RSSSFJazz Collective is stopping in Yakima next week
FOR THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
E-mail
Print
Comments
More 'ON Magazine'
- St. Patrick's Day -- It's time to party, Irish-style
- St. Patrick's Day -- What to drink, and what not to
- St. Patrick's Day -- Try some shepherd's pie
- St. Patricks' Day -- A few non-bar options
- The Indoorsman -- St. Patrick's Days of yore
- The Sirens' allure -- Sirens Sister playing the Sports Center
- 03/12/10 10 Days Out
YAKIMA, Wash. -- For a few weeks each year, seven of the busiest musicians in jazz suspend their leadership roles and come together as the SFJazz Collective. Their 2009 tour will bring them to The Seasons on Wednesday.
According to alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon, the band is having a great time.
"It's a lot easier," the Yakima favorite said, "when you start getting into the music and don't have to worry about making mistakes and being stressed about playing the parts right. Then it just gets easier and turns into fun. We're now starting to get to that point of this tour."
Zenon, who has played The Seasons twice with his quartet, was calling just before a sound check for the Collective's concert in Albany, N.Y. He has been a member of the SFJC since its founding. His colleagues in the septet are tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, trumpeter Dave Douglas, trombonist Robin Eubanks, pianist Rene Rosnes, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Eric Harland.
SFJAZZ, the nonprofit organization that runs the San Francisco Jazz Festival, formed the band in 2004. Each year of its existence, the collective's repertoire has balanced between the members' own compositions and the works of influential modern jazz composers who preceded them. Their subject in 2009 is McCoy Tyner. In past seasons, they have concentrated on Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter.
Tyner achieved fame in the 1960s as the powerhouse pianist in Coltrane's quartet, but among musicians he is also revered for the music he writes.
The SFJC will interpret Tyner compositions ranging from "Aisha," recorded by Coltrane in 1961, to "Consensus" from Tyner's relatively recent "Supertrios" album. Drummer Harland, who arranged "Consensus," says of Tyner's music: "You ever notice in life how the bells and whistles are great but there's nothing like some real deep heartfelt music that 'sings'? His melodies just ring with sounds of joy, love and warmth."
Fresh from a joint appearance with Tyner at the Portland Jazz Festival, Lovano is primed for the composer's stimulating pieces.
"McCoy Tyner's compositions are timeless," he says. They're tunes everyone wants to play and explore. They have become jazz standards."
Zenon is jazzed simply by being on the bandstand with musicians like Lovano and, as a result, even more ready to take chances in his improvisation.
"As a saxophone player I'm standing next to Joe Lovano every night, so I'm really trying to push myself to make the music shine. It exposes you to another kind of influence. It inspires you to do stuff you wouldn't do in other surroundings."
Renee Rosnes, a major jazz pianist married to a major jazz pianist, will be making her first appearance in Yakima. Her husband, Bill Charlap, has played the hall twice with his trio and was also at The Seasons in January with the Blue Note 7. Rosnes has won four Juno awards, Canada's counterpart to the Grammy. Members of her family will be in the audience when the SFJC plays in Vancouver, British Columbia, the night before The Seasons date.
"Even my mum may come," she said in a phone call from the road. "She lives on Vancouver Island, near Victoria."
Increasingly known not only for her playing but also for her writing, Rosnes, like Zenon, is a founding member of the SFJC.
"With horn players like Miguel, Joe, Dave and Robin," she said, "I have wonderful voices to write for."
On their string of one-nighters, the SFJC won't have time to tour the Valley's wineries. Zenon said that will be a disappointment to Harland, the drummer, and Penman, the bassist. Rosnes described both as oenephiles and New Zealander Penman as a thoroughgoing wine expert.
"We all happily benefit from his knowledge," she said.
* Yakima resident Doug Ramsey is the 2008 winner of the Jazz Journalists Association Lifetime Achievement Award. He blogs about jazz and other matters at www.dougramsey.com.
If you go
WHAT: SFJazz Collective.
WHO: Miguel Zenon (alto saxophone), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Rene Rosnes (piano), Matt Penman (bass) and Eric Harland (drums).
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
WHERE: The Seasons, 101 N. Naches Ave.
HOW MUCH: Tickets cost $35 and are available through The Seasons box office, 453-1888, or online at www.theseasonsyakima.com. The box office is open from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the
Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but
refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g.,
you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The
Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason.
Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or
stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and
other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to
suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a
comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the
"report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.
Registered User?
