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Editor Comments:
     Many of us, from time to time, feel the need to discuss various aspects of jazz, music and the world at large.  After developing the habit of reading much of the mail I receive relative to jazz I've decided our website needs a place to post such items so we can all share in their wisdom and/or the mirth.
     Beware, the webmaster (that would be me) of this site enjoys many types of music; jazz just happens to be the primary but some other things I like may show up out of the blue.  Also the items posted here may or may not be something that I personally agree with but, for what ever reason, I felt it was newsworthy.  -- Ron Gable

Headlines:

The Mario Abney Quintet  Was Recently Honored !
(More Here)
Pacchia In The Oregon District Under New Ownership!
(More Here)
Greg Turner reports on the 2007 Chicago Jazz Festival!
(More Here)
Jim Woodford reports on Brookshire at Gilly's on Sept. 26, 2007
(More Here)
Jim Woodford reports on the jazz scene in Tipp City on Sept. 22, 2007
(More Here)
Jim Woodford reports on the Funk Brothers at the Fraze on Aug. 30, 2007
(More Here)
Scott Belck says "It's a Boy!!" on Aug. 27, 2007
(More Here)
Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame announce their 2007 inductees!
(More Here)

Report on Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame Gala at the Crowne Plaza Hotel!
(More Here)

Report on Hall of Fame Inductee Clay "The Cooker" Collins Celebration Party!
(More Here)


Note To Our Readers:
     Some things you can do to really help out, first be an audience, second TELL YOUR FRIENDS and third write something about what you see and send it to me.  The more that's written, the more that's read and more folks get involved.  - Ron Gable

"write something about what you see and send it to me"


E-mail from Jim Woodford: jwoodford@gcisolutions.com (Dateline: 9/22/207)
     You are always asking for live jazz performance audience input from those of us out there attending those live performances so here ya go:
     Conrad Jessee and I took our wives up to Chin's in Tipp City last night to hear Mike Teckenbrock (on flugelhorn for those who do not know Mike) and Jeff Huffnagle (on keyboards for those who might not know Jeff) and it was well worth the trip.  The music started at 7:00 but was over all too soon at 10:00.  Mike and Jeff play together so well it is as if they have practiced every song hundreds of times, absorbing every little meaning of what is happening inside the tune and knowing where the song is going.   When the real explanation is that Jeff and Mike listen to each other so very well, it is like they sense what the other is doing.  The result is magical. They do a song entitled Boo's Blues that seems to be unique to their duo as well as a version of Sam Rivers' song, Beatrice, that is so beautiful it is hard to describe with words.  Included in one set was a softly swinging song entitled Centerpiece and a enticing
version of Everything Happens to Me.  They also played My Funny Valentine by request, a song way overdone and not often that well, but they played it with so many interesting nuances as they weaved their spell throughout the song that it really sounded quite fresh.  They even played a Beatle's song, Michelle, and at one point during the song, Conrad commented, "I'll bet you never heard that on an album." I had to agree.  Jeff and Mike interact almost effortlessly, offering musical conversation that can truly be a balm at the end of a long hectic day.  Oh yeah, we had a nice dinner too.  And let me add this about Chin's.  I have not ever been to Chin's when owner Art Chin did not come out and interact with guests, making sure they are enjoying their dining experience.  Teckenbrock, Huffnagle and Chin's, a tough combination to beat.  - Jim Woodford

