PROGRESSIVE MUSIC COMPANY

AFRO-AMERICAN MUSIC INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 36 YEARS

BOYS CHOIR AFRICA SHIRTS
 
 
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/building-today-for-tomorrow/x/267428

 Pain Relief Beyond Belief

                         http://www.komehsaessentials.com/                              

 

PITTSBURGH JAZZ

 

From Blakey to Brown, Como to Costa, Eckstine to Eldridge, Galbraith to Garner, Harris to Hines, Horne to Hyman, Jamal to Jefferson, Kelly to Klook; Mancini to Marmarosa, May to Mitchell, Negri to Nestico, Parlan to Ponder, Reed to Ruther, Strayhorn to Sullivan, Turk to Turrentine, Wade to Williams… the forthcoming publication Treasury of Pittsburgh Jazz Connections by Dr. Nelson Harrison and Dr. Ralph Proctor, Jr. will document the legacy of one of the world’s greatest jazz capitals.

 

Do you want to know who Dizzy Gillespie  idolized? Did you ever wonder who inspired Kenny Clarke and Art Blakey? Who was the pianist that mentored Monk, Bud Powell, Tad Dameron, Elmo Hope, Sarah Vaughan and Mel Torme? Who was Art Tatum’s idol and Nat Cole’s mentor? What musical quartet pioneered the concept adopted later by the Modern Jazz Quartet? Were you ever curious to know who taught saxophone to Stanley Turrentine or who taught piano to Ahmad Jamal? What community music school trained Robert McFerrin, Sr. for his history-making debut with the Metropolitan Opera? What virtually unknown pianist was a significant influence on young John Coltrane, Shirley Scott, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Timmons and Ray Bryant when he moved to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh in the 1940s?  Would you be surprised to know that Erroll Garner attended classes at the Julliard School of Music in New York and was at the top of his class in writing and arranging proficiency?

 

Some answers  can be gleaned from the postings on the Pittsburgh Jazz Network.

 

For almost 100 years the Pittsburgh region has been a metacenter of jazz originality that is second to no other in the history of jazz.  One of the best kept secrets in jazz folklore, the Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy has heretofore remained mythical.  We have dubbed it “the greatest story never told” since it has not been represented in writing before now in such a way as to be accessible to anyone seeking to know more about it.  When it was happening, little did we know how priceless the memories would become when the times were gone.

 

Today jazz is still king in Pittsburgh, with events, performances and activities happening all the time. The Pittsburgh Jazz Network is dedicated to celebrating and showcasing the places, artists and fans that carry on the legacy of Pittsburgh's jazz heritage.

 

WELCOME!

 

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Duke Ellington is first African-American and the first musician to solo on U.S. circulating coin

    MARY LOU WILLIAMS     

            INTERVIEW

       In Her Own Words
There are two versions of liner notes that I wrote for this CD. The first set was to the scratch mix with the tunes in a different order than the final mix. Each version was inspired so I am sharing them both on this page in the hope that you will find your way to purchase this wonderful CD from Mr. Campbell. He will be joining Frank Cunimondo and Etta Cox at the Firehouse on Penn Avenue at 23rd every Thursday from 8 pm to midnight starting on September 19, 2008.

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SCRATCH MIX ORIGINAL NOTES

TCB II – The Tony Campbell Band

Tony Campbell – alto sax
Sonny Barbato – piano
Delano “Volcano” Choy – trumpet
Lou Stellute – tenor sax
Greg Humphries – drums
Mark Strickland – guitar (Ask Me Now, T.C.’s Groove, Rain at the Game)
Dwayne Dolphin – bass (‘Cause Mama Said, Lastrane, Mr. C., Cinder Cone, Lou Sweeter tune

From the opening riff of Lastrane my foot was patting and I knew I was in for a bluesy, swinging, modern edition of hard bop presented confidently and tastily by a consortium of veteran new-bloods under the leadership of an immensely gifted leader, composer, arranger – alto saxophonist, Tony Campbell. The musicians hover around the forty-ish age bracket except for bassist, Paul Thompson, almost a generation younger but notably experienced as the bassist in the final incarnation of Stanley Turrentine’s group, and Lou Stellute, who stretches experientially almost 20 years in the senior direction. Their collective experience in the language and tradition of jazz as spoken by the natives is evident enough to speak for itself through each individual’s personal style. You can hear the listening history in their playing that enables them to hear each other with understanding and rapport that affords the CD the feeling of a session at a venerated jazz club minus the applause and audience interaction with the players. You can add that yourself. The ideas are fresh, inventive, sophisticated and funky and they tell a story with each tune throughout the ensembles and solos. It is refreshing to hear a new recording that knows how to convey the deeper levels of blues-based interpretation and writing without sounding contrived. These cats can blow and they enjoy what they are saying to each other.

