MW on the board at KUNM interviewing Nick Lyons — December 29, 2o16 — photo by Cal Haines
The Thursday Jazz Radio Show
January 5, 2o17 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)
WHAT’S IT GOING TO BE LIKE?
Someday I’m going to lose my nerve and not be able to do radio anymore. It’s an extremely audacious thing to represent this music, as well as reveal oneself. This thought just floated past my brain as I was getting out the frying pad to get some eggs going. In another hour I’d be on the radio with the trio of Cal and Nick and Colin, all good friends, but still, I felt that old trepidation that used to assail me in my teens and twenties. (It’s long gone now but not unfamiliar territory.)
Inasmuch as I believe in that proposed dichotomy of introvert/extrovert I could probably be heaped into the former, but as we know, defining oneself can be limiting: One then follows the script.
As we stand back, history shows how much we are influenced by our immediate circumstances. I’ve always thought of the 20th century as being a very industrious, active, innovative, and consequential time: a lot happened. But it has ever been so, always, every century has its fast-paced changes and developments.
Music has a way of retaining traditions while also reflecting new things. I was thinking how one generation of jazzman reared during the swing-to-bop era, who had their sensibilities order’d during that revolutionary time all of a sudden had the avant garde “New Thing” artists like Cecil Taylor, Ornette, and Sun Ra, in the late 50s to deal with. Followed by Albert Ayler, and also Coltrane and Rollins leanings in that direction in the early 60s. I’ve watched this gulf in sensibilities my whole life.
And forget the Dixielanders, they were swept under the rug if you were a modernist of any stripe (the term “modernist” came to the fore with Charlie Parker and gained even more currency with Brubeck). (And for whatever mysterious reasons, Lennie Tristano was ignored, but that’s another story . . . .)
It’s important to be of your time, to reflect who you are within society and reflect the times back at itself. Generally, this takes place of its own, we are all caught up in the tide, even innovators are part of the flow, it’s all one river.
Two old Swing Street veterans: Sarah Vaughan arrives at Hollywood Bowl and the guy in top hat is trumpeter Lammar Wright Jr — June 19, 1982 — photo by Mark Weber
Eddie Chamblee (tenor) at Sweet Basil’s in the Village — Jon Gordon (alto) sitting in with Eddie’s quartet — March 7, 1987 — photo by Mark Weber —- Today we’ll hear Jon Gordon on Staten Island trumpeter Michael Morreale’s new cd LOVE & INFLUENCE
Jack Manno & Cal Haines — April 10, 2o11 Santa Fe, New Mexico — photo by Mark Weber — Jack got away from us October 3, 2o15 — he was an arranger and choir director and jazz man — He was the leader of the choir and arranger on Duke Pearson’s immortal “Cristo Redentor” (1969 album HOW INSENSITIVE) — The radio shows he did with me on vocal jazz were comprehensive, I should rebroadcast them . . . .
Ali Ryerson was born to the flute and the flute was lucky she came along — w/ Michael Olivola (bass) and Brian Bennett (piano) at Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque — October 7, 2o10 — photo by Mark Weber
Ronda Rindone (bass clarinet), Kevin Higa (drums), Lynn Johnston (bass clarinet), Vinny Golia (contrabass clarinet) — November 25, 1996 Alligator Lounge, Santa Monica, California — photo by Mark Weber — Vinny was a guest on this ensemble
Ornette Coleman & Primetime — June 27, 1986 at Wolfgang’s, Columbus Avenue, San Francisco — Charles Ellerbee & Bern Nix (guitars), Jamaaladeen Tacuma & Al MacDowell basses) — photo by Mark Weber
Unleaded Fuel Only indeed: Bo Diddley — October 18, 1992 Albuquerque — photo by Mark Weber
Zoot Sims back home in Los Angeles for a minute before flying this band over to Japan — This quintet played 4 nights June 12-15, 1977 at Donte’s in North Hollywood —– Jake Hanna, drums; Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar; Major Holley, bass; Dave McKenna, piano; and Zoot not in this shot — photo by Mark Weber
Zoot was perfectly happy to visit among the tables between sets — Donte’s, June 1977 — That’s Bucky behind him and Ross Tompkins seated —- This was an unusually crowded night for Donte’s —- I’ll have to ask John Breckow why our gang wasn’t sitting at our usual spot at the bar this night, I believe this was our table — photo by Mark Weber
Hal McKusick told me the story when trumpeter Nick Travis missed a session out of exhaustion in the early 60s (late 50s?) and Zoot called him and Nick barely awake answers the telephone (he was an in-demand session musician these years) Zoot says, “Hey, Nick, this is Zoot, where are you?” and Nick said, “Zoot who?” —- photo by Mark Weber — Zoot Who at Donte’s, June 1977
The Nick Lyons New Mexico Trio — December 29, 2o16 — digital snapshot by Mark Weber — KUNM control room broadcasting Live over the New Mexico airwaves, these guys played their tails off, fleet, and lyrical, pulsing with rhythm — A return engagement as Nick has family in New Mexico and visits every year or so, the first time this trio played on the Thursday jazz show was July 31, 2008 —– The December 29 show will be on the KUNM archive for 2 weeks, check it out — Colin Deuble (bass), Cal Haines (drums), Nick Lyons (alto)
Greenwich Village, New York City — September 27, 1992 — photo by Mark Weber
“Zoot who?” to you too, Mark. It’s All One Rver, how true and sweet it is. We thank those crazy gods for you, your devotion, generosity and longevity.
