Grant Stewart
We are delighted to announce Grant Stewart as our next featured artist for the Chats With The Cats series.
Growing up in Toronto, what were some of your early experiences?
There are so many great players there, probably more than anywhere else (not including New York City): Don Thompson, Ed Bickert, Pat Barbara, Sam Noto, Phil Dwyer, Gerry Fuller, Norman Villeneuve - too many to recall. Norman Villeneuve is a great Canadian drummer from Montreal, he actually played a few concerts with Ellington and was offered the drum chair but couldn’t get his work papers, unfortunately. I was in his band for years in my late teens, it was billed as “The Canadian Jazz Messengers.” We had Curtis Fuller come up and play a week with us at The Bermuda Onion which was an amazing experience for me.
Who were some of your mentors, including people who helped you develop as a musician?
The great alto saxophonist Bob Mover moved to Toronto when I was 16 or 17 and he became a big influence and mentor to me. He would always have me sit in and was very generous with his time. There were also a lot of clubs when I was a kid that had local players but there were several that would bring legendary players like George Coleman, Joe Henderson, Clifford Jordan, Dick Hymen, etc. My father would take me to see whoever came to town. I was very lucky in that my father was a great guitarist and piano player and really loved jazz and the American songbook - I grew up with it in the house and had an unlimited source of knowledge in him, right up until a couple of years ago when he passed. I would call him for correct changes and tune ideas. He was an amazing person and a library of musical knowledge.
Can you remember a point in your life when you realized that you could make a career in music?
When I was 14, I did my first paying gig. It was New Year's Eve with my teacher Pete Schofield’s big band. I made $150 ($400 in 2022), so then I realized that I would soon be a very wealthy jazz musician with many houses and probably a private jet!
What inspired you to pursue a career here in New York rather than elsewhere?
I knew it was where everyone that really wanted it went, and I still feel that way. I still love living here, it's a great city and the energy generated by the top players coming here from all over the world is really something very special. It is the main reason I still live here.
Can you tell us how you started at long-time KEYED UP! staple, 11th Street Bar?
I started doing the 11th Street Bar when trumpeter Dwayne Clements moved to Sweden. At that point, the gig had already been going for two years. It was me and the legendary Charles Davis for a couple of years and then unfortunately Charles passed. Next, Joe Magnarelli started doing it. It’s the longest steady gig I’ve done (been 8 years for me) and KU! has been with us for probably 6 years or so.
What are your memories of the late Murray Wall?
Murray was a great guy and the gentlest man you’d ever meet but if you were talking during his solo he would let you have it!! We really miss him, he was one of a kind.
What have you been listening to this month?
Stravinsky’s Threni is what’s been playing a lot.
What are you looking forward to next?
I'm currently on tour in Denmark with the great singer Lucy Yeghiazaryan but the big project I’m working on is the opening of a new jazz school I designed called the Tribeca Jazz Institute. I had the idea about a year ago and teamed up with my friends at the Church Street School of Music and Art to create a program that would be an alternative for advanced players. This takes place in a short-term, intense, dynamic, and streamlined setting - letting players focus on playing, shedding, and lessons. I also wanted to make a program that won’t leave young players saddled with debt as they start their careers which is something that’s always bothered me. The ensemble and private lesson instructors are out of this world. I wish this school existed when I got to NYC and actually it’s the school that most players and students have told me over the years they wished existed and so I decided to make it myself. The full artist diploma program is two 12-week semesters. If you'd like to learn more check out the website.
Very exciting times indeed!
Finally, what are your experiences with KEYED UP!?
I first heard of KU! from Founder, James Polsky. KU! is a great organization that really makes a difference to a lot of musicians in the city. With rents skyrocketing and the cost of living rising faster than ever, it really helps take the edge off for a lot of players.
We are delighted to announce Grant Stewart as our next featured artist for the Chats With The Cats series.
Growing up in Toronto, what were some of your early experiences?
There are so many great players there, probably more than anywhere else (not including New York City): Don Thompson, Ed Bickert, Pat Barbara, Sam Noto, Phil Dwyer, Gerry Fuller, Norman Villeneuve - too many to recall. Norman Villeneuve is a great Canadian drummer from Montreal, he actually played a few concerts with Ellington and was offered the drum chair but couldn’t get his work papers, unfortunately. I was in his band for years in my late teens, it was billed as “The Canadian Jazz Messengers.” We had Curtis Fuller come up and play a week with us at The Bermuda Onion which was an amazing experience for me.
Who were some of your mentors, including people who helped you develop as a musician?
The great alto saxophonist Bob Mover moved to Toronto when I was 16 or 17 and he became a big influence and mentor to me. He would always have me sit in and was very generous with his time. There were also a lot of clubs when I was a kid that had local players but there were several that would bring legendary players like George Coleman, Joe Henderson, Clifford Jordan, Dick Hymen, etc. My father would take me to see whoever came to town. I was very lucky in that my father was a great guitarist and piano player and really loved jazz and the American songbook - I grew up with it in the house and had an unlimited source of knowledge in him, right up until a couple of years ago when he passed. I would call him for correct changes and tune ideas. He was an amazing person and a library of musical knowledge.
Can you remember a point in your life when you realized that you could make a career in music?
When I was 14, I did my first paying gig. It was New Year's Eve with my teacher Pete Schofield’s big band. I made $150 ($400 in 2022), so then I realized that I would soon be a very wealthy jazz musician with many houses and probably a private jet!
What inspired you to pursue a career here in New York rather than elsewhere?
I knew it was where everyone that really wanted it went, and I still feel that way. I still love living here, it's a great city and the energy generated by the top players coming here from all over the world is really something very special. It is the main reason I still live here.
Can you tell us how you started at long-time KEYED UP! staple, 11th Street Bar?
I started doing the 11th Street Bar when trumpeter Dwayne Clements moved to Sweden. At that point, the gig had already been going for two years. It was me and the legendary Charles Davis for a couple of years and then unfortunately Charles passed. Next, Joe Magnarelli started doing it. It’s the longest steady gig I’ve done (been 8 years for me) and KU! has been with us for probably 6 years or so.
What are your memories of the late Murray Wall?
Murray was a great guy and the gentlest man you’d ever meet but if you were talking during his solo he would let you have it!! We really miss him, he was one of a kind.
What have you been listening to this month?
Stravinsky’s Threni is what’s been playing a lot.
What are you looking forward to next?
I'm currently on tour in Denmark with the great singer Lucy Yeghiazaryan but the big project I’m working on is the opening of a new jazz school I designed called the Tribeca Jazz Institute. I had the idea about a year ago and teamed up with my friends at the Church Street School of Music and Art to create a program that would be an alternative for advanced players. This takes place in a short-term, intense, dynamic, and streamlined setting - letting players focus on playing, shedding, and lessons. I also wanted to make a program that won’t leave young players saddled with debt as they start their careers which is something that’s always bothered me. The ensemble and private lesson instructors are out of this world. I wish this school existed when I got to NYC and actually it’s the school that most players and students have told me over the years they wished existed and so I decided to make it myself. The full artist diploma program is two 12-week semesters. If you'd like to learn more check out the website.
Very exciting times indeed!
Finally, what are your experiences with KEYED UP!?
I first heard of KU! from Founder, James Polsky. KU! is a great organization that really makes a difference to a lot of musicians in the city. With rents skyrocketing and the cost of living rising faster than ever, it really helps take the edge off for a lot of players.
Wayne Tucker
Our next featured artist is trumpeter Wayne Tucker.
What was it like starting out as a teenager in Syracuse?
"My main influences as a kid were my father, brother, and Aunt Brenda. As I became a part of the scene in high school, my main influences were my trumpet teachers George Coble and Elliot Topalian, and my peers - people like Greg Evans (drums), Andrew Carroll (Piano), Nick Frenay (Trumpet), and Spencer Murphy (Bass) - as well as our jazz teachers Joe Carello, Joe Colombo, and Howard Potter.”
From the age of 14, Wayne started playing in bands and playing publicly. In his freshman year of high school, he played a lot of gigs and started to see a career path in music. Wayne went to college at SUNY Purchase, just outside of New York. Pursuing his career there “was a natural way to move forward.”
Tell me about your latest residency at Wild Birds Brooklyn.
“We first started playing at Wild Birds because the owner Julian Klepson saw me playing with a great Ethiopian Funk band at Barbes. He asked me to bring my band just as we were starting to gel because of daily performances at Grand Army Plaza. I feel like the residency at Wild Birds has become something more than just a weekly gig for me and my band. It has become a musical communion that we shared with everyone in the community. I’m so grateful to KEYEDUP! for their support.”
You talk about some of your best playing experiences, how do those shows stand out for you?
“Being connected is integral to live music. I would say my fondest memories over my career are the shows where everyone in the room feels connected. I vividly remember that feeling from a couple of shows in Sofia, Bulgaria, as well as some amazing shows in Paris.”
Any big news to share?
Jazz Gallery awarded a performance commission to Wayne in March followed by a five-week European tour with “Brass Against” supporting “Tool.”
Who’s on your latest playlist?
In his downtime he still enjoys listening to his heroes. “I just re-listened to and copied a lot musically from Miles Davis' ‘Kind of Blue’ and from there I ventured to lots of Cannonball Adderly. Some of the current artists that I've been digging lately are Snoh Alegra and Ibrahim Maalouf.”
Where can we catch you playing in New York?
“Wayne and the Bad Mothas” will be at Wild Birds on Wednesday nights (or you’ll find his brother “Miles Tucker and the Many Blessings”) from 9pm
Miki Yamanaka
Born and raised in Japan, Miki lived in Kyoto until the age of 10, moving to Kobe for the next eight years. There is where Miki found her interest in jazz.
"I joined a brass band in school that plays jazz big band sometimes. I went to college in a little rural city called Okayama and I started playing locally there. There were hardly any professional musicians but my major was science. My parents don't play any instruments, so I would say I am a late starter.”
Miki decided to apply for college in the United States.
"I graduated from Queens College with a Master’s in Jazz Performance. I didn’t think I could make a living as a musician until I graduated. I am in awe that I still live here, doing what I love the most."
"I didn't move to Tokyo (which most Japanese musicians would do to make a career) because I just never liked the city. I had a chance to visit New York in 2011 alone during my summer break while I was in graduate school (in science) in Okayama. I picked New York because I had heard that it is the place to hear jazz. I didn't know much about it then honestly (laughing).”
“I haven't played too much abroad, but I have done a leader tour in Japan and that was so much fun. I only played with local amateur musicians growing up, so going back to Japan as a professional pianist with my trio was special. I hope to get to travel to play more in the future."
