Final Draft, February 26, 1999

by Paul Chuffo

8 & (p) 1999 Jazz at Lincoln Center and Murray Street Productions, all rights reserved

1) Music: Centerpiece 11/14/98

2) Vox: Nicholas Payton

I was going to learn. I was going to get a lesson from every one of those guys who worked on the bandstand. And it was an exhilarating experience for me to be up there with those guys.

Cyrus Chestnut (end of 5/13/94 int.)

I learn from everybody. People older than me, people my age, people younger than me--I learn from everyone. Not everybody thinks the same way. So it's important--you can always learn what to do, and you can always learn what not to do as well. I believe everyone has some musical statement to offer.

WHEREVER THERE IS JAZZ, THERE IS A JAM SESSION A MEETING PLACE FOR MUSICIANS TO TRADE IDEAS, SHOW OFF, AND HAVE A LITTLE FUN. AND WHEREVER THERE IS A JAM SESSION, THERE IS THE BLUES. BLUES IS THE SHARED LANGUAGE, A COMMON GROUND, FOR IMPROVISORS TO MEET AND CREATE SOME ELECTRICITY.

ON THE STAGE AT ALICE TULLY HALL, ELEVEN GREAT IMPROVISORS, YOUNG AND OLD, WILL LET SPARKS FLY. NICHOLAS PAYTON, TEDDY EDWARDS, AL GREY AND MORE BATTLE ON THE BLUES. A BATTLE IN THE BUCKET  --- ON THIS EDITION OF JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER. I'M ED BRADLEY.

4) Music: fades, bring in some Count Basie with Al Grey

THE AFRICAN PROVERB AIT TAKES A WHOLE VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD   RINGS TRUE IN THE JAZZ COMMUNITY. IN THE 1930'S AND 40'S, MUSICIANS LEARNED THEIR TRADE IN BIG BANDS AND JAMMED LATE INTO THE NIGHT. BUT WHEN THE BIG BAND ERA PASSED, THE JAM SESSION BECAME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING PLACES WHERE YOUNG MUSICIANS COULD TEST THEIR ABILITIES AGAINST THEIR ELDERS.

73 YEAR OLD TROMBONIST AL GREY HAD MENTORS AMONG THE BEST: BENNY CARTER, LIONEL HAMPTON, DIZZY GILLESPIE, AND HE SPENT NEARLY TWENTY YEARS WITH COUNT BASIE. HIS PLAYFUL AND DYNAMIC SOLOS MADE HIM A FEATURED ARTIST IN ALL OF THOSE BANDS. HE LEARNED A LOT, AND IS NOW HIMSELF A MENTOR TO MANY.

6) Vox: Al Grey (11:45, 9/94)

We need to get together as musicians out here. This is another thing that I have found. We cannot, never become so big that we don't have time for maybe one that's coming along that can't grasp as fast as you can.

GREY IS JOINED BY ANOTHER TROMBONIST, 42 YEAR OLD LUCIEN BARBARIN, DESCENDANT OF A FAMOUS BRASS BAND FAMILY. LIKE SO MANY NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS, BARBARIN WAS MENTORED BY THE LATE GUITARIST DANNY BARKER AND WENT ON TO PLAY WITH DOC CHEATHAM, HARRY CONNICK, JR. AND WYNTON MARSALIS.

AT ALICE TULLY HALL, LUCIEN BARBARIN AND AL GREY OPEN OUR BATTLE IN THE BUCKET  WITH A BLUES WRITTEN IN 1902 BY W.C. HANDY.

8) Music: St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) 11/14/98 concert 3:16

TROMBONISTS AL GREY AND LUCIEN BARBARIN JAM ON ST. LOUIS BLUES,   JOINED BY CYRUS CHESTNUT ON PIANO, RAY DRUMMOND ON BASS, AND VICTOR LEWIS ON THE DRUMS.

MAJOR SUPPORT FOR JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER IS PROVIDED BY DISCOVER CARD. IT PAYS TO DISCOVER.

