#JazzLives: Trumpeter Sean Jones “Live at the Blackhawk”
Photo cred: margomoritz.com
Trumpeter Sean Jones invoked the spirit of Miles Davis on Wednesday night, March 16th recreating the infamous San Francisco Jazz club where Miles recorded the 1961 legendary Be-Bop albums ”In Person Friday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco, volume 1” & “In Person Friday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco, volume 2.” It was Miles Davis’ first live recording.
In two sets, intertwining with two different bands, featuring Bassist Marcus Shelby, the San Francisco native who is artist in residence with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, a San Francisco Arts Commission member, and the Artistic Director of the Marcus Shelby Orchestra; and the budding Oakland Future Trio, a teen group making a name for themselves in Oakland and the surrounding Bay; Sean Jones lead band members on a historic journey back in time to where the corner of Turk and Hyde Street hosted Jazz greats such as Thelonious Monk, Shelly Manne, Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Mathis and more.
The theme “Jazz Lives” was prevalent not only in the music but also in the liveliness of Jones and the artists. Cited twice in his monologues, Jones explained that Jazz was both good and grimy, (our words; not his); a musical expression of the history and climate of the country. Like Miles, and sometimes music, the country is complex.
The complexities of the music did not deter Jones, however. The night was magical. The audience was fed a diet of Oleo, On Green Street, I thought About You, Neo, Someday My Prince Will Come, and other of Miles’ classics recorded on Blackhawk. Highlights included a soulful and tender Round Midnight and a jumpin’ rendition of Walkin. The audience was verbally appreciative of everything served by Jones where the artists, James Malone-Tenor Sax, Glen Pearson-Piano, and Tim Angulo-Drums, turned the newly renovated Strand Theater into an intimate Jazz club.
Jones is one of the premier artists featured in the newly created SF Performances series PIVOT. “PIVOT offers exciting performances and creative exchanges between artists and audiences in welcoming, informal and intimate settings.” Says Jones of Miles Davis, “Miles is probably the single most powerful influence on me as an artist.” Jones’ latest recording is im.pro.vise= never before seen. Find out more about Sean Jones via his website Sean-Jones.com.
Sources: Wikipedia, SFPerformances.org, and Sean-Jones.com
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