MUSIC ARCHIVES Same Ol’ Blues
by Gary Giddins
The fall lineup in jazz offers a rich diet and few surprises. Mainstream clubs and concert series present mainstream stars representing every generation from the cusp of swing/bop (Hank Jones) to the cusp of, well, neo-swing/bop (Stefon Harris). The usual downtown corrective will doubtless kick in, though, and it would be churlish not to concede that the schedule promises as many hours of masterly improvisation as you can afford. Events that command special attention include a 75th birthday tribute to Jimmy Heath at Lincoln Center and an exceedingly rare appearance by Martial Solal at the Village Vanguard. Heath, a saxophonist and composer of rare warmth, will have the opportunity to present some of his ingenious orchestral arrangements. Solal is a unique and dazzling pianist whose astonishing technique and intricacy of mind have few peers, now or ever. He’s only 74.
JOE LOVANO
September 5-8 and December 5-8
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 581-3080
The saxophonist showcases two bands, first, the marvelous nonet introduced on “52nd Street Themes,” and three months later Coltrane Revisited, with the all-star rhythm team of Steve Kuhn and Idris Muhammad.
TOMMY FLANAGAN
September 11-16
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, 255-4037
The gold standard of piano trios.
MICHAEL BRECKER
September 11-16
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
Virtuosity can be its own reward, and pianist Joey Calderazzo and Jeff Tain Watts mind every twist and turn.
DAVE DOUGLAS
September 12-13
Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street, 358-7501
Downtown’s ubiquitous trumpet player leads his most ambitious band, the nonet Witness.
ART DAVIS AND THE CIRCLE OF FIVE: ‘A TRIBUTE TO COLTRANE AND HENDRIX’
September 17-18
Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, 219-3006
The little-seen bassist Art Davis, who recorded with Coltrane, offers a compelling juxtaposition of ’60s flameouts, with the help of Dave Burrell, James Carter, and Candido.
MARTIAL SOLAL
September 18-23
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, 255-4037
MILES DAVIS ALL-STARS
September 18-23
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
Actually, Miles won’t even be there. But there may very well be a tug-of-war between Wallace Roney, Gary Bartz, and Buster Williams on the one side and Mike Stern and Lenny White on the other.
JOE MORRIS
September 21-23
Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, 219-3006
Leading a trio, Morris can make you forget everything you think you know about jazz guitar as he transposes an Ornette-inspired matrix of riffs and shouts.
HANK JONES
September 25-30
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
The grand master of jazz piano, combining delicacy of touch with rhythmic acuity and melodic grace.
CARMEN LUNDY+JIMMY SCOTT
September 27-28
Kaplan Penthouse, Rose Building, 165 West 65th Street, 10th floor, 258-9800
Lundy is retooling her career after a long hiatus and will offer telling contrast with Scott, an indomitably eccentric balladeer.
STEFON HARRIS+JACKY TERRASSON
October 2-7
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
Harris is the best thing to hap-pen to vibes in many years, and he seems to inspire the more experienced pianist.
RAY BROWN
October 9-14
Blue Note, 131 West 3rd Street, 475-8592
The titanic bassist turns 75.
LEE KONITZ
October 11-13
Kaplan Penthouse, Rose Building, 165 West 65th Street, 10th floor, 258-9800
October 23-28
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
The always original and aspiring improviser duets with the empathic drummer Paul Motian in October, sharing a bill with Richard Galliano’s accordion and Mark Feldman’s violin; and two weeks later, leads an equally challenging and even more surprising trio with Marc Ribot and Joey Barron.
DAVID SANCHEZ
October 16-21
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, 255-4037
He continues to stand out in a crowded field of tenors who know their Sonny and Trane.
JIMMY HEATH
October 19-20
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, West 65th Street and Broadway, 258-9800
ERIC ALEXANDER
October 23-28
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, 255-4037
A utility tenor at home in any setting, from rigorous bop to organ grinder swing, he is most persuasive leading his quartet.
CARNEGIE HALL JAZZ BAND
November 1 and December 6
Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue, 903-9750
First up, a Latin celebration, then a focus on blues. Jon Faddis’s team of arrangers always comes up with surprises, and the band has a Basie-like snap and sparkle.
TOM HARRELL
November 13-18
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South
A remarkable trumpet player, capable of bright flights of lyrical fancy and dark asides, invariably backed by an inspired cohort.
‘JAMMIN’ ON THE HAMMOND’
November 29 and December 1
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center,West 65th Street and Broadway, 258-9800
If an organ summit sounds like heavy lifting, consider that Jimmy McGriff, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, and Rhoda Scott will be aided by Houston Person, Pat Martino, Hank Crawford, and Ronnie Cuber, among others.
‘SECOND ANNUAL DJANGO REINHARDT FESTIVAL’
November 27-December 2
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 581-3080
CHICK COREA
December 4-23
Blue Note, 131 West 3rd Street, 475-8592
The club is famous for its birthday bashes, but it has never offered anything as wide-ranging as this, and all because Chick is turning 60. During three weeks, he will lead at least six bands with, among others, Bobby McFerrin, Roy Haynes, the great Bud Powell Tribute quintet, Gary Burton, Origin, and Herbie whatsisname.
‘RAGS, STRIDES, STOMPS’
December 6-8
Kaplan Penthouse, Rose Building, 165 West 65th Street, 10th floor, 258-9800
Like the title says, as played by Sir Roland Hanna, Terry Waldo, and Melvin Chen.
DAVID MURRAY
December 11-16
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
The Octet! The Octet! The Octet!
BENNY GOLSON
December 13-15
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 581-3080
A superb tenor saxophonist leading a quartet, with a sound as fine as silk.
KENNY BARRON, RON CARTER, LEWIS NASH
December 18-23
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 582-2121
This trio has the potential to rival Jarrett-Peacock-DeJohnette and any other configuration you can name.
JACKIE MCLEAN, CEDAR WALTON, VINCENT HERRING
December 18-23 and 25-30
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, 255-4037
A New York seasonal tradition—Cedar and Mac the first week, Cedar and Herring the second. Merry Xmas.