#roy blakey

[finalatomicbuster]

Jess Stone for Mandate (August 1981) Photography by Roy Blakey

[dance-world]

Gary Flannery - photo by Roy Blakey for After Dark magazine

[pygartheangel]

[jazzdailyblog]

Wilbur Ware: The Bass Virtuoso Who Defined a Jazz Era

Introduction: Wilbur Ware was one of the most remarkable jazz bassists of his time. Though often understated in the history of jazz, his contributions to the genre have left a lasting impact on generations of musicians and listeners. Known for his unconventional playing style, rhythmic innovations, and the deep, resonant sound he coaxed from his instrument, Ware was a true original who left his…

[newplaces2drown]

Recent jazz vinyl haul. Particularly stoked on the Art Blakey record and Miles Live Evil, and the Nina records were unexpected treats. I already owned A Love Supreme but this edition was a way better sound quality pressing.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

TODAY'S FROZEN MOMENT - Today marks the 65th Anniversary of this phenomenal photo - August 12th, 1958 - this now-famous photo was taken… later to be given the title "A Great Day in Harlem" when it was published in Esquire magazine. Art Kane, an art director for the magazine, was finally allowed to do a photo assignment... A jazz lover, Kane said he wanted to assemble the best in jazz for a shot, at 10 in the morning... Most people laughed at him...but...somehow he pulled this off; they showed up...as requested, to 17 East 126th Street...astonishing really... Subsequently, a documentary about the photo added to the magic... as did the allowance of the neighbors, the kids in the front and the folks in the windows… just so special… See below for a list of who's who... of the 57 musicians here, only 2 remain: Sonny Rollins and Benny Golson... but the shot, like all of the music, is eternal…

[01 – Hilton Jefferson, 02 – Benny Golson, 03 – Art Farmer, 04 – Wilbur Ware, 05 – Art Blakey, 06 – Chubby Jackson, 07 – Johnny Griffin, 08 – Dickie Wells, 09 – Buck Clayton, 10 – Taft Jordan, 11 – Zutty Singleton, 12 – Red Allen, 13 – Tyree Glenn, 14 – Miff Molo, 15 – Sonny Greer, 16 – Jay C. Higginbotham, 17 – Jimmy Jones, 18 – Charles Mingus, 19 – Jo Jones, 20 – Gene Krupa, 21 – Max Kaminsky, 22 – George Wettling, 23 – Bud Freeman, 24 – Pee Wee Russell, 25 – Ernie Wilkins, 26 – Buster Bailey, 27 – Osie Johnson, 28 – Gigi Gryce, 29 – Hank Jones, 30 – Eddie Locke, 31 – Horace Silver, 32 – Luckey Roberts, 33 – Maxine Sullivan, 34 – Jimmy Rushing, 35 – Joe Thomas, 36 – Scoville Browne, 37 – Stuff Smith, 38 – Bill Crump, 39 – Coleman Hawkins, 40 – Rudy Powell, 41 – Oscar Pettiford, 42 – Sahib Shihab, 43 – Marian McPartland, 44 – Sonny Rollins, 45 – Lawrence Brown, 46 – Mary Lou Williams, 47 – Emmett Berry, 48 – Thelonius Monk, 49 – Vic Dickenson, 50 – Milt Hinton, 51 – Lester Young, 52 – Rex Stewart, 53 – J.C. Heard, 54 – Gerry Mulligan, 55 – Roy Eldridge, 56 – Dizzy Gillespie, 57 – Count Basie.]

[Mary Elaine LeBey]

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia di Musica #334 - Jackie Mclean, It's Time!, 1965

