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Reminiscing in Tempo * Memories and Opinion _____      "Reminiscing in Tempo" is part of a continuing effort to provide Jerry Jazz Musician readers with unique forms of "edu-tainment." As often as possible, Jerry Jazz Musician poses one question via e mail to a small number of prominent and diverse people. The question is designed to provoke a lively response that will potentially include the memories and/or opinion of those solicited.      Since it is not possible to know who will answer the question, the diversity of the participants will often depend on factors beyond the control of the publisher. The responses from the people who chose to participate in this edition are published below with only minor stylistic editing. No follow-up questions take place. _____ If you could have dinner with three people, who would they be? Originally published August, 2009      After giving it a few days of thought, the three people I would love to have dinner with without a doubt would be- Sidney Bechet, Lester Young and Charlie Parker. Those three gentlemen embody the history of the saxophone and I would love to hang with just one of them, but all three, Wow! Bash, Prez and Bird, my heroes. __________ Sidney Bechet * There'll Be Some Changes Made Lester Young * Gigantic Blues Charlie Parker * Now's the Time Gary Bartz * Alto and soprano saxophonist, composer; has recorded or performed with Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Abby Lincoln, Eric Dolphy and many others; won Grammy's in 1997 and 2005 for his work on Roy Hargrove's Recording, "Crisol" and McCoy Tyner's "Illuminations" album, respectively. Has recorded over 40 albums as a leader and has won Down Beat Polls, Melody Maker Polls among many others. Scott Yanow * Jazz critic and journalist who has written contributions to Allmusic, Jazziz, Jazz Times, Downbeat and many other jazz publications and record labels; has also written ten books on jazz spanning from Afro-Cuban Jazz to Bebop.      One I would definitely invite is Buddy Bolden, and I'd ask him to bring along his cornet. That would allow me to finally find out what he really sounded like. I'd invite Jelly Roll Morton because he is one of the most fascinating characters in jazz history. Also, he could play piano with Bolden. Perhaps I'd also invite Sidney Bechet because he'd complete the group. And all three of the musicians would have lots of great stories.      If I could expand the table, then Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Duke Ellington, Bix Beiderbecke, Steve Allen and Clara Bow (my favorite 1920s actress) would be other guests.      It'd be quite fun. __________ Jelly Roll Morton * King Porter Stomp Buddy Bolden Sidney Bechet * That's A-Plenty      Assuming I could prevail upon him to prepare the meal himself, I'd love to sup with the famous chef Masaharu Morimoto. I was a big fan of the original Iron Chef, and he was my favorite. Everything he made looked amazing! Cooking is an art, and he's a master.      Another choice would be President Obama. We're almost exactly the same age; we're of a similar political disposition, and obviously share many of the same cultural influences. Most importantly, I'd like to take the opportunity to ply him on the importance of jazz. He's obviously receptive to that message, being a professed fan of many greats, but I'd cherish the opportunity to convince him of the importance of direct support of the most adventurous jazz artists, whether through the NEA or another organization devoted exclusively to jazz.      Finally (and this would require the ability to travel through time), I would like to sit down with filmmaker Orson Welles circa 1984 or so—near the end of his life, when he could look back upon the totality of his career. Welles is my favorite non-jazz artist in any medium. I'd love to talk to him about not only Citizen Kane, but especially his work outside the Hollywood system. He was arguably the original indie filmmaker and certainly one of the most uncompromising, original directors of all time. I think he could teach me a lot about going it alone, which—as a leftward-leaning jazz musician—I'm inclined to do by virtue of necessity. __________ Masaharu Morimoto President Obama Orson Welles Chris Kelsey * Soprano saxophonist, composer with multiple albums within the last fifteen years, jazz journalist with contributions to Allmusic, Jazztimes, Cadence and Jazziz magazines. Billy Cobham * Jazz drummer, composer, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra, has recorded and performed with Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, John Scofield, Carlos Santana, Stanley Turrentine, and many others.      Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein and Barrack Obama. __________ Nelson Mandela Albert Einstein President Obama      That is a mighty tricky subject to ponder. Where is the dinner? IN a home? In a restaurant? The people and the setting must be symbiotic for the dinner to be enojoyable. So, here are the people I would like to sit with, and the context.       Robert Wright: For a dinner with him to be thoroughly enjoyable, I think it would be best to be in the most public place possible. Particularly if we got off into the subject of evolutionary psychology...it would be fun to look for and imagine any of the theories and phenomena of human nature manifest in behaviour of any stranger among and around us.      