Yard Byard: The Jaki Byard Project
featuring
Jamie Baum -flutes
Adam Kolker - saxes and clarinets
Jerome Harris - guitar
Ugonna Okegwo - bass
George Schuller - drums
Perform at the
Tea Lounge
www.tealoungeny.com
837 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215-1308
(718) 789-2762
on
Thursday, March 10th, 9 to 11:30pm
Yard Byard: The Jaki Byard Project
Yard Byard: The Jaki Byard Project has been an idea waiting to happen.
For several years, flutist/composer Jamie Baum had been toying with the idea of
forming a group of like-minded musicians to honor the late great jazz pianist, saxophonist,
composer, arranger, and educator, Jaki Byard. Since his untimely passing in 1999,
it was just a matter of time before someone would come forward to explore this yet
untapped body of music. Now that time has come.
As one of the most versatile jazz improvisers of our time, Jaki Byard was less known
for his compositional prowess than his exuberant and slightly off-kilter piano stylings.
But thanks to his years of teaching and mentoring at institutions such as the New
England Conservatory of Music and The Manhattan School of Music, we now have a constellation
of Byard torch-bearers who make it their business to shed light on what was previously
a dim memory. Jaki wasn't one to display his multi-instrumental and compositional
abilities. Instead, it was more about the passing of that unique mantle piece of
jazz history to many of his students as experienced with the likes of Charles Mingus,
Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Sam Rivers, Maynard Ferguson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Richard
Davis, Elvin Jones, and many others.
It would have been "convenient" to include a pianist and become a living repository
of "The Jaki Byard Sound." However, Yard Byard's mission is to explore the beauty
and creativity of each of Jaki's compositions as well as to attempt to absorb the
serious and whimsical sides of his larger-than-life personality. Focusing mostly
on his music, this unique quintet also performs other compositions by some of the
great artists Byard worked with or was influenced by, offering a snapshot of jazz
history during an important period of American music.
"Cool ensemble, great repertoire, very promising project..." -- Howard Mandel (Jazz
Journalists Association)
"This Jaki Byard repertory outfit was impressive in the way they gave props to both
the wily pianist's serious and silly sides. Whimsy was part of the maestro's swinging
approach, and flautist Jamie Baum and saxophonist Adam Kolker capture that vibe
while dropping some very hip solos. More gigs equals tighter performances. Bet they
mess with the material even more..." -- Jim Macnie, Village Voice
"The music was all Byard's, played lovingly and a bit loosely...Most of the songs
in the first set were fine examples of standard form gone just slightly haywire.
The absence of a pianist in the group is good strategy...here it created space for
Mr. Okegwo to abandon rote walking bass lines in favor of roving pointillism...Mr.
Kolker, his tenor solo on "Dolphy," (showed) a casual study in extended harmony.
It also exposed the intervallic oddness of some of the songs, as arranged for alto
flute and bass clarinet, or flute and tenor saxophone...Mischief isn't the only
side of Byard's music, though, and Ms. Baum, an experienced composer-arranger, has
clear perspective on his lyricism. "Toni," a ballad with waltz-like properties,
was among the subtler highlights of the set. " --Nate Chinen, New York Times
-----------------------------
Jaki Byard began playing professionally at the age of 15. "His playing was rich,
masterful and above all, versatile, covering everything from stride and ragtime
to bebop and free jazz. Pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and teacher Jaki
Byard had a career that followed the music -- along the way he became a master of
every style of jazz." (NPR Jazz Profiles) He was an important influence for everyone
he played with and taught.
He recorded extensively with Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin and Sam Rivers
among others. As a leader, he recorded albums for the Prestige label during the
1960s and later led his big-band, The Apollo Stompers.
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For more information visit:
www.myspace.com/YardByard
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