Jerry Bergonzi with Mark Sherman Quintet in New York

Mark Sherman Quintet with Jerry Bergonzi @ The Kitano Jazz NYC

What an inspiring weekend of music at The Kitano jazz room in NYC with my band of 8 years with Tim Horner, Allen Farnham, and Dean Johnson. Jerry Bergonzi was a guest with us this weekend. In addition Jerry stayed at my house for the weekend so we played a lot of music at home, and at the club at night. He is flat out an incredible musician, and certainly one of the top 5 saxophone geniuses alive today. His playing is so fluid, and his language is so deeply rooted. It was a truly motivating to play and hang with him for 3 days. In addition he is just a great cat full of love, and music. Many colleagues, and friends came out to see us, as we tore up tunes like Quasimodo, Hot House, and many originals, and re-harmonized standards. It was a fantastic weekend.

 

Cadence Magazine Interview From 2008

file://localhost/Users/marksherman/Desktop/Cadence_Sherman.pdf

 

Great first review of Tim Horner’s New CD

The Places We Feel Free / The Tim Horner Ensemble

2011 Miles High Records  www.mileshighrecords.com

Featuring : Tim Horner - All Compositions, Drums, Percussion, Voice & Viola / Jim Ridl – Piano & Electric Piano / John Hart - Guitar / Martin Wind – Bass / Mark Sherman - Vibes / Ron Horton – Trumpet & Flugelhorn / Marc Mommaas - Tenor & Soprano Saxes / Scott Robinson - Tenor Sax

Tracks:

A Room Full of Shoes

Invisible Heroes

Museum Piece

Mountain River Dream

A Precious Soul Fanfare for the Common

Jims

‘Tis

Spirit

Tha Places We Feel Free

Passion Dancer

 

The Places We Feel Free is the debut recording of drummer Tim Horner, out of NYC. Tim is one of New York City’s finest drummers and Jazz musicians. His disc, ‘The Places We Feel Free’ displays Tim’s musicianship as muti-faceted. He is a wonderful performer, composer and ensemble musician. His compositions (like his playing) are rhythmically vibrant. The tunes are melodically sophisticated, brushed with modern 20th century harmonies. You canhear the thoughtfulness behind each composition. The result is a release that unveils modern mainstream music, performed by an experienced group of NYC veterans that will surely excite the listeners, musicians and all who appreciate modern Jazz.

Everyone who participates on this disc has shining moments. It is so nice to hear Scott Robinson on tenor. If you are not familiar with his tenor playing, he unveils a richness of tone, blended with modern, creative touches in his improvisations. On ‘Fanfare for the Common Jims’, written for Robinson, Scott just rips through the form with ease and excitement! He then turns around plays with great sensitivity on ‘Tis’. He and trumpeter, Ron Horton provide Horner with a front-line that swings, combined with oneness of ensemble. Congrads Jims!

I love vibraphonist, Mark Sherman’s contributions. He plays with a rhythmic urgency that caught my attention—as in right away on ‘The Room Full of Shoes’. The opening cut. The unison’s and trades with guitarist John Hart are melodically sparring and enjoyable to listen to. I love how the rhythm section swings so hard—it gives the soloists the cushion and the necessary creative energy to just play ripping solos! Jim Ridl (piano) swings hard on that opening track on piano as well, creating an exciting and enjoyable listen.

Ron Horton, (Trumpet and Flugelhorn), plays with a richness of ‘sound’ on this recording. He plays with a big and full ‘sound’. His ‘pitch’ and ‘time’ are very good. On a ‘Precious Soul’ and ‘Tis’, his ensemble, and inventive solo’s are a welcome addition to this music.

Guitarist, John Hart on guitar is superb throughout. His electric playing flows, and he is well versed harmonically. I might note–not all electric players can turn the corner and play convincingly on a nylon classical guitar.  His training and experience are well noted. On Horner’s, ‘Passion Dancer’, his execution of Flamenco style is fluid and musical!

The disc is also programmed very well, with an assortment of time feels and variations of ensemble. The compositions also display beautiful variation. For example, listening to ‘The Places We Feel Free’, (dedicated to bassist, Bob Bowen), (a ¾ metered tune), ‘Places’ features nice open harmonies as it features a section for bassist Martin Wind to improvise. His solo is set up nicely by guitarist, Hart and vibraphonist, Sherman as their unison melody leads to the conversation with Wind. It is beautifully done. Sherman is great once again and Tim’s cymbal work is superb!

Horner not only writes in an assortment of time feels, he plays each style with the up-most capability. He is one of our modern masters when it comes knowing what the music needs from the rhythm section. His contributions are played with passion and conviction! His time feels so good. It makes you want to play if you’re a musician. It makes you want to move if you’re a listener. He is a superb musician!

