How Blue Note Helped Lou Donaldson Become A "Major Leaguer"

"The most successful type of major league baseball team can usually point to a strong farm system as one of the main reasons for prolonged success. The parent team is constantly stocked with players developed within its own organization. It takes good scouts to find this talent. Blue Note has got a good scout (and manager) in Alfred Lion, as witness the parade of home-grown talent on the Blue Note roster. Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan and, the man in motion on this album, Lou Donaldson are all good examples. These players were introduced on the Blue Note label and have developed into major leaguers here."

IRA GITLER
Blues Walk Liner Notes

The Five Spot: Happenings In The Jazz World (11/8-13)

•  Jazz organ legend Dr. Lonnie Smith returns to Blue Note Records, announces new LP featuring Robert Glasper.
• In honor of Veterans Day, a salute to many of the jazz legends who served.
• Music legend Allen Toussaint passes at age 77. Read Tribute.
• Vanity Fair writes feature on The Jazz Youth-Quake: Others on the Upswing.
• Producer Orrin Keepnews to be honored at a Memorial Concert at Yoshi's, Oakland, on Nov. 29

The Five Spot pulls together the five most important happenings in the jazz world each week.

Five Spot: Happenings In The Jazz World This Week (11/2-7)

Raul Rekow, 1954-2015

• Percussion great and longtime Santana conguero Raul Rekow passed at age 61.
• Chucho Valdés reflects on Irakere and his career (The New York Times).
• Bay Area latin jazz maestro John Santos turns 60, celebrates at SFJAZZ.
• The Jaco Pastorious Documentary is set for a red-carpet premiere.
• John Coppola, endeared SF trumpeter (Green Street Mortuary Band), passed at age 86.

Django Reinhardt: 5 Deep Cuts

Pioneering Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt lamented that he might be neglected by history, but today the swinging “jazz manouche” sound he created with French violinist Stéphane Grappelli is more pervasive than ever—a big reason why SFJAZZ continues to present French guitarist and violinist Dorado Schmitt and his Django All-Stars.

Before Schmitt kicks off his four-night SFJAZZ Residency celebrating the music of Reinhardt, dig into five deep cuts from the man they called "Three Fingered Lightning"—from lesser-known collaborations with Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, to a rare improvisation and a musical homage to Brazil.

Five Spot: Happenings In The Jazz World This Week (10/26-31)

• Gilles Peterson compiles an epic new Sun Ra collection To Those Of Earth... And Other Planets
• Drummer Antonio Sánchez won Score of the Year and Discovery of the Year (for Birdman) at the World Soundtrack Awards in Belgium.
• DownBeat Readers Poll announced - Chick Corea, Tony Bennett & Wayne Shorter among top honors
• Pioneering guitarist Lionel Loueke drops new album GAÏA on Blue Note Records
• Jazz-playing robots will explore human–computer relations

All set for two #BirdmanMovie screenings tonight. Antonio Sanchez plays the live drum score! #FilmAndMusic #SFJAZZ #SoldOut 📷: @jfshigeru

A photo posted by SFJAZZ (@sfjazz) on Aug 22, 2015 at 7:05pm PDT

Five Spot: Happenings In The Jazz World This Week

• Don Cheadle's Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead debuts at the New York Film Festival on Sunday. Here's a sneak peak.
• Jason Moran plays Thelonious Monk's Town Hall Concert on NPR's Jazz Night (originally commissioned by SFJAZZ in 2008).
• Trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah plays NPR's Tiny Desk (featuring rising flutist and SFJAZZ High School All-Star alum Elena Pinderhughes).
• All-star jazz octet SFJAZZ Collective rehearses the music of Michael Jackson, kicks off Fall Tour.
• France seeks to tackle music's digital future, provide artists a minimum wage.

Five Things In The Jazz World This Week (9/28-10/2)

• Two jazz legends left us this week: alto saxophonist Phil Woods (age 83) and saxophonist/bassist Wilton Felder (age 75) of The Crusaders.
• National Endowment of the Arts, longtime supporters of the SFJAZZ Collective, celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
• Chucho Valdés and young players celebrate the 40th anniversary of pioneering Havana group Irakere, bring revival tour to U.S.
• Another Nina Simone documentary? The Amazing Nina Simone promises to be an even deeper exploration of the jazz and folk giant’s career.
• Bass legend Dave Holland celebrates 69th Birthday at SFJAZZ with Zakir Hussain and friends.

