JazzTimes – October 2019

2 JAZZTIMES SEPTEMBER 2019

In every issue

5 JT Notes

6 Opening Chorus

The 40th Montreal Jazz Festival, Paul

Jost, Romain Collin, Sasha Berliner,

farewells to João Gilberto, Dr. John,

Bo Leibowitz, and Lo Leathers

14 The Scene

The Blue LLama in Ann Arbor

16 Chronology

Ethan Iverson on Mary Lou Williams

18 Before & After

Miguel Zenón

22 Overdue Ovation

Carlos Lyra

46 Audio Files

Brent Butterworth on Bluetooth

sound improvements

48 Chops

Pasquale Grasso and new release

strategies

50 Gearhead

Gene Krupa, drum kit pioneer; plus

products from RS Berkeley, Ludwig,

Fender, and more

52 Album Reviews

62 Ad Index

64 Artist’s Choice

Lafayette Gilchrist recalls musical

epiphanies

Cover image of Abdullah Ibrahim by Marina Umari

Table of Contents image by Brian McMillen

Features

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM

This year the National Endowment for the Arts recognized what many

music fans have known for decades: that pianist/composer Abdullah

Ibrahim—born Adolph Brand in Cape Town, South Africa 84 years ago—is

a Jazz Master. While in Washington, D.C. to receive the NEA’s honor, he

kindly granted an audience to JT’s Michael J. West.

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SEPTEMBER 2019 x VOLUME 49 x NUMBER 7

CONTENTS

ART PEPPER

Forty years ago, saxophonist Art Pepper’s autobiography Straight Life was

published. For T.J. English, it remains one of jazz’s most compelling memoirs,

as well as one of its most unflattering. In this anniversary reconsideration,

he argues that, among other things, this often-disturbing book might not

have made it into print today.

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JOHNNY HODGES AND BENNY CARTER

They were the leading alto saxophonists of their era, great stylists whom

modern players continue to study. But what did they think of each other?

In an excerpt from his new Hodges biography Rabbit’s Blues, Con Chap-

man finds both respect and friction under the surface.

NILE RODGERS

You’re probably wondering what this guy’s doing here. Guitar legend, sure;

disco maestro, absolutely; soundsmith to the stars, indubitably ... but jazz

musician? Well, as Ashley Kahn discovers in a captivating Q&A, without jazz

Rodgers’ fabled pop career would have been very different. Plus: a tribute to

the man who taught Nile (and many other guitarists), Ted Dunbar.

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