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| Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights In Jazz Is Back For Their 49th Season The 49th season of the popular Highlights in Jazz series kicks off on March 17, 2022, when producer Jack Kleinsinger presents "Ellington Everlasting." The concert turns the spotlight on the maestro's timeless compositions and enduring legacy, through the dynamic vision of trombonist Art Baron & The Duke's Men, with drummer Bernard Purdie, bassist Bill Crow, saxophonists Mark Hynes and Mark Gross, pianist James Weidman, and special guest NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan on vocals. In keeping with the long-running HIJ tradition, a surprise guest will be on hand for the concert. The venerable series returns to the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center stage after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the longest break since the first Highlights in Jazz presentation in the early 1970s. "This concert is a beacon of the return to normal, " Kleinsinger says. Each season, a Highlights In Jazz event focuses on the music of one of the departed geniuses of the genre. It's hard to think of anyone worthier of the honor than this year's pick, the legendary pianist and composer Duke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in jazz. As Ellington famously said, "There are simply two kinds of music: Good music, and the other kind." There's no doubt which category his contributions fall into, and listeners continue to enjoy his music almost a half century after his death. Ellington sparked international interest in "American Music, " his preferred term for his art, playing more than 20, 000 gigs outside the U.S. during his five-decades-long career. He wrote or co-wrote more than 3, 000 compositions including beloved standards such as "Mood Indigo, " "Caravan, " "It Don't Mean a Thing, " "Solitude, " "Sophisticated Lady, " and "C Jam Blues." Ellington's tunes have been used in hundreds of movies, TV shows and stage presentations, with the elegant bandleader sometimes making onscreen appearances himself. He garnered countless awards and honors, including a Pulitzer Prize, 13 Grammys, the President's Gold Medal, the Medal of Freedom, and the French Legion of Honor. Duke even appeared on a U.S. postage stamp. Trombonist Art Baron joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1973, the last trombonist Ellington ever hired. Since then Art has performed and appeared on hundreds of recordings with Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Bruce Springsteen, George Gruntz, Mel Tormé, Frank Wess, David Sanborn, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, Sam Rivers, Lou Reed, James Taylor, John Legend, and others. The trombonist regularly fronts his own ensembles, including The Duke's Men, which has often included other Ellington orchestra alumni. He recalls Ellington's barebones charts—"simply notes on the arrangements, " Art says. "The arrangement is just a guide, not a god. It's a guide to making music. I don't mind when people get off the paper and do something different. I like to have at least one outlaw in the band." The trombonist will be surrounded by a mix of skilled and versatile coconspirators for the HIJ return concert. When producer Kleinsinger says that drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie "played with just about everybody, " it's no exaggeration. Aretha Franklin, Steely Dan, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five, Isaac Hayes, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, Donny Hathaway, Herbie Mann, Albert Ayler, Herbie Hancock, and Eddie Palmieri are on the list, as are Gene Ammons, Dizzy Gillespie, Leon Thomas, David "Fathead" Newman, Shirley Scott and Hank Crawford. That's just the tip of the iceberg: The energetic octogenarian, whom Rolling Stone has ranked among its top 20 drummers of all time, is said to be the most recorded drummer in history, appearing on more than 4, 000 albums. He's even penned a memoir, Let the Drums Speak!, about his experiences. This concert will be the legendary stick man's third Highlights in Jazz appearance. "Bernard is totally reliable, but you never know what he's going to do, " Art Baron says. "He swings right at the top of the many drummers I've played with. He's in the moment, and such a delightful guy to work with." Bassist Bill Crow ranks a 1958 concert he played with Duke Ellington's orchestra as one of the greatest thrills of his life. The bass clef maven has encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history, much of it based on personal experience. An avid photographer, Bill even has pix dating to the 1950s to