Anthology: Behind the Scenes

An Interview with Sugar Blue

by: Casey Pukl

If there’s one thing that you’ve got to love about harmonica virtuoso Sugar Blue, it’s his whole-hearted dedication to the blues tradition. Raised in Harlem, NY, Blue found fame in Paris when he met the Rolling Stones in a chance encounter. Before he knew it, he was recording with one of the most famous rock bands in history, and his signature sound was the staple of one of their greatest hits, “Missing You”. But what might be even more remarkable about Sugar Blue is his dedication to having his own sound with his own band rather than being someone elses’ side man.

Decades later, he still remains one of the greatest living legends in blues. Having played with Willie Dixon, Big Walter Horton, Memphis Slim, Stan Getz, Frank Zappa and more, Blue is truly one of a kind. Take a read through my interview with him about what’s in store for 2012, and who he can’t get enough of.  Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Meshell Ndegeocello

by: Casey Pukl

Fearless. That’s the only word that comes to mind when thinking of Meshell Ndegeocello. There are few musicians out there that I perceive as truly being fearless. Ndegeocello is one of them. She’s unapologetic, honest, raw, and a damn good bass player and songwriter. It’s hard to listen to her and not feel like she knows you and you know her. From her early days of playing with David Bowie, Madonna, and John Cougar Mellencamp, Ndegeocello has come a long way. 9 studio albums into her successful career, her latest is perhaps her most accessible and daring release yet.

I truly cannot say enough good things about the singer/songwriter/bassist/rapper’s latest, Weather. The simplest release she has had by far stands in stark contrast to her previous albums and truly makes it shine. The album was produced by Grammy Award winner Joe Henry, and recorded in five days. Ndegeocello worked with jazz players on the record because she felt, “They have this ability not to be judgmental about music.” The result of this chemistry is 13 songs that have you soaking in luscious pop-driven sensibilities and wringing out raw emotion. The simplicity of the instrumental pieces perfectly complements the heart-wrenching vocals, and drives each song to place of pure and utter beauty.  In the second track, “Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear”, drummer Deantoni Parks’ groove lays it on thick and tight in the verse, and later opens into what might just be the perfect understated chorus. The cello, played by Gabe Noel, also seals the deal on this track for me.

I had the opportunity to conduct my first ever e-mail interview with Meshell this morning! I apologize for the lack of my usual “flow” here, but via e-mail it’s a little less of a conversation, and more of a list of questions and answers. Special thanks to Meshell for taking the time to answer these questions for us! Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview With The Dazz Band

by: Casey Pukl

I don’t think words can adequately express the level of excitement I feel about today’s blog. I think I’ll just have to open with this video to set the mood.

In a word, the Dazz Band is awesome. Yup, I said it. They’ve been groovin’ since the late 1970’s, and landed their biggest hits with Motown in the mid 1980’s. Throughout the years, the band has continued to record and extensively tour, bringing their danceable jazz around the world. This month, the band is bringing their show to Anthology, and we couldn’t be more excited. I got the chance to speak with these fantastic guys yesterday morning about what they’ve been up to, who they’re listening to these days, and if there’s a new record in the works!

Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Sophie Milman

by: Casey Pukl

Growing up in communist Russia and then moving to Israel, Sophie Milman didn’t grow up with much— except for her father’s record collection. Milman credits that record collection for being the “glue” that held her family together. I think at this point, we’re all thankful for that collection, because without it, we might not have one of the greatest jazz vocalists of our time.

The 28 year-old international sensation has been touring the world’s most prestigious venues and receiving critical acclaim from end to end of the globe since she was barely out of high school. She has even earned a Juno Award. Her latest album, In the Moonlight, is one of her greatest to date. Showcasing her incredible maturity, sultry voice, and a fantastic collection of songs, the record is a true reflection of where Milman is at this point in her life. Fortunately I had the opportunity to speak with her this morning and discuss her record, vocal health, and how she’s grown.

CP: Tell me a little bit about this latest record. I’m in love with the cover of, “So Sorry” that is on there! Read the rest of this entry »

Kidney stone hasn’t kept the dedicated saxophonist from taking the stage

by George Varga | signonsandiego.com

NEW YORK — With any luck, David Sanborn will be missing something when he arrives in San Diego for a three-night concert engagement at Anthology that kicks off Wednesday.

“I had to go to the emergency room because I had a kidney stone,” the veteran alto saxophone star told the capacity audience at the second of his Sept. 16 performances at the Blue Note, one of New York’s most prestigious jazz nightclubs.

