INTERVALS:THE NEWSLETTER OF DAVID LIEBMAN

January 2004

 

The Saxophone Summit

Mike Brecker, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano

Phil Markowitz, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart

The Saxophone Summit is unprecedented. It features three of the most influential saxophonists of the past several decades teamed up with a rhythm section of extraordinary experience and skill. Musical situations like this are a rarity. Speaking for myself, to be part of such a group is something so special that I would like to share it with interested readers and listeners.

The past several decades has seen an unprecedented wave of young players entering the fray as compared to previously. This is a natural result of the formalization of jazz at the university and conservatory level which has grown phenomenally worldwide. For the members of the Saxophone Summit whose formative years revert back for the most part to the 1950s and 60s our education was acquired by onsite training. A list of the artists that this group of musicians has toured and recorded with constitutes a history of modern music in the second half of the twentieth century. On a personal level some of the musical connections in the group originated over thirty years ago. Besides the obvious musical skills of the personnel, it is the commonality of vocabulary and experiences which are the major contributing factors influencing the group’s sound. We developed in the same era, a period rich in innovation and change both culturally as well as musically. Shared memories are a strong force, even more so as years pass. This group represents that principle in dramatic terms.

The Summit grew out of a concert in Japan called “Live By The Sea” in 1997, which was a commemoration of a concert done ten years earlier in Tokyo called “Live Under The Sky”. At that first concert, as a celebration of the twentieth anniversary of John Coltrane’s passing, I participated in a set featuring Coltrane music which included Wayne Shorter, Eddie Gomez, Jack DeJonette and Richie Beirach. The subsequent video (now DVD) and recording of that concert has found its way around the world gaining notoriety in jazz circles.

For the ’97 concert, the chosen artists featured among others Pat Metheny, Christian McBride, Dave Holland and Jack DeJonette. One set, specified to be a Coltrane celebration was to include Joshua Redman, Mike Brecker, myself and Joe Lovano. (Because Joe couldn’t make it in the last moment, George Garzone substituted for him.) The concert was a great success and from that event the organizers of the yearly Red Sea Festival in Eilat, Israel requested something similar for their program the following year. That concert in August, 1998 with Joe, Mike and myself was followed a few months later by several nights at Birdland in New York City, (an engagement which has been repeated yearly since then), a concert of Coltrane’s music at Symphony Space in New York and a performance at the Montreal Festival during a four day program featuring Joe’s music.

The jazz tradition is replete with bands featuring all star groups and highlighting one instrument. It is always a crowd pleaser to listen to different musicians playing the same horn or another instrument. Sometimes these events are publicized as “The Battle of the….” in which the artists are supposedly squaring off at each other. The Saxophone Summit is a modern version of this classic format. And like the older musicians who played standard tunes, blues and rhythm change formats reflecting their roots, we too have a common repertoire described below. The Saxophone Summit is both in the tradition and an extension of it.

The Rhythm Section

Introducing this stellar rhythm section I begin with the senior member, bassist Cecil McBee who was a young man when he came to New York from Tulsa, Oklahoma in the mid-1960s. He quickly found himself in fast company, taking the place of Paul Chambers in the Wynton Kelly Trio with Jimmy Cobb and Hank Mobley, record dates with Wayne Shorter and others as well as a notable tenure with the Charles Lloyd Quartet featuring a young Keith Jarrett. His ability to adapt to different musical situations marked him as special in an era when styles were more homogenous than nowadays. Important contributing factors to Cecil’s special talent are a high level of spontaneity and sense of surprise, in addition to the obligatory skills called upon to be the bassist in a jazz rhythm section. He is an improviser in the truest sense, open to the moment and instant change, with a scrupulous avoidance of clichés as well as a dramatic soloistic voice. On the personal level, Cecil exudes a gentlemanly-like manner. He speaks with a soft tone and a wonderful sense of vocabulary, accompanied by an even tempered demeanor. When it comes to the music Cecil is very exacting and if necessary will request more information on a specific musical point in order to be at the top of his form. McBee is a true veteran; that is clear!!

Pianist Phil Markowitz has been playing with me since 1991 and was a regular member of my group for most of the 1990s in which time we recorded several CDs, both in the quintet and duo format. At present we share teaching graduate level courses at the Manhattan School of Music centered on my concepts of chromaticism. Quite simply Phil is one of the best musicians I have ever encountered. His knowledge is vast with a technique and sense of swing that are impeccable. As well, he is a consummate composer. You couldn’t ask for more on the piano. Phil knows the value of leaving space, an crucial aspect for accompanying three soloists. For although there is a great deal of ensemble playing, there are of course ample solos by all of us. Accompanying such distinct styles is a formidable challenge, let alone soloing himself several times a set. With perfect pitch and vast experience gained through playing with the likes of Chet Baker and other masters, Phil is the right man for the job. As a person, he is a complete gentleman who travels easily displaying a fine sense of humor and great diligence concerning the musical job at hand.

