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PRINCESS GERI ALLEN REACHES FINAL CODA : RIP 1957 – 2017
Month: June 2017
LA JAZZ PIANIST THEO SAUNDERS ADDED TO KEYSTONE KORNER 45th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
posted by Robert J. Carmack @blues2jazzguy
LA based Jazz pianist Theo Sauders has been added to the official personnel lineup for Todd Barkan’s 45th Keystone Korner Anniversary tour, July 7th and 8th in San Francisco Bay area. Theo Saunders is a part of both Azar Lawrence quartet and Henry Franklin group regionally heard almost for the last decade. That band also featured the late Alphonse Mouzon on drums and Lawrence taking up the reeds chair. Saunders is more than capable of tackling the herculean task of balancing style and approach with passion and heart. He will be taking over for Benito Gonzalez, the young pianist from New York.
One need only look at Theo’s family pedigree, as it relates to performances in the arts.
Theo (Ted) Saunders was born and raised on the island of Manhattan, NY. His Russian heritage is masked by his name, which was legally changed along with the rest of his family so that his father, Nicholas, could get work as an actor during the Communist paranoia era of the 1950’s, which makes more sense when you know that he was the only actor in S.A.G./A.F.T.R.A. who could speak fluently in both languages without a trace of an accent in either. He comes from a family whose theatre and musical roots goes back four generations. He attended the High School of Performing Arts (along with fellow musicians, George Cables, Bob Moses, and Ray Maldanado) where he got the jazz bug and spent several years at New York University before leaving to pursue his jazz calling.
Highlights of his career include: Performing at the Village Vanguard for a week in 1969 with guitarist Sonny Greenwich, Jimmy Garrison, and Jack DeJohnette….Playing electric piano and clavinet on the Bill Evans/George Russell album, “Living Time” on Columbia Records in 1971…a member of John Klemmer’s group that opened for the first national tour of the VSOP band in 1978 (including a concert at Avery Fisher Hall)…. a member of Ted Curson’s group that played Monday nights at Sweet Basil for a year in the early 80’s……First gig in Los Angeles– a three month stint with Willie Bobo in 1974……six national tours with Freddie Hubbard between 1981-95…European tour and Japanese tour with Carla Bley’s band in 1983-84 and a DVD, “Live at The Montreal Jazz Festival” ( a band that included Joe Lovano, Steve Slagle, Steve Swallow, and Victor Lewis)… member of Bob Brookmeyer’s Quartet in Los Angeles from 1979-80 and touring nationally and also the Netherlands.
Theo (Ted) Saunders, a native New Yorker, has lived in California since 1985, but his musical career remains international in scope. Saunders’ musical odyssey has taken him to Five continents and more than twenty-Five countries.
He has performed in many of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals, concert halls and night clubs, with distinguished jazz artists including:
Freddie Hubbard, Carla Bley, Charles Lloyd, Bob Brookmeyer, Sonny Fortune, Buddy Collette, Eddie Harris,Ted Curson, James Moody, Bobby Hutcherson, Teddy Edwards, Jack Dejohnette, Joe Lovano, Jimmy Garrison, Pharoah Sanders, Harold Land, John Scofield, Slam Stewart, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims ,Reggie Workman, Curtis Fuller, Rashied Ali, Mike Stern, Benny Powell, Chris Conners, Morgana King & Roseanna Vitro,David “Fathead” Newman, J.R. Montrose, Brew Moore,Sonny Greenwich, John Klemmer, Mark Egan, Wilbur Ware , Steve Khan, Henry Franklin, Azar Lawrence, Carl Burnett, Jack Wilkins, Steve Slagle, Dennis Irwin, Roy McCurdy, Eddie Gomez, Cecil McBee, Rick Laird, John Heard, Al Grey, Barbara Morrison, Lanny Morgan, and this is a short list.
Todd Barkan’s Keystone Korner 45th Anniversary show promises to be an explosive evening and afternoon of pure unadulterated JAZZ.