Like many musicians, the pandemic caused many problems for live music. Miki decided to start her own "Live from our Dining room series/Miki's Mood"
"The series started with the name ‘Live From Our Dining Room’ first in February 2021. We were streaming with just two iPhones, just to play music and share the moment with the audience. I also decided to pick a different guest musician and composer every week so I have gotten to play with many different musicians and to learn many songs. It used to be with just a bass player to play in a trio (my husband Jimmy Macbride @jimmy.macbride plays drums) to minimize the risk of getting Covid, but I have had many horn players and singers as well.”
“Something that I want to mention is that I have decided to compensate the guest musician (and the videographer later on) no matter how much of a donation I get. I respect their time, and as a professional musician myself, I couldn't ask my peers to work for me for free. I have lost some money in the beginning, but I am truly thankful that KEYED UP! started helping us out."
"I haven't missed a week since I started, and this allowed me to reconnect with the musicians I admire. I am grateful to have continued the series, which now is called "Miki's Mood." Things are getting canceled again lately but I have no plans on stopping the series."
"People got tired of screens since we had to do everything with live streaming and Zoom, but I am still glad that I started my streaming series, which allowed me to reach more audiences than before. I also learned a lot about recording, taking a video, streaming and social media. I had never thought of doing all by myself. This pandemic forced us to be more creative. There has been a lot of learning, but we are still here, making music. Unfortunately, I don't see the pandemic being over so soon. We can keep being more creative, trying to play music for people as much as possible in a safe way. Hopefully we will get the life of traveling back eventually, but until then, and even then on, I will keep reaching more people with streaming, recording at home, as I learned during this pandemic"
Who is Miki listening to?
"I have been checking out Stanley Cowell, Andrew Hill and Chick Corea"
What are Miki's thoughts on KEYED UP!
"I've had gigs that KEYED UP! supported before. I knew they support the New York based musicians, and I truly admire their enormous help for us.”
Musicians create their own gigs, KEYED UP! pushes us to bring more music to the people. It is so beautiful! KEYED UP!’s support allowed me to pay the cats and not break my bank, and I can keep playing music with them. I cannot thank you all enough for your support. Arts always need support more than anything - I appreciate all the help for us to be able to keep doing what we love to do!"
You can hear Miki's Mood every Wednesday at 5pm
Check out Miki's instagram page @mikimikiyummy for weekly yt/fb links
Photo credit - Rudy Royston
Richard Cortez
Our next featured artist for the Chats with the Cats interview series is singer Richard Cortez
Richard was born in Miami and grew up in a small suburb outside of Ft. Lauderdale called Pembroke Pines. He recalls his earliest artistic influences being outside the realms of music but still having a huge impact on his style of performance.
"My influences were the radical queer pioneers of my town. Transgender folx living unapologetically, gay men who survived the AIDS epidemic in NYC and SF who found themselves in South Florida looking for reprieve and the other young queer people I met in school who were also out - we'd nod at each other in the hallway like soldiers at war just trying to survive the day. Those people and the memory of them courses through my veins every time I take the stage - I am forever reminded of the importance of representation and advocacy within performance art and music. Specifically, Jazz."
"My childhood wasn't a very pleasant place. I grew up in a very violent and abusive home with a mother who struggled with mental illness and a father who was an absent sex addict that thought he could fix the young queer kid he was raising by toughening him up.
But a few positive moments I have are driving around with my Grandmother, Evelyn Simon, on my way to Hebrew School. She was a wonderfully eccentric woman and introduced me to The Great American Songbook."
Also Richard discovered a box of his mother's old vinyls, "I'd go in my room and play them on my little record player. I would lock the door and perform to the imaginary audience in my room. My trust and capacity to connect with an audience developed before there was anyone watching. Music has always been a safe space for me. It was an escape I still turn to in my adulthood when I need to lose myself in something after the city has taken its toll on me for the day. Once I'm singing, I'm that little kid again in that car singing The Trolley Song and nothing can get to me. The music lifts me up."
Like many in this city, the decision to pursue an artistic performance based lifestyle comes with plenty of risk.
"I would say that I knew no matter what, for as long as I can remember, that I wanted to be on stage performing. I'm hoping to make the jump into playing Jazz full time and I think perhaps I would have by now had it not been for the pandemic, but with everything feeling so unsure all the time and the state of the world - I'm not too sure which path to take. For now, I'm just burning the candle at both ends working all day and gigging most nights hoping some great neon sign in the sky is finally going to say - "Richard, Stop. It's time. You won't end up in the gutter. You can focus solely on the music." ... and to be honest, I hope that time is soon.
So what brought Richard from Florida to NYC?
So, I turned 31 and I was still single and living in Florida. I had just gone on a very messy/unsuccessful tour with a folk/americana band I was in and things were rapidly de-compensating between me and my bandmate. So, I thought - where am I gonna find a gorgeous tattooed gay man who also likes Elliott Smith and Billie Holiday to love me and raise plants with me? I know! - NYC. So I moved here - not even thinking about music, let alone Jazz. I wasn't even a Jazz singer at the time. So, here I am - 6 years later, no man, lots of plants, a few more tattoos and a budding "career" in Jazz. The universe always takes you to where you're supposed to be."
Being a singer-songwriter started to take its toll on Richard. "I grew exhausted from being so emotionally vulnerable on stage and in my art. I needed a film over the feelings, I no longer wanted the words to be mine."
"I met a jazz guitarist at a party and we met up and played a few tunes I knew from my grandmother and the rest is history, I guess. I didn't think this would ever be my life or my identity as an artist. Jazz always seemed so elitist and like a club you had to be rich and go to school for a million years to be a part of or good at.
I'm very grateful for what I've been given this go 'round. The imposter syndrome runs deep in me. When you spend your entire life being called a faggot and don't have a family that supports you - that voice sneaks in and says "sure, you have 5 weekly gigs, but just remember - you're no one and no one is ever going to take you seriously." You learn to push through and try your best not to listen - but trauma impacts us in every facet of our lives. ..and NYC isn't for the weak of mind or spirit."
"I was a stripper when I first moved to NYC. I danced at Eastern Bloc (which is now Club Clumming) and worked for some party promoters and event curators like Frankie Sharp and Daniel Nardicio and it was through those contacts that I was able to get the gigs I now have.
Every venue I now sing at, I used to dance on top of the bars of. I've long since hung up my g-strings, but those were some wild times. Wouldn't trade them in for the world."
As a proud gay man and staunch equality advocate, how does Richard feel about LGBT representation in Jazz?
"I feel like Jazz has become so academic, white-washed and much like figure skating or something niche and expensive like it - if you don't have the money for the education or the privilege of coming from a well-off or established family, you can forget about being set up for success. You have to fight tooth and nail just to be heard. And if you're different - you can add that to the weight all that the work carries.That sort of gate keeping comes with certain rules. I choose not to play by them. I am 100% authentically myself in my identity as an artist because growing up I so much so wanted to hear songs being sung by a man about men or about things that directly related to my culture or my community's sense of humor. I may not be the best singer and I may not go very far - but my purpose is to carve out space for the next gay Jazz singer who comes along that might not have the opportunities they'll need to be seen if I don't create those for them by being out here in people's faces like - I'm gay, not heteronormative and I have a place at this table... and what?I like to think if Cole Porter heard me sing his songs, he'd "get a kick out of it." Gay as he was. I mean - c'mon - "but if baby I'm the bottom, you're the top"...
"There was many Queer artists that I work with or know and look up to now here in NYC. I won't disclose their names because that's not my place, but know that they're out here. Their queer identity might not be the focal point of their work - but just recently at Smalls a young woman came up to me and thanked me for doing this work. She said as a queer woman, she knew it would take a queer man to make a name for himself before she would ever be taken seriously as an LGBT female performer in Jazz. That stayed with me. We still have so much work to do. For an art form that's so free - the keys and the decisions are still being held and made by only one kind of person."
So what has Richard been listening to this month?
"I am never not listening to Dinah Washington, period. She's my favorite.
I also spend a lot of time listening to my peers. I love celebrating our community - it's so rich with talent.
And let's be honest, It's no secret I love Lucy Yeghiazaryan - she's my muse. During the pandemic I downloaded every concert I could find of hers and would listen to them over and over trying to figure out how I could sound that good. You can't deny that she is one of the magical and flawless voices of our time."
What is KU!'s importance to the city?
"KEYEDUP! has been a game changer. I first heard about them when I was at my favorite place to get black-out drunk and eat buffalo wings - Hermana NYC (hosting Aida Brandes every Tuesday night). But once I met the team and they were so welcoming, I knew it was going to be the right fit - and I was right. It has been swell. Let's get to the bone and marrow of it, live music was already suffering before the pandemic. And as a gigging musician, you have to decide between working for really shitty pay or not working at all. Venue owners nickel and dime you, are unsupportive and reap all the benefits of your labor and talents - and think a few drink tickets and $50 is gonna help you survive. Well, it ain't. So, for KU! to be helping subsidize the funds to properly pay musicians... no words will ever be able to express my deeply profound gratitude. They are keeping the music alive."
Despite the pandemic, I never stopped creating or making music. In March of 2020, I curated an online interview series through the Club Cumming instagram called Conversations on Jazz. I was then able to get the keys to the club and give musicians out of work streaming bookings in a series I called Alone Together. As soon as we were able to perform outdoors, I was on it - in the snow and sleet with Chris McCarthy performing in freezing weather with no heaters. Then in Feb of 2021 we were able to move inside. That was a game changer. For nearly a year, I had one of the only working septets in NYC and because so many INCREDIBLE musicians who probably would NEVER have worked with me before were out of work and bored, they came and played Club Cumming. That put me and my name on the map in a way it was never seen before."
"I hope we can get back to a place where congregating to hear live music doesn't feel uncomfortable for anyone. We've all been through so much fear and conditioning regarding the pandemic. I know, no matter what, nothing is going to stop me from singing Jazz. And I hope the echoes of the work I've put in are heard in the music of LGBTQIAA jazz musicians long after I'm gone. That is my hope."
You can catch Richard on Tuesday nights at Club Cumming, Thursday nights at Metropolitan Lounge BK and Sundays at Rebar Chelsea. Richard is also working on a visual live album, a studio record with my septet. "Keep your eyes and ears out."
Photo credit - George Mott
Aida Brandes
We are delighted to welcome Aida Brandes to the CWTC interview series.
Born in Germany, Aida lived in Japan as a baby and then grew up in Germany before moving to the US.
" I didn’t have a particularly musical upbringing or jazz background. My mom played piano, so I was always familiar with the instrument and never felt like I couldn’t play music, even though I doubt I was actually any good. I grew up in several different households over the course of my childhood, so there were different musical influences. I’d say initially there was classical music, then a lot of 60s soul music and as a teenager your usual pop, R&B and hip hop. Jazz found its way in there and became a focus at some point, although I am not entirely sure how it actually started."
Performing was already part of Aida's life long before she became a musician.
