The end of summer is always hectic and I find myself knee deep in things that I should have already written about. The free jazz concerts that are offered almost every summer in New Haven, on the beautiful New Haven Green, are amongst the most enjoyable jazz events of the year in the Connecticut area. So if its not too late, here is a brief summary of the last concert in that series that took place on Saturday August 21, 2010.
This year, the 2010 New Haven Jazz Festival was presented by Jazz Haven in collaboration with Casey Family Services and the Department of Cultural Affairs. It was run on two consecutive Saturdays with the August 14th line up including Neighborhood Youth Jazz Orchestra; Noah Baerman's Jazz Suite “Know Thyself" Septet featuring Wayne Escoffrey; Afro-Peruvian Jazz Showcase; drummer Winard Harper's Sextet and alto saxophonist Bobby Watson's Quartet.
I was fortunate enough to attend the August 21st concert which featured Jackie McLean Youth Jazz Orchestra ,The Joe Morris Quartet with Joe Morris (on bass) , Matthew Shipp (piano), Jim Hobbs (tenor), Gerald Cleaver( drums); The trombonist Steve Davis' Quintet, Chilean songbird Claudia Acuna's Latin Jazz Group and New Haven's own Robby Ameen Latin Jazz Sextet.
This particular show was a homecoming of sorts, featuring some sons of Connecticut playing for the local crowd. The Jackie McClean Youth Jazz Orchestra led off the evening's performance and although I didn't catch them, by all reports the group was impressive and started the audience off swinging.
Guitarist turned Bassist Joe Morris hails from the area and his fine quartet featured his quick walking bass lines accented by the percussive piano of Mathew Shipp the meandering alto of Jim Harris and the pulsating drums of Gerald Cleaver. I only caught the last two songs of the Morris set, but both were tight, high energy, free jazz improvisations that were quick paced and rhythmically driven. The music is clearly influenced by the free improvisational style and spirit of Ornette Coleman.
They started the set with a stirring rendition of “Surrey with the Fringe on Top." Larry Willis opened off the next song with a beautiful interlude from “Nature Boy" leading into his own tender ballad “To Wisdom The Prize". Willis is one of those veteran pianists whose mere presence gives any performance instant credibility. He adds a touch of warm lyricism to whatever he does. Davis's trombone has a buttery tone that was complimented nicely by DeRubio's alto. The group did a particularly moving take on the classic “Milestones" toward the end of their set.
The Chilean songstress Claudia Acuna brought her Andean inspired vocals to the New Haven Green in a particularly moving performance. She was joined by a group of young, energetic Latin musicians on electric guitar, bass and drums. They played with a rock music like sensibility at times, interspersing slide guitar awkwardly into the mix.
Her music spoke of things worldly and things spiritual, as her clarion voice evoked bird-like sounds of lush forests from South America. She touched on themes of class oppression in her country. On one song she brought us into her Andean Indian ancestry, lamenting on the spirituality of tobacco in Indian culture. Acuna is one of those rare performers who can transport you into her world. She has a beautiful voice-it is a gift and she uses it well.
Complete on >> http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=64686
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