Happy Birthday Svend Asmussen

The great Danish jazz violinist Svend Asmussen’s birthday is today. The 1940’s were a bad time to be a jazz musician in National Socialist occupied Europe. Early one morning, Asmussen got the dreaded knock on the door, and quickly found himself incommunicado in a Copenhagen prison. Fortunately, Danes weren’t too keen on collaboration. Eventually Asmussen was released through the efforts of Danish-German Gestapo officer, sympathetic to the Danish cause. Asmussen would survive to become one of Europe’s leading jazz musicians, and to dub one of the voices in the Danish version of Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland.

Always a tasteful player, Asmussen attained international stature through his own recordings, and work with French violinist Stephane Grappelli. He played on an unusual Ellington small group session, also featuring Grappelli and Ellington violinist Ray Nance. Benny Goodman was impressed enough by the violinist to try to bring him to the States twice, but was stymied by restrictive U.S. immigration regulations. Our loss.

And of course, he is a Dane, so he must be trouble. Like the National Socialists before them, the Islamic fascists take issue with the Danish commitment to freedom. Amazing how similar extremists are in their prejudices. Fortunately we can enjoy Asmussen’s music of ninety swinging years.

Emily for Assembly Tomorrow

Tuesday is special election day on the Westside. I encourage everyone in the district to vote for Emily Csendes, the only candidate with a background in financial management. This would be a particular weakness of Linda Rosenthal, the county endorsed Democrat in the race. In response to a question at last week's candidate forum, she estimated her campaign had raised between $10,000 and $50,000—a pretty substantial spread on its face. The actual figure available on the Board of Election website is $90,700. I suppose Democrats would say that’s close enough for government work. Those with higher standards should vote for Emily (www.electemily.com).

Man with the Golden Arm

Probably best known for the role of Nighstalker reporter Carl Kolchak, Darren McGavin, who passed away Sat. had a key supporting role in The Man with the Golden Arm, a film of significant importance in the jazz cinema canon. It was one of the more ambitious attempts by a Hollywood composer, Elmer Bernstein, to integrate jazz into soundtrack scoring. It featured the work of jazz greats like Shorty Rogers and Shelly Manne, who also appear as themselves during an ill-fated audition for Frank Sinatra’s drug addicted jazz drummer, Frankie Machine. That’s a scene I’ve actually used in several SCPS classes.

Ultimately, the sum of Golden Arm’s parts is greater than its whole. McGavin himself is effectively creepy in key scenes, luring Sinatra back into heroin use. However, he looks more like a country squire in his three-piece tweeds, than a drug pusher. At the time Golden Arm’s ambition was to be a shockingly realistic look at drug addiction, but now it seems dated. If you’ve seen Travolta pop a syringe of adrenaline through the OD’ing Uma Thurman’s sternum in Pulp Fiction, Golden Arm is likely to strike you as a bit white-washed. Ozzie & Harriet with smack. Yet there are fine elements, like the music and Sinatra’s performance, which mixed desperation with dignity. Unfortunately, it reinforced the general public’s association of jazz with drugs, which sadly had a very real basis in reality for too many artists in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Man with the Golden Arm demonstrates a film may be flawed in its execution, yet remain important over time.

Spanish Tinge Under an Iron Heel

The Feb. 20th Jazz Week reports: “Puente Jr., Mayfield Contribute to New Film Exploring Cuban Participation Within Negro Baseball Leagues” link here (paid registration req’d if not industry or academic). Their involvement is certainly appropriate given Cuba’s history in the development of jazz.

Cubans were prominent in the development of jazz from the beginning, with a considerable Cuban community in New Orleans at the turn of the century, active in the city’s musical scene. Many early New Orleans band leaders, like Manuel Perez, were of Cuban descent. Jelly Roll Morton himself was influenced by Cuban rhythms, and coined the term “the Spanish tinge” to describe Latin influences in jazz. In the late twenties Cuban Alberto Socarras continued the tradition, practically introducing the flute into jazz.

