Detroit Jazz Musicians

[JamesJazz]

Hello,

I'm a new guy to the forum.
I've researched Detroit jazz musicians for nearly thirty years. Much of my research went into "Before Motown: A History Of Jazz In Detroit, 1920 - 1960", by Lars Bjorn with Jim Gallert.

Lars and I interviewed over 100 musicians and those interviews, coupled with Lars' desk research of black Detroit newspapers, form the backbone of B Motown.

In addition to the well known names we tried to bring to light the excellent musicians who, for various reasons, didn't receive the accolades of their better known colleagues.

We realize there is much we do not know but we are continuing to interview and document the Detroit jazz scene.

If anyone has comments about Detroit music, please feel free to post them. If you have a question, I'll do my best to at least point you in the direction of an answer.

One of our current projects is to issue some extremely rare recordings (both commercial and private) of Detroit jazz.

[BFrank]

Certainly the Jones brothers have to be at the top of the list of important jazz musicians from Motown. Those three have always represented class, dedication and creativity.

[vibes]

Kenny Burrell, Yusef Lateef and Curtis Fuller have got to be up there too. All wonderful musicians!

[WestCoast Ghost]

James,
I interviewed you and Lars for my community radio show in Bloomington, Indiana. Thanks again for all of your time and assistance! I'm looking forward to snapping up your guys' Detroit compilation when it hits the street. To others on the board, BEFORE MOTOWN is a fascinating, worthy read even if you're not from the Midwest; the Detroit jazz scene was so vibrant, and the book is so well-rounded in its approach to the history of the city as well as the music, that any jazz fan will enjoy it. Highly recommended.

[clandy44]

All of the above and Kenny Clarke, who had never had a bad outing to my ears. Way too many high quality jazzers from Detroit considering its population.

[Cali]

Thanks for this thread. I've compiled a list of Detroit jazz musicians and the length is astounding. I'll certainly pick up your book(s).

[JamesJazz]

Hey Ghost, I remember our interview very well. It was big fun.
Glad you're posting here.

clandy, I wish Detroit could claim the wonderful Klook but unfortunately Pittsburgh has that honor.

Elvin Jones influenced many Detroit drummers years before he played with Trane. He was in the house band at the Blue Bird Inn in the early 1950s along with Thad and Billy Mitchell (B Mitch) who led the group. If you listen to the four sides the group recorded in 1952-53 (NOT 1948, as discographies generally list), you can recognize Elvin at work.

[WestCoast Ghost]

James,
A number of us on the old Blue Note board had been wondering what was up with the live album James Carter recorded at Baker's Keyboard Lounge (name right?). He's signed with Sony now, but we can't seem to get confirmation on whether or not WEA's ever going to release the Detroit date. Have you heard anything?

[JamesJazz]

Ref. James Carter, yeah actually I saw James a few months ago. He was at Baker's with his organ group (Leonard King, dms & Gerald Gibbs, B3).
That CD is still 'in production', there are a few cuts that must be re-mixed with other musicians and there is a scheduling problem. Probably the CBS thing isn't helping either.

[SEK]

Let's not overlook one of James Carter's teachers, the great saxophonist, Faruq Z. Bey. Faruq was one of the founders of Griot Galaxy and is still quite active. Players from Chicago get more press and attention, but I think that Faruq's playing and writing is easily as fine and deep as anyone's. He has a gift for poetry as well.

I look forward, within the next couple of months, to the release of an album (on Michigan's Entropy Stereo Recordings label) that Faruq recently recorded with Mike Carey (flute and tenor sax) and a group of creative musicians based in central Michigan that I've enjoyed for over two decades, the Northwoods Improvisers.

[gregk]

As a recent transplant to the metro Detroit area, I will be eagerly awaiting anything you can issue of local jazz talent

[JamesJazz]

Yeah you right, SEK, Farouk is a fine musician. Griot Galaxy...an original blend of Sun Ra and AACM. Farouk's arrangements were striking and original.
Remember Farouk's radio show, "Met-Ezzthetics"? on WDET?

[JamesJazz]

Welcome to the area, Greg!

In Ann Arbor, you've got two solid jazz clubs: Firefly and Bird Of Paradise. And many talented musicians.
In Detroit, it's Baker's on 8 mile at Livernois (one of the world's oldest jazz clubs). They feature jazz Tuesday-Sunday.
www.Bakerskeyboard.com contains their schedule.

Bert's Marketplace on Russell Street in Eastern Market is a real jazz joint. They have music on Thurs/Fri/Sat eve.

What era of jazz are you interested in?

[gregk]

Originally posted by JamesJazz
Welcome to the area, Greg!

In Ann Arbor, you've got two solid jazz clubs: Firefly and Bird Of Paradise. And many talented musicians.
In Detroit, it's Baker's on 8 mile at Livernois (one of the world's oldest jazz clubs). They feature jazz Tuesday-Sunday.
www.Bakerskeyboard.com contains their schedule.

Bert's Marketplace on Russell Street in Eastern Market is a real jazz joint. They have music on Thurs/Fri/Sat eve.