È stata la vista di un poster del disco di oggi che mi ha inspirato la scelta del punto esclamativo, come trait d’union dei dischi del mese di Luglio. Il suo autore è poco conosciuto ai più, ma è uno di quelle “divinità minori” della Storia del Jazz che hanno passato gli stili, suonato con i più grandi, indirizzato anche le scelte musicali, ma appena un gradino dietro le Divinità Maggiori. John Lenwood McLean, per tutti Jackie, nasce nel 1931 in una famiglia di musicisti, a New York. Sfortuna vuole che nel 1939 suo padre muoia, ma ha la piccola fortuna di poter continuare a studiare musica grazie al padrino e al nuovo compagno di sua madre, che possedeva un negozio di dischi. Ma più che altro, quando è adolescente, Jackie ha la fortuna di vivere vicino ad alcuni di quelle Divinità Maggiori: passa infatti spesso a casa di Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker e soprattutto Bud Powell, che quando Jackie ha 13-14 anni intravede del talento. Inizia a suonare in un’orchestra il sassofono, insieme a Sonny Rollins, si innamora dello stile di Parker e quando a 20 anni è chiamato da Miles Davis per delle registrazioni. Davis raccontò che per le registrazioni di Dig (del 1951, il disco uscirà solo nel 1956) in studio si presentò Charlie Parker, rendendo nervosissimo McLean, terrorizzato di suonare davanti al suo idolo: “Continuava ad andare da lui a chiedergli cosa ci faceva lì, e Bird (il soprannome di Parker, ndr) a rispondergli che si stava solo facendo un giro. Gliel'avrà chiesto un milione di volte. Jackie voleva che Bird se ne andasse perché così sarebbe stato più rilassato. Ma Bird continuava a dirgli come suonava bene e a incoraggiarlo, e questo alla fine rese la prova di Jackie davvero fantastica”. Con Davis suonerà anche in molti altri dischi tra il 1952 e il 1952 e parteciperà allo storico Pithecanthropus Erectus di Charles Mingus: leggenda vuole che Mingus lo picchioò, McLean tentò di pugnalarlo e per ripicca se ne andò a suonare con i Jazz Messenger di Art Blakey.

La sua carriera sembra avvia al massimo successo, ma come moltissimi jazzisti di quegli anni, McLean divenne schiavo delle droghe: per questo motivo gli fu ritirato il permesso di tenere concerti in pubblico a New York e questo lo obbligò a un intenso lavoro in studio, che si rifletté nel gran numero di registrazioni a suo nome negli anni 1950 e anni 1960. Dopo aver registrato per la Prestige Records, egli firmò un contratto con la Blue Note Records per cui incise dal 1959 al 1967. Il suo stile hard bop diviene riconoscibile per il particolare modo di suonare il suo sax contralto, e tra la fine degli anni ’50 e gli inizi degli anni ’60 scrive i suoi dischi capolavoro: prove grandiose sono Quadrangle, da Jackie’s Bag del 1959, e il disco Let Freedom Ring, del 1962, meraviglioso lavoro dove aggiunge elementi distintivi della rivoluzione che Ornette Coleman aveva iniziato pochi anni prima, il free jazz, alla sua comunque ancora solida struttura hard bop.

Il disco di oggi è registrato nel 1964 con una band composta da il trombettista Charles Tolliver, il pianista Herbie Hancock, in uno dei suoi primi lavori di una carriera sconfinata, il bassista Cecil McBee e il batterista Roy Haynes. It’s Time! ha oltre 200 punti esclamativi in copertina quasi a sottolineare una vitalità creativa fiorente e incontenibile, in un periodo alquanto particolare della Storia del jazz: in questo disco è decisivo l’intervento di Tolliver che scrive con Mclean tutti i pezzi, continuando questo fruttuoso percorso al confine tra post-bop modale e free jazz. L'improvvisazione accordale gioca ancora un ruolo importante nella musica di questo bel disco. L'assolo di Hancock nell'apertura di Cancellation è un gioco di spigolature, scandite da un tempo semplicemente mozzafiato. Il funky di McLean Das' Dat ha sicuramente un debito con Horace Silver, ma l'elemento blues, che rimarrà per sempre uno degli amori del nostro, è puro Jackie McLean. Il modo di suonare di McLean non è particolarmente avventuroso, anche se a volte spinge il suo sassofono oltre i limiti. It’s Time! è micidiale - con Tolliver e McLean che si scontrano in un duello spettacolare- così come il ritorno del blues in Snuff. Tolliver, che ha fatto il suo debutto alla Blue Note con It's Time!, ha registrato tre album con McLean e diventerà noto per la sua voce di tromba fluida e lirica. Revillot di Tolliver (il suo nome al contrario) è un altro trampolino di lancio per grandi improvvisazioni. Il bassista Cecil McBee fa un breve assolo nella title track, il suo unico assolo in questa registrazione, anche se aiuta a guidare l'intera sessione.