illustrate his treasure trove of tales. He has held down bass duties with Stan Getz, Claude Thornhill (including playing Gil Evans' arrangements for the band), Marian McPartland, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, Mose Allison, Roger Kellaway, Al Jarreau, Carol Sloane, Nina Simone, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Clark Terry, Anita O'Day and others. Bill has written a pair of fascinating books about his musical experiences, as well as countless columns, articles and tributes. A resident of Chicago and Detroit before moving to the Big Apple, saxophonist Mark Hynes has played with David Berger, Rodney Whitaker, James Carter, Marcus Belgrave, Steven Bernstein, Britt Woodman, Jerome Richardson, Quincy Jones, Christian McBride, Craig Taborn, John Hendricks, Chaka Khan, The Duke's Men and more. He's also a respected educator, and leader of his own trios and quartets. Pianist James Weidman's credits include sharing the bandstand with players as diverse as Max Roach, Woody Herman, Archie Shepp, Joe Lovano, Jay Hoggard, Cassandra Wilson, Marty Ehrlich, Abbey Lincoln and Kevin Mahogany. James also has enjoyed a long-running musical partnership with saxophonist T.K. Blue, with whom he co-leads the band Taja. In addition to fronting a variety of ensembles—he's released several albums as a leader—the pianist also appears regularly with The Duke's Men and other bands. Saxophonist Mark Gross is an acclaimed musician, bandleader and educator. He has played in ensembles large and small with such big talents as Jimmy Heath, Nat Adderley, Regina Carter, Mulgrew Miller, the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, James Moody, Frank Foster, Dave Holland, Freddie Hubbard, the Mingus Big Band and a host of others. In addition to releasing two albums as a leader, Mark has played for Broadway shows and major movie soundtracks, he serves as director of jazz instruction at NJPAC, and appeared on several Grammy Award winning recordings. "Sheila lives by Sheila's laws, she blows my mind, " declares Art Baron of vocalist Sheila Jordan. The HIJ concert will be a reunion of sorts for the trombonist and veteran singer, who have known each other since the 1980s, playing together with Roswell Rudd, George Gruntz, and others. Sheila is bebop to the bone, citing Charlie Parker as her first great influence, but she is comfortable expressing herself in any musical setting. "You gotta stay that way, baby—it's jazz, whatever the style, you take it in stride, " she points out. Sheila studied with Lennie Tristano in the early 1950s, and counts among her early recordings "The Outer View, " with the renowned jazz polymath George Russell. Check out her contributions to albums from Carla Bley, Steve Kuhn, Bob Moses, Lee Konitz, Jane Bunnett, the Royal Bopsters and more. A pioneer of bass-vocal duos, Sheila has often collaborated with Harvie S and Cameron Brown. Art and Sheila caught up with each other at the singer's 93rd birthday gig in November 2021. She is looking forward to singing "Mood Indigo" and other Ellington classics with The Duke's Men. "Art's incredible: a wonderful player, a wonderful musician, " she says. "We'll have a great time!" Kleinsinger always surprises audiences with unannounced special guests. (Hint: This concert’s surprise is likely to involve a baritone saxophone.) The producer declares that at least a quarter of the special guests are a surprise even to him. “Players show up in the audience and we put them on, ” Jack explains. “If I see them in the audience, they’re there at their own peril—I’ll get them onstage.” One case in point is “Ellington Everlasting” headliner Bernard Purdie: “He was in the audience one night when Roy Haynes was the drummer and sat in for the concerts second half Jack recalls. Dizzy Gillespie, Eubie Blake, Stan Getz, Carmen McRae, Maxine Sullivan, Cab Calloway, Branford Marsalis are among the audience members recruited to sit in during the series’ early years. Throughout the many seasons of Highlights in Jazz, “We’ve been very lucky with guests. When someone was in town, they’d call me and make last-minute arrangements to show up. Musicians love the series and the jam is part of the tradition, which you don’t get at most other performances. It’s very exciting for the audience when a big name comes on stage unexpectedly.” Art Baron notes, “You can always look to Highlights in Jazz for a great collection of musicians, all the greats. I’m not holding up a mirror to myself when I say this—I’m holding the mirror to Jack for the giants he’s brought together.” In addition to the annual tribute concert honoring a past master, each season the series includes an all-star jam session bringing together