A photo posted by SFJAZZ (@sfjazz) on Oct 1, 2015 at 9:04pm PDT

5 Things In The Jazz World This Week (9/25/15)

• Drummer Kendrick Scott releases Blue Note Records debut album We Are The Drum, features vocalist Lizz Wright, covers Kendrick Lamar & Flying Lotus' "Never Catch Me." > Album Release Party
• Verve Records celebrates John Coltrane's birthday by announcing a reissue of A Love Supreme - "to paint the most comprehensive and accurate picture" to date. #ALoveSupreme50
• NPR's Jazz Night In America returns for a second season, kicking it off with legend Wayne Shorter & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.
• The New Yorker profiles Mary Lou Williams in anticipation of new doc "The Lady Who Swings the Band."
• BBC posts video feature on African artists Hugh Masekela and Oliver Mtukudzi, who are bridging jazz and tuku music.

Old & New: Top 5 Billie Holiday Tributes

Billie Holiday & dog "Mister" (William Gottlieb Collection)

In honor of Billie Holiday's centennial year, and the tremendous influence the legendary singer has had on artists of every generation, we've pulled together five tributes (old and new) to Lady Day.

Although "Strange Fruit" isn't a Holiday original (penned by Abel Meeropol as a poem in 1937), Lady Day made it famous. (Legend tells that Holiday would close out sets with the song. Waiters would stop all service, the room would be in darkness except for a spotlight on Holiday, and there would be no encore.) Nina Simone, who acknowledges Holiday as one of her biggest inspirations, gives one of the most stirring renditions of "Strange Fruit" you'll hear.

In a recent interview with VH1, rising vocalist José James called Billie Holiday his "musical mother." James captures a beautiful mood on Yesterday I Had the Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday (2015), his third release on Blue Note Records. Even better, James brings this project to San Francisco on Saturday, September 20th.

Pianist Mal Waldron accompanied Billie Holiday regularly from April 1957 until her death in July, 1959. Although Waldron recorded Left Alone in 1959, he was reluctant to release it immediately, given a large outpouring of "bandwagon" tributes recorded and released immediately after Holiday's passing. In addition to a beautiful collaboration with Jackie McLean on "Left Alone," the album features an enlightening "Mal Waldron Interview: The Way He Remembers Billy Holiday."

Cassandra Wilson lends her rich, dusky sound and interpretive gift to a selection of Billie Holiday classics on Coming Forth By Day (2015) to celebrate the singer's centennial. Wilson's final song, "Last Song for Lester Young" is intended to fill a void left by the events surrounding the funeral of Holiday's long time companion, Lester Young. After hearing of Lester’s passing while touring in Europe, Billie immediately flew home to the States to attend his funeral. She wanted to sing a song for him as a final farewell. Unfortunately, Lester’s family, for whatever reason, denied Billie the opportunity to sing. Like José James, Wilson brings her centennial tribute to San Francisco in May, 2016.

Abbey Lincoln reflects on Lady Day in a rare interview conducted around the time she released Abbey Sings Billie, Vol. 1 & 2 (1987). An avid civil rights advocate throughout the 1960s, Lincoln cites Holiday as one of her biggest influencers. Referencing "Strange Fruit," Lincoln praises Holiday for having "the courage to defend herself. When they were lynching men and women in the south, she sang about it. None of the other women or men sang about it: that's why Billie is different from the rest of them."

SFJAZZ celebrates the centennial of Billie Holiday with José James and Cassandra Wilson in the 2015-16 Season.

5 Things In The Jazz World This Week

• Jazz legend Sonny Rollins blows out his birthday candles for the 85th time. In his own words: "85 is no jive."
• 28-year-old pianist Jon Batiste gave an epic, star-studded performance of Sly & The Family Stone's classic “Everyday People” for his debut as music director of The Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert.
• The New York Times jazz journalist Nate Chinen gave rave reviews for vocalist Lizz Wright's "new sensual register" on her new album Freedom & Surrender.
• Popular French radio station France Radio broadcasts SFJAZZ's 2015-16 Season Opening Week, featuring Jacky Terrasson, Randall Kline, SFJAZZ Collective & more!
• On her centennial year, Billie Holiday will be the first artist to perform (via hologram!) at the Apollo Theater.