Nel 1964 McLean passò sei mesi in prigione per questioni di droga, che segnerà sia la via privata sia la sua musica (che si sposterà con forza verso i primi esperimenti di acid jazz e alla sperimentazione più estrema. Tanto che nel 1967 la Blue Note, a seguito del cambiamento di gestione, pose fine al suo contratto, come fece in quegli anni con molti altri artisti d'avanguardia. Le prospettive di registrazione erano talmente poche e malpagate che egli preferì dedicarsi interamente ai concerti e all'insegnamento, che iniziò nel 1968 alla The Hartt School della prestigiosa University of Hartford del Connecticut. Negli anni successivi, egli avrebbe creato il Dipartimento di Musica Afroamericana (ora chiamato "Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz") e l'intero programma di studi jazz. Nel 1970, con la moglie Dollie, fondò a Hartford il gruppo Artists' Collective, Inc. dedicato alla conservazione delle tradizioni africane negli Stati Uniti, promuovendo e realizzando programmi di istruzione nella danza tradizionale, il teatro, la musica e le arti visuali. È stato sempre, come molti jazzisti, artista decisamente impegnato sul fronte sociale, culturale e politico, sin dai tempi delle contestazioni contro la guerra del Vietnam. Uno dei bellisismi documentari di Ken Burns sui grandi del Jazz è dedicato a lui. Morirà dopo una lunga malattia nel 2006, e nello stesso anno fu nominato nella Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. Un musicista da riscoprire.

[madamlaydebug]

{A Great Day in Harlem}

Red Allen

Buster Bailey

Count Basie

Emmett Berry

Art Blakey

Lawrence Brown

Scoville Browne

Buck Clayton

Bill Crump[2]

Vic Dickenson

Roy Eldridge

Art Farmer

Bud Freeman

Dizzy Gillespie

Tyree Glenn

Benny Golson*

Sonny Greer

Johnny Griffin

Gigi Gryce

Coleman Hawkins

J.C. Heard

Jay C. Higginbotham

Milt Hinton

Chubby Jackson

Hilton Jefferson

Osie Johnson

Hank Jones

Jo Jones

Jimmy Jones

Taft Jordan

Max Kaminsky

Gene Krupa

Eddie Locke

Marian McPartland*

Charles Mingus

Miff Mole

Thelonious Monk

Gerry Mulligan

Oscar Pettiford

Rudy Powell

Luckey Roberts

Sonny Rollins*

Jimmy Rushing

Pee Wee Russell

Sahib Shihab

Horace Silver*

Zutty Singleton

Stuff Smith

Rex Stewart

Maxine Sullivan

Joe Thomas

Wilbur Ware

Dickie Wells

George Wettling

Ernie Wilkins

Mary Lou Williams

Lester Young

[clbdreadeddancer]

Dancers/Choreographers: Albert Reid and Douglas Nielson | Photographer: Roy Blakey | Dance: Separate Checks (1985)

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

BILLY HIGGINS, ‘’SMILING BILLY’’

“Billy Higgins’s talent will never be duplicated – not that any style can be – but his mark on jazz history is indelible. Billy Higgins represents four decades of total dedication to his chosen form of American music: jazz.”

- Cedar Walton

Né le 11 octobre 1936 à Los Angeles, en Californie, Billy Higgins était issu d’une famille de musiciens. Élevé dans le ghetto afro-américain de Watts, Higgins avait commencé à jouer de la batterie à l’âge de cinq ans sous l’influence d’un de ses amis batteurs. À l’âge de douze ans, Higgins avait travaillé avec des groupes de rhythm & blues, notamment avec des musiciens comme Amos Milburn et Bo Diddley. Au début de sa carrière, Higgins avait également collaboré avec les chanteurs et chanteuses Brook Benton, Jimmy Witherspoon et Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Surtout influencé par Kenny Clarke, Higgins avait aussi été marqué par Art Tatum et Charlie Parker. En octobre 2001, le chef d’orchestre John Riley du Vanguard Jazz Orchestra avait résumé ainsi les influences d’Higgins: “Billy dug the melodiousness of Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey’s groove, Elvin Jones’s comping, Ed Blackwell’s groove orchestration, and Roy Haynes’ individualist approach.” Higgins avait hérité de son surnom de ‘’Smiling Billy’’ en raison du plaisir communicatif qu’il avait de jouer de la batterie.