In the late 1040’s Dizzy Gillespie combined bop, Latin and big band jazz with his Cubop band, featuring electrifying percussion from Chano Pozo. A legendary figure in Cuba, rumored to be involved in voodoo, Pozo’s time with Gillespie was abruptly cut short when he was killed in bar fight in 1948. Their collaboration did yield classic recordings, such as “Manteca.”

Unfortunately, Cuban would fall under the iron heel of dictator Fidel Castro. Like his fellow Communists, the National Socialists, and Apartheid South Africa, Castro banned jazz. At one point, Arturo Sandoval was imprisoned for listening to Willis Conover’s Voice of America jazz program. Sandoval and fellow musicians like Paquito D’Rivera were able to disguise their jazz as traditional Cuban music well enough to fool the authorities, but they couldn’t kid Dizzy. Gillespie always kept an open ear to Cuba, and when he heard Sandoval and associates, he was able to hire them for the big band he led under the auspices of the United Nations. Ultimately, Gillespie helped both musicians to defect to the United States, but many of their associates still live under Castro’s police state.

The 1990’s saw an explosion off interest in Cuban music, following high profile films like Calle 54 and The Buena Vista Social Club. Castro has lifted his foot from jazz’s throat, for the sake of propaganda and hard currency. However, if you’ve been taken in by one of Castro’s Potemkin jazz tourist packages, don’t mention it to NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera. Ordinarily one of the most affable artists in music, D’Rivera has no love for Castro, and does not mince words in his autobiography My Sax Life. Enjoy the rich sounds of Cuba, but don’t forget the reality of life under totalitarianism. See at the Real Cuba.

Odd Spin 2/24: Bud Shank’s Folk & Flute

Bud Shank’s Flute & Folk
Leader, flute: Bud Shank
Guitar: Joe Pass
Plus the Folkswingers
Label: World Pacific

The platter: One of the Folk-Swingers was Joe Pass. The others may be lost to the sands of time, but they support Shank’s tasteful playing well in this surprisingly enjoyable set of folk standards by the likes of Bob Dylan and Woody Gutherie. Bud Shank is one of the great alto players, but his reputation probably suffers from some of the gimmicky sessions World Pacific put him in. Trust me, this one actually works.

There has been some affinity between jazz and folk artists. Perhaps it’s a matter of proximity, in that jazz and folk were often programmed in the same venues. The Village Vanguard is one of jazz’s true shrines, but Max Gordon’s West Village club originally featured both jazz and folk acts. George Wein, long the producer of the Newport Jazz Festival, has also been one of the leading folk concert promoters. Even the venerable jazz label, Verve Records, launched a blues and folk subsidiary, Forecast.

Some genre crossing artists have pursued their own musical fusions. Folk singer Josh White, Jr. made the centerpiece of his act, a song closely associated with jazz diva Billie Holiday: “Strange Fruit.” His father, blues singer Josh White, actually recorded a 78 for Blue Note Records, the revered jazz label, early in its history. Oscar Brown, Jr. created a successful, politically conscious cabaret act mixing jazz and folk. Folk singer Barbara Dane recorded a big band album with jazz legend Earl “Fatha” Hines. Dane herself was at the forefront of the “blues roots” movement, which sought to identify and celebrate traditional bluesmen as folk’s fore-bearers. With distant blues ancestry in common, it’s not as surprising that many gimmicky jazz folk cover albums were actually quite successful, particularly this one.

Bottom line: It may be a good album, but it hasn’t carried a high price tag, due to the folk material. Hold out for something less than $10.00.

Comedy Last Night

I missed the show, but there are on-line reports that at last night's Upper Westside Assembly candidate night, Democrat Linda Rosenthal received text messages during the forum link. I guess thinking on your feet is a tall order for some candidates. One candidate giving the forum her full attention and actually thinking for herself was, yes that's right: Republican Emily Csendes www.electemily.com.

