Curtis Fuller Sextet at Ronnie Scotts

[sidewinder]

Just noticed this announcement on the Ronnie Scotts website of an impending UK visit by Curtis Fuller.

Fuller at Ronnie Scotts

Anyone have any idea as to who is likely to be in the sextet lineup?

[Alexander Hawkins]

I wondered about this too. The link on the Ronnie's site is hopeless.

[sidewinder]

Hopefully there will be some form of heads up in 'Jazzwise' over the next few months.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Anyone have any idea as to who is likely to be in the sextet lineup?

Sidewinder, the Sextet is swinging through D.C. in late-Jan w/Terence Blanchard, John Hicks and Javon Jackson now listed as being on board......soooo?

I'm sure going to make every effort to hit this one.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Saw them here at Blues Alley last night...great show! I'm glad that I headed out to catch them last night because with all this snow falling, it'll be next to impossible to get around tonite.

Terence Blanchard wasn't on board so they picked up a local trumpet player by the name of Donvonte McCoy who did an outstanding job. There was a wee bit of tension right off the bat when Jackson introduced the band and mispronounced.....er, more like mangled....Donvonte's name. A couple of embarassed looks and nervous laughs later they broke into a 30-second belated 'Happy B'Day' for Jimmy Cobb....and then started in with 'The Clan'....followed by 'Good Bait', 'Up Jumped Spring', a gorgeous Hicks solo number, 'Body & Soul'.....closed with 'Caravan'.

Fuller was clearly showing his age and sounded 'okay'...He'd pop in and out and get in some nice licks but he kept it brief and allowed Jackson and McCoy plenty of room to show their stuff. He was very gracious and clearly enjoyed pumping up the others with him, particularly Jackson. He said Blakey told him on his death bed to 'keep Javon close"..and that he'd always tried to do that. He had fun tweaking Jackson a bit about the big Mercedes he (Jackson) had parked out in the alley, shooting him a sly grin and reminding him that his own kids would soon be graduating from Smith and Amherst....intimating that he'd soon have the bigger Benz.

Jackson sounded great on 'Body & Soul' and Hicks was simply amazing.....the crowd was all over it. He told me afterwards that there weren't any Venus dates on the horizon but rather some Highnote material due out soon....jokingly said that he'd swiped the title from a Kenny Barron tune (I don't recall the name). I brought to the show an old friend -- concert pianist at age 12....then morphs into a political hack like me -- who, through the magic of some oop burns, I've been introducing to jazz. Brought him along specifically to see Hicks, and he was duly impressed......said he'd go out this weekend and try to rustle up a few of his cds. I recommended 'Impressions of Mary Lou' or 'Music in the Key of Clark'.

Jimmy Cobb sounded real good and got the crowd going with a couple of hard swinging solos. A full room....a fun show....everyone ate it up!

Edited January 22, 2005 by Son-of-a-Weizen

[ghost of miles]

Thanks for the report, Weizen. Sounds like a great time! If they ever come through Indpls.' Jazz Kitchen, I'll be sure to catch them.

[sidewinder]

Anyone have any idea as to who is likely to be in the sextet lineup?

Sidewinder, the Sextet is swinging through D.C. in late-Jan w/Terence Blanchard, John Hicks and Javon Jackson now listed as being on board......soooo?

I'm sure going to make every effort to hit this one.

Thanks, Weizen. Sounds like a great show. I'll be sure to reserve my seat at Ronnie's when this one rolls in to London.

Edited January 23, 2005 by sidewinder

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Turns out this reviewer was at the same show. Guess I'd never make it as a reviewer 'cause lines like "carefully modulated emotional arc" just don't roll off that 'ol tongue of mine.

The Washington Post

Monday Jan. 24, 2005

Curtis Fuller Sextet

Drummer Jimmy Cobb, a Washington native whose extraordinary résumé includes a landmark alliance with trumpeter Miles Davis in the late '50s, received a horn-powered 76th birthday salute from his band mates when he stepped onstage at Blues Alley on Friday night. But soon Cobb was back at work, balancing hard bop propulsion and finesse for the latest edition of the Curtis Fuller Sextet.

The lighthearted bandleader and trombonist, who turned 70 last month, reminisced throughout the opening set and frequently alluded to some of his former employers (Art Blakey and Count Basie) and associates (Freddie Hubbard and Milt Jackson). Basie's legacy was celebrated with an effortlessly swinging version of "Good Bait," crisply driven by Cobb's ride cymbal and neatly punctuated by pianist John Hicks. Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring," proved as buoyant as its title suggests -- a jazz waltz vibrantly colored by Fuller's trombone, Javon Jackson's tenor sax and Donvante McCoy's trumpet. The arrangements were often dotted with solos that contrasted Fuller's slippery phrasing with Jackson's imposing tone and McCoy's darting melodicism. Two of the highlights, however, were designed as showcases for members of the ensemble. Playing in a quartet setting, Jackson turned "Body and Soul" into a carefully modulated emotional arc, the tension slowly building and tapering off. Then Hicks, during a solo interlude, saluted Billy Strayhorn with a lovely and impressionistic medley of "Chelsea Bridge" and "Star-Crossed Lovers."

McCoy and bassist Corcoran Holt, the youngsters in the band, were generously featured as well, and their input frequently jacked up the energy level and brought a big smile to Fuller's still youthful face.

-- Mike Joyce