"I actually started working as a professional dancer and singer while still in high school, so I was already in it before I had to think about choosing a career. I started performing in musicals in high school. I booked a few small tv roles from there, those ended up being more of a one off, but the singing and dancing developed into professional gigs as a backup dancer and singer and recording artist."
Despite growing up all over the world, and performing in a litany of locations, Aida waxes lyrical about her love of New York.
"The first international gig I did was in Mexico City I think. The first show was in front of ten or twenty thousand people, which was super exciting. It was only two or three gigs over ten days. The show was crazy, but the whole trip and experience was one of the best."
"New York is obviously a, if not “the”, place to be for music and performing arts. The energy and level of competition here is awesome, because New York is filled with people who are the best or most ambitious in their home town and now they’re all here trying to figure it out, making each other better. And while that was and is something I love about New York it also ended up being the place that has allowed me to relax. There are things that I would like to do, but if I’m honest being able to sing, play and have fun with it is about as good as it gets. And New York is an amazing place for that.
I am extremely happy to be playing at Hermana on such a regular basis, it has become somewhat of a home base for me. We have John from Hermana and another friend of mine to thank for getting me off the couch and back in front of a mic. John is also the one that made the connection with KeyedUp. KU is such a great and important program. It is helping save live music at a time when it is needed most. When venues are struggling music is usually the first thing to go. KU is stepping in and ensuring that live music can happen and musicians get paid. I am incredibly appreciative and grateful to be a part of KU’s sponsorship, their support has allowed me to play and be free to just focus on the music which is what we are here for."
Aida was married to one of the all-time great musicians, Roy Hargrove.
"Roy was instrumental in me starting to write for big band, which I’m not sure I would have even attempted had it not been for him. He sometimes would ask me to transcribe or copy stuff for him, which would be great practice for me, because I write and read music like a fourth grader. After asking me one day to transcribe a big band piece (which I thought was nuts, but ended up being somewhat doable) he suggested I write one myself. I thought that was equally nuts, but went for it and while the first one wasn’t exactly a masterpiece he was able to play it with his big band and it started me on the road to writing for large ensembles. The first time I got to hear one of my arrangements played live was by his big band and it was one of the most amazing moments for me and I am forever grateful to him for that (amongst a million other things!!).
Me and Roy’s daughter Kamala founded Roy Hargrove Legacy about two years ago to manage Roy’s music and legacy. I run the day to day operations, a lot of it with the indispensable help of our lawyer, which involves everything from rights management to running an online store to releasing new music and so many things I never thought I’d be doing, but I’m happy to say that it’s going well. Last year we were able to release a new record, the first release in twelve years (It’s a live duo recording with Roy and Mulgrew called “In Harmony”) and we were able to get three records that had been unavailable re-released (Jazz Networks “Tokyo sessions/Straight to standards” and “Beauty and the Beast”, plus “Oscar Peterson meets Roy Hargrove and Ralph Moore”)."
What has Aida been listening to?
"Last three artists played: Dexter Gordon live “More than you know” with Kirk Lightsey killing it on piano. Charles Mingus and Friends in concert. And Nat King Cole."
Finally, Aida's thoughts on the last two years of lockdown and where you can find her now.
"The lockdown happened when I wasn’t really ready to be out in the world yet, so it provided a welcome buffer at the time. Also I’m an introvert, so social distancing is generally not much of an issue. Although now that I’ve been out and about again I have to say that I would miss it if we had to distance like that again.
I currently do solo gigs and have started some great collaborations playing duo with Jon Davis as well as performing with Mark Whitfield and I am just having the best time, so I am looking forward to doing more of that. There are a couple of projects in the works with Roy Hargrove Legacy. But overall I can’t say that I have any specific plans to share, so we'll just have to wait and see."
Alexander Stewart
Our next featured artist for our Chats with the Cats series is saxophonist Alexander Stewart
Alexander was first introduced to music at 6, playing the piano then moving to the clarinet in the 4th grade. It wasn't until later that jazz came into his life.
"The band teacher put me on bass clarinet, which I loved, and gave me a little solo. I wasn’t exposed to jazz until around the age of 16 and, like many of us who receive the call, I fell in love instantly. That first summer, my brother and I were staying at my grandparents’ camp and we only had a couple records: Thelonious Monk 'Underground' (which I bought because I like the album cover) and The Amazing Bud Powell Vol. I. We wore those records out. Around this time I got my first tenor saxophone."
A move to Boston during his high school years had created some opportunities as a young jazz musician but Alexander was eager to move away.
"It was a cool place to start out with the sessions at Wally’s and other opportunities but I grew tired of the huge student scene and, in particular, the racial tension in the city. My brother, the pianist Dave Stewart, was recognized as a kind of jazz prodigy and was working with all the main cats starting around the age of 15. For me, arriving in New York was a huge breath of fresh air! When I first got to NY, I played in blues, soul and funk bands and fell into the club date scene to make money. There weren’t all the jazz programs that you see today and I paid dues by taking lessons with some great players, playing in bands at Lynn Oliver’s studio on 89th and Broadway and classes with the great Barry Harris.
I eventually settled in Queens. I toured Europe and North America with Lionel Hampton and got a chance to record and play with some of my musical heroes. Eventually I decided to go back to school. I got a masters in jazz at Manhattan School of Music and started work on a doctorate at the CUNY Grad Center. I loved the city and thought I would be spending the rest of my life there."
But by the late 90s, Alexander was married and had a young child - an opportunity arose in Vermont which he jumped at, though the transition wasn't always easy.
"My doctorate opened up a lot of possibilities and when the call came I also saw a lot of potential to build a jazz program at the University of Vermont. The first few months were rough. In NY I was used to phone calls and you never knew who would be on the other end with a gig to offer. Suddenly the phone no longer rang. But by the end of the first year I was involved in a lot of projects with musicians such as multi-instrumentalist/composer James Harvey (a Vermont-born artist who had returned home), the late Latin jazz trombonist/composer Rick Davies, and others. For the annual jazz festival held every June I assembled a big band of the best local players and brought guest stars like Randy Brecker, Paquito D’Rivera, Jim McNeely. I started a jazz workshop for high school players and a summer jazz camp at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts with residencies by Barry Harris, Ray Vega, the O’Farrills (Arturo and his sons Zach and Adam)."
Alexander has been leading a popular jazz night at The 126 in Burlington, Vermont with the support of KEYEDUP!. After a year-long closure during the pandemic there was a shift in focus.
"The club was formerly known as Deli 126 and is now simply The126. It was closed for over a year during the pandemic and when the owner Jacob and his wife Abby re-opened they decided to drop the food menu and concentrate on craft cocktails and jazz. The club was originally modeled on a Speakeasy and patrons entered through a nondescript door. It still has some of that vibe but it has been beautifully remodeled and outfitted with a grand piano on its small stage. Jacob has generously supplied a drum set, bass amp and small PA system so the musicians have very little equipment they have to lug in and out. While there are other small venues around town that feature some jazz, since its reopening The126 has become the premier jazz club in town! A place where jazz musicians congregate for a Wednesday night jam session and weekend gigs.
The support of KU!/Jazz Generation has made possible an incredible array of collaborations that otherwise would not be happening. It has enabled us to build a thriving Thursday night jazz series that provides an opportunity for the region’s leading professionals and young emerging artists to come together. A recent highlight was pianist Arturo O’Farrill and his son Adam sitting on trumpet, a trend we expect to continue with other stars who are passing through town."
What has Alexander been listening to?
"For our Thursday nights, every two weeks we feature a different artist and repertoire, so a lot of my listening is focused on what we will be playing. Our last guest was Sam Atallah, a trumpeter and recent graduate of the jazz program at UVM, and we featured the music of the Brecker Brothers as well as jazz standards and Sam’s originals. Next up is a saxophone summit with alto/tenor saxophonist Jake Whitesell so I’ve been listening to (and learning material from) classic encounters such as Gene Ammons/Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane/Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz/Warne Marsh, Phil Woods/Johnny Griffin and so forth."
With many fantastic musicians from NY, Montreal and elsewhere due to visit The126 in the coming months, Alexander is excited about the future of live music.
"It seems like we are coming back stronger than ever. There was overdue emphasis on the local scene in the annual jazz festival and musicians are delighted to be back together (with the necessary precautions, of course!)."
Dennis Lichtman
Our next featured artist is multi-instrumentalist Dennis Lichtman.
Growing up in Newport, Dennis recounts how lucky he was to grow up in Boston where he had a great foundation of musical education.
"I don’t come from a jazz family, but we are music lovers. My grandfather introduced me to Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli’s music and my mother always had classical records playing in the house (she had played clarinet and piano when she was younger). She went out of her way to take me to concerts - Don Byron, chamber music, the Del McCoury Band, Klezmer Conservatory Band, blues festivals, etc. — anything she read a preview for in the newspaper that sounded particularly interesting.
For such a small city, Boston has a huge arts scene. I never experienced it as a working musician (I moved away for college when I was just shy of 18) but as a listener, I remember a constant onslaught of opportunities to hear world-class music. There was and still is strong support for the arts in public schools. I started violin in 1st grade and clarinet in the 4th due to twice weekly music classes. My main teachers were classical players, but they were open-minded and encouraged me to pursue other styles that interested me."
Dennis wasn't always sure he'd make a career in music; the 30 year journey of exploration and discovery has been hard fought. His ideology of what it meant to be a professional musician crystalized as a conservatory student at Hartt School of Music CT.
"I thought it was either playing in an orchestra full-time, having a world-famous band, or teaching full-time. My clarinet teacher there, Charles Russo, had been a NYC working musician for 60 years. He had played the most prestigious chamber festivals around the world and recorded with classical legends, but had also played in seedy strip clubs, done thousands of studio jingle sessions and pick-up gigs, and had incredible stories about all of it. I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen, but that sounded so much more appealing to me (and attainable) than pursuing an orchestral career."
After graduation in 2001, Dennis was a part of a band which toured but didn't last, and was working in an office near Boston.
"In 2002, a friend offered me a low-paid apprenticeship at his booking agency in NYC, and with no other options, I jumped on it. I hated the job and only lasted a few months, but it was immediately clear to me that the music scene here was immensely deep and infinitely inspiring.
I did catering jobs part-time until I had enough music gigs (it took a couple of years). I literally took every gig that came my way, no matter how unqualified I may have been or how little it paid or how long of a subway ride. Sink or swim, fake it til you make it. As I got busier, I was able to take more control of my career, choosing the gigs I wanted to do, and eventually creating my own projects and opportunities."
"Mona's" is an east village staple and one of the best places to hear live jazz on a Tuesday night.
