The Subdivisions of Time Jazz Radio Show

The Modern Jazz Room, 2230 E. 4th Street (at Huron), downtown Cleveland -- there's a parking lot there now I understand, the marquee in this shot says Cleveland Comedy Club, but from 1957 to 1961 the  jazz artists that worked there is staggering,  and for a couple years before that the spot was known as  The Cotton Club, with players like Art Tatum, Jack Teagarden, Bud Powell, Mingus, Jay & Kai, Sonny  Rollins, too many to list, Clifford Brown & Max have recordings from this club -- photo by Mark Weber -- November 26, 1988

The Modern Jazz Room, 2230 E. 4th Street (at Huron), downtown Cleveland — there’s a parking lot there now I understand, the marquee in this shot says Cleveland Comedy Club, but from 1957 to 1961 the jazz artists that worked there is staggering, and for a couple years before that the spot was known as The Cotton Club, with players like Art Tatum, Jack Teagarden, Bud Powell, Mingus, Jay & Kai, Sonny Rollins, too many to list, Clifford Brown & Max have recordings from this club — photo by Mark Weber — November 26, 1988

THE THURSDAY JAZZ RADIO SHOW

February 12, 2o15 – Jazz @ Noon every Thursday (starts at 12:07 after the satellite news) Host MARK WEBER – KUNM Albuquerque, USA – 89.9 FM (Mountain Standard Time) also streaming on the web > KUNM.org – Current time zone offset: UTC*/GMT -6 hours (*Coordinated Universal Time)/Greenwich Mean Time)

THE SUBDIVISIONS OF TIME JAZZ RADIO SHOW

If you had to define jazz in one sentence:
It’s all about time and the displacement of time.

If you think about it, even
the craziest arrhythmical rubato
non-time things can be written out
in time —-

In the grand scheme of things
everything is “in time”
and
space . . . .

But that’s a whole other thing . . . .

Cal was telling me the other day
that probably Charlie Parker would be the most
extreme example of the subdivisions of time,
dividing the beat as intricately finite as 1/64th.

I said how I have a theory that Bird could
slow time down in his mind whereby he could
see all of those subdivisions in slow motion.

Ornette Coleman & Prime Time -- Charles Ellerbee & Bern Nix, guitars; Jmaaladeen Tacuma & Al MacDowell, electric basses; Sabir & Denardo, drums -- photo by Mark Weber -- June 27, 1986 at Wolfgang's on Columbus Avenue (North Beach), San Francisco

Ornette Coleman & Prime Time — Charles Ellerbee & Bern Nix, guitars; Jmaaladeen Tacuma & Al MacDowell, electric basses; Sabir & Denardo, drums — photo by Mark Weber — June 27, 1986 at Wolfgang’s on Columbus Avenue (North Beach), San Francisco

Roberto Miranda with band members of Vous et Swing: Richard Davis, the trumpeter, far right,  and the leader Ron Jefferson with glasses (the guy in brown leather jacket holding an alto is Gary Bartz) --  photo by Mark Weber -- Los Angeles -- April 22, 1978 ---- Roberto has played bass for Bobby Bradford  since Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (which we'll listen to today in a hipster rendition by Lord Buckley), the first time I ever heard Roberto he was subbing for Mark Dresser in Stanley Crouch's Black Music Infinity in May of 1975

Roberto Miranda with band members of Vous et Swing: Richard Davis, the trumpeter, far right, and the leader Ron Jefferson with glasses (the guy in brown leather jacket holding an alto is Gary Bartz) — photo by Mark Weber — Los Angeles — April 22, 1978 —- Roberto has played bass for Bobby Bradford since Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (which we’ll listen to today in a hipster rendition by Lord Buckley), the first time I ever heard Roberto he was subbing for Mark Dresser in Stanley Crouch’s Black Music Infinity in May of 1975

I forgot to jot this guy's name down in my notebook and now I can't remember it -- downtown Cleveland in front of the Terminal Tower on Public Square ---- May 1989 -- photo by Mark Weber

I forgot to jot this guy’s name down in my notebook and now I can’t remember it — downtown Cleveland in front of the Terminal Tower on Public Square —- May 1989 — photo by Mark Weber

