THE NEW YORK JAZZ WORKSHOP BEBOP/POST BOP COMBO BLOG

MONDAY MAY 7  THE NEW YORK JAZZ WORKSHOP BEBOP/POST BOP COMBO BLOG MARK SHERMAN

I was the drummer for combo yesterday, but of course it does not hold the combo back as I love to play, and can control any situation from that vantage point. Having grown up studying with Elvin and playing a lot I can really give the combo the feel it needs, and spread the depth of the rhythmic structure of the music itself. Much of my concept on piano and vibes has arrived as a result of my rhythmic concept, which I got, from playing the drums.

We had Vinnie on bass, a newcomer who played very well, and our other normal diligent players. Dave, Rob, and Matt. We ran through Birdlike (Freddie Hubbard), Black Nile (Wayne Shorter), Beatrice (Sam Rivers), After You’ve Gone, and we attempted to play T Monk’s Pannonica. A difficult set of changes to master. After we played Black Nile the second tune we played, I stopped the band and began to talk about anticipation, and the technique of thinking ahead of the changes, and actually playing ahead in order to command the direction of the line. I demonstrated how being ahead of the changes is always best, and that falling behind is a terrible place to be. Trying to catch the train as it sails by. I demonstrated this a bit at the piano, and then instructed each player to take more choruses of soloing on Black Nile, but this time to play 1-2 quarter notes ahead of the changes. Well I never heard Matt Mayer sound so good. He was jumping ahead and resolving in a way that he never did before. This technique is a vital part of improvisation. Especially when dealing with lots of changes at fast tempos. Playing ahead of where the music actually is in real time is a very effective, and sensible way to be in control of the music and not to get caught by the changes. It has always worked for me, and it was a thrill to hear it change Matt and the others approach on negotiating the changes on the tunes. That anticipation drill helps you lead the direction of the music. After all the music will not stop, so it is easier to be ahead of the game, and use silence or resolution to allow the music to catch you, than for you to be behind the changes, trying to run after the music while negotiating the harmony. Sort of like being ahead of the ball game in the ninth inning, rather than playing catch up ball!!!

Deep stuff really if jazz improvisation is your life as it is mine!!!

 

Ron Carter’s 75th Birthday at Juilliard Jazz

With Herbie Hancock

With Benny Golson

With Carl Allen

With Lenny White

I am so proud to be a graduate, and on the faculty of The Juilliard School. Last night at school there was an incredible evening of celebration for Ron Carter as he has turned 75 years old, and a new Juilliard scholarship was launched in his honor. Fifty thousand dollars awarded yearly to a deserving student in the program. With Danny Glover as the MC for the evening, the program  packed Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Just a great presentation of  many of Ron’s tunes arranged by the students, and performed with the guest jazz masters. There were also performances by the Ron Carter nonet, and the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra performing selections from Ron’s big band recording. A who’s who of jazz history was there to support this event. It was a ball to hang with many of my colleagues from the faculty, as well as the legendary guests that performed with the students on the concert. What a great opportunity for the Juilliard jazz students to play with, Hubert Laws, Benny Golson, Herbie Hancock, Buster Williams, Russell Malone, Ron Carter, Carl Allen, and Lewis Nash.

When I was at Juilliard I was playing in the orchestra with the likes of Sexton Ehrling, James Conlon, Zubin Mehta, George Solti, Leonard Bernstein and others. They had no jazz program at Juilliard when I attended. Wynton Marsalis and I used to just jammed in the hallways to find somewhere to play. What a program. What a night. Just amazing!

 

Cadence Magazine Interview From 2008

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

 

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.

 