(see below for a venue or time that suits you.)
Band personnel: Azar Lawrence, Eddie Henderson, Mel Martin, Theo Saunders(just added), Denny Zeitlin, Juini Booth,Roy McCurdy(just added) Akira Tana, Ray Drummond,Kenneth Nash, Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz and lots more.
Friday, July 7, 7:00 pm
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
320 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz
831-427-2227
Tickets: $30/35
Saturday, July 8, 2:00 pm
Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society ( just about sold out)
311 Mirada Drive, Half Moon Bay
650-726-4143
Advance: Adults $45/35, Students $25 (25 & under with ID)
Door: Adults $50, Students $30
FYI: Theo Saunders is also replacing Benito Gonzalez at a Los Angeles Concert July 4th at Zebulon Café
A McCoy Tyner Tribute Concert
Band features Bassist Juini Booth – Leader, Azar Lawrence Sax, Theo Sanders Piano, Drums Roy McCurdy,Robert J. Carmack poet /spoken word…
JULY 4th 2017 8pm – 10PM only
ZEBULON CAFE ONE NIGHT ONLY !!
Tixs: $10 advance $12 at door
Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive. Los Angeles,CA. 90039
(323) 662-0966 (contact club for advance )
KEYSTONE KLIPPINS’:JAZZ ICONS SPEAK ABOUT TODD BARKAN AND SAN FRANCISCO’S KEYSTONE KORNER
posted by Robert J. Carmack #@blues2jazzguy
Jazz impresario Todd Barkan is returning to the scene of the Jazz Crime, San Francisco with two dates to remember. July 7 & 8.
The great pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams referred to Keystone Korner as “the Birdland of the Seventies.” Art Blakey, Miles Davis, and Stan Getz all agreed that Keystone Korner was “the best jazz club in the world.”
Band personnel: Azar Lawrence, Eddie Henderson, Mel Martin, Benito Gonzalez, Denny Zeitlin, Juini Booth,Roy McCurdy(just added) Akira Tana, Ray Drummond,Kenneth Nash, Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz & lots more!!
Friday, July 7, 7:00 pm
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
320 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz
831-427-2227
Tickets: $30/35
Saturday, July 8, 2:00 pm
Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society
311 Mirada Drive, Half Moon Bay
650-726-4143
Advance: Adults $45/35, Students $25 (25 & under with ID)
Door: Adults $50, Students $30
Saturday, July 8, 7:00-11:00 pm
Pier 23 Cafe
On the Embarcadero at the foot of Greenwich, San Francisco
415-362-5125
No advance tickets / $10 cover charge
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Barkan has assembled a “heavyweight contending” lineup for our listening pleasure. Also, its sure to offer tons of surprises from musicians & friends from over the years. Be There!!
In our series on Keystone Klippins’ – a snapshot into the thoughts and ideas of some of the “Cats” that played the “Korner” over the years and back to help celebrate the 45th anniversary with Todd and Friends. Coming Next!! Wednesday June 21, Saxophonist Mel Martin and Bassist, Juini Booth.
Charles Mcpherson – alto sax /composer/husband/dad
One of my most challenging conversations because of the time restraints. I wanted so many questions answered and so little time. I was able to find out some “nuggets for the real jazz fans. such as, I did not know he went to high school with Roy Brooks and they played in his first jazz band together. Also, Brooks was a star athlete, especially basketball. Living and growing up in Detroit, you are bound to bump into or come up against some of the “most superb” musicians in the world. Sure enough, he played with a guy known as the Charlie Parker of the bass in Detroit. Non-other than James Jamerson of Motown fame.. Yes! he was a jazz bassist too. I was a student of the saxophone at the time I learned about Charlie Parker in early 1960s, My guys on alto at the time was Bird, Jackie Mclean, Cannonball and Charles Mcpherson(I called him that guy with Mingus band not Dolphy). He always looked so cool playing with Mingus and the rest of the band.. He was built for Mingus…kind of like Charlie Rouse was built for Monk. He was his own man not a Bird clone.