Lastrane is a basic 16-bar blues motif in C minor with an unusual 12 – 16 – 8 – 12 – 12 – 16 – beat structure (or if you prefer a 7-5-3-7 bar structure) to the opening theme underpinned by a contrapuntal C pedal riff that provides its Coltranesque flavor and allows Greg Humphries to tip his hat to Elvin Jones on the ending vamp. Campbell solos first, demonstrating his ability to play inside and outside with equal inventiveness and facility. Though he has a proclivity for 16th notes, they are always tasteful and swinging and he does not fumble but hears every note he plays. Barbado follows with a blithe and bluesy solo, full of colors, nimble single-note runs and plenty of space for his message to breathe as it dances into your ears. Intriguingly the trumpet and tenor are heard only on the bridge-like 3 bars of the opening and closing theme. Campbell dedicates this composition to his late friend, pianist Kenny Kirkland.

‘Cause Mama Said is a showcase for bassist Dwayne Dolphin with the three horns providing background shouts behind his funky pizzicato melody. Campbell again takes off on a bluesy solo that is well-punctuated with all the aspects of a well-told story that makes its entire point in one chorus, a tribute to his experience and maturity as a player. Stellute follows with his own story that is also quite a fascinating storyline told in one chorus proving that he has definitely had encounters with the blues in real life. Barbado expounds quite a tale on this one and I am sure you will find his story interesting. Dolphin takes over, laying frantically for a spell before cooling down to his gut and restarting the theme. Whatever they are talking about here must be a downright, dirty shame. The chord changes, borrowed from Bobby Timmons’ hit Moanin’, underscore the feelings they conveyed so musically.

They wax a bit mellow with the ballad, Ask Me Now, a Thelonius Monk chestnut. This track introduces guitarist Mark Strickland on the CD to augment the rhythm section of Barbado, Thompson and Humphries. Campbell takes flight on this one from the very beginning demonstrating his ability to float like a butterfly through a matrix of intricate harmonies without tripping or overlooking the beauty in Monk’s writing. Guitarist Strickland provides a soothing accompaniment for Barbado’s thoughtful piano solo before taking over at the bridge with his own lilting solo. Thompson shares a turn at the wheel of Monk’s vehicle with a nimble pizzicato solo before turning it back over to Campbell at the bridge for the drive home.

As bluesy as they play, they demonstrate their true boplicity on Thelonius Monk and Kenny Clarke’s Epistrophy with a bright and clever 7/4 time interpretation. This is a quartet again with alto, piano, drums and Thompson on bass. Campbell, who in my opinion often plays on the inside edge of Eric Dolphy, flies and dances all over this one with harmonic and rhythmic expertise. He definitely commands his instrument and makes it do his bidding with reverent obedience as they morph into 4/4 time and back to 7/4 again. Barbado is equally light on his feet with a relaxed yet intense statement setting the stage for the ever-ebullient Humphries to present a short but explosive solo in 7/4 time. Returning to 7/4 for the out-chorus like a well-oiled machine, they keep the flow going right up to the sudden stop at cliff’s edge.

T.C.’s Groove seems to be saying, “Someone Pass the Peas please!” Is this a hard bop group or a down-home funk-dance band? Mark Strickland seems to have subpoenaed the group to testify whether or not they “got the funk.” From the sound of this track they are all guilty as charged. As a matter of fact, they might be James Brown refugees in hiding. Whatever groove they are wearing, they certainly wear it in the proper style. You can smell the greens and fried chicken on this cut. If your mouth waters for more, try licking your fingers or else just play it again. Campbell demonstrates his versatility in a tip of his hat to his friend, Maceo Parker.

Campbell, an avid sports fan, breaks out his soprano sax for this smooth jazz original, Rain at the Game. To keep busy working as a musician, one must be able to master a variety of styles. The shift in instrumental timbres to electric bass and electric piano and the head-shaking sophistication of the groove they achieve ranks with the best fare ever put out by Grover Washington, Jr., David Sanborn, etc. The composition uses pretty chord changes and memorable melodic hooks that will cause you to replay this one in your mind in pensive moments without the benefit of the CD itself.

Mr. C. is an energetic 12-bar blues riff with a stop-time theme for the first 8 bars resolving into a slick, hard bop downward chromatic pattern for the last 4 bars. There seems to be no end to the variety of ways to play the blues and the Tony Campbell Band most definitely shows they can take care of business on both sides of the railroad tracks. Mark Strickland shines on this one with a solo that glides from deep blues roots to the inner-city slicks. Campbell, always in command, takes over and rides this one home after a blizzard of a solo on his alto. He definitely has his own voice and knows his way around the instrument with an ease that lets him make his point concisely whenever he is in the spotlight. His ability to say mush in a chorus or two speaks well of his big band experience as a lead altoist. Too many new generation players want to be soloists without learning to play ensemble, ignoring the fact that the greatest soloists of the tradition were also the greatest section players.

