March(ing) into Spring 2019 by Jim Woodford:

March(ing) into Spring 2019

a.k.a. The Terrell Stafford Quintet blew into town!

                                               19th Annual Beavercreek Weekend of Jazz
March 2019 is upon us and the Dayton area already has experienced a simulation of March coming in like a lion because The Terrell Stafford Quintet done blew into town! Thanks to The ArtsLive Performance Series at the University of Dayton for that, but more information a little later.

I am actually going to start off the first Jazz Advocate Blog of 2019 with something that happened in 2018, and I do mean happened, in fact, it was a happening! But it wasn’t jazz – if you listen to my weekly jazz show on 89.5 WDPS FM, you know I call my show “Bebop and More” – this next bit fits into the “more” department. If you are reading this blog, hopefully you are familiar with Tim Berens, long time Dayton area jazz musician extraordinaire – in fact, he writes, arranges and works with the Cincinnati Pops on a regular basis – well this is a story about Tim working with The Dayton Philharmonic, along with his wife, Louise (formerly known as jazz vocalist Louise Kramer) and The Jefferson Starship – wait, you might say – as former Big Band radio show host Conrad Jessee used to say under similar circumstances, “What is a Jefferson Starship?” The group has had many rock & roll hits and started off as The Jefferson Airplane AND have been elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [for those of you who got through the 60s and really do remember, Cathy Richardson had been anointed the new lead singer of the band by the iconic original singer, Grace Slick]. OK, there is no need for you to be impressed for you to appreciate this story. My wife and I attended, primarily because we knew that Tim and Louise had arranged the music for the Philharmonic to play with Jefferson Starship, boy are we glad we did. Wow! Patricia Cardinali of the Philharmonic posted her excitement for the world to see:

Jefferson Starship premiered their orchestra show Friday night with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. It was an epic performance which was greeted with a level of bombastic audience enthusiasm that I have never seen before in my 35 years of playing pops concerts. The sell-out crowd gave 4 full standing ovations. They remained on their feet for the final 3 songs, clapping and dancing to the music, and they screamed for more at the end. Any orchestra managers or conductors who want to fill their hall with fans and then send those fans home without their socks, consider this show.

I had sent some of my own excited comments to Tim Berens and here is his reply (in part):
The show went better than I could have hoped it would go. Louise and I both knew something magical was going to take place the night of the show, but we didn't know it would be quite so well-received ….. I have never seen such a raucous audience response from a pops concert in my 35 years of playing pops. The band members were quite excited as were their management team, 3 of whom came to the concert.

Some of you know that I spent my musical formative years listening to Rock & Roll before I dabbled in Bluegrass for a couple of years and finally discovered jazz [thank you Ken Burns and Conrad Jessee]. Let’s just say that my wife and I sang along with the rest of those in attendance pretty much all night long! I must say it was a surrealistic experience.

And now back to jazz…..bad weather and the Super Bowl [which was not so super] closed down Jazz Central out on East Third Street for 5 out of 6 weeks in January. Hard to believe. But I did just catch the February 16^th jazz jam and things seem to be back in swing. The usual cast of characters and the usual enjoyable jazz jam – heck, I even skipped the Dayton Jazz Orchestra on their 3^rd Sunday of the month gig over at The Phone Booth Lounge – 6 weeks away from Jazz Central ended up providing a very powerful pull for me which was hard to ignore. I feel rejuvenated!

I will also mention that I managed to catch the Central Jazz Big Band again on the 3^rd Tuesday of the month [February] under the direction of Ken Taylor. Saxophones were featured on the tune Bill Bailey (won’t you please come home) and the band did a Sammy Nestico arrangement of On the Sunny Side of the Street. Grant Koeller on clarinet and Phil Urskin on trombone, performed a duet on Ain’t She Sweet. The band closed with another Sammy Nestico arrangement, Ya Gotta Try!

Thanks to Jazz Central jazz jammer and WDPS host for the radio show The Latin Side of Jazz [89.5 FM Thursdays from 11:00-1:00], Cliff Darrett, I learned of an upcoming appearance of the Terrell Stafford quintet at UD. My daughter was available to attend so we highly enjoyed Terrell Stafford on trumpet, Bruce Barth on piano, Nathan Pence on bass, Tim Warfield on tenor sax and Billy Williams on drums. The music was introduced as featuring tunes by Lee Morgan. Stafford dedicated the tune Candy to Eileen Carr who coordinated the evening’s activities and this was on a muted trumpet and piano, a crowd pleasing duet. The ending of the song Speedball included a bass solo followed by a bass and drum duet. They closed the second set with a Lee Morgan tune entitled Petty Larceny from the 1964 Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers recording entitled The Freedom Rider.

Saturday February 23^rd found the Woodford household at Cobblestone Café in Waynesville…..Waynesville? Jazz in Waynesville? Apparently so, owner Jeremy Green plans to have occasional jazz at his jumpin’ location. We got there early but it was packed by the time we departed. We went because Jason Swann and his trio were playing. If you tell the hostess you are there to hear the band then they will guide you to the most suitable seating – obviously if you get there a little before the band starts at 6:00 you can choose more wisely. There is limited, yet intimate seating, very near the band.

Last but not least, I managed to again catch some of the UD Faculty Jazztet at the ArtStreet Café on campus. This time it was Jim Leslie on drums, Jim Smith on guitar, Phil Burkhead on piano, Jimmy Leach on trumpet/flugelhorn, Chris Berg on bass and Dave McDonald on tenor sax. The students join the faculty on the second set which provides a live jazz learning opportunity. I can assure you that a good time was had by all.

local regular jazz happenings

The Jazz Central Jazz Jam - Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. (until around 11:30) and Ismail Muhammad is bringing in occasional jazz combos on other nights

Jim Smith, jazz guitar player/teacher/master and Vinnie Marshal on bass are at the Tipp City restaurant called the Coldwater Café. Saturday nights from 7:00-9:30

The Blue Wisp Big Band has switched from the Urban Artifact in cincy to Café Vivace, still every Wednesday night

Every Thursday night at the Minton Club there is music and on 3^rd Thursdays you can hear the Generations Big Band.

Other venues for which you need to be aware:

Dave Greer and the Classic Jazz Stompers at Jimmy’s Ladder 11 on the first Tuesday of the month

The Central Jazz Big Band will hold forth every third Tuesday at 1200 Forrer Blvd in Kettering/Dayton starting at 7:30

Jazz at Spinoza’s out by the mall at Fairfield Commons – check out the web site for times

Washington Platform in cincy, jazz combos on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Dayton Jazz Orchestra at The Phone Booth Lounge (formerly Dog’s Breath Tavern) in Kettering every third Sunday of the Month beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesdays at Noon you can hear Eric Grieffenhagen & Greg Dearth at the Wine Emporium.