Unions Exploit Immigrants

There is story flying under the radar in Colorado that might have wider implications around the country, thanks to the dogged efforts of former State Rep. Rob Fairbank. When he read in his local paper about the Colorado construction union’s efforts to “recruit” immigrants, regardless of immigration status, he started to connect some dots. Union member’s dues are largely funneled into their PACs, which in turn donate to political candidates (largely Democrats). However, Colorado prohibits non-citizens from donating to candidates. Therefore, a large percentage of union political donations (approximately 66% in the case of CO construction workers) are in fact illegal campaign contributions. He sketches out the current situation in CO here, here and here.

While Rep. Fairbank’s posts are particular to CO, there are elements of the story that should apply to all states. Restricting political donations to U.S. citizens is pretty near a universal state requirement.

Unions have responded by trying to muddy the waters with an argument about illegal immigration. However, those who claim to advocate on behalf of immigrants should be the most outraged, as those workers are, I would argue, the most victimized by this situation.

I am extremely sympathetic to people seeking economic opportunity through hard work. In fact, I would actually like to see it easier for foreign workers to find legal employment here. Those who come to America to work, legally or illegally, want to obey the U.S. law, once they are here. However, unions have made them unwitting accomplices in an effort to circumvent campaign finance law.

Those illegal donations are usually funneled to candidates who take positions that are not in the interests of many immigrant union workers. Unions tend to favor Democrats, who typically take positions that are pro-abortion, liberal on gay issues, and opposed to free trade agreements with developing countries. Latin American immigrants tend to be Catholic, pro-life, and concerned about economic development in their home country, which would benefit from increased trade.

Most immigrants, legal or illegal, start their new lives in America in a precarious economic position. If given a choice, they would most likely prefer to save their money to build a new life here, or to send funds home to family members, rather than give illegal contributions to candidates running in a political system they cannot participate in.

Obviously, this system needs reform. Non-citizen union members should be refunded the portion of their dues that do not directly support collective bargaining efforts. Unfortunately, Democrat politicians and their union paymasters have a vested interest in maintaining the corrupt status quo.

Friends Like These

Although Bill and Hillary Clinton have had their personal electoral successes, their golden touch has not rubbed off on many of their associates. Andrew Cuomo, Robert Reich, Erskine Bowles, and Janet Reno have all lost high profile elections since their days in the Clinton White House. Now, Reno associate Charles Simon is running for an open Assembly seat on the Upper Westside.

What name should jump out on his campaign finance filing, but Bernard Nussbaum, stroking a check for $500.00
http://www.elections.state.ny.us/finance/contribandexpend.htm. I’m assuming this is the same Bernard Nussbaum who was also a member of the Clinton administration. That Nussbaum botched the handling of Vincent Foster’s tragic suicide, and was named in a Judicial Watch lawsuit for his part in the inappropriate handling of sensitive personal FBI files of former executive branch appointees (http://judicialwatch.org/alexander.shtml).

Should we be concerned about Simon’s commitment to the right to privacy, knowing who his associates are? Probably no need to worry, given his underwhelming performance at the Goddard-Riverside forum and the track record of Clintonites seeking elective office. There are three more talented candidates also in the race. The most committed to reforming Albany would be the lone Republican, Emily Csendes (www.electemily.com).

Ragtime Patriot: James Reese Europe

“My country calls me and I must answer, and if I live to come back, I will startle the world with my music”—James Reese Europe, quoted in Reid Badger’s A Life in Ragtime.

So Lt. Europe spoke before reporting to Fort Dix, after enduring two invasive surgeries, which most likely could have excused him from duty. As Europe’s 15th New York National Guard Infantry Division began the process of mustering into the U.S. Army, one of WWI’s more remarkable stories was set in motion, culminating in an unprecedented 171 citations for individual heroism, and a forty percent fatality rate for the original 2,000 volunteers.

Born today on February 22, 1880 to a freed slave who became a Republican appointee in the postmaster-general’s office, James Reese Europe would quickly rise to the pinnacle of the New York dance band world. Nearly all the top dance bands operated under the auspices of his benevolent club, most directly under his own name. More than any other band leader, he ushered American music through its early changes from Ragtime to a more syncopated style that would eventually become Jazz. As musical director for Vernon and Irene Castle, he broke the color-line providing music for white America’s dancing sensations.