"Over the years, we’ve seen waves of new players come and go at the Mona’s session. Young players come through for the first time, sounding rough around the edges, and we see them improve each week. They come back often for a while, then get busier with their own careers and move on. When we started, I was one of the young guys! As I move towards being an “elder statesman,” it’s a joy to see people who now have thriving careers, when I remember their wide-eyed, sometimes terrified faces sitting in with my band for the first time.
In the beginning, we didn’t play very well but we had heart, and there was the excitement of this new, underground scene of youngsters. The crowds were thin. Now, we have an international reputation and the crowds come from all over — not just East Village locals stumbling in for a pint.
The things that haven’t changed are the musical integrity and the openness. It’s never been a cutting session, and it’s always been community-minded first and foremost. And now, just as then, we don’t know who will show up. We get jazz legends and we get inexperienced newer players, and everything in between — and we find common ground and make good music together.
In 2006-2007, a monumental shift took place as dozens of young musicians in NYC who were interested in pre-bebop jazz all found each other at the same time. There was an explosion of new bands, and gigs started to pop up all over. (A similar movement happened in bluegrass/string music at the time, and there was a lot of crossover between our scenes.) I loved the music, but had found very few people my age to play it with, and all of a sudden they were everywhere. My guitarist friend Izzy Zaidman, who I knew from local bluegrass gigs, suggested we start a weekly jam session so we could get to know more players and tunes.
Mona’s is a cozy East Village dive bar that had hosted a high-level Monday night traditional Irish music session for decades. As a string music enthusiast, I had spent some time hanging out there. One night, the Irish session ended early, so I started playing tunes with a few of my jazz bandmates who were there. The bartender, Aidan Grant, invited us to start a session the following Tuesday. Aidan is still my partner in the venture, and we’ve done every Tuesday since June 2007 (with a pandemic break, of course)."
Dennis has travelled extensively and performed on a multitude of stages. He recounts a few of his favorite stories.
"The best moments are the ones when we feel like fish out of water, but the music connects with the audience in a way that breaks down all barriers.
On a tour of China with banjoist Cynthia Sayer, we did several performances at special boarding schools for children of migrant workers. The whole town came out - they had never seen foreigners or heard jazz. But their sheer delight and joy absolutely melted my heart.
On my first European tour ever, with the Cangelosi Cards in 2008 or 2009, we played at an arts festival in Sweden that was like a miniature Burning Man. Most of the other music was electronic or rock — it was more like a rave — and while we were setting up the crowd stared at us like we were aliens. But from the very first note, they danced like nothing I’d ever seen. They flowed on ballads and went wild on uptempo tunes and cheered in the middle of hot solos. If we brought the dynamics way down, they would crouch down. If the trombone player played a loud note, they would jump up and shout back at him. I’ve never felt more of a direct connection with an audience — they didn’t know what to expect from us, we didn’t know what to expect from them, but we gave each other the benefit of the doubt and built a little community together for a couple of hours."
So what is Dennis listening to this month and what does he have on the horizon?
"Béla Fleck’s new bluegrass album, Ellington’s Queen’s Suite, James Booker. I’ve had my head in the sand about new music coming out recently - I need to get back on top of that!"
"I’m playing 7 shows overseas as a duo with the incredible Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton in November. He’s known internationally as a solo blues performer, but beyond that he is a deep encyclopedia of folkloric American music from ragtime to early country to minstrel music to Tin Pan Alley and more. We just recorded an album that will only be available at shows.
I’m working on a secret composition project under a grant I received — tentatively titled “SECRET WORKSHOP” — but I can’t yet provide details beyond that. It’s extending me creatively beyond my usual comfort zone, and I’m thrilled with what I have so far. Look out for that in late 2022.
And I’m beyond excited to get back to playing festivals and concerts with The Lovestruck Balladeers in early 2022. The band is a personal “supergroup” of longtime collaborators. We’ve been quiet during the pandemic because we’re spread out across North America, but we’ll be coming back strong soon!"
And finally, Dennis speaks about the importance of KU! to the city
"I love everything about KU! An old college friend recently told me about it and connected us. KU! has enabled me to expand the Mona’s house band from a quartet to a quintet, which widens the pool of musicians I can include each week — with an eye on diversity in all ways.
I love that they are enabling weekly performances to happen in places that might not be able to sustain it without a bit of support. The larger, established venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Vanguard, and the Blue Note are great, but the smaller local venues are the true pulse of the city. That’s where young players cut their teeth, new sounds are explored, musical relationships are forged, and newcomers to the music become lifelong fans."
Nick Green
We are delighted to feature our next artist for the Chats with the Cats series, Saxophonist Nick Green.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Nick recounts his early inspirations.
"There wasn’t a tremendous scene in Brooklyn growing up, but I remember being first inspired by my father’s friend Willie Martinez watching his group "La Familia Sextet'', a small latin jazz group that was very inspiring. Willie was a guy I grew up around and was very encouraging to me early on when I began playing saxophone. My father is a chef and my mother also worked in restaurants but had a beautiful singing voice and was a dancer in her youth. I acted in school plays when I was younger. She was very supportive of my involvement in the arts, unfortunately she passed away and never saw me play the saxophone when I switched to playing music.
I saw Sonny Rollins playing live when I was in High School, after that concert I realized I wanted to play music seriously. Later on I met some horn players, older than I am, guys on the scene today like Bruce Harris, Stefano Doglioni and Joe Magnarelli. They showed me it’s possible to make a living doing what you love, playing music and also teaching it."
During his formative years, Nick was a student of the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra, another wing of the Jazz Generation family.
"My experiences with the JSYO were some of the most important moments of my early development as a young musician. Some great musicians came out of the program I was a part of, such as Davis Whitfield, Evan Sherman, Jordan Young, Matt Martinez and a few more. I’m grateful for all the hard work David O’ Rourke and Emily Elyshevitz put into that program, I know that the Jazz Standard closed during the pandemic. I hope they’ll find another place to reopen, there were a lot of great memories made down there and it was a great way to help the youth stay inspired and continue to grow."
It was Nick's father Neil that bought him his first saxophone when Nick was 8 and now Nick provides the music in his restaurant, the Flying Lobster.
"The Flying Lobster is my father’s bar (Neil Ganic). He gave me the chance to set up live music there a few nights a week after I graduated college a year or two ago. It has been well received by the people in the neighborhood and beyond. Many of my favorite musicians have had the chance to play there as well and none of it would’ve been possible if not for my old man, he’s got a big heart and he loves music too."
The pandemic caused huge changes to our lives, no more evidently than the live music scene. Nick reflects on quarantining, outdoor entertainment and KU!'s importance to the city.
"My experience has been playing outdoors more than I ever did before! Thank goodness we could still play outside during the thick of COVID. Isolating was not fun for me, having a few months to catch up on practice was great, but there is nothing like playing with other musicians and learning to grow on the bandstand. I hope things continue getting better moving forward.
There is no place in the world like New York city. There may be less work playing today than there was 40 or 50 years ago, however there are still a ton of opportunities here that you don’t get anywhere else in the world, and I’ve had the privilege to play around Europe etc. I’ve found that you have to find a way to create your own scene and also stay connected with your peers and go watch them play, there will always be a chance for you somewhere here."
"Michael Weiss the great pianist and Bob Mover the great saxophonist both told me about KEYEDUP!, that they might be able to help fund the music at my family’s place. KEYEDUP! has been so important to keeping the music alive at the Flying Lobster, all of the musicians are so grateful for their support. They help support a lot of other great venues throughout the city and I wish that there were more sponsors like them out there in the world."
So what has Nick been listening to this month?
"I’m always listening to Charlie Parker and Lester Young, they’re my favorites. I love classical music too, I’ve enjoyed listening to Schubert and Bartok. My mentor, the great Charles McPherson, turned me on to Bartok’s concerto for orchestra. Talk about some interesting stuff! And in person I’ve heard my good friends Pasquale Grasso and Stefano Doglioni - they always inspire me and it shows that music is a universal language. These are two guys from Italy who play the heck out of this music. I heard two of my favorite alto players recently at the Flying Lobster, Mike DiRubbo and Jon Gordon, two masters of the instrument."
You can find Nick playing at the Flying Lobster, with live music 5 nights a week. He next plays on Saturday night 09/25 from 7-10pm with Josh Lee, a baritone saxophonist from Philadelphia. Check out his website nickgreenmusic.com for more information about upcoming recordings and gigs.
Jerome Sabbagh
We are excited to feature the wonderful Jerome Sabbagh, saxophonist and curator of the Wednesday night series at Bar Bayeux.
Born in Paris in 73', Jerome first encountered jazz during middle school education.
I was fortunate to have a great music teacher at my local middle school. Annick Chartreux. I discovered my love of music through her and started buying jazz records: Miles, Dexter, Sonny, Trane etc. Those records were my main influences, as well as some players in Paris, who I either studied with or just would go hear play: Philippe Chagne, Eric Barret, Jean-Louis Chautemps, Eric Le Lann. There certainly was a scene in Paris but, although there were great players, it overall felt pretty closed and small to me at the time. I sensed that there was more and that sparked my interest in studying in the US. I don’t come from a familial jazz background so I sought out everything I could, borrowing jazz records at the local library and going to as many shows as I could.
Jerome went to Berklee to study music but felt that he wasn't done with east coast living.
"I thought my time in the US might be limited. I wanted to experience New York before I moved back. I had no idea I would end up staying. When I came to New York, in 1995, you could still hear some of the greats in clubs. The connection to the tradition felt strong and there were also many younger players who were making their mark and inspired others. Hearing Elvin, Roy, Paul Motian or Joe Henderson was a privilege, and some of the Smalls residencies of Kurt Rosenwinkel and Guillermo Klein really inspired me to write music and create my own bands. New York just felt like the place to be to learn about this music and seriously pursue it."
As one of his many ongoing projects, Jerome curates the music on Wednesday nights at Bar Bayeux in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn - a staple that's built a reputation for great cocktails and an intimate atmosphere conducive to hearing great music. It was Jerome's knowledge of wine, rather than his music, which led him there.
"I used to play with Jeremy Stratton, the bassist, and manager at Bar Bayeux, every week at Grassroots, in the East Village, with Adam Kolker and Rodney Green or George Schuller, mostly. Because I used to bring nice bottles of wine for the band when we played Grassroots, when Jeremy opened Bar Bayeux, he actually asked me to do the wine list first! My involvement in the booking of music happened later. After a while, I volunteered to help book the Wednesday jazz night, the success of which led to more nights of music at the bar. I just thought I knew a lot of musicians and bands through being on the scene in New York and could book good music relatively easily. I also thought it would be good for the scene to have another viable venue. I make a point of being there and introducing the bands myself, so as to try to foster a listening vibe, which I think is very important, and not always a given."
