Thanks to John Philip Murray for this review of my trio performance in Bray. How lovely to feel so seen!
Robert Doerschuck has a remarkable archive of interviews. His latest gift is a discussion with Earl Hines. Among other gems, Hines talks about two early influences:
There were two different pianists I was listening to then. I wasn’t making but fifteen dollars a week, but I would have paid fifteen dollars a day just to see those guys. One had a heck of a right hand and one had a heck of a left hand. Jim Fellman was the left hand and Johnny Watters was the right hand.
I haven’t heard of either Fellman or Watters before, and as far as I know their playing isn’t documented. The passage recalls a moment from John Coltrane writing in DownBeat:
I have listened to about all the good tenor men, beginning with Lester, and believe me, I’ve picked up something from them all, including several who have never recorded.
Jazz was a community endeavor. Its history is full of now-obscure musicians who made a significant impression on the famous names….
Sonny Rollins put together a playlist for Tidal. (!)
Ross Barkan, Optimizing to Nowhere. I am on the same page, there’s too much tech now.
Ibram X. Kendi is in the New York Times, and for the first it is not just a puff piece. Written by Rachel Poser, “Ibram X. Kendi Faces a Reckoning of His Own” has lot of historical context and critique. I like Freddie DeBoer’s follow up as well.
On the Peter Martin/Adam Maness Podcast "You'll Hear it" they rank albums by various metrics. The last category is "snob-o-meter" where half of the rating is, “Would Ethan Iverson like this?"
BUSINESS BLAST
I’m in Spain.
June 16, Sunset Jazz Club, Girona - Bill McHenry Quartet Ft. Iverson, Rossy, Kamaguchi
June 18 & 19, Jamboree, Barcelona, — Jordi Rossy Quartet featuring Ethan Iverson, Bill McHenry, Masa Kamaguchi
June 22, Jazz Vejer Festival — Iverson- Rossy- Kamaguchi Trio
June 28 and 29, Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center: The Look of Love, an evening of Burt Bacharach, with the Mark Morris Dance Group, choreography by Mark Morris, and music arranged by myself. Star turn from Marcy Harriell, accompanied by Blaire Perrin, Clinton Curtis, Jonathan Finlayson, Simón Willson, and Vinnie Sperrazza.
July 11-14, Smoke Jazz & Supper Club in NYC: Ethan Iverson Sextet with Jonathan Finlayson, Sam Newsome, Jacob Garchik, Peter Washington, and Kush Abadey. (This will be my leader debut at Smoke.)
I’ll be on staff for the summer workshop sessions in Langnau and Siena in late July and early August. During the Switzerland residency I’ll be playing trio at Langnau Jazz Nights with Reuben Rogers and Kendrick Scott. In Ferrara (attached to the Siena workshop) I’ll be playing duo with Thomas Morgan.