Europe led many orchestras, but it was as the leader of the 15th’s marching band for which he is most celebrated. It was the band itself that enticed many of the 15th’s volunteers into service. While attached to the U.S. Army, Europe’s band thrilled U.S. servicemen and French civilians in performance. Due to Army reluctance to pursue battlefield integration, the 15th was re-christened the 369th Infantry Regiment, and attached to the French Army at the front. Soon dubbed the “Hell Fighters” for their warfighting tenacity, Europe’s men endured trench warfare and distinguished themselves under artillery fire and chemical attack.

As a result of their heroic service, the 369th band led a historic victory parade on their return to New York. Although most of Europe’s music was unrecorded, some sessions survive, including the song “On Patrol in No Man’s Land,” which he wrote in a field hospital while recuperating from a gas attack. Sadly, Europe was killed by a mentally disturbed band member shortly after his return. His premature death prevented him from fully attaining his musical ambitions, but his brief life demonstrated unusual leadership both on the bandstand and the battlefield.

Thomas Nelson Under Very New Management?

PW Daily carried this news item reports today that religious publishing house Thomas Nelson (www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/) will be bought by InterMedia Partners VII. Terms of the agreement are available here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6308997.html?display=breaking

What caught my eye was the name Leo Hindery, Jr., InterMedia’s managing partner. Hindery is a big-time cable deal-maker and prolific Democrat donor. Mother Jones profiles his donations here: http://www.motherjones.com/news/special_reports/mojo_400/29_hindery.html

It’s interesting that just as Nelson moves into conservative non-fiction in a big way, with books by conservatives like Glenn Reynolds and Michael Savage published under their Nelson Current imprint, the house is bought by a firm controlled by a major liberal donor. This could be a very interesting marriage of corporate cultures. One hopes InterMedia simply sees religious and conservative publishing as a growth area, and will give company president Michael Hyatt complete editorial control.

If this is a George Soros-styled attempt to muzzle dissenting opinions, it is doomed to failure. The notion that conservative books sell is now well established in my industry. Regnery will continue to publish bestsellers, and the New York-based houses will follow their lead. Let’s hope Hindery & Co. are looking to make money, rather than waste it.

The Night Flock—Jazz and Religion

“All praise be to God to Whom all praise is due.” So John Coltrane begins the famous liner notes to his seminal album A Love Supreme. It was his thanksgiving to God for his “spiritual awakening,” which gave him the strength to stop using cold turkey, and begin his remarkable musical-spiritual journey. After his early death, the spiritual devotion of Coltrane would inspire a church in San Francisco devoted to the artist and his music (www.saintjohncoltrane.com). Certainly, a first in jazz history.

The very word “jazz” is thought to originally be derived from a slang term for sexual intercourse. It is strongly associated with night clubs and all manners of night life. Yet throughout its existence, jazz has had a relationship with sacred music, beginning with the early jazz pioneers, who often included hymns like “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” in their repertoire.

Frequently, jazz musicians’ first exposure to music came through the church. Lionel Hampton for instance, received his formal musical training from the Fathers of the private Catholic school he attended on scholarship. Hampton eventually converted to Catholicism, and after an inspiring tour of Israel, he wrote The King David Suite, his most ambitious composition.

Hampton was not the only jazz legend to compose works reflective of his religious convictions. Duke Ellington, the urbane ladies man, composed the stirring spiritual “Come Sunday” as part of the Black, Brown, and Beige suite he premiered at Carnegie Hall in January 1943. However, the depth of his religious feeling was not widely recognized until he recorded his 1960’s Sacred Concerts in Grace Cathedral, which he considered his most important work.

1960’s soul jazz gave new impetus to jazz’s interest in the music of the church. Borrowing equally from gospel and r&b, Soul Jazz was an attempt to reconnect jazz with its African-American roots. The result was a nexus between the sacred and the profane.

Some men of the cloth truly personified the soul of jazz, performing and recording as jazz musicians themselves. Father Jack Herrera played with many territory swing bands before finding his calling in the church. He later returned to jazz for an Enterprise LP expressive of his faith. Father Tom Vaughan was more prolific, recording three piano trio albums on RCA in the 1960’s, often with top sidemen, like Elvin Jones and Art Davis. His repertoire mixed jazz and pop standards with more sacred fare.