With love and gratitude, RK
The image of reed omnivore Lynn Johnston at the Alligator Lounge in 1986 begs the question of where he is and what he’s up to these days. He hasn’t been seen nor heard from around SoCal in many a moon and he used to be a presence here–in his band Cruel Frederick, in Monk U (with the late veteran drummer Patrick Fitzgerald), with Bobby Bradford’s Mo’Tet , and in any number of outer-limits outfits. Lynn was a witty chap from El Segundo who loved all things Japanese and knew just where to score the best Japanese delicacies.
mark… pls don’t ever lose your nerve. BE AUDACIOUS & SAGACIOUS! what a cool name “Zoot”… lovelove
Mark, you are such a treasure!
great stuff as always, Mark
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The Craft Jazz Radio Show
January 5, 2o17
KUNM Albuquerque
Host MARK WEBER
1. Ray & Zoot Sims “Mr J.R. Blues” — December 1979 — cd THE SWINGER (Pablo) w/ Jimmy Rowles(piano), John Heard(bass), Shelley Manne(drums), Ray Sims(trombone), Zoot (tenor saxophone)
2. Zoot Sims Quintet “Dark Clouds”(Zoot tune ABAB 8-4-8-4 — Cal helped me analyze this song structure — Zoot didn’t write a lot of songs, he was a pure jazzman, a complete natural, all he wanted to do was play, early on he developed a poetic sense of lyric invention that never left him, just give him his little taste and a gig and he was happy) w/ Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone), Milt Hinton(bass), John Williams(piano), Gus Johnson(drums), Zoot(tenor) — January 1956 — cd THE MODERN ART OF JAZZ (Dawn)
3. Joe Pass & Zoot in duet “Remember”(Irving Berlin) –1982 cd BLUES FOR TWO (Pablo)
*I always remember the heart-breaking version of this song by Gil Evans Ten w/ Steve Lacy (1957)
4. Annie Ross & Zoot “Invitation to the Blues” — March 1959 cd A GASSER! (Pacific Jazz) w/ Billy Bean(guitar), Russ Freeman(piano), Mel Lewis(drums) — Catch Annie Ross Tuesday nights at the Metropolitan Room, 34 w. 22nd Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues) see her website . . . . .
5. Joe Newman & Zoot “Wolafunt’s Lament” –10apr57 cd LOCKING HORNS w/ Osie Johnson(drums), Oscar Pettiford(bass), Adrian Acea(piano)
6. Frank Sinatra & Basie LIVE AT THE SANDS “Fly Me to the Moon” –28jan66
7. Ornette Colenman “Eos” w/ Jimmy Garrison, Ed Blackwell, Don Cherry — 22mar61 cd ORNETTE N TENOR (Atlantic) ————- I came on mike after this track and said I wonder if Frank minded that I followed his Fly Me To The Moon with Ornette Coleman out there on tenor? Ornette started out as a tenor player back home in his young days supporting his family working in R&B bands . . . . .
8. Ali Ryerson Jazz Flute Big Band “Stolen Moments” soloist Hubert Laws — Oct. 2012 — cd GAME CHANGER (Capri) — 16 flutes organized along the lines of a jazz big band — this arrangement by Mike Wofford——— Ali is another frequent visitor to New Mexico: When you coming back Ali?
9. Urbie Green, trombone feature “But Beautiful” — 14sept74 Toronto — Hank Jones(piano), Mel Lewis(d), Slam Steward(bass) on Peter Appleyard’s cd THE LOST 1974 SESSIONS — this is Benny Goodman’s
band on tour through Canada and Mr Appleyard took them into the studio late that night — Zoot and Bobby Hackett also on the date . . . . . (I couldn’t resist on mike to ask the immortal question: Who’s going to write the follow-up song “But Ugly” (that’s what we say about adobe walls out here in New Mexico — we love them)—————Urbie is so beautiful on this track, what a great sound . . . .
