[78-L] Benny's birthday

[soundthink at aol.com]

Whew. I'm glad to stand corrected. OK, so where's the tribute to Johnny Mercer???

Cary Ginell (who would love to see a 100th birthday celebration for Ocie Stockard, but won't hold his breath)...



-----Original Message-----
From: David Weiner <djwein at earthlink.net>
To: '78-L Mail List' <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 1:09 pm
Subject: Re: [78-L] Benny's birthday



So how come there was nothing in the news about Benny Goodman's 100th
irthday? You'd think there would be celebrations at Lincoln Center, in Down
eat, and elsewhere (or was there?). Other than someone's brief mention on
his list, I've seen nothing. It's a durn shame.
--------
u contraire, Cary - there was a big series of concerts and lectures last
eekend in NY at the Time Warner Center - here's a review of one of them: 
Homage to a Carnegie Hall Concert That Put the Kingdom of Swing on the Map
y NATE CHINEN
Among the more ebullient moments in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s centennial
ribute to Benny Goodman at the Rose Theater on Thursday night, one stood
ut decisively. It came at the start of the second half and featured not one
ut four clarinetists — Ken Peplowski, Ted Nash, Victor Goines and the
vening’s musical director, Bob Wilber — playing tightly voiced enlargements
f Goodman’s frolicsome phrasing.
The effect of this harmonization was crisp and sprightly, even if the device
tself skirted jazz-repertory cliché. And when it was time for a round robin
f solos, each musician offered his 
take on a signature style.
They weren’t the only ones. In the first half the venerable Buddy DeFranco
ttested to the far-reaching influence of Goodman’s instrumental voice.
“His impact was so strong,” Mr. DeFranco said, adding that he and most other
azz clarinetists owed an obvious debt. Then came a musical illustration, in
he form of a Goodmanesque sextet romp through “I Surrender, Dear” and
After You’ve Gone.” Mr. DeFranco, 86, played expressively, acknowledging
he nature of the role while maintaining his own more boppish identity.
But Goodman’s clarinet playing formed only part of the picture in a program
qually devoted to the legacy of his big band. And here the concert showed
ts clear strengths, as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra brought power
nd conviction to some of the swing era’s most durable arrangements. The
nforced precision among the saxophone and brass sections was well met by
he swinging ease of the rhythm section. A few designated soloists — notably
he trumpeters Marcus Printup and Sean Jones, both charismatic in their
pper registers — delivered compact, historically appropriate flashes of
ravado.
The concert had been billed partly as a salute to Goodman’s historic 1938
oncert at Carnegie Hall, a debut for jazz as well as for his band. For
nstated reasons, that point of reference surfaced only glancingly. The
rchestra closed the first half with “Sing, Sing, Sing,” and it was a
redictable home run, especially20as a feature for the drummer Ali Jackson,
ho summoned Gene Krupa’s tom-tom rumble without resorting to camp. But
here was no piano solo, which had been a serendipitous highlight of the
arnegie version. And it made little sense that the tune came so early in
he show, and not as the finale. (The actual finale, “Oh, Baby,” could
ardly compete.)
Mr. Wilber, who is 81 and once led a more faithful re-creation of the
arnegie concert, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, faced a few other
hallenges as producer. One of them might have been generational. When he
ared down to a combo, there were mild issues with the vibraphonist Warren
olf (standing in for Lionel Hampton) and the pianist Dan Nimmer (ditto for
eddy Wilson), who seemed constrained and perhaps ill at ease.
More unfortunate was Mr. Wilber’s decision to feature his wife, Joanne
orton, in any vocal capacity beyond that of a commentator. Despite
onsiderable experience as a jazz singer, Ms. Horton wasn’t up to the task:
ach of her appearances fell emphatically flat.
Thankfully those appearances were few and far between, outweighed by
tronger fare like “Clarinet à la King,” a full-dress number featuring Mr.
eplowski. There, with the band firing on all cylinders, the appeal of
oodman’s music felt alive and close at hand.
Performances continue through Saturday at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at
incoln Center, 60th Street and Broadway; (212) 721-6500, jalc.org.

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