The Jazzcat

I arrived early to San Jose and the festival was the major focus in the entire downtown area. I waited in line to get my wristband and program and the guy said, “Five dollars”. Now, I am not going to argue with that although on a whole, I believe that this great American art form should not always be given away. There are so many venues that are free during the summer in every city but this gives the public the impression that there is no need to pay for jazz music. It is a real double-edged sword because we want the exposure, and we want the public to experience the wonders of the music, we just don’t want them to get the impression that there is no great value placed on it. The festival used to be free and now they charge $5, which is a beautiful price but I think they should bump it up a little.

There are many stages at the festival including the Latin stage, the Blues stage, the Main stage and of course a Jazz stage, which is where I spent the majority of my day. On the Main stage where the festival opened up for the day was the –Air Force Band. I was especially impressed when they broke out with a Horace Silver tune and I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, a Wayne Shorter tune. It let me know that I am definitely in the right place!

The stages are quite some distance away from each other, several blocks in some instances so it was wise to play your music experience well. The jazz stage was at a venue called the Repertory, which was a small theater that had three levels of seating. I saw Jackie Ryan perform, with her trio as well as Sasha Dobson, who was the talk of the town since she is the daughter of local musician Smith Dobson. A city must always recognize and give respect to their own musicians and San Jose does a good job with that.

I did get back over to the Main stage for a moment as they were setting up for contemporary artist Gerald Albright; the place was crazy packed. All of the food vendors are in this area as well so, after I got my salmon, rice, beans and plantains I checked out a tune and went back over to the jazz stage. As I left, the crowd was smiling, singing, dancing, nodding their heads, clapping and screaming their applause. I wish that this excitement was the case for the original art form but, in 2007, popular still wins by a landslide.

Back at he Rep, the stage is being set for Eddie Gale and his all-star band featuring Kidd Jordan, Prince Lasha, Valerie Mih, William Parker, Alvin Fielder and dancer Patricia Nicholson. Eddie lives in San Jose as well and was given the honorary title of ‘The Ambassador of Jazz” for his efforts at bringing jazz music to the city. Eddie has played with the best in the biz and you can tell by the inductees into his band that he came to play.

Eddie approaches the microphone and in a silent kind of way, speaks of his first two compositions, which represent the spirit of the youth, “Children of Peace” and “Love is All”. The stage may be on the inside but the music is on the out. The sound is anointing and Valerie Mih is melodically beautiful. I knew the first time I heard her touch the piano during the brief sound check that we were in for something wonderful; bright, flowing and traveling through the music like a stream!

The front line is like America’s most wanted with a high price tag on their heads. These would be the cats traveling up that stream, brass warriors of uncompromising sound. Rounding out the rhythm, William Parker on bass, Alvin Fielder on drums and a wonderful percussionist bring the pulse, the heartbeat of the mother land to the forefront.

Prince Lasha steals the rhythm section, as he has been known to do, for a beautiful baritone serenade entitled “Take Time to Feel” I have heard these riffs before as my good friend wonderfully and often played these and other phrases over the phone for my girl while she was still with us; a beautiful gift and one that I shall never forget.

Love is the key to the universe and is expressed in so many ways, shapes and forms. Musically, especially in jazz, the romance ascends to express itself from the most simple to that of gigantic proportions. Kidd Jordan’s piece, “River Niger” takes on a whole new dimension and energy. The jungles of Africa are alive with percussive love and a trilogy of horns that let you know the big black kettle is on, the water is boiling and something is about to get cooked! When these cats start shredding watch out! They ripped a furious path and Eddie Gale steps up, changes lanes and lays down sweet tones of flugelhorn caresses.

Everyone stretched out on “Because You’re in My Dreams” and “Miles”, for the one and only, is out! Kerosene and matches all up on the stage and when the place started to burn, no one ran for the door. We all screamed with passion and felt the heat together.

Patricia Nicholson is an added splash of red paint as she interprets the flows, runs, riffs and bursts of joy with elastic, unscripted, modern moves of jazz dance moves of freedom; music with visual and audible elements for sense stimulation.

“Budlike”, dedicated to Bud Powell spewed from the horn of Charles McPherson like original alto magic! This is my first time experiencing this master perform live; I don’t know how that happened but, today the notes are flowing as lovely as the B in Bop.  Larry Vukovich sounds so sweet and funky. He is so cool that you will see at times that one hand is just chillin’ in his lap while he is handling the other 88 with the solo south paw.

“A Tear and a Smile” was the tune written for Charles’ mother. As you know, love is the premise for jazz and weather it is that of a partner, sibling, son or daughter, the emotion emphasizes the compassion that exist between two individuals and how they shared that love. In this particular piece you hear the respect, admiration, adoration, appreciation of one so important and a primary influence who set the foundation of a life full of creativity.

Gilbert Castallanos is so clean and proficient with his playing and his emotional sensibilities are completely in tact. You feel the warm air as it flows through their instruments resolving with a musical kiss before they start slinging the blues. If you are I a “Parker’s Mood”, then this is your set. As Charles speaks the McPherson blues, he only reply, with heads nodding and hands raised is, yes, yes! Sanctified blues with all of that church up in the music.

Jeff Chambers is a favorite in these parts. I know the brother is playing because the women of jazz around me are fanning themselves and calling his name; big applause for his wonderful solos. These cats are holding notes and breathing like they were ascending from the deep on “The Blues”. “ The Seventh Dimension” is about the creativity of the players and the philosophy of cutting edge beauty; music on the corner of “Straight Ahead” and “Be-Bop” adjacent to the cross street of “Melody” and “Love”. The cats are riding the crest of the music and arriving on shore unscathed. The transition from Gil’s trumpet solo on “Once in a While” to Charles blowing the melody on “Darn that Dream” was effortless, seamless and a delightful segue. The two proceeded to fill the space with thought provoking harmonics on “What is This Thing Called Love” and on “Marinette”, a composition written especially for Charles’ youngest daughter who was 12 years old at the time.

It is no surprise that where there is live jazz music, people’s bodies, minds and spirit are nourished and lives are enhanced. The San Jose Jazz Festival proves to be the best thing that five dollars could ever buy; music for your soul. Don’t worry if you missed, I’m sure next year will be just as strong.

Peace, Love and Jazz Music!

LeRoy Downs