What era of jazz are you interested in?

Hey James, actually by "recent" I meant I moved here in 2000. I absolutely love Ann Arbor, and you're right about those 2 clubs here. Also the Michigan Theater has had some good names come through; I saw Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and both those guys together over the last 2 years, and I saw Keith Jarrett at Hill Auditorium. I think what I'm interested in the most lately has been Keith Jarrett, but my tastes fluctuate. I haven't been to Detroit for too many live shows but I intend to. I think what I like most about this area is the variety of live music going on every night, all over metro Detroit. Would you recommend WDET? I typically only listen to WEMU, NPR from Ypsi, which occasionally plays jazz.

[JamesJazz]

Greg,

I'd recommend WDET specifically for Ed Love (M-F eves), Kim Heron (Sun 7-10 pm), and John Penny (Sun 3-5 pm).
WEMU is excellent too, but I'm biased because I worked at both stations (WDET 1972-93, WEMU 1995-97).

[Bill Fenohr]

James,i don't know if you go back that far,but long time Detroit dj Ed Love used to run Sunday night sessions at a place called Mr.Kelly's back in the 60's.A few of the regulars i can remember were Wendell Harrison, Claude Black,Bert Myrick and Teddy Harris. Also since alot o the other clubs were dark on Sundays a number of name guys would drop by to sit in. It was always fun going there because you never knew who was going to show up.

[JamesJazz]

Bill, I wasn't of age when Ed had his sessions but I've heard about them.
Fortunately, Teddy, Bert, and the other guys are still very much on the scene.
Ed is a pillar of the jazz community, no question.
He's also a force behind the scenes at the Ford-Detroit International Jazz Festival.

[Dan Gould]

James,
What can you tell me about pianist Bess Bonnier. I won her Argo LP several months ago, and was very surprised to learn that she had a gig last month in Fort Lauderdale, while I would have loved to get her to autograph the LP I couldn't make it there in the end.

Does she still gig in Detroit? I've heard her described as one of the best jazz musicians to NOT leave for New York, back in the day.

Thanks

[clandy44]

James=So right you are. Klook was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Naturally, Meets the Detroit Jazzmen sprung to mind and I always assumed he was one among them. Not for the first time that I have been wrong. Thanks.

[gregk]

Originally posted by JamesJazz
Bill, I wasn't of age when Ed had his sessions but I've heard about them.
Fortunately, Teddy, Bert, and the other guys are still very much on the scene.
Ed is a pillar of the jazz community, no question.
He's also a force behind the scenes at the Ford-Detroit International Jazz Festival.

James-any idea at all yet about who will be at the Ford-Jazz fest this year, or is it too early to tell? Also, do you have any recommendations on record shops in the area, other than what's in Ann Arbor? I hear there is a good one in Dearnborn (I can't remember the name though), plus the Tower in Birmingham, but is Borders the only alternative?

[JamesJazz]

Dan,

Bess! What a talented musician! She and Tommy Flanagan and Barry Harris are contemporaries. She appears occasionally around the Detroit area. Bess has a few recent CDs that are excellent, including "Sweet William" which uses Shakespeare's words and her music. We have a pic of Bess with Barry Harris, Bert Myrick and Kiane Zawadi from around 1957 in B Motown.

Greg,

Try Car City Records on Harper in Harper Woods (I think) for great new /used CDs and vinyl. Also Cappy's on 8 mile road in HW also. Cappy has LOTS of used 78s and LPs. There's a great used CD store in AA....damn I cannot recall the name....I'll ask Lars.

It's a bit too early for the 2003 FDIJF lineup yet, but hopefully this spring rumors will begin to float...

[newdetroitsounds]

I already posted this, but I wanted add it to the Detroit thread too. Bohemian National Home is a new Detroit venue that has presented performances by Faruq Z Bey, Hakim Jami, Noah Howard, Eugene Chadbourne and other creative musicians in and out of the jazz idiom. This Saturday (15th) is Odu Afro-beat Orchestra which features Faruq, Michael Carrey, Kenny Green and other Detroit improvisors along side folks from Nigeria and Ghana. A 14 piece big-band, almost 3 years in the works. On Saturday the 29th we're presenting Cooper Moore and Assif Tsahar. Many more to come.
Bohemian National Home
3009 Tillman Detroit 48216
newdetroitsounds@hotmail.com

[clifton]

I believe Joe Henderson and Pepper Adams are two of the better-known Detroit-area players.

[Valerie]

I believe Joe Henderson and Pepper Adams are two of the better-known Detroit-area players.

i thought joe henderson was from ohio.

[Cali]

Earlier this year, in L.A., I heard Gerard Gibbs, a B3 player from Detroit. The occasion was a tribute to Jimmy Smith and there were three B3s on stage with several players. Gibbs came on last, and turned the event upside down. That young man is a MONSTER! When he finished his set, it seems the whole audience was lined-up to get his autograph or to just shake his hand. I hope he gets more exposure because he's the real thing. Electrifying!