Music cue: The Blues  --- Jazz at the Philharmonic, The First Performance CD, 7/44

9) Bradley: (Continued)

THIS JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER CONCERT WAS, IN ESSENCE, A PUBLIC JAM SESSION IN THE TRADITION OF A PHENOMENON CALLED JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC.  IN 1944, JAZZ IMPRESARIO NORMAN GRANZ CREATED THIS LONG RUNNING CONCERT SERIES BY TAKING THE JAM SESSIONS HE ORGANIZED IN LOS ANGELES NIGHT CLUBS AND PRESENTING THEM AT L.A.'S PHILHARMONIC HALL. IT WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND CONTINUED STEADILY FOR 13 YEARS, DRAWING ON TOP-RANK TALENT LIKE LESTER YOUNG, CHARLIE PARKER AND ELLA FITZGERALD.

AL GREY PLAYED IN AJAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC,  AND SO DID ANOTHER PERFORMER FROM THIS CONCERT, TRUMPETER HARRY SWEETS  EDISON. ASWEETS  WAS A SOLOIST IN COUNT BASIE'S BAND FOR OVER A DOZEN YEARS. HE ALSO PLAYED FOR SOME OF THE TOP JAZZ VOCALISTS, FROM BILLIE HOLIDAY TO FRANK SINATRA.

LIKE JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC,  THIS CONCERT WASN'T AN OUTRIGHT COMPETITION, BUT ON STAGE NO ONE WANTS TO LOOK BAD. 24 YEAR OLD TRUMPETER NICHOLAS PAYTON SUMS IT UP AS HE JOINS 83 YEAR OLD ASWEETS  EDISON AT ALICE TULLY HALL.

10) On-Stage Intro: Nicholas Payton

I just want to remind Sweets -- Remember I promised you dinner if you don't leave too much of my blood up here. So don't forget our little deal.. Here's 'Stephanie'. 

11) Music: Stephanie (John Clayton) 11/14/98 concert 9:00

JOHN CLAYTON'S STEPHANIE.  CYRUS CHESTNUT WAS ON PIANO, RAY DRUMMOND ON BASS, VICTOR LEWIS ON DRUMS. WE FEATURED THE TRUMPETERS NICHOLAS PAYTON AND HARRY ASWEETS  EDISON IN THIS JAM CALLED ABATTLE IN THE BUCKET  AT ALICE TULLY HALL.

ANOTHER MASTER WHO JOINED IN THIS JAM IS ONE OF THE FIRST BEBOP TENOR SAXOPHONISTS, TEDDY EDWARDS. IN THE 1940'S, LOS ANGELES WAS FILLED WITH NIGHTCLUBS AND PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EDWARDS TO TRADE LICKS WITH THE BEST. IN FACT, EDWARDS HELPED DEVELOP THE SOUNDS OF BEBOP DURING LONG JAMS WITH CHARLIE PARKER AND TRUMPETER HOWARD McGHEE.

AS A VETERAN OF THAT SCENE AND MANY OTHERS, EDWARDS KNOWS THE VALUE OF EXPERIMENTING EVERY NIGHT.

13) Vox: Teddy Edwards (4/11/98 int)

"You're not exploring if you don't stumble now and then. //Take your chances, you now. That way you grow and you sound fresh. // You got to have the edges on it. People feel the edges. // They can feel the intensity in your music ( 36:25). // So much for philosophy (laughs).

A GOOD CONTRAST TO THE DRIVE AND POWER OF 74 YEAR OLD TEDDY EDWARDS IS THE 23 YEAR OLD TENOR MAN STEPHEN RILEY. RILEY'S QUIET AND INTENSE TONE BROUGHT HIM TO THE MARCUS ROBERTS BAND, THE MINGUS BIG BAND, AND FINALLY THE LINCOLN CENTER JAZZ ORCHESTRA.

NOW HE SHARES THE STAGE WITH TEDDY EDWARDS, WHO TAKES OFF ON A BLUES IN G.

15) Bradley: Blues in G (Teddy Edwards) 11/14/98 concert 9:12

TEDDY EDWARDS AND STEPHEN RILEY SHOW THEIR TENOR POWER ON EDWARDS' ABLUES IN G.  THE RHYTHM SECTION FEATURED CYRUS CHESTNUT ON PIANO, RAY DRUMMOND ON BASS, AND VICTOR LEWIS WAS THE DRUMMER.

