who studied under Stefan. [afterwards] Interesting. So a younger Stefan. I heard the way his rhythm is a bit wide to me, a bit elastic. That’s why it didn’t sound like the Stefan that I know. He’s the reason I went to the Brubeck Institute and he basically revamped the way I practice, the way I hold my body, made me realize I need to breathe, and then also helped me get my ear together to help me hear different chords, bass notes, qualities, things like that.
Dave Holland Quintet
“Metamorphos” (Points Of View, ECM, 1997) Holland, bass; Steve Wilson, alto saxophone; Robin Eubanks, trombone; Steve Nelson, vibraphone; Billy Kilson, drums.
Is that Steve Nelson? And Sir Holland. I just rode in on the bus with him here today. It’s drenched with blues, especially the moment Steve came in but even when Dave started playing. You could dance to it yet you can feel the groove even though it wasn’t in your traditional 4/4 time. I love that about it. Steve is another unique voice. I think you can hear an older wisdom and more experience than a lot of my peers, and I like the way he shapes his phrases a lot. You generally don’t see it coming. I think he’s constantly listening to and playing off of whatever is happening. That’s something I noticed that vibraphonists do, be listening to the harmonic information but also dial completely into the drummer and respond to that — I think Steve does a unique job of melding that together.
Benny Goodman Sextet
“Good Enough To Keep (Air Mail Special)” (Benny Goodman Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian, Columbia Records, 1940) Goodman, clarinet; Christian, electric guitar; Lionel Hampton, vibraphone; Dudley Brooks, piano; Arthur Bernstein, bass; Nick Fatool, drums.
[listens to entire track] It was important to let that play. It’s Lionel Hampton. What is there to say? He’s the father of jazz vibraphone pretty much. I love listening to him the more mature I get. I was indoctrinated with Bags basically from 5th grade until I graduated high school, with some Bobby thrown in there. I was too immature to appreciate Lionel Hampton. I feel that if he was here playing right now it would still be relevant: his sense of rhythm and the melodicism in his lines.
Edmar Castaneda/Joe Locke Duo
“Sword Of Whispers” (Live At Jazz Baltica 2010, YouTube video) Castaneda, Peruvian harp; Locke, vibraphone.
That was beautiful. I know Joe likes this type of music. It’s very moving compositionally. That had his touch. I heard the four mallets and ruled out Gary Burton and from there — hearing the maturity and the lines and the technique, the facility across the instrument, how he lays his chords, how he was supporting Edmar — it all started to reveal Joe Locke. I learned about Joe in high school, specifically the Jazz Baltica duets he did with Bobby Hutcherson. That was an important one for me.
Isaac Hayes
“Ellie’s Love Theme” (Shaft: Music From The Soundtrack, Eclipse, 2006) Hayes, vibraphone, piano; Charles Pitts, Michael Toles, electric guitars; Lester Snell, electric piano; James Alexander, bass; Willie Hall, drums; Memphis Horns, horns; Memphis Strings, strings.
It’s not Lem Winchester is it? Plus Charles Stepney? It sounds like Motown, soul music from the ’50s, ’60s. Like what I would listen to on the radio with my dad and actual singers singing it. It’s very visual, picturesque backdrop music. 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.
Gerald and John Clayton at the family home in Altadena during a photo shoot for the June 2022 cover of DownBeat. The house was lost during the Los Angeles fires.
Jan 21, 2025 7:54 PM
Roy McCurdy and his wife had just finished eating dinner and were relaxing over coffee in their Altadena home, when he…
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