“If they give you the choice of a bullet wound or a kidney stone, take the bullet! I’m telling you, I was crying like a 2-year-old.”

Sanborn paused for emphasis.

“The ‘bullet’ is still lodged in there,” he said of his kidney stone, prompting drummer Byron Landham to hit a loud, metallic rim shot. Sanborn smiled ruefully. “That,” he said, “is what (the stone) will sound like when it comes out.”

Remarkably, his painful condition only caused him to miss one night of his six-day, 12-show engagement at the Blue Note. The second of Sanborn’s two Sept. 16 performances sizzled and soared, so much so that his band mate, organ dynamo Joey DeFrancesco, expressed aloud his amazement to the Blue Note crowd.

“I can’t believe he’s up here playing at all, let alone playing his ass off,” DeFrancesco said.

A lesser musician might have canceled the remaining dates on his national tour, or at least postponed them until the kidney stone had passed. Not Sanborn, who rose to fame in the 1970s with his stellar session work on albums by Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, the Eagles, David Bowie, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

Apart from the one night he missed at the Blue Note while in the emergency room — trumpeter Randy Brecker, a longtime pal, subbed for him — the 65-year-old saxophonist has not skipped a single scheduled performance.

“I felt the need to not let people down — and I wanted to play. I didn’t just want to sit around (waiting for the stone to pass),” Sanborn said, speaking Sept. 21 from Washington, D.C., where he was doing a multi-night club date with DeFrancesco and Landham.

“Without going into too much gory detail, it hasn’t ended yet. But, hopefully, it will soon. The best course of action is to live with the discomfort and low pain level, and wait until it passes, rather than go through some surgical procedure. Continuing to play seemed like the most sensible thing to do, given my circumstances.”

He laughed. “It sort of gives ‘being stoned’ a whole new meaning!”

Considering how inspired Sanborn sounded at the Blue Note, where he soloed with consistent verve throughout a rollicking set of vintage blues, soul and R&B classics, it seems like playing music is cathartic for him.

“To a certain extent, yeah” he said. “The hardest part is not really the playing; it’s the hours of traveling and all that stuff. The playing is actually the fun part.”

Adding to the fun is the music Sanborn is now playing live, most of which is from his two most recent albums, 2008’s “Here and Gone” and this year’s “Only Everything.”

“Gone” is an ebullient tribute to the late, great Ray Charles and to Charles’ superb alto saxophonist, Hank Crawford, a key influence on Sanborn. “Everything,” which features DeFrancesco on organ, extends the salute to Charles and Crawford. It also pays homage to tenor saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman, who played alongside Crawford in Charles’ band.

Newman was another inspiration for Sanborn, whose first solo album came out in 1975 and helped make him one of the most soulful (and imitated) saxophonists in pop-jazz. (Charles died in 2004; Crawford and Newman passed away within days of each other in early 2009.)

“If there was a moment of epiphany for me, it was when I was 11 and heard the Ray Charles band play in St. Louis,” Sanborn recalled. “There was something about that combination of styles Ray embodied — jazz, gospel and rhythm-and-blues — and the way Hank and Fathead made those styles instrumental counterparts to what Ray was doing vocally. They were my role models. …

“Even though they changed and shaped the music, in small and big ways, they didn’t always get the credit they deserve, especially Fathead. He and Hank were as important to me as anybody. I owe them everything.”

At the Blue Note, Sanborn played only one tune from his earlier solo albums. That song, 1987’s slick, radio-friendly ballad “The Dream,” sounded so lightweight and formulaic compared with the liberating brand of soul-jazz on his two newest albums, it seemed to come from another musical world.

“It is a different world,” Sanborn agreed. “Look, I love the old music I did prior to these two (new albums). But, sometimes, you just have to leave it for a while, so you don’t (grow) to hate it. Sometimes, it’s best to let it rest, so that when you go back to playing it, you can feel excited and passionate about playing that music. …

“With my two latest albums, I felt like: ‘OK, now I’m ready to pay tribute to Hank and Fathead, and not make it sound like I’m just trying to imitate them.’ I wanted to bring enough confidence to pay tribute to them in a meaningful way and be more than just a copier. You have to acknowledge the past, without copying it, and that’s the real trick as an artist.”

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Via signonsandiego.com

By CALVIN WILSON | nctimes.comAlto saxophonist David Sanborn became famous for a sound uniquely his own, in which the urgency of jazz and the exhilaration of pop held equal sway.

Sanborn’s instantly recognizable style, which signaled his presence on 1970s albums by pop stars from Stevie Wonder to David Bowie and made Sanborn’s discs best-sellers, has been called the most influential on the alto sax since the anarchic explorations of bebop legend Charlie Parker.