All three horns join together on Choy’s Cinder Cone, a pure hard bop excursion that exhibits refreshing originality of composition and mastery of the more modal genre of the hard bop tradition complete with glowing ensemble motifs. The musicians are as comfortable here as anywhere and continue to play without cliche’ ridden licks as too often occurs in recent recordings by school-generated newcomers. These players have considerable front-line experience playing for sophisticated live audiences and it shows throughout the recording.

It has been written by many and said by many more that a large percentage of the post-modern boppers do not speak the vernacular of the language as was common in the 1960s. Lou Sweeter’s Tune, on the contrary, will take you back through the time tunnel to that glorious era where audiences lined up for blocks outside the Crawford Grill in Pittsburgh and the Vanguard in NYC to hear the latest sermon by the groups who played regularly in those venues. The secret is that back in the day recording bands were the same bands that were touring the Chittlin’ Circuit, perfecting their repertoire before entering the studio, enabling them to bring the same excitement into the studio from the bandstand the night before. TCB II achieves this same result because the musicians represented here have played together regularly in clubs for years with each other, grown up musically together or been co-mentored by the same masters in the field. You hear all three horns stretch out on this tune leaving no doubt in your mind that the TCB II – Tony Campbell Band ‘Takes care of bidness” and deserves much R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Nelson E. Harrison, Ph. D.
Composer, lyricist, author, trombonist veteran of the Count Basie Orchestra
FINAL MIX NOTES

T.C.B. II
Tony Campbell – Leader, alto and soprano sax
Lou Stellute – tenor sax ****
Delano “Volcano” Choy – trumpet ***
Sonny Barbato – acoustic and electric piano
Mark Strickland – guitar *
Dwayne Dolphin – acoustic bass
Paul Thompson – acoustic and electric bass **
Greg Humphries - drums

If you like blues, you’ll love this CD. If you like straight ahead jazz, you’ll love this CD. In fact, if you like smooth jazz, funkadelic, R & B, ballads, avant-garde, hard bop or odd meter, you’ll love this CD. Why? Not just because it is all there and then some, but ’Cause Mama Said!**** The opening track is dedicated by the musicians to their mothers. We may not know specifically what Mama said to each of her own, but from the sound of this offering, it is likely she said, “Don’t be jiving!” Campbell borrowed the changes on the opening track from Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’” but I suspect that Mama didn’t allow no moanin’ ‘round here. The quintet consists of Tony Campbell on alto sax, Lou Stellute on tenor sax, Sonny Barbato on piano, Dwayne Dolphin on bass and Greg Humphries on drums. These musicians are seasoned veterans experienced in many genres of presentation. Their deep blues roots afford the listener the pleasure of repeated listening, since no one gets tired of the blues. The interplay between them extends right out of the studio and into your presence as you hear them converse about various musical subjects. There is no overdubbing here… no sampling... nothing synthetic... just “pyo nat’chel” cats blowing from the soul of their experience. Art Blakey was fond of saying, “This music comes from the Creator, through the artist, to the people directly. There is nothing you can do that is higher than that.” He would have been proud of these disciples.

Next in quartet format they emerge as hard core boppers with Paul Thompson replacing Dolphin on bass to shine along with drummer Humphries on a blazing rendition of Thelonius Monk and (fellow Pittsburgher) Kenny Clarke’s Epistrophy** with a 7/4 twist. Here Campbell establishes his place in the alto saxophone lineage as a unique voice, energetically and melodically, his cursor running along the inside edge of Eric Dolphy. Barbato is ever vigilant as he confidently dances between the raindrops and lightning around him with delicate sophistication.

Mark Strickland’s guitar groove immediately puts you in a dancing mood on TC’s Groove*-** as the menu changes to a quintet gathered around a soul food table while Mama “passes the peas,” a nod of respect to one of Campbell’s influential friends, Maceo Parker. Thompson lines up for his helping followed quickly by Humphries who brings the fatback. Campbell offers grace to the Godfather before Barbato digs into a scrumptious mound of mash potatoes and gravy with ever greasy fingers. Don’t even try to sit still on this one. It’s too funky. You can dance off the calories anyway.

How about some romance for dessert? The versatility of the previous quintet permits an easy transition into a sophisticated tryst enhanced by fine wine, soft lights and Thelonius Monk. The muse must be ready as she suggestively says, “Ask Me Now!”*-** Campbell’s response is a clear indication that he knows his way around his horn and Monk’s changes with poetic fluidity. You ladies can take your pick here as Barbato’s smooth talk melts your mind, Strickland’s guitar tickles your fancy and Thompson’s bass solo warms your oven. Need no more be said.

