…a sampling of Jazz news deserving of a post rather than a roll, a blogroll
Have a yearning for Pan Jazz? Well, Pan Trinbago has released “Pan Jazz in De Yard A Tobago Experience,” a concert footage DVD featuring two of Trinidad and Tobago’s champions of steel, performances by some of the country’s Pan Maestros and a Caribbean Jazz virtuoso.
DVD producers Advance Dynamics captured two of the country’s champion steelbands in Neal and Massy All Stars (winners of Panorama 2007) and Tobago’s rbtt Redemption Sound Setters, at Pan Jazz in De Yard in April of this year. This event, which is expected to become a regular feature in Trinbago, was mounted as a fringe event of the Tobago Jazz Festival.
There are appearances too by Pan maestros Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Duvonne Stewart, Tony “Pan Jumbie” Williams and Darren Sheppard.Also on the 90-minute concert footage DVD are Calypso Jazz pioneer Clive Zanda and The Extempo Trio, Carlton Zanda and Friends, John Arnold and the Kariwak Players, Marilyn Williams and Caribbean INXS.
The DVD is not in wide circulation, unfortunately, and is only available at select places in Trinidad.
Pan Jazz in De Yard is scheduled to take place again at Redemption Sound Setters Pan Theatre, Montgomery, Tobago, on April 23 and 24, 2008.
Cuban composer and saxophonist Yosvany Terry premiered a suite of World Music exploring the West African Arará culture on Saturday 15 at Central Park, New York. Commissioned by the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the piece was designed to “explore the enduring legacy of the Arará culture that…continues to thrive in Cuba (La Habana and Matanzas) and throughout the Caribbean (Haiti, Trinidad and Carriacou in the Grenadines as in St. Vincent and the Grenadines” even today. These folkloric traditions eventually made a way to New Orleans and contributed to the growth and development of Jazz.
Terry fronted the Yosvany Terry with Yedégbé & Afro-Caribbean Legacy (or Yosvany Terry & the Yedégbé Project Afro-Cuban Septet). This outfit comprised of the brightest stars of Afro-Caribbean, West African and Jazz including Terry’s younger brother Junior on bass.
Quoting Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, “The term Arará refers to a minority group in Cuba…and elsewhere in the Caribbean who descend from Fon, Ewe, Popo, Mahi and other ethnic groups in Dahomey (now Benin). Additionally, Arará may refer to the music, dance, and religion of this group of people.”
Arará music is characterized by particular percussive styles, including drumming, hand clapping and body percussion. Instruments include the Ogan (an iron bell) which may be replaced with a guataca (hoe blade), Cachimbo (smallest drum, highest pitch), Mula (medium drum), and Caja (largest drum, lowest pitch).
Caja bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin
The drums are single-headed and closed on the bottom, tuned with pegs. Other names for these drums are also used in some parts of Cuba, such as hungan for the caja. The lead is played with a stick and a hand, while the others are played with pairs of sticks by seated players.”
What does the name “Yedégbé” represent?The name is taken from three words in the language of Fon, from the region of Dahomey (now known as Benin). “Yedégbé” means “with the approvals of the spirits”: after they (the deities and major forces of their pantheon) gather to decide (or grant) that something is ready and prepared to happen. Through this project we will try to bring back and unify the legacy that is still alive and practiced all through the Pan-African region (including Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Brasil, Puerto Rico, Benin and elsewhere).
Terry’s goal in engaging with this project though was to transform the traditional Arará music into a contemporary sound. He told the Stanford Jazz Workshop that to him, “It is important to preserve the roots and tradition of today’s music and help the new generations understand our cultural heritage. He believes that “awareness of our heritage allows us to erase barriers of continents and races, thus sending a unifying message to our communities.”
If you caught this free concert, let us know what you think. Comment.
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Bradshaw and Hague met thirty years ago when Hague joined Bradshaw’s Jamaica Big Band, which had already been a fixture on the Jamaican Jazz scene for decades. The two eventually got married and have been performing together ever since. 
Bradshaw 
Hague Back in the day, Sonny Bradshaw made a name for himself in the Caribbean not only with his orchestra but with the Sonny Bradshaw Seven. Today, he is probably better known for having helped establish the Jamaica Federation of Musicians as a disciplined, professional organisation in his capacity as the Federation’s President for 25 years; a member of the board of directors of the Jamaica School of Music that churned out the likes of Desi Jones (drums) and Dean Fraser (saxophone); and of course the long-running, 17 years to be exact, Ocho Rios Jazz Festival of which he is the founder and an active Director at the young age of 81. (I had the rare pleasure of seeing Jones perform once with Jamaican pianist Marjorie Whylie many moons ago at the then Paint It Jazz Festival now called the Barbados Jazz Festival. Also on that bill was JA pianist Monty Alexander.)
But on September 22, Sonny Bradshaw will be at Gants Hill behind the piano and trumpet together with Myrna on vocals and Gary Crosby on bass.
If you are anywhere near Gants Hill around that time, Buzzz off there for what should be ear candy to the Jazz fan.
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Jazzz Buzzz page updated with news on Cuban Jazz saxophonist Yosvany Terry « Woodshed Entertainment Collective // September 18, 2007 at 12:48 am
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