Anytime Roy Haynes performs, the venue becomes a sold-out happening, but his recent two-day engagement at the Blue Note became even more significant with the appearance of bassist Ron Carter, who performed with Haynes’ Fountain of Youth Band (featuring alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and pianist Martin Bejerano). Ironically, the great bassist was sitting in for David Wong, one of his former students.
Between Haynes and Carter, it would be extremely difficult to find one major jazz musician that they did not perform or record with. Both are the most recorded musicians on their instruments, with Carter appearing on over 2,500 recordings. They are both NEA Jazz Masters and received the prestigious medallion and title of “Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters” from the French Minister of Culture. Carter first played with Haynes in the 1980s in a trio with pianist Tommy Flanagan.
“I’m happy to play with Roy at any given moment,” said Carter.
Given the stature of the two musicians, there wasn’t a lot of rehearsal for the two-day gig. “I met the saxophonist and pianist at sound check, and I was sent some lead sheets,” stated Carter. “We had a half hour of rehearsal time, but we played strictly on instinct.”
Carter will return to the Blue Note on March 4-9 with drummer Billy Cobham and saxophonist Donald Harrison.
Carter with the Fountain of Youth and Haynes were intuitive. At 88 years old, Haynes continues to play like a 19-year-old, and his 10-minute solo on the high hat was amazing. The band’s interpretation of “Green Chimneys” moved from straight-ahead to an improvisational melodic swing tune with wild riffs by Shaw on alto and Carter’s strong bottom strokes infused with Bejerano’s cascading harmonic notes.
“It’s a blessing when we get together with people like Ron,” said Haynes. “It becomes one moment of this great music that we are still creating.” When Haynes did a few bars of “Thanks for the Memories,” he noted when he was playing with Sarah Vaughan that she said he was a frustrated singer. “I knew I was frustrated but not a singer,” he said, laughing.
Haynes joked with the audience and gave background on some of his many years as a drummer of the music. Following a tune by Bud Powell, he noted he missed many of the musicians who have passed on, but he is still here trying to play the drums.
The last night brought out such musicians as pianist Chick Corea, trumpeter Wallace Roney and tap dancer Savion Glover, all to the happiness of the sold-out crowd. Other musicians in the audience included Russell Malone, Cecil Taylor, Patience Higgins, Chris Dave, Bill Saxton and Steve Jordan. Many seats were also filled by young aspiring drummers and bass players, all in awe of the masters at work.
Haynes, who turns 89 on March 13, later noted, “Man, that night seemed like a dream, truly a night to be cherished.”
Vocalist, composer and cultural worker Imani Uzuri recently curated a four-day festival titled “Sinner and Saints” celebrating Black American vernacular culture (e.g., ring shouts, spirituals, blues, early gospel, line singing, praise houses, jazz) and their contemporary counterparts.
The program, which included a panel discussion with the musicians and performances, presented jazz and the real deal. It’s the music that was enslaved in Africa for the journey to the shores of America and spread from the cotton fields to Black churches and juke joints. The panel explored the ways in which the secular and sacred often intertwine in these Black American cultural forms.
Note the phrase “avant-garde” was never used. The word improv relates a pure, bare sound, phrases and words that are evoked from feelings, history and culture. If it sounds bold and angry, wild and complicated, it’s because Black life was never a crystal stair.
The “Sinners and Saints” closing night extravaganza with Uzuri’s new band, Praise House, explored improvisation as an ecstatic tradition. The band featured Uzuri (vocals, tambourine) with special guests alto saxophonist Darius Jones, celloist Marika Hughes, pianist Guthrie Ramsey, drummer Marcus Gilmore and Graham Haynes on coronet and dous’ngoni, a West African instrument somewhat similar to a guitar.
Praise houses were built on plantations by slaves for worship services. These services often included ring shouts, where rhythmic hand-clapping and counter-clockwise dancing were performed to spirituals. The Praise House band didn’t play rehearsed tunes but were called upon to play improvised introductions that were layered and escalated by band members.
The improvised music touched the soul and inspired audience participation that led not to ring shouts but to the Electric Slide, the sacred and secular meeting in the 21st century.
“Sinners and Saints” took place at a relatively new performance space called Jack at 505 Waverly Place in Brooklyn. The space holds about 40-50 people and is owned by Alec Duffy. It is becoming an underground spot for music, theater and dance. The walls, which are covered with aluminum foil, separate it from any other spot. No, it’s not an acoustic thing, but rather decorative scenery from a prior theater performance.
Uzuki is a vocalist and cultural warrior whose performances and presentations bring Black culture and its music together in a spirited moment that inspires and swings. Check out her website at www.imaniuzuri.com.