But in an August interview from his home in New York, Sanborn —- who performs a three-day gig at Anthology next week in San Diego —- described his sound as a response to growing up in the rich musical culture of St. Louis in the 1950s and ’60s.

“There was music everywhere,” said Sanborn, 65. “Gaslight Square, all those clubs along Delmar, East St. Louis —- such a wide variety.”

As a young musician, Sanborn got the chance to perform with important artists, from blues musicians Albert King and Little Milton to jazzmen Julius Hemphill and Lester Bowie.

“The result was that I was very nonjudgmental about genres,” Sanborn said. “I didn’t evaluate music in terms of, ‘Well, I don’t play this or that.’ I wasn’t exclusionary in my taste, because the people I was hanging out with weren’t that way, either.”

Sanborn will play next week alongside drummer Byron Landham and acclaimed organist Joey DeFrancesco. The trio will focus on tunes from Sanborn’s latest album, “Only Everything,” which features DeFrancesco.

Sanborn attributed his interest in the sax-organ-drums format to his fascination with DeFrancesco’s artistry.

“He’s such an extraordinary player, on so many levels —- in my opinion, the best (Hammond) B3 player out there,” Sanborn said. “He understands the instrument and what it can do. And we both love that groove-funk-soul organ trio sound.”

Jazz organists such as Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff and Jimmy McGriff “were so important to me, in shaping who I am musically.”

On “Only Everything,” Sanborn, DeFrancesco and drummer Steve Gadd energetically address such classic tunes from the soul-jazz songbook as “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home” and “Blues in the Night.”

Sanborn penned the title tune, which is dedicated to his granddaughter Genevieve Sanborn.

On some tracks, a four-member horn section augments the trio. But on tour, Sanborn has taken a stripped-down approach that gets to the essence of the tunes.

“It just felt right,” he said. “There’s a lot of flexibility, and a lot of mobility, musically, in this kind of setting. For me, at least, and I think for Joey, it just opens up all kinds of possibilities of where we can take the music. And we can change it from night to night very easily.”

As an album, “Only Everything” is something of a sequel to Sanborn’s 2008 disc, “Here and Gone.”

Both recordings pay tribute to the late Ray Charles and his standout sidemen, saxophonists Hank Crawford and David “Fathead” Newman.

Charles was “the first guy that I heard that did it for me,” Sanborn said. “It was music that had the sophistication of jazz, the earthiness of blues and the spiritual aspect of gospel music. That was the music that moved me. And looking back, it was the foundation of my playing.”

Sanborn made his name with instrumental pop albums, such as the Grammy-winning “Voyeur” (1981).

But he demonstrated an interest in contemporary acoustic jazz as far back as the 1991 album “Another Hand.”

On his most recent albums, which also include “timeagain” (2003) and “Closer” (2005), the saxophonist has gone for a “live in the studio” sound that allows him to more fully explore his musical personality.

“It’s kind of hard to believe, but I wasn’t really aware of the fact that my records were only expressing one side of who I felt that I was musically,” Sanborn said.

In a long and impressive career that shows no signs of creative burnout, Sanborn continues to pursue his own path.

“I’ve always done what I wanted to do,” he said. “And those records that I had incredible success with in terms of sales —- it wasn’t a calculated effort on my part.

“The thing is, no matter what the musical context is, I’ve always pretty much played the same way. And that just happened to work,” he said.

David Sanborn

When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 3-5

Where: Anthology, 1337 India St., San Diego

Tickets: $31-$39

Info: 619-595-0300

anthologysd.com

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Via nctimes.com

by By Josh Board | sandiego.com

I first heard about Stanley Jordan when an art teacher I had a crush on, told me “It seems like he must have 18 fingers to play those six strings with.” That piqued my interest. At that time, I couldn’t get into his jazz fusion stuff. This Harvard graduate has been nominated for many Grammys, and in the guitar world, he’s known for his tapping technique (the same style Eddie Van Halen got known for). He’s played with Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones, and he’s supporting his first release in over a decade (which of course, is up for a Grammy). He’ll probably sit on the piano for a few tunes as well. If you want to see a variety of local bands, from the alternative sounds of Crystal Wyatt, to the headbanging metal of Comfort of Rage, as well as Sunday Girl, and The Fooks (think Dropkick Murphy’s), they’re all doing a 9/11 benefit called Flight 93 at Brick by Brick that same night. (more info: 888-237-2696)