respected jazz journeymen and the best of the up-and-coming young players. The 2022 season is no exception. “The Return of the Jam Session” wraps up the 49th season on May 12, 2022. “This is a throwback to the old-school, all-star lineup on the bandstand, and combinations of people who have never played together before. It’s not what you’d get elsewhere, ” Kleinsinger says. Pianist Ted Rosenthal, saxophonists Peter and Will Anderson, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, drummer Victor Lewis, guitarist James Chirillo and trumpeter Brian Lynch form the core ensemble, and a special guest will be on hand to join in the fun. Kleinsinger is proud that his Highlights In Jazz concerts have always attracted an audience of avid listeners. Each season he aims to present multiple facets of jazz: “We’ve done mainstream, Dixieland, swing, bebop; not avant-garde, not far-out, nothing that will scare anybody, ” the producer explains. And with the series’ half-century mark just a year away he continues to produce well-received events spotlighting the finest players from across multiple generations. “There are amazingly wonderful players out there and we want to feature them!” Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights in Jazz New York’s Longest Running Jazz Concert Series Celebrates “The Return of the Jam Session, ” May 12, 2022 49th Season Finale of Famed Highlights in Jazz Series At BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center All-Star Lineup Features Wycliffe Gordon, Ted Rosenthal, Victor Lewis, Brian Lynch, Peter & Will Anderson, and James Chirillo Plus, a Surprise Special Guest! You won’t want to miss the dynamic final Highlights in Jazz concert for 2022, when today’s top jazz players take to the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center stage to celebrate the Return of the Jam Session. The May 12 event features Peter and Will Anderson on saxophones, flutes and clarinets; trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, pianist Ted Rosenthal, drummer Victor Lewis, trumpeter Brian Lynch and guitarist James Chirillo, playing together for the very first time. To veteran producer Jack Kleinsinger, the jam session is the true heart of jazz, and a jam has become a Highlights in Jazz tradition. For each Return of the Jam Session concert, Kleinsinger brings together musicians who have never before played together in this configuration, showcasing them as they rise to the occasion, showing off their chops and flexibility. “I never ask anyone to bring their own band, ” Kleinsinger notes. “I like to hear what happens when they’re outside their usual setting.” This year’s lineup includes a spectrum of versatile players from different generations and musical backgrounds: Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon caught the ears of avid jazz listeners circa 1989 as part of Wynton Marsalis’ Septet; he was an original member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, starting in 1995. Wycliffe has performed with David Sanborn, Rene Marie, Dianne Reeves, Anat Cohen, Arturo Sandoval, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Tommy Flanagan, Shirley Horn, Joe Henderson, and Eric Reed, to name just a few. The trombonist has released close to three dozen CDs as a leader or co-leader, and is a perennial winner of “best trombonist” honors from numerous publications and professional organizations. Saxophonists/clarinetists/flautists Peter and Will Anderson: Hailed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other august publications for their remarkable virtuosity, the identical Anderson twins began steeping themselves in classic jazz while still in elementary school. They absorbed the styles and sounds of Benny Goodman, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. They cite Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker as early influences. Since moving to the Big Apple, they’ve played with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Jimmy Cobb and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. In addition to releasing several albums as leaders, the Juilliard-trained twosome have appeared off-Broadway celebrating the music of Artie Shaw and the Dorsey Brothers. Pianist Ted Rosenthal first hit the radar of many critics and listeners as the winner of an early Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition. Since then, he’s more than lived up to that early promise, releasing over a dozen well-received albums as a leader and accompanying NEA Jazz Masters Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer and James Moody, as well as a host of other jazz greats. The versatile Mr. Rosenthal has received grants and commissions