During these cold, blustery days, it takes more than a hot cup of anything to keep the fiery soul warm. On Feb. 1, the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) will offer the perfect remedy to raise the temperature to a spiritual high with “Satellites in the Spirit of Sun Ra,” featuring Sun Ra alums: trombonist and composer Dick Griffin Quartet; trumpeter and composer Ahmed Abdullah & Monique Nri; Sons of Ra with guitarist Bruce Edwards, drummer Craig Haynes, and TC The 3rd (a unique vocalist in the tradition of Leon Thomas and Babs Gonzales rolling in from Philly will lend his unique sound); Children of the Sun with percussionist Elson Nascimento; guitarist Spaceman Patterson and the Celestials; drummer George Gray’s Arts Collective; and bassist Tyler Mitchell with saxophonist Nicoletta Manzini.
The nonconformists will convene at Recirculation (876 Riverside Drive at 160th Street) from 1 p.m.–6 p.m. RSVP at withfriends.co/wordup.
Black American musicians were recording soul music in the midst of segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement in a small recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Ala., while their brothers and sisters in Kingston, Jamaica, were busy recording in their own sanctuary — Studio 17. It was one of those magical environments where aspiring Jamaican artists were free to express their individual creativity through their music without interference, some of whom included Bob Marley & the Wailers, Peter Tosh (who also worked there as a studio musician), Crown Prince of Reggae Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Alton Ellis, Carl Malcolm, and American singer Johnny Nash. That storied studio became the engine for Jamaica’s golden age of music and was primarily responsible for introducing reggae, the sound that had an impact on music around the globe.
“Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes,” the most important documentary (2019) about the Jamaican roots of reggae music from its humble infancy, birthed by the Chin Family (Vincent “Randy” Chin and his wife Patricia Chin), and produced by music journalist Reshma B, will have its New York City premiere on Feb. 1 at the newly opened Bronx Music Hall (438 East 163rd Street).
The film has been hailed as “One of my favorite documentaries right now. Documentaries like this that bring us closer to the music” by Quincy Jones in “Forbes,” and “a magical piece of work” by veteran UK reggae radio DJ David Rodigan.
The discovered treasure of tapes from Studio 17 features an unreleased track by Brown. Clive Chin produced the song “When You Get Right Down to It” in the mid-1970s at Studio 17 that was left unfinished and unreleased until he rescued it. After 40 years, the internationally acclaimed musician, songwriter, and producer Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame collaborated with Chin to finish the love song, adding vocals by teenage singer Hollie Stephenson (who, at 16 years old, was the same age as Brown when he first started working on the song) to make a moving duet that can be heard for the first time in the documentary. Reshma B was in the room as they worked on finishing the song.
The Feb. 1 screening will begin with a 6 p.m. reception, followed by the film at 7 p.m. and discussion afterward with the producer Reshma B, Studio 17 recording artist Carl Malcolm, and Pat McKay of Sirius XM.
February is significant for many reasons: It kicks off the world-wide celebration of Reggae Month, Brown’s birthday (Feb. 1) and Bob Marley’s birthday on Feb. 6, and of course, Black History Month. Tickets are $15 at bronxmusichall.org.
There will also be another screening of “Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes” on Feb. 21 at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue) in Huntington, NY. For more information call 631-423-7610 or visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Thanks to a new book, jazz swingers ages 3–6 can say with a big smile that they are familiar with Miles Davis and his composition “So What.” The youngsters’ fondness for Davis comes from reading “Miles Davis Was His Name – So What,” beautifully written by jazz singer and educator Louise S. Rogers with vibrant colorful illustrations by Francis Hsueh.
Rogers employs her own lyrics for “So What,” which complement her vocal version that can be heard on YouTube through a scan mark in the book. “The words are fun and easy for children and they love to say so what,” noted Rogers. Her adopted word-sounds for instruments are tongue ticklers, for example the bass goes “Doom, doom, Bah-doom.” As bolting colored notes fly across the pages, along with high-flying birds that introduce another legendary musician: “Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, he’s the bird.”
“So What,” with its catchy lyrics, opens a variety of doors to inspire young minds for song-writing — the concept of practicing “all day and every night like Miles,” playing together with other children, sharing, and learning about this music called jazz with contributions by both Miles and Parker. The composition “So What” is the opening track from one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded: “Kind of Blue” (Columbia Records 1959). “So What” can be found on Rogers’s recording “Bop Boo Day! Louise Rogers Celebrates Jazz for Young Children.”
Rogers loves teaching and introducing jazz to her students at the Medical Center Nursery School, in Washington Heights. “The school has allowed me to experiment and create and test out all of my work … it has truly been my lab,” said Rogers. She has published “Jazz Fairy Tales Teacher’s Manual” (Volumes 1 & 2), and “Jazz Mosaic,” co-written with Susan Milligan (Alfred Publishing).
Rogers has recorded four albums under her own label, Rilo Records, including two CDs for the pre-school set, and her recent “Black Coffee” CD was released on Chesky Records. She gave poet Nikki Giovanni’s “Be My Baby” poem a jazzy swing on her CD “Come Ready and See Me.”
When not inspiring young minds, Rogers is busy with promoting and producing jazz events through her nonprofit organization Jazz WaHi, that she co-founded with her husband, pianist Mark Kross. The WaHi Weekly Jazz Jam, a staple in the community since 2015, jumps off every Tuesday at Kismat (603 Ft. Washington Avenue, W. 187th Street). Feb. 4 marks their 10th anniversary.
To purchase the book, visit www.amazon.com or art-francis.com. For info about Jazz Jams WaHi, visit jazzwahi.org.