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WHAT: Stanley Jordan
WHEN: Saturday, September 11th, 2010, 7:30 & 9:30pm
TICKETS: $22 – $29 BUY TICKETS
MORE INFO: Artist Profile

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Via sandiego.com

Rachelle Ferrell

Though she is largely obscure outside of jazz circles (particularly those connected to the festival circuit), Rachelle Ferrell is unquestionably one of the most dynamic talents in contemporary pop music. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell’s potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship (she is also and accomplished pianist). Such potency was made powerfully aware to Blue Note Record’s head Bruce Lundvall who first heard Ferrell on a demo tape (while driving to the supermarket) and signed her shortly thereafter in 1990 after seeing her perform in Germantown, Pennsylvania. So impressed was Lundvall with her talents, that he signed Ferrell to both the Blue Note Label and the Capitol Label allowing her to funnel her talents through the prism of traditional jazz and R&B. In short, Rachelle Ferrell’s talents transcend generic classification and Lundvall had the foresight to realize such a fact. Lundvall quickly set out to plan Ferrell’s coming out party via a showcase at the 1991 Montreux Jazz Festival. In the past, the showcase was used to introduced the talents of Dianne Reeves (also signed to both labels), Stanley Jordan, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Live at Montreux 91-97 captures Ferrell’s moving debut at Montreux in July of 1991 and subsequent performances at the venue throughout the decade of the 1990s. Ferrell first emerged in the states with her R&B debut Rachelle Ferrell (1992), a solid collection of self-penned originals that featured a striking duet with Will Downing (“Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This”). It was with the release of First Instrument in 1994 (recorded prior to Rachelle Ferrell) that audiences were really introduced to Ferrell’s jazz sensibilities.
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/rachelleferrell#ixzz0tnqraaaj

Reserve your seats @ Anthology San Diego

San Diego’s newest, premiere dining and live music establishment – Anthology, offers some of the most legendary acts on stage and in the kitchen. Located near the hip neighborhood of “Little Italy” on the southern end of India Street, Anthology marked its grand opening on June 6, 2007. Anthology comes to life in the spirit of the classic ’30s and ’40s supper clubs with a decidedly modern spin, to deliver a culturally harmonious gathering of food, music, wine and ambiance in an intimate 300 seat venue. Anthology has become one of San Diego’s premier upscale dining rooms. On stage, Anthology plays host to renowned local and international musicians in Jazz, Classic Rock, Blues, Latin and World music. From unplugged to plugged, solo to large bands, guests can be sure they will be impressed by the exciting array of local musicians and singers.

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Via resort2010.wordpress.com

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WHAT: Rachelle Ferrell
WHEN: Wednesday, July 28th, 2010, 7:30pm
TICKETS: $36 – $54 BUY TICKETS
MORE INFO: Artist Profile

Before hitting Anthology Friday, Grammy-nominated pianist Eldar talks respect, Radiohead and Virtue.

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Source: Local Kid Is All That Jazz | NBC San Diego

By T. Loper | Owl and Bear

Philadelphia-born saxophonist and composer Benny Golson will play Anthology tonight.

Golson, who was born in 1929, is known for writing in the bebop/hard bop styles, and he has a long history with jazz. For starters, he went to high school with John Coltrane and other Philly greats. In a 2009 interview with NPR, Golson said of Coltrane, “John and I were like blood brothers … we spent our time in my living room, listening to lots of 78 [rpm] records, trying to figure out what was going on. And we had a beat-up piano in the corner…. We really annoyed the neighbors.”

After college, Golson joined Bull Moose Jackson’s rhythm and blues band, an experience that would shape his writing for the rest of his life. He went on to work with legends like Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. As a composer, Golson is probably best known for writing “I Remember Clifford,” a eulogy to his friend and former bandmate Clifford Brown, who died in a car crash in 1956. In the 1960s, Golson took a break from jazz and focused on composition, penning the scores for television shows like M*A*S*H and The Six Million Dollar Man.

Golson’s talents have not gone unrecognized: He has received the Jazz Masters Award of the National Endowment for the Arts, he’s been inducted into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame, and he even appeared with Tom Hanks (as Hanks’ character’s musical hero) in the film The Terminal.

In 2009, the 80-year-old Golson also released a new album, called New Time, New ‘Tet. For the album, he recreated the setup of his legendary 1960s band — the Jazztet — with new members. The critically acclaimed album debuted at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums.

Check him out at Anthology on April 23 at 7:30. It should be worth your while. Get your tickets here.

T. Loper is a writer for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.

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Via Sound Diego