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

Higgins, qui s’était rapidement intéressé au jazz, avait commencé sa carrière en se produisant avec différents musiciens locaux comme Dexter Gordon, Carl Perkins, Leroy Vinnegar, Slim Gaillard, Teddy Edwards, Joe Castro et Walter Benton. À l’âge de quatorze ans, Higgins avait rencontré le trompettiste Don Cherry. En 1953, le duo était parti en tournée sur la Côte ouest avec les saxophonistes George Newman et James Clay dans le cadre du groupe  The Jazz Messiahs.

En 1957, Higgins s’était joint au quartet de Red Mitchell qui comprenait également la pianiste Lorraine Geller et le saxophoniste ténor James Clay. Higgins avait d’ailleurs fait ses débuts sur disque avec le groupe de Mitchell dans le cadre d’une collaboration avec les disques Contemporary de Lester Koenig. Higgins avait quitté le groupe de Mitchell peu après pour se joindre à la nouvelle formation d’Ornette Coleman, aux côtés de Don Cherry à la trompette, de Walter Norris au piano, et de Don Payne et de Charlie Haden à la contrebasse. Higgins, qui avait commencé à pratiquer avec Coleman en 1955, avait fait partie du groupe du saxophoniste sur une base permanente de 1958 à 1959, participant notamment à l’enregistrement des albums ‘’Something Else’’ (février-mars 1958), ‘’The Shape of Jazz to Come’’ et ‘’Change of the’’ Century’’, tous deux enregistrés en 1959. Higgins avait également participé aux concerts controversés du groupe au club Five Spot de New York en novembre 1959. Commentant la prestation du groupe, le critique Jon Thurber du Los Angeles Times avait qualifié le concert d’un des événements les plus légendaires de l’époque. Thurber avait ajouté: ‘’The event crowded the room with every available jazz musician and aficionado.”

Higgins s’étant vu interdire l’accès des clubs de New York à la suite d’une altercation avec la police,  Higgins s’était joint au quintet de Thelonious Monk. Il était par la suite allé jouer avec le groupe John Coltrane en 1960.

Le 21 décembre 1960, Higgins avait de nouveau retrouvé Coleman dans le cadre de l’enregistrement de l’album controversé ‘’Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation’’ mettant en vedette le double quartet de Coleman, composé de Coleman au saxophone alto, de Don Cherry à la trompette et au cornet, de Freddie Hubbard à la trompette, d’Eric Dolphy à la flûte, à la clarinette basse et au saxophone soprano, de Scott LaFaro et Charlie Haden à la contrebasse et de Higgins et Ed Blackwell à la batterie.

Devenu un des batteurs les plus en demande du monde du jazz, Higgins avait participé à plusieurs sessions pour les disques Blue Note dans les années 1960, principalement dans des contextes de hard bop. En 1962-63, Higgins s’était joint au groupe de Sonny Rollins avec qui il avait participé à une tournée en France. À la même époque, Higgins s’était également produit avec Donald Byrd, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Art Farmer, Jimmy Heath, Steve Lacy, Jackie McLean, Herbie Hancock et Lee Morgan.

Le jeu de Higgins à la batterie avait été particulièrement mis en évidence sur des enregistrements comme “Point of Departure’’ d’Andrew Hill, “Takin' Off’’ d’Herbie Hancock (qui comprenait le classique ‘’Watermelon Man’’), “Freedom Jazz Dance” d’Eddie Harris, ‘’Go !’’ de Dexter Gordon et “The Sidewinder’’ de Lee Morgan.

À partir de 1966, Higgins s’était produit régulièrement avec le pianiste Cedar Walton, avec il a enregistré plusieurs albums pour des compagnies de disques européennes jusqu'au milieu des années 1980.

DERNIÈRES ANNÉES

Après s’être fait désintoxiquer en 1971, Higgins avait formé le groupe Brass Company avec le  saxophoniste ténor Claude Bartee et le trompettiste Bill Hardman. Après s’être installé à Los Angeles en 1978, Higgins avait formé avec Walton et le le saxophoniste George Coleman le groupe Eastern Rebellion. À la fin des années 1970, Higgins avait également enregistré comme leader, faisant paraître des albums comme ‘’Soweto’’ (1979), ’’The Soldier’’ (1979) et ‘’Once More’’ (1980).