The engine that drives this group is master drummer Billy Hart. To my mind the sound of the Saxophone Summit is due in large part to Billy’s incredible sense of drama, use of color and boundless energy. He knows how to build tension while at the same time constructing a framework for each soloist. When a group creates not only great music on the technical level but also a strong story line, the listener is drawn in on a deeper level. Since drums are so central to the sound of a jazz group, a band’s ability to build drama and excitement is to a large degree dependent upon the drummer’s abilities and directives. Through his exquisite sense of color by use of several well chosen cymbals, a variety of textural devices and unending rhythmical creativity, Billy is the supreme dramatist. This in my opinion separates him from other equally competent drummers. When Billy Hart is given what I refer to as a “green light” meaning no holds barred, there isn’t any limit to his capabilities and the magic he brings to a group’s sound. There are times in jazz when the drummer must accede to the wishes of a leader who may have an agenda or a preconceived notion as to how the music should sound. There are also fine improvisers who desire primarily a well played and stable background for their excursions. This is something that all drummers are aware of when they are in the role of sidemen, but in the Sax Summit there are no such constraints on the rhythm section. Billy’s playing is indispensable to the success and sound of the group.

But great music is more than the craft alone. There is a place and need for something beyond words that propels excellent musicianship into the realm of art. The word “spiritual” or expressions to that effect are routinely used to describe this aspect. To achieve it necessitates an extra special force which can at times emanate from one musician, to be extended and hopefully magnified by the rest of the group. To my mind, Billy fulfills that function in the Saxophone Summit. This is something that I have been aware of for some time since he was a member of my group”Quest “ for nearly ten years during the 1980s. When Billy played with Herbie Hancock in the early 70s Swahili names were bestowed upon all the members by the leader. Billy’s name in Swahili is “Jabali” which means moral authority. (That is how many musicians in the world refer to him both professionally and personally by the way.) For me this designation is very appropriate. Billy carries within him a wisdom and deep ecumenical spirit that is among the most developed I have experienced in my life. Aside from my father’s quiet form of sprituality, the deepest force I have personally felt in this way was in the presence of drummer Elvin Jones whom I played with for several years in the 1970s. For me, Jabali possesses an uncomplicated, yet deep core of beliefs and connectedness to the spiritual realm that is beyond words. This depth is what I feel in his playing, something which affects everyone in his presence. Such is the power of Jabali Billy Hart and it is an honor to be on the stage with him. He makes all the difference.

The Summiteers

In the front line, some words about the first of my saxophone compatriots, Joe Lovano. As is known in jazz circles, Joe’s lineage is pure jazz through his father who played saxophone in Cleveland, Ohio and was immersed in the music. Joe is a true jazzman, meaning he evokes the atmosphere, ethic and ambiance of the culture as well as encompassing the entire history of jazz saxophone. His rhythmic and melodic concepts, technique and tone are totally loose. Joe’s experience in several styles of playing is vast which he brings to fruition when he plays, combined with great passion and an uplifting sense of swing. Personally, Joe is a warm individual with a great sense of humanity, a sly sense of humor and keen perceptive abilities making him one of the easiest people to work and travel with.

One of my longest musical and personal associations is with Michael Brecker going back to the late 1960s. We first hung out in my loft on West 19th Street in Manhattan during a several year period when endless free jazz jam sessions took place. Eventually Mike took over that loft after I moved to another in the Apple. Studious and serious with enormous discipline, Mike’s playing is of course very familiar to jazz listeners of the past several decades. He has pushed the envelope of modern technique on the saxophone to its utmost while at the same time bears responsibility for at least several of the most well known approaches to playing the tenor in recent times. Mike hits the stage running and always delivers without fail. His tone and time are relentless, pulling the rhythm section with him when he solos. As a person he is warm and gentle displaying an inquisitive bent and a subtle sense of humor that at times borders on hilarity, something seemingly unexpected in a man who appears on the surface to have such a serious demeanor.

I am playing the customary role of de facto leader and organizer, something I have been doing for over thirty years in many different musical as well as educational settings. My job is to get the music on the stage, intact and ready to go recognizing and employing the strengths of the musicians playing. In the case of this dream band, the abundance of talent, creativity and energy is a gift.