from the NEA, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the New York City Opera; he earned a four-star DownBeat review for his solo album, The 3 B’s, focusing on tunes by fellow pianists Bill Evans and Bud Powell, plus Beethoven-fueled improvisations. An avid listener as well as player, in pre-pandemic times Ted often could be spotted in the audience of clubs and concert halls throughout the NYC metro area, listening raptly. For a quick tour of the world of contemporary jazz, take a glance at the discography of drummer Victor Lewis. Since the 1970s he’s been a regular in the studio as a leader and accompanying straight-ahead masters like Stan Getz, Kenny Barron, Dexter Gordon, Lew Tabackin and J.J. Johnson; adventurous souls including Carla Bley, George Adams, David Murray and Charles Tolliver; and vocalists Judy Niemack, Helen Merrill, Carmen Lundy and Abbey Lincoln. This thumbnail sketch leaves unexplored more than a few categories in which Victor has made his mark, but take our word for it that the drummer has been on the scene and consistently sounding great in person and on record for more than four decades. While many of today’s players hold impressive jazz school degrees, trumpeter Brian Lynch is the rare one who is an honored graduate of a pair of the music’s most legendary and respected proving grounds: Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Horace Silver’s Quintet. Brian played with NEA Jazz Masters Toshiko Akiyoshi, Benny Golson and Phil Woods, and also has deep roots in Latin music, including stints with Eddie Palmieri, Conrad Herwig, Hector LaVoe and Lila Downs. The trumpeter has received numerous awards, grants and commissions, and appeared on hundreds of albums, including two dozen as a leader. When looking for a guitarist who can swing, look no further than six-string maven James Chirillo. His credits span generations of giants, from those who invented and grew up in the genre (Benny Goodman, Benny Carter, Frank Wess, Eddie Barefield and Buck Clayton) to those who made swing their own in more recent years (Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett, Michael Feinstein). James has also worked with Paquito D’Rivera, Joe Lovano and a host of other jazz greats across many styles. He’s played on an abundance of albums, movie soundtracks, and Broadway shows, and is on Juilliard’s jazz faculty. Presenting a surprise special guest is a series-long tradition for Highlights in Jazz, and the Return of the Jam Session concert will be no exception. The idea was planted in Kleinsinger’s mind long before he tried his hand at putting on concerts. A lifelong jazz enthusiast, the producer recalls the first major concert he attended, one of the earliest productions of the legendary Norman Granz. The surprise special guest that night was none other than Billie Holiday, one of the brightest jazz stars of the era. “She came out on stage and the crowd went wild, ” Kleinsinger says. “It made such an impression on me. It was so exciting to see someone extra, people remember it for years. So I decided to do that when I planned my first concert.” Sometimes the special guest even surprises Kleinsinger, like the time Gene Bertoncini showed up ax in hand. He had been sent in to sub by scheduled guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli who was running late. And sometimes the guests themselves are surprised: Kleinsinger keeps his eye on the crowd to see who he can grab to sit in. He recalls spotting Ellington alumnus Ray Nance in the audience and bringing him to the stage; since Ray wasn’t packing his violin or trumpet, he contributed by singing and dancing. From his start as a producer in the early 1970s, diversity has been important to Kleinsinger. Not only has every event featured an integrated band, “I’ve consistently aimed for interplay between generations, ” he says. “Highlights in Jazz was one of John Pizzarelli’s first gigs—at 15 he was on stage with his dad, Bucky, and Zoot Sims.” Another leap across the generation gap was a pairing of trumpeters: the very young Jon Faddis and senior statesman Doc Cheatham. The concert wraps up the triumphant 49th season of the venerable series, which returns to the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center stage after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. That’s the longest break since the first Highlights in Jazz presentation in the early 1970s. “This season is a beacon of the return to normal, ” Kleinsinger declares. All Shows At BMCC TRIBECA Performing Arts Center Borough of Manhattan Community College 199 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007 write your comments about the article :: © 2022 Jazz News :: home page |