16) Bradley: (Continued)

MAJOR SUPPORT FOR JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER IS PROVIDED BY DISCOVER CARD -- IT PAYS TO DISCOVER.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT COMES FROM NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO MEMBER STATIONS AND N-P-R, WHOSE CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE: THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, THE LILA WALLACE-READER'S DIGEST FUND, HELPING PEOPLE TO MAKE THE ARTS AND CULTURE AN ACTIVE PART OF THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES, AND FROM JAZZ TIMES, 'AMERICA'S JAZZ MAGAZINE,' PUBLISHED SINCE 1970. INFORMATION AT 800 - 4 - J - 'TIMES'.

WE ALSO RECEIVE PRODUCTION FUNDS FROM THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

FOR MORE ABOUT JAM SESSIONS, CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.JAZZRADIO.ORG. YOU CAN E-MAIL TO SWING@JAZZRADIO.ORG , OR WRITE TO US AT JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER, NEW YORK CITY 10023.

YOU'RE LISTENING TO JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER. I'M ED BRADLEY.

(Midbreak :10)

16) Bradley: (continued)

JAM SESSIONS IN JAZZ OFTEN LAST ALL NIGHT. TO KEEP THINGS INTERESTING, MUSICIANS MUST SHOW THEIR ABILITIES ON A WIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS AND STYLES. AND WHEN THE BLUES IS BEING PLAYED, THERE'S NO LIMIT TO THE VARIETY OF EXPRESSION.

THIS NEXT JAM IS ON A BALLAD THAT MOVES FROM SAD TO TRIUMPHANT WITH TEDDY EDWARDS ON TENOR SAX AND TRUMPETER NICHOLAS PAYTON. AT 24, PAYTON IS ALREADY A VETERAN. SON OF WELL KNOWN NEW ORLEANS BASSIST WALTER PAYTON, NICHOLAS WAS MENTORED BY HIS FATHER AND BY THE PIANIST ELLIS MARSALIS. NICHOLAS PAYTON HAS PLAYED IN THE BANDS OF JOE HENDERSON, CLARK TERRY AND ELVIN JONES, AND LED HIS OWN ENSEMBLES.

AS WE HEAR PAYTON IN ACTION WITH TEDDY EDWARDS, THEY'LL EACH OFFER A VERSION OF THE MELODY, THEN, DESPITE A 60 YEAR AGE DIFFERENCE, THEY'LL REACH DEEP INTO THE BLUES LANGUAGE TO SPAR AS COLLEAGUES.

HERE'S AWILLOW WEEP FOR ME.

17) Music: Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronnell) 11/14/98 concert 7:37

AT ALICE TULLY HALL, THE ANN RONNELL STANDARD AWILLOW WEEP FOR ME   FEATURING TEDDY EDWARDS ON TENOR SAXOPHONE, NICHOLAS PAYTON ON TRUMPET AND CYRUS CHESTNUT ON PIANO.

19) Vox: Nicholas Payton

AI feel that a musician, it's a different type of playing that you get from a jam session, or those cutting contests types of performances, than you get from working in a regular band.

TRUMPETER NICHOLAS PAYTON.

21) Vox: Nicholas Payton

AYou know, at a jam session, a musician is more or less able to maybe stretch a little bit and be open to a lot of different other musicians' inputs, not that you can't be that way in a regular working band, but //you never know what to expect in a situation like that. It's the unknown that I think that makes it so intriguing.

ALTHOUGH EACH PLAYER HERE IS WORKING WITH BLUES LANGUAGE AND HARMONY, EACH MUSICIAN'S STYLE OF SOLOING AND SUPPORT AFFECTS THE TOTAL SOUND, OFTEN IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY. IT REQUIRES CONFIDENT PLAYERS TO ADAPT TO THE SITUATION AND BUILD SOLOS THAT ARE TRUE TO THEIR IDEAS.

THE SOLOISTS IN THIS NEXT SESSION ARE SOME OF THE YOUNGER MUSICIANS IN THE CONCERT, BUT THEY DON'T LACK IN EXPERIENCE. PIANIST CYRUS CHESTNUT TOURED WITH SINGERS JON HENDRICKS AND BETTY CARTER. ALTOIST SHERMAN IRBY PLAYED WITH WYNTON MARSALIS, THE TEMPTATIONS, AND THE BOYS CHOIR OF HARLEM. AND VIBRAPHONIST STEFON HARRIS HAS PERFORMED WITH LIONEL HAMPTON, JOE HENDERSON, AND TONY WILLIAMS.