You will listen to this disc multiple times, I can promise you if you are a lover of creative mainstream Jazz. Tim’s debut is not successful on one level, but on many levels. He has waited to release a musical statement, which clearly demonstrates his great understanding of the Jazz idiom! Congrads Jims!!

Tim Horner recording date. The Band

 

Mark Sherman Quartet in Europe

The Quartet

Well we set off on tour for our first stop in Oldenburg Germany to perform at Jazz Club Alluvium on Feb 23rd. A nice venue run by a singer named Al Yasha Anderson. She is originally from Brooklyn New York, and now residing in Oldenburg. The concert was a nice start to our 6 concerts in Germany, and Switzerland. We are preparing new music for a recording in Switzerland on February 26+27 live at Chorus Jazz Club. We have been playing all new music by Tim Horner, Allen Farnham, and myself. Some very challenging stuff. On morning of the 24th we drove to Rostock Germany where we played for the second time at Upsprung, which is a nice little club in Rostock in the northeast of Germany. The music grows each night as we pour our hearts and souls deep into what we love to do. Next day we drove to Schwann Germany where we played at this really fantastic little place called Kulterschanke, run and owned by Sylva Tkotsch. We met Sylva last year when we performed in Rostock, and she absolutely insisted we come to perform at her venue this year. It was a great concert as it was completely acoustic with no microphones anywhere. A little stage which put us very close to each other. It felt great on the stage, as I could hear really well, and the usual monitor systems that these clubs have were not there to ruin the sound onstage. It was like playing in our living room. The music really took off that night. Before the concert, as the audience filed into the club, I noticed there were many older folks coming in as well as a younger crowd, so I felt that it would nice to give them a standard tune to start the set. We did that and then continued with our original music as we prepare for the recording on the 26-27th. Much to my surprise they were very enthusiastic about the original music. They really ate it up. We sold many CD’s and it ended as a great night.

Now comes the tough leg of the tour. We departed at 6am on the 26th, drove 2hours to Hamburg airport. Unloaded, returned the car, checked in, and took our flight to Zurich. We need to be in the Geneva area, but the flights from Hamburg to Geneva were so expensive I chose to go to Zurich as we had 85-euro flights. Upon arriving at Zurich we caught a train to Lausanne to arrive for the concert/live recording at Chorus Jazz Club. We got to the hotel at 4:40pm. Rested I hour and went to the sound check. Ate dinner and hit at 9pm. 2 burning sets to a packed club. This club has become our home away from home. We are so well received in Switzerland in general, but it is our 5th year playing at Chorus, and the same faces, and friends keep coming. Sold a load of CD’s and even though we were totally exhausted from the trip that day, and no sleep, we played our asses off. This band is incredible. For me it is a dream come true to work the music to this level, and simply to be on the stage performing at this level at this point in my life. I have dreamed of this path since I was 13 years old, when I first heard Elvin Jones play live at The Village Vanguard. I actually broke in tears during rehearsal of a ballad that Tim Horner wrote titled “I Wish I Knew You”, as I became over whelmed with the beauty of the music, and the gratitude I have for these musicians, the music, my family, thinking of lost friends, and the difficulties of life. Another song we play is a beautiful waltz dedicated to the bass player Bob Bowen who was tragically run over by a truck while riding his bike in New York. The song is titled “The Place I Feel Free”, composed by Tim Horner as well. It refers to Bob’s stories of his life, as he spoke to Tim, and said how the one place he feels free is when he is riding his bike, as the day-to-day problems of life disappear when riding. How sad, and ironic he was killed in that place he felt so free! Life is so fragile out here for us all, and we must continue to be grateful for what we have. I miss my family when on the road, but my road family keeps me moving, and I am very grateful for the music. It makes me feel free, alive, and continuously motivated to, play better today than I did yesterday!! Second night of recording at Chorus tonight. Can’t wait to hear it when finished!

Mark Sherman in Rostock

Allen Farnham

Dean Johnson

Tim Horner

 

The Ron Horton/Tim Horner 10tet Concert

I had an amazing concert last wednesday night in Brooklyn at a concert series called Brooklyn Jazz Wide Open / Littlefield. I played with the Ron Horton/ Tim Horner 10tet. What a band featuring Marc Mommaas, Scott Robinson, John O’Gallagher, Nate Ecklund, Ron Horton, Alan Ferber, and a rhythm section of Frank Kimbrough, myself, Mark Sherman on vibes, Martin Wind, and Tim Horner. The music is mostly arranged by Ron Horton in tribute to the music of Andrew Hill legendary jazz pianist/composer. This band is currently looking for a home at one of the local New York jazz clubs, and certainly deserves one. Ron Horton has cleverly arranged the music and the players are really incredible. I hope the band will soon record. A project worth checking out.