"It’s been interesting to try to put something together that reflects the diversity of musical outlooks and the creativity of the jazz musicians of this city. There is no shortage of great music and it’s been inspiring to me to try to present it appropriately. Some of the shows have really been special, either some of the live ones, or the streaming ones we did during lockdown: Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Chris Potter etc. I have tried to feature the masters as often as I am able to and it’s been encouraging to have the support and participation of legends such as Billy Hart, Victor Lewis or Jeff Watts. However, I also want to feature and support younger musicians. I feel like I am giving something back to the music that I love by trying to feature other people and get a nice scene going. I just wish I could give more people gigs, but choices have to be made. I only book the Wednesday series, Jeremy handles the other days himself."
Jerome is appreciative of the efforts that people made to adjust during the pandemic, but concedes there is no replacement for live music.
"Streaming has had a moment and allowed us to keep a connection to music. It was certainly interesting to get it going at Bar Bayeux. I credit the Village Vanguard for the inspiration. Their first stream with the Billy Hart Quartet was a breath of fresh air at a pretty bleak time. To me, the Vanguard streams were also the benchmark for how to do this properly. We tried to follow their lead as best we could at Bar Bayeux.As for myself, I kept practicing, but I really missed playing, as all of us did. As helpful as streaming was and is, there is no substitute for live music with an audience and I hope that going forward, we can make enough progress as a society that things like that become possible and normal again."
So what's on the record player for Jerome at the moment?
"I’ve been revisiting some older albums by Steve Coleman (“The Tao of Mad Phat”) , Michel Petrucciani (“Music" and "Michel Plays Petrucciani”) and John Scofield ("Hand Jive"). It’s music that I’ve known since it came out in the eighties or nineties and I connect to it just as much today."
And finally, Jerome speaks about the importance of KEYEDUP! to NYC and beyond
"Rob Duguay introduced me to the work of KEYEDUP!. Rob and I have known each other for a while and we have played together over the years. When I got involved with the booking at Bar Bayeux, I reached out. KU’s support has been absolutely crucial to the music at Bar Bayeux. There is no way we could do what we do without it. But more than that, the fact that KU! supports so many places has really left an important mark on the scene. At this point, it’s hard to imagine what would become of a lot of venues without KU!'s support. KEYEDUP! has kept the scene alive throughout tough times, and has become a seminal part of the very fabric of the city. It has allowed many musicians to keep working and creating."
Jerome recently recorded a quartet album with Kenny Barron, Joe Martin and Johnathan Blake - due to be released next year. You can also catch him on Sep 29 at Bar Bayeux with Joe Martin and Al Foster on drums.
Tyson Jackson
Born in March 97, Tyson speaks of his early influences with a mental presence which defies his years.
"I grew up with a huge gospel influence - I started in the church which was down the street from the house that I grew up in. I played with the men's chorus as my first entry level gig - I was about ten/twelve or so. I started the drums as a young child so I had already been playing for years. I would put the manilla envelopes on the floor as my bass pedal to practice. It matriculated on to me going to Bak Middle School of performing arts - I was in the jazz band there. In elementary I was also following the arts path the whole way through. At the Dreyfus school of the arts I was playing jazz, learning the history and the lineage, fully immersing myself and bringing that gospel influence to jazz.
That experience in church and playing, having my origins come from there is why every interaction I have is constantly seeing the correlation and relationship between spirituality and the music. They are so connected. You can have greater presence only after you surrender to it - get past who you think you are and what you want to play - how do I fit into that? I ask 'what's happening now? How can I serve the music?'. This mantra has continued to carry me throughout my career as a musician. It all started in church."
"I have an older sister who is 9 years older - she also started in the marching band playing clarinet in high school and my mom also played the clarinet. The thing that did it for me was my older cousin (4 years older) who also played at the same church. I would watch him all the time. He now plays drums for a pop artist named Kehlani. He also studied at Dreyfus and BAK. He taught me what a jazz swing live pattern was just before my BAK audition. We were in the basement of my church and we got our sticks out. I played that pattern all the way through my audition. Since I’ve grown up, I’ve seen the correlation between it but that pattern was the beginning of it all."
"With regard to spirituality - it's the origins of who I am beyond music. My relationship with God fuels all that I do - it's a constant ebb and flow in choosing what I do. What made the gospel music so weighty and deep was just flowing off the essence of the core relationship with God. I'm always trying to figure out now more than ever - 'what is my purpose? How do I treat others? Is this pushing me towards my purpose?' - which is to serve God and to serve others. Egos can play a part but when we get concerned with 'I' and 'me' you’re missing the point. This is a gift that has been given.
It's hard though. Every day you must choose to surrender and put your ego to the side. I may want to play this hip thing here but is that what the music needs?"
Tyson speaks of his early career success, and meeting the great Wynton Marsalis.
"I met Wynton initially before my Juilliard audition. This was just when he stepped on as the artistic director (I also met and spent time with Carl Allen, another mentor of mine). Wynton wasn’t present at the audition, I remember Kenny Washington was in the room, Ron Blake - plenty of faculty who were on the panel but I'll never forget that I got waitlisted and then accepted. Berklee sent an offer at a similar time. They both offered versions of scholarship. Berklee offered full tuition. My prayer was that my mom wouldn’t have to pay anything out of pocket. She had already sacrificed so much for me and I promise you - God did it. My four years in college were all covered. Going to grad school I had to pay a deposit but after that it was free."
"Wynton wasn’t there but I saw him afterwards. John Michael Bradford and I were at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Lincoln Center jazz band was playing - it was maybe a year after my audition. Wynton wasn’t there but I saw him afterwards. Jon introduced me. He said he remembered me from my audition! He said “you liked to play fast”. He had so much respect which was of course mutual. It was so affirming that he remembered me from an audition he wasn’t even at!"
"Since then my whole life has been nothing but testimony. I have so much gratitude. Tia Fuller and Joey Alexander, Deedee Bridgewater, Terrence Blanchard. I'm playing at the DC Jazz fest this year - Marko Pinniaterro, John Pattituci, Alan Pasquale and I. Danilo Perez was also in the masters program. With Joey, we recorded two singles “Salt” and “Under the sun” and I also have my thesis project from the global jazz institute - my first record and intro as a leader and composer “The greatest of these” - based on 1 Corinthians 13:13. During the pandemic there was a lot of multi tracking. More recently as things have opened up I re-recorded but now I have to choose which one I prefer! So look for it this Summer 21’."
Tyson set up his own company - "Beyond Measure Music"
"Beyond Measure Music was set up in 2015, now an official LLC based out in Boston - it serves as a continuation of myself in three facets - as the artist, the entrepreneur and finally as the freelancer for hire. Essentially - people can reach out to me, teaching composing and writing, but I also have my own band: the TJ trio as a leader and "Tyson Jackson Experience" is more corporate events and private parties."
Tyson offers his thoughts on the scene in Boston.
"Boston is definitely unique - I think that being at Berklee exposed me to a lot of not just jazz music but music in general. I’ve had the pleasure to be able to work with so many artists, Isaiah Beard who’s up and coming, a great artist Beane who had success on American Idol. For the jazz scene, Boston is what it is - there are a ton of great musicians here but of course it will never be what NYC is. But it shouldn’t be discredited as great music comes from here - there are great musicians here. I met Ralph Peterson who we recently lost and was a huge mentor for me. Jason Palmer who I played a lot with - we played a spot in DC. We need more venues but obviously the money isn’t there after covid. Wally's jazz cafe is a particularly great spot - owned by the Poindexter family. They are hugely responsible for the continuation of the lineage and the history especially amongst young people. Paul is always booking young guys. I got my chance with Jason at Wallys. That gig led to a ton more opportunities. It’s a staple. Scullers jazz club run by Jan Mullen is another great spot"
"Virtuosity Boston and their live stream has been great during covid. Before covid, Wally's was a weekly thing, Noah Preminger and I, led initially by Jason Palmer. Kevin Harris was also involved - he's a great pianist. I'm also doing one of the radio features with Noah. During covid it's been one of the things that has remained constant. I'm looking forward to introducing KEYEDUP! to more venues as they reopen."
Tyson also opened up about his own experiences over the last year and how he managed during the pandemic.
"This last year - my experience was definitely like most in the beginning - "what am I gonna do?" One of the most important things I've learned is the importance of diversification and having multiple avenues. Prior to covid I was finishing up the master's program at Berklee, I was touring on the weekends and made it work with my schedule. But now, I am literally producing with the Silver Arrow band - I am a manager for this region (1 of 5). Also I am a program manager at an after school program, Hamilton Garrett, which focuses on music and arts for pre-K through 12. I also teach the jazz ensemble at Berklee City Music. My role of teaching has definitely been cultivated during this time - a lot more than I anticipated. But it's good as this will only inform everything else I do. When I go out and the young kid needs to be taught I can break things down in a certain way to help them, I have the flexibility and understanding to do more lessons on the road. One thing helps the other as it all should."
"This pandemic and everything, the thing for me is that - money is great but I'm actively in a place where I want to pursue my purpose. I ask myself 'What are you doing to actively impact and better the world?' Because what good is money and material things if everyone hates you or you haven’t given back to your community? It's so important for us to serve - by getting into music we’ve gotten into the service industry. This is becoming more clear to me day by day. There’s still much info out there that I want to take advantage of."
Richard Julian
Born in March 97, Tyson speaks of his early influences with a mental presence which defies his years.
"I grew up with a huge gospel influence - I started in the church which was down the street from the house that I grew up in. I played with the men's chorus as my first entry level gig - I was about ten/twelve or so. I started the drums as a young child so I had already been playing for years. I would put the manilla envelopes on the floor as my bass pedal to practice. It matriculated on to me going to Bak Middle School of performing arts - I was in the jazz band there. In elementary I was also following the arts path the whole way through. At the Dreyfus school of the arts I was playing jazz, learning the history and the lineage, fully immersing myself and bringing that gospel influence to jazz.
That experience in church and playing, having my origins come from there is why every interaction I have is constantly seeing the correlation and relationship between spirituality and the music. They are so connected. You can have greater presence only after you surrender to it - get past who you think you are and what you want to play - how do I fit into that? I ask 'what's happening now? How can I serve the music?'. This mantra has continued to carry me throughout my career as a musician. It all started in church."
"I have an older sister who is 9 years older - she also started in the marching band playing clarinet in high school and my mom also played the clarinet. The thing that did it for me was my older cousin (4 years older) who also played at the same church. I would watch him all the time. He now plays drums for a pop artist named Kehlani. He also studied at Dreyfus and BAK. He taught me what a jazz swing live pattern was just before my BAK audition. We were in the basement of my church and we got our sticks out. I played that pattern all the way through my audition. Since I’ve grown up, I’ve seen the correlation between it but that pattern was the beginning of it all."