Throughout it all, one church more than any other has ministered to the spiritual needs of jazz musicians—St. Peter’s on 53rd Street at Lexington Avenue in Manhattan (www.saintpeters.org/jazz/). The late Pastor John Gensel was a jazz fan himself and understood working musicians needed a religious home with flexible hours. His jazz congregation, known as the “Night Flock” finally had a Father who understood the music scene.

Many Jazz musicians continue to work with sacred themes. Wynton Marsalis has composed extended works like In This House, On This Morning and All Rise that are deeply rooted in the church experience. As with any musical endeavor, the deeper the feeling, the more moving a particular recording is apt to be.

Shelly Who?

Thursday night, candidates running in the State Assembly special election on the Upper Westside faced each other at a forum at Goddard-Riverside. One audience member (why is everyone looking at me?) submitted the following question: “As a member of the Assembly, potentially, do you support the re-election of Sheldon Silver as Speaker? If so, why?” Or words to that effect. The crowd reacted with murmurs, suggesting this was an unfair question. However, if you believe Silver has been good for the City, it should be a snap to answer.

First to respond was Democrat Mike Lupinacci, who called Silver “an abomination,” and said “no,” to supporting Silver. (I actually enjoyed that answer, but it probably gave his campaign manager a heart attack). Second was Democrat Linda Rosenthal, who had previously made much of her work with the Democrat power structure, including Rep. Nadler, Borough Pres. Stringer, and Sen. Clinton. She said: “I don’t want to get personal. I’ve actually never really met the man.” She then offered some mild criticism of Silver, for not being as open as previous assembly leaders, but did not really address the question. The next candidate, Democrat Charles Simon, claimed to be too busy with his own campaign to think of such matters, and proceeded to change the subject. Finally, Republican Emily Csendes answered that as a Republican, she wouldn’t owe anything to Silver, and would not be supporting him.

So to recap, four candidates (three of which being Democrats), running in an overwhelmingly Democrat district, speaking before an audience that was more Democrat than Republican, were unable or unwilling to offer any positive justification for reelecting Silver as Speaker. I don’t understand why Republican candidates are reluctant to make support for the Silver regime more of an issue. Despite the other candidates’ lip-service, it was crystal clear Emily Csendes was the only candidate who would be willing and able to stand up for real reform in the Assembly. If you don’t live in her district, you can still send some green to the campaign here: www.electemily.com.

Prosecution Soon Rests

I prefer to concentrate on local rather than national politics. However, I might eventually write on grand jury-shopping D.A. Ronnie Earle, and his incredible shrinking case against Rep. DeLay, because I think “Witless for the Persecution” would be a great title.

Of course that’s a reference to Agatha Christie’s short story and stage play “Witness for the Prosecution,” a great production of which is currently being staged by the Heights Players in Brooklyn (www.witnessfortheprosecution.net). The acting is first-rate, and it looks fantastic—give props to the props. Unfortunately, it ends its run today, so act quick if you want to catch it. I suspect time is running out for Earle as well.

Ray Barretto 1929-2006

Ejazznews posts the sad news of Ray Barretto’s passing this morning. Barretto was a giant of Latin jazz, a first-call conguero whose percussion was highly sought after by jazz legends looking to add some Latin flavor to their sessions. He played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Gene Ammons, Art Blakey, and Wes Montgomery.

Barretto lead scores of his own sessions, producing some of his strongest jazz work late in his career, with CDs like Homage to Art and Contact! Coincidently, Barretto also played on today’s featured LP from “Juan Calle.” His Latin jazz album of Bond themes entitled Senor 007, is another entertaining LP I might feature here in the future. Whatever the musical context, Barretto always played with passion.

Barretto’s contributions were recognized in his lifetime when the NEA named him one of the 2006 Jazz Masters in January.

http://www.ejazznews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=5782&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Welcome Real NY YR’s

And you know who you are. Thanks for the link http://nyyrcrecord.blogspot.com/, between Instapundit and Little Green Footballs, distinguished company to keep. I’ll try to spin something fresh here every weekday, so visit regularly.