Jackson Pollock's record player ---- When Janet's sisters asked me if I wanted to go see Jackson  Pollock's house in Springs, New York, I was already sitting in the car before the last words got out  of their mouths ---- I used to be a fanatic about Jackson Pollock's paintings and wrote a big long paper  in high school for my psychology class on his work (got an A!) ---- Jackson was a jazz head, frequenting  jazz clubs on Manhattan, and collecting records (the lower shelf, not in this image, has about a 150  records) ---- I asked Fred Cohen if that edition of Monk was on the streets in 1956 and he said most  certainly, which means that was Jackson's copy! (Fred is the author of BLUE NOTE RECORDS A Guide For Identifying Original Pressings)---- those books in the photo are obviously  of another vintage ----  Jackson died not far from this house: 530 Fireplace Road, Springs, Long Island,  on August 11, 1956 -- his wife Lee Krasner lived there for many more years after Jackson ran into  that tree ---- photo by Mark Weber -- July 1, 1995

Jackson Pollock’s record player —- When Janet’s sisters asked me if I wanted to go see Jackson Pollock’s house in Springs, New York, I was already sitting in the car before the last words got out of their mouths —- I used to be a fanatic about Jackson Pollock’s paintings and wrote a big long paper in high school for my psychology class on his work (got an A!) —- Jackson was a jazz head, frequenting jazz clubs on Manhattan, and collecting records (the lower shelf, not in this image, has about a 150 records) —- I asked Fred Cohen if that edition of Monk was on the streets in 1956 and he said most certainly, which means that was Jackson’s copy! (Fred is the author of BLUE NOTE RECORDS A Guide For Identifying Original Pressings)—- those books in the photo are obviously of another vintage —- Jackson died not far from this house: 530 Fireplace Road, Springs, Long Island, on August 11, 1956 — his wife Lee Krasner lived there for many more years after Jackson ran into that tree —- photo by Mark Weber — July 1, 1995

Two great trombonists: Benny Powell and Glenn Ferris -- October 28, 1979 Los Angeles -- photo by Mark Weber

Two great trombonists: Benny Powell and Glenn Ferris — October 28, 1979 Los Angeles — photo by Mark Weber

Gary Foster and Warne Marsh -- When I came on the set in the early 70s the only Warne records readily available were NE PLUS ULTRA (Revelation) and RELEASE RECORD, SEND TAPE (Wave), and those two labels had a few more but these two became my all-time favorites probably because I played them so much (Now I have 4 feet of shelf space on Warne and some of those records get minimal play simply because of the quantity) -- photos by Mark Weber at Donte's -- February 6, 1977 ---- Gary Foster, alto saxophone; Warne Marsh, cigarette; Alan Broadbent, piano (the photo with Warne playing is the full-frame of the cropped image used on back of Lp HOW DEEP/HOW HIGH (Interplay, 1980) AND on the front the artist David Stone Martin made one of his superb line drawing masterpieces derived thereof ) -- There were no re-issue programs going on in those days so all of Warne's earlier things from the 50s were not around, but we did have the legendary 1949 Capitol recordings with Lennie Tristano on the Lp CROSSCURRENTS Gary Foster and Warne Marsh -- When I came on the set in the early 70s the only Warne records readily available were NE PLUS ULTRA (Revelation) and RELEASE RECORD, SEND TAPE (Wave), and those two labels had a few more but these two became my all-time favorites probably because I played them so much (Now I have 4 feet of shelf space on Warne and some of those records get minimal play simply because of the quantity) -- photos by Mark Weber at Donte's -- February 6, 1977 ---- Gary Foster, alto saxophone; Warne Marsh, cigarette; Alan Broadbent, piano (the photo with Warne playing is the full-frame of the cropped image used on back of Lp HOW DEEP/HOW HIGH (Interplay, 1980) AND on the front the artist David Stone Martin made one of his superb line drawing masterpieces derived thereof ) -- There were no re-issue programs going on in those days so all of Warne's earlier things from the 50s were not around, but we did have the legendary 1949 Capitol recordings with Lennie Tristano on the Lp CROSSCURRENTS