A Hero In The Music, Tim Horner

Tim in Europe

Tim Horner Korea

With all the blogging I have been doing about concerts and various other subjects I thought perhaps now would be a good time to talk out a friend, and musician who has certainly changed my life. That is Tim Horner. drummer, composer, educator, violist, a spiritual motivator, a gentle loving person, and one of my best friends. Maybe 20 plus years ago I met Tim while I was sitting in on a Joe Locke gig that Tim was playing. Joe invited me up to play a tune at the old Village Gate on Bleecker Street in New York City. I had heard Tim play a few times, but never had played with him. The next time I played with Tim was in 2002, when I started a new band after maybe a five-year lapse in my recording career. I had met Allen Farnham the great jazz pianist, and educator on a Liza Minelli tour, and we decided to get together when we returned to New York to run through some new compositions I had recently written. From that get together I formed a band for the recording “The Motive Series” with the late Michael Brecker as a guest artist. I called Tim, and asked him if he’d like to do it with Allen Farnham, Phil Palombi, and myself. Tim agreed, and that began a relationship that has truly altered my life in a really positive way. The record did well, and I was grateful of course to have Michael Brecker on it as he just burned up the two tunes he played on. Since then with a change in the bass slot to Dean Johnson, the band has made four memorable recordings, and been on five European tours as well as recorded a live DVD. These recordings have launched my solo career to place it has never been. I have been able to really get my name out there better than ever before. I owe it all to that band, but Tim and I have now gone off to co lead a band that is currently on a Russia/Asia tour for 4 weeks. It is the longest tour we have ever done together. Tim and I have become one on the stage. I play to my highest level with him as he encapsulates the essence of what jazz drumming has evolved to today. He has a true knowledge of music in every way. As a fine violist, Tim understands melody, and harmony quite well. Better than any drummer I have ever come across, and I have played with many of the finest in the world. He is ever supportive of the music, and lives the music with each and every note he plays. His groove is super deep, and his technique allows him to capture the feeling of all the greatest jazz drummers who ever lived. Players like Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, and Jack Dejohnette. Tim sounds like all of them, and most of all like himself. Some nights I look over to him in the midst of a performance, and I realize I am playing with one of the world’s greatest musicians. All the master drummers I have just mentioned cannot be mentioned without including Tim Horner. Actually he has something over all of them. He is a fine composer. He has written several songs for this tour that have really proved this to me. His tune “Museum Piece”, that he wrote while looking at a painting in a New York museum for three hours one day, captures everything music is about for me. A gorgeous melody, with deep harmony, and a deeply rooted concept. With an opening statement of the melody with just solo piano with the pedal down, begins this composition setting a mood, which is truly mesmerizing for me as a player. Every night I close my eyes as if in a chant, and reach deep in my heart for a heart wrenching performance of this piece. Then I state the melody as the rhythm section follows me into the highest level of spirituality in music I have ever reached. Then trading complete choruses nightly with Jim Ridl on piano raises my spirit every performance. We step the ladder with each chorus increasing in intensity as Tim builds and builds the feeling underneath us as we reach for uncharted territory nightly. This piece is simply why I live to play this music. I see god every time we perform it. Tim and I have stuck together with the music for 7-8 years now, and it has changed my life for the better. Of course with all this closeness in the music Tim Horner and I have become the closest of friends, and colleagues. The world should know Tim Horner is one of the finest all around musicians in the world. Bravo Tim, and thanks for the music. I will love you forever for the positive effect you have had on my life!

Check Tim’s web site for more biographical information! www.timhornermusic.com

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An educator

Tim Horner Korea

 

Final Concert in Seoul Korea

Floating Stage

Side view at dusk

With Korean Saxophonist Im Dohl Kwun joining us

Everyone involved after the show

WOW! We finished in a big way in Seoul tonight. We performed on the Yoido Hangang Floating Stage. As you can see the stage is spectacular as it sits on the river overlooking Seoul. The stage had incredible sound, and simply felt amazing. More importantly there were 2000 people there watching us at this free outdoor concert. As it was our last appearance in Seoul we played with intense spirit as always, but because of the huge attendance, setting, and great sound, we really had a spiritually uplifting performance. All the interns from the State Department were just incredible, and there was a jazz society that helped us with every move. Every time I dropped a stick or tried to move something in place, someone was there to pick it up. The crowd was very appreciative, and I saw god tonight while playing. I felt my late mother, and inspiration looking down on me. It was so beautiful out there. This is what we live for. To play our music to huge appreciative crowds. Basically the entire week has been a huge cultural experience, a great success, and we were able to help bridge the gap between organizations like The Seoul Jazz Society, and the US State Department. This program is all about that. Bridging those gaps. Afterwards there were many pictures taken with us as tomorrow morning we leave at 9 am for Shenyang China for the next leg of the tour.There were lots of hugs for us with many people who simply said to us ” I love you”. Please come back to Seoul. We need you here. Your music has touched us all”. What an amazing week!!!

 

Afternoon Master Class at The Seoul Jazz Academy

Seoul Jazz Academy

Seoul Academy

We broke off for individual master classes at The Seoul Jazz Academy, which is a really cool jazz school in Seoul. It is accredited and affiliated with The Berkley School of Music in Boston. I had a group of aspiring jazz pianists and composers, along with a few drummers who wanted to learn more about chords, and the language skills needed to play jazz. I took them through my system for an hour, and then the quartet got together for a 1 hour concert at the school. Before the master class I had about 30 minutes to wait for the students. I sat down at the beautiful Yamaha grand piano in the performance space, and a composition just came out of me. I quickly wrote it down, and had the embassy interns make copies for me. During our performance we demonstrated how we sight read and rehearse a composition for performance. Also it gave a great look at just how we prepare and perform a piece of music. We did a really nice performance of this new tune. It was titled “Soul in Seoul”. It was a premiere and it was fantastic for me as I wrote something, and was able to hear it performed immediately. The sound on stage was absolutely perfect, so I felt we were playing at our top level. We were really able to dig deep into the music and reach for new ideas, and dig spiritually into the music. I was in heaven once again as we knocked out one tune after another, just like it was a walk in the park. This band is really bonded. We are one!