"With regard to spirituality - it's the origins of who I am beyond music. My relationship with God fuels all that I do - it's a constant ebb and flow in choosing what I do. What made the gospel music so weighty and deep was just flowing off the essence of the core relationship with God. I'm always trying to figure out now more than ever - 'what is my purpose? How do I treat others? Is this pushing me towards my purpose?' - which is to serve God and to serve others. Egos can play a part but when we get concerned with 'I' and 'me' you’re missing the point. This is a gift that has been given.
It's hard though. Every day you must choose to surrender and put your ego to the side. I may want to play this hip thing here but is that what the music needs?"
Tyson speaks of his early career success, and meeting the great Wynton Marsalis.
"I met Wynton initially before my Juilliard audition. This was just when he stepped on as the artistic director (I also met and spent time with Carl Allen, another mentor of mine). Wynton wasn’t present at the audition, I remember Kenny Washington was in the room, Ron Blake - plenty of faculty who were on the panel but I'll never forget that I got waitlisted and then accepted. Berklee sent an offer at a similar time. They both offered versions of scholarship. Berklee offered full tuition. My prayer was that my mom wouldn’t have to pay anything out of pocket. She had already sacrificed so much for me and I promise you - God did it. My four years in college were all covered. Going to grad school I had to pay a deposit but after that it was free."
"Wynton wasn’t there but I saw him afterwards. John Michael Bradford and I were at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Lincoln Center jazz band was playing - it was maybe a year after my audition. Wynton wasn’t there but I saw him afterwards. Jon introduced me. He said he remembered me from my audition! He said “you liked to play fast”. He had so much respect which was of course mutual. It was so affirming that he remembered me from an audition he wasn’t even at!"
"Since then my whole life has been nothing but testimony. I have so much gratitude. Tia Fuller and Joey Alexander, Deedee Bridgewater, Terrence Blanchard. I'm playing at the DC Jazz fest this year - Marko Pinniaterro, John Pattituci, Alan Pasquale and I. Danilo Perez was also in the masters program. With Joey, we recorded two singles “Salt” and “Under the sun” and I also have my thesis project from the global jazz institute - my first record and intro as a leader and composer “The greatest of these” - based on 1 Corinthians 13:13. During the pandemic there was a lot of multi tracking. More recently as things have opened up I re-recorded but now I have to choose which one I prefer! So look for it this Summer 21’."
Tyson set up his own company - "Beyond Measure Music"
"Beyond Measure Music was set up in 2015, now an official LLC based out in Boston - it serves as a continuation of myself in three facets - as the artist, the entrepreneur and finally as the freelancer for hire. Essentially - people can reach out to me, teaching composing and writing, but I also have my own band: the TJ trio as a leader and "Tyson Jackson Experience" is more corporate events and private parties."
Tyson offers his thoughts on the scene in Boston.
"Boston is definitely unique - I think that being at Berklee exposed me to a lot of not just jazz music but music in general. I’ve had the pleasure to be able to work with so many artists, Isaiah Beard who’s up and coming, a great artist Beane who had success on American Idol. For the jazz scene, Boston is what it is - there are a ton of great musicians here but of course it will never be what NYC is. But it shouldn’t be discredited as great music comes from here - there are great musicians here. I met Ralph Peterson who we recently lost and was a huge mentor for me. Jason Palmer who I played a lot with - we played a spot in DC. We need more venues but obviously the money isn’t there after covid. Wally's jazz cafe is a particularly great spot - owned by the Poindexter family. They are hugely responsible for the continuation of the lineage and the history especially amongst young people. Paul is always booking young guys. I got my chance with Jason at Wallys. That gig led to a ton more opportunities. It’s a staple. Scullers jazz club run by Jan Mullen is another great spot"
"Virtuosity Boston and their live stream has been great during covid. Before covid, Wally's was a weekly thing, Noah Preminger and I, led initially by Jason Palmer. Kevin Harris was also involved - he's a great pianist. I'm also doing one of the radio features with Noah. During covid it's been one of the things that has remained constant. I'm looking forward to introducing KEYEDUP! to more venues as they reopen."
Tyson also opened up about his own experiences over the last year and how he managed during the pandemic.
"This last year - my experience was definitely like most in the beginning - "what am I gonna do?" One of the most important things I've learned is the importance of diversification and having multiple avenues. Prior to covid I was finishing up the master's program at Berklee, I was touring on the weekends and made it work with my schedule. But now, I am literally producing with the Silver Arrow band - I am a manager for this region (1 of 5). Also I am a program manager at an after school program, Hamilton Garrett, which focuses on music and arts for pre-K through 12. I also teach the jazz ensemble at Berklee City Music. My role of teaching has definitely been cultivated during this time - a lot more than I anticipated. But it's good as this will only inform everything else I do. When I go out and the young kid needs to be taught I can break things down in a certain way to help them, I have the flexibility and understanding to do more lessons on the road. One thing helps the other as it all should."
"This pandemic and everything, the thing for me is that - money is great but I'm actively in a place where I want to pursue my purpose. I ask myself 'What are you doing to actively impact and better the world?' Because what good is money and material things if everyone hates you or you haven’t given back to your community? It's so important for us to serve - by getting into music we’ve gotten into the service industry. This is becoming more clear to me day by day. There’s still much info out there that I want to take advantage of."
Tyler Mitchell
Our next featured artist for our Chats with the Cats is bassist Tyler Mitchell.
Growing up in Chicago, Tyler was introduced to Jazz from an early age. "My earliest music experiences were listening to all the great jazz records my dad played almost nonstop at home. You see, my father was a world renowned artist and muralist; he loved jazz and knew many of the greats." (John Coltrane, Max Roach and Miles Davis but to name a few) "It was only natural that I would play jazz because it's all I heard around the house. I come from Chicago, which has a strong jazz and blues history but my father was my main influence."
Tyler cites a visit from John Coltrane to his house when he was 5 as a reason for following music but never thinks of it as a career. "I never thought of music this way. It is just something that I love to do - that's it."
After studying under Donald Raphael Garrett, Tyler moved to New York, joining the Sun Ra Arkestra to record and tour, and also in Art "Taylor's Wailers".
“Les had a special way of directing the band and orchestrating the band that was unlike anybody else. Sun Ra took me to Europe for the first time - there were a lot of guys there in the band, most I didn't know. It was 4/5 guys in a room - it was a real rough house. I was in the band when all the heavy masters were still alive, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, Charles Davis - it was a great time.”
“Sun ra was a disciplinary - we were practicing 10/12 hours a day. He was a serious task master. He had these really heavy arrangements. A lot of people think his stuff is free playing, we had moments of improvisation, but for the most part we had heavy arrangements. He used to arrange for Fletcher Henderson - that's how he learned. The band rehearsed hard, the horn section was particularly tight. All we did was rehearse when we went on the road.”
Tyler spent over a decade away from New York, I was living in Mexico and travelling through Central America for 10/11 years. It was a culture shock coming back to NY - It was a lot of change, definitely a shock. Many things had changed, I won’t necessarily say for the better for the music, but it definitely changed. There was a whole generation of musicians I didn’t know. "New York is the center of the world. Like the song "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere" New York, New York!! I'm still reaching. I haven't found it yet"
Known for his big sound and mixing old and new jazz concepts, Tyler believes there is a greater need for adaptability with today's musicians. "I think most musicians focus on one genre of jazz. There are not enough jazz artists being versatile. I think we should mix it all up more, because it's all related. It's totally a different scene now with regards to players and academia, which is all cool and everything, but it's really different now - too much emphasis on the school but that’s the way it is. It used to be a lot more on the job training and you’d get your education through the real people. School has the real people too but I guess it's just not like that anymore. Bass players coming up now should be doing it because you love it, try and get out amongst the people rather than just staying amongst friends. I just don’t know if this will be the same coming back after this pandemic. But young and old, I hope that we can all get back to gigging and sharing knowledge.
Mario Abney
Our latest artist to feature for Chats with the Cats is trumpeter Mario Abney.
Born and raised in Chicago, Mario remembers his earliest experiences of music were through his family.
"My uncle Arthur, uncle John David, grandmother Nez and Mother, Ora Abney. Arthur, my youngest uncle, played lounge style piano at home and taught me how to play around the age of 7. My uncle John David introduced me to James Brown as it was something he always listened to around us. My grandmother was a huge blues fan and my mother Ora was the choir president. Thus I always heard that soulful Chicago gospel sound that reminds me of jazzy music." Outside of this, hip-hop and 90s rap were important influences from an early age, as well as long time friend and bandmate, drummer Phil Fornett at Thornton Township Highschool.
"I went to an after school jazz band rehearsal and that is when I knew that I was in love with jazz. I was taught by teachers like Phill Crews, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Orbert Davis, Mike Mcgrath, Paul Finna, and legends like Vaughn Freeman and Fred Anderson were also big influences."
Mario's first experiences on a live stage as a young musician in the late 90s and early 2000s was at the Velvet Lounge. The Velvet Lounge was owned and operated by Chicago Saxophone legend Fred Anderson.
"Fred Anderson was a visionary, leader, master musician and a light to the younger cats seeking to learn and play the music. Every Sunday after church my mother, Ora Abney, would take me and my friends to the jam session at the Velvet Lounge located in the South Loop of Chicago. The Velvet Lounge at that time was right next to Harold's Chicken and it was just the perfect hangout for cats young and old. Every Sunday we'd ride from club to club, all the Young Lions.
It was meeting the legendary Roy Hargrove at a jazz band competition which changed his outlook. "Roy showed me that music is a viable option in money making. It was from this point I realized that I wanted to make a career out of music." During a performance at the Dayton RiverWalk festival in 07', Mario became interested in going to New Orleans after hearing the Hot 8 Brass Band perform. "So I decided to move to New Orleans so that I could immerse myself in the roots of jazz music. From there, New Orleans has become my home."
Mario and his band, the Abney Effect participated in a cultural exchange program in 2011.
"I took a ten piece band to Ecuador to perform in a cultural exchange program where we taught music and held music clinics for the young music students locally. We also performed in three major cities: Guayaquil, Quito, and Esmeralda. The cultural exchange program was a week and a half, during this time we were featured at several festivals. This project was intended to be a cultural link between New Orleans and the Esmerelda community."
Mario is planning on releasing new music in Spring 2021 "'Abney Effect Volume II' that includes my latest singles, "I Came To Move", "Sweet Lady", "Midnight Vibe", "Love and Trust", and more." The pandemic though has changed everyone's plans "we have had gigs overseas cancelled along with our upcoming gigs in NYC. I also had promotional gigs lined up for my latest releases "I Came To Move" "Single Lady" and "Love & Trust" However, during the quarantine my wife added on to our home studio and really perfected the art of live virtual performance."
Now, Mario hosts a live stream every Tuesday night with his quintet - performing both original and classical compositions as well as featuring local artists from the NOLA area. "I heard about KU! through my high school teacher Mr. Rudresh. KU! is important because it is a driving force in keeping the arts moving forward. KU! is helping to inspire young musicians and therefore creating a future for music!”