Dans les années 1980, Higgins avait également collaboré avec Pat Metheny et Slide Hampton. Tout en participant à des tournées internationales avec les Timeless All Stars et à des réunions avec Ornette Coleman et Don Cherry, Higgins avait eu un petit rôle dans le film de Bertrand Tavernier ‘’Round Midnight’’ aux côtés de Dexter Gordon en 1986. Il avait aussi fait partie du trio de Hank Jones. Toujours en 1986, Higgins avait fait partie du Quartet West de Charlie Haden, aux côtés d’Ernie Wax au saxophone et d’Alan Broadbent au piano. Après avoir connu certains problèmes de santé, Higgins avait été éventuellement remplacé par Larance Marable.

Très impliqué socialement, Higgins avait co-fondé en 1989 avec le poète Kamau Daáood le World Stage, un centre communautaire et culturel qui avait pour but de favoriser le développement de la musique, de la littérature et de l’art afro-américain. Le groupe, qui soutenait également la carrière de jeunes musiciens de jazz, organisait régulièrement des ateliers, des enregisrements et des concerts dans le quartier de Leimert Park à Los Angeles. Tous les lundis soirs, Higgins donnait des cours de batterie aux membres de la communauté. Higgins, qui s’intéressait particulièrement aux enfants, avait déclaré au cours d’une entrevue accordée au magazine LA Weekly en 1999:

"They should bus children in here so they can see all this, so they could be a part of it. Because the stuff that they feed kids now, they'll have a bunch of idiots in the next millennium as far as art and culture is concerned. I play at schools all the time, and I ask, 'Do you know who Art Tatum was?' 'Well, I guess not.' Some of them don't know who John Coltrane was, or Charlie Parker. It's our fault. Those who know never told them. They know who Elvis Presley was, and Tupac, or Scooby-Dooby Scoop Dogg--whatever. Anybody can emulate them, because it's easy, it has nothing to do with individualism. There's so much beautiful music in the world, and kids are getting robbed.’’

Également professeur, Higgins avait enseigné à la faculté de jazz de l’Université de Californie à Los Angeles (UCLA). Il avait aussi été très impliqué dans plusieurs activités en faveur de la conservation et de la promotion du jazz.

Toujours très en demande dans les sessions d’enregistrement, Higgins s’était produit sur une base régulière avec le saxophoniste Charles Lloyd de 1999 à 2001. Il dirigeait aussi ses propres groupes.

Atteint d’une maladie des reins, Higgins avait dû mettre sa carrière sur pause dans les années 1990, mais il avait repris sa carrière après avoir subi avec succès une greffe du foie en mars 1996, se produisant notamment avec Ornette Coleman, Charles Lloyd et Harold Land.

Billy Higgins est mort le 4 mai 2001 au Daniel Freeman Hospital d’Inglewoood, en Californie, des suites d’un cancer du foie. Il était âgé de soixante-quatre ans. Ont survécu à Higgins ses fils Ronald, William Jr., David et Benjamin, ses filles Ricky et Heidi, son frère Ronald, son gendre Joseph (Jody) Walker, son neveu Billy Thetford et sa fiancée Glo Harris. À l’époque, Higgins avait divorcé de sa première épouse Mauricina Altier Higgins.

Peu avant sa mort, Higgins avait joué le rôle d’un batteur de jazz dans le film ‘’Southlander’’ de Steve Hanft et Ross Harris.

Au moment de son décès, Higgins venait d’être hospitalisé pour une pneumonie et attendait une seconde greffe du foie. Dans son dernier numéro publié avant la mort de Higgins, la revue française Jazz Magazine avait lancé une campagne de souscription en faveur de Higgins, le batteur n’ayant pas des revenus suffisants pour couvrir ses frais médicaux. Deux ans avant sa mort, le saxophoniste Charles Lloyd avait témoigné de la santé fragile de Higgins en déclarant: ’’Billy Higgins a une santé précaire, et cette fragilité physique confère à son jeu une délicatesse unique. Jouer avec lui, c'est un peu comme jouer à la maison. Il y a une telle conjonction entre nous. Un seul regard suffit et le disque est enregistré.’’ Comparant Higgins à un maître zen, Lloyd avait ajouté: “everybody who plays with him gets that ecstatic high.” Rendant hommage à Higgins après sa mort, son collaborateur de longue date, le pianiste Cedar Walton, avait ajouté: “Billy Higgins’s talent will never be duplicated – not that any style can be – but his mark on jazz history is indelible. Billy Higgins represents four decades of total dedication to his chosen form of American music: jazz.”

