With guest host Rhonda Hamilton, here's another packed show from the 2006 North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, courtesy of Radio Netherlands.
In the early 1950s, young trumpeter Clifford Brown (1930-1956) would drive from Wilmington, Del., to Philadelphia for Saturday jam sessions with tenor saxophonist Benny Golson. "Brownie" was not a big talker, but he was a fast and fantastic trumpet player with a gorgeous tone, still appreciated and studied by today's generation. At North Sea, Golson leads an all-star jam on "Confirmation" — a jam session favorite — by Charlie Parker, then introduces trumpeter Roy Hargrove for Golson's lovely lament, "I Remember Clifford."
Then we jump into the post-Miles Davis era, at an extravagant, high-flying show. Keyboard synthesist Joe Zawinul made a huge mark in the late 1960s Miles Davis bands. At North Sea, Zawinul opens quietly, with "In a Silent Way," recorded by Miles.
Zawinul is onstage with the WDR Big Band from Germany and a special international rhythm section. The music is a tribute to the pioneering 1970s fusion collective Weather Report, originally with Wayne Shorter on sax, Zawinul on keys, and later Jaco Pastorius on bass (among other personnel). Zawinul and the WDR play "Brown Street" and "Carnavalito." Arranger Vince Mendoza re-imagines this colorful, small-group music for Europe's longest-lived jazz orchestra. And they can play!
Zawinul and the WDR have a studio recording entitled Brown Street from the Heads Up! label.
CREDITS
Thanks to Manon Miessen, Producer; recording engineers Marc Broer and Martijn van Leeuwen (Golson) and Paul Schoenmakers (Zawinul); liaison Noah Waxman of Radio Netherlands.
Dee Dee Bridgewater's recording engineer is Ginger Bruner at KUNV, Las Vegas.
Technical Director Duke Markos, Producer Becca Pulliam, Executive Producer Thurston Briscoe III at WBGO Jazz 88 in Newark, NJ.
Copyright 2007 WBGO