Noah Preminger
Growing up in northwest Connecticut, Noah was equidistant from NYC and Boston and enjoyed the best of both worlds.
"I went to grade school in Canton which was a bit of a podunk town, and I didn’t have many friends there. This gave me ample time to practice all day long, and listen to my parents’ diverse music collection. I owe everything to my parents for offering me incredible opportunities while growing up, such as private lessons (locally, as well as driving me down to NYC), purchasing me the instruments I still play on today, and even moving to a nearby town, West Hartford, so I could be a part of their prestigious public high school’s jazz band and get a better education. My Mom plays a little piano and my Dad doesn’t play at all, but they both are hip to what’s going on and know who’s who on the scene, often suggesting records to check out and even players I’d never heard of before."
Noah's singular focus in pursuing music was evident from early on in his grade school years.
"When I was about 11 or 12 years old, I had a conversation with my parents where I told them this is what I was going to exclusively focus on. At that point I gave up most of my other extra-curricular activities and buckled down, practicing 6-8 hours a day. I developed the method of finger practicing, which has proven helpful as I got older; this allows me to practice in my head all day long, without needing the physical instrument."
Feeling apprehensive about the bright lights of NYC, Noah chose to first attend the New England Conservatory of Music.
"It could be the part of me that’s introverted, but I didn’t want to get lost in the sea of people, buildings, streets, venues, gossip, etc. It was just too much, even though I had previously spent lots of time there seeing music and visiting family."
"I moved to NYC the day after I graduated college. While in college, I’d made my first recording with a bucket list group ["Dry Bridge Road" which included guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Frank Kimbrough, trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Ted Poor] and I just wanted to play with more people that inspired me like that. Most of all, I just wanted to be a band leader which required finding players that felt similarly about music as I did. No better place in the world than NYC for that!"
Taking these bold risks has become integral to Noah, both in day to day life and how it's reflected in his musical style.
"I’ve found it necessary to get that dose of adrenaline on a regular basis and fortunately I’ve been able to find it in different ways. When I moved to NYC I wanted to quit smoking, so I took up boxing. My grandfather nicknamed me Rocky as a kid and I loved the idea of fighting as a sport, so I trained and sparred for the next 7 years. Over the years I’ve ridden motorcycles, gone skydiving and challenged myself with risky adventures which I believe comes out in my musical attitude and voice. This is my path and I hope the listener can hear how it’s different than others."
During the pandemic, Keyed Up! and Jazz Generation have partnered with Noah and virtuosity music to facilitate a weekly live stream.
"I’ve been able to co-lead a live-streaming gig in Boston with drummer Tyson Jackson at a beautiful store called Virtuosity Music (Virtuosity is across the street from Symphony Hall and directly between NEC and Berklee). It’s definitely given me the needed fix to play with other people during the pandemic and I’m very grateful to my friend, Rob Duguay, and the rest of the Keyed Up!/Jazz Generation team for getting players in Boston working."
"I have a new record coming out in early 2021 that's a duo with bassist Kim Cass. We’ve been recording it remotely for months and I’m really excited and proud of the project. I had a trio record planned with guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Dan Weiss, but it’s postponed until we can record safely together."
In Lockdown, Noah has enjoyed many ups and downs during the quarantine.
"I recently started teaching at Longy School of Music of Bard College, which is a really inspiring community to be a part of. I'm always looking for new music to inspire me but Coltrane and 90's Rock are staples forever. I’m grateful for my wife, who has been able to keep me grounded, focused and has given me tons of support. We also recently adopted a dog named Xena, which now rounds out our fur-child family (Chipie is our cat)."
"I’ve known Keyed Up!’s Rob Duguay for over a decade, so I’ve gotten to witness the organization grow and Rob’s hard work and vision for a long time. I’ve played gigs in NYC that were supported by Keyed Up! over the years and words simply can’t express how meaningful their support is for the community - not just for the players themselves, but also as experiences for the people listening and watching."
You can catch Noah streaming live on Monday nights, 7:30 on the Virtuosity facebook page.
Photo - Anthony Porcar Cano
Steve Wood
Our next featured artist for the "Chats With the Cats" series is bassist, Steve Wood.
Family influences played a strong role in Steve's early development, "My dad played some piano as a hobby. He got me into classical music. Also my older brother started playing guitar and turned me on to jazz and funk. I started playing bass just before I turned 12. For Christmas that year my parents asked my brother who's records they should get me. He told them Charles Mingus and Ron Carter so that's who I first started checking out. My high school in Oak Park had a pretty extensive music program run by a guy named Dr. Ron Holleman. I guess fighting to keep that program going took a lot out of him and he could have a short fuse at times. I know a lot of my fellow alumni don't have the best memories of him. But looking back on it now I can't imagine the sacrifice and dedication it took him. In any case, there was a huge music scene at my high school and I'm pretty sure that had a lot to do with Dr. Holleman."
From as far back as he can remember, Steve knew that the arts were his true calling.
"Even before I started playing music, I just knew I had to go into the arts. I don't really know what that's about but it always seemed to me that it was the only way I was gonna make it. After I started playing music whenever someone suggested I should have 'something to fall back on' it only made me more committed to music. I was taking private lessons with a woman named Judith Hanna. She told me that sometimes at the college level teachers won't push a student as hard if he/she is an Education major. Performance majors will get pushed harder because they don't have a backup plan. So I majored in Performance."
"After college I tried living in Europe but I think I went about it wrong and I wouldn't say it worked out that great. That said, my main goal was to find an environment where I was free to concentrate on things that interested me and I definitely found it there. Since moving to New York I find I'm always trying to 'crash course' someone else's repertoire. It's usually pretty close to something I'm into anyway but I sometimes feel it has this effect of pulling me off course however incrementally. But then it's also part of the constant challenge that is New York, that forces us to grow continuously as musicians and as people.
During the shutdown and pandemic, Steve has been keeping a variety of music options on his playlist from easy listening to West coast rap. He's also been working on releasing his first album. "Since the pandemic I've been checking out a lot of ambient music. It started after watching a documentary about Brian Eno. Then listening to his stuff on YouTube led me to Hiroshi Yoshimura. I'm still trying to work my way through it all. Also I've been listening a lot to this rapper from San Francisco named Larry June."
"I will hopefully have my very first album up on the internet and available for listeners by the end of this year. I've been dragging my feet on this forever so I don't want to commit to a release date at the moment but I should be able to get it done soon. The title of the album is Black Leather Gloves and features my arrangements of music from these trippy Italian slasher movies from the 70s (known to film nerds as giallo)."
"I just try to do a little good each day which honestly was what I was trying to do before quarantine. Time moves fast to me. There's a Bukowski poem called The Days Run Like Wild Horses Over The Hills. That's exactly how I feel."
"I would sub for Rob Duguay at the Turnmill from before Keyed Up got involved. Then I think after a year or two Keyed Up! started matching what the venue was paying. I'm pretty sure it's the only time I've experienced the pay on a gig doubling. I also did the Brightside Tavern in Jersey City a couple times. Both of those gigs are jam sessions that are really well run. They definitely feel like they're promoting the culture besides getting some extra bread to whoever might be in the house band. I don't like that word 'preserving'. Keyed Up! seems like it's been able to provide support in a way that breathes life into the scene.”
Kelly Green
Our next featured artist for the "Chats With the Cats" series is pianist Kelly Green.
Growing up in a musical and artistic household, Kelly recalls the sounds of her childhood along with the gigs she attended with her father, a fine bass player himself.
"I grew up hearing John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis and many many legendary musicians in our home. We would go to see live shows whenever a big act was in Florida. My dad took me to see Chick Corea, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Ravi Shankar, Maria Schneider, Ahmad Jamal, McCoy Tyner and so many others."
"My father and I would travel to Louisville every year in the summer to attend Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camp together from age 11 for about 7 years. This had a huge impact on my love of the music and community surrounding it. I left Orlando when I was 18 to live in Jacksonville and study at the University of North Florida where I studied with fabulous pianist and educator Lynne Arriale. There I also found much inspiration from the head of the department at the time the great alto player Bunky Green. I also had the opportunity to play and hang with local legend, drummer Von Barlow, who just recently passed. Rest In Peace Von. There are many great musicians in Orlando and Jacksonville, the scene is much much smaller than New York, but each place I’ve lived/traveled always has a high level of top tier musicians playing and making moves."
But while Kelly's development happened in Florida, New York was always the goal.
"It’s the pinnacle because it is the area with the highest concentration of masters of this music. Although there are more musicians, there are also more opportunities; from building your own opportunities to gaining opportunities through playing with older master musicians, which I found most beneficial. There are also many more “pockets” of scenes in NY than anywhere else. Many more styles of “jazz” and also, many great musicians in the tri-state area in CT and NJ. There’s a trad scene, a fusion scene, a bebop scene, many great vocalists, and everything in between, each with their own spots to hang and comingling all together to celebrate this music! It’s beautiful."
Like all of us though, Kelly has been through the difficulties of isolation and quarantine during Covid. However, she has used this time positively.
"I have taken this time to search inward and learn a lot about spirituality and being the best version of myself that I can be. It is a time I feel that we may have needed, especially as working musicians in NYC, to take a ‘mental bath’ and cleanse ourselves of some of the negative aspects that often accompany the musician lifestyle (self judgement, comparing oneself to others, negligence of our physical and mental health, use of alcohol and drugs, etc.) In a way it has evened the playing field because there are not many live performances happening, everyone is in the same predicament. Rather than feel upset or defeatist I believe this is a time to be creative and learn to be self-sustainable and self-loving. Because if you love yourself you have a greater ability to love all."
"I’m looking forward to shedding at home, listening to music (Wayne Shorter, Satie, Bach, Alice Coltrane, Randy Weston, Mulgrew Miller, Tony Williams Trio and traditional African music - Ali Farka Toure, Ballaké Sissoko) growing spiritually and musically, and spending time and playing music with my husband. I’m thinking of making a special record with our duo ‘Green Soul’ from our home during this time until more live performances begin again. I’m also looking forward to working on and releasing a small educational video series and hopefully building a wider student base from home."
William Delisfort
Our next featured artist for the "Chats With the Cats" series is pianist and composer, Willerm Delisfort.
Born in Little Haiti, Willerm expresses his love of his hometown and early influences.
