• Mr. Henry’s: Tedd Baker Quartet feat. Tedd Baker (ts/ss), Tommy Holladay (g), Nate Jakes (b), Stefan Schatz (d)

For your pleasure, my brief ‘Impressions’, ‘Reflections’, and ‘Stolen Moments’:

• Hubert Laws Quartet – Wow!!!  THE Hubert Laws from those popular 1970s CTI (and A&M) records including his own, as well as Bob James, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Stanley Turrentine, Chet Baker, Ron Carter, etc. and McCoy Tyner’s “Fly Like The Wind”, just to name a few.  He sounded great as ever, playing both Jazz and Classic compositions, as did his stellar bandmates.
• Freedom Now Suite: Celebrating Max Roach Centennial – This landmark and controversial 1960 album, “We Insist’ “, released in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, that featured Abbey Lincoln and Coleman Hawkins, was presented in its entirety (5 songs) and featured wonderful vocals and moving and though-provoking spoken word.  The group was led by the great drummer, Nasheet Waits.  His father, Freddie Waits, was a founding member of Max Roach’s M’Boom percussion ensemble.  Breathtakingly, spotlighted on a small elevated stand stage right was a lone high-hat, emblematic of Max Roach’s trademark solos.
• Bill Charlap Trio – This trio, led by the great pianist and American Songbook maestro himself, played a beautiful set of hard-swingin’ classics, mid-tempo tunes, and beautiful ballads throughout both sets.  To the audience’s delight, Charlap always displays an intimate knowledge of the composers, lyrics, and back stories.  The first set’s final tune, Charlie Parker’s “Segment”, featured an unbelievable and unforgettable drum solo by Kenny Washington.
• Legacy of Wayne Shorter – As part of Kennedy Center’s 2024-25 Jazz season, this stellar group of Wayne Shorter’s rhythm section for 20 years, plus the great Mark Turner added for good measure, delivered grandly on a host of beautiful compositions, many unfamiliar (songbook).  Of course, Wayne Shorter most prominently wrote great tunes while a member of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’ 2nd famous quintet, as well as his historic 1960s Blue Note records.  Overall, after Duke and Monk, an incredibly impressive Jazz songbook for the ages!!
• Cyrus Chestnut Trio – Chestnut’s robust and eclectic program included his unique treatment of Jazz standards (Darn That Dream, Giant Steps, Bag’s Groove, Sophisticated Lady), a classical tune, and original compositions (including my favorite, “Nippon Soul Connection”).  Cyrus’ very interesting segues from one tune to another always keeps the listener challenged and on the edge of one’s sets.  After all, it may feature a Negro Spiritual, a Bach or Chopin composition, an anthem, a ditty, or a children’s nursery rhyme.  Outstanding trio set!!!
• Lee Morgan Tribute – Peabody Institute, Chair of Jazz Studies, and great trumpet master himself, Sean Jones, led an outstanding quintet, 1960s style, through two sets of popular Morgan compositions.  The group included upstart (and senior) Ephraim Dorsey.  The group’s ultra-slow treatment, a la Shirley Horn, of Morgan’s classic “Ceora” was beautiful!!  Sean Jones, for his part, displayed great chops at all tempos (as always!) all evening long, and would have made Mr. Morgan proud…
• S.F. Jazz Collective – New Music Inspired by The de Young Museum’s “About Place” Collection – This season, each of the band members drew inspiration from titled paintings by the following:
  • “FBI Drawings: Legal Ritual” by Sadie Barnette (Wolf)
  • “New Normal” by Rupy C. Tut (Simon)
  • “The Child Opens Its Eyes to the Earth” by Sydney Cain (Scott)
  • “Walking in Rainbow Rain” by Clare Rojas (Rodriguez)
  • “Listo” by Guillermo Galindo (Sáchez)
  • “Te Quiero Inti” by Miguel Arzabe (Brewer)
  • “Unknow Know With What Is” by Chris Johanson (Potter)

• Legacy of Wayne Shorter – In the smaller, more intimate confines of the popular Santa Cruz venue, more great music and performances by the band members, but two sets worth!!!
• Warren Wolf Quintet – At the request Peabody Institute faculty member and multi-instrumentalist, Warren Wolf, the great trombonist and JALC alum (1999-2007) Andre Hayward conducted a wonderful master class earlier that day.  That evening, the Houston native led a great quintet, featuring the big sound of Tedd Baker on tenor sax, through a set of standards and originals, displaying some mean chops!  Improvising midway through the set, he invited some of the students come up and display their respective skills and talents.  By this measure, the future of Jazz is in good hands… 
• Tedd Baker Quartet – My ‘maiden voyage’ to the historic southeast WDC Capitol Hill pub, where a local schoolteacher named Roberta Flack was hired in 1968 to sing three nights a week, and home of the very popular Capitol Hill Jazz Jam on Wednesdays since 2015, featured the muscular-tone sounding sax player, Tedd Baker, and his outstanding trio.  Also an educator, Baker, following a playlist theme of ‘Fall Term Birthdays’ by composers, presented a hard-swingin’ second set: “Milestones” (both versions) (Charlie Parker), “Along Came Betty” (Benny Golson), “Pensativa” (Clare Fischer), and “Wabash III” (John Scofield).