10. Ron Horton Sextet “For Thomas Chapin” cd GENIUS ENVY (Omni Tone) w/ Jane Ira Bloom(soprano saxophone), John McKenna (tenor), Frank Kimbrough(piano), Ben Allison(bass), Rich Rosenzweig(drums), Ron Horton(trumpet)
11. Michael Morreale set’s up the next track . . . .pre-recorded telephone conversation (Dec. 8, 2o16) . . . where he discusses the influence Ron Horton’s cd GENIUS ENVY had on this thinking . . . .
12. Michael Morreale Sextet “Horton Hears More Than a Who” –Feb. 2016 — cd LOVE AND INFLUENCE (PepJack Records) w/ Jon Gordon(alto), John Allred(trombone), Tony Regusis(piano), Bill Moring(bass), Tim Horner(drums), Michael Morreale(trumpet)—————–Michael has visited New Mexico annually for the last
20 years to play with his Staten Island “goombah” (their word, not mine) drummer John Trentacosta, they were both acolytes of Don Joseph and can be seen on the only existing footage of trumpeter Don Joseph, catch it on YouTube, highly recommended
13. I had a couple Zoot & Bucky tracks ready to go but ran out of time . . . .
* It’s personally interesting to me that Zoot’s older brother Ray Sims (1921-2000) was born in Wichita, Kansas, and Zoot (John Haley Sims), the youngest of seven siblings, was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood in 1925. There were a lot of people from Kansas in Southern California — my own family was blown out of the farmlands north of Wichita during the Dust Bowl migrations west (1937-1940)(we came to California in 1940).
Art Pepper always said that Zoot’s style was the ideal way to play jazz and wishes he had hewn a little closer to that model. Zoot was one of Lester Young’s great disciples. He quit high school after one year to go with the big bands — when he was with Kenny Baker’s band, age 16, Baker had put these showbiz novelty names on the fronts of the music stands with the names: Scoot, Voot, Zoot, etc (this was the era of the zoot suit and bop-o-rooney fast talk) and that name stuck. He was drafted into the Army Air Force 1944-1946 and after release from service re-joined Benny Goodman, worked also during this time with Artie Shaw, Stan Kenton, and most notably with Woody Herman’s 2nd Herd as a member of the Four Brothers (Serge Chaloff, Herbie Steward, Stan Getz). It was in the 50s that he began his long-lived double sax association with Al Cohn. The Sixties were a scuffling time for all jazz players and Zoot stayed on the road working with pick-up groups all over the States. Grateful to Norman Granz that so many records were sessioned during the 1970s, a goldmine of great Zoot music for the ages.
Hal McKusick would always tell me to play Al & Zoot’s duet on clarinets “Two Funky People” (1957). He had an affection for that track.
** I called this show “Craft Jazz Radio Show” in deference to the current popular usage in America of “craft beer,” and so forth, like “craft tacos” I saw posted on cafe window on my way to the station (I can understand the distinction of craft beers, as opposed to industrial American lagers, but . . . . I fear we’re going to see the term more often in the future . . . . . .
Boy do I feel important, thank you dear sir!
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The Play It LOUD jazz Radio Show
January 12, 2o17
KUNM Albuquerque
Host MARK WEBER
1. Pat Martino Trio “Oleo” LIVE AT YOSHI’S — December 2000 w/ Joey DeFrancesco & Billy Hart
2. Jack McDuff w/ Benny Golson’s Big Band “Rock-a-Bye” featuring George Benson –1965 — cd PRELUDE (Prestige)
3. H. Ray Crawford Quartet “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” — July 1977 Lp IT’S ABOUT TIME (Dobre)
4. Jimmy McGriff-Hank Crawford Quartet “Next Time You See Me” — January 1994 cd RIGHT TURN ON BLUE (Telarc)
5. Ernie Andrews “Boulevard of Memories” –Sept 2005 cd HOW ABOUT ME (High Note)
6. Grant Green Trio, title track from cd IRON CITY –1967 w/ Big John Patton(organ) & Ben Dixon(drums)
7. Odean Pope Trio “Knot if Off” cd NINETY-SIX (Enja) — October 1995 w/ Tyrone Brown(bass) & Mickey Roker(drums)
8. Gerry Mulligan-Art Farmer Quartet at Newport “The Festive Minor” –6july58
9. Jimmy Johnson Blues Band “Take Five” — 1979 cd JOHNSON’S WHACKS (Delmark)
10. Clifford Jordan Quartet “Quasimodo”(Ch.Parker) — Lp THE ADVENTURER (Muse Records) –9feb78
11. Grant Green Trio “Blues for Lou” –7june63 from cd BLUES FOR LOU w/John Patton, Ben Dixon
12. Ella Fitzgerald in Berlin “Gone with the Wind” –13feb60 (Verve)
13. Lou Donaldson “Cool Blues”(Ch.Parker) –23jan61– cd HERE ‘TIS (Blue Note)