"Little Haiti, oh how my heart misses you so much! I absolutely loved my childhood growing up in Miami. One of the most loving, funny, hard working communities that I have ever been a part of. God willing, I would love to end this story called life back home giving back all that I have learned in life. Growing up, there was a scene, but it wasn't accessible for kids, not like other cities such as Chicago or NYC. There's a cut off time for the city, and it probably was at your best interest that you went home during that time! Unfortunately, when I started playing the piano, I was the only one in my family (that I am aware of) that was in music. My biggest influences have been all my musical family, John McMinn: he had me at the age of 11 thinking "this is what I want to do in life", Melton Mustafa Sr.: Greatest musical mind I've ever come across, Christopher Dorsey: hard work, determination, never giving up, leave it all on the field, no excuses."
But it was Jon McMinn specifically who left an indelible mark on Willerm's soul, a particular moment in 94' when Willerm was in the 4th Grade of Charles R. Drew Elementary, the first day of school. "John McMinn got on the piano and started playing. I said at that moment "I wanna be him". He could also play any instrument. I loved every single moment of being in his class, learning about music, theory, history, instruments etc. I remember graduating from elementary and it being one of the saddest days because I had to leave. Fortunately Charles R. Drew Middle was literally next door, and we could visit anytime!
From that point on, Willerm was constantly transcribing or arranging. He would hear songs on the radio and try to write them down and get his friends to play them.
"Once I got to high school, I started focusing on writing my own story. I was falling in love for the first time, having my heart broken for the first time, breaking someone else's heart for the first time. Losing friends and family to death. It was just a lot to process and music gave me a chance to express those feelings."
Upon arriving at Florida A&M, Willerm had accumulated reams of stories that he wanted to tell. This led to the creation of "the Delisfort Project"
I formed the band which at the time consisted of Alphonso Horne (who was 19 years old) (trumpet), Diron Holloway (sax), Kevin Smith (bass) Che Marshall (drum). Those katz gave me hope that I could possibly do this thing called music. The band has changed a few times over the years as I moved around a bit, and has had some of the most amazing musicians join me for the ride.
Julieta Eugenio
Our next featured artist for Jazz Generation Chats with the Cats, is Argentinian Saxophonist, Julieta Eugenio.
From a small village in Buenos Aires called Necochea, Julieta spoke about her love of her hometown and her musical introduction. "I really loved growing up there, it's a city with a lot of Nature. I don’t come from a Musician’s family. My dad loves music; he plays a little bit of guitar, but no-one used to listen to jazz in my house. I went to a Music Institute in Necochea to learn Piano at the age of 9 or 10".
Despite beginning on the piano, Julieta first ventured into jazz when she picked up the saxophone as her teacher had asked her to join the big band.
"When I finished High School I moved to the big city to study Music. I met a lot of great musicians in Buenos Aires, there is a very nice scene over there. I graduated from Manuel de Falla Conservatory where I completed my Jazz Undergraduate Studies."
On moving to New York, Julieta found it tough to be away from family and friends in Argentina, her first time leaving the country and being in the US. "My English wasn't good so naturally it was pretty tough at the beginning. But I constantly reminded myself why I was here which kept me going. And then once I started visiting the clubs, I couldn't stop. There were so many amazing musicians! New York has always been a dream for me; to come to this city and learn everything about this music, the culture, the places where everything started. It’s such a historic place. So many masters, jazz clubs, the music is in the air. I remember feeling it as soon as I arrived."
Another reason for her move was the draw of being able to play and study with such high calibre musicians. "I did my Masters degree at Queens College where I studied with Antonio Hart, Jeb Patton, David Berkman, Michael Mosman, Tim Armacost and more. It was an amazing experience! New York has and continues to teach me so much. I am always growing as a person and musician in this city."
Julieta was awarded in the International Women in Jazz competition 2017 with the "SIJ trio" consisting of New York friends Inbar Paz on Bass and Sarah Slonim on Piano. "Everything started with us getting together to hang and learn some tunes. And then we decided to get gigs as a group and then of course to participate at the Women in Jazz Competition which turned out to be a very beautiful experience."
So - who's on the record player this month?
"So many! I am always listening to the Masters a lot: Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Charlie Parker, Warne Marsh, Don Byas to name a few. Also I have been listening to a lot of Joe Lovano recently. He has such a creative approach with melodies. In this Covid-19 times I have been enjoying a lot of Classical Music too. I love Jaqueline Du Pre, I feel she has such a deep emotion when she plays, it’s really beautiful. To name a few Composers: Bach, Chopin (Nocturnes), Sibelius Concerto for Violin."
"Quarantine and isolation are not easy but I'm trying to stay positive. I have been writing a lot of music (working on a new album that I'm looking forward to recording and hopefully touring) and practicing. I'm running a lot and more importantly reflecting about life, connecting with nature, poetry, animals, inner wisdom and peace." "So I know Rob Duguay, he is a good friend of mine and an amazing musician. He told me about KEYED UP! and Jazz Generation. I've really had very nice experiences with it. It's vitally important to have these organizations offering support to the arts and really caring about artists. It's hard enough being an artist in this world so to see the help they offer is beautiful. I urge them to continue and spread their message.”
Clark Gayton
We are delighted to feature multi-instrumentalist Clark Gayton in our “Jazz Generation Chats with the Cats” series.
Clark spent the majority of his upbringing in Seattle Washington."There was a bit of a scene there at that time. When I got to middle school, my instructor was Wadie Ervin, and he introduced me to Joe Brazil who was heading an organization called the Black Academy of Music, later becoming the Brazil Academy of music." Clark went on to gig with his big band around Washington State. He also played with an R&B group that played in the city - dances and functions - as well as playing in the Little and Junior Symphonies. "But I wasn't really doing much in that time, I was still in High School"
After attending Berklee in Boston, Clark moved across the country to the Bay Area.
"There was a great scene there in those days. I was still learning about what was going on, I was still very green. But the Bay Area allowed me to play in a lot of diverse situations all the time. I was playing with Salsa and African bands, while playing with Johnny Coles and Ed Kelly on jazz dates. Guys like Gaylord Birch, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson and Pharaoh Sanders were there too. I was in a house band at a club called Milestones owned by Sonny Buxton. We played 3 nights a week there, playing straight ahead! I really loved the scene there."
But then a point was reached when everybody around him was clamoring for him to move to New York. "They said if I didn't do it now, I would be stuck in Oakland forever. I felt good about where I was musically, so I made the jump to New York. Best decision I could have made. But, I still had a lot to learn."
Like so many musicians at this time, Clark has had his ups and downs in quarantine.
"It hasn't been easy. I just try and stick to my routine. Gym, eat, nap, record - I like to go for a short run before bed which puts me to sleep. I get bored sometimes, but it's really not that bad. I love playing my piano and tuba during the day - I'm just so ready to play again!! It's why I'm here."
Clark hasn't been letting this down time go to waste, recording and producing during this period. "I have a few more projects that I will produce, as well as some recording dates that I will do from home. It's been great to finally use all the gear I've acquired over the years. But no real gigs coming up outside of a gig in August with the BronX BandA, led by Arturo O'Farrill. Great project, for real."
"Rob Duguay turned me onto KeyedUp. He's a warrior, man! Great bass player, and easy to work with, knows a bunch of tunes. I always dig playing with Rob. He asked me to talk to the bar owners that I worked with and to get them involved. Many have gotten on board. The extra bread really helps, and keeps my burden a little lighter. I like to be able to tell a cat how much the gig pays at the end of the night. The music sounds and goes over better. It's really been a Godsend. I think what KeyedUp up is doing will save the music scene in New York, if giving the opportunity to lead the charge. The players are in the street, playing gigs for local people, and it's a real thing. It's not just throwing money at the situation. I'm a huge fan of the organization.
Jim Greene
We are delighted to announce Jim Greene as our latest featured artist for Chats with the Cats.
A native of St. Louis, Jim remembers a small scene there and coming to jazz music later than most.
"I remember seeing that Dizzy video on PBS from 1966. It had Kenny Baron, James Moody and Chris White on bass. I think I was 17 or 18 years old at the time. But it got me in the right spot. When I started playing, my main influences were two guys I lived with. One was the saxophone player Chris Cheek and the other was bassist Steve Kirby. We had a loft in the section of town called Soulard. It's right up next to the Mississippi and the Budweiser brewery is there as well. We had an agreement that whoever played the first note of the day, got the apartment for that day to practice!"
"There is a small scene in St Louis and East St Louis. A lot of great musicians come from there, but a lot of them leave. I left town for a while, went to school, and went back to St Louis. This is when I started to play in a group with Russell Gunn, Greg Tardy and drummer Lemoine Carlisle. That was a great band. Most of the time we played without chords. I also got to play with the St Louis legend Willie Akins and the guitar player Rob Block who moved to NY a few years ago. Rob and I are old friends. He is the brother of saxophone player Dan Block."
Jim ended up going to school just outside of NY in northern New Jersey. The relationships he built during this time and over the last 30 years continue today.
"It just made sense for me to stay here. The level of musicianship in NY is unmatched anywhere in the world. So I have found it a fabulous place to live and play music. I have had a lot of great things happen for me living in NY. However, now the price of living in NY is way beyond being a musician full time. There used to be neighborhoods you could move to and still be on a musicians budget. Not anymore." Jim is part of a quintet that performs regularly at The Counting Room in Williamsburg, a spacious wine bar that is partnered with KeyedUp! for Sunday afternoon sessions.
"The Counting Room has been a great gig to have. It is the perfect spot for what we are doing. I play in a quintet called 'The Cafe Society' that plays around town and we travel some as well. The band consists of a fantastic singer named Emily Wade Adams as well as saxophonist Justin Flynn, pianist Steve Einerson, Joe Strasser on drums and myself. My good friend and bandmate Justin Flynn got us this gig. He knows both the owners there and they were looking for music. We have had a magnificent time at The Counting Room. The staff there is great to work with, and the people are there to have fun. It has worked out very well."
So how is Jim managing in isolation during this pandemic?
"I'm just hanging out with my wife, playing bass, having an occasional drink, talking with friends when I can. I have been cooking a lot. It's crazy this is even happening. It's very sad all the people and great musicians who have died. I get frustrated every once in a while, but I'm alive and I am grateful to be.
As far as what I'm listening to, I'm always going back to Ray! This month I am listening to Oscar Peterson in Chicago and transcribing Ray Brown solos. I've also been listening to The Three Sounds and Ahmad Jamal. Piano trio, my favorite setting."
"I'm just getting back to playing music. Practicing is great and I love it, but playing gigs is where it's at. I had gigs coming up at Fat Cat, Smalls, Counting Room,The Roxy, and a new gig at a place called Gran Tivoli. I hope all these places will still be around when this is all over. I hope I have gigs there."
Finally, Jim spoke of his experiences with KEYEDUP!
"I played a gig with somebody a handful of years ago that was a KU! gig. That's how I found out about it. There are very few places in NY that can afford to pay a quintet weekly. It's interesting that so many places actually pay less than they did 15 or 20 years ago. So, having an organization like KU! makes it possible to keep a gig going.