The Rhythm Section

Since the choice of musicians for the rhythm section was initially my decision (subject to Mike and Joe’s approval), the results are of interest. All horn players know that in the final analysis we are at the beck and call of the rhythm section which to such a large degree affects our performance. They can either be very involved with the front line or more subservient. At the end of the day it is after all a matter of taste, emphasis and balance, tempered of course by what is appropriate for the style being played. Some players honestly feel that their music is better presented within the context of a rhythm section that functions more in a supportive rather than interactive role. I have always subscribed to the aesthetic that I observed in the Coltrane and Miles Davis groups of the 1960s which was intense rhythm section interaction up to and possibly at times beyond the soloist.

As mentioned earlier, my musical history with Billy goes back several decades with Quest, over ten years with Phil and more recently with Cecil. Since a recording session in the 1980s which paired Cecil and Billy together that I was also on, I have used them for several of my recordings. These experiences with the three artists afforded me a good opportunity to observe and deduce what the combination might sound like.

The first matter of business in putting a rhythm section together is the bass/drum team. They should feel comfortable with each other and hopefully have similar reactions to any musical events which might take place. What interests me in pairing Jabali and Cecil is the balance they attain between surprise and predictability. It is assumed that a rhythm section will take care of certain responsibilities, depending of course on the exact style and repertoire. Generally the most important tasks are the sustaining of a suitable and steady pulse along with maintenance of the particular form of the material being played. To get the kind of excitement and energy necessary for a group with several major soloists as in the Saxophone Summit, there also has to be a high degree of flexibility and spontaneity. Achieving a balance between these disparate elements is the key. It is the pianist who provides the glue for connecting these elements. With Phil Markowitz’s musical intelligence and experience, he is able to function as the “glue” between this rhythm section and the soloists. As well for the Saxophone Summit, the rhythm section must sustain great power and intensity, something they excel in.

The Repertoire

It is Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) tours that immortalized what musicians have been doing for centuries all over the world which is the jam session. This format not only serves the listener who receives a smorgasbord of improvisational delights, but also the musical community is positively affected by incorporating the oral tradition in an organized and coherent manner. The tenets of the elders are passed down to the young through a combination of two of the most basic human instincts, competition and camaraderie. If the musicians are peers as in the Summit, there is the opportunity to be aware of what your contemporaries are playing on the same material that oneself is involved with. In the casual atmosphere of the jam session (or as well the more intense nature of a “cutting session” where the musicians are actively attempting to top each other), musicians demonstrate their best abilities to everyone’s delight, inspiring and raising their own status among the immediate and sometimes far flung community. In the process, musical relationships are established and strengthened. A musician may leave a jam session feeling inspired by the creative energy while at the same time sobered through hearing what others are playing and inventing.

Therefore, the “Battle of the Saxophones” or “Drums” or whatever instrument is a time worn tradition (which by the way was excellently depicted in the Robert Altman movie “Kansas City”). An audience that comes to hear the Saxophone Summit “do battle” will not be disappointed in these expectations. But Mike, Joe and I are attempting more than that. Certainly the group is at times three separate quartets when each of us solos. But there is also a great deal of group playing, albeit not in the orthodox sound that jazz listeners are accustomed to, meaning horns harmonizing on traditional voicings and backgrounds.

One of our main models is the late Coltrane period, when John employed several horns in free group improvisations sparking an unbelievable intensity. So aside from the soloistic flights of the three of us, there is the equal if not stronger aspect of the horns improvising together. Therefore the intensity and dynamics of a Saxophone Summit performance does often reach the upper range for extended periods. Each set also includes at least several solos by the rhythm section, all spectacular in their own right.

The repertoire for the group has evolved a great deal over the years. Beginning with our first gigs playing standards, by 2003 we were incorporating one full set playing John Coltrane’s “Meditations Suite” and originals from the three of us and pianist Markowitz. We try to achieve a balance between straight ahead jazz a la “tenor battle”, late Coltrane free playing, rubato melodies, time/no changes formats, modal vamps and some compositions by Coltrane including several rarely performed ballads like “Dear Lord”, Expressions”, Peace on Earth”, and others in the late Trane style.

We have also incorporated into to the set different colors by using various horns and world instruments. For our European tour in 2003 Mike brought in a flute of Balkan ancestry that has a breathy sound that results from its being played out of the side of the mouth. Joe has been playing alto clarinet as well as a transverse Japanese bamboo flute, while I use an Indian bamboo flute along with the soprano and tenor. These extra instruments are likely to change from night to night. Between the diversity of repertoire and instrumental colors a typical Saxophone Summit set offers a lot of variety for any interested listener

The European Tour - October, 2003

In October, 2003, we played thirteen concerts over a two week period covering nine countries. The venues were all large halls with anywhere from 1000 to 3000 capacity. Among the halls were the famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Konserthaus in Vienna. We were accompanied by a road manager/sound man, Rob Griffin who regularly works with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter as well as a friend of mine from Bordeaux, France, Jean Jacques Quesada who helped us with traveling and other details.