Higgins avait livré sa dernière performance le 22 janvier 2001 dans le cadre d’un concert présenté au club Bones and Blues de Los Angeles. Le concert, qui mettait également en vedette les saxophonistes Charles Lloyd et Harold Land, avait pour but de soutenir la lutte d’Higgins contre le cancer du foie.

Reconnu pour son swing léger mais actif, son jeu subtil et raffiné et sa façon mélodique de jouer de la batterie, Billy Higgins avait collaboré avec les plus grands noms du jazz au cours de sa carrière, de Ornette Coleman à Don Cherry, en passant par Sonny Rollins, Cedar Walton, Herbie Hancock, Abudullah Ibrahim, Bheki Mseleku, Roy Hargrove, Pat Metheny, Charles Lloyd, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, John Scofield, Thelonious Monk, Scott LaFaro, Cecil Taylor, Charlie Haden, Hank Jones, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Grant Green, Joe Henderson, Art Farmer, Sam Jones, Dave Williams, Bob Berg, Monty Waters, Clifford Jordan, Ira Sullivan, Sun Ra, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Heath, Joshua Redman, John Coltrane, Eddie Harris, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Art Pepper, Mal Waldron, Jackie McLean et Lee Morgan. Higgins avait également collaboré avec le compositeur La Monte Young.

Higgins a participé à plus de 700 enregistrements au cours de sa carrière, ce qui en faisait un des batteurs les plus enregistrés de l’histoire du jazz. Qualifiant le jeu de Higgins, le critique Ted Panken du magazine Down Beat avait commenté: "To witness him--smiling broadly, eyes aglimmer, dancing with the drum set, navigating the flow with perfect touch, finding the apropos tone for every beat--was a majestic, seductive experience." De son côté, le chef d’orchestre Larry Riley avait précisé: “Billy was a facilitator, not a dominator. He would enhance the direction the music ‘wanted’ to go in rather than impose his own will on the composition. You can hear that Billy was a master at creating a good feeling in the rhythm section. Dynamically, he used the entire spectrum— but with great restraint. His comping and overall flow were very precise but very legato.”

Higgins, qui avait surtout appris son métier en utilisant une approche d’essais-erreurs, avait résumé ainsi sa méthode d’apprentissage:

“That’s where you learn. You learn to be in context with the music and interpret. You make your mistakes and you learn. Most of the drummers that are working are people who know how to make the other instruments get their sound. Kenny Clarke was a master at that. It sounds like he was doing very little, and he was, but what he implied made all the instruments get their sound. Philly Joe, Elvin—as strong as they played, they still bring out the essence of what the other musicians are playing. Roy Haynes, Max, Art Blakey—none of them played the same. You try to add your part, but the idea is to be part of the music and make it one. That’s the whole concept for me.” 

Décrivant la contribution d’Higgins à l’histoire du jazz, le contrebassiste Ron Carter avait ajouté: “Billy Higgins was the drummer of the 20th century who put the music back into the drums. He was fabulous. He always played the form, and he was aware not only of the soloists, but also of his rhythm section mates.” Saluant le professionnalisme et la grande préparation d’Higgins, Carter avait précisé: “He was always on time, with his equipment ready, and he contributed to the general outlook of the group no matter where [we were] or how many people were involved. He made the music feel good.” De son côté, le pianiste Cedar Walton avait commenté: “His style is well-documented, but to see Billy in person at his drums was the ultimate jazz experience.”

Billy Higgins avait été élu ‘’Jazz Master’’ par la National Endowment for the Arts en 1997. En 1988, Higgins avait également remporté un prix Grammy conjointement avec Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock et Wayne Shorter pour la composition “Call Sheet Blues” tirée de la bande sonore du film ‘’Round Midnight.’’ Par la suite, Higgins avait fait partie du Round Midnight Band avec le saxophoniste Dexter Gordon.