Mark Sherman, Frank Kimbarro, and Martin Wind

The Ron Horton/Tim Horner 10tet

 

Mark Sherman Quintet Interviews

The great videographer Vincent Ruiz has compiled clips of the individual interviews from our DVD release and posted them on you tube. It’s great to hear the guys speak about music. The complete DVD is available at www.markshermanmusic.com.

BAND

MARK SHERMAN

JOE MAGNARELLI

TIM HORNER

DEAN JOHNSON

ALLEN FARNHAM

 

From Diplomatic Status to Reality

The Quartet

It’s been two weeks since my return to the US from the month long Rhythm Road/US State Department tour of Russia, and Asia. It has been quite an emotional adjustment since on the  tour we were treated as if we were diplomats from the United States. Driving in embassy limos. Being wined and dined constantly, and of course the 50-100 people who mobbed us after concerts and master classes to get a picture or an autograph, or to just talk about music. Most importantly I miss the day to day music. We played over 30 events, Everyday was another bit of magic from the music. We drove the music to higher levels. That is what happens when you do many consecutive events. My dream since I was 13 years old has been to do just that. Back in New York it has been a small adjustment from playing concerts, and master classes daily, to more occasional opportunities to do this. I miss the daily hang with the band as well. We all bonded like family. I am looking forward to Europe upcoming in the fall, Australia in the spring, and back to teaching in the university, and conservatory I work in. Hats off to the band of Tim Horner, Jim Ridl, and Tom Dicarlo for the completion of that month in Asia. We all worked our butts off, but the music made it all worth while.

 

Final Concert At Greenbelt Park

Bow at end

Smile Drum Solo

After a really great Master Class at the Ayala Museum in Manila we walked over to the Green Belt Park venue, where we were to have our final concert of the tour. At the ambassador’s residence, and at this stage was a great drum set provided by a local drummer named Andy. They were old Gretsch Drums with a small 18″marching and style bass drum. It was really an interesting sounding set. Tim Horner plays the hell out of anything, but I know Tim was happy to see this drum kit for the last few days of the tour. Anyway we set up, and played a beautiful concert in the park for maybe 2-300 people.

Each night we played, the music got more and more locked into enlightenment stage. Where everything is so comfortable. The solos had just gotten so amazing throughout. Jim Ridl is a monster improviser. He has many styles under his belt, and twentieth century classical to mix into it. He has clearly done some score reading. Then of course add the emotional build up of arriving at the last concert of say 30 events. It was an intense evening of music. We all four just flat out gave everything to the music we could. Tim Horner played one of the best constructed solos I have ever witnessed on the intro to Jim Ridl’s “Smile Said The Drum” dedicated to Elvin Jones and his intense smile. The solo was a really true tribute to Elvin. Tim implied it all in his purposeful way of negotiating life, and the music itself. What an intense  night for us all as we laid it all out that night. Last concert of the tour.

It was sweltering hot outside that night. And it was humid. Not like China, but the lights onstage made it really hot. I lost a lot of water. On this tour we have all lost a lot of water. We sweated like mad on most gigs. I thought I would have lost weight, but they just kept feeding us, and feeding us. Sometimes 4 hours between meals we would have to go to a host dinner. Breakfast was free all the way through as we had some really amazingly luxurious breakfast buffets in the top shelf hotels we were put in. The Asian cuisine is very thorough. When they put out a buffet, it is intense. Anyway there was no losing weight. You are on the road, and somehow you get this feeling you need to “Eat For Your Life”! It does get tough out on the road sometimes.

Concert done. Lots of thanks, photos, and interviews afterwards. Another exciting day finished. A lot of work done. A lot of music put out there!

Greenbelt Park Manila

Pictures at the end

 

China The Philippines

Leaving Guilin

Tim fights the humidity

Our hosts in Guangzhou, and Guilin were incredible. It was kind of sad to leave Dan Walcott, Raymond, and Linfei as we departed China. We had a special time with them, as that tour of the river was just thrilling. They were so helpful, and accommodating through our stay in southern China. What I liked about Dan Walcott was he was fun, and engaging, but very business like as well. He took care of business.  As we waited at the check in counter as someone was in front of us with 25 passports in his hand trying to check in a group without them waiting in the line. It became obvious that it would be impossible for the check in counter to do that, as there was a huge line behind us. So I set a pick in front of the counter as Raymond negotiated us through getting rid of this group and sending them to there own counter for check in. Anyway Raymond was talking to the check in person, and I was setting a pick so nobody else would slap any luggage down on the belt. We checked in and all was fine. I won’t miss the humidity in China. I felt as if we were soaked the entire 10 days in China. Above the picture of Tim Horner fighting the humidity says it all.

