by Scott Yanow
This is a slightly shorter than usual column, written as I prepare to go to the Monterey Jazz Festival, but next month I will be include a full report from Monterey.
Michael Wolff has always been a very skilled jazz pianist with a wide repertoire and a strong work ethic. His long stints with Cal Tjader, Cannonball Adderley, and Nancy Wilson preceded him becoming the musical director of The Arsenio Hall Show and recording regularly during the past few decades as the leader of his trio and combos. What is less known is that Wolff has accomplished all of this despite having Tourette Syndrome and almost dying from cancer.
In his memorable memoirs, On That Note, Wolff shows that he is a very talented writer of words; much of this book reads like a novel. It begins with him being rushed to the hospital and almost passing away, and then covers in great detail his life growing up as part of a Jewish family in the South and the San Francisco Bay area. There are many colorful, humorous and touching anecdotes about his relatives and the people who he encountered in his life. Tjader, Adderley and Wilson come alive in his stories and one also learns about Wolff’s short-lived career as a stand-up comedian (some of his jokes are quite funny) and some of his odder gigs as a pianist. He also talks with great candor about his handicap and learning to not only live with it but prosper, at least artistically.
While some sections of the book include unnecessary obscenities (although nothing like Miles Davis’ autobiography!), On That Note (which is available from Redwood Publishing at www.redwooddigitallpublishing.com and www.amazon.com) holds one’s interest throughout and is a real page turner. Get this one!
TWO SUPERB BOX SETS
Richard “Groove” Holmes (1931-91) was one of the great organists to emerge in the 1960s. Jimmy Smith had set the standard for jazz organists by the late 1950s but, while Smith was a strong influence, Holmes quickly developed his own bluesy and swinging style. He made his recording debut in 1960 with Jimmy Witherspoon, recorded around 30 albums as a leader and made his final recording in 1991, again with Witherspoon.
The four-CD set The Classic Albums Collection (Enlightenment), reissues eight of his early albums from 1961-66: Groove, Groovin’ With Jug, Something Special, After Hours, Tell It Like It Tis, Book Of The Blues Vol. 1, Soul Message, and Living Soul. The first five were originally on Pacific Jazz, Book Of The Blues Vol. 1 was released by Warner Bros, and the final two were at the start of a prolific period with the Prestige label.
In addition to the organist, such artists as pianist Les McCann, tenor-saxophonists Ben Webster and Gene Ammons, trombonist Tricky Lofton, and guitarists George Freeman and Joe Pass are featured. The music is primarily swinging hard bop and soul jazz ballads. Holmes’ double-time hit version of “Misty” from 1965 is included. There are dozens of highlights to be enjoyed in these performances.
Richard “Groove” Holmes’ The Classic Albums Collection is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in classic 1960s jazz organ. It is available from www.amazon.com.
The Frog label from England includes scores of rewarding compilations of early jazz and blues in its catalog. The two-CD set It’s The Best Stuff Yet is filled with rare, historic and sometimes extraordinary performances by pioneering blues greats who have some connection to the Piedmont area which spans from New Jersey to Alabama including Atlanta. The first disc consists of 26 selections of which only 12 were originally released on 78s. Others are unissued test pressings, acetates made for the Library of Congress, one song from a radio broadcast, and home and private recordings. Dating mostly from 1927-41 with five from later periods, the CD features Ruth Willis, Blind Willie McTell, Curley Weaver, “Kid” Prince Moore, Buddy Moss, Kokomo Arnold, Barbecue Bob, Georgia Boyd, Sam Montgomery, Allison Mathis, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Josh White, John Jackson, and Ed Bush. The music ranges from lowdown blues to goodtime stomps and party music.
