JazzNights 18

Michele Rosewoman and Rufus Reid

Ms. Rosewoman began her study of piano in California at the age of six, and very early established her fascination with Cuban music, along with its West African antecedents. As a teenager, she studied congas and other percussion instruments, and these strong influences persist to this day. She works in all manner of groups including her widely praised quintet Quintessence, as well as more traditional trios and duos. Her 14-person ensemble New Yor-Uba (created with the help of an NEA grant), concentrates on the music that has come to us through Nigeria and Dahomey via Cuba. She has performed with these groups and as a sideperson throughout the world. Her grants and awards are numerous, and she has taught at both the New School and NYU. She is steeped in the work of iconic jazz greats: Ellington, Monk, Coltrane, of course, as well as the Cuban masters. Beyond that, her playing and writing has always been touched by the modernists of the day: Greg Osby, Oliver Lake, Cecil Taylor. Her music is exciting: both eclectic and electric!

Lately, she's been touring with the latest incarnation of Quintessence (Mark Shim on tenor, Loren Stillman on alto and soprano, Brad Jones on bass, and Gene Jackson on drums. This group has a brand new CD, The In Side of Out, with Mark Shim, the brilliant young altoist Miguel Zenon, and assorted guests. Reviews call it her most multifaceted CD yet, and it is available through: www.michelerosewoman.com.

We'll recommend some CDs below, but probably closest to our evening is her trio CD, Occasion to Rise, with bassist Rufus Reid (who will be with her in December) and drummer Ralph Peterson. There are tunes by Mingus and Coltrane, by bop trumpeter Lee Morgan, and several by Ms. Rosewoman herself. It's a fine collection and all three performers shine. The opening tune, "Lazy Bird," is typical: there are echoes of Tatum in the introduction, quotes and half-quotes abound, and Mr. Reid plays provocative slurs and glisses. It's a wonderful tune and introduces a fine CD. I also especially like their version of Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss." It is filled with almost-Monk runs, and it evolves as a stride version of this venerable tune, so often over romanticized. Here it's not!

"Rosewoman digs deep into the modern jazz piano tradition and the West African origins of Cuban music......the exciting immediacy of hard bop and the unfolding depth of Santeria ritual."

JazzTimes

We are very lucky to have Rufus Reid playing bass with us for the second time. He was here for JazzNights 2 with Joanne Brackeen. He's worked with everyone, including Kenny Barron at the first jazz concert ever at the Institute for Advanced Study about 25 years ago. He was Director of the renowned Jazz Program at William Paterson University. His deep, expressive solos, usually plucked, but sometimes arco, are thoughtful, melodic, and inventive. On a date at Shanghai in Madison, NJ, with Kenny Barron, Benny Wallace, and Ben Riley he supported the band beautifully, and played deep, fat, and booming solos including a spectacular arco effort on Ellington's In a Sentimental Mood - not saccharin, but, as my notes on the evening say, "unspeakably pretty, evoking Ellington without sounding just like him."

"Rufus Reid is simply one of the moist brilliant specialists of the instrument."

Alain Gerber

Jazz Magazine (France)

Alain Gerber, Jazz Magazine (France)

Suggested CDs:

Michele Rosewoman

Trios:

Occasion to Rise; Evidence, 23042-2

Spirit, (Blue Note CDP 36777, (with Kenny Davis and Gene Jackson)

With Quintessence:

Quintessence, Enja 5039-2, (with Greg Osby, Steve Coleman, Anthony Cox, Terri Lynn Carrington)

Contrast High, Enja 5091 (with Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Kenny Davis, Gene Jackson, Eddie Bobe)

Harvest, Enja 706, (with Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Lonnie Plaxico, Cecil Brooks, Eddie Bobe)

Guardians of the Light, Enja 9378-2 (with Steve Wilson, Craig Handy, Kenny Davis, Gene Jackson)

Rufus Reid

His work with Getz is brilliantly displayed on the pair of CVs Anniversary, Emarcy 838769-2 and Serenity, Emarcy 838770-2. Getz, Kenny Barron, Victor Lewis, and Reid, all in absolutely spectacular form in Copenhagen, 1987.

The Gait Keeper, a fine quintet CD with Fred Hendrix (tp), Rich Perry (ts), John Stetch (p, JazzNights 16), Montez Coleman (d)

There are two fine CD duets with bassist Michael Moore, Doublebass Delights and The Intimacy of the Bass: Doubletime DTRCN 117 and 198.

Art Farmer, Blame It On My Youth, Contemporary, CCD 14042-2, with James Williams, Clifford Jordan, and Victor Lewis.

Kenny Barron: The Moment, Reservoir, RSRCD 121

Mr. Reid is co-leader with drummer Akira Tana of the group "Tanareid." Try: Yours and Mine, Concord 4440.