Another jazz hero of mine was Barry Harris, (pianist with Lee Morgan on the Sidewinder) Lee Morgan’s record introduced me to the bop sound of Harris, which led me to the records by Harris including Charles McPherson on Saxophones.
I asked Charles about, what it was like playing the Keystone Korner in the day? Mcpherson:” Man it was a delight playing there. Todd was a REAL JAZZ FAN, not just an owner. We had fun there always over the years and I wound up the very last booked act at the Keystone in 1983″. “my most memorable times was the Two- Biller Allstar bands with split sets. Man! Nobody was doing with jazz what Todd was doing to pack in the true jazz fans,added McPherson. Tony Williams – Barry Harris double bills!”
“I’m really looking forward to hooking up with cats I haven’t seen in a few and having that spirit of the old Keystone Korner days.”
A teenage friend of this writer who was studying saxophone also turned me on to this album in 1965.. a stellar lineup of great musicians . I still enjoy putting this one on.
Charles McPherson was born in Joplin, Missouri and moved to Detroit at age nine. After growing up in Detroit, he studied with the renowned pianist Barry Harris and started playing jazz professionally at age 19. He moved from Detroit to New York in 1959 and performed with Charles Mingus from 1960 to 1972. While performing with Mingus, he collaborated frequently with Harris, Lonnie Hillyer (trumpet), and George Coleman (tenor sax). 
Charles McPherson was recently featured at Lincoln Center showcasing his original compositions and arrangements with a seven-piece ensemble. He has toured the U.S., Europe, Japan, Africa and South America with his own groups, as well as with jazz greats Barry Harris, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Nat Adderley, Jay McShann, Phil Woods, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, and many others.
Over the years Charles has travelled as special guest artist with Charlie Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. He has recorded as leader on Prestige, Fantasy, Mainstream, Discovery, Xanadu, and most recently Arabesque. His most recent recording is the highly acclaimed “Manhattan Nocturne.”
Charles was also the featured alto saxophonist in the Clint Eastwood film “Bird,” a biography about Charlie Parker.
McPherson remains a strong, viable force on the jazz scene today. He is at the height of his powers. His playing combines passionate feeling with intricate patterns of improvisation.
For more information and news of his collaboration with the San Diego Ballet featuring his daughter (see link below)
http://www.charlesmcpherson.com
JUINI BOOTH & The MCCOY TYNER TRIBUTE QUARTET @ZEBULON CAFE-LOS ANGELES
The McCoy Tyner Tribute Quartet July 4th Explosive Concert
Band personnel: Juini Booth leader/bass, Roy McCurdy drums, piano Theo Saunders, Azar Lawrence saxophones, guest jazz poet, Robert J. Carmack …
JULY 4th 2017 8pm- 10PM only
ZEBULON CAFE ONE NIGHT ONLY !!
Tixs: $10 advance $12 at door
Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive. Los Angeles,CA. 90039
(323) 662-0966 (club only)
KEYSTONE KLIPPINS’~ WHEN JAZZ HISTORY, GOOD FRIENDS AND GREAT MUSICIANS COME TOGETHER
posted #@blues2jazzguy Robert J.Carmack
If its one thing I can say about Todd Barkan, he’s one of the hardest working jazz presenters ,producer and all around good guy. Over the last few months I’ve spoken with various musicians that have either worked with, or for Todd. They all say to the man “He’s one of a kind, like family, and has his head on straight in knowing exactly where he wants to take the music” .
Among the best moves he ever made was establishing a club called The Keystone Korner..Jumping off right at a time when Jazz was waffling in the Bay area, particularly in San Francisco. With a head full of bright ideas and a few dollars, he was able to recruit some of the best musicians in the bay area at the time. He then grew that into a virtual “Who’s Who”. Its foolish to try to post a laundry list of legends who played the “Korner”.