Le saxophoniste Charles Lloyd avait rendu un des meilleurs hommages qu’on pouvait rendre à Higgins lorsqu’il avait déclaré: "Jazz is the music of wonder and, and he's the personification of it.’’ Higgins s’était toujours considéré comme un peu privilégié d’avoir pu faire une carrière musicale. Comme il l’avait mentionné peu de temps avant sa mort: "I feel blessed to play music, and it's also an honor to play music. You've got a lot of people's feeling in your hands."

[royayersconnection]

Please stop what you’re doing and give a birthday shout out to Gary Bartz, who recently celebrated his 82nd birthday! A master collaborator, Bartz has played with all the heavy hitters from Miles and Art Blakey, to McCoy Tyler and Pharaoh Sanders. Oh, and let’s not forget Bartz’ saxophone on Roy Ayers’ late 60’s release Stone Cold Picnic. My personal favorite think about Bartz is his versatility, playing many different styles from abstract, to straight ahead jazz, to more beat-driven jazz fusion styles. Either way, play some Gary Bartz today, wherever you are in the world. Check the link in our bio to listen to Roy Ayers’ Stone Cold Picnic. #garybartz #royayers https://www.instagram.com/p/CjEYGgjPXmm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dance-world]

Gary Flannery - photo by Roy Blakey for After Dark magazine

Gary Flannery is a professional performer who toured the world as Shirley MacLaine’s partner; was a Principal Dancer on many TV Shows and Hollywood movies; and was a lead dancer on Broadway in Pippin and Dancin', and in the movie All That Jazz (Bob Fosse called Gary “The Bull” for the sheer non-stop energy). Gary has studied with teachers including Antony Tudor, Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Stanley Williams, Alexandra Danilova, Anton Dolan, Lucas Hoving, Fred Benjamin, Chuck Davis, and Jaime Rogers. He received full scholarships to the School of American Ballet and Juilliard.  Gary continues to teach master classes, lectures, and seminars at universities, dance schools and colleges around the world.

[n4t4nya]

who did you grow up listening to?

i was around a lot of Motown as a kid. my dad's special interest is Michael Jackson so him. i used to transcribe a lot of Stevie cause he rly touched me when i got old enough to get it, my mum loved anita baker, teddy p and I'm every woman (Whitney's version) - calypso/parang. i loved Otis Redding so much - bill evans was one of my first crushes + I listened to him every day. I love the way Art Blakey drums. Tyler the creator in his Wolf / CB / SFFB / Igor era went platinum in my skull candy headphones ! I loved Roy Ayers and Charlie Wilson in a modern context on his stuff. early Kali Uchis too - she made me really love the art of textures in music. I lived near to a record shop + would go there every day after school on summer walks home, I fell in love with Strawberry Fields Forever inside it. Jimi Hendrix + Janis Joplin were crazy cool to me. I listened to the Cocteau Twins + Mazzy Star and Hole with the lights off. QUEEN ! Definitely cried to Mac Demarco. I listened to all of Frank (Amy) on the bus home with my free Deezer Trial (I wouldn't have been able to pay for a subscription with my pocket money so I downloaded only one album) and fell in love. Hiatus Kaiyote opened my 14-year-old brain sooo much, I remember the first time I listened to Nakamarra in the bathroom on a school night when I was supposed to b asleep, the internet too. Frank Ocean was my goat. I couldn't sleep because I realised what the lyrics to Super Rich Kids were actually talking about and I remember envisioning the whole story in my head as the song played again then getting even more scared. I had to watch Adventure Time to calm down. I remember also staying awake on the school night when Endless/Blonde dropped, being confused at the live stream when F was painting on the ladder, then going to download every song on B straight from YouTube with tubidy. I thought Siegfried was intense, deep writing, I really related to it a lot. Drake (no matter what ppl say) lol. hope that answers ur question.

[bamboomusiclist]

9/22 おはようございます。Ornella Vanoni / Ai Miei Amici Cantautori arlp10020 等更新完了しました。

Wanda Warska Andrzej Kurylewicz / Muzyka Teatralna I Telewizyjna Xl0831 Ornella Vanoni / Ai Miei Amici Cantautori arlp10020 Bill Harris / Bill Harris Collates MGC-125 Elvin Jones / Merry Go Round Bst84414 Roy Haynes / We Three Njlp8210 John Coltrane / Coltrane Jazz 1354 Paul Smith / Delicate Jazz T1017 Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers / Blues March - Moanin' AGG21001 Die Wiener Solisten, Fritz Neumeyer / Harpsichord Concertos BG616 Caetano Veloso / Velo 8240241 Lexia / Lexia Mv5086 B.C.Gilbert G.Lewis / Ends With The Sea AD106 Ozo / Listen to the Buddha djf20488 Edgar Winter / They Only Come Out at Night Ke31584 John Lee Hooker / That's My Story John Lee Hooker Sings The Blues RLP1175