If anyone is fired up about something posted here, e-mail me at: jb.feedback@yahoo.com. All mail considered fit to print, unless otherwise noted. We’ll be giving away some books here soon as well, so keep watching these pages.

Odd Spin 2/17: Juan Calle’s Mazel Tov, Mis Amigos

Juan Calle’s Mazel Tov, Mis Amigos
Leader, lute: Juan Calle (John Cali)
Piano: Eddie Palmieri
Timbales: Willie Rodriguez
Conga, bongos: Ray Barretto
Trumpets: Clark Terry, Lou Oles, Doc Cheatham
Bass: Wendell Marshall
Clarinet, bass clarinet, flute: Shelly Russell
Label: Riverside (RLP 7510) 1961

The skinny: Under the Latinized name Calle, banjo player John Cali switches to the lute and leads a Latin big band through a set of traditional Yiddish songs. This LP was released by Riverside, under their “Popular Records” series, intended for more mainstream audiences than the jazz recordings they specialized in. Oddly, they assumed Middle American was waiting to embrace tunes like "Beltz, Mein Shtetle Beltz Pachanga" and "Vus De Vilst, Dus Vill Ich Oich Cha-Cha." Riverside’s important recordings by Bill Evans and Wes Montgomery were easily more popular with mainstream audiences, than most of their releases on the “Popular” imprint. Still, this session has some good moments, with great Latin musicians like Eddie Palmieri and Ray Baretto keeping it real, and jazz legends Clark Terry and Doc Cheatham occasionally getting a chance to stretch out.

Bottom line: There are enough straight-up Latin legends to make this a sought after platter. Presumably, not many were pressed. Expect to see it in the $20-25 range.

Cold Fusion—Strange Collaborators

In 1946 Igor Stravinsky composed Ebony Concerto for Woody Herman’s big band. At the time, it was a highly unexpected collaboration, but it would establish a precedent for further fusions of jazz and classical music, later to be dubbed Third Stream.

Fuse the verb—to combine elements—became Fusion, a noun for a particularly style of jazz in the late 1960’s. Fusion: the deliberate mixing of jazz and rock musical styles. Of course there were many earlier fusions of jazz with other musical genres, be it Third Stream Jazz, Western Swing, or Terry Callier’s blend of folk and jazz elements.

There is always curiosity about unusual pairings, like Bing Crosby singing White Christmas with David Bowie, Frank Sinatra singing with Bono, or Tony Bennett teaming up with Flea. Someone usually makes stylistics concessions. In their popular rendition of White Christmas, Bowie wisely adapted his style to Crosby’s. Sometimes diverse collaborators come together for a shared musical conception. Sometimes for novelty.

While I enjoy many musical fusions, I think the time for fusion in New York politics has come and gone. New York has an unusual system, where major party candidates may also take the ballot lines of minor fusion parties, and add those votes to their total return. For instance, Gov. Pataki has long been the nominee of both the Republican and Conservative Parties.

There are noble roots to some fusion parties. Anti-Communist liberals like Reinhold Niebuhr were instrumental in founding the Liberal Party, as way to support national and statewide progressive candidates without voicing support for the corrupt local Democrat Party, or the American Labor Party which was dominated by Communists and fellow travelers.

That was then. Now several NY minor parties seem to survive largely on donations from prospective candidates interested in their ballot line. It’s hard to see the value they add to the political system. When the Conservative Party can join the far-left Working Families Party, cross-endorsing Democrat Michael McNulty (NY-21), with a lifetime ACU rating of 22% (http://www.acuratings.org/), you have to wonder. The Conservatives might at least play a role keeping the state party from reverting to its Rockefeller roots, but the Working Family Party doesn’t have to worry about state Democrats morphing into Zell Miller anytime soon.