My mother: As much as I travel, I never get to spend much time with her. And, whenever we do get to sit down for a dinner, a lunch, or even a tea, our conversations fuel my mind and personal/creative growth for months. The best context for that dinner, would be in her house, one of us cooking something up as we chat and read quotes and excerpts to each other from various books and articles.      Joseph Cupertino: If he really did levitate when overwhelmed with reverence by God's creation...I would love to sit and relish in the company of anyone able to feel that much pure and selfless joy. I would bet a nice picnic of fruit, cheese, cured meat and wine, in a field somewhere under a tree would be a perfect setting for that dinner. Maybe we could share thoughts and ideas about reaching such a state through the pursuit of music. One never knows! __________ Robert Wright St. Joseph of Cupertino Esperanza Spalding * Jazz bassist, singer and composer, has released two albums, Junjo and Esperanza in 2006 and 2008, respectively; won the Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the 2009 Jazz Journalists Association Awards. John Lurie * Alto saxophonist, composer, painter, actor; member of the Lounge Lizards, which released eight albums from 1981 to 1998; acted in several movies during the 80's and released his own television series, Fishing with John, in 1991.      Gandhi, Jesus of Nazareth and Abraham Lincoln. Apparently none of them ate very much and I have an unusually large appetite. __________ Gandhi Jesus of Nazareth Abraham Lincoln      1. Claude Chabrol I have flipped over Claude Chabrol’s films since the mid 60’s. Three of them, “This Man Must Die,” “Le Boucher,” and “Rupture” are fabulous and the first two are particularly real classics. (I’m starting a book called “Storyboarding Noir” where I’m going to make some suggestions to composers and improvisers who might like to use the structure of film, camera shots and moods and apply this to music. My newsletter published by Steve Mardon, whose email is stevemardon@yahoo.com will give more information about this. ) 2.      Abbey Lincoln I have followed her music faithfully since my days as a four-year student at the fabulous School of Jazz in Lenox, Massachusetts that I attended from 1957-1960. It was around then that I heard “Abbey is Blue.” Max Roach spoke so highly of her at the school. I became a waiter at the Jazz Gallery in the east village in the early 60’s for six weeks on six nights. I heard the complete productions of the Straight Ahead and the Freedom Now Suite performed with a sextet including Mal Waldron. I also had the privilege of attending the Candid recording session of Straight Ahead and vividly remember Monk flipping over Abbey’s rendition of “Blue Monk.” (At that session I also met Mait Edey who later produced my political album, Blue Potato.) 3.      Charlie Rose Mr. Rose is a more recent discovery from the late 90’s. I have become obsessed with making VCR’s and DVD's of his shows and I wish this show had been broadcast in the 60’s. I was present in Athens where the military coup d’etat took place on the afternoon of my 32nd birthday. So many people, particularly myself needed to be educated and woken up to evil governments and international terrorism. Charlie’s show is a wonderful vehicle for one to develop insight on world events. __________ Claude Chabrol Abbey Lincoln * Blue Monk Charlie Rose Ran Blake * Jazz pianist and composer who has released countless albums since the early sixties, educator at New England Conservatory, has recorded or collaborated with Jeanne Lee, Oscar Peterson, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Anthony Braxton and many others. John Scofield * Jazz guitarist, composer, has performed with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Billy Cobham, Pat Martino, Joe Henderson, Mavis Staples, Jaco Pastorius, Phil Lesh, Medeski Martin & Wood, and many others.      That's an easy question - If I could have dinner with three people, I'd choose my friends Michael Brecker, Dennis Irwin and Don Pullen. I'd really love to see them again. __________ Michael Brecker * Sea Glass Dennis Irwin * Groove Elation Don Pullen * Kadji      This is a difficult question as there are so many discussions with so many musicians, past and present, I’d love to have. But since I am a practitioner of the jazz trio I think I’d most like to take a meal with the Bill Evans Trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian. I’d want to know how they found in each other a sound that was so free and new, and if they knew then that they would so influence the language of music. __________ Bill Evans Trio * Come Rain or Come Shine (Take 5) Scott LaFaro * The Alchemy Of Scott LaFaro (Live) Paul Motian * 9 X 9 Dave Peck * Jazz pianist and composer, has released five albums since 1996 and has performed with Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Sonny Stitt and others. Richie Unterberger * American author and music critic of mostly 20th century popular music, contributor to Rolling Stone, Allmusic, Mojo, Record Collector and other publications.      I guess the three people would be John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison of my favorite musical group, the Beatles. I would certainly do all I could to get an extra chair for Ringo Starr. __________ The Beatles "Reminiscing in Tempo" Home Page Suggest a "Reminiscing in Tempo" Question Details on how you can participate * This edition of Reminiscing in Tempo was researched and published by Peter Maita on August 25, 2009. Portland, Oregon.

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