by Scott Yanow
Cal State Northridge’s Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center first opened in 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center. In 2017 it became the Soraya and in 2022 it hosted the first Jazz at Naz Festival. The fourth annual festival this year began with performances from Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix, and Christian McBride & Ursa Majo. I was able to attend the final three concerts, each of which proved to be special events in different ways.
Pianist Jason Moran performed a nearly all-Duke Ellington program with the Cal State Northridge “A” band, part of his celebration of the 125th anniversary of Ellington’s birth. Moran’s tributes, which have included homages to Fats Waller and James Reese Europe, are not recreations of the honoree’s music but reimagined versions, and that was certainly true of the Ellington tribute. Jason Moran said early in the concert that, while he does not play anything like Ellington, he learned many of these songs from listening to Duke’s recordings.
Moran began the night with solo piano versions of “Reflections In D,” “I’ve Got It Bad,” “Black And Tan Fantasy,” “Melancholia,” and “Dancers In Love.” While he sounded close to Ellington’s piano style on “Reflections In D,” his rendition of “I Got It Bad” was almost unrecognizable. “Black And Tan Fantasy” started out melodically but also had an overlong section where Moran endlessly played the lowest notes on the piano while using the pedal, creating a rumbling sound that at times sounded a bit like a train. That song, as with many of the others, ended without really ending. In contrast, Moran played with sensitivity during “Melancholia” and was concise and straightforward on “Dancers In Love.”
The CSUN band had the unenviable role of emulating the Duke Ellington Orchestra but the college students did an admirable job. When paying tribute to Ellington, jazz artists will usually either play something close to the original arrangements or completely reinvent the tunes. Moran chose to do both simultaneously and the results were uneven. On such numbers as “Rockin’ In Rhythm,” “Such Sweet Thunder,” a rapid “Braggin’ In Brass” (which was played twice for no apparent reason), and “Jeep’s Blues,” the big band was largely confined to the vintage arrangements other than during their solos while Moran noodled on the piano, playing much more modern than the orchestra. The results were often quite jarring. Darynn Dee sang several songs along the way including “My Heart Sings,” “It Don’t Mean A Thing,” “I Love The Sunrise,” and “Come Sunday,” displaying a warm voice but also showing that at this point she is not much of an improviser. Strangely enough, the group did not play “Take The ‘A’ Train.” While the intentions were good, I wish that Jason Moran had found a better balance between using the college band as a prop and his own fairly free improvisations.
More successful was the next concert which was billed as a tribute to Weather Report featuring the Yellowjackets, Kurt Elling and Peter Erskine. Actually the first set, which was performed by the Yellowjackets, had little to do with Weather Report. Instead it was an excellent performance by the quartet (keyboardist Russell Ferrante, tenor-saxophonist Bob Mintzer, bassist Dane Alderson, and drummer Will Kennedy) including some pieces from their upcoming release Fasten Up. Mintzer, who played an EWI on the first song, took consistently creative solos, the underrated Ferrante was excellent on both acoustic and electric pianos, and the rhythm section was solid whether playing lightly funky or swinging on the straight ahead pieces. “Geraldine,” which after its beginning found the group swinging over chord changes similar to “Little Rock Getaway,” was a highlight.
Kurt Elling joined the Yellowjackets for their closing number, “Down Time,” an uptempo romp that found him singing eccentric lines in unison with Mintzer and then engaging in some superb scat-singing that certainly excited the audience. Elling dominated the second set which had him joined by pianist Joey Calderazzo, guitarist, Mike Moreno, bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, and Weather Report’s most famous drummer, Peter Erskine. The music of Weather Report, whether composed by Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorius, was not written with a singer in mind but Elling sounded quite comfortable on the often complex material. Among the numbers that he sang were “Elegant People,” “Continuum,” “Current Affair,” and the encore “A Remark You Made” although surprisingly not “Birdland.” Elling essentially took Wayne Shorter’s place in the ensemble, his voice was outstanding (displaying a wide range, lots of power, and a seemingly endless amount of energy), and between songs he talked philosophically about life and the legacy of Weather Report. The frequently dramatic performance was outstanding.