2015-16 Season Playlist

The season's just keep getting bigger and better! The 2015-16 Season Playlist ties together many of the themes, artists, debuts and tributes all happening at the SFJAZZ Center in year ahead. Here's just a few of the highlights. You can stream recordings from all 2015-16 Season artists at sfjazz.org!

Get To Know Trumpeter Sean Jones, Newest SFJAZZ Collective Member

If you attended the 50th Anniversary celebration of Duke Ellington’s Concert of Sacred Music at Grace Cathedral, you were undoubtedly impressed by the trumpet virtuosity of Warren, Ohio native Sean Jones, who recently became the newest member of the SFJAZZ Collective. Immersed in gospel music as a child, he discovered the trumpet at age 10 through the music of Miles Davis, and experienced a musical awakening upon hearing John Coltrane’s iconic recording A Love Supreme for the first time.

“I was driving in my car at the time and I had to pull off the road. All at once, everything just came together for me. My past, my present, my future. I knew the course I needed to pursue.”

After earning a Masters degree from Rutgers, Jones set out on his professional career, working with an impressive list of major artists including Joe Lovano, Tia Fuller, Tom Harrell, Steve Turre, and Nancy Wilson, among others. From 2005 to 2010, Jones was lead trumpet for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, recording a pair of albums and criss-crossing the globe with the masterful ensemble before stepping down to devote time to new endeavors.

Since 2004, Jones has released seven albums as a leader, all on the Mack Avenue label, including his 2014 quartet release, im*pro*vise: Never Before Seen. He has continued his session and tour work as a sideman, performing with bass giant Marcus Miller and vocalist Dianne Reeves, and won Rising Star trumpet nods from DownBeat as well as a Best New Artist in JazzTimes’ 2007 Reader’s Poll. His current quartet features pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Luques Curtis, and his SFJAZZ Collective bandmate Obed Calvaire on drums.

In tandem with the 37-year-old’s career as a performer and composer, Jones is steadfastly committed to music education. He is currently the Brass Department Chair at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has taught at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University as well as Ohio’s Oberlin Conservatory. He served as Artistic Director of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for five years, and presently serves as trumpeter and Artistic Director of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. Locally, Jones holds the position of Jazz Artist In Residence with San Francisco Performances, and officially joined the SFJAZZ Collective in August, 2015.

Below, Jones shares his wisdom on the trumpet, and on jazz education. Get to know the newest Collective member!

Sean Jones performs with the SFJAZZ Collective, performing music from Joe Henderson's 1963 Blue Note classic Page One on 10/15 as part of the SFJAZZ Hotplate series (click for more info), and the music of Michael Jackson from 10/22 - 10/25 (more information).

Listen: San Francisco Jazz Festival Playlist

With so much new music dropping right now, we've compiled a "highlights" playlist for the 33rd Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival, for your enjoyment—the soundtrack to your Summer. See you all at the SFJAZZ Center June 9-21!

#ThankYouJoni: Bill Frisell

"There's certain events, times in my life, where she would be a sign post along the way..." Bill Frisell reflects on Joni Mitchell's music, and performing with Joni in Toronto. Share your words for Joni using ‪#‎ThankYouJoni‬ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SFJAZZ honors Joni Mitchell with a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Gala on May 8th.

SFJAZZ Collective's Warren Wolf: Notes on Joe Henderson's "Jinrikisha"

Warren Wolf © Jay Blakesberg

“As a young kid learning to play jazz, this tune, from Joe’s 1963 release Page One, was one of the first pieces of music that I had the pleasure of learning. So naturally, when we chose Joe Henderson as the featured artist for our season, I jumped at the chance of arranging ‘Jinrikisha.’ The original was a medium swing but I decided to give the song and a straight eighth-note feel: instead of the swinging ride cymbal beat, the cymbal is played straight or even. I'm a huge fan of Dennis Chambers and his virtuosic playing, so after Avishai's solo, I decided to let drummer Obed Calvaire play various rhythms over a simple four-bar pattern, which is played by the rhythm section and horns before the melody returns.”