This was a first class tour booked by a well known agency that normally works with both Mike and Joe. Having a sound man on tour, staying in first class hotels, playing the top concert halls in Europe to consistently full audiences was as could be imagined very special. Musicians know that there is nothing like playing every night, but equally stimulating is the opportunity to hear other great artists invent and create on a steady basis, even more so on the same instrument. As I indicated above, the repertoire allows for much flexibility and variety from performance to performance.

 

It is a great thrill for me to hear Mike and Joe play every night while the rhythm section creates first time adventures to play over. I have always maintained that what makes someone so-called “professional” is that the level of artistry is consistent and never falls below a certain high criteria. With this band one would be hard pressed to say so and so played markedly better on a given night because of the incredibly high level of the performances. Of course with time the music evolved a great deal. After a few nights necessary to stabilize the repertoire and get used to concert hall sound, the music began to really crystallize.

One aspect of concert halls is that the difference in sound quality on stage between the afternoon sound check and performance is dramatic. It is nearly impossible to hear any definition of sound from the rhythm section when a hall is empty. The best a sound engineer can do is approximate what he thinks will work when human bodies fill up the cavernous space. With such an experienced person as Rob Griffin, we were in the best of hands. Also the three of us use a wireless microphone system called AMT, making us quite mobile on stage. So if one of us felt like getting closer to the drums or piano it was possible. This meant that two of the Summiteers could be off stage and play backgrounds while the other was soloing, something which occurred often in these performances.

The ambience on stage was as relaxed as I have ever felt, especially for such big concert settings. Because of our mobility we could make casual comments to each other without any disturbance. I have always been convinced that an atmosphere of camaraderie and repartee raises a group’s conversational level. The same feeling prevailed off stage while traveling. A great sideshow for a tour made up of such experienced and historical musicians are the stories about famous musicians we have encountered ranging from Yoko Ono, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Paul Simon and other notables. Hopefully in the future a tape recorder could capture the casual conversations which take place about music, life in general and sometimes just silly stuff. It would be quite a document.

Of course covering such distances in two weeks means a lot of fatigue. Several times we had 5 AM departures and most days, two if not three flights to take. Incredibly, we were never late though the specter of an Italian airline strike loomed but fortunately occurred on a day when we traveled by bus. As well there is increased security, long and quick walks in airports to change planes, immigration checks and of course the great bass trunk of Cecil McBee’s that accompanied us everywhere. The fatigue factor does on occasion weigh into the music and for sure affects any rare downtime one might have. Catching up on sleep becomes a priority. On most tours I often read, listen, exercise, write and in general try to get things done, but on this trip I either tried to sleep or relax. One thing for sure is that one knows the news inside and out, because CNN is the only channel consistently in English in every hotel!!

Four star hotels were definitely a nice perk but I must say that having a decent meal after a day of airline sandwiches (if you get that at all) can be a real lift or downer if it isn’t happening. It goes without saying that in countries like Italy and Portugal there is a greater effort to feed the artists in a grand fashion. And though our time to actually eat is limited to an hour before the gig for the most part, a nice meal with a glass of wine does help get one feeling ready to play. Here was the itinerary:

SAX SUMMIT TOUR OCTOBER-2003

13-Central Station, Darmstadt, Germany
14-De Single, Antwerp, Belgium
15-Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
16-Jazz Festival, Padua, Italy
17-travel
18-Jazz Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
19-Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw, Poland
20-Congress Hall, Budapest, Hungary
21-Konserthaus, Vienna, Austria
22-Travel
23-Metropolitan Theater, Catania, Sicily
24-Metropolitan Theatre, Palermo, Sicily
25-Auditorium, Lyon, France
26-Coleseo, Lisbon, Portugal
27-Auditorium, Rome, Italy

This was for sure one of the great tours of my life. The conditions and gigs were first class and most of all the music was inspiring and exciting. In the cities of Istanbul and Budapest, the three of us were out canvassing for any native horns we could find and in fact we all purchased instruments. Most notably Joe bought a taragato, an Hungarian kind of clarinet (which of course he immediately played on that evening’s concert), while we all bought a double reed Armenian instrument, the duduk and various flutes.

The audience reaction was interesting to me. Of course there were expectations due to the high visibility of Mike and Joe’s work over the years as well as the expected “battle” atmosphere of three horns together. My reading was that at the beginning of the performance there was mild shock. But as the presentation, intensity and honesty of the music became apparent, the reaction was more of awe and real respect. The public truly had an unexpected musical experience that in this day and age does not happen too often.

Our next project is a recording in early 2004 for the Telarc label and a planned American tour in the future. Hope to see you at a concert of the Saxophone Summit.