In 1956, Blind Willie McTell (1898-1959) was ailing but still active. Equally skilled as a singer and a brilliant 12-string guitarist, McTell played blues but also folk music, ragtime, and nearly any request from any genre. While he enjoyed some success in the 1930s, he spent much of his last 20 years playing on the streets. The second disc of It’s The Best Stuff Yet has his complete final session. Dating from Sept. 1956, McTell sings, plays guitar, and talks between songs with Edward Rhodes who found him and persuaded him to record again. The informal storytelling is colorful and often informative and, although he was declining, McTell’s playing and singing are excellent and quite enjoyable to hear. His wide-ranging repertoire includes “Dyin’ Crapshooter’s Blues,” “My Blue Heaven,” “Beedle Um Bum,” “Salty Dog,” “Basin Street Blues,” and “St. James Infirmary.” Concluding the disc is an interview with Ed Rhodes in 1961 about the project.
It’s The Best Stuff Yet, which has a very good 32-page booklet, is available from www.frog-records.co.uk and is essential for blues collectors.
Three hours Northwest from Los Angeles in Paso robles, an important new jazz club is booking top musicians including some from Southern California. Founded and run by Corey Jordan, a pianist and former resident of Los Angeles, Libretto is a concert hall in the middle of wine country. The 62-seat club has a members-only subscription model during the week, but on weekends it sells tickets for individual events.
Among those scheduled to perform at Libretto this year are the Matt Rollings Trio (Oct. 5), John Proulx (Oct. 11), John Beasley Trio (Oct. 18 & 19), altoist Alex Hahn (Oct. 24 &25), Nicole Zuraitis (Oct. 27), Danny Janklow (Nov. 5), Sara Gazarek (Nov. 29), Bill Cunliffe (solo on Dec. 4 and with his trio on Dec. 5) and the Lao Tizer Band (Dec. 28).
More information about this important club can be found at www.librettopaso.com.
Any time that the esteemed film collector Mark Cantor dips into his archives and presents some of his jazz films to the public, one should never pass up the opportunity to see his gems. On Sunday Oct. 13, Beyond Baroque (681 N. Venice Blvd, Venice) is presenting “An Evening Of Music Films with Mark Cantor” which is subtitled “I’ve Just Gotta See It But It Ain’t On You Tube Blues.” The admission is FREE. The 7 p.m. show is preceded by an hour of live music with Kahli and Kylan Sabbagh that starts at 6 p.m. Call 310-306-7330 for more information.
Also not to be missed is Janis Siegel (with pianist Yaron Gershovsky) at Catalina’s on Oct. 5, Jason Moran & the Big Bandwagon at Disney Hall on Oct. 11, and such Jazz Bakery shows held at the Kirk Douglas Theatre as Nestor Torres (Oct. 6) and a double centennial celebration of Terry Gibbs and Shorty Rogers by the West Coast Jazz Hour Big Band (Oct. 27).
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Every jazz musician needs a well-written press biography, every CD (and even downloads) deserves informative liner notes, and important events benefit from press releases. I write all of these and more at reasonable rates. Please contact me at 661-678-3542 or at scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com for further information about my services. My latest book, Jazz Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist (My Jazz Memoirs) is available at www.amazon.com
I have a new book that is available from amazon.com. Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist. It is subtitled My Jazz Memoirs and is my 12th book and first in a few years. I discuss in an often-humorous fashion my early days and discovery of jazz, my period as the jazz editor of Record Review, the story behind my involvement with the All Music Guide, and I reminisce about some of my adventures as an amateur musician. Included are vintage interviews with Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea, and Maynard Ferguson, encounters with Clint Eastwood, summaries of the Monterey and Playboy Jazz Festivals (including a full-length review of the 1985 Playboy Festival), memories of other events (such as the IAJE Conventions), and brief snapshots of many memorable club and concert performances. There is also background information about my other books, evaluations of the jazz critics who inspired me early on, and my thoughts on jazz criticism which includes advice to up-and-coming jazz journalists. Rounding out the book is a chapter on how the jazz writing business has changed over the past 50 years, and appendixes that include the jazz greats of the past, 86 jazz giants of today, 21 young performers to look for in the future, jazz books and DVDs that everyone should own, and a dozen enjoyable Hollywood jazz films.
Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist, a paperback book, sells for $26 through Amazon.com Signed copies (which will take 2-3 weeks) are also available for $30 (which includes free postage) by sending the money via Pay Pal to scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com and by sending your mailing address to that E-mail.