The final concert in the Jazz at Naz Festival promised a great deal and largely delivered. The remarkable pianist Chucho Valdes (who has ranked in the top tier of jazz pianists for several decades) had a reunion with the great trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and led a band in a celebration of the classic Cuban jazz group Irakere (of which Sandoval was originally a member). Valdes was joined by alto-saxophonist Luis Beltran, tenor-saxophonist Carlos Fernandez, trumpeters Osvaldo Fleites and Eddy de Armas (with Sandoval also playing as part of the trumpet section), electric bassist José A. Gola, drummer Horacio Hernandez, Roberto Jr. Vizcaino and Julián Valdés on percussion, and on some numbers singer Cimafunk.
The large audience was justifiably enthusiastic throughout the two sets. Each of the horn players took excellent solos along the way, both of the percussionists were outstanding, and Cimafunk’s happy salsa vocals (which were often echoed by band members) were fine while never dominating the music. Sandoval had his features and showed that he can still play as fast as any trumpeter alive. His vocal on “Smile” was heartfelt if just okay but he made up for it by being an enthusiastic part of the five-horn ensembles.
As for Chucho Valdes, although he generously featured the other musicians, was the obvious star. His virtuosity was as dazzling as ever, he sometimes played repeated figures with his right hand while his left took the lead, and he tossed in witty song quotes now and then. Valdes was showcased” as a solo pianist on a medley of “When I Fall In Love,” “Waltz For Debby” (which he played quite beautifully), and “Feelings,” leading to a heated rendition of “But Not For Me” with the rhythm section. Truth be told, he could have played a set of unaccompanied solos all night and the audience would have loved it.
With four years behind it, Jazz At Naz has solidified its reputation as one of the top annual jazz festivals in California. During an era when Herbie Hancock and the so-called Blue Note Jazz Festival seem to go out their way to avoid booking much jazz at the Hollywood Bowl, one can look to Northridge and Jazz At Naz for an opportunity to experience inspired music.
Tenor-saxophonist Willis Jackson (1932-87) originally came to fame as a honker and screamer on his horn in the early days of r&b. His playing dominated Cootie Williams’ hit recording of “Gator Tail” which resulted in him getting the nickname of “Gator.” Jackson began leading sessions of his own in 1950 and recorded such wild titles as “Blow Jackson Blow,” “Later For the Gator,” “Froggy Bottom Jump,” “Rock, Rock, Rock,” and “Howling At Midnight.” He was a popular attraction during the early 1950s r&b scene before rock and roll ended that era.
Willis Jackson, like Illinois Jacquet, was wise enough to notice how music was changing and modify his style. By the late 1950s had reinvented himself as a soulful jazz saxophonist. While he was still an expressive player, Jackson was more tasteful and inventive in his playing. The transformation worked well and he recorded consistently rewarding albums for the Prestige label for the next decade and for other labels (often Muse) through 1980.
The four-CD set The Prestige Collection put out by the Englightenment label has a strong sampling of Jackson’s recordings of 1959-65. Included is all of the music from eight albums: Please Mr. Jackson, Cool “Gator,” Blue Gator, Really Groovin’, Cookin’ Sherry, Thunderbird, Bossa Nova Plus, and Boss Shoutin’. Jackson is joined by organists on six of the albums with Jack McDuff on four records and one apiece featuring Freddie Roach and Carl Wilson. The piano albums have Richard Wyands or Tommy Flanagan. Also in the groups are guitarists Bill Jennings (in top form on five sessions), Kenny Burrell or Pat Martino, various bassists and drummers, occasional percussionists, and trumpeter Frank Robinson for the final date.
The music is comprised of swinging standards, soulful ballads, and basic originals. This is music that was always accessible to the general public due to its strong melodies and Jackson’s warm sound, but also creative with plenty of enjoyable solos. With many of his Prestige albums out of print, Willis Jackson’s The Prestige Collection (available from www.amazon.com and www.mvdb2b.com is highly recommended.
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
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