E-mail from Jim Woodford: jwoodford@gcisolutions.com (Dateline: 8/30/2007)
     You are always asking for people who visit/read your jazzadvocate web site to write and tell you what is going on out in the community, well here is something a little different.  I was recently torn between going to hear DJO down at RiverScape, Tim Berens over at Pacchia's or the kick off for the United Way Campaign in Dayton at the Fraze Pavilion.  The Fraze featured The Funk Brothers.  For jazz purists that might not be familiar of whom I speak, they were the band that played behind Motown artists for decades, playing on more number one hits than the Beatles, Elvis and The Beach Boys combined.  You might ask what does that have to do with jazz?  I'm glad you ask.  The opening act was The Serious Young Musicians, led by Tumust Alison - they brought the crowd of over 2,000 people to their feet on more than one occasion. Anyone who has heard The Serious Young Musicians know they have an abundance of talent and they play jazz! Man do they play jazz. The crowd appreciated the solos by all three sax players plus Mario Abney on trumpet but as a regular at Jazz Central, pretty much every Sunday night, I am proud to say that the crowd seemed to especially appreciate the solos by Sunday Night Jazz Central Jazz Jam regular, Clarence Slaughter. The crowd loved him. Thank you Butch Stone for making Jazz Central available so players like Clarence [ I would add that I have seen all the other current members of The Serious Young Musicians down at Jazz Central as well.] have somewhere to regularly practice and master their craft. As one of the singers with the Funk Brothers later pointed out, these Serious Young Musicians were not out participating in the rap scene so popular today.
     But that is not all - The Funk Brothers were backed up by a brass ensemble which consisted of a saxophone, a trumpet and a trombone, admirably I might add, all night long.  (however they were literally "in the back" - you might say standing in the shadows of love for any Motown fans reading this) But at one point the song called for a sax solo, so popular in the rock/R&B scene in the 60s - Earl Bostic like for jazz purists, when suddenly I realized, "Hey, I know that guy!" It was Dayton's own Bill Burns. A guy who can wail on a sax in his own right.  If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing Bill play barisax on the Bobby Timmons version of Moanin' then you owe to yourself to make that happen.  Then I quickly realized that the trumpet player was Dayton's own Al Parr (horn player "parr excellence") and trombone player (also of DJO fame), Steve Schoppert. What a great night of music. The Motown sound of the 60s & 70s filled the air but the Dayton jazz scene was well represented.  Heck, one of the female singers touring with The Funk Brothers was even from Urbana.  And as you always say Ron, support live jazz.  - Jim Woodford

E-mail from
 

E-mail from Jim Woodford : jwoodford@gcisolutions.com (Dateline: 9/26/207)
Ron,
          Caught part of the Jerry Gillotti show on WING's Jazz Brunch on Sunday 9-16-07 and heard a tune that really caught my ear which turned out to be The Eddie Brookshire Quintet.  I was intrigued. Eddie doing bebop away from his usual big band efforts.  Called GEM City records to see about getting a copy but they were out.  Later that week I learned that the group would be appearing at Gilly's.  Caught Jerry's show again on 9-23-07 and heard a couple more songs.  My ears had not played tricks on me so the group appearing at Gilly's later that week was perfect timing.  Additionally, I am a fan of the piano playing of the late Kenny Drew and his son, Kenny Drew, Jr. was part of the Quintet so was looking forward to hearing him live.

          The Quintet opened the set with some hard driving jazz and Conrad Jessee leaned over to me and said, "You weren't kidding when you said they play BeBop!"  That was just the beginning of a great night of music.  Flugelhorn player Gary Onady made that instrument sound like a trumpet and Jack Novotny coaxed some incredibly rich sounds out of his saxophone.  Mark Lomax played drums way beyond his 25 years and hands that might make one think that Kenny Drew, Jr. was a pro football defensive lineman
stretched across the piano keys and made the piano come alive.  Every one of his solos fit the music perfectly.  Excellent musicians playing exciting music and all urged on to greater heights by leader Eddie Brookshire.  My favorite of the evening was one of Eddie's own compositions from the CD, Minor Blues, with a hard driving bass line that kept the song jumping.  And I am happy to say that the CD version is just as good.  It was also thoroughly enjoying to hear the simultaneous instrumentally  coordinated horns on As I Say to You, one of the three compositions provided by Eddie Brookshire "great friend", Bobby LaVell.  The group kept things even more interesting by playing songs that were
not featured on their new CD, Bass Notes; The Heart Beat of Jazz.  One in particular that was quite memorable was a Kenny Drew, Jr. tribute to the late Joe Zawinul entitled Midnight Mood.  They ended the night on a tune that maybe took me a little further out than I might have wanted to go entitled Trane Thang but what a great musical adventure all night long.  But one final note, though I saw no specific acknowledgment for the CD cover art, I learned that it was the vision of a six year old child that blossomed over the years into local jazz aficionado Jack Moody and who finally lent his vision to The Eddie Brookshire Quintet.  (To their purchase CD, contact Eddie Brookshire at (937) 278-1116 or send an e-mail to ebrook9376@woh.rr.com) - Jim Woodford

E-mail from Scott Belck: sbelck@gmail.com
       Hello Everyone -- Elisa, Jack and I are pleased to let you know that on Monday August 27th, at 3:06 a.m. - our family welcomed our new son: Nicholas Carson Belck.  He weighed in at 7 lb. 3 oz. and nineteen inches.  Mom and Nick are doing wonderfully.  Included are some pics from the first week.  Cheers, Scott



 
Scott Belck
Assistant Professor of Trumpet
University of Minnesota Duluth
231 Humanities 
1201 Ordean Court
Duluth, MN 55812
sbelck@d.umn.edu
(218) 726-8176

06/17/2007

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