Jazz!, Jazz!!, Jazz!!! – 3 Concerts in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM)
That’s’ right 3 times free, excellent sounding JAZZ sponsored by Jamey Aebersold Jazz, hosted by The Jazz Arts Foundation, Inc. as part of their Jazz: Live at the Library! series and in honor of April – Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM).
JAZZ! 1 – I, unfortunately, was unable to attend the April 14th concert, which I heard was excellent. I have pasted below the JAF’s description of that concert so that the masses that read this blog may check out who was here and go to Dave Clark’s website and check out his music.
On Thursday, April 14, 2016, The Jazz Arts Foundation and the Lexington Public Library continue their “Jazz: Live at the Library!” series of monthly concerts at the Central Library Theatre, 140 East Main St. in downtown Lexington. Show # 108 brings in The Dave Clark Quintet paying tribute to the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Joining him: Kendall Carter, piano, Sonny Stephens, bass, Zack Kennedy, drums and introducing new musician #187 to our series, Mr. Ansyn Banks on trumpet.
Dave Clark
Originally from Pine Bluff, AR, saxophonist and educator Dave Clark has performed and taught internationally and currently is the Director of Jazz Studies at Bellarmine University. He has performed with Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Randy Brecker, Stanley Turrentine, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Harry Pickens, Nancy Wilson, Delfeayo Marsalis and many other jazz masters. He is on the faculty of Jamey Aebersold’s Summer Jazz Workshop. The Louisville Courier-Journal writes, “Clark’s playing mixes technical brilliance and beautiful personal expressions…one of the brightest players in town”. www.daveclarkjazz.net
And now, I want to talk a tad about the April 26, 2016 and April 30, 2016 bonus concerts at the library:
JAZZ!! 2 – April 26, 2016 brought to the Jazz at the Library series a performance by Dr. Monika Herzig, German born, now a native of Bloomington, Indiana. You can read all about Dr. Herzig at www.monikaherzig.com. Dr. Herzig graced The Farish Theater stage with her beautiful piano playing and was joined by three talented musicians out of Cincinnati, OH: Mike Sharfe, bass, Sandy Suskind, flute and Tom Buckley, drums. The Jazz at the Library series welcomed Sandy Suskind and Tom Buckley as first time players with the series. Sandy being #187 and Tom #188.
I have heard only a handful of Jazz flute players and let me tell you Sandy is one to remember. The first piece of the evening, a composition by Arthur Schwartz, Alone Together, brought the image of a painter at an easel to mind. His breath was a brush that dabbed delicate flowers: daffodils, crocuses, lady slippers, over the canvas. Whereas, Mike Sharfe playing a mellow stand-up bass, painted with a much bigger brush with rich deep colors. By the end of this beautiful piece, I knew joy, beauty and gratitude, emotions experienced throughout the entire composition.
Italian Taxi Ride, an original by Dr. Herzig, was a fun and exciting piece, fast paced, slightly dissonant in places and just a tad wild. Dr. Herzig’s piano played in jerks, staccato notes in an allegro tempo, depicting a ride that she herself had experienced in Italy. Flutist Sandy pushed the limits of his breath and of his flute. This composition showed me the versatility of a flute well played. Bassist, Mike Sharfe’s solo showed off his ability to take a bass out of its comfort zone, stretching strings, creating a vision of an exciting ride through the winding roads of an Italian town. Drummer Tom Buckley helped to keep the ride’s high intensity and death defying antics on pace, course, and on the road.
The next piece was a tribute to David Baker (12/1931-3/2016), distinguished professor at Indiana University and jazz legend, titled KY Oysters. A delightful piece, that if I knew what KY oysters tasted like I would be inclined by the composition, to imagine them to be succulent and melt in your mouth tender juiciness with an after effect of an aphrodisiac.
The fourth piece, another original by Dr. Herzig, Mosquito, was followed by yet another original, The Pianist Said and the quartet finished the evening off with a Chick Corea piece.
It was a good night filled with excellent musicians entertaining the intimate crowd at The Farish Theater in downtown Lexington KY’s Central Library, with beautiful music. Thanks go out to Jamey Aebersold Jazz for sponsoring, Dave McWhorter and The Jazz Arts Foundation, Inc. for hosting and to Dr. Monika Herzig, Mike Sharfe, Tom Buckley and Sandy Suskind for including Lexington into their busy schedule.
JAZZ!!! 3 – The April 30, 2016 concert was the end of a two week long, 3 live performance, Jazz at the Library Series. It was a bonus performance in celebration of International Jazz Day (IJD) hosted by The Jazz Arts Foundation and performed by The Library Players. Read about them below. We were treated to another of Lexington, KY’s finest vocalists, Beth “Coco” Fur as a special guest.
On Saturday afternoon, April 30, 2016, Lexington joined UNESCO’s world-wide celebration of International Jazz Day, coordinated by the Thelonious Monk Institute and presented by The Jazz Arts Foundation and the Lexington Public Library. This special concert event featured vocalist & saxophonist Upshaw Briggs with “The Library Players” performing jazz classics mixed with fusion jazz of 70s and 80s made famous by Grover Washington, Jr, George Benson, Al Jarreau, The Crusaders and more. Joining Upshaw was Ron Davidson, guitar, Larry Nelson, sax, Mark Gardner, keyboards, Tom Covello, bass, and Dave McWhorter, drums. This special matinee concert was sponsored, in part, by The Jazz Education Network (JEN), Jamey Aebersold Jazz and the Jazz Arts Foundation, Inc.
An hour and a half of foot stomping, “booty shaking” and yes, some easy listening, jazz was performed to a small intimate audience, on a rainy afternoon, in The Farish Theater. Drummer John Knight came on stage for a guest appearance and for the opportunity to play with long time associate, broken footed Bassist, Tom Covello. An enjoyable time was had by all.
Thank you Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Jazz Arts Foundation and the Downtown Central Library of Lexington for sponsoring and hosting this and all of April Jazz Arts Foundation concerts.
by Catherine Perkins