We arrived in Manila and were greeted by the team from the Embassy. In the van riding to the hotel I mentioned to Jomar Ascano that there was someone on you tube who had posted multiple videos of a song I wrote called “Changes In My Life”, and it had gotten 750,000 hits. Jomar said, how does that song go again? Can you sing it? I began to sing one line, and Jomar knew the remaining lyrics of the song. I could not believe he knew them. Well the group told me that “Changes In My Life” had been sort of a hit in Manila, and all the Philippines. It was on my 1986 CBS release featuring the late Johnny Kemp singing it. Apparently there was a singer named Jed Madela who had covered it. Anyway it turned out that Jed Madela, and management and the record company were all invited to the evening show, which was to be at the ambassador’s residence.

So the day started and we had a master class at the Santo Tomas Conservatory that was really nice. There were music teachers, and students attending. Everything was great. We had wonderful audience participation, as they were truly moved by our performance of 4 tunes. We started out every master class with some great performances of the various originals that we have. Anyway great, intelligent questions were asked, and answered, and afterwards we greeted everyone, and had a host lunch. There was a guy named Butch who is on the faculty of the music department at the school. This guy was so moved by the entire event, that he was crying. He had big large tears in his eyes when he told me how great it was to have this level of music at their school. He was so passionate about music, that I was moved by his being moved.  “Hi to Butch from Mark” if you see this.

A good start for the Philippines. We then continued on to a radio interview at Crossroads, which is the top music station in Manila. Again when I arrived I was presented with the question, “Didn’t you write “Changes In My Life” ? I said yes, and they continued to tell me what a hit it was in the Philippines, and it was covered by not only Jed Madela, but also by another female artist which I have not found yet. Slowly I got the picture, and began to realize that I was owed some money, as I had not seen any mechanical royalties for this “hit” they were telling me about. Also I had not received that I knew of anything from radio play. The interview went fine. We spoke about music, and all pertinent things regarding the band, and we got out of there. It was hot. Back to hotel for a little 2 hour rest.

Later that night we went to the Ambassador’s residence. Wow what a nice place to live Ambassador Harry Thomas has. We were introduced, and we played 3 or 4 tunes, and then opened it up for a jam session, and some of Manila’s finest singers, and instrumentalist came up to sit in with us. We had some great food, and drink, and met many people from the embassy, press agents, and other invited guests. I also met the people from Jed Madella’s management, as well as his record company and we exchanged cards. I again was told how successful Jed’s recording was, and that it sold around 50,000 units. Eventually after our return from Bacolod on Monday night, I had a very successful meeting with the president of Universal records, as well as Jed and his agents, along with several officials from the State department and the Optical Media Board. We ironed out all the publishing issues regarding my hit tune “Changes In My Life”. It seems they had not obtained a license from the correct place. I informed them where to get the license, and everything is being straightened out. Everything turned out fine. I am still in shock over the fact that my tune was so popular in The Philippines. An interesting turn of events upon our arrival in Manila.

Quartet with Ambassador Harry Thomas

Sandra sitting in with the band

Soaked on the first tune

Jim speaks about music at Master classusic

Mark talking about grips

Tim joking at The Ayala Museum Masterclass

Embassy briefing upon arrival

 

Wonderful Concert At Guangxi Normal University Music School

The Audience

In Guilin we had an exciting concert at the music school at the above listed University. It was more like a rock concert reception, as the students were out of control excited to have us American musicians performing for them. Musically everything has been incredible. On every event the band has just risen to the occasion, and done what we do best, which is to deliver highly spiritually motivated performances. The fact that we have been playing all original music has also made the entire trip a tour de force for us all. There is nothing like reaching down deep into your own creations, and watching them grow over 30 concerts. I personally feel as if my playing has really gotten better throughout this trip. There is nothing like playing for live audiences, and these live audiences have been large, gracious, and appreciative of our presence. Anyway the kids went nuts for just about everything we did, from the moment we hit the stage until the standing ovation at the end. At the end about eight gorgeous Chinese students came out dressed in these beautiful traditional Chinese dresses, and presented each one of us with another huge bouquet of roses, which of course we ended up giving back to them later, and to our wonderful host, and translator Yi Linfei. Another triumph for the band musically, and socially. Pretty exciting stuff all the way through!

Tim Horner in the groove as usual

I'm happy

Yi Linfei translating

The girls who presented our gifts

Afterwards with the trumpet player who sat in with us