Alas! Trane may be smiling from beyond the veil at this tribute to his influential sojourn among us. Lastrane ***-****is a masterful Campbell original based on an unusual A-A-B-A structure in 4/4 time that can be conceived either as 28-20-12-28 in beats or 7-5-3-7 in bars. Here is where avant-garde meets hard bop superimposed on a basic 16-bar minor blues that is obscured by the thematic pedal tone vamp until they first modulate into the straight ahead mode on Campbell’s solo. Tony restates the theme to complete his statement passing the baton to Barbato who stays with the 16-bar blues pattern for two choruses while the bass and drums subtly revert to the thematic vamp rhythm. On the third chorus Sonny keeps swinging while the bass and drums join him. Then he ends with the thematic motif to set up the out chorus for Campbell. You may notice that the trumpet and tenor sax only peep their heads in on the bridge of the opening and final chorus… another subtle nuance that lets you know they were listening the entire time. The pedal vamp tags out the track as you hear the rhythm caboose follow Campbell toward the horizon. Alas!

Ready for some R & B? Here comes Strickland’s guitar setting up a stop-time pedal vamp that launches another Campbell original, Mr. C.* Although it’s a 12-bar blues reminiscent of the Treniers, Campbell seasons it with a descending chromatic chord pattern on the last four bars that sets it apart from the down-home harmony one might expect. To make it even more intriguing for the listener he uses an 8-bar pedal vamp interlude for his solo take-off before diving into the 12-bar straight away. This composition again demonstrates Campbell’s ingenuity in mixing the simple with the complex and making it feel so natural. Dolphin, Barbato and Humphries play the supporting cast for Strickland and Campbell on this danceable track.

You needn’t switch your CD changer to get a taste of smooth jazz. This Campbell original, Rain at the Game,*-** has it right here. Thompson returns with his electric bass as the T.C.B. II guitar quintet configuration features Campbell lyrically on soprano sax and Barbato playing raindrops on electric piano. The melody is one that will sing in your mind throughout your daily activities long after the CD is over. The mark of a skilled composer is evident in a melody that can lodge itself surreptitiously in your memory until you find yourself humming it unconsciously. This track has the same magical attraction as The Theme from Taxi by Bob James and could perhaps itself become a TV theme song someday. An avid sports fan, Campbell portrays a lazy summer afternoon at a baseball park with scattered showers coming and going just often enough to cool off the field.

Delano “Volcano” Choy contributes the next composition/arrangement that recalls the hard bop tradition of the 1960s. This track features Campbell on alto, Choy on trumpet, Stellute on tenor and Barbato on piano respectively. It is a hard blowing straight ahead piece with a driving rhythm section featuring Dolphin on bass again. This is a sextet sans guitar with a well-constructed and harmonized horn-ensemble head and tail. Choy is Hawaiian and this is a hot one, hence its title, Cinder Cone. ***-****

Another Campbell original, Lou Sweeter’s Theme ***-**** is a tip of the hat to a colorful character known to the musicians. Its bluesy melody is so basically vernacular that it will have you shaking your head from the first two bars. It may seem simple musically but it takes an experienced attitude to phrase this one right. The soloists take turns stating a personal story while the others nod their heads with understanding beginning with Choy, then Stellute, Campbell and Dolphin respectively, each making his point in two choruses. Barbato comps amen choruses through its entirety. T.C.B. II most definitely cops the right attitude throughout this one. There are certain adages in the jazz tradition that express this kind of phrasing. Saxophonist Bill Easley once said to me, “The notes have never been the problem. It’s the space between the notes that kick most people’s a_s!” I was tempted to lyricize this one in the appropriate vernacular but instead, I’ll just give a hint. “Play the alto… Tony Campbell!” This one got so good that the engineer couldn’t let it fade without bringing it back up for more… maybe appropriately because the story is never really over is it?

How many ways can one play Gershwin’s Summertime? Apparently there is one more way and T.C.B. II in alto sax quartet formation found it. Opening with a New Orleans street beat, the rhythm section modulates the beat through a palate of rhythms on each chorus mixing and matching rock ballad, straight ahead and street beat while Campbell struts his stuff through it all. These men listen to each other and hear every note that is played enabling them to react accordingly at all times. They each speak the language with authority. This is a live recording with you as the audience. Hearing it will prove beyond doubt that the Tony Campbell Band II takes care of business too. Mama knows best.

Nelson E. Harrison, Ph. D.
Composer, lyricist, author, trombonist veteran of the Count Basie Orchestra

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