In fact, It’s easier to say who didn’t. To name a few; Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Dexter Gordon, Bobby Hutcherson,Joe Henderson, Jimmy Smith, Freddie Hubbard, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Michael White, McCoy Tyner and on and on. Some of these stints were recorded “LIVE” and later released as collector’s sessions at the Keystone Korner. (see Bright Moments and Atlantis)
So it’s no surprise when Todd organized this 45th anniversary celebration scheduled to take place in the San Francisco bay area .. You can join him and all his friends in the Bay area July 7 & 8 2017. (see venues and times below)
Three Exciting Dates of Electrifying Music for You
July 7th 2017 – KUUMBWA JAZZ CENTER 7:pm
Santa Cruz,CA.
July 8th 2017 – BACH DANCING & DYNAMITE SOCIETY
2:pm HALF MOON BAY,CA. call ahead for reservations are suggested
July 8th 2017 – PIER 23 on the EMBARCADERO -7:pm San Francisco, CA. reservations are suggested
The action gets started with legendary artists performing
Charles McPherson..Gary Bartz.. Azar Lawrence.. Eddie Henderson.. Mel Martin.. Ray Drummond.. Kenneth Nash.. Benito Gonzalez.. Juini Booth, Denny Zeitlin & quite a few other surprises.
45TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF KEYSTONE KORNER on JULY 7-8, 2017, with Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, Denny Zeitlin, Benito Gonzalez, Mel Martin, Ray Drummond, Juini Booth, Calvin Keys, Kenneth Nash, et al. Todd Barkan, MC.
KUUMBWA JAZZ CENTER, SANTA CRUZ, CA.
FRIDAY, JULY 7, 7 pm. www.kuumbwajazz.org
BACH DANCING & DYNAMITE SOCIETY
HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA
PIER 23 CAFE, EMBARCADERO, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JULY 8, 7-12 pm
JAZZ BASS LEGEND JUINI BOOTH CONNECTS BROOKLYN IN L.A.
Certainly no stranger to creating eclectic ambiance, jazz bassist Juini Booth rolls into Los Angeles with all the excitement of the second coming!.. But realistically, He’s put together a great team of Brooklyn Club owners that loves’ Jazz served up New York style, with a stellar group of musicians, including a jazz poet.
It makes one wonder if he will come with a combination Sun Ra, or Chicago Art Ensemble. We’ve been told most of the material will be in the spirit of the Atlantis album by McCoy Tyner ,recorded LIVE in 1974 at the celebrated Keystone Korner. Adding some spoken word sprinkled in. ” We expect a very diverse audience with impeccable taste in Music, Art and Hipness” .
In Brooklyn , the Zebulon Cafe was quite popular among the young and the young at heart, chided Booth. Juini has shaped a very stellar career in music , sometimes dropping off the Jazz scene to tackle other musical genres. “This allows me to open up to all types of music, sounds and rhythms. His impeccable list of bandleaders and recording projects are a “Who’s Who” in Jazz. McCoy Tyner, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and Freddie Hubbard to name a few. In addition to playing and recording projects, Juini’s been spending his available hours with a project he holds dear to him, the Wilbur Ware Institute. He teaches and inspires young musicians in New York.
Band personnel: Juini Booth leader/bass, Roy McCurdy drums, piano Benito Gonzalez, Azar Lawrence saxophones, guest jazz poet, Robert J. Carmack …
JULY 4th 2017 8pm- 10PM only
ZEBULON CAFE ONE NIGHT ONLY !!
Tixs: $10 advance $12 at door
Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive.(323) 662-0966 (club only)
Press/Info re-Band Attn:R.J. #@blues2jazzguy blues2jazz2003@yahoo.com 951-840-7120
COMING JULY 4th@Zebulon Cafe ATLANTIS REUNION BAND