Gary Foster and Warne Marsh — When I came on the set in the early 70s the only Warne records readily available were NE PLUS ULTRA (Revelation) and RELEASE RECORD, SEND TAPE (Wave), and those two labels had a few more but these two became my all-time favorites probably because I played them so much (Now I have 4 feet of shelf space on Warne and some of those records get minimal play simply because of the quantity) — photos by Mark Weber at Donte’s — February 6, 1977 —- Gary Foster, alto saxophone; Warne Marsh, cigarette; Alan Broadbent, piano (the photo with Warne playing is the full-frame of the cropped image used on back of Lp HOW DEEP/HOW HIGH (Interplay, 1980) AND on the front the artist David Stone Martin made one of his superb line drawing masterpieces derived thereof ) — There were no re-issue programs going on in those days so all of Warne’s earlier things from the 50s were not around, but we did have the legendary 1949 Capitol recordings with Lennie Tristano on the Lp CROSSCURRENTS

Fostina Dixon and her band Collage at Watts Towers Jazz Festival -- July 11, 1981-- photo by Mark Weber

Fostina Dixon and her band Collage at Watts Towers Jazz Festival — July 11, 1981– photo by Mark Weber

Helen Humes -- my all-time favorite version of "Stardust" is a Jerry Newman location recording of  Helen Humes at Minton's -- 1941 -- with Don Byas and Thelonious Monk (Byas and Helen were  members of Count Basie Orchestra at the time, must have been off the road for a minute) -- her voice is liquid magic and as Dan Morgenstern points out in the liner notes Byas tenor was influenced by Coleman  Hawkins but "was clearly his own man by 1941 . . . the first notable characteristic is his sound, one of the most voluptuous . . . . [also] his suppleness of phrase . . . mastery of the changes . . ." -- photo by Mark Weber -- Hollywood Bowl, June 20, 1981---- this shot looks like I was using a Speed Graphic!

Helen Humes — my all-time favorite version of “Stardust” is a Jerry Newman location recording of Helen Humes at Minton’s — 1941 — with Don Byas and Thelonious Monk (Byas and Helen were members of Count Basie Orchestra at the time, must have been off the road for a minute) — her voice is liquid magic and as Dan Morgenstern points out in the liner notes Byas tenor was influenced by Coleman Hawkins but “was clearly his own man by 1941 . . . the first notable characteristic is his sound, one of the most voluptuous . . . . [also] his suppleness of phrase . . . mastery of the changes . . .” — photo by Mark Weber — Hollywood Bowl, June 20, 1981—- this shot looks like I was using a Speed Graphic!

James Newton sitting in with Bob Ferrazza Trio at Club Isabella, Little Italy, Cleveland -- October 18, 1986 -- I was living in Cleveland at the time and James came to town to perform as a feature with a small jazz orchestra at Severance Hall this night and afterwards we hit the clubs, after we closed Isabella I took James to an after-hours club in Kinsman (neighborhood Albert Ayler grew up in) and he sat in with the legendary organist Eddie Baccus ---- I don't know why this negative has deteriorated so badly, but I felt the subject matter worth seeing, Bob is a music teacher at Oberlin ---- photo by Mark Weber

James Newton sitting in with Bob Ferrazza Trio at Club Isabella, Little Italy, Cleveland — October 18, 1986 — I was living in Cleveland at the time and James came to town to perform as a feature with a small jazz orchestra at Severance Hall this night and afterwards we hit the clubs, after we closed Isabella I took James to an after-hours club in Kinsman (neighborhood Albert Ayler grew up in) and he sat in with the legendary organist Eddie Baccus —- I don’t know why this negative has deteriorated so badly, but I felt the subject matter worth seeing, Bob is a music teacher at Oberlin —- photo by Mark Weber

Teddy Edwards with his Big Band (Jack Wilson, piano; Fred Carter, Mike Egan, trombones; Allen Jackson, bass; Spanky Wilson, vocal; James Smith, Nolan Smith, Jerry Rusch, trumpets; Brentan Banks, Jimbo  Ross, Lisa Terry, Gene Hugo, violins; Miguel Martinez, cello; Kurt Farquhar, drums) -- at Maiden Voyage,  downtown Los Angeles -- June 4, 1981---- photo by Mark Weber