 

Masterclass And Concert In Daegu

Again an incredible group of students came to see a master class in Daegu. About 200 of them were dead silent as we performed 3 tunes , and then opened up the class for questions and answers. Then we had CD’s to give away, but we gave them to the first student who correctly answered several questions. Questions like how many measures are there in a blues, or who was the pianist in the John Coltrane Quartet, and who was the first jazz musician to scat sing, and to do the Jazz Ambassador’s tour. With each correct answer came a young student running up to the stage with excitement to accept there CD. Afterwards they all wanted pictures and took the handouts of musical materials we had printed up for them. The Korean people have a tremendous drive and honor about them. They do everything with tremendous respect, speed, and efficiency. The US could learn a lot from this culture. We are way behind them in many ways. The outpouring of respect, and love we received is just overwhelming. I now understand why so many Americans are living here permanently. It is a really unique culture.

Also every event we have had so far has left the band with some sort of gift. We have so many that we have to have the embassy mail them home for us, as we cannot carry them all through the remainder of the tour.

A few hours later we played a really strong concert, and simply had them screaming. One of the truly moving experiences was after the concert we were asked to meet, and take a picture with several young teenagers who had defected from North Korea to South Korea. I was nearly in tears when I met them as I was told of how these children had to swim across the river to escape North Korea. It is quite a swim and apparently some of their parents were shot and killed as they crossed the water. Their parents apparently screamed as they were shot to “keep going, don’t stop”. They made it. I was a broken man for the remainder of the evening as I was overwhelmed with emotion nearly in tears. We take for granted the freedom we have in the US. These people in Korea are just amazing. What an experience it has been.

Working privately with the percussion teacher and a stude

The Students

A grateful student

Master class in Daegu S Korea

 

Concert at The Open Square Concert Hall in Incheon

View from the stage

Accepting gift

Autographs afterwards

With embassy host Tom Underwood

Mobbed at the end

By the look of the pictures above you can see this concert was spectacular. It was set on the top of Incheon in Macarthur Park on an outdoor stage on a beautiful evening. The view from here was fantastic view of all of Incheon. Very beautiful. The band played really well.  The sound crew was really great. They set everything up for us, and were very meticulous about how they did everything. Judging by the way they do things here in South Korea, I think someday they might be on top of the world economy. They do everything with amazing precision, and speed. I was really impressed with the entire set up. They really take pride in whatever job they are doing, whether it is waiting on a table ,doing sound, or just being a driver for the band. it is really something spectacular to watch. Also the people are extremely friendly and warm. The concert went well and we were mobbed at the end, and given some beautiful gifts.

 

Master-class at JaeNeung College in Incheon Korea

With the 2 quartetsAlto player

Quartet #1

Quartet # 2

We arrived at JaeNung College in Incheon for our master class not really knowing exactly what to expect, but as we entered the university complex there was again a huge banner with The Mark Sherman/Tim Horner Quartet displayed as you drove through the gate. When we entered the hall where they held it, there were maybe 100 eager students who absolutely went nuts when we walked in. What a feeling it was for all of us to be accepted that way without even playing a note or saying a word. We set up and the master-class continued.

First 2 different student quartets performed for us play tunes like “Confirmation”, “Stella By Starlight”, “Autumn Leaves”, and “Wave”. Then we each one at a time were to critique the groups. We each had productive things to say, and advice to give to the 2 groups re: time feel, communication with each other on the bandstand, as well as the constant need for all of us jazz musicians to develop our language and improv skills. We talked about some of the necessary tools us jazz musicians use, and generally tried to inspire them. Of course these kids were so excited, it did not take much to motivate them. Then we performed 3 or 4 tunes from our huge list of original compositions that we have together, and of course they went crazy after each solo etc. For the fourth tune we decided to bring play Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation”, as that was one of the tunes that the first quartet played. In that first quartet there was a young alto sax player who had a really nice sound on the alto, and had clearly practiced and developed a little language. He seemed to be one of the better players in the school. So we invited him up to play “Confirmation” with us, we had heard him play it already, and knew he would be comfortable with it. WOW! He nearly passed out with excited and the kids went nuts as he stepped up on the stage. Well we played the melody and I pointed at him to take the first solo. He took 2 choruses, then a third, and much to our surprise with his eyes closed deeply in the moment he went for a fourth chorus. We were all so happy he took all those choruses. It was clearly his big chance to play with an American and, and he just ate it up. I was thrilled. The entire 1.5 hours was a triumph for us as educators, and of course for the students. I am sure now that alto player is a little star in that school. It was a beautiful moment. Afterwards again they showered us with love and applause, and autographs of the 8 CD’s we gave out to the two quartet members, and all the other Rhythm Road materials we had for gifts. It was a beautiful afternoon. Our host Tom Underwood from the US embassy was thrilled with the outcome.