Currently, the most coveted minor ballot line is row C, the Independence Party. Consisting of elements from the Perot campaigns and the avowedly Marxist New Alliance Party (http://www.adl.org/special_reports/nap.asp), the IP’s endorsement has been sought in the past by most major NY politicians, including Pataki, Spitzer, and Clinton. It does make one wonder about stylistic concessions. For fusion, I prefer early Weather Report.

G-Rated Jazz

Last week’s odd spin raises the issue of jazz family values. Rightly or wrongly, jazz does not have a strong family image. Its roots are in the brothels of Storyville, the speakeasies of Kansas City and Chicago, and the night clubs of Harlem. Even today, the formerly smoke-filled night club is the most common jazz laboratory for musical development.

While jazz’s ancestry might be notorious, individual musicians are much more likely to be responsible family members, struggling to earn some bread. Life as a jazz musician, with constant touring and late night performances, certainly can put a strain on family life. Musicians like Charlie Parker and Joe Albany also faced the demons of drug addiction and mental illness, causing tremendous chaos for their families.

Other musicians were able to raise their children in a stable, creative environment, ultimately bringing them into the musical tradition. Ellis Marsalis raised four musical prodigies: Wynton, Branford, Delfayo, and Jason. Duke Ellington passed the leadership of his Orchestra down to his son Mercer, and now grandson Paul leads the band. A similar succession took place when Arturo O’Farrill took over the leadership of Chico O’Farrill latin big band after the elder O’Farrill passed away.

Even children not born into a jazz dynasty can be enriched by an early exposure to jazz. Wynton Marsalis oversees many Jazz for Young People programs at the Lincoln Center, and the Jazz Standard has a special weekend set for kids. After all, there are important lessons to be learned from jazz. It was born out of America’s racial struggles, yet it expresses America’s philosophy of freedom. More than any other music, it prizes individual expression. It is the truest American musical expression. Sadly, there have been a relatively small number of jazz albums produced explicitly for young audiences, but Horace Silver did do his part.

Olympic Warning: Don't Pull an Ackerman

Memo to politicians: don't try to inject yourself into a constituentss moment of glory. Just send a nice letter, suitable for framing. Don't pull an Ackerman. That's Gary Ackerman, the Congressional excuse from Queens and a sliver of the Long Island, that included the home of figure-skater Sarah Hughes. Moments after winning her upset Gold medal, an emotional Hughes expecting a call from her parents, was confused to receive a call on her cell from Ackerman, trying to worm his way into some Olympic publicity. Find an archived recap on the dormant politicsny congressional rankings, under "below average:" http://www.politicsny.com/archives/2003/february/congressionalratings.shtml

David Ricardo and Paco Sery

On the whole, I’m quite impressed with the i-pod and the i-tunes service. My one complaint is that American i-tunes users are not able to download from the international i-tunes sites. I’m sure that’s to protect the territorial rights of record labels. If an American label has the license for an album in this territory, they would not want U.S. users downloading the same music from a foreign record label, through one of i-tunes international arms. They are within their rights to expect i-tunes to help protect their investment. However, it is frustrating that we can’t access foreign music that is not being distributed in America.

Jazz record buyers have a long history of chasing import editions. I have a fairly large collection of Japanese import CDs reissuing American sessions not currently available in their original land of recording. Indeed high-end LPs are regularly flipped between Japanese and American collectors.

Music, like ideas and commerce should travel between borders relatively easily. During the 1950’s, the British musicians’ union essentially closed the country to visiting musicians. Yet, it was their members who suffered the most, forced to travel abroad to hear the latest developments in Bebop and modern jazz.

Jazz as an art form has a unique ability to soak in and synthesize foreign influences into something entirely new itself. Anything that constrains that trade, robs the music of new stimulus.

When I listen to the music of Paco Sery, it’s difficult to understand the demonization of global trade underway by the left. A native of Côte d'Ivoire, Sery played in the band of Joe Zawinul, an Austrian keyboardist whose own credits include stints with Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis. Sery’s CD Voyages, incorporates the sounds of jazz, world & traditional music, funk, and I’m not sure what else. It’s an amazing blend, but don’t bother looking for it on i-tunes. I purchased this French Bluenote CD on-line, and I intend to hold onto it.