— Warren Wolf, album notes from the SFJAZZ Collective's new album The Music of Joe Henderson and New Compositions, now available!

– – –

SFJAZZ Collective returns to the SFJAZZ Center on May 8th to pay tribute to Joni Mitchell at the SFJAZZ Gala 2015.

Kendrick Scott's "aha moment" from Joni Mitchell's 'Both Sides Now'

Drummer Kendrick Scott recalls the "aha moment" he had listening to Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. Joni will be honored with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Gala on May 8th. Each week leading up to the Gala, we'll share new #‎ThankYouJoni‬ videos from recent SFJAZZ performers.

What would you say to Joni? ‪#‎ThankYouJoni‬

SFJAZZ Collective's Avishai Cohen: Notes on Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge"

Avishai Cohen © Jay Blakesberg

“I was sitting with this tune for a long time, mainly playing the melody, rubato, over an F# bass. My original plan was to use only that part — basically the melody, but almost unrecognizable, since it’s very slow, and played over different changes. I liked that idea because it presented just the melody and gave it a different look, a different perspective, far from the original tune. After arriving in San Francisco, I realized I also wanted to add a part that emphasized the unique bass movement of this tune. Even though it’s all in 4/4, it sometimes feels like it’s in a different rhythm. The original melody is only lightly hinted at. There are tenor saxophone and vibes solos where it goes to a regular 4/4 feel, and that part clearly tells the educated listener that you’re hearing ‘Inner Urge.’ Throughout the tune (but mostly in the intro and outro) you’ll hear some clues that show

I’ve been listening intensely to Rachmaninoff.”

— Avishai Cohen, album notes from the SFJAZZ Collective's new album The Music of Joe Henderson and New Compositions, now available!

– – –

After a 4-night run at NYC's Jazz Standard, SFJAZZ Collective's 2015 Spring Tour heads west, to Loveland, CO tomorrow (4/15), and then the West Coast through the end of April!

See Tour Dates.

Summer Concerts Now On Sale!

The 33rd Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival + Summer Sessions 2015 are now on sale to SFJAZZ Members!

See Full Lineup!

Public On Sale: April 15th

SFJAZZ Summer Concerts Announced!

We're excited to announce the 33rd Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival (6/9-21) and Summer Sessions 2015 (7/16 - 8/23)! Tickets will go on sale to SFJAZZ Members on Wednesday, April 1 at 11am and to the general public on Wednesday, April 15 at 11am.

33rd Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival LINEUP:
http://bit.ly/1FKwaVw

Summer Sessions 2015 LINEUP:
http://bit.ly/1H72VOu

Summer Education Programs:
http://bit.ly/1Fa3erg

SFJAZZ Collective's David Sánchez: Notes on Joe Henderson's "Y Todavía La Quiero"

David Sánchez © Jay Blakesberg

"I can describe what I felt when I first heard 'Y Todavía La Quiero' with one word - JOY. It is a true reminder of what I think is one of the main purposes of music and art — to inspire and to move us. Arranging this piece was challenging because I wanted to bring my perspective without changing the essence of the piece itself. I wanted to keep the bass line because of its groove. It feels like a mantra that provides the foundation for everything to flow. To echo that feel, I started the piece with piano alone repeating the displaced phrase heard throughout most of the arrangement. I wanted to bring a party-like vibe with the brief horn introduction, but at the same time keep a connection with Miguel's horn background on ‘Recorda-Me.’ After the intro, I simply changed some of the harmony in the melody, which, to me, has always sounded like a soul-stirring chant. I'm often completely submerged when listening to Joe, almost like being baptized in his beautiful, dark, liquefied sound. THANK YOU JOE HEN!"

— David Sánchez, album notes from SFJAZZ Collective's new album The Music of Joe Henderson and New Compositions

now available!

The SFJAZZ Collective performs "Y Todavía La Quiero" live on NPR Music's Jazz Night In America on Wednesday, March 18 at 9pm ET. Stream at npr.org!