Teddy Edwards with his Big Band (Jack Wilson, piano; Fred Carter, Mike Egan, trombones; Allen Jackson, bass; Spanky Wilson, vocal; James Smith, Nolan Smith, Jerry Rusch, trumpets; Brentan Banks, Jimbo Ross, Lisa Terry, Gene Hugo, violins; Miguel Martinez, cello; Kurt Farquhar, drums) — at Maiden Voyage, downtown Los Angeles — June 4, 1981—- photo by Mark Weber

I wonder how many times Doug has played "Chelsea Bridge"? Local home boy makes good -- Doug Lawrence with the band he always dreamed about joining while growing up in Albuquerque -- "Chelsea  Bridge" was Ben Webster's show piece and now it's one of Doug's features, he played it picture perfect  this night, breathless ---- March 8, 2006 @ Rio Rancho High School Auditorium full to capacity -- The Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Bill Hughes -- photo by Mark Weber

I wonder how many times Doug has played “Chelsea Bridge”? Local home boy makes good — Doug Lawrence with the band he always dreamed about joining while growing up in Albuquerque — “Chelsea Bridge” was Ben Webster’s show piece and now it’s one of Doug’s features, he played it picture perfect this night, breathless —- March 8, 2006 @ Rio Rancho High School Auditorium full to capacity — The Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Bill Hughes — photo by Mark Weber

Dan Morgenstern in the stacks at Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, Newark,  holding an actual Lang-Worth radio transcription disk from the 1940s, probably a Boyd Raeburn ----  photo by Mark Weber -- August 9, 2o11

Dan Morgenstern in the stacks at Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, holding an actual Lang-Worth radio transcription disk from the 1940s, probably a Boyd Raeburn —- photo by Mark Weber — August 9, 2o11

If you don't like Bob Dylan's songwriting you're in serious need of a tune-up -- He's also quite  a scholar on songwriting, as well, I think I've read his book CHRONICLES forty-six times, how  can one person be so talented?  I hope he writes Vol. 2 ---- Anyway, he's recently released a  CD where he's singing jazz standards, with his countrified road band, and unlike some of his  recent albums his voice is not buried in the mix, SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT it's called ---- I love  this band of his, a couple years ago on the Grammy Awards they piped in a live video of his  band, and the next week in the papers a columnist asked: "What song was Dylan singing and  what song was his band playing?" I cracked up, funny, because I get where the guy was  coming from, but, a jazz listener would have never made that statement, that band is  Out, way out! What a great band.  Photo by Mark Weber -- December 1988 -- Broadway & 104th  Street, Manhattan -- we'll listen to a Dylan track followed by Helen Merrill singing Hank Williams'  "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"

If you don’t like Bob Dylan’s songwriting you’re in serious need of a tune-up — He’s also quite a scholar on songwriting, as well, I think I’ve read his book CHRONICLES forty-six times, how can one person be so talented? I hope he writes Vol. 2 —- Anyway, he’s recently released a CD where he’s singing jazz standards, with his countrified road band, and unlike some of his recent albums his voice is not buried in the mix, SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT it’s called —- I love this band of his, a couple years ago on the Grammy Awards they piped in a live video of his band, and the next week in the papers a columnist asked: “What song was Dylan singing and what song was his band playing?” I cracked up, funny, because I get where the guy was coming from, but, a jazz listener would have never made that statement, that band is Out, way out! What a great band. Photo by Mark Weber — December 1988 — Broadway & 104th Street, Manhattan — we’ll listen to a Dylan track followed by Helen Merrill singing Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”
Line drawing by Mark Weber -- February 6, 2o15

Line drawing by Mark Weber — February 6, 2o15

8 Comments

  1. Dan Morgenstern

    Hi Mark
    Am in San Marcos for the annual Eddie Durham festival with my old buddy Doug and in fact viewed your message just after we’d returned from a pilgrimage to Blacks Barbecue in nearby Lockhart. So finding us back to back on your photo roll was an almost mystical experience.,,preceded by pleasant surprise of Byas quote!
    Btw the drummer in Doug photo is Butch Miles, also in band here.
    Thanks and all best,
    Dan

  2. Gary Foster

    Dear Mark,

    Thanks for the stunning photo assembly. Toshiko had the first rehearsal of the big band in March of 1973. I am sure I was in the section on the 1977 Barnsdall Park concert. Toshiko and Lew moved back to NYC in 1982. In the years here we made 13 LP’s and saw the world. That was one of life’s great artistic encounters for me.