A LOT OF NAMES, BUT ALSO A LOT OF COMBINED YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE TO FIRE UP A FAVORITE: HERE'S THE BOBBY TIMMONS BLUES MOANIN'.

23) Music: Moanin' (Bobby Timmons) 11/14/98 concert 13:24

MOANIN'  C A BATTLE IN THE BLUES BUCKET WITH NICHOLAS PAYTON ON TRUMPET, SHERMAN IRBY ON ALTO, STEFON HARRIS ON VIBES, PIANIST CYRUS CHESTNUT, RAY DRUMMOND ON BASS, AND VICTOR LEWIS ON DRUMS.

YOU'RE LISTENING TO JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER. I'M ED BRADLEY.

FOR THIS CONCERT FINALE, THE STAGE OF ALICE TULLY HALL IS CROWDED WITH GREAT SOLOISTS OF ALL AGES. THEY'VE SPARRED IN SMALL GROUPS WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH ALL KINDS OF BLUES.

NOW, THEY'LL SHARE THE STAGE FOR A GEORGE GERSHWIN CLASSIC, AND THEY'LL EACH HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON IT.

IN ORDER OF SOLOS, WE'LL HEAR TRUMPETER HARRY ASWEETS  EDISON, SHERMAN IRBY ON ALTO, STEPHEN RILEY ON TENOR, TROMBONIST AL GREY, TEDDY EDWARDS ON TENOR, LUCIEN BARBARIN ON TROMBONE, TRUMPETER NICHOLAS PAYTON, STEFON HARRIS ON VIBES, CYRUS CHESTNUT ON PIANO, RAY DRUMMOND ON BASS, AND DRUMMER VICTOR LEWIS.

HERE'S GEORGE GERSHWIN'S LADY BE GOOD.

25) Music: Lady Be Good (George Gershwin) 11/14/98 concert 8:55

ELEVEN MUSICIANS, YOUNG AND OLD, FINISH OFF THIS BATTLE IN THE BUCKET   WITH GERSHWIN'S LADY BE GOOD.  FEATURING AL GREY AND LUCIEN BARBARIN ON TROMBONES, TEDDY EDWARDS AND STEPHEN RILEY ON TENOR, SHERMAN IRBY ON ALTO, HARRY SWEETS   EDISON AND NICHOLAS PAYTON ON TRUMPET, STEFON HARRIS ON VIBES, PIANIST CYRUS CHESTNUT, RAY DRUMMOND ON BASS, AND THE DRUMMER WAS VICTOR LEWIS.

JAZZ FROM LINCOLN CENTER IS PRODUCED BY JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER AND MURRAY STREET ENTERPRISE IN NEW YORK. THE PROGRAM WAS WRITTEN BY ASSOCIATE PRODUCER PAUL CHUFFO AND EDITED BY LAUREN KRENZEL. OUR SENIOR PRODUCER IS STEVE RATHE.

THE CONCERT RECORDINGS WERE MADE BY SAUNDRA PALMER GRASSI WITH REMOTE FACILITIES PROVIDED BY EFFANEL MUSIC.

OUR POST PRODUCTION ENGINEER IS DAVID GOREN AT STEPHEN ERICKSON'S.

{alt} OUR POST PRODUCTION ENGINEER IS STEPHEN ERICKSON.

{alt} OUR POST PRODUCTION ENGINEER IS PAUL CHUFFO.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM INCLUDES GWENDOLYN DEAN, ROB GRADER, ANDREW ROSENBLUM, TRACEY PULLO, BURRILL CROHN, HOWARD MANDEL AND ______________.

26) Bradley: (Continued)

THANKS ALSO TO THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER PRODUCTION STAFF, LEO GAMBACORTA, THE RADIO FOUNDATION, EFFANEL MUSIC AND THE STAGE CREW AT ALICE TULLY HALL.

THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR OF JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER IS ROB GIBSON. THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR IS WYNTON MARSALIS.

I'M ED BRADLEY. THIS IS NPR, NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO.