Happy Happy, Andrew White
Among the birthday heroes we honor for September is our own Andrew White, best known for his anthology work on another September hero, John Coltrane. From a CapitalBop story last year by Marc Minsker:
“Over the course of the twentieth century, D.C. was home to many significant jazz musicians, including such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Shirley Horn, and Jelly Roll Morton. But there’s one D.C. jazz figure who is the ultimate Renaissance man: a saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist who has been performing and recording here for 50 years; a collaborator who has played with countless jazz greats and soul artists; a scholar who is known as “Keeper of the Trane” for his meticulous transcriptions of 650 John Coltrane solos (virtually every one on record); and a producer who has released thousands of products, from recordings to transcriptions to books.”
Washburn Group Honors Thelonious Monk in Anacostia
The Second Sundays Jazz program at the Anacostia Arts Center presents “Things I Like about Monk” from 3 to 5 p.m., Sept. 9. The featured performer is pianist Bill Washburn and his group, which regularly includes saxophonist Zack Graddy, bassist Jeron White and drummer Joe Henderson.
Washburn is the veteran performer, a Nashville, Tenn., native who has played in DC for many years with local and nationally known musicians, playing straight ahead and avant-garde, according to the website www.rajazz.com.
The free concert is presented in conjunction with East River Jazz at the arts center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. For more information, see www.anacostiaartscenter.com.
CBCF Jazz to Mark 33rd Year
Among the must-see events to choose from this month is the Jazz Issue Forum and Jazz Concert on Sept. 13, marking the 33rd year of the event by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation during its Annual Leadership Conference, Sept. 12-16, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. See www.cbcfinc.org for complete information.
Vocalist Melba Joyce from the Count Basie Band appears at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Sept. 14 in a “Real Jazz” date featuring Paul Carr, sax, Allyn Johnson, piano, Michael Bowie, bass, and C.V. Dashiell, drums.
A panelist for the Congressional Black Caucus of Women in Jazz Forum, Joyce produced the first Women in Jazz Festival at Harlem’s Schomburg Center for Black Culture and became a principal in the Day of the Child Series for UNICEF, according to the website for women in jazz, www.wijsf.com. Funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, she also produced Jazz for Special People, a musical education series for the handicapped. In 1998 Joyce toured overseas as part of the 1998 Kennedy Center-USIA Jazz Ambassadors program in Africa, with a special performance at the Kennedy Center as part of the program. In May 2004, In August 2005, she joined the great Count Basie Orchestra as vocalist.
There’s bassist Corcoran Holt’s Birthday bash at Blues Alley on Sept. 18; and rising multi-instrumentalist Clarence Ward III, proficient on saxophone and trumpet, plays Twins Jazz on Sept. 21-22.
September Highlights: … Carl Grubbs Quartet/Tribute to John Coltrane, Sept. 8, Germano’s Piattini/Baltimore … Vincent Herring/Harold Mabern, Sept. 8, Caton Castle Lounge/Baltimore … Irene Jalenti, Sept. 9, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton … Marshall Keys & The Soulful Path, Sept. 10, Blues Alley … Bill Haymon, Sept. 12, Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Society … Joe Vetter Quartet, Sept. 12, Twins Jazz … Marty Nau, Sept. 13, Twins Jazz … Jazz Issue Forum/Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Leadership Conference, Sept. 13, Walter E. Washington Convention Center … Jazz Concert 33rd Anniversary Celebration/CBCF Leadership Conference, Sept. 13, Walter E. Washington Convention Center … Christian McBride’s New Jawn, Sept. 13-15, Blues Alley … Michael Thomas Quintet, Sept. 14-15, Twins Jazz … Melba Joyce from Count Basie Band, Sept. 14, Westminster Presbyterian Church … Corcoran Holt’s Birthday Celebration, Sept. 18, Blues Alley … Cheyney Thomas, Sept. 19, Jazz and Cultural Society … Tim Whalen Quintet, Sept. 21, Westminster … Clarence Ward III, Sept. 21-22, Twins Jazz … Shacara Rogers, Sept. 23, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton …Veronneau, Sept. 25, Blues Alley … John Lamkin, Sept. 26, Jazz and Cultural Society … Dial 251, Sept. 28-29, Twins Jazz … Rene Marie, Sept. 28-30, Blues Alley … Kristin Callahan, Sept. 30, Twins Jazz … Frank Russo, Sept. 30, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton …
September Birthdays: Art Pepper 1; Horace Silver, Clifford Jordan 2; Mickey Roker, Roy Brooks 3; Meade Lux Lewis 4; Andrew White, Buddy Bolden 6; Sonny Rollins, 7; Wilbur Ware 8; Elvin Jones, George Mraz 9; Roy Ayers 10; Steve Turre 12; Chu Berry 13; Oliver Lake 14; Cannonball Adderley 15; Joe Venuti, John Hendricks 16; Brother Jack McDuff 17; Emily Remler 18; Muhal Richard Abrams 19; Chico Hamilton 21; John Coltrane 23; Gary Bartz 26; Bud Powell 27; Kenny Kirkland 28; Buddy Rich, Oscar Pettiford 30.
Washington, DC, writer Steve Monroe can be reached at steve@jazzavenues. com and followed at www.twitter.com/jazzavenues.
