For the New year 2024, Dizzy’s jazz club (10 Columbus Circle) on January 5-7, steps out with the GBD Trio: guitarist Mark Whitfield, bassist Bob Hurst, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. These three artists of intoxicating relevance are an exhilarating collaborative force that will entice audiences of all ages.
“GBD is a cooperative group with each of us lending our unique interpretive and improvisational approaches to the others’ original compositions whilst adding no preconceived notions of how our creative offerings should be received,” said Whitfield.
Two shows nightly at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. For reservations visit the website jazz.org.
Once in a while that idiotic question arises “Is jazz dead?” The answer is always a resounding NO, we have too many electrifying young “teenage” lions to demonstrate otherwise. Drummer Kojo Melche Roney (the son of Antoine Roney and nephew of the late Wallace Roney, trumpeter and protégé of Miles Davis), is one of those young lions, although the child prodigy began playing around age 3. At age 9, he sat in for Al Foster at the Village Vanguard. His 2017 solo performance (age 13) at the Summerfest Jazzmobile on YouTube is hotter than a desert sun at sky-noon. He plays with a fiery calm that crosses Tony Williams and Max Roach. His most recent CD is “Psychedelic- Kojo Roney Live at the Delmonte Speakeasy” (2022) with guitarist Quintin Zoto and bassist Jeremiah Kal’ab.
On January 8, for one night only at the Blue Note (8 p.m. and 10:30.p.m.), Kojo Melche Roney honors the 100th birthday of Max Roach. His quartet features saxophonist Antoine Roney, bassist Buster Williams and DJ Logic. These are four artists known for their musical explorations. The turntablist DJ Logic has toured with Christian McBride, Uri Caine, Vernon Reid and Bob Belden. He is known for his hip hop-jazz infused excursions. And of course, Williams is the elder of the group, the titan of global magnitude.
As a maturing musician, Roney has already performed with such masters as his father and uncle Wallace, Ron Carter, Spaceman Patterson, Rene McLean, Brandee Younger, and Hamiet Bluiett.
“I wanted folks, who were worthy of this special night,” said Roney. “They all have a unique sound.” This is Roney’s first time leading his own band during Blue Note primetime, he has lead a band during the club’s late-night series.
By the age of 8 years old Roney was featured on his first tour in Europe, which started his professional music encounters as a sideman. He has traveled and performed in countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia, Poland, Mexico, Ivory Coast. As a student of home-schooling, these tours were classes in geography and world history while actively experiencing the culture of these countries in person.
“We are going to re-imagine the music of Max in our own context,” said the young drummer. “I am anxious to get on stage and make it happen.”
The Blue Note is located at 131 West 3rd Street. For reservations visit the website bluenotejazz.com.
Local 802, the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, American Federation of Musicians, is the largest local union of professional musicians in the world. During their long running jam sessions that were halted by COVID, the likes of T.C. III, Patience Higgins, Jimmy Lovelace, Donald Smith and others lit up the union stage. Those Local 802 jam sessions are again in full swing, with monthly sessions co-sponsored the Jazz Foundation of America, as well as their own 802 Jazz Night.
On January 8, at 7-10 p.m., 802 Jazz Night will feature a FREE evening of blues with the duo of Gordon – Lockwood (guitarist and vocalist Jeremiah Lockwood and drummer Ricky Gordon). The two have been making music together for over two decades, originally as disciples of Piedmont Blues legend Carolina Slim. Expect old time blues, new-time rhythms, and ballads of life.
Lockwood is the founder of The Sway Machinery, a world-exploring, genre-defying band perhaps best known for its collaborations with the late, great Khaira Arby of Timbuktu. Gordon is a member of the Wynton Marsalis Ensemble and a prolific composer for the screen, including collaborations with Spike Lee.
Local 802 is located at 322 West 48th Street. For a complete listing visit the website local802afm.org.
The Winter JazzFest is one of New York City’s most diversified jazz series. On January 10-18 with a variety of sites in Manhattan and Brooklyn with over 100 performing artists, 26 vibrant shows and three invigorating talks including; “The Universality of Jazz” with panelists Esperanza Spalding, South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini and Shabaka. Also “Live at the East: The Meaningful Music of a Brooklyn Community” with panelists Basir Mchawi, Ahmed Abdullah and Fela Barclift.
“We continue in January 2024, proud as ever to support a host of today’s most fearless and creative musicians as we push boundaries and imagine new possibilities for our music scene and our world,” said founder and producer Brice Rosenbloom.
January 10, kicks off with “Take Two: Tyshawn Sorey Reimagines Max Roach’s ‘Members Don’t Get Weary’” in Brooklyn at Public Records (233 Butler Street), at 8 p.m.
January 11 features NEA Jazz Master Big Chief Donald Harrison “Music Omniverse” at Town Hall (in partnership with Winter JazzFest) with his ensemble and special guests Dave Holland, DJ Logic, Vernon Reid, Charles Tolliver, Joe Dyson, Arturo O’Farrill, Fred Wesley, and The Headhunters (Bill Summers & Mike Clark).
“‘Omniverse’ demonstrates the music has many generations and they all connect,” says Harrison. “I just want to expand the music conversation. I have played with all these great musicians, who represent different aspects of the music that is all related as the audience will witness during our performance.”
On his new project “The Magic Touch, Omniverse Music” multi-genre singles he continues an idea he started in 2006 on the recording “3D.” That recording featured three different CD’s which contained the same songs played in a different genre on each CD. As he explained, “I had a jazz CD, a soul and smooth jazz CD, and a hip-hop CD all playing different paradigms of the same songs.” For tickets visit the website winterjazzfest.com or visit thetownhall.org/event/Donald Harrison.
The ever-popular Winter JazzFest Marathon nights are January 12 in Manhattan (6 p.m.-3 a.m.) and January 13 (4:30 p.m.-3 a.m.) in Brooklyn, multi-artists in eight venues per night.
On January 16 listen to the flow of “My Words Are Music: A Celebration of Sun Ra’s Poetry” featuring Carl Hancock Rux, Moor Mother, Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets. On the Lower eastside at Nublu 151 Avenue C.
For a complete schedule visit the website winterjazzfest.com.
On January 12-13, Jazz at Lincoln Center will present its inaugural Unity Jazz Festival, a weekend of 15 artists sharing their varied concept of jazz. They perform on multiple stages including; the Appel Room, Dizzy’s Club, and Ertegun Atrium. The festival jumps off at 6 p.m. and extends into the late hours. Some of the musicians will include; Chief Adjuah, Summer Camargo, William Parker: In Order to Survive. “Light Stratas,” the bassist, poet and author brings a cross section of straight ahead, avant garde music in thought provoking swing.
For a complete schedule and tickets visit the website jazz.org/concert/unity-festival.
Happy New Year 2024. Wishing you health, joyous experiences, prosperity and always prosperity!!! As you noticed my byline has changed from Ron Scott to my full name which I will now be using…