[daibhidjames]

Blue Mondays 62 years ago at the CNE. Check out the line-up; Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Oscar Peterson, Brubeck, Gene Krupa, Ahmad Jamal, Stan Kenton, Jimmy Rushing, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Art Blakey, Willie The Lion Smith, Roy Eldridge the Freshmen;

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"ESCAPING MANIAC NEARLY STRANGLES ASYLUM ATTENDANT," Toronto Globe. October 5, 1933. Page 3. --- Timely Passing of Telegraph Boy Averts Tragedy at London ---- MONSIGNOR AYLWARD ILL --- (Staff Correspondence of The Globe.) London, Ont., Oct. 4. - Overcome by an escaping patient he had followed and attempted to subdue, William Wright, an attendant at the Ontario Hospital for the Insane, was almost strangled by the maniac this morning, and his life was probably saved by the timely passing of Arthur Blakey, a C.P.R. telegraph messenger, who saw the struggle and called for help. Blakey, while riding on Dundas Street East, at the asylum sideroad, saw two men scuffling, as he at first thought, in fun. But when Blakey saw one of the men fall to the ground and the other jump on him, he began to take serious notice. Next he saw the upper man pull a handkerchief from his pocket, and, slipping it around the neck of the other begin to strangle his victim.

Just at the moment two other men appeared running across a field, and Blakey called to them. The maniac thereupon released his victim and fled, pursued by the boy on the bicycle and the two attendants. The patient was soon overtaken, but, pulling a knife, he tried to slash his throat, but inflicted only a slight wound. While being taken back to the asylum, he complained that he was homesick and was trying to return to his home. He is a young and powerful man, and escaped while taking his morning exercise by jumping over a fence. Wright was driven to his home in a passing truck and soon recovered from the attack. The patient has hitherto been regarded as harmless.

Admits Robberies. Charged with a series of robberies in the London district during the past few months, Charles Woods of Clandeboye, arraigned in County Court today, pleaded guilty. He admitted robbing the C.N.R. stations in Forest and Exeter, the Harry Lankin service station in Lucan, and R. M. Bowman's general store in Denfield. In three cases, safes weighing 200 pounds or more were carried off. Roy Woods, a brother of Charles; Albert Fink of London, and Casey Blake of Sarnia were jointly charged with him in the robberies. They pleaded not guilty a were remanded until Provincial Officer Lankin, who is to give evidence, is relieved of strike duty at Stratford. It is expected the case will be tried tomorrow.

Charged With Receiving. Edgar Bedgwood of Waterloo Street, arrested by Detective-Sergeant William McCullough and Detective Gavin Monahan, charged with knowingly receiving goods alleged to have been stolen from a C.P.R. freight train, was arraigned in city Police Court to- day and remanded until Oct. 12. In the meantime the police are investigating his record. They informed the court they had recovered in the prisoner's home thirty-nine pairs of ladies' bloomers, nineteen bottles of mucilage, three tins of coffee and other goods said to have been stolen from a manifest train between Lon- don and Ingersoll. Bedgwood told the police he found the goods while walking along the tracks one morning.

Monsignor Aylward Seriously III. Brought to London in an ambulance a few days ago, Right Rev. Monsignor J. T. Aylward, rector of Our Lady of Mercy Church, in Sarnia, is very ill in St. Joseph's Hospital tonight, and fears for his recovery are held. He was rector of St. Peter's Cathedral here for many years.

Police Mistaken for Freshmen. Four plainclothes officers, riding in a scout car in the north end last night, were mistaken by Western University freshmen for belligerent and antagonistic "sophs" and the "freshies" pelted the inoffensive police with overripe tomatoes. The officers promptly accepted apologies and the incident was closed.

Today complaint was lodged with Acting Mayor Gordon Drake by Alderman L. S. Holmes, M.D., that two of his patients had been pelted with tomatoes by the students, and a strong protest was entered.