[Valerie]

Next Monday is the birthday of a talented flute and saxophone player by the name of Ralph "Buzz" Jones, who is also from Detroit. He's played a lot through the years with Yusef and many other talented professionals.

[Cali]

Yeah, Buzzie. A beautiful person as well as a talented musician. I've been privileged to play with Buzzie.

[newdetroitsounds]

Joe Henderson wasn't originally from Detroit, but he did live here for several years. We can also claim Donald Byrd, Roland Hanna, Lyman Woodard; Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Jimmy Garrison, Hakim Jami and Jaribu Shahid (bass power); Alice Coltrane, Travis Biggs and Zena Parkins (harp power); Wardell Grey, Donald Washington, Don Moye (art ensemble), Dennis Coffee, Lucky Thompson, Marcus Belgrave etc.

[Fran]

i thought joe henderson was from ohio.


Right - Lima Ohio

[BeBop]

So when's the Uptown CD - Willie Anderson/Detroit Before Motown due out now?

In the meantime, I'm asuming myself with the Cass Tech Hall of Fame Website:

http://casstechfame.net/page45.html

[BeBop]

By the way, I'd come to Detroit over Labor Day to attend the Jazz Fest and hear the presentation on Detroit Before Motown, but then was called away suddenly. Disappointing. I did get to hear Louis Smith and others.

[Saundra Hummer]

My main man from Detroit is Frank Rosolino.

I was just reading another article about him and his wonderful way with the trombone, and remembering he and his brother another very nice man, during the good times at the Lighthouse in the late 50's.

The article I was reading is by Bob Bernotas a "Freelance Journalist." In it he interviews Conrad Herwig. This interview delves into several musicians, Jack Teagarden Lawrence Brown, J.J. Johnson, and our Detroit main man, Frank Rosolino.

It goes on to talk about John Coltrane and other greats from around the country.

There was never anyone greater in the jazz world who hailed from Detroit than Frank Rosolino.

Wish all of you could have known him. For those of us who did, we try so hard to understand it all, as this was a good man who had things go terribly wrong. So kind and so much fun to be with. The end of his life is something we wrestle with each time we think of him, but then, however, there's his fabulous music, which is so easy to enjoy; it's music to be marveled at - so very good to remember. He was the most unbelievable talent and his joyful way of playing could leave you in an almost euphoric mesmerized state of wonderment and happiness. Each time you would hear him, there would be something new and different, he could just do so much with that trombone of his. He could swing like no other. His ballads were wonderous as well.

I (along with my friends) will always remember him as the very best, he was that good musicially - besides there's the fact that he was such a a good friend to so many of us. With Frank, it was the whole picture. You just had to love him. We all cared about him. We still do. (SRH)

Conrad "Herwig also is the president of the Frank Rosolino Memorial Fund
and produced the book of solo transcriptions that accompanies the CD, Fond Memories of...Frank Rosolino" (Double-Time).

About the Author....

Bob Bernotas is a freelance jazz journalist and historian living in New York City. His work has appeared in numerous music publications and he has written liner notes for over forty jazz CDs. He is the author of Top Brass: Interviews and Master Classes with Jazz's Leading Brass Players and Reed All About It: Interviews and master Classes with Jazz.s Leading Reed players available throught Bopism Music Publishing. He also is a student of master jazz trombonist Benny Powell.
=
Online Trombone Journal

Jazz Bulletin Board - Edit Post
An interview with Conrad Herwig:
=
http://www.trombone.org/articles/library/conradherwig-int.asp

[david weiss]

No one mentioned one of the great unsung bands in jazz, Kenny Cox and the Contemporary Jazz Quintet, a Detriot band that made two records for Blue Note in the late '60s and one one record for their own Strata label (yes this is where Strata-East came from). Very much in the mold of the Miles Davis Quintet of that period, I particularly like their second Blue Note record "Multidirection". I don't know if these ever came out on CD but they are well worth investigating. The group also features Joe Henderson's little brother Leon on tenor saxophone (according to the liner notes Leon is the youngest of 15 children).

[Valerie]

No one mentioned one of the great unsung bands in jazz, Kenny Cox and the Contemporary Jazz Quintet, a Detriot band that made two records for Blue Note in the late '60s and one one record for their own Strata label (yes this is where Strata-East came from). Very much in the mold of the Miles Davis Quintet of that period, I particularly like their second Blue Note record "Multidirection". I don't know if these ever came out on CD but they are well worth investigating. The group also features Joe Henderson's little brother Leon on tenor saxophone (according to the liner notes Leon is the youngest of 15 children).

three cheers for kenny cox!! so glad you mentioned him.

[Dennis_M]

My main man from Detroit is Frank Rosolino.


Nobody was better. Nobody. He was the Charlie Parker of the trombone.

[jazzstage]

Detroit JazzStage (http://www.jazzstage.us) features many Detroit musicians, inlcuding Faruq Z. Bey (http://jazzstage.us/index.php?post_id=142596). Check out http://www.jazzstage.us (http://www.jazzstage.us) for more information

[Fender Rhodes Freak]

Bennie Maupin originally came from Detroit, although he now resides on the West Coast.