    Best Regards,

    Gary

  3. Mark Weber

    6 THINGS

    1) I just noticed that my little brother Brian is in the Fostina Dixon photo — that’s him sunbathing
    on the grass in front of the stage, next to my black camera bag

    2) Next week on the show (February 19) is going to be our guest Live via telephone Charles McPherson

    3) Cleveland jazz historian Joe Mosbrook gives us backstory: “The Cleveland Comedy Club first opened at the old Diamond Jim’s along the river in the Flats in 1979 and moved in 1980 to the former site of the Modern Jazz Room at 2230 East 4th Street. Jim Bard and Fats Heard sold the Modern Jazz Room in 1961 to George Koropoulis who operated a Greek restaurant.” [Email to MW from JM 2feb15] See Joe’s website > JAZZED IN CLEVELAND

    4) Dan Morgenstern’s comment comes to us from San Marcos, Texas

    5) Gary Foster’s comment about Toshiko refers to JFM posting of a photo at February 5, 2o15 radio show

    6) Jackson Pollock’s record player is curiously enough situated inside the entryway vestibule (aka mud room) — you can see the speaker wires going to the listening area further inside the house

  4. Kenneth Keppeler

    Perhaps the record player is in the vestibule so that guests could pick the music they wanted to announce their entrance.
    These are great posts and photos, thanks.

  5. John Tank

    Any day that I don’t hear Bob Dylan sing a Jazz standard, is a good day.

  6. Marko

    The east 4th street building faced the Central Market in downtown Cleveland and was known as the Grecian Gardens in my day , late 1960s and 1970s.

    Music was found there , though of the bouzouki variety , and the ubiquitous belly dancers.

    Served food late , I was aware of the Jazz heritage of the space when drinking and dining , though I never did catch the ghost of yardbird..

    Keep up the great work Mark , best wishes to Janet.

  7. Roberto Miranda

    Hi Mark,
    Thanks for the photos. I was 32 yrs. old and got to share it with my 32 yr. old son.
    Many Blessings,
    Roberto

  8. Mark Weber

    ————–playlist——————-
    Subdivisions of Time Jazz Radio Show
    February 12, 2o15
    Abraham Lincoln’s birthday
    Host MARK WEBER

    1. Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section “Straight Life” –19jan57
    2. Bob Ferrazza Quartet w/Dan Wall “Soul Eyes” — August 1996
    3. Doug Lawrence Big Band “It Never Entered My Mind” 2001 cd BIG BAND SWING
    4. Helen Merrill “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” –11june59
    album AMERICAN COUNTRY SONGS
    5. Bob Dylan “Full Moon and Empty Arms” 20015 cd SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT
    6. Benny Carter “Key Largo” w/Carmen Bradford –July 1995
    7. Teddy Edwards Quartet “Sunset Eyes” — 16aug60
    8. Roberto Miguel Miranda Ensemble “Blue Fog” w/Billy Higgins, Chas Owens, Bobby Bradford, Kenny Burrell –24may99
    9. Lord Buckley “Gettysburg Address” –1951
    10. Warne Marsh & Gary Foster w/David Parlato “Lennie’s Pennies” –25oct69 cd NE PLUS ULTRA
    11. Helen Humes & Don Byas & Thelonious Monk “Star Dust” — 1941 at Minton’s
    12. Charles McPherson Quartet “Passport”(Bird) –27july89
    13. Ornette Coleman “3 Wishes” w/Jerry Garcia –1988
    *this Ornette tune was ready to go but I got to talking too much at end of show and ran out of time . . . . alas

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

© 2024 Mark Weber

Theme by Anders Noren adapted for M.etropolis by RavanHUp ↑